Tucson’s small-town feel with the amenities of a big city is why it continues to be the favored weekend destination for over its rival, Phoenix, to the north.
Sash and I had always preferred the lighter crowds and the abundance of parking in the “Old Pueblo”, yet found that it offered enough creative and eclectic outlets for great shops and eats, as well as the best of what national chains could generate.
Thus, it was finally time that we started our morning with a full breakfast at Waffle House.
Ahh, the Waffle House! It’s boxy road signs reaching 500 feet into the sky, the semi-trucks lined up at 6AM in the parking lot, the smell of coffee wafting from its doors, are just a few of what contributes to one of America’s cultural commercial icons.
For lunch, we rediscovered Lindy’s on 4th, a tiny nook fo decadent burger interpretations that we previously wrote about here. We had to go back to relive the smell of seasoned ground beef smoking on the fryer, the grease dripping down our arms, and the crunchy deep fried tater tots.
Later on, we spend an afternoon at Tucson Art Museum for look at how the desert Southwest impacts the creative imagination of local artists.
More about the places mentioned:
Waffle House: We picked its location at 3565 E Irvington Rd because it’s just a few blocks from our hotel. I admit, I was expecting something intimidating, perhaps similar to a Wal-Mart-embedded McDonalds, where the sight of an overweight employee in leggings bending over was their idea of “service with a smile”. Yet, I was actually very impressed. I found Waffle House quite clean, quite professional, quite “decent”, actually.
I mean, I find Denny’s to be more dirty and dingy than Waffle House, and the food at Waffle House is much higher quality all around. The hash browns are amazing. The waffles? Yeah, moist, hot, and begging for a morning bath of syrup and butter. All waitresses there serve you, not just the one assigned to you. Your coffee remains full and hot as a result.
Link: https://www.wafflehouse.com/
Lindy’s on 4th: Tucson’s famed “4th Avenue Shopping District” is where you find the city’s eclectic and unique spots for eats and shopping. Lindy’s on 4th should be on every burger aficionado’s “list of burgers to eat before dying”. The beef patty has that right 1/2 pound thickness, and its juices runs down your hands and arms like you want it to (come on, everyone wants this), and the bun is not too thick, but just enough to let you handle the burger without getting too messy.
Last time I had the Double Donkey Punch Burger (habanero peppers with green chiles), while Sash had the Kush Burger (raspberry preserves with bleu cheese crumbles). So this time, I took the heat down a notch with their Dirty Sanchez (green chiles and jalapenos), while Sash did the Blue Baller (bleu cheese and bacon). Also tried Lindy’s new Ghost Pepper Chile Mayonnaise for dipping tater tots into.
Link: http://www.lo4th.com/
Tucson Museum of Art: Tucked away in downtown, the Tucson Museum of Art showcases local artists who give the desert Southwest a unique interpretation of life in the Old Pueblo and life in the bustling new metropolis. This was a solo visit by Sash who wanted to take some time out for herself and indulge in her American Indian heritage while expressing her own art through video editing.
Link: https://tucsonmuseumofart.org
Leave a Reply