30 September 2012

Black cat + witch hat = Halloween


Home Depot's wonderful greeter, Kandy.
I'm proud to feature the 15th member of "Team Tucson," a group of people who make living in Tucson great. Let me introduce you to Kandy, greeter extraordinaire at Home Depot. Have a problem? Need to know the location of something? Kandy will help you with a smile.

With Halloween just around the corner, Home Depot is getting ready to provide you with all of the creepy, crawly things you need to make your house ghoulish! Kandy is standing by a really big black cat that could adorn your roof or carport. Meow!


29 September 2012

Very unusual "Art" gallery ~


I attended a lecture at the Arizona Cancer Center's Kiewit Auditorium and was impressed by the magnificent display of abstract art that adorns the walls of the lobby. I was even more impressed when I read about the images - they are photos of stained cell slides used in examining cancer tissue.  To learn more about this "Science as Art" display, click here.

27 September 2012

Time for another "Where is this?"

First one of you eagle-eyed visitors to correctly identify this ivy-covered building wins a YOU KNOW WHAT - yes, one of the unique and fabulous "Monday already?" t-shirts! As an alternate prize, I can also offer a "Monday already?" mousepad. Your choice. Good luck everyone!

26 September 2012

25 September 2012

Directing traffic ~

Here's another fun piece of sculpture from one of Martin Street's round-abouts. Yesterday I posted a kooky butterfly (another one is visible here in the background).

24 September 2012

Kooky striped butterfly ~ rare species!

This cheerful metal butterfly is part of a series of round-abouts on Martin Street - all have metal sculpture of flowers and butterflies and bees. Fun!  

18 September 2012

Feedback, please ~

Hi everyone, It would be helpful to me to hear from you. When I post photos for several days in a row that generate no comments, I have to wonder if I should be posting different kinds of photos - or providing more (or less) information about the thing/place/event. What do you like viewing most? What would you like to see more of? Less of? Thanks.

17 September 2012

Sail over to Mast ~

A really fun store in the Lost Barrio district that offers a unique assortment of furniture, jewelry, clothing, vintage/retro stuff - all this and revolving art shows, too! To learn more about Mast, click here.

16 September 2012

Signs of progress ~

All week I've been showing you around the renovation of charming Plaza Palomino. And finally here is some tangible progress ~ a new sign is being hung to announce an Italian restaurant in the corner space. Luna Bella is out and something new is in (or will be open shortly). It was Firecracker, I think, before Luna Bella. Anyone remember what it was before that?

15 September 2012

Tower scrubbing ~

All sections of Plaza Palomino are getting scrubbed, plastered, painted - even the tower and the mighty lamp that shines at Swan and Ft Lowell. Construction is due to be complete in a few months. Hope the contractor does a little better than most with their estimate! Good luck!

14 September 2012

Nothing stops these brides ~

Even though the entire shopping center is undergoing a huge facelift, there are still a few determined shop keepers whose doors are open. If you are a bride looking for your dream dress, don't let a little scaffolding scare you off. Perhaps your quest for the perfect dress can end here at Plaza Palomino!

13 September 2012

Solitary shopper ~

Plaza Palomino is undergoing a big renovation and some of its well known sculpture pieces are still in place while the hammers and drills bang and buzz. Here is a metal shopper guarding the entrance to a soon-to-be opened retail shop.

12 September 2012

Beauty in progress ~

A trick of light in a storefront window makes this wheelbarrow look almost invisible - it kind of dissolves into the pillar. And is the pillar inside the store or another trick of light? You decide ~

11 September 2012

Jester or trickster, the Hopi clown is many things~

Welcoming shoppers to the Plaza Palomino at Swan and Ft Lowell is this cheerful Hopi clown or jester which is high on the entry way gate. The charming shopping center is undergoing a facelift at the moment and should be ready for the red carpet soon. To read more about the American Indian sacred clowns, click here.

10 September 2012

Home grown, world famous ~

A company that was started by a Tucson scientist (Dr Tom Grogan) has grown into an international powerhouse. Ventana Medical Systems specializes in cancer diagnostics and was identified by global giant Roche as a company that was truly leading the way in this field. Roche acquired Ventana Medical Systems a few years ago - giving our region significal global clout. The company maintains a beautiful campus on Innovation Drive in Oro Valley and is the keystone of the region's bioscience work. Here's a slice of their main building's entryway.

09 September 2012

Calling all visitors - who is the artist?

In front of the Ventana Medical Systems complex is this magnificent sculpture. I walked all around it and did not see any information on the name of the piece or the artist. I looked at the TPAC and SAACA websites but came up empty. Anyone know who created this metal piece?

08 September 2012

Fantastic shapes ~

To continue the tour of Ventana Medical Systems' sculpture garden I started 2 days ago, here's another view of "Fantastic Voyage." (I just had to interrupt the garden tour to show you that powerful storm cloud image yesterday!) I think that the shapes of mountains, saguaro cactus, and sculpture beautifully complement each other.

07 September 2012

Room with quite a view ~

Today's storm was awesome. Here is a view looking north from River Road near Campbell. Impressive clouds!

06 September 2012

Celebrating the human cell ~

I had the chance to attend an event at Ventana Medical Systems and am delighted to share some images from their beautiful campus in Oro Valley. Here is one view of a sculpture garden/sitting area. The area is called "Fantastic Voyage" and the info plaque says, "Inspired by the work of Ventana Medical Systems scientists this is a place for imagination and reflection. Walk through here and be surrounded by microscopic features of living cells."

05 September 2012

I had to laugh ~

If you (like me) were driving to work thinking that it would have been nice to have just one more day tacked onto the long weekend, you'll appreciate this license plate!

04 September 2012

Biggest Buzzard in the west ~

Hard to miss this big buzzard who welcomes customers to the Southwest Metal Art Gallery on Ft Lowell! The owners definitely have some humor - hanging the "OPEN" sign from his big beak - looks like a snack he just swooped down and caught.