Tucson in July

Sunset in Rio Rico

When we told people we were going to Tucson in July they scoffed at the timing, saying how hot it would be and how crazy we were. But we are on a determined post-COVID tour-of-the-loved-ones and Tucson is target rich. In this one destination alone we were able to see 6 members of Darr’s family—two sisters, three nieces and nephews, one grandniece, my cousins, our best friends, and two photographer friends who had the good sense to move from the DMV to Arizona. 

Monsoon drama

And guess what? The timing was perfect, because we brought the monsoon season and experienced pyrotechnics, dramatic rainbows, heavy rains and gentle rains, and cool temperatures nearly every day. It’s odd to come back from a vacation and brag about how much it rained. 

Desert in bloom-Bird of Paradise

Rain in the desert is beyond description. It’s followed by a delightful perfume borne of creosote leaves that is a heaven-scent and one that Tucsonans crave, recognize, and don’t experience anywhere else in the world. We spent the first night in Rio Rico at Darr’s sister's house in the middle of the desert with a thousand stars all around. Coyotes howling at night. We were greeted by a raging monsoon storm with hail and hell. I was running from patio to patio to see the storm from different angles, and the lightning at one point was horizontal—it had given up on things to strike. 

Then we moved to my cousins John and Suellen's house nestled in the Catalina foothills, freaking beautiful locale, the best guest house I have ever been in, stocked with every possible food and drink,  its own kitchen and little dinette. We spent time on Warren ancestry and much of an afternoon floating in the pool with a backdrop of the luscious mountains. 

Arizona Inn

We checked into the Arizona Inn for the rest of the week, as dreamy and lovely and classy and old school as the day we got married 41 years ago. It was virtually empty; only a few of us know that July is a very special time to visit. We had the Knipes over for drinks by the pool, and watched Cleo splash. David and I used the clay tennis courts. We got our coffee in the library. 

 The Arizona Inn perimeter

A note on the food.  Many of you know that I live for the times when I can have real deal Mexican in Tucson. But there were a couple of setbacks on the A List this time. The bottom of my hard shell chicken tacos fell apart at Micha’s! I had so looked forward to the correct presentation of tacos, not these plops on top of soft corn tortillas that you get elsewhere. And then Rosas’s broke our hearts. The flautas were disappointing. That’s right, a sentence I have never written. The flautas were disappointing. 

Cheese tostada at Casa Molina

But then there were winners. The first two from the A List, the second from the B List  El Minuto stood strong with its white cheese tostada. At El Torero, the menu has been modernized to include some vegetarian entrees, but never mind that, you can still get your lard filled favorites and sit under the swordfish.  We also had pretty good dinners at Guillermo’s Double L ( because it was the only place open on Monday) and Casa Molina, noted for its cheese tostadas.

El Torero with the Knipes

El Minuto with Margie

There is a memory on every corner in Tucson, the roads we drove, the houses we lived in, the movie theater, the University of Arizona campus. We went down memory lane to the site of Darr's first newspaper job, the desolate Casa Grande. We met Tim and Marie at the unlikely BeDillon’s Cactus Garden and Restaurant  The cactus garden was dead, the food was barely alive, but the conversation was lively.

Darr's humble beginnings

Tucson has been working at enlivening its Westside my entire life with varied success. Right now the new thing is—the Mercado District, a little shopping and a little eating, and just down the street The MSA Annex, where "the shops and eateries are housed beautifully inside modified shipping containers." 

Well okay, but doesn't that sound kinda hot for Tucson? The whole mercado scene was a little on the muerto side it seemed to me. 

Classic  Tucson

Ultra classic Tucson

Megan took us to my more familiar shopping stomping grounds on Fourth Avenue where she introduced us to  a great new store called Pop Cycle, and lunch at Ermanos.

With Megan at the top of Tumamoc hill

Darling Megan also agreed to join us at 5:30 on our last day for a sunrise hike up Tumamoc Hill. A dramatic ending to a perfect trip. Over many years I have hated and under appreciated Tucson and I have loved and appreciated Tucson. The years of love and appreciation now exceed the others. It's no coincidence that these are the years I've been away. And Tucson has withstood my fickleness and still awaits me and greets me with open arms as if I'd never been away.

Welcome home!