by Valley Gadfly | Mar 24, 2017 | Valley Gadfly
“A gush of bird-song, a patter of dew, a cloud, and a rainbow’s warning, suddenly sunshine and perfect blue, all of a sudden it’s April.” Okay, we know this isn’t Paris, but our tiny space on the planet is one of a half-dozen spots considered Paris of the West. Joyful, refreshing and magnificent, this month is glorious from the opening day.
We can’t be sure raindrops won’t yet be falling on our head. What’s more, April showers can’t hurt us and it won’t be long till sunshine and flowers pop up to greet us.
Here are our “splendor in the grass” choices for shopping, dining and entertainment to give you an appetite for action and adventure as spring is served:
3 It’s springtime, baby! Dance over to the JCC’s Wolf Theater to see Cherry Creek Theatre’s production of The Baby Dance playing Thurs. and Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 2 p.m. through April 23. Information: 303-800-6578.
3 Roar into spring viewing cars, cars and more cars at the Denver Auto Show in the Convention Center April 5-9. Information: 303-225-8000.
3 Remember cool jukebox tunes? Spring to the Buell Theatre to see the jukebox musical Mamma Mia, April 11-16. Information: 303-893-4100.
3 Go to Central Christian April 16 for a Brunch & Egg Hunt at 9:15 a.m. followed by worship service at 10:45 a.m. Information: 303-744-1015.
3 The Inn at Cherry Creek is serving traditional Easter choices April 16, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Choose from Rack of Lamb, Grilled Salmon, Glazed Ham, Stuffed French Toast or Eggs Benedict. Information: 303-377-8577.
3 There are few rites of spring more satisfying than clean windows. For clean interior and exterior windowpanes without the pain let Justin’s Window Cleaning make them sparkle. Information: 720-626-2146.
3 Tune into the season sampling lighter wines at Lowry Uncorked in the Eisenhower Chapel April 21, 6-8:30 p.m. Information: 303-344-0481.
3 Spring for the Kingston Trio’s 60th Anniversary tour tickets when they play the Paramount Theatre April 29, 8 p.m. Information: 303-623-0106.
3 Plan to connect to spring and explore our environment during Doors Open Denver April 29-30. The Denver Architectural Foundation event allows individuals and families to connect to unique spaces, including high-profile historic places plus see feats of architecture and design through self-guided or guided fee-based tours. Headquarters is at Union Station. The free Box City event for kids’ grades K to 5 is on again this year.
The hallmark of April is the return of color. The skies seem bluer, the grass begins to green again, and the flowers bloom, bursting open with color and fresh life. The trees begin to bud and the birds and bugs are active again. It’s the time of the year as Mark Twain suggested, “For good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience.”
Like the song American Pie, April is boldly original, therapeutic and grand. It’s also noisy: There’s the pitter-patter of falling rain and the roar of thunderstorms.
Whenever the month is discussed or debated we start singin’ bye-bye Miss American Pie. The whole world wakes up from the long winter’s nap. No matter what your interpretation may be, April’s emotional resonance is unmistakable. It’s the Green Party’s spring rally minus pie throwing. Did February March? No, but April May!
— Glen Richardson
The Valley Gadfly can be reached at newspaper@glendalecherrycreek.com.
by Valley Gadfly | Mar 1, 2017 | Valley Gadfly
Ah March is finally here! Albeit we enjoyed an unusually mild February, March conjures thoughts of spring and warmer days, with the spring equinox just three weeks away. As the season begins changing think of ways to make this month meaningful and thus all the more memorable. From Latin, memorable was first used in the 15th century.
Spanx founder Sara Blakely says life should be a stretch: “It’s important to be willing to make mistakes. The worst thing that can happen is you become memorable.”
Here are our catchy, clever and captivating choices for shopping, dining and entertainment to make this month march ahead in momentous, memorable ways:
3 Who doesn’t remember the Beatles and their music? See Rain, a multi-media event showcasing their music and songs in high definition imagery at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, March 2-3. Information: 720-865-4220.
3 Join and play a part in MSU’s listening and learning Music For Stage & Screen classes March 7-14, 6-8 p.m. Information: 303-556-5095.
