Adventures at Traffic Court

When Todd got a ticket for supposedly running a red light this spring, I convinced him to fight it. So it was only fair that I meet him at the Denver City and County Building at 4:30 on a Friday afternoon to provide moral support. Only the scene in the picture below isn’t quite what confronted me as I rode the 0 bus toward Colfax and Broadway. A haze of smoke hung over Civic Center Park, and I couldn’t get Google Maps to work on my cell phone.Denver City and County  Building, Beth Partin's photos

Then I remembered: It’s 4/20. The day to smoke pot in public places. “Won’t they get arrested?” I asked the woman sitting next to me. “No,” she said, “there are too many of them, and they might have permits. I have a permit.” Maybe my question marks me as a goody two-shoes—except I never was such a thing. I was just oblivious to anything trendy.

At this point the bus driver announced, “For those of you who care, it’s officially 4:20.”

I got out and circled the park toward the City and County Building, grousing to myself that it was OK for a bunch of teenage stoners to use Civic Center Park (and even get a row of port-a-potties), but not Occupy Denver. It’s OK to smoke pot in the park, but it’s not OK to camp.

I found my way to Traffic Court, announced in a funny nasal voice by a small, skinny man wearing a red tie. I entered Room 105A, at one end of a long, marble-lined hallway, and saw Todd sitting in the back row. He told me I had to wait outside, and just at that moment one of the court officials announced that children were not allowed in traffic court. I went outside and waited on the same bench as a tattooed man with his black hair pulled back into a ponytail and then braided. Like many other people waiting on the benches for their friends and family in the court, he eventually got up to get a drink of water and lost his seat.

I followed his lead after a while and waited out in the long hallway until Todd came out. Today was his (and 95 other people’s) arraignment. He pleaded not guilty, and his court date is June 20. I told him I was sorry it had turned out to be such a hassle. I hope it’s worth it.

After I kissed Todd goodbye, I passed the guards’ desk on my way to the exit. I could have sworn I heard one of them say, “What is that weird woman still doing here?” Or maybe he just said “woman.” I was tempted to go back and flash him my scalp. (You think this wig is weird, officer? Well, feel my head!) But no. I’m too polite. And I really wanted something to eat.

 

Not a Complete Oyster Virgin

My food critic friend Denveater loves oysters, and I’ve been bugging her to take me out and introduce me to some. Sunday night we stopped briefly at Ocean Prime in Larimer Square but decamped when we discovered they served 1 type of oyster. One seated at the bar at Oceanaire, we ordered a happy hour chef’s choice plate of 8 oysters. Some of the oysters on the menu were new even to her, which made me happy.

As we waited for our first dish to appear, I made a fateful decision: I would take my photos without flash, in order to avoid having blindingly white plates in my pictures. All the pictures in this post were taken at 6400 ISO, mostly because I could. But then I had to go home and unleash Noise Ninja on them. As I was editing them, I thought, “Why am I taking pictures at such a high ISO, then using Noise Ninja to remove noise, and then sharpening them? It’s silly.”Beth Partin's photos, downtown Denver, Oceanaire

First up, Chef Creek from British Columbia. As Denveater said of West Coast oysters, it was a bit sweet, mild with just a touch of brininess. The Riptide, from Massachusetts, was my favorite of the four types. It was saltier and had a more robust flavor. It’s also prettier, though I don’t know why that should matter.adventures in photography, Noise Ninja, Beth Partin's photosThe second East Coast oyster came next: Alpine Bay from Prince Edward Island (shades of Anne of Green Gables!). It was less salty than Riptide but definitely had more grit. I liked it too.The Nootka Sound oysters, again from British Columbia, were my least favorite, with a less distinctive taste. After all, if you’re going to toss something rather slimy down your throat, it should have some flavor. Denveater thought the Nootka were a little chewy.

Of course, we didn’t stop with oysters; we took full advantage of the happy hour food and wine menu. We started with deep-fried asparagus, which were a little undercooked. Then we moved on to beef sliders, soft and oniony.

It may have been lowbrow, but I wanted to try the cornmeal-friend oysters and fries. Apparently, Sunday is no-carb-left-behind day.We finished up with friend green beans, which were perfectly cooked. The bacon-flavored aioli was just spicy enough. I’d give them the prize for best snack, though the fried oysters were good too; I especially liked the textural contrast. This was my second meal at Oceanaire. I went there two years ago for Denver restaurant week and enjoyed the food and drinks then as well.
Oceanaire Seafood Room on Urbanspoon

Delight in Downtown Denver

I had a wonderful evening in downtown Denver Thursday night. It was cool out but not cold, and the streets and bars and restaurants were full of animated people. I got off the B at Wynkoop and 15th and sped over to Translations Gallery between 17th and 18th on Wazee. I had been there the day before to see their photography exhibit, but the artist statements weren’t up yet, so I went back Thursday. Mark remembered me and came over to tell me that I had refocused his attention on the artist statements, especially on the kind of equipment they used (which was my primary interest).

One of the photographers used large-format film cameras (Bryan David Griffith); 2 others digital, a fourth used multiple exposures, and the last made prints from film, including a homemade film using arsenic.

My favorite Griffith image was of a pine tree against the sun shining through fog; the rest of the print was dark. It seemed to open up the more I looked at it.

Jillian introduced me to Diane Huntress, who photographs buildings in the Denver area and then cuts and pastes them together so that, at first glance, it appears she looked up through the camera and took a shot. Thus details of buildings combine to form an abstract composition. Other artists were Cecelia Feld, Alex Benison (the photographs on the website as of Thursday night were not the large prints shown at the opening), and Izah Gallagher (the artist who made some of her own film).

After talking to Diane for a while about how she had taken pictures of the Rio Grande building on Blake and the Union Station sign and juxtaposed them, I ran back to 16th Street and down to the Tattered Cover LoDo. There Jeremy N. Smith was talking about his book Growing a Garden City, which describes 15 people involved in the local food movement. Smith complimented Denver on its innovative approach to urban gardening. I’ll be writing more about that on my other blog, Restoration Nation, in the next few days. So keep checking the link in the sidebar to your right!

Turns out he is from Missoula, which is perfect, because the first stop on the year-long trip Todd and I are taking is to Missoula.

