Remembering Happy Times At Las Olas Riverfront

I have always had happy memories of the Fort Lauderdale Riverwalk and Las Olas Riverfront, a trendy shopping center that opened in 1998. I must have read about the opening in the Stuart News, when my sister Susan and I were down in Stuart, Florida visiting my mother Mary, and insisted we check it out. I remember that the first time we were there, we walked along the Riverwalk, which runs along the north side of the New River, and then had lunch at Cafe Tu Tu Tango in the Las Olas Riverfront complex. Susan was really quite taken with the napkins, and grabbed about a year's supply from a service stand on the way out. As we were leaving, I decided to distance myself from my sister and mother, planning to deny knowing them if they were apprehended by authorities. Fortunately, that never happened, and I took the photograph on the left of Susan and my mother. And by the way, if they were arrested, I would certainly have bailed them out not too much later.

The Fort Lauderdale Riverwalk is lined with cabin cruisers, yachts, and sightseeing boats, and is a joy for walking and people watching. Since it was only an hour or so from my mother's condo in Stuart, Florida, we visited  there a number of times. The waterfront walkway, as well as Las Olas Riverfront itself, was always crowded with locals and tourists. After my mother came to live with me up in Denver, we traveled back to her condo three times a year, but never had time to visit Fort Lauderdale. When my friends Valarie and Jake vacationed in Stuart a few years ago, I recommended all kinds of places to visit. I was planning on recommending Las Olas Riverfront, but never did, which turns out to be a good thing. The economic downturn in 2008 resulted in a major decline in business, and eventually only Las Olas Pizza remained as a tenant at the center. The complex began to be occupied by the homeless, and it also became a high crime area. In fact, an ATF agent was mugged there, and this was someone who was armed. I suspect Valarie and Jake would have survived, if I had recommended the place, but I also suspect they would have been a bit peeved at me.

Las Olas Riverfront was torn down in 2017, but on a positive note, one of two planned high rise apartment buildings, with lots of retail on the ground floor, has just opened for business on the site. Plus, The Wharf, a very trendy restaurant and bar with a large patio along the Riverwalk, has opened right next door. The place is so popular that when it reopened in November, after being closed due to the coronavirus, so many people crowded onto the patio, mostly maskless, that the place had to close again, and just reopened this past Thursday. Happily, The Wharf has new safeguards in place, and it's reopening coincided with temperatures in the 50s (which for Floridians is like experiencing sub-zero temperatures), resulting in a very modest number of customers. I can't wait to head back there and check out the action. My sister Susan will probably want to come along, also. I suspect The Wharf has very cool napkins, too.

Walking Through The Mapleton Hill Historic District

I drove to Boulder and took a walk through the Mapleton Hill Historic District last week. Mapleton Hill is a beautiful, Victorian era neighborhood located on a hill just north of the downtown area, with wonderful views of the Flatirons, as seen in the photograph on the left. I have to say, the wealthier residents of Boulder lived very well back in the 19th century. The current residents seem to have a pretty cushy lifestyle, too.

There are some modest houses on the hill, but most seem to be very large indeed. And even the smaller houses seem to be priced in the million dollar range. I suspect that a lot of these larger homes were built so that they could rent out rooms to University of Colorado students. Either that, or they must have all had very large families indeed.

The house on the left I thought was particularly nice. It was built in 1888, back when I was a mere child. I looked it up online, and it was purchased in 2013 for $860,000. It is not for sale, but the estimated value is now close to 2 million dollars. I really like the place, but that does seem a bit pricey, even for me. I wonder what the original owners would have thought about that price tag?

Self Portrait With Cow

I took the above self portrait with one of the fiberglass cows that were part of Denver's "Cow Parade" years ago. This one is on the 16th Street Mall, but there are a number of others still around and scattered across the city. The Cow Parade has been held in many cities, including Chicago and Florence, Italy, where the parade was taking place when I visited. Artists purchase blank fiberglass cows, paint and decorate them however they like, and the finished products are displayed across the city. Afterwards, they are auctioned off, and the money is donated to charity. Seeing all these painted cows around town was a lot of fun, and my only regret is that I was not able to purchase one to put on my balcony. And of course, stealing one off the street might attract attention, especially when trying to fit it into your car.

