With A Toddler. Written by an Aunt.

If you read my last post, you know that I am trying to make use of all the iPhone notes and Google Docs I have compiled over the years from various travels. This became a hobby of mine somewhere along the way, and I never looked back.

My goal for the last year or so was to travel as much as possible and with that came a lot of thorough research. The trips I plan to write about are mostly mine but some are from family or friends (like my parents and our best family friends Euro trip, which I hope to feature at some point) and I’m beyond grateful I got to experience them. I have always loved to travel and after the lockdown I took full advantage. Like many, during the pandemic, I had to take a “raincheck” on a lot of trips (like a bucket list trip with my lifelong best friend to Finland’s Lapland for the Northern Lights) in order to stay safe at home. Once I was vaccinated and feeling safer about being out in the world, it was on.

Now I want to share what I experienced and learned along the way about the various destinations (both visited and sought after for future travels) with folks looking for the same sense of freedom and adventure. It’s one way to express my gratitude to the world that I got to take these trips with these people and share all of these moments (whether they be food or an adventure). So, if you ever find yourself in Scottsdale, this is the blog for you.

This particular blog is mostly useful for foodies and also anyone with a kid. Given that my main priority for this trip was to keep my nephew occupied during the day, I catered my list to that. My nephew is very go with the flow though, so we were able to get lunch and do plenty of “auntie” things as well. Another win win. Below is my best recap of what we did and what I’d recommend. For the full pre trip list, you can see my last post where I have the whole list linked. I’ll keep this handy for my next trip to Arizona and try to check off a few more spots!

Day 1

I flew the direct American Airlines flight to Phoenix from Boston nice and early to get the day started. This worked well because by the time I landed and got the rental car, it was just about lunch time. We had sometime before we could check into the rental house so I rendezvoused with my brother, sister in law, and nephew at The Biltmore. This was a gorgeous property and very family friendly. Outback there was a lovely patio at one of their restaurants and we sat in the shade while my nephew took a much needed nap. The margaritas (spicy per my request) were refreshing and the salad paired perfectly in the heat.

We then headed off to the rental which was near to Paradise Valley just outside of Scottsdale in Phoenix. The house had a pool which was a huge hit with my nephew. I was surprised at how warm the water was even with the weather being in the mid to high 70’s due to it being unheated. A welcomed surprise for sure. The pool got plenty of use throughout the week! After a day of travel, grocery shopping, and getting organized at the house, we had a nice swim and easy salmon dinner. This also ended up being a hit with nephew who picked at the leftovers for the next couple of days.

Day 2

This was my first full day of fun with my nephew. One place that I wanted to check out nearby was The Arizona Boardwalk, mainly the Butterfly Wonderland attraction there. We arrived a few minutes before it opened and strolled around to see the layout and other attractions. Worth noting is that you can save money if you bundle up with another place within the Boardwalk (for instance, the OdySea Aquarium – Arizona’s largest) when purchasing your ticket. We weren’t planning to come back so we went ahead and just purchased the Butterfly Wonderland ticket on it’s own.

Once in the Butterfly Wonderland, you can walk around and see some exhibits before going into the actual butterfly area. There are reptiles as well as a room with a few different aquariums. My nephew is at the perfect age to stroll around in his carriage while he takes it all in. The main event however, is of course the butterflies. For this part, we left the stroller on the outside and I wore my nephew in his Baby Bjorn Harmony Carrier. This was perfect for exploring the butterflies as he was able to move around a bit and be more accessible to reach and look all around. We spent quite a bit of time in the exhibit between all of the butterflies, plants, and the Koi fish pond. The best part was that we nearly had the place to ourselves.

Most folks that know me and my family, know that butterflies hold a special meaning in our clan. My late aunt Kathy, was a butterfly lover. Kathy was just one of the many strong women (and shout out to my Uncles, but this is about the aunts ha) who I had the pleasure of calling my aunt. She taught me a lot of what I know now about being with and being there for my nephews. I smiled all throughout the Wonderland knowing Kathy was watching and with us as my nephew was in awe at all of the new sights.

Our timing at the Butterfly Wonderland worked out better than I imagined. My little monkey (aka nephew) was struggling to stay awake by the end of it, but fighting it off to take in everything around him and not miss a trick. After leaving the exhibit I put him in his carseat and about two minutes later he was out like a light. I looked at my list and decided we had just enough time to head on over to Gateway Trailhead. About a twenty minute drive from the Boardwalk.

