Teacup Trail
It’s easy to see why many of Sedona’s most iconic rock formations received their names – there’s no mistaking Bell Rock or Snoopy Rock. But Teacup Rock is a bit more difficult to discern. The best…
Deb Weinkauff
Sandmen
Sedona Monthly’s 7th annual cover story featuring Native American artists focuses on Navajo sandpainters. A fairly recent art form, sandpainting was traditionally used by medicine men in religious ceremonies until enterprising artists began using the medium…
Pizzeria Bocce
When Eric and Michelle Jurisin, owners of The Haunted Hamburger and Grapes in Jerome and The Tavern Grille and Nic’s Italian Steak & Crab in Cottonwood, opened Pizzeria Bocce in Old Town Cottonwood this summer, we…
Marg’s Draw
For a casual hike with stunning views, it doesn’t get better than Marg’s Draw. The trailhead is located in the center of town, the ascents are short and the red-rock pinnacles are inspiring.
Top of the World
Humphreys Peak captivated us long before we moved to northern Arizona, and judging by the number of people we encountered on our hike to the summit, we aren’t the only ones. Unlike the impressive mountain ranges…
Wine Country
Seven tasting rooms and one fabulous festival that have put the Verde Valley on the wine map. Taste the best wines our state has to offer in Page Springs and Cottonwood, and at Sedona Winefest on Sept. 28 and 29. By Erika Ayn Finch
HOT!
Hot: family-owned eateries, art classes, swinging from the trees, thrifting and funny girls. Not: Camping in front of the air-conditioner for two months. Here are 21 reasons to get out of the pool and seize life…
Modern Rocks
This season, fashionistas are rocking eye-catching black-and-white ensembles. Add some playfulness to your look with bold, modern jewelry from Sedona’s boutiques and galleries, and you’ll look like you just stepped off the runway! Photographs by…
Pizza My Heart
In Italy, they sell it by the gram. In New York, it’s by the slice. It’s deep-dish in Chicago, wood-fired in California and topped with pineapple in Hawaii. Any way you slice it, pizza tops the…
Love Thyself
Why is it that in the U.S., “pampering” is often a four-letter word, a verb reserved for the uber-selfish and the 1 percent? By Erika Ayn Finch.
10 Favorite Sedona Hikes
This month, Sedona Monthly celebrates 10 years of publishing Arizona’s magazine with the great view. Hooray for us! Hiking is one of the reasons we moved to Sedona, and since our first issue in March 2003,…
Happy Hour
So it’s 5 o’clock somewhere, right? While boutique wineries and craft breweries will always be popular, hold on to your fedoras because the cocktail hour is making a ferocious comeback. Afterall, who doesn’t want to spend…
On the Road Again
Schnebly Hill Road Distance from the ’Y in Sedona (one way): 6.5 miles Attractions: red rocks If you have a high-clearance vehicle or a four-wheel drive, jump in and make a beeline for Schnebly Hill Road….
Zuni Style
In a remote corner of western New Mexico, near the border of Arizona, sits the 450,000-acre Zuni Pueblo. It’s the largest of New Mexico’s 19 pueblos and, according to the Zuni Department of Tourism, 80 percent…
Hog Heaven
Ah, barbecue. It’s as quintessential to summer as flip-flops and tank tops. We poked around northern Arizona for the best barbecue joints, and we came up with these six. A note to our vegetarian readers: You…
Accessories to a Crime
Fashion report 2012: We show you this season’s hottest jewelry, sunglasses, boots and scarves. These accessories are so hot, it’s criminal! But before you run the risk of jail time just to keep up with…
Dance Fever!
For a rural area, Sedona and the Verde Valley offer a surprising variety of dance classes, from ballroom to hip-hop to contra dance. So What are you waiting for? Get out there and shake your booty!…
Ruined
Navajo National Monument, located just south of Monument Valley, encompasses three cliff dwellings. Two of those dwellings are open to visitors. both are amazing destinations, but only one is truly worth the effort. Read on for…
Home Is Where the Artist Is
There are more beautiful homes in Sedona than there are ordinary ones, but it’s our local artists who really understand creative spaces. Go inside the homes of Douglas Edward Andrews, Curt Walters and Beatrice Welles to…
Sedona’s Citizen Welles
Most Sedona histories name German-born Dadaist Max Ernst and American Surrealist Dorothea Tanning as the most famous artists to have ever lived in Red Rock Country. But for our money, that honor is owned by Orson…
Hopi Holidays
Dorleen Gashweseoma Lalo: Basket Maker Dorleen Gashweseoma Lalo did not learn to speak English until she met her husband, and for many years he acted as her interpreter as she traveled to museums and shows with…
Festival Fever
October might just be the best month to be in Sedona. Warm days with bright blue skies and billowing clouds are followed by crisp, clear evenings studded with twinkling stars. The leaves are starting to turn…
High on Sedona
Spend some time with your head in the clouds! Come fly with us as we board a helicopter, hot air balloon and biplane to discover a new perspective of Red Rock Country. Think flying is for…
Monument Valley
Monument Valley has captured the imaginations of people all over the world since Hollywood first showed us the expansive landscape and soaring monoliths in 1925. Countless photographers have been inspired by the colorful rock formations and…
Barefoot in Tlaquepaque
Fashion 2011: Summer trends are footloose and fancy free. Check out our Sedona style guide – it’s time to go shopping! Shot on location, April 18, 2011, at Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village (336 SR…
Go! Get Outside! Hike!
