Lovin Life After 50: Tucson May 2019

May 2019

Cinco de Mayo

Drink up at these parties around Tucson

On the Air

UA grad Suzette Rodriguez keeps tabs on pop culture

Ms. Senior Arizona Here she comes: Ava Genung

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Like Father, Like Son Levi Hummon spins his own tales

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Inside This Issue Upfront 4 6 7

Ms. Senior Arizona

Ava Genung dances her way to a pageant win

All the Way Up

Founder Steve Wilson talks about the annual Mount Lemmon Hill Climb

An Era of Radio Rawness

Arts New drama shares gritty lives of an American family

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Top 15 Things To Do

Celebrate Cinco with a host of activities and events MEZCrawl, Artisan and Craft Market, Agave Expo and more!

Arts Events Calendar

Dining Events

Sports

18

Hometown Hero

Arizona native excited about joining D-backs

Sports Calendar

20 Southern Rock Progeny

Music 19

Let’s Fiesta!

16

The ‘True’ Story

Dining 17

CRUISE WITH US AND GET REWARDED

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Couple shows humanity of others through documentary and book

13 Community Calendar 14 Puzzles

13 Top News Stories

18

Tucson Salvage

UA grad Suzette Rodriguez has her finger on the pulse of pop culture

News

15

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21

In His Blood

Levi Hummon fi nds his own country music success

Devon Allman and Duane Betts are creating their own legacy

Hard Truth

Coco Montoya returns to his roots for his latest album

22 Music Calendar

Travel

24 Summer in Switzerland

Exploring the canton of Graubünden

32 A True Viking Quest

A trip to Iceland shines with glaciers, icicles and lagoons

Columns

34 Ask the Expert Publisher

Graphic Designer

Vice President

Cover Photo

Managing Editor

Senior Account Executives

Travel Editor

Administrator

Steve T. Strickbine Michael Hiatt

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Ed Boitano

Contributors

Tonya Mildenberg Pablo Robles

Lou Lagrave, Gordon Wood Courtney Oldham

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MAY 2019

Zach Alvira, Connor Dziawura, Thalia M. España, Samantha Fuoco, Laura Latzko, Laurie Ledford, Randy Montgomery, Taylor O’Connor, Ane Pulu, Bridgette Redman, L. Kent Wolgamott

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©2019 by EOS Publishing, LLC. Lovin’ Life in Tucson is a monthly publication dedicated to informing, serving and entertaining the active adults of Arizona. It is published by EOS Publishing, LLC, an Arizona limited liability company.

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3

Upfront

2019 Ms. Senior Arizona Ava Genung.

(Photos by Pablo Robles)

Ms. Senior Arizona Ava Genung dances her way to a pageant win

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI

must be age 60 and older and are judged Wearing her black and green pageant in four categories: philosophy of life, gown, Ava Genung sits at the dining judges’ interview, evening gown presenroom table of her elegant Scottsdale tation and talent. home in awe.

“We learn from each of our ladies the value of perseverance, integrity, humor and love, to This group of women is name just a few of the prinabsolutely amazing. There ciples and qualities to live by,” says Herme Sherry, the was no competition. We pageant’s organizer. supported one another.

Genung also took the top We loved one another. We talent award for her jazz dance to a Motown medley; encouraged one another. most photogenic and best - Ava Genung philosophy of life.

2019 Ms. Senior Arizona Her court is first runner up Connie Snyder of Chino She still can’t believe she was crowned Valley; second runner up Judy Ramsay of Ms. Senior Arizona the previous week at Sun City West; third runner up Annie Wall Valley Vista Performing Arts Center in of Sun City West; and fourth runner up Surprise.

Jean Ingrum of Mesa.

“It’s still so surreal,” she says with her Snyder was named most elegant, while wide smile. “It hasn’t sunk in yet.”

Dale Chanaiwa of Phoenix was called The Ms. Senior Arizona Pageant hon- most inspirational. Autumn Montgomery ors the “Age of Elegance,” accentuating of Surprise took home Ms. Congeniality; the motivation and inspiration given and Barbara Snyder of Sun City was Ms. by senior women, grandmothers, and Moxy. great-grandmothers. The contestants Proceeds from the event benefit do-

mestic violence survivors, as the pageant is produced by The Cameo Foundation.

“This group of women is absolutely amazing,” Genung says. “There was no competition.

We supported one another. We loved one another. We encouraged one another.

“There was no drama. It was like a party together. It was really wonderful. I would hope anybody who would even consider going forward with entering would go forward with it. It’s an amazing experience.”

The 2019 pageant was Genung’s third try at Ms. Senior Arizona.

“The third time’s a charm,” Genung says with a laugh.

Genung will travel to Atlantic City to compete in the Ms. Senior America Pageant on October 20.

Longtime performer Genung was born in Chicago, but moved to Arizona when her father, a Motorola employee, was transferred to the Valley. After studying at Saguaro High School in Scottsdale and the University of Arizona, Genung and her husband lived in Idaho, San Diego and Alaska.

“Our best friends were moving back up to Alaska and asked us to join them,” she says. “We just took a leap of faith and moved there. The girls were 1 and 3 and we moved up to Prince of Wales Island to an Indian village of 300 people. We taught there for two years.”

They eventually returned to Tucson because they missed their family. Her husband, Herb, they have two daughters,

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The final six contestants eagerly wait for the results from the judges. |

MAY 2019

Jacque and Jennifer, and four grandchildren. Preston, Paxton, Blake and Lily.

Calling herself 90% retired, Genung is an adjunct professor at Arizona Christian University. She supervises student teachers, providing professional development for educators across the country.

Genung has been dancing since she was in the first grade. She slowed down after having hip surgery.

“You don’t see high kicks and splits from me any longer,” she says with a laugh.

Show Off Your Talents

The search is on for the Cameo Foundation’s Ms. Senior Arizona 2020 contestants.

Open to women ages 60 and older, the pageant is tentatively scheduled for March at Valley Vista Performing Arts Center, 15550 N. Parkview Place, Surprise. Radio personality Danny Davis will once again emcee.

For contestant or pageant information, call 602-788-9556, email msseniorarizona2004@cox. net, or visit cameofoundation.org or msseniorarizona.com. www.LovinLife.com

came home and I told my husband, ‘I have a new tribe of women because these women are the types who are not afraid to put themselves out there, to be risk takers, and they’re loving Christian women.”

Genung will spend the next 12 months promoting Ms. Senior Arizona by participating in parades, traveling throughout the state and making special appearances.

Genung says the pageant made its point.

“These are people who will encourage me and motivate me,” she says. “These are the kinds of women I want to spend my time with.”

Ava Genung gets crown the new Miss Senior Arizona 2019.

“I know my mother—she’s up in heaven—is probably thinking all those dance lessons finally paid off. I was just cleaning out a drawer in our laundry room the other day and in the drawer was the costume of my very first dance.”

Fast forward to 2019 and her dancing has paid off. Still, nerves almost got the better of her.

“We were sitting in the audience waiting for our turn, and one girl turns to me and she goes, ‘Are you scared?’ I said, ‘You don’t ever get rid of the jitters.’

“But there was no reason to because the girls were so supportive and loving. I

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The crowd cheers as Ava Genung is crowned Miss Senior Arizona 2019.

Cameo Foundation aids domestic violence shelters

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI When Herme Sherry was named Ms. Senior Arizona in 2004, she was asked what she planned to do during her reigning year.

“I said, ‘I want to help somebody,’” Sherry says. She, in turn, created the Cameo Foundation, the beneficiary of the Ms. Senior Arizona Pageant. The Cameo Foundation originally raised funds for Alzheimer’s disease associations, but Sherry has since changed her focus to domestic violence shelters because, she said, the need is greater there.

“We felt that cancer and heart disease and Alzheimer’s get national help, but domestic violence does not,” Sherry says. www.LovinLife.com

Sherry says now is the time to start talking openly about domestic violence.

“When I grew up, it was a secret,” she says. “You didn’t talk about it. It still is, to a certain degree. Ladies need to know that they do have an option. They don’t have to stay. The children are frozen in fear.

And shelters are struggling for funds to keep the doors open.”

The Cameo Foundation holds fundraisers throughout the year to raise monies for those shelters. Keep tabs on cameofoundation.org for a list of those events.

The event’s Dancing Musical Fashion Show is set for November at Palmbrook Country Club in Sun City. For more information, call 602-788-9556.

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MAY 2019

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5

All the Way Up

Founder Steve Wilson talks about the annual Mount Lemmon Hill Climb

BY TAYLOR O’CONNOR Founder of Mount Lemmon Hill Climb Steve Wilson is proud to see how far the event has come. What started as a casual event, grew into the annual bike climb with more than 250 participants.

Wilson says he started biking Mount Lemmon with a few of his friends in the early ’90s. Eventually, that group of friends grew into 30 people. Later, Wilson pitched the event to the Greater Arizona Biking Association board, of which he was a member, and it became an official GABA ride.

Since then, the event sees the riders biking the 59.6 miles in a casual, fun way.

This year, the hill climb is 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Friday, May 17.

“It’s a physical challenge where people can test their mettle a little bit. They can accomplish something. It’s a great place to meet other people who do similar and it’s great to be outside in Tucson in late spring,” Wilson says.

Mount Lemmon is ranked 33rd on the list of 100 of the toughest road bike climbs in the United States and is right up there with famous passes in European tours because of the number of miles bikers can go without stopping. It’s a place where bike teams train and residents leisurely ride.

Along the way up, people can stop at rest areas along the way where they can get snacks, water and pie to stay energized and nourished.

Wilson says the ride itself is beautiful with dramatic changes, as saguaros give way to spruce trees. It’s unique to Arizona and people around the world are called to the nature and the challenge.

What’s the best part of the event in Wilson’s eyes? “Finishing. Getting up and all the way to the top; Rolling into Ski Valley feels pretty darn good.”

Once bikers make it to the top, it’s all smooth sailing from there, Wilson says.

Ranked 33rd on the list of 100 of the toughest road bike climbs in the United States, Mount Lemmon is a beautiful ride with dramatic changes. (Photo by Damion Alexander)

The path goes downhill for 45 minutes and it’s not too steep, allowing bikers to cruise all the way down.

It wasn’t always so smooth.

“Initially the highway was in pretty bad shape and they began to rebuild a sec-

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tion of the base. I was 32 at the time and I couldn’t even make it. I was a little out of shape. They continued to build on it and I thought, ‘Let’s see if I can make it to the top,’” Wilson says.

Wilson and a few of his friends took off on a Friday and tried to bike to the Ski Valley recreation area parking lot.

After a few hours, the group made it to the top, but wanted to keep working at this trek to improve. In the years to come, Wilson and his friends continued biking and tried to invite people to join each year.

The highway eventually finished, and the climb became an official GABA event.

Wilson is still considered the event’s founder, but he is not a GABA board member. He tries to make it out to the event annually.

He encourages participants to do hill training before the event.

“If you’ve just been riding around the loop you will find it challenging,” he says.

While on Mount Lemmon, riders should pay attention to traffic.

Wilson says the Hill Climb pushes bikers to the best of their abilities. The community is encouraging and at least one person reaches the top for the first time.

“If you’re unsure if you can make it (to the top), this would be a great time to do so because of that support.

“It’s an unforgettable experience when you roll into the Ski Valley parking lot.

You know you’ve done something.” www.LovinLife.com

An Era of Radio Rawness

UA grad Suzette Rodriguez has her finger on the pulse of pop culture

BY ANE PULU While juggling her jobs as a radio host, vlogger and podcaster, Suzette Rodriguez said she strives to encourage others to embrace their truest self.

“With social media influencers and all these public figures, kids see that and they’re like, ‘Oh, that’s what I have to do to be famous’, or, ‘That’s what I have to do to make money,’” she says. “No, you have to be who you are because that’s the only thing that’s going to make you happy.

You just have to be authentic.”

The diminutive Rodriguez has long, black hair and dark lashes that bat just as fast as the break of her smile.

While studying film at the University of Arizona, Rodriguez worked for Hot 98.3, a local radio station where she learned the skills required to produce a show for radio. Now, at the age of 26, she divides her time between three different radio stations, plus a morning show throughout the week.

She is on air daily with: Johnjay and Rich from 5 to 10 a.m., 104.7 Kiss FM from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Hot 98.3 from 2 to 6 p.m., and Wild 94.9 on Sundays from 3 to 7 p.m. She talks about her day, celebrity gossip, trending news, contest giveaways and promotions.

Bill Ryan, who produces JohnJay and Rich, described her work ethic as “almost incomparable. I thought I worked hard and then I saw what she’s doing. I’m worried about burn out with her.”

Rodriguez attributes her work ethic to how she was raised.

“I was raised by a single mom who had to work three jobs to take care of me. I saw her work so much. That’s what I thought we were supposed to do, no breaks, no nothing,” she says.

Aside from her radio work, Rodriguez vlogs with her boyfriend for fun and creates content for her podcast, “Be Raw.” There, she says she opens about her life in depth and engages in discussions in which she highlights inspirational quotes and the vitality of being genuine.

“I feel like my purpose is to push the www.LovinLife.com

youth to be authentic, to be real.”

Rodriguez says she must prioritize time with her friends, family, boyfriend, and even herself because she can get too involved with her work life.

