Sonoran Restaurant Week Pairings

We’re right smack dab in the middle of Sonoran Restaurant Week, when around 100 (!) restaurants in Tucson and surrounding cities offer special prix fixe menus for $25, $35, or $45 (plus tax and tip). The price often includes several courses that would regularly cost more.

breakfast food — Breakfast at Maynard’s.

The idea is to encourage diners to try restaurants they haven’t been to, as well as revisiting old favorites. You many need to ask for the Sonoran Restaurant Week menu if you’re at a participating place and don’t see one. Find participating restaurants and menus on TucsonFoodie.com.

View of Tucson — View of the city from inside the Museum of Contemporary Art, Tucson.

I’ve paired 7 of these Tucson restaurants with something fun to do (relatively) nearby that complements them.

state park picnic tables — Phillip and Quijote scope out a picnic area at Catalina State Park.

Tucson Tamale (on Oracle) + Catalina State park

Pick up Tucson Tamale’s picnic-ready Sonoran Week Fiesta Box from their Oracle Road location and head to Catalina State Park – only 10-15 minutes away! Throw in some water bottles and you’re ready to go!

Restaurant Prix Fixe: $35 (feeds 4)

Park Fee: $7 per vehicle

On the Menu

Tucson Tamale:

Sonoran Week Fiesta Box includes…

8 tamales (they have meat, vegetarian, and vegan options)
2 sides (choose from salads, rice dishes, beans, Mexican slaw, etc.)
salsa and chips
4 cookies
serving ware

Catalina:

Trails
Wildlife watching
Sep. 15, 7pm: Guided night hike

Hours

Tucson Tamale: Monday – Saturday 10am-7pm / Sunday 11am-5pm

Catalina: 5am- 10pm daily / Visitor center and park store 8am-5pm

Locations

Tucson Tamale: 7286 N. Oracle Rd.

Catalina: 11570 N. Oracle Rd.

Art assemblages from found objects. — A few pieces from the outdoor portion of the Sonoran Quipu exhibition.

Coronet Restaurant + Museum Of Contemporary Art Tucson (MOCA)

After perusing contemporary art in the former fire station turned airy art gallery that is Tucson’s MOCA, you can stroll on over to the Coronet for dinner. While the Coronet’s decor is classic and the building itself was built in the 1860s, the menu features contemporary faire.

Restaurant Prix Fixe: $45

Museum Admission: $7

On the menu

Coronet: Southwest greens with roasted root vegetables, wild boar bucatini, chocolate truffle.

MOCA: Sonoran Quipu, an assortment of locally-found materials tied together in a site-specific installation, is on exhibit in the Great Hall until October 1.

Hours

Coronet: Thursday – Monday 5–9pm

MOCA: Thursday – Saturday 11am-6pm / Sunday: 11am-4pm

Locations

Coronet: 198 W. Cushing St.

MOCA: 265 S. Church Ave.

plants at botanic gardens — Vegetable garden planters at Tucson Botanical Gardens.

Feast + Tucson Botanical Gardens

Feast is located just south of the Garden District. Full of vegetables, fruit, and herbs, their restaurant week menu should pair perfectly with a day in the garden!

Restaurant Prix Fixe: $45

Garden Admission: $15, advance purchase recommended (or free with a Culture Pass)

On the menu

Feast: Choose from several options for each of 3 courses.

1st course choices (abbreviated): cauliflower en mole, chestnut risotto, or truffled meatballs.
2nd: heirloom tomatoes, roast chicken, hanger steak, or udon noodles with pork.
3rd: orange-anise cake, plum parfait, or pandan sweet rice cake.

Tucson Botanical: Art exhibitions at the Gardens this week include All at Once, Enchanted Garden, La Calavera Catrina, and Power to the Flower.

Hours

Feast: Tuesday – Saturday 11am-8pm

Tucson Botanical: daily 8:30am–4:30pm

Locations

Feast: 3719 E. Speedway Blvd.

