Tohono Chul is a nature preserve just north of Tucson. On its 49 acres, you can find art, shops, gardens, a bistro, and lots of paths winding through the desert.
A Desert Corner
The name comes from the words for “desert corner” in the language of the Tohono O’odham (“desert people”), who are the ancestral inhabitants of this region.
I’d heard about this beautiful place from my Master Gardener uncle long before we moved to Tucson. For awhile I thought it was called “Tohono Jewel.” It is a gem of a place, so that fits too. Continue reading “Tohono Chul”
A mishmash of news about upcoming films, food, and free classes!
Jessica Gonzales paints a mural outside The Loft Cinema.
Goodies
I’ve been posting this kind of good stuff as part of the Happenings List, but a few things popped up that I wanted to share with you sooner!
1. Love you.
MyIntent has created a 14-day series of journal prompts and challenges around the topic of Self-Love – specifically how you can cultivate a positive and healthy relationship with yourself.
3. “Buy out the 8 o’clock show… Let’s all go to the movies!”
For the month of February, you can rent out The Loft Cinema in Tucson for $150! The rental includes…
Up to two hours in-screen for 2-4 people.
1 complementary glass of sparkling wine (or nonalcholic drink) + 1 medium popcorn for all attendees.
4. What’s Up, Docs?
Watch 15 short documentaries created by students at the UA School of Theatre, Film + Television free on The Loft Cinema’s YouTube channel!
Wolfwalkers image via Apple TV.
Hot Off the Press Releases
1. Walkers Lasso The Rocks
Apple TV would like you to know that they have received four Golden Globe nominations for Apple Originals programming. I haven’t seen any of the items on this list (I think you need an Apple TV+ subscription), but sounds like they may be good, so let me know if you have!
Wolfwalkers (Best Motion Picture, Animated): A young apprentice hunter journeys to Ireland with her father intending to wipe out the last wolf pack – until she befriends a member of a mysterious tribe rumored to have the ability to transform into wolves by night. Directed by Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart.
“Ted Lasso” (Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy + Best Actor in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy Series, Jason Sudeikis): a comedy about a college football coach from Kansas hired to coach a professional soccer team in England, despite having no experience coaching soccer. Starring Jason Sudeikis.
On The Rocks (Best Performance By An Actor In A Supporting Role In Any Motion Picture, Bill Murray): a generation-clash comedy about a young New York mother faced with sudden doubts about her marriage, who teams up with her larger-than-life playboy father to tail her husband. Written and directed by Sofia Coppola and starring Bill Murray, Rashida Jones and Marlon Wayans.
2. Independents Cinema
Members of real-life band The Sweet Remains are starring in an upcoming musical comedy/drama. The Independents is about three solo artists who reluctantly join forces and journey across America for one last shot at musical glory. It will premiere February 26 to view on demand via Laemmle Theatres and Angelika Cinemas.
Decibel coffee
Tucson Chews On…
Food news in the Old Pueblo.
The Red Light Lounge (inside The Downtown Clifton hotel) is now open for lunch to go! Hours are Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm. (They’ll continue serving dinner and drinks daily from 5-10pm.)
Decibel Coffee Works has started serving food. The kitchen is open daily, 7am-2pm with a limited, soon-to-be expanded menu.
We all had to do an exhausting amount of pivoting in 2020.
Fortunately, people are still making art, getting out into nature, cooking food, learning new things, connecting with their communities. While the format may have shifted – farmers’ markets becoming drive-thru, classes going online, concerts moving outdoors – the essence is still there.
Here’s a list of upcoming Happenings that that have taken safety and social distancing into consideration. About half are online/livestream/virtual things, so you can join in while staying home. And participate from anywhere in the world.
Blooming saguaro cactus in Catalina State Park, Tucson.
now – Jan 14 / online / free to view (artwork is available to purchase)
Virtual exhibition of twelve 5”x 5” watercolor and ink illustrations by Adela Antoinette. Each illustration consists of desert plants the artist came across while growing up in the Southwest of the U.S., where she discovered desert plants blossoming during even the hottest and coldest months.
Part of the Working from Home exhibition at Tucson MOCA.
now – Mar 28 / Museum of Contemporary Art Tucson (MOCA) / free (donations accepted)
Exhibition featuring new commissions from five artists (Miguel Fernández de Castro, Nazafarin Lotfi, Mark McKnight, Nicole Miller, and Rocki Swiderski) and two poets (Dot Devota and Raquel Gutiérrez) connected to the Tucson region and who each have a unique perspective on this moment of pandemic and protest, as well as on the local landscape. Since the smaller East Galleries remain closed, the entire exhibition is in the Great Hall.
We really enjoyed visiting MOCA in November and seeing this exhibition!
The on-site gift shop is temporarily closed, but MOCAshop lists their artists so you can support their online stores directly.
Virtual exhibition of work by more than 150 artists from across Southern Arizona depicting their experience of the destabilizing events of this year. Alongside these new works are pieces from University of Arizona Museum of Art’s permanent collection that resonate with the challenges of the times we’re in.
