1.

Verde Canyon Railroad

The Verde Canyon RailRoad was my favorite excursion of the trip!

It felt so classy to be greeted with Charcuterie & Champagne upon boarding!
 

You can hang out in the warm and cozy seating of the inside train car or head outside to the open-air viewing train car with enthusiastic tour guides.
I found that the outside train cars are perfect for photo-taking
 

High Dessert VistaTaken from outdoor train car on the Verde Canyon Railroad.

Our fantastic tour guide, Eve, was so knowledgeable and always gave a heads-up to be camera-ready as the train approached the picturesque vistas.
 

Grab a glass of your favorite wine from the bar and head outside. The views from the train are gorgeous. 

 Book Ahead of time if you can. They usually sell out; we waited till the week off and, with some luck, snagged the last three tickets.
 

After the Train Ride for the perfect late lunch on the way back to Sedona, swing by the Village Of Oak Creek for a cocktail and bite from 
Butterfly Burger
 

Click Here To Buy Verde Canyon Railroad Tickets 

2.

Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill

 Voted top 100 Most Romantic Restaurants By Open Table

This is a dining experience you don't want to miss make your reservation well in advance of your trip.

"I had the pleasure of meeting Lisa Dahl, the chef extraordinaire who is also an author and owner of Mariposa"
 

“devoted to excellence, blessed by grace.”Lisa Dahl & Phillip Whitley Photographed at Mariposa Mariposa is Spanish for Butterflies, and their symbolism represents spiritual rebirth, transformation, change, hope, and life. 

"Evolving from her Italian chef roots, the transformation to Latin-inspired cuisine took shape. Chef Dahl's approach is, "The food must be bold to match the strong forces of Sedona's landscapes and architecture." 
Lisa is the authority on dining in Sedona. Her restaurant group touts 5 of the most Phabulous places to dine in the Sedona Area.

Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill

Butterfly Burger Couture Burger Lounge

Cucina Rustica - Rustic Tuscan Grill

Pisa Lisa - Wood-Fired Authentic Pizzeria

Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante Italiano
 

3.

The Vault Uptown - Bar & Grill

Start your Sedona Experience With Breath-Taking Views And Cocktails Here!
 

Once you arrived and get settled into your lodging, head uptown to The Vault for a Shuga & Spice
How perfectly sweet and spicy this drink is, it MUST be your welcome cocktail to Sedona.
Having dinner outside on their stunning terrace during sunset with the heat lamps radiating their cozy warmth is the perfect vibe to start a trip.

4.

ShoreBird - Coastal Kitchen

Seafood Lovers Paradise In The Middle Of The Dessert

Butter-Basted Hokkaido ScallopHokkaido Scallop, Black mussels, sweet corn, crispy herb potatoes, applewood smoked bacon, garlic & potato chowder, chives

As soon as you approach the door, the divine aroma takes you over; that kind of aroma tells of your future meal being delicious and prepared with excellence. 
 

Overstuffed Bacon & Eggs

House-smoked free-range deviled eggs, shaved celery, applewood smoked bacon, chives, smoked paprika

Braised Angus Short Ribs

Chive-whipped potatoes, garlic-braised carrots, over easy egg, bordelaise sauce

From their Sushi to Short Rib you can be sure you need to visit Shorebird for dinner!
 

5.

Visit & Hike The Vortex's

Devils Bath Tub

Short Shuttle & Easy Hike

Airport Mesa

$3 To park 

Great Views 

Pro-Tip

There is an excellent loop trail with a small free parking lot ( if you see an open spot, it's your lucky day. Make sure you stop!) You will pass this on the way up to the parking lot you have to pay for. 

I hope you enjoy Sedona as much as I did; it was a magical place and a must-visit!

We stayed at the beautiful Sky Rock Sedona, 

 this Marriott property was beautiful and clean. They offered various complimentary guest activities throughout the day at their onsite tranquility room. I enjoyed multiple classes during my stay, from morning meditations to sound healing sessions at sunset. If you stay here, catch one of the moon rise ceremonies with gong banging and complimentary agave. 

