Life On Capitol Hill 1218 by Colorado Community Media

Life On

December 2018 FREE

CAPITOL HILL

FEEDING WEST’S STUDENTS School food bank serves 300 kids weekly

IMAGINE THIS Denver solicits playground ideas for City Park

BRIGHT LIGHTS G S

ONE-STOP SHOP Golden Triangle’s ﬁrst food hall set to open early 2019

Check out Denver’s glittering displays

P17

A PUBLICATION OF

NICER POLITICS, HEALTH, TRAVEL... Locals share hopes for 2019 P15

2 Life On Capitol Hill

December 2018

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Life On Capitol Hill 3

December 2018

Denver asks for feedback on City Park playground Parks Department plans to ﬁnalize designs by the end of the year By Kailyn Lamb klamb@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Adjacent to the southwest side of the Denver Zoo is the Dustin Redd playground in City Park, a large set of wooden structures the city is set to replace in the next few years. Home to a golf course and playgrounds, as well as the zoo and Denver Museum of Nature and Science, the park is frequented by more than just neighborhood residents. Owen Snell, project manager for the Dustin Redd project with Denver Parks and Recreation, said maintenance on the 20-year-old playground has become expensive, and that some fixtures have had to be removed for safety purposes. Deciding to replace the playground has been a balancing act, Snell said. While people love the current playground, it is costing the department more money to renovate it rather than replace it. He added that Parks needed to make sure it was a playground that saw a lot of use as well. “We don’t want to spend all these capital dollars for the public and then have it not be used,” he said. The playground has been on the department’s project list for a while. In November 2017, Denver voters approved a bond for $2 million to go toward design and construction of a new playground at City Park. Since then, the department has been working on outreach with the community to determine people’s wants for the new playground. What makes Dustin Redd unique, Snell said, is that it’s not just a neighborhood park. About 50 percent of the users come from the surrounding neighborhood, but the other half comes from around the Denver metro area. Some are using the park before or after visiting nearby nonprofits, such as the Denver Zoo and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, both of which abut City Park. “It’s a playground that’s a little more destination-based instead of just a neighborhood playground,” he said. City surveys and informational events show that people enjoy the current size of Dustin Redd, and they like the materials that are used for the fixtures, most of which are wood, Snell said. The playground has a more exploratory layout, with climbing platforms. “There’s a little more edges and pieces for kids to run around,” Snell said. The city will be looking for feedback to help determine the new design, he added. “You want to let kids to come up and explore and create this own place in their minds.” The Parks Department has created two park designs. One is themed around Colorado Heritage with animals and landmarks associated with the state, the other would incorporate castles and dragons. A survey is available online at https://bit.ly/2qBBasW for feedback from the public. The city will host a final public meeting on Dec. 15, which will have the information from the most recent survey, Snell said. The meeting will be held at the Carla Madison Recreation Center at 10 a.m. From there, the city will finalize and approve designs. The Parks Department is aiming to put bids out for the project by the end of 2019. Snell estimated that if construction starts in early 2020, the project could take between six and eight months and be completed by the end of that year.

These renderings show possible designs the city has put together for the new playground at City Park. The left design is Colorado themed, highlighting animals and landmarks and the right is a fantasy castle with a dragon. COURTESY OF DENVER PARKS AND RECREATION

FOR MORE INFORMATION

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An update to the City Park master plan earlier this year determined the park’s Dustin Redd playground, 1700 York St., just east of the Denver Zoo, needs to be replaced.

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The Denver Department of Parks and Recreation is planning its ﬁnal outreach meeting on the playground design at 10 a.m. on Dec. 15 at the Carla Madison Recreation Center, 2401 E. Colfax Ave. Results from local surveys and more information on the Dustin Redd playground project can be found at bit.ly/2qBBasW.

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The city decided the playground needed to be replaced because some of the ﬁxtures are in need of replacement. The Parks and Recreation Department has already gone through and removed items from the playground that were no longer safe for children to play on. KAILYN LAMB

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4 Life On Capitol Hill

December 2018

Y R A N I

L U C E R A U T EN

V D A

Daniel Asher will be the chef at Mother Tongue inside the Broadway Market. Mother Tongue will offer Turkish-inspired foods. COURTESY OF MOTHER TONGUE

Local chefs go all-in on a new food hall in the Golden Triangle

WHAT’S INSIDE THE MARKET? Broadway Market will have 10 food concepts, as well as some retail space. The food hall is set to open early next year. Here are the restaurants that have been announced so far: • Pizzeria Coperta

By Kailyn Lamb

• Mother Tounge

klamb@coloradocommunitymedia.com

icture yourself on Broadway, the mouthwatering aroma of curry fills the air. A pizza oven warms the room. Ottoman-inspired street food is sizzling nearby. A deli counter and sushi rolls are only a few feet away and colorful chocolates catch the eyes of passersby. The new Broadway Market expects to deliver just this, as the food hall wraps up construction this month. Variety is a large part of the reason the chefs behind several of the announced vendors in the market jumped on board. For Daniel Asher, who along with Josh Dinar will be opening Mother Tongue, the new food hall was a chance to work with a “well-respected group of culinary professionals.” Food halls can also minimize the stress of the dining experience, he said. “The cool thing about food halls is they’re as serious or casual as you want them to be. There’s a lot of room for people to choose their own adventure.” Broadway Market will be the first project for Eclectic Collective, whose partners were the minds behind other Denver food hall concepts — Stanley Marketplace, Zeppelin Station, The Source and Avanti Food and Beverage. The 15,000-square-foot food hall will be opening in the former Tony’s Market space at 950 Broadway. Eclectic Collective is estimating Broadway Market will be open in January. A mix of flavor When Tony’s Market, a local grocery store, closed last December after nearly a decade on Broadway, a large hole was left in the dining scene. People working in the area often went to Tony’s to pick up sandwiches and salads for lunch. Denver diners didn’t have to wait long to hear what would fill the space. Plans for Broadway Market were announced in March. Since then, six of the 10 food stalls have been announced. Mondo Market, Misaki and Miette et Chocolate were announced as food stalls in November. All three have locations inside Stanley Marketplace. Misaki will offer fresh sushi, as well as an oyster bar. Miette will sell prepackaged chocolates

• Biju’s Little Curry Shop • MondoMini • Misaki • Miette et Chocolat For more information on the Broadway Market, visit www.broadwaymarketdenver.com/, or its Facebook page at www. facebook.com/broadwaymarketdenver/.

Paul C. Reilly will be the chef behind Coperta Pizzeria, which was the ﬁrst restaurant announced as part of the Broadway Market project. The pizzeria will be a sister brand to Reilly’s Coperta restaurant in Uptown. COURTESY OF COPERTA and snacks. MondoMini will be a smaller version of the Mondo Market deli at Stanley. Nicolas Farrell, co-owner of Mondo, said part of the reason he wanted to open in the Broadway Market was because of the location. Since he moved to Denver 18 years ago, he has driven by it on Broadway nearly every day, he said in a news release. “This was an easy `yes’ for us because of the amount of traffic that passes this location, and the proximity to the Capitol Hill, Golden Triangle and Baker neighborhoods,” Farrell said. “Combine that with the line-up of concepts coming to Broadway Market and it is looking to be a very special project.” SEE TRIANGLE, P5

OTHER DENVER FOOD HALLS Food halls are a rising trend in Denver. Can’t wait for the Broadway Market to open? Here are the other food halls in Denver: • Zeppelin Station, 3501 Wazee St. zeppelinstation.com • The Source, 3350 Brighton Blvd. thesourcehotel.com • Denver Central Market, 2669 Larimer St. denvercentralmarket.com • Denver Milk Market, 1800 Wazee St. denvermilkmarket.com • Avanti Food and Beverage, 3200 N. Pecos St. avantifandb.com/

Life On Capitol Hill 5

December 2018

Triangle FROM PAGE 4

The first chef to be announced in the food hall was Paul C. Reilly of Beast & Bottle and Coperta. In September, Eclective Collective announced that Reilly would open Pizzeria Coperta, which will sell Roman-style pizza either by the slice or made-to-order thin-crust pizzas. News of Pizzeria Coperta was followed by Biju’s Little Curry Shop and Asher’s restaurant, Mother Tongue. Asher said he was inspired to open a Turkish restaurant after visiting the country five years ago and eating doner kebabs, seasoned meats that are cooked on a vertical rotisserie. Turkish cuisine is also one of the oldest in the world, he added. “It’s about bright, vibrant flavors inspired by Turkish cuisine. It’s something that hasn’t been done a lot in Denver,” Asher said. “You want to keep it simple and flavorful and, hopefully, crave-able and delicious.” Location, location, location The Golden Triangle was an ideal place for the next food hall in Denver, Asher said. “Downtown Denver is getting pretty saturated,” he said, and “I think that part of Broadway is a great neighborhood.” Biju Thomas, founder of Biju’s Little Curry Shop, agreed, saying the location is close to several offices which will draw the lunch crowd of local workers. It’s also close to the 16th Street Mall. Biju’s restaurant also has two brick-and-mortar locations, one in the River North neighborhood and the other off of Tennyson Street in the Berkeley neighborhood. At his Berkeley location, Thomas said he frequently sees family members eating food from the restaurant, while others will bring in food from a nearby location. With food halls, those options are all in one place, he said. Having a large variety of food also means that people may learn about a restaurant they otherwise may not have heard of. “More people are going to come in that haven’t checked out that concept,” Thomas said. “In food halls, you’re going to stumble on all kinds of ideas and different concepts.” Rising popularity Denver has been jumping into the food hall trend, with Zeppelin Station in RiNo and downtown’s Denver Milk Market both opening within the last year. Other cities are likely to follow suit, said Thomas. He added that experts in the food industry have had their eyes on the Mile High City as places like Denver Central Market in RiNo have seen success. “Denver has had a really big impact on the national scene,” Thomas said.

Daniel Asher puts together a dinner at his restaurant River and Woods. Asher said that cooking for people is something that ﬁlls him with a “very high level of joy.” COURTESY OF MOTHER TONGUE Locally, Biju’s offers something a little different. When people think of Indian food, they often think of the lunch buffets with tikka masala and saag paneer, Thomas said. While Indian food is popular in the city, Biju’s offers food from the southern region of the country, which is where Thomas and his family are from. The food is authentic to the region, but it is served a little differently. Biju’s mixes a rice base with a main sauce such as the coconut curry chicken. Diners then add chutney, lentils and cabbage into a bowl. Thomas said traditional meals are not mixed in bowls the way Biju’s serves its meals. For Thomas, who opened his first restaurant in RiNo in 2014, the plan was always to find a way to diversify his restaurant. He has worked with brick-and-mortar restaurants, a food truck, as well as a dining space within a Whole Foods grocery store. “From the beginning, our intent was to create a multi-unit concept in the Indian space,” Thomas said. “We’re evolving and trying to figure out the next iteration of it is.” With the popularity of food halls continuing to grow, Thomas said he is looking into more ways to be involved. Coming up, Biju’s will open in Denver Street Eats at the Denver International Airport. Street Eats is a dining concept that will have a rotating schedule with local chefs.

The Broadway Market food hall will open in the former Tony’s Market space early next year. The development will include food as well as retail shops. COURTESY OF KAYLA JONES Uniquely Denver Although food halls are becoming a trend nationally, Broadway Market has worked to highlight local chefs in Denver. Thomas said the restaurant market in the city has less room for chains, and that Denver diners are coming out to

support locally owned businesses. “Stuff like that, all day long, Denver will get behind,” he said. “What people are tired of is the same old things.” Broadway Market will be the eighth restaurant for Asher, who likes to focus his menus on lo-

cally sourced meats and produce. Asher, who is also a father of four, said that cooking for people is his calling, something that fills him with a “very high level of joy.” “Restaurants are all ecosystems, they’re living organisms,” he said. “It’s a beautiful process.”

6 Life On Capitol Hill

December 2018

Business Matters By Kailyn Lamb | klamb@coloradocommunitymedia.com Business Matters is a monthly column on the changing landscape of business and development in north Denver. If there are any inquiries on new developments in your area, or if you are a local business wishing to highlight an upcoming milestone, email Kailyn Lamb at klamb@coloradocommunitymedia.com.

DEVELOPMENTS Uptown Medical Ofﬁce Building A five-story medical office building will go up at the intersection of Ogden Street, Park Avenue and East 18th Avenue. It is a 1-acre site that had been previously undeveloped. The building will be 100,000 square feet and will have parking, retail and restaurant space on the lower level. The next three levels will be medical office space, topped off by a fifth floor of more retail. A two-story structure will be built across the Ogden Street for additional parking. The project is being put together by Fidelis Healthcare Partners, which is based out of Dallas. It will be part of the Saint Joseph Hospital campus. The main building for the hospital is at 1375 E. 19th Ave. East 18th Avenue and Marion Street Proposals for apartment buildings on two lots across the street from each other on Marion Street have been submitted to the city and are under review. According to the city website for site development plans, the proposal for 1160 E. 18th Ave. is for an eight-story building with 108 units and 107 parking spots. The building across the street, 1780 Marion St., would also be eight stories, with 116 units and 112 parking spots.

