Cover Story
A Pinch of Prickly Pear
Western Mexican Cook Book, by Alfonso C. Pain, 1959 This pamphlet was self-published and came with a variety of covers. In some editions, Joe Carithers is listed as a co-author. The artwork is minimal, but Pain includes 16 hints to help the home cook achieve authenticity. Francisca’s Mexican Cookbook, by Charles J. Merchant, 1966 Another…
Who Wants to Own Their Own ZIP Code?
For everyone out there who has long claimed that Tucson would be the best city in the world if they were in charge, here’s your chance to not only run a town, but to own it outright. The tiny town (though I’m going to argue that any place with a population of 1 is, at…
AOL Instant Messenger Is (Mostly) Dead
According to a news report by the New York Times’ “Bits” blog, AOL has slashed the team for its long-time instant messaging program, AIM. Nick Bilton reported that a former AOL employee told him that “nearly all of the West Coast tech team has been killed,” effectively ending the upcoming development for the software. In…
Will Ferrell Continues His Parade of Confusion
Colin Boyd’s review of the new Will Ferrell movie Casa de Mi Padre in this week’s issue (on stands tomorrow, online later today) ruminates on the theory that Ferrell does his best work when he’s working in the “doesn’t give a shit” zone. I’m not exactly sure whether his interview with Jimmy Kimmel last night…
Pick Your Tattoo Placement by the Potential Pain
Now, I’m too broke and too much of a chicken to go through with any sort of body modifications (not to mention that my only tattoo ideas are related either to video games or professional sports teams,) so there’s no chance I’m getting any “work” done any time soon. But that doesn’t stop me from…
Oro Valley Don’t Need No Stinking (General) Election
Oro Valley voters saved themselves another trip to the, well, mailbox, since Tuesday’s all-mail primary election resulted in all three seats getting filled. Incumbent Bill Garner and challengers Brendan Burns and Mike Zinkin all appeared on more than 50 percent of the ballots cast, which means each of them is automatically voted into office and…
“Santoromentum” Is Apparently a Thing Now
Let’s just ignore for a moment that the weird math of the presidential primary system actually means that Mitt Romney increased his delegate lead last night than his opponents, but if this seemingly endless struggle means I have a few additional opportunities to giggle at references to one apparently broke candidate’s last name, so be…
Plant of the Week: Euphorbia Rigida
You have seen these around town in the medians or in your home’s landscape. One of my new favorite plants is the Gopher plant or Euphorbia rigida. You know we gardeners are always changing our favorite plants. I love the flowers it puts out, plus the easy care and low water nature of this plant.…
Please Leave “On The Road” Alone
Jack Kerouac tried to convince Marlon Brando to play Dean Moriarty in a film version of On The Road back in 1957, and that misstep kicked off 55 years of attempts to turn the classic road trip novel into a movie. There’s reason to believe the version coming out on May 23rd might be ok…
House Ethics Committee Votes To Hire Investigator For Patterson DV Case
The House Ethics Committee voted unanimously today to recommend the chamber hire an independent investigator to sort out the domestic violence allegations against Rep. Daniel Patterson and determine if he violated any laws or House rules. In the first Ethics Committee hearing on the domestic violence allegations launched by Patterson’s former live-in girlfriend and campaign…
Spoiler Warning: How Not To Ruin TV For Your Friends
Tired of having your friends reveal what Omar does at the end of Season 3 of The Wire or exactly who the Final Five are on Battlestar Galactica? Here are the new rules for spoilers.
Waking the Latino Vote: What Does It Take In AZ?