Gateway Trailhead made my list specifically because it had a stroller friendly trail. This was called the Bajada Loop. I was able to easily push the stroller along the hard ground as we did the half mile loop. Monkey slept for most of the loop and woke up to catch a glimpse right at the end. Back to the car it was to pick out a lunch spot. One of the things I love about this age is that my nephew is pretty much “go with the flow”. He’s happy to just be with you and explore things together (as long as he’s well fed and has a dry diaper ha ha) which I absolutely love doing.

Yet again, I referred back to my list and chose a spot, Farm and Craft to head to for a quick bite. This was in Old Town Scottsdale and I was excited to go check it out. I was eyeing the lettuce wraps on the menu, and they did not disappoint. From the time we walked in to the time we left, I have nothing but good things to say about the experience. Farm and Craft is an order at the counter pick a table spot (they give you a number and bring your food over to the table) and upon arriving a nice staff member offered to grab a table with a highchair for my nephew. I popped him in the chair after ordering and he entertained himself with some puffs and a bottle. The staff were more than happy to bring me hot water for the bottle which was super convenient. On top of great service and kind staff they also have a very clean bathroom (one of which has a changing table). This came in clutch before we left so that I didn’t have to stress about finding one elsewhere once we were back on the road.

Next on our list – Scottsdale Public Library. There are a few locations but the one we went to was the Mustang Branch. This was a hit with the little monkey. Given that we were traveling, he doesn’t have his usual toy setup like he has back home. When we entered the kids section he was thrilled to see all of the toys they had. Train tracks, blocks, cars, stacking cups, and of course plenty of books. Free entertainment! this occupied us for quite some time before we decided to pack it up and head back to the house. It’s also worth noting that they have a nice changing table in the front lobby bathroom as well.

We took a pre dinner swim when we got back paired with some refreshing margaritas and then decided to go to a nearby Wine Bar for dinner outdoors. The weather was perfect for al fresco dining (so hot that we had to have them remove the heating lamps above us – they must have not realized we were New Englanders) and the food and drinks were a hit. My brother found the place as a last minute spot based on reviews and location and it did not disappoint! We were going to head to The Canal Club but we wanted to be closer to the house and not drive as far so this worked out well.

Day 3 

Day two of Camp Meg!

We kicked it off with a FaceTime with Nana and Bapa (taken in the yoga studio at the house since the monkey is in his shouting stage of learning to talk) before heading out. Today’s main event was a visit to McCormick Stillman Railroad Park. I had a feeling this place was going to be great when I read about it online and I was so happy when that proved to be the case.

When you get the park you see a big carousel, a model railroad train, lots of playground space, and more. The main attractions/ride are the carousel and train. I was amazed at how many other children were there with their caregiver first thing in the morning. The woman at the ticket office explained that you can pay $3 per ride or buy a bundle pack. Given his age and the fact that we were hoping to join musical story time not so long from arriving, I bought one ticket for the train and one ticket for the carousel.

My nephew had never done anything like this before and I was ecstatic to be able to show him new experiences. First up was the train ride. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect in terms of timing, etc. but this was quite the ride. I’d guess it lasted about five minutes. Before getting on the train (they have little cars where you can sit facing forward which feel very safe) I couldn’t see how big the grounds really were. Much to my surprise, we went all around in a major loop across the park. This was extra exciting because Halloween had just happened and they had their fields all decorated still. My nephew was at first unsure himself. I let him sit on my lap and take it all in. Once he figured out a bit about what was going on he started to smile really big. I even caught a few giggles amongst the constant pointing and blabbering about what he saw. If we had to kill more time, he easily would have gone on the train again and again.

But it was off to the carousel next. The attendant that takes your ticket and operates the train and the carousel is the same person so they have a system where they just go back and forth from the train to the carousel all day long. As we followed the migration of folks from the train to the carousel I was hoping we’d be able to get on and secure one of the few bench seats on the carousel. We lucked out and sat down on a seat surrounded by horses. This proved to again be a bit unsettling at first to the little monkey but once we went around a few times I caught the same glimpse of a smile and awe. A win.

Last on the park to do list was the local Scottsdale Public Library musical story time being held on the lawn at the park. We chose to come to McCormick at this time specifically just so we could take part in the class. Since we aren’t locals we would have had to pay $43 for a visitors library card, which you need to reserve a spot for the in library classes. This was a nice convenient loophole and since I knew I wanted to bring him to the park it was a no brainer to combine the two activities.

