Still cluckin'!

10 JANUARY 2010

Tucson's Favorite Chickens ~

THEN (2010): The wonderful Community Food Bank started a community garden about 5 years ago. The chicken coop houses a few different types of chickens and the only ones I saw today were this pair ~ I think they are Rhode Island Reds but my knowledge of chickens is pretty limited! The eggs are sold at local farmer's markets.

NOW: The Food Bank chickens are now part of a whole program called Nuestra Tierra. Read more about it and how you can volunteer HERE: 

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.   

Tucson Throwback Thursday ~

28 JUNE 2009

Doggie bags of a different sort ~

THEN & NOW: Some things remain the same! This nice community is definitely onto something. Throughout the neighborhood they have placed mailboxes painted with fun themes - desert wildlife, dog silhouettes, etc. As a courtesy to their dog walking neighbors, plastic doggie bags are stored inside the mailbox in case a clean up situation occurs when the dog walker is "bag-less."

And now a word from our sponsor ~

Are you old enough to remember the family TV shows like Ed Sullivan, Red Skelton, and Carol Burnett? Throughout the show a voiceover would intone, "And now, a word from our sponsor" and then you would see the advertisements for Ivory Snow or Pepsodent. Today I'm doing the same thing!

If you live in Tucson and are thinking about buying or selling a home OR if you would like to move to Tucson, please call Sue Dodson first! Sue is a sponsor of this site and is also a great friend. She is a thorough, smart, and patient real estate agent who is also really fun to work with! Her contact info is over there to the left - scroll down and click on her photo and you'll be taken to her personal page at Long Realty (a top notch firm with integrity). Don't make a move without her help!  Thanks! 

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. 

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. 

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!

Epic Annual Tucson Event ~

Each year Tucson hosts an amazing event that celebrates loved ones who we have lost. The All Souls Procession is a weekend event with lots of activities and it culminates with a huge parade that travels through downtown Tucson. This year it was estimated that the crowd of participants and onlookers was about 150,000. Here I am posting photos of friends who participated. For more photos and information on this spectacular event, click here. 

Roadside Ristras ~ Fall is here!

Hello again to Mina! Five years ago I met her when she was selling her beautiful hand-strung ristras at Speedway and Houghton. She was the sixth person to be added to "Team Tucson" - people who help make Tucson a great place to live. Here she is again and now her chili ristras stand is on Sabino Canyon Road just north of Wrightstown Road.

Mina and her husband Jorge make ristras and Guacima tree wooden furniture. Mina's daughter now works the location at Speedway and Houghton. If you stop at Mina's stand, please tell her you heard about her beautiful ristras on TucsonDailyPhoto! Here are two phone numbers for their business: 520.551-2862 and 520.302-2162. As you decorate your home for fall, consider buying your ristras from this family business!   

Team Tucson Time - number 25!

Those of you who have been visiting the site for awhile know that from time to time I feature a person who I think is part of what makes Tucson great. I am happy to introduce you to the 25th person to be placed in the "Team Tucson" hall of fame - Sue Dodson.

Sue is a long-time friend of mine and she is an amazing and dedicated real estate professional in town. If you are thinking about buying or selling, you should talk to her! She is now a proud sponsor of this site. When you click on her ad photo over there on the left you will be taken to her website.

Her name may already be familiar to you from this site. Sue is also a professional photographer and she has contributed many photos for your enjoyment. 

Taste bud alert ~ dynamic duo

Hurray! No more puzzling over "Where is this?" Shown here are sisters Sigret and Keanne Thompson, the brains, energy, and talent behind their restaurant, The Tasteful Kitchen. The charming restaurant is in a 1930's era home at 722 N Stone Avenue (near University). They describe the restaurant as "modern vegetarian cuisine" and they also offer cooking classes! Do check them out. As the place is small, reservations are recommended. Bon appetit! 

Fair Trade Beauty ~

Here is a glimpse of the indoor market area at the St Michael's International Bazaar, the annual "Shop with a Conscience" event. Beautiful hand made beads, gorgeous textiles, baskets, and other hand crafted items of beauty filled this room. I brought home an intricately painted flute and some delicate hand-painted eggs. This is a wonderful event!

