April 30th

Today is April 30th, a truly significant day for both me personally and for the United States.  On April 30th, 1975 my parents (Nelson and Mary, as seen in the photograph above) and I were staying in Jensen Beach, Florida in a small cottage right on the Intercoastal Waterway.  We had driven the long way way down from Chicago, stopping at Biloxi, Mississippi  and then following the Gulf Coast and going across Florida.   We were visiting my Uncle Bill and Aunt Elsie, who were living at a condo complex in Stuart, Florida, to see it my parents might want to retire there.  They did indeed, and although my father lived only another 8 years, my mother went on to live there for almost 30, and the condo is still in the family.  Hopefully it always will be. But that day, back in that cottage on the Intercoastal, I listened to the fall of Saigon on the radio, and it seemed otherworldly.  All the lives lost in that war, all the lives destroyed, and all for nothing. Definitely a day to remember, and a lesson never to be forgotten.

Hipster Heaven

I took a walk up Denver's Larimer Street into the Rino (River North) neighborhood last Sunday afternoon, and was very surprised at how gentrified it has become.  When Coors Field was built 23 years years ago, I had expected Larimer Street (two blocks east of the ballpark and Denver's skid row at the time) to be redeveloped quickly.  It actually took over 20 years, but now the place is thriving with restaurants, bars, apartment complexes, and art galleries.  And the place is filled with hipsters, many of them that day wearing Cubs attire, since the Chicago Cubs played the Rockies that afternoon.  It is indeed a hipster's heaven.  And how do I know that for sure?  Because of all the face murals on the buildings, both old and new.  Plus, there are craft breweries on every block, so that hipsters won't go into withdrawal if they happen to walk onto a block without one.  And is it affordable to a person on a modest income?  Surely you jest.  Better find about 12 roommates for that 2 bedroom unit.

A Baseball Update

The Chicago Cubs came to town last weekend to play the Colorado Rockies in a three game series.  My friends Stuart, Mark, and I had tickets to the Friday night game, but the weather was so cold and rainy we decided to skip the game.  The Cubs wound up winning that contest 16 to 4, so we didn't exactly miss a baseball classic.  Saturday night the weather was not so hot, either, but at least the Rockies won that contest. Sunday afternoon I decided to go for a walk downtown, and as I approached Coors Field the crowds were just letting out.  The Cubs fans seemed particularly happy, and one was singing the Cubs theme song ("Hey Chicago what do you say, the Cubs are going to win today"), and so I had a good idea who won.  I couldn't help but notice that Cubs paraphernalia greatly outnumbered Rockies attire, which is not a surprise.  There are so many ex-Chicagoans here, I often refer to Denver as the far, far western suburbs. And for all those inquiring minds, both the Cubs and Rockies are three games above .500 (not bad), while my Chicago White Sox are languishing at 7 and 16.  I mentioned how the White Sox were doing to my sister Susan, who along with her husband George were once rabid White Sox fans, and her response was: "And you are surprised why?"  Good point.

A Change Of Venue...

My friend Stuart (seen in the photograph above) and I decided to make a major change last night, and actually NOT go to Old Chicago for burgers and beers.  Instead, we decided to go wild and crazy and head straight to the Chili's in beautiful Golden, Colorado.  And of course, unlike Lakewood (the home of Old Chicago), Golden really is beautiful (and historic, too), although Chili's is actually in a strip center on the edge of town.  But nevertheless, we did indeed have a nice dinner and chatted away about how great America is now that Donald Trump has been in office well over a full year now (just kidding!).  In any case, all the televisions were tuned to the NFL Draft, which according to the media outlets here in Denver is probably the most important event of the century.  And have I ever mentioned that the Denver Broncos are THE topic of conversation here in Denver 365 days a year?  People are not just obsessed about the subject - their minds have been taken over.  Send deprogrammers immediately!

Black And White Ball

I just finished reading Back and White Ball, Loren Estleman's latest Amos Walker private eye novel. Walker is an old fashioned, hard-boiled Detroit P.I, and this time he is forced into bodyguarding the estranged wife of a professional hit man, whose own son has threaten to kill her.  These books are well written and fast-paced, and I always look forward to the next installment in the series.  And they actually make Detroit sound pretty interesting.  I strongly recommend reading this latest volume, or for that matter, starting with the first book in the series and working your way up to it.  Enjoy.

The Golden Triangle Neighborhood

It was a very cold and rainy afternoon this past Saturday afternoon when I went to the Denver Art Museum, as seen in the above diptych, and as I walked back to my car, I had to ask myself several questions.  For one thing, why did the City of Denver opt for the design of the Denver Public Library as seen in the above photo on the left?  It is supposed to reflect the various historical aspects of the state, including its mining heritage, and it might just do this, but it is ugly.  And secondly, why is there a photograph of a woman's torso, clad in a bikini, tied up in ropes, on the wall of a building, as seen in the photograph on the right?  I have asked this question before, but it is still a good one.  The photograph is located on the wall of an upscale resale shop across the street from the Denver Art Museum (the DAM).  Is this enough of a reason? Sometimes I think Denver has as many nuts as California, but in fact, there are so many Californians living here now, how could that not happen?  I'm just sayin'.

Less Than A Month To See Degas...

The Degas exhibit at the Denver Art Museum will end May 20th, which is not very away.  I myself am hoping my sister Susan and brother-in-law George will be able to see the exhibit with me, but if not, I intend to see it myself before it leaves Denver.  After all, this is the only museum in the world where it will be exhibited, and who wants to pass up a once in a lifetime opportunity like that?  And how did the Denver Art Museum wind up with this exclusive honor?  I suspect blackmail photos, but can't prove it.  Yet.