The May Mutt of The Month

The days are increasingly warm and sunny here in Denver, which means patio time. And when people go to beer gardens, they bring their best friend (or friends) with them, making for plenty of photo opportunities, unlike during the winter. I took the photograph on the left of the May Mutt of the Month at the Denver Beer Company on South Downing Street, not too far from my condo across the street from the University of Denver. This place is always packed on the weekends, especially during the school year, when it attracts the DU crowd. There are so many dogs around it is hard not to get a good Mutt of the Month photo. And those mutts are always willing to pose, unlike most of the patrons. People are always afraid their photo will wind up on the internet. They are right, of course, but that is beside the point.

Watching Tottenham's Final Soccer Match Of The Season

My friend Mark - seen in the photograph on the left - and I drove over to Esters Pub in Denver's Virginia Village neighborhood yesterday morning to watch Tottenham play Sheffield United with the Colorado Spurs supporters on the final day of the Premier League soccer season. Sheffield is in last place, and will be relegated to the Champions League next season, and so Tottenham had no trouble winning the match by a score of 3-0. The Colorado chapter of the Tottenham fan club was there in force for the match, with almost every seat filled. The fans at the bar were in full voice, leading the room in singing "When the Spurs Go Marching In," the Tottenham version of "When the Saints Go Marching In." They also kept up a chant that involved pounding on the table and shouting "Yeats" every few minutes.  I think. It was hard to tell, and I have no idea what that means.

I am also still not sure why the Tottenham Hotspurs have such a large following here in Denver. Are most of them British ex-pats, here to avoid having to live with their horrible weather, or is it simply an excuse to drink beer at 9:00 in the morning? The game is, of course, taking place at 4:00 in the afternoon in the UK, which means it is the perfect time for a beer, right? In any case, I took the photograph on the right of the Tottenham group in Ester's event space, separated from the regular Sunday brunch crowd, who might not want to sing "When the Spurs Go Marching In" 10 or 20 times while they eat. And by the way, Manchester City finished 1st in the Premier League standings this year, while Tottenham finished 5th. Considering that there are 20 teams in the league, it could have been much worse, as we Chicago sports fans are always fond of saying.

A Tom Robbins Flashback

I took the photograph above of Tom Robbins at a book signing at the Tattered Cover Bookstore back in 2014, when I was working there as the bookkeeper. He was signing copies of his "un-memoir," Tibetan Peach Pie, which had recently been released. The offices for that local chain were in the basement of the Colfax Avenue location, and my office was just down the hall from where the author signings took place. Whenever there was an author I wanted to hear speak, I could simply work a little longer and then come out and take a seat. These days, well-known authors have their events in auditoriums, and you have to purchase a ticket, which includes a copy of the book. No more just sitting down and listening to the author on the spur of the moment. In any case, Tom Robbins is now 92, and Tibetan Peach Pie is the last book he has written. He has been called one of the best writers of the 20th Century, but to be honest, I have never read any of his books. I just wanted to sit down and hear what he had to say, which of course can no longer be done these days. Sad.

Kaladi Coffee Roasters

Kaladi Coffee Roasters is located just down the street from the University of Denver, and is a popular gathering spot for students, faculty, and staff. I was walking past it the other day and took the photograph above of the mural on the outside wall of their building, which I think is pretty nice. Here in Denver, the River North (RiNo) neighborhood is famous for its wall murals - there is even a web site devoted to them - but to me most if not all of them are just plain weird. The one above, with the caption "Choose Fair Trade: Support Gender Equality" at the top, is a realistic portrait, as opposed to so many cartoonish ones in RiNo. But then again, the younger generation seems to be drawn to cartoons these days, whether they be television programs, graphic novels, or cartoonish wall murals. I don't get it, but these days there are a lot of things I don't get.

