One Date a Week - or 52 Date Ideas - Colorado Style

NOVEMBER? I haven't posted since November. Good lord, I'm the worst blogger ever. I have to tell you since going part time last November/December, I've actually worked more hours than when I worked full time.  What the hell is wrong with me? I took on a teaching job at a local Nursing College and was working part time doing the social media for my husband's company, BookFuel (a self-pub company). I'm reigning it in. I told my mentor I didn't want to teach anymore (turns out, not quite as fun as I thought it would be. In fact, it stressed me out terribly. It was like being in nursing school all over again) and they are looking for a full time social media person at BookFuel so I can step down. I'm also thinking of going into hospice and getting out of floor nursing all together (more on that on another post -- maybe in June?). The reason for THIS post is because I got all creative (rare now, see above as to why) and wanted to share.

I was invited to a bridal shower where every person was given a theme idea to bring as a gift (cool idea for a bridal shower). My assigned theme was date night (okay, I kind of badgered the hostess for that particular theme - I'm bad that way). I have to tell you I was so excited about my idea (probably seen somewhere on Pinterest and it embedded in my reptilian brain because reptiles are known for their awesome crafting skills and then kind of made it my own).

So here's what I did: I figured out 52 different things to do in Colorado, ranging from free to expensive. Some needed planning, some could be done spur of the moment. I printed each idea out and glued them on card stock and the tied the cards together with ribbon. Jason, who must have had some excess estrogen coursing through his veins for like a minute, suggested I tell the bride-to-be to take a picture of each date and attach it to the back of each card. Have I mentioned how brilliant I think my husband is at times? Then he suggested I include condoms in the picnic and when I replied they want a baby pretty soon, he told me to include the condoms after I poke holes in them. So much for the estrogen and brilliance (hmmm, is their a correlation?) I then packed a picnic basket with a waterproof blanket, some picnic yummies, and sparkling water.

And Yay, she loved it. Of course I couldn't contain myself so for the past couple of days I kept telling her how excited I was about her gift, so given how nice she is, there's no way she'd say she didn't love it. I also texted picture of said gift to my best friend, who gave me a whopping approval - again because I couldn't contain myself and had to share with someone.  But again, she's my best friend, so her exuberance might have been more about being my friend than the brilliance of the gift.

Whatever, because I'm still super excited about it, I'm blogging it and sharing it with my readers. All 3 of you.

Here are the pictures:

Here's a list of the date ideas -- if you don't live in Colorado (and if you don't, so sorry, best place on earth here nestled in the Rockies) you can adapt it for the cool unique places in your neck of the woods.

1 Date a Week – Colorado Style

52 Date Ideas

1.     (Specific to Autumn low cost) Look on line when the best Aspen-viewing weekend is -drive up 285 toward South Park and drive over Boreas Pass. Take lots of pictures and enjoy a hike. End up in Breckenridge. Take a walk around town and eat lunch/dinner at the Motherloaded restaurant.

2.      (Specific to the Christmas season – some planning – low cost, the permit is only 10$) At the beginning of October get a permit to cut down your own Christmas tree in Pike National Forest. Take some snacks and a thermos of hot cocoa. Spend the day hiking through the forest looking for that ‘perfect’ tree and cut down your own Christmas tree.

3.     (Moderately costly) – Dinner at the Buckhorn Exchange – first restaurant in Denver to get a liquor license.  Great ‘western’ cuisine. Walk around the restaurant and check out the history.

4.     (Free) St. Mary’s Glacier hike

5.     (Nominal cost/ free) Take a drive to a ghost town and look around

6.     (Moderate cost, some planning) River rafting the Arkansas river (near Royal Gorge, best trip)

7.     (Weekend getaway – expensive) Go to Glenwood Springs, stay at the Denver Hotel (Roosevelt’s ‘White House’ of the West.) Have fun exploring the town, & take a dip in the Springs. Leave early in the day and hike Hanging Lake on your way home (just outside of Glenwood and a beautiful hike).

8.     (Low cost) Take a tour of the Molly Brown House, have lunch at Angelo’s Pizza on 6^th avenue (locally owned and has been there forever – at least since I was a kid) and go home and watch Titanic and/or the Unsinkable Molly Brown.

9.     (Moderate Cost) Have dinner at the Melting Pot (warmer months better) sit outside in the courtyard and take a walk around Old Littleton.

10. (Low cost) Take a day trip to Estes Park, walk around the Stanley Hotel, have lunch in a local restaurant and come home and watch the Shining together.

11. (Summer – low cost) Pack a picnic lunch. Go to the city zoo in the morning and then have a picnic lunch in the Gazebo at the City Park Lake.

12. (Moderately expensive) Have “Tea” at the Brown Palace the walk around 16^th street mall and people watch.

13.  (Low cost) Stand in line at VooDoo Doughnuts, people-watch.  Order an outrageous doughnut, then go to the Museum of History and Science and spend the day at the museum.

14. (Expensive – Weekend Getaway) Go to a winery on the Western Slope to tour. Find a bed and breakfast and have an adventure.

