Tucson Weekly 11.24.22

ADMINISTRATION

Steve T. Strickbine, Publisher

Michael Hiatt, Vice President

Tyler Vondrak, Associate Publisher, tyler@tucsonlocalmedia.com

Claudine Sowards, Accounting, claudine@tucsonlocalmedia.com

EDITORIAL

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski, Executive Editor, christina@tucsonlocalmedia.com

Hope Peters, Staff Reporter, hpeter@timespublications.com

Katya Mendoza, Staff Reporter, kmendoza@timespublications.com

Karen Schaffner, Staff Reporter, kschaffner@timespublications.com

Contributors: Rob Brezsny, Max Cannon, Rand Carlson, Tom Danehy, Laura Latzko, Andy Mosier, Xavier Otero, Dan Perkins, Linda Ray, Matt Russell, Will Shortz, Jen Sorensen

PRODUCTION

Courtney Oldham, Production Manager, tucsonproduction@timespublications.com

Tonya Mildenberg, Graphic Designer, tmildenberg@timespublications.com

CIRCULATION

Aaron Kolodny, Circulation Director, aaron@phoenix.org

Brian Juhl, Distribution Manager, brian@timeslocalmedia.com

ADVERTISING

TLMSales@TucsonLocalMedia.com

Gary Tackett, Account Executive, gtackett@tucsonlocalmedia.com

Kristin Chester, Account Executive, kristin@tucsonlocalmedia.com

Candace Murray, Account Executive, candace@tucsonlocalmedia.com

Leah Pittman, Account Executive, lpittman@timespublications.com

NATIONAL

ADVERTISING

Zac Reynolds, Director of National Advertising Zac@timespublications.com

RANDOM THOUGHTS ON THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS

By Tom Danehy Tucson Weekly Columnist

AN OUT-OF-STATE FRIEND ONCE

asked how I can stand living in Arizo na, with all the political crazies running around. After last week’s election and the basically total repudiation of vile Trump ism, my answer is “quite proudly, thank you very much.”

• On Nov. 15, the day after they called the race for Katie Hobbs, I ran some ear ly-morning errands so that I could lis ten to Tucson’s very-own version of Fa ther Coughlin as he veers further and further off the rails, heading down that one-way, dead-end street that leads to Nutsville.

Of course, Kari Lake got cheated. She was going to win in a landslide. There’s no way she could lose. There’s no way that any of Donald Trump’s hand-picked, election-lying candidates could lose…ex cept they pretty much all did.

It was quite enlightening listening to

him trying to explain what happened. It was vote by mail. It was an algorithm. It was cured ballots. It was faulty counting machines. It was Jewish space lasers. It was everything but the truth, that being that the majority of Arizona voters were so turned off by Lake’s vulgar regurgita tions of Trump’s lies that they were will ing to vote for milquetoast Katie Hobbs.

He’s usually fairly in control when lead ing his echo-chamber audience through their daily regimen of xenophobia and falsehoods. But this day, he lost it. More than once, he said that Lake had lost, but then he would backtrack and say, “No, no, she didn’t lose. If you think that Katie Hobbs won that election, you’re an idiot.”

He even went so far astray as to call a Maricopa County election official “ef feminate” and then ridiculed the guy by speaking in a faux-gay, lisping voice. What is this, the 1950s?

Father Coughlin is always talking about how his kids play soccer or hockey. What will happen when those kids play on a team? Every time they lose, they’ll say the other side cheated? The victory was stolen from them?

Real athletes — and leaders — when they lose, they take that ass-whuppin’ and go home. Then they work even harder so they don’t take another whuppin’ next time. Losers, on the other hand, blame the refs, the scorekeeper, the weather, the field, the crowd, the ball, whatever. A los er is not defined by losing a game (or an election), but rather by refusing to accept the loss in an honorable manner. • One of the dumbest things to come out of Blake Masters’ failed campaign was the late push with mailers and street signs everywhere asking “Are you bet ter off today than you were in 2020? (If no, vote Blake Masters for Senate.)”

What a stupid question. Just about everybody is better off than they were in 2020. Think about it. Two years ago, we were all walking around like masked zombies. Hospitals were overflowing, Americans were dying by the thousands every day, quacks and Dr. Oz (if you’ll pardon the redundancy) were selling snake oil called hydroxychloroquine, and the life-saving vaccines weren’t ready yet.

Restaurants were closed, you couldn’t

go anywhere to work out, movie theaters were shuttered. You couldn’t find toilet paper in the stores, and if there was a slim chance of getting some, you had to get up at 4 in the morning and stand in line for two hours waiting for the store to open. And even then, all they had was the off-off-brand that might as well have been advertised as “Like Sandpaper… Only Flimsier.”

Unemployment was at 20%; doctors and nurse were being pushed to their limits; and the entire economy was in the toilet. There were no sports and schools were closed.

So yeah, we’re way better off than we were two years ago. Sure, there’s infla tion, but that’s just the byproduct of an economy that is roaring along too well (which ours is).

One other thing: I ran into someone who knew Blake and me from our shared time with Green Fields basketball. She asked, “Don’t you think it’s amazing that Blake could get 46% of the votes (in the Senate race)?”

The answer, sadly, is no. You know how Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss) wrote “Green Eggs and Ham” using only 50 different words just to win a bet? Well, you could get any random white person and have him use only the words “bor

SORENSEN

der,” “Second Amendment,” “fentanyl,” “socialism” and “critical race theory,” and that dude is going to get 40% of the vote, guaranteed.

Blake got the other 6% by using Peter Thiel’s millions to blanket the airwaves with slick ads and by blaming gun violence on Black people. Put it all together and you have just enough to lose by six figures…in Arizona!

• I thought that Katie Hobbs was a weak candidate. The GOP could have beat-

en her if they had nominated a cardboard cutout of Betty Crocker. Instead, they chose to go Full Frontal Dark. Kari Lake completely bought into the hatred. She was sneering and condescending and often delusional. In the end, Katie Hobbs didn’t win; Kari Lake lost. And, in a most-delicious twist, it was Lake who lost to a cardboard cutout of Betty Crocker.

After she lost, Lake tweeted “Arizonans know BS when they see it.”

That’s true. Why do you think that so many of them voted against you?

CURRENTS

The city of Tucson and the Tucson Fire Department shared the new Fire Station 8 on Nov. 9 at 1025 W. Prince Road. The new station is the second department rebuild, as part of the Tucson Delivers/ Safe City Initiative.

(KATYA MENDOZA/STAFF)

November 26th • 1pm

Branch Library

BUSIEST STATION GETS A VOTER-APPROVED MAKEOVER

By Katya Mendoza Tucson Local Media

The city of Tucson and the Tucson Fire Department unveiled the new build of Fire Station 8 on Nov. 9 at 1025 W. Prince Road.

The completed project, funded by the voter-approved Tucson Delivers Safer City/Better Streets Initiative, represents a funding investment of $8.2 million. An additional $900,000 were allocated toward turnout and personal protective gear, a new engine and paramedic unit, cardiac monitors, thermal imaging cameras and extrication equipment.

Approved in May 2017, Tucson Proposition 101 dedicated a half-cent sales tax increase to 8.6% between July 1, 2017, and June 30, 2022, to provide funding for road improvements and public safety.

“A world class department deserves a world class building,” said Mayor Regina Romero.

The Tucson Fire Department, which maintains 25 facilities, requested the remodeling of nine stations and rebuild of five stations between the ages of 53 and 64 years old, to address health and safety conditions affecting firefighters.

Built in 1968, the original “House of Love” station was at 250 W. King Road and is historically known to be one of the nation’s busiest stations.

Serving the citizens of Ward 3, the new Fire Station 8 is the second department to be completed.

“These brave, well-trained men and women are to help us through some of the most disastrous things that happen to residents,” said Ward 3 Councilmember Kevin Dahl. “We want them to be able to respond as quickly as possible with the best equipment because it saves lives.

Dahl said this project was probably the best expenditure of tax money one could find.

Fire Chief Chuck Ryan said the new 14,000-square-foot station includes four bays that allow for growth to meet additional call loads, decontamination rooms for the crews away from the living quarters in a separate space and zone dispatching, a special feature to allow sleeping firefighters who are not on call to remain asleep, targeting those who are on call.

Fire Station 8 also includes 13 private dorm rooms, gender neutral bathrooms, a training room and workout area, a large kitchen and gathering space, new appliances and more.

“To the men and women who work here, this is for you guys,” said Capt. Josh Campbell.

MAYOR ROMERO WELCOMES

105 NEW CITIZENS

By Hope Peters Tucson Local Media

MAYOR REGINA ROMERO

welcomed 105 new U.S. citizens to the country on Nov. 10 with personal family stories, while President Joe Biden offered an inspiring video message.

The United States of America Citizenship and Immigration Services and the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona’s citizenship ceremony was administered by Magistrate Judge Lynnette C. Kimmins at the Pima Air and Space Museum in honor of Veterans Day.

“Welcome my fellow Americans, first and foremost, I want to thank you for choosing us, and believing that America is worthy of your aspirations,” Biden said via video.

“Every immigrant comes to America for different circumstances and for different reasons, but you all have one thing in common, courage. The courage it takes to sacrifice and make this journey, the courage to leave your home, your lives and your loved ones, and come to a nation that is more than just a place,

but rather an idea, an idea where everyone is created equal and deserves to be treated equal.”

Biden told the audience America can be defined by one word: possibilities.

