Life on Capitol Hill – May 2015 by Life on Capitol Hill

Life on Capitol Hill Capitol Hill • Cheesman Park • City Park West • Congress Park • Uptown • Alamo Placita

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20th Anniversary Denver Central Library The story of how it came to be By Caroline Schomp

t’s amazing to consider that famed architect Michael Graves and local architect Brian Klipp never met before they teamed up to design Denver’s Central Library, which opened 20 years ago this spring. Graves, who died in March, was a prolific designer of buildings – more than 350 all over the world. He also was a sought after industrial and product designer, including such mundane objects as teakettles and bottle openers for retailers such as Target. After a spinal infection left him paralyzed in 2003, he turned his talents to designing products to help the disabled and other items utilized in hospitals. Throughout Graves’ fifty-plus-year career he also taught architecture at Princeton University. When Graves’ body of work is reviewed, however, the Denver Public Library project is often mentioned as an example of why he is considered a titan of post-modernism. And why local architect Brian Klipp considers that project one of the most exciting of his own career as well. Denver voters gave three-to-one approval in 1990 for a $91.6 million bond issue. As Klipp describes it, his firm – now gkkworks and then Klipp, Colussy, Jenks, DuBois – was planning an entry in the design competition whose winner would get the DPL job. Local firms paired with internationally known firms. Their team’s celebrity firm withdrew three weeks before the initial submissions were due. Klipp assumed the opportunity was dead and left town. “I got a call from my office with 10 days left (on the submission deadlines). Michael Graves had called and wanted to team. We’d never met them and they hadn’t met us.” They had to throw something together quickly. Graves came in See LIBRARY on page 3

Is Home-Share the Next Car Share? Zoning changes to allow short-term rentals headed to city council…someday.

CENTRAL LIBRARY, old and new artfully melded together in a beautiful, yet functional design. PHOTO BY JEFF HERSCH

Denver Botanic Gardens Events for Spring & Summer Wide variety of themed events and exhibits By Christa T. Palmer

re you looking forward to all that nature has to offer during the spring and summer? If so, you can take advantage of many local programs right here in Denver. There are a wide variety of events at the Denver Botanic Gardens, everything from concerts to plant sales. The annual Spring Plant Sale takes place Fri. & Sat., May 8 - 9, 8 am - 5pm. This is the Garden’s largest plant sale featuring more than 10 plant divisions including annuals,

perennials, hanging baskets, container gardens, aquatics and more. This year’s sale focuses on pollinator-attracting plants. Admission to the sale is free. Bring your own wagon so you can transport your plants. You can also receive one-on-one advice from the Garden’s horticulture staff. The Spring Plant Sale Pre Preview will take place Thurs., May 7, 4-8 pm. Tickets are $45 and attendees will enjoy a leisurely shopping experience with complimentary appetizers, wine and beer. Tickets are available on

the Garden’s website a botanicgardens.org. Tickets for the Summer Concert Series are on sale now. Featured artists include Boz Scaggs, Melissa Etheridge, Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers, Culture Club, Keb’ Mo’, Ziggy Marley, Yes + Toto and several other acts. A full schedule is available on the website. “Unwind: Thursday is the new Friday” summer event series will return this year with three events. Thursday dates See DBG on page 12

By J. Patrick O’Leary

ow that the state legislature has allowed (and regulated) car sharing through apps like Uber and Lyft, a City Council task force is exploring doing the same for Internet-enabled shortterm home sharing. Although renting out a home or room for less than 30 days in residential zones is not allowed under Denver zoning, hundreds are advertised on sites like VRBO.com, HomeAway. com and Airbnb.com. A draft discussion document on how to allow and regulate shortterm rentals – Draft Zoning Approach for Short-term Rentals in Residential Zone Districts – is being circulated among neighborhood organizations and discussed at Council’s Sharing Economy Task Force meetings. The paper and public comment will be used in drafting a possible text amendment to the zoning code, although it may be six months or longer before it reaches a vote in Council, according to District 5 City Councilwoman Mary Beth Susman, who chairs the task force. The first step, if the city chooses to regulate, is to make a text amendment to the current zoning code, Susman explained. “The planning office said the best place to make the change is under Home Occupations, because room and boarding is allowed there… we would change that to allow (rentals of) less than 30 days,” she said. But unlike other home occupations currently allowed, a permit would be required. “If we want to add other regulations, such as insurance requirements, smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors, we don’t know if that will be part of permitting, or something from Excise and License,” she said. See SHORT-TERM on page 2

DENVER BOTANIC TULIPS, the early risers of spring display their luxurious colors for all to admire at the garden. PHOTO BY JEFF HERSCH

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Short-term Continued from page 1 Imposing a lodger’s tax is also being considered. Susman has taken the draft paper to meetings hosted by Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation (INC) and Greater Park Hill Community and is seeking comment from other neighborhood groups. She has also transferred the task force to the Neighborhoods and Planning Committee, so that its meetings will be televised and made available online, starting in April. (The task force meets the fourth Mon. at 3 pm, Room 391, in the City and County Building, 1437 Bannock.) Any text amendments recommended by the task force would have to be voted on by City Council. The Draft Zoning Approach, dated Mar. 10, suggests that: • Short-term rentals (less than 30 days) be allowed as a Specific Use Type of Home Occupation under 11.12.8.2 of the Denver Zoning Code, incidental or secondary to the primary use of residential occupancy. • The same limitations on currently allowed home occupations apply, with additional requirements of a permit, issued only to a person owning or renting the property and using it as their primary residence. It would exclude corporations, partnerships or other legal entities from applying. Non-resident employees or assistants would not be allowed, and the rented space can not be self-contained or separate. • Maximum square footage restrictions would not apply to the rented space, the same ex-

emption for foster family, adult and care, and arts and crafts studios. • No simultaneous home occupations would be allowed, similar to the restriction placed on foster family and adult care, and rooming and boarding. • A zoning permit and $20 fee would be required. Licensing and taxing recommendations were not made, as those regulations would be matters for Excise and Licenses, and Treasury, according to the paper. INC hosted a panel discussion on Feb. 14, featuring Susman, Clark Stevens of AirBnB, and Abe Barge and Kyle Dalton of Community Planning & Development. The majority of public comments were positive, from people who were offering home sharing. Stevens stressed AirBnB’s commitment to working with local government and encouraging its hosts to comply with the law, but stated his company was only a “platform” for home sharing and would not speculate on how they would respond to future regulation. Barge and Dalton confirmed that short-term home sharing is not allowed under current zoning, and explained the current enforcement mechanism, which includes Neighborhood Inspection Services responding to complaints by contacting the owner, issuing an inspection notice and notice of violation, and imposing fines of $150-$999 if necessary. On Mar. 14, INC passed a resolution asking City Council to consider taxation, licensing or permitting, limitations on density and location, and enforcement mechanisms in creating

COMCAST CARES, carefully creates a lawn art logo at Denver Children’s Home at Colfax & Albion. PHOTO BY JEFF HERSCH new regulations, and to enforce the current prohibition on shortterm rentals. The Sharing Economy Task Force last met Mar. 23. Susman set up the group after learning about the “sharing economy” and writing a story for The Denver Post. The task force considers and makes legislative recommendations on health and safety, insurance, code restrictions and other operating issues regarding transportation network companies, home, goods, labor, food, and other forms of the emerging sharing economy. “They call it ‘sharing’ but I call it ‘collaborative consump-

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adding that council needs to be aware of the practice so it can consider what its role would be. At press, no proposed text amendment had been submitted to City Council.

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tion’,” said Susman. “First there was Uber and Lyft (the most contentious), next is home sharing. When we work that one out, I don’t know if we (the task force) will continue,” said Susman,

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Writers Dina Berta D. Todd Clough Peg Ekstrand Nancy Foster Julie Hutchinson Peter Jones Linda Katchen Keith Lewis

Lokken Liane Jason McKinney J. Patrick O’Leary Christa T. Palmer J.L. Schultheis Price Caroline Schomp Denny Taylor Daniel Webster Jr.

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Denver Library Continued from page 1 just before the first interviews, which Klipp said were mostly to talk more with the architects about philosophy and vision than design, and to see what kind of rapport they could build. “Michael and I had great chemistry,” he said. Their thrown-together submission was enough for the team to be included among the final six “very impressive teams from around the world.” The six were whittled down to three that entered into a final three-month competition. After an orientation session, the teams worked for a month and returned to meet with the selection committee for a few hours to present designs. The final submission was expected to be a complete design that addressed all the issues and problems. There were many issues and problems, ranging from political to orientation to historic preservation, according to Klipp. There was the existing library, a 1955 Burnham-Hoyt structure that historic preservationists were intent on protecting. The new library of 540,000 sf had to incorporate the existing structure of 125,000 sf. The architects had to figure out how to deal with the two structures’ misaligned floors and other details. But the overarching question was: What should civic architecture in Denver be? “How does a large building speak to Civic Center Park, the Capitol, and the Ponti Building (Denver Art Museum)? It also needed to embrace the emerging Golden Triangle neighborhood,” Klipp said. The Graves-Klipp team worked through all of them, designing a building made of “…building blocks that broke the scale down. We were afraid that the building would be so large that people would get inside and feel uncomfortable. Michael designed buildings within the building, always giving people the sense that they were leaving one space and arriving in a new space,” Klipp said. There was also a question of how the public should enter the building. Should the entrance be off a plaza created between the library and the art museum’s Ponti Building? Or should the entrance be on bustling Broadway? The solution was to have two entrances, which was controversial. “You weren’t supposed to do that, in a library,” Klipp said. Then there was the question of materials. Klipp remembers explaining to Graves that Denver was not a mountain city; it was a high plains city and materials and colors had to reflect that. “Colorado red sandstone, certainly, but there wasn’t enough money for sandstone, so the exterior of the building is mostly precast concrete. The green is, too. We used natural stone close to the ground and in the arcade,” Klipp said. “Some of the international architects dropped out because the budget was too low.” Graves and Klipp made it work. Throughout the process, Klipp said the local team worked smoothly with Graves. “He was very smart about working with the client and press – to give credit to those of us on the local team. He drew us into the conversation. It was part of his personality,” Klipp

said. Graves could afford to share the limelight. As Los Angeles Times critic Christopher Hawthorne wrote in Graves’ obituary, “Not many architects can claim to have spearheaded a major design movement. Michael Graves played a prominent role in three…If there was a thread connecting [his] disparate work, it was a deeply felt populism, a philosophy embodied in the slogan Target attached to his products: ‘Good design should be affordable to all.’… His architecture, similarly, represented an effort to bring back all the crowd-pleasing details – columns, gables, gargoyles – that dour modernist architects, with their emphasis on flat roofs and functionalist dogma, had banished.” And Graves worked very hard at it. “He would just grind away at it. I always assumed people as gifted as he didn’t have to work that hard. He did. He kept working and changing,” Klipp said. His imprint is on every element down to the carpeting, the furniture and the lamps over the tables. They all interconnected to form a complete whole. The final design presentations were a revelation to Klipp. They took place at the Convention Center and were open to the public. It was a civic exercise that Klipp didn’t expect to register with citizens. “But they started closing architectural practices and the local schools of architecture. On my way through the convention center I walked by all these rooms I expected to be empty, and they were full of people,” he said. They split up the presentation with Graves presenting the vision and how it shaped the plans. Then Graves flew home to Princeton, leaving Klipp and his team to wait. As the architects of record, the call – if it came – would come to them. “On the day of the decision … they didn’t call and didn’t call, and we thought we’d lost.” But about 12:30 p.m. thenMayor Federico Pena called and wanted them in the mayor’s office 45 minutes later for the official press announcement. Their design was accepted with minimal changes. The committee members liked that the design broke down the scale into building blocks making each element distinguishable. They liked the arcade on the south side that made a gesture south to the Golden Triangle. In short, they liked a lot about the building that some others have criticized. For example, a group of architects and staffers at California Home + Design included it on a list of “25 Buildings that Should Be Demolished Right Now,” calling it a “catastrophy.” [sic] “There have been a lot of naysayers,” Klipp said. “If we’d screwed up, though, it would have set back architecture in Denver for years.” Much of that can be attributed to Graves’ “unlimited knowledge of architectural history and styles,” he said, combined with his insistence that the library had to be functional and had to flow. When Klipp heard that Graves had died, “It made me think about all those things. And also about all the projects that came after the library. How would they have unfolded without the success of the library?”

DENVER CENTRAL LIBRARY HISTORY, Brian Klipp (middle) confers with Michael Graves (on the right) and then City Librarian, Rick Ashton, regarding finish material samples for the exterior of the new building. PHOTO FROM CENTRAL LIBRARY ARCHIVES

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SPARK YOUR IMAGINATION at the hands-on Studio space inspired by the art of Joan Miro. PHOTO BY JEFF HERSCH

IN THE ZONE, the construction zone that is, at the Denver Art Museum. Jayce (green), Asher (stripes), Maggie (pink), and Lyla (black) rearrange the building blocks. PHOTO BY JEFF HERSCH

Denver Art Museum offers free admission to youth through 2020 BY Jason McKinney

he Denver Art Museum announced on March 25 that for the next five years, all youth 18 and under will enjoy free admission. There is no catch; the FREE for KIDS program is being provided through a generous donation from Scott Reiman and the Rei-

man Foundation, in addition to a one-year grant from Kaiser Permanente Colorado. The free donations will continue through Spring 2020, with the hope that additional funding will be secured at that point to continue the program. FREE for KIDS covers individual, school tours, and youth group visits; the program will

also seed a new transportation fund that provides bus funding assistance for Title I schools. The Denver Art Museum is also now able to cap youth pricing for all special ticketed exhibitions at $5 for the duration of the program. “With this generous underwriting of youth admission, we can further lower barriers to

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entry and welcome all children to experience our art collections and creative educational programming,” said Christoph Heinrich, Director of the Denver Art Museum. Scott Reiman is a longtime Denver Art Museum trustee and donor, as well as a trustee for the University of Denver, a board member for Graland Country Day School, ACE Scholarships, and the Rocky Mountain Public Broadcasting Network. “Denver’s arts and cultural facilities create tremendous opportunities for our kids,” said Reiman. “The Denver Art Museum already does an outstanding job of welcoming families. Now we want to make sure every child has access to the creative experiences the museum has to offer.” According to a 2014 survey conducted by the City of Denver, the community indicated cost of attendance as being one of the top three barriers to visiting arts and cultural facilities in the area. This lifting of admission costs will help to attract larger groups of youths and their families. The Denver Art Museum is considered to be one of the most family friendly museums in the nation, according to USA Today, and is renowned for its child-centric educational programming, including hands-on

activities in multi-generational spaces and integrated throughout its galleries as well. Families who visit the Denver Art Museum are given a “Fun Things for Families to Do Today” brochure in English or Spanish, outlining all of the activities for kids. The Family Activity Cart, free with admission, during weekends and school breaks, offers bilingual backpacks and Art Tubes filled with art-focused activities for kids of all ages. The Just for Fun Center and Kids Corner spaces house architectural blocks, costumes, memory games, art making and more. Create Playdates and Fox Tale Sundays are programs designed for children, that include performances and special tours. Go to: denverartmuseum.org/ see-do-dam/kids-families for a full list of activities at the museum. For your free youth admission, go to the Denver Art Museum welcome desk, and all members of your group that are 18 and under will receive a free general admission ticket. For more information, go to: denverartmuseum.org/freeforkids School groups wishing to take advantage of this special opportunity should call 720-9130088 to book their visit through the Group Services Department.

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Denver Young Artists Orchestra By Nancy Foster “

ear the future!” This is the musical mantra of the Denver Young Artists Orchestra as it celebrates its 37th season of developing the classical music talents of young musicians between the ages of 7 and 23. And while symphonic music may not be at the top of the list when it comes to American popular culture, it's demise isn't imminent even with the closing of some U.S. symphony orchestras as the result of budget and labor struggles, an inability to attract audiences or to bring new and younger listeners to performances. And there's even a larger challenge to boot with the cornucopia of entertainment options we have on a weekend, or for that matter, on any day of the week. Witness the explosion of Denver's entertainment scene over the past decade. Fortunately, there seems to be no end to that tsunami. But let's not sniff at classical music as a genre to be heard only by folks with well-earned gray hair and wrinkles. Fortunately, it's alive and well in various music programs in most of the elementary, middle and high schools on Capitol Hill. It's also thriving along with other music genres offered at the numerous

Metro area colleges, which offer degrees in music education for students to pursue their interest in studying classical music. “Classical music is very much alive! It is an important part of our history, provides context for contemporary styles and is more engrained in our popular culture than most people realize. Indeed, it can readily be found in the sound tracks to video games, cartoons and movies. These entertainment mediums would be lacking without the undercurrent of this music from ‘Bugs Bunny’ to ‘Psycho’,” said Kelly Waltrip, executive director. “This music is also an important tool for brain development and scientific research, which proves its value and impact on the brain for both young and old alike. Finally, music is a universal language that communicates on a deeper level and brings people together in times of celebration, joy and also grief. Some of our favorite classical composers continue to be a part of important moments in our lives such as weddings, funerals and graduations,” she explained. “The musical art form we study and teach is evolving and continues to change,” she added. “We perform ‘classical’ music that was written just a few months ago next to works that were written hundreds of years

ago. We believe that classical music, regardless of the definition, continues to be relevant today and is critical to our future.” Waltrip joined the DYAO staff last fall. She was previously general manager of the Lexington Philharmonic in Lexington, Kentucky, where where she worked with adults. Other professional groups with whom she was associated include Opus 21, Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Gilmore International Keyboard Festival, all in Michigan. Having been the manager of the youth orchestra at the Aspen Music Festival in 2009, coming back to Colorado was also one of her goals said the Michigan native who has played piano and oboe since she was a child. DYAO, was founded in 1977 by Betty Naster and Carl Topilow, the orchestra's first music director, with support from what was then the Denver Symphony Orchestra; now the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. The youth orchestra has been independent since 1979 yet maintains ties with the CSO. DYAO's premier orchestra, YAO, performs several concerts during their season at Boettcher Concert Hall. The youth orchestra maintains administrative offices at 1245 E. Colfax and has grown tremendously since its beginnings.

