Blue Skies (and Grey Ones)
Monday, December 23rd, 2002 09:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tamaranthMore about What I DidAm Doing On My Holidays
Sunday daytime was bright and clear (yes, again :)). I took a leisurely stroll up the road and back (6 miles): and saw Alpinesque landscapes, snow clouds which didn't quite get to me (though the temperature dropped about 10 of their strange American degrees while I was out), and some wildlife.
In the evening we went to a Holiday Concert with the Baroque Folke, in Evergreen's small Center/Stage theatre. It was lovely: plenty of baroque (and later) music, performed by a local group who accompanied themselves on recorders, harpsichord and crumhorn. Not always note-perfect, but their sheer enjoyment and love of what they were playing more than made up for that. Between songs, members of the band would tell the audience something about a song, or an instrument, or another band member. They made it feel as though they were chatting to friends, instead of to a hall full of people. Highlights: In Dulce Jubilo; Soave sia il vento from Cosi fan Tutte; and a splendid version of 'Mary's Boy Child' with congas. In true community spirit, the concert was free: we were invited to bring snacks for the post-concert soiree in the Green Room. It sounds cliched, but there was a real sense of a small-town social: most of the audience (hosts included) knew other people there, much well-wishing etc. Also worthy of mention: the 'Christmas tree', beautifully illuminated in blue, which was actually made from silver-sprayed tumbleweed.
Monday dawned less than sunny, but that was fine with me, since there was fresh snow. (ahahahahahahahah) We headed to Boulder (home of Celestial Seasonings (herbal tea in groovy packaging)) for some pre-holidayChristmas retail activity: surprisingly, it was easy to park and most shops were reasonably empty. Still snowing prettily, in a Christmas-card sort of way. See photos.
Shopped. More lovely presents (so be prepared to look pleased).
We had lunch at The Cheesecake Factory. I'd noticed a branch in Denver and assumed it was devoted to dessert (which - chocolate and ice-cream excepted - I am not). Wrong! Had one of the best pizzas I've ever had. Photo somewhere above shows Hostess with an appetiser. Indulged myself with an Amaretto Milkshake, made with ice cream, not milk. (In the UK I'm lactose-intolerant to the extent that coffee with milk will make me nauseous, and a smoothie with yoghurt will make me physically sick. Maybe it's something about the way that dairy products are processed here? I admit it's only ice cream - I'm still avoiding actual milk, ugh - but it doesn't affect me at all.)
Some would say that London has more than enough American restaurant chains. I recommend kicking out one of the others - say, McDonalds - to make room for the Cheesecake Factory.
Came back through more snow. Apparently we'll get 2 inches of it overnight ...
Sunday daytime was bright and clear (yes, again :)). I took a leisurely stroll up the road and back (6 miles): and saw Alpinesque landscapes, snow clouds which didn't quite get to me (though the temperature dropped about 10 of their strange American degrees while I was out), and some wildlife.
In the evening we went to a Holiday Concert with the Baroque Folke, in Evergreen's small Center/Stage theatre. It was lovely: plenty of baroque (and later) music, performed by a local group who accompanied themselves on recorders, harpsichord and crumhorn. Not always note-perfect, but their sheer enjoyment and love of what they were playing more than made up for that. Between songs, members of the band would tell the audience something about a song, or an instrument, or another band member. They made it feel as though they were chatting to friends, instead of to a hall full of people. Highlights: In Dulce Jubilo; Soave sia il vento from Cosi fan Tutte; and a splendid version of 'Mary's Boy Child' with congas. In true community spirit, the concert was free: we were invited to bring snacks for the post-concert soiree in the Green Room. It sounds cliched, but there was a real sense of a small-town social: most of the audience (hosts included) knew other people there, much well-wishing etc. Also worthy of mention: the 'Christmas tree', beautifully illuminated in blue, which was actually made from silver-sprayed tumbleweed.
Monday dawned less than sunny, but that was fine with me, since there was fresh snow. (ahahahahahahahah) We headed to Boulder (home of Celestial Seasonings (herbal tea in groovy packaging)) for some pre-
Shopped. More lovely presents (so be prepared to look pleased).
We had lunch at The Cheesecake Factory. I'd noticed a branch in Denver and assumed it was devoted to dessert (which - chocolate and ice-cream excepted - I am not). Wrong! Had one of the best pizzas I've ever had. Photo somewhere above shows Hostess with an appetiser. Indulged myself with an Amaretto Milkshake, made with ice cream, not milk. (In the UK I'm lactose-intolerant to the extent that coffee with milk will make me nauseous, and a smoothie with yoghurt will make me physically sick. Maybe it's something about the way that dairy products are processed here? I admit it's only ice cream - I'm still avoiding actual milk, ugh - but it doesn't affect me at all.)
Some would say that London has more than enough American restaurant chains. I recommend kicking out one of the others - say, McDonalds - to make room for the Cheesecake Factory.
Came back through more snow. Apparently we'll get 2 inches of it overnight ...
