Lovin' Life After 50 - Tucson - February 2022

February 2022

Fare Play

Scott’s Cheap Flights started as a hobby

Off the Vine

25 wineries to showcase products from their cellars

Calm is the Key Social worker offers tips on traveling with dementia patients

Tucson Edition

‘Harmony is Their Thing’ for the Oak Ridge Boys Page 11

The latest news and top local stories!

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THIS ISSUE

6 Calm is the Key

Social worker offers tips on traveling with dementia patients

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Opinion

4 4 8

Leibo At Large Ask Marisa

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Features Fare Play

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Entertainment

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3

Opinion

Leibo At Large

Pandemic response is less than impressive

BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ If there’s one thing that continues to surprise me about the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s not the death toll of 831,000 and rising, or that we’re approaching year three of the presence of the virus in our lives. It’s how poorly we as a nation have handled this public health emergency.

When you grow up believing that you live in an exceptional country — a “shining city on a hill,” to borrow a phrase Ronald Reagan borrowed — it’s tough to see that country put in no better than a solid D-plus performance. Graded generously.

Where have we gone wrong, you ask?

I’d cite three major areas of failure: scientific, journalistic and political.

The scientific community performed amazing work creating effective vaccines against COVID-19 at warp speed. Where they’ve fumbled is not at the research level, but where nerds stereotypically stumble — communicating with the rest of us.

Some of this is to be expected; science is an evolutionary process, forever re-examining, rethinking. Scientists change their minds constantly, especially studying a virus that itself mutates by the day. But with COVID-19, the mind-changes have been so many and so radical, vast swaths of the nation seemed to have simply tuned out.

The early days of the pandemic feel quaint now, as does the initial Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mask guidance from the spring 2020.

“If you are not sick,” the CDC told us, “you do not need to wear a facemask unless you are caring for someone who is sick (and they are not able to wear a facemask).”

We’ve traveled a long, twisty road since then. And thousands of news reporters have squawked about it every step of the way. It’s not the local hacks I have much of a problem with, but more the national networks and their style of mixing fact and bloviation. CNN, Fox, MSNBC and their ilk have treated a public health emergency like Election Night or a war, bounc-

4

| FEBRUARY 2022

ing between factual reportage and commentary, until even a sophisticated viewer can’t tell the difference. Then there’s the politicization of the pandemic, using party ID as the metric of truth-telling. To be an independent American watching cable news in 2022 is to be stupefied by how everything — even the basic decision to get a vaccination or wear a mask — is politics today.

Speaking of politics, remember President Trump’s ludicrous “15 days to slow the spread” campaign? That was about 666 days ago. Then we had President Biden’s June 2021 “month of action” that was going to launch a “summer of freedom.” Old Joe was positively giddy come Independence Day, delivering news the nation had nearly reached the goal of 70% of adults with at least one vaccination.

“This is one of the greatest achievements in American history, and you, the American people, made it happen,” the president claimed. “We are emerging from one of the darkest years in our nation’s history into a summer of hope and joy.”

I guess summer was nice, at least in comparison to Biden’s recent description of how omicron would create “a winter of severe illness and death for the unvaccinated — for themselves, their families and the hospitals they’ll soon overwhelm.”

Except now it seems maybe science has changed its mind on omicron, which you may or may not have and which may or may not kill you. Except the CDC changed its mind on quarantines, shifting from 10 days to five for those with infections.

Except you can’t tell if you’re infected because no home COVID-19 tests are in stock at the drugstore and the news says waits are eternal at testing centers. Of course, the news also says … blah, blah, blah.

Like I said, a solid grade of D-plus.

David Leibowitz has called the Valley home since 1995.

Contact david@leibowitzsolo.com.

Ask Marisa

New columnist invites readers to tell themselves a better lie

BY MARISA PEER One of the best parts about being a therapist is hearing people’s stories. Indeed, the stories we tell ourselves play such a huge role in how we feel about our lives, from our relationships and self-esteem to our careers and finances.

But here’s the thing: Most people don’t realize they are telling themselves stories at all. Indeed, in my 30 years as a therapist, I’ve worked with a vast array of different people and heard the most extraordinary stories. When those people walk into my offices in London or Los Angeles, they assume they are telling me the truth: I can’t stop shopping. I can’t stop eating. I can’t hold down a relationship. I am worthless and won’t amount to anything.

My success as a therapist has come from my firm and unwavering belief that we all have the power to choose to tell ourselves better stories, and in the process change our entire lives. I’ve seen it work with everyone from celebrities and top CEOs to people just like you and me. When we change the story we’re telling ourselves, everything else changes, too.

In my newest book, “Tell Yourself a Better Lie: Use the Power of Rapid Transformational Therapy to Edit Your Story and Rewrite Your Life,” I share for the first time how my method of therapy — shortened to RTT — helps people uncover the story lines that aren’t helping them and replace them with better and much more up-todate ones.

RTT is different because it doesn’t take weeks or months of therapy sessions to get to the bottom of an issue. Through 10 diverse case studies in the book, I show how this can be done in as little as one to three sessions using the unique power of therapy that RTT is based on.

Take Carrie, for example, one of the true client stories I share in my book. Since she was a child, Carrie had struggled with obsessive compulsive disorder that had her fixate on an elaborate hygiene routine that dominated her life. She was so tired of having every facet of her day ruled by these compulsions, and sad that she was

limiting herself from so much by being afraid to let it go.

Using RTT, Carrie and I figured out the purpose her OCD was serving: It made her feel safe. And where did her feeling of this lack of safety come from? From very early in childhood, where she experienced abuse, bullying and inadequate support from her caregivers. So here we were, nearly 50 years later, and Carrie was telling herself the story of a 6-year-old: I need these obsessive habits because they keep me clean, they keep me safe, they protect me.

When we replaced that story with a new, much better one — I’m an adult and I can keep myself safe now, as well as give myself the love and support I should have received as a child — everything changed.

She didn’t need the behavior anymore, and so it disappeared. Carrie had never once considered that her OCD had roots in what happened to her as a child.

This is just one example of the literally thousands of stories I’ve heard — and changed — in my long career as a therapist. And I’m so delighted to say that as Lovin’ Life After 50’s new advice columnist, I’ll be able to hear some of your stories and do my best to provide answers that are helpful, compassionate, and can reframe your thinking about a given problem or issue you’re facing in your life.

Sometimes, the bravest step is when you decide to ask for help. When you decide that you no longer want to continue living the way you’ve been living. When you allow yourself to believe — even if just for the length of time it takes to write a letter — that you have the power to change.

I know for a fact that you do, and I can’t wait to hear your stories and help you tell yourself a better lie in this monthly column. Send your questions to media@ marisapeer.com, and keep up with me online at marisapeer.com, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

“Tell Yourself a Better Lie: Use the Power of Rapid Transformational Therapy to Edit Your Story and Rewrite Your Life” is available on Amazon.

www.LovinLife.com

Puzzles

GOby FIGURE! Linda Thistle

ANSWERS ON PAGE 18

King Crossword ACROSS 1 Kitten’s cry 4 Opera set in Egypt 8 Garden intruder 12 Eggs 13 Some deer 14 -- -bitty 15 Containers for laundering 17 Appease 18 “So there!”

19 Pittsburgh pro 21 Emphasize 24 Droop 25 Chop 26 Pirate’s potation 28 Yokels 32 “I’ve Got -- in Kalamazoo” 34 Pinnacle 36 “-- come back now, hear?”

