Our two weeks here have flown by. In addition to the two previous posts (Beer Fest and Chihuly Exhibit) we have walked, dined, toured, and even relaxed a bit. Photos of some of our out and abouts:
View from roof of Denver Art Center.One of the art museum’s exhibits was on materiality. Walking around a corner, we came upon a room decorated with cardboard.This painting is titled “Fatherhood”. One little boy looking at it shared his critique: “Yuck!”Lucky for me, there was a special showing of quilts from the Colorado State Historical Society. This one is made of inserts from cigarette packages. Very unique and quite eye-catching.One of the new areas in the art museum is a Textile Center. It housed excellent displays along with stations used by restorationists to work on various projects. I especially liked the point they made of showing how a wide range of materials can be woven to create a “fabric”. These three reels of goods are (left to right) crayons, Q-tips, and matches.One of the things I love about Denver is its commitment to public art. These compelling statues are in the portico of the Colorado Supreme Court building.Interesting tour of the Denver Mint – one of only two such institutions that you can still tour. Security is TIGHT. Reservations required. And seeing money made is always a thrill.Relaxing meant working on a knit-along. Found the perfect yarn at a little shop not too far from Ben’s abode.
All of the photos I took of our hike at Dinosaur Ridge are on my camera and will get posted at a later date.
Things we did that I do not have photos of: an afternoon at Tattered Covers, maybe the world’s best independent bookstore, and later that week an author talk and book signing; a viewing of Sundance Film Festival shorts at a funky art house; a car trip to Boulder and Estees Park to admire the views and change of seasons. I do regret not getting a photo of a state highway sign that stated: When water levels rise go to higher ground. I am thinking that people who actually need that advice might not be able to read the sign. Too harsh?
Restaurants we tried and really liked: Olive & Finch, P17 (bragging: Ben has done design work for both of these establishments); Prohibition, Sam’s #3 (these last two are a couple of the many Denver spots that have been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives); Wahoo Fish Taco, Which Wich (a new-to-us sandwich shop), The Corner Office (order the bibinbap), Ignite (signature dish is homemade bacon; a peppery and sweetly sinful indulgence), TAG Burger Bar, Pinche Taco, Cuba Cuba, and of course our long-time favorite, Lola (guacamole made tableside and rojo pozole). Now I am making myself hungry. We do love our good eats!
What an amazing day! The weather was perfect for a stroll through the Denver Botanic Gardens to admire the blown glass installations done by world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly. The interplay of forms and light was breathtaking. For a teasing taste of the visual delights I have attached a few of my favorite photos. (For those lucky enough to be in the area, the exhibit closes at the end of November.)
1. Ben. Yes, it is always wonderful to spend time with family, but having Ben as a companion on this venture was especially good. He is a home brewer, so he knows what to look for when tasting the wide varieties and styles as well as which breweries to check out and those to avoid. Having attended a number of Beer Fests in prior years, he had a good feel for the logistics – crowds, timing, water stations, special sessions. And, because he volunteers during the set-up, he gets complimentary tickets which he generously shares.
2. Restrooms. Specifically women’s restrooms; more specifically the lack of lines for the women’s restrooms. The guys had to wait about 10-15 minutes. I walked right in and had a choice of “accommodations”. How often does that happen at a public event with 15,000 attendees?
3. Public transit. Denver has done a bang-up job of providing options for getting around, and they are adding to the systems. We walked to a light rail stop only two blocks from our rental and got off right at the Convention Center. For us senior citizens, the cost was only $2.20 each for a round-trip ticket. Interesting observation: we never saw anyone show their ticket. It is a system that relays on trust but imposes heavy fines on those who get caught taking advantage. Seems like a good approach.
4. The phone app. Before going we downloaded the festival app. (Another piece of logistic advice from Ben.) So much easier to use than the printed booklet. In advance of the event I was able to peruse the list of beer choices (3000+) and add them to my personal tasting map. Once we started tasting I could enter my impressions of the beer. I took full advantage and recorded information for 19 beers – all of those that were on my map, some recommended by Ben, some that just appealed. (While that may sound like a lot of drinking, please note that all pours are just 1 ounce. That means I drank about one and a half bottles of beer in the course of 4 hours. I actually drank as much water as beer as a high altitude/hydration precaution.)
5. The “yellow shirts”. These are the volunteers who do the pouring. Friendly, funny, and conscientious. I have never had my tasting glass rinsed more frequently or so thoroughly. They went out of their way to insure a positive experience.
6. Pretzel necklaces. These are a unique feature that has grown out of the prohibition of outside food being brought into the Convention Center. Attendees string pretzels on lanyards (conveniently provide be the Department of Transportation and inscribed with a reminder to drink responsibly and drive safely) and munch on the treats between tastes. Some folks have taken the necklaces to a higher level by adding more unusual foods such as bagels, doughnuts or even cookies with holes carved in the middle. Food jewelry!
