Zocalo Magazine July/August 2014

Z贸calo Tucson arts and culture / ZOCALOMAGAZINE.COM / july-august 2014 / no. 54

4 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014

index July/August 2014 07. Tidbits 11. Film 13. Streetcar 19. Summer 23. Business 26. Community 31. Events 38. Arts 51. History 54. Food & Drink 58. Garden 61. Tunes 65. Escape 66. Life In Tucson On the cover:

Design by Amanda Reed. Tucson streetcar technical drawings courtesy United Streetcar, LLC, a subsidiary of Oregon Iron Works, Inc.

Zócalo is an independent, locally owned and printed magazine that relects the heart and soul of Tucson.

PUBLISHER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR David Olsen EDITOR Jamie Manser CONTRIBUTORS Lee Allen, Craig Baker, Marisa Bernal, Andrew Brown, Jon D’Auria, Carl Hanni, James J. Jefferies, Kerry Lane, Jamie Manser, Brandon Merchant, Phoenix Mungo, Niccole Radhe, Dan Rylander, Steve Renzi, Herb Stratford, Monica Surfaro Spigelman, Eric Swedlund LISTINGS Marisa Bernal, listings@zocalotucson.com PRODUCTION ARTISTS Troy Martin, David Olsen CONTACT US:

frontdesk@zocalotucson.com P.O. Box 1171, Tucson, AZ 85702-1171 520.955.ZMAG Zocalo Magazine is printed in Tucson at Sundance Press.

Subscribe to Zocalo at www.zocalomagazine.com/subscriptions.

Zocalo is available free of charge in Tucson, limited to one copy per reader.

Zocalo may only be distributed by the magazine’s authorized independent contractors. No person may, without prior written permission of the publisher, take more than one copy of each issue. The entire contents of Zocalo Magazine are copyright © 2009-2014 by Media Zoócalo, LLC. Reproduction of any material in this or any other issue is prohibited without written permission from the publisher. Zocalo is published 11 times per year.

July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 5

Z 6 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014

from the editor “The primary concept, or underlying reality, of the science of our day is Relativity. Einstein added the fourth dimension to those of Newtonian physics: time. Therefore, the art of our day that incorporates time, or movement, motion, change, is the most vital of all the arts being created. It is the art of our time which will endure.” – David Bermant, 1919-2000 I always enjoy meeting with Tucson kinetic artist Ned Schaper because I always learn something (like, who David Bermant was) and am exposed to a whole different level of reality and perspective on existence. I think this is why I’ve constantly been drawn to his work - a glorious combination of Willy Wonka, Dr. Seuss, Mister Rogers and Dr. Strangelove but comprised of “unwanted objects,” what the straights would call junk. His work awakens a wonder in me, it touches a deep part of a long-lost innocence that allowed – before the naysayers started in – for endless possibilities and finding beauty and purpose in the most unlikely of objects. Marrying unwanted stuff into moving parts to incorporate art and physics is such a cool thing and a beautiful talent. While his recent eviction from his previous warehouse on Stone Avenue is a loss, it has charged him with taking his work into the world. See page 38 for information on his shows this summer and fall.

Carly Quinn (of Carly Quinn Designs) and I were talking recently about how different the summers are in Tucson compared to five and ten years ago. “It doesn’t really get dead like it used to,” she remarked. It’s true. There are plenty of things happening and there really is no excuse to be bored. That said, Zócalo is still publishing a combo July/August issue as we have traditionally done because we need to rest, recharge and gear up for the fall. Enjoy your summer Tucson, we’ll see you online and again in September!

– Jamie Manser

tidbits Congratulations to Tucson Pima Arts Council’s 2014 LUMIE Winners

Artist Lifetime Achievement: Julie Gallego; Established Artist: Kimi Eisele; Established Arts Organization: The Loft Cinema; Arts Educator: Josh Schacter; Arts Education Program: Tucson Symphony Orchestra; Arts Patron: — tie — Karen Falkenstrom and Michael Kasser; David Hoyt Johnson Arts Administrator: Jennifer Nichols; Business Partner: General Growth Properties; Civic Partner: Randi Dorman; Emerging Arts Organization: Artifact Dance Company.

New Place to Belly-up

Months in the making, The Dusty Monk recently opened its doors as the newest business at Old Town Artisans, 201 N. Court Ave. The Dusty Monk is a European style beer bar serving Trappiste & Abbey Ales, quirky Belgian, German & Spanish beers and food. Call (520) 622-0351 with inquiries or find them on Facebook.com.

Call for Submissions

Zócalo Magazine invites poets with Tucson connections to submit up to three original, previously unpublished (including online) poems, any style, 40 line limit per poem. Our only criterion is excellence. No online submissions. Multiple submissions OK if you notify us ASAP of acceptance elsewhere. Please include the following contact information on your manuscript: mailing address, phone number and email address. All manuscripts must be typed and accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE). Unless a SASE is enclosed, you won’t hear from us unless we are interested in publishing your poem. Mss. won’t be returned. Payment in contributor’s copies. Zócalo acquires first North American rights on publication; author may re-publish with acknowledgment to Zócalo. The poetry co-editors are Jefferson Carter and Michael Gessner. Address submissions to Zócalo, c/o DJR PC, 2701 E. Speedway Blvd. #203, Tucson, 85716.

Local Bands/Musicians

Zócalo Magazine is looking for current photos of local bands/musicians to run in our music listings. Images need to be high res, 300dpi and at least 6”x4”. Please send images with band/musician names and photographer credit to frontdesk@zocaltucson.com.

continued on page 9

July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 7

tidbits

Calexico performing at “Locals Only Live.”

Locals Only Live

Calexico performed on June 12 at the very first Locals Only Live, in a television studio setting and a brand new collaboration between KXCI Community Radio, Access Tucson, and WaveLab Recording Studio. Think of it as Tucson’s version of “City Limits.” Episodes currently airing on Access Tucson. Another reason to support your local community radio and television stations.

Tucson Improv Movement

This summer, TIM is taking up residence at 329 E. 7th St. in a 1,600 square foot warehouse space next to D&D Pinball. According to the press release, plans are to to develop an improvisational comedy theater and training school that will be open to the public this September. The Tucson Improv Movement currently performs weekly at the Red Barn Theater on Saturday afternoons at 5 p.m. More information about all of their comedy offerings: classes, shows, booking, and special events, is available at TucsonImprov.com.

Tucson Birthday Stamp Design Contest

Through July, the Postal History Foundation hosts its 7th Annual Tucson Birthday Stamp Design contest at its 920 N. 1st Ave. location, MondayFriday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. until August 1. The winning entries will receive prizes at the foundation’s annual awards ceremony and the grand winner will have his or her design on a real postage stamp. For more information call (520) 623-6652 or visit PostalHistoryFoundation.org.

Food Scraps Collection

On June 30, 2014, the City’s Environmental Services Department began a pilot program to collect food scraps from local restaurants and grocery stores. Initially, this program will target commercial businesses currently being serviced by the University of Arizona Compost Cats (Compost Cats). The food scraps will be delivered to a composting facility operated

by Compost Cats on land owned by the Tohono O’odham Nation. The City entered into an Intergovernmental Agreement with Compost Cats on January 22, 2014 to divert food scraps and green waste. Compost produced is sold at Farmer’s Markets and is used by the Tohono O’Odham Nation, and the City’s Parks and Recreation Department. n July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 9

10 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014

film Z

First-Run Flicks Downtown

by Steve Renzi

Starting in July, The Screening Room, located in the heart of Downtown at 127 E. Congress St., will be showing films seven days a week, year-round, announced the Arizona Media Arts Center and Grand Cinemas in late June.

What kinds of films? “The Screening Room will offer an eclectic mix of films to include popular commercial films, (especially 3-D), independent films, critically acclaimed films, audience favorites from the Arizona International Film Festival and films by local filmmakers,” said Giulio Scalinger, Creative Director for the Arizona Media Arts Center.

Grand Cinemas has been in Tucson since 1998, previously operating the Crossroads Festival theaters and currently operates the Oracle View Theater on Oracle Road.

Why come to Downtown and why now?

“Tucson downtown has entertainment, it has fine dining and it has a growing nightlife. (It’s) exciting and in a great moment of transition. Who wouldn’t want to be aboard?” said Kent Edwards, managing partner of Grand Cinemas. Movie theaters foster community: “sharing with other souls is the reason theaters still thrive,” said Edwards.

Grand Cinemas is also upgrading the movie experience at The Screening Room with new seats, a larger screen, digital projection, 3-D and

surround sound, and a larger concession stand. Seating capacity will be about 125 and the films will cost from six to eight dollars, according to Scalinger.

The Screening Room was originally built in 1918; it has been many different businesses, from shoe stores, a wig store, to various clubs. In 1989, the building was completely gutted and renovated to become a movie theater and art gallery. The theater has offered local film and video producers a chance to premier their work and will continue to do so. The Screening Room will also continue as the headquarters for the Arizona International Film Festival, according to Scalinger, who as a founding member of the Arizona Media Arts Center, has been there since the beginning. It will also continue to host the Tucson Underground Film Festival.

For nearly 25 years The Screening Room has been Downtown. “We have survived when many other businesses have come and gone,” said Scalinger.

Looks like that perseverance is about to pay off; so, grab some popcorn, sit back, relax and enjoy the movies. n

July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 11

streetcar Z

The Launch of the Streetcar And What’s Next

by Lee Allen The build-up is almost over and Tucson is about to get linked up with its future as the largest construction project in the city’s history comes to fruition with the Friday, July 25 launch of the Sun Link Streetcar system come 9 a.m. at 5th Avenue and Congress Street.

If you really like to celebrate, Friends of the Streetcar gets started even earlier with a 7 a.m. ribbon-cutting tour beginning at the Westside Mercado District, moving on to the University at UMC, then to UA Main Gate Square and Fourth Avenue before arriving Downtown in time for the official dedication.

Since the estimated $200 million project was approved, the project guesstimates that there has been a total of over $800 million in public and private investment along the streetcar line. And even though the investments run concurrent with the actual streetcar path, City Manager Richard Miranda reminds: “We are one city and the economic benefits generated in any area of Tucson benefit all of Tucson. It is again as it was, the future of our region is being created in the heart of the city.”

Between the arrival of the first streetcar last August and number eight that arrived in late May, a stable of 18 trained operators now stand ready to flip the necessary switches and officially start service.

“Most of the time, when a train pulls into a station, the trip is over, but for us, the trip itself will just be beginning,” said Tucson Transportation Department Administrator and streetcar guru Shellie Ginn. “I’ve been setting up this system for ten years now and as we open to the public, it will mean the journey of preparation is over and the dream has become a reality.

“We’ve tried to cross all the Ts and dot all the Is, doing everything we can to guarantee this moves seamlessly. We’ve tried to ensure that any issues have been minimized or mitigated to provide users with a comfortable and enjoyable ride.”

Expect everything short of a ticker tape parade at the official launch.

Although plans were still being formulated at press time, “Our invite list is a long one, including a request for Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx to help cut the ribbon on the morning of the 25th downtown. We’re also trying to set up individual events at each of the entertainment areas along the lines,” said Ginn.

“I sense a lot of community excitement in embracing this iconic service and we need to let the public know how to ride the system. We’ll be providing three days of free service – July 25, 26, 27 – for residents and visitors alike to hop on and hop off to get a feel of what the streetcar is all about.

Once passes become available, the monthly or daily passes used on the bus system can also be used on the rail line. Also, like Sun Tran, tickets will be available at vending machines found at each stop,” said Ginn.

The official festivities will be held at 5th Avenue and Congress Street at 9 a.m. although the five different districts, or entertainment zones as they are known, will also be participating. (See page 16 for details.)

“Event details are still in flux, dependent on funding available to each district, so much of what is on our ‘would-like-to’ list may not happen,” says Downtown Tucson Partnership CEO Michael Keith, who would like to turn the launch into a five-week event. “We’d like to create an ‘iconic’ Summer in the City event that will draw people downtown and hopefully grow into an annual festival. The MLK lot on 5th Avenue north of Congress (Street) will be the focal point for family fun downtown where we’d like to disperse summer promotional discount cards gratis at the streetcar launch celebration.”

On the eve of the launch, DTP will transform the MLK lot into a beach party with sand and Astroturf, splash pads and lots of live surf music.

“Saturday night is being programmed by the creative minds of Downtown

continued on next page July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 13

photo: © Martha Lochert, courtesy City of Tucson.

Z streetcar

businesses, and it’s shaping up to be a party not to be missed,” says Keith.

Always a player in downtown festivities, Hotel Congress will kick off their own activities at dusk on launch day, closing off their parking lot and filling it with live entertainment. “We’ll repeat the process on Saturday night and will host themed events throughout the summer in conjunction with the planned downtown Block Party,” says David Slutes, Hotel Congress Entertainment Director. “Should be a fun summer.”

The overall brand of the streetcar launch is Connect in the City with Main Gate Square hosting something they call Jazzed in the City.

“We’ve planned lots of live music, scheduled and surprise performances, along with fashion modeling, face painting and balloon artists, merchant and restaurant special pricing – and Kazoo giveaways,” says Jane McCollum, General Manager, Marshall Foundation.

“These four miles are some of the most important four miles in the community,” says State Representative Steve Farley, a member of the legislative Transportation Committee. “This is truly the catalyst that Tucson has needed to turn downtown into a regional economic engine. As to why only four miles is being built, the system has to start somewhere. It’s always a tough fight to get a rail transit system going, but once it does, the only fight is for who gets an extension and how fast.”

Where to Next?

Above: The family of 8 streetcars. Below: Possible future extensions to the line.

Transit buffs like to speculate that this is only the beginning. “This streetcar route is the starter line,” says Farley. “The question now is – where to next? We’ve already seen more than a billion dollars in development within just a few blocks of the initial four-mile route.

This can revolutionize the Tucson economy as we expand it further, and I’m convinced we will make this happen.”

What the District 9 Democrat and founder of Southern Arizona Transit Advocates envisions is expansion to the Campbell/Kino corridor from Tucson Mall, along the Rillito River, down Campbell Avenue past the UA campuses and hospitals and the BioPark and through the southside to the airport. “Or,” he says, “perhaps an easterly route along the Broadway corridor by El Con and Park malls all the way to Pantano.

“Whatever the route might be, it will depend on funding. If we did this locally or through a public-private partnership or local improvement district, we could construct extensions for a third of the cost and in half the time of the starter line, getting economic benefits throughout the region even quicker.”

And while there are no current tangible plans to extend the line, Ginn says: “The Pima Association of Governments High-Capacity Transit Study has identified three potential extension routes. We would need to find funding and pursue further study of these routes before moving forward – and I’m already at work looking for funding.”

In the meantime, all those who have worked to make the Friday, July 25 streetcar launch possible suggest the day be enjoyed for what it is – the historical arrival of a new mode of transportation. n Visit TucsonStreetcar.com and StreetcarFriends.org for other details.

Operating hours will be Monday-Wednesday, 7 a.m.-10 p.m.; Thursday-Friday, 7 a.m.-2 a.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m.-2 a.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Costs are the same as SunTran: A single one-way fare is $1.50, day passes are $4, monthly passes are $42.

See next page for Streetcar Ride Map and Launch Festivities 14 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014

July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 15

Z streetcar

University District

“As the rail line service gets moving, the University of Arizona invites the Tucson community to ride the streetcar and stop at the UA to explore our campus and our many unique attractions,” says Andrea Smiley of the University Relations Department.

