Baby on Head, Blender on Chest....?

 

OK you eagle-eyed site visitors! Time again for a "Where is This?" contest. It is likely that if you have seen this sculpture in town, you will remember it! First one to identify where this is wins a "fabulous" TDP t-shirt! Good luck!

Throwback Thursday - Some things never change (yay!)

30 MARCH 2010

Always a lovely spot ~ the Arizona Inn

The lovely Arizona Inn is always a treat. The gracious service and beautiful surroundings make this a hotel that is known world-wide. Whenever I have a business lunch there it never feels like work!

http://www.arizonainn.com/

My vet is wondering....

Hmmmm... I do often wonder what my dogs are saying....

Tuesday: Tucson Trivia Time

I have a friend who lives near Armory Park and I drive by this quirky little green and white gas station frequently. It is on the corner of 19th Street and 4th Avenue and actually it hasn't pumped gas since the 1930's! It was a victim of poor location (unpaved streets that were not frequently used) and the Great Depression. The owner eventually opened an auto body shop behind the closed gas station. It does have the distinction of being the first prefabricated gas station in Tucson. 

You lookin' at ME?

What a face! This javelina is looking right into the lens of the wildlife cam as if to say, "What?" Notice how the javelina kneels to take a sip. Interesting!
Photo courtesy of Susan Dodson. 

Up, up and away!

I am in the process of moving and today I was glad to have a storage POD picked up and carried off. It was just amazing to watch how the driver quickly and skillfully positioned the framework and chains around the POD and maneuvered it onto the bed of the truck. This whole process took just a couple of minutes and it was gone! 

Tucson - a Study in Contrasts

This photo beautifully captures the spirit of downtown Tucson with the stately saguaro in the foreground and Tucson's "skyscraper" of One South Church in the background. And check out the moody sky framing the whole image and the clouds reflections in the windows. Wonderful photo!
Photo courtesy of David Sewell. 

Awww......

Check out this wonderful doggie trompe l'oeil! This cute pup is a painting that is mounted in the back window! Adorable!

Throwback Thursday... WAY Back to the 1800's!

23 MARCH 2010

Charm from a by-gone era ~

One of Tucson's most popular sites for weddings is the charming gazebo in the center of the fantasy community, "Trail Dust Town," on Tanque Verde. Stroll down wooden sidewalks and enjoy the ambiance of the 1800's in this popular tourist attraction.

Trail Dust Town 
http://www.traildusttown.com/

Not to scale ~

This BIG BEE sculpture is one of the Tucson Botanical Gardens' fun sculpture that add some whimsy to the grounds. Fun! 

Charming Cafe - a true treasure!

There are so many reasons to go to the Tucson Botanical Gardens and their delightful cafe, Cafe Botanica, is one of them! Wonderful brunch and lunch choices and an enchanting setting make this a lovely treat. 

Tucson's first day of spring is 93 degrees?

Monday03/2093 | 61 °F

Monday 0 % Precip. / 0 in

Sunny skies. Record high temperatures expected. High 93F. SE winds shifting to W at 10 to 15 mph.

Monday Night 0 % Precip. / 0 in

Clear skies. Low 61F. WSW winds shifting to SE at 10 to 15 mph.

This seems wrong, wrong, wrong! On our first official day of spring we are creeping up to the 100 degree mark! It's only the middle of March! Too hot too soon! Whatever happened to "mild" temperatures in the 80's for springtime weather, hmmmm?   SIGH.

Celebrate Spring!

Tucson's Botanical Gardens is chock full of ideas for home gardeners. Their herb garden is especially fragrant and inspiring! It's definitely time to plant your garden. Wouldn't you love to have your own herbs to pick when you cook? 

I wish this were MINE!

Oh I wish this license plate was on MY car! But I would also need an alternative plate that said "Devil Dog" when my pups are in prime mischief mode......

Happy St Patrick's Day!

When I lived in New York City EVERYONE enjoyed the St Patrick's Day parade and for that one day basically everyone of all nationalities was considered Irish! Did you know that we have an Irish community here in Tucson? And did you know that they have been hosting a fun parade and festival every year? Here are the details if you want to join in! 

Throwback Thursday! Sadly, no more mural!

15 March 2010

Trompe L'oeil Cars - Compass High School Rocks! 

