Tucson Local Food Fair and Farmer's Market at Rillito Park: Another BrightSpot

With this warm Spring, we lucked out and experienced a "below normal temps" Sunday.  Perfect for an outing to the first ever Local Food Fair, and, for us, a visit to the Farmer's Market regularly held at Rillito Downs Park. One of the sponsors for the Food Fair was LocalFirst/Tucson.  The breeze turned into a wind when we were leaving, but it didn't blow away the smiles or appetites.  We enjoyed a lamb pita with dilly-green beans and chocolate baklava, prepared by the Sunnyside High School/JTED Culinary Program (sorry no photo--we ate it fast, before Mark could take a picture.)

We also sampled a chicken and rice entre from Snow Peas, a "Modern Asian Kitchen" that is new to us.  We will try it out for a full meal when we are on Tucson's east side.  Check out their menu at www.facebook.com/SnowPeasAZ .

For "dessert" we each had the new pastry hit (modelled after the NY dossant), a part donut, part croissant (topped with maple bacon icing) from Prep and Pastry.  That's where I had my birthday tea and am still waiting for the owner to send me the detailed menu from it so I can post the menu with more of my birthday pictures.  Their pastry is in a photo below.  Check out their menu at www.prepandpastry.com .

The other photos are of the wonderful vegetables at the Farmer's Market.  We spent money and time and both booths featured below and got an earful of hydroponic gardening info from the enthusiastic student/gardeners from the UA. The garden is at the UA Campus Farm.

 Enjoy!!

 

 

Japanese Friendship Garden

Because we are fortunate to have a friend who shares her condo with us on the occasional weekend, we are learning to enjoy the "brightspots" of Phoenix.  This is our second visit to the Japanese Friendship Garden www.japanesefriendshipgarden.org , but the first time in the Spring.  The light was muted with clouds and so Mark's photos are sharp and clear.  Enjoy a small tree of cherry blossoms and the reflective pond, a bubbling stream and sculpted bushes, and (special surprise) a young family of five ducklings and their mom.

 

 

 

Holiday and Happiness Bright Spots

This sculpture, made of horse shoes, stands in the sunlit shadows as you enter Hacienda Del Sol Resort.  We had a wonderful lunch on patio on New Year's Day and I even indulged in a mimosa!  The resort offers four star meals and also opens up to blues and jazz on the weekends, so check out their schedule (and online menu) for a happy way to begin 2014.  www.haciendadelsol.com

On New Year's Eve, we ate at the Olive Garden with my dad and that was a nice meal for him, satisfying his Italian taste buds.  But what wowed us was our first visit to was the authentic gelato(smooth, light and not served in the garish "super size" of Frost).  My dad swooned over the lemon cheese cake and Mark and I slowly savored the chocolate caramel sea salt (my choice) and Mexican Chocolate Coffee (his).  They cater and have a cute dessert cart to bring to your events.  Fresh gelato is made twice a week at the welcoming café in Williams Center.  Check them out at www.tazzinadigelato.com

Just to wrap things up for this New Year's Post, here's a graphic of happiness for you to enjoy.  According to the 2014 Calendar developed by Henry S. Miller, January is the month for hope and plans.  A friend of mine added "intentions" and I like that addition as well.  What about you?

A musical BrightSpot in Tucson: PCC's Chorale and College Singers

My husband and I did our second volunteer-usher stint at today's PCC chorale concert.  Mark was able to take a photo of one of the two choirs during the pre-show rehearsal and a very supportive crowd attended. 

Our guesstimate was about 150 people of diverse ages.  We met one charming couple who drove from Douglas to see their grand daughter sing. 

We were familiar with the director, Dr. Jonathan Ng, who is also the music director at our occasional-church, Catalina United Methodist.  The repetoire was diverse and, to me a former youth/church choir member, pretty challenging.  One of the first pieces, Danny Boy, which I usually don't like because it reminds me of The Lawrence Welk Show, brought me to tears.  It was a lovely arrangement and sung with tenderness.  Two pieces from "Phantom of the Opera" were Mark's favorites, and while I enjoyed these, I was inspired by two pieces by Edward Elgar--so much so I had to look him up on the Internet:  http://saturdaychorale.com/2011/08/18/edward-elgar-my-love-dwelt-in-a-northern-land-university-of-delaware-vocal-group/.  This piece, based on a poem written by a poet I do not know, really moved me--even though I couldn't catch all the lyrics the melancholy mood struck me deeply.  In a mood-music change next, I tapped my feet to two songs arranged by Aaron Copland, based on America's past.

The performance ended with combined choirs and featured soloists, weaving their voices through two pieces by Joseph Haydn from "The Creation."  I didn't know these pieces either but I could appreciate the trajectory of the voices and the rhythm changes which brought the audience to close the performance with two curtain calls and a strong number of "bravos!"

What a gem we have at PCC and their Center for the Arts www.pima.edu/cfa.  The next chorale concert is December 6th and we'll be there to celebrate our 39th anniversary!

Tapas Fusion: Foodie Bright Spot on small plates

As Mark and I have become more aware of our health and are looking for good local places to eat which support this, we are delighted to share photos and brief descriptions on our latest discovery, Tapas Fusion www.tapasfusiontucson.com .  Tucked away in a Campbell Ave. shopping center between Ft. Lowell and Glenn, we pass it regularly and once frequented the Italian restaurant it replaced.  So, this week, we made it a point to go in and immediately liked the comfortable design of the place.  Like the restaurant before it, there is an open kitchen, but Tapas fusion added a bar and decor that is modern and urban-chic.  But looks aren't everything--it's the taste and service that matters and both get gold stars from us on this visit.  We will definitely be back and are telling our friends to check it out, also.