When her reality begins to become Suzette Rodriguez loves her job as a radio personality and doesn’t intend to leave it anytime soon. (Photo by Ane Pulu) altered, she said she recalls times in her childhood, like For now, Rodriguez said she sees her- Rodriguez has been bashed online and playing in the streets of Mexico with her self staying in radio because she loves it. over the phone by listeners. cousins and showering with an ice-cold She says she only hopes to send positive The 26-year-old radio host emphasizes, bucket of water to help ground her. messages to her listeners, even when “I refuse to let them get to me.”

“Every time I’m feeling like something’s doubters attempt to obstruct her goals. not right or everything around me is too ‘fufu,’ too much money, I’ll be like, ‘I need to go visit my cousins, I need to see my family in Mexico.”’

One thing that hampers herself is being emotional. Her best friend of 10 years, A doctor has moved to Tucson that treats Samantha Ruiz, jokingly says, “Everything neuropathy (nerve problems), and his name is Dr Trent Freeman DC (Dr T). He has been makes her cry. When she’s at the movies treating Neuropathy for the last 10 years. and it’s not even a sad part, she’s crying.

Maybe you have seen him interviewed on She’s really into her feelings.”

CBS by Steve Ochoa or during the Dr Oz Ryan adds, “Deep down she is a softie. show, maybe you saw him on NBC. He has It’s a gooey center in there. She will get brought this new treatment to persons sufferemotional in the drop of a hat.” ing from neuropathy in Tucson. He uses two Ryan recalls the time he hired her to kinds of Light to stimulate the nerves to functhe station in 2017. Contrary to her sention better. He uses pulsed infrared technology that helps reduce the pain, and FDA approved cold sitive side, he boasted of her energy and lasers that help the cells function better. He offers his her contributions. consultation for FREE. He looks at the interview time as “2018 was the greatest year the show a time for him to see if you have the type of neuropathy that he treats but more has ever had. Suzette Rodriguez is a huge importantly, for you to interview him and see if he is someone that you would part of that. A lot of the credit goes to her like to work with. His clinic is certified with the Neuropathy Treatment Cenfor appealing to an audience we couldn’t ters of America and he has received advanced training in the treatment of neureach before.” ropathy. There are fewer than 100 doctors in America that have received this advanced training in this type of therapy. Dr T looks at neuropathy as a thief Ruiz, who met Rodriguez in high that comes to your life and starts to steal from you. If you allow neuropathy school, says her friend’s best traits are to continue, it will steal your independence (driving, walking, balance) As Dr T says loyalty and humility. When Ruiz needed “Everyday we are having more success relieving neuropathy pain, WHY NOT a place to stay, Rodriguez opened her YOU?” Give his office a call and schedule the FREE consultation and see if you home to her for three months. qualify for this new therapy 520-445-6784.

In addition to her podcast and her YouGive him a call he may be able to change your life!

Tube channel, Rodriguez says she’s proud of her new clothing line.

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7

Tucson Salvage

Couple shows humanity of others through documentary and book

BY LAURA LATZKO Through their body of work, award-winning writer Brian Jabas Smith and filmmaker Maggie Smith, a Tucson husbandand-wife team, delve into the realities for people living on the fringe.

Their newest work, the documentary “Tucson Salvage,” follows five people, who share their stories and provide a glimpse into lives of working-class and impoverished people.

The film was adapted by Maggie from Brian’s Tucson Weekly column and his book “Tucson Salvage: Tales and Recollections from La Frontera.”

The two will visit the Sedona Creative Life Center on Sunday, May 26, as part of a screening/reading with live electric violin music from Brian’s brother Barry Smith.

The documentary has been shown in different parts of the country and in England. It won Best Documentary Short at the Culver City Film Festival and Best Orig-

inal Screenplay at the Golden State Film Festival.

Maggie says when adapting stories from Brian’s book, she chose subjects whose stories worked well together and spoke to her.

“These subjects in particular really leapt out to me, and I had an understanding or attraction to their stories, kind of the way that Brian does to all of them. For me, it was easier to get in there, interview and portray them because I already felt a kinship with the people that I picked,” Maggie says.

Maggie says it wasn’t challenging to adapt Brian’s descriptive columns into film.

“I think his strong sense of character and his strong sense of place really lend themselves really well to film. As long as you have a strong sense of what you are going to shoot and who you are going to shoot, you are pretty OK. You just have to really

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Husband-and-wife team delves into the realities for the lives of working-class and impoverished people.

(Submitted photo)

listen to the subject and let them guide you,” Maggie says.

Seeing his work on film for the first time was an emotional experience for Brian.

“They are stories of humanity. To see it captured on film, with the beauty of the southwest, the desert and the scenes of Tucson, was really moving,” Brian says.

Brian says the documentary helps further his mission of giving a voice to underrepresented people in Tucson.

“The whole idea is to get below the surface of the human experience, to the best of my abilities. To see that captured on film is perfect because it is done so well, for one. It is my wife, but I would say that, even if she wasn’t my wife. She captured the real humanity of these people,” Brian says.

Maggie went into the project wanting to feature her subjects’ natural speech cadences and personalities in a raw, unfiltered way.

“All five of the people have endured really strong hardships or are enduring it, but they have an amazing attitude, and their spirits are completely intact. I found it quite inspirational that they are able to be kind and generous people, and all of them are outward focused,” Maggie says.

The column, book and film have helped to show these subjects’ stories have value and should be shared. Maggie says that being filmed often brought out a different side of the subjects.

“Sometimes, they would even come alive in a different way on camera. They would ham it up a little more or be more comfortable because they were revisiting their stories and realized the second time

around that there was something worth telling to it. It leads to them finding a certain self-worth that is really amazing to watch, and hopefully that’s captured too,” Maggie says.

Maggie hopes the film inspires audiences to keep from passing judgment on and to see the humanity in others.

Telling stories In the documentary, Maggie focuses on Ray, an amputee, ex-con and graffiti artist; Pepper and John, two recovering addicts who once faced homelessness; Del, a transgender activist, ex-con and Bajito Onda founder; Andy, a recovering addict, ex-con and MMA fighter and Dawn, a metal artist and dumpster diver.

Dawn Brandt dumpster dives for items such as car or TV parts and incorporates them into her work. She started doing this when metal became increasingly expensive.

“I started not wanting to purchase my materials because they had gone up almost 300%. I started to recycle everything. It’s amazing how the universe steps up and hands me everything that I need,” Brandt says.

Participating in “Tucson Salvage” gave her a new perspective on her work.

“I lived down the stigma. They helped me do that, not worry about it. As long as you are being good and kind to everybody, it’s not a bad thing,” Brandt says.

Maggie and Brian have a talent for bringing out the best qualities in others, Brandt adds. Maggie filmed each subject for around five to six hours and edited it down to 5- to 6-minute segments. www.LovinLife.com

Seeing herself on film was a strange experience for Brandt at first, but she felt she was portrayed accurately.

“I saw it a second time, and I was like, ‘Man, I was funny.’ I think that’s how I approach things. I like to laugh, and I like to have everyone around me laugh,” Brandt says. “There was some very serious topics in that movie, and I think they put me last because I was a release at the end. I was a little worried that I would come out looking silly because I’m jumping in trash cans, looking for treasure. It could have been bad, but it wasn’t. It was lovely.”

Maggie says she wanted to present her subjects as truthfully as possible.

“You end up falling in love with people who let their guard down that much and reveal that much about themselves. They are being so honest, and that’s just an admirable thing. So, it just made me really work hard to do them justice,” Maggie says.

Brian and Maggie hope to expand the documentary into a series, focusing on four people in each episode.

It was around three and a half years ago that Brian started writing his column “Tucson Salvage.”

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Brian approached Tucson Weekly with the idea for his column shortly after moving back to Tucson from Detroit, where he worked as an editor for the Metro Times before losing his job due to cutbacks.

He did a similar column for the Phoenix New Times back the late 1990s and early 2000s.

For his column, he follows his subjects for a few days, often visiting them in their homes and workplaces.

It doesn’t begin with pre-conceived questions. Brian simply starts conversations with his subjects and sees where they lead him.

“I just go out and hopefully I meet someone who is interesting. I look for people whose stories should be told, who aren’t being told,” Brian says.

He describes their settings in great detail. He has found this helps to give readers more of a sense of who his subjects are.

Tucson, with its beauty and grittiness, is a prominent backdrop in both his work and Maggie’s documentary.

He says getting people to open up to him is a gradual process, one that hasn’t that much gotten easier over time.

“I’m so insecure about my own abilities

as an interviewer and as a writer, sometimes I get swallowed up by that and consumed by that. I start worrying about what they think of me, which is counterproductive to the whole interview process. I have to overcome that, and I have to worry about earning their trust enough so that they will open up and tell their stories,” Brian says.

“These people that I talk to, mostly none of them have been interviewed before. In a way, that makes it harder because they are nervous. In some ways, that makes it easier because they are willing to be more forthright.”

Like many of his subjects, Brian has faced personal struggles. He dealt with depression, been homeless and has overcome addiction to crystal meth and alcohol.

His book “Spent Saints & Other Stories” shares his experiences as a bicycle racing champion, a frontman for the rock group Beat Angels and a drug addict. Maggie adapted this work into 8-minute segments.

Maggie says because of his background, Brian is able to relate to the people he interviews.

Maggie found although subjects are re-

served at first, they open up as they share details about their lives.

“People tend to like being asked questions, especially those who are never asked about their personal experiences,” Maggie says.

Maggie says she and Brian work well together as a creative team not just because of their unique talents and points of view but because of their ability to connect with subjects in different ways.

“We like to think that we bring out different sides in the subjects that we interview. Having a male-female counterpoint is always nice for interviewing male and female subjects because one person will go a lot further with one of us than the other,” Maggie says.

MORE INFO

What: “Tucson Salvage” Reading and Screening When: 4 p.m. Sunday, May 26 Where: Sedona Creative Life Center, 333 Schnebly Hill Road, Sedona Cost: Free admission Info: facebook.com/tucsonsalvage. talesandrecollections/

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MAY 2019

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Let’s Fiesta!

Celebrate Cinco with a host of activities and events

BY TAYLOR O’CONNOR Margaritas, Chips and salsa, tacos, mariachi and fiestas are a few things to look forward to this Cinco de Mayo. The holiday celebrates Mexican culture, which is much more than excellent food and music.

The holiday celebrates the history of the country and its victory against France during the Franco-Mexican War in 1862, contradictory to most beliefs that it is Mexico’s Independence Day. Unfortunately, those beliefs are wrong since Mexico’s Independence Day is September 16.

Since then, the celebration has evolved into an event of pride in Mexican heritage and of celebration, especially in the United States. In Arizona, the influence of Mexican culture is vibrant and clear. People gather to celebrate the holiday in a variety of ways, here are some options for Tucson residents.

Dr. Gann’s Diet of Hope Cinco de Mayo run comes to get people active Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with the 39th annual Dr. Gann’s Diet of Hope Cinco de Mayo 10K, 5K and FitKidz Mile. Runners and walkers can go the run’s scenic course in the foothills of the Tucson Mountains and go to a celebration after-

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MAY 2019

ward featuring the Cholla High School mariachi band.

The run begins at 6:30 a.m. with the 10K Walk, and shortly after at 6:35 begins the FitKidz Run. By 7 a.m., the 10K Run begins and then the 5K run or walk begins at 7:05. Registration is required and can be done online. Dogs are not permitted on the course.

Postrace festivities will begin at 8 a.m., including the sombrero kids race and the awards ceremony. Participants will receive a free T-shirt, get post-race breakfast burritos from El Saguarito Mexican Food and an Eegee’s slush.

A portion of the proceeds from the race will go to scholarships for Cholla High School Graduate Pursuing Higher Education; Cholla High School mariachi program, covering costs for foster kids to participate in sports, camps, music and art through La Frontera’s La Paloma Family Services; and SAR Children’s Fitness Fund.

What: Dr. Gann’s Diet of Hope Cinco de Mayo 10K, 5K and FitKidz Mile Where: Cholla High School, 2001 W. Starr Pass Boulevard Info: azroadrunners.org/races/detail/ cinco

The Agave Heritage Festival incorporates a family-oriented Cinco celebration The Agave Heritage Festival is hosting events through May 5 to celebrate “cultural, commercial and culinary significance of the agave across borders.” The festival will host a free family-friendly Cinco de Mayo celebration.

Festivities begin at 10 a.m. and will include mariachi band performances, agave spirit tastings and artist displays. There will be a variety of food vendors, a local pro-

duce farmers market, and games and activities for kids.

The Agave Heritage Festival began in 2008 as Agave Fest, a Cinco de Mayo celebration focusing on tequila tastings and a tequila competition at Hotel Congress. As time went on, the festival grew and incorporated a higher variety of agave spirits and then incorporated food specials.

The agave plant is the festival’s focus because of its ties in the borderlands, specifically its role in the culture and history.

Now it is a 10-day festival to celebrate the

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Make a difference in your community!

Volunteer at the Community Food Bank’s Marana Resource Center.

APPLY ONLINE AT communityfoodbank.org/ volunteer-opportunities

borderlands culture with seminars, trade shows and culinary events.

What: Family Friendly Cinco de Mayo Celebration When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: Tohono Chul, 7366 N Paseo Del Norte Cost: Free, RSVP online Info: agaveheritagefestival.com

The Agave Heritage Festival celebrates Cinco de Mayo with its annual party Spend the evening with The Agave Heritage Festival as it throws its annual Cinco party with Hotel Congress.