3 Make St. Paddy’s Day memorable by joining the Runnin’ of the Green 7K plus party in LoDo March 12, 10:15-2 p.m. Information: 303-297-0408.
3 Join laddies and lassies at Augustana Church to hear St. Mary’s College Women’s Choir March 17, 7:30 p.m. Information: 303-388-4962.
3 With few Irish eateries left, the Monaco Inn Restaurant has become the Valley’s St. Paddy’s Day corned beef and cabbage connection. Served for lunch and dinner March 17, it’s luscious. Information: 303-320-1104.
3 Spruce up for Easter and Spring with upholstery, drapery, cushions and pillows from Boris’s Upholstery. Now offering 20-50 percent off on home decor fabrics to fit any home and budget. Information: 303-751-2921.
3 Hear Rabbi Joe Black play and sing at the Mercury Café Habitat Interfaith Alliance benefit March 18, 6:30 p.m. Information: brownpapertickets.com.
3 Kiss March goodbye at Stage Kiss — a tale about lovers sharing a stage kiss at the Bug Theatre, March 24-April 15. Information: 303-477-9984.
3 For action, drama and madness there’s nothing like the Men’s College Basketball Semifinals. See the games at Infinity Park Event Center on full room wrap-around screens April 1, 3:30 p.m. Event benefits Morgridge Academy for chronically ill children at National Jewish Health. Attendees will enjoy a gourmet buffet, open bar, plus Basketball Pop-A-Shot, shuffle golf and arcade games. Information: 303-728-6576.
To make the month of March memorable one needs to consider the words of great thinkers like Joshua Foer, author of the international best seller Moonwalking with Einstein. His advice to us: “If you want to live a memorable life, you have to be the kind of person who remembers.” Gosh, oh my golly, why didn’t I think of that?
Foer’s book reminds us all that, in every way that matters, we are the sum of our memories. For us then the task is to change our understanding of human memory.
Remember? “If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” — Matthew Broderick in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. One more: “There’s no place like home.” — Judy Garland in Wizard of Oz. The Chronicle’s choice: “Make it simple. Make it Memorable. Make it inviting to look at. Make it fun to read.” — Ad man Leo Burnett.
— Glen Richardson
The Valley Gadfly can be reached at newspaper@glendalecherrycreek.com.
by Valley Gadfly | Dec 22, 2016 | Valley Gadfly
Saddle up: It’s time to put on those spurs and get back in the saddle again. The New Year means we’ve got to tighten the cinch and ride cautiously back into winter. Whether your steed is a vehicle or horse it’s best to accelerate and decelerate slowly or there will be hoof prints detouring off the road and into a mud rut or ditch.
Like a horse, your car or jacked-up truck needs to be fitted with proper winter shoes whether riding down the highway or hoofin’ it through the backcountry.
Here are our real cool winter choices for shopping, dining and entertainment to ward off the cold and let excitement seep in with the snow and winter wind:
3 Ride down to Boettcher Concert Hall for an once-in-a-lifetime treat, Harry Potter & The Sorcerer’s Stone performed by the Colorado Symphony as you watch on a giant screen, Jan. 6-8. Information: 303-628-7876.
3 Stomp on down to Lowry’s John Hand Theater to see the comedy romp Becky’s New Car playing, Jan. 7-Feb. 4. Information: 303-562-3232.
3 Gallop over to the Colorado Convention Center and catch this year’s International Sportsman’s Expo, Jan. 12-15. Information: 800-454-6100.
3 Put on your marching boots and participate in the Martin Luther King Marade beginning at City Park Jan. 14, 9 a.m. Information: 720-971-1329.
3 For a tasty start to the New Year with giddy-up glamour hop back in the saddle and ride to the newly opened Que Bueno Suerte on South Pearl with cutting-edge Mexican-Spanish cuisine. Information: 720-642-7322.
3 Embrace the weather and make the New Year shine with floral décor and bouquets from Newberry Brothers. They make parties, corporate events and weddings bright all season long. Information: 303-322-0443.
