Bird's Eye View of Turkey Day

There are a lot of places I still haven't been, but it's a safe bet to wager that Sedona is one of the most spectacular places on earth. The beautiful red rocks that confront you at every turn force you to acknowledge their awesome beauty.

Sedona is a very laid-back and pedestrian-friendly town where just about anyone can find something to enjoy. The main road through the town, Highway 89, reminds me of the drag in Austin, with lots of coffee joints, some greasy spoons, and quirky stores, though Sedona definitely has more than its fair share of crystal shops and touristy stores as well.

Many New Agers believe that the rocks hold metaphysical powers, but even if you aren't an incense-burning, aura-photographing, raike-practicing hippie, you can't help but be stirred by the magnificence of the natural formations that surround you.

Quick Tips:

I strongly suggest you try a balloon flight while in Sedona. The enormous red rocks and devastatingly beautiful scenery are so overwhelming to take in from your puny human vantage point, while a bird's eye view of the town gives you a completely different insight.

Best Way To Get Around:

One pleasant and charming way to explore the city is by trolley. From its ambling frame, you can take the Sedona Highlight tour, which focuses on Tlaquepaque, Gallery Row, and the Chapel of the Holy Cross, or the Seven Canyons Scenic Tour, which sets its sights on Boynton and Long Canyon. Each tour costs , or for both. (Children are admitted for half-price.)

The shopping and dining areas (as opposed to the nature/camping/hiking areas) of Sedona are relatively compact; I would suggest traveling mostly by foot and/or car. Good luck trying to find a taxi or bus.

Tired of the played-out mint offered by most hotels’ turn-down service? Then stay at Amara, where a bright red fortune cookie kisses your pillow (just one of the many special touches that tells you this ain’t the Holiday Inn).

Of course, that fact becomes readily apparent immediately upon setting foot into this resort, at which point you are confronted by an enormous Zen Garden smack in the middle of the lobby. Guests, by the way, are welcome to groom the garden’s sand and rocks with the accompanying wooden rake, not that we were inclined to do so. But it’s nice to have options.

Though a stay at Amara normally runs upwards of $200 a night, we were lucky enough to have booked a Travelzoo deal for only half that cost. (If you’re wondering, yes, it would have been worth the full rate!)

One dilemma I was faced with when booking our reservation was whether or not to upgrade our “deluxe” room (which is the a basic, low-end room offered at Amara) to a “courtyard view” or “creekside” room. While the deluxe room was nice, the creekside rooms looked spectacular. Go ahead and shell out the extra cash for creekside, baby.

Beautiful Oak Creek hugs the posterior end of the property, where huge rocks and assorted sculptures and benches line the water’s edge. Don’t miss the opportunity to sneak a peek from your sweetheart (or at least snap his/her photo) in this picturesque spot.

Near the creek, you will find the resort’s beautiful tree-engulfed courtyard, which houses a disappointingly small pool, but a romantic outdoor fire pit that makes up for it. (Be warned! Snag your spot by the fire pit early, as it is quite popular.)

If you’re like me, room service is a reason in and of itself to stay at a hotel. My friend, you will not be let down by Amara’s room service menu, which offers an array of inventive and fairly reasonably priced dishes. The coconut shrimp was delicious, but the real show-stopper was the turkey sandwich. Yeah, I realize how ridiculous that sounds, but this turkey sandwich was topped with thinly sliced apples, perfectly ripe blackberries, melted Gruyere cheese, and a pinot reduction sauce. You know you want it!

Still not sold? Would it help if I mentioned the fabulous peppermint-rosemary Aveda shampoo that will be waiting for you in your bathroom? How about the extra-comfy bed and down comforter? The miniature desktop-sized Zen garden in each room? If that’s not enough for you, you deserve the Holiday Inn.

Knowing nothing about Oaxaca, my husband and I lunched there because it was across the street from our hotel.

We should have just ordered room service.

We decided to split grilled cactus as an appetizer, which was actually pretty passable--reminiscent of under-seasoned grilled asparagus. Our entrees, stuffed sopaipillas and taco salad, however, had a drive-through Mexican food (like Taco Bell) quality about them. Actually, I would have preferred Taco Bell; the food at Oaxaca just didn't have any flavor. (It's too bad, too--I had been dreaming about trying stuffed sopaipillas for months!)

There's not much to be said for the ambiance, either. While I did not find it particularly unappealing, there was certainly nothing charming about it. The cookie-cutter appearance of Oaxaca seemed very "chain restaurant," which is exactly opposite of the slice of local color and flavor we were hoping for.

Our waitress was not particularly interesting, friendly, or attentive, but neither was she unfriendly or unattentive. In fact, her service mirrored the food perfectly.

To be fair, there was no wait to be seated. There might be a reason for that...

Tucked away in a quaint little ivy-covered alcove inside Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village, Rene must feel like an exclusive, secret discovery to each couple who finds themselves there. So go with someone special, or at least someone who might give you a little nookie.

Rene offers outdoor as well as indoor seating, but I would recommend asking for a spot on the patio if possible; it’s the best way to enjoy both the charming aspects of the restaurant and the surrounding arts village simultaneously.