“Today you have earned a new title, equal to that of an American president,” Biden said. “A title I am most proud of, citizen, citizen of the United States of America. I look forward to standing with you as you embrace your new rights and responsibilities, as you build your lives, your legacy here like generations have done before you in this great nation of immigrants. Welcome my friends, welcome my fellow Americans, welcome. May God bless you all and may God bless the United States of America.”

The citizens were born in 25 countries: Armenia, Bhutan, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Congo (Kinshasa), the Czech Republic, El Salvador, Germany, Guyana, India, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, South Korea, Mexico, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Philippines, Somalia, South Africa, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, the United Kingdom and Venezuela.

“It is an honor to be here with all of you today,” Romero said. “I’d like to first start by thanking (Pima Air & Space Museum executive director) Scott Marchand for welcoming us to this beautiful historic place that holds so much value to the city of Tucson and our

residents.”

Romero asked for acknowledgement for the original stewards of the Sonoran Desert; the nations of the original people, the Tohono O’odham and the Pascua Yaqui tribes.

“Really, in actuality, we are all immigrants,” Romero said. “Today you have taken the same oath, you have become U.S. citizens. Taking this oath of citizenship with all the rights, responsibilities and privileges that it holds. It is what brings us all together.”

The mayor also thanked Kimmins for presiding over the naturalization and administered the oath. Romero told the new USA citizens of her immigrant family.

“I am a proud daughter of immigrant farm working parents,” she said. “Although my family has lived in the Sonoran Desert region for over six generations, I was the first person in my family to be born on the United States side of the border.”

From her parents, Romero said she learned to respect the lands, to work hard, to value her education and “to always exercise my right to vote.”

She told her fellow citizens that everyone faces struggles, yet there are so many possibilities and opportunities awaiting them.

“As a young girl, I never thought I would be the first woman mayor of the city of Tucson.” Romero said. “I have always believed in our democracy and public service. I love being able to serve the people of Tucson, Arizona.”

Facing challenges and struggles, Romero told the new citizens to “remember this setting, this place, this day, and the faces around you.”

“It becomes our job to work together toward perfecting our democracy,” she added. “That is the essence of what being a citizen is all about. Participating in our democracy.”

Romero said the United States needs each of them “...to create the best United States that we can be.

“The place where you and your family will grow and thrive. We need your leadership, your creativity, your problem solving, your heart, your voice. We need your ideas and insights, we need your courage…We are one, Somos uno.”

Raising their right hand, 105 immigrants take the oath of allegiance on Nov. 10, administered by Lynnette Kimmins, magistrate judge of the U.S. District Court of Arizona. (USCIS DHS/SUBMITTED)

CURRENTS

LOCAL VENDORS TO SHARE HOLIDAY CHEER AT REID PARK

By Laura Latzko Tucson Weekly Contributor

FOR MANY HOLIDAY SHOPPERS, supporting local artists and artisans has become an important tradition.

For 40-plus years Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair at Reid Park lets people find creative items from more than 145 local vendors. This year, it’s Saturday, Nov. 26, and Sunday, Nov. 27.

The vendors’ mediums include photog raphers, pottery makers, metal and glass artists, painters, jewelers, mixed-media artists and fiber and graphic artists.

Attendees can peruse fine artwork as well as handmade items such as pet accessories and treats, soaps, walking sticks, jams, quilts, totes, lotions, wind chimes and baked goods such as fudge and baklava.

Vendors will have holiday-themed dec orations and gifts for sale.

Food trucks will sell quesadillas, break fast burritos, burgers, smoothies, kettle corn, Sonoran hotdogs or vegan items.

Susan Orrico, fair coordinator since 2007, said the market offers an alterna tive shopping experience to Black Friday.

The market was closed in 2020 due to COVID-19. Orrico said shoppers were eager to come back last year, and she ex pects the same this week.

“We had a strong shopping year last year, and we expect a good year this year as well,” Orrico said.

The items are for sale at various price points. Orrico said shoppers can often find affordable items for their family members for the holidays.

“One thing we keep in mind is kids are coming through, and they are shopping for mom, dad and the grandparents. They want to be able to pick something up that is really economical,” Orrico said.

During the event, Lillian “Miss Lilly” Gainous sells free make-and-take crafts for children—including glue and glit ter. She has been part of the arts fair for around 40 years.

“The kids that she introduced to arts

and crafts are now bringing their kids,” Orrico said. “The kids absolutely adore her… Kids come running up and melt right into her.”

Some of the vendors have been doing the market for up to 25 years.

“Our vendors have been very loyal to us,” Orrico said.

“They are just a delightful group of people to work with. It’s a fair where they have to park on the pavement and cart everything in. It can be a long week end, and our vendors have never failed to be so courteous and polite all the way through.”

Sometimes, attendees will come look ing for specific vendors.

“We have someone who does a fantas tic peanut brittle. We have people arrive and say, ‘Where’s the peanut brittle?’” Or rico said.

During the fair, shoppers can discuss with vendors their work and processes.

The show is juried, so artists have to apply. This year, there were more than 200 applicants. Orrico said during the ju ried process, they look for artists who are different, who will add something unique to the market. She said this helps to offer a diverse shopping experience for guests.

“Each tent that shoppers travel to is different,” Orrico said.

Some vendors make it a family event. Sisters Sue and Jean Riley and Sue’s daughter Jillian Riley will have a tent during the fair. They all make birdfeeders using teacups and saucers.

Although they all do the same type of artwork, they create their own pieces sep arately. Sue said their finished products turn out very different.

They will often incorporate beads from gem shows; pieces taken off necklaces and teacups they find at estate sales, sec ondhand stores and garage sales.

Shoppers often bring cups and saucers to them to use. Sue said many people don’t know what to do with teacups and

saucers passed down in their families. The bird feeders let them dec orate their homes with these heirlooms.

“Nobody likes the hand-medown grandma collections anymore. So, they will have us make them so that they have a memory without having to stuff it into the cupboard,” Sue said.

Sue and Jillian started together 10 years ago, and they brought Jean into the fold a little later.

Jean takes care of their parents, so making teacup birdfeeders gives her something to do to keep busy.

Sue said it started as a way to make gifts for friends and family members, but soon turned into a bigger endeavor.

“People started to see them, got inter ested and wanted to buy them,” Sue said.

When she first started, Sue was sur prised how sturdy the teacups and sau cers can be.

“It’s amazing how well they hold up out in the storms,” Sue said.

Sue and her sister hadn’t previously created artwork with found objects. Their parents, however, stressed the impor tance of recycling.

“I’ve never considered myself to be an artist. I’m a stick-figure type of person. That opened us up. It’s really quite fun to do,” Sue said.

The three women use a process for the teacup birdfeeders that is different from other artists.

“We had seen a lot of them where peo

ple make them where they set the teacup on the side and put a string on it. We ac tually do three to four strings per plate and bedazzle them up with crystals.”

The feeders hold birdseed on the plates and water in the cups. Some people find alternate uses for the feeders.

“We have had people buy them to put candy in or bath salts,” Sue said.

Patrons sometimes buy bird feeders because they feel connected to a specific design, such a whale or the U.S. Navy.

“Somebody will say, ‘My grandma had that exact set,’ and they will buy it for that memory,” Sue said. “It’s fun to see the smile it brings to people’s faces, whether they buy it or not. It makes people happy to look at them.”

Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair

WHEN: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, and Sunday, Nov. 27

WHERE: Reid Park, 920 S. Concert Place, Tucson

COST: Free admission

INFO: tucsonaz.gov

The Crafts Fair at Reid Park offers a variety of hand made items, including everything from fiber art to pho tography. (SUBMITTED)

By Linda Ray

WE TUCSONANS ARE PRIVILEGED to indulge year-round in remarkable, even award-winning, comestibles and libations throughout our Unesco City of Gastronomy. But there’s no other time that the mood is as festive, the friendships as meaningful and the memories as bright as the holiday season. Eat! Drink! Be Merry!

AGUSTIN KITCHEN

100 S. Avenida del Convento, agustinkitchen.com

Agustin defines “elegant casual,” with a menu and ambience that could drop your blood pressure. Its food is a compendium of the reasons Tucson was named UNESCO’s first U.S. City of Gastronomy, often using native and locally grown ingredients, prepared inventively. Bonus: Brunch menu for kids.

BATCH

118 E. Congress Street, batchtucson.com

Was Batch the first pub to pair donuts and whiskey? Genius! What a fun finish for a long day with officemates or post-sightseeing out-of-town guests. Stop in the Bottleshop to pick up gifts for whiskey connoisseurs on your list. We can’t wait for the imminent opening of the Snake & Barrel Basement Bar.

CARUSO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT 434 N. Fourth Avenue, carusositalian.com

Since 1938, UA students and townies have taken their family dinners to Caruso’s. Nobody does it better. There’s something delicious for everyone and the waitstaff handles every mishap with aplomb. We recommend starting with the traditional antipasto and moving on to anything with red sauce. Save room for spumoni.

THE CENTURY ROOM

311 E. Congress Street, hotelcongress.com

In the literal heart of town, any Hotel Congress complex menu will impress. Our current favorite is The Century

Room, “A Borderlands Jazz Club & Mezcal Lounge” because it evokes that era when patrons wore tuxedos and slinky, bias-cut gold lamé. They would envy today’s unique mescal cocktail options.

CHARRO

STEAK & DEL REY

188 E. Broadway Boulevard, charrosteak.com

Like all of the Flores Concept restaurants, this one scores high on consistent quality, concern for sustainability, and preparations that surprise and delight. But Charro Steak is our favorite for entertaining because of its twist on the mid-century fine-dining experience of the steak and seafood house. Try any of the sangria options or inventively named cocktails.

