Zocalo Magazine - April 2013 by Zocalo Magazine

index April 2013

05. Community 08. Events 18. Biz 22. Food&Drink 25. Arts 28. Artists’ Open Studios 43. Film 48. Tunes 54. Life in Tucson on the cover

Artist Danny Martin’s 1980s Sticker Portraits, appearing at downtown’s BLX Skate Shop beginning April 13. See page 39 for more information.

Zócalo Magazine is a hyper-local independent media organization, focusing on Tucson’s arts and culture.

PUBLISHER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR David Olsen COPY EDITOR Amanda Frame-Wawro CONTRIBUTORS Marisa Bernal, Andrew Brown, Jon D’Auria, Emily Gindlesparger, J.W. Mackowitz, Jamie Manser, Jared McKinley, Phoenix Michael, misterpaulfisher, Miguel Ortega, CJ Shane, Herb Stratford, Teya Vitu. LISTINGS Marisa Bernal, listings@zocalotucson.com PRODUCTION ARTISTS Troy Martin, David Olsen

frontdesk@zocalotucson.com P.O. Box 1171, Tucson, AZ 85702-1171 520.955.ZMAG (9624)

Subscribe to Zocalo at www.zocalomagazine.com/subscriptions. All content copyright © 2009-2013 by Media Zóoócalo, LLC. Reproduction of any material in this or any other issue is prohibited without written permission from the publisher and author. No person may, without prior written permission of the publisher, take more than one copy of each issue.

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! e b i r c s b u s

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community Z

Detail from an artist rendering of the new alignment for the Downtown Links project, abandoning the roadway and replacing it with the recently closed Fred Enke Golf Course. The proposal includes utilizing the Steinfeld Warehouse as the new clubhouse and the loading docks for the driving range.

Downtown Links To Replace Downtown Links! by J.W. Mackowitz

“Fore!” Watch out, a new development group is pulling another fast one to replace the current Downtown Links alignment. In its place? A golf course. In a bold move the development group entitled Tucson Environment and Ecology (TEE), has decided to relocate Fred Enke Golf Course within the current boundaries of the Downtown Links project. The new project will be called DLUCSMMMCDLVIII. “It’s a win-win-win-win-win-win for the community,” the assistant deputy director of deputies in the office of TEE said, “we save Fred Enke, we save buildings from being demolished, we save Arroyo Chico, we save money, we bring in revenue, and we offer another venue for tourists and residents of Tucson to enjoy in the downtown area.” The proposed layout is still being kicked around by a team of consultants but plans are to have at least nine holes from the now closed Fred Enke Golf Course transplanted to the well-preserved Downtown Links site. Many of the greens will be preserved, some of the turf from the fairways will be brought over, and the Arroyo Chico wash will be restored. “I don’t like golf, but I sure love washes,” Brad Lancaster, a nationally recognized water harvesting expert said. Representatives from TEE are currently talking to Pima Land and Arts Industrial Development (PLAID) about leasing the historic Steinfeld Warehouse for the Golf Clubhouse. Realizing the link between golf and art is at

its best weak, TEE is prepared to set up an artist-in-residency program at the golf course. “Any artist in Arizona can apply through a competitive process managed by the Tucson Urban Revitalization Fund (TURF). We will provide space for the artists to work, helmets for any plein air painters, and an abundant supply of golf balls for any budding sculptors out there,” the assistant deputy director of deputies said. It is hoped the work the artists generate will then be placed within the golf course, harking back to the now defunct Magic Carpet Putt Putt Golf Course on East Speedway. Maybe the Tiki was moved to right place after all. But what about the traffic? Wasn’t the Downtown Links project supposed to alleviate the onslaught of traffic Downtown endures from the Eastside en route to I-10? “Don’t count a high-capacity roadway out of the Downtown picture just yet,” said Craig Pierson of Traffic ‘R Us, the Los Angeles-based consultant who has worked on the project for the past 140 years. More studies will be done to solve the congestion problem. Longtime resident and golfer, Bill Mackey, has mixed feelings about the project. “While I am truly excited about the prospects of a golf course in the middle of downtown, I’m upset I just sold my golf cart!” April 2013 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 5

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Indie Wheel - April by Miguel Ortega Conventional wisdom in Tucson typically says that unless you have the political support to do something, you will fail miserably.This same source of wisdom often perpetuates the myth that local businesses and neighborhoods have nothing in common and are destined to be at odds with each other. We have seen examples of both proving to be true, yes, but this is not always the case. Tucson has an encouraging amount of people who - how can I put this in a P.G. way - could care less about this paternalistic and cynical wisdom. One very significant yet little known example of this brand of healthy defiance is showcased every year during a street fair in Tucson that draws tens of thousands of people. This festival takes place along an avenue that is dotted with locally owned businesses and is surrounded by historic neighborhoods. Once a year, sidewalk to sidewalk, this avenue turns into a river of Tucsonans flowing along to the soundtrack of local bands covering popular cumbias, Tejano and old school jams. And yes, there’s food. A lot of food. Unless the cumbias, Tejano and old school gave it away, you are probably thinking I am describing the 4th Avenue Street Fair. I’m not. I love that one, too. But, no, I’m talking about the the Fiesta Grande Festival in Barrio Hollywood on Tucson’s Westside. A surprising amount Tucsonans still have no idea about this event (it’s on April 13 & 14 this year, by the way). When asked about it I playfully describe it as the Other One or the Chicano Street Fair. Then I share the festival’s slogan - ‘Welcome to Barrio Hollywood where everyone is a star’ - making it clear that all are welcome. In a nutshell, this is what makes this event special: After a gigantic sinkhole opened up on Speedway and Grande Avenue back in 2003, residents and business owners were devastated with a traffic nightmare, the stench of oozing sewer everywhere, and empty restaurants and retail businesses. It was pretty bad. The solution? Clean it up and throw a party, of course. Ten years later, this annual event has accomplished more than anyone ever expected; it has provided businesses with branding and marketing worth tens of thousands of dollars; it raised over $100,000 in funding for the Midnight Hoops program keeping hundreds of kids off the street; it leveraged one million dollars to establish the Cambio Grande initiative which funded street improvements, new sidewalks and benches along Grande

