Art Wear Fashion Show at Lincoln Center, Fort Collins, CO

Coat designed by Lee Anderson- ArtWear Fashion Show

For 16 years I've seen the Art Wear Fashion Show advertised annually in our local paper. On the 17th October of this year, I finally went. What took me so long?!!  I cringe to think about all the lovely creative garments I missed seeing all those years.  

Fifty-four artists from around the country participated in the 2015 presentation. The one-of-a-kind hand-made wearable garments and accessories proudly strutted down the catwalk at the Lincoln Center here in my own backyard of Fort Collins, Colorado.

Coat designed by Mary Hertert- ArtWear Fashion Show

It was refreshing to see the models were "everyday" women; giving the audience a visual view to easily imagine themselves wearing these exquisite creations.

The stage was carefully designed with over-sized sails of fabric that gently moved but did not distract from the elegant creations. Soft reflective colored lights, a gentle mist, and upbeat music added to the ambiance of the fashion event.

Shown were embellished coats, jackets, dresses, pants, along with flowing wraps, fluid shawls and neck scarves. Some were reversible, buttoned, or the hemlines swooped dramatically in the back.Various fabric and textile techniques were used such as embroidery, silk-screening, weaving, and even digital-printing. Pushing the potential of fabrics, silk, felt, cotton, wool and chiffons were the "canvases" for the textile artists.

I went back to the Lincoln Center the next afternoon to get a better close-up  of the hand-work on the garments. The sales boutique was neatly arranged with the clothing modeled the previous night and available for purchase. A young pretty CSU fashion student, Taylor, graciously pointed out some 

garments with unique details that I would have missed.

Jacket and dress designed by Kevin Kessel- ArtWear Fashion Show

I asked her what area of fashion she wanted to pursue.She said that she was interested in designing lingerie and among her dreams was to live in Paris. I had just finished reading, "My Paris Dream" by Kate Betts, a memoir about a student involved in the fashion world. (note: Taylor, save your school cash and borrow the book from the library!)

The Artistic Director, Gary Hixon, said,"Clothes should be fun and hopefully we added some color to Fort Collins!" Not only was there lots of color but this year's Art Wear fashion show was entertaining and could easily rival any Paris catwalk. I'm already anticipating next year's presentation!

Introduction to Iris Apfel

Imagine being such a fascinating person at the age of 90, that a documentary is made about your life! I recently watched Albert Maysles' film simple called, Iris, about the life of Iris Apfel. Actually it focused mainly on her life now because so much is happening for her at this time.

Iris Apfel, born in 1921,a true New Yorker, is known for her eccentric but very stylish sense of fashion. She wears over-sized bangles and necklaces, furry scarves, multi-colored clothes, and her trademark large round glasses.

After marrying her husband, Carl, in 1948, they started a major textile firm and antiques business: Old World Weavers. Over the years they traveled extensively throughout Europe and Asia. (After 68 years of marriage, sadly, Carl passed away in August, 2015.) All the while Iris kept busy with a interior designing which included work for nine presidents in the White House.

Following the 2005 exhibit of her massive collection of clothes and jewelry at the New York Metropolitan's Costume Institute, great interest in her personal style evolved. Unique opportunities presented themselves to Mrs. Apfel. She became a "face" of  MAC cosmetics at the age of 90, has a line of accessories with HSN, and a bright and bold jewelry line, RAVA ARIS, on the internet.

Iris likes timeless and traditional things, not so much trendy. She believes jewelry can be the fastest transformer for an outfit. This "geriatric" starlet has her own version of reality regarding her look, such as; "Getting old ain't for sissies. You have to push yourself when your'e older because its 's very easy to fall into the trap. Style is a personal thing, you have to be yourself." I just wanted to introduce this eclectic lady to you because we baby boomers need mentors and icons to keep us encouraged in our later years!

Zandra with a "Z'

She has a tiny tattoo of a lily flower on her thigh, occasionally sneaks a Mars candy bar, is thrilled being appointed a  Dame (DBE), and wouldn't be recognized without her pink hair. Zandra Rhodes, considers herself a "printer" but her immeasurable talents and artistic skills bring her quite further than that.

                   

                                                                                                              

Her colorful textile prints which evolved into floating fantasy clothes erased all the old fashion taboos regarding dress design. Her original creations have been seen at red carpet events, runways, and on celebrities throughout the world.  

Zandra Rhodes was born in 1940 in Chatham, Kent, U.K. She attended London's Royal College of Art and her first major area of study was Printed Textile design. When she discovered how beautiful the printed fabrics draped on the body, her artistic imagination began to really bloom. At first the fashion community considered her eccentric and extreme but in the late 1960's when "anything goes", her peers began to pay attention. 

