FAMILY STAYCATION AT WE-KO-PA RESORT CASINO

Its been a few weeks since our staycation at the We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort, and Atlas keeps asking if we can go back to “We-Ko-Pa-Pa!” where our family enjoyed an unforgettable experience. Here’s a glimpse into our delightful itinerary and the fantastic time we had and Phoenix’s first Casino and new fam fav and Finding Arizona FIND.

Thursday, Check-in and Property Tour - Our adventure began with a warm welcome and an effortless check-in process. We all arrived as a family, with my parents visiting from San Diego. We thought a suite could accommodate some bomb babysitters for Atlas, making it a perfect setup. After checking in, we were greeted by Gail Manginelli, who took us on a fascinating tour of the property. Gail’s insights made us appreciate the resort's unique charm, and we were especially impressed by the resort's ties to the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation.

Pool Time! Next, we hit the pool, our favorite spot at the resort. Atlas, our little fish, loves the water just like his mama! The waterfalls were a big hit, and the pool depths were perfect for a casual cool-off or a full swim. It was the ideal way to start our staycation.

7 pm - Dinner at Ember - Jose and I had the pleasure of enjoying a date night dinner at Ember, the resort’s signature restaurant. We were treated to shared bites from the kitchen and a welcome glass of champagne to kick off the night. My favorite part was the piano player who rocked the evening with fantastic tunes. It was a lovely way to wind down and connect with out our extra co host.

Friday am Early Morning Dip - The next morning, the family started our day with a refreshing dip in the pool, being the first ones in to watch the fountains turn on. It was a serene and magical experience.

Breakfast at Ahnala - Before our podcast recording ,Jose and I got to enjoy a nice breakfast at Ahnala. Breakfast is my favorite and the Starbucks coffee was exactly what I needed. We stuffed ourselves again and enjoyed a producer prep conversation before our interivew.

9 am - Podcast with Liz Norton - We then recorded a podcast with Liz Norton, the Acting Marketing Director of We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort. Jose, as the host, led a wonderful conversation where Liz shared fascinating stories about the resort. Her personal anecdotes and genuine passion for her work added a special touch to our conversation. You can watch the full episode HERE.

11 am - Massages - After a busy morning, Jose and I treated ourselves to a relaxing one-hour massage. The skilled therapists worked their magic, melting away our stress and leaving us rejuvenated. It was the perfect way to conclude our staycation while Atlas, Papa and GG got some fun suite time in. You have to SEE the vlog to see what we walked into

Hotel Atlas" was a vibe! Atlas strutted around with a straw in his stuff, danced up and down the elevators, and snacked his way through the days. His joyful energy was contagious and added an extra layer of fun to our stay. The overall family feel of the resort was fantastic. Everyone had a great time, including grandpa, who hit his favorite game and cashed out as a winner. Bingo!

Until next time

XoXo

Britt

INGOS. YUMMY.

The best burger place is now in downtown Phoenix. This little hidden gem started as a to-go during the pandemic and recently we got a chance to dine-in and obsess over the delicious foods of this new LGO Hospitality Restaurant in the heart of downtown Phoenix.

Here are the Finding Arizona pro tips. Once you go, leave a comment and share some more with us.

Number one, park in the Fry’s parking lot get your ticket validated.

Number two, come for breakfast lunch or dinner and come hungry. We dined in for a late lunch / early dinner. We had an introductory drink, but my favorite part was the burger. The staff was very friendly especially the general manager, Gabby, she had such a passion for not only the restaurant group, but the food and the family that works there as well.

Number three, I love the decor. Jose would describe it as industrial modern. I described it as Restoration hardware commercial kitchen meets World War Two. But, back to the food that’s the most important part. 

They have three cocktails on the menu and if I had three cocktails on the menu of my house they would be these: a Greyhound, Lavender Lemonade and something with tequila that’s called a Diego Rivera. I’ll let you guess who ordered what. Next, we split their house chips but honestly we could’ve ate an order ourselves. Each comes a two sauces: one fermented chili and one cool yogurt deliciousness. Pro tip! Combo them. These warm crunchy chips have a soft inside; I could eat these all day long. They paired perfectly with our burgers. Jose got the Paris Texas Burger- a bacon barbecue saucy number and I got the Farmer’s Daughter Burger- sauerkraut Yum Yum. The buns are soft, the toppings are fresh, and I don’t mean that lettuce tomato pickle freshness, I’m talking about flavorful, real ingredients combined to perfection. And the burger, which was ordered medium well, was juuuuuuuicy from every bite. I honestly don’t wanna eat another burger again if it’s not grass fed and not from INGOs. The coffee smelt like heaven and we got Almond Bear Claws to go and then the next morning I dumped it in my coffee and I went back to food heaven.

