Union Station Denver

My hubby had a birthday last week.  He spent his birthday morning and afternoon skiing (how royally great to be able to ski on a random Friday off in May, which happens to be your birthday...because Mary Jane extended the ski season 2 extra weeks!), then we headed out for 24 hours. I planned our short adventure just 20 minutes away from our house at the newly renovated  Union Station in Denver.

 I thought it would be fun to spend our 24 kid-free hours checking out 

Union Station, because 4 years ago (can it really be that long ago?)

this was our view, for our first 5 months in Colorado.  .

 The Crawford Hotel is right inside the station.  Lovely!

The room we stayed in was so cozy, and it was fun to be staying

right were all the action was, since our trip was so quick.

 Terminal Bar had a wide array of local beers, cocktails and light fare.  

 We sat on the Terminal Bar patio for an hour, sampling beers 

(I still hate beer) and took in some amazing people watching.

 Shuffle board.

 The art deco details throughout Union Station were nearly too much

for my heart.  I loved every corner.  This is a snap of the bar

on the mezzanine level, just above the Terminal Bar.

 Interior of one of the many restaurants onsite, Stoic & Genuine. 

This restaurant was not an option for me, because of my fake

seafood allergy, but check out the sick interior.  In love.

There is zero chance you will leave Union Station hungry.

 After dinner, we popped into Milkbox Ice Creamery, inside 

Union Station.  They serve Little Man ice cream, which is

about the best thing ever (and we used to walk to Little Man, just across 

the river from our apartment that overlooked Union Station)!  

We took our ice cream outside and sat by the fountains. 

I quickly decided I need to plan a day trip down with the kids, 

via the light rail because they would

love to run through the water (the restaurants along the linear

fountains have towels for guests to dry off, perfection!)

 After ice cream, I marveled once more at the

interior design inside the station.  I also

contemplated ways to shove this chair in

my backpack.  I then wish I had packed

like Lane from Gilmore Girls, when she

headed back to Korea! See below.

 We headed to bed and I slept like a bug in a fancy rug

buried in all the cozy blankets that adorned the bed.

The next morning, we woke up and stumbled down

the stairs right into Snooze Eatery.  I mean,

could it get any better than that!  There is

always a wait at Snooze, but on this cool

morning, no one wanted to sit outside, but 

we kids with our Minnesota blood pumping, 

took a table out there and it was glorious!

 Zac and I shared the breakfast pot pie

(helloooo rosemary sausage gravy and 

puff pastry. Wanna get married?)

and the OMG! French Toast.

The mascarpone stuffed french toast was 

topped with vanilla crème, salted caramel, fresh 

strawberries and toasted coconut.  Ridiculous! 

We walked around downtown until the wind 

shifted and brought rain, but that was the

perfect excuse to go crawl back into bed until

we got the boot at check out.  

 

So...the short story is:

GO CHECK OUT UNION STATION DENVER!

xo.

Favorite Children's Books

I co-hosted a baby shower this weekend.  In lieu of a greeting card, we asked the attendees to write a message to soon-to-be mom, dad and baby in the front cover of their favorite children's book. That got me thinking about a few of the favorites around this house, that we love to read, during our bedtime reading rituals.

 Have you read this one?  I feel like it flies

way under the radar, but it is such a fun

read, with a great message about being humble.

 It is sooo good!

This has been a favorite of mine since I was a

little kid.  I remember going to a book store in

Minnesota to meet the author and illustrator,

and we still read the copy that was signed 

to me, as a kid. 

An honorable mention by this writing and illustrating 

duo is, King Bidgood's in the Bathtub. I also have

the signed copy of this book from my 

childhood that we often pull out. 

I had never heard of this book or the author, until

we received a small stack of her books when Logi

was born.  This quickly became our favorite and we

still read our copy of this tattered little board book often. 

Honorable mention by this same author is Barnyard Dance. 

It is still a favorite to read allowed to the kids

(I dig deep and put a little twang in my voice when I read this one!)

This is such a fun and clever read!  This was

introduced into our reading rotation just last

year and it is absolutely a favorite! 

This is MY absolute favorite!  I learned to recite it

when Logi was just a few weeks old and it is still

one that I tell them when rocking them back to sleep in the night.

Our taped up board book shows just how much we love this one.

I am so thankful for the joy of books as the four of us pile into our 

bed every night to read.  It has been such fun, this last year to have 

Logi take on some of the reading aloud. Although, she still much prefers 

us to read to her at bedtime, so she can snuggle in with Benny.

Oh, and I can't sign off without a big, huge shout out to the Berenstain Bear books.

