Remembering Happy Times At Hatch's Bookstore

When I first moved to Denver back in 1981, I worked as the manager of the Hatch's Bookstore in the University Hills Mall. Hatch's was a 6 store chain of bookstores owned by Bob Hatch, with an additional 2 stores owned by his sister. When I started, it was the smallest store in the chain, but expanded into an adjoining store with an outside entrance, and overnight became the chain's largest. I worked there from 1981 until 1984, when I started working at the University of Denver Bookstore. I have a lot of great memories about those days at Hatch's, and the day I started working at DU, knew I had made a mistake in leaving. However, not too many years after I left, the chain went out of business, like a lot of bookstores, and while not nearly as fun, DU provided a much better career path. Sadly, thanks mainly to the internet, bookstores - both independent and chain operations - are fast disappearing, and I was lucky enough to retire before they have totally disappeared. But nothing was as fun as back in those early days at Hatch's. And yes, that is me at the entrance to the Hatch's at University Hills Mall, enjoying the happiest years of my life, and not even realizing it at the time. 

Blackberry's 14th Birthday!

My sister Susan's dog Blackberry, seen in the above photograph, turned 14 years old last week (February 15th to be exact). I didn't even remember about it until yesterday, and so we didn't have a party. However, I suspect Blackberry doesn't care, just as long as she gets fed - often. She is an extremely friendly dog, and is known all over the neighborhood. Susan is always amazed that people she doesn't even know greet Blackberry by name on their walks. Children still refer to her as a puppy, despite her white goatee and rear end. I have suggested to Susan that she take Blackberry to Jody, Susan's hairdresser, and have those areas touched up, but she refuses to do this, not even considering how this effects poor Blackberry's self-image. Very cruel.

Ruminating About Rome

I really love Rome. Everywhere you look there are ancient ruins, and many of it's streets and neighborhoods date back to the Middle Ages. I took the photograph on the left of my sister Susan while we were taking Rick Steve's Night Walk Across Rome. It may look like there were very few people around, but right behind us were the Spanish Steps, the terminus of the walk, and it was packed with tourists. Far too many people to comfortably walk up that stairway, and so we turned around, and headed back to our hotel, with a stop for dinner along the way.

While we were in Rome, we stayed at the Hotel Smeraldo, just around the corner from the Campo de' Fiori, one of the nicest piazzas in the city. I took the photograph on the right in front of our hotel. Many of the streets look just like this, filled with people and surrounded by atmospheric buildings. I wouldn't mind living here, but I suspect that like Paris, it might be on the pricey side. On the other hand, a number of small towns in the Italian countryside are offering houses for sale for $1, although fixing up a house built in the 1500s might be problematic, and expensive, too. Does that sound cynical, or just realistic? I suspect both.

Pining For Paris

Since travel to Europe is not allowed during the pandemic, we can only dream about visiting there in the near future. Therefore, over the next couple of days - as a public service - I am featuring some photographs of my trip to France and Italy, taken several years ago. The photo above was taken in the Rue Cler neighborhood of Paris. What I like most about it, besides the beautiful streetscape, is that it shows ordinary Parisians waiting for the bus, going home after work. How lucky they are to live in such a beautiful city. But what I really want to know is how they can afford to live there while most Americans can't? It seems so unfair. Perhaps the French government might consider a subsidy program for Americans who want to move there, in hopes of bringing back those funs times during the 1920s with all those starving American writers and artists. I'll e-mail my buddy President Macron today. I'm sure he'll love the idea.

The Corner Grocery

The corner grocery used to be a staple of every neighborhood back in the late 19th and early 20th century.  Before the advent of the supermarket, people needed a nearby place to buy groceries, and usually they were commercial buildings plopped down right in the middle of a residential neighborhood, such as the one in the photo on the left that I took while wandering around Fort Collins, Colorado. It used to be called the East Side Grocery, but is now someone's photography studio, with living quarters upstairs.

