Summertime In Golden

It is summertime in Golden, Colorado and the streets are beginning to fill up with both tourists and locals, especially on the weekends when the weather is nice. Golden was founded back in 1859 during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush and quickly became a supply center for the mines up in the mountains. It became the territorial capital of Colorado in 1860 and was in competition with Denver to build a railroad to Cheyenne, connecting with the transcontinental railroad. Denver won that particular contest, and thanks to political maneuvering, the territorial capitol was moved to Denver, too. And thus, Denver became the major city in Colorado and the state capitol, while Golden stayed a small city, retaining its small-town charm and western atmosphere, with many commercial buildings and homes dating from the 1870s, 80s, and 90s. The Astor House, once a museum and now an art center, was built in 1867 and functioned as a rooming house. It had the only bathtub in town, and rented it out, making more money from that than renting rooms. Hopefully they cleaned it after every use.

The town is centered around Clear Creek, which is bordered on both sides by walking and biking paths, which are heavily used during the summer. This creek is a very popular spot for tubers and kayakers. The water runs fast and cold during the spring, and it was only 4 days ago that restrictions were lifted, and the creek opened for use. Even still, firefighters received calls for eight water rescues just yesterday. Clear Creek runs through Golden and then past the Coors Brewery, which I assume has pipes that filter that "Rocky Mountain Spring Water" directly into the tanks to make their beer. Nothing like a little taste of tuber and kayaker to add a little flavor to that beer.

The city has done a really nice job landscaping the city, with flowers all over the place. Plus, the city is filled with sculptures of old west figures, such as the one in the photograph on the left. My only complaint is that most of the parking on the residential streets near Clear Creek are restricted to permit holders only. You can always find parking on a weekday, but on weekends during the summer it can be a struggle. During the Goldens in Golden event a while back, not only could you not find a place to park, but there were so many cars that the lines to get out of town went on forever.

One of the highlights of the city is the Golden History Park, which runs along Clear Creek in downtown Golden and is close to the 12th Street Historic District. It consists of a number of 1800s cabins, such as the one in the photograph on the right, as well as the 1876 Guy Hill schoolhouse. Those buildings are periodically open to the public, including during an annual Open House in the summer. The Golden Fine Arts Festival takes place every August on the street running adjacent to that history park. I remember years ago going to that festival with my sister Susan and her late husband George. We would start walking past the various art booths, and when we got to Cheyenne Street, George would tell us he needed to take a rest and would meet us at the beer garden at Golden City Brewery, located a half block away. That brewery bills itself as the 2nd largest brewery in Golden, and is a great spot to hang out, even if no art festival is taking place. Try it - you'll like it, as they used to say in the old Alka-Seltzer commercials.

It's Almost July - Time To Reminisce About Britannia

Back in the late 1940s and early 1950s, our extended family on my mother Mary's side would travel each summer to Britannia, a resort on the Lake of Bays near Huntsville, Ontario for a two-week vacation. My mother Mary, father Nelson, and sister Susan, along with our Grandmother and Grandfather Spillard, would drive up there from Chicago, while my Uncle Bill and Aunt Elsie, along with their children Judy and Linda, would drive up from Cleveland. Susan tells me it was always around the 4th of July, and the waitresses would put on a 4th of July show in the dining room in a tongue and cheek style. While my father and uncle played golf every day, everyone else would enjoy the beach and lake, among other activities. 

I guess Britannia was a pretty nice place, but when the owner died and his son took over, they tore down the old lodge, built a new, improved one, and made the place a year-round resort. And raised prices up the wazoo, pricing them out. They went to a resort called Lumina (which is still around), also on the Lake of Bays, for a few years, and then Torpitt Lodge on Sparrow Lake, near Orilla, Ontario, which I myself remember. Britannia was sold and the hotel closed in 1973, when that kind of vacation went out of fashion. The photograph above, taken in 1951, shows all of the family, except for Susan and Judy (who were evidently quite rebellious at the time), with the Lake of Bays in the background. From left to right are my Grandmother Louise, Grandfather Bill, Aunt Elsie, Uncle Bill, father Nelson, and mother Mary, with my cousin Linda standing in front. A second photo, which included Susan and Judy, which I have posted on previous blog posts, was taken after they were finally rounded up.

Denver You're So Cool

I took the photograph above of an alley in Denver's Golden Triangle Neighborhood, which has become a popular hotspot in recent years. The wall on the left where the murals are located is the back side of a former hotel which is now the 11th Avenue Hostel. Just a few doors down from there is where Temple Denver is located. It's a nightclub that features "a main dance club where guests will find 50,000 floor-to-ceiling LED bulbs and a thundering Funktion One sound system designed to provide the ultimate listening experience." This marvel of a nightclub is hidden behind a very plain, non-descript entrance. The only person I've ever seen in front of the place was a homeless man, but since the club is open just on Fridays and Saturdays from 10:00 P.M. until 2:00 A.M., I guess that is not surprising. It all sounds pretty hellish to me. I wonder if you can hear that Funktion One sound system from your room at the hostel? And would that be considered a positive or a negative?

