Tucson, AZ

okemon Trading Cards are as popular as ever. Trainers and collectors in Tucson can now come to the Heroes & Villains Gym to hone their skills under the tutelage of Gym Master Eric while battling other trainers from the Tucson area. The gym is located in the game room adjacent to Heroes and Villains Comics & Adventure at 4533 E. Broadway Blvd. (northwest corner of Swan and Broadway). We’ve been taking our young trainers there each Saturday from 1 to 4 pm, to learn the game and make some friends.

I love flowers. One would be hard pressed to find a flower that evokes a negative emotion – even a black rose or orchid would rather be described as darkly beautiful, not depressing or sad. And for those in search of the vibrant sunset and rainbow colors of blossoms, Tucson does not disappoint, with vivacious wildflowers sweeping across most any slope around town.

Of course, if you’re less inclined to make that more outward drive, all that same desert beauty can be found within Tohono Chul Park!

I don’t mind the thermometer creeping past the century mark while I am working in a nice air-conditioned office, but when I have the day off — in the middle of the week — I need a hot weather thing-to-do.

All I could think of was how nice it would be to go to the beach for the afternoon. I know, San Diego is 400 miles away and gas is $4.00 per gallon. So I called my girlfriend who is off on Thursdays anyway. “Let’s go to the YMCA” she said. “They have a great pool, a big water slide and a waterfall you can sit under.”

Half hour later we were pulling into a parking spot at the Northwest YMCA PIMA County Community Center. It’s at 7710 North Shannon, at the intersection of Shannon and Magee.

It’s been a while since I’ve been to a park; I drive by plenty of them, and often feel a little envious of the people I see relaxing in various ways in the oasis’s of grass and shady trees. So when I heard about flyball, a kind of relay race for dogs, I figured I’d get two birds with one trip, and woke up in the Sunday morning cool to check it out. Up to James D. Kreigh Park, and canines racing pell mell over hurdles!

A fairy kingdom lies in wait of my discovery, tucked away behind an unassuming glass storefront exactly where I least expect to find it, at Crossroads Festival in the center of Tucson on the northeast corner where Grant and Swan intersect. A sign on the glass invites me to bring my Cold Stone Creamery concoction inside, and how can I resist? I open the door of Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s Toys and step into a magical wonderland where kids can be kids and grown-ups can be kids, too.

Finding indoor entertainment over the summer for children of elementary school age is always a challenge in Tucson. Though I’ve lived here for eight years and had a child of movie-going age for the last five of them, I only just discovered the Summer Kids Club at Oracle View and Crossroads Cinemas. Neighbor, it’s a ganga.

When I heard that the 20th Annual Waila Festival advertised on our local community radio station, 91.3 FM KXCI, I made a mental note to attend this year. I recalled fond memories when I attended years ago of Tohono O’odham music, food, and dance, so understandably, I was eager to relive the experience. This year, I decided to head out early and to drag my parents along. The festival was held at the Bear Down Field, just south of the University of Arizona Main library. Normally, I avoid navigating the parking garages or meters at the University because it can be such a hassle. This day, however, the parking garage adjacent to the field was free, as was the festival

A spectacular spring is melting into the bake-oven heat we Tucsonans deal with come every June and July. Within the last few years our coping options have expanded with the completion of the Brandi Fenton Memorial Park at the new conjunction of River and Alvernon Roads in the north central foothills.

The tour group meets at 6p.m on a wonderfully shady corner of Alameda and Main Street where Alan Kruse, our guide, hands out an annotated bibliography about Tucson history and the mansions we’re off to see. He starts us off with a quick background on Tucson and how it came to be part of the United States territory. I probably learned some of this in school, but it’s more interesting coming from Alan.

I cringed. The mini-golf course had been around since t, it was inked into my agenda., When the news came out that Magic Carpet Golf had close