Kimball's Twin Peak Cinema

If you've been wondering where to see foreign, independent and art films in Colorado Springs, this is the place. Kimball's has been featuring "small" films for a couple of decades now. Before Kimball bought it, it was simply known as the Peak (or Twin Peak because it has two screens). Back then it wasn't always arty films -- I remember seeing Weekend at Bernie's there ;o) Since Kimball acquired it in the early '90s, though, it has consistently featured the kind of films you'd be hard-pressed to find at the local mega-multiplex. Plus they have the coolest neon sign in town! I'll take a photo of it by night one of these days and share it with you here.

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A very adorable little duck in Monument Valley Park the other day. I love summer.

Stallions and... the space shuttle?

This rather odd mural has been part of our downtown landscape since the 1980s. I'm not sure exactly when it was painted on the east-facing wall of the World Savings Building, but I think I first noticed it when I started working at Shewmaker's Camera Shop in 1988. I've never figured out exactly what it's supposed to mean (a metaphysical parallel between mustangs running free and space flight? a quantum leap from the stone age to the space age?), and I must admit I've always been curious. Unfortunately I can't really find any info on it, other than the fact that it was painted by local artist Kim Polomka. I have unwittingly blogged about three other of Mr. Polomka's murals over the last couple of years (here, here and here)! Since this is his fourth appearance on my blog, Mr. Polomka is officially The Artist Most Blogged About on Colorado Springs Daily Photo. A dubious honor, indeed ;o) In fact, Mr. Polomka is currently working on a new mural that should be done fairly soon -- I'll make sure to share it with you guys when that happens.

The butterfly effect

Last year I noticed these large butterfly sculptures all over downtown, and thought it was just remarkably cheerful public art. Then last month I saw one at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort, pretty far from downtown, and it occurred to me that maybe there was some kind of connection. I'm a little slow, though, so I didn't figure it out. I really need to be spoon fed when it comes to stuff like this ;o) Yesterday I made a quick stop to the heart of downtown on my way to the studio, expressly to find and photograph a butterfly. I found this beauty, "The Contrast" by Prachi Vanage, at the intersection of Pikes Peak and Tejon (what is literally known as Busy Corner, don't you just love that?). And in photographing it I came across some flyers in a dispenser, explaining what all these colorful butterflies are for: it's a project called Butterflies & Friends. Sponsored by the Rotary Club and many local donors, it exists to benefit school programs for the arts, including music, dance and visual art. I think that is FANTASTIC! This year's recipients are Rogers Elementary (not far from my house) and Twain Elementary. I can really, really get my heart and head around a project like this. My own education in the arts and music started when I was very young, and it benefitted me beyond description. I wouldn't be the person I am today if I hadn't been exposed to the arts my whole life -- it completely formed me. I even got an art degree at university, and as you know I'm a full time professional photographer. I wholeheartedly adore this project, I'm only sorry that I didn't hear about it sooner!

The butterflies are all over town, and they're all painted by local artists. Some of them are quite large, some are smaller. All of them are beautiful. Wouldn't it be wonderful to own one? Well you can! They will all be auctioned off on September 17th at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort. You can also buy a $5 raffle ticket to win THIS butterfly. Oh oh oh, it would look soooooo nice in my garden! I'm buying a raffle ticket today!

The Uncle Wilber Fountain

Where do the local kiddos go to cool off during these hot summer days? The Uncle Wilber Fountain, of course! It's an interactive (to say the least!) public artwork located on the northeast corner of Bijou and Tejon streets, in Acacia Park. Uncle Wilber's cooling jets of water are meant to be frolicked in, and all summer long you'll find scores of rambunctious kids engaging in this unique way of beating the heat. Every fifteen minutes or so "Uncle Wilber" emerges from the inner workings of the fountain, playing his tuba while the water dances all around him, much to the delight of onlookers.

I think the Uncle Wilber Fountain is a wonderful expression of our funky downtown, and it's a fun (and free!) way for families to while away a hot summer afternoon.

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Here's a photo I shot last month at a wedding in Manitou, at the Briarhurst Manor. I believe this is Fountain Creek. This year I booked a lot of weddings at the Briarhurst, so I am constantly looking for new and different angles on shooting there so everyone's pictures don't look the same. There's a cute bridge that spans this creek, hidden among the trees. I think my next Briarhurst wedding will have to feature it, don't you? :o)

The community garden at Dorchester Park

The Dorchester Park Community Garden, inaugurated last year, exists to grow fresh food organically for the Marian House soup kitchen, the Springs Rescue Mission and the Urban Peak youth shelter. Clients of the soup kitchen and shelters take part in the gardening, which I think is great. There's something wonderful about growing the food that you eat.