Under the theme of “Arts & Culture in the City,” from Old Main to Flandrau Science Center to the Center for Creative Photography, there’s lots to see with a special invitation to “Come to the End of the Line at the End of the Day and Chase Your Stress Away” at a free hatha yoga class, 5-6 p.m. Friday at the UA College of Nursing. “Our many attractions are planning special things for visitors, so stayed tuned as plans develop.”

Main Gate Square

Consistent with their Jazzed in the City theme, live concerts are slated for 7-8:30p.m.

Friday (For The Luvva Music) and Saturday (Tanque Verde High School Jazz Band) at Geronimo Plaza. Afternoon musicians both days, 2-5 p.m., include One Heart Beat featuring Black Man Clay on Saturday and jazz pianist Larry Lowd & The Possibilities on Sunday. The University of Arizona Pep Band will wrap things up at 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Scavenger hunts, public participation chalk boards, and interactive linoleum streetcar painting take place all three days. Visit MainGateSquare.com for times and further details.

Streetcar Ride Map & Launch Festivities

4th Avenue

“Our theme is Soul in the City, but how we celebrate it is still evolving,” says FAMA Director John Sedwick. “You can count on colorful banners, sidewalk sales, merchant discounts and a whole lot of activities – as yet still undecided – goings on.” See FourthAvenue.org for more information.

Downtown

Acknowledging that it’s Summer in the City, the Downtown Tucson Partnership will feature umbrellas decorated by local artists as the icon of their events – find all 20 and use social media to vote for the favorites. When launch festivities conclude, the umbrellas will be auctioned off with funds going to the 2015 Summer in the City celebration.

The MLK lot on 5th Avenue north of Congress will be turned into a sand and surf site with volleyball, Slip-and-Slid water features and picnic tables. If funding allows, celebrants may be able to try a mobile climbing wall, enjoy a tiki party with bodybuilding and swimsuit competition, compete in a chili pepper ice cream eating contest, and perhaps see costumed superheroes riding on SunLink. Visit DowntownTucson.org for details.

Mercado

The team at the Mercado has been busy planning. “We’ll have beer, brats and beats in the courtyard on Friday and Saturday nights from 6 p.m. until midnight,” says Kira Dixon-Weinstein. “There will be food trucks, kids rides and street performers [mariachis, Viva Performing Arts, Tucson High Marching Band] on the Avenida, capped off by rock-n-roll cumba band Chicha Dust on Saturday. A Bridge Karaoke party is planned on the Loop bike path under the Cushing Street Luis Gutierrez bridge (10 p.m.-midnight). Look for local performers and shenanigans in the streets. And on Sunday, brunch and beats in the afternoon.”

16 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014

Map courtesy The City of Tucson

Sunrise on Sun Link: Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

On Friday, July 25, the Tucson Streetcar launches with a ribbon cutting taking place at 9am, on the corner of 5th Avenue and Congress Street. See page 13 for the story and left sidebar for other locales/ corresponding events. Info at TucsonStreetcar.com

How to Ride the Streetcar The Sun Link streetcar will begin passenger service on Friday, July 25.

Ride for free July 25 through July 27. After that, there is a two step process to pay and ride. Before you board, either purchase a 1-day pass at ticket vending machines at each streetcar stop or use your SunGO Card. A 1-day pass cost $4 and cash will not be accepted to ride the streetcar. Once you board, tap your card or ticket on the card reader just inside the main doors of the streetcar. The Day Pass will allow you unlimited rides during a 24-hour period from the time you tap your pass. Full-fare riders with cash value loaded on their SunGO Card pay $1.50 per trip on the streetcar and can transfer to and from Sun Tran.

Sun Link Schedule Mon-Wed: 7am-10pm Thurs-Fri: 7am-2am Sat: 8am-2am Sun: 8am-8pm July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 17

photo: A.T. Willett

Z summer

Triangle L Ranch Bed & Breakfast is a close-by respite from Tucson’s summer heat.

Photo: Rick Machle/MTCVB, courtesy Colossal Cave Mountain Park

Formations inside Colossal Cave, where the temperature is always a cool 70°F. 18 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014

summer Z

Summer "Sunsations"

by Phoenix Mungo

Summer is a state of mind. Tucsonans’ reactions to the annual temperature spike vary widely, from predictable “Ugh! My air conditioning bill!” complaints and the planning of road trips to a staycationer’s “Yes! No students or snowbirds!” exultation. Seeking ways to chill out this season other than burning rubber towards San Diego? Look no further. Cool off (without taking off) by studying this townie’s guide to day tripping.

When the tiny shallow backyard kiddie pool just isn’t cutting it anymore, a journey to Breakers Water Park at 8555 W. Tangerine Rd. in Marana is in order. No “no splashing” admonishments will be heard here. Between the 52-foot high Riptide and Bonzai Pipeline slides plus Splash Canyon, the Wave Pool and Captain Kidd’s Surfari, a thorough soaking is virtually guaranteed. Breakers Water Park is open to the public Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Purchase a one-day or season pass online at BreakersWaterPark.com or call (520) 682-2530. Bring sunscreen!

In fact, why not pack the tent? Bucolic Catalina State Park, only fourteen miles away at 11570 N. Oracle Rd., offers overnight camping in 120 sites with picnic tables and BBQ grills. Friends of Catalina State Park invites all to a First Saturdays Concert Series presenting 60s folk band Fried Squirrel on Saturday, July 5 at 6:30 p.m. and Western vocalist Carol Markstrom on Saturday, August 2 at 7 p.m. See FriendsCSP.org to learn more and AZStateParks.com to reserve campsites 24/7 online.

But wait! First things first. Before roughing it, a bit of indulgence is in order. Celebratory scoops from Allegro Gelato, 446 N. Campbell Ave., are as important to the hyperlocal camping trip as are the flashlights and sleeping bags. Say farewell to civilization by filling up on this delicacy, made using authentic Italian recipes and natural ingredients, while you still can. Flavors such as custard, hazelnut, pistachio and fruit sorbets are dished out Sunday-Thursday 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. and Friday-Saturday 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. GelatoAllegro.com and (520) 207-1991 have the mouthwatering details needed to plan ahead.

Not a happy camper? For those who prefer sleeping inside in comfort, Triangle L Ranch Bed & Breakfast at 2805 Triangle L Ranch Rd. in Oracle welcomes wanderers of the West to enjoy nature without going au natural. Longtime ranch hand/owner Sharon Holnback gushes over the “great, great stars,” which twinkle over the property’s sculpture path at night and touts Triangle L as “a good place to relax and recharge.” After you unwind in the Guest House with its sleeping porch and claw-foot tub, the threebedroom Hill House, or the romantic Trowbridge Suite, you can also explore; Holnback has made art-related activities part of ranch culture. The historic adobe barn is an exhibition space for photographs and paintings.

Metalworkers and musicians mingle freely, allowing ideas to incubate on the courtyard. What a getaway! For more information or reservations, visit TriangleLRanch.com or call (520) 623-6732.

Trail loops and wildlife encounters abound at Oracle State Park, just a quick jaunt up the road at 3820 Wildlife Dr. in the northern foothills of the Catalina Mountains. Guided hikes of the Windmill and Cherry Valley Wash Loops, available with advance reservation by calling Gaston Meloche directly at (520) 638-5404, are scheduled for 7 a.m. on Saturday, July 5 and Saturday, July 19. A morning walk with the Tucson Audubon Society at 7:15 a.m. on Sunday, August 10 promises sightings of AshThroated Flycatcher and Lucy’s Warbler, among others; online registration at TucsonAudubon.org is required. Support efforts to grant Oracle State Park "international dark sky park" protected status by visiting DarkSky.org.

Astronomers and stargazers thank you!

Options for exploring Colossal Cave Mountain Park, 16721 E. Old Spanish Trail in Vail, are plentiful and splendiferous. Something for everyone?

With birding, trail rides out of La Posta Quemada Ranch, an analemmatic sundial, a pair of desert tortoises, a butterfly garden and yes, camping, it may just be true. Enjoy Yaqui Deer Dancers, flintknapping and more at this year’s Ha:San Bak Saguaro Harvest Festival from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, July 5; learn about “Jaguars of the Borderlands” at Sunday in The Park with Sky Island Alliance’s Sergio Avila on Sunday, August 3 from 2-4 p.m. For more information call (520) 647-7121. Exceptionally spry adventurers may choose to book Colossal Cave’s ladder tour, available after park hours on Saturday evenings, which takes visitors scampering along cave side routes for ninety minutes (hard hats and lights provided) before a buffet dinner and bonfire on the ramada. Purchase tickets online at ColossalCave.com or call (800) 979-3370.

Karchner Caverns State Park, 2980 Arizona 90 in Benson, also offers educational and fun diversions including Discovery Center geology exhibits and even paleontology displays. Picnic areas, hiking trails and wildlife viewing are available for RV and tent campers. Summer gate hours are 7 a.m.-10 p.m., park hours 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and discovery center hours 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Call (520) 586-2283 for information on a moonlight hike at Karchner Caverns on Saturday, July 12 at 6:30 p.m. Visit Friends of Karchner Caverns State Park at ExploreTheCaverns.com and make campsite reservations at AZStateParks.com.

Keep your travel dollars in state this summer! The California freeways won't mind less traffic. n July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 19

20 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014

July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 21

photos: Steve Renzi

Above: John Sewell, one of the three co-owners/partners of Hi Speed Rods & Customs, inside his showroom filled with classic cars and auto memorabilia.

Below: Restored autos and works-in-progress.

22 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014

business Z

Tucson Hot Rod Restoration

by Steve Renzi

"People remember what their grandfather drove and they want that car. That's what it's all about and that's what we do. Ninety percent of the people who come in here, it's because of their emotional ties and memories," said John Sewell, one of the three co-owners/partners of Hi Speed Rods & Customs.

Stepping inside Hi Speed for the first time is like walking into an American automotive museum. Lined up on display is a score of classic cars: big steel, gleaming chrome, sleek lines and raw automotive power. Mounted on the walls are hot rod posters, a gigantic vintage gas station sign that reads: Nothing dampens good service, historic photographs and an early Harley Davidson motorcycle.

However, unlike a museum where the displays can become static and stale, this is a business that works. Some of these classic cars are for sale and some are being restored for individual owners. Hi Speed is a fullservice restoration center where hoods are chopped and lowered, new dashboards are designed and made, custom upholstery is installed, metal is straightened and aligned, dents and dings are fixed, broken glass is replaced and artistic paintwork is created and applied. Everything – except some specialized steel fabrication – is done on site.

On some restoration projects, every piece, down to every nut and bolt, is taken apart, cataloged, fixed if needed, plated, and then put back together. It's like putting Humpty Dumpty back together again, except this time, Humpty needs a Hemi engine, positraction, and an electronic ignition.

"We've worked on some cars, well over a thousand hours and we're working on one now that may go over two thousand," said Sewell.

For this interview, we're sitting in a back office at Hi Speed. On the wall is a tattered 48-star American flag found in the trunk of an old Mercury.

The building, located at 829 E. 17th St., is 30,000 square feet and used to be the old Rainbow bread bakery. It's been Hi Speed since 2005. This business requires a lot of traveling and John's two partners are out of town.

"We're always searching the country for collectible cars and motorcycles," said Sewell. Vigilance, knowledge and quick decisions are required, he explained. "In this business, the first guy there with the cash wins."

Anthony Ribeau is the partner who specializes in buying and selling.

Restored autos and vintage Harley Davidson motorcycles from Hi Speed attract customers worldwide and are often placed in prestigious car auc-

tions. However, unknown to most people, these auctions are like playing roulette, according to Sewell. Auctions are a gamble because there is no guaranteed cash reserve – whatever the car sells for, is what you get – and if you don't know cars, or what people want, you can lose money, big time.

This is where the third partner, Sewell’s son “Johnny Vegas,” comes in.

Vegas has established a well-known reputation as a car, boat and motorcycle custom painter and artist. One classic restoration done at Hi Speed and painted by Johnny Vegas and crew, was a 1950 two-door Mercury Coupe, completely painted an eye-catching wasabi green, that sold for a world-record $330,000 at the Barrett-Jackson car auction in 2011. That car is now in a museum in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Knowing what people want is the key to their success. Restored autos from Hi Speed have also been represented in invitation-only corporate car shows. One photograph in the main office shows one of their vehicles parked right next to the one and only Batmobile. How cool is that?

"We put in air conditioning in a lot of older cars. People may love their grandfather's old car, but they want it to drive like a modern car. Take an original 60s muscle car for example, we'll put in a state-of-the-art suspension, new drivetrain, stereo system, electronic ignition and fuel injection.

After we get done with it, press the throttle and you'll get a handful," said Sewell, a man who has been a NASCAR short-track racer – top speed 130mph – and who once owned a 1966 Chevy Nova, a street legal drag car that had a parachute release in the back.

When asked what his ultimate find would be, Swell said: "You might be surprised, but it's an early 1930s, three-window Ford. Painted Henry Ford black, believe it or not, they painted the cars with a paint brush. Most Fords of that era (1932-1935) had five windows, the three-window Fords are extremely rare.

"A lot of our customers have become my friends. We're always looking for vintage cars and motorcycles. We don't like to see an old car forgotten in a yard and wasting away. It's a part of American history. We want to fix it and put it back on the road." n Hi Speed Rods & Customs is located at 829 E. 17th St., (520) 623-1973 and online: HiSpeedCustoms.com. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 23

Z business

Hot Town, Summer in the City How Local Businesses in the City's Center Handle the Burn of the Slow Season

by Craig Baker This summer promises to be another scorcher — one of the hottest and and browse the wares when they otherwise might not have the opportunity. driest in history in a place known for being hot and dry. Nobody understands Jane McCollum, general manager for the Marshall Foundation — which this better than the 400-some-odd-thousand locals that stick it out all three owns and manages a majority of Main Gate Square's real estate on University months in Tucson, though we totally understand the impulse to flee to higher Boulevard between Park and Euclid Avenues — says that she actually “ramps elevations. up” her advertising in June, July and August. “I don’t need more people in The migration of roughly 40,000 students and perhaps as many snowbirds October,” she explains, “I need them in June and July.” McCollum and the from the Old Pueblo to cooler climes may be easy to comprehend and even Marshall Foundation, like the folks at Hotel Congress, also run regular events envy, but nobody in town knows the drudgery of that most unfriendly of seasons in their district like the Summer Jazz Concert series in Geronimo Plaza, which than our local business owners. Most businesses in the region experience a she says attracts an additional 350 people to Main Gate Square from as far as drop in revenue of about 20 to 30 percent every summer, though the recent Oro Valley and Saddlebrook every Friday night. streetcar and underpass construction projects had some local shop owners The Summer in the City Discount Card promotion — which offers customsuffering more than ever before. Delectables Restaurant and Catering General ers of Main Gate, 4th Avenue, Downtown and Mercado San Augustin discounts Manager Christopher Baldwin says the summer from participating merchants for the entire sumof 2012 brought a 50 to 60 percent drop at the mer when they buy a $5 card — has also proven restaurant, causing the company to perform the to be a popular option for local merchants this year, first layoffs in their history. The media picked up with over 100 merchants offering specials to cardon the story and, says Baldwin, “that whole upcarriers. swell of supporting local businesses has stayed Until you are somewhat branded as a business, with us since.” summers can be unpredictable. McCollum explains David Slutes, entertainment director for both that the slow season in Main Gate Square only lasts Hotel Congress and Maynard’s Market and Kitchabout two months due to an influx of students for en, tells a similar tale of summer woe from a few orientation in June and August; though Travis Reyears ago, though he says Congress’ status as a ese, co-owner of 47 Scott, Scott and Co. and The local nightclub icon has meant that summers for Saint House, says that his summers actually are them are nowhere near as difficult as they once closer to four months since, he explains, “Septemwere. “It’s obviously reached a point where people ber’s usually not great either.” see (downtown) as an entertainment district and Pop-Cycle Co-Owner Shannon Riggs’ says her they’re just coming down here because they exshop also experiences something of an extended pect something to be going on,” he says. "summer" even though she says her business Slutes explains that the club shifts their sumdoesn’t rely as heavily on student traffic. “We have mer program schedule to rely more on what he a really loyal local clientele that keeps us going calls “made-up events,” which essentially amount during summer,” she says — a common anthem to themed parties, rather than relying on touring among local entrepreneurs. Riggs says that events acts as a draw. “There are still people here and like UA Homecoming and Parents' Weekends often they’re looking for something to do,” he says; it’s translate to increased foot traffic on 4th Avenue, just a matter of getting them to come through the but when students come back to school, more find doors. their way to Target than the Avenue when looking to In the case of slightly larger venues like the decorate their dorms.

