Yesterday my La-La Land looked a bit like this:

With a dozen friends coming over after work for a meal I marketed as “a casual happy hour,” the menu got a wee bit carried away, as it goes when I receive an issue of Bon Appetit mid-week. My friend David wanted to bring black eyed peas and make his famous cast iron skillet cornbread. Sarah wanted to make kale chips. Everyone else wanted a warm meal and a cold drink. And so, I added roasted Brussels sprouts, baked barbeque chicken, and lots of dessert. Lots and lots of dessert.

Baking apple pie reminds me of my Grandmother Maxine — known for her crust prowess. These beauties would make her smile. The coconut cake, made with coconut oil and milk and topped with toasted flakes over a buttercream cream cheese frosting, went over well too. (It was a take on a recipe in this month’s BA, and a nod to the southern theme.)

The sponsors of my pretend cooking show would be Kitchen-Aid, Tory Burch and Bare Minerals. The eggs would be fresh from the chicken coop. The sprouts would have come from my garden. The guest would sit together around a great kitchen table, rather than folding chairs with plates in their laps like last night. We would play cards after dinner and sip French press coffee, relaxed and happy.

That said, I’ve got the bones of this daydream right: an incredibly sweet group of friends, great food and lovely Mr. Davis on the radio. A delightful start to the weekend, indeed.

Watch your back Martha,

K

I am taking a new course at my church on poetry and theology. The church has a resident theologian, thanks to a nearby seminary. I expected very little and was a touch overwhelmed by the 25 folks who came together for this first class, much of which was far over my head. Needless to say, I know little about either topic, but am always hungry to learn.

A few of the ideas we discussed included having an internal theology. What do you believe and why? The leader said he thinks poetry is one of the most abstract forms of art, and yet huge world views can be contained within a 10 line stanza. We are studying three poets who were Christians and included their religious views and doubts in their work: T. S Elliot, W. H. Auden and Wallace Stevens.

The leader also mentioned Rudolf Otto, author of  “Idea of the Holy.” Having never studied religion or poetry formally, Otto’s writings on the beauty and repulsiveness included in man’s relationship with God are fascinating and new to me. We discussed several stories in the Bible where the concept is showcased. Think of Noah being saved while the rest of humanity drowns. Or Abraham taking the son he so cherished up the mountain at God’s command to be sacrificed. Or, you know. The idea of setting up your only Son to be crucified at the hands of the rest of those you also created. Repulsive. And yet, as a Christian, there is nothing more beautiful than the sacrifice of the Savior.

We had a fairly involved discussion about symbolitry and how it can quickly become idolotry, as well. I shared my confusion on the topic; living in Mexico at age 14, I was exposed to the Catholic tradition of stations of the cross for the first time. I also spent a good bit of time with a Muslim family that shunned any symbolotry in their home. My Methodist roots couldn’t make sense of the two extremes, which both seemed like the right fit for either family. As do my own beliefs — that praying to items rather than to God is missing the point.

I’ll be sharing a bit of the class here and there as we continue. I know it freaks a lot of my friends out that I talk about my faith, but the older I’ve gotten, the less I care. It is important to me, as is the continued study. My beliefs have changed and matured with time, as has my comfort level in discussing these matters. That said, I hope to never offend. My faith is an all-loving challenge and journey.

Cheers,

Kelli

The more I volunteer with hunger organizations, the more I realize this is a policy not supply issue. Rather than tackling the economic and political reasons causing hunger in the US, I am focusing on what individuals can do to pitch in. Planting a garden to supplement your neighborhood food bank’s shelves is one easy way to help feed hungry people good food. If you need help getting your garden started, or finding a local community garden or food bank where your energies would be much appreciated, let me know. I’ll do whatever I can.

As for Ignite Boulder — my platitudes are sincere: a thoughtful team of wacky and creative folk who put this event together. They should be applauded for their community-mindedness and their ability to pack a theater. 850 people, 15 presenters (or so) and oh, so much fun. A great experience!

~K

Where: 17635 S Golden Rd Golden, CO 80401

Cost: $

What: A Mexican restaurant in a renovated Taco Bell. Not fancy, not pretentious — simply delicious Mexican food. The staff are such nice people and the food comes out on plates the size of Christmas cookie platters. And yet somehow disappears. The serve food with traditional salsa, chips and a bowl of pickled cabbage that sounds strange but actually adds a nice tang to the otherwise salty meal.

And yes, longtime readers and family — you’ll be surprised to hear the margaritas aren’t bad either. I may have introduced this restaurant to just about every visitor:

And celebrated #32 here earlier this year. I love me some Mexican food.

Recommendation: the carnita pork platter, house margarita and a hello to the manager Alejandro. He’s a sweetheart. (But be careful. He is far too generous with the tequila!)

Where: 1317 14th Street Denver, Colorado 80202

Cost: $

What: An old brick home off Larimer Square once upon a time built by a local doctor that has since been transformed over the years from a brothel to a speak-easy to a restaurant. Euclid Hall’s theme is school. Their happy hour is “study hour.” Their wine list is organized by math topics. A large chalkboard over the entryway greets guests with the day’s message. Come to find out, Euclid was a math dude.

It’s a noisy, raucous bar with huge televisions and a steady stream of Larimer Square tourists and locals. It’s a great happy hour spot in the center of the city to meet friends coming from all over the city. I think the best feature of this spot is the staff. Their wait staff are patient, friendly and kind.

Recommendations: The s’more dessert. And if you are into hand-crafted beers — they’ve got you covered.

