Monaco Inn
Owl Saloon
February Fun By The Fire
It’s a simple mathematical fact — the sum of any even amount of odd numbers will always equal an even number. Hail to February, the second month of the year and the only month that has less than 30 days. Most of us pronounce it “feb-yoo-aire-ee” simply because we don’t like or can’t pronounce two r’s that are so close by each other.
Roman superstition held that even numbers were unlucky, thus Roman King Numa Pompilius stuck this month with 28, the calendar’s fewest number of days.
Here are our superstitious but warmhearted choices for shopping, dining and entertainment to fill the month with fabulous food, fun and flirting by the fire:
3 Warm up in the Ellie Caulkins Opera House as the Colorado Ballet premieres a brand new production of the Wizard Of Oz with live music by the Ballet Orchestra, Feb. 1-10. Information: 303-837-8888, ext 2.
3 Enjoy an evening of artwork, live music plus food and drink at the Art Students League’s Art & Soul, Feb. 7, 6 p.m. Information: 303-778-6990.
3 Pig out at Nathan Yep Foundation’s Year of the Pig Chinese New Year’s gala in the Grand Hyatt, Feb. 9, 5:30 p.m. Information: 303-817-8400.
3 Treat your sports loving sweetheart to Major League Rugby home games at Glendale’s Infinity Park for Valentine’s Day. Get exclusive deals on games from Jan. 27 through May 26 at glendaleraptors.com.
3 Start or continue a Valentine’s Day dining tradition at the Monaco Inn Restaurant serving Feb. 14, 4-8 p.m. Savor Prime Rib, New York Steak or Filet Mignon, with or without Lobster Tail. Information: 303-320-1104.
3 Swing to Sondheim’s A Little Night Music playing the JCC’s Pluss Theatre on weekends through Feb. 17. Information: 303-800-6578.
3 Wow your love at Tennyson Center’s Mile High Country Q & Brew at Mile High Station Feb. 23, 6 p.m. Information: 303-433-2541.
3 For fabulous February fun your Valentine is sure to love, take in the Denver Jewish Film Festival in the Elaine Wolf Theatre on the JCC campus, Feb. 6-18. This year’s Festival is bigger than ever and truly a global event. From family relationships to powerful Holocaust resistance this year’s films are heartwarming, gorgeously shot and a glimpse into the human experience through a Jewish lens. Information: 303-316-6360.
The loss of the first “r” in February isn’t some recent habit spread by lazy teenagers. People have been avoiding the “r” for at least the last 150 years, possibly longer. The name of the linguistic process where one sound drops out because another of the same sound is too close to it is dissimilation, and it affects lots of languages.
Over the course of February the chance of a day with only rain increases from 2% to 4%, mixed snow-rain is constant at 2% and a day with only snow is constant at 3%.
For me there’s nothing better than curling up in a blanket on a cold February day in front of a crackling fireplace. February is like a friendship caught on fire. Late dawn and chilled breath make me lazy, but I love the month nonetheless. As J.R. Stockton reminds us,
The Health Beat
by Ally Myer
A healthy heart is essential for your body to function. It affects your ability to move with ease, feel energized, and wake up alert. Blood carries oxygen, along with nutrients from the food you eat, fueling your muscles and your other organs. Because your heart is so essential, it’s just as important to keep it healthy. Here are four things you can do at home for optimal heart health.
1. Get the heart pumping. Like any other muscle, the heart gets stronger when it is challenged. A great way to challenge your heart at home is by doing stair sprints. Run up and down the stairs for 30 seconds, and then walk around the room for one minute. Repeat sprints at least three times, or more based on your energy and fitness level. Getting out of breath is a good thing!
2. Establish a walking routine. First thing in the morning, during your lunch break, or right before eating dinner, go for a quick 10- to 20-minute walk. This increases blood flow, helping clear the arteries. It also helps increase metabolism and burn fat, which are beneficial for heart health.
3. Meditate. Meditation helps the nervous system relax, allowing the heart to beat slower and giving your whole bodily system a break. Also, when you’re relaxed throughout the day, you’re less likely to overeat and engage in other unhealthy behaviors that can harm your heart. Aim to meditate every day for 10 minutes. You can do it on your own quietly or play calming music. Another way to meditate is to use an online app such as “Calm” meditation and sleep stories.
4. Practice gratitude. Always focusing on the negative can affect your heart health, and the American Heart Association reports there are established ties between depression, mental health and heart disease. It’s also possible to experience a literal “broken heart” in the form of stress-induced cardiomyopathy. But, having a positive mindset through gratitude can have real cardiac benefits. To do this, gratitude exercises can help. List five things you feel you’ve done right in your life and thank yourself for those decisions. Next, list five things you love about someone special and thank them for those things. Finally, list five things you are enjoying today and thank the universe or God for them.
Incorporating just two or three of these home heart exercises can make a huge difference in your health and spirit. For greater benefit, we recommend adding strength training, aerobic exercise, balance, and coordination practice at least three times per week.
Ally Myer is the Health and Wellness Coordinator at the Southwest Family YMCA. As a personal trainer and group fitness instructor also, Ally helps people improve their fitness and eating routines to achieve optimal functioning. She has a degree in Health Sciences from Clemson University and has been working in the fitness industry for six years.
