Melinda Sheckells, Las Vegas lifestyle and entertainment expert and editor of OffTheStrip.com, shares recommendations on local and regional travel deals, extraordinary experiences and amazingly “Wanderful” dream trips to faraway destinations.
Wanderful Wednesday hits the road for a getaway to Scottsdale, Arizona
Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin West As Taliesin West resumes daily tours, the UNESCO World Heritage Site has added something new for lovers of happy hour and architecture on Fridays. Looking for a fun date night or a new way to get together with friends in a socially distanced, outdoor setting? Enjoy an evening where Friday happy hour meets golden hour with the brand-new “Wine & Wright Tour." The two-hour tour allows visitors to sip a beverage before departing on a one-hour guided tour of Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home and laboratory.
Surrounded by Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic architecture and the distinctive landscape of the Sonoran Desert, this tour is a unique venture sure to inspire visitors. Explore Wright’s home and laboratory with a professional guide and become inspired by nature, art and Wright’s use of organic architecture.
Taliesin West offers self-guided audio tours and its Insights guided tours, which features the Garden Room, the Drafting Studio, the Music Pavilion, the Cabaret and more. The compound was built by Frank Lloyd Wright and his apprentices in the 1930s and evolved until his death in 1959. The structure was created by the team gathering rocks from the desert floor and sand from the washes, creating a beautiful symbiosis with the environment. It was also Wright’s personal home, studio and architectural laboratory. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit here.
Sanctuary at Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa The star-studded culinary team at Sanctuary just got brighter with the addition of industry powerhouses, Chef de Cuisine Samantha Sanz and Bar Chef Christiaan Röllich in November 2020. The two will lead the advancement of the resort’s fine dining experiences at Elements and Jade Bar.
This is a homecoming for Sanz, a two-time James Beard Award nominee, who began her career at Elements, under the direction of Chef Beau MacMillan. Röllich began at Les Deux Café in LA, where he was dubbed “one of LA’s most innovative mixologists.”
One of the most luxurious, exclusive and intimate resorts in the United States, Sanctuary on Camelback features 81 casitas and 24 chic and modern spa casitas, tucked into the sublime desert landscape. There are also eight villas spanning more than an acre each. Although it is amid the arid elements, the resort amenities are water focused with the highlight being an expansive infinity-edge pool. One of Sanctuary’s most distinct pleasures is its sunset dinners of American cuisine with Asian accents.
Jade Bar offers Private Mixology lessons with Bar Chef Christiaan Röllich which includes a two-hour cocktail tasting and a lesson. On Tuesday, catch their Two Buck Shuck special. Taste fresh oysters for only $2 a piece.
ADERO inside the Dark Sky Zone Scottsdale welcomed the area’s first-ever Dark Sky Zone resort on Oct. 20, ADERO. The six-story, 177-room property is tucked into Four Peaks and McDowell Mountain Range. This is a great spot for those who love hiking, outdoor adventure, fitness and wellness. It features a signature restaurant, CIELO, and grab 'n' go Spa café, Revive.
Debuting on property in February, SkyTop Lounge is an al fresco dining experience placed on the lawn overlooking the canyon and below the stars. The outdoor cocktail lounge offers delectable bites and astro-inspired cocktails, such as the “Dark Sky.”
Book the SUMMER REDUX package now through September 6, 2021 and receive a $100 resort credit to indulge in desert-inspired spa treatments, farm-to-table cuisine, cocktails under a canopy of stars, a poolside oasis with luxury cabanas and more.
Bryan Dillon, director of chef and beverage at ADERO previously worked as an executive chef for Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa in Las Vegas.
What’s For Dinner?
On the dining front, when in Downtown Scottsdale try the scene-stealing steakhouse Maple & Ash, a Chicago import with a wildly fun brunch or The Mission, a modern Latin restaurant with some of the best guacamole in the west as well as refreshing margaritas. Also inside the luxury wing at Scottsdale Fashion Square, Francine serves a memorable French Mediterranean menu.
Follow @melindasheckells and @offthestrip for more unforgettable adventures.
