I hope you get to visit Kitt Peak!
http://www.noao.edu/outreach/kpoutreach.html

We are waiting for the snow to melt!

My snowbird friends in Arizona are in Buckeye, Apache Junction and Yuma.
On Tuesday 2/12 I was in Tucson to see the largest tree in Tucson (6' dia-19' circumference).
That night I was in Silver City NM which has most of what I'm looking for in a snowbird town.
I'm back in Oregon now. Next week I'll probably go snowshoeing again.

Here are some ideas for you:

http://mikepintucson.blogspot.com/

Mike
I follow your blog already!

Ready to follow along on your trip report jubilada

Are you going to have the chance to visit Madera Canyon while you are down there? One of the sky islands, and not far from Tucson. I haven't looked at the weather, but I hope it is warming up for you!

We have been busy exploring the past few days.
We visited the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum which we expected to love but we were disappointed. It was very crowded to the point where indoor exhibits were impossible to view. The house we are renting is very near this site and I think we did not experience the awe that many do seeing the museum because we have been living in these surroundings, without any other people within sight. However, the ride there through Gates Pass was spectacular.



The Mission of San Xavier del Bac was absolutely gorgeous. This is the oldest Catholic mission in the US in Mexican Baroque style and has been painstakingly restored. The artistry is endless and one can feel the spirit of those who have prayed there over the years. This white moorish style building stands against the blue sky in the desert and is breathtaking. We recommend the 25 minute video explaining the building and restoration, narrated by Tucson native Linda Ronstadt. Afterwards one can stop at one of many stalls where fry bread is being sold.

We also visited the West and East Saguaro national parks. The East has the oldest saguaros, up to 200 years old . There is a gorgeous 8 mile drive through the park with scenic overlooks, picnic areas and places to embark on hikes. We had a great time. And since we are old admission was free with our $10.00 lifetime National Parks Pass.

We also got to experience a rare daytime snowfall , disconcerting but beautiful. It snowed about half an inch, making the desert look like another planet. In the morning, it all melted except atop the very highest peaks.

We spent an afternoon meandering down 4th avenue, with boutiques and restaurants reminiscent , in a good way , of the sixties. We spent a good hour in Antigone's, a bookstore which began life as a Women's bookstore and has now expanded to some general offerings too. It still has a great gay and lesbian and helpful knowledgeable staff. There are comfortable chairs in which to loll. It is a rare example of a great independent bookstore in these days of Barnes and Noble and I admire Tucson for keeping it alive.

Food so Far: We have returned to Teresa's, this time for breakfast. I highly recommend the enchiladas stuffed with softly scrambled eggs, topped with a nutty mole and sesame seeds. It is served with handmade corn or wheat tortillas.
Their horchata and homemade lemonade are made in large quantities and are both excellent.

We also enjoyed Mariscos Chihuahua, a family owned Mexican seafood place . Being from New Engalnd, and often traveling to seaside destinations, we were dubious about seafood here, but the shrimp seviche was delectable. We also had shrimp and fish ( a white firm fish) in a creamy chile sauce, very green and very rich, which was delicious. There are now a few of these in twon but we ate at the original which has a wonderful mural of the ocean and a great outside seating area.

We tried a Bosnian restaurant recommended on Chowhound, Chef Alisha's, whcih was overall a disappointment. The appetizers were pretty good and a lamb stew heavily flavored with paprika was good; the stuffed cabbage was not.

WE had a great early dinner at Poca Cosa, a neuvo Mexican restaurant downtown.The menu changes daily and is presented on a chalk board. We had chef's choice which was a different set of three entrees for each of us served with a huge salad and rice and beans. Everything was great; standout was a chicken with one of the chef's many variations on mole. We could have ordered one plate to share as we took home enough for another whole meal, and we are very good eaters. This is a sleek , modern, very comfortable restaurant to which we hope to return.

We have also made two trips to Frost gelato, owned by Bologna natives. Magnifico! My favorite combination so far is salted caramel and dark chocolate. We are thrilled to learn that there is a franchise in Albuquerque where we are heading next week.

We still have six more days here, and have many plans. Tomorrow we head for Bisbee, AZ, an old copper mining town about 100 miles away for a day trip with our friend.

We have been overwhelmed by how nice and friendly everybody has been, very different from the reserve we are used to but don't love about New England.

More later...

San Xavier del Bac is beautiful, I'm glad you enjoyed it. We had a pretty good Navajo taco from one of the vendors outside as you mentioned.

I have read a number of the JA Jance books based in Bisbee, it will be interesting to hear your impressions.

It sounds like you are having a great trip!

It all sounds wonderful!