37 Trifled (with) 39 PC alternative

41 Roman 151 42 “-- the season ...”

44 NASA vehicle 46 Critic’s essays 50 Part of DJIA 51 Send forth 52 Give a faded look to, as jeans 56 Lettuce variety 57 Think (over) 58 HBO rival 59 Sheltered 60 Between jobs 61 Layer DOWN 1 Trim the grass 2 Actress Longoria 3 Remove by cleaning 4 Tennis legend Ashe 5 Debtor’s note 6 Society newbies 7 Admin. aides 8 Know-it-all 9 And others (Lat.)

10 Diminutive suffix 11 Color worker 16 Dinner for Dobbin 20 Corn spike 21 Excellent, in slang 22 Toy block name 23 Place 27 May honoree 29 Aftermath 30 Vogue rival 31 Thin cut 33 Beatles classic 35 Standard 38 Conk out 40 Pamper 43 Sage 45 Farm female 46 Country’s McEntire 47 Actor Jannings 48 Unspoken feeling 49 Gulf War missile 53 Unwell 54 Yon maiden 55 Sweetie

SUDOKU TIME

The idea of Go Figure is to arrive at the figures given at the bottom and right-hand columns of the diagram by following the arithmetic signs in the order they are given (that is, from left to right and top to bottom). Use only the numbers below the diagram to complete its blank squares and use each of the nine numbers only once.

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK H

H Moderate HH Challenging HHH HOO BOY!

EVEN EXCHANGE

by Donna Pettman

Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each small 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK H H H

H Moderate HH Challenging HHH HOO BOY!

Each numbered row contains two clues and two answers. The two answers differ from each other by only one letter, which has already been inserted. For example, if you exchange the A from MASTER for an I, you get MISTER. Do not change the order of the letters.

SCRAMBLERS Unscramble the letters within each rectangle to form four ordinary words.

Then rearrange the boxed letters to form the mystery word, which will complete the gag!

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FEBRUARY 2022 |

5

Features

CALM is the

Key

Social worker offers tips on traveling with dementia patients (Stock image)

BY LAURA LATZKO

brains are working a lot harder to just Heading out on a quick trip or a longer do simple things. So they need periods vacation comes with its challenges. Trav- of activity, but they also need periods of eling with someone downtime or rest.” with dementia can Dementia patients make it even more experience confucomplicated. sion and agitation Lori Nisson — a liat home, so it can censed clinical social be amplified on a worker and family trip. Nisson says it and community seris important for the vices director for the caretaker to be calm, Banner Alzheimer’s speak in a slow manInstitute — says ner and respond to there are ways to the emotion approlessen stress. priately.

“If it’s done well, “You really want to it can be successful, avoid arguing with but it can also be somebody with dechallenging for the Lori Nisson is a licensed clinical social mentia. You want to person with demen- worker and family and community listen, just focus on services director for the Banner Alzheimer’s tia because any time Institute. (Submitted photo) how they are feeling. you change their enYou want to respond vironment and routine, it can be difficult gently,” Nisson says. for them to adapt,” Nisson says.

“You want to avoid correcting, coercNisson says the ease of traveling de- ing, convincing or trying to reason with pends on the stage of dementia. Caretak- them. If they do seem very upset, you can ers should test the waters with a day trip. just agree with them, even if it’s not quite “A day trip is a great way to try out to true in our reality. You might apologize see how well they will do and how over- for the emotion. ‘I’m really sorry. I didn’t whelming or how manageable it might understand what you were saying,’ or, be for them,” Nisson says. “I think pick- ‘I’m really sorry I upset you.’ Then, you try ing places that can be familiar are a good to distract them and bring their attention place to start.” away from what might be causing the upBreaks are important, too. set or the trigger.”

“It is important to plan trips that aren’t Family members should also limit stimgoing to be too arduous or too complex,” ulation, especially while traveling. For Nisson says. “Where you might go to Eu- those who are flying, this means heading rope and plan to see multiple museums to a quiet room, a bathroom or the back in one day, that’s going to be too much of a food commons area in an airport. for somebody living with dementia.

“We all get overstimulated when we “When people have dementia, their are in a noisy airport with lots of things

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| FEBRUARY 2022

happening and lots of people walking by, noises and overhead speakers. I think as best as you can, try to simplify things for the person to make it easy,” Nisson says.

Families can arrange through the airline or airport to board early and/or get an escort to the gate.

It’s important to pack early, so items like medications, medical and emergency contact information, a physician’s information, medical health insurance cards or power of attorney documents aren’t left at home.

What to pack

In some cases, a person in the middle or later stages of dementia may need special medication to make travel easier.

Nisson says caretakers should talk with the patient’s medical providers before leaving for a trip.

However, it’s recommended to first try nonmedical approaches like activities or communication techniques to calm them down.

The COVID-19 pandemic can also play into travel decisions, as families should consider safe modes of transportation.

With more flight delays, backup plans are needed. Caretakers may want to book a nearby hotel if there is a cancellation or long layover.

Dementia-friendly spaces

Organizations like Banner Alzheimer’s Institute have made travel easier. The institute has been working with the Dementia Friends global movement to create dementia-friendly cities and spaces in Tempe, Surprise, Glendale, Mesa, Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tucson.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Air-

port has implemented dementia-friendly training and initiatives.

“Because they learn about key messages about dementia, they become more friendly toward people and families who are living with this disease,” Nisson says.

As part of Dementia Friendly Pima County efforts, organizations such as Pima Council on Aging and the Pima County Board of Supervisors are working together.

The first step is to develop an action plan with goals, initiatives, programs and a timeline for how to make the county more friendly toward patients with dementia and their families.

Educational training sessions for businesses are also a big part of this effort.

During these trainings, volunteers learn more about dementia, communication with someone with dementia, and action steps to take to make a business a “dementia friend.”

Virtual training sessions are 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, February 10, in English; 10 to 11 a.m. Monday, March 7, in Spanish; and 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 8, in English. For more information, visit pcoa. org/calendar.

Dementia Untangled Podcast

The Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, in partnership with Banner Sun Health Research Institute, offers a podcast for caregivers called “Dementia Untangled.” The podcast offers information from experts on topics such as caregiver strategies, health care decisions or new research or medications.

The podcast is available at https://bit.ly/DementiaUntangled. www.LovinLife.com

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7

Fare Play Scott’s Cheap Flights started as a hobby

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Scott Keyes was perusing flights in 2013, when he came across roundtrip airfare from New York City to Milan for $130.

The “mistake fare” was so reasonable that he jumped on a plane and headed to Italy. When Keyes returned home, his friends and colleagues wanted him to help them find great deals. As a hobby, Keyes searched for mistake fares, cheap deals and special pricing.

Two years later, Scott’s Cheap Flights became his full-time job. Now it serves nearly 2 million members and has a team of more than 50 “travel aficionados.”

“It’s been going strong,” Keyes says.

“I’ve been able to use my cheap flight expertise for seven years. I have up to 40 people on the team today, including my CEO Brian (Kidwell). It is a total pinch myself type of experience.”

With Scott’s Cheap Flights, customers choose their home airport and then select a membership tier. It offers a free service for those who just want to try the service and get the occasional economy class deals. For travelers who want the best economy class deals, there’s a premium plan. Elite offers deals in premium economy, business and first class.

Scott’s Cheap Flights then sends fare deals to inboxes.

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| FEBRUARY 2022

Airline prices, Keyes says, are the biggest hurdles for those wanting to see the world. That group included him before he did a deep dive into costs.

“I thought if I could find those cheap flights, then I’d be able to take all those trips and visit places around the world,” Keyes explains.

“When I started doing this as an actual business, it was the golden age of cheap flights. Around then, long haul international airfare was affordable and downright cheap in many cases.”