For this class, they passed out musical shakers which my nephew got a bang out of. He’s just getting really into music and I love watching him figure things out. I had never seen these particular shakers but they were cute egg shaped ones, perfect for grasping in your hand. The librarians did a fantastic job entertaining the 20+ groups of children and adults with musical singalongs and reading books. We even learned a few new songs, many of which played on loop in my head for the week. I have to once again give a shoutout to the nice folks at McCormick Stillman. My timing aligned so that I had to feed and change my nephew before hitting the road (never start driving with a hungry kid!!) and it couldn’t have been easier. I popped into the cafe where I was able to get some hot water again to warm the bottle and grabbed a seat at a table outside to feed him. The bathroom has heavy traffic with all of the kiddos around but again, it was very clean and accessible for all. I’d highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a kid friendly and fun for the entire family in the Scottsdale area. On top of all we did there are many other activities and areas throughout the park like pavilions available for parties, a massive playground, a Western world, and more.

Typically after all of the fun, a change, and a bottle my nephew will take a nice late morning snooze. This gave me a window of opportunity to try and cross my trickiest place off the list. 

I say tricky based solely on location and time it’ll take to do. But as an avid NYT reader I was determined to make a stop at this years Top 50 Restaurants featured local restaurant, Kabob Grill N Go. This is literally in a strip mall next to a pawn shop and you’d never guess just how incredible it is. 

In order to get this I had to head back towards the Phoenix Airport but the NYT did not steer me in the wrong direction. This was incredibly worth it. I knew it would be too good not to share, so I asked my brother and sister in law for their orders too. From the parking lot of the restaurant I rang in my order the minute they opened. The reason to get there as they open is because you will be waiting up to an hour and a half otherwise. Though, I’d honestly say you should do that still if it’s your only option. That’s how good it is. 

The woman who owns the restaurant with her husband was beyond sweet. I told her I had a sleeping baby in the car and she even offered to take my card over the phone and bring the food out. I let her know that he’d likely be waking up soon anyways so we’d pop in once it was ready but thanked her for being so flexible. Upon walking in you are hit with that classic smoking grill scent lingering in the air.  Looking towards the back of the shop you’ll spot her husband running the show in a screen of thick smoke. One of the reasons for the wait time is that everything is cooked to order. The fridge at the counter is full of stacked kabobs of grilling meats and veg. We ordered a variety of things from their menu which was nice to get to try a bit of everything. My sister in law got the beef koobideh combo, my brother got the chicken tenders combo, and I got the chicken tenders wrap. As you can see below the portions were generous! There was at least a pound of meat in each meal. To say we had another full meals worth of leftovers is the absolute truth. The flavors were unreal and we all agreed it was worthy of its ranking and recent accomplishment of making NYT Top 50.

A quick note on just how small the world is before moving on. In the less than ten minutes that my nephew and I were in the shop paying and getting the food we meant a handful of folks. Two women in particular were very friendly (they weren’t there together just at the same timing as us) and we got to talking. The older woman asked if we were visiting and I said yes from New England. She then exclaimed that she’s born and raised there. Without getting into specifics here in this blog (trying to protect the very little privacy we have these days while still possible) we discovered that her and I grew up in the same tiny coastal town, she then moved to the town my nephew lives in as a young adult, and her brother lives in the town. my cousin just bought a home in with her husband. So never forget, the world is smaller than you think. Always.

Our afternoon back at the house post feast ended much like the others did, with a swim. And a marg. Followed by a lovely walk around the neighborhood in an effort to get the monkey to nap – which was successful again today. We easily could have had leftovers for dinner but my brother and sister in law were willing to once again go along with my list antics and help me check off another place. It’s nice to switch it up from cooking to restaurants to takeout, especially when there is a toddler in the group, so tonight we did takeout again.

This time from a local Italian market. Andreoli Italian Grocer is owned by Giovanni Scorzo who was nominated by James Beard for the category, Best Chef Southwest. We decided that we wanted to try a little bit of everything so we ordered a few dishes. Our dishes included; Orecchiette con Broccoli e Salsiccia, Burrata, Ruchetta e Pomodorini, Penne Strascicate, and the meatball. It’s nearly impossible to decide what was best but I’m always a major fan of meat sauce and so the penne strasciacate (Penne with a homemade tomato, veal meat sauce) was right up my alley. The pasta was fresh, the flavors perfectly balanced, and every bite was a winner. I’d go back there again and again.

