December 2014 Castle Rock Magazine

CASTLE ROCK’S PREMIER MONTHLY COMMUNITY MAGAZINE

castle

ROCK e n i z a g Ma

INSIDE THIS ISSUE TOY DRIVE

PAGE 5

LUMINARIAS! PAGE 7

THE GALLERY AT VEHICLE VAULT PAGE 9

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19751 E. Mainstreet Suite R-18 Parker, CO 80138 303-805-9455

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December 2014

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CONTENTS CASTLE ROCK

MAGAZINE

castlerockmagazine.com

This Issue

5 7 9 11 12 13

HARRY SAMORA TOY DRIVE Help give a patient at Children’s Hospital a Merry Christmas!

Volume 10 Issue 12 PUBLISHER MIKE WAID

mike.waid@waidpublishing.com 303-805-9455 xt 700

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER PAMELA WAID

pam.waid@mikewaid.com 303-805-9455 xt 704

AD SALES TIFFANY GRIZZLE

tiffany@waidpublishing.com 303-805-9455 xt 702

CREATIVE DIRECTOR ADRIENNE ZEAK BRUST

adrienne@waidpublishing.com 303-805-9455 xt 701 Castle Rock Magazine is published 12 times per year by Waid Publishing (www.WaidPublishing. com), a division of Mike Waid & Associates, Inc. (www.MikeWaid.com), 19751 E. Mainstreet, Suite R-18, Parker, CO 80138, 303-805-9455.

Castle Rock Magazine is available online at www.castlerockmagazine.com. Castle Rock Magazine is a trademark of Waid Publishing.

All rights reserved. The views, opinions and/or statements made or expressed by individuals and/or entities, are not necessarily reflective of the views and opinions of Waid Publishing.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without explicit permission from Castle Rock Magazine. Copyright 2014 Castle Rock Magazine - All rights Reserved.

LUMINARIAS

Make luminarias together and enjoy learning the history of these wonderful little signs of Christmas

THE GALLERY AT VEHICLE VAULT

Douglas County’s Newest Museum… and it’s all about cars!

LOCAL AUTHOR

And Life Comes Back: A wife’s Story of Love, Loss, and Hope Reclaimed

by Tricia Lott Williford

THE GALLERY AT VEHICLE VAULT

Douglas County’s Newest Museum… and it’s all about cars!

RESTAURANT REVIEW Duke’s Steak House

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December 2014

December 2014

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uring this time of year, it is easy to get wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays and forget to take the time to think about what the holiday season is really about. Pausing, even for a moment, to appreciate your family and friends and the little bits of joy that can pop up in your day when you least expect it.

There are few things more joyful than seeing the holidays through the wonder filled eyes of children. Children, no matter their circumstances, manage to constantly remind us that the holidays are a truly a magical time of year. For the last eight years, patients at Children’s Hospital have had a more magical holiday thanks to the generous contributions of the community and the tireless efforts of Mia Samora, who organizes Harry’s Annual Toy Drive in memory of her son, Harry Samora.

Harry was a good friend of my oldest son, Christopher.

I can still remember the day when my wife called me as

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Christopher and I were going into King Soopers with the news of Harry’s passing. Having to explain to a seven year old that he would never be able to see his friend again was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.

Harry’s time on this earth was entirely too brief, but his legacy of joy lives on, year after year, bringing smiles to the faces of those brave little warriors at Children’s Hospital.

We should all strive to have as meaningful a life and make as profound a difference in this world as Harry Samora. By honoring Harry’s life and making a contribution in his name we are all embracing the true meaning of the holidays and in that act of giving, we are reminded of how lucky we are to be able to share in the spirit of the season.

To donate, bring new, unwrapped toys (Harry especially loved race cars) for children newborn-18 years or a monetary donation through December 21 to our office at Waid Publishing, 19751 E Mainstreet, Suite R-18, Parker, CO 80138.

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FIVE STEP

LUMINARIAS

By Mike Waid

December 2014

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rowing up in Albuquerque, New Mexico one of my fondest memories of the holidays is when my parents would sit my brother and me in front of a pile of sand, a couple boxes of small white candles and a stack of brown paper sacks. Our job was simple; fill each bag with a couple scoops of sand and drop a small white candle in. This annual ritual was done so we could be ready for Christmas Eve when these little bags, called Luminarias by some and farolitos by others, would be set out along the driveway and sidewalk of our house. At dusk our dad would go through and light each one, producing an amazing soft brown glow signifying the start of Christmas.

