It's New Year's Eve!

Today is New Year's Eve, and tonight people all over the world will be welcoming in 2026. Some will celebrate by watching fireworks, some will get together with friends and family at home, some will pay big bucks to attend New Year's Eve parties such as Gatsby's White Rose Gala here in Denver, and some will welcome in the New Year at various restaurants around town. Years ago, my mother Mary, sister Susan, brother-in-law George and I would celebrate up in Fort Collins, where Susan and George had a townhouse. George just loved going to Nico's Catacombs, an upscale restaurant located in downtown Fort Collins, and we sometimes welcomed in the New Year in that venerable restaurant's bar area. I think that is where we went to celebrate New Year's Eve back in 1994, when I took the photograph above of Susan, our mother Mary, and Susan's cat (Esmerelda?), as my mother was preparing for bed. And if we did hang out at the Catacombs late into the evening, I am sure my mother would have been more than ready to put on her sweatsuit (it got pretty cold sleeping on the couch in Susan and George's living room) and get to sleep as soon as possible. And by the way, Nico's Catacombs is long gone, but its former home is now Sonny Lubick Steakhouse. Which George was also quite fond of, too. 

Boulder During The Holidays

Boulder, Colorado is a great place to hang out during the holidays. The Pearl Street Mall is always busy, and with temperatures often reaching the 60s or 70s this month, the outdoor patios seem to be doing great business, too. At night, the mall is lit from end to end with festive holiday lights. I took the photograph on the left as I was leaving the Boulder Bookstore on Christmas Eve. As far as I am concerned, the Boulder Bookstore is the best bookstore in Colorado, and was understandably packed with shoppers, too. And although I know that school is out for the holidays, it seems like the students wait until the very last minute to head home, if they actually head home at all. Boulder is that kind of town.

The big news in Colorado these days is that the University of Colorado has hired Fernando Lovo as its new athletic director. Lovo was previously the athletic director at the University of New Mexico, where he oversaw "eight Mountain West titles and significant financial growth for the athletic department." Lovo has also worked in football operations at the University of Florida, Football Operations Coordinator at Ohio State, Assistant A.D. for Football Operations at the University of Houston, Chief of Staff for Football Operations at the University of Texas, and Chief of Staff for the Jacksonville Jaguars. But the most telling fact is that CU Chancellor Justin Smith announced Lovo's selection Monday, and he will be officially starting work on January 1st. Three days after being hired. In my opinion, that says a hell of a lot about both Albuquerque, which I have driven through and not been impressed, and Boulder, which I heard on a television newscast Lovo has never visited before. And with an annual salary of $1.2 million, he might even be able to afford to live there.

Watching Tottenham Play Crystal Palace With The Colorado Spurs

My friend Mark - seen in the photograph above - and I went to Ester's Pub on South Holly Street here in Denver yesterday morning to watch a soccer match between the Tottenham Hotspurs and Crystal Palace with the Colorado Spurs, an official Tottenham Hotspurs Supporters Club. Although still well-attended, thanks to icy streets, 19-degree temperatures, and it being around the holidays, we were actually able to find a parking space and a couple of seats in the room where everyone was gathered to watch the game. The Tottenham fans were very enthusiastic, and the gang at the bar was in fine form, pounding on that bar and shouting Yeats, which I still do not understand, as well as shouting other indecipherable chants. They frequently broke into a chorus of "When the Spurs Go Marching In," with many of the other fans joining in.  The whole room erupted in cheers each time Tottenham scored a goal, although two of the three goals they scored were overturned due to being offside. And I have no idea what is and what isn't offside, either, but no matter. Tottenham won the match 1-0 and everyone went home happy. Tottenham moves from 14th place to 11th after this victory, hopefully staying away from the dreaded relegation zone. Definitely an enjoyable way to spend the morning.

Awaiting The 2026 CTA Historical Calendar

The 2026 Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Historical Calendar will be released in a mere five days, and I can't wait. This calendar features historic photographs of "L" trains, cable cars, busses, and other forms of public transportation set against the backdrop of a long ago Chicago. The photograph above was featured in the 2025 calendar and shows a Chicago City Railways cable car operating on the South Side on Chicago Day (October 9, 1893) at the World's Columbian Exposition. Chicago Day, by the way, marked the 22nd anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire. And as you can see, that World's Fair was very popular, and if you wanted to get there via public transportation, finding a seat might have been a bit of a challenge. Ah, the Good Old Days!

The December Issue Of Chicago Magazine

Having returned to Denver from Florida just a little over a week ago, I did not have a chance to look at the December issue of Chicago Magazine until yesterday. The cover story is titled Chicagoans of the Year, and I must say I was very impressed with the selections. The Leo High School Choir, which appeared on NBC's America's Got Talent, not to mention performed at Wrigley Field during Juneteenth festivities and at the celebration of Pope Leo XIV at Rate Field, made the list. So did Rachel Cohen, an attorney who resigned from Skadden, a big Chicago law firm, when she learned it was going to give into demands from Donald Trump. She posted a video on TikTok about it, which has racked up two million views. Cohen has been interviewed on the PBS News Hour and has become "a loud voice of resistance." Earl Abernathy made the list for spotting a 7-month-old baby girl in a car seat on the steps of a church on Roosevelt Road. The baby had been in a vehicle that was carjacked earlier that day and Abernathy was instrumental in returning her to her family. Maureen Graves made the list, too. She started out by helping migrants adjust to living in Chicago, and after Trump was reelected, opened up a South Side legal clinic to help immigrants currently being targeted by ICE. Doug McConnell was honored for starting the Chicago River Swim, which has raised a lot of money for ALS research and has also demonstrated that the Chicago River is now clean enough for swimming. McConnell also launched A Long Swim, a foundation that has raised $3 million for ALS research at Northwestern University. Finally, not surprisingly, Pope Leo XIV made the list, a Chicagoan from a working-class neighborhood, the son of a teacher and a librarian, who many Chicagoans feel "is one of us." There is also a photo essay this month by cinematographer and photographer Carlos Javier, who was able to capture the dramatic events when ICE was deployed to Chicago. In addition, there is a column about why so many taverns in Chicago display Old Style signs, and even an "epicurean guide" to eating at Midway and O'Hare Airports. Seriously. All in all, an issue jampacked with interesting articles that are well worth reading.