Avenue; it secured private foundation funds to create beautiful, historic murals, and so on. This was all made possible because of a little known street party in the barrio. According to that conventional wisdom I mentioned earlier, the Fiesta Grande should never have succeeded. But it has. Neighborhoods and businesses were not supposed to seek a solution together for mutual benefit, yet that is exactly what happened. Throughout the years, Barrio Hollywood organizers have called the shots first, then invited elected officials to follow their lead. To this day, there has never been a question about who is in charge. And Barrio Hollywood is just like many neighborhoods around Tucson that exhibit this kind of independent instinct. Recent efforts by the newly organized Sunshine Mile on Broadway and the longtime and fiercely independent production of the annual All Souls Procession come to mind. They don’t wait on political blessings or depend on agencies or city bureaucrats to determine their fate. They go ahead and do it for themselves. So the next time you want to make a difference in your neighborhood or advocate against that ubiquitous chain about to squash and replace your favorite locally owned cafe don’t ask for permission prior to acting. Just step up and do it.

Commerce

Art

Politics

I love visiting St. Mary’s Mexican Food on Grande Ave and St. Mary’s Road. It’s like being in an old episode of Seinfeld. The food is excellent and super affordable. But never once has my food been ready to pick up when they said it would be. Yet I keep coming back. They used to have an ordering system that consisted of cut out cardboard squares with the numbers written with a magic marker. Don’t care. I still go back. And not a piece of furniture matches. Whatever. I’ll eat standing in their parking lot if I have to. They are that good.

I have this urge to go to The Loft, pay full admission for the next random movie but ask not to be told what I’m about to see. Then, right after that flick, I want to do the exact same thing at the Arizona International Film Festival over at the Screening Room downtown. And to finish things off, I want to go check out a thought proving documentary at Casa Video, grab an extra bag of their free popcorn to go and watch it at home. Is that just weird of me? Is a person allowed to do that in Arizona?

The following is a public service announcement: Beware of a sudden epidemic of Marco Rubios popping up around town and across the nation. They may be wearing sombreros. Maybe not. They may speak to you in Spanish and may be accompanied by a full mariachi in the background. But perhaps not. If you encounter one, stay calm. Call you nearest GOP headquarters and have him picked up. We will issue a similar PSA to warn you about whatever the Democrats come up with in four years. This has been a public service announcement. Thank you.

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House Secrets

Home Tour of the Historic Adobes of Barrio Viejo by Emily Gindlesparger., photos by fotovitamina.

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“If you want to understand the soul and heart of this city,” explains Demion Clinco of the Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation, “The Barrio Viejo tour will give you insight to Tucson’s origins.” And if you’ve ever walked the streets of the Old Barrio, starting at the corner of Convent and Simpson, you know he’s right: the late-1800s beginnings of this neighborhood have been preserved right before your eyes. “These houses are made out of adobe,” Clinco describes; “they’re made out of the earth, and the water to make them was taken out of the Santa Cruz river nearby. These adobes were baked by the sun 130-140 years ago; they were lovingly crafted and have stood the test of time. This whole neighborhood is really an international treasure.” On April 20th, the Home Tour of the Historic Adobes of Barrio Viejo will give visitors a look into six of these traditional properties to “experience this type of architecture and these earlier roots of Tucson’s past in a personal and intimate way,” says Clinco. Even from the street you can see the mark of vernacular architecture, made not by designers but by craftsmen who manipulated the architecture to bear the summers. With their deep-sunk windows and faces set right against the street, the Barrio houses have long hallways from front door to rear courtyard, to pull cooler air inside, and high ceilings to let the heat escape overhead. The inner lives of the houses play host to so many narratives and surprises; when one of these properties was restored, contractors took down the drop ceiling to expose original beams and old shipping containers stamped from different suppliers all across Tucson. Making these private spaces public for one day shows guests how architecture “weaves together a variety of different narratives and really gets to who Tucson is and how it’s changed.” Homeowners of these properties have been in the neighborhood for twenty or thirty years, Clinco says, and “Barrio Viejo is what’s left of the historic quarter; this is part of that community that still survives. We get a very up-close look at these homes, at how people love Tucson, and how their houses express that.” “Most houses in this neighborhood are very unassuming from the street, and it’s such a surprise when people walk through the door,” ex-

plains Elaine Paul, who is a Preservation Foundation board member and owns a house along the tour on Simpson. Her front house dates from the turn of the century, when the railroad moved in and brought migrating easterners with it. Built in brick with a Victorian style, the house has crown moldings, wood floors, and a vestibule, a feature usually used in the northeast to keep the cold out. But walk through the back of the house, and the Sonoran tradition reigns: a sala or outdoor room transitions the last room of the house to the courtyard, a huge open space where the Pauls keep their garden and a chicken coop; across the way is an older treasure, a late1800s adobe guest house. “The thing that’s so great about our property is that we’re downtown and yet it’s like having a mini farm,” Paul explains; her house, like so many on this block, holds a Sonoran secret garden in an urban center. She and her husband have lived in this house since the 1970s, along with many other homeowners in the neighborhood. “It’s like living in a village,” Paul says. “It’s a real neighborhood, a real community. We watched our kids grow up. We watched each other get old.” The tour will be open for four hours, from 10am to 2pm; enough time to visit each property and grab lunch at downtown landmarks like El Minuto Café. The houses are clustered within two blocks. “It’s one of the largest concentrations of adobe architecture, certainly in the U.S. and that’s one of the incredibly unique things about our community,” Clinco adds. While a 1970s research project at the University of Arizona credited disregard and neglect for the neighborhood’s survival, it’s clear that in the interceding years preservation and love have taken over. And now, Clinco says, “these houses are the definitive icon of our community.” Home Tour: Historic Adobes of the Barrio Viejo. April 20th, 10am – 2pm, $35. Tickets available online at PreserveTucson.org and at: Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress; BON, 3022 E. Broadway; Adobe House Antiques, 2700 N. Campbell. All ticket proceeds benefit the Tucson Historic Preservation Foundation, PreserveTucson.org

