1. The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs The Broadmoor is already a legendary hotel, and the fact that it’s dog friendly only makes it that much sweeter. The Broadmoor provides beds, bowls, and treats for your furry friend, as well as the Pitty Pat Pet Club, named after Julie Penrose’s poodle. The Pitty Pat Pet Club provides a 24-hour pet menu, walking trails, and pet grooming. 2. Stanley Hotel in Estes Park This spooky lodging is great for ghost sightings, weddings, and your dog! Dogs less than 50 pounds are welcome to stay in The Lodge Upon, a historic, boutique extension of the Stanley. Upon arrival, your dog will be treated to a home-made biscuit treat as well as a bed and bowl. 3. Kimpton Hotel Monaco in Denver Located in the heart of Downtown Denver, the Kimpton is within walking distance of the Convention Center, Elitch Gardens, Coors Field, and Mile High Stadium. No need to leave Fido at home though, because the Kimpton allows any “furry, feathery or scaly family member — no matter their size, weight, or breed, all at no extra charge” along with a selection of other amenities and activities for your animal (including wine night!). 4. Evergreen Lodge in Vail The Evergreen Lodge, located between Vail and Lionshead Villages, is a beautiful place to stay whether you’re skiing in the winter or relaxing in the summer. Dog friendly rooms are conveniently located on the first floor to make a nighttime potty break a cinch, and you’re only paying $25 more. 5. Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs This historic hotel in Glenwood Springs has been providing service since 1893. Hotel Colorado boasts that “Your dog will love the gorgeous mountain scenery, comfortable rooms, and all of the wide-open spaces to roam in our beautiful part of the Colorado Rockies.” The post 5 Places to Stay With Your Pup in Colorado first appeared on The Denver Guide.from https://ondenver.com/5-places-to-stay-with-your-pup-in-colorado/
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For many homeowners, moving day comes with a lot of stress. There’s just so much to plan for and so many little details to take care of that it can be difficult to face it with a calm and clear mind. When you have pets to worry about at the same time, it can be overwhelming. Even if your dog is well-behaved and has no health issues, there’s still the fear that he’ll get lost or injured during all the activity on moving day. Not only that, but many animals become anxious when faced with big changes, which can affect their behavior, appetite, and sleep cycle. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to help ease the transition and make sure moving day goes well. The key is to plan as far in advance as possible and give yourself a little wiggle room, as well as making sure you have help and support from family and friends. Read on for some tips on how to make your big day go smoothly. Plan Your Day In the days and weeks leading up to your move, plan out moving day as much as possible. This means making a list of tasks you need to get done, along with their deadlines. You’ll also need to decide whether you want to hire a moving company to help pack and transport your stuff. If you go this route, you should do a search for budget-friendly options and choose one that’s highly rated. We recommend Main Street Movers in Louisville for a highly rated service. If you’ll have friends and family helping you, it’s a good idea to ask someone to be in charge of your dog for the entire day; they can keep him at their house or stay with him in a back room while the move is taking place. If this isn’t possible, consider keeping him in a crate or closed-off room by himself with some toys and treats; this will keep him occupied and out from underfoot. Practice a Little Self-Care During this time, you can’t forget how important it is to take care of yourself. Besides, if you’re stressed out and anxious, you can’t take care of anyone or anything, let alone your dog. So, do some things that will help you feel better. Set aside a little time for a walk or some stretching, learn a few breathing techniques, and take a moment to gather yourself if things become too overwhelming. It might not hurt to clean your space before you move in, so you’re not faced with any expected messes when you’re trying to unpack. And to help keep it clean, consider picking up an air purifier (quality models are available for $39.99) that will help keep your dog’s dander and hair out of the air. After all, clean air has been proven to help increase our happiness and ability to relax. Take Him to the New Home With everything that will be going on during moving day, you want to make sure to spend some time with your pup beforehand so he won’t be anxious. Take him to the new place, if possible, before the move and let him sniff around and get a feel for things. Allowing him to visit before you move in will give him a heads up, so he won’t be surprised by his new surroundings. Bring His Old Favorites You may want to buy new toys and treats for your dog to go along with the new house, but it’s actually better if you keep his favorites. Having something familiar will help ease anxiety and keep him happy in his new environment. Boulder based dog food brand I and Love and You makes grain-free food that’s a great option for your furry friend. Keep Him Safe in the Car With all the commotion of moving day, dogs can sometimes get overlooked. When it’s time to take him to the new house, put him in a crate or seat belt harness and make sure he’s secure in the vehicle. If it’s a long ride, bring along a collapsible dog dish and a bottle of water along with some treats, and don’t forget to stop now and then to give him a bathroom break. Make Sure the New Place Has a Fence It’s common knowledge that a dog’s chances of running off increase when the home’s yard is wide open. And even if you use a leash, he still needs the freedom to run around the yard. Make sure to install a fence at your new home to protect your dog from strangers and wildlife, and to prevent incidents with neighbors and cars. A tall, solid wooden fence is ideal because it offers good protection and can limit your dog’s barking that would otherwise occur if he spotted passersby. In Denver, the average cost of installing a wood fence is $2,509, so gather estimates before choosing a fence installer. Moving day is a big job, so sit down and write out a list of things you need to get done so nothing gets overlooked. Ask friends and family to help