Weekend Want-tos

• First Friday Art Walk on Sante Fe
• Boulder Farmers' Market
• Take the pup to Doggy Day Camp
  
• Catch a yoga class
  
• Colorado Chocolate Festival
• Hoe down at Amy's
• Brunch at The Market (I want this: smoked salmon, herring in wine, shrimp
  salad with a bagel and cream cheese and fresh fruit...and maybe a chocolate muffin)
• Get a library card and check out some books
• Listen to You & Me on repeat
• Dream of Paris
  

Weekend Recap: Visitors from the East

We had some lovely guests over the weekend...Danny's sister, Mel, and her husband, Arthur! We were worried about the weather going in as they were predicting rain, but the universe listened to my request and actually gave us really nice weather overall.

Friday started with a trip to the Denver Biscuit Co. I had a terrible time deciding what to get...really wanted to try the Strawberry Shortcake, but ended up going with the Schooner. Delicious! A warning: breakfast here might require a nap following your meal.

That night we went to see In the Heights. Loved it! The energy in this musical is phenomenal. The music is great. It's just so much fun. Highly, highly recommend it! Mel gave me the original cast recording, and I plan on listening to it all afternoon. Here's a taste...



Saturday was full of cocktails, yummy food, great friends, a punching bag machine, and late night pizza. A really good day and a great night.

We had so much fun with Mel and Arthur and really wish they lived closer to us. Come back soon!

The Horse Boy

Last night, Danny and I went to the Rocky Mountain PBS Community Cinema event at the Starz FilmCenter. Community Cinema is a free event, open to all that gives a sneak peak of an upcoming episode of PBS’s documentary series Independent Lens, followed by a panel discussion. Its goal is to start conversations, at the event and following it.

Last night, the screening was of The Horse Boy. The Horse Boy is about a family with an autistic son named Rowen. They discovered that the only time Rowen was calm was when he was on the back of a horse, so they decide to do something crazy...they go to Mongolia, the place where horses were first domesticated, in search of shaman healing. The movie follows their journey, both physical and emotional.



The story was incredibly moving, and the strength of the parents (and any parent of an autistic child) left me without words. As simply a woman who is planning to have children, I was on the verge of tears throughout the entire screening. I was imaging being in their place...the lengths you would go to as a parent to help your child...the emotional ups and downs...the desperation....the strength...the hope....I literally have no words. I can only hope that if something like that happened in my life that I would find the strength somewhere.

The panel discussion following the screening was equally as fascinating. It was made up of a shaman healer, a representative of the Autism Society of Colorado, and a DU professor who studies hipotherapy and other animal therapies. First of all, I found it so interesting that there is a practicing shaman in Denver. But, one of the most shocking facts revealed during the discussion is that Colorado ranks 51st in the US for funding for people with disabilities. The majority of Autism Society of Colorado's funding comes from private donations, and awareness is key. Did you know that autism is an epidemic? According to the CDC, 1 in every 169 eight year old children in Colorado have an autism spectrum disorder. Chances are that you know someone who has a child who falls within the spectrum.

The whole event left me wanting to do more and do something to raise awareness, even if it's a small thing (like talk about it here). PBS is going to broadcast The Horse Boy sometime in the month of May, so check your local PBS listings for the date and time. It's a wonderful film and such an inspiring and deeply moving story.

And, if you'd like to make a donation to the Autism Society, then do it! Donations are crucial in the Autism Society's ability to serve the autism community, and even a small donation could make a big difference in someone's life.

Weekend Recap: Not too much

We had a relatively lazy weekend. We had a decent amount of stuff go on during the week and have company coming next, so we decided to take the opportunity to get plenty of couch time.