Last Pro Tip, if you are flying out of phoenix and have the time for lunch, dinner, late night tacos your trip will not be complete without a trip to Taco Chelo,

I loved their SMALL QUESADILLA's some of the best late night tacos of my life! 10/10 would go back to phoenix just to visit them again!

Taco Chelo Phoenix Menu

Stay Phab & Travel Safe 

“It seems that the more places I see and experience, the bigger I realize the world to be. The more I become aware of, the more I realize how relatively little I know of it, how many places I have still to go, how much more there is to learn.” - Anthony Bourdain
 

After drinks at their highly sought-after bar seats that got scooped up in a hurry by thankful regulars, we moved to our table. We schmoozed as they called their appetizers and enjoyed their Crab and Artichoke Bubbly Bake with a crispy ciabatta toast as our starter. This crab dip is delicious, a little spicy, unique, and well-crafted.

For Dinner,
 I had the Nantucket Bouillabaisse ~ Shrimp, Sea scallops, Middle neck clams, PEl mussels, and local fish simmered in a tomato saffron broth with a dollop of Tucket's Aioli.  Nantucket Bouillabaisse ~ Shrimp, Sea scallops, Middle neck clams, PEl mussels, and local fish simmered in a tomato saffron broth with a dollop of Tucket's Aioli.
If you love seafood bakes, this is for you, and if you are watching your carbs, this dish is perfect for you. Healthy, delicious, full of flavor, and a beautiful presentation that will make the table jealous.

 You will notice hockey sticks displayed in the bar area from the Lake Placid Olympics, Miracle Game & Gold Medal games when you visit. 
There is a true love story behind the hockey sticks considering that is where Delaney's parents had their first date!

What we ordered:
Drink: Violet Beauregard
App: Crab and Artichoke Bubbly
Entree: Nantucket Bouillabaisse 
Entree: Shrimp & Scallops over Pasta
Entree: NY-Strip

Get a side of asparagus. It was well seasoned and a generous portion.

Delaney Twinning, 
 The manager, and Sommelier,  graciously came to the table to answer a few questions and tell me a little history about his family's restaurant.
So why is one of the best restaurants in Fenwick, Delaware, named after an island 500 miles away?
It's called Nantuckets because the owners honeymooned in Nantucket and loved their time there. 

Some other fun facts 
Delaney's mom grew up on 600 cow farm, and his dad was a 
 pro skier. If you love the color pink, you have to sit in the bar area and dawn your prettiest in pink attire when you visit for a delicious dinner.

The Vibe, 
You will find more of a mature and classy crowd, with a bar area that gives speakeasy energy and provides some of the most unique and handcrafted cocktails on the eastern shore. 
( great place for people who like to eat at the bar )
 I would suggest casual fancy beach attire. Shower the sand off, get prettied up and wear something that would make your parents proud, and you will fit right in with the fabulous locals that call this place
 "their spot"

The Food,
Amazing, when you park your car and get out and take the first whiff, you will thank me for sending you there. 
This place is most definitely a #phabsfoodyfinds!

The Specials,

Great Happy Hour in Fenwick and North Ocean City
Everyday 4-6 in the wine bar & wine Wednesday, $10 off bottles of wine

15 minutes from Ocean City, MD
30 minutes from Rehoboth, DE

Original Menu

I envisioned creating a photographic
exhibit to acknowledge and honor Franklin County African American
women, who had nurtured and encouraged me throughout my youth and
throughout my expanding career.
I approached a few of these friends explaining my idea as being a
collection of portraits. Each photo would be accompanied by an
inspiring quotation from an African American historical woman chosen
by the person being photographed. The simplicity of the idea was that
there had rarely been an art exhibit anywhere dedicated exclusively to
women of color. It would be entitled “Black Girl Magic.”
 

I invited select community leaders to view the
evolving exhibit. Again strong endorsement was received especially by
the Franklin County Coalition for Progress (FCCP). Their President,
Noel Purdy, with Mr. Whitley’s acquiescence, approached
Chambersburg’s Coyle Free Library for hosting the exhibit in the
recently completed multi-million dollar expansion. Without hesitation
the library was delighted to host the expanded exhibit.
(The final exhibit has 29 photos including five pair of mothers and
daughters).