you along the way; you might designate someone to help you clean up the old house after the move, for instance, or put someone in charge of getting lunch for everyone. With a good plan and a little assistance, you and your dog can make the move smoothly. Guest post by Natalie Jones The post How Dog Owners Can Make Moving Day Go Smoothly first appeared on The Denver Guide.from https://ondenver.com/how-dog-owners-can-make-moving-day-go-smoothly/ Prequels are terrible. That is, until they aren’t. It used to be that the idea of checking out the earlier adventures of beloved characters was nothing more than a craven cash grab. You had the tomfoolery of Butch and Sundance: The Early Years, the nonsense of Hannibal Rising, and the blatant idiocy of X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Done well, a prequel can add texture and character to a franchise. It can fill in the blanks and even recontextualize the original work. Despite the clunky execution, mostly poor acting, and thunderingly obvious storytelling, George Lucas deserves credit. His Prequel trilogy wasn’t motivated by money, since at that point Lucas had enough money to give Donald Trump an envy-related stroke. Lucas genuinely had things to say about the slow erosion of democracy and the slide of a good man into evil. He just didn’t say those things particularly well. I have to give even more credit to Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould. After the creation of Breaking Bad, one of the most perfect television series ever to air, Gould and Gilligan decided that looking backward was the best way to look forward. To do that, they focused on Jimmy McGill, a mostly well-meaning lawyer with a worrying habit of cutting corners. Better Call Saul became a masterclass in character work, and we saw that the origins of scumbag extraordinaire Saul Goodman were based on choices, specifically choices relating to big events. For a prequel to function, a franchise needs to understand its history, significant events, and how characters feel about them. The Marvel Cinematic Universe cares deeply about all of that. They have mined stories regarding the extradimensional invasion of New York, the destruction of the nation-state Sokovia by an insane robot, and the time when literally half of all living things winked out of existence. Oh yeah, and the time when The Avengers went through a very messy break-up. One of the OG Avengers was the Black Widow, the only woman on the team and nearly the only one not to have her own movie** That oversight has finally been corrected, and while Black Widow doesn’t represent the pinnacle of the MCU, it’s still a worthy installment. Before the Battle of Wakanda, before the coming of the Mad Titan, and before her lonely death on the remote planet of Vormir, Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) found herself in a very familiar position. Yet again, she’s on the run. It seems to be how she’s always lived her life, and we see how it began during a seemingly idyllic childhood in Ohio. Young Natasha loves her sister Yelena, loves her scientific-minded mom Melina (Rachel Weisz), and loves her goofball dad Alexei (David Harbour). Only they aren’t a family, not exactly. Melina and Alexei are deep-cover Russian spies, and for three years they have been observing America. Then, their cover is blown. They get the heck out of Dodge and, making matters worse, Natasha and Yelena are unceremoniously yanked from their faux parents and dropped into the Red Room. It’s a way, way off the books training program where girls are chemically, psychologically, and physically programmed to become killing machines. Time passes and grown-up Natasha thinks she’s whacked Dreykov (Ray Winstone), the architect of the Red Room.*** She has bigger problems considering that she violated the Sokovia Accords and has to go off the grid and plot her next move. That move is complicated when she gets her hands on a package from Yelena (Florence Pugh), all grown up and kicking people in the face. It turns out that enclosed within the package are mysterious chemicals that just might free the remaining Widows from their enforced slavery. Being that she has nothing better to do, Natasha decides to reunite her faux family and take down the Widow program. Finding it is hard. Dealing with their operative Taskmaster, who has the ability to perfectly mimic an opponent’s skills, is harder. Most difficult of all will be Natasha having to deal with the people in her life that began as a fake family and might transform into a real one. It’s an unfair criticism, but perhaps the largest flaw with Black Widow is that it should have been released years ago. Natasha Romanoff is one of the foundational characters in the MCU, and while I have nothing against 2019’s Captain Marvel, the Black Widow carries as much weight in the MCU as Wonder Woman does for DC. Numerous delays happened due to corporate foot-dragging and an unforeseen (or totally foreseen) global pandemic, and those delays do a great job of undercutting a lot of the suspense. Still, it’s not the fault of the filmmakers. Director Cate Shortland has made a slick espionage thriller that nods to the lore of the MCU without getting stuck under its thumb. The action sequences are clean, crisp, and walk a fine line between the stripped-down mayhem of The Bourne Identity and the expensive-looking destruction the MCU is known for. Shortland knows that the real reason people keep coming back to these things is the characters. We like Natasha’s wry sarcasm and wary idealism, and we like to see how she bounces off the new and old people in her orbit. While the film occasionally gets a little too talky, I enjoyed Natasha talking more than I enjoyed her shooting some luckless shmoe. The screenplay, by Eric Pearson, Jac Schaeffer, and Ned Benson does a few things wrong and one major thing nearly perfectly. There are essentially three intertwined threads of the story:
The problem is, two of those three threads have been fairly extensively covered in other movies. Natasha makes The Avengers her family and loves Clint Barton so much as an adopted brother that she throws herself off a cliff for him in Avengers: Endgame. She deals with her blood-red ledger in both The Avengers and in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. So why are we going over this well-trod ground again? For the third thread, Natasha puts an end to the Red Room twice in one movie, ending up in pretty much the same place she started. Back in the early days of the MCU, there was a fairly serious villain problem. The Abomination was little more than a rampaging monster. Malekith was a snooze. Ronan the Accuser was significantly less cool than you would expect someone named Ronan the Accuser to be. I figured, however, with layered antagonists like Killmonger, Thanos, and the Vulture, the MCU was putting the vanilla-flavored villains in the rear-view mirror. Apparently not. I like Ray Winstone quite a lot, but as General Dreykov, the creator of the Red Room, he’s given very little to do other than a monologue. Black Widow needed an antagonist to equal Natasha Romanoff. What it got was a bad guy who would feel right at home in a terrible Chuck Norris movie. Having complained about all that, the screenplay does strong work by giving the actors meaty roles to dig into. I enjoyed the too brief appearance of Rachel Weisz and her equivocation over rejoining her not-really-a-family family. I enjoyed David Harbour’s meatheaded Alexei, a guy fully convinced that he’s Russia’s answer to Steve Rogers, except for the sizable gut and scary old man beard. The MVP of the cast is Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova. She relentlessly mocks Natasha’s hair flip and combat poses, and underneath her snark is a very interesting concept. Deep down, her fake family was always real to her, and she’d love nothing more than for it to be knit back together. Pugh is an interesting and unpredictable actor, and she’s one of the most interesting additions to the MCU in a while. From a character perspective, the screenplay is aces. Perhaps the main reason to pay hard-earned money to see Black Widow isn’t vehicular mayhem or Scarlett Johansson demolishing luckless goons. It’s a scene set at a dinner table in which four people talk, examine their shared history, and go over whether or not they’re really a family. While the MCU has gotten into the concept of a found family in a whole bunch of films, I think this is the first film to really drill down into what that actually means, and show the need some characters have for it and the discomfort others grapple with. The thing the MCU has always done better than any other franchise is the character work. They know we want to see likable and interesting people and how they bounce off each other. Speaking of which, Scarlett Johansson holds the whole film together in a performance just as iconic as any of her co-stars in the MCU. Natasha Romanoff occupies an interesting place in the MCU. While Tony Stark bears guilt due to his past as a weapons manufacturer, he was always removed from the carnage he wrought. Steve Rogers killed, but always did so in service to ideals. Natasha has always been a bit different. She had blood on her hands, lots of it, and her character has a great deal of guilt to carry. Johansson allows us to subtly feel a little bit of that weight. Her performance is nimble, strong, slyly amusing, and like Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans, she’s never crushed by the franchise machinery around her. I remember feeling a little irritated with the end of Avengers: Endgame, the fact that Tony Stark received an appropriately egomaniacal sendoff while the Black Widow got a cursory “Oh, yeah, she’s great, too” acknowledgment. Despite the lousy timing and problematic story elements, Black Widow remains a fitting sendoff for the shadowy Avenger. It’s an upper-tier entry in the MCU, and while it was a long time coming, it’s better late than never. *For a minute there, 20th Century Fox was trying to get McClane off the ground. This was meant to be Die Hard: Year One, which I always thought was called Die Hard. **There’s less than no chance of a Hawkeye movie, but there will be a series coming up on Disney+, so that’s something? ***Pro tip: if there’s no body, they’re not dead. The post Budapest With An S.H. first appeared on The Denver Guide. from https://ondenver.com/budapest-with-an-s-h/ I must share with you that I was so excited and honored when I was asked to be the weekly columnist for Motivational Monday. In my high school years, as the assistant editor for the school newspaper, I had a column called “Stayin’ Alive” (yes, the Bee Gees were popular when I was in high school!) and I gave advice to students on how to survive high school. My role as your Monday Motivator is to give you advice and guidance as well, and fortunately I have accumulated quite a bit more wisdom since my Bee Gees days. Although I am many years out of high school, I remain a lifelong student. I look forward to sharing my lessons and insight with you through this column. This cartoon has stuck in my head ever since I first read Jeffrey Gitomer’s Little Book of Selling in 2005. He uses this cartoon to illustrate one of his key principles which is to “Kick your own Ass.” It’s not only funny, it is true and poses the critical question as to HOW do I do that? How do I motivate myself? As the author of this column, not only is it my goal to motivate you, but to teach you how to motivate yourself. As I tell all of my clients, “Help ME, help YOU!” which is from my favorite scene in Jerry Maguire. To fully understand what it takes to get motivated, you first must get clear on what you really want. What is your “why?” People in our society rarely slow down long enough to really ponder this. We get so caught up in doing what we think we “have” to do we never stop to even consider why we are doing it. Have you ever been around a young child who continues to ask “Why….?” You come up with some answer and then again you hear, “Yeah, but why?” Rather than giving this child a quick answer, pause for a moment and notice this beautiful curiosity. That same child can also probably tell you exactly what he/she wants. Simon Sinek wrote a brilliant book called Start With Why. (He also has a fabulous TedTalk on this subject.) He states that “Very few people or organizations know why they do what they do.” He goes further to explain that it’s not just about the “why” of making a profit, but rather the why of “what is your purpose?” I truly believe that if you know your “why” then motivation will never be a challenge for you. You might be thinking, “Well that all sounds great but I have to go to work every day and make money.” Yes, I get that. What if you were to ask yourself a different question? Why am I doing the job I am doing? Do I love what I am doing? If you answer no to that question I would ask you, then WHY are you doing that job? You might say, “because it is the only job I can get.” And I would say “WHY do you think that? WHY are you limiting yourself?” I want to make two key points here. One, is that we all need to take time to get clear on what our “why” is in our life. And two, we limit ourselves by our thinking when we reply with dead-end answers. We need to ask different questions and consider different replies! I would say if you think you have a motivation problem, what you really have is a lack of purpose problem. Here is a challenge for you this week:
Have an awesome week! The post Motivational Monday: Finding Your Purpose first appeared on The Denver Guide.from https://ondenver.com/motivational-monday-finding-your-purpose/ Those of you who know me, know that I am a sports nut. Having been an elite athlete myself, I appreciate all aspects of competition from the physical exertion to the mental component to the coaching tactics. I have never competed in a football or a soccer game, but I still get very emotionally involved as a spectator. Over the past three days, my favorite two football teams lost (CU Buffs and Broncos) and one of my favorite soccer teams lost (CU Women’s soccer) and one of my favorite soccer teams won! (Grace College Women’s Team) As a participant and a fan, we ride the ups and downs of wins and losses. I’m writing this article on a Sunday evening after seeing the Broncos lose to the Houston Texans by 2 points after missing a field goal in the last 3 seconds. Ouch! How different the emotions could have been had that field goal been made? It would have been a totally different story. Yet, instead the heaviness of the Broncos sixth loss of the season infiltrates all the media outlets as I type. The CU Buffs football team had their 4th straight loss on Friday night after starting the season at 5-0, which was the best season since 1998. The big question is: How do you find motivation in the midst of such frustration and disappointment? It’s Monday morning and it’s back to the “chalkboard.” It is in these challenges that exist the greatest opportunity for growth and lessons. In these moments true winners are born. I know that sounds cliché and trust me, I love to win. I agree that winning is much more fun than learning life’s tough lessons. However, without growth, what is the point of all the effort? There is a saying, which I believe is 100% accurate: If you keep doing what you have always done, you will keep getting the results you have always gotten. What can you change in an attempt to create different results? First of all, you can only change things within yourself. You do not have the power to change anyone else or the external circumstances in your life. You can only change YOU. The only way you can actually lose, is to quit. One of my favorite sports facts is that Michael Jordan did not make his high school varsity basketball team his sophomore year of high school. Another favorite athlete story is Carli Lloyd, who is one of the most accomplished female soccer players in the world. She was cut from the U21 national team because she wasn’t good enough. She was ready to quit the sport until she met Coach James Galanis, who changed her game by helping her with her mindset. When Galanis originally met Lloyd he said, “I discovered a player who was full of excuses as to why she couldn’t make it to the next level…She worried about things that she had absolutely no control over.” When speaking about his initial coaching with her he said, “I just told her, ‘The first thing you need to change is your mind.’” I see this over and over again in sports: athletes who have the physical ability but get defeated by their mindset. Often physical talent is relatively equal among players, it is the mentality and the resiliency that sets the winners apart from the average players. Back to today’s question: how do you pick yourself up and find the motivation to keep going? First of all, you take responsibility for your own actions, mindset, and responses to the circumstances around you. If you are blaming other people or events for what is wrong in your life, then you probably will end up quitting, which is the ultimate loss. Start with yourself. The second thing is to begin with the end in mind. What does this mean? Look into the future of what you want to create. What do you want your life to look like in a year, or 3 years? Build from there. This moment in time is just a small section of the journey called life. What changes do you need to make now to get you to where you want to go? Do you even know what it is that you want in your life? In the big scheme of things this is one game, or one season. Who are you becoming in the process? What is your contribution to this world? Whatever circumstances you are currently facing are temporary. Today is a new day…make it count! Here is a recap and my challenge to you for this week: 2) Start with the end in mind…think “backwards” from the result you want. 3) Give back…do something for someone else. Your purpose on this planet is greater than winning in your sport or job. 4) Express Gratitude – the act of gratitude will always elevate your state and put you in a better place to get the things done that you want to do! Have a great week! Go Buffs and Lady Lancers! (The Broncos are off this week) The post Monday Motivation – How to get motivated when you feel beat up? first appeared on The Denver Guide.from https://ondenver.com/monday-motivation-how-to-get-motivated-when-you-feel-beat-up/ On Friday I had the privilege of hearing Bert Jacobs, founder of the Life is Good company, share his story and wisdom. I was inspired and motivated and I would like to share some of those nuggets with you today for your Monday Motivation. Many of us have heard that thinking positive thoughts is beneficial. What Bert and his brother John have created in their company, Life is Good, is far beyond just thinking positive thoughts, they have created an optimism movement! Their company did not initially start with that optimistic vision. In fact, by all business statistics their attempt at building a successful company had failed. However, as Bert stated in his speech on Friday, “Optimism is most powerful in adversity.” They proved that to be true in their own lives when they came up with their first Life is Good Shirt featuring their original character, Jake. They quickly discovered that people were craving a positive message when they sold out all inventory of the initial Jake shirt in 45 minutes. Their mother taught them the power of this message while growing up in difficult circumstances. At dinner every