You know when you see a mass of people waiting to be seated at a restaurant, long lines at a retail shop or anywhere, you think, whatever they are selling must be good.
This was Drunk Munk. Twice, I had eaten at a restaurant across the street and each time I noticed the loads of people at Drunk Munk, having such a good time. I made a mental note to add Drunk Munk to my must-try list.
My husband and I finally stopped by for happy hour. This is what we had:
Bottle Rockets $12
Pork Pot Stickers $12.50
Spicy Teriyaki Ribs $14.50
Bikini Girl Cocktail $14.50
Flower Goddess Cocktail $12.50
I listed the regular menu pricing. During happy hour there are select menu items half off. Everything we ordered was on the happy hour menu.
Although everything we had was scrumptious, I would not pay full price for anything we had.
The Bottle Rockets were the best! Shrimp, cream cheese, scallion, wrapped in a spring roll wrapper, and fried. The Bottle Rockets were served with sriracha and sweet chili orange sauce. The Bottle Rockets are even worth trying to duplicate at home.
The Pork Pot Stickers were good but nothing special. A bag of Trader Joe’s pot stickers is comparative for much less and a larger quantity. My family hates it when I compare dining out food costs to grocery food costs. haha
Spicy Teriyaki Ribs were tasty, tender and dipped in the standard teriyaki sauce you would find at your local Asian restaurant. While eating the ribs, I said to my husband, it felt like it should have included a side of rice.
The cocktails! The drinks! The libations! Whatever you want to call them, they are why everyone at Drunk Munk always seemed so happy and having a wonderful time. The cocktails were superb.
My husband had the Bikini Girl cocktail, much like a Pina Colada. I had the Flower Goddess Cocktail, mimicking a Sex on the Beach cocktail. There was no skimping on the liquor. I had to ask the bartender to add a little more juice to balance out the drink for me.
So, if you are looking for great drinks, hit up Drunk Munk for cocktails, sit under the cute tiki hut outside, and order a few appetizers.
Total bill without tax and tip: $66 regular menu price $33 happy hour menu price
Location Visted: The Drunk Munk Tiki Bar & Restaurant 7133 E. Stetson Drive, Suite 1 Scottsdale, Arizona 85251
I learned about Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant from my co-worker. He knows all about the speakeasies, wineries, and bars. He is very thorough in his analysis, so I took him at his word when he said the winery was cool. I do not know if my restaurant experience was in the forefront of my mind, but I vaguely remember him not really raving about the restaurant side of things, but going into detail about the winery. As you read on, you will see why both sentiments may be the case.
I made a reservation through Open Table the same day, and we ventured out. Make a reservation more than a day in advance if you want to be seated indoors, because reservations fill up fast. We were able to snag a table outdoors on the patio. Thank goodness the weather was nice, cool, and misters going made it a bit chilly for me. Good thing, I always have a jacket for backup.
Patrons’ attire ranged from dressed up to casual. We were somewhere in between.
When you first walk-in there is a retail area where you can purchase Cooper’s Hawk branded wine, wine glasses, and other wine accessories. As you walk through the retail shop, the reservation check-in area is situated right outside the restaurant entrance. Off to the left, the wine tasting area spans across the side wall, and it was packed full of wine tasters. The wine tasting does not take reservations and is on a first-come, first-serve basis. The attendants said to allow 45 minutes to one-hour for the tastings, if you plan to participate before a dinner reservation.
With the reservation we waited approximately 15 minutes for our table to be ready. Once we were seated, we were offered two complimentary wine tastings each. I tried two white wines, Gewürztraminer and Blanc de Blanc. I appreciated them both, but I was surprisingly delighted by the Gewürztraminer. I had previously researched this wine, and it was described as the “grown up Moscato.” That description was quite accurate, a white wine, sweet but not too sweet and delicious on its own.
I was feeling adventurous, so I already knew I would order a wine flight as opposed to a single glass of wine. The flight allowed four options. You can choose a pre-selected bubbles, white, red, or lux flight for $18.99-$22.99. You can create your own flight for $21.99. I built my own flight, two white wines, Cooper’s Hawk White and Reisling. I also added two red wines, Cooper’s Hawk Red and Lux Cabernet. The two red wines were not my favorite. One, I am not a fan of wine being served warm, even though this is the red wine etiquette. I wanted to break all the rules and add a few cubes of ice, but I did not. Two, one of the red wines was spicy. I am also not a fan of wines that leave a hotness on your palate. I chose the reds to accompany my main dish, which was beef. Both white wines were shockingly smooth, and delightful. Made me regret choosing reds, at all. I enjoyed both whites overall, but the Riesling most of all.
