A Return To Kaos

After my sister Susan and brother-in-law George and I visited the Cheery Creek Arts Festival Sunday afternoon, we had dinner at Kaos, the beer garden/pizza parlor on South Pearl Street here in Denver.  It has been several years since Susan and George have made a weekend trip to Denver, and Kaos was Susan's number one choice.  It was a very pleasant afternoon and the pizzas were excellent.  Susan had a garden pizza topped by 2 eggs and George and I (health fanatics that we are) shared a pizza with double pepperoni. It did rain for a brief time, but fortunately we were sitting at the one table that had an umbrella over it, and so we kept calm and pizza-ed on, as the British might say. The stars were definitely aligned Sunday afternoon.

The Cherry Creek Arts Festival!

The Cherry Creek Arts Festival is one of the top art festivals in the country (at least according to Cherry Creek, and they wouldn't lie) and for the first time in years my sister Susan and brother-in-law George decided to drive into Denver and take in the show.  I must say, it was a pretty hot day, and George told me the heat was bothering him a bit, and that if we got separated, he would meet us at the bar at Elways.  My sister and I went in to look at the artwork at the booth in the photograph above, and when we came out, George was nowhere to be seen.  Sure enough, when we got to the bar at Elways, there he was.  In all fairness, I must say that it was nice and cool in there, and George even bought us a drink.  I would call that a win-win result.  And by the way, I eavesdropped on the artist talking to a customer at the A.E. London booth, and not only does she do the sketches for her paintings in Africa, but she also teaches drawing and animal conservation in the schools there and sponsors drawing competitions between those schools.  Check out her website at www.aelondonstudio.com.

4th Of July Fireworks

I visited the Cherry Creak Arts Festival with my sister Susan and brother-in-law George yesterday afternoon, and later that evening decided to take the Light Rail Train down to Sports Authority Field to see the fireworks display at the conclusion of the Denver Outlaws game.  Usually I go to the fireworks display at the Colorado Rockies game, but the Rockies are on the road this year and so this was one of the few options left.  And I must say, I was not impressed with the fireworks display (top photo).  Evidently major league lacrosse does not generate enough revenue to fund a major league fireworks display.  However, on the walk back to the Light Rail station I saw that Elitch Gardens, a local amusement park,  was also putting on a fireworks display too, and hung out beside the Platte River and watched that display, too.  It was a much better production (bottom photo).  Of course, by the time I got to the Light Rail Station, it was filled with all those damn lacrosse fans (talk about eccentric), and the train home was packed.  Halfway home our car broke out in an impromptu, drunken version of the start spangled banner.  I was glad I only had to take the train for 6 stops.  More than that and I would have gone even crazier than I am now.

The Corn Is Knee High By The 4th Of July - But No Pool!

Today is the 4th of July - Independence Day.  Back in The Great State of Illinois, we used to say that the corn should be knee high by the 4th of July (we used to grow it along the alley fence in the backyard of our house in the South Side Brainerd neighborhood of Chicago).  However, although the corn may be knee high by now back in Illinois, the pool at my condo building is still closed.  Of course, in the 28 years I have lived in this building, I have never actually been in the pool, but my balcony is right over it, and it makes a good backdrop for photographs.  The HOA has not said why the pool is not open.  I don't know if it is because they can't afford to open it, or they are afraid more University of Denver students might jump off the balconies into it and injure themselves.  The last time a DU student did that - showing off for the sunbathing coeds (alcohol may have been involved) - he hit the bottom of the pool, broke his collarbone, and wandered around the yard in a daze until the ambulance arrived to take him away.  It would be a shame if the pool didn't open this year because some of the residents are too stupid not to jump off the balcony.  Perhaps they could just put up signs to the effect that jumping off the balcony could be dangerous to your health.  I'm sure that would work.

The Hot Countries...

Great news!  Timothy Hallinan has a new Poke Rafferty mystery novel coming out this fall titled The Hot Countries.  This mystery series takes place in Thailand and is a very good read.  Many years ago, I read Hallinan's Simeon Grist series, which takes place in Los Angeles, but when they stopped coming out, I assumed Hallinan had stopped writing.  It wasn't until I started working at the bookstore where I am currently employed and picked up an advance reading copy The Fear Artist that I realized that Hallinan simply moved on to a new series.  I am happy to report that I was able to pick up an advance reading copy of the Hot Countries, too, and it is also excellent.  Just don't tell me how it ends.

Peacock Encounter - Always Open!

As I reported yesterday, the Denver Zoo has a new exhibit - "The Giraffe Encounter" - which allows zoo goers to get up close and personal with the resident giraffes.  However, it is only open from 10:00 until 4:00 each day, resulting in disappointed children  - not to mention me, too - being turned away sobbing and heartbroken.  However, I am happy to report that the "Peacock Encounter" is always open, and young children can chase after them to their hearts content.  You catch it, you can take it home, kids.  Go for it!

Giraffe Encounter - Closed!

I went to the Denver Zoo this past Sunday afternoon to see the new "Giraffe Encounter," which allows you to get up close and personal with the zoo's resident giraffes.  However, when I got there, it was closed.  At first I thought there had been some kind of incident - possibly a giraffe biting or even eating a young child, but then I read the sign a little closer and saw that the exhibit was only open between 10:00 and 4:00 each day. Evidently the giraffes can only take so many human encounters before they snap and go berserk.  And one thing you do not want to see is a berserk giraffe.