Sunshine State? More Like The Tropical Downpour State...

My sister Susan and I arrived back in Stuart, Florida this past Thursday and it has been raining ever since, including a downpour we experienced when driving down Federal Highway yesterday, as seen in the photograph above. In fact, I have been told it has been raining almost every day since we left here back in September. And this week the area has experienced what are called king tides, which can occur with full and new moons and cause flooding and erosion along the ocean and rivers. Peak tides took place here in Stuart on the mornings of Oct 27th and 28th, and the water on the St. Lucie River, just a short walk from our condo, has been going over the complex's pier, which is kind of scary. Evidently there has also been flooding along Flagler Drive in West Palm Beach and very serious flooding in Fort Lauderdale. I was planning on heading down to Fort Lauderdale this weekend for the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, in order to pick out my "forever" superyacht, but from what I can tell from the local television news, the whole town appears to be underwater. I was afraid that if I did decide to drive down there, my classic 2014 Hyundai Accent might very well float out to sea, with me in it. No problem. I suspect I wouldn't have been able to get the monthly payments on that superyacht down to an acceptable level, anyway. My social security check goes only so far, after all.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone! Today I am featuring a photograph that I have used many times before on this blog, most recently just 2 years ago. But I don't care. I like it. It is of my mother Mary and sister Susan, taken at a Vero Beach, Florida arts and crafts festival many years ago. And since we are now in Stuart, Florida, it seems very appropriate. Of course, today is Halloween, and it is also a Saturday night, and so back in Denver, I can just imagine what the scene in the Lower Downtown (LoDo) and Ballpark neighborhoods will be like this evening. I remember heading down there a few years ago to check out the scene, standing on the corner of 20th and Market, across the street from The View House, one of the most popular hipster hangouts in Denver. The intersection was filled with hipsters, all in costume, enjoying Halloween into the early hours of the morning. And here in Stuart? Since everyone in this town seems to be home before sunset (I suspect we have a vampire problem here, but no one will admit it), there is not a single person on the street. Not one trick or treater in sight. But no problem. It saves a fortune in candy expense. Happy Halloween! No matter where you are.

Returning To Stuart Florida!

It has been getting pretty damn cold here in Denver in the evenings, and so my sister Susan and I decided to head back down to our Stuart, Florida condo that we inherited from our parents, Nelson and Mary. Both of us really prefer to drive down to Florida, but unfortunately, that puts 4,000 miles roundtrip on my car, which adds up pretty quickly if you make the trip 3 times a year. Which means flying is the best way to get there. Oh joy! The last time we headed down to Florida, we had a layover in Baltimore, and instead of arriving on time at 8:50 P.M. we arrived at 1:05 in the morning. Thank God Jan, who was picking us up, was waiting for us in West Palm Beach at that ungodly hour and drove us from the airport to Stuart. Just another fun-filled airline adventure. And this time? God only knows. But it is time to think positive thoughts. And I do not want to criticize the airline industry. Not me. No way. My only comfort is that we will be arriving at Donald J. Trump International Airport. How proud every passenger must feel arriving at an airport with that hallowed name. Until he winds up in jail and the airport goes back to Palm Beach International. If only, if only.

The Denver Card Show

As I mentioned in yesterday's blog post, my sister Susan and I went to Oktoberfest - The Denver Wiesn at the National Western Center here in Denver this past Sunday afternoon. It was actually pretty nippy when we were there, and as we were leaving, we saw a sign pointing the way to The Denver Card Show, which is a large-scale trading card and collectibles event. It was free to attend, and so we headed that way, not due to a great interest in trading cards but just to get warm. When we entered the building, we had to go through the spooky entrance seen in photograph on the left to get to the event. And when we got to the exhibition hall, I was amazed at the size of the event. And the huge crowd that was there.

When I looked up The Denver Card Show on the internet after I got home, I saw that there were over 1,000 vendor tables there, featuring vintage and modern sports cards, trading card games, non-sports cards like Disney and Marvel, autographed memorabilia, comics, toys, and God knows what else. None of which interested either Susan or me. What did interest me was the Haunted Halloween Maze located in the far corner of the event. Which I headed to immediately. Unfortunately, as soon as we entered the maze and got to the first very small, very spooky room, Susan told me she was not going any further, and we turned around and headed back to the car. Not having experienced the Haunted Halloween Maze, but at least much warmer.

