Flashback Sunday

When we first moved to Denver, I worked for a small alternative school with a relatively small staff. Mr IM and I became good friends with one of my co-workers, D, and then later many of his friends. We used to go to their house often and for a while, there was even a basement band to entertain us, starring D and Mr. IM as well as a drummer and whoever else joined. As so often happens, we all have been busy and suddenly literally years went by.  So when our friend, D, organized a birthday party for himself, beginning with breakfast and throwing in a walking tour of downtown Denver ,we were interested.  Turns out it was on a Sunday, and, hey, our kids are old enough to be left home alone! Whoo-hoo...however, I forgot that none of the other kids in the crowd are old enough to stay home alone, so I ended up being "the only girl"...although it was kind of like college  and the early days of Denver, when it was "a bunch of boys"...and me.  We had a really fun time--here's a brief overview of the day:

Doors Open Denver is an annual event that helps people explore the city through self-guided (free) tours and some  expert guided (for a fee) tours.  The focus is on architecture, history, and art and each place we visited had unique pros and cons.

We started our morning at Moe's Bagels on Broadway.  Funny story...when we moved to Denver, our U-Haul had a Moe's Bagel's sticker in the front window.  We've been saying for 20 years that we are going to check out Moe's...and now we have.

First tour stop was The Odd Fellows building just down the street.  It was built as a meeting place for members and has had many tenants in the years since, including a locally famous restaurant called Dutch something.  The building was interesting, but there wasn't a lot to explore, as most of the building is now full of restaurants and offices (including, David Lane, a "famous" local attorney).

Next up, a brief stop at the Filbeck Building, home to the Bovine Metropolis Theater.  The building is very interesting.  It seems to have been built to  be a theater and dance studio, but the tour guides, students from the Improv theater housed there, were a little fuzzy on the details.  We were able to do a little more exploring here than at some of the other locations.

The next stop was big-- the three theatres of the Denver Performing Arts Complex:
Boettcher Concert Hall, Buell Theatre, and the Ellie Caulkins Opera House.  We took the long way and found some fun artwork--I snapped this picture to show The Boy, today his career goals are (in no particular order):  graffit artist, snowboarder, guitar star:

We were able to do a little exploring and were able to see some cool things--my favorites were a giant painting, called The Rehearsal, by Stephen Batura that hangs above the bar in the Ellie Caulkins Opera house.  It shows many local, and not so local celebrities in the audience. As the tour guide said, "The more you look at it, the more you see!".  At the Buell we were able to see a tiny bit of back stage, including the posters that are signed after each show...including this one:

Look!  I'm standing where Melissa Gilbert stood!!!

When Mr. IM and I compared notes, we think we went to the Hotel Teatro next.  It was originally an office building for Denver Tramway.  It was used briefly by the University of Colorado Denver, then became a hotel in the 1990's.  We entered to win a free nights stay, so we'll let you know how that goes if we win!  They also had yummy cookies, which made us realize that we probably should stop for lunch soon.  We asked a nice older gentleman to snap a photo of our group, and realized as it "clicked" that we were missing one of us...(don't worry, someone snapped a slightly better photo later, with everyone in it!) and, golly, isn't it a fantastic photo?  (He, he, he)

 I also snapped this photo of our very tall friend and Mr IM, both demonstrating the impracticality of these particular chairs.

Now Mr IM and are chatted and we're not entirely sure if we went to lunch next (Illegal Burgers) or to the CU Denver Building, College ofArchitecture & Planning.  Mr IM says this was his favorite, because we got to see lots of models and modeling tools and big machines and so on.  It was interesting.  I was mostly amused at all the poor college students trying to work on projects while we all tramped through their space.

After an exciting trip across downtown on the 16th Street Mall shuttle, we walked past the new Ralph J. Carr building (not open), housing the Colorado State Supreme Court and the Colorado Judicial Learning Center, which is on my list to visit some day.

We visited Union Station, recently re-opened as an Amtrack and bus station with an attached hotel. We attempted to tour the hotel, but were unable to get far.  We had fun looking at the architecture and a little people watching.

