After my recent post about Prescott pumpkin festivals and other fall things to do, I just had to see the Freeman Farms Pumpkin Festival for myself.  And boy am I glad I did!  It was so much fun, charging into the pumpkin patch to find the perfect pumpkin to take home, watching the informative Saddlebred horse demonstration, riding the little train around the perimeter of this working farm, getting up close to the sweet goats, pig, cow and sheep inside the petting zoo, and generally enjoying the glorious 72 degree sunny weather.

Here is a photo gallery and more of the story after the bump…

I was so happy that I got to experience this festival in its third year, which translated to not-overwhelmingly-large crowds and easy parking. However, if I am to be completely honest in my review, it was clear to me that Freeman Farms still has some kinks to work out.  We waited an hour for a hot dog and nearly missed paying for our entrance fee and pumpkin take because the ticket booth / pumpkin cashier was set back on the property so that it was not obvious that we would indeed owe an entrance fee ($3 per person.) It wasn’t until we were leaving that we realized we should really get in the (quite long) line to weigh our pumpkins and pay our entrance fee.

Suggestions for the farm for next year: Include a couple weigh-it-yourself stations with honor-system dropboxes for cash owed.  I would have gladly paid far more than the pumpkins’ price just to avoid the line and donate to the cause. Second, they need better signage at the intersection of Road 3 South off of Highway 89 (the farm’s website driving directions said look for signs but I didn’t see any and nearly missed the turn.)

If you go (and you certainly should):

• Driving: If coming from Prescott (or any point south), start looking to turn onto Road 3 South just after the roundabout on Highway 89 entering Chino Valley.
• Food: Bring your own. We had packed a cooler of snacks and drinks and we were glad we did… the wait for concessions was a long one.
• Wear: Sunscreen! It was a gorgeous sunny and warm day, with not much shade to be had.  Wear long pants and sturdy shoes if you plan to explore the pumpkin patch.
• Bring: Your own cutting tool for pumpkins and maybe even a gardening glove… Many pumpkins are detached already but you’ll need hand-held lawn clippers to cut those *prickly* pumpkin stems.
• Bring: Cash in small denominations. Food and tickets for entrance, train rides, hay rides, the corn maze and horseback riding lessons are required, and most things are affordable…priced around $3.
• Stay: Make a weekend of it… book your hotel on Prescott.com, find restaurants, other attractions and other events and festivals nearby.

I was fortunate to be able to stay several nights in one of our advertising client’s vacation cabins just outside Flagstaff this week.  Though I have been to Flagstaff many, many times, this was my first vacation stay in a Flagstaff cabin and I have to tell you, I LOVED it.

My Flagstaff cabin getaway was just like being at home, and not at all like being at home.

The cabin had a convenient location, about 8 miles south of Flagstaff, making it easy to run into town for groceries, a couple nice meals out, and general sightseeing ventures.

Was the cabin 5-star? Well, no.  But Hello….iT’S A CABIN in the woods. Instead of a personal valet, I had primeval ponderosas ever standing by; in place of French linen spray, my room was infused with cool, alpine breezes; and rather than a fancy Hammacher-Schlemmer white noise machine set to “rainstorm,: I slept to the music of an actual rainstorm.

In short, the cabin was outfitted with the kind of amenities designed to be just like being at home, and not at all like being at home.

Here are some of my photos from the trip… I couldn’t take enough photos of the lovely wildflowers on the hiking trail that originates in the cabin’s backyard, nor a storm that rolled in across the meadow in front of the cabin, nor the morning fog that settled in the wide open field, over which a big red barn presides.The pastoral imagery-brought-to-life was just too much to capture with my point-and-shoot, but you get the idea.

A big thank you to Arizona Vacation Rental Homes (www.arizonavacationrentalhomes.com) for encouraging my vacation buddies and me to come stay in your charming property.  The stay was a welcome break from the “seasonably warm” temps in the Phoenix Valley.  This blog post was not solicited in any way… I just enjoyed my summer getaway and want other locals and visitors to give Arizona Vacation Rental Homes or any other Flagstaff cabin rental companies a thought when planning a trip to Flagstaff.

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Thumb Butte presiding over the Veterans Hospital, formerly Fort Whipple

I was in Prescott this week for a meeting at the Prescott Resort, which is located atop a large hill just before you make the turn southwest into downtown Prescott. I parked my car facing Thumb Butte and looked down into the valley below and saw what I now know is the Prescott Veterans Hospital, formerly the site of Fort Whipple. (I know this because of this great little blog post over at the Prescott Area Daily Photo blog.)