15. (Low Cost) Go to the Art Museum and then have lunch at Le Central (Denver’s affordable French restaurant),

16. (Free- to low cost - Friday night date) – First Friday of each month is the Art Walk in the art district on Santa Fe in Denver. Walk around, look at different art shops, studios and have dinner at one of the food trucks.

17. (Low Cost)  Tour the Air force Academy, &  the Olympic Center and then go to lunch at http://www.solosrestaurant.com in Colorado Springs.

18.  (Weekend getaway – expensive) Weekend in Pagosa Springs. Go to Mesa Verde, hike the ruins.

19.  (Low cost) Take the Celestial Seasoning tour in Boulder. Walk around Pearl Street and stop for ice cream.

20. (Low cost) Take the tour of Coors Brewery and have lunch at Bob’s Atomic Burgers.

21.  (Low Cost) Wild Animal Sanctuary

22.  (Low Cost) Spend the day going to antique stores on Broadway, have dinner at the Imperial Chinese Restaurant

23. (Expensive)  See a burlesque show at Lannies Clocktower Caberet, dinner at Panzano’s.

24.  (Low Cost) Colorado History Museum and Racine’s restaurant, if it’s warm, take a walk along the Cherry Creek path off of Speer.

25. (Almost free) Go to Tattered Cover Lodo, have some coffee, walk around LoDo, Tour the train station, and take a walk around Confluence Park.

26. (Almost free) hike Castlewood Canyon

27.  (Free) Check out the Southlands free concert series, pick one and go

28. (Winter – almost free) Ice skating Southlands, have warm pretzels and walk down the mall and then sit by open fire pit.

29.  (Low cost) Grab some Cuban sandwiches and pastilitos from Cuban Bakery on Chambers and Mississippi (SW corner), take them home and watch Scarface.

30.  (Free – July 4^th weekend) Cherry Creek Art’s Festival. Have lunch at Zaidy’s Deli (low cost – the blintzes are way yummy)

31. (Low cost – Fall) Octoberfest – Larimer square

32.  (Moderate cost) Rockies game – dinner after at Wynkoop Brewery

33. (Expensive) Pick a play to watch at the DCPA, dress up, have dinner at Texas de Brazil

34. (Low cost) Aquarium

35.  (Low cost) Four Mile Historic Park – take a picnic

36.  (Low cost) Visit the Plains Conservation Center – off of Hampden and Picadilly  - Picnic lunch

37.  (Moderate cost – Fall-Winter) go to either a home CU or CSU football game.

38. (Moderate cost) – spend the day at Elitch Gardens

39. (Free) Visit Garden of the Gods – hike and eat a picnic lunch

40.  (Free) Hike Meyer Ranch off of 285 take a picnic lunch

41.  (Day trip – moderate to expensive) – Take the old cog train up to Pike’s Peak. Go to Cave of the Winds (if you’re brave – do the swing off the canyon)

42.  (Low cost – takes planning)  - visit the capital building and the Denver Mint (need to request permission about 6 months in advance)

43.  (Free) take a picnic lunch to Redrocks and walk the steps

44. (Expensive) Go to a concert at Redrocks

45. (Moderate to expensive) Take in an Avalanche game – have dinner at Domo Japanese Country restaurant afterwards.

46.  (Free-Expensive depending on what you buy -- June 6 or 7^th 2015) People’s Fair – Civic Center Park

47. (Low Cost) Spend the day at Botanic Gardens, on your way home, take Colfax and eat at Tommy’s Thai for dinner.

48. (Expensive) Dinner at Trapper House – Parker, CO

49. (Low cost) take a cooking class together

50. (Free) spend a morning walking around Mile High Flea Market

51. (Low cost) Pick a 5K and run/walk it together

52. (free – unless you make a baby then it will be the most expensive date ever) Stock up on your favorite drinks and food and spend the day in bed.

Linking Up

The Girl Creative

Summer's half way over and I haven't blogged once -- here's why

It's been a jam-packed summer -- it seems like we can barely catch our breath we've been so busy, so here's a quick run-down on what we've been up to:

Well - baseball for one.

Our oldest turned 14 a couple days ago -- I am still trying to wrap my head around that one. He's almost 6 feet tall, he's 130 pounds, fast and seems to be pretty good at sports. Although, at times, I have to admit it's a bit cliche-ish that we have a baseball lovin' kiddo in our Cuban-ish family (although, it's the WASP side of my family that had all the sports-y people on it - the Cuban side is a little more cerebral)

Here's Isaac at his 5th grade field day -- yeah, he's the giant here -- it's hard to believe he's the youngest in his class given how much taller he is than his peers. What can I say, my father's side of the family are a bunch of Lumber Jacks

First day at the pool -- Isaac and his friends have a tradition that they are the first ones to jump in -- true to tradition they were first in line and got to be the first to jump in. He's on the swim team this summer and has had two meets, the next one is next week.

more baseball

We took a family hike over the 4th of July weekend. Castlewood Canyon State Park is so close and a great way to spend some quality family time -- even the 14 year old had a decent time (although he didn't admit to it)

Roasted some s'mores at my sister and brother-in-laws for the 4th.  Had a mellow day just hanging out with family. Just found out why s'mores is spelled like s'mores -- it stands for some more -- never knew.