Friday night, we went to the Denver Theatre Company's production of Othello. It was performed in the Space Theatre of the Denver Performing Arts Center, and it was a perfect setting for this play. It's a small theater in the round with raised seating all the way around, so the stage itself is in the center. Instead of looking up at a stage from an auditorium, you are watching from above and get the feeling that you eavesdropping on the characters, not watching a play. The performance was excellent (much better than my last Shakespeare experience). John Hutton who played Iago was wonderful, as was everyone else down to the actor who only had a few lines. This is a long video, but here is a collection of clips from the play to give you a taste, and if you're in Denver and have a chance before it closes on Saturday, go see Friday night, we went to the Denver Theatre Company's production of . It was performed in the Space Theatre of the Denver Performing Arts Center, and it was a perfect setting for this play. It's a small theater in the round with raised seating all the way around, so the stage itself is in the center. Instead of looking up at a stage from an auditorium, you are watching from above and get the feeling that you're eavesdropping on the characters, not watching a play. The performance was excellent (much better than my last Shakespeare experience). John Hutton who played Iago was wonderful, as was everyone else down to the actor who only had a few lines. This is a long video, but here is a collection of clips from the play to give you a taste, and if you're in Denver and have a chance before it closes on Saturday, go see Othello.

Also well-worth mentioning is the costuming. This production was set at the turn of the century instead of the typical Shakespeare time period, and all the costumes are made specifically for the play. The costumes of the female characters were beautiful, and as a lover of clothing, I was always excited for a costume change so I could examine detailing of the new piece. I'd go see it for the clothing alone. It makes it that much more that the performance was so good.



And, a hilarious video of how the story would have been different if Desdemona had had a sassy, gay friend...

Saturday started with some coffee and cheesy potato goodness (mmm....) and was followed by some movie and tv watching which lasted for about 6 hours. Saturday night we headed to Sobo 151 to watch the Avs playoff game...and that's all we'll say about that except that Sobo 151 had great food and was a lot of fun.

Sunday, we made it out of the house by 2 to catch a showing of Waking Sleeping Beauty which was about how basically every one of my favorite childhood movies came into existence. I came home and told Danny that we would have to have a Disney movie marathon. He wasn't as excited about the idea as I was...

And, that was our weekend. Not too much although we did actually leave the indoors at least once a day which is pretty good for a lazy weekend.

Another reason I'm glad we moved - our health

Jeri sent me an article yesterday that explains that there has been a significant rise in the obesity rate in the US over the last 20 years.

Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater. BMI is calculated from a person's weight and height and provides a reasonable indicator of body fatness and weight categories that may lead to health problems. Obesity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, and type 2 diabetes.

Alabama has the second highest rate at 31.4% (eeek!). The only state that has a rate lower than 20% - Colorado.



Way to go, new home!

Free School

I just signed up for a free (yes, free) cooking class called Vegan! Vegan! Vegan! (Baking, Meal Planning, and More). Since my flirtation started, I'm always on the lookout for recipes and ways to learn more about vegan cooking, and free makes it even better.

The reason the class is free is because it's being offered by the Free School Denver.

Free School Denver is a grassroots education network free of monetary obligations, censorship, and hierarchy. We strive to educate and enrich our community through the accessible exchange of skills, knowledge, and expertise. We invite you to join us, and take part in our shared quest for freedom in education!

Pretty great idea, huh? I'm signed up for the cooking class next Monday, so I'll let you know how it goes!

Easter Weekend: Art & Theatrics

What a wonderfully wonderful Easter weekend we had! We actually did nothing Easter related except for having Good Friday off and wearing springy clothes, but anyway...

Friday started with dropping the kid - I mean, pup - off at daycare. Then the husband and I walked over to Tattered Cover for breakfast & coffee and a few hours of peaceful reading in big wingback chairs surrounded by thousands of books. After we got our morning fill of reading, we grabbed our bikes, and rode over to the Denver Museum of Art. We randomly stopped for lunch along the way at Pints Pub which we learned has the largest selection of Scotch outside of Britain; they, also, brew their own beer and have good food - all in all, a great find!

I had never been to the DAM, so I was really surprised to see the entire Civic Center Cultural Complex. There's crazy architecture, old architecture, and large art installations. Loved it!