Attending The Last Oktoberfest of the Year

This past Sunday my sister Susan and I went to Oktoberfest - The Denver Wiesn, which took place at Denver's National Western Center. I am pretty sure it was the last Oktoberfest of the year, at least here in Colorado. This festival was sponsored by the Bavarian Guild and the National Western Center, and featured a beer hall, German food, artisan vendors, and family-centered activities, such as the Ferris wheel seen in the photograph on the left. There were a fair number of people at this event, but not anywhere near the crowds at the other Oktoberfests we attended. Which makes sense, since it was a bit chilly out there, with a wind making it feel even colder. I can just imagine what it felt like on that Ferris wheel.

This year Susan and I also attended the Oktoberfest in Denver's Platte Park neighborhood and the Denver Oktoberfest in the Ballpark neighborhood. Susan enjoyed them both but kept asking me why Oktoberfest takes place in September instead of October. And I kept explaining that the first Oktoberfest was to celebrate the wedding of Mad King Ludwig of Bavaria. It was such a success, they decided to have it again every year, but in September instead of October to avoid harsh weather. I had originally thought the Denver Wiesn would be an indoor event, since every other time I have attended a function at the National Western Center, it has been inside, including the long-gone Denver County Fair, and was very surprised to arrive and find it outdoors. But happily, Susan finally learned firsthand why Oktoberfests mostly take place in September.

All in all, it was worth checking out this final Oktoberfest, but it was a much smaller festival than I anticipated and far less boisterous than the other Oktoberfests we have attended. Plus, the National Western Center, which is where the National Western Stock Show takes place every January, is in an industrial area where the Denver Stockyards used to be located. Which makes it a great place for seeing livestock and attending rodeos, but for a festival like this, having it take place in an interesting neighborhood on a lively street makes a lot more sense. And so, will I attend this festival again next year? Probably not. As my old DU Bookstore boss Ed once said about attending a rodeo, once is interesting, twice is a mistake.

Dia De Los Muertos At Civic Center Park

I went to Dia de los Muertos at Civic Center Park in downtown Denver this past Saturday afternoon. This is a traditional Mexican holiday that honors deceased loved ones and is very popular here in Denver. This particular celebration was sponsored by the Denver Botanic Garden, and featured a community alter, art installations, live music, dance, Mexican and Latin American food trucks, and a marketplace with booths selling all manner of items, such as the one in the photograph on the left. There were a lot of people at this festival, which kind of surprised me, since it was a cold day with a nasty wind. Denver festival goers are nothing if not a hardy lot.

There were a number of Calacas (Spanish for skeletons) and Catrinas (female skeletons) on display at this event, which are the symbol of Mexico's Dia de los Muertos celebrations, two of which can be seen in the photograph on the right. Some of the works on display were from the collection of the Museo de los Americas, located in Denver's Art District on Santa Fe, and others were from the collection of the Denver Botanic Garden. My favorite Dia de los Muertos celebration takes place in November during the First Friday Art Walk on Denver's Santa Fe Boulevard. In addition to Calavera face-painting stations, artist made alters, and dance and music performances throughout the district, there is a procession from 7:00 to 8:00 which includes many people dressed as Calacas and Catrinas, which makes for great photo opportunities. Unfortunately, I will be out of town, or I would be there with camera ready. Hopefully many of you readers can make it there that night (Friday, November 6th). It is definitely worth it.

Watching Leeds Play Sunderland With The Leeds United Colorado Supporters Group

I went to the DNVR Bar at the corner of York and Colfax here in Denver with my friend Mark, seen in the photograph above, yesterday morning to watch Leeds United play Sunderland with the Leeds United Colorado Supporters Group. The Leeds fans are a nice bunch, a mix of young, old, and families with children, and I must say, the DNVR Bar is a very pleasant place to watch a soccer match. It is located in a building built in 1925 that once housed the Capitol Hill State Bank and has a nice old time feel about it, with a wall of windows looking out on York Street. Leeds did their best to score against Sunderland, which is currently in last place (20th) in the Premier League standings, but the best they could do was finish with a 0-0 tie. But Leeds is still in 7th place, and everyone left confident their team would win next week. At half time, Mark got to talking with John, the man wearing a yellow jersey in the background of the photo, and it turns out he is a big baseball fan, originally from the North Side of Chicago. And, of course, a Cubs fan. I mentioned that I was from the South Side Brainerd neighborhood of Chicago, and we had a nice chat about the Cubs and White Sox and players from back in the day. John was sure that with the Pope's support the Sox would go all the way to the World Series, but, of course, it was not to be. There are some things not even the Pope can arrange. All in all, a very pleasant start to a Sunday morning.