Al Kamen of the Washington Post wonders whether Richard Carmona’s Senate run can awaken the Latino vote in Arizona: Romney’s diligent efforts may be helping him secure the GOP nomination. But he may have turned Arizona (with 11 electoral votes), which since 1952 has only voted once for a Democratic candidate (Clinton in 1996), into…
The Food Truck Diaries, Volume 28: Bunz
Bunz is a 1973 Pace Arrow that’s been converted into a sweet little food truck that’s been quite a hit with the late-night bar crowd on Fourth Avenue. Owner Peter Raskob says about half of his customers stop by between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. to cap off an evening of revelry with one of…
Patterson Ethics Hearing Today As LD29 Democrats Call on Him To Resign
State Rep. Daniel Patterson, who is facing domestic-violence charges related to a messy breakup with his girlfriend, Georgette Escobar, is the subject of a hearing of the House Ethics Committee today. The Ethics Committee will decide how to move forward with the complaint against Patterson, which was signed by nearly all of his Democratic colleagues…
The Lee Lee International Supermarket Passport Contest
Think you’ve got international cooking know how? If so, consider entering the Lee Lee International Supermarket Passport Contest to try your hand at answering cooking questions from around the globe for a chance to win a $500 gift certificate. You have to be on that Facebook gizmo to enter, and you might want to get…
Bill To Create Emergency Border Warnings Dead
Hank Stephenson reports in the Nogales International that state Rep. Peggy Judd has abandoned her efforts to force the state Department of Homeland Security to issue warnings about dangers in Southern Arizona: Yvonne Delgadillo, executive director of Nogales Community Development, said issuing warnings about the border region in Arizona is unnecessary and dishonest. She said…
Now Open: Cosmo’s Espresso Coffee and Tea
If you’re out on the East Side and craving a cup of coffee, you might consider stopping in at the new Cosmo’s Espresso Coffee and Tea at 5775 E. Broadway Blvd. Owner James “Cosmo” Cramer tells us he uses a special blend of coffee called Astro that’s made in collaboration with Raging Sage Coffee Roasters.…
A Concert for Those of You Who Miss the 90’s
You know how every summer there are package tours of 70’s and 80’s rock bands playing the outdoor amphitheaters of our fine country, with bands like Yes, Styx and Foreigner dragging out whatever version of their lineup is still alive to take advantage of the disposable income and nostalgia of baby boomer types? If you’re…
Turn Your Souvenirs Into a Stay at Westward Look
Find your old Westward Look goodies and you may win a prize. Read on: To mark its 100 year anniversary, Westward Look Resort is holding a “Call for Treasures” contest. Former guests of Westward Look are asked to submit photos and souvenirs from their stays at the resort, from which a selection of entries will…
The Continuing Downward Spiral of Eddie Murphy’s Career
As of this morning, Eddie Murphy’s latest film, A Thousand Words has a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Which means that, of the 39 reviews by professional movie critics, absolutely no one liked it. For comparison’s sake, that 0% puts it in rarified air, alongside such luminary films as Manos: The Hands of Fate, Highlander…
A Mix to Get You Ready for the Beach Boys Reunion
I was trying to describe Will C’s mixtape, Adieu or Die, to music editor Steve Seigel the other day and I had some trouble. The closest thing I could come with is that if you’d like to hear a DJ Shadow-ish collage-style take on the music of Brian Wilson, with interviews, studio chatter, occasional rapping,…
Your Taiwanese Animated Guide to SXSW
Is there some sort of filter I can apply to the internet so I won’t have to see SXSW related content this week? That would really help me out until I somehow acquire the ability to happy for other people having fun. [HT: The Awl]
Where the Heck is Murray State?
While interest in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament around these parts might be at a nadir right now (NIT fever! Catch it!), when you’re inevitably discussion the intricacies of your bracket at the office later this week, it might help if you actually know where some of these schools are. Test your knowledge of colleges…
Eat Some Greens!
