Think of mineral pigments. The way a body of water takes on shades of what it carries – a cloudy blue glacial stream, a teal bay concealing a forest of kelp, a river that turns mud-brown with sediment. The hue of flames shifting from fuel and temperature changes. Or the impact of heat and chemical makeup on the color of lava, of aurora, of stars.
The rich, saturated colors of rubies, emeralds, sapphires, amethysts, and other gemstones are actually from trace elements within them. It’s those so-called imperfections that create the gorgeous palette we call jewel tones.
With Tucson’s gem show season beginning today, it seemed like the perfect time to explore jewel-toned things to make, places to visit, handmade items to shop, and nature to marvel at.
In fact, I found so many gems to share with you that there will be a Part 2!
10. Looking up at the cut-gem shape of the ceiling of the Byrd Theatrein Richmond, Virginia. / photo by Florence Womack
11. Fruit and Tonics: Recipe for giant, fruit-infused ice cubes that will give your drink more flavor as they melt instead of watering it down! / Add to gin and tonics, plain sparkling water, lemonade, or a pitcher of sangria. / via A Beautiful Mess
14. Prickly pear juice handcrafted by Desert Forager’s John Slattery. / At Tucson Meet Yourself, he was hustling to ring up beverage orders on one side of his booth while selling and signing his book, Southwest Foraging, on the other! / Return the jar your drink is served in for a discounted refill.
15. Traditional Palestinian Costume: Origins and Evolution by Hanan Karaman Munayyer, a beautiful book I borrowed recently.
16. Lanterns to celebrate Buddha’s birthday (Vesak Day) in Seoul, South Korea. / via Huffington Post
17. Hand-cut glass bottle wind chimes made by Bottles Uncorked. / You can order a set of all 10 colors or choose a single bottle.
18. BIRDLOVER Guatemalan Huipil Blouse, handwoven and embroidered by Doña Juana, a Mayan weaver in Santiago Atitlán, Guatemala. It was a 6-month long project! / via Mayan Artisans on Etsy
Photos link to their sources. This post contains Etsy affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission on purchases – at no extra cost to you! Win-win!
It seems like a million years ago. But also like it was just last month. It seems impossible that he was ever here, living, breathing, just a phone call away. And it also seems impossible that now he’s not.
Mom and Dad at having lunch at Main St. Sweets in Mesa.Mosaic by Rylee Sturgeon at Banner Ocotillo Medical Center, Chandler.
My dad showed me how to notice the little details, especially in nature. He loved a hike, he loved a road trip, was curious about the world, and wanted to make the most of opportunities that popped up along the way. (“As long as we’re here, we might as well… go inside and check out the menu / take a boat tour / drive a few more miles to see a wagon train re-enactment / take a helicopter ride / see what it’s like to park in the desert and watch a dust storm….”)
He believed in being prepared (often way over-prepared). He liked building things and was actually very big on safety. Thanks to his influence, I cringe when someone on tv is using power tools or handling dangerous materials without the gloves or eye protection that they should be wearing.
“Sunrise Over San Tan” by Arizona photographer Marilyn Smith on the wall at Banner Ocotillo Medical Center.
I have started and stopped writing a version of this several times over the past year, and I’m determined to get through it this time – even if it means ending abruptly. (Many things do.)
Me, Dad, and my adorable little sibling Ian!Dad with his favorite walking stick outside MD Anderson Cancer Center.
So although I haven’t even scratched the surface of the multi-faceted person my dad was or how he meant so much to me, I’ll just leave you with a few highlights of Dad helping out on this site.
Top Marty Moments on Travelcraft Journal
1. He wrote a post about he and mom randomly walking into a restaurant in Prescott, where almost everyone was wearing pajamas.
3. When he explained how an insulated water bottle works. I had hoped he’d be able to contribute his technical explanations more regularly. We even talked about doing a series where he pointed out Pinterest crafts that were actually fire hazards or otherwise bad ideas.
Community-building festival celebrating Asian cuisine, arts, and traditions in Mesa’s Asian District.
From the organizers: “The Asian Festival mission is to promote a peaceful world by increasing international awareness and cultural understanding.”
Entertainment: Mathew Ngau Jau, an indigenous cultural guardian from Borneo, will play a traditional stringed instrument called “sape,” as well as giving workshops on how it is crafted. Master Ong will perform Flow Arts, which is a mix of meditation, movement, and juggling.
Jan 12, 7pm – 10pm / Palabras Bilingual Bookstore, Phoenix
Jewelry-making workshop and lunar gathering with games, food, a place to work on creative projects/crafts, and space to reflect and set intentions.
