If you were rich and powerful, what kind of car would you drive? If money was no object, where would you live? Where would you shop? What gadgets would you buy? Where would you vacation? And where would you hang out?
Call us materialistic, but inquiring minds want to know how the powerful, and those who want you to think they have power, should behave. So we asked you, readers of the Tucson Citizen and Tucson Business Edge, to provide us with the answers to our POWER Survey.
Although responses were underwhelming in terms of numbers, those who e-mailed or faxed responses made up for it with their enthusiasm. So without further adieu, here are our powerful results:
• What automobile should you drive?
Cadillac might have dominated 30 years ago, but no more. In our survey, there was no mention of any General Motors or Chrysler products. In fact, the only American cars listed – Lincoln and Land Rover – are tied to Ford.
Our survey reveals the status car of the day to be a Lexus, with Jaguar running a distant second. Other vehicles mentioned were made by Mercedes Benz, BMW and Audi.
• What laptop should you use?
The Sony Vaio T-Series is the laptop of the powerful.
• What cell phone or PDA should you buy?
BlackBerry.
• Where in town should you choose to live?
The Catalina foothills was a narrow winner over downtown, the Sam Hughes and El Encanto neighborhoods, the Tucson Country Club area and the Tucson Mountains foothills.
• Where should you send your kids to school?
According to our survey, powerful people are justified in sending their children to parochial or private schools. St. Gregory College Preparatory School, Green Fields Country Day School and St. Michael’s Day School all received multiple votes. Tucson Unified School District magnet arts schools and the Catalina Foothills School District each received a vote each.
• Where should you play golf?
Ventana Canyon received twice as many votes as the second-place finisher, Omni Tucson National.
• Where should you work out?
In your home gym, of course.
• Where should you buy gifts?
La Encantada.
• Where should you get your hair cut?
Gadabout Salon Spas.
• Where should you vacation?
Answers ranged from Mount Lemmon to an African safari. However, the top response was San Diego.
• With which nonprofit should you be involved?
The Boys & Girls Club, a charity in which Jim Click is active, tied for first place with the Tucson Community Food Bank, a charity in which Beth Walkup (Mayor Bob Walkup’s wife) is active.
• At what fundraiser MUST you be seen?
The Angel Charity Ball.
• Whose name do you drop?
Dorothy Finley, Mike Hein and Lute Olson were among those mentioned. But the No. 1 sentiment was expressed by those who said powerful people shouldn’t name-drop.
• Where is the best place to go for a business breakfast?
Arizona Inn.
• Best place to go for lunch?
Arizona Inn, Sullivan’s Steak House and Old Pueblo Grill.
• Best place to go for drinks?
North was first, McMahon’s Prime Steakhouse was second.
• Best place for dinner?
North again took top honors. Others receiving votes included McMahon’s, Elle, Arizona Inn, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse, Firecracker, Anthony’s in the Catalinas, Terra Cotta, Kingfisher Bar & Grill and The Dish Restaurant.
• Where should you put up your out-of-town clients?
Arizona Inn, again.
• Where should you send them sightseeing?
The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum followed by Sabino Canyon.
David Pittman, a longtime Tucson Citizen reporter, has been covering Tucson business for six years. He can be reached at 573-4592 or dpittman@tucsoncitizen.com