For those wondering what that huge multi-building complex was going up on the hilltop on the SE corner of Santa Fe and C-470: Wind Crest.

Welcome to Wind Crest retirement community—the must-see choice in retirement living in the greater Denver area. Ideally situated less than 20 miles from downtown Denver, Colorado, this beautiful, campus-style community is popular with those interested in an active and fulfilling social life, the promotion of excellent health, and outstanding value for the money.

Wind Crest is different from the typical retirement village or community. You’ll enjoy a maintenance-free lifestyle packed with exciting amenities—and best of all, it’s a smart financial decision.

I'm not sure what all that means, but ... that's what it is.

Filed under :: Travel
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The First Class dinner menu aboard the Titanic the night she went down.

Each of the 10 courses was served with a special accompanying wine. Following the tenth course, fresh fruits and cheeses were available followed by coffee and cigars accompanied by port and, if desired, distilled spirits.

A condemned man's last meal ...

The other classes weren't quite as well off, of course.

Filed under :: Food & Drink :: Travel
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A Travelogue through New York City, told (mostly) in Wikipedia Pages. 

(I've left out the wedding stuff up in Westchester because ... well, that's a different topic.)

THURSDAY

• Dave took the train from White Plains down to Grand Central Station (saw same, took many pictures). Met up with Doyce, Doug, Virg.  View of the Chrysler Building from outside.
• Wandered by the Library. Looked at the lions.
• Wandered around. Found Jack's Bar & Grill (fancyish). Drank some beers.
• Headed over to Times Square. Yow! Lights! Video! Lights!
• Bachelor party at Dave & Busters.
• Wander back to GCS, taking various blurry night time pictures. (It was the lighting conditions, honest!) Took the train back.

FRIDAY

• Margie and Dave took the train down to GCS.
• Went over to the Library. Ate lunch at the Bryant Park Grill.
• Toured the Library a bit. Gorgeous place.
• Couldn't get a good view of the Empire State Building because of cloud cover.
• Took the train back up to White Plains for the wedding rehearsal.

SUNDAY

• Drove down to the city in our rental car. Dropped the car off at the Hertz garage which was, quite serendipitously, only a block from where we were staying, the Hotel Belleclaire, at 76th & Broadway (Upper West Side).
• Took the 1 line subway down to Times Square. 
• Wandered about. Went to the Gray Lines office to pick up our passes. We got a 48 hour pass for the uptown and downtown tour busses -- double-deckers with open observation decks, which have hop-on/off privileges. In general, it went pretty well, even if there were some maddening difficulties around shift changes, getting on a bus that had room upstairs, etc.; once on, the tour guides were all good, and the routes were enjoyable.
• Went to Avenue Q at the Golden Theatre.
• Headed back up to the hotel, wandered over to Isabella's for dinner.

MONDAY

• Ate breakfast at the Manhattan Diner.
• Walked over to the Natural History Museum along Central Park and picked up the Uptown Loop of tour bus. This went through the Upper West Side, through Harlem, down through the Upper East Side along Fifth Avenue.
• From the south end of Central Park, transferred to a Downtown Loop -- except that went ahead and dropped us in Times Square to pick up a different bus. Irksome.
• Drove around downtown Manhattan, past Madison Square Garden, the Empire State Building, and then down through SoHo, Greenwich Village, etc.
• Eventually, the bus got down to the Civic Center. We got out there, and took a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge -- well, about half-across, past the first span of cables, so that we could shoot back toward the city.
• Returned to the bus route, eventually caught the next tour bus down (with a glimpse through other buildings at the WTC site) to Battery Park, from which we took the Staten Island Ferry in order to get a view of the Statue of Liberty.
• Took the subway up to Grand Central Station. From there, we walked, past the Chrysler Building, over to the UN Headquarters. Lots of police parked in the area, and, sadly, all the flags were down. The place needs a paint job.
• Caught the tour bus once again, which drove us past Rockefeller Center, and dropped us off back in Times Square.
• Checked out the TKTS booth, but didn't find anything we wanted to see. Margie boldly took us to consult with the concierge at the Marriott Marquis, who got us reservations at Frankie & Johnnie's down the street for dinner. Which put us in great position to mosey across the street to the Golden afterward to pick up the photo I'd left backstage at Avenue Q.
• Being stuffed, we walked back up Broadway to the hotel, passing Columbus Circle and the Lincoln Center along the way.