Z Cuisine + Apres Cuisine

Where: 2239 W. 30th Avenue  Denver, CO 80211

Cost: $$$

What: The best meal I’ve eaten in Denver. Before going on a recent date here, I whined to my friend BJ — “I don’t even like French food. Gah.” As is our routine, he called the next day to get all the date details — to which I happily said, “The food? Amazing. Best restaurant here.” My date ordered and started with some strange gourmand salad, that included a lot of adventurous cuts of meat. While not a fan of cow tongue, the salad was still some how good. It had slices of fruit and a lot of different types of salad that were crisp, fresh and simply good. As for my meal, I truly enjoyed the beef bourguignon. (As enjoyable to say as to eat, come to find out.)

Recommendation: Go early and have a drink at their bar next door, the Apres Cuisine. And expect to spend a couple hours enjoying one of the best meals of your life. It’s a fancy, once in a while, kinda place with a small handful of tables. The wait staff are knowledgeable and friendly. The food sounds super fancy but is made with simple, locally harvested ingredients. It is a romantic and bold dinner spot.

*Completely cheating with this photo. Who takes a camera on a first date? I’m camera crazy, but not that nuts. I don’t have photos of the meal. You’ll have to trust me. A+

• Living in the same city as Cody. I love being able to catch up with him over our occasional lunch.

• Being present to watch a dear friend’s greatest wish come true.

• Friends who have come to visit and have supported me unconditionally.

• My trusty sidekick, w. Nelson Mandela

• My sweet friend, BJ — who has made living in Denver simply so much fun

Love how this store in the Highlands not only sells flowers, as the mural would suggest — but booze too.

He’s doing some heavy thinking about that little plant.

This mural on Colfax tells a non-profit’s story.

This architecture firm is housed in an old neighborhood market.

A handful of buildings like these near Coors Field that are being renovated from industrial sites to urban lofts. I love how the street signs are painted on the sides of the buildings.

(Many thanks to my trusty sidekick BJ, who patiently stopped the car a dozen times to let me photograph this weekend.)

~K

Civic Center Park — where Occupy Wall Street protesters were camped for weeks — sits between the courthouse and the capitol dome. The Greek Theater in the park is my favorite. How lovely would it be to see a play or a concert here during the summer?

{Okay, okay. I’m not going to lie. I see places like this and at this point in my life immediately think “OOOH! I could so get married right there. Then I stand there for a few moments and imagine exactly what it would look like. Because sadly, I am not immune to wedding hysteria that arrives in tidal wave force once you reach your early 30s. So much so, I see a cold gray set of stairs and ampitheater and immediately think, “HERE COMES THE BRIDE!”  You should see me standing in front of the dress boutique by my yoga studio. Lord, have mercy.}

~K

Toxic Schizophrenia — a public art installation by Tim Noble and Sue Webster — is one of my favorite sights in the city at night. This thing lights up and twirls, as a giant bleeding heart statue should.

(I’ve been called a bleeding heart once or twice.)

~K

Goofball wannabe cheerleader

~K

That is one devious looking gorilla.

~K

I’m taking classes at Fancy Tiger. This is my very favorite craft store, in part because while the employees and owners are completely hip and talented, they are equally kind and generous with their time. Cody used to live nearby in the Wash Park neighborhood. When I’d visit, I’d be sure to swing through the Tiger to pick up supplies I couldn’t find in Phoenix. Japanese zaka prints, leather purse handles, handspun knits that were just different than anything else I’d seen.

I have had such fun exploring this town for the last six months — spending time both examining its offerings and what I truly wanted. I’m certainly not the first person to find a move the ideal time to re-examine one’s priorities and interests. Signing up for classes at Fancy Tiger was what I needed to push my knitting and sewing abilities — to rise above the stagnant, learn-from-books-and-You-Tube-tutorials- state.

While this first class is making me angry and impatient, both are a good thing. New skills are just on the other side of the horizon. I’ve never perfected anything without first considering throwing an impatience fueled tantrum. With any luck, I’ll be wearing a sweater I knit (that fits!) on Christmas.

Also, the supplies? Gorgeous. I could spend hours just looking over the magazines, books and shelves of lovely prints — daydreaming of projects. But truly, this store has my business because of folk like Emily. She’s teaching my sweater class and could not be nicer. Mother Teresa could have learned something from the patience she showed to a handful of newbie knitters whose enthusiasm quickly melted into pools of frustration at her feet.

Fancy Tiger is a Denver gem for those who love craft.

~K

Technically not in Denver, but one of the adjoining burbs — this building is within a large cemetery. It is a beautiful, 200-plus acre space, with giant ancient trees and memorials that vary from ornate to bizarre. There are soldiers from the Spanish American war buried here, to give you an idea of how big those trees really are.

Perhaps the scariest aspect are the coyotes that live on the property. They are the size of golden retrievers and I’m convinced are looking for a Willie Nelson Mandela sandwich. Coincidentally, over my dead body.

~K

This downtown mural reminds me of two things:

A:

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Not to be confused with his canine counterpart.

and, less fun — B:

The many, many people living on the streets in downtown Denver. While I cannot imagine such a life is ever anything less than brutal, it is dang cold here.  To see folks curled up on corners breaks my heart. The line wraps around the Denver Rescue Mission every day. Our food bank is busier than ever. Listening to the news and hearing stories of the working poor, I get it more than ever. There are simply so, so many people hurting right now. It is hard to not be overwhelmed by the task at hand.

One day, smile and warm meal at a time.

In the meantime, Mamas, I think it is just fine if you want your babies to grow up to be cowboys. I know a lot of lovely men who fancy themselves weekend wranglers:

Photo courtesy of the Wright wedding

The older I get, the more I respect those back-breaking blue collar jobs that go with little mention. Cowboys? They are pretty fantastic.

Giddyup,

K