Lunching With Stuart At Old Chicago

Yesterday afternoon I had lunch with my friend Stuart, seen in the photograph above, at the Old Chicago Pizza and Taproom in ugly, but also very boring, Lakewood, Colorado, just to the west of Denver. Of course, when you are in the bar area at Old Chicago, you can't actually see Lakewood, and so no problem. While we were there, both the Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies were on the television. Sadly, my South Side heroes, the Chicago White Sox, weren't playing yesterday, resting up for today's game against the San Francisco Giants. The Cubs, who are in first place in the National League Central Division, beat St. Louis 3-0, and as usual, the Rockies lost to the Dodgers 3-1. Stuart, originally from the North Side of Chicago, is, of course, a Cubs fan, and is beginning to talk World Series. We'll see if he is still talking World Series in September. I myself am originally from the South Side of Chicago and have no illusions about the White Sox and the World Series. I am just happy they are winning a few games every now and then, giving the fans something to cheer about, as opposed to last year, when they lost a major league record 121 games. Our adopted hometown team, the Colorado Rockies, are on course to beat that record. And just today, in a major shakeup, they promoted the owner's son to executive vice president. The Rockies prefer to have friends and relatives run the team instead of people who know anything about baseball, and so I think the Rockies have a good shot at that worst in the history of baseball title. Making history at last!

The View From City Park

I recently visited Denver's City Park, where I took the photograph above of the city's skyline. This is Denver's largest park. Construction began in 1886, and the park contains the Denver Zoo, City Park Golf Course, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, two lakes, and a boathouse. You can even rent swan boats and peddle around the lake seen in the background of the photo. When I first spotted those swan boats in City Park, I wrote a blog complaining that Washington Park, which is close to where my condo is located, did not have swan boats, just ugly plastic ones, and how unfair that was to the people of South Denver. And then, this year, for the first time, I spotted swan boats on Smith Lake in Washington Park, too. I have no doubt it was my blog that is responsible for that upgrade. What other reason can there possibly be? No thanks necessary, people. It was my civic duty.

The View From DU - Then And Now

The University of Denver moved to its current location in South Denver back in 1892. I have always been fascinated by the photo on the left that I think was one of the historical photographs hanging in the DU Bookstore back in the day, showing University Hall in the foreground, and in the far distance, Loretto Heights, which started out as a boarding school for girls, built in 1891, and later became a university. It is just amazing to see only those two buildings, alone on the prairie, with not a tree in sight. Of course, after DU moved to that location, development soon began in earnest, and the area quickly filled in.

These days, DU is surrounded by businesses and homes, and although Loretto Heights is still around, it is no longer a university, and definitely not visible from DU. And as you can see from the photograph on the right, there are now plenty of trees around University Hall and the rest of the campus. And how is the University of Denver doing these days? Thanks to a significant drop in the college-age population, universities across the country are now competing for fewer and fewer students. With tuition at $61,398, more than Harvard, it makes it even harder for DU to lure students. And so, the freshman class expected in the fall is less than projected, and belt-tightening is the order of the day. Which has happened before, and will no doubt happen again.

Festivals, Festivals, Festivals All The Time

I went to the baseball game this past Sunday afternoon with my friend Mark and sister Susan, and on the way back to the car we noticed that still another street festival was taking place - The Denver Cherry Blossom Festival at Sakura Square in downtown Denver, as seen in the photograph above. Later on, I checked on the internet and learned that this was the 51st year of this event, which "celebrates the Japanese heritage and culture through live entertainment, food and drink, a marketplace, and informative exhibits and demonstrations." I have heard about this festival for years but never attended until walking through it last Sunday. And it made me realize that Denver has a LOT of festivals. In fact, I have attended a festival every other week since Cinco De Mayo took place in Civic Center Park at the beginning of May. Two weeks after that, on Memorial Day weekend, I visited the Denver Arts Festival in the Central Park neighborhood. Two weeks after that the Denver Chalk Art Festival, which was held near the Denver Art Museum (the DAM), and two weeks later the Highlands Street Fair, which took place just this past Saturday. Two weeks from now the Cherry Creek Arts Festival takes place, one of the top art shows in the country. And looking ahead, there will be still more festivals every two weeks through Labor Day. Did they plan it this way, or what? And best of all, many of these festivals will feature a booth selling Giant Turkey Legs. I have always wondered if they simply make a huge batch of turkey legs at the start of the festival season and just freeze and refreeze those same turkey legs up to and including Oktoberfest at the end of September. Yum.

Watching The Colorado Rockies Win - Yes! Win! - With Mark And Susan At Coors Field

I went to see the Colorado Rockies play the Arizona Diamondbacks at Coors Field yesterday afternoon with my friend Mark and sister Susan, seen in the photograph on the left. It was hot and sunny, the high reaching 93 degrees, which was probably the reason attendance was down at the ballpark Sunday. Which was a shame, since the Rockies actually played a very good game and won by a score of 4 to 2. The Rockies still have the worst record in baseball right now, at 18-60, but are an even .500 (5-5) over their last 10 games. Which is quite an improvement, considering that for a while people in Denver were wondering if the Rockies would even win 10 games this season. Nobody is talking World Series right now, but if the team continues to play .500 ball for the rest of the year, most fans will consider the season a success. And will the team actually be able to do that? In my opinion, probably not, but I have been wrong before once or twice in my life.