Virtual Art Trivia Happy Hour: Jan. 14, 5pm on Zoom. Advance registration required.
UAMA online resources include digital collections, public art activities, and art-based play for all ages.
now – Apr 10 / Tubac Presidio State Historic Park / Included with entrance fee ($7).
Collection of outdoor art installations by local artists and gardeners on the 8-acre grounds of the Tubac Presidio. Installations will celebrate native plants, sustainabilty, and creative approaches for the garden.
Jan 3, Feb 7, Mar 7 / City Hall (front parking lot) / free (no admission fee)
Combined farmers market and artist market with local art, fresh produce, and one-of-a-kind gifts. Monthly on the first Sunday from 10am to 3pm. Social distancing and other safety measures will be observed.
Southern Arizona Arts + Cultural Alliance (SAACA) mini-documentary on muralist Ignacio Garcia. The artist will take viewers on location to several of his favorite murals in Tucson, describing the mural creation process, inspiration for each mural, and insight into what has made it such a fast-growing public art medium in recent years. The video will stream on both the SAACA and AARP’s Facebook pages.
SAACA has been assembling Arts Care Packages with music, DIY kits, and journaling supplies for assisted living communities and hospital patients. You can help support the program by donating art supplies, original music, or money.
Classes on topics like gardening, art, cooking, and meditation. Fees are usually around $30. Materials not included.
Sonoran Cocido and Galletitas de Naranja: Jan 23, 3pm. Learn the history of this Sonoran beef vegetable stew, while you learn to make it – and orange shortbread cookies too.
Nature Journaling: Feb 24, 2pm. Learn drawing and watercolor painting techniques that will allow you to quickly capture and communicate flora and fauna you observe.
January 7 + 21 at 5pm / Westward Look Wyndham Grand Resort + Spa, Tucson, AZ / $10 cover charge
Evening of jazz music performed outdoors by the Sheryl Ann Starlight Quartet. Arts benefit cover charge will be added to all bills to help pay musicians and contribute to SAACA. Maximum 30-person attendance.
Spamalot costume designed by Arizona Opera’s CeCe Sickler.
Series of 8 masterclasses with the team of Arizona Opera’s Costume Shop introducing various skills related to their field, such as fabric painting and dyeing, hat making, beadwork, resin, and watercolor painting. Most materials are covered by class fees and can be picked up the Arizona Opera Center in Phoenix or shipped to you. Class fee $75 or $90 with shipping.
Jan 10, Feb 14, Mar 14, Apr 11, May 9 from 8am-2pm / Mercado District (along Avenida del Convento)
Outdoor market with antiques, collectibles, and other quirky finds held the second Sunday of the month. Booths are spaced out from Mercado San Agustin to the MSA Annex.
SN: I’ve gone to this market a couple times since it reopened this fall. Things I didn’t buy (even though I kind of wanted to) include a vintage sewing machine, Kool-aid man coasters, and a very cute little potted cactus. There were more people around at the December one but still plenty of space to social distance. (Whether people actually give you space is another story. However, their lack of self-awareness isn’t really the market’s fault. Humans continue to be humans. Sigh.)
Animal Training Behind the Scenes: various Thursdays Jan 14 – Mar 25. Opportunity to watch keepers’ training sessions with several animals and talk to the keepers while they work. The trainings take place on the museum grounds, and the price includes museum admission. Limited to 10 participants.
King Canyon Geology Hike: Jan 30 + Feb 13, 8-11:30am. 2-mile hike in the Tucson Mountains, possibly seeing Hohokam artifacts, and learning about the sedimentary basins, volcanic caldera, and the stretching and cracking of the earth beneath us.
Jan 15 – Jan 31 / MSA Annex, Tucson, AZ / Tickets start at $49 per car.
This small, Italian-American family circus has updated their show to be on an outdoor stage with screens above it, so you can watch from your car. They claim to be “The World’s First Multimedia Drive-In Circus,” and I doubt anyone would argue.
Jan 16 – Jan 17 / La Encantada Shopping Center, Tucson, AZ / free (no admission fee)
Outdoor fine arts festival with jewelry, paintings, metalwork, ceramics, silks, and different kinds of home decor items.
SN: A couple local spots to check out at La Encantada (outside of the festival): Savaya for coffee and tea + Creative Kind for craft kits and artisan goods.
Digital collections, classes, and resources from Arizona State Museum (ASM), University of Arizona’s anthropolgy museum.
Virtual exhibitions of pottery, weaving, illustration, carvings, and ASM collections. Free.
Digital Master Classes on Demand. Next is a Jan. 25 course on the timely topic of Diseases in Human Evolution. $150 class fee supports ongoing research.
Feb 11 – Feb 14 / Verde Canyon Railroad, Clarkdale, AZ / $139 per person
Chocolate Lovers’ Festival on the Verde Canyon Railroad train. Includes a first class ticket, chocolate goodies, glass of champagne, service at your seat, and complimentary appetizers in dedicated “Chocolate Lovers” cars.
Many upcoming Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts shows are either all virtual or offer both in-person and livestream viewing options. Livestream tickets vary by show ($20-39).
