The Jewel of the Desert

Last week I attended a legal conference on water law.  The conference was fairly mundane, my third consecutive year of attending this conference.  The one thing I look forward to every year is that the conference is at the Arizona Biltmore, the Jewel of the Desert.

If you have never visited or seen pictures of this world famous five star resort, it is an architectural dream.  It opened in 1929, seven months before the Stock Market crash that began the Great Depression.  It's unmatched character is the heavy influence of Frank Lloyd Wright both then and now.  It is timeless.

The entire structure is made from pre-cast concrete block, made on site and known as "Biltmore Block."  The strong geometric lines were designed by a student of Frank Lloyd Wright.  (Not many people know that Wright had a school of architecture - Taliesin West - in what is now Scottsdale.  He was not a stranger to the desert.)  Everything in the hotel follows these lines, from the mission furniture to the light fixtures down to the carpet.  It's like a step back in time.

Movie stars and politicians could be seen at the Biltmore pool; Marilyn Monroe called it her favorite pool.  My claim to fame is that my niece and nephew have each worked poolside at the Biltmore, my niece fetching towels and my nephew regulating kids going down the slide :-)

Every President since Herbert Hoover (in office when the Biltmore opened) has stayed at the Arizona Biltmore (with the exception of the current President).  There is a cool hallway off the lobby that has a picture of each President at the Biltmore, usually on the golf course.

So many people think Phoenix is a recent oasis that popped out the desert, but it truly does have a history.  A living testament to that history is the Arizona Biltmore.  If you visit Phoenix, or just live in the area and have never seen it, its a jewel in the desert you cannot miss.

A disclaimer - I did NOT receive any compensation, consideration or even recognition from the Arizona Biltmore for writing this post.  (I did use historical pictures from its website, but the current pictures are mine.)  I love history, this is Arizona history, and the opinions expressed here are my own.

cindy

Thinking Day

Girl Scout Thinking Day.  It's a day when girls around the world focus on an issue of global importance and think about ways they can make a difference.  This year was global sustainability, or environmental stewardship.

The girls in our troop made cards from recycled materials (paper, tin foil, fabrics, felt and yarn).  The purpose of the cards was to inform their parents of ways they could create better sustainability in their families and communities.

With "The Lorax" being such a popular movie for kids (and adults), it's likely your kids will be thinking about how to keep the world unpolluted (sustainable) for future generations.  As Girls Scouts, we thought of some very practical ways to help (reduce/reuse/recycle).  These also make adults very happy because they are money savers!

• Turn off water while you wash hands or brush teeth.
• Take showers, not baths (baths use a lot of water) and make those showers shorter.
• Don't wash your car in the driveway.  Car washes actually recycle the water so they use far less.
• Install low flow toliets, dishwashers, front loading washing machines and instant hot water devices.  Each saves a lot of water.  You may also be surprised to find your community or utility gives you a rebate for installing these items.
• Run washing machines and dishwaters only when they are full.  We also encouraged the girls to think about whether they need to wash every item of clothing they touch :)
• Drive less.  Plan trips so you can go several places at once.  Take the bus (I LOVE doing this for part of my commute).
• Don't use leaf blowers!  These things are horrible for air quality, especially when used on dirt, or hard surfaces (driveways, patios & sidewalks)
• Recycle - paper, glass plastic and anything else your community takes.  Please make sure materials are free from food or other debris or they get trashed.  
• Upcycling has been a trendy option for sustainability.  Reuse clothes by handing them down or donating.  Also, if you sew or craft, consider cutting clothing for fabric scraps and felting on wool items. (I'm dying to try this!)
• Turn off the lights! Unplug appliances (TV, DVR, DVD, computer & printer) when you leave for a day or more.
• Don't use plastic water bottles!  They are expensive and a huge burden on landfills (that much plastic doesn't get recycled)

After our Brownie meeting I heard back from several parents that their girls were full of great information.  They were also genuinely interested in sustaining our environment.  Let's hope they do.

cindy

Share the Gift

Santa was good this year.  No matter what your religious persuasion, during this holiday season it is likely that you gave or received a gift from someone who cares about you.  Last night my wonderful sister-in-law and I thought of a novel idea - what if every person who received a gift this season gave 1 penny ($0.01) to a children's charity?  It's a simple idea - but imagine how powerful it could be!

We're calling this "Share the Gift" and I would love my readers and Facebook friends to get in on the "ground floor".  Go to your family, church, school or community and start a small "Share the Gift" drive.  Collect a penny from anyone (adult or child) who received a gift.  When you finish your drive, pick a children's charity (Ronald McDonald House, UNICEF, Heifer International, Boy's and Girl's Clubs, etc) and DONATE.  Better yet, PASS ON THE WORD!  Tell your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, church members and anyone else who will listen about Share the Gift.  Tweet!  Post!  Blog!  Let's put social media to work.  I would like to see this year how well this idea is received and if it is, perhaps make it even bigger for next year.

Please note - I AM NOT ASKING YOU TO SEND ME MONEY.  I would prefer you put together your own little collection.  What I am asking is that you SHARE YOUR RESULTS!  Send me a comment here or post on the Facebook page "Share the Gift".  Tell us how you raised the money, what you raised and what charity received it.  If you don't want to organize a full blown campaign, you can contact me and I will give you information where you can send your donation (no matter how small).  Remember, it's just a penny.  "LIKE" the Facebook page so you can see the updates.

Let's see if we can Share the Gift.

cindy