“For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? This year’s list has all those elements, and more.”
With travel on the rebound and more people seeking to explore, The New York Times just released its list of 52 Places to Go in 2023.
Tucson is included and more specifically Barrio Viejo, an area of downtown that’s full of centuries-old Sonoran adobe buildings. First, The Citizen Hotel and the Downtown Clifton Hotel get some much-loved shoutouts in the article written by Daniel Scheffler.
“This year, the neighborhood, which has one of the most diverse racial, cultural, religious, and ethnic populations in the country, will receive National Historic Landmark designation,” said Scheffler. “Revival projects include the restoration of the 300-seat Teatro Carmen, built in 1915 and later converted into the Black Elks Club, and female-owned boutique hotels, like the Citizen in the former home of the Tucson Citizen newspaper and the Downtown Clifton in a once-faded motel.”
Then, the article dives a little into the local food scene, shining a light on The Coronet, which many of us have grown to love over the years with its addition of Nightjar and the Market Cafe. Exo Roast Co. is also showcased and with its two locations and the mezcal lounge, Crisol Bar, it deserves the mention.
“Don’t forget Barrio restaurants like the local coffee drinkers’ favorite Exo Roast, housed in an 1885 adobe home, and The Coronet, which moved to the neighborhood in 2019,” said Sheffler.
Read our August 2022 article, “Celebrating a love for food & connection with The Coronet” and our January 2023 article, “Crisol Bar: A local haven for mezcal enthusiasts.”
To read the full New York Times article, visit nytimes.com.
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Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
