After taking a nice vacation (some to CA and a lucky other's to Ireland) we're full steam ahead into welcoming back UofA students and their parents to the begining of the school year. Book at the Liz and stay within 1/2 mile from campus! Visit your student and invite them over for a nice glass of wine or a swim! As travelling faculty enjoy or relaxing parlor and our thick adobe walls, perfect for a quiet retreat.

While it might be hot outdoors under the Tucson sun, the Liz is looking more beautiful than ever on the inside. We've just completed the annual waxing of the common area and the wood (original since 1878) is looking spectacular. Each of our 6 rooms will recieve the same treatment in the coming days, and there's nothing more gratifying than seeing the suites sparkle!

Janos' Downtown Kitchen and Cocktails

There are so many great restaurants within walking distance from the front door of our bed and breakfast, but one I'd like to point out is Downtown Kitchen and Cocktails. This is the latest restaurant opened by chef/restauranteur Janos Wilder. Janos opened his first restaurant here back in the 90s and has since become the only chef in the Tucson area to recieve a James Beard award! And his newest spot is literally a few hundred feet away from us! All summer Downtown Kitchen is featuring revolving summer menus from around the globe: Shanghai, Athens, Rio, Bangkok! This place is truely amazing! Don't forget their daily happy hour on drinks and then the reverse happy hour on bar food and snacks! Open VERY late on the weekends!

So I think it's important to know that your chef (and host, maid, handyman, broken-key-in-door-fixer) is taking a Nutrition class at Pima Community College. Looking forward to not just serving you delicious and healthy food but also supplying vital information such as the amount of kilocalories in a poached egg and the Upper Tolerance Levels of potassium. If I don't see you in the kitchen you can find me cramming for my exams at a local coffee shop (there's 502.44 mg of caffeine in 1 cup of coffee).

Come stay at the only downtown Tucson B&B with a pool! Don't let the heat get you down, lounge poolside with a drink from our open liquor bar and under the shade of the date palms. Not to mention, all of our room have fans and A/C for extra confort!

Tucson is going to have a prime seat for the solar eclipse coming up this Sunday at sunset; our view of the sun will be over 80% blocked by the moon! The Tucson area will get it's first annular eclipse in over 18 years! This could be the most spectacular sunset Tucson's had in some time (especially since most of our "normal" sunsets are quite fabulous). There are many great westward lookout points close to the Liz, which is already located in westside Tucson. Gate's Pass, Tumamoc Hill, or even a drive to the beautiful San Xavier mission are all great choices!

Congratulations to all the graduates, both young and old! We had Juris Doctorates, Masters of Anthropology, and even a second grade graduate at the breakfast table today. Breakfast for 14 people? Coming right up! What a celebratory weekend we'll have here: Graduations, Mother's Day, and tonight is another Downtown Second Saturday. The Liz is obviously the place to be.

My Kissing Cousin's

I'm happy to announce that once again love rings through the halls of the Royal Elizabeth. This weekend my cousin Sam proposed to his girlfriend Carla (my new cousin!) in the Nicole Elizabeth Suite. Although I'm sure they were very much in love before this, the ambiance of the Liz and the ruby red walls of the Nicole only made the weekend that much more special. So what are you waiting for?? Come stay a night in the romantic Nicole Elizabeth or any of our other lovely suites!

Tucson Folk Festival

The weekend of May 4th and 5th welcomes back Tucson's Folk Festival. There will be four stages all within walking distance of the Liz. The headliners this year are BeauSoleil and Sabra Faulk. There will be over 20 hours of music, dance and entertainment. Best of all, the festival is FREE. Now that's what I call a hootenanny

Royal Henry Returns

Yesterday was a very exciting day. Royal Henry, originally of Greeley CO, stopped by the Liz to give me a personal tour/account/slideshow of the complete renovation and christening of the Royal Elizabeth Bed and Breakfast. Royal bought the house in 1998, after the last of the Blenman family moved out, and began the renovations. He beautifully restored the interior, careful to keep everything as original as Charles Drake planned when first constructing the house in 1878. Royal then furnished the rooms, built a pool (ahh!), and opened the doors on New Years Eve 1998 to his first two guests. Here's to many more years of caretaking, hosting, and preserving the Royal Elizabeth. Thank you Royal!!