My Thoughts On Pedicabs

I have never hidden the fact that I have turned into an old curmudgeon, despite my still youthful appearance. And so it should come as no surprise that I am annoyed as hell by pedicabs, those pedal powered cab-like bicycles that take pedestrians to and fro around downtown Denver, two of which can be seen in the above photograph. They are always going up and down the 16th Street Mall, music blasting at full volume as they pass by, usually playing rap, heavy metal, or something else equally annoying, making the people they pass want to scream out in anger and pain. I have to wonder what my fellow curmudgeon and spiritual mentor, Bill Bryson - the well know British/American writer - would say about pedicabs. No doubt something I could not print here.

Keeping Up With Blackberry

Whenever I go up to Fort Collins to take my sister Susan on her errands, I take her dog Blackberry - seen in the photograph above - for a couple of walks. For the first part of these walks, Blackberry likes to run as fast as she can. Susan has no yard, and since Blackberry probably needs the exercise, I let her run, and try to keep up, hoping she tires before I do, which of course never happens. It is amazing that she has so much energy, since she will be 14 years old on February 15th (we are planning a surprise birthday party, of course). I must say, however, that she is starting to turn white in spots. I suggested to Susan that she take Blackberry to Jody, her hairdresser, and ask her to dye the white goatee under Blackberry's chin, as well as her white rear end, but Susan refuses to do this. Talk about animal cruelty.

My Mother Mary's 105th Birthday!

Today would have been my mother Mary's 105th birthday, if she were still alive today. I can't remember when I took the photograph of her on the left, but I know it was taken in front of her condo in Stuart, Florida, where she lived for almost 30 years. It was the happiest time of her life. She learned to play golf, made more friends than ever before, and went on all kinds of trips sponsored by the HOA. My sister Susan and I still own the condo, but rent it out to help pay expenses. Both Susan and I have many happy memories of our visits there. Hopefully this fall, if the pandemic is contained, we can head down there to reconnect with such a special place. Happy Birthday Mother!

McGregor Square Is Almost Complete!

McGregor Square, a mixed use project being built by the Colorado Rockies (and seen in the photograph above), will be opening soon, just in time for the start of the new baseball season. It is located adjacent to Denver's Coors Field, and will feature a boutique hotel, offices, condos, restaurants, a Colorado Rockies Museum, and retail stores, including the new downtown location for the Tattered Cover Bookstore. It will also have a large courtyard for ice skating in the winter, and a gathering spot for baseball fans during the summer. This is all well and good, but on the other hand, the almost $400 million dollars for this project is being spent on real estate instead of the ball team, which finished one game out of last place this past season - an actual improvement on previous years. As he does every year, owner Dick Monfort says that the team did poorly this past season due to injuries, and now that everyone is healthy, it will definitely be playoff contenders this year. And therefore - not surprisingly - the Rockies will once again not be making any major roster changes. Buy your World Series tickets now, Rockies fans!

New York, New York, A Wonderful Town...

At least that is how the song goes. But the reality is a bit different. Just before the University of Denver outsourced the DU Bookstore, where I was the Finance Manager for almost 30 years, to Follett Higher Education Group, I flew to Boston, toured the city, and then took the Amtrak train south, with stops in New Mystic, Connecticut, New York City, and Washington D.C. When I was in New York, I stayed at the Super 8 in North Bergen, New Jersey, which was just a short bus or jitney ride from midtown Manhattan.  I had planned on staying at the Algonquin, but as I recall, it was closed for renovations at the time. I bought some sort of museum pass, which is how I wound up taking a sightseeing boat around New York Harbor and up the East River in the fog and rain, as seen in the photograph on the left.

I also took the Staten Island ferry a couple of times, as seen in the photo on the right. Coming from Chicago, which was referred to as the "Second City" when I was growing up, I was always pretty disdainful about New York. After all, it was the New York newspapers that originally called Chicago "the Windy City," a reference to all the bragging the city fathers did about the 1893 World's Fair held there. And I must say, New York might be an interesting city, but I found it to be dirty, and frankly, kind of ugly most places. Chicago, on the other hand, has parks all along it's Lake Michigan waterfront, great architecture, wonderful neighborhoods, and friendly people, which New York definitely does not. On the other hand, North Bergen, New Jersey did have a lot of positive qualities. New York could take some lessons.