Festivities begin at 7 p.m. and the party carries through the night until 2 a.m.

Monday, May 6. The night will have dancing, agave spirits including drink specials featuring Milagro and El Silencio, and live music from Santa Pachita.

Santa Pachita is a Tucson-based band who has been playing since 2012. The group has a variety of talented musicians each with different musical backgrounds resulting in the fusion of ska, cumbia and rumba-salsa. The congas, flute and trumpet add depth to the energetic music, perfect for the Cinco celebration.

Guests are encouraged to arrive early, and it is $5 per entry. The first 150 guests through the door can enjoy a Mezcal happy hour from 7 to 8 p.m.

What is now known as the Agave Heritage festival began as the Agave Fest in 2008 to celebrate the agave plant and its ties to borderland history. Specifically, the festival focused on spirits like tequila and held tequila tastings and a tequila competition at Hotel Congress. The festival later expanded to a higher variety of agave spirits and food specials. www.LovinLife.com

What: Cinco de Mayo Celebration When: 7 p.m. Sunday, May 5 Where: Hotel Congress, 311 Congress Street Cost: $5 entry, purchases can be made online Info: agaveheritagefestival.com

All Things Mariachi Join Ballet Folkloricó and Mariachi Arizona from the University of Arizona in celebration of Mexican history with a performance of the country’s traditional songs and dances.

The groups’ performances are 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday, May 5, at The Gaslight Music Hall. Tickets are $25 with discounts for seniors, students and military.

Established in 1997, Tucson-based Ballet Folkloricó was created to celebrate Mexican culture and history through dance.

The company has 150 members who tour all over the United States and Mexico and is recognized as one of the nation’s best folklorico companies.

Mariachi Arizona is one of the music programs in the University of Arizona’s Fred Fox School of Music. It is an ensemble group open to all students to play traditional Mexican songs as well as original pieces.

What: All Things Mariachi!

When: 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday, May 5 Where: The Gaslight Music Hall, 13005 N. Oracle Road, Oro Valley Cost: $25 Info: 529.1000, gaslightmusichall.com Whether it’s dipping chips into salsa, chowing on pork carnitas, sipping on a margarita or dancing to Mariachi music, remember it’s a celebration of Mexican history and culture. From parties to family-friendly events, there is going to be something for everyone to enjoy Cinco de Mayo.

MAY 2019

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Top 15 Things to Do

BY THALIA M. ESPAÑA

PCC Fashionarte 2019

MAY 1 AND MAY 4 Join Pima Community College for a luxurious night out with a VIP reception, trunk show shopping opportunities and fashion installations. A fashion show follows on May 4 featuring the latest designs from Pima Community College fashion students as well as emerging student designers and professional brands. Arrive in style and indulge in complimentary VIP parking.

Tucson Museum of Art, 140 N. Main Avenue, tucsonmuseumofart.org, 6 to 8 p.m. May 1; Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street, foxtucson. com, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. May 4, $10-$75.

MEZCrawl

MAY 2 Downtown Tucson bars and lounges are hosting a MEZCrawl during the Délice Network Meeting’s Agave Heritage Festival.

Celebrate your love for Mezcal with other local agave spirit enthusiasts and international mixologists.

Start at Borderlands Brewing Company, 119 E. Toole Avenue, 7:00 p.m., Thursday, May 2, $50.

Spanish For Lunch! ¡Español Para el Almuerzo!

MAY 3 AND MAY 10 Tere Castro will teach and facilitate a conversational Spanish class. Learn about travel, food, everyday life, directions, family, grammatical and cultural concepts, and more.

YWCA Southern Arizona, 525 N. Bonita Avenue, tucsonhispanicchamber.net, noon, $10.

Water of Life Cinco de Mayo Celebration

MAY 4 Celebrate Cinco De Mayo a day early with a Mexican dinner, homemade desserts, and music and dancing with the Water of Life Metropolitan Community Church.

Water of Life MCC, 3269 N. Mountain Avenue, wateroflifemcc.org, time TBA Saturday, May 4, $15.

Artisan and Craft Market

MAY 4 Shop local vendors selling items like glasswork, scented soy waxed candles, creative tile coasters, eye-catching metal signs and creative children’s accessories. Enjoy home-cooked meals and live music at the craft market benefitting the performing arts programs of Presidio’s K-12 students.

Presidio School, 1695 E. Fort Lowell Road, presidioschool.com, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 4, free admission.

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Arts from the Black Community in Arizona

SATURDAYS IN MAY Black artists share their art and their stead influence on mainstream culture each Saturday. Each week has a different theme such as hip-hop, spoken word, museum and live music.

Hotel McCoy: Art, Coffee, Beer, Wine, 720 W. Silverlake Road, rouxeventsllc.com, 8 p.m., Saturdays, free admission.

Agave Expo

Celebrate agave during the Agave Heritage Festival’s Agave Expo. Shop local vendors and nurseries, live music and agave spirit tastings. Explore the world of agave with presentations by Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, a book signing by “Chasing Centuries” author Ron Parker and talks given by artists, historians, ethnobotanists and makers.

Hotel Congress Plaza, 311 E. Congress Street, agaveheritagefestival.com, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 4, free.

Cinco de Mayo Celebration

MAY 5 The family is invited to enjoy the festivities of Cinco de Mayo with mariachi band performances, agave spirit tastings, art displays, food vendors, a local produce farmers market, local makers, games for the kids, and more during the Agave Heritage Festival. Celebrate traditions of the Southwest with the rest of the community.

Tohono Chul, 7366 N. Paseo Del Norte, agaveheritagefestival.com, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sunday, May 5, free.

Dive into Dungeons and Dragons

MAY 11 Come one, come all and get ready for the battle of all battles with Bookmans.

Join Dungeon Master Ethan to play Dungeons and Dragons. Pregenerated characters, dice and minis will be available for players to borrow and join in on the fun.

Bookmans Northwest Entertainment Exchange, 3733 W. Ina Road, Tucson, bookmans.com, 2 to 4 p.m., free.

Tucson ‘Zine Fest

MAY 11 AND MAY 12 Meet independent comic book creators, ‘zine makers, oddball artists and small comic and ‘zine distributors from the Old Pueblo and around the world at the Tucson Zine Fest.

191 Toole, 191 E. Toole Ave, tucsonzinefest.com, 10 a.m., free admission.

Meet Tucson: Small Business Conference + Beer Social MAY 14 Calling all business owners, entrepreneurs, consultants, software developers and beer lovers! Learn all about how business management software can help your company cut costs, boost sales and increase business efficiency with an evening of presentations, demos, networking and drinks.

The Sea of Glass Center for the Arts, 332 E. Seventh Street, odoo. com/tucson19, 6:30 p.m., free.

Super Smash Brothers Saturday Ultimate Tournament

MAY 18 Bring your friends and take a trip down memory lane as you engage in the Bookmans’ Super Smash Bros. Tournament.

All ages and capabilities are welcome to join the friendly competition. Play on the Nintendo Switch; feel free to bring compatible controllers and games.

Bookmans Northwest Entertainment Exchange, 3733 W. Ina Road, bookmans.com, 2 to 4 p.m., free admission.

Tucson Career Fair

MAY 23 Prepare for live recruiting and hiring by polishing resumes and finding your best outfits for this event hosted by industry leader National Career Fairs. Take the opportunity to make that next big step toward advancing your career.

Hilton Tucson, 7600 E. Broadway, nationalcareerfairs.com, 11 a.m., free admission.

One More Time: A Tribute to Daft Punk

MAY 24 Journey through the “Discovery” album during this tribute to the electronic duo Daft Punk at Interstella 2019. The DJ set is presented by PHAT ENT, Specto ENT and The Rialto Theatre.

191 Toole, 191 E. Toole Avenue, 191toole.com, 9 p.m., $10.

Rowdy Wrestling Federation Presents Lucha Libre Festival

MAY 25 Get rowdy at this high-flying event with several lucha libre wrestling matches. Kids get in free.

Maracana Indoor Sports Arena, 555 E. 18th Street, rwfwrestling.com, 5:30 p.m., $5.

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Community Calendar

News

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI

Hilton Hotel coming to Cathedral Square The Rio Nuevo Board unanimously voted to restructure its incentives for the Hilton Hotel at Cathedral Square project that will bring nearly 200 more hotel rooms to downtown.

At Fayth Hospitality Group’s request, the board reduced the tax rebate cap in the agreement in exchange for funds to help pay to move utilities that are near the project.

The project, at South Stone Avenue and East Ochoa Street, will include a 75-room Hampton Inn and a 123-room extended-stay Home2. Fayth Hospitalities’ Greg Fay says they hope to begin construction this summer and have the project completed in 16 to 18 months.

In other business: Board Chairman Fletcher McCusker reiterates one of the goals of the Rio Nuevo district is to activate the vacant storefronts on East Congress Street. He says the board would welcome feedback or ideas to help fill vacancies from the Snake Bridge to the Fox Tucson Theatre.

The board unanimously agreed to move forward with providing incentives to a bar/restaurant development at 117 N. Sixth Avenue.

The board approved a lease of up to 25 years and a rebate of incremental site-specific sales taxes for the 1,700-square-foot location at North Sixth Avenue and East Pennington Street.

More information on these projects and downtown can be found at rionuevo. org.

St. Mary’s Hospital offers new procedure for dialysis patients Carondelet St. Mary’s Hospital is the first Arizona to offer a new, nonsurgical procedure to prepare kidney failure patients for dialysis treatment. The WavelinQ system uses radio frequency to create an arteriovenous fistula, an important step in creating an access point for dialysis treatment.

The new WavelinQ 6F EndoAVF system does not require open surgery of traditional AV fistula creation. It can be performed the hospital’s endovascular suite, according to Dr. Scott Berman, who performed the first WavelinQ procedures at St. Mary’s Hospital.

During dialysis, an artificial kidney is used to remove waste and extra chemicals and fluid from the blood. To get blood into the artificial kidney, a doctor must create an access point into the blood stream.

“Only two small punctures are needed for inserting catheters into the artery and vein. Magnets on the catheters pull them together and radiofrequency is applied, which makes a hole between the two to create the AV fistula,” Berman says. “Previously, this connection was done by making an incision in the forearm and suturing an artery and vein together.”

Connecting the artery and vein increases blood flow and causes the vein to grow.

A larger vein allows the right amount of blood flow for a patient to receive sufficient dialysis treatment. Creating and maintaining this connection is crucial for patients to be able to receive life-sustaining dialysis.

Dialysis is needed for individuals who have end-stage kidney failure, which is typically when 85-90 percent of kidney function is lost.

Grijalva to speak at Canoa Ranch

Get your copy today! www.LovinLife.com

Rep. Raúl Grijalva will speak at a May 4 event at Green Valley’s Historic Canoa Ranch celebrating the Congressional designation of the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area focused on the Santa Cruz River from the Mexico border north to Pima County. The event begins at 9 a.m. and will include tours of the ranch, where

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Grijalva grew up.

The event recognizes the years of work by the Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance, the enduring support from Grijalva, and the community partners who endorsed this legislation. Also speaking at the event is Vanessa Bechtol, board president of the Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance and senior director of community partnerships with Visit Tucson.

To RSVP, visit http://bit.ly/2L3VzFm.

‘Young Guns’ producer coming to Old Tucson John Fusco, writer and producer for the “Young Gun” film series, will attend the Saturday, May 4, screening of “Young Guns 2” at Old Tucson. Fusco’s other writing credits include “The Forbidden Kingdom,” “The Shack,” “Hidalgo,” “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron,” and most recently, “The Highwaymen,” showing on Netflix.

Gates open at 5:30 p.m., with a preshow Q&A and autograph session, followed by the movie at 7 p.m. Tickets are $4-$5.

Old Tucson is located at 201 S. Kinney Road. For more information, visit oldtucson.com.

Loews Ventana Canyon Resort adds hydroponic lettuce garden Loews Ventana Canyon Resort and Chef Ken Harvey have partnered with Merchant’s Garden to create an on-property hydroponic garden that will produce enough lettuce to service all of the needs of the resort. Harvey and the team took advantage of an underutilized storage space and created a revolutionary way to provide guests with the freshest possible lettuce while reducing waste and the resort’s carbon footprint.

“It is inspiring to work with the team at Loews Ventana Canyon who are truly visionaries in the experience they want to provide their guests,” says Chaz Shelton, co-founder, Merchant’s Garden.

“They have pushed us as growers and engineers to create new and unique ways to make food more accessible. Working with Loews is exciting and energizing because they are constantly looking to pioneer new ways of bringing better and fresher food to their guests.”

Green Valley Stroke Support Group

MAY 9 Facilitated by Dr. Leslie Ritter and supported by BannerUniversity Medical Center, University of Arizona and the Sarver Heart Center, the meeting is for stroke survivors and caregivers to learn more about stroke, to find positive solutions to shared concerns and to unit in support of each other.

La Perla at La Posada, 635 S. Park Center Avenue, 626-2901, reservations required, 10 to 11 a.m., free.

Tucson Area Iris Society

MAY 11 Tucson Area Iris Society hosts a round-table discussion on growing irises. If time permits, the society will present a PowerPoint presentation on beardless irises.

Wilmot Branch Library, 530 N. Wilmot Road, 5945420, irisgrowinaz@gmail.com, tucsoniris.org, 1 to 5 p.m., free admission.