Desserts in All Their Guises

It’s January, the time of year when I usually feel like losing a few pounds (and that phase of the year lasts until the summer). It’s only the first day of my diet, and already I feel nostalgic for dessert. So I thought I’d put up some pictures to comfort myself and all of you in the throes of early January diets. All dishes are still on the menu unless otherwise noted.

The best bread pudding I ever had came from La Posada Hotel in Winslow, Arizona (the town mentioned in the Eagles song “Take It Easy”). The chef called it breakfast, but it was really a dessert: rich and filling and having that one touch that makes it special, in this case prickly pear fruit syrup (which the restaurant offers for pancakes and waffles as well). Beth Partin's photos, Arizona restaurants, La Posada, Turquoise RoomNext in the category of breakfasts that are really desserts: Root Down’s banana bread French toast with walnuts and organic chicory and crème fraîche (I asked for extra, which arrived when I was almost done), notable especially for its amazingly dense texture. It required a couple of hours of down time just to recover. Beth Partin's photos, Denver restaurants, Highlands Denver restaurantsIn the category of bona fide desserts, I present this lemon ice from Panzano. The plating was so simple and beautiful I couldn’t resist. (By the way, when we were there, Panzano also offered a cherry bread pudding, for dessert. It’s not listed on the menu now; I believe it was part of the tasting menu. You could always call and ask.)Beth Partin's photos, downtown Denver restaurants, Panzano, Denver dessertsAnd finally, something from D Bar. I wanted to show the palmond3 again, but it’s not on the menu now, so I settled for the “molten cake thingy that everyone has” with Malbec fruit compote and ice cream. The current menu mentions pistachio ice cream, but the topper here is some other flavor that I can’t remember. Currently D Bar offers 4 desserts I haven’t tried, including the bel canto mocha and the apple Sammy. So get over there and try them for me!Beth Partin's photos, Uptown Denver restaurants, Denver desserts, D Bar
Turquoise Room on UrbanspoonRoot Down on UrbanspoonPanzano on UrbanspoonD Bar Desserts on Urbanspoon

Food Photography with Jennifer Olson at Euclid Hall

I’ve been posting photographs of food on my blog for two years now, but I’ve noticed the results are hit-or-miss, to put it charitably. When I heard about a food photography class being taught by Jennifer Olson (author of Colorado Organic and a member of Boulder Media Women), I signed up.

The 14 members of the class met at Euclid Hall to try to capture the beauty of that new Denver restaurant’s food (but, sadly, not to eat it). We met Beth Gruitch, one of the owners of Euclid Hall, Rioja, and Bistro Vendôme. I learned that Olson helped Gruitch open Rioja but hadn’t thought of being a food photographer until she got out of the restaurant business. We also met Chris, the sous-chef at Euclid Hall, and Chris Caldes, a food stylist.

I’d say I was one of the least-experienced people in the class. For example, the woman on my left (also named Beth) was a product photographer. The man on my right had a cool gadget called an L bracket that allows you to move the camera from horizontal to vertical without changing your stance.

After a talk about the basics of photography, Olson got us up and moving around and messing with our food. Here’s a typical shot by me, respectful of the food. And, oooh, look at those beautiful patterns of light on the dish and on the chair!

Beth Partin's photos, Euclid Hall, Jennifer OlsonNice red and orange sprinkles, too. But what flavor is it, exactly?Beth Partin's photos, Jennifer Olson, Colorado Organic, Euclid HallOh, I see, it’s red velvet. (Too bad the only thing in this picture that’s sharp at all is the reflection on the fork.) I like both these photos for different reasons, but this class made me realize that paying too much attention to shape or pattern may obscure the best qualities of the dish. Also, Olson pointed out that a lens around 50 mm is best suited for food photography. But because I saw other students climbing up on chairs and shooting with long lenses, I used my 70-200 mm lens for this shot (1/200, f4.5).

I fell into this trap again with the bone marrow. I was thinking so hard about making it interesting that I forgot to highlight the food itself: the marrow. Beth Partin's photos, Euclid Hall, bone marrow, food photography, Denver restaurantsHow did those onions get up there? Did they teleport? Look how they’re hanging there so casually, as if they belong. So I tried to fix it (keep in mind, I’m still using the long lens here, f4.5, but a slow shutter speed).Denver restaurants, food photography, Jennifer Olson, Denver photosThat’s better, but the marrow isn’t really in focus; the onions are. And the pretty lemons in back also distract from the subject. Time to simplify.Denver restaurants, Denver photos, Beth Partin's photosWhen I showed Jennifer Olson this photograph, she complimented me on the composition but said she wanted the foreground to be sharp. She also pointed out that she was seeing more bone than marrow. When I told her what lens I was using, she suggested I switch to my kit lens (18–55 mm).Denver photos, Denver restaurants, Beth Partin's photos, Beth Partin photosI tried to recapture the composition above (I love that gray background—maybe it’s another student’s jeans?), but I couldn’t. I think this one is nicely composed, but next time I’ll turn the bone so the marrow is more prominent and shoot at f8 so the marrow is in focus.

I took a couple of photographs in class I thought were successes. Here’s one of my favorites as far as sharpness goes, though the subject is relentlessly brown.Beth Partin photos, Beth Partin's photos, Denver restaurantsRemember that pretty half-lemon from one of the bone marrow shots? I also took one with that, but then the photo was about the lemon, not the fish and chips. This next photo is brighter.Beth Partin photos, Beth Partin's photos, Jennifer Olson, Denver restaurantsNice variety of colors; someone else moved the green bean to the front. I think next time I would put the fork somewhere else. In fact, I wonder if using silverware as a prop is a cliché.

At the end, Olson critiqued our photos. She was far more generous with praise of my photos than I am here, which made me happy. I’d like to take a private class with her sometime.

What I learned:

  • First of all, it’s OK to play with your food. It’s OK to stand up in the aisle to take a better photo, as long as you’re not blocking the servers or patrons.
  • Second, those glistening brown turkeys you see in magazines? Raw. Really, even when they look so crispy? So the photo designed to make you eat the food is of food you can’t eat.
  • Third, the trend right now in food photography is to focus on the foreground while leaving your aperture wide open. Only the front of the dish will be sharp. (Most of the time, I prefer more depth of field.)
  • Fourth, use natural light. If you must use flash, improvise a diffuser to avoid harsh shadows.
  • Fifth, consider buying an assistant on a stick (that is, a pole to which you can clip a diffuser or reflector).
  • Sixth, a good food styling kit includes tweezers (to move stuff around), scissors, sponges to wipe away messes and prop up food, syringes and spray bottles to apply water, a set of baking rounds to hold food, and perhaps some cheesecloth to cover the flash if you don’t have a diffuser.

