mermaidcamp
Keeping current in wellness, in and out of the water
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Cactus in Bloom
April 5, 2013
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- pink and delicate
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- pincushion
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- pincushion
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- flamboyant
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- orange
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- minis
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- stunning
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- fushia
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- Barrel
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- Barrel
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- Barrel
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- Texan
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- Coahuilan
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- Coahuilan
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- falme
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- bold color
Cactus bloom quickly and with amazing flourish. The colors are often so bright they look almost shocking. The current cactus blooming color splash is a delight to the eye. There is little scent, but lots of pollen for the insects to enjoy and move. Our Sonoran desert environment is rich with diversity and beauty.
New Age Chakra Dude Teaches Swimming
February 7, 2013
The New Age Crystal Healing People are in Tucson right now for the Gem Show. There are magic wands and crystal bowls of every kind. Miners party with geologists who party with aura photographers. It is a gathering like no other. Between 80-90% of all colored gems in the United States at this moment are in Tucson, AZ this week. Book venders, scarf sellers, and rock hounds are swimming in opportunity to connect at the right level with some merchandise. To connect to the entire show would be like connecting with the entire chakra system in balance. It would blow your mind, and may be impossible. For a taste of all that is New Age travel on over to the Howard Johnson’s on the freeway and go to town. Everything from ethnic clothing to crystal massage wands to magic amulets awaits the diligent shopper.
Feasting
February 6, 2013
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Feast is the perfect place to eat an early lunch on Saturday.
Feast in Tucson
Hungry Girl
Quiet table with a view of the mountains
Indochine cocktail
Tasty fresh cocktail with ginger cilantro and whiskey
Kale brussel sprout salad
Krispy kale, sliced brussels sprouts, dates, fried shallots, and more in super salad
Leeks and peppers
I enjoyed the full flavored leeks with a variety of peppers, both hot and sweet
asparagus mushroom waffle
The combo of the garlic crisp waffle with the creamy mushroom asparagus sauce was terrific
Seafood Chowder
Bob enjoyed his creamy chowder.
Shank of lamb
His lamb was cooked perfectly and served beautifully.
no room for dessert
Classy Tucson Dining
The menu changes seasonally so you will always find a new treat in store. A gourmet delight!!
Pastiche for the Humane Society
February 3, 2013
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- decisions to make
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- Ready to order
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- cranberry cosmo
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- Tasting the Cocktail
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- beer on tap
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- Shitake Mushroom Soup
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- Fried Avocado with Sauce
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- Seafood Bisque
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- sandwich and mash
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- Pork Tenderloin w rissotto
A local Tucson restaurant, Pastiche, opened recently on a Monday evening for a special event to support the Humane Society of Tucson. We dined and enjoyed the idea that a hefty portion of our check total was being donated to our Humane Society. I do love this place, but had not been recently. It was a delightful dinner, a good cause, and a reminder to support the businesses that add value in the community by giving on a regular basis. The food is wonderful, and the wine list most impressive. Pastiche provides a chic atmosphere and fine dining without pretense. Service is excellent. I plan to go again soon. The Beth-mopolitan cocktail is worth a visit, all by itself.
The circus still bothers to come to Tucson, but we know a really big show when we see one. The Tucson Gem Show has grown into our most fun and profitable event. We are perfectly willing to give up restaurants and parking and even driving in some places to welcome our precious gemmers back to town for the party of the year. They role into town from all over the world ready to whip out their giant crystals and get busy doing some business. They bring objects of every kind, way beyond the scope of gems or jewelry.
The buyers of all kinds must be here to buy and make contacts for the year. Museum curators, knick knack shop owners, and hippie miners all converge to change the essential nature of our city for the first two weeks each February. I have been officially on restriction from buying anything at the show for years, but it does not really stop me. My birthday falls on Jan. 30, and Valentine’s Day is still on Feb 14. The favorable timing of my birth has resulted in an overstock of gifted gem show stuff. I could easily hold my own gem show, but am currently hoarding all the exotic things I have found. As any queen can tell you, you can only wear so much jewelry at the same time. I should have a museum to display my collection, but then I would truly be on restriction. Like assault weapons, no private citizen can rationalize owning this much jewelry.
I love to see them stream into town in their distinctive costuming, speaking all languages, and laying the bucks on the local merchants. The huge displays of crystals as high as an elephant’s eye crowd into tents and alter the vibration of the desert. Bring it!!! You are the financial savior that primes our pump each year….the economic engine we cannot afford to loose. We love you, gemmers, and wish you a prosperous show this year. Thank you for your exotic and generous presence. If there is any little thing we can do to make you feel more welcome, do not hesitate to ask.
Gem Show, The Greatest Show on Earth
January 16, 2013
Groupies of the Chef
January 9, 2013
— 2 Comments
We have a new favorite restaurant in Tucson. It was recommended to us by a friend, so my neighbor Heidi and I went on reconnaissance. We enjoyed a lovely lunch with gourmet touches and warm service the week before Christmas. I decided to take advantage of a special offer on gift certificates, and purchased three for 2013. I received a 30% discount which always makes me feel smart and happy. Lodge on the Desert is creating a seasonal artisanal menu that suits me perfectly. I am a dedicated groupie of Ryan Clark who tickles my tastebuds exactly the way I like. Dining out is a rare special occasion, so I need to make it count.
