S E A R C H
SOUTHAURORA SOUTH AURORA’S PREMIER MONTHLY COMMUNITY MAGAZINE SINCE 2009
In This Month’s Issue
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Plus much more!
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Sagewood 80’s Night l The Bookends
12760 Stroh Ranch Way, Suite 202 Parker, CO 80134 303-805-9455
Mardi Gras l Love ‘em or Leave ‘em 5k/10k
POSTAL PATRON
DATE NIGHT
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FEBRUARY 2018
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S E A R C H
SOUTHAURORA FEBRUARY 2018
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Date Night Great ideas for your next date night in, and around, South Aurora
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Mardis Gras It’s that time of year...break out your beads and party
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Love ‘em or Leave ‘em 5k/10k Get those feet moving...walkers or runners...at this fun event
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Back to the 80s Help Sagewood Middle School at this fun 80s themed FUNdraiser
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A Date Night in South Aurora
The Bookends & Local Author Spotlight
South Aurora
Magazine
FEBRUARY 2018 VOLUME 10 ISSUE 2
PUBLISHER MIKE WAID
mike.waid@waidpublishing.com 303-805-9455 xt 700
SALES DIRECTOR KAYCE ARTHUR
kayce@waidpublishing.com 303-805-9455 xt 706
EDITORIAL TIFFANY GRIZZLE
tiffany@waidpublishing.com
February Scavenger Hunt Contest
How would you like to win a gift certificate from local South Aurora restaurants? Well, here is your chance. We have gift certificates from many locally owned restaurants and want to give you one. To win, all you have to do is go online to SouthAuroraMagazine.com and enter our February Scavenger Hunt contest. You will need this copy of Search South Aurora to enter...so head over to our website today and you could win! Good Luck! 3
FEBRUARY 2018 search south aurora magazine
Search South Aurora Magazine is published 12 times per year by Waid Publishing (www. WaidPublishing.com), a division of Mike Waid & Associates, Inc. (www.MikeWaid. com), 12760 Stroh Ranch Way, Suite 202, Parker, CO 80134, 303-805-9455. Search South Aurora Magazine is available online at www.SouthAuroraMagazine.com. Search South Aurora Magazines is a trademark of Waid Publishing. All rights reserved. The views, opinions and/or statements made or expressed by individuals and/or entities, are not necessarily reflective of the views and opinions of Waid Publishing. No part of this publication may be reproduced without explicit permission from Search South Aurora Magazine. Copyright 2018 Search South Aurora Magazine - All rights Reserved.
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DATE NIGHT
F
ebruary is typically the month of hearts and flowers, chocolate and cupids and many times grand gestures of wining and dining and day-long outings with intricately planned details. Most of you reading may agree, sometimes less is more and grand gestures, although appreciated, aren’t always what we’re looking for; sometimes we’re just looking for a little something different for a fun night out. If you’re looking to plan a date night or just a night out with friends, there’s lots of options you may not have realized are available for consideration whether you’re looking for a new culinary experience, something a bit adventurous, a little art and culture or something completely different - check out what might be your next night out. Want to keep it simple with just dinner and a movie? You could head to Southlands and check both boxes at the AMC Dine In Theater or you could try one of the over two dozen restaurants within a stone’s throw of the theater like the new Bar Louie or Poke Story or make plans to spice it up at The Lost Cajun (opening soon.) If you’re up for a different kind of dining experience, check out the wine dinners, winemaker visits and wine and cheese tastings at Wine Experience Cafe and World Cellar. More of a DIY-er? Take a class and learn how to create culinary masterpieces at home at a cooking school like The Seasoned Chef (www.theseasonedchef.com)
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You can always check out any number of the amazing breweries around like Dry Dock, Launch Pad or Dads and Dudes. Feeling a bit daring? Maybe look into exploring the Denver area a little differently with BigCity Hunt (www.scavengerhunt.com) See some of the best sites through photo challenges and fun activities to do with a group of friends. Maybe take a drive around town or even to the mountains, but in your DREAM car (denverluxurycarrental.com or exoticdrivesdenver. com) Rather take a spin on the dance floor instead of the highway? Many dance schools offer classes for adults from ballroom to hip hop. Check out Miller’s Dance Studio (www.millersdancestudio.com) for some toe tapping options. Perhaps you’d like to do something out of the ordinary, but make it a night in? Check out www.nightofmystery.com for a variety of Murder Mystery party plots and ideas. Those looking for a sportier night out may want to relieve a date night staple from their teens with a twist - check out Monster Mini Golf, an 18-hour glow-in-the-dark, black light mini golf course! (www.monsterminigolf.com) or all the activities you can try out at Family Sports Center (laser tag, climbing wall, ice arena, or the two-tiered, heated driving range) www.ssprd.org/Family-Sports-Center. Instead of a battle on the turf, maybe a battle of wits is in
