A Visit to the Fine Arts Center

I'm all about finding free things to do around town (especially right now), so I was super excited to learn that the 3rd Saturday of every month is a free day at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. They were closed for over a year for major renovations and I hadn't been back to see it since then. It's a great place to see art, of course, but they also have a stage for theater shows and a restaurant that is supposed to be really good. Even with the renovation, they kept the main original Art Deco building, which is just beautiful and makes me wish I lived there, or at least had those design elements in my house.

There was an amazing display of fabrics for the "Designing Women of Postwar Britain: Their Art and the Modern Interior" exhibit. It was inspiring to see the influence these women had on an entire generation! Three women were highlighted: Lucienne Day, Marianne Mahler and Jacqueline Groag. Lucienne Day was married to Robin Day, a furniture designer, so there were a few of his (wonderful) pieces there, too.





There was also some incredible work by Mikel Glass, who recreates common items using wood. They look so authentic that you have to touch it to realize that what you're looking at isn't just a dirty cardboard box. Each piece had a little story behind it, like the $86,000 pizza (I don't remember the story well enough to tell it; it's probably on his website).

In the permanent collections, there was a whole room devoted to Dale Chihuly, the talented glassblower/painter/artist who created the breathtaking ceiling in the Bellagio hotel lobby in Las Vegas. He also created a special collection just for the Fine Arts Center when they hosted an exhibit for him a few years ago. Come to think of it, that's the last time I had been to the Fine Arts Center!

January

The first two-thirds of January has dragged a bit, but at the same time feels like I can't believe it's almost over!

I did get to go snowboarding two times this month (okay, one day was technically in December but it was Dec. 31 so I'm counting it as January). The first day was at Breckenridge and was not a ton of fun of course, but Steven was really patient with me and sacrificed his time to help me learn how to ride the edges and all that fun stuff. I didn't realize that the muscle group for snowboarding was so different from skiing! It definitely takes some getting used to but the comfort of the boots and the ease of carrying just one piece of equipment more than makes up for everything else. The next visit to the mountains was to Monarch where I actually made several turns in a row by the end of the day. I stayed on the bunny slope most of the day, which helped my confidence a lot and allowed me to not feel so bad about my lack of skills, since most of the others on the hill were doing even worse than I was. I did do two regular runs in the afternoon, though, so I really felt accomplished. Steven was also able to get out and enjoy some really great snow while I was practicing on my own. Monarch is a great place to go snowboarding or skiing and if any of you ever come visit us in the winter time we'll be sure to take you there.

Other than the snowboarding and regular trips to the dog park with Roxy, there really hasn't been a lot happening in this first part of January. We've been enjoying some really nice weather here in town--I'm talking temperatures in the 50s and 60s! Not bad for winter in Colorado. I've mostly been spending my days looking at job postings and updating my resume. I already can't wait for the job hunt to be over, but we have a great Workforce Center here which I fully plan to utilize this time.

Sadly, I don't have any pictures for this post.

December

December started out wonderfully! On the 3rd, I celebrated my 35th birthday and Steven took me to dinner at my favorite restaurant, The Blue Star. I had a lemon drop martini and the best cheeseburger in the Springs. A little unusual for a birthday dinner, I know, but that was what I was really craving and it totally satisfied. As my birthday gift(s) Steven gave me snowboarding equipment, which I'm trying for the first time this season. I think I'm really going to like it, and I can only hope that I'll be as graceful and smooth on the hill as Steven is.

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On the 9th I got to attend a (free!) lecture by the legendary movie director Spike Lee. He was a very down to earth guy and I greatly enjoyed his talk. Now I just need to watch some more of his movies!

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The next night Steven and I and a few friends got to see a live taping of the radio show etown featuring one of our favorite musical groups, the Flobots. (See their additional websites here and here.) It was so interesting to see the way the show was taped, and to have to redo our applause sometimes so that it can be used for editing. The edited show will air sometime in February; I'm excited to hear it again in its polished format. I'm proud to say the Flobots are from Denver but have become nationally known for their song "Handlebars", which I've seen on VH1 and have heard on the radio many times. They played that song, as well as my favorite one "Rise" (both videos can be seen on their main website) and several more. I love the viola in all of their songs, played by the only girl in the band. Their style of music is unusual and probably not for everyone, but I love it! They're very politically active in the community and it's inspiring to see that at such a young age. I know I wasn't anything like that when I was younger.

