Another fun and interesting conversation with Lisa. This one ranged from the Tucson Botanical Gardens to the Arizona Inn to degrees of separation to color TV. With lots of stops and rabbit trails in between. The conversation spurred my interviewer to talk about her history with the Gardens. She told a story about how they
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The Tucson Auto Museum (TAM) is one of those places you might be looking for if it wasn’t for an interest in automobiles. Out one day on a drive to Sabino Canyon, Sal and I stumbled upon it. It occupies the building formerly known as the Hidden Valley Inn. Made up of 70 automobiles from
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It’s the hidden oasis in Midtown Tucson. Celebrating their 50th Anniversary in 2026, the Tucson Botanical Gardens are a showcase of the plant life of the Sonoran and Chihuahua Deserts. I only discovered the gardens since I’ve returned. Having left in 1977, this wasn’t a place that really was even on the map for me
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While I think of this as a Tucson restaurant, it really has its roots in Bisbee–the town of Warren, or so a friend says. As I usually frequent the Wilmot location in Tucson a number of times, it wasn’t until recently I learned some new facts about The Bisbee Breakfast Club. First, they have at
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The name Maynard as well as bike shops and running are a big part of Tucson. At least from my perspective. Lisa Schnebly Heidinger and I spent some time talking about these topics on her podcast “Celebrating Arizona.” As usual, her reporter’s sense and our ability to have a balanced conversation made for a fun
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On a recent “spa” day I had the chance to try a new breakfast place. The Happy Rooster Cafe is at Sarnoff and 22nd Street in what looks like a former convenience store. There is little wall surface that doesn’t have some kind of artwork. But we couldn’t find a signature! Besides the art this is a
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As I’ve mentioned in this space before, the best way to get to know a community is eyeball to eyeball. Sure, coffee shops, breweries and bike shops are a start. But here in Tucson, we have another outlet. The local farmers markets. There is a rhythm and tone to when and where they are held.
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It’s only appropriate that I write and release this at Rodeo time. It’s not often that you run across books about someone you met years before. I was in a Tubac bookstore a while back and saw “Never Don’t Pay Attention.” I only started reading it because Rodeo time rolled around. It was time to
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Combine the state fair, a car show and concerts, throw in a food court and let in thousands of car junkies and you have the Barrett-Jackson car collector auction. It is massive and takes over takes over the West World venue in Scottsdale. It is such a disruption in day-to-day living in this part of
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The place has been a fixture of Tucson’s restaurant landscape for 60 years. It’s a classic diner with a counter and booths. And pies. Yup, pies. I thought I had left good pies behind in Dallas with Humble Pies. But I soon discovered that those 60 years of experrience amount to something when it comes
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