Moving on to the underwhelming part of the evening, the food, and maybe I should not say it was completely underwhelming. The Brussel Sprouts were amazing. This is what we ordered:
Key Lime Pie – Fresh-Squeezed Citrus, Graham Cracker Crust, Whipped Cream, Lime Dust, $10.99.
The braised short rib was edible, but I had to jazz it up with parmesan cheese, and then I could eat at least half of it with the added cheese flavor. I should have been warned when the people at the table next to us left their Short Rib Risotto unfinished. The turkey burger was nicely seasoned with natural herbs but lacked salt. The Shrimp & Scallop Risotto arrived late, and it is not pictured because it immediately went back. The Shrimp & Scallop Risotto lacked and missed the mark all the way around. Aesthetics, flavor, and timeliness. I was shocked to learn this dish is a chef’s recommendation on the menu. It should be removed immediately from the entire menu.
Both desserts were complimentary, due to the late food and the lack of quality of the Shrimp & Scallop Risotto. I did not try the Reese’s Ice Cream Cookie, but can you go wrong with Reese’s and Ice Cream? I hope not. The Key Lime Pie was very good. I am a Key Lime Pie connoisseur, so take my word.
Despite the not-so-great experience with the main courses, overall, I would return to Cooper’s Hawk Winery, and indulge in their extensive wine list. As my co-worker described it, it is certainly a great place. The winery is impeccable. We decided as a group that if we must eat when visiting Cooper’s Hawk Winery, the appetizers are the way to go, because have you ever had a terrible appetizer, anywhere?
There are several locations across the United States. In Arizona, there are four locations, Chandler, Gilbert, Scottsdale and Surprise.
I kept seeing them all over Instagram (@aceofwingz), so we had to give them a try.
Lots of flavors for everyone’s taste, and don’t sleep on the loaded fries. Just treat yourself!
Check their location before you pull up!
Location Visited:
Ace of Wingz Not listing the location visited, because they were a food truck. Then they’ve moved around to a few buildings. They are worth looking for when you would like to go.
According to breastcancer.org, “exercise may help you have fewer and less severe side effects from treatment. Research shows that exercise can help ease fatigue, lessen anxiety, improve quality of life, reduce the risk of lymphedema, improve physical function, strengthen bones, improve sleep, and ease bone and joint pain.”
Insert record scratch.
Exuding energy you do not seem to have, even a little bit, can help you feel better?
How Sway?
For a good part of a year, I have been wanting to try Reformer Pilates, so I made this my exercise of choice to try and get back into the swing of moving my body.
Prior to being diagnosed with breast cancer, I was in the gym regularly three to four times per week and in an Xtreme Hip Hop dance class one time per week. That all came to a screeching halt, and I found myself barely walking up the stairs in my home, without having to take a break.
I felt like yoga and pilates would be low impact options, while still moving for heart health, gaining muscle, or at least not losing muscle during this journey.
I found Moveology Pilates & Fitness, close to my home, so I decided to give it a try.
The Pilates instructor, Shieda (Shi for short), was warm and welcoming. I always look for spaces that are filled with good vibes only energy, and that it was.
The thoughts ran through my head ferociously before arrival. What will I wear to cover my head? Will I be cool enough, because chemo hot flashes are very real! Would I be able to keep up since this was my first time out, in a workout setting since diagnosis? How many people would be in class, so I am not exposed to all the things that people carry along with them. The list in my head went on and on.
My worries were put to rest, the classes are no more than five people per session. Shi moved at my slow pace, but also adjusted me when needed, and pushed me when I said could not do a certain movement. She made me aware that in her classes, you listen to your body, and adjust to what you feel you can handle. Shi said, “if I feel you can do it, I will encourage you to keep going, but you are ultimately in charge.”
We used the reformer’s main carriage. The reformer’s stand-up bar to stretch, which felt amazing. Then we moved onto the Pilates chair. I made it through the 50–55-minute class, very slowly, but I made it! One thing I know for sure, the sleep I will experience tonight will indeed be improved.
I plan on continuing Reformer Pilates. If you are looking to try out the class, Shieda will be having an open house to check out the space, on May 6, 2023, from 12PM-2PM. If you sign-up by the end of open house, the $100 registration fee is waived.
However, you can always sign up for a drop-in class or one of her packages. Find the link in her Instagram bio, @moveology_fitnessaz and do not forget your grip socks.
