The Urban Brain in Denver » events

Brewery of the Month at Mellow Mushroom

Kate — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:25:33 +0000

I believe the term refreshment was born on warm day, uttered from the lips of a man who just gulped the first swig of a cold pint of beer. The carbonation swelled and burst, like music in perfect timing with the hops, a percussive symphony on his taste-buds and he thought, perfect. He searched for a word, a measure of his overwhelming joy. He felt reborn, but in the sensory respect. The word, like poetry unraveled from his mouth: refreshment.

This was the day man first loved beer, at least, that’s how I picture the definition forming.

The truth is that the term refreshment came about sometime in the mid 15th century. It was used to describe food and drink, non-alcoholic drink, to be precise.

How short-sighted of our ancestors to exclude beer from the definition.

The good news is that somewhere along the line, the non-alcoholic rule got tossed and now we are free to refer to anything as “refreshing.” The extremely good news is that as a humble dweller of Denver, you have access to some of the most tasty brews the world has to offer. To celebrate this fact, every month of the year the Mellow Mushroom of Downtown will be featuring a new “Brewery of the Month.” On May 1st, members of the Odell Brewing Team will be at Mellow Mushroom Downtown (Tabor Center) doing beer tastings from 5-7, giveaways and 3$ Odell beers. 4$ pints will be available for the rest of the month of May. As an added bouns, Odell will be featuring a special batch for the occasion, an Oatmeal Coffee Amber. When it is time for June, you need not despair, for a new brewery will be featured. So if beer is something you find as refreshing as a great deal, cruise down to the Mellow Mushroom on May 1st and enjoy some,

Cheers!

DNC Update

mike — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:43:36 +0000

East West Urban Management, the property management company for the Riverfront Park neighborhood attended last week’s meeting discussing the upcoming Tent University activities during the DNC. Here is an update they just released and a special thanks to them for helping to keep everyone updated.

DNC Update

8-18-08

Dear Riverfront Park Residents:

Last Thursday evening, the City of Denver held an open forum for local residents to discuss the move of the Tent State University (“TSU”) group from City Park to Cuernavaca Park. The meeting was positive and informative and was well attended by local residents. Also, in attendance were several representatives from the Mayor’s Office, Councilwomen Judy Montero, representatives from the Parks Department, Public Works, the Police Department, and the Secret Service. In addition, two representatives from the TSU were present.

City officials explained that TSU obtained a permit for use of the park through a permit lottery process, when a group previously permitted for the park during the DNC, decided not to use the park. TSU will be using the park from August 24-28. TSU representatives said they expect 5,000 attendees per day, although there could be more. City representatives say they plan to enforce all regular park rules and the 11:00 pm park curfew.

A representative of TSU spoke at length about their schedule of events:

TSU will occupy the park during the day and early evening up to the 11:00 pm park curfew. They will set up tents for educational classes, lectures and activities.
They will be camping at the Coliseum or the Pepsi Center protest area.
There will be a small stage (16 feet wide) for music and other activities. The stage will face west towards the highway.
There will be exhibitions by creative artists as well as ongoing seminars on “non-violent” means of protest.
They will have green teams set up working on keeping the park in order and recycling efforts.
They encouraged all neighbors to visit the park during the activities and also visit their website at www.tentstate.org
With regard to parking and access for the TSU participants and local residents, City officials told us the following:

TSU is encouraging their participants to park at outlying “park and rides” and take the bus in.
TSU participants are being encouraged to use 20th Street and then Lodo streets to access the Pepsi Center protest site. TSU concurs because they feel there will be more publicity along this route as opposed to Little Raven Street.
The City will enforce all existing parking restrictions on Little Raven Street (mostly 2 hour parking).
All streets including Little Raven, Platte Street, 20th Street, 19th Street, 15th Street, and 23rd by the Aquarium will be open. It is likely that 15th and Little Raven will be the preferred exit from Riverfront Park as opposed to 20th and Little Raven.
The Denver Police representatives could not be specific as to their plans for security relating to TSU; however, they said that they will have adequate personnel on duty.

Both the City and TSU appear to be organized and ready to move forward in a peaceful manner. Having said that, there may be some individuals that do not want to follow the plan, and, there are several protest groups coming to Denver not related to TSU whose plans have not been made known. DNC events, schedules and activities seem to be in a constant state of flux, too much at times to stay up to date with the changes. The best way to stay informed is through official websites:

www.DenverGov.org

www.DowntownDenver.com

www.DenverConvention2008.com

and 3-1-1.

The Denver Police still plan to have a command post and officer rest station in the plaza at Riverfront Park, located in suite 170 of the Riverfront Tower building. Should you have the need for assistance, please call 911 for emergencies of life and limb, or 720-913-2000 to report suspicious activity or general police questions.

