The Hotel Valley Ho is offering some really sweet packages for Valentine’s Day.

Hotel Valley Ho is Downtown Scottsdale’s mid-century modern landmark. Originally opened in 1956 and reopened in 2005 after a complete restoration, this 193-room urban retreat blends old with new: vintage design with modern amenities like wireless Internet access throughout, flat screen televisions in each room, and a state-of-the-art fitness center. There’s also ZuZu, VH Spa for Vitality + Health, and OH Pool Bar + Cabanas.

We had the opportunity to have a spectacularly groovy Sunday brunch at ZuZu back a few months ago.  We quickly learned that Hotel Valley Ho knows how to make very special memories.

With this foreknowledge, we can assure you that their Valentine’s Day packages are certain to be just as memorable.

Valentine’s Day Packages at Hotel Valley Ho, Scottsdale

Hotel Valley Ho has some swell offerings this Valentine’s Day — dinner at ZuZu, the Romance Package, splendid spa specials, and a variety of rooms and suites suited to sweethearts.

ZuZu will be featuring drink specials and an a-la-carte, three-course menu created just for the evening, along with its regular dinner menu. For an in-room treat, overnight guests can order amenities like chocolate-covered strawberries, Champagne, and handcrafted truffles.

The hotel also offers the Romance Package. A Red Flower aromatherapy candle is a gift upon arrival. Complimentary turndown service is offered, with delivery of a half-bottle of Veuve Clicquot Champagne and fresh seasonal fruit. Also included is a complimentary in-room movie and breakfast in bed or at ZuZu. *$20 per person maximum for breakfast. All package items exclude tax and gratuity. Meals do not include alcohol.

VH Spa for Vitality + Health is featuring two specials for Valentine’s Day, for both couples and singles. The Romance Package for Two includes two 60-minute Aromatherapy Massages, followed by chocolate-dipped strawberries and two glasses of champagne served on the spa deck ($300, includes service charge). For singles, the Loving the Single Life Package includes a 60-minute Aromatherapy Massage, chocolate-dipped strawberries, and a glass of Champagne ($150, includes service charge). Both packages are available Monday, February 13 and Tuesday, February 14.

Rooms are available from $259 per night; the Romance Package starts at $346 (rates are for February 14) Dinner, spa, and room reservations can be made at 480.248.2000 and at www.hotelvalleyho.com.

Have fun!

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Disclosure: this is a sponsored post brought to you on behalf of Hotel Valley Ho.

The 41st annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction is in full steam here in Scottsdale, Arizona. Over 250,000 auto enthusiasts from all over the globe are here for the world’s greatest collector car auction.

Our schedule didn’t permit us to attend this year.  However, having attended the last two years, we can assure you that this is an event that the whole family will enjoy, even if you have no plans to make a bid on a cool collectible car.

The show runs through Sunday, and you can check out the remaining festivities on the Barrett-Jackson website.

To wet your appetite, here is our video from last year:

Here are a few events you can still enjoy:

• Dress for Success Style Show featuring Bobbi Brown make-up artists, previews of the latest trends in fashion, CRAVE stylists and fashion show, taking place from 10 am – 3 pm Thursday, Jan. 19^th, in the Lifestyle Pavilion, with proceeds benefiting Dress for Success Phoenix.

• The International; Fiesta of Four Flags, featuring the latest in fashion, food and flavor from around the world. Culinary treats and the latest trends from Italy, Germany, Russia and the United States with special performances from the US Color Guard. Activities run from 7 pm – 10 pm Thursday, Jan. 19, in the Lifestyle Pavilion, benefiting the Veteran Tickets Foundation.

• Paw Pawshion Show – Pet Fashion Show and Expo featuring and benefiting Gabriel’s Angels, which provides pet therapy to abused and at-risk youths, from 10 am – 3 pm Friday, Jan. 20, in the Lifestyle Pavilion. 

