Stella's Roar. Hedonism: A devotion to the pleasures of the senses.

The last leg of our trip to Tucson was the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. This place is amazing! It's like a Southwestern Botanical Garden mixed with an Indigenous Zoo. There are more than 300 animal species and 1200 kinds of plants on display. There are two miles of outdoor paths traversing 21 acres of beautiful desert.

March thru September they open at 7:30...I would suggest you get there early, as the lines are incredibly long. We arrived right as they were opening the gates. For a lovely couple of hours, we were the only visitors.

This is the line when we were leaving.

The Sonoran Desert is the only place the Saguaro cacti grow. They are awe inspiring and home to many birds.

Look closely...two baby hummingbirds

I didn't know this, but ocotillo are natural hummingbird attractants.

I loved this rain chain...now I want one...or two, or three.

These evil ducks with their beady little red eyes kept chasing me...trying to bite my red pedicured toes. This harassment went on for about five minutes...finally I was able to cross the bridge they were guarding, but a little girly scream escaped my lips. No sooner had I let out my yelp, some rude fucker mimicked me! Sarlye looked around thinking how mean it was that someone would make fun of my obvious distress being chased by maniacal ducks...Guess who it was?!

No, not The Main Man...

It was this Green Goblin! After mimicking me he gave me a wolf whistle, so my ruffled feathers were smoothed.

This was pure peer pressure!

Unfortunately, this was not peer pressure...The Main Man has no shame. He'll do just about anything anyone suggests...and Saryle were rooting him on! I was cringing in the background.

"Did those fuckers just call me fat?!"

The end of our trip to Tucson...

My wonderful friend, Luciana, has opened a new shop in San Antonio called Gypsy in Stilletos.

1115 S. Alamo #3201. San Antonio, Texas 78205

Is that not a fabulous name! She carries everything I love. Fabulous textiles, amazing bold jewelry, PILLOWS that would satiate any PPP (pillow purchasing problem) and reupholstered furniture in textiles she has collected over the years. She has a blog and a website, as well as an etsy shop and a facebook page. This woman is hooked up! Not only does she have fabulous, eclectic taste, but she's also just a wonderful human being in general. Her children are musical and creative, just like she is. Her home is filled with a vibrant energy that is contagious.



If this doesn't sound too good to be true, she is an amazing florist as well...and has a blog showcasing her talent and the World that inspires her. It's called Luciana's Garden.

I'm not very active on Facebook...I had no idea what all she was up to. I just knew she was incredibly busy. Luciana! If you read this and if there is anything else I don't know about, anything stirring in that fabulous gypsy pot of yours, I want to hear about it!!

From the B & B Cactus Farm, we were off to the Art Colony of Tubac which was established in 1752 as a Spanish presidio (fort). Working artists' studios now surround the grounds which once served as the home for a Spanish military garrison. I had never heard of Tubac...our fellow road trippers, Saryle (otherwise known as Sandra and Daryle), had been there 5 years earlier. Apparently it has changed quite a bit in only 5 years. More people, more commercial, but still very interesting. The Main Man happened upon a lecture on "living off the grid". I don't think they were only talking about solar power.

The Main Man and I went our separate ways from Saryle...We looked thru several art galleries...then decided we were parched. We found a restaurant called Elvira's which was eclectically decorated with Mexican pineapple pottery, glass teardrops from the ceiling, Lucha Libre masks and iron lanterns.

Off to check out more of Tubac...

Doesn't this look like a horny rabbit?! It was at least 7 feet tall. The Main Man begged me to stand in front of it for a photo, but I refused. I'd only had one margarita. I think it would take at least three for me to have complied. I have no idea how my mind works...but the rabbit scenario reminded me of Rihanna's video for Rude Boy.