Sedona | Bewitching Kitchen

A couple of years ago I wrote about Sedona, a place I fell in love with at first sight. Impossible not to. What I did not know at the time is that Sedona would be back in our lives for a very special reason. It was the place chosen by my stepson and his fiancée (aka “the coolest couple in L.A.) to tie the knot. And tie the knot they did, on a breathtakingly beautiful spot around a rock formation known as “Merry-Go-Round Arch“.

Sedona, April 12th, 2014

We drove over 16 hours to attend the magical wedding ceremony performed by a Native American Indian. As the sun slowly set down on the horizon, we were all mesmerized by the beauty surrounding us, and united in our wishes of happiness for the newly weds.

Our trip was an opportunity to connect with the three “kids”, who are kids no more. It was also an opportunity to connect with our beautiful planet. It could not have been more special than it was.

I share a few additional shots of our adventure
(click to enlarge each composite photo)

There was some golf… (both good and bad golf, as expected). Obviously, I am standing up too straight to start the shot, oh, dear Lord of the Golf, when will I ever learn?)

We had a great rehearsal dinner at René Restaurant in Sedona. Here we are, waiting for our guests, Phil carefully studying the wine list… Me? I was trying to win the fight for attention with the wine list. Not an easy task, but I like a challenge. That explains the golf too. 😉

The afternoon of the big day, and the excitement of getting ready for it… Remember my other stepson? J & M got married only 7 months ago. He got his PhD in Cancer Research at the University of Arizona, in a flawless defense we attended a couple of days before the wedding, and they will move to San Francisco very soon. This was a week with many reasons to celebrate!

The jeep ride to the site, and the arrival of the beautiful bride with her proud Dad…

After the wedding and the jeep ride back to town, we had dinner at Heartline Café. During the meal, a fantastic caricaturist made drawings of all the 13 members of the party. What a cool idea that was, everyone left with a unique and quite personal souvenir of their wedding day!

I close this post with something special we found while walking around town the day before our departure. Rings made by a local artist, in copper and silver. We decided it was a nice additional souvenir to remember their happiness, and celebrate ours… 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Secret Ingredient Turkey Meatballs

TWO YEARS AGO: Swedish Meatballs and Egg Noodles

THREE YEARS AGO: Italian Easter Pie

FOUR YEARS AGO: Black Olive Bialy

Our long road home passed through Sedona, where we and our dogs rested for a day before facing the second day of travel, a grueling 13 hour drive to our final destination. We’ve been to Sedona a few times before so we know what a fantastic place it is, surrounded by awe-inspiring red-rock canyons that create a mystical atmosphere all their own. It’s hot in the summer, but the altitude tempers the dry heat and a cool breeze blows after sunset. Sedona is a hip town, with art, healing vortexes , great food, and lots of outdoorsy, hippie folks. Wherever you look you’ll see bronze suntans and beautiful legs, from lots of mountain hiking. We were re-energized the moment we completed the winding descent from Flagstaff to Sedona. It’s not a drive for the faint of heart, but it’s worth every mile… so beautiful!

How could we not feel re-energized in such a setting?

The last evening in Sedona found me worrying about the drive home. Will the dogs be OK? Will the drive be too hot? Will the car break down in the middle of nowhere? I was contemplating these issues in the backyard with a couple of dogs close by competing for attention, unaware of my state of mind. Suddenly, the most amazing and long-lasting shooting star crossed the sky in front of me! It was so brilliant that I lost my breath for a few seconds and couldn’t say a word, but when I finally screamed for Phil the show was over. I’ve seen many shooting stars in the past, but none like my Sedona Shooting Star. I’m not a mystical person, quite the contrary, but the beautiful view of that meteor crossing North to South soothed my mind. It was a good omen for the remaining journey home. And home is where we are…

…with the Bewitching Kitchen back in full swing, so stay tuned for recipes! 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Caipirinhas