Hiking has been our passion for years and is part of the reason we moved to Sedona in the first place. After visiting and living in Sedona for more than 10 years, we just now feel…
Wild Arizona
When families visit Sedona, it’s not always easy to find kid-friendly activities. (We have yet to meet a 10-year-old interested in a day of gallery shopping or spa treatments.) Lucky for all of us, three distinctly…
2011 Sedona Film Fest Preview
Now in its 17th year, the Sedona International Film Festival seems to have hit its stride. The festival begins Feb. 20 and lasts eight days, finishing up Feb. 27. On Feb. 19, the festival will offer…
Holidays at Home
Back in December 2007, Sedona Monthly featured a cover story about all of the unique holiday events that take place in northern Arizona. Every December since that issue, we’ve received e-mails requesting that we do the…
Music to Our Eyes and Ears
Despite the public flogging Arizona has received over the past few months, we still think this is an incredible state. We have Grand Canyon and Saguaro national parks and the red rocks of Sedona in our…
It’s Beer O’Clock!
Beer is the new wine. Have you heard that one lately? While northern Arizona’s wine culture has received lots of press in recent years, our seven microbreweries have flown relatively under the radar unless you’re one…
Dream Weavers
In 2007, Sedona Monthly wrote about a Navajo family of silversmiths as the first installment of our annual cover story devoted to Native American art. Since that issue, we’ve written about Hopi katsina carvers and potters…
Road Trip!
California may be known as the car-culture capital of the country, but Arizona boasts some of the most scenic, historic and fun roads (without the traffic). Here’s a look at six of our favorites. Red Rock…
Burger Heaven
These days, it’s rare to read a restaurant menu and not see at least one burger offering, even in the most upscale locales. A few months ago, we were stopped at Bashas’ by a tourist asking…
Sedona’s Passion for Fashion!
Fashion 2010: Sure, the Sedona woman may be laid-back and favor timeless over trendy, but that doesn’t mean we don’t love to shop! Check out the latest finds from the best boutiques in Red Rock…
Surfin’ Safari: Arizona’s Big Wave
Last fall, Sedona Monthly hiked the rings of Saturn. It took us years to get there, and the permit process was painful, but the payoff was absolutely worth it. Our group included three of the 20…
Grand Canyon
On average, it rains on Thanksgiving Day in Arizona every 10 years. Naturally, that once-a-decade storm would bring downpours, lightning and snow to northern Arizona as we shopped for freeze-dried food and compressed our sleeping bags…
A Journey to the City in the Sky
About two years ago, on my way home from Santa Fe, N.M., I noticed the signs for the Acoma Pueblo along Interstate 40. Being a fan of Acoma pottery, I pulled off the highway only to…
Sedona Bed and Breakfasts
Earlier this year, TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel community (more than 10 million registered members at www.tripadvisor.com) featuring online reviews of hotels and attractions, released its annual Travelers’ Choice Awards, which include the top 10 inns…
Sedona Fashion Gets Back in the Saddle!
A lot has changed in Sedona, including local fashion, since Zane Grey’s The Call of the Canyon was filmed in the area in 1923, but our red rock skylines aren’t really fazed by 86 years….
Green Sedona
In April 1970, Earth Day was celebrated for the first time. Society’s environmental awareness has come a long way in the last 39 years, and Sedona won’t be left behind. Red Rock Country is goin’ green,…
Our Sedona Table
The story behind The Sedona Table really begins with the November 2006 issue of Sedona Monthly. To say that issue was huge would be an understatement; foodies all across the United States sat up and took…
Arizona is for Snowbirds
December is here, and if it hasn’t happened already, thousands of northern Arizona residents are watching the sky, holding their breath until the first delicate snowflake drifts down. While our friends in other locales – the…
Design of the Times
Trends in home décor come and go just as quickly as they do in fashion – not all that long ago the location of your home dictated the interior design. A Wyland print was a must…
11 Reasons Autumn in Sedona is So Cool!
Autumn’s arrival in northern Arizona heralds more than just shorter days and cooler nights – in fall, Sedona seems to awake from a sluggish summer slumber to show off all her splendor with vibrant changing leaves,…
Glittering Surprises!