Society of Military Widows Meeting

MAY 15 The Society of Military Widows is dedicated to the needs, concerns and welfare of military surviving spouses and their children. Reservation deadline is March 7.

Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, 2720 S. Craycroft Road, 721.1688, noon, call for charge.

Southern Arizona Senior Pride Book Club

MAY 15 Tucson LGBT seniors will meet to discuss “Are You My Mother?

A Comic Drama” by Alison Bechdel.

Ward 3 Council Office Conference Room, 1510 E. Grant Road, 312-8923, soazseniorpride@gmail. com, 2 to 3:30 p.m., free admission.

NARFE Chapter 1874

MAY 20 Current and retired federal employees, spouses, guests and visitors are invited to the monthly meeting. Retirement planning is the subject.

Golden Corral Restaurant, 6865 N. Thornydale Drive, 400-3456, 11:30 a.m., $9.29 senior menu.

Memorial Day Parade

MAY 27 “Forever in Our Hearts and Minds” is the theme of this year’s parade and ceremony, which begins at 8 a.m. The parade route starts at Western Way Circle to the Tucson Estates golf course and back to Western Way Circle. This year’s grand marshal is Sheron Jones, the president of the Tucson Chapter of the American Gold Star Mothers. Afterward, a memorial ceremony will honor all military branches with guest speakers, presentation of colors, release of doves and military jet flyover.

Tucson Estates, 5900 W. Western Way Circle, 602481-2051, savocaanthony@yahoo.com, 8 a.m., free admission.

Send calendar items to christina@timespublications.com by the 15th of the month prior to the month of publication.

MAY 2019

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Looking For Information On Medicare Solutions?

Puzzle page brought to you by:

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EVEN EXCHANGE

by Donna Pettman

ANSWERS ON PAGE 34

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DOWN

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Conks out Central points Press Fasting period Region of Vietnam Tending to spread Requirement “Zounds!”

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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.

SUDOKU TIME

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.

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GO FIGURE!

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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.

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

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MAY 2019

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Arts The ‘True’ Story

Zach Fifer and Jordan Baker in Arizona Theater Company’s “Things I Know to Be True.”

(Photo by Michael Brosilow)

New drama shares gritty lives of an American family

BY BRIDGETTE REDMAN When you’re talking about family, certain things are true no matter the hometown.

It’s what makes Andrew Bovell’s family drama, “Things I Know to Be True,” resonate for audiences—whether they are in Australia, the United Kingdom, the Midwest or the Southwest.

A new play that opened in 2016 in Australia and then toured the United Kingdom, “Things I Know to Be True” is getting its U.S. premiere as a co-production between The Arizona Theatre Company and The Milwaukee Repertory Theatre. It runs through Saturday, May 11, in Tucson.

Bob and Fran Price, two working-class parents, have raised four strong, very different children. As the adult children explore their own independent lives, the family struggles as they learn new things about each other and strike out in ways that cause each other pain.

The play opens and closes with a monologue by 19-year-old Rosie, played

by Aubyn Heglie, a recent Carnegie Mellon graduate who is making her professional debut with this show. She says the show has a huge heart.

“You have a chance to identify and empathize with every single character in this show,” Heglie says. “Also, every single character lets another character down and makes a huge mistake. They are all flawed, yet all loveable. That is the epitome of family—that you can see each other’s flaws and be hurt by each other, but at the end of the day, you still love each other dearly.”

Director Mark Clemens worked with Bovell before and said if his new play came to the United States, he would love to direct it. So last summer, they got together and did a workshop with the script, trying to figure out how it could translate from an Australian family to a Midwestern family. They brought in a dramaturg, Brent Hazelton, to help make linguistic changes. Then when actors arrived for the first rehearsal earlier this year, the playwright traveled to Milwauwww.LovinLife.com

kee to consult with the actors about the language’s authenticity.

Bovell toured areas around Milwaukee listening to accents and trying to pick up on the language. No particular city is mentioned in the play, but it is understood to be set somewhere in Wisconsin.

“There really is a Midwest everywhere,” says Heglie, who has family in the Midwest. “That classic, blue-collar family exists in a lot of different places. I think it translated beautifully to being an American family.”

The Arizona Theatre Company’s former artistic director David Ives participated in the casting and worked with Clemens to make it a true co-production.

Heglie says “Things I Know to Be True” reinforced her belief that the theater world is small. The actor playing her father, Bill Geisslinger, performed often at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland where she grew up. Zach Fifer, who plays her brother Ben, is a New York classmate who attended her Christmas party.

In “Things I Know to Be True,” Rosie has come home from a get-away during her “gap year,” where she hooked up with a guy who ran out on her. Now she’s trying to figure out what she wants to do. She is greeted by her family—parents Tom and Fran, older siblings Pip, Mark and Ben. Each character has struggles and is going through major life changes, and the play deals with such issues as divorce, drug abuse, transgenderism, physical abuse, aging and loss.

“The thing I find very inspiring about this play and the characters is that no matter how brutal it gets, no matter what is said, there is a resilience,” Heglie says.

“Can you come back from that in a relationship? Can you recover? They do to some capacity. I talk a lot about seasons in my monologue. Life goes on is a line I say and that’s true. No matter what happens, you live on and you try to forgive or you co-exist and you find a way. Even when such cruelty happens, or deep misunderstandings, they are resilient and

there will always be some level of love, which I think is beautiful.”

While it is a play about a struggling working-class family, Heglie says it’s not a kitchen sink drama, something that depicts the gritty lives of its working-class characters.

While “Things I Know to Be True” does focus on working-class characters and has a lot of crying and shouting, the play eschews realism for a more poetic style of storytelling.

“There is an ephemeral quality to the show,” says Heglie. “It is not a memory play, but it has poetic language, the movement is theatrical. There is something poetic and heightened in the language.”

The show called upon the skills of Chicago choreographer Julia Rhoads as a stage movement director. She created a physical language for the play, a poetry meant to heighten the dialog.

“It isn’t so much as dance as physical theater,” Heglie says. “In my opening monolog, I’m talking about my family and they are present with me on stage.

They are moving me, lifting me, almost shadow selves or figments of memory taking a tangible form. It’s physical poetry. It’s not totally naturalistic and it’s not dance. It’s somewhere in between.”

She says it asks the audience to suspend disbelief, and draws them into the story artistically like a beautiful line of a song or a painting. Likewise, it is not a

musical, but there is sound design that includes music and underscoring during monologues with music created by Joe Cerqua.

“The set, the choreography and the language remind me of how you remember with your family,” says Heglie. “There is how you live and interact with them and then there is how you remember them. (The play) defies expectations in a really tantalizing way.”

As the final play in The Arizona Theatre Company’s 2018-2019 season, “Things I Know to Be True” takes an ensemble to tell a story meant to reach out to everyone no matter who and where they are.

With a cast of six, the show gives each of its characters a chance to show their struggles.

“We really do follow the parents a lot, but one of my favorite questions to ask my family and friends when they see this show is—whose story do you think this?”

Heglie says. “You get a couple different answers. I believe it is the family story. It is about this family organism. That is really beautiful.”

MORE INFO

What: “Things I Know to Be True” When: Various times through Saturday, May 11 Where: Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Avenue Cost: $20-$90 Info: 622.2823, arizonatheatre.org MAY 2019

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Arts Events Calendar

BY RANDY MONTGOMERY

thegaslighttheatre.com, 886.9428, times vary, $12.95-$22.95.

local restaurants will be on hand with tasty samples. There will also be live music, classic cars, art displays and a variety of agave-inspired libations. Presented in Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance.

Quail Creek Veterans Municipal Park, 1905 N. Old Nogales Highway, Sahuarita, saaca.org, 6 to 9 p.m., $25-$35.

TO MAY 5 This Broadway sensation has been performed in more than 30 countries and in 15 languages. The award-winning Andrew Lloyd Weber spectacular has been enhanced with new lighting and sound design.

Broadway in Tucson, UA Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Boulevard, 903.2929, broadwayintucson.com, times vary, $29-$90.

“Back to the Past”

TO JUNE 2 Great Scott! Step back to the 1980s and meet Mikey MacFry in this “Back to the Future”-inspired show. The happy-go-lucky teenager gets mixed up in the experiments of his good friend, Doc Everett Crown. Using his car as a time machine, they blast back to the 1950s. Grab a soft drink, a cold one and a snack, and enjoy the show.

The Gaslight Theatre, 7010 E. Broadway,

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“Quirkus Circus & The Missing Ringmaster”

SUNDAYS TO JUNE 9 Laugh, be silly and show off your talents as you help the performers of Quirkus Circus find their missing Ringmaster.

This original story by Tyler West features music by Michael Martinez. Note: no show May 12.

Live Theatre Workshop, 5317 E. Speedway Boulevard, 327.4242, livetheatreworkshop.org, 12:30 p.m., $7-$10.

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MAY 2019

Pops Concert

MAY 4 Since 1939, the Tucson Boys Chorus has been the city’s singing ambassadors. The 80th anniversary brings a new generation of a Tucson tradition. For its spring pops concert, the chorus will be joined by neighboring groups from Oro Valley, Sahuarita and Vail, and alumni. Julian Ackerly and Peter Fischer lead the groups.

Catalina Foothills High School Auditorium, 4300 E. Sunrise Drive, boyschorus.org, 296.6277, times vary, $8-$20.

MAY 3 Sahuarita is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a full lineup of events throughout the year. During “Sabrosita Sahuarita,” celebrate Mexican culture, spirits and food. More than a dozen

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“American Heroes – Eternal Brave”

MAY 27 The Santa Cruz Summer Winds is comprised of 50 musicians, primarily from various concert bands from throughout Tucson and Green Valley. To kick off their seventh summer season, the musicians salute the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces in a special Memorial Day tribute concert.

Community Performing Arts Center, 1250 W. Continental Road, Green Valley, 399.1750, performingartscenter.org, 3 p.m., $15-$20.

“Cats”

$

in North America and beyond, her critical acclaim is as recognizable as her popularity.

Oro Valley Public Library, 1305 W. Naranja Drive, Oro Valley, 594.5580, poetry.arizona.edu, 2 p.m., free.

“Exist”

MAY 11 Embark on an astronomy-inspired circus performance with projections, acrobatics, stilt dance, poetry, narrative, original music and innovative props. Explore what it means to be alive and present in the age of science, and how we are connected to the lives of stars. Prior to the show, Aaron Farber will discuss “Fate of Earth,” then visit the Astronomy Art Gallery, which features local artists.

Berger Perfuming Arts Center, 1200 W. Speedway, 261.4667, existlife.me, $5-$75.

San Ysidro Festival

MAY 18 This family-friendly event celebrates the wheat harvest through a procession and live music. Sonora wheat, one of the first variety brought to the new world, will take center stage. The signature dish, Pozoloe de trigo, will be available for sampling. The event is held at Mission Garden, a living agricultural museum of Sonoran Desert-adapted heritage fruit trees, heirloom crops and native plants.

Mission Garden, 946 W. Mission Lane, 955.5200, tucsonsbirthplace.org, 8 to 11 a.m., free.

“The Poetry of Margaret Atwood”

MAY 23 The UA Poetry Center’s Oro Valley Poetry Circle invites the community to learn about and discuss the works of various poets. During this installment, participants will discuss Margaret Atwood, who is regarded as one of Canada’s finest living writers. She is also a novelist, story writer, essayist and environmental activist. Having won numerous awards

“Hopi Katsina Dolls: Changing Styles, Enduring Meanings” TO JULY 27 The 70-doll exhibit shows the Katsina’s evolution from the 1890s to present. In addition to this installation, guests who visit prior to June 29 can also view “The Resiliency of Hopi Agriculture: 2000 Year of Planting” exhibit.

Arizona State Museum, 1013 E. University Boulevard, 621.6302, statemuseum.arizona. edu, times vary, free$8.

“A Century of Zuni and Navajo Jewelry”

ONGOING An hour east of Tucson on Interstate 10 in Dragoon is the Amerind Foundation, which was founded in 1937 as a private, nonprofit archaeological research facility. The campus, which is located among the rock formations of Texas canyon, houses a museum of art, history and culture of the Native people from the Americas. The Main Gallery is home to the largest and best document Zuni and Navajo jewelry collections in the world.

The Amerind Museum and Fulton-Hayden Memorial Art Gallery, 2100 N. Amerind Road, Dragoon, 586.3666, amerind.org, times vary, free-$10.

Sculpture Garden

ONGOING The Tucson J invites the community to visit, relax, converse, meditate and contemplate while enjoying the 40-pluspiece sculpture garden, which is home to local, national and international artists. The public space celebrates the art of sculpture in an atmosphere of tranquility. Pieces range from just a few feet tall to over 40 feet.

Tucson Jewish Community Center, 3800 E. River Road, 299.3000, tucsonjcc.org, free, times vary.

Closed Saturdays and holidays. www.LovinLife.com

Dining

Taste of Tucson Downtown

Dining Events

Choose from three tours: Historic Downtown (1 to 5 p.m.

Wednesdays to Saturdays), Four on Fourth Avenue (1 to 5 p.m. Thursdays) or Sweet Tooth (1:30 to 5 p.m. Thursdays).

Whether your goal is to learn about the colorful history and architecture in the heart of downtown, or to indulge in the finest housemade desserts, we have you covered.

Taste of Tucson Downtown, 425.4243, tasteoftucsondowntown.com, 1 to 5 p.m., $58-$68.