Whether or not they continue to improve, the Rockies' players are certainly making sure they take advantage of celebrating every win, as seen in the photograph on the right. Especially at home, where year-to-date they have won a mere 8 games. Even Dinger, the team mascot, seemed to be pretty enthusiastic yesterday afternoon, waving that flag around signaling a Rockies win. Of course, the true test will come tomorrow, when the Rockies begin a 3-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who currently have the best record in the National League. But relax, everyone. What could possibly go wrong?

The 42nd Annual Highlands Street Fair

Yesterday was the 42nd annual Highlands Street Fair, which takes place every year in Denver's Highlands neighborhood, located on the city's northwest side. This event is far larger than your average neighborhood street festival. It takes place along 32nd Street, between Irving and Perry, a total of 6 blocks lined with the booths of over 100 local businesses. I do have to say, however, that the festival was not as well attended as in previous years, probably due the unusually high temperatures - 103 degrees with the sun beating down on you can be tough for a lot of people to deal with. Although as we longtime Denver residents say, it is a dry heat, and so you really don't even feel it. 

On the bright side, I found a parking space just 2 blocks from the festival. And on the way there, I noticed that Cerebral Brewing has opened a new taproom in the former church previously occupied by Oasis Brewing. And not surprising, the patio was packed with festival goers, no doubt deciding whether to continue on to the festival or stay there in the shade drinking beer.  I wonder what they finally decided? In any case, this would be a great neighborhood to live in, what with all the late 19th century homes and commercial buildings, not to mention all the restaurants and unique shops on 32nd Street. When I first arrived in Denver, the Highlands neighborhood was promoted as the "lower-cost alternative to Washington Park," which is one of Denver's most desirable places to live. These days the Highlands is not even close to affordable. But it is still lots of fun to visit.

Seeing Angkor: The Lost Empire Of Cambodia. For Free!

The Denver Museum of Nature and Science had free admission for everyone on the Juneteenth holiday this past Thursday, and so my sister Susan and I took advantage of that to see the exhibit there called Angkor: The Lost Empire of Cambodia. Angkor is a World Heritage Site and the world's largest religious complex, built in the 12th Century and reaching its zenith in the 13th, with a population of 750,000, spread over 400 square miles. However, due to endless war, climate change, and social unrest, it eventually disappeared back into the jungle, known only to the local population, before being discovered by outside archeologists in the 1800s. The exhibit includes more than a hundred statues, intricate carvings, and sacred relics, many of them never seen outside of Cambodia.

The thing I enjoyed most about this exhibit was the photographs and videos showing Angkor as it is today, giving a good idea of what you would see if you decided to visit the site in person, which would take several days and close to two thousand dollars. As opposed to the cost of admission for the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, which is $25.95 for adults and $22.95 for people of advanced age, such as me. I really liked this exhibit a lot, and recommend seeing it before it closes on Sunday, August 24th. Sadly, Juneteenth was the last free day before the exhibit closes. On the plus side, there were approximately 100,000 kids and their parents packed into the museum last Thursday, and so your visit will probably be a much more laid-back experience. Enjoy!

The Summer Solstice!

The Summer Solstice, the official start of summer and the longest day of the year, takes place today at 8:42 P.M. here in Denver. I checked on the internet to see if there were any special Summer Solstice events taking place around the area, and in fact, there were, but nothing I would consider attending: Shabbat Summer Solstice Yoga, Summer Solstice Vinyasa Flow (a form of yoga), Summer Solstice Gong Bath (God knows what that is), Summer Solstice at the Starhouse in Boulder, featuring "earth dances and shamanic healing, honey tastings, herbal teachings, folk music and more," etc. etc. Just not for me. The big Summer Solstice event, held annually, is at Stonehenge in the U.K., which opens up the grounds to visitors on the Summer and Winter Solstices, attracting modern day Druids and pagans from around the world. This year the grounds will open at 7:00 P.M. and stay open until 8:00 A.M. Saturday morning. The actual solstice takes place at 3:42 A.M. there, perfect if you are a night person, or in this case, an all-night person. Sadly, Druids keep a pretty low profile here in Colorado. Since Druids, according to the Greeks and Romans, were very much into human sacrifice via burning their victims alive, I can see why. The photograph above, by the way, shows a group of Druids up in Boulder's Chautauqua Park, beneath the Flatirons, doing their thing, no doubt waiting until dark to start those human sacrifices. And has this photograph been photoshopped or manipulated in any way? Are you kidding? Would I do something like that?

