by Valley Gadfly | May 26, 2021 | Valley Gadfly
Happy June everybody! Despite the rain, May seemed to fly right by. No complaints, June is our favorite month of the year! Why? Well, June 20 is officially the start of summer, and we can’t wait to soak up the sunshine after this year’s abnormally snowy, rainy-drizzly and cold weather versus the predictions of a hot and dry year.
Summer Solstice begins in Denver on Sunday, June 20, at 9:32 p.m. In terms of daylight, the day will be five hours, 38 minutes longer than the December Solstice.
To ensure nothing is so rare as days in June, here are our choices for shopping, dining and entertainment so those getaways and backyard barbecues reign supreme:
3 Keep your youngsters — kindergarten through 8th grade — active this month by signing them up for rugby’s Spring Try League at Infinity Park. Practice is Tues. & Thurs., games on Sat. Information: 303-639-4713.
3 Catch the legendary band Sons of Genesis with Chris Swaney doing vocals at Dazzle@Baur’s June 4, 6 p.m. Information: 303-839-5100.
3 Walk, run, bike, or swim at Morgan Adams Foundation’s cancer fundraiser Petri Dish at Sloan’s Lake Park June 4-6. Information: 303-758-2130.
3 Join neighbors and others at Junk In The Trunk, a garage sale with a twist, at the Owl Saloon June 5, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Information: theowlsaloon.com.
3 For Father’s Day treat papa and the clan to rotisserie meats, fish and vegetables at The Rotary on S. Holly next to Park Burger. Order beer, wine and craft cocktails for the fab food. Information: 303-537-5327.
3 Get back in the game with fitness classes and league sports at the Glendale Sports Center. No joining fees or contracts. Choose from basketball, outdoor soccer, table tennis and pickleball. Information: 303-639-4711.
3 Enjoy a picnic, yoga, and violin tunes at Vinyasa, Violins & Vino June 17 and 24 at Denver Botanic Gardens, 6:30 p.m. Information: 720-865-3500;
3 Savor soothing soul and funk rhythms by Earth, Wind & Fire and guitarist Santana at the Ball Arena June 30, 7 p.m. Information: 888-684-3582.
3 Live music is finally returning to Four Mile Historic Park with the announcement Swallow Hill is bringing back the eagerly awaited Shady Grove Picnic Series. Concerts are on Thursdays, June 3-Aug. 26, 6:30 p.m. Hal Aqua & The Lost Tribe kicks off the series followed by Dakota Blonde on June 10. Cary Morin & Ghost Dog entertain on June 17 followed on June 24 by Extra Gold. Information: 303-777-1003.
June and the beginning of summer draw special attention to the simple pleasures of life on a day-to-day basis. Possibly that is why the first week of June is officially National Fishing Week and the fourth week of June is National Camping Week.
British horticulturist Gertrude Jekyll said this of June: “The fulfillment of the promise of earlier months, yet no sign to remind us this fresh beauty will ever fade.”
A gardening month, June’s misty mornings burn away, followed by breezy afternoons and chilly nights. June isn’t only loved by us; it also pops up in song lyrics. Richard Rodgers said it best in June Is Bustin’ Out All Over: “You can feel it in your heart, you can see it in the trees, smell it in the breeze. Because it’s June, June, June.”
— Glen Richardson
The Valley Gadfly can be reached at newspaper@glendalecherrycreek.com.
by Valley Gadfly | Apr 23, 2021 | Valley Gadfly
It’s May, the month of “yes you may.” As Lerner and Loewe described it in Camelot: “That darling month when ev’ryone throws self-control away. It’s time to do a wretched thing or two, and try to make every precious day one you’ll always rue!” Special days are Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, and on the last Monday, Memorial Day.
Historically, the gentle warmth of the month causes flowers to blossom, crops to sprout and people to dance. The month’s May-time merriment remains to this day.
