Care to guess the speed limit?

It's Tucson Trivia Tuesday! Tucson, circa 1903, began a speed limit law. Speed was 7 miles per hour! And Tucson didn't begin issuing driver's licenses until 1905. Whoa, Nellie! Slow down.....

Karaoke on Congress ~

Historic Hotel Congress hosts "Random Acts of Karaoke" on Monday nights from 9pm - 1am.
311 E Congress Street in downtown Tucson. Call 520.792.6366 for more info. Fun! 

Tucson's Tomatos - lots of them! FESTIVAL!

Venue: Heirloom Farmers Markets - Rillito Park

Time:From: 08:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Admission:Free

Description:

Summer in Southern Arizona is in full swing, and local fields are overflowing with vine-ripened tomatoes, sweet-smelling basil, and enough garlic to make Italian grandmas swoon. Celebrate summer's sweet and spicy bounty at Heirloom Farmers Markets' Tomato Basil & Garlic Festival on July 29 at the Rillito Park Farmers Market (4502 N. 1st Ave.) from 8am - 12pm. On Sunday at Rillito Park we'll be featuring Executive Chef Ryan Clark from Casino Del Sol's PY Steakhouse as our Chef at the Market! Taste how Chef Clark celebrates the season with a bowl of his Tomato-Basil-Garlic Gazpacho with Barrio-basil croutons, garlic oil, and sprouts.

Special land line!

You sure don't need a land line telephone if you have this handy phone box at your front door!

Photo courtesy of Susan Dodson. 

Dog Days of Summer ~ Tucson Style!

Did you know that you can bring your canine pal into the Tucson Botanical Gardens during the summer? Yep! AND.... you can also have their portrait photo taken there. Fun! For all the details on times and special days, click here!  Oh boy! Get the leash and GO!

Tucson Loves Sushi!

26 JULY 2010

A flagship restaurant ~

THEN:

Here is one of the anchor stores at Broadway Village ~ Elle restaurant. It used to have a giant ripe red tomato as part of their logo/signage and fun tomato shaped door handles at the entry. Ownership has changed over the years and I noticed in my recent walkaround that the current owners decided to paint the tomato door handles shiny black.... Go figure.

Anyway, you can see the weathervane on top displays the year 1939 when the Village was built.

NOW: This site is now Sushi Garden Restaurant which has pretty good reviews!

Follower Photo!

The National Weather Service has issued an

Excessive Heat Warning

Southern Arizona

National Weather Service

High temperatures ranging from 108 to 115 degrees across Pima and Pinal Counties

for Tucson right now. The heat is oppressive but there is still so much beauty to be celebrated all around us! This gorgeous cactus flower is LOVING the heat!

Thank you Kathi Gardner for sharing this flower spotted on your morning walk! 

Photo submissions are always welcome! Send me things you see, admire, wonder about....  You can email the photo to TucsonDailyPhoto@gmail.com.   Thanks!! 

Whisky & More Whisky!

Check out the cool light fixtures at Tucson's Batch Cafe! Batch is famous for Whisky & Doughnuts so they made these cool lamps with the empties! Fun! 

Oh no!! NO DOUGHNUTS?

You are definitely missing something sweet if you have not tried the amazing doughnuts at Batch in downtown Tucson. They rotate their flavors so you can be surprised every day with a different selection. HOWEVER, when we stopped in at 5:30 pm on Sunday they were OUT OF DOUGHNUTS! Not a single one left1 I learned that they do 1/2 price on Sundays for doughnuts so they sell out early. I must do better planning next time and get there earlier! Yum! 

Epitome of Southwest Style ~

Handsome and rustic beamed ceiling, painted fireplace with stucco bench seating.... where do you think this beautiful, classic Southwest living room is located? 

Yes, we do!

This is the time of year that Tucson is muddy - very muddy! All of the roads that cross washes are covered with mud and silt and general debris from our monsoon storms. Yep, WE GOT MUD!

Wow - a FAN PHOTO!

WOW - I am so excited to share this photo of Marty, one of the site's followers, who is wearing the "famous" Tucson Daily Photo T-shirt "Monday Already?"  AND... to make this even more great he is at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and is standing in front of the very same ram that is featured on the t-shirt! Is this cool or what? Marty, you rock! (:

Throwback Thursday - Still the same!

19 JULY 2009

Two Tucson Icons - Monsoon Sky & Hotel Congress

THEN & NOW - the same! The Hotel Congress is perhaps best known as the site where John Dillinger last stayed before he and his gang were captured by the Tucson police. And then there are the many stories about the resident ghosts... Here the monsoon sky serves as a cloudy background for the hotel's iconic rooftop sign.

Hotel Congress 
http://www.hotelcongress.com/

311 E Congress St

(520) 622-8848

Get directions

The Greatest Neighborhood Idea Ever!