BUSINESS OPENINGS Rooted Heart Yoga and Wellness Nikki Hazamy, the owner of the Corner Beet coffee shop in Capitol Hill, has opened a new venture on Ogden Street. Rooted Heart Yoga and Wellness offers $13 drop-in classes at 1409 N. Ogden St. Along with yoga classes, Rooted Heart has rotating massage therapists and will offer workshops. A full schedule can be found on the mindbody app, or at https://rootedheartyogawellness.com/. Hazamy said in an email that Corner Beet, Rooted Heart and a new bicycle repair shop on Ogden have begun offering a partnership discount of 10 percent. People getting their bikes fixed at Z Cycle Shop receive the discount at the Corner Beet and vice versa. The Corner Beet is at 1401 N. Ogden St.

Z Cycle Shop recently opened at 1405 N. Ogden St. in Capitol Hill. The space was formerly a locally run thrift store. PHOTOS BY KAILYN LAMB

Z Cycle Shop The bike shop is situated between The Corner Beet and Rooted Heart Yoga and Wellness on Ogden Street in a former thrift store space. Z Cycle sells new and refurbished bikes and offers repairs with new and used parts. The shop is located at 1405 N. Ogden St. Rise Nation Rise Nation is looking to open in Cherry Creek North early next year, according to a Facebook page for the gym. The gym program started in California and has since opened three other states. The Denver location at 155 Saint Paul St. will be the company’s first location in Colorado. The company does 30-minute full body workouts, which were developed by founder Jason Walsh, according to the Rise Nation website. Classes are offered in three levels: Intro, The Climb and Extreme. For more information, visit www.risenationco.com. Jovanina’s Broken Italian Formerly the Aoba Sushi restaurant on 1520 Blake St., Jovanina’s Broken Italian opened at the end of October. The restaurant will offer a full menu with house-made pastas as well as a wood-fired pizza selection. Aoba closed in November 2016. SEE BUSINESS, P7

Rooted Heart Yoga and Wellness is owned by the same people who run The Corner Beet coffee shop on the corner of East 14th Avenue and North Ogden Street. The yoga studio opened at 1409 N. Ogden St. KAILYN LAMB

Life On Capitol Hill 7

December 2018

Business FROM PAGE 6

The Storeroom Vine St. Pub and Grill has converted storage space at its location into a new gallery space. The Storeroom, 1700 Vine St., had its grand opening on Nov. 10. The space can be used by artists to create art installations, which can be viewed by the public via the storefront window. Email storeroomdenver@gmail.com for more information or to have your artwork considered for the space. Lou’s Italian Specialties The Rosenberg’s Bagels and Delicatessen team have launched a new business venture in the Cole neighborhood. Lou’s Italian Specialties will open at 3357 Downing St. on Dec. 11, according to a news release from the company. Lou’s will offer hot and cold sub options, as well as pasta, fresh mozzarella and house-made sausages. “New York and New Jersey are the heart of Italian delicatessens in the U.S., and as with each of our restaurant concepts, we aim to bring a small taste of this region to the Denver community,” said Joshua Pollack, owner of Lou’s, in the news release.

Joyce Aycock recently opened her own plastic surgery ofﬁce space at 36 Steele St. in Cherry Creek. COURTESY PHOTO Joyce Aycock Dr. Joyce Aycock recently opened her own plastic surgery office in Cherry Creek North. She does cosmetic and reconstructive surgery and has been practicing in Denver since. 2008. Her office is located at 36 Steele St. Rebel Bread Rebel Bread, which sells pastries in coffee shops throughout Denver, opened up its own brick-and-mortar location in Five Points at the end of October. Rebel Bread is currently offering fall pastry and bread options such as a pumpkin spice sourdough, fruit danishes, bagels and more. The bakery also offers classes on making breads. Baker and owner Zach Martinucci also runs a podcast following the story of Rebel called Against the Grain. The bakery is in the Temple Artists Collective at 2400 Curtis St. Beckon A new tasting menu-centered restaurant opened its doors last month on Larimer in the River North neighborhood. Beckon, which neighbors Call at 2845 Larimer St., will feature eight-course menus that change with the seasons, according to the restaurant’s reservation page. Diners prepay for tickets at Beckon. Tickets start at $95 for the tasting menu, and diners can add wine or beer and cider pairings for an additional $65. Both Call and Beckon are run by the same restaurant team. Call offers a daytime menu, as well as a full bar and coffee selection. Call first opened in January. DC Pie Co. After nearly one year of standing vacant, the former location for Brik on York has been filled with a new restaurant. DC Pie Co. opened at 2223 E. Colfax Ave. at the end of October. According to the website, owners Mary Zayaruzny and Dominic Cavagnuolo got their start in New York. As a result, the restaurant will serve thin-crust New York-style pizzas. Cavagnuolo also owns a pizzeria in Miami. According to the DC Pie Co. website, the restaurant will donate a portion of its profits to Children’s Hospital Colorado. Brik on York closed in December 2017 and offered wine tastings as well as pizza. The restaurant had been open for two years.

CLOSINGS El Charrito The Ballpark neighborhood comedy bar and restaurant will close at the end of December. El Charrito posted the announcement on its Facebook page on Nov. 4. Since then, fans of the bar have been posting memories and farewells to the page. El Charrito’s last day will be on Dec. 23. The bar was known for karaoke events such as punk rock karaoke nights, as well as stand up and open mic comedy. El Charrito first opened in 1962. It temporarily closed in the summer of 2009 before reopening the same year, according to the Facebook post. “Don’t be too sad, but rather think of the good times you might have had with us, and WILL have with us these next 7 weeks,” owners wrote in the Facebook post. Hedge Row The Cherry Creek North Restaurant shut its doors on Dec. 2, according to its website. “Thank you for all of the delicious times we have shared Cherry Creek,” the site read. The restaurant was located at 100 Steele St. It opened in July 2017. Hedge Row offered lunch, dinner and brunch options. Many of the meals were cooked on a wood-fired grill. Hedge Row was operated by The Kitchen Restaurant Group, which is based in Boulder and runs a location of its Kitchen Bistro restaurant in the Lower Downtown neighborhood. Hedge Row’s website read that fans of the restaurant would find some of its menu items at Kitchen. CHANGES Wax Trax Wax Trax, Captiol Hill’s longtime record store, celebrated its 40 anniversary on Nov. 17 with a party at the Mercury Cafe. The store first opened in 1978, selling vinyl records. The business now sells CDs, cassettes, records, shirts and more. The store has a new and used selection. It is located at 638 E. 13th Ave. Fish N Beer In October, Fish N Beer closed following a small fire in the roof that affected the restaurant’s duct system. The restaurant’s website says it is aiming to reopen this month at 3510 Walnut St. in the River North neighborhood. The restaurant offers raw or grilled oysters in addition to it fresh seafood menu. Fish N Beer is run by the same company that owns Tacos Tequila Whiskey.

8 Life On Capitol Hill

December 2018

‘They only

take what they need’

Food bank at West serves hundreds of students each week

HOW THE FOOD BANK WORKS The food bank at West Leadership Academy is run through the alumni association. Mary Rita Cordova, who is helping run the food bank, said the program has set up a bank account through West as a club so that it can receive ﬁnancial donations.

By Kailyn Lamb klamb@coloradocommunitymedia.com

In the parking lot of West Leadership Academy, a truck from We Don’t Waste is backing up toward a small group of volunteers. As soon as drivers have unloaded the first pallet of food from the truck, the group gets to work, unloading tomatoes, breads and juice cartons onto trolleys. Mary Rita Cordova, who helps run the food bank at West, at 951 Elati St., calls delivery days “surprise Fridays.” Volunteers are never sure what kinds of food the school will receive from We Don’t Waste, a local nonprofit that takes in unused foods from caterers, events and grocery stores, and distributes them to other organizations. We Don’t Waste takes anything from produce to baggies of tomato soup. We Don’t Waste started providing food to West at the start of this school year. It is only one of the nonprofits helping to stock shelves at the school. Food For Thought and Food Bank of the Rockies help provide shelf stable items such as cereals and canned goods. “We have a couple young kids who can’t wait to get into the pantry,” Cordova said. “They want to know if there’s peanut butter, they want to know if there’s cereal.” Teachers at West, such as Amy Fink, had heard about the food bank program that started at South High School four years ago. Cordova then connected with Jaclyn Yelich who runs the food bank there. Yelich does the ordering for both food banks. They started serving students at West on April 6. Fink ran the program at first. Cordova called her a “one-man show,” because she was teaching and running the food bank. She often would have to pick up food as well because there weren’t enough volunteers in the beginning. When the work load became too much, Cordova took over. ‘Kids make you feel special’ Cordova said the need for a food bank at West was apparent on day one when they served 140 kids in the yearbook room at the

Cordova is hoping to transition the responsibility out of the association’s hands in a few years. For the food bank to stay around, parents and members of the community need to buy into it, she added.

Irene Jordan, left, and Mary Rita Cordova ﬁll bags with onions for the food bank at West Leadership Academy. The pair helped open the food bank in April. It helps feeds hundreds of kids each week. KAILYN LAMB

“My hope is that eventually the alumni association is not running the food bank, that it’s really community-run or parent-run,” Cordova said.

VOLUNTEER AT THE FOOD BANK Mary Rita Cordova and Irene Jordan are looking for volunteers to help run the food bank at West Leadership Academy. They have about 12 to 14 regular volunteers now, but Cordova said she doesn’t want to wear people out.

The food bank has received a lot of valuable help from the school, Cordova said. On delivery days she will grab whoever is free in the halls — students, teachers, anyone — to help load up boxes of food.

high school — about the same number of students served by the four-year-old program at South. “(Jaclyn) told me it took them a year to build up their clientele,” Cordova said. Since then, the food bank has hit a peak of 300 students per week. The building was formerly West High School. It expanded in 2011 into West Leadership Academy, which has both a middle and high school. The two schools have about 1,500 students, Cordova estimated. Cordova has spent most of her life wandering the halls of West High School. She graduated from the school in 1963, and eventually came back to work there. At the peak of her career she was secretary for Irene Jordan, who was principal from 1997-2001. Cordova retired in 2000. But she can’t leave West behind. She volunteers with the alumni association. She has

Although it’s a lot of work, both

also done projects at the school such as filing and keeping track of records, which are kept in the alumni room, another pet project of hers. When Cordova needed help running the food bank through the alumni association, she knew exactly who to call — Jordan. For Jordan, working in the food bank has been about showing kids that it’s OK to ask for help. Working with children throughout her life has brought joy to her life. “Kids, they can make you feel very special,” Jordan said. “But I also think it’s very important for kids to feel like adults care about them.” Cordova agreed, saying that even at 73, she is “energized” when she comes to work at the food bank every week. Food rarely left over The food bank also offers to-go bags for students. Students helped by making prepackaged bags for students that had to catch a bus immediately after school. They started with 10 bags a week. But the bags quickly flew off shelves. So they bumped up to 15, and

Jordan and Cordova said it is a meaningful project. “This is the most worthwhile project I’ve ever done,” Cordova said. To volunteer, contact Cordova at maryritacordova@yahoo.com.

eventually to 60, Cordova said. Since they are working to recruit more volunteers to run the food bank, Cordova and Jordan often bring in family members or grab nearby students and teachers to help out. Things run smoothly because of Cordova, Jordan said. “It all seems very simple,” Jordan said. “Part of the reason is because she is terribly organized and has everything ready for everybody.” Every week, volunteers set up four tables of fresh food for students. The volunteers put veggies together in bags to encourage students to take things they wouldn’t normally try. Although the tables are piled up with food when students first start to come through, it doesn’t last long. “By the time we’re done, they’re empty,” Cordova said. “It’s rare that we have anything left to put in the refrigerator.” Week by week, they are learning how to best serve students, Jordan said. She added that many of the kids will turn down items if they know they already have some at home. “They don’t take things just to take things,” she said. “They only take what they need.”

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Life On Capitol Hill 9

December 2018

Holiday decor tells story of state history Free tours of Governor’s Residence offered in December

Free tours of the Governor’s Residence decorated for the holidays by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Colorado Chapter will be offered Dec. 6-9 and Dec. 13-16 so that all may enjoy the history and beauty of “Colorado’s Home.”