Tucson Botanical: 2150 N. Alvernon Way

Playground Bar and Lounge + Proper Shops

Just across the street from each other at Congress and 5th Avenue, Playground Bar + Lounge is also a restaurant and Proper Shops is a collective of local merchants and artists that also has a bar inside!

Restaurant Prix Fixe: $25 per person

On the menu

Playground: Choose from 3 starters and 3 entrees.

Proper:

Current merchants include Reap + Sow eco-boutique, Willows Bazaar clothing, Tucson Gallery, and several others!
Sept. 15, 6-8pm: Meet local artist Andrea Rodriguez in the Tucson Gallery.

Hours

Playground (restaurant hours): Fri 4-10pm / Sat 12-10pm / Sun 10am-8pm

Proper: Thr 3-8pm / Fri 3-9pm / Sat 11am-9pm / Sun 11am-5pm

Locations

Playground: 278 E. Congress St.

Proper: 300 E. Congress St.

Tuxon Hotel Pool Bar + Tuxon Hotel Pool

You don’t have to be staying at the Tuxon to relax poolside there. Anyone can enjoy food and drinks at the Tuxon’s poolside bar. You can even purchase a pool pass and jump in!

Restaurant Prix Fixe: $25

Pool Passes:

Day Pass $45
Cabana Rental (4 day passes, shaded cabana with daybed seating, complimentary bottled water) $75 Mon-Thr / $150 Fri-Sun

On the Menu

Sonoran cheese crisp, enchiladas, barrio beans, mezcal mule.

Hours

Bar: Lunch 11am-3pm / Happy Hour 3-6pm daily

Pool: daily 1-10pm

Location

960 S. Freeway

Flora’s Market Run + The Loft Cinema

Flora’s restaurant week menu might be the best deal I’ve seen so far! Once you finish dessert, it’s just a 4-minute drive to The Loft. Sounds like an ideal dinner-and-a-movie date to me!

Restaurant Prix Fixe: $45 (for two people to share)

Cinema Tickets: $10.50 (regular adult admission)

On the Menu

Flora’s: Southwest salad, elote pizza, chai choco taco sundae

Loft: Special screenings this week include…

Sep. 13, 7:30pm: The French Dispatch (The Films of Wes Anderson: Part Two) – regular admission
Sep. 14, 11am: Rebel Without a Cause (Hollywood Classics Series) – regular admission
Sep. 14, 7:30pm: The Big Lebowski 25th Anniversary Movie Party! – $12
Sep. 16, 2pm: ¡Agua es Vida! A Celebration of Water in the Desert (Short Film Showcase) – regular admission

Hours

Flora’s: Mon-Thr 7am-8pm / Fri-Sat 7am-9pm / Sun 7am-6pm

Loft: See screening times.

Location

Flora’s: 2513 E. 6th St.

Loft: 3233 E. Speedway Blvd.

flower gardens — Entrance to Tohono Chul.

Wildflower American Cuisine + Tohono Chul

How you can check out Tohono Chul desert gardens and gallery, but avoid being out in the hottest part of the day:

start early
explore the gardens first
as it heats up, move inside to the galleries
browse the shops on your way out
cool off with a late lunch at Wildflower.

Or, if you’re still at Tohono Chul at closing time, you can head to Wildflower for dinner.

Restaurant Prix Fixe: $45 per person.

Garden + Gallery Admission: $15 (or free with a Culture Pass)

On the menu

Wildflower: 3-course meal (starter, entree, dessert) + glass of wine

Tohono Chul:

Walk in the Gardens tour daily at 10am.
The exhibit in the Main Gallery is Día de los Muertos (now through November 5).

Hours

Wildflower: daily 11am-9pm

Tohono Chul: daily 8am-5pm

Locations

Wildflower: 7037 N. Oracle Rd.

Tohono Chul: 7366 N. Paseo del Norte

coffee and a pastry — Coffee at Flora’s Market Run.

