Summertime At New Terrain

My sister Susan and I visited New Terrain Brewing Company, seen in the photograph above, this past week and were happy to see that things seem to be the same as always at that Golden, Colorado brew pub. For me, weekdays are the best time to stop by, since on weekends it is near impossible to find a parking space. You know you are in trouble when you see cars parked on both sides of the street when you are still blocks away. They have live music on an outdoor stage on Thursdays, and other events, too, including Baby Goat Nights. The final Baby Goat Night of the year will be taking place between 5:00 and 9:00 on Wednesday, September 17th, and will feature 10 baby / miniature goats that you can pet, pick up, feed, and hug. I assume you will not be able to buy them a beer, since they are all underage. What a bummer. Susan is insisting we attend, and I definitely plan on taking lots of photos. However, I can just imagine what the parking situation will be that night. I guess we could always park a mile or so away and then hire an Uber to take us the rest of the way. It would probably be worth the two dollars. And I'm sure the driver wouldn't mind doing that. Two dollars is two dollars, after all.

The Elk Are Returning To Evergreen

The elk are finally returning to Evergreen, Colorado. I am no expert, but I assume they have been hanging out at a much higher altitude during the summer heat wave, and now that the temperatures are cooling off, they are heading back down into town. I saw a herd of them while driving into Evergreen from the south, but could not find a spot to pull over to take a photo. However, when I reached Evergreen Lake, I spotted several elk cooling off in the water and was able to take the above photograph. I imagine once fall arrives, many more of these elk will be returning to the area to hang out at their favorite place, the nearby Evergreen Golf Course. Something about sitting right in the middle of the fairway, requiring golfers to hit around them or skip the hole altogether, seems to give them great joy. Elk evidently have a great sense of humor.

Lower Downtown Denver: Still A Happening Place

I was driving through Lower Downtown (LoDo) here in Denver this past Saturday around 4:30 in the afternoon and was surprised to see groups of 20-Somethings already on the streets in full party mode. For some reason, I kind of assumed that LoDo was suffering the same kind of decline that the rest of downtown Denver was experiencing due to high office vacancy rates and the renovation of the 16th Street Mall, but evidently not. What really caught my attention were all the "Pedal Hoppers" on the streets. I must have passed at least 6 of them driving around the area, filled with young people pedaling from bar to bar, one of which can be seen in the photograph above. It reminds me that Denver is still popular with the younger crowd, even if the city is not nearly as attractive a place to move to as it used to be, due to the high cost of housing. The ones already here and living in Lower Downtown, River North (RINO), and the Lower Highlands (LoHi), the city's hipster hangouts, all probably have to have 10 or so roommates to afford it, but that is the price they have to pay. No wonder those Pedal Hoppers are so popular. Anything to get out of the house.

El Rancho: A New Chapter Or The End Of The Road?

I passed by El Rancho, the iconic foothills restaurant located in Evergreen, Colorado, yesterday afternoon and decided to stop and take the photograph seen above. El Rancho was built by the Jahnke family in 1948 and taken over by the McEncroes in 1953. The McEncroes added a post office, which was a really smart move, since the restaurant was then able to get its own exit off Interstate 70 when the freeway was built. I have heard that President Eisenhower, a friend of the owners, had a hand in that decision, but don't know if that is true or not. In any case, El Rancho, with its great views of the Colorado mountains and cozy, rustic bar was a dining destination for years. However, after a dispute among the owners, it closed back in 2022 and has recently been sold, with plans to put a QuikTrip gas station on the property. However, the developers are offering to sell the restaurant itself for $2.65 million and move it across the street onto a new foundation. The question is, will someone step up and make an offer? If not, El Rancho will be torn down. It would be a shame if that happens. Not only would it mean the loss of an Evergreen landmark, but also, I would miss the opportunity of photographing the move of that huge building across the road. Now that would be something to see.

The August Issue Of Chicago Magazine

I finally got around to reading the August issue of Chicago Magazine the other day, and I must say, I was kind of disappointed in it. The cover story was "Best of the Burbs - Where to Eat (And Drink) Outside the City." I have never been much of a fan of the suburbs, and this article was all about upscale restaurants, also not one of my favorite things, located outside the city. Almost all of their selections were located in the northern and western suburbs. We South Siders are used to such snubs, although there was one article about Thithi's, a "France-accented Vietnamese and Thai restaurant" located in south suburban Evergreen Park that also sounds quite pricy. There were also articles on Klaus Makela, the new conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Jessica Risker, a clinical counselor who plays guitar and flute in the evenings, and a story by an acclaimed chef describing his experience working for Chicago legend and top chef Charlie Trotter. No articles about Chicago baseball, the history of various Chicago neighborhoods, or for that matter, about anyone I have ever heard of. Sorry to say, but this month's issue is a definite skip. Demand a refund immediately.