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Cacti and Succulents Pima Prickly Park Spring Expo by CJ Shane Image: Vonn Watkins

The beautiful cacti and succulent plants that define our southern Arizona landscape will be celebrated in a Spring Expo sponsored by Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society at Pima Prickly Park, Sunday, April 14 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The 9 acre park is located at 3500 W. River. Entrance to the park and the Spring Expo is free to the public. According to Spring Expo’s coordinator, Joe Frannea, “There are two major segments to the Spring Expo. We want to bring people to the park to see what we have here. And we want to give them an opportunity to buy cacti and succulent plants, to see the exhibits, and to learn more about the desert.” Visitors will have an opportunity to walk the park’s trails, and to learn more about the colorful and unique native and adapted non-native plants in the park. Frannea says that there will also be a sales area during the Spring Expo where plant lovers can purchase cacti and succulents as well as products made from cacti such as jellies and jams. The educational exhibits will not only be about the plants, but also include information on desert animals and insects, venomous lizards and snakes and poison control, water harvesting in the desert, and more. Pima Prickly Park is a joint project of the Tucson Cacti and Succulent Society and Pima County Natural Resources Parks and Recreation department. It is open to the public free of charge from dawn to dusk. The park was dedicated in September 2012. Frannea explains that Pima Prickly Park came about when the Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society joined forces with Pima County Natural Resources Parks and Recreation department. “Members of the Society had been looking for a site where we could have a lot of cactus, where we could see how they do in our habitat. The county had some land that had been a deep gravel pit where building was not suitable. The county wanted to restore natural habitat.” The county started developing the park a few years ago, but resources were limited. So the Society partnered with the parks department and signed a 15-year operating agreement with the county.” 10 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | April 2013

Since then the Society has worked to develop the park’s trail system and to create special cactus and succulent gardens such as the ocotillo forest, agave forest, and hummingbird and butterfly gardens. Society volunteers are currently working on a cholla maze. A highlight is Saguarohenge where several large saguaro cacti are planted in a conformation reminiscent of Stonehenge in England. Frannea says Saguarohenge is intended as “a place to rest and reflect.” Volunteer groups such as Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and student honor societies work in the park, too. “We put in a hummingbird garden and partnered with Tucson’s Audubon Society to decide on plants and design. We worked together,” Frannea says. Future projects are planned. “Because we are all volunteers and have limited funds, it could take only a few months or a year to develop an area of the park,” says Frannea. “We’re thinking it will probably take 10 years for the park to mature.” A factor in how fast the plantings go, Frannea says, “depends on the rescue program.” He refers to those cacti rescued from sites where buildings or roads are being constructed and where the cacti would otherwise be destroyed. Some rescued cacti will be available for sale at the Expo. “This really has been an excellent working relationship with the county and a nonprofit group,” Frannea says. “We know the county didn’t have money, but it have a great education program. The primary focus of the Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society is education. So Prickly Park is an opportunity to do something for the community. The park is a great asset to Pima County and a great project for us to showcase our plants,” Frannea adds. To learn more about Pima Prickly Park, go to the Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society’s Prickly Park page at www.tucsoncactus.org/html/ pimapricklypark/index.html There you will find a detailed map of the park’s trails and gardens as well as some great photos of park project development and information about the Spring Expo.

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photo: Jean Schweitzer

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Taking it to the Streets Bike Fest and Cyclovia celebrate public space by Emily Gindlesparger

If you’ve been daydreaming about spending more time in the open air exploring our city – and less time trapped in your car – each April a group of people is giving you every possible incentive to take over the streets and celebrate public space. Living Streets Alliance fills the month of April with Bike Fest, bookended this year with Cyclovia, two all-day festivals of carfree streets downtown on April 7th, and midtown on April 28th. “I look at Cyclovia as a sort of canvas,” says Kylie Walzak, the event’s coordinator. “It’s an opportunity for the Tucson community to come out and participate at an event, unlike any other opportunity that we have. The organizers raise money and provide for public safety, but after that, everything else is a combination of efforts of really passionate people to come out and share what they have for the day.” Artist Mykl Wells will be rolling around on his handmade recycled tricycle, giving away agua fresca. Walzak says Alecio Lopez is encouraging people to travel “back in time” by harvesting nine historic images from the historical society to print large and hang along the route. Mariah Hoffman, who worked with the recent 3 Degrees of Strangers exhibit, will be pairing up with Cakes for Causes to get participants sharing cookies and stories with strangers. Other activity hubs will have live music and dancing in the streets; a pop-up skate park, obstacle course, rock climbing wall, jumping castle; you can rent bikes, decorate bikes, or just walk each 5-mile course and sample the food trucks – the only cars that get a say in this show. “The first three years we’ve had Cyclovia it’s been a fun, active event, but this year it has the potential to be a venue for community strength building, and a place for the Tucson community to come out, get together and celebrate,” Walzak says. “I hope that the lasting effect that people take away from the event is that so much of the conversation about our streets is negative: ‘our streets are crumbling,’ ‘our streets are dangerous.’ But we can really challenge ourselves to re-imagine our streets in a different way.” Cyclovia’s graphic designer Dennis Fesenmyer is putting imagination to paper with three other artists who will be creating limited edition print posters for Cyclovia. Joining him are Matt McCoy, Ryan Trayte, and Richie Brevaire, who will create a set of four 18 x 24 posters in Cyclovia’s colors

