Mint is one of the first greens to arrive in spring and one of the last to depart at summer’s end. Its magic secret: It makes us feel good. Its exuberant freshness elevates our mood, boosts our alertness and motivates us while soothing frazzled nerves. Yes, the flowers of summer are beginning to droop and wither because the sun is getting closer.
The Four Lads seasons shift lyrics: “Though summer turns to winter and the present disappears, the laughter we were glad to share will echo through the years.”
Here are our end of summer choices for shopping, dining and entertainment so the crisp air, mountains of color and crunch of leaves underfoot add moments to remember:
3 Catch this season’s big Broadway premiere before it slides out of town. The pre-Broadway opening of Disney’s musical Frozen is warming up at DCPA’s Buell Theatre through Oct. 1. Information: 303-893-4100.
3 Keep the last flames of summer hot by viewing the film Barbeque followed by a cook-off at the Sie FilmCenter Sept. 5. Information: 720-381-0813.
3 Renée Fleming’s sumptuous voice joins the Colorado Symphony to heat up Boettcher Concert Hall Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m. Information: 303-623-7876.
3 Toast to summer’s end Sept. 15 with cocktails and music at the Blue Moon After Party on the 16th Street Bridge, 6 p.m. Information: 303-455-7190.
3 Let Del Frisco’s classic bar and grill take you to new heights with bold fall food and drinks. Enjoy amazing autumn nights perched on the patio for Cherry Creek North’s best dining. Information: 303-320-8286.
3 View the beauty of summer through the artwork of 30 plus artists displaying work interpreting memories of summer at Arts at Denver on Old South Gaylord St., Sept. 15-Oct. 7. Information: 3003-722-0422.
3 Enjoy a mellow day touring homes, a library and church in the historic Baker District Sept. 16, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Information: 720-424l-7620.
3 Join the fall Hop, Skip and Jump 5K plus toddler trot and infant crawl at the Children‘s Museum Sept. 17, 9 a.m. Information: 303-561-0110.
3 Live theater is always marvelous, and productions at the John Hand Theater in Lowry are ideal fall entertainment. The regional premiere of The Mystery of Love & Sex opens Sept. 9 and runs through Oct. 7. It’s a compelling story of a complex relationship that is an entertaining and explosive look at race, sexual identity and family dynamics. Performances are Fri. and Sat. 7:30 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. Information: 303-562-3232.
There are two different dates that mark the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. For meteorologists, summer ends on Aug. 31 and autumn begins on Sept. 1. But astronomers say summer ends on Sept. 21 and autumn begins on Sept. 22. Therefore, be shifty and choose the end date as your seasonal garnish and recipe for high spirits.
Summer may be over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t kick back, relax and enjoy the sights and smells of fall. A cuddly fuzzy feeling is slowly replacing hot and humid.
Unlike this summer’s hot, cold and wet weather, autumn doesn’t tease us. Instead it delivers cooler temperatures. We love summer, but autumn is when mint magic spices up our lives and adds a splash of earthiness. As Helen Hunt Jackson understood: “September days are here, With summer’s best of weather And autumn’s best of cheer.”
— Glen Richardson
The Valley Gadfly can be reached at newspaper@glendalecherrycreek.com.