Today Ms. Rhodes's original designs extend to handbags, bed linens, and five separate collections of jewelry. She finds inspiration everywhere she travels; India is a huge influence with it's bright lively colors. The name Zandra Rhodes is associated with color, though she has designed a line of black, white, and gray garments. Even the design of those creations vibrate with energy!  

When talking about her work, she is always saying, "We" instead of "I". She likes to surround 

herself with people who are as enthusiastic as she is. Ms. Rhodes likes working with a team of people and is generous with sharing her creative knowledge with young students.

The woman who walks confidently in high heels and never steps out the door without pink hair and full makeup, shares wise counsel to the novice: "Never give up ever, when people try to crush you." Along with, "No point in doing anything, unless you do it to the best of your ability."After five successful decades in the industry, Zandra Rhodes still loves fashion now more than ever!     

Zolo Grill

When it comes to some southwestern cuisine restaurants, the chefs are so proud of their red and green chile sauces, that the food is abundantly smothered in it. I usually scrape it aside with a spoon to see if there is a tamale or chicken thigh hiding beneath.

But this was not so at the Zolo Grill restaurant located in central Boulder,Colorado. Inside it felt like we were seated in a pueblo dwelling with long wooden branch poles hanging across the ceiling. The rustic contemporary art on the wall and the low cozy lighting made us feel comfortable in this southwestern ambience. Immediately we were able to determine that this was a friendly and casual place to be. Many of the employees have been there for quite some time; there definitely is a family feeling among them.

All the food, including the meats, ribs, dressings, chorizo sausages, sauces, and desserts, are made from scratch. The menu changes seasonally and many of the ingredients are sourced from local farms. Meats are brined and sometimes smoked for as long as three days.

The cuisine can be described as southwestern, upscale and gourmet but assessable to everyone. We tried the Queso Fundido appetizer, barbeque beef brisket, butternut squash poblano tamales, and the chicken enchiladas. The popular banana cream pie has been on the menu since their opening in 1994.
They sure are doing something right because after 21 years in business, the staff are now welcoming a second generation of loyal customers to Zolo Grill.  Not to mention, it was such a pleasant surprise to visually see the delicious food served before us!

Tour de Fat-- Too Much Fun

Just to further prove that our town of Fort Collins, Colorado, is a bicycle-friendly community, over 25,000 cyclists come together on one Saturday morning annually for the Tour de Fat  bicycle parade. This past weekend the free event occurred. I cleaned up my New Belgium  bike, ( that I had won in a contest three years ago) and checked the air in the tires for a smooth ride.

 Out came the box that stores my special Tour de Fat costume: black and white striped knee stockings, a black and white polka dot bicycle skirt, and a white t-shirt with "Tour de Fat" embroidered on the back. For a bit of  "bling", I wear long red feather earrings and my red helmet has strings of pearls hanging from the back.  Actually, it's a pretty conservative costume compared to the thousands of other participants. People come up with some very crazy outlandish outfits.

Even bicycles get decorated with crepe paper, colorful flags, streamers, plastic flowers, blaring music boxes and baskets holding dogs. Some very talented and skilled welders work on original home-made bikes all year just to ride and show off their new creations for this once-a-year festival.

Several streets along the route, in the downtown area of Fort Collins, are blocked off for the bike parade. Volunteers and police officers help safely guide the masses of cyclists along the right direction.  Everyone is in a party mood and lots of smiles can be seen. Even the folks watching on the sidelines  wear colorful costumes, pull out the barbeques, and cheer the riders on--even though this is not a bicycle race. In fact with so many bikes, the parade moves along quite slowly, which gives me a chance to observe all the creative costumes surrounding me.

At the end of the parade route, hundreds of rental bike racks are placed in a large empty lot but it's not enough to hold all the innumerable amount of bikes. Every available street light or pole will have several bikes locked up against it. Actually the whole downtown area becomes one big bike parking lot. Several music bands play rock music. Food vendors sell pizzas, hamburgers, veggie-wraps, and even Chinese dumplings. Long line of hungry cyclists start queuing up.

 At the end of the day prizes are given to the best costumes and unique bikes. It's just a really fun and unusual day, spent among thousands of bikes. I ride my bicycle home, take a well-deserved shower and pack away my costume into it's own special box until next year's Tour de Fat. Can't wait!

A Day in San Diego

We've all been there, done that, and some of us even "got the T-Shirt".....we helped a friend or family member to move their household to a new home. And when the work is all done, there is usually a celebration of sharing a large pizza, but in this case it was Mexican food.

I just returned from a trip in southern California to help my daughter, Erica, and her family, make a major move four hours away. There was a heat wave during the whole week that I was there. My packing of shorts and tank tops worked just fine.

I was raised south of the San Diego area and some of my family still live there. Over the years we took many trips to the usual tourist's spots such as Tijuana, Balboa Park and Sea World. My sister, Cory, asked me what I wanted to do with my one free day before the BIG MOVE.  " Oh, let's go to the beach, I haven't seen the Pacific Ocean for quite some time now," I replied. So along with my mother, we drove out to Ocean Beach. This was on the last weekend before school started. Seems like everyone had a desire for one last summer hurrah.