Location Visited:
4340 W. Chandler Boulevard, #3 Chandler, Arizona 85226
You guys! Next to parasailing in Negril, Jamaica, this was one of the most adrenaline-charged experiences I was finally able to experience, hot air ballooning. I say finally, because my husband or anyone for that matter could not be talked into participating in this activity. My husband constantly told me that at least one parent had to stay on the ground to raise the kids.
Funny not funny.
My research on the company and safety stats convinced a girlfriend to go along with what I felt was a great idea.
From the moment I booked the ride, with Rainbow Ryders Hot Air Balloon Co. (RR), every human sense was stimulated.
An oversized basket, a giant balloon, fueled with hot-air, thousands of feet in the air, with 12 people inside, could we be any crazier? We were willing to see! I booked the hot-air balloon ride about three weeks out. You had the choice of a sunrise or sunset ride. We chose sunset, because getting up before the sun comes up over the horizon and baring the morning coldness was not anyone’s idea of an enjoyable start to a day.
There was no individual weight limit with RR, but they will ask what the total weight is for the individuals booking in your party. They placed us in a basket according to the other 10 riders that rode in the same basket with us, to give the balloon an overall safe balance.
Per RR, there were other requirements that we needed know before we booked our ride, such as being able to get in and out of the basket (similar to getting on and off a horse), standing for three hours, since we did have to stand the entire time, no on balloon seating. Wear comfortable clothes and closed toed shoes.
We checked in one day prior, to confirm our attendance for the next day. We arrived one-hour prior to flight time on the day of the ride to get an assigned basket, pilot, and van.
The ride from RR headquarters to the launch-site was about 45 minutes. Once the balloon chasers located an idea space for take-off, they began set-up. Set-up took an additional 45 minutes. We filled the time with a photo-op and observing the process of the crew inflating the balloon. They process is all manual, from pulling the basket out the back of a pick-up, unraveling the balloon to make sure it is flat and ready to be inflated with large fans.
In the air with Rainbow Ryders Hot Air Balloon Co.
Once the logistics were in order, it was time for take-off. Nail-biting and wonder started to take over. However, the hot-air balloon ride was the most serene, relaxing, and enjoyable time that you can have at approximately 3,000 feet in the air. Surprisingly so quiet, just the sounds of whispering chatter from our balloon neighbors, and the sound of the fire fueling the balloon. Our pilot pointed out some landmarks and gave us some short personal stories about his flying experience over the last 30 years.
After about one hour and a half in the air, we prepared for landing. Landing was bumpy, but not rough. We skipped a few times, but our basket did not tip over, like we were warned could happen. There are small steps etched on the inside of the basket. We used those to climb to flat ground. We had a or few celebratory glasses of wine, and all the riders received flight certificates. Our balloon chasers met us at the landing site and chauffeured us back to the RR Headquarters. Overall, our experience was 10/10.
And yes, we are a little bit crazier since scratching hot-air ballooning off of our bucket list. Would not have it any other way!
Our total price paid was $390, for two riders, not including tip.
Have you been hot-air ballooning? Who were you able to talk into going with you? Tell me about your experience. If you have not been hot-air ballooning. would you try it?
Location Visited:
Rainbow Ryders Hot Air Balloon Co. 715 E. Covey Lane, #100 Phoenix, Arizona 85024
The blog world says that a good blog post should be at least 500 words, and that is even short if you want true engagement.
I am willing to risk it for this blog post, because Crust Brothers Pizza does not need 500 words to get the point across that their pizza is piping hot, crispy pepperoni, thin crust goodness!
Ya’ll, Crust Brothers Pizza is 30-miles from our home, and we have been to Crust Brothers quite a few times. We drove to their Scottsdale location not knowing we would be overjoyed with the oohhh… ohhh… ahhh… ahhh… juggling and burning in our mouths from their simple pepperoni pizza. Let us be clear, my use of the word simple is by no means to say that their pizza is boring. It is so simply good that it is superior to many of the over-complicated pizzerias around the valley.
Crust Brothers Pizza has 4.7 stars out of 5 on Google, that is what drew me to Crust Brothers in my search for the best pizza around. I can confirm that the reviews are real. Well, I cannot confirm that they are real, but from our experience they are very real. Even if they are not, my review is certainly real and worth a drive.
Crust Brothers Pizza has a full menu of pizza, salads, baked subs, and so on but I am a pepperoni pizza girl.
I would ask that you to let the folks over at Crust Brothers know that I sent you, but they do not know me. Laughs Out Loud!
We ordered a 16” pizza for $20 with pepperoni for an additional $2.50. We shared it amongst 2-3 people each visit, with leftovers each time.