• FUEL your Senses – The Barrett-Jackson Culinary and Wine Fest featuring flavors from some of Scottsdale’s premier culinary destinations in the Lifestyle Pavilion.

• Jazz, Jewelry & Bedazzled Brunch from 10 am – 3pm Saturday, Jan. 21^st, in the Lifestyle Pavilion, featuring a high-fashion jewelry expo & champagne tastings.

• Icing: The Million Dollar Diamond and Dessert Show – The gem of the Barrett-Jackson Lifestyle Pavilion, featuring a VIP preview show with Beach Bunnies, Million Dollar Diamond Fashion Show and a sampling of sweet confections. Benefiting the American Cancer Society.

• Sunday Funday – Champagne Brunch and Celebrity Karaoke Contest: Pair yourself with a local or national celebrity and sing your heart out to a panel of judges to win amazing prizes. 10 am – 5 pm Sunday, Jan. 22, in the Lifestyle Pavilion, benefiting Childhelp. 

• The Tilted Kilt Garage – This year, with energy infused from Tilted Kilt, Barrett-Jackson’s social club is going to rev the engine on its nightlife scene. The Garage, which mixes the high-energy of Barrett-Jackson with the beauty associated with all-things steel and Scottsdale, is THE finest velvet-rope venue this winter, The Garage is center stage at WestWorld throughout the auction, and immediately adjacent to the staging lanes. Mingle, muse, savor and sip under the stars, with the stars and the auto industry’s elite.

• Stars and their Cars– Celebrities flock to Barrett-Jackson every year. Tony Stewart, Alice Cooper, George Foreman, Randy Johnson, Wolf Blitzer, Nicholas Cage, Pamela Anderson, Sammy Hagar, David Spade, Paul McCartney, Michael Anthony, DMX, Smashing Pumpkins, Bill Goldberg, Harry Morton, Tim Allen and countless other celebrities are Barrett-Jackson loyalists, previous attendees and future headliners. Whether buying a car, selling an automobile or just exploring the options, Barrett-Jackson is THE place to stargaze this season, even if you’re not on the A-List. Check out the celebs throughout the WestWorld site.

 About The Barrett-Jackson Auction Company

Established in 1971 and headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Barrett-Jackson specializes in providing products and services to classic and collector car owners, astute collectors and automotive enthusiasts around the world. The company produces “The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions™” in Scottsdale, Ariz., Palm Beach, Fla., Las Vegas, Nev. and Orange County, Calif. Barrett-Jackson also endorses a one-of-a-kind collector car insurance offering for collector vehicles and other valued belongings. For more information about Barrett-Jackson, visit www.barrett-jackson.com or call (480) 421-6694.

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Week #10, of our Top Ten Sunday Brunches of Scottsdale & Phoenix series, found us at the Camelback Inn Resort and Spa.

We made our first visit to this AAA Five-Diamond winner back in June of 2010 and quickly fell in love.

Sunday Brunch at the Camelback Inn Resort and Spa brought a gargantuan selection and was hands down the largest buffet we visited on our tour.

We started out with endless flowing champagne and mimosas. There was a breakfast station with every imaginable morning favorite, danishes, fresh fruit, and made-to-order omelets.

Week #10– Camelback Inn Resort & Spa

We found a seafood station with crab claws, shrimp cocktail, seared ahi tuna, and smoked salmon.  Nearby was an antipasti station with salads, roasted and grilled vegetables, artisan cheeses, cured meats, and fresh baked goods.

Endless Mimosas

Breakfast Items

Healthy Fare

Tacos and Quesadillas

Crab Cakes

Lamb

Pastries

Charcuterie

Filet Mignon

Prime Rib

Lemon Meringue

Carrot Cake

Note: click on the photographs for larger views and an available slide show.

On the outside patio we found a “south of the border” station hosted by a delightful Mexican woman making hot-off-the-grill tacos and quesadillas. YUM!

Further exploration found a pasta station, and an entrée station where we delighted in carved prime rib, grilled filet mignon, lamb skewers, seared scallops, crab cakes, shrimp scampi, roasted chicken, and seasonal fish.  WOW!  We all made return visits to this station.

