The Lobby from SPG: Phoenix Archives

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Starwood Insider - Lucy Williams - Hunt for the Roaming Gnome

Friday July 25, 2008

Lucy Williams is an Orlando-based writer for Starwood Vacation Ownership and thelobby.com's expert on the subject.

The Travelocity Roaming Gnome is on another adventure, and this time he has been seen at several different Starwood Vacation Ownership resorts. When you stay at one of these resorts in 2008, you can go on a Roaming Gnome scavenger hunt for a chance to win prizes. Roaming Gnomes will be hidden in secret spots around the resorts. Participants will receive a clue sheet with hints as to where they are hiding. Once you complete your clue sheet, you can redeem it for a prize at the resort. You will also be entered into a grand prize drawing to win a five-day, four-night resort stay, plus two airline tickets worth up to $750 each. The contest began on May 1 and will continue through the end of 2008. The grand prize winner will be chosen at the end of the year.

Participating Starwood Vacation Ownership resorts are: Sheraton Vistana Villages and Sheraton Vistana Resort in Orlando, Florida; The Westin St. John Resort & Villas in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands; The Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas in Maui, Hawai'i; The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas in Kaua'i, Hawai'i; The Westin Mission Hills Resort & Villas in Rancho Mirage, California; Sheraton Desert Oasis and The Westin Kierland Villas in Scottsdale, Arizona; Sheraton Mountain Vista in Avon, Colorado; Sheraton Broadway Plantation in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Sheraton PGA Vacation Resort in Port St. Lucie, Florida; and Vistana's Beach Club in Jensen Beach, Florida.

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Savor

The Best Pizza in the Country, Without the Wait

Monday July 21, 2008

Phoenix's Pizzeria Bianco is considered by many to be the best pizzeria in the country — the only downside is the wait, which can stretch for literally hours as it's tiny and they only take reservations for groups of six or more. Well, last time I was there I got a tip from a regular: when friends come from out of town, she heads over right after work and puts her name on the list. She then heads next door to the cozy and pleasant Bar Bianco, where she orders an appetizer, a glass of wine and relaxes on the porch with a book while her hubby heads to the airport to pick up their friends on an early evening flight. By the time they pick up their bags, check into the hotel and drive over to the restaurant, there's only a 20- or 30-minute wait for a table, she's left the stress of the day behind and everyone's happy.

So, there's your plan for next spring, when the new (and very close by) Aloft Phoenix Airport opens — provided you've got a willing friend. I suggest paying for dinner; it's only fair, and at $11-14 a pizza, it's an hourly rate you can afford. Your only other option is to get there at 4pm and hope you're one of the first in line.

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Inside

"Love Your Luggage" Package at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa

Friday July 4, 2008

Sheraton Wild Horse Pass 200.jpg Do those new airline checked-bag fees have you down? Do you find yourself cramming everything you can into an overstuffed carry-on just to avoid the hassle and extra expense of checking a proper suitcase? If so, you're going to love the "Love Your Luggage" package at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa in Chandler, Arizona. Go ahead and check a bag, because guests at this luxurious resort need only to show proof of a luggage charge to be reimbursed $25 per person, up to $50 per guest room. You might appreciate the extra luggage space, because the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass has it all. You'll want your lucky golf pants for a round on one of the resort's two championship golf courses. A swimsuit is essential for a dip in one of the sparkling swimming pools with waterfalls and a 111-foot water slide designed to resemble the nearby Casa Grande ruins. Western wear is always in fashion at the nearby 1880's Western Town, Rawhide, which is accessible from the resort by boat (pictured). And dinner at the signature restaurant Kai - which serves food grown right on the Gila River Indian Community - is a perfect occasion to flaunt some of your more stylish evening wear. Offered from $169, the package includes one night in a traditional guest room and is valid through December 31, 2008. To take advantage of the "Love Your Luggage" package, click here or call 602-225-0100 and mention the LUGGAGE promotional code while booking.