They are a forever favorite.  I remember sitting in my childhood bedroom, on the

phone with Zac (who was back in his childhood bedroom), before we got married,

going through our stacks or Berenstain Bears books, creating one pile of books without

doubles, for our future kids.  A week has not passed, since we had our kiddos, that 

hasn't included the adventures of this fun loving bear family!

xo.

Online Shopping Finds

I am searching for a rug for a girlfriend, and of course come across a thousand different things I am absolutely crazy about.

For starters. these stacking kid chairs!  I love the industrial look of them and would totally pair them with an old table. Hack the legs off a standard size table if you need and distress paint it.  Would look killer with these chairs from Overstock.  Just please don't ever pay a ton for a kid table and chair set (read: one from Pottery Barn Kids).

This mirror.  Don't even get me started.  I am obsessed.  Let's be real, what don't I feel a slight obsession over, from West Elm...but this mirror is top notch ridic.

I am looking to update my farmhouse table.  I dreamed of benches since I was probably 14 (true story), but 10 years in, I am kind of over them.  These chairs are not a 'win' for my update...but they are maj on about 13 levels.  And at this price, on Wayfair, a real option for someone looking to update without breaking the bank.

   I mean, for reals.  2 chairs for $110. 

Other colors too.  The mustard color is 

also a favorite.

I have yet to see a throw blanket from the Faribault Woolen Mill that I don't covet.  It's a real big love.  A 'hometown' (Minnesota) love that always has me excited for what they will produce next.  I love this map blanket.  Folded up it looks like a cool, patterned, geometric throw...but open the blanket up and it is a map of the city of Minneapolis. Love.

Years ago I stumbled upon this simple poster, at one of my favorite little bakeries in Minneapolis.  I still love it. Still think about it. Still try to live my life by these simple words.  Mark my word, SOMEDAY I WILL ACTUALLY OWN THIS PRINT.

THIS.RUG. from Lulu & Georgia. NEED.

Dear Husband, do not worry...I am only 'online browsing and dreaming'  I did not buy one thing.  I repeat, NOT.ONE.THING.  But now, who's with me...these are all pretty amazing, right?

xo

 

Picnic BLTs

Several things in this great life give me great happiness, and I feel so lucky that I got to enjoy a few of my favorites, all squished into one night last week.  A picnic at Chatauqua Park in Boulder with girlfriends, before catching one of my favorite musical groups, The Indigo Girls, play at the auditorium at Chatauqua (which after Red Rocks is my most favorite of concert venues as it feels so very much like the mess hall at the summer camp I grew up at).  Oh, and I made BLTs for said picnic, so that is a grand tally of 4 of my favorites, in one night.

BLTs are classic.  They are summer.  They are picnic.  But...are you like me and are kind of ruded out by how soggy the bread is by the time you open your picnic basket, because of the (delicious, summer time favorite, for reals...just not here) tomatoes?  Well, I solved that problem years ago with delicious sun-dried tomato mayonnaise.

What you need:

bacon

3 T brown sugar

cracked black pepper

mayonnaise

sun-dried tomatoes

loaf of bread (ciabatta was my pick)

lettuce greens

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and a piece of parchment paper.

Place bacon and sprinkle with 3 T brown sugar and a very generous

crack of black pepper.

Bake in a 375 preheated oven for 20-23 minutes. If you 

want crisper bacon, watch oven closely as the sugar

will cause a quick burn, towards the end of bake time.

Delicious peppery, sweet bacon!  This is after 20 minutes bake time.

I promptly prop the baking sheet, so all the bacon grease will

drain off to the bottom, as it is impossible to 'blot' bacon that

has been baked in sugar...unless you love eating 

delicious peppery, sweet, PAPER coated bacon!

 Place 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (drained) and 1 cup mayonnaise

in a food processor.  Pulse until the tomatoes are fully 

broken down and incorporated throughout.

This recipe will make much more that you will need for this Picnic

BLT, but be prepared to thank me as it is good on everything!

 I placed the sun-dried tomato mayonnaise in the deli container that

first housed the oil soaked tomatoes.  I did drain off most of the oil

before pulsing, but did not think to wipe the container clean.

But...a little sun-dried tomato infused oil will do zero harm to

this goodness.

I like to make in advance to allow the flavors to love each other up,

at least over night.

 Holy Toledo, this might be the best store bought 'artisan' bread
ever.  I picked it up at King Soopers (Krogers).

I used a serrated knife to slice the loaf in half, then popped it in the
oven (with the loaf closed up) to allow the outside to toast up a bit.
350 degrees for 8- 10 minutes.  It was good and crusty on the
outside when I pulled it out.  I then opened and gave the bread 10 minutes
to cool down then generously slathered the bread with the sun-dried
tomato mayonnaise.

