Tag Archives: tucson freelance writer

POPPED – A Tucson Take on Popcorn

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Our household recently got a nice surprise – a shipment of delicious, desert-themed popcorn from Popped Artisan Popcorn, which is made right here in T-town! First off, I’m a packaging girl and the simple brown paper bags emblazoned with majestic saguaros won me over. The popcorn is also light and very flavorful! The small-batch, handcrafted popcorn comes in flavors like Mesquite Smoked Cheddar, Sweet Chili Lime, Mexican Hot Chocolate and many more. Let’s just say, the Prickly Pear Caramel and Mesquite Smoked Mezcal Caramel didn’t even make it one night before they were completely devoured. What a cool Christmas or holiday present to send someone?

Can’t think of a better way to make quarantine not so sucky. You can find out more on the company’s website at www.poppedartisan.com and you can follow Popped on Facebook here.

Farmgirl Flowers…Nothing Better

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It was at an outdoor engagement party for my friend Haley where I first saw Farmgirl Flowers a year ago. Wrapped in burlap, the beautiful blooms made the tables both stunning and rustic– the perfect vibe for the cute new couple. I asked Haley’s mom where she found them and she told me all about the company and how its founder, Christina Stembel, was the subject of a CNBC show about how she built Farmgirl herself from her savings!

To this day, Farmgirl Flowers is my go-to place to send blooms to friends and family for birthdays and thank yous and other special occasions! The arrangements are gorgeous and just look so much better than something you could find at a grocery store. The website photography is stunning and the entire order process is seamless and easy. The fact that its a woman-owned business makes it even easier to promote.

You can find out more about the company and order at www.farmgirlflowers.com.

Madewell at La Encantada

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Madewell, the stylish brand that focuses on all things denim, has opened its doors in the spot vacated by Louis Vuitton at La Encantada…..and none too soon! The new digs are a welcome addition to Tucson’s most beautiful shopping mall, along with West Elm. In the company’s own words, “a good day starts with great jeans,” so Madewell focuses on everything to make you look hot in them — including tops, dresses, accessories and more. Madewell is the chief moneymaker for parent J. Crew, which is working to emerge from bankruptcy, so this store needs our support!

Charming Charlie: A Comeback Story

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Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

With tragic new headlines every day about stores closing their doors — Lord & Taylor, SteinMart, Century 21– Charming Charlie has launched an online comeback after declaring bankruptcy and having to shutter doors a few years ago.

My family and I first fell in love with Charming Charlie stores in Texas, so when the store opened a location in Tucson Mall, it was the place to go for cute clothes, accessories and gifts. The store’s color-organized clothing also made it really easy to find outfits for football games. You’d be seriously surprised how difficult it is to find CUTE RED CLOTHING for Arizona football games in this town. (Not that I have to worry about that this year – 2020 slowly killing me…)

But anyway, check out the store online! Some very cute clothes, good prices and even the masks are unique!

Target’s Latest Coup: Winky Lux

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Winky Lux, the campy cosmetics brand founded in 2015 by two friends, is a nice little surprise at Target stores these days! The fun brand known for its flower petal-infused lip balms used to be purchased only at Nordstrom and other high-end boutiques, but now is widely available to our T-town masses. According to the brand’s website: “Winky Lux was born with the idea that since every beauty product is technically a little gift, from you to you, it should always look and feel as special as the person receiving it (who is also you).” Genius!

Roux The Day: Tucson’s Ashley La Russa

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One of the first things you notice about Ashley La Russa’s Facebook page is her positive, ambitious drive to make things happen.

Founder of Tucson’s Roux Events LLC and the dynamic force behind #BlaxFriday, La Russa often posts her activities each week – all focused on community progress. The beautiful, accompanying illustrations by Afro-French artist Nicholle Kobi only confirm that this vibrant woman is on the move.

“Roux Events was founded in 2019 with the primary focus of supporting community leaders and organizations that value equity, diversity and inclusion,” she said. “Roux Events is an event management company that serves as a foundation for collaboration within our community.”

A graduate of Sam Houston State University in Texas, La Russa was invited to Tucson in 2008 after meeting the artistic director of Arizona Theatre Company when she was an intern in Florida. She accepted the position of assistant state manager and devoted a decade to the group, serving in several capacities there.

“I fell in love with Tucson within the first week of moving here,” said La Russa. “The pink and lavender sunsets are remarkable with the backdrop of the mountains. Tucson also has a wealth of culture based in Tohono O’odham and Sonoran traditions. Proud to live in the first UNESCO City of Gastronomy and enjoy delicious dishes from world-renowned chefs.”

