Since becoming a Father in 2001 and 2003, I always look forward to this day. When asked what I wanted to do this year, I thought a nice hike and picnic at the top of Tucson's highest peak, Mount Lemmon, seemed like a cool idea. 

The summers in Tucson can be a bit warm, but the top of our 9,000 ft plus mountain offers cool pine-scented weather that many a Tucsonan makes the trek to escape the hotter temperatures in the city.  It was decided that a nice hike along one of the many trails the mountain offers would be a great way to spend the day. We planned to end the day at one of the numerous picnic sites near the summit. 

Starting out mid-morning, as we drove up the winding Catalina Highway our boys noticed that the desert vegetation they are used to seeing changed into what is typical of a mountain setting. Half way up, we were able to turn off the AC and roll our windows down to breathe in the cool air. 

I had read prior to our trip that "The Mt. Lemmon Trail starts out near the summit of the 9,157 foot peak for which it is named, at a parking area about a mile past Mt. Lemmon Ski Valley near the end of Observatory Road." We drove up to the very top, passing Mt. Lemmon Ski Valley on a access road that runs towards Steward Observatory. Right before the Observatory, there is a small parking area, at Radio Ridge, with restrooms that is the trailhead for many short and long distance hikes. 

Loading up our backpacks with water, snacks and sunscreen, we headed out for the trailhead. My wife and I had been up here before with our boys and looked forward to taking the hike again. Our total hike was about 1.5 miles and meandered through covered meadows and stunning mountain vistas. 

On our way down the summit, our boys asked if we could take them on the Mt. Lemmon Ski Valley lift.  For a nominal fee, we rode up to the top of the southern most ski area in the United States. Our ride took about 15 minutes to the top and offered us views of green grassy meadows, majestic pine trees and views for miles. We took two pictures at the top and then headed down again.

We topped off the day by grilling hamburgers and enjoying the afternoon at Inspiration Rock picnic area located a few miles from the summit. As the afternoon sun started to dip in the western sky, we packed up our picnic and said our goodbyes to the gentle, cool mountain breezes we had enjoyed. On the drive down, we talked about our day and what we had enjoyed.

As for me, spending the day with my family on cool Mt. Lemmon was a memorable experience that I hope to recreate every Father's Day.

I'm having a great time re-discovering Tucson while my dad is in town from Indiana this week!  We started out his visit at Tucson's beloved Pima Air & Space Museum (aka Arizona Aerospace Foundation). I hadn't been in a couple years and had never been on the tram tour. The tram tour was about an hour and one-half-and our docent was so enthusiastic and knowledgeable in providing cool facts and background on the planes. We then took a leisurely stroll through the huge air-conditioned hangars. The planes are now displayed so that visitors can walk right up underneath to peer into the bomb compartments-and of course the volunteers are eager to provide fast facts.

Since we were in the transportation mode, we popped downtown to the Historic Train Depot, checked out the locomotive on display and had a marvelous lunch right near the train tracks at the beautifully remodeled Maynard's Market-in the dining car-themed restaurant.

Next stop? Postal History Foundation . . . a little jewel of an organization tucked in a mid-town neighborhood at 920 N. 1st Ave. They were in the midst of conducting a summer camp for young stamp collectors-and we got to listen in on the history and background of the stamps the kids were using. The PHF is amazing in it's collections of stamps-even if that's not your hobby of choice-pick a subject-they'll have a stash of stamps to match! The building was a former church that the foundation moved to in 1978. A generous donor funded the addition of a lovely library along with her impressive collection of Civil War books. It's a working post office-so plan to stock up on postage stamps!

We enjoyed a memorable meal at the lovely Pastiche Modern Eatery in the Campbell Village Plaza at 3025 N. Campbell Ave. Tuesday night was steak night-and dad was thrilled with his 14 oz. certified Angus Beef bone-in rib eye with rosemary demi-glace, wild mushroom risotto and julienned carrots/zucchini medley. My 10-year old daughter (a self-proclaimed cheesecake expert-"taster"-not "baker") declared the chocolate chip cheesecake THE BEST she'd ever had-I've been around a bit longer (hee-hee) and I concurred! BTW-I wanted to mention that the service was "perfection." Our waiter was engaging, sincere and the timing was exquisite. 

And that was just day one!

Even though I've lived in Tucson my entire life, I had never been to the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun, but I've seen his famous paintings scattered throughout Tucson. My parents even have a few prints hanging in their living room.

I finally took a trip out there a few weeks ago, and it was nothing like I anticipated. I think I expected the typical (and somewhat boring) gallery where you hurriedly walk around looking at paintings hung on plain white walls, then quickly look through a gift shop, and head home. First, DeGrazia's gallery is unique because he built it by HAND with a few of his friends almost half a century ago. He literally made the adobe bricks with desert soil mixed with water that then baked in the hot Arizona sun. Second, rotating exhibitions display some of the 15,000 originals DeGrazia housed at the gallery. We even got to see one New York scene painting that had never before been seen by the public prior to this current exhibition, DeGrazia: 100 Years, 100 Works.

