Dancers

A couple weeks ago Matt and I had a picnic date. Well... really the date consisted of Thai take out from our favorite spot and a short car ride to Washington Park. I have to say I love Wash Park. It is shamefully yuppy but I love the people watching while still feeling safe and the fact that there are two little bodies of water to walk past make it much more enjoyable than a walk through the residential neighborhood near the apartment. We sat near the walking trail - perfect for people watching, and near the gardens - perfect to take in the last blooms of summer. After our scrumptious meal we walked past the boat house on the water. I've seen it packed with people and catered on evenings. I think it would be the perfect spot for a gala of sorts...particularly if you can set it for the sunset. This night, we could see people dancing and hear some music. How fun! What could this be?
We arrive to see an odd collection of people dancing to a random selection of exotic, foreign music. After watching for a while it is clear these aren't people who have just stopped by and joined in on the dance, they've come for the dance. Hmmmm, is this some kind of foreign dance class? There are clearly specific dance moves and I can see some of the confused/insecure dancers intently studying the feet of the pros. It isn't until the song," Sixteen going on Seventeen" comes on that I realize this isn't an exotic dance... this is a group of weirdos that have made their own regimented moves to music. Now I am noticing the women aren't very feminine and the men aren't very masculine. An awkward looking group of people. There is a lot of touching during the dancing. People are serious! They are sweating and taking breaks and in between songs some of them are seriously trying to learn the correct moves. One man is friendly withe ladies, another has a biker look but his tough exterior vanishes while he flails he hands in the air while he moves.
It is strange to me, I could watch for hours but Matt is ready to go. We try to figure out what drives the people to come. Are they hoping to connect with other people? Does this make them feel more cultural? Is it for the exercise?
After a google search, I've learned it is, indeed, called Ethnic Dancing. huh

Wow, it's been awhile.
Life has been wonderful, busy, stressful and sad. Who has time to blog?

Without a ton of detail, here's what's been going on:

I turned 30! And what other way to celebrate such a milestone than to celebrate in a foreign country?! and visit your little sister as she works in Italy?!
We had a great time. We arrived in Rome - which was an exhausting city filled with so much history... and graffiti. Then we traveled to Vicenza, a sweet little town with cute cafes, snazzy shops and charm, to see Cadena and her life in Italia. We took day trips to Venice, a beautiful and enchanting city, and Verona.

The Music Scene

What I'm loving about this big city scene is the live music. We've been able to enjoy a few great concerts. Concerts, that back in the day would've meant a commute to the city and a long, late trip back. Who would drive? Where would we eat? Could we get off work early?

Now, it's just a little drive, or light rail trip. 

I was able to get tickets to a sold out concert, Adele, a couple of months ago. It took some craigslist research and meeting a strange man on the side of the road in LoDo and refusing his generous offer for a ride to the show, but it was fantastic. 

A couple of weekends ago we went to see Greg Laswell in some sketchy club mostly known for their punk bands. It is extra special to feel safe at these random places with a protective strong man at my side. 

We love the Walnut Room, a venue that has local performers, as well as some up and coming artists. It happens to be where we went on our second date to see Basia Bulat and while dating, fell in love with Will Dailey. 

We also got to see Autumn Film for free at a bbq joint that has live music. 

I've said it before, there's just nothing quite like listening to an artist/band perform their music live, listen to their in-between stories and get a sense of their personality... and sing along out loud or with quiet lip movements.

I could get used to this!

Spring Fever

Spring 
Karla Kuskin 

I'm shouting 
I'm singing 
I'm swinging through trees 
I'm winging sky-high 
With the buzzing black bees.
I'm the sun 
I'm the moon 
I'm the dew on the rose.
I'm a rabbit 
Whose habit 
Is twitching his nose.
I'm lively 
I'm lovely 
I'm kicking my heels.
I'm crying "Come dance"
To the freshwater eels.
I'm racing through meadows 
Without any coat 
I'm a gamboling lamb 
I'm a light leaping goat 
I'm a bud 
I'm a bloom 
I'm a dove on the wing.
I'm running on rofftops 
And welcoming spring!