(photo via Tufts)

Although we didn't get to see everything, what we did see at the DAM was wonderful. It was the final weekend of a an exhibit called Embrace! which involved different artists transforming the unique spaces of the building into works of art, so I was really glad we made it in time to see it.

After the museum, we rode home to pick up the pup. I have to share the adorable report card that she got from daycare. Too much cuteness!



We dropped her off at home where she immediately passed out on the floor (didn't even make it to somewhere soft), and then head to a dinner party which involved wine, red snapper, homemade mac and cheese, carrots, and banana pudding. Mmmm....

Saturday was pretty lazy, so we'll skip to Sunday. Accompanied by Knox and Rachel, we went to see the Easter matinee of Cirque Dreams: Illumination which was craaaazzzyyy!



After the show, we went to Sushi Sasa for an early dinner. If you don't know this yet, I LOVE sushi! It was the perfect end to a seriously fabulous weekend.

Short escape to Silverthorne

Although I had never been, I recently became obsessed with going snowshoeing. It seemed like a great alternative to skiing which I haven't fallen in love with quite yet. Sorry. You still get to be outside in the beautiful snowy mountains and get a great workout at the same time. So, when the opportunity arose to go to Silverthorne for a couple of days and go snowshoeing, I jumped on it!

We went up on Saturday, and I was blown away by the views from the cabin.











We spent Saturday relaxing and reading in front of the fire. I got a little obsessed with a giant book of crossword puzzles but managed a long enough break to take a much needed nap. Scarlett, of course, loved the fire.



Sunday morning, we got up early and got ready for some snowshoeing (!). We suited the pup up in her jacket and boots and got our snowshoes on.







The cabin backs up to a national park, so once we were ready, we just headed out the backdoor. Pretty convenient, huh?

I have to say, one of the best parts of snowshoeing - and by best, I mean funniest - is that if you fall down and try push yourself up, you're actually pushing down on 3-4 feet of snow, so you just sink. Watching someone fall and try to get up is hilarious! And, by the way, I laughed more than Danny did. Just saying.

The views the whole time were beautiful. We were surrounded by amazing mountains and untouched snow.













Although we never found the road or path we were supposed to find, we had so much fun. Scarlett had a blast too (She slept for about 16 hours once we got home). I'm really looking forward to snowshoeing again. Hope it's soon!

An Education

The snow was falling Sunday afternoon which can only mean one thing - go see a movie! We are lucky enough to be a short walk away from the Starz FilmCenter which is a lovely seven-screen independent moviehouse and the home of the Denver Film Festival in the fall. Funnily enough, it always seems to be snowing when we go there. We're not sure if it starts snowing because we decide to see a movie or if we decide to see a movie because it's snowing...

Sunday we went to see An Education, and I am now in love with this movie. Its 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and 3 Oscar nominations are definitely justified. The movie is about a 16 year old girl living in England in the 1960s who is working hard to get an education so she can go to Oxford when she meets a charming older man who shows her a different life. The movie is beautiful, and the acting is wonderful.

Also, the fashion in this movie is to-die-for fabulous. Seriously. Dying.














(When I go to Paris, this is what I'm wearing.)





Go see this movie.

V-day Weekend Sum-up

I realize Monday would probably be the appropriate day for a weekend recap, but oh well. You'll have to settle for hump day this week.

Our weekend started early. A day early and early in the AM. Our friends, Drew and Stefanie, came in to visit, so we took Friday off to hang out. Their flight came in at 7:30. WHAT? That's usually when I wake up, but Drew and Stef are worth it, so I woke up at 6 (Who knew it was so dark at 6?) with little to no complaints. On the plus side, I got to watch an episode of Saved by the Bell: the College Years while I got dressed.

First things first, we got brunch (it was 7:30 AM afterall) and came up with a tentative plan for our day. After dropping off their bags at our place, we grabbed the pup and walked over to REI. Drew and Danny both came away with nice ski/hardshell jackets that were on sale (score!). Next, we hit up Falling Rock Tap House for a late lunch and some really good beer.



