Walking Back to MMM

MMM

I realized recently that I hadn’t posted the video I took when we did our first Meet Me at Maynards (MMM) walk through Downtown Tucson.

Meet Me at Maynards video title card

So I went back to the footage I’d taken and finished putting it together into one video.

Rialto Theatre marquee, Tucson

Party Like It’s 2019

It’s been weird coming back to the photos and videos I took that day.

Even though it was just last year, it felt like I was opening a time capsule from another era or peering into a parallel universe – where no one is worried about COVID-19, because it didn’t exist yet. They are leaning in to talk to strangers, stuffing cash into tip jars, crowding in front of the main stage in the Hotel Congress plaza, walking under theater marquees crammed with upcoming show dates.

We still lived in Phoenix and were in town for Arizona International Film Festival (AZIFF). We didn’t know that we’d have a Tucson address less than two months later!

 

Duo Vibrato playing outside of Fox Theatre in Tucson during MMM

Band Together

Of course, here we are now in 2020. I’m glad to be in Tucson but heartbroken when I think about the things COVID-19 has put a stop to.

Since artists have been hit particularly hard, I’ve listed the bands / musicians from the video below. Consider supporting your favorite(s) with a Venmo tip, CD purchase, or social media shoutout. Some of them are doing livestream or socially distanced shows you can see too.

Also, several of the venues featured are non-profits that you can make tax-deductible donations to, including the Fox Tucson Theatre, The Screening Room, and The Rialto Theatre.

The historic Hotel Congress, which has also been closed due to COVID-19, re-opens October 1st.

Hotel Congress at sunset

Colossal Cave Coatis

Saguaro cactus

We were already on the road to Colossal Cave Mountain Park, when we realized we’d overshot our original destination. We had heard about the cave but hadn’t ever been there. So, instead of doubling back and trying to find the entrance for the nature preserve we had probably just driven through but weren’t sure how to access, we kept going!

Phillip and Quijote at Colossal Cave Mountain Park

We weren’t even sure if we’d be able to get into the park or if it was still closed due to the coronavirus. And we certainly weren’t planning on going into any caves since Quijote was with us. But it was Phillip’s birthday, and he voted to go see what we could find.

Colossal Cave Mountain Park entry sign

Colossal Cave Mountain Park

Colossal Cave is a dry cave system under the Rincon Mountains in the Tucson-adjacent community of Vail. Before being developed into a tourist attraction by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s, the cave had served a variety of functions, including a shelter for the Hohokam people, train robber hideout, and guano mine.

Ocotillo

What to know if you decide to visit:

  • The park around the cave is open for hiking, camping, and taking in the views. (Free entrance. You just pay fees if you’re going on a cave tour or camping.)
  • Cave tours have restarted on a limited basis – currently only the Classic Cave Tour is available.
  • You can choose your tour time and book tickets online. (Adult $18 / child $9 / military or first responder $14) You can only enter the cave on a tour.
  • Face coverings and social distancing (six feet apart) are required during tours.
  • Under the roof of this cool rock structure built by the CCC is the cave entrance, Terrace Cafe, and gift shop.
  • Because the CCC were so instrumental in developing Colossal Cave Mountain Park, there’s a statue in honor of the CCC workers at the entrance to the terrace.

 

Stone building at Colossal Cave Mountain Park

There are also nice hiking trails outside the cave – I’m sure they’ll be even nicer when it’s not summery hot.

Colossal Cave Mountain Park trail
Saguaro cacti and view at Colossal Cave Mountain Park

Coatimundis

We were looking around the terrace when I overheard one of the staff tell the group waiting for their tour time that they often see coatimundis going in and out of the cave.

That stopped me in my tracks.

CCC statue at Colossal Cave

A coatimundi (or “coati”) is a long-nosed member of the raccoon family that mostly lives in Central America, but has also found its way into higher elevations of the Southwestern U.S. and Mexico (Mt. Lemmon, for example).

Phillip and I have been on the lookout for one ever since we went to Chiricahua for the first time and didn’t see any there.

Colossal Cave Mountain Park map

We had no idea there’d be a chance to see one that day. Apparently, though, they’re a common sight, going in and out of the cave and hunting around the park for trash (which, of course, is on-brand for the raccoon family).

Coatimundi on top of hill

Moments later, we saw a young coati atop the hill above the cave entrance! He started sniffing along the edge, and then scampered down its sheer face and into the cave.

Phillip barely had time to snap photos, and I had my hands full with Quijote.

But we saw it.

It was like nature gave Phillip a colossal birthday surprise!