Staff report Colorado designers will decorate rooms of the Governor’s Residence at Boettcher Mansion for the holidays, with a focus on re-creating period holiday decorating and the fantasy of an era. With the 10th anniversary of the Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund and the 110th anniversary of the Cheesman-Boettcher Mansion, passage of time is the inspiration behind the theme “Decades of Design in Colorado.” Room designs will tell stories of Colorado, various regions of Colorado and of the residence’s inhabitants, according to a news release. The goal is to educate the home’s holiday guests with stories of Colorado history. Work by designers from the American Society of Interior Designers, Colorado Chapter, can be seen during free tours of “Colorado’s Home” from Dec. 6-9 and Dec. 13-16. Firstcome, first-served tours are offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. No reservations will be taken. Tours begin at the Eighth Avenue main gate. Large groups are asked to contact info@grpfund.org in advance with the size of the party, date and time you plan to attend. Tours are at the pace of the visitor. A commemorative holiday ornament, inspired by an object in the Governor’s Residence at the Boettcher Mansion, is designed

COURTESY PHOTO

and added to a collection each year. The ornaments are for sale, and all proceeds support the efforts of the Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund. Go to http://www.coloradoshome. org/gifts/ to see the collection. Learn more about the residence and the tour at http://www.coloradoshome.org. Decorated Rooms Association designers, with support from sponsors including Colorado Homes and Lifestyles and The Closet Factory, will showcase their work in the following rooms: Drawing room — Theme is 1910s Society Weddings and The Progressive Era. Designers are David Rote, co-chair, and Pam Marolt, of Bassett Home Furnishings. State dining room — Theme is 1920s New Year’s at the Broadmoor: Colorado Springs as a Resort. Designers are Pam Smith and Colleen

Heldt. Governor’s room/bar — Theme is 1940s Apres Ski at Aspen’s J-Bar. Designers are Lynn Williamson and Eva Puterbaugh. Palm Room’s main area and breakfast area — Theme is 1950s and 1960s Palm Beach Tropical. Designer is Trish Bonney of TAB Interiors. Well room — Theme is 1970s Swimming in The Well Room: A True Story. Designer is Leslie Kazmierczak. Stately library — Theme is 1980s Western, Prairie and Southwest: Style rooted in Colorado. Designers are Cindy Johnson and Courtney Cunningham of Johnson David Interiors. Grand hall — Theme is “Love, Peace and Hope.” Designer is Cathrin Crampton of Mosaic Interiors.

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10 Life On Capitol Hill

LOCAL

December 2018

VOICES

New year, new resolutions to promptly forget

’m not sure how it is already the end of the year, but in a few weeks we will be signing our dates with 2019. For many, that means resolution time. It can be the worst time to head to the gym because of crowds. Resolutions to get in shape are not a bad thing, but how many of us — including myself — have gleefully dropped those resolutions after a month or so in favor of watching a movie on the couch? The only New Year’s Resolution I remember keeping was in December 2016 when I said I would run the Walt Disney World Marathon in January 2018. I gave myself just over a year to train. I thought it would be plenty of time but, honestly, I needed every second of it. Running a marathon is only partially about the fact that you’re running 26.2 miles. It’s a mental battle, with your brain sounding off against every step. Resolutions often mean making a habit of something, like my goal to run more. Creating new habits is not easy. Articles on the subject are all

FROM THE EDITOR

Kailyn Lamb

over the internet. One of the key steps to forming a new habit, many experts agree, is to focus on one thing at a time. One. Thing. At. A. Time. If you’re anything like me, this is difficult. I always have a list of ambitious plans for the new year: I will read more books, watch less television, eat healthier, enjoy the outdoors more and, as always, exercise more. This is a lot to take on all at once. Something will eventually have to give. Part of the reason I was able to run the marathon earlier this year was because I gave myself one goal. I needed to do a lot to accomplish it, but in the end it was still one task: Run and don’t stop. Another key was to hold myself accountable. If I am the only person who knows about my goals, it is easier to give them up. For example, when people knew I set a goal to run a marathon, they asked about training and provided encouragement. I didn’t want to let those people down. So, I’ve learned to find friends with similar goals. Those people can provide useful advice when you

T Santa, help create an era of kindness HELPER HERE AND NOW

Diana Helper

aughty. Nice. Naughty. Nice. Whoa, Santa! This is the era of kindness and niceness — “kindniceness.” Please stop this categorizing! Anyway, how do you actually know who’s naughty or nice? And even if you have a camera on every kid you can’t know the story behind the actions. By jingo, Mr. Kringle, we’re into unity now. A lot of folks are trying this out and, although the idea is great, yes, it can be harder than it looks. The temptation is grabbing a candy cane, after vowing to be nice to your diet, and so is the urge to say you hate

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thin people. There, you’ve categorized! So easy. And if we people of the planet are all nearly genetically similar, as science says, why isn’t it simple to love `em all and feel unity? “Uh, well, they don’t look, act, speak like us.” And why would that be? “Hmm, we don’t really know them and their background very well.” And why is that? “We never really bothered to ask.” We’re quite like our animals, too, and if they’re ignored or disregarded we do something about it. Hhmmm again. SEE HELPER, P11

need it most. While I was training for the marathon I had an extremely bad case of runner’s knee. My right knee felt as if it was going to buckle. I was terrified I wouldn’t be able to run ever again, let alone for a marathon. My boyfriend, who has previously done distance running, said I was not doing enough strength training to support the miles I was forcing myself to go. Early Christians spent the first day of the new year reflecting on past mistakes and thinking of ways to be better in the future, according to History.com. After all my hard work to run a marathon, I spent the rest of 2018 doing a less-than-stellar job at lacing up my tennis shoes. After some reflection of my own, I’ve decided it’s time to try again. So you’re now all witness to my 2019 resolution — to get back on the road in time for the Colfax Half Marathon in May. What are the things you did to make your New Year’s Resolution stick? Share your resolutions and tips with me at klamb@coloradocommunitymedia. com.

Building the future of Denver parks

he early Denver leaders envisioned a city that was a “city in a park.” As part of the City Beautiful movement lead by Mayor Robert Speer in the early 1900s, these early leaders set the foundation for this vision by setting aside large pieces of land like Civic Center Park to be preserved forever as park space, green space and to capture the heart of our city. Slowly, and over many decades, we lost track of that vision, and we sat at the brink of losing that heart. But Denver voters changed the entire trajectory of our city on Tuesday, Nov. 6, with the passage of 2A. What would Denver be like without Civic Center Park? Without Wash Park, Sloan’s Lake, City Park or Ruby Hill? What about without the smaller neighborhood parks like Platt Park, Dailey Park or Curtis Park? No Red Rocks or Genesee? No Confluence Park or the 100-plus miles of riverside trails? It is hard to imagine, because it wouldn’t be the Denver we know today. Those early leaders made choices to allocate funds and permanently set these places aside for the people. Over the last couple of decades, park funding has not kept pace with the rising costs of maintenance, skyrocket-

ing land costs and unprecedented growth. As a result, there are neighborhoods in Denver today where kids do not have a park that they can safely walk to. Playgrounds and basketball courts are falling apart, Councilmember historic assets in our mountain Jolon Clark parks are crumbling, and opportunities to set aside land for new parks have been missed. All of that will change on Jan. 1 when the dollars start to come in from 2A. No child will be without a park, and we can double down on the decades worth of work it took to make the South Platte River habitable for fish again, and each and every park in Denver will be safer, cleaner and full of the amenities that citizens have been asking for. No more broken playgrounds and no more crumbling sidewalks. Our parks will once again be the heart of our city — and the envy of cities across the country.

GUEST COLUMN

SEE CLARK, P11

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Life On Capitol Hill 11

December 2018

Decline in housing market does not spell danger

y now you’ve likely read about the slowing real estate market accompanied by the fairly predictable warnings of “housing bubbles” and the like. So as not to allow a GUEST cloud of gloom to overshadow your holiday COLUMN plans, let’s take a look at what is really going on and what it means. Yes, the market is slowing. Compared to fall last year the number of active listings is up 12 percent, the numbers of sales are down and it is taking longer for homes Tom Snyder to sell. All true, but hardly a reason to panic — a yawn and a wellinformed shrug are truly more apt responses. In case it somehow slipped your notice, we had an election in November. Stephen McBride of Market Watch had this to say about elections and markets: “Think of midterm elections like a thick fog covering markets. They obscure what the political situation will look like in the near future. Unable to see what’s coming, investors get nervous and act cautiously. Just as they would slow down while driving a car through a thick fog. Once the election concludes and the fog clears, investors regain confidence and the market gets back on track. This year is following that

Clark FROM PAGE 10

On Nov. 6, Denverites made it clear that they deeply value parks, open space, clean water, fishable rivers and streams, trees and our mountain parks. This decision will reverberate through time like the decisions that early Denver leaders made to shape the city we know and love today. The passage of 2A creates a permanent, dedicated funding source for parks in

Helper FROM PAGE 10

What if all of us in the world had a big “Picnic(e),” sharing tuna sandwiches, fish tacos, sushi and naan, salmon and ramen? There’d be plenty — and extras. As we were getting to know you, accompanied by sitar, samisen, lute, banjo, harp and harmonium, we could engage in civil discourse. Ever heard of that? It’s a form of communication without screeching about our presumed differences, but finding out with interest about our similarities as well. Wow — what a concept! Oversimplified? How about the advice we had as kids to solve our social unity problems— first-graders hollering “Kindergarten Bay-Bee” at the innocents, ignore them. In name-calling, simply retort, “sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me!” If you’ve had bones set lately, change that to “break my budget.” Still, in these unkind times, adages lose out.

script to a T.” The real estate market follows this pattern exactly — people pull back in election years and when the dust settles, things get back to normal. Interest rates have also ticked up. Currently, on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage, the rate is hovering around 5 percent, which is up a half-a-percentage point from six months ago, and almost a full percent from last year at this time. Higher rates have a dual affect: They reduce purchasing power and psychologically affect buyers. When the interest rate climbs 0.5 percent, a buyer looking to purchase a $500,000 home will have to increase his or her monthly mortgage payment by about $154. While not an insurmountable figure, it does represent a real cost and may cause buyers to eventually have to purchase a little less house as a result. Less tangible — but very real — is the psychological effect. Buying homes is very much an emotional purchase. None of us like bad news and it can take the wind out of our sails, which is exactly how the market has responded. Buyers’ enthusiasm has been dampened. That, however, does not spell doom for the market. Housing is a basic need, not a luxury. Just because the price of coffee — if you, like me, view coffee as a need — goes up, probably does not mean you’ll stop drinking coffee. We complain, adjust and keep hitting up Starbucks. The same applies

to housing. Buyers adjust and keep buying because in the end we need a place to live and drink our coffee in. Also worth noting is that, historically, interest rates have averaged around 8 percent, so we are still way below that number. There are still good times out there. The last reason for the slowdown is the least interesting, but perhaps the most significant: The market always slows in the fall. As long as I’ve been watching our local Denver market this never changes. There is always more inventory and more demand in the spring and less of both in the fall. There are lots of reasons why, but bottom-line real estate is, and will always be, a seasonal business. The silver lining to all this is that when the market slows, prices drop, which tends to infuse the buyer-market with hope. The Denver market needs periodic brakes from what otherwise would be relentless appreciation — that would create a housing bubble which could burst. As it is, this ebb and flow is actually very healthy. The ebb gives buyers renewed hope, which eventually creates demand, and soon, once again, we’ll be reading about our robust housing market. Tom Snyder is a resident of the Platt Park neighborhood in south Denver. He is the managing broker and owner of Snyder Realty. His office is located at 1598 S. Lincoln St. in Platt Park.

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Denver. It will generate over $40 million in 2019 alone, and it will be felt in every corner of our great city. You did that. The people of Denver should stand proud of the legacy that they set in motion by voting yes on 2A. For that I say thank you, I am in your debt, as are my children and generations of Denverites to come. Denver Councilmember Jolon Clark represents District 7. The district covers Baker, Washington Park West, Overland and other southwest Denver neighborhoods. Clark was elected City Council President in July.

Heard about that Samaritan? He helped a fallen fellow from an enemy camp and felt good about it. Mr. Rogers enjoys popularity for niceness. Join his neighborhood — or improve yours — listening, learning, setting a good example. So, Dear Santa, Nice. Nice. Nice. Accentuate the positive, delete the naughtiness. Fill your sleigh with all kinds of kindness. Kids of all ages, they say, would like to be nice. Try it — you’ll like it. P.S. Santa (and everyone) be kind to the planet! Congratulations for alternative transportation! Sleighs are clean and quiet. Are you getting all the power you need from those eight tiny reindeers’ methane production? Watch your landings on solar roofs! Recycle your gifts! Kindly sustainable wishes! As my late Uncle Bobby Burns intoned, take a cup o’ kindness yet for Auld Lang Syne! Diana Helper and her husband have lived in Denver for 63 years. She works on projects with the city, University of Denver, Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation and Open Space and Parks and Recreation.

