Saturday, August 31, 2013

Colfax Artist commissioned by Harley, Vatican to paint 110th piece

MILWAUKEE (WITI) — Painter David Uhl was commissioned by both Harley-Davidson and the Vatican to paint a special work of art commemorating the 110th Anniversary celebration.

Uhl’s talent has taken him from rock stars to Rome — he’s even had a chance to meet the Pope.

“That was amazing, surreal for me. For an artist to go to the Vatican and take a private tour of the whole art collection they have, it just knocked my socks off. I have not been the same since,” said Uhl.

The Vatican also used his 110th Anniversary design as the inspiration for a stamp.

“This is, I guess, the big thing. They designed a stamp based on my painting. He said he couldn’t believe that because they reserve that for, like, saints or major events in history,” said Uhl.

Uhl also had a chance to gift his artwork to Aerosmith rocker Steven Tyler.

“I finally got time and was going to meet him here so I hurried up and tried to get enough done to show it off tonight,” said Uhl. “So I’ll go backstage or Tyler’s dressing room. Hopefully he’ll dig it.”

Aerosmith performs at the Harely-Davidson 110th on Saturday, August 30th.

CLICK HERE to get your own copy of Uhl’s commemorative Harley-Davidson 110th Anniversary painting.

Uhl Studios is located at 15801 West Colfax Avenue in Golden, Colorado. Portions of the site building date back to 1890, and it was formerly an antique shop, a hang gliding club, and a residential home. In 2008, the property was purchased by David and Danial. The building was completely renovated and reconstructed by the two artists who gave it soul and modern appeal.

Friday, August 30, 2013

A Taste of Colorado starts Today!

Experience Downtown Denver’s Biggest Menu at A Taste of Colorado

Festivalgoers can learn culinary secrets, enjoy gourmet dishes, and savor offerings from some of the state’s favorite food establishments at the 30th annual A Taste of Colorado. The four-day, free admission, food, music, and entertainment Festival will take place Labor Day weekend, Aug. 30 through Sept. 2, in Downtown Denver’s Civic Center Park.

The Albert Bartlett Culinary Showcase, presented by 630 KHOW and hosted by Pat Miller, “The Gabby Gourmet,” is located in the Fine Dining Area and features local and nationally renowned chefs offering tips and techniques that Festivalgoers can take home to their own kitchen. Nicole Crane of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage will prepare a chocolate avocado mousse parfait Friday at noon. Tom Schommer of The Broker Restaurant will craft parmesan zucchini cakes with tzatziki dip at 1:15 p.m. Check out a classic Italian dish from Elise Wiggins of Panzano at 3:30 p.m. – porchetta. Jasper Johnson of Randolph’s Restaurant will feature his warm arugula potato salad at 4:30 p.m.

Daniel Schneider of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage kicks off Saturday at 11:15 a.m. with his curry lentil dip with crispy vegetables. The Colorado Proud burger and brisket nachos will be the dishes prepared by Drew Archer of TAG Burger Bar at noon. Noah French of TAG Restaurant will craft his Colorado Palisade peach “enchilada” at 2:30 p.m. Rayme Rossello of Comida Cantina at The Source will make trout ceviche tostada with grilled heirloom tomato, summer vegetable slaw, and grilled peaches with chipotle agave drizzle at 4:30 p.m. Join Scott Parker of Session Kitchen at 5:30 p.m. as he features charred jalapeño avocado pickles.

Ned McCrum of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage will demonstrate how to make dilly beans Sunday at 11:15 a.m. Check out George Gastl of Que Bueno! Mexican Grille at 12:30 p.m. as he prepares blue crab and shrimp enchiladas, topped with mole verde. Anand Chaturvedula of 240 Union will make pan-roasted day boat sea scallops and a cool watermelon salad with sherry bacon vinaigrette and fresh mint at 2:30 p.m. Keegan Gerhard of D Bar Desserts and The Food Network will craft mango upside-down at 4:30 p.m. Come to the Showcase stage at 5:30 p.m. to see Alec Schrader of Shanahan’s Steakhouse prepare his steak salad with roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, and balsamic vinaigrette.

The Culinary Showcase kicks off Monday with a demo at 11:15 a.m. of mojito pork and summer sliders by Brook Seiz of Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage. Lee Clayton Roper, author of “A Well-Seasoned Kitchen,” will make a simple yet gourmet recipe of savory chicken in phyllo packets and individual plum tarts at noon. Christopher Sanchez from West 29th Restaurant and Bar will craft creamy cantaloupe and moscato soup with basil and mint syrup at 1:15 p.m. Join Marcus Jimenez of Shells and Sauce at 2:30 p.m. as he features chicken piccata. Eric Chiappetta of MainLine, Fort Collins will close out the stage with a demo of shrimp and grits at 4:30 p.m.

The following is a lineup of demonstrations on the Albert Bartlett Culinary Showcase presented by 630 KHOW:

FRIDAY, Aug. 30
12:00 p.m. - Nicole Crane - Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage
1:15 p.m. - Tom Schommer - The Broker Restaurant
2:30 p.m. - Cory Treadway - Wynkoop Brewing Company
3:30 p.m. - Elise Wiggins - Panzano   
4:30 p.m. - Jasper Johnson - Randolph’s Restaurant
5:30 p.m. - Daniel Asher - Root Down and Linger, Albert Bartlett Ambassador
6:30 p.m. - Ready, Set, Cook!  Chefs compete and cook like crazy!

SATURDAY, Aug. 31
11:15 a.m. - Daniel Schneider - Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage
12:00 p.m. - Drew Archer - TAG Burger Bar
1:15 p.m. - Ice Cream Eating Contest
2:30 p.m. - Noah French - TAG Restaurant
3:30 p.m. - Daniel Asher - Root Down and Linger, Albert Bartlett Ambassador
4:30 p.m. - Rayme Rossello - Comida Cantina at The Source
5:30 p.m. - Scott Parker - Session Kitchen
6:30 p.m. - Ready, Set, Cook!  Chefs compete and cook like crazy!

SUNDAY, Sept. 1
11:15 a.m. - Ned McCrum - Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage
12:30 p.m. - George Gastl - Que Bueno! Mexican Grille   
1:00 p.m. - Ice Cream Eating Contest
2:30 p.m. - Anand Chaturvedula - 240 Union
3:30 p.m. - Daniel Asher - Root Down and Linger, Albert Bartlett Ambassador
4:30 p.m. - Keegan Gerhard - D Bar Desserts and The Food Network   
5:30 p.m. - Alec Schrader - Shanahan’s Steakhouse
6:30 p.m. - Ready, Set, Cook!  Chefs compete and cook like crazy!