Destination: Anywhere: The 32nd Annual Starz Denver Film Festival

Better late than never…

My Favorite Feature: Precious

As a general rule, I see documentaries at the SDFF because I figure they’re less likely to show in theaters. And although I did see several this year, I started with Precious, which is making quite the stir in the film world. As refreshing as it is to watch a film about an obese black teenage girl (not what filmmakers think most 18-year-old boys want to see), what made the film for me was the confession by the mother at the end. It was awful and heartbreaking and completely understandable and disgusting, all at once. It took the film to an entirely new level.

Shorts from Colorado

Next was Winners and Losers, a collection of Colorado shorts. My favorite was The Unrecoverable Loss of Eugene, a hilarious take on Victorian and modern sexual mores. Perhaps my husband will have more to say in the comments (hint, hint).

Second Feature: Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench

Go see Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench to watch the female lead break into song and the male lead play his trumpet. Go for the experimental take on musicals and story. Don’t spend so much time trying to follow the love story, as I did; just enjoy the music-fest.

My Favorite Documentary: Still Bill

Still Bill won the People’s Choice Documentary Feature award for its warm portrayal of Bill Withers’s decision to step away from fame. It opens with “Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone” and closes with “Grandma’s Hands.” It has good cinematography, good music, and good stories. If you can’t see it in the theater, try Netflix or Video Station in Boulder.

At this point I began to notice how many of the movies I chose had to do with music.

Third Feature: Crossing

Crossing had nothing to do with music. Written by two Texans who also starred as Manuel (the lead) and Diego (his camera-toting friend), it follows a Mexican ne’er-do-well who learns his father will be executed in Texas and runs north because he refuses to let his father leave him again. His pregnant wife protests, but he goes anyway, into his own personal comedy of errors.

Second Documentary: Turtle: The Incredible Journey

According to Britta Erickson, festival director, Turtle is another March of the Penguins. I disagree. The overwrought script read by Miranda Richardson got on my nerves. I did like the use of “she”; it’s nice that not all moviemakers feel adventures belong solely to male creatures. And there were beautiful images, especially the opening shot of the hatchling leaving its egg.

Third Documentary: Two Spirits

Like Turtle, this movie showed at the King Center across the parking lot from the Tivoli, where Starz’s main theaters are located. I used my membership privileges to get to the front of the huge line, though I’m not sure it really made a difference; I think all the seats there are pretty good. A documentary about the murder of Navajo teenager Fred Martinez, Two Spirits explores the traditional Navajo concept of gender (there are 4) and notes that it was common for Navajos to celebrate the lives of gay and lesbian children because they were thought to embody both genders and thus to represent the balance of life.

At the panel afterward, an activist from New York who came to Cortez, Colorado, to investigate the murder said this kind of hate crime happens every week. You can find more information at the Fred Martinez Project or the Two Spirit Society of Denver (a performance by several members is pictured here).Two Spirit performers 1 King Center Denver Nov 2009

Fourth Documentary: The Duke of the Bachata

Made by local filmmaker Adam Taub (La Quinceañera), The Duke is about a Dominican musical genre dismissed as vulgar by the musical elite of that country. I wish I could say more about it, but it was my third film of the day, and I couldn’t stay awake. It was preceded by an amusing short, The Eighth Samurai, which Todd thought was a dead-on parody of Kurosawa.

Yet ANOTHER Documentary Seen After the SDFF: The Yes Men Fix the World

If you’re a liberal, and the idea of playing a prank on a multinational corporation makes you drool, go see this movie. Very amusing. I couldn’t believe that these guys kept getting away with their media stunts.

Denver Photos: Sidewalk Views III

Perhaps it’s because I generally get around on foot, but I tend to notice bikes locked up around Denver. This one was near the Convention Center.

Bike near convention center Denver 2009

Not all of them seem entirely practical. I took this picture from the sidewalk of a house on 6th Avenue.

Bike on 6th ave Denver 2009

And these bike rims from Curtis Park have outlasted their useful life and now serve as decoration.

Bike wheels in Curtis Park Denver Sep 2009

Denver Photos: Sidewalk Views I

I’ve been feeling fallish lately, a bit melancholy, but also determined to get things done before winter drives me inside. Saturday Todd and I were out revegetating Carnage Canyon, and Sunday, since I hadn’t had enough, apparently, I dug up and replanted 17 perennials from my yard. That’s the advantage of having multiple gardens: you can always find something to fill a space.

I have a small deadline on Wednesday, so for the next three days I’ll be posting photographs and will post two reviews in a row after that.

This photograph was taken outside the Mercury Cafe. Someone had scattered rose petals up and down the sidewalk.

Mercury Cafe rose petals 1 Denver Sep 2009

Here’s the entrance to the Merc:

Mercury Cafe entrance Denver Sep 2009

As you can tell from the photo, it’s one of Denver’s “alternative” cafes. What does that mean? It means poetry readings on Friday and Sunday nights, during which you can hear people upstairs thumping through the salsa or swing; it means Transition Denver events; it means gluten-free desserts; it means locally sourced ingredients. I’ve never had a meal at the Merc that I out-and-out loved, but I always enjoy going there.

Transition Denver Turns 1 Year Old at the Merc

Despite the thumping from dancers practicing their moves upstairs, the 20-plus people celebrating Transition Denver’s first birthday party at the Mercury Café Mercury Cafe Transition crowd Denver Sep 2009were able to discuss the way forward for the next year. Adam Brock of Wild Green Yonder (below center), who showed up late after his recent trip to Burning Man, promised, “This year we’ve taken the first steps of a really long journey.”

The Transition movement, begun in England as a response to the concept of peak oil, appeals to me. Michael Anderson, one of the founders of Transition Denver and a self-described activist (below left), said he loves it because it’s growing something, not fighting something.