Another former grocery can be seen in the photograph on the right, located in Denver's Lower Highlands neighborhood. The "ghost sign" on the front of the building shows that it was once The Fair Market, but it is now Studio David. I'm not sure what Studio David is, but years ago when I was taking photography classes at the University of Denver, it was called Gallery Sink, owned by photographer Mark Sink. Our class went there on a field trip one day. Sink takes photographs using traditional methods, and his works look like they were taken back in the 19th century. When we were there, he spoke to the class, and afterwards mentioned that he was working on a photography project featuring (I think) fairies, or some sort of Victorian costume party, or something like that. He invited the class to come back, get dressed up in costumes he would provide, and take part in the shoot. Surprisingly enough, I decided not to partake in this, and if anyone ever uncovers what looks like a 19th century photograph of me in a fairy costume, staring unashamedly at a nymph, it is a forgery. I swear.

Lawyers Lawyers Everywhere, By Which I Mean On TV Commercials

I was walking down Denver's 16th Street the other week on the way downtown and ran across the law offices of Mike Sawaya, seen in the above photo. As Denver residents know, Mike Sawaya is an injury attorney who constantly runs ads on television about his firm, as do many other injury lawyers here in town. Of all these lawyers, Sawaya seems the most sincere, stressing that the most important thing is to make sure you get the proper medical treatment and are financially able to recover from your accident. However, I was surprised to see that the sidewalks along the 16th Street side of Sawaya's Victorian mansion had not been shoveled after a snowstorm the previous day. If I had fallen, I would have had to call Frank Azar, "The Strong Arm," one of Sawaya's competitors, and hire him to sue Sawaya to get the amount of money I deserved, as Frank likes to put it. That would have been awkward.

Free Smells!

I first started this blog as part of a photography class I was taking at the University of Denver back in 2010. The idea was to take photographs every day, and to feature the best one of the lot on your blog. Evidently, this was a popular idea with many photographers at the time. The fad ended, but I continued on, although I did stop using only photos that I took that same day, which resulted in the loss of spontaneity, which to be honest, has never been my strong suit. Yesterday, however, I decided to head downtown, take some photographs, and use the best one today. That is much harder than it seems, and considerably limits your options. I decided to go with the photograph above of a young couple walking their happy looking dog, who no doubt was enjoying the free smells from the nearby Jimmy Johns. As comedian Flip Wilson always said when playing his character Geraldine, "what you sees is what you gets."

A Stuart Florida Flashback: Remembering August 1999

Is it just me, or did everything start to go to hell after the end of the 20th Century? Starting in 2001, we have had 9/11, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, many destructive hurricanes and wildfires, four years of Donald Trump, and Covid-19. Not to mention the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series. Is it no wonder I like to think back nostalgically to August of 1999 and Stuart, Florida, where my mother Mary lived for 30 years?  The photo on the left of my mother and sister Susan was taken at Jack Baker's Lobster Shanty, which featured a great early bird special - and do they even still have such things? Sadly, the place was destroyed by not one, but two hurricanes in 2004.

You might think Florida is too hot to visit during August, but I always thought it was the perfect time. You could visit the beach and enjoy the ocean breeze without the crowds, attend summer festivals, have the entire golf course to yourself, and never have to wait for a table at waterfront restaurants. Plus, you can dine along the water while it is still daylight, and even have time to take a walk past the boats afterwards, which is not the case during the winter months. What point is there to sitting along the water if you can't even see it? The photo on the right, by the way, was taken at the Pirate's Loft, another favorite spot. The crab cakes there are great - so much so that Susan once stole one right off my plate. And yes - I am still bitter about that, even after 22 years. A curmudgeon from the very start, I guess.

In fact, after dinner we would often stop by Stuart Beach or the House of Refuge and take some photos along the ocean, and still get back home in time to walk down to the St. Lucie River to watch the sunset, as seen in the photo on the left.  And trust me - you get used to the humidity very quickly. It's either that or die.

The City Of Chicago's Skyline Is Spectacular. And Denver's? Not So Much...

Yesterday on this blog I featured an article in Chicago Magazine about a new 101 story skyscraper that was recently completed in that city. Chicago is where the skyscraper was born, back in 1885, and the skyline is truly impressive, especially with Grant Park featured prominently in the foreground. And Denver's skyline? Judge for yourself from the photograph above, which I took from my car window last week. It could be any downtown, anywhere. Granted, there are a lot more tall buildings now than when I moved here from Chicago back in 1981, but impressive? No way. For one thing, there is no lake providing dramatic views, and the buildings are really quite ordinary. Denver's real strength is in it's Victorian neighborhoods, many of which have not changed much since the late 1800s. Granted, many if not most of the Victorian era homes in these neighborhoods have been snapped up by the millions of Californians who have moved here in recent years, inflating Denver's housing costs in the bargain, but they do make for a nice, pleasant city. However, there is still no equivalent of a Lake Michigan bordering this city, which I consider to be a major drawback. I'm just sayin'...