Not too far away, we found Great Divide Brewery and made it in time for a tour and happy hour. After a short stop at home to pick up our friend, Andrew, we walked across the street to the Pepsi Center for an Avalanche game which they won - yay!



Saturday started with - big surprise - brunch (did I mention we really like brunch?). We did a bit of wandering and shopping on Broadway, found a great sale at Fancy Tiger, and had some ice cream. For dinner, we decided to get dressed up and take Drew and Stef to Jax which was oh-so-good.



Sunday, we gave our guests something they'd been really wanting - Snow! It didn't snow too much, but it was beautiful. Because of the snow and cold temps, they got to witness the pup getting suited up to go outside and watch her make a big scene about wearing booties.



After ogling the falling snow, we did what we do best and headed to - say it together - brunch. Our brunch destination this morning was Duo in Highlands which I highly recommend. Their weekend quiche is always amazing, and I don't even like eggs. I love their coffee too. Mmmm....We hit up a couple shops on Tennyson before heading home to help Stef fit all her purchases in her suitcase. She, of course, had nothing to worry about as I am an expert packer.

Before heading to the airport, we decided to try out the Cherry Cricket which boasts the #3 burger in the country. I can tell you that they have an excellent green chili cheeseburger, awesome chili cheese fries, and yummy fried mac and cheese bites. Can you tell we like food?

We had such a great weekend with Drew and Stef which we always do. We miss you guys already!

Musings from the Front Porch

My friend, Meg, recently started a wonderful blog called Musing from the Front Porch where she talks about being a first time homeowner and all that it entails...from decor to cooking to lessons learned. She just featured our Denver loft on her Style Spying. Check it out here.

Also, here's a video tour of our place.

A New Adventure

As far as this blog is concerned, I have been MIA for about 6 months (oops!). There was a major change in my life that sucked up all of my time. In those 6 months, we sold our house in the South and moved out West to Denver. It was a whirlwind!

Colorado was a place that Danny and I had thought about moving to several times. It felt like a place that we would love, but with the timing of life and jobs, it just didn't work out. Then Danny started working for a company based in Denver, and he started coming out all the time. All the time. Last March, I came with Danny on one of these trips, and we really fell in love with the city. We decided to set a lofty goal for ourselves: we would move to Denver by the end of the year. We went back home and continued our daily lives with some talk of our goal but no real steps toward it.

Then a few months later, we took our first small step. We traded in Danny's rear-wheel drive, 2 seater convertible for an all-wheel drive WRX wagon. All-wheel drive is an important thing to have when you're dealing with snow and ice. My car lease came to an end, so we turned it in. Moving with one car would be much easier than with 2. Step 1...that wasn't so bad.

The next step (and it was a big one) was putting our house on the market. Talk of this went on for weeks until I finally took the plunge and emailed our realtor to set up a meeting. That really got the ball rolling. We put the house on the market. There was no turning back now.

The next thing that happened was something we weren't expecting - the house sold 10 days after we put it on the market & the buyer wanted to close at the end of September which was only about a month away. Ah! "Did that really happen?" was a common phrase for the next few days and even weeks. We obviously hoped to sell the house quickly but not that quickly!

We were ecstatic that we were able to sell our house so fast, but with closing at the end of September that meant we were moving to Denver in a few short weeks and didn't have a place to live when we got there! Luckily, Danny had a business trip scheduled in September, so he was able to extend it & look at places. He found a wonderful place with help with our Denver realtor and signed the lease, all without my even seeing it. Good thing I trust my husband's taste...

The sad part of all this excitement was that we had to say goodbye to our friends and family a lot sooner than we had been expecting. The next few weekends were spent hanging out and saying goodbye to our friends and to the South. It was bittersweet, but we were so excited about our new home & our friends and family coming to visit us there.

So, at the end of September, we set off on our new adventure, and we're loving every minute of it!

i'm going to denver!

danny has a business trip to denver next week & i'm going to meet up with him at the end for a 3 day weekend in the mile high city. i'm excited!