When I visited the Westgate City Center in Glendale last Friday before the Rangers game I took some video. It's an amazing place to go shopping or have a nice lunch. When the Super Bowl was in town in February (the game was played next door at the University of Phoenix Stadium), the place was wall-to-wall people. I went back last week to see the place under more normal circumstances. Let me know what you think of my great camera skills...(thanks to Joe Cocker for providing the sound track).

Scottsdale Arts Festival and Old Town Galleries

It's Monday morning and I'm trying to update by blog, though Blogger is having "upload issues", but I think I have finally finished adding the photos. They were uploaded to Photobucket instead of Blogger, so they may appear larger than usual (not a bad thing).

Yesterday was a beautiful Sunday, with the weather absolutely perfect. I had breakfast and coffee at the Plantation Coffee shop and most of the people were talking about doing something outside. It was definitely not a day to stay indoors.

Luckily I had plans to attend the Scottsdale Art Festival in Old Town Scottsdale. The festival is over 30 years old, and hundreds of artists from around the country were going to be there. I parked easily enough in the Arts District. The Arts District contains numerous blocks of art galleries in Old Town, all near Main Street. To the east of Scottsdale Ave. on Main Street, near the city offices and the Performing Arts Center, the festival was underway.

The corner of Main Street and Scottsdale Ave. in the heart of Old Town.

The Ancient Arts Gallery in the Arts District. Very cool statues out front.

Looking east on Main Street, the Arts District. Both sides of the street are lined with fine art galleries.

I saw this bronze sculpture in a display window. God bless America.

As you walked toward the Festival in the city plaza, you could window shop for fine art. Many of the galleries were open, though most were closed since it was a Sunday. I don't know why an art gallery would be closed during the Festival, even on a Sunday.

The plaza near the Scottsdale City Offices.

I entered the Arts Festival here, and paid my $7 for a ticket.

The Festival had two live performance stages. This one was near the Food Court, so many were eating lunch and listening to the live bands.

This particular group was playing music from around the world using all kinds of weird instruments from Greece, Egypt, and the Middle East.

After I took the above shot, I had to go the Men's Room for some relief. I asked a security guard for directions to the nearest bathroom and she told me the Performing Arts Center was the best place. So I walked there in a semi-rush, if you get my meaning.

As luck would have it, the Men's Room inside the Performing Arts Center was hard to access due to a live performance of "Audio Ballerinas" which had just begun when I arrived.

If you'll notice, the Men's Room is to the right of the small tree, in the above photo. The performers of this "artistic performance" by four cute girls were in mid-stride making there way through the foyer toward the exit doors leading outside. I asked the guy next to me, "How can we go to the bathroom when it's center stage in some act?" He laughed, and cringed, because we both had to "go".

To be honest, the performance was really cool. An artist (can't remember his name) came up with this artistic "dance" where four girls slowly walk a path from upstairs, then through the foyer, then outside into the crowd. The girls were wearing a contraption around their waist that produced a weird king of monotone music, like something you would hear from the soundtrack of the movie "Blade Runners". They each had a rake on their shoulder, too.

Once they cleared the Men's Room, I finally made it inside. Since the girls were walking very, very slowly, one step at a time, in rhythm to the music, I returned just in time to see them continue their "dance" outside. They dropped their rakes on the concrete, and began to drag them in rhythm. I noticed that the rake was actually wired to their waist, and producing a very loud "screeching" sound as they dragged it along the sidewalk.

Notice the wires running from the rake, the speakers around the waist.

Once outside, they continued their slow pace into the crowd. Watching the reactions of the people to the strange performance and music was entertaining. Some laughed, some were in awe, some covered their ears. I was just thinking, "This is really cool." Each performer was in perfect unison with the others, each had no expression on their face.

When I left the Festival, I visited some of the "tourist" shops along the way back to the Arts District.