Objets d’art are everywhere in fashion this season, from antique French lace and Italian crystal buttons to handpainted scarves and vintage velvet trim. Perhaps the easiest way to update your look and express yourself (not…
10 Places to Go to Beat the Arizona Heat
It’s a dry heat. Sedona has four mild seasons. Summers aren’t bad – we have monsoons. We’ve heard it all and, while we’ll admit our summers are a walk along the beach compared to our neighbors…
Artisan Decor
Artisan-made furniture feels right at home in northern Arizona. As people increasingly look at furniture not solely as functional, but as an expression of their personality, talented artisans creating unique, one-of-kind pieces are enjoying new appreciation….
Guys and Dolls
The word “kachina” comes up often in the Southwest, commonly understood to refer to small dolls created by Native American artists from cottonwood root. They make for popular gifts, but many visitors are unaware of their…
The Best Spa Therapists
We’ve come to a conclusion about spas: No matter how good the treatment, it’s the therapist who matters most. That’s why we’ve dedicated this year’s annual Sedona Monthly spa issue to introducing you to six spa…
Sedona Film Fest 2008
Fourteen years after its founding, the Sedona International Film Festival and Workshop has become a signature event for lovers of independent film in the Southwest. On the following pages, we’ll preview this year’s event (to be…
At Home for the Holidays
Yes, Virginia, there is more to the holiday season than frantic trips from mall to mall trying to get your hands on this year’s “It” item (Halo 3, perhaps?), scrubbing floors before the in-laws arrive, standing…
Wine! Inside 7 Verde Valley Vineyards
Speak to the owners and winemakers at the seven wineries in the Verde Valley and you’ll hear one thing again and again: Visitors just can’t get over the fact that vineyards are being grown and wine…
Star Attractions!
For as long as humans have inhabited our corner of Arizona, their necks have been craned to the sky, gazing at the stars. Look at the pictographs of animals and hunters at the Palatki Heritage Site…
The Inner Light: Inside 3 Slot Canyons
Antelope Canyon is one of the most alluring spots in the Southwest, thanks largely to the talented nature photographers who’ve beautifully captured and shared its ethereal light beams, golden hues, and corkscrewing rock walls that seem…
Summer Casual
Sedona’s style is more about comfort than chasing trends – in Red Rock Country, women need clothes that look good and transition easily from lunch with the girls to working in the garden to happy…
Romancing the Stones
Alice Lister excitedly pulls out a plastic bag full of dusty stones from under her workbench, pulling out chunks of uncut turquoise, dark blue lapis, and purple sugilite like a kid showing off a prized baseball…
Sedona After Dark: 7 Days of Nightlife
From the first time I visited Sedona in 2000 I’ve always heard the same thing: The streets roll up at 5:30 p.m. In Sedona, it’s midnight at 9 p.m. There’s nothing for young people to do….
Sharpening the Independent Focus
Thirteen feels like it’s going to be a lucky number for the Sedona International Film Festival & Workshop. Now in its third year under executive director Patrick Schweiss, you get the feeling the annual celebration of…
All the Trimmings
Cactus Christmas trees and cowboy boots filled with poinsettias. Red silk flowers in a cow skull and ornaments hanging off the branches of a dried agave plant. Rope and bandanas, luminarias, and spurs, deer heads and…
Sedona Hotels Go For the Gourmet
Hotel dining is quietly experiencing a renaissance in Sedona. “The food aspect of resort restaurants has changed from a caterpillar to butterfly,” says Elizabeth McIntire, food and beverage director for Sedona Center in Uptown. “Resorts are…
What Your Real Estate $$ Buys Today
The real estate market in Sedona went through the roof in 2004. It has come a little bit back to earth over the past six months, much like the rest of the United States, creating new…
3 Days in Havasu Canyon
At the far west end of the Grand Canyon, a turquoise-blue creek cuts through 14 miles of sheer red rock cliffs, meandering along travertine dams and tall cottonwoods. Waterfalls crash down as much as 200 feet…
From the Ground Up
What does it take to build a custom home with as few bumps in the road as possible? Just ask Joe and Judy Ruthven, who purchased land in the Casa Contenta development in West Sedona in…
Gown Town
Even in a field as fickle as fashion, some things are timeless. For our fourth annual summer fashion special, Sedona Monthly celebrates the resurgence of glamour in 2006 styles. On the following pages, you’ll see…
Residential Arias – Opera House Sedona
For the seventh consecutive year, eight Sedona property owners are scheduled to open their stylish doors to the public as hosts of the annual Art and Architecture Tour, with proceeds benefiting the educational and performance programs…
Nature Calls!
