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?

September 8, 2018May 23, 2023

5 Museum Day Picks in Arizona (+ a few elsewhere)

On September 22, many museums across the U.S. are offering free admission and/or planning special events as part of Smithsonian magazine Museum Day. You can search their list and then download a ticket for a free general admission (good for 2 people) to the participating museum of your choice.

I found 5 Arizona museums – 1 in Tucson and 4 in the Phoenix area – that I’ve visited and would recommend. They’re listed below in alphabetical order, followed by a few bonus suggestions from Indiana, Seattle, and Washington D.C.

1. Desert Botanical Garden
Phoenix

While not a museum in the traditional sense, the Desert Botanical Garden participates in Museum Day and was actually where we went last year.

There are cactus and succulent galleries, a wildflower trail, a contemplation garden, exhibits on historical peoples of the Sonoran Desert, cafes with patio seating, and art sprinkled throughout. Located in Papago Park near the Phoenix Zoo, it beautifully showcases the plants of the Arizona desert and is one of the top places I recommend to Phoenix visitors.

2. Heard Museum
Phoenix

Another place at the top of my Phoenix must-see list is the Heard Museum!

It’s an extensive museum of American Indian art, culture, and history, focusing on the tribes of the Southwest. They display both traditional and contemporary art, including jewelry, ceramics, katsina dolls, and textiles. There is also an immersive exhibit on the Indian boarding school experience.

3. i.d.e.a. Museum
Mesa

Formerly known as the Arizona Museum for Youth, the i.d.e.a. Museum is an art and science museum with interactive activities and exhibits for kids.

It’s also where I’ve given my journal workshop during Southwest Maker Fest the last few years.

4. Museum of Contemporary Art
Tucson

Tucson’s MOCA hosts rotating contemporary art exhibitions in an airy space converted from an old fire station. They also have a fabulous little gift shop with jewelry, prints, and gift items by local artists.

It’s located in Downtown Tucson, just across from the Tucson Convention Center (and Tucson Music Hall, where we saw Riders of the Purple Sage).

5. Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Scottsdale

SMoCA is an art and event space with a permanent collection and exhibitions in the areas of contemporary art, architecture, and design.

Bonus non-Arizona recommendations:

Fishers, Indiana–

Conner Prairie

Conner Prairie in Central Indiana is a living history museum that I loved visiting as a kid! I remember candle-dipping demonstrations and sitting in on a lesson in an old-timey one-room schoolhouse. Even though I haven’t been there in years, it made me smile to see it on the Museum Day list.

Seattle, Washington–

Museum of Pop Culture

The Experience Music Project (EMP) was recently re-named the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP). It makes sense, because, while they do have an atrium devoted to constantly-playing music videos (“Sky Church”), a towering guitar sculpture, and galleries for Seattle legends like Jimi Hendrix and Nirvana, there are also exhibitions on sci-fi, video games, fantasy genre archetypes, and other subjects besides music.

Housed within a striking building designed by Frank O. Gehry, MoPOP is located at Seattle Center, near the Space Needle.

Washington, DC–

I think DC’s lesser-known museums can sometimes get lost in the shadows of the more imposing, free-admission Smithsonian Museums on the National Mall. If the cost of admission is what’s keeping you away, then Museum Day is a great opportunity to finally visit!

National Museum of Women in the Arts

My mom and I loved participating in a National Museum of Women in the Arts community day. I hope to visit again and check out more of the artwork!

Newseum

I very much wanted to visit the Newseum while we were in DC, but I just couldn’t fit it in. It’s a museum about the news, specifically how breaking stories are covered and the importance of a free press.

For more exhibitions and museum events, check out this fall’s Happenings List!

At the Museum of Pop Culture/EMP, we were guests of Visit Seattle.