We arrived a little early waiting for our friends to join us (which almost never happens), so we sat in the bar.  I have to say that the bar was hopping!  Yes, it was happy hour and the bar and bar tables were packed.  Luckily they had really comfy chairs around the room that you could order from.  The service in the bar was great, even though the room was practically full.  I was a little hungry, so we started out with an appetizer.  My husband has dubbed it the best garlic cheese bread ever!  We will probably have to get it every time we go there, since it is so tasty.

We were pleased there was no waiting at 6:00 pm on a Friday night when our friends got there.  The ambiance of the restaurant was very laid back and classy, just how we like it in Arizona.  The waiters were all dressed up in normal steakhouse attire, which makes the restaurant feel a little more formal.  We took our son last time and we had no issues with blending in with a toddler.  Everything we have tried so far has been delicious.  Their steaks are cooked just how you ask for it and have a fantastic flavor.   This time my husband had a steak with mushrooms and a balsamic sauce, it was mouth-watering good.  The steaks start from $20 and hamburgers starting at $11, with most Entrees starting around $15.  The service was excellent.  They had to refill our waters several times and they were always on top of it.  They server bread at the table once you order and offered more bread once that was out.   I know some places have changed to only bringing bread upon request, so it was nice not to have to ask for it.  We lost track of time, so we were almost late for our movie, but all in all it took about an hour and a half to order, eat and pay.

Everyone ordered drinks, but I have to say the presentation was unique.  My husband ordered a Vodka Red Bull and our friend ordered a Rum and Coke.  They both came with the alcohol in a bar glass and the mix in on the side (Red Bull and Coke) as you can see in the picture.  The drinks tasted good.  They also feature freshly squeezed citrus drinks and the lemonade was tart, just how I like it!

I would recommend The Keg Steakhouse and Bar to friends and will definitely be going back!

Parking Garage – Yes, I know that it sounds kind of lame, but not all the malls in Arizona have parking garages.  Parking can be a nightmare if you are going to Chandler Fashion Center or Arizona Mills.  I think all malls should have a parking garage, especially when it is over 110 outside.

Food Selection – I was impressed that they had Pita Jungle in the food court, but I opted for Panda instead since there was a shorter line.

Entertainment – There is a movie theater, water fountain, spa and good people watching.

Store Selection – They have a wide variety of stores, from the large anchor department stores (Dillard’s, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus & soon to be Barney’s of New York) to the normal mall stores (Gap & Pottery Barn) to the designer stores (Michael Kors & Louis Vuitton) to the little off the wall boutiques (iLori & Socrati) .  Here’s a link to the full listing of stores.

Directories – There are several directories…conveniently placed.  I hate going to a mall and not knowing where any of the stores are…that is the way I feel with Chandler Fashion Center and I can never find a directory when I need one, instead it ends up being a large marketing add instead of a directory.

As I mentioned before, the Scottsdale Fashion Square is going through an expansion right now.  They will be complete with the new wing on October 15th adding another 30 stores, including Barney’s of New York.  If you end up on the East end of the mall, you will see that the tiling is being redone and there is a bunch of caution tape.  There were no hassles getting around it though.  I don’t visit this mall that often, but I will probably check out the finished product after the Grand Opening.  Happy Shopping!

The Arizona Lottery and Powerball is very popular. There are lots of people who buy tickets every week out of habit and there are those that set thresholds before they will buy a ticket. I fall into the latter category…if the Arizona Powerball is over $100 Million, that might be worth a $1 or $2. I am glad they have those billboards off the freeway that show how much the Arizona Lottery and Powerball is so I can keep on track. It is hard to believe there are 24 of them in the Phoenix area.

If you are looking for the rules of the Arizona Lottery, check out their website. There is a lot of useful information out there. I was surprised at the $2.3 billion that they claim has been given back to Arizona from the Lottery since its’ inception in 1981. At least the money is going toward a good cause.

Here is a listing of the AZ Lottery games available – drawings only (there are more than you think):

Powerball® is a multi-state jackpot game with a jackpot starting at $20 million and growing until someone wins. Drawing is every Wednesday & Saturday.

2by2™ is an Arizona $2 daily drawing game with a jackpot of $20,000. Drawing is daily Monday – Saturday.

CA$H4™ is a $2 daily drawing game with a jackpot of $10,000. Drawing is daily Monday – Saturday.

The Pick™ is Arizona’s $1 jackpot game. Jackpots start at $1 million and keep growing until someone wins. Drawing is every Wednesday & Saturday.

Pick 3™ is a $1 daily drawing game. Play one game for $1 and win up to $500, or play two games for $1 and win up to $250 per game. Drawing is daily Monday – Saturday.

Pick 5™ is a $1 daily drawing game. Jackpots start at $50,000 and keep growing until someone wins. Drawing is daily Monday – Saturday.

Of course, I have never won the Arizona Lottery. I will just have to keep dreaming…and playing on occasion.