TUESDAY

• Checked out of the hotel, stashing our bags there and making arrangements with the concierge for transportation to LaGuardia mid-afternoon.
• Had breakfast at the Manhattan Diner again.
• Walked to Central Park, then across it, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Took the Highlights Tour for an hour, then did a bit of common browsing, then split up to maximize the things we both wanted to see. As previously suspected, one could easily spend the whole day (if not more) at the Met.
• Running a bit late to get back to the hotel. Considered getting a cab, settled on a pedicab, which made it's way over to the American Natural History Museum with us. The driver didn't speak English very well, so I'm not sure if I stiffed him on his suggested fee (as Margie thinks) or gave him more than he asked (as I thought), but I tore a pants pocket getting out of the cab, so I guess we've even.
• Hoofed it back, hopped in a town car, and we were off.

So that's what we did, which leaves ...

THINGS NOT DONE

• Touring the Cathedral of St John the Divine. Drove past it, took pics.
• Empire State Building observation deck. Drove past, took pics.
• "Top of the Rock" Rockefeller Plaza observation deck. Drove past, took pics.
• Statue of Liberty (Liberty Island). Cruised past, took pics.
• Central Park. We crossed through it pretty directly, but I'd like to do more rambling (so to speak) around it. And visit the Zoo.
• The Village and Soho, and so forth -- shopping and eateries, both look very tempting. Ditto Chinatown and Little Italy.
• More Met.
• More walking, less riding. 

I solicited thoughts of places to go from several people who've visited or lived in NYC -- Mary, Michelle, Scott, Bruce, etc. I fear we didn't take any direct suggestions from any of the entries, though they all went into the hopper of our brains and filtered out into a bunch of the above. Plus, we lugged the printouts around with us everywhere. So many, many thanks.

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So, after long months of hearing Doyce rave about Avenue Q, we got tickets for the Broadway performance (at the Golden Theatre) while we were out there.

And, yes, it's a ton of fun, rollicking goodness, witty and funny and simple and profound.

Indeed, the simplicity of the show is both a weakness and a strength. It touches on such themes as love, sex, commitment, purpose, life, bad decisions, racism, schadenfreude, communication, integrity, careers, coming of age ... I mean we're talking Shakespearean stuff here in a lot of ways. And, like Shakespeare, it's neatly packaged up in a low comedy package that seems treat everything lightly, yet leaves enough loose ends ("For Now") to smack of much more reality than most TV dramas manage.

Like Sesame Street (the unabashed inspiration), the show has some actors who just play people, and other actors who play one (or more) puppets -- usually standing, holding the puppet next to them. It's like watching a movie with subtitles -- do you watch the puppet or the actor? In the end you do both, in an odd, schizophrenic fashion, and it all works.

Some puppets are manned by two people at a time. The two main leads actually play two characters each (Princeton/Rod and Kate Monster/Lucy). If there's a scene where both are on stage, they end up handing one puppet off to another of the actors, but do both voices. Even more schizophrenic (do you watch the puppet, the voice actor, or the puppet actor?), but, again, it all works.

I highly recommend it to anyone who would not be offended by enthusiastic (if non-graphic) puppet sex. It's a great fun.

Then, afterward ...

So the show does a collection for charity towards the end ("The Money Song"), which goes toward some worthy cause (I don't have the program at hand -- I think it's the Actor's Equity AIDS Fund or something like that). The characters all come out and pass hats around (extending from the musical number).

Not many people gave anything.

So at the very end, after the curtain calls and all, a couple of the players come out and talk about other fund-raising -- donations at the door, plus proceeds from various Avenue Q swag -- buttons, posters, etc. And they talked about another fund-raiser they do, a 1-minute auction. Get high bid, and you get (a) a poster of your choice signed by the cast, (b) a back-stage tour by a cast member, and (c) a photo taken of you on the tour which comes with a signed frame. Opening bid: $150.

Now, this was the matinée, but was pretty well attended for that. And I was waiting for someone to bid. And waiting. And waiting. And the actors are encouraging folks, and nobody's bidding and nobody's bidding and nobody's ...

So I say screw it, and bid with a loud voice, "$150."

Priming the pump, the call it. If someone bids, then others will. I really didn't think ...

Cue crickets chirping, tumbleweeds tumbling, wind whistling in the eaves ...

(One wag, when told the bid was "One-fifty" then bid "Two dollars!" but was quickly cut off by the actors once it was clear that he wasn't making a legit bid of $152.)

As as the clock ticked off, they cut off bidding and awarded it to me, with profuse public thanks and applause and all that. 

So, fine, what the heck, worthy charity ("Be sure and deduct it," Margie suggested), and a fun backstage tour. Having been wowed by the play and having an amateur theatrical history myself, I thought it would be fun.

Virg and Teresa, Doyce-friends from the wedding, were also at the show, and they wandered over to give me their congratulations. So, of course, we invited them along, which they were all reluctant about to start with, feeling it was imposing -- but given that Virg has a sister who does puppet stuff in LA, and Teresa has a serious theater background herself, it made even more sense.

We got escorted into the back alleys, which are shared with two other theaters and a hotel, and admitted into the back and up a long flight of stairs. We were met by a lady who I think was the stage manager, and I handed over my money and chose my poster (I went for Kate Monster).