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12 Life On Capitol Hill

December 2018

g n i m o c e B

: a t n Saaspecial gift

Bryan Austin, 60, primps his mustache before a Nov. 9 Christmas party hosted by a local Mothers of Preschoolers group. It takes about 30 minutes for Austin to sculpt his beard and mustache to look like Santa’s. PHOTOS BY NICK PUCKETT

Local St. Nicks talk about their unusual trade By Nick Puckett npuckett@coloradocommunitymedia.com

B Mike Cawthra, 64, sits at a bench at Addenbrooke Park in Lakewood dressed as Santa after a Nov. 10 event at the local Goddard School. Cawthra said the best part about the job is all the joy and love you receive and give on a daily basis.

ryan Austin didn’t have to wait for his beard to turn white to become Santa. The 60-year-old Austin has been performing as Santa for 11 seasons and wore the red suit while his hair was still, actually, red. When he’s not wearing the suit, the Highlands Ranch resident does computer security work for IBM. He was just 49 years old when he began as a mall Santa, developing an entire act to sell his Santa-ness. And he has Santa down to a science. “If I come into your house and I don’t leave you with a strong memory,” Austin said, “I’ve not done my job.” Austin’s coordinated performance includes all sorts of creative acts — from singing to per-

forming an illusional disappearance act with his Elf on a Shelf and thoughtfully scripted commentary for his reading of “The Night Before Christmas.” It helps that he has a perfectly round belly so he can tell kids to poke it if they ask if he’s real. Before a Nov. 9 performance for a Mothers of Preschoolers group in Highlands Ranch, Austin laid out the contents of his bag across his bed for a final check to make sure everything was there: His naughty-and-nice list, a small “magical” chest wired with lights and lined with glitter, his favorite version of “The Night Before Christmas,” his Elf on a Shelf, and other trinkets and accessories to complete the Santa look. “Everybody adds their own personality. You just can’t help it,” Austin said. “But the important qualities aren’t that so much as you being jovial. You have to be jovial the entire time.” SEE SANTA, P13

Life On Capitol Hill 13

December 2018

SANTA FROM PAGE 12

In his younger years, Austin was trim and athletic. He graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in aerospace engineering. He always loved kids and is involved with youth leadership at his church. He even graduated from high school in North Pole, Alaska. The shoe fit. He will see about 150 clients through November and December and charges between $225 and $300 an hour, depending on how close to Christmas it is. He visits hospitals for free and offers discounted appearances for those in need as well. Becoming Santa Claus is not as simple as donning a red-and-white coat. It’s not destined for any man with a long white beard, blue eyes and a round stomach, and not everyone who can “ho, ho, ho” can do it correctly: Exactly three “hos” — not two or four. No pause. From the stomach. There’s also the hat, the rosy red cheeks, the glasses, the boots (brown or black) and the gloves (black or white). Anyone can look like Santa. Developing the persona is a skill that takes years to master. “You learn that. It’s kind of like a professional actor,” Austin said. “They’ve got to learn their craft and get to a point where they learn what it’s like and how to overcome certain obstacles. “They want to keep that belief going as long as they possibly can.” Training is intense Susen Mesco has been training Santas for 37 years. She’s the president of American Events and Promotions in Denver and is de facto instructor for all things Santa. On the first day of class, Mesco hands her aspiring Santas a piece of paper and asks them to write down the top 15 speed-dial contacts on Santa’s phone. Most come up with the typical Mrs. Claus and maybe the head elf. The first lesson Mesco teaches them is to think outside the box. How about Santa’s dentist? Or the people working in the “distribution department”? It’s an exercise to get the men who look like Santa to start thinking like Santa. “Santa starts to see himself as this alter-ego that pulls him into a 3-D life,” Mesco said. “Pretending is exhausting. Being is not. You don’t put on your costume, you put on your outfit.” To Mesco, a Lafayette resident, details are vital. The authenticity of the Santa depiction is what can leave a child with a lasting memory. And Mesco leaves no stone unturned. She teaches courses in sign language and child development psychology. Santas go to the toy store to learn about the hottest toys available. Santas learn how to speak differently to a 3-year-old than to a 5-year-old, how to interact with autistic children and how to answer the impossible questions like “Santa, are you real?” “Virtually nothing blindsides them because they’ve learned to think like Santa,” Mesco said. “It is the highlight of the child year, spending time with this magical creature. It should matter to you as much as it matters to the child.” With a great beard . . . Mike Cawthra’s favorite color is blue. It’s the color he wears most often in the spring and summer, and it’s the color of his 2009 Ford Mustang with the license plate that reads SLEIGH2.

Bryan Austin, 60, in his full Santa suit at a Nov. 9 Christmas party hosted by a local Mothers of Preschoolers group. NICK PUCKETT

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO BE SANTA? Susen Mesco, president of American Events and Promotions, has been educating men to become Santa Claus for 37 years. She said it can cost a lot of money just to put the suit together, not to mention the hours of preparation, education and practice to make sure a one-hour event can keep a child believing. “It used to be you’d go down to Party City and pick up a $27.99 suit,” Mesco said. “Suits now are custom-made.” Here are Mesco’s estimates of how much it can cost to look like Santa: • Suit: Up to $8,000

• Beard maintenance: $150

• Training: $35

• Belt: Up to $500

• Santa association dues: $100

• Liability insurance: $2,000

• Boots: $600

Cawthra, of Lakewood, graduated from Mesco’s Santa school in 2008. A retired elementary school teacher of 31 years, Cawthra’s Santa is one that loves to tell stories. Expressing the personality of the men performing as Santa can make a child’s experience special, Mesco said. Of course, Cawthra’s beard is real. His makeup has touches of glitter in it. Even his fake eyelashes are white. It’s a detail Mesco proudly claims as part of her “spare-nodetail” mentality. Cawthra is Santa during the Christmas season. The rest of the 10 months, he’s just Mike — Mike who wears blue and drives a blue Mustang and happens to have a long

white beard and white hair. “God gave me white hair and I use my powers for good,” Cawthra said. “It’s incredibly rewarding, but it’s not who I am 365 days a year. It’s fun, but it’s not all of life.” Though he’s not “Santa” all year, Cawthra still bears the responsibility of being Santa to any child who asks. That’s why he always carries with him special-made coins that say “Santa caught me being good” to reinforce his character, even if he’s wearing blue instead of red. “Every once in a while, in the summer, when somebody says something to ‘Santa,’ you’ve got to be able to come up with an answer,” Cawthra said. “If you do something rude or crude, people will say ‘That’s not

very Santa-like.’ ” Retaining the Santa character is often more work than the performance itself. Santas have to stay in shape, lest their legs become too weak for children to sit on (in one recent 2 1/2-hour photo session, Cawthra saw 150 children) or Santa catches the flu from a child (Mesco said most Santas go through five pairs of gloves a day). There’s the Society of Santas and the International Brotherhood of Real-Bearded Santas — social Santa meet-up groups for Santas to trade notes and join in fellowship. Some men choose to be Santa all the time. One man, Cawthra recalled, changed his legal name to Santa Claus. Once the Christmas season is over, Santa Mike will go back to Mike Cawthra. Some Santas, like Austin, will work well until New Year’s for the Russian Orthodox Christmas — which requires a completely different look. For most it will spell the end of another year of photo shoots, performances and readings of “The Night Before Christmas.” “Dec. 25, it’s a little bit of a letdown, because you’ve been going and going, and you’ve been getting all of this positive energy, and then it’s over,” Cawthra said. “I’m back to being just me. It takes a little while to readjust. It’s very rewarding, and the reward isn’t all money, either. It’s all of the emotions you get from people — and the smiles.”

14 Life On Capitol Hill

December 2018

GROWING BEAUTY IN WINTER

Your garden can still look nice in winter

A heavy frost transforms Muhlenbergia reverchonii into a mid-winter treat. With the right planning, you can plant a winter garden that can withstand cold temperatures. COURTESY OF DENVER BOTANIC GARDENS

inter is one of the most rewarding times in the garden and landscape. Gone are the weeds and GUEST heat of summer. COLUMN Instead you can kick back and enMike joy your garden as a backdrop Kintgen to the holidays. Many people forget about their gardens after the last colorful leaves drop. Gardens, however, can be beautiful year-round with a little thought and planning. Evergreens, grasses, perennials, yucca and agaves, with good winter texture, make the landscape just as pleasing as during the growing season. We are lucky here along the Front Range that our semi-arid climate allows us to grow a wide variety of plants that look great through the winter. Our dry climate also tends to freeze dry grasses and perennials making them last until February or March when it is time to start cleaning up the garden for spring. The Plant Select program, which is run by the Denver Botanic Gardens and Colorado State University, has several wonderful plants that stay green all year: Cercocaprus intricatus (littleleaf mountain mahongy), Arctostaphylos (mock bearberry manazanita, and Panchito and chieftain manazanita), Juniperus `Woodward’ (Woodward columnar juniper), Picea glauca ‘Pendula’ (weeping

hawthorn), Heptacodium miconoides (seven sons flower) are small trees that have beautiful form and offer interesting bark and reddish berries on the hawthorn, or reddish seed heads on the Heptacodium. Chrysthomanus baby blue (baby blue rabbit brush) is a superb small mounding shrub for hot sunny areas and would blend beautiful with any of the plants mentioned. Artemisia `seafoam’ (seafoam sage), Artemisia `Powis Castle’ Eriogonum umbellatum `Kannah Creek’ (Kannah Creek buckwheat), Delosperma nubigenum, Sedum sediformi (turquoise tails blue sedum) and Sedum `Angelina’ are great perennials with some winter color for sunny dry gardens that look nice with the other plants in this article. Agave neomexicana, yucca harrimanie (doll house yucca), yucca rostrata and Heperaloe parviflora add structure and color to the winter landscape. You can use them as focal points to contrast against the finer textures of the above plants. With a little thought and work, your garden can be just as beautiful in December, January and February as it was during the growing season. Mike Kintgen is the curator of alpine collections at the Denver Botanic Gardens. He can be reached at horticulture@denverbotanicgardens.org.

A culinary exploration of Denver’s history

DENVER

SU MO TU WE TH FR SA

Tree Collection Day

How the Gold Rush helped shape the city’s restaurant scene

31 6 7 13 14 20 21 27 28

Your tree must be placed at your trash set-out location by 7 a.m. on your scheduled trash collection day.

By Clarke Reader creader@coloradocommunitymedia.com

NEW DAY-OF-SERVICE

SCHEDULE THIS YEAR

January 2019

Treecycle Collection Schedule

white spruce), pinus monophyla (blue jazz pinyon pine). All of these enjoy good drainage, full sun to part sun and minimal water once established. All but the weeping white spruce are truly xeric, or very dry, once established. If you have some shade, and water more frequently, then use Alleghany viburnum, weeping white spruce and Paxistima canbyi (mountain lover). Plant Select helps gardeners find plants that thrive in the intermountain region and high plains. Many of the plants require less watering and can grow in different climates. To learn more, visit www.plantselect.org. Plant Select has worked hard to bring us some great grasses. Muhlenbergia reverchonii (undaunted ruby muhly) is my favorite at 2-3 feet tall and wide — it’s the most beautiful grass on the market and looks good until March. Bouteluea gracilis `Blonde Ambition’ (Blonde Ambition gramma grass) and Schizachrum scoparium `standing ovation’ (standing ovation little blue stem) are also great smaller grasses. If you need a large grass for a hot dry spot, try Sporobolus wrightii (Giant sacaton). This is a good substitute for Miscanthus or hardy pampas grass. Shrubs and trees provide the backbone to a garden. Ranging in size, the following plants add texture or winter interest in the form of berries and bark. Cratageus ambigua (Russian

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New Year’s Day Holiday No Solid Waste Management collections.

PARTICIPATING IN IS SIMPLE, AND RECYCLING YOUR TREE AFTER THE HOLIDAYS IS AS EASY AS 1, 2, 3! Remove all decorations, lights, and the tree stand from your tree. Set your tree out for collection on one of your scheduled trash collection days during the two-week Treecycle collection period. Reclaim free mulch made from your tree at the annual Mulch Giveaway & Compost Sale in May.

For detailed program guidelines and additional information, visit DenverGov.org/Treecycle or call 311 (720-913-1311).

Not everyone can say they achieved a dream they had while in high school. But local wine expert and blogger Simone FM Spinner did just that with the publication of her first book, “Denver Food: A Culinary Evolution.” “Becoming a published book author has been a goal since I was 15 years old — and I finally did it,” she said. “I love food, cooking and dining out. Working in the wine industry, I have always been lucky to dine out frequently as a part of my work, often in the latest, hottest, most interesting restaurants in the city.” In her book, Simone explores how German, Japanese, Chinese and Italian immigrants made their way to Colorado as part of the Gold Rush. Soon they were opening up saloons, which later turned into a booming restaurant industry. However, all the recent growth in metro area is causing some of the city’s most unique and historic locations to shut down

— a trend that partly inspired Simone to start writing. “My book is essentially a love letter to the city that I fell in love with, which doesn’t really exist anymore,” she explained. “Yet, it is also a glimpse of the future and of the amazing things that are happening right now in Denver.” There’s a lot to know about the culinary scene in Denver, and Simone hopes readers come away understanding there’s a lot of collaboration and community between chefs. She also wants readers to know the Denver culinary community is actively doing its part to stave off waste, food insecurity and hunger — in their restaurants and communities. Most importantly, Simone wants readers to understand how many great tastes and flavors there are to explore right at their fingertips. “Denver has long been ignored by food writers, influencers and critics. People assume that Denver is just about steaks, Mexican food and novelty food,” she said. “Denver’s culinary scene is a bit of a sleeper. There is so much truly great food in this city and people should get out and explore a little bit. I really appreciate the immense culinary diversity in Denver.” For more information on the book and to order a copy, visit www.arcadiapublishing.com.

Life On Capitol Hill 15

December 2018

Ringing in the new

year

Residents look forward to health and changes in politics in 2019 By Kailyn Lamb and Taylore Todd We recently stopped by City Park to ask what visitors are looking forward to in 2019. Whether it’s a new political climate, health, play or the changing of the seasons, here are some of the answers we heard.

