While at Tucson Meet Yourself back in October I met the daughter of Chef Natasha who is opening a new Russian restaurant in Tucson, named Kalina, “a taste of Russian luxuries”.

She has named the restaurant after her father, who just passed away on November 18. The Grand Opening was originally planned for November but is now set for December 5.

In Chef Natasha’s own words:

“Kalina” is my family last name from Ukraine. It is a beautiful tree with red berries that are very healthy and can be eaten by people. Berries stay on the tree over the winter to help birds through cold time with food. I make homemade tasting Russian and European food. Many recipes are my grandmothers and my family.

They are located at 8969 E. Tanque Verde Road #209, website: www.kalinarestaurant.com. Open for regular hours 9:30am – 9:30pm on Dec. 5 with “free samplings and offerings and discounts”. Please call 520-360-4040 to make a reservation due to the small but cozy dinning room. Lunch/dinner menu below.

OPEN HOURS:
Tuesday through Saturday 9:30am – 9:30 pm
Lunch
High Tea all day
Dinner
Closed Sunday and Monday
Will have Sunday brunch very soon with omelet and blintzes bar.

Lunch/Dinner

Siberian Pelmeni
meat dumplings served with creme fraiche
small 7 large 9

Poltava’s Vareniki
mashed potato dumplings served with mushroom consomme
small 6 large 8

Stuffed Bell Pepper
rice, carrots and onions stuffed bell pepper with tomato sauce
meat 9 vegetarian 7

St. Petersburg Beef Stroganoff
thin slices of top sirloin, challots, cremini mushrooms and sour cream
served over homemade egg noodles
10

Chicken Kiev
served with roasted potatoes and mushrooms
10

NY Steak
served with root vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes
12

Borscht (Soup)
Ukrainian beet Borscht and fried cabbage Piroshki
6

Olivier (Salad)
kielbasa, potato, peas, carrots, pickles, saffron mayo,eggs
served with black bread
8

Venigret (Salad)
red beets, potato, red onions, cornichons,sour cabbage, shredded carrots
served with black bread

I know people in the Russian & Slavic Studies Dept. at the U of A who will be very happy to hear this news. Enjoy these Russian delicacies.

Last night (Saturday the 13th of October) zombies invaded downtown Tucson. The 2012 7th annual Zombie Walk was well attended by hundreds of people, many of whom were “undead” and barely stumbling around the gravel parking lot in front of the MLK Building, 55 N. 5th Avenue in downtown Tucson.

Former Tucson Birthday’s photographer Jon Scanlon was there on assignment (by me) to take most of these graphic photos, including the one above of the crowd scene. Viewer warning: the photos below are not recommended for children, as they are quite bloody and gruesome.

I can credit myself for the first three shots below (the lady with the dead baby in her belly, the gruesome guy with a half zombie body on his back, and another scary male zombie). And I took the bonus photo at the very end of this photo gallery. It was a busy night with 2nd Saturday Downtown (where the Zombie Walk ended at about 9 p.m.) as well as Tucson Meet Yourself going on to the west side of downtown.

The theme of this year’s Zombie Walk was “The End is Here”, and many of these photos exemplify that theme. Website: www.tucsonzombies.com (for a photo archive of previous zombie walks). Thanks Jon for the graphic photos below:

So since “The End is Here”, let’s see what happens next year 2013 (the thirteenth year of the 21st Century) if there is another zombie Walk. And if you’re wondering what that half body on the back of the gruesome guy in photo #3 above looked like, here’s a bonus photo I took:

Aidswalk Tucson is in its 24th year (started in 1988) and is now moving to the Jacome Plaza downtown in front of the Joel D. Valdez Main Library, on Sunday October 14. Event starts at 8 a.m. The Main library is at 101 N. Stone, just south of Alameda.

AIDSWALK TUCSON 2012 EVENT SCHEDULE

Event Program Begins:..8:15 a.m.

Warm Up/ Music:………..8:30 a.m.

Walk Start Time:………..9:00 a.m.

Ending Ceremony:……..10:00 a.m.

Quilt Opening:…………..10:15 a.m.

2012 Honorary Chair is new Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild.

After 6 years at the University of Arizona mall, and previously at Rillito Downs, Aidswalk Tucson has found a new location in downtown. The Tucson Meet Yourself festival runs from October 12 to 14 at the Jacome Plaza, and elsewhere in downtown such as El Presidio Park and La Placita Village. Participate in Aidswalk on October 14, then stay for the rest of the multi-cultural festival. More info: www.aidswalktucson.org, to sign up online. Aidswalk is sponsored by the Southern Arizona Aids Foundation (SAAF).

You can even make a $10 donation on your cell phone by texting “SAAF” to 20222.

Help raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and attend/enjoy Tucson Meet Yourself as well.

Walk straight ahead to downtown for Aidswalk 2012