It Is Boxing Day In The UK, But Calendar Day Here In The US

Today is Boxing Day, an official holiday in the United Kingdom. According to Wikipedia, Boxing Day was once a day to give to the needy, but now is just a part of the Christmas festivities. I myself always understood that Boxing Day was the day that servants would be given gifts and the day off after spending Christmas Day working for their employers. Which was important, because growing up watching movies set in Great Britain, it looked like virtually every family in England had servants, no matter how poor they were. In the U.S., we don't celebrate Boxing Day, but we do all head out to the stores for the Day After Christmas sales. And to me the biggest sales bargain on this day is half-price calendars. Have you looked at the price of wall calendars lately? The Rick Steves Europe Picture-A-Day Calendar is selling for $17.99 this year. That is not cheap. Of course, a lot of people no longer buy calendars anymore, and simply rely on their smartphones. But to me, a smartphone just doesn't look the same hanging on your bathroom wall. Call me old fashioned, but I much prefer a photograph of Paris or Rome. And by the way, the photograph above was taken at the Boulder Bookstore, which to me is the best independent bookstore in Colorado, although I don't believe they are one of the stores that puts their calendars on sale the day after Christmas. But be sure to check them out anyway.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Today is Christmas Day, a time to get together with friends and family, enjoy each other's company, and be grateful for what we have. Here in Colorado, a lot of families and friends like to spend the day outside, skiing, ice skating, taking a brisk walk through the snow, or just enjoying the winter scenery. Unfortunately, this year, it was 71 degrees on Christmas Eve, a record high, and Christmas Day is expected to set a record high, too. It very seldom snows on Christmas in Denver, but it is usually a bit more winter-like, and the mountains are routinely covered in snow. But not this year. The best we can hope is that the snow will eventually come, as it did last January, when I took the photograph above at Chautauqua Park up in Boulder, and which I used for the front of my Christmas cards this year. I myself am not crazy about winter weather, but that snow is what fills up the rivers and reservoirs that provide drinking water and prevents droughts. And so, everybody better just cross their fingers and hope for a change in the weather pattern. In any case, however you spend it, I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve In Denver

Today is Christmas Eve, and here in Denver we are having record heat and no snow whatsoever. In the mountains, things are not much better, and the ski resorts are getting worried. But still, there are Christmas lights everywhere, especially in downtown Denver, and so it still feels a lot like Christmas, as that song that is played over and over in the stores this time of year goes. And by the way, the photograph on the left is of Union Station, which opened in 1881, was rebuilt in 1914, and in 2014 was renovated into a shopping and dining destination, as well as a transportation hub, with a huge Christmas in the center every year.

Another Christmassy spot is the annual Denver Christkindlmarket, "an authentic, German-style holiday market" that was open November 21st through December 23rd this year. My sister Susan, the other Susan (our friend from the 10th floor of our condo building) and I went there yesterday afternoon and checked that market out. The other Susan was impressed with the wooden huts the vendors use to sell gifts and traditional German foods, which could be eaten outdoors or brought into the heated Festival Hall, which resembles a traditional German beer garden, complete with German music I associate more with Oktoberfest than a Christmas market. But regardless, everyone seemed to having fun. Instead of its traditional location in Civic Center Park, this year the festival was held at the Tivoli Quad on the Auraria Campus, just across Speer Boulevard from downtown, where I took the photograph on the right.

And of course, at the end of the day, kids go to bed hoping for a visit from Santa, while I go to bed wondering if I will once again be visited by those damn three spirits, trying to get me to change my miserly behavior, which up to now has not worked. The photograph on the left shows me in my night attire interacting with Marley down in hell, no doubt taken by a security camera last Christmas Eve. Hopefully this year they will finally give up and let me get a good night's rest.

Call To Arms Brewing Company - A Holiday Tradition, But The Final Pour Is Tonight

Call to Arms Brewing Company, located on Tennyson Street in Denver's Berkeley neighborhood, will close its doors for good tonight after being in business for the past 10 years. This is a really popular brewpub. It started out as a small neighborhood pub and soon began to grow its business with very popular events, including an annual Mardi Gras party and parade on Fat Tuesday, which I myself have attended and enjoyed. In 2022 they began to add over-the top Christmas decorations in the month of December, turning the slowest month of the year into the busiest, and making a visit to Call to Arms a holiday tradition. My sister Susan and I stopped in yesterday for a beer, and I took the photograph above of the bar area. Although the brewery has always brought in customers, after accumulating debt during the pandemic, competition from other breweries, the rising costs of rent, labor, and ingredients, and difficulties with their landlord, they felt they had no choice but to close. A very hard decision for the owners, and a very sad day for their customers.

