Finally !

Corona de Tucson

June 13, 2022 

The Tucson Fine Arts Association made its home in the Kingman House (dated 1865) located in the El Presidio Historic District in downtown Tucson in 1924.  The art center moved to its present location in 1975, changed its name to the Tucson Museum of Art, and became the caretaker of five historic properties encompassing an entire city block.  These 18th century houses are used for tours and other activities of the museum.  For example, the ceramics studio and studio art classes are housed in the Romero House which was the home of "the town carpenter" around 1860.  Another one of those historic properties located on the grounds of the museum is the Stevens House built in 1865.  

 

This was our first stop of the day.  Cafe a la C'art is an intimate little eatery tucked into the Tucson Museum of Art courtyard. Entrance is on Main Street...parking is across the street and metered M-F with free parking on the weekend.  The welcome mat...finally brunch at Cafe a la C'art !

The entry way is warm and friendly with soft light, art and flowers.  

Drink and food menus are provided in the hallway. After you choose what you want, you place your order just inside the main dining room at a counter where you are given a number.  You choose where you would like to sit.  

This isn't just any ordinary counter...it is full of delicious cakes, pies, dessert bars and pastries all made in-house by a full time pastry chef. 

Dining areas are located throughout the house with tables for two or a crowd.

  

We chose the patio...

Finally, I enjoyed my first mimosa...

and the Salmon Cake Benedict (I love poached eggs!) with roasted rosemary potatoes was delicious.

FYI...this quaint, unique restaurant was added to Food and Wine's top ten list of best museum restaurants in the country.  It is definitely bragging rights for this little restaurant far removed from the "museum-world centers of the universe" like New York and Chicago.  

Ownership and operation is a family affair in the hands of a mom (We were told today that she has retired.), her son who is the chef and his wife.  It was stablished in 1998.

Next up, the museum...

Bowl with Inlay...North Coast of Peru...made using a gourd, shells, spondylus (spiny oysters) 1000-1400 AD

The Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block is an art museum and art education institute.  Finally, our first stroll through this beautiful collection of modern and contemporary art, Native American art, Latin American art, and art of the American West.  It is hard to pick and choose what to share. Here is a small sampling...

"West Mexican Sculptures...large in scaled deeply human in subject."  This clay piece titled Standing Warrior with Club and Horned Headdress dated 100 BC- 300 AD

Dream Catchers...I loved the shadows...

Indian with Corn...oil on canvas dated 1955 

Beautiful Navajo textile dated 1920-1930

Ground Blizzard..dated 1970

Other exhibits included baskets, pottery, Mexican masks, Kachina Dolls, photography, embroidered layer blouses known as molas, a sculpture garden, and contemporary/modern pieces that we just do not relate to.      

Back at the oasis, it's hot !  We are up and going about 5:00 am.  At 5:17 am, it looks like this...

And at 6:13 am it looks like this.  Finally, the clouds have returned...it has been wonderful.

The birds continue to come and go.  You might remember last weeks post had pictures of babies.  I was disappointed when I posted those pictures that there were no Gambles Quails to show.  Finally, this week, they have been coming in the yard. They have to be the cutest baby birds ever.  For sure, they put a smile on our face as they scratch the ground foraging for seeds bumping into one another.  Unlike the other baby birds in the yard, these young follow their parents to food sources, but feed themselves. 

 

Remember the Desert Rose Randy and Terri gave me in March?   It finally has several buds...6 to be exact.  I think we will have blossoms soon.

Monsoon season officially begins on June 15 and continues until September 30.  The average rain fall in Tucson during monsoon season is 5.55 inches.  The 2020 season was the second driest season since the weather records began in 1865 with only 1.62 inches.  And the 2021 season was the second wettest with 12.79 inches.  My fingers are crossed the forecasters are right as they report the 2022 season could be a wet one with above normal rainfall predicted.  Last Friday, our high for the day reached 106 degrees.  Clouds began to form late afternoon as the sun was setting, the skies turned very dark.  

I heard the thunder, watched the lightening and smelled the rain.  Not a drop at our house, but Saguaro National Park (just down the road) had a nice shower.  I had never seen the sky look like it was on fire before and was completely mesmerized.  

A few minutes later...

Jack with his summer cut...so stinking cute !

I can't think of anything else from last week to post.  It was an especially nice week and a pretty one too !  Morning walks with a pretty sunrise...ahh, a big thumbs up ! Until next timed,

HAPPY TRAILS !