Visiting The Belleview Station Beer Garden Patio

I stopped in at the Belleview Station Beer Garden Patio to check it out the Monday before last. I learned about the place after reading an article in the Denver Post about a new 22-story mixed use tower to be built in the Belleview Station neighborhood, and while researching that mixed use development, saw an ad promoting that beer garden's $5 all-day Monday drafts. Belleview station gets its name from the light rail stop there, and is located in far southeast Denver, right across from the Denver Tech Center, a large suburban office park. The neighborhood seems to be made up of multiple apartment buildings, many with restaurants on the ground floor. To be honest, the place felt very suburban, despite the high-rise buildings, and there were not that many people out on the street. And surprisingly, there were not that many people at the Belleview Station Beer Garden, either, as seen in the photograph above, despite the $5 drafts. Hopefully it is livelier on the weekends. I suspect having a 22-story mixed use tower a block away might help, too. But I'm afraid that neighborhood will still be a little too suburban for me.

News Flash: The Cherry Creek Reservoir Is Not The Ocean, Or Even Lake Michigan

I drove a friend to a wedding this past Saturday that took place at the Dixon Grove Shelter in Cherry Creek State Park, located just to the southwest of Denver in Aurora, Colorado. It was the first time I have been there in 35 years, and as I recall, my impression back then was that it was pretty ugly. When we arrived, there was a huge line of cars waiting to get in. It took approximately 45 minutes to get through the entrance gate. My plan was to drop my friend off and have her call me when she was ready to leave. Of course, after waiting that long to get through the damn gate, I had no intention of going through all that again and decided to just walk around the Cherry Creek Reservoir while she attended the wedding. The park was not as ugly as I remembered, but it was definitely not the ocean, or for that matter even Lake Michigan or Superior. The photograph on the left shows people in the water kayaking, standup paddleboarding, motorboating, or simply standing in the water cooling off. All fine when you look in that direction, but looking the other way, you see a huge pile of rocks that make up the dam that created the reservoir. Pretty damn ugly no matter how nice the water is.

I'm sorry, but no matter how hard you try, it is difficult to imagine that you are at a natural beach. However, it was a very hot day, and the place was filled with people enjoying the water. Since this is the only place in the Denver area to do all these water activities - with the exception of Confluence Park along the Platte, which has the highest levels of e-coli in the state - I guess people just accept that this is the best it gets and make do. We are, after all, almost 1,000 miles from either the ocean, the gulf, or Lake Michigan. And by the way, the reservoir is stocked with fish by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and so there are a lot of anglers out there, too, such as the one in the photograph on the right. And will I visit again soon? Personally, I think I will give it another 35 years. Don't want to go so often it gets boring, right?

The Baker Neighborhood's Baker Market And Deli: Boffo

Yesterday there was an article in the Denver Post about Baker Market and Deli, located in Denver's historic Baker neighborhood. It has been a market since the 1880s, which is very impressive indeed. It serves breakfast and lunch, and also carries produce, groceries, coffee, teas, and bread. Years ago, there were multiple bodegas in this neighborhood, serving a mainly Hispanic clientele. These days, Baker Market and Deli is the only one still operating. This neighborhood is famous for having entire blocks filled with its original Victorian homes, and over the years it has undergone significant gentrification. The store, located a few blocks east of Santa Fe Drive on West 4th Avenue, was closed by the time I took the photograph above, but from reading the article, I get the impression that its success lies in adapting to the changes in the neighborhood and catering to the resident's needs. Another Denver success story. And yes - I do realize that the name on the building says Bakers Market instead of Baker Market, its official name, but I think I will just let that remain a mystery. Probably just an error by the painter.

Happy Hour Was Especially Happy At The Denver Beer Company Last Saturday

My sister Susan - seen in the photograph above - and I stopped at the Denver Beer Company on South Downing Street here in Denver this past Saturday for a Happy Hour beer, and the atmosphere seemed especially festive. And why not? It was a warm and sunny afternoon, it was the weekend, and the place was filled with people from the neighborhood, including families with kids, seniors, singles, you name it. Plus, there were a fair number of University of Denver students celebrating the end of classes. Not to mention all manner of dogs enjoying an IPA or two with their owners. It reminded Susan of when she used to accompany our mother Mary and father Nelson to a Glenwood, Illinois beer garden in Chicago's Southern Suburbs when she was a little girl. I might or might not have gone to the same place once when I was a kid, but my recollection of that is a little shaky. And no, I was NOT drinking beer there when I was 5 years old or so. Happily, through diligent research (googling the internet) I have determined that the place must have been Hottinger's Garden, which in later years was purchased by none other than Ray Kroch, before he started the McDonald's hamburger chain. Of course, that was long before the advent of craft beer, a period in history I think was called the Dark Ages. Check me on that.

Happy Father's Day!

Today is Father's Day, and in honor of that, I am featuring the last photograph I ever took of my own father, Nelson. I took it while he was standing in front of his Camaro, a car he really loved, while parked along the Indian River in Stuart, Florida, returning from dinner at the Admiral's Table in Jensen Beach (I think). This photograph was taken in August of 1983, three months before he passed away at the age of 74. Way too young as far as I'm concerned. In any case, I'm glad I have it to remember him by. And I wish everyone out there a Happy Father's Day and hope that you are able to enjoy it with your father, or if not, have happy memories from when you could.