And last, but certainly not least, we found the dessert station.  Here we found a chocolate fountain, flaming bananas foster, éclairs, cream puffs, cakes, pies, tarts, and cookies.  The warm apple pie á-la-mode was a big hit at the table.  YUM!

A great challenge of many buffet-type meals is that the food quite often gets cold and loses its freshness.  We saw none of that here.  The staff was very attentive to keep everything hot, fresh, and looking beautiful.

There were four of us dining at the Camelback Inn Resort and Spa.  When I surveyed the table, I saw eight thumbs up!

As of this writing, the Sunday Champagne Brunch was $59 for adults, and $20 for children ages 4-12.

Week #9, of our Top Ten Sunday Brunches of Scottsdale & Phoenix series, found us at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North.

We first visited the AAA Five-Diamond Four Seasons Scottsdale as a part of our Arizona AAA Five-Diamond Resort Tour, and have happily found ourselves back to enjoy the luxurious features of this beautiful property many times (look here).

Formerly the home of the ancient Hohokam Indians, the Four Seasons Scottsdale is set upon the site of the former Crescent Moon Ranch, a finishing school for wealthy debutantes operated by a member of the Kellogg family.

We have dined a fair number of times with Executive Chef Mel Mecinas, and we were greatly looking forward to a more casual experience at his Sunday brunch.

Week #9 – Sunday Brunch at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North

To make the experience even more enjoyable, the property is set near the foot of Pinnacle Peak and offers stunning views of the mountain and features massive granite boulders strewn across the landscape.

Cornflake-crusted French Toast

Quiche

Farmers' Market Fritatta

Southwest Scrambled Eggs

House-made Juices

Banana Oatmeal (caramelized banana)

Huevos Rancheros

Blue Corn Pancakes (honey/agave syrup)

Eggs Benedict

Note:  click photographs for large view and available slide show.

We began our Sunday brunch at the buffet table where we found Cornflake Crusted French Toast, Quiche, Farmers’ Market Fritatta, Southwest Scrambled Eggs, and House-made Juices, along with a plethora of other fine delectables.

As we happily worked our way through the first wave of our Sunday brunch, out came a stream of kitchen staff bringing Banana Oatmeal (steel-cut irish oats, caramelized banana, milk, arizona dried berries, brown sugar), Huevos Rancheros (two eggs any style, chorizo quesadilla, avocado, black beans, ranchero sauce), Eggs Benedict (canadian bacon, english muffin, hollandaise sauce, tomato, breakfast potatoes), and Blue Corn Pancakes (crockett’s desert honey-agave syrup, minted berries).

There were three of us happily passing plates around as a chorus of oohs, ahhs, hmmms, and oh wows floated in the air.

As you can see from my photographs above, everything was absolutely delicious.  However, after sampling, I returned to the massive stack of blue corn pancakes, dripping in honey and agave syrup, and made my last stand.

I had absolutely no chance of making my way all the way through these lip-smacking blue babies, but I was determined to make my last glorious impression right there.

The Blue Corn Pancakes were uniquely out of this world!

We highly recommend a beautiful Sunday drive up to North Scottsdale to enjoy Sunday Brunch at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North.   You are certain to enjoy the finest local, and seasonally sourced products prepared by the masterful hands of Chef Mecinas and his team.

You should also note that Sunday brunch ends at 11:30 at this resort, so get there early!

With three of us present, we were all thumbs up, so we give this Sunday Brunch six thumbs up!

Note: don’t forget to check back next week when we’ll whisk you off to another exciting and mouthwatering Sunday Brunch experience.

If you enjoyed this article, please follow us at our website, our Facebook page, or on Twitter.

Disclosure: our wonderful Sunday Brunch was provided by the kind folks at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North.  Thanks! 

The AAA Five-Diamond Phoenician Resort is one of our favorite Scottsdale, Arizona resorts.

