I-17 North to Camp Verde/Cottonwood, looking East
We arrived in Cottonwood about 12:30pm and stopped at a bustling Saturday morning restaurant, The Tavern Grille, for some lunch. An appealing list of menu items made it hard to decide what to eat, and an equally impressive drink list made for another challenging decision. I settled on the fish and chips and a Deschutes Black Butte Porter. Both were great together, and the fries they served would have been ruined with ketchup, so they stayed plain this time around. Moderately priced, this is a great place for a lunch or dinner.
After lunch we got checked into a hotel room and dropped off a few things, and turned on the heat, as the room felt 55-ish or so degrees. We had a number of hours before i had to get my drums set up, so we made the 5 mile drive to Jerome for the afternoon.
Overlooking Jerome from the state park
Jerome is nestled into the side of a mountain where copper mining was all the rage in the late 1870's. What they later discovered was not only copper, but GOLD. The entire town blossomed and was built into the side of a mountain, and Jerome was born. Still operational today, there are a few mines that are very active in and around Jerome. The climate here is also very friendly to grapes and produce which eventually become wine. With more than 5 wineries in this area, this is a weekend haven from the posh to enjoy wine tastings, dinners, and take in fine art collectibles. There's a great fudge shop, rock candy store, and too-many-to-mention art galleries, gift shops, and local eateries.
The white dot near the center is an active mine - Overlooking Jerome valley from the state park
Main St Jerome - all the buildings are built into the mountains
We tasted some delicious wines at Passion Gallery and Bitter Creek Winery. We liked what we tasted so much, we broke the bank on some bottles to take home. I guess 'when in Jerome....' , as the saying almost goes.
We headed back to Cottonwood to drop off our bounty of wines, and went to Old Town Cottonwood for a savory dinner at Nic's Italian Steak and Crab. They don't open until 5pm, and I suggest getting there at 4:45pm to ensure you get a table. Within 10 minutes of being seated, every table in the place was full. We both ordered the 8oz Sirloin and 1/2 lb of snow crab legs, both of which were breathtakingly succulent. The steak was seared to perfection, and the clam chowder was only second best to what we had in Seattle. Spend the money, and treat yourself to this place. The manager made it a point to stop at every table and make sure everything was satisfactory. Can't wait to go back!
Thanks Jerome/Cottonwood for a great weekend!
Now the off-season for band stuff sets in, which i am thankful for. Its been 18 months of 4-8 shows a month, and i'm way overdue a break. After the first of the year, its back at it again, writing new stuff, planning out 2014. Whew. Hard work is great, but sometimes you have to step back, regather your creativity, and start over.
Now the off-season for band stuff sets in, which i am thankful for. Its been 18 months of 4-8 shows a month, and i'm way overdue a break. After the first of the year, its back at it again, writing new stuff, planning out 2014. Whew. Hard work is great, but sometimes you have to step back, regather your creativity, and start over.