A Cup of Coffee Makes a World of Difference ~

Just drinking a cup of "Justo Coffee" can make a difference in the world. This coffee is grown, harvested, and roasted in Mexico as part of a vigorous co-op project to provide organic coffee to the world and to provide good jobs in Mexico. As part of my ongoing series, "Team Tucson," let me introduce you to Tommy Bassett, Director of the Just Trade Development Center. He brought this coffee to the St Michael's International Bazaar. It was delicious!

Cafe Justo is a network of coffee growers providing sustainable wages and practicing environmentally sound growing practices. Fair Trade is not just a phrase for them - they really do it! If you love coffee as much as I do, try this coffee! Order it on their website and when you receive your coffee it will be labeled with who grew it and the date when it was roasted. Hard to get more personal and fresh than that! www.justcoffee.org

WOW! We have been featured! Check it out!

A special Shout Out today and a big THANKS to Jerry Peek, a Tucsonan who is chronicling the amazing murals that we see all around town. His blog, Tucson Murals Project, is a very cool site to visit. Jerry found Tucson Daily Photo and realized that I have posted many murals that he had not seen. So he directed his site visitors to visit here. THANKS, Jerry!

Open wide! Say "ahhhh"....

Here is the 22nd segment of "Team Tucson" - a feature I post from time to time that shines a spotlight on the people who make Tucson a great place to live. I am pleased to introduce you to Dr. Jarchow, Tucson's tortoise and reptile expert, who is giving this tortoise his (her?) annual exam.

Zoo-ific Tucson treasure~

Today I learned about a terrific company headquartered here in Tucson - A Thru Z Consulting. They build zoos! Their market is nation wide and they have also done work for our own zoo, the Reid Park Zoo. If you've been through the elephant habitat, you've seen A Thru Z's work. Here is Sean Stoddard, the company President, in the lobby with their fun wildlife mural.

Tucson's modern lava lamps ~

I am delighted to introduce you to Pat Connors, the affable owner of Pastiche restaurant (Campbell near Ft Lowell). He's the 20th person I have had the pleasure to place on "Team Tucson." Team Tucson is comprised of people who make Tucson a great place to live. Pat recently renovated the restaurant and opened up the bar area. He also hung some fantastic lights over the bar. I'm sorry my phone camera couldn't capture the colors! Here's their link with better photos. Thanks, Pat, for your great hang out!

Celebrating Another Team Tucson ~

For those of you who visit this site regularly, you'll know that once in a while I get a chance to shine a spotlight on people who make Tucson great. Here is a team from Pantano Animal Clinic in their tent at Sunday's "Bark in the Park" event. Helping to raise awareness and financial support for the "Rescue a Golden" event are (from left to right): Carrie, Jackie, and Dr. Quick. And in case you are wondering what Dr Quick is holding.... it's an inflatable tick. Ewwww. Fortunately, real ticks are quite a bit smaller than the model!!

3 Photos: Villa Feliz carries on ~

Bride's Ribbon Bounty - color matching

New location

 

Flourishes and Delighters

Yesterday you met Georgeanne Fimbres, owner of Villa Feliz Flowers. Here's a little peek at the store's new location at 6538 E Tanque Verde Rd. I'm very glad the business is getting settled in a beautiful new spot after having CVS flex their corporate muscles and push them out of El Mercado (see yesterday's post for more info on that).

Fighting Back: Tucson's Villa Feliz Flowers

For those of you who frequent this site, you know that I sometimes do a "Team Tucson" post - someone who helps make Tucson a great place to live. Permit me today to introduce you to Georgeanne Fimbres, the 18th member of this elite group! Here she is in her just-reopened store after the shocking behavior of CVS Pharmacy drove her (and other long time tenants) out of her former retail site in El Mercado. For more info about THAT disturbing piece of news, click here. Tomorrow I'll give you a peek at the new store. It is now open for business at 6538 E Tanque Verde Road (behind Sakura). Phone is the same: 520.790.9500; www.villafelizflowerstucson.com