Wall Of Love: Jack Welner points to a photo of Lori Goldberg, his special friend. All around him is his “wall of love,” photos of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, evidence that — despite his grievous losses — Welner stayed open to life and love. His advice to people: “Don’t let your past ruin your future. Live life to the fullest.”
At 98, Jack Welner’s face shines with the eager ebullience
of a 6-year-old. His eyes twinkle with fun. That’s the kind of boy Welner was
back in Lodz, Poland — helpful, fun-loving, excited about life — and by all
accounts, that’s the kind of man he became. In between, however, came the
Holocaust, and — because Welner is Jewish — unimaginable suffering.
Through Auschwitz, Dachau, labor camps, a death march — how,
people ask, did you stay the same person? Looking back over the years, Welner
explains how he kept bitterness out of his heart and held onto the twinkle in
his eye.
Take This, You’ll Need It
Death Camp: The Auschwitz death camp was a complex of over 40 concentration and extermination camps built and operated by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland during World War II and the Holocaust. Jack Welner arrived at Auschwitz in 1944.
It’s not that Welner forgot what happened. He shares memories
so vivid, you are there: watching how fast the Germans turn a corner of Lodz
into a barbed wire ghetto; seeing guards shoot Jews in the ghetto streets “just
for practice”; pretending — along with the seven other family members crammed
into one room with no toilet or running water — that the beet leaves your
mother salted and fried taste just like herring.
“We were starving [in the ghetto],” recalls Welner. “Just
before we got on the train [for Auschwitz], we got a little piece of bread.
Late that night, we arrived. I helped mother down from the train. She still had
her bread. She pushed it into my hand. ‘Here. Take this. You’ll need it.’”
Welner’s eyes fill with tears. “Those were the last words my
mother said to me.”
Look For Luck
After the war, when Welner was in a safer place — Denver,
CO! — and heard “even a little bit of antisemitism” he’d speak up. “I left
Poland to get rid of SOBs like you, so you better shut up.”
“Later,” he adds, “we’d become friends.”
Young Boy: Thirteen-year-old Jacob Welniarz, who became Jack Welner in America, poses for a photo in his boyhood city of Lodz, Poland. He had no idea that in six years, his family would be torn apart and he would be sent to the Auschwitz death camp.
But back when hatred of Jews was law, Welner searched for small ways to survive. In a labor camp near Dachau, a guard kept beating Welner with a 2×4 so brutally, “I knew I would die if he kept it up … so I sank to the ground and began crying. Not so much from pain, but I had to … do something.”
Welner adds emphatically: “In my mind, I was saying, ‘I will survive you, you SOB!’”
Later on in that camp, “… my luck changed. A machine
operator took a liking to me. I was suffering from an ulcer. He let me lie
down. He brought me rinds of bread to eat.
“He saved my life,” concludes Welner, who, after the war,
traveled twice to Munich to bring food to that guard.
Welner was still able to feel empathy.
Many had lost that capacity.
“I had a cousin, blonde, she survived by working as a maid
in a Warsaw hotel, disguised as a Christian,” Welner recalls. “When the
[Warsaw] ghetto was burning, someone laughed, ‘Look, the bedbugs are frying.’
Her family was inside that ghetto and she had to stand there, crying, saying
nothing …”
Welner shakes his head. He tells how, upon arriving back in
Lodz after being liberated, the first words he heard from a Christian were,
“Oh, a lot of you Jews are still alive.”
L’Chaim (To Life)
Welner shares such memories seriously, like one delivering a
valuable package. Now one more person knows and will not forget. But he is not
inclined to dwell on or analyze the horror. Asked about antisemitism, Welner
shrugs. “That’s how it was. Always the Jew was the scapegoat.”
When the subject turns, however, to his three children, six
grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, Welner’s face lights up like a
100-candle birthday cake. He enthuses at length about each one. It glows when
he converses about travel or music. And when he sings.
Welner loves to sing.
Quilt: So moved by Welner’s visit and what he shared about his experience during the Holocaust, one school decided to make Welner a quilt. Each child created a square in the quilt that shows what they got from hearing Welner speak.
“I love Italian,” he
rhapsodizes. “I still remember songs from Italy [where he was in a DP camp].”
In the ghetto, Welner recalls, there was a Jewish composer
who wrote satiric songs. Welner sings one in Yiddish, then translates: “Such a
disaster, you have to eat every day, the stomach always wants more and more…
“We needed to laugh,” he recalls.