December 11, 2020July 22, 2023

Dinah’s Delicious Holiday Gift Ideas for 2020

[My sister-in-law Dinah always gives such fun gifts and beautiful handmade cards. I’m excited that today she’s sharing some of her ideas here with you! –S]

I enjoy giving presents under normal circumstances, but during 2020, I felt it was more important than ever to send fun surprises in the mail for my friends and family – for birthdays or just because – since I wasn’t able to see them as often (or at all).

"You take the cupcake" card — A birthday card made by Dinah.

Craft Beverages + Food

I try to seek out local companies here in Arizona or, at least, small businesses.

Derek Sips coffee

Derek is a teacher and a father of 5, who lives in Tempe, Arizona. He loves coffee and decided to start roasting beans himself as a side business. We shipped out bags of his coffee to several family members this year (and also to ourselves)!

StoneGrindz Chocolate

For my chocolate-loving friends, I discovered this company located in Scottsdale. They specialize in small batch, single-origin craft chocolate that’s beautifully packaged. I love how they come up with new flavors regularly.

Cartel Coffee menu — Menu at Cartel Coffee Lab in Tempe.

Cartel Coffee Lab

The original Cartel Coffee Lab location is in Tempe. I was pleased to see that they offered this “Stay at Home” blend, which was perfect for my friend Robin, who is coffee-obsessed and works from home. Plus, 10% of the profits go to a Navajo Nation COVID-19 relief fund.

Queen Creek Olive Mill

This company is located in Queen Creek, Arizona. I purchased some bottles of flavored olive oil for my brother’s and sister’s birthdays this year. It was a useful gift for them, as they like to cook, and it lasted awhile. I enjoyed hearing which foods they paired the olive oils with!

In addition to standard olive oil offerings, Queen Creek Olive Mill has unique flavors like vanilla bean and dark chocolate. There’s even a set called “Quarantine Essentials!”

Saratoga Peanut Butter Company

My husband Daniel did part of his Navy training near Saratoga Springs, New York, where this company is located. They offer a holiday pack of different kinds of peanut butter. I can’t wait to try more of their flavors in 2021!

A box of green because you're dope. — “A box of green” by Dinah.

DIY Inspiration

Color themed gifts — Color-themed goodies. Photos by Dinah.

Color-Themed Gift Boxes

For several birthdays this year, I put together boxes full of goodies of the same hue.

I sent my brother a “box o’ sunshine” with yellow items, since his birthday falls right after Christmas, the dreariest time in Montana’s winter. My sister-in-law’s birthday is right before St. Paddy’s Day, so she received all green gifts. And a few people received some “Out of the Blue” birthday boxes.

Hopefully, I can try it out with some other colors this coming year!

Dalgona Coffee (recipe)

We received a lovely gift in our mailbox of pre-measured mix to make Dalgona coffee drinks from a friend. We loved the idea so much that we copied it, making our own Dalgona coffee mixes send to other friends and family.

Once you have the dry mix, all you have to do is add boiling water and beat in the mixer until it turns into coffee-flavored whipped cream! Drink it with ice and your milk of preference.

This was a great way to make a “fancy” coffeehouse-style drink, while staying safe at home.

November 30, 2020December 1, 2020

Honeycomb Color Story

Lately, I can’t seem to ignore this charming yellow hue that’s a bit more orangey than mustard and more opaque than just plain honey. I’m calling it “honeycomb.”

You can find this sweet shade on artisan goods, as well as things you can make, wear, or eat.

1. Honeycomb with fresh nectar reflecting the tree canopy. Photo by Max Westby, a beekeeper and honey producer in Burgundy, France. (CCL)

2. Dreamweaver lampshade made-to-order by Pop + Scott, $980. / Similar DIY project: rope-wrapped hanging lamp.

3. Nipomo picnic blanket, rolled up and ready to go, with leather carrying straps, $86. (Shown unfolded in the top/featured image.)