If you drive down 22nd Street near the Compass High School (they offer night classes - how cool is that?), you will notice they now have an auto repair shop. They have done an amazing job on the rolling doors of the car bays. At first glance it looks like they have 3 cars in for service... but look again. This is truly great trompe l'oeil - the detail is so lifelike. For comparison check out the second photo and look at the bay door on the far right. Amazing, yes?

http://www.compasshsgators.org/CompassHighSchool/CompassHOME.html

 

Sadly, these amazingly lifelike murals are no more.  ):

Appropriate sentiment for a garden ~

The heart of Tucson's Botanical Gardens is the Porter House. These lovely painted panels are over a pair of doors and capture the perfect sentiment for these serene surroundings.

What's going on here?

Want to take a guess what is going on here? 

Just a small slice!

This weekend was the annual and amazing Tucson Festival of Books which sprawls across the UA Mall. Hundreds and hundreds of tents provided opportunities from kids learning about science by making a comet to learning about the Alliance Francaise of Tucson, the French international club that has its office at River & Campbell. Above you see an AFT Board Member, Mary Carryer, inside the AFT info booth. Bonjour, Mary! Author talks, book signings, and food vendors make this an all-day affair for anyone attending. 

New Taste in Town ~

The Arizona Theatre Company now has a permanent fine dining restaurant at the Temple of Music and Art - Simplicit. The Temple is a beautiful location for a restaurant - so charming! 

THE Man in Black ~

The current show at the Arizona Theatre Company is "Ring of Fire," the story of Johnny and June Carter Cash. It is a bio in musical format and you will definitely be tapping your toes to the dozens of familiar, great tunes! The show runs through March 25th. 

Looks familiar, doesn't she?

If you don't know Sue, you should! Featured here today is Susan Dodson, a proud sponsor of this site and one of Tucson's most hard working real estate professionals! Two years ago I featured Sue as the 25th member of "Team Tucson" (a group of people who I think help to make Tucson great). I realized it's time to shine the spotlight on her again because in just the last few months Sue has helped me AND three people close to me sell or buy a home!

If you are thinking about moving to Tucson, downsizing your Tucson home, or moving for any other reason, please get in touch with her. By clicking on her photo over there in the left column you will be connected directly to her website. 

Tucson Throwback Thursday ~ Still Blooming!

09 MARCH 2010

Tucson's Fantastic Floral Dome ~

Yesterday I posted a photo of the front of the beautiful St Augustine Cathedral. On the northern portion of the property stands this gorgeous, celebratory canopy crafted of brilliantly colored metal flowers. In the left of the photo you can see three young ladies in identical dresses who had just finished rehearsing for something ~ a concert? a wedding? What a pretty setting!

Magnificent predator ~

This gorgeous Great Horned Owl is a fantastic and powerful predator. These owls are found throughout Arizona and they feast on rodents, amphibians, and other birds. To read more about this beautiful creataure, click here.
Photo courtesy of George Goldman. 

Tucson Trivia Time!

This building at 648 N Stone Avenue looks like it once served ice cream, right? Wrong! It was actually built in 1924 as a gas station, "Old Pueblo Station." It remained a gas station until 1981 and it now houses an insurance company and accounting firm. It is also famous among movie buffs because it can be seen in the movie "Stir Crazy" with Gene Wilder.

A Wee Tucson Treasure ~

Tucson has many lesser known parks dotting the landscape. Here is a peek at little Miramonte Park which offers some outdoor seating and a chess board for visitors so inclined to have a game. You can enjoy this park if you are near Speedway & Alvernon - the southwest corner at 3rd.
Photo courtesy of David Sewell.

Now that's a LOT of cats!

Cat lover spotted with a distinctive license plate! Fun! MEOW!!!

It's that time again! Where is this?

For regular visitors to the site, this is a common question....."Where is this?"   There is only one rule for this contest: be the first to correctly identify this location and you will receive a "fabulous" TDP t-shirt! What an incentive! (smile)  Good luck!

Tucson's El Greco Sky ~

The stormy, dark and mysterious sky in this image reminds me of El Greco's view of Toledo. This astonishing full arc rainbow was captured up in Dove Mountain.
Photo courtesy of Glenn Hudson.