On Havana Street. And Why I Hate Automobile Dealerships

When my sister Susan first moved to Denver after she sold her townhouse up in Fort Collins, we watched a number of television commercials about Havana Street in suburban Aurora. Those commercials told of an exotic world filled with fascinating shops and quaint restaurants featuring food from all over the world. I have lived in Denver for over 40 years, driven down Havana Street many times, and know what it is really like, but Susan still insisted on seeing it for herself. And, of course, once she did, never asked to see it again. I was thinking about that when I drove my car to an automobile dealership on Havana Street yesterday morning to have 3 recall items taken care of. I was thinking it would not take long, but was told it would be an all-day job. I had no intention of sticking around in the waiting room, but as usual, had no money on me for the bus. I decided to walk the 2 miles down Havana to my bank branch, and another mile to the bus stop, and got an up-close and personal view of all the car dealerships, strip malls, car washes, fast food outlets, and big box stores that exotic street has to offer. In fairness, there are a lot of ethnic restaurants on Havana, but they are mostly stand-alone buildings surrounded by large empty parking lots, which for some reason does not remind me of Paris. Or for that matter, the charms of Gary, Indiana. Who the hell put together that ad campaign, anyway? Surely no one who actually saw that street. Probably some ad agency in New York. The swine.

A Mid-May Baseball Update

Amazingly enough, the Colorado Rockies are the hottest team in baseball right now, having won 7 straight games. Granted, they are still in last place in the National League West, 13 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, but if they keep this up, they could very well work themselves back to respectability, or at least mediocrity. Even my South Side heroes, the Chicago White Sox, who are also 13 games out of first place in the American League Central, have won two straight games and are looking much more competitive these days. Could both teams finish above .500 this year? It's not the playoffs, but you take what you can get. As for the White Sox's North Side rivals, the Chicago Cubs, they are still only one and a half games out of first place in the National League Central and actually do have a chance to make the playoffs. But then again, they are the Cubs, after all, so don't bet the farm on them. In fact, I think there is a hotline you can call if you do have an urge to put money on the Cubs going all the way. And if you do, you definitely need help.

It's Patio Time At Chautauqua!

I drove through Chautauqua Park in Boulder, located right below the Flatirons, last Friday and was pleased to see that the patio of the Chautauqua Dining Hall, built in 1898 and seen in the photograph above, was filled with diners. Now that temperatures are frequently getting into the upper 70s and lower 80s here, it is time to start thinking about Sunday brunch up there. Unfortunately, it has been years since I actually dined there. Definitely time to correct that. When my mother Mary was alive and staying with me, we would drive up to the Chautauqua Dining Hall on a Sunday morning from Denver, and my sister Susan and her late husband George would drive in from Fort Collins, and meet for brunch. Back then, brunch ended at 11:00, and it was always exciting to see if Susan and George would make it on time. They always did, but it was always close. I also remember dining there with Susan and my mother before we attended a Peter Kater concert one night at Chautauqua Auditorium (just to the left of the Dining Hall in the photo), which was a really wonderful experience. I would definitely attend another concert, but does Peter Kater even do concerts anymore? And did he ever move back to Boulder from LA? I see Squirrel Nut Zippers is on the Chautauqua Auditorium concert schedule this year, but not Peter Kater. He never writes or calls anymore. What a bummer.

A Pro-Palestine Encampment Is Established At DU

A group called DU for Palestine established a "Gaza solidarity encampment" at the University of Denver's Carnegie Green this past Thursday, and they were still there yesterday morning as I passed by on my way home from dropping off my car at an auto repair place. Since it was not even 9:00 in the morning, there was not much happening there, as can be seen in the photograph above. DU students, even anti-war protestors, are not early risers. These students are demanding the university disclose its investments with Israel and companies that operate within Israel, as a first step toward divestment. I personally believe this will not end the war. The U.S. is currently trying to negotiate a deal for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Israel is, of course, currently led by a right-wing nut job who has not done what is necessary to protect innocent civilians, and Hamas, a terrorist group, is hiding among those civilians, exposing them to harm. And so those U.S. negotiators have their work cut out for them. Hopefully they can make some sort of progress soon. And by the way, just what time do those DU students get up, anyway?

Farmer's Markets Are Back!

