Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Join us at Elitch Gardens Theatre Saturday!

Starting a new project or business? Friday afternoon from 2 to 3:30 p.m., join me (John) for the Denver IDEA Café, where we share startup experience and brainstorm. Panara Bread, 13th & Grant near the Capitol here in Denver. Free and open to all. RSVP at http://ideacafe.meetup.com/1

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Saturday Mary and I will enjoy dinner at Chef Patricia Perry's wonderful Highlands Garden Cafe, 3927 West 32nd Avenue, Denver. 303.458.5920. (Check out their new website at http://www.highlandsgardencafe.com/) Pat warns us that the noise will be a bit much with live music located just in front of the cafe as part of the Highland's Street Fair (see below).

Then we'll be going to newly remodeled, historic Carousel Pavilion in Elitch Gardens, 38th and Tennyson where The Center for American Theatre is presenting “The Pavilion” by Craig Wright Directed by Michael French. Gloria Shanstrom tells us it has been hailed by critics as an "an Our Town for our time."

“The Pavilion” opened June 7 and runs through July 1 at the Carousel Pavilion in Historic Elitch Gardens, 38th and Tennyson. Performances are Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Dusk (apx. 8 p.m.) Tickets for remaining performances are $5, $10 and $15 and available by calling 720-985-7938, online at www.instantseats.com or http://www.centerforamerciantheatre.org

Before the play Saturday, we’ll stop by Highland Square Street Fair with food and artisan booths, a classic car show, live music and kids' activities from 10:00am to 8:00pm
32nd Ave. and Lowell Blvd, Denver. http://www.highlands-square.com/

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Sunday we’ll visit the Colorado Renaissance Festival in Larkspur, the 16th-century village and marketplace, theatrical entertainment and comedy, kids' petting farm, arts and craft, food, musicians, jousting and more! Every week Saturday, Sunday from Sat., June 9 until Sun., July 29, 10:00am-6:30pm Price: $8-$17.95 (kids under 5 free) http://www.coloradorenaissance.com/

We’re going to try and take in one of the Rockies games next week as they play the New York Yankees on Tuesday and Wednesday in the evening and on Thursday in the afternoon.

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Enjoy keeping up?
Take a look at the Gallup Poll Daily Update.
http://www.galluppoll.com/

Finding this has encouraged us to start a new
“Favorite Websites” we’ll try and post something
new and interesting for you each week.

What are you going to do next weekend?

Friday, June 8, 2007

First Weekend in June a Rocking Good Time!

Just in time to shake off the chills from this week's weather are plays, outdoor festivals, and farmers markets.

Elitch's summer play season returns with The Center for American Theatre's production of the The Pavilion by Craig Wright and directed by Michael French.

“The Pavilion” opens June 7 and runs through July 1 at the Carousel Pavilion in Historic Elitch Gardens, 38th and Tennyson. Performances are Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Dusk (apx. 8 p.m.) Opening night, June 7, is a Gala Fundraiser for The Center for American Theatre. Tickets are $50 and include post show champagne/strawberry reception and talkback with the actors and director. Tickets for remaining performances are $5, $10 and $15 and available by calling 720-985-7938, online at www.instantseats.com or www.centerforamerciantheatre.org.

Hailed by critics as an "an Our Town for our time," this play is by turns poetic and comic, romantic and philosophical. Peter returns to his twenty-year high-school reunion with dreams of winning back Kari, the girl he left behind after an unexpected pregnancy ended their relationship. Standing in Peter's way is Kari's bitter-as-ever resentment, her husband and the fact that Peter still hasn't grown up. As the night progresses, both Peter and Kari are led, through their interactions with a host of characters all played by a virtuosic Narrator, to face the consequences of choices made long ago and start back into life with newfound strength and bittersweet resolve.

For those who love outdoor events, you'll want to catch Aravada's 6th Annual Gold Strike Festival.

Historic Olde Town Arvada Association will celebrate Arvada’s history as the site of the first documented gold strike in Colorado in 1850 with the 6th Annual Gold Strike Festival on Saturday, June 9 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m and Sunday, June 10 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Grandview Avenue in Olde Town.

Historical Reenactments in Rendezvous Park: The authentic and vibrant history of our region will be played out at the First Olde Town Rendezvous. Reenactment artists and actors will set up camp on Friday night, June 8 and bivouac for the weekend. The rendezvous site is at McIlvoy Park, between Ralston Road and 57th Avenue, just east of Upham St. This first time event includes the Buffalo Soldiers, doing two sabre drills each day and two rifle drills each day, Mountain Men/Trappers, Tallow River Trappers, the Gold Prospectors of the Rockies and even President Teddy Roosevelt. All the rendezvous artists are part of non-profit re-enactor organizations and are participating in this inaugural event to support living, interactive history.

On Saturday registration for the Pets & Kids Parade begins at 9:30 a.m. in the Town Square. The parade takes place at 10:00 a.m. and will be followed by an Awards Presentation from the Main Stage.

This year’s Motorcycle Run will take off from Roadie’s, 5675 Olde Wadsworth Blvd, at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 9. The route from Olde Town Arvada takes the group through Coal Creek Canyon west to Hwy 119 and down Golden Gate Canyon Road before returning to Arvada.

The Classic Car Show will be held at the St. Anne’s School on the corner of Upham and 57th on Saturday, June 9 from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. The top 5 vehicles will receive awards along with an additional People’s Choice Award.