Rialto Theater however, as Rialto’s Executive DiThe one common thread between all of the busiSome local businesses are taking part in the rector Curtis McCrary details, the logistics of that ness owners we spoke to when it came to surviving new “Summer in the City” discount card. space does not lend itself to throwing parties. Thus, they are simply forced to a summer in Tucson was preparation. It’s kind of like the reverse of what you ride out the dry spell. Acts are less likely to stop in Arizona during the summer hear on Game of Thrones — summer is coming, and there’s nowhere to hide. not just because it’s so hot, but also because of the many festivals that pop up Many businesses do cut their hours. They minimize payroll, streamline menus, across the country at that time, McCrary explains. Couple this drain of touring stash away profits when it’s busy, and perform needed repairs and upgrades talent with the annual student exodus and McCrary says that they are hit with while business is at its slowest. But all of the businesses that survive the season a “bit of a double whammy” every June. The Rialto has been able to establish are the ones that get ready for it months ahead of time. a line of credit, however, that helps them tough out the slow months, but as “You know it’s coming,” says Susco, “you know that your (business is) gohe points out, when there isn't a popular enough act to host at the Rialto, “you ing to drop 20 to 40 percent, and you have to prepare for it.” can’t really force it.”

Fail to heed that warning and you’ll probably get burned. n Some, though, say that "forcing it" is the best thing a local business owner can do to get through the summer in the black. Margo Susco, owner of Hydra For information on the Summer in the City discount card, visit TucsonSumLeather & More, says that rather than back off of advertising and shortening her mer.com. A calendar of Downtown events is at DowntownTucson.org; see store hours she keeps running ads, “to let people know I’m still here,” she says, MainGateSquare.com for its entertainment schedule and FourthAvenue.org for and even keeps the shop open later so that Downtown revelers might wander in details on the Avenue's offerings.

24 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014

July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 25

26 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014

photo courtesy: Pima Animal Care Center

photo courtesy: Pima Animal Care Center

community Z

Pima Animal Care Center’s $100K Challenge events includes community adoptions, puppy cuddles, dog walks, and runs.

Pima Animal Care Center's $100K Challenge

by Craig Baker If you are considering adding a furry friend to your family, doing so before the end of the summer can help Pima Animal Care Center (PACC) win a huge chunk of cash.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is in its fifth and final year of their annual $100K Challenge and PACC is in the running for the grand prize of (no big surprise here) $100,000. Fifty shelters from across the country were selected from hundreds of applications to compete for a total prize pool of $600,000 by rescuing more animals in the months of June, July and August than they did in the previous year during the same three-month period.

PACC sees an average of about 24,000 animals come through its facility on Silverbell Road each year with between 600 to 900 dogs and cats on site at any given time. Last summer between June and August, PACC's Development Director Karen Hollish says that the shelter was able to save a total of 3,046 animals, meaning that in order to win the grand prize they will need to find homes for well over 1000 animals each month this summer.

To help make this happen, in addition to their regular monthly adoption event on site, Hollish says that PACC will be running adoption specials and events at their facility throughout the competition. Some of these events include a community dog walk and cat cuddle on Friday, July 4, which will be coupled with a freedom week adoption special; a Community Art Fiesta on Saturday, July 19 featuring more than 40 pieces of art in a silent auction; a Family Fun Fiesta on Saturday, August 2; regular “Free Cat Fridays,” with all of it culminating in a Cat’s Pajamas Countdown Party at the end of August, during which the shelter will remain open for 36 hours straight for that final push to meet their goal. And, says Hollish, all of PACC’s animals “come fully-loaded,” meaning that they are “spayed or neutered, micro-chipped, vaccinated, and up to date on all of their shots” before you take them home, not to mention the free vet visit you are entitled to afterwards.

Though they are excited about their opportunity to compete in the $100K Challenge’s last gasp, Hollish says that if PACC had it their way they probably would have chosen another three-month block in which to hold the contest. “Tucson’s a snowbird community,” says Hollish, “so we really need our locals to come out and help us this summer. As a fundraising director, I wouldn’t normally have an art auction in July.” But, she says, things being what they are, they’ve pushed much of their calendar forward so as to remain competitive with the other shelters in their division.

Recent additions to PACC’s budget to the tune of about $400,000 are also helping the facility to beat last year’s numbers, having provided the facility with a climate-controlled outdoor tent to house additional adoptees as well as their first on-site vet (no one wants to take a sick puppy home, after all). Though it is outside the scope of the challenge, PACC will also see a measure on the November ballot which could provide them the funding they need to build a state-of-the-art $22 million medical facility, though they are having to put that thought on the back burner for at least the next few months.

Not in the market for another mouth to feed? Adopting an animal isn’t the only way you can help PACC make headway in the challenge — Hollish says that the ASPCA is actually monitoring and giving out awards for community engagement as well for sheer number of lives saved, so visiting PACC’s Facebook page and sharing their posts, leaving comments, and Tweeting with the hashtag “#100kChallenge” or “#100kSaved” will all help the cause in one form or another.

What do you say, Tucson? Are you up to the challenge? Then throw a dog a bone and bring home a new buddy. n The ASPCA’s $100K Challenge runs through August. More info at webcms.pima.gov/government/pima_animal_care_center or by calling (520) 243-5900. Pima Animal Care Center is located at 4000 N. Silverbell Rd. July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 27

28 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014

photo courtesy Pima County Public Library

community Z

The Pima County Public Library’s DIY arts and crafts series is extremely popular, as this show of happy hands can attest to.

No Shortage of Summer Events at the Library

by James J. Jefferies

The yearly inferno is upon us, dear Tucsonans. The dog days of summer are here and your seat belt buckle sizzles silently, waiting to scorch your poor fingers unless you happen to have a sweating fountain drink nearby to ease the burn. And if you happen to have young ones, you will no doubt hear the eternal summertime whine of pretty much every kid who ever lived: “I’m bored!”

Thankfully, the folks at the Pima County Public Library system have a very thorough and entertaining Summer Reading Program – which runs through mid-July – to keep your kids’ minds sharp and percolating with new ideas. This year’s program culminates with an end-of-program shindig, the Fizz-Boom-Read! Zoo Celebration at the Reid Park Zoo, 3400 Zoo Court, on Saturday, July 19.

This year’s theme is science, with the core idea being that science is truly all around us, and all of the events and readings are created with this firmly in mind. “We really want reading to become a lifelong habit and want to encourage kids to read at least 20 minutes a day,” said Kenya Johnson, Communications Manager for the Pima County Public Library.

The Summer Reading Program has specifically engineered content aimed at babies, kids, teens and adults, so no matter how old you are, there is genuinely something for everyone.

Events aligned with the reading program at the Joel D. Valdez Main Library, for example, include programs such as The Science of Bubbles, Skulls from the Sonoran Desert, Sign and Storytime, Tech Craft for Teens, Mixed Bag of Minecraft, and Stop Motion Animation! There is an enormous spate of events going down at all of the Pima County Public Library branches under the banner of the program, though, so it is best to consult the calendar at Library.Pima.gov for events closest to you. There is even an online component where kids can participate and track their reading all summer long!

In an era when our educational systems face incredible challenges,

the one thing you can most easily do to enhance your child’s chances of succeeding no matter what they decide to do with their lives is to instill a love of reading as early as possible. The Summer Reading Program is an excellent opportunity to do just this.

Throughout August, there will also be Storytimes for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Children and their parents/caregivers will engage in activities involving learning, playing, and of course books. On Saturday, August 16, the main library, 101 N. Stone Ave., hosts another one of their excellent Do-It-Yourself (DIY) event series, geared towards both kids and the whole family, focusing on the art and history of mandalas.

Mandalas are graphic symbols that originated in Hinduism/Buddhism, and are supposed to represent a metaphysical or symbolic microcosm of the universe. There’s a basic form that incorporates a square with four gates and a circle with a center point, and traditionally they are used as teaching tools, meditative aids, or decorations to denote a sacred space.

Participants in the DIY event will learn about the history of this art form and will make their own mandalas.

Again, the sheer number of events going on – and continually being announced – throughout the entire Pima County Public Library system is really something to behold, and getting handy with their calendar is essential. “I would also suggest that folks visit our website every week to see what new events and programs are happening. We’re updating our calendar every day,” said Johnson.

No time like the present to start making the fantastic spate of free activities and programs offered by the libraries a regular habit right here in Tucson. Did I mention every location has air conditioning? n Visit Library.Pima.gov for the countrywide list of libraries and their events.

This article is courtesy of the Downtown Tucson Partnership.

July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 29

photo: Les Manser

events Z

Dog Days of Summer

by Jon D Auria Tucson is known for its many distinguishing qualities including breathtaking summer sunsets, its surplus of renowned local artists and its citizens' fondness for canine companions. So it’s only fitting to celebrate the summer in the Old Pueblo by bringing together the ample art and dog communities to enjoy a beautiful evening for the third annual Dog Days of Summer Event. Taking place at the stunning Plaza Colonial, the festivities will commence on Friday, July 25 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. All of the proceeds from the $5 tickets will go toward supporting the Humane Society of Southern Arizona (HSSAZ) and its programs.

Guests are encouraged to bring their dogs and families for an evening that will feature a special art show at the Jane Hamilton Gallery highlighting wonderful dog-themed paintings by Louis Mason, live music and entertainment, food, drinks and gelato provided by the local restaurants, open tours of all of the Plaza stores, $5 caricature drawings of dogs done by students of the Art Institute of Tucson who have also designed the clothing for the most popular event of the evening, The Doggy Fashion Show.

The theme of this year’s canine fashion is denim jackets that will be made available for purchase after they come off the runway.

“My favorite part of the event is watching people ‘ooh and ahh’ at how adorable the dogs are when they’re walking in the fashion show. And just seeing the students feel so proud of their work makes it special as well,” says HSSAZ Public Relations Lead Samantha Esquivel. “It’s a great collaboration between all of the stores in the Plaza, The Art Institute of Tucson and the Humane Society, and what better cause is there to bring the community together to have a great time. It’s been a big success for us in its previous runs and it’s only gaining more attention as the years go on.”

Upon purchase of entry, each guest will be given a “Plaza Passport” that will receive a punch in each of the local stores that fill Plaza Colonial (with an option to buy 5 passports for $20). Once the passports are completed, they will then be entered into a raffle for prizes from each merchant

valued at $200. The participating merchants include Elements Home Décor & Gifts, George's Men's Clothing, J Bridal, Jane Hamilton Fine Art, Mills Touche, Mingle Salon & Spa, Romano Real Estate, Rug Resource, Shlomo & Vito's New York Delicatessen & Pizza Kitchen, Sunset Interiors and Tavolino Ristorante Italiano.

“A lot of people in Tucson have the impression that everybody leaves in the summer, and granted a lot of people do, but a lot of people stay and this event is something fun for people to do in July. It draws people out and reminds them that all of these stores are open throughout the summer,” says Plaza Colonial Spokesperson and merchant Ivan Escobell. “We have an amazing courtyard that is one of the best in Tucson and it creates a beautiful setting and atmosphere for this event. We all love it here in the plaza because we are all huge dog lovers ourselves and the Humane Society is very close to our hearts.”

With all of the proceeds from the sales of the passport tickets, caricatures, doggy clothing, food and drink going to the Humane Society, this event is not only fun for the whole family, but beneficial to the dogs of Tucson who rely on the non-profit to give them a second chance at life.

“The Humane Society cares so much about our animals and we want to aid and service them the best we can. And we are an organization that not only serves pets, but the people who love them as well,” says Esquivel.

“This event is so special because you see so many dogs and owners mingling with each other in a social setting. It’s just so much fun and the weather is great and the people are great. Everyone has a blast and it’s a wonderful way for people in this community to meet each other.” n Plaza Colonial is located on the southwest corner of Skyline Drive and Campbell Avenue at 2850 E Skyline Dr. For more information about the Friday, July 25 event and HSSAZ, visit HSSAZ.org or call (520) 327-6088.

July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 31

Z events

july/august

Fri, July 4

Fri, July 25

“A” MOUNTAIN FIREWORKS Food vendors

SUNRISE ON SUN LINK The Tucson Street-

and beer garden. Fireworks start at 9:15pm. Cost for parking. 260 S. Church Ave. 791-4101, TucsonConventionCenter.org

car launches with a ribbon cutting taking place at 9am, on the corner of 5th Avenue and Congress Street. See page 13 for the story and other locales/corresponding events. TucsonStreetcar.com

JULY 4TH IN ORO VALLEY

Family friendly activities, live entertainment, food trucks and fireworks. Fireworks start at 9pm. Free. James D. Kreigh Park, 23 W. Calle Concordia. 229-4700, VisitTucson. org

FOUR FOUR FOUR

Family style BBQ for the 4th of July. 4pm-7pm. See website for prices. Tucson Botanical Gardens, 2150 N. Alvernon Way. 326-9686, TucsonBotanical.org

STAR SPANGLED SPECTACULAR W/ FIREWORKS: MARANA Concert in the park featuring Greg Spivey Band at Crossroads in Silverbell Park. 6pm-10pm. Fireworks start at 9pm. Free. Arizona Pavilions Marana, 5850 W. Arizona Pavilions Dr. 382-1946, OroValleyAZ.gov

Sat, July 13 2ND SATURDAYS DOWNTOWN Street performers, arts and food vendors. Outdoor movie, Frozen, screens at kid’s area, 414 N. Toole Ave. Barbara Harris Band, Carlos Arzate & The Kind Souls, Five Way Street perform on the Scott Avenue stage; Tucson Circus Arts Stilt Dance performs between bands. Free.

5:30pm-10:30pm. Along Congress Street, 2ndSaturdays.com

Wed, July 16 ISKASHITAA REFUGEE NETWORK: FOOD FOR THOUGHT POTLUCK Refugees living in Tucson share traditional dishes from their home countries. RSVP required, bring a dish to pass. 6pm-8pm. 4625 E. River Rd. 440-0100, HarvestTucson.org

Sat, July 19 MANY HANDS ARTIST COOPERATIVE Christmas in July themed art fair. 4pm-8pm. 20 percent of all the yellow tag items will be donated to the Food Bank. Many Hands Courtyard, 3054 N. 1st Ave. ManyHandsCourtyard.com

Sat, July 19-Sun, July 26 LOFT KIDS FEST Experience films, fun games, giveaways, interactive activities and more. Free. 10am.

Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. 332-5638, LoftCinema.com

Thu, July 31 TWILIGHT THURSDAYS

Alien Edition: family activities, entertainment and a guided tour of the alien-inspired exhibit. $8 admission, $4 children.