Meanwhile, actors were coming downstairs, and saying profuse thanks, and chit-chatting with the others, and all that. And then our guide showed up.

So we got to be escorted around by Jennifer Barnhart, who does Mrs T. (that's the way it's credited in the program), Bad Idea Bear #2, second hands on any of the puppets that require them (e.g., Trekkie Monster), and hand-off puppeteer (Kate Monster, etc.), and understudy (Kate). She's got a puppetry background, having worked on Sesame Street, Between the Lions, Bear in the Big Blue House, etc. She's also the only cast member who's been with the show since it opened in 2003.

Excellent.

By which I mean, she was friendly, informative, helpful, chit-chatted, and enjoyed the fact that we were so interested in every detail and had theater experience amongst us. She knew the technical puppet bits, the production stories, the actors, every nook and cranny, was articulate, engaged, and just a doll to get to go around the theater with.

(And, in a weird coincidence, in reading a Neil Gaiman book, Adventures in the Dream Trade, flying home, I read an anecdote in which Neil mentions, just in passing ... "Walk out of signing to find a few friends hanging around, including my friends writer Andy Heidel (former HarperCollins publicist, now Sci Fi Channel man) and his fiancee Jen the Puppet Queen (Mama Lion on Between the Lions) ...." Yes, one and the same. Not that it made her any more special for having hob-nobbed with Neil Gaiman, but it was a truly odd coincidence.)

So first we stopped by the Wall of Puppets (stage left), with all the multiple versions (some duplicates, for quick appearances around the place, others costume changes) of most of the puppets. Much discussion of puppet construction and usage ensued, pictures taken.

Wandered around to the main stage, to marvel at the loving detail. The buildings are a bit forced perspective, and about 20% shorter than the real thing (making the doorways quite duckable for taller cast members).

Locksmith stickers on each of the front doors. Jen explained this was a very New York thing (which she could speak of from experience: "When you get home from a party, drunk, and you snap your key off in the lock, you want to know who you can call.").

We talked about the theater a bit. The John Golden Theatre has been around for a Long Time. It badly needs renovation, both from general wear and tear and from things like a bad mold problem in the actors' dressing rooms. In fact, it was supposed to be renovated in December 2003. Earlier in the year, though, they were approached by an off-Broadway production looking for Broadway space -- and when told it was "a coming-of-age tale in a small neighborhood -- with puppets," they figured they were safe to book them into the space until the show quickly closed. Five years later ...

We got to see the Stage Manager's booth (up a ladder stage right with multiple monitors, including one infra-red so that she can monitor the stage during blackouts). Margie got to flick the switch to turn off the house lights. More puppets stage right. A backstage library. Poking and prodding at the back side of the set (which has all sorts of tunnels, scaffolding, and bit and pieces that get replaced in the windows in different scenes).

And lots more chit-chat and pictures and the like. It was triffic fun, and probably took about an hour -- which given that Jen had an evening performance she had to report back for in two hours, made it very gracious on her part.

We departed out a side alley, giving effusive thanks to each other. I managed to leave my Polaroid behind on a bench, but we went back the following night and picked it up (Margie having called the theater to make arrangements).

Chatted with Virg and Teresa for a few minutes more -- they seemed tickled to death by the whole experience, which made me even more glad we'd invited them along -- and then headed off for the next adventure.

Good stuff, great time, and a passel of memories that are more than worth the $150.

(Just a few of the pics I took, but a good sample. When the rest go up, I'll make a comment here.) 

Filed under :: Media - Performers :: Media - Stage :: Travel
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And let me tell you that hearing that the airline you flew out on (and, presumably, will fly back on) has Google News is always good for a few seconds of adrenaline. Though kudos to Frontier for being the first to tell me (since, in a soothing and calm message that only made me immediately run to Google News (on my Blackberry, which was still working at that point) to confirm WTF.

Filed under :: Big Business :: Travel
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After a whirlwind three-day-ish tour of New York City, we're back home. I have a ton of pictures to finish labeling -- and, of course, a ton of mail in my in-box. I also have to get my Blackberry fixed or replaced. That latter is the real PitA right now.

More as I get word in edgewise.

Filed under :: Blogging :: My Mobile / PDA :: Travel
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... but Internet connectivity has been ... dicey.

1. Wedding was appropriately and not-unexpectedly faboo. Best Man speech went, I am told, fine. Lovely bride, handsome groom, cute Kaylee, pretty church, nice country club, yummy food, good champagne, fantastic band, all's right with the world.  Pictures and text to follow at some future moment.

2. Down in NYC now at the Belleclaire Hotel, uptown west. 

3. Went to see Avenue Q this afternoon, which was both great fun in its own right and even more fun based on What Happened Next.