MONDAY, Sept. 2
11:15 a.m. - Brooke Seiz - Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage
12:00 p.m. - Lee Clayton Roper - “A Well-Seasoned Kitchen”
1:15 p.m. - Christopher Sanchez - West 29th Restaurant and Bar
2:30 p.m. - Marcus Jimenez - Shells and Sauce
3:30 p.m. - Daniel Asher - Root Down and Linger, Albert Bartlett Ambassador
4:30 p.m. - Eric Chiappetta - MainLine, Fort Collins

The Fine Dining Area will feature some of Denver’s most accomplished chefs and noted restaurants offering gourmet specialties in the park. Downtown staple, The Broker Restaurant, will be featuring shrimp cocktail, prime rib sandwiches, wild game sausage sandwiches, bruschetta, and banana bread pudding. Que Bueno! Mexican Grille, offering “north of the border” favorites with a modern twist, will showcase its cochinita pibil (slow-roasted pork), taco de pollo, and Mexican bread pudding. Randolph’s Restaurant will feature contemporary American cuisine with a Rocky Mountain flair, including a strawberry trifle, Randy’s signature slider, crab cake slider, and a combo plate of both items. Enjoy a pulled pork sandwich, Beale Street smoked chicken and slaw, bourbon bread pudding, or a combo plate of menu items from Southern Hospitality.

Many new restaurants have joined the Festival this year, including Himalayas II, serving Indian and Nepali cuisine like onion pyaji, chicken momo, vegetable momo, chicken tikka masala with rice, and vegetable curry with rice. Check out offerings from Moontower Tacos, including The Doggfather (fried chicken and waffle), The Colonel (chicken and queso), and baja fish tacos. Roasted pig, shrimp and sausage jambalaya, and smoked elk jerky will be featured from Rocks Modern Grill. In the mood for something zesty? Try Spice Island Grill’s Jamaican jerk pork, Jamaican jerk chicken, or Jamaican beef and chicken patty.

Returning to the Festival is the popular Bayou Bob’s, serving its crawfish étouffée, fried alligator, fried pickles, and a sampler of all three items. Those seeking exotic tastes should plan to stop by Barbed Wire Reef, offering chipotle pulled wild boar sandwiches; handmade organic beet burgers; salmon burgers; mahi mahi burgers; and a choice of gator, rattlesnake, duck, pheasant, antelope, and ostrich bratwursts. Festival favorite Rosa Linda’s Mexican Café dishes up green chili; cactus; burritos and tacos in a choice of chicken, beef, or cactus; cheese enchiladas; and bean burritos with chili and cheese. The filet k-bob (skewered filet mignon), range rattlers (stuffed jalapeños), and white chocolate cheesecake are on the menu at Saltgrass Steak House.

Classic Festival favorites, including berrie kabobs, turkey drumsticks, shaved ice, corn on the cob, and funnel cakes will also be served throughout the event.

The following is a complete list of Colorado’s favorite food establishments that will offer a wide variety of their specialties, from small portions to full meals:

Amore Gelato
Barbed Wire Reef
Bayou Bob’s
Berrie Kabobs
The Broker Restaurant
Capones
Cherry Creek Concessions
CiCi’s Pizza
Cody Coyote Kettle Corn
Cold Front Ice Cream Sales and Distribution
Colorado Buffalo Grill
Colorado Corn Company
Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream
Falafel King
Famous Dave’s Bar-B-Que
Gigi’s Cupcakes
The Goods
Graham’s Texapino Favorites
Grammy’s Goodies
Grillin’ Wings & Things
Hard Rock Cafe
Himalayas II
Hot Wok Café
Island Noodles
Island Oasis Smoothies
Jamba Juice
Little Brothers Mini Doughnuts
Monster Grill
Moontower Tacos
Mustard’s Last Stand
Nut Sensations
Pablo’s Coffee
Perkins Restaurant & Bakery
Pete’s Greek Town Café
Philadelphia Filly
Pop’s Rocky Mountain Kettle Corn
Que Bueno! Mexican Grille
Randolph’s Restaurant
Repicci’s Italian Ice
Rocks Modern Grill
Rocky Mountain Nut Roasters
Rodizio Grill
Roro’s Concessions
Rosa Linda’s Mexican Café
Saltgrass Steak House
Snow Business
Snowie Colorado
Southern Hospitality
Southwest Kettle Corn
Spice Island Grill
Sweet Lorraine’s Catering
Tocabe
Tre Sorella’s

In addition to the Access Health Colorado Main Stage, four other entertainment stages located throughout the Festival will serve up a continuous menu of music, including the KBCO World Class Rock Stage, the KYGO Country Stage, and the Colorado Heritage Stage presented by Westword.

Festivalgoers can shop in more than 280 Marketplace booths for original arts and crafts, home and gift items, furniture, jewelry, imports, and more. Fine Art in the Park will display original works in a variety of mediums created by artists from around the country. Shoppers also can explore the Home & Lifestyles area, which features a variety of exhibitors displaying products and services such as window installation, kitchen remodeling, cookware, basement refinishing, and salons and spas.

There will be plenty of music, magic, clowns, and puppets on the Comfort Dental KidzStage, and the KidZone features play equipment and hands-on craft activities. Kids and adults also can enjoy carnival rides and games Saturday through Monday.

In the Festival of Mountain and Plain area, families can learn about the state’s pioneer past, nature, and the environment. Featured artisans will demonstrate Navajo weaving and culture, spinning, rug braiding, lace crocheting, felting, and quilting, along with the popular blacksmith demonstration. At the Raptor Education Foundation (REF) exhibit, children can learn about birds, their environment, and their interactions with humans.

Sponsors of this year’s Festival are: 9NEWS, Access Health Colorado, Aggreko, LLC, 2013 Air National Guard Mobile Experience, Albert Bartlett, All Copy Products, American Medical Response, APLMED Academy, Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, Blue Moon, Bluegreen Vacations, Char-Broil TRU-Infrared Mobile Tour, Chobani Champions, Coast 2 Coast Communications, Colorado HealthOP, Colorado Lottery, Colorado Native, Comfort Dental, Coors Banquet, Costco Wholesale, Courtyard by Marriott Denver Downtown, Cutarelli Vision, The Denver Post, DirectBuy of NW Denver, Downtown Denver Partnership, Inc., Eldorado Natural Spring Water, Famous Dave’s Bar-B-Que, 2013 Ford Experience Tour, Grand Lodge on Peak 7, LBA Realty, Levinson Eye Clinic, Lincoln Motor Company, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Nature’s Path Foods, Inc., Peach Street Distillery, PEPSI, Residence Inn Denver City Center, Roundhouse Spirits, Solar City, Sport Clips Haircuts, Sturgeon Electric, SVEDKA Vodka, and TownePlace Suites Denver Downtown.