5pm-8pm. Tucson Botanical Gardens, 2150 N. Alvernon Way. 326-9686, TucsonBotanical.org

MOONLIGHT MADNESS TOURS

Launch seltzer rockets, sample space food and take an astronaut test on the second Saturday night of the month; Sat, July 12 & Sat, Aug 9. $7. 5pm-9pm. Titan Missile Museum, 1580 W. Duval Mine Rd. 625-7736, TitanMissileMuseum.org

PLANETARIUM SHOWS

Explore the starry night sky every Thu-Sun in July and August. Experience solar systems, laser light shows and more. $5$7. Schedule varies, see website for times. Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium, 1601 E. University.

621-7827, Flandrau.org

Fri, Aug 8-Sun, Aug 10

Mondays

VINTAGE MARKET Shopping featuring antique

MEET ME AT MAYNARDS (@Hotel Congress)

furniture and items for the home and garden. Thu-Sat, 10am-6pm; Sun, 10am-3pm. Arizona Sash Buildings, 657 W. St Mary’s Rd. 780-6565.

Sat, Aug 9 2ND SATURDAYS DOWNTOWN Street performers, arts and food vendors. Outdoor movie, Toy Story (1995), screens at kid’s area, 414 N. Toole Ave. Heather Hardy & The Lil’ Mama Band, I See Hawks In L.A., Ronstadt Generations perform on the Scott Avenue stage; Tucson Circus Arts Stilt Dance performs between bands. Free. 5:30pm-10:30pm. Along Congress Street, 2ndSaturdays.com

Wed, Aug 13-Sun, Aug 17 TUCSON BIRD AND WILDLIFE FESTIVAL Nature Expo involving history talks, critter exhibits and family-friendly programs. Riverpark Inn, 350 S. Freeway. 239-2300, TucsonAudubon.org/festival

Sat, Aug 16 SALSA AND TEQUILA CHALLENGE Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance presents annual salsa competition featuring salsa, live mariachi music, salsa dancing, silent auctions and more. $55.

La Encantada shopping center, 2905 E. Skyline Dr. 797-3959, SAACA.org/SalsaTequila.php

Sat, Aug 23 PRICKLY PEAR FESTIVAL

Enjoy a prickly pear abundance of beer, margaritas, food samples, arts crafts, lemonade and more. Proceeds benefit EMVIA, Educating and Mentoring for the Visually Impaired Association. Free admission. 12pm-6pm. Holiday Inn Hotel, 4550 S. Palo Verde Rd. PricklyPearFestival.org

NIGHT WINGS AT PIMA AIR & SPACE MUSEUM Tram rides until sundown and a walking tour of an indoor hangar. $10 adults, children 12 and under free. 5pm-9pm. Pima Air and Space Museum, 6000 E. Valencia Rd. 574-0462, PimaAir.org

32 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014

Ongoing

Southern Arizona Roadrunners’ Monday evening, noncompetitive, social 3-mile run/walk, that begins and ends downtown at Hotel Congress, rain/shine/holidays included! 311 E. Congress St. 991-0733, MeetMeAtMaynards.com

Tuesdays & Thursdays DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

Unlimited admission for furry companions at Tucson Botanical Gardens. $20 for a season pass. 7am-4:30pm. Tucson Botanical Gardens, 2150 N. Alvernon Way. 326-9686, TucsonBotanical.org

Thursdays BAT BRIDGE DISCOVERY

Docents from the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum are stationed at “Bat Bridges” on River Road/Campbell Avenue and at Pantano/22nd Street with information regarding the bats under the bridges. Free. 7:30pm. DesertMuseum.org

Fridays 4TH AVE FOOD FEST

Local food and music.

4pm-8pm. 4th Avenue and 4th Street. 261-6982, FoodInRoot.com

Saturdays SUMMER SATURDAY EVENINGS AT THE DESERT MUSEUM Experience the Desert Museum after dark. 5pm-10pm. See website for prices. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, 2021 N. Kinney Rd. DesertMuseum.org

July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 33

SILVER CITY, NEW MEXICO

SilverCityTourism.org • 575-538-555

Places of

Artwork by Jean-Robert P. Beffort

55

f Interest

Funded in part by Silver City Lodger’s Tax

Z events

Watching Wildlife Tucson’s urbanites encounter wildlife on a regular basis. Our neighborhoods resound with bird songs 12 months of the year. Lizards, snakes, coyotes roam far and wide. I see rabbits on every walk in my mid-town ‘hood. Having lived in Tucson for over twenty years, I recognize that the Sonoran Desert’s boundary between town and the desert is only real to humans, not to the desert’s wild denizens. Birds routinely bring the viewer and listener to wonderment and connect us back, and into, this robust environment.

As stated by Dr. Paul Green of the Tucson Audubon Society via email: “Birds are the start of an exciting relationship with nature, one where we can all learn about and enjoy wildlife and wild spaces, make our own neighborhoods better for birds and wildlife, and conserve and restore the most important areas for birds and for people, as we coexist more sustainably.”

Starting August 13 and continuing through August 17, the Tucson Audubon Society brings the amazing birds of the Sonoran Desert and Sky Islands to the public with its Fourth Annual Tucson Bird and Wildlife Festival. The Tucson Audubon Society was founded in 1949, with a mission statement that promises to “promote the protection and stewardship of southern Arizona’s biological diversity through the study and enjoyment of birds and the places they live.”

This year’s event anticipates the continued increase in popularity which has occurred since the festival’s start in 2011. The event is far flung, but conveniently centered at the RiverPark Inn, 350 South Freeway, just west of I-10 very near downtown, where attendees can take in safe and fun live animal and bird encounters, educational exhibits, lectures and talks, meet with various nature advocacy groups, and peruse items for sale by naturerelated vendors.

36 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014

by Dan Rylander Workshops that run Thursday, August 14 through Sunday, August 17, will teach beginning birders and new visitors to the Sonoran Desert region how to identify some bird species, understand bird molting, identify bats with sonar detectors, and learn the basics of gardening with an eye to attracting hummingbirds to one’s backyard. This year, with the advent of the new Sun Link streetcar line, an extremely convenient mass transit access exists near the RiverPark Inn. Dr. Green explains the reason for the Society’s creation and continued stewardship of the event: “Tucson Audubon started the Tucson Bird & Wildlife Festival for two reasons. First we sought to create a local tool to convince those in government and business that traveling birdwatchers have significant economic impact and that the natural habitats upon which those birds depend have value in an undeveloped state. We already know that wildlife watching is worth $1.2 billion each year to our state. Secondly, we sought to celebrate the astounding diversity of birds here. Of the 914 species of birds found in North America, around 525 have been seen in Arizona, 400 species seen in our region each year, 36 not regularly found elsewhere in U.S. and around 40 are found only in the U.S./Mexico border area. So this is a very special part of the continent. The festival brings birders from across the country, and a number of overseas countries. We teach people about the threats to our birds and the places they live, and tell people what they can do to protect and enhance our region for wildlife.”

Special guests to the event include Robert Mesta, who will discuss recovery efforts related to species survival of four high-profile endangered birds: the California Condor, Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon and Masked Bobwhite Quail, all with unique ties to the American Southwest. Also, author and international bird tour leader Steven N. G. Howell, author of “Rare Birds of North America,” and co-author of “A Guide to the Birds of Mexico

photo: Bruce Taubert/courtesy Tucson Audubon Society

Gilded Filcker

and Northern Central America,” will speak on the topic: “Shift Happens: Rare (Vagrant) Birds in North America - Why, Where, and Whence?”

Away from the RiverPark Inn, and for an enhanced experience, there are scheduled trips to nearby birding hotspots.

Tucson Audubon Society Events and Volunteer Coordinator Julie Pulliam elucidates: “A few spaces remain on trips that highlight the stunning array of Sonoran Desert specialty birds at Catalina State Park and Saguaro National Park. If you like viewing life behind your camera lens, join our new ‘Bird & Wildlife Viewing & Photography Trip’ where you can photograph birds from the desert floor to the canyon habitat of the Santa Rita Mountains. When you think of birding in southeast Arizona, you may not think of shorebirds, but on a trip to Benson and Willcox, you can spot a wide variety of shorebirds as they stop over on their migration journey.”

Dozens of field trips (they do cost and must be reserved in advance) and workshops are scheduled with national experts.

Dr. Green stated: “If you live in Tucson, nowhere can you hear from so many local wildlife experts in one weekend as at the Tucson Bird & Wildlife Festival. They will open your eyes to the wildlife in your backyard.”

Of special interest to Tucsonans is a planned trip to the Campbell Avenue/Rillito Bridge, which is a bat roost extraordinaire. I have driven across that bridge just as the bats cut loose. In seconds, thousands of bats swirl into the indigo sunset sky, curling like a single entity. Remember, every mosquito eaten by a bat is one less to feed on you! Bat biologist Dr. Ronnie Sidner will be on hand for this reservation-only discussion of bat ecology and biology. Sonar detectors will be used to identify different bat species that may be encountered.

For newbies, there will be a beginning birding workshop with birder guide Lynn Hassler scheduled for August 16 at 10 a.m. and starting at the RiverPark Inn. Here’s hoping that an inspired reader can get one of these reserved slots!

On the more challenging end of the spectrum, Tucson Audubon Society will present, on August 13, beginning at midnight sharp, and continuing for 24 hours, the Sky Islands Birding Cup, during which extreme birder teams will compete for the Sky Islands Birding Cup. This twenty-four competition between two person teams sounds crazy!

According to Kara Kaczmarzyk, Development & Membership Manager for the local Society: “At this time of year, you could see more than 200 bird species in 24 hours, so planning your route and knowing the hotspots is how teams like last year’s winners ‘Burning the Midnight Oil’ found 185 species in one day. The race is on for the 200: which team can break the record and find 200 birds in 24 hours? During the Sky Islands Birding Cup, teams compete to see how many species they can spot in a day, while raising funds and awareness for bird habitat conservation.”

If you can’t get up at midnight on August 13 and search for birds over the next 24 hours, celebrate with the winners at the RiverPark Inn on August 14. All in the all, the event promises to provide exciting knowledge about our natural world to both the casual attendee and the committed learner. n Learn more and register for the 4th Annual Bird and Wildlife Festival at TucsonAudubon.org/festival.

July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 37

Z arts

Mat Bevel’s General Boxhead with the Far Gun. photo: Toshi Ueshina

Ark D’Bevel Docks; Sets to Disembark

by Jamie Manser

Ned Schaper meets me outside of the Stone Dragon Gallery – easily identified by the large “TUCSON” mural painted on its south facing wall. It’s about a half block, dusty alley drive, north of Speedway Boulevard along Stone Avenue. Schaper smiles a hello into the beating sun and swirling dust. His countenance is lighter this time. Last time we spoke, in December 2013, he was pulling up anchor from his previous 17-year home/creative space in the Mat Bevel Institute at 530 N. Stone Ave., and was a bit weighed down and still unclear about where to float his ark – which is comprised of his 30-year body of work.

38 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014

arts Z Six months after meeting with Ned Schaper last December and three months since he docked his ark, Schaper and I are catching up on his art, upcoming shows and how ultimately, he relies on faith to expose his purpose.

His buoyancy is palpable when recounting the story of how building owner Steve Murray offered interim housing to the kinetic art sculptures at Stone Dragon Gallery.

“Sometime after that (Zócalo) article come out, I was actually on my way out of the building to walk up here to see Steve and he pulled up to my place.

And then he’s looking at it all, saying, ‘we can keep some of this stuff at my place.’

“Steve really came through. He’s a good friend and we’ve known each other for a long time too. He believes in my work and told me – ‘When you leave that place, you are going to blossom. That was like a cocoon you were in.’ And everyone loved me being in that space, but it was not really what I needed for the next step in my career. As a career move, because it is a beautiful space and I was able to build all of this stuff, but you’ve got to bring people in. After 17 years, you are in this place, and you know, ‘well, I’m not going to take any place else because it is great in here,’ but it’s too much trouble, no body’s coming in here. There’s really no money, to bring people in, I don’t sell things. I was sort of stuck. This here is great because I’m able to see it, able to see what I have.”

As Schaper turns on various lights, his sculptures are illuminated in ways that weren’t possible at the Stone Avenue warehouse. In Murray’s space, under bright florescent bulbs, Schaper has made repairs, tweaks and re-worked the kinetic souls/Beveldom’s citizens in preparation for their July show situated as the Ark D’Bevel at Stone Dragon Gallery, 1122 N. Stone Ave., and as a disassembled show spread throughout the Tucson Museum of Art, 140 N. Main Ave., in August.

As Ned Schaper explains through the character of Mat Bevel, “the museum of kinetic art was founded on the principle of Available Resource Technology.

For 27 years, objects appeared at our doorstop. By utilizing the A.R.T. policy, we give new purpose to unwanted items.”

“That’s what Mat Bevel is,” Schaper elucidates, “the things that people threw out, he created this whole world that then becomes all these characters, and all these words of wisdom that they gave through putting these things together. It’s a very timely sort of story. There’s the demolition, exodus and now all these unwanted items are homeless again. So now they are all homeless, floating around in this ark in town. So, the idea is we pull up to the Tucson Museum of Art with the ark and spread it out. The truth is I had to really think about arranging things according to voltage. I’ve got technical issues that other people don’t have. My biggest thing is - how do these things come on and go off?”

The beauty of Schaper’s work is not only the creative amalgam of married “junk” and the seeming whimsy of the pieces – in reality, there are deeply symbolic tales surrounding the characters in his body of work – but also the cool physics behind how the sculptures move. He shows how his six-foot tall butterfly works: “This is a perfect piece to watch kinetic energy because it runs off of this little dinky, six volt battery. This is a science project right here. And, it starts the flywheel up and people see that little motor could never run this whole thing. It’s a little dinky motor and a six volt, and how the heck? – it’s the flywheel, and you can see when I turn it off, it takes almost 40 seconds for it to stop. The flywheel is storing energy, that’s why they used flywheels in the old days.”

As we talk about the different characters and how the objects morphed together to make them, a greater sense of purpose and mysticism comes through.

“The things come to you,” Schaper explains. “The idea is, when people see this, you don’t have to say anything. That’s why found objects are so great.

The kids are just inspired, they realize, ‘I’ve got those things.’ All you gotta do is start putting them together, and once you start putting them together – a lot of junk artists feel the same way – they’re like, ‘I needed this and it shows up.’

When you really start working and you become a servant of them, these things start flying at me. I mean, people will knock on my door at the right second

to give me stuff. It’s unbelievable, the magic that happens in the world when you stop trying to direct and that’s the basic difference in the world. And the whole idea of faith-based thinking should be the idea that, you’ll hear people say – ‘Dear God, I don’t know what’s going to happen, but please give me some sort of a signal.’ Well, that’s not what they teach at the university. That’s actually the right way, but we’re taught in our modern times that it is superstitious or something.”

For Schaper, his philosophy is informed by his experience of objects arriving and circumstances changing as they are needed. The source he culls from to create his kinetic sculptures lends itself to re-purposing what has been discarded.

“These things are always blessed, they’ve been brought back in the service of having another job in theatre; an exercise bike, a wheelchair. And now they are back at work, and that’s what God wants, for everything to be – I say ‘continuation of purpose is the unifying principle of the universe.’ And these are things that I’ve discovered, and it’s the truth. It goes beyond recycling. The truth is – things don’t like to be idle.”

The summer’s first exhibit of The Beveled Ark: Mat Bevel’s Museum of Kinetic Art displays at Stone Dragon Gallery, 1122 N. Stone Ave., from Friday, July 11-Friday, July 25, with opening receptions on Friday, July 11 and Saturday, July 12 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Other hours are by appointment by calling 405-5800 or 304-8899.