The cost of traveling is slowly climbing, but there are deals out there, he says.

“Typically speaking, when one airline has a hub or a monopoly on flights, that limits the number of good deals they have there,” he says.

“We see a ton of great deals out of Phoenix and Tucson. We’ve seen Colombia for $240, Costa Rica for $265, Spain for $366, Athens for $462 — all roundtrip.

They’re popping up constantly. There are a ton of great fares.”

Keyes suggests booking those “cheap deals” quickly before they disappear.

“When those $350 tickets to Spain pop up or the $250 tickets to Hawaii pop up, you need to find out about them early so you can book them. That’s where I come in.”

Since the pandemic, air travel has rebounded, but not quite to pre-pandemic levels, he explains. Those who choose to travel will find a “silver lining.”

“You can travel to tourist destinations and see a fraction of the normal tourist crowd,” Keyes says. “If you go to Valencia in Spain in June, it’s totally packed. It’s crowded with tourists. When we were there, we had the place to ourselves. It was just us and the locals.

“I don’t know if we’ll have an opportu-

CEO Brian Kidwell, left, and Scott Keyes run Scott’s Cheap Flights, which help customers find fare deals. (Submitted photo)

nity again in our lifetime to have these iconic world-class destinations without throngs of tourists again. Far be it from me to pressure anybody to take a trip, but for those who are willing, there’s a real window of opportunity to experience these places in a way we may never see them again.”

Get your copy today!

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9

Entertainment

Perfect Storm

Storm Large will perform with her band Le Bonheur at Fox Tucson Theatre on Thursday, February 17. (Submitted photo)

Renaissance woman brings powerful vocals to town

BY LAURA LATZKO Storm Large is known for her dynamic vocals and personality. The rock singer, author and playwright, who has appeared on “America’s Got Talent” and “Rock Star: Supernova,” hopes through her music to bring audiences together.

Large will perform with her band Le Bonheur at Fox Tucson Theatre on Thursday, February 17, and the Chandler Center for the Arts on Friday, February 18.

During the show in Tucson and Phoenix, Large and her band will perform a mélange of music — rock, “American Songbook,” Broadway and original music.

“We do ‘American Songbook,’ but it’s my interpretation of the ‘American Songbook,’ which includes people who haven’t been inducted yet into the great book,” Large says.

“I do a little Cole Porter. I do familiar standards — jazz and whatnot. I also will do some Brandi Carlile. I’ll do my own music. I put the songs together in order of a narrative that I’m trying to convey, which is we don’t know if it’s going to be OK, but that’s OK. We’re human, and what we are experiencing now is an enormous human experience that it’s not just happening to you. It’s happening to all of us.”

Recently, Large has injected more emotion into original songs, like “Stand Up for Me.” Hailing from Massachusetts, Large now resides in Portland, Oregon. For the last 30 years, Large has been a musician. She loved the art form since she was 5 but didn’t start singing with bands until she was 22.

Along with Le Bonheur, Large performs and tours nationally and internationally with the group Pink Martini. She has been singing with the group since around 2011, when she was a guest vocalist with it during concerts with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center.

She made her debut at Carnegie Hall in 2013, performing Weill’s “Seven Deadly Sins” with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra during the Sounds of Spring Festival.

She has also joined Liza Minnelli, K.D. Lang, Michael Feinstein, George Clinton

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| FEBRUARY 2022

and Rufus Wainwright on stage.

During her appearance on “America’s Got Talent” in 2021, Large made it to the quarterfinals, singing A-ha’s “Take On Me,” “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” and Cheap Trick’s “I Want You to Want Me.” Large says that her experience on “America’s Got Talent” was different than her time on “Rock Star: Supernova,” which she did in 2006. “‘America’s Got Talent’ is a machine,” she says.

“You are clay, and they are the hands.

‘Rock Star: Supernova’ was more of a traditional reality show, where they are filming you all of the time and just catching you at your worst, catching you at your best. Even though that was exhausting and really weird, I liked that. I actually preferred it because you got into a groove.

With ‘America’s Got Talent, it’s so fast. You just get whipsawed through the process.

You can’t find the ground. I don’t regret either one. I enjoyed both,” Large says.

For Large, it has been important to write and perform music that is meaningful to her. Sometimes, it can take her 15 years to get a song right.

“That’s the beauty of not being a pop star,” Large says.

“I’m not a slave to my hits, to my history, to be the expectation of what people have decided that I must be. I can be whatever I want to be. I have to work a lot harder, and I have to tour a lot more. I don’t make as much money as a pop star, but that’s fine.”

In April 2021, Large released an audiobook version of her book “Crazy Enough,” featuring a foreword from Patton Oswalt.

Out in November 2012, “Crazy Enough: A Memoir” tells her story of growing up with a mentally ill parent, her fear of similar issues, and her problems with drugs and sex addiction.

The memoir was an Oprah Book of the Week and won the 2013 Oregon Book Award for Creative Nonfiction.

In Portland, she presented a one-woman autobiographical musical called “Crazy Enough,” which ran for 21 weeks in 2009 and was reprised in 2019.

Large shares that it is acceptable to experience fear, instability, uncertainty and stress — especially now. She says artists aren’t immune to these same emotions, but they share them onstage in an open and raw way.

“The person being vulnerable is a very brave person to just be like, ‘Yeah, I am (expletive) up,’” Large says.

“I have my weakness. I have my frailties.

I have my victories. I have my defeats.’ But so do you, and that’s fine. So does the person that you admire the most.”

While music is her focus, Large has showcased her acting talents. Large starred in 2007 in a Portland Center Stage production of “Cabaret,” in which she played Sally Bowles. She has also appeared in Jerry Zaks’ musical “Harps and Angels” in 2010 and in the 2011 films “Rid of Me” and “Bucksville.”

After quarantining like everyone else during the pandemic lockdown, Storm started doing shows again in October.

She says playing live is draining because she is “mentally and emotionally out of shape.”

To de-stress, she exercises, meditates, reads, and listens to podcasts. She says in a time where there is so much social and

political division, artists like herself bring people together and share a common experience.

“My whole job as a performer is to collect a bunch of strangers in the dark, in red states and blue states, and get everybody to feel better, to relax, to celebrate, to feel, to be connected, to feel reconnected,” she says.

“The artist’s job is to make people feel more connected. That’s why I’m an artist anyway, because I want to feel connected. I want to feel less alone.”

MORE INFO

What: Storm Large and Le Bonheur When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, February 17 Where: Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street, Tucson Cost: Tickets start at $25 Info: 520-547-3040, foxtucson.com, stormlarge.com What: Storm Large When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, February 18 Where: Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Avenue, Chandler Cost: Tickets start at $38 Info: 480-782-2680, chandlercenter.org www.LovinLife.com

Harmony is Their Thing Oak Ridge Boys aren’t stopping now

BY LAURA LATZKO With political divide and a pandemic, Oak Ridge Boys tenor Joe Bonsall says the public needs songs like their uplifting “Love, Light and Healing.”

“A song like that is meaningful,” Bonsall says. “I think it’s meaningful at any time, but during this uncertainty, songs like that do give people a little hope and strength.”

Midmonth, Oak Ridge Boys will make two appearances in the state: Friday, February 18, at the Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, and Saturday, February 19, at the Fox Tucson Theatre.

The country music quartet kicked off their career in the 1940s and have since produced music that spans genres.

They’ve gathered 12 gold and three platinum albums. A double-platinum album is in their collection, as well as Grammy, Dove, CMA and ACM awards.