night she asked everyone to share something good that happened that day. The message of positivity is the foundation of their company and continues to inspire people across the world. They give 10% of the profits of the company to children in need through the foundation they created called Life is Good Kids Foundation. If you think the idea of optimism is a bunch of feel good fluff, allow me to share with you some real-life stories where this type of thinking has changed, and even saved lives. Bert shared the story of Lindsey Beggan, who at 10 years old was diagnosed with cancer. She kept a positive outlook throughout her treatment, wearing her Life is Good beanie daily since she had lost her hair from the chemo. She maintained the belief that Life is good, no matter what. She beat cancer and is alive and thriving 17 years later! Another story, from our home state of Colorado, is Dave Mortell. I met Dave and his wife, Beth, through the adventure racing community and thanks to Facebook, I have been able to follow their journey and his battle against cancer. Although we are acquaintances, not close friends, I have witnessed his fight and admire the positivity and faith that he and Beth have sustained throughout his courageous duel against cancer. On Saturday he posted that the cancer has decreased another 20% for a total of 80% decrease, and another 20% to go. His attitude is such that he is confident that he will beat the remaining 20%. Never in one post did I see either he or Beth feel sorry for themselves or get angry about their circumstances. They have maintained a positive outlook intermixed with a lot of humor. I have no doubt he will win this fight. A mentor of mine, Mary Morrissey, was given, at the most, 6 months to live in 1966 when diagnosed with a fatal kidney disease. A stranger shared with her a new way of thinking and visualizing that not only saved her life, but forever changed her future path. She has been teaching these principles for over 40 years now. At 69 years young, she continues to enjoy an abundant and healthy life. Although, there is no scientific proof that positive thoughts will cure disease, many studies have shown that positivity boosts longevity and overall mental health. So, why not apply it to your daily life? I am also a firm believer in random acts of kindness. Why not share positive things to people you encounter every day? Sometimes a warm smile can completely redirect someone’s day. The power of optimism is real. In closing, Bert reminded all of us that we have a choice about how we look at life. Why not focus on the positive and making this world a better place? Your challenge this week:
from https://ondenver.com/monday-motivation-life-is-good-the-power-of-positivity/ We are officially in the holiday season! 2018 Thanksgiving is complete, along with Black Friday and Cyber Monday and only 35 days remaining before we begin a new year. Have you thought about your holiday plans? Where will you go? What is on your wish list? Do you know what you will get for the special people in your life? What parties will you attend, or will you host? What will you eat? Planning, planning and more planning! Think about how much time, energy, and effort we put into planning related to the holiday season. I am the first one to admit to many hours I have spent on Pinterest alone, searching decorating ideas, menus, and cookie recipes. Over 627 million results came up when I searched “Holiday Planning” on Google. What if I asked you, “What are your life plans?” or “What do you plan on doing in 2019?” Have you given that any thought? Have you spent as much time considering what you want to do for the rest of your life as you have spent on your 2018 holiday plans? Consider just your shopping time alone. As a very conservative estimate, I think it is safe to say that the average American spends at least one hour on holiday shopping. I wonder if the average American spends at least an hour on planning their life, and setting goals for the following year. “Failing to plan, is planning to fail” is a famous saying originally quoted by Benjamin Franklin and restated by many successful people over the years. Perhaps you have heard that quote before and even agree with it, but have you actually done anything with the information? Do you know what you want your life to look like in 2019, or how about in 5 years from now? My husband and I were out of town this year for Thanksgiving and we decided to check out some sales for what I call “Brown Thursday” aka the night before Black Friday. I was blown away to see how many people were lined up outside of the stores waiting to be first in line for the best deals that store had to offer. I could not help but wonder if “we” spent even half as much time as we spend on Black Friday shopping and holiday planning, on planning and creating our lives, how much more could we accomplish? Maybe we could actually achieve our goals if we devoted even a fraction of the same amount of energy that is spent planning for Black Friday, to creating a life we would love living. There is so much truth in that Benjamin Franklin quote. How many people are dissatisfied with their lives because they have never taken the time to create a plan? As we head into the craziness of the holiday season and the end of another year, I encourage you to take some time to begin planning what you want 2019 to look like. I’m not talking about a resolution that you will make on January 1st for something that probably won’t last longer than a week, I am talking about an actual plan. As you spend hours preparing for holiday parties and festivities, ask yourself if you are giving your own life as much attention. Let’s say you wanted to go on a vacation. What is the first thing you would do? You would decide where you want to go, right? And then you would probably look into how you would get there? And then perhaps things you would do while you are there? Consider similar questions for your life: 1) Where do you want to go? and 2) How do you plan on getting there? This week’s challenge:
from https://ondenver.com/monday-motivation-do-you-have-a-plan/ Glenwood Springs is only two hours from Denver and has plenty to keep you busy for a few days. Here’s our 2 day itinerary: On your first day, get your adrenaline junkie ass to Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park. It has some of the most unique rides in the country, including the Alpine Coaster (watch the video here), the Giant Canyon Swing (check it out here) and the new Haunted Mine Drop – it plunges 110 feet underground into a mine shaft, and it’s gotten a ton of accolades in the 8 months it’s been open. Best of all – it’s open year round. If you’re a wimp like myself, you can still have fun – go on one of several cave tours or take the Iron Mountain Tram. When you’re ready to eat, try Slope & Hatch for tacos, Polanka for unique Polish food, or Glenwood Canyon Brewing for a decent burger and tots. Be sure to get the Vapor Cave IPA. CO Ranch house and The Pullman are a little fancier, but not too outlandish and serve dishes like elk quesadillas. On your second day, go for a hike! There are several trails right outside of town, including Doc Holliday’s Grave Trailhead, perfect for Western aficionados. There’s also Grizzly Creek Trail (7 miles), Red Mountain (3.5 miles), and theNo Name Trail (7 miles and the least crowded). Glenwood Adventure Co offers whitewater rafting, horseback riding, paragliding, and more. If you’re willing to go a little ways out of town, Hanging Lake is a must. It’s not the well-kept secret that it used to be, and the trail can get crowded. But you can expect to see some of the bluest water in the lower 48. And seriously, DO NOT walk on the log, for the sake of preserving the area. After your hike, visit the famous Glenwood Hot Springs Pool. 122 degree mineral water from the underground spring fills the largest pool of its kind. My personal favorite spot is the Yampa vapor caves. It’s said that the Utes used the caves for rejuvenation and ritual healing for over 100 years, and they’re one of the only natural vapor caves in the country. The same spring that feeds the aforementioned Pool heats the caves to 110 degrees. Relax for 10-15 minutes at a time, then cool off in the spa’s solarium. If you’re wondering where to stay, your best bet is probably Airbnb. There are quite a few hotels in the area but they can run a bit high – averaging $80 a night. Or try one of the dozen camping areas, including the White River National Forest. Now go enjoy the rest of your break! The post Glenwood Springs first appeared on The Denver Guide.from https://ondenver.com/glenwood-springs/ When someone starts a comment with, “It’s been one of those days…,” what is the first thing that comes to your mind? From my experience, that statement often leads to a rant about all the things that went wrong and usually ends with a list of excuses for why that person either did or didn’t do something. Have you ever witnessed this? When my husband came home on Friday afternoon his first words to me started with, “It’s been one of those days…” I held my breath for a moment waiting for what he was going to say next. He finished his sentence with,” When everything has gone right!” My hesitancy quickly turned to relief. It then occurred to me, why do we automatically associate that statement with a bad day? Why do we often forget to celebrate the things that go right? I believe one of the biggest problems in our culture today is the attention we give to everything that goes wrong. The primary focus in the news tends to be on all the bad things that have happened. How often do you see an article or a news segment about all the good things that happened that day? While those stories do exist, they are certainly less frequent than the negative reports. In my blog a couple weeks ago, I mentioned the #somethinggood campaign that the Life is Good company is launching. I applaud this conscious effort to request to hear more about what is good and what went right! While some people might consider the “Law of Attraction” to be “woo-woo,” scientific research continues to prove it is just as real as the Law of Gravity. A simple definition of the Law of Attraction is, “The ability to attract into our life whatever we are focusing on.” Earl Nightingale refers to it as “We become what we think about.” Based on this theory, it makes sense if you are focusing on all the bad things that are happening to you in a single day, then you are likely to attract more of those types of things. The opposite is also true, if you focus on all the good things that are happening, then you will experience more good things. If you stop and think about this for a minute, I’m sure you can think of examples of days when it seems like everything went wrong, or perhaps a day when everything went right. Generally, the days when things go right are significantly more enjoyable! One of my favorite songwriters, Van Morrison, writes about those perfect days in his song, “Days Like This.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UUWkr4FUlo My mentor, Mary Morrissey, teaches “Energy flows, where attention goes.” If we want to change the results in our life, we need to change where we are putting our attention. I would like to challenge you this week with an experiment. Pay attention to all the things that are going right. When something happens that might seem like a “bad” thing, offset that thought by thinking about something that went right. Sometimes it might be a simple as “I hit all green lights and got to my appointment 5 minutes early.” If you want to have more days when everything goes right, start by focusing on all the things that are going right! This might seem very simple, but when you start to pay attention to your thoughts it can make a big difference. By practicing this, you too will be singing that Van Morrison song! This week’s challenge:
from https://ondenver.com/motivational-monday-one-of-those-days/ While proper knowledge on which knives to buy is essential as there are so many choices in today’s society, knowledge of the food you are making whether it is at home or in the restaurant is easily of the utmost importance. A good portion of the list provided below is based on books I use at home and at work, and I have included a few suggestions by Chef Dylan Montanio and Jeremiah Gray; to make the list easier to follow I have broken it up into the following categories: Essential References- 4 books Alternative Cuisines- 2 books For The Advanced Cook- 3 books Others Worth Noting- 7 books The books provided will not only help elevate your home cooking, but also help you generate your own unique ideas that will surprise your family and friends. Not to mention these books can be found through Amazon or your local bookstore, so you won’t have to go on a scavenger hunt to try to locate them. This list covers a number of examples, they are not superior to other reference sources, as you will most likely find books that work better for you than the ones below.