I was driving down Colorado Boulevard here in Denver this past Saturday and stopped at my local bank to get quarters for the laundry. Naturally, there was only one teller, and the two people in front of me evidently had very complex transactions, which seemed to take hours. The person directly in front of me was evidently a merchant at the University Hills Farmer's Market being held next door, and needed a lot of cash for some reason. So much so that the teller and her supervisor had to go to the vault to get it, which was no doubt located many stories below ground level. Once they got the cash, they had, of course, to count it all out. Meanwhile, another teller came back from lunch and got me my 4 quarters, allowing me to leave before all one million dollars had been verified in front of that merchant. In any case, since I was there already, I decided to take a quick walk through the market and found that like other events of this type, it wasn't just produce, but more like a sidewalk sale, with people selling everything from clothing to CBD "pain sticks," whatever they are.

The U-Hills Farmer's Market was fine as far as it goes, and very dog friendly, but it is held on weekends in a parking lot, and so aesthetically was a bit lacking. In other words, a damn ugly location. On the other hand, the Urban Market at Union Station is held at Denver Union Station Plaza, in the historic Lower Downtown (LoDo neighborhood), which is a very pleasant area to stroll, people-watch, and take a few photos. There is also The South Pearl Street Farmers Market, which takes place on Sundays in the business district of that early 20th Century neighborhood, also a very pleasant location. I much prefer the atmosphere of those two places, but then again, I never wind up buying anything, and so perhaps my opinion might not carry much weight for all those merchants that actually want to sell things. Go figure.

Happy Mother's Day!

Today is Mother's Day, and on this special holiday I am featuring a photograph of my mother Mary, taken many years ago on the Riverwalk down in Fort Lauderdale. My mother lived almost 30 years in Stuart, Florida. She and my father Nelson retired there from Chicago in 1976, and she continued living there after my father passed away in 1983. She told me she had more friends down there than at any other time in her life. My sister Susan and I would visit her 2 or 3 times a year, and often take day trips around the state, including to Fort Lauderdale, where we would walk along the Riverwalk and sometimes have lunch at Las Olas Riverfront, a very nice riverside shopping center that went into decline when the Great Recession started in 2008. It was torn down a few years ago. It is so nice to look at that photo and remember the times when my mother was healthy, living the happiest years of her life, and we could all get together and enjoy each other's company. Happy Mother's Day everyone!

Springtime In Boulder

I drove up to Boulder yesterday afternoon to walk around and take a few photographs. There were lots of people out and about, despite cooler temperatures and overcast skies. There is a certain energy to the place that makes you just enjoy walking around town. It is a people-watcher's paradise. One of my favorite places to walk is on West Pearl Street, where I took the photograph on the left of some Boulderites just enjoying the day, including that poodle being pushed around in a baby carriage. I assume it is a baby carriage, or do they sell them specifically for that purpose up there these days?

One of the gems on West Pearl Street is the Arnett-Fullen House, built in 1877 for Willamette Arnett and later bought by Mrs. Hiram Fuller in 1914. It was put up for auction in 1993 and Historic Boulder bought it and used it for their offices for 12 years before selling it to preservation minded owners who restored the place. Historic Boulder holds covenants on the exterior and interior of the house, as well as a view easement on the garden lot to the west to make sure the place is forever safeguarded.

And as usual, the Pearl Street Mall was crowded with people having lunch, shopping, and just hanging out, enjoying the atmosphere. I stopped into the Boulder Bookstore, and the place was wall to wall people on the first floor. Thanks to being located in a popular college town with a highly educated population, it seems to be doing very well. The only other store I have seen so jammed with people like that is Powell's Bookstore in Portland, which takes up an entire city block. I just can't wait until the return of Saturday nights this summer, when the mall becomes one huge blocks-long entertainment and party destination. Let the partying begin!

Catching A Rockies Game At Coors Field

My friend Mark - seen in the photograph on the left - and I went to Coors Field yesterday afternoon to watch the Colorado Rockies play the San Francisco Giants. It was a bit on the cool side, but the rain that was predicted did not materialize, and so it turned out to be a relatively pleasant day, especially since the Rockies beat the Giants 9-1, breaking a 4-game losing streak. Make no mistake - they are still the worst team in baseball, but in all fairness, their pitching looked pretty good yesterday, and they had 14 hits and 9 runs. The true test will start today, when the Rockies begin a 3-game series against the defending World Series Champion Texas Rangers. And yes, the Rangers are currently in first place in the American League West Division. A pretty scary opponent, to be sure.

