Tasty Colfax

Dine arounds are definitely my thing.  Tonight we participated in the Tasty Colfax, covering 14 restaurants in a 7 block stretch near the Tattered Cover.  I will take you on an exterior tour of our gastro-adventure.

Our first stop - BBQ sliders

3014 - unexpected rooftop bar, but not enough food

Mmm--french toast and $1 margaritas

Lovely Confections - yes, the chocolate cupcake with sea salt caramel frosting was lovely

Jamaican chicken salad

Pad Thai

Steve's Snappin' Dogs w/ greenbeans and limeade

Prime Rib french dip with horseradish

Long skinny slices of cheesy pizza - also the home of the Biscuit Bus that

goes to the Cherry Creek Farmers Market.

Hooked on Colfax for gelato and vegan donuts - with a outdoor performance by Itchy-O.

Can't really describe their music, but they had their own dancing dragon.

Sadly The Shoppe was out of cupcakes when we arrived,

but we got buy one get one coupons,

so we'll be back!

**************

Summer Fun (continued)

#38 Relay for Life at Washington Park

#39 Another City Park Jazz and Denver Cupcake Truck Experience (lime!)

#40 Tasty Colfax

No Reservations

When I was visiting my family in northern Wisconsin, Anthony Bourdain came up in conversation more than once.   My parents went to hear him speak in Green Bay and had a good time.  I don't have the Travel Channel, so I'm not completely up to speed, but traveling the world and eating sounds like the best job in the world.  So I got No Reservations, one of his books, at the library this week.   Just some brief funny and/or sarcastic commentary of some of the places, food and characters that they have filmed.   And in Anthony's opinion, there are places that have really bad food.  Which is true.   At the end of the book there is a shout out to cooks, which I really enjoyed, since that was my first real job, and I've been in the hospitality business ever since. 

"Being a chef or a cook is like being in the Mafia:  once in, never out.  And it is a beautiful thing, it turns out, to be a made member of the International Fraternity of People Who Cook." 

There is a also a section on the best and worst of international bathrooms, and I had to laugh, because there is a picture of a Japanese toilet that is very similar to one that I took in the Narita airport last year.  Never have I seen that many options. 

(and for a summer fun update)
#33 Dinner at Piatti in Cheery Creek
#34 Fun at the Wine Loft for my first time attending a book release party
#35 Wine and Games night - introduced to a new game called Wits and Wagers
#36 Dinner at Pastor Bell's house and the anticipation of a trip to Israel next summer
(because I love to have numerous trips on deck...it's what makes life enjoyable)
#37 Introduction to TV show Psych.  I appreciate sarcasm and games involving pineapples.  The pizza didn't hurt either.

On Wisconsin

I took a quick weekend trip away to Door County, Wisconsin this past weekend to visit my dad.  I enjoyed my family, the weather, delicious food, sleeping in and being on the water. 

A couple highlights and additions to the summer fun list

Not pictured but a family tradition (if we have them) is Friday Night Fish Fry at the

Rock Falls Supper Club in Luxemburg (#28).

Lunch at Caffe Tlazo in Algoma (#29)

highly recommend the panini's, the berries and cream and a granita

The Flying Pig - Gallery and Greenspace (#30)

Algoma

Frosty Tip in Luxemburg (#31)

 

My personal favorite: amazing sunsets from the backyard (#32)

Summer Fun Update

I've been focused on recapping my trip to Guatemala, that I have neglected to post on my summer fun list, which has been continuing throughout the past few weeks.

The Guatemala List

#12  1st Wellshire SHY Mission Trip

#13 1st trip to Guatemala

#14 1st Habitat Global Village volunteer program

#15 2nd international experience with Healing Waters

#16 The fun of Antigua

The Back to Denver List

#17  Winning a giant box of booze at the Bike MS silent auction

#18 Dinner with my favorite former HR Coordinator

#19 Dinner and Cocktails at Prime Bar (on the corporate credit card) followed by playing Heart and Soul

on one of the pianos out on 16th street mall

#20 2nd time participating in Denver's Bike to Work Day

#21 3rd time participating in the Colorado Bike MS - we regained our crown for Best Corporate Tent...for sure we were the only one with plasma screens showing the US vs Ghana game  (you can still donate to my ride here)

#22 First time dining at Rubio's a new "beach mex" restaurant in our neighborhood that has delicious blackened mahi mahi burritos

#23 Another first - Film on the Rocks @ Red Rocks - 8000 enjoying Ferris Bueller's Day Off

#24 Rockies Fireworks Game

#25 Amore Gelato (the mojito with rum....delicious)

#26 Brunch at Toast, followed by the Cherry Creek Arts Festival

#27 Old Fashioned 4th of July at 4 Mile Historic Park - homemade root beer, bonnets, hoop games, stilts and more!

