Click below for Charlie’s August, 2010 favorable article about the art gallery at AIT and this fusion style restaurant. http://tucsoncitizen.com/art/2010/08/04/great-art-great-food-at-tucson%E2%80%99s-art-institute/

Finally last week I ate lunch at this restaraut (only open Wednesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) at this restaurant, and was pleasantly surprised. The small student-run restaurant has only 10 tables and is on the 2nd floor of the large AIT school building on Grant, but it has lovely corner window panels that look out towards Grant. The tables have a fine dining look with white tablecloths & red or black napkins, and fresh flowers on the tables.

Everyone was friendly and welcoming, and three tables are elevated so you can actually watch your own meal being prepared in the exhibition kitchen right next door, through large picture windows. I ordered the Barbeque Salmon, Cous Cous, and Arugula salad for $7.00. The other choices sounded delicious as well, such as Roast Loin of Pork with a Proscuitto and Herb stuffing, or the Chicken Scaloppini with a buttery roasted tomato emulsion. The lunch entrée came with several slices of soft bread and two types of butter (regular and herb). Specials change weekly depending on the season.

While I waited for the students to prepare my meal, I checked out the eight pieces of student art on the walls, by those enrolled in graphic design or fashion design – all taking a basic course in color I was told.

My meal arrived promptly and the barbecue salmon was exquisite in flavor and softness. I usually order salmon when I eat out, and this was the best I’ve had in decades. The salad was tasty as well, composed of arugula, apple slices and onion slices, with a bacon vinaigrette. The soft cous cous was finely prepared as well and made a wonderful, complete meal. Later I enjoyed a creamy light dessert of prickly pear ice cream for only $1.50, my first experience with this cactus food aside from prickly pear jelly.

I give an “A” to the students for this overall experience and the quality & price of the food. You can also order a complete meal of appetizer, entrée, dessert and drink for $11.95, or a three course tasting meal for that same price.

Lunch is being served by the students for the summer semester till September 13. Call 520-318-2726 to make a reservation (required due to limited seating), but there were a few walks-ins when I was there (space available). Lots of customers were dropping by for take out as well, so this restaurant has become popular since it opened in July, 2009. Email is AiTucsonbistro@aii.edu.
Students in the culinary program competetly called me back to confirm my reservation, and I had to reschedule it once.

Informative websites if you’re interested in AIT or the Bistro itself: www.artinstitues.edu, or specifically http://www.artinstitutes.edu/tucson/about/ai-bistro-restaurant.aspx

exterior of Encore Exchange, courtesy of Charlie Spillar

Don Vick, the founder/CEO gave me a personal tour recently and his story about the building and his vision for this “original, 2nd hand store with character” is fascinating.

The building itself was the 1941 Beaudry car dealership, then turned into a laundry dry cleaning business, then bought by Don in 1995, when he moved here from San Antonio, TX. He leased it to the Celestial Skate Park for 5 years, then to Empire Customs (hot rod & motorcycle shop) for another 5 years.

And now his dream of a collectible/thrift shop has come to fruition, with the goal to assist 11 non-profits, primarily Mentor Kids USA and also:

Showcase room, courtesy of Charlie Spillar

Arabian Oasis
Crisis Pregnancy Center
Community Renewal
Eagle’s Wings of Grace
4 Tucson
Gospel Rescue Mission
Street Light Ministry
Teen Challenge
Tucson Refugee Ministry
Wayfarer Center

Don has a passion for helping kids, and told me that proceeds from the Encore Exchange store go to these non-profits after their operating expenses.

The store is filled with furniture, books, collectibles, antique golf clubs (from 1920’s), picture frames, dishes, toys, etc. In the showcase room (with a red ceiling) there is an actual working Victrola, a surveying transit from the late 1800’s, old glass bottles, a jeweler’s wooden table, porcelain gas stoves, and lots more.

But the most amazing find is a gorgeous pewter chess set complete with a circus wagon to hold the intricate pieces, and 2 zebras –a true buy for only $2500. See the photo below.

pewter chess set & wagon with zebras, courtesy of Charlie Spillar

Just outside of the showcase room is a cool water fountain built from rocks, shells, driftwood, etc. which greets customers as they enter. There’s even a Hawaiian palm frond hat nearby for the tropical oasis feeling.

Outside the store is a 1938 Ford ice truck which once delivered ice blocks for ice boxes (replaced by today’s modern day refrigerator). And Don is building a sign for the front, from 1000 (or so) plastic recycled Sobe bottles, using the bottom of the bottles facing out. Another project is to create a stained glass exterior up on the metal awning outside the front of the store…when he has time.

