stories

Embracing Tucson: the Farmer’s Markets

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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Embracing Tucson: Louise Serpa, Rodeo Photographer

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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Embracing Arizona: Barrett-Jackson Car Collector Auction

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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Embracing Tucson: Gus Balon’s

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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Embracing Arizona: “Isabella Greenway, An Enterprising Woman”

This was a book like few I’ve read.  I was looking for something to give me some more background on Arizona and this book was recommended to me. And it certainly delivered. “Isabella Greenway, An Enterprising Woman,” is based almost entirely on letters exchanged between Isabella, her husbands and family and other notables in the

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Embracing Tucson: Brandi Fenton Park and Sculpture Tucson

Brandi Fenton Memorial Park in North Tucson is actually a multi-faceted site.  That is, it is home to a memorial, fine art, history and green space. Sal and I frequent it often.  Recently our friends up at Meet Me Wednesdays approached us about putting together an art walk at the site.  It actually came together

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Embracing Tucson: In Search of the Elusive Murals

As we’ve mentioned in this space before, Tucson and environs are teeming with murals and other works of art. Since returning to Southern Arizona in July 2024, I have personally seen almost 700 pieces of art. However, today we are focusing on the murals. What started this discussion was a conversation with my friend and

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Embracing Arizona: The Penske Racing Museum

[Editor’s Note: this is an expansion of the “Embracing Tucson” series because the writer has traveled beyond Tucson and taken in sights and things of interest in the rest of the state. Thanks for reading.] While it isn’t listed in Atlas Obscura, the Penske Racing Museum is, nonetheless, a hidden gem in Arizona and the

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Cyclovia Spring 2025

Having ridden this event in the past, I knew this was going to be fun.  It happens twice a year (spring and fall) and takes a different route each time.  Usually held on a bike boulevard, this time it was the Treat Avenue corridor.  The “course” is usually about 3 miles in length and anchored

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Embracing Tucson: Shopping Centers of the past

They were the anchors of neighborhoods and parts of town. If you said you lived near a specific one then your conversant probably knew about where you lived and how to get to your house. Each had its own collection of stores. Usually anchored by a grocery store and a drug store, they may have

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