Ms. Purdy chaired a GoFund campaign to pay for the
printed portraits, associated printing costs & a community reception.
And the Library agreed to extend the viewing of the exhibit through
March 31, acknowledging Women’s History Month. Within days more
than two-dozen contributors led by the Rotary Club of Chambersburg’s
Foundation exceeded the financial goal.

Below: Lavinia Reid, founder, Chambersburg Ballet Theatre School,
calls herself “a composer/choreographer who teaches ballet.”
Lavinia advises young women to “Be brave enough to not
worry about failure. Go for it. Believe in yourself.”

How did this project come about? Long story short: The one and only Pam Anderson! Participant, genealogist, friend, connector,
my inspiration to do this project; and writer of all of the participants biographies.

Fun Fact: Pam has three Female Firsts. In 1986, she became
Chambersburg Hospital’s first full-time speech pathologist.
Switching careers to construction in 1991, she was elected
Franklin County Builders Association’s first female president in 1999,
and chosen as the Pennsylvania Builders Association’s first female
Small Contractor of the Year in 2000. In 2016, she became
Franklin County’s first certified professional genealogist. 

Pam’s advice for young women: "Do what scares you. I’m
always in awe of young people who try new things, not
worrying about what will happen if they fail or what others
might think of them. Have the courage to be your true self,
even if it’s not what others think is traditional.”

Below: Pam Anderson in her home in front of her wall of ancestors.

Pam photographed in front of her ancestor wall.Pam photographed in front of her ancestor wall.

My Hope for young ladies and, honestly, everyone who comes to view this exhibit: I hope they see local women working wonders! I hope they are just as inspired as I was when I had the privilege to get to know and photograph them. But most importantly, I hope seeing this kind of positive local representation creates a confidence and sense of pride for women of all ages who call Franklin County home.

Below: Linda L. Thomas Worthy, Ph.D., describes herself as
a first generation college student who has defied many odds.
She is also the first and only in her family to earn a
Doctor of Philosophy degree.

Linda’s advice to young women today: “There is freedom in
knowing who you are and being comfortable with that self-
realization. Being your authentic and imperfect ‘self’ cultivates
self-acceptance which gives you the confidence to be the best
version of you.”

Donations to support Franklin County's Female Firsts Art Exhibit, held at Coyle Free Library, will go towards books for the participants of Go Girls Go and their mentors, as well as an ongoing program entitled Girl Power at all Franklin County Library System libraries. Girl Power will help empower girls ages 12-18 with quarterly programs that focus on self-esteem, leadership, body image and life choices. They will watch podcasts, read books and articles, promote healthy eating, exercise, create art, and in general create a safe place were teen girls can come, talk, and be themselves. This program will be piloted at Coyle Free Library and will be available to be replicated easily at other libraries and in other community organizations. This program will be led by Senior Director of Information Services, Jill Ann Yaich, and will start in late spring of 2020. If successful and well attended they will branch out to similar programs for boys ages 12-18 and co-ed options to promote gender equality and understanding.

Please donate here.

Portraits will be displayed during Women’s History Month, March 2020 at the Coyle Free Library,
with an opening reception on February 28, 2020.
 

When you grow up in a world that makes you feel so different,

it's beyond what I can put into words what it is like to  experience a time and place where everyone has gathered to celebrate diversity and acceptance 

LET'S BE HONEST!! Philly Knows How To Party!!!!!

 Put on your sexy shoes & something FIERCE!

Bring your BOO, BRING YOUR BUDDIES and all your LOVE & SUPPORT for the community 

The feeling of being a PROUD Pennsylvanian celebrating in our CITY OF LOVE was one of the highlights of my summer last year!

 I can't wait to see all of you and take more

Phabulous Photos 

at this years 

Pre Pride Block Party

Friday June 12th

mark your calendar!

I LOVE working... with LGBTQ+ Community for any of your Photography needs. Please use the contact tab and reach out to me.

 I will leave you with a slide show & this quote I absolutely love.

"I've been embraced by a new community. That's what happens when you're finally honest about who you are; you find others like you."--Chaz Bono