It was just a little over a year ago that we made our first visit to The Phoenician (here’s our video).  We were now back again to sample one of their newly renovated suites and share the experience with you.

The Phoenician Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona

The Phoenician has just completed an $80M renovation project, with $4M of that earmarked for their luxurious suites.

We greatly enjoyed a 1,475 sq. ft Phoenix Suite with timeless amenities that were designed to pamper, indulge, and would make even the fussiest of movie stars feel like royalty.

…timeless amenities that were designed to pamper, indulge, and would make even the fussiest of movie stars feel like royalty.

Take a peek at the video of our most recent stay:

Note:  If you can’t see the video, click here.

If you are looking for a good spell of being waiting on hand and foot, with amenities that are certain to leave you spellbound, then head on over to The Phoenician’s website and see if you can find just the perfect luxurious hideaway for your next vacation.

If you enjoyed this article, please follow us at our website, our Facebook page, and on Twitter.

Disclosure:  our wonderful experience was provided by the kind folks at The Phoenician.  Thanks!  It was fantastic!

We just experienced our very first hot air balloon ride, and it was definitely one of those life-time memory experiences!

We chose Hot Air Expeditions because of their perennial award-winning status, their colorful balloons with a mammoth saguaro cactus on the side, and a champagne gourmet desert picnic at the conclusion of the adventure.

Make sure you read this post all the way to the bottom, we have a very big surprise for you!

We left the Deer Valley Airport at 3:30 in a large passenger van that doubled as one of the chase crew’s vehicles.  After a 20-minute ride, we arrived to our launch point in a desert clearing where there was plenty of smooth sand to get our balloon filled with hot air.

In roughly 15-minutes, the crew had the balloon upright, nine of us climbed aboard,  and we were off to float in the the dead quiet of the Sonoran desert breezes.

Take a peek at the video from our hot air balloon adventure:

Note: click here if you can’t see the video.

Floating aloft in our first hot air balloon left us with several impressions:

1. It is quite a remarkable thing to be floating with the breeze.  Because of this, if everyone were to be quiet in the balloon, there would be a complete and utter stillness as you move with the wind.  It’s really quite peaceful.
2. Looking out at the beauty of creation, with the approaching sunset painting the Sonoran desert and the distant mountain peaks with its beautiful orange hues, will take your breath away.
3. There was a certain, fun sense of adventure as we floated above the earth somewhere around 1,000 feet.
4. It’s definitely an experience we will want to have again.

Win Two Free Tickets for a Hot Air Balloon Ride in Phoenix!

We had such a great experience with Hot Air Expeditions that we’d like to extend the opportunity for you!

We are giving away a hot air ballon ride for two with Hot Air Expeditions.

The contest is open to anyone, however, the company is based in Phoenix. Therefore, you should live where it would be possible for you to take advantage of this experience, or perhaps plan to come to the Scottsdale/Phoenix area in the near future.

Here’s how to enter your name in the drawing:

• Tell us in the comments section below what you love most about traveling!

That’s it! Once you make your comment below, we will automatically enter your name in the drawing for the two free hot air balloon ride tickets.

Be certain to do this right away as the comment period will end at 5:00 MST on December 9th, 2011, and the winning tickets will be drawn.

If you enjoyed this article, please follow us at our website, our Facebook page, and on Twitter.

Disclosure: our hot air balloon experience, and the free tickets for the drawing were provided by the kind folks at Hot Air Expeditions. Thank you! 

Carol with Chef de Cuisine James Ducas

Week #8, of our Top Ten Sunday Brunches of Scottsdale & Phoenix series, found us at Lon’s at the Hermosa.

Lon’s restaurant, named after cowboy artist Alonzo “Lon” Megargee, resides inside the Hermosa Inn.

Megargee, a native of Philadelphia, came West at the turn of the century, earning his way as a cowboy, bronco buster, stud poker dealer, commercial artist, and home builder, among his many occupations.