Not Stranger than Fiction

mike — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 02:11:02 +0000

Sometimes the slice of life answers we dream up to make an exaggeration of life turn out to be true. Or sometimes there is just irony such as noticing at Tattered Cover the newly discounted “Spoiling for a Fight: the rise of Elliot Spitzer” book.

In this case the irony involved a post from roughly a month ago about Helicopters flying low and fast around Riverfront Park. My top 10 reasons for the fly by events included at #6 “Homeland Security practice drills”. These reasons were not meant to be realistic, more of a David Letterman tribute.Â For example another reason was “The city doing an analysis of rezoning Commonsâ€™ park for a Wal Mart”.Â But now that I think about it, real estate is getting pretty valuable.

But, as life proves to be ironic, reason #6 turned out to be true as part of the preparation for the DNC. Read about it in the 9 News article “Helicopters to keep flying over downtown for terrorist training“. I knew I should have made that item #1.

Greenclean that shirt!

mike — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 17:31:33 +0000

Always on the lookout for something new and cool in the world of green the folks at Revolution Cleaners has opened a “Green Cleaning” business here in Denver. I was surprised to find out how few people even knew about them. And I hate to admit that I had no idea what the heck Green Cleaning was. I knew it was supposed to be good for the environment but I didn’t know why or how. My shirt, pant, and other cleaning has increased a ton since I moved from my fleece worshiping days in the mountains. Back then a pair of jeans, some clogs, and a fleece top were the bulk of my wardrobe.

Now that I have balanced this with an urban style (I never said a good one) I actually have clothes that need some more attention. So if I am going to have them professionally cleaned I would like to think I will be green doing it. Hence I hunted down the green cleaning option in town and wanted to learn about their business.
And of course the geek in me (which is probably alot) wanted to learn the science behind it as well.
So on my last drop off to their shop, I asked if the owners would like to share with us some more details about their business and the science of green cleaning. They happily agreed. The following interview was sent by email…

Noel, many folks don’t know about Green Dry Cleaning. Can you give us a high level overview of the difference between your process and standard dry cleaning?

Dry cleaning isn’t really dry; rather, it’s cleaning without water. Standard drycleaning uses perchloroethylene (more commonly called PERC) as the primary solvent. Traditional machines are simply large washing machines that use PERC instead of water. PERC-exposure has been associated with lots of health problems, including being identified as a hazardous substance by the EPA. It is also one of the most common contaminants in groundwater. Cleaning in PERC requires drying of the garments at a high temperature. Our process doesn’t use PERC, or any other hazardous substances. Our two dry cleaning processâ€™ use liquid carbon dioxide and water. Both are naturally occurring in the environment and in your body.

For the extra geeky among us who love the technical details… how exactly does your process work?

Our process involves washing garments in liquid carbon dioxide (CO2).

We use CO2 that has been recaptured from industrial applications and scrubbed. Our machine uses a closed loop compressing process; it compresses the gas to between 650 and 700 pounds per square inch in the cleaning vessel, at which pressure – under ambient air temperatures – it becomes a liquid. The machine then works like a standard machine, albeit with a cleaning vessel under extreme pressure. The vessel rotates and the liquid is jetted to facilitate cleaning.

After the cleaning cycle has run, the vessel pressure is reduced, the CO2 once again becomes a gas, and it is returned to our storage tanks. As a result, clothes cleaned in our machines end the cycle dry, and don’t require any additional drying. Approximately 80% of the CO2 is recaptured and reused during the next cleaning cycle.

We also perform â€œdry cleaningâ€ with our wet cleaning equipment. These machines are essentially really expensive washing machines that have precisely controlled programs that allow us to any garment that would traditionally be dry cleaned. Depending on the fabric, construction and stains we may opt for wet cleaning. Pressing wet cleaned garments require special equipment to ensure items return to their previous shape and size. Wet cleaning requires more labor so we clean only about 10% of the dry clean garments that we receive.

What about standard dry cleaning? How does that process work and what impact does it have on the environment?

The process is described above. As for the environment, the impacts can be significant. First, you have to consider the potential effects on individuals who are exposed to PERC, also known as tetrachloroethylene. Exposure to PERC can effect the central nervous system, kidney, liver and possibly the reproductive system. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry lists the effects of exposure to high concentrations of PERC as dizziness, headache, sleepiness, confusion, nasea, difficulty in speaking and walking, unconsciousness, and death.

But that’s not all. Studies indicate that women who work in industries where PERC is used are more likely to suffer menstrual problems and spontaneous abortions (NOTE: that these studies were not conclusive on whether PERC was the cause of these events).

Further, the Department of Health and Human Services “has determined that tetrachloroethylene may reasonably be anticipated to be carcinogen.” A “carcinogen” is a substance with the ability to cause cancer. Cancers associated with exposure to PERC include cancers of the esophagus, bladder, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Studies of dry-cleaning workers who have worked in the industry for extended periods of time shows reduced scores on behavioral tests and biochemical changes in the blood and urine.