THE CITIZEN LOBBY BAR

82 S. Stone Avenue, thecitizenhoteltucson.com

This cozy place has outsized charm to its spare style. Located inside a hotel housed in the former home of The Tucson Citi-

zen newspaper, the upscale pub offers a revolving selection of wines and regional spirits with “ethically foraged” and housemade ingredients. They have package service for takeout or order online.

THE CORONET

198 W. Cushing Street, coronettucson.com

Many is the meal we have happily made from the Coronet’s small plates. We love the low hum of excitement that is ever about the place. Someone has found, made, mixed and plated something fresh in a new way and the whole staff loves it. The building itself is rich with Tucson territorial history, yet the ambience wafts continental. The cocktails are tops in innovation and have some of the best

names in town.

FEAST

3719 E. Speedway Boulevard, eatatfeast.com

Feast is a sentimental favorite. We remember it as the first mid-town restaurant serving food with the kind of creative flair we now associate with the Tucson Originals collective. Feast’s food and service remain consistently above par and perennially fresh in spirit. Here’s an example from November’s menu: “Peanut butter and bacon salad: Little Gem lettuce and frisée with peanut-tamari dressing, house-cured bacon and roasted peanuts. Green apple garnish.”

Batch

Caruso’s Italian Restaurant

FINI’S LANDING

5689 N. Swan Road, finislanding.com

Including flip-flops for door handles, everything about Fini’s evokes stressfree, light-filled days on the beach. The casual atmosphere belies a menu much more interesting, and food much more creatively prepared than you might expect. We can’t get enough of Fini’s Sonoran- and Baja- style shrimp and fish tacos, and Taco Tuesday is great for a crowd: $1.50 off Tacos and Mexican Bottles.

THE MOONSTONE IN THE GRADUATE HOTEL

930 E. Second Street, graduatehotels.com

The view! There is nothing else in Tucson like the glass-walled heights of The Moonstone. Mid-winter? No matter. There are firepits. This is the place to take

Kingfisher

your out-of-town guests so they can take pictures to post to their socials. Try the festive original cocktails made to share and the regional spin on appetizers, including beef birria nachos and poached shrimp aguachile. Not recommended for acrophobics.

THE GRILL AT HACIENDA DEL SOL

5501 N. Hacienda del Sol Road, haciendadelsol.com

The Old Pueblo doesn’t get much more elegant than the Hacienda del Sol. Its gardens are models of artfully laid out, manicured desert flora and its views almost rival The Graduate’s. The Grill hosts the most fabulous brunch in town,

and its selection of 800 wines has earned Wine Spectator’s “Best of Award of Excellence” yearly since 1998.

KINGFISHER 2564 E. Grant Road, kingfishertucson.com

Kingfisher’s clubby interior décor keeps it quiet enough for dinner companions to hear each other. But you’re there for the seafood and no one in town does it better. We’re loving all the oysters on the new fall-winter menu, and regulars have been clamoring for the warm cabbage salad to come back. Other favorites include bay scallop and rock shrimp ceviche cocktail and the grilled sea bass with mission fig-apple chutney.

KON TIKI

4625 E. Broadway Boulevard, kontikitucson.com

Since 1963, when Polynesian restaurants were almost as common as the Olive Garden, The Kon Tiki has delivered consistent quality in the traditional cuisine and cocktails of the genre. Those big bowls of sweet rum drinks are made for sharing, as are all those rich, deep-fried Puu Puus. The rest of the menu is contrastingly, and delightfully, eclectic. We can’t wait to try the katsu chicken and waffles.

MOJO KITCHEN & RUM BAR

1929 E. Grant Road, mojocuban.com

This is the place for the rum-curious drinker in you, but Mojo also offers a unique and broad selection of nonalcoholic beverages, including Cuban milkshakes and specialty sodas. Order the plato mixto (two each of papas rellenas, croquetas and empanadas) for the table

while you pore over entrees. That will take some time for those of us unfamiliar with Cuban cuisine, so maybe add an order of pineapple guacamole.

OWL’S CLUB

236 S. Scott Avenue, owlsclubwest.com

The clubbiest place in town, the Owl’s Club treats you like a member. It’s the perfect spot for an intimate holiday gathering involving top-shelf liquor and, once upon a time, good cigars. We love that it’s in the former home of Tucson’s swanki-

Charro Steak & del Rey

est funeral parlor. Should auld acquaintances never be forgot. Be on the lookout for occasional music programming of impeccable taste.

THE PARISH

6453 N. Oracle Road theparishtucson.com

Here’s where you get your Sazerac. Or you can try out the seasonal specials, mostly decadent concoctions involving fruit and/or secret ingredients like Crème di Violette or butterfly pea tea. The menu is a taste of New Orleans, from the hush puppies and frog legs to the six kinds of po’ boys.

PINNACLE PEAK

6541 E.Tanque Verde Road pinnaclepeaktucson.com

Pinnacle Peak is a classic western steakhouse with all the fun that implies. Be sure your out-of-town guests wear a tie to make a fond memory of having it cut off. Outside is an ideal spot for your family holiday pictures: the gazebo in Trail Dust town. The main attraction here, though, is your steak, prepared precisely as you like it.

ROCCO’S LITTLE CHICAGO PIZZA

2707 E. Broadway Boulevard roccoslittlechicago.com

If you know anyone who gets homesick for Chicago, dinner at Rocco’s is the perfect gift. Any deep-dish pizza there will find its place alongside Pizzeria Uno’s in a Chicagoan’s pantheon. Even better is Rocco’s alcoholic take on the Chicago soda-fountain classic Green River. De rigueur sides include Caprese salad, pasta dishes and antipasto. The deep-fried ravioli, though is worth a departure from tradition.

ROLLIE’S MEXICAN PATIO

4573 S. 12th Avenue, facebook.com

Rollie’s prides itself in representing Tucson-style Mexican food. Not Sonoran. Not Mexico City, or any other region, but Mexican food with distinctive twists reflecting the uniquely polyglot place we call home. Consider Rollie’s birria ramen. Also featured are flat enchiladas, rolled tacos, vegetarian burros and a quinceañera plate.

SIDECAR

139 S. Eastbourne Avenue, barsidecar.com

Tiny and tucked away, SideCar is worth seeking out for its extreme creativity in mixology. The menu begins with six variations on the traditional sidecar cocktail, then proceeds to concoctions involving, for instance, White Fig Rum, Genepy des Alps, house salted lime cordial and multiple flavors of bitters. They also mix a mean mocktini.

TAP & BOTTLE

403 N. Sixth Avenue and 7254 N. Oracle Road, thetapandbottle.com

We enjoy visiting Tap & Bottle in the same way we enjoy going to the zoo or the art museum. Beyond drinking and chatting in the welcoming room, there is something to do together: Walk around and marvel at walls and cases full of so many more beers and wines than you ever imagined existed.

SideCar

DINING

TITO & PEP

4122 E. Speedway Boulevard, titoandpep.com

Smart, spare mid-century modern décor has the air of a ’50s neighborhood diner turned bistro. Its revolving menu items features robust, sometimes delicate but always intriguing flavors. Tito & Pep was a runner-up in the 2022 James Beard Awards. It’s a wonder they are able to keep prices so reasonable.

TUMERICO

2526 E. Sixth Street and 402 E. Fourth Avenue, tumerico.com

Tumerico specializes in flavorful, reasonably priced vegan and vegetarian dishes with a Latin flair. All main ingredients are locally sourced, so the menu changes daily, but they always provide free soup and coffee with your order. They don’t serve alcohol, but they have the best selection of fresh fruit juices in town.

VIVACE

6440 N. Campbell Avenue, vivacetucson.com

The ambience of Vivace is ideal for anniversaries, engagements and other occasions that demand elegance. It’s also very satisfying when you just feel like dressing up, using spotless white table linens and being treated like royalty. Every dish of the Northern Italian cuisine is exquisitely crafted.

WILDFLOWER

7037 N. Oracle Road wildflowertucson.com

Wildflower has some of Tucson’s most interesting and tasty gluten-free options strewn among selections on its regular menu of creatively prepared American-inspired dishes. Descriptions are enticing. We are eager to try hamachi and charred avocado crudo with candied lemon jam, fresno chile, cider ponzu, pistachio and crushed wasabi pea.

Vivace

SANTA SOIREE: THE LAST MIXER OF THE YEAR

The Oro Valley Social & Business Club invites the public to network with them and make new friends for the holidays. The more, the merrier the Christmas. The party includes a buffet, karaoke, dancing, a DJ and an open mic. There will also be two Santas. Will we get twice as many gifts?

5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30, Reflections at the Buttes, 9800 N. Oracle Road, eventbrite.com, $30

GASOLINA REGGAETON DANCE PARTY

This event puts Tucson on the map for what’s becoming a nationwide “movement” of Reggaeton and Latin music. Organizers hope to help them find each other and create communities of like minds, locally and nationally. In that effort, the Rialto joins a string of distinguished venues booked from San Francisco to New York City. Lofty goals aside, this party will be a good time wherever it goes. The only ticketed seats are in the balcony, so put on your dancing shoes.

9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25, Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress Street, ticketmaster.com, $15

FOURTH SATURDAY ARCHAEOLOGY DAYS

Ancient technologies expert Allen Denoyer leads a hands-on program about the ingenuity of the ancient technologies that early civilizations used in daily life. Farming, communication, cooking, construction, hunting and defense all required resourceful use of what was at hand. Pinch pots, cordage and petroglyphs all played important roles. Children, in particular, enjoy learning about etching shells, painting with natural pigments or throwing spears with “atlatls,” the levers that enhanced the speed of a spear.

