A TRIP TO TUCSON IN THE DESERT

MISSION REVIVAL HOME

DOWNTOWN TUCSON

      Ron and I recently drove to Phoenix to babysit Mila while Anna and John attended a conference. We were delighted to do so, and we were also pleased to receive an unexpected email from a special cousin, Kathy. She informed us that she and her husband, Karl, were in Tucson. We gladly changed our plans and headed to Tucson after Phoenix so that we could join them for dinner. Kathy prepared one of her great meals that included salmon from Alaska. In addition to the meal, they entertained us with stories about their life in Alaska and visits to Sweden.

      We stayed at the Fairfield Inn in Oro Valley, which is about ten miles north of Tucson. I enjoyed the morning walks along paths through the desert, and the well-groomed neighborhoods with interesting cacti along the way. For me, the unattractiveness of the desert sand is somewhat compensated by the fascinating range of shapes, colors, and sizes of cacti and nearby mountains. I was brought up in the Midwest, where we only occasionally saw a cactus planted in an indoor pot, so to see all the varieties growing naturally is quite a treat for me.

     

NATURAL ROCK SCULPTURES

MT. LEMMON SCENIC BYWAY

      On the first day, Ron and I drove up the Mount Lemmon Scenic Byway. This beautiful route is considered one of the most scenic drives in southeastern Arizona. The sharp change in landscape from desert to the Coronado National Forest in just 27 miles is amazing. At the summit is Mount Lemmon Ski Valley (9,157 feet); this is the southernmost ski area in the U.S. It was open for only eight weeks this year (they don't make snow) which is considered a good year. It was open for two weeks last year (not such a good year). There is no grooming here, and the winter temperatures range from 20-50F with an average snowfall of 180 inches. These variable temperatures would make even the easiest ski run a challenge.

    

   

WALL PAINTINGS ON HOMES

A 30-minute drive to the center of Tucson was on my agenda for our last morning. That's because I read about the historical walking tour of downtown Tucson called the Turquoise Trail (formerly called the Presidio Trail) which is marked by a strip of paint that is a two and one-half mile loop through downtown. The trail begins at the Presidio San Augustin del Tucson that was founded by Spanish soldiers in 1775. It was under Spanish control until the Mexican-American War of 1846.

     

ADOBE HOME

DOWNTOWN TUCSON

      The trail is designed as a loop, but it can be done in segments. It was easy to spot the turquoise strip to follow, and I immediately discovered some old adobe buildings that were built in the late 1800s. Adding to the interest were the colorful Mexican paintings that adorned many of the walls. The buildings dated from 1860 to 1920 and included a variety of architectural styles: Sonoran Transitional with its thick adobe walls and narrow window openings; Craftsman Bungalow known for its gable roofs and simplicity of form; Spanish Eclectic that is known for its red-tile clay roofs and arched windows; and Mission Revival with its enclosed courtyards, massive adobe walls and clay roof tiles.

     

     

HOTEL CONGRESS DOWNTWON TUCSON

One of the highlights of the walk is the Hotel Congress that was built in 1919 to serve the passengers arriving at the nearby railroad station. It still has the old west charm and is famous for being the secret hiding place for John Dillinger and his gang, until a fire destroyed the third floor of the hotel in 1934 and blew their cover. They were soon apprehended by local police and extradited to Indiana.

      As you walk along, there are restaurants and shops in historic buildings that I had time to only peek at. The two hours I allotted were not nearly long enough to get the full enjoyment for Tucson's famous downtown historical area.

NATURAL ROCK SCULPTURES

MT. LEMMON SCENIC BYWAY

WALL PAINTINGS ON HOMES

A VINTAGE SHOP IN LITTLE ITALY SAN DIEGO

ARCHITECTURAL SALVAGE OF SAN DIEGO

      There is a shop in Little Italy that reminds me of the antique barns that I used to frequent when driving on the country back roads of Minnesota. There is a big difference, however; Architectural Salvage, is in an old mint-green-stucco building, on the corner of Kettner Blvd. and Kalmai Street, in downtown San Diego—loaded with old artifacts from all over the world, with sophisticated customers who walk around with pads and pencils in hand. They range from interior decorators, restoration enthusiasts, artists to just plain lovers of “old stuff,” like me.

          I was originally attracted to this store when Ron and I were casually walking around the area one day. I happened to notice some old odd-sized doors leaning against the outside wall, and then when I looked inside there were hundreds more in a variety of sizes, colors, and styles. I love old doors, but that was just the beginning. The place was also full of antique sinks, keyholes, door handles, knobs, mailboxes, crates, stain-glass windows, pots, pitchers, stools, tables, benches, doll furniture, boxes, brass-plated numbers, light fixtures, tubs, old keys, and more—all displayed in a fascinating way. It's the most clean and artistically displayed store of old stuff that I've ever seen.