We could quickly see that there was not one single parking space available. Ditching that idea, Cory suggested Dog Beach, where "it's so entertaining to watch the dogs play in the waves." ( Dog Beach is the most popular canine hotspot in San Diego.)  Not only was there NO parking spaces , we got stuck in a line of cars trying to escape OUT of the parking lot.We then drove over to Shelter Island. After two minutes of gazing out at the San Diego Harbor, the heat wave forced us back into the air conditioned car.

One last effort was a short drive south to the Seaport Village area where The Headquarters is located. Yea! At last, we found a precious parking space! Presented in 2013, the open-air market offers a range of specialty shops and eateries. The buildings served as the headquarters for the San Diego Police Department from 1939-1987. Building began in 1937 and the architecture represents a  Spanish mission style along with a mixture of Ancient Greece and Rome Classical Revival. It is now on the National Registrar of Historic Places because of this eclectic gathering of architectual mode.

At one time the building housed a crime lab, five courtrooms, an emergency hospital, an indoor shooting range, and an extensive law library. Some of the original jail cells from the 1930's still exist. Of course, we couldn't resist playing jailbirds and had our photo taken. There is a Hall of History displaying original mug shots of men and women who also got their picture taken, but not happily. Adding to the historic value is the tower where the San Diego police officers watched the Pacific Ocean for enemy aircraft during World War II.  

Fortunately these lovely vintage buildings were not torn down but instead were refurbished into a center where art and music events take place all year long. We had lunch at The Cheesecake Factory and topped it by sharing a piece of Salted Caramel Cheesecake. Excellent decision.

We drove back to my sister's house and I sat on her back patio looking at the Pacific Ocean in the distance with a cool breeze brushing across my sweaty face. Holding my glass of minted iced water, I was reminded of what I use to tell my kids when traveling: "Go with the flow!"  We did that on this San Diego Day and it turned out to be quite  pleasant after all.

Victoria, B.C and The Gentle Art of Afternoon Tea - Part II

"Thank God for tea ! What would the world do without tea! How did it exist? I am glad I was not born before tea."   Sydney Smith, "Lady Holland's Memoir"

For someone like me being from a small California town near the Mexican border, afternoon tea was a different and unique way of socially eating. As we continue here with the foods served at afternoon tea, a little focus on scones. Many Americans are familiar with the dry, crusty versions and tend to shy away from eating them. I always received favorable comments from the students in my tea
classes after sampling my take on scones.

There are many varieties of scones. Some are baked with currants, cream, sweet spices or savory with cheese. They come in different shapes; round, wedged or dropped-batter on a hot griddle. I suggest choosing one flavor and serve it with jam and cream. The secret ingredient is the buttermilk that keeps the scone moist. Even a low-fat buttermilk will bring good results.

                                             Cinnamon Buttermilk Scones  

3 cups all purpose flour 
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
 3/4 cup butter, chilled cut in pieces  (1 1/2 sticks)
3/4 cup buttermilk
 1/4 cup milk (use to brush top of cut scones)
      
Topping: mix 1 tablespoon cinnamon with 1 cup sugar  (This will produce more than you need. Keep extra stored in a small jar with a tight lid.)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a large bowl, stir all the dry ingredients.
With a pastry blender or a fork, cut in the butter until it becomes crumbly.
Slowly add the buttermilk and gently stir with a fork. Form a large ball.
On a lightly floured surface, pat the dough 1/2 thick. 
Cut out the scone with a 2" deep cookie cutter.
Place an a greased baking sheet. Parchment paper can also be used.
Brush tops of scones with a little milk.
Sprinkle generously with the cinnamon topping.
Bake for about 15-18 minutes, let cool on a baking rack.   

Clotted cream can be purchased from a kitchen gourmet store. The clotted cream is skimmed from the top of milk; much like the cream that "floats" to the top of fresh bottled milk or yogurt. It is high in fat content but only a small spoonful is needed for those watching their calories. The small jars of cream can be a bit expensive if you are serving a large crowd of people as I was doing for my tea classes. So I came up with a thriftier version, a mock-clotted cream, that, although not authentic is quite tasty.   

My favorite part of tea are the "sweets". Sweets should be small and dainty. Pick three that vary in taste and texture. For example, lemon mini-tarts, two-bite brownies, and shortbread are a good selection. These can be hand-baked or purchased to save time. Again, three sweets are simple. Try to always include chocolate as one of your selections. 

                                              Mock-clotted Cream

          1 cup whipping cream
          1/4 cup sour cream
          4 tablespoons powdered sugar
          1/4 teaspoon almond flavoring
         
          Mix all ingredients in a deep bowl.  
          Beat with an electric mixer until thick.
          Refrigerate , covered, for 1 hour.  

