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My favorite things Arizona
There is Barbara Eden and Linda Ronstadt but what other directions can I find? I'll try not to resort to retirees, such as Joe Garagiola. Here goes:
1. Jazz: Charles Mingus's Ah Um is one of the ten jazz albums that everyone should own.
2. Country and Western: Marty Robbins is good but otherwise I draw a blank.
3. Movie director: Steven Spielberg. In case you don't already know them, Duel and Sugarland Express are two of his best movies. I'm also an advocate of Artificial Intelligence, a brilliant movie about the moral superficiality of human beings. E.T. was his nadir.
4. Real business cycle theorist: Ed Prescott teaches at Arizona State (which by the way was just rated as having the hottest students of any school). If you think through his oeuvre, Prescott has at least three major contributions: time consistency (1977 with Kydland), real business cycle theory, and his work on the equity premium with Mehra. That's impressive.
5. Painter and European emigre: Max Ernst lived for twelve years in Sedona.
6. Textiles: Navajo blankets from the 1880-1910 period rank among America's greatest artistic contributions. You can buy a first-rate piece for no more than $60,000.
7. Author: Zane Grey fits the category but he doesn't count as a favorite. Am I missing anyone important or is this simply not a literary state?
8. Movie, set in: You have some real winners, including Psycho, Raising Arizona, and the still underrated Tombstone. 3:10 to Yuma I haven't seen yet.
The bottom line: The list is spotty in parts but the peaks are very high. I'm also of the opinion that the Northern Rim of the Grand Canyon is the single best sight I've seen, ever. I also love The Biltmore Hotel but alas I am not at that particular lodging right now...
Posted by Tyler Cowen on March 27, 2008 at 12:02 PM in The Arts | Permalink
Comments
First link (no money for MR :( ):
Marty Robbins (?):
Posted by: Craig at Mar 27, 2008 12:35:54 PM
Prof Cowen,
Are you giving a talk in Arizona?
Posted by: Stephen at Mar 27, 2008 12:36:59 PM
If you happen to go to Tucson, find the rattiest looking taco stand you can, and eat there. (Sort of like your rule for cajun.)
Posted by: J. at Mar 27, 2008 12:38:12 PM
if you can tolerate a state where tehy revoke your business license for hiring illegals it is a great place to live but my stomach gets a bit queasy in the midst of that sort of stuff.
Posted by: oops at Mar 27, 2008 12:48:27 PM
I’m drawing a blank on literature too. Recently, Stephanie Meyer has become quite popular with her Twilight series. There are some other local writers that I like, but I wouldn’t consider them a big name in the literary world.
Buck Owens I thought would have made the list. Also Stevie Nicks and Alice Cooper.
Barry Goldwater and Sandra Day O’Conner are also from Arizona.
Posted by: Seth at Mar 27, 2008 12:48:43 PM
If you're going to be in south Phoenix at all, try Los Dos Molinos at Central south of Baseline.
Posted by: max at Mar 27, 2008 1:29:20 PM
Barbara Kingsolver is largely from Arizona
Posted by: seds at Mar 27, 2008 1:40:22 PM
How do you feel about Spielberg? He grew up in Arizona.
Posted by: Ted Craig at Mar 27, 2008 1:53:27 PM
Can Grand Canyon get an honorary mention? I think it's technically set in Los Angeles, and maybe only the ending is in Arizona, but the Grand Canyon is metaphorically to represent something grande and larger than themselves.
And I am going to now spend the rest of the day trying not to think bad thoughts about you for what you said about ET.
Posted by: jason voorhees at Mar 27, 2008 2:04:57 PM
Taliesin West, where the desert is but a blank canvas for Frank Lloyd Wright.
Posted by: Hillary Johnson at Mar 27, 2008 2:33:29 PM
Just a nitpick-the Mingus album is actually "Mingus Ah Um." The pun doesn't work otherwise.
Posted by: Andrew at Mar 27, 2008 2:40:53 PM
"3:10 to Yuma I haven't seen yet."
