Tucson for the Umpteenth Time

January and February 2025 have been among the darkest times in the history of DC. I am speaking strictly of the weather. Day after day of gray may rhyme, but there was nothing poetic about it. I even bought one of those SAD desk lamps, the cheapest I could find because I didn’t want to make a big investment in depression. It’s stark and bright and only resembles the sun in that I see red spots after looking at it for too long.

    

Sunrise, Ponte Vedra Beach

I had been desperate to get out of the gloom, and back to Tucson since our Christmas trip. But I had to wait. I got short-term relief by spending five days in February with my niece Aline in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.  

But I had to wait until March to get the extended time release medication of the Arizona sun. No one has ever been more eager to see the calendar page flip (dated reference). 

The Wingfield family (L to R) Ian, Oliver, Ivonne, Max, Margie

 

We flew into Phoenix. You can fly nonstop, which you can't do to Tucson, but the airport is a nightmare. It took 90 minutes to get from the gate to the rental car lot, there were elevators, escalators, moving sidewalks, and something called a Sky Train. We were there to visit Margie who moved from Tucson to join her family in Scottsdale. Tucsonans have a natural aversion to Phoenix, or maybe I should say a strong and perverse aversion to Phoenix, its size, its sprawl, its sports teams, its politics. I shouldn’t be so hard on Phoenix, but it is a reflex I can’t control, like a trigger thumb.

Backyard at the Wingfields

And their house in North Scottsdale was perfectly lovely. We ate lunch by the pool, Ivonne made delicious chiles rellenos. The rooms are big, the light is bright, the desert is all around. 

Taliesin West

And we were a short drive from a cultural experience, that little known commodity in Phoenix, in the form of Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright’s winter home and studio where they entertained the likes of the Luces. 

Ian in Frank Lloyd Wright's living room

Scottsdale makes every effort to befriend and blend into the desert.  Most houses are painted in a taupey tone. Fortunately for the developers of Scottsdale, there are 128 such shades including caramel, chocolate, chamomile, croissant and coconut; dirt, bamboo, beeswax; tortilla; tan, taupe, tumbleweed, and the ever-mysterious burnt umber. 

We raced down to Tucson the next day, and I do mean raced, now that the state highway speed limit is 75 mph. Gone are the days of the “55 Stay Alive” campaign. The priority now is speed, not life. 

Catalina Foothills neighborhood

We stayed in a house in Catalina Foothills, my idea of the perfect neighborhood, my zone of interest, if you will. The house was modern, the perfect size for the two of us, and from the deck we watched birds,  rising moons, and brilliant sunsets. 

Sunset from the deck

The weather was heavenly, even when it was a little cold (by Tucson standards, 50’s), even when it was a little cloudy, and even when it was a little rainy. The weather in Tucson doesn’t lock down like a steely gray fist. After cold mornings, it warms up, after clouds, the sun comes out. And after a rain, the desert is indescribably delicious, the smell, the crystal clear skies, the sharp outlines of the mountains. 

Micha's

We ate at our favorite places, Micha’s, Rosa’s, El Minuto, the first bite of salsa, the first taste of cheese crisp made us to groan with delight. We went through a pint of salsa from Rosa’s in less than a week and bought three dozen tortillas at Tortillas Bryan. 

Cheese crisp at El Minuto

We tried one new place, Seis Kitchen. But ordering at a counter is all wrong at a Mexican food restaurant. I prefer the old school service where barely ambulatory abuelas shuffle over to your table, put the plate down and say “very hot, mija, be careful.” 

I went to Rillito River Park for my first time, a 12-mile linear walking path, marking a great stride for Tucson's pedestrian friendliness. It's well paved, nicely maintained, not too crowded, and features a humane assortment of life-saving drinking fountains and bathrooms. 

With Louis Sahagun at The Tucson Citizen reunion

Group photo, The Shanty patio

Darr, PK Weis, and Rick Wiley 

Our main reason for the visit was to attend a reunion of the staff of The Tucson Citizen, an afternoon paper where Darr started his career. The paper closed 16 years ago, but organizers tracked down every former staffer they could find, and almost one hundred showed up. The reunion was held at The Shanty which has a copper top bar, they shared their sparkling memories and and shined with laughter. 

Wisdom's Cafe has no chicken on the menu

With Darr's sister Janie Dolan

On our last day we went to see sister Janie in Rio Rico. We stopped at Wisdom's Cafe in Tubac for take out. Don't be fooled by the large mascot, they don't serve chicken there.

On my daily walks I photographed houses with for sale signs and looked them up on Zillow. Now Zillow thinks I want a house in Tucson and emails me every day with new selections. Does it know something I don’t?

A is for agave

Year in Review: 2024 Above, Below, Aboard, All Around

Reflections on 2024

Pertinent prepositions prevailed in 2024—I was on the sea, beside the ocean, I was beneath the earth, I was above the clouds, I was aboard a ship that went along the Nile. I was among and amid many passengers at the airport. I watched our luggage go around the carousel. I was behind schedule on Egypt Air. I went through customs and stood before the official. I watched our luggage go around the carousel. I was among the most impressed after the visit to the Valley of Kings. I sailed from Southampton for New York.

There were also a few travel firsts this year: first ocean liner, first group tour, first time in Africa. 

Tucson sunrise

 

Tucson sunset

I started and ended 2024 in Tucson which is fitting because Tucson is all about starts and endings with daily dramatic, sunrises and sunsets.  And there is a bonus round after sunset. The sky turns into a planetarium. Tucson is an astronomy capital and has a world famous observatory, but anyone can see tons of stars and planets every night. 

High tea with Susan, London

I got a slow start on the travel year but made up for it the last 8 months.  In April I flew to London to see my dear friend Susan who is an expat living in the English countryside. She and I used to go to New York City a couple of times a year and we do cities well. Same walking gait, same "hanger" levels, etc. We did classic London activities, long walks, rain dodging, the theater, high tea, and a trip to Wimbledon. I would like to say I was featured at Wimbledon, but more accurately, Wimbledon was featured in my blog.

Cruising into Brooklyn

In May, I experienced a travel first—I boarded an ocean liner from Southampton, England to New York City, the glamorous, elegant Queen Mary 2. There is a clear distinction between the QM2 and a cruise. I was assured there would be no wet t-shirt contests. Plus we didn't make stops like a cruise, we crossed the Atlantic Ocean in 8 days.  I was there to participate in a 5-day writing workshop, Rebirth your Writing. The ship pulled into New York Harbor trip in time to see the spectacular Statue of Liberty at sunrise, and then we were rather unceremoniously dumped in Red Hook.

Birthday boy at Commander's Palace

Also in May, Darr requested a trip to New Orleans for his birthday, so off we went.

Nila and Peter in India

Franky meets the Dalai Lama

The whole family was on the go in 2024. Peter and Nila went to India in January and stayed until June. In July, Peter and Nila moved from Brooklyn to Berkeley. Franky left for India in October and will return in April.

This happened!

In July we went to see Pittsburgh, where Nila grew up.  It’s a pretty cool city I hadn’t been to since 1996, so I needed a refresh. 

Cape Cod

In September we went to Cape Cod for a week. Franky was in Wellfleet for a wedding so we decided to meet there for a family vacation. Even though we are Maine people, we gave Chatham a chance. As it turns out, Cape Cod, too, has beaches, the Atlantic Ocean, lobster rolls, and strawberry rhubarb pies. 

Beiser brothers in Plymouth, MA

At the end of the trip the two brothers flew home to Berkeley. They live there now. This is what I get for raving so goddamn much about California. 

The Egyptian Museum in Cairo

In October another huge travel first, Darr and I took a group tour to Egypt. We loved it. What a relief turning over the logistical planning. But Egypt is such a sea of wonderment that it will awe and amaze you no matter what travel arrangements you make. This blog is in two parts.

Birthday in San Francisco

In November I staged a large birthday campaign. I headed to San Francisco for part one of the celebration, and then met Judy in Maui to continue the party. 

Maui

Coming home I experienced a letdown with the short days and the low light.  But I knew I could cure it with a tablespoon of Tucson, where Christmas is never white, and the sun is always bright. We went December 21st and ate at our favorite restaurants,  Rosa's and Micha’s twice, and we walked up the challenging Tumamoc Hill twice to counter the double doses. We rewarded ourselves afterwards with the delicioso spiced maple latte at Presta in Mercado San Agustin.

What's ahead for 2025? Follow this space.

Birthday Bash: Berkeley and Beyond to Maui

Bear Down! The Golden State Bear at UC Berkeley

    Berkeley, California has now tripled in interest for me. My older son and his fiancé moved there this summer, joining my younger son (who is India for a few months). One too many times after visiting California I must have said to them “why would anyone want to live anywhere else?” They took it to heart. 

    We have our Berkeley routine now. We fly nonstop on United, IAD to SFO. We stay at the Residence Inn Berkeley which is all suites, and we enjoy a free breakfast buffet with brainiacs. We are one block away from the UCBerkeley campus, a divine place for morning walks. 

    To avoid confusion once again my sons live in Berkeley, they are not at Berkeley. 

In a hothouse in Berkeley Botanical Gardens 

Berkeley Botanical Gardens

    We went to the UC California Botanical Garden which have a crazy collection of plants and flowers from all over the world. 

Engaged! Nila and Peter

 

At Saul's Restaurant and Delicatessen

    There is some good eating in Berkeley. As it is the home of Alice Waters and Chez Panisse, you can experience the influence of her chef proteges all over town. We had the best Thai meal ever at Yimm Oakland. Yum. We had a raucous time at Rendez-Vous where we celebrated the engagement of Peter and Nila with Nila’s sister and her boyfriend. We had the world’s wackiest waiter, he wore one black glove and wore everyone out with his dramatics. We had a tres bon French brunch at La Note; the pancakes were made with crème freche. 

The cake!

View from El Techo

        

USA Today friends 

    My birthday party was November 9th at El Techo which, despite the name, had nothing to do with technology and everything to do with great Mexican food, and a rooftop setting with a kick ass view in the Mission District. We invited friends who have known me the longest so that they could tell me I haven’t changed a bit. 

My second birthday dinner 

    We were invited out for a second birthday dinner at Poggio Trattoria in Sausalito by our friends Daniel and Susan.

City Lights Bookstore

    We spent an afternoon in Chinatown, had lunch at Brandy Ho’s, browsed at City Lights, and then had special ice cream at Salt and Straw, where we met cousin Ben who was coincidentally in California for his first time. 

    Worn down by restaurant outings, on the last night we inaugurated Peter and Nila’s new apartment with its first dinner party. Nila made an amazing carrot soup. There is a carrot theme, I had carrot cake for my birthday, Peter is growing carrots in his garden; and now I’m looking for carats. 

Salt and Straw with Ben 

 Maui is Unreal

Wailea Bay

    I met Judy in Maui for birthday celebration part two, and we stayed at The Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea. Yes it’s the hotel that was the location for season one of White Lotus. But we behaved much better than those people. 

Nothing but blue, blue skies

 

    From one evenly cut blade of grass to another, from enormous banana trees to towering palms gently swaying in the trade winds, everything there is perfect. Spotless. The sky is always electric blue, the ocean water is balmy, the beach is always pristine, a variety of saturated greens make up the trees and plants. I decided it was all just a little too good to be true. Maui is both unreal and real. 

Our room with a view

Our goal was to do nothing but eat and relax and enjoy the ocean. We planned our days accordingly. We started with a daily breakfast buffet for $67 per person. Judy and I endeavored to eat at least $30 worth of food, but often didn't make it. There was a bottomless bin of bacon as at the Berkeley breakfast, but offset by tropical delights like papayas, pineapple, and fresh mango juice. 

    Our goal for the trip was to do nothing, and relax. We spent the mornings on the beach where they passed out watermelon and fruit juices,  and in the afternoon we migrated to a poolside cabana where we made bold choices for lunch like Hawaiian Nachos and Parmesan Truffle Fries. At about 4 we went to the room to rest from our rest. And then out to a fabulous dinner around 7.

    We ate dinner on site twice at Duo Steak and Seafood Restaurant, enjoying a wedge salad, a throwback to the 50’s which held the innocent belief that blue cheese on lettuce was good for you, a hearts of palm ceviche, and a new-to-me fish called Monchong. At Ferraro’s Restaurant Bar where I scarfed down black pasta in squid ink. 

 

    Off campus restaurant highlights:

           Reaching Morimoto restaurant at the Andaz Resort presents logistical challenges, there are 60 steps down in the dark to get there, not very ADA compliant. At the end of dinner they offer to helicopter you out, no I mean they offer to golf cart you out. We had tiny sushi tacos as an appetizer. 

              At The Restaurant at Hotel Wailea, the only Relais and Chateau property in Hawaii, the chef delivered a stunning prix fixe menu that included spiced carrot risotto, and Hamachi with “forbidden rice.” Not sure why it was forbidden, but we were allowed to have it.