Along with its hit song “Elvira,” Oak Ridge Boys are known for “Bobbie Sue,” “American Made,” “Thank God for Kids,” “Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight,” “Sail Away,” “Dream On,” “I Guess It Never Hurts to Hurt Sometimes” and “Y’all Come Back Saloon.”

Oak Ridge Boys have had the same lineup since the 1970s. Bonsall is joined by lead singer Duane Allen, bass singer Richard Sterban and baritone William Lee Golden.

In March 2021, the group released the uplifting album “Front Porch Singin’,” produced by David Cobb of Lightning Rod Records. The collection includes the group’s rendition of “Swing Down Chariot,” sung a cappella accompanied only by a bassist.

Although the album was recorded in August 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bonsall says Oak Ridge Boys captured the feel of sitting on the back porch, singing.

“We went in there with very sparse instrumentation, a producer, an engineer and a couple of musicians in isolation rooms,” Bonsall says. www.LovinLife.com

Country’s Oak Ridge Boys are best known for their hit song “Elvira.” (Photo by Brandon Wood/IndieBling)

“No visitors, no hangers-on, no press, no family, no nothing. Just pretty much the four of us and Dave. The idea was to sing as if the four Oak Ridge Boys were just sitting on the front porch having fun singing old gospel songs, new gospel songs, old country songs, brand-new country songs. I think we were able to recreate it just fine. We were a little more distanced than we normally are and looking at each other all around in a circle, singing on the mics.

“I think the reason the album came out so well was because it just felt so doggone good to be in the studio seeing each other, being with each other, singing songs in the heat of this pandemic and shutdown. It was very cathartic for us. If nobody else really appreciates this album, that’s OK. The four of us, we did that one for us. The fact that everybody is latching on and enjoying the attitude of the album, it’s an extra blessing.”

Oak Ridge Boys were founded in Knoxville, Tennessee, as the Oak Ridge Quartet, a gospel group. They folded country music into that genre. Bonsall says the group’s harmonies developed from singing gospel music.

“All of us are into harmony singing,” he says.

“That’s our thing. The Oak Ridge Boys

sing harmony. We live in harmony, and we sing in harmony. We have never really had to work on that part. That comes naturally.”

Throughout the years, the group has recorded with notable artists such as Kenny Rogers, Paul Simon, Brenda Lee, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Billy Ray Cyrus and Merle Haggard.

Bonsall says the live shows reflect the Oak Ridge Boys’ evolution.

“Our band is a real cutting-edge band,” Bonsall says.

“They put a new take and a new twist on the old songs. They keep the integrity of the record, but they put a new spark to it.”

Off because of COVID-19 from March 2020 to June 2021, the group is happy to have returned to the road to perform for those yearning for live music.

“Hey man, it feels great to be on road singing,” Bonsall says.

“That’s what we do. The Oak Ridge Boys sing. Even as old as we are, everybody’s feeling good, singing good.”

Few groups have maintained the same lineup for 50 years. The key to a successful relationship is mutual respect.

“Well, first it’s a matter of loving what we do, but there’s more to it than that. It’s a deeper river,” Bonsall says.

“The Oak Ridge Boys bring more history to our stage than any other act in the music industry. This group started back in the ’40s with the original Oak Ridge Quartet, and it survived through the ’50s with the name change to the Oak Ridge Boys.

“Nobody wants to see this history end.

So, everybody works hard to make the right decisions, to do the right things business-wise, to treat people right, to be honest, to put God first in our lives with our families and to get out there on stage and be the Oak Ridge Boys. That’s what we’ve always done. That’s what we still do. I’ll be honest to you. I sometimes don’t know how in the world we do it.”

MORE INFO

What: Oak Ridge Boys When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, February 18 Where: Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd Street, Phoenix Cost: Tickets start at $52 Info: 602-267-1600, celebritytheatre.com When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, February 19 Where: Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street, Tucson Cost: Tickets start at $34.50 Info: 520-547-3040, foxtucson.com FEBRUARY 2022 |

11

Off the Vine 25 wineries to showcase products from their cellars

BY GERI KOEPPEL The Arizona wine industry has evolved greatly in the past couple of decades, bringing dozens of new vintners and a blossoming of wine varietals and styles.

An ideal way to experience the current crop of offerings is at the Off the Vine Arizona Wine Festival on Saturday, February 19, at historic Steam Pump Ranch in Oro Valley.

The festival will showcase 25 of the state’s 120-plus wineries, with each bringing several wines from their cellars.

“Orange wines; canned sparkling wines; dry, dusty, fruit-forward reds; unique, fresh, aromatic whites — they can really explore the terroir of Arizona,” says Kris Pothier, president of the Arizona Wine Growers Association and co-owner of Chateau Tumbleweed.

The wine tasting will be set up in tents and attendees can meet winemakers, so come with questions, Pothier notes.

Picnic tables are abundant, as are treats from food trucks and an adjacent farmers market.

“I go to a lot of festivals, and this is by far my favorite place to be pouring wine,” Pothier remarks.

This is thanks to the food, live music and “insanely gorgeous” location, not to mention the array of vintners.

Arizona has three American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), or official grape-growing regions: Sonoita-Elgin, Willcox and the Verde Valley, the latter of which was just federally recognized in November 2021.

All three will be represented at the festival, but “78% of the fruit grown in the state is coming from Willcox, so they’re going to be drinking wine that’s from a place about an hour-plus from where they’re standing in Oro Valley,” Pothier says.

All the grapes that are grown here are planted at between 3,500 and 4,500 feet in elevation and really run the gamut, according to Pothier. “There are not a lot of varietals that don’t grow in Arizona,” she notes.

Wine regions typically bring to mind a certain type and style of grape. Napa Valley, California, is known for big, bold cabernet sauvignon. Willamette Valley, Oregon, is home to elegant pinot noir.

Pothier says the defining quality of Arizona wines is its wide swath of terroir and style. That’s exciting for growers and drinkers.

In the early 2000s, several growers were big on Rhone varietals and blends (mainly grenache, syrah, mourvèdre and viognier), Pothier said, but today’s crop of winemakers is experimenting with grapes such as aglianico, montepulciano and sangiovese.

“These Spanish and Italian varietals at these high elevations with the extreme sun retain their acidity in the cellar,” she remarks.

Chateau Tumbleweed, in fact, produces a sangiovese from the Cimarron vineyard in Willcox that was planted in the late 2000s by Dick Erath (of Oregon wine fame) and later sold to Todd and Kelly Bostock of Doz Cabezas WineWorks.

Pothier says Arizona is closer than anywhere else in the New World at producing these Twenty-five of the state’s 120-plus wineries will each bring several wines from their cellars.

(Submitted photos)

12

| FEBRUARY 2022

Picnic tables are abudant at the Off the Vine Arizona Wine Festival.

Tasting will be set up in tents, and attendees can meet winemakers.

Old World varietals with the same characteristics as their forebears. An enology instructor at a wine college in Tuscany “thought it was extremely varietally correct, and it was surprising to him because he didn’t know Arizona propagated vines,” she muses.

Another grape that’s gaining attention here is graciano, a beefy, acidic Spanish varietal used in Rioja blends.

“In Spain, they find it too aggressive and acidic to bottle alone, but the way it expresses itself in Arizona is fantastic,” Pothier says.

Also, Kent Callaghan, who’s been making wine in Arizona since 1990, is a big proponent of tannat and petit manseng, and many winemakers are using malvasia bianca due to its floral nose.