But Dana Miller (below right), another founder, noted that the original Transition model for promoting local resilience was designed for small towns of 5,000 people or so. It’s much harder to apply that model to a metro area of 3 million people. She wants their small group of volunteers to turn into an umbrella group to help to guide neighborhood transition groups.Mercury Cafe Transition Dana Michael Adam 1 Sep 2009

Dana, whom I met years ago when she and Todd and I were involved in a cohousing project, is a natural leader. She’s good at inspiring and directing people and was able to extract pages of ideas from the crowd, from a barter guide to Skype conferences among Transitioners worldwide so they can share ideas.

Everyone agreed that the main activity of the first year—awareness raising—would continue, and the evening ended with gluten-free cake.

Denver Bands: Speakeasy Tiger, or, White Pants

Danielle Ate the Sandwich wasn’t the only new act I saw Friday at the last Skyline Park concert of 2009 in downtown Denver. Speakeasy Tiger was great fun. Lead singer Kyle Simmons’s voice reminded me of Patti Smith from time to time, but Todd heard Siouxsie and the Banshees. Metromix said her voice “split the difference between Flyleaf and Melissa Etheridge.” What the hell? Who is Flyleaf anyway?

Speakeasy Tiger lead singer Denver Aug 2009The uniform: white pants and dark vests.

Speakeasy Tiger 1 Denver Aug 2009

Let’s not forget the drummer (Luke Gordon):

Speakeasy Tiger 5 drummer Denver Aug 2009The keytar player (Pete Schmidt) loved to jam with guitarist Tavis Alley. Cutting Alley’s head off was not an artistic decision; I just wasn’t fast enough on the shutter to keep up with the two of them.

Speakeasy Tiger 4 Denver Aug 2009

Here’s Schmidt with bassist Lauren Gale.

Speakeasy Tiger 3 Denver Aug 2009

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Speakeasy Tiger and Danielle Ate the Sandwich play at the Monolith Festival at Red Rocks on September 12-13. According to the website, it’s a green music festival. The Society of American Travel Writers named Denver number 10 of the top 10 North American cities for live music. Pretty cool, huh?

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This weekend, Labor Day weekend, check out the Taste of Colorado at Civic Center Park.

Downtown Denver Restaurants: India House*

Todd and I arrived at India House in downtown Denver after a Saturday afternoon of missed connections.India House exterior Denver Aug 2009

He hadn’t meant to come all the way to downtown Denver; in fact, he had been in Boulder and generously decided to drive to the Merchandise Mart to pick me up from Earthworks Expo. But by the time we talked on the phone, I was already on the 7, heading southeast to downtown Denver. (I could have taken a bus north from the Merchandise Mart to Broomfield, but then I would have been stranded several miles from home because of reduced service on the weekends.)

So he drove a little farther to meet me, and we headed to the mini–restaurant row on Blake between 16th and 15th Streets. We had our pick of Caribbean, Mexican, Moroccan, BBQ, a sports bar…that’s all I can remember. But I chose the Indian restaurant. When Todd saw that the prices on the menu outside were 50 percent higher than at other Indian restaurants we frequent, he announced, “It had better be fuckin’ good.”

Saturday was the day the cellulitis on his leg really started bothering him, which did not improve his mood.

India House is elegant inside, dark and cool. It’s a long, narrow restaurant with an upstairs that overlooks the entrance. That area would be a great place to reserve for a private party, except that the bathrooms and the bar are upstairs too, so one group could never have it entirely to themselves.

The service was unhurried, but we waited too long only at the beginning of our meal. After that, everything arrived when it should. They brought us pappadum with two house-made chutneys.India house chutneys Denver Aug 2009The tamarind was so red I didn’t recognize it; usually it’s brown. The mint-jalapeno chutney was refreshing, and both chutneys were spicy. Not what I expected, considering how the website mentions the chef’s “low threshold for chili.”

Next came Todd’s mulligatawny soup. There was a lot to like: the thin broth was lemony, with just a little diced chicken. But it was too salty.

I wish I had turned over the cauliflower pakora before I took this picture; India House veg pakoras Denver Aug 2009the pattern created by slicing it in half was beautiful. They were best hot, just come from the kitchen, but they were still decent well into the meal.

The chicken tikki saag was rich and flavorful—again, except for the salt. Whatever happened to the “subtlety of delicate spicing” mentioned on the website? The heat was right—I asked for medium, and I got it, which is somewhat rare at Indian restaurants—but only the pakoras were subtly spiced.India House chicken tikki saag Denver Aug 2009

Todd and I were a little disappointed by this meal, but at least he wasn’t hungry anymore, and his leg wasn’t bothering him—that is, until he stood up and had to walk on it. We didn’t know it then, but there were antibiotics in his future.

***

*I didn’t realize that India House used to be Delhi Darbar. I had been to their restaurant in Boulder a couple of times but was never completely blown away. Perhaps the Denver location is now the only one left.
Delhi Darbar on Urbanspoon

Denver Bands: Danielle Ate the Sandwich

Funny how things work out sometimes. I went to the last of the 2009 Skyline Park concerts in downtown Denver, and Danielle was the first act. She stood on stage with her ukelele and winked at me when I took her picture. Every word she sang came out crisp and clear. Her songs didn’t have endings so much as stoppages, and she joked that she liked the fact the crowd* didn’t know when to clap.

Danielle Ate Sandwich Denver Aug 2009

When I got home that night, I showed Todd the CD. He already had it! He called Danielle an “Internet phenomenon” and said there are now lots of “girls with ukeleles.” He added that he had emailed Danielle when he found out she was from Fort Collins. (OK, I know that’s not Denver, but people do live in Fort Collins and work in Denver. By California standards, it’s probably a reasonable commute—an hour or so.)

***

*Someone had set up lots of chairs in the sun, in front of the stage but too far back. Most people sat in the shade on either side of the park, so it must have been a weird experience for the performers.