– wedgewood blue and bright mustard yellow – that show each artist’s celebration of open streets. The second event on the 28th highlights a new route through midtown using pieces of Dodge, Blacklidge, Mountain and Glenn, and is the first step in the mission to provide four routes in separate neighborhoods to cycle through each year. Courses are built to pass schools, businesses and other attractions along bike boulevards and low-stress routes “that people can realistically feel comfortable using on their bikes or walking the other 364 days of the year,” Walzak says. It’s a goal that rings true with the rest of Bike Fest. “The more people you get out riding a bike, the safer it becomes for everyone because bicycling becomes more visible and people notice them more,” adds Emily Yetman, executive director of Living Streets Alliance. “It adds to the vibrancy of our streets and helps create a street life and vitality in our neighborhoods.” And for the rest of April, the streets all over Tucson will be humming with pedal pushers as they stop by dozens of events just for commuting cyclists. During Pedal the Pueblo week, Whole Foods on Speedway will be doing a kickoff breakfast with live music and raffles, and way stations will be set along bike routes to supply riders with juice, coffee, bagels, and giveaways. New this year, Tucsonans can come to a happy hour at Borderlands Brewery with outdoor activities by Playformance. Free food there is sponsored by New Belgium, who is bringing back the Best Beer and Film Festival at the Fox during Bike Fest. BICAS is hosting a ride through the Barrio to Crossroads Restaurant’s happy hour; GABA is putting on the Bike Swap and coordinating rides to Reid Park Zoo with free admission for helmettoters. Miles of rides all month can be logged online for raffles of gift certificates and bike gear. April’s two-wheeled opportunities are endless. Bike Fest, April 1-30. Events list and giveaways are on their website, BikeFestTucson.com. Cyclovia, Sunday, April 7th and Sunday, April 28th 10am to 3pm. Route info and events at CycloviaTucson.org. For more information, visit LivingStreetsAlliance.org April 2013 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 13

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april SUN 7 cyclovia Tucson

Tucson’s annual celebration of life on two wheels. BikeFestTucson.com

THU 11- SUN 14 UA SPRING FLING

Fundraiser for student clubs & organizations features rides, food, music, games. Thu-Fri, 4pm-midnight; Sat, noon-midnight; Sun, noon-8pm. $5. Rillito Downs, 4502 N. First Ave. 621-5610, SpringFling.Arizona.Edu

FRI 12 TUCSON PADRES BASEBALL

The new Minor League team’s home opener takes place at 7:05pm. See website for season schedule and prices. Kino Veteran’s Stadium, 2500 E. Ajo Way, TucsonPadres.com

BLOOMS AND BITES The ultimate garden art event. View and bid on local art and landscape design. 5pm-8pm. $25. Tucson Botanical Gardens, 2150 N. Alvernon Way, 326-9686, TucsonBotanical.org

16TH ANNUAL URBAN PICNIC & ART AUCTION Benefit for Ballet Tucson. Silent auction, mimosas, picnic lunch and live entertainment. $45. 11am-3pm. La Encantada, 2905 E. Skyline Dr. 9031445, BalletTucson.org

FRI 12- SUN 28 22ND ARIZONA FILM FESTIVAL A

INTERNATIONAL

grand showcase of independent cinema. Various times and venues. FilmFestivalArizona.com

SAT 13 - sun 14 tucson artists’ open studios 135 artists open their studios at over 75 locations. See pages 28-36 of this issue for more information.

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SAT 13

WED 24

2ND SATURDAYS DOWNTOWN A monthly

TAKE BACK THE NIGHT TUCSON Event

downtown party featuring vendors, food & street performers. Scott Ave Stage: Sabra Faulk & The Angel Band, The Wayback Machine, and Mike Hebert Prison Band. Congress Street, 2ndSaturdaysDowntown.com

to stop sexual violence, support survivors & hold perpetrators accountable. Candlelight vigil, Survivor’s Speak-Out, resource fair, performances. Free. 5:30pm-9pm. Mercado San Agustin, 100 S. Avenida Del Convento. SACasa.org/

SUN 14 THE EVENT

Sample food from 50 local restaurants, wine tastings and live music. Proceeds help provide more than 40 programs for youth members of The Boys and Girls Club. 6pm-9pm. $150. TheEventTucson.com

WED 24-SAT 27 TUCSON INTERNATIONAL MARIACHI CONFERENCE Student workshops, participant showcases, and the Espectacular Concert. Times and locations vary. TucsonMariachi.org

THU 18-SUN 28

FRI 26

PIMA COUNTY FAIR Carnival rides, food, en-

5TH ANNUAL PENNINGTON STREET BLOCK PARTY Celebrate Global Youth Service

tertainment, animals, arts & crafts. $8 adults; $3 children ages 6-10; children under 5 free. Pima County Fairgrounds, 11300 S. Houghton Rd. SWFair.com

SAT 20 BACKYARD BBQ FOR THE CASCADE FOUNDATION Benefitting families with hemophilia & inherited bleeding disorders. Music, food, entertainment. $25. 4pm-7pm. Barrio Brewing, 800 E. 16th St. 907-2902, CascadeFoundationAZ.org

SUN 21 ZIN, BLUES & BBQ Enjoy live music, Zinfandel wine tastings & BBQ. $55. 4pm-7pm. Hacienda del Sol, 5601 N. Hacienda del Sol Rd. 529-3500, HaciendadelSol.com

TUCSON EARTH DAY FESTIVAL/ WATER FESTIVAL Environmentally themed exhibits, music, performances, activities, food vendors, parade, solar competition & alternative fuel vehicle show. Free. 9am-2pm. Free. Reid Park, 900 S. Randolph Way. 206-8814, TucsonEarthDay.com

Day with live music, performers, games, food, community organizations. 4pm-7pm. Free. Pennington Street. 623-7223, CityHighSchool.org