To help you stay young and happy, here are our choices for shopping, dining and entertainment to chase the bees away and pluck flowers in the merry month of May:
3 Celebrate Historic Denver’s birthday Looking Forward, Looking Back at the Molly Brown House May 1-Sept. 19. Exhibit reveals how home was saved, view Brown’s residence for first time. Information: 303-832-4092.
3 Buy produce, products, and food on Colorado Fresh Market’s farmers market in Cherry Creek’s first day at 1st. & University May 1, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Information: 303-442-1847.
3 Help American Lung Assn. at Coors Field Flight For Air Climb fundraiser May 8, 8 a.m. Climb at pace of your choice. Information: 303-847-0280.
3 Enjoy creative stations, stage shows at indoor FamilyFest in the National Western Complex May 8, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.. Information: 303-400-3470.
3 Treat mom to Mother’s Day brunch to 3 p.m. or dinner at Cherry Creek’s Blue Island Oyster Bar & Seafood. Full menu includes Chilean Seabass, Swordfish “Paella,” and Filet Mignon. Information: 303-333-2462.
3 Have a hitch in your giddy-up? Hook-up with The Hitch Corner at 1900 S. Quince. They sell-install trailer hitches, also heavy-duty towing experts, especially 5th Wheel & Gooseneck Hitches. Information: 720-277-7782.
3 Catch blues band the Delta Sonics playing Dazzle@Baur’s May 15, 9 p.m. Swing, R&B & Rock n’ Roll also on play list. Information: 303-839-5100.
3 View Colorado Women’s Caucus for Art’s 30th birthday exhibition at D’art Gallery on Santa Fe through May 30. Information: 720-486-7735.
3 Now two nights only, Cleo Parker Robinson’s 50th Anniversary Spring Show titled Come Passion, is May 8-9, 7 p.m. Created by Robinson to celebrate where they’ve come from, the 12-member Ensemble will be dancing new and previously performed works. The hybrid performance with limited theater seating features dance and film blending live-streamed and recorded performances. Information: cleoparker dance.org.
The Anglo Saxon word for May was Tri-Milchi, meaning the grass had become so lush and green that you could milk the cows three times a day. Denver’s average temperature in May is between 67 and 74 degrees Fahrenheit, dropping to a low of between 42 and 46 °F. Nearly every day warms to over 50 °F in Denver. May’s weather is also the rainiest-cloudiest of the year in Denver. Nonetheless, in our dry climate only one in three days during the month normally gets any precipitation.
Virgin shy, fresh and gentle, May is spiritual, beautiful, green and lusty warm. A fun month, we devote May 5th to eating tacos and drinking margaritas on Cinco de Mayo. Every “May-stro” from Johannes Brahms to country artist Cam have set texts about May to music. “It’s mad, it’s gay, a libelous display,” the rousing month of May.
— Glen Richardson
The Valley Gadfly can be reached at newspaper@glendalecherrycreek.com.
by Valley Gadfly | Mar 19, 2021 | Valley Gadfly
Springtime bliss: April skies, showers and love! Days are longer, brighter and warmer this month creating joyous feelings. All seemingly stimulated by April Fool’s Day. References to the day go back to medieval times in literature. Ages ago when it all apparently got started some of those tricks, pranks and foolishness lasted up to a week.
No joke: The song “April Fools” was included in an album by folk singer Loudon Wainwright III that was released in 1998. However it was never released as a single.
Though April showers may come your way, here are our choices for shopping, dining and entertaining so life holds a goodly share of bliss when the sun goes away:
3 Enjoy the bluegrass tunes of Colorado musical powerhouse Turkeyfoot playing Globe Hall April 2. Group shares momentous instrumental and songwriting talents. Shows are at 7 and 9 p.m. Information: 303-296-1003.
3 Watch as JAAMM Fest live-streams a three-course springtime meal cook-along April 7 by restaurateur Admony, 7 p.m. Information: 303-399-3660.
3 View rarely seen Salvador Dali lithographs at the Denver Botanic Gardens show titled Gardens of the Mind, April 10-Aug. 22. Information: 720-865-3500.
3 Join the virtual Homeowners Townhall fraud prevention session sponsored by Paul López April 13, 6 p.m. Information: denverclerkandrecorder.com.