Pastry Smackdown in Downtown Denver: Mermaids and Tattered Cover

Finally I had the privilege of buying cupcakes at Mermaids, in downtown Denver just off the 16th Street Mall at Champa. It was my fourth trip there: the first time, I had no cash, and the second and third times, I showed up when they were closed because I don’t have enough sense to read the sign explaining their hours.Mermaids exterior Denver June 2009

So I was extremely happy to pocket red velvet and cookies-and-cream cupcakes. I had planned to have second breakfast at Mermaids, since the sign promised breakfast, lunch, and espresso, but no, the woman at the counter said, they hadn’t served breakfast for a long time. In any case, there were no tables in the tiny storefront or the adjoining building. Mermaids is strictly a pay-and-run sort of place.

I think they must make their money off wedding cakes and such, because their case was half-empty. If you want a selection of cookies and cakes and pastries from which to choose, I suggest Gateaux on Speer or even D Bar Desserts on 17th Avenue. But if you just want cupcakes (or green chili quiche, or a pie of the day) and you’re in downtown Denver, Mermaids is the place (until 3 pm, that is).

Mermaids case with cupcakes Denver July 2009I held my cupcake treasures close all the way down the mall to the Tattered Cover to protect them from being squished by some eager tourist. This LoDo bookstore (one of three Tattered Covers in the Denver Metro area) is one of my favorite places to hang out: not only does it provide lots of comfy seating near the café (and in other nooks and crannies on all three floors, though I’ve never taken food upstairs), but also there are tons of free magazines to read.

I do buy books regularly at the Tattered Cover, so I feel perfectly comfortable reading magazines and books for free when I’m there. I ordered a hot chocolate at the counter and found myself the perfect chair Tattered Cover chair Denver July 2009in which to pretend I was copyediting on my computer while juggling a drink and cupcake.

My reading spot featured this book, which was quite amusing (Oprah runs the country, of course). Tattered Cover book with Mermaids cupcakes Denver July 2009I was happy there until my computer announced it was running out of battery power, so I stood up, cleaned the red velvet crumbs off the red seat, and proceeded to crumb-up another chair.

Once again I have been reminded that I am not Timothy Ferris of Four-Hour Work Week fame, who claims he can eat 12 cupcakes at a stretch. The first cupcake, the red velvet, was perfect: the cake was moist, the frosting was not too sweet, and the sprinkles on top were crunchy. I paused briefly to do a little editing and then moved on to the cookies and cream. Unfortunately, the cookies were all on top. I was expecting something like cookies-and-cream ice cream, but what I got was a chocolate cupcake, more white frosting, and chocolate-covered graham crackers on top. Nothing special, and by this time I was getting sick of chocolate. That’ll teach me to order a hot chocolate everywhere I go.

While I was eating my second cupcake, a young couple ensconced themselves across from me. They were determined to have as much of their bodies touching as possible, at all times. It seemed sweet at first, but then the man made a remark to the woman as she walked upstairs that I didn’t quite catch but disliked the tone of, and a few minutes later, he grabbed her face and scrunched up her mouth, saying, “Baby, don’t do that.” I was shocked but too chicken to say anything. I hope he wasn’t hurting her.

I wonder what Timothy Ferriss would have done?
Mermaids Bakery and Pie House on Urbanspoon

Bouquets: No Pictures in Downtown Denver

Wandering around lower downtown Denver today, just checking things out, I made a delightful discovery: Bouquets.Bouquets exterior Denver July 2009

According to the website, it was founded in 1985 as a “fresh cut flower shop with a European theme.” It caught my eye as I crossed Wazee at 15th, and I walked in and thought, what a beautiful place.

In the left-hand room I discovered Christopher Marley’s Pheromone series, which I wish I could show you, but the staff didn’t want me to take pictures. Essentially, he collects bugs and arranges them and frames them. It sounds weird, but it’s truly stunning—I never realized beetles could be so colorful and beautiful.

And as his website says, he didn’t always like bugs. Go figure. Perhaps I should collect spiders? Or pickles?

Bouquets offers not only flowers but also plants, pots, statues, vases, picture frames, greeting cards, Bouquets greeting cards Denver 2009and baskets. There are two soft leather chairs where you can sit and look at catalogues and just generally feel peaceful.

Pacific Mercantile Rocks Downtown Denver

How, I ask you, could anyone resist this bottle of orange-yogurt goodness?  Clearly Todd and I could not. You can see our grubby fingerprints all over it.Pacific Mercantile Yogu time July 2009Every time I shop at Pacific Mercantile in Sakura Square at 20th and Lawrence,Pacific Mercantile exterior I find something new to eat or drink. King Soopers can’t hold a candle to it, though the Pacific Ocean Market in Broomfield comes close. But it doesn’t have Hawaiian goods like “Maxi Taro Chips” (made from the root in the center of the picture; daikon is on the left, and nagaimo, which I’ve never heard of, is on the right). Pacfic Mercantile taro Denver June 2009“Maxi Taro” is not exactly an appetizing name to women, but I thought the supposedly “hot and spicy” chips were all right. Just don’t expect the same crisp texture you’d get from a potato chip. You can also get POG juice there (passionfruit, orange, and guava).

If you need lots of rice, these Asian markets are the places to go. Pacific Mercantile bags of rice July 2009This picture reminds me of the massive bags of flour I helped transport to the Navajo Reservation back in the day.

I first visited Pacific Mercantile, which is on the edge of downtown Denver, during the Cherry Blossom Festival. It was a hot day, so I got this sugary tea in a bottle and a pack of what turned out to be edamame rice crackers. Pacific Mercantile tea and rice crackers Denver June 2009I was dazzled by all the edamame on the package, but once I opened it I realized that I had bought crackers, not beans. They were definitely better than the taro chips, though.

Pacific Mercantile has a long case in the back filled with various fish products, including masago (fish roe), Pacific Mercantile masago Denver June 2009squid, and a large burgundy chunk of maguro that I was too chicken to photograph because the butcher was standing right there looking at me as if to say, “Do you want something, or not?” And, oddly enough, a fish head labeled “Arigato.” Can someone interpret that one for me?

Pacific Mercantile has a housewares section half as big as the rest of the store. If you can’t find anything else there you like, you can always take this home as a consolation prize.Pacific Mercantile Choco PieLooks like it’s baring its teeth, doesn’t it?

Downtown Denver Art Galleries Hidden on Wazee II

Last week I visited four art galleries in downtown Denver but wrote about only the first two. Today I’ll review two smaller galleries on the northwestern side of Wazee.