Colossal Cave and a coatimundi

Here in Tucson

Tucson Botanical Gardens

Phillip and I are big fans of Tucson.

So we moved here.

It was a possibility we had thought about for awhile, but then things happened super fast when Phillip got a new job. He started just over two weeks after being hired, before we even had a place to live.

Jacome park Downtown Tucson

Thankfully, friends let him crash on their couches his first week.

Moving weekend was kind of a mess. I wasn’t ready. I underestimated – everything. Even though Tucson is just an hour and a half south of Phoenix, this was the biggest move I’ve done. If you don’t count my semester abroad, it’s the first time I’ve had an address outside the county I was born in.

library card

At the end of all that craziness, though, we were in our new apartment.

mums

While we’re definitely still unpacking and settling in, we have our Tucson library cards and Quijote’s new tags are on the way. We’ve done our second Meet Me at Maynards walk – our first as Tucson residents – checked out the night market at Mercado San Agustin, visited the Tucson Botanical Gardens, and are trying out new places to eat, drink, and shop while regularly finding excuses to revisit the ones we were already fans of.

WILWIL at San Agustin Annex

We’re happy to be here and happy to be together.

Dog Quijote

Your 2019 #LocalArtLoves

fox illustration by wayne smith

You guys found — and made — some great art during Local Art Loves earlier this year!

As you may recall, Local Art Loves is about sharing the art you love from your community. (It can even be your own work!)

This time, there were submissions from across the United States that included oil paintings, digital illustrations, sculptures, and more. I’m featuring those artists here, as well as adding a couple Arizona artists I love.

 

Painting of vintage Skips Hamburgers neon sign
Skips by Kristen Nyberg (in progress).

Kristen Nyberg

City: Marblehead, Massachusetts
Medium: Oil painting
Shared by: Sarah Moore (a.k.a. “Saguaro Sally,” vintage sign enthusiast)
Subject: Neon sign for Skip’s Snack Bar in Merrimac, MA

 

cactus art by Lora Barnhiser
Cactus art by Lora Barnhiser. Photo from my house.

Lora Barnhiser

City: Phoenix, Arizona
Medium: Acrylic on “rescued” wood blocks
Shared by: me

Notes:

  • I’ve been a fan of Lora Barnhiser’s work since I saw some of her reclaimed wood art on display during Phoenix First Friday a couple years ago.
  • When she was in the process of moving her studio to prepare for the birth of her babies, she announced a flash sale, and I called dibs on these adorable little cacti!
  • More about Lora in her Instagram introduction.

 

Beck Lane

City: Sarasota, Florida
Shared by: artist

Beck Lane’s portrait of singer Lauren Mitchell was one of last year’s Local Art Loves.

Later, the artist shared a couple more of her vibrant paintings – 16 (or makin’ a way outta no way) and Kandi Dishe, Starman.

Beck Lane painting
“16 (or makin’ a way outta no way)” by Beck Lane.

• 16 (or makin’ a way outta no way)

Medium: Oil and oil crayon on aerosol on two 60″ x 72″ canvas panels.

Notes:

  • The title of 16 (or makin’ a way outta no way) refers back to the first group of Africans brought to the U.S. to be enslaved. We don’t know the names of the individuals on that original ship. We just know that there would be eventually millions more, and they were the first 16.
  • Coincidentally, the painting took 16 months to complete and was inspired by the events of 2016.
  • The woman in the center of the painting was modeled after Providence artist, dancer, and model Melanie Moore.

 

Beck Lane portrait of Kandi Dishe
“Kandi Dishe, Starman” by Beck Lane.

• Kandi Dishe, Starman

Medium: Oil on aerosol on two 48″ x 60″ canvases.
Subject: Portrait of Worcester, MA drag artist Kandi Dishe.
Where to find it: Chasen Galleries

 

betta fish painting
Painting of Frida by Caitlyn Ann Thomas. Photo from my house.

Caitlyn Ann Thomas

City: Tempe, Arizona
Medium: Watercolor
Shared by: me
Subject: Frida the Fish 

Notes:

  • After hearing that our betta fish had passed, our friend Caitlyn asked for photos. A few weeks later, she surprised us with this beautiful watercolor portrait of Frida. It was such an incredibly kind gesture and a lovely way to remember a little fish with a big personality!
  • Caitlyn and her husband Alex also make films as CharismaJinx Productions.

 

Realist painting of Apex sign.
“Apex” by Stephanie Schechter (in progress).

Stephanie Schechter

City: Providence, Rhode Island
Title: Apex
Medium: Oil on canvas, 23.5″ x 40″
Shared by: Sarah Moore
Where to find it: You can see the final painting of Apex on the artist’s site.

