Happy Hallo-WOOF!

This photo never fails to make me smile! What a happy pack of hounds making the rounds asking for treats. Adorable! Have a safe and Happy Halloween all you kids, adults, cats, and canines! 

Cat and Cop!

The bartenders at Jeff's Pub were dressed up to celebrate Halloween on Saturday night. Here are two of the costumes - a cute cat and a cute cop (Lacey and Tiffany) who worked the main bar area.  They have karaoke on Friday and Saturdays, pool tables, poker, and OTB if you are inclined to place a bet on something. They also serve breakfast! This should tell you that some of the patrons truly live there. (smile)

Food, Fun, & Film!

Call me a happy convert! I had been hearing about the Roadhouse Tucson Cinema for a long time but I had no desire to go there. I couldn't fathom that eating a real meal and having wait staff dashing around could possibly create a nice environment for watching a movie. I was all for the offering of alcoholic beverages at the theatre - Tucson's Loft does that and it's great - but didn't think that the serving of pizza, burgers, salads, and desserts was going to work out. Happily, I am wrong! The chairs are comfy recliners with sort of airline tray tables attached to one arm. You do have some distance from your neighbor and it was way better than I thought it would be. Check it out! And today I learned that a new location is under construction at Broadway & Houghton.

These framed prints are actually t-shirts that are for sale that display funny movie quotes. If you buy one and wear it, you get free popcorn every time you visit.   

Start your planning now!

Tucson's famous and fabulous Day of the Dead Parade is just around the corner - NEXT weekend! If you aren't sure about how to do your own SugarSkull makeup, here's a tutorial for you!

If you want to make plans for what part of the route you want to watch or march in, here's the link that provides all details.

If you landed here from out of town and don't know what the heck I'm talking about, the weekend celebration started in 1990 and has grown to attract more than 150,000 participants who gather to revel, dance, and honor their loved ones who have passed. The two-mile-long human parade (with floats!) culminates in the ceremonial burning of a large urn filled with hopes and wishes and prayers for those who we have lost. 

Same Scary Holiday; Different Year!

27 OCTOBER 2014

Gaggle of ghosts? Gang? Group?

If you see one of these sepulchral images unexpectedly on a dark night it would be very scary. But when 5 of them are displayed neatly hanging at a big box Halloween store, well.... not so much!

Aerial Directional ~

This helpful cloud can point the way to the weekend! Just a few days away! (smile)

Photo courtesy of Susan Dodson.

An unscheduled stop!

There is nothing quite like being up in a hot air balloon to experience freedom and enjoy the amazing expanse of a true wide angle view!

This local balloon ride had to make an unscheduled stop in a residential neighborhood. No worries - it was unplanned but was a safe landing for all.  I had to laugh at the dad and his son who are walking past the balloon and gondola in the middle of their street and they don't even give it a glance! Wow - I guess this must happen a lot on their street, right? 

Photos courtesy of George Goldman.

Back by popular demand!

My "slightly famous" pumpkin cake was requested at a party this weekend. The batter was a red velvet and the frosting was tinted cream cheese and butter. Some sparkling orange sugar crystals completed the decoration. And the pumpkin stem? I will share my trade secret with you - it's an ice cream cone with green frosting! YUM! 

Crazy Star Wars Creature in my back yard!

After recent pruning of my mesquite trees one of the cut areas formed these crazy bug eyes from resin deposits! Would make beautiful jewelry beads, don't you think? 

Charming European Side Street?

Nope! This charming shopping area is Tucson's most upscale shopping mall, La Encantada. Year-round flowers in bloom, festive lights, events, and shops like Tiffany, Apple, and Tommy Bahama make this a nice stroll around place. Wide variety of eateries, too. Spend the day! Spend the evening! In the winter they even host special "snowfall" nights when they manufacture snowflakes for anyone who wants to experience a white Christmas without freezing temperatures. (smile)

Wonderful event coming up!

For anyone in Tucson, here is a really nice event to support. It's coming up this coming Tuesday and will give you a reason to go downtown! This plant-based bake sale is to help the City High School students maintain their garden. See you there! 

Throwback Thursday ~ Some things never change! Yay!

20 OCTOBER 2009

Sprouting like...pumpkins?

Two times a year vacant lots in Tucson sprout tents seemingly overnight to sell one of two things: pumpkins & all things related to harvest (gourds, baskets, colored corn cobs) and in about a month they'll be filled with fragrant evergreens. On December 26 the tents disappear, the vacant lots return to empty dirt, and in October the cycle begins again.

Halloween Pups!

 

Here are my pups Jasper (top) and Abby (bottom) modeling their Halloween bandannas. CUTE, yes??  

Hand of the Javelina?

I know the top photo looks all spooky and mysterious as though my friendly neighborhood javelina herd put their "special mark of the hand" on my pumpkin.....  but no.  It was just their teeth and tusks trying to rip it open. My two incredible watchdogs alerted me at 3:32 am (thank you very much) that we were under attack and I had to save the family honor by shooing the peccaries on their way. Boy they were reluctant to leave, too! This pumpkin would have been a super prize for them. It DID take them a whole week to discover it so I think that was a little victory in holiday decorating. (smile)

It's BUG-tober Fest Time!