Space Aliens In Florida?

Just before leaving Stuart, Florida to head back to Denver, my friend Mark, sister Susan, and I visited the Elliott Museum, located close to Stuart Beach. It was a very enjoyable experience. All the staff members and volunteers were very friendly and helpful, and went out of their way to make sure we learned all about the museum. There was a room featuring Francis Langford, the singer and actress from the 30s and 40s who lived in the area, a room dedicated to Major League Baseball, an exhibit about the infamous Ashley gang, who terrorized the area at the beginning of the 20th Century, as well as other presentations detailing the history of the area. There was also a car museum, with an attached, glass-enclosed, three level garage with dozens more antique cars, which could be pulled down by a lift operated by a museum employee and placed on a revolving pedestal in the ground floor front window. But what puzzled me was the museum's temporary exhibit, "UFOs: Denial - Disclosure - Discernment," which seemed to promote the idea that UFOs and space aliens are real. Which begs the question: are there aliens from outer space in Florida? If so, this would explain a LOT! And in fact, one of those space aliens escaped from its exhibit while we were there and decided to drive a midget race car, as seen in the photograph above. Fascinating.

Attending The 32nd Annual Summer Art Market

And yes - this was THE weekend for art festivals here in the Denver area. After visiting the Evergreen Fine Arts Festival on Saturday, my sister Susan, friend Mark, and I stopped by the Art Student League of Denver's annual Summer Art Market yesterday afternoon. The ASLD has 3,000 to 3,500 members at any given time, and the Summer Art Market gives them a chance to display and sell their work. This past weekend there were 200 artists displaying their work on the streets in front of the ASLD's building at 2nd and Grant, and as always, it was great fun to walk around, look at the art, and interact with the visitors and artists.

One of the artists who displays and sells his work each year is my friend Joe Higgins, seen next to his artwork in the photograph on the right. Joe is an artist who works in monotype, and is an instructor at the Art Student League of Denver. Joe also worked at the University of Denver Bookstore, where I was the Finance Manager, for many years before retiring. Although retired, Joe tells me he has been incredibly busy this summer, although the work he does now, he really enjoys doing. Be sure to check out his website at https://www.joehigginsmonotypes.com/.

Another friend displaying and selling her work at the Summer Art Market is Carol Till, seen in the photograph on the left. Carol is a fine-art printmaker and also a former University of Denver Bookstore employee, who worked there until the store was outsourced to Follett Higher Education Group. Carol and her husband Greg, who is close to retirement, are moving back to Rochester, Minnesota, where Carol grew up, to be closer to family. Good luck to you, Carol! Be sure to check out Carol's work at https://www.instagram.com/carol_till/.

The 59th Annual Evergreen Fine Arts Festival

I headed up to Evergreen, Colorado, located in the foothills west of Denver, yesterday morning to see the 2025 Evergreen Fine Arts Festival, and was quite impressed with the artwork. This festival features almost one hundred artists, and I was happy to see that many photography booths were there, too. And unlike the Cherry Creek Arts Festival back in Denver, it looked to me like at least half of the artists were from Colorado, some of them from Evergreen itself. When I arrived, I drove up to the entrance of Buchanan Recreation Center Fields, where the event was taking place, and volunteers were coordinating the parking. What appeared to me to be a 6-year-old girl walked up to the driver's window and told me there was one spot left if I wanted to make a $5 donation, which I promptly did. I guess if you are just volunteering, age doesn't matter.

One of the photographers displaying work was Tom Clements, from Columbia, Tennessee. Three of his photographs, all of which I really like, can be seen in the photo on the right. According to his website, Clements abandoned his dream of being a photographer upon his graduation and took over the family's oil business. In 2011, he sold that oil company and became a full-time fine-art photographer. He now travels the U.S. with his wife selling his work at fine art shows, when not doing photography.

Also at the show was Scanlan Windows to the World, which is a husband-wife team that travels the world taking photographs. I am familiar with their work, since they have attended other art festivals here in Denver over the years. I really admire their work, especially their photographs taken along the Mediterranean. While I was looking at the photos, I overheard John Scanlan talking to a fellow about the cameras he uses in his work, and I was very surprised to learn that many of those huge photographs on display were taken with a 35mm digital single lens reflex camera (DSLR), which I just find amazing. I have always assumed those results would require large format cameras, either digital or film. You learn something new every day, right?

