It's a good thing I like to cycle so much, because it seems that all of my blog posts are about eating. Tucson's culinary options are getting more and more mouth-watering (especially downtown) and my slowly-expanding waistline is beginning to prove it. I'd better ramp-up the miles on the bicycle if I plan to continue eating out like this!

My latest culinary venture was an evening meal at award-winning Janos Wilder's DOWNTOWN Kitchen + Cocktails. Tucked away on the east side of 6th Avenue, just south of Broadway Boulevard, DOWNTOWN Kitchen + Cocktails is something you really don't want to miss.

We showed up for a friend's birthday, and I was immediately struck by the great atmosphere. It's definitely urban-trendy but not too over-the-top. I was told that they're also known for their fantastic drink menu and that is not an exaggeration. If I had sampled all of the drinks that appealed to me, my poor liver would have been pickled quite quickly. Despite the temptation to be carried home because of over-indulgence, I stuck with a pre-dinner cocktail entitled "South 6th", which was a taste-explosion of Gin, cucumber, basil, simple syrup, and homemade ginger beer.

I had a very difficult time choosing my dinner entrée, but settled on the Coffee BBQ Beef Brisket, which was served with green chile grit cakes, sautéed greens and cucumber sambal. I don't even know what half of those words mean, but they certainly proved why Janos is award-winning. It was simply delicious, along with a glass of great red wine. My wife went with the Chicken Ras al Hanout and we both were equally impressed with her choice. I really don't think you can pick anything bad off this menu, though if you're a picky eater you may struggle a bit. No generic cheeseburger with fries will be found here.

Our particular waitress was attentive but a bit "distant" acting at times. I can't say that I would complain about the service, because she was around and making sure we were comfortable, but I just felt she was rather indifferent and odd-acting. Maybe she was having an off-night. On the other hand, Janos himself came by, and we were impressed with obvious passion for presenting a good meal.

I should mention that Downtown Kitchen + Cocktails has a few great events, including weekly Tuesday wine tastings, and a great "Summer Menu Around the Globe" which is a location-specific menu. Food inspired by Hanoi, Barcelona, and Tokyo are just a few examples.

As we were winding down our dinner, a band was beginning to set up, which is part of their "After Dark" live music and specials. Although we didn't stick around (my food-coma was setting in), I certainly plan on heading back, listening to some good music, and enjoying a couple more of those interesting cocktails. I've promised my liver I won't overdo it.

All in all, the experience was a very good one, with the exception being a slightly odd-acting but nevertheless attentive waitress. I'm adding this to my list of downtown restaurants to bring visitors to, because it certainly is a gem for both downtown and Tucson in general.

Comments (0)  

Tucson is the perfect place for outdoor festivals, especially during the wonderful, cool weather during Spring. Doing a bit of research, I found out that the Fourth Avenue Street Fair began in 1970 when Fourth Avenue merchants put tables in front of their stores to attract customers before the holidays. From that beginning it has developed into one of the premier street fairs in the nation, drawing crowds of 200,000 to 350,000 and ranking as one of the top visual arts fairs in the country. No kidding!

One misconception about downtown Tucson is the "lack of parking." Remember, all parking is free in the evenings and on weekends, there is parking available at Pennington Street Garage, and there will soon be another garage completed right at 4th Avenue and Congress Street. If you park in Pennington, they provide a free shuttle to and from the festival. So with all this, we had no problems finding a nice parking spot across from the train station, which is within a 5-minute walk under the new 4th Avenue Underpass and which links 4th Avenue to downtown.

The day was unusually warm, and I did regret not bringing my hat.  While there are trees alongside the sidewalks, most of the fair is fairly exposed and as with any outdoor event in Tucson, come prepared with sunscreen and dress appropriately. There was plenty of water and other beverages for sale along the fair route. If you do forget your hat, there always seem to be a few vendors selling them, along with finely-decorated parisols.  

I personally was impressed with the growing number of food vendors that set up along the cross-streets. With the vendors, shops, various restaurants along 4th Avenue open for business, visitors can find anthing they happen to be craving at the moment. And don't forget about the 4th Avenue Trolley, which is a restored trolley line that runs from Main Gate Square (more great food and shops!) near the University, to 4th Avenue. It's cheap to ride, and a lot of fun for the kids.

It took us a bit of an hour to walk the entire length of the festival, including stopping at a few booths and watching the performers on both stages. Though I imagine you can make this an all-day event if you want!  This year I picked up a small, fun metal sculpture that is now sitting on my desk at work. Because I'm such a cycling fanatic, I thought this little guy demonstrated (too accurately) how I ride mountain bikes.

The Fourth Avenue Street Fair is just "one of those things" you do when you live in Tucson. If you happen to be visiting during the festival, make sure to block out some time and walk the fair... you won't regret it. And if you're into cycling, don't forget to check out the 4th Avenue Bike Swap Meet, too.