DENVER YOUNG ARTISTS ORCHESTRA members are talented, but they have to practice too. Elizabeth (pink) sits next to Mallory Angstadt as they make perfect music on the flute. PHOTO BY JEFF HERSCH

Much of the growth has been in response to providing students with a rigorous program that offers exceptional educational opportunities to talented student musicians allowing them to hone their craft through the influence and inspirations offered by professional classical musicians. With the senior, or topranked orchestra, two conservatory orchestras and two string ensembles, approximately 300 student musicians are involved with the program. The topranked orchestra rehearses at the University of Denver under the baton of Wes Kenney who is just completing his second year with the program. He is the director of the Ft. Collins Symphony, and the music director of Opera, Ft. Collins. Last year, he led the YAO orchestra on a concerto tour of Spain, France and Italy. “The students I'm working with are the best players on the stage. They come to us through a rigorous audition program and bring with them a lot of intellect to take on the intellectual challenges of the composers they play, like (Gustav) Mahler,” said Kenney. “Mahler's Symphony I (Titan) is an ensemble challenge with a lot of flexibility required on the part of the musicians as Mahler was one of the most neurotic composers ever, so the music is peppered with details and instructions throughout. Just getting a full grasp of how to ex-

ecute his instructions is a challenge in itself. These students have the aptitude to handle it and can be taught, so they pick it up quickly,” added Kenney. Asked if the students who work with him go onto careers in music, he said it can be a mixture of those who attend academically challenging colleges and universities but may major in other subjects, but keep music in their lives by participating in community music groups or by serving on boards of music related organizations. “The students I work with are high achievers musically and academically,” said Kenney. Calley Pierce, a senior at East High School is among those students. She is the second principal violinist with the YAO group and started with DYAO at nine-years-old. “DYAO is a great community for me to be with. I have a lot of close friends there who are passionate about music and not afraid of being nerdy about it. Being with DYAO has given me an edge with college applications. I have an opportunity to play with an orchestra that plays the same music that professional orchestras play. A lot of kids don't get that opportunity,” said Pierce. Asked how it is to work with Kenney, Pierce said, “He can be a little intimidating, but he's very gifted and See DYAO on page 27

PERCUSSION SPECIALIST, Evan Long, practices on the tubular bells during a Denver Young Artists Orchestra rehearsal. PHOTO BY JEFF HERSCH

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Co-Working Concept Thrives in Denver’s Cutting Edge Start-up Scene Wide-range of amenities available By Keith Lewis

hose kindergarten lessons where we learned to work well with others will really come in handy for those involved in the latest office trend for start-ups and small businesses, particularly in creative industries. The trend is co-working, and it is lighting up the Denver office rental market. Working out of a coffee shop is diminishing in popularity with the rise of public Wi-Fi invasions and the lack of confidentiality during telephone and in-person conversations. Co-working spaces offer entrepreneurs the option of renting a first-come, first-serve open desk, a dedicated workspace, or even a full office suite that feels a bit more traditional. Co-working spaces typically offer Wi-Fi, conference room use, telephones, and the opportunity to collaborate with other entrepreneurs in the same space. The entrepreneurs share workspace and the costs, and by leveraging technology, save money. Co-working was not possible until the rise of technology enabled paperless businesses. Indeed, a smartphone performs half the job of an assistant fifty years ago. It’s the agility of the modern office that makes co-working possible. With the rise of freelancing and remote work arrangements, the self-employed have found greater flexibility and cost savings in the co-working

concept. Co-working is really the latest extension of the millennial-driven sharing economy. The younger generation has innovated commerce by introducing the idea of sharing costs by using only what you need, when you need it and sharing the rest with others. Uber and Lyft pioneered the ride-sharing economy. Now, co-working innovators try to perfect that concept for the shared use of office space and its companion amenities. Denver is usually a city on the cutting edge of trends, and this latest one is no different. Just a cursory web search for co-working spots in Denver reveals more than a dozen options, with cool names like Shift, Industry, Converge, Cluster, Creative Density, and Pivot Desk. There is even one geared specifically to lawyers called, Law Bank. Even long-time executive and virtual office stalwart, Regus, now offers co-working in Denver now. At Industry, located in RiNo at 3001 Brighton, co-owner and designer Ellen Winkler describes their concept as “shared workspace” which she considers slightly different than co-working. Instead of working in open areas, tenants at Industry have small, private offices custom-designed for their business, plus all the common area amenities of your typical co-working facility. “Co-working is great, but sometimes we all need to close the door,” says Winkler.

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City Park Alliance and City Council District 8 are hosting a free old-fashioned Ice Cream Social on Friday, May 29 at the City Park Pavilion from 6pm to 9pm. The Denver Museum of Nature & Science, the Denver Zoo, and Boulder Ice Cream, are co-sponsoring the gala, and neighborhood participants can take a step back in time and enjoy a tasty cool treat all at the same time. Old- fashioned costumes from all eras are encouraged, and prizes will be awarded for the best costumes. All are invited to come and enjoy street performers, free ice cream and face painting, and a concert with the Denver Municipal Band. How much more fun could you ask for, and it’s free??!!

Industry also tries to curate its tenants to fit within its existing directory of technology and creative start-ups. “We try to create the perfect dinner party of tenants,” notes Winkler. In addition to scores of smaller businesses, Industry is anchored by a few larger businesses and Denver icons, such as the office headquarters for Snooze, CorePower Yoga, and Uber’s Denver office. Shift Workspaces, on Capitol Hill at 383 Corona offers a plethora of co-working options from open desk to dedicated office suites and everything in between. Their 70+ tenants enjoy an incredible catalog of free amenities including Ink coffee, Bull and Bush beer on tap, plus free weekly yoga and fitness boot camps led by trainers to burn off those free suds. CEO of Shift Workspaces, Grant Barnhill, takes pride in the community events such as networking, happy hours, and even the fitness classes which build tenant camaraderie. “The difference between the new co-working concept and traditional executive offices is that we are building a community, not just renting space,” said Barnhill. Co-working spaces in Denver can range in cost from as low as $25 per day for a basic pass with first come, first serve desk use, to as high as $3,000 per month for a dedicated anchor office suite with all the amenities. There are countless options in between, usually with a widerange of neat amenities such as fitness, Wi-Fi, phone plans, and conference room use. Many co-working professionals are freelancers or remote workers who want to get out of the house, while also keeping overhead costs low. Some of these facilities are also offering amazing amenities like on-site food, free coffee and beer, and fitness trainers. With all the fantastic amenities offered by the dozens of co-working spaces around Denver, the only challenge left in your business might be actually getting some work done.

L i f e o n C a p i t o l H i l l • M AY 2 0 1 5

New Director, New Direction for CBID Resident chosen to lead and focus shifts By J. Patrick O’Leary

y hiring a new director and changing his title, and moving its offices to a more-visible storefront, the Colfax Business Improvement District – CBID – is sending signals that it’s changing course. In April CBID announced the hiring of longtime non-profit organizer, Frank Locantore, as Community Director as well as a May move of its offices to 567 Colfax near Pearl, next to Pizza Fusion. CBID’s offices are currently buried inside the office complex at Lafayette and Colfax, and Economic Development Director, Stephanie Salazar, (and her title) left at the end of 2014, concluding a six-year tenure with the district. “Stephanie did economic development, and made good progress,” said Locantore, explaining “the board of directors wanted to go back to basics and focus on making the area cleaner and safer.” The change in direction was announced to the public at a CBID board retreat in November, at which a budget shift was announced, devoting 60 to 70 percent of the 2015 budget to safety and cleaning. Safety, maintenance and business outreach plans were also presented at the meeting. To implement safety, marching orders for the new community director include working with the Denver Police District 6, community groups and city agencies to address issues of traffic, safety and keeping the corridor a “welcoming environment while maintaining the edgy persona for which Colfax is known,” per a recent CBID press release. Maintenance tasks are still handled by a contractor, overseen by the new director. Aside from safety, Locantore’s other two primary goals are increasing communication and collaboration among businesses and property owners, and making facade and streetscape improvements through grants, donations and loans. The district, encompassing Colfax Avenue from Grant to Columbine and 14th to 16th in the Capitol Hill/Uptown neighborhoods – roughly from the Basilica to East High School – exists to promote economic vitality and advocate on behalf of the area businesses. A self-taxing government entity, formed in 1989, CBID has in recent years overseen improved street maintenance, installation of crime-deterring Halo cameras, historic street lights and new identity banners, and created events such as the Victorian Holiday House Tour, Root 40 Music Festival and a 9 Health Fair at the Fillmore Auditorium. A week into the new position, Locantore took LIFE on a walk up Colfax to look at and talk about the avenue’s old public image and the reality of today, and his plans. In the coming weeks, he said he’d be doing even more walking, knocking on doors and handing out business cards to learn what people wanted to see done or not done. Locantore moved to Colorado in 1992 and quickly called Colfax and Capitol Hill home.

After working with national non-profits in Canada and Washington, DC, in 2006 he returned to Denver with his wife Jill, an urban planner. They both became involved with local neighborhood groups, including Uptown on the Hill, Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods and Colfax on the Hill. He lived in Toronto’s “the Danforth” a – diverse neighborhood in Old Toronto lining Danforth Avenue – a locale he sees as what Colfax could be like in 20 years. “It’s shoulder to shoulder, brick and mortar businesses …. Coffee shops, butchers, bakers and candlestick makers, providing everything people need, all within walking distance,” he explained. “Colfax has those bones” and CBID can help build on it. “That’s my vision, but I know it’s shared by many,” he explained. Improving communication is a priority. He plans to increase the frequency of the now-monthly CBID newsletter. The publication will continue to serve business owners and residents, but also promote resources for businesses, such as grant opportunities from the city and Small Business Administration loans, and activities and special events, as well as specials at local businesses. “One way to keep business improving is to get residents to frequent them,” he said. “It’s a message that needs to be cultivated.” Putting local businesses in contact with local residents for employment would benefit both. “But there’s a limit on what any BID can do,” he said. It can put in snazzy bike racks, like those in front of the Irish Snug, more inviting benches at bus stops, trash cans, and attractive lighting and banners. But ultimately property owners and businesses make the choice to rebuild, renovate or set up shop, and the public decides whether to show up. “Our job is to create a sense of place,” Locantore said. “It’s what makes a business, investor

FRANK LOCANTORE, new Community Director of Colfax Business Improvement District, confers with Rebecca Belik of The FIllmore Auditorium. or consumer want to be here.” He’ll be doing that by continuing streetscape and façade improvements, and finding the funds for them. Businesses and property owners have been responding. At the intersection of Marion and Colfax, the old Smiley’s Laundromat is now gone. Nearby apartments have been redone. At Downing, where the No. 12

JEWELRY

and 15 RTD bus routes cross, a new dental office will open soon, with more development possible in the parking lot across the street. Caffe Sanora has moved farther west on the same block. Locantore sees Colfax as the destination, not a drive-through. “It’s Colfax, dammit! Who is Colfax for? It’s for autos, bikes, pedestrians,” he said. “How do we fertilize for multi-modal

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use?” Pointing out the automobile traffic and lack of cyclists pedaling down Colfax proper, he concedes bikes will be safer on existing lanes and routes paralleling the avenue, but that the district will continue to encourage cycling. At Emerson and Colfax, See CBID on page 25

L i f e o n C a p i t o l H i l l • M AY 2 0 1 5

A TWO STORY MUSIC VENUE offers diners a great chance to appreciate both food and sound at Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, 1215 20th near Larimer.

HEAD FRAMER JEFF PROTSMAN evaluates a new job at AUM Framing Gallery near York on Colfax. Behind him are some of the new gold leaf framing options made possible with a recent expansion.

Business capitol

Correction

In last month’s edition, I wrote about NOLA, a New Orleans-influenced bar and coffee shop. NOLA’s owner is Henry Batiste (not Batista) and the exact address for his new venture is 2231 Bruce Randolph just west of York. Also, our April edition listed the address for Cho77, the Baker neighborhood’s hot new Asian street foods spot, as 42 S. Broadway then as 42 Broadway in a following line of copy. The first address is the correct one.

Openings “Suck the marrow out of life.”

It’s tough to imagine a more compelling restaurant slogan or one that raises expectations so high. Yet, this is the catchphrase for MAX’s Wine Dive, a new vino-centric venture at 696 Sherman in the Governor’s Park area. Located in a former cleaners across from Mizuna, this spot is the ninth location for the Houston-based eatery chain and its first spot in Colorado. With craft breweries springing up weekly all around town, it’s refreshing to find a place that sells beer but makes wine the driving focus. It’s also nice to finally know why the chicken crossed the road. To get to the

Dom Perignon, of course. This Dom is the high-end champagne from Moet et Chandon, named after a French Benedictine monk who lived in the 1600s. He played a major role in the growth of that country’s white wines, but was not really the inventor of champagne. Dom retails for over $150 a bottle and enthusiasts feel it’s worth every penny. Here at MAX’s, you can order the Dom and fried chicken special, but only for the next few weeks. It’s a Grand Opening pairing that this crew insists works splendidly together. The wait staff sports t-shirts that read, “Fried chicken and champagne? Why the

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hell not?” Other wines include dozens of products that are unique to MAX’s including several dubbed ‘Bad Ass Reds’. The wine list goes on and on and on. Best of all, if there’s a bottle you’d like to try, they’ll open it if you commit to buying just two glasses. Alyssa Hannam oversees the wine selection. She said that the design with its exposed beams and steel girders plus skylights reflect the eatery’s vintage home. In fact, construction notes on those girders were retained to add to the industrial feel. “This neighborhood was chosen (in part) for its foot traffic and the fact that there are lots of restaurants nearby,” she said. While MAX’s originated in Houston, Texas, Hannam and the other managers are all veterans of the Denver hospitality scene. Beer lovers should not despair; craft beers are on tap, and on weekends you can try the Beermosa’s made with Avery White Rascal if you’re sick of champagne. Each MAX’s location has a slightly different menu to reflect and respond to local tastes. Here, the left side features MAX’s classic gourmet Southern comfort food options you’ll find at any of the nine MAX locations. Items include the company’s signature fried chicken prepared ‘low and slow’ or the shrimp and grits. Their mainstay MAX ‘n Cheese is crafted with truffle cream, gruyere and other cheeses. On the right side of the card are Chef Shane Way’s Colorado-inspired creations including a standout Colorado lamb curry, his take on spicy drunken noodles and Way’s tradition with sherry and port-braised short ribs. “I like to call my food “simplicated” – it’s simple food with complex flavors,” he said. “We like to have a lot of fun here at MAX's, but we take great care and thought with our food and flavors.” He calls the final product fun, funky, comforting and delicious. Way is also totally committed to composting and recycling and those commitments are evident in his work. One unique feature at MAX’s is that brunch is served Saturday through Monday. Yes, Monday, which is designated ‘industry-friendly day’ for all those hospitality workers who get Mondays off. All diners are welcome however. The brunch menu includes S’mores French Toast with Nutella and a Wise Guy benedict on sourdough with prosciutto and hollandaise.