For the Tucson Museum of Art Welcome to Beveldom: Mat Bevel’s Museum of Kinetic Art show, running from Saturday, August 9 to Saturday, September 28, the ark will disembark throughout the museum’s exhibition spaces in interactive displays.

Schaper admits surprise when he was asked to exhibit at the museum.

“The fact that I am in the museum is pretty absurd. That I’m given a one man show is quite a miracle and I can’t complain. It is quite the miracle because I don’t do galleries. I love working with Julie (Sasse, Ph.D., Chief Curator and Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at Tucson Museum of Art). She told me she thinks that, ‘Your work is important; it is an important body of work.’ So she thinks what I do has a place historically.”

Via email, Sasse says that she has been interested in Schaper’s work for some time and the idea for the exhibit has been in the works for about a year.

“Once the opportunity presented itself, I got the exhibition on the schedule.

“Schaper’s art is playful yet intellectual and deeply involved with issues of today. It is engaging for all audiences and he shows a true commitment to his vision. For the extensive body of work he has amassed and the long history of producing quality works in this community, he was long overdue for some critical attention. He truly deserved to have an exhibition in Tucson and his work shows that progressive and exciting art is being produced in this area. In fact, I’m surprised he hasn’t been discovered beyond this area, so I’m glad the Tucson Museum of Art can share his art with the public both here in the city and beyond.”

Sasse also says that she hopes the show’s attendees can appreciate “that meaning can be found in everything and that the creative spirit is as broad as we can make it if we use our imaginations. A good work of art can go far beyond a landscape or a still life or pure abstraction — it can be a playful yet thoughtful look at the world – that’s what Mat Bevel brings to the art table.”

Regarding her personal take on his work, Sasse writes, “I think he is a bit of a local genius the way he puts objects together and makes them move. But just as important, I’m amazed at how he thinks in such a clever way — his puns always make me laugh and I appreciate his sharp wit regarding systems of power.” n Welcome to Beveldom shows at Tucson Museum of Art, 140 N. Main Ave., Aug. 9-Sept. 28 with performances of the Beveled Ark Theater variety show on Thursday Aug. 21 and Sept. 11, from 6-8 p.m.Find more information at TucsonMuseumofArt.org and MatBevel.com.

July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 39

Z arts

“Black Swans” by Bonnie Bedillion shows at Desert Artisans Gallery as part of the exhibit “Dreaming In Color” through Sun, Aug 10.

art Galleries/exhibits ARTSEYE GALLERY

6th Annual Curious Camera Event continues through Thu, July 31. Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm; Sat, 10am-5pm. 3550 E. Grant Rd. 327-7291.

ArtsEye.com

CENTER FOR CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY

Closed until August. See website for information. Regular hours are Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm; Sat & Sun, 1pm4pm. 1030 N. Olive Rd. 621-7968, CreativePhotography.org

CONRAD WILDE GALLERY

See website for details. Tue-Sat, 11am-5pm.

101 W. 6th St. #171. 622-8997, ConradWildeGallery.com

CONTRERAS GALLERY

Tucson runs Sat, July 5-Sat, Aug 30. Receptions Sat, July 5 and Sat, Aug 2, 6pm-9pm. Wed-Sat, 10am-4pm. 110 E. 6th St. 3986557, ContrerasHouseFineArt.com

DEGRAZIA GALLERY IN THE SUN

Pure Abstracts continues through Wed, July 30. Degrazia Paints the Signs of the Zodiac continues through January 2015. Daily, 10am-4pm. 6300 N. Swan Rd. 299-9191, DeGrazia.org

DESERT ARTISANS GALLERY Dreaming In Color continues through Sun, Aug 10. Mon-Sat, 10am-5pm; Sun, 10am-1:30pm. 6536 E. Tanque Verde Rd. 7224412, DesertArtisansGallery.com

THE DRAWING STUDIO The Art of Summer runs Sat, July 19-Sat, July 26.

Reception Sat, July 19, 6pm-8pm. Tue-Sat, 12pm-4pm. 33 S. 6th Ave. 620-0947, TheDrawingStudio.org

ETHERTON GALLERY Wild America continues through Fri, Aug 30. Tue-Sat, 11am-5pm & by appointment. 135 S. 6th Ave. 624-7370, EthertonGallery.com

FOUR CORNERS GALLERY Luminous: Intimate Images of Desert Flora by Macrophotographer Vicky Stromee continues through Sat, Aug 31. Wed, Fri-Sun, 10am-4pm; Thu, noon-8pm. Tucson Desert Art Museum, 7000 E. Tanque Verde.

202-3888, TucsonDart.com

JOSEPH GROSS GALLERY

The Give and Take by Kristin Bauer and Emmett Potter continues through Sat, Aug 31. Reception Sun, Aug 17, 5pm-7pm. MonFri, 8am-5pm. 1031 N. Olive Rd. 626-4215, CFA.arizona.edu/galleries

MADARAS GALLERY

Diana’s Christmas Collection opens Sat, July 26.

Mon-Sat, 10am-6pm; Sun, 11am-5pm. 3001 E. Skyline Dr, #101. 623-4000, Madaras.com

MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART IUD: Bakerman continues through October. $8, adults; free, children under 12, members, military; free to all last Sunday of the month. Wed-Sun, 12pm-5pm. 265 S. Church Ave. 624-5019, MOCA-Tucson.org 40 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014

arts Z

“Night of the Vision” by Charles Davison shows at Wilde Meyer Gallery as part of the Summer Spectacular Art Fest opening Thu, July 10.

PHILABAUM GLASS GALLERY & STUDIO See website for information. Tue-Sat, 10:30am-4pm. 711 S. 6th Ave. 884-7404, PhilabaumGlass.com

PORTER HALL GALLERY

Tucson Botanical Gardens Staff Art Show takes place Tue, July 1-Thu, July 31. Daily, 7am-4:30pm. $8, adults; $7, student/senior/ military; $4, children 4-12; free, children 3 and younger. 2150 N. Alvernon Way. 326-9686, TucsonBotanical.org

SOUTHERN ARIZONA WATERCOLOR GUILD

WOW: Watch Our Walls Show #3 runs Tue, July 22-Sun, Aug 17. Reception Fri, July 25, 5pm-7pm.

Tue-Sun, 11am-4pm. Free. SAWG Gallery, 5605 E. River Rd. 299-7294, SouthernAzWatercolorGuild.com

STONE DRAGON STUDIO The Beveled Ark - Mat Bevel’s Museum of Kinetic Art is on display from Fri, July 11-Fri, July 25. Opening receptions are on Friday, July 11 & Saturday, July 12 from 4pm to 8pm. Other hours by appointment. 1122 N. Stone Ave. 405-5800, 304-8899.

TUCSON MUSEUM OF ART Miradas: Ancient Roots in Modern and Contemporary Mexican Art Works continues through Sun, July 27. Welcome to Beveldom: Mat Bevel’s Museum of Kinetic Art opens Sat, Aug 9. The WPA Connection: Selections from the Modern Art Collection opens Sat, Aug 9. Tue-Wed & Fri-Sat, 10am-5pm; Thu, 10am-8pm; Sun, noon-5pm. $10, adults; $8, seniors; $5, college students w/ID; free for youth 18 and under, members, veterans and active military. Free to all the first Sunday of the month. 140 N. Main Ave. 624-2333, TucsonMuseumofArt.org

UA MUSEUM OF ART Designing Line and Space: The Art of Sara Wallach opens Fri, July 18. Tue-Fri, 9am-5pm; Sat-Sun, noon-4pm. $5, adults; free for members, students with ID, faculty and staff, military personnel, AAM members, and children. 1031 N. Olive Rd. 621-7567, ArtMuseum.Arizona.edu

WILDE MEYER GALLERY Abstractions shows Thu, July 3-Sat, Aug 2. Summer Spectacular Art Fest shows Thu, July 10-Sat, Aug 2. Mon-Fri, 10am-5:30pm; Thu, 10am-7pm; Sat, 10am-6pm; Sun, noon-5pm. Wilde Meyer Gallery, 3001 E. Skyline Dr. WildeMeyer.com

TUCSON WAREHOUSE & TRANSFER STUDIOS studio office available for rent

WOMANKRAFT ART GALLERY

It’s A Matter of Time continues through Sat, July 26. Reception Sat, July 5, 7pm-10pm. Wed-Sat, 1pm-5pm. 388 S. Stone Ave. 629-9976, WomanKraft.org

YOU AND YOUR BIG IDEAS GALLERY The Order of the Nefarious Eye: Son of Scam shows Sat, July 12-Sat, Aug 9. Thu-Sat, 11am-4pm. 174 E. Toole Ave. 629-9230, Facebook.com/YouAndYourBigIdeas

free wifi • free parking • 24/7 access • fax/printer center unlimited use conference room • creative environment for more info call 520-760-0037

July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 41

photo: David Olsen

Z arts

Steinfeld Warehouse Powers Up

by Eric Swedlund

Stabilized with a city grant and now electrified through a crowd-funding campaign, the historic Steinfeld Warehouse is closer to fulfilling its mission as a community arts center at 101 W. 6th St. “People are clamoring for the space. They really want something like this,” says Rand Carlson, president of the Warehouse Arts Management Organization, which formed in 2004 and purchased the 107-year-old, kilnfired brick building from the city in 2011.

The vision for Steinfeld includes developing the courtyard, with performance space, shade structures and event-hosting capabilities; moving forward with large-scale art shows that capitalize on the warehouse’s unique dimensions and historic appeal; and adding a major commercial space to the front corner of the building.

“We have very ambitious drawings,” from the Poster Frost Mirto architecture firm, Carlson says, “with wonderful plans for the courtyard. We’ve had a tremendous demand. People want to have events in this courtyard, but it’s not ready yet."

In October, the Steinfeld will host a major art show, curated by John Wells of the Process Museum. Carlson says the show will be sometime Tucson has never seen. “It’s all about light and perception, very esoteric.”

While previous plans for the Steinfeld included a live-work component, with artists having apartments in the warehouse, the failure to obtain a $600,000 housing grant has WAMO reconsidering. While he’d like to have one space for an artist in residence – like the UA’s Poetry Center – missing out on the grant was ultimately a blessing in disguise.

“What I love is the cathedral-like sense of the space,” Carlson says.

“We could throw up walls and sell studio space in a second, but we don’t want to ruin that. There is no other space like this. People love it for the scale.” Current tenants include Conrad Wilde Gallery and Xerocraft Hackerspace.

Near the end of 2011, the City – facing the loss of nearly $1 million in federal funds – sought out a shovel-ready project for historic preservation work. Once selected for the grant, the Steinfeld underwent extensive renovation work that cleaned asbestos, replaced the roof and brought the entire building up to code.

42 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014

“This whole building has been stabilized by the God grant, which is what I like to call it,” Carlson says.

David Aguirre, of Dinnerware Artspace, managed the Steinfeld in the 1990s and remembers the building’s many problems.

“Every monsoon, the whole building had to be shut down,” he says.

“It’s so nice to be back in here. After all the work that was done, I could feel the difference, the tightness of the building.”

Aguirre spearheaded an Indiegogo campaign – the Power UP! campaign – earlier this year that raised more than $7,500 to begin electrifying the building. WAMO is working with the UA’s Drachman Institute on an energy audit to determine the best way to efficiently bring air conditioning to the building, which includes three large bays totaling 20,000 square feet with basements underneath each bay comprised of equal square footage.

“What I like to say is we have a new hat, new shoes and new clothes, now we just have to fill the rest of it,” Aguirre says. “The ultimate goal is the make full use of the basements, the main floor and the courtyard and have that energy expand.”

Aguirre was also able to use the “perks” aspect of rewarding donors to showcase the work of several local artists.

“They call them perks, I call them the art store,” he says. “In the 1990s, there were art auctions. This is the new thing.”

Aguirre says that type of crowd-funding campaign connects the community and helps the artists reach more people. Once WAMO decides on another aspect to focus energy, he’s ready to launch another campaign.

“We are the last stand,” Carlson says. “If there is going to be an arts district in Tucson, it has to be the Warehouse District. We have a lot of opponents, but we’re fighting to keep affordable studio spaces. We want this to be an arts-inhabited district.” n Steinfeld Warehouse is located at 101 W. 6th St. More information about it and WAMO is online at WAMOTucson.org.

July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 43

44 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014

arts Z

Ever-Evolving Toole Arts Scene

by Eric Swedlund New artistic ventures in warehouses along Toole Avenue are adding a greater community spirit to the already thriving arts district.

A former skate shop has morphed into the Academy of Wonderment, a studio for art classes, while the adjacent Galatic Center adds what Solar Culture’s Steven Eye calls a “modern-day temple” to the strip.

“This area is flourishing right now,” Eye says. “From what I’ve seen in the last couple of years, there’s a great expansion happening and I’m proud of it.

We need to hold onto it.”

With other changes happening across the Downtown area – the modern streetcar, rising leases and property taxes and a greater commercial focus – Eye is wary yet hopeful about the future of artists in the historic Warehouse Arts District along Toole Avenue, just east of Stone Avenue.

“The most important thing that’s going on is this warehouse area has become the last bastion of hope for the artist community,” Eye says. “Congress (Street), Downtown, Fourth Avenue, everything else is going more and more commercial, prices are going up and up, and I believe this area is where we can make our stand, hold out with these warehouse spaces and that’s been my main focus.”

Eye, the Warehouse Arts Management Organization and the dozens of individual artists who have studio spaces in the historic railroad warehouses are committed to maintaining a strong artistic community in the area. “We’re in the business of inspiration,” says Eye, 58.

A pioneer in the warehouse district, Eye has been at his Solar Culture gallery for 27 years, maintaining it as a space for all – the latest art hanging included work from 120 artists. But after the warehouses changed from public hands (the state and then city) to private hands (real estate investor Steve Fenton) in 2009, Eye became a manager, working to rent out more than 40 studios in five buildings.

“What it’s done is by keeping the rent accessible to artists, they’ve been able to develop their work and their business,” Eye says. “I decided to work with the community. This place could be the Steven Eye Gallery and I could have a big production company going. But what’s going on here isn’t about me.

It’s about our town and our community and how important the arts are.”

The new additions to the warehouses – Artifact Dance Project taking over the former Cirque Roots space at 17 E. Toole Ave., and particularly the arrival of the Galactic Center and Academy of Wonderment – have Eye excited.

Eye his partner Kati Astraeir spent three years transforming a space next to Solar Culture into the Galactic Center, 35 E. Toole Ave., inspired by Burning Man. The Galactic Center is a one-of-a-kind art and music venue, a space for concerts, DJ events, lectures, workshops, classes, healing sessions and more. Its 2,000 square feet include sculpted cave/temple structures that are resonant sound chambers, perfect for meditation and sound healing work.

“It is intended to serve as a portal to the cosmic heart of all creation, a safe sacred space environment, from which we can travel back to the source, awak-

ening our body temples, deepening our spiritual awareness of oneness and our sense of beauty,” Astraeir says.

The Academy of Wonderment is designed as a studio for art classes that are accessible and affordable, with prices structured like yoga classes, where people can drop in week by week rather than committing long term. Adult classes in the evenings and weekends are $10, with professional artists, including Salvador Duran, Donovan White and Eye himself, teaching an array of disciplines.

“People have asked me for years if I give classes,” Eye says. “Now we have a space where we can develop a focus on giving back with our knowledge and experience.”

Running the Academy of Wonderment children’s program is arts teacher Carolyn King. Summer classes are offered in conjunction with Playformance (an athletic development program for children) across the street, with afterschool classes beginning in August, first for third to sixth graders on Wednesdays and expanding depending on interest.