Festival hours are Friday, Aug. 30, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 31, and Sunday, Sept. 1, 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Monday, Sept. 2, 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Festival of Mountain and Plain … A Taste of Colorado is a community celebration that is produced by and benefits Downtown Denver Events, Inc., the Downtown Denver Partnership family’s community events nonprofit organization. The Festival is an opportunity for people throughout the region to come together to experience and appreciate our diverse cultural traditions, and to learn more about our state’s Western heritage.

The Festival highlights visual and performing arts in addition to featuring educational programs and culinary demonstrations.
Visit www.ATasteofColorado.com, www.facebook.com/ATasteofColorado, www.twitter.com/ATasteofCO, or call (303) 295-6330 for more information.

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Donald's Computer Outlet

     From donaldscomputers.com: "We are a family owned and operated business dedicated to providing cost effective solutions for all of your computer needs. For over ten years we have offered friendly and knowledgeable customer service and continue to provide all of our customers with the best experience possible. Being a family owned and operated business we know the importance of being able to save without sacrificing quality. That's why our goal is to offer competitive prices for PC's and accessories allowing us to provide our customers with the best savings possible. For years we have been able to offer the best prices for repairs, upgrades all the way to the purchase of a new PC because we believe the best way to grow a business is through our customers. A happy and satisfied customer will spread the word and refer you to their friends. So please stop by to see how we can help you.We have been helping people with their PC/Mac issues for 10 years and we have over 18+ years experience."
Tarik Muhammad

     They also maintain a computer recycling program: "Computer and E-waste recycling has become a priority for us. Here at Donald's Computer Outlet we aware that due to the rapid change in technology E-waste has become the fastest growing waste in the nation. On average each person generates 20 pounds of E- waste per year, Monitors and PC's contains circuit boards, cathode-ray tubes, mercury and chromium which are extremely hazardous to your health and the environment. Please Contact us if you would like any further information about our recycling program."
     ColfaxAvenue.com gets all of our computers serviced at Donald's Computer Outlet. They maintain great customer service and a quick turnaround on all repairs. Highly recommended!


Donald's Computer Outlet
3421 E.Colfax Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
(303) 355-2626
www.donaldscomputers.com