WEDNESDAYS, THURSDAYS AND FRIDAYS

BY SAMANTHA FUOCO

The Dinner Detective Interactive Murder Mystery Show

Breakfast Ride

SUNDAYS AND THURSDAYS

SATURDAYS IN MAY

Take control and tackle a challenging crime while enjoying a four-course meal at the Dinner Detective Show. Keep a look out for the murderer or you may find yourself as the prime suspect. This dinner event is rated PG-13 and is geared toward adult content. Children ages 15 years old or older are allowed in with adult supervision.

Hotel Tucson City Center, 475 N. Granada Avenue, 622.3000, thedinnerdetective.com, 6 to 9 p.m., $59.95

Farmers Market at Steam Pump Ranch SATURDAYS IN MAY

Regional farmers, ranchers and artisan food producers will share their naturally grown veggies and fruits. Visitors will also find ranch-fed beef, pork and farm fresh eggs carrying on Steam Pump Ranch’s agricultural traditions.

Steam Pump Ranch, 10901 N. Oracle Road, Oro Valley, 882.2157, heirloomfm.org/markets/orovalley, 8 a.m. to noon, free.

Ride horses and enjoy blueberry pancakes, ranch-style eggs, bacon and orange juice early in the morning at Tanque Verde Ranch every Sunday and Thursday. Explore the rolling hills and towering cactus as you make your way to the Old Homestead.

Tanque Verde Ranch, 14301 E. Speedway, 800.234.3833, tanqueverderanch.com, 7:45 to 10:15 a.m., $75.

Rillito Park Farmers Market SUNDAYS IN MAY

Tucson’s largest year-round farmers market is located along the bike trail known as The Loop. The Rillito Park Farmers Market hosts farmers, ranchers and artisan food purveyors featuring local produce and fresh cuisine. The state-of-theart, permanent farmers market boasts space for over 80 small businesses. A weekly program, Taste of the Market, includes seasonal chef and cooking demonstrations, special seasonal food events, bicycle-friendly events, and market music.

Rillito Park Food Pavilion, 4502 N. First Avenue, 882.2157, heirloomfm.org, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., free.

Funky Brunch with Mik and Scott

MAY 5 TO MAY 6

Hotel Congress is getting in on the Cinco de Mayo fun with live music from Santa Pachita, dancing and agave spirits, including drink specials for Milagro and El Silencio. The first 150 event guests will enjoy a Mezcal Happy Hour from 7 to 8 p.m.

Hotel Congress, 311 Congress Street, 622.8848, hotelcongress.com, 7 p.m. to 2 a.m., $5.

Mother’s Day Weekend at Old Tucson MAY 11 TO MAY 12

SUNDAYS IN MAY

Mik and Scott are multi-instrumentalists who create a full band sound, every Sunday at the La Cocina at Old Town Artisans. They use live loops to bolster their high-energy performances. This family-friendly event has food and drinks for brunch.

La Cocina at Old Town Artisans, 201 N. Court Avenue, 622.0351, lacocinatucson.com, 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., price varies with choice of food and beverages.

Celebrate Mother’s Day weekend with friends and family in Old Tucson. This weekend-long event honors moms by offering free admission for women and girls. Special Mother’s Day menus and flowers are available.

Old Tucson, 201 S. Kinney Road, 883.0100, oldtucson.com, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., $19.95.

Primavera Cooks! at Carriage House MAY 29

Family Cinco de Mayo Celebration MAY 5

Chul Park is celebrating Cinco de Mayo with mariachi bands, agave spirit tastings and games. Shop local food vendors, a pop-up farmers market and local makers.

Tohono Chul, 7366 N. Paseo Del Norte, 742.6455, agaveheritagefestival.com, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., free.

Tucson’s top chefs—with the help of apprentice chefs and sommeliers—will prepare a multicourse, wine-paired, gourmet dinner during this month’s Primavera Cooks! All dinners begin with a reception, with check-in at 6 p.m. and dinner at 6:30 p.m. All reservations are made through Primavera.

Carriage House, 125 S. Arizona Avenue, 308.3104, primavera.org, 6 p.m., $135.

3RD ANNUAL

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CELEBRATION FRIDAY, MAY 17 | 5PM-11PM SATURDAY, MAY 18 | 4PM-11PM FREE ADMISSION

Friday, May 3 Show 8PM

Saturday, May 4 Show 8PM

Friday, May 31 Show 8PM

Friday, June 14 Show 8PM

Avoid additional fees, purchase tickets at the Rewards Center. *See the Rewards Center for details. Must be 21 to enter bars and gaming areas.

Entertainment is subject to change. Please play responsibly. An Enterprise of the Tohono O’odham Nation.

www.LovinLife.com

Cinco de Mayo Celebration at Hotel Congress

TOHONO O’ODHAM FOOD, ARTS & CRAFTS | PLAZA MUSIC | DIAMOND CENTER $10 Free Play to the first 150 people on Friday and to the first 200 people on Saturday* *See the Rewards Center for details.

Desert Diamond Casino Sahuarita Plaza 1100 W. Pima Mine Road

Friday, August 30 Show 8PM

PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE AT

Sahuarita

.COM OR AT THE REWARDS CENTER

MAY 2019

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17

Sports Hometown Hero

Arizona native excited about joining D-backs

BY ZACH ALVIRA Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Merrill Kelly’s road to the big leagues has been “different,” which, he says, he needed.

“I needed to figure some stuff out,” Kelly says.

It was trying and circuitous, but the result has the Scottsdale native on the hill for his hometown Major League team.

“I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” says Kelly, won his first start against the San Diego Padres on April 1. “Back then, I would have said that I wish I would have done something different, but standing here right now, I wouldn’t change it.

“Except maybe get better grades.”

A 2007 Scottsdale Desert Mountain High School graduate, Kelly was a twoyears starter for varsity. Kelly led the Wolves to a 26-7 record as a junior and 25-9 as their ace his senior season.

The Baltimore Orioles drafted him in the 37th round of the 2007 MLB Draft.

Kelly did not sign.

Instead, he went to Yavapai College in Prescott for two seasons before he was presented with another opportunity to go pro. Despite a compelling offer from the Cleveland Indians, who chose him in the 22nd round in 2009, he transferred to Arizona State.

“The draft out of Yavapai, I seriously considered taking,” Kelly says. “The offer was really good, and the Indians seemed like they were excited to have me in the organization, but the opportunity to play

at ASU, a big-time school like that and one that is right down the road, kind of overrode that decision.”

Kelly went 10-3 with a 4.23 ERA in his only season for the Sun Devils, 2010. They went 52-10 and were the top seed in the College World Series. However, they were eliminated by eventual champion South Carolina.

Kelly then signed with the Tampa Bay Rays after he was drafted for the third time, in the eighth round in 2010. He spent three seasons advancing in the Rays’ Minor League system and eventually earned an invite to Tampa Bay’s bigleague, spring-training camp in 2014. He did not make the opening-day roster and was optioned to Triple-A Durham, North Carolina.

Travels only beginning In 2015, Kelly’s baseball career took him more than 7,500 miles, to Incheon, South Korea, where he signed with the SK Wyverns of the Korean Baseball Organization. In four seasons, Kelly went 48-32 with a 3.86 ERA. Last December 1, nearly nine years after his professional baseball journey began, Kelly got the call he had been waiting for. He received a contract offer—the same day as his wedding. On December 3, he inked a two-year contract worth $5.5 million, which includes club options in 2021 and 2022.

“I was excited. With the deal we came to. It was way more than I expected to get coming back,” Kelly says. “We had some idea that there was interest, but I had no idea the excitement was that high.”

Kelly became just the fifth Diamondbacks player to play high school and college baseball in Arizona before landing on their roster. That reality still hasn’t completely set in, he says.

“As spring has gone on, it has become more and more special. I think at first it didn’t feel like spring,” Kelly says. “I’ve had spring in Florida every year, and even with the Korean team half of our spring was in Florida.

“It felt more like an extended off season, where I was just coming in here to get my work in. Every day I wake up in my own bed and my wife is there and I can go on with my normal routine. It’s been pretty cool.”

Kelly’s homecoming was great news for his family, too.

His mother, Cheryl, moved to Seattle a few years ago, but is close enough to see him pitch now. His father, Tom, still lives in Scottsdale. His older brother, Reid, resides in Chandler.

“They were excited they don’t have to take a 15-hour plane ride to come see me pitch. They can just drive down the street,” Kelly says. “They couldn’t be happier or prouder of where I am now and where I used to be.”

Arizona Diamondbacks Merrill Kelly signed his deal on his wedding day.

(Photo by Sarah Sachs)

Sports Calendar

BY ERIC NEWMAN

Arizona Wildcats baseball vs. Arizona State Sun Devils

Tucson Sugar Skulls vs. San Diego Strike Force

FC Tucson vs.

Chattanooga Red Wolves SC

2019 USA Rugby College 7s National Championships

The Wildcats host ASU to hopefully make up for their 3-0 sweep loss at the end of March in Tempe.

Hi Corbett Field, 700 S. Randolph Way, 621.2287, arizonawildcats.com, 6 p.m., tickets start at $8.

The Tucson Sugar Skulls continue their inaugural Indoor Football League season by taking on San Diego. The two square off just five days after their first meeting in San Diego.

Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church Avenue, 573.3000, tucsonsugarskulls.com, 7 p.m., tickets start at $17.

Watch FC Tucson’s fourth home game of the regular season, when they take on the Red Wolves for the first time in Tucson.

Kino Sports Complex, 2500 E. Ajo Way, 600.3095, fctucson.com, 7:30 p.m., ticket prices vary.

Sixty-four of the nation’s top collegiate rugby programs will flood to Kino Sports Complex to compete in the top 7s tournament over Memorial Day Weekend. Check out one of the most exciting tournaments this sport has to offer.

Kino Sports Complex, 2500 E. Ajo Way, 600.3095, usacollege7s.com, times vary, ticket prices to be announced.

MAY 7

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MAY 9

MAY 2019

May 18

MAY 24 TO MAY 26

FC Tucson vs.

Orlando City B MAY 31

Celebrate the end of the month with FC Tucson, which hosts Orlando City B. FC Tucson won its first professional match in USL League One in Florida on March 30.

Kino Sports Complex, 2500 E. Ajo Way, 600.3095, fctucson.com, 7 p.m., ticket prices vary.

www.LovinLife.com

Levi Hummon has seen Nashville break people’s hearts, but he’s confident he can make it.

(Submitted photo)

Music In His Blood

Levi Hummon finds his own country music success

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Dreaming big is synonymous with the Hummon family.

Patriarch Marcus Hummon wrote a slew of country hits, including The Dixie Chicks’ “Cowboy Take Me Away” and Rascal Flatts’ “Bless This Broken Road.”

His wife, the Rev. Becca Stevens, is a CNN “Hero of the Year” recipient.

How couldn’t their singer son, Levi, be inspired?

He is on tour with country singer Hunter Hayes, a jaunt that comes to Tucson’s Rialto Theater on Tuesday, May 21. For the tour, he penned the up-tempo song “Night Lights.”

“I had been looking at Hunter Hayes and how much I enjoy his up-tempo and amazing vibe,” he says. “I wanted something fun and upbeat. We envisioned buzzing neon lights at bars and how this girl is more beautiful than everything downtown and everything that’s bright.”

Hummon made his imprint on the Nashville community long before he realized the extent of his craft.

Born and raised in Music City, Hummon was surrounded by music greats. A product of his

www.LovinLife.com

environment, he was named one of Entertainment Weekly’s 5 Artists Breaking Now and Rolling Stone Country’s “One to Watch.” He recently released the EP “Patient.”

A songwriter in his own right, Hummon says he feels some songs are just his.

“I always knew I wanted to be a songwriter,” he says. “I didn’t want anyone else to sing ‘Night Lights.’ It’s my story.

It’s about a girl I met and I felt she was so beautiful. It’s a personal encounter and it’s my story to tell. I’m dating the girl now.”

Aside from “Night Lights,” Hummon finds many similarities between him and his tourmate Hayes.

“We’re both upbeat,” he says. “We want to put on the best show possible. We’re going to make sure everybody is ready to dance and jam out with Hunter. He puts on a great show.”

Hummon is also a lot like his father.

“One thing about my dad is he has that unique voice through his songwriting,” he says. “He taught me to be myself and to really believe in myself as an artist. Because of him, I knew what a hit song was without really realizing it. I learned from him—and Nashville—that it’s possible to make it as a musician. It wasn’t a dream only; it was reality. I’ve seen it break people’s hearts, but it’s a real thing for me. It’s something I believe in.”

MORE INFO

What: Hunter Hayes w/Levi Hummon When: 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 21 Where: Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress Street Cost: $30-$34 Info: 740-1000, rialtotheatre.com

MAY 2019

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19

WOMEN’S HEALTH MONTH Tuesday, May 7 | 10-11:30 a.m.

EASY STEPS TO MINDFULNESS Join Yvette Bredice, owner, Tucson End of Life Doulas, as she shares how powerful being fully present and experiencing life can be, provides tools you can use and guides you in a practice exercise.

Wednesday, May 8 | 10-11:30 a.m.

LEGAL PLANNING TIPS FOR WOMEN Join elder law attorney, Shanell Schmitz JD, Zack and Schmitz PLC, as she takes you through the legal events and issues that commonly affect women.

THURSDAY, MAY 9 | 10-11:30 A.M. PELVIC EXERCISES FOR WOMEN Join Prachi Kulkarni PT, MHS Encompass Health Rehabilitation Institute of Tucson, to learn some simple exercises that will help with incontinence.