He spent time chasing an idealized notion of the American Dream of rancher, Indians, and settlers that was fading fast even during his time.

Along the way, his raw-boned charm snared several wives and earned him a well-deserved reputation as a ladies’ man. But it was his adobe studio, set amidst the creosote, that perhaps was the closest to his heart.

Over the years, to supplement his income, Megargee turned his  ”Casa Hermosa” (beautiful house) into a guest ranch.  In 1941, saddled with debt and a pending divorce, Megargee sold the property, and in 1992, after a string of owners, the property was purchased by a local resident and became The Hermosa Inn.

Today, the property is a member of the prestigious Historic Hotels of America, and is frequently visited by those who would prefer to keep away from the prying eyes of the paparazzi.

Week #8 – Sunday Brunch at Lon’s at the Hermosa

It is in this colorful backdrop that we find ourselves today enjoying the wonderful cuisine of Executive Chef Jeremy Pacheco for our Sunday Brunch.

Fresh-baked Brioche "Monkey Bread"

Build Your Own Omelet

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Steak and Egg Sliders

Short Rib Hash and Eggs

Lon's Club Sandwich

Meats on the Grill

Freshly Barbequed Meats

Sunday Brunch Gang

Note:  Click photographs for large view and available slide show.

It’s the Sunday after Thanksgiving, and eight of us descended upon Lon’s at the Hermosa after church.  As it was a beautiful, sunny 70-degrees, we decided to enjoy our culinary experience on the stunningly beautiful patio.

The smell of a mesquite-burning fireplace combined with the aromas coming from meats barbecuing on the nearby grill, and the soothing live guitar stylings immediately quickened our mind’s attention to the task at hand.

As the food began its way to our two tables, there was a somewhat entertaining flurry of hands and plates as we began our cacophony of breakfast delights.

First, and perhaps most unforgettable, was the pipping-hot, Fresh-baked Brioche “Monkey Bread” (caramel, pecan, cinnamon).  As this sweet manna from heaven made its way around the table, everyone’s response was the same: head tilted back, eyes softly closing, and a guttural hmmmm deep from within our very souls.

Seriously, Lon’s “Monkey Bread” has made all previously enjoyed piping-hot cinnamon rolls subservient, and complete star-struck wanna-bes.  It was that good!

Lon’s “Monkey Bread” has made all previously enjoyed piping-hot cinnamon rolls subservient, and complete star-struck wanna-bes.  It was that good!

As you can see from our photographs above, there was no shortage of wondrous things to enjoy.  The Short Rib Hash and Eggs ( poached eggs, grilled tomato, grilled country-bread) was unbelievable, while the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes (huckleberry compote, meyer lemon whipped cream) was certainly divinely inspired.

In fact, every single dish, as our sharing extravaganza continued, brought cheerfully raised eyebrows and a continued upward raising of our internal enjoyment meters.

As there were eight of us present, we give our Lon’s at the Hermosa Sunday Brunch experience 16 thumbs-up!  We highly recommend it, and strongly urge that you sample the “Monkey Bread”.

You should also know that you can avoid the Sunday Brunch crowds by enjoying the very same menu on Saturday mornings.

Note: don’t forget to check back next week when we’ll whisk you off to another exciting and mouthwatering Sunday Brunch experience.

If you enjoyed this article, please follow us at our website, our Facebook page, or on Twitter.

Disclosure: our wonderful Sunday Brunch was provided by the kind folks at Lon’s at the Hermosa.  Thanks!

Carol w/ Chef Mel Mecinas and Press Coffee Owner Steve Kraus

Magnificent dining is a large part of the luxury baby boomers’ travel experience.  In fact, any destination well traveled by the 79 million baby boomers is absolutely certain to offer a wide array of fine dining establishments.

Our home town of Scottsdale, Arizona is one such destination, and when we were doing our feature piece on the AAA Five-Diamond Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North (our video) we fell in love with the inspired dining creations of Chef Mel Mecinas.