PERC does not bind well to soils, so it moves readily through the ground and into groundwater. EPA is involved in hundreds of groundwater cleanups around the country where PERC is one of the contaminants. The costs to remediate is enormous. In fact, according the ATSDR, PERC has been found in OVER HALF of the nation’s Superfund Sites. It is estimated that 1.2 million Americans are exposed to PERC in their drinking water at levels that exceed safe limits.

Can you give us some idea of the impact your business will have on a green scale? Lower carbon footprints or other measurements?

We are trying to build a sustainable business throughout our operation. Our cleaning processes, which not only use naturally occurring, environmentally benign solutions, consume less energy than traditional, and even other so called â€œgreenâ€ solutions.

Our stores incorporate bamboo hardwoods and cork tiles. Bamboo grows to full height in two years and is thus rapidly renewable. Oak and other hardwoods take more than 40 years. Cork is harvested from the outside layers of the tree, leaving the tree alive to regenerate more material.

Our customer laundry bags are made out of hemp. Hemp uses substantially less land and pesticides than cotton, organic or traditional, and is a stronger fiber.

Our delivery vans are powered on biofuels. Our Dodge Sprinters are fueled with biodiesel, a fuel made from a variety of crops, most of which are grown locally in Colorado. Most commercially available biodiesel is made from soybeans or mustard seed. Used cooking oil can be used to make biodiesel but can vary in quality. Our Sprinters average 24 mpg, approximately twice the fuel economy of comparable delivery vans. Our Dodge Caravans are fueled with E85 ethanol. Ethanol is made from corn and can be run in any â€œflex fuelâ€ vehicle. Both biodiesel and ethanol reduce overall emissions and reduce the carbon cycle.

We purchase wind power for our plant. Renewable Energy Credits help support sustainable power sources that contribute to the power grid.

What impact do you think one person makes in doing green cleaning for a year?

Well, there is certainly the peace of mind that comes with knowing you (and your family) won’t be exposing yourself unnecessarily to PERC and the ill-effects of that solvent. Besides clothing, we also clean pillows, stuffed animals, things that people and their kids keep close to their skin on a daily basis.

An individual’s impact is not insignificant. The average person who drycleans in this country spends over $100 of their income to sustain an industry that continually exposes people to hazardous substances, and creates wastes which will have to be dealt with for generations to come. We think that’s wrong; not just because the industy is dirty, but because there are alternatives that work just as well.

I love the green part, what about the clean part? Are there any differences or advantages in terms of how clean my clothes will get and why?

This is a question we’re asked quite often, and one which we had going into the business. Different solvents work better on different types of stains, so often times we’re comparing apples to oranges.Nonetheless, in a side-by-side comparison done by Consumer Reports, CO2 cleaning was found to be superior to all other methods tested, including traditional dry-cleaning. According to the report, “This method [CO2] gave the best results, even better than conventional dry cleaning. The clothing didn’t change shape, shrink, or stretch.”

We’ve found that, using a combination of CO2 cleaning and wet cleaning, there are no fabrics or types of stains that we can’t clean.

Additionally, since our CO2 process requires no heat, clothes are not subject to long, hot (up to 140 degrees) drying cycles. This leaves fibers soft and does not set stains.

Can you share a little of the history on Green Cleaning and how much of todays market is currently green? Are there certain parts of the country (or world) where it has caught on faster?

Probably due to our new awareness of green living – and the notion that green businesses can actually be successful – green cleaning has started to take hold in the last few years. Before then, there were very few alternative cleaners. CO2 cleaning was originally developed to clean things other than cloting – like microchips – in the 1980s.
The first CO2 dry cleaning machine was introduced in 1997, after a scientist at N.Carolina State U inadvertently discovered CO2 could be used as a solvent. Since that time, three other companies have begun to make the machines. Only 3 of the 4 are available in the United States although the German company Electrolux is exploring distribution of its machine here, as well.

Thus far, CO2 cleaners are found in discrete pockets throughout th country. To date, fewer than 50 cleaners in the United States use liquid CO2.

As for the other alternatives to PERC which have been called “green,” GreenEarth Cleaning is the most prolific. Currently, there are approximately 700 cleaners nation-wide who use this siloxane solvent instead of PERC. GreenEarth’s prominance is likely the result of significant corporate backing. As Environmental Chemistry (May 2006) said, “While CO2 drycleaning has some big companies behind it, the silocone-based GreenEarth approach is backed by two of the corporate world’s biggest names: General Electric and Procter & Gamble.”

Unlike naturally-occurring CO2, the GreenEarth solvent is decamethylcyclopentasiloxane. Recently, Dow Corning – a manufacturer of the solvent – released studies showing that exposure to the solvent can cause cancer in rats. Further, preliminary studies indicate that is may be toxic to the liver in humans.

