Greens are serene, blues are calming, browns are earthy, oranges are tropics, yellows are happiness and the list can go on and on, but the perfect palette? It should start somewhere.
I was fortunate enough to go on a dream trip to Sedona, a desert city near Flagstaff in Arizona, USA last year, and it came exactly by chance! And what a chance it was because Sedona is undoubtedly a perfect getaway for an adventurous travel bug like me.
For me, Sedona exemplifies creativity because you can find it around every corner, just like the famous Red Rocks, which is more beautiful up close and personal. But of course, what will make your heart leap with wonder are the world-class cuisine and the city’s healthy and sustainable community practices. These are what really captivated me the most.
Entrancing artwork
Our afternoon started with a tour of Tlaquepaque (T-la-keh-pah-keh), an arts and crafts village with a magnificent Mexican vibe and hundreds of art galleries and craft shops lined up along cobblestone pathways.
Art nuts out there will go wide eyed and find it hard to resist from buying the entrancing artwork available. Take a pick from wonderful paintings, scintillating sculptures, brawny metal arts, attractive rugs, to stunning gems and stones. Be warned that going to Tlaquepaque may probably cause a dent on your travel budget we because the diverse collection of artwork is a true feast for the eyes.
Gastronomic galore
Touring the whole day will leave you famished. It was late in the afternoon when we started to ask locals for some good food spots for dinner.
Cucina Rustica was a popular suggestion and so off we walked to get there. All that walking surely burnt a lot of calories.
With its Italian and Mediterranean fare, Cucina Rustica, located at Oak Creek Village, is one of Arizona’s most beloved restaurants. Run by chef Lisa Dahl, an acclaimed author and restaurateur, Cucina Rustica’s villa-style look and feel translates to great gastronomic galore. What this resto serves really activates all your sensory perceptions. A live guitarist jives with the place’s rustic doors that were so utterly prominent and, oh man, the complementary bread was so heavenly, and not just because it’s free! Suddenly, I felt my standards for bread just shot up the roof.
Adventure for the body and soul
After filling our stomachs the night before, time to experience the Sedona adventures. Our hike started at Slide Rock Market. Good thing we’re used to hiking so we finished the hike in about 20 minutes.
Mind you that Sedona is not just all about arts and food because it has a spiritual side. The mind, body and spirit connection is unique once you commune with nature. I connect myself to nature the moment I expose myself to the glorious rays of the sun. There was that feeling of enchantment, knowing that the bountiful beauty of the environment enveloped us, and that moment was priceless. The world is truly big and I’m glad I have someone like Jimi to share it with.
You’ll also be amazed at the astounding colors everywhere. The prominent greens and earthy hues were absolutely mind-boggling, where the perfect palette of millions of hues, tones and tints that surrounded us was incomparable.
We give due credit that Sedona’s distinctive natural beauty that draws millions of visitors each year was preserved and protected by the community. Their efforts to maintain and sustain the spectacular scenery for generations to come really deserve a big hurrah.
Of course, our Sedona getaway wouldn’t be complete without a side trip to the monumental Grand Canyon, the so-called “Holy Grail” of travel and adventure.
But that’s another story.
By Jordanah Racines
Jordanah Racines or Jordie, loves to be one with nature, is always excited to try new cuisines, enjoys restaurant hopping, and learning new things and cultures. She is a professional color advisor in a Los Angeles, California-based company. She is also finishing her Bachelor's in Interior Design degree at the Interior Designer's Institute in Newport Beach, California, USA, and is an advocate of Environmental Design, which focuses not only on the aesthetic of design but ultimately its function and selection of materials that deeply affect the environment. She is the owner of Jordesigns- our journey to green.