The Colorado Springs Cupcake Truck

You may have noticed a trend toward food trucks in big cities these last few years, and what a great idea it is! Park your truck wherever you want, instead of being stuck in one location, and sell your goodies all over town! Now in Colorado Springs, when it comes to food trucks we mostly see tacos and the like, and I've seen a crepes truck around here somewhere (and I'm dying to try it!). But a few days ago I heard about the cupcake truck, and oooooooooooo I had to track it down and get me a cupcake! :o) The Springs Cupcake Truck guy makes an update on Facebook every few hours to let you know what part of town he's in, and he's already got almost 2,000 followers. Yesterday Pat and I were on the east side of town, and I checked Facebook on my Blackberry -- whaddya know, the Springs Cupcake Truck was at Flintridge and Academy! Of course we got over there as soon as possible and bought a couple of cupcakes. I had pistachio and Pat had vanilla. So yummy! The cupcake guy offers many other inspired flavors, such as spiced chai, mocha, zippy lemon, chocolate ginger, red velvet... every day is something new!

Below are the spoils of our cupcake adventure. I had to photograph them quickly because more than anything we just wanted to gobble them up ;o)

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New Covenant Church, on the corner of Weber and Platte. I was stuck at the traffic light there right around 6:00pm and couldn't resist getting a snap -- it just looked so pretty in the late afternoon light. Speaking of churches, a much grander church, on the other side of the planet, is filling up with wedding guests as I type this, and the entire world is watching. The excitement is building as Kate Middleton and Prince William prepare to tie the knot! Best wishes to our British friends across the pond, and congratulations on your royal wedding!

Welcome to the rock!

Castle Rock, that is. Here's the mesa for which the city of Castle Rock (40 miles north of Colorado Springs) is named, photographed on a rare gloomy day. There's a trail originating in Rock Park that will take you up to the base of it. I imagine from up there you would have a pretty good view! One of these days Pat and I will have to take that hike. When we do, I'll take a picture of the view for you :o)

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A bronze sculpture that lives in front of the downtown branch of the Pikes Peak Library District.

The Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel ceiling

Looking at yesterday's picture, you can see why a person may forget to look up when they're visiting the Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel, but oh you should definitely take in the ceiling! I was there a couple of weekends ago shooting a wedding, and I remembered to look up so I could capture this image for you :o) Isn't it amazing? I stood where I reckoned was dead center and shot straight up using a 19mm lens. The Cadet Chapel has 17 spires, all of them adorned with sapphire blue stained glass. It's simply glorious -- like standing inside a jewel. And yes, it's an amazing place to get married!

The Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel interior

I captured this image of the interior of the USAFA Cadet Chapel a couple of weekends ago as I was shooting a wedding. It looks empty here, both because the wedding hadn't started yet and because the space is designed to accomodate 1,200 people, if you can believe that! I've shot many weddings here and never seen it even 25% full. It's really an amazing space, beautiful and bright, with floor to ceiling stained glass, and rich with all the great hallmarks of midcentury design. It's always a treat to cover weddings at the Cadet Chapel!

The US Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel

I was at the Air Force Academy (USAFA for short) shooting a wedding a couple of weekends ago at the famous Cadet Chapel, and captured a few images that I thought would be nice for the blog. Here's the exterior of the chapel, designed by Walter Netsch and completed in 1962. You can see why it's a big tourist attraction. It's one of the most interesting structures I've ever seen, and it's truly an icon of modernist/midcentury design. Tomorrow I'll show you the interior.

[And if you'd like to see pictures from the wedding, click HERE!]

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Waves on the surface of Prospect Lake, not far from my house. See yesterday's post for a wider view.

Prospect Lake

Pat and I went for a walk around Prospect Lake yesterday at twilight. The water seemed awfully low, but as we rounded the north end of the lake we saw that it was rapidly being filled via a chute. I hope the next time we go the water line will be back where it's supposed to be. This shot was taken on the southeast end of the lake, looking toward the northwest. That's Pikes Peak on the left (of course you recognize it!). I love Prospect Lake this time of day, it's so peaceful and beautiful.

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Here's a closer view of yesterday's eastern redbuds. What a lovely way for Mother Nature to usher in springtime!

Spring has sprung!

A sure sign of spring in the Springs is the appearance of these lovely pink blossoms. You'll find these flowery trees all over the city, but they're especially concentrated around the downtown and west-side neighborhoods, and they're called eastern redbud (I think). Every year I look for them, and they really lift my spirits! They seem to have bloomed a little early this year. It must be because we've had a very mild and dry winter, with the exception of one obnoxiously cold snap in early February. The trees and plants are getting an early start. I'm okay with that!

Above the fruited plain!