Don't bother. I was very disappointed.
I also think Tombstone is under-appreciated. Val Kilmer was excellent.
Posted by: Jake at Mar 27, 2008 2:59:15 PM
"Barbara Kingsolver is largely from Arizona"
Hands off! She grew up in Kentucky.
Posted by: Drew at Mar 27, 2008 2:59:20 PM
um, you left out a few movies: Junior Bonner, and Raising Arizona.
Books: Most of Blood Meridian is set all through AZ, and most of the stuff described is actually here. Of course Hillerman is addictive. I was disappointed that Belano and Lima stopped just shy of the border. Edward Abbey ended his days here and his books, some set in AZ, are entertaining.
As for ASU, I taught an execrable semester of freshman algebra there, and I learned a valuable lesson: illiterate innumeracy is boundless in America. However the best class I ever taught was also at ASU, 2nd semester accelerated calculus, with tremendously intelligent and engaged students. Going to "work" was a sublime pleasure, and guess what, not everyone is motivated mostly by money. So ASU is a mixed bag.
The North Rim is beautiful, yes, but for my money I'd drive through Monument Valley to Mexican Hat. Or the Sonoran in March, like RIGHT NOW, when the flowers are at their peak. Get thee out to Boyce Thompson Arboretum this week if you have the slightest chance. The Botanical Gardens at Papago Park will do for a small taste. The painted desert overlooks on the north end of the Petrified Forest are uh, exquisitely O'Keefean.
If you're into the architecture thing Taliesen is great but I think Arcosanti (hour north) is cool too.
One of my very favorite Mexican restaurants in the US is Restaurant Mexico in Tempe, basically a dive but modestly original sonoran recipes. Not spicy, my only complaint. Best refried beans on the planet. Someone will prolly mention that pizza joint near the ballpark in downtown Phoenix.
Posted by: Russell L. Carter at Mar 27, 2008 3:08:23 PM
E.T. has some weak points (e.g. the scene where the people in haz-mat suits walk like zombies into the house to remove the occupants), but it's one of my favorite movies. Maybe for sentimental reasons...who knows. But thank you for mentioned Duel. That's an awesome movie.
Posted by: Christopher Monnier at Mar 27, 2008 3:25:20 PM
Edward Albee
Posted by: Roland Stephen at Mar 27, 2008 3:26:04 PM
9. Presidential Candidate: Barry Goldwater.
Posted by: Anthony at Mar 27, 2008 3:26:32 PM
You just didn't like E.T. because you cried like a baby! (just like everybody else in the theater.)
I thought Jaws was Spielberg's best movie.
Posted by: DougM at Mar 27, 2008 3:36:08 PM
Ah, I see from reading the reviews that the correct term is "NOT sonoran". The food at Restaurant Mexico is NOT like you get in every chain and just about every mom & pop in the eastern 9/10s of the country.
I personally am addicted to the cheese enchiladas with tomatilla sauce, but it's so ruthlessly simple a dish that its superiority is really hard to explain to seasoned chowhounds, until you taste it. But I do drive 200 miles round trip to eat them several times a year. (in a Prius)
Posted by: Russell L. Carter at Mar 27, 2008 3:36:24 PM
"Charles Mingus's Ah Um is one of the ten jazz albums that everyone should own."
Would you please list the other nine?
Posted by: yogesh at Mar 27, 2008 3:50:38 PM
Los Dos Molinos is overrated. It is so hot, you can't taste the
food. Must be good right? Ick!
Authors: Alan Dean Foster (Science Fiction) lives in Prescott.
Bill Keane (Family Comic strip) lived in Phoenix. Erma Bombeck
made her home in Phoenix. Todd McFarlane (Graphic Novelist) is
also from Phoenix. For books about Arizona, no one can beat
Marshall Trimble.
Country and Western - Dierks Bently is from Phoenix. Glen
Cambell makes his home in Phoenix. John Denver grew up in Tucson.
Waylon Jennings made his early start in Arizona. Sining cowboy
Rex Allen retire to Arizona.
