Echoes of the Southwest

Along with the Oink Cafe sign outside the restaurant, there are other enticing words; Breakfast, Lunch, Bacon. You know you are in for a treat when bacon is involved. The Oink Cafe is maintained and managed by people born and raised in Arizona. All the food is homespun and created with the finest ingredients. They offer great beer and Bloody Mary's that are enhanced with bacon. You can enjoy your food and beverages while sitting on the patio. Website:  https://oinkcafe.com/ I ordered their yummy iced tea along with California Macaroni and Cheese, which was to die for. This mac and cheese was loaded with creamy noodles, grilled chicken, green chili, pepper jack cheese, top with your choice of bacon and sliced avocado. It was melt-in-your-mouth delicious. I ended  up taking half of it home where I got to share it with Sharon as a nighttime snack.

Along the streets in downtown Phoenix, sits a corridor of amazing art called the Roosevelt Row Arts District. This non-profit organization was created by the Roosevelt Row Community Development Corporation. Roosevelt Row has an array of amazing murals, esteemed galleries with exhibits that change often and are by famous artists, homegrown eateries, boutiques and much more. As you walk the RoRo district you will not only be impressed by the art and cultural events, but the cute chalets or other growing projects. The area is forever evolving. After the stretch of streets deteriorated from the 1970s to the 1990s, many artists were drawn to the area. The buildings were dilapidated with boards on the windows and walls falling apart. The sidewalks had cracks and, in some areas, completely destroyed. Some of the buildings once served as crack houses, but were reasonably priced for studios and gallery space. As crime went down in the area, it attracted others to enjoy the artistic excit...

A few weeks ago, my paranormal team, Arizona Paranormal Research, did a study and investigation of a small abandoned church. One of our team members was contacted by a church associate about the unusual events that they have experienced inside the church and nearby cemetery. We thought it was the perfect place for our team to investigate. Because we plan to go back to research the place further, I won’t divulge its name and location. The church is located at the end of a narrow road with the cemetery next to it. We unloaded our equipment and proceeded to take pictures inside and outside of the church. While others set up their cameras and audio recorders in various locations throughout the church, Sharon and I walked over to the cemetery to take photos. By this time, it was getting dark and the cemetery was very creepy. We walked back to the church to begin our investigation. Sharon walked around the place with dowsing rods and marked all the locations where they crossed. A...