LOTS OF DOOR HARDWARE

     After being in business for twenty years, it is not surprising they have attracted customers from all over the world. They purchase in bulk from faraway places like Egypt and Eastern Europe as well as the U.S.

     One of the delightful things about a visit here is that you can take your time and examine all kinds of fascinating items, even taking photos. No one bothers you, just like the large resident cat who freely walks around the place.

     I also like to climb the old staircase to the second level with its additional artifacts, and to view the entire store from above.

    Due to a thriving business, the products are constantly changing—a good reason to return soon.

VIEW FROM UPPER LEVEL

     I must admit that I have absolutely no space or need for anything in this store. Nor do I wish for space for any of this stuff. I lightened my load many years ago, and I have no desire to go back. I do, however, have a great time visiting this place, so if any of my readers need a personal shopper for a one-of-a-kind treasure, just let me know.

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     After spending some time in days-of-old, and even seeing a few antique coffee grinders, I recommend crossing the street to the Bird Rock Coffee Roasters for a taste of something new. That is coffee so good and fresh that the only way to fully appreciate it is to drink it black.

     This new third wave of coffee, that is sweeping the city (on the tail end of the microbreweries), is using some “not-so-new” processes like pour-over, siphoned and cold brewing to make a new perfect cup of java that must stand alone. In addition, they roast their own small batches of beans that hail from specific regional farms throughout the world.

     The first wave of coffee was post WWII, when Folgers and Maxwell House were mass produced for the home coffee drinker. The second wave was Starbuck's and Peet's with their dark roast and espresso-based coffee drinks. Now we're on to the third wave, and I'm not sure if I will fully adjust, but I will give it a try. After all, I always drank my Folgers black when I was young; it was too weak to drink otherwise.

NIKKI GIOVANNI ON RACE, LOVE, AND LIFE

"Bicycles: because love requires trust and balance."

      Nikki Giovanni is an author, commentator, activist, educator, and one of the world's most well known African-American poets. She has written over thirty books and received dozens of awards and honors. She currently is the University Distinguished Professor of English at Virginia Polytechnic University in Blacksburg, Virginia.

      I had the privilege of hearing her speak at the 21^st annual Writer's Symposium at Point Loma Nazarene University on February 18. She received a warm welcome as she entered the stage with a lively gait, warm smile, and colorful-red-plaid jacket. 

       She started the evening by reading her poetry (without punctuation or pause) which was followed by a lively conversation conducted by symposium founder and PLNU journalism director, Dean Nelson. She always advises her students to say something that people don't expect them to say, and that is exactly what she did in this interview. She did it with the humor and wisdom that only a 72-year-old woman who is content with where she's at, and has lived her life in love, could do.

      Here are some of my favorite quotes:

      “It's better to take a chance and be wrong than to be safe and dull.”

      “Tell your story as you see it.”

      “Write in love.”

      “Make the stage work for you.”

      “I recommend being black.”

      “I highly recommend old age: it's fun.”

       “I keep trying to learn something new, so that I can share what I'm learning.” (My favorite.)

      When asked why she doesn't use punctuation when writing her poetry, she said, “she assumes her readers are intelligent, and it is to be read as they understand it.”

      “Send notes to let people know you care about them. (How else will they know?)”

      “If I were advising anyone: Write—the deal is you have to write.”

       “Read something everyday. I do.”

       “I am a dreamer and a storyteller.”

       “Remember that everyone is not always going to love you.”

       “I'm not trying to tell people what to do or what to think or none of that. I'm not a leader, I'm not a guru. I'm just a poet looking at the world.”

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      Travel was not one of the topics; however, she did share that she has the gift of falling asleep easily on long airplane journeys. (I'm jealous of that trait.) She also said that her favorite city is New York, where she used to live, and would live again if she could afford it. She loves to walk and misses her long walks in the city. One more thing: always first class to Hong Kong or Singapore. (It's a 20 hour flight.)

      I also found it interesting that she has volunteered at Warm Hearth Village Retirement Community in Virginia for twelve years. Her writing class wrote and published three books during that time. The students described Giovanni as warm and supportive, her criticism constructive and gentle.

       Thank you, Nikki Giovanni, for traveling across the country to share your life and thoughts with us. It was truly an inspirational and unforgettable evening.

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       Videos of previous Writers Symposiums are available online at UCSD TV—2016 will be viewable in approximately one month.