Those earlier days of Arizona wine, even into the 2000s, were tougher than now, Pothier says, because the American palate wasn’t as adventurous. Many casual wine drinkers were conditioned to stick to chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon and wouldn’t order anything they couldn’t pronounce. There also was a stigma that only certain places could produce wine. Today, there are 260 AVAs in 34 states, and Arizona wines have been highly awarded at competitions and well reviewed in major publications.

Over time, too, Pothier notes the snob factor has decreased, which has helped the state’s wine industry flourish. Wine isn’t “only for a certain sector of society who’s well traveled” anymore, she says.

And many wine labels are fun and whimsical, including those that Pothier illustrates herself for Chateau Tumbleweed.

People are more comfortable being open to new experiences with wine as well. At Off the Vine, Pothier suggests, if you aren’t familiar with some of the grapes and blends and are unsure if you’ll like them, tell the person pouring what you normally enjoy so they can give you something similar.

Not to mention, don’t be shy about asking at the tables for more information about the winemakers and their wares and backgrounds. Most of the wines being poured will be from the 2018-20 vintages, which Pothier says were all good growing years. Bottles will be for sale on site as well.

Stalwart producers such as Callaghan Vineyards, Dos Cabezas WineWorks and Caduceus Cellars will be there along with new upstarts such as Cove Mesa Vineyard, the Oddity Wine Collective and the 100% woman-owned Vino Stache Winery. A full list of participants and all other details are on the festival’s website. “We are a small group of people and we’ve all helped each other through the years, which is lovely, and it’s nice to see us all in one spot,” Pothier says.

MORE INFO

What: Off the Vine Arizona Wine Festival When: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday, February 19 Where: Steam Pump Ranch, 10901 N. Oracle Road, Oro Valley Cost: $35 ($30 for early bird tickets); nondrinkers and children are free Info: off thevineaz.com www.LovinLife.com

A Phenomenon Don McLean still has much to accomplish

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI After 50 years of performing the hit “American Pie,” Don McLean is still unsure why it resonates with audiences.

“What I can tell you is the song was always a phenomenon of some sort and it continues to be. It is what it has been,” McLean says.

This year, he’s embracing the song and the album with a tour that stops at the Fox Tucson Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, February 24.

McLean’s “American Pie” was dubbed the No. 5 “Song of the Century” by RIAA. Upon its release in 1972, it hit No. 1.

The album of the same name also topped the Billboard charts.

In 2015, one of his four handwritten manuscripts of the lyrics of “American Pie” was auctioned at Christie’s for $1.2 million. Other notable hit records among his many recordings include “Vincent (Starry Starry Night),” “And I Love You So,” “Castles in the Air” and “Crying.”

McLean has amassed over 40 gold and platinum records worldwide and, in 2004, was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. His songs have been recorded by artists from every musical genre, most notably Madonna’s No. 1 recording of “American Pie” in 2000 and George Michael’s version of “The Grave” in 2003, in addition to recordings by Elvis Presley, Garth Brooks, “Weird” Al Yankovic and Josh Groban.

In 2012, McLean was awarded the BBC Folk Music Lifetime Achievement Award and saw the release of “American Troubadour” on CD and DVD and the worldwide broadcast of the documentary of this name, charting his life and career.

In January 2018, BMI certified that “American Pie” and “Vincent” had reached 5 million and 3 million airplays, respectively.

Late last year, Taylor Swift’s release of a 10-minute version of her song “All Too Well” broke McLean’s record of having the longest song in the No. 1 spot. “American Pie” clocks in at 8 minutes and 37 seconds.

“There was a ton of publicity about that,” he says.

“Many others have done the song, too.

The a cappella group Home Free did a www.LovinLife.com

In January 2018, BMI certified that Don McLean’s “American Pie” and “Vincent” had reached 5 million and 3 million airplays, respectively. (Photo courtesy of Don McLean)

version of the song. The video was No. 1 for eight weeks on the country video charts.

“Things have just happened. I also have a children’s book and a documentary coming out.”

The 76-year-old musician is speaking of “The Day the Music Died: The Story of Don McLean’s ‘American Pie.’” “It’s coming out in a couple months,” says McLean, who will soon push “American Boys Invented Rock ‘n’ Roll,” his next album. “Viacom is bankrolling the documentary. The tour goes along with all of that.”

After all that success, he still has goals to accomplish, like playing Istanbul or Montenegro.

“I’ve been on the road for 50 years,” McLean says. “I’ve played every kind of city — small and large — all over the world pretty much. Of course, there is a lot I haven’t done. It’s just a matter of getting a job there.”

One thing is guaranteed with McLean, he says. Each show is slightly different.

“I spent many years as an opening act back in the ’60s when I was a teenager,” he says. “I’m 76 years old now. Back in those days, I would see acts for three shows a night. I would see headliners get up and

they would do the same thing every night. If you play with a guy for a week, you hear the same chatter between every song.

“It was mind-numbing to watch this.

And I just couldn’t do that to myself, let alone the audience. I just made it my business to know my repertoire very well so I could play any song.”

MORE INFO

­ ­

­ ­

What: Don McLean and Al Stewart When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, February 24 Where: Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street Cost: Tickets start at $38 Info: 547-3040, foxtucson.com

Get your copy today!

FEBRUARY 2022 |

13

Geographic Explorer and paleontologist stops by the Fox.

Calendar FEBRUARY 7 of Events MONDAY, Tim Kliphus Gypsy Jazz Duets, 7:30 p.m., TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1

Technology Class, 10:30 a.m. to noon Tuesdays, Optum Care Community Center, 4780 E. Grant Road, free, optumcare. com. This class teaches the basics of laptops, smartphones and tablets, as well as the internet, email, social media and other applications.

American Indian Arts Exposition, call for times, through February 14, 2830 Ranch, 2830 S. Thrasher Avenue, call for charge, 4204332, usaindianinfo.com. This official event of the Tucson Rock & Gem Show moved to a new location this year to allow for social distancing.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2

BrainSavers, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Wednesdays, Optum Care Community Center, 4780 E. Grant Road, free, optumcare. com. BrainSavers focuses on healthy brain activities like exercise, lowering stress, healthy eating, socializing and memory exercises.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3

Jesse Cook, 7:30 p.m., Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street, tickets start at $27.50, 547-3040, foxtucson.com. A career-spanning 25 years has brought this Canadian guitarist multiple accolades, including a coveted Acoustic Guitar Magazine Player’s Choice Silver Award, 11 Juno Award nominations (he won for 2001’s “Free Fall”), a Gemini Award, and 10 platinum and gold studio albums.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4

Homero Ceron Latin Jazz Quartet, 7:30 p.m., The Century Room at Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress Street, call for ticket prices, 662-8848, hotelcongress.com. Homero Ceron is a local legend who was previously the principal percussionist of the Tucson Symphony for more than 40 years.