A sink full of greens freshly harvested from Dos Manos Farm in Marana. It’s sad how long I went without greens in my life. I was in my 30s before somebody introduced me to collards, kale, chard and the various other leafy vegetables that are delicious and have the added benefit of being utterly nutritious…
Michael Hicks Reacts to Recall Effort on Facebook
Three Sonorans’ blogger David Morales is supporting the recently launched recall campaign against Tucson Unified School District governing board member Michael Hicks, so maybe it’s a good time to flood Tucson Citizen editor Mark Evans with calls in an effort to get rid of one of Mexican American Studies’ most steadfast activists. At least it…
Volunteers Begin Collecting Signatures to Recall Hicks
The paperwork for the effort to recall Tucson Unified School District governing-board member Michael Hicks was filed yesterday morning at the Pima County Elections office, and volunteers will be at the Tucson Festival of Books beginning today to start collecting the 24,000 signatures needed to put the recall on the ballot. Members of a group…
Political Roundtable: The GOP Candidates in CD8 Special Election, Neighborhood Fight Near the UA & the AZ Legislature
Pima County Republican Party Chairwoman Carolyn Cox and Pima County Democratic Party Chairman Jeff Rogers debate the issues of the week on tonight’s Political Roundtable with Arizona Public Media’s Christopher Conover and your host, Jim Nintzel. Among the topics: How the Republican primary in the Congressional District 8 special election to finish Gabrielle Giffords’ term…
Go See Said The Whale Saturday Night
Said The Whale are playing Plush on Saturday night and if you enjoy super-charming indie rock, they’re absolutely worth seeing live. They were the Juno award winner for New Group of the Year in 2011! They’re known for their energetic live shows! If you like the Shins, but maybe wish they’d be a bit happier…
Tucson Festival of Books: Tom Zoellner
As the Range noted earlier today, I’ll be moderating a panel of political writers—Rick Perlstein, Chris Mooney and Tom Zoellner—on Saturday at the Tucson Festival of Books. (You can get details here, but it’s from 2:30 to 3:30 in Gallagher Theater and will be carried live on C-SPAN’s Book TV.) Zoellner has recently written A…
Drink Beer at Borderlands Brewing Company This Saturday
The guys down at Borderlands Brewing Company are adding some extra tasting hours to coincide with the regular 2nd Saturdays Downtown event that takes place Downtown each month. Until now the tasting room was only open on weekdays, which has been a bit of an inconvenience for those who love Borderlands’ beer but can’t make…
Win Tickets to See Electric Guest (And Limited Edition Vinyl!)
Electric Guest are one of 2012’s most talked about new music acts and I’m not the only person saying that. MTV and the Guardian have raved about the band, Danger Mouse produced their forthcoming debut album, and they’re playing a stack of high profile summer festivals. Lucky for us, they’re scheduled to perform right here…
Eat Some Cupcakes This Weekend
Specialty cupcake shop Cup Quequitos is holding another event this Saturday, March 10, on the patio of Cafe Poca Cosa. If you like delicious and unique cupcakes you will not want to miss it. Owner Shanali Zeballos says she’ll have habanero-mango, jalapeno-cilantro-lime, Guinness-chocolate and other amazing cupcakes for sale at the event. You can check…
Being a Congressperson Totally Sucks Now
An article on Politico makes it seem like a total bummer to be a Congressperson these days, yet there are so many people who want the job (at least in this state). It’s all so confusing, outside of the fact that a former member of Congress can make a ton of money lobbying their former…
Tucson Festival of Books: Chris Mooney
Earlier today, The Range noted that I’ll be moderating a panel of political writers—Rick Perlstein, Chris Mooney and Tom Zoellner—on Saturday at the Tucson Festival of Books. (You can get details here, but it’s from 2:30 to 3:30 in Gallagher Theater and will be carried live on C-SPAN’s Book TV.) Mooney, the author of The…
Trouble Between Garry Shandling and Wilbur the Wildcat
Don’t worry, they’ve worked out their issues, according to Shandling’s Twitter feed today. Thank goodness. I’d hate to think the creator of the Larry Sanders Show and a plush university mascot have unresolved conflict. [The Classical]
Tucson Festival of Books: Rick Perlstein
As we mention in this week’s print edition, I’ll be moderating a panel of political writers—Rick Perlstein, Chris Mooney and Tom Zoellner—on Saturday at the Tucson Festival of Books. (You can get details here, but it’s from 2:30 to 3:30 in Gallagher Theater and will be carried live on C-SPAN’s Book TV.) Perlstein is the…
This Week in Tucson Bicycling
A local mountain bike group is offering $1k grants to people in the community who have a project to improve cycling in Southern Arizona. See all the details. Bike Fest, the series of events celebrating bicycles in Tucson, starts a week from today. Check out all the events including Cyclovia details. Utility work creates road…
In Praise of the Bark Control Static Correction Device — Just Don’t Call it a Shock Collar
Photo Ryn Gargulinski Phoebe the random barker Dogs have dozens of traits we love, although only a madman could love the sound of dog that won’t stop barking. My dog Phoebe was not nearly in the incessant barking category, but she did have a flair for belting out a series of random barks at random…
Patterson’s Attorney Calls for Legislative Immunity
The Tucson Weekly confirmed this morning that State Rep. Daniel Patterson’s attorney, Joe St. Louis, claimed legislative immunity yesterday to prevent his client from facing domestic-violence charges until the end of the current legislative season. According to Tucson City Prosecutor Baird Greene, who confirmed that Patterson was in Tucson City Court yesterday to face four…
Political Roundtable: The GOP Candidates in CD8, Tucson City Council vs. West University Neighborhood, the AZ Legislature & More!