               Finally, because we couldn’t get into the famous Big Mama’s Fish House due to the 6 month wait list, the concierge recommended the comparable Humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa at the Grand Wailea. Although we almost drowned in the sea of vowels, we came up for air long enough to eat macadamia nut-covered prawns, an ubi brioche loaf, followed by king salmon and swordfish. 

Wailea Beach Path 

    The Wailea Beach Path, is a 3 mile oceanfront stretch runs in front of the Four Seasons and other nearby resorts. Here you see dozens of guests trying to run and walk off their food comas. 

Fitbit report on my sleep

    At the Spa and Wellness Center I had an 80-minute-deep tissue massage followed by a 15-minute foot massage. That night I slept 9 hours. Unheard of. 

The outrigger

        I also went out on a canoe outrigger. We helped paddle for a short distance but mostly we “parked” above a coral reef where the water was so clear you could see to the bottom.We encountered sea turtles and held anemones and live coral. Our oarsman Sole broke out his ukelele and sang to us. I don’t think you would find a more amusing and amazing ride at Disney.  

     I was in a 10 day birthday bubble that I hoped would never burst. 

Oceanfront Yoga

                                                    

EGYPT PART TWO: I want to live on the Avenue of Sphinxes

 

Avenue of Sphinxes, Luxor

Karnak Temple of Amun

Temple of Karnak

We are whisked off the plane into a world of wonderment in Luxor stopping first at the Temple of Karnak, the largest religious structure in the world, with a great hall of 54,000 square feet. They say there is enough room in it to house the Cathedral of Notre Dame, but let's not give anyone the idea. 

 

Colossi of Memnon

The Avenue of Sphinxes runs 1.7 miles and connects Karnak to Luxor Temple, slightly less grand than Karnak and by that I mean tremendously grand.

Luxor Temple

On the Nile

We boarded the ship Blue Shadow, which became our home for the next four nights. The Nile Cruises are a big business. There can be up to five ships tied together and when you dock, you walk through their lobbies to get out or they pour through yours. One day Darr compared the exodus of passengers to a clown car emptying out. 

Cruising on the Nile is about as dreamy as it sounds. You get a break from continuous khaki and see verdancy all along the banks. The days are brutally hot but as soon as the great orb goes down, it is mild and lovely and cool. We sat on the pool deck on top of the ship, watched the sunsets and stars and heard the evening calls to prayers up and down the Nile.

Tomb of Ramses IV in the Valley of the Kings

 Tomb of Ramses IV

A woman in our group who had been to Egypt before told us that the best was yet to come. We refused to believe it, but The Valley of the Kings is truly magnificent. The valley served as the necropolis to the New Pharoahs, and has 63 subterranean tombs in the limestone hills. Up to 11 tombs are open to the public every day. Because the tombs are underground, many of them have maintained their amazing colors.

Temple of Queen Hatshepsut

After the Valley of Kings we went to the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, which resembles a high tech office building in Arizona.

Temple of Horus in Edfu

The next morning, docked in Edfu, we were whisked by horse-drawn carriage to The Temple of the Falcon God Horus. Protected by the Goddess Isis, Horus was able to take revenge on his oddly named Uncle Seth who had killed his father Osiris.

Temple of Kom Ombo

That afternoon we docked across the street from the Temple of Kom Ombo. You can see the the influence of the Greeks, those newcomers, in the column design.  

The Great Temple of Abu Simbel

We took a flight to Abu Simbel, yes there is an airport there, and then had lunch at a Nubian restaurant. How many people can say that? The only Nubian restaurant in the US, in Newark, is closed. The Abu Simbel Temple was moved, piece by piece in 1968 to prevent its being flooded by Lake Nasser.

Dog on the Dam

The last day was the least day. We went to the Unfinished Obelisk, which fittingly I left unviewed. Darr noted that it was the first time he wasn’t awed. Some of our group went instead into the shade to drink cokes and browse through a bookstore and spice shops. Finally, we went to see the High Dam at Aswan. What? No hieroglyphs? No paintings? No obelisks? We had certainly reached the bottom of the barrel, but by then we were ready to barrel on home.

I want to thank the Egyptian nation, the fields of archeology, anthropology, ancient history, and the philanthropists who support them, and maybe even the grave robbers who tipped off a few of the tomb locations. Thank you for preserving these breathtaking sites and and allowing millions of us to see them.

Tomb of Rameses 1 in living color