Diablo Burger Flagstaff

What do you get when you mix a thick juicy burger patty with fresh local ingredients between a toasted english muffin, and serve them up on top of a basket of hand cut seasoned fries? The answer is simple: Diablo Burger! Named by USA Today as one of the best burgers in the country, Diablo Burger serves up unique burgers that are not only delicious but also healthy by using 100% grass fed, hormone and antibiotic free beef from just 40 miles southwest of Flagstaff. Even more so, all of the toppings offered are products of local and family owned businesses.

Strike another one off the Flagstaff Bucket List for this girl. This is the second time this summer I have enjoyed these delicious burgers. Back in July, the great people of Diablo Burger dropped off a box of the Monk burgers for us before the Benefit Concert. It was simply a bun, patty, and cheese. I am a toppings girl and never have I ever eaten a burger without lettuce, tomato, or condiments. I was blown away that a simply burger could hit the spot.

This time we made it to their adorably quirky location in Downtown Flagstaff and I opted in for the Big Daddy Kane. This beast was their signature patty topped with bacon, sharp cheddar, sliced pickles and the db special sauce. Boy was this burger big, even without lettuce and tomato that come on the side. To try to do these burgers justice by words would not be enough, so I just going to let this pictures do the talking. Just look at them and try not to drool.

When I first posted the photo of the Monk at the benefit, I got some questions about the pinkness of the meat. The standard is to serve up their meat at Medium Rare. I cringed the first time I heard it. I like my meat well done. When they were given to us at the benefit, I forgot and just dove in. Most of the time, I can taste a difference when meat isn't well done. All I tasted was an awesome burger. Now, if Medium Rare is just too much for you, they will cook your burger to whatever doneness you would prefer. And if gluten isn't your thing, they got you covered as well!

The all-natural, local-only approach is awesome but isn’t going to mean any thing if a restaurant can’t present a top notch dining experience. Hands down, Diablo Burger’s food is amazing, their staff is awesome, and they have all the details down pat. They are proof that craving a big juicy burger doesn't mean you have to settle for an unhealthy, greasy mound of over (or under) cooked, subpar hamburger on a soggy bun. So if you find yourself in Northern Arizona, or even down by Tucson, make a plan to stop by, devour a burger and fries, and tip the cow!

Friday Five: Summer Hangouts

For obvious reasons we don't do very many big trips together during the summer months. On Berkeley's weekends we tend to just have lowkey days. We take day trips, or hike, or just sit back and relax. Thankfully, we live somewhere with gorgeous summer weather! It makes getting out easy and fun!

1. Red Rock Crossing/Cathedral Rock

   

   Red Rock Crossing/Cathedral Rock in Sedona, Arizona. One of our favorite just for fun hikes. It's an easy stroll that results in lunch by the creek and some swimming. This particular side of creek is more of a hike but the other side is a fun day-use swimming 

2. Downtown Flagstaff

   

   Although there are specific downtown locations on this list, we really just like spending the day wandering downtown.  We usually start going to the library or getting lunch and then just walk around enjoying the sights and sounds. Even after living here 8 years, our historic downtown area is still one of my favorite places to spend time. 

3. Monte V Lounge

   

   Summer 2012 brought a new tradition for us: Sunday night pool! One of our favorite bars is the Monte Vista Lounge. Not only is it under a historic haunted hotel, they offer amazing bloody mary's and free pool on Sundays. Because it is slightly under street level it is always cool and Sunday afternoons the place is practically vacant!

4. North Fork of Oak Creek

   

   The best way to drive from Flagstaff to Sedona is to take HWY 89-A down off the rim and through Oak Creek Canyon. Not only is it the faster route, but it is the prettiest way. The road winds along the North Fork of Oak Creek. Mid September is the best time to go. The Monsoons have just passed and the water levels are high and refreshing. We like to stop a little higher up the canyon and hike down to the creek to more secluded areas of the creek. 

5. Macy's

   

   We just love Macy's. As the sign indicates it is a coffehouse and bakery and they do not disappoint! Not only do they serve up hot coffee and pastries, Macy's offers a wide variety of hot and cold beverages for anyone's tastebuds and creative vegetarian breakfast, lunch and dinner menus. How can a place that offers all that and proclaims that "All Everyone Needs is Love" not be a great place to hangout?!

Summer 2013: Bucket List Revisted

Last month I shared my Summer Bucket/Goals List. Today I am just doing update. Having it up here is keeping me accountable and giving me motivation to get it done!