Texas Hold Em Tournament: The tournament will be held at Bread Winners on Saturday, June 9 from 1:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

On Sunday, June 10 a hearty Pancake Breakfast will be served from 9-11 a.m. at the Elks Lodge for a mere $3.

Music on the Main Stage includes Jeffco Brass Band, Keith Wren, Kicked to the Curb, TC & the Domestic Engineers and Tempa and the Tantrums on Saturday. Sunday’s performances include the O-Tone Brass Band, Drienka and from 3:30 - 5 p.m., John Adams performs a tribute to music of John Denver.

Rob Drabkin, Clamdaddy’s and Elephant Revival perform in Town Square on Saturday with a performance by the Whippoorwills on Sunday.

Kid’s Corner events include Magic Rob and Cindy the Clown’s comedy/magic show on Saturday, Science Matters, United Studios of Self-Defense, Rocky Mountain School of Dance along with face painters and balloon artists on both Saturday and Sunday.

Additional weekend activities will include bungee jumping, artisan and tai chi demonstrations, Story Time at the Library each hour, dance demonstration & lessons in Town Square, over 60 food and craft vendors an Ice Cream Social on the lawn at McIlvoy and a beer garden.

For more information about The Gold Strike Festival or other HOTA sponsored events, please call the Historic Olde Town Arvada association office at (303) 420-6100. www.historicarvada.org

Summary of events:

Historic Olde Town Arvada Association
6th Annual Gold Strike Festival
Celebrating Arvada’s history as the site of the first documented gold strike in Colorado in 1850.
Saturday, June 9 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday, June 10 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Grandview Avenue in Olde Town Arvada.
Free and open to the public
(303) 420-6100. www.historicarvada.org

Another outdoor event is the annual farmer's market in the Old South Pearl Street shopping district.


Voted “Best Farmer’s Market” by Westword Magazine
Old South Pearl Street Farmers Market
Food – Fun - Music
Every Sunday June 10 through October 28
9 A.M. to 1 P.M.


The Old South Pearl Street shopping district runs from Buchtel to Evans and this is the perfect time of year to explore the wonderful shops and restaurants.

The Old South Pearl Street Farmers Market begins its seventh season on Sunday, June 10 and runs every Sunday through October 28. Hand picked vendors from all over Colorado will line the 1500 block of South Pearl Street in Denver (between Florida and Iowa) to offer up Colorado grown fresh fruits and vegetables, breads, pastries, fresh cut flowers, vinaigrettes, gourmet oils, pesto, salsas, jams, preserves, pasta, nuts, cheeses, fire roasted chilies and the line up is not complete yet! New to Market is Captain Rick's Wild Alaskan Salmon offering frozen salmon, halibut, elk, buffalo and rabbit meat. Our food vendors offer choices from crepes to delicious Bar-B-Que to fill you up, gourmet chocolate to cure a sweet tooth and gelato to cool you down. All this and live music every week.

Old South Pearl Street kicks off an exciting season with the annual Summer Sidewalk Sale, Friday, June 8 through 10. Hours are Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Playwright Theatre and Artcorp presents Shirley Valentine directed by Mollie Mook Friday, June 8 at The Playwright Theatre, 2119 E. 17th Avenue in Denver.

Performance are at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. Sundays through July 1. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for students and seniors with a special $15 group rate for groups of five or more.

Written by Willy Russell, this moving and honest play has not only been a hit in London and New York (winning the 1989 Tony award), but has captivated audiences all across the country.

Shirley Valentine is the story of an unfulfilled middle age housewife from Liverpool lamenting her mundane existence and her stagnate marriage. She offers wry observations on the realities of life as she gets up enough nerve to leave the claustrophobic confines of her kitchen for the romance and adventure of Greece. Beautifully written, the audience actually lives vicariously through Shirley, all the while rooting for her transformation.

Starring Pam Clifton (Search for Signs of Intelligent Life, Murder Most Fowl, Dearly Departed, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune) and directed by Mollie Mook (The Shape of Things, Evangeline, Points of View), this proves to be a lovely theatre experience, perfect for a summer evening.

This also marks the first production of Artcorp, a new project developed by Clifton and Mook which offers talented students in higher education an opportunity to work in the professional community.

For reservations or more information contact The Playwright Theatre at 303-499-0383 or visit our website at playwrighttheatre.com.

Friday, June 1, 2007

Great way to start the month tonight!

The 1st Friday of each month (tonight) from 6 to 9pm the Art District on Santa Fe invites us to experience work of international, national and local artists in Denver's only multi-block art district, where viewers can easily walk to all the galleries. Within a six-block section of Santa Fe Drive area, from 5th Ave. to 10th Ave., you can enjoy over 30 participating galleries and artist studios.

Join me and Mary tonight for First Friday History Tour (5:30 pm)
There's more than just paints and pastels to Santa Fe ...take the Art District on Santa Fe tour and learn about the stories beneath the stucco. Offered tonight, meet at 5:30 at the Byers Branch Library at 675 Santa Fe. First Friday Special- $5/ person . No reservation necessary, just show up at 5:30 and pay the guide! Tours given by Denver History Tours. For more information call 720.234.7929 or go to www.denverhistorytours.com.

There is free parking for First Friday at:

Alliance Francaise de Denver: The S.W. corner of 6th & Galapago, through the alley, just West of Galapago.
Kitchens at the Denver: 8th & Kalamath.
Micro Business: 700 Kalamath Street.
West High School: 10th and Galapago

For a list of the galleries, a map, and more information see:
http://www.artdistrictonsantafe.com/

Go to Press for links to newspaper articles about
Recent gallery openings with new artists.