3 For food, fun and relaxation drive to S. Holly’s Esters Neighborhood Pub ranked as one of Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat in 2021! Reviewers love the neighborhood atmosphere, food and booze. Information: 303-955-4904.
3 Planning a wedding? Infinity Park Event Center is there to support you with flexible catering, 360 degree video screening plus outdoor wedding options and free parking. Information: infinityparkeventcenter.com.
3 Catch William Black whose EP climbed to #1 on the iTunes Dance charts playing the Bluebird Theatre April 24, 9 p.m. Information: 303-377-1666.
3 See the One Club Paper Fashion Show of outfits made entirely of paper at the Fillmore Auditorium April 29, 5:30 p.m. Information: 720-838-3797.
3 For a night beyond your wildest dreams plan to attend Central City Opera’s Theatre of Dreams Gala, April 23, 6:30 p.m. This year’s gala at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science will be a hybrid event, featuring Central City’s apprentice artists in a virtual setting. Gala will feature two operas, a new song cycle plus an operatic illustrated audiobook. Proceeds benefit the up-and-coming-composers. Information: 303-292-6700.
“Sometimes an April day will suddenly bring showers, rain to grow the flowers for her first bouquet.” April Love was the fifth of Pat Boone’s six No. 1 hits, topping the charts for six weeks in 1957. The movie by the same name starred Boone and Shirley Jones. Boone’s song is the only tune with April in the title to reach No. 1 on the charts.
“April in Paris, chestnuts in blossom. Holiday tables under the trees.” While many artists recorded the tune, Count Basie’s 1955 classic brought the song to the forefront.
Denver isn’t precisely Paris: The City of Love’s relative humidity is 41.3% higher with 1275 fewer hours of sunlight per year. Still the Mile High City gets that “feeling, no one can reprise.” A teasing, lighthearted month: April laughs, plays, and, of course, April fools. Will Denver’s Covid-19 color dial turn green by April 30? Will, it May!
— Glen Richardson
The Valley Gadfly can be reached at newspaper@glendalecherrycreek.com.
by Valley Gadfly | Feb 19, 2021 | Valley Gadfly
The Beatles said it best when they crooned: “Here Comes the Sun.” March is the month when the sun crosses the equator line, heading north in the sky to mark the start of spring in our hemisphere. As we tilt more toward the sun we begin feeling free and back in love with life. We’ll enjoy longer daylight hours with earlier dawns, later sunsets.
This month’s St. Paddy’s Day’s tune Rumbles of Spring expresses the season thus: “I’m as happy as a king, when I catch a breath of spring and the grass is turning green.”
As you begin enjoying spring weather, here are our choices for shopping, dining and entertaining to ensure the brooks, trees and singing hills send happiness to you:
3 Enjoy Beethoven’s best works performed by a string quartet at the safe Wings Over The Rockies bathed in candlelight March 10 & 17, 7 p.m. Sit back and savor the ambiance and the pieces. Information: 303-872-7720.
3 Support Lowry Elementary School’s first ever virtual auction the “No Go Gala” by bidding online March 13th at 8 p.m. Information: 720-424-5910.
3 View the Radiant Season in the Freyer-Newman Center March 13-July 11. Urban objects are painted by Kevin Sloan. Information: 720-865-3500.
3 Returning to its roots, this year’s Runnin’ of the Green jogs off in waves at Washington Park March 14, 8 to 11:30 a.m. Information: rungreen7k.com.
3 Enjoy a bit o’ corned beef on St. Paddy’s Day as Monaco Inn Restaurant is dishing up the hearty plate for takeout or dine-in starting at 3 p.m. Served with boiled potatoes, carrots and celery. Information: 303-320-1104.
3 Has the pandemic created a money shock at home? Colorado Gold Mart is loaning cash or will buy your gold jewelry, diamonds, Rolexes, vintage watches and coin collections. Information: coloradogoldmart.com.