What I thought was most charming about the hospital campus splayed below were the two rows of identical early American farmhouses, as you can see in the photo. I immediately wondered what the houses are now used for, what their history is, and the full history of the hospital in general. (By the way, if you know the scoop, please comment! I’d love to learn more.)

Later, another Prescott discovery (well, okay, I admit… this was a return visit BUT the first time was indeed a discovery and I just had to go back). The Raven Cafe on Montezuma and Willis in downtown Prescott is such a great restaurant, I just can’t say enough about it. Prescott’s only “all green” dining establishment, the Raven Cafe features an organic coffee bar and tons of organic beers on draft and in the bottle.

Quiche of the day at the Raven Cafe (rhyme!) www.ravencafe.com

While I was waiting to order my lunch, I checked out the rotating gallery of what I would describe as indie art, a big bookcase of volumes to borrow while you dine and even a whole bunch of kid-friendly attention-occupiers fill the bottom shelves (as a mom… I totally appreciate the non-verbal cue that kids are welcome, and well-behaved, busy kids are even better.)

Soon, it was my turn to order and I chose one of four special quiches of the day – the boursin and red pepper. An iced tea, too and I toted my order number over to a table by the door. The quiche was spectacular – perfectly portioned and plenty rich to fill me up, with a green salad that I learned was grown in the Raven Cafe’s very own Raven Garden (with offerings from the local farmer’s market, too.)

Please check out the Raven Cafe… From the flyers and chalkboards, it’s clear they are great for lunch and even livelier for happy hour and dinner. Next time I’m in Prescott, I’ll have to force… FORCE myself not to eat at the Raven Cafe and check out someplace new… But you know there’ll be a blog post on THAT discovery, too, so stay tuned.

A Spa for You Sedona Day Spa - Enter into warm, personalized care.

As an official Sedona enthusiast and an unofficial Arizona travel writer, I was thrilled at the opportunity to experience a treatment at A Spa for You Sedona Day Spa last month.  The owner and therapist, Thea Draaisma, greeted me warmly in her quaint and Scandinavian-style sanctuary.

A prime example of an emerging trend in spas, the one-person spa, A Spa for You Sedona Day Spa allows guests to experience his or her therapist’s complete, undivided attention in complete privacy and stillness.  And because the personalized attention is delivered in a home studio or – like A Spa for You – in residential-style dwelling used exclusively as a spa, guests can relax for less; you know you’re not paying for elaborate decor, excess staff and other overhead expenses.

That’s not to say that A Spa for You wasn’t nicely appointed; quite the contrary.  Just as with fancy resort spas and destination spas, I settled for some pre-treatment relaxation and hydration in the common space while Thea prepared me and the treatment room for my experience.

I was lucky enough to have Thea’s signature Japanese Facial Massage – the perfect blend of facial and body treatment – which Thea gave with personalized and genuine care.  With a gentle sort of “plucking” stroke, the Japanese Facial Massage felt like tiny butterflies dancing on my skin and refreshing my face with hydrating, cooling and replenishing goodness.

A Spa for You uses Lafemation 100% pure botanical skin care products from which Thea customized to my individual skin’s needs.  I would write the rest of what happened during the treatment, but I fell into such a deeply relaxed state that was completely uninterrupted by thoughts of what my blog post might containg.  Sorry, but it’s true.  You’ll just have to go to A Spa for You and learn for yourself.

Thea is deeply knowledgeable, with a resume that includes some of the country’s finest and most acclaimed spas.  But the most engaging thing about Thea is the obvious and genuine care she has for each of her clients and her business.  I strongly encourage Sedona visitors and locals alike to seek out A spa for You – find them on our Spas in Sedona section on Sedona.net or go directly to A Spa for You Sedona Day Spa’s website.

A Spa for You Sedona Day Spa
28 Kayenta Court #2
Sedona, Arizona
Phone (928) 282-3895
SMS Mobile Text “Spa” for call back at: (928) 821-3238
Email: thea@aspaforyou.com
Site: www.aspaforyou.com

If you go: Check out the map and note that A Spa for You is a one-person spa.  So look for a gray-green residential 2-story apartment building at the top of Kayenta Court.  Park in front of Unit #2, and enter through the charming red door.  Observe usual spa etiquette; arrive at least 15 minutes early, wear comfortable clothing and turn off your cell phone.  Because Thea is the owner and therapist, some etiquette experts may say that a gratuity is not required, but I felt she certainly deserved it and her prices are so reasonable, you can afford to tip graciously and still mind your budget.

Full disclosure: Yes, the treatment was complimentary. Yes, A Spa For You Sedona Day Spa is a paid advertiser on our travel site, Sedona.net. No, I was not asked to write a review or give a testimonial – I just loved my experience so much that I wanted everyone to know about it.