Here's the large placard that adorns America the Beautiful park, not far from my house. As you know, Katharine Lee Bates wrote the words to this famous song as a poem after visiting Pikes Peak. She was inspired by the view from up there (and who wouldn't be?). Every American kid learned the words to this song in school. I must say that as a child I couldn't figure out what the heck a "fruited plain" was, and I'm still not quite sure! Ha! I guess it means that our plains are fruitful. Although I can't help imagining an airplane with fruit all over it ;o) And I never learned the second verse, did you? Here it is, in case you can't read the placard on the photo:

"O beautiful for pilgrim feet,
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!"

Huh? Okay, I guess it made a lot more sense in 1893!

The Thunderbird Airmanship Overlook

After I snapped yesterday's photo from the side of the road, I decided not to be so lazy about it and actually drove across to the aircraft display so I could get a better shot. It turns out there was a second plane (or jet, I suppose) in the same area, which I hadn't noticed from my bad vantage point. I'm glad I made the effort. This display is in honor of Thunderbird airmanship. By the way I think this is a T-38 Talon; those of you who know more about aircraft than I do, please correct me if I'm wrong.

If you're an Air Force brat like me, the Thunderbirds are a big deal! I'm sure you've heard of them. These guys are the aerial team that perform death defying stunts in their jets, eliciting oooohs and aaaaahs at every Air Force Academy graduation, when dignitaries or presidents visit, and at air shows all over. I think every guy I've ever known (and a few girls, for that matter) has daydreamed at one time or another of being a member of this very elite team!

It's a bird, it's a plane!

I've been spending a lot of time on the Air Force Academy lately -- I had a wedding there last weekend, and this weekend I participated in a bridal fair on base. Four visits in eight days, that's got to be some kind of personal record! Normally I rarely go to the Air Force Academy, my only reason to visit being the occasional wedding. Months or even a year or more can go by in between times. So as I was leaving yesterday, I resolved to get a picture of at least one of the aircraft that are scattered all around the Academy (for those of us who grew up on and around military bases, a sight like this is perfectly normal). I pulled over to the side of the road and grabbed a quick shot from a distance. I don't know what kind of plane this is but I'm sure my brother could tell you. It's definitely a military thing to use actual planes as decor! I love that.

It's Record Store Day!

Did you know that today is Record Store Day? That's right! It's a day in celebration of good old fashioned vinyl. While Pat and I were in Denver on Wednesday we stopped by Wax Trax, which is only the best record store in the entire universe. In the '80s I visited Wax Trax as frequently as I could muster. I bought so many records there! Many, many happy hours were spent in this place. Actually, I still have every single record I've ever bought, going all the way back to childhood, so you could say I'm a collector. Many of them have the Wax Trax sticker on them, especially the punk and alternative rarities. Wax Trax is split up into two stores: one for CDs and one for vinyl. You can see a small section of the vinyl store above, with Pat flipping intently through the bins in search of treasure. It was plenty busy in there. I assure you, vinyl's not dead!

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Here's Pat at the Denver Art Museum on Wednesday, waiting for me to come out of the bathroom. He didn't know I was taking his picture ;o) The good thing about waiting around the DAM is you're never bored. There's always something interesting to look at!

The Denver Art Museum

Yesterday Pat and I went to one of my favorite places, the Denver Art Museum. The photo above shows the south facade of the wing that houses the museum's restaurant; the words are actually a conceptual art piece by Lawrence Weiner.

Pat hadn't been to the DAM in quite a while and he was wanting to catch their current exhibition, "Blink! Light, Sound & the Moving Image" before it closed, so we made a special trip up to Denver just to check it out. There were all kinds of thought-provoking pieces, including an exceptionally creative one by Maria Friberg (a snippet of which you can view in the video below). It was suspended from the ceiling and meant to be viewed from underneath. Pretty cool!

If you live in the area and have an opportunity to get to the DAM before May 1st, you should really take an afternoon to check out this exhibit. I promise you'll enjoy it!

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I was in Denver last month on THIS photo shoot, and as we left our last location I noticed how fabulous the flag looked whipping in the blustery wind, with the late afternoon light shining through it. Very dramatic -- had to get a snap of it for the blog!

Pikes Peak, alone

It's always there, looming in the background, so obviously you've seen lots of pictures of it here, but I don't think I've ever posted a picture of just Pikes Peak on my blog. I was in the Garden of the Gods the other day, at the High Point, which has a wonderful view. So I took a picture just for you :^)

Interesting...

I was in the Garden of the Gods the other day, giving an out-of-town friend "the tour", when we came across this formation just beyond the famous Balanced Rock. I've never noticed before, but the rock on the left looks just like a bird's head. Do you see it?

Huh?