This was the first Colorado Rockies game I have attended this year, and to be honest, neither Mark nor I thought the Rockies, who currently have a 9 and 28 record, would win. And since a win happens so infrequently for the Rockies these days, you can be sure the team celebrated this victory big time, as seen in the photograph on the right. But I don't think they are opening the champaign bottles quite yet. Perhaps they should wait until they sweep the Rangers. And be sure to get your bets down on them right now! You could make a fortune, right? Right? RIGHT?

A Late Lunch With Stuart At Spanky's Roadhouse

I had lunch with my friend Stuart, seen in the photograph on the left, yesterday afternoon at Spanky's Roadhouse, which is located just to the west of the University of Denver campus. Stuart is an alumnus of DU, as am I.  I am also an official retiree of DU, working for almost 30 years at the DU Bookstore as the Finance Manager. Until, of course, the university outsourced the bookstore and let me know that I was "retiring." But no matter - the bottom line is that we had a nice lunch at Spanky's, a DU hangout, where we discussed all kinds of things, including the early success of the Chicago Cubs. Stuart is originally from the North Side of Chicago, and a Cubs fan, while I am from the South Side and a White Sox fan. The Cubs are currently tied for first place with the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central Division, and are actually in discussions with other teams to acquire a few players that will help them make a playoff run. Stuart had the nerve to tell me he believed my South Side heroes, the Chicago White Sox, were currently the worst team in baseball, with which I strongly disagreed. I let him know in no uncertain terms that they were actually tied with our adopted hometown team, the Colorado Rockies, for worst team, which of course means they are not technically the worst. And as of this morning, the Sox are one game ahead of the Rockies, who now hold that title all to themselves. As it should be.

Still Another Victim Of Gentrification?

I was walking through Washington Park a few days ago and found still another house surrounded by the chain link fence of doom, as seen in the photograph above. I am actually not sure if it will be torn down and replaced or just remodeled, but if I were betting on it, I would say a new McMansion will be appearing on this site soon. This particular home I am quite familiar with. Back when my ex-wife Lisa and I were first married, we toyed around with the idea of buying a house, but could not find anything we liked that we could afford. Our dream home would have been the one in the photograph, right across the street from Washington Park, with a view of the mountains beyond. It was for sale for $279,000 (I think). This was back in the early 1980s, when that amount of money seemed like a fortune. We never did buy a house and divorced not too many years after that. And so, it was probably all for the best. But it seems like such a waste to tear down such a nice place, built in 1910 no less, just to put up another modern, 3-story edifice. There are way too many of those in the neighborhood already.

The 31st Annual Furry Scurry

This past Saturday morning the 31st annual Furry Scurry took place in Denver's Washington Park. Unfortunately, I did not get up in time to catch the start of that mass dog walk, which benefits the Dumb Friends League, or for that matter, even the end of the walk, the finish line of which can be seen in the photograph on the left. The starting line would have made for a great photo, but there is always next year, right? Thankfully, there were still plenty of furries scurrying around when I got there.

To be honest, I couldn't even locate the starting line for the event, but simply followed the crowd to the finish line, where there were various booths offering pet services and assorted items for sale to pet owners, as well as lots of food trucks, which everyone seemed to be taking advantage of. Unlike the annual Turkey Trot, that also takes place in Washington Park, I did not see a beer garden. Since both events start at 9:00 A.M., I am not sure why one has a beer garden and one does not, but since the Furry Scurry is a major fundraiser for the Dumb Friends League, which provides care to more than 44,000 animals each year, I suggest they add one next year. They just need to enforce the no beer for dogs rule.

The fact that the dog walk takes place in Washington Park only adds to the fun atmosphere. It is, of course, Denver's most popular park, and happily, only a fifteen-minute walk from my condo. And even though I did not get there for the 9:00 A.M. start of the event, I was still able to see the widest variety of canines this side of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Possibly even more, since so many of the dogs were of mixed breeds, making the types of dogs at the event close to infinite. A fun time for all.