“That sense of wonderment is alive and well when people are little, but it’s amazing how organized education, especially these days, cuts the visual arts,” King says. “Lots of branches of creativity are fed by a sense of awe and connections between things. What I try to do in my art classes with kids is provide a safe space a huge array of materials to explore and express and see what they can do.”

Part of Eye’s mission for Toole Avenue is battling what he calls the “culture of discontent” and being able to give artists the affordable space they need to develop and work.

“We’re determined not to lose our spaces here and we’re determined to make a stand and continue to make our work,” he explains.

“Our artist community is a great treasure for this town. I get these comments constantly, ‘I didn’t realize so much amazing work came out of here.’

The community should actually see what goes on with these people who work so hard to create beauty and offer it to share,” Eye says. “This town has a great richness of creative souls and there’s so much to be proud of.” n Other tenants in the Historic Warehouse Arts District along Toole Avenue include: Exploded View Micro-Cinema and Gallery, LoveSmack Studios, Borderlands Brewery, Elegant Thought, Sinfonia, You And Your Big Ideas Gallery, George Strasburger Gallery/Studio, 191, and The Toole Shed. Visit SolarCulture.org for more information on its happenings along with those at Galatic Center and Academy of Wonderment.

Top photo: A mural at the corner of 7th Ave and Toole by...

July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 45

Z arts

Wilderness, 07004-6-10 (2010) pigment print © Debra Bloomfield

Wilderness, 38970-3-09 (2009) © Debra Bloomfield

Wilderness, 38996-8-09 (2009) pigment print © Debra Bloomfield

Wilderness, 02342-5-09 (2009) pigment print © Debra Bloomfield

46 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014

arts Z

Golden Gate Before the Bridge, 1932 gelatin silver print © The Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust

Clearing Winter Storm, Yosemite National Park, 1944, gelatin silver print © The Ansel Adams Publishing Rights Trust

Wildest America

by Herb Stratford

Landscape photographers are an entirely different breed than most other photographers. This is primarily due to the dedication required to get to many of the places they shoot, but it is also their ability to be patient – waiting for the right moment to click the shutter – and being alone for extended periods of time. Let’s call it a healthy obsession. Many of photography’s earliest images were of landscapes and early landscapes remain interesting for their nostalgic essence. Contemporary landscape photographers face a much harder audience for their images today, given that most people carry some sort of camera phone in their pocket and there are few unseen locales left on dry land. Photographer Debra Bloomfield, in her new show at the Etherton Gallery, demonstrates why she is among the genre's most interesting and dynamic artists working today, with the work from her Wilderness series.

Bloomfield spent seven years on Wilderness, from 2007 to 2014 in Alaska, which is actually shorter than her usual time commitment on a single body of work. Bloomfield began her artistic career in 1972, and her earlier bodies of work have been well received due to their poetic and majestic qualities as they capture the world around us.

Bloomfield feels that her work is always “in tune with the other senses,” that is, her images speak to more than the eyes when seen. The work is designed to have “a visceral, emotional response” when viewed. This has never been made more possible than with the Wilderness project. All of the images have been collected in a book, which has an accompanying CD of audio that was recorded in the same place where the photographs were captured. It is designed to be played while viewing the work. The book and sound/image layout took two years to map out for the artist who may be the only person doing such interactive projects. Bloomfield also feels that

the work is “not just about the destination, but about the journey,” and the experience of the place, which is hard to convey, even with her large, striking images. Bloomfield shoots on film, but produces digital prints, making her an artist with feet in both worlds of photography.

This body of work was previously on display at the Phoenix Museum of Art and will travel this fall to New Mexico. The opening event, last month at Etherton Gallery, was presented as a celebration of sorts of the modern environmental movement with representatives from local entities like the Sky Island Alliance and others, hoping that Bloomfield’s rapturous images will help to instill greater appreciation for our endangered wilderness.

Gallery owner/director Terry Etherton has paired Bloomfield with renowned photographer Ansel Adams for this show, seeing a duality in their images. However, while Adams’ work served to reintroduce wilderness to the general public, much like early photographers Timothy H. O’Sullivan and others of that era, Bloomfield is truly more after capturing and conveying an emotional response with her multi-media approach. While Etherton has been showing Bloomfield’s work for many years, this body of work has “really excited” the gallery owner and he can’t wait to share it with his gallery's viewers.

The wilds of Alaska. With so much open sky and water, this show should be a great respite for anyone in Tucson this summer. n "Wild America: Photographs from America’s wild lands by Debra Bloomfield and Ansel Adams" is on display at Etherton Gallery, 135 S. 6th Ave., through August 20. The gallery is closed July 1-7, but normal hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and by appointment by calling (520) 624-7370. Visit EthertonGallery.com for more information.

July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 47

Z arts

Puppets Amongus presents “Legend of Washwalker” Sat, July 5-Tue, July 8.

Performances ARIZONA ONSTAGE PRODUCTIONS

Les Misérables shows Sat, Aug 9-Sun, Aug 17. Berger Center for Performing Arts, 1200 W. Speedway Blvd. 2703332, ArizonaOnStage.org

BLACK CHERRY BURLESQUE Tantalizing burlesque performance on Fri, July 4 and Fri, Aug 1. Surly Wench Pub, 424 N. 4th Ave. 882-0009, TucsonBurlesque.com

DON’T BLINK BURLESQUE The Tuesday Night Tease takes place every Tuesday night throughout July and August. 9pm. The Hut, 305 N. 4th Ave. 2450532, DontBlinkBurlesque.com

FOX THEATRE Happy Together Tour is Tue, July 15. Prices Vary. 17 W. Con-

NOT BURNT OUT JUST UNSCREWED

Shows every Friday and Saturday throughout July and August. Unscrewed Theater, 3244 E. Speedway Blvd.

861-2986, UnscrewedComedy.com

ODYSSEY STORYTELLING SERIES Met on the Net shows Fri, July 11.

7pm, Free. Fluxx Studios and Gallery, 416 E. 9th St. 730-4112, OdysseyStoryTelling.com

PUPPETS AMONG US Legend of Washwalker shows at 11am & 4pm on Sat, July 5 & Sun, July 6; 11am on Mon, July 7-Tue, July 8. $6-$8. The Playhouse, 657 W. St. Mary’s Rd. 444-5538, PuppetsAmongUs.com

THE RED BARN THEATRE Twelfth Night shows Fri, July 11-Sun, July 27. $16 general admission, $13 students/seniors/military, $10 on Fridays. 948 N. Main Ave. 887-6239, RedBarnTheatreCompany.com

gress St. 624-1515, FoxTucsonTheatre.org

SEA OF GLASS CENTER FOR THE ARTS K-Bass & Farafina Musiki

THE GASLIGHT THEATRE

perform Sat, Aug 16. 330 E. 7th St. 398-2542, TheSeaofGlass.org

Ghostblasters continues through Sat, Aug 31.

7010 E. Broadway Blvd. 886-9428, TheGaslightTheatre.com

LIVE THEATRE WORKSHOP Dorothy Parker’s Last Call continues through Sat, July 19. Molly Sweeney shows Thu, July 24-Fri, Aug 30. All Together Theatre: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz continues through Sun, Aug 17. See website for prices and times. 5317 E. Speedway Blvd. 327-4242, LiveTheatreWorkshop.org

48 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014

TUCSON DINNER THEATER Murder at the Vampire’s Wedding, an interactive comedy, murder mystery dinner theater, takes place every Friday and Saturday night. $42/person. 2445 S. Craycroft Rd. 624-0172, TucsonDinnerTheater.com

TUCSON JAZZ SOCIETY Larry Redhouse Trio performs Sat, July 5. DoubleTree Hotel, 445 S. Alvernon Way. 903-1265, TucsonJazz.org

July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 49

50 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014

history Z

Tucson Buried Downtown Archaeology

by Monica Surfaro Spigelman

Tread lightly – there’s vintage decay and unsung layers of history underfoot.

Near and far beyond the fringes of the Presidio, from under the MLK apartments, the train depot, and yes, even Plaza Centro’s Cadence housing – something for the curious urban explorer is rising up from out of the desert’s caliche.

Ceramics, pottery shards, bottles, tools, toys, building foundations, old bones – they’re messages from Tucson’s past, the pieces to a puzzle that tell our Downtown story.

Some artifacts still lie hidden in underground secret chambers awaiting release of their mysteries, while others already are documented and resting comfortably in the Arizona State Museum. Shedding light on what’s underfoot are Tucson’s own versions of Indiana Jones – those archaeologists and preservationists, working in collaboration as educators, non-profits, private cultural resource management consultants and government officers – all meticulously scouring our innards for choice bits of obscurity.

Lost and Found There’s no doubt that the research has given insight and inspiration to shaping today’s Downtown and uncovered evidence that there’s something intriguing for everyone in Tucson’s collective past.

“We’re all explorers, intense observers of detail," says William Doelle, Ph.D, one archaeologist who has helped chart a course through Tucson’s archaeology for over three decades. "Archaeology comes in and helps us draw lessons from the common landscape around us. We can be enriched unexpectedly by what is revealed, when we stop to explore what may appear to be everyday places.

Archaeology helps us find a better way to look to the future.”

Doelle arrived in Tucson to open up an Arizona division for the Institute for American Research in 1982. In that decade he helped discover settlements with origins dating from 50 A.D., preserved along Valencia Road and Interstate 19. These complexes of North American Archaic period and Hohokam pithouses, plazas and ballcourt, relatively undisturbed, were so significant to Tucson that the digs led to placement as a National Register of Historical Places site and to designation as the Valencia Archaeological Preserve by the

County. Doelle went on to form the non-profit Archaeology Southwest (Center for Desert Archaeology) and a cultural resources management business, Desert Archaeology, Inc. Archaeology hit national headlines hard after 1960s urban renewal, and here in Tucson it made headway overground and underground in the 1980s.

State laws, requiring archaeology digs on public construction projects, helped build archaeology interest each time projects like interstate widening were announced. Headlines reported a string of Hohokam settlements discovered along the Santa Cruz. Eventually, it all led to more test excavations, as part of the Rio Nuevo project that was approved by voters in 1999.

Rio Nuevo’s grandiose planning may be a Tucson sore spot, but early on Rio Nuevo was responsible for important archaeology discoveries. When a mission settlement and pithouses at the base of "A" Mountain were uncovered, the findings allowed Tucson to firmly lay claim to being the oldest continuously inhabited city in the United States.

One Ph.D. (who at the time co-directed the Desert Archaeology team doing the discovering) is Jonathan Mabry, now the City’s Historic Preservation Officer.

J. Homer Thiel, the other co-director on that project between 2000-2003, is a project director today at Desert Archaeology, Inc. Trenches cut during that early investigation revealed remnants of the Mission San Agustín del Tucson. At this site, situated west of I-10 by "A" Mountain, foundations of a protective wall, a granary, an undisturbed Native American cemetery, foundations of Native American pithouses, and other preserved features of what was the early 1800s San Agustín mission, were discovered. With today’s replanted Spanish Colonial walled Mission Garden and a newly-placed stone demarcation outlining the original mission, all situated nearby a streetcar stop and the bustling Mercado, there are signposts that a modified rendition of the Tucson Origins Heritage Park dream for Tucson’s birthplace may yet become reality.

"Archaeology continues to open an extraordinary window into what our past looks like,” says Mabry.

Goods off the Grid There’s the incredible connection between past and present in archaeology, continue both Mabry and Thiel. It’s something archaeologists find endlessly

continued on next page July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 51

Z history fascinating and satisfying, as they help convey a sense of what spaces looked like, what happened there, from centuries ago.

What they unearth may not be Indiana Jones’ Ark of the Covenant, but Downtown’s underground archaeology certainly is rife with a Tucson version of often-oddball historical magic. Particularly as Downtown balances rapid development with preservation, the ongoing discoveries of a modernizing Tucson may give us all a rare and unprecedented opportunity to learn how accurately we’re going back to the future.

Why? Because the structural bones and artifacts uncovered through archaeology are giving historical precedence for the Congress Street evolution as an entertainment district.

It all becomes eminently sensible when we learn that Congress Street was ground zero for a town that guzzled, tippled and toasted its way into the 20th century, after the railroad came to town.

Congress Preserved Originally named Calle de la Alegria or Street of Joy during Tucson’s Spanish period, the name was changed to Congress Street in 1869, a nod to Charles O. Brown’s Congress Hall Saloon on Broadway Boulevard, which opened in 1868, after Arizona’s territorial capital moved to Tucson in 1867.

There were about 30 saloons by the time the railroad arrived in 1880, mostly on or scattered near Congress Street. For a few brilliant decades, until prohibition, whether it was because of our long hot summers, the railroad or just our free-spirited desert attitude, Congress Street was a centralized, elaborate port of entertainment. Businessmen, cowboys, natives and immigrants could all find on Congress Street a place to meet, take a bath, gamble, drink, barter and rollick in other wild-west ways.

Archaeological investigations for the train depot, Ronstadt Transit Center and Martin Luther King Jr. housing, prove the point. The research also has helped Tucson, developers and preservation agencies identify amazing belowground resources that give clues about our changing landscapes and daily life, in the layers of sand and history.

Under MLK housing, for example, are the bones of the Cactus Saloon, which faced the train depot and was one of the first to greet patrons who rolled off trains for quick refreshments before re-boarding. Thiel’s research on Tucson saloons shows that the Cactus Saloon had decorated wallpapers, painted windows and mirrors. The privy pits dug up in excavations produced remnants of stoneware, dies for crap games, liquor bottles and a clear vision of how the first Congress Street entertainment district mixed rowdy with first class.

From the archaeology detective work we also know that gambling was hugely popular, with the Cabinet Club at the corner of Congress Street and Church Avenue appearing to have the largest poker games in the city by 1903.

Not much documents women in those early days of Congress Street saloons, although it appears female cabaret singers were banned in the 1890s. A red light Wedge district, located at Congress Street just west of Church Avenue, went underground after 1914, when politicians tried to clean up and also widen Congress Street.

Although Congress Street barkeeps and shop-owners worked to defeat the prohibition amendment, their efforts were thwarted, mostly by the votes of women (who had achieved the right to vote in Arizona in 1912). Congress Street obviously felt the blow of prohibition and the end of legal alcohol consumption by 1920.

But the imprint of an entertainment district remained, with some businesses operating billiards, club rooms and cafes, and bootlegging held court until prohibition was repealed in the 1930s.

Cadence in the Trenches Most recently, archaeological excavation for the Plaza Centro Cadence housing site, 350 E. Congress St., assisted in developers learning more of Congress Street’s artsy past. The report on this historic portion of Congress, on the 52 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014

former Greyhound Bus station site alongside the Rialto Theater, reveals more about the lives of saloon-goers and local families. Various artifacts were found, including a Heinz chow-chow jar, Sperm Sewing Machine (whale) oil bottle, brass thimble, bone crochet needles (the first crochet needles identified at an historic site in Tucson) and a complete set of brass silverware, inscribed with the Santa Rita hotel name (probably stolen and dumped into a block privy by the thief who never returned for his booty, according to the technical archaeological report submitted by the field team).

Excavations here also uncovered the foundations of duplex adobe homes, one the residence of photographer Henry Buehman, occupied from the late 1883 to 1886. Beuhman, whose photography is both in City archives and on display at the Tucson Historical Society’s Downtown Museum, was responsible for creating many iconic, costumed Tucson portraits, stereo cards and tourist advertising.

One of the most famous, a collage of children’s faces known as Arizona Bonanza, uncannily hearkens to the 4th Avenue Underpass' Tucson Portrait Project, just steps away, which was completed by Darren Clark and Gary Patch in 2009.