This wonderful tradition is plentiful back in Albuquerque, but not so much up here. However, each year my family and I see more and more homes in the area joining in this fun tradition. Historically, Christmas Eve luminarias began with Spanish merchants who were trying to replicate paper lanterns from the orient. Wanting to use more hearty materials, those merchants began using thicker brown paper sacks held down with sand to withstand the weather.

Translated, luminarias means “festival light” where the more traditional name of farolito is interpreted as “little lantern”. These wonderful little lanterns are used in both simple home displays and elaborate community spectacles. You can even buy electric ones at most stores, although the “making” of luminarias is half the fun of this tradition.

This year expose your family to something new by making luminarias together and enjoy learning the history of these wonderful little signs of Christmas.

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MAKING LUMINARIAS Materials: - Brown paper sacks like those used for school lunches - Playground sand, found at all hardware stores - Small votive candles Step by Step: 1. Open a paper sack and fold outward the opening edge to create a “rim” around the top. This will hold open the mouth of the sack so it doesn’t catch on fire.

2. Place a couple scoops of sand in each back. You only need to cover the bottom with about an inch of sand.

3. Drop in a votive candle 4. Place the completed luminarias several feet apart along your walkways, sidewalks or driveways. Make sure they are placed on concrete and not on or near any surface that is flammable.

5. Use a long neck lighter to light each candle and get ready to enjoy this family tradition.

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THE GALLERY AT VEHICLE VAULT

DOUGLAS COUNTY’S NEWEST MUSEUM… AND IT’S ALL ABOUT CARS!

I

December 2014

love museums. It is as simple as that. My family and I have visited many different museums over the years. From aviation, to science, to arts & culture, to history we’ve spent many hours taking in the interesting details of a time long gone. You can imagine how excited I was when I heard that not only a new museum was opening in Douglas County but that it was a CAR MUSEUM! Admittedly I am not a car guy…well, to be accurate I was not a car guy. Sure, I have fond memories of my first car – a 1968 Volkswagen Beetle. I learned to turn a wrench on its 1600cc air cooled engine. I performed my first body work on it, learning to secretly love the smell of Bond-o and the feel of sandpaper. But as I got older I fell away from the day to day love of the beauty and history which the automobile represents. Now that I’ve had the pleasure of visiting the Gallery at Vehicle Vault I feel that I’m starting to become a car guy.

Located in Parker, the Gallery is a massive car museum at the Vehicle Vault campus. This museum houses a vast collection of vehicles sure to satisfy every historic and creative bone in your body. From the mild enthusiast to the hard-core collector, the variety of amazing cars will both stun and excited you. What I found most intriguing about the collection is that each and every vehicle has some sort of story behind it. From the 1954 Mercedes 300SL “Gullwing”, one of the rarest and most valuable cars in the collection, to the Ferrari Scuderia you will surely fall in love with at least one of the many historic and exotic cars in the gallery.

One of my favorites is the 1906 Success. Originally a horse drawn buggy, owners of the Success could purchase a one cylinder engine modification so the buggy was no longer horse drawn. The side mounted engine and its large chain speak of ingenuity and creativity at the dawn of the automobile. My wife had several favorites. From the pink Cadillac to the 1954 Jaguar that looked like it could be the star of a secret agent movie, she wanted to take several home.

In addition to the museum, Vehicle Vault has event space available for small parties to large fundraisers. I have attended several events there and was blown away by the “party” that can be thrown there. No matter if you are looking for a cool place take the family or are looking for a venue to host a party for 300 of your closest friends you will want to stop by Vehicle Vault real soon.

For more information on the Gallery at Vehicle Vault, event facilities or their ownership car condos that are going to be built soon you can visit them online at VehicleVaultCo.com.

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Our Doors Are Open Grab a friend and let's go for a ride.

The Gallery at Vehicle Vault is now open.