SUN 28 THE ULTIMATE QUEER WEDDING EXPO Quick and easy access to queer friendly businesses and organizations. 12am-7pm. River Park Inn, 350 S. Fwy. 882-0242, FluxxProductionsStudioandGallery.Tumblr.com

cyclovia Tucson

Tucson’s annual celebration of life on two wheels. BikeFestTucson.com

ONGOING Mondays MEET ME AT MAYNARDS (@Hotel Congress) Southern Arizona Roadrunners’ Monday evening, noncompetitive, social 3-mile run/walk, that begins and ends downtown at Hotel Congress, rain/shine/holidays included! 311 E. Congress St. 991-0733, MeetMeAtMaynards.com

more events on page 46

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Centers and Street Corners by Kimi Eisele

The famous writer and urbanist Jane Jacobs named four indispensable conditions for generating “exuberant diversity” in a downtown area. One of them was that “streets and opportunities to turn corners must be frequent.” In other words, hail to the street corner! So where does that leave us? Waiting for a walk signal on Speedway and Campbell? Maneuvering around construction barricades at Broadway and Stone? Try 5th Ave. and Congress St., where a three-week art exhibit about centers and street corners is about to intersect with new downtown businesses. The junction is the idea of downtown developer Scott Stiteler and Worker, Inc., the one-man artist collective also known as Bill Mackey. This spring, eight new businesses—including restaurants, a butcher, and a co-work space—will open along 5th and Congress in properties owned by Stiteler. To celebrate, Stiteler wanted to create an event “where people could come in from the community and talk about the intersection.” Familiar with Worker, Inc.’s previous work, Stiteler commissioned the “exhibit event.” “I basically gave Bill [Mackey] a blank canvas,” Stiteler said. “He wanted a party,” Mackey said. “I thought, this is a good challenge. He knew it wouldn’t just be a ‘rah- rah’ thing for him, but that I would show many sides of the story.” As Worker, Inc., Mackey has mounted a number of interactive, mixedmedia exhibits in vacant storefronts exploring such themes as downtown master planning, urban transportation, and interaction between strangers within downtown. He often uses humor to pose evocative questions about land use, consumption, and urban planning policy. “Worker Transit Authority,” a 2011 Worker, Inc. exhibit, displayed mock planning projects created by a mock planning authority and shared the findings of community survey which asked the public “How do you move through the city?” “Centers and Street Corners,” examines the role of street corners in Tucson and beyond. Those familiar with Mackey’s previous work will recognize the exhibit 16 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | April 2013

format. Mixed media, photographs, maps, map overlays, and historical ephemera are used to explore how street corners have generated and continue to generate opportunities (or don’t) for human interaction. Photographs of other Tucson street corners will give viewers the opportunity to compare and contrast. And much like a street corner itself, the exhibit will invite interaction from viewers. Instead of just looking at maps, Mackey said, “People will get to pin where they think the center of a place is. They’ll get to talk about and write on the wall. They’ll be asked to think about the memorable and famous street corners they’ve known.” Through his research, Mackey found that one of ways that street corners and urban centers are deemed “successful” is if they include shopping. “There’s something about economics and that makes these places successful in the eyes of the developer and the commercial people and the city,” Mackey said. “But is that what downtown needs to be successful? A place to shop? Is that all we’re nostalgic for?” Mackey hopes visitors will pen their own responses to those questions and others using Sharpie markers that will hang from white walls in the storefront. “I’m interested to know what people of this community want in a street corner. Do they want a place for diverse encounters? Is that important?” Meanwhile, the exhibit itself may signify a new kind of crossroads for downtown art and the artist. “This is the most beautiful thing that’s happened in my life,” said Mackey, whose previous work was all funded with public money, the University of Arizona, or Mackey’s own pocketbook. “All of the sudden a businessman calls me up and says I want to do an exhibition? It’s a dream.” Stiteler said he has a “soft spot” for pop-up arts activities. “You can’t have a good urban scene if you don’t have the arts woven into the experience,” he said. Centers and Street Corners takes place at 5th and Congress, 245 E. Congress, Suite 171 (next to Sparkroot) on April 13, April 20, April 27, 6pm-9pm. Admission is free.

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Z biz

Legendary Deli Expands Its Operation by Phoenix Michael Sometimes one drives past, or otherwise passes by, a certain place so many times without stopping that it becomes nearly unnoticeable, simply a part of the background scenery. Such had become the case in my relationship with Sausage Deli at the intersection of Grant Road and 1st Avenue, which always seemed to beckon but never managed to draw me in. I heard good things, but hadn’t tasted for myself. It was easy to overlook. Until, that is, lo and behold; Sausage Deli outgrew the humble quarters it’d been housed in since 1978. Not straying far from its roots, in February Sausage Deli reopened right around the corner from its original location in an enlarged setting with more easily accessible parking and additional floor space. Having outlasted Greasy Tony’s, Grill and Zachary’s Pizza, earning it the title of last Can’t Buy Me Love-era local eatery still standing (said 1980s made-in-Tucson film was largely shot at Tucson High Magnet School), Sausage Deli was clearly here to stay. As so many other local businesses have done recently, owner/operator Chris Fanelli made sure his “new” restaurant was indeed “improved.” Extra TVs and draft beer were part of the plan. “The new space offers a fresh look,” Fanelli said at the time, with “more space for seating and a larger patio without moving too far away.” Do be prepared for a brief wait since, as at every legendary establishment which enjoys positive word of mouth, the lines can be long at Sausage Deli. This place has a rabid following among Wildcats and worker bees alike. Longtime fans have even 18 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | April 2013

gone so far as to purchase salvaged bricks from the now-demolished old deli building, with a portion of the proceeds going to charity. That’s true customer loyalty! Reviewers on Yelp.com consistently mention the Omar (salami, turkey and Swiss on an onion roll with bell pepper, onion, chopped pepperoncini peppers, mustard and Italian dressing) when singing Sausage Deli’s praises using adjectives such as “fantastic” and “amazing.” Looking to eat light? Try the Susie Sorority which features turkey, havarti, lettuce, tomato and sprouts on whole wheat with mayo. A jukebox and booth seating encourage one to linger rather than grab it to go; people-watching at Sausage Deli is a pastime unto itself. And sandwich trays, party platters and box lunches are but some of the options available should you choose to have Sausage Deli cater your event. When it comes down to it, do you want the members of your planning committee to simply eat a meal or for them to experience a Tucson institution? He who provides Sausage Deli for lunch is the king of the office. Remember, friends don’t let friends eat at Subway. Here’s hoping Fanelli and company continue to crank out grinders and hoagies for another 35 years to come. Visit the Sausage Deli Monday-Saturday 10 am-7 pm at 754 E. Grant Rd. In a hurry? Call your order in at (520) 623-8182. An expansive menu is available at SausageDeli.com.