Welner adores jokes. Laughing uproariously (but never
ruining the punch line), Welner tells a joke about the cow from Minsk. The
farmer and the bull. The one where two friends enter a bakery: “‘Moishe, look
at that wonderful bagel!’ ‘Oh, but it’s got a big hole in the middle!”’
Optimist
“I see the bagel, not the hole,” Welner explains. “I’m an
optimist.”
At 31, Welner anticipated a happy future when he met a
beautiful girl, Adele. They married and moved to Denver. Seven years later,
Adele died, leaving Welner with three small children and a broken heart.
Welner moved to Israel for five years to be near his
sisters, then back to Denver, where he worked as a carpenter and raised his
kids. Despite the disappointment of a subsequent marriage not working out, “My
father always enjoyed life,” recalls Welner’s daughter Beverly. “Our home was
filled with love and laughter.”
As a Holocaust Survivor, Welner spoke to schools and groups
in Denver and surrounding areas. Then in 1995, the Shoah Foundation sent Lori
Goldberg to interview Welner.
The two connected.
“We became best friends, sharing life’s joys and challenges,” says Goldberg, who, coincidentally, in the first years of their relationship, saw Welner on Tuesdays.
“He was my Morrie,” she says, alluding to the book, Tuesdays with Morrie. “From Jack, I learned about courage, resiliency, hope, and love.”
My Motto
“Jack has taught me, no matter how difficult life can be, one should never give up hope, one should never stop loving,” said Goldberg.
“My motto,” Welner says, “is, ‘Don’t let the past ruin your
future. If you live in the past, you don’t have a future.’”
“I receive so much more from Jack than I could ever give,” says Welner’s caregiver, Linda Chambers. “It is an honor to know him. He will not allow hate to grow in his heart.”
Prominent Neighborhoods Fuming Over Public Works’ Vision Zero Plan Affluent, Angry Homeowners Say Public Works Is A Divisive Bureaucratic Power And The Plan Should Be Scrapped
Vision Vanishes: The City of Denver has turned a well-intended nationwide city network plan into a self-serving political tool that endangers rather than enhances street safety, neighborhoods are discovering.
by Glen Richardson
Denver Public Works is once again under public scrutiny.
This time the department responsible for the design and construction of city
streets is in the crosshairs of community activists in three of Denver’s most
prominent neighborhoods — Polo Club, Belcaro and Wash Park.
Already making headlines for the Colorado Convention Center
scandal plus the City Auditor hinting of improper bidding (May Chronicle),
residents in these mega-mansion neighborhoods of curvy, tree-lined streets say
the department’s ill-conceived Vision Zero Plan was prepared without sufficient
review by the parties most affected by it, the homeowners and workers in the
immediate neighborhoods. Moreover they believe the proposal will “totally
destroy the residential character, visual pleasantness and smooth traffic flow
that currently exists.”
It is with implementation of the proposed plan, where it
would narrow traffic lanes at Steele St. and Alameda Ave. along this pricey
corridor that homeowners say would significantly impact traffic into and out of
the Polo Club and Belcaro neighborhoods.
Traffic from Colorado Blvd. on the east and University Blvd.
on the west traverse through these neighborhoods daily via Alameda, Steele St.
and Cherry Creek South Dr. Additionally the plan would add a bike lane along
Alameda Ave. and reshape some parking from parallel to angle back-in only
parking. The result, neighborhood groups say, would be disastrous traffic
backups in both directions.
Area Buildings Curse
Brunt To Buildings: Plan will impact the ingress and egress to vehicles at these two buildings. They are the Citadel on the corner of Cherry Creek South Dr. and Alameda (foreground) and the adjacent Polo Club Condos at Alameda and Steele St. Both buildings have 300 or more underground parking spaces.
Furthermore the ingress and egress to vehicles at the
Citadel Office Building — a 370-suite building with 310 subterranean parking
spaces at 3200 E. Cherry Creek South Dr. and at the Polo Club Condominiums — a
21-story, 146-unit building with 300 underground parking spaces at 3131 E.
Alameda Ave. would be significantly hindered.
Delayed entrance and exit from those buildings would not
only further delay traffic but substantially increase the likelihood of vehicle
and pedestrian accidents. The plan would also restrict or block the Citadel
Office Building’s loading dock located on Steele St. while also restricting
turns and reducing the number and configuration of business parking spaces
along Steele.
