Southern Arizona (continued)

Dig in Downtown: The culinary treasures of downtown Tucson will be showcased at the second annual "Eat Downtown!" event, hosted by Hotel Congress, Thursday, April 10 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Signature dishes from 11 downtown restaurants will make up the eclectic menu, and there will be opportunities to meet the talented chefs. Last year, 300 diners showed their support for downtown revitalization by attending the event, which this year benefits Tucson's Museum of Contemporary Art. The restaurants include Athens on Fourth, Art's BBQ Restaurant, Barrio, Café a la C'Art, Casa Vicente, Chris' Café, Cup Café, Cushing Street Bar & Grill, El Minuto Café, Enoteca, and On a Roll. Tickets are $40 per person and are available at participating restaurants, the Hotel Congress box office, or at www.downtowntucson.com/eat_downtown.
 
Tombstone's Shady Lady Blooms: The Rose Tree Museum in Tombstone, Arizona is named after a "Lady Banks White" rose that covers more than 8,000 feet and warrants an annual festival when it blooms. The "Tombstone Rose" was planted from a cutting brought from Scotland in 1885. Today, with a trunk measuring 12 feet in circumference, the plant is the largest and oldest known rose specimen in the United States. People walk under the canopy of spreading branches and enjoy the experience of the real "shady lady" of Tombstone." The Tombstone Rose Festival, April 12-13, celebrates the 123rd blooming season with a rose parade at 11 a.m. Saturday and other weekend activities. For more details, call the museum at (520) 457-3326 or visit the Tombstone Chamber of Commerce website, www.tombstone.org.
 
Mariachis with your Meal? Mariachi is a musical genre that has become an emblem of the Mexican-American cultural heritage and is part of the local scene in Tucson. The city will host its annual "La Frontera Tucson International Mariachi Conference," April 23-26. The energetic rhythms and suave harmonies of the mariachi are the perfect backdrop for a Mexican-style meal, and mariachis can be found strumming, clad in silver-studded "charro"-style outfits, at Tucson restaurants all year round. A sampling of restaurants featuring mariachis includes: El Charro Café (520-622-1922); El Mezon del Cobre (520-791-0977); Guadalajara Grill (520-323-1022); La Fuente (520-623-8659); La Parrilla Suiza (520-572-7200); Las Cazuelitas de Tucson (520-792-0405); Rigo's Mexican Restaurant (520-882-9323). Call ahead to check schedules because the live music is not offered everyday.
 
A Rain Forest in the Desert: Visitors now can see and smell the only rain forest in the Sonoran Desert. A new tour at The University of Arizona-Biosphere 2 takes visitors "under the glass" to experience a rain forest of the Western Hemisphere tropics. The informative, one-hour tour at the 3.14-acre living laboratory features many new multimedia displays. Visitors walk along a path through the lowland of a simulated Brazilian rain forest that includes more than 150 species of plants, ranging in size from less than a foot to more than 60 feet tall. The tour is available seven days a week. Some areas are closed occasionally due to the University of Arizona's ongoing scientific research. Because the facility is structured for active research, strollers and wheelchairs cannot be accommodated. Find out more at (520) 838-6200 or www.b2science.org.
 
New Flights to Tucson: Tucson's only nonstop flight to Washington, D.C. has been reinstated for spring 2008 after strong community support last season. United Airlines returned the daily nonstop service between Washington D.C./Dulles and Tucson International Airport for the busy, spring travel season in Tucson, February 14 through June 2. The Washington service is timed to support business travelers and to connect United Airline's bank of international arrivals and departures from Dulles. The Tucson departure is at 9:30 a.m. and the Dulles departure is at 5:30 p.m. Total air service at
Tucson International Airport includes 13 airlines, with 91 daily nonstop departures to 30 destinations. Details are available at www.AirTucson.com.
 
Tucson Hotels in the News: A 101-room Hampton Inn & Suites hotel will be built near Park Place mall at the site of the former Buena Vista movie theater, 251 S. Wilmot Rd. ... Loews Ventana Canyon Resort ranked second among Arizona hotels and resorts with 350 rooms or more in the new "Ranking Arizona: The Best of Arizona Business 2008" from Arizona Business Magazine; the resort is the only Tucson property to make the top 10 list in its category. Loews Ventana Canyon also has added 47,000-square-feet of indoor meeting space by opening the Kiva Pavillion next to the Kiva Patio, September through May. ... The only restaurant in Arizona to receive the 2008 "Award of Ultimate Distinction" by Wine Enthusiast magazine (February 2008 issue) is The Grill at Hacienda del Sol. For more details about hotel projects and renovations in Tucson, check the Media section of the Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Visitors Bureau website, www.visitTucson.org.
 
Best Desert Wildflowers in Years: Due to well-timed rains, Southern Arizona's Sonoran Desert is green and its famous, annual wildflowers are blooming in abundance this spring. Peak blooming season is generally mid-March through April. Locate colorful areas in and around Tucson by checking the websites of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, www.desertmuseum.org; Tohono Chul Park, www.tohonochulpark.org; and Tucson Botanical Gardens, www.tucsonbotanical.org.
 
AAA Baseball Coming Soon: The Tucson Sidewinders open their 2008 season at Tucson Electric Park on Thursday, April 3 with a game against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox at 6:30 p.m. The Tucson Sidewinders finished the 2007 season with a 75-67 record and the second-most wins in the team's history. The team won both the PCL and Triple-A Championships in 2006 and has been the Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks since 1998. For tickets and other details, call (520) 434-1021 or visit
www.TucsonSidewinders.com.
 
Tucson Tidbit: Tucson is situated 2,389 feet above sea level, and the metro Tucson area covers more than 500 square miles. Arizona does not follow daylight savings time. April through October Arizona time mirrors Pacific Daylight Time.