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photo: David Olsen

Z biz

Aloft Arrives by Jamie Manser A sneak peek tour of the new Aloft at 1900 E. Speedway Blvd., formally Four Points by Sheraton, last month showcased a shiny new hotel, complete with meeting spaces, a pool and a workout room, plus a spacious lobby that includes a lounge, pool table, bar, coffee and snack area surrounded by contemporary chic décor. Polished concrete floors on the ground level give way to groovy cool-toned striped carpeting in the hallways and meeting spaces. A trip up the elevator to the plush suites is itself a trip – mood lit (think hipster make-out room) with deep purple colored fabric on the elevator’s walls. The rooms feature a nice mix of swank and utility, wired for wireless or Ethernet connections and views for miles. It is lovely to see how green Tucson actually is from that vantage point. The beds are super comfy, definitely good enough to please momma, grandma and snotty little sis. Owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts for the last couple decades, the property was originally constructed in the early 1970s, according to Craig Martin, Aloft 20 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | April 2013

General Manager. In the early 1990s, Martin said via email, Starwood Hotels & Resorts purchased the structure to “brand as a Four Points by Sheraton.” For those that remember the building’s previous incarnation, this is something completely different and very much better. The old design was stuffy, dark and oppressive. The redesign is light, clean, open, edgy. It took a year for the conversion to be completed. Martin said the goal of the redesign was to “appeal to the next generation of traveler, who crave something bold, sleek and unique. Aloft is the new destination sensation, a totally different travel experience.” In addition to hosting out of town guests, the hotel also plans to cater to Tucsonans by holding events such as live music, book releases and signings along with being a meeting venue for local businesses and organizations. Aloft opens to the public on April 4, more information is available at AloftHotels.com/Tucson.

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Z food&drink

New Barrio Brewhouse

by Teya Vitu Barrio Brewing owner Dennis Arnold has a new office. Don’t expect to find a desk, chairs for visitors or family photos. This new office does have a huge window, maybe 30 feet across. The view’s not much: a couple distant warehouses. But Dennis Arnold is in heaven. He climbs a few steps to a small elevated platform wedged between two steel tanks with a vertical control panel straight ahead. “This is my office,” Arnold declares. Arnold this month is fast forwarding from his 1995 beer brewing set-up to a brand new, unique-to-the-world brewhouse, where he insisted on 22 innovations to the standard brewing equipment to automate the process and add a variety of safety features. Right out of the gate, this brewhouse will enable Arnold to triple the beer supply for his Barrio Brewing and Gentle Ben’s brew pubs and potential distribution outlets. The 1995 equipment can produce 4,000 barrels per year. As of now, Arnold can brew 12,000 barrels and his equipment has the capacity to produce 40,000 barrels, the maximum allowed by state law. But don’t expect maximum production at Barrio Brewing, 800 E. 16th St. “I don’t want to do that,” he said. “That would be a job. Who wants a job?” That’s the essence of Dennis Arnold, who’s never lost the spirit of the hobbyist in his 22 years of beer brewing. He bought Gentle Ben’s in 1991 without beer brewing background. He built his first brewhouse in Tijuana and shipped it to Gentle Ben’s, then located where the Marriott University Park is now. This is Arnold’s third brewhouse “and my final one.” The second brewhouse came in 1995, when he moved Gentle Ben’s to its present location. He moved the brewing operation to Barrio Brewing in 2005. Since then, beer was brewed just beyond the pub’s south wall. Starting right now, all the brewing takes place at the eastern end of the Barrio Brewing warehouse, beyond the pub’s IPA Room, which is getting an 18-foot wide observation window into the new brewery. Arnold intends to do most of the brewing himself for the first 35 to 50 batches. He brought on three more brewers, including a beer chemist from Dogfish Head, from whom Arnold wants to learn beer chemistry. 22 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | April 2013

“Nobody who works here worked in a brewery or did home brew,” Arnold said. “Neither did I. I’m passing it on. It took me seven months to design the brew house.” Don’t think the word “design” applies anywhere else other than the technical details for brewing beer. Take a close look at the pub furnishings at Barrio Brewing and you will notice a sense of randomness and offbeat. It’s not a sense. It is random. The same philosophy applies on the brewery side, old brewery and, even more so, new brewery. “Nobody’s been designing. We don’t come up with a picture or drawings. The structural engineer said ‘you need five steel posts (for the front wall), after that do whatever you want,’” Arnold said. Arnold wanted to make the entire 16th Street wall a window. Not just any window but a patchwork of random sized panes. “There’s probably not one window the same size,” he said, clearly pleased by his ever-present whimsy. The window wall gives the public a full-on view of the brewery. Arnold is even extending the outdoor patio dining to the window wall. But he insists he did not dream up the window as a public benefit. “I want to be able to look out,” Arnold said. The curved awning above the window wall emerged as Arnold was thinking on the fly just a few weeks ago. The warehouse Barrio Brewing occupies has three rows of barrel shaped roof quite reminiscent of World War II-era Quonset huts. Arnold needed a section of flat roof to install rooftop chillers. He cut out a section of barrel roof and re-fabricated it as an awning. “It was ‘there’ three weeks ago,” Arnold said, looking up at the new flat roof area. “Now it’s not there.” The new brewery space is a mishmash of equipment. But the heart of the brewhouse is brand new, custom fabricated to Arnold specifications in Victoria, B.C., at the only manufacturer Arnold could find to bow to his specifications. The custom-made kettle, mash tub and whirlpool each have a hatch on top. Arnold insisted these have glass doors so he could monitor with his own eyes if the contents is bout to boil over. He also added innovations to automate many brewhouse functions. Brewing beer is a hot-and-cold process. Volumes of water control the