VINTAGE PIANOS IN PUBLIC SPACES

SYMPHONY TOWERS LOBBY

      For the past month, San Diego has been the city of colorful pianos in public places, sponsored by the San Diego Symphony to  promote the Upright & Grand Piano Festival. The symphony distributed ten pianos to local community groups and artists to paint. Next, they moved them to popular public locations throughout the city, for all to enjoy and play.

HEADQUARTERS SEAPORT VILLAGE

     Intrigued by the idea of painted pianos, I decided to head out on a downtown-walking tour to see how many I could find.

I started at the Broadway Pier and then headed over to the Headquarters in Seaport Village for a look at the piano located in the center's open-air courtyard. When I arrived, the piano was still covered for the night with a canvas, however, the guard removed it at 9:15 am. This artfully-designed piano is the work of David at A Reason to Survive (ARTS), an arts program for youth facing adversity. The black spinet piano had large blue fingers painted above the keyboard, and a sizable, white and blue eyeball, looking up from the bench. There was a “PLAY ME” sign sitting on top—the same sign I encountered on all of the public pianos.

WESTFIELD HORTON PLAZA

     Next, I headed over to the Contemporary Museum of Art to see the public piano display in the lobby, unfortunately, the museum is closed on Wednesdays. I then walked up Broadway to Westfield Horton Plaza to search out another public display that I found in the outdoor mall close to Macy's. This white piano was covered with whimsical designs in green, red, pink, and yellow, that were painted by the staff and residents at PATH Connections Housing, a community program supporting the homeless.

     My musical tour of pianos in open spaces, next brought me to the grand lobby of the Symphony Towers, also home to the San Diego Symphony, sponsor of this event. Here the upright piano has been colorfully painted in shades of orange and blue by local artists: Anna Stoa, Grace Gray-Adams, and Grace Mathews.

  

QUARTYARD EAST VILLAGE

   So far, I hadn't seen anyone playing the pianos; however, my luck changed when I headed up to the Quartyard in the East Village. Here I was pleased to see a young man sitting at the bench playing the piano using sheet music he had brought with him. He told me that his apartment was too small for a piano and he misses having one to play—I told him that I felt the same way.

     East Village is also home to the Central library so I headed over to their outside sitting area to check out another piece of art by young artists from the New Children's Museum. This piano was delightfully painted in bright pinks, yellows, blues, greens, and purple.

SAN DIEGO CENTRAL LIBRARY

     I couldn't help but wish that there was a small room available, somewhere in the huge new library complex, where they could move this piano to at the end of the event. Patrons of the library could then reserve the room with a library card, and enjoy playing a piano. The Minneapolis Central Library has such a room available, and I think San Diego should do the same. I've met a lot of people who no longer have room for a piano, myself included, but would love to have a piano to play on occasion. 

CORONADO FERRY LANDING

     From here I headed over to catch the 5^th Avenue Ferry to Coronado to look at the piano located at the Ferry Landing. It was painted by second graders at Urban Discovery Academy Charter School of San Diego with white-etched circles and student names written on a black background. I then sat down and played “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” The next day, when I was at Balboa Park, I took a look at one last piano, painted in blue with white speckles, that was sitting in the famous Old Globe courtyard.

     Although I missed a few, I managed to see seven of the pianos in public spaces. The display has closed, however, I heard that the pianos are being donated to local community centers for all to enjoy. (I will wait a response from the public library to see if they have a space for one small piano room.)

SAN DIEGO CENTRAL LIBRARY

CAFFEINE CRAWL SAN DIEGO 2016

       When I heard about the Caffeine Crawl I knew this was for me. I love coffee; a chance to taste the best java from the top brewhouses in town sounded perfect. There is a third wave of coffee going around the country; I wanted to learn more about it. Techniques called pour-over and cold brewing, and terms like organic-fair trade have become popular. The new oficionados are purists who believe their coffee should sit on its own, without cream or milk.

       James Burton, a marketing specialist, launched the first Caffeine Crawl in Kansas City in 2011. They have now expanded to 15 cities across the US, including San Diego where the third annual crawl was held on January 21-23, 2016.

      There were 21 local coffee houses participating and ten routes to choose from. I signed up for a Saturday morning #3 route that included visits to six locations. The first five were within a couple miles of each other; however, parking was a challenge at a few of them. The final, Bay Park Coffee, was about 6 miles away, but worth the drive.

      There were about twenty-five in the group, but we lost a few at the end—I expect that's what happens at pub crawls as well. It started at 9 ended at 12:30—each stop lasted 25-30 minutes with ten minutes in between. It moved fast, and didn't allow much time for lingering. However, I came away with some new favorite coffee shops to revisit. I'm not sure if my appreciation of Starbuck's will ever be the same again.