It is indeed wonderful; we really feel like this might be the snowbird destination for us.
I forgot earlier to say we had excellent excellent NY style pizza slices at Brooklyn Pizza. It brought me back to walking home from school in Brooklyn in Junior high. And at lunch a cheese slice and a ( refillable) fountain soda is 2.88. Interestingly, their whole operation is solar powered.

We have been surprised at the relatively small number of solar panels we have seen given the huge amount of sunny days. We see a lot more solar in dark New England, at least in our area.

I am bummed out since we just checked the calendar for our really wonderful rental house and the dates we want for next year are full. We will no doubt find something else.

Marking for leisurely read!

The independent book store speaks well of Tucson and the restaurant/gelato availability sound good, too. (esp salted caramel and dk chocolate).

DS visits with a friend in Mesa who customizes jeeps for offroading. Apparently the extensive govt lands are open to all kinds of recreation. Would love to drive to an isolated lake for a picnic. (I did a Pink Jeep tour in Sedona.) That would be another difference between there and here - more open land.

Te open land is indeed amazing dfrost as is the open sky. Off to bisbee now.

Nice TR, jubi! Snow on the desert makes an amazing mind picture. Mission SX and the egg enchiladas sounded wonderful also.

More please!

Enjoying you TR, jubilada!

A few 4th Avenue restaurants to try....
The B-line, breakfast, lunch...good vibe
Athens on 4th..good Greek, open only at dinner
Delectables..great salads, outdoor seating
Lack of solar is strange..perhaps because the state is very, very conservative(not Tucson.)

We ended up postponing trip to Bisbee because of very high winds and cool temps there. Instead we went to the Center for Creative Photography where we saw a show about the NYC jazz scene in the sixties by Eugene Smith we had hoped to see some of the archived Ansel Ads works but no go. We then drove around looking at rentals for next winter, some awful,some nice but filled for Feb. many properties in gated communities or unappealing subdivisions both of which we dislike.
We ate at Teres's yet again because we love it. Fish tacos today...delish!

J: I am following along with great interest. I will be looking for someplace interesting to spend a good chunk of time next winter and your reconnaissance is a big help!!

Our priorities include a large heated pool (indoors or out) for lap swimming, which narrows things down quite a bit! Keep your eyes open for me!!

Good luck and happy travels...so enjoy your reporting!

The biggest tree in Tucson is on W Congress St. just off I-10.
It is a Red Gum Eucalyptus 6' in diameter.
My recent look for a snowbird spot led me farther east into New Mexico including Deming and Silver City.

Eks
There are many outdoor heated pools here
Both at clubs and places like the Jewish Community Center. Also many of the gated communities have them. Have only seen JCC one and one at a tennis club both very nice. The club actually has two pools,one four lane lap pool and another used for classes and general swimming.
Tom I prefer NM landscape and politics but it is a little cooler, maybe too cold for us.

Hope you find something for next year, jubi.

TDu
We will I am sure. It is an interesting way to explore the city.

Today was one of those travel days which provides a reminder that one cannot really plan. We started the day by deciding that my sweetie needed a visit to urgent care due to persistent earache which turned out to be an ear infection requiring antibiotics. We are glad to get it healed before going to ABQ and SantaFe. The doc thought a trip to higher Bisbee not the best idea.
We went looking for a rental house in the Catalina foothills, as it turns out very beautiful but too far out for us and in an area that seems very "white bready."
We then went to Sabino Canyon where you an board and leave a shuttle tr that winds up through this gorgeous canyon which has a lot of running water from higher up snow melt. The road and twelve narrow bridges were a CCC project and afford a wonderful access hiking oppprtunities abound and we had a great time.
More changes in plan as our friend is ill and is not coming to dinner but we will still grill ribs and peppers both sweet and hot.

When you go to Bisbee check out -
http://www.theshadydell.com/

I REALLY want to see this, if only to eat at the diner.

If you go let me know what you think.

Hope your sweetie feels better soon!

Sorry to dash your hopes. I have never heard of Frost Gelato in ABQ. I think there are still in the "coming to ABQ" stage from what I can tell on there website. (I can't see location page as flash is required and iPad doesn't have it). But fear not - this should work- http://www.eccogelato.com/

This is a must try-Lemonata; along with its big sister restaurant Torinos

http://www.freshcitrus.us/

https://torinosfoods.com/Home_Page.php

Hi jubi and hope your DSO (dear sweet one) feels better. Sabino Canyon sounds wonderful!

DebitNM
Thanks so much for the warming and alternatives. LosPoblanos has big (included)breakfasts so I hope we can actually eat more!