Wear PJs, bring pillows and blankets, and a notebook. Optional: bring games and snacks to share.
Andria from Andria’s Tienda will be hosting a lunar bracelet make-and-take workshop ($10, materials included).
Wasted Ink Zine Distro, Palabras Bookstore, and Cuentos Café will all be open until 10pm!
*ANYWHERE: Palabras Bookstore has a $14.99/month Audiobook Membership, which gives you an audiobook credit each month, plus 30% off additional audiobook purchases!
3-hour, beginner-level workshop on Keum-Boo, an ancient Korean technique used to apply thin sheets of gold to silver. Attendees will apply this silver-gilt technique to a pair of earrings.
Supplies are included and so are 3 hours of studio time!
Jan 14 + on, 11am – 2pm / Palabras Bilingual Bookstore, Phoenix / Free
Weekly gathering to make, write, and mail postcards to Congressional reps to demand a ceasefire in Palestine. The postcard writing sessions will continue every Sunday until there is a permanent ceasefire.
If you’re unable to make it on Sundays, postcards and materials will be available in the backroom seating area anytime Palabras is open.
Contributions of stamps, postcards and cereal boxes (to be made into postcards) are needed!
While many MLK Day festivities focus on Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, the most pivotal years of his life may have come afterward, from 1965-1968. This community chat will focus on Dr. King’s life during those years and his stand against the Vietnam War.
Feb 3-4 / Steele Indian School Park, Phoenix / Free
Two-day festival with continuous live entertainment and hands-on activities.
Entertainment: Dragon and Lion Dances, folk dances, musical and cultural performances, Tai Chi and martial arts demonstrations, koi pond and other exhibits. Play a game of Mahjong, compete in a chopstick challenge, try a Chinese yo-yo, and have your English name translated into Chinese characters! There’s also an arts and crafts area for kids.
Vendors: Merchandise vendors with unique items.
Food + beverage: A wide variety of Asian food available from food trucks and food vendors. Also a beer garden.
Quijote hanging out under a bench at the Shops @ Town + Country.
Feb 10, 10am – 4pm / Shops @ Town + Country, Phoenix / Free to shop
Market with locally handmade jewelry, one-of-a-kind art, treats, apparel and accessories, and health and beauty goods.
Entertainment: Live local music all day and a raffle for prizes donated by vendors.
Vendors: Local Phoenix makers.
Raffle to benefit AZK9 Rescue.
*Happy hour specials on drinks, snacks, and free kids’ meals at The Macintosh (also at Town + Country) 3-6pm, Monday to Saturday – so you could stop by after the Makers Market!
Feb 10-11 / Arizona State Fairgrounds, Ag. Center Building, Phoenix / Free to shop
Annual sale of hundreds of deeply discounted used books, media, and other items. This is both a way to give the community access to books inexpensively, and a way to raise money for nonprofit organizations Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation and Literacy Volunteers of Maricopa County!
Arizona State Fairgrounds charges a $12 parking fee that supports the Fairgrounds. VNSA does not receive any money from parking fees.
All unmarked standard-size paperback books are $2.
*Everything is half-price on Sunday (except for the books in Rare + Unusual)!
Valentine-themed excursion on a renovated vintage train! Couples can enjoy the scenery of a red rock canyon, as well as house made truffles, pralines, cupcakes, mousse cups, and other chocolate treats along the way. Passengers receive a Champagne toast upon boarding, service at their seats, and a variety of complimentary appetizers. There will also be full-service cash-bars with S’mores cocktails, strawberry Sangria, and premium liquors on the menu.
From the organizers: “…Since Arizona became the ‘Valentine State’ and the 48th star on the U.S. flag on February 14, 1912, this holiday is the perfect time to memorialize romance on the rails.”
Available February 10, 11 and 14.
All cars connect to open-air viewing platforms.
A portion of all train ticket revenue is donated to Liberty Wildlife Raptor Rescue program.
Feb 24 – Mar 3 / Mary D. Fisher Theatre + Alice Gill-Sheldon Theatre, Sedona / $660/Gold Priority Pass (free entry to all screenings).
30-year-old festival of independent films from around the world, including features, shorts, documentaries, animation, foreign films, and student films. Over 140 films total!
Individual tickets will be available for purchase starting one week before the festival.
*Discounts on rental cars and lodging for Film Festival attendees.
– Southern Arizona –
Cut-paper mural by Justin Favela in the Popol Vuh exhibition at Tucson Museum of Art.
now – October 20 / Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson / Included with admission.