7. Brasserie St. James. We were thrilled to see the people lined up to taste beers from a Reno establishment. They did themselves proud. Even though I can get these great beers whenever I want just by walking about 6 blocks from home, I could not pass up a taste of my favorite: Red-Headed Stranger, a red farm ale. Even with all of the other tastes during the evening it still comes up tops.
8. Oak Creek Brewing Company. This Sedona, AZ brewery poured a Belgian-styled stout named “She Will”: creamy, moderate alcohol, a balanced hint of coffee and chocolate. Delicious. This was one of the spots where that 1 ounce wasn’t nearly enough.
Lining up outside the Convention Center.Bob appreciating a taste from a well-named brewery.The beer and chocolate pairing session was amazing. So glad we got a seat! Look closely at the plate and you will see they piped the order of tastes in chocolate. First taste was a white chocolate pumpkin spice mousse in a dark chocolate crumb crust with caramel drizzled over top paired with Dry Dock Hefewizen. Second taste was a dark chocolate-filled creme puff with an eclaire glaze paired with (Oh, joy! One of my favorites.) Left Hand Milk Stout. Third taste was a chocolate pecan tart paired with Hog Heaven Barleywine Style Ale. Our take-away treat was truffles from Piece, Love, and Chocolate, the Denver chocolatier who created all the desserts. For more of their creative pairing ideas check out http://pieceandlovechocolate.com.
One of the various Cy statues around town. Each is “dressed” to compliment the site where it is located. (Cy is the Iowa State mascot, in case anyone was wondering. Hickory Park is a local and personal favorite: barbecued meats galore and unique ice cream treats.)
Anyone singing along to the Iowa Corn Song? It was running through my head the entire time we were visiting there. We drove alongside field after field of corn in various stages of readiness for harvesting. Scattered between the fields were wind farms with blades in motion. What a site. As we crossed into Iowa there was a sign informing us that we were in the Silo and Smokestacks National Heritage Area; a designation that was new to us.
Ames and Iowa State University have both grown gracefully. After a short reorientation we were able to find our way around successfully. Certainly helps when a city can use a grid system for streets. And in the plains of Iowa there is plenty of room for that symmetry.
First day of our visit was spent having lunch with good friends and then heading to Dogtown (a commercial area adjacent to ISU) for Dinky Days. Some background: the Dinky was a small train that connected the university with downtown Ames back in the day. Turns out that this is Ames’ sesquicentennial (150 years), and we were there for one of the commemorative events. We even have the free souvenir plastic drinking glasses to prove it. Oddly enough, this is also the state of Nevada’s sesquicentennial. Quite a coincidence.
Next day we headed over to Ogden to, again, see friends and revisit favorite haunts. We drove by our former home and acreage and were thrilled to see the trees and bushes we planted grown and thriving.
Between visiting, frequenting past and some new-to-us restaurants, taking in both Dinky Days and The Octagon Arts Festival, getting back into car mode for a couple of afternoon outings, and just meandering around to enjoy the area, we were plenty busy.
Our first Cy sitting outside a retirement center. Interestingly enough, he is dressed like Elvis.
Outside Mary Greeley Medical Center, well known as the birth site of our sons. (At least well known around our house.)A cookie store in Dogtown. Note the delivery hours. Good thing this was not available when I was a student at ISU.One of our afternoon outings was to Paton. A farmer from here invented a machine that enables a planter to put in 48 rows per pass. The patent was purchased by John Deere.View of Main Street, Payton. If you click on the photo to enlarge it and look closely, you can see the tractor parked at the end of the street.This is where we had lunch in Payton. The guy who invented the “tool bar” built the restaurant to accommodate visitors who were coming to town to see his invention.Speaking of inventions, this guy also had a special countertop made for the bar in the restaurant. He hated that his beer would get warm while it sat in front of him so he installed a copper trough that has a chiller running underneath it.Bob thought I was kidding when I said that this road trip was subtitled “The Alpaca Farm Tour”. On another of our outings we participated in National Alpaca Farm Days by going to 2 sites near Ames. At this one the owner also had a fiber mill. Very interesting AND an opportunity to get some lovely yarns.Meeting the alpaca that produced the fiber for the yarn I purchased.Alpaca skeins to add to my stash! The cream-color has a silver filament woven into it. (Gotta love the bling.) The variegated skeins are from Mr. Snuggles, and the hand-dyed colorway is called Paradise. I was thrilled with the purchase, especially since the prices were so reasonable and I was able to support a local effort.
If this looks familiar to you, then you must be from Minnesota.
Shared a rental house on lovely Minnehaha Parkway with dear friends. Spent lots of late night into early morning hours catching up and revisiting past adventures. Did serious damage to our stash of Trader Joe’s wine and Wasabi Trex Mix (highly addictive and highly recommended).
Below are some photos of highlights. What I did not get photos of is our evening at Chanhassen Dinner Theater enjoying Hello, Dolly! and a delicious meal of (what else??) walleye.