Essential References The Flavor Bible by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg: While I am more partial to The Flavor Matrix written by James Briscione with Brook Parkhurst due to the accompanying visual charts of flavor approximations, The Flavor Bible is a fantastic reference that will help with any dish you are making. Let’s say you don’t know what to pair with some nice dates you picked up at the local market, turn to page 146 and you will find a list of items that go well with dates such as: almonds, buttermilk, caramel, coffee, lamb, black pepper, and the list goes on. The book also gives a couple examples of dishes you could try making with the provided list, which definitely helps the gears grind out new ideas. This book costs approximately $24 dollars through Amazon, so it isn’t going to break the bank. Link: https://www.amazon.com/Flavor-Bible-Essential-Creativity-Imaginative/dp/0316118400 Herbs & Spices The Cook’s Reference by Jill Norman Let’s say you are browsing through your favorite cookbook and you come across a herb or spice you are not familiar with like Hyssop (herb, page 84) or Cassia (spices, page 140), this book not only supplies pictures of these herbs and spices so you know what you are looking for, but also cooking tips, harvesting, storing, and which parts to use. With over 200 herbs and spices provided, this book is a must for any serious home cook or professional, and at $24, this is a steal. The Complete Book Of Sauces by Sallie Y. Williams This book is one of a few that floats around my house multiple times a year when it comes to writing recipes, with over 300 recipes this book covers the classics and some unique ones that might not immediately come to mind. The recipes are thorough, but also easy enough to comprehend that you get confused; which is also made easier by the categorization of white sauces, red sauces, wine sauces, and so on. Depending on where you go this book will vary by a couple dollars, I paid $17 for my copy, but at the link below you will find it for $16. Vegetable Literacy by Deborah Madison This book is the equivalent to a dictionary entirely about vegetables, it is extremely thorough and nothing is forgotten, this is another one that floats with me around the house or out to my car for some reading before or after work. This book, aside from general info about the vegetables provided, gives examples of how to use the plant, and notes called “kitchen wisdom” that explain how to process and treat the vegetables. This book is especially good for learning about new vegetables, and how to use them in your cooking, recipes are also provided; just like the rest of our Essential References so far, this book is on the more affordable side as it sits around $25.
Alternative Cuisines The books provided in this section are based on the recipes they provide. Vegan Recipes and Preparation by Sashia Fraser I bought this book a while back when I first started working at a local vegan restaurant, it helped me acquire more knowledge on a cuisine I was not familiar with at all. The book provides easy to follow, home style, recipes that would easily please anyone, vegan or not; if you are not familiar with some of the vegetables provided a search through the internet or a reference book would help a lot in this circumstance. This book sits around $22, so it is worth a look if you are interested in vegan cuisine, or you are looking to cook for some friends or family who don’t eat meat. Two If By Sea by Barton Seaver Let’s say you know someone who doesn’t like to eat red meat for their own reasons, this book provides plenty of examples of various seafood based dishes like fish tacos, a scallop ceviche, and a seafood risotto. The author is very personable in this book as he also gives examples of occurrences from his own life, and even dives into which knives, pans and cutting boards to buy; the recipes are easy to follow and no doubt delicious. While you might not be able to find some of the seafood mentioned at your local market, it is easy to find a replacement that might even save you a little money. This book runs around $19 to $20 dollars, so maybe this would be a solid gift idea for someone in your life who loves seafood?
