A Night Around the World
October: Devilishly Divine
In September we escorted/pushed kids back to school, while November and December bring major holidays and added stress. Thus October has become everyone’s favorite fall month. Halloween, crunchy leaves and football add to our enjoyment. Moreover this is the fall month that encourages us to relax and find our inner kid.
It’s finally time for cozy sweaters, carving smiles into a thousand pumpkins, beer festivals, soft pretzels, tasty bratwurst and outlandish Halloween parties.
Here are our eerie, spooky, hair-raising, spell-binding choices for shopping, dining and entertainment for a mellow, messy, leaf-kicking perfect send-off to fall:
3 Catch the spell-binding opening of the Colorado Ballet season as it performs Don Quixote at the Ellie, Oct. 4-13. Romantic work features stunning Spanish sets and costumes. Information: 303-837-8888.
3 See rugby teams from 12 nations vie at the USA Women’s Sevens at Infinity Park Stadium, Oct. 5-6. Information: usawomens7glendale.com.
3 Attend Safehouse’s signature Hope Gala Oct. 12 with entertainment and a buffet dinner at the Ritz-Carlton, 6 p.m. Information: 303-302-6126.
3 Get the flavor of fall at Project Angel Heart’s A Taste For Life at the Hyatt Convention Center Oct. 17, 6-10 p.m. Information: 303-407-9420.
3 Make your home sparkle for this holiday’s expected and unexpected company with custom drapery and Roman shades from Cherry Creek Shade & Drapery on E. 6th Ave. Information: 303-355-4223.
3 Carve-out Thanksgiving Day plans early by making reservations for your family and friends to dine at the Monaco Inn Restaurant. Traditional holiday choices, serving 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Information: 303-320-1104.
3 Make the season special by going to the annual Fall Chili Cookoff at Joy’s Wine & Spirits Oct. 20, noon to 4 p.m. Information: 303-744-6219.
3 See the sole U.S. exhibit of the landmark Claude Monet exhibit The Truth of Nature at the DAM, Oct. 21-Feb 2. Information: 720-913-0130.
3 For devilishly divine diversion catch some of the 250 blockbuster films showing at the Denver Film Festival, Oct. 30-Nov. 10. There’s a red-carpet opening Oct. 31 at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House followed by an opening-night party at the McNichols Bldg. Many of the films are being shown at the Sie FilmCenter and UA Pavilions, other venues plus two more screening at the Ellie. Information: 720-281-0813.
Ah, fall — there are so many reasons to totally love the season: The weather is just about perfect, which makes it absolutely ideal for heading to the pumpkin patch. Jeepers Creepers, just about everyone enjoys decorating pumpkins and dressing up in bizarre costumes for all the Halloween parties (especially the kids).
Irish-Scottish immigrants brought All Hallows Eve (Halloween in the U.S.) here so we all need to send a silent thank you to our ancestors for the spooky gift.
Whether parties, marathon horror movies or the wonders of nature, October is about enjoying the last waning days before the onslaught of the holidays and New Year’s resolutions. As L.M. Montgomery wrote in Anne of Green Gables, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” This month if you’ve got it, Haunt It!
— Glen Richardson
The Valley Gadfly can be reached at newspaper@glendalecherrycreek.com.
Four Things To Do During National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
by Justin Seymour
It’s October, and that means the color pink will start appearing everywhere — and for good reason. October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an international health campaign promoting prevention, diagnosis, treatments and cures. Here are four ways to make the most of this important month.
Be Aware. This month starts with just being informed. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, about 1 in 8 women in America will experience breast cancer during their lifetime.
While men can get breast cancer too, it is much more common in women, with women over 50 being most at risk. That said, about 11% of all new cases of breast cancer are found in women younger than 45.
Check your health. This month is also a good reminder for women to check in with themselves, as there many uncontrollable genetic factors that can put them at risk:
• Gender: Women are 100 times more likely to develop breast cancer than men.
• Age: Two out of three women are diagnosed after age 55.
• Genetics. A family history of breast cancer can put individuals more at risk.
• Early menstruation or late menopause. Breast cancer is also associated with early menstruation (before age 12) and late menopause (after age 55).
Further, if they haven’t done so already, October is also a good time to get in the habit of having regular breast exams. A mammogram — the screening test for breast cancer — can help find breast cancer early when it’s easier to treat. In addition, one of the first lines of defense against breast cancer is being vigilant with self-exams. Experts recommend checking breasts every month both visually and by touch, paying attention to any changes in how the breast or nipple looks or feels.