Store hours (open every day):
Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information or to donate items contact Don Vick at 520-869-2961 (cell) or dvick7@gmail.com.

Other Tucsoncitizen.com bloggers Karyn Zoldan “From Market to Tucson Market“, and Molly Thrasher “Tucson Bites” have blogged about these popular food truck events, first started up on November 14, 2010.

I attended that very first one, and stood in the MaFooCo long line for kimchi quesadillas with fellow blogger “Telling Stories” (Penelope Starr) wondering how a self-respecting Asian-American like me (who grew up in multi-cultural Hawaii eating from similar lunch wagons) could combine Korean kim chi with Mexican food…

So I stopped by tonight for a 2nd visit of the “delightful and inexpensive night of tasteful exploration” of the Tucson Food Truck Roundup, advertised as “Tucson’s Best Kept Secret” on Sunday, January 29th on the corner of Sixth Street/Seventh Avenue.

Wow — it was around sunset and there were thousands of people there at the once empty lot at the SW corner of 7th Avenue and E. 6th St, just west of Benjamin Supply. People were patiently waiting & chatting in the long lines of about 30 plus trucks/wagons, which may continue until 9 p.m. tonight.

The number of food trucks have multiplied at least five times since that first event in November where I only remember about 6 trucks/wagons in the Dinnerware parking lot. And I hear that brave & hardy customers have been willing to even stand in lines with almost freezing temperatures in December.

Participating Food Trucks and brief description:

Mafooco (Korean Tacos)
Jane’s Rolling Wok (chinese food)
Guero Loco Bubba Q (smoked meats)
Jamie’s Bitchen Kitchen (cuban sandwich)
Robdogs(variety of toppings. Soy dogs, too.)
Red Pepper Mexican Gourmet
Jones St. Bistro (Premier Appearance! modern urban cuisine)
Cyclopsicle (frozen dessert on a stick)
Luncha Libre (mexican gourmet)
Stolen Recipe BBQ (delicious smoked BBQ)
Baja Tacos (seafood oriented tacos)
Isabella’s Ice Cream (dairy and nondairy)
Street Delights (one word: pie)
Shinobu Diego’s Tacos y Burritos
Pinup Pastries (whoopie pies with a smile)
Street Kitchen (sesame chicken with zucchini tempura, edamame)
Vero Amore Neopolitan Pizza
Jake’s Donuts and Funnel Cakes
Seis Curbside (mexican nouveau cuisine)
Planet of the Crepes (sweet or savory crepes)
Animal Farm (big burgers, sandwiches)
Roasted Corn (on the cob)
Q UP! Barbeque(BBQ nachos, chicken wings)

That list above are which trucks/wagons were expected and most were there, plus these additional ones I jotted down:

German Food Station
Taqueria El Tiburyn
Hawaiian Shave Ice
Island Grill JA (click here for earlier blog on this Jamaican food lunch wagon)
Ni Hao Amigos (Mexican food)
Original Cupcake Truck
Peddler on the Path Mobile Cafe (espresso coffee & smoothies)
Hot Fudge Mini Donuts
Nathan’s Hot Dogs Expresso to the Rescue

Music on stage scheduled today were:
4:30 – 6:00 The Shawn Kebler Trio (Jazz Fusion)

6:15 – 7:45 Those Beatles Guys (Beatles Tribute)

Also on the schedule today/tonight:

`See Artists in Action: Mel Dominguez and David Tineo.
`The Art Library will be set up. Look through arts related books.
`Balloon twisting entertainment in food lines, and other buskers.
`Lots of onsite parking, and on street parking.

(Plus I noticed some crafts & jewelry being sold at tables.)

Thanks to Benjamin Plumbing Supply, the Southern Arizona Arts and Culture Alliance, Yelp.com, juliegraphics.com, and Tucson Food Trucks.

The next Tucson Food Truck Roundup will gather February 6th, at the parking lot of the Tower Theatres in Marana, 5-9pm.
(Go to MyTowerTheatres.com for directions: Cortaro Exit/IH-10 Tower Theatres,
5755 W. Arizona Pavilions Drive, Marana, AZ.)

Contact info:
David Aguirre
Director
Dinnerware Artspace, dinnerwareartspace@gmail.com (A portion of the proceeds from these Food Truck Roundups supports Dinnerware Artspace),

Kudos to artist David for his organization of this event, bringing this growing number of food trucks together for a roundup each month. David used to write for us at Tucsoncitizen.com as “Artistic Tucson” (along with Charlie Spillar). What a large & wildly popular community event this has become!