Peter Sagal, 7:30 p.m., Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street, tickets start at $35, 547-3040, foxtucson.com. Peter Sagal, best known as the host of NPR’s “Wait, Wait…

Don’t Tell Me!” has been a husband, father, playwright, screenwriter, author, journalist, columnist, marathoner, “Jeopardy” contestant, dramaturg, podcast host, documentary host, foreign correspondent, wedding officiant and magician’s assistant.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5 Yum! It’s National Chocolate Fondue Day! SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6

Nizar Ibrahim: Spinosaurus: Lost Giant of the Cretaceous, 6:30 p.m., Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street, tickets start at $25, 547-3040, foxtucson.com. The National | FEBRUARY 2022 14

The Century Room at Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress Street, call for ticket prices, 6628848, hotelcongress.com. Dutch violinist Tim Kliphus returns to the Hotel Congress with guitarist Jimmy Grant for an encore performance of their gypsy jazz duets.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8

Chair Drumming, 2 to 3 p.m., 10:30 a.m. to noon, Optum Care Community Center, 4780 E. Grant Road, free, optumcare.com. This class will guide you through simple and fun rhythmic drumming. Sticks will be provided, and no experience is needed.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9

Medicare 101, 1 to 2 p.m., Optum Care Community Center, 4780 E. Grant Road, free, optumcare.com. This is a no-cost event for the general public to learn more. No health plan specific benefits or details will be shared.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10

Conversational Spanish, noon to 1 p.m., Optum Care Community Center, 4780 E. Grant Road, free, optumcare.com. Join the group each week for the basics of conversational Spanish in a fun and comfortable environment.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11

Susan Artemis plays Love Songs from the Dark Side of the Lounge, 7:30 p.m., The Century Room at Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress Street, call for ticket prices, 662-8848, hotelcongress.com. Pianist and vocalist Susan Artemis brings her quartet for a special Valentine’s weekend concert to perform “Love Songs from the Dark Side of the Lounge.”

Madaras Gallery Presents: Southwest & Wildlife Photography by Rocky LaRose, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Madaras Gallery, 3035 N. Swan, Tucson, free admission, 615-3001, madaras.com. Tucson photographer Rocky LaRose captures a taste of the world’s beauty through her lens.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas in Mardi Gras Mambo, 7:30 p.m., Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street, tickets start at $27.50, 5473040, foxtucson.com. Come dance with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13

Cinema Tucson: “Identifying Features,” 4 p.m., Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street, tickets start at $6, 547-3040, foxtucson. com. In Spanish with English subtitles with Mercedes Hernandez, David Illescas and Juan Jesus Varela.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14

The National Active and Retired Federal Employees (NARFE) Association, Chapter

55, Meeting, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Golden Corral, 4380 E. 22nd Street, lunch, which is not required, averages $11, 444-6970. Current and retired federal employees, their spouses, guests and visitors are welcome.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23

Art Workshop, noon to 2 p.m., Optum Care Community Center, 4780 E. Grant Road, free, optumcare.com. This weekly class expands guests’ knowledge of art through painting, printmaking, sketching, watercolor and pencil art.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15

TV Analyst Frank Figliuzzi Signs Autographs, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Madaras Gallery, 3035 N. Swan, free admission, 615-3001, madaras.com. Figliuzzi is a former FBI assistant director for counterintelligence and a national security contributor for NBC News and MSNBC. He will sign copies of his book “The FBI Way: Inside the Bureau’s Code of Excellence.”

Stretch and Balance Class, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., Optum Care Community Center, 4780 E. Grant Road, free, optumcare.com.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16

Beading Crafts, noon to 2 p.m., Optum Care Community Center, 4780 E. Grant Road, free, optumcare.com. The instructor makes this class fun and easy to follow.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17

Storm Large & Le Bonheur, 7:30 p.m., Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street, tickets start at $25, 547-3040, foxtucson.com. This fiery multihyphenate entertainer brings myriad genres to the Fox.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18

Howard Alden Trio, 7:30 p.m., The Century Room at Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress Street, call for ticket prices, 662-8848, hotelcongress.com. Howard Alden is a world-renowned guitarist from NYC who recently relocated to Phoenix. He’s performed with a who’s who of jazz legends.

Beading Crafts, noon to 2 p.m., Optum Care Community Center, 4780 E. Grant Road, free, optumcare.com. The instructor makes this class fun and easy to follow.

Don McLean with special guest Al Stewart, 7:30 p.m., Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street, tickets start at $38, 547-3040, foxtucson.com. Celebrate the 50th anniversary of “American Pie.”

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25

Michael Martin Murphey & The Rio Grande Band, 7:30 p.m., Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street, tickets start at $37, 547-3040, foxtucson.com. Celebrate Rodeo Week with Michael Martin Murphey.

The Southwest American Indian Collectors Expo, various times, through February 27, 2830 Ranch, 2830 S. Thrasher Avenue, call for charge, 420-4332, usaindianinfo.com.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19

Rob Boone, “Blue Trombone: The Music of JJ Johnson,” 7:30 p.m., The Century Room at Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress Street, call for ticket prices, 662-8848, hotelcongress. com. Rob Boone is Tucson’s first call trombonist who has organized a tribute to the great JJ Johnson called “Blue Trombone.” It takes its name from the 1957 Blue Note album.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20 It’s No Politics Day!

“The Choir of Man,” 7:30 p.m., Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street, tickets start at $42.50, 547-3040, foxtucson.com. This group of nine talented men cover all the genres, coupled with tap and poetic meditations.

The Oak Ridge Boys’ “Front Porch Singin’” Tour, 7:30 p.m., Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street, tickets start at $34.50, 5473040, foxtucson.com. The legends come to town.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21

Art Workshop, noon to 2 p.m., Optum Care Community Center, 4780 E. Grant Road, free, optumcare.com. This weekly class expands guests’ knowledge of art through painting, printmaking, sketching, watercolor and pencil art.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27

The Kingston Trio, 3 p.m., Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street, tickets start at $35, 547-3040, foxtucson.com. All three current members — Mike Marvin, Tim Gorelangton and Don Marovich — all have links to and experience with the original group.

One Night of Queen, 7:30 p.m., Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street, tickets start at $30, 547-3040, foxtucson.com. Experience Gary Mullen was a winner of the British TV talent show “Stars in Your Eyes,” with more than 800,000 votes for his Freddie Mercury performance.

Annual All Artist Show, various times through March 13, Madaras Gallery, 3035 N. Swan, free admission, 615-3001, madaras. com. Diana Madaras and 10 guest artists will show off their work. Brian Bystedt will host a meet and greet and exhibit his outdoor metal wall sculptures from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Senior Connection Show, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Hilton East 7600 E. Broadway, free admission, 505-892-6047. Event features more than 45 vendors, live entertainment by seniors, and door prizes.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28

Tai Chi, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., Optum Care Community Center, 4780 E. Grant Road, free, optumcare.com. This Chinese martial art is taught in a welcoming social space. www.LovinLife.com

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Tuesday

FEBRUARY

15

Wednesday

FEBRUARY

16 Thursday

FEBRUARY

24

MONTH

HEART DISEASE: HOW IT STARTS, HOW IT PROGRESSES, WHAT YOU CAN DO 2:00 p.m.

Greg Koshkarian MD, Pima Heart & Vascular

SYMPTOMS AND TESTS FOR HEART DISEASE 2:00 p.m.

David Strout MSN, FNP, Pima Heart & Vascular

LENGTHENING THE HEALTH SPAN: ISSUES OF INFECTION & INFLAMMATION 2:00 p.m.

Janko Nikolich-Zugich PhD, UA Center on Aging

HEART HEALTH: MOVING MAKES THE DIFFERENCE 2:00 p.m.

Marija Zaruba DPT & Jacob La Shot DPT, TMC Outpatient Therapies

You will receive a link to watch the classes live when you register in advance at TMCAZ.COM OR BY CALLING 520-324-1960 For more information and a full list of events, visit TMCAZ.COM/SENIORS

ROC# 032524

www.LovinLife.com

FEBRUARY 2022 |

15

Food & Drink

Perché No features a varied assortment of dishes from Northern Italy.

Owner Bruno Girardi calls it “a little more unique.” (Photos by Holly Harris)

Why Not? New Italian bistro serves home-cooked comfort

BY VALERIE VINYARD It’s nice to have great Italian food Downtown again.

A couple of months ago, Perché No quietly opened on West Congress Street in the former Caffé Milano, which was an Italian favorite for years.

