Ironwood

I just finished reading Ironwood, Michael Connelly's latest novel, which features Sheriff's Detective Sergent Stillwell, who is charge of the sheriff's substation on Catalina Island, located 22 miles off the coast of Southern California. This is the second book in the series, and although I did not think that first book measured up to Connelly's other series, I really enjoyed this latest thriller. The plot centers around two cases Stillwell is investigating. One involves an alleged drug drop at the local airport, which results in the killing of one of his deputies and the wounding of another. Stillwell is ordered to stay away from the case while put on temporary leave during an investigation of the incident. He busies himself with the mundane task of cleaning out the station's lost and found and discovers the suitcase of a hiker who went missing on the island 4 years ago, although the suitcase was only turned in several months earlier. All this leads to the hunt for a serial killer, with Stillwell teaming up with Detective Renee Ballard and the LAPD's Open-Unsolved Unit. On top of this, he learns that the killing of his deputy at the airport was a targeted hit. This is a fast-paced, exciting story which I really enjoyed, and I now have to admit that this series ranks right up there with Connelly's others. Be sure to pick up a copy at your local library for a good summer read.

An Unforgettable Crosstown Series

The Crosstown Series between my South Side heroes, the Chicago White Sox, and their North Side rivals, the Chicago Cubs, ended yesterday afternoon with a 3-0 White Sox victory, after the Sox lost the first two games to the Cubs, each decided by walk-offs. Both teams are contending for the post-season, and all three contests were played with playoff-like intensity. In the first game on Monday night, fights broke out in the Wrigley Field bleachers between Cubs and White Sox fans as emotions ran high. For the record, the White Sox took the first series against the Cubs in the spring, while the Cubs took this one, each winning 3 games against the other for the year. The Cubs are currently in second place, 4 1/2 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central and 20 games over .500, while the White Sox are in first place, 4 games in front of the Minnesota Twins in the American League Central and 6 games over .500. The AL Central is admittedly a weaker division, but while the Cubs were expected to go to the playoffs, the White Sox, with a roster filled with rookies and coming off two 100 loss seasons, are the big surprise in baseball this year, to the delight of White Sox fans everywhere. And yes, that is indeed a White Sox fan wearing his official White Sox Pope Hat to yesterday's game at Wrigley Field. The Sox started winning as soon as Pope Leo, a White Sox fan from the South Side of Chicago, became pope. It is important to give credit where credit is due, right?

Buyers Beware! There Are Only 10 Weeks Until Halloween!

I was walking around the Stuart Centre here in Stuart, Florida yesterday afternoon and stopped in at Five Below, which is a discount store where most items are priced at $5 or less. And the first thing I saw was the Halloween display seen in the photograph above. This is, of course, August 19th, a mere 10 weeks until Halloween, and so I assume people are getting pretty anxious about getting their Halloween shopping done. Even back in Denver, I noticed a Spirit Halloween store already open at a former Big 5 Sporting Goods Store on South Colorado Boulevard. Halloween is a big deal these days for the twenty-something crowd. But then again, it has been for years. The Saturday before Halloween has always been the night for hipsters to dress up in costume and head to Lower Downtown Denver (LoDo) and party the night away. And years ago, the crowds on Boulder's Pearl Street Mall on that same Saturday night grew so large and rowdy that eventually, for several years, police had to seal off the city and allow only residents in on that particular night before finally putting an end to what was called the Mall Crawl. And do they celebrate like that here in Stuart? I suspect not so much, although I must say there are a lot of those 8-foot giant skeletons around, which most people leave up all year long. What is the deal with that? The undead making a statement?

A Return Visit To The Busch Wildlife Sanctuary

My sister Susan and I returned to the Busch Wildlife Sanctury, located in Jupiter, Florida, yesterday afternoon after a previous visit to the center last year, and we are glad we did. Last year we simply walked around and looked at the animals on display and went home, while this year we attended several wildlife presentations, which were very informative. The Busch Wildlife Sanctuary's mission is to protect and conserve Florida's wildlife and habitats, and they are a nationally recognized leader in wildlife rehabilitation. They rescue sick, injured, and orphaned Florida wildlife with the goal of returning them back into the wild. They treat over 5,000 animals a year, and those that cannot be released are kept at the sanctuary and are available for the public to view, such as the opossum in the photograph on the left, which lost its tail, which affects balance, climbing, and exposes it to predators.

During a talk about the various animals at the sanctuary, we were told how some of those animals wound up with them. One story concerned someone who built a house in an area inhabited by a bear and killed it. Concerned neighbors contacted the Busch Wildlife Sanctury, letting them know that the bear had two cubs, which were then found about a mile away from the center and rescued by them. Since the two cubs were raised by humans, they could not be released into back into the wild and so are now permanent residents. I am not sure why the two Florida panthers on display are also permanent residents, but I was able to capture one of the two with my camera, as seen in the photograph on the right.

And this being Florida, they of course have some alligators on the property. In the reptile house are two baby alligators that were orphaned and are not yet big enough to survive in the wild on their own. After a year or two, when they are able to fend for themselves, they will be released. On the other end of the spectrum, the alligator in the photograph on the left is 43 years old and was one of the reasons the animal sanctuary came into existence. Evidently a kid found an egg and took it home, opening up the shell and discovering a baby alligator. When it got too big for the household, it became one if not the first occupants of the facility. Because it was born prematurely, it has birth defects that prevent it from being released into the swamp, one of them being that it can only open its mouth about 4 inches, which would spell death in the wild. Susan and I attended the 4:00 o'clock feeding, which consisted of feeding it frozen mice - yum! - which I duly photographed, but I decided to use the photograph showing it relaxing after dinner instead. In any case, everyone at the Busch Wildlife Sanctury was friendly and helpful, and made it an entertaining experience.  It is definitely worth visiting if you are in the area. There is no admission fee, but donations are welcome.

