A New Establishment

Our resident celebrity chef, Brother Luck, has recently opened a new establishment in the space formerly occupied by an earlier endeavor of his, Lucky Dumpling. Before it was Lucky Dumpling it was a great bar called the Triple Nickel, which was adversely affected by the pandemic but soon reemerged in a new space just about a block south of there, so all's well that ends well I suppose. I never did sample the fare at Lucky Dumpling. This new place, called the Tipperary Cocktail Parlor, seems to be its polar opposite: it's drinks oriented and has an Irish theme! I guess I'll have to grab a couple of girlfriends and check it out one of these days, because it sure looks cool.

A Jan Ruhtenberg House

This is one of my favorite houses in Colorado Springs, because I have a lifelong obsession with Midcentury Modern architecture and design (as I'm sure you already know, if you're a longtime reader of this blog) and this one is a standout. It can be found at the western terminus of Fontanero Street where it ends at Monument Valley Park -- forgive me but the name of the cross street escapes me (Alamo, possibly?). This pocket neighborhood west of Wood Avenue has many older historic mansions, but also a few more normal homes that were built in the 1960s or so. And then there's this gem. I just love this house! My brother Chuck and I were admiring it last month and he mentioned that it was designed by the famous architect Jan Ruhtenberg, who was a close friend of Philip Johnson and who lived and worked here in Colorado Springs for years. Apparently a handful of other Ruhtenberg homes still survive here; I'll see if I can track them down and get some pictures for the blog.

The Myron Stratton Home (Part 1)

Winfield Scott Stratton was a well known Colorado Springs philanthropist who derived his great wealth from the gold rush. Early in his career, he was a carpenter earning $3 a day before striking it rich (very rich) in the Pikes Peak or Bust era of gold mining in Cripple Creek. Mr. Stratton generously deployed his newfound prosperity to help his community, donating land to the city and giving assistance to the poor. He originally created the Myron Stratton Home (named after his father) as a home and farm for the destitute. In his words, it was "a free home for poor persons who are without means of support and who are physically unable by reason of old age, youth, sickness or other infirmity to earn a livelihood." Over time it has evolved into a compound housing a consortium of non profit organizations that offer assistance to the poor and the elderly. It also provides housing for some lucky senior citizens, including my friend Sarah's grandmother, who is nearly a century old. I'll show you more of this beautiful campus tomorrow.

Library Mosaic (Part 5)

This section of the mosaic is fun because of what's to the left of it: a tile featuring Nikola Tesla, one of our more famous former residents. You can read more about his brief but fruitful tenure here in THIS post.

Tomorrow is Sunday Style, and on Monday I'll finish with this series.

Four by Brother Luck

If you're a fan of the TV cooking competition show "Top Chef", you've probably heard of Colorado Springs chef and restaurateur Brother Luck. He's also appeared on "Last Chance Kitchen", "Beat Bobby Flay" (he won!) and "Chopped", where he was eliminated in the final round. So he's kind of a big deal in our city's foodie scene. He opened a new restaurant, Four by Brother Luck, a couple of years ago. It's on Tejon, across the street from Poor Richard's. I've yet to dine at Four, primarily because it's really a restaurant for carnivores, so I don't qualify! By all accounts it's fantastic. I know we've got plenty of amazing chefs here who haven't gone the cooking competition TV show route like Brother Luck has, and they all deserve recognition. That said, it's pretty cool to have such a renowned chef in Colorado Springs. If you're visiting the city, you should make Four one of your dining destinations.

House of Dreams

I love this house! It sits right up next to Palmer Park, only a couple of blocks from my brother's home. I love its midcentury modern lines, and it has a great pedigree, having been designed by Elizabeth Wright Ingraham, who was none other than Frank Lloyd Wright's granddaughter. Take a peek at the interior here: 2727 N Chelton Road. Pretty cool! By the way, I actually knew Elizabeth Wright Ingraham. She was a regular at the camera store where I worked for five years when I was in my twenties. She was quite a character and looked a lot like her famous grandfather. Ms. Ingraham designed many notable homes around here, and this is one of her best efforts. I wish I could buy it!