John Trefethen had a booth at the festival, too, although I could not find out much about him on the internet. Many of his photographs were also of Europe, and also seemed quite good, some of which can be seen in the photograph on the right. And I need to emphasize that there were plenty of other types of artwork on display at the Evergreen Fine Arts Festival, too, including painting, sculpture, jewelry, metal, mixed media, drawings, pastels, you name it. The festival continues today from 10 am to 5 pm, and I definitely recommend heading up to Evergreen to see it if you are in the area.

Rainclouds Over The Mountains - Help For The Wildfires?

I took the photograph above of rainclouds forming over the mountains to the west of Denver yesterday afternoon, giving hope that they might help put out the wildfires here in Colorado. Currently, firefighters are battling 5 separate fires in the state, including the 137,755-acre Lee Fire, currently the fifth largest fire in Colorado history. While drenching rains over the next 7 days could significantly reduce the fires, there is still worry about both lightning starting new fires and 50 mile-per-hour winds spreading the flames. People in the mountains are focusing on the positive aspects. Like having a residence on the beach in Florida during hurricane season, having a home in the mountains during increasingly hotter summers comes with risks too. Is it really worth it? A decision everyone has to make for themselves.

The More Things Change...

I stopped by the University of Denver Bookstore yesterday afternoon to see what changes have been made now that DU changed the management of the store from Follett Higher Education Group to Barnes and Noble College. One of DU's goals in making the change was that Barnes and Noble would refresh the bookstore's environment "to encourage community and social interaction in an upscale retail setting." Back when the university first began to consider outsourcing the store, the bookstore put together a proposal to do just that, and keep the store independent. But DU outsourced it anyway, and laid off all the employees, including me, who had worked there for almost 30 years.

And what did I think of the newly remodeled bookstore? Follett did a remodel when they took over back in 2012, and to me the store looked virtually unchanged yesterday, with a heavy emphasis on gifts and clothing, and much less on books. As for all the community and social interaction, it consisted of two employees at the front counter and a couple of customers looking at the merchandise. I know it is summer, the slowest time of the year, but when classes do start again, where is this community and social interaction going to take place? In the clothing aisle? By the snack counter? If the bookstore had remained independent, the plan was to put in a cafe and gathering spot for faculty, students, and staff to interact. We might have had author events and even live music. But it was not to be. As the famous saying goes, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Back To Denver!

My sister Susan and I flew back to Denver yesterday afternoon after spending 6 weeks in Stuart, Florida. It was definitely hot and humid down there, but the breeze off both the ocean and the St. Lucie and Indian Rivers makes it much more tolerable. Plus, there are always fans on waterfront restaurant patios, which also helps. Not to mention a cold IPA while gazing at the yachts from the patio of the Sailor's Return Restaurant. In any case, it was an enjoyable time down there, despite the heat, and I hope we can head back there when it starts to cool down enough for bicycle rides along the water. I might be crazy, but not that crazy.

Our flights back to Denver were on time and pleasant enough, but I was surprised by the huge crowds at both Palm Beach International and Charlotte Douglas International Airport, where we changed planes. They say air travel is booming this summer, and I am here to tell you it is true. Both our flights were full, and sitting in the back on both planes, it took quite a while to get to the concourse, which looked like in the photograph on the right that I took in Charlotte. Of course, you can always pay more to sit closer to the front, but as a confirmed cheapskate, I say what's the hurry?

Deja Vu All Over Again

Hurricane Erin has turned into a very dangerous storm. Although it has gone from a Category 4 with maximum sustained winds of 130 miles per hour to a Category 2, with winds of 105, its tropical winds extend 230 miles from its core, covering a huge area. Although Erin is predicted to stay offshore, it will impact the Outer Banks of North Carolina, with possible flooding in that area, and cause high waves and dangerous rip currents everywhere on the Eastern coast, including here in Stuart, Florida. I took the photograph on the left of Jupiter Beach the other day, and all was still serene. However, today waves on the Treasure Coast are expected to be 6 to 8 feet. Definitely not the time to go boating.

When weather forecasters first mentioned that the hurricane's name was Erin, I had a feeling of Deja Vu, since years ago, back in 1985, Hurricane Erin landed in nearby Vero Beach while my sister Susan and I were visiting our mother Mary here in Stuart. The next day, when we went to the beach, my mother took the photograph of me seen on the right, showing the headline in the Stuart News that says, "Erin Hits Home." Fortunately, it was only a Category 1 hurricane, but watching the news coverage the previous evening as it approached the coast, it sounded like the end was near. When we drove to Boca Raton to meet Susan's sister-in-law Nancy for lunch, we mentioned to her that the hurricane came very close to Stuart.  Nancy, her husband Willie, and their kids were living in South Miami back then, and Hurricane Andrew destroyed their entire neighborhood. They spent several years in a trailer in their driveway while waiting for their house to be rebuilt.  And so, Nancy was quite unimpressed, dismissing Erin as a mere Category 1. In any case, for a moment this past week, I was worried that Erin was coming back to finish us all off. Fortunately, we dodged a bullet. At least for now.