Graduation Day At DU!

Today is Graduation Day at the University of Denver. Graduate Commencement Ceremonies were held yesterday, while Undergraduate Ceremonies take place today. I was the Finance Manager of the DU Bookstore for many years before the store was outsourced to Follett Higher Education Group, and this was an important time for the bookstore. For one thing, we took the orders for cap and gown rentals, not to mention class rings, graduation announcements, and other items, in conjunction with Josten's and their sales rep. It was also the biggest book buy of the year, and we had three Nebraska Book Company reps buying books from students, with lines out the door, during finals week, leading up to graduation. For both the graduate and undergraduate ceremonies, the merchandise manager and her work study assistants would bring huge amounts of clothing, gifts, and miscellaneous items over to Magness Arena, where the ceremonies were held, and seen in the photograph above. They would sell those items to the graduates and their guests at tables set up at the entrance to the arena. I think I checked last year, and Follett had no such table, and since they are being replaced by Barnes and Noble College at the end of this month, I suspect they still won't this year, either. And as I remember, by Saturday afternoon, the DU Bookstore was completely empty of customers, and more or less stayed that way until mid-August. As far as I can tell, ever since Follett took over the DU Bookstore in 2012, that's the way it looked year-round, and so I suspect they never noticed the difference. Goodbye and good riddance, Follett! And Happy Graduation, all you DU graduates!

The Bonnie Brae Tavern Is History

Denver's Bonnie Brae Tavern, which opened back in 1934, was demolished yesterday, three years after it closed its doors after 88 years in business, as seen in the photograph on the left. The developers who purchased the property are now moving forward with a 3-story apartment project, with ground floor retail, called "akin Bonnie Brae." The owners of the well-loved tavern had mixed feelings about selling, but were facing the daunting, and expensive, task of bringing the 88-year-old building up to code, especially the 88-year-old plumbing and electrical. That, combined with the difficulties of running a restaurant in Denver these days, convinced them to take the money and run. And I can't say I blame them.

I have very fond memories of the Bonnie Brae Tavern. For years, a group of us former University of Denver Bookstore employees, as well as a few current DU staff, would get together there every so often to talk about the good old days at DU and find out what everyone was up to. And I must say, the place certainly evoked its origins - I don't believe it was ever remodeled since opening back in 1934. But that was part of its charm. And the pizza was still excellent, so what the hell. I'll miss it.

The June/July Issue Of Chicago Magazine

I went through the June/July issue of Chicago Magazine yesterday afternoon, and I must say, I was kind of shocked reading the cover story, titled "This View Could Be Yours For $250,000. Plus: What You Can Get For $500K... $1 Mil... $2 Mil." Keep in mind, I live in a condo in Denver's University neighborhood, where a 2 bedroom, 1 bath 1,070 square foot bungalow built in 1920 is selling for $600,000. And many people who buy places like that simply tear them down and build a McMansion in its place. Absolute madness, in my opinion. And so, I was very interested in reading about those $250,000 bargains in my old hometown of Chicago. For that amount you can get a 1 bedroom, 1 bath 875 square-foot condo on the 10th floor of a Gold Coast high-rise with a great view of Lake Michigan and only steps from North Avenue Beach and Lincoln Park. Sounds great, right? Until you find out that the monthly HOA is $1,031 a month, and taxes are $5,558. And if you have a car, parking is an additional $287 a month. Forget that. How about an updated 4 bedroom, 2 bath 1,470 square foot home in South Suburban Park Forest? A nice place, as I remember. My grandparents lived in a 2-bedroom townhouse in Park Forest and enjoyed living there. The downside: Annual taxes: $10,564 per year. My God. How can anyone pay that every year? I look forward to going back to Chicago to visit, but moving back there? Seriously? 

There were other articles of interest in this month's issue, including a short piece about the Home Insurance Building, built in 1885 and the first skyscraper not only in Chicago, but the world. It was 10 stories tall, one story less than the building I now live in, which does seem a bit underwhelming. There was also an article about a Chicago hair stylist named Pascal Ibgui, who was born in Paris and was a "Golden Bachelorette heartthrob," evidently making him a city-wide celebrity. He lives in Lincoln Park and is also an avid street photographer. He spends all his free time wandering the city taking photographs. What caught my attention is that he has $30,000 in photo equipment. Just out of curiosity, is there a place you apply to become a Golden Bachelorette heartthrob? In any case, there was also an article about Tik Tok influencer Kat Abughazaleh running for Congress in the 9th District. However, she has only lived in Chicago for less than a year and has not yet moved into the district she plans to represent. Plus - and this is a serious issue - she did not know what landmark was located at 1060 West Addison Street, which is in the 9th District. For those of you who also don't know, there is a subtle hint in the photograph on the right. The bottom line: I'd hate to be her campaign manager.

The City Of Denver - A Golfer's Paradise?