This week on Arizona Illustrated’s Political Roundtable: Pima County Republican Party Chairwoman Carolyn Cox and Pima County Democratic Party Chairman Jeff Rogers join Arizona Public Media’s Christopher Conover and Political Roundtable moderator Jim Nintzel for a discussion of the race to finish Gabrielle Giffords’ congressional term, a battle over development near university-area neighborhood and the…
For the Love of Cabbage Patch Kids
Collecting Cabbage Patch Kids (even if you have spent ONE MILLION DOLLARS on the venture, as TLC mentions) seems like the best sort of weird hobby, since it’s an entirely harmless venture, but this video is still a little disconcerting. Not as disturbing as an episode of Hoarders, but still, when the guy is talking…
Dust Devils on Mars
NASA/JPL/University of Arizona If you think it’s been windy in these parts in recent days: The UA’s HiRISE camera aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has captured this shot of a half-mile-tall dust devil skirting across the surface of the Red Planet. HiRISE’s Paul Geissler tells us: A towering dust devil casts a serpentine shadow over…
The Mini-Documentary on Animated GIFs You Never Knew You Wanted
It’s only seven minutes long and there are pictures of cats included. I don’t know what’s going on over there at PBS, but if they could produce more mini-documentaries about the nerdy stuff I’m into and fewer three hour specials about doo wop, that would really help me out. [HT: The Awl]
To Hell With You, Paste Magazine
Just guess how many bands from Tucson are on Paste Magazine’s list of “10 Arizona Bands You Should Listen to Now.” One, Run Boy Run. It’s not that the bands on Adam Vitcavage’s list aren’t worth listening to (I really like Roar and Gospel Claws, for example), but why would you ask a writer from…
Willie Nelson at Desert Diamond Casino
Willie Nelson’s show at Desert Diamond Casino on Tuesday night was a family affair, with his son Lukas opening the show.
Best Twitter Feed: Translating Al Melvin
A handy new Twitter feed: @Translating_Al, which helps you better understand what’s really going on in the mind of Sen. Al Melvin.
National Review on Arpaio’s Birth-Certificate Baloney: “As Sheriff Joe Settles Comfortably Into That Political Mental Ward…”
The editors at the conservative National Review don’t think much of Sheriff Joe’s “investigation” into Obama’s birth certificate: Republicans who have chosen to associate with the birthers have done their party and their country a disservice. And as Sheriff Arpaio settles comfortably into that political mental ward, the same must be said of those Republicans…
Before You Forward the “KONY 2012” Video…
Yesterday, Invisible Children’s thirty minute video profiling the evil of Joseph Kony was all over Facebook, and while he’s definitely a terrible guy, Foreign Policy has a thoughtful and thorough blog post up today that discusses some of the issues with the campaign. First of all, Kony’s not actually in Uganda these days. Second, “Nodding…
National Group Defends MAS in U.S. District Court
Yesterday, the National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies and 26 education and civil rights organizations filed a “friend of the court” brief in U.S. District Court in Tucson in an effort to declare Arizona’s ban on Mexican American Studies unconstitutional. “We support the Mexican American Studies Program in the Tucson Unified School District and…
Mailbag
Wait, they’re getting their water where?; Schuster’s sensitivity
Late Bloomer
Nancy Turner still seems a little uncomfortable wearing the mantle she crafted from a rich family history, a roving imagination and a way with words. “It took about 10 years, I guess, from when my first book came out before I could call myself a writer with a straight face,” said a smiling Turner, who…
Noshing Around
A bar that looks like a boat; Vodka on Congress; A new Oregano’s; and more!