Improve your lifestyle. During this month, another proactive step is to make changes in your lifestyle that can both improve your health and reduce your risk of cancer and other disease and health issues. This is called lifestyle medicine, and it involves addressing nutrition, physical activity, and chronic stress in order to live healthier.
To help prevent breast cancer:
• Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of breast cancer, especially after menopause.
• Stay physically active. Breastcancer.org reports that exercising at a moderate or intense level for four to seven hours per week can lower the risk of breast cancer.
• Do not smoke. Smoking is linked to a number of diseases, including breast cancer in younger, premenopausal women.
• Watch your diet. Eating too much saturated fat and not enough fruits and vegetables increases risk.
• Cut back on alcohol. Also according to Breastcancer.org, women who have three alcoholic drinks per week have a 15% higher risk of breast cancer, compared to women who don’t drink at all.
Spread the word. Lastly, an important thing to do during Breast Cancer Awareness Month is simply raise awareness. Most people can survive breast cancer if it’s found and treated early. Talk to others about risk factors and lifestyle changes. Encourage your loved ones to get regular exams. Reach out to a loved one who is experiencing breast cancer and lend your support. And, join local events and races that raise money and create even more awareness.
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers found in women. During October and every month, take steps to stay healthy. Everything you do counts.
Justin is the Lifestyle Medicine Coordinator at the Glendale Sports Center managed by the YMCA of Metro Denver. He has worked in the fitness industry since 2015 and received his BS and MS in Exercise Physiology from Western Kentucky University. He joined the Denver YMCA in 2019 after moving from Bowling Green, KY.
Anybody Here Seen My Old Friend Cory?
With Apologies To Dion
Has anybody here seen my old friend Cory Gardner? Can you tell me where he’s gone? I thought I saw him walking up over the hill with Bob Beauprez, Walker Stapleton and Bill Owens.
It’s been brought to my attention by many callers, text messengers, emailers and supervisors at 710 KNUS radio that I am being perceived as very anti-Republican Party and Senator Cory Gardner.
I plead guilty to all. But how, may I ask you, in God’s good name can you support that organization or that individual? The Republican Party or Cory Gardner. The last time any Republican won a statewide election is when Cory Gardner beat former Senator Mark Udall. That was the equivalent of stepping on baby chicks. He beat Mark Udall. Wow, there’s an upset. He sure showed him.
Now arriving on the greyhound bus from Iowa, John Hickenlooper after leaving some poor stooge’s porch in Des Moines. That’s right, the man who doesn’t want to be senator but will be, John Hickenlooper. I feel like Mick in that first great Rocky movie. I’m gonna teach Cory Gardner how to fight.
So, Cory pay attention.
The first thing you have to do is to take your political party, Trump it up, put some teeth in it, get away from every country club up and down the front range, get out of the Beemer, Mercedes, or whatever else you drive. Get yourself a nice Chevy Blazer, get you some cowboy boots with lifts in them and learn how to punch. Walk tall Cory. Start going to Custer County, Larimer County, Las Animas County and tell those folks out there you oppose red flag. Tell them you don’t like that sex ed thing where a third grader is taught how to put a trojan on a banana. You don’t want anyone getting free needles and getting heroin injection sites by their First Baptist Church.
You’re more than willing to drink that fracking fluid. Popular vote arrives from Satan. Dismissing our right to be counted in a national election is Jared Polis destroying the popular vote and is a tool of one of Satan’s imps. Oh, and a better one Cory boy is John Hickenlooper on ending homelessness. The great leap forward, glorious people end homelessness which is continued now by the illegitimate son of Wellington Webb, Michael Hancock. So, Cory, this ain’t that tough. I bet you never took your mom to a porno flick. Make a point of that.
How many of your close friends and donors were on the Players and Sugars list and scandal. Put a little Trump in your spine. Sanctuary city. For God’s sake Cory the whole state’s getting overrun and Hick gave them drivers’ licenses. Please quit talking about China trade wars, it’s meaningless. You’re not getting any help from the Bush family and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, are you?
Just to put a little bit of icing on this. I have personally done four fundraisers for Jack Phillips at the Masterpiece Cake Shop. I have never seen you or any other elected Republican stop by and put $20 in the hat. That’s a disgrace not only to you but the party you claim to be part of. Big question State Republican Party and Cory Gardner? How do you really expect this to end?
Right now pal, I got Hickenlooper and a lot of points. You’re going into the championship rounds and you’re way behind on points. Call me if you need any help. Contact me at 710 KNUS. I’ll be glad to become your trainer and get you back your man card. If not, good luck with that next job working for Norm Brownstein. So I can tell you where Cory’s gone, he’s gone into another one term Republican never-was-er.
— Peter Boyles