Exhibition that looks at the traditions of Maya storytelling and image-making from ancient times up to the present. As a starting point, it uses Mayan mythology from the Popol Vuh. Artwork by Guatemalan modern artist Carlos Mérida, which it inspired, complement the ancient work.
Fun fact: I thought this exhibition had ended, but when I looked at the date, I didn’t pay attention to the year. It actually runs until this October!
*First Thursday. On the first Thursday of the month, TMA offers extended hours (5-8pm), pay-what-you-wish admission, art and gallery activities, entertainment, and a cash bar. Reserve your free ticket online.
*Second SundAZe. Focused on intergenerational learning, the Second Sunday of the month features activities and art-making for kids, as well as docent talks, free performances, and pay-what-you-wish admission.
Scenery near Roche Tissue Diagnostics via Visit Tucson.
Jan 11 – May 3 / Ventana Gallery at Roche Tissue Diagnostics, Tucson / Free
Exhibition of work by artists who live, work, and/or were inspired by Oro Valley, in honor of the town’s 50th anniversary. It will be housed in an unconventional space – a gallery located on the campus of Roche Tissue Diagnostics!
1/24, 5-7pm: Opening Night Celebration. Experience the exhibition with the artists who created each work. The event will also feature wine, light snacks, and live music. Free admission with registration.
Jan 11-14 / Willcox Community Center, Willcox / $20 fee (+ activity fees)
Birding + nature festival that takes place annually during MLK weekend, which happens to be a great time to see sandhill cranes and other bird species in the Sulphur Springs Valley! Activities include field trips, tours, seminars, and a Nature Expo.
Jan 12-20 / Multiple venues in Downtown Tucson / Ticket prices vary by event.
Festival created to influence the discovery and celebration of live jazz performance and music education. It features world-class musicians, as well as up-and-comers.
Jan 13: Jazz Jam at Hotel Congress. Festival artists are paired together in unique ensembles that perform throughout the day. Tickets $45
Jan 15 (MLK Day): Downtown Jazz Fiesta at Corbett’s. Annual day of free performances.
Jan 20, 2pm: Blue Note Records 85th Anniversary Concert at Fox Theatre. Tickets $35-104 (including fees).
Outdoor seating area of AZ Hops + Vines in Sonoita.
Jan 13, 6pm / AZ Hops and Vines, Sonoita / $40/ticket
Twenties-themed release party to celebrate the new Tempranillo from AZ Hops + Vines! Dress like it’s Prohibition times. The Speakeasy password will be shared right before the event!
Entertainment: Big Band vibes and belly dancers! Live music from Bees Knees, a Pennsylvania band covering danceable hits from throughout the decades.
Food + beverage: Admission Includes a souvenir glass, appetizers, and your choice of a glass of wine!
Jan 13, 1pm / YWCA of Southern Arizona, Tucson / All ages / Free
An afternoon of discussions, cultural performances, and activities for the whole family. The event, hosted by League of Women Voters of Greater Tucson and the YWCA of Southern Arizona, is meant to bring people together and inspire action to create a more just and equitable world.
The Day is part of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Truth, Racial Healing Transformation efforts.
Jan 13, 10am – 4pm / Sahuarita Lake Park, Sahuarita / Free
Second annual festival featuring immersive and experiential activities throughout the park. With REFLECTION as this year’s theme, the event will encourage attendees to explore personal and creative reflection, conscientious art-making, and multi-cultural and generational community performances. It will also feature floating art installations that will take the theme of reflection literally.
Entertainment: Live music, community chalk art competition, live plein air painting, mural unveiling, and kids’ crafts. There will also be an eclectic variety of performances unfolding throughout the day, including Mexican Folk Dance, immersive avant-garde, Celtic Dance, mariachi, and the Chinese Lion Dance.
Vendors: Up to 25 artisans exhibiting throughout the walkways of the Sahuarita Lake Park.
Food + beverage: BlackJack Citrus Infusions (Lemonade), Greater Faith World Church Intl. (BBQ), Moreno’s Roasted Corn, Mr. Ice Guy (Italian Ice), Springtide Catering (American Fare).
Beginning with a march from U of A Tech Park (MLK Way and 36th St) to Reid Park, this day of commemorating Dr. King’s legacy will culminate in a celebration at Reid Park’s outdoor performance center. There will be live performances, food, vendors, and informational tables.
Jan 26, 6:30pm / Fox Theatre, Tucson / $23-43/ticket (fees included)
Glow-in-the-dark performance that depicts an original story of a scientist who brings a friendly dinosaur to life. The dinosaur wanders away from home and finds a world full of creatures that light up the darkness.