Comments (1)  

On March 19th, MTCVB joined with Tucson Clean & Beautiful, which promotes and develops community environmental education & participatory programs in waste reduction, recycling, litter abatement and prevention, beautification, resource conservation, solar and alternative energy, and much more. I, along with over 10 other MTCVB staff, as well as staff from our accommodation partners, cleaned litter along Kolb Road from 22nd Street to Speedway, as well as two washes nearby.

We gathered early on a beautiful, sunny and mild morning and donned our high-visibility vests, hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen. With arms full of empty trash bags, and some toting tools, we split up into groups to tackle the litter along Kolb Road in East Tucson, knowing we only had 4-hours to get the job done.

Myself and my three litter-killer partners from the Bureau were assigned a long, nearly two-mile stretch of wash from 22nd Street to Speedway Boulevard. It started off easy enough, along a wide and fairly clean area, though we realized early that if we stopped to pick up every cigarette butt, we'd be cleaning up for centuries. Which brings me to a gentle reminder to those of you who smoke: Please, please, please use your ashtray!

As our noon cutoff loomed, we picked up the pace and continued to gather trash as we worked our way deeper into the wash. All of us enjoyed chatting with a few of the residents whose homes backed up to the wash. They were very friendly and grateful for our help, which shows how Tucsonans are all about Real Caring.

Just as I was beginning to get a bit tired and grumpy, we saw the end in sight. Of course, the end came with an especially large amount of litter that had been pushed up against the Speedway culvert by our strong Monsoon storms. We slogged through and managed to collect at least a dozen large bags of litter from the wash. Dirty, and feeling a bit worn-out, we finished up with an amazing sense of accomplishment and happy that we could contribute to helping keep Tucson clean.  I will definitely be participating again next year, and I encourage you to do so, as well.

If you're interested in knowing more, check out the Tucson Clean and Beautiful website.  Tucson is also packed full of volunteering opportunities, no matter what your interest. You can view the MTCVB's Clean and Beautiful photos, and don't forget to "LIKE" VisitTucson on Facebook, too.

Comments (1)  

Downtown Tucson continues to grow in popularity, as shown by the expanding number of events, restaurants and businesses opening their doors. One which has been generating quite a bit of buzz lately is HUB Restaurant & Creamery, located on the South side of Congress Street, across from the new MLK building and just a short walk from the Rialto Theatre.

My wife also works downtown so we recently took the opportunity to check out HUB on our lunch hour, which turned out to be their second day of business. The doors were wide open on this balmy February day, and both music and the chatter of friendly patrons met us as we walked inside. The atmosphere of HUB is casual and modern, but also incorporates the age of the building with original wood flooring and rough brick walls. Low-slung, comfortable booths run along one side of the restaurant, as well as within the open bar area, while a window to the kitchen and their scrumptious ice-cream bar along the opposite wall. You can view their construction/remodeling photos on their facebook page.

We were greeted warmly, and waited in the bar/lounge area while a table became available. Considering it was HUB's second day of business, I was surprised at how busy they were, so it's probably best to get there early if you're looking for a lunch-break meal. After being shown to our table, we looked over the menu, which had a great selection of soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, and vegetarian options. They even advertised pot pies, macaroni and cheese, and world-famous hot dogs. Their dinner menu looked even better, and they have a nice selection of wines and draft beers. I felt the prices were very reasonable.

After spending way too much time trying to choose, I ended up selecting the French Dip with turkey instead of beef, and it was truly quite tasty. My wife chose the rotisserie chicken with cranberry sauce, and both were served with uniquely-seasoned fries. Despite my full-stomach, I wanted to try some of their home-made ice cream. All of their selections looked great, but I was curious to try the salted caramel ice cream, and was not disappointed.

Overall I was very satisfied with my first experience at HUB, and I'm very happy to see another quality establishment find a home in Downtown Tucson. If you're downtown for an event at the Rialto or Fox Theaters, or the Tucson Convention Center, definitely consider HUB for a pre-show appetizer and drink, or for a post-show ice-cream dessert.

I'll definitely be dining there again.

Comments (0)  

The All Souls Procession started in the early 1990's by local artist Susan Johnson, who was grieving the passing of her father. Her initial ritualistic performance was inspired by Mexico's Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) holiday, as she felt she should honor her father in celebration and creativity. Now, 20-years later, the All Souls Procession has become a weekend event, and draws over 20,000 people to downtown Tucson in early November. The two-mile long procession is filled with, artists, performers, and local residents remembering, honoring, and mourning family members, friends, and even beloved pets. Their creative costumes, face painting, altars, and artwork are incredible to see. Even if you don't directly participate by dressing up, you can write messages to your deceased loved ones on scraps of paper (also available online on the All Souls website), which are put into a huge urn that is part of the procession. At the end of the procession, the entire urn is burned to honor those who have passed.