order - check out Mission Escapes. Escape room adventures are available for 2-8 players with themes like Treasure Hunt and Lunar Escape. (missionescapes.com) Looking to up the culture factor? The Aurora Fox Theater’s events include Hedwig and the Angry Inch, their Cabaret Series, Read Women Have Curves and Passing Strange. (aurorafoxartscenter.org) You could also take the arts into your own hands, literally, by checking out local Paint Nite events. You’ve most likely seen those, paint a picture with friends while enjoying an adult beverage establishments; this is a traveling version of that concept. Check out their calendar of events at local bars and restaurants near you (www.paintnite.com) If the idea of painting has you making other plans, check out Plant Nite - instead of painting, plant beautiful succulents in beautiful terrariums and planters, go green, and go home with new decor! For tickets to events in bars and restaurants near you, go to www.plantnite.com. Plants or paint, brews or wine tasting, exploring the city or staying close to home. The next time you get a date night on the calendar or you’re able to get the guys/girls together, think outside the box a bit and try something new on for size. Don’t save the original ideas for once a year on Valentine’s - make every night out a new adventure!
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P
arker is ready to paint the town Purple (and green and gold) for the Council of Arts, Science and Culture’s Mardi Gras Celebration! Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday celebrations, vary from city to city around the world. In some areas, like New Orleans, Mardi Gras Carnival events will begin after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany (Three Kings Day) and last through January, culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras celebrations made their way to the United States in the 1700s after King Louis XIV sent men to defend France’s claim on Louisane, which included Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and parts of Eastern Texas. The first Mardi Gras celebration was in the Biloxi, which was the first capital of Louisiana. The capital was then moved to New Orleans in 1718 and the first Mardi Gras Parade recorded in New Orleans was held in 1837. Many people think of New Orleans, a city with a history and culture greatly influenced by the French, when they think of Mardi Gras, but other cities around the world famous for their Mardi Gras Carnival celebrations include Rio de Janeiro, Quebec City, The Cayman Islands and Mazatlan to name a few. Parker’s Mardi Gras traditions aren’t nearly as rich, but we are just as ready to laissez les bons temps rouler as anyone. Saturday, February 10th, from 4pm-Midnight, the Studio at Main-
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street will serve as Parker’s own little version of New Orleans and host a night no to be missed. Scrumptious finger food and appetizers from Parker Garage will be served accompanied by a libations from the cash bar. The evening’s entertainment will include New Orleans Soul, Funk and Gospel music by NOLA Soul as well as a silent auction. Tickets for the event Parker’s Mardi Gras can be purchased in advance at www.coloradoculture.org or at the door the evening of the event. Proceeds from the event will benefit the non profit group Inspire Creative. Inspire Creative, a local tour de force of the arts, has been bringing amazing shows to our community for over 7 years, including this year’s highly anticipated production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, playing through February 11th, at the PACE Center. In addition to the Main Stage shows, Inspire Creative also offers theater classes as well as private vocal and instrumental lessons through their partnership with Music on Mainstreet. Take a trip to New Orleans, just for the night, grab your friends and make a night of it at the CASC’s Mardi Gras Celebration, benefiting Inspire Creative! For Tickets to Parker’s Mardi Gras go to www. coloradoculture.org or purchase your tickets at the door.
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Love ‘em or Leave ‘em Valentine’s Day 5K/10K with RNK Running and Walking
You may have a love/hate relationship with sticking to that exercise commitment you most likely made at the first of the year, but Parker Recreation has a reason to fall in love with getting out and hitting the pavement! The annual Love ‘em or Leave ‘em 5K/10K, the signature walk/ run of Parker Recreation’s Run Series, is a not-to-be-missed fun and quite festive work out! Saturday, February 11th, the races kick off at Bar CCC Park with the 10K beginning at 10:00am and the 5K commencing just after at 10:05am. These professionally timed, sanctioned races will be held, rain, shine (or snow) and refunds for entry will not be issued. Prizes will be awarded for the overall top male and female finishers, as well as the top three finishers in the following categories: 12 and under, 13-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 5059, and 60+. All finishing results will be obtained from “gun time” meaning the timing will start simultaneously for all age groups at the start. Following the races, the FREE Kids’ Dash for little runners 8 and under will get underway. There is no registration required for the Kid’s Dash, just a great chance for future top finishers to strut their stuff on the course. If getting out and getting a little fresh air isn’t enough of a draw, perhaps the promise of a delicious, post-race pancake breakfast will tip the scales? That alone may be enough motivation to get from start to finish. All racers are invited to enjoy breakfast after they’ve crossed the finish line. This is indeed a family friendly event, with strollers and leashed dogs welcome; however, it is kindly asked that both remain on the right side of the trail during the race. A detailed map of the course, complete with details of parking and water stations, can be found at parkerrec.com. Parking is limited so it is highly recommended that participants carpool if possible. If you are interested in volunteering, check for opportunities to lend a hand at www.VolunteerConnectDC.org. If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities, contact Jaime Vollersten at 303.805.3267 or at jvollertsen@ parkeronline.org.