Missing Two Festivals In One Day - A New Record!

My sister Susan and I missed two festivals in a single day yesterday afternoon, which I believe has never happened before. We were planning to attend both the Delray Coastal Showcase at Old School Square in Delray Beach, Florida, which was supposed to feature "talented local artists, skilled makers, and creative entrepreneurs." After that, we were going to attend Oban Weekend at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, also in Delray Beach, which would include a walk through six distinct historical Japanese Gardens and "live taiko drumming performances in the spirit of Oban," as well as a lantern floating at the end of the day. However, when we arrived in Delray Beach and got to Old School Square, seen in the photograph on the left, there were no artists, skilled makers, or creative entrepreneurs to be seen. I knew this was going to be a low-key kind of show, but I definitely didn't expect this. And I still don't know why the event didn't take place. In any case, instead, we walked around downtown Delray Beach for a while and really enjoyed hanging out in that vibrant city, which was quite lively even during the summer.

As for the Oban Festival, Susan, my mother Mary, and I attended this event years ago. As I recall, it involved a LOT of taiko drumming, which Susan really seemed to get into, as seen in the photograph on the right that I took at the time. But the highlight of the festival was at the end, at sunset, when everyone launched a "guiding light lantern" into a pond, which was quite an impressive and moving experience. I tried to take photographs of those floating lanterns, but it was too dark and the photos never turned out. This time, however, I planned to use my Lumix camera with the fast, 1.4 Leica lens and get a decent result. But then I read the festival's web page and found out that "the only lantern floating will take place during the Launch the Lantern Dinner on Sunday evening."  And the cost of this dinner was $200 per person. I know for a fact that the last time we went to that event, everyone there was able to stay until the lantern floating, and we did not pay $200 each for the privilege. And as for the drumming, I had enough of that the first time, even if it was 25 or 30 years ago. And so, we skipped the Oban Festival and took a nice drive back to Stuart along the ocean, which cost us far less than $200 each.

A Visit To Harbourside Place

Yesterday afternoon I stopped by Harbourside Place, which is located in Jupiter, Florida, to walk around and stretch my legs a little bit. Harbourside Place is a mixed-use development along the intercoastal waterway that now functions as Jupiter's downtown. I really like the landscaping and the location along the water, which makes for a pleasant place to hang out, as seen in the photograph on the left. This complex is filled with upscale shops, a luxury hotel, a marina, offices, and, needless to say, pricey restaurants. In fact, this is the location of The Woods, a restaurant owned by none other than Tiger Woods, which made me wonder what Tiger was up to these days.

The last time we were in Florida, my sister Susan and I were driving down South Beach Road on Jupiter Island when we came upon a police car blocking the road. We were told it was temporarily closed and that we needed to turn back the way we came. This was on March 27th and I later found out the road was closed because of a rollover crash involving Tiger Woods, who was later charged with suspicion of DUI involving the use of pain killers he was taking after multiple operations and injuries. The last I heard, he had flown to Switzerland to undergo rehab. When I got home, I checked online and found that Woods has completed rehab and made his first public appearance since his return at an event for the PGA tour back on June 23rd. He has stated his intention to return to professional golf "once his pain management routine stabilizes consistently and provides him with the relief he needs to compete again." And going the extra mile in doing research on the subject, I discovered that someone named Larry from New York City wrote that he had a great time dining at The Woods back on July 9th and caught sight of Tiger while there. Woods, of course, has a 12-acre Jupiter Island estate not too far from the restaurant. What I want to know is if he was tending bar or just waiting tables. Inquiring minds want to know.

Returning To The Sailor's Return - What A Difference Three Months Make

My sister Susan and I stopped by the Sailor's Return's outdoor patio this past Tuesday for happy hour, and what a difference it was from the last time we were here.  The Sailor's Return, seen on the right in the photograph on the left, is located in the Sunset Bay Marina along the St. Lucie River in Stuart, Florida, and is a really nice place to sit and have a drink. During "The Season," it is virtually impossible to find a parking space, and if you do, when you leave, you will find a line of cars parked right behind yours, requiring the valet move the one blocking your car. And finding a table to sit at on the patio is a real challenge, too. 

But happily, on a Tuesday night in August, there was no such problem. As you can see from the photograph on the right, there was plenty of room for all. The place did fill up a bit as we were leaving, but there were still plenty of tables available with a view of the boats (mostly yachts) in the marina. And thanks to the awnings and a breeze off the river, it was perfectly comfortable despite the high temps and humidity. This is the Florida I got to know when visiting my parents Nelson and Mary after they moved down to Stuart back in 1976. Working as the Finance Manager of the University of Denver Bookstore, the best time to go on vacation was in August, when the students were on summer break. And so, I was used to uncrowded restaurants, very little traffic, and a very relaxed small-town feel. After my father passed away, I began to make more frequent trips down to Stuart to visit my mother, but never during the January through March period that draws the big crowds. After taking our condo back from our renters two years ago, and spending more time down here, I finally began to understand why the locals have such a love - hate relationship with the "snowbirds." They need their business but are definitely happy to see them head back north. At last, they can get a damn table at a waterfront restaurant. A miracle!