Hours are Sun. from 10 to 10, Mon., 11 am - 11 pm to accommodate those Monday brunch seekers, Tues. & Wed., 4 pm - 11 pm, Thurs. & Fri., 4 pm - midnight & Sat., 10 am midnight. Happy Hour, with many wines half off, is available weekdays until 6:30 or after 9:30 pm. 303-593-2554 is MAX’s number and maxswinedive/Denver is the web address. A new Indian, fast casual eatery is open at 575 Lincoln. Taja Indian Cuisine has replaced Bombay Bowl at this address but the company roots are intertwined. “We made the decision to retire our Bombay Bowl elephant after 5 years of experience in the industry. We took all of our customer feedback and our own extensive market research and evolved the concept to Taja Indian,” said Amar Singh, the chef and founder. That research indicated customers wanted a simplified but elevated dining experience. The new menu revolves around antibiotic and hormone-free chicken and lamb as well as organic, non-GMO tofu and basmati rice. “Every ingredient counts and we use wholesome premium quality ingredients in all of our food,” Singh added. “We moved away from the front “assembly line” to a back kitchen. We now make everything fresh, from scratch, to order, using wholesome premium ingredients.” Removing the assembly line makes it easier for customers to get their meals the way Singh intended, without pressure or confusion in ordering. He elevated the experience by keeping prices under $10 and delivering meals within 10 minutes. Since ‘Taja’ means fresh in Hindi, the name was a natural. “Indian food is not a mainstream cuisine – yet. When customers were ordering unfamiliar food, with the pressure of a front line, they were unintentionally or intentionally combining the wrong ingredients together and the taste profile and integrity of the food were being impacted. At Taja, we are able to control the entrees and serve the food in a more authentic style,” he explained. Taja also features fresh baked breads called naan and some Indian beverages like mango lassi, as well as vegan meals. The eatery is open daily from 11 am - 9 pm. 303-6454680 is the number. If you’re in the mood for pampering, Ella Bliss Beauty Bar is now open at 640 Broad-

L i f e o n C a p i t o l H i l l • M AY 2 0 1 5

THE BAR THAT ANCHORS ARGYLL WHISKEY BEER on E. 17th at Downing is now open to the rest of the space thanks to a tasteful new renovation. The menu was also redone. way in the new First Bank complex. It’s a combination beauty shop and lounge featuring a sprawling outdoor patio complete with fire pit where patrons can relax and mingle. “Not a spa. Not a salon. A way of life.” That’s the company motto. Ella opened its first Colorado location in Greenwood Village 15 months ago. Capitol Hill was chosen for the company’s second Colorado location because if its uniqueness. “We love the proximity to downtown as well as the quickly changing neighborhoods surrounding us,” said co-owner Kelly Huelsing. “The demographic on Cap Hill and the surrounding areas is ideal for us because it consists of many professionals (both women and men) who may be short on time, but still want to indulge in some much needed “me” time.” Ella’s concept provides an opportunity for this demographic to have a gathering place outside of the typical restaurant or bar and enjoy happy hour while sampling Ella Bliss beer, wine and hand-crafted signature cocktails. Most Ella customers opt for a membership-based plan that runs $50 and includes one free service and beverage each month, but there’s flexibility to choose what works. “Our guests get to choose from 5 Signature Services each month rather than only having 1 or 2 service options. Our membership is extremely flexible as well. Members can use their benefits toward upgraded services and if they don't make it in to use their benefit in a certain month, that benefit rolls over and they don't lose it,” Huelsing added. There is no long-term contract, but a 60 day cancellation is required if Ella’s member plan is not right for you. Signature Bliss services include a 50-minute massage, an express manicure/pedicure combo, blowouts or updo’s, facials and makeup sessions. Huelsing and her sister Brooke first conceived the Ella Bliss concept because they grew tired of running all around town to get beauty treatments. That personal experience created the one-stop beauty concept. “Our beauty bar is the only place you'll find a full menu of massages, manicures/pedicures, blowouts, facials, makeup and more, paired with great drinks, top talent, fun technology features and affordable membership options – all under one

roof.” This new location boasts an extended party lounge that can be rented for private events such as bridal showers, birthday parties, bachelorette parties and corporate events. Hours are Mon.- Thurs., 10 am - 8 pm, Fri. & Sat.,10 am 9 pm and Sun., 11 am - 6 pm. 720-446-5588 is the number and you can book on-line at ellablissbeautybar.com. You can now get grounded in Denver. Grounded Jewelry & Gems is the name of a new shop open at 4956 E. Colfax in the block that also houses the new Chop Shop Casual Eatery, Power of Om Yoga, Love Gallery and Urban Survival Fitness. Owner Lauren Ray said, “Grounded was born out of the idea that everyone loves to bring a little bit of beauty into their lives, and that everybody should be able to afford it, big or small.” “We want to empower people who are into the healing powers of stones, lotions, and oils by educating them on their purchase and listening to their needs. We strive to be a welcoming, relaxing place where people not only love to shop, but love to visit and become a part of our community.” Ray and her staff pride themselves on hand picking every item of jewelry in the shop to make sure the best stones and most vibrant minerals are carried. She also stresses service.

FLOOR TO CEILING WINE RACKS are needed to hold the vast wine collection at MAX’s Wine Dive, 698 Sherman, which features gourmet Southern comfort foods along with Colorado-inspired eats.

“If a customer can't find what they are looking for, we make it by hand. If their jewelry is broken, we fix it,” Ray said. “If somebody comes in with a piece of jewelry or a crystal that they can't identify, we look it up. We go beyond retail.” The shop also custom blends essential oils, lotions, body rubs and scrubs. All body products are vegan and 100% hypoallergenic. Classes are also offered on making jewelry, repairs, art and other subjects. The store is family friendly and will offer workshops for kids too. “Our name was born out of the idea that if our store had a personality, it would be down to earth, playful, and welcoming. Many people seek out the metaphysical to feel more grounded and connected,” Ray said. The phone number is 720456-6597. Hours are Tues. - Wed., 11 am - 6 pm, Thurs. Sat., noon - 8 & Sun., 11 am - 6 pm. Just in time for this year’s 4/20 celebrations, folks with the munchies could try Colorado’s third Cheba Hut Toasted Subs shop on the southeast corner of Washington and Colfax. Opening day was April 18th and the lines were long on Day One. Cheba features a full bar and a patio set back off Colfax with a magnificent shade tree ‘umbrella’ but it’s the subs that drive the business.

“Quality takes time. It will be a MIRACLE if you get your sub in less than 5 minutes” one sign reads. Meals are delivered to your table. Sizes start small with 4” Nugs but the place is really known as “Home of the Blunts.” Hence the 4/20 crowd. That’s the name for Cheba’s 12” creations. There are also three flavors of Kool-Aid you won’t find on other beverage lists. Hours are 10 am - midnight, daily. A frog green, vintage VW bus decked out with Cheba logo and license plate sits out front. “We deliver. If you’re high, we’ll fly. Safety first,” the company states on its website. 720-4200806 is the number. LV Grocery Store is now open next to Heidi’s Deli on Colfax at Madison. It’s a new venture for Lisa Tren who has worked in the area for a long time doing hair and nail work. She says she wanted to create “a convenience for our neighborhood.” In addition to the standard selection of convenience store items, Tren is also stocking a selection of Asian foods she thinks the neighborhood will embrace. The official opening day is May 1st. Tren can be reached at 720-771-0581. GoBistro is now in operation at The METLO, 1111 Broadway. It offers international cuisine prepared and ready to grab-and-go. “Welcome to real

RUDY PROJECT 4 X5

food, designed to fit into your life” is the company motto. The spring menu includes a roasted beet salad vegan style or with glazed salmon, Pad Thai with organic chicken and several sandwiches. “We're not reinventing the wheel here, just taking a common sense approach to the food business. You want to eat “well.” That means fresh, healthy, international restaurant-quality cuisine. And, you're busy. So let's make the real food you want easier to get,” the company website states. GoBistro products are also available at Pig Train Coffee in Union Station, Pura Vida Fitness in Cherry Creek, and Colorado Athletic Club Downtown and Monaco locations,with more outlets coming soon. 720-536-5689 is the number and mygobistro.com has the full menu. Jason Brown and partner Danica Harcourt own Denver Custom Printing and Imperfect Circle Apparel, and recently relocated their business from Whittier to 1245 E. Colfax on the second floor. “We are happy to be a part of the Colfax revitalization,” Brown said. “As business owners, we also are excited to be a part of the community and learn more about ways that we can give back.” See BUSINESS on page 10

L i f e o n C a p i t o l H i l l • M AY 2 0 1 5

TAJA INDIAN HAS REPLACED BOMBAY BOWL, at 575 Lincoln next to Starbucks. It features fresh, fast casual meals made to order.

Business Continued from page 9 The firm specializes in direct to garment printing – the newest technology in garment printing. Its business comes from printing t-shirts and sweatshirts. “We have the ability to print multiple color and photographs directly onto a shirt with no color restrictions or set up fees. We can even print one shirt with same day service,” said Brown. 303-332-4864 is the company number and there are two websites: denvercustomprinting. com and imperfectcircleapparel. com. Alpine Bank at 215 Saint Paul has opened in Cherry Creek North (CCN). It’s the second Denver location; the first is in LoDo on Wynkoop. Lobby hours are Mon. Thurs., 8:30 am - 5 pm, Fri. until 6 pm & Sat., 9 am - noon. There’s no drive-up window but the number for information is 303-270-0101. Now for two new businesses that are a bit out of my normal travel range but really two new

gems worth noting. First, there’s finally new life in the 1919 red brick Airedale Building at 1215 20th near Lawrence across from the Denver Buddhist Temple. “This great building was here and it had such a seedy and intriguing history,” said owner and head visionary Justin Cucci. “Like all of my previous projects, (the vision) was contextual to the building and its history.” Before becoming the Ballpark neighborhood’s newest eatery, this address was home to a brothel, a peep show and an adult video library in recent decades. It’s now the home to Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox. After transforming an old Olinger’s Mortuary building into Linger (yes, the name just removed one vowel), Cucci was clearly up to the task of creating what he laughingly calls his ‘gastro brothel’. Ophelia's is opulent. Sleek. Sexy. By design. Cucci said he found inspiration surfing the web. “I found an image online, of a woman that just looked like she once lived within the walls of this building and she sort of be-

YOU CAN’T MISS THE FROG GREEN CHEBA BUS outside Cheba Hut Toasted Subs on Colfax at Washington and yes, they deliver.

came our muse for the space. We named her Ophelia and she can be found in subtle ways throughout the space,” he added. Electric Soapbox in the name is not as simple to explain. “The name for the concept took a really long time, we had dozens of choices and it was a process, and one of the last things we did. All the names we were considering can be found on our cocktail menu.” Cucci has amassed quite a following for his Root Down and Linger eateries in LoHi and he has to realize expectations are sky high for Ophelia’s. The menu doesn’t disappoint. It includes items like fruitwood-smoked bay scallops with chive crème fraiche, grilled lemon, and house hot sauce with lavash crackers. Local sourcing of ingredients is still key, but here, with the addition of live music, the structural challenges were huge. They included taking out a central wall and cutting a huge hole in the floor to create a prime music space – this is what will make Ophelia’s stand out from all the rest. That undertaking is the reason it took three long

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years to complete renovations to the space. “Adding a new element to our food and beverage experience with a dynamic music venue and stage, (Ophelia’s is) meant to be an extremely experiential and social place,” Cucci said. “It’s located in an up-andcoming neighborhood that is starting to embrace and demand finer food.” You can get a peek into Ophelia’s past as you enter. On your left is a blow up of the old façade when this address catered to a seedier side of life. It will look familiar. Table side, there’s also a chance to click through the building’s history. Just grab that modern version of an old View-Master slide show on the table right there with the salt and pepper. You can peep inside and read all about the Airedale’s checkered past. Be sure to stroll by the bar whether you’re drinking or dining. Cucci’s love of pop culture led him to incorporate vintage pinball machine back glasses into a one-of-a-kind bar top that shouldn’t work with the velour seating and other hedonistic design elements, but it’s simply brilliant. Hours are 4 pm - close, Tues. - Fri. & 11 am - close on weekends. Happy hour runs from 4 - 6 pm weekdays. 303-993-8023 is the number for reservations and opheliasdenver.com has the full menu. The venue’s Facebook page has a list of upcoming acts scheduled to appear. This last new business is also a bit out of the neighborhood but if you own your home or love gardening, take note that Denver Tool Library has opened at 555 Santa Fe. The name says it all. DTL is a lending library for tools. You become a member for $80 a year then check out and return those essential machines you only need once or twice a year like air compressors or fence post

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pounders. This is the dream of Sarah Steiner, a young entrepreneur who envisioned a co-op approach to mechanical tool work. “I wanted to have a space where barriers to tool work were lowered,” she said. “You don’t have to buy the tool to try it.” If you don’t understand where to begin, Steiner has lined up lots of volunteers to coach you through it. On the weekends there are a number of folks eager to help you learn, as Steiner did from her dad. There’s also a library of books for folks who want a deeper foundation on home repairs etc., and the Denver Permaculture Guild will be offering demonstrations in the coming months. Most of the tools have been donated, including a significant donation from Tactics Tool Manufacturer that included over 1,400 different items. DTL’s website has a wish list of other donations needed, including many home power tools in good condition. That address is denvertoollibrary.org. Already, the collection is impressive and better yet, it’s searchable on-line. Table saws compete for space with a slew of gardening and fence setting items. DTL also includes a bike repair area where folks can work on bikes in-house. It opened April 4th and plans a Grand Opening party complete with tours and live music Friday, June 5th. Hours are Tues. & Thurs., 3 - 7 pm and weekends, 10 am - 2 pm. The shop is also open First Fridays starting in May. The entrance to the shop is off the alley that runs from 5th to 6th avenues. 720-943-4385 is the shop number.

Changes Just in time for Mother’s Day, Capitol Hill Mansion Bed & Breakfast at 1207 Pennsylvania has added weekend brunch for the season. Now you have a good excuse to tour this vintage gem even if you’re not an overnight guest. Owner Carl Schmidt says his weekend brunch will only be available by reservation. No walk-ins will be seated. That’s to make sure the other guests have an enjoyable meal surrounded by the establishment’s lush gardens on the west side of the building. The new feature is lovingly called Bailey Claire's Bistro after Schmidt’s daughter who helps run the operation. Hours for the weekend seatings are 10 am - 2 pm both Sat. & Sun.

L i f e o n C a p i t o l H i l l • M AY 2 0 1 5

OWNER/VISIONARY SARAH STEINER plans to empower people by lending them the tools they need for do-it-yourself projects at Denver Tool Library, 555 Santa Fe. starting Mother’s Day weekend. Call 303-839-5221 to reserve a table. When Argyll Whiskey Beer opened last year at E. 17th & Downing, it was a bold new vision for a former Mexican eatery. Owner Robert Thompson wanted to recreate his now shuttered Argyll that enjoyed a long run in Cherry Creek North. The original Argyll was a true gastro pub with dark corners and a plush feel but the new larger space boasts a wrap-a-round atrium and lots of natural light. After listening to a great deal of neighborhood feedback, Thompson has reworked both the space and the menu, and the changes are appealing. “The bar is often at capaci-

ty,” said Thompson. “We wanted to open that space to allow for overflow.” New high top tables are being added in the main room, which also features a window onto the kitchen. To accomplish a more open flow, the charming use of vintage crank windows to display whiskey bottles has been reduced. That connected the main dining area more naturally to the bar, which is clearly the heart of the house. Also gone are additional barriers separating the atrium from the bar space. One window was replaced with a marble slab community table that can seat up to 16. Dartboards are being added to an eastern patio that also

THE NEW ELLA BLISS BEAUTY BAR at 640 Broadway includes a full bar as well as a long menu of beauty services.

boasts an open fireplace. The more traditional pub atmosphere was retained in the west dining area farthest from the bar. On Friday and Saturday nights, a DJ is on hand to add a musical element. Reworking the menu meant streamlining the entrees to offer more a la carte meals with addon sides. That also brings a lower price point that locals should welcome. “We kept some favorites and added a few new items like pulled pork with the Mac and Cheese,” Thompson said. Also, a new chicken potpie and the addition of individual servings of steak. The popular charcuterie plate with its duck liver mousse and rabbit/cran-

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berry kielbasa will still lead the menu. Valet service is still offered Friday and Saturday evenings because parking can be a challenge at busy times. The address is 1035 E 17th and 303-847-0850 is the number. AUM Framing has just wrapped up a major expansion at its 2227 E. Colfax location sprawling into part of the former Tulper’s store. The expansion was triggered because AUM purchased Dry Creek Gold Leaf of Denver. The move roughly doubles AUM’s space and allows the addition of gold leaf work plus antique frame restorations. There will be an expanded wood shop and spray booth so that custom

frames can be milled and painted, not just cut and joined from pre-painted stock. Back in 2010, I wrote about Trevor Byrne, the current owner of AUM. He’d just been chosen from 400 applicants to participate in Project REV™, a yearlong marketing lab designed to help small business owners find the right marketing tools. Looks like it worked. AUM has now been chosen for the Growth Catalyst Program offered by the Small Business Development Council. “Dry Creek has been in Denver for over 20 years and specializes in creating hand finished corner frames in all kinds of cusSee BUSINESS on page 26

L i f e o n C a p i t o l H i l l • M AY 2 0 1 5

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IT’S A LITTLE EARLY FOR THE LILLY’S IN THE PONDS AT THE BOTANIC GARDEN, but the sculptures and the water features in the ponds are stunning in their own right. PHOTO BY JEFF HERSCH

Gardens Continued from page 1

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include June 11, July 16 and Aug. 13, 6-9 pm. The cost is $40 for non-members, and $35 for members. Appetizers and three drink tickets are included in the ticket price. Guests must be 21+ for entry. Last entry is 8 pm. Indoor and outdoor exhibits will be on display throughout the summer. The outdoor exhib-

it is “Deborah Butterfield: The Nature of Horses” and it focuses on contemporary sculpture that captures the essence and nature of horses. Indoor exhibits include, “Broken: Horse-Riding Textiles,” “Within Range: Paintings by Theodore Waddell,” and “Steppe Plants: Botanical Illustrations featuring Plant Select.” The Gardens offers programs during the summer for adults and children. Themes include Community Supported

Art Colorado, Children & Families, Classes and Lectures, Food Programs and Initiatives, Therapeutic Horticulture and Trips & Travel. The Denver Botanic Gardens has many more fun and educational programs to offer the community during the summertime. Check the website for programs, exhibits, free community days and concerts so that you can make the most of the Garden’s offerings during the summer months.