Our next destination was the Counterterrorism Education Learning Lab, which, for lack of a better word, was overwhelming. I'm not sure I'd recommend this location--it was interesting, but distressing, which I suppose was their point.  They do offer some disaster prep classes, that one of our party, a Cub Scout leader, is going to look into.

We ended the day by dropping into the Colorado History Museum fifteen minutes before closing for the quickest tour ever--looking forward to going back some other time when we can linger!

After a trip back across downtown, we headed our separate ways...promising that we will get together again soon.  I'm already looking forward to next year's adventure when we focus on another part of downtown!

I apologize, friends, if I missed any of our stops...If I did, I'll add an addendum!

An evening with an author, sort of

Several years ago I read the Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead.  About a year ago, she was scheduled to speak at the local library,  but was snowed out.  BUT...she did come in early April!  My friend, T, and I made a short evening of it--dropping off all the children at my house with Mr IM and a couple pizzas and taking a minute to have some ice cream on our way to the event. Ms. Mead only spoke a few minutes--the typical author speech, "please love my new book, not just my old book...thanks for reading...I can sign 3 books, one personalized"....She did serve fun cookies, shaped like necklaces, to go with the theme of her newest book.  I did not ask the one burning question (in my mind)...does Richelle Mead ever go outside? (She was very pale!)

We handed off our numbered bracelets to the mom and daughter next to us, who between them had about six books to have signed, since T read her books on Kindle and I borrowed from the library.  It was a nice evening and relaxing to hang out with grown ups (well, mostly grownups!)

What to do when you don't want to go to the grocery store...

The other night we wanted hamburgers...we had ground beef, but no buns.  And there was no way I was going back to that ridiculously crowded grocery store...thank you google...here's my solution:
40 -minute Hamburger buns

• 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water (110° to 115°)
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 to 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

• 1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add oil and sugar; let stand for 5 minutes. Add the egg, salt and enough flour to form a soft dough.
• 2. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 3-5 minutes. Do not let rise. Divide into 12 pieces; shape each into a ball. Place 3 in. apart on greased baking sheets.
• 3. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Bake at 425° for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Yield: 1 dozen.

When I followed the recipe, the buns were way too small, so I had to make a second batch.  Unfortunately we were then out of veggie oil...but for the record, olive oil worked really well!  The buns were very tasty and the boy reports the leftovers made great toast this morning!

Quick Cinnamon rolls!

The other day The Boy wanted Cinnamon rolls.  Ummm.  Yeah, I don't know how to do that.  Thankfully, All Recipes does...Quick Cinnamon Rolls

It took about an hour total for us--from start to eatingIngredients

• 1/4 cup butter, divided
• Dough:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 
  

 

• Filling:
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

• Cream Cheese Frosting:
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar (optional)
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (optional)
• 1/4 cup butter, softened (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Brush a 9-inch square baking dish with 2 tablespoons melted butter.
2. Whisk flour, 2 tablespoons white sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Work 3 tablespoons softened butter into flour mixture using your hands. Beat milk and egg together in another bowl; pour into flour-butter mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until a soft dough forms.
3. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and roll dough into a 1/4-inch thick rectangle. Brush surface of dough with 2 tablespoons melted butter.
4. Whisk 1/2 cup white sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Sprinkle 1/2 of the cinnamon sugar mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cinnamon sugar over butter-brushed dough. Roll dough around filling to form a log; cut log into 18 rolls and place rolls in the prepared baking dish.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until rolls are set, 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Beat confectioners' sugar, cream cheese, 1/4 cup softened butter, and vanilla extract together in a bowl until frosting is smooth. Top hot cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting.

Next time I think I'll use less filling--they were very sweet!  Just a little cinnamon sugar and the frosting would have been enough--we ate them though--this was about an hour after I took them out of the oven:

 

Garden 2016!!!

Yeah, its way too early to really garden, but we did start some yard clean up and I planted a few things inside and potatoes outside.  This winter was rough on the yard...correction...Morrison is rough on the yard...

 Before our clean up started, a lot of those pink rocks were on the patio, and in the garden, and everywhere.  Even with no greenery yet this is a major improvement!