Obviously, afternoon tea requires a good pot of brewed tea to compliment the food. The most favorable afternoon tea is Earl Grey. English Breakfast and Darjeeling follow in popularity. Herbal and fruit teas are not traditional but are perfectly acceptable at the tea table if that is what you prefer.

                                          How to Brew a Proper Pot of Tea  

 First, measure how many cups of water fill your teapot. Write the number on a small piece of paper and tape it on the bottom of your teapot. This will help you from having to re-measure every time you want to make a pot of tea. 

Fill the kettle with fresh, cold water.
Warm your teapot by filling it with hot water.
When the kettle water comes to a boil, empty the previous hot water from your teapot.
Fill your warmed, empty teapot with tea leaves. Use 1 teaspoon of loose tea per cup, adjusting the quantity to suit your taste.
Pour the boiled water over the leaves, cover with lid, and let step for 3-5 minutes.
Give the tea a stir to ensure an even brew.
Use a tea strainer placed over the teacup and pour the tea.
Serve with milk (not cream), or lemon and sugar cubes.   

I happily urge you to give afternoon tea a try. I know it will be the beginning of a wonderful tradition for you, your family and friends!
 

Victoria B. C. and The Gentle Art Of Afternoon Tea - Part l

 The Joy of Afternoon Tea

A few days ago I finished my chapter about afternoon tea for my upcoming book, "The Travel Writer's Wife". One may wonder, how does afternoon tea relate to travel?  Well...

#1. I taught classes on this subject for several years all around Colorado and Wyoming. Teaching these classes on my own time gave me the flexibility to travel with my travel writer husband, Ron.

#2. Wherever we traveled, if the opportunity arose, we would visit a tea room.

We have partaken of this lovely centuries-old ritual in Canada, Europe, and the United States. One of the loveliest tea rooms we visited was in Shreveport, Louisiana (the Glenwood Village & Tearoom). The decor was elegant and all the tea foods served prettily presented.

We had tea at the historic Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria, Canada, where our server was a very proper gentleman who had worked in the tea room for over 30 years. His serving and the tea itself was impeccable.

A unique tea was the Fashionista Tea At The Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge, London. All the tea foods served were designed with inspiration from London's fashion week's runways. Quite clever!

I was first introduced to afternoon tea when I was an art student in London, England. I was so impressed with the style and the distinctive foods served. To my young southern Californian eyes, afternoon tea was so unique and it was fun to share this tradition with my friends back home.

At the time, I was a single young working girl on a tight budget, so I would purchase my teapots, tea cups and saucers at thrift stores. A used and washed lace curtain made do for a pretty and elegant looking tablecloth. I sewed napkins from remnants of fabric and ironed them with a touch of spray starch. A few colorful silk flowers made a simple center piece.

As a result of serving so many teas over the years at birthdays, weddings, and baby showers, I was able to easily design a class on the subject of afternoon tea. I taught these classes over a period of several years. One doesn't need a special occasion to have a tea. Purchase a small list of ingredients, invite a few friends, over and put on a kettle of hot water.

Traditional foods served at afternoon tea include scones with jam and cream, dainty finger sandwiches, and sweets. Add a freshly brewed pot of tea to wash it all down. Finger sandwiches can be made with an assortment of fillings. Chopped crab-meat, egg salad or curried chicken salad are just a few choices. The all-time favorite is cucumber which blends well with a cream cheese and dill spread.

I suggest three different fillings for your tea sandwiches. Use soft white and brown bread; multi and whole grain breads are too thick.Tea sandwiches are always best made on the same day. Start making them early, they do take time. Bring the filling to room temperature for easy spreading. Spread the filling on a slice of bread, almost to the edge. Top with another slice of bread. Do not cut the edges off at this time. Place sandwiches on a large tray. Wrap securely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate. About an hour before your guests arrive, trim off all edges and cut into desired shapes. These are some of the shapes you can use:  

Ingredients

• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 cucumber, peeled and cut into thin slices, patted dry with paper towels  

Directions

• Soften cream cheese, mix with dill, blend well.
• Spread mixture on bread slices.   Place one layer of cucumber slices on filling. 
• Top with another slice of bread. With a serrated knife, neatly trim off edges.     

The next blog-post, The Gentle Art of Afternoon Tea - Part II, will include my scone recipe that I served at all my tea classes along with a recipe for mock-clotted cream. Also simple instructions on how to brew a perfect pot of tea is presented.  Cheers!

Square Slices              Triangle  Slices                Finger Slices

  Tea sandwiches can be cut into any of these   

  three shapes.

 

Global Gumshoe investigates Saskatchewan, Canada

Ron recently returned from a trip to Saskatchewan. He wrote several articles, with different slants, and published them in a variety of outlets.

He also put together a video of his best photos and video and you can see it at his Youtube channel...or better still, right here!