8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 26, Mission Garden, 946 W. Mission Lane, archaeologysouthwest.org

MADE IN TUCSON MARKET

Gift-giving holidays are days away and we still have presents to buy! This annual event offers a merry mood for shopping among art and treasures of all kinds, all made by local artists and artisans. Most creators are on hand to talk about their work. Shop here, and if you wind up

10TH RENEGADE CLASSICS

SANTA CLAUS TOY RUN

A benefit ride to provide toys for disadvantaged children starts with continental breakfast at Renegade Classics Motorcycles and wraps up with free lunch and a party at Desert Diamond Casino in Sahuarita. The event also includes a $500 Mystery Run, entertainment by Good Trouble, a commemorative T-shirt and a beautiful ride along the Tucson Mountains.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27, Renegade Classics Motorcycles, 4745 E. Speedway Boulevard, tucsonbikerevents.com/toyrun.html, $25, $22 advance registration

RHYTHM & ROOTS: CARNIVALEROS REUNION

Gary Mackender is a writer and visual artist, but music is his jam. He began sharing his singularly eclectic musical aesthetic in 2001. This reunion gathers the players who have accompanied him most often over the years since. All have uncommon skill and a singular commitment to Mackender’s style — spirited and engaging no matter the tempo and underscored with the feel of our desert home. Also see Mackender’s visual art through Dec. 31 at Adobe Barn Gallery, Triangle Ranch, Oracle.

7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, Hotel Congress Patio, Hotel Congress, Plaza Stage, 311 E. Congress Street, rhythmandroots.org, $11.33

10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays through Saturday, Dec 31, Triangle L Ranch, 2805 N. Triangle L Ranch Road, Oracle, garymackender.com, free

LIGHTSUP! A FESTIVAL OF ILLUMINATION

The Tucson Botanical Gardens launches a new tradition this holiday season with festive illumination designed by renowned landscape architect Tres Fromm. “Lights Up” leads visitors through more than a million lights in an artful sequence of experiences. Six thematic “zones,” each with a unique color palette, feature custom-built, oversized installations including works by local artisans. The path winds through, among other things, a 50-foot light tunnel, choreographed cypress trees and a unique arrangement of traditional luminarias.

5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25 through Sunday, Jan. 15, except holidays, Tucson Botanical Gardens, 2150 N. Alvernon Way, $30, tucsonbotanical.org

spending more money on yourself than on your gifts, at least the money stays at home. Artists and craftspeople were among those hardest hit economically with COVID-19 restrictions. Come hungry, too. Some of our favorite food trucks will be on hand.

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27, Fourth Avenue Coalition, 311 E. Seventh Street, Tucson, free admission, historic4thavecoalition. org

‘MESSIAH’ SING-IN

Even if you can’t carry a tune, you’ll find a warm sense of community in singing with others. It’s true. Google it. Composer Georg Friedrich Händel wrote the exhilarating “Messiah” in 21 days while suffering partial paralysis from a stroke. The work is uplifting enough to have inspired community sings all over the world. Ken Marrs will conduct the audience and soloists in this 46th annual Tucson event. Marrs earned a master’s degree in choral conducting from the UA School of Music. 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 28, Christ Community Church, 530 S. Pantano Road, donations welcome, tucsonsingin.org

TUCSON HOLIDAY ICE

Anyone who grew up with snow and ice will appreciate the thrill of the freeze we can finally skate on. Now it’s time to break out your mittens and your heaviest socks. Our neighborhood pond has finally frozen over, right there in front of the Tucson Convention Center. It even has festive lighting and holiday music to skate and dance to. Imagine the fun of your first skate as a desert kid. Friendly and helpful staff help make sure your rental skates fit. Best of all, when you go home, you don’t have to salt the driveway. 2 to 9:30 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Jan. 8, Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church Avenue, tickets start at $12, $8 children under 12, tucsonaz.gov/parks/tucson-holidayice, reserve skates and 90-minute skate times online. Smallest skates are child size 8

JAKE SHIMABUKURO: CHRISTMAS IN HAWAI’I

Just four strings. That’s all he needs to

by Linda Ray

LAUGHING STOCK

DREW LYNCH IS A NEW MAN — AGAIN

By Linda Ray

He’s now touring an all-new set, one crafted to leave no funny bone un-tickled, and he brings it to The Rialto Theatre at 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1. Tickets start at $32 at rialtotheatre. com.

DREW

LYNCH KEEPS

REINVENTING himself. His latest live show reflects his commitment to melding the diverse interests of the more than two million fans he’s cultivated as a content creator, and attracting new fans to his quirky, high-energy humor.

It was Howie Mandel who used his one “Golden Buzzer” of season 10 (2015) to grant Drew Lynch entry into the next round of “America’s Got Talent.”

Lynch ultimately came in second, but his career was made. He went on to garner more than 2 million YouTube subscribers for his comedy sketches, collaborations with major brands and two popular series — one comedically relating his struggles in the wake of a debilitating accident, and

the other, in both a vlog and an animated series, about his therapy dog, Stella. She plays his therapist.

Lynch’s 2019 return appearance on “America’s Got Talent: The Champions” scored more than a million YouTube views its first week.

Since then, he’s also won a substantial following for his standup comedy content. He released his first hour-long comedy special in 2021. Titled “Concussed,” the show is somewhat darker than his previous content, (he refers to it as more “mature”). He explores the comedy potential in his stutter, but also the me-too movement, Jesus, gender, police and similar factors haunting the zeitgeist of the COVID-19 lockdown.

Lynch has, in spades, two qualities most likely to lead to success on the stage: high energy and relentless ambition. He also has a handy trait for comedy: a dentproof light-heartedness that can find humor even in adversity.

So it’s hard to resist imagining how different his career path might be had a wayward softball not taken his voice at the age of 19.

He had been playing a pickup game with fellow employees of a Burbank comedy club. “I remember feeling just devastated,” he said, “because that week I had callbacks lined up for Disney and for “Mad Men” and for “How I Met Your Mother.” I had meetings with casting directors. I felt like I was on the cusp of booking some nice stuff.”

How did he feel about suddenly being disabled? He fell quiet at the question. “I struggled with it, and I struggled with it immensely before realizing that I was going to have to do something to get out of it. I had to feel I could get that control back again.

“I like to be in control all the time. But before that, it was heavy, heavy stages of grief and anger.” He imagined he was always being judged and found wanting. He felt abandoned by agents and managers.

Lynch had been a wunderkind almost since the first moment he figured out a) that he wasn’t cut out for sports and b) that made him different. He did love performing but rarely found an outlet for it, so when his family moved to Las Vegas, they had delivered him to performing-arts heaven. He dove into his middle school’s acting curriculum. He read plays constantly. Then he breezed through an audition for an elite performing-arts high school. After high school, and still under-

age, he moved to LA to pursue an acting career.

He eventually got a job in the bar because working nights made him available for daytime auditions and acting gigs. He said he only joined the bar’s pick-up softball team because they needed people who knew how to play. “It was only the second or third game,” he said, when the softball hit his throat at full speed and delivered the injury that left him stuttering.

After much rigorous speech therapy, he reined in the stutter so that it now surfaces only barely and very infrequently. At those times, Lynch has a laughable cover at the ready.

But after the injury he pivoted, or we might say hurtled, from acting to standup comedy. “I had heard from a friend that if you really want to get seasoned as a comedian, and you want to get on television, you need to do 500 sets in a year. So that year (2014) I did about 590 shows, multiple sets a day for every day.

“Two months later, I got to do ‘America’s Got Talent.’ It wasn’t even that they saw me somewhere. It was just that I felt so comfortable going up pretty much in any environment that I felt like I was ready.

Drew Lynch’s comedy talent outshines adversity. (DREW LYNCH/SUBMITTED)

MUSIC

JAKE SHIMABUKURO BRINGS A HOLIDAY ‘ALOHA’ TO THE STAGE

By Laura Latzko

Ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro doesn’t limit himself with what he can present with his instrument. Part of his repertoire is holiday music, which he presents with a special show meant to in spire and entertain.

Shimabukuro will bring his “Christmas in Hawai’i” show to Fox Tucson Theatre on Sunday, Nov. 26.

During his tour, Shimabukuro is joined by bassist Jackson Waldhoff, sing er-songwriter Justin Kawika Young and ukulele player Herb Ohta Jr.

All of the musicians in the show, in cluding Shimabukuro, hail from Hawaii.

Shimabukuro and Young grew up to gether in Hawaii, both starting in mu sic around the same time. Ohta Jr. was Shimabukuro’s teacher growing up.

“It’s neat to all be together, playing and traveling together. It’s just a differ ent kind of energy. I know it’s going to be fun. If we are having fun, the audience will be having fun,” Shimabukuro said.

Shimabukuro said audiences can ex pect stories from growing up in Hawaii.

“When the four of us get together, we

can’t help it. It will be all spontaneous. Who knows what will happen?” Shima bukuro said.

“Definitely there will be a lot of banter. We’ll make fun of each other and tell em barrassing stories about one another.”

Last year, Shimabukuro staged a Christmas show, but it featured a differ ent group of musicians. This included Thunderstorm Artis, a singer-songwrit er from Hawaii who appeared on “The Voice.”

The show will feature holiday favor ites such as “We Three Kings,” “O Holy Night,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Rein deer” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” as well as tunes from Shimabukuro’s new album “Jake & Friends.”