The other PERC-alternative that has begun to get a foothold in the drycleaning market is DF-2000, a hydrocarbon solvent manufactured by ExxonMobil and Chevron. The jury is still out on the toxicity of this solvent and its environmental impacts. Live Science (January 30, 2007) recently said this about DF-2000: “DF-2000 is similar to Stoddard solvent, only with a higher flashpoint (meaning less of a tendency to explode if exposed to a spark). The EPA lists DF-2000 as a neurotoxin and skin and eye irritant for workers; and its use can contribute to smog and global warming, just like Stoddard solvent.”

We haven’t been able to confirm EPA’s treatment of this solvent, but as we said, the jury is still out.

What is the next advance you see in terms of changing another business to green that isn’t today?

We are always looking to partner with other green businesses, and to that end have expanded the CO2 cleaning idea to Seattle. We’ll be the first and only CO2 cleaner in the city of Seattle and San Francisco, and thus far have had a lot of positive feedback.

Since we are continually sourcing more sustainable components to our operations we are constantly meeting more and more green businesses. We are trying to source an economically feasible supply of corn plastic or recycled poly bags. Steel for hangers has been rapidly increasing so the cost of recycled hangers should soon be more than competitive. Solar power is slowly becoming a practical reality. With rising energy prices the return on investment is becoming more and more appealing.We believe that sustainability should be good business. Almost every industry could use some improvement and many of those changes can lead to cost reductions.

How did you get involved with Green Cleaning and can you share a little about your background?

Rusty was looking for business opportunities to put into a historic building in our neighborhood. Because we don’t have a convenient dry cleaner, he did some research into drycleaning franchises, and came across this new technology. Along with two previous business partners and his neighbor, they decided to embark on this business.

What other things do you do to be green in your personal life?

Each of the partners tries to stay green. Owning and running this business has keeps us constantly aware of opportunities to do be green. There is nothing in particular we do as a group but, for example, we all drive alt-fuel vehicles.

Each of us has consciously tried to reduce, reuse and recycle. This can apply to all phases of life not just in your recycling bin. Energy use, fuel, food waste, purchasing.

For each of us the mountains and the natural world provide immense value to our lives and we recognize our responsibility to maintain it.

Now tell us all the details about your business for the folks who want to give it a try. What hours, locations, and services do you offer?

Our stores are open 7-7 Monday through Friday, 9-5 Saturday and 11-3 Sundays (except Boulder). In Denver, we have stores in
Washington Park, Cherry Creek and 15th and Platte. Our Boulder location will soon be moving from north to central Boulder. At all of our locations, we are a full service cleaner, cleaning garments and household items, as well as doing alterations. All of the information is available on our website under the “Stores” tab.

Washington Park
258 S. Downing
(303) 733-6557

Cherry Creek
201 University
(303) 320-0787

Downtown
1550 Platte Street
(303) 433-2225

Boulder
4680 Broadway
(720) 406-7636

We also provide pick up and delivery service Boulder through the DTC.

What do you see as the next big improvement for the city of Denver? This can be anything or many things.

Rusty is a founding member of Mayor Hinckenlooperâ€™s Greenprint Council. This council conducted an in depth report of the current state of Denverâ€™s environment and the Cityâ€™s current footprint. Out of this research we have compiled recommendations for the Mayor to implement his Greenprint Plan. We are currently fielding public input and we will see what makes it through to implementation. The council recommended fairly aggressive plans and would like to see even more aggressive steps taken.

Anything I forgot to ask that everyone should know?

I’m sure there’s more, but feel free to give us a call.

Noel H. Bennett and Rusty Perry

And for the record, I just picked up my last load yesterday and my shirts are clean as can be. Consider me one happy customer. A happy green one.

Tour de France Kicks off

mike — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 01:24:00 +0000

The 2007 Tour de France has started!!

And to track it you need to check out these links

Here is the Tour de France Blog.

Here is the Tour de France Site.

How amazing is this race, the athletes, and the history and tradition of this incredible event. Plus just think how cool it would be if we all got out on bikes to take advantage of this great mode of transportation across the world more. Reducing carbon footprints, traveling from place to place feeling and touching everything.

That does it. I am getting my messenger bag ready for some serious rides. I spent last summer picking up groceries on my mountain bike and cruising around to town hopping curbs and exploring roads. This year I am getting a road bike and increasing my range and adding a few road events to my plan. So if you get a chance visit the “which bike should I get” forum question and give me some help.

The tour has me pumped up. How cool.

What a Great 4th of July

mike — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 18:47:16 +0000

Wow, this was one incredible Fourth of July and there was no more exciting place to be than the Glass House.

But lets just document the day in order

Starting the morning of the fourth a slow growth of individual party camps began popping up across the green grass of commons park. With mini grills set up and the smell of bar-b-q in the air Commons Park become center stage for running dogs, frisbee tosses, and volleyball.