Today we had a really good lunch at the Polish Cottage: stuffed cabbage, pierogis, hunters stew, kielbasa
And apple cake.

We had a low key day perusing galleries and trying to figure out how to paint the desert from our back deck. I am going to miss Tucson when we leave Friday.

Today we spent the day close to home just enjoying the desert.

I'm glad you missed the messy weather in New England. Hope your SO is feeling better before you fly. It makes me chuckle to read about what you are eating at the Polish Cottage. Not something I would expect in AZ. The canyon sounds wonderful.

I have been surprised at the many ethnicities present in Tucson dfrost. This was certainly not true when we lived here in 1955 lol. At that time my sister was asked by a classmate who had never met a Jew before whether she could see her tail! Really.

Jubilada: You may be interested in a book that is being debuted at the Tucson Festival of Books in March, "Lady at the OK Corral" ,author Ann Kirschner, the story of Josephine Marcus Earp, Wyatt's common law wife of 50 years. There will be a book signing at the JCC.

Happytravler
Yes, that sounds interesting. A friend was just telling MRI about the book festival which sounds like a blast. Maybe next year.

I'm happy to stumble across you TR, jubilada. We were just in Tucson last Thursday to see our new niece. It's a beautiful town.

This may be a little late but if you love art, you might want to make a day trip (or overnight) up to Phoenix. They have a great art museum. We haven't made it to the Heard Museum but they are suppose to have an extensive Native and Western collection but the Phoenix Museum of Art is surprisingly good.

LSky, we considered Phoenix for the art museum and a few other sights but we just didn't feel like dealing with the drive and the traffic. I am sure that if we end up visiting yearly we will get there.

Jubi - sounds like Tucson would be a good match for you both. At first I couldn't imagine you living so far from the sea but it's good to know you'll have plenty of swimming opportunities in Tucson and the food and landscape sound wonderful. Please let us know if you post pics.

I'm reeling about the comment to your sister in 1955...so sad.

Just put the kettle on for tea and will head over to join you in Albuquerque. Hopefully your sweetie's ear troubles are long gone.

It is hard for me to imagine myself far from the sea but it is really only four hours from Tucson the bigness of the sky is so wonderful and my joints, which always hurt at home or in Florida are like new. And ther is so much sun even on colder days

Her ears are fine and were fine even in the Jemez and Santa Fe. Antibiotics are a blessing sometimes.

I just wanted to come back and say that we do think Tucson will be our snowbird destination.

The laid back lifestyle, the availability of the arts, progressive Jewish life, the beauty of the dessert, year round heated pools and affordable seasonal rentals, as well as interesting cultural opportunities beckon us. My sweetie says to mention all the tennis too.

We have already rented a place for two weeks next winter and hope to go for 4-6 weeks the following year when I have retired..So I guess the trip was a great success.

You can get to the Pacific Ocean in 5 hours from Tucson! Take AZ 86 west through the Indian Reservation to Why and then south through Organ Pipe Cactus NM to Lukeville. From Lukeville it is only 1.5 hours to Puerto Penasco Sonora MX which has several nice hotels.

tom, that sounds like a plan. My friend in Tucson goes to Rocky Point, she says in 4 hours. How does that compare?

You two are good explorers. It's interesting, these different frontiers of time and place at this stage of our lives. I'm curious about new places, the adventure of the southwest is attractive. I've been to Puerto Penasco and the shrimp there is very good. But no live oak and spanish moss.

My uncle inherited a condo there and loves it! They are there for months at a time. It's too hot for his wife but she goes along - just doesn't go out much when it's hot. They come home for Christmas and he can barely wait to get back there. Good luck with your new venture!

Puerto Penasco is known to some Americans as Rocky Point.
Penasco del Sol is the place I was considering going but I didn't have my passport with me. You can buy Mexican car insurance by the day or week.

oh, well that was dumb of me, tom. Thanks. If I had a rental car could I go with the mexican car insurance?? I know that when people take rentals to Nogales from Tucson they usually walk across.

You can buy your Mexican insurance before you leave Tucson, even from AAA.We always have to show our car registration and and a driver's license I remember not being allowed to take a rental car from VT to Montreal a few years ago so check it ourt before leaving for Rocky Point.

Most likely we'd go with our friend so I guess we could just take her car.

You can buy the insurance at tne first gas station in Why, after you leave the reservation.

okay. why. HappyTrvlr, I left you a request on the NM thread.

And I downloaded and started reading the book you suggested. I love it.

I'm in Green Valley, just south of Tucson, now and IMHO, after watching the colors of the sunset on the Santa Ritas, it is heaven on earth.