The February Issue Of Chicago Magazine

The February issue of Chicago Magazine has some very interesting articles, including a story about - and photos of - St. Regis Chicago, the city's newest skyscraper, as seen on the magazine's cover in the photo on the left. St. Regis Chicago is 101 stories high, the third tallest building in the city, and features three interconnected towers located on East Wacker Drive, along the Chicago River. According to the article, it now dominates the skyline. Completing the building was not easy - a Chinese conglomerate backed out of the project, and a local development group stepped in to finish construction, with St. Regis Hotels occupying the lower floors, and pricey condos above. I definitely intend to stay there the next time I am in Chicago, just as long as their prices are competitive with my usual five star favorite, the Motel 6.

There was also a story about a 126 year old Queen Anne residence in Evanston, Illinois, seen in the photo on the right, which is currently on the market for 1.95 million. It is a pretty good sized place (6,000 square feet, with 6 bedrooms, as well as 3 additional bedrooms in a separate coach house). It amazes me that I just recently featured a house in Boulder, Colorado on this blog that was valued at almost the same amount, but much smaller, and with no coach house. Boulder is the 7th most expensive housing market in the country, and I think comparing the price of these two residences proves that fact. For my money, I would buy the place in Evanston and commute back and forth between there and my condo in Denver. For that kind of money, I would definitely insist on a coach house. 

Talking Colorado Rockies Baseball With Stuart At Old Chicago

I had pizza and beer with my friend Stuart (seen in the above photograph) at the Old Chicago Pizza and Taproom in beautiful, exotic Lakewood, Colorado Tuesday afternoon. We had to go early, since due to Covid-19, the City of Lakewood is rolling up it's sidewalks even earlier than usual these days. We discussed a little baseball over dinner, trying to decide if the experts are right in predicting that the Colorado Rockies will lose 102 games and finish with the worst record in baseball this year, or perhaps be even worse. They have already traded Nolan Arenado, their all-star third baseman, and might very well trade the rest of their stars by mid-season. However, Rockies owner Dick Monfort insists the team is "built to compete." But against whom? 

Spring Training Begins!

Today is the day pitchers and catchers report in Florida and Arizona, marking the start of baseball's spring training for 2021. This is usually a very happy time, although with Covid-19 still plaguing the country - not to mention the world - nobody is sure what the season will look like. Happily, as of now, a limited number of fans will be allowed to attend exhibition games this year. The photo above, by the way, is of Detroit Tigers power hitter Cecil Fielder, taken by me at a spring training game between the New York Mets and the Tigers in Port St. Lucie, Florida, back in 1996. Fielder was traded mid-year from Detroit to the New York Yankees, and helped them win the World Series that fall. This career move might well turn out to be an inspiration for Colorado Rockies players. The Rockies are predicted to be the worst team in baseball this year, after trading all-star third baseman Nolan Arenado. I suspect the team's remaining stars are hoping to have a good first half of the season, so that they too might be traded to a World Series contender. Better work especially hard this spring, guys.

Have You Downloaded The 2021 CTA Historical Calendar Yet?

If not, why not? It has great historical photos of Chicago Transit Authority "L" trains, streetcars, busses, and even horse drawn carriages, most with nostalgic scenes of Chicago in the background. The February 2021 photograph, as seen above, is of one of Chicago's first electric streetcars, originally built for the Chicago City Railway, which later became the Chicago Surface Lines. These streetcars were absorbed into the CTA in 1947. I myself do not remember streetcars, but I am pretty sure my sister Susan does, although perhaps not the one seen in the above photo. She is not quite THAT old. In any case, be sure to download the calendar for free at https://www.transitchicago.com/historicalcalendar/.