Notably, she picked the name “Roux” for her company because in culinary terms, it’s the essential base of butter and flour that enriches many Creole dishes with hearty flavor and texture – a strong foundation for a successful result.

And Roux Events is successfully bringing projects like “BlaxFriday to the public forefront. “As a Black woman-owned business, we started #BlaxFriday to spotlight local Black-owned businesses” that have traditionally been ignored and unrecognized. Besides a kickoff event earlier this summer, La Russa has helped engineer a BlaxFriday app and hopes to expand into Phoenix too. She consistently uses her social media to promote numerous burgeoning businesses here.

All the while, she is also working to create stand-out events. “The key to creating a memorable event is the experience,” she said. “This could be achieved by theatrical productions, connections with new community members and swag. Swag is a must. Everyone loves a goodie bag filled with surprises and gifts.”

More recently because of the pandemic, she is adding the “digital experience” to her portfolio, as “…the virtual event space is booming,” La Russa said.

 “While we are unable to meet in large gatherings for events, this time has truly shaped my mindset to value positivity and advocacy. The things that used to bother me or stifle progress are now pushed aside to allow the abundance of blessed guidance.”

The Big Blazer is Back

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They first made their debut on a Neiman Marcus commercial earlier this year with Kate Upton and stylist Erin Walsh, and now they are all over the magazines. Welcome back 1990s! The oversized blazer is back…

 

Photo by Konstantin Mishchenko on Pexels.com

A Little Lounge Around Guide

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rw-studios-GaPevteWAIU-unsplash

Loungewear is loving this quarantine. Shopping sites usually teaming with cozy pajamas and luscious lounge sets are more frequently showing “Out of Stock” or “Wait List.” And I’m not kidding, I think every woman in America has purchased leopard loungewear! They are not to be found anywhere! I think tie-dye is second and camo is third in the desired cuddle-up categories. But here are some stores and brands that still offer some nice selections. (Photo credit: @rw.studios on Unsplash)

Some Sites to Try:

Dillard’s – Thanks to my friend V, this was a great place to start. Many brands are on sale right now too.

Kohl’s – If you go through Rakuten on this site, you can get cash back. The styles are nice and at the end of the selections are several sports team versions.

Red Dress Boutique – A cute boutique out of Georgia with adorable, pricier loungewear (www.reddress.com)

Nordstrom – Always a good choice.

Bare Necessities – Never before have I been to this site, but some good options. barenecessities.com

A Few Brands to Search:

P.J. Salvage

Z Supply

 

Tucson Fashionista – Dolores Gonzales

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Black and White Fashion Magazine Cover

Called the “Dior of the Desert” by the Los Angeles Times, Tucson designer Dolores Gonzales made a regional resort “it dress” that snared even First Ladies’ attention. In the 1940s and 50s, Gonzales designed one and two-piece dresses that featured a full, “broomstick” skirt and were made in bright, colorful fabrics. The style soon became a favorite during sorority rush at the University of Arizona and was eventually worn by First Ladies Mamie Eisenhower and Pat Nixon, according to The Tucson Sentinel and the Arizona Daily Star. Gonzales’ designs soon became a popular emblem of Western fashion. Though retail chain J.C. Penney wanted to sell her dresses, Gonzales refused, preferring to personally produce them in her own factory, according to the Star. Her distinctive designs have since been the subject of historical Tucson exhibitions.

Tucson Fashionista is an occasional and ongoing Zona Girl series on local women with legendary style.

Tucson Fashionista – Cele Peterson

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Black and White Fashion Magazine Cover

It’s only fitting to start my new Tucson Fashionista series with Cele Peterson. History shows that the late Peterson was truly the desert’s grande dame of fashion. According to the Arizona Daily Star, Peterson opened her first fashion boutique during The Great Depression and it would go on to survive World War II and a devastating 1956 fire. Catering to wealthy wives and celebrities, including Lady Astor and Liz Taylor, Peterson would eventually create her own Southwest clothing line, “Station Wagon Togs,” that would not only be featured in Mademoiselle magazine but also find an audience in front of Pop McKale’s daughter, Ruth, among others. Gabrielle Giffords once commented that she always wore a silver pin bought at Peterson’s store to dress up her outfits, according to an article on preservetucson.org. Before her death at age 101 in 2010, Peterson had created a local empire of stores that spanned the city and forever cemented her name as one of city’s true style mavens.

Tucson Fashionista is an occasional and ongoing Zona Girl series on local women with legendary style.