One group, which was doing it right, got there among the very first and set up their own tent on the top of the mound commanding the highest views in the Park.

On my quick dog walk through the park I saw so many happy faces, and even more happy dogs, enjoying and getting prepared for the great evening ahead.

As the sun set we headed over to Glass House to join in what had to be the biggest party of the year. The lobby was pulsing with excitement as people flowed in and out of both towers. Caterers arrived with food in hand. Residents and guests arrived carrying, pulling, toting and dragging everything from fine wine to PBR, fried chicken and burgers to cheese trays. This place was hot. There were even folks in the lobby holding signs to assist people in finding their party. And no one I met was planning on attending just one.

Our first stop was the pool deck with our first party in one of the spectacular terrace units. These folks have it made with their own outdoor party space plus spill out to the pool level. I talked to a few of the folks I new who were staking out the pool and found out that many had been out here since the early am hours. They had come in groups and laid claim to their own individual kingdoms, taking turns patrolling their zones and chilling out with drinks while others in the group migrated throughout the building visiting other parties or taking on supply responsibilities to refill the coolers. But all was still cool and relaxed, with everyone respecting the building and each other. So far so good.

Before dusk we headed up to a bit more quiet spot overlooking the city and the pool deck. It was a cool night, just a few sprinkles of rain, and great views out to the city and Coors Field. As the night went on we got perhaps the most unexpected of all treats. From Glass House the other fireworks across the city and in the burbs were visible. From every directions we got a periodic treat of fire and color.

And then of course we got our grand show right in front of us with Denver’s awesome fireworks show. Here are a couple of some of my favorite shots from the night.

To improve our wonderful show mother nature joined in and gave us some wonderful heat lighting across the sky. With flashes of white brilliance in the sky the lightning created the most powerful show of all. The haze and smoke from our man made fireworks only allowed mother nature to create even more of a glow with every burst. I tried to capture a few shots of this as well and got a bit lucky, but as you know lightning is impossible to predict.

And of course, I had to geek out on the great glow that the fireworks and everything did against the panes of glass and with the night photos. Here are a few of those favorites.

And then, of course, a few folks start to take things even farther. These folks jumped in the pool still with their clothes on. Guess when you forget your suit you just have to make do.

.But of course the end of the fireworks gets crazier than the show itself. Lines of traffic stretched across town and the massive exodus of everyone leaving the show clogged not only elevators but streets and sidewalks. Off for more partying, the happy residents and visitors of downtown took off for their next event.

Myself, I just chilled out scanned back through the shots and thought what a wonderful visual the city and this night was. Hope you all enjoyed your fourth as well. Lets hope the rest of the events over the night shared the same respect and civility I saw at the beginning of the night. But I have heard that there were some folks, there always are, who may have gotten a bit out of hand.

The ability to have such a wonderful night, to celebrate with friends and neighbors so openly, and to be able to relax through it all with a smile and a laugh we need to be able to trust each other. I heard that a very few (and you know who you are) might have forgotten your manners. Don’t. This city rocks. The people are awesome. And we all want to have as much fun (or more) next year too in this wonderful community we live in.

With that I wish you all a happy belated independence day. Let’s celebrate everyones right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Later!

Paraskevidekatriaphobia

mike — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 04:01:27 +0000

Paraskevidekatriaphobia is the fear of Friday the 13th. In honor of this how about a little trivia…
Friday the 13th

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia – Cite This Source

A Friday occurring on the 13th day of any month is considered to be a day of bad luck in English, German and Portuguese-speaking cultures around the globe. Similar superstitions exist in some other traditions. In Greece and Spain, for example, Tuesday the 13th takes the same role. The fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia (a word that is derived from the concatenation of the Greek words Î Î±ÏÎ±ÏƒÎºÎµÏ…Î®, Î´ÎµÎºÎ±Ï„ÏÎµÎ¯Ï‚, and Ï†Î¿Î²Î¯Î±, meaning Friday, thirteen, and phobia respectively; alternate spellings include paraskevodekatriaphobia or paraskevidekatriaphobia) or friggatriskaidekaphobia, and is a specialized form of triskaidekaphobia, a phobia (fear) of the number thirteen.

History of Friday the 13th

There is no reliable evidence that Friday the 13th was considered to be especially inauspicious before the late nineteenth century, though both Friday and the number thirteen were separately identified as negative. Because of this, attempts to explain the superstition with reference to historical events are speculative.

One proposed origin relates to the Last Supper. Judas, the thirteenth guest, was instrumental in the Crucifixion of Jesus, which happened on a Friday.

Other theories offered in relation to Friday suggest that Eve offered the apple to Adam on a Friday or the slaying of Abel happened on a Friday (though the Bible does not identify the days of the week when these events occurred).