The Marina Next Door

I always find it fascinating to be living part of the year here in Stuart, Florida and so close to the water and the boats that are docked along the shoreline. The complex where the condo my sister Susan and I inherited from our parents, Nelson and Mary, is located is referred to as a "yacht and country club," but although it does have a nine-hole golf course on one side of the street and a yacht club along the St. Lucie River on the other side, which is where our condo is located, you will find no boats there, since the condo association was never allowed to dredge. However, the condo complex next door to our building has canals that connect with the river and allow every owner to have a space for their boat in front of their unit. And on the other side of our building is a boat dealership which has a marina connected to it, which is near where I took the photograph on the left. You used to be able to go out on the pier at that marina and look at the boats docked there, but now there is a fence guarding the place and a gate that requires a key code to get in. Now that seems damned unfriendly.

Years ago, our parents knew people who lived at the condo complex next door, and we felt free to wander around and look at the boats whenever we wanted. If someone questioned us, we would just say we were friends of Evelyn or Imelda, and that would be that, although in point of fact, nobody ever questioned us. I took the photograph on the right of my father at that complex back in the late 1970s or early 1980s. All those people are gone now, and these are different times. If Susan and I decided to walk around there today, I suspect we would be chased off the property immediately, or this being Florida, perhaps shot. I should definitely read up on the state's "Make my Day" law before we try that. Is it just me, or are people a lot less friendly and trusting these days? Nah - probably just my imagination.

A Baseball Update: Sox Win! Sox Win! Sox Win!

I watched my South Side heroes, the Chicago White Sox, beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-0 last night at on MLB.com, thanks to a 7 inning, one hit, no run pitching performance by veteran pitcher Luis Castillo, who was making his debut at Rate Field in Chicago. Castillo, a three-time All-Star, was traded by the Seattle Mariners to the White Sox back on August 1st. The Sox are in first place in the American League Central, three and a half games in front of the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers, and traded for Castillo to strengthen their starting rotation in hopes of making the playoffs. The Sox have put together a really good team this year, after finishing with a 60-102 record last season and finishing the 2024 season 41-121, the worst record in MLB history. Of course, it must be noted that Pope Leo, who was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago and is a White Sox fan, became pope on May 8th, 2025, and the Sox started their winning ways not too long after that. And this year they are in first place. A coincidence, you say? I think not. In fact, just this past Tuesday was Pope Night at Rate Field, and the Sox gave out more than 40,000 pope hats to the fans. Good times have finally returned to the South Side. As for their North Side rivals, the Chicago Cubs, they are currently 21 games over .500 and seem to be a cinch for the playoffs. My hopes for a cross-town World Series remain alive! As for my adopted hometown team, the Colorado Rockies, they are currently the third worst team in baseball but far better than last year, when they lost 119 games, 3 short of overtaking the White Sox for that worst team record. The Rockies are indeed making progress, but are at least several years away from actually competing for a playoff spot. Nothing surprising there, of course, but at least there is now hope for the future. Something that wasn't there last year.

Living In A Parallel Universe

The Florida primary is less than a week away, and all the local channels are filled with political ads. And watching these ads, I am struck by how different the messages are from what I perceive as reality. The war in Iran is driving up costs and looking like a never-ending quagmire. Affordability is the main concern for a majority of Americans. Health professionals are worried about false claims undermining faith in vaccines. And I have read countless articles about how Republicans are very worried about the party's prospects in the midterms. And yet in their television ads to win the Republican primary for Florida's 22nd Congressional District, they address none of these concerns. Virtually all the candidates stress how they have a business background, like Trump, are an outsider, like Trump, if elected will help Trump "drain the swamp" and work to deport all the criminal illegal immigrants. It is like the past 18 months never happened. Is this really what Florida voters want to hear from someone running for Congress? Are these still the major concerns of Florida Republicans? It is indeed like living in parallel universes. Of course, I will never try to discuss any of these issues with anyone down here. As far as I can tell, everyone, even little old ladies - two of whom I overheard last summer at Stuart Beach discussing the handguns they had in their purses - are armed. It is Florida, after all. Just try Googling "Florida Man" and you'll see what I mean. Fox 35 television in Orlando even has a separate webpage devoted to Florida Man. Check it out at https://www.fox35orlando.com/tag/florida-man.

Turtle Nesting Season Is Here!

I visited Stuart Beach the other day, and as soon as I stepped off the boardwalk into the sand, I saw the triangular barriers seen in the photograph on the left, reminding me it is still turtle nesting season here in Florida (it runs from March 1st through October 31st). Protecting these nests is a big deal around here. The Florida Oceanographic Society, located across the street from Stuart Beach, offers nighttime sea turtle walks, which begin at 9:00 P.M. and last until midnight or later for people who would like to watch a nesting sea turtle in person. The cost for the evening is $35. I have been tempted to take one of these excursions, but there is no guarantee you will actually witness one of those gigantic loggerheads nesting. Beach scouts are sent out to look for nesting turtles, but if none are located by 11:30, everyone goes home and you are out your $35. Plus, the website says to be prepared for rain, humidity, bugs, and soft sand. Fun!