Currently dreaming of the next time I’ll be visiting downtown Phoenix for a Fry’s grocery pick up and an Ingo’s food pick up. You know Tuesday is “Takeout night”, or “We or Out Wednesday” or any excuse.

XoXo Britt

You can find Ingo’s at : 4502 N 40th St, Phoenix, AZ 85018.

SECOND SUNDAY FREE ART LIBRARY

Anyone that knows me knows that I like to know the 411 on all things FREE. From food, to events, to random contests I like to get involved, save, and, of course, share! One of our favorite places to adventure is the Phoenix Art Museum and this year they are partnering up with Discount Tire Co. to bring you free admission every second Sunday of the month.

We have been to the museum a handful of times, but this Sunday we watched the Chargers get spanked in the first half and decided to not bear the pain any longer and get out of the house. We drove down to the Phoenix Art Museum and joined the long line of families to take advantage of the first free Sunday of the year.

If you have yet to visit the Phoenix Art Museum here are 3 reasons why you should mark February 10, 2019 in your calendar to go check it out! FO FREE!

1. Learn Something Everyday!

Life is all about learning lessons every minute. One of our favorite questions to ask each other at the end of the night is “What did you learn today?” Going to the museum together allows us to learn about artists and the art history of our beautiful world. We love spending time on the third floor where specific installations capture all senses.

2. See Faces

We always run into a familiar face. In this small big world we live in getting out in the community gets you connected with people you can build a face to face relationship with. Whether it is a work college, a friend from school or a small business owner we love running into friendly faces out and about.

3. Break the Norm

Opposites attract because oddly enough I can spend hours staring at the European paintings of the 15th century imagining the time the piece was painted: where the artist drew inspiration from and how many eyes have admired this beauty over the centuries. Jose loves the Asian and American collections especially for their stunning artifacts. The detail and the story telling capture his attention.

To learn more about the Phoenix Art Museum please visit their website.

To learn more about the Discount Tire Free Family Sundays visit this website.

If you don’t live in or around Phoenix, be sure to check our your local museum and check around for any special event days!

XoXo

Britt

MAKING MEMORIES AT THE ARIZONA STATE FAIR

SInce 1946 the Arizona State Fair has been held annually, but 2018 was the first time Brose visited! We wanted to give you an insider’s guide to the Arizona State Fair and how to experience it the FInding Arizona Way.

Discalimer: this is not a visitor’s guide of where to park, how to purchase tickets, or what to pack. You can visit the State Fair Webiste for all that info.

It rained all day Friday so by the time we both got off work, the skies were clear and it was a perfect time to experience the Arizona State Fair. We decided to go in the evening to maximize on the sunset views and grab some delicious fair food. Just a few hours is all you need.

We had 3 things on the list and first up was the Ferris Wheel. Well technically its not a Ferris wheel because this architect created one of the largest moveable sky viewers in history. The La Grande Wheel XL is fully enclosed but tested all my fears of heights. In between a mild panic attack we were able to catch some great views. Boy did we get high up there.

Next on the list was fair food! At the beginning of summer we visited the San Diego County Fair (see post) and ate all kinds of fried foods. This Arizona fair we wanted to savor and share a few flavors. We grubbed on philly cheese steaks with strawberry lemonade and shared a warm cinnamon roll dripping in cream cheese frosting as a dessert.

Last on the list of fair adventures is entertainment. We will start from least interesting to most. This year the fair was showcasing velvet paintings featuring famous historical figures like John Mccain and Elvis Presley, But more than half of the collection were various clowns. Very strange.

Next entertainment was a Bee Gees Cover band called The Bee Gees Gold. Their music was spot on to the original sound and had us laughing and grooving over dinner.

The most interesting form of entertainment was called The Turkey Stampede. Again, we are used to obscure fair attractions being fans of the Swift Swine Pig Races, but this was something unlike we have ever seen before. A remote controlled candy apple red truck filled with turkey feed in the bed raced around a track while 5 turkeys chased it for food and ultimately deciding a winner for the crowd. No animals were harmed in the making of this event. You have to see it to believe it! Honestly!

We were the oldest kids on the carousel and the youngest in the art in crafts tent, but we definitely made the fair the experience we wanted. This is something the Arizona State Fair has really captured: no matter what your age or your interest the fair has something for you.

Let me know if you have had a chance to visit the Arizona State Fair and also what your favorite attraction is! Thanks for joining us on another journey.

XoXo Britt