       Here are the places on my route, in the order we visited them:

Cafe Moto, (2619 National Avenue) is located in Barrio Logan, one of the oldest neighborhoods of San Diego. They have a convenient parking lot for customers. The kickoff took place in their warehouse where we were surrounded by hundreds of burlap bags full of beans from all over the world. This was also the roasting area. There was plenty of hot and cold coffee to enjoy, and delicious pastries as well. After a presentation, we were given goody bags, and the raffle winners were announced. The time passed quickly.

       Next, we all headed to our cars for the short drive to Ryan Brothers (1894 Main St) which is also located in Barrio Logan. I arrived just in time to hear Tom Ryan's informative presentation in the warehouse. First, he gave us an explanation of the roasting process while the roaster machine was doing the work. He said that if the machine broke down, they have only 24 hours before they run out of coffee. We also had the opportunity to smell some wonderful coffee bean aromas from dozens of large barrels—ranging from floral to chocolate. We finished with three coffee tastings, and a sweet heavy specialty of the house as well. We all left with free coffee mugs, and bottles of their new Raceway cold coffee line. Cold brew is brewed cold and stands at room temperature for at least 12 hours; the result is lower acidic levels and a more mellow brew.

      Dark Horse Coffee Roasters, (811 25^th Street) was our next stop. It's located in Golden Hill where I arrived a little late. I parked more than a block away, but it was a pleasant walk past some interesting old homes of Golden Hill. We were served a Dark Horse cold coffee with ice cream which was delicious.

      Next – two coffee houses in Little Italy, about a block apart.

      Bird Rock Coffee Roasters (2295 Kettner Blvd) is a lively corner shop in Little Italy we were given a presentation about the company and its single-origin coffees. We were treated to a sample La Esmeralda Panama that was named as one of the best coffees of 2016 by Good Food Awards. Bird Rock was also awarded Roast Magazines 2012 “Micro Coffee Roaster of The Year.”

      James Coffee Co (2355 India St) is the only place that I had previously visited, and had the privilege of enjoying, for the first time, a pour-over coffee. I was pleased to see that they were demonstrating the process for the Caffeine Crawlers and giving us samples. Pour-over is a slow-drip single cup of coffee, made to order, where hot water is slowly and delicately poured over freshly ground beans.

       There is a guitar sitting next to the coffee roaster (they roast all of their beans in-house) which belongs to co-owner David Kenney, rock star and former guitarist of Angels & Airwaves. He switched to the sounds of the coffee roaster and started James Coffee in 2012. He was available to answer our questions.

      Bay Park Coffee (4120 Napier St.) was the final stop of the tour. Here we could linger over the many samples of coffee and tea available to us. I even had time to seek out cream for my final cup of java for the day.

      I also learned about medicinal teas from the owner, Erica, who recommended drinking three cups of tea a day to stay healthy. I was happy to sample a good-sized cup of the Rooibos Tea because it is caffeine-free, and it just might help me shake this cold I can't get rid of.

        I drove home thinking about what a great time I had, and was reminded again the next morning as I sipped my coffee from the Ryan Bros mug with their motto on it:

                                       “Life is too short to be bitter.”

TRAVEL TIPS FROM THE 2016 SAN DIEGO TRAVEL & ADVENTURE SHOW

       Travel shows are where travel lovers come for inspiration, insight, and expert information and to hear celebrity speakers. The 2016 San Diego Travel & Adventure Show, January 16-17, once again provided all of this and more. With over 140 exhibits, four travel stages, and a global beats music stage, deciding where to spend my time was a challenge.

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       Here are some of the best TRAVEL TIPS I gathered from the experts: 

    

       Emmy Award-winning investigative reporter, producer and CBS news travel editor, Peter Greenberg, flies 400,000 miles a year. He is not shy about speaking up when the airlines, hotels and others treat the public unfairly. Here are some TIPS from his fantastic presentation.

PETER GREENBERG

      Airline Points: There are 18 trillion unredeemed frequent flyer miles. His advice: REDEEM THEM. They lose value every day.

      Hotel bookings: Everything is negotiable; his advice it to call the manager on duty directly to get a good rate, or some free incidentals like parking or resort fees. Always get the individual's name for verification. If a hotel fails to disclose a charge, you don't have to pay it.

      Online bookings: Peter is a real fan of “having a conversation.” He is fine about doing your research online; however, when it comes to booking, he likes to do it with a real person because they have far more information available to them. We see only about half of available inventory online.