Getting Together With The Colorado Spurs

My friend Mark - seen in the photograph above - and I went over to Ester's Pub in Denver's Virginia Village neighborhood yesterday morning to watch the Tottenham Hotspurs play Liverpool with the Colorado Spurs, the local fan club of that Premier League soccer club. It has been about four years since we last got together with this group (before the pandemic), but found they were just as enthusiastic as ever. There was one especially vocal group at the bar that led all the fans in singing "When the Spurs go Marching In" throughout the game (the Tottenham Hotspur-themed take on "When the Saints go Marching In"), even though Tottenham was down 4-0 during much of the match. They also pounded on the bar and screamed what to me sounded like Keats. Were they also fans of English Romantic Poetry? Mark explained that they were actually shouting Yeates, who was a player who started his career with Tottenham but is long gone from the team. I really don't get it, but I guess I still have a lot to learn about English soccer. And by the way, Liverpool wound up beating Tottenham by a score of 4-2. Bummer.

Cinco De Mayo!

Today is Cinco de Mayo, a major celebration of Mexican American culture here in the U.S., but curiously enough, not celebrated very much in Mexico. It marks the anniversary of the 1862 victory by Mexican troops over the French at the Battle of Puebla. While they do commemorate the victory each year in Puebla, the celebration actually began in Columbia, California back in 1862. The event gained nationwide recognition starting in the 1980s, thanks to advertising by beer, wine, and tequila companies. And it is definitely a major holiday here in Denver, where there is a 2-day Cinco de Mayo festival held every year in Civic Center Park, which I attended yesterday afternoon, and took the photograph on the left, with the Colorado State Capitol in the background.

One of the big draws, of course, is all the food and drink (mainly beer, wine, and tequila, to no one's surprise) available at the festival, in addition to booths selling merchandise, non-profits offering services, and local government agencies there for public relations or looking for employees. And by the way, just to let you know, if you want to join the Aurora, Colorado police or Denver Sheriff Department, now is your big chance. As for the food booths, the majority were serving Mexican items, such as in the photograph on the right, although there were exceptions, including a booth selling Giant Turkey Legs. I have seen these Giant Turkey Legs booths at Cinco de Mayo, the Taste of Colorado, Denver's Oktoberfest Celebration, and the Breckenridge Oktoberfest, too, and have speculated that they just freeze the leftovers after each festival and reheat them at the next. But still delicious, no doubt.

One of the highlights of the Cinco de Mayo festival in Civic Center Park are the musical acts. The one in the photograph on the left featured traditional Mexican music and dance. There was another stage where rock and roll and rap was being performed, but I noticed the crowd for those acts were not nearly as large. You could tell by the enthusiasm of the performers that this was a really important day for them, and it looked like they were having a lot of fun. There were also lowrider cars, most from the 1950s, on display, too. Lowriders are also a part of Mexican culture, and this weekend it is a tradition for cars - and not just lowriders - to cruise down Denver's Federal Boulevard, honking horns, blasting music out the windows, and other such hijinks. The Denver Police have reduced Federal to one lane this weekend, to allow first responders to get through. I myself once found myself driving down Federal one Cinco de Mayo weekend and wound up crawling down that street for about 5 miles or so, unable to even turn off at a cross-street. Never again - I'd rather eat a giant turkey leg.

The 150th Running Of The Kentucky Derby!

Today is the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby, the most famous horse race in the country. Unfortunately, last year, 12 horses died before and after the race, leading everyone to wonder what the hell was going on in that sport. There was an investigation by Churchill Downs, which found no discernable pattern to the deaths. However, they have adopted new safety measures to determine warning signs of potential injuries to the horses. Hopefully, this year will not see a repeat of that tragedy. One has to wonder if racehorse owners and trainers are pushing these animals way beyond their limits in the pursuit of winning, making them more vulnerable to injury. In any case, the race will take place this afternoon just before 5:00 in Denver and 7:00 in Louisville. And yes - I do indeed realize that this is the 4th blog post in a row that features animals. Is my blog beginning to resemble an online version of Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom with Marlin Perkins? Do you remember that television show? Marlin would take viewers into the wild to see exotic animals, along with his co-host, Jim Fowler. Marlin would narrate while he instructed Jim to go over and pry open a crocodile's mouth to show viewers what it looked like, or lift up a giant python to show its immense size. I am amazed Jim survived to the age of 89, still working as the host of the show after Marlin Perkins's retirement. Talk about fearlessness.