You can visit their Scottsdale, Arizona location and my fellow pizza connoisseur sister informed me that they have a new location in Tempe, Arizona.
Let me know your favorite pizza spot in the comments, so I can add them to my list to try!
Location visited: 7342 E. Shea Blvd., #11 Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
New Location: 5100 S. McClintock Dr., Units 101 Tempe, Arizona 85282
One of my sons hates pain, he plays defense in tackle football so he can hit and not get hit so he wasn’t that excited about trying out the @VIPAirSoft arena when he realized he’d be getting hit by airsoft pellets. I instructed him and my other son on how to dress so the possibility of feeling the airsoft pellets hit them would be minimal.
They were dressed in two layers on the top and bottom. Hoodies to protect their neck and head, in addition to their rental helmets and chest vests. Gloves are also an added barrier (you must bring your own) that most didn’t have on, but my boys said they were clutch.
I registered them online and signed a waiver, so the process was short and simple once we arrived. The referees take time to explain the rules of the arena to ensure safety while the front of the house staff explained how to use the airsoft rifles properly. They were all set.
Loading the rifles.
Listening to the safety rules.
Ready to go.
My boys had a 4-hour session that included gear, 1000 pellets, and a rental rifle. The boys spent an hour in the arena, which equated to two arena games and they were ready to go. As my husband and I watched we thought it be a great date-night activity even for the adults. Give @VIPAirSoft a visit for kid and adult outings. The boys said their experience was cool, but they’d prefer if one thing was added.
Airsoft rifles, magazines, and airsoft pellets.
My kids love their cousins. They said next time they’d want all their cousins to join in on the fun to make the arena teams more competitive. They both agreed the team vs. team would have been better if you know the people who you are fighting with and against because there would be more talking i.e. trash talking, strategy and the overall experience would be more personal.
Consider going with a squad for a more personable experience!
My daughter is always game without question, so I ran the idea of checking out the Children’s Museum of Phoenix by my 11-year-old son and when he heard the word “museum” he said, Muuuseeeummmmmm!? Where there are statues and pictures hanging on the wall every where and we walk around and just look at them, he asks? I assured him it wasn’t that type of museum.
I knew he may me on
the cusp of being too old to really enjoy the museum, but I thought what better
way to gauge the proper age group for this outing than to get his opinion.
I gathered my two youngest kids, my sister, nieces, nephew, my best friend, her daughter and our Groupon and arrived at the museum in the early afternoon.
Admission to the museum was $14.95, but the Groupon allowed 2-person admission for the cost of $14.95 (1-year and under are free).
When we first walked in, to the left was an enormous jungle gym and the kids took off running. The climbed all over the jungle gym and played at the nearby air-shoot.
In the same area they
had soft toys and blocks for the toddler-aged kids to explore. My nephew was immediately drawn to this area.
They would have
stayed in this area the entire time, but I set the timer and told them we had
about 15 minutes remaining after being the area for about 20-minutes.
Next, we headed
upstairs to the tricycle car wash area and the kids rode the bikes around the
area for about 15-minutes. There were
several other exploratory activities along the way.
Headed up to the third
and final level of the museum and the kids played on the rockers and nearly got
kicked out of the foam maze for running.
The younger kids of
the group found the play supermarket and kitchen entertaining and stayed in
there while the older kids made friends and played walk tag in the foam maze.
Lastly, we spent time time in the gift shop checking out all the fun toys that were available.
We spent about two hours in the Children’s Museum of Phoenix. As the parents, we felt that was an adequate of amount of time.
Click below to hear the
kids give their review of the museum and if they’d go back again.
The kids sharing their favorite part of the Children’s Museum of Phoenix
Groupon frequently has the Children’s Museum of Phoenix deal going on, but if not, the $14.95 per person cost is still worth a kid-outing for the day.
Check your local area to see if there is a children’s
museum in your area. Don’t forget to
check for discounts. Parents, you’ll
love the discounts and the kids will love the museum outing.
Location visited:
Children’s Museum of Phoenix 215 N. 7th Street Phoenix, AZ 85034
Who loves a great day-trip? If it has the word trip in it, I’m in and if it’s near or on the water I’m all the way in.
The
Dolly Steamboat has been in operation for 32 years, in Canyon Lake, just
outside of Phoenix, Arizona. It was my
sister’s birthday, so my mom, sister and I headed out to experience the timeless
Dolly Steamboat Cruise.
Do you live near a lake or ocean or is a body of water accessible where you can hop on the highway for a quick day-trip? If so, I encourage you to find out what types of activities are available to enjoy the serenity that water brings to one’s soul.
