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Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum 2021 N. Kinney Road READERS' POLL RUNNER-UP: Gates Pass, 10 minutes west of I-10 on Speedway. While a panicked flight from some flatland, hazy hometown followed by the drone of a sweltering, late- afternoon drive south from Sky Harbor airport might squelch any out-of-towner's oohing and aahing over anything vaguely resembling a cactus or desert oasis, natives and near-natives know better: The West still holds religious sway over the minds of the uninitiated. Chances are good that, as you pull off I-10 for your 30-minute scenic detour, your friends will have found something magical and outlawish about the forests of saguaros dotting the colorful backdrop of craggy rock and yellow blooming bottlebrush. Top the crest at Gates Pass, saddled snug in the Tucson Mountains, just before sunset and let your greenhorn buddies out of the car. One might be drooling, another pointing a shaky finger--finally, thankfully, they're rendered speechless, at least for a short while. Gates Pass is best at sunset with the day's dust and evening clouds painting the desert and mountains red; but don't discount mornings--shadows stretch all the way to Avra Valley in the brisk clear shortly after sunrise. STAFF PICK: There's something magical about watching the creation of glass at Philabaum Contemporary Art Glass, 711 S. Sixth Ave. We, though admittedly easily entertained by shiny objects, can sometimes sit for hours and watch artists transform liquid globs of molten silica sand into breathtakingly beautiful works of art. Ironically, this former Tastee-Freeze now houses a remarkable gallery, overlooking the studio where a wall of furnaces are heated to 2,000 degrees year-round. The Sixth Avenue building is easy to spot with its 16-foot tall, 800-pound Conrad Muench airplane-tail sculpture as visual aid. It houses a world-class glass menagerie, exhibiting the work of more than 200 artists. Tom Philabaum, who's been blowing glass since 1971, is well known, nationally and internationally, for his paperweights and perfume bottles. Whether your budget is $5 or $8,000, you'll find one-of a-kind, hand-blown stemware, candlesticks, magnets, vessels and sculptures. Stock up during the holidays on hand-blown ornaments and translucent red chile peppers. Don't forget to find the back room for deals on "seconds," or to check out the jewelry display with surprisingly affordable glass earrings. Glass blowers work on the premises most days, although it's best to call ahead to avoid disappointment.
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