And be sure to check out his blog: Original Global Gumshoe. Not to mention his website at GlobalGumshoe.com

Eisenhower and Me

Is is just me? Or are potential candidates announcing their run for the office of President the United States of America coming forth earlier every four years?

In the previous months of this year, when the first person made their announcement, I immediately dreaded all the news and political media commercials that would be splattered in our faces day after day until November 2016.

President Eisenhower- Public Domain from Presidential Library

I can turn heads in a roomful of people when I mention that I once saw President Eisenhower in person and from only a few dozen feet away at that. I guess that really "dates" me. "Wasn't he the president before Lincoln?" some teasingly say.

When I was in the fourth grade my teacher announced that we would get the next day of school off. Whoopee! The President of the United States would be visiting our little town of Chula Vista and we could use the day to go see him with our parents.  

On the map of California, Chula Vista is the little dot located a speck north of the Tijuana dot. Within Chula Vista, the largest area of lawn to accommodate a big crowd of people was at the local Golf Club. For this special occasion, a temporary wooden stage was built, about ten feet above ground.

I remember the day as being warm with a beautiful blue sky and a few scattered puffy clouds. My single-working mother ran out the door calling,"You kids be good. Do your chores. Lunch is in the fridge!"  My younger sister went next door to play and I saw my big brother go off in another direction with his friends.

I decided this would be a great opportunity to see a real live president. I put on my best clean shorts and sleeveless summer blouse, slipped on my flip-flops, and brushed my hair into a neat ponytail.  I  cleaned the dust off  from my bike and rode down the street to the Chula Vista Golf Club. The ride is a few miles away so as I biked I checked out the neighborhoods to see if any friends were out playing in their front yards. Nope. So I continued toward my destination.  

Amazingly, this was the time before elaborate security checks were done. When I arrived at the golf course, I got off my bike and walked it along on the grass lawn to where a large crowd of people were gathered.and there HE was, standing at the podium on the makeshift stage. With my bike, I inched up through the crowds to get a better view of this important person. Honestly, I remember exactly what I thought at that moment: President Eisenhower looked old and bald and his speech was boring to my ten-year old mind.  

After a few minutes, I had enough. I carefully guided my bike out of the horde of people. About that time, the lunch back home in the fridge was calling to me. But not before I stopped at the 7-11 convenience store to get a cherry slurpee.

That evening my mom was in the kitchen busy cooking dinner. Over her shoulder she asked, "So, what did you kids do today?" My sister replied she played with Janice. My brother said he and his friends worked on model cars. I told her I went to see The President.

"Oh, that's nice," she said. "Do you kids want more toast?"     

Drive-In Theater Thrill

This past weekend we didn't have to travel far to enjoy one of America's  vintage pastimes: the Drive-In Theater. We have one here in our home town of Fort Collins. At least once or twice every summer we try to make it over to the Holiday Twin Drive-In Theater where its motto is "the place to be!'

Growing up in southern California, our family frequently went to drive-in theaters to see movies. It was cheap admission and we could bring our own food. I was so delighted when we first moved to Fort Collins to find there was one here to take our own kids to.

Last I checked, there were about 400 drive-in theaters remaining in the United States. At one time there were as many as 4,000. This particular theater is only one of six still operating in Colorado. It's a family-owned business. The owners and staff are so well organized directing all the cars, vans, and trucks tucking them all neatly into their parking spots.

There are two screens each featuring the latest features and the sound is broadcast over your vehicle's radio (sadly, the old speakers perched on a pole are gone). The movie doesn't start until dusk which in summer hours can be as late as 9:30 p.m. . But the customers take advantage of this by throwing frisbees, footballs, and playing board games. Little toddlers run around wearing their pajamas and many pet dogs (on leashes) accompany their families for the evening.

Eating also helps to pass the time quite nicely. Many people have tailgate meals. Fold-up chairs, tables and blankets are brought along for their drive-in theater picnics. We no longer bring food from home because the snack bar has handcrafted burgers and bratwursts grilled on an outdoor barbeque. The aroma is hard to resist! Buttery (not artificial) popcorn is a movie-watching-must. On the car radio's frequency, the theater owners broadcast popular music tunes from the 1960's, which even entrenches more fun memories for me. Yes, summer life continues to be good here! 

Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan

My husband has gone on a press trip to Saskatchewan.

Here's a brief report of his first evening there - a medieval feast and a Shakespeare play!

http://originalglobalgumshoe.blogspot.com/2015/07/shakespeare-on-saskatchewan-river.html

A Summertime Memory

He was the last passenger to board the fully booked flight, yet, still lucky enough to get a window seat. My grandson, Chase, at nine years of age, was flying all by himself from San Diego, California, to Denver, Colorado, to visit Ron and I.

How brave!

I could hardly tie my shoes at nine years old! In fact, I can't recall anything at nine. I remember a few things at ten, but nine? A total blank.