One neat thing about the building is that you enter the gallery through this huge, unique (and quite heavy) iron door, which DeGrazia built as a replica of the Territorial Yuma prison gate. As you begin walking through the gallery, you notice all of the little ways DeGrazia left his mark on the building - various hand prints in the walls, added art carved into the walls by both DeGrazia and his wife (New York sculptor Marion Sheret), and even the flooring itself is unique! DeGrazia used the skeletons of Arizona cacti to create the floor - that in and of itself was one of my favorite pieces of "art" from the entire tour.

The art on display is amazing. It's interesting to look at all of the different ways DeGrazia painted throughout his life. Not one typical piece of art hung in that gallery. Just when you think you've seen all that one man could have created in his life, you move on to another room, and another, and another ...

After seeing all of his great works inside the gallery, our guide took us out to DeGrazia's original home built on the property, which - you guessed it - he built by hand for him and his wife to live in. On the way to the house, you see DeGrazia's art on the outside of the building as well, in the form of sculptures, outdoor murals, and even flowers made out of beer cans! And, of course, we went into his Mission in the Sun, the adobe mission DeGrazia built in honor of Padre Kino and dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe. The paintings on the wall of this open-air building are incredible! Check out the pictures:
 
DeGrazia led such an interesting life, and it's portrayed in all of his beautiful art (which includes the building itself in my eyes!). His gallery is a definite must-see for all of you art lovers.

DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun
6300 N. Swan Road
(520) 299-9191
Admission: FREE!
http://degrazia.org  

We surprised the first recipients of our Tucson Will Surprise You campaign prizes a couple weekends ago at Tucson's Westin La Paloma Resort. The first prize package went to Joe from Scottsdale, Arizona. He was in Tucson for a golf getaway with is three buddies (a "mancation" as we like to call it, since they left their wives at home). We surprised him with $150 cash, a bag full of Tucson goodies (golf balls, golf tees, t-shirts, a Tucson Attractions Passport, etc.), and – thanks to Mark Lindsey (La Paloma's director of sales and marketing) – we were also able to give him a free night's stay at the resort for the next time he plans to visit Tucson.
 
Watch the video: 


 
Our second surprise package was given to Brian and his family from Gilbert, Arizona. I have to say, their kids might have been the cutest kids I've ever seen! 
 
After the two big surprises, we handed out Tucson's own Eegee's frozen fruit drinks, Southern Arizona Attractions Passports, t-shirts, visors, and other fun goodies by the pool. Watch out for us the next time you're in Tucson! We'll be giving out random surprises all summer at various hotels, attractions, etc. Increase your chances of being surprised by entering on our www.tucsonwillsupriseyou.com landing page. 
 

Every Tuesday night in the summertime (until November) from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., the bar at Hacienda del Sol's "The Grill" opens up its enormous wine list to the public, free of charge.

What better way to kick back after work than to pull up a seat at the Grill while Hacienda's sommelier and director of wines, Dan McCoog, makes a few selections from The Grill's 2,000-plus wine list, and pops the cork for experts and novices alike?

The small bar at The Grill can get crowded on wine tasting nights, but the Terraza del Sol - a roomy outdoor patio adjacent to the bar area - catches the overflow. Wine tasters line up at the far end of the bar for a splash or two of McCoog's choices, and for a quick, easy-to-understand explanation of each pour.

On my last Tuesday night wine tasting, McCoog showcased four wines - three reds and one white. The crisp white - a 2006 California Sauvignon Blanc by Geyser Peak - was fruity with hints of melon, and made for a refreshing wind-down on a hot night.

The second of McCoog's selections was a smooth 2002 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, with traces of florals, plum and cherry. Third up was an Italian Barbaresco: A 2000 Castello Di Nieve "Santo Stefano." This Northwestern Italian wine was earthy, with deep flavors and a tannic finish. This was new to me and an amazing find I probably would've never tried on my own.

Lastly, McCoog poured a 2001 Napa Valley Meritage - Juslyn "Perry's Blend." This full-bodied red was fruity, woody and well balanced, and made a great end to a relaxing night of new wine.

To clear the palate between wines - or heck, to just enjoy - the bar and Terraza del Sol serves up a great selection of gourmet fare. From Prosciutto di Parma-wrapped Figs with Toasted Walnuts and aged Balsamic ($8) to Fois Gras Toast Points with Truffle Oil ($14).  

Hacienda del Sol Guest Ranch Resort
5601 N. Hacienda del Sol Rd.
Tucson, AZ  85718
(520) 299-1501
Free wine tasting: Tuesdays from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Tight budgets shouldn't stop anyone from having fun in Tucson! We just found this great local blog, http://tucsononthecheap.com, in which the writers post new bargains and freebies daily, including family fun, attractions, hotels, restaurants and bars. They call it "Tucson On The Cheap: The Cheapskate's Guide to Fun in Tucson," but I call it "Search for spare change in your couch and get out and do something!"

For example, today's post reads:

Monsoon Mondays at the Tucson Children's Museum

The Tucson Children's Museum has a GREAT deal for the kiddies. It's called Monsoon Monday Nights, and the deal is that everyone is admitted to the museum for $1 on Monday evenings. Details below. Typically, kids up through about the age of ten love going to this museum. They always have cool stuff going on.

Where: Tucson Children's Museum, 200 S. 6th Avenue Tucson, 85701 (520) 792-9985.
When: Monday evenings from Memorial Day, 2009-Labor Day, 2009. 5:00PM - 8:00 PM.
How much: $1 admission

Check it out!