Tucson's downtown Caribbean oasis Saint House is celebrating its first anniversary nowish, so instead of offering a Groupon or Livingsocial deal or something of the like, co-owners Nicole Flowers and Travis Reese are raising money for Ben's Bells and giving you a significant discount on delicious food at the same time. 

Here's how it works: Go online to their You Get to Give site, buy a $40 Saint House voucher for $21, with $5 of that purchase going to Ben's Bells. Either print out a receipt or just show the email to the server on your phone. The vouchers are on sale until the end of August and you have to use them before the end of October. You can buy as many vouchers as you'd like, but you can only use one per visit and not on happy hour stuff. Still, a pretty solid deal, getting a bunch of food for about half off.

There's a new burger joint in town. Jeff and Fran Katz, owner and operators of Choice Greens, opened a new restaurant that specializes in premium antibiotic- and hormone-free beef and chicken. Graze is located at 2721 E. Speedway.

The store opened on Tuesday. Graze will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Here's some more information from the press release:

The menu offers “better tasting and better for you” burgers, fries, hot dogs and a signature chopped salad.

Graze uses Niman Ranch all-natural antibiotic/hormone-free premium beef; Smart brand free-range antibiotic/hormone-free chicken breast; Arizona-sourced tepary bean and superfood-based veggie burgers and Niman Ranch nitrate-free all-natural 100% beef hot dogs.

Options include burgers made with 100% grass-fed beef; Gluten-Free buns; Straus Family Creamery organic soft serve and Maine Root organic sugar cane sodas.

Graze’s fries are made from fresh cut Kennebec potatoes, twice-fried Belgian-style in Non-GMO rice bran oil and seasoned with kosher salt.

Toppings include: Heinz organic ketchup, Klein’s pickles, and nitrate-free Niman Ranch bacon.

Graze’s signature dipping sauces include: Graze Sauce, Malt Vinegar, Curry Ketchup, Sriracha Mayo and Pesto.

Click here for more information and here to like their Facebook page.

A fire erupted early Saturday morning at the Guadalajara Fiesta Grill on 705 N. Kolb, and was in the process of being contained by the Tucson Fire Department by 6:00 a.m., according to TFD's Facebook page.

Though Guadalajara Fiesta Grill changed its name and became an independently owned business in November of 2011, this fire comes just months after a small fire at the Guadalajara Original Grill on May 29, 2014, closed down that restaurant. The original location on 1202 E. Prince Rd. opened in 2002 and is currently under renovation.

Guadalajara Original Grill held a fundraiser at Sullivan's Steakhouse just this past Wednesday to help aid families of the workers who were displaced by its fire. On Thursday via its Facebook page, the Guadalajara Original thanked those who attended the event, saying, "Thank you to everyone that attended the benefit dinner on Wednesday night! It was a huge success. It was great seeing everyone and catching up! Pictures will follow soon. A special thanks to Sullivan's and Tom Jones for all their hard work to make it possible!"

More details to come, but TFD has announced that all firefighters made it out safely after its units went into a defensive transition. Though still battling the fierce blaze at the building on Kolb, just south of Speedway, TFD reminded, "life safety is our first priority."

UPDATE 2:40PM: Guadalajara Fiesta Grill posted this Facebook status update:

UPDATE 8:45AM: TFD has declared the building a total loss in the following statement:

Blu A Wine & Cheese Stop at 100 S. Avenida Convento is offering a "summer camp" for those who wish to learn "how to navigate your way around the expanding world of wine and cheese being produced by today's artisans."

Camp takes place on Fridays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

August 1: Wine & Cheese 101
Learn the basics for navigating your way around even the fanciest wine list or cheese case.

August 8: Reds & Whites & Bleus, O MY!
Explore the wide world of wine & cheese being produced by today’s artisans...and perhaps discover a few favorites your didn't know you had.

August 15: Pair like a Pro
Learn to pair the right wine with the right cheese everytime.

August 22: Host the Perfect Party
Build a cheese board and select wines that will impress even your foodiest friends.