TUESDAY, MAY 14 | 10-11:30 A.M. PELVIC EXERCISES FOR WOMEN Join Prachi Kulkarni PT, MHS Encompass Health Rehabilitation Institute of Tucson, to learn some simple exercises that will help with incontinence.

Tuesday, May 21 | 10-11:30 a.m.

MOVEMENT & RHYTHM FOR HEALTH Join Amy Ramsey, TMC Wellness, as she shows us how movement and the rhythm of drums can connect us to each other, to our bodies and to the natural rhythms for de-stressing and re-creation.

Tuesday, May 21 | 2-3:30 p.m.

WOMEN’S INCONTINENCE ISSUES Join Daniel Chung, CRRN, MSN, Nurse Manager at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Institute of Tucson, as he shares information about this issue and how therapy can help.

Wednesday, May 22 | 10-11:30 a.m.

GUILT IS NOT A RECOGNIZED FOOD GROUP A healthy diet can make a healthy you, but everyone needs a treat now and then. Whether you’re being virtuous or indulgent, make sure you’re eating with purpose.

REGISTRATION REQUIRED Call 520.324.4345 or visit us online tmcaz.com/seniors TMC for Seniors at EL DORADO HEALTH CAMPUS 1400 N. Wilmot Rd.

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MAY 2019

Southern Rock Progeny

Devon Allman and Duane Betts are creating their own legacy

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Devon Allman and Duane Betts aren’t trying to live up to their fathers’ music.

They just want to create great art.

Apparently, it’s working. The Allman Betts Band started its world tour on March 27 and it sold out 12 of its first 18 shows.

“If you’re honest and authentic, and true to your values as an artist, people will react to that in a positive way,” Betts says.

“That’s all you really need to do. You write songs and put a record out. You try to make sure there’s a narrative and a thread that runs between the songs.

There has to be a feeling that runs through the whole thing.”

The Allman Betts Band is releasing a new album, “Down to the River,” on June 28. It was recorded at the legendary Muscle Shoals Sound Studios and produced

by Matt Ross-Spang (Jason Isbell, Margo Price, John Prine and Elvis Presley). Former Allman Brothers Band keyboardist and current Rolling Stones keyboardist, Chuck Leavell, and former Greg Allman Band Hammond B3 player, Peter Levin, both guested on the record.

“We just went in and recorded it over about six days,” says Betts, who has known Allman since the late 1980s. “It was done live on the spot with very little overdubs. It’s an honest representation of where the band was. We were getting a feel for the tunes and the room on the spot.”

The Allman Betts Band is a family affair. Along with Allman and Betts, bassist

The Allman Betts Band are releasing its debut album, “Down to the River,” in June. (Submitted photo)

and old friend Berry Oakley Jr. is also in the lineup, along with guitarist Johnny Stachela, drummers/percussionists John Lum and R. Scott Bryan and jam scene veteran John Ginty on keyboards.

Fans can get a feel for themselves when The Allman Betts Band comes to the Chandler Center for the Arts on Sunday, May 19.

“We’re doing a lot of songs from the new album and then we have surprises,” he says. “I’m not going to give them away.

We’re obviously pushing our record, but there are other treats Allman Brothers’ fans will enjoy. It’s the 50th anniversary of the Allman Brothers Band. They’re not out playing that music, obviously. That’s where we come from.”

The two played the Musical Instrument Museum recently, however, this time it’s a band gig.

“I was opening the shows and promoting my self-released EP and sitting in for a large portion of his show,” Betts says “We said we ‘have to do a band after this.’ We didn’t force it and it would have been OK if we just did what we were doing. But we thought we were onto something. It was timely and I’m glad we’re doing it.”

MORE INFO

What: The Allman Betts Band When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 16 Where: Fox Tucson Theater, 17 W. Congress Street Cost: $29-$54 Info: 547-3040, foxtucson.com www.LovinLife.com

Coco Montoya fills his set with songs from “Hard Truth.”

(Photo by Joseph A. Rosen)

Hard Truth

Coco Montoya returns to his roots for his latest album

BY L. KENT WOLGAMOTT More than 40 years after he joined Albert Collins’ band as a drummer, Coco Montoya says he has two good reasons for continuing to tour.

“The love of music is it,” he says. “Plus, that’s what I do to make a living. That’s a couple great incentives to hit the road.”

The music is blues — and, like his mentor Collins — Montoya plays it with bite and verve on guitar. That can be heard all over “Hard Truth,” his eighth studio album released on Alligator Records, the label for which Montoya previously did three records in the 2000s.

The songs on “Hard Truth,” all variations on the blues, range from funky to gospel-drenched and include a steely take on Collins’ “The Moon is Full.”

“I always take a good look at his catalog to see if there’s a song I want to do,” Montoya says. “His music is very valid and important to the blues. If I can do justice to the song, I look to put it on the record.

If it happens, it happens. “ For Montoya, the Collins connection is more than just an appreciation of the music of the artist who was known as the “Master of the Telecaster.” Montoya, who started out playing guitar then switched to drums, got the call to join Collins after loaning his drums to the band for a www.LovinLife.com

Los Angeles gig. In joining the group, he found more than just his first job as a professional musician.

“Everything is what I got from him, not just musically, teaching me how to live on the road,” Montoya says. “We were very close, a father and son type thing. I was a very young man when I first went out on the road with him. He kind of watched over me and educated me.”

After leaving Collins’ band during the disco-driven downturn for blues in the early ’80s, Montoya was working as a bartender, figuring that his days as a professional musician were over. But one day he was jamming in a Los Angeles bar when British bluesman John Mayall walked in.

Montoya quickly played a Mayall song as a tribute and, soon thereafter, got the call from Mayall, who was looking for a guitarist to join his reformed Bluesbreakers. Montoya filled the guitar slot in the band that had been previously occupied

by Eric Clapton, Peter Green and Mick Taylor.

In 1993, Montoya, who along with fellow Bluesbreakers guitarist Walter Trout, often opened the band’s shows, decided to go solo. Three years later, he won the Blues Music Award for Best New Artist in 1996, the year after he released his debut

album “Gotta Mind to Travel.”

Consistently making records, the left-handed guitarist had his biggest seller in 2000, with his Alligator debut “Suspicion,” and he’s continued to be a mainstay on festivals and the blues circuit for three decades.

Fittingly, Montoya began a tour the day “Hard Truth” was released. Now his sets are filled with songs from the new disc.

“That’s the idea, you tour to support the record,” he says. “We want to play as many as we can off the album. We’re playing quite a few songs now. Everything has been real positive. It seems to be going over well.”

Montoya says he’s starting to see some younger faces at his show and the festivals alongside the older faces of those who discovered the blues in the ’60s and ’70s. That, he says, is good for the future of the blues.

“Like everybody else who plays roots music and blues, we’re hoping for rediscovery by youth,” he says. “They’re the people who get up and go out and see music. I think that’s very possible...It’s starting to make movements toward that.

It’s new to them and the pop thing’s getting tired. They’re starting to rediscover it.

It’s a good place to be.”

And he’s hoping that some of the young people will follow in his footsteps as well, taking inspiration from the music they hear coming on stage to decide they want to play the blues—just like Montoya did after seeing Albert King in the late ’60s.

“You’ve got to pass it along,” he says.

“Once I’ve gone, somebody else has to do it. I don’t think that’s changed at you.

You learn from the people before you and hopefully pass it along.”

May 17, 2019 Tickets $12.50 Tickets on Sale in Gift Shop 928-369-7577 Doors open at 7pm, Show at 8pm (must be 21 or older with valid ID)

10th Annual

White Mountain Bike Rally

Friday June 21st & Saturday June 22nd, 2019 On Site Registration: Friday 4pm - 8pm Saturday Starting at 8am $20 per rider - $10 per pass Pre-registration ENDS June 1, 2019

MORE INFO

What: Coco Montoya When: 8 p.m. Monday, May 20 Where: 191 Toole, 191 E. Toole Avenue Cost: $17; 21 and older Info: 191toole.com

Located at 777 Highway 260, 3 miles south of Pinetop, Az For more information go to “Hon-Dah.com” or call 800-Way Up Hi (800-929-8744) 928-369-0299 (must be 21 or older with ID)

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Music Events Calendar

BY CONNOR DZIAWURA

MAY 10

Blessthefall Club XS, 6:30 p.m., $18-$20 Metal Mayhem Rialto Theatre, 7 p.m., $5-$8 Sur Block Club Congress, 8 p.m., $5

MAY 11

Girlpool 191 Toole, 8 p.m., $12-$15 Helado Negro Club Congress, 7 p.m., $13-$15 Lord Huron Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $33-$47 Neon Circus: Tribute to Brooks and Dunn DesertView Performing Arts Center, 7:30 p.m., $30 Sweet Ghosts Hotel Congress, 7 p.m., $3

MAY 12

GOOD CHARLOTTE

Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 22, $36-$46

L7 Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $22-$25 Omni Club Congress, 7 p.m., $10

MAY 13

More than two decades in, with seven albums released, and Good Charlotte is still going strong. Throw all your hands up this May when the band returns to Arizona for a show at Rialto Theatre. Still fresh off the release of last year’s “Generation Rx,” the legendary pop rock band has plenty of new tracks to pair alongside its classics.

The Electric West w/M. Crane, Biblefights Club Congress, 7 p.m., free Jenny Lewis Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $26-$29 Tav Falco’s Panther Burns 191 Toole, 8 p.m., $13-$15

MAY 1

MAY 4

MAY 14

MAY 5

MAY 15

MAY 6

MAY 16

Drew Cooper w/The Cole Trains Hotel Congress, 8 p.m., $5-$15 Jake Shimabukuro Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $26-$38 Polyphia 191 Toole, 7 p.m., $18-$22

Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra Hotel Congress, 7 p.m., $3 Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers The Rock, 7 p.m., $28 Tucson Jazz Institute’s Ellington Band DesertView Performing Arts Center, 7:30 p.m., $30

MAY 2

The Church 191 Toole, 8 p.m., $30-$35 Mark Battles Club Congress, 7 p.m., $14-$30 Nicky Jam Casino del Sol’s AVA Amphitheater, 8 p.m., $60-$150 Yngwie Malmsteen Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $27-$49 Grupo Fantasma 191 Toole, 8 p.m., $18-$20 Heather “Lil Mama” Hardy Band Hotel Congress, 7 p.m., $3 Mike Edel Club Congress, 8 p.m., free Tech N9ne Rialto Theatre, 7:30 p.m., $35-$50

MAY 7 MAY 8

Camp Cope 191 Toole, 8 p.m., $12 Live from Lauren Canyon Fox Tucson Theatre, 7:30 p.m., $29-$49 Spectrum Jazz Ensemble Club Congress, 7 p.m., $5

MAY 4

Girl Crush Benefit Concert w/Oracle & Hardy, Chateau Chateau, Moontrax, The Sometimes Club Congress, 6 p.m., $10-$13 GTA Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $20-$40 Jaime DeAnda Casino del Sol’s AVA Amphitheater, 8 p.m., $8-$10 Mariachi Women’s Festival Leo Rich Theater, 7:30 p.m., $30-$75 |

August Alsina Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $25-$30 Acid Mothers Temple Club Congress, 8 p.m., $13-$15

MAY 3

22

MGMT Rialto Theatre, 7:30 p.m., sold out

MAY 2019

MAY 9

The Maine 191 Toole, 8 p.m., $18-$20 Xeno and Oaklander Club Congress, 7 p.m., free

MAY 10

Bad News Blues Band featuring Terry Hanck Hotel Congress, 7 p.m., $3 Bayonne 191 Toole, 8 p.m., $12-$15

Tedeschi Trucks Band Tucson Convention Center Music Hall, 7:30 p.m., $39 Tops 191 Toole, 8 p.m., $13-$16 Weeed Club Congress, 8 p.m., free Castle Club Congress, 8 p.m., free The Allman Betts Band Fox Tucson Theatre, 7:30 p.m., $29-$54 Dead Meadow 191 Toole, 8 p.m., $15 Johnny Orlando Rialto Theatre, 7:30 p.m., $22-$24 Night Glitter Club Congress, 7 p.m., $8-$10

MAY 17

MAY 20

Coco Montoya 191 Toole, 8 p.m., $17-$20 Gary Clark Jr. Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $42.50-$84.50

MAY 21

Hunter Hayes Rialto Theatre, 7 p.m., $30-$34 Keb’ Mo’ Fox Tucson Theatre, 7:30 p.m., $29-$69 Knife Knights w/Lando Chill Club Congress, 8 p.m., $12-$15

MAY 22

Good Charlotte Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $36-$46 Walkin’ the Line: The Johnny Cash Story DesertView Performing Arts Center, 7:30 p.m., $30 Ziemba Club Congress, 7 p.m., free

MAY 24

Jenny and the Mexicats Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $15-$18 Laurie Morvan Band Hotel Congress, 7 p.m., $3 One More Time 191 Toole, 9 p.m., $10

MAY 25

’90s House Party w/Vanilla Ice, Rob Base, Tone Loc, Coolio Casino del Sol’s AVA Amphitheater, 8 p.m., $25-$230 Black Mountain 191 Toole, 8 p.m., $18-$20 Decayer w/Common and Creator, Serpents Tongue, Endings The Rock, 6 p.m., $10-$12 Don Armstrong and the Whiskypaliens Hotel Congress, 7 p.m., $3 Hipster Daddy-O and the Handgrenades Club Congress, 7 p.m., free Insane Clown Posse Rialto Theatre, 6:30 p.m., $35-$47.50

MAY 26

Downtown Boys Club Congress, 7 p.m., $10 Howe Gelb Hotel Congress, 8 p.m., $12-$15

MAY 28

My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult 191 Toole, 8 p.m., $18-$20 Winter w/Holy Wave Club Congress, 7 p.m., $5-$8

The AmoSphere Hotel Congress, 7 p.m., $3 Lucius Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $23-$38

MAY 29

MAY 18

Royal Thunder Club Congress, 7 p.m., $8-$10

Cadillac Mountain Hotel Congress, 7 p.m., free Heat Wave Vol. 2 191 Toole, 2 p.m., $15-$20

MAY 19

Alicia Witt 191 Toole, 8 p.m., $20-$45 Roy Book Binder Club Congress, 6 p.m., $12-$15

Ghostemane Rialto Theatre, 8 p.m., $22-$25

MAY 30 MAY 31

Alejandra Guzman Casino del Sol’s AVA Amphitheater, 8 p.m., $25-$75 Jordan Feliz Calvary Tucson – East Campus, 7 p.m., $15-$45 Lil Flip 191 Toole, 8 p.m., $20-$50

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Scuol lies cradled between the peaks of the Silvretta range and the Engadin Dolomites. This holiday area has retained its native cultural values and natural surroundings. (Photos courtesy Switzerland Tourism)

Travel Summer in Switzerland Exploring the canton of Graubünden

BY ED BOITANO I’m not going out on a limb when I proclaim Switzerland to be one of the world’s most spectacular tourist destinations. Within an area roughly the size of the state of Maryland, there is such an abundance of awe-striking beauty, recreational activities and cultural attractions that the nation has become a Mecca for visitors of every age and nationality.

