Twilight Walking Tour of Tucson’s Main Street Mansions
It’s rather…warm in Tucson these days. Walking down a street at twilight in June made me hesitate. But KruseArizona Tours presented me with the chance last Tuesday to do something I’ve always wanted to: learn more about Tucson and the fantastic buildings I see downtown. So I gathered my water bottle, my camera, and my most comfortable shoes, and joined the group.
We meet at 6p.m on a wonderfully shady corner of Alameda and Main Street where Alan Kruse, our guide, Read the rest of Twilight Walking Tour of Tucson’s Main Street Mansions »
When the news came out that Magic Carpet Golf had closed and was destined to become an overflow lot for a car dealership, I cringed. The mini-golf course had been around since the 1970s and was a part of everyone’s memory bank who had grown-up or come of age in Tucson in the 1970-80s. I instantly regretted not having said my final goodbye to this vestige of funky roadside Americana. 
My friend Patricia invited me to join her for the “Mujeres, Mujeres, Mujeres” (“Women, Women, Women”) art opening at Raices Taller 222 Gallery and Workshop (216 E. 6th Street). I jumped at the opportunity to take in some local art and explore the gallery. Raices Taller 222 is Tucson’s only Latino-based contemporary art gallery and is located in the downtown Historic Warehouse District, so visiting the gallery was a convenient start to a Saturday evening spent ambling about the shops, bars, and restaurants on 4th Avenue. 
Some friends and I congregated at The Loft Cinema, located at 3233 E. Speedway, for the opening of the “Girls Rock!” documentary. My friend Nikki and I had been anticipating the release of this movie in our town for months and were overjoyed when we found out that The Loft, a non-profit, community supported cinema, would be screening this film. 
I had wanted to check out Barrio Brewing Co. for some time now, since they opened in Tucson’s Warehouse District. I am always up for exploring a new hotspot in town, especially one that has live music and food. So my best friend, Jules, and I met there for our monthly quaff and nosh. I had heard that the 17th Street Band plays there from 7-9pm on Thursdays. Fortunately, I showed up a bit early because seating was at a premium! The patio, inside tables, and bar seating were full. They were even seating folks on plastic tables and chairs in the back next to the brewery itself, kettles and all! 
Recently, my friend Marybeth was in town from Flagstaff and we attended a book reading by Stella Pope Duarte at Antigone Books on 4th Avenue. I was excited to hear this author speak after having heard her keynote address at the Cesar Chavez Conference in Phoenix in March. Since seating has been limited at the Antigone book readings I have attended in the past, I made a point of showing up a half-hour before the 7:00 p.m. reading. I parked in the big lot located at 7th Street and 5th Ave, as the parking lot directly adjacent to the purple-painted bookstore is cramped, usually packed, and really only suitable for compact cars. 
When I heard that Tooley’s Café had opened a location on Congress, I was eager to check it out. Downtown Tucson can be a treacherous place to navigate these days, with the all the construction and one-way streets. However, Tooley’s on Congress proved to be easy to get to, despite the surrounding streets being torn up. Parking is easily accessed directly to the south of the building, located at 278. E Congress on the corner of 5th Ave. Locals might spot the location better if described as directly across from the old Martin Luther King Building (now being converted into apartments, word has it.) 
Farmer’s Markets abound in Tucson, but I prefer this one. Not only because it’s just around the corner, though that’s a definitely plus. Its smallness creates a neighborly feeling that draws me as much as the offerings. More, in a way, as much of what I buy at the farmer’s market I can get elsewhere just as easily. I have the chance to get to know the merchants, to chat and learn a bit about them in an easy casual setting.
One of the attractions of the Southwest in general and Tucson in particular is both the quantity and quality of the public art. It is difficult to travel around our city without being exposed to various works of art which are as much a part of the fabric of our community as are the streets, buses and even I-10. 
It’s a hidden gem in Tucson. That’s such a cliché, I know. Yet it’s true. I don’t mean hidden in the sense that it’s unknown, but in the sense that once inside the park, the feeling of being in a city fades away. The park is dedicated to educating people about the desert ecology and culture, and does so by being a lush, serene place to explore or just sit and contemplate. I did a bit of both. 