Not for the faint of heart!

How would you like to have this man's job? Park your cherry picker in the middle of a very busy intersection (Union and Platte), in the middle of the day, in the middle of the week, and install a new traffic signal? As for me, I'm glad my job involves none of the above!

What's growing in YOUR garden?

Here's what's growing in mine! Lots of delicious little tomatoes. I also have corn, zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, cucumbers, and a variety of herbs. It's been a mercilessly hot summer so far -- I think the tomatoes are enjoying it; the other veggies, not so much.

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The cornerstone of the City Auditorium, on the southwest corner of Kiowa and Weber streets downtown.

Double-crested cormorant

Or at least that's what I think this is! I'm no birder, so if anyone out there knows anything different, please correct me. I noticed this lovely specimen yesterday at the duck pond in Monument Valley Park while doing some family portraits. I thought he was so beautiful, I stuck around afterward and took his portrait too :o)

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Last night's sunset over downtown was a looker!

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A shot of the large whooping cranes sculpture that sits just north of the Cascade Park Apartments, not far from the Colorado College.

What's making me sneeze

Epic hayfever this year! This stupid weed is just one of many culprits, I'm sure. I took this photo in Black Forest the other day, while on a shoot. A shoot plagued by allergies, that is.

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If you drive to the very top of Palmer Park, there's an overlook that gives you a virtually unimpeded 360 degree view of the entire city. This photo was taken three evenings ago from the overlook, facing northwest.

The Royal Tavern in Manitou Springs

I took this photo last month while shooting a wedding -- this was actually a test shot to gauge the lighting for some bride and groom portraits (for the curious, the wedding can be seen HERE). The Royal Tavern is right on Manitou's main drag, Manitou Avenue, in the heart of their tiny downtown. When I was in college I always wanted to go there, drawn as I am to dive bars, but was too chicken because there were always tons of Harley Davidsons parked outside. At the time, Manitou was a little less yuppified and a little more biker-fied ;o) Now lots of people seem to hang out at the Royal Tavern; its tough biker reputation has mellowed a bit over the years. Maybe I'll go and check it out one of these days.

Lost in suburbia

On Tuesday I had the rather unfamiliar (and unwelcome) experience of being lost in my own city! I have lived here for practically my whole life and I don't believe I've ever been lost before. Tuesday I was tasked with picking up a friend at the airport; I arrived about half an hour early and was having a bit of a, ahem, how shall I describe this... bladder emergency. We all know how expensive parking is at an airport, so I decided to cruise around the neighboring area in search of a convenience store. Driving westward on the Milton Proby Parkway, I eventually ended up in an area I've never been before, and then I found myself dumped onto another, larger and more busy road, heading south. I had no idea where I was. It took me a minute or two to realize that I was on Academy Boulevard! Academy is the main north/south artery of our city. This means that I was driving on our largest, busiest, most recognizable road and didn't know it. How crazy is that? Of course I've been on that stretch of Academy many times, but it's so generic that it could have been anywhere, and finding myself driving on it so unexpectedly was completely disorienting.

Here's a shot of the sound barrier wall on the Milton Proby Parkway. No offense to those who live in that neighborhood, but to a downtowner it really all looks the same out there!

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It's been several days since I've had a chance to blog. Sorry, gentle readers! Wedding season is eating me alive, but I'm having fun! Here's a photo I snapped on Wednesday night from Bambino's Restaurant on Circle and Platte: Pikes Peak at twilight through a screen of rain droplets. The LPGA US Open is in town, at the Broadmoor, which means the best women golfers on the planet (including a 13 year-old!) are in Colorado Springs right now. Alas, they're experiencing our crazy, unpredictable weather. On Tuesday it was nearly 100 degrees out -- way too hot for comfort -- and on Wednesday the temps were 20 degrees cooler and it rained like crazy!

Theme day: the color green

It's the first of the month -- theme day for City Daily Photo bloggers! This month's theme is the color green. There are a lot of great colors in this photo, but I think the green "OPEN" really stands out the most.

CDP bloggers worldwide are posting their interpretations of the color green today! Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.