Summer Goals:

1. Visit my parents and siblings in California at least once.
2. Take a camping trip.
3. Hike the entire Elden Lookout Trail.
4. Eat at 3 of the restaurants on the Flagstaff Bucket List. (1/3)
5. Ride SkyRide at SnowBowl.
6. Visit the creek as many times as possible.
7. Finish 4+ titles from my reading challenge. (2/4)
8. Try more 3+ mile hikes. (1/3)
9. Visit Hallie and Ava at least once.
10. Take more photos.
11. Do a clean and purge.
12. Put the wedding album together.
13. Grow patio tomatoes. (currently flowering)
14. Celebrate our 5 years!
15. Play pool often.
16. Make some great baby gifts for lots of pregnant friends.
17. Host a BBQ!
18. Finish the shop relaunch.
19. Go fishin'
20. Finish our bedroom gallery wall.
21. Be better this season.
22. Enjoy it.

italics = started or in progress bold = fulfilled at least once

Granite Mountain Benefit Concert

Last Wednesday evening I was notified of a benefit concert in the works to raise money for the Wildland Firefighter Foundation in honor of the Granite Mountain crew. Initially, I was approached to simply give Berke the event flyer to post around his work offices. That wasn't enough for me and I asked what else they needed. I got to work pushing the event in our circles, getting people we knew lined up as potential donors and 36 hours later, I found myself covered in sweat at 9am at softball fields putting together event tents, setting up tables and chairs, smashing ice, and making friends 

5pm rolled around, and even though the concert did not start until 6pm, we had a steady stream of people coming in. We scarfed down dinner (I finally got to try Diablo Burger!) and got to work. After spending the whole day there already, the time from 5pm to 11pm just flew by. It was an awesome blur of selling raffle tickets, talking with new and old friends, sharing stories, enjoying the music, and raising money. There was an amazing turnout for something that was planned and executed in roughly 4 days. It was great just to see Flagstaff come out to graciously and unconditionally give what they could for a great cause. In the end, the event raised $40,000 to be donated to the Foundation! It was just a beautiful evening and I am glad just to have been there. 

Picazzo's Review

When I posted the pictures of my April Day in the Life documentation, I got a lot of comments about how delicious our dinner looked. What was it? Where was it from? Was it as delicious as it looked?

I wish I could report that it was amazing, but I can't. We stopped there for dinner while Berkeley's parents were in town. His dad can't have gluten and they advertise gluten free pizza crust. They shared a medium GF pizza and Berkeley and I both got pasta and shared a salad.

We visited on a Saturday in the early evening and there were plenty of open tables and what seemed to be quite a few waiters there. We thought we had beat the dinner rush. From the time we ordered to receiving just our salads was nearly 45 minutes. We waited another 30 minutes for the entree.

My Spinach cannelloni was served on a dish that was piping hot. So hot I nearly seared my hand because the waiter did not bother to warn me. I was still excited because it looked fabulous. I slowly cut up my dish to help it "cool off a little". The ends were gooey and warm so I took a few bites hoping that the flavors were going to be okay. They weren't. The spinach and cheese filling was bland. As I got closer to the center, it was harder to cut through with just my dinner knife. They were completely frozen in the middle! My salad was warmer than most of my dinner. That is pitiful.

I was also hoping that maybe it was just my dinner. While mine was the only one still frozen, Berkeley's ravioli was not anything spectacular either. On the upside, Berkeley's parents liked their pizza. Normally, I try to see the silver lining when it comes to eating out. I was in food service and I understand that things can happen. Unfortunately for them, frozen food is never okay and for me there was no silver lining! We will not be returning. There are plenty of other places in Flagstaff that serve better pizzas and pastas at a better price with better service. In short our money, and yours too, would be better spent somewhere else. 

5 Things I Love About Arizona

I purposely left yesterday's post about Sammy's visit just to photos. All of the photos were from her camera phone, and except for 2 of them, they were all taken by her. It was really fun to see what she thought was photo worthy.

One thing that was really exciting for her was the saguaro cactus. She loved seeing them everywhere. It was so fun that we could drive from the Sonoran Desert up to the forest where we live and during the trip you can see all the different ecosystems along the way. It blew Sam away!

Thinking about loving this aspect of Arizona, I started thinking about other things I love about Arizona. It just happened to fit in perfectly with Keeping up with Kelsey's "The Good Life" linkup topic this week.

 

Five Things I Love About Arizona:

1. Ecological Diversity. Samantha's reaction to the change just in a 2 hour drive was similar to mine the first time I drove down I-17 to Phoenix. In Phoenix you have dry, hot desert complete with giant saguaros, cholla, cactus wrens, rattlesnakes, and gila monsters. Just north of the Phoenix Metropolitan area is the high desert, then the Mogollon Rim, and up to the mountains and forests of Colorado Plateau, where we live. Northern Arizona is home to the largest contiguous stand of Ponderosa Pine in the world and we look out our window to the tallest point in all of Arizona.