Happy Hour With Wally At Spanky's

I got together with Wally, my friend and former University of Denver Bookstore co-worker, at Spanky's - located just west of the DU campus - for happy hour yesterday evening. Wally, seen in the photograph above, is doing well, keeping busy in his woodworking shop during the pandemic, and hoping to head back up to his friend's ranch in Red Lodge, Montana for a visit once the weather turns warmer.  After dinner, we strolled over to the new DU Community Commons, which opened just a few weeks ago, replacing the building known as Driscoll North (the DU Bookstore is still located in Driscoll South, connected by a bridge over the street). The doors were locked, for some reason, and a sign on the window said that badges were required. Happily, a couple of students walked out and let us in. It reminded me of that famous line from The Treasure of Sierra Madre: "Badges. We don't need no stinking' badges." Nobody else seemed to be wearing badges, either. Perhaps the signs were put up to discourage Colorado College students from entering the place ("CC sucks" has always been a popular refrain at DU). In any case, we toured all the floors, including the 4th, where the rooftop patio and the ugliest bar we have ever seen are located. DU should definitely have consulted us on this - we do have the expertise, after all. Good to see you again, Wally!

Can You Guess Where This House Is Located?

If you said Boulder, Colorado, you are absolutely correct, and are obviously in tune with the Boulder vibe ("25 square miles surrounded by reality"). Boulder, home to the University of Colorado and some very pricey real estate, is a great town to visit and hang out in, even if you can't afford to live there.  Driving up US 36 from Denver, crossing a high ridge, and then seeing the Boulder Valley laid out in front of you, with the Flatirons in the background, is a sight you never get tired of. And so what if people are crazy there? Crazy means fun. Usually.

Homeless On Colfax

As I mentioned in yesterday's blog, I walked down Denver's Colfax Avenue this past Sunday to the Colorado State Capitol to check out the protest action (there was none). I usually walk down East 17th when heading downtown, since Colfax can often be quite depressing - lots of homeless people and lots of empty storefronts. I took the photograph on the left of the Denver Urban Ministries mural before realizing that a man was sleeping just next to it on a chair in the alley. I don't know if he just hangs out there during the day and goes to a shelter at night, or if he stays there all the time. Sad either way.

There are a lot more homeless camps on the sidewalks in Central Denver lately, no doubt fueled by people impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. However, on Colfax, there has always been a lot of people dealing with both drug and alcohol problems and mental illness, such as the person in the photograph on the right. Trying to reach these individuals has been a struggle here in Denver since long before the pandemic. Most of them do not want to be helped, and refuse to go to shelters, even during dangerously cold temperatures. I am sure people who are homeless due to the pandemic will accept any help they can get, but how to assist those with all these other issues I have no idea. Hopefully, Denver city fathers are working on a plan. 

Inauguration Day!

Today is January 20th, Inauguration Day, the day Joe Biden will become the 46th President of the United States, and Kamala Harris Vice President. Of course, this year, the crowd will consist of 25,000 National Guard troops, instead of spectators, due to concerns about possible violence from right wing extremists. There was also concern that there would be violence at all 50 statehouses this past Sunday. To check out whether this was the case, I took the bus that day to the Tattered Cover Bookstore, where I used to work as the bookkeeper, and then walked down Colfax Avenue to the Colorado State Capitol, where I took the above photograph. As you can see, the area was practically deserted, with the only protestors being three kids denouncing the two party system. Hopefully that will be the case today at the US Capitol, and we can all get back to going days and even weeks or months without thinking about political turmoil. I can dream, can't I?

It's My 68th Birthday - I'm Old! How? Why?

Yes, today is my 68th birthday. Which reminds me of the line in the movie Breaking Away, when the the mother of the lead character asks her husband, who is recovering from a heart attack, "aren't you happy to be alive?" No, he replies, "I'm happy not to be dead. There's a difference." A line all of us curmudgeons can agree on. And by the way, the above photograph of my sister Susan and I was taken at Disney World back in 1977, the year after my parents Nelson and Mary retired to Stuart, Florida. As I recall, my mother came with us (and took the photo), but my father decided to stay home - he felt that Stuart was Camelot, and therefore, why should he even think of leaving, even for a day? Makes sense to me. And as I look at this photo, I have to say, I don't think I have aged a bit.

My Sister Susan's Birthday!