Young will be featured on songs from the album such as “All You Need Is Love,” “A Place in the Sun” and “Get Together.”

The group will also be performing tra ditional Hawaii songs, including Hawai ian versions of Christmas songs.

There is one version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” that features six ukuleles, five big fat pigs, four flower leis, three dry squid, two coconuts and a Myna bird in a papaya tree.

“Hopefully, we can turn it into a singalong where the audience can get in volved,” Shimabukuro said.

Shimabukuro hopes that with the show, he can expand audiences’ knowledge of the capabilities of the ukulele.

“We try to mix it up with the songs and try to explore different genres and sounds. It takes you through an evolution of the instrument,” Shimabukuro said.

The musician has had the chance to work with musicians from different genres during his career.

In November 2021, Shimabukuro re leased “Jake & Friends,” which features guest appearances by Willie Nelson, Bet te Midler, Jack Johnson, Vince Gill, Jim my Buffett, Lukas Nelson, Kenny Loggins, Michael McDonald, Warren Haynes, Zig gy Marley, Jesse Colin Young, Asleep at the Wheel, Ray Benson, Sonny Landreth and Amy Grant.

Many of the musicians featured on the album are Shimabukuro’s personal musi cal heroes and influences.

For the album, he recorded where he was touring, like North Carolina, Los An geles and Austin.

Almost all the songs were recorded live. Shimabukuro said it was interesting to see the different artists’ processes.

“Collaborating with these other musi cians now, it inspires me to try different things and to play in a different way,” Shimabukuro said.

The album features new songs as well as popular songs from different artists, including Willie Nelson’s “Stardust,” Midler’s “The Rose,” Buffett’s “Come Monday,” Lukas Nelson’s “Find Yourself” and Loggins’ “Why Not.”

“I let each artist choose the song they wanted to record with me. That way it was something they were comfortable with. I didn’t want them to have to learn anything new. There are two songs that we wrote specifically for the record, and that was the two instrumentals. One was with Billy Strings and the other was with Sonny Landreth,” Shimabukuro said.

The songs were rearranged to include the ukulele.

“I would arrange different parts so the ukulele would work with the guitar part or the vocal line. I tried to come up with some interesting, colorful voicings of chords just to give it a different charac ter,” Shimabukuro said.

Shimabukuro has been a longtime fan of the Beatles. On the album, he covers three of the iconic band’s songs.

Shimabukuro is a virtuoso on the uku lele who delves into different genres, in cluding jazz, rock, blues, funk, bluegrass, classical, flamenco and folk.

He said that learning different styles of music can take some time.

Jake Shimabukuro

Justin Kawika

Young

Herb Ohta Jr.

Jackson Waldhoff

By Xavier Otero Tucson Local Media

MARK YOUR CALENDARS…

THURSDAY, NOV. 24

Mixing country, folk, bluegrass, and rock, country-rock singer-songwriter Jason Mayer’s approach to music reflects his Midwesterner upbringing — hard work and a blue-collar attitude — in with his desire to tell stories. From Nashville, the Jason Mayer Band — with guest fiddler Melissa Barrison — perform a free Thanksgiving Eve concert at Whiskey Roads…

FRIDAY, NOV. 25

Pushing Latin culture forward. Spinning everything from the classics to the latest Latin hip-hop, trap and perreo, the hottest reggaeton dance party in the land, Gasolina burns white hot at the Rialto Theatre… Acclaimed Americana singer-storyteller Kevin Pakulis and his Band — keyboardist Duncan Stitt, bassist Karl Ho mann and drummer Gary Mackender — preside over the festivities as The Monterey Court fête their 11th Anniversary with a bashment… In addition to being a multidimensional artist and painter, classically trained Yaqui guitarist, Gabriel Ayala’s impressive resumé includes performances for a U.S. president and a pope. On the vanguard of a new generation of Native Americans making inroads in traditional art forms, Ayala performs at the Hotel Congress plaza. Followed by Tucson’s longest-enduring Latino dance party sin fronteras, El Tambó where consciousness and context come together. La Reina, DJ Humblelianess leads the Sonido Tambó crew. While Hump House pumps out the jams indoors at Club Congress… In an encore presentation of their popular show of French jazz and chanson Française, vocalist Katherine Brynes and Parisian guitarist Naïm Amor bring new life to the music of Édith Piaf, Jacques Brel, and Serge Gainsbourg at The Century Room…

SATURDAY, NOV. 26

In the early ’90s, A Fire Inside, then a band of teenage misfits, manifested in the obscure Northern California town of Ukiah. At the time, the band could barely play their instruments. Undaunted, AFI soldiered on — pushing forward with an aggressive punk, hardcore and dark side of the ’80s UK-laced sound — in the process setting a subcultural groundswell into motion. Exploring

emo, post-hardcore, goth and alt-rock, the release of 2003’s “Sing the Sorrow” marked AFI’s crossover into the mainstream. The album opened in Billboard’s top 10 and went on to platinum certification. In harmony with the figures contorting on the album artwork to their newest collection of songs, on “Bodies,” AFI remains fluid. “To find comfort in a constant is a dangerous thing,” said frontman Davey Havok. “Nothing is constant.” And over the course of a career spanning three decades, AFI has seen much change. “Because of the huge shift in the music industry,” Havoc reflected. “What we do has gone back to essentially becoming underground. If it’s guitar-based, and it isn’t traditional, straightforward rock and roll, it’s now underground.” Havok added. “There’s no effort as far as the industry goes because it’s not Dua Lipa, or it’s not The Weeknd — both of whom are great — but it’s just not what they care about. It’s not what’s pop.” Staying relevant for a new generation, AFI — with special guest Drab Majesty — is at the Rialto Theatre. After the concert, overseer of the dark realm, DJ Mijito keeps the party going at R Bar… Brought together by skateboard icon Danny Way, Spray Allen is a new alt-rock/ psychedelic band. Founded by drummer Wade Youman of Unwritten Law and bassist Eric Wilson formerly of Sublime and relative newcomers singer-guitarists Daniel Lonner and Eric Sherman formerly with NYC’s Late Night Episode, they are a mashup of old and new influence. After meeting initially to jam, the onset of the pandemic created unique circumstances. “We all moved into Eric Wilson’s place together and continued making music,” Youman said. “We were locked away in a ranch in San Diego and all we had was time to gel with each other. We had friends crammed into tiny NYC apartments while we were on a 15-acre avocado ranch making music every day and learning to become a band,” Lonner recalled. “We were very fortunate.” They would eventually surface with demos of 60 songs, which Wilson then sent to musician/producer Paul Leary, best known as lead guitarist for the Butthole Surfers. “Next thing you know, we’re off to record a record at Sonic Ranch Studios outside El Paso in Texas with Paul Leary coming out of retirement to produce it,” Lonner said. Spray Allen present “Needful Things,” their debut album, at 191 Toole… “If vomit were a movie, this would be the soundtrack.” Cannibal Corpse make some of the most extreme, violent metal music, bar none. The gates of hell are sure to buckle under the strain. Cannibal Corpse bring horror

to EncoreTucson… Over the years, singer Emilie Marchand has performed solo and as part of several Tucson ensembles: The Fashionistas, Pearl Handled Pistol, The Ashes of Love, and Kiss & The Tells. Now, Marchand returns to lead her redhot musical flames — bassist Thøger Lund, guitarist Ben Nisbet and trapsman Dimitri Manos — through a repertoire that includes torch songs from the 1920s to ’50s, vintage country, ’60s soul, ’70s classics, and even a few Broadway musical numbers. Lola Torch & The Torchbearers lead the descent into the Late Night at The Century Room… After officially disbanding in the summer of 2021, the motley crew that oversee this zydecotinged, accordion-fueled Tex-Mexican bacchanal — that also happen to be one of Tucson’s most beloved party bands — are back for one night only. Or so they say. Rhythm & Roots presents The Carnivaleros Reunion — featuring vocalist/ accordionist Gary Mackender, bassist Karl Ho mann, guitarist/mandolinist Joe Fanning, acoustic guitarist Björgvin Benediktsson, drummer Les Merrihew, and Alex Rodriguez on tenor sax — on the plaza at Hotel Congress… From the Valley of the Sun, JJCnV — with Tucson punks Gutter Town, Standard Deviance and In Good Cause — lead the “Teenage Monster Pizza Party” at the St. Charles Tavern… Resident DJ Posi plays the latest club bangers indoors at Club Congress while DJs Bex & Halsero detonate sonic bombs, keeping the dance floor radiating heat outdoors on the Hotel Congress plaza…

SUNDAY, NOV. 27

From Oahu — known to islanders as The Gathering Place — this virtuoso’s musi-

cal milieu is equally as welcoming. Funk to bluegrass, classical to jazz, and rock ‘n’ roll, Jake Shimabukuro has taken the ukulele to places that Don Ho (the icon of breezy ’60s and ’70s Hawaiian pop) could have never imagined. His latest release, 2021’s “Jake & Friends” continues this trend with an impressive and diverse roll call of collaborators: Willie Nelson, Billy Strings, Amy Grant and Vince Gill, Jack Johnson, Bette Midler, Ziggy Marley and that is just the short list. “Looking back on it all now, it feels like a dream,” Shimabukuro reflected. “I grew up fantasizing that one day I might be able to meet my musical heroes, and here I am on my own record playing with them.” Bringing the spirit of the Pacific Islands to Tucson, Shimabukuro presents “Christmas in Hawai’I” — with bassist Jackson Waldho and special guests, singer-songwriters Justin Kawika Young and Herb Ohta Jr. — at the Fox Tucson Theatre… Formed in 2001, this band of highly trained female musicians from diverse musical backgrounds have established themselves as one of Southern California’s most popular tribute acts, gaining international recognition. The Iron Maidens pay homage to the music of, you guessed it, Iron Maiden — with Tucson AC/DC tribute The Jack — at the Rialto Theatre… The texturally-rich pop songs that comprise “Clearing,” the debut album from performance artist/musician Hayden Dunham, also known as Hyd, carries the listener through elemental states of being: Fire (destruction), Ash (rebuilding), Garden (germination) and Air (emergence), sonically and visually building out a sensory world for their audience to hear, see, feel and breathe in. Experience Hyd at Club Congress. Umru opens… Connie Brannock & The Little House of Funk

return for their monthly Congress Cookout showcase at Hotel Congress plaza… Equally adept at performing on both woodwind and brass instruments, musical wunderkind Max Goldschmid hosts a Sunday night jazz jam session at The Century Room…