Allison Neckers and her son Wondi Fulton met with friends Tony Caldwell and his son George. Neckers said she is hoping for a “more compassionate global view from politics,” adding that she felt politics had been in a selfish state recently. “I hope to think of my neighbors before I think of myself. I want to help others more and not have such a selfish view.” She also said she hoped to get her son and George together for more play dates. Both Neckers and Caldwell said they were hoping for a good ski season, “so we’re not so dry as a bone,” Caldwell added. He is also hoping for good health and a continued good economy for the city of Denver.

John Covert, who was out walking his dog Sadie, hopes to take an adventure. “I’m 78, and I hope to hike the Teton Crest Trail. It’s 44 miles. I’m also looking for love and friendship.”

Carlos Madrid and Julie Lund were enjoying a weekend walk around the lake at City Park. Both are looking forward to travel opportunities and warmer weather for gardening. “I’m looking forward to the days getting longer and camping again,” Madrid said. Lund said she is looking forward to traveling to Minnesota and Seattle for some family time. She also has a 13-year-old son who will be turning 14 this year. “He’s growing up a little bit,” she said.

Kirk Thoreson lives off of Colfax Avenue with his fiance. He said he is interested to see what new developments and businesses come to the street in the next year. In addition to projects on Colfax, Thoreson said he is following other projects in Capitol Hill. “I’m curious to see what’s going to happen in the old Whole Foods,” he said of the former grocery store at 900 E. 11th Ave.

Alexandra Martinez Diaz also had high hopes for politics in 2019. “(I’m looking forward to) Democrats taking control of the House,” she said. Although the beginning of the year is around the corner, Martinez Diaz said she was looking forward to summer. She is hoping that parks around Denver will add more sections for dogs.

Katie Deacon was playing with her son at Dustin Redd Playground at City Park. She is looking forward to his fourth birthday next year. She has just moved to Colorado and is looking forward to more exploring of the area.

16 Life On Capitol Hill

December 2018

Running in the Big

Apple

A Cap Hill resident calls New York marathon a ‘whirlwind’ By Kailyn Lamb | klamb@coloradocommunitymedia.com

ince Kirsten Erickson moved to Capitol Hill from Michigan in July, she has spent her time getting used to the elevation – pounding the pavement in preparation for not one, but two marathons. In early October she ran the Chicago Marathon and, less than a month later, joined Team Ultra to run the worldfamous New York City Marathon. “The past four months have pretty much been running only,” she said. “It was such a whirlwind of a weekend (in New York City). Two marathons in a month is kind of a lot.” National beer-brand Michelob Ultra

picked Erickson to be in the group of 95 runners from across the U.S. to participate in Team Ultra during the Nov. 4 New York City Marathon. The brand asked people how their love of beer and running pushes them toward the finish line for the second year of the competition. Shalane Flanagan, a Boulder native and winner of last year’s women’s New York City Marathon, coached the team. The comraderie and feeling like part of the team was one of the best parts of the race, Erickson said. All 95 runners in Team Ultra started at the same time. The

competition brought a variety of runners together, she added, from people just getting started to another runner who was trying to beat his personal best running 26.2 miles in under 2 hours and 30 minutes. The New York City Marathon had more than 50,000 runners this year. The race starts in Staten Island and winds through Brooklyn and Queens before ending in Central Park in Manhattan. Erickson ran the race in 4 hours and 40 minutes, beating her own personal best time by 5 minutes. Running across the bridges to get to the different boroughs in New York was the hardest part, she said. “I really fought for that time,” she said. “The Queensboro Bridge is not to be messed with.” The marathon is also popular with spectators, and the cheering people helped push her during some of the tougher bits of terrain, Erickson said. “The crowd support is unreal in New York.” Erickson didn’t always like running. All through high school she hated the sport, going so far as to compete in swim events because she knew she would spend more time in the water instead of lacing up tennis shoes. She tried running again while attending University of Michigan, as way to give her a needed release from her study schedule. She ran her first 5K, or 3-mile, race in 45 minutes, and joked that she thought she wouldn’t be able to finish. Little did she know that her 15-minute mile from the first race would become a 10-minute mile during the New York City Marathon. She ran her first marathon in 2015 with a friend. The pair had started running together in college and wanted to sign up for the half-marathon at Ann Arbor where they lived. Since the marathon registration was only slightly more expensive, they decided to go for it. “Neither of us were really ready at all,” she said. But “once you run one marathon you kind of get obsessed.” Since then, Erickson has participated in four marathons, including the two she ran this fall. Now that the races are over, she plans to take a small break from running and enjoy her new state. She and her boyfriend moved to Capitol Hill after the latter finished college. They wanted to find a place with access to the outdoors, while still living in the city, Erickson said. “I’m excited to check out my other pursuits.” But her break from running will only be a short one. Erickson said she hopes to run another marathon, but is not sure which one she’ll pick. Since she has only raced at sea level, she wants to try racing here in Colorado. Next on her bucket list is the Bolder Boulder 10K and the Colfax Half Marathon. Both races are in May.

Capitol Hill resident Kirsten Erickson ran the New York City Marathon last month. It was her second marathon race in one month. COURTESY OF TEAM ULTRA

WHAT’S IN A DISTANCE? Here is a breakdown of popular races and what the distances are: • A 5K is 3.1 miles. • A 10K is 6.2 miles. • A half marathon is 13.1 miles. • A marathon is 26.2 miles.

A VEGAN RUNNER Kirsten Erickson has been a vegetarian since the age of 15 and became vegan when she started running.To make sure she is getting the right nutrients to run in marathons, Erickson said she eats a lot of tofu and uses vegan protein powders for extra energy. But, Erickson said it’s not the nutrients she’s worried about. Instead, she said she needs to make sure she’s eating enough to balance the calories she loses while running 20 or more miles a week. “I just have to make sure that I’m constantly eating enough for more training,” she said. “If I don’t eat enough before a long run, and if I’m not replenishing fast enough, I feel like garbage.”

Life On Capitol Hill 17

December 2018

Time to sparkle Holiday lights around the city of Denver

Blossoms of Light takes over the Denver Botanic Gardens during the holiday season and runs until Jan. 1. COURTESY OF DENVER BOTANIC GARDENS

Union Station Where: 1701 Wynkoop St.

The 28th annual Zoo Lights

When: Santa will be at Union Station on Sundays through Dec. 23. There is also a 40-foot-tall outdoor tree. Cost: Free For more information: denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/ofﬁce-of-special-events/ special-events-calendar/2018/TurnOnTheLights.html

Where: Denver Zoo, 2300 Steele St. When: Through Jan. 6, 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Denver City and County Building

Cost: Children 2 and under are free, ages 3-11 are $14, adults: $20, seniors (ages 65 and up): $17 For more information: denverzoo.org/events/ zoolights/

Where: 1437 Bannock St.

Blossoms of Light Where: Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St. When: Through Jan. 1, 5-9 p.m. Cost: Children 2 and under are free, ages 3-15 are $18, adults: $21, seniors (ages 65 and up): $19 For more information: botanicgardens.org/events/ special-events/blossoms-light

When: Through Jan. 21, 5:45-10:45 p.m. nightly. There are shows timed with holiday music at 5:45 and 6:30 p.m., except during Monday night City Council meetings. The shows are about seven minutes long. Cost: Free For more information: www. denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/ofﬁce-of-specialevents/city-and-countybuilding-lighting-request/ lighting-calendar/ holiday-lights.html

Zoo Lights features lighting structures shaped like some of the animals at the Denver Zoo. This year’s event will run through Jan. 6. COURTESY OF THE DENVER ZOO

18 Life On Capitol Hill

December 2018

Things to Do Submit calendar listings on our website, coloradocommunitymedia. com, go to the Calendar tab and click “Submit an Event.” Priority is given to non-proﬁts, low- or no-cost events and locations within our distribution map. Next Issue Deadline: Thursday, Dec. 12

EVENTS The Denver Magic Show Debuts New Performer 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 3 While new to the Denver Magic Show, Scott McCray is not a newcomer to magic. McCray first became enthralled by the world of magic at the age of seven when he saw magic at Zeezo’s, a Denver area magic shop. Avenue Theatre, 417 E. 17th Ave., Denver Tickets are $20 Denvermagicshow.com Marshall Plan 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 4 Join Active Minds 70+ years later as we review this historic initiative and discuss its relevance in the world today. This program is sponsored by Rosemark Senior. Jewish Community Center, 350 S. Dahlia St., Denver Event is free RSVP not required; for info, call Lil Shaw: 303-316-6359 Happy 125th Birthday, Denver Art Museum 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 4 Join us in celebrating the Denver Art Museum’s 125th birthday. The first 125 visitors to the DAM on that day will receive a free commemorative 125th birthday tote bag, one of which will be filled with DAM Shop goodies. From 1 to 1:25 p.m., The Westsiders will be filling the Hamilton Building atrium with birthday melodies and holiday cheer. Try your creative hand in the Print Studio where special birthday-themed stencils will be available for you to write a birthday card to the DAM, a friend or a loved one. All celebration activities are included in general admission; free for members and youth 18 and younger. #DAMbirthday Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway, Denver Denverartmuseum.org Farm to Fashion Show 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 4 Farm to Fashion envisions an industry where people and planet are fully supported by the creation of our clothing, where we are connected to the origins of the fibers we wear and to all the hands that help in the manifestation of our apparel. Overlooking historic Larimer Square, guests can anticipate an elegant and informative evening of cocktails and hors d’oeuvres followed by an exclusive runway show featuring

the best in earth-friendly fashion ranging from intimates and outdoor apparel to evening wear. The Farm to Fashion show will feature a Silent Auction - just in time for the holidays. Attendees will enjoy fashion and apparel from leading brands and designers such as Eileen Fisher, prAna, Triarchy, Laura Siegel, Zen Nomad, Peggy Sue Collection, Study New York, The North Face, and Patagonia with more to come. 1005 3rd Ave., Denver Denver.org Friends of Chamber Music presents Orion Weiss and Anna Polonsky, Piano Duo 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 5 Pianists Orion Weiss and Anna Polonsky open Friends of Chamber Music’s 2018-19 Piano Series performing, works for four hands. Gates Hall, Newman Center for the Performing Arts, 2344 E. Iliff Ave., Denver friendsofchambermusic.com Walk Around Denver with Chef Joanna 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 6 Join Chef Joanna as she takes you for a Walk Around Denver with food, lights and free wine tastings. Euclid Hall, 1317 14th St., Denver. Only $35 per person. Call 702-4876008 for more information. Getting Chilly With It 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Dec. 8 Chill out this winter with a program so cool, it’s cryogenic! Learn about the subzero science of super cold substances like liquid nitrogen, liquid oxygen, and dry ice. See amazing science demonstrations from educator extraordinaire Brian Hostetler, followed by hands-on activities in the atrium. Giving Club members may use their Flex Ticket beneﬁt for complimentary admission.Registration is required. Please call 303-370-6000, daily, 9 a.m.to 5 p.m. Denver Museum of Nature and Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd. Denver Dmns.org Holiday Fine Art Bazaar 5:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8 Featuring original art work, apparel, accessories, stationery, jewelry, glass, sculpture and more, you’ll be sure to ﬁnd one-of-a-kind pieces for your friends and family this year that will keep giving year after year. The event is open to the public. PRISM Workspaces, 999 Vallejo St., Denver prismworkspaces.com Holiday Traditions & Customs 1 to 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 13

Why do we have Christmas trees? Or for that matter holiday lights, egg nog, holly or mistletoe. Join us Active Minds we seek to explain the origins of a wide variety of holiday traditions and customs. Our focus will be mostly upon secular winter holiday traditions, many of which are associated with the winter solstice. This program is brought to you by The Grove at Stapleton and the Stapleton Master Community Association. Sam Gary Library, 2961 Roslyn St., Denver

China’s Economic Evolution 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 13 In 2010, China became the world’s largest exporter and in 2014 it became the world’s largest economy (based on GDP). Join Active Minds as we examine the rapid change in China’s economic stature and the effects it is having both domestically and internationally. Brookdale Parkplace, 111 Emerson St., Denver. Cost: Free. RSVP: 303-744-1950 or dday@brookdale.com Union Station Holiday Market by Denver Flea hosts 12 days of shopping this holiday season Through Dec. 13 Gather your family and friends for the Union Station Holiday Market by Denver Flea for four weekends of shopping, festivities and winter fun, all at the historic Denver Union Station. Denver Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop St., Denver $5 entry fee denverﬂea.com. Chicago: Biography of a City 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14 Join Active Minds for the story of the Windy City. We will cover the Great Chicago Fire and how it impacted the development of the city. And as we bring things all the way up to the present, we’ll cover the politics, crime, food, culture, and architecture of the “City of Broad Shoulders.” Hiawatha Davis Recreation Center, 3334 Holly St., Denver Cost: Free RSVP: 720-865-0590 Coyote Poets of the Universe Celebrate CD release 8 to 10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14 The Coyote Poets of the Universe will be celebrating the release of their

epic two CD set “Strange Lullaby” with a concert at Swallow Hill Music. Swallow Hill Music, 71 E. Yale Ave., Denver 303-777-1003 Tchaikovsky’s Greatest Symphonies 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 17 Tchaikovsky’s ﬁnal trio of symphonies are among the greatest orchestral works ever composed. Their fascinating stories and gorgeous music will be explored in an Active Minds program recalling the triumphs and tragedy of this extraordinary composer. Springbrooke, 6800 Leetsdale Dr., Denver Cost: Free RSVP Required (Limited Seating): Springbrooke: 303-331-9963