303-321-0200 6400 E. Stapleton Drive, Unit A Near Monaco & I-70

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THE REDBUDS ARE IN BLOOM, and the well maintained coy ponds are always a big hit at the Denver Botanic Garden. PHOTO BY JEFF HERSCH

Colfax Marathon: Denver’s Ultimate Urban Tour Celebrating its 10th anniversary By Denny Taylor

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o wonder this race has sold out the last two years running (no pun intended), this is one running event that offers so many different venues to choose from, any participant no matter what their skill level can run, be fulfilled, and have fun. Colfax Marathon has been selected by Runner’s World as one of 10 marathons to run in 2015, and here’s why. The price of registration includes it all… on Sunday during the race you get light breakfast munchies, marked course, security, timing chip, Pace Teams, Gatorade, Clif Shot gels, volunteers supporting you, age group awards, and music along the way. There’s no nickel and diming going on here! So, if marathons on streets and highways bore you, I challenge you to try this race. Be-

tween miles three and four, the course passes through a fire station, where firefighters and police officers cheer runners. A few miles later, you’ll enter Mile High Stadium, home of the Denver Broncos, where you’ll run along the perimeter of the field and see yourself on the Jumbo Tron. And we’ve just begun, because Denver’s Marathon continues along 7 miles of rivers, lakes, parks and bridges, and on America’s most famous main street, right through the center of downtown Denver. The course even meanders through a mannequin art display along the route, compliments of the Rocky Mountain College of Arts and Design. The Half Marathon is fast, flat and fun – and treks one mile through Denver Zoo. Yes, I said the zoo. Are you excited yet? But wait there's more! Af-

ter crossing the finish line and getting your medal, you can celebrate your accomplishment at Denver’s gigantic after party, where there will be live music, BBQ, Denver’s largest beer garden, veggie options, snacks, water and more! Then there's the fun schwag – high tech shirt, medal that stands on your desk, free digital photo of you on the course, medallion for a necklace or key ring, car decal, and runner tracking. Is this your year to run the Colfax Marathon? Come celebrate the 10th running of Denver’s premier springtime race, and if you’re not running this year come out and volunteer. You’ll meet hundreds of great new people and have a great time. 150 Charity Partners make it easy to run for a good cause! Two days, 7 races…which will you run?

L i f e o n C a p i t o l H i l l • M AY 2 0 1 5

Denver Farmers' Markets A taste of fresh plus By Denny Taylor

t’s the season for Farmers’ Markets again and there are some old standbys and some newer entrants this year spread throughout and around The Mile High City. These markets aren't just about locally grown farm-fresh veggies and fruits or delicious baked goods and goodto-the-last bite prepared foods, though you'll find more than enough of those purveyed. Many Denver farmers’ markets are a weekly street type fair with a festive flair, including live entertainment, family-friendly activities and a vibrant crowd of locals. Take some time this spring and summer to enjoy the bargains and ambiance of these great Denver Farmers' Markets.

Cherry Creek Fresh Market

3000 East First Avenue The award winning Cherry Creek Fresh Market at First & University is not just the largest farmers market in Denver but has been dubbed as the “Cadillac of farmers markets.” The shopper will discover a high quality mix of Colorado growers and unique local gourmet food purveyors representing the best the regional Rockies has to offer. Also enjoy chef events, gardening tips from Master Gardeners and Master Composters, live music and more in a fun and festive outdoor shopping experience. Hours: Saturday, May - Oct., 8 am - 1 pm, Wed., June - Sept., 9 am - 1 pm

City Park Esplanade Fresh Market

Colfax & Columbine Now in its 18th season, the ever popular City Park Esplanade Fresh Market sets up around historic Sullivan Fountain among the majestic statues and architecture of City Park. A strong agricultural market, you’ll find an outstanding selection of local growers on a Sunday complemented by a pleasurable mix of fresh food vendors in an urban park setting. There’s plenty of free parking to make your excursion stress free when you visit your favorite market vendors on Sunday at the esplanade. Hours: Sunday, June - Oct., 9 am - 1 pm

Le Jardin Secret Chefs Fresh Market

1420 Larimer This relative “newcomer” on the block is at Larimer Square, Bistro Vendome Courtyard, and is tagged Le Jardin Secret – the "secret garden." This is not your average summer market. At this French-inspired chefs’ market, foodies can shop for dairy, meat, bread, produce and other goods. You'll find perfect tomatoes, exciting French cheeses, grass-fed tenderloins and artisan breads on hand. Select vendors like Grateful Bread Company, Western Daughters Butcher Shoppe, the Truffle Cheese Shop, Sugarmill and Blooming Fool will sell a variety of ingredients specifically curated for the adventurous home chef. Hours: Saturday, May - Aug., 9:30 am 1:30 pm

Lowry Farmers' Market

7581 East Academy Blvd. A small, but growing farmers’ market is being staged at Lowry’s Hangar 2 every Tuesday eve-

ning from 4 pm to dusk through September. The market features Colorado produce, locally made specialty food and breads, artisan gifts and other micro-sourced items as well as the always popular food trucks and live music. Access to indoor restrooms and shaded seating areas are available. Hours: Tuesday, June - Sept., 4 pm dusk.

VNA Farmers' Market

390 Grant St. Come visit and take a look at a small but diverse market with a nice assortment of crafts, organic food, local specialties, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Hours: Saturday, June-October, 8 am 12 pm

SCOTT PLAYS A LIVELY TUNE ON THE BAGPIPES in City Park as the sun sets over the Lake.

Stapleton Fresh Market

E. 29th Ave. & Roslyn St. At the Stapleton Farmers Market you’ll find great Colorado-grown fruits and vegetables, tasty baked goods, fresh culinary herbs, seasonal greens, specialty meats, gourmet food items and more! Don't miss the freshly-popped kettle corn and other tasty snacks while you browse for healthy produce. Hours: Sunday, June - October, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm

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Old South Pearl Street Farmers' Market

On the 1500 block Old South Pearl, between Florida & Iowa Since 2001 this market has purveyed super-fresh produce, ready-to-eat treats, artisan cheeses and just-out-of-oven baked goods. Many vendors like Ela Family Farms, known far and wide for their mouth-watering peaches and apples from the Western Slope, and Styria Bakery, legendary for their fresh baked bread, have been here since the beginning. The quaint South Pearl neighborhood hosts this splendid Old South Pearl Street Farmers' Market every Sunday in the summertime. Monthly themes keep the vibes as fresh as the produce. Look for the famous chili cook-offs in October and if you're looking for tips on what to do with your haul, show up around noon for the weekly "Nibble at Noon" chef demonstration featuring recipes, cooking tips and more. Hours: Sunday, May - November, 9 am - 1 pm

Denver Urban Homesteading and Farmers Market

200 Santa Fe This is the city's only indoor farmers market, and is open the entire year-round. This is an urban agricultural center near Downtown Denver in a large commercial-industrial building where farmers ply their wares. Most items are organic, and some unusual items are available like raw milk, karma kale, fermented sauerkraut, kvass and other good, raw food offerings. This market is also a place where consumers can obtain an education about food-producing practices, nutrition and sustainable agriculture from the producers themselves, and from classes offered by the market. Besides offering shelter in bad weather, another advantage of the indoor market is that the vendors take credit cards. Hours: Open all year, Tues. & Sat. 9 am - 3 pm, Thurs. & Fri. 1 pm - 7 pm

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L i f e o n C a p i t o l H i l l • M AY 2 0 1 5

Calendar life

LIFE Calendar listings are free. Local, special, free & non-profit events are given priority. Mail to P.O. Box 18344, Denver, CO 80218 or email to Editor@ LifeOnCapHill.com. Deadline: 20th of current month for next month’s listings. Note that LIFE is published on the first Wednesday of the month. Readers are advised to call the appropriate number to verify dates & times. This calendar is also available at LifeOnCapHill.com.

COMMUNITY WEEKDAYS: Community Dinners, Salvation Army Red Shield Center, 29th & High, 4:30 children only, 5 pm adults & families. Call 303-295-2107. MONDAY, MAY 25: Memorial Day Holiday. Remember to honor our fallen war heroes this day. Freedom is not free.

TUESDAY, MAY 5: Free Day, Denver Children’s Museum, 2121 Children’s Museum Dr. Call 303-433-7444. Adults and children are free, families play free on the 1st Tues. of each month 4 - 8 pm. TUESDAY, MAY 5 & 19: Corona MOPS, a faith-based moms’ group offering friendship & support, 9-11:30 am, Corona Presbyterian Church, 1205 E. 8th. Open to any woman pregnant or with a child kindergarten age or younger; child care & brunch provided. Call 303-832-2297. WEDNESDAYS & SATURDAYS: 16th & Josephine Recycling Center open 3-6 pm Weds. & 9 am-12 pm Sat. FRIDAY, MAY 1: Community Resources Forum, 9-10:30 am,

Sterne-Elder Room of Exempla St. Joseph Hospital, Russell Pavilion, 19th & Lafayette. Free Continental breakfast, varying presentations. Free parking in Humboldt Garage off 20th. Continues the 1st Fri. of every month. Call 303-866-8889. FRIDAY, MAY 1: Free Day, Four Mile Historic Park, 715 S. Forest. 1st Fri. of every month is free. Call 720-865-0800.

FRIDAY, MAY 8: GOP Monthly Breakfast at Pete's Greek Town Cafe, 2910 Colfax at 7 am. Great speakers. Conservative camaraderie. Please RSVP, so we can plan appropriately. No need to pay in advance, but please order breakfast to support Pete's. Individual checks. Be there at 7:00am and order by 7:20am so our speaker can speak uninterrupted. Repeated 2nd Fri. of the month. On-line registration required. FRIDAY, MAY 29: City Park Ice Cream Social – free to the public. Enjoy free ice cream and face painting, costume contest, and concert with the Denver Municipal Band, 6 - 9 pm, City Park Pavilion. SATURDAY MAY 2: Free Day, adults & children, the Denver Art Museum, 13th & Acoma, 10 am-5 pm. Call 720-8655000. General admission is free every day for kids all ages under 18.

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SATURDAY, MAY 2: Community Awareness Program, Counterterrorism Education Learning Lab (CELL), 99 W. 12th, 6-8 pm. Call 303-844-4000, ext. 8. •1st Annual Denver GOP Kentucky Derby Party Saturday, May 2nd, 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. at the Colorado Auto Dealers Association Building (CADA) 290 East Speer Blvd. Join us for Mint Juleps (Sponsored by Woodford Reserve), Horseshoes, Trivia Contest, Big Floral Hats

IT'S THE 9TH ANNUAL RINO ART SAFARI! Culturally speaking, RiNo (River North Art District) is one of the hottest locales in Denver for creatives. Spend the day visiting art studios, viewing murals, and then grab a hand-crafted beer at a brewery or dine in a hip restaurant. There's a website just for this event, with a map and more information. May 9, 11 am. - 4 pm. 303-308-9345; rinoart.org & More. SATURDAY, MAY 23: Kick off the Holiday week-end. Memorial Day Parade begins at 10 am at 14th Avenue and Court. Come out and help the City & County of Denver honors its fallen war heroes on Memorial Day. Free admission. SATURDAY, MAY 23: Free Rock Concert. Downtown Denver at the 16th Street Mall will be transformed into a massive free rock concert when 20+ bands take to five stages for the annual Denver Day of Rock. The performance areas will

be along the 16th Street Mall, Denver's mile-long pedestrian promenade, making it easy to roam from act to act. Food and beverage booths will be set up throughout downtown for the event (which benefits Amp the Cause, a Denver charity), with free music rocking the city 2:30 to 9:30 pm. SUNDAY, MAY 10: Mother’s Day, Be sure to remember and honor your Mother for everything she has done for you! SUNDAY & MONDAY, MAY 24 & 25: The 36th-annual Old South Gaylord Memorial Day Weekend Festival offers family fun with magic shows for children and live music for adults. Times: Sunday 10 am - 8 pm, Monday 10 am - 4 pm. Admission is free. SUNDAY, MAY 31: Free Day, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado, 10 am-5 pm. Call 303-322-7009. Call 303-832-5000.

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TUESDAYS: “Book Babies,” a language enrichment program for babies age six to 23 months, 10:30 am, Children’s Library of the Denver Public Library, 13th & Broadway. Call 720-865-1306. • Young Children’s Storytime, The Tattered Cover, Colfax & Elizabeth, 10:30 am. Free. Different topic each week. Call 303-322-1965, ext. 2731. TUESDAY, MAY 5: Free Day, Denver Children’s Museum, 2121 Children’s Museum Dr. Call 303-433-7444. FRIDAY, MAY 1, 15 & 29: Together Colorado, 9-11:30 am, Corona Presbyterian Church,

L i f e o n C a p i t o l H i l l • M AY 2 0 1 5

FRIDAY, MAY 15: The Denver Academy of Dramatic Arts and Visionbox Studio present Tennessee Williams’ one-act play, “The Lady of Larkspur Lotion,” directed by Jennifer McCray Rincon. 6:30 pm, Beacons Community Space, 2630 East Third. Free admission. Food and drink by Nova Catering. Doors open 6 pm. Call 303-623-3003.

FRIDAY, MAY 15: The Denver Academy of Dramatic Arts and Visionbox Studio present Tennessee Williams’ one-act play, “Portrait of a Madonna,” directed by Jennifer McCray Rincon, 8 pm, Beacons Community Space, 2630 East Third. Free admission. Food and drink by Nova Catering. Doors open 7:30 pm. Call 303-623-3003.

WHO DOESN'T LOVE BEING TOLD A GOOD STORY? The actors of 'Stories On Stage' deliver stellar performances of fine literary pieces. Game Changers is no exception. When life interrupts our best-laid plans, the results can be disastrous, hysterical, poignant, or all of the above. Su Teatro Cultural & Performing Arts Center, 721 Santa Fe, May 3, 1:30 & 6:30 pm. $15-$28. 303-494-0523; storiesonstage.org 1205 E. 8th. For pregnant women & mothers of preschoolers to five years old. Brunch, speakers, childcare provided. First visit free. Repeated every 1st & 3rd (& 5th) Fri. of the month. Call 303-832-2297. FRIDAY, MAY 1: Free Day, Four Mile Historic Park, 1st Fri. of every month is free. 715 S. Forest. Call 720-865-0800.

EVENTS Weekdays: Create Great Credit, a free class at Denver Community Credit Union, 1041 Acoma. Registration required: denvercommunity.coop/clearmoney. MONDAYS: Denver Laughter Club meets, First Unitarian Center, 14th & Lafayette. Free. Call Meredith, 303-877-9086. WEDNESDAYS: Kiwanis Club of Denver, 12-1:30 pm, Maggiano’s at the Denver Pavilions, 16th & Glenarm. Program varies weekly. WEDNESDAY, MAY 6: Free Legal Night at El Centro de San Juan Diego, 2830 Lawrence. 20 volunteer lawyers, oneon-one consultations, 5:30-7 pm. First come, first serve. Spanish/ English provided. Repeated the 1st Weds. of every month. Call 303-573-1302. • Monthly meeting of Democratic Party of Denver House District 5, Colorado Democratic Party HQ, 789 Sherman, 7- 9 pm. Repeated 1st Weds. of every month, varying location. Call 303-830-8242.

FRIDAY, MAY 1: Community Resources Forum, 9-10:30 am, Sterne-Elder Room of Exempla St. Joseph Hospital, Russell Pavilion, 19th & Lafayette. Free Continental breakfast, varying presentations. Free parking in Humboldt Garage off 20th. Continues the 1st Fri. of every month. Call 303-866-8889. SATURDAY, MAY 16: Valverde Bazaar at Eron Johnson Antiques, 389 South Lipan Street, voted Denver’s best flea market, one day only, 9 am - 4 pm, free admission, 85+ sellers, food trucks, lot and street parking available. SUNDAY, MAY 17: Meditation and Kirtan. Every Sunday at 4 pm at 854 Pearl Street. Childcare provided. For more info call Ed 720-810-9071.