Guest Commentary
The Tucson City Council recently approved a minuscule but important “clarification” in the land-use code that hopefully puts an end to the mini-dorm bonanza that has plagued neighborhoods around the university for 12 years. From now on, a residence with more than four people living together who are not related to each other will be…
Ray of Light
How long should I mourn? Let me ask you, my son. How long would you wish it? —from David Ray’s poem “The Question” In his small, book-crammed, two-bedroom house in the Sam Hughes Neighborhood, David Ray stops typing, swivels toward me and thinks aloud. His thoughts drift to the morbid side. Right now, he’s obsessed…
Love of Rock ‘n’ Roll
The third annual Bröötal Sun Fest and a showcase from Burger Records converge on Tucson this weekend, with 65 local and national bands crammed into four days and nights of shows, most of them downtown. Logan Greene, the self-described “main instigator” of Bröötal Sun, says the all-ages festival is tailored to be a tight-knit gathering…
Overlay Approved
You could hear a rumbling in the West University Neighborhood last week. It was the sound of a streetcar named big money. And ultimately, that well-heeled juggernaut could rip through the very soul of Tucson’s downtown communities. The latest pit stop was the night of Tuesday, Feb. 28, at City Hall, where members of the…
Stories to Tell
Tucson author James M. Deem is a quick-witted, silver-haired writer of children’s books whose work goes beyond your average hungry caterpillar or pokey little puppy. He writes about dead bodies. Bodies From the Ice, Bodies From the Ash and Bodies From the Bog feature bodies found in glaciers, buried in Pompeii after the eruption of…
The ’80s Reborn
The musical Rock of Ages is not for prudes; after all, at one point, the lead female character ends up giving a lap dance to a fading rock legend at a Los Angeles strip club. However, Rock of Ages is definitely for music fans: The book is based on classic-rock hits of the ’80s. The…
Media Watch
Rhonda Bodfield leaving the Arizona Daily Star; Arizona Public Media makes a big hire; Rumors of handsomeness
City Week
Irish cuisine on display; Susan Clark returns to town; Unexpected harping; Jazz Week wraps up
Don’t Think, Just Do
Had he grown a few more inches, Tucson rocker Brian Lopez might have pursued a college career in basketball. Who knows? Maybe he could have gone pro. “But I’d be fibbing a little if I said I was 6 foot,” Lopez says with a chuckle. Luckily for music fans, Lopez was offered a classical guitar…
Capitol Chatter
Project White House candidates set out to change America by running for president. Instead, it appears as if they’re on the verge of changing state law—to ensure that frivolous candidates never again darken the Arizona presidential-preference ballot. House Bill 2379 sailed through the Senate Judiciary Committee on an 8-0 vote on Monday, March 5. The…
A Sweet Show
If you thought a dance called “Katie Feels Guilty About Library Fines” didn’t sound much like a ballet, you’d be right. The dance about the conflicted “Katie” is a modern piece, one of many non-ballet offerings that Ballet Tucson is serving up—along with chocolates and other sweets—in its eclectic Dance and Dessert concert this weekend.…
Top Ten in Music
1. Adele 21 (XL/Columbia) 2. Tyga Careless World: Rise of the Last King (Universal Republic) 3. WZRD WZRD (Universal Republic) 4. Too Short No Trespassing (Dangerous) 5. Fun. Some Nights (Fueled by Ramen) 6. Pink Floyd The Wall (Capitol) 7. Skrillex Bangarang EP (Big Beat/Atlantic) 8. Puss in Boots (DVD) DreamWorks 9. Gotye Making Mirrors…
The Skinny
More on Daniel Patterson; Challenging the Greens; A guide to the Republican CD8 debates!