Getting The Covid Vaccine

Friday afternoon I was checking my e-mail and saw I had a message from the University of Denver. It stated that I was eligible - as a DU retiree - to schedule an appointment for the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine Sunday afternoon, which I signed up for immediately, especially since I was something like number 46,000 in line at Kaiser Permanente. I showed up right on time, and it turned out that National Jewish Hospital, which was administering the doses, did a very efficient job, and I was out of the DU Field House, as seen in the photo on the left, in 45 minutes.

And who should I run into in line but Linda, my friend and the wife of Wally, my friend and former University of Denver Bookstore co-worker. We chatted while we waited for our turn to come up, and Linda mentioned that once they both get the second dose, she and Wally will make reservations to take the Amtrak train to San Francisco and visit their kids, who both live out there. Sounds like a perfect way to celebrate being Covid immune. Linda asked me to take an "action shot" of her shot, which I happily agreed to do, and which can be seen on the right.

And to all of you anti-vaxxers out there, I am happy to report that all went well. Of course, once the moon came out last night, I did turn into a wolf-like creature, and found myself rampaging through Washington Park, wanting to kill, kill, kill. However, I was still able to take a self-portrait, as seen in the photo on the left, and when I woke up this morning, I was back to my old self, and felt just fine. No need for any of you to even think about not getting the vaccine.

The Magic That Is Santa Fe

Ever since I moved to Denver, the City of Santa Fe, New Mexico - "The City Different" - has been a favorite destination for a weekend getaway. I first went there with my then wife Lisa, who was and still is both an opera singer and a fan, and insisted we attend the Santa Fe Opera when we were there. We bought standing room only tickets, which could have been a drag, but wasn't. At the time, the opera house was open to the sky in the middle, not to mention on the sides, and after a brief but heavy downpour, we were able to sit down in some prime seats that had been vacated. That particular opera was a modern, experimental work, which I thought was horrible, but the view was more than enough entertainment for me.  I took the photograph above of, from left to right, my mother Mary, Lisa, and sister Susan on a different trip to Santa Fe back in July of 1985. Santa Fe is a wonderful place, only 6 hours from Denver, and filled with historic structures dating from 1610. Plus, it has excellent restaurants, many of which are quite reasonable. How great is that? I want to go back there now, despite the pandemic. Can you blame me?

A Cold, But Rather Surprising Weather Forecast

The weather forecast here in Denver is for a very cold holiday weekend, with at least several inches of snow thrown in for good measure. Yesterday was forecast to reach 28 degrees, and I kept looking at the temperature displayed on my phone to see when we reached that temperature, which is when I intended to go out and do my errands. Unfortunately, it never got higher than 11 degrees, and I had to venture out into those freezing temps. And by the way, I took the photograph above from my living room window, while sitting in front of my space heater to stay warm (sadly, there are no fireplaces in my condo building to sit beside). While sitting there, I also read an article about the national weather outlook on the CNN website, which said that many parts of the country would see below zero temperatures, and 75% of the nation would remain below freezing throughout the weekend. The article went on to suggest, among other things, that since it was Valentine's Day weekend, people should stay home and "make a baby." That is something I have never read in a weather report before. A nice idea, but it could be far more problematic for some than for others. What is the phone number for "It's Just Lunch," anyway?

Lincoln's Birthday!

Today is Lincoln's birthday, and each year on this date I think back to my days at Fort Dearborn Grammar School, which I attended while growing up in the South Side Brainerd neighborhood of Chicago.  I was not crazy about school, and it was therefore a great joy to have Lincoln's birthday as a day off, and then just 10 days later, Washington's Birthday, too. These days, of course, those two holidays have been combined into President's Day, depriving students of one of their holidays. What a ripoff. Of course, that change happened during the Nixon administration, but just the idea of it still makes me mad. And yes, I do have a long long memory. By the way, I took the photograph on the left of Fort Dearborn when I went back to visit the old neighborhood in 2010, holding a photo I took of one of the Kloak kids years ago on the way home from school.

The photo on the right I have used quite a few times on this blog. It shows Mrs. McCormick, my teacher at the time, as well as the inside of a Fort Dearborn classroom back in the early 1960s. She actually caught me taking this photo, and warned me never to take another. However, she did not confiscate my camera, thus allowing this historic photo to be saved for posterity. I was sitting in the middle of the classroom that year, but my favorite spot was next to the window, where during the first half of June, I would listen to the lawnmowers, feel the warm breeze, and count the days until classes were over. And the last day of school before summer vacation? Talk about wonderful.