2. Recreation. This state is full of recreation opportunities. Arizona has over 50 wilderness areas and over 1/4 of the total land is considered to be forested. Hiking, biking, rock climbing, backpacking, and camping are all possible within an hour of where we live. There are lakes everywhere for fishing and boating. Lots of rivers for tubing. There are so many outlets of recreation all over the state.

3. Anthropology. Plain and simple, Arizona is an anthropological gem. It is great knowing you are surrounded by so much history.

4. Community. This one is specific to Flagstaff, but our community is great. Even though the total land  is 64 square miles, our total population is approximately 65,500 people. That is a lot of land but not a lot of people. By comparison, the town I grew up in California has a population of 99,000 in an area that is only 27 square miles. There is definitely a small town atmosphere and sense of community.

5. Climate. One of the 5 "C's" of Arizona economy! This is another one that pertains mostly to Flagstaff. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area our weather was hot and humid in the summer and cold and rainy in the winter. In Arizona, is a dry and arid environment. One of reasons I really love the climate is my oily complexion. Since moving here (most of) my acne cleared up, and my hair got really healthy. In Flagstaff, it is sunny all the time. Even during winter snow storms and summer monsoons, the storm comes in and does its thing and then the clouds move on. It is always beautiful!

During Sammy's visit we were able to share all of these aspects with her. Her visit was short so she didn't get the full experience but we did fill our days with awesomeness! I am so glad she came to visit and even more excited that she had a lot of fun. I cannot wait until the next time she'll get to visit us. Hopefully, by then we'll be in small house so that she doesn't have to sleep on our living room futon.

Interested in learning more fun and fascinating facts about Arizona? Click here for 100 of them complied for the Arizona Centennial this past year.

Sammy's Visit to Arizona in photos

Tinderbox Kitchen

Before this past Thirsday night, the closest I had been to a Valentine's Day date, was me and one of my very best friends going to chinese buffet together instead of with boys as College Freshmen. We got semi-dressed up, we put on makeup and we headed out for a great dinner. The night ended with us splitting a small bottle of Smirnoff and watching girly show. As I mentioned yesterday, Valentine's Day, isn't a big deal for us. It has nothing to do with the commercialism or any of the other anti-V-day sentiments that are out there. We just don't make a big deal about. In the 4.5 years we have been together, we had never gone out on a Valentine's Day.

Since the rest of the country is looking for a great time on February 14th, many restaurants offer deals and specials for the night. One of our favorite local haunts was offering a special and Berkeley decided this year we were going to go out on Valentine's Day! After an unfortunate experience with our original place, we changed our plans for the evening and ended up at Tinderbox Kitchen.

Located in the Southside area on San Francisco Street here in Flagstaff, Tinderbox Kitchen advertises "American Comfort Food... Redefined" and they deliver. We started with "The Board". It is the housemade charcuterie plate served with artisan cheeses, chutney, and "other goodies". Our board featured a duck ham, venison keilbasa, duck liver pate, country terrine, a soft milk cheese, housemade cracker, chutney, olives and sweet pickles, and a stone ground mustard. It was a great spread of delicious meats, cheeses and goodies that set the pace for the rest of the dinner.

Berkeley went the Sirloin Tip Filet medium rare with original mashers, mushroom ragout, watercress and house steak sauce. Berkeley was beyond impressed! He devoured that steak. It had a nice sear on the outside and was cooked perfectly on the inside. Also served with the steak were house made salt and vinegar chips. They had a great saltiness and the familiar tart of vinegar. The chips finished with a slight sweetness since malt vinegar was used. The mashers were a perfect side.

I went with the Seared Sea Scallops. They were beautiful large scallops cooked perfectly and served over a cauliflower fondue with fried butternut squash. I was blown away. The fondue sauce was mild and provided a great complementary flavor to the scallops. The side of fried cauliflower and butternut squash was delicious and filling without being too much.

We were so very happy with our dinner and drinks. We are excited to go back and try more entrees from their menu as well as heading over to their "cocktail lounge" The Annex for more bar style food. We highly recommend Tinderbox Kitchen. The food was amazing and the staff and service was exceptional. Even for a typically busy night in the service industry they were great about making sure our needs were met without being overbearing.

Valentine's Day

Berkeley and I really aren't big on celebrating Valentine's Day. We are both very good about showing our appreciation and affection for each other in real life, not just on a "holiday for love". We do get each other cards or chocolate and candies because we both love chocolate and candies, but nothing really big. In all the years we have been together, we have never even been on a Valentine's Day date.

