FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Matt_Zukowski]

Today I wandered into Geometra's room (Inn Suites). I am partial to anything multichroic, and the Urucum spodumenes jumped out of the case at me. They had this rich gemminess and luster that looks to me like jelly. Very enjoyable to look at. Sorry I don't have sizes, but the case they are in is a large case (that should provide some scale.

[Matt_Zukowski]

Back to the Quality Inn, I saw some nice pieces in the room of Great Wall Mineral Museum.

By the way, my purple ruler is 15 cm.

[Matt_Zukowski]

Finally for tonight, there is one Chinese dealer in, of all things, the Ramada Inn. I never would have heard about this fellow if I had not been talking to Ross at North Star Minerals, because the Ramada Inn is almost all fossil dealers.

This fellow, has some nice pieces, especially interesting ilvaite clusters. Pictures below.

[Jordi Fabre]

[robynahawk]

Stopped by Jordi's room yesterday and it was standing room only!

[Jordi Fabre]

Tucson 02/02/2011

As the post of robynahawk shows, my social life here is extremely busy. In one sense that's fine because I can meet a lot of old friends and join new ones, but in another sense, this prevent me to find time to write my regular columns, because sleeping 3-4 hours per day don't give to me the possibility to do much more as I'm doing. Sorry for it.

Anyway, today I have few free minutes and I use it to publish one of the promised photos, the image of one of the new Coppers after Cuprite and two shots of the unexpected weather here in Tucson. After few days with a "kind of spring" days, suddenly the temperature fall down and right now and at least until Saturday it seems that we will get a very cold weather which is not so funny considering that people is working in open spaces or in rooms with the doors open...brrrrrr ;-)

BTW, everybody in Tucson with acces to a computer, please publish your thoughts about Tucson Show here. Only if we collect many different visions we could offer to the rest of the world the reality of Tucson Show!

Jordi
2010 European correspondent of the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show™

[Darren]

I know that someone posted, somewhere, about a great Mexican food place close to the Inn Suites - as we will be out there this weekend (and looking for good food) can someone remind me of what this place is called????? Gotta say, we are used to New Mexico "Mexican" food and Sonoran is VERY different, but I'm willing to go for it!!!!!!!

Thanks, ya'll!!!!!

Darren (in cold-as-an-ice-box-Las Cruces, NM!)

(Yeah, ten BELOW zero here last night!)

[Samuel]

Hi Darren:

you are very lucky to have such nice weather. Where I live the temperatures get up to 115F, and it is flat, dry and dusty. The Flinders Ranges can be seen in the distance.

Stay frosty.

[Joan Kureczka]

Darren -- if you were thinking of our posts on the UKMV Facebook page regarding La Cocina, it isn't a Mexican place but more of an internationally focused cafe, although they do have a few Mexican dishes. Just a nice, relaxed and affordable cafe, with coffee drinks/teas, beer, wine and cocktails, open all day from 9 am until late. And live acoustic music many evenings. It's at 201 North Court, not far from the original El Charro. Jesse and Ian Jones have been spending quite a bit of time there this past week and other folks they've taken have liked it as well.

If you're looking for good Mexican you may also have seen posts for Cafe Poca Cosa and LIttle Cafe Poca Cosa (both downtown). The Little Cafe is breakfast and lunch only, M-F and is a favorite of Jesse's and mine.

[GneissWare]

There is a pretty good place down on Oracle, between the Executive and Collector's Edge Wholesale. Its on the side of the street closest to Hwy 10. You can't miss it. Good hand-made at the table guacamole!

[Darren]

Thanks Joan! La Cocina, that's it! I guess I just assumed since it has a Spanish name it would be Mexican food! Gonna try it anyway with the wife and kids on Saturday, after we stop to introduce ourselves and say "howdy!" And Samuel, our summers here can get above 100 easily, and dry, dusty!!!! Ya'll have a great night (day!)

Darren

[Jordi Fabre]

Tucson 02/03/2011

The topic of discussion this year are not the minerals, but the weather. Yesterday it reached a low that has never been in the history of Tucson: 18 Fahrenheit (-8 Celsius) but tonight is said that will reach 15 Fahrenheit (-10 Celsius) The half of the city had not water because the pipes are frozen and, of course, it is difficult to work well, since the conditions here are not suitable by this so low temperature.

Tomorrow they say it will warm, so as soon as we thaw, I begin to publish more pictures of minerals ;-)

Wild Tucson!

Jordi
2010 European correspondent of the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show™

[Gail]

Jordi, thank you for posting wonderful photos! Your site offers such great views of the Tucson experience!

[Jordi Fabre]

[Jordi Fabre]

Tucson 02/04/2011

With the intense cold already gone, I still publish two more photos to show the impact of this unusual circumstance i the fair .

As the worst is over, I'm back to post photos of minerals, this time from one of the excellent Jeremejevites on matrix found between February and March 2010 in the Amib Range, Erongo, Namibia. The matrix was studied whether it could been a new species, but finally, acording Bill Pinch, is simply a term through Elbaite-Foitita series.

Jordi
2010 European correspondent of the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show™