Chilling Out At The Rockies Game

And I mean that both literally and figuratively.  My friend Stuart and I went to see the Colorado Rockies play the defending National League Champion New York Mets last night.  It was good to relax on a Friday night after a long week, but I have to admit it was a little chilly in the upper deck - it still is a little nippy in the evenings here in Denver this time of year.  But in any case, it was a pretty good game and the Rockies actually won, 5 to 2.  Not only was it pitcher Jon Gray's first major league victory, but it was also the Rockies' 1000th victory here in Denver.  And I have the scorecard from that game.  My retirement is at now assured - I can sell that scorecard for a fortune.

East Of Wyman

I know it's not a great name, but I don't know what else to call the neighborhood surrounding the bookstore where I work as the bookkeeper.  The Wyman Historic District is located both north and south of Colfax Avenue here in Denver, starting just a few blocks to the West of the bookstore.  The houses there are really nice, but the neighborhood the store is located in has some great Victorian houses, not to mention some funky apartment buildings, too.

Just to the north of the bookstore is East High School and City Park, one of the first and largest parks in Denver. Of course, if you are looking for a bargain in this neighborhood, you have already missed the boat.  It has been gentrified, yuppified, and every other kind of "fied."  But urban homesteaders take heart - word on the street is that the Globeville neighborhood, just north and east of downtown and near the old stock yards, is the next big up and coming neighborhood.  Make sure you bring your toolbox, though.

A Photo Op During The Lunch Hour

I took my lunch outside the other day, since the weather has been so nice lately, and there were two dogs tied up outside, waiting for their owners to come out of the bookstore where I work.  One of the dogs - a tiny little thing - was barking its head off, straining at the leash to get at whoever was walking past.  The other was the dog above, laying down and just taking it easy, enjoying the day.  And no problem if you want to take his or her photograph.  If only my office mate Peter was like that.  I have been trying to get his photograph wearing his "Red Nose," in honor of the Red Nose Day Telethon that will take place in a couple of weeks.  No luck there.  But I will definitely keep trying.  I am nothing if not persistent (i.e. annoying).

A Hipster Hat - For Free!

The night I went to the Colorado Rockies game with my friend Mark, his cousin, and a co-worker, we all got free "hipster" hats, which I am modeling in the photograph above.  They were given to the first 5,000 fans.  Of course, we weren't one of the first 5,000 fans, or for that matter, one of the first 10,000, but Mark's cousin found the hats stashed under the seats in the aisle behind us after the game.  How anyone could throw away such a stylish hat is beyond me.  It is like a symbol of your hipsterness.  It is especially appealing to the follicularly challenged among us.  Plus, wearing it, you will be able to recognize your fellow hipsters.  I know for a fact there are at least 5,000 of them in the Denver area.

A Belated Look Back At First Friday

I attended the First Friday Art Walk last week on Santa Fe Drive here in Denver and had a reslly nice time. The weather was mild, and so the streets were packed with art lovers.  I enjoyed the people watching and going from gallery to gallery to see what was on display, but to be quite honest, much of the art is just not very good, or too weird for home display.

For example, would you have a place in your home where the painting on the right would fit perfectly?  Or even imperfectly.  If I invited people over for dinner and they saw this work of art on display in the living room, I suspect they would be looking at me rather strangely the rest of the night - even more so than usual. Although I must say, the basket of owls adds a nice touch.

Visiting The Historians Ale House With Stuart

I had burgers and beers on the rooftop deck of the Historians Ale House on South Broadway here in Denver last night with my friend Stuart.  The hamburgers are especially good here, and there is a nice view from the rooftop deck, which is why we choose to dine there instead of with our fellow hipsters downstairs. Stuart did a little research before getting together, and reported that the top two teams in all of baseball as of this morning are, in order, the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox.  The dream of a "subway" World Series in Chicago is alive and well.  But who will do the driving back to Chicago this October?  Maybe we can flip a coin for it.  Buy those World Series tickets now, people!

Happy Mother's Day!

Today is Mother's Day, and the forecast is for a pretty soggy one, if you happen to live in Denver.  But of course that doesn't matter - the point is to honor and celebrate your mother, and you can do that just as well indoors.  And in honor of this occasion, I am featuring a photograph of my mother Mary, taken on the 4th of July at the Cherry Creek Arts Festivals many years ago.  If she were still alive today, she would be 100 years old this year.  I wish I was still able to spend this day with her. Hopefully everyone out there who is still able to celebrate this day with their mother will do so. Happy Mother's Day Everyone!