Today is my sister Susan's birthday. I won't say how old she is, since she would probably come after me with a knife if I did. In point of fact, she even refuses to let me take her photograph these days, and actually did brandish a knife when I tried to take a photo of her in her kitchen a few years ago. However, when we were in Paris back in May of 2019, I was able to take the above photo in front of a cafe called La Terrasse, safe in the knowledge that she was not near any cutlery. La Terrasse, by the way, is located in the Rue Cler neighborhood, very close to the Eiffel Tower, and both Susan and I hope to return there one of these days - that is, if the damn pandemic ever goes away. Regardless, Happy Birthday Susan!

Spring Training Is Only 4 Weeks Away!

What with all the focus on such things as election fraud, the storming of the US Capitol, impeachment, and a deadly worldwide pandemic, we have all lost sight of what is truly important in life - namely, the start of the major league baseball season. Pitchers and catchers report to spring training camps on February 16th, a mere 4 weeks away, and I have a sneaking suspicion that my South Side heroes, the Chicago White Sox, will be winning it all this year. Therefore, I intend to watch as many of their games as possible on MLB.com. However, when you attend a game in person, I believe that minor league baseball is by far the best baseball experience. It is much cheaper than major league baseball, and you can usually get infield seats in the first or second row, which is how I was able to take the photograph on the left at a Florida State League game at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida.  Best of all, minor league baseball has all kinds of contests and events every half inning to keep the crowd entertained. 

And there is no better way to spend a summer evening than at a family friendly venue like Roger Dean Stadium. During spring training, the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins train there, but the rest of the time the Jupiter Hammerheads and the Palm Beach Cardinals play their games there.  Sitting so close to the front, fans often get to interact with the team manager, coaches, and players. Of course, the only person on the field I ever interacted with was the Palm Beach Cardinals mascot, which to me was more disturbing than fun. I am not a big fan of mascots. They kind of remind me of clowns, which these days have quite the creepy reputation, thanks to serial killer John Wayne Gacy and horror writer Stephen King. I must admit that the Cardinals mascot in the photo on the right did seem friendly. However, I suggest you never turn your back on him, just in case. See you at the ballpark.

Crossing The Millennium Bridge

The Millennium Bridge, seen in the photograph above, is a pedestrian bridge built over the remaining railroad tracks dividing downtown Denver from the Highlands neighborhood. Back when I first moved to Denver, this entire area was all railroad tracks and freight yards. Now, it contains expensive condos and apartments, as well as Commons Park, which borders the Platte River (and for God's sake, don't EVER touch that water).  In any case, in addition to the Regional Transportation District's light rail trains, BNSF (Burlington Northern Santa Fe) trains pass under that bridge, bringing wind turbine parts up to Wyoming and tons of coal back. BNSF is most famous for advertising on the PBS News Hour with Judy Woodruff, and most infamous here in Denver for demanding $535 million - compared with a projected $66 million cost - to give the right of way for RTD to expand it's "B" line from the Denver suburb of Westminster to Boulder and Longmont, effectively making the project financially unfeasible. And yet BNSF is owned by Omaha good guy billionaire Warren Buffett. What's the deal with that?

Strolling The CU Campus

I drove up to Boulder last week and walked from the Pearl Street Mall to the University of Colorado, where I strolled around the campus for the hour or so before sunset. It is a truly beautiful setting, and a lot of other people were out and about enjoying the ambiance, too, even though classes do not start until February. The building in the photograph on the left is Old Main, the first on campus, built in 1876, the year Colorado became a state. They don't call us the Centennial State for nothing.

Boulder is right up against the Flatirons, which means that in addition to getting a lot more snow than Denver, it is host to a variety of wildlife, especially deer. As I was wandering the campus, four deer surprised me by running from the front lawn of a university owned house to some woods directly across the street, where I took the photograph on the right. Surprisingly, one of the cars going down the street, driven by what appeared to be a frat boy, actually sped up and honked the horn, just missing the last deer as it scampered across the street. Hard to believe, but then again, it is hard to believe that 72 million people voted for Donald Trump, too. What can I say?