It is much easier simply watching the sea turtle hatchlings head toward the ocean. Back in July of 1984 my then-wife Lisa, sister Susan, mother Mary and I visited Stuart Beach and just by chance witnessed hatchlings making their way to the sea, as seen in the photograph on the right. At that time sea turtles were being rehabilitated in the basement of the nearby House of Refuge Museum and this event might have been sponsored by them. Eventually, a separate rehabilitation and research facility, the Loggerhead Marinelife Center, was built in Juno Beach, Florida and allows visitors to see giant loggerhead turtles, some weighing up to 400 pounds, swimming around in their tanks during recovery. And when fully recovered, they offer visitors the chance to see these giant turtles return to the sea. They also host evenings for guests to watch hatchlings be released to the sea that hatched and then were excavated by the organization's research staff that day. These events take place in the month of August and cost $40. Five dollars more than the turtle nesting event, but at least you are guaranteed to see something. Which is a big plus.

The Very Rich Are Different Than You And Me - They Can't Take The Heat

I drove down to Palm Beach, Florida from Stuart yesterday afternoon. As expected, that bastion of wealth was pretty quiet on a hot summer Sunday afternoon. Unlike during the season, there were open parking spaces at both the beach and on Worth Avenue. And not surprisingly, there were few if any Bentley convertible sports cars, Aston Martins, Rolls-Royces or Ferraris parked on that glitzy street. The very rich are no doubt staying at one of their other mansions up north or in Europe until "The Season," when the temperatures are much more moderate, no doubt a precaution to make sure they don't melt. Many of their superyachts are gone from their berths on Lake Worth, and the ones that remain, such as the one in the photograph on the left, are sitting empty. And I couldn't help but notice that back in Stuart, I have neither seen nor heard a single private jet land or take off from Witham Field since I arrived here. During the winter and early spring, one of those jets would be landing every 5 minutes on Friday afternoons and leaving like clockwork on Sunday afternoons or Monday mornings.

And, of course, Mar-a Lago, Donald Trump's private club, was also completely deserted, except for the police cruisers surrounding it. As everyone knows, Donald Trump definitely can't stand the heat, which is why he lashes out at anyone who says or writes something he doesn't like. But he also does not seem to like the hot weather in Florida, either. His club closes down after Mother's Day in May, and does not reopen until Halloween, when one of the many parties held at that club takes place. What did surprise me was that the road that goes past Mar-a-Lago has reopened to traffic, which is how I obtained the photograph on the right. Usually, this road would close when Trump was in town, and reopen after he returned to Washington, but after the Iran War started, it was closed "until further notice" due to "enhanced security measures," to the delight of everyone who had to take a long detour if they needed to drive south on Ocean Boulevard. The road finally reopened to traffic on May 4th, no doubt when town officials finally realized that damn war was probably never going to end.

Back To Florida To Avoid The Heat!

It is once again time to leave Denver and its 100-degree plus temperatures for Stuart, Florida. Granted, it can be a tad humid in Stuart these days, and there are those afternoon showers (i.e. tropical downpours) that occur during the summer, but those cool breezes off the ocean make up for all that, and the crowds of people that are there during "the season" are long gone. We started the day out with the Uber being 15 minutes late, and then when it did arrive, it was nowhere to be seen. The driver called and told me he didn't see anyone out front and drove to the back door, and so I told him my sister Susan and I would meet him there.  And when we got there, the car wasn't there either. He had returned to the front. Where we went next. There was not room enough in the trunk for our two suitcases, two carry-on bags, and Susan's walker, and the driver informed me I should have ordered an SUV. There was construction going on around the intersection by the freeway entrance, which delayed us a bit more, and the driver told me I should have ordered an earlier car, even though the Uber app told me 8:30 A.M. was the recommended time. After that, we made good progress but had to wait in line to check the bags and wait for a wheelchair to arrive. We made it to the gate just as the plane was beginning to board. After arriving in Baltimore to catch our connecting flight, we saw that the plane's departure would be delayed from 6:30pm until 7:30pm. Then 8:30. And then 9:30. And finally, evidently 10:30pm became the magic time, and we arrived at President Donald J. Trump International Airport (don't you just love that? Unbelievable) in West Palm Beach at 1:03 A.M. And the name of this airline that gave no explanation for this 4-hour delay will remain anonymous. Please don't look at the photograph on the left or I could be sued.

Jan, a neighbor at our condo complex, who was originally going to pick us up at 8:50pm., said she would still meet us at 1:00am, bless her heart, and dropped us off at our condo around 2:00. Jan evidently had never been out that late in Stuart before and was amazed at how deserted the town was at that hour. When Susan and I would visit our mother Mary in Stuart, we never once ventured outside the condo after sunset. I just assumed the place must have been plagued by vampires. In any case, the next day, after sleeping a bit longer than usual, we headed around town to see what was happening around the city. Downtown seemed to be hopping, all the restaurants doing a good business, but the rest of the area seemed pretty low key. I drove to Stuart Beach, where there were a few people, but not that many (it was a weekday afternoon after all), and then drove to the House of Refuge, the oldest building in Martin County, now a museum, and seen in the photograph on the right. It was built in 1876, one of 10 havens for shipwrecked sailors along the Atlantic coast of Florida. It has been undergoing a renovation for quite a while and recently reopened. During the renovation, the entire parking lot was closed off, making it impossible to visit without a long hike down the beach. Happily, it is finally back to normal and looking good. And no snowbirds in sight. Perfect!

The 2026 Colorado Dragon Boat Festival Starts Exactly Three Weeks From Today!