I needed to think carefully about what we could do for a memorable week's vacation. I really didn't want to drive for hours in the car to get to an amusement park or travel on a long twisting road through the Rocky Mountains. I concluded we would find enough variety of activities locally.

Since we have over 126 miles of bike trails in our little college city, I decided that biking would be a fun and healthy activity to fill our cool summer mornings. We found a good deal on a used bike for Chase; $50. It's painted a pretty florescent turquoise with lime-green tire rims. Quite spiffy!

         

One morning we took off down the trail for what became a four-hour bike ride. We stopped frequently along the way. We threw small stones into the creek; Chase always threw further. We built a fort with dead tree branches but we didn't crawl under because there were bugs lurking underneath. Yuk! Two found lady-bugs brought us luck. A tiny frog, the size of a thumbnail amused us for awhile until Chase released him into a water puddle. The mini-frog quickly took refuge on a green leaf as we watched him float gently away down the creek. We build rock towers where a large bed of rocks laid along the water's edge. Chase got his tower up to nine rocks, mine only held eight, then tumbled over. A too-hot sun and a bit of hunger induced us back home. Despite legs decorated with mosquito bites, it was a good bike ride.

Two summer blockbuster movies helped cooled us off from the afternoon heat. We visited a video arcade where Chase scored up enough ticket points to win a neon orange stuffed toy tiger, whose name was christened, "Tiger", so apropos. An afternoon thunderstorm kept us inside playing with a toddler cousin. And an authentic English Afternoon Tea filled our tummies with scones, tea sandwiches, and hot Earl Grey Tea.
   

Silly faces in the photo booth

We watched old re-runs of the Twilight Zone series in the evenings eating bowls and bowls of popcorn. Chase liked the episode named, "To Serve Man". The "friendly" aliens convince the earth's people to board their spaceships, only to secretly fattened the passengers for good alien meals after take-off. "Eww, gross!" he said.

During the week's vacation we ate summer food: grilled hot dogs, barbeque beans, pizza, strawberry jello, cold chocolate milk, and two trips to Dairy Queen for dipped ice cream cones.

Yeah, a pretty simple week of everyday activities but so much more fun when sharing them together. I realize that some of my readers won't relate to this post. That's okay. I really wrote it so that, unlike me, Chase will have at least one week of memories in his ninth year of life.

HAPPY SUN

As I was packing his suitcase this morning, he said, "I had a really great time, Grandma!"

"We did too, honey". But I was also thinking, "bittersweet"; somewhat like the lemonade that kids sell at their stands in the summertime.  

Improving My Posture With Pilates

 PILATES

Twice a week I go to my Pilates class. It's held at a local gym, on the second floor in a room lined with mirrors from floor to ceiling. Weather permitting, I ride my bike, which only takes 13-14 minutes. If I stop to pet a stray cat on the bike path, it might take longer.

For several years, my daughter, Erica, kept urging me to go with her to a Pilates class. I always seem to find excuses of some sort. Judging by what I knew about Pilates, which was zero, I just kept putting it off. Then one day, I caught a glimpse of my poor posture in the mirror of a dress shop. It was time to join a class.

I tell my friends that going to a Pilates class is like going to a chiropractor. It helps to realign all your bones and muscles. It's a really good overall stretch and strengthening for the whole body. My teacher, Julie, is so precise in her instructions of each position, that I am able do the exercises with my eyes closed, if I so choose.   

CURE FOR A SICK BODY

The Pilates method of exercise was founded by Joseph H. Pilates. He was born in 1883 in Germany . His father was a prize-winning gymnast and his mother, a naturopath. Pilates was a sickly child and as a result began to study exercise to improve his health. During his lifetime, he was a diver, bodybuilder, gymnast, boxer, and a self-defense trainer.

In World War I, German citizens living in Great Britain were placed in interment camps. Pilates efficiently used his time there  to improve his concepts of physical exercises. He focused on methods that built flexibility, strength, stamina and posture. He trained his fellow inmates and upon leaving the camps, they all were in great shape. Eventually he migrated to New York City where he and his wife, Clara, opened a studio and both taught Pilates exercises into the 1960's. Many ballet dancers are among devotees of the Pilates methods.

On the mat next to mine, is  a petite woman who just amazes me. Dede is in her early 70's. Sometimes I glance over at her and her little body is doing the advanced Jack-Knife-Rollover position perfectly. I asked her how long has she been doing Pilates. She told me it has been about ten years and that she will continue until her dying day! She had been an orthopedic nurse and after seeing what all the damage of non-exercise can do to a body, it scared her into not going down that road.  

Are you finding it uncomfortable to sit in a chair? Take a Pilates class

I have been going to my Pilates class faithfully for two years now, with the exception of when we travel. When we are on the road, I bring along an index card listing some of the Pilates movements which amounts to about 20 minutes of exercises (about one-third of a class hour). It's easy to do a short workout on a clean large hotel bathroom towel spread on the floor.