Christmas brunch was pure delight. Now I can return for two more blow out gourmet dining experiences when the season changes. The chef is brilliant, the cuisine local and contemporary. This is my idea of ideal dining, right in the ‘hood. Chef Ryan Clark is a local treasure. I am looking forward to tasting our next meal in his restaurant.
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- grilled romaine
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- Sangria
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- passionfruit chiltepin cocktail
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- Christmas Cheers!
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- Flatbread made veg for me
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- crispy tortillas for garnish
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- duck confit salad
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- chocolate torte
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- chocolate chili gelato
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- too much dessert
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- charming historical lodge
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- outdoor fireplace
A Tale of Two Tucsons
January 8, 2013
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Coopers Hawk Fledgling
I live in the middle of Tucson like Gabrielle Giffords. She lives somewhere just south of my neighborhood in a much fancier part of town. On the anniversary of her shooting two years ago, today there are ceremonies to ring bells, hang bells, pray, and commemorate. Tucson seems to me less peaceful, less educated, more reactionary, and more dangerous than it was two years ago. The city creates PR about how we have come together as more civil and less crazed, less armed, less scary…as IF!!!!!!
Where I live the cops do not respond for at least an hour and then they do not bother to even report the crimes you report to them. Nobody calls them because nobody wants to wait around for no reason. The gun store close to my house has had an overflowing parking lot for the last month. My next door neighbor who goes to the shooting range with a bunch of cops on Sundays told me their highly armed group is freaking out because there is no ammo in town to be purchased. They know that the government is a threat to their freedom, and want to buy all the ammo they may need to defend themselves against the government when they try to take their arms.
While commemoration is all well and good, there are plenty of mentally ill people roaming the streets where I live with instant access to weapons. Unfortunately, they have no access to or interest in mental health therapies. There are no cracks to slip through because there is virtually no safety net to treat mentally ill Tucsonans. There is a place where they can score prescription drugs, but no therapy. There is no evidence of effective law enforcement. If Gabby stayed in my neighborhood for a few days she would understand how futile law passing is. With all due respect to her point of view, nobody enforces the laws we have now. Why would adding more laws have a positive effect? I notice a frightening negative effect in the ammo buying population, all agitated and wanting more arms. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. It bears repeating, gentle reader.
Foxy New Year, Downtown Tucson
January 7, 2013
— 1 Comment
New Year’s Eve
uplight
Fox Theater downtown Tucson
stage
Bob takes a call
before the show
lighting fixture at Fox
I had not been in the Fox Theater since the 1970’s when I used to pay $1 to stay all afternoon and watch Woody Allen movies in air conditioned comfort. Downtown Tucson has had a bit of a slow start and restart to our urban renewal concept known as Rio Nuevo. I seriously thought about moving downtown, but did not think it would ever come around to a desirable state. There are still issues, but I am very pleased with what is happening now. We went to a Paula Poundstone show on New Year’s Eve at the historic theater. It was a great comedy concert, but we really enjoyed the design and the atmosphere of the building. We were able to find a cab to take us home, which has been a problem on outings to downtown in the past. Eventually we will have a tram to take us to the restaurants and entertainment venues that are starting to appear. I have high hopes that ten years from now I will be able to hop on the bus in front of my home, connect to the tram to go enjoy the vibrant downtown Tucson deserves. I certainly hope so.
Mini Time Machine in Tucson
January 2, 2013
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Mini Time Machine
enjoying exhibit
Santa on the roof
bedroom doll house
Antique music box
Santa rides
Santa naps at home
courtyard
relief minis
enchanted land
My neighborhood in Tucson contains one of my favorite museums of all time. I have been to a specialty miniature museum in Basel Switzerland several times that is elaborate. To have a high quality specialty museum with changing exhibits near my home is priceless to me. A visit to the Mini Time Machine is a blast for all ages. The detail and concentration involved in creating these tiny items will blow anyone’s mind. The more you look the more you see. All the exhibits are completely childproof, and the museum provide stools that kids can carry that will lift them up to eye level at the displays. I have been there for a museum fund raising party which was incredibly fun. They do make arrangements for private parties as well.
Bienvenidos a Tucson
December 30, 2012
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Tradicionalmente en Tucson los negocios han servido el mercado de ambos lados de la frontera. Nogales, Sonora es la puerta de entrada por la mayoria de frutas y verduras que exporta el pais de Mexico. Hay bastante negocio y riqueza en Sta. Cruz County y en Sonora desde el tiempo de los Espanoles. Ranchos enormes y negocios viejos, acostumbrados de la cultura y los riesgos de la frontera sobreviven. Tucson, entre el diablo y la frontera, sufre poque los Maricopanos han parado comercio legitimo, pero no el crimen. Nos molesta, pero ellos tienen el poder político en el estado. Joe Arpayo no nos representa.
La gente de Sonora ya no tiene ganas visitar Arizona ya que SB1070 es la ley. Esto me parace muy natural. Tucson tiene una herida economica bien seria resultando de la clima politica. El nuevo alcalde de Tucson, Jonathan Rothschild, quiere renovar el comercio entre Sonora y Tucson. Si tiene éxito los Mexicanos, lindos y queridos, van a regresar con su efectivo a nuestra ciudad. Yo le brindo mucha suerte porque nos hacen mucha falta nuestros vecinos Mexicanos elegantes, distinguidos, y mas que todo, ricos, que antes nos visitaban. Aqui les esperamos, para servirles, sin pedo.
Disculpe el Espanol desnudo. No he encontrado el espellcheck en Espanol en mi WordPress.
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