 

Sculptures by Gary Lee Price.
Green Thumb and Green Thumb Too by Gary Lee Price. Photo: Susan Willis

Gary Lee Price

City: Richmond, Virginia
Titles:

  • Green Thumb [girl with pigtails, foreground of photo]
  • Green Thumb Too [boy, partly obscured in photo]

Medium: Bronze sculptures with planters
Shared by: Susan Willis
Where to find them: In front of Chasen Galleries in Carytown, an artsy neighborhood around Cary Street in Richmond, Virginia.

 

Painting of Haverhill, Massachusetts liquor store sign
“Liquors” by Debbie Shirley.

Debbie Shirley

City: Haverhill, Massachusetts
Title: Liquors
Medium: Acrylic on panel, 18″ x 14″, framed
Shared by: Sarah Moore
Subject: Street outside ChrisPy’s Liquors + Lottery in Beverly, MA.
Where to find it: Available for purchase. Contact the artist for more information.

Notes:

 

4 digital sketches by Wayne Smith.
Rocky Mountain wildlife sketches by Wayne Smith.

Wayne Smith

City: Ocala, Florida
Medium: digital sketches
Shared by: artist

Wayne Smith participated in Local Art Loves by creating new digital sketches almost daily! His varied subjects included Rocky Mountain wildlife, a series of funny “advanced yoga” poses, portraits, and dessert.

Painting of Swedish princess cake by Wayne Smith.
Swedish princess cake by Wayne Smith.

• Swedish princess cake

Delightful-looking prinsesstårta (Swedish princess cake) on a gold tray.

 

Killdeer sketch by Wayne Smith.

• Killdeer sketch/study

A killdeer bird the artist photographed at Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park.

 

Advanced Yoga by Wayne Smith.
Goat yoga sketch by Wayne Smith

• Goat yoga

A meditation on why pets aren’t helpful for yoga poses.

 

 

Local Art Loves

The next Local Art Loves will be February 2020, and I’d love to see art shared from across the globe!

You can participate anytime by posting photos of art you find in your community (or create) using the hashtag #LocalArtLoves.

Keep supporting artists wherever you are!

Meet Me at Maynard’s: A Weekly Walk in Tucson

Downtown Tucson bus stop along MMM route

Fox Theatre Tucson

Every Monday evening, a few hundred people show up in Downtown Tucson for the Meet Me at Maynard’s (MMM) community walk.

Hotel Congress plaza

It’s free, open to all ages and abilities, and it’s happened weekly – regardless of the weather – for over 10 years.

Hotel Congress Tucson

In fact, we joined in for the first time on MMM’s 10th anniversary, when there was a big celebration and local bands playing all along the route.

Local band Sophia and Tom in Tucson

We joined up in the middle, walking over from the Hotel Tucson, where we were staying.

Hotel Tucson

Franklin and Meyer Ave

The MMM path officially begins at Maynard’s Kitchen and winds through downtown neighborhoods — past restaurants, historic sites, parks, and public art.

JG's on Congress St in Tucson

old courthouse building in Tucson

There are designated 2-, 3-, and 4-mile routes you can follow. Or you can make adjustments and take breaks as needed.

MMM walkers in front of the screening room

In fact, breaks are encouraged. Several local businesses along the route provide water to MMM participants and lots of downtown restaurants offer discounts. So you could do part of the walk, stop for dinner or beers, and then continue on.

hub restaurant tucson

local band Impromptu

The point is to get out, get some exercise, and enjoy the local community!

Good Oak Bar

Maynard's in Tucson

— More Meet Me at Maynard’s Info —

How to join:

  1. Register (once) online or in person at the information table in the courtyard behind Maynard’s.
  2. Before each MMM you attend, check in (online or in person) and get your hand stamped at the info table. (While you’re there, ask about entering raffles.)
  3. Start walking on your own or walk with a leader at 5:30 or 5:45.

Downtown Tucson neighborhood with silver fire hydrant

 

  • You can walk, run, or take a yoga class ($5 at YogaOasis during MMM).
  • Leashed pets are welcome on the walk. So are unleashed kids.
  • To get Monday night restaurant discounts, make sure to check in and get your hand stamped at the info table in the Maynard’s courtyard.
  • Regular participants earn awards like t-shirts and hats. If you’re unsure where to go, look for people wearing the MMM shirts!
  • Closing ceremonies and in-person raffle winners are announced back at Maynard’s at 7pm.
  • Subscribe to our YouTube channel for video from the MMM 10th anniversary celebration, walk, and local bands — which I’ll post soon.

 

cactus