The City of Denver has 7 public golf courses scattered throughout the area, including City Park, Evergreen, Harvard Gulch, Kennedy, Overland Park, Wellshire, and Willis Case, all of them open year-round, depending on weather. I am quite familiar with Evergreen Golf Course, located in the foothills next to Evergreen's Dedisse Park, where one of the hazards happens to be elk on the course, as seen in the photograph on the left. I've played this course exactly once, with my then wife Lisa, although we had to quit before finishing due to darkness. But happily, not an elk in sight.

Another golf course I am familiar with is Willis Case, which is located on a hill on the west side of Denver overlooking the mountains and seen in the photograph on the right. Back when Lisa and I played Evergreen Golf Course, it seemed like the green fees were very reasonable, although that was something like 40 years ago. However, the current prices, which are prominently displayed on the official Denver Golf website, seem to me to be pretty damn pricey. To play 18 holes, the cost is $38-$60 weekdays and $56-$67 weekends. Of course, if you are at an advanced age, such as me, you can play on weekdays for a mere $33-$40. Does that sound reasonable to you? It has been years since I have played golf on a course other than at my sister Susan and my condo complex in Stuart, Florida, where guests of the owner pay $5 for nine holes, which to me seems just about right. And yes, I am indeed a confirmed cheapskate. Of course, that is not new news.

It's Tourist Season In Idaho Springs

I drove up to Idaho Springs, Colorado from Denver yesterday afternoon to check out that mountain community and see what's new. Idaho Springs is a former mining town that was founded in 1859, after gold was discovered there. The mines are long gone, and these days the major industry is tourism. Unfortunately, Denver and the mountains recently received 14 straight days of rain, washing out all of Memorial Day Weekend, which is a major revenue generator for that town's shops, restaurants, and bars. This, of course, has all those business owners wondering if they can make up the difference over the remainder of the year. Definitely time to think up a dynamite idea to draw in those tourists. How about PruneFest 2025. It has a nice ring to it, right? Or perhaps not.

During tourist season, Miner Street, the main drag, and seen in the photograph on the right, is closed to traffic, allowing for more outdoor patio space for those restaurants and bars, including Tommyknocker Brewery and Pub, as well as Beau Jo's Idaho Springs, "the home of Colorado-style pizza." Beau Jo's is an especially popular stop during the winter for skiers returning from the slopes at Loveland, Breckenridge, Arapahoe Basin, Keystone, Copper Mountain, and Winter Park. I remember years ago my sister Susan, brother-in-law George, and George's cousin Richard were heading back to Denver from a day of skiing when a heavy snowstorm closed Interstate 70. They were forced to leave the highway and wound up spending most of the night at Beau Jo's, until the freeway finally reopened. I don't think any of them ever went there again. Go figure.

One very popular and historic spot in Idaho Springs is The Buffalo Restaurant and Bar, which started out in 1906 as John Rohner's Bar and Billiards. The bar there comes from Chicago and was built around 1880, although the place was renovated a number of years ago and joined forces with Westbound and Down Brewing Company, located next door, to modernize the bar drinking experience. Which to me is a good thing. I remember going to the upstairs bar at Denver's Buckhorn Exchange, established in 1893, years ago and finding out that they did not have beer on tap. An outrage. There are some historic traditions that definitely need to be retired, and so I salute The Buffalo for that upgrade.

Another issue up in Idaho Springs these days is affordability. There has been a 19.6% increase in its median home price over the past year, and the average home in Idaho Springs is selling for $625,000. According to one former resident now residing in Loveland, a lot of people there are living from paycheck to paycheck. There is a major housing project that will add 120 apartments to the site of the old Golddigger Stadium, and many locals who rent are anxiously waiting to see if those apartments will be affordable. I hate to say it, but my guess is a big no. If they want affordable, it is time to start thinking about building a log cabin up on the mountainside above town before winter sets in. Just sayin'.

The 23rd Annual Denver Chalk Art Festival

This past weekend the 23rd Annual Denver Chalk Art Festival took place in Denver's Golden Triangle neighborhood. This festival started out in Denver's historic Larimer Square back in 2003 as La Piazza dell 'Arte Larimer Square and soon became La Piazza Italian Chalk Art Festival, before adopting the Denver Chalk Art Festival name. When the Covid Pandemic hit, it was held virtually, and after a year held in conjunction with the Cherry Creek Arts Festival (which now co-produces the event), it moved to its current location around 12th and Bannock, close to the Denver Art Museum, the Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Arts, and the Clyfford Still Museum.

And I must say that CherryArts, the non-profit that runs the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, has done a good job with the Chalk Art Festival, turning it into a major event, going from 42 artists in 2003 to 230 this year. The artists include professionals who travel the country participating in these festivals, local artists, and people who are just beginning. And instead of just a single street, it now extends over 5 blocks of the Golden Triangle Neighborhood. The only thing I disliked this year about the festival is that there seemed to be an inordinate number of cat art, such as the one in the photograph on the right. Seeing cat after cat represented in chalk get pretty old, pretty fast, at least for me.

Far better to see chalk portraits of unicorns, fairy tale characters, lions, and especially weird or scary looking people, such as the woman in the photograph on the left. Despite weather forecasts predicting severe thunderstorms and hail, large crowds showed up for the event yesterday afternoon. The lines moved slowly past the art works, but that was okay, since instead of storms, it was all sunshine and pleasant temperatures. 