It is also sometimes claimed that the superstition derived from the massacre of the Knights Templar on Friday October 13, 1307. King Philip IV of France ordered the destruction of the Templars, after having claimed that they were engaged in heretical practices. Philip sent letters to his forces all over the country with instructions to open that morning. The orders were simple – seek out and arrest all known members of the Knights, slaughter those that resisted, and capture Jacques DeMolay, the last known Grand Master of the Knights Templar. (See also History of the Knights Templar)

However, no evidence is known to link the superstition to any specific events or suggest that there is any continuity from the Middle Ages to the present day.

Effects in people and cultures

“It’s been estimated that [U.S] $800 or $900 million is lost in business on this day because people will not fly or do business they would normally do,”

Some people are so paralyzed by fear that they are simply unable to get out of bed when Friday the 13th rolls around. The Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute estimates that more than 17 million people are affected by a fear of this day.A British Medical Journal study has shown that there is a significant increase in traffic related accidents on Friday the 13ths. Despite that representatives for both Delta and Continental Airlines say that their airlines don’t suffer from any noticeable drop in travel on those Fridays.

The date is well-known in the motorcycle (biker) community: Since 1981, motorcycle enthusiasts and vendors gather every Friday the 13th in Port Dover, Ontario, Canada. This tradition started on November 13, 1981 by Chris Simons as a gathering of approximately 25 friends. The event has grown substantially, with an estimated 100,000 people attending in August 2004, as well as music bands, vendors, a bike show, etc.

In the Spanish-speaking world, it is Tuesday the 13th (as well as Tuesdays in general) that brings bad luck; a proverb runs En martes, ni te cases ni te embarques (on Tuesday, neither get married nor start a journey).

Occurrence

The following months have a Friday the 13th:

2001 2007 2018 April, July G

2002 2013 2019 2024 September, December F, GF

2003 2008 2014 2025 June E, FE

2020 March, November ED

2009 2015 2026 February, March, November D

2004 February, August DC

2010 2021 2027 August C

2005 2011 2016 2022 May B, CB

2000 2028 October BA

2006 2017 2023 January, October A

2012 January, April, July AG

This sequence, here given for 2001-2028, repeats every 28 years from 1901 to 2099. The months with a Friday the 13th are determined by the Dominical letter (G, F, GF, etc.) of the year. All months whose first day falls on a Sunday will contain a Friday the 13th.The Gregorian Calendar 400-year cycle contains a whole number (20,871) of weeks and 146,097 days, but the number of months (4800) is not divisible by seven. Along with the 146,000 days, (400 x 365 days), there are ninety-seven February 29‘s and Leap Year Day‘s. The easiest way to explain how and why the Gregorian Calendar rotates during any 400-year cycle, there are 365 days every year. Ninety-seven of the 400 years are Leap Year‘s and contains a February 29, in them, there are 366 days. 365 days is 52 weeks, with one additional day. 366 days is 52 weeks, with two additional days. Just add the additional days, after the fifty-two weeks, during all 400 years. The 97 Leap Year‘s, doubles to 194. Then add the other 303, the overall total is 497. 97 plus 97 plus 303 equals 497. 497 days equals seventy-one weeks. Add the fifty-two weeks, in the four-hundred year system of the Gregorian Calendar, (other than the 497 additional days), there are 145,600 days, equalling 20,800 weeks. 145,600 days plus 497 days equals 146,097 days, which equals the 20,871 weeks and 146,097 days, listed up above. Because of this, no chosen day of the month up to the 28th can occur the same number of times on each day of the week. The 13th day of the month is slightly more likely to be on a Friday than on any other day of the week.

The distribution of the 13th day of the 4,800 months is as follows:

688: Friday (alone).

687: Sunday and Wednesday apiece.

687 Sundays + 687 Wednesdays = 1,374 months.

685: Monday and Tuesday apiece.

685 Mondays + 685 Tuesdays = 1,370 months.

684: Thursday and Saturday apiece.

684 Thursdays + 684 Saturdays = 1,368 months.

Add the 4 numbers, 688 + 1,374 + 1,370 + 1,368. They total the 4,800 months and equals 400 years altogether.

Every year has at least one month containing Friday the 13th.

Trivia

Heavy metal band Black Sabbath‘s first, self-titled album was released in the UK on Friday, February 13, 1970.

Novelist Daniel Handler, also known as Lemony Snicket, released the 13th book of the Series of Unfortunate Events on Friday, October 13, 2006.

January 13, 2006, and October 13, 2006, were not only Fridays, but the digits in the month, day, and year of each date add up to 13. This last occurred on October 13, 1520, and will next occur on May 13, 2011.