Part of Chef Mel’s repertoire is a series of annual “pairing dinners” where he takes a much loved food item and builds a complete dining experience around it.

Last year we were invited to Chef Mel’s Valrhona Chocolate Dinner, and this year we were invited back to experience a completely new offering.

Talavera, Press Coffee “Perk” Pairing Dinner at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North

As lovers of chocolate, we didn’t think Chef Mecinas was going to be able to trump last year’s performance; we were wrong!

This  year, teaming together with Press Coffee’s Steve Kraus, Chef Mel Mecinas and his team created a dining experience that will long be remembered.

A dining experience that will long cause our brain’s neurotransmitters to trigger a happy dance.

Our four-course dinner started out with a “Twitch” Espresso Martini “Affogato” Style and Organic Wild Mushroom Cappuccino (peppered bacon wafer).  I’m generally not a big martini drinker, but this thing was out of this world.  Holy yummy coffee drink Batman!  More!  I want more!

"Twitch" Espresso Martini

Organic Wild Mushroom Cappuccino

Ethiopian "Yirgacheffe" Iced Toddy

Seared Chilled Duck Breast

Coffee-smoked Eye of Rib Eye

Macchiato Cake

From our article: "Steve lit a burner underneath this unusual contraption. As the water came to a boil, it was siphoned up into an upper chamber were Ethiopian coffee grounds awaited. As we continued watching, Steve and Mel knowingly looked on as the hot liquid, combined with the Ethiopian grounds, swelled up into a foam and then settled back down through the siphon into the lower chamber. Steve pulled out the lower chamber, which now resembled a familiar coffee pot, and we were then poured a silky smooth cup of coffee. Wow! It was quite a show!" Link: www.theroamingboomers.com/?p=8800

Note:  click on photographs for large view and available slide show.

For our second course, we experienced Seared Chilled Duck Breast (arizona pink lady apples, coffee gastrique) and an Ethiopian “Yirgacheffe” Iced Toddy.  Our taste buds were clearly traveling in uncharted territory.  Remarkable!

Our third course brought Coffee-smoked Eye of Rib Eye (coffee bourbon jus, with brussell sprouts, caramelized  sunizona squash and sweet onions, baja bay scallops, chili espresso wild boar bacon and salsify) paired with a 2006 Twomey Merlot from Napa Valley.  The piéce de résistance!

For our last course, out came Macchiato Cake (creamy caramel, white coffee milkshake, macadamia nut), and House-made Indonesian Sumatra “Triple Pick” Coffee Liqueur. The cake was not only beautiful to behold, but the perfect ending to our experience.

Also, the house-made liqueur was clearly a nectar sent from heaven above.  It spent 14 days fermenting in the kitchen and I can’t begin to describe how coffee and liqueur can combine to such a wonderful delicacy.  As they were only about 2 ounces, or so, Carol gave me hers and our waiter smuggled me a third.  Unbelievably good!

Thinking that our wonderful dining experience was complete, I began to pack up my trusty Nikon.  However, out came Chef Mel and Steve Kraus with a 10-year-old’s smirk on their faces carrying something that looked like it belonged in a chemist’s lab.  As it turns out, our experience ended with table-side siphon-brewed Ethiopian “Amaro Gayo” Coffee.

Steve lit a burner underneath this unusual contraption.  As the water came to a boil, it was siphoned up into an upper chamber were Ethiopian coffee grounds awaited.  As we continued watching, Steve and Mel knowingly looked on as the hot liquid, combined with the Ethiopian grounds, swelled up into a foam and then settled back down through the siphon into the lower chamber. Steve pulled out the lower chamber, which now resembled a familiar coffee pot, and we were then poured a silky smooth cup of coffee.  Wow!  It was quite a show!

What an experience!  We’re now wondering how Chef Mel Mecinas and his team are going to top this!

Huge thanks to Four Seasons Scottsdale and Press Coffee for an experience that we’ll be talking about for weeks to come!

If you enjoyed this article, please follow us at our website, our Facebook page, and on Twitter. 