Pay $20 and receive wine and cheese tastings plus a $10 rebate for retail purchases. Pre-registration is required. www.bluarizona.com; 314-8262 or http://www.eventbrite.com/e/wine-cheese-summer-camp-tickets-12305523151. 

It's that time of the year when you go to your favorite local establishment and they have that pesky "Out of town" sign dangling on their door.  Everyone is getting out of dodge. Heads up: La Cocina Restaurant & Cantina has gone on vacation. The restaurant will reopen at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 1. 

No one is more bummed out than DJ Herm:

Maynards Market will host the first Ice Cream Showdown from 6 to 8 p.m., on Saturday, July 12, in conjunction with National Ice Cream month. The competition is open to creameries throughout Arizona. Tickets are $10, and you get 10 tasting tickets. Additional tasting tickets cost $1 each. A portion of the proceeds with go to Ben's Bells. People in attendance pick the winners, in categories Best Overall Ice Cream, Most Inventive and Kids Choice. In the evening, the film Frozen will be shown at the Historic Train Depot. No charge for the movie. Maynards is located at 400 N. Toole Ave. maynardstucson.com. 

Cross your fingers so it doesn't rain tomorrow afternoon. The Friday Food Fest is taking place from 4 to 8 p.m., starting at East University Boulevard and North Fourth Avenue. Local food vendors, merchants and musicians play every week  alongside the east side of Fourth Ave., until East Fifth Street. One of the local bands scheduled to play at the event is The Long Wait.


Click here for more information.

You can thank local restaurants like Zemam's and Café Desta for putting Tucson on the latest national media's "Top 10 Cities We're Clickbaiting" list. In an article published online earlier this week, Forbes cites Tucson's Hispanic millennials, its strong college-based community, and affordability as key factors in making it one of the hottest cities for growth. Oh yeah, and its Ethiopian food.

Marian Salzman, one of Forbes' resident "Trendspotters," uses a variety of criteria to come to her ranking of ten up-and-coming cities in this week's online feature "Why The Southwest Is The New Capital Of Influence." Above all, it's the millions of Hispanic-American families (17% of the current US population) that are ultimately driving the growth to our region. Salzman also seems to be pushing a non-Twitter usage of #nextgen to define this latest generation. (Note to self: suppress audible groans, obvious eye-rolling upon hearing #nextgen at future networking mixers with possible #nextgeners.)

The usual suspects are here (e.g. San Francisco, Phoenix, Austin), book-ended by an apparent flood of young, tech-savvy, market-targets migrating to the "Good Ol' San Antone" and "The Old Pueblo" (here comes more rebranding attempts). As this unfortunately worded passage informs, "Latin millennials are putting Latin flair into its cities, places and spaces." Hey, who doesn't like flair?

If you haven't been paying attention to national trends, the City of Tucson has been, and finally realized that creating an attractive lifestyle for future workers and employers now tops tax incentives. Preach on, Forbes:

10. Tucson. The University of Arizona put the state’s second city on the map and still plays a role in its young image. Tucson’s millennial reputation is as a city of the future—affordable and very ethnic and authentic. Our respondents gave us reasons such as “It seems like a young and vibrant town. It seems like it would have a lot of fun things to do” and “It has rich traditions, mixed with modern lifestyles. It has a low cost of living with all the available amenities.

And while we're used to getting national praise for our excellent burritos, Sonoran hot dogs and Margaritas, it's the first time I can recall an African nation's food mentioned in a food-related Tucson anecdote. As Forbes declares, in closing: "Have you had Ethiopian food in Tucson? That is the future." Yes, a future paved with Injera and split peas—who's hungry for some spicy vegan future?

(Forbes)

There won't likely be much rest in 2014 for Todd and Sherry Martin, the owners of Tucson Tamale Company. They opened their second location, on the eastside at Tanque Verde and Sabino Canyon, in January and are now following that expansion up with a third location scheduled to open this October on the northwest side.

Located just north of the Ina/Oracle intersection in the former Jax Kitchen spot at 7286 North Oracle Road, the 2400 square foot space will offer dine-in, take-out and catering. Like the other two locations, tamales will be made fresh on-site.

Congrats, northwest-siders (and me, because I'll have another option for lunch).