Printing press at Minnesota Center for Book Arts. The lower level is actually a production room where local artists create limited edition printed pieces – cards, posters, stationery, etc. There is a small exhibit space on the first floor and (YES!) a retail space with one-of-a-kind items. My shopping bag was full.Stairway at museum; gave the illusion if an open book with pages furled.Street art. Love the carefree children.Got to see the new Ames Center in Burnsville, MN.Premiere of musical that our friends are backing. It will be on the road for about 9 months. It is fabulous. Watch your local entertainment offerings to see if it will be anywhere near you. The cast creates magic.Interior of Ames Center.After party. This group deserved the celebration.Custom carpet used outlines of maple tree seeds. And I found an actual maple seed laying alongside one of the shapes. Life literally meets art.
Mom’s “million dollar view” of the Lake Pepin portion of the Mississsippi River. Taken from her front yard.
It has been an eventful five days. Saw lots of family members, ate, attended two class reunion parties, ate, enjoyed a local fall festival, ate, played bingo with mom, ate, took in a couple of tourist attractions, ate. Now wondering if the things I packed to wear on the remaining 7 weeks of this trip will even fit me.
Biggest surprise: reminders of high school antics that I had forgotten about. Some of my classmates have amazing memories and as they shared recollections, the hilarious details came back to me. Have been pondering the forgetfulness. Was it because I left my home town right after high school and came back only for visits? (Many of my classmates stayed closer to home and they probably had chances to recall those events.) Or maybe it is because I have lived in quite a few different places and can only store a certain number of happenings from each place. Or, it may be that my memory is just not holding information well. Whatever the case, the retelling of the stories brought lots of laughter so I guess it doesn’t matter why I forget. The important part was the gathering and sharing.
Sunday jaunt to Ellsworth, WI. I was told that this creamery is the official dairy of the MN State Fair. Sort of an odd selection : MN fair, WI dairy…oh that everyplace with common borders could be so open-minded. We bought two flavors of cheese curds and “Packer Brats”. The brats are stuffed with cheese curds and sauerkraut. Will save them to share with Ben when we get to Denver.
Septober Festival in Wabasha, MN. Streets are decorated with a clever fall arrangements.New favorite apple variety – Sweetango. It is unbelievably delicious. This apple house is just up one of many around Lake City, MN.
Most of the past two days have been pretty uneventful. We covered about 900 miles, much of it through South Dakota; which I can tell you is about 415 miles from edge to edge. (See what sort of statistic a person starts to notice when riding in a car for hours on end?)
Based on our observations, there is an extraordinary amount of road work being done. We have taken four major road trips in the past three years and not experienced as much construction as we did over the past couple of days.
Bug-splattered front grill of Element. Windshield fluid will also need refilling. Even Gus had bug issues. He was swarmed by grasshoppers during his afternoon constitutional. He chose to stay by the roadside instead of scouting for a suitable shrub.Lovely Minnesota
Reno to Salt Lake City. 520 miles, 8 hours. One stop for gas, a Subway chopped salad, and a walk for Gus.
Gus gets into his preferred riding mode.Accomplishments: read Sunday paper, completed 2 crossword puzzles, 2 sodukos, one math puzzle, knitted one dish cloth, started a second.
This morning I happily participated in Historic Reno Preservation Society’s walking tour, Literary Reno. We spent a delightful 2 hours learning about authors and their portrayal of life in The Biggest Little City. Many of the stories focus on the darker side, which makes sense because good stories need that sort of compelling drama. In many of the stories the setting is such a big part of the narrative that it becomes almost a character unto itself. Our tour guides handed out a reading list at the end of the walk. I am looking forward to reading some of the titles I have not delved into yet as I always enjoy recognizing familiar territory. I have scanned the bibliography and would be happy to send it along to anyone who is interested.
My Bob and I are big fans of Tournant Pop-Up Restaurant opportunities. We have been on board with this adventure since it’s inaugural offering on New Year’s Eve 2013. Some of the best food I have ever eaten has come from them. Each dinner has its own theme and highlights: 1920’s speakeasy with craft cocktails to match each course, Quentin Tarentino movies in a seafood warehouse, Wizard of Oz and a spring menu at an environmental school site; but one of the very best had to be the “blind tasting” (yes, we wore blindfolds as we ate) that offered three courses for each of six flavor sensations. For those of you who don’t want to do the math, that was 18 small plates in all. And don’t get me started on the best course of that evening – Smoke in the Hole. I tease the chef, Ben Deinken, that he raised the bar really high on that one, and that I now measure everything else I taste on the yardstick of that amazing dish. Which is not to say that pretty much everything we eat at one of the pop-ups isn’t really, really good. So while it is all uniquely delicious, sometimes there is a standout. (BTW: Smoke in the Hole rivals my all time fav – mussels and frites at a pub in Maastricht, Netherlands. And I have to admit, the mussels had the locale going for them, so maybe it’s not even a fair ranking.)
So, I am looking forward with great excitement to the upcoming dinner: Science of Beer; a Tournant dinner paired with Sons of Fermentation, a homebrewer’s group http://drinkablereno.com Check out their Facebook page for more info.