We started our dinner with salad--spring greens, cherry tomatoes, artichoke pieces, olives (pitted), and cucumbers (I forgot to ask but I suspect they were Persian or English cucumbers, not the standard variety).  The light lemon vinegarette dressing was perfect--and I am not a fan of most dressings with vinegar.

 

 

Mark ordered two sliders (we ate before 6 so could still get lunch prices), one was salmon and the other BBQ chicken. 

His salad was included in his entree.

I went for the small plates and picked two:  Mediterranean Meatball Stuffed Mushrooms, dotted with mozzarella and Brie Orange Crostini sprinkled with spinach, cucumber and red pepper.  Both were absolutely wonderful.  I suspect that the meatballs had substantial amounts of garlic and were crunchy and baked in olive oil. 

Mark enjoyed the crostini, too, and the ingredients were fresh and delicate.

As part of our self-imposed calorie limits, we often abstain from dessert but we were intriqued by the "handcrafted chocolates by M. (Mary) Joseph" whom, I discovered, comes from the Phoenix area.  We ordered one dark chocolate merlot and actually split it--divine dessert that was sweet yet soothing.  So was the total bill (under $30.00) plus our usual tip for excellent service and attention as we inquired about the meal preparation and confirmed that the restaurant is owned by a local person.

Treat yourself to a bit of European pleasure at a Tucson-affordable locally owned restaurant and support Tapas Fusion.

S. Arizona Watercolor Guild Art Gallery: A Vibrant Tucson "BrightSpot"

Yesterday, as a free-lance writer/reviewer for the Sonoran Arts Network (www.sonoranartsnetwork.net), Mark and I visited the Gallery to cover their fourth WOW show.  I have submitted my review (and his photos) to SAN, but here I want to highlight two watercolors that were not part of the WOW show.  They are hung on the back walls of the gallery and feature, first, an artist who has served the Guild as a gallery show juror and workshop teacher.  This painting, entitled, Windmill Inn, is by Frank Frances.  I love its pink color and stand-out image of the hotel's facade.

 

Second is one I wanted to buy, if I had the income.  Painted by Ellen Fountain www.FountainStudio.com , it features two of my favorite subjects these days:  daisies/black-eyed Susans and a black/gray cat.  Had I the talent she does, which I obviously do not, this could be Charlie A. Gray admiring a vase of flowers in our home.

 

 

 

Whether as a writer for SAN or not, I will be visiting this charming gallery more often.  It is staffed by artist-volunteers who were so helpful and willing to talk with us, answer questions and take photos.  The talent displayed in the gallery and the gallery itself earn this week's Community Renaissance "shout out" for another Tucson BrightSpot!

 

 

UA's Peace Corps Fellows Program: Tucson BrightSpot

Over a decade ago, my HUD colleague, Ric Gerakos, asked me to arrange a meeting with UA "powers that be" to brainstorm the idea of bringing the Peace Corps Fellows Program to the UA Grad College.  He had experience with the success of this program in California and, with our Tucson and Phoenix HUD offices working together, he planted the seeds at NAU, ASU and UA.  The seed has flourished at the UA which now houses the 2nd largest Peace Corps Fellows Program in the USA.  http://grad.arizona.edu/peacecorps .  Currently, twenty-seven different UA academic programs support the Fellows' academic careers. Most are seeking master's degree but an increasing number take on the doctoral track. This year there are twenty-six new Fellows and three returning Fellows who have served in over twenty different countries while in the Peace Corps.

At the University of Arizona, the program has been nurtured by Georgia Ehlers (and other staff).  Georgia is in the red dress in the photo below.  Each fall a reception is held for incoming fellows and agencies and programs who attempt to get matched with a Fellow.  Community Renaissance was fortunate, when our PECE program was temporarily housed at the College of Education, to recruit a work-study Fellow, Beau James, who has helped with a wide range of community dialogue and conversation events.  Base grad tuition is waived for 2 years with possible additional scholarships for the students and, if it applies credit internships and/or work-study placements.  In return, students complete projects with their matched agency or program.  It's a Win-Win for everyone. 

I attend each year, reminiscing to myself how this program started and that it is probably my primary HUD legacy.  It's also a joyful time to listen to past Fellows, many who have gained professional employment with Tucson agencies, share their story about how this program has changed their lives.  It has changed our Tucson community, as well--and deserves to have attention as a Tucson BrightSpot!

AAA Tucson Baseball is a BrightSpot

I love baseball.  Love to watch it, used to love to play it (pitcher).  Growing up in suburban Chi-town, I was raised to be a White Sox fan, but I have become a Dbacks follower--although it's getting harder to know the players with the fast trades that go on in the sport these days. 

So, last night, it was with much happiness--tinged with an impending sense of loss when the Tucson Padres move to El Paso-that we introduced a six-year-old to Kino Sports Stadium and to baseball.  It was a perfect night to be on the lawn, watch the nightbirds (what are those yellow fly-bys), bats, other families, AAA-type between innings entertainments and, yes, even watch the game (Padres won:  3-2).  Here are two shots of two different kinds of "BrightSpots" in my life.

The field and sky for a perfect baseball night:

 

And a six-year-old getting "kitty hugs" between innings:

 

 

Brightspot in my Backyard

Sometimes, I don't have to leave my home to find a Tucson "brightspot."  Here is today's, a newly bloomed sunflower in my backyard.

What "brightspot" exists within a few steps of where you live?