This week I decided to join in on some Valentine's fun and link up with The Life of a Not So Ordinary Wife and have Berkeley answer some fun "How well do you really know me?" type questions. I also answered these questions for a "Newlywed Game" type post.

The Questions and Answers

How long have you been together?
A: All together 4.5 ish years
B: About 5 years

Where was your first date?
A: In Berkeley's college apartment
B: In my BEDROOM

Where was your first kiss?
A: In Berkeley's college apartment 
B: In my apartment

Who first said, "I love you"?
A: Berkeley
B: "That would be me!"

What were your wedding colors?
A: Reds and purples
B: Reds and purples

What is her most commonly used phrase?
A: "You're a butt"
B: "Excuse you"

Who is her celebrity crush?
A: I don't really have one
B: He's not really a celebrity but the character of Derek Shepherd.

If she was ordering drinks for both of you what would you each get?
A: Tequila!
B: We would both end up with PBR or Tequila. 

What is the best meal she has ever cooked you?
A: Chicken Enchilada Casserole
B: "Welcome Home" Meatloaf

What is the worst meal she has ever cooked you?
A: The accidental Horseradish Cheddar Pumpkin Mac
B: I have never had her make me anything bad. 

What is the most-played song on her iPod?
A: Breathe by Taylor Swift
B: Something from Pepper, maybe?

What would she say is your most annoying habit?
A: Farting or "pop" noise his finger makes when he scratches in his ear
B: "I have a few. Wow that's hard" He ultimately settled on his flatulence. 

What is the last thing she does before she goes to bed?
A: Take off my glasses
B: "Makes me get her water bottle after I have already gotten in bed!"

If you could throw out one item of her clothing what would it be?
A: My slippers
B: Her nasty stank-ass slippers!

What would you say is your favorite thing about her?
A: My sparkling personality
B: Her brain

What's her go-to drink at Starbucks?
A: Caramel Macchiato
B: Caramel Macchiato unless there are Seasonal options. 

The Score:

I think he did pretty well considering the randomness of these questions. He got the important questions right. Even more than these questions, he knows my quirks. He knows that if I am holding my head a certain way, it means I have a migraine coming on, sometimes before I even notice. He remembers that the smell of the "natural" floor cleaner makes me want to vomit, and will find a way to get me out of the house to use it. In the summer, he doesn't complain when I have to sleep with my legs out of the blankets which means I flip them over onto him. He accepts the fact that I am a slight germaphobe and if he gets a two-hour report time for an assignment, he'll make sure the dishes are done before he leaves because I hate doing them. 

Karma Sushi Bar and Grill

Last February (yes almost a year ago), I started a post about this awesome sushi and tapas place we had gone to. For whatever reason, probably turmoil at Michaels, other reviews, and life in general, I never ended up posting. Since then we have been to Karma more times than we have fingers on our hands, and it is about time to share this place.

In Flagstaff, there are a few different sushi places. For us, we try to stick to places where we either know the staff or have heard stellar reviews from several different people. Since Arizona is a landlocked state, I tend to be a snob about the seafood (especially having grown up on the coast). That is part of the reason we have stringent rules about where we eat our sushi. And to date, we have never been sick from seafood, unlike several others we know.

While we don't have any friends that work there, Karma is one of those places where people that work at the competing restaurants go to eat. We have also heard fabulous things from literally everyone we know. They used to be pricey, but they recently brought down their prices. Which is awesome because you really cannot go wrong with anything you eat there. Also, we have NEVER had poor service any of the many times we've eaten there.

Because of the quality anything you order there is probably going to be awesome! The calamari (above) which is tempura fried, piled high and served with a wasabi cocktail sauce, is our favorite starter and we order it every time we go. Other than the appetizers, we have only order sushi, but they have full dinners like Sirloin Steaks, Salmon plates, and Burgers. A full menu can be found here.

As far as sushi is concerned, we usually get a few Maki rolls from the sushi bar and then one or two signature rolls. Our favorites include the Kaptian Krunch with tempura crab, spicy lobster, avocado and cucumber topped with sweet sauce, and the Godzilla which is tempura lobster tail, avocado, cucumber and snow crab topped with spinach crunchies and sweet sauce.

On our most recent visit we fell in love with the Cyclone roll featuring albacore tuna, tempura asparagus, and red pepper. It was topped with fresh yellowtail, avocado, scallion and tataki sauce which is a mixture of soy sauce, garlic and onion. After just having this roll once, it has become my favorite. Unfortunately, it is a special and not on the menu.