4. Jardin Majorelle, Marrakech, Morocco. Photo by Kelly Graham, taken during a trip in 2013.

5. Peanut Butter Creamed Honey made and bottled (and occasionally overfilled) by True Love Honey, Tucson, Arizona, $30 for 3 jars. / HT Freight Train Coffee (their 4th Ave. neighbor!)

6. Sweet Bee + Floral Wreath: Embroidery Pattern by Emillie Ferris. Digital download and tutorial available on Etsy, $17.

7. Ampersand design by Priscyla Falkenburger for Letterpress Brasil.

8. Aimilios dress by Mara Hoffman, modeled by Adeng. $395. / HT SPREAD LOVE + SHINE LIGHT auction for aid to the Navajo Reservation.

9. Honeybee tassel earrings handmade in Murrieta, California by Letter and Thread Co, $10.

10. Coffee Bear, part of San Francisco street artist fnnch’s series of Honey Bear paintings.

11. How to add a pocket to an art journal by Craftnomicon.

12. “Books are a uniquely portable magic.” Stephen King quote on stickers (and t-shirts) by Bookshelf Tees.

13. Tips for choosing the best dog chews.

14. Pipit Loungewear Set digital sewing pattern by Common Stitch, $15.

15. “Cozy Up” art by Ash Elizabeth. Digital download, $3.

Photos link to their sources. All images via their respective artists / vendors / creators.

April 29, 2020April 29, 2020

Community in the Time of Coronavirus

While COVID-19 has thrown us all off balance, people are helping each other get back on their feet in some lovely ways – sharing their art, connecting people with resources, checking in on family and friends, donating where they can, helping the “helpers” on the front lines, and buying from their local mom-and-pop shops and restaurants. (All from a safe distance, of course!)

I’ve rounded up a list of various goodies to help you stay well, support independent artists and businesses, and give back.

Breathe background for Zoom video — Courtesy of Saywells Design + Why I Love Where I Live.

Free to Download

Adobe: Resources for creativity at home!

Coloring book pages by designers and illustrators. Each week, there’s a new set of pages with themes like “gratitude” and “alphabet.”
Short films about design.
Public domain images and fonts to liven up your paper craft projects!
Tips for photographing your plants and pets.

Badge Bomb: Fun stay-at-home-themed coloring pages, activity sheets, and stickers you can print and color.

Bluprint: Patterns for sewing face masks and instructions for folding no-sew masks.

Native Seeds/SEARCH:

Tips for collecting and saving seeds from your garden.
Lots of resources for gardening in desert climates.

Why I Love Where I Live:

Coloring pages by Southwestern artists.
Backgrounds for your phone or Zoom meetings by Tucson-based Saywells Design, including mask-wearing cacti.

Workshops

Debbie Allen Dance Academy: Founded by Debbie Allen of Fame fame, DADA is a non-profit organization with programs to expand young people’s access to dance + theater.

$3 dance classes on weekdays (signup via Zoom required).
Free Instagram Live classes on weekends.

Lisa Congdon: A couple of free online classes from an artist whose work always makes me smile.

MyIntent:

Free classes to begin and end each day (yoga, meditation, journaling, etc.)
A big list of free self-care resources.

Rohit Gijare: Virtual dance classes on Sundays…

$5 semi-classical or Bolly fusion workshop with the Bollywood Boulevard choreographer.
$8 for both classes with code BOTH.

Skillshare:

Free classes demonstrating a variety of art, craft, cooking, entrepreneurship, and other skills.
Premium membership free for 2 months. (New members only.)

Shop

Arts and Artisans: 40% off everything through April 30.

Badge Bomb:

Free colorful sheet of “Coronavirus Reward Stickers” by artist Gemma Correll with every order!
25% off all items in the Stay Home + Stay Busy collection.
Free shipping on US orders over $30 + international orders over $75.

Stay Home Reward Sticker Sheet by Gemma Correll on Badge Bomb.

Bookman’s: For every $25 gift card purchase, Bookman’s will add a $5 reward. For every $100, get a $25 reward!