A Christmas Carol Through Dec. 24 Essential to the holiday season in Denver, A Christmas Carol is a joyous and opulent musical adaptation that traces moneyhoarding skinflint Ebenezer Scrooge’s triumphant overnight journey to redemption. Stage Theatre, 1400 Curtis St., Denver Denvercenter.org

Christmas with the Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra 7:30 to 9:15 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 4 The Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra swings in the holidays! With the beautiful vocals of Heidi Schmidt, you will hear songs such as “Let It Snow,”“Go Tell it on the Mountain” and “Winter Wonderland,” along with selections from Duke Ellington’s Suite from the Nutcracker. Comedy with Roger Mondays 10 p.m. 303-320-9200 | Lion’s Lair, 2022 E. Colfax Ave. www.lionslairco.com/events Baker Historic Neighborhood Association General Meeting 6:30 p.m., second Tuesday of the month. As always, we will hear from our Community Resource Ofﬁcer from Denver Police and learn about different items impacting Baker. Come a little early to socialize and meet some fellow Bakerties. Hirschfeld Tower, 333 W. Ellsworth Ave. bakerneighborhood.org East Evans Business Association Meeting Meets every 4th Tuesday This meeting provides a great opportunity for local businesses to meet, network and raise awareness of what’s happening on the East Evans corridor. 303-671-6639 Panorama Building, 2055 S. Oneida St. SEE THINGS TO DO, P19

Life On Capitol Hill 19

December 2018

Things to Do FROM PAGE 18

Chamberlin Observatory Public Night Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:30 p.m. All public nights start with an informative, multimedia astronomy presentation. Admission is $4 for adults, $3 for kids and is payable online via PayPal. Reservations are recommended, as nights sell out. Times vary by season. Observatory Park, 2930 E. Warren Ave. www.denverastro.org/das/public-nights Why Not Wednesday Wednesdays 4 p.m. We open wines that most stores wouldn’t dare to open. Whether it’s grand cru champagne, cult cabernet or an amazing bottle of Amarone. Find out what the wine of the week is on our website! 303-282-5103 Pearl Wine Company, 1886 S. Pearl St. www.pearlwinecompany.com Friends and Neighbors (FANS) of Washington Park 6 p.m., second Wednesday of each month Meetings typically include a brief overview of the latest park news and often feature a guest speaker. Check out the website for the topic of the month. Washington Park Dos Chappell Bath House, 600 S. Marion Parkway fanswashingtonpark.org Denver GOP First Friday Breakfast First Friday of the month 7 a.m. Great speakers and conservative camaraderie. This months speakers are Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams and Denver Clerk & Recorder. Please RSVP and order breakfast to support Pete’s. 303-782-9555 Pete’s Greek Town Cafe, 2910 E. Colfax Ave. www.denvergop.org House District 2 Democratic Party Meeting Third Saturday of the month Monthly meeting covering business/topics at hand. 303-830-8242 Washington Street Community Center, 809 S. Washington St. www.denverdemocrats.org

ART Welded & Fabricated Poetry: The Artistic Life of Elizabeth Yanish Shwayder: Runs to Jan. 6 at Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art, 1201 Bannock St., Denver. Kirkland Museum is pleased to feature a retrospective of 50 highlights from Elizabeth Yanish Shwayder’s career. Admission to the exhibition is included in the price of Kirkland Museum’s general admission ticket, which is $10 for adults; $8 for seniors (age 65+), students, teachers and active military personnel with ID; and free for Kirkland Museum members. Age policy: Due to the fragile nature of the collections and the salon style in which they are displayed, Kirkland Museum limits all visitors during open hours and events to those age 13 and up Stampede Public Tours Occurs every day through May 19, 2019, except Dec. 25. In this daily 45-minute tour, see how animals have captivated artists throughout history in Stampede: Animals in Art. Discover and consider the role animals play through themes

such as personal connections with animals, how animal materials have been used in art, how animals are used to tell stories or represent political ideas, and how artists use animals in imaginative ways. No reservations necessary. Meet on level 1 of the Hamilton Building. 720-865-5000 Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway denverartmuseum.org/calendar/stampedepublic-tours DaVinci X – The Machines & You Exhibition Hours:Monday Closed for Groups and Private Events, Tuesday through Saturday – 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday – Noon till 5 p.m. Guided Tour Times – (Subject to Docent Availability) 1 p.m. Weekdays 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Weekends The DaVinci Machines Exhibition displaying hand-crafted inventions built from Leonardo’s 500 year old designs brought to life. DaVinci X Exhibition, Located on the 2nd Floor of the Denver Pavilions – Suite 268 Take Escalator to 2nd Floor Next to Henry’s Tavern at 16th and Welton Check Mall Directories As Well discoverdavinci.com Clyfford Still Museum Free Day Last Friday of every month In appreciation supporters of the Scientiﬁc and Cultural Facilities District (SFCD), and in the spirit of community engagement, the Museum offers free admission on the last Friday of every month. 720-354-4880 Clyfford Still Museum, 1250 Bannock St. clyffordstillmuseum.org

CLASSES, LECTURES, FORUMS Sunday Open Meditation 1st Sunday of the month. Free to the public - all welcome. The Center is open to the public for “drop-in” meditation and contemplative practices, 10 a.m.-noon. Meditation instruction, 10:30 a.m., Padmasambhava Meditation Center, 1900 S. Cook St. padmasambhavameditationcenter.org English Learning Center Monday-Thursday from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. & Wednesday and Thursday 6:30 to 8 p.m. The English Learning Center, located at the Evanston Center for Spiritual Wholeness & Healing at 2122 S. Lafayette Street, offers affordable day and evening English classes. If you are interested in teaching, assisting, or for more enrollment info. call 303-420-0172, or contact Caryn Oppenheim, Exect. Director at Caryn.elcdenver@gmail.com Free Yoga for All Sundays 10 a.m. Relax and stretch with free yoga at a year round class designed for all ages and levels. Bring a mat if you can. Donations are appreciated but not required. 720-244-8252 Alamo Placita Park, East 4th Avenue & Ogden Street wscc-denver.org Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Sundays 9:30 a.m. Learn both Tibetan and rhythmic English chants and brief silent meditations. Led by

members of Yeshe Nyingpo Denver, a chapter of the Dudjom Tersar and aligned with the Dalai Lama. 303-294-9258 Mercury Cafe, 2199 California St. mercurycafe.com Sunday Open House and Meditation Sundays 10 a.m. A relaxed and informal Open House in the community room includes information about activities and meditation followed by a discussion and opportunity to meet others. Meditation instruction is available. Shambhala Meditation Center of Denver, 2305 S. Syracuse Way, Ste. 214 denver.shambhala.org Meditation and Kirtan Sundays 4 p.m. Leave your troubles behind and practice meditation and Kirtan every Sunday. Childcare provided. For more info call Ed. 720-810-9071 854 Pearl St., Denver Denver Laughter Club Meets every Monday except major holidays at St. Barnabas Church. 11:45 a.m. All are welcome, free, no jokes just laughter for no reason, with Chi Kung warmups, pure joy!! Call Meredee for more info. 303-877-9086 St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, 1280 Vine St. denverlaughs.com SEE THINGS TO DO, P20

Happy Holidays from the

20 Life On Capitol Hill

Things to Do FROM PAGE 19

Learn to Code Meetup Mondays, 6 p.m. An open house/study group for anyone, at any level, with any interest in computer programming. No prior knowledge/future commitment needed. 720-865-1706 ideaLAB in Community Technology Center of DPL Central library, 10 W. 14th Ave. Parkway meetup.com/learntocodedenver Belly Dancing Classes Classes held most Mondays, 7 p.m. beginners, 8 p.m. advanced. Classes $10 drop-in — Cafe not open 303-294-9258 Mercury Cafe, 2199 California St. mercurycafe.com Meditation at Noon Tuesdays, 12 p.m. Take 30 minutes to connect to your heart, cultivate inner peace and happiness, and clarify your intention for the day, free. 303-813-9551 KMC Colorado Capitol Hill, 1081 Marion St. meditationincolorado.org Tech Help Appointments Tuesdays 1 p.m. Get personalized technology assistance and instruction on your own device or a public computer. Call your library for available times and schedule your own appointment. Tuesdays, we have 1 p.m. or 2 p.m. appointments. 720-865-0135 Ross-Broadway Branch Library, 33 E. Bayaud Ave. www.denverlibrary.org

December 2018 Words of Wisdom Tuesdays 2 p.m. One word can say it all. Join us as we explore a key word from each week’s parsha and discover inspiration and guidance for our life’s journey. 303-316-6412 The Jewish Experience Center, 399 S. Monaco Pkwy. Argentine Tango, Practice and Lessons Every Tuesday 6:45 to 7:45 p.m. Tango Colorado hosts these low cost Tango lessons, followed by a practice session where dancers can polish the steps they learned, interact with other students and advanced dancers and improve their skills. 303-710-2250 Denver Turnverein Event Center, 1570 Clarkson St. tangocolorado.org/lessons

Classes $8 303-294-9258 Mercury Cafe, 2199 California St. mercurycafe.com Denver Socrates Cafe Wednesdays, 7 p.m. Join a group that “seek truth by their own lights.” No regular attendance or preparation required. Speak your own mind, then take turns playing Socrates by asking questions. 303-861-1447 Trinity United Methodist Church, 1820 Broadway meetup.com/Denver-Socrates-Cafe

West Coast Swing Classes Wednesdays, 7 p.m. beginner/intermediate, 8 p.m. advanced.

Daybreak Toastmasters Fridays, 7 a.m. Cat got your tongue? Public speaking and more. Call Bob after 6p.m. Now meeting on the second ﬂoor of the building. 720-308-9090 State of Colorado Centennial Building, 1313 Sherman St. daybreaktoastmasters.org Hard Times Meditation Fridays, 2:30 p.m. Going through a tough time? Developing mindfulness can often help us ﬁnd new resiliency. Join professional instructor Nancy Nielsen for a supportive mindfulness meditation class that’s free and open to all. 720-865-1111 Denver Public Library: Central branch, 10 W. 14th Ave. Parkway

Tuesday Night Blues Tuesdays 7 p.m. intermediate, 8 p.m. advanced. Classes $5, Dance 8:30 p.m., $8 ($10-12 with Live Band) 303-294-9258 Mercury Cafe, 2199 California St. mercurycafe.com UNNA Monthly Meeting Second Tuesday of the month Evanston Center for Spiritual Wholeness and Healing, 2122 S. Lafayette St. unna.shutterﬂy.com

Thursday Evening Meditation Thursdays 7 p.m. Free to the public - all are welcome. Dharma teachings on Buddhist principles by Tibetan meditation master Chhoje Rinpoche (live or video) followed by meditation instruction. Padmasambhava Meditation Center, 1900 S. Cook St. padmasambhavameditationcenter.org

Wednesday Nights Open Stage Wednesdays, 9 p.m. Open Stage for musicians, comics & magicians. Free, sign up with Host 303-294-9258 Mercury Cafe, 2199 California St. mercurycafe.com

Happiness Hour Fridays 5 p.m. A short talk and guided relaxing meditation to help increase a peaceful good heart. It is an ideal way to unwind after work and recharge for a great evening ahead. Free. 303-813-9551 KMC Colorado Downtown, 1336 Glenarm Place meditationincolorado.org SEE THINGS TO DO, P22

CHRISTMAS EVE

2 PM 4 PM

DENVER UNITED 660 S Broadway

Life On Capitol Hill 21

December 2018

Join us for...

H O L I D AY

Advent & Christmas Worship Services: December 2nd: 8:30AM & 11:00AM December 9th: 11:00AM ONLY December 16th: 11:00AM ONLY December 23rd: 11:00AM ONLY December 24th: 4:00PM, 7:00PM, 11:00PM

WORSHIP

UNIVERSITY PARK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 2180 S. UNIVERSITY BLVD. • 303-722-5736 www.uparkumc.org

Join for Join usChristm for Ch Join us forus Christmas on the Par onthe theon Parkway Parkway

Advent Masses beginning 12/2: 9am Sundays St. Nick’s Feast Day: 9am

Sunday 12/09 Christmas Eve Family Mass: 4pm Monday 12/24 Christmas Day Mass: 9am Tuesday 12/25 New Year’s Eve Mass: 7pm Monday 12/31 St. Elizabeth of Hungary 1060 St. Francis Way, Denver, CO 80204

Merry Christmas to All! 4pm Family Worship Dec. 24 7pm Festival Eucharist 10:30pm Music | 11pm Festival Eucharist Dec. 25 10:30am Christmas Day Eucharist

St. Paul Lutheran & Catholic Community of Faith

Good Shepherd Catholic Good Shepherd Catholic Parish Parish

E. 7thPkwy. Ave. Pkwy. 2626 E.2626 7th Ave. (303) 322-7706 (303) 322-7706

Christmas Eve: Christmas Christmas Eve: E 3:45pm, pm,4:00 6:00 pm, pm 6:00 pm, 4:00 6:00pm, pm,8:00 8:00 pm and Midnight and Midnig and Midnight

Christmas Christmas Day: D Christmas Day: am and 10: 8:30 and10:00 10:00 8:30am am 8:30 and amam.