Visiting Turtwig At The Loggerhead Marinelife Center

My friend Mark and I stopped by the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, Florida to check out the turtles currently being rehabilitated there. This nonprofit turtle research and rehabilitation center was named the "No 1 Best Free Attraction" in USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards for 2024, and as regular blog readers know, free is my favorite price point. Of course, you are greeted at the door by staff members, given an introduction to the center, and told that the Marinelife Center is free, but donations are welcome. And so you really feel obligated to give them something, and advice doesn't count. The photograph above is of Turtwig, a "subadult green" found floating by Interstate Research Group in 2009. Due to buoyancy issues, it was determined that Turtwig could not be released back into the ocean, and so it now spends its life being fed what looks like lettuce by staff members and ignoring visitors as it swims past them.

Checking Out The Stuart Heritage Museum And Stuart's Market On Main

My friend Mark (seen in the photograph on the left), sister Susan (wisely sitting in the shade in the background), and I checked out both the Stuart Heritage Museum and the Market on Main this past Sunday afternoon. The Heritage Museum is housed in what was originally The George W. Parks Grocery and General Merchandise Store, built in 1901. It is the oldest commercial building in Stuart, Florida and is now the home of 10,000 artifacts from the 1880s to the 1950s. I remember years ago, when I was walking through the Elliott Museum, a sister institution located near Stuart Beach, I was wearing a twin lens reflex camera once owned by my Grandfather Spillard. One of the volunteers walked up to me, admired the camera, and mentioned that the museum would love to have it when I passed away. And in point of fact, it would fit in perfectly with the exhibits at the Heritage Museum. Hopefully they will not get their hands on it anytime soon.

We also checked out the Market On Main, located in Flagler Park, just to the west of downtown Stuart along the St. Lucie River. I was pretty surprised to find that all of the parking spaces in front of it were filled, considering it was so hot and humid, and that last time Susan and I stopped by we had our choice of spaces. Fortunately, heading back out the way we came, a space opened up. There are, of course, produce booths at the market, but also booths selling food, boat charters, home-made products, baked goods, and artwork, among other items. Mark bought a drawing from a very jolly man, who remarked on Mark's Detroit Tigers t-shirt, mentioning that he was originally from Michigan and also a Tiger's fan. Susan and I, as usual, were just lookers at the market. Between us we have so many paintings, posters, knick-knacks, photographs, and what-not to fill 10,000 rooms. I just dread even thinking about paring down all that stuff and have no intention of adding to the pile. Mark, on the other hand, is still young and has many more years of collecting assorted junk before starting to get rid of it all. Is that what they mean by the circle of life?

Renovating The Harriet Himmel Theater - A Good Thing Or Bad?

There has been a lot of controversary surrounding the Harriet Himmel Theater at City Place in West Palm Beach, Florida over the past few years.  This is an historic structure, built in 1926, which was originally a Methodist Church. It was converted to an event space and theater in 2000 and became the centerpiece of CityPlace, a mixed-use development that opened in 2000. However, last year, the owners of CityPlace announced a $20 million renovation of the building, and their first step was to tear down its grand stairway, located at the entrance. Which drove historic preservationists here crazy. And driving past the structure this summer, I see that it is now going to house an Italian restaurant called Eataly, which evidently started in Italy, expanded to Manhattan, and is now putting locations across the country. CityPlace owners say the building, seen in the photograph above, will be preserved and improved, but I wonder what those preservationists think about turning that historic structure into an Italian restaurant? Will the building really be saved, or is it just another case of "having to destroy the village in order to save it," as one general was famously quoted during the Vietnam War. Time will tell. 

Mark Flies Down To Florida To Check Out The Baseball

My friend Mark, who works at the University of Denver's Anderson Academic Commons (the library), flew down to Florida this past Wednesday to check out the baseball action around here. First on the list was attending the Palm Beach Cardinals - Bradenton Marauders game last night at Roger Dean Stadium, located in Jupiter's Abacoa neighborhood. We had dinner before the game at DAS Beer Garden, in the neighborhood's downtown, just across the street from the stadium, which is where I took the photograph on the left of Mark and Susan.

Abacoa is a mixed-use development with a cute downtown, a branch of Florida Atlantic University, and lots of condos, townhouses and single-family homes, not to mention Roger Dean Stadium, which in addition to being home to the Florida State League Palm Beach Cardinals and Jupiter Hammerheads, is also the spring training home of the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins. Just across the street from the downtown businesses is a town square, seen in the photograph on the right, which has concerts, as well as other events, every weekend, even in the heat of summer. And Abacoa is just a few miles away from Jupiter's beaches. No wonder it is filled with people of all ages having a great time. A wonderful place to live - if you can afford it, of course. That's the rub.