To register for the Love ‘em or Leave ‘em Valentine’s Day 5K/10K go to www.parkerrec.com 9
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Sagewood Middle School Goes
BACK
TO THE Rubix Cubes, walkmans, Trapper Keepers, the painstaking effort of creating the perfect mixtape and the intricate art of note folding - all things that our kids will never truly appreciate but were iconic mile markers of those that grew up in the 80’s. That neon hued era comes alive when Sagewood Middle School’s PTO presents Saagewood’s Back to the 80’s Auction/Dinner/Casino annual fundraising event, held this year on Saturday, March 3rd at Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club. Since the event’s inception a few years ago, the night has continued to grow into the signature evening for the Sagewood community and a wonderful way to support the school, and wonderful things the students and staff at Sagewood are doing.
With all the amazing things that are happening at Sagewood, it’s incredible to think of what’s to come, making it all that more important to continue to support them in their endeavors. The 80’s Auction/Dinner/Casino night will commence with an open bar and silent auction with rows and rows of tempting luxuries up for bid, and that’s just the start of the evening! Once the dinner hour begins and the silent auction closes, Mayor Mike Waid will serve as the master of ceremonies as the evening’s enjoyment continues though dinner with several raffle games, the highly anticipated live auction and the always amusing dessert dash. Last year’s live auction included numerous amazing items up for bid, including a South African Safari!
Sagewood Middle School,very proudly, is the only DCSD Middle School that: •
•
• •
offers a mandatory Innovation and Design Lab class that focuses on challenging students to critically think, problem solve, be resilient learners, and use industry-level technology and tools. offers Student Government as a class and AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), a nationally recognized program for college readiness. is an Ambassador School for Lockheed Martin. is Common Sense Media Certified; actively educating students on online media safety, utilizing online resources, and promoting digital citizenship.
Sagewood is also the only DCSD Middle School and only Middle School in the State of Colorado that is RAMP certified by the American School Counselor Association, a preventative, comprehensive counseling program. Additionally, they are one of two DCSD Middle Schools that are a One-to-One device school and Sagewood is also a multiple grant recipient of Century Link, Groove Automotive, Lockheed Martin, and, DCEF.
Back to the 80’s
At the conclusion of the live auction and dessert, attendees are invited to adjourn to the gaming tables (sponsored by local businesses) to try their luck at poker, blackjack, roulette and craps. If you’re not feeling overly lucky, you can always just hit the dance floor to totally awesome 80’s music! Proceeds from this super rad night out directly benefit Sagewood Middle School in their efforts to repair and resurface Sagewood’s track. It is currently completely “grody to the max” and in such disrepair that student athletes have to be bussed to Ponderosa High School for home Track and Field competitions. The entire community is invited to stack up their bangles and bust out those shoulder pads (80’s dress is encouraged but not required) and join Sagewood families, faculty and staff for a, like, totally gnarly night out. Tickets can be purchased until about a week prior to the event at www.sgmsauction.org. Tickets include entrance to the event, $100 in gaming chips, a drink ticket and your dinner.
Saturday, March 3rd 5:00pm-11:00pm Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club Get Your Tickets Now www.sgmsauction.org 11
FEBRUARY 2018 search south aurora magazine
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THEBOOKENDS
with Pam & Becky
Finding Gobi
Passports and Plum Blossoms
By Dion Leonard
This is a nonfiction story about Dion Leonard an accomplished ultra marathon runner. While competing in a 155 mile race in China he meets and falls in love with an unexpected running companion. His wife is not upset, as his new love is a scruffy little dog that is a mighty runner. She is named Gobi for the Gobi Desert and becomes a celebrity as she follows Dion during a good part of this race. Dion quickly decides to bring Gobi home to the UK but things don’t go as planned. This little stray will take Dion on a course that will be hardthan an ultra marathon as he battles foreign language barriers and government regulations.
