Flagstaff is one of those towns not many people know about, but is definitely worth a visit. Located just an hour and half north of Phoenix, Flagstaff is a quaint college/ski town set in the mountains. Because of its high elevation, its summers are much cooler than Phoenix and it offers good skiing in the winter.

A group of us spent the 4th of July weekend in Flagstaff and we knew we’d made a good choice when we arrived on Friday evening. Although the downtown is small there are plenty of restaurants, hotels and activities to choose from. The town’s central park was our first stop, where the lawn was filled with people relaxing and listening to a rock band performing. Since it was the first Friday of the month, the art galleries were hosting ArtWalk where people are encouraged to go gallery hopping and can enjoy refreshments along the way.

After a Mexican dinner at San Felipe’s we walked around the corner to a Michael Jackson dance party tribute at the Orpheum. Hundreds of people were there, some in full Michael Jackson attire, and all were dancing to his greatest hits.

On Saturday morning, after stopping in at Late for the Train for much needed coffee, we made our way to the town’s 4th of July parade. It was a perfect small town parade, featuring a dog drill team, vintage tractors and several distinguished veterans including the Navajo code talkers from WWII. That evening the symphony played in an outdoor amphitheater followed by fireworks at dusk. All in all, a great place to spend the 4th of July.

Summer is in full swing and the calendar seems to be packed with festivals, sporting events and summer concerts. In the past week and a half we’ve seen Tosca in the park, listened to live music at two street festivals and cheered on with thousands of spectators as 2,000 triathletes swam to shore from Alcatraz.

One of my favorite things to do during the summer is to pack a picnic and enjoy an evening performance in the park. Or better yet, stop at Whole Foods on the way to the park and choose from their great selection of ready-made items.

Here’s a sampling of this summer’s free performances happening around the country:

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Tomorrow is Earth Day — a day to celebrate our earth and value its natural resources. With all the spring flowers in bloom, it seems like the perfect time to show appreciation. The idea for Earth Day was the inspiration of Wisconsin U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson back in 1970 when he became concerned about our planet’s future. This day is celebrated on April 22 each year — now globally, by over 500 million people.

In honor of Earth Day, here are my top 10 suggestions to help sustain our planet:

1. Celebrate Earth Day everyday
2. Park your car and walk or bike to your destination
3. Think about the landfill waste impact before you buy products
4. Recycle and reuse whenever possible – use thrift stores, craigslist, freecycle.org, garage sales, building material salvage, etc.
5. Shut down appliances and lights when not using; buy energy efficient light bulbs
6. Encourage your friends and family to recycle and reuse too!
7. Support green businesses who are working to make their manufacturing process more earth friendly
8. Buy local food when possible from a farmers market (find your local market)
9. Reuse your grocery bags
10. Look into alternative energy sources for your home, such as subsidized solar panels or cool sun tiles.

Related links: localharvest.org | storyofstuff.com

Calling all hula hoopers!  In case you haven’t heard, tomorrow (August 8, 2008 or 8/8/8) is World Hoop Day.  World Hoop Day’s goal is to bring hoops and a little joy to children living in extreme poverty and underdeveloped neighborhoods around the world.  Events are planned in major cities all over the country with the biggest event in San Francisco. 

This year is the 50th birthday of the Hula Hoop and despite its age, the hoop is becoming increasingly popular for adults with hoop clubs forming in various cities. As a girl growing up, I remember spending hours each day during the summer hula hooping with my neighborhood friends.  We’d try to break the current record for most rotations or see what new trick we could come up with.  New fans of the hula hoop use it for exercise and as a form of expression.

If you’re looking to buy a hula hoop today, you’ll find that besides Wham-O’s hula hoops, many avid hula hoopers are creating and decorating their own hoops or buying hand-crafted versions. 

Links: World Hoop Day Events |  About Hula Hoops 

It’s so nice when spring arrives – leafless trees suddenly explode with colorful blossoms and birds shift into “high chirp” mode.  I think one of my favorite spring blooming trees is the mountain laurel.  Large clusters of purple flowers form with a wonderful fragrance that reminds me of grape chewing gum. 

Here are some of the more spectacular flower and tree blooming festivals around the country.  Grab some girlfriends and take a road trip to see some of these amazing floral displays! 

National Cherry Blossom Festival (Washington, D.C.)
March 29 – April 13
Given as a gift from Japan in 1912, the cherry blossom trees surround the Jefferson Memorial and nearby monuments.   During the spring bloom, the trees are covered with exquisite pink and white blossoms.  web site (more…)

Valentines Day is right around the corner – which of course brings to mind some of my favorite things: flowers and chocolate! 

The red rose, which in flower language means true love, is the most popular flower bought by men on Valentine’s Day. I was recently told about some roses that claim to be the world’s tallest at over 5 feet.  Grown near volcanoes in Ecuador, the climate is apparently ideal for these organic roses.  Even at $250 per dozen, the roses are sold out for the month of February.  For details see Organic Bouquet. 

One of the most striking boxes of chocolates I’ve seen recently is from Godiva’s jewel-toned G Hearts collection. Not only are these hearts gorgeous, they also come in flavors like Passion orange, Tahitian vanilla, Lemon Drop, Mexican hot chocolate and Bananas foster.  Yum! 

If you’re looking for a local chocolate maker to buy something for your valentine, check out this handy chocolate finding site.

Links:  Godiva   |   Language of flowers  

Its fall again and pumpkin patches (as well as pumpkin lattes!) are appearing everywhere.  As I’ve mentioned before, I love everything about pumpkins. What other vegetable serves as a food source, artistic canvas, candle holder and the perfect symbol of autumn?   
 
Here are some places around the country that celebrate pumpkin season:

Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival
Oct. 13-14 on Main Street
This festival, located 25 miles south of San Francisco, features gargantuan gourds, world-class pumpkin carvers, harvest-inspired crafts, live entertainment, a Pumpkin Parade, a haunted house, pie-eating, carving and costume contests. The pumpkin winning the Word Championship (pumpkin) Weigh-off will also be on display.  Hit the road early if you plan to go – this is a very popular event.

Pumpkin Festival, Keene, New Hampshire
Oct. 20, 2007
This small New England town holds the current Guinness world record for most lit jack-o-lanterns in one place – almost 29,000.  You’ll see an amazing collection of carved pumpkins at this festival.

Other Pumpkin Festivals

Each year Half Moon Bay hosts a World Pumpkin Championship Weigh-off where farmers bring in their home grown pumpkins and try to beat the current record.  This year’s winner took home the prize with a 1,524 pound pumpkin.  Now that’s a lot of pumpkin!