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While at hotel front desk checking out we completed our usual vacation ritual: we mailed ourselves a postcard. Even if it is just a short visit, we do this to remind us of what an excellent time we had, because as we all know, memories of a vacation often fade much quicker than sunburn. In whatever time it takes, either a few days or weeks, for ___ (fill in blank with appropriate country's postal system) to deliver our postcard to doorsteps of our home, our vacation refresher arrives. We typically use a picturesque postcard of one thing that will remind us most of where we've been and what we've enjoyed. We try to keep our message succinct, and in this case, it only needed to say nine necessary words, "Sweet dreams from The Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa."

By writing this on our postcard, it appeals to one of most basic instincts that our unscientific minds are confident is genetic and originates from early days when cave men roamed earth. Of course, we're referring to utmost in primal urges and is lusting after cocoa concoction of gods commonly known as chocolate. It's a proven fact that there is no better way to make my wife weak in knees than to hook her up with rich creamy goodness of chocolate coupled with a good cabernet wine. In this case, at Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa, they made a point to put two delightful squares of Godiva chocolate on our pillows each night of our glorious stay. This obviously resulted in sweet dreams that rounded out each day's jam-packed activities planned at The Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa.

Like chocolate, Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa has an equally rich and luxurious history. On February 23, 1929, Albert Chase McArthur, an architect, builder and former architectural student of Frank Lloyd Wright, and Frank Lloyd Wright, his consulting architect, christened this to be jewel of Arizona desert. With its 39 beautifully landscaped acres it quickly became Phoenix's premier destination resort.

During this project, Frank Lloyd Wright's Usonian concrete block was used extensively. This was a concrete block that was poured on-site using local indigenous materials and was often poured into a mold that had a decorative geometric motif. Frank Lloyd Wright was once quoted as saying, "I believe in God, only I spell it nature." In only remaining hotel he designed, this massive architectural creation is reminiscent of a Mayan temple and uses a repeated organic form of a crosshatch design inspired from trunk of a desert palm tree as main focal point. This design is known as "The Biltmore Block" and was created by southwest sculptor Emry Kopta.

Hollywood has had an ever-changing history. Ironically, it was named by a couple of conservative prohibitionists in 1880s. Harvey Wilcox, from Kansas, was selling lots to Midwesterners with idea that they could winter in California. His wife met a woman on a train who had a home called Hollywood, and Mrs. Wilcox liked name so much that she and her husband decided to use it for their project. In 1903 region incorporated as Hollywood and then in 1910, to take advantage of plentiful water in Los Angeles, it became part of that city.