      He is also a strong believer in talking to the local people at a destination to find out what's going on. The people who live there know the most. His motto: it's more important to be interested than interesting. Always ask “Why?”

      Airlines: He frequently hears complaints about the airlines these days; however, when someone complains he asks them: Did you get from point A to point B? Did you get there alive? If the answer is yes to both questions, he tells them they had a good flight. In other words, keep your expectations low.

      Connection time: He warned that it's important to allow plenty of time between flights. He recommends 90 minutes to two hours on domestic and four hours when flying internationally.

      What do you do if you get to the gate and your flight is delayed or canceled (not due to weather or “acts of God”)? If it's a major airline you can evoke the FAA Rule 240. It mandates that an airline with a delayed or canceled flight has to transfer passengers to another carrier if the second carrier could get passengers to the destination more quickly than the original airline.

      TSA: Always avoid the line that has two individuals instead of one looking at the computer screen where the bags are scanned. This is because one of them is a trainee and it will take more time.

      Baggage: If you check bags, and especially if you pack valuables like cameras, electronics, and new purchases, always open the bag at the conveyer belt before leaving the airport to make sure nothing has been stolen. Commonly thieves open the bag, remove the items, and then close it again so you won't notice until it's too late. Better yet, don't pack valuables.

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      Patricia Schultz, author of the best sellers 1,000 Places to Go Before You Die and 1,000 Places to See in the USA & Canada is always a delight to listen to. (She was advised not to use the word die in the title-I guess she proved the editors wrong.) She has the gift of making every place she talks about sound “Oh, so enticing.”

     

PATRICIA SCHULTZ

She had great things to say about Scandinavia, especially Norway, with its fjords, describing it as the most beautifully endowed of the Scandinavian countries. She loves Italy, her favorite city is Venice. She said that her Italian mother had a lot to do with her love of Italy and life, although she credits her German father for instilling a hard-work ethic required to write books. 
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      For photography tips, award-winning photographer, Ralph Velasco, was the guy to listen to. His presentation was full of practical ideas without getting high tech. He has led over fifty small group cultural tours around the world with an emphasis on photography. His latest ebook is titled Essence of a Place: A Travel Photographer's Guide to Using a Shot List for Capturing Any Destination.

    

RALPH VELASCO

#1 Travel Tip: Spend more time on travel and less money on gear.

      Backgrounds: He shared a number of his photos on an overhead screen and frequently pointed out the importance of using the background to provide a sense of place—this is especially important when taking portraits and selfies.

      Shot List: Prepare a shot list ahead of time. It is basically a plan for taking photos in a variety of categories. This will make your photo books and slideshows more interesting. For more information, he offers a free app titled My Shot List for Travel (available only on IOS devices at this time).

      Other Ideas:

--Always stop, look, recognize, and then shoot; don't forget to turn around and look behind you.

--Manipulate the landscape. Take photos in both landscape and portrait mode to see which is preferable.

--Download and back up your photos nightly.

--Have a theme in mind when taking photos—you are more likely to see something if you are looking for it.

--Don't just take photos—allow time to have fun and enjoy the place through the mind's eye.

--Learn from your mistakes.

--Share your photos when you get back.

--If you don't like getting up early you should become a writer.

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      One last tip from me: Visit the exhibitors early in the day before they run out of freebies like candy, pens, and bags and don't forget to enter all of the contests—you might win a free trip.

BELLA GUATEMALA TRAVEL EXHIBIT

CAFFEINE CRAWL SAN DIEGO, JANUARY 22 TO JANUARY 24, 2016

I'll be joining hundreds of coffee lovers of San Diego this weekend for the third annual Caffeine Crawl. There are a variety of routes offered January 22 to January 24, 2016 and we'll be visiting some of the best coffee shops in Southern California.


Come and join us for presentations, chocolate, tea and loads of caffeine. For a full schedule of events, costs, and participating coffee businesses visit caffeinecrawl.com.

-List of Participating Shops-

COFFEE, VACATION IN A CUP

Bay Park Coffee                           
Bean Bar
Bird Rock Coffee Roasters
Cafe Moto
Cafe Virtuoso Coffee Roasters
Caffe Calabria Coffee Roasting Co.
Coffee & Tea Collective
Copa Vida
Dane Coffee Roasters at Subterranean Coffee Boutique
Dark Horse Coffee Roasters
David Bacco Chocolatier
Eclipse Chocolate
InterAmerican Coffee
James Coffee Co.
Ryan Bros. Coffee
The West Bean Coffee Roasters
Banana Dang Coffee
Coffee Coffee