3 Spring Youth Rugby starts at Glendale’s Infinity Park March 16-April 12, on Tues. & Thurs., 4:30-5:45 p.m. Information:glendaleyouthrugby.com.
3 Listen to Olympic soccer player Carli Lloyd during Junior League’s virtual catered dinner March 19, 7-8 p.m. Information: 303-692-0207.
3 Threatened by pests, pathogens and climate change, learn ways to protect Denver’s urban forest at the 7th Annual Tree Diversity Conference streamed online through Vimeo March 5, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Discussions will explore relationships between landscape design, horticultural practices and variety of tree species. Participants will have access for 14 days following the live session. Information: denverbotan icgardens.org.
“Here comes the sun, doo da doo doo.” The George Harrison-penned track for Abbey Road has us thinking about clocks, time and light. Spring forward March 14 by setting clocks ahead an hour to Daylight Saving Time. The extra hour of light at the end of the day will feel like a gift after this year’s pandemic plagued winter. Enjoy it!
Watch the arc of the sun across the sky as it shifts toward the north. Birds are migrating northward, along with the sun. Sunlight also triggers birds to sing. Cool, eh?
Unless you’re living under the Blarney Stone you know March 17 is St. Patrick’s Day. Leprechauns won’t stroll beside floats; as the parade is canceled. The Valley, nonetheless, will be lush with parties. Wishing you the things an Irish blessing brings: Joy, love and laugher. May your days be content and you smile happily ever after!
— Glen Richardson
The Valley Gadfly can be reached at newspaper@glendalecherrycreek.com.
by Valley Gadfly | Jan 22, 2021 | Valley Gadfly
“Love keeps the cold out better than a cloak,” Longfellow argued.” February weather plus the pandemic gives us added time to reflect and feel our deepest emotions, whether it be sadness, yearning, contentment or, yes, conceivably love. This month unshrouds and lays bare the constant contradictions in the weather and in life.
There’s something about the dreary spell outside that makes us romantic. It ’twas a brit in 1881 that coined the phrase: “February, fill the dyke with what thou dost like.”
Grab your coat and get your hat, here are our choices for shopping, dining and entertaining to keep you comfy on cloud 9 with your Valentine thru cupid month:
3 Valley families can enjoy the spectacular Sundance Film Festival without leaving home. Reserve your own private movie night as Sie FilmCenter hosts online through Feb. 3 from Park City. Information: 720-381-0813.
3 See circus acrobatics, juggling, and live music as Celestial Chaos performs at the Exdo Event Center Feb. 4-28. Information: rainbowmiltiaarial.com.
3 Join Treasure Box Tours for a Denver Parks Webinar of city’s green gems large and small, Feb. 10, 10-11 a.m. Information: coaarp@aarp.org.
3 View Josh Groban’s first PBS hosted national virtual concert An Evening Of Harmony Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day 6 p.m. Information: 303-296-1212.
3 Make Valentine’s Day magical this year by dining in Glendale. The Village has 45 eateries with breakfast, lunch & dinner options. Pick from popular spots such as Sam’s No. 3 and Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar.
3 Choose the Glendale Sports Center as the centerpiece for a healthy New Year. The YMCA-managed facility is equipped with modern equipment and offers fitness programs for every age. Information: 303-639-4711.
3 Support Rocky Mountain Children’s Health by attending Kaleidoscope dinner event at the Ritz-Carlton Feb. 20-21. Information: 720-507-0905.
3 View the artwork by Tony Ortega on display at the Botanic Garden’s Freyer-Newman Center through Feb. 28. Information: 720-865-3500.
3 In a year like no other, the Denver Jewish Film Festival is bringing the remarkable lineup of films directly to your living room Feb. 8-17. Enjoy emerging filmmakers with powerful feature-film debuts Shiva Baby and God of the Piano. Be inspired by powerful documentaries of social justice or eat your way through culinary fare such as Abe. Use your web browser or TV apps for Roku or Apple TV. Information: 303-399-2660.