Years
ago my mom went on the Dolly Steamboat Cruise (Dolly) with a women’s group and
told me about it. Not too much later, my
husband and I went on the Dolly for our anniversary. I’ve also kept the Dolly Steamboat cruise at
the top of the list of things to do when anyone asks for non-typical
things-to-do.
The
ticket pricing is $25, with a $1.50 on-line convenience charge per ticket. You can show up to the dock without
pre-purchasing a ticket, same cost, but with no convenience charges. The downside to this is you’re not guaranteed
a seat on the boat. All online pre-purchased
tickets are checked-in first, then any remaining seating is sold. If you’re anything like me, I suggest
purchasing your ticket on-line to ensure a seat.
Dolly leaves from Canyon Lake, which is about 1 hour and 15 minutes away from my home, so we set out at around 11 a.m. for a 2 p.m. cruise departure (there are two daily cruise times noon and 2 p.m.) It is recommended that you arrive 20-45 minutes ahead of your scheduled cruise time to get your pass for boarding. We arrived 30 minutes before the window opened and were assigned the boarding positions, 51-53.
We
already had our seats picked out, based on the view from the dock. We scoped out the top deck, in the sun, on
the back of the boat. Whoever got there
first had the task of ensuring we had three seats and table. Mission accomplished.
The
Scenic Nature Cruise is 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Five other cruises are available, including a Twilight Cruise that
includes dinner. On the Scenic Nature
Cruise, we spotted several big horn sheep and two bald eagles.
The
boat has a cash-only concessions bar (beer, wine, popcorn, candy, etc.). We bought a couple of candy bars, $1.50 and a
large bucket of popcorn, $5.50. They
have free water on-board, but you can bring your own.
The
cruise is kid-friendly, and we plan to take our crew out for a little fun in
the sun. Tickets are $15 for children ages
5-12, $6 for children 1-4 and children under 1 are free.
There
is ample graveled parking and a restroom on board, but if you’re smart, use the
bathroom prior to boarding.
I
would take the Dolly Steamboat Cruise time and time again. Let me know if you go out, or if you search
out a boating daytrip in your area.
I had a meeting to attend and
it was up to me to choose the location, so I chose Lux Central. The meeting started at 9:30am, and the place
was packed. Line out the door. I was taken aback by that. It is just a coffee shop after all, is what I
thought. Naturally, I immediately said
this place must be GOOD!
We waited in line about 12 minutes,
with a Lux Central staff member walking down the line taking orders. Since I hadn’t been there before, I needed
visuals and some direction. She allowed
us to work our way up to the glass case where the pastries were on display. I made my order. Blueberry muffin and the pretty coffee drink
in a glass mug. She asked, a latte? I said, yes, and what does it take to make it
sweet? She said, caramel. I said yes, a caramel latte and a blueberry
muffin, please.
As we waited in line, we
noticed that the seating was limited because everyone in Phoenix was at Lux
Central that morning. There were four of
us, so we strategically scoped out where we could squeeze in. Don’t be opposed to sitting with another
person or two, everyone seemed friendly enough and knew this may happen at Lux.
There were many pockets of casually clustered
seating all over the building and an outdoor seating area as well. We luckily discovered a space for four and
grabbed it.
I’m all about process and order. I notice this everywhere I go. When we ordered in the line, we waited in
that same line until you get to the register to pay. Once you pay, you hang out and wait for your
name to be called. As the drinks came
out, they were placed on the counter next to the register where there is
constant traffic of payees. If drinks
are not picked up timely, it’s a sea of orders all over the counter while you
cautiously and others not so cautiously try to determine which drink is theirs. This process could be a lot better. The potential landing area for completed
drinks should be relocated to allow for a more seamless process between the
payees and the pick-up station, but I’m just a patron.
Lux Central
Anyhow, Lux Central not only
has pastries and coffee, they also have a complete breakfast, juice bar and
liquor menu. Everything our group had
(coffee, latte, blueberry muffin, croissant, hot chocolate, blueberry loaf)
agreed their items were good and it was worth a return for full breakfast and
coffee.
Lux Central is great meeting,
study, and hang out space in central Phoenix, and I can see why the line is
constantly out the door. The vibe is
legit. I encourage you to visit a local
coffee shop in your area and let me know what you ordered.
Bonus: Live music tucked in the corner (visited on a Sunday).
Location
visited:
4402 N. Central Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85012 Hours: 6AM – 12AM
Sharonda Shariee - Curating a Life Well-Lived 