Switzerland has three dissimilar geographical regions: the Jura, the Mittelland and the Alps, perhaps best known to Americans for its Interlaken area and mighty Matterhorn, despite its gradual

melting, dare I say, due to climate change.

One area within the Alps not much explored by U.S. tourists, but popular with Europeans for decades, is the canton of Graubünden in the southeastern portion of the nation. Covering approximately one-fifth of the country’s area, the remote and sparsely populated Engadine, a long high Alpine valley region in the Swiss Alps, offers some of the wildest and most breath-taking landscapes in all of Switzerland.

The varied Alpine world of Graubünden is brought within reach by a dense network of railways that offers journeys

so scenic that many visitors can’t resist hanging their heads out train windows to bask in a world of lush valleys, sweeping mountain peaks, and glacier-fed rivers and lakes.

St. Moritz, “the rooftop of Europe,” has the appearance of a quaint village, despite its palatial hotels and expensive shops. Once simply a sports resort – it was the site of the 1928 and 1948 Winter Olympics - today over half of the tourists who visit St Moritz during winter season don’t even ski. It is the playground for Europe’s rich and famous, a place to shop and to be seen. St. Moritz rests on a hill overlooking its namesake lake, used for recreational activities ranging from the usual swimming and boating in the summer to ice skating and polo during the winter – yes, with real horses on the ice!

The Swiss know a little about marketing for there are generally two annual events per day ranging from the St. Moritz Gourmet Festival and Festival Da Jazz to the British Classic Car Meeting, Engadine Ski Marathon and Summit Electronic Music Festival. These events keep regular visitors coming each year.

The area around St. Moritz is legendA ride on the Bernina Express is a four-hour, 90-mile journey between icy Switzerland and sunny Italy, through 55 tunnels and 196 bridges. The railway, built in 1896-1904, is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

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ary for its many funiculars and gondolas, making the surrounding mountains ideal for endless hiking – the Swiss national pastime. Everyone from young children to seniors can be seen on the well-designed trails. Swiss cows replete with cowbells, undisturbed Alpine villages, vistas more spectacular than any postcard can depict are guaranteed rewards on every hike. Stopping for lunch, or just a coffee or Rivella, the most popular Swiss soft drink, is always part of the experience. Amazingly, even the little ‘tourist restaurants’ have great food and service. This is Switzerland, and everyone expects the best.

The magnificent views from St. Moritz encompass the mountains from Piz Languard to Piz Julier, famous for Julier Pass, where Julius Caesar’s Roman legions crossed the Alps to crush the Gauls. Study your map and you’ll see a few Roman roads still used as footpaths.

Regional isolation is reflected in Graubünden’s ethnic mixture and its series of Romansch villages. The Romansch are a composite of mountain people and Roman soldiers, who stayed and married locals after the collapse of their empire.

Their language—along with French, Italian and Swiss German—is one of Switzerland’s four national languages and considered to be the closest living language to Latin. While only a small percentage of the population speaks Romansch, those who do, speak it with pride and honor. Another characteristic of Romansch pride is the use of sgraffito—not completely unlike our graffiti—a decorative design that is affixed into a building’s façade throughout Romansch villages.

Virtually every Romansch house has its family crest on the exterior.

Kosters proves to be another worthy destination. Nestled in an Alpine valley, it has been getting press as the ski resort of choice for England’s Prince Charles. It’s an easy-going change of pace after St. Moritz, and certainly more affordable. The hiking is superb as is the golf, where courses are designed around nature, rather than the American way of doing the opposite.

The Hotel Vereina features luxurious accommodations, along with scrumptious regional cuisine. In fact, they have a pretty good spa right at the property.

And then there is Scuol. If ever there www.LovinLife.com

St. Moritz is situated on the southern side of the Swiss Alps, over a mile above sea level. Renowned for the irresistible harmony of its mountains and lake, St. Moritz known throughout Europe as the “festival hall of the Alps.”

was a place to kick your feet up and enjoy the water, this is it. The quiet village resort specializes in spa experiences that are as historic as the Roman Empire. The Romans, never strangers to creature comforts, embraced the area as a destination to cool their well-traveled legionnaire heels. Today Scuol has reestablished itself as a resort for everyone.

The two-and-a-half-hour Roman-Irish Bath, a blending of two ancient cultures, is a not-to-be-missed experience. The Romans believed in the health benefits of steam baths of varying temperatures, while the ancient Irish enjoyed a combination of bathing in hot water, followed by dry air. This rejuvenating bathing tradition encompasses 10 different stations, beginning with an invigorating massage, and ending with a 30-minute nap with the Swiss Alps as a backdrop. Curiously enough, my companion and I both hit a level of euphoric nirvana at roughly the same moment. Even the “champagne” mineral water in Scuol is famous, with locals lining up at the many fountains grace the village, filling their jugs for the day. There is an array of pensiones and hotels in Scuol to choose from, but the charming family-owned Hotel Engiadina is perfectly situated for hiking, skiing and additional spa experiences.

Traditional Graubünden dishes are hearty and simple. Because farmers historically populated the area, the cuisine tends to be rich in calories and suited to outdoor activities rather than a sedentary life. Case and point is capuns, a quintessential Romansh dish made from spätzle dough with pieces of dried meat, rolled in a chard leaf. They are then boiled in a gravy of bouillon, milk and water, and served covered with grated cheese. There is no single recipe for capuns, with each household having its own unique recipe.

Regional delights also include bünndnerflieish, an air-dried beef similar to Parma’s prosciutto, and nusstorte, a flaky crusted hazelnut pastry. Local cheeses and breads rival the world’s finest. Milk chocolate, a Swiss invention, seems to work its way into virtually every meal. It can even be found in one’s breakfast cereal.

There is so much more to see and do in the Swiss canton of Graubünden, but I know our next journey will include more spas and more hikes. Perhaps I’ll even do the Heidi Trail—yes, there really is one.

For further information about travel to Switzerland, call 877-794-8037 or visit myswitzerland.com.

What to eat A visit to Switzerland also means eating, and the Swiss cherish their national cuisine as much as hiking in the summer and skiing in the winter. www.LovinLife.com

You’ve never been to Graubünden if you haven’t had the most traditional of all Romansh dishes, Capuns.

MAY 2019

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THE SUMMER TRAVEL PLANNER

To advertise in this section, contact Ed Boitano at 818.985.8132 or Ed@TravelingBoy.com

OUR GUIDE TO THE BEST INTERNATIONAL & DOMESTIC TOURS, TREKS & DESTINATIONS v Compiled by Ed Boitano INTERNATIONAL CruiseOne offers cruise and land vacations to the world’s most exotic destinations, including European River cruises, Alaska, the Mediterranean, Hawaii and Caribbean.

Programs range from family reunions at sea and honeymoon cruises to river cruising and land vacations. Each independently owned and operated business combines the latest technology with old-fashioned customer service. Ask about our land packages in Switzerland. Contact Joni Notagiacomo in Los Angeles at (800) 600-4548 or www.luv2cruz.com DIGNITY TRAVEL - Join Dignity Travel on this easy and wheelchair accessible luxury tour of Northern Italy as we encounter the great Italian cities of Venice, Verona, Parma, Bergamo and the Austrian gem of Innsbruck. We will also experience some the most beautiful countryside as we discover Lake Garda, the Alps, the hills of Bergamo and the Gardena Valley. Enjoy all this and more while staying at 5-star hotels and experiencing some of the finest cuisine Italy has to offer. This tour is perfect for senior travelers, people who walk slowly or cannot walk a long distance and for people who use a walker, wheelchair or other mobility device. (877) 337-4272 INDEPENDENT or www.Dignitytravel.biz ElderTreks is the world’s first adventure travel company designed exclusively for people 50 and over. Established in 1987, ElderTreks offers active, off-the-beaten-path, smallgroup adventures by both land and sea in over 100

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countries. ElderTreks offers wildlife and tribal African safaris, active hiking trips to the Rockies, Himalayas and Andes, expeditions by icebreakers to the Arctic and Antarctic and cultural journeys throughout Cuba, Asia, and South America.

Join ElderTreks on one of our small group adventures for travelers 50 plus. (800) 741-7956 or www.ElderTreks.com POLAR CRUISES has the MOST KNOWLEDGE about small-ship travel to Antarctica and the Arctic.

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tara@taratours.com www.taratours.com 26

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TARA TOURS specializes in tours to Latin America with more excitement and mystery one could experience in a lifetime of travel. Tara Tours can take you there, with great service and tour programs, designed with your desires and budget in mind. Experience the majesty of Machu Picchu, Rio de Janeiro’s “Cidade Maravilhosa,” indigenous market of

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ALASKA DISCOVER KODIAK — Kodiak, Alaska’s Emerald Isle, offers miles of scenic coastline for beachcombing in quiet solitude while eagles soar overhead. World-class fishing, bear viewing, whale watching, birding, and unspoiled scenery make Kodiak the best place to experience pure Alaska. Museums, picturesque harbors, shopping, restaurants serving the freshest seafood and kind hospitality round out your experience in “the real Alaska.” Kodiak - the only way to see Alaska. (800) 789-4782 or www.Kodiak.org GRAY LINE ALASKA has been sharing Alaska with visitors for over 70 years, offering vacation packages from 1 to

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8 nights. Breathtaking scenery, wildlife, glaciers and mountains are just a few of the perks you may experience when traveling with Gray Line Alaska. Most itineraries include rail travel in our own glass-domed railcars, perfect for viewing the scenic landscape as you travel from Anchorage to Denali. Enjoy 2 for 1 rates on select Rail Tours or save up to $400 per couple on select tours 6 days or longer! Visit graylinealaska.com or call 1-800-544-2206 for reservations.

