Tucson's Red Alert!

The sky over Oro Valley displayed a mysterious reddish glow today. Perhaps an alien energy field? Exhaust from an alien craft? Just another amazing Tucson sky?
Photo courtesy of Susan Dodson. 

Every town in America has one ~

Every town has one - a laundromat! Where else can you go to wash rugs, sleeping bags, and comforters? And this laundromat offered many choices! I had to laugh as I was confronted with not one, not two, but THREE different sizes of giant washers. The giant giant one was big enough to accommodate a tent!  

Work in progress ~

Side by side here is the Before and After of my new fence project. My current fence is 20+ years old and has lots of loose boards. A new redwood fence is being installed. Who knew that a "simple" fence project could take two weeks to finish? With my house, there is always something that pops up to slow things down. When the fence is finished I will post another pic! 

Where IS Margaritaville in Tucson? Day 3!

Day 3:  OK, all is revealed.....  if you use the Campbell Avenue entrance to La Encantada and park on the upper level, you will see this crossroads sign at the top of the stairs that descend to the "main level" with the Apple Store, J Jill, and L'Occitane. The directional is encouraging you to stop at The Living Room to have a tequila libation. No winners for this "Where is this?"  - too bad!!

Day 2: Not a single guess! I wonder if there are no margarita drinkers out there!! OK - this fun informational sign is north of River Road and East of Oracle. Guesses, anyone? 

Happy day! It is time once again for a "Where is this?" contest. For anyone who is new to this site, this contest is easy to play. The first person who correctly identifies the location of this fun road sign wins a "fabulous" TDP t-shirt! Take your best guess and good luck! 

Ohhhh... The Joys of Mac & Cheese!

If you are a regular visitor to the site you know that I do an occasional shout out to people who make Tucson great. Here is our 27th member of "Team Tucson," Mike Lanz. Mike owns "The Fix" restaurant near Main Gate Square. And let me assure you that whenever you need a fix - a fix of amazing comfort food like delicious mac & cheese - this is THE PLACE to go! Mike makes sure that everyone is happy -- GREAT SERVICE HERE! To check out the big menu and awesome choices (lobster and bacon mac & cheese, anyone?), click here for the website. 

The Kit Kat Club Opens in Tucson ~

The world-famous musical Cabaret is playing in Tucson. The show is presented by Broadway in Tucson and runs through this weekend. It's a shame it is playing in Centennial Hall, a venue (unfortunately) known for its terrible acoustics. You will certainly enjoy the well-known tunes, the cast, and the choreography but the funny and snarky "asides" and much of the dialogue disappear into the void of this badly designed space. 

Amazing Talent ~ enjoy!

This guy is a true Tucson Treasure! Will Houchin teaches K-6 general music, band, orchestra, and choir at Laguna Elementary School in the Flowing Wells School District in Tucson, Arizona. Every Friday he creates a "Friday Song" for his students.  To MAKE YOUR DAY, click this link!

Thursday Throwback ~ WAY back to the 1930's!

22 SEPTEMBER 2010

Tucson tourism ~ another iconic motel

I just love the old neon signs around town and this one for the Arizona Motel captures the mood of the last century when automobile travel was a true American past time. It wasn't until I looked at their website, though, that I really appreciated how long this motel has been welcoming tourists. Their website has fantastic vintage photos! Check it out: http://www.arizonamoteltucson.com/

Dog is my Co-pilot ~

I was so happy to spot this handsome Rottweiler riding shotgun. I have had two Rotties and they are wonderful wonderful dogs! 

Most Famous Chili Dog in Tucson ~

Pat's Chili Dogs has been serving Tucson for decades! It is in a not-great area but that doesn't stop the fans! Click here for more info and more photos. If you love hot dogs and fries, this is your place!

Photos courtesy of Susan Dodson. 

Real Women Have Curves ~

This night of theatre is remarkable! "Real Women Have Curves" features a wonderful ensemble cast and is sure to entertain you. It is funny and provocative. The play is running through September 25 at the tiny Community Playhouse at 1881 N Oracle. Call 520.887.6239 to reserve your tickets - just $10!

A Tucson welcome ~

If you select Hacienda del Sol as your Tucson resort destination, you will enter the property through this charming and rustic gate with a welcoming bell. It is a beautiful property and conveys the true spirit of the Old West. 