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Celebrate

Get Into Character at the Arizona Renaissance Festival

Wednesday February 13, 2008

Lords, ladies, serfs, jesters, jugglers, jousters, and other colorful characters from the 14th to the 17th centuries will descend on Arizona this winter for the annual Arizona Renaissance Festival. (Don't worry, regular 21st century people are welcome too.) The festival, which will be held from February 9 to March 30, is one of the largest of its kind in the country, with three jousting tournaments a day, an outdoor circus, and twelve stages of continuous entertainment spread through a 30-acre Renaissance Village. If you're hungry for some medieval munchies, take a seat at the Pleasure Feast. There, a company of serving wenches and tavern knaves serve up six courses of food and drink and two hours of Renaissance entertainment. Take an after-dinner stroll through the Festival Marketplace, where you'll find arts and crafts from more than 200 artisans who sell swords and shields, clothing, exotic oils, leather goods, pillows and tapestries, and lots of other neat stuff from olden times. As for the shows, they run the gamut from period music and dance numbers to witty banter from the village fool and an impressive and somewhat scary demonstration of birds of prey. Mind your sandwich. The festival is located in Apache Junction, less than an hour away from The Phoenician, a member of Starwood's Luxury Collection.

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Inside

Bid Starpoints for the Gridiron Event of the Year

Wednesday January 23, 2008

It's time once again for a certain American football championship game, and you and a friend can be there for all the fun and excitement. Starwood's moments.com auction site is currently offering three Gridiron Event of the Year packages that each include four days of access for two people to events, parties, and the big game itself. The weekend gets started on Thursday, January 31 with The Best Damn Super Bowl Party Period, which will be hosted by Holly Robinson Peete, Jenny McCarthy, and the entire Show crew, with a special gig by Ludacris. On Friday, February 1, it's time for the 2008 Leather & Laces party at the Galleria Centre in downtown Scottsdale with Carmen Electra, Catherine Bell, and Roselyn Sanchez. Head on over to the Privé Ultra Lounge on Saturday night, because you've got two tickets to see Chris Rock share a few of his unique observations and insights. That should warm you up quite nicely for Sunday, February 3, when you'll enjoy two tickets to the Gridiron Event of the Year at the University of Phoenix Stadium. The auction ends soon, so gather your Starpoints and enter your bids today.

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Explore

Destination Spotlight - Arizona - Rawhide Wild West Town

Wednesday December 12, 2007

If it's an authentic taste of the Old West you seek, look no further than Rawhide at Wild Horse Pass. Located in the Gila River Indian Community in Chandler, Arizona, this recreation of an 1880's western town has everything you can imagine from a defining era of American history. Start off by plunking a few tin cans in the shooting gallery and then mosey on over to the saloon for a drink and a card game. Watch out for them cheatin' varmints, though, because things are known to get out of hand mighty quick. Those who prefer a somewhat more relaxed experience will enjoy a ride on the Rawhide Desert Train, which does a meandering loop around the sagebrush-strewn property, or climb aboard the Butterfield Stagecoach, an authentic replica stagecoach that rolls through picturesque Sonoran Desert trails while pulled by a trained mule team. For the ultimate in cowboy spectacle, the Six Gun Theater and Rawhide Roughriders put on several stunt shows a day (see video) that include gunfights, explosions, falls, and western antics of all kinds. Sure, it's more than a little bit corny, but it's also a heck of a lot of wild and woolly fun for the whole family. And in a special treat for the holidays, "Cowboy Christmas" on Main Street features live music, marshmallow roasting, Santa's Stables, and a 100-foot Christmas tree with nightly tree-lighting ceremonies. Rawhide is less than two miles away from the luxurious Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa, which itself is designed to be an authentic recreation of the Gila River Indian Community's heritage and culture. Best of all, guests can access the park by taking a scenic boat ride on a 2.5-mile replica of the Gila River.

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Offbeat

Destination Spotlight - Arizona - Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West

Tuesday December 11, 2007

Vernon Swaback told azpbs.org, "to be a Taliesin apprentice, you needed a hammer, a sleeping bag, and a tuxedo." The Arizona architect studied at Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright's school, in the 1950s. During those glorious decades when Wright and his family called the desert compound home, students not only learned the tricks of a magnificent trade, they built their own dwellings, and feasted at black-tie dinners. Today, apprentices continue to uphold Wright's grand, yet organic tradition, but they also give tours of the 600-acre compound, build from the sand and stone found in the surrounding McDowell Mountains.

The rough surfaces and sharp angles of Taliesin West blend into the Sonoran Desert "as though it had stood there during creation," as Wright liked to say. Construction began in 1937 and even today it evolves. Gardens, and terraces offer panoramic views of the breathtaking landscape. See the room where Wright designed the New York Guggenheim, examine the furniture he created, and peak inside the shelters where his apprentices dwell. Says Swaback on azpbs.org, "at night, I walked out into the blackness, quiet...mystical. And when I went to sleep in my little tent, I was part of all of that. I will never live that well again." Ponder that from your luxury room at The Phoenician Resort. One of the few spots that rivals the mystery and beauty of Wright's desert masterpiece.

