Words That Play

Tucson’s urban vibe and unique locations inspire Randy Houser again for “We Went” video.  When Randy Houser returned to Tucson for the making of his “We Went” music video, he turned to Arizona-resident Dustin Rikert (Ambush at Dark Canyon, Born Wild) to get the job done. Rikert, who also directed Houser’s “ Like a Cowboy ” music video (which plays like a short film), knows that country songs are the right stuff for cinematic storytelling. The lyrical narratives of country songs often spin yarns about the lives of ordinary folk who just can’t help but attract trouble—these notions easily translate to the screen. A script was born. The inspiration: Tucson This time, Houser told Rikert that he didn’t want to do the Old West thing. For “We Went,” an up-tempo, rebel-rousin’ song, Rikert wanted settings with historical relevance to render his vision of a gritty, fast-paced, modern-day Robin Hood tale. In the video, Houser and his sexy cohort (Caitlin Leahy), known as the Good ...

It’s the new year of 2001. We arrive mid-morning, sunny but cool enough to give us an excuse to wear the recently gifted winter clothes we received for Christmas (though in the afternoon sun, we’d be shedding them and lapping up ice cream). Everyone is here. My mom, dad, sister, brother, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, two nieces, nephew, husband, and daughter surround me—I push my one-year-old son in a stroller ahead of me. If you’re keeping track, that’s three generations—with that comes differing generational mindsets, schedules, and interests. It proves challenging to bring everyone together. Thank goodness it’s easy to know what to do when they arrive. The  Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum  is a refreshing desert escape with the open-air freedom to explore the high desert and stare straight into the eyes of the region’s wilder residents. Though, to be honest, “museum” just doesn’t seem to cover it. The Desert Museum (the local nickname) is several attractions that focus...

Thousands of bees encircle me. Their frenzy suggests excitement, confusion, perhaps anger? My usual instinct at the sight of even a single bee is to run for cover, yet I am not afraid. This is because Noel Patterson, resident beekeeper at Miraval Resort, has allayed my fears through education and understanding—and yeah, the bee suit helps a bit, too. Miraval is not your typical resort. Of course, they have all the usual amenities, but they promote living life in balance, a mantra honored not only in the services they offer, but also in the footprint they leave on their environment. The 400-acre property balances on the fringe of Catalina, Arizona, a modest ranch town neighboring Tucson’s north side and the Santa Catalina mountains. As I near the destination instead of passing by million-dollar homes, pretentious restaurants, and swanky shopping centers I see simple abodes, farm equipment, and mobile homes. The renowned resort doesn’t loom above or sprawl across prime real ...

Goats  (2012) Comedy This quirky coming of age film, adapted from the novel by Mark Poirier, tells the story of Ellis (Graham Phillips), a 15-year-old boy leaving his non-traditional home in Tucson to attend the Gates Academy, a prep school on the East coast. The film, a Sundance Festival selection, was also one of nine chosen for the Sundance USA tour which dispatched the filmmakers to The Loft Cinema, Tucson’s own art film house. Exciting stuff, but what excited me most about seeing the film wasn’t its connection to Sundance or the opportunity to meet its writer, director, and producer—what I really couldn’t wait to see was how they represented my home town of Tucson. Tucson, otherwise known as The Old Pueblo, has been my home   since 1991. That’s when I left my job at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York, packed up my NYU Cinema Studies degree along with my husband, our two kittens, one lonely love bird, everything else we owned, and headed west. Nearly 2,5...

Loews Ventana Canyon Resort is a modern hideaway that makes the best of Tucson’s open surroundings Full disclosure: I’ve been smitten with  Loews Ventana Canyon Resort  ever since I accompanied my husband on a business trip here years ago. We were young and could rarely afford such indulgence, so that stay was etched in my mind as the epitome of luxury accommodations—the benchmark for which all other resorts would be measured. Consequently, when I recently needed to hit the reset button and find a new perspective for my blocked writer’s mind, I chose Ventana Canyon. My husband and I have enjoyed travel at many resorts around the world since then, so I wondered if it would have the same panache for me. But, learning that Loews Ventana Canyon Resort recently completed a multi-million-dollar renovation piqued my curiosity—how could they possibly improve? Escaping into the mountains Cradled at the base of  Ventana Canyon , the resort remained just as I remembere...

Vacations get us away from it all. They offer a chance to relax, rejuvenate, reconnect, renew. Travel allows us to find adventure, experience something different, and discover new places. When we unwind, we recapture a sense of freedom; We become open to ideas, inspiration, opportunities, and to creating memories.  In Tucson, that openness is best represented by the city’s vast horizons—look up for endless blue skies, unbelievable sunsets, majestic sunrises. Look down at the life that remarkably thrives in Tucson’s rugged landscape—it’s hard not to believe that anything is possible. That soulful atmosphere has attracted notable artists, philosophers, and theologians for decades. Tucson is a place where inspiration is born, and as Randy Houser sings in “Top of the World,”  “I want this moment to last”. Everything about this is right Tucson pushes the limits by delivering experiences way beyond typical. There’s an abundance of world-class resorts, one-of-a-kind—we mea...

Exploring a wonder of the world: the University of Arizona’s Biosphere 2 Planet Earth is Biosphere 1; we get to visit it every day. But, if you’re in Southern Arizona, a visit to  Biosphere 2  is a must! It’s an engineering marvel and one of the largest greenhouses on the planet. Located about a half-hour’s drive north of Tucson in the foothills of the  Santa Catalina Mountains , Biosphere 2 promises an intriguing look into nature and engineering. Managed by the  University of Arizona , the center not only offers tours of unique environmental zones, but also gives students and scientists a unique place to study how natural environments create habitable conditions for human sustainability and the effects of climate change. Exploring the biomes The campus is surrounded by dramatic views of the rugged mountains and the rolling hills of the high desert where cacti, yucca, and grasses glisten in the sunshine. My companions and I were greeted by a cool breeze from...