If I had one wish for the Arcadia district in Phoenix, it would be that more independent breakfast places were open. I would even be satisfied with a diner experience that served hot, satisfying breakfasts that didn’t break the bank and didn’t remind me of Denny’s or IHOP. I will admit, however, that my wish [...]

Along the strip mall that sits on the southeast corner of 36th Street and Indian School is a world of history. What is now an antique shop one was the Food-A-Rama, the best grocery store in the City of Phoenix. It had fantastic produce, a pharmacy and a lunch counter with killer burgers and Cherry [...]

I don’t like the Esplanade. I have actively avoided the plaza because I cannot stand the parking situation which is a torturous experience if you drive anything but a micro-car. And God help you if you don’t get your parking stub validated at the shop of your choice. However, I often have to drive there [...]

“I wish there was a great breakfast place in Arcadia.” This was what I relayed to J. as we packed bags and got ready for a trip to the airport. Oh, we have La Grande Orange and The Eggery, but I wanted something more like an independent, sit-down, table service place where you can dine [...]

It seems like every other month some new eatery is moving into space near the intersection of 44th Street and Indian School Road in East Phoenix. My beloved Arcadia District is seeing a resurgence of new restaurants along with the survival of wonderful old standbys like La Fontanella. This bodes well for East Phoenix as [...]

Every so often, I stumble across the most out of place eatery. Often, it is stuck in some cruddy, little strip mall that hasn’t seen fresh paint in decades. But it is always mixed emotions for me because I dearly fear walking in, ordering, paying my hard earned dollars and then sitting back and trying [...]

Every so often, I have the most bizarre conversations with people regarding the geography of Phoenix. Although I am a Phoenix native and still remember when Shea Boulevard and Scottsdale Road was a small dirt road crossing, I also know that downtown Phoenix is, well, downtown. I was taught in school that downtown Phoenix can [...]

After having a wonderful meal at Strombolli’s the night before, we were anxious to get to the Grand Canyon for a day of hiking, sightseeing and picture taking. This was all dependent, of course, on a hearty breakfast that would satisfy us, keep the cold at bay and not pinch our wallets too much. On [...]

Every so often, I get in one of those Saturday morning moods where all I want to do is put on some comfy sweats, head to some breakfast place and spend my morning waking up. With the onslaught of cooler weather in Phoenix, this mood hit me this past Saturday and what I wanted was [...]