From the organizers: “This glow-in-the-dark adventure is visually amazing and has been praised for its cutting edge blend of puppetry, technology and dance by audiences all over the world.”
Jan 27, 11am – 1pm / Tucson Chinese Cultural Center, Tucson / $65/class
Hands-on cooking class to make two Lunar New Year dishes! Instruction on preparing complete Chinese meals is part of the cultural center’s AANHPI-inspired health and wellness program. This series of classes continues through May.
Jan 27 – Feb 11:African Art Village on the Mercado District Festival Grounds. Outdoor marketplace with vendors from across the African continent selling artisan goods.
Feb 2-4 / Tubac School of Fine Art, Tubac / $420 fee
Workshop on the elements of color and how to mix oil paint to match what you see.
From the organizers: “Students will understand the strengths and limitations of every color on and off their palette. Students will then see how to choose their palette for each painting to support their specific color goal.”
Over 200 fine artists and craftsmen exhibit throughout Tubac, along roadways and plazas, and woven among the more than 125 art galleries, boutiques, specialty shops, and restaurants. There will also be live entertainment, horse-drawn trolley rides, and a large assortment of festival eateries.
Feb 8-11 / Tucson Convention Center, Tucson / Single-day admission $12 (+$1 convention center fee)
The world’s oldest and largest gem and mineral show. The 2024 show theme is “Pegmatites – Crystals Big and Beautiful!” (I don’t know enough to ever really get what their themes are about. )
Children 14 and under are free with a paying adult.
Feb 10, 10am – 3pm / Arizona History Museum, Tucson / Free
To commemorate Arizona Statehood Day, the Arizona History Museum will have free admission on February 10th, so you can explore the exhibits and learn about history.
Feb 17-25 / Tucson Rodeo Grounds, Tucson / General admission tickets start at $18
A Tucson tradition since 1925, the Fiesta celebrates real-life ranch skills and cowpoke culture. Events include bull and bronco riding, barrel racing, roping competitions, junior rodeo events, and a big parade.
Parking at the Tucson Rodeo Grounds is $10 per vehicle.
2/22: Rodeo Parade. Grandstand tickets are $12 (+ $2 fee). Or watch from the curbside for free (no tickets required).
A day when the EGA (Embroiderers’ Guild of America) encourages anyone who sews to practice their craft out in the open and share their passion for needle arts with others!
Mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina as the title character in a new production of Carmen set in the present day. By The Metropolitan Opera.
Jan 27 / livestream in movie theaters / varies (around $25/ticket)
Gritty, present-day reimagining of the classic opera Carmen. The new production shines a light on the labor struggles, gendered violence, and other power imbalances we are still facing today.
The January 27th performance will stream live to participating movie theaters. If it won’t be showing at a theater near you, you may be able to get a ticket to watch from home.
Encore screenings on 1/31.
More information on ticketing, streaming, and Met Opera on Demand.
“I can’t believe this is actually a place to review, but, alas, here it is!”
—J.B.
There are reviews online for just about any space you can be in. Not only for the ones you’d expect, like restaurants or hotels, but also for places like parking garages — and parks. Sometimes they’re helpful, sometimes the reviewer just needs to vent, and sometimes they get a bit absurd.
The weird ones are the best.
Case in point: Amberwood Park in Chandler.
I don’t remember how I stumbled on its Google listing, but I was surprised that over 140 people felt strongly enough to weigh in on this little park – if you can even call it that.
A Park by Any Other Name
“Calling Amberwood Park a ‘park’ may be something of a misnomer. Amberwoood Park is more of a good sized green belt with a small playground for kids on the north side of the park.”
—4-star review by M.R.
That sounds exactly like a park to me.
And deep down, even M.R. (I’ll just refer to reviewers by their initials) knows it too.
Philosophical questions about the nature of parkdom aside, I needed to see for myself what all the fuss was about. So last time Phillip, Quijote, and I were leaving the Phoenix area to head back to Tucson, we made a strategic stop in Chandler.
A Walk in Amberwood Park
“Just a park for the kids and the dogs and the drones, etc.”
–4-star review by T.L.Q.
I can now confirm firsthand that Amberwood is indeed a park.
In addition to the playground, it has lots of open space to run around, park benches, a basketball hoop, a meandering path, and a sand volleyball court. In case you still had doubts, the Chandler Parks Department signs are a dead giveaway.
We did see kids and dogs there, but no drones. (Maybe they have a separate off-leash drone park somewhere else-?)
