Tucson, AZ

My friend Nikki is a devout fan of the 1993 Tim Burton film The Nightmare Before Christmas and even has a tatoos of the characters. So when she saw that the film would be screened at the historic Fox Tucson Theatre just before Christmas, she recruited me to attend the film with her. I had never seen a movie at the restored downtown venue, although I had been there for live theater, so I was excited to see what their big screen had to offer.

The movie screening was scheduled for 8:00 p.m., so we headed downtown to arrive around 7:30 p.m. to be sure to have enough time to find a parking spot near the theatre, located 17 W. Congress, just west of Stone Avenue. We fortunately found a spot in a small lot located just south of Congress off of Stone and since it was after normal business hours, their was no parking cost.

I love to read. Over the years I have acquired quite the collection of books. Our children have inherited my love of books and, over the years, buying books for my husband, the children, and myself has become expensive. The library is an obvious alternative, so I have recently found myself scouring the shelves of the different libraries within reasonable driving distance from my home for books that my husband and I would be interested in, but more importantly books that our children would enjoy. Because of the demand of certain books I have had to broaden my “library circle” and as a result have visited quite a few that I had not before attended. The most recent addition to my “circle” is the Flowing Wells Public Library.

Since having kids, I have spent many a days at a variety of parks. I am always trying to rotate where we go so that the kids don’t lose interest. One of the parks on our regular rotation is Riverfront Park. This park is located at 551 W. Lambert Road. It is just east of La Canada on the south side of the street. The park is neatly tucked back off the road, which is nice and different from a lot of parks here in Tucson.

I’m not sure how this community manages it, but from 5:30 p.m.- 10:30 p.m. each night from December 13th-27th, every single house is lit up, and each residence outdoes the other. There was one house that had an honest to goodness fountain show synchronized with Christmas carols, another that has a Christmas Story theme, and still another with a giant 20 foot Santa. And that’s just the tip of the ice berg.

The Tucson Banditas, or “B.A.B.E.” (Banditas Art Brigade and Exchange), put on a Holiday “Shop a Do,” a sort of smaller, more art-centric version of the Street Fair last weekend and before that, on December 6th and December 20th from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It was in the parking lot behind the Surly Wench, which is on 4th Avenue, so it was technically, according to the flier, at 423 N. Hoff. Local artists and art collectives put their work on display and for sale.

For the past month I’ve been working with a really great cast and some really great direction on a play called A Tucson Pastorela, put on by Borderlands Theater Group. I’m on makeup and wardrobe, which is really the easiest job, since another girl does the costumes, and some of the actors do their own makeup, yet all are all fun to work with. The Pastorela is the Christmas story (the birth of Jesus, remember?), but this play gives it an edge with comic devils trying to stop the shepherds and the two angels, Michael and Gabriel, from going to Bethlehem (or, in this case, the shepherds, Miguel, Gabriel, y Juan, a sort of time-traveling boy from the reservation, to get to Belen).

I caught the tail end of the Annual Tucson Winter Street Fair a few days ago. The first part of the day was a little rained out, so I went when the sky cleared up and immediately bought a tiny African Violet plant from a woman who was closing up a pottery booth. She sold it to me for $1.00. Stores on 4th Avenue were having sales, staying open later, and welcoming traffic from the vendors that come from all over Arizona to sell art, crafts, jewelry, etc. Some stores, like High Tech Computers and Hardcore 101, had their own booth in front of their stores.

Every four years, during the Olympic Games, I watch in awe as the gymnasts perform their routines. I love to watch these athletes execute floor exercise routines, rings, and the uneven parallel bars. And, I’m always amazed at those who have disciplined themselves into being able to perform feats that are seemingly impossible. As I watch these amazing athletes on television, I always imagine myself as one of them. As laughable as it seems, (I’m sure I am way over-the-hill for an Olympic gymnast) I wonder if I ever pushed myself, if I would be able to do what they do. And that’s how I became acquainted with Tumbleweed Gymnastics at 1859 W. Grant Road.

I’m probably the worst golfer in the history of the sport. But, because things were a little hectic this week with various holiday events, I decided to get out and hit a few balls at Trini Alvarez El Rio Municipal Public Golf Course, located at 1400 West Speedway. As soon as I stepped out onto the green, I immediately felt rejuvenated. The well-kept course felt open and wide and the trees there smelled fragrant and alive, which was just the thing to lift my spirits.

This historic facility also offers a variety of indoor and outdoor settings for various events, and for those who believe, the chance to view the house’s original owners as ghosts— if you’re lucky.

This historic facility also offers a variety of indoor and outdoor settings for various events, and for those who believe, the chance to view the house’s original owners as ghosts— if you’re lucky.

This historic facility also offers a variety of indoor and outdoor settings for various events, and for those who believe, the chance to view the house’s original owners as ghosts— if you’re lucky.