I came home to find these beautiful tulips from my sweet husband. 

Cupcakes

My current obsession is cupcakes. 

I was frustrated with the delay of the cupcake craze taking so long to get to Colorado. Now that I'm in the big city, I cannot get enough of them. 

It started when Christina sent me a link from a Denver paper about a new cupcake shop. When Cadena was driving through, and I was home sick, she asked if I needed anything. "I need a cupcake." I had been thinking about them since the news of the new shop and had almost attempted to find it on my own this sad sick day, but it was all I could do to muster enough energy to go to McDonald's for a fatty lunch and cheap movie. 

Hmph - so, we all agreed they were disappointing, with thick icing that tasted more like crisco. 

This did not deter my interest or desire for cupcakes, but instead, challenged me to find the best one in town. 

For mom's birthday, we went out to do a Cupcake Challenge. There are two bakeries across from each other on Colfax Ave. One, with traditional fluffy finds and the other with more artistic rich ones. 

For the record, two size-able cupcakes in one setting is more than enough. 

 On another day, Cadena was back in town, had stopped somewhere to chill for a while and discovered their cupcakes with espresso icing. She offered to pick me up from work, and we headed right back there - I needed one!

After purchasing an icing tool, 

I was easily convinced to take the cupcake making class at a local cooking 

school with a co-worker. 3 hours, 5 recipes and I had to try them all. It wasn't until after the class, that I realized by tasting half of each recipe (which I thought exhibited great self-control), I had finished off 2 1/2 cupcakes. Lunch - check. 

It was so fun to have friends over that evening, after dinner and short films, to share the last of the treasures. 5 cupcakes cut in fourths!

Now co-workers keep asking when we'll bring some in to work. Oh no, I think not. These aren't the kind cupcakes you bring in to work to have scarfed down by people who don't know your name. My adventure will continue.... until I've tried them all!

Thanks Cadena, for your great support in my cupcake treasure hunt. 

RTD BLUES

"I want to live in a big city with public transportation."

Now that I'm here I recognize my naivete. 

As a people watcher, who generally cannot get enough of observing, public transportation has let me down a number of ways.

#1 In such small perimeters it is really hard to watch without being caught... and to stop watching after being caught especially when they're sitting right across from you. Oh, these eyes are rebellious.

#2 During rush hours, it is standing room only and any period of time is a long time to rely on inner core strength and rubber hand loops to keep you upright and not all over the person who is standing so very close to you.

#3 While the majority of people seem to be aware of others, there is a pocket of people who are oblivious to the hoards of bodies all around them when they: 

a. talk on the cell phones (answering work calls and speaking with important work voices, shoot the sh*t on the way to get antabuse while they complain about the roommate who moved out just b/c their dog pooed under her bed and that they can't move into a new apartment b/c they have a misdemeanor on their record, discuss grandma's health and what they're having for dinner)

b. put their bag next to them, taking up two seats in a standing room only train

c. laugh and giggle when their child is screaming incessantly 

d. try to climb in before you can get out

e. have trouble breathing through their nose and make horrible noises when they breathe through their mouth, so much so, that as you hear the sound right behind you, you find yourself grasping for your own breath (not to worry, I saw her again and she is capable of smoking).

#4 No matter the time or circumstance I am always just missing the train I need. While the wait isn't usually more than 8 minutes, it's a long 8 minutes if:

a. it's cold outside

b. you're late to work

c. you ran to the train, pushed the "open door" button, only to watch the train pull away and use those minutes to rehash the harshness of rejection and rejection with an audience

d. you know that was the last pre-rush hour train and the next will be packed and you can kiss a seat goodbye

Unfortunately, because my public transport is almost always on cranky mornings (I mean, which work days don't start with those?) or after long work days and in small, crowded spaces, I've lost some of my excitement with analyzing people and their conversations. Currently, I most enjoy the rides when I've got my ipod and can't hear those around me, or have found something interesting to read on my blackberry. To great relief, I recently found myself in an open space with lots of people and enjoyed taking them all in and watching them be them. Phew! My passion is still there - just not with commuters. 

- I should note, I've not experienced a train as crowded as the image I've included-