MONDAY, NOV. 28

Embracing the spirit of spontaneity, “playing whatever our hearts desire,” DJs Bonus and Party return with Club Whutever at Club Congress…

TUESDAY, NOV. 29

Known for delivering erratic, rapid-fire rhymes over downtempo trap beats, Atlanta rapper Destroy Lonely — after releasing a steady stream of singles, EPs and full-length albums — recently dropped “No Stylist,” perhaps his most sonically adventurous work to date. The No Stylist Tour brings Destroy Lonely — with special guests Homixide Gang — to the Rialto Theatre… Uniting in an unholy alliance, two of the most prominent bands in the new wave of American death metal movement, Undeath and 200 Stab Wounds are in league. Touted as one of the nastiest and most brutal death metal tours on the road today, The Slave to the Grave Tour — along with special guests Enforced and Phobophilic — makes a stop at The Rock… Independent songwriter Jesse Daniel Edwards grew up isolated in a small mountain town without TV, internet, or significant exposure to the outside world. He spent his late teens busking on street corners around the United States and abroad. Born in Nashville, Landon Pigg is an actor/executive/musician — known for his work in “Whip It,” “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” and “Shrek Forever After”

— and makes the epitome of coffee shop music. Finding kinship in their shared love for books, music, and red, red wine, these two friends, “philosopher poets and songsters” met in Nashville in 2022. Uniting in common cause, they have taken to the high road with guitars in hand. Jesse Daniel Edwards and Landon Pigg entertain at The Century Room…

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 30

Over the past 18 years, country singer Casey Donahew has risen from a favorite on the local Texas music scene — his singles and albums have catapulted into the Billboard top ten on several occasions — to a national touring act. “Once you get your heart broken for the first time, you’ve got a lot to say, I guess,” Donahew quips. He brings his signature rockin’ Texas country sound to Whiskey Roads. The Mark Miller Band provides local support… The Carolyn Toronto Band exude subtle strains of jazz/lounge at R Bar… From Baltimore, purveyors in seething and ferocious grindcore/noisecore, Triac mete out its brand of “fast, ugly and meaningless garbage” — along with Backslider, Languish, and Aftermath — on the stage at Club Congress…

Until next week, XOXO…

November—a month containing both Veterans Day and Thanksgiving—is an ideal time to focus on feel ing thankful. Concentrating on feelings of gratitude helps you feel happier and more positive in the short and long term.

“Multiple research studies have examined the benefits of a simple gratitude practice,” says Jennifer Smith, PhD, director of research at Mather Institute. The Institute is the research arm of Mather, one of the two parent organizations to Splendido, a Life Plan Community for those 55 and better in Oro Valley. The Institute is an award-winning re source for research and informa tion about wellness, aging, trends in senior living, and successful aging service innovations.

“Gratitude can help us feel more connected to others, in crease positive emotions, and reduce negative thoughts,” says Dr. Smith. “And emphasizing the positive can create more positivity.”

The Gratitude-Happiness Link

Many studies have linked higher levels of gratitude to more happiness and satisfac tion with life; in other words, it seems the more one feels grati tude, the happier and more sat isfied one feels in general. One

study that earned an Innovative Research on Aging Award from Mather Institute points out that older adults consistently report the highest levels of gratitude, compared to middle-age and younger adults. That link be tween level of gratitude and overall life satisfaction does not change with age, which means those over age 60 have a “hap piness advantage” due to their high levels of gratitude.

The good news is that you can practice gratitude at any stage of life to actually improve your happiness, positivity, and life satisfaction. One study showed that a regular habit such as daily journaling can enhance your long-term happiness by more than 10%.

Feelings of gratitude have also been shown to make us more resilient, boost optimism, increase self-esteem, and reduce depressive symptoms. Focusing your attention on the positives rather than the negatives— which is what a gratitude prac tice does—can actually switch your outlook for the long term.

Physical Health Benefits

Feeling grateful also carries some physical benefits. It seems obvious that feeling optimistic and generally positive would impact one’s blood pressure, and research confirms this. A study of people with hypertension who

were asked to practice gratitude at least once a week showed a “significant decrease” in their blood pressure. A similar study showed that practicing gratitude can improve quality of sleep.

Give Gratitude a Try

If you want to enjoy the benefits mentioned here, try to focus on feeling grateful at least three times a week, if not daily. Here are some examples of hab its you might adopt:

Gratitude journal: Whether you use a special notebook or

scrap paper, take time every day or evening to list five things you feel grateful for. Ideally, you’ll save your lists so you can look back on them over time. Re viewing them will also increase your positive feelings.

Thank-you notes: Write a note or email to someone who has had a positive impact on your life—whether it was a sin gle action or a lifetime of sup port. Expressing your gratitude in writing gives you a chance to think more deeply about your

thankfulness—and will make the recipient happy!

Gratitude meditation. Take some quiet time to reflect on what you’re grateful for, then examine the feelings brought up when you identify those items, people, or experiences. Focus ing on what you value will bring moments of peace and joy.

Share gratitude. Find a “gratitude buddy”—perhaps your spouse, child, or a close friend—and take turns listing a few things you are grateful for.

This adds extra depth to grati tude, as you can build off of each other’s comments.

Take a gratitude walk. Take a stroll and look for positive things—from the walkability of your neighborhood to appeal ing sights and friendly people.

Whether you’re a natural pessimist or an optimist, try a regular gratitude practice. It will improve your outlook right away, and could result in life long benefits.

“I went to an open casting call the day after Valentine’s Day. I remember because I was super hungover. I got there at 5:30 a.m. and was there for 12 hours. I went to one room and one producer saw me.” Chutzpah wins the day and rescues the career.

But like everything else, Lynch’s then-thriving career took a nosedive with COVID-19. Venues were closed and no new productions were being made. Ever resourceful and committed, Lynch doubled down into cyberspace, churning out YouTube videos, building an audience and ultimately delivering that first hourlong special.

But “Concussed” was a product of its time. Lynch says his new, live show features a new attitude and all new material. “So many things happened, and (2021) felt like such a serious time.

“When I first realized that I was talking about one or two things that were pretty controversial,” Lynch said, “as I was trying to write, it became clear there were going to be things that maybe put people in an uncomfortable spot or maybe triggered them.” (While that’s true, it should be noted that he always provides comic relief in the punchlines.)

“I think rather than shying away from it I made it the whole special. It was a lot of failing! But it’s really cool to know that in a year since that came out, the hour that we’re on tour with now is all different. It feels more buoyant.”

“Buoyant” is Lynch’s natural state. He all but vibrates high energy. He moves around for emphasis, and he animates his exceptional character work. He also talks quickly and compactly. His economy of

words, he said, owes to his background of seeing things as scripted dialogues, and to the speech therapy that helped resolve his stuttering.

The somewhat darker “Concussed” reveals a deeper, more textured comedy sensibility. “That special,” he said, “was very much about just standing still, kind of in one place.” And weren’t we all.

MORE ABOUT COMEDY THIS WEEK

La ’s Comedy Ca e, 2900 E. Broadway Boulevard, laffstucson.com, $15, $20 preferred seating, 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25, and Saturday, Nov. 26. Mike Merryfield

The Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress Street, rialtotheatre.com, tickets start at $32, 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, Drew Lynch

Tucson Improv Movement/TIM Comedy Theatre, 414 E. Ninth Street. tucsonimprov.com. $7 each show, $10 for both shows, same night, free jam and open mic. Thursday, Nov. 24 and Friday, Nov. 25, no shows; Saturday, Nov. 26, 7:30 p.m. The Game Show Show; 9 p.m. The Dirty Tees and The Dating Scene.

Unscrewed Theater, 4500 E. Speedway Boulevard. unscrewedtheatre.org, $8, live or remote, $5 kids. 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 25, Family Friendly Friendsgiving Show: a mixer with members of Tucson Improv Movement; 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, Family Friendly Improv; 9 p.m. Uncensored Improv with NBOJU and The Big Daddies, 6:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 28, Improv Drop-ins, online and in person, free.

“I think every genre of music has its own set of challenges, whether it is just getting the right timbre or the right feel. Or the right techniques. Certain techniques have a characteristic of a certain style. There are so many subtle nuances that take years and years to understand and get under your fingers,” Shimabukuro said.

Throughout his two decades in music, the musician has expanded the possibilities of what can be accomplished on the four-stringed ukulele.

Shimabukuro started playing the ukulele at age 4.

His mom was his first teacher. He grew up in a musical household, where his brother also played ukulele, and his dad played the guitar.

Growing up, he admired ukulele player Ohta-San, the father of Ohta Jr. He really responded to how the artist played different genres on the ukulele.