For The Advanced Cook Charcuterie by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn If you have followed Michael Ruhlman’s books such as The Soul Of A Chef (another excellent read), you will no doubt recognize Brian Polcyn’s name from the content exploring the world of the Certified Master Chefs. These two teamed up to write an entire book on the art of charcuterie; if you are unfamiliar this family of food can span from sausage, to soppresata, to braised sweetbreads, and so much more. I put this book in the “advanced” category because it is an extensive read, and might not interest the casual home cook, no offense to anyone; the recipes are outlined in a list format so it is easy to follow, and elaborates thoroughly on the recipes provided. This book sits around $24 dollars, and is definitely an interesting read. Basic Butchering of Livestock and Game by John J. Mettler Jr., DVM I placed this book in the “advanced section” because of the subject matter, butchering, and most home cooks find it easier to buy cuts of meat that have already been broken down so they have less to worry about, just the cooking. This makes sense as not everyone has the room or the tools to break down fish, rabbits, or half of a cow- if you do, good on you. This book is extremely thorough, providing in depth explanations of the process, diagrams of the animals, figure drawings of how to process an animal, etc. The practice of butchery is definitely more hands on than a book can give you, but the information is no doubt valuable, and worth reading, especially since it sits around $16, and knowledge is invaluable. Any Old Cookbook This section might seem silly, but it will make sense by the end. For this section I am using my copy of Gourmet’s Basic French Cookbook written by Louis Diat from 1961; this book makes it very apparent that certain techniques we are unfamiliar with nowadays were common knowledge back then. For example, the recipe of Sauteed Chicken Francaise, the recipe requires you to “prepare a 2 ½ to 3 pound chicken for sauteeing”. This is not knowledge a lot of people have in today’s society unless your parents prepared whole chicken at home, or you worked in a traditional French kitchen; but, nonetheless, older cookbooks are really fascinating to flip through, so if you ever find one be sure to scoop it up. I can’t really provide a price for this book as I paid $5 for it through OfferUp, I am not sure how much this book cost back in 1961.
Others Worth Noting Chef Recommendations: Chefs Dylan Montanio, Jeremiah Gray, and Tommy Graves were more than happy to offer a few suggestions consisting of: The Soul Of A Chef, The Devil In The Kitchen, The Joy of Cooking, Mastering The Art Of French Cuisine, and LaVarenne Pratique. The books recommended by Chef Tommy, The Soul Of A Chef by Michael Ruhlman, and The Devil In The Kitchen by Marco Pierre White and Anthony Bentinck, are books written to serve as a look into the culinary world. The stress, the triumphs, the determination, everything is brought to the front on these books and they are both excellent reads. Chef Dylan suggested The Joy Of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer , and Mastering The Art Of French Cooking Julia Child, these are both excellent books in the way of being thorough reference books for those who love French style cuisine; one note to make on The Joy Of Cooking is the author was kind enough to include an altitude adjustment chart, which is essential when doing anything like baking. Chef Jeremiah suggested LaVarenne Pratique as, in his words, “it is an entire library in a book”; while I am not too familiar with this book, the reviews are almost all positive, the biggest complaint being the near $80 price tag. Thank you, Chefs, for your contributions to the article! Michael Symon’s Playing With Fire As I have mentioned before, we all love a celebrity Chef, so it only made sense to include a book written by one, but still different enough from the rest of our list to stand out; Playing With Fire was written by Chef Symon due to his pure love of barbecue, and the recent opening of his restaurant, Mabel’s. With a $21 dollar price tag this book is not only affordable, but full of knowledge regarding the best techniques for your grill, and a number of recipes ranging from his beer can chicken to fireplace potatoes. The Complete America’s Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook Janet Anderson, an avid home cook, recommended this as a book everyone should look at because of the amount of information provided, and the easy to follow instructions. The book is priced at $40 dollars, which looking through the book does not seem far off from accurate given the information provided being thorough recipes, kitchen tips, and sections called “why this recipe works”. There are recipes ranging from home fries, to stuffed chicken breasts, to barbecued salmon; easy to make dishes for any home cook looking to make an amazing meal for their family. Ad Hoc At Home This is the last inclusion for this article, I am sure there will be other lists in the future, but this is a good place to wrap it up. Ad Hoc At Home was written by a small group consisting of Thomas Keller, Dave Cruz, Susie Heller, Michael Ruhlman, and Amy Vogler; the goal of this book was to bring Thomas Keller’s famed restaurant, Ad Hoc, from Napa Valley to your kitchen with a number of family style dishes ranging from fried chicken, to crab cakes, to a cream of cauliflower soup. Keller was not short on the information he wanted to convey as he provides pages of information on how to break down whole chicken, a section called “becoming a better cook”, and “be organized”, elaborating on the use of different tools and certain techniques you should know to be successful. Each recipe is thorough and fit into categories of poultry, beef, salads, desserts, sides, and so on. With a price tag of $38, this book would be a strong addition to any home cooks library.
Notes: If you have any comments or concerns regarding my articles, please feel free to contact me directly. Social Media: Facebook- Cailean Anderson Instagram- @caileananderson E-mail- [email protected] The post Cookbooks, What Should You Look For? first appeared on The Denver Guide.from https://ondenver.com/cookbooks-what-should-you-look-for/ |