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Later that same week, our office received the bad news that the Colorado Springs location was being closed and all of us were being laid off. Some people had to leave that day, but the rest of us stayed until January 23. It's really a bummer, because I had been hoping that this was a job I could enjoy and grow with for years to come. But now it's back to the job hunt along with everyone else who's in the same position. Thankfully Steven's job seems secure and he's been enjoying his new role as the Operations Manager.

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Christmas was a low key day for us. We just did stockings this year, considering the bad news I had received not long before. Roxy had her own stocking and was thrilled to find lots of treats and a new toy to play with! And I finally watched A Christmas Story for the very first time (hard to believe, I know). It was hilarious! I'm definitely adding that to How the Grinch Stole Christmas (either version is fine) as a Christmas tradition from now on. We didn't have a tree this year but I did finally get the decorations up around the house. I was excited to put up some really cool mirrored stars I bought at Cost Plus World Market. They looked great on our stair railing, and I was also able to display the wonderful glass pine cone that Krissy had sent me from Germany a couple of years ago. I love Christmas time!

Thanksgiving in Utah

Steven's brother Travis was able to come home on an 18-day leave and it happened to include Thanksgiving, so for the second time in a few months we made the trek to St. George. It's feeling shorter every time we go; we've got a regular route now and it can be made in one day if necessary. Having cheap(er) gas again helps a lot, too! We got there at about noon on Thanksgiving day and later that afternoon had a terrific early dinner with most of the family; unfortunately Trevor and Jordan weren't able to make it this year. This time we brought Roxy and she got to play with her new best friend Windsor (she was totally the boss, even though he's twice her size). It was a blast watching them together. :-) On the drive out and back Roxy found a few favorite places to lay in the car once she finally realized that it was going to be a while before she could get out and run around.





We were also able to see Steven's nieces, Mia and Mya, get baptized, as well as celebrate Mia's birthday. It was so great to see the family again, and especially Travis, who we hadn't seen in over 2 years. We can't wait for him to be home for good! Plus we got to meet a lot of Krissy's extended family who came up for Mya's baptism. I didn't take very many pictures on this trip, quite unusual for me, but here are a few to enjoy.

Some Great Websites

Even though my favorite type of design and style is modern, mid-century modern, Scandinavian, etc., I also love just about anything with some history behind it. Some people would say that the styles don't mix, but I think you should have things that you love and that mean something to you, rather than buying or not buying something just because it does or doesn't fit into a certain style.

I was excited to find the website for P.O.S.H. Chicago, a company whose founder seeks out tableware from manufacturers, flea markets and wherever else he can find items that have a story to tell.





Another fun site actually belongs to a new coworker of mine at Walter Drake. She was hired about a month ago and last week we found out that she sells her own designs on The Spotted Olive(TM), ranging from t-shirts to mouse pads to holiday cards and much more. I've already found at least 10 things I want to buy!



I've had the CHiA'SSO site in my list for a while now, but I bought my first product from them recently, these fabulous aluminum and steel windmills for my garden. They're one of the first places I've found to offer more modern garden and outdoor products, instead of cute frogs and cherubs and the like, and they also have tons of other great items for your house.



Links to all sites can be found in the Websites list to the left. Enjoy!

Close Encounters of the Political Kind

I'm so excited to have been able to participate in one of the most historic and important elections in my lifetime. No matter what, history would have been made. If McCain and Palin had won, we would have had the first female Vice President. Now that Barack Obama has been elected, we have the first African American President. (As my boss told me yesterday, he'll be sworn in on steps that were built by slaves. What a long way our country has come.) I had never even voted before I met Steven and now I'm adamant about speaking out for what you think, even if it's only to cast a vote for the candidate or amendment or issue that you feel strongly about.