Music - Gin Blossoms, Jimmy Eats World, The Refreshments.
I would have thought John Wayne, who owned a ranch in the White
Mountains would have made the list somewhere.
Posted by: NASCAR Wife at Mar 27, 2008 3:54:04 PM
I haven't seen a copy for decades, but the print magazine Arizona Highways used to have some of the lovliest nature photography around.
Posted by: joel hanes at Mar 27, 2008 3:56:12 PM
Edward Abbey (not Albee)
Posted by: Jody at Mar 27, 2008 4:03:29 PM
How about the meteorite crater? That is pretty awesome too...
http://www.meteorcrater.com/index.php
Also the mining town of
Bisbee
New age town of
Sedona
My geomorphology teacher used to tell us to look "up" at the Grand Canyon and imagine the mile of sediment that has been eroded away....
Posted by: Pitt at Mar 27, 2008 4:33:19 PM
A.I., "brilliant"? You can't be serious. One of the worst movies I've seen, ever, especially given the fabulous production values. It may have an interesting moral subtext but none of the actual events make any sense, and no I'm not referring to the much-lamented ending.
Posted by: Noah Yetter at Mar 27, 2008 4:43:40 PM
Taliesin West: the 2 hour Apprentice Shelter Tour highlights the individual living quarters designed and built over the past 70 years by students at the architectural school. Our tour guide finished the trip by showing us the two person steel and glass cottage he and a classmate were building beside a desert wash.
Cafe Terra Cotta in Tucson is our favorite Southwest restaurant. I remember the shrimp flautas, the chili rellenos, and the chipotle glazed chicken.
Peralta Trail - we hiked into the Superstition Wilderness far enough to view Weaver's Needle.
Hugh Cabot, who lived in Tubac for 32 years until his death in 2005, was my favorite Southwest artist until I discovered New Mexico's R.C. Gorman. A print of one of Cabot's standing cowboys has been in my den for a decade.
Posted by: John Dewey at Mar 27, 2008 4:52:57 PM
We've got some great dives here -- try Honey Bears for BBQ, ribs, and sweet potato pie. Near ASU? Breakfast at Harlow's Cafe, lunch or dinner at the Cornish Pasty Company.
If you want all the trappings, history and local color, dinner downtown at Durant's.
Posted by: SheetWise at Mar 27, 2008 5:24:37 PM
Separate post request: Why does ASU have the hottest students?
Posted by: NNM at Mar 27, 2008 5:27:18 PM
Can you rally credit Spielberg with AI? Didn't Spielberg mostly ruin Kubrick's story? How brilliant would AI have been if Kubrick was still alive... no way that would have been the ending.
Posted by: Cliff at Mar 27, 2008 5:33:12 PM
AI...possibly the most derivative film ever made. The first third of 2001; the second of Blade Runner and the final third of Close Encounters. All three movies are vastly superior to AI.
A really horrible movie.
Posted by: wwren at Mar 27, 2008 5:48:16 PM
How is the Phoenician standing up?
Posted by: Lord at Mar 27, 2008 6:35:06 PM
Tanya Tucker grew up in Arizona. Not country, but also listen to the Meat Puppets.
Sonoran tortillas are made with lard, they are less spongy and far superior to what I find here in the midwest (even in the immigrant neighborhoods). Not the season now, but green corn tamales, sold to you on your doorstep by your neighbor's abuelita.
Is the mariachi championship still in Tucson?
Posted by: tina at Mar 27, 2008 7:13:26 PM
I'm also of the opinion that the Northern Rim of the Grand Canyon is the single best sight I've seen, ever.
If you like that, then try hiking into the canyon from the North Rim. If you are not into backpacking and camping, just take a day and drop down a little ways. (Allow 4x the time to walk back up.)
Posted by: Robert Ayers at Mar 27, 2008 7:42:16 PM
NNM --
"Why does ASU have the hottest students?"
The answer is obvious.