“It saddens me that no one from Denver reached out to the
stakeholders who were most adversely impacted by this proposed project for
their input,” says 20-year Polo Club resident Carol Anderson. She should know
since she worked alongside the transportation planners at the city, county,
state and federal levels on transportation projects for the past two decades.
“This was not how Denver used to be. And the irony is that Denver’s website
touts their transparency in governing when that is not at all what happened on
the Steele Street Multimodal Safety project,” she adds.
New Arranges Meeting
Councilman Wayne New
Residents at the Polo Club Condominiums first learned of the
plan in late April and contacted City Councilman Wayne New. New — who has
tangled with Denver Public Works over construction management in Cherry Creek
North — arranged a meeting for the condo owners with Public Work’s Sam Piper
and Ashley Grace on May 8. More than 100 residents attended along with
homeowner neighbors in the area. Besides feedback from the audience. the pair
was presented with a petition containing 150 signatures asking that the project
be stopped. Reportedly the project was presented to the Miller Park
Neighborhood Assn. two years ago and they fought the plan and thought the
project had died.
“It was quickly apparent that the statistics presented were
not for this intersection and they were not able to prove any justification.
The one accident they were able to cite was caused by a sun angle and would not
be affected by their proposed changes,” Condominium Board Member Sue Stock told
the Chronicle.
Condo resident Scott Lancelot is even more adamant, “The
biased presentation of information suggests, at worst, that DPW is engaging in
a deliberate lie, or at best, misrepresented and mischaracterized facts, evaded
or omitted important information and drew fallacious conclusions in order to
get the results they wanted.”
Bikeway Dispute
Backup Boondoggle: City seeks to further increase the traffic line-up along the pricey Alameda Ave. corridor that homeowners say would significantly impact traffic into and out of the Polo Club and Belcaro neighborhoods.
The focus of their plan Lancelot explains is to eliminate
pedestrian-biker fatalities city-wide in the next 10 years. They propose to
accomplish this with improvements and investments in High Injury Network (HIN)
corridors, build out the pedestrian network and enhance the bikeway network.
But he points out that while bike traffic increased by 81% from 2008-2012, the
crash rate decreased by 34%. Nearly half (114) were caused by failure of bikers
to stop or yield at a sign. Another 34% occurred while riding in a crosswalk or
sidewalk.
Their own study, Lancelot continues, identified the top
crash intersections and corridors as North Broadway, North and South Federal
and West Colfax. A total of 510 crashes occurred along these 22 miles of roads.
His point: At no time was the Alameda Ave. corridor
identified as a HIN or High Injury Network!
Modest Modifications
Congested Corner: Denver Public Works wants to narrow the intersections of Alameda Ave. and Steele St., plus add bike lanes, further restricting vehicular traffic.
Lancelot, along with his neighbors living along the
Alameda-Steele St. corridor, says that if the city wants to improve conditions
it can be done with much less expensive modifications which would benefit both
pedestrians and bikers without restricting vehicular traffic and making it
unnecessary to narrow lanes
Their suggestions are to leave lanes on Alameda and Steele
as is. Paint vivid crossing walks on Steele and Alameda (there are currently
none). In place of or in addition to the flashing pedestrian crossings on
Alameda, install push signals similar to the one at Cherry Creek South which
alerts drivers to yield to pedestrians and bikers. A four-way stop sign would
not be beneficial at the intersection since it would impact ingress and egress
at the Citadel and Polo Club Condo buildings. Should speed become an issue,
Alameda could have audible tire grooves cut about 100-ft. from the intersection
to warn drivers .
Do not change parking styles or directions on Steele because
it would create more traffic congestion. Furthermore, residents say bike lanes
are not necessary if the street width is maintained. Restricting turns from
Steele onto Alameda is not necessary. “It would be a hindrance not an
enhancement to smoothing vehicular traffic.” Finally, homeowners and those that
travel through the neighborhood say a stoplight could be installed on Alameda
between University and Steele to regularly stop traffic at peak hours to allow
pedestrian and cars to cross or enter Alameda, similar to the light at 8th and
High Street in Cheesman Park.