ARTS TUESDAY, MAY 12: “Downtown Bookies” book discussion group considers a different work each month, 7-8:30 pm, 4th floor meeting room of the Denver Public Library, 13th & Broadway. Repeated second Tues. of every month. Call 720-865-1312. TUESDAYS: Classic Film Series at Denver Central Library, Level B2 Conference Center at 7-9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. THURSDAYS: Downtown Denver Euchre Club, All Fired Up, 1135 Bannock, 7 pm (promptly). Call 303-825-1995.

WILLIAM HAVU GALLERY is pleased to present 'Earth, Water and Sky,' works by artists James Cook, Jivian Lee and David Warner. If you are an aficionado of well-crafted, painted landscapes, this show won't disappoint. 1140 Cherokee, May 8 - June 30, 303-893-2360; williamhavugallery.com

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FRIDAY, MAY 22: The Denver Academy of Dramatic Arts and Visionbox Studio present Tennessee Williams’ one-act play, “The Long Goodbye,” directed by Jennifer McCray Rincon, 6:30 pm, Beacons Community Space, 2630 East Third. Free admission. Food and drink by Nova Catering. Doors open 6 pm. Call 303-623-3003. See CALENDAR on page 16

L i f e o n C a p i t o l H i l l • M AY 2 0 1 5

CALENDAR Continued from page 15

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FRIDAY, MAY 22: The Denver Academy of Dramatic Arts and Visionbox Studio present Tennessee Williams’ one-act play, “Talk to Me Like the Rain and Let Me Listen,” directed by Jennifer McCray Rincon, 8 pm, Beacons Community Space, 2630 East Third. Free admission. Food and drink by Nova Catering. Doors open 7:30 pm. Call 303-623-3003. FRIDAY, MAY 29: The Denver Academy of Dramatic Arts and Visionbox Studio present Tennessee Williams’ one-act play, “This Property Is Condemned,” directed by Jennifer McCray Rincon, 6:30 pm, Beacons Community Space, 2630 East Third. Free admission. Food and drink by Nova Catering. Doors open 6 pm. Call 303623-3003. FRIDAY, MAY 29: The Denver Academy of Dramatic Arts and Visionbox Studio present Tennessee Williams’ one-act play, “Hello from Bertha,” directed by Jennifer McCray Rincon, 8 pm, Beacons Community Space, 2630 East Third. Free admission. Food and drink by Nova Catering. Doors open 7:30 pm. Call 303-623-3003. FRIDAY & SATURDAY, MAY 8 & 9: Documentary film screening William Matthews: Drawn to Paint. Explorers the life and artistic career of Denver artist William Matthews. The film was produced by Amie Knox and co-directed by Amie Knox and Chad Herschberger. A question and answer session with the artist, producer, and co-director will follow the screening. An exhibition of Matthews work, “Trespassing”, is currently on view at the DAM. Showing Fri., May 8, 6 pm – 7:00 pm & Saturday, May 9, 1 pm – 2 pm FRIDAY-SUNDAY, MAY 22-24: The Downtown Denver Arts Festival is held Memorial Day a weekend at the Performing Arts Complex and features the best of Colorado visual artists. More than 125 artists from around the state will be exhibiting and selling their art all weekend long. Come meet the artists and join the 150,000 people that visit this show. SATURDAY, MAY 16: The Denver Academy of Dramatic Arts and Visionbox Studio present Tennessee Williams’ one-act play, “Portrait of a Madonna,” directed by Jennifer McCray Rincon, 2:30 pm, Beacons Community Space, 2630 East Third. Free admission. Food and drink by Nova Catering. Doors open 2 pm. Call 303-623-3003. SATURDAY,

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WALKER FINE ART is pleased to present the newest work of Sabin Aell, in her show, 'The Buoyancy of Nothing.' Her technique, using up to 15 layers of of resin to encase soft, romantic forms reflects her pithy show title. Also showing in the back gallery are Angela Beloian, Udo Noger, and Liz Quan. 300 W. 11th, May 8 - June 20. 303-355-8955; walkerfineart.com Denver Academy of Dramatic Arts and Visionbox Studio present Tennessee Williams’ oneact play, “This Property Is Condemned,” directed by Jennifer McCray Rincon, 4 pm, Beacons Community Space, 2630 East Third. Free admission. Food and drink by Nova Catering. Doors open 3:30 pm. Call 303-6233003. SATURDAY, MAY 16: The Denver Academy of Dramatic Arts and Visionbox Studio present Tennessee Williams’ oneact play, “The Lady of Larkspur Lotion,” directed by Jennifer McCray Rincon, 5:30 pm, Beacons Community Space, 2630 East Third. Free admission. Food and drink by Nova Catering. Doors open 5 pm. Call 303-623-3003. SATURDAY, MAY 23: The Denver Academy of Dramatic Arts and Visionbox Studio present Tennessee Williams’ one-act play, “Hello from Bertha,” directed by Jennifer McCray Rincon, 2:30 pm, Beacons Community Space, 2630 East Third. Free admission. Food and drink by Nova Catering. Doors open 2 pm. Call 303-623-3003. SATURDAY, MAY 23: The Denver Academy of Dramatic Arts and Visionbox Studio present Tennessee Williams’ one-act play, “Talk to Me Like the Rain and Let Me Listen,” directed by Jennifer McCray Rin-

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con, 4 pm, Beacons Community Space, 2630 East Third. Free admission. Food and drink by Nova Catering. Doors open 3:30 pm. Call 303-623-3003. SATURDAY, MAY 23: The Denver Academy of Dramatic Arts and Visionbox Studio present Tennessee Williams’ one-act play, “The Long Goodbye,” directed by Jennifer McCray Rincon, 5:30 pm, Beacons Community Space, 2630 East Third. Free admission. Food and drink by Nova Catering. Doors open 5 pm. Call 303-623-3003. SUNDAY, MAY 3: Stories on Stage presents “Game Changers,” 1:30 & 6:30 pm, Su Teatro Cultural & Performing Arts Center, 721 Santa Fe. Tickets $15 & $28. Call 303-4447328. SUNDAY, MAY 3: Tattered Cover Film Series presents the 1953 Max Ophüls classic The Earrings of Madame de…. , 2 pm, Sie Film Center, Colfax & Elizabeth. Admission is free but must be obtained at the box office 1 hour prior to showing, limited number of tickets. Call 720-381-0813. •“Writers’ Church,” a “drop-in writers’ jam” hosted by Curious Theatre Co. the 1st Sun. of every month, The Acoma Center, 1080 Acoma, 10:30 am-1 pm. Free. Call 303-623-0524.

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L i f e o n C a p i t o l H i l l • M AY 2 0 1 5 SUNDAY, MAY 3: The Denver Academy of Dramatic Arts and Visionbox Studio present Tennessee Williams’ play, “The Glass Menagerie,” directed by Jennifer McCray Rincon, 6:30 pm, Skylite Station, 910 Santa Fe. Free admission. Food and drink by Nova Catering. Doors open 6 pm. Call 303-623-3003.

GALLERIES MONTH-LONG: • 12"x 12" x 14 is an art exhibit featuring 14 gallery artists who have all created four pieces each measuring 12" x 12". Gallery hours are: M-F 10-5, Sat 10-4, Closed Sunday. Artists on Santa Fe is located 747 Santa Fe Drive, Call 303-573-5903. • “El Movimiento,” History Colorado Center, 12th & Broadway. El Movimiento uses artifacts, images, and the voices of Chicano activists to tell about the struggle for labor rights. Call 303-447-8679. • “Thief Among Thieves” Museum of Contemporary Art, is a group exhibition featuring the work of more than twenty artists working in a broad range of styles and media,1485 Delgany. Call 303-298-7554. • “Camp,” an exhibition of new paintings by Rene Farkass at Leon Gallery, through June 28, 1112 E. 17th. Call 303-8321599. •“Critical Focus,” paintings by Denver-based artist, Monique Crine, Museum of Contemporary Art, 1485 Delgany. Through June 28. Call 303-2987554 x203 • “The Nature of Horses,” Deborah Butterfield’s contemporary sculptures capture the essence of horses, Denver Botanic Gardens lobby, through Sept 27. Call 720-865-3500. • “Seen in Passing: Photographs by Chuck Forsman,” Denver Art Museum, 13th & Bannock. Through May 25. Call 720-865-5000. • “Chicano,” based on the political movement of Chicanos in the 1960s, Museo de las Americas, 861 Santa Fe. Through May 29. Call 303-5714401. •An exhibit featuring: Sabin Aell, Walker Fine Art, 300 W. 11th. Through June 20. Call 303-355-8955. • “Diamonds in the Daytime: The Changing Fashions of

Margaret Brown’s World,” Molly Brown House Museum, 1340 Pennsylvania. Through Aug. Call 303-832-4092. WEDNESDAYS & FRIDAYS: “Nooner Tours” of the Denver Art Museum, 13th & Acoma, noon. Different gallery each week, regular admission. Call 720-865-5000. FRIDAY MAY 22: MSU Denver Alumni/CVA 25th Anniversary Exhibition, May 22 July 18, Center for Visual Art, 965 Santa Fe. Through April 4. Call 303-294-5207. FRIDAY, MAY 1: First Friday Art Walk in the Golden Triangle Museum District. Free bus, maps at all galleries. Free shuttle to the Santa Fe walk, below. Call 303-573-5095. • First Friday Art Walk, Santa Fe Art District, 6th to 10th on Santa Fe. Call 303-3332820. • “The Family Dog Denver: Rock Posters & Music in Denver, 1967-68,” Byers-Evans House Gallery, 1310 Bannock. Through May 10. Call 303-6204933.

THE TATTERED COVER LoDo invites you to a book discussion/signing of author Lisa Wimberger's new book, Neurosculpting: A Whole-Brain Approach to Heal Trauma, Rewrite Limiting Beiefs, and Find Wholeness. What we don't know about the brain, and what we are learning has become a compelling, hopeful topic. Wimberger has a private practice in Denver, and also is the author of New beliefs, New Brain. 1628 16th, May 14th, 7 pm. 303-436-1070; tatteredcover.com • Free Day, Four Mile Historic Park, 715 S. Forest. First Fri. of every month is free day. Call 720-865-0800. SATURDAY, MAY 2: Free Day at the Denver Art Museum, 13th & Acoma. First Sat. of every month free. Call 720-8655000

SATURDAYS: “Secrets of the Dioramas,” a free 45-minute overview of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science’s dioramas, 2001 Colorado, 12:30 & 2 pm. General admission required. Call 303-370-6000. SATURDAY, MAY 9: Upper Colfax 2nd Saturday Art Walk, 7 pm, Bluebird District,

St. Paul to Adams on Colfax. Free. SUNDAY, MAY 3: Tattered Cover Film Series presents the 1953 Max Ophüls classic The Earrings of Madame de…. , 2 pm, Sie Film Center, Colfax & Elizabeth. Admission is free but must be obtained See CALENDAR on page 18

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18 Calendar Continued from page 17 at the box office 1 hour prior to showing, limited number of tickets. Call 720-381-0813. SUNDAY, MAY 31: Free Day, Denver Museum of Nature & Science 2001 Colorado, 10 am-5 pm. Call 303-322-7009. Varies from Sun.to Mon. every month

L i f e o n C a p i t o l H i l l • M AY 2 0 1 5 free. Call 303-832-5000.

LECTURES TUESDAY, MAY 12: “Cuba, Past & Present,” an Active Minds talk, Tattered Cover, 2526 E Colfax, 5 pm. Free. Call 303-322-7727. TUESDAY, MAY 19: Pen & Podium host Neil Gaiman, Acclaimed novelist and author de-

scribed by Forbes Magazine as “the best-selling author you’ve never heard of,” at 7.30 pm, 2344 E. Iliff at University and Iliff. For information call (303) 871-7720 TUESDAY, MAY 26: “France’s Struggle,” an Active Minds talk, Tattered Cover, 2526 E Colfax, 5 pm. Free. Call 303-3227727.

SEMINARS, CLASSES & WORKSHOPS EVERY DAY: Free “Computer Basics” classes at the Denver Public Library’s “Community Technology Center,” 13th & Broadway, Level 4, varying afternoon times. Large variety of classes & skill levels . Call 720865-1706. SUNDAYS, WEDNESDAYS & THURSDAYS: “A Course in Miracles,” on-going class based on in-depth study of ACIM, 1 pm Sun., noon Weds., 7 pm Thurs. at Unity Temple, 1555 Race. Offering requested. Call 303-3223756. SATURDAY, MAY 9: Beginning Genealogy class, the Denver Public Library, 13th & Broadway, Gates Conference Room, Level 5, 1:30-4 pm (register at 1 pm). Repeated 2nd Sat. of every month. Free. Call 720865-1821.

SENIORS WEDNESDAYS: “Hospitality House for Seniors,” Assistance League of Denver, Bosworth House, 1400 Josephine, 10:30 am 1st (Crafts or movie, light lunch) & 3rd (book club) Weds., noon 2nd (luncheon & entertainment) & 4th (lunch & bingo). Free. Continues through June. Call 720-289-0775. THURSDAYS: Chair & Moderate Yoga, St. Paul United Methodist Church, 1615 Ogden, 11 am-12:15 pm. Fee charged. Call 303-818-4181.

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THURSDAYS: CO Peaches Senior Women’s have practices scheduled at East High School, 1600 City Park Esplanade, Denver, CO 80206; starting June 4 and consecutive Thursdays at the softball field. All senior women ages 55 and over are welcome and encouraged to attend; including 70+ players. Bring your glove; and a bat (if you have). Softball coaches are welcome to attend and assist. If any additional questions, please call Rosie 303-751-2691. THURSDAY, MAY 14: Seniors’ Book Discussion Group discusses contemporary fiction available in book & audio formats, 1-2:30 pm in the Level Four Meeting Room of the Denver Public Library, 13th & Broadway. Repeated 2nd Thurs. of every month. Call 720-8651312. SATURDAY, MAY 9: Free Day for seniors 64+ at the Denver Firefighters Museum, 1326 Tremont Pl. Repeated 2nd Sat. of every month. Call 303-8921436.

HEALTH & RECREATION TUESDAYS: Denver Chess Club, 6:30-10:30 pm, basement of West First Ave. Presbyterian Church, 120 W. 1st. Call 720318-6496. • Moderate Yoga, St. Paul United Methodist Church, 1615 Ogden, 6-7:15 pm. Fee charged. Call 303-818-4181. • Argentine Tango, practice & lessons, Turnverein Event Center, 1570 Clarkson, 6:3010:30 pm. Call 303-710-2250. TUESDAYS-THURSDAYS:

“Meditation at Noon,” a free, 30-minute, guided meditation, KMC Colorado, 1081 Marion. Call 303-813-9551. WEDNESDAY, MAY 13: La Leche League of Denver meets 2nd Wed. of the month, Blair-Caldwell Library, 2401 Welton, 12:30 pm. Call 720-8652115. SUNDAYS: Yoga on the Hill, 10:10 am, 809 Washington. Free. Call MJ at 303-433-6280 for details. • Capoeira Angola Introductory Class, Mercury Cafe, 22nd & California, 10:30 am. Free. Other classes available. Call 303-294-9258. • Tibetan Buddhist Meditation introduction to NgonDro, 9:30-10:30 am, Mercury Cafe, 22nd & California. Free, other classes available. Call 303322-5874. SUNDAY, MAY 3 & JUNE 7: Self-Defense Classes, 10:30 am-12:30 pm, Tiger Kim’s Academy, Colfax & Steele. Repeated the 1st Sunday of every month. Cost is $5 donation to breast cancer research. Call 303-3881408.