VehicleVaultCo.com

facebook@VehicleVault

Cut out this page and bring it, and a friend, to the Front Range's premier Auto Gallery and two can get in for the for the price of one adult admission. @VehicleVault

Offer good through March 31, 2015

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December 2014

Buy One Admission and Get One Free

18301 Lincoln Meadows Parkway Parker, Colorado 80134 (720) 883-6518

BOOKENDS The Christmas Shoes by Donna VanLiere

A brief encounter while shopping on Christmas Eve will change two people. The first is Robert, an attorney that has dedicated his life to his successful career. Robert’s family has the best that money can buy but his absence from their lives has made him a stranger in his own home. The second is eight year old Nathan. His mother is losing her life to cancer and he is shopping for the perfect shoes for her Christmas present. This story is about how sometimes a small act of kindness can impact someone on a far greater scale than we may ever know.

BECKY: This book has an interesting history. The author’s friend was asking her opinion of a song he was writing. She told him that not only was it a good Christmas song but it would make a great book. The song was released in 2000 and made it to the top of the Billboards radio charts. The following year the book, inspired by that song, was printed and then in 2002 CBS made it into a film starring Rob Lowe. I thought that this would be a great way to kick off the Christmas season. Did you enjoy this story that has a heavy Christian tone?

PAM: I did enjoy this story, although it was often hard to read the parts about Nathan’s mother. I didn’t realize the story behind the book! I will have to check out the song and movie. Did you connect with a specific character?

BECKY: Nathan had my heart from the beginning but I also enjoyed his school teacher, Doris. She took Nathan under her wing during this difficult time. Doris was a quiet angel who looked over him while his parents were overwhelmed with their situation. Who did you enjoy and what do you think about Robert?

PAM: I loved Doris and her kind heart! I enjoyed the way the author connected her to Nathan and wove her through the story.

His character made me so mad at first, especially how he interacted with Nathan’s dad in the story. However, his character is transformed as the story progresses. What did you think of his character and the transformation?

BECKY: This book has less than 150 pages so there is not deep development of the characters but with that said Robert was easy to hate. He is a typical type A personality that is so involved with work that he is no longer connected to his family. He meets Nathan while Christmas shopping, at the last minute, for his family and he has no idea what might be on their Christmas list.

His interaction with Nathan sets Robert on a new path and it’s a sweet situation. This is a compact story with a predictable path but I can’t help myself from warming up to Robert. Although this is a light read Nathan’s home situation broke my heart. Do you think that it was necessary to have such a tragedy in a Christmas tale?

December 2014

PAM: I do think that the enormity of Nathan’s situation allowed us to hate, then forgive, then hope for Robert. Without Nathan’s story, Robert’s would have not been as impactful. After Robert’s experience with Nathan, he realized what he was missing. This event put his own life into perspective and he made immediate changes. Robert’s mother was a large part of his life and she had some very strong opinions about his neglect of his family. How did you feel about her character? Did you feel that the author used her character to share some important thoughts about life?

BECKY: I loved that character and I can’t wait to see what actress plays her part in the movie. She was a kind and loving lady that put her successful son in his place. The author used all of the characters to give some sliver of thoughts on life. However, Robert’s mother had the maturity to have a more bold statement. I loved that a senior citizen was such a strong character.

Although this wasn’t a complex story, it was an enjoyable read and I hope that its message will stay with me during this hectic season. What book do you pick to begin Bookends 2015?

PAM: Our book that will start the New Year is “State of Wonder” by Ann Patchett. v

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LOCAL AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT

Won’t Come Home by Jeffrey T. Morris

from Fresno into the San Joaquin Valley.

In Kingsburg, Jake finds work and meets Teresa, a young Mexican girl with whom he temporarily settles down. Burdened by the commitment of their subsequent marriage, Jake succumbs once again to the lure of the road. After washing up broke in Wyoming, he finds a goodpaying job as a roughneck, but events and his continuing struggle with drugs and alcohol lead to another hasty exit.

More miles, menial jobs, and years leave an aging Jake losing his battle AVAILABLE against alcoholism. After hitting bottom in ONLINE AT Texas, he begins a slow journey of reconciliwww.jefftmorri s.com ation and acceptance. While facing his demons --loneliness, depression, and a morbid desire to use—and staying clean, he ultimately confronts a family responsibility that would have found the old Jake gone. The resolution of this dilemma tests his mettle and delimits the trajectory of his fragile sobriety.