Doggie Drawings Shop: Artwork by Lili Chin 20% off. This includes Dogs of the World prints and cute enamel pins of different dog breeds.

Dogs and Donuts: Free delivery in Tucson for orders over $15.

Downtown Tucson Partnership: DTP Gift Card Incentive Program…

Buy a $25 gift card for one of over 60 downtown businesses through the Downtown Tucson Partnership + receive a free $10 bonus!
Participating businesses include restaurants, museums, shops, bars/breweries, salons, fitness centers, a hotel, and a theater.
DTP will announce each round of gift card sales on its site. (Hint: They’ve mostly gone on sale on Fridays starting at 6am and sold out FAST!)
They’ve also gathered a lot of resources to help Tucsonans navigate life during the pandemic.

Hotel Congress: Additional $25 when you purchase a $100 gift card.

L.A. County Yarn Crawl Shops:

Knitting Tree – Sale on discontinued and overstocked items.
Wildflower Studio – Shibui Knits Maai $14/skein (regular $17.50) + free digital pattern for M.1 scarf by Shelli Anderson with purchase of 4 skeins.
Zoe’s Knit Studio – Free shipping (or curbside pickup) on select kits. Email info@zoesknitstudio.com for details.

MAST (at Mercado San Agustin): Free shipping on U.S. orders with promo code MARCHON. Or 25% off any one item made by Mellow, Sofie, or Tasha with code LEANON.

MyIntent:

50% off sitewide with code HERWORD50 (through May 10).
We featured a MyIntent necklace in a previous gift guide.

Arizona Hearts art print by Phoenix Supply Co.

Phoenix Supply Co.

Today: buy 1 art print, get one 50% off!
Free domestic shipping on orders $40+.
I know founder/artist Melissa through the Phoenix design community, and she is a stellar human being!

Not Just Quiltz:

Bolt of the Week 25% off.
All bolt BATIKS and precut bundles 15% off (half-yard minimum).
Select colors of King Tut thread $19.95/2000 yard cone (regular $29.95).
Closeout fabrics $8/yard, while supplies last.
We met this vendor at the Quilt, Craft, and Sewing Festival.

Seven Cups Fine Chinese Teas:

20% off Bai Long Xu (White Dragon Whiskers) Loose Leaf Sheng Puer tea.
Free delivery within the continental U.S.
Select tea ware on sale.

Spirit of the Artisan:

$10 tapestry tote bag special!
Another one of our favorite Quilt, Craft, and Sewing Festival vendors – now with an online shop!

Why I Love Where I Live:

Free shipping on orders over $15 with code 2020IG.
Buy a mask and they’ll donate one to a local organization!

Food (Arizona)

Phoenix Area

Cartel Coffee Lab, Tempe:

Free shipping (except subscriptions) with code STAYHOME.
Pickup available at original downtown Tempe location (on Ash).

Crown Public House, Phoenix: Weekday specials on green chili mac, wings, pizza, and more.

Peixoto Coffee, Chandler:

Buy 3 bags of coffee, get one free.
Free shipping or curbside pickup.
Make a donation to help them provide hot coffee to overnight hospital workers.

Republica Empanada, Mesa: $2 beer or $10 mix-and-match six pack with any order.

Tucson

Several Tucson restaurants are offering $30 takeout meals for two, as part of Tucson To-Go! Even though it’s presented by Sonoran Restaurant Week, this deal is ongoing.

Agustin Kitchen (at Mercado San Agustin): Burgers and sandwiches (a.k.a. “handhelds”) are buy one, get one free from 2-4pm daily. Walk-up or call-in orders.

Beaut Burger (at MSA Annex): Buy one, get one free vegan burgers weekdays from 4-5pm. Walk-up orders only.

Cartel Coffee Lab, Tucson:

Free shipping (except subscriptions) with code STAYHOME.
Pickup available at Grant and Campbell.

Cup Cafe (in Hotel Congress):

20% off Cup Cafe dishes to-go. New menu includes family style meals!
$2 off all pies and cakes by the slice.