RELIGION SATURDAYS: Church in the City-Beth Abraham, 16th & Gaylord, 10 am. Call 303-3225733. • Catholic Mass, St. Paul Lutheran, 16th & Grant, 5 pm. Call 303-839-1432. • Roman Catholic Mass, Good Shepherd Catholic Parish, 7th & Elizabeth, 4 pm. Call 303-322-7706. SUNDAYS: Catholic Mass, 6:30, 8:30 & 10:10 am, 12:30 & 6:30 pm, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Colfax & Logan. Call 303-831-7010. • Holy Eucharist, 9 & 11:15 am, St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral, 1350 Washington. Call 303-831-7115. • Spoken Worship, 7:45 am; Sung Worship with nursery, 9:30 am; Informal Worship, 5:30 pm. All worship services include Holy Communion. St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 13th & Vine. Call 303-388-6469. • St. Paul Lutheran and Roman Catholic Community, 16th & Grant, Lutheran mass at 8 & 10:30 am. Call 303-8391432. • Church in the City-Beth Abraham, 16th & Gaylord, 8:30 & 10:45 am. Call 303-322-5733. • Center for Spiritual Living Denver, Sunday celebrations: meditation 9:30 am, service & children’s church 10 am, 2590 Washington. Call 303832-5206. • Informal Service, 10 am St. James Urban, 1402 Pearl (Network Coffeehouse). Call 303-830-1508. • Capitol Heights Presbyterian Church, 11th & Fillmore, 9:30 am worship, 10:30 am fellowship, 11 am education for all ages. Call 303-333-9366. • Services at 9:30 & 11 am at the First Unitarian Society of Denver, 1400 Lafayette. Call 303-831-7113. • Sunday Service & Sunday School (for up to age 20), First Church of Christ, Scientist, 1401 Logan, 10 am. Call 303839-1505. • 10 am Worship, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 9th & Emerson. Call 303-831-7023. • Worship Celebration 10:30 am, Buddhist Christian Interspiritual Service 5 pm, St. Paul Church, 1615 Ogden. Call

L i f e o n C a p i t o l H i l l • M AY 2 0 1 5 303-832-4929. • Catholic Mass for lesbian, gay, bisexual & transgender Catholics, 5 pm, Dignity Denver, 1100 Fillmore. Call 720515-4528. • Catholic Mass, 7:30 & 10 am, St. Ignatius Loyola Catholic Church, 23rd & York. Call 303-322-8042. • Roman Catholic Mass, Good Shepherd Catholic Parish, 7th & Elizabeth, 7, 8:30, 10 am, 5 pm. Call 303322-7706. • Metropolitan Community Church of the Rockies,Contemporary Services, 10 am, 980 Clarkson, www.mccrockies.org. Call 303-860-1819. MONDAYS: Grant Avenue Street Reach Meal, after 9 am, St. Paul Lutheran, 16th & Grant. Call 303-839-1432. WEDNESDAYS: Weekly Bible Discussions, 11:30 am12:30 pm, Christian Science Metropolitan Reading Room, 16th & Larimer. Call 303-5343571. • Wednesday Evening Testimony Meeting, 7:30 pm, First Church of Christ, Scientist, 1401 Logan. Call 303839-1505. THURSDAYS: Morning Eucharist, 7 am, St. Paul Lutheran, 1600 Grant. A 30-minute liturgy of Word & Sacrament. Call 303-839-1432. • Choral Evensong in traditional English style, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 2015 Glenarm, 5:30-6 pm. Call 303-296-1712. • Buddhist & Non-Sectarian Meditation, 7-9 pm at Vipassana Towers, 330 Acoma. American Theravada & non-sectarian. Free. Also every other Tuesday. Call 303-778-8883. FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS: Weekly services at Temple Micah, 2600 Leyden, 1st & 3rd Fri. 6 pm, 2nd & 4th Sat. 10 am. Family services on first Friday. Call 303-388-4239. SATURDAY, MAY 23: “East Meets West”, a conference on Chinese philosophy in light of Christian Theology. St. Augustine Orthodox Church, 11 am - 2 pm. SUNDAY, MAY 10: Mother’s Day. Remember to honor your Mother.

SUNDAY, MAY 10: Ambrosian Choristers & Orchestra, St. Augustine Orthodox Church, 3rd & Acoma, 10:00 am. Call 303-832-3657. SUNDAY, MAY 17: Third Sunday Evensong, St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral, 1350 Washington, 3:30 pm. Preceded by free concert by Baroque violinist Mary Harrison. Repeated 3rd Sun. of every month. Call 303-831-7115.

MEETINGS MONDAY, MAY 4 & 18: Skyline Toastmasters, 6:30 pm, Kephart Architecture, 2555 Walnut. Visitors welcome. Repeated the 1st & 3rd Mon. of every month. Call 303-778-0064. MONDAY, MAY 18: Monthly meeting of the Denver Garden Club, 7 pm, 1556 Emerson. Member Colo. Federation of Garden Clubs. All are welcome. Repeated 3rd Mon. of every month. Call 303-320-5983. MONDAY, MAY 25: Monthly meeting of Assistance League of Denver, 14th & Josephine, 10 am. Repeated 4th Monday of every month. Call 303-322-5205 TUESDAY, MAY 12: Capitol Hill Community Justice Council, 6 pm, Morey Middle School, 14th & Emerson (east side). Focus on crimes affecting the quality of life. Public welcome. Meets 2nd Tuesday of every month. WEDNESDAYS: Kiwanis Club of Denver,12-1:30 pm, Maggiano’s at the Denver Pavilions, 16th & Glenarm. Program varies weekly. WEDNESDAY, MAY 6: Monthly meeting of Democratic Party of Denver House District 5, Colorado Democratic Party HQ, 574 S. Broadway, 7-8:30 pm. Repeated 1st Weds. of every month, varying location. Call 303-830-8242.

information call 303-322-0079. Letter writing (to Members of Congress) takes place monthly, every first Wed., at Wash Perk coffee shop 6:30 pm. THURSDAY, MAY 21: Colfax Crime & Safety Coalition monthly meeting, Cheeky Monk, 534 E. Colfax, 3 pm. Public welcome.Repeated 3rd Thurs. of the month. • Monthly meeting of Financially Fit Females, 6 pm. First meeting free, location & topic change monthly. Call 303993-3939. THURSDAYS: Fillmore Community Network, focuses on sustainability, 7:30-9 am, 1633 Fillmore, 1st floor conference room. Location changes monthly. Call 303-399-2100. • Cherry Creek Toastmasters, 7-8:30 am, Temple Emanuel, 1st & Grape. Call 303399-9901. • Conquer the fear of public speaking at Body Shops Toastmasters, noon, Colo. Dept. of Health, 4300 Cherry Creek Dr. South, 2nd flr. Call 303-3984735. • Denver Socrates Cafe, 7 pm, Trinity United Methodist Church, 18th & Broadway. Discussions on a variety of important topics. Free. Call 303-8611447. FRIDAYS: Daybreak Toastmasters, 7-8:30 am, 1525 Sherman, Room B-70. Cat got your tongue? Public speaking & more. Call Scott after 6 pm at 303-4679294. “Thrillspeakers” Toastmasters, noon-1 pm, Webb building, 201 W. Colfax, Room 4i4. Call 720-209-2896. • Denver IDEA Cafe, a business start-up & brainstorming group, 2 pm, Panera Bread, 1350 Grant. Guest speakers. Free. Call 303-861-1447.

CORE NEW ART SPACE invites you to view this spring's juried show, 'Black and White.' One of Denver's oldest co-ops, CORE'S juried shows never cease to intrigue. The gallery will be filled with pieces in the black and white theme. Decide for yourself if you see a rising star in the chosen work for this exhibition. 900 E. Santa Fe, May 7 - 14, 303-297-8428; corenewartspace.com

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Music life

An eclectic summer at Denver Botanic Gardens

By Peter Jones

oncerts are nearly in bloom again at Denver Botanic Gardens. It may seem like we were just spreading our blanket – leaving room for those foolish late-comers, of course – just a month or two ago. But no, the summer of 2015 and its associated concert lineup, is coming up like a flower. Weeds? Not at Denver’s most intimate outdoor venue. The season gets off to an acoustic Colorado start on June 16 with Hot Rize, a progressive bluegrass band that has been on and off again for decades. The current band includes longtime members Pete Wernick, Nick Forster, Tim O’Brien and Bryan

Sutton. No word yet if alter-ego Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers will make a cameo. Opening the show will be Aoife O'Donovan, a nice Irish-American girl from Massachusetts. Through her solo and group efforts with Crooked Still and Sometymes Why, O’Donovan’s music has often re-bridged the age-old transcontinental drift between New World bluegrass Appalachia and its Irish Celtic forebears. It’s another evening of assorted roots music June 17 when South Carolina’s Shovels & Rope (aka husband-wife Denver native Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst) deliver their indie-rock-tinged twist on folk-country, with a little punk

on the side. Also on the bill, Oklahoma’s John Fullbright, a young singer-songwriter (and the ghost of his iconic Okie countryman Woody Guthrie). A super-group trio is next, June 22, when Ry Cooder, Sharon White and Ricky Scaggs convene for the aptly titled Cooder-White-Scaggs concert. The two multi-instrumentalists bookending the act are joined by Scaggs’s wife, Sharon, a pristine vocalist from country’s Whites. Expect bluegrass, gospel, country – and with the virtuoso Cooder on stage, anything goes: blues, rock, reggae, jazz, vaudeville, Hawaiian, stand-up comedy …you name it. It’s a long way from Uptown New York to the grass on Denver’s York Street, but the Jazz at the Lincoln Center Orchestra will make the most of it on July 7, with music director Wynton Marsalis. The acclaimed trumpeter has done as much as anyone to preserve the history and integrity of jazz; the Lincoln Center’s 15-piece house band has served much the same function in its annual tributes to the great Duke Ellington. It’s more Scaggs July 14 – but this time, the Boz variety. A founding member of the Steve Miller Band, the Texas-raised Scaggs would eventually fore go Miller’s blues-rock sensibilities for blue-eyed soul-jazz. Ironically, his big hit came out of nowhere as the atypical super-radio-friendly rocker “Lido Shuffle.” If Scaggs had managed to foster two more of those, he’d have that condo in Tahiti. Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers are next July 15. The pianist-singer made his mark in the late 1980s and ‘90s with jazz-influenced pop, leaning heavily on piano. Since his heyday, Hornsby has jammed with the Grateful Dead and tickled the ivories on Don Henley’s “The End of Innocence.” Like the Dead, Hornsby is unpredictable, so don’t bank on his greatest hits … but, then again, who knows? Keb’ Mo’ (aka Kevin Moore) plays the Gardens July 22. This acoustic bluesman has walked the terrain between old-fashioned country blues and a more modern singer-songwriter awareness. Although heavily

BOZ SCAGGS performs July 14 at Denver Botanic Gardens. influenced by Robert Johnson, Moore may owe almost as much to such latter-day blues-influenced songsters as Bonnie Raitt. Speaking of earthy blues-inspired female rockers, Grammy-winning Melissa Etheridge will make her Gardens debut Aug. 3. With her raspy voice and no-frills presentation, Etheridge is often compared to her idol Janis Joplin, though her percussive and emotional guitar work may be just as striking to the musicians among us. It’s way too late to see Bob Marley, but his eldest son Ziggy may be the next best thing. The 46-year-old musician brings his Fly Rasta Tour to the Gardens Aug. 4. Along with the Melody Makers, a band comprised of Ziggy’s brothers and sisters, the younger Marley carries on the family tradition, often with a commercial success his father never experienced. We’re back to musically am-

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biguous neo-bluegrass Aug. 9 when Bela Fleck (interviewed in this column in February 2007) headlines. More than anyone, Fleck has redefined the tortured banjo as an instrument of creativity and improvisation – with a resume that runs from progressive jazz to world music. Fleck will be joined by his wife and sometime collaborator, the fellow banjoist Abigail Washburn. On Aug. 11, it’s the man who made brass cool again. Chris Botti is that rare trumpeter to make People’s 50 Most Beautiful People (in a world where few can name a contemporary trumpeter at all, much less a sexy one). Botti got his start backing Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin and Roger Daltrey, among others, before smoothly jazzing things up and flipping that dew in just the right direction. Gipsy Kings, no that’s not a misspell, return to the Gardens for an acoustic show on Aug. 18. The Kings are a band of Gypsies, quite literally. Comprised mostly of Spanish Romani or Gitanos, the group performs its own variation on Catalan rumba, essentially Gitano party music with New World Cuban echoes and shades of 1950s rock and roll. Call it flamenco, if you like. Just don’t call it late for the dance floor. Another Spanish-born exchange will close out the season Aug. 22 with the Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club Adios Tour. Just in time for normalizing diplomatic relations, along comes the final cha, cha cha from the Grammy-winning ambassadors of Cuban music – the veterans of the Buena Vista Social Club soundtrack, including Omara Portuondo, a diva in the nicest sense of the word. It’s yet another amazing lineup, courtesy of the fine folks at Swallow Hill Music Association. Enjoy the summer and save me a blanket corner. For tickets and more information about the Denver Botanic Gardens concerts, visit swallowhillmusic.org or botanicgardens.org or call 877-9876487. Contact Peter Jones at pones@lifeoncaphill.com.

L i f e o n C a p i t o l H i l l • M AY 2 0 1 5

Architecture capitol

Increments of Growth and Quality Control By David L. Wise, AIA

nce the profits are discreetly carried off, the alarm surrounding the symptoms of a real estate boom, often referred to subtly as growth, can become quite loud. New construction, whether a building or a street, can have a result similar to kicking an ant hill. There is a visceral response in most of us to abrupt and grotesque changes to our home environment. When emotional blunt force is combined with intellectual sense that a perpetrator may not be playing fair, a sense of dismay and/or anger wells up. By then, any chance of balancing the effects of the new incursion through civilized discourse is lost. Bewildered, we ask, “What were they thinking?” Glamour does not seem to trump the discord of blownup scale, sheer walls and new buildings, jostling tight to the boundaries of their lot. We are not soothed by ostentatiousness and pretty or prettified fronts are no consolation. City building and the underlying economics and regulatory framework are essentially a game of shapes and numbers – just like preschool or even chimp testing. The aesthetic component is interwoven but much squishier. Tastes change. But isn’t a sense of quality and sincerity more constant and identifiable over time? There has been some refreshing dialogue in the daily press lately regarding the disappointing quality of new multi-family architecture being thrown up during the current construction frenzy. We’re all on the sidelines screeching and roaring with little effect. What is possible is affecting the future if not the present – an essential truth of most human circumstances. Fortunately the call and response in print has to do with remedies rather than recrimination. One cited remedy is to invoke design review of some sort to prevent the worst of the worst from occurring. Design sounds soft, ill-defined, and review sounds impotent, but in fact Denver has quite a good record of implementing effective design review. For me the key to design review is what comes before design review. The first preparatory step is the establishing of design criteria based on the essential qualities of a district, or as I prefer to say, setting a

community standard for quality control. Following that step is selecting who will conduct the discussion and eventually state the conditions for approval of a given project. Over time the power of a design review process is reflected in how a developer or even a homeowner approaches their project. I’ve seen it many times. My biased view is that it filters the approach to design at the very inception of the process. It suggests to the developer that from the beginning they must seek out a skilled professional to guide the design and quality of the project. Otherwise, they face a complicated path of false starts and reluctance to give the green light on the part of the reviewers. In the best cases in Denver I’ve seen the dialogue between the folks doing the review and the project team as a true collaboration where the sum of the comments is a net gain to the project. Ideas that save money and enhance the integrity and quality of the project can, and often do, grow from these conversations. It’s not all meager carrot-like offerings and sticks whacking away at the developer. A tone of respect and high design expectations can suffuse a room charged with pessimism. Creativity and synthesis truly make new things happen. More is done with less. Tangles fall into a gracious new order. A fresh energized look comes over what was a cumbersome struggle. And design review boards, the people that constitute the board, learn and become better at their work over time. Denver has launched various design and planning processes over time. Some of the best have been populated by volunteers or professional outsiders in addition to city staff. Denver has also attracted a number of talented architects to work within city agencies. Some of the best city staff have come and gone, but remain to some of us, as young JFK would say, profiles in courage advocating for design quality. Their legacies are not undone by more recent failures and they remain profoundly important. The urban fabric is a living thing and must be nurtured, but it is also resilient and can absorb a high degree of damage and discord. It meets that challenge often on Capitol Hill. Work in the various Historic Districts is subject

to design review. The quantitative part of a new building or project is also a factor in how disruptive the thing is to an existing stable neighborhood environment. In that regard, I’m slipping more and more to a romantic vision of mid-rise multi-family buildings resembling Poet’s Row but with balconies – more like other areas of Capitol Hill. This is not a new idea, but one highlighted criterion is that such buildings typically have ten or fewer units. This means in simple terms, a medium size lot could have one or two bedroom units with balconies facing the street and other units with balconies facing the alley. Medium size, meaning that one parking space per unit would fit on the alley. Tucking some cars under the building on the alley side might allow a slightly larger building, but still at the ten or so unit threshold. Many years ago in a housing seminar taught by architect and housing specialist John Jakob, we learned that a single housing project with more than fourteen units exceeded our capacity to know and understand our neighbors in a meaningful way. Based on my having lived in a building that size on Capitol Hill

I tend to believe the number. On a similar topic, I once learned that most people can’t visualize a number of objects greater than nine. Taken together, I like to natural fit the number of neighbors to knowing them in a meaningful way. In a condo building, knowing and understanding, for better or worse, our fellow owners is crucial to some degree of harmony and effectiveness in managing and maintaining the building. Maybe I’m easily intimidated, but a larger structure requiring a separate management compa-

ny for basic functions scares me. In an established and mostly stable area like Capitol Hill the value of a medium size increment of residential growth seems a good fit. Although, I know that every single house and lot has its own level of tolerance when it comes to what is placed next door. Whether the trait is design quality or building size, it is possible and has been demonstrated, that good development policy combined with design review, under carefully set parameters, can protect our stable and beautiful neighborhoods.