Stand in a future food truck line (or two or three), enjoy the delicious food, art & music, and have fun in this festival like atmosphere.

Planet of the Crepes wagon

Photo courtesy of Charlie Spillar

To read more about Charlie go online to www.tucsonweekly.com (article is written by one of our former editors/artist Ryn Gargulinski, now a writer for the Weekly). Or pick up your issue today or tomorrow all over town, page 18.

Another local hero in that Weekly article is Patricia Maisch, who wrestled that gun clip away from Jared Loughner on January 8, 2011. She is now a spokesperson for Mayors Against Illegal Guns, to tighten background checks of people who purchase guns. The article about Patricia is on page 15 of the Weekly. She is also honored as one of AARP Magazine’s “The Daring Dozen” in their December 2011/January 2012 issue (page 51). These 12 American individuals are recognized as people who use “their energy, creativity and passion to make the world a better place.”

Arizona shooting heroes Ret. Army Col. Bill Badger and Roger Salzgeber are honored along Patricia for their acts of physically bringing armed Loughner down to the ground at the NW Safeway. I recently met both Patricia and Roger at the Tucson hearing by the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, through mutual contact Daniel Hernandez, Jr.

A tribute to one of these “daring dozen” was given to my former boss Hawaiian U.S. Senator Dan Inouye (page 48), now President Pro Tempore, who is committed to “common courtesy” as a “Chief Compromiser”. The Senator has served in the U.S. Senate since Hawaii’s statehood in 1959. He just sent me a President Pro Tempore medallion as a keepsake.

Read this AARP article about “Inspire Awards Honorees” online (click here).

Congratulations Charlie and to these other 9 Tucson local heroes, and to the AARP “Daring Dozen”, which also included famous people such as Jane Goodall and the late Steve Jobs.

Time Market

“Time Market Kids’ Day” will be held on the first Saturday of each month at Time Market Deli & Pizza with activities from 12 noon – 2 p.m. This is a community-friendly neighborhood market in the West University area, and also serves delicious wood-fired pizza, located at 444 E. University Blvd, on the SW corner of E. 3rd Avenue.

Coming up Saturday, March 6th, their first Kids’ Day event is “Kids Make Pizza” with their parents and the staff at Time Market. Enjoy a pizza tossing show, tossing lessons, pizza making stations, and pizza eating fun. It’s free for the kids. Sounds like good fun and good food to me.

Time Market also has great sandwiches & salads, fresh fruits, several espresso coffee selections, lots and lots of varieties of potato chips, and even a charming outdoor patio hidden in the back, toward the west side of the building.

Phone # there is 520-622-0761. There are about 10 tables inside on their wooden floor, a terrace with tables out front, and free WiFi too.

Thanks for this new event information to TC blogger Charlie Spillar (“Artistic Tucson”), who is a regular at this market and who loves their delicious breakfast burritos. He says that he enjoys going there for their “coffee and conversation,” a big part of the community life there. Photos courtesy of Time Market and Charlie Spillar.

Enjoy your time at Time Market, day or night!

Time Market at dusk

And these are his words to me that he was honored “just for scoring a bunch of points in a basketball game on a magical day close to the middle of the last Century. I must be old (smile).” Wow, just a bunch of 46 points.

But the story goes on to say that Ernie could not join his team for dinner at a restaurant later as he knew that he would not be served. Yes, racism existed back then against Black Americans here in the Old Pueblo. But Ernie is not bitter or angry according to the article.

Read more about Ernie, who is now 71 years old and a resident of San Diego, in the Star article (click here). He went on to get his Masters Degree from U of A as well and overcame the racism he had experienced along his life.

Ernie McCray receiving standing ovation at McKale Center (courtesy of Ernie)

Congratulations Ernie for your record and for your loyalty to the Wildcats. I am pleased that while here last weekend you admired the Dia de Los Muertos art mural that “Artistic Tucson” blogged about at Speedway/Stone, and that you enjoyed seeing our faces immortalized on the tile portrait project under the 4th Avenue Underpass.

I have enjoyed your astute and kind comments over the months, and am happy for your recent honor. I used to play basketball with friends in my younger days and I know that what you did was a big deal, not just a “bunch of points”. Congratulations again from us here at the Tucson Citizen.

For more information about Ernie, see his website/blogsite OB Rag: http://obrag.org/