Christmas at Augustana Festival Christmas Concert Sunday, December 16, 7:30 p.m. Christmas Eve Worship 3 p.m.* | 5 p.m. | 7:30 p.m.* Christmas Day Worship 10:30 a.m.* *Holy Communion

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America • Ecumenical Catholic Communion

16th and Grant • Denver | www.saintpauldenver.com

5000 E Alameda Ave 303-388-4678 Denver CO 80246 www.augustanadenver.org

22 Life On Capitol Hill

December 2018

Things to Do FROM PAGE 20

KIDSTUFF All Ages Open Lab Sundays 1 p.m. Have a project you want to work on as a family? Want to learn more about Photoshop, 3D printing or anything else in the lab? Come on in! Family open lab is all ages, but no unaccompanied adults or kids under 10, please! 720-865-1706 ideaLAB in Community Technology Center of DPL Central library, 10 W. 14th Ave. Parkway denverlibrary.org Tattered Tales Storytime Tuesdays 10:30 a.m. Young children are invited for a half hour of stories and fun, with a different topic each week. Free. 303-322-1965, ext. 2731 Tattered Cover, 2526 E. Colfax Ave. tatteredcover.com Slime Club Tuesdays 4 p.m. Join us to make slime, have snacks and help us rename this weekly event that will happen every Tuesday. Ideal for ages 8-12. 720-865-0940 Virginia Village Branch Library, 1500 S. Dahlia St. www.denverlibrary.org/events

COMING SOON! D E C E M B E R

J A N U A R Y

Ingrid Michaelson Trio presents: Songs for the Season

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix™ in Concert

DEC 3 MON 7:30

JAN 4-6 FRI-SAT 7:30 ■ SUN 1:00

HalfNotes

HARRY POTTER characters, names and related indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. J.K. ROWLING`S WIZARDING WORLD™ J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR. (s18)

Ingrid Michaelson, vocals

A Classical Christmas Conducted by Brett Mitchell

Itzhak Perlman with the Colorado Symphony JAN 10 THU 7:30

DEC 7-8 FRI-SAT 7:30 Brett Mitchell, conductor

Brett Mitchell, conductor

Ten Tenors — Home for the Holidays with your Colorado Symphony

A Tribute to Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops JAN 12 SAT 7:30

DEC 9 SUN 6:30

Christopher Dragon, conductor

Dvořák Symphony No. 9

A Colorado Christmas

JAN 18-20 FRI-SAT 7:30 ■ SUN 1:00

DEC 14-16 FRI 7:30 ■ SAT 2:30 & 6:00 ■ SUN 1:00

HalfNotes

Brett Mitchell, conductor

Movie at the Symphony: Amadeus Live

Christopher Dragon, conductor

JAN 25-26 FRI-SAT 7:30

Celtic Woman: The Best of Christmas Tour DEC 17 MON 7:30

Brett Mitchell, conductor Colorado Symphony Chorus, Duain Wolfe, director Amadeus Live is a production of Avex Classics International

Holiday Brass DEC 19 WED 7:30 Brian Buerkle, conductor

Too Hot to Handel

HalfNotes Please join us for family-friendly

DEC 21-22 FRI-SAT 7:30

activities 1 hour before the concert.

Christopher Dragon, conductor

These performances include FULL SCREENING OF THE FEATURE FILM!

A Night in Vienna DEC 31 MON 6:30 Brett Mitchell, conductor presenting sponsors

also supported by

COLORADOSYMPHONY.ORG

Toddler Storytime Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. In the Berger Children’s Pavilion, Stories, songs, rhymes and fun for toddlers ages 18-36 months and their parents or caregivers. Craft activity immediately follows the program. Free. 720-865-1111 Denver Public Library: Central branch, 10 W. 14th Ave. Parkway denverlibrary.org Art Works! Wednesdays 10:30 a.m. Preschool Art for ages 3 – 5. We’ll read a book or two and little artists will make a simple craft or experiment with different materials in open-ended art 720-865-0955 Ross-University Hills Branch Library, 4310 E. Amherst Ave. www.denverlibrary.org/ events All Ages Storytime Wednesdays 10:30 a.m Stories, songs, rhymes and fun for children of all ages and their parents or caregivers. 720-865-0135 Ross-Broadway Branch Library, 33 E. Bayaud Ave. denverlibrary.org Girls Who Code Wednesdays 4 p.m. An afterschool program for girls in middle and high school to learn computer science in a collaborative, engaging and intensive manner, working with women who work in technology fields. Learn Python, build websites, create games and more, free. 720-865-1706 ideaLAB in Community Technology Center of

DPL Central library, 10 W. 14th Ave. Parkway http://denverlibrary.org/idealab Eazy Gaming Wednesdays 4 p.m. Play great video games on a Wii, N64 and PS4. Ideal for ages 6-18. 720-865-0160 Byers Branch Library, 675 Santa Fe Dr. www.denverlibrary.org/events Toddler Play & Explore Thursdays 11:30 a.m. Enjoy unstructured play and social time for toddlers ages 18-36 months and their caregivers. Enjoy books, music, and a variety of developmentally appropriate toys in our warm and inviting play space. 720-865-1111 Denver Public Library: Central branch, 10 W. 14th Ave. Parkway denverlibrary.org Drop-In Snack and Craft! Thursdays 3 p.m. Join us for a fun craft and yummy snack every Thursday! All ages. No registration. While supplies last. 720-865-0220 Eugene Field Branch Library, 810 S. University Blvd. www.denverlibrary.org/events Imagination Station Thursdays, 3 p.m. Join us for a drop-in playtime on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 3-5:30 p.m. Children ages 6 months to 5 years are welcome. Caregivers must remain in the room with their children. 720-865-0220 Decker Branch Library, 1501 S. Logan St. www.denverlibrary.org LEGO Time Thursdays 4 p.m.

Kids, join us to hang out with other Lego® lovers for some free-building time. We supply the blocks; you supply the creativity. Ages 4 & up. And, no...you don’t get to take the Legos® home, but you may return to build on another day! 720-865-0955 Ross-University Hills Branch Library, 4310 E. Amherst Ave. www.denverlibrary.org/ events

Code Club Saturdays 1 p.m. Meet every Saturday to learn how to code! With a demonstration at 1 p.m. and then time to work on a project at 2 p.m., with new topics every month. Ages 10-19. 720-865-1706 ideaLAB in Community Technology Center of DPL Central library, 10 W. 14th Ave. Parkway teens.denverlibrary.org Teen Open Lab Interested in recording music or editing videos? Want to use the 3D printer or learn about Arduino? Want to learn how to make a video games? Ready to sew or paint a masterpiece? Just want to hang out and play games? Drop-in, for teens 12-19, free. 720-865-1706 ideaLAB in Community Technology Center of DPL Central library, 10 W. 14th Ave. Parkway teens.denverlibrary.org

Life On Capitol Hill 23

December 2018

Baker resident Fernanda Oliveira performs the roll of the Doll in “The Nutcracker” at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. In addition to dancing with Colorado Ballet, Oliveira choreographs her own pieces as well.

‘A LITTLE BIT OF MAGIC’

COURTESY OF DAVID ANDREWS

A Colorado Ballet dancer talks about her love of classical movement By Kailyn Lamb

IF YOU GO

klamb@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Magic happens every December at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House as toys come to life and glittering snow falls on stage during Colorado Ballet’s performances of the “The Nutcracker.” But for company dancer and Baker resident Fernanda Oliveira, the ballet goes beyond the stage: It’s an opportunity to connect with the audience and tell a story that many know and love. “I think my favorite thing about ballet now, at this point in time, is the storytelling side of it,” she said. “You can take the audience into your world. You just give them a little bit of magic.” In the ballet, a young girl named Clara is given a toy nutcracker doll for Christmas. During the night the doll comes to life, fighting an army of rats. Clara helps the nutcracker defeat the rat king and is transported into a world of sweets and magic. Even those unfamiliar with the ballet often know Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s famed score, which has been featured in holiday commercials and movies for decades. “The Nutcracker,” composed in 1892, was Tchaikovsky’s last ballet. This will be the 58th annual run of “The Nutcracker” by Colorado Ballet, which this year offers 27 performances. The dance company was founded in 1961 as the Colorado Concert Ballet. But for Oliveira, 25, who grew up in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the popular Christmas tale is still new. While learning ballet in Rio, Oliveira said “The Nutcracker” was not as widely performed there as it is in the U.S. When she first moved to Washington, D.C., in 2010 to complete her training, she also began her first set of “Nutcracker” performances. In her seventh year performing the show, Oliveira said she is excited to try new roles. Each dancer learns multiple roles for the run of “Nutcracker.” Snowflakes, toys and flowers are just some of the parts. A few of Oliveira’s favorites roles are the doll from the first act, as well as the Arabian dance

Colorado Ballet will perform “The Nutcracker” at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, 1385 Curtis St., Denver, through Dec. 24. Prices range from $30$155. For tickets or more information, go to www. coloradoballet. org.

Fernanda Oliveira learned to dance as a child in Brazil. She started dancing with Colorado Ballet in 2014. COURTESY OF COLORADO BALLET in act two. This year, she is most excited to dance the role of Dew Drop during “Waltz of the Flowers” in act two. It will be her first time performing the role. Oliveira enjoys the ballet because of the variety of roles but also, she said, because the music is special. While performing with the Washington Ballet, Oliveira said the company did not have a live orchestra. One year, the company was able to bring in musicians especially for “The Nutcracker.” Hearing the score performed live for the first time was something she won’t forget. “I remember going in for the last part of `The Waltz of the Flowers,’ and the music just builds up, and it swells up and it was just nothing like I’d ever experienced before,” Oliveira said. “It was just really magical. It really moves you.” Performances by the Colorado Ballet in the Ellie Caulkins Opera House feature a live orchestra. Oliveira first joined Colorado Ballet in 2014 and returned in 2016 after taking a year off due to a knee injury.

At a young age, Oliveira said she enjoyed the structure and discipline that learning ballet brought to her life. By the age of 13, she knew she wanted to dance professionally.

“As I started developing (my skills) more, and getting better at it, I fell in love with the artistry side of it, too,” she said. “I think that I liked the structure first and then I realized that I could have fun with it and make it mine.” The classical movements from traditional ballets such as “The Nutcracker,” and her favorite, “Giselle,” inspire Oliveira when she creates her own choreographic works. Colorado Ballet puts on an annual program called Attitude on Santa Fe, which is performed at its studio space on 1075 Santa Fe Dr. Dancers perform original works, often choreographed by members of the company. After her knee injury, Oliveira said she needed to do something involving dance and took the opportunity to choreograph a piece for the performance. Recently, the Avant Chamber Ballet in Dallas commissioned Oliveira to choreograph a full-length piece for their dancers that will premiere there early next year. She said she hopes to continue creating original pieces. While she said she is inspired by classical dance, her own choreography also features a freedom of movement that you don’t often see in those works. “I realized that I’ve always choreographed, in my head,” she said. “I can’t just sit and listen to music and not put movement to it.”

STAYING IN SHAPE After Fernanda Oliveira healed from a knee injury, she returned to dancing with Colorado Ballet. Now, she says she does a lot of other exercises to help keep her knees strong. The key, she said, is ﬁnding a balance between cross training, body maintenance and, most importantly, rest. Exercise such as pilates helps bring an aware-

ness to how your body is feeling and performing, she said. She also does yoga, cardio and strength training. “After my injury I really have to make sure my leg is nice and strong,” she said. After a year of not dancing, Oliveira returned to perform George Balanchine’s “Serenade” with the company. Balanchine,

a choreographer and founder of the New York City Ballet, is known to create pieces with strong, technical footwork. But Oliveira said the piece also contained freedom of movement as well. “That was the ﬁrst ballet I performed on stage (after my injury),” Oliveira said. “That’s always going to have a special place in my heart.”