Layer on the candied bacon and a huge, heaping pile of greens.

 No words!  Cut how you wish OR pretend you are Rodney
Dangerfield in the 'sandwich scene' from Back to School
and eat the whole thing!  Here is the clip from the movie, if you
are all like, this B be crazy!

I wrapped each cut of sandwich in parchment.

The sandwiches joined iced coffee, palmier cookies and raspberry
and dark chocolate brownie & mousse trifles, as my picnic
contributions.  My girlfriends and I were so on point with our
picnic planning that our spread was one for the books.
I will later blog the palmier and trifle recipes, but until then
try these legit BLTs! Oh, and as usual...The Indigo Girls
were AmazeFest!

xo

Tater Tot Hotdish Burger

The cool weather of late (of course, not today) has me in a 

Minnesota State (Fair) of Mind! 

It might also be that I just saw the official roll out of new delicacies

on a stick that one can find at said fair...but regardless of the reason

this little creation I dreamed up a few weeks ago has me thinking

of home.

Two things that Minnesotans love: Hot dish (anything baked in a 

casserole dish, for those not in the know) and Burgers. 

Minnesotans especially love the classic Tater Tot Hotdish, which

is a ground hamburger and cream of mushroom soup base, topped

with tater tots.  Sounds rather rude, but it is perfection in a 9x13.

 Marrying these two favorites seems like a no brainer, 

SO WHY DID I JUST THINK OF THIS? 

Oh dear lord, this is absolutely a must try.  

And on the plate in under 30 minutes...what are you waiting for?

 What you need?

burgers (however you like: turkey, veggie, beef, buffalo)

frozen tater tots

3/4 cup yellow onion (chopped)

3/4 cup mushrooms (dry cleaned and chopped)

6 oz. whipped cream cheese

hamburger buns

salt & pepper

oil for sauteing

Saute the onions and mushrooms in 2 T. oil, generously cracking

salt and pepper while they cook down over medium heat.  

Do this while cooking the burger, season each side of the 

burger with salt and pepper.

Also oven cook tater tots (according to package directions)

 When the onions are transluesent and the mushrooms are soft, 

turn off the heat and fold in 6 oz of whipped cream cheese.

This will act as the "cream of mushroom soup" 

component of the classic Tater Tot Hotdish.

 Building the perfect Tater Tot Hotdish Burger:

bottom toasted bun

burger

generous dollop of creamy mushrooms and onions

5 crispy tater tots

top with the other toasted bun.

And because gluttony likes green company,

serve with a mixed greens salad.

I want full report, if you make this for your

great aunt in Northern Minnesota.

xo.

The Tooth Fairy Paid a Visit!

 I said to Logi, 'smile big, so we can see your missing teeth'.

Benny wanted in on the action!

Rite of Passage up in here tonight.  The Tooth Fairy graced us with her presence.  We have been prepping for her arrival for nearly a month, during which time I have fielded some funny questions: Will she mind if I sleep with the light on? Do you think she will leave me a little money for the arcade?  Does she know I like the arcade?  Can we go to the arcade in that tiny town again?  Will she visit Benny when he is bigger?  Do you think she would want a snack? Is she real? (ugh, last question hit me in the gut, as she is 5 and I want her to believe in all things magical. Of course, some turd in Kindergarten mentioned the fallacy of said fairy...but I continue to just remind her that we have to believe in the magic).

We knew this visit was upon us, as she had a seperate procedure scheduled with the dentist today, and he had given her a solid month to get her two front, very wiggly, teeth out or he would pull them while he had her mouth good and numbed up for the other procedure.  Subsequently, I told her I would pay her half of what the dentist was going to charge, if she could get them out before she saw him again.  No takers.

So we walked out of the dentist's office, with my little Logi looking so very much like a big kid (a big kid playing the part of a jack-o-latern, even better)!

 She has been dreaming of this for months! Goodness, remember

when life was so simple?  Reminds me to be mindful of looking

forward to simple things in life with such exuberance! 

Oh and yes, she totally ate pizza after her bath so went to bed with

wet hair and a face covered in sauce.

She will be excited to wake to find that in the place of her two 

teeth there is a book, a 'hour glass' teeth brushing timer, and a 

small bag of coins (for the arcade, of course).

Please Time, I beg of you...SLOW DOWN!

xo

Manitou Springs, Colorado

The hubs and I have not had a break in parenting for a long bit (which, I guess you sign up for when having kids, but after the months we have had, we needed a tiny b.r.e.a.k.!) so I got a sitter for 24 hours, so we could clock out and go have some fun!  We decided to head south from Golden (as we most often head west) and decided on Manitou Springs. Here's a small photo dump of some treasures I captured on my phone on our short sneak away. 