The January Mutt Of The Month

This month's Mutt of the Month was tied up in front of Reiver's, a longtime bar and restaurant on Old South Gaylord Street here in Denver. Old South Gaylord is a one block business district in the center of the Washington Park neighborhood, one of Denver's most affluent, and residents can easily walk here to shop or dine. I suspect the owner of this dog was inside, hoisting a pint or two, taking a break from the arduous task of walking the dog. Because of Covid-19, inside dining here in Colorado is limited to 25% of capacity, but places which have large outdoor patios, such as Reiver's, can still do pretty well, as long as the temperatures stay mild. Of course, here in Denver, that can change on a daily basis during the winter. I have found that drinking a beer outside tastes much better at 60 degrees than at 20. But that's just me.

The Patron Tequila Express

As I was heading toward the RTD light rail train, going home after a walk through uptown and downtown Denver, I spotted the Patron Tequila Express sitting on the track in front Union Station, as seen in the above photograph. Naturally, as soon as I got home, I researched it on the internet, and - surprise - it is owned by John Paul DeJoria, the founder of Patron Spirits Company. It was built in 1927, and is equipped with a gourmet kitchen, dining room, three staterooms, and an observation room. Franklin D. Roosevelt, Clark Gable, and Huey P. Long have all been passengers on the car over the years. I am not sure that touting Huey Long, the Donald Trump of his era, as a guest is such a great idea, but then again, it is not my company. Dan Aykroyd, a good friend of DeJoria, is a frequent traveler on the Patron Tequila Express. And why was it here in Denver? I suspect that the car is DeJoria's preferred method of transportation, and he was here on business. I know for a fact it wasn't open to the public, since I tried all the doors, and all were locked. Be sure to check out the photos on the company's web site at https://www.patrontequila.com/stories/2016-07/patron-tequila-express.html.

Why Did The Geese Cross The Road?

I have no idea, because it turns out that the geese in the photograph on the left never did get to the other side - they just decided to hang out in the middle of the street. I finally had to drive around them, after taking a few snapshots, of course. These particular geese were in Fort Collins, Colorado, and lately I have noticed them all over the place up there, even in the parking lot of the local King Soopers Grocery store. Geese are very much like Californians - once one of them finds an agreeable spot, thousands more soon follow. 

Geese have always been a problem here in Denver. It got so bad a year ago last summer that the park district culled a thousand of them at Washington Park, and gave the meat to local food banks. The park district claimed that the droppings from these geese was a health hazard. News of the killings stirred up an outcry from Denver residents, but to no avail. This past summer the park district repeated the culling, but were much quieter about it. For a while afterwards, I saw very few geese in Wash Park, but this fall and winter, have noticed that they have returned in large numbers. They are even walking across the street from the park, hanging out on people's lawns, as seen in the photograph on the right. If it was me, I would be out in the front yard with a broom, shooing them all back across the street, or at least to the lawn next door. Actually, in thinking about it, it is a shame that a fat Christmas goose has gone out of style in the English speaking world - somebody could have made a fortune. Perhaps even me.

The First Day Of Classes At DU

Today is the first day of classes at the University of Denver, and they will be held in person, despite the threat of coronavirus. Tuition and fees are pretty steep at DU - $50,500 per year, the same as Harvard University - and so many students and their parents feel that paying that much money for remote learning is a bit of a ripoff, hence the justification for in-person classes. Last quarter, due to the rise of Covid-19 cases among students, classes had to move online for the final two weeks. Hopefully, DU students will be a bit more attentive to coronavirus guidelines this quarter. On a more positive note, the new DU Community Commons, seen in the photograph on the left, and built on the site of what was once Driscoll North, is now open, not to mention Driscoll South, connected by a bridge to the new building. Driscoll South is the location of the University of Denver Bookstore, where I worked for almost 30 years as the Finance Manager, until the university outsourced the store to Follett Higher Education Group (aka the Evil Empire).

It was just last week that I noticed that the Community Commons Building was open, and I decided to walk around and see what it was like. Cold and sterile is the thought that immediately comes to mind, but to be fair, the place just opened, and thanks to coronavirus precautions seems to be mostly devoid of furniture. After walking around the first two levels (the third level was closed), I headed to the 4th floor, which features a rooftop deck, to see if there was also a rooftop bar. In point of fact, there was, but not the wood paneled, cozy nook with a fireplace that any sane architect would design. It was simply a window off the hallway seen in the photograph on the right, and not open for business. And as you can see, the main room on that level is no great shakes, either. It looked to me like they were getting ready for an opening day reception. And after working at DU for almost 30 years, I did not even get an invitation. Sad, since I was hoping to meet the new chancellor and discuss my suggestions to improve the school.