Your Father’s Day Feast Finder Filled With Fun Things To Do, Places To Go With Your Dad This Year
Father’s Day is June 16, will it be a special one for your
dad? Dads are the steady but less sentimentalized parent — the sun in our sky
that warms and gives life but isn’t thought about as often. Nonetheless, the
presence of a loving father increases a child’s chances for success, confidence
and resilience plus a sense of humor. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge showed
support for it becoming a national holiday. However, it wasn’t until 1966 that
President Lyndon Johnson officially proclaimed Fathers’ Day a national holiday
to be celebrated on the third Sunday in June.
Barbecue Blast
No Bones About It: Denver hosts its 2nd Annual Father’s Day BBQ Festival at Mile High Stadium June 14-16. Event serves up ribs, brisket, chicken and sausage with live band music.
Denver’s Father’s Day BBQ Festival returns to Mile High
Stadium June 14-16. Admission is free, but VIP tickets are also offered.
Legendary pitmasters from Denver and around the nation serve BBQ along with
live music from bands like the Hazel Miller Band, the Rick Lewis Project and My
Blue Sky, a tribute to the music of the Allman Brothers. In addition attendees
can enjoy cold beer and drinks, BBQ tutorials and demonstrations plus games and
activities for the whole family. Last year’s event used 8,000 lbs. of ribs
(3,500 slabs), 5,000 lbs. of brisket, 3,000 lbs. each of chicken and sausage.
In addition, 600 lbs. of potato salad and 2,000 lbs. of beans were served. The
2nd annual event is adding new pitmasters from Kansas City, San Antonio, and
New York City. Times are Friday, 5-8:30 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.-8 p.m. and
Sunday 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Information:dbbqfest.com.
Dine-Drink With Dad
Feast With Father: Eateries such as the Monaco Inn Restaurant offer lunch and dinner specials plus appetizers and beer. Here Marie Ezman serves draft beer with one of restaurant’s eight appetizers.
The Monaco Inn Restaurant — the Valley’s favorite family
gathering place on major holidays — is an easy choice for dad’s day serving
classic and comfort food with indoor and patio seating. This informal
family-run eatery with reasonable prices is the perfect spot to kick back with
dad, the kids and grandkids. Featuring a Baby Back Rib Father’s Day Special
plus a full bar serving creative cocktails and a large selection of wine and
beer, it has been a lunch-dinner and watering hole hot spot for generations of
residents. Under the direction of chef and co-owner Terry Vaidis, patrons can
choose from traditional Greek fare plus American and Mexican specialties all
weekend long. Information:303-320-1104.
Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar with locations in Glendale’s
CitySet off Colorado Blvd. and downtown in LoDo annually offer Father’s Day
specials. Expect loaded Bloodies, Mimosas, Shrimp & Grits plus Crab Cake
Benedicts. Crawfish Broils are also often offered at the LoDo spot.
Information: 303-756-6449, LoDo 303-292-5767.
Café Marmotte, the classic French Bistro on S. Downing in
Wash Park is one of the Valley’s best brunch spots, making it a great place to
take dad on Father’s Day. This year’s Dad’s Day special hadn’t yet been
released but one was offered last year. Information: 303-999-0395.
Hot Dad Music
Musical Magic: Pop and R&B star Ashanti is this year’s headliner at the Juneteenth Music Festival, one of several musical events on Father’s Day Weekend.
The Juneteenth Music Festival on Father’s Day weekend in the
historic Five Points neighborhood will be one for the books, June 14-16. Pop
and R&B star Ashanti is this year’s headliner. She is the first female
artist to occupy the top two positions on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart
simultaneously when Foolish and What’s Luv were at number one and two
respectively.
The Jacob Jollif Band — the next generation of bluegrass
supergroups led by one of the country’s premier bluegrass mandolinists — plays
Daniels Hall at Swallow Hill on Sat., June 15. Featuring some of the most
virtuosic and innovative pickers in the country, it is a rare, not to be missed
performance.
Another musical blast for dad is Empire of the Sun playing
at the Ogden Theatre on Colfax Sat.-Sun., 8 p.m. The Australian electronic
music duo is a collaboration between Luke Steele of the alternative rock band
The Sleepy Jackson and Nick Littlemore of the electronic dance band Pnau.
Bits & Brews
Take dad on a three-hour food and beer adventure in the RiNo
Arts District on Father’s Day, 2-5 p.m. Tour begins and ends from the Denver
Central Market at 2669 Larimer St. You’ll visit five restaurants and try tasty
local dishes with optional beer pairings. Dad can try wood-fired pizza, beer
sausage, sushi-grade poke with ahi tuna and Mexican tacos from some of Denver’s
top chefs.
