Nexus Lanes

I am sure, if you have crossed the border into Canada at Peace Arch or Blaine Truck Crossing, that you have noticed the NEXUS lanes which usually flow pretty freely. I have had a NEXUS card for five years (I just renewed) and find it a real time saver.

It is part of a trusted traveler program which means that both the US and Canada do a background check on the applicants. NEXUS cardholders typically pass through the border crossings swiftly (more often than not, I just get waved through but they sometimes ask some questions), but the border agents have the option to conduct a thorough check. That has yet to happen to me. In order to use the NEXUS lanes, everyone in the car needs to carry a card. There is also a zero-tolerance policy for what you can take across the border. If a cardholder is in violation, the card can be confiscated, so if one is in doubt about what they can take, it is better to take the regular lanes than to risk losing the NEXUS privilege.

If a cardholder chooses, they can have their irises scanned and put in the database so they can use the kiosks at participating Canadian airports to get through immigration. A few years ago we flew from London to Vancouver, BC and used the system. It was very fast and one fewer line to stand in. Unfortunately, there was a baggage handlers strike and we had to wait 90 minutes for our bags (we now only have carry-ons).

To find out more information you can go to the Customs and Border Protection website:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/trusted_traveler/nexus_prog/nexus.xml

You can now apply online. It costs $50 for five years. After your application is approved, you will need to appear before a CBP officer for an interview. There is an office at Boeing Field in Seattle as well as at the Blaine border crossing (there are, of course, other offices farther afield for people outside the Western Washington area)

Pinnacle Peak Patio - 10426 E Jomax RD, Scottsdale

The Pinnacle Peak Patio is one of the few places one can walk to from the Four Seasons resort. I drove, though. It is situated on the road to Pinnacle Peak park in a little shopping area. They have a strict "no necktie" policy as is evidenced by the number of ties stapled to the rafters in the restaurant. Their website boasts over a million ties have been severed from unsuspecting diners. The atmosphere there is relaxed and the staff is very friendly. Both nights I went they had live music. The first night was a lone singer, but the second night was a band.

They have outside seating (the patio) but since it was monsoon season, and there were threatening clouds, I decided to dine inside.

I ordered a half-rack of baby back ribs, which came with a salad, corn on the cob, and baked beans. I have astounded people in the past with my ability to clean all the meat off  of pork ribs with just a knife and fork (hands-free). The ribs here were so tender that I did not need the knife!! All the food was very tasty!

There is a little gift shop adjacent to the restaurant that had a nice selection of jewelry made by locals, as well as some of the usual touristy stuff.

http://www.pppatio.com/

Chuy's Mesquite Broiler - 12235 Cave Creek RD, Phoenix

We stumbled upon this restaurant after finding several places in the area were closed (it was Sunday) and I am glad we did! It is a fun place with a surfing theme. This particular place had $2 Margharitas at all times, which were quite tasty. The food prices were surprisingly low, and the food was quite good. We got the quarter chicken special which included a couple of sides and all the chips & salsa we wanted. This place is part of a chain with several restaurants in Arizona and California.

http://www.bajachuys.com/

White Chocolate Grill - 7000 E. Mayo BV, Phoenix

The White Chocolate Grill Bar




 This restaurant was recommended by our concierge. We did not see any white chocolate roasting over the coals, but the ambiance was great and the food was excellent. Their house specialty was Tomato Gin Soup and it was some of the best soup I have ever eaten. It had tomatoes, cream, mushrooms, and bacon. They added the gin right before they served it, so it didn't lose any of its alcohol content. They only serve this to customers over 21, so you may get carded.

Four Seasons At Troon - The Pools

The Main Pool

While Judy was in her conference at this resort, I spent many hours at poolside. It was one of the sacrifices I made for our travel business :-)

The resort had recently completed a million dollar refurbishment of the pool area and it showed! There are three pools: a wading pool, a family pool, and an adults-only pool. The family pool shown at right is the largest of the three. The temperature of the water was refreshingly brisk, but not uncomfortably cold.There is also a hot tub which is nice for the cooler evenings.

The Wading Pool

The area is surrounded by several cabanas and lounge chairs. The cabanas are free to use and provide much needed shelter from the sun. As the day heats up, they turn on misters to cool the area down a bit. The staff there are available to help you set up the cabana to your liking and bring a pitcher of water. They make sure that everyone stays hydrated. Periodically throughout the day they bring around free treats like fresh fruit or sammples of smoothies. There is also food and drink available for purchase from the poolside restaurant. The staff is happy to take your order and bring your food to you.

Four Seasons at Troon - The Room

The view from our deck!

Sunset from our deck!

Our room was what they call a "Deluxe Casita". It was 500 Square feet and had a king bed. There was also a sitting area with a large screen TV and a gas fireplace. The room opened out to a very nice deck with a spectacular view of Crescent Butte. It was breathtaking. The desert came right up to our deck and we could see critters of all sorts scampering about. It is amazing just how much life there is in the desert.

 

North end of our room

We were about a five minute walk from the main building and lobby. It was very quiet there, we rarely heard our neighbors. The bathroom was pretty much the mirror-image of the one we had at the Venetian (no TV, though). The housekeeping had a policy that I had never encountered before. If you leave the do not disturb tag out, they will make up your room anyway at 2:00, unless you call them to make other arrangements. This is good for someone like me who sometimes forgets to take in the tag, but a bit of an inconvenience for someone who really does not want to be disturbed. Maybe they should have a second "I really mean it" tag to put out.

South end of our room

The room had a nice sized walk-in closet so our my junk was mostly out of sight :-) There were robes and slippers for us to use there, which came in handy for the journey to the pool.

The ice machine was in a little building adjacent to the building our room was in. Also in that building was a free washer/dryer as well as free soap and fabric softener. We really took advantage of that! I wish more places had that feature. 

All in all this was a very comfortable place to stay. I would highly recommend staying here.

The Four Seasons at Troon in Scottsdale, AZ

While we were in Scottsdale, we stayed at the Four Seasons resort at Troon. This resort is outstanding, and, since we traveled in the off-season (also known as the monsoon season) we got a fantastic price. It is located about 30 miles North of the Phoenix airport. They have a shuttle, but as I mentioned in my previous post, a rental car would give you more freedom to explore the area. Not much is within walking distance...especially with triple-digit temperatures.

They have valet parking (for a fee) and plenty of self-parking (for a lesser fee). We did the self-parking to keep our car conveniently located by our room.

The Main Entrance with Pinnacle Peak in the background

It is designed to blend in nicely with its surroundings and there is an abundance of native plants surrounding the campus as well as critters running around. I had not seen quail since I was growing up in Eastern Washington...I had forgotten how cute they are. We also saw jack rabbits, lizards, and raptors. It is amazing how much life there is in the desert.

The view from the lobby

There was a $5 resort fee, which is quite reasonable compared to other places I have stayed. This covers the tips, which is makes it really worthwhile. The service here is outstanding. From the time we arrived to the time we got to the room, four people helped us out and it left a very favorable first impression with us.

It is located next to Pinnacle Peak State Park. They have daily guided hikes there from the resort. Take lots of water!

Our Room (the dark balcony just left of center)

Be sure to pick up an activity calendar from the front desk. They have several activities for adults and children. Some of the fitness activities have a fee. We went to the wine tasting, tequila tasting, and the Margarita demonstration. All those were free as well as informative and fun. I think I am becoming a tequila connoisseur. Unfortunately we missed the chocolate tasting.