24 Life On Capitol Hill

December 2018

Local nonprofits benefit from philanthropic culture Thousands of nonprofits raise funds and awareness at Colorado Gives Day By Casey Van Divier caseyvandivier@yahoo.com

Every year, Colorado Gives Day inspires residents to reach new philanthropic heights in the name of good causes and state pride. “It’s always a really big day for us,” said Lindsay Moery, development and donor relations manager at High Line Canal Conservancy, a nonprofit based in Washington Park that provides maintenance and renovations along the High Line Canal. “We spend the day celebrating the wonderful generosity of Colorado,” she said. There are nearly 20,000 501(c)(3) nonprofits in Colorado, according to 2013 data from the National Center for Charitable Statistics. This means the state has 38.4 registered nonprofits for every 10,000 people. Nationally, that number is 33.9. More than 2,400 of these nonprofits chose to participate in this year’s Colorado Gives Day, which takes place Dec. 4. Organized by

Lindsay Moery, second from left, and her colleagues at the High Line Canal Conservancy, a nonproﬁt that works to maintain the trails along the High Line Canal. “We’re only a few years old, and we’re really looking to get the word out,” she said. COURTESY OF LINDSAY MOERY

Community First Foundation, the event brings Coloradans together to make online donations to the nonprofits listed on the event website, www.coloradogives.org. The program also has a site called Kids for Colorado Gives designed to engage young

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people in the philanthropic community. In 2017, Colorado Gives Day raised $38 million for nonprofits — tens of millions more than the $8 million in donations raised at its debut in 2010. Dana Rinderknecht, director of online giving at Community First Foundation, said Gives Day events in other states have seen similar spikes in popularity. For Colorado specifically, this popularity is the result of many factors, she said. “The nonprofits really embraced it,” she said, “and then donors love it, because they can go on and give to 10 or 20 different nonprofits all in the same transaction.” To participate, nonprofits start with the application process, which begins on March 1 every year. A nonprofit must meet a set of eligibility requirements to be accepted: It must be registered as a 501(c)(3), serve the state of Colorado and bring in $50,000 in annual revenues or $25,000 in net assets. “These are nonprofits that have done the work and have gotten on with the government,” Rinderknecht said. “You know they really want to do the best and be transparent.” Getting the word out For many nonprofits local to Denver, the annual giving event is about much more than raising funds. It’s also one of the primary ways these organizations spread the word about their efforts in the community. According to Rinderknecht, donors can easily find new nonprofits to give to by narrowing their online search to nonprofits that work in a specific field or serve a specific zip code. “It’s a way to reach new people who maybe aren’t familiar with our work or haven’t given in the past,” Moery of the High Line Canal Conservancy said. “We’re only a few years old, and we’re really looking to get the word out.” The funds raised by Moery’s organization at this year’s Gives Day will go toward the High Line Canal Tree Canopy Care Project. Launched in 2016, the project aims to preserve the beauty of the trail’s tree canopy by trimming and pruning the trees. “We’re the only organization whose mission is to preserve and protect the entire High Line Canal,” Moery said. “We’re really on our own in this area.” Likewise, many nonprofits acoss the city are singlehandedly supporting the causes and populations they serve. One such nonprofit is El Centro Humanitario in Five Points. The organization aids day laborers and domestic

TO LEARN MORE Colorado Gives Day is Dec. 4. Coloradans can give to more than 2,400 local nonprofits through the event’s website, www.coloradogives.org. Visitors can log on prior to Dec. 4 to schedule a donation for Colorado Gives Day, or they can visit the website on the day of the event. workers by providing them with education about their rights, helping them recover wages withheld by employers and connecting them with potential jobs. The nonprofit is the only of its kind in the area, which makes Colorado Gives Day all the more impactful, Executive Director Sarah Shikes said. “For this particular population, knowing that people are supportive of them is really inspiring and builds self-esteem,” she said. The nonprofit reaches about 400 people per year, Shikes said, but she is hoping to expand the initiative to other neighborhoods in Denver. She believes that awareness raised by Colorado Gives Day will be a vital stepping stone in this process, as the event has previously recruited new donors for the organization. “I would say about a quarter of those who give on Colorado Gives Day are brand new,” she said. The event also allows El Centro Humanitario to raise awareness among potential employers of the center’s temporary laborers. “Anyone can call us and hire a worker for things like yard cleanup, landscaping and cleaning,” she said. Additionally, Shikes estimated that about 5 percent of the center’s budget is comprised of donations received on Colorado Gives Day. “You’ll see a lot of nonprofits incorporate the donations into their annual campaign,” Rinderknecht said. “I always tell people, `That’s when I knew we made it — when nonprofits started including us in their planning process.’ ” While Gives Day only occurs once a year, residents can use the ColoradoGives website to make donations all year long. “Any kind of nonprofit you want to (support),” Rinderknecht said, “you’ll find one on Colorado Gives that you’ll be excited to give to.”

Life On Capitol Hill 25

December 2018

City art project meant to calm trafﬁc Council members sponsored project to promote Vision Zero Staff Report On the lawn of Civic Center Park, Councilmember Deborah Ortega held up a colorful piece of thin metal that had been cut to look like a person during a pop-up art event. A number of the metal cutouts lay on plastic tarps around her, ready to be painted for an art installation going in on Federal Boulevard. The project is meant to help calm traffic on Federal, which was recognized as a high-injury network. A high-injury network is where 5 percent of the streets account for about 50 percent of pedestrian fatali-

ties in Denver, according to the city’s Vision Zero Action Plan. Colfax Avenue and Colorado Boulevard are two of the other streets in the network. Vision Zero is a plan that was put together by the city to reduce the number of pedestrian injuries and deaths. “Community members along Federal Boulevard have long expressed anxiety about the safety of this thoroughfare through their neighborhoods. Our project elevates this voice and serves as a visual cue to drivers to slow down for the people who call this place home,” Ortega said in a news release. “This is the most dangerous stretch of road in Denver and I am focused on connecting the goals of Vision Zero with changes along Federal Boulevard that are led by the community.” The art installation was sponsored by Ortega, Councilmember Rafael

Espinoza, as well as Vision Zero and the Community Active Living Coalition (CALC). Ortega is a councilmember at large, and represents the city as a whole. Espinoza represents District 1, which is in northwest Denver and includes neighborhoods such as Sloans Lake, Sunnyside and West Colfax. CALC is a community organization that promotes healthy and active living. Several pop-up events were held around Denver for people to come and paint the cut-out silhouettes. The last one was on Election Day, Nov. 6, at Civic Center Park. The silhouettes will be installed at West 14th Avenue and Federal Boulevard this month. The art installation will stay up for 18 months. The pieces are painted on both sides so they can be seen from traffic in either direction.

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Bradley Perkins preps a cutout of a pedestrian that will be painted and then displayed on Federal Boulevard. The art installation is meant to bring awareness to pedestrian safety on streets with a lot of trafﬁc. KAILYN LAMB

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26 Life On Capitol Hill

December 2018

When Local stores and markets Santa shops help shoppers ﬁnd unique gifts in Denver

A woman greets people at the Denver Christkindl Market. This year is the 18th annual Christkindl Market, which is held at the 16th Street Mall through Dec. 23. COURTESY OF THE DENVER CHRISTKINDL MARKET

Denver Flea Where: Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop St. Where: The Denver Flea will be held at Union Station this year, on weekends through Dec. 16. Shoppers will need to buy tickets, which are $5. The vendors include local crafts, prints, food, clothes and more. Booths rotate based on the weekend. The event also features seasonal cocktails, drinks and food. Where: http://www.denverflea.com/

Staff Report The holidays in Denver bring out a collection of unique markets, some of which have traditions dating back for more than a decade. Here are a few places to scout out gifts for your holiday list. Denver Bazaar, RiNo Where: Walnut Street at 28th Street Where: From Dec. 7-9, shoppers can head to the River North neighborhood for local vendors and drinks. Tickets to the event are $5, but general admission is free for the first two hours on each day. There will be food trucks on each day of the Bazaar. Shop and Sip packages are available and include drink tokens. Where: https://www.denverbazaar.com/rinoholiday2018 Yes Please Makers Market Where: 3821 Steele St. Where: This indoor market runs on Dec. 8-9 and features 100 local vendors with food, jewelry, art and more. Yes Please is in a former military warehouse in the Clayton neighborhood. The event is free and will have food. Where: https://www.yespleasedenver.com/

Denver Christkindl Market Where: Skyline Park, 1515 Arapahoe St. Where: An 18-year-old tradition in Denver, the Christkindl Market follows the tradition of German Christmas markets with craft vendors, food and music. The market features live performances as well as visits from the Christkind, German for Christ child. The Christkind is a traditional gift-bringer in German culture and is a fairy-like being with a white and gold dress, blonde hair and a golden crown. The Christkind will be at the market on Dec. 6 from 3:30-7 p.m. The market runs until Dec. 23. Where: https://www.christkindlmarketdenver.com/

Jackalope Art Fair Where: McNichols Building, 144 W. Colfax Ave. Where: This event runs from Dec. 8-9. The art fair is free, but donations are encouraged to the Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies, the beneficiary of the event. There will be more than 150 vendors across three floors of the building. There is a grab bag scavenger hunt event for the first 25 people to check in at the information booth on both days. Where: https://www.jackalopeartfair.com/ visitdenver

Rotating Pop-Up Market in Zeppelin Station Where: 3501 Wazee St. Where: Zeppelin Station is hosting a pop-up market which highlights goods from cities around the world. The cities rotates every few months. Portland, Oregon, is in the market now until Dec. 31, followed by Reykjavik, Iceland, in January. The Made in a City series is put on by Eyes Open, a boutique based in The Source in the River North neighborhood. Where: http://eyesopenproject.com/madein-a-city.html

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Life On Capitol Hill 27

December 2018

Denver voters approve city tax measures Staff Report Denver saw high voter turnout this year as all local ballot measures were approved. On Election Day, a record 112,900 people turned in ballots, according to data from the Denver Elections Division. The length of the ballot meant that officials with the city processed nearly 1 million pieces of paper as the counts went on through November. Denver voters approved all ballot items that will raise the sales tax in the county. The four ballot measures will raise the city sales tax to 4.31 percent starting next year. This does not include any state or federal sales tax numbers. The city will bring in an estimated additional $115 million in revenue with the new sales tax initiatives. This year’s ballot items will raise money for Denver parks, mental health services, college scholarships and healthy food programming in schools. Denver voters also approved Democracy for the People with 70.7 percent of the votes (201,575). The measure will change the way people donate to campaigns, creating a matching fund in the city budget. The Denver Elections Division received 312,712 ballots this year, just over 74 percent of the number of voters registered in the county. The canvas for the General Election was completed on Nov. 20. In Denver, about 51 percent of ballots (160,462) turned in this year came from registered Democrats, followed by 34 percent unaffiliated voters (106,648) and 13 percent registered Republicans (40,864). Here are results for Denver ballot items: Denver College Affordability Fund (Initiative 300) This initiative will increase taxes by .08 percent, or 8 cents per $100, to raise nearly $14 million for scholarships in Denver. The scholarships will be awarded to Denver residents with financial need that will be attending an accredited Colorado institution. Yes: 51.9 percent (152,011) No: 48.1 percent (141,099) Caring for Denver (Initiative 301) This initiative will raise the sales tax by .25 percent, or 25 cents per $100. It will bring in an additional $45 million for mental health services in Denver. Ten percent of those funds will go toward training city officials in mental health awareness. Another 10 percent will go toward alternatives to jail for those with mental health needs. Yes: 69.5 percent (206,032) No: 30.5 percent (90,382)

Healthy Food for Denver’s Kids (Initiative 302) This initiative will raise taxes by .08 percent, or 8 cents per $100. It will raise $11.5 million annually for healthy food programming and education services for schools. The program will focus on low-income and at-risk youth. Yes: 59 percent (172,812) No: 41 percent (118,762) Supporting Our Park System (Referred Measure 2A) This measure will increase sales tax by .25 percent, or 25 cents per $100, to raise $45 million for parks maintenance. Yes: 62 percent (181,222) No: 39 percent (111,661) Initiative Requirements (Referred Measure 2B) This initiative changes how items are added to the ballot. In order for an issue to be put on the ballot it first needs to be approved by both Denver City Council and the Denver Elections Division. Once approved, organizers need to collect signatures equaling 2 percent of the number of active registered voters from the start of the most recent odd-numbered year. Yes: 58 percent (159,591) No: 42 percent (115,972) Democracy for the People (Referred Measure 2E) Democracy for the People is a ballot measure that will change the way campaign donations are done. It will lower the amount people can donate to campaigns based on the position. It would also create a “Fair Elections

Tracey Hart holds up her “I voted” sticker in front of the City and County Building in Denver. Hart rode her bike to the drop-off station there on Election Day, which was Nov. 6. KAILYN LAMB Fund,” where the city would match donations to candidates that agree to specific fundraising terms. The fund would total $2 million per election year.

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28 Life On Capitol Hill

December 2018

Looking to the future Eighth-grade students from across DPS participate in Career Fair Staff Report Nearly 4,000 students wearing business casual clothes filled the halls at the National Western Complex in early November. The eighth-graders met with companies, colleges and high schools from across the state, giving them a chance to ask questions about the next steps in their lives, accord-

ing to a news release from Denver Public Schools. This was the ninth annual Eighth-Grade Career Fair, and the district estimated that 90 companies, 30 high schools as well as 15 colleges and universities participated in the Nov. 6 event. The National Western Complex is located at 4655 Humboldt St. in north Denver. Mayor Michael B. Hancock kicked off the event with an introductory speech. According to the Career Fair website, 70 percent of students surveyed at the event were interested in careers that would require them to take more coursework. DPS is working to expose students to different careers early on in their schooling, the news release said. Students start Individual Career and

Academic Plan (ICAP) activities in the sixth grade, which leads to more structured guidance in high school. “The Eighth-Grade Career Fair is not only part of a student’s ICAP, but it also allows students at an early age to begin planning their future and setting long- and short-term goals,” said Miriam Linden, DPS counseling coordinator. “When students can begin to see the career possibilities that exist, then they can begin to make connections between their education and how it directly correlates to their career goals.” For more information on the Eighth-Grade Career Fair, visit http://dps8thgradecareerfair. dpsk12.org/.

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