4. My Blackberry has locked up beyond my ability to fix it, which is intensely frustrating on multiple levels, not least of which is that I can't post pictures on-the-fly to the blog, making it seem like I've dropped off the face of the Earth. Ugh. And, also, Rrg.

5. Lovely dinner with Margie tonight, both in terms of good food (at Isabella's), and in terms of excellent company (Margie).

More as I get the chance, the inclination, and the connectivity.

Filed under :: Blogging :: Food & Drink - Restaurants :: Media :: Travel
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Wait, that's not how the song goes. Though that's how the weather seems to be going preparatory to our flying to New York tonight (around Midnight).

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
515 AM MDT WED APR 9 2008

...SPRING STORM HEADING TOWARDS COLORADO...

.A STORM SYSTEM DEVELOPING OVER THE GREAT BASIN WILL MOVE ACROSS SOUTHERN COLORADO WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY...AND THEN INTENSIFY AS IT MOVES INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. SNOW WILL BECOME WIDESPREAD IN THE MOUNTAINS TODAY AND CONTINUE THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. ACROSS THE PLAINS...RAIN AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED BY THIS AFTERNOON TURNING TO SNOW LATE THIS EVENING CONTINUE INTO THURSDAY EVENING.

THERE CONTINUES TO BE UNCERTAINTY REGARDING THE EXACT TRACK OF THE STORM...AND ANY DEVIATION WILL RESULT IN WIDELY VARIED SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS AND PLAINS. THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY SNOWFALL AND STRONG WINDS MAY ALSO CREATE HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS.

A WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH
THURSDAY AFTERNOON.

RAIN WILL TURN TO SNOW LATE THIS EVENING WITH THE HEAVIEST SNOW EXPECTED EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. THE HEAVIER SNOW IS EXPECTED TO SHIFT EASTWARD OVER THE PLAINS THURSDAY AFTERNOON. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 8 INCHES IS POSSIBLE BY THURSDAY EVENING. UP TO 14 INCHES IS POSSIBLE IN THE FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS.

Joy.

Filed under :: Travel :: Weather
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A soft, steady rain down at home as I started off this morning, turning a bit slushy as I got up to the office.

All the ops folks in my wing are packing up to move to the other building this weekend. I have no idea when I am slated to move over there, as it's a different floor and the move coordination is being handled with all the planning, coordination, and aplomb of a bunch of three-year-olds (with IT saving the day more often than not).

Someone I've worked with for many years -- in fact, who I hired into the company -- is shifting their base of operations to the downtown office we gained in the acquisition last year. And someone else I've known here for some time is, rather goofily, being made redundant by that same office/acquisition, so I'm busy trying to figure out if I have a position in my department for them.

Last night was Family Art Night down at Katherine's school, with a (mostly) Asian Art theme. Katherine performed in a puppet play about the building of the Great Wall of China, and there were various calligraphy and painting projects, free food, Chinese dancers, dragon dancers (Katherine's favorite), and some Ultimate Martial Arts guys who were as much dancers and Power Rangers as actual self-defense masters (no matter how many degrees of black belt they claimed or how high they kicked). Good fun for all.

We're getting ready for some travel coming up. We're off to New York in a week for Doyce and Kate's wedding -- we'll be staying on a couple of days beyond so as to do some whirlwind touring (it's my First Time). Jim and Ginger are coming out on Monday to stay for a couple of weeks, including taking care of Katherine while we're gone; they have some fun touring plans, too.

While I'm glad that tomorrow's Friday, Saturday Margie's volunteered to do breakfast and lunch for 65 down at the church, Which we'll be helping her with, of course.

A busy, unsettled, changing, promising time.

Filed under :: Job Jollies :: Personal :: Religion - My Parish :: School Daze :: Travel :: Weather
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1. Enchanted Tiki Room Swag! On the occasion of its 45th anniversary. Sweet ...
2. Six travel issues likely to be ignored - CNN.com - Well, travel issues aren't sexy enough for the candidates, I guess.
3. How like the Brits are the Americans? Not as much as some might think.
4. Starship Troopers: Marauder - Official Site - Yeah, it will most likely stink on ice, but it's not a direct-to-DVD, and it features powered armor, and, oh, yeah, the trailer's fun ...
5. village voice > news > Runnin' Scared: The NYPD Ignores Leap Day Crimes to Keep Stats Low by Sean Gardiner - Which sounds harmless, unless you're related to one of the murder victims that New York City says didn't happen that month.
6. the big dipper - a photoset on Flickr - Photos of an old wooden roller coaster, built in Ohio, in the 20s, abandoned in the 70s, nearly reclaimed by the woods in the 00s ...

Filed under :: Geopolitical Brouhaha :: Media - Movies :: Politics & Law :: Potpourri :: Travel
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