Carolyn Classen

Carolyn Sugiyama Classen, a life long Democrat, was born & raised in the State of Hawaii, was a Legislative Aide for U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye on Capitol Hill, and practiced law for a while. In Tucson she worked as a tribal staff attorney for the Pascua Yaqui Tribe and later was the Interim Executive Director of the now defunct Domestic Violence Commission. In 2008 she became a “My Tucson” guest columnist for the Tucson Citizen newspaper, then continued blogging for Tucsoncitizen.com for over four and a half years. Her blogsite was entitled “Carolyn’s Community” about community events and some political news, until Gannett Publishing shut down the site on January 31, 2014. She started with Blog for Arizona on Feb. 11, 2014. Part time she sat as a Hearing Officer in Pima County Consolidated Justice Courts Small Claims Division since April, 2005 for 15 years. She is married to University of Arizona Distinguished Professor Albrecht Classen, a native of Germany. They have one son, who lives in Seattle, WA with his wife and daughter. She is also the Editor of the Southern Arizona Japanese Cultural Coalition website, www.southernazjapan.org (since Jan. 2013).

Party on with Arizona Party Bike in Winterhaven

by

Arizona Party Bike company will provide daily tours of the famous Winterhaven Festival from December 13th – 27th

azpartybike

For Immediate Release

What pedals in gear and brings holiday cheer? The Arizona Party Bike!

The Winterhaven neighborhood, which for decades has hosted the famous Festival of Lights drawing tens of thousands of people each year, has accepted the Arizona Party Bike company as its new tour operator for 2014! 

(In case you haven’t seen it, the Arizona Party Bike is a large, pedal-powered vehicle that operates downtown and is usually rented out by large groups and tourists for nights out on the town, local craft beer tours, and special occasions. Guests may BYOB while enjoying all the pedaling glory.)

From December 13 – 27, Arizona Party Bike will operate fun, family-friendly tours of the festival each hour from 6pm to 10pm. Groups can enjoy the lights and decorations of the Winterhaven Festival while riding out in the open air. By utilizing three 15-person party bikes, as few as one seat to as many as 45 seats can be booked at a time, making this a great option for groups of friends, families, and companies looking for a new and fun way to enjoy the festival!

Read more

Ugly Christmas Sweater Party time!

by

Get out that ugly Christmas sweater and head over to La Cocina in Old Town Artisans for a late night pre-Christmas party. Fluxx Productions (Studio & Gallery is at 401 E. 9th St.) is hosting this event, and really needs $ to keep on going into 2015. More about Fluxx here: www.fluxxproductions.com. Their mission: It is important to … Read more

Small holiday artworks at Raices Taller 222 gallery

by

Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop presents “Pequeños!” – an exhibition of affordable small works and live music! (from their FB page). Everything will be priced $222 and under. Opening Reception Friday December 12, 2014 (dia de la Virgen de Guadalupe) 6:00-9:00 PM Potluck and Refreshments! Music by local musicians Jonathan W. Martinez and … Read more

45th Annual 4th Avenue Winter Street Fair

by

fourthavenuewinterfair2014

Poster drawn by local Tucson artist Courtney Kelly. Has it really been 45 years of this festive street fair?

I hear that the Sun Link modern streetcar will simply operate from both ends to the 4th Avenue Streetfair during the fair’s hours, and go back & forth to their east/west stations. People seeking to go through to the other end will need to walk or catch a shuttle bus to other end of the street fair (between University Blvd. to E. 9th Street).  See map below.

The next Street Fair is December 12, 13, 14, 2014. Hours are 10 am to 6pm (dusk) each day. The Street Fair takes place between Ninth Street and University Blvd. along Fourth Avenue. The Fourth Avenue Street Fair brings together 400+ arts and crafts booths, 35+ food vendors,Main Stage, street musicians, food, jugglers, street performers, the ever so popular Free Kids hands-on-art Pavilion. There is face painting, balloons, demonstrations, sidewalk entertainment and tons of other fun activities. This is Tucson’s Largest Arts Venue. A Tucson Tradition.

Read more

Play at Playground Games

by

Playground-Games-Website-Slide

Press release from the UA Confluencecenter for Creative Inquiry:

PLAYGROUND GAMES: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10

7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

Two research units at the University of Arizona are teaming up to play matchmaker. The Confluencenter for Creative Inquiry (CCI) and the Institute of the Environment (IE) are hosting a live game show-like event Playground Games—think  speed-dating meets Shark Tank, but with an academic spin—from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 10 on the roof of the Playground Bar & Lounge in downtown Tucson. The faculty contestants are divided into interdisciplinary teams that will speed-network, plan a project, and pitch their ideas to a panel of three judges and the audience. Two winning teams will be funded before the fast-paced night is over!

Drawing on IE’s Art and Environment initiative and CCI’s collaborative and interdisciplinary endeavors, the night will bring together faculty who didn’t necessarily know each other beforehand. The groups will be formed, randomly, on the spot. When you get brilliant people together on a roof, sparks can fly!

The judges will evaluate the project pitches and the audience will help make the final decision on which teams are funded. Audience participation space is limited, so RSVP here today!

Read more