Urban Life in Denver

Sometimes I get jealous of my friends who live in Seattle, or Portland, or New York City.  Why… because they have a tradition of heading down to the local farmers market every weekend and picking up fresh heirloom tomatoes, onions, greens…  mmmmmm so good.  I consider a plate of farm fresh tomatoes with some salt and pepper to be all I need for a happy meal.  And let’s not forget fresh bread… oh in this area I really am jealous of the New Yorkers with their local bakeries every few blocks.

So it is with excitement I announce that a new farmers market is popping up in LoHi and here are the details…  and don’t snag all the tomatoes before I get there please.

Highland United Neighbors, Inc. (HUNI)
Farmers Market

June - October
Saturdays 9am - 1pm
Boulder Street (in front of Lola)

Just west of downtown this Farmers Market will be the only market in Northwest Denver and is easily accessible from downtown, Sloans Lake, Sunny Side and the Highlands. A neighborhood that is committed to supporting local businesses and leading sustainable lifestyles the neighbors have been eagerly awaiting a Market. The Farmers Market will be on the 1500 block of Boulder street in front of well-known local restaurants Vita, Lola and Shangri-La, the merchants and the restaurants bring a great Saturday morning crowd and with the addition of the HUNI Farmers Market this will be the place to be on Saturday mornings.

It seems like getting a taxi license may be the most difficult thing to do in Denver, but Union Taxi has done it. For the first time in 15 years Denver has a new taxi company founded by a group of existing taxi drivers who say that the existing license holders charged daily fees that put them at below minimum wage.

So they decided to branch out on their own. I have to admit I root for the underdog and I don’t know all the details of this story but I wish them well. So I thought I would share their phone number for you all to give them a try and I’ll update my best taxi company poll to include them. Share your feedback if you give them a try.

And here is the Denver Post most recent story…

The yellow and purple taxi cabs pull into the parking lot every day now, mere shells of their former selves, their meters gone and roof lights snatched off, the final indignity being the large, black block letters reading “Not In Service” spray painted on all four sides.

From each of them, a driver emerges, a wide smile on his face. They always, always smile.

This morning, most of the cabs will have returned to the streets of Denver, the block letters covered by a fresh coat of bright tangerine-orange paint, a new roof light and meter installed, the man behind the wheel smiling widely.

Today is the culmination of a four-year, bitter and often-tearful struggle by nearly 300 Denver cabbies to form their own company.

Most are immigrants from East and northern Africa, many of whom have driven for the city’s big three cab companies for a decade or more. They joined together out of frustration over the long shifts they worked to make ends barely meet, who believed together they could do so much better.

... read full Denver Post Article

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Everyone… a moment of silence please.
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I just read in the paper that the wonderful Ski Train to Winter Park has been sold.  No more sitting with friends, laughing on the train without a single driving care in the world.  No more early morning walks through downtown with my skis on my back knowing that parking and traffic were a thing of the past.

Why… well the Denver Post article cites a number of things such as the fact that the train had been an unprofitable business, that there was uncertainty about the Union Station project, and other pieces in the “combination of things”.

While I am sure that there is some truth to these items, I find it so disappointing that no one has the forethought to look at our growing downtown and realize how valuable an amenity like the Ski Train was to both the character and the unique mountain partnership that is Denver. I know that as we grow as a city many, many people either lose or never build a connection to the beautiful rockies. But I would hope that more would, and that as the downtown residential population grows that percentage becomes a bigger and bigger number (because mathematicians out there the percentage stays the same but the number its factored against grows) the ski train and the culture around this historic icon would grow as well.

I’ll probably comment on this story some more, it saddens me. I was hoping to see the train system expand into the mountains farther including Vail and Summit County. Instead an existing train line is being dropped. I only hope someone out there is looking at this wonderful opportunity to be, now anyway, the sole provider of train service to the mountain destinations. I hope someone hears the President’s conversations about sinking more investments into rail and alternative train transportation. I hope someone out there is listening to the many, many, many people who would love to leave their cars behind and take a train seat to the mountains.

Here is a Facebook group of folks asking for just that… a train to the mountains.

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Here is the letter I received due to my registration for Denver Bronco’s Tickets. For the record Pat, it was a really great idea to send this out. We read the papers and know what’s happening, but you just reminded us that we count. Cheers to you for this.

Dear Broncos Fan,

Pat Bowlen

When I started my new project I also began my new lifestyle of working in the heart of downtown Denver. The first element to my day was to pick a favorite commute. It’s an easy path, I jump on the 16th street free shuttle while reading the New York Times on my Kindle 2 (I don’t know how many trees I am saving by switching to Amazon’s Kindle.. but my guess is quite a few) and then I always get off at Curtis.