Mark was very impressed with our seats at the game. We were in the first row, right behind home plate, sitting directly in front on the on-deck circle, as seen in the photograph on the left. The cost - $17 each, including internet fees. If it wasn't for the netting to protect fans from foul balls, we could reach out and touch the batters in that on-deck circle while they were warming up. Which, of course, I assume those batters would not appreciate. I have seen people sitting in these seats, right next to the dugout, chatting with the manager as the game progressed, no doubt giving their advice on baseball strategy, which I know those managers appreciate more than they ever express - at least without using four-letter words.

The game itself was actually pretty good. The Palm Beach Cardinals dominated all the way up until the 9th inning, when it looked like the Bradenton Marauders might tie the game, forcing it into extra innings. These days, I am not an extra innings kind of guy, and so I was especially anxious as Bradenton began to close the gap. Fortunately, the Cardinals pitcher was able to get out of the jam, and the Palm Beach Cardinals won the game 7-5. The only negative part of the evening was that the ballpark was virtually empty. The announced attendance was 296, although it looked like there were only about 50 people in the park. On a Friday night? What gives? Granted, it is hot and humid here during the day, but in the evening, although humid, is not too bad, especially with a gentle breeze blowing. Mark says that attendance was poor because everyone was going to the game on Saturday, which is Pirates and Princesses' night. Makes perfect sense to me.

News Flash! There Are A Lot Of Weird People In Florida!

I know it must seem shocking to a lot of you out there, but Florida, especially South Florida, has a lot of weird people. I was thinking about this the other day when I was walking on the Lake Worth Beach Pier. Of course, former Miami Herald newspaper columnist and novelist Carl Hiaasen has written many a comic novel about this, and claims that all of his books are loosely based on true events. And why are there so many weird people in Florida? For one thing, there are a lot of wealthy people here, and that always attracts grifters looking to make a score. Also, there are a large number of tourists around these parts, and so it is not unusual for shady characters to populate areas where they can just blend in with the crowd and not be noticed. Finally, South Florida, due to its weather, geography, or whatever, just naturally attracts crazies. By the way, I took the photograph above at Benny's on the Beach, located right on the Lake Worth Beach Pier. And no, this photograph does not contain any crazies. I make it a point not to photograph crazies if there is a good chance they will see me doing it. I am, after all, not crazy myself. At least not too crazy, right? Right?

A Return Visit To Mizner Park

My sister Susan and I drove down to Boca Raton this past Tuesday afternoon and made a stop at Mizner Park, an outdoor shopping district with high-end shops and restaurants in a park-like setting. Susan, my mother Mary and I visited this place a number of times years ago. Unlike Las Olas Riverfront, once located along the Riverwalk in Fort Lauderdale, which was another favorite spot back then that is now just a memory, Mizner Park seems just the same as it was. Granted, there was hardly anyone there this past Tuesday, but it is, after all, August, and the heat index is well above 100 every day. And, of course, it was a weekday afternoon, and so I am sure it will be much more robust during the season.

I took the photograph on the right back in October of 1994 on one of those visits. As I recall, we sometimes dined at a restaurant called Cap's Place, located in Lighthouse Point, south of Boca, and would spent time at Mizner Park before heading to dinner. This restaurant is located on an island, and you board a boat at the restaurant's dock that ferries you over there, which is always a fun experience. Cap's Place used to be a speakeasy during Prohibition, and is quite well-known in the area. I remember reading in a travel magazine that a chatty bartender told the author that Winston Churchill, John F. Kennedy, and Marilyn Monroe have all dined there, but not at the same time. Or so he said.

Members Only: Palm Beach

The local television newscasts in West Palm Beach are reporting that a new reality television show on Netflix called Members Only: Palm Beach, slated to start in December, is not being filmed in Palm Beach itself. Evidently, to film in that city, you need to file for a permit, hold a public hearing, get approval from the town council, pay $1,500, and then pay an additional $1,000 for every day of filming. The company filming the series filed for only one permit in Palm Beach itself, but it was canceled. It then filed for 68 permits to film in other locations in Palm Beach County, including Boynton Beach, West Palm Beach (CityPlace), Boca Raton (Mizner Park), and Delray Beach. And evidently this is not unusual. The commissioner for the Palm Beach County Film and Television Commission says she often works with production companies to find other suitable locations. In other words, Palm Beach does not want any commercial filming done in their city. And because of this, is Members Only: Palm Beach really "reality television?" I guess it really doesn't matter - Palm Beach has never been into reality, just like it's favorite son, Donald Trump. In that sense, the unreality of Members Only: Palm Beach actually is the reality.