February is wintertime in the Valley with the average temperatures in the 20°F to 46°F range. Snowfall is truly the lowest of the season, measuring up to 5.7” on average. Nights are frosty and drop below freezing most of the time. February has ample sunshine that lasts at least 10 hours daily with clear skies for about a week during the month.
Romance during the cold days of February is unique. It’s magical in the sense that you can go skiing together, sip hot cocoa and snuggle with the person you love.
Coming at the perfect time to be savored, Valentine’s Day is a love-note to the rest of the year. Cupid is sharpening his arrows and practicing his aim. But, but be certain to spread only love and not the coronavirus. While romance and roses make a lovely gesture, filling Feb. 14th with both love and laughter is often the best gift of all.
— Glen Richardson
The Valley Gadfly can be reached at newspaper@glendalecherrycreek.com.
by Valley Gadfly | Dec 18, 2020 | Valley Gadfly
The year 2020 has been a year to remember, but between the pandemic and politics one most of us would probably prefer to forget. With Covid-19 turning everyday life on its head and ending the lives of so many, a lot of aspects of the last 12 months are easily lost from memory. One element of 2020, however, was in fact a “golden year.”
Though most of us don’t consider the rat as an adorable rodent, based on last year’s Chinese lunar calendar, pandemic plagued 2020 was the year of the Golden Rat!
Here are our glam, twinkly light choices for shopping, dining and entertaining to give champagne glasses and glittery tiaras extra sparkle to lighten up the New Year:
3 For a colorful, stunning start to the New Year view the final days of Begin Again on view through Jan. 9 at Walker Fine Art in the Prado Bldg. Work was created to inspire healing and hope. Information: 303-355-8955.
3 Learn history of the Great Sioux War at the Jan. 10 Jerome Greene lecture in History Colorado Center, 2 p.m. Information: 303-557-8679.
3 View work by 18 artists who created art exploring challenges facing the New Year at D’art Gallery, Jan. 14-Feb. 7. Information: 720-486-7735.
3 If you missed it during the holiday, the Blossoms of Light display lingers at the Botanic Gardens through Jan. 16. Information: 720-865-3500.
3 Celebrate the New Year at Bull & Bush Brewery that finished its first batch on New Year’s Day 1997. Seating in heated tent, patio. Last call for alcohol 8 p.m., kitchen closes at 10 p.m. Information: 303-759-0333.
3 Bank on a brighter New Year at Denver headquartered Sunflower Bank. Build long-term relationships at a bank remaining true to its community roots. Not too big and not too small. Information: 313-297-0333.
3 Catch music of DJ Ravenscoon as he plays hip-hop and punk rock at the Black Box Jan. 22-23, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m. Information: blackboxdenver.co.
3 See Dreams In Bloom, exhibition of photos by Fares Micue on display in the Freyer-Newman Center, Jan. 23-May 16. Information: 720-865-3500.
3 Begin the New Year in a universe beyond earthly troubles by attending Celestial Chaos at the Exdo Event Center, Feb. 4-28. The circus production features aerial dance, acrobatics, juggling and live music. The four ring circus of otherworldly delight will boost spectators into the clouds. The production offers audiences connection, inspiration and hope for the New Year. Information: Rainbowmilitiaariel.com.
China’s 2020 Year of the Rat festivities began in mid-Jan. and lasted for 15 days, culminating with the Lantern Festival. As the New York Times reported, China’s Health Commission voiced concerns about the emergence of a little-understood coronavirus. China’s Li Bin warned on Jan. 22 that the number infected had risen tenfold in a week.
By the lunar calendar, 2021 is the Year of the Ox: “This year no explosive or catastrophic events will occur, and it is a year favorable for economic recovery.”
Here’s to a bright New Year and a fond farewell to the old as the clock strikes 12. No one will miss 2020 when it’s gone, and hopefully this year will bring brighter days ahead. Here’s to the things that are yet to come and the good memories that we hold. Raising a bottle of bubbly to Chinese good fortune, we wish you “Ox of Luck!”
— Glen Richardson
The Valley Gadfly can be reached at newspaper@glendalecherrycreek.com.