The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival on Sloan's Lake here in Denver will be returning for its 26th year on Saturday, August 29th and Sunday, August 30th. In addition to 50 teams of boaters competing in dragon boat competitions, the festival also features an Asian Marketplace, Two Taste of Asia Food Courts, three performing art stages, and live art demos. For a while, it was unclear if the festival would return to Sloan's Lake, due to blue-green algae and sediment buildup, an unhealthy situation. Short term efforts to clear a safe paddling channel have been made, but a long-term solution involving sediment removal and water circulation will be necessary to restore the health of the lake. In the meantime, despite those issues, the festival is a go for the end of August. I took the photograph above a few days ago of two of those dragon boats moored in the lake, waiting for the races to begin. And if you do go to the festival, and partake of the food booths, make sure you avoid eating any fresh fish caught from that lake.

The August Mutts Of The Month

I took the photograph above of the August Mutts of the Month at New Terrain Brewery up in Golden, Colorado, where it seems like almost everyone has a dog. Some are sleeping, like the one on the left, who probably had one too many bowls of beer, and others are up and alert, waiting for their owners to finish their IPAs and then head to the dog park located right next door. New Terrain is the starting point for the North Table Mountain Park Trail and also the entrance to the Golden Bike Park, and so you see a lot of both hikers and bikers passing by the tables on their way to the trails. And most of them will no doubt stop on their way back for a cold one. As they say in the real estate business, it is all about location, location, location.

From The Bonnie Brae Tavern To Akin Bonnie Brae Apartments in Three Easy Steps

The Bonnie Brae Tavern, which was in business in that iconic Denver neighborhood for 88 years and seen in the photograph on the left, was sold to real estate developers back in June of 2022. It opened in 1934 in the middle of the Great Depression. Explaining the reason for selling, Ricky Dire, one of the two owners, both of whom are grandsons of the couple that founded the place, said that the 88-year-old building had 88-year-old plumbing and electrical, and the City of Denver would soon be requiring that it be brought up to code. Plus, Dire added that the restaurant business is "hell." They had to put money into the business to keep it going during Covid, and staffing during that time was a nightmare. And they couldn't afford the $20-per-hour wage it now takes to obtain staff.

And so, last year the building was torn down, as seen in the photograph on the right, to make way for a luxury apartment complex called akin Bonnie Brae. This is actually a pretty large piece of property, which consisted of the Bonnie Brae Tavern, a dry cleaners next door, a free-standing gift store on the corner, and a very large parking lot. 

And now the project is taking shape, as seen in the photograph on the left. Akin Bonnie Brae will bring a new, 3-story, 46-unit luxury apartment building to the Bonnie Brae neighborhood, with 15 different floor plans to choose from. In addition to those luxury apartments, there will be 7,500 square-feet of ground-floor retail. The Bonnie Brae and neighboring Belcaro neighborhoods, in close proximity to Washington Park, have always been upscale, and so this building will fit right in. The Phipps Mansion, a gigantic home with over 70 rooms and once owned by the University of Denver and used as a conference center, is right down the street. Back in the day, the annual University of Denver Christmas Party was held in that mansion's Tennis House, and after dinner people were welcome to walk up to the mansion for a self-guided tour. Dinner, drinks, dancing, and hanging out in a mansion. Those were the good old days for sure. In any case, akin Bonnie Brae is preleasing in Fall 2026 for early 2027 move-ins. Prices to be determined. Be sure to get your application in soon! And bring your retirement savings with you.

The August Issue Of Chicago Magazine

Sadly, the August issue of Chicago Magazine will be my last physical copy of that publication. The magazine has decided to stop subscriptions by mail and only distribute the publication via home delivery in conjunction with their parent company, the Chicago Tribune. An online copy is, of course, available, but it is really just not the same. In any case, this month's issue was pretty interesting. The cover story is titled The Best Seats in Town. At first I thought it would just be about seating in sports arenas, but it actually is about the best places to sit everywhere in Chicago, be it a window seat at Miller's Pub for peoplewatching, taking the 56 Milwaukee bus to get a tour of Chicago then and now, where to seat at Northwestern's Matin Stadium to get "sweeping views" of Lake Michigan and the Chicago Skyline, and many more wonderful spots to plant yourself in Chicago. It was very much like a guidebook to Chicago, and very informative. There was also an article about the 40th anniversary of The Mystery of Al Capone's Vaults, a two-hour live broadcast from the basement of Chicago's Lexington Hotel, Al Capone's headquarters, hosted by Geraldo Rivera. The vault turned out to be empty, but the ratings for the show were sky high and it paved the way, for better or worse, for reality television. There is also an article listing Chicago's Top 50 Restaurants, most of them pretty pricey but also some reasonably priced ones, too. Number 36 is Sanders BBQ Supply Co., located in the South Side Beverly neighborhood, just to the west of Brainerd, where I grew up. Another article discusses a new book about Chicago gospel singer and civil rights activist Mahalia Jackson. A very interesting issue indeed. And what the hell, maybe I will still continue to read Chicago Magazine online, although reluctantly so.

The Douglas County Fair And Rodeo

This past Sunday was the final day of the Douglas County Fair and Rodeo, and my friend Mark, sister Susan, and I decided to take advantage of the free grounds admission and head down to Castle Rock, Colorado to check it out. Like all county fairs, there were carnival rides, live music, rodeos, food, a marketplace selling locally produced products, and of course, animals raised by local youths, which was the best part of the fair.

I took the photograph on the right of that friendly cow relaxing in its stall and turning its head to pose for its portrait, which was very nice of it to do. All the other cows in the building paid no attention to me, busy scarfing up the food in their feed bag. And happily, there were a million fans placed all around the building, and so it was pretty comfortable for both man and beast (should that be person and beast?).