Hazards On The 5th Hole!

I have driven through Evergreen, Colorado quite frequently over the past 6 months, often driving past the Evergreen Golf Course on Upper Bear Creek Road. That golf course, owned by the City and County of Denver, is closed from November 1st through April 30th, and I have never seen an elk or deer on the grounds this winter or spring. Until this past Wednesday, May 1st, the 2024 opening, when I took the photograph above. How in the world do those elk know? It is uncanny. They must be far more intelligent than we give them credit for. Who knew elk could be so passive-aggressive? But it also begs the question: how in the hell do you play that hole? I did not witness anyone driving their golf balls over the elk, so they must have some sort of procedure for that situation in the official USGA Rule Book. I definitely plan to look it up before I take part in the next official golf tournament at that course (if there is one). Which I am sure could happen, even though the last time I played golf was back in 2015 down in Stuart, Florida. Fortunately, playing golf is like riding a bicycle - you never forget how to do it.

Springtime At The Zoo Part II

As I mentioned in yesterday's blog post, I went to the Denver Zoo Monday afternoon to take a few photographs. I was really hoping to take a photo of the baby Orangutan, but its mother is still keeping it shielded from view. How rude! But no matter. The mother of the baby mandrill is not nearly as protective. She does always hold it by the hand wherever they go, but at least it is possible to take a few photos, such as the one on the left.

There is also a new lesser kudu baby, seen in the photograph on the right. It was born on March 25th. Lesser kudu are bushland antelope native to West Africa. Although only a little over a month old, it already seems to be pretty independent. Which is a good thing, because I think the mandrill and orangutan babies will have issues in later life due to all that overcoddling. Zoo psychiatrists will have their hands full in the not too distant future.

And no, the ostrich in the photograph on the left is not a baby - far from it. Since I was not able to get a photograph of that damn orangutan baby, I have run out of baby animal photographs and am substituting this one instead. This ostrich was pecking away at the fence the entire time I was there, no doubt trying to make a break for it. Since they can run at speeds of up to 45 miles per hour, once it is gone, it will be very hard to catch. Which would be a lot of fun to watch. Perhaps the zoo should let them run free through grounds and let visitors try to catch them, for an additional fee, of course. I'll have to put that idea in writing and drop it into the suggestion box the next time I am at the zoo, where, of course, it is all happening.

Springtime At The Denver Zoo

As Simon and Garfunkel once sang, it's all happening at the zoo, especially during the spring. Yesterday was warm and sunny, and so I headed to the Denver Zoo to take a few photos. Sadly, although the lions were outside in their compound, they were all sound asleep, with their backsides facing zoo visitors the entire time. Happily, the tiger in the photograph on the left was willing to pose for a portrait as it relaxed in its swimming pool. There is now a second female tiger at the zoo, which they hope will mate with the male and produce some cubs, which I of course hope to photograph. A few years ago, there were two baby lions, but they were born during the pandemic, when the zoo was closed, and by the time I was able to visit, they had outgrown their cuteness. Damn that Covid - it screwed up everything.

The clouded leopard in the photograph on the right was pacing back and forth when I was there, but I was finally able to get a photo of it as it briefly looked up at me. This is the male clouded leopard. The female was euthanized earlier this month due to serious health issues. They once shared the same cage and produced some cubs, but after those cubs grew up and left home, they began fighting with each other, and had to be separated, each getting to roam their compound every other day. 

The gorilla in the photograph on the left was not at all interested in interacting with zoo visitors. He just stared straight ahead, back to the wall, no doubt pondering why he was serving a life sentence at the Denver Zoo, so far from his native habitat (Southern California). He finally noticed me, gave a cheery smile, and then went back to staring into space. I believe there are two other gorillas at the zoo, but I didn't see them around - probably inside enjoying the air-conditioning and watching the soaps. I think The Edge of Night was on the tube when I was there, which is a known favorite of primates everywhere. All in all, a very pleasant afternoon, despite the large crowds. It is, after all, field trip weather now, which explained the presence of something like 20,000 kids. But as I have always said, the more the merrier.