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

The Fax by Phyllis Barber


The Fax
by

                              Published in Crazyhorse, Spring 2000, Number 58
             They’re cruising East Colfax in Eddie’s ‘76 van, silver-colored with serious dents, full of his clothes, his tools, his bed.  Mitch watches Eddie signal like he’s going to turn the corner, but Mitch suspects Eddie’s not turning anywhere.  He’s probably looking for the contact, the mule, the one who’ll take him to the Black Tar.  Eddie, who thinks he’s fooling Mitch.
            Eddie stares through the open windows at the people sitting on the corner bench, waiting for the bus.  Mitch watches him scan the store fronts, the people crossing the street.
            Hey, my man, Eddie says.  What do you think?
            Mitch is pensive, his eyes two stones in a sculpture.  It’s Colfax, he says impassively, trying to ignore the cold hard point-of-the-arrow fact that keeps jabbing his brain.  Linda’s left him, swept him out of her life like dust.  So forget it, he tells himself.  You’re out on East Colfax in Denver, you and good old Eddie who just blew into town after ten years and said it was his duty to find some weed to mellow your mind.
            Chill out, Eddie says, the same way he said it last night and this morning.  The heartbeat of the universe, he says.  Look at it.  Right here on The Fax.
            I’m mellow, OK? Mitch says.
            Don’t take everything so serious, Eddie says, looking over at Mitch and grinning, but then his attention is back on the street.
            Eddie’s tweaking, Mitch decides.  For something more than weed.  Eddie’s like a ghost, slipping away from everything concrete.  Mitch can’t forget the blue worm of a vein he saw this morning, the one on Eddie’s arm when he was shaving in the bright light of the bathroom mirror.  So why had he fallen for Eddie’s plan to smoke a bowl for old time’s sake?  It had to be a scam.
            We’re forty years old, for Chrissake, Mitch says.
            Tonight we’re gonna score, Eddie says.  Give your brain a rest, Mitch.
            The sun’s low in the west, not far from settling into the Rockies, and East Colfax is lighting up.  Twenty-four hour Walgreens, Roy Rogers Chuckwagon, Adult Video Library, Music Box Lounge.  All the things a person could need.  Even the Church in the City where the marquee says, “Love One Another for Love Comes from God.”  Brothers are playing basketball in the dusk on an outdoor court.  Mitch listens to balls bouncing on cement while Eddie waits for the light to change.
            Eddie.  A friend from high school days who aced Mitch in the calculus final, went to Cal Berkeley on scholarship, taught at Trinidad State JC for a while before he disappeared from Colorado and everybody’s address book.  Eddie.  A ghost for ten years before he shows up on Mitch’s doorstep a few days ago, his mooncrater van in the driveway telling about Eddie same as Eddie standing on the doorstep in his Levis and wrinkled T-shirt.  This was the Eddie who always had a knack for getting what he wanted.
            Mitch sighs as he sees the street lights turning on for the evening, lighting up the street people and their grocery carts full of home.  Everybody’s at home on wheels tonight.  Everybody’s moving, looking for the next place, and Eddie turns off his blinker and says, No, I think we better stay on The Fax for now.  My instincts say due west.  I listen to my instincts.  Do you listen to yours, Mitch, or just to that spider-web brain of yours?
            So, you’re the salt of the earth, Mitch says.  Compadre of the underdog, the homeless. 
            Look at this parade, Eddie says as he steps on the gas for a green light.  Look at the Darktown Strutters over there.  That drum major with the jerry curls.  Rip van Winkle on the right.  This is where it’s happening.  You feel like Alice in Wonderland, Mitch?
            Mitch shifts in his seat, feeling the tear in the seat cover under his right leg, the scratchy fabric reminding him of his computer chair at the office.  You think you’re some kind of tour director, he says, showing me what’s real because I’ve never seen it before?
            Something like that, Eddie says as he stops for another red light.
            Two Brothers are talking under the street light, and when they see Eddie pinning their every move, one of them holds out a closed fist as if he has something to offer.
            Probably narcs, Eddie says.  The Fax is one big roulette wheel.  The only way, Eddie says as he turns on his blinker again, is to find somebody on the street who knows what’s what.  Get the mule to make the deal for a small percentage.  No money until the stuff’s in your hand.
            He makes a big arcing turn and cuts over to 17th, then 21st.  At Stout, he hits his brakes.  Reservation People, he says, pointing a finger, and Mitch remembers how the Navajos think they throw part of themselves away if they point at someone.  The Wind People who live in the fingers are scattered.
            See those Indians sitting like pennies on the bus bench, Dude?  Copper pennies.  Get it.  Eddie laughs, then gets serious.  They might be who we’re looking for.
            Why them? Mitch asks, not sure Eddie’s idea is a good one.
            They’ll know who’s who on the streets, Eddie says.  I love the Indians, man.  Noble dudes fucked over, right?
            You could say that.  Like me.  Your friend, Mitch.
            There are 5.2 billion sad stories walking around.  Break the mold, man.
            You’re all heart, aren’t you, Eddie?
            Some of the Indians are milling on the sidewalk, and some are sitting on the bench in front of the solid brick wall of Tankersley Enterprises, waiting for a bus that’s not scheduled to come, surrounded by bags full of one thing or another, taking a break from their heavy schedule, their stressful day.
            Eddie bumps his wheel against the curb when he parks.  Come on, he says, rushing to the sidewalk.  Mitch unbuttons the top button of the plaid shirt he wore to work today and drops to the street.  The evening is hot.  He feels the cement soaked with heat through the soles of his shoes, follows Eddie to the corner to the bench.
            Eddie’s already talking to one of the Indians in his own inimitable style: from the hip, hands talking, earnest, straight to the heart of things.  Eddie’s not tall, he smiles a lot, has a trust-me face.  But, to Mitch, something about this scene reminds him of the old Cowboy and Indian flicks.  Scamming the natives with different kinds of beads.
            This is Mitch, Eddie says to the man with black and white striped hair to his shoulders, a T-shirt with a torn neck band and an orange and black Broncos windbreaker that has stains resembling rusty blood and housepaint.  The jacket’s been around.
            This is Little Bear, Eddie says to Mitch.  Little Bear knows people, Eddie says, a smile playing around his lips.  Something’s coming, something big, he mumbles so only Mitch hears him.  Then he moves close to Little Bear.  Leans in to ask.  Does Little Bear know where to find some Tar?  He turns back and grins at Mitch like some kind of cheshire cat.
            No Tar, Little Bear says to Eddie, backing away from him, his hands stretched out.
            Eddie stops grinning like the good-time Charles he usually is.
            You told me you were looking for pot, Mitch says, nudging Eddie’s ribs with his elbow.  None of that shit tonight.  Come on.  Keep with the Plan.
            So many of my friends fucked up on Tar, Little Bear is saying, his pants slipping down his hips.  The neck band on Little Bear’s T-shirt seems to rip further every time he pulls his pants back up.
            I don’t really care about that stuff, Eddie says.  He pats the shoulder of Little Bear’s jacket and smiles again.  Just wondering how much you could deliver, my man.
            Little Bear doesn’t deliver Tar.
            Weed? Eddie asks.
            I could know someone, Little Bear says, pulling a soft pack of cigarettes from the pocket of his jacket.  What do I get?
            The fattest bud in the lot, Eddie says.
            Sounds fair.  Little Bear taps a cigarette out of the pack, puts it between his lips, and pats his pockets for his lighter.  But you better remember something...if I say I’ll do this for you, I’ll keep my word.  Don’t forget.  Got a quarter?
            Eddie digs in his pocket, sorts through his change, hands a quarter to Little Bear.
            While he waits for the deal to go down, Mitch sits in the empty place on the bench next to a sleepy-looking Indian with a stringy dusty ponytail.
            How’s it going? Mitch says.
            Not bad, the man says.  I’m Gordon Sits a While.  He holds out his hand for a shake.  You?
            Mitch, Mitch says, shaking his hand.
            I got my papers, Gordon says.
            Papers?
            Right here.  Yeah, Gordon says, taking a yellowed, frail piece of paper out of his shirt pocket.  15/15, it says.  Every part of me Sioux.  One hundred percent Rosebud Sioux.  Not many of us left.
            I wish I was 15/15 of one thing, Mitch says, as he reads Gordon’s paper.  I’m a little bit of everything.  Heinz 57, like the ketchup.  How does it feel to be so pure?  Does your blood run better?  Mitch smiles a slow smile.
            Could be it does, Gordon says, smiling a sly smile of his own.  His incisors are both missing.
            I’m tight with my blood, Gordon says, rocking his knees back and forth while he talks.  I sent a man to the hospital who insulted my father.  Four years in the pen.  I can still hear that fucker’s words sometimes at night.  Gordon holds up a fist.
            Party time, Eddie says.  He’s back from his silver van with a short stack of paper cups and a third-full bottle of Jack Daniels.  Party time, everybody.
