In & Out in a Day: Tucson
Flying from San Diego to Tucson, AZ should be easy and uneventful. The flight is only an hour so, by the time you get your honey-roasted peanuts; the captain announces the final descent. What I like most about flying East-West on SW Airlines is that the peanuts are honey-roasted. When flying North-South, they’re dry roasted, which is acceptable but not my favorite.
On this particular morning in December, the line was atrocious. I made all of the necessary preparations: By printing my boarding pass ahead of time, I could bypass the line at the counter and just drop my bags. I also chose to park at the airport, which is a bit more expensive, but very convenient on short trips. The idea that a “day trip” is easy, by the way, is bull. Waking up at 5 am to catch an 8 am flight for a 10 am meeting, and then departing that city at 9 pm (not many flights in and out) to arrive home at 10 pm, is by no means “easy”. But I digress. My routine was mapped out to the smallest detail, and I had adhered to that plan flawlessly. Unfortunately, I hadn’t planned for the insane line that morning. Gate 9? I miss the days when Tucson flights departed from Gate 1.
The line barely moved and I was finally able to move to the front of it when I was within 20 minutes of departure. At the gate, I patiently awaited. Once on the plane, we waited … and waited. Finally, after about 30 minutes, the pilot told us that one of the engine’s defrosters was broken, and that we would need it if we wanted to fly at 35,000 feet. Luckily, another plane was enroute that we could hop on. So, after a little frustration and shoving we were on another aircraft on our way to Arizona. Business brings me to Tucson and this time around I wanted to see more of it. I had a long day ahead of me but today, I was going to make the most of it.
I’m in sales and I was travelling to AZ to visit an account to meet with their buyer. My job is fun and I get to work with some great people. The delayed flight got me in Tucson 2 hours late but just in time for lunch. I called my buyer and we decided to grab a bite before diving into analytics and products.
Beyond Bread
Beyond Bread is a great spot if you have to grab a quick bite. The first time I ate there, I was a little apprehensive when we pulled into the parking lot. It’s located in a strip mall and it doesn’t look like anything special. The place looks pretty generic from the outside. Once inside, however, it’s different. First, it’s crowded with locals, which is a good sign anywhere. After reading the menu, you realize everything is homemade, perfect. I always take a look at the specials first. You might save a little money and get a taste of a house specialty, you can’t lose. Tuesday’s special was the Rueben with house made Russian dressing and sauerkraut. The sandwich didn’t disappoint and the other people at the table were a little jealous. Check this place out < www.beyondbread.com > and enjoy a nice bite on the go in Tucson, AZ.
Summit Hut
Normally, if I have a big day, I stay overnight but I’m looking out for my company and trying to save money. So, after I met with my buyer and showed him what my company has to offer for next year, I wanted to hit the town and take in what Tucson had to offer. Unfortunately, I hadn’t anticipated the torrential down-pours. Instead of going outdoors I’d have to soak the town up from a good indoor vantage point. After a little begging, I managed to convince the owners of Summit Hut < www.summithut.com > to let my buyer off early to show me around.
Guadalajara Grill
Without hesitation, he pointed toward Guadalajara Grill on E. Prince Road. I had been here before but not for happy hour. What I remembered the most was the fresh salsa that they made at your table. Yep, right there live and direct. After we ordered some of the specials, the nice woman with the salsa cart came over and made salsa from fresh ingredients table side. This is only place I know of that has $2.50 24 oz. Negra Modelo draughts on special, it’s amazing. Nothing fancy here, just 2 hours to kill, cheap beer, and a quesadilla. Well worth the sub-$20 tab. In town and thirsty for good cheap beer and fresh food? Visit the Guadalajara Grill < www.ggrill.com > rain or shine and you’ll leave happy.
Tucson is a great place to escape to when you need to recharge. The desert is beautiful and vast, and the surrounding city has much to offer. In my experience, Tucson has been pretty quiet but each time I've visited, it welcomes me with open arms.