The last couple weeks we have been bogged down by work projects and the weather hasn’t really been the most cooperative. However we managed a few outings and it seems most of them have to do with food. Our friend Gene from Milbank has been taking us out to a few places and showing us around. One of our first stops was Filley’s Roadhouse in Apache Junction. You really feel like you’ve stepped back into the old west here. They have a great outdoor patio, live music and real live cowboys ride up on horseback to enjoy a cold one and a little two steppin.
Next up another step back in time at Porter’s café in Superior, AZ about 27 miles east of Gold Canyon. This was once another bustling mining town, however now its population is less than half of what it was once. It’s a neat joint decorated with old memorabilia. Everything here is homemade right down to the fries. Can you say, holy burger!!
Another evening we headed down to Queen Creek, AZ to have a somewhat unique dining experience at San Tan Flat. Here you head over to the wood cart and build yourself a fire. Order yourself up some grub and enjoy. They also have live music and great food! Once the sun goes down it can get a bit chilly but you really don’t notice with all the fires blazing.
We had never heard of an organ pizza parlor until our stop at Organ Stop Pizza in Mesa. At one time there were over 100 of these across the nation, but now that number is down to 3. Here you head in, order your pizza grab a beverage then you’re entertained by the organist. It’s a large two level room and you really have to look around. There are all kinds of bells, whistles, percussion and the giant pipes and bellows are just amazing to watch. The organists played all kinds of music it was entertaining for all ages. There was even a curtain that would open with puppets for the kids. In the holiday spirit we put up a little video we captured below.
Our final foodie adventure for this post was a trip to Cornish Pasty Co. The Cornish pasty originated from Southwest England. Traditionally it was a pastry stuffed with meat, potatoes and vegetables that the miner’s wives would send with their husbands. It had a thick braided top that the men would use as a “handle” to it eat. There menu consisted of all kinds of combinations they stuff into this delicious pastry. The leek soup was also to die for and their homemade bread was so good we had to buy a loaf to take with us!!
A trip to this area wouldn’t be complete without wondering through the Mesa Marketplace and Swap Meet. This place is huge. It consists of 4 tents that are each a quarter mile long. We really didn’t have anything in mind to buy, just spent a whole afternoon wandering through each tent. They also have a food court area with live music.
Since it’s just down the road from us we took a drive to the Peralta Trailhead which also borders the Tonto National Forest. Nice scenic drive and tons of hiking here. It’s another shake, rattle, roll your car around but not near as bad as Organ Pipe was!! Considering all the off-roading down here it has us thinking maybe we should have bought a Jeep instead of a Saturn!!!
We are amazed how well we are getting along in such a small space and all the things we can do without. However, one thing we can’t do without is a good nights sleep. We decided that we would buy ourselves a Christmas present and get a new mattress!! It’s amazing how you can be so far from home, yet with Amazon Prime and that little brown truck a new mattress was delivered right to our door. So out with the old and in with the new!!
We have about two weeks left here before we move on. I’m sure we’ll find plenty more to do and see!
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!