I love the sunshine. I love the feeling of the rays radiating into your skin, warming you all the way to your soul. We have been motocross fans for many years and each year we try to make it to at least one event. I often vote for A) somewhere that we have not been before and B) somewhere warm. This year I chose for us since it was one of my Christmas gifts to Mr. MM. It turned out to be a good choice and we thoroughly enjoyed our couple of days away.
Faux Leather Moto Jacket, similar here // Shell Tank, similar here and here // Athleta Cropped Joggers // Wedge Sandals, similar here and here
Friday
Mr. MM and I both have family in the Phoenix area. Upon arrival we enjoyed a lunch date with Mr. MM’s aunt, followed by a quick road trip down to Tucson to enjoy dinner with my sister and her husband. The drive down to Tucson was beautiful. The sun was shining and there was not a cloud in the sky. We enjoyed the scenery of the giant Sonora Cacti and the mountains that abruptly jutted up out of the otherwise flat desert landscape.
We ate dinner at Blanco Tacos, which was located in an upscale outdoor shopping mall. Restaurant row included many good restaurants that ranged from Italian to Japanese to Mexican to Steakhouses. The vibe at Blanco Tacos was relaxed. Out front they had several sitting areas for people to be able to lounge at while waiting for their tables. The food was good and the service was better. But the best part was seeing family and catching up after having not seen each other for quite some time.
Saturday
Mr. MM has a friend that travels a lot and is a foodie. He is an excellent resource. Whenever we travel we always touch base with this friend about what restaurants we need to hit. His recommendations for Phoenix included Pizzeria Bianco, Durant’s Steakhouse and The Breakfast Club. We did not have time to hit them all, but since we are pizza connoisseurs we knew we couldn’t miss Pizzeria Bianco. We went for lunch on Saturday, arriving at about 11:30. There were only two tables left when we arrived. All of the staff at Bianco’s work with purpose. Our order was taken within a couple of minutes of being seated, our salads were delivered just a few minutes later and our pizzas arrived within seconds of our salad plates being cleared away. I ordered the caprese salad and it was amazing. I can’t explain what the difference was, but the fresh mozzarella was the best I have ever had. And the pizza – AMAZING. We both ordered the margarita pizza – sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil. It was incredibly light and fresh, yet rich and flavorful – and the crust was incredible. If you are ever in Phoenix, you have to treat yourself to a meal at Pizzeria Bianco.
After lunch we headed back to our hotel to park the car and walk to the University of Phoenix stadium. We stayed at the Springhill Suites, located just a mile down the road from the stadium. Being able to walk to the stadium and avoid the craziness of getting out of the parking lot after the race was such a great choice. It was another beautiful day. I am almost always cold though so I was worried about being cold in the stadium once the sun went down since the roof was open. I took a light jacket along and was glad I did, as the walk back to our hotel was a little chilly. The weather during the day was perfect for walking through the pits. There was a BMX trick event going on in the pits that was crazy. The riders had to walk their bike up crazy-steep steps to the top of the ramp before flying down it and over two huge dirt jumps where they were doing backflips and 720 degree spins. It was unreal.
Patagonia Pullover // Striped Shirt // Just Black Fray Hem Jean, similar here // Nike Tanjuns
The race was exciting. There are two race divisions – 250 cc bikes and 450 cc bikes. In both divisions there is not one dominant rider this year, but several that are all comparable in their speed and abilities. It makes for more exciting races when it isn’t somewhat of a given as to who will win. When you are able to get up close to the track you realize just how extreme and treacherous the jumps really are. Watching it on tv with riders of their ability makes it much more difficult to assess just how difficult the track is to ride.
After the race we stopped in the Westgate Center and had dinner at Hot N Juicy Crawfish. Not my first choice, but definitely Mr. MM’s first choice and this trip was his Christmas present. I ordered the King Crab legs and Mr. MM ordered a combo that included crawfish, shrimp, sausage, corn and potatoes. You choose your sauce and your spice level. I chose the ‘baby spice’ and still thought it was pretty spicy. I’m a wimp though when it comes to spice. Your dinner comes in the plastic bag that it was cooked in – no plates in sight. Mr. MM loved it and said it was the best meal he has had in a long time. If you aren’t into that scene though there were tons of other restaurants to choose from and the smells wafting through the common areas were pretty amazing. I’m confident that there is something to fit everyone.
Sunday
Our few days in the warm Phoenix sun were relaxing, exciting and beyond enjoyable. The opportunities available not far from Phoenix are immense; the Grand Canyon, rafting, hiking, helicopter tours, jeep tours. I’m thinking that a family trip to explore more of the Phoenix area may be in our future…
Scarf, similar here // Faux Leather Moto Jacket, similar here // Basic White Tee // Gray Tote // American Eagle Denim X Jegging // Nike Tanjuns