Carrera en Comalapa

On our last full day in Guatemala we also did a project with Aguas de Unidad (Healing Waters International).  I had a chance last summer to go to Chiapas, Mexico on a trip with them as well, so it was great to support their efforts in Guatemala, too (you can read about my experience here).   ADU was a co-sponsor for a 10k race in Comalapa.   Now, Comalapa is not a place that sees a lot of Americans, and we were able to enjoy it for the authentic experience that it was.   A lot of the ladies in Comalapa wear traditional dress, which is very beautiful. 

Lots of ladies balance goods on their heads

Hermanas (sisters) at the finish line

The boys won a prize in a contest

Blue shirts take over Comalapa

Antigua

After a long bus ride from Salamá on Friday June 18, we finally arrived in Antigua.  A lot of the kids commented on the number of  "gringos" compared to Salamá.   On Friday night we went out to dinner at Mono Loco, which is an American style sports bar well known for their ginormous nachos.  

Angela and I shared the Nachos Apocolypto.

Giant Nachos at Mono Loco

We stayed at a great little hotel right across from the market called the Santa Lucia #4.   We had the whole hotel to ourselves.   They had a great rooftop terrace.   Saturday morning, we made a sponsors coffee run to Cafe Barista, the Guatemalan version of Starbucks.  The Moca Menta was delicious.  We made this run before 6am, so there was no one on the streets which was great for taking pictures.   In the afternoon, our "Baquet" (banquet without the n) activity was a combination scavenger hunt and shopping trip.  I could have definitely spent another day or two here just relaxing.   It was our opportunity on our trip to use our bargaining skills, which is always good practice.  I got a scarf, earrings and a few gifts. 

View from the rooftop terrace at our hotel

Our hotel, Santa Lucia #4

View from the plaza

Group picture during scavenger hunt

At the fountain in the plaza

The colorful streets

Despidida

At all of the houses on Thursday afternoon we had a closing ceremony called "Despidida" (spelling?).

We each said something to Ana's family, Oscar and his crew.  We also sung Santuario.  Ana and her family expressed their graditude for our help.  Oscar said that we were a great representation of our country, which was a wonderful compliment.  Ana gave all of us painted mugs that had the date and the name of the family on them as a momento.  

Ana and Jose on the left

Listening to Oscar talk

Ana giving our team a gift

Equipo A, the Habitat volunteers and Ana's family

The Power of Los Pollitos

During our preparation classes for Guatemala in youth group, Greg taught all of us the song "Los Pollitos," an easy children's song that can be used to break the ice.   We hadn't really seen too many kids around our work site and with our limited Spanish we were a little shy talking to them.  When Greg's work group came to our site for lunch, they found that their bus driver had left them, so there was time to have a "sing off" challenge with the neighborhood children.   And indeed, Los Pollitos was the song used to break the ice.   Then the girls taught us a song.  Then "Eres Todo Poderoso" and "Allelu, Alabare."  When Greg's group got ready to leave, he said something to the effect of "Jenni, we've broken the ice, so if you want to play games, it's up to you."  Fortunately, I'm very good at games.  Even in Spanish.   We spent the rest of our last day, prior to the closing ceremony (Despidida) playing Red Light Green Light, water bottle relays, a game like hot potato (called La Bomba, complete with a song), and lots of Pato, Pato, Gonzo (and the kids constantly made me run).   It was a fantastic ending to our week at Ana's house.   

The initial group of girls we sang with

Los Pollitos in action

Greg's group singing

Fuerte!

Keep away with Stephen

All the neighborhood kids, quite the game playing crew