There is an almost uncanny occurrence (at least in recent years) of the full moon falling on or very close to a Friday the 13th. July 13th, 1984, February 13th, 1987, March 13th, 1998, October 13th, 2000 were all full moons. June 13th, 2003 and January 13th, 2006 were the days before a full moon, and June 13th, 2014 and January 13th, 2017 occur slightly after the full moon. Friday, September 13th, 2019 will be the next year to contain a full moon on a Friday the 13th.

Notable births and deaths on Friday the 13th

Name Date Note

Georges Simenon February 13, 1903 Born

Fidel Castro August 13, 1926 Born

Arnold Schoenberg July 13, 1951 Died

Steve Buscemi December 13, 1957 Born

Julia Louis-Dreyfus January 13, 1961 Born

Michelle Sara Cox December 13, 1974 Born

Hubert Humphrey January 13, 1978 Died

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen June 13, 1986 Born

Ross Breeden May 13, 1988 Born

Tupac Shakur September 13, 1996 Died

photo credit to carnafresca

Denver’s Best Breakfast Spot is…

mike — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 12:10:07 +0000

We all know how important breakfast is. Maybe you had a big night out and you are sitting down with friends to laugh about the events of the evening. Maybe you are sitting down to a big carb load after your run or morning yoga. Or maybe it’s just you, your new york times, and a couple hours to call your own.

Either way, finding the best breakfast spot in atmosphere, food, and comfort is critical in every big city. So what is your pick for Denver’s best breakfast? This weeks poll asks that questions, lets see what the results are.

[Poll=13]

Special thanks to Flickr user Thomas Hawk for this great fruit loop photo.

Don’t you make me leave downtown…

mike — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 13:58:09 +0000

But I don’t wanna leave downtown… and I have no plans to. We love living downtown, we love the people, the food, the lifestyle, the events, the activity, the energy, and on and on and on…

But the conversation I hear with many of our friends is centered around an upcoming departure from downtown to raise children. Let’s face it, the lodo and CPV scene is not rich with family life (but that is quickly changing). We always hear about our dear friends who moved to the burbs to have better schools, to raise their children, and to have the white picket fence. But what is also going on is those of us who are starting families want to stay downtown. That can make all the difference in our future.

Well I am tired of this scenario. I don’t want my friends to move away. I don’t want to visit them in the burbs. What I would like is to change this problem. And why shouldn’t it change? Those of us who choose to live downtown are smart, educated, with either good jobs or darn fun ones. And we have numbers and can effect change. There are so many new babies downtown, it is only the school age that sends people flying to the burbs. I see this path and I want to choose otherwise. I want to have a family down the road and still live the urban lifestyle downtown. But lets face it, we need some assistance to make this possible.

The good news is cities are recognizing this. The Urban Land Institute recently did a survey to look at why families weren’t living downtown in cities (any city, not just Denver) and it was overwhelmingly the schools. Cities like Chicago are looking at ways to get families to stay or move downtown, and they know schools are the key. Now we just have to figure out how to use the key. Here is an article on that story.

Below: What are the barriers to Families living downtown survey

From across the whole USA

So how do we improve the schools and address the biggest issue that scares away families and encourages people to move during this phase of their life? If you have an idea share it, because I like my urban lifestyle. I also think there is more community here in the city, and especially in Riverfront Park than in any burb. Here I know my neighbors, see them in the street, greet them in the coffee shop than I ever would in any burb.

But since this survey was done across the USA, now let’s do one just for little old Denver

[Poll=19]

An Interview with Snooze

mike — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 13:56:37 +0000

I love breakfast. A warm cup of coffee, bacon, eggs, hash browns and toast… or maybe pancakes… or should I do a breakfast burrito.. it all sounds so good. I remember living in the mountains and being the biggest pain in the butt to my friends. Some people woke up early for fresh tracks, I woke up even earlier so I could have a big breakfast before my fresh tracks. My friends would always know it was me because my calls came in the wee hours of the morning looking for breakfast and ski companions as a round robin, hitting their home, their cell, then their roommates cell. Eventually I would find someone who hadn’t gone out big the night before. Okay, I admit I can be a bit of a freak about getting up on the hill early and staying fueled up to ski through the day without stopping… especially on a powder day. And the key to making that happen is a great breakfast.
So of course my time in Denver has been spent hunting down some of the best breakfast spots around. Now imagine how excited I was the first time I went into Snooze. Great coffee, killer pancakes, and a steak and eggs benedict that is out of this world. You will find me there at least once every week, which is made easier by the fact that they are open every day.

The last time I was in there I was with about 12 folks, which gave us a full sampling of the menu. Everything was great, and a few new members of the Snooze fan club were started. So I thought it was time to get to know Snooze and it’s host and owner Jon Schlegel a little better. Join me for an interview with Snooze…

1: Let’s start out basic for folks who have never been in to visit you. Tell us a little bit about Snooze.