This year was the second time I've attended the All Soul's Procession, and while I didn't directly participate, it had special meaning to me because of a recent death in my family. My wife and I stood by the new 4th Avenue Underpass near the Rialto Theatre to watch the procession roll by. Hearing the pounding drums echoing through the underpass, and watching the procession slowly crawl toward us, was a very moving experience. I stood and watched all the participants walking by, holding up photos of their deceased family and friends, and was amazed at the amount of time and creativity that went into their costumes, painting, and artwork. It is a strange but comforting feeling being connected to so many other people, knowing that all of us, no matter our background or past, all share in the same pain of losing our loved ones.

It is difficult to describe in detail the entire procession. There is a sadness there, but there is also celebration. Pounding drums, dancing, and laughter as people celebrate life. Even if you haven't lost anyone, the entire event is still very entertaining to watch. As the website states: "The Procession is a sanctuary for community members from all walks of life to express their grief and loss in a celebration of creative energy and a rejoicing of living."

After the procession, we walked back through downtown, under the underpass, to 4th Avenue, where we had a couple drinks, some dinner, and celebrated and honored in our own way.

There is no fee to participate in the procession. All you need to do is show up, though the event organizers ask that you show up early to register and line up. You can also get more involved by donating to Many Mouths, One Stomach, the non-profit arts collective that is the organizing body for the Procession, or volunteering. Regardless, if you've never been downtown to watch the All Souls Procession, I highly recommend it.

Comments (0)  

In March, my parents drove down from Sedona to visit and enjoy some of Tucson's wonderful Spring weather. Considering how much time my parents spend pruning, changing, trimming, and beautifying their yard, I thought they would love to go visit Tohono Chul Park.

Tohono Chul Park is considered one of the best botanical gardens in the United States, and it shows! The park is located in north Tucson, just west of Oracle Road and slightly north of Ina Road. They have paved paths and dirt trails that meander throughout the entire property, with signage that describes the incredible amount of local flora. Volunteer docents are always available and very helpful with their knowledge of the Park's history and it's plants, as well. They also have guided tours, school outreach programs, and great activities for kids.

There is also an art gallery, in which we spent a good amount of time gazing at the local art, a greenhouse (that at the time had an amazing plant sale going on), and a very well regarded restaurant, the Tea Room.

Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed taking a break from the bustle of the city to walk the serene trails, take photos, and just be part of the Sonoran Desert. It was amazing that we were still technically surrounded by "city." You'd never know it!

Comments (0)  

Even though my fiancé and I live in Tucson, we decided to take a short break from our daily routine and stay the weekend at one of our local resorts. While there are many fantastic Tucson resorts to choose from, we finally decided on the Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa.

We arrived Saturday morning after requesting an early check-in, and were impressed by the atmosphere of the resort. Even though we are accustomed to Tucson's incredible scenery, it was obvious the Starr Pass Resort was designed to keep visitors entranced by the view. We immediately felt like we were truly on vacation! Our room was on the 4th floor and looked Northeast over the swimming pool, toward Tucson and the Catalina Mountains. For a while we just stood on our balcony and took in the view, but the day was gorgeous and the swimming pool beckoned.

Donning our bathing suits and towels, we meandered down to the huge pool and found a couple unoccupied lounge chairs to enjoy the day. We swam, basked in the sun, read our books and just enjoyed the day. As more guests appeared, we watched kids playing in the shallow upper pool as well as the "Dancing Springs" fountain. But from behind us, the laughter of children playing was even more intriguing and we followed the sound. What we found was the "Starr Pass River," a shallow, meandering, "river" of slowly moving water. Stacks of inflatable tubes were off to one side so we grabbed a two-person tube and joined in the fun.  The river pushed us along under jets of water, bridges, and even past a water slide. We spent the better part of the day just gazing at the mountains as we drifted lazily along.

But we couldn't stay too long, because I had booked us a couple's massage right at the Marriott's own Hashani Spa. We cleaned up and headed back downstairs to the quiet, relaxing ambiance of the spa. Before our massage, we were free to partake of the Spa pool (separate from the other swimming pool), but I just went into the men's area and enjoyed the hot tub, steam room and a huge, private shower. Bundled in a thick bathrobe and slippers, and relaxed from the steam room, I meandered into our designated massage room along with my fiancé. There, we both got incredible, hour-long massages. My fiancé opted for a lighter massage, while I chose (at times to my dismay) a deep-tissue massage. But even though the massage was a bit intense at times, I came away from it completely relaxed and rejuvenated.