KANTISHNA ROADHOUSE offers an all-inclusive once in a lifetime Alaskan travel experience. Located 90 miles into the pristine natural wonder of Denali National Park in a remote area where few are lucky enough to travel, you will find adventure, tranquility and an escape from every-day modern life. Your stay includes private bus transportation into the heart of Denali Park, deluxe log cabin accommodations, meals, a variety of daily activities, hiking opportunities, naturalist programs and the chance to observe wildlife and experience the breathtaking scenery of Denali Park — up

close and personal. Come and experience true Alaskan hospitality in this historic back country lodge. (800) 942-7420 or www.kantishnaroadhouse.com/ TOGIAK RIVER LODGE — Located in Togiak, Alaska, we are all about the fishing, keeping you comfortable and well fed. Yes we have the hot tub on the river’s edge, and a sauna too; satellite television for those who must catch up on their sports teams, Wi-Fi, daily room service, but it is the world-class salmon fishing, King Salmon fishing, fly fishing Silver Salmon, and Trophy Rainbow Trout fishing that people travel to Togiak for. Allow us to take care of you, your family or friends on a remote Alaskan wilderness fishing adventure of a lifetime. (503) 784-7919; www.togiaklodge.com or llchinook@aol.com

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1.800.544.2206 MAY 2019

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400 full hookup sites, each with complimentary Wi-Fi and cable TV on 26 acres. Enjoy a general store, children’s arcade, restaurant, Laundromat, heated pool, bicycle rentals and miniature golf course. The resort offers the ideal location for wineries, golf or Hearst Castle. Pismo Coast Village RV Resort was awarded the 2007/2008 National RV Park of the Year. (888) RV-BEACH or www.PismoCoastVillage.com

THE LODGE AT LAKE TAHOE — Centrally located in South Lake Tahoe. Our condominiums provide ample space and comforts of home to relax after a fun-filled day. Heated pool is open seasonally with hot tub open year-round. Our onsite resort amenities serve as the premier spot to relax and enjoy South Lake Tahoe. Call today (866) 469-8222 or visit www.8664myvacation.com

DOLPHIN BAY RESORT & SPA — Set along the rugged California Coast, just south of San Luis Obispo, Dolphin Bay Resort & Spa is centrally located in Pismo Beach. Dolphin Bay is the ideal hotel for romantic getaways or family vacations where guests stay anywhere from two nights to months at a time. With 60 spacious 1 and 2 bedroom suites featuring all the amenities of a home, The Spa, award winning-restaurant, Lido at Dolphin Bay and an array of activities, guests can experience the best of the Central Coast. (800) 516-0112 or www.thedolphinbay.com

PAJARO DUNES RESORT — Vacation Like You Live Here! We offer 110 fully furnished beachfront vacation homes, condominiums and townhomes, located between Santa Cruz and Monterey, California. Relax in a beautiful home with stunning views of rolling sand dunes and the calming Monterey Bay. Our coastal community is perfect for a beach getaway, group retreat or reunion. Escape with casual luxury. (800) 564-1771 or www.pajarodunes.com

on California’s Central Coast. We offer 133 paved sites, many pull throughs up to 80 feet in length, each with complimentary satellite TV and WI-FI, all situated on 11 beautifully landscaped acres. Go on a wine country tour, hit the beach, take a kayak trek or enjoy a relaxing dip in our sparkling year-round heated pool and spa. Family owned - we are dedicated to making your stay with us a pleasant one. (800) 404-7004 or www.PismoSands.com TAHOE LAKESHORE LODGE & SPA is the only all lake front Lake Tahoe hotel where every room has a lake view and fireplace. Offering both lodge rooms and condominiums. Plan your vacation in Tahoe with one of the most beautiful lakes. Hotel amenities include a private beach, seasonal heated pool and hot tub that are lakeside, a day spa and sauna for pampering. The hotel does not charge any resort fees and always has complimentary parking and Wi-Fi. Centrally located just minutes from downtown casinos, ski resorts, restaurants, marinas and area attractions.

PISMO SANDS RV RESORT is located just minutes from Pismo Beach, and convenient to all of the many activities

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Reserve your stay at www.TahoeLakeshoreLodge.com or by calling (800) 448-4577 for the best rates and availability.

COLORADO COLORADO TRAILS RANCH — What you need is a week unwinding and exploring the wonders of our first class guest ranch. Colorado Trails Ranch is not far from Durango, in lovely Southwest Colorado. Set in the spectacular panoramas of the San Juan Mountains, our dude ranch resort offers lifetime experiences for singles, groups and entire families. There isn’t one difficult activity in our perfectly personalized programs. All our cabins are new over the past four years. We specialize in providing a super venue for multi-generational family get-togethers, taking care of all the planning. You just sit back and enjoy your family. The food is delicious, the comfort is wonderful and you’ll feel like a well cared member of the family. (970) 247-5055 or www.

ColoradoTrails.com HOLIDAY RIVER EXPEDITIONS - Enjoy whitewater rafting trips on the Colorado, Green, Yampa & San Juan Rivers. Experience Stargazing, Kayaking, Yoga, & Women’s Trips on the river. For over 54 years, Holiday River Expeditions has provided amazing wilderness experiences with an opportunity to learn about the natural world. Spectacular scenery, impeccable service, delicious meals and priceless memories. Seniors 65 & better get an additional $100 OFF the already discounted senior rate when you mention Life After 50 Magazine! (800) 624-6323 or www.BikeRaft.com SIMBA RUN VAIL CONDOS - ESCAPE THE SUMMERTIME HEAT to the cool Colorado Rocky Mountains where SIMBA RUN VAIL CONDOS conveniently located within a mile’s radius to everything in Vail. Walk, bike or complimentary Town of Vail bus to Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, world-famous Philharmonic outdoor concerts, dining, hiking, golf and grocery shopping! Simba has

Private Beach Front Vacation Homes on the Monterey Bay www.PajaroDunes.com (800) 564-1771

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NEW MEXICO GHOST RANCH - Take an adventure drive and see the landscape that inspired Georgia O’Keeffe, Ansel Adams and others. Renew your spirit amidst the dramatic cliff walls and red rocks. Explore the dinosaur and anthropology museums. Breathe in scenery on a hike, trail ride or an O’Keeffe Landscape Tour and visit the actual sites she painted. Overnight lodging is available. Call 505.685.1000 or visit GhostRanch.org

UTAH BRIO, a Cole West Home community nestled under the beautiful red rock of Southern Utah, provides resort-style living in the comfort of your own home. Packed with incredible amenities and complete with beautiful custom home designs, Brio makes every day feel like a vacation. Brio’s premier homes are built on quality, integrity and customer satisfaction, combining the sophistication

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Iceland is home to many natural spectacles like its enormous glaciers. (Photos by Octavio Serrano)

A True Viking Quest

A trip to Iceland shines with glaciers, icicles and lagoons

BY OCTAVIO SERRANO

After experiencing what it is like to be homeless for two days, I stepped outside of the Keflavik airport and inhaled the fresh air of Iceland. Being a comfortable Arizonan, I didn’t take well to the freezing weather, and quickly retreated inside.

Our travels were unfortunate, as flying to Iceland took more than a day. We’ll get into that later.

Iceland is a Nordic island nation and

home to many natural spectacles like volcanoes, Aurora Borealis, hot springs, enormous waterfalls and glaciers the size of mountains. Its urban culture is deeply rooted in Viking history and Norse mythology. One thing we quickly learned was we could tuck away the Google-Translate App; nearly everyone speaks English.

Because of a broken seat on our orig-

inal flight, we were moved to a different airplane and a layover in England was added to our schedule which delayed us an entire day. Fortunately, Delta Airlines did their best to accommodate us in the best way possible, but we did spend two days eating junk food and overpriced drinks in airport bars.

To truly delve into what Iceland has to offer, a rental car is a must, as we traveled roughly 2,000 miles in one week. We began our Viking quest in the small town of Grundarfjörður.

Grundarfjörður is not a common name, but its mountain, Mount Kirkjufell, has been attracting photographers for years as it is one of the best places in Iceland to watch the Aurora Borealis. Although Aurora did not welcome us during our stay, waterfalls, hiking trails and restaurants with fresh food sure did.

We enjoyed the local restaurant Bjargarsteinn and its lamb dish, accompanied by carrots, sweet potatoes and roasted vegetables. Wine is recommended to complement it.

The adventure continued with Þingvellir (Thingvellir), a national park with cultural and environmental significance. As Iceland’s first national park, Thingvellir lies in a rift valley, sitting between two tectonic plates. In Thingvellir, people can walk in the middle of the rift and explore its graceful waterfalls.

Over on the southern coast, tourists experience a plethora of hikes, waterfalls, and canyons.

First on the list is Seljalandsfoss, a waterfall that drops 60 meters into a pleasant pool. The waterfall is a spectacular sight from afar, but make sure to get up close for the full experience.

Following the paths around the pool, a series of steps took us behind the waterfall. Luckily, we had waterproof jackets.

That called for lunch and hot chocolate from local food trucks.

The southern coast of Iceland calls, again, for waterproof clothing because of Skógafoss, another massive waterfall with a drop of over 60 meters. The waterfall features a pool that segues into a long stream. If the sun is out, a rainbow forms along it. Don’t even think about taking pictures, as my lens was soaked by the time I had it in focus. Instead, follow the steps to the right side of Skógafoss.

We traveled up the mountain to its very brink.

Enough with the waterfalls. We fueled our car and ate 30 minutes past Skógafoss in the town of Vik, which is laden with black sand beaches.

One of our favorite spots was Diamond Beach, where the melting glaciers and the ocean meet. As a result, giant crystal-clear pieces of glacier wash up on shore. The beach looks like it’s covered in diamonds as small as a wedding ring or as big as a car.

Want a little more danger? An ice cave expedition is a must-do. Reserve a tour guide at iceguide.is before heading to Iceland to make the most of the trip— and to survive. The tour begins inside what can only be described as a monster truck. We went off-roading in the beast, running over rocks and small streams.

With boots to the ground, we secured our harness and helmet and began a 20-minute hike.

I’d never hiked on a giant ice cube, and that’s essentially what we did on this

Exploring the Icelandic ice caves is a risk worth taking.

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An old mine along the southern coast.

Watching the coast of Iceland through an ice cave.

tour. With a set of spikes attached to our boots, we began our ascent. Make sure and stick with the guide. It would be unfortunate to step in a deep hole covered by snow.

The glaciers are always changing, so each experience is different. As we ascended, we reached one of the caves. We descended into it, using a rope to secure our grip, being careful to not stand too long under an icicle.

Inside, ice surrounded us and created every piece of the structure. The sun illuminated the ice walls in blue. It’s important not to break icicles or disrupt the glaciers.

Looking for civilization, we headed to Reykjavik. Downtown is highlighted by remarkable food, shops, bars and clubs.

We spent the last night of our trip at the

Blue Lagoon, a natural hot spring, bluelagoon.com. This isn’t the typical spa. The whole experience is as important as the lagoon itself.

After we changed into our swim suits, we stepped into the water. The lagoon is naturally kept warm from the volcanic earth. It remains true to its name, as the lagoon was a deep blue from the water’s minerals.

From the comfort of the lagoon, we ordered beverages from the bar using a wristband linked to our credit card. Another station offers facemasks. The lagoon offers a natural steam room for a quick break.

As I sat down on the plane, my feet ached and my shoulders were sore. More than a vacation, Iceland is an adventure everyone should try at least once.

The glaciers in Iceland are always changing as they continue to melt.

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Iceland has dozens of waterfalls, but make sure to stop and enjoy as many as you can.

MAY 2019

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Columns Ask the Expert

7 ways to eat more fruits and veggies

BY LAURIE LEDFORD

Tucson Medical Center

Most health-conscious people agree that eating a lot of fruits and vegetables is a good habit. Plants provide a cornucopia of nutrients your body needs to function properly. Plus, they are colorful, delicious and provide endless opportunities for cooking creativity. For a variety of reasons though, few of us get enough of them in our daily diets.

How many servings do you need each day? That number depends the calories you need per day, along with other factors. An easier guideline to follow is this: whenever you have a meal or snack, make at least half of it vegetables, fruit or a combination. That likely means increasing the amount you eat, and you should do that at your own pace. Start by adding just one more fruit or vegetable per day or one more per week. Here are seven tips to help you get going.

1. A goal without a plan is just a wish* Create a weekly menu, or at least a menu outline, that includes a fruit or vegetable at every meal and snack. Using this menu, make your grocery list and go shopping.

Choose a variety of fruit and veggies, across the whole spectrum of colors.

Please eat real fruit and veggies. Chips and other products containing vegetable powders or concentrates don’t count.

Frozen produce can be more convenient than fresh. It’s easy to keep some on hand all the time, so you can add a boost of nutrition to any meal or snack.

Also, you can use as much as you need and leave the rest in the bag, creating less waste.

Canned foods tend to be a less nutritious choice than fresh or frozen, and most people are not fond of their soggy texture. With beans and tomato products, however, the canned version is far more convenient and still relatively healthy. If you do buy canned vegetables, choose low-sodium or no-salt-added options.

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2. Be prepared It’s a motto not just for scouts! On a day when you have extra time, do some preparation for the coming days.

Cut up fresh produce, so it is ready for snacking or for use in recipes later.

Cook a batch of something that can be refrigerated or frozen, then reheat and eat later.

3. Double, sneak and boost Add vegetables to things you already regularly eat. For example: Boost that breakfast by adding spinach, mushrooms, onions or tomato to your scrambled eggs.

Add sliced veggies or leafy greens to sandwiches or wraps.

Sneak broccoli, cauliflower, peppers or squash into soup or chili or pasta dishes.

If you ever need to rely on a prepackaged frozen meal, throw some chopped, frozen veggies into it before you put it in the microwave. This will significantly improve the meal’s nutritional content.

4. Add a little sweetness and texture Add fruit to cereal or yogurt.

Instead of eating sugary, fruit-flavored yogurt, stir berries into Greek yogurt. If you do this with frozen berries and store it in the fridge overnight, the berries will thaw a little, giving you a nice sauce that flavors the whole concoction.

5. Make it a power pack snack! …on raw veggies, such as carrot or celery sticks, dipped in hummus. …on plain, fresh fruit. Or combine fruit slices with peanut or almond butter. For a less messy combo, mix unsweetened dried fruit with nuts.

6. Explore the stars, star fruit that is Don’t hesitate to try a vegetable or fruit you’ve never had before You might discover a new favorite.

Buy something that looks interesting, and then search online for preparation instructions.

If you shop at a farmers market, you

can ask the farmers themselves for recommendations.

7. Try that beet again Consider revisiting a vegetable you thought you didn’t like. Maybe your tastes have changed, or you can try a new way of preparing it, and you’ll find you now love it.

Have fun on your new adventures in the plant world!

Laurie Ledford is a registered dietitian from Atlanta, the land of grits, collard greens and super-sweet iced tea.

She now works as a registered dietitian in the Tucson Medical Center Wellness Department. She enjoys helping people improve their health through sustainable dietary changes while still relishing occasional indulgences. In her off hours, Ledford engages in foodie pursuits such as sampling unusual flavor combinations (olive oil and basil ice cream was a good one) as well as hiking and cycling.

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