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Dennis Arnold

heat and cold. Arnold adapted two 3,000-gallon, 1962 former ice cream tanks to serve as hot and cold water tanks. The process starts in the 8,000-pound mash tub, where 1 ton of barley mixes with 3 tons of hot water. Pipes transport the mash to the 1,500-gallon kettle, where hops are added and the mix “boils and boils.” The hops-and-barley mix then moves on to the whirlpool to spin out all the dregs. The cold water brings the boiling hops and barley concoction down to 65 degrees in its 41-minute journey from the brewhouse to the eight, 100-barrel fermentation tanks, where it becomes beer. The tanks are a carryover from Arnold’s second generation brewery. He acquired them over the years from Seattle, Canada and Tijuana. Just as somebody will acquire Arnold’s 1995 brewery from Tucson. “I’ll sell it within two hours when I list it,” Arnold said. Barrio Brewery’s main beer lineup, nearly all of it created in the 1990s, will remain essentially the same. The top sellers are Tucson Blonde (Arnold’s original beer), the IPA and the Redcat Amber (also brewed since the beginning). The Nolan’s Porter and TJ Razzberry are named after Arnold’s son and daughter. The Copperhead Ale and Oatmeat Stout date to the 1990s. The Hefeweizen is the only beer in the regular lineup created in the 21st century. Arnold created the NCAALE (NCAA ALE) during the 1997 basketball season, and the Wildcats immediately went into a losing mode – only to come alive in the NCAA tournament and win the national championship. Arnold brews this beer only during basketball season and he may retire it this year. Barrio Brewing has 12 taps with 10 regulars and two rotating beers. The expanded brewing capacity will allow Arnold to add many more rotating beers, such as the popular Rich Rod Red. Over the years, he has produced about 50 different beers with about 15 of them in the rotation. He is especially interested in adding Belgian and dunkel beers to the mix. Some of these additional suds will support Arnold’s new beer canning operation. In May, he plans to start canning his legacy Tucson Blonde beer under a Barrio Blonde label. Beer canning will take place in the room where Arnold’s second generation brewery was. “I’m going to call it the Laverne & Shirley Work Center,” he said. April 2013 | ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com 23

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Fusing Art & Science by Jamie Manser

art pre-creation. Upping the ante is Astrophysicist and UA’s Steward Observatory Mirror Lab Director/science rock star judge Roger Angel, PhD. “He is a perfect judge for this,” Klein shares. “He’s like the number one guy in the world on telescope mirrors.” Beyond Dr. Angel’s scientific savvy, he is also known as an ingenious thinker. In a NPR story published last fall, Angel was described by Nobel Prize winning physicist Brain Schmidt as someone who is “incredibly creative.” NPR’s Joe Palca quotes Schmidt, who won the Nobel Prize in Physics for discovering that the expansion of the universe is accelerating, as saying Angel’s “creativity coupled to a sort of a genus is quite rare. So, Roger’s well-known around the world for having these brilliant insights of how to solve problems.” The STEAM Off competitions feature teams creating and explaining their pieces in front of spectators during two hour slots at Sonoran Glass School (SGS), 633 W. 18th St., and Philabaum Glass Gallery & Studio (PGSS), 711 S. 6th Ave., on Saturday and Sunday, April 13-14. The final creations will be on exhibit and for sale at PGSS from April 20 to June 1. “A major part of this is the sale of the STEAM Off pieces will go to (SGS) youth development programs,” relays Nick Letson, SGS’s Youth Development and Social Media man. Winners will be announced at an award ceremony and reception at PGSS on Saturday, April 20, from 5 pm. to 8 p.m. “What’s really cool is I’ve seen a few contestants working on their pieces,” Klein says. “Some take it literally, one is making a microscope. Perhaps someone could make art out of differential equations.” Courtesy of Sonoran Glass School.

It is confounding when public education budget cuts take first swipes at arts programs. It’s not like science, technology, math and engineering are mutually exclusive from music, painting, sculpting and glass blowing. Small-minded policy makers apparently want to merely cross off a budget item, or several. If the goal is to shape young minds in a comprehensive fashion to create tomorrow’s innovators, then there needs to be more course integration and less elimination. The current S.T.E.M. (science, technology, engineering and math) education model sounds logical, but without the ever-important creative element, there is a vacuum. It is thinking in different ways, from different perspectives – sometimes switching gears completely – that can spark (left) Nick Davis, (right) Will the inspiration that anJustiniano at the Tucson swers technical issues. If Glass Festival. an engineer takes a break from her work to pick up a fiddle, perhaps the physicality of playing the music, feeling the notes, manipulating the strings, or moving the bow will inspire a new algorithm that helps with energy conservation. Enter the S.T.E.A.M. movement, which adds in the ever-important art element. Locally, long time glass artists David Klein and Tom Philabaum (co-founders of the Sonoran Glass School) are embracing this movement and hosting a glassblowing/torch working glass art competition that illustrates, live, the science behind the creations with the “STEAM Off” contest. “The main idea is to talk about the science behind the art, which we don’t normally do,” Klein says. “Tom and I said ‘Let’s have an event and let the scientists explain the steps they went through.’” Klein elucidates that the goal is to “really challenge the glass artists to come out with the science, technology, art and math that they use all of the time.” The winners will be rewarded with prize money for first ($1000), second ($500) and third ($250) places. Judging considerations include reviewing the finished pieces and identifying those that best reflect the elements of S.T.E.A.M. along with the accompanying poster each competitor is required to include with their proposal that illustrates the vision of the

The STEAM Off glassblowing art competition anchors the Tucson Glass Festival. Tickets are $25 per day and the live exhibitions run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, April 13-Sunday, April 14. Find more details at SonoranGlass.org/tucson-glass-festival and PhilabaumGlass.com.