3 Start your brainy preschoolers off right by learning about area preschools at Denver Preschool Showcase, Jan. 14-19. Information: 303-595-4377.
3 Warm up to winter at the Denver Brew Fest with beer, food and music at Mile High Station, Jan. 27-28, 7 p.m. Information: 888-810-2063.
3 Dust off your masks and your dancin’ shoes for a festive early Mardi Gras celebration at the Denver Botanic Garden’s Cajun Carnival, Feb. 3, 6 p.m. Revel in the lush warmth and beauty of Marnie’s Pavilion and the Orangery, while enjoying specialty dinners and drinks from Offshoots Café. It will seem like the Big Easy as the Fat City Mardi Gras Band and Queen City Jazz Quintet play. Information: 720-865-3501.
The Valley’s snow-packed and icy roads can often leave commuters frustrated. So take a deep breath and exhale before rollin’ on down the road. All of our winter neighborhood streets are transformed into blocks of snow, slush, ice and black ice. Keep in mind that only the main streets and striped streets will get city attention.
Longtime locals have learned over the years that while there is just as much horse sense as ever, it’s the horses that have most of it, not the driver in front of them.
Whoopi-ty-aye: If winter has you feeling down, saddle up and ride over to the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo, Jan. 7-22. Those are the cosmopolitan cowboys that have leaned the art of keeping a horse between them and the ground. On my hoss rockin’ to and fro in the snow I’m having a meltdown. Maybe I’ll start a slush fund.
— Glen Richardson
The Valley Gadfly can be reached at newspaper@glendalecherrycreek.com.
by Valley Gadfly | Nov 21, 2016 | Valley Gadfly
Boom-bay-yay: It’s time to wrap-up those holiday gifts and get ready to welcome in the New Year. Fresh beginnings, clean starts, reaffirmation of love and promises of a bright future come to mind as the Valley gets set to ring in a New Year. We’re also reminded of the words to Auld Lang Syne written in 1788 by Scottish Poet Robert Burns.
“Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and days o’lang syne!” It is a New Year’s Eve ritual in song.
Here are our should not be forgot choices for shopping, dining and entertainment to fill you with fun, food and good fortune to carry you into a bright New Year:
3 Brighten the holidays and your home by shopping at Paulino Gardens Christmas Open House Dec. 2-4. It’s a winter wonderland of décor and gift ideas plus hot apple cider and cookies. Information: 303-429-8062.
3 Donate toys to kids in need on Old South Gaylord Dec. 3, 12-4 p.m., or Dec. 6 at Denver Mattress (1243 S. Colorado Blvd.) Information: 303-988-2465.
3 Travel through the 12 days of Christmas with the Denver Pops Orchestra at Historic Grant Ave. Dec. 10, 4 and 7 p.m. Information: 303-733-8940.
3 Make and decorate gingerbread to take home at Denver Botanic Gardens workshop on Dec. 10-11, 10 a.m. or 2 p.m. Information: 720-865-3501.
3 The Monaco Inn Restaurant has become a Valley holiday tradition and families can enjoy those familiar smells and tastes again this Christmas Eve 4-8 p.m. and New Year’s Eve, 4-9 p.m. Information: 303-320-1104.
3 Thrilling and beautiful, St. Martin’s Chamber Choir will again sing the Christmas carols of England at St. John’s Cathedral Dec. 16, 7:30 p.m. Organist Ralph Valentine adds accompaniment. Information: 303-298-1970.
3 Enjoy fireworks of laughter New Year’s Eve at the Bovine Metropolis Theater shows on Champa 4, 7 and 10 p.m. Information: 303-758-4722.
3 Look up in the sky over the 16th St. Mall New Year’s Eve as fireworks sparkle down at 8 p.m. and again at midnight. Information: 303-892-1112.
3 Take your family on a trip back in time this season. Four Mile Historic Park brings back the true spirit of Christmas, when the holiday wasn’t about shopping but the fun of connecting with family and friends. This year the event is Dec. 3, 12-4 p.m. Ring in the season Victorian style decorating the Four Mile tree, singing carols, creating crafts, music and storytelling. Father Christmas attends. Information: 720-865-0800.