Since we weren't able to see either McCain or Obama when they campaigned in Colorado, we jumped at the chance to hear Michelle Obama speak at an auditorium just a few blocks from our house. (We usually didn't even know the candidates were in town until they had already been here and were gone. We heard about this rally the day before.) About 3,000 people came out, and we wound up being part of the crowd that had to stand outside. Thankfully, Colorado was enjoying one of its last warm, sunny days so it was actually very pleasant. And she stopped outside to see us first! It was funny to see the stereotypical security guys with the curly earpiece, fancy suit and everything. You could spot them a mile away. She was an excellent speaker and didn't use a prewritten speech, something I greatly admired.

A Fascinating Discussion

I found this discussion on one of my favorite websites/blogs the other day and felt that it was something others would appreciate and could benefit from. The dialogue is between the blog author and a fan of hers who is an avid chef but happens to be blind. As many complaints as I have sometimes (my kitchen's too small, my knife isn't sharp enough, the pan I wanted to use isn't clean), they all pale in comparison to the issues this gentleman faces constantly. And he has such a great attitude about it! I hope that if something terrible were to happen to me one day and I lost my eyesight, I would be able to develop the same attitude and not just feel sorry for myself. If you can't click directly on the link, cut and paste it into your browser window, or click on the main website in the list to the left and search for How the Blind Cook.

http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2008/10/how_the_blind_cook.php

Introducing...

...ROXY!

We're finally a dog family again! We were lucky enough to find this sweet little girl on Craigslist (I'm telling you, it's a goldmine!) and have had her for just over a week now. She's the first fawn boxer we've had and I just love how dark she is and the little black tips on her ears, and her cute little 3-inch tail that just barely grazes the ground when she sits down. The family who was currently watching her for a friend couldn't keep her any longer and neither could the friend, so we were able to bring her into our family. The original owner had named her Baby Girl but we changed that to Roxy. She's super smart and has already learned the dog door and is learning how to shake for treats. We've gone on lots of walks around the neighbourhood and in various parks around the area. She already loves to sleep with us on the bed and she loves to cuddle, but she's still young enough (about 18 months) that she doesn't stay in one place for very long. It's been fun to learn her likes, dislikes and habits. She loves riding in the car but not the truck. She loves going for walks. She loves to come stand directly over your head while you're laying in bed. She doesn't like to be told to move once she's found a spot. She loves pig's ear strips! She loves tummy rubs and laying with her back legs sticking straight out. We're so excited to have found such a great dog.




What's not to love about this face? :-)

Emma Crawford Coffin Races

This weekend I went to the Emma Crawford Coffin Races in Manitou Springs to support our Walter Drake team. Here's how the local newspaper describes it:

Emma Crawford lived in Manitou Springs at the turn of the century, arriving with the hopes that the famous drinking Mineral Springs would help with a cure for her tuberculosis. Sadly, in the summer of 1890 Emma died quite young, just before she was to marry Mr. Hildebrand, an engineer on the Pikes Peak Cog Railway. Her wishes were to be laid to rest on top of Red Mountain. Her heartbroken fiancee and eleven other men began the arduous task her carrying Emma's coffin up to the top of Red Mountain. It took them all day, working two shifts to scale the 7200 foot Summit. In 1929, after years of stormy weather on the granite mountain the granite gave way and Emma's remains were washed down the side of Red Mountain. Emma was later buried in the Manitou Springs Cemetery in an unmarked grave. An official grave site was granted to her in 2004 to honor her life. Now every year in late October, Manitou Springs remembers this beautiful young woman who loved her town and her Red Mountain with this unique festival.

Each year there is a parade of the coffins and then they race each other up a section of the main street in town, pushed by 4 "pallbearers" and with an Emma laying in the coffin. My boss and 2 co-workers were part of the team and they spent many hours repainting and revising the coffin they had raced the year before. I'd never been to the race so it was fun to go support someone I knew and to see how many people actually turned out to this somewhat quirky event in the small town just west of Colorado Springs, at the foot of Pike's Peak. Our team completed the 250-yard run in 39.2 seconds, finishing in 16th place out of 49 entries. Not bad!