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L i f e o n C a p i t o l H i l l • M AY 2 0 1 5

School Scoop capitol

By Linda Katchen

ost people begin their new year after midnight on December 31. For students and teachers, who operate on a more specific calendar, their year begins in August or September and ends in May or June. The countdown has begun for the end of the 2014-15 school year. Soon students will be emptying their lockers, putting their books away and saying goodbye to their friends for the summer or maybe forever. Teachers are tabulating grades, packing up their classrooms and often making plans to continue their educations with summer classes and workshops. Teachers never really get a complete break; they are always analyzing, preparing and planning for the next year and the next group of students. Thank you teachers for helping our children! There are always a variety

of activities happening at East High School, 1600 City Park Esplanade, and this spring is no exception. East has a remodeled Counseling Center due in great part to Bruce and Marcy Benson who donated $250,000 to the project. Another $250,000 in contributions came from parents, alumni and community members. Since East has 89% of graduating seniors attending a two-year or four-year college, it is important that the counseling center be an effective, welcoming environment, and the new Future Center is just that. Counselors help students with personal/social development, academic advisement and career/ post-secondary planning, and now they have a wonderful area to meet with and work for students. Fri., May 1, Senior Projects will be presented in the East High School, Auditorium from 7 - 9 pm. These One Act Plays

are produced and directed by the Graduating Seniors from the East Theatre Program. Donations accepted for admission. Wed., May 6, the Spring Band Concert will take place in the Auditorium from 7 - 8:30 pm and admission is free. Three East Instrumental Jazz Groups will perform. Thurs., May 7, the Orchestra Spring Concert will be in the Auditorium at 6:15 pm. The East guitar groups, the String Orchestra, and Instrumental Ensemble will perform for free. Thurs., May 14, the 4th Annual East Arts Walk will take place in 8 locations including East from 5:30 – 8 pm. East invites students, parents, and community members to join them for this FREE celebration of student art. A preview of two dimensional visual art pieces will also be housed at Marco's Pizza (2207 E. Colfax), The Good Son Taphaus (2550 E Colfax Ave), and Starbucks (2975 E Colfax Ave) from May 7 - 14. Eight venues will offer a variety of two & three-dimensional visual art, in addition to student performances. These venues include: AUM Gallery, ABEND Gallery, Brik Bar, East, L2, Three Lions Pub, Tattered Cover, and Velowood Cyclery. The community will have a chance to tour East and the Clock Tower Museum from 5:40 - 7:05 pm. A schedule of performances will be posted at each of these sites the day before the event and on the website. For more info: Christine_Miller3@ dpsk12.org Congratulations to Senior Brian Carey who was selected this year as Colorado’s Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year. Students from East Art Department took home 9 of the top 26 district-wide awards at the DPS City-wide High School Art Show. East had 42 students selected for the awards this year. The show was held at the Wellington Webb Municipal building from Mar. 18 - Apr. 9. Congratulations to all of the

EAST HIGH RUGBY PRACTICE is in full swing. East high has won 4 rugby championships in the last 20 yrs. & vigorously defend their reputation as tough competitors. PHOTO BY JEFF HERSCH awardees selected for the Art Show. The 2015 Colorado state speech and debate tournament was held Fri., Mar. 20 – Sat., Mar. 21, at Douglas County High School. East had more students advance in the break rounds and final rounds than any other school at the tournament. East also has its first state Poetry champion in more than 15 years, Talia Most (state champion). Congratulations to the all the students for their strong performances. Congratulations to Brandon Arnold and Ruvencia Boyd who were two of three Colorado students chosen out of 10,000 to attend the Disney Dreamers Academy held in late March. The Disney Dreamers Academy is a four day educational and mentoring program for high school students at Disney World. Watch the 9 News interview and learn more about Disney Dreamers Academy. Congratulations to the East Angelaires who were among twelve ensembles to perform at the New York Voices Jazz Festival on Mar. 21. “Each year 12 outstanding college and high school ensembles are invited to perform and receive a clinic from a member of the New York Voices. The New York Voices Jazz Festival is hailed as one of the

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premier vocal jazz experiences in the country.” Congratulations to the East AngelBots who are ranked with the elite in the #4 position (out of 51) after their performance in the FIRST Robotics Colorado regional competition held in late March at DU's Ritchie Center. On Sat., May 2, Teller Elementary School, 1150 Garfield, is sponsoring Tellerpalooza at the Bluebird Theater, 3317 E. Colfax, to benefit Teller Elementary. The public is welcome to this evening of music, culture, food and fun. This event serves as a vital funding lifeline for the Congress Park school’s programs, including music, art, reading, and math. Performers include some of the Front Range’s best musical talent, including electro-pop purveyors Rose Quartz, Americana act Blake Brown & the American Dust Choir, Ska collective, The Dendrites, folk-rockers Covenhoven, psychedelic rock outfit Wild High, and R&B/hip-hop act Kitty Crimes. “Tellerpalooza is a reflection of the Teller community’s passion for the arts, learning, and throwing a fun party,” said Teller Principal Jessica Downs. “It’s also a vital funding source for the school.” Kudos to students at Good Shepherd School, 620 Elizabeth St., for their service project and their participation in Destination Imagination. During the month of March, students collected about 350 packages of diapers and a little over $500 for diaper bank, The Bottom Line, a division of Catholic Charities that works with the Gabrielle House to distribute approximately 2000 diapers a day to impoverished families. Congratulations to the Destination Imagination students who competed in their regional competition against almost 200 teams from the Denver metro area.

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Curmudgeon Who Is Your Neighbor?

By D. Todd Clough

saw a bumper sticker today that said, “Gentrify Your Own Damn Neighborhood.” It made me laugh as I have seen it many times, because it is on my truck. The Webster Dictionary says this: gentrification, noun; the process of renewal and rebuilding accompanying the influx of middle – class or affluent people into deteriorating areas that often displaces poorer residents. According to Wikipedia (so it must be true) “Historians say that gentrification took place in ancient Rome and in Roman Britain where large villas were replacing small shops by the 3rd century, AD. The word gentrification derives from gentry which comes from the Old French word genterise "of gentle birth" (14th century), and "people of gentle birth" (16th century).” In the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report Health Effects of Gentrification and defines the real estate concept of gentrification as, "the transformation of neighborhoods from low value to high value. This change has the potential to cause displacement of long-time residents and businesses.” In the Brookings Institution report Dealing with Neighborhood Change: A Primer on Gentrification and Policy Choices (2001), Maureen Kennedy and Paul Leonard said, "The term 'gentrification' is both imprecise and quite politically charged", suggesting its redefinition as "the process by which higher income households displace lower income residents of a neighborhood, changing the essential character and flavor of that neighborhood", so distinguishing it from the different socio-economic process of "neighborhood (or urban) revitalization", although the terms are sometimes used interchangeably. Here are my thoughts on gentrification. It is really good for some and really crappy for others. If you moved to the neighborhood early and got in cheap, the soaring real estate value is fabulous for you. That is, if you intend to sell. If you have lived in the neighborhood for many years or generations, but you have never owned property, you are hosed. Once rents rise, get some boxes from the nearest liquor store because it's time to find a new neighborhood. New services often come with the influx of affluence, usually accompanied by inflated prices. If you can afford to move in, affording the services are not a big deal. However, if you are hanging on by a thread to keep living in your neighborhood, guess what? Once again, you are hosed and it won’t be long before you have a new zip code. Advocates of gentrification refer to studies that show that as a neighborhood cleans up, crime rates go down, and that is a good thing. As new people with thicker wallets move in, the influx of money comes as well. Unfortunately, that influx of moola tends to benefit the newbies and

the entrepreneurs, not the longstanding residents. Turning ugly buildings and eyesores into presentable and even grand places is wonderful. And the “Keeping up with the Jones Mentality” is as American as apple pie. Especially for the trendy type of people who are drawn to face-lifted neighborhoods. More studies have shown that neighborhood gentrification slows down urban sprawl. That is admirable – I get that completely – if my choice were a four bedroom three bath house in Highlands Ranch. But, if it’s a garden shed with no running water in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, I would be bedding down next to the hoe, shovel and an old hose. Critics of gentrification will cite that it increases homelessness for displaced residents because it is financially hard and sometimes impossible to find new housing and pay for moving. Often it upsets children – children who are displaced have to change schools, which can negatively impact their performance in school, not to mention their emotional well-being and sense of stability. More criticism is that gentrification can lead to overcrowding resulting from non-rich families being forced to “double-up”. In many cases the elderly are displaced, forced to leave their homes and communities they were familiar with and felt safe in. Moving costs are impactful as relocating is expensive both emotionally and financially, especially because it is often into inferior housing. Gentrification can lead to the loss of job or job change – due to having to move. The cost of RTD is going up to $2.60 per ride soon. That is $5.20 per day to get back and forth from work. If you are being paid minimum wage ($8.23 per hour), it doesn’t take an Einstein to realize that your first 45 minutes of your job

is to pay for your daily transportation. Critics continue to say that the emotional stress on displaced persons causes them to experience negative emotions such as stress, anxiety and depression due to the forced and unwanted changes in their lives due to gentrification. Well, I say welcome to the club. The people who are trying to pay for the expensive real estate are just as stressed and anxiety ridden as the ones who can't afford to buy. The only difference is that they can buy better prescription drugs to deal with it. If you wonder what the signs of a soon-to-be gentrifying neighborhood are, here are my rules of thumb. First look for the hipsters, artist and Bohemian types moving in first. After that, you know it is a full blown

gentrified hood when someone opens a sushi restaurant and the city builds a dog park. I will end my rant the way I began it – gentrification is wonderful for many and sucks for others. It is important for us all to remember that with every

new generified neighborhood that occurs in our beloved Denver, (and we have had many in the past 10 to 15 years) it correlates to the loss of home base for some of our citizens. Do you have a rant? Send them to me at todd@dicp.org.

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CBID Continued from page 7 Locantore pointed out a “dead zone” for B-cycle service. As a member of the bike-share program, he lamented that earlier in the week his plans to pedal to the Cheeky Monk were foiled by the absence of a nearby B-station to park at. He pointed to a proximate empty patch of concrete and said it would make an ideal docking station. Walking outside the brick face of 1-Up, the recessed doorway had been graffiti’d. A little further up the street, two men were sprawled on the sidewalk, enjoying the warmth of a spring morning (i.e., loitering). Not very inviting. What can CBID do? “I’ll be knocking on every door, and providing resources,” said Locantore. “In their (business) head, they’re thinking how to make the inside work, not about the outside.” He will provide education, such as how to talk to people who are loitering, and where to get supplies to remove graffiti. Just the other side of 1-Up is the District 6

“cop shop”, and just up the street a city-owned condemned building. “How can we activate this? Here’s a great development opportunity,” he said, explaining that the police are looking for a new home. “How can this fit in with the character of Colfax in the 21st century?” At Colfax and Washington, a Cheba Hut was selling sandwiches where an Office Depot once peddled paper, with auto parking in front. But across the street, a Sliceworks with patio seating occupied the corner, up against the sidewalk, with a parking lot (also serving the nearby Argonaut) well off the avenue. Parking placement is a big piece of the pro-pedestrian puzzle. The Argonaut complex was rebuilt to Main Street zoning, explained Locantore, while Cheba Hut merely saw a change of use. Removing the “ocean of parking” in front of buildings makes the site more attractive to pedestrian traffic, but only the city can force the change when a building is torn down and rebuilt. Oddly, older historic buildings that avoided being razed during the automobile era preserved the pedestrian-friendly

feel, but the now-aging, once modern auto-centric architecture does not. On foot, details are noticed: holes in the sidewalk for trees, some empty, some with healthy flora; clean, and not-so-clean pavement; patio seating. A driver may not see the details that attract or repel the pedestrian. At walk’s end, LIFE asked Locantore what the businesses, residents and visitors of Colfax want to see changed or remain. “I’d be speculating,” he said, noting that his business cards had just arrived, and the task of pounding the pavement and knocking on doors had not yet begun. “There are clear opportunities for redevelopment and to bring people together on – what could that project be?” He mentioned a new use for the District Six police station and creating a mini-rec center, a satellite of the City Center project on the east end of the BID. “We don’t own the property, but we have the ability to organize.”

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Eat & Drink Amethyst Coffee: Find this Gem at the Metlo

By Daniel Webster photos by Dani Shae Thompson

lle Taylor, proprietor of Amethyst Coffee, sits across from me at Huckleberry Roasters. She’s fresh off a run, her long brown hair in a ponytail. We agreed to meet at this Larimer St. shop, confessing that her shop would distract her from the conversation. Sipping black coffee, she rolls into her origin story (coffee pun intended). “I mean I never had a Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts experience. I didn’t really drink coffee until I started bartending and was up until 3 a.m., and then getting up for class at 8 a.m.” She started going into Pavement Coffee in Boston before her shifts, ordering black coffee only. “I was never a latte person.” She gained such quick appreciation for the six ounce drink she quit the bartending gig and transitioned into barista life. “It took me six months to touch the espresso machine. You had to spend hours in the dish pit, and hours making bagel sandwiches,” she said. “It wasn’t a tiny little espresso bar, it was a busy college cafe.” She stuck out the quotidian activity, pumping out drinks and eventually starting to attend coffee cuppings, the practice of observing the tastes and aromas of brewing coffee. This graduation to barista professional aligned with her matriculation from the illustrious Berklee College of Music. She had a choice to make, coffee or music? After a job offer from Novo, she crossed over the Mississippi River for the first time to plunge herself into coffee as a career. A year and a half later – after her stints at Novo and Little Owl – she is now the proprietor of her own shop. Amethyst lies in Metlo’s corner space, nearest to Broadway. There’s geometry to the place: the bar’s wooden skirt is overlaid by white panels of triangle, diamonds, and rhombuses and the pendant lamps surrounding the bar have glass shades with triangle outlines. The maple countertop, along with the globular pendants in the main seating area and the scattered plants give contrast and a Fengshui-like comfort to the space. And the floor-to-ceiling windows provide the shop ample amounts of natural light.

There’s a clear accommodating factor to the seating arrangement. Stage right features seating for about 20 customers spread out over seven tables. In front of the bar, ledge-seating looks out on the patio, a great place to check off those tasks. A few high seats grace the bar. Give credit to Justin Pollom for this build out. Taylor raved about this four-month job, pointing out that, “It was his first build out and was a one-man operation.” Behind the bar resembles a java apothecary, a line-up of espresso pitchers, Chemex beakers, jars, scales, and two heavy-duty Mahlkonig grinders – high-end tools wielded by professional baristas. The little jars next to the espresso machine hold beans for a single cupping. “This Guatemalan (roast) is from Ritual in San Francisco, and you can detect notes of pomegranate, white grapefruit, and demerara sugar,” Taylor said, serving me a shot of the newly brewed roast. I try to detect these subtleties as they hit my unrefined taste buds. Taylor doles out Commonwealth as her Denver mainstay and one rotating out-of-state coffee, but claims she’s fairly roast-

er agnostic. “The city is growing so fast, so you have to embrace the rest of the world when that happens. I have no loyalties to Denver itself. I want something that is really good, and I want a quality product that I can serve.” A growing number of coffee shops coming out of the third wave movement dip their hands into both roasting and a retail

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space, but not dealing with the former side of the business allows Taylor to… “Spend more time engaging with guests. Focusing on the people that come in is the main priority. It’s 90% of the reason people even go to coffee shops,” she said. Taylor’s demeanor aligns with this priority; she’s friendly and relaxed, but make no mistake, she’s a pro. She placed 11th in U.S. Coffee Championships in the Big West region, known as the most competitive in the country – due to it encapsulating the metro regions of L.A., San Francisco, and Seattle, where the rise of coffee in America emanates from. She does admit that “It’s not about how good you are at work-

ing in a cafe. There’s very little crossover. It’s a game.” However, the precision and efficiency of this game translates well into her daily pulls of espresso. The coffee is excellent, whether it’s a cold brew or a cappuccino, to which she said, “You can get it any way you want it…which goes along with my philosophy, you are brewing a coffee, you aren’t brewing a brewing method.” Taylor’s shop strikes you as ENTJ on the Meyers-Brigg scale. Extroverted, intuitively planned, thought-out, and precisely judged, a business personality that one hopes will translate into clear notes of success. Hours: 7 am - 4 pm, every day. More information is at amethystcoffee.co