Standing by ~

As we were enjoying lunch on the shaded patio of Hacienda del Sol, this cheerful sunbrella caught my eye. The staff didn't need to unfurl it as no one wanted to sit at an ouside patio table in the noon time sun - even under the shade of this umbrella! 

Blue & Blue ~

First - YES, our sky in Tucson is really this blue!  The charming hand painted blue doorway is one of the many wonderful decorative touches to be found all over the property at the lovely Hacienda del Sol Guest Ranch Resort. 

Sure, if you say so....

It's kind of hard to argue with THIS! 

Ghost Dog Driver ~

Pizza or sushi? As we were having sushi we kept hearing a vehicle horn honking. When we emerged from the restaurant we saw this dog sitting in the driver's seat. Was he the one honking the horn all through our dinner? Did he want sushi or pizza from the place next door? Maybe he was hoping for curbside service? 

Hell's Bells! Or should I say Hail's Bells?

Hail's Bells! We had a quick thunderstorm and the rain was nice until it started to sound like artillery fire on my skylight! I ran to my living room slot window and snapped the top pic of the hail scattering my front yard. The second photo is from my front door. Looks like rock salt, doesn't it? It was thunderously loud for about 10 minutes and then.... done. Amazing!

True Blue - Truly!

One of the most fun long-term advertising campaigns in Tucson is the rotating collection of mint, vintage cars that are owned and displayed by the Truly Nolen pest control company. This true blue beauty is a 1923 Dodge Roadster.

Fifteen Years Later ~ A Day of Remembrance

VERY LARGE Backyard Visitor!

Turn your speakers up and you will hear this VERY LARGE fellow slithering through the foliage! I was told that this rattler was probably 5 feet long. He made his way into the desert....eventually.
Video courtesy of George Goldman.

Osiris Rex Launch Party!

At 4:05 Tucson time we celebrated the lift off of Osiris Rex! Several scientists at our organization have been involved with this exciting mission to retrieve samples from the surface of Bennu, an asteroid that potentially could threaten Earth. To infinity and beyond! (Thanks, Buzz Lightyear!)

Throwback Thursday ~ Tucson's History

08 SEPTEMBER 2010

Tucson's Courthouse with charm ~

One of Tucson's most beautiful buildings is the downtown courthouse with its gorgeous tiled dome. Here is a view of the street level arches and beautiful lighting fixtures. Upstairs you can see a portion of Tucson's original Presidio wall. For more photos and some history about this Spanish style compound, please click this link:

http://historicplacesphotography.com/national-register-of-historical-places/courthouse-in-tucson

Praying for... prey!

I spotted this praying mantis on my gate when I returned home and snapped a photo of him before he fled. I had no idea these insects were so ferocious until I just did a google search on them. Wow - read this and have your opinion of these "devout" bugs change. 

Around the world in a cup of coffee ~

If you love coffee like I do, you will want to explore this place! Savaya Coffee Roasters offers coffees from all over the world. AND they have classes to learn more about coffee and how to make a perfect cup. Yum! Their building on Campbell is wonderful - the map of the world is created from what looks like exposed brick peeking through crumbling stucco. The whole trompe l'oeil mural is the work of artist Chris Andrews. Fun!

Happy Labor Day! Relax!

Relax and enjoy your day thanks to the rallies and protests (starting in the 1800's) of thousands of overworked and underpaid employees. Their marches raised wages and improved working conditions and made this holiday possible for all of us!

Shadow Play ~

Walking into my dining room I was struck with how beautiful the shadow play looked from my poppies onto the wall. It was fleeting - just a few moments. I was lucky I was holding my phone camera! 

Flowers in motion ~

When I first spied this car in traffic I thought that maybe it was decorated for a wedding. Nope. These artificial flowers are applied to this car's roof as a permanent display! I bet everyone who sees this floral bouquet in motion has a happy moment! Fun! 

Desert Dragonfly ~

This delicate and beautiful dragonfly is such an interesting insect! It is considered a sign of happiness and courage in Japan. Here's more on this beautiful creature.
Photo courtesy of Gene Brown. 

Stairway to the Sky ~

This pretty view of a pomegranate tree is not from a room at all.... it's the window in a stairwell leading up to the Westward Look Resort's Rooftop Patio, a perfect place to stargaze and admire the mountain views in all directions.