In the next building over, I took the photograph on the left of the young girl trying to interact with the llama (or is it an alpaca?). Being raised in the Brainerd neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, we did not see too many llamas or alpacas around. I have heard that these are not especially friendly creatures. Just the other day at the Colorado Day celebration at Denver's Union Station, a woman tried to pet an alpaca, and it wound up spitting at her. And there was a warning sign on a cubical letting visitors that those animals do not really like people and will either bite your hand or spit at you if try to touch them. I did notice that that particular beast did not approach the young girl, and so fortunately there were no biting or spitting incidents. At least this time.

The llama in the photograph on the right was also a bit standoffish, sitting in the middle of its compound and keeping away from all the people approaching its compound. Fortunately, it was willing to pose for a portrait, looking quite regal as it checked out everyone who walked by, probably thinking to itself that it was too far away to try spitting at them. The rest of the building was filled with goats, many with babies, who were quite cute. And there were signs letting people know that those babies were for sale for $150 each. Susan really wanted to take one home, but I told her she would have to discuss it with the building manager and possibly get HOA permission to keep it in the condo. I wonder how long it takes to toilet train one of those babies?

And, of course, there were a number of sheep around, too, such as the one in the photograph on the left. The Junior Livestock Sale took place last Friday, and so I imagine the animals stay in their pens until the end of the fair, when the new owners take possession of them, putting them in the back seat of their SUVs or however they plan to transport them to their backyard. And this particular sheep was also happy to have its photo taken. We skipped the carnival rides, as well as the carnival food, and called it a day after viewing the animals and the items for sale at the Marketplace. It all made for a very pleasant day, even if we didn't buy a baby goat to take home.

Colorado Day!

This past Saturday was Colorado Day, the 150th anniversary of Colorado becoming a state, and there was a big celebration that took place at Denver's Union Station, which features restaurants, bars, boutiques, and a huge central gathering space, in addition to serving as a train station. Inside that gathering space, there was a stage with live performances and cultural experiences, although the most interesting part of the celebration was outside on the plaza and included a petting zoo, gold panning sponsored by the Mighty Argo Mill in Idaho Springs, and guided tours of the Lower Downtown (LoDo) neighborhood. That gold panning event also included an actual 19th century gold miner and his donkey, as seen in the photograph on the left.

The National Western Center, which hosts the National Western Stock Show every January, brought animals for the petting zoo, no doubt ones typically seen on Colorado ranches and farms over the past 150 years. The donkey in the photograph on the right was pretty popular with both the kids and adults. In addition to the donkey and an alpaca (I think), there was a separate petting zoo where parents could take their kids inside and let them pet baby goats, lambs and even ducks. I tried to take some photographs of that, but the space was so crowded and the light so poor that I quickly gave up trying.

I don't think alpacas like the one in the photograph on the left were being raised on Colorado ranches 150 years ago, but they are definitely popular here now. The woman in that photograph walked up and petted the alpaca on the head, which prompted it to spit in her face for her trouble. She said she didn't get any moisture on her, which is a good thing, although I am sure she will think twice the next time she decides to pet an alpaca, or for that matter, a llama. All in all, a fun celebration.

Watching The Rockies Play The Royals At Coors Field With Mark And Susan

I went to a night game at Denver's Coors Field for the first time in years yesterday evening with my friend Mark and sister Susan, seen in the photograph above. I have been avoiding night games because it seemed like every one I attended would go into extra innings or be subjected to a rain delay or held up due to a UFO sighting, resulting in my not getting home until well after midnight. However, since today's weather forecast called for sunny skies and temperatures above 100 degrees, we decided to go to an evening game instead of today's afternoon contest. In any case, this game between the Colorado Rockies and Kansas City Royals started out looking bad for the home team, with Kansas City leading 4-0 at the top of the 3rd inning. But happily, Colorado scored 6 runs in the bottom of the frame and won the game 12-6. And I must say, the Rockies are much improved this season. They won only 43 games all of last year, but yesterday they won their 44th, with almost two more months of baseball to play. Of course, despite this progress, the Rockies still are currently the second worst team in baseball, and Kansas City is no World Series contender either, 20 games under .500 as of today. But things are indeed looking up for Colorado, and the fans at Coors Field, all 40,216 of them, seemed pretty excited about that win last night. And so, it might not take another decade for the team to once again be a playoff contender. One can only hope.

An Afternoon Visit To The DAM

Yesterday afternoon I went to the Denver Art Museum (the DAM), seen in the photograph on the left, to look around for a few hours and escape the 90-degree temperatures Denver has been experiencing for most of last month. The last time I was there it was to see The Honest Eye: Camille Pissarro's Impressionism, which was a truly excellent exhibit that took place last fall. This time the two major exhibition spaces were closed, and the top exhibits yesterday seemed to be "Knife Fork Spoon, Everyday Tools, Extraordinary Design," and "Conversation Pieces, Stories from the Fashion Archives," both of which I really don't consider art. That evening "Untitled: Artist Takeover," the museum's after-hours quarterly program with local artists and "one-of-a-kind experiences" was going to take place, but I had no intention of staying for that. This event replaced what was once called Final Fridays, which took place monthly and featured a buffet table, a cash bar, and lots of fun talks and tours, many of them quite funny. On one tour I joined, the two guides took us through the Modern and Contemporary Art Gallery and gave us a hilarious interpretation of various artworks. And a pair of comedians would put on a monthly show, portraying the two subjects in the painting titled Self-Portrait with Swimming Coach Charlie Sava. Then the free buffet table went away, the event went from monthly to quarterly, and the discussions turned very serious. After attending this new event several times, hoping to see a return to a more lighthearted evening, I gave up and never went back.