            Bus stop, no buses running, a little cocktail party on the corner of Stout and 21st, not far from the Stout Street Clinic.  Paper trash swirls by.  The sun is slipping past the green steel gridiron on top of Coors Field.  The stadium was built from the ruins of railroad yards and warehouses, Mitch remembers as he watches the silhouette of steel change from green to shadow black and thinks of a newspaper article about how the stadium was designed to be connected to the city and all its life.
            Eddie passes cups of whiskey to Gordon, Mitch, and a man and woman holding hands and waiting, who knows for what.  It’s evening on the promenade.  Time to hold hands.  Time to watch the community parade by.  She’s a sweet faced woman with cat eyeglasses and a faded silk scarf tied under her chin.  She smiles at Mitch as they toast each other.
            Cheers, Mitch says.  Cheers, the woman says.  They lift their cups and touch paper rim to paper rim.
            Mitch settles back into the bench and wonders if his soon-to-be-ex might drive by with her lover.  He crosses his legs and sips whiskey as he waits for the next car to pass.  He feels tired as Linda’s words pound his brain: You’re boring as sawdust, Mitch.
            How boring is sawdust anyway? he wonders as he feels the burn of the whiskey on his chapped lips.  Sawdust has a nice smell.  It’s soft.  The analogy doesn’t work.  And Eddie, who’s been eating my food for four days, using my shower and my phone for a zillion calls, thinks I’m boring, too.  Eddie, who couldn’t stay home and watch another video tonight, or even settle for a nice meal and talk about the old days.  Eddie and his search for the sensational.  Always looking for something bigger and better than ever existed before, just like Linda.
            Mitch suddenly realizes Gordon is talking to him.  He tunes in at half sentence.   ...it was a bitch, Gordon is saying.  You done any time? He’s asking, emptying the last drop from his cup.
            Time?  Mitch ponders for a minute.  Yeah.  Time.
            Mitch studies Gordon’s face, a scar across his cheek pulling his left eye lower than his right one.  One Big Eye should be Gordon’s name, he thinks.  He also notices the way Gordon’s hair fans gray from the tip of his widow’s peak, the way his face says trouble.
            My wife left me.  Mitch crumples the cup in his hand.
            Women, Gordon says.
            While the two men ponder the word, the conversation falls quiet.
            No matter what we do, Mitch breaks the silence, there’s the female sex to deal with.  Sex.  Oh fuck, sex.  Mitch puts his forehead in his hand and feels like crying, but he knows he shouldn’t give in.  Avoid self-pity, his therapist tells him.  It poisons you.
            Mitch feels a hand on his shoulder.  It’s Gordon’s.  He’s looking at Mitch more with the big eye than with the other one and saying, Hey, brother.  I’m holding down this spot on this bench.  That’s my job.  See?
            You’re a good man, Gordon.  Mitch feels a thickness in his throat, the tightness of tears rising until a flurry of action behind the bench draws his attention.
            Little Bear is back, Little Bear is saying.  We can go see my squaw now, he laughs.  You like it when Indians have squaws, don’t you, he says to Eddie.  Fits the picture.  Right?  She has connections, my man.  Mota, yes.  You know I keep my word.  Don’t doubt Little Bear’s word.
            Let’s go, Eddie says.  Motor to Mota in the silver glide mobile.  See, Mitch, he whispers to his friend who’s still sitting on the bench with Gordon and the happily-together couple.  I come through with the action.  Right?
            Right, Eddie.  Mitch stands up reluctantly, not wanting to leave Gordon.  Good talking to you, buddy.  Hang in there.  Hold onto your spot and all fifteen of those fifteenths.
            Gordon’s one big eye seems sad, like it has seen more than an eye should see.  See you, man.  Take care.
            Mitch wants to lean down and touch Gordon Sits Awhile’s scar.  He wants to take Gordon home for a shower, wash the dust from his pony tail.  He wants the world to be a better place.
            Come on, Mitch, Eddie is yelling.  Mota, Mota.  Es tiempo.    Move it.  Let Little Bear sit up front so he can give me directions.  Okay?
            Mitch climbs into the back where Eddie sleeps at night and suddenly feels cut off from the world at the front of the van.  Eddie.  Little Bear.  The things they’re saying.  The streets.  He’s watching a movie as he sits cross-legged on the floor, straightens his back, checking out the view of the tops of things, which is all he can see now.  The tops of street lights, street signs.  No curbs and sidewalks for now.  Look at life from a different perspective, his therapist always tells him.  A new angle.
            Eddie is sipping whiskey as he drives, his third paper cup full of Jack.  When Little Bear tells him to turn, he reacts a block late.  You want me to drive? Mitch asks as if from another country.
            I’m fine, Eddie says.  I’m fine.
            Yes, Eddie’s fine, Mitch thinks.  Driving around Denver in his office and his home, his clothes folded into boxes on the built-in shelves.  Eddie’s smiling.  Eddie’s face looks like sunshine, always has, big smile, let-me-help-you-out kind of guy.  Eddie, showing up out of nowhere just when Linda told Mitch she was off to the races with a new jockey, a better chance to win the race, were her exact words.  You don’t even care who wins, she’d added as she closed the door.  Eddie Ready.  Eddie, The Man.  Showing up at Mitch’s door out of nowhere, a beeper hooked to his belt.
            Put in some tunes, Mitch says.  Some of the good seventies stuff.
            Later, says Eddie.  I want to hear what Little Bear here has to say.  Are you a chief, my man?
            Little Bear lights a Marlboro and blows a stream of smoke out the window.  Forget the chief stuff, Eddie.  We are equal where I come from.  Rosebud.  South Dakota.
            Do you know Gordon? Mitch interrupts.  The guy with a scar under one eye?
            You mean Gordy Squats a Lot? Little Bear says, sitting forward and squinting his eyes.  Turn at the next corner.  Martin Luther King.  Okay?
            Okay, says Eddie.
            Yes, says Little Bear, settling back into his chair.  Gordy and I did time together.  We both have fists.  See this, he says, holding up one meaty chunk of a hand.  I was a boxer.  A good one.  See my nose?  He points to a twisted depression at the bridge of his nose.
            Hey, Little Bear yells.  That’s the corner.  You missed it.
            You told me too late, Eddie says. 
            You want me to drive, Mitch asks again.  I’m still sober.
            No, Mitch.  I’m fine.  Trust me.
            The van seems to be turning constantly now.  Mars.  We’re going to Mars, Mitch thinks as he watches twisting tree tops and the shift of blue-black sky.  He has no idea where they’re going except he hears Little Bear say Clarkson, Ogden, 26th.  They must be in the Hood, and Eddie is driving like corners are round.  Relax, Mitch tells himself.  You can’t control anything anyway.  He looks at the angles of the street lights and swirling tree branches as if they were museum paintings–the masses of green leaves overhead, clumps, bunches, long branches disappearing from the picture, too long to fit in the frame.  Eddie and I’ll get some pot and get baked, and I’ll sit in my favorite chair back home, put in some “Dark Side of the Moon” and say Screw, Linda, screw linda, SCREW LINDA, as many ways and times as I want.  But Mitch’s head and stomach have started to talk to him.
            Eddie, Mitch says, stop turning so much.  My stomach needs straight lines.
            Eddie slow the van even more.  Slow enough?
            You’re creeping like a snail, Little Bear says.
            Trust me, Eddie says.  I know how I need to drive.
            Hey, Eddie, Mitch says, the alcohol buzz finally colliding with his rational mind, smoothing the folds in his brain.  He slides forward on his butt and scoots closer to Eddie’s chair.  I’ve wanted to ask you this, he says.  How was it you came back, right in the middle of my fall down the black hole?  After ten years.  The King of Calculus at my door.  Mitch can see Eddie’s eyes in the rear view mirror.
            Ten years doesn’t mean anything, Eddie says.  Ten years is nothing man.  I love my friends.
            Mitch hears the word love, but it floats through his mind like a high-speed sailing ship.  High school buddies equals love?  Some equation struggles to formulate itself in his brain.
            Turn here, Little Bear says, reaching for the bottle from its place between Eddie’s legs, pouring the last of the Jack into his cup.
            Poor Jack is dead, Eddie sings as he slows the van to two miles per hour and creeps around the corner.
            Go into this alley, up here, Little Bear says.  It’s narrow through here.  Ooh, Jesus, watch out for those cans.
            All Mitch can see is the tops of houses, TV antennas, second stories.  Eddie, he says, trying to keep upright as Eddie takes the bumps in the alley.  There’s nothing to support his swing from side to side, front and back.  Eddie steps on the brakes, Mitch pitches forward, and Little Bear opens the squeaking door.  Twenty five, he says.
            No money till we get the shit, Mitch says.  Like you said, Eddie.
            Just give him the money, Eddie says.
            You said....
            Give him the money, Eddie says again in a softer, more ominous voice.
            Mitch takes two bills from his wallet and slips them into Little Bear’s hand.
            I’ll be right back, Little Bear says.
            Eddie and Mitch are sitting in an alley somewhere in Denver is all Mitch knows.  He’s sitting on the floor of Eddie’s bedroom wondering why Eddie changed the rules of the deal and why Eddie keeps staring up at the ancient bare-bulb streetlight.  He’s also thinking about Linda.  Bad moon rising in his chest.