One of my favorite chalk art pieces was sponsored by Toyota and was a rendition of the same view as the one right in front of us, which I thought was pretty clever. Although to be honest, I did not even register that it was the same view until I looked at the photograph, seen on the right, on my computer screen later on. So much for my powers of observation. In any case, the festival made for a fun day, and I really enjoyed it. In addition to the chalk art, there were also lots of food vendors and a stage where various bands were scheduled to perform. I looked on the website to see what bands were going to play, but the only one I could find listed was "Check Back Soon," evidently playing both Saturday and Sunday. Never heard of them. Go figure.

Penny Day At The Museum Of Contemporary Art Denver

The first Saturday of every month is Penny Day at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Denver, when Colorado residents are invited to visit the museum for only one cent. In past visits, I have always come away believing the art was the weirdest I have ever seen, but when I visited the museum yesterday, I actually liked a lot of what was on display. The name of the exhibition is The Future is Present, the Harbinger is Home: Selections from Prospect.6 New Orleans. Nineteen artists display works that portray New Orleans as both a harbinger for the future as well as a home to cherish. The posters on display in the photograph on the left feature The Great Exposition, a fictitious neighborhood event.

The art installation in the photograph on the right is a work by artist Jeanette Ehlers. It is a "massive disco ball made of synthetic afro hair," which symbolizes "how natural hair has long been considered a form of freedom in Black liberation movements." Ehlers is a Copenhagen based artist of Danish and Trinidadian decent whose work focuses on Denmark's colonial impact on the Caribbean and its participation in the Transatlantic Slave Trade. A very heavy topic, but a very interesting piece of art.

As always, the best part of the MCA Denver is the building itself, which was designed by London based architect Sir David Adjaye OBE. He evidently designed the building to "minimize boundaries between the exterior spaces of the city and the interior of the museum," and I must say, he did a good job of it. When walking around the building, I have always been impressed by the great views down 15th Street from the floor to ceiling windows, but never before realized that that was the main thing he was trying to accomplish with his design. I especially like the rooftop, which consists of a cafe and bar and an outdoor garden, with wonderful views of Denver. If you want to see this exhibit, it will be on display through August 24th. It is definitely worth the one cent.

The Last Day Of Spring Quarter Classes At The University Of Denver

Today is the last day of spring quarter classes at the University of Denver. For many years, I was the Finance Manager at the DU Bookstore, until the store was outsourced to Follett Higher Education Group. The end of the quarter always used to be a very busy time for the store. Once classes were over, students began to come in to sell their textbooks, and we would have three representatives from Nebraska Book Company, our software and used textbook provider, come in to buy those books back. The students came in droves, and the Nebraska guys were kept very busy. The store was outsourced in 2012, and since then times have definitely changed. Textbook rentals were becoming very popular at the time I left the business, meaning no books to sell back, only return, and during the Covid-19 pandemic, the move to digital content was accelerated. All of which drastically reduced the number of physical textbooks to buy back. Which probably explains why the Follet-run DU Bookstore was practically deserted as I passed by it and took the photograph on the left yesterday afternoon.

I have very fond memories of book buy week. The Nebraska guys were all a lot of fun and would treat the managers to a dinner at Reivers Bar and Grill, located a few miles from campus, while they were here. Once the store was outsourced to Follett, Nebraska lost our account, and as more and more stores outsourced their stores, more and more accounts were lost, which meant hard times for the Nebraska Book Company. I have been Facebook friends for years with these reps, and not too many years later all 3 had left the company. And sadly, Nebraska Book Company itself went out of business in March of 2023, putting 114 people out of work, blaming the move to digital content for drying up the flow of those used books needed for inventory. In any case, the photograph on the right shows Nebraska reps Chuck, on the left, and Jason, on the right, after a long day of buying books back on June 4th of 2010. The third rep, John, was no doubt busy tallying the books for the day. That is almost 15 years ago to the day. Time does indeed fly. And I do believe I might have said that once or twice before on this blog. So sue me.

The June Mutts Of The Month

I took the photograph above of this month's Mutts of the Month back when I was down in Florida at the Seaside Cafe, located along the Atlantic at Stuart Beach. This cafe is very popular, especially during the season (January thru March), and it is sometimes difficult to get a seat. No problem for these dogs, who are sitting comfortably underneath the chair of their owner. And as you can tell from the photograph, they are just riveted by my attention to them. Which means that they are probably bored out of their minds and just dying for a romp on the beach. I could have mentioned that to the owner or owners, but this being Florida, they were probably armed to the teeth, and you just never know. I even once heard two little old ladies at that very cafe discussing the merits of the guns in their purses. In other words, fine - let the dogs just sit there.