Watching Tottenham Play Liverpool With Mark

I watched the Tottenham Hotspurs play a Premier League soccer match against Liverpool Football Club yesterday morning with my friend Mark. The match took place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in North London, as seen in the photograph above, with Mark in the foreground thanks to Photoshop. Although Tottenham was down two players due to penalties, it gave Liverpool a run for its money in the second half before losing by a score of 2-1.  Liverpool is in 5th place in the Premier League standings, while Tottenham is in 13th place. And Tottenham definitely doesn't want to fall any further in the standings. Unlike major league teams here in the U.S., at the end of the season the three teams in the Premier League with the worst records (18th thru 20th place) are relegated to the 2nd tier Championship League and replaced in the Premier League by the top three Championship teams. Can you imagine if that happened in Major League Baseball? It would mean that next season, the Chicago White Sox, Colorado Rockies, and Washington Nationals would be playing in AAA, and the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Railriders, and Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs would become major league teams. And just where the hell is Lehigh Valley, anyway? Talk about the world turned upside down.

The 2025 Winter Solstice

Today is the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year and the first day of winter. And the biggest celebration of this astronomical event takes place at Stonehenge, on Salisbury Plain, in Wiltshire, England. This is the place where modern day Druids gather twice a year on the occasion of the solstice and can be seen heading toward that prehistoric megalithic structure to begin their rituals in the photograph above, as I ponder the meaning of it all after teleporting myself there through the magic of Photoshop. What I pondered most was the fact that the ancient Druids were big into human sacrifices, and I had to wonder if modern day Druids stay faithful to the original Druid practices, especially when the clock strikes midnight. After wondering about that for a while, I decided to teleport myself right back to Denver before finding out from personal experience.

Denver's Cherry Creek Neighborhood - Still Booming After All These Years

My sister Susan - seen in the photograph on the left - and I decided to have dinner this past Thursday night at the Cherry Cricket in Denver's Cherry Creek North neighborhood. The place was packed, and although we didn't get to sit in the main dining room, which was very lively indeed, the room they put us in was pleasant enough, and decorated for the holidays. The Cherry Cricket has been around since 1945 and calls itself Denver's Burger Dive. To say the neighborhood has changed since then is a tremendous understatement. Virtually all the shops and restaurants in this neighborhood are very upscale, but the Cherry Cricket is still here, functioning as a sports bar, neighborhood gathering spot, and destination for anyone looking for a good, reasonably priced hamburger.

Cherry Creek North is all decorated for the holidays, as you can see from the photograph on the right. And the neighborhood itself is booming, with new construction going on everywhere. And work will soon begin on Cherry Creek West, a 13-acre mixed-use development with seven buildings, 800 residences, and lots of open space. In addition to that, directly across the street from the Cherry Cricket, construction has already started on Cherry Lane, which will feature 379 residences, 59,000 square feet of office space, and a variety of shops and restaurants at street level. In the rest of the Denver area, office buildings are experiencing record high vacancy rates, and the sharp decrease in people moving to the metro area from other states has put many planned apartment projects on hold. But Cherry Creek has been unaffected by all this and continues to grow. But thank God, you can still get an affordable meal at the Cherry Cricket. Be sure to check it out.

Holiday Travel Tip: Flying Is Hellish, But Has A Positive Side, Too

My sister Susan and I flew back to Denver this past Thursday, and it didn't go smoothly. We were in line to board our airplane at Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) when we were told to return to our seats due to a maintenance issue on the aircraft. Evidently one of the restrooms had a clogged toilet. When that problem was resolved, we boarded the plane but had to wait on the runway due to traffic issues. When we finally took off, we made up time until we approached Dallas Fort Worth Airport (DFW), which we circled for what seemed like hours due to still another traffic issue. And of course, by the time we got off the plane, our connecting flight had departed.

And so, we wound up in the line for customer assistance, as seen in the photograph on the right. The line was long, but when the staff noticed that my sister was using a walker, they called us to the front of the line and quickly gave us new tickets on the 9:15 P.M. flight to Denver, which was very thoughtful. Unfortunately, once we got to the gate listed on the ticket, we learned the correct gate was on the opposite side of the terminal, but we made it there in plenty of time. The gate people were very friendly and helpful and got us on the plane right away. But then we had to deplane due to Denver International Airport (DIA) being closed due to dangerously high winds.  While waiting for DIA to reopen, I opened a bottle of coke and it exploded all over me, and some of the other waiting passengers rushed over with napkins to help me clean up the mess.  When we finally got to Denver around 12:30 A.M., I was pretty beat, and unfortunately forgot to put Susan's suitcase in the Uber, necessitating a return trip to DIA at 1:15 A.M. The suitcase was not there when I returned, but the people at the airport were more than helpful, trying to find out if someone had found it. It couldn't be located, and the best they could offer was to try Lost and Found when it opened in the morning. When I got home, I told Susan that someone probably just took it, and that was that. Susan replied that most people are decent and well-meaning and was positive the suitcase would turn up. And in the morning, when I called Lost and Found, it turns out that they did indeed have it. And so now I have to totally rethink my cynical attitude. Perhaps most people in this world really are good. A valuable lesson through travel. 

Back To Denver For The Holidays!

Christmas Eve is one week from today, and so it is time to head back to Denver from Stuart, Florida to experience the holidays. Not that I am complaining about the warm and sunny weather down here this time of year, but back in Denver we can experience the Christkindl market, Denver Zoo Lights, Blossom of Lights at the Denver Botanic Gardens, and all the other outdoor events that take place in the evening with those crisp, below freezing (and sometimes below zero) temperatures. Also, Call to Arms, the brewpub on Denver's Tennyson Street, will be closing for good after December 23rd, and this will be the last time (actually both the first and last time for me) to experience Big Holiday Energy, their famous annual Christmas celebration featuring over one million lights, or something like that. And best of all, the Christmas season lasts much longer in Denver than anywhere else. The National Western Stock Show takes place next month from January 10th through the 25th, and it is a tradition (and perhaps a city ordinance) to keep up your Christmas decorations until the show ends, including the famous light display at Denver's City and County Building, as seen in the photograph above. What could be better?

Driving Past Santa's Home. And Guess Where It Is?

I drove past Santa's home the other day and took the photograph above to prove it. As you can plainly see, there is a sign over the porch that clearly states it. And it will surprise you to learn that it is located in none other than Fort Pierce, Florida. I assume Santa is getting on in years and wanted a place a bit warmer than the North Pole for himself and Mrs. Claus. I have heard it can get a bit nippy up there once in a while. Can't say I blame him. Even in the Chicago area they have been experiencing below zero temperatures and windchills of -20 degrees Fahrenheit this month, not to mention 17.1 inches of snow so far this season. My next-door neighbor here in Stuart, a fellow Chicago White Sox fan, went up to Northwest Indiana recently to visit his girlfriend and experienced this Christmassy weather in person. Never again, he said. If his girlfriend wants to get together during the winter, she can come down here. Of course, technically, it is still fall. Chicago hasn't even seen winter weather yet. I suspect it will be epic. Enjoy it, all you Chicagoans!

A Christmas Tree Made Of Sand. Seriously?

I finally got a look at Sandi Tree, the official Christmas tree of West Palm Beach, Florida and located downtown at the foot of Clematis Street. This tree is 35 feet tall and made from 25 tons of sand. The reason for having a tree like this is that it is "more tropical" than the kind of fir tree that they have in places like Rockefeller Center. At night it is covered in lights, with Christmas music playing as you gaze at it. I took the above photograph of Sandi Tree this past Friday afternoon, and as you can see, it is just a Christmas tree shaped pile of sand. And does it look better at night when it is lit? I saw some photographs of the tree taken at night in the Palm Beach Post (check that article out at https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/local/2025/12/05/guide-to-west-palm-beach-sandi-tree-2025-christmas-lights-events/87602353007/) and to me it still looks like an ugly pile of sand. But they all seem to love it down here. I myself think this is due to being exposed to extreme heat and humidity during South Florida summers, resulting in severe and frequent errors of judgement. After all, look what heat and humidity have done to the minds of the people of Texas. Now THAT is truly scary, not simply just a matter of putting up a really ugly Christmas tree. Texas must be WAY hotter and more humid than Florida.

Dinner At The Pirate's Loft

 

My sister Susan - seen in the photograph on the left - and I had dinner on the outdoor deck at the Pirate's Loft in Port Salerno, Florida yesterday evening. We have been dining at this restaurant for decades. When we would visit our mother Mary at her (now our) condo down in Stuart, we would always come here at least once during our visit. It was one of four restaurants we used to frequent, but the only one still left. Both Jack Baker's Lobster Shanty in Rio and The Admiral's Table in Jensen Beach were damaged by a hurricane in 2004 and never reopened. The Pawnbroker, which had a free buffet in the bar on Friday nights and, according to my mother, where all the action was in Stuart back then, closed a few years ago. But the Pirate's Loft is still here and very much the same. Although I did notice that the majority of customers last night were seniors. In other words, around our age.

The great thing about the Pirate's Loft is the view of Manatee Pocket and the boats docked there, although due to a fishing tournament that ended yesterday, an event tent that was not yet removed blocked part of our view. But no matter - we could still see the water, as seen in the photograph on the right. We arrived at the Pirate's Loft at 4:30, early for us, but since the sun sets at 5:30 this time of year, we wanted to make sure we had dinner when it was still light. Back in the day, we usually came down to Stuart in August, which was the slow time at the University of Denver Bookstore, where I used to work as the Finance Manager, and so having to arrive early was never an issue. Although I do remember that when we went to Jack Baker's Lobster Shanty, we had to be seated before 5:00 to get the "early bird special," which sometimes added a bit of stress to the start of the evening. Do they even have early bird specials these days? I suspect not.

A Visit To The Vero Beach Museum Of Art

I went to the Vero Beach Museum of Art yesterday afternoon to check out their current exhibitions, and since the second Saturday of every month is a free day there, it was the perfect time to go - as regular blog readers know, free is my favorite price point. This museum in located in Vero Beach's Riverside Park, located along the Indian River. The last time I visited this museum was years ago, when I went there to see an exhibition of Ansel Adams photographs, which, as I recall, I very much enjoyed. This is a small museum, with just three galleries, not counting works displayed in entranceways and hallways, but a groundbreaking was recently held for a new 90,000 square foot building that will not only greatly increase exhibition space but will "interweave art and nature and blur the line between the Museum and the surrounding Riverside Park." Besides connecting indoors and out, there will also be a rooftop terrace. This is kind of what the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver did when it built its new building. As you view the art there, you pass windows that present dramatic views of Denver, and it has a rooftop terrace with a cafe and bar, also with killer views of the city. In fact, I just love that building, although as for the art there, not so much. Hopefully that won't be the case with the new Vero Beach Museum of Art.

The main thing I wanted to see at the museum was Double Portraits, a collection of 47 photographs by 34 artists with the theme of capturing the "ever-evolving American South through the concept of a double portrait." There were four categories: traditional portraiture, vernacular (snapshot) photos, photos portraying connection and care, and unconventional examples of double portraits. I liked many of these photographs, although I found the unconventional samples just plain weird. These photographs were loaned to the museum by The Do Good Fund, a Columbus, Georgia charity which has a collection of 800 photographs of the American South taken since World War II, and which it makes available to regional museums and non-profit galleries. I checked out their website, and they have a very impressive collection. You can find it at https://thedogoodfund.org/collection.

The other exhibit I wanted to see was Picasso and the Progressive Proof, which features three linocut prints by Pablo Picasso: Portrait of a Young Woman after Cranach the Younger II, Pique II, and Bacchanal with Kid Goat and Onlooker. The exhibit features the finished print and the "proofs" showing the progression of the work, which as I under it, were made as successive colors were added to the work. I liked the final version of Portrait of a Young Woman (check it out at https://www.vbmuseum.org/picasso-and-the-progressive-proof/), but I really wasn't interested in seeing the various stages of its composition. As for the other two works, I found them dark and actually pretty boring. Of course, I am no expert, and have never heard of linocut prints before yesterday, so what do I know? I would be willing to take them off the museum's hands for $20, but decided not to make the offer, as they probably would have wanted cash, which I did not have.

West Palm Beach - A Nice Downtown, But The Waterfront Needs Work

I walked around downtown West Palm Beach yesterday afternoon to see what was happening. And the answer - preparing for the U.S. Polo Association Palm Beaches Marathon, which will be taking place this Sunday morning. And no - I am not participating. Besides the fact that I have never done any running in my life, it starts at 6:00 A.M., which is just a little too early for me. Perhaps next year. After a brief look at the setup, I walked through the park located between Lake Worth and Clematis Street, which features fountains, tropical landscaping, and a public space where events such as Clematis by Night are held. Clematis Street itself, which is the heart of the downtown area, can be seen in the background of the photograph on the left, and has a variety of restaurants, bars, and shops, making for a fun place to hang out. And the nearby CityPlace neighborhood only adds to the ambiance of the area.

Flagler Drive runs along Lake Worth and separates downtown from the waterfront. On the downtown side are high rise condo buildings, a university, churches, office buildings, an amphitheater, and restaurants, including E.R. Bradley's Saloon, as seen in the photograph on the right. And whenever I drive down Flagler, I always see a crowd on the patio of Elisabetta's Ristorante, which overlooks Lake Worth, and I keep telling myself I need to check out that place one of these days.  The tropical landscaping really adds to the ambiance, but crossing the street, the area along Lake Worth really needs an upgrade.

A new city report has recommended a major redesign of the waterfront to make it "safer, more welcoming, and more connected to downtown." Their recommendations include shrinking Flagler Drive from 4 lanes to 2 to allow wider sidewalks, an expanded waterfront promenade, and replacing long stretches of blank seawall with landscaping and other amenities. And I have to say that they are right - West Palm Beach has miles of waterfront with hardly a tree in sight. More shade and more benches would be a great addition. Hopefully the city will be able to move forward with the proposal and make the waterfront a destination spot for the entire region.

Class Clown

I just finished reading Class Clown: The Memoirs of a Professional Wiseass: How I went 77 Years Without Growing Up, humorist Dave Barry's autobiography.  I really enjoyed reading this book. Though not one of his comic novels or collections of columns, there are many humorous segments in it, especially his interactions with readers, from fans sending him articles about things he might want to write about to his dealings with what he calls humor-impaired readers, who actually took his tongue-in-cheek columns seriously. The book starts out describing his early years, but for me, the most interesting part was how he wound up becoming such a successful humor columnist. 

Barry started out after college as a reporter for the Daily Local News in Westchester, Pennsylvania. He loved that job and was very successful at it, which inspired him to go for the big time, working for the Associated Press in Philadelphia. That job turned out to be an administrative position, and he hated it, quitting after a year to become a business writing consultant, which he did for the next 7 years. That job actually led to his eventual success as a humor columnist. He traveled quite a bit and had a lot of free time in the evenings, and spent that time writing humor columns, which he submitted to his old newspaper, the Local Daily News. Publishing and promoting those columns eventually led to a job offer to write a weekly humor column for the Miami Herald's Tropic Magazine, and the rest is history. In the book he also discusses how he wound up covering presidential campaigns, as well as his decision to retire from writing a weekly column. And by the way, I took the photograph on the right of Barry at an author signing at Denver's Tattered Cover Bookstore, where I was working as the bookkeeper, back in 2016, when Barry was a mere lad of 68. And if you are a Dave Barry fan - and who isn't - I definitely recommend picking up a copy of Class Clown at your local library today.

Christmas In Florida: A Whole Different Kind Of Animal

Today marks exactly two weeks until Christmas Day, which means it is definitely time to give serious thought to starting your holiday shopping, mailing out Christmas cards, and planning those holiday parties. However, I myself find it hard to get into the Christmas spirit down here in Florida. Oh sure, they have a lot of nice events taking place, including the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in downtown Stuart, the annual Stuart Christmas Parade, and the Martin County Christmas Boat Parade, among other events. And in downtown West Palm Beach, they have the Sandi Tree, made from 700 tons of sand, standing 35 feet tall, and "bathed in lights and music" every night through New Year's Eve. Which seems damn weird to me, but what do I know? But still, high temperatures in the 70s and lows in the 50s or 60s does just not feel Christmassy. Most importantly, there is no snow and no chance of it. Ever. Although I must admit I was pleasantly surprised to see a Christmas tree decorated with shells and topped with a makeshift star yesterday afternoon on Stuart Beach, as seen in the photograph above. All I can say is that it must take one hell of a long extension cord to light it up each night. And if those high waves get just a little bit closer, watch out.

The Blue Anchor Pub

My web browser is filled with various news stories and feature articles every day, and one of them must have featured historic bars in Florida, which is how I learned about The Blue Anchor British Pub on Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach, Florida. And just by coincidence, I wound up parking almost in front of it when my sister Susan and I drove down to see the Delray Beach Art Festival. On the way back from that festival, I took the photograph above of a group of bicycle riders, the women decked out in holiday attire, stopping in front of the place, no doubt considering a post-ride pint. Susan and I didn't go in, since it was still kind of early and I had only 10 minutes left on the meter, but I looked the place up on the internet when I got home. This pub opened in London in 1865, and before it was razed, the front facade and the interior were disassembled, shipped to New York, and stored there until 1996, when they were shipped to Delray Beach and became The Blue Anchor. And it turns out that Bertha Starkey, who lived with her husband above that bar back in the 1800s, was murdered by him there in a jealous rage and haunts The Blue Anchor to this day. I was thinking of going back to check the place out but then saw an article in the newspaper that said The Blue Anchor underwent a health inspection and was closed down this past Thursday for multiple violations, including 300 rodent droppings in a dry storage area. Evidently the place still remains closed. And so, I am rethinking visiting them if and when they finally reopen, although I see on their website that they have a Happy Hour featuring $5 20oz pints Monday through Friday from 11:30 to 7:00. Avoiding rodent droppings versus $5 British pints - decisions, decisions.

WPTV Chief Meteorologist Steve Weagle Retires This Friday!

Steve Weagle is retiring from his job as the chief meteorologist for WPTV in West Palm Beach, Florida this Friday. He has been at that television station for 27 years, famous for his marathon coverage of hurricanes that have hit the Treasure Coast over the years, especially Hurricane Frances in 2004. A retirement celebration took place yesterday evening at Philly Down South, a tiki hut just across the parking lot from Stuart Beach, where I took the photograph of him talking with a well-wisher. By the time I left, the event was being covered live on the 5:00 P.M. WPTV newscast, the Cypress Creek Band was playing, and over 100 people were in attendance. Weagle and his wife plan to spend half the year in their native Nova Scotia and half the year down here. Summer in Florida and winter in Nova Scotia? That's when the real weather happens in those places, right? For some strange reason, I seem to pay attention when famous meteorologists retire. I watched the final broadcast of Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling on WGN Channel 9 in Chicago back in February of 2024 and fondly remember Harry Volkman, who was on 4 different Chicago television stations over his career. The first weatherman I remember was P.J Hoff, who was a skilled cartoonist and incorporated those cartoons into his weather forecasts on Chicago's WBBM from 1953 to 1968. That was back when watching the weather forecast was really fun, especially for a young kid. And by the way, if anyone out there wants to wish Steve well in his retirement, there will be a second celebration at the Old Key Lime House in Lantana, Florida tomorrow at 4:30. Be there or be square.

The 25th Annual Delray Beach Art Festival

My sister Susan and I drove down to Delray Beach from Stuart, Florida yesterday afternoon to see the 25th Annual Delray Beach Art Festival. And let me say first that downtown Delray Beach is VERY lively on Sunday afternoons. East Atlantic Avenue was packed with people walking up and down the sidewalks checking out the shops or lunching on outdoor patios. I spotted 4th Avenue, where the festival was being held, and found a parking spot a few blocks away. And I must say, we both enjoyed the festival very much. There was a lot of very good modern art, sculptures, and a fair number of photographers displaying their work. One of the sculptures we looked at was $8,500, and so I suspect a lot of the artwork was geared to the carriage trade. Which is not us. The art show extended down 4th Avenue for two blocks, and was a very pleasant place to view the art.

Looking at the advertisement for the festival, I realized that it was produced by Howard Allan Events and American Craft Endeavors, which together put on many art and craft festivals in Florida. In fact, they were the producers of the festivals we attended in Palm Beach Gardens and Juno Beach a few weeks ago. A few of the artists were the same as at those festivals (the photographer featuring Barbie and Ken action photographs immediately comes to mind), but the majority of the artists were new to us. These are all juried art shows and artists must apply and be accepted in order to participate. I imagine the size of the shows depends on where they are being held. I was surprised to learn that among the shows they produce are the Downtown Aspen Art Festival and the Beaver Creek Art Festival, which I once attended and was really impressed by.  In any case, it was definitely worth the trip down to Delray Beach, although once again, I made no art purchases, being a confirmed cheapskate. So sue me.

An Eye-Catching Sight Along Southern (I Mean President Donald J. Trump) Boulevard

This past summer Palm Beach County commissioners voted unanimously to change the name of part of Southern Boulevard in West Palm Beach, Florida to President Donald J. Trump Boulevard, despite public opposition. The renamed stretch goes from South Ocean Boulevard, where Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate is located, to Kirk Road, which marks the western edge of both Trump International Golf Club and Palm Beach International Airport. I was expecting to see the new street signs the other day when I hit Southern Boulevard, but evidently an honorary designation does not change the street signs themselves, only the online maps. Although two signs will be placed on the easternmost part of Southern Boulevard saying it is named in honor of Trump. In any case, as I was crossing the Southern Boulevard Bridge to Palm Beach, I noticed the flags seen in the photograph on the left and stopped to take a photo. When I got out of the car, "I'm proud to be an American" by Lee Greenwood was blasting from inside the vehicle seen in the picture. When I took that photo, the location of which is just across the water from Mar-a-Lago, I automatically assumed that this too was the work of the Palm Beach County Commissioners. Their work is never done, after all. It wasn't until I actually looked at the photos when I got home that I noticed that those huge flags were actually attached to the car itself.

That let the commissioners off the hook on that one, but looking more closely at the second flag gave me pause for thought. It says "Trump," underneath which are two guns on either side of "2024," and underneath that "Lock" and "Load." And who are the flag bearers planning to shoot? The enemies of the people? In other words, their political opponents, anyone who has a different viewpoint, illegal immigrants? When I was young, members of the other party were not traitors. And in Congress, political opponents were not the enemy of the people, but your colleagues, and when the two parties differed on legislation, they sat down, made compromises, and advanced bills that would benefit the American people. Why is that now so unacceptable? In other words, what the hell is wrong with people these days? When you find out, let me know.

The 64th Annual Stuart Christmas Parade

My sister Susan and I attended the 64th Annual Stuart Florida Christmas Parade last night. It was a typical small-town parade, with schools, hospitals, non-profits, businesses, and everyone else who wanted to celebrate the start of the holidays taking part. All the street parking was taken when we got close to the parade route, and so we parked at the Cleveland Clinic, the local hospital. As luck would have it, we wound up close to the reviewing stand and had running commentary from the MC throughout the parade. Plus, we easily found a front row spot. We were even in the presence of celebrities, since one of the judges up on the platform was none other than Meghan McRoberts, an evening anchor for the local newscast on WPTV Channel 5 in West Palm Beach. As the floats went by, the MC mentioned that the Democrats were in the parade, both of them, which I thought was pretty funny, not to mention true. And by the way, the float in the photograph on the left celebrates the 100th anniversary of Martin County, where Stuart is located. For some reason, the kids in that boat float are all dressed as pirates. And were pirates part of the area's early history? Beats me. 

The nice thing about the Stuart Christmas parade is that it is just a 15-minute drive from our condo, and there are a number of places to park a mere half block way from East Ocean Boulevard, where the parade takes place. And no less important, it was 75 degrees throughout the parade. As opposed to Dener's Parade of Lights, which has so many people attending that you have to take the light rail downtown, and each year it is always cold as hell. And there are so many people lining the streets that it is difficult to take photographs of the floats unless you arrive hours early, which might result in frostbite. When you leave, everyone in the crowd traveling south heads to one boarding point by the convention center, since all the other stops are closed due to the parade. It is always fun trying to board the same train as what seems like the entire population of the Denver is also trying to board.

The only downside to the Stuart Christmas Parade it that East Ocean Boulevard is not well-lighted, unlike Denver's Parade of Lights, which since it takes place downtown, is almost as bright at night as in the daytime. Which made it hard to take a decent photograph of the parade last night. The only way to get a half decent photo was to photograph only the brightest floats and hope that they stopped moving for a few minutes. I took over 100 photographs last night, with only 4 turning out okay. But still, it was a fun evening. And by the way, for all you folks back in Denver, the annual Parade of Lights is tonight at 6:00. If you go, I hope you like crowds. And be sure to bring a jacket.

The December Mutts Of The Month

I took the photograph above of the December Mutts of the Month at the Port St. Lucie International Fest that took place a few weeks ago. The dogs were participating in a dachshund dog race, but when the race started, the dogs started running toward me instead of the finish line. Were they thinking I had treats to give them? I was standing by the gate into the field where the event was taking place, and so perhaps they were simply not into the race and were heading for the exit. Of course, it was readily apparent that the owners did not do nearly enough - or perhaps any - training with those dogs, which also explains a lot. And I couldn't help but notice that there were a lot of non-dachshunds in the various races. Is that even legal in a dachshund race? No matter - as long as they posed for a photograph, I was happy.

An Inside Job

I just finished reading An Inside Job, Daniel Silva's latest Gabriel Allon international thriller, and I must say, I really enjoyed it. This series began with Allon working as a spy for the Mossad, Israel's spy agency, eventually becoming that agency's director. The stories featured nerve-wracking operations against the Russians, ISIS, Iran, and other dangerous governments, all very exciting reads. Then Silva has Allon retire from the Mossad and move to Venice, his wife Chiara's hometown, where he returns to his original occupation, which is one the greatest art restorers in the world. I wondered at the time if Silva could continue the same level of excitement in his novels as before, but he does, often involving the dark side of the art world. In this adventure, Allon spots a body floating in the Grand Canal, which turns out to be a murdered Vatican art restorer. This leads to the quest to find a lost Leonardo DaVinci painting stolen from the Vatican by the Camorra, a dangerous Mafia-style criminal organization. Allon works with his old acquaintances from the art world, the Italian and Swiss police, shady characters he knows through his various missions, the Vatican police, and his friend, the Pope, to solve the murder of the Vatican restorer and several others, as well as recover the painting for the Vatican. This is a really good story that keeps you hooked from beginning to end. I highly recommend picking up a copy from your local library today.

Stuart, Florida - Still Sailfish Capital Of The World?

Wherever you go in Stuart, Florida, there are references to Stuart being the "Sailfish Capital of the World." It got this title back in 1938 when Stuart News editor Ernie Lyons hosted half a dozen sports writers from major newspapers across the country and took them deep sea fishing. That week, fishing boats caught over 1,000 sailfish off Stuart, and one of those writers went back home and wrote an article giving the city that nickname, which the City of Stuart later adopted. And according to Ed Killer, a former outdoors columnist for the Stuart News, sailfish are still plentiful off Stuart. But not being a fisherman (or is it fishing person now?), all I want to know is what the difference is between a sailfish and a blue marlin, which Ernest Hemingway used to go after in the Gulf Stream off Key West and Havana.  The answer: sailfish range in size from 6 to 11 feet and can weigh from 120 to 200 pounds, while blue marlins range from 10 to 14 feet in length and weigh from 200 to 1,500 pounds. Talk about a whole different kind of animal. The big question - are there blue marlins off the coast of Stuart? Yes, but they are deep-water fish that hang out in the Gulf Stream, 25 to 50 miles offshore. And if you want to come down to Stuart to go sailfish or blue marlin fishing, expect to pay a small fortune to charter a boat, especially if you are going after those blue marlin. I myself prefer to just hang out around the pier. And by the way, the sailfish statue in the photograph above is located at the entrance to downtown Stuart, created by artist Geoffry C. Smith and donated to the City of Stuart by Edward M. Sellian, Jr. 

Worth Avenue: Still Pretty, But A Bit On The Pretentious Side

My sister Susan and I walked down Worth Avenue in Palm Beach this past Sunday afternoon. It is a very pretty street, perfectly landscaped, but a bit on the pretentious side. I counted 2 Ferraris, a Bentley convertible, and a Rolls Royce while walking past shops such as Chanel, Gucci, Lilly Pulitzer, Tiffany & Co. and Versace. This may surprise you, but I have never shopped at any of those stores, and the only thing I know about the Pulitzers is from Hunter S. Thompson's article titled "A Dog Took My Place," about the divorce trial of Herbert Pulitzer Jr. and his wife Roxanne, which certainly opened my eyes concerning what happens behind the front doors of some of the wealthy and super wealthy. That was over 40 years ago, of course, but being the cynic that I am, I firmly believe that some things never change.

The thing I like best about Worth Avenue are the interior courtyards that run behind the shops fronting the street, with many more pricey stores and restaurants flanking them. I took the photograph on the right of one of those courtyards, which, surprisingly, did not have all that many people walking through it. There was only one couple dining outside at one of the restaurants we passed, but perhaps it was just too warm and humid for patios, and the restaurant itself was filled with diners, running up bills that no doubt would force the average person to dip into their children's college fund. 

I read in the paper recently that Palm Beach is a great place to see Christmas lights. Since it was mid-afternoon, we did not get a chance to view them, but we did see the official Palm Beach Christmas tree on the corner of Worth and Hibiscus Avenues, as seen in the photograph on the left. And so, after an hour, we left Worth Avenue and on the way home drove through downtown West Palm Beach and the CityPlace neighborhood, which were much livelier - and more real - than Palm Beach. The restaurant patios were crowded, as was the open-air plaza at CityPlace, where people were listening to a free concert while their children played in the fountain. A very nice afternoon for all. 

Visiting The West Palm Beach Fine Art Show

This past Saturday afternoon I walked around the West Palm Beach Fine Art Show, which took place at Meyer Amphitheater in downtown West Palm Beach and seen in the photograph on the left. This was a modest little festival with 44 artists in attendance, featuring paintings, sculpture, glass, jewelry, photographs, wood, clay and other mediums. I noticed that a number of the participating artists were also at the Downtown Palm Beach Gardens Arts Festival, held a few weeks ago. That art festival, sponsored by Howard Allan Events, took place in Palm Beach Gardens due to West Palm Beach's CityPlace, its usual location, being unavailable due to construction. The art festival held this weekend at Meyer Amphitheater was sponsored by a non-profit called Hot Works - Institute for Arts and Education, no doubt filling the gap left by the Howard Allan Events show. And it was a very pleasant event to time at.

I have noticed that, at least in Denver, non-profits are usually more reliable sponsors of festivals than for-profit companies and municipalities. CherryArts has sponsored the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, one of the top art festivals in the country, for many years, and a few years ago took over the Denver Chalk Art Festival, making it into another major event. On the other hand, a non-profit in Denver called CHUN (Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods) sponsored the People's Fair in Denver's Civic Center Park each June for many years, but then decided to sell the rights to it to a for-profit company to get the money to buy a Victorian mansion for their headquarters. Seriously. They really did that. The for-profit company ran the festival for a year or two, and when it didn't turn a profit, ended it for good. And the City of Denver used to sponsor the Festival of Mountains and Plains over Labor Day Weekend for many decades. And then decided to split it into four separate, much smaller street festivals to be held over the summer, which of course was a big flop. That festival is now gone forever, too. And what is the lesson to be learned from all this? Festivals and art fairs are not supposed to make a profit or even break even, and when you try to make money from them, it usually never works out.