Day 4

Likely the most popular attraction in greater Scottsdale is the Desert Botanical Garden. This is technically located in Phoenix but like everything else, seemed to be about twenty minutes from where we were. Located in Papagayo Park, this 140 acre botanical garden is not to be missed. There was potential rain in the forecast late morning so we got out of the house as early as possible and arrived just after it opened. 

At the entrance you were greeted by a gorgeous display before entering the grounds and weaving throughout the many loops and trails and designated areas amongst the garden.  Given the threat of rain, I had two spots marked as top priority. 

One was the hummingbird garden. Similar to the butterfly, the hummingbird also holds a significant meaning to those in my family. My mothers other sister, my late aunt Tricia, is who I think of every time I see one. I had the privilege of spending a great amount of time visiting and helping care for my aunt throughout her battle and during her final days with us here. Towards the end of her time, she moved downstairs to the living and kitchen area. From here she was perfectly situated to watch over her patio. I made it my business to install a hummingbird feeder at the exact height and angle, just for her to watch. In hindsight, I likely did this for myself, but Tricia went along with it and smiled every time I shouted “hey look a hummingbird!!”  One of my fondest memories was the day I popped out to the deck for some fresh air while my aunt took a nap. I decided to see just how close I could get. Holding the feeder in my left hand, I recorded on my phone, with my right hand, a hummingbird fluttering at the feeder being held by me and seemingly levitating there for a few seconds. I’m not sure why this brought me so much joy. Maybe it was simply that in that moment when caring for my aunt in her final days with my family, it was clear just how valuable each little moment was. I can’t remember before then the last time that something so little as a hummingbird floating right in front of me brought me joy, but it certainly did right there and then. I’ve attempted to recreate this moment whenever I’m at a house with a feeder but have yet to be successful. Guess Tricia was my good luck charm. Not one bit surprised. 

But back to the botanical garden. Now you know why I grabbed the map, located the hummingbird garden, and headed straight there.  I was amazed at the numerous photographs with the foot long plus length camera lens’ who were enthusiastically sharing all of their tips and info with folks like me simply trying to entertain a baby. They without a doubt gave up a few prime shots just to take a minute to point out the closest hummer to my nephew (who was happily propped up against me in his carrier once again). I saw more hummers than I’ve seen in years and I smiled wide picturing Tricia there with us adoring how sweet her great nephew is as he explores the world around. 

Little did I know that the garden also had a designated butterfly garden. Our first stop in here was cut a bit short because the staff said that most of the butterflies were still sleeping. Noted. We’ll loop back in a bit I decided. 

Off to the trails it was. There are three main trails that you can hike here.  One of them was under construction while we were there but the other two were very accessible. I chose to push the carriage and keep my nephew on my person.  After a moderate hike we swung by the cafe for a change and feed. It’s worth mentioning that on both of my trips to the bathroom that day, the same woman was working hard to maintain the spotless appearance. She provided smiles and free entertainment to my nephew who was just about at his wits end as I changed him and I so appreciate her.  It should go without saying, but these are the people who deserve our hellos and our thank yous.  They’re the ones we need the most and appreciate the least especially like we’ve seen at times throughout this covid pandemic.  It doesn’t take much to be friendly or at least grateful. By my second stop, the woman was so happy to see my nephews smiling face that she even popped up and cleaned the table again before removing her headphones in an effort to be friendly. 

At the cafe itself, you could get food and drinks but I only needed hot water for warming the bottle. It had quite the gorgeous view to take in as we sat and he inhaled a bottle.  After we took care of business it was time to circle back to the butterfly garden. 

I already felt my aunts there with me today and throughout the week but I was beside myself with excitement when we entered the garden our second time. A woman came up to me and asked if we’d like to participate in a butterfly release. Our timing could not have been better. She handed me three little wax paper envelopes in which two butterflies were. Carefully opening the envelope, the butterflies pop out and slowly release themselves. They typically begin by sitting on your hand before flying away. This was an overwhelmingly exciting experience for me. I couldn’t believe I got to show Miles this and share this moment with him. I’m pretty sure I likely enjoyed it more than him but this is something I’ll always remember. Thank you Kathy. You always were such a fun aunt. I know without a doubt you had something to do with this! 