Happy birthday Nikola Tesla!

Happy 159th birthday to Nikola Tesla, the eccentric scientist and inventor who conducted some of his most famous experiments while living right here in Colorado Springs (in fact, less than a mile from my house!). This giant tribute to Mr. Tesla can be found on the east-facing wall of the building that houses West Side Tattoo.

Old Hollywood drama in Colorado Springs!

I took this photo in mid-March and am just now getting around to posting it. This wall at the Omelette Parlor, one of our favorite breakfast places, pays tribute to Ruth Etting, a famous singer and actress of the 1920s and '30s. An extremely popular recording artist, she had over sixty (!!!) hit songs, including "You Made Me Love You", "Mean to Me" (give that one a listen HERE, it's wonderful) and "Love Me or Leave Me". She was also a film star, appearing in three feature length films and a number of shorts. Ms. Etting led quite a colorful life before she chose to live out her retirement quietly in Colorado Springs. In 1938, she and her husband Myrl bought a property at 900 East Fillmore and lived there, also operating a supper club at that location called the T-Bone Club. I'm not clear on exactly when, but at some point the T-Bone Club became the Hackney House, which lasted for quite a long time there. 900 East Fillmore is now the Omelette Parlor.

Ruth's colorful life was so dramatic, a movie, "Love Me or Leave Me", was made of it 1955, starring Doris Day as Ruth and James Cagney as her malevolent gangster husband, Marty "The Gimp" Snyder. Her story was definitely film-worthy! Here are the highlights:

• Ruth was born in 1897 in David City, Nebraska. Her mother died when Ruth was only five years old. Ruth was raised by her grandparents, as her father remarried and disappeared from her life.
• At age 16 she moved to Chicago to attend art school. She got a job designing costumes at a nightclub, and was soon drawn into performing, eventually becoming their featured vocalist.
• Chicago was notorious for its violent gangsters during this time. In 1922, Ruth met and married Marty "The Gimp" Snyder, a member of the Chicago criminal underworld. He managed her career for many years, but their relationship was apparently not ideal.
• In 1927 she signed with the famous Ziegfeld Follies. This was where her career really began to take off. Soon she found herself in Hollywood, recording numerous hit songs and appearing in films. Ruth was scrupulous about saving money, investing, and living frugally. She made some wise investments in real estate in Los Angeles. Smart lady!
• In 1937 she divorced Marty on the grounds of cruelty and abandonment, paying him $50,000 in settlement (about $680,000 in today's money).
• Ruth then fell in love with her pianist, Myrl Alderman. This didn't sit well with her ex-husband. In a series of increasingly aggressive phone calls, Marty threatened to kill her and Myrl, causing Ruth to seek police protection.
• In 1938, Marty traveled to L.A. to make good on his threat. He tracked down Myrl at a recording studio, forcing Myrl at gunpoint to take him to Ruth. Marty's grown daughter from a previous marriage, Edith, was home with Ruth. Marty gathered Ruth, Myrl and Edith together, threatened to kill all of them, and shot Myrl. Edith then fired a gun at her father, but missed. The whole scene must have been incredibly dramatic!
• Marty was arrested and, after a sensational, complicated and public trial, convicted of attempted murder (although he apparently did very little time in prison). Ruth and Myrl married in Las Vegas in December of 1938. By then, Ruth was largely retired from entertaining. She and Myrl bought the property in Colorado Springs, where he was raised, and they lived here for the rest of their lives. Myrl died in 1966, and Ruth died in 1978, at age 81.

So there you have it. There's more to the story, so I'll refer you to her Wikipedia page if you want some interesting reading over your morning coffee. I've heard that, in addition to the T-Bone Club, Ruth and Myrl also reportedly co-owned Henri's Mexican Restaurant in Old Colorado City. If you're an long-time Colorado Springs resident like me, you'll remember it fondly -- especially the margaritas!

Ruth Etting in 1937, via IMDB.

The Unser family home

Even if you're not a huge fan of automobile racing in the U.S., you've probably heard the name Unser. Did you know that the famous racing dynasty started right here in Colorado Springs? The patriarch and matriarch of the family, Louis and Marie, emigrated here from Switzerland around the turn of the century. Their many progeny carry on the family racing tradition to this day, including racing up Pikes Peak in the PPIHC every July, from the very beginning of its history in 1916 (and they've certainly won it many times!). The family is now based in Albuquerque, I believe.

The original family home is on the 2700 block of West Colorado Avenue, in Old Colorado City. Basically it's the same address as the army surplus store that's been at that location for years. There is a small plaque on the building explaining its claim to fame. Apparently the plaque has been there since 1998, but I only noticed it a couple of years ago! I photographed it at that time but accidentally deleted the pictures, so yesterday Pat and I drove to the west side so I could retake them for you.

I notice that "descendants" is rather egregiously misspelled. Someone really ought to fix that.

I'll have one of these, please

Pat and I spotted this Tesla Model S downtown last Sunday. I sure wouldn't mind having one of these parked in my garage! (At anywhere from $69k to $105k, I guess I won't be buying one this week though.) I think it would be particularly appropriate to live in Colorado Springs and drive a Tesla, since Nikola Tesla lived here while conducting some pretty famous experiments.

Olympic figure skater Rachael Flatt at Acacia Park

On Saturday afternoon, 2010 US National Champion and 2010 Olympic figure skater Rachael Flatt graced the outdoor ice rink at Acacia Park with her presence. What a treat! Rachael lived and trained in Colorado Springs, so we consider her one of our hometown heroes (she had massive local support when she went to the Olympics, that's for certain). She wasn't at the park to give an exhibition of her talents, though; instead, she was on hand just to teach people how to ice skate! Several children took her up on her offer, and she graciously guided each one of them through the basics. It was a lot of fun to watch. And her tutelage worked -- they were practically ready for the Olympics by the time she was finished with them! There were a lot of people out on the ice today, enjoying the sunshine while the Pikes Peak Trombone Choir entertained us with Christmas carols. What a great day! I love our downtown at Christmastime!

The Pikes Peak Trombone Choir performed Christmas music while we enjoyed the sunshine. They sounded great! I'm notoriously not a fan of Christmas music but I truly enjoyed this.

Olympian Rachael Flatt on the ice.

Here she is, doing what she does best!

She gave this little girl quite a few pointers.

This guy glided along all afternoon with a happy smile on his face. He obviously loves to skate.

There was another impressive figure skater out on the ice, but I don't know who she was. I have a few friends who are connected to US Figure Skating, and I've asked them if they can tell me her name. I'll update this post when I know more.

She could really spin!

One more shot of Rachael Flatt, with her little posse of students. Cute!

Bobby Brown's 15 minutes of fame

Did you ever watch that reality show "Dog the Bounty Hunter"? It was on the air for quite a few years, but I think last year it was finally canceled. The star of the show was a guy named Duane Chapman, who went by the nickname "Dog", and his wife Beth. I believe there were also a couple of sons and/or daughters in the cast. They were all bounty hunters, which means their job was to hunt down people who have fled from the legal system -- either convicted criminals on the lam, suspected criminals on the lam, or people who have been charged with a crime but failed to show up for their day in court. This is what I call lowbrow entertainment, and I watched a handful of episodes because to be honest I found it quite funny -- especially Dog's and Beth's personal sartorial choices.  They both sported magnificent, bleached blond mullets, and Dog favored flamboyant, chunky jewelry, armbands, fingerless gloves, feathers, and assorted hardware. Beth always wore very tight clothes and had VERY long fingernails. They were ripe for caricature -- so much so that Pat and I once dressed as Dog and Beth for Halloween (it was hilarious).

Anyway, the show had a connection to Colorado Springs, because Dog was a close personal friend of a local bail bondsman/bounty hunter named Bobby Brown. Mr. Brown is somewhat of a celebrity in these parts. His office is on Nevada Avenue across from the the police station, and you can't miss it because it's painted a violent yellow color. I've driven past it a thousand times but never bothered to take a picture until now. "Dog the Bounty Hunter" filmed in Colorado Springs a few times, with Dog and Bobby always catching the bad guy (and as always Dog would give some kind of pep talk to the perp, trying to talk him out of his criminal ways).

Every now and then I've run into Bobby Brown running mundane errands. The last time I saw him was in King Soopers, grocery shopping. He's hard to miss, because, like his friend Dog, he's a flamboyant dresser: expensive cowboy boots; shiny, chunky jewelry; deep, deep, DEEP tan; and TONS of cologne. Yep, he's definitely a huge personality!

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!

Katharine Lee Bates

On the west side of the Pioneers Museum sits Katharine Lee Bates, facing toward Pikes Peak. In fact, from where she sits she has a perfect view of the mountain. Why does this statue of Ms. Bates rate such a prime piece of real estate? It's because, in 1893 while on a day trip to the summit of our famous mountain, she was inspired to pen the poem Pikes Peak. Her words were later put to music written by Samuel Ward, and thus one of our most beloved patriotic songs came to be: America the Beautiful. Of course we Americans all know and love that song, but I bet you didn't know that the lyrics were written right here in Colorado Springs and inspired by the breathtaking view from the summit of Pikes Peak!

I do believe Ms. Bates deserves this spot, don't you?

A note from Mrs. Schulz

I was surprised to receive a package in the mail today from Jeannie Schulz, the widow of beloved Peanuts creator Charles Schulz. She had come across my July 7th blog post about her late husband, and wrote me a brief but enlightening letter. She also very kindly enclosed a copy of the Comics Journal (No. 290, May 2008), which features several very personal, in depth articles about Mr. Schulz and about the somewhat controversial biography that was published after his death. I say "controversial" because the book tended to characterize Schulz as a morose or even mildly depressive man (I have read this elsewhere as well); some of those close to him, especially his son Monte, took issue with that characterization. The May 2008 Comics Journal seeks to explore the true character of Charles Schulz, starting with an essay by Monte Schulz (I regret to say that I haven't got time to read this material extensively though I wish I could, but it's wedding season and I'm going a little nuts here -- I am trying to just skim the various articles for now).

Anyway, I'm sure that Mrs. Schulz wants to make sure that both sides of the coin are revealed. Having been married to him for many years, she must have known her husband's character quite well! When a person is famous, a certain amount of mythology evolves around them. There are many stories and anecdotes about Mr. Schulz that have been published over the years, so keeping the myths separate from the facts must be a full time job. Jeannie Schulz very graciously offered up some facts. I'll just transcribe some of her words here:

"Hi Tamera --

Jeannie Schulz, Sparky's widow here..... [Note: this is when my bottom jaw hit the floor.]

Interesting fallout from your blog -- i.e. people saying there should be a recognition of some sort.

I thought you might like this copy of Comics Journal -- it has an approximately 100 page back and forth which might change your assessment of 'morose character' -- [Note: I'm not really in a position to assess Mr. Schulz, having never known him; I was paraphrasing a couple of other sources. I now stand corrected!]

He was a WWII veteran -- I wouldn't say he 'saw combat' -- as you will see, some shots were fired. [Note: I am assuming she means I will find this information in the Comics Journal. I'll see if I can find that part.]

I've been a part of a correspondence w/Van Pelts -- never heard their children were Linus and Lucy. I think that could be corrected if you choose." [Note: this is a big part of the lore here in Colorado Springs -- interesting!]

The letter goes on to mention how generous it was of the Travnicek family to donate the wall from their house that had the Schulz illustrations on it. And she apologizes for her penmanship (which was quite legible, actually!).

I must say, I was absolutely gobsmacked to receive any kind of correspondence from the Schulz camp, least of all his widow! I want to thank Jeannie Schulz for taking the time to write and for the Comics Journal, which is proving to be an interesting read indeed! (Am just now making a dent in the piece written by Monte Schulz.) I also want to thank her for spelling my name correctly -- small detail, I know, but you wouldn't believe how many people get it wrong. Attention to something so personal is very gracious, I think.

I will add her letter and Comics Journal to my little box of treasures.

Famous Colorado Springs residents: Helen Hunt Jackson

The author and American Indian advocate Helen Hunt Jackson was another famous resident of our city. I can't find much information as to how long she lived here, but I know she was in Colorado Springs around 1873 or 1874, seeking a cure for her tuberculosis (our dry, relatively mild climate made us the go-to place for TB sufferers in the early days of our city).

Helen Hunt Jackson suffered the loss of both her parents early in life, then her husband and both her sons as a young woman. She met her second husband in Colorado Springs while seeking the cure. During these years she had blossomed into a prolific writer, publishing popular novels until she became concerned about the plight of the Native Americans. Jackson became a well known activist for the cause (which makes her a hero if you ask me), and was even appointed Commissioner of Indian Affairs, the first woman to hold that post. She died in 1885 of stomach cancer.

Helen Hunt Falls is one of our most popular attractions. It's an easy drive up into Cheyenne Cañon, and if we've had a snowy winter the falls are quite magnificent well into summer. I took this photo today, just before a rainstorm hit. I like the tourist waving from the bridge. I don't think she's waving at my camera, but who knows?

Famous Colorado Springs residents: "Elvira"

Surely you remember Elvira, Mistress of the Dark! Her real name is Cassandra Peterson, and she was born in Kansas but raised in Colorado Springs. She graduated from Palmer High School downtown -- and if you went to Palmer you'd know that, because her photo, just like the one above, is on the wall in the main entrance right next to all the other famous Palmer alumni.

In the 1980s Cassandra Peterson, as Elvira, hosted a late night horror show on TV called Movie Macabre. Basically her job was to introduce the night's film (always a B-movie), then periodically interrupt with some cheeky, droll or lascivious commentary, all the while outfitted in a tight black gothy dress with an outrageously plunging neckline, vampira makeup and a huge black wig. She was awesome! And so funny! I loved Elvira!

I did a little bit of research on her. It turns out she's led an amazing life, our Miss Peterson. Immediately after graduating from Palmer she hightailed it to Las Vegas, where she became the youngest showgirl in Vegas history. She won a small role in a James Bond film ("Diamonds are Forever"), playing a showgirl of course. She dated Elvis Presley, then posed as a stripper for the cover of Tom Waits' breakthrough album "Small Change" (I guess that's her in the background). Eventually she moved to Italy to sing in a rock band; there she met the legendary director Federico Fellini, who gave her a small part in his film "Roma". I'm telling you, you can't make this stuff up! What a life she's led! And all of this before she landed her Elvira schtick!

Well anyway, as Elvira she was extremely popular. Do you remember Elvira's ads for Coors beer? A chesty, campy Vampira type selling beer -- I loved it! She really kind of legitimized the Goth movement that was gaining traction around that time (and of which I was a participant). She was our campy goth cheerleader.

These days I guess the Elvira persona has been retired, but I'm still glad to claim her as one of our most famous residents. The above photo belongs to my good friend Dave, whose brother Mike used to work with Cassandra Peterson's niece here in town. It takes pride of place on his living room wall, but he was happy to take it down for me today so I could get a snap of him holding it. Thanks Dave!

Famous Colorado Springs residents: Rick "Goose" Gossage

Colorado Springs native and pro baseball hall of famer Rick "Goose" Gossage is a big local celebrity. He's very active in the local sporting community, and the city built a sports park/complex in his name over 10 years ago. The Gossage Sports Complex features a couple of baseball diamonds, several soccer fields, a skate park and some BMX trails. It's in use all year round -- not a day goes by when someone isn't making good use of that park!

When I worked at Shewmakers Camera Shop downtown many years ago, Mr. Gossage was a frequent customer. During that time he was playing for either the Yankees or the Rangers, and my co-worker Peter would always get a little starstruck when the Goose dropped in. As for me, I was just awe of his sheer size: 6'-3", about 250 pounds. Goose Gossage is a Great Big Dude. Last year he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, and it was in all the news. When the local TV stations interviewed him as the announcement was made, he got really choked up. I thought it was pretty cool to see such a big, macho guy show his emotions like that.

Famous Colorado Springs residents: Charles Schulz

Many people don't know that the beloved creator of the Peanuts comic strip lived right here in Colorado Springs at the beginning of his long and illustrious career. Charles Schulz moved here with his young family in the early 1950's, and stayed a couple of years. He lived in a small house in the general vicinity of the Patty Jewett golf course and the Old North End, about four blocks dead east of my studio. Fair readers, I can't tell you how many hours of research and agony (and eventually, a few dollars) went into finding this house so I could surreptitiously snap a picture of it for the blog today! I am 99% certain that the above adorable bungalow is the former Charles Schulz residence. We'll leave the 1% of uncertainty to the wind.

In 1951 Mr. Schulz painted a wall in one of the bedrooms with Peanuts characters and other cute critters for his young daughter Meredith. The wall survived for a while, until some numbskull (name unknown) bought the house and painted over it! Can you believe that? By then, Mr. Schulz was very well known, and you would think the homeowners would want to preserve the wall -- but I guess not! Over the years, various people painted over the wall many times, until in 1979 the house was purchased by a family that realized what a treasure they had. After consulting with Mr. Schulz, they undertook the daunting task of uncovering his mural from several layers of paint. The process took two months! Years later, when Mr. Schulz became terminally ill with cancer, they literally removed the wall from their home and donated it to the Charles Schulz museum in Santa Rosa, California. Talk about generous! You can see a photo of the wall here: http://www.schulzmuseum.org/exhibits/permanent/nurserywall/nurserywall.html If you click on the image you can see it a little larger -- there's Snoopy, Charlie Brown and even Sally!

A few other factoids about Mr. Schulz and Peanuts that you might not have known:

• By some accounts Charles Schultz was of a rather morose character -- some would describe him as a "glass half empty" type. Maybe just a little like Charlie Brown.
• His first wife Joyce, on the other hand, was bossy and outgoing, much like a certain Lucy we are all familiar with!
• Speaking of Lucy -- his neighbors in Colorado Springs, the Van Pelts, had a couple of small children named Linus and Lucy.
• Mr. Schultz was a hockey fanatic and played almost every day.
• He never liked the name Peanuts -- it was foisted upon him by his first editor, and it stuck.
• He was a World War II veteran and did see combat.

I personally am proud that our city was once Mr. Schulz's home. There is not a single thing here commemorating him -- not a street name, a plaque, a statue, a park, nothing. I wonder why?

ETA: Please see my July 13th post for updated information about Mr. Schulz.

Famous Colorado Springs residents: Lon Chaney

The famous silent film actor Lon Chaney was a native of Colorado Springs. Born to deaf parents, his maternal grandparents founded the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind, just a few blocks west of my house (and only about a block west of Nikola Tesla's laboratory -- see yesterday's post).

Lon Chaney got his start on the stage, but the sensationalism surrounding a bitter divorce from his vaudevillian wife caused him to make the leap to the silver screen, where he eventually became known as one of Hollywood's most famous early character actors. He is best known for his groundbreaking roles in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (as Quasimodo) and The Phantom of the Opera (as the Phantom, of course). Nicknamed "the man of a thousand faces", Chaney's skill with makeup and characterization made him the "go to" guy for horror roles.

I remember watching The Phantom of the Opera as a kid and being scared to death of Lon Chaney! As an adolescent, I learned that he used paper clips or some such to make his nostrils look so grotesque. Funny! Here in Colorado Springs there is a small theater named after him. It's located in the City Auditorium downtown. I have only been to his namesake theater a couple of times, most memorably to view some silent films featuring, you guessed it, Mr. Lon Chaney.