Considering the inventiveness, beauty, and quality of the food offered here, Rene is actually quite reasonably priced (perhaps the only thing that IS in Tlaquepaque). Lunch entrees range from $7 to $14, while dinner entrees will set you back between $7 and $35. And it’s so worth it.

For starters, we tried the salmagundi, which is really just a fancy word for chilled asparagus, tomato, fresh mozzarella, pesto, spiced pecans, and olives. Delish! Our meal consisted of the sauteed brie sandwich (melty brie and caramelized apples atop the most perfect French bread) and the marinated chicken salad. Both of these entrees were quite fabulous, but the thing you really can’t miss out on is dessert. Rene offers many sugary treats, such as crème brulee, that sound absolutely mouth-watering, but the only one I can vouch for is the FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE. Look out! It was the best dessert I’ve ever tasted, and it wasn’t even on the menu. The waitress just happened to mention that they had some stored in the freezer. God bless her.

As if you aren’t going to be intoxicated enough by the chocolate cake, don’t forget to try the wine. This romantic restaurant has a fairly extensive wine list, earning them Wine Spectator’s 2004 Award of Excellence.

It can fill up pretty quickly, so be sure to make reservations!

Rene is open Sun-Thurs 11:30am to 2 or 3pm and 5:30-8:30pm and Fri-Sat 11:30am to 2 or 3pm and 5:30-9pm. www.rene-sedona.com

A lot of poor suckers spend their Thanksgiving morning exploring the body cavity of a raw turkey with reluctant hands. Others may opt to huddle in the corner of a dark room for fear of having to actually spend time with their relatives. But not you. You’re too smart for that. This Thanksgiving—or really any old time you feel like it—you should do what I did: call Northern Light Balloon Expeditions and take in the glory of the Coconino National Forest at an elevation of several thousand feet.

A bird’s eye view of Turkey Day, if you will.

One of the many pluses offered by Northern Light is that they pick you up right from your hotel lobby, so you don’t have to worry about finding some obscure location. (This is especially important since you will barely be awake at this point—take-off time is pre-sunrise.)

Aside from the convenience of hotel pick-up, Northern Light has a leg up on the competition for several other reasons. Unlike many other companies who advertise in the Sedona area, Northern Light is one of only two companies that are licensed to fly over the Coconino National Forest, providing you with the most sublime views. Also, Northern Light uses smaller baskets (maximum 7-person capacity) for their flights, so everyone has a good view and you don’t feel too crowded.

This was the first time my husband and I had ever been on a balloon flight, and I had my reservations. Would it feel too high? Would it be too bumpy? Would the pilot be really annoying? The answer turned out to be "no" on all counts. The smooth sailing achieved by our expert pilot, Captain Bill Butler, put me at ease and allowed me to serenely observe the beauty of Sedona from our amazing vantage point.

"Your first flight costs $180, but your second flight costs $180,000," joked Captain Bill as we soared through the air, referring to the addictive nature of ballooning—once you’ve flown in one, you want to fly one.

Ballooning is a little pricey, but it was well worth the cost for a check-it-off-the-big-list-of-life kind of experience.

I can’t sing Captain Bill’s praises enough. With many years of piloting under his belt, his enthusiasm for and knowledge of the craft is obvious. He was happy to answer questions and extremely accommodating to the photographers in our group, going out of his way for spectacular sunrise views and pointing out wildlife and landmarks beneath us. He really made our experience unforgettable. (Sorry ladies, he’s taken.)

Our landing was as smooth as a Barry White album and was followed by a short, yet memorable ceremony and champagne toast led by a Hunter S. Thompson character-esque pilot. (Orange juice is available for wussies and those under 21.) After our toast, we were provided with strawberries with whipped cream and doughnuts, as well as a flight certificate signed by the captain.

Speaking of which, I need to have that puppy framed.

Tlaquepaque nearly lives up to its colorful name, derived from the Nahuatl word meaning "best of everything," but alas, falls just a tad short.

Billed as an "arts and crafts village," conjuring images of ancient Native American women hovering over pottery wheels, Tlaquepaque is more accurately an outdoor mall with a series of indoor shops and galleries--a little more sanitized and soulless than I had hoped for. While Tlaquepaque does offer great food, beautiful paintings, sculptures, jewelry, and pottery, it does not offer, say, ANYTHING that your average college student (or in my case, teacher) could afford to buy. For that reason, locals have dubbed the arts and crafts center "lock your pocket," which may be the more appropriate nomenclature.

That said, I would still encourage you to visit Tlaquepaque. Even if the prices are a little too rich for your blood, and even if you are put off by the fact that chances are pretty slim that you will actually encounter the creators of said art at the village, you can still get a lot out of it.

You don't have to spend a dime to take in Tlaquepaque's quaint architecture and winding cobblestone paths, reminiscent of a colonial Spanish village. Fountains, flowers, and other surprises are waiting to be discovered around every corner. One of the architectural highlights is the chapel, built over 30 years ago, which is actually used for weddings.

I suggest you eat lunch at Rene (inside Tlaquepaque village). The prices are surprisingly reasonable considering the nice atmosphere and artistically composed dishes. (Read my full review of Rene in this journal for more info.)

And, take heart--you can always treat the experience as if it were a museum instead of a shopping center, looking at all the art free of charge.

And don't forget to lock your pocket...