Fort Collins Is Also Cow Country - No Surprise There, Of Course...

I mentioned in yesterday's blog that there are a lot of horses around Fort Collins, Colorado. It will come as no surprise that there are also a lot of cows around, too. In fact, it is practically nothing but cattle country between here and Chicago, the next outpost of civilization. However, I was surprised to find that the house right across the street from the horse farm I featured yesterday was keeping cows, too, even though it looks more like a rural home than a working farm. Perhaps they just like fresh milk.

Fort Collins, Colorado - Horse Country?

Yes! It seems like there are horses all over the countryside surrounding Fort Collins, whether close to the foothills or out on the plains. There is one horse farm right off Interstate 25, just five minutes from the city limits, that I often pass by. I had a little extra time last week, and decided to stop there and take a few photos. Happily, all of the horses out in the pasture decided to head over to greet me, including the one in the photo on the left.

I am not sure if I have a special connection with these animals, or if they just think I have food to give them. The fact that they quickly wander off when I don't produce something edible pretty much answers that question. The two horses in the photograph on the right were gone in a flash.

As you can see, the horse on the left is wearing some sort of cape or covering. Why this is the case, while the rest of the horses aren't, is a question I cannot answer. Does this particular horse get easily chilled? Is it just some sort of equine fashionista? Does it's owner insist on dressing it up, whether it likes it or not, like those people who dress up their cats (at considerable risk, I might add) like pirates. So many questions, so few answers.

I think I have developed a close friendship with the horse on the right. That look in it's eye either says "You're the tops," or perhaps just "I think you are crazy." Not surprisingly, he or she also quickly ran off as soon as it found out I didn't have food. Sadly, these animals do not yet understand that "man (or woman, to be politically correct) does not live by bread alone."

Waiting For The North Building At The DAM to Reopen

It has been over three years since the Denver Art Museum (The DAM), closed the North Building for remodeling, and to build a new visitor's center, both seen in the background of the photograph on the left. It was supposed to reopen over a year ago, but thanks to the pandemic, that never happened. Now, they are planning to have a grand reopening in the fall. There is, of course, not a pandemic related reason why it can't reopen now. I suspect the museum wants to have a large, splashy opening gala to generate both revenue and publicity. Can't blame them, I guess, although they will be disappointed to learn I will not be attending. I suspect the tickets might be a bit pricey, and as regular blog readers know, I hate pricey.

The inside entrance to the new visitor's center and North Building is located right past the 19th Century European and American Art exhibit featured in yesterday's blog. I myself am very anxious to visit this new space. I fondly remember the good old days, years ago, when the museum hosted Untitled Final Fridays on the last Friday of each month, with a buffet table where that new visitor center now sits. At first, they served hot Horderves, enough so that it could serve as your dinner. Later, it was reduced to just munchies - snack mix, cheese, fruit, and veggies. Once the North Building - where the kitchens were located - closed, there was no food at all, except for food trucks on the street that sold items you had to pay for yourself. Looking at art lost a lot of it's appeal to me after that. Let's hope that buffet table reappears this fall. If not, I shall want to know the reason why.

A New Exhibit At The DAM! Really!

I can't even remember the last time I visited the Denver Art Museum (The DAM). Although I am a member, there are only so many times you can see the same pieces of art over and over again. The museum's North Building has been closed for remodeling for over three years now, leaving only the Hamilton Building (seen in the photograph on the left) for exhibits, and they have seldom changed in that time. The top two floors have featured "The Light Show" for what seems like a decade, and Treasures of British Art: The Berger Collection just closed after a very long run indeed. There have been major exhibits during this time, such as Claude Monet: The Truth of Nature, which I enjoyed very much, but these are special ticketed events, and when you have to pay a premium to see these shows, you tend to pick and choose. 

Happily, yesterday marked the debut of The 19th Century In European and American Art, which replaces that British art exhibit. The DAM is best known for it's collections of art by indigenous peoples, and until recently, their European collection was fairly limited. However, back in 2013, Frederick C. Hamilton, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, loaned his collection of impressionist paintings to the museum for a special exhibit. The following February, when the exhibit was about to close, the museum asked if they could keep the paintings. Hamilton said yes, as long as the museum provided him with copies as replacements (which probably wound up reducing Hamilton's householder's insurance cost considerably). This new exhibit contains all of these paintings, plus the 19th Century European and American works originally in the museum's collection.