December 2014

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ake Preston is an American nomad, wandering the back roads of America, staying high while maintaining a self-imposed exile from family and friends. His troubled childhood—including an abusive alcoholic mother who committed suicide—left Jake in therapy, hospitalized, his senses numbed by Thorazine; he broke away in high school during his senior year and hasn’t looked back. This stark coming of age tale follows Jake from runaway teen and alcoholic drifter into sobriety and reluctant, emerging adulthood. This debut novel compares the romance, heartache and loneliness of life on the road with the difficulty of recovery from drug and alcohol abuse In coming to terms with his new and tenuous sobriety, Jake is finally forced to face up to the various family issues he has run from his whole life.

Jake lives on his wits and the little money he can earn when he finds work.

Since age seventeen he’s been traveling the back roads of America’s vast landscape, striving to comprehend his solitary existence and that “dark, hard place” inside himself. He pitches camp in every town where he can find work or a woman who pays him attention. During the novel, he works for a construction company in California, runs a press at a cylinder plant, roughnecks in Wyoming and picks up cans in Texas, all the while searching for solace in the bottom of a bong and a beer can.

As the book opens we find Jake at 22, on the shoulder of Route 99 with a $2 duffel bag slung over his shoulder and $15 in his pockets, heading south

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Restaurant Review:

Duke’s Steak House

December 2014

W

Would you like to win a $50 gift certificate to Duke’s Steakhouse? Simply complete the form below and mail it to us by December 19, 2014. We will randomly choose a winner from all completed entries. ************ RECEIVE 10 EXTRA ENTRIES! Would you like 10 extra changes to win? Just take this page into Duke’s Steakhouse and have one of the managers or owners sign this page then mail the entire page to us with your contact info. That’s all…you will get 10 extra entries to win!

MAIL ENTRY TO: Castle Rock Magazine 19751 E Mainstreet, Suite R-18 Parker, CO 80138 13 CASTLE ROCK MAGAZINE

e are fortunate to have so many great restaurants in and around Castle Rock. With so many choices it is sometimes hard to decide where to visit. For me, I like to avoid the “large chains” as much as possible and often choose local or unique restaurants.

Recently, a longtime friend and client who has an office in Castle Pines invited me to lunch. I let him choose the place and he suggested Duke’s Steak House.

The day we met for lunch was a very cold day with traces of a recent snow still on the ground. I was in the mood for something hearty and traditional so Duke’s very much sounded like a good choice…although I had never been. With its convenient and easy to get to location we parked and headed in for lunch.

My first impression was the large Bull painting greeting us as we went to our seats. It’s no secret that I love beef…in addition to most meats…so being greeted by this was very much welcomed. I also was impressed with the size of the booth we were seated in. It was just the two of us and we had easily enough room for six. For me, this is important as I hate feeling cramped in a small space especially when enjoying a meal.

After being greeted by a very friendly face, we placed our orders. With a very impressive and deep menu it was difficult to choose. I was hungry and most everything looked like it would satisfy my appetite. My friend ordered the Seared Ahi Tuna Salad and I chose the Sirloin Steak and Cheese Sandwich. The restaurant was buzzing with others there to enjoy a great lunch and good company and my friend and I started catching up.

It wasn’t too long until our food arrived. The presentation was spectacular and impressive…especially for a lunch. I have found that most restaurants…even very nice ones…lose some of their attention to detail when it comes to lunch. This was not the case at Duke’s as everything looked amazing.

We jumped in and right off the bat I could tell this was going to be a great meal. The perfect combination of thin sliced sirloin, fire roasted peppers, onions and melted jack cheese made for a scrumptious experience.

The portion size was just right and I was neither over-full nor wanting more. It was just right.

All in all Duke’s definitely was a great experience and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great place to meet a friend for lunch. As we left I noticed the Sports Tavern that Duke’s also has. It looked like a great fun place to meet friends for a drink after work or anytime really. Although we didn’t have time to stop in for a drink we surely will be back for one in the future.

Don’t miss this wonderful gem. Take the family out for dinner, meet some friends for lunch or catch the game in the tavern…in any case you won’t be disappointed with Duke’s Steakhouse.

Duke’s Steakhouse 363 Village Square Lane Castle Pines, CO 80108 303-814-2487 www.DukesCastleRock.com

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