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Business Continued from page 11 tom designs & finishes including water gilded (gold or silver leaf) and hand- carved frames,” Byrne said of his acquisition. “Their clients include collectors, museums, galleries, etc. throughout the US, although concentrated in the Rocky Mountain region.” When you call the shop, the phone is answered A. U. M. Byrne said it’s not an acronym. The original owners in the 1970’s were part of a meditation group and ‘ohm’ was how the name was pronounced but that grew a bit dated after a decade or so. Hours are Mon. - Sat., 9 am - 5:30 pm. The number is 303-394-3362. Caffe Sanora Coffee & Craft Beer has thrived on Colfax for over 13 years now. This space at 1201 E. Colfax is its third location. The business recently tweaked its name to reflect the rollout of evening hours and to honor the famous strip on which it resides. It’s now officially Caffe Sanora’s CO-40. Night manager,Vance Hall, indicated that evening hours just made sense. “We are lucky to have a great location in an area whose nightlife is picking up. We wanted to offer our neighborhood a late-night spot to enjoy friends and either have a coffee or a beer.” For now the beverage offerings are just craft brews and vino but craft liquor could soon be in the works. The eats menu has also evolved. “We have a great late-night food menu with such items as build your own grilled cheese, and chicken and waffles. We also have an expanding wine selection,” Hall said. When asked what has given Sanora such staying power, Hall said, “It is the pride we take in our business and in the area. We want to be a living part of the neighborhood that offers both great food and drink as well as a place to feel at home. We still make all our baked goods inhouse.” The caffes new hours are Mon. & Tues., 6:30 am - 7 pm, Wed. - Fri., 6:30 am - midnight, Sat., 7:30 am - midnight & Sun., 7:30 am - 3 pm. Wednesday nights feature a special puzzle battle competition complete with prizes. 303-860-7511 is the number. Roostercat Coffee House at 1045 Lincoln is resuming their summer comedy and music schedule later this month. The garden level coffee house enjoys two large patios in addition to an inside space for gloomy days. It’s on the south patio that local bands and comedians will perform. Roostercat is open 7 am - midnight weekdays & 8 am - midnight on weekends. The venture has also beefed-up their Panini menu in recent months while keeping the popular toast bar. 720-459-1434 is the number. “Tired of the traffic?” the sign plastered on the east wall of Big Fat Cupcakes at E. 1st and Adams in CCN reads. No, they’re not talking about area traffic so much as they are promoting the addition of new services that will make BFC a one-stop location for good eats. The shop has added a full espresso bar and morning pastries as well as Denver’s own Liks ice cream to go with those mountains of mini cakes. 303322-2253 is the number. Colorado’s own Vitamin Cottage/Natural Grocers just

marked its 60th anniversary and Rags Consignment which started in Boulder and recently opened a Denver location at 201 University in CCN is celebrating 20 years. Then there’s Capitol Heights Pharmacy & Liquor, the area’s first drug store. Opened in 1881, Cap Heights has enjoyed several locations and experienced a number of owners. The new team consists of Kristen and Chris Holmes who are marking a second anniversary at the helm with a bit of a shindig. Sat., May 9, 10am - 2pm the duo will host a big two-year anniversary of ownership party designed to showcase local Colorado products. “So far we have 15 local Colorado vendors (such as The Real Dill and Backyard Soda Co.) coming to set up tents, farmer's market style, in our parking lot and they will be giving samples and selling their product, which will be discounted by 5% at the event,” said Kristen Holmes who is also the head pharmacist. Events include a range of children’s games, snow cones, live music and the staff of pharmacists available to discuss everything from seasonal allergies to bug bites. The event occurs the day before Mother’s Day and coincides with the annual sale at Wildflowers across the street. It also benefits nearby Teller Elementary. “We will be giving $5 to Teller for every new patient that either brings in a new Rx or transfers their Rx to us and references this promotion during the entire month of May,” Holmes added. TAG Burger Bar next door will also be selling sliders the day of the event to benefit the school. Holmes hopes the community will enjoy seeing the improvements her team has made in two years and also enjoy the spirit of collaboration between the businesses at E 12th and Madison in Congress Park. 303-388-3679 is the number. City Bakery Cafe at 726 Lincoln has tweaked its hours since opening last spring. Maybe it’s an anniversary kind of thing; this space opened last April and has survived the most perilous year for any new business – ear One. New hours expanded weekday operations. Instead of closing at 3 pm, the cafe now remains open until 5 pm during the week. Saturday hours remain 7 am - 3 pm. The number’s 303-861-0809. Saint Paul Health Center at 1667 St. Paul, a community that provides care for guests in need of short-term rehabilitation or long-term care, has just completed a total renovation of its City Park South facilities. Updates include doubling the size of the therapy gym and the purchase of new state-of-theart gym and performance equipment. Individual rooms also received some major comfort upgrades. “Saint Paul is a proud Capitol Hill business, having been locally owned for over 35 years, and appreciates its role in contributing to our vibrant neighborhoods in central Denver,” said spokeswoman Megan Whelan. Please call 303-399-2040 to arrange an individual tour.

Closings A reader asked me to investigate these first two closings. Happy to do it but so far, there’s little to be gleaned about what led to the demise of these busi-

nesses. Little Monkey Bizness at 730 Colorado above Snooze and US Bank closed in late March. It was a second story place for toddlers and older kids to play and blow off steam by climbing and jumping around – like little monkeys. The company also hosted birthday parties and other celebrations. There’s still a Monkey Bizness location in Centennial and a call to that location indicated that it’s possible the Colorado shop may reopen but at press time, a plan had still not been finalized. Stay tuned. At 745 Colorado across the street, Menchie’s frozen yogurt has closed too. Not happy at all about this second closing. Gonna miss that tart cherry FroYo a lot! That makes the second frozen yogurt shop to close in Congress Park in recent months. The first was Red Mango in the Lowenstein Complex on Colfax. Down on Broadway, the Arby’s near 11th has closed but renovations are already underway for a new eatery to rise from these ashes. Like MAX’s Wine Dive on E. 7th, this concept also hails from Texas. The space is slated to reopen as the first Colorado location of Austin-based Torchy’s Tacos. Beauty Bar on E. 13th next to Jelly closed last month after nearly five years dishing up manicures and cocktails. The former Snake Pit location had evolved into something of a music venue and was one of several Beauty Bars nationwide. Other locations included venues in NYC and Chicago. The principals are reportedly designing a new concept for the space. In the 3200 block of E. Colfax near Hooked on Colfax, the ism Gallery is a vacant shell. Calls to 3229 E Colfax reached that lovely three-tone message that the number’s been disconnected. Fringe in the 2600 block of CCN has relocated to 1408 Larimer Square. Evidently that move occurred several months ago for the store, which also operates locations in Vail and Beaver Creek. Pismo Glass on E. 2nd between Clayton and Detroit in CCN is now totally closed. Owner Sandy Sardella held a long retirement sale but then packed up her glass and is now kicking back somewhere fun. Probably Pismo Beach in California, don’t ya think? Across the street from Pismo on the upper level, 3 Day Blinds has moved out of their location above Duke’s convenience store. If you have a coupon for Salon Texture on the upper level of the 235 Fillmore complex, the shop has closed, but don’t despair. Call 303-377-4100 to find out where the various stylists have landed. They’re still honoring deals. One of my favorite CCN shops, The Alchemist at 274 Detroit near E. 3rd is also shut. Owner Ninfa Laughlin returned to CCN last year after a seven year absence to revive her elegant beauty products and fragrance business but this time, the tenure was short. This final closure in CCN is significant. Ilona’s at 226 Steele closed its doors in late January after numerous decades of retail operations. The beauty business has now moved on-line at ilona. com for orders. You can also call 303-322-4212. Send biz news to Jeanne@lifeon caphill.com.

L i f e o n C a p i t o l H i l l • M AY 2 0 1 5

DYAO Continued from page 5 knows what he's doing, and he's a great conductor.” Pierce will attend Oberlin College and Conservatory on a five-year dual program which will allow her to decide if she wants to be a professional musician or choose another route. Jacob Joram, another East student who plays clarinet, wasn't available at deadline to be interviewed. The typically younger ensemble and string orchestras are separated by geography, north and south of the city, and by musical experience. The geographic separation makes it convenient for students and parents to commute to rehearsals at the Denver School of the Arts and Bethany Lutheran Church in Cherry Hills. It's evident when watching the students rehearse at DSA, with their conductor, Javan Carson, that both are enjoying the music they're making together. Now in her 10th year with the conservatory and string ensembles, Carson has been playing violin since she was a tot and has been teaching private violin, viola and piano lessons for more than 25 years. She's a graduate of the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver. As well, she was the conductor of Sinfonia at the Colorado Youth Symphony Orchestra and conductor and founder of Ecklectika Youth Ensembles. She has also been a substitute with the CSO. With plenty of experience working with young people, Carson said during her break at a recent DSA rehearsal, “I like kids. They make everything fun.” And they seem to like her too. She commands their attention, but isn't rigid. The rehearsals are casual, but purposeful. She's able to allow some students to play their violin while they're kneeling on the floor, or embrace students who may appear distracted, but come into the fold with her encouragement. “Teenagers are great. They make me smile and it's fun to help them understand how all the instruments fit together to become one. Sometimes it's a tricky, but we seem to do alright with it,” said Carson. One of her students, Evan Long, 14, an 8th grader at Morey Middle School plays percussion instruments. The evening of the rehearsal, he played castanets. Asked what he enjoys about being a DYAO participant, he said, “I play a variety of other instruments including the crash symbols, chimes and timbales, but playing all of them doesn't hinder my ability to play each of them individually. It's fun and challenging.” Long, who will play drums with The Five Points Heritage Band under the tutelage of trumpeter, and South High School music director, Hugh Ragin, at the Five Points Jazz Festival May16, recalled his recent experience in March when he played at the DYAO's Gala Celebration at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. “It was a massive collection of opportunities for young people to express what they may do for their careers in the future,” said Long who was thrilled to play on the big stage. The gala attracted 1,600 listeners of all ages who were treated to an afternoon well-spent listening to classical music played by talented young people whose music shined. The afternoon also honored Charley Samson and

Monika Visher from Colorado Public Radio KVOD for their support of classical music. Also on the stage that afternoon was East High School sophomore, Mallory Angstadt, who has played flute for a decade. Angstadt is the recent Conservatory Orchestra winner and will be among those who will participate in the North group at 4 pm, Sun., May 3, at the Orchestra and Spring Ensemble, “Rise to the Challenge” at Bethany Lutheran Church, 4500 E. Hampden in Cherry Hills Village. A repeat performance by the South group will be at 7 pm, Mon., May 4 at the same location. Tickets may be purchased on-line at www.dyao.com, by phone at 303433-2420 or at the door. She likes playing an instrument that's compact and one Angstadt said she can put in her backpack, unlike her brother who plays cello and “has to lug it around.” Both her younger brother and sister are DYAO participants and attend Morey Middle School. Angstadt enjoys the sound of the flute. “It's pretty and mysterious, and has lots of moods,” she said. Angstadt also appreciates being part of something bigger than just playing her instrument solo. “I like the people at DYAO. It's a lot of fun.” Academically, Angstadt is interested in the STEM programs at East with an emphasis on engineering. Asked if she sees a connection between math and music, she responded, “Yes, I see similar patterns with chords in music that have been helpful with math.” As for the DYAO's annual budget, “the organization operates on $630,000 along with special fundraisers and significant funding from the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, the Harold H. Berlin Foundation and other smaller foundations,” said Barb Moritsky, director of development. DYAO is a 501 (c) (3) and in the 3rd tier of SCFD with funds distributed from Adams, Arapahoe, Denver and Jefferson counties. Last December, Colorado Gives Day garnered $37,000 in donations for the youth orchestra which maintains an administrative staff with four paid employees and numerous volunteers. “Parental support is strong and essential to the organization's success,“ noted Moritsky.

The Painted Violin project, now in its 11th year, is another funding source for the orchestra. This year's 22 violins, painted mostly by local artists, with two from Iran and China, feature floral or landscape scenes, some with a Colorado flavor, are auctioned annually and typically bring $30,000 to the program. Some are still available for purchase, at www.paintedviolin.com. All of this is good news for DYAO whose programs are supported by tuition fees ranging from $600-$970 depending on the age of the student or volunteer hours contributed. The students provide outreach programs to retirement homes, churches and retail stores such as the Whole Foods in Lakewood where

the students recently provided a sample of their musical talents. Although the tuition costs may seem to make it impossible for some parents to fit into their budgets, scholarships are offered and no student is turned away from participating in the program due to financial restraints. “Everyone pays a little depending on their circumstances. It creates a buy-in,” said Waltrip. As one of the youth orchestra's founders, Betty Naster has remained enthusiastic and involved with DYAO all these years later. And her co-founder, Carl Topilow, has been the mu-

sic director and conductor of the National Repertory Orchestra, a summer youth orchestra in Breckenridge, for the past 36 years. Naster, who has lots of stories to tell said, “I'm totally delighted and amazed by how the orchestra has grown and developed musically over the years. It's beyond anything we ever dreamed when we started it. It has made school music programs and orchestras stronger, and is the most satisfying thing I've done in my life outside of family.” So hear the future… by going to hear it now!

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Garden life

Renee’s Dilemma

By Julie Hutchinson

ast month’s e-mail from Renee inspired this column: When I lived in Westminster I had an amazing, almost perfect garden. Because it was a good size with plenty of sun, I was able to grow almost anything. I have almost lived in Cap Hill for a year. Here's my dilemma – my attempt at a garden last year was pathetic. I think the huge trees and smaller lots may be ruining my hopes of a garden. If you have any tips or tricks, or words of wisdom for successful gardening in the city, I would love to hear them. Renee lives on a picture-perfect Capitol Hill block with a mix of big shade trees, apartments and century-old, well kept homes. The narrow lots extend back to the city alley. She inherited a part-shade, west-facing front yard with worn-out raised beds planted for vegetables by the home’s previous residents. A little bit of lawn is framed by day lilies and a block wall. Her back yard features more sun than the front, with a large expanse of concrete slab instead of turf. The good thing about Renee’s landscape is that it is doable. It’s not a suburban corner with huge expanses of turf. It’s compact and not overwhelming. So here are my recommendations for Renee and anyone looking at starting the process of establishing a new landscape.

• Start small. Don’t try to transform your entire yard all at once. In Renee’s case, I recommend she start with just a piece of her front yard. This way she won’t tire before the project is finished, or overspend her budget. Best of all: By starting small, the gratification of seeing results comes sooner. If Renee were to, say, start with the edge garden along her front porch, the results would inspire her to keep moving. Weeding this area, separating and replanting existing daylilies, planting small shrubs and perennials in the blank spaces, spreading mulch and adding pots on the porch can be done in a weekend or two. Standing back and really seeing the difference is energizing. Neighbors notice, too, and often are inspired to work in their own landscapes. • Know what to plant before you go to buy. When the time does come to select shrubs and perennials for your landscape, observe the conditions of your yard, and then do some research. Do you have sun or shade, or a combination? Is your yard damp or dry, or a combination? • Find out what will thrive in your yard. Ask neighbors. E-mail me. Visit the Denver Botanic Gardens and write down names of plants you like. (If they’re not identified, take a picture of the plant so that you can ask about it.) When you have a list, shop at a good

RENEE, A RECENT TRANSPLANT TO CAPITOL HILL FROM THE SUBURBS, is learning to love her narrow, partshade yard. This photo shows her on her front porch. We’ll follow her progress periodically. garden center with knowledgeable staff. Big Box stores are hitand-miss. • Use fail-safe plants when you start. Some plants (clematis, for example) require expertise beginners haven’t learned. But plenty of plants are practically indestructible and will grow in conditions that are wet or dry, sunny or shady. These plants will even grow in soil that isn’t great. Among them are lamium, a ground cover or edging plant; heuchera, a small, mounding plant with beautiful leaves available in many colors; Husker Red penstemon, a tall perennial with maroonish foliage; Stella D’Oro daylilies, a medium-sized, mounding plant with a new crop of flowers every day almost all summer; and Autumn Joy sedum, a medium-sized succulent that flowers in late summer. If

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these are the only plants you put in your yard, it will look lovely. Really. • It’s not just about flowers. You may have noticed that I said nothing about flowers of lamium, heuchera or penstemon. That’s because these I value these plants for everything except their flowers. I like these plants for their leaves, for their shapes, for their textures, even for the way they look when they’re dormant. As you develop more expertise you’ll understand that plants are about a lot more than the flowers. • Thoroughly water everything before you plant. Many new gardeners fail to adequately hydrate the root balls of plants. Water everything before you plant. Then water it again. In the case of shrubs with tight root balls, immerse the entire root ball in a bucket of water to be certain it’s adequately hydrated before you plant it. • Don’t expect perfection immediately. Gardening takes practice. No one can sit down and play Beethoven the first time they try to play the piano. The same goes for gardening. The more you play in the dirt, the more comfortable you’ll be and the more familiar you’ll become with your plants. I’ve been playing in the dirt in a serious

way for 20 years and I still learn new tricks every year. • When it comes to your pots, do like the pros. Decorative pots can dress up any landscape, whether they’re positioned to fill a blank space among other plants or standing guard on a front porch. I always wondered how the gardeners-for-hire made their pots look so good in the ritzy neighborhoods near Cheesman Park and the Denver Country Club. A closer look revealed their secret: house plants. Yep, if you stuff your pots with houseplants and accent with a few flowering annuals, people will think you have hired a gardener. Your pots will be stunning and you won’t have to wait until September to see them lush and full. A word of warning: Don’t do this until the fear of frost has passed – wait until after Mother’s Day. If you shop early in the season, you’ll find a great selection of small houseplants at grocery stores, Big Box stores and garden centers. As far as Renee’s new landscape, I’ll provide periodic updates on her progress. Do you have a gardening comment or question? E-mail me any time at juliehutchinson@ comcast.net

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