Curtis offers me two very simple things.  A great breakfast spot and the pleasure of the Soundwalk while looking into the artistic entrance of the Denver Performing Arts Center.   Most people have no idea what the Soundwalk is, I certainly didn’t.  I just happened to be wandering around the city searching for those little restaurants and shops that give an Urban village it’s personality.  I found a piece of Art in the form of Sound.  Here is a description of the Soundwalk from Smithsonian America Art Museum Index.

I am telling you it is cool.  I walk to work listening to the running subway underneath (We don’t have a Subway), the sounds of ocean waves crashing against a beach, music, animals, birds, and more.  I never know what I’ll hear on that stretch of Curtis.  But I do know what awaits me at the corner…. Sam’s no. 3.

Sam’s no. 3 is a “reminds me of NYC” corner diner with some incredible work week breakfast specials.  $2.99 for eggs, toast, hasbrowns or a couple dollars more for every combination you can think of.  Chicken Fried Steak, Biscuits and Gravy, Corned Hash, Pancakes and more.  The service is quick, the food is good, and it’s a true diner.  Another little local gem I only found by exploring our downtown.  So much to see, and I encourage you to go check it out.

Today I was asking someone if they could take a picture for me when they were on the such and such floor of a local building. They went on to explain that they could, gave me the megapixel size of their camera phone, and then said to me “But it’s not a camera camera”.

I had to stop and ask him “where did the repeating of words come from”? I know that so many including myself do the double repeat of words for effect of actualization. Just like people use “actually” in almost every sentence. I am really curious about where did this practice come from? How often do you hear it around you?

Girl 1: “So, your going on a date with Fred”

Girl 2: “Well, it’s not a date date”

I don’t even know how I would google this to find it’s origins. Is it an urban thing, a western thing, an American thing. Is it a generational thing, and if so is it generation X. Any linguists out there know the origins of the double word effect. Just a curious point that came up today.. to which the response was.. “No one has ever pointed it out before”. And they couldn’t remember when they started doing it. Your thought thoughts and comment comments are welcome!!

My new favorite fan

My loft has windows… and lots of them.  It’s a view that I enjoy and gives me a nice sense of peace when the sunshine blankets my floors in, paints a nice postcard image at sunset, and gives me the spectacular light show at night. However, there’s only one source of fresh air from my patio and I wanted to add a ceiling fan to circulate that fresh air and give a gentle breeze.  I wanted something with a design that doesn’t detract from the view (while creating a compliment to my place at the same time). They say furniture is the clothing for our homes. Dress them well and to your own style.

I found my favorte… The Artemis fan.  It just arrived this past week and by Friday it will be in.  It comes in translucent, which I love.  Nice design, low impact, and it’s just plain cool.

With Spire gearing up for it’s launch the Denver Post has a brief history and article on the project here…

http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_11858338

42 Stories of new Urban Living coming to the heart of Downtown Denver!!  Gala on the 11th, Sales Center opening March 12th at noon!

I spent this past weekend doing one of those life changing moments… moving. The beautiful thing about moving is that it gives you a chance for a fresh start, a new beginning. It was important for me to make my new home warm, comfortable and inviting with a feeling that was unique to me. As I watched my lovable dog Bear sniffing and checking out his new digs I waited anxiously to see if he was going to feel the need to mark his territory. He didn’t… yet. But in a way I suppose that is what we all do when we move into our homes. We pick out paint for the walls, we position furniture, we select unique objects and place things just so. I searched around for many of the items that went into my new urban home thankful for the internet and all the great reviews and photos out there. So to pay it forward, I’ll be posting the wonderful things I found that I decided to purchase and also the wonderful items I didn’t. Consider it an urban shopping spree and if you are moving into a new loft or home perhaps these will help.

The item I am the most excited about right now is the new organic dog bed I ordered from Doggy Archy located in our own backyard of Vail. I got myself a natural bed, why shouldn’t I get one for him. The reason I got turned off on memory foam and all the other artificial material beds, both human and canine, was the ongoing discussion in so many reviews about the lingering release of chemical odors. Don’t believe me.. google it. [Read more →]

Spire is exciting and I’ll try and keep everyone posted on what is going on, but this blog is about all things Denver.

If you are interested in keeping posted on the newest news on Spire from The Urban Brain just sign up for the Spire Specific Updates. I’ll work to give this Spire interested list all the official Spire news I have for you and some extra special news or features that I just think are cool. There are so many great things to share. Plus we should highlight the 14th Street Initiative and all the great things planned for the area.

Want the scoop… just ask.

Be Well Everyone!!