According to its website, Translations GalleryTranslations Gallery with reflections Denver July 2009 offers “a diverse range of contemporary styles to enhance the interior design of your home or office.” It was, I think, the smallest of the four galleries, and is featuring the Peruvian tapestries of Maximo Laura and the stoneware sculptures of Ruth Borgenicht until July 25.

Laura’s bright tapestries have their origins in Andean mythology (image courtesy of Translations Gallery).GalleryInt_Ruth&Maximo_6-09 (10) Translations Gallery When I first saw them, I thought of the paintings of Marc Chagall but later decided that was a superficial comparison, based on the two artists’ use of color and my perception that some of the figures in the tapestries seemed to be flying.

I was drawn more to Borgenicht’s sculptures (image courtesy of Translations Gallery),GalleryInt_Ruth&Maximo_6-09 (5) Translations Gallery which I thought of as “bowls” until Director Kate Chimenti reshaped one in front of me. It’s a good thing I don’t own one because I’d spend all my time playing with it. She told me that Borgenicht fires the individual rings partway, assembles them into chain mail forms, and fires them again.

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Just a few doors down is Visions West Galleries, one of three locations in the western United States (the other two are in Bozeman and Livingston, Montana). Visions West from back room Denver July 2009The cowboy paintings of Duke Beardsley (not pictured) greeted me as I walked in, reinforcing the statement from the website that the “gallery has a strong commitment to promoting contemporary artists from the West,” but other works indicate the owners have a broad range of interests.

My personal favorites were the paintings by Babette Herschberger, especially “Blue House,” Visions West Babette Herschberger Denver July 2009and Brad Rude’s whimsical folk art sculptures of animals with human impediments (or enhancements, depending on your point of view).

Before I left Visions West, I asked Becky, who was working at the gallery that day, if she had any favorites. She pointed out the technical excellence of Rude’s sculpturesVisions West Mark Ruud I think Denver July 2009 and her fascination with the lack of beginnings or endings in Grant Haffner’s “road” paintings. I left feeling informed and energetic and hungry for cupcakes from Mermaids Bakery on Champa, but that story will have to wait for another day.

Downtown Denver Art Galleries Hidden on Wazee

As the bus hauled itself around the corner of Wewatta toward Union Station, I saw people in the stands at Coors Field. But baseball was not where I was headed. I wanted some heavier stuff. I wanted art.

Specifically, the Center for Visual Art (CVA) of Metropolitan State College of Denver (Coors Field is in the far left background). S&H Supply Building Center for Visual Art downtown Denver July 2009Even though the campus is south of downtown across Speer, the center has a gallery on Wazee near 18th Street. On the way there from Market Street Station, I came across 6 galleries on Wazee between 16th and 18th Streets. There’s even a gallery of contemporary Russian art on 17th near Union Station. I had no idea this miniature art district existed until recently. And although there’s no First Friday Art Walk—not enough foot traffic, according to a woman at one gallery—there’s definitely enough art to fill a lazy afternoon.

In keeping with all the lofts in the area, the CVA contained a circle of interconnecting rooms with high ceilings and blindingly white walls. I’d show you the interior, but photography was verboten. Plus, a bearded guy wearing a red bandanna followed me around. Finally we had this conversation:

“Are you worried about me taking photographs?”

“No, ma’am, but our insurance requires that we [stalk people looking at art].”

“I think it’s weird.”

“I apologize.”

Otherwise, I truly enjoyed CVA, a white, cool, quiet space on a hot day. The photographs by Denis Roussel and mixed-media installations by Heather Doyle-Maier impressed me for completely different reasons. Roussel exhibited several Blood Experiment series, in which he tossed some blood in water or exposed it to air and then photographed the results. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But I was thinking it must not be easy to light blood in water.

Doyle-Maier’s pieces were all about showing the lives of women through textiles. Her last piece, called “99 Reasons for Silence,” resembled nothing so much as an extra-wide table runner hanging from a wooden bar. But I really, really wanted to run off with it there and then. The 99 reasons were actually 99 squares of fabric sewn together in neat rows of 5, some with zippers, one with a buckle, one or two made of children’s underwear, and so on. It was both utilitarian and tender in a way her other works were not.

Then it was on to the Robischon Gallery next door, also a large, white, high-ceilinged space housed in the S & H Supply Building, S&H Supply Building Center for Visual Art 2 Denver July 2009built in 1909 as a warehouse for various kinds of industrial machinery and then later used as a garage for the Oxford Hotel at 17th and Wazee.

Large photographs of aging energy-related equipment greeted me as I walked in. Kevin O’Connell, according to a woman who emerged from the back to talk to me, used to produce intimately sized photographs but lately had turned his attention to these remnants of industry from the northeastern Colorado plains.Robischon Kevin O'Connell Denver July 2009

Turning right around the wall, I was overwhelmed by what I thought were excessively wide-angle shots until I learned that the artist, David Sharpe, had taken them with a pinhole camera made from a 35-mm film canister.Robischon David Sharpe Denver July 2009

I spent most of my time at Robischon peering into Edie Winograde’s photographs (not pictured here) of historical reenactment dramas, such as Custer’s Last Stand. Those reenactments take place both on land owned by white people and on an Indian reservation. Crow Indians, who served as scouts for Custer in his pursuit of the Sioux, participate in some of them. All that begs the question of authenticity, since I assumed that the participants were white. But having the Crow play the role of the Sioux…and hearing that participants complained to Winograde that her photographs were not taken close enough, didn’t show enough details of the costumes…

The atmosphere at Robischon was far more laid-back than at CVA, and I especially liked the comfy couches and chairs.

And those were only 2 of the 4 galleries I explored on Wednesday. What I liked best: the art felt close to my life. Unlike the shiny oil paintings in Gallery 1261, the textiles and photographs seemed like something I could make, if I chose.

Downtown Denver Festivals: Cherry Blossoms

Cherry Blossom parasol dancers Denver June 2009I must be a dancing fool, because what I loved most about last weekend’s two festivals was the dancing, albeit of very different kinds (see Red Balloon Boy in action at the end of this post). My favorite was the 1st graders in white shirts and red bandanas performing to a Japanese-language version of “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad.” I admired the older dancers’ serious mien, even when their parasols blew off the stage.

