Tucson's downtown watering hole ~

A favorite spot for folks working or doing business downtown is Ike's, a friendly, Tucson-grown coffee cafe that serves lunch fare (I wish they would add SOUP!). I like that Ike's is a local company (not like that coffee behemonth from Seattle - you know who). If you are downtown, do check them out! They have another location on Speedway.

Tucson banking ~ then & now

Happily, some things never change and I'm glad to report that the downtown headquarters of CHASE Bank has retained the beauty and elegance of its original design. Top photo is a slice of the columns supporting the mezzanine; bottom photo shows the banking floor from the last century with same marble columns and even the same lighting fixtures. This is a beautiful building ~ corner of Stone & Congress.

So green I almost missed it ~

I have a "pony tail palm" on my patio that has some vines sharing the pot with it. Lo and behold, a GREEN CHILE appeared in the pot! So all the time I thought I was just watering another vine I was actually sprouting a chile plant seed that had flown in from who-knows-where. Maybe all the way from famous Hatch, New Mexico, chile capital of the west??

Dueling rockers ~

Charming & colorful rockers - big and little - are side by side on a patio porch in Tucson's historic barrio. Don't miss the pink flying pig!

Tired of turkey yet?

If you are tired of turkey sandwiches, turkey pot pie, and turkey soup, get yourself over to the TRULY AMAZING taco stand on 4th Avenue across from O'Malley's! If you have been a follower of this site for awhile you may remember when I spotted this rolling head in a parking lot and didn't know anything about it (Sept 6, 2010). Now it has a home on 4th. Bon appetit!

Not YOUR turkey today, I hope!

I hope your Thanksgiving meal today will feature more than an uncooked squash turkey with indian corn feathers! But this is certainly a very clever construction from the garden, wouldn't you agree? I wish you a very happy Thanksgiving today and hope you dine well and laugh a lot.

Thankful ~

This wonderful license plate says it all, doesn't it? I am thankful for so many things in my life and confess that Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday. It combines fantastic food and the whole idea of "bounty" with friends and loved ones. Add in some thoughtful reflection about your own personal blessings and it's a pretty great day! Please drive safe tomorrow - eating that canned cranberry sauce can make some drivers pretty crazy! (: