Work Smarter, Not Harder

Pat and I love sending and receiving Christmas cards, but this year we got a little behind on Christmas in general, thus the rush to get cards addressed and mailed in time was a little stressful. On top of that, Pat had a hard time finding cards that fit our sentiment and aesthetic while still being reasonably affordable. We decided to be smart about it for next year: buy Christmas cards now, just after Christmas when they're on sale, and mail them at the beginning of December. Our goal was to take care of card shopping over the weekend, so we stopped in at Barnes & Noble yesterday and were surprised to see how crowded it was, although you can't tell from this photo. As it turns out, everything in the store was on sale, not just Christmas cards, and plenty of people were there taking advantage of the bargains. You'd think they'd be tired of shopping by now, but I guess not. As for me, I was just grateful that I wasn't subjected to any more Christmas music. 😉

Merry Christmas 2025!

We made it! I saved the most festive house for today's post. This one's located on La Salle in sort of the Venetian Village area, bordering on Patty Jewett. Look at all the fun lights! This one is definitely my favorite!

For my readers who celebrate it, Merry Christmas! Joyeux Noel! Maligayang Pasko! Mele Kalikimaka ame Hauoli Makahiki Hou! Feliz Navidad! Milad Majid! Glædelig Jul! Feliz Natal! Shinnen omedeto! Buone Feste Natalizie! Nollaig chridheil huibh! Hristos se rodi! Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu! Selamat Hari Natal!

Peace on earth and goodwill to all!

Christmas Week 2025 (Part 3)

Here's a festive McMansion in the Broadmoor. This is a seriously wealthy neighborhood so the homeowners probably had someone come and do this work for them. It looks nice, though.

Christmas Week 2025 (Part 2)

Another big home on Wood Avenue, a couple of blocks south of the one in yesterday's post. It practically looks like a movie set. So pretty.

Christmas Week 2025 (Part 1)

I thought I'd share a handful of festively decorated houses with you in the days leading up to Christmas this week. Here's a big ol' mansion on Wood Avenue.

Sunday Style!

I know I've been sharing chic Londoners with you these last few Sundays, but we interrupt this programming to bring you my 89 year-old mom, Aurora, who took me to lunch on Friday dressed quite festively in Christmas green, including her jewelry. My mom always looks great!

The Final Countdown

Only five days to Christmas! A couple of weekends ago I went with friends to see the Ho Ho at the Millibo, which is an annual comedic sort of cabaret with very adult humor (definitely not for kids!). Most of the performers are friends of mine and this event never fails to be hilarious, but this year it was extra, extra funny. Or maybe we all just really needed to laugh more than usual, all things considered. Here's "Stephen Miller" about to shoot Santa (with a large candycane) because he perceives Santa to be an intruder. Sigh. Why does this actually seem like something Stephen Miller would do, except with a real gun? We are living in strange times, my friends. Anyway, I can't wait for Christmas and for the days to start getting longer again, let's look on the bright side!

And now, for your listening pleasure...

It's frah-JEE-lay!

Have you ever seen A Christmas Story? It's only the best Christmas movie ever made! For the uninitiated, it chronicles one Christmas of a boy named Ralphie in 1940-ish Indiana. It's very nostalgic and also very, very funny. If you grew up there, you know this film totally nails winter in the American midwest. As for me, I was born in Wisconsin, so believe me I get it! Anyway, in the film there's a hilarious vignette in which Ralphie's father has won a rather unsightly lamp in the shape of a woman's leg clad in a fishnet stocking. Naturally the mom is horrified while Ralphie and his little brother are titillated. Worse yet, Dad proudly positions the lamp in the front window of their home, in full view of the street. Ultimately Mom wins the battle by "accidentally" breaking the lamp. So funny! This house on Nevada Avenue displays a replica of the infamous "leg lamp" every Christmas, and I managed to get a shot of it this year. 

A Gift to Myself

Here's the antique typewriter that I bought at Platte Furniture just after Christmas. The tag said "1917" on it, although I don't know if they meant that was the year it was made or if it was some kind of internal inventory number. I'm going to try and figure that out. Meanwhile, I'm just admiring this nice little machine! I've been looking for an old typewriter for a long time, so I'm very happy to have found one.

It Sees All

I took these pictures at Platte Furniture a little after Christmas, then forgot to share them. I was there furniture shopping with my friend Jenn, who needed to replace her dining room table. Platte Furniture deals in used furnishings, but they're pretty discerning about what they take and you can usually find something cool. I didn't realize that they have a huge basement cordoned off by a velvet rope. An employee needs to grant you access and what we found down there was awesome: an art gallery! And also more cool furniture. They even do a First Friday Art Walk every month, just like all the other galleries. I was taken by this piece, but what I ended up buying was an antique typewriter (which I mentioned a few days ago in THIS post). Good stuff! I'm going to have to hit up their First Fridays one of these days.

Sunday Style!

I went furniture shopping with my friend Jenn on the weekend after Christmas. Jenn was on the hunt for a dining room table, and I was on the hunt for nothing at all but ended up with a lovely antique typewriter. Anyway, this young woman worked at the store where we were shopping. She may need to wear this plain grey shirt to work, but that doesn't mean she can't style herself up in other ways. She had a look!

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!

Hope you're having a great day today! Here's a house near my parents' neighborhood that really gets into the Christmas spirit. I took a picture of it during daytime (below), but decided to return with Pat later that night so we could see it in all its glory. Too fun. Have a great Christmas and start to Hanukkah!

DeGraff

Here's the DeGraff Building, taken on December 23rd, the Saturday before Christmas. Downtown was hoppin'!

Merry Christmas 2023!

Merry Christmas to all my readers who celebrate it! I don't have any snowy images to show you today, so here's Pulpit Rock again. I realize that I just posted a snap of it last Thursday. This was taken the next day, Friday, from the vantage point of the parking lot of the Ent Center for the Arts. This time I had a long lens with me, and you can clearly see a number of people on top of this striking rock formation. I count at least nine humans and one adventurous dog.

Modbo Ho Ho at the Millibo

The Modbo was a popular local art gallery owned and operated by my friend Lauren, and after a long run she closed up shop several months ago. (Sob!) Every year, Lauren would put on a very irreverent and decidedly PG rated nod to the holidays called the Modbo Ho Ho, and I'm sorry to say that I never once went to see it. But even though the Modbo is no more, I'm happy to report that the Ho Ho lives on, only now it's at the Millibo Art Theater in Ivywild, and I finally went to see it last weekend. I laughed so hard that my face hurt by the end of the night. What also added to the fun is that most of the players were friends or acquaintances of mine, and it seemed like what friends I had that weren't onstage were in the audience. It's awesome when you go out for a fun event and run into so many people that you love.

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I have lots of cool pictures to share with you over the coming days, but no time to deal with them just yet, so I'm digging out one from the vault today. Please enjoy these birds in flight over the Broadmoor on Christmas Eve of 2009. See you tomorrow!

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A little Garden of the Gods goodness on Christmas Eve. I love this place.

Merry Christmas 2022!

I went out to lunch with my good friend Jennifer yesterday to exchange gifts, and she chose Fargo's Pizza for the location. It's a local favorite that I don't frequent often enough, even though it's in my neighborhood. Anyway, since I was more or less dressed like a Christmas elf in my green coat and red scarf, Jenn took a few kooky pictures of me in the parking lot. Apparently I was full of Christmas cheer (and pizza)!

For my readers who celebrate Christmas, have a happy day! I hope you have tons of fun, hang out with the people you love and who love you, and eat way too much!

Duty Bound

The last Saturday before Christmas, everyone in Colorado Springs seemed to be downtown on the hunt for the perfect present, including this little family.

Edit: I just realized that next Saturday is the Saturday before Christmas, it'll be Christmas Eve! Thankfully I'm finished with all of my holiday shopping. How about you?

The Hunter and the Hunted

I'm seeing lots of Christmas trees strapped to cars and trucks all of a sudden. It must be that time! Do you use a real tree or a fake one? I've always used a fake one myself.