I am just crazy about the "Little Free Library" concept! So far I have found 3 in my own neighborhood and I think it is just great. You create a LFL - build it yourself from one of their kits or create your own design - fill it with books and the rest is up to your neighborhood. People will take books to read and bring them back (or not!) and some others will bring books that they have enjoyed and the cycle of reading and enjoying books goes on. I love it! Here is another one I just spotted in my neighborhood today. I think it might be brand new! Yay to Ann for starting one up! 

Here's the entrance ~

Yesterday you saw the upstairs. Here's the downstairs (well, the entrance anyway). Any guesses as to what restaurant is shown in these photos?

Tuesday: OK: No one made a single guess! All is revealed HERE. 

Can you guess?

Can you guess the location of this intimate dining room with a view? 

The Simple Truth ~

If only it were true for all of us! 

Unusual Cactus Skeleton!

Usually when we talk about cactus skeletons or cactus spines we're talking about the interior support structure of our iconic living, breathing Saguaro, the most recognized symbol of the West.

Here, however, we have a skeleton of an entirely different species of cactus - the Cell Tower Cactus, a plant found all over the Southwest. (:  Cool image of two new cell towers being put together!

And ALSO NOTE the moody, stormy sky in the background. Hello, monsoon season!
Photo courtesy of Susan Dodson.

Driving blues? Get a helicopter!

12 JULY 2010

Your personal helicopter awaits ~

THEN:

Here is the second in my series, Team Tucson, introducing you to people who contribute to making Tucson a great place to live.

Meet Ricardo Cavalcanti, the inventor of this amazing single-person helicopter that he hopes to start manufacturing here in Tucson. It's lightweight, nimble, and environmentally responsible. To read more about Ricardo's "Dragonfly," go to: www.tipjetusa.com

NOW: The Dragonfly concept is still alive and well. Check out Ricardo's new website HERE to see photos and learn more about how this "Green" vehicle works.   

Truckin'

Another wonderful and imaginative Tucson mailbox! The hood ornament is the front flap. Fun!

Photo courtesy of David Aber. 

Tucson Trivia - Ray Bradbury's Radio Gig!

Did you know? At the tender age of 12, acclaimed writer Ray Bradbury was a radio announcer in Tucson on station KGAR. He recited comic strips on air every Saturday night. His compensation was free tickets to movies. What a fun fact about Tucson! 

My what big teeth you have!

 

Those things that look like anvils..... they are zipper teeth! This fun sculpture is at the baggage claim area at the art-filled Tucson Airport. The isculpture is a suitcase being zipped up to pack a stack of giant white dress shirts. Fun! This metal and acrylic sculpture ("Unzipped") was created by John Davis 

Monsoon is here! Check this out!

The little bits of rain that we have been experiencing are finally big enough to call it Monsoon Season! This is my favorite AMAZING video of humans making rain sounds by snapping their fingers. You just won't believe this until you watch it! Enjoy! 

Want to Welcome Visitors to Tucson?

Call for Volunteers for Mobile Visitor Center  

"Visit Tucson" is partnering with Downtown Tucson Partnership (DTP) to launch a mobile visitor center called INFO on the GO Bike that will be at various locations throughout Downtown. 

DTP is looking for volunteers to serve as Downtown Ambassadors for the INFO on the GO Bike. Ambassadors will share marketing materials, brochures, maps, and more with Downtown residents and visitors. 

If you are interested in becoming a Downtown Ambassador, CLICK HERE to fill out a volunteer form. 

Part bug, Part Box, Part (human) Being...

Here is another of Tucson's interesting mailboxes! I love public art of all kinds and residential art is particularly fun. This Bug Box definitely has a human face! Fun!!
Photo courtesy of David Aber. 

Thursday Throwback - Any minute now!

05 JULY 2009

Silver Sky - Soft Light

THEN:

It's late afternoon and the monsoon storm clouds are rolling in again to give us more water, thunder, and lightning. This soft light makes this landscape photo look like it was shot with black and white film.

NOW:

We are a wee bit behind this year with monsoon but any minute now.....  whoosh! 

Happy 4th of July from Tucson, AZ !

Wherever you happen to be today, I hope you enjoy a celebration with friends, food, and fun! Let us be thankful that our troops are continuing to protect all of us.
Photo courtesy of Jim Covello. 

Tucson Tuesday Trivia ~ more good news!

Some trivia that is not at all trivial today is this: Tucson is free of natural disasters!  Unlike many areas of the U.S., Tucson does not suffer from floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, or earthquakes. And if shoveling snow is your idea of a natural disaster, we don't have that, either!  (:

Sit down and shine 'em up!

For almost 40 years this shoe shine stand has been sprucing up boots, shoes, and even sneakers. Want to guess where this is?

Some relief from the heat!

Just looking at this green on green house makes you feel a little cooler, doesn't it? Such a great house with its Juliet balcony and big 2nd floor deck in addition to the porch! Lots of outdoor spaces to enjoy the amazing Tucson sky. And speaking of sky, yes, our sky is really that blue!!  (: