Business

Casa Libre Celebrates a Decade of Literary Arts

February 21, 2014 | Craig Baker

Casa Libre’s “storefront” sign on 4th Avenue.
photo: Craig Baker

It is a Wednesday night and the place is packed, with overflow spilling out into the open-air courtyard. The lack of legroom is no surprise seeing as the venue only seats about 25 shoulder-to-shoulder. And tonight, the first event after their annual month-long recuperation period, Casa Libre en la Solana is showcasing the work of what Assistant Director TC Tolbert calls “three rock stars” of poetry.

Word junkies in every shade from casual hipster to staunch academic mill about, nibbling on free cookies and sipping wine from clear plastic cups. Few are able to overlook the opportunity to speak face-to-face with the talent—the real reason anyone comes to one of these things—their excitement telegraphed by frequent fits of nervous laughter.

There is perhaps no literary locale on earth quite as cozy as Casa Libre, probably because multiple artists at any given moment literally call it home. When founder and current resident Kristen Nelson opened the spot on North Fourth Avenue a decade ago, it was with the two-fold goal of furnishing writers with long-term residency opportunities in Downtown Tucson and providing a place for those writers to share their work. The artist-in-residence program went on uninterrupted for several years but unfortunately, says Nelson, “it became unsustainable” soon after the 2008 economic downturn.

By opening the vacant units in the space to lease by artists, Nelson was able to salvage Casa Libre as a venue and still offer weekend residencies to traveling writers. “So it’s very much still the same atmosphere, but there has been a slight shift in focus,” she says, adding that it was “very hard” for her to suspend the residency program in any capacity.

Casa Libre has thrived as a venue and quasi-communal artist living space for the past few years by continuing to offer programs like the emerging writers’ series “Edge,” the Native-focused “Stjukshon,” the multi-genre collaborative series “Trickhouse,” and regular classes taught by local writers. There is hope, though, of restoring the residency program to its full glory. “We just wrote a three-year strategic plan (to bring the residency program back),” says Nelson. And that’s something to celebrate.

To that end, the Libre-rators (too far?) are holding their Tenth Anniversary Gala—what Nelson is calling a “friendraiser”—this month, Saturday, Feb. 22, at the YWCA just west of downtown. Nelson says she wants to “honor all of the people that have given their time and love and energy to Casa Libre,” and what better way to do that than by throwing a big-ass party? She says without contributions by people like former board president and current Tucson Poet Laureate Rebecca Seiferle, new president Elizabeth Frankie Rollins, Assistant Director TC Tolbert, and the audience members that keep the readings attended, Casa could not have survived as long as it has.

Casa Libre Founder and Executive Director Kristen Nelson poses with the books donated to the organization by writers who have stayed or read there.
photo: Craig Baker

“So the primary purpose (of the gala),” says Nelson, “is to celebrate all of those people.” According to Nelson, their tenure on Fourth Avenue has also been a key to Casa’s survival, so part of the ceremony is meant to celebrate the district itself. Local merchants, for example, have been invited to contribute hors d’oeuvres and centerpieces that reflect their specific flavor.

For the sliding-scale entry fee, gala-goers can expect to enjoy spoken word performances by local writers like Logan Phillips and Teré Fowler-Chapman as well as food, live music, dancing, and even a screening of local filmmaker Bob Byers’ short documentary about Casa Libre (still in production as of press time). A cash bar will also be in service.

If you are a writer, a reader, a poet, an artist, or just someone searching for a stimulating new scene, Casa Libre has got something to pique your interest. And though Nelson is not talking about physical proximity when she says she “hope(s) to have very little space between audience and performer” at Casa events, the level of closeness between literature buffs at one of their readings gives new meaning to the term “intimate.” And yet, that intimacy is the reason that Casa Libre might be the best place in town to “rub elbows” with the literary elite.

Here’s to another decade of pondering and mingling.

Casa Libre’s tenth anniversary gala is Saturday, Feb. 22 from 6 p.m.-10 p.m. More information, including tickets, is available at CasaLibre.org or by calling 325-9145. The YWCA is located at 525 Bonita Ave. Casa Libre is located at 228 N. 4^th Ave.

Along The Line: Beauty, Health & Wellness

February 10, 2014 | Zocalo Staff

Sun Link – the Tucson Streetcar project that wends 3.9 miles through the heart of Tucson – is heading toward completion with an estimated time of arrival for public use at the end of this summer.

Over the next several issues, Zócalo Magazine is covering the businesses along, and in proximity to, the streetcar line – the places that make this part of town a hub of unique and mostly locally-owned enterprises.

This month, Along The Line highlights establishments focused on helping you obtain optimum health and wellness, along with places that pamper. With St. Valentine’s Day this month, it’s a good time to remember to love and take care of number one. We’re also pretty sure your sweethearts wouldn’t mind gift certificates from the following businesses that will allow your darlings to love and nurture themselves too!

Businesses are listed by location, generally from west and south to north and east.

Beauty & Wellness

These places pamper and recharge. From acupuncture to nails, the following locales offer a variety of services that aim to make you feel like a million bucks.

The Natural Sanctuary
388 S. Stone Ave. (part of Woman Kraft’s building), (520) 882-6280
TheNaturalSanctuary.com
Founded and operated by owner Jordana Silvestri, this is a full service salon. “I do everything,” says Silvestri. “We’re an all natural salon with all natural hair colors, perms, manicures, pedicures, facials, waxing… it is all natural and non-toxic. I’ve been downtown for 16 years, in Tucson for 30, and in the business for 40 years.”

The website showcases the products she makes herself and uses on her clients, available for sale online or at the salon. Hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Tucson Acupuncture Co-Op
439 N. Sixth Ave. #127, (520) 867-8004
AcupunctureCoop.com
Tucson is full of gems hidden in the nooks and crannies of the most unexpected spaces. Many decades ago, when the Firestone Building at Sixth Avenue and Sixth Street was a tire store, people then would probably be hard pressed to imagine that a portion of the building would eventually become a healing space offering acupuncture. But that’s what happened on March 3, 2013 when Tucson Acupuncture Co-Op (TACO) opened its doors.

Josh Whiteley applies acupuncture needles to a patient.
photo courtesy Tucson Acupuncture Co-Op

The story of how worker-owners Josh Whiteley and Ellen Vincent converged in Tucson to open TACO is one of those groovy sliding doors happenstances. What if something came up and one of them didn’t make it to the People’s Organization of Community Acupuncture conference in Portland, OR, where they met? Or, further back, when one or the other hadn’t been struck by the healing attributes of acupuncture?

Ellen, who moved here from Philly – “brought here by that guy,” she says smiling, nodding at Josh – has been an acupuncturist since 2006. “I had had acupuncture in my early 20s. I graduated with a not very practical degree, so in my early 30s, I thought, ‘What am I going to do?’ Acupuncture sounded like something I’d be interested in.” TACO is the third clinic she has helped open, and one is still thriving in Philadelphia, PA.

When Ellen moved to Tucson, she worked with Josh at another local clinic, but, “I’m not suited to be an employee and Josh had also been talking about opening a clinic.” When the couple made their decision, they found their new space quickly, she says.

Josh writes via email that they opened TACO “primarily as a means to provide affordable and accessible healthcare to Tucson and the surrounding communities. We also saw a big need in Downtown and the west side particularly, and wanted to help here as well as support the ongoing growth of the Downtown community.”

While situated in hub of commercial activity, TACO has carved out a space of tranquility. It has ten extremely comfortable recliners arranged in a circle around the room’s perimeter. The soft, ambient lighting and meditative music instantly relaxes most stress. The thin disposable needles are placed on points on the arms, hands, legs, feet and head. Initially it feels like a little pinch, but the sensation quickly subsides. Soft blankets are provided and one drops into what Josh calls “going to the ‘acuzone’.” It is the best nap time ever.

What can acupuncture do for you and how does it work? Josh explains that it can help “pretty much anything under the sun in some way. Acupuncture essentially works by triggering the body’s own internal healing response. We see a lot of conditions involving pain and/or inflammation and I think these are areas were acupuncture really shines particularly. It is also great for treating stress, anxiety, depression, digestive issues and all of the problems that can follow. Acupuncture can often go a long way in helping to bring the body back to a more healthy and balanced state. Sometimes in really big and life changing ways and sometimes in simply giving the patient a chance to de-stress and take care of themselves for an hour.”

Being able to inexpensively treat oneself, the sliding scale is $15-$35, and just drop out for a bit is rather priceless. TACO is very accommodating, allowing patients to stay as long as they need, and also enables people to come with loved ones to heal together. “Healing with family or the larger community itself has its own power that we don’t get enough of in this day and age,” Josh aptly states.

TACO encourages appointments, which can be made on the website, and is open various hours seven days a week. – Jamie Manser

Greentoes
529 N. Sixth Ave., (520) 777-6281, (520) 631-7398
GreentoesTucson.com
Tucked in the midst of urban Tucson is a quaint, beautifully renovated historic home transformed into a simplistic, yet cozy “eco-chic” nail studio and spa.

Located just west of Fourth Avenue, Greentoes offers nail services, massage, facials and waxing using high quality, all natural and sustainably sourced ingredients.

Open to walk-ins, bridal parties, and of course appointments, Greentoes seeks to provide services that are different.

Victor Thompson and his wife chose to open the salon after his wife dreamt about the need to take life at a slower pace. The details of the couple’s new venture were all conveyed in this dream. Together, the two were able to breathe life to this concept.

Greentoes is a cozy, eco-chic nail studio and spa.
photo: Ashley James

Greentoes is a bright and clean eco-friendly salon that uses only natural products in its spa services. Nail services are available in three tiers differing in length of time and level of luxury.

Pedicures feature a unique “blooming” foot bath soak for a truly luxurious experience. After checking in, you’re invited to choose from a colorful array of Spa Ritual nail lacquer. These polishes are free of harmful chemicals such as DBP, toulene, camphor, and formaldehyde. The best part is you get to take a complimentary bottle of lacquer home!

Greentoes offers more than just manis and pedis. Their menu includes massage, waxing, and facials that address a myriad of skin concerns from a dull and ageing complexion, to sensitive or acne prone skin. Your aesthetician will discuss your areas of concern and will customize your experience.

“Any health conscious consumer should know there is place out there that they can come to relax and receive the best possible service,” says Thompson.

The salon also feature private parking, is wheelchair accessible, military and teacher discounts, online booking and customizable gift certificates. – Ashley James

Natural Way Wellness Spa
526 N. Fourth Ave., (520) 882-8828
NaturalWayWellnessSpa.com
Friends of Lily Gabriel joke that when she left the space industry (Students for Exploration and Development of Space) to work in the spa industry, that she simply dropped the “c” and “e.”

Massage is just one of Natural Way Wellness Spa’s many offerings.
photo: Ashley James

The transition from science to massage happened after a diagnosis of a chronic medical condition that limited Gabriel’s mobility and required a change of pace.

She immersed herself in areas of health and wellness and began to foster a deep appreciation for those fields.

“I became very passionate about what wellness can do for others and how it can improve one’s quality of life,” she says.

While working at spas, Gabriel took note of what she would do differently if she had her own. In April 2012 she was able to do just that.

“I was inspired by the changes that I wanted to make and wanted to bring forth the highest quality of services and products for guests,” she explains.

The large, serene space features an airy lobby with eclectic, all-natural retail options such the spa’s signature hand-crafted skin care line (containing no more than six ingredients), tea, chakra charts, nourishing oils, jewelry, and various other wellness must-haves.

Gabriel advocates for self-care, an important and oftentimes neglected component of wellness. This is why the spa menu addresses the whole body. Offerings include semi-private yoga sessions, reflexology, custom aromatherapy, massage, facials, and much more.

The building boasts 4,800 square feet of space which she hopes will one day house additional naturopathic wellness providers and alternative healing options for clients.

For convenience, à la carte services are available for those who may not have time for longer treatments. These services range from a 15 minute warming hand massage for $20 to a 30 minute foot reflexology session for $42.

Gabriel supports local merchants on the Avenue and extends a 20 percent discount to employees and business owners located along Fourth Avenue.

Hours are 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday. – Ashley James

Elements in Balance
614 N. Fourth Ave., (520) 623-3804
ElementsInBalance.com
Fourth Avenue’s Aveda concept salon and spa features a boutique-style atmosphere in a cozy and comfortable setting. Educated stylists and aestheticians provide salon services including color, cut, waxing, facials, makeup and massage.

Salon manager Lacy Tritz is proud of the talent at Elements in Balance. “We have a diverse staff here, with someone available to accommodate anyone’s needs,” she says.

Being a “senior citizen” with 15 years as an Aveda salon on the Avenue, has its perks. Tritz explained that there are dedicated salon patrons who travel from as far away as Green Valley to receive their salon and spa services.

Noteworthy points of difference make for a great salon experience, she explains. Salon guests receive a warm greeting, are offered complimentary comfort tea, and all are given a stress relieving ritual which consists of a relaxing shoulder or hand massage.

“These rituals allow us to personally connect with our clients, adding a special touch.”

The Aveda product line features organic plant and flower essences used in services and available for purchase. Chakra balancing body mists are among the more popular picks, featuring a blend of fragrant essential oils.

The chakra balancing massage uses ancient Ayurvedic techniques, reflexology and massage. “This service takes you on a sensory journey,” Tritz says.

After an initial introduction to the seven energy zones of the body, a therapist consults with each client and invites them to choose from specific chakra colors and scents they are attracted to. The choice they make corresponds with the chakra in need of balance. The service is then tailored to re-balance the body’s energy zones accordingly, melting away stress and tension in the process.

The rejuvenating chakra balancing massage is available for 60 minutes for $80 or 90 minutes for $120.

See the website for the full menu of offerings. The salon is open Monday & Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. – Ashley James

That’s the Spot… Dr. Eric’s Chiropractic Centers
800 E. University Blvd., (520) 622-3886
Facebook.com/ThatsTheSpotChiropractic
Take control of your spinal health! Overseen by Dr. Eric Vindiola, D.C., That’s the Spot offers treatments for walk-in patients for an affordable $20 with plans available for frequent patients. Chiropractic appointments are not necessary. Walk-in hours for existing patients are 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday-Friday; new patients can walk in 10 a.m. -1 p.m., Monday-Friday. However, it is closed for lunch from 2:30 p.m.-3:45 p.m. Massages are available, by appointment, and can be purchased in 30, 60 or 90 minute increments. Check the Facebook page for more details.

Spring Nail Salon
845 E. University Blvd. #155, (520) 791-7447
SpringNailSalon.com
From basic manicures and pedicures to deluxe treatments for hands and feet, along with hair coloring and spa services such as the “Herbology Body Experience,” this salon offers a wide range of offerings to pamper. Hours are 10 a.m.-7p.m., Monday-Friday; 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday.

Aveda Institutes Tucson
845 N. Park Avenue #105, (520) 207-2660
Aveda.edu/Tucson
Take advantage of student learning with a whole slew of services offered at the Main Gate Park Avenue locale, including: body treatments, hair cuts and color, facials, nails, make-up, brows, lashes and hair removal. Aveda Institutes is an arm of Aveda – a beauty company that believes “treating the whole person leads to greater balance and well-being, so we consider the effects of our products not only on hair or skin, but on body, mind and emotion.”

The company’s mission, as stated at Aveda.com, “is to care for the world we live in, from the products we make to the ways in which we give back to society. At Aveda, we strive to set an example for environmental leadership and responsibility, not just in the world of beauty, but around the world.”

Days and hours vary based on class availability. Call or visit the website to book appointments.

Beautiful, Healthy Hair

Tucson is rife with fantastic stylists in the heart of the city that work to create the best hair for your individual needs.

Civano’s Hair Studio
photo: Jimi Giannatti

Civano’s Hair Studio
110 S. Church Ave. # 4195, (520) 622-0312
BeautySalonsTucson.com
Owned by native Tucsonan, Sondra Gil, the salon has resided at La Placita Village for over six years, and Sondra has been doing hair for 23 years.

“We specialize in image enhancing,” she says, “and corrective color, awesome custom cuts, extensions, facial waxing, nails… we also do men’s hair. We can help you master styling techniques, and we also do hair for special events.” Sondra says walk-ins are welcome and gift certificates are available. The salon has three stylists and is open 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesday, Thursday-Saturday and Wednesday, noon-8:30 p.m.

Curley’s Family Barbershop
18 E. Ochoa St., (520) 440-0654
TucsonBarbershop.us

Raul Gonzales, left, and Thomas Curley, right, at Curley’s Family Barbershop.
photo: Jimi Giannatti

Across the street from the new (as of January 2013) location is where Thomas Curley went to barber school.

“I started started barber school 35 years ago at place that was on Stone Avenue, across from the St. Augustine Cathedral,” laughs the native Tucsonan and ex-Marine.

The shop offers traditional services – haircuts, razor fades, flat tops and shaves. It is open Monday-Tuesday and Thursday-Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

“We’re the senior barbers in Tucson,” Curley says, “and we have great customers. We’re trying to get a massage person over here, and perhaps also offer shoe shines.” – Jamie Manser

North Scott Barber & Salon
27 N. Scott Ave., (520) 623-8200
NorthScottBarberSalon.com

North Scott Barber Salon
photo: Jimi Giannatti

A Downtown staple since October 2010, the salon and its ownership is a six-person effort – “partners who share over 119 years of creativity in the barber/beauty industry,” explains barber/stylist Bernice Valenzuela.

They collectively explain via email that they are dedicated to excellent customer service by way of clearly communicating “with our clients, so that we can understand their wants and needs. We are committed to offer our expertise, attention to detail and creativity to form the individual style you’re looking for. We’re traditional with a flare in offering an array of services. We specialize in children haircuts, women haircuts, high and low-lights, color, men haircuts, business executive, flat tops, razor cuts and fades, facial shaves and neck shaves with hot steam towels for the neck and facial shaves.”

Appointments and walk-ins are available Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

“We offer a professional, friendly and relaxed atmosphere, a complimentary beverages for our clients and a pool table to pass the time,” Valenzuela adds. – Jamie Manser

The Hive Hair Studio & Gallery
315 E. Congress St., (520) 628-4188
TheHiveTucson.com
Owner Lindsey Ross says she opened the studio in May 2011. “My husband is the executive chef at Maynards so we are right across the street from each other; the space was offered to me.”

Lindsey, who has been a stylist for over three years, says that, “I’m an artist and I needed a change, and it was an opportune time to go to school and start a second career – it’s a nice artistic outlet, to be able to work with people one on one. I enjoy changing people’s lives, one person at a time.”

The services cater to both men and women and include cuts, styles, updos, color treatments and more, with a full menu available on the website and by consultation.

“I think our space is really unique and our clients are always complimenting us on how unique and clean it is, plus, our location, being inside the hotel and the space itself – the idea was to make it feel like an art gallery.”

Staff bios and online appointments are available on the website. Hours are Tuesday-Saturday from 11 a.m. on, with closing times varying depending on appointments. – Jamie Manser

Ahead of Style Salon
426 E. Ninth St., (520) 624-8400
Facebook.com/pages/Ahead-of-Style-Salon/162303653794451
Ajia Simone, Tucson’s Black Cat Ajia Simone – mind you, has been a stylist for 20 years and at the 9^th Street location since 2003.

“I come from a family of five and I’m a middle boy and I got stuck doing my two sisters’ hair. This is the third salon I’ve owned and been a part of, but this is retirement, I’m not going anywhere. I’m also one of the many show directors at IBT’s, 616 N. 4^th Ave.” The salon offers haircuts, hair color, color correction, hair extensions, relaxers, and also specializes in multi-cultural hair.

“Our hours are flexible, all of the stylists are independent and we are available seven days a week, normally like 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., but if you need us there, we will be there. Best to have an appointment, but walk-ins are always welcome.”

Fun fact: the salon is situated in what once was a six-bedroom house, “word on the street was that it was once a bordello,” Aija exclaims, giggling. – Jamie Manser

Annette Andree Hair Studio, LLC
410 E. 7^th St. (520) 474-5126

Annette Andree works her “round brush blow out” on a client.
photo: Jimi Giannatti

“After working for other people on the Avenue for ten years, I decided I wanted to go out on my own for a more personalized service,” Annette says, who has been self-employed for the last year and has been a stylist for 30 years.

Annette worked in high-end hair salons in Houston, Jose Eber and Jaque Dessange, before moving to Tucson. She specializes in corrective haircuts and color, along with offering services that include ethnic hair and face waxing.

She was an instructor at the Aveda Institute and is trained in French techniques, from Paris, in color and cuts and stays with the more natural hair products, like Pravana hair color and Pravana Nevo vegan hair care.

“I’m the original round brush blow out,” Annette explains, saying it is a technique that creates soft, sexy, and gorgeously full hair.

Services are available by appointment. – Jamie Manser

Metropolis Salon’s owner Emery Nicoletti styles Donna DiFiore’s hair.
photo: Jimi Giannatti

Metropolis Salon
529 N. Fourth Ave. (in the Delectable’s Restaurant Courtyard), (520) 296-7400
Facebook.com/MetropolisSalon

Artistic Director and owner Emery Nicoletti first opened Metropolis on April 4, 1995 on Tanque Verde at Kolb Road. “At the time,” he explains via email, “most of our clients were from the Northeast portion of Tucson so it made sense to be in that geographical area.”

The business eventually opened a second salon on Congress Street and resided for years where Playground now lives. But by the fall of 2009, the month-to-month lease was terminated to originally make way for a restaurant/bar, An Congress – which never launched. Metropolis was displaced, as Nicoletti had closed his Tanque Verde location by that point. Nicoletti tried other locales, but, “my whole staff missed the atmosphere and ambiance that resonates from the center of Tucson.

“One night while I was in my backyard stargazing, I started longing to be downtown again. Having remembered a few suites alongside Delectable’s Restaurant on 4th Avenue, I drove to 4th Avenue sometime around 2 a.m. to see if one was available. There were two available at the time. It was meant to be. I left a message at that very instant standing outside that window so early in the morning. Donna DiFiore, the owner of Delectable’s and the building responded to my message the next day and we started the build out process.

“Thankfully, we are back in the artsy, fuel-filled creative environment where we once flourished. Additionally, my partner and I fell in love with the West University Neighborhood and purchased the old Senator Harry Arizona Drachman House three blocks away on University Boulevard. If anyone told me when vacating Downtown, that not only would I be back, but I’d be living here too, complete with vegetable gardens and chicken coops, I can’t imagine what my response would have been. But, here we are, buying into the whole revitalization speech again, but with one exception; this time it feels right.”

Metropolis solely focuses on hair, and Nicoletti says his requirements for his stylists to have a continuing education in the beauty industry, along with encouraging them to be well versed in current events, and be politically active, “special incentives are given to be a part of political campaigns on both local and national levels,” sets his salon apart from others. “Our stylists continuously give back to Tucson by donating hundred of hours of their time per year to a variety of different charities. We never refuse a non-profit’s request for a donation.”

Metropolis is open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-7p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday by special appointment. – Jamie Manser

Bill Dagostino, stylist and owner of 4th Avenue Hair.photo: Jimi Giannatti

4^th Avenue Hair
729 N. Fourth Ave., (520) 977-5747 or (520) 670-1523
4thAvenueHair.com

Specializing in wide variety of hair styling – from an average Joe cut to fun and funky, the website has loads of pictures to show the depth of range. Owner Bill Dagostino moved to Tucson from Rhode Island in 1976, started working on the Avenue in 1981, and founded 4^th Avenue Hair in 1997. The 17-year-old salon has lived on 4^th Avenue all of its days, though the exact locales have moved over the years. The salon is open Tuesday thru Saturday, and sometimes Sunday and Monday. It’s best to call for an appointment, though they do take walk-ins.

Blades Hair Design.
photo: Jimi Giannatti

Blades Hair Design
804 E. University Blvd. #102, (520) 622-4247
BladesTucson.com
Owned by Nadine Danton, Blades has been in the University area for 25 years and in its current location since the early ’90s.

“All of our products are organic,” says Danton, “even our color lines, we try to be very green.”

While specializing in hair – for both men and women – the salon also offers facial waxing and validates for parking in the Tyndall Avenue parking garage. While normal business hours are Tuesday-Friday, they are happy to take special appointments at any time. A full list of services is on the website. The salon also often exhibits work by undiscovered artists and hosts wine and cheese opening and closing art receptions. – Jamie Manser

Boss Shears
876 E. University Blvd., (520) 623-2235
BossShears.com
Bianca Herreras opened her salon in 1976, and has been situated in Main Gate Square since 1989. In addition to hair cuts, formal hairdos, coloring, highlights, perms and straightening, Boss Shears also provides eyebrow and lip waxing.

Chatting about the coming modern streetcar, Herreras says, “I’m glad we’ve been able to stick it out [during construction]. With the new businesses, restaurants, parking and the streetcar, it is bringing a lot more people down to this area, there is more for them to do. Some businesses say they think it [the streetcar] will take away customers, but I think there is plenty to go around!”

Asked what is unique about her salon, she says, “I think the quaintness, we are so small, I think people feel comfortable, we have more of a one-on-one personal relationship with our clients, who are our friends.”
– Jamie Manser

Fitness: Health & Wellness

If you think a toned body can only be achieved at the gym, think again. While gyms are great for attaining physical fitness, they are only a part of the larger picture. There are numerous places along the streetcar corridor that offer body-beneficial classes to help you reach and maintain your desired goals.

Platinum Fitness
photo: Jimi Giannatti

Platinum Fitness
110 S. Church Ave. #5030, (520) 623-6300
PlatinumFitnessAZ.com/platinum-fitness-downtown
Located in La Placita Village, Platinum Fitness provides its clients with group exercise classes, circuit training machines, free weights, cardio equipment, personal training, new locker rooms, sauna/steam room/Jacuzzi, and more. Hours are Monday-Friday, 5 a.m.-10 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Lohse Family YMCA
60 W. Alameda St., (520) 623-5200
TucsonYMCA.org/lohse
Since 1914, the YMCA of Southern Arizona has been dedicated to improving the quality of human life and to helping all people realize their fullest potential through the development of spirit, mind and body.

The cause-driven organization strives to: empower youth through physical activity and educational programs, provide individuals and families with tools and programs to build a strong spirit, mind and body, and look within our community to serve.

The Downtown location offers state-of-the-art cardio and strength training equipment, a boxing studio, Y personal fitness programs, a full-size gym, four racquetball/handball courts, aerobic and yoga studios, a six-lane, 25 yard heated swimming pool, child watch area, community rooms, locker rooms, spa, sauna, and steam rooms – plus an indoor track and a full free-weight center.

There are also child care and youth development programs. Hours are Monday-Friday, 5:30 a.m.-9 p.m. and Saturday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Cirque Roots
17 E. Toole Ave., (520) 261-4667
CirqueRoots.com
Offering classes and workshops at its warehouse locale, Cirque Roots brings to the public the chance to learn aerial strength and conditioning, all levels of acro-yoga, Kung-Fu for self-defense and fitness, beginning and intermediate hoop classes, along with hand balancing fundamentals and conditioning. Prices and schedules are available on the website. Also see the article here.

Play is serious business at Playformance.
photo courtesy Kevin Nichols

Playformance
119 E. Toole Ave., (520) 271-1445
PlayformanceUSA.com
A youth fitness and athletic development school, Playformance caters to kids from 1- to 18-years-old with programs that include: school break camps during summer, fall, winter, spring and holidays; after school classes, along with toddler and preschool play, among others. It also provides physical education to City High, Imago Dei Middle School, Davis Bilingual, Khalsa Montessori and Satori.

Kevin Nichols, proprietor of Playformance with his wife Anna McCallister-Nichols, takes play very seriously. The business’ mission, he says, is “to revolutionize physical education by providing a challenging play-based curriculum to help young people develop the cognitive, physical, emotional and social skills that nurture them to grow into cooperative, confident and compassionate people.

“Play teaches us to think creatively, to get along with other people and cooperate effectively, and to control our own impulses and emotions. These are real world skills we all need.”

Nicholas says that true play has been taken away from most Tucson schools, and that he isn’t aware of any other gym in town that does what they do. The NAU graduate with a bachelors’ degree in Elementary Education and a Minor in Physical Education taught in the TUSD school district for 5 years before starting his own business.

“Teaching PE was my favorite part of the day as a teacher so I decided I would like to teach PE all day every day.”

Visit the website for hours and schedules. – Jamie Manser

Yoga Oasis
245 E. Congress St., (520) 322-6142
YogaOasis.com
Run by renowned yoga guru Darren Rhodes, Yoga Oasis has become a global yoga hub thanks to their offerings of teacher trainings and their creation of the Yoga Hour. With three locations (Downtown, central and east) YO offers 5-10 classes a day (classes vary by day and studio) for all skill levels from novice to expert. Yoga Hour classes, which were developed by Rhodes, are offered daily for only $5, while basic, expanding and the practice classes are offered for $11 a session. YO’s staff of experienced teachers and beautiful studio settings make it a special mecca for yogis. – Jon D’Auria

Capoeira Brasil Tucson
113 E. Broadway Blvd., (520) 909-3477
AZCapoeira.com

Capoeira Brasil Tucson
photo from azcapoeira.com

Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art that combines movement and music, has a five century history. According to AZCapoeira.com, “Capoeira’s origin dates back 500 years to the beginnings of Brazil’s slave trade period. Throughout the 488 year slave trade the Congo, Bantu, and Angolan tribes met and intermingled in the senzalas (slave quarters) and quilombos (escaped slave nations). From this merging of cultures, traditions and rituals, Capoeira was born.”

Led by Francisco Antonio Arruda Batalha, known in the Capoeira world as Instructor Junior, the studio offers introduction, youth and all-level capoeira classes Sunday-Thursday. Single classes are $12 and monthly memberships are available.

Instructor Junior has over 20 years of Capoeira experience, and through the studio’s classes, he shares the cornerstones of the art: diversity, tolerance, discipline and respect for tradition that ensures amazing fitness.

DNA Fitness
186 E. Broadway Blvd., (520) 623-2245
DNAPersonalTraining.com
A brand-spankin’ new downtown addition – as of January 2014 – DNA took over the space at 5th Avenue and Broadway Boulevard that housed O2 Fitness for the last four years. Group training classes, as of mid-January, are held mornings and afternoons on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; indoor cycling classes are Monday and Wednesday afternoons and mornings on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. DNA also offers private training and a nutrition program. Find the class times and more information on the website.

Tucson Yoga
140 S. Fourth Ave., (520) 988-1832
TucsonYoga.com
Located in the hip area of Armory Park, Tucson Yoga offers 25 classes a week including beginning yoga, hatha flow, yin yoga, Vinyasa, mindfulness yoga, gentle yoga, restorative yoga, Mama and baby and more. Set in a beautiful eco-friendly space, Tucson Yoga is easily accessible and greatly affordable, as they offer $6 single classes, $45 for monthly unlimited passes as well as five and ten pass offerings. Mats are available to rent for $1 and drop-ins are always welcome. With 14 caring, experienced teachers and a variety of practices, you’re sure to find the class that suits your needs. – Jon D’Auria

Rocks and Ropes
330 S. Toole Ave., (520) 882-5924
RocksAndRopes.com
Downtown’s premier and only rock climbing gym for well over a decade, Rocks and Ropes has a fabulous reputation of offering interesting and challenging climbs that cater to both novices and experts, children and adults. Other offerings include six-week workshops, guided climbs and camps for kids.

Open admission hours are Monday-Friday, 3 p.m.-10 p.m., and Saturday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. “Kidz Climbs” are held 9 a.m.-11 a.m. Saturday-Sunday for those 12-years-old and under. See the website for rates, membership fees, events and more.

Tommy Padilla gets air at Get Air.
photo: Jade Nunes

Get Air
330 S. Toole Ave. #300, (520) 624-5867
GetAirTucson.com
A trampoline park, with over 20,000 square feet of floor to wall indoor trampolines, that also features dodge ball courts, foam pits, a basketball hoop, and if you dare, a slack line to challenge your balance skills on. This place beckons all ages to experience its promise of adrenaline and excitement. For younger children, Get Air has designated “Lil’ Air,” a smaller trampoline area for the wee ones. Rates per jumper are: $11/hour, $6/hour for an additional time; Small Air is $6/hour (under 46 inches). Get Air is open 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday-Thursday and 10 a.m.-midnight, Friday-Saturday. – Jade Nunes

The Movement Shala
435 E. Ninth St., (917) 523-2240
TheMovementShala.org

Jade’s Rockin’ Friday Night Dance Class with live drumming at
The Movement Shala.
photo: Kathleen Dreier EsensPhotography.com

Alok Appadurai speaks with passion, enthusiasm and soul when describing the The Movement Shala, and the philosophies and vision he and his partner Jade Beall hold dear.

“Our goal – Shala means sacred space – was to have a place for physical movement, spiritual movement, social movement. We wanted to help create social change and environmental awareness, in a place that is a sacred space for all types, not just physical.” Within its walls – “we laid every floor board, we painted every inch” – are various classes offered by teachers who fit in with the overall “energetics of the offerings we have here. People need to feel safe when they walk in the doors, and know that they are not being judged or critiqued – you are supported and loved for walking through that door.”

Hours and classes – yoga, dance and meditation – vary, but the website is always up to date! While at the Shala, also visit their clothing boutique Fed By Threads, which sells sustainable and organic clothing and each sale has a portion donated to the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona and Feeding America, a national hunger relief organization. – Jamie Manser

4^th Avenue Yoga
413 E. Fifth St.
4thAvenueYoga.com
The home of $4 yoga, Tai Chi and meditation classes, 4th Avenue Yoga maintains a robust daily schedule lead by experienced teachers. Located just east of 4th Avenue and north of Brooklyn Pizza, the intimate space also offers hot room classes on Wednesdays and Sundays. No mat, no towel, no problem! Rent those for a $1 each. Find the class schedule, and more information, on the website.

Take Flight Yoga and Movement

Take Flight Yoga
701 N. Main Ave., (520) 406-4437
Facebook.com/takeflightyogaandmovement
Take your yoga practice to new heights with Take Flight Yoga’s aerial yoga fitness classes. Offering classes six days a week, TFY offers an acrobatic twist to yoga with their intro, regular, acroyoga jam and body conditioning classes. While the aerial yoga intro classes are free, space is limited due to their specialized apparatus, the yoga hammock, so show up early. After your free intro, classes are available for one for $15, or five for $65 or ten for $110. Comfortable exercise clothes are urged with no zippers, snaps or jewelry and water and a mat are encouraged. – Jon D’Auria

UA Recreation Center
1400 E. Sixth St., (520) 621-8702
Rec.arizona.edu
Campus recreation isn’t just for UA students, it also offers alumni, affiliate, faculty and staff memberships, along with day passes. While it is a bit off of the Sun Link’s lines, the rec center is worth mentioning because of its state-of-the-art facilities with amenities almost too numerous to list. Highlights include: a 30,000 sq. ft. fitness center with ellipticals, bikes, stepmills, circuit strength equipment, an Olympic-size pool, an indoor track, five basketball courts, eight racquetball courts, two squash courts, sand volleyball courts, a climbing boulder wall along with RecSpa and camps for kids. See the website for all of the offerings and hours of operation.

The Sea of Glass Center for the Arts

January 14, 2014 | Jim Lipson

The small complex with the cute little dome at 330 E. 7th St. has taken on many personas over the past 30 years; almost all of them somehow focused on community building, self-actualization and a connection to the arts.

In the early- to mid-1980s this was the original Ortspace, home to the innovative (currently in transition) OTO Dance troupe. When OTO Dance moved down the street it became the Zenith Center, a funky but accessible space that held everything from concerts to yoga classes to massage school graduations.

Rahman Jamaal performs at The Sea of Glass grand opening Jan. 17.
photo courtesy: Global Change Multi-Media

Years later, under the ownership and direction of Jason Auerbach and Janice Herradora, the 6,700 square feet of enormous potential became known as Anjali. With extensive renovations to not only the big room used for yoga classes, workshops, dances and concerts (Krishna Das once packed almost 400 people inside for an evening of ecstatic chanting), but also the interior, formerly used as living space, Anjali was beautifully refreshed, anything but funky, and stood in stark contrast to its more “lived in” surroundings on Fourth Avenue.

Part of the Anjali vision was to renovate the east end of the complex so that it could house a raw foods/vegetarian restaurant. This in conjunction with a small retail space, on-going yoga classes and a concert and dance venue available for rent to the community, all seemed like great ideas housed within an exquisite and newly designed space. Unfortunately the restaurant never opened, yoga classes came and went and the concert/workshop facility was vastly under-utilized. Eventually Anjali closed and for several years remained dark.

Now, with the opening of The Sea of Glass Center for the Arts, the Food for Ascension Café, CosmoArt Studio and Sacred Treasures, a retail space for “fine arts, jewelry and clothing,” the space once again holds the promise for becoming a hub of activity looking to bridge spirituality and new age sensibilities with 21st century alternative consumerism. The restaurant bills itself as “all local, all organic, all love” and comes with a delightful, outdoor rooftop patio while the Sea of Glass comes complete with a large stage, built in sound system and lights and acoustic sound baffles built into the roof. It looks like a great place to play as well as hear a performance.

With the Sea of Glass subtitled “A Center for Global Change Through Higher Consciousness,” and words like ascension and sacred as a part of its branding, the complex also comes with a certain vibe – what some might consider baggage – as well.

Bought for a price well into seven figures, the complex is owned and run by the Avalon Organic Gardens and Eco Village. Located in Tubac, Arizona, Avalon is an intentional community running a large organic farming operation and very much committed to the principles of permaculture and sustainable technologies. Avalon is also a part of the Global Community Communications Alliance, a church and religious organization founded in 1989 in Prescott, Arizona by Anthony J. Delevin, publicly known as Gabriel of Urantia.

All the businesses are celebrating with a grand opening on Friday, Jan. 17, starting at 7:30 p.m., with performances by VansGuard, an 8-piece activist folk rock band with ties to Avalon, along with hip hop artist Rahman Jamaal from San Francisco and with Tucson DJs Kirkout and Humblelianess spinning.

Saturday, Jan. 18 features a freestyle rap workshop at 2 p.m. with Rahman Jamaal followed by a screening of indie film “The Beat” at 4:30 p.m.

For more information on these and other upcoming events, along with ticket prices, visit TheSeaofGlass.org or call (520) 398-2542. Event proceeds benefit the organization’s Personality Integration Rehabilitation Program, Avalon Gardens Internships and scholarships for instructional classes in music, dance and other arts at The Sea of Glass.

Showcasing Innovative Tucson Homes

December 30, 2013 | Emily Gindlesparger

FORS Architecture built this stunning dwelling, owned by Andy and Kami White.
photo: John Bae

In the three years since its inception, Austin-based Modern Home Tours has scoured dozens of cities across the country for the most inventive architectural gems. Of course the next stop had to be Tucson.

“A lot of architects don’t get the ink they deserve for their beautiful work,” says Ken Shallcross, Public Relations guru at Modern Home Tours. He sees the opportunity for these tours to open unique homes to the public to enjoy for one day. The Tucson tour takes place Sunday, Jan. 19, the day after a sister tour in Scottsdale. Participants will get a map for their self-guided drive to the open doors of local modern homes.

Kami and Andy White’s Oro Valley home is part of the circuit. Designed by FORS Architecture, it commands a stunning view of Pusch Ridge. The Whites say it was crucial in the design process to keep their home connected to its environment.

“A great many homes in the desert use a traditional design that turns inward from the heat, at the sacrifice of connecting with the beautiful desert,” they wrote in an email. “By using extensive glass, protected by deep overhangs or shading metal work, the home offers a rarely enjoyed connection to the desert. The ridge top site really screamed for a home with this design approach to fully appreciate the magnificence of the view.”

To keep the view unobstructed, the designers installed a unique fireplace along the floor-to-ceiling windows that span the length of the living room, with no chimney to break the panorama. All around the house, carefully planned windows let in light, so the Whites can watch it shift across the mountains and their home through the day.

“We very much feel a part of the landscape when in the home.”

This property was designed by Kevin Howard with the landscape designed by Allen Denomy of Solana Outdoor Living.
Photo courtesy Solana Outdoor Living

Another home on the tour in Marana was landscaped by Solana Outdoor Living to integrate it into the surroundings, which include the Tortolita Mountains on one side and the Ritz Carlton golf course on the other. The landscape design capitalizes on the sunset views with a full perimeter overflow pool that reflects the sky’s colors on its mirrored surface. A water feature in the front courtyard borrows the same principles.

“We wanted to keep everything rectilinear and timeless, and break it up a little bit so there’s a little asymmetry that balances the elements throughout the property,” explains Solana designer Allen Denomy. Additionally, features on the grounds were installed with water conservation in mind, sloping the contours to make the most of the rain that falls onsite. An irrigation system doles out water precisely when it’s needed. A fence around the property crafted from bent rebar and steel flowers blends to the environment, keeping all eyes up to the view.

With this house, Solana Outdoor Living sought to create a livable space outside, complementary to what’s inside.

“What’s unique about our Tucson climate is the usability of our outdoor living; we have a longer use of our outdoor space, and it’s become an important place to develop and customize.”

While the final lineup for Tucson’s Modern Home Tour wasn’t solidified as of press time, due to December’s holidays, it will be sure to include the work of local artists and architects that show off not just the houses, but equally the land they reside upon.

The Modern Home Tour is Sunday, Jan. 19, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tickets are $25 online in advance, $30 day of. Discount packages are available if combined with the Scottsdale Home Tour on Jan. 18. Visit ModernHomeTours.com/Event/Tucson for more details or ring 1-888-611-6882.

Thirty Years of Eclectic Flicks

December 30, 2013 | Herb Stratford

Casa Video, at Grant Road and Campbell Avenue, in 1983.
photo courtesy Casa Video

For Tucson film aficionados in the early ’80s, a plethora of mom and pop video stores were available to choose from when looking for a specific film on VHS. But in the summer of 1983 an entirely new kind of store opened on Grant Road just east of Campbell Avenue – Casa Video.

But this store wasn’t just another place to try to score a copy of War Games, Trading Places or Flashdance. In addition to popular movies, Casa Video stocked art films, documentaries and best of all, foreign titles. It was almost like a little piece of Manhattan dropped down in Tucson. We could finally locate the films our professors were referencing in class without mail order. Over the years, Casa has become the go-to place for so many film-savvy Tucsonans that it’s almost impossible to visit the store and not see a friend or colleague also browsing the aisles.

Co-owners and siblings Ray Mellenberndt and Gala Schwab’s parents owned a small movie theatre in Iowa, so growing up around the movies made opening a video store a natural occupational choice. Casa even expanded to two locations when they added their Speedway store in 1985, which became their only location when the Grant Road store closed in 1999. Ironically, the rise of streaming and the splintering of content providers is the greatest challenge, but a loyal fan base is unlikely to abandon Casa.

So how has this brother-sister operation survived for thirty years while nearly every other local video store has been taken to the woodshed? We’ve seen Redbox, Blockbuster and a half a dozen other national chains come and go in Tucson, but Casa Video continues to be there for our weekly artistic, cinematic fix.

According to Schwab, the siblings still love the business, and are always looking for ways to improve the customer experience. Lately the addition of new sodas and unique snack candy has been added to the mix, which may provide an edge unseen elsewhere. They have also adjusted to the digital age, offering online ordering for mailing or in-store pick up from their website.

With just 1,000-1,500 independent video stores remaining in the U.S. today, the business is dramatically different from when Gala and Ray began. Gala remembers going to Phoenix to visit distributor’s warehouses where they would “push shopping carts down aisles pulling films down that interested them.”

Casa Video, on Speedway, in 1989.
photo courtesy Casa Video

The pair initially pooled their resources to buy up a closing store’s inventory to start Casa Video, and then focused on what they liked, namely foreign films and documentaries. And in Tucson they found a kindred audience, accumulating customers who also liked those things.

It’s perhaps that experience of “reading the box” while standing in the aisles, looking for a new gem, that makes Casa so special. There’s so much to see, and the way titles are arranged makes the hunt and discovery a fun experience for customers. And to top it all off, the staff is a font of knowledge willing to assist, recommend and discuss titles if asked. In fact, the “staff picks” shelf by checkout is often a great place to see how hip and knowledgeable one is, as well as a great place to grab a last minute film of interest.

When asked if there was one title that truly surprised them for its popularity, a film that was not mainstream but was rented almost to death, Gala offers the 1986 French film “Betty Blue” as a memorable surprise. Most likely this is not a title that would have graced Blockbuster’s shelves.

So do yourself a favor. Go to Casa Video, become a member if you aren’t already, and spend some time exploring. Go upstairs, look for a gem by a favorite director, find a documentary you’ve heard about and take it home. If you’re not going to experience a film in a theatre, at least visit Casa to support a local favorite and likely you will see your friends there. It’s not surprising that a place like Casa can thrive in Tucson. Gala and Ray must have known that when they started their company’s journey 30 years ago.

Casa Video is open daily 10 a.m.–1 a.m. and is located at 2905 E. Speedway Blvd. and online at CasaVideo.com. Call (520)326-6314 for more details.

Invite Sonoran Visitors to Shop Locally Already!

December 15, 2013 | Miguel Ortega

Right now, my huge, extended family in Sonoroa, Mexico is gearing up to do some Christmas shopping in Tucson. Soon they will be hitting our shopping malls and buying a bunch of stuff.

And soon you will join them, driving your car in those full lots as you notice all those Sonoran license plates and – because I know you are smart and you get it – you will smile knowing that these Mexican tourists are pumping millions into our local economy.

Some local tourism leaders, however, think that my relatives are obsessed with chains. They think the only way to keep my cousins coming back to Tucson is by emphasizing corporate shops. These tourism experts use social media to showcase Golden Corral, Best Buy, Starbucks, etc.

Why? Well, they say that is just how Sonoran visitors are and it’s the only way to get them here to shop.

Really?

When is the last time the Italians said you would not visit Rome if they did not first entice you with a visit to their Olive Garden? When is the last time you saw Mexico City tourism experts promote Taco Bell as a great place to get a bite to eat while visiting their great city?

News flash: Mexicans attend colleges and read books. They have things called museums. And, in big cities like Hermosillo, local business owners understand how sales taxes work and how that revenue stream helps their local economies.

Maybe a better approach would be to entice Sonoran visitors to shop locally owned businesses because, by doing so, more of their money stays here in Tucson to support the schools, roads and public safety that many of their Tucson relatives depend on. Do our tourism experts truly believe that Mexican visitors can’t understand that?

Besides, our local shops rock! Sonoran visitors would love The Sunshine Mile, 4th Avenue, Campbell Avenue or the Furniture District if they were simply informed of their existence. Sonoran visitors are no different than tourists from all over the world that crave authenticity when they travel.

What’s our problem, anyway? Let’s put away the tupperware and break out with the good stuff already!

Miguel Ortega is an independent business development consultant. His radio program, “Locally Owned with Miguel Ortega”, airs on KVOI 1030AM every Saturday at 11 a.m. You can also listen to his radio columns on KXCI 91.3FM and follow his blog at LocallyOwnedAZ.com.

Maynards’ Food-Forward Remodel

December 14, 2013 | Jade Nunes

Say goodbye to the aisles and shelves, Maynards Market & Kitchen has taken on a whole new look and taste.

What once was a hub for specialty goods and products – wines, jams, food – is still a hub for specialty goods and products, just revamped with some added flare.

“We’ve moved away from the retail business of the market. We’ve focused more on food-forward, chef-assembled and prepared food in the market,” said Frank Kose, Maynards Market & Kitchen general manager. “It’s a true market-deli for everyone.”

Following the remodel of Marynards, the kitchen stopped serving lunch early last month. But don’t fret. Stop by the market and you can still grab fresh, quality delicatessen morsels to satisfy any craving.

“The concept now is people can do the best of both worlds – they can still come in and get their beer and wine, they can sit at the bar and have a quick beer, and order sandwiches and stuff too,” said Addam Buzzalini, Maynards’ executive chef. “It’s kind of what the market was – just deluxe.”

Wide-open and bright, the new Maynards has a new feel and a new draw – fresh foods, bar and community area and still retains the appeal of a unique dining, “market” experience.

“The build-out is gorgeous. It’s a great use of the space. It opened up the market. It’s made the market feel larger. It’s more food-focused. That’s what Maynards is known for – the great food,” Kose said. “We’ve gotten a lot of ‘ooos’ and ‘ahhs’.”

Maynards opened in 2008 and originally offered their kitchen as a lunch and dinner restaurant and their market as a place for people to buy quality goods from the shelves. Now, the market and kitchen offer two distinctly different experiences.

“The kitchen is identified as French-inspired American food. And the market is fast casual-prepared foods to-go,” Kose said. “It’s really defined the identities and the visions for each separate business under the same roof.”

During the renovation, Maynards closed for only about eight weeks, according to Buzzalini. In the interim, a pop-up market served regular guests, the wine shop remained open and the kitchen served lunch and dinner.

“It’s kind of cool. It’s fresh. It’s definitely different for downtown. We’re already seeing a really pretty massive difference from what it used to be like,” he said. “I’m just happy to see people coming and smiling and grabbing a quick beer and eating off butcher paper.”

Some of the tasty finds that have made a home at Maynards include Isabella’s Ice cream, Caffe Luce, Lusby’s Honey, and Margie’s Jams. Kose said that the vision for all of the foods at Maynards is “local and organic when we can and responsible when we can’t.”

“It’s giving people options – different choices of what they can do,” Buzzalini said. “You might come in for a salad, you might come in for a bite of ice cream, for a beer, and you might decide to stay for a sandwich or take a chicken home.”

With the classic, big city feel of some of America’s famous markets – New York, Los Angeles, Nappa – Maynards Market & Kitchen has brought downtown a unique place to dine, wine and socialize.

“You never know who you might be sitting next to at the bar or community table. It kind of creates a really hip environment I guess,” Buzzalini said. “It’s definitely different than the restaurant.”

Maynards Market & Kitchen is located at 400 N. Toole Ave. For more information and to see the full menu, visit MaynardsTucson.com or call (520) 545-0577.

Rescuing Abandoned Reptiles

December 4, 2013 | Jon D Auria

Charlotte Gillis at Bookmans in September 2013 during a Tucson Reptile Rescue adoption and education event. photo: Dan Perino

Every year in the U.S. millions of pets are abandoned, discarded or dumped due to neglectful pet owners or those who lack the ability to raise and maintain the animals once they’re fully grown. While the most common pets in the U.S. are dogs are and cats, many of these deserted creatures are reptiles. But thanks to the efforts of Tucson Reptile Rescue (TRR), abandoned reptiles are given new homes and a second chance at a happy life.

“Our main goal is to encourage long-term pet companionship. We want people to consider these animals’ needs for life,” shares TRR co-founder Charlotte Gillis. “A lot of times people can’t provide the proper housing for a reptile once it becomes an adult. Pet stores don’t typically carry enclosures for large reptiles when they grow full size. So when animals get over 6 feet long, a lot of times they get abandoned. It’s just not fair to the animals.”

Founded by Gillis and Doug Barreto in late January of this year, Tucson Reptile Rescue is the only non-profit organization that rehabilitates and finds homes for exotic reptiles in Tucson. TRR takes in animals with no surrender fee and provides them with a temporary home, food and medical care while locating a loving new household for a variety of snakes, lizards and turtles. Having only been in service for less than a year, many reptiles have already been rescued due to the tireless work by TRR’s staff and volunteers.

“A lot of times we’re the only option that people have to go to. We just got a recent call about a Boa constrictor from its owner who was saying that if we didn’t pick up the animal right away she was going to put it out into the desert to get rid of it. It was heavy bodied boa from Madagascar around 4 feet long,” Gillis shares. “We had to go out and get her immediately. If exotic animals are released into a foreign ecosystem they will either fail to adapt and die or adapt too well and become a threat to the local wildlife.”

Another major goal of TRR is to educate the community on reptiles and how to care for them. To achieve this they host gatherings, seminars and open houses for youth groups and the general public on a regular basis. On the third Saturday of each month, TRR holds a gathering at Bookmans, 6230 E. Speedway Blvd., where they bring in some of the animals up for adoption and answer questions from the crowd who get a chance to observe and interact with the reptiles. Monthly events are also held at Petco and the TRR facilities.

“We’ve gotten just a wonderful response from our community events. Tons of people have been coming out and they love to see the animals and ask us a ton of questions,” says Gillis. “One of our big goals is to further the education on reptiles and how to be an owner and properly keep one as a pet.”

And to help aid their efforts, TRR has just recently moved into a larger downtown location, 844 S. Sixth Ave., that is now open to the public. This will allow the organization to have more space to rehabilitate sick and injured reptiles while having room to expand their educational outreach program. Now school classrooms, scout troops, families and other groups will be welcome to enjoy their learning experience while also getting to observe the new enclosures for the reptiles.

“We’re thrilled to be in our new building which is a really large space and a big improvement for us. So far we have an enclosure for monitor lizards, an enclosure for our tortoises, multiple iguana enclosures and we’re adding other spaces for the rest of the boas and reptiles. We have space now for the public to come in and learn about the animals. The central location is great for the community to rally around and learn a lot about these animals.”

Driven by their passion of aiding animals in need – Gillis has worked in animal rescue for over two decades – TRR is quickly growing in popularity in the Tucson community as more and more people are realizing that reptiles are truly remarkable pets to own. And thanks to the efforts of Charlotte and her staff, hopefully these beautifully unique creatures will continue to find permanent homes with caring owners.

African sulcata tortoise, Dozer, was recently adopted through Tucson Reptile Rescue. photo: Dan Perino

“A big misconception is that reptiles are dangerous pets. There are some reptiles that can be purchased that have potential to be dangerous, but for the most part reptiles are safer than the average cat or dog. They have smaller teeth and smaller claws and they don’t have any fur, so they don’t cause people to have allergies. They don’t make a whole lot of noise either and they are very beautiful to live with and enjoy.”

Tucson Reptile Rescue is located at 844 S. Sixth Ave. and online at TucsonReptileRescue.com. Call (520) 991-9553 with inquires.

Eight Stars a-Shopping

December 2, 2013 | Monica Surfaro Spigelman

The Holiday Everything Guide

What will your true love give to you in this month of holiday everything? These suggestions from local taste makers help expand definitions of holiday and get everyone in the zone.

Here’s the deal: Because style is so individual, what matters most in holiday gifting is staying mindful of your own flair, at the same time thinking outside the box for that special something.

So it is with these eight local notables from a long list who have climbed into the ranks of Tucson taste makers without trying. It takes a little digging to unearth treasures, but these masters of local style have done the hard work for us, curating a delectable collection of good stuff that goes to the edge of what’s on fire now. Because savoring tradition is one of the best gifts to give this season, our taste makers also share tidbits about creating their own traditions and personal sense of holiday meaning.

From locally-distilled whiskey to hand-sewn leather bags, you can totally feel the love that went into this tasty list. It will be hard to decide which you prefer — the joy of starting a tradition, receiving a locally-sourced curio, or giving one of these fabulous finds.

Anne-Marie Russell

Anne-Marie Russell
Executive Director, Museum of Contemporary Art-Tucson

Russell’s list is plucked from a mix of high style sleek to lushly traditional.

Russell likes gifts that support local endeavors and also have value year-round – thus she suggests a membership to Tucson Community Supported Agriculture (TucsonCSA.org) or any of our local museums.
Desert-folk rocker Howe Gelb (HoweGelb.com) has just released “The Coincidentalist” album, and Russell recommends a vinyl version of this low-key indie Americana classic. Order it from Gelb’s website.
Shelve the sangria….for winter imbibing, Russell suggests that you shake up the season’s alchemy with a Tucson-distilled Whiskey del Bac from Hamilton Distillery (HamiltonDistillers.com). It seems everyone is talking about the latest project of Arroyo Design furniture maker Stephen Paul, who is crafting mesquite-smoked whiskey and un-aged raw whiskey from his micro-distillery on North Hoff Avenue. The whiskey will be offered soon at downtown hot spots, so the suggestion is to get on the website’s mailing list to learn about availability before the holidays.
Perfect Picks from MOCA: If pressed for a MOCA gift shop (MOCA-Tucson.com) gem she suggests a piece of Nick Tranmer’s celadon pottery, Dave Sayre artist t-shirts, Nicki Adler jewelry and Alexander Girard dolls. Call the museum if you want a heads up on what’s in stock at the gift shop before you visit (520) 624-5019.

Old Timey Traditions to Treasure
Growing up, holidays for Russell were spent in the woods in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. But now she associates this time of the year with the desert, and most of the fun and pleasure revolves around cooking and eating: “My fiancé and I have a new holiday tradition that we’ve established over the last few years. We make a country pate with pork shoulder and chicken thigh, tons of garlic, sage and thyme. We bought a hand-turn meat grinder at a junk store and we make enough to give to all of our favorite people… our favorite vegans get wine.” Playing pool at The District also is part of Russell’s tradition, as is celebrating the solstice by pulling out the telescope for what she calls “perspective and grandeur.”

Patricia Schwabe

Patricia Schwabe
Owner, Penca

The holiday visions that dance in Patricia Schwabe’s head are definitely of the family kind – rich with tradition and filled with the spice of local and handmade goods.

Like other taste makers, Schwabe heads to Bon, MAST and MOCA for favorite gifting. But she also recommends University Avenue’s Ooo! Outside of Ordinary (OooOutsideofOrdinary.com) for its eclectic and stylish collection of gifts, fashion, home décor and jewelry.
If you have not shopped at the utilitarian and awesome Too Strong (TooStrongUSA.com), Schwabe says you should. The guys with the sewing studio downtown on South Sixth Avenue make jeans, shirts and jackets sourced with Pima cotton and Arizona copper rivets, but Schwabe’s most favorite item is the Too Strong chunky leather messenger bag.
Perfect Pick from Penca: Since food is a gift that always delights, Penca (PencaRestaurante.com) creates a chef’s dinner as a holiday food gift above-the-ordinary, with good wishes folded into every course.

Old Timey Traditions to Treasure
With five children, Schwabe and her husband Ron still follow the tradition of a family shopping night the evening before Christmas Eve: “Each kid suggests something they would like to receive for Christmas… the others have to listen! Later we divide ourselves in groups. It’s big yet fun logistics. When we get home, each kids gets a chance to wrap their gifts and each year they look forward to surprising each other.” And of course they cook, affirms Schwabe, who also recommends families hear the Boys Chorus at Sabino Canyon. “My mom and I try to cook everything possible, from Bacalao a la Vizcaina, bunuelos, tamales de mole and capirotada (Mexican bread pudding, kind of). We then celebrate Christmas Eve, following my Mexican tradition and on Christmas Day.”

Kristen E. Nelson. Photo: Sarah Dalby.

Kristen E. Nelson
Executive Director, Casa Libre en la Solana

This Tucson poetess and Casa Libre founder channels her literati instincts into a few suggestions for the book lovers among us.

At least one of Nelson’s picks may be hard to come by, but she suggests anyone searching for rare, out-of-print books head to The Book Stop (BookStopTucson.com) or Bookman’s (Bookmans.com). Nelson’s spent years hunting for an affordable copy of Sophie Calle’s “Exquisite Pain.”
To anyone who likes to read, Nelson recommends “Troubling the Line,” a transgender and genderqueer poetry anthology co-edited by TC Tolbert, and “The Sin Eater,” a short story collection by Elizabeth Frankie Rollins. Both of these books should grace everyone’s bookshelves and you can find copies at Antigone Books (AntigoneBooks.com).
Because Casa Libre, CasaLibre.org, is on Fourth Avenue, Nelson says she is surrounded by the best local places to find unique holiday gifts. Beyond longing for a bottle of Stephen Paul’s mesquite-smoked Whiskey Del Bac her favorite shop these days is Pop-Cycle (PopCycleShop.com), with its assortment of recycled artwork from local artists. Nelson particularly likes the vintage leather cuffs they carry and the succulents planted in dinosaur toys.

Old Timey Traditions to Treasure
This is the first time in about a decade Nelson will be in Tucson for the winter holidays, and she’s looking forward to spending time with her partner and some good friends to start new Tucson traditions: “Perhaps a trip to the trampoline park Get Air (GetAirTucson.com), sitting on the beautiful new outdoor patio at Che’s Lounge (ChesLounge.com) on a Sunday and listening to their acoustic musicians, or hiking Pima Canyon early in the morning on New Year’s Day.” Nelson also is looking forward to spoiling her brand new honorary niece, Vivian Charlotte Saterstrom, will piles and piles of presents. Don’t tell, but Vivian will be getting books, clothes and toy trains.

Ben Johnson
Filmmaker and Tohono Chul Park’s Curator of Exhibitions

Ben Johnson is just as adept at selecting gifts as he is at curating the Tohono Chul’s exhibitions. His deep appreciation for nature mixes happily with modern urban style in these selections.

A favorite go-to gift haunt is the Native Seeds SEARCH (NativeSeeds.org) retail store on Campbell Avenue, with its wonderful selection of beans, teas and chiles as well as artisan crafts by native peoples of the region. This time of year is great to think about soups and chili, and in that direction, during a recent visit Johnson sampled the shop’s chiltepin water, which he recommends.
Sarnoff Art Supply (SarnoffArt.com) and Summit Hut (SummitHut.com) are two additional shops for spot-on local gifting. Johnson is eying Sarnoff’s drawing pens and sketchbooks, while the day packs at Summit Hut also have caught his eye.
Perfect Pick from Tohono Chul (TohonoChulPark.org): The new Small Works Exhibition features works by over 130 local artists, all smaller than 12 inches in size and less than $250. Stepping outside of Tohono Chul Park, Johnson is a huge fan of the museum shop at the Tucson Museum of Art (TucsonMuseumofArt.org) and its selection of artwork and crafts by local artists.

Old Timey Traditions to Treasure
Although Holiday Nights at Tohono Chul is a favorite tradition, Johnson and his wife Frankie also make a point of spending the holidays outdoors, hiking: “When we lived on the East Coast that always meant a shivery huddled hike under grey skies, but we were dedicated! Since moving to Tucson, it’s been ever more our calling to go for as many hikes and picnics as we can manage during the holiday season. Hiking up into the Tucson Mountains or Santa Catalinas, and finding a rocky outcropping with a vista to have a picnic lunch while talking over our year is a perfect way to celebrate.”

Patricia Katchur. photo: Valerie Gallowa

Patricia Katchur
Proprietress, Yikes Toys & Gift-O-Rama

As expected, the Yikes proprietress’ brand of gifting runs on the curious side, and Tucson certainly offers her a banquet of the unusual for her shopping.

Katchur encountered an intriguing, mysterious animal treasure last year from Broadway Village’s Bon Boutique (Bon-Boutique.com) and has been dreaming of it ever since. Not necessarily a holiday decoration, the Wolf Head ornament can grace a corner or shelf year-round as an object of conversation. Of course, everything at Bon is exquisitely beautiful for gifting, says Katchur.
Katchur also recommends a visit to Etherton Gallery (EthertonGallery.com) for amazing works of art. Her favorites: Mayme Kratz (of Phoenix) or Kate Breakey (of Tucson)
Memberships to Loft Cinema (LoftCinema.com), MOCA or Tucson Museum of Art also make much appreciated gifts.
Perfect Picks from Yikes (YikesToys.com): For some endearing, pop culture gifting, the shop offers hand-tooled and painted wallets by Tucson artisan Allegiant Brand Leather/Tony Pickup. There’s also the super-cute and French Neko Wood Pull Along Toy, Watercolor Collages by Tucson artist Valerie Galloway, and Vegetable Candy (in a tin, in carrot, green bean and corn flavors) for stocking stuffers.

Old Timey Traditions to Treasure
Hanging out with her family of friends is Katchur’s most treasured tradition. “Friends are the best gift in the world, and I am so lucky to have such wonderful and embracing beings in my life. My friend Sharon Holnback invites me every season to her Triangle L Ranch in Oracle. It is wintery and cold, and the main house is heated by an old, adobe fireplace. We play Yahtzee and Scrabble; tell tall tales and true tales; and merry-make among our group of oddball friends. I stay for a few days and commune in the high desert. A fantastic way to end the year and kick start the new one.”

Erin Cox

Erin Cox
Master seamstress, Southwestern Belle Alterations and Design

Re-purpose, restore is the mantra of Tucson seamstress Erin Cox, formerly of Preen and now proprietress of her own alterations shop. Food is on her mind for memorable, one-of-a-kind gifting.

With so many delicious restaurants popping up all over downtown, Cox believes anyone (including herself) would be thrilled to receive a gift certificate to any of these establishments. New favorites at the moment are Proper (ProperTucson.com), Reilly’s (ReillyPizza.com), and Penca (PencaRestaurante.com), although her long-standing darlings are Little Poca Cosa (LittlePocaCosa.com) and 47 Scott (47Scott.com).
One gift that that she never tires of is a good candle, and Cox recommends the naturally-scented, 100 percent vegetable wax candles made by Izola and found at MAST (iLoveMAST.com)
Vintage-loving Cox also recommends a trip to Desert Vintage (ShopDesertVintage.com), particularly to source a lovely selection of Native American jewelry. Cox recommends the collection of Fred Harvey sterling and turquoise cuffs at the Fourth Avenue shop.
Perfect Picks from Southwestern Belle (Facebook.com/SouthwesternBelle76): If a friend has out-dated garments that deserve remaking into new fashion, Cox is offering gift certificates. For ornaments or bookcase baubles, Cox also hand-beads old horseshoes with Czech and vintage glass, mixed with sterling and African beads. Call (520) 955-3719 for an appointment.