In 2008 Todd was out of town the weekend of the Cherry Blossom Festival, and I spent the day at Sakura Square listening to a sermon at the Denver Buddhist Temple, watching a judo demonstration, and checking out the booths and bands.Cherry Blossom dolls Denver June 2009

This year, I recognized the vintage kimonos and swords from last year but also noticed two potters, these dolls, and Buddha Baby. I skipped the flower arrangement competition in the Denver Buddhist Temple and bought water instead of the egg roll I enjoyed in 2008.

Late morning I photographed scads of Japanese dancers, including this adorable redheadCherry Blossom redhead cropped Denver June 2009 joining in the dandelion dance (the seeds a reference to reincarnation). I’m of two minds about posting her picture. I think it’s OK because she was performing at a public festival, but then again, I didn’t get her parents’ permission. What do you think? Leave her in, or not?

Todd joined me in the late afternoon to watch the hula dancers. Cherry Blossom hula man woman Denver June 2009Cherry Blossom hula butts Denver June 2009Afterward, we sought out shade at the Larimer and 19th corner of Sakura Square, where a garden memorializes Colorado governor Ralph Carr and Minoru Yasui,Minoru Yasui statue Denver June 2009 who fought for the rights of Japanese during their World War II internment. (There is also a plaza in the latter’s name at 303 West Colfax, across from the Denver Mint.)

Upstairs we browsed photographs of Japanese residents of Colorado, including Tadaatsu Matsudaira, who arrived here in 1886. Had J. J.’s Bistro, also upstairs, offered a patio along with its mostly Chinese menu, we would have dined al fresco, but instead we went downstairs and back into the blazing sun, where the line for shave ice was finally short enough for Todd.

While he was thus occupied, I got these four womenCherry Blossom visitors Denver June 2009 to agree to a picture. They said they got their outfits from Japanese companies, online I assume.

Sadly for Todd, his treat turned out to be crushed ice. He claims shave ice melts differently on the tongue. I was happy to help him finish it, for I am not too particular about the shape of ice. It was a cool ending to my long day in the sun.

PrideFest Denver

PrideFest rainbow umbrella Denver June 2009When I went by PrideFest last weekend, it was like going to a huge party where everybody is as happy as can be.

Not that the other Denver festivals I’ve attended haven’t been fun. It’s just that PrideFest was a warm, welcoming meet-and-greet-and-dance right at the end of downtown Denver. People were running into old friends around me. The ones who got dressed up were posing for pictures. There was free watermelon to put in your Three Olives vodka.

What more could you want? Well, I wished for about 5 friends who liked to dance. I could have gotten out there by myself, of course, but then what do I do with the big purse and camera and notebook?PrideFest Nuclea Waste 2 with downtown Denver June 2009

And I was too shy to dance with Nuclea Waste and the Balloon Boys, though as you’ll see later, other people weren’t.

When I went by PrideFest on Saturday, in between the Cherry Blossom Festival, there was a minor dance party going on at one end of Civic Center Park, and someone was giving a speech in the Greek Theater at the other end. Booths circled the park, but things hadn’t really gotten started.

So if you have one hour to spend on PrideFest next year, go see the parade on Sunday morning. I showed up at Broadway and Colfax after 10 am and was still able to get right next to the floats. I could have walked down the parade route if I’d wanted and gotten a standing ovation. One marcher exclaimed within earshot, “It’s much better down here!”

I didn’t see very many truly fabulous floats, but I did like the Project Angelheart group carrying big cardboard forks and spoons and knives.

PrideFest Charlie's Colorado Gay Rodeo June 2009And the cowboys from the Colorado Gay Rodeo Association.

I visited the booths for the lavender farm and Grant Family Farms, where I picked up yet more free watermelon. I haven’t noticed farm booths at other festivals, but promoting your farm at a festival seems like a good idea. There were some amusing T-shirts for sale, including “Queerios” and “My Barbies Are Lesbians.” Do you suppose my relative who works at Mattel would appreciate that? But I draw the line at wearing a shirt that says, “Orgasm Donor.”

What made me want to stay for hours, despite the sunburn coming on, was the dancing.

I watched these two girls and thought, “This is what it’s all about.” PrideFest girls dancing downtown Denver June 2009And, “How come I didn’t know how to dance like that when I was a teenager?”

The man in the green shirt was a great dancer.PrideFest man dancing Denver June 2009

And these two? Well, she asked him to dance.PrideFest balloon boy and girl Denver June 2009

Downtown Denver Restaurants: Alto Restaurant and Lounge

Alto exterior Denver June 2009Alto
1320 15th Street (between Market and Larimer)
downtown Denver
303-893-2586
Alto closed the last week of June.

Everything about Alto is beautiful: the restaurant, the bar, the servers, the food.

I went there last Wednesday to attend a reading arranged by Lighthouse Writers Workshop to show off the work of participants in the summer Lit Fest. I was one of the first people there, around 7:30 on a weeknight. The bar wasn’t busy, but it looked like a great place to have a drink. Alto bar Denver June 2009Toward the back, past the end of the bar where the servers hang out when they’re not busy, patrons can lounge on couches.

The reading was set up in the third room, separated from the middle room by a sheer curtain.Alto back room Denver June 2009

By the time the reading started at 8, people had filled up all the tables in the long, narrow room, and I was contemplating my dinner of two sides, mac and cheese and grilled asparagus.

I’ve been trying to think of a way to characterize Alto’s menu. You can get pork loin or mussels or BBQ ribs or pasta or salad or a burger. Several dishes seem Italian-influenced, but that’s as far as I’d go.

As is trendy these days, the macaroni and cheese was very rich. Alto mac and cheese and asp Denver June 2009I can’t identify all the cheeses just by tasting, but there was some kind of blue cheese in there, and the crust on top contrasted with all the gooiness underneath. The asparagus spears were crisp and tasted grilled. That lovely, filling food cost $10, but then I managed to spend 200 percent more on wine. What can I say? The waitress kept asking me if I wanted anything … and apparently I did. And from the look of the wine rack near the entrance, there certainly are wines-aplenty.

