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Tucson: The US’s ancient, underrated culinary capital

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Home to the oldest continuously cultivated soil in the US, this desert-bound city boasts a fascinating food scene all its own.

The shady portico of San Xavier del Bac Mission, a whitewashed oasis set against the cactus-studded mountains of the Sonoran Desert, offered a brief reprieve from Arizona’s scorching summer sun as I walked with local chef Ryan Clark. The stucco mission, known as the “White Dove of the Desert”, was founded in 1700 when this part of Arizona belonged to New Spain, but Clark was more excited to arrive at nearby San Xavier Co-op Farm on the Tohono-O’odham reservation.
“The ground you’re standing on is where agriculture in the United States began,” Clark told me. “Approximately 4,200 years ago, the ancestors of the Tohono O’odham transitioned from hunting and foraging in the desert to planting corn. These plots hold the oldest continuously cultivated soil in our nation.”
This year marks the tenth anniversary of when Tucson became the first city in the US to be named a Unesco City of Gastronomy, joining the ranks of Parma, Italy; Chengdu, China; and Lyon, France as a centre of global culinary importance. The Unesco designation was a nod to the city’s deep-seated agricultural roots and has transformed Tucson into a culinary travel destination while also inspiring chefs, bakers, brewers and distillers to incorporate the area’s traditional ingredients in new ways. Today, alongside iconic staples like birria tacos and Sonoran hot dogs, you’ll find American Single Malt whiskey smoked in mesquite, artisanal chocolate made with chiltepin chilli and Michelin-worthy tasting menus showcasing the desert’s bounty.

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$1-billion Dubai skyscrapers to be linked by daring rooftop pool

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Two new 591-foot-tall skyscrapers, linked across the top by a daring “sky pool,” are set to rise above Dubai’s Marasi Marina.

But the soaring 43-foot infinity pool will not be accessible to the public, or even to most of the luxury towers’ residents — it’s part of what its architects describe as an exclusive “ultra-penthouse.”

Comprising 63 luxury residences, the new Regent Residences Dubai will be worth an estimated $1 billion upon its completion in 2027. The 35,000-square-foot penthouse features six bedrooms, a gym and a private elevator.

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Judi Dench says her vision loss is so bad she can no longer go out alone

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Dame Judi Dench always has someone with her when she is in public now for a reason.

During a conversation on the “Fearless” podcast with Trinny Woodall, the esteemed actress was asked about attending industry events.

Woodall pointed out that Dench is always with someone.

“I have to now because I can’t see,” Dench said. “And I walk into something.”

When asked about going solo, the star said she’s “not good at that at all.”

“Not at all. Nor would I be now,” Dench said. “And fortunately, I don’t have to be now.”

She laughingly said she has “no eyesight.”

It’s not the first time the Oscar winner has shared about her poor vision.

In 2012, she revealed that she had an age-related condition known as macular degeneration.

At the time she said she didn’t want news of her condition to be “overblown.”

“In response to the numerous articles in the media concerning my eye condition – macular degeneration – I do not wish for this to be overblown,” Dench said in a statement. “This condition is something that thousands and thousands of people all over the world are having to contend with. It’s something that I have learnt to cope with and adapt to – and it will not lead to blindness.”

Dench has previously discussed how the condition has made her work more challenging.

“I mean I can’t see on a film set anymore,” she told the Daily Mail. “I can’t see to read. So I can’t see much. But you know you just deal with it. Get on. It’s difficult for me if I have any length of a part. I haven’t yet found a way. Because I have so many friends who will teach me the script. But I have a photographic memory.”

Dench has had a long and storied career as an actress, including winning a best supporting actress Oscar in 1998 for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I in “Shakespeare in Love.”

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Tina Turner song thought ‘lost’ rediscovered after decades

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song originally recorded for Tina Turner’s hit 1980s album “Private Dancer” and thought to be lost has been rediscovered after four decades.

“Hot For You Baby” has been unearthed from the vaults and was played for the first time Thursday when it featured on the UK’s BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show.

“It’s like Tina Turner meets AC/DC,” was one BBC listener’s reaction.

Recorded at Capitol Studios in Hollywood, the song was written by Australian musicians George Young and Harry Vanda, and produced by John Carter.

Originally intended to be an album track, according to the song’s caption on Turner’s official YouTube channel, it’s unclear how the song became “lost to time.”

The song will be included in a special “Private Dancer” anniversary album slated for release in March.

“This thrilling discovery introduces a fresh chapter in the Private Dancer story,” reads the YouTube caption.

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