Snooze is my dream. Iâ€™ve been in the restaurant business since I was 13, went to DU for the Hotel, Restaurant School, and have been in fine dining for a while. Itâ€™s the package for a breakfast restaurant; focus on great food, great service, and a fun atmosphere.

2: By the way, Snooze is a great name. Where did you come up with that?

Iâ€™ve been working restaurant hours since I can remember. I thought to myself, If I ever want to coach my kids soccer teams, If I ever want to be at home for dinner with a future family, if I ever want to have nights off, I needed to change something. I would set my alarm every morning to try and be an early bird, to live the life of â€œnormalâ€ people, even though I went to bed at 3a most nights. I hit the Snooze 3 times, each morningâ€¦.and one morning, while I was searching for my answer on how to have nights offâ€¦.the epiphany happened.

3: Can you share a little bit about the background of Snooze and how you got started? Is this your first restaurant?

Snooze is the classic start up business story. Over 20 banks said NO, investors, developersâ€¦.and than finally, the whole thing happened. I started the business plan in 2000, and had several people critique it. Itâ€™s my first restaurant that I own, but since moving back to Denver, Iâ€™ve been the manager of The Denver Chophouse, Sushi Den, MAO (Now Ocean), and Monarck.

4: Okay, I have to ask about the pancakes. How many types do you have and which are your favorites?

We had National Pancake Day in September and we had three batters, 20 ingredients, 15 sauces and 7 butters to choose from. We have a ton of pancake ideasâ€¦.it is really what tastes best, whatâ€™s the season. Itâ€™s great because itâ€™s constantly evolving. I am a Reeceâ€™s Pieces junkieâ€¦.itâ€™s a joke among my family. The new big cups are my favorite. So, the Peanut Butter Cup pancake is mine (Ghirardelli Chocolate Chips, Peanut Butter Cream Anglaise, and More Chocolate on top, crushed peanuts for garnish)

5: If you had a friend in to visit and they only got one meal at Snooze, what would you recommend they try that they couldn’t find anywhere else?

Juanâ€™s Breakfast Tacos with flour tortillas and Chorizo, a side Pineapple Upside Down Pancake, a cup or House Coffee (Our Own blend flown in from Guatemala each week) and a Morning Manhattan.

6: Any plans to franchise Snooze, open additional locations, or open something new?

We still have so much we want to do with this Snooze. The product can always evolve, improve I feel. Plus, I have some great regulars and employees. When you have more locations, that all changes.

7: Any plans for lunch or dinner? Any new items for the menu coming soon?

No Dinner. We want to do two meals, breakfast and lunch, and do them well. We serve lunch Monday â€“ Friday and our menu changes approximately each 2 months. We have a new menu rolling out February 6thâ€¦..itâ€™ll be sweet!

8: Didn’t you recently have a pancake charity event? What events have you had and are there any more planned?

Make a Wish for Pancakes Dayâ€¦.Pick your batter, pick your ingredients. All Pancake sales went to our neighbors at the Samaritan Shelter. Weâ€™ve hosted everything from DU alumni events, to Dinner Rehearsals. We have the chef and the liquor license and the space. It depends on the occasion.

9: Can you tell us about your location? Denver is constantly growing, have you seen changes?

As a Denver native, I wasnâ€™t even allowed down in this area. However, I live above the restaurant and am the VP of the Ballpark Neighborhood Association. Iâ€™m familiar with the historic district, future developments; future endeavorsâ€¦.the area are great. In my opinion, itâ€™s the most diverse of the Denver Neighborhoods which is a cool characteristic.

10: Anything else I should have asked that folks should know?

I love hearing about someoneâ€™s Favorite dining experience! It doesnâ€™t matter when or where but what was it that made it so memorable!? One of my favorite books is THE PERFECT MEALâ€¦â€¦itâ€™s about the best meals all over the world. Some in rural parts of Asia, other chapters at the nicest fine dining restaurant in the world. Tell me yoursâ€¦.

Visit, edit or contribute to the Denver Wiki Page for Snooze

2001	2007		2018		April, July	G
2002		2013	2019	2024	September, December	F, GF
2003	2008	2014		2025	June	E, FE
			2020		March, November	ED
	2009	2015		2026	February, March, November	D
2004					February, August	DC
	2010		2021	2027	August	C
2005	2011	2016	2022		May	B, CB
2000				2028	October	BA
2006		2017	2023		January, October	A
	2012				January, April, July	AG

Name	Date	Note
Georges Simenon	February 13, 1903	Born
Fidel Castro	August 13, 1926	Born
Arnold Schoenberg	July 13, 1951	Died
Steve Buscemi	December 13, 1957	Born
Julia Louis-Dreyfus	January 13, 1961	Born
Michelle Sara Cox	December 13, 1974	Born
Hubert Humphrey	January 13, 1978	Died
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen	June 13, 1986	Born
Ross Breeden	May 13, 1988	Born
Tupac Shakur	September 13, 1996	Died