I found this funny sign the other day in front of the Colorado Springs Running Company, on the corner of Tejon and Cache la Poudre. Huh? I think the sign underneath must say "fines doubled for speeding". "Sidewalk closed for speeding" doesn't make a whole lot of sense!

A sad accident

On Friday I was driving home from my studio and came across a car accident on the corner of Hancock and Uintah streets. Sometimes I try to take pictures of accident scenes for the blog, but I never get a good shot because my compact camera really isn't very good for such off-the-hip kind of photography. But true to form, I dutifully snapped a photo of the police officer taking pictures of the scene, and surprisingly I got a decent shot. The driver of the car had already been transported to the hospital, where I heard she later died. So sad. According to news reports, she had drifted across the line into the other lane, jumped the curb and hit a very large tree. I don't think this would have been fatal if she'd been wearing a seatbelt, but unfortunately she was not belted in.

I hate hearing stories like this. Fastening your seatbelt will save your life! In college I was in a horrible accident that I assure you would have killed or crippled me, but I walked away unscathed because of my seatbelt. Meanwhile one of my friends, aged 19, was in a rollover accident and was ejected from her car and pinned under it for hours. The accident permanently paralyzed her from the waist down. I wish she had worn her seatbelt. I wish the driver of the car in this picture had too. It's really sad to see an accident like this and know that such a simple act would have prevented a tragedy. I feel for her family.

The mayoral race heats up

Yesterday was election day. I voted on Monday (that's me in the picture, casting my ballot). Our city is ready for a new mayor, and the field was crowded. There was a clear front runner, Richard Skorman, and I was really hoping he would win! Unfortunately, though he received the most votes, he didn't have a clear majority (over 50%), so now we move to a run-off, which I understand will happen next month. This probably means a LOT more political commercials for us to endure! I truly think he's the best candidate: he has a clear, thought-out plan of action for our city, he's experienced (having served on city council for many years, and as our vice mayor), and he's an extremely reasonable and likeable person. He's also a small business owner, something that's near and dear to my heart!

And so we brace ourselves for more campaigning and another nerve-wracking election day. I certainly hope Mr. Skorman wins, for the sake of our city!

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The narrow alleyway between Swirl Wine Emporium and the building next door. I like the "secret passageway" feeling of it. I took this as I was leaving my friend Mark's opening the other night (see previous two posts). I think I'd like to do a photoshoot in this alley. It's pretty cool, don't you think?

More Mark Wong

Here's more of Mark's art at Swirl Wine Emporium Friday night (see yesterday's post). I'm lucky enough to own a few pieces. I think Mark's incredibly talented. He's also hilariously funny. Or punny, I should say. I've never known anyone who could come up with a groaner like Mark can. And speaking of art... I've donated one of my Colorado Springs Daily Photo images to a worthy cause! One of my readers is conducting a silent auction in order to raise funds for the adoption of a six year-old Ethiopian boy. Here is the image, which will be archivally printed at 8x12" and signed by the artist (me!):

No matter where you live, you can bid on it and many more goodies on Kelley's blog, Puree Away. Not only could you win a one of a kind art piece, you'll be helping a family to complete itself.

Mark Wong at Swirl Wine Emporium

My friend, potter and clay artist Mark Wong, currently has a show hanging at Swirl Wine Emporium in Manitou Springs. Here are some of his pieces hanging from the footbridge above the private patio behind the building, captured Friday night at the opening. It's a good place to enjoy a glass of wine and some local art.

La Casita

Oh, the yumminess! Whenever I'm craving a cheap and cheerful Mexican repast, I usually head over to La Casita. Their tortillas are the best! La Casita sprung up sometime in the 80's -- I remember the first location, on South Nevada and I-25, was open 24 hours, which meant that it quickly became the place to go after a night of partying. I imagine they got sick of dealing with sloppy drunk people (who, me?) in the wee hours, because they quickly changed their schedule to align with other restaurants. The original La Casita had to be relocated when the I-25 and S. Nevada interchange expanded; but happily the business grew into three locations around town, all of them painted this signature pink. I love La Casita. It's a local favorite for good reason, the salsa is amazing, and like I said, the tortillas are awesome. And it's a local business, not a chain, yay!

Theme Day: Edges

It's the first of the month -- Theme Day! April's theme is edges. Here's a very cool new building that went up last year on the edge of Monument Valley Park, just south of the Colorado College. For years it was an empty lot infested with Chinese elm (I hate Chinese elm with a passion!). When they started building there, Pat and I wondered what was in store. It turned out to be very cool, modern, expensive condos. We figure if we ever win the lotto we'll buy one. I do think it's a nice candidate for Theme Day -- it has a lot of well-defined edges that make it architecturally very interesting and pleasing to the eye.

All around the world, City Daily Photo bloggers are posting their Theme Day pictures. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants!