ArtFest By The Sea!

My sister Susan and I attended the 36th annual ArtFest by the Sea in Juno Beach, Florida this past Saturday afternoon, and I must say, I was very impressed. I attended this festival last year, but do not remember it being nearly as large as it was this time. There were over 250 artists displaying their work all along Juno's Ocean Drive, which runs along the Atlantic. There was a great variety of art on display, and to my surprise, quite a bit of photography, including a booth featuring Scanlan Windows to the World, as seen in the photograph on the left, and which is also a regular participant at the Cherry Creek Art Festival in Denver. 

The best thing about this festival is that it takes place right along the beach. Every so often there is an opening from the street, such as the one in the photograph on the right, letting festival goers see and even step onto the beach for a break before continuing on with the art. The beach around here goes on for miles, and this time of year it is very popular, especially on weekends. Every parking spot along Ocean Drive was taken as we drove toward the festival. When I got to the point where the road was closed off for the festival, I drove through several parking lots with no luck. Having given up on ever finding a spot and at a traffic light waiting to turn back onto Ocean Drive, I noticed that someone had pulled out of the lot I was just in. After a simple U-turn and almost running down a few senior citizens, I was finally able to park. And I must say, those seniors can really move fast when they need to.

And since this is Florida, there was, of course, a guy at the festival with a parrot on his shoulder, as seen in the photograph on the left. This is not unusual at all down here. I have seen people walking along the sidewalk on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach with those huge parrots on their shoulder, as well as at Hobe Sound Beach, but am not really sure why they do it. To get attention, to show that they are free spirits, because it is their support parrot? Who knows? In any case, I really enjoyed ArtFest By The Sea this year. It really was worth the fight for a parking spot. And yes, the City of Juno Beach did provide a shuttle service for people who wanted to park in a different county and spend a few hours getting to the festival, which I imagine some people did. But where's the fun in that?

The St. Lucie County Fair - Part II

As I discussed in yesterday's blog post, my sister Susan and I went to the St. Lucie County Fair, which takes place at the St. Lucie County Fairgrounds west of Port St. Lucie, Florida this past Thursday. This is a traditional county fair that takes place in the middle of cow country, and a very well-attended event. Which is no surprise, since there is not much else to do in Port St. Lucie most of the time. In addition to lots of food booths and carne games where you can take a chance at winning a prize, the fair also has amusement rides, including 2 Ferris wheels and a ride seen in the photograph on the left which I would not recommend taking on a full stomach.

As I mentioned yesterday, the highlight for me was the petting zoo, where you can buy a cup of food for $5.00 and feed all the animals, of which there are many, including that hungry goat in the photograph on the right. I have never gone in much for taking video, but this past Thursday a video would have been the best way to capture those animals jumping over each other to get to that food. I suspect the fair people must hold off feeding the animals in the morning in order to get them to behave like that.

I was very surprised to find a number of camels at the petting zoo. It does seem strange that people would be raising camels in South Florida, but there you go. I have yet to see any camels making their way along the beach carrying a snowbird from up north, but when I do, I will definitely take a photograph to share on this blog. One thing I found interesting is that there was only one kind of food with which to feed a variety of animals, and it looked kind of like a potato chip. But no matter whether it was a goat or cow or even a camel, they all gobbled it up as fast as they could. I am not sure what was in it, but I do wonder if I might be able to get a bag of them at Walmart and try 'em out. 

In any case, today is the last day of the fair, which runs from noon to 11:00 P.M. I checked the schedule, and today's events include Andy Rotz's Wild West Showdown, whatever that might be, musical acts, Racing Pigs, and Laser Tag from 1:00 until 9:00. And I do have to mention that on Thursday I watched a mother and her three young children playing laser tag, and it felt truly weird watching them running around tagging (i.e. shooting) each other with handheld laser guns. Of course, this is Florida, a big gun rights state, and so I suppose that is considered perfectly normal down here. In any case, the St. Lucie County Fair is definitely worth a visit if you are in the area. Be sure to visit the petting zoo, buy a cup of $5 food, and feed my pals, the two goats in the photograph on the right. They will love you for it.

County Fair!

My sister Susan and I went to the St. Lucie County Fair this past Thursday afternoon. This was the first honest-to-God county fair I have ever attended. This event, which runs through this Sunday, takes place at the St. Lucie County Fairgrounds, located way the hell to the west of Port St. Lucie. And if you think Florida is not an agricultural state, think again. Once you get way from the coastline, whatever isn't swamp seems to be filled with cows and horses. And I must say, I enjoyed this fair very much. It seemed to me like a traditional county fair, the kind you see in the movies, with a midway, lots of food booths, and more carnival style games to test your skills and win a prize than you can count. There were also plenty of amusement rides, if you want to live dangerously.

The best part of the fair for me was the petting zoo. At the entrance, you can purchase food to feed the animals. I don't know what they put in that food, or if they simply don't feed the poor things before the gates open, but all of those animals were frantic to get those treats, as seen in the photograph on the right. They were literally crawling over each other to get to the person handing out the food. 

There was a wide range of animals at the petting zoo, ranging from goats to miniature cows to camels (Yes! Camels! In Florida!) to llamas and alpacas, which is what I think the animal in the photograph on the left that those children are feeding might be. After leaving the petting zoo, we headed to a number of barns featuring different types of animals, including goats, cows, horses, and small animals such as chickens, roosters, geese, and even a large turkey, which actually does go gobble gobble gobble. Who woulda thunk it? In the buildings featuring the cows, goats, and horses, their young owners, no doubt members of the local 4-H club, would be standing next to their animal ready to proudly tell you all about it. Amazing how different a lifestyle exists just a short drive west of here.

And yes, I think that goat in the photograph on the right has taken a shine to me, even if I didn't have any food to give it. I would consider adopting it and taking it home to our condo in Stuart, but the complex doesn't even allow dogs or cats, let along goats. And this particular HOA takes its rules and regulations very seriously. I can just imagine having to explain to them that this was a service goat. In any case, it was a fun afternoon, and both Susan and I enjoyed the fair very much. It was like a trip back to the America of old, a much simpler and happier time. And if you are in the area, I recommend going. Today and tomorrow are the last two days, with hours from 12:00 to 10:30 today and 12:00 to 9:30 Sunday. And be sure to buy food for the animals at the petting zoo. They are truly desperate for it.

Jupiter, Florida - A Paraglider's Paradise?

Jupiter, Florida is famous for having 3.5 miles of beautiful beaches along the Atlantic, with the shoreline bordered by dunes, mangroves, and sea grape trees. I was there the other day, taking some photographs, and was surprised by two paragliders zooming right over me, one of whom can be seen in the photograph above. They were pretty low in the sky, moving parallel to the water, and seemed to land a little further down the beach. It actually looked kind of fun, and so when I got home, I looked the sport up on the internet. The Wikipedia article seemed to go on for pages and pages, so I skipped that and simply googled whether it was safe, and how expensive it was to do it. One article I found stated that it is an incredibly safe sport, but "it can be fatal if you get into a severe accident." It went on to say that "most injuries and accidents that happen can be survived and prevented." I also found out that it can cost $10,000 for equipment and training. Enough said. Jupiter, Florida might be a paradise for paragliders, but I think I'll stick to photographing wild boars, of which the State of Florida has over 500,0000. Which I suspect is much safer, and cheaper, than paragliding.

Whistling Past Pierced Ciderworks

I was walking around Edgartown, the historic part of Fort Pierce, Florida, the other afternoon and found myself passing Pierced Ciderworks. I have never gone inside this place, since all signs point to the fact that it might indeed be selling cider, but I do like the building it is housed in. It was originally owned by photographer Harry Hill and is over 117 years old. I took the photograph on the left of the place with their delivery vehicle in the foreground. There is room in that truck bed for lots of cider and it obviously must be pretty speedy, so using it for deliveries makes perfect sense to me.

As I was passing by, I took a look at the entrance to their outdoor patio, as seen in the photograph on the right, and thought it actually looked quite inviting. I checked and found that Pierced Ciderworks does serve an IPA, from nearby Sailfish Brewery, and it seems to me it would be like having a beer in the middle of a tropical jungle. All in all, I thought to myself at the time, probably a good place to check out one of these days.

But then when I got to the edge of the house, I remembered what I learned last year about Pierced Ciderworks - it is evidently a hangout for zombies, as you can clearly see from the warning sign in the photograph on the left. It is well known that zombies crave cider, so it makes perfect sense that zombies would congregate there. Of course, if you do hang out in their patio after dark and have a few pints of IPA, that very well might be that. Of course, I myself have never socialized with zombies, and so perhaps what I have heard and seen about them in social media and films is simply "fake news." And so, perhaps I will have an IPA there one of these days. What could go wrong, right?

Even The Manatees Are Excited About St. Patrick's Day!

Almost every day I pass by the manatee in the photograph on the left. The owner periodically dresses it in festive attire based on the season and upcoming holidays. I first noticed it when it was dressed in full MAGA attire, topped by a Make America Great Again ballcap, during the last presidential election. This month, it is dressed as a leprechaun in anticipation of St. Patrick's Day. St. Patrick's Day is a pretty big holiday around here. In nearby Jensen Beach, Florida the St. Patrick's Day Festivities and Parade takes place annually in the downtown area, this year on Sunday, March 15th, with a parade, food, vendors, music, and entertainment. Last year, I tried to find a parking spot within walking distance of the parade route but just wound up driving around in bumper-to-bumper traffic until the parade was over, finally finding a spot right in front of Mulligan's, a local seafood restaurant. But it was still fun to walk around Jensen Beach Boulevard, the main drag, and watch all the festivities taking place.

Just a few blocks from that leprechaun manatee, in Willoughby Creek, a little past Manatee Bridge, are actual living, breathing manatees, but they are much less impressive than that leprechaun. I have seen them at Manatee Lagoon in West Palm Beach, by the Fort Pierce Marina, and here at Willoughby Creek, and the only damn thing you see is their nose for a second or two as they get a breath, or just a small section of their back, such as the two on the right in the photograph on the right, who didn't move once while I was there. If you don't see them, click on the photograph to enlarge it enough to see the two dark blobs. Talk about boring. I know they are gentle, endangered creatures, but entertaining they are not. And I suspect those particular manatees don't give a damn about St. Patrick's Day, although I could be wrong. Perhaps they will perk up when it gets closer to March 17th.

A Return Visit To The Peacock House

I stopped at the Peacock House up in Fort Pierce, Florida yesterday afternoon to see if there were any peacocks out and about in the lot across the street. The Peacock House, also known as the historic Crain Estate, offers tours of the house, the four outdoor gardens, an art gallery, and according to them, "peacocks o' plenty," which you can actually feed. However, I have never toured the place, mainly because the tours are limited to Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 11:00, which is usually not a convenient time. Plus, there are supposed to be lots of peacocks running around that neighborhood, called the Peacock Arts District, that you can see for free.

Despite the promise of prides of peacocks all over the place, I only saw a single one, wandering around that lot across the street, and seen in the photograph on the right. Which is really not all that impressive. And that peacock was not that impressed with me, either. As I was trying to get a good photograph, it continued strolling around, pecking at the ground, totally ignoring me, refusing to pose for a portrait. And so, I think I am done photographing peacocks for a while. I have read that they are having a problem with wild boars in Tradition, a mixed-use development on the western outskirts of Port St. Lucie, and so perhaps trying to get some photographs of them might be a better idea. I am pretty sure I can get a wild boar to look me in the eye and pose for a portrait. What could go wrong?

Dinner At The Pirate's Loft With Linda And Rodger And Susan

I had dinner yesterday evening with my sister Susan, our cousin Linda, and her husband Rodger at the Pirate's Loft Restaurant in Port Salerno. Linda is the daughter of our Uncle Bill and Aunt Elsie, who moved to Stuart, Florida in 1972, and inspired my parents to move down there too 4 years later. When they were raising their families, Linda and Rodger, along with Judy, our other cousin (and Linda's sister) and her husband Cal would come down to Stuart each summer with their children and stay for two weeks at Ocean Village in nearby Fort Pierce, allowing them to vacation by the ocean and also visit with their parents. Linda and Rodger still stay at Ocean Village during February and March, while Judy and Cal head to Bonita Springs on Florida's West Coast, the traitors. In the photograph on the left, going from left to right, are Rodger, Susan, and Linda.

I like the Pirate's Loft very much. We have been going there for almost 40 years. The food is good, and the view from the patio, as seen in the photograph on the right, is great. Sometimes after dinner we would walk down to the docks at the marina below, and look at the boats, many of them fishing charters. It was especially fun when the boats came back from their trip and the crew started cutting up their catch, throwing the unwanted pieces to what seemed like hundreds of pelicans crowding around the table. My only complaint with the Pirate's Loft is that underneath the patio where we dine, they have installed a tiki bar, with a stage right on the dock, where they often have a band playing, which is disconcerting when you are trying to have a conversation. Fortunately, yesterday, the band stopped playing not too long after were seated.

And yes, that is indeed Susan and my parents, Nelson and Mary, on the right in the photograph on the left, and Linda and Judy's parents, Bill and Elsie, on the left back in 1977 in front of Uncle Bill and Aunt Elsie's condo at the Monterey Yacht and Country Club. Their condo was next to the 2nd hole tee, and when my parents and I visited them in 1975, every single golfer seemed to come up to their lanai to say hello. I think that was why my father decided to buy a condo across the road in one of the two buildings on the St. Lucie River side of the complex. Where all the other rebels lived.

Returning To The Sailor's Return At Last!

My sister Susan and I were finally able to have a drink at the Sailor's Return's outdoor patio yesterday afternoon. I was able to snag the last parking spot in the lot, and at the time, the last available table, which I consider quite the coup. We arrived just before 4:30 and it looked like it might rain (which it did, but only as we were leaving), which I am sure helped us get a seat. And despite the overcast sky, it was still pleasant having a beer and looking out at all those boats, many of them good-sized yachts. The Sailor's Return is located in the Sunset Bay Marina, and shares a parking lot with it, which probably adds to the parking problem, since many of the people living aboard those vessels also have cars that park there. Personally, I feel these liveaboards should be forced to park off-site and just have one of their people drive their car over when they need it. That's what I do when I moor my yacht on the French Riveria. Perhaps I'll have a word with the dockmaster.

The Manatee - An Infuriating Creature, To Be Sure

The manatees are back, lured by the warm - or at least warmer - waters of Florida, and so I stopped by Manatee Lagoon in West Palm Beach yesterday afternoon to take a look at them. Manatee Lagoon is located just across from a Florida Power and Light Plant, which makes the waters warmer and attracts those manatees. This center has a large facility with many exhibits, and in front of the building is the statue of two manatees, as seen in the photograph on the left, which is the only good view I have ever got of one.

I have been to this place on at least three or four different occasions, and each time I have seen any manatees, they are only dark shapes in the water, such as the one in the lower right of the photograph on the right. They constantly stay under the water, only sticking their nose above the surface to get air before immediately heading back down again. Sometimes, if the sun is on them and they get close to the surface, it would be possible to identify and photograph them, but that has never happened when I have been there. But I keep stopping by every once in a while in hopes of finally getting a clear view of one of those manatees, not to mention a photograph. And some year I very well might. But I am not holding my breath until I do.

The Snowbird Problem. I Finally Get It...

This past Wednesday afternoon around 5:00 my sister Susan and I drove to the Sailor's Return to have a beer, or in Susan's case, a glass of wine, on their outdoor patio. It is our favorite spot in Stuart, Florida to have a drink, since it is located at the Sunset Bay Marina, and allows everyone to have a drink while gazing at the yachts and to be able to watch the sun set over the St. Lucie River. But I forgot that this is "The Season" here in Florida, which runs from January through March. The parking lot at the Sailor's Return was completely full, and the valet stand was doing a booming business. In fact, those valets were parking cars right in front of the cars that were parked in the lot, forcing those drivers to ask the valet to move the car blocking them when they left. In contrast, the last time we were there, in December, we practically had the place to ourselves. In other words, there are a hell of a lot of snowbirds down here, and they make life much more difficult for the locals. And so, we drove to Ocean Republic Brewing to have a drink instead. I have never been there before, and it was a nice enough place. We sat at a table in an area with glass windows overlooking a tree-lined patio, where a child's birthday party was taking place, despite the chilly temperature. Inside, there were lots of families with kids running around, and plenty of locals at the bar, as seen in the photograph above. But it did not have a view of the yachts in the various marinas, or of the St. Lucie or Indian Rivers, or the ocean to enjoy while you had your drink. That seems to be the province of the snowbirds until April 1st, when they all fly away. I can't wait.

One Positive To Florida's Cold Weather

I was planning to skip spring training here in Florida this year since practically every seat in the house at Roger Dean Stadium. located in the Abacoa neighborhood of Jupiter, cost $51 (plus fees, of course), which is way too high to watch a baseball game where most of the players you are watching will wind up back in the minor leagues or out of baseball entirely. But then Rodger Dean Stadium had a promotion where you could buy tickets during a 48-hour period that would be priced at the lowest temperature recorded in Jupiter during a recent arctic blast. And happily, that temperature was 29 degrees, which meant that I could buy seats to two games at a total cost of $35 each (including fees, of course). Since the more people buy tickets on the internet, the fewer ticket sellers needed to be employed, I would think internet tickets would be cheaper, but I guess that's baseball for you. I just hope it will not be 29 degrees on game day.

Returning To Stuart, Florida!

My sister Susan and I returned to Stuart, Florida yesterday afternoon, looking forward to spending late winter and early spring enjoying the sunshine and warm temperatures. Ironically, when we left Denver, the temperature was 70 degrees, and when we arrived in Stuart, the high was 60, not to mention a low of 42. And this was by no means the first time this winter that it has been warmer in Denver than Stuart. What's wrong with this picture? Denver has not really had winter yet, with a mere 13 inches of snow so far, way below average. Since March and April are Colorado's snowiest months, people there are hoping the shortfall will be made up in the spring. I hope so, too, but I will be pretty damned mad if it winds up snowing here in Stuart instead of Denver. That would definitely be a world turned upside down.

A European Flashback: Milano!

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina concluded this past Sunday, and although I did not watch any of the coverage on television, it did remind me of my only visit to Milan, which was pretty brief, to say the least. Back in 2019, my sister Susan and I traveled to Paris and Italy, and after a number of days in Paris, we took the night train to Florence, which required a change of trains in Milan. We shared a compartment with 6 other people, and when it came time to retire for the night, the porter converted the compartment into 3 beds on each side. I got one of the top bunks, Susan sleeping just below me. As soon as the lights were off, everyone started complaining about the heat, and so someone opened the window, after which everyone complained about the noise. Eventually it was decided to just deal with the heat, after which I fell asleep, although afterwards I learned that most did not. The woman sleeping across from me complained about having to watch an older guy undress right in front of her, didn't sleep the entire night, and said she would never travel like that again. Susan was not able to sleep either, but said it was an interesting experience. As we got off the train in Milan, I took the photograph above, and as we headed to the terminal, we watched a train pulling out, which of course was the train to Florence. Why would it not be? We got tickets for the next train and still got to Florence before we could check into our bed and breakfast, although the couple that owned it were kind enough to keep our suitcases for us so we could wander around town a bit. Which was fun, since the whole area was from the 1400s or 1500s. All in all, a good day, at least for me. Good thing I can sleep anywhere, anytime. A useful trait. 

I Know It's Only Spring Training, But...

My South Side heroes, the Chicago White Sox, have played only 3 spring training games so far, and I know I shouldn't get too excited too early, but the Sox won all three of those games and scored 24 runs in the process. They are currently playing like the '27 Yankees. Has White Sox GM Chris Getz managed to put together a contender only two years after the team lost 121 games and set the record for worst team in the history of major league baseball? Did he sell his soul to the devil in exchange for winning it all this year? Did the Pope put in a good word for the White Sox with the big man upstairs? Will the fans at Rate Field be singing "Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye" once again as the opposing pitchers leave the game? Have the "South Side Hit Men" returned after all these years? Only time will tell. Perhaps even as soon as this week. But you have to admit, it is indeed a good start. By the way, the photograph above is of Yoan Moncada, currently third baseman for the Los Angeles Angels, who parted ways with the White Sox after the 2024 season. And yes, that was the season the White Sox lost those 121 games. Couldn't have done it without you, Yoan!

Celebrating Lunar New Year 2026

I drove over to the Far East Center, located at the corner of Alameda and Federal here in Denver, yesterday morning to take in the celebration of Lunar New Year 2026, the Year of the Horse. Sadly, there is no parking available for this event, and so everyone has to drive through the surrounding neighborhood to find parking on the street, which is a challenge, since there are something like 1000 other cars doing the same thing. Persistence paid off, and happily, I was able to find a spot. I arrived there at 11:00 A.M. and watched the Gu Zheng Instrumentalists and the Taiko Drummers, before the crowds parted and the Shaolin Hung Mei Lion Dancers made their entrance, as seen in the photograph above. This is the 35th annual Lunar New Year celebration at the Far East Center, which has just been made a historic landmark and is the heart of the Asian community in Denver. This is a quirky area, made up of both Asian and Hispanic businesses, but pretty interesting to visit. I enjoyed this festival very much, and there is good news if you are in the Denver area: the festival continues today from 11:00 until 4:00. This time with dragon dancers. What could be better than that?

Having A Drink With Wally and Susan At A Place With No Name

I had a happy hour drink yesterday afternoon with my friend Wally and sister Susan - seen in the photograph above - at a place with no name. Seriously. There was no sign outside telling what it is, except for a poster advertising free happy hour spaghetti between 3 and 6. I have driven past that storefront a number of times, and have occasionally seen people going in and out, but had no idea what it was until Wally showed me a mailing he received promoting it as a quiet neighborhood spot, and suggested we try it. It is located in the University of Denver neighborhood near the corner of University and Evans. This spot was formerly occupied by Asbury Provisions, and before that by Renegade Brewing Company, which is the last time I visited that space. It is indeed a nice quiet place, with an old wood bar, and seems to be frequented by locals, many of whom the bartender knew by name. And yes, we all tried the spaghetti, in addition to having drinks. It did not have much sauce on it, but was still tasty, and best of all, free. My favorite price point. Wally is doing well, and he and his wife Linda are making frequent trips out to the Bay Area to visit their son and daughter and their families. On their next trip they will be celebrating the 1st birthday of one of their grandkids. Hopefully they will have a little time left over to roam around that beautiful city for a bit. Great to see you, Wally!

Let The Baseball Spring Training Games Begin!

All is quiet at Coors Field here in Denver today, as is the case at all the other major league stadiums across the country, but down in Florida and Arizona, baseball spring training games have begun. Down in Arizona, my South Side heroes, the Chicago White Sox are playing their North Side rivals, the Chicago Cubs, at Sloan Park in Mesa, while my adopted hometown team, the Colorado Rockies, are playing the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottdale. I am especially interested in that White Sox-Cubs contest. It is possible that neither team will win today, since during the spring extra innings are not played if the game is tied at the end of the 9th. Now THAT would be a sign of things to come. But why be pessimistic? Time to get that bet down on a White Sox-Cubs World Series. Anything is possible in the spring, right? Except probably that, of course.

Lunching With Stuart At Old Chicago

I had lunch yesterday with my friend Stuart at the Old Chicago Pizza and Taproom in Lakewood, Colorado, a suburb just to the west of Denver whose heart and soul revolves around West Colfax Avenue, which is itself one of most soulless stretches of asphalt in not just this country, but the world. But is nonetheless its sole claim to fame. But happily, you can't see Lakewood from the bar at Old Chicago, where I took the photograph above of Stuart. Over lunch, we discussed a number of topics, including the fact that baseball spring training games begin tomorrow. I reminded Stuart that his favorite team, the Chicago Cubs (he grew up on the North Side of Chicago, which explains his misguided loyalty) are projected to finish first in the National League Central. Which he was disappointed to hear. He believes that prediction will curse them for sure, and they are now doomed to finish last. And, of course, I am an expert in teams finishing in last place, having grown up on the South Side of Chicago and therefore a lifelong White Sox fan. On the positive side, I read that the White Sox have signed and traded for some very promising players this year, as well as having the number one pick in the MLB draft, so things are looking up these days on the South Side. As for our adopted hometown team, the Colorado Rockies, who lost 119 games last season and had the worst starting pitching in the history of baseball, they now have new management, people who actually know something about baseball. Last year, the Rockies loaded their roster with rookies from the minor leagues, most of whom were not ready for the big leagues, with obvious results. This year, the team is adding veterans to the lineup and keeping rookies not ready for the big leagues down on the farm until they are indeed ready. What a concept!

Celebrating Fat Tuesday At New Terrain!

My sister Susan and I stopped by New Terrain Brewing Company up in Golden, Colorado yesterday afternoon to celebrate Fat Tuesday. I expected a live Dixieland band, people in costumes dancing and throwing beads at everyone, and just pure craziness before Ash Wednesday arrived at midnight. And surprisingly, there was none of that. In fact, the crowd seemed pretty laid back, as seen in the photograph above. Nobody present looked like they were planning to give up alcohol for Lent. In any case, it's turned a bit nippy here on the Front Range of Colorado lately and so only a single couple was out on the patio, which is famous for its views of Table Mesa and North Table Mountain. All seemed to prefer having a pint in the warmth of the taproom and view the scenery from inside. Good beer, nice view, friendly people. Perhaps that's the best Fat Tuesday celebration of all. Take that New Orleans.

Fat Tuesday!

Today is Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras in French), a big day in New Orleans, which celebrates with parades, street parties, music, costumes, and feasting. Here in Denver, nothing nearly so exciting. As for down in Stuart, Florida, last year Terra Fermata, a live outdoor music venue located in Stuart's downtown entertainment district and seen in the photograph above, celebrated Fat Tuesday with Lefty Hathaway's Dr. John Tribute. This year it celebrated Fat Tuesday on Sunday (is that even legal?) with a Mardi Gras Show- Dixieland Jazz and Jam with Michael and the Fluid Band. The interesting thing about Terra Fermata is that as far as I know, it is the only live music venue located in Stuart's entertainment district. And last year, not too long after Fat Tuesday, neighbors annoyed about the sound levels there prompted the Stuart City Commission to consider a change to the city's noise ordinance, which would have probably put Terra Fermata out of business, basically leaving Stuart's entertainment district with no entertainment. Fortunately, wiser heads prevailed, and they left the noise ordinance alone. I wonder if they have the same problem in New Orleans? I suspect not.

President's Day Weekend!

This is President's Day Weekend, and here in Denver, winter has yet to arrive, and so what seems like the entire city is taking advantage of the springlike weather and getting outdoors. Denver had a high of 69 degrees on Sunday, while today is forecast to have a high of 68. I drove past Washington Park yesterday, and it looked like one long line of people walking the 2-mile path circling those grounds. I was headed up to Golden, and when I got there, found that every parking space in front of the Golden History Park - the gateway to the trails along Cleer Creek - were taken. And the streets of downtown Golden were packed, as seen in the photograph above. For one long weekend, it was finally time to stop thinking about the record low snowpack, the dwindling reservoirs, and the extreme fire danger, and just enjoy the weather. Time enough to worry about all that later. But there is some hope. The weather forecasters are predicting a snowstorm in the Colorado mountains this week, which has the possibility of easing the crisis somewhat. While Denver and the Front Range will remain dry and relatively warm, the accumulation of snow in the mountains will help the entire state. And if that snow doesn't materialize, I suggest the State of Colorado hire experienced Native Americans to do some traditional North American rain dances. Can't hurt, right? And it would provide great entertainment, too, if they did those dances at places such as the 16th Street Mall. Have a nice rest of the weekend everyone, and as they say up in Breckenridge, pray for rain.

The February Issue Of Chicago Magazine

I just finished reading the February issue of Chicago Magazine. The cover story is titled The Savvy Parent's Guide to Raising Kids in Chicago, which, not having children, did not sound too interesting to me. However, I did enjoy reading about Chicago's Best Bar for Babies, which turns out to be Rockwell's Neighborhood Grill, located in the Ravenswood Gardens neighborhood on Chicago's North Side. The article was written by a new father in the first days of parenthood, and tells how he and his wive, along with their 2-month-old baby in a stroller, found Rockwell's, with its large patio filled with screaming kids running around, strollers parked to the side, and "exhausted parents silently chugging craft beers." The 312 section's Listing of the Month is an 8,360 square-foot Evanston mansion built in 1912, five blocks from Lake Michigan, which comes with a 2-bedroom coach house, for sale for just under $2.5 million. This when here in Denver a modern 3-story house on the east side of Washington Park just went on sale for $9 million. What's wrong with this picture? There is also an article about Chicago's $40 billion debt, and how the city has been kicking it down the road each year through refinancing, risking dropping the city's credit rating down to the point its municipal bonds will be unsellable. I also enjoyed reading speculation in The 312 section about who might run for mayor against current mayor Brandon Johnson, whose popularity is currently in the tank. And surprisingly, there are a number of possible candidates who sound quite competent, including Susana Mendoza, the current Illinois comptroller, who reduced the state's backlog of unpaid bills from $16.7 billion to under $3 billion. Does she sound like a possibility or what? All in all, another pretty interesting issue.

When In Golden, It's Hard To Miss The Coors Brewery

Coors Brewery has been in Golden, Colorado since 1873, and is the largest single-site brewery in the world. And when you are in Golden, it is hard to miss. It starts right beyond Washington Avenue, the town's main drag, as seen in the photograph above, and seems to go on eastward for miles. When I was first married, my then wife Lisa directed the choir at a local church in Golden, and virtually everyone I met back then either worked at Coors or the Colorado School of Mines, also located in Golden. Hard to believe, but at that time Coors had a century-old policy of providing free beer on the job to employees during breaks, lunches, and the half-hour after work, although as far as I know, the Colorado School of Mines did not. That policy ended in 1994 for obvious reasons. These days the company is called Molson Coors and is headquartered in both Chicago and Montreal, with the Coors and Molson families well-represented on the Board of Directors. And yes, you can indeed tour the Coors Brewery up in Golden for $20, after which you get three samples of - wait for it - Molson Coors products. Yum!

Historic El Rancho - Soon To Be Riding Into The Sunset?

El Rancho, seen in the photograph on the left, has been a landmark in Evergreen, Colorado since 1948, when it opened as a cafe and trading post. It quickly became a beloved dining spot, famous for its views of the Colorado mountains. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was a frequent guest. In fact, I read somewhere that Eisenhower was friends with the owner, and thanks to a U.S. Post Office opening in the building in 1956, El Rancho was able to get its own exit off Interstate 70. Having your own exit sign off busy Interstate 70 definitely did not hurt El Rancho's business. I remember having Thanksgiving dinner there once with my sister Susan and late brother-in-law George and admiring that wonderful view. I also remember having a drink in their bar area several times, too. The walls were made of logs, a fire was lit in the fireplace, and it was like being in a rustic mountain lodge.

In any case, after changing hands several times, it was purchased out of bankruptcy to save it from demolition, but after a dispute with the celebrity chef about the future direction of the restaurant, the owners sold the building to Quik Trip, who will build a gas station on the site. There has been a proposal to move the building across the street where a new development called The Observatory will be built, and a local bicycle shop called Evergreen Bicycle Outfitters agreed to buy the relocated building and move their shop into part of the space, as well as reinstate the original brewery and upstairs lodgings. However, to offset the high cost of this proposal, local developer Observatory Holdings made a request to the Jefferson County Commissioners to approve a metro district for El Rancho to help finance public infrastructure, such as roads, utilities, sidewalks, etc. However, the application was denied 2-1 by the Board of County Commissioners, citing uncertainty about the financial viability of the district. And so, if that ruling stands, El Rancho is toast. So much for saving one of Jefferson County's landmarks. Is there still a chance the building still might be moved, anyway. Only if someone with deep pockets takes an interest. We'll just have to see.

The View From The Wynkoop

My sister Susan and I stopped into the Wynkoop Brewing Company in Lower Downtown Denver (LoDo) for a beer the other day, where I snapped a photograph of the view out the window, as seen above. During the summer, I love to sit on the outside patio after attending a Rockies game and watch the crowds stroll past on their way home (Coors Field is just two blocks away), but during the winter, it is best to just take a seat in the bar area and avoid pneumonia. The Wynkoop is pretty quiet this time of year, especially on a weeknight, but a great spot to hang out and enjoy its1890s vibe. In any case, just across the street on the left side of the photo is the Icehouse Lofts, which was originally constructed in 1880 or 1903, depending on which website you look at, and was home to Littleton Creamery and Beatrice Foods Cold Storage Warehouse before being converted into lofts back in 1998. Currently there are two units for sale there - a 1-bedroom, 1.5 bath unit on the 2nd floor selling for $550,000, and a 2-bedroom, 2-bath unit on the 6th floor selling for $1.3 million. Both of which seem to me a bit pricey. On the other hand, the Rodizio Grill Brazilian Steakhouse is located on the first floor of the building, offering its sampling of a dozen rotisserie-grilled meats for $51.95, easily affordable to someone who can afford to live in that building. Or, if you are on a tight budget due to your 1-million-dollar mortgage, you can always just cross the street and have a $6 happy hour IPA at the Wynkoop. I myself intend to just skip the $1.3 million unit and continue to drive the 20 minutes to the Wynkoop from my current residence. No matter what the price of gas is.

The February Mutt Of The Month

I took the photograph above of the February Mutt of the Month the Sunday after New Year's Day on the patio of New Terrain Brewing Company in Golden, Colorado. As you can see, that dog was happy to pose for the photo, no doubt bored out of its mind while its owner and her friends were relaxing and having a couple of beers. And yes, that group, as well as everyone else, was hanging out without jackets at the beginning of January in Colorado. Having occasional warm days during the winter is not unusual here in the Denver area, but this year, except for maybe a day or to, we have not yet had winter weather. Flowers are beginning to bloom, the snowpack is at an historic low, and there is great fear that Colorado will have severe drought conditions and a high risk of wildfires this coming summer if conditions don't change. Which is why everyone is praying for a very snowy March and April, which are traditionally the two snowiest months in Colorado. Pleasant patio weather is all well and good, but not at the cost of endangering the state.

Spring Training Begins At Last!

Pitchers and catchers report to their spring training ballparks in Florida and Arizona this week, with the rest of the team arriving five days later. This is a wonderful time of year for baseball fans. Every team in major league baseball has a chance to win it all, no matter what the experts predict. My South Side heroes, the Chicago White Sox, report to Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona today, anxious to get started with their climb back to respectability. Meanwhile, their North Side rivals, the Chicago Cubs, are having their pitchers and catchers report to Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona tomorrow, no doubt confident they are destined to finish first this year in the NL Central and move on to the playoffs. My adopted hometown team, the Colorado Rockies, are waiting until Thursday for pitchers and catchers to report to Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, Arizona. As Rockies fans will remember, the pitching staff put up a 6.65 ERA last season, the worst in major league baseball since 1901, and the starting rotation tied a modern-era record with 93 losses. The Rockies missed tying the White Sox for the worst record in the history of baseball by 2 games, finishing with 119 losses. Perhaps management wants to put off seeing that pitching staff back in action as long as they can. Thursday doesn't work? How about next week instead? And yes, the photograph above is still another that I took at the late, great Municipal Stadium in West Palm Beach during spring training back in March of 1996. Since I haven't been to a spring training game since then, I have a very limited number of spring training photos to show. Perhaps that's for the best.

Super Bowl Sunday! Time To Finally Take Down That Xmas Tree!

Yesterday was Super Bowl Sunday, the day I finally decided to take down my Christmas tree, seen in all its glory in the photograph on the left. I was originally going to take it down February 2nd, which is day on which the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ, also known as Candlemas, is celebrated, since I read on the internet that it was the day many Christians took down their trees, thus giving me an excuse for leaving it up so long. But then February 2nd rolled around, and I thought about having to take the hundreds of framed painting and prints out of my storage locker (all belonging to my sister Susan, I might add) to make room for the box containing that massive tree, and then having to put all those paintings and prints back in front of and on top of that box. And then decided that since I wasn't religious, I would do something more traditional in America - take down the tree while watching the big game. Which used to be the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day, but now, I firmly believe, is the Super Bowl. Makes sense, right? And by the way, Americans ate 1.5 billion chicken wings yesterday, and the Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots 29-13. Now you know everything.