The second level of the building is where all the various food outlets are located. When I first started working at DU, all the students dined in the cafeteria in Driscoll North, which had just been constructed (and now, of course, is history). Years later, it was decided to have students dine in their respective dorms, with the cafeteria in Driscoll North serving day students. Now, the university has decided to close the cafeterias in the dorms and have students dine together once again in the new commons. I am considering starting a pool to guess the date the administration decides to move dining back to the dorms again. In any case, on my way out of the building, I was pleased to see that there is an outside balcony on the second floor with Adirondack style rocking chairs, which I am sure will be a big hit with the student body. Just how long before those rocking chairs wind up in the fraternity houses around campus, I can not say.

More Florida Nostalgia

I took the above photograph of my sister Susan, trespassing on an unoccupied sailboat, sometime before 2005. I know it was before 2005 because it was taken at the marina in front of Jack Baker's Lobster Shanty. Whenever Susan and I would visit my mother Mary down in Stuart, Florida, where she lived for almost 30 years, we would go to Jack Baker's for the "Early Bird" special at least once during our stay, and walk around the marina afterwards. However, in the fall of that year Stuart was hit by two Category 3 hurricanes - within two weeks of each other, I might add - which destroyed this restaurant, as well as many other restaurants, hotels, and residences along the water. A lot of these places rebuilt, but many did not, including Jack Baker's. Just for good measure, another Category 3 hurricane hit Stuart the following year, too. I once thought of living on a boat down in Stuart, like the ones in the photo, but after I saw the damage caused by these storms, I thought again. Best to just walk around the marina and let somebody else worry about their boat when hurricane warnings are announced. The same goes for a house or condo right on the water. As humorist Dave Barry once famously said, living in Florida is great, except during hurricane season, which runs from June 1st through May 31st.

Saying Goodbye To Tutu

Sadly, my sister Susan had to put Tutu, her tiny Yorkie - seen with me in the above photo, taken a year or so ago - to sleep this past Thursday afternoon. Tutu, who was 14 years old, had been in failing health for a while now, and so thankfully, I think Susan was prepared for this to happen, although losing a pet is always hard. That is one of the many reasons why I never want to own a pet myself. Susan's other dog, Blackberry, is also 14 years old, but still seems to have lots of energy. When I take her for walks up in Fort Collins several times a week, it is more like a run, and afterwards, I am far more tired than Blackberry. I just hope and pray it stays that way for a long time to come.

Hanging With Stuart At Spanky's

I had dinner with my friend Stuart - seen in the above photograph - Tuesday night at Spanky's, located just to the west of the University of Denver campus. This was the day before Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol Building, attempting to save democracy by destroying it. Tuesday night we speculated on what would happen Wednesday, and I myself expressed fear that Trump supporters might indeed storm the Capitol, but was mostly worried that they would be armed with AK-47s. Fortunately, the Washington DC police had the foresight to ban weapons in the area where Trump supporters were protesting, and so, in my opinion, things turned out much better than they could have. In a related matter, I was shocked to find that Stuart actually ordered fish tacos for dinner, without anyone even pointing one of those AK-47s at his head. Go figure. I myself, being a health fanatic, ordered barbecued boneless chicken wings and tatter tots, washed down with a couple of happy hour IPAs. At my age, you have to start eating right, after all.

A Disruption In The Space-Time Continuum

Yesterday, there was a disruption in the space-time continuum, a moment when events from the past merged with the events of the present, which is the only logical explanation for the photograph above. Once again, a strong, hypnotic, authoritarian leader, addressing his fervent base at a rally, and repeating a lie over and over again, stoked anger and hatred against a perceived enemy, and incited the crowd to violence. It is such a scary thing that something like this can happen in this day and age.  But as Winston Churchill once wrote, "Those that fail to learn from history are bound to repeat it."

It's Epiphany! Time To Take Down That Tree!