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Savor

Finding the Fire in Phoenix

Tuesday November 20, 2007

There's no shortage of heat in Phoenix — and I'm not just talking about the weather. There's fiery food to be found all over town, and for the true devotee, there are a couple must-visit spots. With the Sheraton Crescent Hotel as your home base, here's a map to melting your mouth. To get started, head south down I-17 to the Pro's Ranch Market (also known locally as Phoenix Ranch Market). This small chain is more than just a grocery store — each location boasts a food court bursting with Mexican specialties like chile rellenos, tamales and handmade chorizos, plus aguas frescas to cool your tongue. Pick up some hot sauce to bring home while you're there.

Further south on Central you'll find Los Dos Molinos, a perennial favorite for fiery food fans. Even the salsa is hotter here; "I'm sorry, we do not provide a mild sauce," says chef/owner Victoria Chavez. "I do not know how to make mild." The menu at this funky little spot gets hotter from there, but the mammoth margaritas will help you keep your cool. After you're done there, make your way to The Matador, which is not only the best Greek-run Mexican restaurant you're likely to find, but on Friday nights it turns into one of the best dance clubs in the city, heating up the Phoenix night with a different kind of spice.

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Celebrate

Get Your Green On at the Arizona Irish Festival

Monday October 8, 2007

While the Irish communities in places like Boston and New York gets most of the attention, plenty of other cities throughout the U.S. have vibrant Irish populations as well. Arizona, for example, might seem an unlikely place to find a hub of Hibernia, but the southwestern desert will become a sea of green this fall, when Phoenix hosts its seventh annual Arizona Irish Festival.

Yes, the sandy, cactus-dotted town of Phoenix seems about as far away from the Emerald Isle as you can get, but on October 27, Irish people from throughout the area along with those interested in Irish culture will converge at the Irish Cultural Center and Margaret T. Hance Park to enjoy Irish music and dance, arts and crafts, and all kinds of great food. Top-notch Irish entertainers for the day's festivities include the Brazen Heads, the McMorrows, and Celtic Spring, who are known as the "Van Trapp family of Celtic music" and were recently finalists on America's Got Talent. Meanwhile, four different Irish dancing organizations, including the Bracken School of Irish Dance, will perform their tightly-choreographed routines on the main stage. So feast on a hearty plate of corned beef and cabbage or fish and chips from the food court and revel in the grandeur of Ireland under the Arizona sun. And at the end of the day, enjoy a pint of Guinness or a wee dram of whiskey at a local Irish pub like Rosie McCaffrey's, Rula Bula, or Skeptical Chymist, which was deemed Arizona's Best Irish Pub 2007 by the Arizona Republic.

Starwood has nine properties in and around Phoenix, including the centrally-located Sheraton Crescent Hotel and the award-winning Phoenician, a member of Starwood's Luxury Collection.

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Offbeat

Couture and Cars in Phoenix

Monday July 9, 2007

Lanvin%20automobile%20ensemble_72.jpg Driving, in the 1920s and 30s was one stylish past time. While European and American high society dressed for the occasion, top fashion designers not only took inspiration from the roadways, but created couture ensembles to match that most coveted creation, the car. Jeanne Lanvin, Jeanne Paquin, Madeleine Vionnet, and Elsa Schiaparelli, all known for innovation and bold modernity led the effort. Through September 2, the Phoenix Art Museum displays exquisite pieces by these designers, all inspired by the automobile.

"Automotivated" includes everything from the drab "dusters," which protected the clothing from the dirt kicked up by open-air motorcars like the cumbersome Curved Dash Oldsmobile, to the sleek, bias-cut gowns that mimicked the curved fender of the Ford Model B.

An oasis from the desert heat, the Phoenix Art Museum contains a vast collection of art from around the globe. Unique, don't-miss, permanent exhibits include the Thorne Miniature Rooms which include exact replicas from historic homes in the US and Europe, and ArtWorks, an interactive children's gallery.

Just ten miles from the museum, the fantastic Sheraton Crescent Hotel, with its 166-foot water slide awaits. Keep the heat at bay in the outdoor pool, or satisfy that frenzy you've worked up from all that fashion, across the river at the Metrocenter, Arizona's second largest shopping mall. Adjacent to the mall is the Four Points By Sheraton Phoenix Metrocenter, probably a better choice for you fashionistas. Maybe you’ll find a hot little number to go with that brand new Chrysler Sebring.