Rangers Lose (Again) and The District Marketplace

The Texas Rangers once again found themselves behind early after giving up six runs in four innings today. So far the Ranger pitching staff seems to be struggling. But this is nothing new, unfortunately.

It was another beautiful day at Surprise Stadium, with very little wind, 74 degrees, and bright sunny skies. Below are some pictures from today's game.


Ian Kensler, Michael Young, and ? taking a pre-game walk. The Homerun Party Deck behind them is a "bar and buffet" place for postgame tomfoolery. They usually have a live band on hand, plus plenty of suds.

One of the numerous photogs who are here to cover the games. I think he dropped his hotdog or something.

A young Rangers fan trying to ponder the question, "Why can't we ever find some pitching for this team?" Answer: Tom Hicks is a tightwad.

A Hippie and his companion singing the National Anthem. How groovy.

Either the National Anthem is being played...or, they are watching highlights from last year on the Jumbotron.

"Look, Daddy, the Padres just hit another homerun."

The scoreboard says it all. The Rangers scored some runs late (five), but it was too little too late. Kevin Mench's 3-run homer wasn't enough. Final score: Padres 9, Rangers 5.

This guy gets the "Dumbest Hat Award" for 2008 Spring Training. I think he let his love of baseball go to his head.

After the game I drove back east via Loop 101 and stopped off at a nice outdoor shopping mall, The District at Desert Ridge.

I have found my working office. It's the Starbucks at the Kierland Commons mixed-use development on North Scottsdale Rd. at Greenway Pkwy. This Sbux is much larger than your average one, lots of room to spread out. The huge tables with laptop hookups are exactly what I need.

.

Since I've been on the road, one of the first things I do when I visit a new city is find a local Starbucks to use as an office. In Tucson, I had two Starbucks I really liked: one on Speedway and the one near the UA campus on University Dr. So far, this is my favorite Sbux in Scottsdale. I'm sure I'll find other locations just as nice. Since I spend two or three hours minimum when I'm at a Sbux, it must be a nice one. I also stop daily at the Starbucks on Indian Bend Road near the Casino Arizona. It's handy, but small.

.

Starbucks does have some serious competition, however, from a large Coffee Plantation cafe at the Biltmore Fashion Park in Phoenix. I love the Coffee Plantation. It has glass walls overlooking a manicured patio, plus free online access (at Starbucks I have to use T-Mobile). It is definitely upscale, being located next door to a Ralph Lauren retail store. I first stumbled upon the place after leaving the Border's Bookstore located across the parking lot.

.

I mention these coffee shop locations because I spend so much time in them. I have always used Starbucks for work, even when I was brokering real estate back in Texas.

Old Town Scottsdale

I visited the Fine Arts Expo for a couple of hours this morning, then decided to have lunch at the Red Robin at the 101 Shopping Center. Since I ate too much, some exercise was next on my agenda.

I drove to Old Town Scottsdale to take a walk. Old Town Scottsdale has become a tourist attraction with various retail stores and fine art galleries. A new development was created on the "waterfront", overlooking what is supposed to be either a river, stream, creek, or manmade drainage ditch. I'm not sure exactly what the "waterfront" is, but I'll let you know.

In any case, Old Town Scottsdale is a cool place for an afternoon walk. The art galleries are primarily along 5th Street. I strolled past a couple of nice patio bars and more than one cafe with seating outside. If you want to ride around the neighborhood, Scottsdale offers a free trolley ride. It runs a 20-minute circuit around the Old Town area.

An Art Walk is scheduled for the first Monday of each month, and the sidewalks are painted to show you the way. (See photos below.)

One of the restaurants near 5th Street that offers patio seating. The weather today was a little cool, but still excellent for an outdoor snack. The heart of Old Town is the "fountain of horses", or at least that is what I call it.

She looked so sad, I had to take her picture. She was stuck inside a display case in front of a gift shop hawking various party treats for St. Patrick's Day. I'm sure she'd rather be riding the free trolley around town.