Chef and owner Bruno Girardi has big shoes to fill. So far, he’s succeeding.

Perché No, which means “Why not” in Italian, features a varied assortment of dishes from Northern Italy. Think less tomato and more cream sauce, risottos and polentas.

“My cuisine is a little more unique,” he says. “We have a lot of different stuff.”

Take the penne granchio ($11), a penne pasta tossed with rock crab meat from California and peas in a creamy tomato sauce. Or there’s the asiago-crusted ling cod ($10), an asiago cheese-crusted fish that’s fried and served over asparagus with a sweet chile sauce and topped with tomatoes.

Girardi moved to the States in 1995 from Pavia, just outside of Milan, Italy.

He says throughout his adult life, he has owned and operated a handful of Italian eateries.

A selection of Girardi’s dishes is French influenced, as he grew up in France and Argentina with an Italian dad and French mom. He speaks four languages — Ital-

ian, Spanish, English and French.

He and his wife, Kristene, came to Tucson as a matter of circumstance. They were living in St. Thomas when the pandemic hit. Tucson was a stop when traveling between Seattle and the island, and they liked it.

“I did a little bit of research,” he says.

“It’s a foodie town.”

So, they moved to Tucson in October 2020. While creating his family-run bistro, Girardi borrowed ideas from his eponymous Seattle restaurant, which was famous for its happy hour.

Perché No’s all-day happy hour, which encompasses the entire lunch menu, offers more than reasonable prices. It was a move he made at a previous restaurant after the 2008 recession to help the community. His guests are at the heart of everything he does. There’s also a marketing angle to it.

“It’s a good way to attract people to come and try our dishes,” he says.

The happy hour offerings include $5 house and Caesar salads, creamy tomato soup and polenta gorgonzola, which was two sticks of fried polenta smothered in a rich gorgonzola sauce and garnished with sliced almonds.

Pan-seared ahi tuna ($11) is a 6-ounce cut of seasoned ahi that’s served rare.

A comfort food classic is the pollo par-

The Joy of Food New café delights with its Mexican dishes

BY VALERIE VINYARD A good day will turn into a great day after visiting Buendia Breakfast and Lunch Café.

Julio Garcia and Jael Garcia, his wife who serves as the restaurant’s chef, opened Buendia November 2 in the former Asian Sofrito on North First Avenue.

The quirky location also gave the popular Wild Garlic Grill its start, until the restaurant’s popularity took it to a Foothills location.

The Garcias, each 36 years old, previously owned Mestizo’s, which was on St. Mary’s Road and Grande Avenue. The tiny Mexican restaurant was well re-

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migiano ($8), a breaded chicken breast topped with marinara sauce and melted cheese, which was served with grilled asparagus.

He is well known for his penne mango ($10 happy hour, $18 dinner), which he created in 2001 in Seattle.

The penne pasta is tossed with grilled chicken breast, onions, garlic, spinach and diced mangos in a sweet and sour cream sauce topped with feta cheese. He uses heavy whipping cream and feta to create the sweet and sour flavors and adds a bit of pepperoncini for a bite.

“Mango sounded really good with pasta,” Girardi says.

Carla Jimenez, a 35-year-old retail worker, recently stopped in for lunch and tried the penne mango. She says she and her friend loved the cozy atmosphere and delicious food.

“If I worked Downtown, I’d be eating

here every day,” she says with a laugh.

“The penne sounded unusual, but it was so good. I liked the combination of flavors, and it’s something I’ve never seen at an Italian restaurant.”

Perché No

46 W. Congress Street 838-0422, perchenobistro.com 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 9 p.m.

Tuesdays to Saturdays; closed Sundays and Mondays

Chicken mole enchiladas ($12.99) are covered in a rich mole sauce with hints of chocolate. (Photos by Jonathan Revies)

ceived but opened a mere five months before the pandemic, so it didn’t survive.

Buendia’s much-expanded menu includes some of Mestizo’s favorites, such as the Mexican famous molletes ($4.99; with chorizo $5.99). Two pillowy slices of white bread are slathered with chorizo, cheese and a riot of flavors. They essentially can be described as open-face Mexican bean and cheese sandwiches, and they’re spectacular.

The restaurant’s scratch kitchen recipes are inspired by the couple’s hometown of Nogales, Sonora. The menu features a number of Jael’s recipes

Buendia...continues on page 17

www.LovinLife.com

Buendia...continued from page 16 as well as ones passed down from her grandmother.

“It’s so cute,” says Isabel Hernandez, a 32-year-old student who recently visited Buendia with her mom, Diana. “Everything was perfect.”

Hernandez enjoyed one of Buendia’s bestsellers, huevos rancheros ($9.99; add ham for 99 cents). Her drink of choice was Café del Olla ($3.75), a fragrant and addictive Exo Roast coffee with cinnamon, clove and brown sugar. Two Maria milk cookies come with the coffee.

On one visit, the huevos rancheros came with two eggs over easy perched on perfectly crispy corn tortillas. A generous portion of diced tomatoes and peppers complemented the dish, making it filling but not overindulgent. The side of perfectly diced roasted potatoes was perfect for mopping up the sauce, and a side of beans topped with queso fresco completed the masterpiece.

Be sure to try one of the fajita bowls.

Each comes with beef ($12.99), chicken ($12.99) or shrimp ($14.99) and arrives bursting with red and green peppers, onions, white rice and flavor.

It’s so good, you’ll scoop up every bit of rice. A side of refried beans rounds out the dish.

The mole chicken enchiladas ($12.99) also are a great choice. Three shredded chicken enchiladas arrived smothered in a traditional chocolate mole sauce.

A kids’ menu includes a Nutella pancake sandwich ($4.99), kids quesadilla and beans ($4.99), and a traditional breakfast kids plate ($5.99) with one egg, kids salchicha (sausage), house potatoes and a fruit cup.

The inside capacity is 39, and there will be room for 60 when the outdoor patio is finished, Garcia says.

Inside, each table has a colorful runner that’s topped with salt and pepper shakers and a little glass jar stuffed with rainbow-colored pompoms. The side of the jar says “Alegria!” — which means “joy” in Spanish.

Garcia is serious about joy. Even a sign that states “Smiling is good for the soul” sits next to the cash register. www.LovinLife.com

“These days, people, social media and TV only talk about the pandemic,” he says. “But there are good things also.”

He wants Buendia to be about “creating a community that can gather for generations here and spread the joy,” Garcia says.

Garcia moved to Tucson in 2011 and started working for his family’s business, Mariscos Chihuahua. He moved on to Casa Valencia for a few years before he started his own ventures.

“I like working with people,” says Garcia, who was born in Los Angeles and started working at a restaurant in Nogales as a teen.

Like his earlier forays into the restaurant business, Buendia is a family affair. The family has been in the restaurant business for 50 years. Besides his wife, Garcia’s mom, Patricia Valle, is the ever-smiling server, and his dad, Julio Garcia Sr., is in the kitchen doing prep and dishwashing. Two other employees round out the workforce.

Although judging from the increasing number of diners coming through Buendia’s doors, Garcia might need to expand his workforce.

Buendia’s “a place where people know they’re going to have a good time,” Garcia says. “It’s good food, good moments and good memories.”

The shrimp fajita bowl ($14.99) is a riot of flavors and a substantial meal.

Buendia Breakfast and Lunch Café

2530 N. First Avenue, 849-8487 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays; 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays.

Closed Mondays

What’s Cooking? with Jan

Candy charcuterie board

BY JAN D’ATRI How did charcuterie boards become so popular and an Instagram sensation?