Disclosure:  our dining experience was provided by the kind folks at Four Seasons Scottsdale.  Thanks!

For this week’s Friday travel photo, I thought I would share a shot from a very recent hot air balloon ride.

There were two other balloons up in the air with us and I was able to capture this beautiful scene while looking down on one of the others.  The scene in the background is a massive reservoir (Lake Pleasant) that feeds water down into the Valley of the Sun via a concrete canal system.

We shot both still photos and video from this trip, and will be sharing them in a future post.  Stay tuned!

Disclosure:  our hot air balloon experience was provided by the kind folks at Hot Air Expeditions.

Week #6, of our Top Ten Sunday Brunches of Scottsdale & Phoenix series, found us at Elements restaurant, inside the Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa.

Sanctuary Camelback Mountain found its way into our hearts when we were invited to spend a night at the resort nearly a year ago.  Here’s the video from our stay.

The legendary history of Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain began in the early 1950s when Charlie Chaplin’s son (Sydney) and a group of prominent Hollywood investors and stars envisioned a prestigious racket club modeled after the elite Racquet Club in Palm Springs.

Week #6 – Sunday Brunch at Elements, Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa

Today the property features 81 luxury mountain casitas, 24 spa casitas, and 7 distinctive mountainside estates for their guests to enjoy.  All enjoy remarkable views from their perch on the slope of Camelback mountain, offer world-class amenities, and have a very special designer’s “funk” added to the 1950s Frank Lloyd Wright style architecture.

Elements restaurant enjoys world-renowned fame from its celebrity chef, Beau MacMillan.  Chef MacMillan has won the prestigious Iron Chef America and is also a Food Network star.

Pumpkin Zucchini Five Spice French Toast

Fresh Baked Cinnamon Rolls

Smoked Salmon Benedict

Ranchero Frittata

Dessert Table

Iron Chef America Beau MacMillan w/ Carol

Note: Click the photographs for large view and available slide show.

 The Sunday buffet at Elements comes in two different options.  You can enjoy the buffet only for $32, or for $42 you can enjoy the buffet as well as ordering one of their signature entrées from the menu.  Both options include sparkling wine, coffee, and tea.

The buffet includes an omelet station, a whole host of wonderful delicacies, and also includes a fabulous dessert station.

As we were present to sample and report on their Sunday Brunch, we received the $42 option and started out with piping-hot cinnamon rolls.  Holy what a way to start a meal Batman!

For our entrées Carol opted for Ranchero Frittata (spiced chicken, jalapeno jack, black bean relish), and I was tempted by the very photogenic Pumpkin Zucchini Five Spice French Toast (macerated strawberry, pink pepper caramel).  I can’t begin to tell you what a treat the french toast was.  My taste buds were dancing in a melee of pumpkin, zucchini, and wondrous spices all vying for my attention.

My step-son Jerome was along on this journey and he was all smiles as he quietly swooned over Smoked Salmon Benedict (croissant, tomato, spinach, yuzu hollandaise).  Wow!  I was tempted to go havsies with him, but the thought of  sharing my french toast found deep wells of selfishness from within my soul.

Our waitress also told us about their Red Velvet Pancakes (white chocolate sauce, razz cherry syrup).  I was tempted to beg my way into two entrées but I figured a sugar coma whilst doing a Sunday Brunch review was probably not a good idea.  However, those pancakes are haunting me even as I type.  I’ve got to go back and try ‘em out!

Our Sunday Brunch at Elements restaurant was a wonderful culinary treat, and we even got to spend a few minutes before we left with Chef MacMillan.  When I surveyed the table at the end of the meal, I found six thumbs up!  We highly recommend the experience.

Note: don’t forget to check back next week when we’ll whisk you off to another exciting and mouthwatering Sunday Brunch experience.

If you enjoyed this article, please follow us at our website, our Facebook page, or on Twitter.

Disclosure: our wonderful Sunday Brunch was provided by the kind folks at Elements restaurant.  Thanks!