I did very much like an exhibit I saw yesterday called The Tangled Self, seen in the photograph on the right, which I thought was geared towards children, but later learned was designed to "make our inner monsters more approachable." The artist, Sadie Young, graduated from Metropolitan State University of Denver with a BFA and a background in psychology, and soon after founded Spectra Art Space, a woman-owned art gallery and immersive art space. I don't know about walking into the mouths of towering monsters and having it tame feelings like rage, grief, fear, and shame, but that exhibit did make me smile, which I have to admit does tame rage, grief, fear, and shame, at least for a little while.

The Denver Art Museum is most famous for its Native American and Western American art, but as I recall, years ago, their collection of Impressionist painting was fairly limited. However, a while back, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Fredrick C. Hamilton, loaned his collection of Impressionist paintings to the museum for a special exhibition. When the exhibit was about to end, the museum asked if they could keep them. Hamilton, no doubt thinking about how high his insurance premiums were with a house full of Impressionist paintings, said he was willing to donate those paintings if the museum made copies of them to replace the originals, which they happily did. And now the museum has an entire gallery of Impressionist paintings in the Hamilton Building, as seen in the photograph on the left. All in all, a fun day at the DAM, despite the lack of a major exhibition.

Eyes On Alameda

It has been a while since I have driven north on Denver's Pearl Street as it crosses East Alameda Avenue. And so yesterday afternoon, as I approached that intersection, I noticed for the first time the building in the photograph on the left with the huge eyes staring out at you. I like this mural very much. It is very understated in its colors and makes you smile as you look at it while waiting for the light to change.  This building is an older, tree-lined neighborhood and this mural seems to fit right in. There are not that many murals on the buildings in this particular locale, which gives this one more impact when you come across it.

As opposed to the murals in Denver's River North (RiNo) neighborhood, which are everywhere, all of them with very vivid colors, often with messages, such as the one in the photograph on the right.  RiNo is Hipster Central, with lots of bars and brewpubs and very expensive apartments catering to the younger crowd. In fact, I read an article on my web browser that lists RiNo as one of the coolest neighborhoods in the city. In other words, a place that expects exactly that kind of art. Different neighborhoods, different murals, but all of them interesting.

Keeping Track Of Important Chicago Moments With The CTA Historical Calendar

As regular blog readers know, I just love the CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) Historical Calendar. It comes out each year on January 1st and has great photographs of Chicago and its various forms of public transportation from years past. And this month the featured photo is of the opening of the new State Street Bridge back in 1949, as seen in the photograph above. It shows a large crowd on that bridge surrounding a "Green Hornet" streetcar, one of many that went into service back in 1948. Sadly, streetcar service ended in Chicago in 1958, the year I entered kindergarten at Fort Dearborn Grammar School in the South Side Brainerd neighborhood of Chicago. And if I ever rode one of those streetcars, I can't remember it. Yet another opportunity to experience a part of Chicago history thwarted. And by the way, there are still 5 months of historic photographs left to see on the 2026 edition of the CTA Historical Calendar. Be sure to download a copy at https://www.transitchicago.com/historicalcalendar/.

Hemingway Days! Missed It Again...

Hemingway Days took place this past weekend down in Key West, Florida. This is an annual event celebrating the life of Ernest Hemingway, who lived in Key West back in the 1930s. The festival features all kinds of activities and contests, including the Hemingway Look-Alike Contest at Sloppy Joe's Bar, where he used to drink, and the Running of the Bulls, seen in the photograph above, which I obtained courtesy of WLRN, a Public Radio and Television Station that serves South Florida. The last two years, my sister Susan and I have been in Florida during Hemingway Days but never attended. I have been tempted to go, but Stuart, Florida is a 5-hour drive from Key West, there are no Motel 6s in that town, and even the modest places are something like $300 a night during that particular weekend. Not to mention having to deal with big crowds. All of which tempers my enthusiasm. On the bright side, all the local television newscasts in the Sunshine State cover the event, and you can see the highlights on the 11:00 o'clock news. Just like being there, and much cheaper. However, here in Denver, the local news broadcasts don't mention Hemingway Days at all. What gives with that?

The 13th Annual Cheesman Park Art Fest

The 13th Annual Cheesman Park Art Fest took place this past weekend here in Denver. I've always liked this festival, which takes place in such a pleasant setting, as seen in the photograph on the left, but have not attended it for the past two years because my sister Susan and I were in Stuart, Florida, escaping Denver's brutal hot weather. This year, however, we were here in Denver and able to attend. It was enjoyable, but as usual, very hot. In fact, a local television news station covered the event, but only focused on how the artists were coping with the heat. Quite well, I would say, since most of them were in the shade, under the canopies over their booths, with portable fans helping to cool them off, while the art patrons had to deal with 103-degree temperatures under a cloudless sky. But I'm not complaining. It was definitely worth visiting. There were 150 artists from across the country, as well as a stage with live music. The Delta Sonics, who were at the Centennial Fine Art Festival back in May, were playing their blues music at this event, too. They are really quite good, and I recognized them immediately as we passed by the stage.

Someone else at this festival who I recognized was Spenser Yowell, who was also at the Pearl Street Art Fest in Boulder. He is from Wyoming, and his photographs of animals in the wild are quite good, especially his portraits of bears and moose (mooses?). Check out his work at https://www.truvirtuephotography.com/. Another photographer at the show was Greg Davis, a National Geographic published photographer from Texas. His work focuses mostly on people and cultures from across the world. I am pretty sure I have seen his work before, especially his photographs from India and Cuba. I immediately recognized the photograph of an older Cuban woman smoking a huge cigar as I passed by his booth, which always makes me smile. His work can be found at https://gregdavisphotography.com/. All in all, a very pleasant Saturday afternoon indeed.