Check out Tucson Foodie’s takeout guide or the lists that Brunch Babes Tucson has aggregated of current food, coffee, and alcohol options!

Yuma

Julieanna’s:

Ziggy’s On-The-Fly takeout menu has value-priced versions of their signature items.
Free delivery in Yuma. Curbside or patio pickup also available.
One of our Yuma favorites!

What is helping you find a sense of community during this time?

Chalk board sign — Good Oak Bar in Tucson

December 12, 2019May 23, 2023

Mesa’s Merry Main Street

Mesa’s annual holiday celebration, Merry Main Street, includes concerts, an arts and craft market, food trucks, visits from Santa, and – most surprisingly in an Arizona desert city – an outdoor ice skating rink.

O Christmas Market

While there are Merry Main Street activities throughout the downtown, the centerpiece of the celebration is the 40-foot-tall Christmas tree and market that takes over Macdonald on the north side of Main Street.

What you’ll find here…

Mesa’s official Christmas tree – this is where you can see Santa Friday and Saturday evenings.
Mesa Christmas Market – 30 local vendors selling handcrafted items, food and gifts in booths set up around the Christmas tree.
Concert stage with free performances on Friday and Saturday evenings.
“sELFie” Station photo backdrops. (Turns out, you can’t spell selfie without an “elf.”)
Extended store hours — Some downtown shops stay open late, so you can browse antique furniture or comic books while you’re in the neighborhood.

There are additional, ticketed holiday concerts and performances of The Nutcracker Ballet nearby at the Mesa Arts Center.

When Phoenix Freezes Over

Most of the time, you’ll only find an ice rink in Arizona inside a large, air-conditioned building. So, the temporary Winter Wonderland Ice Rink installed for the holidays in Mesa City Plaza is a downright novelty. It’s really fun to watch people skating around there, even if some of them are wearing shorts.

Speaking of Arizonans’ winter apparel (or lack thereof), Winter Wonderland just assumes you don’t own ice skates (and you probably don’t), so they automatically include skate rental in the ticket price.

Free Rides

You can ride the mile stretch of the Light Rail between Country Club and Mesa Drive free on December weekends from 5-10pm.

This weekend (December 13-14), there will also be special decorated “Polar Express” light rail trains with Santa, elves, cookies, and singing on board. Pajama-wearing is encouraged. No tickets are required.

Pioneer Park

The weekly Mesa Feastival Forest in Pioneer Park turns into Jack Frost’s Food Truck Forest on Friday and Saturday nights during the holidays. Check their Facebook page for updates on the food truck lineup.

Also in Pioneer Park…

The Mesa Farmers Market and Flea will continue to be held in the park on Saturday mornings – with a few extra festive touches like additional vendors and photos with Santa from 9-11am.
Kiddos can ride the trackless Main Street Express Train there for free during food truck or farmers’ market hours.

mesa mini train — Merry Main Street’s little train (at its old City Plaza location).

In past years, you could sometimes hear the choir singing outside the LDS Temple across the street. This year, however, the annual Christmas Lights display and concerts have been suspended due to major renovations of the buildings and grounds, which are scheduled to be completed in 2020.

The Space Between

Like a microcosm of the City of Mesa itself, Merry Main Street is a bit sprawling (although it’s gotten less spread out than in previous years).

Activities are just close enough together that you’re not sure you want to wait for even a free light rail ride, but far enough apart that you have time to regret it as you traverse the vast, vacant expanses of sidewalk between things.

How to Merry Main Street

The the best approach might be to enjoy different parts of Merry Main Street throughout the season, instead of thinking of it as all one event. Stop by the food truck forest before heading over to a performance at the MAC. Have an ice skating night. Do some holiday shopping and take some photos in front of the tree (or in the selfie stations or with Santa).

Why not go multiple times? There’s no admission cost, parking is free, and each time the weather will probably be so nice you could wear shorts to go ice skating.