BECKY This is our first non-fiction story in quite awhile. I saw the cover of this book and thought it would be a fun read. I had no idea that this was a popular story. Were you already familiar with Dion and Gobi’s story?
PAM I was so excited to read this book! I had recently seen a small piece about this story on a running website. This book mixes two of my favorite things: dogs and running. Before Dion met Gobi, I had struggled to connect with him. Did you find his voice a little brusque at the beginning of the story? BECKY He does seem like a very serious, matter of
fact, kind of man and that did impact the beginning of the story. However, during the book he shares some of his past and that helped me to connect to him. What I found amazing is that he hasn’t been running very long. He started running in his late 30’s and was competing in extreme running competitions soon after that. You are an avid runner so did this story connect to you on an athletic level when he spoke of the terrain or conditions of racing?
PAM I was also interested in his success after com-
ing into the sport in his late 30’s. This type of story always amazes me, because I can’t imagine having the ability to run these extreme distances! I found his descriptions of his preparation for and execution of his races intriguing. His determination and drive to compete made his connection with Gobi even more special. Were you surprised that such a little dog could keep up with Dion during his ultra in China?
BECKY Absolutely! I have two dogs about the
same size and there is no way they could keep up with even an average runner. Animals, dogs in particular, in China do not have the elevated social status like an American pet would. This dog did not seem to come from a home where he was fed well and took daily walks so it’s all the more amazing that he was so strong and healthy. There is a point in the book where Gobi and Dion are separated. A local group searched tirelessly for him and a Crowdfunder account (similar to Go Fund Me) was well funded by people from all over the world. Were you amazed at how many strangers were willing to help Dion find his companion?
PAM I was completely amazed and thrilled by the
help he received by complete strangers! The lengths
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by Barbara Oliverio
er
that Dion, his wife, and so many others went to in order to locate Gobi and get the little dog to a new home were amazing. Dion’s wife, who is also an ultrarunner, was very supportive in his quest to bring Gobi home. Were you surprised by her level of understanding and patience?
BECKY Absolutely! He went to great lengths and
expense to locate and then move Gobi to the UK. I don’t think that many partners would be as supportive. Have you watched any Youtube videos or interviews with Dion and Gobi? Read the book first but you can lose a whole afternoon if you start watching news clips about these two. There is something really special about the two of them and it’s easy to see why the world fell in love with their story. Did you hear that it might be made into a movie?
PAM I had not heard that, but I think the story would make a great movie (especially for runners and dog lovers!). I have not watched any Youtube videos about Gobi, but plan to after your suggestion! As I was reading this book, one of my students sent me a link to a video about a very similar story. This video is amazing, as the story is incredibly touching and the video clips, music, and interviews are wonderful. The video is about a dog named Arthur and the Swedish adventure racing team that found him while in the middle of the world championships in Ecuador. The heartwarming story can be found on ESPN.com: SC Featured: A dog’s remarkable journey to find a home. While Arthur was able to get to his new home with much less trouble than Gobi, there are many parallels to these stories. Becky, do you think these strong immediate connections with Gobi and Arthur are uncommon and unique? BECKY What a great video, and another amazing
story. This month is the first time that I’ve heard of stories like this. It’s possible that there are a hundred more like it but I would imagine that it is an uncommon occurrence. I find it interesting that such devoted and focused competitors are distracted from their goal by a stray dog that they hardly know. The connections were made quickly and the men were fiercely committed to adopt and save these dogs . Both are wonderful stories for animal lovers. Pam, please tell us what we will be reading for March.
PAM Next month we will discuss the Underground
River by: Martha Conway.
LOCAL AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT
Annalise Fontana is feeling blue with no job, no boyfriend, and packed among her childhood memories in her parents’ home. What could be more enticing than the opportunity to serve as a companion to her elderly Auntie Lil on a senior citizens’ tour of China (with a side trip to Singapore?. She digs out her passport and packs her bags and assumes that she’s in for a tranquil Jane Austenesque journey. For more information visit barbaraoliverio.com
Beyond Flight or Fight by Sunny Weber
Rich true-life stories of saved dogs combine with the author’s sensitive insight and specialized easy to understand, step-by-step practical advice on how to live with a fearful dog. Understand dog fear and see the human world through your dog’s eyes and mind. Discover what every dog needs and how to individualize your problem-solving approaches. Learn to establish trust, leave human ego behind, and focus on what really works with frightened, undersocialized, rejected pups of all ages and histories. For more information visit sunnyweber.com
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