After our spa and massage, we had to get ready for our dinner reservations at Primo. The Starr Pass Marriott actually has a few different restaurants from casual to fine dining, but we chose Primo because it specializes in using organic, locally grown ingredients. Well, that and we LOVE Italian food! Without a doubt, this was one of the best meals we've had in Tucson, and the service was unobtrusive, friendly, and prompt.  Our server was so aware of our needs we didn't have to ask for anything.

Full of wonderful food and good wine, we headed back upstairs to our room. We enjoyed the evening lights of Tucson and balmy night while enjoying some champagne. But the full day of relaxing and indulging had us wavering on the edge of sleep so we decided to call it a night.

Waking up late the next morning fully refreshed, we enjoyed a casual breakfast downstairs and lingered outside as much as we could. But soon enough we had to face reality, and headed back to our room to pack. We were checked out quickly by the friendly staff and soon enough, headed back across town to our own home, relishing the time well-spent in our weekend getaway.

Comments (0)  

The fall weather in Tucson is so incredible that my fiancé and I are always looking for fun things to do outdoors. We were already close to Downtown, so we decided to head down to Jácome Plaza to see what the Tucson Meet Yourself Festival was all about.

I was surprised to learn the festival was celebrating it's 36th anniversary and was disappointed we didn't have more time to peruse all the booths and watch all the performances. The festival wasn't just about it's amazing cultural food selections, but also included so many demonstrations, performances, shows, and even a local farmer's market, that it could be an all-day event for the whole family.

After watching some great banjo players at the Courthouse Stage we walked across Church Street, passing the bouncing low riders as they set up for their car show, and settled in to watch the Columbian Folklore dancers on the Youth Stage.  When they were finished, we browsed some of the local club booths and the farmer's market located at the downtown library's plaza.

Our stomachs telling us it was time to eat, we headed back to the Ethnic food area with a plan.  Being one-quarter Danish myself, I was excited to see the Tucson Danish Club had a booth so they were my first stop. Remembering how my mom made aebleskivers (basically spherical pancakes stuffed with fruit) I wanted to see how the Danish booth's compared.  These didn't have fruit in the middle, but rather some rasberry jelly on the side.  Still, not only was I pleasantly surprised with them, but I also got to chat with some Danes and signed up for their club's newsletter. Next, we found the Thai booth and shared a plate of chicken curry with potatoes and onions on a bed of white rice, and it was scrumptuous. Our bellies expanding but not yet full, we shared a tasty chicken sandwich (gyro) from the Persian Club and for dessert, we sipped on a bubble tea from the Vietnamese Alliance of Tucson Booth.

We were stuffed beyond capacity but managed to waddle over to watch a performance on the Martial Arts Lawn before heading back to our car. With all there is to see and do at the Tucson Meet Yourself Festival, I can see why it is a two-day event.  And it's cheap! Next year, we're planning on going both Saturday and Sunday to sample more of the great food and watch more of the interesting cultural performances. Heck, maybe next year I'll be in the Danish booth handing out aebleskivers myself!

Comments (0)  

My fiancée, Trish, and I are lovers of theater and dry, English humor so when we found out that Monty Python's Spamalot was coming to Tucson's Music Hall, we jumped at the chance to see it.

We both work downtown and thought it would be great to have drinks and dinner before the show.  We spent a good amount of time just trying to figure out where to eat downtown, as the ever-growing list of restaurants were all very tempting. We finally settled on Ascolese's Italian Restaurant, located next to La Placita and within a very short walking distance to the theater.  We hadn't made reservations, but the staff was friendly and accommodating and sat us in a quiet corner of the bar area.  The service was good, and the huge entrees came out surprisingly fast!  Trish enjoyed cheese tortellini in a vodka sauce and topped with sausage, while I went with penne pasta in marinara sauce, also topped with sausage.  We were so stuffed after our entrees that we couldn't even think of dessert, though the choices were mouth-watering.

After dinner and a cocktail, we still had some time before the show, so we meandered around and finally settled on benches by the large fountain in front of the Music Hall.  It was opening night of Spamalot so there was a large, enthusiastic crowd gathered, all enjoying the mild evening as well as drinks being served outside. 

After watching a gorgeous Tucson sunset, the doors opened and we got swept up in opening-night excitement, finding our seats quickly and waiting for the show to start.  Finally, the lights dimmed and the crowd quieted as the first actors stepped onstage.  There is something magical about theater, and we were immediately pulled away from our daily routines and tossed happily into another world.  In true Monty Python style, Spamalot was witty, funny, and even a bit raunchy.  As the lights came back on, the audience gave the talented actors a standing ovation, and I for one wished the show had not ended. 

Blinking back into reality, Trish and I filed out of the theater and walked back to our car, with our sides aching and smiles on our faces.  It was really a wonderful evening downtown, and we will certainly do it again!

Comments (0)