I wasn't kidding this was June -- freakin' intense -- looking forward to August when things settle down again.

Can't forget the work stuff -- we're going for our Joint commission disease specific certification --- ack!

Out of order -- but for baseball we took a road trip to Omaha -- it was fun.

 Isaac 'continued' on to middle school. He's here with his teacher, Mrs. Doll, she was one of his favorites.

 He was also a recipient of the Principal award for his class for leadership -- yay Isaac.

We took in some river rafting this year, it was the boys' first year doing it. Isaac loved it, Jake -- well Jake is doing that bored teen thing a little too well -- he's got it pretty perfected actually.

 Isaac jumped in from the outcropping -- of course ran out of film and didn't get him actually jumping it -- but he really did -- it was the promise of a Dairy Queen blizzard that spurred him along. That water was CAold.

Isaac during  his blue with green stripe test.

Omaha -- some sight-seeing after one of their games

 Jake, Mitch and Paddy all won shirts for pitching in one of the many booths set up for the College World Series

and more baseball

 Yes -- we are all tired and it's only the beginning of July! 

Even with the crazy schedule we're all happy, healthy and loving our summer -- even Hannah.

Hope your summers are just as you want them to be.

I am looking forward to the week the kids are in camp -- not so much for the break from the kids but really for the break from the kids' activities.

Pompei Scavi, Italy

Yesterday we ventured out on our own to Pompei Scavi.  The night before we watched the BBC documentary of what happened when Mt. Vesuvius blew.  It was interesting and I highly recommend it, especially if you decide to visit.  The train ride there was about an hour. We took the train from Pozzuoli to Naples central station (Naples, Garabaldi) there we caught the train to Pompei.

The tickets into the museum were 11 Euros each (no discount for children, unless you are from an EU country).

We really like the Steve Reeves' Italy tour guide (well my brother and his wife really like it and we agree, it was very helpful). He mentioned to buy the Pompei guide in the book store and take it along with you during your walking trip.

One of the houses with some steps.  Jason's stepping out of a little alcove.

Ampitheatre, the guide book said it was built in the Hellinistic style.  

 It's amazing how these cobblestone streets from so long ago are so well-preserved.  It reminded me of the streets in the older section of Naples, and we wondered if this area of Pompei would have looked similar to Naples today if a Volcano hadn't erupted and buried it.

 Mt. Vesuvius....doesn't look all that intimidating.  

 Picturesque well

 I finally let someone else have the camera...more cityscapes. Below, and you can't see was a gathering area for people during intermission, before and after the entertainment from the ampitheatre. In the last years of Pompei, it's where the gladiators bunked.

 A fountain.  There were some that were working fountains with modern spigots that people could use now.

 Beautifully done and preserved mosaic

 Another mosaic

 The people of Pompei would flood the streets in order to clean them.  They placed these stepping stones periodically through the town so that people could cross. One stone for small streets, two for the larger streets, three for the main thorough fairs.  There was enough clearance and room between the stones and streets ends in order for a chariot to pass.

 One of the bath houses.  There were forty bakeries and thirty brothels in Pompei. Just in case that's ever a question on Jeopardy you can answer it, otherwise not information anyone needs to know.

 One of the bakeries

 Me with Mt. Vesuvius in the back ground. This was the entrance to one of the Forums.

 The Forum. This was Jake's expression, before we decided to bribe give them financial incentive to have a better attitude. 10$ each if they didn't complain the rest of the trip and another 10$ each if they were enthusiastic and asked thoughtful questions.  

 I'm always amazed how nature will find away, here's a small bush growing out of a ruined column.

 Top of a column from the Temple of Venus.

 The Basilica is the courthouse next to the Forum.  Churches that we call Basilicas took their floor plan from structures such as these.  I love it when I learn something new.  

 This was from a vendor. This little hole would have fire in it and they would put food in the top to keep in warm.

 One of the entrances to Pompeii   At night they would close the bigger gate (archway) and only keep the smaller one open, to help protect its citizens.  The bay of Naples actually came very close to this area during the time of Pompeii.  The guide book said you could even see some of the rings where the boats would moor. I couldn't see them though.  I didn't look really hard either.

 Another temple, can't remember to whom?

 Look, he's smiling, our incentive program is working so far.

 Next to the ampitheatre, this is where people would gather and in the last years of Pompei, the gladiators bunked.

 Jason and I thought it was interesting that they built patterns within the brick. We wondered if this was a decoration or an actual directional sign.

 Another shot of the Basilica

 Isaac hanging out on one of the 'benches' over two thousand years old...you're not going to find that in the States.  

 Temple to Hercules and Mt. Vesuvius

 One of the things they did to increase the safety and longevity of the structure is to put the stones in a diagonal pattern.

 Leaving Pompei and back in Pozzuoli where my brother, son and his wife live. They have the middle unit in this building.  The siblings and their families of the person who owns this unit live in the one above and below.  It's a very cultural phenomenon that families live is such close proximity to each other. 

Today it's the museum. It's raining so no hiking Mt. Vesuvius for us.  Tomorrow and Friday - Rome.