Moving West, Writing East
I moved west to escape the East. I stayed west to inform the East. This took place in the late 1960s, when the anti-war movement and its cultural twin were both flowering. There’s that window of opportunity we all have in our early 20s when there’s nothing—love, family, job, mortgage, school—to batten us down. “Arizona,”…
Nine Questions
Spyder Rhodes is a Tucson club and radio disc jockey, mixologist, programmer and musicologist. He has played drums with The Host, the Zsa Zsas and The Watch. He presently is the drummer for local alt-country band Silverbell. What was the first concert you ever saw? Alice Cooper’s Madhouse Rock tour, with Cheap Trick opening. Alice’s…
Police Dispatch
Kicking and screaming; The perils of walking your dog
Gory, Sexy Spectacle
Though it’s a theatrical mainstay, Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar isn’t performed as often as, say, Hamlet. Everyone knows “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears,” and, “Et tu, Brute?” but the structure of the play is not burned into our collective consciousness in the way that Romeo and Juliet is. Or when I say “our collective…
Live
“I wrote most of these songs in my 20s,” Merle Haggard said in the midst of his hit-filled set. “Here I am in my 40s, still trying to sing them.” The hoots and whistles that greeted Haggard all night surged again at the introduction to “Footlights,” about an aging musician with that very perspective who’s…
Weekly Wide Web
At some point in the next few weeks, when you head to the Tucson Weekly Facebook page (and we hope you join your 7,517 best friends on there, because it is awesome), you’ll notice that Mark Zuckerberg and company will have imposed their Timeline will on our once quaint and largely readable Facebook spot. Right…
Shameless Self-Promotion
Jim Nintzel Senior writer Jim Nintzel will moderate “Spinning Politics: Then and Now,” a panel with authors Rick Perlstein (Nixonland, Before the Storm), Tom Zoellner (A Safeway in Arizona; What the Gabrielle Giffords Shooting Tells Us About the Grand Canyon State and Life in America) and Chris Mooney (The Republican War on Science, The Republican…
Acceptable Green
The Green Halo Caregiver Collective is a bit of a half-baked operation for now, but it’s a viable if somewhat inconvenient and expensive spot to get medical marijuana. The space was still being worked on when I went there during the first week of operation, so there were bits and pieces of construction material lying…
Coverage Confusion
Although it’s been almost two years since the Pima County Board of Supervisors voted to stop insuring pre-Medicare-age retirees, Mike Humphrey still hopes the county will reconsider. When Humphrey and fellow retiree Linda Trozzi discovered the county was forming a health-insurance committee, they invited themselves to the table in December, hoping their presence would get…
Stylish but Hollow
The Great American Novel has not become the Great American Play. Arizona Theatre Company has undertaken the rather daunting task of mounting Simon Levy’s adaptation of The Great Gatsby, the novel considered by many to be F. Scott Fitzgerald’s defining work and the prime candidate for that rather outsized designation as the Great American Novel.…
Ask a Mexican!
Dear Mexican: I’m so perplexed by my Mexican neighbor. For one, he already has four girls, and I just saw his wife—and looks like she’s pregnant AGAIN! What really bothers me is that I live in an affordable-housing unit. The rent is cheap and based on our income. He has a new Ford F150 truck,…
Gonzales Beats Roemer!
Republican Sarah Gonzales, who earned the Tucson Weekly’s endorsement by winning our Project White House competition, finished sixth in Arizona’s Republican presidential primary. Gonzales had 1,538 votes as of noon on Monday, March 5. She clobbered former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer, who got only 689 votes, and trailed Texas Gov. Rick Perry by just 473…
Boobs on Shaky Cam!
A few weeks ago, I complained that it seemed like I was reviewing “found-footage” movies all the time. Well, this trend doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon. It has embedded itself into the heads of Hollywood executives like bastard deer ticks given the gift of immortality. The continued financial success of junk…
The Twilight Sad: No One Can Ever Know (Fat Cat)
Shifting from a quartet to a trio, Scottish rockers the Twilight Sad also took a detour from their typical skyscraping sounds for this arresting collection of post-punk. In the wake of two impressive releases of visceral shoegaze, the Twilight Sad’s No One Can Ever Know comes as an unexpected and bracing release. As an album,…
Celebration Gone Wrong
Fernando Lara didn’t have much going for him when he moved to Tucson in 2009. Kicked out of his Safford home by his parents, who had tired of his wild behavior and drug use, Lara was taken in by an uncle who hoped a fresh locale and some new guidance would help turn things around.…
