Weekend Escapes

08.26.2008

Publication: Valley Magazine, August 2008

You don't have to travel far to get away from it all. Check out three great escapes that make it easy to relax and unwind without having to spend a lot of time on the road.

With the high price of gas and the low U.S.-dollar-to-Euro conversation rate, many Valleyites are opting to stay closer to home for their vacation plans this year. After all, there's much to see and do in and around the Golden State. When it's time to escape, check out these three vacation destinations, where you can shop, dine, spa, golf, sunbathe and just get away from your daily routine - all without having to travel very far.

Under the Desert Skies of Scottsdale

Are we sitting beside the Seine? Or perhaps strolling the banks of the Thames? Maybe enjoying San Antionio's River Walk?

That's what Fred Unger, the developer of the new SouthBridge district, had in mind when he created an "urban village" along the route of the Arizona Canal as it runs through downtown Scottsdale. For decades, it was simply a conduit for the water that means life to the Sonoran Desert. Today the canal is the thread that unites an exciting, upscale open-air village.

The concept preserves the spirit of Scottsdale, say residents. Restaurants thrive under the direction of local culinary talent, and shops in the three-building fashion and design center called The Mix are independently owned. There's nary a chain store in sight.

Prominent among restaurants is The Estate House. This three-level, elegant-but-not-stuffy - luxurious without an attitude - mansion-inspired dinner house quickly won over discriminating diners. Finished in warm woods and rich textiles, the restaurant's ambience is that of a lovely private family retreat. The menu, billed as French-inspired Wine Country, includes a buttery seared ahi that goes perfectly with wild arugula and warm Camembert salad as a starter. To top off your meal, order a chocolate soufflé and coffee, and ask your waiter to serve it upstairs in the classy lounge.

At the end of the dining spectrum but equally noteworthy, CANAL is as much about entertainment as eclectic eating. A serpentine fashion runway snakes its way through the restaurant, set against a high-def media wall that broadcasts artsy imagery, film clips and couture events from abroad. Come early to sit in semi-quiet and enjoy such selections as the $30 Sandwich, a fantasy of lobster tail, Boursin and chanterelle mushrooms. Come late to absorb the sounds and styles of the area's super trendy.

Across the street, Sea Saw reflects the star power of Executive Chef Nobu Fukuda, the 2007 James Beard Best Chef, Southwest, award winner. This unusual modern Japanese tapas wine bar satisfies the palates of the adventuresome. Shell Shock, Sea Saw's casual sibling, focuses on shellfish and finger food.

Servers in indie band T-shirts highlight the trendy vibes at Digestif. Its name is French for the after-dinner drinks that include absinthe, which was illegal in the U.S. until last year. Served with water dripped slowly over a sugar cube, the smooth anise-flavor liqueur was once thought to be hallucinogenic. Another favorite, Pretti Ugli, made with Green Chartreuse VEP, uglifruit liquer, lemon, seltzer and muddled fresh like basil, is like a pesto mojito. Fresh handmade pasta dishes are remarkably well priced and include a fab butternut squash ravioli and an equally impressive cannelloni made with braised beef and Tuscan kale. The charcuterie is a reminder of the savory country pate served at truck stops near Paris.

The Mix is the place for shopping therapy. Independent shops in this three-building fashion and design center purvey off-the-beaten-path finds. The first building, Nest, showcases home furnishings, linens, baby things and garden/patio goods. Live is more hip and trendy, with Strella McCartney and Chloe among its 25 shops. Play, the third building, features a toy store, pottery-making shop and an upscale sneaker store.

SouthBridge serves as a "metro-connector" between other pedestrian-friendly areas in downtown Scottsdale. A walking path leads to the Valley Ho Hotel, an iconic 1950s hostelry that has been recently renovated to reflect its cool glory days. It is an ideal base for an in-town retro weekend.

Rooms have oh-so-'50s tree lamps and platform beds, with today's comforts obvious in light down duvets and 32-inch LCD flat-screen TVs. With vessel sinks and a translucent wall that separates bed and bath, bathrooms are a remarkable blend of mid-20th-centurey modern and 21st-century chic.

One of the great treats of Valley Ho is Cafe Zuzu. Mom must be just on the other side of those kitchen doors. The menu, with meatloaf, macaroni and cheese and frothy shakes, clearly is inspired by recipes of the past, yet has a good contemporary balance.

Spend a long weekend at the Valley Ho, park the car and forget it until it's time to leave. With Trader Vic's at the hotel, Old Town Scottsdale close by, the Fifth Avenue shops and art galleries just around the corner, SouthBridge and The Waterfront within an easy walk (or hop the free trolley), downtown Scottsdale is the place for an uber-urban vacation.

- Judy Wade and bill Baker