The Paul Dolan chardonnay was a bit too citrusy to stand up to the meal, but the Colores del Sol Malbec Reserva was big and fruity enough to do the job.Alto wine rack Denver June 2009

It was a nice evening, full of poetry and fiction and good food and wine. I got to catch up with old friends and make a new one. And it reminded me that I’ve been meaning to do a mac-off around Denver to see which restaurant has the best mac and cheese. So far I’ve had the dish at 4 restaurants, but I’m sure that’s only a drop in the bucket. Maybe at the end of the summer I’ll start writing mac-off Mondays. I’ve written nearly 40 MonHaibuns, and, frankly, I just don’t give a damn anymore.
Alto on Urbanspoon

Crazy About Denver: How the Garden Grows

In late May I mentioned the garden under construction at 15th and California in downtown Denver but didn’t show any pictures of it because it had just been laid out. Garden in downtown Denver 2009 The reddish building behind it is Wolf’s Camera.

It’s looking much more like a garden now, a nice oasis along 15th Street. Tiri's Garden 1 Denver June 2009

There’s not much shade, but when this arbor gets covered with vines, it will be a cool retreat on a warm afternoon. Tiri's Garden 3 Denver June 2009

Various businesses have sponsored the beds and donated supplies and plants. Tiri's Garden 4 Denver June 2009

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This weekend the Bug Theatre is showing Squirm Burpee: A Vaudevillian Melodrama at 8 pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, along with a matinee at 3 on Saturday. It costs $15, and information and tickets can be found here.

In the Pink at Denver Nail Lounge

Denver Nail Lounge Pavilions June 2009Denver Nail Lounge
500 16th Street, Suite 136 (16th and Glenarm)
downtown Denver
303-534-0778
Bus directions: take the MallRide up to Glenarm

Sometimes lately it seems that all I write about is restaurants. There’s nothing wrong with that, but other people like Denveater do it much better. And downtown Denver can’t be a vibrant place if it doesn’t offer the services people want.

Hence my trip to the Denver Nail Lounge, located in the Denver Pavilions. I’ve been needing a pedicure, and although Lauren at Hair Technology in Westminster gives the most long-lasting pedicures I’ve ever had in my life, downtown Denver is easier for me to reach by bus.

Denver Nail Lounge is a “nail bar and bubble tea concept,” according to the website, and also serves hot chocolate. That sounded like heaven to me, but then I was worried by the caveat on the website that nail products and drinks never come into contact. What’s the point of this concept if you can’t sit back and drink while having a pedicure?

When I walked in, the bar was to my right and a row of three bright chairs faced me. Denver Nail Lounge interior June 2009The manicure table is to the left. The setup for pedicures is very much like that at Hair Technology, but that Aveda salon built steps and finished them with slate and piled pillows on top. All in all, the pink vinyl cushions were easier to navigate, if not as eco-friendly.

Of course, eco-friendly and pedicures don’t exactly go hand in hand. I would rate Aveda salons as slightly better on that score, since they use a less toxic nail polish and their products contain fewer petroleum derivates in general. However, McKinsey gave me my nail file and a pink buffing cube (noticing a theme here?) and said I could get $1 off my next pedicure if I brought them in.

Denver Nail Salon also provides stick-on inserts for the loofahs (or whatever it is that scrapes dead skin off your heels). I’ve never seen inserts before, but they may be more eco-friendly than using one with a plastic handle and then throwing it away. In theory, the handle McKinsey used could last forever.

So there I was ensconced on a pink seat, drinking a large if scalded hot chocolate, and McKinsey and I chatted about how she’d moved to downtown Denver recently and how a day of pedicures makes her back sore. Surely someone could design a chair that would allow the technician to sit up straight.

Both the pedicurists working that day were new; mine had been on the job about 6 weeks. Maybe I’ll come back in 6 months and see if the faces have changed.

McKinsey did a good job on my toenails, though she’s not quite as thorough as Lauren. I felt awkward at the end, because I had to move across the room while the polish dried to make room for her next client, a guy, and she didn’t talk to me once I’d paid her. But it was both peaceful and cheery in there, and I got out of the sun for an hour during the Westword Music Showcase.

Downtown Denver Restaurants: Leela’s European Café

leelas-exterior-downtown-denver-june-2009Leela’s European Café
820 15th Street (at Stout)
downtown Denver
303-534-2255
Open 24/7
Bus directions: take the MallRide to Stout and walk over

I was so pleased to stumble upon Leela’s during my recent trek down 15th Street in downtown Denver. After the parking lot and the Hyatt and other massive buildings, it was great to walk into a place that was open and welcoming, not looming over me.

Leela reminded me a tiny bit of City, O’City on Capitol Hill. Like City, O’City, it is a restaurant and a coffee bar; it even sells pastries by the bar. But Leela’s is much larger and has a stage at the back where bands play on Friday and Saturday nights.leelas-stage-denver-june-2009 Given the MySpace page mention of “exposure,” I would guess that the bands don’t get paid much, if at all.

I ordered my Greek salad with no olives at the bar, as the sign says, and tried out the tiny bar-height table first, but the shorter table was just right for me and all my stuff. In no time at all, my salad arrived: sliced romaine with onion and tomato and green pepper and lemon-pepper dressing.leelas-greek-salad-no-olives-denver-june-2009 I would have preferred half the feta, but that is my only complaint. My mouth was still tingling from the peppery dressing when I left.

The barkeep liked the looks of the Greek salad so much she ordered it for lunch.

Leela’s wasn’t crowded at lunch. There were two tables when I walked in and a few people at the bar.leelas-bar-downtown-denver-june-2009 The barkeep chatted with all of them; she was in her second week and very, very personable. When I asked her how long the restaurant had been open, she said about two years. She laughed about the fact that they “don’t charge” tax; the price you see on the menu is the price you pay. That’s what’s European about the place, she added.

In addition to several salads, Leela’s serves omelettes, “finger food,” panini, burgers, and grilled Italian sandwiches. The drinks on the back of the menu include the Crème Brulee, the Michael Jackson with white and dark chocolate, and the Open 24 Hours, with 4 shots of espresso, mocha, steamed milk, and cinnamon-sugar-encrusted foam.

Leela’s has 899 friends on MySpace, so it must be doing something right. The reviews on Yelp are seriously mixed, from “No reason not to go” to “roaches on the bar.” But I’ll go back at least once: I still want to try the Bellagio Sipping Chocolate.
Leela's and Tarantula's on Urbanspoon