Valley streets, restaurants and pubs ring with the lilting tune Auld Lang Syne each New Year’s Eve. It is sweet, nostalgic and hopeful so thus we sing. Or, at least we hum the first couple of lines then mumble into champagne glasses. Guy Lombardo is credited with popularizing the song when his band played it between radio shows in 1929.
By coincidence, as he did the show from New York’s Roosevelt Hotel he played Auld Lang Syne as the clock hit midnight. Thus the New Year’s tradition was born.
Year’s end — as it is often noted — is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us. Be at peace with your neighbors and at war with your vices as you recall those days gone by. As we wrap up the holidays and ring in the New Year, “we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet for auld lang syne.”
— Glen Richardson
The Valley Gadfly can be reached at newspaper@glendalecherrycreek.com.
by Valley Gadfly | Oct 21, 2016 | Valley Gadfly
The time continuum has caught up with us: The holidays — Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas — are about to transport us back to the future. It is a far-fetched mode of transport involving slumber, dreams and spirits. We navigate through Turkey Day feasts and fictional characters such as Ebenezer Scrooge and Santa Claus.
Each holiday season is a sister of our past. The past is the future with the lights turned on. For youngsters the future seems far away. Their retort: Hurry up, please!
Here are our time machine choices for shopping, dining and entertainment to usher you into a veritable theme park of holiday attractions that seem oddly familiar:
3 Travel down the red carpet to the Denver Film Festival, Nov. 2-16. La La Land opens the fest and Lost in Paris is receiving the Rare Pearl Award. Jackie closes the Sie FilmCenter event. Information: 720-381-0813.
3 Take time to enjoy the art displayed at Park Hill Methodist Church by the Art Club Nov. 4, 4:30-8 p.m. and Sat. 10-4. Information: 303-388-5113.
3 Seize a moment in time for the Autism Society’s Moonlight Masquerade gala at the Ritz Carlton Nov. 5, 6 p.m. Information: 720-214-0793.
3 Toy with fun choices during the Denver Botanic Gardens’ Winter Gift Market Nov. 11-12, 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Sat. to 5 p.m. Information: 720-865-2501.
3 Reserve tables in time to feast on Thanksgiving (Nov. 24) at Cherry Creek North’s Inn at Cherry Creek, 2-9 p.m. An all-you-can-eat turkey dinner will keep family and friends joyful and full. Information: 303-377-8577.
3 Time travel is possible so begin exploring now for new, pre-owned, lease-purchase or trade cars. Wing it to Ariay Auto Sales & Leasing on Cherry Creek North Dr. to land your dream vehicle. Information: 303-500-5100.
3 St. Martin’s Chamber Choir treks through 400 years of Shakespearean music at St. Andrew’s Church, Nov. 13, 3 p.m. Information: 303-298-1970.
3 Travel at light speed as you go back to the future at Blossoms of Lights in the Denver Botanic Gardens, Nov. 25-Jan. 1. Information: 720-865-3501.
3 Always exciting, the 9th annual JAAMM Fest returns to the JCC campus Nov. 3-21. It opens with the premiere of the film Munich ’72 and Beyond. The New York Times’ Alice Hoffman headlines the author series discussing her book The Marriage of Opposites. The array of music series artists includes Israeli superstar Noa at the Newman Center, plus a return visit by New York Jazz artist Eli Degibri. Information: 303-316-6300.
Science suggests that the earth is far older than the original biblical time scale. French scholar Pierre-Simon marquis de Laplace proposed in 1814 that if a supreme intelligence knew the position of all particles at a single point in time, it could calculate the exact state of nature for every preceding and succeeding moment.
For such an intellect, the influential scholar of physics and astronomy wrote, “Nothing would be uncertain and the future as the past would be present to its eyes.”
Far-fetched? For us the holidays are about history, mystery, nostalgia and hope. No matter what our personal beliefs may be, this is the season to toy with ideas. It’s informative to imagine playing with the past, the future and new technologies. The past tells us the holidays are for having fun, and we all know what that does to time.
— Glen Richardson
The Valley Gadfly can be reached at newspaper@glendalecherrycreek.com.
