Recession Special
Recession Special, originally uploaded by aturkus.
This economy sucks.
Many people out there are trying to act like it isn’t that bad. Bull puckey. I believe the real expert I talked to the other day…. my cab driver set the record straight for me. It was on this past Friday night. I had just rolled into the back a green and white hybrid taxi cab of Metro Taxi (Thanks for going green Metro, but don’t stop at a few). I should have known something was different when the “ring ring” of my phone indicating my taxi’s arrival came only a few scarce minutes after I placed the call. I mean this was fast service. Remember, this was on a Friday night. Usually you can call a cab with time to spare to finish getting ready, have a glass of wine, watch the last few minutes of 30 rock that you recorded on your DVR, or even take the dog out for a final squirt before they usually arrive. In fact you usually have to make that insecure “did you forget about me call” at least once, which coincidently I believe is the real time that they dispatch the cab. But not this night my friends. They were ready and waiting. Here is why…
“This is my worst Friday ever” the cab driver shared with me. He was pretty noncholant about it. “I thought last Friday was my worst Friday ever, and then this week it got worse” he continued. “This economy must be keeping everyone home”. It was then that we passed tons of people walking to the Pepsi Center. “Or maybe they are just driving”. That might be scary if they are still out at 2 am.
Whatever their transportation plans are, straight from the cabbies mouth we are seeing the slowdown in the simplest things. I stopped into the Chang (PF Chang) for for a quick lunch while downtown and the place was, well not empty, but lets just say “strangely table friendly” I could pretty much sit wherever I wanted, lay out whatever I was reading, and be taken care of by the readily available team there. Mind you this was a weekday, lunches have consistently been packed on weekdays downtown. (Side note, weekends are a great time to eat at the Chang and avoid lines). Again the feedback I got from my server was “It’s been reeeeeeaaaaaaallllllly slow”. nuff said.
The last omen might not be the economy but a troubled season. I decided to save a little money myself and put a pair of club level Bronco’s tickets for the always popular Raiders game on stubhubb. At the beginning of the season I was all pumped up for the game, now I think I’d be just as happy to sit cozy on the couch with a my own snacks and beverages. Everyone said “those tickets will sell in a snap”. They haven’t. I look and prices are dropping. This one you can’t blame on just the economy, but the Broncos don’t need any more heat.
And for those of you out there, you know who you are, who say “Don’t say the economy is bad, it will scare people into acting in a way to make the economy worse”. The cat is out of the bag. Lets just realize it sucks, laugh about it, deal with it, and move on. Making it a big bad scary thing that you can’t say does make people act a great deal differently. Treating it like the a zit on the face of life that will come and go makes it a little easier to bear. Sure, it’s ugly, but it will go away.
Loading ...By the way it is either sad or funny what the lowest (0 votes at the time of this post) ranked cutback item is.
November 16, 2008 2 Comments
Rail Feasiblity Study Announced
I want a train solution between Denver and Vail/Summit. I talk about it, I dream about it, and I write about it. Well the good news about this crazy economy and the spike that occured with gas prices is that at least a few other people realized that we need to start thinking about [Read more →]
November 9, 2008 No Comments
Denver’s Best Neighborhood to Raise a Family
Family in Commons Park on the 4th
What makes a neighborhood a great neighborhood to raise a family? Which criteria matter the most? Would you say it was the school system, the public parks and playgrounds, or simple safety. What about the value of a dollar towards your real estate, because let’s face it people usually make the transition from [Read more →]
July 25, 2008 No Comments
Walk Score
The above “Walk Score” is for the address of 1610 Little Raven Street, Denver Colorado 80202, the home of Zengo Restaurant and the heart of the plaza in Riverfront. The score (at least today when writing the post) is 83 or “Very Walkable”. How cool is this tool!!! 8-)
Walk Score calculates, on a scale to 100, how pedestrian friendly (walkable) your address is. If you are looking [Read more →]
June 10, 2008 8 Comments
What the FRAK!! Okay that’s it
Loading ...Today Oil prices jumped over $10 a barrel, although I really don’t know how big that is but according to the New York Times it is the BIGGEST JUMP EVER. Just Frakking Great.
How did I know something was up, I noticed the stock market was taking a nose dive. So now everyone’s savings, 401K, [Read more →]
June 6, 2008 2 Comments
Where to live if you don’t want to Drive
It might mean Pedestrian Friendly with everything within walking distance, it might mean bike trails, it might mean public transportation. But the question is, with gas pricing going exponentially up, where is the best neighborhood to live without a car. Back up your vote with a reason.
Loading ...June 2, 2008 No Comments
Need a solution for mountain traffic
Reading the New York Times this week I was not surprised to see mention of our horrible traffic issue on I-70 between here and the mountains. What amazes me is that the train solution isn’t being pushed harder. Short term fixes work, well, short term. A long term solution is needed.
That’s on my wish list anyway.
February 14, 2008 4 Comments
Art, Parking & Traffic
I got a chance to attend a very small affair at the new Museum of Contemporary Art space on 15th and heard about the great new plans that have gone into the museum. I’ll save a great deal of those tidbits for the Museum itself to roll out but did want to share a few neighborhood tidbits.
The first ties into art. They have an artist who works in an almost Comic Book/Sin City sphere who has created some video pieces for display. They are going to be positioned in such a way that they will be visible from outside the Museum through one [Read more →]
October 13, 2007 No Comments
World Car Free Day September 22nd
This upcoming September 22nd is World Wide Car Free Day!!
Leave your car at home and bike, walk, or use public transportation. Just don’t get in that car!! Learn more about this worldwide organization here.
September 22, 2007 No Comments
Friends of Union Station update coming
I am so dang excited about Union Station Neighborhood I can’t wait to hear more… unfortunately I’ll be in another country and I am so bummed to be missing this.
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September 12, 2007 - Invitation to Thursday, September 20th Breakfast Meeting
UNION STATION REDEVELOPMENT AT 3% PRELIMINARY DESIGN STAGE!
Friends of Union Station will hold a Breakfast Meeting on Thursday, September 20, 2007 in the Theater Room of the Oxford Hotel (entrance at 1637 Wazee Street) from 7: 30 to 9 A. M.
There will be a cover fee of $5 per person. Coffee, tea and a continental breakfast will be provided.
Mr. Eric Anderson of Parsons Brinckerhoff, Senior Project Manager for the redevelopment of Union Station, will present an updated status report on the project. Due to design considerations and negotiations between the City/RTD and Union Station Neighborhood Company over the past three months, there has been a dearth of information about the development plans. Now with the project reaching the 3% preliminary design refinement stage, more insight into the planned transportation elements and the impact on the surrounding site is coming to light. The meeting will be an excellent opportunity for you to ask questions and get clarification.
Seating is limited, so please RSVP to info@friendsofunionstation.org soon.
Thank you. We look forward to seeing you at the meeting.
September 13, 2007 No Comments