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art Galleries/exhibits ARTSEYE GALLERY 5th Annual Curious Camera Competition 2013, Apr 27. 3550 E. Grant Rd. 327-7291. ArtsEye.com

ATLAS Fine arts

Required Reading an invitational exhibition presenting works that are inspired by a specific text, or a writer’s approach to the written word. Featuring works by David Adix, Chris Cunningham, Catherine Eyde, Valerie Galloway, Nick Gergiou, Mel Hombre, Jerry Jacobson, Rachael Rios, Chris Rush, Dave Sayre, James Schaub. through June 8. Wed-Thurs 11am-6:00pm, Fri-Sat, 11am-7pm. 41 S. 6th Ave. 622-2139

CENTER FOR CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY Photo Friday: Illusion takes place Fri, Apr 5. The Politics of Place: Latin American Photography, Past and Present takes place Tue, Apr 16. Lola Alvarez Bravo and the Photography of an Era continues through June. Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm; Sun, noon-5pm. 1030 N. Olive Rd. 621-7968, CreativePhotography.org

CONRAD WILDE GALLERY Eighth Annual Encaustic Invitational continues through Sat, Apr 27. Tue-Sat, 11am-5pm. 439 N. 6th Ave. #171. 622-8997, ConradWildeGallery.com

CONTRERAS GALLERY Gary Aagaard, Neda Contreras and E.M. Contreras

“Composition in Patterns” by Patricia Bischof shows at Unity of Tucson, as part of her exhibit, Sun, Apr 7- Sun, Apr 28.

create a 3-Sum in 2-Son No. 2 opens Wed, Apr 3 with a reception on Sat, Apr 6 from 6pm-9pm. Tues-Fri 11am-5pm, Sat 11am-4pm. 110 E. 6th St. 398-6557, ContrerasHouseFineArt.com

DAVIS DOMINGUEZ GALLERY Paintings by Katherine Josten continues through Sat, May 4. Tue-Fri, 11am-5pm; Sat, 11am-4pm. 154 E. 6th St. 629-9759, DavisDominguez.com

DECO “R is for Retro” continues through April. Tue-Wed, Sat, 11am-4pm; Thu-Fri, 11am-5pm. 2612 E. Broadway Blvd. 319-0888, DecoArtTucson.com

DEGRAZIA GALLERY IN THE SUN Oil and Pencil on Canvas by Joanne Pregon continues through Fri, Apr 5. Daily, 10am-4pm. 6300 N. Swan Rd. 2999191, DeGrazia.org

THE DRAWING STUDIO Unbound: An Art Quilt Exhibit by Fiber Artists of Southern Arizona shows Sat, Apr 6- Sat, Apr 27. Tue-Sat, noon-4pm. 33 S. 6th Ave. 620-0947, TheDrawingStudio.org

ETHERTON GALLERY Surface Tension continues through Sat, Apr 13. Jim Wald, Jane Abrams and Robert Cocke premiere Sat, Apr 20 with a reception from 7pm-10pm. Tue-Sat, 11am-5pm. 135 S. 6th Ave. 624-7370, EthertonGallery.com

FLUXX STUDIO AND GALLERY Fluxx Studio and Gallery, 414 E. 9th St. Fluxxproductions.com

GEORGE STRASBURGER STUDIO AND GALLERY Thu-Sat, 11am4pm and by appointment. 172 E. Toole St. 882-2160, GeorgeStrasburger.com

JOSEPH GROSS GALLERY

Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition opens Mon, Apr 8 with a reception on Thu, Apr 18 from 5pm-7pm. Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm; Sat-Sun, 10am-4pm. 1031 N. Olive Rd. 626-4215, CFA.arizona.edu/galleries

LIONEL ROMBACH GALLERY Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm; Sat-Sun, 10am-4pm. 1031 N. Olive Rd. 624-4215, CFA.arizona.edu/galleries

LOUIS CARLOS BERNAL GALLERY Annual Student Juried Art Exhibit “Rabbit vs. Dog,” a charcoal drawing on cutout wood by Amy Novelli is featured at the Wee Gallery starting Sat, Apr 6. 26 ZOCALOMAGAZINE.com | April 2013

opens Mon, Apr 1. Wed 10:30am-5pm; Tue, Thu 10am-5pm; Fri 10am-3pm. 2202 W. Anklam Rd. 206-6942, Pima.Edu/cfa

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This spring marks the eighth year of the grassroots Tucson Artists’ Open Studios. Faced with decreased funding for the arts in 2006, it looked as though the tradition of a twice-a-year open studio tour had come to an end. However, a small group of artists got together and organized the first artist-driven event which featured artists in 39 locations, mostly downtown. The event has now grown to more than 135 artists in over 75 locations. Tucson Artists’ Open Studios is still organized on a volunteer basis and funded solely by artist registration fees. The Tucson Artists’ Open Studios is an opportunity for both emerging and established artists to share their work with the public. It’s a chance to experience the creative process and see the work spaces of artists in your own neighborhood, or to explore new horizons by visiting studios across town. We encourage you to use these listings and the web site to plan a day or two to explore art in progress all over the metropolitan Tucson region. For a detailed interactive map of each location, please visit the individual artist listings on the web at TucsonOpenStudios.com. As some artists have signed up after press time, be sure to check the web site for the most up-to-date listings.

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Tucson Artists’ Open Studios

Saturday, April 13 & Sunday, April 14 • 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Zoom into all of these locations with detailed maps at TucsonOpenStudios.com

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