            I bet if I went in there, Eddie is saying, more to himself than to Mitch, I bet....  He’s still staring at the light like it’s some kind of train.  Eddie must be tweaking bad, Mitch decides.  He’s nowhere near here.  His head’s been hijacked.  But has he ever been here?  Are any of us here?
            A strike of pencil lightning loneliness cuts into Mitch.  Nobody’s home for anybody, he thinks.  Everybody’s craving sensation.  Linda.  Eddie.  The whole fucking mess is so putrid.  Puke on it.  Fuck the whole human race.
            I’m gonna check out your office, Mitch says as he crawls back into the rear of the van, curls up next to Eddie’s bean bag chair, the one piece of luxury furniture.  All Mitch wants to do is find some solitude, feel something soft and curving and pliable.  A quiet place to curl into.  Surrounded by beans in a bag.
            Why you leaving me all by myself? Eddie says.  Come back up here, man.  Eddie picks up the empty bottle of Jack from where Little Bear left it.  He twists its neck with both hands as if he could wring whiskey from it.  Mitch stands up, feeling uneven, and stoops his way back to the passenger seat, his spinal cord grazing the dome light.
            Last drop, Eddie says as Mitch sits on the torn seat cover again.  Just think of it, man.  We’ve got some weed coming our way.  Hey, everything’s gonna be all right.
            So you say, Mitch says, thinking of his computer and his office and his supposedly boring life as he feels the chair’s fabric against his hand.  Life can’t always be a rush, he’d told Linda.  There are times when it’s good to contemplate what everything means.  Times to sit back.  Observe.  All you do is contemplate your navel, Linda had said.  Count the hairs on your chest.
            So, you think my troubles are just one of life’s little pit stops? Mitch says.
            Just one, Eddie says.  Life is life.
            Mitch tries to be a stoic, crosses his arms, rests them against his woven leather belt.  He feels the imprint of the basketweave pattern on his wrists.  Snap out of it, his therapist would say.
            I’m glad you showed up, Eddie, Mitch says as if he’s a Pavlov dog obeying the therapist’s words, uncrossing his arms and leaning one on the windowsill.  Your name came up every once in awhile.  Nobody knew anything.
            I’m still alive, Eddie says, his chest resting against the steering wheel, two hands snaking around the lambswool cover, staring out into the dark where the ancient street light shines on the broad summer leaves, making them an unreal yellow.  Mitch puts his hand out the window to feel the air.
            I bet Little Bear’s wife could get Tar, Eddie says.  We’re at the source, man.  We’re so close.
            Come on, Eddie, Mitch laughs to keep things cool.  In his head, he keeps seeing the vein on Eddie’s arm that looks like an overstuffed worm.  You a broken record or something? he says.  You told me we’d go out and look for weed, remember?  Little Bear’s getting it.  Everything’s cool, Eddie.  OK?
            OK, OK, Eddie says.  Just testing you.  You know I like watching you and your goat.
            Sure, Mitch says.  You and Linda.  You both think you’re so hip, whatever, whatever.  You think I’m a stone fish or something just cause I’m not out looking for the action every night.  I’m a person, remember?  Doesn’t anybody matter to anybody?  What’s all this me-me air people have to suck to keep alive?  Tell me, Eddie.
            You’re in the pits, Mitch.  Plain and simple.
            And you’re in the tar pits, Eddie.  Mitch looks over at Eddie with the sides of his eyes.
            A pit’s a pit, Eddie says, still staring out the window.
            Mitch wonders what’s so interesting about the isolated street light standing by itself in the back alley.  Maybe it holds a key of some kind.  Maybe Eddie’s onto something.  He contemplates the light shining by itself at the top of a wooden pole, way up in the air.  You’re a slave, Eddie, he says.
            And you’re not?
            There’s movement at the back door of the house.  Little Bear lumbers down the narrow wooden staircase, a big man with a chest that could house a ceremonial drum.  His hair brushes the tops of his shoulders.  The half light of the evening casts a shadow across his face, exaggerating the twisted cartilage at the bridge of his nose.  His hands are big at his sides, two of Mitch’s hands in one.  His Levis sag at the hips, not designed for his build, and he seems to be growing into Big Bear as he approaches the van.
            He’s big, Mitch says as he maneuvers back to his place on the floor.  What are we doing messing with a guy like this?
            Eddie doesn’t answer.  He’s leaning toward the door Little Bear is opening and dusting off the dome light to better inspect the goods.
            Did you score? Eddie asks as Little Bear slides into the vacated seat, wearing the smell of alcohol like a mask.
            Did I say I’d get you weed or not?  Little Bear is irritated.  He leans forward in his seat and puts his hands flat, fingers facing each other mid-thigh, head down.  If I say I’ll do something, I do it.  Got that?  Don’t you have any respect for a man’s word?  He turns his head toward Eddie, his head still bent forward.
            Yeah man, I do, Eddie says, but he keeps staring out the window in the direction of the broken sidewalk leading to the narrow wooden stairs, the back of the house.  There’s Tar in there, he says.  I know there’s Tar.
            Shut the fuck up about Tar.  I keep my word, Little Bear says.  The word I gave you.  Do you understand?
            Yeah, yeah.  I get the message.
            You don’t sound like you get the message, my friend.  Pay attention.  Little Bear is expanding, his chest powering up, ten tribes blossoming there.  Mitch feels like opening the cargo door and running from this air that’s turning nuclear.
            You think I’m a con or something? Eddie asks like his brain’s disconnected.  He’s trying not to stare out the window, but he’s fixated on the back stairs of the house.  I love your kind, man.
            You love my kind, huh?  Little Bear’s fists are rising slowly and Eddie’s not getting it.  And what’s my kind, buddy?
            I love everybody, Eddie says in a soft TV preacher kind of voice as he turns toward Little Bear.  Black, Red, Turquoise.  Peace and harmony.  Get that through your skull, Little Bear.
            Even though Mitch’s head is off kilter and swirling, he can’t believe he’s hearing this.  Eddie’s stepped over the line.  He’s flipped.  Mitch believes in knives and knuckles covered with blood and he’s ready to pull the long handle on the sliding door and spring for cover.
            Don’t talk about my skull, Little Bear says as he edges off his chair in Eddie’s direction.  I’m Rosebud Sioux.  See these fists.  Shut up about love, all your little flowers and doves.  Shut up, man.
            But it’s real love I’m talking about, Little Bear.  Eddie’s holding out his hands, palms lighted by the dome light.
            Eddie, Mitch says loudly.  Cool it.  Didn’t you hear the man?
            Listen to your friend, Little Bear says.
            He doesn’t believe me, Mitch.  That’s the trouble with people.  Suddenly Eddie’s punching the steering wheel with the heel of his hand.  Why don’t you believe me, man?  And then Eddie’s an explosion.  He’s shouting.  Why don’t you believe me?  He’s slapping the dashboard with both hands.  He’s swinging one arm wildly.
            Mitch rolls to a crouch, half stands, ready to split the scene.  Eddie.  Cut it.
            And a fist crosses the space between the two captain’s chairs in the front of the van.  Hits the bone by Eddie’s right eye.  Mitch is stunned by the sound of the fist connecting with Eddie’s cheekbone.  The sound that doesn’t reverberate.  Stops cold.
            That’s nothing, Little Bear says.  Be quiet, you punk.  Now.
            Eddie’s mouth and eyes contort with pain.  He cradles the side of his face with both hands, twists his lips.  Little Bear pulls a plastic baggie from the pocket of his Bronco’s jacket, unfolds it, picks a fat bud out with two fingers, licks the top of the bag and folds it down.  He hands it to Mitch, then opens the door which moans with the pain of old age.  He slides out of the van, walks like a bear down the alley beneath the ancient streetlight and disappears between the shadows of garages.
            The silence is accentuated by the ticking of the cooling motor.  The crickets have stopped.  Inside, there’s a feeling of something settling.  Mud perhaps.  Slippery mud oozing over the floor, made from the dust of the ancestors.
            You OK, man?  Mitch is kneeling at Eddie’s side, the palm of his hand on Eddie’s leg.
            Eddie’s still holding his face.
            Anything broken? Mitch asks.
            No answer.
            Couldn’t you see he was getting ready to hit you?
            He didn’t believe me, Eddie whispers, his voice bruised.  That’s why everything’s so screwed up.  Nobody believes in love anymore.
            Why should they, man?
            Eddie touches his face gingerly, not seeming to hear Mitch’s question.
            Mitch wants to say, Worry about yourself, Eddie.  But he doesn’t.  Instead he wonders what he and Eddie will do after the silver van rumbles down the alley and back onto the streets.  Maybe Eddie’ll have to move on, or maybe he needs a rest.  Maybe it’s time for Mitch to close the door on the Lovely Linda and her Torture Chamber.  Whatever, as he helps Eddie into the passenger seat and slides into the driver’s spot, Mitch has the uncanny sensation of walking across large white margins into the realm of another story.  Another one of the 5.2 billion.  And he wonders how this one will end or if any of them ever do.