Dig In With antiquity still buried below Congress Street and elsewhere downtown, we’re not asking you to point your shovels into the caliche. Rather, we suggest hopping on the streetcar or doing a walkable scavenger hunt to tap into our vanished, underground past. Ways to downtown urbex (urban exploration): • Web it: Visit UniquelyTucson.com map on your mobile to identify historic buildings along the Sun Link streetcar route. Website updates expect to employ geo-location to highlight what’s nearby as you traverse the route.

• Map it: Pick up a Turquoise Trail map TucsonPresidio.com/TurquoiseTrail at the Presidio San Agustín del Tucson Museum reconstruction to discover central Downtown's historic markers and buildings.

• Walk It: Embedded in the Cushing Bridge walkways is a series of images depicting city milestones. Two summer dates are prime time to especially contemplate the bridge’s folklife: July 3 at 10:45 a.m. (the traditional start of the monsoon) and August 20 at 9:30 a.m. (Tucson's birthday). You’ll see why when you visit, thanks to the alignment of the sun with the decorative grillwork. After the bridge, walk further to Mission Garden, to admire our heritage trees and monsoon garden, and to see the outline of the ghost Mission. Rocks mark the original Mission footprint, just north of the gardens.

• Browse it: The ornate stone façade from the 1863 St. Augustine Cathedral (originally located on Church Avenue where La Placita Village now resides) is reconstructed around the entrance of the Arizona State Historical Society Museum, 949 E. 2nd St. In its library you can review old photos and the history of Congress or any Downtown street. There’s also a good orientation and exhibit of many interesting artifacts found as part of the early Rio Nuevo archaeology digs.

• Research it: Archaeologists have a responsibility to collect data and preserve the findings. On the City’s Historical Preservation website, TucsonAZ.gov/Preservation, Mabry posts documents that report fascinating findings from the various downtown digs.

• Learn it: Archaeology Southwest, the nonprofit education organization, hosts Archaeology Cafes throughout the year at Casa Vicente. Expect the informal talks to start up again in fall, beginning Tuesday, October 7.

The organization also plans a fall series with Western National Parks Association (Oro Valley), called “You Are Here: Understanding Who Came Before Us in This Place (and Why That Matters),” beginning Saturday, October 4. Visit ArchaeologySouthwest.org for details.

Tucson’s underground tells a story that speaks to those who explore it. Our inimitable footprint has allure and can still be savored. Go scope out some city bones. And see the future of our past. n

July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 53

Z food&drink

One of the main features of the new R Bar is a LED backlit metal silhouette mural, covering the entire back wall, created by Patch & Clark Design.

R Bar Set to Open

by Eric Swedlund

The Rialto Theatre is opening a new bar, adding top-quality beverages to the live music experience.

Slated for an early July opening, the R Bar across Herbert Avenue from the theater will add craft cocktails and draft beer and wine to the Rialto’s options. The 1,100 square-foot bar will be open daily – not just during shows.

“I wanted it to always be open, even when there was a show, to the public. You don’t have to buy a ticket to the show to come to the bar.

But if you’re at the show you can come into the bar and go back into the show freely,” says Rialto Theatre Foundation's Executive Director Curtis McCrary. “For theatre-goers, it’s going to mean a whole lot broader options for beverages, things we just don’t have now, new bathrooms, more space and seating and a good place for meet-and-greets with artists. It will be a great enhancement of patron amenities at the shows.”

McCrary says that after struggling during the recession, the foundation began looking at ways to increase revenue and mitigate slow periods, like the middle of summer.

“When it gets to be certain times of year, when there is nobody who is Rialto-sized touring, it was a really difficult situation for us to navigate because our cash flow would dry up and there was nothing we could do about it. Over the years, we’ve tried everything you could think of to make something happen in that space, but it’s big and it has sloped floors and 54 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014

it’s just not a hang out place. It’s all very focused on what’s happening on stage,” he says.

The Rialto has limited space that’s not in the auditorium and similarly sized theaters around the country have larger lobbies and patios. To expand, the Rialto began looking at spaces contiguous to the bar, but the Plaza Centro development, now the Cadence student housing complex, ultimately offered the best solution.

“This gives us more breathing room. The key outcome is when we have shows, people will be able to flow from the bar into the theatre and vice versa,” McCrary says. The planning centered on the question of how best to meet a variety of needs.

“What kind of bar does it want to be? It was a tricky thing to determine because it has to be several different bars, depending on the circumstances,” McCrary says.

“We have certain beverages we offer in the theatre, but like all larger venues, the service is more limited. There are a lot of restrictions. It’s about quick and simple service and we can’t get very elaborate,” he says. “So we knew we wanted to have more interesting options available to people. We want that craft component, that finely curated component of the beverages we offer.”

To design the space, the Rialto turned to the team of Gary Patch and Darren Clark. The bar is at the front of the glass-fronted space to enable

bartenders to serve outside to the patio as well as inside. The mezzanine directly above the bar offers a more intimate space for patrons, or a prime spot for artist meet-and-greets. The bar menu is designed by manager Rory O’Rear, whose past experience running beverage programs at the Red Room and Wilko is the ideal fit for giving R Bar the versatility it needs, McCrary says.

The R Bar enhances both halves of the Rialto’s mission – improving the live music experience for patrons as well as the stewardship of the theater itself. Revenue generated by the R Bar will be put back into Rialto improvements, like a modern green room below the stage and other upgrades.

“It’s designed so that it can work as a great place to go before and after a show, but also something that can function alongside the theatre during a show,” McCrary says. “There are lots of people who do great stuff all over downtown and we wanted to do something that was different than everywhere else. We’re trying to do our own thing, tied in very specifically to the Rialto. It’s under the umbrella of everything we do here and it’s a place that we’ll welcome all of our patrons.” n McCrary expects the bar to open the second week in July, with a formal grand opening to come this fall. The forthcoming website will be RBarTucson.com.

July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 55

Erika Bostick

food&drink Z

Table Settings A conversation with Erika Bostick

by Kerry Lane

Erika Bostick is a chef at the recently opened Coronet on 4th Avenue.

She collaborates with owner Sally Kane and chef Jake Alpert to create an impressively diverse menu with a focus on fresh ingredients and classic old-world recipes. Listening to her describe the dishes, such as Jacques’ Magic Beans, you understand her strong appreciation for uncomplicated cooking. Simply roasted mushrooms and the transformation of flavor that takes place does absolutely taste magical. As someone who has been working the stove since childhood, Erika views cooking as an opportunity to give. And with the right amount of moonlight and great conversation, The Coronet’s patio is her preferred place for you to savor the food into which she puts so much love.

B Flavor: sweet, sour, salty, bitter or umami (savory)?

I don’t know if I have a key flavor but I love a nice medley of flavors. I love something that’s sour, sweet and umami. That’s exciting! But, if I had to pick one: umami. For sure. Roasted mushrooms, roasted vegetables, steak, savory sauces, all of that just gets me really excited. I think it’s the most satisfying flavor. Aside from sugar, every now and then!

C Mouth feel: creamy, chewy, crunchy, dense, dry, light, hot, cold?

I like something with some crunch, like a crisp salad. A Caesar salad made with really crisp romaine or a wedge salad.

D Ambiance?

Intimate. I think The Coronet has an incredible ambiance at night out on the patio. There’s candlelight, moonlight, it’s very intimate, even when you’re with six people, it feels like it’s just the six of you. I like a romantic outdoor bistro setting.

E Breakfast, lunch, dinner?

I absolutely love cooking dinner. The meal I most look forward to is probably dinner. I usually don’t have a lot of time to eat breakfast or lunch, which is terrible, but I like the experience of dinner: I usually eat with someone else, or with my family, and it’s a time of sharing and being able to catch up on your day.

F Appetizer, soup, salad, entrée, dessert, drinks?

H Is there a particular dish you love making?

Rajas con Crema y Elote. It’s traditionally southern Mexican. If you venture into Chihuahua it’s very popular. If you say “rajas” to any Mexican, they know exactly what it is. It’s strips of roasted poblano cooked in cream, and my favorite style is with roasted corn. If you can’t find Mexican crema, you can use crème fraiche, but we’re in Tucson, you can find it anywhere!

You can eat it on its own with corn tortillas or flour tortillas, you can put it on eggs any style, or it’s incredible as a béchamel-style sauce on a grilled cheese sandwich.

Erika Bostick’s Rajas con Crema y Elote 2 ears sweet corn 2 tbsp olive oil (or lard) 2 garlic cloves, sliced 1 white onion, chopped 6 poblano chiles 2 cups Mexican crema 1 cup queso Oaxaca, queso Chihuahua or queso quesadilla Shuck the corn and remove all silk. Cut corn kernels off the cob into a bowl. Heat a skillet on high, add the kernels and dry sauté until charred.

Place in bowl and set aside.

On a gas stove, char the poblanos on all sides one at a time, holding over high flame with metal tongs. Place each chile as its finished roasting in a covered bowl or sturdy paper bag rolled closed. This will produce steam that will make the chiles easy to peel. You can also broil the chiles in the oven if you don’t have a gas stove.

When chiles are cooled, peel the blackened skin off, remove the stem and rinse with cool water to remove the seeds, or if you prefer a spicier dish, leave the seeds. Slice the chiles lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick strips.

Set aside.

Heat oil or lard over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent and soft. Add the pan roasted corn and poblano chile strips, stir to combine.

Lower the heat. Add the crema and cheese, stirring continuously until cheese melts and is bubbling. Taste for salt and add fresh cracked pepper if desired. Serve immediately.

Entrée! Absolutely.

G What meal or food experience changed your approach to cooking and eating?

I think when my mom allowed me to cook my own breakfast for the first time. I think I was six or seven, I’m not exactly sure, but she just let me do it. I could work the stove by myself and she just let me at it. I always remember that morning where I was alone and I had free range. I made scrambled eggs, I cut up some vegetables for salsa and I just made eggs and salsa. Very simple, but I made it alone and it was for me and my brother, and it just felt awesome! That I could make something with my hands, that I could share and feed someone.

Kerry’s Dairy-Free Variation To make the dish without cream or cheese, use these substitutions.

For the Mexican crema, drain the water from a 14oz brick of firm tofu and blend it with 1/3 cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons umeboshi vinegar. For the cheese, substitute with shredded Daiya vegan cheese. n

July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 57

Z garden

Red amaranth

Hot & Humid Monsoon Gardening

by Brandon Merchant

During a recent road trip I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to visit an American landmark that I had wanted to visit for many years – the Mitchell Corn Palace of Mitchell, South Dakota. The exterior of the Corn Palace is adorned with decorative murals that are constructed almost entirely of corn kernels. It takes over 100 acres of plants to provide enough corn to complete the murals. Each year a new theme is selected for the murals and they are taken down and replaced, this year’s theme was “Remember When.”

It may seem odd to have a palace dedicated to and built from corn, but for a Southwestern gardener like me, a palace dedicated to corn seems very appropriate considering corn’s importance in our region – both historically and today.

Corn has been grown in the Americas for thousands of years as a staple food crop for the Native Americans that domesticated it. Today, when most people think of corn they picture a steaming sweet yellow cob that often accompanies meat and potatoes at summer barbecues. In all actuality this type of sweet corn is a relatively new discovery, botanically speaking.

The majority of corn grown both historically and today is used as feed for livestock or as a base ingredient for any number of food and non-food products. It is estimated that it takes 25 corn plants per person per day to maintain the American way of life.

Here in the southwest, tribes such as the Tohono O’odham, Quechan, and Gila perfected varieties of dent, flint, pop and sweet corns that grow exceptionally well when planted along with the heavy monsoon rains that occur this time of year. Tohono O’odham 60 Day, Yuma Yellow and Gila Pima “A:al Hu:n” are just a few of the many varieties of corn that grow well when planted with our summer rains. Other varieties to consider are Golden Bantam 8 Row, Golden Bantam 12-Row and Hopi Blue.

Along with corn, a wide variety of edible crops have been domesticated to grow and thrive in the hot and humid conditions that are characteristic of the monsoon. The main benefit of growing native crops that are indigenous to our area is that they are already acclimated to our extreme 58 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014

weather conditions; however there are several added benefits. First among them is that many of our native crops are highly nutritious. Amaranth, for example, is often touted as the next super food for its high nutrient content. My favorite variety of amaranth is Hopi Red Dye for the color it brings to the summer garden, but you will also have success growing the varieties Mayo Grain and Alamos.

Another benefit of planting a monsoon garden of native crops is that they are often very different than what is commonly available at grocery stores and farmer’s markets. This variety will bring a little excitement to your culinary experiments. Tepary beans are highly nutritious and the most drought tolerant of any bean. Tests have shown that they can subsist without any external irrigation whatsoever. For gardeners in cooler parts of our region, the Bolita bean is a great substitute for the common pinto bean as they taste better, cook faster and have a creamier texture. Other crops to consider for your monsoon vegetable garden include cowpeas, okra and watermelon.

When planning for your monsoon garden keep in mind that although the crops discussed above generally thrive during this hot and humid season, they still need to be planted in such a way that that they are able to take advantage of short bursts of heavy rain. Planting in a sunken bed or basin is the traditional growing method for a monsoon garden. Designing your garden in this way will help to conserve as much rain water as possible. If possible, rain water should be directed from your roof or any other catchment to the garden where it will do the most good. Your garden will also benefit immensely if you incorporate other organic gardening principles such as intensive spacing, companion planting and mulching into your plans. n All of the seed varieties listed above can be found online at NativeSeeds.org or by visiting the Native Seed/SEARCH retail store at 3601 N. Campbell Ave. Brandon Merchant is the proprietor of Southwest Victory Gardens. Visit his website at SouthwestVictoryGardens.com.

July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 59

Photo via UticaPhoenix.net

Photo from Nuvo.net

Z tunes

Counting Crows perform at Casino Del Sol’s AVA Ampitheatre on Wed, Aug 6.

King Buzzo (of The Melvins) performs at Hotel Congress on Wed, July 30.

LIVE MUSIC Schedules accurate as of press time. Visit the websites or call for current/detailed information.

2ND SATURDAYS DOWNTOWN Congress Street, 2ndSaturdays.com Sat, July 12: Barbara Harris Band, Carlos Arzate & The Kind Souls, Five Way Street, Tucson Circus Arts.