 A few fake flowers keeping the owl colony company--this view looks pretty good!

 A nice view that doesn't quite show the chaos that is the side yard--or the nicely budding peach tree--see better view below!

 Yes, out little red wagon still gets use.  In other news, Morrison likes to look through those open squares and keep an eye on the front yard.

 Ah, a better view of the side yard chaos...this is on our agenda for this summer..doing something to minimize the chaos...

 Budding peach tree--the only fruit tree that survived.  The apple and cherry will have to be replaced later this spring/summer--but was are still expected to get snow, so we're going to wait.  We think the peach tree survived because the out vent for the fireplace is right there...keeping it warm in cold weather!

 Potatoes in a bucket.....that is all I have to say about that.

 A little clean up in the secret garden--Morrison even got in there and dug some holes (grrr).  She also was carrying around my little blue hippo, so now it will live in the (hopefully more protected) garden.

 I told someone the other day about our pallet "bar"--here it is, with fresh spring flowers (fake).

 A few tomatoes, cucumbers, and herbs, planted inside

 And some lettuce. Unfortunately, Alice and Morrison like lettuce.  At least they're happy.

And the gnome village has returned.  Mr. IM says "they have no cover!" (Interpretation...the neighbors might see we have gnomes...)

 St Francis (a birthday gift from my mother-in-law) and his racoon finally got to go outside.  Now Morrison can bark at him outside instead of inside.

And of course, the Purdue stepping stone that no one is allowed to step on and some green onions (there is garlic, too! So some greenery!)



Stay tuned...snow is predicted, but spring is coming soon!

What I read in March 2016

1.  13 Hours in Benghazi (Mitchell Zuckoff)--might make my top 10 of the year-it was good.  Someone recommended I see the movie, saying that "it wasn't political, it was really about some amazing human beings" and I would agree that is true about the book, too.  It was intense and a good read. Didn't want to put it down, even though I kind of knew what would happen from the news.
2.  Dragonfly in Amber (Diana Gabaldon)--Yes, I'm re-reading the series.  It is nice and mindless.
3.  The Photograph (Beverly Lewis)-Another nice mindless book--typical Beverly Lewis, predictable and cute, for lack of a better description.
4. The City (Dean Koonz)-Another that might make my "top ten"--had a lot in common with The Odd Thomas books.  A little supernatural stuff, but not over the top.  A  great story of someone's life.
5.  Outlander Novella (title?)   (Diana Gabaldon)--Can't remember which one, they are all good--this was a short novella about Jamie before he met Claire.
6. Ana of California (Andi Teran)--A modern re-telling of Anne of Green Gables, set in California.  Good story.  Kept me guessing what would happen.
7.  Innocence (Dean Koonz)-not as good as The City, but a good read.  I'm working my way through Koonz's non-Odd Thomas books.

Spring Break Sick Break

As usual I had a lengthy list of Spring Break tasks.  The boy and I spent all day Monday cleaning his room and the Bonus room--hauling out a bunch of things to give away, throw away, mail to his cousins....
Tuesday we hung out, Mr. IM came home early because he wasn't feeling well, but we didn't think too much about it.  Wednesday, the boy spent all day on the couch, coughing and watching movies, only getting up to use the restroom and Mr. IM came home early again.  By Wednesday night, the girl felt sick enough to miss volleyball practice...
Have you ever read one of those pioneer novels, where the whole family is sick, and they worry they will starve or freeze, because none of them are well enough to care for the others?  Egads, I think we re-enacted that on Thursday through Saturday night this week.  The girl stayed home sick and in bed for two days and Mr. IM only worked a couple hours each on Thursday and Friday.  Thankfully, we were well equipped with various soups and medications, so no one was in any real danger, but there were no real meal times, or bedtimes...everyone kind of fended for themselves.  A lot of crackers and advil were consumed.  I did leave the house on Friday morning, to acquire more soup and medication.  Today we celebrated being (mostly) fever free (but not cough free by any means) by washing all the sheets and opening all the windows. Hopefully, we've kicked it for now...the list will have to wait for summer break!