You can find out more about author Phyllis Barber on her website, www.phyllisbarber.com.

Monday, August 26, 2013

East High School

East High School, circa 1930. Courtesy: Denver Public Library
     East opened in 1875 at 1731 Arapahoe Street with a total enrollment of 108 students and was the first high school in Denver. The first graduating class was in 1877. In 1889 it moved to 19th and Stout because of a need for more room. This location is now referred to as "Old East." It could accommodate 700 students. The school featured a gracious flight of stairs leading to the entrance, which was notable for its sculpture of the face of a young girl, sculpted as an Angel. School architect Robert S. Roeschlaub and the school board decided to use a local childhood beauty instead of a Greek face to symbolize the school's "dedication to youth." The sculptor was Preston Powers, famous for his statue of the Indian on the grounds of the state capitol. Five thousand girls across the city were visited as part of a campaign to find the model for the face and six-year-old Ella Catherine Matty was selected. The statue was so lovely that East High students have since been referred to as East Angels.
     When "Old East" was demolished in 1925, this keystone was removed and placed in a rock garden at the current location of East, 1545 Detroit St. The architect was Denver native George Hebard Williamson, himself a 1893 graduate of "Old East" High. He won national recognition for his design of the "new" East, which has a clock tower modeled after Independence Hall in Philadelphia.
     In early 1991, the East High building was declared an official Denver Historic Landmark by the Denver Landmark Commission and the Denver City Council.
     In July 2005, local rock band The Fray filmed a music video for the song Over My Head (Cable Car) in East High.
     East is also a Colorado 5A sports powerhouse in several sports including basketball (State Champions in 2004) soccer, lacrosse, rugby (state champions in 1997, 2002, and 2004) and football (In 2006 the East High Angels made it to the 5A playoffs for the first time in 12 years). The East men's basketball was recently named the best basketball team in the state according to RISE Magazine and Sports Illustrated. 

Notable Alumni
    • Beat icon Neal Cassady attended East for a short time.
    • Adam Cayton-Holland, comedian/writer at the Westword newspaper
    • Actor Don Cheadle
    • Folk singer Judy Collins
    • Three members of Earth, Wind & Fire who were East Alumni were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Philip Bailey, Andrew Woolfolk, and Larry Dunn.
    • Douglas Fairbanks, who was expelled from East High went on to become one of the most famous silent movie stars of all time.
    • Bill Frisell jazz guitarist
    • Pam Grier, actress
    • General Robert T. Herres, first Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
    • Actor Harold Lloyd
    • Hattie McDaniel, the first African American to win an Oscar for her performance in Gone with the Wind
    • Golda Meir attended, though did not graduate from East High School
    • Ron Miles, jazz trumpeter
    • Antoinette Perry, the namesake of the Tony Awards
    • Dianne Reeves, jazz vocalist
    • Jack Swigert, a NASA astronaut
    • Marilyn Van Derbur, Miss America 1958
    • Paul Whiteman (King of Jazz)
    • George Hebard Williamson, architect of East High School
    • Ruth Handler, inventor of the Barbie doll
    • Donnette Thayer - vocalist/guitarist
    • Reese Roper - filmmaker/musician
    • Sidney Sheldon - writer
    • Chuck E Weiss - musician
    • TJ Miller, actor/comedian
    Inside East High School Library in the 1920s (Denver Public Library, Western History, Call # X-28377)

    Sunday, August 25, 2013

    A Taste of Colorado Rock ’n Rolls into 30th Anniversary

    There’s something for every kind of rock fan on the KBCO World Class Rock Stage at the 30th annual A Taste of Colorado. The four-day, free admission, food, music, and entertainment Festival will take place Labor Day weekend, Aug. 30  through Sept. 2, in Downtown Denver’s Civic Center Park.