Lunching With Stuart At Homegrown Tap And Dough

I had lunch with my friend Stuart, seen in the photograph above, yesterday afternoon at Homegrown Tap and Dough, located on Old South Gaylord Street here in Denver. It has a large outdoor patio, and I have often thought about dining there, but never got around to it until now. Stuart and I shared a sausage pizza, and it tasted pretty damn good. The subject of baseball came up, of course, and Stuart is pretty happy that his North Side hometown team, the Chicago Cubs, are in first place and currently tied with the Mets for the second-best record in baseball. Of course, this is June, and the Cubs are notorious for the "June swoon," when they often start the month going gangbusters and finish it with a losing record. Not like my South Side heroes, the Chicago White Sox. The Sox are very consistent, keeping a firm grip on the second worst record in baseball. The worst record, year-to-date, belongs, of course, to our adopted hometown team, the Colorado Rockies, who despite being on a three-game winning streak are currently 12-50 and have set a major league record for the worst start in the history of baseball. Making history at last! Surprisingly, firing manager Bud Black did not improve the team's play. Pretty much everyone in Colorado knows that only the firing of the entire front office will turn the team around. Sadly, Rockies owner Dick Monfort prefers to run the team himself, along with his buddies and sons, instead of people who actually know anything about baseball. Drawing 3 million fans a year no matter how badly the team plays, thanks to a beautiful ballpark and the many fans of the opposing team, makes that luxury possible. And by the way, the White Sox beat the Detroit Tigers 8-1 last night. Which means there is still hope! Yes!

Whiting, Indiana - A Walkable Beach City With Retro Charm. Seriously?

My MSN Homepage has many news and entertainment articles that are often pretty damn interesting. One of the sources for those articles is a travel website called Islands.com. I was shocked a while back when I saw an article on it touting the South Side Chicago Beverly neighborhood as a tourist destination. It is located just to the west of the Brainerd neighborhood, where I grew up. Granted, Beverly is a beautiful place, and I often biked through it as kid, but nobody ever thought of it back then as a place tourists would be interested in visiting. And just yesterday, I was again shocked to find they were hyping Whiting, Indiana, just across the state line from Chicago, as another worthwhile tourist destination. The article mentions beautiful beaches on Lake Michigan, a dynamite view of the Chicago skyline, and a charming retro downtown, as well as a world-famous Pierogi Fest that none other than Oprah Winfrey loves to attend. I don't doubt the article's author is telling the truth, but I know for a fact that town is surrounded by ugliness - steel mills, oil refineries, and other such industries to the east and south, and Lake Calumet, an industrial harbor entirely within the city limits of Chicago, to the west. As an elementary school student and a cub scout, I remember twice taking a cruise boat down the Little Calumet River to Lake Calumet, and I am telling you, it was damn ugly both times. It is amazing to me that there is actually a city worthy of visiting in the middle of that mess. Talk about keeping a secret. And will I visit there the next time I am in Chicago? Let me think about it.

The Gold Pan Saloon

I took the photograph above of the Gold Pan Saloon several weeks ago during a drive up to Breckenridge from Denver. The Gold Pan Saloon is the oldest bar in town. Their web site states that a tent was set up on that site in 1861 to serve thirsty miners and was called Long's Saloon. The building itself was erected in 1879, meaning that the Gold Pan Saloon has been around in some form for 146 years. I have been in the place once or twice, but the day I took that photograph I was more interested in getting home than stopping for a pint, since it had begun to snow and I didn't know how it would affect the roads. As I recall, it was a warm and sunny day when I started out in Denver, but that's the mountains for you. The weather can always surprise you. In any case, I think the Gold Pan Saloon is more of a summer destination, unless you decide to rent a condo in "Breck" and stay over. But that would not be cheap. Of course, at the various festivals held around the Denver area during the summer, you can register to win a three day stay in Breckenridge for a mere $99.  I tried that once, and for the next 5 years received sales calls about "special offers" in that quaint mountain town, none of them close to that $99 figure. Go figure.

Nostalgia For Cleveland? Seriously?

About a month ago my sister Susan and I flew back to Denver from Florida with a 2-hour layover in Cleveland. This was the first time I had been in Cleveland since I was a kid, and it was interesting listening to the various passengers talking among themselves as the plane approached Hopkins International Airport. Several used to live in the Cleveland area and were visiting from Florida, talking about how much snow they used to have every winter. Current residents mentioned how close they lived to Lake Erie and how much snow they got this past winter. And as the plane flew beneath the clouds, I snapped the photograph on the left, which looked exactly as I expected - rain, fog, and cold.

Once we got off the plane, we found a nice place to eat called the Paninis Bar and Grill, which is a local chain around the Cleveland area. The food was good, they served IPA on draft, and everyone was very friendly. And so, it was a very pleasant layover. And thinking back, those trips to Cleveland back when I was a kid weren't bad at all. I remember attending the weddings for both my cousin Judy and cousin Linda, who lived with our Uncle Bill and Aunt Elsie in South Euclid, in the eastern suburbs. I even remember us all going to an amusement park called Euclid Beach one rainy evening during our visit. And my friend Mark just got back from visiting someone in Cleveland and really liked the place. And so, will I be vacationing in Cleveland in the near future? No way, but still, I admit it appears to be a nice place. Just stay far far away during the winter.