If you love cars - particularly VWs (bugs AND busses), Chirco Auto's Bug-tober Fest is designed for you! VW enthusiasts come from far and wide to rock out for this fun event. The Saturday night BBQ and bonfire featured VERY LOUD rock and roll music!  Fun! 

Feel the Fall!

Here it is - the middle of October - and we are still having days with temps in the 90's! I am sick of it! Happily, a drive up to Mt Lemmon can easily provide a fix of cooler temps. We had a picnic on the grounds of the Boy Scout Camp and enjoyed temps in the low 70's. Ahhhhh.... fall, finally!

Halloween Joke!

This is the newest sign at my vet's office. 'Tis the season! 

Tucson's fondue headquarters ~

Please don't dismiss fondue as some artifact from the 70's! Tucson's Melting Pot Restaurant provides several different kinds of cheese fondues as well as several different kinds of chocolate fondue - both yummy! The bites provided range from a bread sampler to fruit, pound cake bites, and niblets of brownies, blondies, and marshmallows. All without the time-consuming grating and tedious stirring and stirring and stirring required to make your own! 

Beyond Tucson, Beyond Borders ~ Amazing!

Today's post isn't about Tucson, per se. It's about girls and society. So if you know a girl, have a girl, were a girl, have a niece or a grandaugter or a neighbor who is a girl..... if you have friends who have girls, if you in any way at all care about stereotyping girls.... you will be impressed with the eloquence of this little girl.  I stumbled on this today because a friend has this short video posted on his FB page and I was just amazed at the way this 8-year-old girl blasts the clothing industry and society in general about gender stereotyping. She is smart and spunky.  This video has gone viral and lots of people are posting remarks about it that reveal their own squeamishness about what she says. It is definitely provocative so take a look and maybe you will say, "Wow!" too!

Classic Jack!

For the first pumpkin carving of the season we did a "Classic Jack." I admire those people who use intricate chisels and specialty tools to carve elaborate images but sometimes the classic Jack O' Lantern triangle eyes and nose and toothy grin are just the ticket! Add a bottle of wine and you have the makings of a pretty good celebration. (smile)  Did YOU carve one of those amazing ones? Send me your photo and I'll post it! Send it to: tucsondailyphoto@gmail.com   

Arizona Opera Celebrates 45th Anniversary!

Tucson Music Hall was the site for the Arizona Opera Company's 45th Anniversary celebration - the Sapphire Gala. Featuring international superstar Frederica Von Stade, the performance was a tribute to many of the company's best-loved operas and included solos and duets from the Marriage of Figaro, the Pearl Fishers, Candide, La Boheme, and more. Wonderful orchestral and choristers performance as well! Repeat performances in Phoenix this coming weekend. 

Don't be fooled ~

If you are looking for a fine dining experience in Tucson it would be easy to dismiss a place that has a giant frosted beer mug (or maybe it's a rootbeer mug) as part of their sign!  But you would miss a memorable meal. Wild Garlic Grill opened in what was formerly a 1950's style drive up joint. Their menu and their service is awesome! You will not be disappointed. 

Rare Cultivator Fork Bird ~

This imaginative homeowner turned a garden culvitator fork into a bird pecking for bugs! Check out those stork-like rebar legs! Fun! 

Night owl ~

Beautiful creatures! Did you know that owls have silent flight? If an owl's wing is injured it can be a virtual death sentence because they lose the element of surprise that makes them such effective predators. 

No, NOT bird droppings!

Yep, this definitely looks like bird poo but it is actually a Two-tailed Swallowtail Butterfly caterpillar! These little critters have a voracious appetite and can decimate a citrus tree in no time. When this creature matures, it is a beauty and is the official Arizona State Butterfly!

Photo courtesy of Susan Dodson. 

Slice of American Life ~

Here is another sweet and perfectly restored travel trailer that was included in the Mid-Century Modernism exhibition in Tucson. See yesterday's post for another trailer treasure!
Photo courtesy of Susan Dodson.

Some ot the best memories are on the road ~

After WWII Americans enthusiastically took to the roadways with their trailers to explore this beautiful country. Tucson is celebrating trailer travel in the recent "Mid Century Modernism" exhibits. Here is one of the many charming trailers on display that take us back to a gentler time! And if you need a song to get into the mood to hit the road, here is one of my favorites!
Photo courtesy Susan Dodson. 

A nice beach break ~

If you want a quick beach getaway without leaving Tucson, head up to Fini's Landing on Swan and Sunrise. The door handles are shaped like flip flops! That should get you in a vacay mood! Tuesday is Taco Night and Wednesday is "Big Tropical Drink Night" -- you'll get an umbrella in your drink, for sure! 

The Garden Grows ~

 

One of the east side's popular plant nurseries, Mesquite Valley Growers, is expanding and this wonderful and wacky display is on Speedway in front of the construction site (adjacent to their current location). Fun! 

There is a nip in the air!

Just like a tried and true recipe, all of the ingredients are here to welcome autumn -- giant orange pumpkin, ghost pumpkin, colorful squash, cabbage/kale, and a huge pot of chrysanthemums! Hello fall and cooler weather! It's about time.
Photo courtesy of Gina Hennon. 

'tis the Season!

Yes, as amazing as it seems, it is already October 1st! Time to carve a pumpkin and start to think about your Halloween costume. Pirate? Princess? Hobgoblin?