If I had to guess, I’d say they found their groove simply because the pictures of them are highly, well, Instagrammable!

These gorgeous oversized platters piled with delectable meats, cheeses, nuts, dried fruits, pickles, olives, pepperoncini and specialty mustards have become a hit for movie watching, game night and, of course, for big sporting events like the Super Bowl or World Series.

Plus, folks just can’t get enough of posting pics and videos of this trending moveable feast. But I have another idea for this treat tray.

It’s a candy charcuterie board, and I’ve incorporated so many fun ideas that my tray has everything from vintage and retro candy favorites and Southwestern sweets to fan favorites and state fair fare.

The idea for the candy charcuterie board follows the same criteria as the meat and cheese boards. First, I think a charcuterie board is a conversation piece.

We love to gather and share morsels of gourmet goodness that spark comments as we graze. My candy charcuterie board is no different. It’s meant to remind people of their favorite candy growing up, specialty treats from their own regions of the country, some fun novelty candies and, of course, it’s loaded up with everyone’s favorite chocolate bars, hard candies, licorice and even popcorn to balance out the sweet!

So, here’s how I put my candy charcuterie board together!

Step 1: Choose a tray or board. Mine was 18 inches by 12 inches.

Step 2: Look for fun, colorful containers and scoops. Party City is a great place to start.

Step 3: For retro and vintage candy, I included: Necco Wafers, candy necklaces, Sugar Daddys, candy cigarettes, Pixy Stix

and Beemans, Clove and Blackjack gum.

Step 4: For regional treats, I included Mexican Del La Rosa Marzipan candy and a taco made of gummy candies.

Step 5: For novelties, I added SpongeBob SquarePants gummy hamburgers, cotton candy and tins of mint “Impowermints,” “Enlightenmints” and “14th Amendmints”!

Step 6: Add a lot of fan favorites: bubble gum, M&M’s, hard candies, old-fashioned candy stick, licorice and Boston baked beans.

Step 7: Look for treats that give back.

ACE Hardware sells chocolate bars that help raise money for children’s hospitals around the country.

Step 8: Incorporating mini boxes of freshly popped popcorn helps balance out the sweet with salty.

Step 9: Find sweets and treats with a theme. For instance, for the Super Bowl, include chocolate footballs and mini toothpick pennants.

Where to find these items

I found all my fun retro, vintage and novelty candies and mints at Old Town Candy and Toys, 4000 N. Scottsdale Road, oldtowncandyandtoys.com.

Scoops, candy containers, mini popcorn boxes, chocolate footballs and pennants, individually wrapped bite-sized candy and Pixy Stix are available at Party City.

Food City has the Del La Rosa Marzipan candy.

Watch Jan D’Atri’s how-to videos at https://bit.ly/JanDAtri.

17 FEBRUARY 2022 |

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Columns Ask the Expert

Five ways to reduce the risk of heart problems

BY TUCSON MEDICAL CENTER As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

While not all heart conditions can be prevented, controlling risk factors can go a long way to staying healthy, says Dr. Raj Bose, cardiothoracic surgeon at Tucson Medical Center.

Bose specializes in surgical procedures of the heart, lungs and other organs in the chest with the goal of giving patients a longer life with better quality.

According to Bose, most people have heard the term “heart disease” but are unsure what it really means.

Heart disease refers to types of heart conditions such as coronary artery disease, heart valve disease, aortic aneurysm and others. The one thing these conditions have in common is you can often reduce your risk with lifestyle changes.

Coronary artery disease: This is the buildup of plaque in the arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to your heart.

Plaque causes blockage that can lead to heart attack. Symptoms include chest pain or discomfort and shortness of breath.

Heart valve disease: In heart valve disease, one or more of the valves in your heart doesn’t work properly. This can cause the blood flow through your heart to your body to be disrupted. Symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, irregular heartbeat, heart murmur and chest pain.

18

Aortic aneurysm: This is a bubble that forms in the aorta. It can make the wall weak and prone to tears or ruptures.

Many patients don’t have symptoms, but if they do, a thoracic aortic aneurysm can cause pain in the jaw, neck or upper back and coughing. An abdominal aortic aneurysm can produce symptoms such as | FEBRUARY 2022

a tender mass felt by a physician or pain in the back, abdomen or groin that is not relieved by position or medication.

Managing your risks

While some risk factors such as family history are out of your control, there are variables that you can control. “The most important thing is to assess your risks,” Bose says. “If you have family history or other risk factors, you should get a screening and try to modify your life.”

Keep blood pressure in check: A normal blood pressure level is less than 120/80 mmHg. Keeping a healthy weight, exercise and eating lower-sodium foods are natural ways to lower blood pressure.

Also, make sure to take medicines as prescribed by your doctor.

Don’t smoke: Smoking can increase your heart rate, tighten major arteries and cause irregular heart rhythm, all of which make your heart work harder. If you do smoke, talk to your doctor about ways to quit.

Choose healthy foods: Limit foods that are high in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, sodium and added sugar.

Move your body: “You don’t have to have a gym membership,” Bose said. “Just don’t be sedentary. Do simple activities, such as going for a walk, every day.” www.LovinLife.com

The Healthy Geezer

Biz Box

Alcoholism is a common cause of seniors’ injuries

Deadline: 16th of the month for the next publication

BY FRED CICETTI

Alcoholism is a serious problem A among seniors. Here are just a few

statistics that tell the story: • About 70% of hospital admissions for older adults are for illness and accidents related to alcohol.

• About half of older adults in nursing homes have an alcohol problem.

• Older adults lose an average of 10 years off their lives because of alcohol abuse.

• About 80% of doctors misdiagnose alcoholism as depression in older women.

• The highest-growing number of alcoholics is among 75-year-old widowers.

• About 10% of patients over age 60 who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease are actually suffering from brain damage caused by alcoholism.

“Alcohol abuse among older adults is something few want to talk about or deal with,” says Charles Curie, former administrator of the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

“Too often family members are ashamed of the problem and choose not to address it. Health care providers tend not to ask older patients about alcohol abuse if it wasn’t a problem in their lives in earlier years.

“Sometimes the symptoms are mistaken for those of dementia, depression or other problems common to older adults.

Unfortunately, too many older persons turn to alcohol as a comfort, following the death of a spouse, a divorce, retirement or some other major life change, unaware that they are markedly affecting the quality of their lives.”

A few definitions: Alcoholism: Alcoholism is a disease with four symptoms: craving or compulsion to drink, the inability to limit drinking, high alcohol tolerance, and physical dependence. www.LovinLife.com

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Alcohol abuse: Alcohol abuse does not include strong craving, loss of control or physical dependence. Alcohol abuse is defined as drinking that causes problems in your life such as failing at work, getting arrested for drunken driving, or hurting someone physically or emotionally because of drinking.

Moderate drinking: Moderate drinking is defined as consuming up to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women and older people. A standard drink is 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.

The American Medical Association offers the following list of physical symptoms to diagnose alcoholism. If an older person shows several symptoms, there is a high probability of alcoholism.

• Bruises, abrasions and scars in locations that might suggest frequent falls, bumping into objects, physical altercations or other violent behavior.

• Cigarette burns on the fingers.

• Flushed or florid faces.

• Jerky eye movement or loss of central vision.

• Damage to nerves, causing numbness and tingling.

• Hypertension, particularly systolic (the first number).

• Gastrointestinal or other bleeding.

• Cirrhosis or other evidence of liver impairment, such as swelling in the lower extremities, and other signs of fluid retention.

• Psoriasis.

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