Traveling can cause back pain from sleeping on different beds or carting around excess luggage (in our case, camera equipment). I'm grateful to have a convenient and portable form of exercise to engage in. So like Dede, I too, diligently grab my pink exercise mat and with good posture, attend a Pilates class. 

Jus Cookin's Restaurant, Lakewood, Colorado

 JUS COOKIN'S RESTAURANT

I should feel a bit guilty about posting this week's blog because only locals can partake of going to this restaurant. Unless, of course, you are planning a trip to the Denver metropolitan area, then you will definitely need to put this eatery on your must-do list while in this part of the country.

My travel writer husband Ron, had read that Jus Cookin's was listed as Food & Wine's 23rd best chicken in the U.S.A. We drove on a Sunday to Lakewood to see what all the fuss was about. We pulled into the parking lot of a building painted a sunny yellow with white trim , black shutters, and pots of colorful flowers placed around the exterior.  I felt like we were visiting grandma's house for Sunday dinner.

Inside, the owner, Char Modlich, gave us a warm greeting. Char, an elegant pretty lady with bright eyes and a gorgeous smile, graciously gave us a few minutes of her busy time to share with us the story of her and husband, Steve's "mom and pop" restaurant. In a short moment, Steve wearing a chef's apron, came out to join us.

Jus Cookin's has been open for 27 years, but moved to this new location about 12 years ago. Working with their neighbor, Bill Jarvis, they had the building specially constructed for their business needs. (And yes, they are all still great friends !) Steve said "we are simple people, serving good food, made from scratch; kind of like the food we ate when I was growing up in the mid-west. " The husband-and-wife team of 36 years of marriage, make a great team. Char's eyes twinkled when she talked about Steve's kindness and caring toward their customers and employees. She said that he is very enthusiastic about the food they serve. He is so extremely meticulous about cleanliness in the kitchen, which is probably the reason for being placed in the top three clean restaurants in Colorado. 

Steve's fried chicken moves through quite a process before it  even touches the canola oil. The chicken is drenched in a brine, egg wash , flour and bread coating, all with special seasonings. He told us the recipe, like most good recipes, evolved from a lot of trial and error.

I'm one of those people who gets excited over a very good cup of soup. I wasn't disappointed when I ate a cup of navy bean soup and also consumed about half of Ron's homemade chicken noodle soup. The chicken noodle is on the menu daily along with a soup-of-the-day. The soup was served with a tasty yeast roll that puffed up like a big bubble and was light as air: not over-filling. 

Ron had a plate of fried chicken, along with homemade mashed potatoes and a golden gravy with a side of freshly made cole slaw. His look said it all; he was happy. I just had to try the chicken pot pie. Underneath the flaky crust was chicken, veggies and a light, creamy  gravy. Indeed, grandma would be proud of these chicken dishes. Steve shared with us that 95-100 chicken-related dishes are served on Sundays. 

Char insisted that we must try their seasonal Raspberry Cobbler "before it disappears for another year." How could we resist that? The cobbler was filled with large, fresh, sweet, raspberries glistening like shiny red jewels in the dish. Instead of being smothered in glops of dough, the dessert has a thin layer of baked crispy cookie-like dough. Gracing the top was a perfect  ball of creamy vanilla ice cream which completed this traditional American treat. And to tempt us further, Char said we must come back at the end of July to try their very popular Peach Cobbler, lovingly hand-made only with Colorado-grown peaches. Oh, dear!   

I really shouldn't put this in writing but I have a feeling that some readers can relate with me. When we got back to the car, I was so full, I had to unbutton the top button of my white jeans. Then after a minute, for more comfort, the zipper had to be pulled down an inch ... or two.  Yup, just like when we use to leave grandma's house after Sunday dinner.

Frisco, A Rocky Mountain Barbeque Challenge

 BBQ Madness!

Frisco is only about a two-hour drive from Denver, moving westward along I-70, deeper into the Rocky Mountains. Frisco became popular for mountain men trappers during 1810-1840's. It evolved into a town with mining in 1870's and by 1882, businesses, hotels, and saloons were booming. Today skiers dominate the winter and outdoor mountain sports take over in the summer. It's easy to see when you are in a bike town because you'll start spotting bike racks straddling on top and at the back end of vehicles. A large bicycle catalog, listing all local biking events and retail shops was waiting in our hotel room. 

Alas, we weren't there for the biking, I had to put that aside. Our assignment was to cover the annual Frisco Colorado Barbecue Challenge. This would be year #22, so something must be going right! Grand mountains, some topped with snow and a crystal clear blue sky promised a beautiful day for the vendors and visitors. About 80 stalls of food lined both sides of Frisco's downtown main street.