Nightshade

I just finished reading Nightshade, Michael Connelly 's latest detective novel. This time Connelly introduces a new character, Los Angeles Sheriff's Detective Stilwell. A homicide detective, he has been exiled to Catalina Island after a dispute with another detective involving the investigation of a fatal shooting. Stilwell's mundane routine is interrupted when a body is found weighted down on the bottom of the harbor, a Jane Doe with a streak of purple dye in her hair. At the same time, the investigation of a mutilated animal on a nature preserve turns into a much more serious and deadly case that it first appeared. Stilwell investigates both cases, even though the homicide case officially belongs to his former colleagues on the mainland. I enjoyed this story, but although it is entertaining, it does not measure up to his Harry Bosch, Renee Ballard, and Lincoln Lawyer series of novels. It is worth the read, but let's face it - Catalina is just not LA. 

An Interesting Story Involving A Very Uninteresting Town

Driving back to Stuart, Florida from points south on Interstate 95, the overhead signs where we exit the freeway indicate turning right to reach Stuart and left to reach Indiantown. Each time we passed it, Susan would pepper me with questions about Indiantown, and I just would reply that it was a small, boring town in the middle of nowhere. But also, where I once took a photograph of her and our mother Mary (as seen on the left) in front of the Seminole Inn, a hotel that was built in 1926. Eventually, I decided to drive the 20 miles to Indiantown to give her a look at the place. There were some old 1920s era homes scattered around town, but the only notable structure was the Seminole Inn, which was still operating 30 years or so after I took that photograph.

I took the self-portrait on the right at the same spot where I had taken that earlier photograph. The first thing I noticed is that all the beautiful flowers are now gone. Due to climate change or no longer being able to afford a gardener I don't know. In any case, just for fun, I looked up the Seminole Inn on the internet when I got home and found that Indiantown began as a Seminole trading post, later being settled by white American migrants in the 1890s. In 1924, a man named S. Davies Warfield built an extension of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad from Coleman, Florida (located to the northwest of Orlando) to West Palm Beach, with a stop in Indiantown. Warfield planned to make Indiantown Seaboard's southern headquarters and build a model city. That was when he built the Seminole Inn. He required that the hotel be finished in time for the start of the season in January of 1926. Why there would be a season in that town is beyond me, but the Inn was finished on time and opened with a big "Gala Event," and the Social Hostess for the event was Warfield's niece, Wallis Warfield.

At the time, Wallis was married to a hard drinking and abusive naval lieutenant whom she divorced in 1927, and the following year married an American businessman named Earnest Aldrich Simpson, who resided in London. Which is where she met Edward VIII, then the Price of Wales. In 1936 Edward became king, and wanted to marry Wallis, who was in the process of divorcing Simpson. Edward was forced to abdicate in order to marry Wallis, and Edward became the Duke of Windsor. Of course, that couple created a lot of headlines over the years, from the havoc their proposed marriage caused the British Monarchy to their pro-Nazi sympathies to their life in France after the war. But I am just amazed that someone hosting a gala in Indiantown back in 1926 would eventually become the wife of the Duke of Windsor. As for Indiantown, the Florida land boom ended after 1926, S. Davies Warfield died the following year, ending plans to make Indiantown Seaboard's southern headquarters, and the 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane caused major damage and ended any further development. But the truly amazing thing is that I look no older now than I did when my mother took that photograph on the left of Susan and me all those 30 years ago. Definitely a Dorian Gray moment. I need to check that portrait of me in the closet when I get back to Denver.

Is Halloween Really Just Around The Corner? Seriously?

I walked into the HomeGoods in Stuart, Florida this past Tuesday to kill some time as I waited for my sister Susan to finish a hair appointment, and was surprised to see a large display of Halloween merchandise at the very front of the store, as seen in the photograph above. I was also surprised with the amount of floor space devoted to Halloween. To be clear, last Tuesday was August 5th, exactly 12 weeks and 3 days before that ghoulish holiday. That is the equivalent of starting the Christmas shopping season on September 29th. Does this have something to do with getting the merchandise in stock before Trump's big, beautiful tariffs go into effect or is there a substantial number of Satanic cults in the area who buy this stuff year-round? I guess the answer might come around September 29th if we see all the stores decorated for the holidays by then and Christmas songs coming out of the speakers non-stop. Which means over 12 weeks of listening to "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" over and over again. Forget about Trump - can America survive THAT?

The Last Weekend Before School Begins

Here in Stuart, not to mention the rest of Florida, the school year begins this Monday. Now THAT is damn early. Not surprisingly, there were a lot of kids at Stuart Beach yesterday afternoon, enjoying their last few days of freedom. Back when I attended Fort Dearborn Grammar School in Chicago's South Side Brainerd neighborhood, school didn't begin until the day after Labor Day in September, as God intended. But even Chicago Public Schools are starting in August these days. I have no idea why they are doing it this way. It is still the middle of summer. Vacation time. It was depressing enough having to go back to school in September. I can't imagine having to return mid-summer, especially here in Stuart, when every day is a beach day for these kids. I have said it before, and I say it again - these young people need to go on strike until they get this ridiculous schedule changed. Either that or demand classes be held at the beach. That might work.

A Visit To John F. Kennedy's Winter White House

On a whim, I decided to check out John F. Kennedy's Winter White House, located at 1095 Ocean Drive in Palm Beach, Florida. This estate was built in 1923 by well-known architect Addison Mizner, who specialized in designing Mediterranean Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival homes, and was also known for developing Boca Raton, Florida. Kennedy's father, Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., bought the property in 1933, and it remained in the family until 1995. The 15,347-square-foot Mediterranean-style mansion, with 11 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms, and seen in the photograph on the left, sold back in 2020 for $70 million. 

JFK would stay at the home during the colder months and actually spent the last weekend of his life at the estate. In later decades the house became associated with assorted drinking incidents involving Senator Ted Kennedy and also with William Kennedy Smith's 1991 rape trial. The Kennedys sold the place in 1995, four months after the death of Rose Kennedy, the widow of Joseph Kennedy. When I was walking around, the only people I saw were landscaping crews, which is a good thing, since there was a large "no trespassing" sign on the wall by the entrance, along with a note that said your every move was being recorded, which I noticed as I walked up the driveway to get a decent photo. I guess if you pay $70 million for an estate like this, you don't want crazy old geezers wandering the grounds. The photograph on the right, by the way, shows the iconic wall and main entrance to the house, made famous by a photograph of JFK and family posing in front of it on Easter in 1963.

And yes, that is indeed the actual photograph of President John F. Kennedy, First Lady Jacquline Kennedy, John F. Kennedy Jr., and Caroline Kennedy in front of that door. And no - I did not take that photograph. I was only 10 years old at the time, although come to think of it, I was indeed in Florida that year, staying at the Sun Castle in Pompano Beach with my mother Mary, father Nelson, and Grandmother Spillard. It was in August, and as I recall, it cost $8 per day per person to stay there, including breakfast and dinner. Of course, that was 62 years ago this very month, and so I could be misremembering. Were things really that cheap back then? In any case, if you want to see that estate and even get a tour, be sure to walk up that driveway, ring the bell, and introduce yourself. Folks in Palm Beach are real downhome types, and I'm sure they would welcome the company. Tell them I sent you.

Little Jim Bait And Tackle: An Historic Site At The Center Of A Controversy

Yesterday afternoon I stopped to take a few photos of Little Jim Bait and Tackle, seen in the photograph on the left. This is a waterfront restaurant, marina, and bait shop located in Fort Pierce, Florida. It has live music almost every weekday and always on the weekend. It was originally a guard shack next to the bridge leading to North Hutchinson Island, restricted at the time to authorized personnel and where thousands of soldiers and sailors trained during World War II. When the Navy departed the area in 1944, the abandoned guard house opened as a bait shop, started selling cold beer, and has been in operation ever since. And I must say, this place is very popular. On weekends, whenever I pass by, every parking space is filled.

I was pretty surprised to see how many people were there on a Wednesday afternoon in the middle of summer, as seen in the photograph on the right. The property is owned by the City of Fort Pierce, and the lease has expired, requiring a new Request for Proposal (RFP) to be completed, resulting in multiple bidders for that lease. There was some question as to whether Little Jim would have to shut down during this process. Patrons and employees showed up en masse to a city council meeting to support the owners, who were granted a month-to-month lease during the process. One of the reasons for the RFP is that the city is paying way more to maintain the site than they collect in rent, and so no matter who wins the bid, it will be a much more expensive proposition to run the place. What else is new?

The August Mutt Of The Month

I took the photograph above of the August Mutt of the Month a number of weeks ago as I was walking past Rockmount Ranch Wear in Lower Downtown Denver (LoDo). This company was founded by Jack A. Weil back in 1946. He bought a five-story building in what is now LoDo and began manufacturing his own brand of western wear. Later on, he opened what has become a very popular retail store on the first floor, which is where I took the photograph. Jack A. ran Rockmount Ranch Wear until he passed away at the age of 107. His son Jack B. then took over the business. It is currently being run by Steve Weil, the grandson. This company is world famous for its ranch wear, especially its shirts, which I assume means the merchandise is worth a fortune. Thus, the need for a very alert watchdog to keep an eye on everyone who enters the store. Although this dog looks like it is not very attentive, its eyes are actually wide open and missing nothing. Fair warning - step out of line at your peril.

