SAMWITCHES & SUCH - TUCSON, AZ

No way does this place come anywhere close to the wonderful delicious and reasonably priced salads and sandwiches you can get at either Jason's Deli or Beyond Bread. We were really disappointed. They opened about 4 months ago in the space that used to house Thai-China (which moved several blocks away). All the oriental rich red and gold decorations were removed but nothing was put in its place.

I had a meatloaf sandwich on marble rye and melted Havarti cheese. All sandwiches and burgers come with homemade chips or homemade fries. Well, there is no way those  shoestring fries could have been homemade. There was a huge pile of them which Bill took home for a lunch. The meatloaf was quite tasty; lots of flavor and a good amount. I couldn't even finish it.

Bill ordered a BLT with cheddar cheese. He said it was just OK. and his side was the chips. They tasted and looked like Kettle chips but while they were warm they were really good; salty and slightly oily. There was a dip which had way too many onions in it which set up a physical barrier to getting the chip adequately smeared with the dip. Ah, luxury problems.

We won't be back but i would be willing to come here with a girlfriend and try one of their breakfast items. They are open 7 days a week from 7am to 10pm.

IRON MAN 3

It took us a while to settle into this movie and become engaged but once that happened, it was a highly entertaining and witty movie with a surprising twist. We both gave it an 8.

The plot is good guy (Robert Downey, Jr.)  stopping bad guy (Guy Pearce) amidst very sharp and funny dialogue, interesting scenes, wonderful visual effects, great characters (the small boy who temporarily interacts and helps Iron Man is delightful), and super acting.

Ben Kingsley was marvelous and Guy Pearce played a great suave and slick talking shady character. I wish Don Cheadle had been given more air time as he excels in both comedy and drama roles.

This movie is certainly a noteworthy addition to the Iron Man film series.

TINO'S PIZZA - TUCSON, AZ

We moved out of Portland declaring Godfather Pizza our favorite forever and ever. Well, Tucson doesn't have a Godfather's so after trying several other pizzas we ended up at Pizza Hut and this has been our hands-down favorite for many years. Every so often we venture forth into foreign and untried pizza pie land but always come back to The Hut.

We sallied forth in a discovery mood last night and this time found a winner and a worthy competitor to Pizza Hut. Its Tino's on Tanque Verde near the miniature golf course. The restaurant is small and plain but it has a nice friendly atmosphere.

We ordered a 14 inch combo on thin crust - called The Works. and we were really pleased. The crust was excellent though it could have used a tad more crisping at the pointy end of the piece. The flavor and amount of toppings was very satisfactory. We could taste the hint of good olive oil and also basil and even though there were not enough onions for me; there was a lot of sausage and pepperoni.

This cost $20.30 which was certainly more expensive than Pizza Hut; where we can get a large combo with a coke for about $14. but Tino's is now on our list. This positive experience has emboldened us and in the future we will also try a few others. Though my friend, Renee, told me that she and her husband tried a lot of  other pizza places  in Tucson throughout the years they  always come back to Tino's.