Keep Track Of Dad
Get dad off to a great start at the Father’s Day Run in
Stapleton’s Central Park Sun. June 16, 6 a.m.-noon. The 5K and 1-mile kick off
at 7 a.m., the half marathon, 10 mile and 10K starts at 8 a.m.
Cars Drive Dad
Road Rage: If your dad has an auto obsession, consider taking him to the 15th annual Father’s Day Car Show at the Apex Center in Arvada.
Guys love cars and if your dad is one of those with an
automobile obsession, consider taking him to the 15th annual Father’s Day Car
Show at the Apex Center on W. 72nd Ave. in Arvada, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. This event,
free to spectators, is a perfect outing for dad with cars, music, antiques,
family activities and refreshments. Information: 303-467-5525.
More Dad Doings
Dad’s Special Day: With June 16 approaching, will it be a special one for your dad? From dining out to a BBQ Festival and a Rockies game there are lots of ways to entertain dear old dad.
Need more things to do with dad? Here are more options to
consider for Father’s Day weekend:
• This year’s
Stapleton Fresh Market kickoff is on Father’s Day, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on
Founders Green. It would be a fun way of spending the morning picking fruit,
vegetables and melons with pop.
• If dad’s a
baseball fan, you’ll be a big hit taking him to the Colorado Rockies vs. San
Diego Padres game at Coors Field. Game time is 1:10 p.m.
• Start the
weekend with dad early by taking him to the Free Day At Four Mile Historic Park
on Friday June 14. There are historic demos, a tour of the Four Mile House
Museum plus Hay Bales & Tall Tales, noon-1 p.m.
Normally, the Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle only endorses
candidates in Districts which are part of our circulation area. This time,
however, we believe this to be a make-or-break election for the future of the
city. We are, therefore, endorsing candidates in all runoff races as well as
Initiated Ordinance 302. We acknowledge if incumbent Michael Hancock wins his
race against Jamie Giellis there is a little hope that the next four years will
be any better than the last disastrous eight years. If Giellis wins, however,
she will need allies to fight against the high-density developers that are not
going to go gently into that good night. Our endorsements are as follows:
Jamie Giellis
MAYOR – JAMIE GIELLIS. Michael Hancock has been the worst
mayor of Denver since Wolfe Londoner (1891-1893) who ended up in jail, which
would be the fate of Hancock if there were any justice in this town. Londoner
was the puppet of the whisky barons of Denver while Hancock is the tool of the
high-density developers. If given a choice between the two, high-density
developers have been a far more malevolent force than the whiskey barons ever
were. Jamie Giellis is a bright new face with an urban planning background
which is badly needed in the city. Can she survive the last minute desperate
and vicious mudslinging of his Honor and his allies? We certainly hope so, but
only time will tell.
Peg Perl
CLERK AND RECORDER – PEG PERL. This one was easy. Paul Lopez
is wholly unqualified for the position as he demonstrated in the only debate.
Moreover, he has indicated that he will politicalize the position which is
exactly what is not needed. Peg Perl is very well qualified to run the office
in a fair and equitable manner for all the residents of the city.
INITIATED ORDINANCE 302 – YES. The city dodged a bullet when
the Olympic Committee chose Salt Lake City over Denver to bid for the 2030
Winter Olympics. Only high-density developers and certain businessmen wanted to
bring the Olympics to Denver and they couldn’t have cared less what the
citizens of the city thought. Next time, if this proposal passes, Denver will
have to ask the voters of the city what they think before wasting large sums of
money for a project that would benefit only a very few.
Wayne New
CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 10: WAYNE NEW. Wayne was one of four
councilmen who ran in 2015 opposing the reckless and wasteful developments of
Mayor Hancock in Cherry Creek and across the city. Some feel Wayne has not done
enough to oppose the Mayor and his policies, but behind-the-scenes resistance
leader Rafael Espinoza says Wayne was his greatest ally and fought with him in
many of the key fights, not all of which were successful. Newcomer Chris Hinds
is an attractive candidate in many ways, but the behind-the-scenes support for
him of the city’s unions and people who are often allied with high-density
developers make him a risk that he will become just one more person who
actually only listens to the rich and powerful in the city.