Old Timey Tradition to Treasure
Erin’s holiday ritual involves preparing three or more dishes that she and her husband have never cooked before. “We wake up in the morning and start prepping immediately. Once the dishes have been completed we graze throughout the evening while opening up a gift or two in between courses. Last year’s dinner was perfectly roasted lamb ribs with rosemary, French mussel bisque with lavender baguette, and an asparagus salad.”

Joe Pagac, right.
Photo: Wendy Van Leuveren

Joe Pagac
Muralist, portrait and performance artist

Much acclaimed muralist Joe Pagac shows fans a series of personas via his large-scale art – it’s no wonder that there’s a bit of freestyle funk and local love thrown into his holiday gift-giving.

For one-of-a-kind booty Pagac says there is great gift fodder in Fourth Avenue’s Pop-Cycle. “My friend Ashley recently gave me a glittered-up photo of a child holding a chicken and smoking a cigarette mounted on a tiny cabinet door. Perfect!”
Although not a man who craves many material things (Pagac says he has all the fur pillows he needs), Pagac has had his eye on a “Keep Tucson Shitty” shirt for a while now. You may have heard of the KTS movement (with origins of the phrase traced per Tucson Weekly reporting to 1990s graffiti in the Fourth Avenue tunnel.) Local artist Donovan White (Facebook.com/Donovan.White.75) has most recently pressed the phrase on oh-so-Tucson t-shirts he sells around town and direct from his Facebook page.

Old Timey Traditions to Treasure
You’ll often chance upon a Pagac mural by just wandering downtown, and a similar meander is what Pagac says is his holiday tradition: “I really enjoy filling a thermos with spiked apple cider and wandering Winterhaven, or running it when they do the organized runs through it. I also always ‘plant’ my dead tree in an empty lot at the end of the season. A lone pine really spices things up when driving around town. More people should do this.”

Gabriel Ayala

Gabriel Ayala
Musician

This is the time of year when wish lists magically appear. If there’s a Kris Kringle out there, Native American Artist-of-the -Year and local guitarist Gabriel Ayala wants you to buy him a saxophone. In return he has some suggestions for your holiday gifting.

Finding worthwhile holiday gifts is easy, says Ayala, and you skip the malls and give Fourth Avenue love instead. Ayala, without wanting to single out one shop, feels the avenue is the city’s best option for holiday bazaar in terms of artisan eats, home decor and vintage threads. You’ll find your perfect functional pieces of art and worthy gift options here, where Ayala shops often: “I’ve bought small, random home decor inexpensively. Nothing like supporting our own entrepreneurs…buy local and make sure our community is thriving.”
Perfect Pick from Gabriel Ayala: Ayala (AyalaGuitarist.com) is offering a boxed gift set of five CDs at a special discount. His “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” was released in 2007 and can be purchased via the website or directly through Ayala (ayalaguitarist@yahoo.com).

Old Timey Traditions to Treasure
If you’re looking to stroll among thousands of holiday lights with your hot cocoa and sugar cookie, Tohono Chul Park offers one of Ayala’s favorite traditions. Holiday Nights at the Park are held the weekends of Dec. 6-7 and Dec. 13-14, from 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Ayala loves the holiday season for the mood that it puts people in: “I’m very fortunate to perform at Tohono Chul Park for the past 5 years now, and this year I’ll be performing there on Dec. 6 and 7. Seems like people just tend to be a little nicer around the holidays ‘cause of the holiday spirit.”

Holiday Help

November 26, 2013 | Phoenix Michael

Hold on tight. They’re coming. The sales, the lines, the commercials. Under modern capitalism Thanksgiving and Christmas, once sacred days to slow down and spend quality time with family and friends, have instead become over-the-top occasions for families to speed up the spending.

If one looks beyond the mall Santas and PlayStation®4 advertisements, however, it’s still possible to find the original purpose of the season. Sharing. Caring. Giving. Living, not apart, but together. Our society is made up of many contributors, all dependent on others. We should strive to give back just a little bit more than we take out. Ready to chip in? Read on.

Casa de los Niños, for example, could use you. As one of the first crisis nurseries in the United States, for 40 years they have tirelessly worked towards a world where children are safe from abuse and neglect; they don’t intend to stop any time soon! Casa de los Niños’ donation needs include: new or gently used children’s clothing and shoes, new toys, new books, diapers, formula, volunteers, and more. Financial philanthropy is also appreciated. To donate by phone, call (520) 624-5600. Visit CasaDeLosNinos.org to learn more about their prevention, intervention and treatment services, along with more donation items they would graciously accept.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can make a difference; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead

Habitat for Humanity Tucson’s motto is “give a hand up, not a handout.” They don’t just build homes, they build hope. You can get involved by volunteering at construction sites, neighborhood improvement projects, or taking a shift at the HabiStore, 935 W. Grant Rd., pricing merchandise and assisting customers (it’s like a community-focused Home Depot). A one-hour volunteer orientation at Habitat For Humanity Tucson’s 3501 N. Mountain Ave. office is required; sign up online at HabitatTucson.org.

“Service to a just cause rewards the worker with more real happiness and satisfaction than any other venture in life.”
– Carrie Chapman Catt

The Salvation Army Tucson operates a 91-bed Hospitality House Shelter downtown with laundry, dining, referral and activity services and showers for those in need. There are many ways to give: monetarily, by volunteering, donating goods and/or shopping in Salvation Army thrift stores. Non-perishable food items are accepted at 1021 N. 11th Ave. Eighty cents of each dollar spent by the Salvation Army goes directly towards services for needy recipients. SalvationArmyTucson.org has details about their Tucson Christmas Assistance Programs, including an Adopt-A-Family application form.

“The highest of distinctions is service to others.” – King George IV

UA student Caitlin Sanford, 20, passes out soup from South Tucson’s Casa Maria in 2010.
Photo: Jamie Manser

Casa Maria is a Catholic worker community in Tucson, practicing acts of kindness and works of mercy in the name of liberty, social justice and peace. Casa Maria’s soup kitchen at 352 E. 25th St. serves meals daily, and can always use people from 8:30-11:30 a.m. to chop vegetables, prepare sandwiches and bag lunches. If you’ve got a busy schedule and are short on time (who isn’t these days?) you might consider donating clothing, food or hygiene items. Blankets, sleeping bags, toothpaste and towels are just a few of the supplies needed. You can also make a donation via PayPal at CasaMariaTucson.org.

“The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.” (Proverbs 22:9)

Tucson Homicide Survivors, Inc. is a nonprofit assistance program for the families of homicide victims, committed to guaranteeing that “no one has to endure the murder of a loved one alone.” They provide free of charge a survivor support crisis line, home visits, grief counseling, and legal advocacy among other services. HSI can use your help with office work, staffing tables at events and other activities. Volunteer opportunity forms are online at AZHomicideSurvivors.org.

Of course, there are a myriad of other local non-profits that are in need of volunteering help, fiscal and other donations – such as the Community Food Bank, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tucson, Primavera Foundation, Tu Nidito Children & Family Services, and countless more. Visit the Volunteer Center at United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona’s website at VolunteerSOAZ.org for a comprehensive list.

“Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others.”- Mahatma Gandhi

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The Holiday Everything Guide

Anne-Marie Russell
Executive Director, Museum of Contemporary Art-Tucson

Patricia Schwabe
Owner, Penca

Kristen E. Nelson
Executive Director, Casa Libre en la Solana

Ben Johnson
Filmmaker and Tohono Chul Park’s Curator of Exhibitions

Patricia Katchur
Proprietress, Yikes Toys & Gift-O-Rama

Erin Cox
Master seamstress, Southwestern Belle Alterations and Design

Joe Pagac
Muralist, portrait and performance artist

Gabriel Ayala
Musician

Holiday Help

Print Edition

Sponsor ad

Songs from and about the Old Pueblo

The Music Issue

Business

Beauty & Wellness

Beautiful, Healthy Hair

Fitness: Health & Wellness

The Holiday Everything Guide

Anne-Marie Russell Executive Director, Museum of Contemporary Art-Tucson

Patricia Schwabe Owner, Penca

Kristen E. Nelson Executive Director, Casa Libre en la Solana

Ben Johnson Filmmaker and Tohono Chul Park’s Curator of Exhibitions

Patricia Katchur Proprietress, Yikes Toys & Gift-O-Rama

Erin Cox Master seamstress, Southwestern Belle Alterations and Design

Joe Pagac Muralist, portrait and performance artist

Gabriel Ayala Musician

Print Edition

Sponsor ad

Songs from and about the Old Pueblo

The Music Issue

Anne-Marie Russell
Executive Director, Museum of Contemporary Art-Tucson

Patricia Schwabe
Owner, Penca

Kristen E. Nelson
Executive Director, Casa Libre en la Solana

Ben Johnson
Filmmaker and Tohono Chul Park’s Curator of Exhibitions

Patricia Katchur
Proprietress, Yikes Toys & Gift-O-Rama

Erin Cox
Master seamstress, Southwestern Belle Alterations and Design

Joe Pagac
Muralist, portrait and performance artist

Gabriel Ayala
Musician