Of course, like any place, Amberwood Park has its detractors.
Gone to the Dogs
“Dirty place. Wouldn’t take a classy lady there.”
—1-star review by J.R.
Everyone knows that if you want to impress a classy lady, you take her to a city park. A clean one.
“The play area is covered in wood chips, which is better than sand, but makes me feel like a gerbil.”
—3-star review by J.W.
Which sounds less like it’s about Amberwood Park and more like it’s about J.W.
Then there’s this complaint…
“Skateboarders have taken over the children’s playground. You’ll occasionally get the smell of weed wafting in your direction.”
—1-star review by A.C.
Which was followed immediately by this much more chill description of the park…
“Huge and pretty level with decent grass.”
—5-star review from K.M.
Interpret that how you will.
For the record, the evening we were there, the playground was populated by small children and a large dog. No stoned skaters. Nor wafting weed smells. It seemed more likely that St. Bernards would take over than skater kids.
The Neighbors Are Nice
“Every holiday season my family and I come down this road at least once. It’s short but sweet and the neighbors are nice.”
—5-star review by J.B. (continued from the first quote)
When I read this one, I was trying to figure out how big of a park this is to have a road running through it. Then I realized they weren’t talking about the park.
Amberwood is just one street over from Upland Drive, one of those neighborhoods where all the houses have over-the-top holiday decorations. It actually has its own spot on the map, listed as Upland Families Christmas Lights. But some of its reviews were left on the park’s listing instead.
“Loved how everyone shared their Christmas joy and allowed us to visit and see the beautiful Christmas lights and how creative everyone is! It was a pretty amazing experience. Thank you to everyone who decided and took the amazing time to decorate their beautiful home.”
–O.F.
According to O.F., this was an “amazing experience,” but not a 5-star one.
She continues…
“We give four stars only because we wish more of the neighbors had lights around their house. And for everyone to leave the Christmas lights on until 10.”
—4-star review by O.F.
That is some very specific feedback.
I’m unclear why reviewers feel the need to critique a neighborhood’s holiday spirit. But I guess every Whoville has at least one Grinch. And anyplace people go, online reviews will follow.
All I can do is say that I hope you’re having a happy holiday season, and may all your neighbors leave their Christmas lights on until 10!
It’s the beginning of summer 1990, and you’re growing up in San Diego. You’ve got a Walkman, a neon green fanny pack, and annual passes to SeaWorld.
Then your mom effectively cancels all your summer plans when she tells you she’ll be sending you to stay at your grandma’s house on a sheep ranch in rural Arizona instead. [Record scratch.]
Benny, portrayed by Keir Tallman, is a sweet, Fleetwood-Mac-loving preteen, who marches to the beat of his own drum.
His Aunt Lucy drops him off at the home of his grandmother (played by Sarah Natani, who is a Navajo master weaver in real life, as well as in the movie).
It’s the first time in years he’s been on the reservation, and it is a bit of culture shock for the city kid. Although he’s Navajo (Diné), he doesn’t speak the language and has grown up away from the traditions that weave their way into the life of many of his relatives.
Grandma Lorraine only speaks Navajo. When it is just the two of them, her words are not subtitled. So unless you speak Navajo, you are as in the dark as Benny is.
His Uncle Marvin, who also lives on the ranch, speaks English but doesn’t have a kind word to say to Benny.
Although Grandma Lorraine’s house is so remote that it doesn’t have running water or electricity, it is actually the hub that connects his extended family. It’s where they always return – especially in times of transition or difficulty.
The City Cousin and the Country Cousin
Things begin to turn around for Benny with the arrival of his 10-year-old cousin (played by Charley Hogan), who everyone calls “Frybread Face.” Not only is she able to translate the Navajo language and culture for him, she can give him the scoop on their relatives, as well. The two cousins bond while working together to take care of sheep, fix fences, and find time to just have fun and be kids.
Throughout the film, Benny is trying to understand who he is and how he fits into his culture and his family. He also learns that the adults don’t have it all figured out either.
Native American Heritage Continues
The film is beautiful with plenty of moments to both make you smile and to tug at your heart strings.
It was written and directed by Billy Luther, who is Navajo, Hopi, and Laguna Pueblo. While he has made documentaries (including the award-winning Miss Navajo) and television shows, this is his first feature film! It was filmed on location in New Mexico with shots that capture the wide open spaces and stark beauty of the high desert.
Frybread Face and Me is being released on Netflix and in select theaters today (November 24, 2023) in honor of Native American Heritage Day.
Film preview and photos courtesy of ARRAY.
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