Amanda Sawyer
CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 5 – AMANDA SAWYER. Little controversy
here. Incumbent Mary Beth Susman has been the lackey for high-density
developers in her District and across the city. She was even caught taking
written instructions from developers and their lobbyists on exactly what to say
in City Council meetings. Her door knocker advertisement states: “A Leader Who
Listens.” Anyone who has been to a City Council meeting where a high-density
development is being considered would know that tag line should be: “A
Councilwoman Who Listens Only to Developers.” Amanda Sawyer got involved in the
race after helping with one of the few neighborhood victories in stopping the
ill-considered Green Flats development on Holly. It would be nice to have a
councilwoman who actually does listen to the everyday citizens.
Amanda Sandoval
CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 1 – AMANDA SANDOVAL. Hopefully, City
Council meetings will have another Amanda on the dais fighting for the
neighborhoods that have been ignored for so long. Sandoval has been the chief
of staff for Rafael Espinoza, the leader in the fight against high-density
developers, and will continue his great work. Her opponent is the
intellectually limited fireman Mike Somma who will be little more than a parrot
for the city’s unions.
Veronica Barela
CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 3 – Veronica Barela. In District 3
there is only one candidate who has expressly opposed the disastrous Sloan’s
Lake mega project sponsored by the outgoing councilman Paul Lopez and the
Brownstein Farber Law Firm. Barela’s longterm advocacy for the District
demonstrates that she is willing to fight against the powers to be in the city.
Her opponent is immigration rights activist Jamie Torres who has not
demonstrated the same resolve.
Candi CdeBaca
CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 9 – Candi CdeBaca. Last, but not
least, this race pits Mayor Hancock’s presumed successor, Albus, “The Buddha”
Brooks, who spends his time looking for handouts from the rich and powerful.
Candi CdeBaca’s surprisingly strong showing in the initial round indicates that
District 9’s residents are tired of being forced out of Denver by high-density
developments pushed by Brooks, and are ready for a change.
The 4th Annual Bacon and Beer Classic will be held at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on Saturday, May 11, 2019. Attendees will be treated to unlimited bacon dishes prepared by local chefs from 30+ Denver restaurants, 100+ craft beers from regional breweries, music, games, and more on the Broncos’ iconic home turf. There will be two sessions, afternoon (12 p.m. to 4 p.m.) and evening (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.).
15% Off: Chronicle readers can enter the code GLENDALE to get 15% off tickets to the Bacon and Beer Classic on May 11, 2019, at Broncos Stadium at Mile High.
This fest has quickly become one of the more popular ones in
a sea of beer fests throughout the metropolitan area. One thing that makes this
fest unique is the fact that guests are on the field of Mile High Stadium. And,
those that purchase a VIP ticket are able to have exclusive access to the
visitors’ locker room for a sampling of pork belly and different craft beers.
All attendees will be able to bob for bacon, sample beer in
a blind taste test, strut in the bacon beauty pageant, and compete in the
Hormel bacon eating contest. Guests also will be able to try their hand at
giant Jenga, strike a pose at the photo booth, battle it out on the bungee run,
and brand themselves with bacon and beer-inspired tattoos.
As always, tickets are all-inclusive, which means you can
sample bacon and beer throughout the stadium without ever taking out your
wallet. Choose from three ticket types: General Admission, Power Hour, or VIP.
General Admission tickets start at $69, Power Hour tickets start at $89, and
VIP tickets start at $119.
Bacon And Beer: The 4th Annual Bacon and Beer Classic will be May 11 at Broncos Stadium at Mile High. Tickets are available at www.baconandbeerclassic.com.
VIP and Power Hour ticket holders enter the stadium an hour
early through an expedited line. VIPs also enjoy access to an exclusive lounge
in the visiting team locker room with a pork belly tasting, limited-edition
craft beer, a donut wall, and beer and cheese pairing. All tickets include a
commemorative tasting glass and access to the Bacon and Beer Classic mobile app
for vendor information, a stadium map, and more.
Visit www.baconandbeerclassic.com for information and to purchase tickets. Chronicle readers can take advantage of an exclusive 15% discount by entering GLENDALE at checkout.
Chronicle’s Guide To Showing Your Mom How Much You Appreciate All She
Has Done For You
Mum’s the word in May. The English idiom expressed by
William Shakespeare in Henry VI reminds us May 12 is Mother’s Day. It’s the
special day when you get to celebrate your first best friend and the person you
turn to when you need advice.