“I grew up listening to his music, and as a kid, I wanted to be like him. He really inspired me to think outside of the box and try to do different styles of music,” Shimabukuro said.

Shimabukuro started out performing locally with a band called Pure Heart. He went solo around 2001, signing with Sony Music in Japan.

Shimabukuro went viral on YouTube in 2005.

Since then, he has been on the road with his music, performing throughout the world.

He has played at notable venues like the Hollywood Bowl, Lincoln Center and Sydney Opera House.

Recently, he was nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as a member of the National Council on the Arts.

“I’m actually collaborating with a lot of musicians from Hawaii, people who really inspired me, the artists that I grew up listening to. That’s been pretty exciting. This one feels very personal. We are doing songs that I grew up listening to. So, I think this will be really special,” Shimabukuro said.

He is also involved with a George Harrison project, which has taken him to Abbey Road Studios.

He had recorded one of Harrison’s songs for a YouTube video that went viral, which led to him meeting Harrison’s family years ago.

The musician has been working closely with Harrison’s widow, Olivia, and his son, Dhani, on the project.

“They are picking a lot of George’s songs, ones that he wrote like ‘Here Comes the Sun,’ ‘Your Love is Forever,’ ‘All Things Must Pass,’ ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps.’ We are taking all of these songs of George’s. George loved the ukulele. What I’m doing is arranging them for the ukulele, and then we are recording all of these tunes. That’s such an honor,” Shimabukuro said.

Jake Shimabukuro Christmas in Hawai’i

WHEN: 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27 WHERE: Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street, Tucson COST: Tickets start at $22

INFO: 520-547-3040, foxtucson.com

connect and inspire people with a feeling as fresh and unique as an ocean wave. Fans say he achieves a deep emotional connection with an audience of thousands. Along with fan favorites, he includes holiday music from his 2021 release “Jake and Friends,” recorded with

Willie Nelson, Bette Midler and Amy Grant, among others. Bassist Jackson Waldhoff and special guests amplify Shimabukuro’s joy to the world, tied up with a bow of “aloha.”

7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27, Fox Tucson Theater, 17 W. Congress Street, tickets start at $25, foxtucson.com

Shimabukuro said that playing music feels even more meaningful to him now following the pandemic.

“I just love it, especially now coming out of the pandemic and having the opportunity to play again. I’m just so grateful to connect with people and hopefully bring some joy to people through the music,” Shimabukuro said.

Recently, Shimabukuro has been back in the studio, working on another collaborative “Jake & Friends” record. The new record will be more centered around Hawaiian music and artists, including the vocalists and musicians with whom he is touring.

menu was to showcase our food program in a way that demonstrated to our guests that we’re more than a club,” he said. “We want people who may already be familiar with Playground the nightclub to see us at Playground Bar & Lounge with a heavier focus on food.”

This commitment also required a kitchen remodel which resulted in a space that’s twice as big as its predecessor. Other renovations include new furnishings to the interior bar, the rooftop bar, and “Bar Cinema” on the downstairs patio showing classic films from the 1980s and 1990s.

Armstrong has probably already put in his request for a Bar Cinema Mighty Ducks marathon, which he says would pair beautifully with Playground’s Bar Burger with two beef patties, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, house pickles, brioche bun, and PG burger sauce.

“I mean, you’d have a cheeseburger at a hockey game anyway, so why not do it right?”

Let’s play!

GRIFFIN ARMSTRONG PLAYS AGAIN AFTER PANDEMIC HIATUS

By Matt Russell

IN THE 1990S TRILOGY

“The Mighty Ducks,” movies which chronicled the adventures of a youth hockey team in Minneapolis, goalie Greg Goldberg proclaimed, “We either play or play around. You know, have fun. You know, that thing that makes you smile and laugh.”

This must have taken root with a younger Griffin Armstrong who admitted that he was “absolutely obsessed” with these movies as a kid growing up in Tucson.

Today, more than 20 years later, the concept of play defines everything he does as executive chef at Playground Bar & Lounge, which recently reopened at 278 E. Congress Street after more than two years on a pandemic-driven hiatus.

“The biggest thing I looked forward to when I was a kid was going outside to

play,” Armstrong said. “Everything else seemed so boring, I just wanted to run, and recess was the only time that I could be with my buddies in an atmosphere that was completely unrestricted.”

Armstrong said Playground has been through a number of menu changes over the years, and he thought it was critical for his reopening menu — 70% of which consists of new dishes — to continue to connect his guests with playful memories from their childhood.

“We wanted to capture that nostalgic feeling, that idea of play, recess, and old school lunchtime, and give it a modern take,” he said.

He pointed to the fried mac and cheese bites as an example, with elbow macaroni, cheese sauce, panko, scallion and pomodoro sauce.

“This is an elevated version of the

mac and cheese from our school cafeteria days, made more bar and finger food-friendly,” he said.

Another expression of classic kid cuisine is the Tostitos Locos, with Tostitos chips, salsa verde, pinto beans, avocado lime crema, chipotle honey crema, pico de gallo, pickled onions, queso fresco, and queso sauce.

“This is one of the dishes that we brought back from an earlier menu, a twist on my days going to the Circle K for nachos, filling the bowl with chips, and pumping out that hot cheese and chili,” he remembered. “It’s another throwback to the kind of things that I really liked as a kid.”

Other dishes on the menu include flatbreads, salads, skewers, tacos, sliders, and a fried bologna sandwich, of course.

“One of our objectives with this new

Playground

278 E. Congress Street, Tucson 520-396-3691 playgroundtucson.com Closed Mondays and Tuesdays

Griffin Armstrong helms the recently reopened Playground, which was shuttered during the pandemic. (SWOON/SUBMITTED)

NORML GETS DOWN TO BRASS TACKS ON THE LAWS, PENALTIES FOR CANNABIS

By Hope Peters Tucson Weekly Sta

THE VOTERS PASSED PROP 207, a statewide ballot initiative legalizing the possession, use and commercial sale of marijuana for adults. However, a dedicated marijuana user should know the laws and penalties for buying, selling and manufacturing or cultivating weed in Arizona.

Arizona NORML’s goal is stated in its name: reform marijuana laws by any legitimate means available. The staff says they believe their work is necessary.

They advocate at the Capitol. They help craft legislation, inform the public through the media, through public meetings around the state, and through their own web presence and social media.

They work for the patients and the industry, defendants and entrepreneurs; for the canna-curious and the seasoned veterans. Arizona NORML aims to make marijuana in Arizona in every imaginable way, every single day. They work to educate, activate, and organize cannabis issues large and small according to their resources, the AZ NORML mission statement reported.

All good stoners should be aware of these Arizona laws and penalties.

Possession: Adults (age 21 or older) may possess 1 ounce of recreational cannabis with no penalty or fines. If someone has more than 1 ounce up to 2.5 ounces, it is considered a petty offense, with no incarceration but you will incur a max fine of $300. If you exceed the 2.5 ounces to less than 2 pounds, the penalty is a felony, with up to six months to one and a

half years behind bars, and a max fine of $150,000. It gets much worse. If you possess 2 pounds to less than 4 pounds, and 4 pounds or more, you will be charged with a felony, you could get nine months to two years of incarceration and a max fine of $150,000, and one and a half years to three years with a $150,000 max fine, respectively.

Sale: The transfer of up to 1 ounce of adult-use cannabis is legal. If someone sells less than 2 pounds of cannabis, that will get them a felony with one and a half years to three years of incarceration and a max fine of $150,000. With the sale of 2 to 4 pounds you will be charged with a felony, that holds you to two to seven years in the slammer with up to a $150,000 fine, and if you sell more than 4 pounds you can get four years to 10 years for a felony with the $150,000 max fine.

Manufacturing/cultivation: If you are looking to grow your own weed, keep in mind that you may cultivate up to six plants for noncommercial purposes in a private residence. This law took effect on Nov. 30, 2020. If you grow more than six plants, you can be charged with a felony that gets you nine months to seven years of incarceration and a $150,000 max fine. “An adult may transfer up to six plants to another adult as long as there is no remuneration, and the transfer is not advertised or promoted to the public.” NORML said on its website. Remuneration means money paid for work or a service.

Trafficking: If you bring less than 2 pounds of marijuana to Arizona, you will be charged with a Class 3 felony and face two and a half to seven years of incarceration and pay up to the max fine of $150,000. If you bring in 2 pounds or more, you will be charged with a Class 2 felony and may sit in jail for a minimum of four to a maximum of 10 years, with the $150,000 max fine.

Hash and Concentrates: You can possess less than 5 grams of hash or concentrates with no penalties or jail time. If you have 5 grams to 12.5 grams it is considered a petty offense with no time behind bars, but you could pay a maximum fine of $300. If you possess 12.5 grams or more, you will be charged with a felony that could carry one to 3.75 years behind bars and up to a $150,000 fine. Manufacture, sale or trafficking of hash or concentrates get you a felony with three to 12.5 years in the big house, and you could pay up to $150,000 in fines for the offense.

Paraphernalia: Remember that roach clip hanging on your rearview mirror, or the little marble pipe your brother bought you, which you kept in the car? Well, a cop pulling you over for a harmless traffic violation could see your paraphernalia in the car and this could land you in hot water. Well, not anymore in Arizona. Possession or use of paraphernalia is legal. No penalty or incarceration

or fine. The passing of Prop 207 legalizes the possession, use, manufacturing and sale of paraphernalia.