One of these paintings is Claude Monet's Waterloo Bridge, next to which I am posing, looking as if I am about to snatch the piece away. This pandemic has made all of us look like holdup men (or women). Not only do I admire this painting, but if I could find a Monet like this in a thrift store, I would be set for life. I can dream, can't I ? Besides, the odds of something like that happening are much better than winning the Powerball lottery. That's not saying much, of course, but I do find myself wandering through thrift and antique stores much more often than I used to. Hope springs eternal, after all.

The Lantern Festival: In The Spirit Of Oban

I ran across some photographs that I took years ago at the Lantern Festival, which takes place at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, located in Delray Beach, Florida, each year. My sister Susan and I were visiting my mother Mary down in Stuart, Florida, where she lived for almost 30 years, and when I read about the festival taking place that weekend, I insisted that we check it out. The festival features Japanese folk-dancing, drumming, a street festival, an evocative lantern floating ceremony, and is described by the museum as Japan's "summer homage to ancestors who return for a brief visit to the living." A beautiful idea indeed. The photograph on the left features Susan, in the foreground, grooving to the beat of the Japanese drummers.

Those Japanese drummers performed most of day, and at sunset, the lantern floating ceremony, the finale of the festival, took place, which was very beautiful indeed. It was well worth attending, but the part I remember most is what happened afterwards, when trying to leave. There were so many cars that it took at least an hour to get out of the parking lot, and we didn't get back to Stuart until pretty late. Happily, the festival is still scheduled to take place again this October, but if you do attend, I suggest that when you leave, you do so by helicopter. Perhaps you can see if Donald Trump is attending and hitch a ride with him.

February At The Zoo Part II - Visiting Friends Both Old And New

As I mentioned in yesterday's blog, I went to the Denver Zoo Wednesday afternoon, and wound up taking photographs of animal subjects both old and new. I find that I take a lot of photographs of the lions, but that is because they all seem willing to look me in the eye and let me take their portrait. I am not sure if that is because they like me, are wary of me and therefore on alert, or thinking of me in terms of dinner. This past Wednesday, the four bachelor lions, one of which can be seen in the photo on the left,  were roaming Predator Ridge, the main lion compound. It has been quite a while since I have seen the other pride, a family headed by male lion Tobias and which includes Tatu, born in 2019, and two lion cubs - Oskar and Araali - born just last year. I suspect they are being kept at the house of a zoo employee, one with a very big backyard, until the pandemic is over.

I know it might seem boring to feature these lions all the time, but on the other hand, there are only so many interesting photographs of Wild Somali Asses and mountain goats that you can take. Which is why I am also featuring the photo of another bachelor lion, seen in the photo on the right. These four lions were brought to the zoo as teenagers, before they had manes, and as I recall, were much more lively back then. As I have said many times before, the zoo needs to get an intern to go into the compound and prod these lions with a stick, in order to get them moving around a bit. It would make for livelier photographs and also be much healthier for the lions, if not for the intern.

Without question, the most soulful looking animals in the zoo are the monkeys. You look into their eyes and can see deep emotion. Whether that is because they are thinking about their sad fate, imprisoned for life, or if they are simply wondering when dinner will be served, I don't know. I took the photograph of the monkey on the left on my way to the Great Ape House, and failed to note what kind it was, and from where. I must say, however, that it is very colorful indeed, which is, of course, the most important thing. 

I believe the photograph on the right is of a female mandrill, perhaps the mother of Kesi, the 2 year old ball of energy that I featured on this blog yesterday. I think she came over to the window of the compound to get a little sympathy from zoo visitors, bitter about the fact that "a man can work from sun to sun, but a woman's work is never done." The male mandrill, Kesi's father, never seems to bother himself with helping to raise their child, which I am sure bothers this female mandrill to no end. I strongly recommend that she have a heart to heart with her better half ASAP.

