All kinds of folks find Zinburger appealing, and it’s recently opened its doors in Phoenix, too. The burgers award-winning burgers have already been spoken for, but I’ve got 5 words for you : “zucchini fries” and “banana cream pie.”
Sausage Deli
And to anyone who says, “How different can a sandwich be?” I’ve got three more words : “the Italian Grinder.”
That’s all for this round, but I’ll report future finds as I discover them…
So I’ve just entered the editing phase of this project, which means I’m traveling A LOT less – I’m completely stationary, in fact, until edits are approved and the project starts going up. It’s an opportunity, therefore, to catch up with post ideas that haven’t yet made it to press. For example, with all the time I spent in Tucson, I’ve got a few more restaurant suggestions – just step this way, there’s a table waiting for you at…
Rigo’s
There’s a reason I have no pictures of the food for Rigo’s – I didn’t think of anything except how good everything tasted until my plate was nearly empty. No problem, though, I’ll just have to go back and eat there again!
Trident Grill
Another option is Trident Grill, known for its crabcakes but also featuring great fish and chips, which are still kind of a novelty to this Kansas-grown girl.
If it’s hard to remember the searing heat of the desert within air conditioned Nogales houses or even chilly Phoenix newsrooms, it’s impossible to remember so many miles away in the lush countryside of Pennsylvania. Yet the same story that led me south repeatedly is now bringing me north for a few days.
When I get home there’s a few loose end interviews, then writing and editing, then more editing. At the moment that’s all very far away. I’m realizing how accustomed I’ve gotten to Phoenix, because I can’t stop noticing how different this is – after all, it’s so green here…
Look up in the bar and restaurant area at Maynards, and your view will be this intriguing pattern. While you eat, blues will be spilling from the speakers of what used to be a historic train depot. My first time there, I ate lunch on the patio while trains passed; this time, dinner in the restaurant.
Here’s what I’ve been up to – to see the rest of the my team’s updates, go here.
Amid southern Arizona’s vast landscape of dry foothills, valleys and mountains it’s easy to feel very small.
The people that I’m writing about move through this land, sometimes on a daily basis — they include hikers and hunters, law enforcement and humanitarian volunteers, and the people illegally crossing Arizona’s section of the U.S.-Mexico border.
With the land playing so much of a role in the stories I'm reporting, I decided early on that I needed to see it and experience it for myself. On my first trip I was confident that I'd kept track of where we'd parked the jeep — only to be completely wrong. During the second trip I witnessed dramatic shifts in weather and vowed to be better prepared next time. Most recently, exhausted from the heat, I felt my head swimming despite all my efforts to stay fit, rested and hydrated.
There are rewards — glimpses of elusive wildlife, the fiery wildflowers, unforgettable sunsets. But people who underestimate the harshness of this area are taking a huge risk.
On my first overnight research trip to Tucson, friends took me to downtown to eat. It’s funky, it’s got an attitude, it’s probably not for everyone, but this place had me at two words : BLT pasta.
These photos were taken last Wednesday on one of many follow-up visits.
I’m sure they have other great dishes – in fact, I’ve heard people say they quite enjoy their food – but I think I’m set. And yes, the leftovers are awesome fresh out of the hotel microwave the morning after.
Things here in Phoenix have been heating up lately, and not just because it’s May and the temperatures are steadily, inevitably climbing towards the 100’s. There’s this little thing called SB-1070 that has been in the news recently, and now this is the hotspot for politics as well as border crossing traffic. It’s the perfect summer to be in the newsroom looking at border issues – and having a bit of a travel budget is the icing on the cake.
Next, my teammates and I made a run to Tucson, Arizona to interview several contacts there and sit in on Operation Streamline hearings. Operation Streamline started in Del Rio, Texas, but is now operational all along the border and making news and encouraging debate again along with SB-1070.
Finally, while my team headed back to cover Saturday’s protest events, I spent one more day in Tucson to ride along on a Samaritan patrol. My classmates and I have been in talks to do a Border Patrol ride along too, as both are great ways to get out and see the landscape and understand what people are literally going through.
On Tuesday, we drove north to Sedona. Finals ended last Friday, and I start a fellowship next Monday, so this was our opportunity to hit the road. It was large part break and small part assignment, to scope the city and the scenery for my mother who’s always been interested in going.
We saw beautiful scenery.
We met a group of interesting little birds.
On the way back, we discovered what difference light can make – the two sets photos below were taken in the same place, from slightly different angles and a little shutter speed tinkering on my part.
Here’s the second half – or top three layers – of my border mapping project :
Border Relations
Consulates, humanitarian groups, and medical facilities that play a role in policy along the border.
key:
red = medical facility
green = humanitarian organizations
pink = El Salvadoran or Guatemalan consulate
lavendar = Mexican consulate
turquoise = US consulate
Border Patrol
US Border Patrol stations along the US-Mexico Border, with each station’s sector assignment in the key.
Border Lands
A breakdown of border boundaries, plus cities and facilities that play a role in Arizona or Tucson Sector policy.
key:
red = medical facility
green = humanitarian organizations
pink = El Salvadoran or Guatemalan consulate
lavendar = Mexican consulat
turquoise = US consulate
yellow = US Border Patrol Station