Posted by: SheetWise at Mar 27, 2008 8:10:42 PM
Lynda Carter
Posted by: Dave at Mar 27, 2008 9:07:09 PM
FWIW, I'm an architecture buff and I vote against Taliesin West and against Arcosanti, both of which reminded me of bad "progressive" architecture from the '50s and '60s. I guess experimental colleges had their charm, but ...
Haven't seen the new "3:10 to Yuma" but the original movie version is really great, IMHO. I wrote about it here.
Posted by: MIchael Blowhard at Mar 27, 2008 9:28:48 PM
When everything from actors to budget is taken into account, "A.I." is a strong candidate for the worst movie ever made. Steven Spielberg is an awful director of science fiction because he is basically hostile to science. He can't do Philip K. Dick because he always misses what's really important about the stories. If I could have the image of Jude Law clicking his head to the side erased from my mind, I would gladly do so, even if it took some other valuable memories with it.
Posted by: Wugong at Mar 27, 2008 11:13:21 PM
There is now an additional reason why I don't read Michael Blowhard's blog. Michael you ought to contrive to get something of yours linked to over at Crooked Timber, that's always entertaining.
Last architecture article I read was about the Broad Museum (apparently rhymes with 'road'), but I'm a hick living amidst truly spectacular natural beauty, what would I know.
Posted by: Russell L. Carter at Mar 27, 2008 11:57:43 PM
Toy Story was the movie A.I. tried (and failed) to be-seeing the banality, and finding meaning within it. Life is about recognizing it's not what you'd like it to be, but finding meaning anyway.
I did like A.I.'s bizarro ending, though
Posted by: Tom at Mar 28, 2008 12:51:21 AM
My favorite thing about Arizona is that it's largest city has both outdoor swimming pools and the Navajo name Hoozdo, meaning 'the place is hot'.
Posted by: Paludicola at Mar 28, 2008 2:04:22 AM
Best 50's rock instrumentalist: Duane Eddy
Best jazz guitarist with a rock feel: Howard Roberts
Posted by: six_string at Mar 28, 2008 2:39:30 AM
Best 50's rock instrumentalist: Duane Eddy
Best jazz guitarist with a rock feel: Howard Roberts
Posted by: six_string at Mar 28, 2008 2:39:51 AM
Nothing wrong with E.T....that is all.
Posted by: Dave at Mar 28, 2008 8:52:01 AM
Michael Blowhard: "I'm an architecture buff and I vote against Taliesin West and against Arcosanti, both of which reminded me of bad "progressive" architecture from the '50s and '60s."
FLW's Taliesin West architecture generates a wide range of reactions. I was more impressed by the personal shelters designed and built on the Taliesin West grounds by the architecture students themselves.
Posted by: John Dewey at Mar 28, 2008 10:41:21 AM
Tyler, for Mexican food try El Nopalito, Thomas & 24th Street in central Phoenix. Often the waitresses there don't speak english.
Posted by: Todd Fletcher at Mar 28, 2008 11:55:59 AM
I understand that you have a penchant for defending awful films, but AI? Really? You have to be reading into it pretty far to get any meaning out of it, aside from Spielberg wanting to make/finish a Kubrick film, which still would have had no point. I am not a fan of E.T., my favorite Spielberg films are easily the ones that involve Indiana Jones.
I want to see the original film, the remake of "3:10 to Yuma" is great.
Posted by: d.cous. at Mar 28, 2008 3:18:37 PM
No mention for Arizona educated, Arizona resident philosopher David Schmidtz?
Posted by: Ben Kalafut at Mar 28, 2008 5:03:22 PM
Barry Hughart is from Arizona. His "Bridge of Birds" ain't high literature, but it sure is a lot of fun. If you haven't read it, you'll enjoy the story of a China that never was. It was enough to make him my favorite Arizonan author (that I know of).
Posted by: MostlyAPragmatist at Mar 28, 2008 11:31:45 PM
Country-folk-american-mexican indie rock band: Calexico.
The sound is better than my description.
Posted by: Walter at Mar 29, 2008 1:21:56 AM