Burkina Dreams in the Desert Featuring AZ63: Feb 28 at 2pm, Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts or livestream / tickets $24-28: AZ63 performs on a mix of string and percussion instruments from Burkina Faso, the African Diaspora, and beyond.
Class on herbs and other plants that are used in aromatherapy and cooking, like lavender, lemongrass, and tulsi (holy basil). Each day, attendees will learn about the history and practical uses of a plant and then create a portrait of it using various media. This class may be hosted in-person at the Urban Forest (a Tucson non-profit space created by Randiesia Fletcher) or on Zoom, pending COVID circumstances.
Mar 20 – Mar 21 / Armory Park, Tucson or virtual / Single-day tickets start at $75.
2-day outdoor festival featuring eight international jazz acts performing on the mainstage.
While you can’t actually buy tickets yet, you can (and should!) register to reserve your spot. Once organizers determine it will be safe to hold an in-person event, you’ll receive an invitation to complete your ticket purchase.
Social distancing protocols will be instituted throughout the Festival grounds, and face masks will be required for all attendees and staff/volunteers working the event.
Apr 8 – Apr 25 / Hotel Tucson City Center, Tucson, AZ / free
More than 300 gem, minerals, and fossil vendors throughout Hotel Tucson’s 10-acre courtyard. The Show’s focus will be on quality Gems, Minerals, and Fossils. The show is open to the public.
Happenings on this list are handpicked by me. As far as I know, all the information was accurate when I posted this. But there’s a chance it’s not, and that’s really out of my hands.
Also, this is not an ad. Event listings are not sponsored. In fact, no one asked for this. I just compulsively need to share good stuff I hear about. So there you go.
I was recently introduced to a beautiful children’s book, called Peace is an Offering, about taking care of one another and appreciating the world around us.
The sweet, simple poem is by Annette LeBox with illustrations by Stephanie Graegin adding a delightful interpretation of her words.
Cover images via the publisher.
While you can get it at your local library or bookstore, I also recommend having Emily on YouTube read it to you. Her quiet, soothing voice, combined with the lulling rhymes and satisfying sound of book pages turning, will make you feel at ease (or give you ASMR).
Because, like many of the best children’s books, it’s not just for kids.
A few years ago, I wrote (through tears), “Life can be such an off-balance mix of highs and lows, beautiful moments and heartbreaking ones all scrambled together.”
It remains true at the close of this tumultuous, challenging, disorienting – and, yes, often heartbreaking – year. There are points of light, even in dark times.
Quijote hanging out with me before polling place setup in November.
I asked a few friends to think of some good moments they experienced in 2020 and share them in the form of a top five list of things they did or simply enjoyed.
Their lovely responses (and fun photos!) are below.
These are my top five favorite makes of 2020 – a year that provided ample time for me to be creative.
1. Cornflower Yoke Cardigan from Vintage Baby Knits for my niece, Maxine Eleanor. She was born August 1.
2. No. 1 shirt from designer Sonya Philip. I learned how to sew basic garments this year. I made several of these and lived in them all summer!
3. I participated in Denyse Schmidt’s Proverbial Quilt Along. The quilt reads, “The Darkest Nights Make the Brightest Stars.” I gave it to my eldest niece Alexis, who headed off to college in August and was having a hard time with everything she’d been forced to miss due to the pandemic.
Kelli in a sweater she made herself!
4. My best friend Meghann turned 40 in August and asked for a quilt in her colors. This is the most ambitious quilting project I’ve ever completed. My mom quilted the top with her longarm, to make it extra special. The pattern is an Ohio star.
5. I completed Morning Sky sweater in cornflower blue and have enjoyed wearing it. I really like the scalloped edge and the fit. I made it from inexpensive yarn, and it has held up nicely!
1. I went on my first meditation retreat in Stockbridge, MA a week before everything shut down because of COVID. This was on my 2020 list before 2020 arrived.
2. I went on an epic hike in Yosemite and hiked Half Dome. I was sooo lucky to be invited on this hike as going all the way to the top requires a permit that is given through a lottery system.
Two of Vesna’s hand carved stamps.
3. I was able to stay home for 6 weeks when COVID first hit. We did a lot of walks in local parks. I also learned how to edit videos and filmed 3 classes for Skillshare.
4. I planted two fruit trees in my backyard: a fig and a pomegranate. I will always remember that they were planted during COVID year (haha)!
5. I am joining Carve December, and I am determined to carve a stamp a day during this month.
Lori camping with family.
• from Lori Meisner Cleland:
1. Socially distanced camping trips with my brother and his family
2. Discovering new (to me) music, like Gregory Porter
3. A slower pace
4. Increased support of and appreciation of small businesses
5. Seeing all the amazing creativity going on as people work to navigate this crazy year together
Photos from some of the local restaurants Lori supported this year.
Photos that go with the lists are from the respective listmakers.
P.S. Dinah Liebold’s list of gift ideas that was so detailed and timely that it got its own post last week, so be sure to check that out if you haven’t already!