Ask Sedona residents why they settled in Red Rock Country and you’ll hear some variation of this response again and again: It was just too pretty to leave. Visitors get the message too, flocking in huge…
What They See Is What We Get
When audiences file into the Harkins Sedona 6 for the official opening of the Sedona International Film Festival and Workshop on Feb. 23, it kicks off four days of happy discovery for fans of independent films….
A Visit to 7 Sedona Spas
One of the many things that made me excited about my recent decision to move to Sedona was the chance to be near the area spas. I love spa treatments – the way tension melts away…
Happy Holidays, Sedona Style!
How do you impress holiday guests with lusciously lumpless mashed potatoes? Want the secret to wrapping all of your gifts economically, yet so beautifully your loved ones may actually feel bad about ripping it to see…
Elegant Curves
Life throws all kinds of curves at you. Some curves take you out of your comfort zone – like a series of jolts that sent architect Aldo Andreoli packing from New York for a breath of…
Looking Good!
Romance. Sophistication. Soft, flowing fabrics. Light and airy clothes that add volume without bulk. Soothing shades, floral prints, and classic whites. These are some of the trends Sedona’s clothing and style experts predict will be…
Opera Houses
“I would argue that perhaps what’s going on in opera are some of the most real and deep experiences out there,” singer-songwriter of the moment Rufus Wainwright recently told the British rock-music magazine Mojo, “especially now,…
Wine! A Tour of Five Stylish Cellars
What makes a great Sedona wine cellar? We’ll raise a glass in praise of passion and personality – two traits common to the five very different rooms profiled here. Cellars (we’ll use the term even though…
Luminarias: Making Spirits Bright
“Thirty-one years ago, Christmas in Sedona was not commercially a big deal,” recalls Geoffrey Roth, whose jewelry store and gallery was one of the first to occupy the then-fledgling Tlaquepaque in the early 1970s. “For the…
Northward Ho!
There’s an undeniable appeal to finding oases in the desert. About 170 miles to the north of Sedona sits Lake Powell, a fascinating area where you can find gorgeous rocks, the Colorado River, amazing sunsets, and…
Sedona’s Televisionaries
Is Sedona ready for its close-up? Starting in May, a national TV network, the Wisdom Channel, began airing the first 30-minute episodes of Sedona Now, produced and hosted by Glenn Scarpelli and Jude Belanger. The series…
Wow! Summer Style!
Going swimming? When temperatures hit the 90s, Sedona seeks maximum cool by the water, whether it’s at Oak Creek, the community pool, or the local resorts. But by the looks of the women’s swimsuits being featured…
Take Me Into the Ballgame
It rained on the third day we were in Tucson to visit the Arizona Diamondbacks at their spring training facility, which also happened to be the day the team was to take the field for the…
How We See Us
It starts at sunrise. From the folks who make deliveries, to those getting ready for the day’s first customers, to those who just lean back and take it all in before revving their engines, a…
Coming Attractions
One year ago, the Sedona Film Festival & Workshop received 150 to 200 submissions of films for consideration, says new CEO/Artistic Director Douglas Tanton. For 2004, he and the local selection committee expect to review 600…
Time Travelers
A gas station is probably the last thing you think of when you look at El Portal Sedona, the remarkably detailed 1900-1930-era bed and breakfast inn that Steve and Connie Segner created near Oak Creek –…
Sedona Golf Courses
Mark Twain once quipped that “Golf is a good walk spoiled.” He obviously never walked a Sedona golf course, where the view is ideal, and the competition only enhances the joy of being outdoors. Sedona’s signature…
Spas… Ah-h-h-h-h!
Stressed out in Sedona? Relief is at hand. So lie back. And let go. It’s “me time.” It’s your day at the spa. Our local spas attract visitors from all over the world, for massage and…
Into the Sunset
The Bradshaw Ranch is padlocked now. In May 2003, it became another parcel of federal land, soon to blend into the rest of the Forest Service holdings surrounding it. But while the future of the land…
You Wear It Well
Summer in Sedona has a style all its own. Whether you’re spending days by the pool, on the hiking trails, relaxing with friends or vacationing at a local resort, our fashion scene specializes in delivering a…
Julie of Denial – The Child Ol’ Blue Eyes Never Knew
Have you ever fantasized that you’re secretly the long-lost son or daughter of a celebrity? That one day a stranger’s going to knock on your door and reveal that you’re really descended from royalty, pulling back…