Sat, Aug 9: Heather Hardy & The Lil’ Mama Band, I See Hawks In L.A., Ronstadt Generations, Tucson Circus Arts

ARMITAGE WINE LOUNGE 2905 E. Skyline Dr #168. 6829740, ArmitageWine.com JULY Tue 1: Tommy Tucker Sun 6: Steff Koeppen Tue 8: Ashbury Sun 13: The Hot Club of Tucson Tue 15: The Bryan Dean Trio Sun 20: R & P Music Tue 22: Naim Amor Sun 27: Jillian Besset Tue 29: Justin Martinez

AVA AMPHITHEATER at Casino Del Sol 5655 W. Valencia Rd. CasinoDelSol.com JULY Thu 3: Kid Rock Sat 5: Jeff Dunham Sat 12: Espinoza Paz

Wed 23: Boston AUGUST Sat 2: Los Tigres del Norte Wed 6: Counting Crows Sat 9: Prince Royce Sun 31: Peter Frampton, B.B. King and Buddy Guy

BOONDOCKS LOUNGE 3306 N. 1st Ave. 690-0991, BoondocksLounge.com Sundays/Tuesdays: Lonny’s Lucky Mondays: The Bryan Dean Trio Wednesdays in July: Titan Valley Warheads Thursdays in July: Ed Delucia Band JULY Fri 4: Jacques Taylor & The Real Deal Sat 5: Equinox Sun 6: The Dusty J Blues Band Fri 11: Anna Warr & The Giant Blue Sat 12: Straight Shot Again Sun 13: Mainstreet with Brian Ashby Fri 18: Johnny Faber & The Road Kings Sat 19: The Fremonts featuring Might Joe Milsap & Heather Hardy & Lil Mama Sun 20: Last Call Girls Fri 25: The Real Deal with Lexa Raquel Sat 26: The Coolers Sun 27: Ned Sutton & Last Dance AUGUST Sat 2: Equinox

60 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014

Sun 3: Heather Hardy & Lil Mama Sat 9: Straight Shot Again Sun 17: Last Call Girls Sun 24: Ned Sutton & Last Dance

BORDERLANDS BREWING 119 E. Toole Ave. 261-8773, BorderlandsBrewing.com JULY Thu 3: Louise Le Hir Sat 5: Mustang Corners Thu 10: Joe Novelli Fri 11: Ray Clamons & The Swamp Funk Volunteers Sat 12: Tortolita Gutpluckers Thu 17: Stephanie Meryl Jensen Fri 18: The Bennu Sat 19: Stefan George Thu 24: Will Johnson Fri 25: Leila Lopez Band Sat 26: The Clam Tostada Thu 31: Andy See & His Swingin’ Jamboree AUGUST Fri 1: Tommy Tucker Sat 2: Mustang Corners Sat 9: Tortolita Gutpluckers Fri 15: Lydian Osman Fri 22: Bob Einweck Sat 23: Buffelgrass Band

CLUB CONGRESS 311 E. Congress St. 622-8848, HotelCongress.com/club Sundays: Ynot Karaoke Mondays: 90s House Party (dance) Tuesdays: Geeks Who Drink Quiz Thursdays: Opti Club Saturdays: Saturdaze Dance Party

JULY Wed 2: Horse Black Thu 3: Opti Club Sat 5: The Dear Hunter Wed 9: Whiskey Shivers Fri 11: Godhunter Wed 16: Lariats & Coma Prevail Sat 19: El Ten Eleven Mon 21: !!!

Fri 25: Lyrics Born Sat 26: Boris Wed 30: King Buzzo AUGUST Fri 1: North Tour Kickoff Sat 2: Steff & The Articles Fri 8: Mike Stud Fri 15: La Cerca Record Release

LA COCINA 201 N. Court Ave. 622-0351, LaCocinaTucson.com Saturdays: DJ Herm, Harpist Wednesdays: Miss Lana Rebel & Kevin Michael Mayfield Thursdays: Stefan George Fridays: The Greg Morton Band JULY Tue 8: Mik and the Funky Brunch Sun 20: NuNu Fridays AUGUST Fri 8: Mik and the Funky Brunch Wed 20: NuNu Fridays

CUSHING STREET BAR & RESTAURANT 198 W. Cushing St. 622-7984, CushingStreet.com Saturdays: Jazz

FLYCATCHER 340 E. 6th St. 207-9251 JULY Wed 23: Nina Diaz AUGUST Fri 1: Zepparella Mon 11: The Life and Times

HACIENDA DEL SOL 5501 N. Hacienda Del Sol. 2991501, HaciendaDelSol.com JULY Sun 6: The Jive Bombers Sun 13: Kathy Davis & The Groovetones Sun 20: Hans Olson Sun 27: Amosphere AUGUST Sun 10: Angel Diamond & The Blues Disciples Sun 17: Mike Hebert & The Kings of Pleasure Sun 24: Heather Lil Mama Hardy and Michael P.

MAIN GATE CONCERTs 814 E. University Blvd.

JULY Fri 11: Reno Del Mar Fri 25: ForTheLuvvaMusic AUGUST Fri 8: Nick Stanley Fri 22: Kelland Thomas

MONTEREY COURT 505 W. Miracle Mile, MontereyCourtAZ.com JULY Wed 2: Peter McLaughlin & Nick Coventry Thu 3: Dash Pocket Sat 5: Kevin Pakulis Band Sun 6: Eric Schaffer & Ed Delucia Tue 8: Gabriel Francisco Thu 10: Borderland Sat 12: Haywire Tue 15: Janice Deardorf Wed 16: Sally & Shiloh Spoo Fri 18: Matt Campbell Sat 19: Little House of Funk Wed 23: Neil & Lisa McCallion Thu 24: B. Sterling Fri 25: Hal Jackson & Rockers Uptown Reggae Sat 26: Rod Annon & Late Show Sun 27: Caña Brava, Kathy Davis & The Groove Tones Wed 30: Dohse w/ Eric Schaffer & Ed Delucia Thu 31: Hans York

tunes Z

AUGUST Sat 2: Mark Stuart Fri 8: Bluz Nite Sat 9: Key Ingredients of African

RIALTO THEATRE 318 E. Congress St. 740-1000, RialtoTheatre.com JULY Tue 8: Guitar Gods 2014: Feat.

Yngwie Malmsteen, Uli John Roth, Gary Hoey & Bumblefoot Sat 12: K-Bass Sat 19: The Ohfishl 520 Mixtape Fri 25: Peter Murphy: “Lion” North America Tour 2014 Sat 26: Tea in the Sonora: A Tribute to The Police AUGUST Sat 2: 311 Sun 3: Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Los Lonely Boys Tue 5: Ottmar Liebert Thu 7: Jagermeister presents Eli Young Band Sat 9: Frankie Ballard The Cadillac Three Mon 11: YES, The Life & Times Tue 12: Iron and Wine Thu 14: Kid Ink Fri 15: The Hope Revolution Tour w/Hawthorne Heights Fri 22: The Farewell Tour of Queensryche starring Geoff Tate Sat 23: Galactic Sun 24: Miranda Sings with Colleen Ballinger Mon 25: Lila Downs Thu 28: Blackberry Smoke Sun 31: Doyle, Atmosphere: North of Hell Tour

SEA OF GLASS 330 E. 7th St. 398-2542, SeaOfGlass.org Sun, Aug 17: Pato Banton & The Now Generation Sat, Aug 23: VansGuard w/Israfel Awakened Sat, Aug 30: Gabriel Ayala Trio CD Release Concert

SURLY WENCH PUB 424 N. 4th Ave. 882-0009, SurlyWenchPub.com JULY Thu 3: Bricktop/ Rat City Riot Fri 4: Black Cherry Burlesque Fri 11: Haymarket Squares Sat 12: Black Cherry Burlesque Sat 26: Fineline Revisited

Sunrise for Everyone

by Dan Rylander La Cerca Promises and Delivers Andrew Gardner is a driven musician. He has placed his songwriting and performing ambitions in the vessel of La Cerca, his musical project of choice, for over a dozen years.

Now, at long last, many pieces of rock orchestration and musical prestidigitation which have heretofore only been available to those that catch a live La Cerca show can be enjoyed away from a venue with the upcoming release of Sunrise for Everyone.

This nine-cut full length album of newly recorded songs, recorded and mixed at Waterworks Studio, is a hat full of weather, storm clouds, and shimmering light and dark. Gardner’s lyrics are a real treat. You are not quite sure what words you just heard, but you like them just the same. The guitar work, principally by Gardner but ably augmented with work by Bill Oberdick, Malcolm Cooper and Kevin Dowling, is sterling.

There are pop cuts, like the breezy “Arizon,” and the title cut “Sunrise for Everyone,” and songs heavy with hooks and killer choruses, like “Sorry XO” and “Climate Control,” where Gardner channels summer in Southern Arizona, as he sings “here are the days of impossible shade, the sun shines so deep. The warmth infiltrates your dreamtime escape, can’t runaway so sweet, you will come alive, the sun will shine, accordingly.”

Gardner is prolific enough musically that he admits that many of the songs on the album were out of rotation in the typical La Cerca set he and his bandmates had been playing, and “now we are getting into playing them again.”

The current line up has Andrew Gardner on vox and lead guitar, Bill Oberdick on rhythm guitar, Roger Reed on drums and Boyd Peterson on bass. Eight different musicians and seven different backing vocalists contribute, but “Sunrise for Everyone” is Gardner’s baby.

“Sunrise for Everyone” is set to release on Fort Lowell Records on July 29. The local release party will happen at Tucson’s own Club Congress on Friday, August 15, and La Cerca will journey to our large and hot neighbor on August 25 to play a show at Phoenix’s Crescent Ballroom. The band has gigs currently booked for late July in California, and, hopefully, further up the coast, before returning home for the Congress and Crescent shows. n Catch La Cerca at Club Congress on Friday, August 15 at 9 p.m.

Opening the show are: Numb Bats, Burning Palms and Electric Blankets. For more info go to HotelCongress.com, or visit FortLowell.blogspot.com.

July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 61

62 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014

photo: David Wolff - Patrick/Redferns via Getty Images

Peter Frampton opens for Deep Purple at Le Zenith on October 20, 2013 in Paris, France.

tunes Z

Peter Frampton Plays Ring Master for Guitar Circus

by Craig Baker Forget about Ringling Brothers' "Greatest Show On Earth!" Peter Frampton’ Circus — his Guitar Circus, to be precise — is much more bad-ass with its guitar-shredding virtuosos like B.B. King, Buddy Guy and Robert Randolph on board.

Now in its second year, Frampton says the concept for the tour-inthree-parts grew simply out of “woodshedding on an idea” with his manager Ken Levitan for something to follow the 2010-11 Frampton Comes Alive 35th Anniversary Tour. Says Frampton, the reaction to the that tour was so overwhelmingly positive that they “decided that we had to do something thematic so that I could compete with myself... and to have something that was a little bit more interesting than just another Peter Frampton concert.”

Frampton explains that he simply “wanted to have as many guitarists as (we) could possibly have on the stage” for the next round of shows. Levitan came up with the name. The rest is legend.

Frampton is as thrilled about the show’s lineup as any of his fans might be, and he credits B.B. King for the long list of A-listers that made appearances along the way last year. “We put the idea out there…and lo and behold, immediately the first call that we got back was from B.B. King,” he says.

After that, Frampton says the phone was “ringing off the hook” with interested artists like Vince Gill, Robert Cray and Kenny Wayne Shepherd — guitarists in every genre from jazz to pop. Frampton says that the plan with the Circus was to celebrate “guitars in general," and so the abnormal lineup of legends was more than welcome. It also has the effect of providing a chance for fans to see something new at each show. Last year, says Frampton, “(Jazz legend) Larry Carlton and (Cheap Trick’s) Rick Nielsen played with me on the same night, and you can’t get more different than those two.”

Frampton’s 1976 album Frampton Comes Alive, which spawned such hits as “Baby I love Your Way” and “Do You Feel Like We Do,” is one of the top best-selling live albums of all time. Though famous for his heavily synthesized sound, the ideology of diversity associated with the Guitar Circus tour has bled over into other arenas of his career. His most recent album, Hummingbird in a Box (released June 2014) was actually written with long-time collaborator Gordon Kennedy as a performance piece for the Cincinnati Ballet. Much like while jamming on stage with music’s biggest superstars, when writing music for dance Frampton says, “the rules go out the window. Because you’re not writing for radio… it can be whatever I want at any given point.”

This as opposed to constantly conforming to the rigid production standards of radio-ready music. Which employer would you prefer?

The August 31 show at AVA Amphitheater marks the end of the first leg of the 2014 Guitar Circus tour and Frampton promises that the guys that night will be “going out with a bang.” It seems Frampton himself is as pumped for the Tucson show as anyone. Since scheduling often prevents multiple big names from showing up to play at every stop on the tour, Frampton says that having King, Guy, Randolph and himself all at the same show is “pretty heavyweight… to get them all together in one night is a coup.”

Lucky us. A word of advice for concert goers: bring earplugs with you if you don’t want your head to explode. n Peter Frampton’s Guitar Circus comes to Tucson’s AVA Amphitheater, 5655 W. Valencia Rd., on Sunday, Aug. 31 at 6 p.m. Tickets and more info available at FramptonsGuitarCircus.com and CasinoDelSolResort.com/ ava-amphitheater.

July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 63

Z sonoranshots

photo: Tim Sweet

by Carl Hanni

All photos were shot on an iPhone with no filters or apps and were taken in and around Tucson Mountain Park and Saguaro National Park. View more of Carl’s work on Flickr.

64 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014

escape Z

Big Lake, Northern Arizona

photos: Niccole Radha

Stunning summer sunset on Big Lake, just a short stroll from Cutthroat campground.

by Niccole Radhe There is no place like home and no shortage of gorgeous lakes, rivers and creeks right here in Arizona. With just a five hour scenic drive through Arizona’s highways, you can escape from the city heat to a serene high country lake in the White Mountains this summer.

Its a majestic place where you can feel the cool mountain breeze in the quiet pine forest, fish in the crystal clear water, camp under the shade of towering trees and look up into the mesmerizing Milky Way at the end of an awesome day. The White Mountains and Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests offer unlimited outdoor adventure during the perfect summer weather.

If you are someone who has a passion for the outdoors and enjoys camping, fishing, swimming, hiking, riding horses, rock climbing and water sports, then this is where the summer fun can be found. Big Lake, with over 600 acres of 30 foot deep water, certainly does live up to its name.

Big lake is located 9,000 feet above sea level and there can be found all of the comforts of home that one could possibly desire in their 200 fee-based camp sites ($14/day). The lake and campsites are immaculately maintained and the resident camp host, marina and informative visitors' centers staff are most friendly and welcoming to help make your stay great. A convenience store is available onsite with limited food items so it is a good idea to stop and get all of your last-minute essentials in Pinetop-Lakeside before heading up the mountain.

There are a few important safety concerns to keep in mind. Most importantly, there are tight fire restrictions throughout Arizona so make sure to bring a propane grill and lantern and get know the fire restrictions for different areas. At Big Lake, located on the Apache reservation, no

open flame is permitted whatsoever. Also, be bear aware! We must coexist peacefully and this is their season to come down to camp in search of food. Arizona has had more bear sightings this year than ever before; make sure you secure your campsite and make all belongings bear proof by tying them up in a tree or just leave food and drinks in your locked vehicle.

There are several campsites at Big Lake and Cutthroat Campground is a prime spot to set up. Located right off the shore, it has dramatic views and nearby bathrooms - the best camping spots are numbers one through five. Make reservations whenever possible, summer is a busy time for these quiet little camps and White Mountain towns.

Making Your Escape From Tucson take North Oracle road/AZ -77 and continue north for about 181 miles. When you get to Globe turn left on US-70 W and after two miles turn right onto US-60 E. Here you will see the signs for AZ-77 N/Show Low/Springfield and continue for about 80 miles until you reach the fun little town of Show Low. Once you get there turn right onto West Whipple Street and shortly after make another right turn on South Central Avenue.

Continue straight into East Woolford Road and make a right to follow the AZ-260/White Mountain Road. After about 35 miles you will take a right onto AZ-273 S highway and a final right to your destination on Big Lake Road. Along the way you will find many local businesses, lakes and rivers so stop by and splash around or take a trek in "the other Arizona!" n More visitor and camping information can be found at RRMofA.com/BigLakeRecreationArea.html.

July/August 2014 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 65

Z lifeintucson

by Andrew Brown / @aemerybrown

Left to right top to bottom: Guests at Lee-Hur wedding; Joe Quarnberg at Prom Body video shoot; Matthew Baquet; Saturdays at Tan Line; Hot dogs and church; Dealing with the heat; Old Spanish Trail sign; Sharron Moon at Prom Body video shoot; Prom Body video shoot.

66 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | July/August 2014