vorpalblad

E. 21st is lined with homes from the ‘30s and ‘40s that are well maintained. Neighbors are friendly but mind their own business and seem quiet for the most part. Most of these are not rentals or party houses, but established families or retirees.

Reid Park is conveniently located at the end of the street. 22nd is a block over with plenty of grocery and specialty stores, plus it is conveniently located to jump on either Kino or Aviation Parkways which can get you nearly anywhere in town without a hassle.

Grant is scary, period. The center turn lane becomes a through lane during rush hours, on weekdays, and changes directions morning, vs. afternoon. It is always packed. It is always either full of potholes or under construction, which just makes the traffic worse.

As a main thoroughfare there are plenty of places everyone needs on Grant, whether it is the hospital, Trader Joe’s or Costco, but find a different way to get there and jump on Grant at the last second if necessary.

This stretch of road is the place to see real artists at work in real galleries. As an old converted warehouse district, the street itself is in need of repair and parking can be difficult, but it is worth it for places such as Solar Culture which doubles as a nighttime music venue and all-the-time art gallery. Other spots can be found if you are willing to trust the crumbling sidewalks.

At night this is a place where you should probably know where you are going and not dawdle.

The intersection of Toole and Stone is a great place to sit and watch the trains roll by.

I won’t pretend Court Street is always easy to find, but it is worth it. This short little street has plenty of on-street and pay-lot parking. El Charro is a terrific Mexican restaurant and Old Town Artisans is a collection of local artists providing not only souvenirs for visitors but terrific art for the local collector as well. If nothing else, have someone give you a tour of the hacienda that houses the shops.

The homes are beautiful and many have been converted to offices, but everyone keeps the street looking homey and full of desert blooms.

With its colorful mixture of cultures, South 4th is what visitors imagine Tucson should be like. The city of South Tucson has taken this crook-backed road and lined the street with beautiful displays of colorful public artwork. Bus stops are plentiful, and also artwork in their own right.

The best Mexican food in town is to be had right here.

E. 2nd Street is filled with lovely old homes from the ‘30s and ‘40s. Because it is close to the university, parking can be difficult but it also means that it is within walking distance of shopping, restaurants, trolley stops and live music.

Living here means chaining down anything on your porch so kids don’t walk off with it and real headaches for parking when 4th Avenue is having any sort of event.

Frick is in a strictly residential neighborhood. The homes are poorly made, and in some cases poorly maintained. That’s counterbalanced by the friendliness of the neighbors and the fact that most are very long-term residents. It makes for a safe neighborhood where people watch out for each other.

Unfortunately, because it is off the beaten path, it’s quite a walk, especially in the summer to a bus stop.

River Road changes from a high desert escape, with beautiful homes set back in the desert, to a main artery for the many condo dwellers on the mountainside. It's a convenient back road through many parts of town as there are fewer traffic lights, and people tend to haul through it, even when it narrows down to two lanes. The street is generally one of the least "potholey" streets in Tucson, so putting on some speed won't result in your axle snapped in two.

It's also the home of many restaurants, from chain P.F. Chang, to very upscale (and friendly) Sullivan's, to the old standby, El Corral.

Glenn is odd because as a residential street, I don't think of it as being in the "center" of anything, but Aqua Vita natural foods is on Glenn and Country Club, and just a block down at Tucson, Ted's Country Store has great soups and a nice selection of sandwiches, wines and beer. There are at least three sushi restaurants within two miles.

The downsides of the street tend to be the same things they are everywhere in Tucson: potholes that will eat your car, poor public transport (there are plenty of bus stops but service stops way too early), and old power and cable lines that run from poles instead of underground.

Parks are within walking distance and the neighbors are friendly. It is not really a college student street, but most people don't have children (at least on this section).

Gates Pass Road is the place to get away and just drive. It winds up into the mountains and the saguaros, feeling like a vacation five minutes from home. The International Wildlife Museum is an odd castle-like structure on the north side of the road, which is a great place to take kids and family. The road does have one hairy part at the actual pass when it narrows down to one lane and curves away on both sides, making for a slow approach to a blind alley

Tucson has more great, cheap restaurants than nearly any place I've ever been, minus, maybe, NYC. From Guero Canelo to Char, to 24-hour Mexican drive-thrus that may require Imodium the next day, you've got it all.

Terrific artists live or record there, including Neko Case, Giant Sand and Calexico, who are some of my favorites. Art at Solar Culture is changing and spectacular.

South of town you can drive through huge plantations of pecan trees where the temperature drops by what feels like 20 degrees, or drive up into the Catalinas and hike past the mansions into riparian forest.

On the downside, the streets are scary. They are either suicidal (Grant with the changing direction middle lane), or filled with snowbirds (I10 in winter) or...make that and... filled with potholes that ate Calcutta. Oh yeah, and the trailing turn signals are an adventure for the out of towner.

If you can take the heat, there's no better place to live.