handmade

Spring Bazaar at MSA Annex and Mercado San Agustin /  by Christopher Loa

Dust and Heritage at MSA Annex in Tucson, Arizona.

The Spring Bazaar is one of two events of its kind that happen each year at the Mercado San Agustin on the corner of Congress Street and Avenida Del Convento. This is always a fun event with several local vendors set up at the Mercado courtyard. This year they combined the Spring Bazaar with the grand opening of the MSA Annex into one event called the Block Party. The MSA Annex is a new extension of the Mercado, located just south on the same street. The MSA Annex concept is the first of its kind in Tucson. It consists of several shipping containers converted into 15 retail and restaurant spaces. some of the business in the Annex include, a bike shop, an outside bar, clothing boutiques, and home goods. I missed the grand opening celebration and events, but I still stopped in on the last day of the bazaar to check out the new space. Although it was still under construction and some business are still not open, I really liked the layout. I was very impressed with how each business made the best use of their spaces and put a lot of thought into creating a unique experience. There is a lot of variety in the shops and no two are alike. I am excited to see what else will open in the MSA Annex and I think this a great addition to central Tucson.

The courtyard of the MSA Annex in Tucson, Arizona.

Converse Chuck Taylor 70: A Sneaker With a Story. /  by Christopher Loa

@gloriasierra on court with the Chuck Taylor 70 in Tangerine.

It is starting to feel like summer here in Tucson, Arizona and my friends @gloriasierra and @david.tartaglia and I have been slowly adapting as temperatures increase. We were out exploring the university area when we found ourselves on a basketball court and realized we were all wearing Chuck Taylors. This sparked some of our inspiration for the day. This sneaker has been around in some form for 100 years and is one of my personal favorite sneakers to wear in summer. As a kid, I grew up wearing Converse. I always remember watching my dad skate in Chuck Taylors and my mom wear them and wanting to be like them.

I have always loved a good story, narrative or history, especially when attached to something tangible. The Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star sneaker is one of those stories. Converse started life as the Converse Rubber Shoe Company in 1908, founded by Marquis Mills Converse in Massachusetts. In 1917 they introduced the All-Star sneaker, later in the 1930's they added Chuck Taylor's name, a member of the Converse All-Stars basketball team, to the ankle patch. Since its inception, this sneaker has gone through many changes including adding an oxford, adding colors, changing logos, and through all of this, it remains one of the most iconic sneakers in the world. Some of the greatest players like Bill Russel, Julius Erving, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson all played professional basketball wearing Converse basketball sneakers, forever cementing Converse in the history of the game.

The "Chuck 70" version is a heritage throwback of the basketball sneaker that was famous on the court in the 1960s and 1970s. It has a more classic look, as well as a lot of premium details such as 12 oz. canvas upper, higher rubber foxing and a classic black heel tab. The sneaker is also more comfortable due to the OthoLite insole.

Presta Coffee Roasters /  by Christopher Loa

Presta Coffee Roasters, 1st Avenue location. Tucson, Arizona.

I have lived in Arizona for the past 16 years and lately, I have really been inspired by the people, places and events in Tucson. In any given week, I might attend a car show, hike in Saguaro National Park, drive to Mt. Lemmon, or simply get lunch and coffee with friends. This week I spent an afternoon at Presta Coffee Roasters with my friends David and Gloria to get coffee and talk about some creative ideas we want to work on. We like going there because the coffee and service is great. The people who work there are friendly, helpful and knowledgeable and make you feel like a regular even if you're not. The space is also very comfortable and casual, and it doesn't hurt that it makes a great backdrop for photos. Their attention to detail really shows in everything they do from where they source their coffee to how its roasted, prepared and served. The more networking I do in Tucson, the more inspired I am by the entrepreneurs, creatives and talented people who live here and are passionate about making it an even better place to call home.

Bikes at Presta

Cultivate Tucson Spring 2018 /  by Christopher Loa

Cultivate Tucson Spring Market 2018 located at Chicago Music Store in downtown Tucson, Arizona.

Cultivate is Tucson's local vendor market place held in various locations twice a year. According to their website, the mission of Cultivate is "Our goal is to foster collective empowerment, creative initiative, and community growth.". Along with this mission, they also give back a portion of all proceeds to local Tucson non-profits. This year the spring market was held in a building in downtown Tucson that most recently housed The Chicago Music Store from 1967 to 2016. The building, built in 1903, has been the home of occupants such as Los Angeles Furniture Store(1903), J.C. Penney(1927-1957), and Aaronson Brothers(until 1967). I believe the location and spaces they choose for the markets each time really adds to the atmosphere of the event, and this year was no exception. I had a great time at the event and continue to be inspired by the people in Tucson. 

Cultivate Tucson Spring Market 2018