Today is Epiphany, the Twelve Day of Christmas, the day the three wise men reached Bethlehem and presented their gifts to the Christ Child.  It is also the last day you have a valid excuse for keeping your Christmas tree up. I myself wait at least a few weeks after Christmas before taking the tree down, since I usually only put it up on Christmas Eve.  It always feels like I just finished putting those damn lights on the tree before I have to take them off again. My sister Susan actually does me one better, and leaves her tree up until Memorial Day. They don't call her the neighborhood eccentric up there in Fort Collins, Colorado for nothing. Of course, this year, leaving the tree up can be explained as therapy for the Covid crisis, but I think most people see through that excuse. Regardless, Happy Epiphany Everyone, whatever your religion and whatever you decide to do with the tree. And, by the way, the photograph above I took of my mother Mary during the Christmas of 1996, in the living room of my sister Susan and brother-in-law George's townhouse up in Fort Collins, Colorado. Hell, after looking at this photo, maybe I'll just leave the tree up year round. They don't call me "crazy old man Hoyt" for nothing.

Denver's East High

I took the above photograph of Denver's East High School from the parking garage of the Tattered Cover Bookstore on East Colfax, where I used to work as the bookkeeper. There was a snowstorm the night before, which gave it a nice seasonal look. This school has graduated many notable alumni, including Judy Collins, Neil Cassady of Beat Generation fame, Mamie Eisenhower, Douglas Fairbanks, Harold Lloyd (of silent film fame), actress Pam Grier, Hattie McDaniel, the first African American to win an academy award (for Gone With the Wind), Sidney Sheldon, and jazz vocalist Dianne Reeves. The only famous person I can remember from Rich Central High School in Olympia Fields, Illinois, where I went to high school, was playwright, screenwriter, and author David Mamet, who graduated the spring before I started there as a freshman. No problem - fame is fleeting, after all.

The CTA 2021 Historical Calendar Is Here!

Yes! It's true! The CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) 2021 Historical Calendar is here, ready to be downloaded to your computer for free (my favorite price-point), or even printed out and put on your wall or refrigerator. As usual, the calendar shows historic photographs of "L" trains, streetcars, busses, and more, with plenty of historic Chicago scenes in the background. Many of the photographs recall fond memories of my life back in Chicago, including riding the "L" downtown with my mother, looking out the window and wondering what the hell was keeping us up in the air. Be sure to download a copy at https://www.transitchicago.com/historicalcalendar/.

A Stuart Florida Flashback!

Now that colder temperatures are becoming the norm here in Denver, I have been thinking more and more about Stuart, Florida, a much warmer locale, where I have spent a lot of time over the years. I took the above photograph in 2004 at the Monterey Yacht and Country Club's pier along the St. Lucie River, in Stuart, just a short stroll from the condo where my mother Mary lived for almost 30 years. It was the highlight of every evening to take a walk down to the river, and watch these beautiful sunsets, whenever I would visit. My sister Susan and I still own the condo, but rent it out to help pay expenses. Still, one of these days, after the coronavirus is over, we plan to drive down to Stuart and get reacquainted with the place. Hopefully, that will turn out to be this fall. Think positively, right?

Varmint Rumble

I recently purchased and read the last book in Gary Reilly's Asphalt Warrior series, which features "Murph" the cab driver, who despite his best efforts, can't stop himself from getting involved in his passenger's lives, which always results in serious, as well as comic, consequences. I really love this series. It takes place in Denver, with lots of local color. Although kind of corny, the books are always a lot of fun to read. Reilly passed away before ever getting published, and so his friends decided to get together and start a publishing company called Running Meter Press, in order to get his works into print. Reilly has written others books, far more serious novels, which the company has also published, but for me, none of those can compete with the "Murph" stories. I strongly recommend buying the first book in the series, The Asphalt Warrior, and read the rest in order. You'll be surprised and delighted. Trust me.

Happy New Year!

Today is New Year's Day, the first day of 2021, and like everyone else, I have high hopes that it will be a much better year than 2020. And to celebrate, I am featuring the above photograph taken around New Years Day back in 1994. From left to right are my brother-in-law George, opening the wine, my mother Mary, and sister Susan in the kitchen of Susan and George's townhouse in Fort Collins, Colorado. Sadly, just Susan and I are left from this happy family group, and so I once again strongly recommend that you connect with your friends and loved ones as often as you can, although, of course, your in-person get-togethers might have to be delayed a bit due to the coronavirus. Hopefully next year Covid-19 will be history, and we can all welcome in 2022 together.