Danehy
I realize that Arizona had a Republican primary, and that the Tucson City Council managed to anger the entire West University Neighborhood with its vote in favor of the urban-overlay district, but by far, the most-significant news event last week was the retirement of longtime Amphitheater High School football coach Vern Friedli. In a city…
Madi Diaz: Plastic Moon (Small Horse)
There’s something reassuring about the traditional musical values—catchy vocal melodies, bright hooks, bouncy beats—that Nashville tunesmith Madi Diaz applies to her chosen form, which is hard to call anything but power-pop. It’s nice to know this brand of chiming-guitar rock is still being made, and it’s all the more fulfilling that Diaz and her band…
Misstep on Mars
This year is the centennial of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ A Princess of Mars. It wasn’t the first book about visitors to or from the angry red planet; that was probably Two Planets by Kurd Lasswitz, published in 1888. And it probably isn’t the first Mars novel most people can name; that would be H.G. Wells’…
Said the Whale: Little Mountain (Hidden Pony)
The sometimes off-kilter and wholly adorable indie-rock songs of this Vancouver, British Columbia-based band are nothing short of effervescent. On its third full-length album, the tunes are like scrubbing bubbles for brains numbed by modern irony, depression and negativity. Resounding acoustic-guitar-bashing, rumbling drums, piano filigrees, loud-soft dynamics and warm harmonies imbue “Big Sky, MT” with…
Top Ten in Movies
1. Hugo Paramount 2. Tower Heist Universal 3. The Rum Diary FilmDistrict 4. J. Edgar Warner Bros. 5. The Way Arc 6. Puss in Boots DreamWorks 7. London Boulevard Sony 8. Take Shelter Sony 9. Martha Marcy May Marlene 20th Century Fox 10. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1 Summit
Now Showing at Home
Wainy Days; Hugo (Blu-ray); Anatomy of a Murder (Blu-ray)
Top Ten in Books
1. The Hunger Games Suzanne Collins, Scholastic ($8.99) 2. The Glamour of Being Real Joanna Frueh, ErneRené ($10) 3. Running the Rift Naomi Benaron, Algonquin ($24.95) 4. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children Ransom Riggs, Quirk ($17.99) 5. The Tiger’s Wife: A Novel Tea Obreht, Random House ($15) 6. Flying Lessons: How to Be the…
Life Between the Covers
Not long ago, retail giant Barnes and Noble was demonized for stomping out independent booksellers all across America. Today, it’s the last great hope for print publishing, according to a recent story in The New York Times. So perhaps my meeting with David Laird outside the retailer’s midtown Tucson store is quite appropriate. I contemplate…
TQ&A
Norma Gonzalez has taught in the Tucson Unified School District for almost 20 years, and until recently taught middle school and high school students in the district’s Mexican-American studies program. The school board voted 4-1 on Jan. 10 to end the classes. As a result, books used in the program were pulled from classrooms and…
Editor’s Note
It’s time for State Rep. Daniel Patterson to resign. In last week’s issue (see “Domestic Unrest,” The Skinny, March 1), we reported on an incident involving Patterson and his then-live-in girlfriend/campaign manager, Georgette Escobar. I won’t repeat all the he-said, she-said details, but everyone can agree that what happened between Patterson and Escobar was ugly…
Downing
The winter is past. The rain is over and gone. Amen. It’s been full-on spring, by my count, for about 10 days. The mockingbirds and thrashers have been winding up for a while; the globe mallows have been blooming in the sunniest spots; and the fairy duster’s gone all pink, but it wasn’t definite that…
Soundbites
Playing for gas money; Richie Ramone comes to town for Planned Parenthood; Wine and rock at the Eagles Lodge; Remembering Jim Gyuro; and more!
A True Gastropub
Both Southern food and gastropubs have enjoyed rises in popularity, and on the northwest side, there’s a contingent of old-school Tucson talent at The Parish that is combining the two trends. Travis Peters and Steve Dunn, formerly of the Cup Café at Hotel Congress, and Bryce Zeagler, of the French Quarter restaurant, teamed up to…
Patterson Accuser Now in La Paz County Jail
In this week’s Skinny, Georgette Escobar, who has accused state Rep. Daniel Patterson of abusing her during a messy breakup in recent weeks, said that Tucson had seen the last of her because she was going into hiding. Escobar said she had to vanish because Patterson had revealed that she was living in Tucson under…
TUSD’s Hicks Recall Effort Begins Sunday
Former U.S. Senate candidate and community organizer Randy Parraz, of recall Russell Pearce legend and fame, will be in Tucson this Sunday, Feb. 26, 1 p.m. meeting with community leaders, members, activists and organizers interested in beginning a recall effort to force Tucson Unified School District governing board member Michael Hicks back on the ballot.…