Miscellaneous: Employing a minor in the commission of a drug offense, being convicted of a prior felony, or committing a drug offense in a school zone has led to an increased sentence, NORML noted.

Go to norml.org for more information on laws and penalties.

The national NORML mission statement “is to move public opinion sufficiently to legalize the responsible use of marijuana by adults, and to serve as an advocate for consumers to assure they have access to high quality marijuana that is safe, convenient and affordable.”

See arizonanorml.org/mission/ for more information on NORML’s mission.

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TUCSON AREA DISPENSARIES

BLOOM TUCSON

4695 N. Oracle Road, Ste. 117 520-293-3315; bloomdispensary.com Open: 9 a.m. - 10p.m.

BOTANICA

6205 N. Travel Center Drive 520-395-0230; botanica.us Open: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily

DESERT BLOOM RE-LEAF CENTER

8060 E. 22nd Street, Suite 108 520-886-1760; dbloomtucson.com Open: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily Offering delivery

DOWNTOWN DISPENSARY

221 E. Sixth Street, Suite 105 520-838-0492; thedowntowndispensary.com Open: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday

D2 DISPENSARY

7105 E. 22nd Street 520-214-3232; d2dispensary.com/ Open: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday

EARTH’S HEALING

Two locations: North: 78 W. River Road 520-253-7198 South: 2075 E. Benson Highway 520-373-5779 earthshealing.org Open: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays; Offering delivery

GREEN MED WELLNESS CENTER

6464 E. Tanque Verde Road 520-886-2484, greenmedwellness.com

Open: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday

THE GREEN HALO

7710 S. Wilmot Road 520-664-2251; thegreenhalo.org Open: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily

HANA GREEN VALLEY

1732 W. Duval Commerce Point Place 520-289-8030

Open: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday

HARVEST OF TUCSON

2734 E. Grant Road

520-314-9420; askme@harvestinc.com; Harvestofaz.com

Open: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily

NATURE MED 5390 W. Ina Road 520-620-9123; naturemedaz.com Open: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily

THE PRIME LEAF

Two locations:

• 4220 E. Speedway Boulevard

• 1525 N. Park Avenue

520-44-PRIME; theprimeleaf.com

Open: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays

TUCSON SAINTS

112 S. Kolb Road 520-886-1003; medicalmarijuanaoftucson.com Open: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily

1-877-873-4888

1-900-950-7700

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19)

One of your callings as an Aries is to take risks. You’re inclined to take more leaps of faith than other people, and you’re also more likely to navigate them to your ad vantage—or at least not get burned. A key reason for your success is your keen intu ition about which gambles are relatively smart and which are ill-advised. But even when your chancy ventures bring you ex citing new experiences, they may still run you afoul of conventional wisdom, peer pressure, and the way things have always been done. Everything I have described here will be in maximum play for you in the coming weeks.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20)

Your keynote comes from teacher Caro line Myss. She writes, “Becoming adept at the process of self-inquiry and symbolic insight is a vital spiritual task that leads to the growth of faith in oneself.” Encour aging you to grow your faith in yourself will be one of my prime intentions in the next 12 months. Let’s get started! How can you become more adept at self-in quiry and symbolic insight? One idea is to ask yourself a probing new ques tion every Sunday morning, like “What teachings and healings do I most want to attract into my life during the next sev en days?” Spend the subsequent week gathering experiences and revelations that will address that query. Another idea is to remember and study your dreams, since doing so is the number one way to develop symbolic insight. For help, I recommend the work of Gayle Delaney: tinyurl.com/InterviewYourDreams

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20)

The TV science fiction show *Legends of Tomorrow* features a ragtag team of im perfect but effective superheroes. They travel through time trying to fix aberra tions in the timelines caused by various villains. As they experiment and impro vise, sometimes resorting to wildly dar ing gambits, their successes outnumber their stumbles and bumbles. And on oc casion, even their apparent mistakes lead to good fortune that unfolds in unexpect ed ways. One member of the team, Nate, observes, “Sometimes we screw up—for the better.” I foresee you Geminis as hav

ing a similar modus operandi in the com ing weeks.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22)

I like how Cancerian poet Stephen Dunn begins his poem, “Before We Leave.” He writes, “Just so it’s clear—no whining on the journey.” I am offering this greeting to you and me, my fellow Cancerians, as we launch the next chapter of our story. In the early stages, our efforts may feel like drudgery, and our progress could seem slow. But as long as we don’t com plain excessively and don’t blame others for our own limitations, our labors will become easier and quite productive.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22)

Leo poet Kim Addonizio writes a lot about love and sex. In her book *Wild Nights*, she says, “I’m thinking of dating trees next. We could just stand around all night together. I’d murmur, they’d rustle, the wind would, like, do its wind thing.” Now might be a favorable time for you, too, to experiment with evergreen romance and arborsexuality and trysts with your favorite plants. When was the last time you hugged an oak or kissed an elm? JUST KIDDING! The coming weeks will indeed be an excellent time to try creative innovations in your approach to intimacy and adoration. But I’d rather see your experiments in togetherness un fold with humans.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22)

In her book *Daughters of the Stone*, Virgo novelist Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa tells the tale of five generations of Af ro-Cuban women, her ancestors. “These are the stories of a time lost to flesh and bone,” she writes, “a time that lives only in dreams and memories. Like a primeval wave, these stories have carried me, and deposited me on the morning of today. They are the stories of how I came to be who I am, where I am.” I’d love to see you explore your own history with as much passion and focus, Virgo. In my astro logical opinion, it’s a favorable time for you to commune with the influences that have made you who you are.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22)

In accordance with astrological omens,

here’s my advice for you in the coming weeks: 1. Know what it takes to please everyone, even if you don’t always choose to please everyone. 2. Know how to be what everyone wants you to be and when they need you to be it, even if you only fulfill that wish when it has selfish value for you. 3. DO NOT give others all you have and thereby neglect to keep enough to give yourself. 4. When others are being closed-minded, help them develop more expansive finesse by sharing your own reasonable views. 5. Start thinking about how, in 2023, you will grow your roots as big and strong as your branches.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21)

Even if some people are nervous or in timidated around you, they may be drawn to you nonetheless. When that happens, you probably enjoy the power you feel. But I wonder what would happen if you made a conscious effort to cut back just a bit on the daunting vibes you emanate. I’m not saying they’re bad. I understand they serve as a protective measure, and I appreciate the fact that they may help you get the cooperation you want. As an experiment, though, I invite you to be more reassuring and welcoming to those who might be inclined to fear you. See if it alters their behavior in ways you enjoy and benefit from.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21)

Sagittarian rapper and entrepreneur Jay-Z has stellar advice for his fellow Sagittarians to contemplate regularly: “Ain’t nothin’ wrong with the aim; just gotta change the target.” In offering JayZ’s advice, I don’t mean to suggest that you *always* need to change the target you’re aiming at. On many occasions, it’s exactly right. But the act of checking in to evaluate whether it is or isn’t the right target will usually be valuable. And on

occasion, you may realize that you should indeed aim at a different target.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19)

You now have extra power to exorcise ghosts and demons that are still linger ing from the old days and old ways. You are able to transform the way your history affects you. You have a sixth sense about how to graduate from lessons you have been studying for a long time. In honor of this joyfully tumultuous opportuni ty, draw inspiration from poet Charles Wright: “Knot by knot I untie myself from the past / And let it rise away from me like a balloon. / What a small thing it becomes. / What a bright tweak at the vanishing point, blue on blue.”

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18)

In accordance with current astrological rhythms, I am handing over your hor oscope to essayist Anne Fadiman. She writes, “I have always felt that the action most worth watching is not at the center of things, but where edges meet. I like shorelines, weather fronts, international borders. There are interesting frictions and incongruities in these places, and of ten, if you stand at the point of tangency, you can see both sides better than if you were in the middle of either one.”

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20)

Over the course of my life, I have been fortunate to work with 13 psychothera pists. They have helped keep my mental health flourishing. One of them regularly reminded me that if I hoped to get what I wanted, I had to know precisely what I wanted. Once a year, she would give me a giant piece of thick paper and felt-tip markers. “Draw your personal vision of paradise,” she instructed me. “Outline the contours of the welcoming paradise that would make your life eminently de lightful and worthwhile.” She would also ask me to finish the sentence that begins with these words: “I am mobilizing all the energy and ingenuity and connections I have at my disposal so as to accomplish the following goal.” In my astrological opinion, Pisces, now is a perfect time to do these two exercises yourself.

By Rob Brezsny. Go to RealAstrology.com to check out Rob Brezsny’s EXPANDED WEEKLY HOROSCOPE

or

$1.99 per minute. 18 and over. Touchtone phone required.

Crossword Answers

Handyman Service

NOTICE TO READERS:

Most service advertisers have an ROC# or “Not a licensed contractor” in their ad, this is in accordance to the AZ state law. Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC): The advertising requirements of the statute does not prevent anyone from placing an ad in the yellow pages, on business cards, or on flyers. What it does require under A.R.S. §32-1121A14(c) www.azleg.gov/ars/ 32/01165.htm is that the advertising party, if not properly licensed as a contractor, disclose that fact on any form of advertising to the public by including the words “not a licensed contractor” in the advertisement.

Again, this requirement is intended to make sure that the consumer is made aware of the unlicensed status of the individual or company.

Contractors who advertise and do not disclose their unlicensed status are not eligible for the handyman’s exception.

Reference: http://www.azroc.g ov/invest/licensed_ by_law. html

As a consumer, being aware of the law is for your protection.

can check a businesses ROC status at: http://www.azroc.gov.

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