Pretty good day in the desert. Judy worked out. I met with Sifu Misner. Then the adventures began. We started off with a standard-El Nene's-our favorite used to be taco truck turned corner hot spot. Rod and Karen loved it. They even got to-go tacos for the plane ride tomorrow. Then we visited the Arizona Inn, a magnificent complex of casitas, formal dining room, bar, library, swimming pool, clay tennis courts, reading room, and manicured grounds. The inn was built at a time when Tucson had a population of about 30,000. Patrons would arrive in Tucson by train, bulging steerage trunks in tow, and take a dusty, bumpy ride two miles into what at the time seemed like endless desert. Rooms cost $12.00. Nowadays the fare is a bit higher, more like $300.00. The Inn, a magnificent complex covering 14 acres is largely unchanged since opening in December of 1930. However, the expanse of desert has been replaced by urban sprawl, making the Inn a gem fairly hidden in the midst of the city. After touring the Inn, we drove around the historical neighborhood for a bit before making our way to the Time Market, a hot spot just west of the University campus. There we enjoyed a cookie and a little people watching in the bustling establishment. The place is eclectic: excellent wood fired pizza, a coffee bar, a specialized high end grocery section, and several coolers holding various beverages. U of A students come to study, mingle, have lunch, etc. Tourists and Snow Birds like ourselves add to the mix. At home, we fixed dinner out of the freezer, which once again qualifies as pretty tasty "thin gruel." We finished the evening with a final game of Hollywood Gin. We've played eight games this past week. Miss Karen won six. So, for her (as well as the rest of us), life is good, especially today.
Elegant in 1930. Nostalgic in 2023.
A second art shot; Celebrities can often be seen at the Inn, mostly incognito.
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