Barbecue people really love what they do and they sure have a good time cooking away. Rockin' music was blaring through speakers. Colorful flags and creatively decorated booths added to the  festivities.The BBQ chefs are quite the characters and are so PROUD of their food. If you can catch the attention of a chef, between serving long lines of customers, they could go on and on about their cooking methods, what makes a delicious BBQ sauce and a great smoker.

 
Many of the smokers (barbecue grills) are hand-made by their owners. The chefs are so insanely precise about grilling the perfect barbecue, which is why a lot of them will travel many miles for a good cook-off challenge. Ron and I had samples of pork, chicken and brisket, along with barbecue beans, all drenched in various home made secret sauces.

 
A cool refreshing change of food was at the Higgles Ice Cream booth. Anna, a true artisan ice cream maker, is a lovely lady with teeth as white as her coconut ice cream. You always know when someone is passionate about their product because they are so happy sharing about their own personal story. Anna learned her craft at the Penn State Dairy Sciences. Her ingredients are locally sourced from the Colorado area. No preservatives are used. An average ice cream may contain 12-14% butterfat but Higgles has 16% which holds the flavor better. Even their sprinkles are unique in that organic flavoring gives them vibrant colors.

The line to her booth got long really fast but not before she scooped up Breck Brickle for me and Cheery Sorbet for Ron. She proudly held up the ice cream cones and graciously gave us a moment for Ron to shoot this cute photo . One of her mottoes is: "Taking you slightly out of your comfort zone and into a little adventurous place". So appropriate!  

 
I believe there are two ways to feel very "American":
1.Live for awhile, in a foreign country. You will experience the contrast.
2.Attend a fun barbecue festival in a small American town!    

Amazing Culinary Adenture, Denver, Colorado

 1515 Restaurant

Denver, Colorado

One of the perks of being a Travel Writer's Wife is that we get informed about great activities, events and restaurants in northern Colorado. Recently we had the privilege of visiting a special restaurant located in the LoDo (lower downtown) historic area of Denver. It's cleverly named "1515" because of its location at 1515 Market Street.   

Immediately upon entering we met the charming owner, Gene Tang, with a lovely smile and a welcoming handshake. He pointed out the newly remodeled Rewind Bar with a soft colorful background lighting on the wall that changes colors. Over 22,000 wines are kept in- house.  

Mr. Tang guided us back to the kitchen to meet Chef Joe Arena whom was carefully chosen to work at "1515" because of Arena's continental background, talents, and passion about food. In fact, Mr. Tang looks for these qualities in all the line chefs too. One of his personal goals is to train chefs to gain more experience so that they can move on to their own restaurants.    

We walked upstairs to a large dining room with gentle low lighting.This restaurant's location is one of the lucky businesses  in this area of town that inherited the insides of the original brick walls built in the 1800's. Beautifully laid out dining tables with crisp white linen table cloths and napkins, gleaming flatware and candlelight adorn the room. Vintage black and white photographs of  Colorado are  framed with white matting and stand out with a cool contrast against the rust-colored brick walls.  I love chandeliers; they work well in almost any kind of room so I was delighted to see several chandeliers with artsy swirls of glass, hanging throughout this room. (Mr. Tang's wife, Paula, is to be credited with this tasteful choice.)  

I quickly surmised this would be an exceptional dining experience; one not to be hurried, but savored slowly and much like how Europeans enjoy  their meals. After an amuse-bouche, a Wagya Beef dish was brought to our table. This was a first for me. In the center of a large platter, a very hot stone is placed surrounded by thin slices of beef. Each piece is picked up with chop sticks, dipped in a sauce, then carefully placed to cook on the stone, about one minute each side. The beef literally melted on my tongue.    

The following dishes were served: a very tender lamb chop upon a bed of veggies, wild boar with risotto,and a perfectly cooked fresh salmon with horseradish sauce and Italian croutons. A cheese plate with four cheeses, local cherries, sunflower seeds and a small dish of honey were placed on the table. I tasted every morsel that was put in front of me. Actually there were several new food experiences for me and I did not shy away from trying them all. I'm glad I did, they were all excellent.  

Mr. Tang has quite an extraordinary background which made him to be "born into the restaurant business".  His parents owned a restaurant in an Italian hotel. He said that he and his siblings were eating caviar at a very young age. They also had the privilege of eating at the best restaurants in Europe which all led to acquiring a refined taste of foods. In today's lingo that would be a true "Foodie". Along with his parent's teaching them a strong work ethic, there were two important things for the children to learn before leaving home: #1 to cook and  #2. to properly iron a shirt!   

Gene Tang using molecular cooking techniques in his kitchen

Sharing his restaurant philosophy, he said, "We cook what we love to eat and at the same time care what our customers eat." Every day brings  interesting challenges including meeting new people, creating new menu items and serving great food. Mr Tang considers himself a lucky person because he gets to do what he loves. All of that and more was so very evident!