Kentucky Derby Day!

Today was the running of the Kentucky Derby, and I watched it at The View House, in the Ballpark neighborhood of Denver, just a stone's throw from Coors Field.  This has always been a big event for my family.  I remember the family getting together, the names of each horse put in a hat, and then everyone selecting two horses out of the hat and throwing a few bucks in, the winner getting the pot. When my mother and father moved to Florida, a neighbor - Jane Hoy - was a big Kentucky Derby fan too, and they had Derby parties down there, too.

I must have been influenced by all this, since I can't remember what I did yesterday, but I can remember what I did the last two Derby days.  Two years ago I went to an off track betting restaurant and bar called Red and Jerry's.  The place was packed and closed to additional people, and the only alternative was a depressing looking auditorium next door with a $10 cover.  I passed and watched the race on TV.  Last year I had to work at Walgreen's, and needed to get to work before the race was run.

This year I checked out where the best Kentucky Derby parties were in Denver, and was surprised to read that Denver was second only to Louisville, Kentucky in Derby parties.  Do people in Denver love horses?  No - the city has a young population and they love parties.  I decided to head to The View House, which had a pretty decent, upbeat crowd.  All the men were dressed in suits - one even wore a top hat - and most of the women wore dresses and fancy hats.  It was a fun time for all.  And by the way, the winner was Nyquist, who is evidently named after some sort of cough medicine. Go figure.

Denver Hits 81 Degrees! Yea!

Denver reached 81 degrees yesterday for the first time this year, and so it is now officially spring in the Mile High City. Springtime in the Rockies is usually a mind bending experience of sunny 70 degree days followed by wet, heavy snowstorms, but once the city hits 80 degrees, it means summer is on the way.  Plus, this weekend Denver celebrates Cinco de Mayo in Civic Center Park, a truly big deal here.  I myself celebrated by going through the drive through at Taco Bell last night and getting 4 crunchy tacos with hot sauce.  Who says I don't celebrate ethnic diversity?  Let the good times roll!

It's May - Have You Downloaded Your CTA Historical Calendar Yet?

It is now May, and so if you haven't downloaded the Chicago Transit Authority's 2016 CTA Historical Calendar, you are missing out big time.  It has historic photos of Chicago (see the sample on the left) and various CTA trains and buses from the past every month, and makes you feel nostalgic for the good old days back in Chicago, even if you have never lived there (I am assuming this, but how can it not be true?) Download the calendar now at http://www.transitchicago.com/historicalcalendar/ .

A Final Word On Walgreen's

Since yesterday was my last day working the midnight shift at the Walgreen's, I feel impelled to relate once again my father Nelson's story about the founder of the company, Charles Rudolph Walgreen.  Walgreen started his chain on the South Side of Chicago, and he belonged to the Beverly Country Club, located at 87th and Western on the South Side.  My father (seen in the photograph above) was a caddy at Beverly, and often caddied for who he used to call "old man Walgreen." Walgreen never tipped his caddies, signing their caddy tickets instead.  I guess he believed his autograph was worth far more than a mere monetary reward.  The caddies must have loved him for that.  However, my father did say that Walgreen told interesting stories while golfing.  One time he related to his golfing partners that the biggest mistake he ever made in business was loaning money to his brother-in-law.  "Did he lose it all?" one of the foursome wanted to know.  No, Walgreen replied - he went into competition against him via the Rexall Drug chain.  Life lessons for us all.

My Last Day At Walgreen's!

Yes - it is true.  For the past year or so I have been working part-time in the evenings at the local Walgreen's Drugstore, just down the street from my condo here in Denver.  And today is my last day.  My finances are now stabilized, at least until the start of the new year, and working until 12:00 or 12:30 A.M. after a long day at my full time job is starting to wear on me.  My co-workers and the management have all been great, and it was fun to interact with all the neighbors, and DU Students, who frequent the store.  The store manager, Laura, has even stated she would welcome me back if (or when) my finances run thin again.  Hopefully, the store will start closing at 10:00 P.M. by then, instead of midnight, which is many hours after my bedtime. Thanks for the memories, guys!

Steve Hamilton's Breakout Novel?

Steve Hamilton writes the excellent Alex McKnight mystery series that takes place in the Upper Michigan town of Paradise, right on Lake Superior.  Now Hamilton has written a new, stand alone novel called the Second Life of Nick Mason, which takes place in my old hometown of Chicago, Illinois.  Plus, the main character is from the South Side of Chicago, just like me, and winds up being sprung from a 20 year sentence in Federal Prison through the influence of a criminal mastermind. This criminal mastermind, serving two life sentences in prison, sets up Mason in a 3 story North Side townhouse, just across the street from Lincoln Park and Lake Michigan, and in return expects Mason to carry out crimes in his behalf.  I have just started reading it, but mystery writers everywhere - including my favorite, Michael Connelly - have given it rave reviews.  I just hope Hamilton sticks with the Alex McKnight series, too.  If not there will be trouble.

A Truly Miserable Day - Weather Wise, That Is

Yesterday was a truly miserable day.  It started around midnight as a snowstorm, as I got off work from my part-time job.  As the day worn on, the snow turned to rain, and continued for the entire day.  Around 8:00 in the evening, I decided to get out and head to Spanky's Urban Roadhouse (where everybody, or at least the bartender, knows your name), just down the block from where I live and next door to the University of Denver.  It was good to just sit and watch the Colorado Rockies play the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix, where it was warm and dry, a condition I hope will exist here in the next few days.  Plus, the Rockies actually won.  Go figure.