February At The Zoo

I went to the Denver Zoo this past Wednesday afternoon to take a few photographs. When I left the house it was sunny, but by the time I got to the zoo it was very overcast, making for pretty poor conditions for good photos. However, I did go into the Great Ape House and take a photograph of one of the orangutans taking a bubble bath, as seen in the photograph on the left. And I have to say, I think the Denver Zoo is really starting to spoil these animals. Bubble baths? Is that pretty typical for orangutans in the wild? I would think not!

As long as I was visiting the primates, I decided to check in on the baby mandrill, which as usual was running around all over place, making it difficult to photograph. Happily, it stopped for a few minutes for a bite to eat, and I was able to get the photo on the right. Kesi will be two years old this May, and so it is still exploring her new world. Her favorite activity these days seems to be jumping from the top of the compound into a hammock. It is a pretty high distance to leap, but it does not seem to bother her mother at all. Strange, since when Kesi was a baby, her mother refused to let her leave her side. These days she probably thinks it's time for the father to help discipline the kid.

The February Mutt Of The Month

I took the above photograph of the February Mutt of the Month while walking home from a stroll in Denver's Washington Park. The dog was in a backyard, barking at me furiously, which I knew meant that he or she very much wanted me to take it's photograph. I must admit that the dog looks kind of manic in the photo, but I am sure it is actually very friendly, although I did not go into the yard to find out. I might be an idiot (as one blog reader recently commented about one of my posts), but I am not stupid.

A Brilliant New Business Idea!

I took a walk around the neighborhood yesterday afternoon, taking advantage of the 65 degree temperatures, and passed by "birdcall," a fairly new chicken restaurant chain here in Denver, and seen in the photograph on the left. I have noticed that despite the pandemic, it seems to do a good business, especially with the drive-through. I remember when I was taking real estate classes at the University of Denver years ago that the drive-through represented something like 60 to 70 percent of a fast food restaurant's business. It looks like "birdcall" has a business model that works.

When I reached Washington Park and saw all those geese around, I came up with a brilliant idea: a fast food goose restaurant. It could be named "goose call," and feature goose sandwiches, roast goose dinners (we could give Boston Market a run for it's money, if it still exists), and of course, specialize in foie gras, which people in France go crazy over. I could hire people looking for new job opportunities, such as my friend Stuart, featured many times on this blog, and former University of Denver Bookstore co-worker Doug - who refers to me as "crazy old man Hoyt" - to help in the undertaking. I could give them big nets, large burlap bags, and send them over to Washington Park to collect the geese, all for free. Doug used to be friends with a French professor at DU, and perhaps he can recruit her to prepare the entrees. She is actually Belgian, but same difference - French language, French food, right? We'll make a fortune. I have even prepared a photo showing the logo we will put on the side of the building, seen in the photo on the right. After this, I am sure Doug will no longer refer to me as "crazy old man Hoyt." It will probably be something much worse.

Winter In The 9th Street Historic District

Lately, I have altered my routine when walking around downtown Denver by getting off the light rail train at Auraria West on the way home, walking through the 9th Street Historic District, and then taking an alternate line home. Auraria is now a college campus that includes the University of Colorado at Denver, Metropolitan State University, and the Community College of Denver, but was once an independent town, and is one of Denver's oldest neighborhoods. That historic neighborhood is gone now, except for one street that was preserved, and is now used to house university offices. The photograph on the left is of what was once the neighborhood grocery store, and now a restaurant.

The photograph on the right shows some of the typical residences in the neighborhood, some of which date from 1873. The neighborhood started out as rather upscale. However, when it was torn down to build the university complex, it was an Hispanic neighborhood, and I suspect residents did not have the political clout to stop the destruction of their homes. These days, if the city tried something like that, the historic preservationists would be all over them.

I did notice that one of the buildings was home to the Auraria Faculty-Staff Club. I myself worked for the University of Denver Bookstore for almost 30 years, and in that time there was never any kind of club for faculty and staff. They did occasionally have a Friday afternoon get-together at the pub, but it started at 3:00 P.M. If I had decided to leave work early on those occasions, I probably would have been fired. Hardly worth it for a couple of beers.

And yes! That is a Second Empire Style home in the photograph on the right. I am not sure what it is used for these days, but I for one would be perfectly happy to live there. Of course, I would have to lock all the doors to keep those pesky students out, but I suspect it would be worth it. Perhaps I should make an offer.