Mama’s Day: May 12 is Mother’s Day, the day when each of us celebrate our best friend and the person we turn to for advice.
Mothers are like glue. Even when you can’t see them, they’re
still holding the family together. For most women motherhood is a joy — a least
some of the time. It is the catalyst that opens new connections as well as new
stresses in a woman’s relationships with her partner, siblings and friends.
The idea of honoring mothers with a special day dates from
the 19th century; In 1908, Anna Jarvis led a campaign to celebrate Mother’s Day
in May. In 1914 a resolution by Congress and a presidential proclamation
established the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. Here’s Chronicle’s guide
for showing your mother, grandmothers, sisters, aunts and friends how special they
are:
Afternoon Tea
Let mom relax in style at the Brown Palace’s Traditional
Afternoon Tea in the historic hotel’s legendary atrium lobby. You’ll be served
tea, scones, pastries and dainty sandwiches, all artfully prepared by the
hotel’s culinary staff. More: She’ll enjoy the soothing sounds of a harp or
pianist playing classical, jazz and pop standards. Information 303-297-3111.
Relax With Mom: For a tranquil afternoon your mom won’t soon forget take her to the Brown Palace for old-fashioned tea service with scones, pastries and sandwiches.
Or, take her to Mother’s Day afternoon tea at the historic
Molly Brown House where she will love the savory sandwiches, sweet treats and
specially blended tea, plus a chance to stop in the museum store. Information:
303-832-4092.
Dining With Mom
Mother’s Day only happens once a year so it’s best to make
the most of it by bringing the family together at the Monaco Inn Restaurant. A
dining experience like no other, specials include Lamb Shank, Lamb Chop &
Grilled Shrimp, New York Steak & Fried Shrimp and Grilled Trout all priced
under $25. The regular dinner menu is also available for mom and the family.
Brunch is being served from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Information: 303-320-1104.
Dining Date: For Mother’s Day dining like none other take her and the family to the Monaco Inn Restaurant. Serving five specials including this New York Steak & Fried Shrimp. Regular dinner menu also available.
Mother’s Day brunches are happening all over the city. A top
choice is the Dom Perignon champagne brunch at Ellyngton’s in the Brown Palace
downtown known for its carving stations and seafood selections. Information:
303-297-3111. Or, dazzle your mom this year at Dazzle Restaurant & Lounge
on Curtis St. with live jazz performed by the Julie Monley Quartet from 9
a.m.-2 p.m. on Mother’s Day. Information: 303-839-5100. Other choices are the
Tavern Lowry (303-366-0007) serving a brunch buffet from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and the
Del Frisco’s Grill (303-320-8529) in Cherry Creek.
Flowers
Present mom with a fragrant bouquet of freshly cut,
elegantly arranged flowers. Choose from these top floral shops that can help
you find the perfect arrangement for mom:
Remember Flowers: A fragrant bouquet of freshly cut, elegantly arranged flowers are the perfect way to begin mom’s day. This bouquet is by Valley florist Perfect Petal.
Bloom — Upscale florist offering chic floral arrangements
plus accessories for mom on 3rd Ave. at University Blvd. Information:
720-941-2862.
Bouquets — Located in lower downtown, it was named one of
America’s top 10 florists by Bon Appetit Magazine. Information: 303-333-5500.
Flower Power — A cozy, unfussy Wash Park neighborhood
florist offering a sizable selection of flowers. Information: 303-777-6266.
Perfect Petal — Creative Highlands florist providing custom
arrangements plus a boutique section with gifts for mom. Information:
303-480-0966.
Theater
Treat mom to an afternoon of exhilarating musical theatre
with Sweat or Wicked at the Denver Performing Arts Complex or indulge her love
for classical music during a performance of Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique at
Boettcher Concert Hall also in the DCPA. Information: 303-893-4100.
Entertainment: Divert and amuse mom by taking her to the theatre on her special day. The musical Wicked is one of this year’s options.
Or for a hilarious comedy both you and mom will enjoy, get
tickets to Noel Coward’s silly, rebellious 1925 comedy Hay Fever. It opens
Mother’s Day weekend and plays at the John Hand Theater in Lowry each weekend
through June 8, Fri.-Sat. 7:30 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. Information: 303-455-7108.