If you find yourself in Flagstaff, I urge you to seek out Karma Sushi and Tapas. My only suggestion, especially if it is a weekend or holiday, GET A RESERVATION! This place is right on Rte 66 in Downtown Flagstaff and will be packed because IT IS THAT GOOD! I mean, their header has the "Best of Flagstaff" buttons on it for a reason.

Flagstaff BrewHaHa 2013

Yesterday was the 3rd Annual Flagstaff BrewHaHa. We have gone all three years. Each year has been a new and different experience for everyone. The first year, Berkeley refused to eat a late lunch because he wanted to eat at the event. Their food offerings were meager, consisting of chaffing dishes at opposite ends of the room. The staff could not keep up with demand. And food was gone almost immediately. We were feeling it! At the time we were living across the street so it was no big deal. Berkeley stumbled home and mellowed out after the event.

Last year, we made a day out of it. We started with a lunch at Lumberyard. We had substantial foods in our stomachs when we started drinking. Also, the catering staff decided on passed finger foods instead of food stations. It kept inebriation down. It was a good deal. More about can be read here.

This year fell between years 1 and 2. We both had obligations in the morning. We could not get a proper lunch prior to arriving. We went in with empty stomachs. Also, I thought I had my ID, I did not so we had to go back home to find it. On the way, my car was acting up so we switched vehicles. Berkeley was a little razzed up from work so we hit the first few tables fast and furiously. The food serving was lacking. Combination made for an interesting afternoon and evening.

Between the two of us we ended up drinking 20 of our allotted 32 samples. Which turns out be a lot of beer over only 4 hours. As with previous years, our favorites did not fall in line with the Snowman Awards.

The winners for Best Brew:
1st The Lumberyard's Monsoon Madness
This bourbon barrel aged Double IPA was our favorite among the three listed winners. It was a light amber color, and had a slightly sweet slightly spiced scent with a hint of bourbon. It was not nearly as bitter as many IPA's out there, with more of the East Coast malt than West Coast hops. The barrel aging left a mild sweetness throughout. To me, the person that can't stand overly bitter beers, this IPA was quite mild and delicious.
2nd Deschuttes Chainbreaker White IPA
Just like the name says it is a White IPA. It poured a bright golden yellow more like the color of a pilsner or wheat ale instead of the warm amber color of most IPA's. This beer was one of my least favorite of the whole bunch with its citrus and grassy aromas, followed by its muddled citrus flavors and super hoppy bitterness.
3rd Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
Another of my least favorite offerings. Even more bitter than the Chainbreaker, this unfiltered IPA poured a warm honey amber color with nice clarity. The sweet piney aroma was a spot on indicator of the bitter hoppy taste that was slightly cut down by subtle biscuit malt flavor.

Despite my distaste for the "winners" for best brew, there were some other clear cut favorites unlike in previous years. First was Odell. I normally am not a fan. Their 90 Schilling is a little much for me. I was a big fan of their Lugene Chocolate Milk Stout. Once poured it was a opaque black color with a tan head that had me nervous for the result. I was pleasantly surprised by its full bodied chocolatey flavors. It was so mellow. It was smooth especially for a 8.5% stout.

Second, we really liked what College Street Brewhouse was offering. When we first walked up we saw bottles for one of our favorite things, MALT LIQUOR! The kind genetlemen offered us a tasting of Jesse's Malt Liquor. Tasting is about half of the size of a sample. Anyways, back on track. It was smooth. It had a softness to it that I cannot really explain. It was great! Berkeley got a sample of their Sweet Devil Stout. It was not my favorite. But we had also just enjoyed that Odell Lugene.

The winner was from them, to me, was the Big Blue Van! It was a high gravity, unfiltered wheat beer with blueberry and vanilla bean. It was amazing. It poured bright golden yellow with hints of vanilla and blueberry wheat aromas. Those elements continued throughout the flavor. It was light and consistent. The subtle flavors held out even after eat beef skewers without being overpowering. Trying to explain it just does not give this brew justice! Thankfully, enough people thought it was rockin' because it received first place in the first ever People's Choice category. It was so good second and third samples were acquired.

Runner's up in the People's Choice were both from Wanderlust Brewing which is a new Flagstaff brewery. First was Pan-American, which is a Vanilla Stout. Followed by 928 Local, a "Farmhouse Ale". These were both pretty good. For me they ran middle of the road. Not a huge standout but nothing to turn your nose at.

Overall, this year was a great year in terms of what the brewers were offering. Everyone there seemed to be bringing their A game. We were missing Mogollon Brewing Company this year, but we both found a bunch of new brews that we love.