    American rock and soul band PLACES will kick things off Friday at 11:30 a.m. Megan Burtt will offer up her folk/pop melodies at 2:15 p.m. Blue-eyed soul and rock ’n roll songwriter Carson Allen will entertain at 5:30 p.m. Playing a variety of musical styles from rock, funk, R&B, and contemporary, Soul School will get people moving at 8:15 p.m.

    On Saturday, pop/rock and gypsy jazz band Lost Caravan will take the stage at 10:45 a.m. Aaron Hart entertains the crowd with a sound reminiscent of the Goo Goo Dolls and The Beach Boys at 1:30 p.m. Four-piece pop punk band Calibrate Me will perform at 4:45 p.m. Tunisia will play favorites, from classic to contemporary, at 8:15 p.m.

    Singer/songwriter Lindsey Saunders lends her unique sound and acoustic guitar styling on Sunday at 10:45 a.m. Blues and rock singer Tyler Stanfield will take the stage at 1:30 p.m. The Wendy Woo Band will entertain the crowd with a mix of rock, blues, folk, and jazz at 4:45 p.m. With their pop-infused indie/alternative songs, Fierce Bad Rabbit will conclude the night at 8 p.m.

    Opening Monday at 10:45 a.m. is the local female-fronted synthrock/synthpop group AdrienneO.  The ethereal harmonies and infectious pop-folk of SHEL will fill the air at 1:30 p.m. Five 13 will perform originals and covers influenced by the great arena bands of the past and contemporary favorites at 3:45 p.m. Contemporary funk band Hot Lunch will close out the Festival at 6 p.m.

    In addition to the KBCO World Class Rock Stage, the Access Health Colorado Main Stage and three other entertainment stages located throughout the Festival will serve up a continuous menu of music, including the KYGO Country Stage and the Colorado Heritage Stage presented by Westword.

    More than 50 of Colorado’s favorite food establishments will be selling a wide variety of small portions to full meals, ensuring that there will be something for every palate. The Fine Dining area will host some of Denver’s finest restaurants. The Albert Bartlett Culinary Showcase features local and nationally-renowned chef demonstrations creating simple, yet elegant meals.

    Festivalgoers can shop in more than 280 Marketplace booths for original arts and crafts, home and gift items, furniture, jewelry, imports, and more. Fine Art in the Park will display original works in a variety of mediums created by artists from around the country. Shoppers also can explore the Home & Lifestyles area, which features a variety of exhibitors displaying products and services such as window installation, kitchen remodeling, cookware, basement refinishing, and salons and spas.

    There will be plenty of music, magic, clowns, and puppets on the Comfort Dental KidzStage, and the KidZone features play equipment and hands-on craft activities. Kids and adults also can enjoy carnival rides and games Saturday through Monday.

    In the Festival of Mountain and Plain area, families can learn about the state’s pioneer past, nature, and the environment. Featured artisans will demonstrate Navajo weaving and culture, spinning, rug braiding, lace crocheting, felting, and quilting, along with the popular blacksmith demonstration. At the Raptor Education Foundation (REF) exhibit, children can learn about birds, their environment, and their interactions with humans.

    Sponsors of this year’s Festival are: 9NEWS, Access Health Colorado, Aggreko, LLC, Albert Bartlett, All Copy Products, American Medical Response, APLMED Academy, Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, Blue Moon, Bluegreen Vacations, Char-Broil TRU-Infrared Mobile Tour, Chobani Champions, Coast 2 Coast Communications, Colorado HealthOP, Colorado Lottery, Colorado Native, Comfort Dental, Coors Banquet, Costco Wholesale, Courtyard by Marriott Denver Downtown, Cutarelli Vision, The Denver Post, Downtown Denver Partnership, Inc., Famous Dave’s Bar-B-Que, Ford Experience Tour, Grand Lodge on Peak 7, LBA Realty, Levinson Eye Clinic, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Nature’s Path Foods, Inc., Peach Street Distillery, PEPSI, Residence Inn Denver City Center, Roundhouse Spirits, Sports Clips Haircuts, Sturgeon Electric, SVEDKA Vodka, and TownePlace Suites Denver Downtown.

    Festival hours are Friday, Aug. 30, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 31, and Sunday, Sept. 1, 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Monday, Sept. 2, 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

    Festival of Mountain and Plain … A Taste of Colorado is a community celebration that is produced by and benefits Downtown Denver Events, Inc., the Downtown Denver Partnership family’s community events nonprofit organization. The Festival is an opportunity for people throughout the region to come together to experience and appreciate our diverse cultural traditions, and to learn more about our state’s Western heritage. The Festival highlights visual and performing arts in addition to featuring educational programs and culinary demonstrations.

    Visit www.ATasteofColorado.com, www.facebook.com/ATasteofColorado, www.twitter.com/ATasteofCO, or call (303) 295-6330 for more information.

    Friday, August 23, 2013

    New Belgium Brewery's Tour de Fat

    WHEN: Saturday, September 7, 2013, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    WHERE: Denver's City Park, West Side

    Tour de Fat is a daylong festival in the park that celebrates the bicycle, showcases New Belgium beers and provides eclectic and engaging entertainment for all. It’s a free event, but all proceeds from beer sales goes to local nonprofits. In Denver the benefiting nonprofits are Bike Denver and The Denver Cruisers. Over its course, Tour de Fat has raised more than $2 million for nonprofit organizations.
     

    Each festival kicks off with a bicycle parade through city streets in celebration of the bike. Costumes are encouraged but not mandatory—though the truly aware come prepared. Each parade route is designed for people of all skill levels, wrapping up at the park for a day of both sensory stimulation and relaxation. Learn more at www.newbelgium.com/events/tour-de-fat/denver.aspx.
     

    Join us after the parade at City Park for the pinnacle of Tour de Fat, the ceremonious car-for-bike swap. At each of the 15 Tour de Fat stops, one person will become the center of the show as he or she gets up on stage, hands over their car keys, and pledges to live one year car-free. Car-for-Bike Swappers are chosen after submitting an application describing why they are ready to give up their vehicle for the gift of two wheels. If you are interested in being the center of the show for this amazing cause, click on this link for more information: www.newbelgium.com/events/tour-de-fat/tradeyourcar.aspx