Here in Tucson

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.

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.

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

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.

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

July 11, 2019July 11, 2019

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

Downtown Tucson bus stop along MMM route

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

— More Meet Me at Maynard’s Info —

How to join:

Register (once) online or in person at the information table in the courtyard behind Maynard’s.
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.)
Start walking on your own or walk with a leader at 5:30 or 5:45.

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.

May 2, 2019February 19, 2020

Poetry in Planters

Nearly 1000 people from 5 countries waxed poetic about life in Tucson, Arizona, when the city put out a call for haiku submissions in its first annual Old Pueblo Poems literary competition.

Tucson’s poet laureate, TC Tolbert, selected 20 winning entries.

You can find the poems on signs nestled among desert plants along Congress Street and Stone Avenue in Downtown Tucson.

Phillip and I spotted a few – which you can see photos of below – while we were headed to The Screening Room for the Arizona International Film Festival (AZIFF).

Several of the selections for this year’s AZIFF featured poetry in some form, and there were poetry readings almost daily. So having haiku sprinkled down the street in front of the Screening Room was a perfect complement.

‪Waiting for the buzz
Of late-summer cicadas
Yellow flowers fall.
–Alanna Mejia

El Presidio
Layers of time not of past
Sun warmed adobe
–Philip Dean Brown

late night dance party
confetti spills down Congress
monsoon washes clean
–Lisa Periale Martin
‪

Now the day goes still
Letting Tucson catch its breath
While the sky burns red
–Judi Molina

– More info on Old Pueblo Poems –

On display during daylight hours, now through June 1.
Take the 1/2-mile “haiku hike” to see them all.
The Old Pueblo Poems project is a collaboration of the Downtown Tucson Partnership and U of A Poetry Center.

April 18, 2019February 23, 2022

Updates on 2019 Arizona International Film Festival

vintage film equipment at the Screening Room

The 2019 Arizona International Film Festival (AZIFF) is still going on! You have until Sunday to get to Tucson and check it out!

We were there for the first week of AZIFF and are back home now. You’ll be able to read about our trip and films we saw soon!

In the meantime, I’ve been posting updates on Instagram Stories and Twitter. You can also read short reviews of last year’s documentaries and narrative films I wrote as a Guest Columnist over at The Two Gay Geeks, a fun site (and podcast) that covers a wide range of entertainment topics and highlights work by independent creators.

So have you watched anything interesting recently?

– More AZIFF 2019 Info –

Dates: April 10-21
Location: Downtown Tucson. All screenings are at The Screening Room, except for one at Loft Cinema. There are also a few parties, etc. in nearby venues like Hotel Congress.
Schedule
Hotels: Lots of Tucson hotels support the festival and give discounts if you mention you’re attending.

We were guests of Arizona International Film Festival.

January 23, 2019January 23, 2019

Photos of 2018

2018 was the Year of the Dog. Adopting our Quijote in May was a watershed moment for us. There has definitely been a before and after to how we approach travel, socializing, and our daily life with this adorably sweet yet feisty addition to our family.

I have a tradition here of summing up my year in photos from my Instagram, both my own favorites and the year’s “Best Nine,” as counted by an app.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by stephanieliebold (@stephanieliebold) on Apr 24, 2018 at 5:59pm PDT

This time it seemed a little different, since I hadn’t been posting to my Instagram gallery as frequently, and a lot of the photos I did share were from earlier years.

Still, I think this can give you a little window into my 2018…

You Like This

In a way, you (or anyone who liked my Instagram posts) voted for this first set of photos, since Best Nine just automatically selects the photos with the most likes.

Best Nine (from left):

Row 1 — Motel sign, Sedona / Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix / Women’s March Phoenix 2 — Dragon tree shadows at Coronado Island, CA / Spreckels Organ, San Diego / Monet Pond, Denver Botanic Gardens 3 — Typewriter at George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center, Phoenix / Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Consuelo, Altea, Spain / Mosaic in the Vatican Museum

My 2018 Picks

This collage I put together somehow feels more like my past year — especially with Quijote at the center of it all!

1 — Pompeii at Arizona Science Center / Date Night, Yuma, AZ / Typewriter at George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center, Phoenix 2 — Downtown Tucson / Quijote / Dragon tree shadows at Coronado Island, CA 3 — Sunset at La Jolla, CA / The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix / San Marco Square, Venice, Italy

What memories stand out from your past year?