My Parent's 86th Wedding Anniversary

This would have been my parent's, Nelson and Mary's, 86th wedding anniversary if they were still alive today. They were married at what was known in the family as "Uncle John's farmhouse" in Geneva, Illinois, back in 1940, and seen in the photograph on the left that shows my parents walking out of that house right after the wedding. It was a location my mother wasn't crazy about, which I inadvertently discovered could still be a sensitive issue even after 75 years when I mentioned that to my Uncle Jack 10 years or so ago. But that is another story. That farm was owned by my Grandfather Hoyt's brother-in-law, John Tallman, who was also a plumber and whose shop later became the Mill Race Inn, a popular restaurant in Geneva that closed back in 2011 after being in business for 78 years. In any case, I have an 8mm film of that wedding, in color no less, that I have kept in a cigar box for decades. When I finally decided to do something with it, my friend Mark recommended I take it to someone he knew at the University of Denver, who converted it into a digital copy for me. Which I unfortunately cannot upload to this blog, since it exceeds the 100mb limit. Sorry about that. You'll just have to live with the photo. And I do know what a big disappointment that is. Everyone enjoys looking at other people's wedding videos. The longer the better!

Grin And Bear It

An acquaintance of my friend Stuart went on a 3-day camping trip here in Colorado with two of her friends last week, and the very first night they had their food stolen by bears. Unfortunately, one of those bears was able to get into that friend's car and caused $8,000 worth of damage. They went into town and purchased more food, but the bears came back the next night and took that food, too. But she did manage to take the photograph on the left of one of the perpetrators. And I must say, I am a bit jealous. I have never seen a bear in the woods before and have always hoped to get a photograph just like that one. But of course, if the price to get it was $8,000 damage to my car, I would just as soon skip that particular life goal. I don't know what happened the third night, but since she was able to get an estimate on the damage to her car, I assume all three survived with limbs intact. Bear sightings are by no means rare this year. Due to severe drought conditions, thanks to record low snowpack, the berries, fruits, and grasses, among other things they eat, are in short supply, leading to many bears heading to Denver's suburbs in search of food. There have been sightings in Keenesburg, which is way the hell out on the Eastern Plains, Wheat Ridge, which borders Denver, Arvada, Louisville, and Broomfield, all 3 in the northern suburbs, as well as all over Dougles County, including Castle Pines and Roxborough to the south of Denver. Colorado Parks and Wildlife stress the need to secure trash, remove bird feeders, keep garage doors closed, store pet food and grills indoors, and in general not leave out anything bears might want to eat, such as young children. Wise advice. And by the way, it was Stuart who came up with the phrase "Grin and Bear it." Hopefully that was not what he said to his friend after she told him about the 8K damage to her car.

Recess!

I read in the Denver Post yesterday that Recess Beer Garden, located in Denver's Lower Highlands (LoHi) neighborhood, will be adding a location in the Tivoli Student Union on the Auraria Campus, which is the home of the University of Colorado Denver, Metropolitan State University, and the Community College of Denver. They will be occupying the space vacated by Tivoli Brewing Company, a brew pub which operated at that location for 10 years, until closing in 2023. And by the way, the Tivoli Brewing Company building, which is now the student union, was built in 1864 and housed the original Tivoli Brewing Company, which was a major brewery until it closed in 1969. I have patronized the later version of Tivoli Brewing several times, but never heard of Recess Beer Garden until yesterday, and decided to check it out. However, the website said its address was on 17th Street, and when I walked up the hill, found an entrance to the place in a back alley, and went in that way. It was not until I was leaving that I found the main entrance, seen in the photograph on the left, which in fact is on Erie Street, not 17th. Very confusing indeed. 

In any case, Recess Beer Garden is in the very heart of LoDo (aka Hipster Central), and is actually very much like a garden, with trees and landscaping all around its patio, as seen in the photograph on the right. This brewery has been around since 2015, and I find it strange that I have never heard of it for the past 11 years. Perhaps the hipsters wish to keep it a secret from the non-hipster set, who would probably crowd into the place if was better publicized. That would explain the address that leads you to a very non-descript back entrance in the middle of an alley. Originally, I was just going to take a photograph of the garden area from the street and not actually go into the bar, but there was a very tall fence that completely hides that garden from view. Well folks, the secret is out. Now that the great unwashed know about the place thanks to my blog, the LoDo hipsters will be competing for tables with a whole new crowd.

Recess does have an inside bar and dining area, which is what I saw when I first came through that back-alley entrance. And I must say, it is a really nice space, but it is the huge patio which is the real draw, and I headed straight past the bar and went outside, where I took the photograph on the left. They do serve food, and have a happy hour, too, although only Bud Light and Labatt Blue are on that happy hour menu. The one thing I found unusual is they have separate dog hours for their patio, unlike places like New Terrain in Golden, where you can bring your furry friends anytime they are open. While dogs are welcome open to close Sunday thru Thursday, they are restricted to 11am to 5pm on Fridays and 11am to 2pm on Saturdays. To me that is strange. Imagine you and your dog being evicted at 5:01pm, just as happy hour is starting to get going full steam.  Kiss your Bud Light or Labatt Blue goodbye, people!