We didn't take the highway that leads from Denver to Colorado Springs, instead we left Golden and drove mountain roads the whole way down.  It was great.  We had no timeline, so it didn't matter that this was not the most direct route (but actually, now that I think about it, the drive time was probably about the same, as we didn't encounter the traffic the highway brings). Along the way we went through several little towns, one of which reminded me of Big Bear in California, so I instantly called my brother, as we went skiing in Big Bear when he was living in LA and I went to visit him for my spring break. It was super nostalgic.

 After two hours of scenic driving through the moutains, we arrived in

 Manitou Springs.  What a quirky town. I can only describe it as 

1 part mountain town, 1 part eclectic artist paradise,

1 part Atlantic coast boardwalk town (see photo above)

 and 2 parts hippie haven!  Definitely a town where deoderant often

goes to die.

 Really cool sculptures throughout the little bustling historic town 

at the base of Pikes Peak.

My husband tried to school me a bit and shared

that Mr. Pike (clearly I was only half listening as

I have forgotten his name a week later) was the

explorer who named the Beaver Islands in 

St. Cloud, Minnesota (our hometown).

How cool is that!

I am always excited to find old Episcopal 

churches in cool little towns!  

 

This vintage Coke machine, built in!

 Fountains are scattered throughout the little town, kicking up the 

spring water that is rushing below. Historically people would flock to

these natural flowing springs for the springs healing powers.

Another fountain

 We cut across the springs to walk through a park and was excited to 

notice the little treasure stone mosaic goat, which of course

reminded me of the story of Billy Goats Gruff.

Someday I will own this very impractical light.  Those Edison bulbs 

sure don't produce a great light source, but this ridiculously cute lamp

(notice the water faucet handle for turning it on?) was made local and

 needs to be seen local, on my front table. I took the picture so Zac would 

be able to buy it for me. I am so good to him, I don't mess around

 with hints, just call me a straight shooter.  Haaaa.

Darn it, was too full from dinner for ice cream, but 

looooved the signage!

 I can't wait for the snow to clear, so we can go back 

with the kids to ride the rail up Pikes Peak.  Benny will

be in heaven!

How cool are structures, supported over the springs below. 

We explored Manitou Springs late into the evening and then

headed to downtown Colorado Springs for our hotel.  Of

course I took a totally rando pic of the wall of our room 

because I get a case of the shakes over old exposed brick.

The hotel was called the Mining Exchange and was gorgeous.  

It was a 10 minute drive from Manitou Springs, and then gave us a

 chance to check out downtown Colorado Springs at night.

 Two doors down from the hotel was a great little ice cream

shop called Josh & John's with a line out the door. Overpriced 

but delicious. Thankfully at this late hour we had room in 

our bellies to try some of the tasty flavors.

After a good sleep in sesh, we checked out of the hotel and 

was excited to see a Dutch Bros. Coffee 2 blocks from our hotel.  

We had this shop in our town in Oregon and I am so excited

 they are clearly moving east! 

I have missed this goodness in my life.

 On our way out of town we explored Garden of the God's. 

Breathtaking!

 When I was snapping this pic there were tourists from all over the 

country surrounding me and I felt like I was in a scene from the 80s

classic film,  National Lampoons Vacation.  Clearly didn't remember

that it is high time for tourists!

We left Garden of the Gods and back tracked through 

the mountains to home.  We stopped for lunch in Pine, CO

and had the most legit burgers EVER at Zoka!  We sat

on the big wrap around porch and enjoyed the lovely 

mountain breeze and ate burgers. The pic above is Kobe beef

burger on ciabatta topped with carmelized onions, sweet

bacon and melty brie.  It was outrageous.  Z ordered

a burger topped with a bacon and rhubarb jam that

was equally out of this world.  Who really thinks to go

crazy over burgers, but these were seriously the two 

best I have ever tried.

 

I told Z we shouldbuy a cabin in Pine for 

a) mountain biking and b) burgers

 

Serious!

 

 

 Pine was hosting the town's Rhubarb Festival, so after burgers

we popped over to see and THIS WAS THE ONLY RHUBARB

WE SAW...on the sign! What the heck?  Rhubarb is our jam 

(and now bacon rhubarb jam is for reals our jam) and they had nothing

 rhubarb. Crazy.  It was fun to see a weird little cover band, and 

search for rhubarb...but I won't put the festival on my list for next year

Well, it was a great 24 hours, and I guess we parents (who don't have 

family around that sporadically take kids for the weekend) need

to remember that a 24 hour babysitter is worth every single penny!

Now, get to Manitou Springs.  

xo