See us on TV!

Click on this link to see our first TV advertisement!

We're always trying new things for breakfast at the Liz, something that we pretty much have to do since you gat a different two-course breakfast every morning of your stay here! How does this one look?

It's a balsamic marinated portobello mushroom baked with spinach and a cracked egg, sauteed asparagus, and home cured gravlox with fresh dill and lemon

So a bit unrelated to the Bed and Breakfast industry but... WE FOUND OUR KITTIE! Munchie, our sweet Russian Grey "daughter", went missing for nearly one month until we happened to drive by her not two block away from the Liz. She was very happy to see us and come home after living in a gutter at a busy intersection. We're so happy to have you back Munchie-kins! A shoutout to all the neighbors who fed her for those weeks, she looked so healhy!

Thunder and Lightning

In celebration of our state's 100th birthday, Davis Monthan Air Force Base is offering "Thunder and Lightning Over Arizona". This spectacle will be free to the public and show off many differnt types of aircraft preforming incredible feats. Admission is free and will be held this weekend. Bring some earplugs!

Also, the Air and Space museum at DMAFB is always open and only a 15 minute drive from the Liz

Modern Street Car

Construction is finally underway to give Tucson it's first light rail system! We're all very excited for the finished project! Until then, downtown will have to deal with traffic detours and road closures for a few months... but the finished product will be well worth the wait! For updates and information visit: http://www.tucsonstreetcar.com/

Spring is in bloom!

This is the season when all of our cactus begin to flower. Unlike their tree cousins, cactus are fairly static year-round. There isn't any color change or leaves to fall... but now they have these beautiful flowers! Ocatillo, prickly-pear, barrel, and our state tree (palo verde) have shown their magnificent blossoms! Soon the Saguaro National Park will be filled with white flowers. Plan your trip to Tucson and the Liz soon!

The Sonoran Desert Mueseum remains a favorite destination for visitors to Tucson. It's always fun hearing our guests talk excitedly over breakfast about the Raptor (birds of prey) demonstration the say the day before, or watching mountain lions sunbathe. For decades the museum has amazed guests in both its scope and natural setting, and is only a 20 minute drive from the Liz . With over 300 kinds of animals and over a thousand native plants, make sure you plan for a full day's activity. And don't forget the water!

Cupcake friendly B&B

Check out the process of decorating 200 cupcakes right here in the Liz! The Meyer's family came into Tucson for a family wedding and took over almost every room (and the kitchen)!

And here's the bride and groom's cake

NEW ROOM RATES!!

That's correct! Starting April 1st come and experience the same luxurious accommodations, breakfasts, gardens, pool, etc. at our low summer rates! With air-conditioned rooms priced from $189 to $169 you can't go wrong! Visit www.royalelizabeth.com for up to date room availability and book your summer getaway now!!

Congrats to Josh and Michelle! We had the pleasure of hosting these two Tucsonans at the Liz for their first night as newly-weds! There are quite a few venues within walking distance that provide beautiful wedding locations: Stillwell House, Z Mansion, Temple of Music and Art, Franklin House, to name a few. Stay at the Royal Elizabeth on your wedding night and you're sure to get a mimosa toast the next morning at breakfast, just like Josh and Michelle did. Or maybe even a "Royal" room upgrade :)

Spring Street Fair!!

The 4th Avenue Street Fair is back this Spring, March 23rd - 25th. Arts and crafts, food vendors, street preformers, face painitng, and many other forms of celebration makes for one of the top visual art fairs in the country! Walking the distance from the Liz is a convenient 10 minute stroll, so forget about trying to find that parking spot! Not to mention the weather is absolutely beautiful.

Being a desert rat myself I've always welcomed stormy weather in Tucson. My wishes were granted last night as somethin' fierce blew in from the pacific and brought a mix of wind, rain, hail and mountain snow into and around the Tucson Valley. Somehow it also sent our dishwasher on the fritz. No worries, I love this weather!