After our butterfly release I noticed it getting darker and darker and decided that it was a good time to head towards the exit.  It started to rain just we we got there and I snapped one more selfie with my nephew in front of the impressive entrance display before booking it to the car. 

Like most mornings, the little monkey was ready for his nap after our fun. I buckled him in and put in one stop nearby that I wanted to see from the car. Also located in Papagayo Park is, Hole in the Rock. You can climb to the top of the rock and see all of Phoenix, Scottsdale, and beyond. It’s a quick walk to the top and had it not been raining, I would have thought about doing so. After snapping a picture from my car I starting thinking about lunch. 

Geographically we had to pass Old Town Scottsdale on our way back to the house and two of my lunch places left on the list were located there. I pulled up the menu and called Diego Pops to order some Mexican for my nephews lunch. He’s a big fan of cheese, bread, and beans, so I figured what better than a kids burrito?  They made an adorable portion that comes with a side of beans as well. This was again a big hit with my nephew and he inhaled most of it within five minutes. 

For me, I placed an order at Bootleggers Modern American Smokehouse. This was a featured stop on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and was rumored to have some of the best barbecue around. I’m a big fan of pulled pork so it was an easy choice for me to order a pulled pork sandwich. I decided after all of my walking and carrying the little monkey to also toss in a side of fries. I thought this home with me for lunch and shared a few of the fries with my sister in law and brother. These were delicious. Almost like a circular wavy chips but smaller and puffy. I hadn’t had anything like it and it was a nice surprise. The pulled pork was as good as I was guessing and melted in my mouth. I’d definitely go again. 

Given that it was a nice rainy afternoon we stayed inside and played around for most of the time between then and dinner. There was a break in the weather for one final walk around the neighborhood too. My brother Ryan goes for about 20 walks a day. Kidding. Though he probably would if he had the time! He gets that from my mom who is a walking fanatic. She does a minimum of five miles everyday and if you’re ever in Boston, you’d likely walk in to her on her “home turf” The Esplanade. When you have a little one walking is an even bigger win win. It’s often on these walks that my brother takes (often with his wife joining in for a family stroll) that my nephew takes his best nap (like most toddlers).

After our walk it was time to get ready for our final group dinner. This was the meal I was most excited about, dinner at Citizen Public House. The head chef here, Chef Bernie Kantak, is another James Beard Best Chef nominee, which is very well deserved. Their most well known dish is the chopped salad (it even has it’s own facebook page) which is; Smoked Salmon, Couscous, Arugula, Pepitas, Asiago Cheeese,
Currants, Dried Super Sweet Corn, Marinated Tomatoes, Buttermilk-herb Dressing. I don’t tend to love smoked salmon but this was an exception to the rule. I wanted to eat it as it was designed and get the proper balance of flavors (aside from the sweet corn which I had to pick out due to allergies) and was happy I did so. This salad was so refreshing and melted in your mouth. It’s no wonder that when I did a search for the recipe, there are so many copy cats trying to recreate this magical combination. Highly recommend.

While we enjoyed the salad and another starter not to be missed, the lollipop wings, we each sipped on a cocktail that were all top notch. The wings had an incredible marinade on them which I sadly can’t pull up since it appears to no longer be on the menu. I’m glad we got lucky. These were my favorite dish of the night. For my main I went with the burger which again was high quality and melted in my mouth. I’d go back here again and again if I lived in the area. And it will remain at the top of my list for my next visit. The vibe, the food, the staff, were all five star and it’s an impressive establishment right in Old Town Scottsdale.

We headed back to the house to get the monkey down for the night and I had to pack up. I was to be up at 5 in the morning in order to catch my flight first thing to New York City. My dad and my brother in law ran the 2022 NYC Marathon and I declared myself Team Cheerleader. It was off to the races where I’d link up with my parents, brother, brother in law, and some of my brother in laws family. We had team shirts (that sadly didn’t arrive on time) and signs ready to go for Sunday’s main event and I was psyched to be able to join the festivities. Not to mention more good food and a few rendezvous with a few of my very good NYC based friends.  

Be sure to share this blog with anyone you know headed to Scottsdale. Bonus if they’re going with little ones. But also works if they just want to go for the food! And don’t forget to refer to my complete list of places to check out in greater Scottsdale.