Pierced Ciderworks - A Quaint Building, A Scary Trend

I often drive through an historic neighborhood just to the north of downtown Fort Pierce that was once known as the Fishing Village but is now called Edgartown. There are a number of charming old homes in the area, but the one that catches my eye the most is now a cidery called Pierced Ciderworks, as seen in the photograph on the left, along with their delivery vehicle. The building was built in 1901 and originally owned by Harry Hill, a famous Florida photographer. I would have gone inside to check it out, but it is a cidery, for God's sake, and sells hard cider. I have nothing against cider, per se, but don't understand the idea of hard cider, made in a variety of disgusting flavors. And don't get me started on hard seltzer, which - follow me closely here - "is essentially flavored carbonated water mixed with alcohol, also available in a variety of disgusting flavors. These are the beverages replacing IPAs in America's hearts and minds? Who drinks these things?

And, of course, as soon as I asked myself that question, the answer appeared in the sign seen in the photograph on the right. Now it all makes sense. In horror films and literature zombies are portrayed as reanimated corpses or mindless human beings. In scientific circles, there have been theoretical discussions about the possibility of a "zombie virus" that would "drastically alter brain function and behavior." That definitely seems to tick off all the boxes. Case closed.

Summer Sundays In Stuart - Less Crowded But Still Fun

When my sister Susan and I were here in Stuart, Florida this past winter and spring, we tried to visit the Market on Main in downtown's Flagler Park, as well as the Rock'n Riverwalk concert nearby, but there were no parking spaces available anywhere in the area. In fact, an elderly couple waiting for a car to leave were actually attacked when they asked the man in that car if he was planning to leave soon. Happily, when we went yesterday, there were a fair number of spots available, allowing us to get out and walk around the booths, some of which can be seen in the photograph on the left. Of course, during the summer it is almost always in the 90s with 100% humidity, but to me it is a price worth paying. Neither Susan nor I were interested in buying anything, but it was fun to just see what was on sale, do a little peoplewatching, and just walk around the park itself, which is a very pleasant spot located along the St. Lucie River. 

The Market on Main takes place every Sunday from 9:00 until 1:00 during the summer and until 2:00 during the season. After we were done at the park, we headed to the Riverwalk and checked out the music at the downtown stage, seen in the photograph on the right. This stage is part of a plaza just off Osceola Street, the main retail district in Stuart. The band playing on the stage along the Riverwalk is called Steel Pony and plays classic rock. They evidently play at various venues between Stuart and Key West. Next week a local band from Jensen Beach called One Eyed Willie will be playing, which to me sounds very intriguing.

The most popular place to sit beside the seating under the "sail shades" in front of the stage is the small park next door to the plaza, as seen in the photograph on the left. This is a very pleasant place to sit even when a band is not playing. There always seem to be people sitting there just hanging out or gazing at the St. Lucie River no matter the time of year. People here in Stuart are very friendly, and last spring when Susan and I were sitting in that park we got to talking with a guy at a nearby picnic table. We wound up learning his entire history. His big issue was the cost of housing. Finding an affordable place to live is just as big an issue down here as it is in Denver. The person we talked to was able to find a place to share with a roommate, but when the roommate died, it was a struggle to stay where he was, although eventually he was able to work it out. Problems seem to be the same everywhere you go, even in paradise. 

Checking Out White City Mercantile's Craft Fair

On a whim, I decided to check out the White City Antique Mercantile Craft Fair yesterday afternoon. White City, Florida, as I mentioned in a previous post, was founded by Danish settlers back in 1893. The town was named after Daniel Burnham's Great White City, the main attraction at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, which those Danish settlers had attended. There were about 25 vendors set up behind the White City Mercantile building, which was built in 1901 and originally served as a grocery store and post office. These days it is packed with antiques and collectibles. There weren't a large number of people at the craft fair, but everyone seemed friendly and to be having a good time.

White City has had more than its share of ups and downs over the years, but it still has many of the original houses, many of them quite small, giving a good idea of what the town was like back at the turn of the 20th century. I walked around the grounds checking out the booths and then went into the store itself to browse the many items on display in there. Getting a feel for the place as I wandered around, and later, after reading the Facebook post advertising the craft fair, I have come to realize that although White City is part of Fort Pierce, Florida, and things like Winn Dixie grocery stores, gas stations, shopping centers, and all the other trappings of civilization are just a few blocks away, this place is still a small town, where everyone seems to know and support each other. And it has retained its unique character, too, which is very nice to see. It is small town America hiding out in plain sight.