This beautiful Catholic church, the Cathedral San Augustine, is practically a stone's throw away from the Liz . Constructed in 1868 (10 yrs older than the Liz). The 8am Sunday mass is held in Spanish and lead by a Mariachi band, a really great experience not just in religion but also in Mexican culture.

Geometry Quiz

The spa at the Royal Elizabeth: A revisit of geometry. If our heated pool is 73°, the Jacuzzi is 105°, and our 7:30pm weather is 69° and clear

what other angle of approach would you take this evening?

Soda Issues

A close associate of mine became disgruntled after an incident at a local Cricle K gas station here in Tucson. Attempting to subdue an infrequent but almost junkie-like crave for a fountain beverage, she approached the machine only to find that the smallest option of cup size was a whopping 44oz! Upon interogating the attendant the location of the smaller cups, she was told that that was their smallest size. "Perhaps you could only fill up the cup with the amount of soda you want?" the attendant stupidly suggested. Big mistake.

Here at the Liz we proudly offer 12oz portions of soda

Double Birthday Shout-Out

We had two very special birthdays last week at the Liz. One hundred years ago this Valentine's day... Arizona was born into the union!! Funny though, our beautiful state is a baby compared to the age of the Liz (est. 1878). And MUCH (much much) less than 100 years ago on February 14th, our lovely co-owner/mother-extraordinaire came to be as well.

And with a cake fit (and large enough) for the 6th largest state, we celebrated. A special thanks to Austin Rose on the precise sprinkle placement.

Hiker Heaven

While the the Liz sports a prime downtown location, Tucson itself is nestled in a valley and has access to desert hikes in every direction. Easy strolls to strenuous climbs, 1 hour loops or an 8 mile excursion to hidden mountain pools, there's something for everyone to enjoy. Check out a local trail guide here and don't forget to pack plenty of water!

a home away from home

We had a great Superbowl party on Sunday! A rarity, the Liz broke away from our usually healthy and light affair and brought out the chicken wings and nachos for this one. Eloise, Lina, Jens, and Donna kicked back in our "cinema room" for the event. So much fun! And we all agree: Madonna brought the house down. What did you think?

Why our guests LOVE us

"Berry buried" French Toast w/ Chicken and apple sausage

...and on her maiden voyage: Roasted Comice pears on a bed of herbed ricotta, drizzled with local Sonoran honey and candied pecans

Arizona represents with it's prized citrus! Here is a broiled ruby red grapefruit, topped with caramelized sugar mixed with vanilla and crystallized ginger

Culinary Enchantments

Happy New Year! So far, 2012 has graced Tucson with it's lavish winter weather and the Liz is once again full of happy guests. This morning as the sun crept over the mountains and light trickled into the main hall, the crystal flutes sparkled at the breakfast table set for 10, beckoning our early rising guests to another fabulous meal. Today's breakfast was a sight to behold, as Owner/Chef Eric starts his presentation off with a pitcher of apple, kiwi, and orange juice and immediately follows with our first course: blueberry and lavender soup with a dash of local agave nectar. Cue the "ooo's" and "ahhh's".

For the main dish, the guests are treated to an asparagus and goat cheese frittata, rosemary roasted red potatoes, and the ripest of tomatoes (one can get outside of Italy) lightly dressed in olive oil and fresh basil. Smiles abound, the composed plates are admired and attended to.

The Gem Show has arrived to Tucson. 58 years running, the show is the largest of it's kind in the country and open to the public. Buyers and vendors arrive from all corners of the globe for this truly awesome event and the Liz is so happy to host and welcome back our long-time Gem Show guests. Graced with the historic beauty of the Bed and Breakfast, the gracious caretakers Eric and BJ, their delicious food, and our splendid international guests, February is a joyous month for the Royal Elizabeth.

The Liz and downtown Tucson are on the precipice of something remarkable, a food renaissance. We are happy to welcome two new farmer's markets to the downtown area along with many other new restaurants, bistros, breweries, and even a fledgling food cart scene! Please stay tuned for more culinary delights that we'll add to our repertoire and don't forget to check us out at www.royalelizabeth.com or on TripAdvisor!.