Goldens In Golden 2026

Yesterday was Goldens in Golden Day, the largest gathering of Golden Retrievers in the world. It takes place in Golden, Colorado and attracts over 10,000 people and 3,500 dogs in celebration of International Golden Retrievers Day. I drove to Golden for this event last year, just as it was ending. The main events, including a group photograph of thousands of owners and their Golden Retrievers taken in front of the Golden Welcome Arch on Washington Avenue, were long over, although there were still a lot of people with their dogs wandering around, as seen in the above photograph. And, of course, there was not a parking space in sight. Golden has made virtually every residential street around the 12th Street Historic District "residents only" parking, leaving very few spaces for visitors, especially 10,000 of them. But what I most remember was the traffic, which was at a standstill for what seemed like hours. Afterwards, I think there were a lot of complaints, and so this year, Golden instituted a shuttle from an off-site parking lot. However, I decided to skip the festivities this year. For one thing, waiting for a shuttle to take you downtown and then waiting to catch one on the way back takes a lot of time. Which, despite being retired, I don't seem to have a lot of these days. Plus, those buses get very crowded, not only with people but with all those dogs, too. And for another, I was not sure I wanted to be in a one-block area with 10,000 people and their 3,500 Golden Retrievers. Does that mean I have turned into an old fuddy-duddy? Don't answer that.

Getting Together With The Leeds United Colorado Supporters At DNVR

My friend Mark (seen in the photograph above) and I got together yesterday afternoon with the Leeds United Colorado supporters at the DNVR Bar here in Denver. And I must say, I was impressed with the turnout. There were over 20 people there at 1:00 P.M. on a Friday afternoon to watch Leeds play Nottingham Forest in a Premier League soccer match. I like this group a lot. They are a friendly bunch and have members that actually come from Yorkshire. Which makes sense, because I really think you need to have a connection to Leeds and Yorkshire to root for this team, since Leeds United is not, as far as I know, a well-known team in the U.S. Mark, of course, has friends in Leeds, visited there a number of times, and has attended soccer matches at Elland Road, Leed's home stadium. The game started at 8:00 P.M. local time and it looked to me like it was pouring down rain the entire time (although I hear February in the UK is usually very lovely). In any case, Leeds came out strong, scoring 2 goals in the first half and 1 in the second to win 3-1, sending all those fans home happy, not only with the win, but also being here in Denver with sunshine and temperatures in the 60s instead of watching the game live in Leeds in the cold, pouring down rain.

The Final Weekend Of The Honest Eye: Camille Pissarro's Impressionism

This is the final weekend of the Camille Pissarro retrospective at the Denver Art Museum (The DAM). My sister Susan and I decided to tour the exhibit one more time yesterday afternoon in order to take a closer look at the artwork, since the last time we went was on a Sunday, and the place was packed, making getting close to the artwork and the explanatory labels very difficult.  Yesterday was a beautiful day here in Denver, sunny with a high of 66 degrees, making the walk from the car to the DAM's Hamilton Building, where the exhibit is being held and seen in the photograph on the left, very pleasant. And by the way, this building was designed by architect Daniel Libeskind, his first completed building in the U.S. Libeskind said was inspired by the state's craggy mountain peaks when designing the building, but also found Denver and its people very dynamic, and wanted lively architecture to let the public know that new things are going on in this building. Of course, I knew there had to be a reason for why it looks like that, but in any case, the building is indeed a great place to display art.

And happily, the exhibit was indeed a lot less crowded, as seen in the photograph on the right, allowing us to take our time and learn more about Pissarro and his work. I really didn't know anything about him before this show and was surprised to learn he was considered the "dean of the Impressionists," as well as a father figure to them. And I really like his work, especially his paintings of Paris. And so, if you want to see this exhibit, you have only three days left. It is definitely worth seeing. And if you are a DAM member, you and whoever you bring can get in for $5 each, which to me is one hell of a bargain.

Lunch With Stuart At Spanky's

I had a late lunch yesterday afternoon with my friend Stuart, as seen in the photograph above, at Spanky's Roadhouse, located just to the west of the University of Denver campus. And as you can see, being an alumnus, Stuart is proudly wearing his DU sweatshirt. Of course, just to be clear, 1864 is the year DU was founded, not the year Stuart graduated. In any case, we discussed a wide range of topics over lunch, including Donald Trump's latest antics, and a little baseball, too. Stuart was surprised to learn that the Rockies have actually hired a new president of baseball operations and a new general manager who actually know something about baseball, which gives hope to Rockies fans everywhere. Although I have to say, the Fangraphs projected 2026 standings show the Rockies finishing in last place with a 65-97 record. On the other hand, the Chicago Cubs, Stuart's team (he is from the North Side of Chicago) are predicted to finish in first place with an 86-76 record. As for my South Side heroes, the Chicago White Sox, Fangraphs predicts they will once again finish in last place with a 68-94 record, even with the Pope on their side. Still another losing season on the South Side? Say it ain't so, Joe!