Mile Hi - New Things

I picked up a free sample packet of GU Chomps  watermelon flavor somewhere, probably a fitness expo or something. GU Chomps utilize GU Energy Gel's carbohydrates, amino acids, antioxidants and electrolytes in a chewable form. Chomps can be consumed before, during, and right after activity. A 2-serving packet will provide 180 calories and 60 grams of carbohydrates. What's in it? Carbohydrates - A balance of complex carbs (maltodextrin) and simple carbs (tapioca syrup and cane sugar) as the basis for delivering fast and usable energy. Amino Acids - The GU amino blend is included for added focus, rippin' energy and speedy recovery. Antioxidants - Vitamin C + E, those mighty antioxidants that combat tissue breakdown. Electrolytes - Sodium and potassium to restore electrolyte balance. Caffeine - Some Chomps flavors are caffeinated, some are not. We add caffeine for two reasons: It acts as a stimulant and it can lower the perceived effort.  It is available in ...

I bought a from UrbanDealight (now Crow dSavings ) that cost me $20 for a Manicure and Pedicure (a $47 value) at Black Rose Salon , a full service salon, in Littleton CO. My appointment was at 5:15pm with Melissa. I got a French mani & pedi. It took about an hour and a half to complete the service. Manicures began 5,000 years ago. French manicures are manicures designed to resemble natural nails, and are characterized by lack of base color, or natural pink base nails with white tips. The tips of the nails are painted white while the rest of the nails are polished in a pink or a suitable nude shade. French manicures may have originated in 18th-century Paris and were popular in the 1920s and 1930s. Melissa was very nice, friendly, and easy to talk to. She did a great job on my nails. I am considering do my hair and nails there for my wedding. I hope I don't mess up my nails like I usually do! (Below is an example of a French manicure, not my actual manicure.) What d...

I bought a pair of  Brooks running shoes on line last week and wore them to run 3 miles today. Brooks Sports, Inc. designs and markets performance running shoes, apparel, and accessories for men, women, and kids worldwide. It offers neutral, guidance, support, control, trail, and competition running shoes; tops, shorts, long sleeve tops, sports tanks and bras, skirts, outerwear, and tights and pants; and accessories, such as socks, hats, gloves, and bags. The company also provides shoes with smart cushioning systems that instantaneously adapts to a runner’s unique biomechanics, weight, pace, gait, and surface; and biodegradable running shoes. It sells its products through dealers in the United States and internationally. The company was founded in 1914 and is headquartered in Bothell, Washington. As of December 30, 2004, Brooks Sports, Inc. operated as a subsidiary of Russell Brands, LLC. On August 2, 2006 Russell officially announced its sale to Berkshire Hathaway. I bou...

Denver Public Library has audio CDs that you can borrow. Last time I was there at the Virginia Village branch, they had some Dave Matthews Band CDs. I was a big fan back in college but don't have all the CDs. I think I saw them live in concert about 4 times on the east coast. I borrowed DMB's Live at Wrigley Field 2 disc set. DMB is an American rock band that was formed in Charlottesville VA in 1991. Lyrical themes focus on topics ranging from love, sex, the enjoyment and appreciation of life, to ending racism, and political and anti-war statements. The founding members were singer-songwriter and South African guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford, and saxophonist LeRoi Moore (died August 2008). Boyd Tinsley was added to the band as a violinist soon after the band was formed. The band has won 1 Grammy Award and was awarded the NAACP Chairman's Award. Live at Wrigley Field occurred September 17th and 18th 2010 as DMB ...

I didn't have time to post the last night, therefore I'm posting this late as this occurred yesterday (Mon 8/27/12). We watched a movie entitled  The Ides of March  with Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Evan Rachel Wood, and Marisa Tomei, that came out on October 7, 2001. This is an American political drama film and adaptation of Willimon's 2008 play  Farragut North . It is about the frantic last days before a heavily contested Ohio presidential primary, where an up-and-coming campaign press secretary finds himself involved in a political scandal that threatens to upend his candidate's shot at the presidency. The Ides of March was featured as the opening film at the 68th Venice International Film Festival and at the 27th Haifa International Film Festival and was shown at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. In addition, 'Ides of March' is the name of the 15th day of March in the Roman calendar. The movi...

It was hot in Denver today, about 93F so we wanted to cool off by trying river tubing in Clear Creek in Golden CO. Back in the spring, I bought 2 Intex River Run Tubes from Target.com for about $15.00 each. Our tubes are 53" diameter circle with mesh bottom to keep cool, backrest for comfort, 2 heavy duty handles (with rope), and 2 cup holders for drinks. We finally got to use them today. We drove about 30 minutes west to Lions Park in Golden CO. Clear Creek is one of the best tubing areas close to Denver. Clear Creek Whitewater Park offers exciting ripples, waves, and drops. Anybody looking for a lazier float can avoid a lot of the white-water by choosing the right stretch of creek. This one is also not too long, so you'll be fine with one car and hiking back at the end of the float to do it again! What did you do today?

I wanted to try a new local Colorado beer, so we bought Bristol Brewing Co's Beehive Honey Wheat beer for $8.99. Beehive is an American-style Wheat Ale beer made in Colorado Springs with Chinook and Mount Hood hops with 4.06% ABV and 16 IBUs. Beehive is sunshine in a glass with its honey-gold color and full-flavored body. Bristol Brewing Co uses less two-row and more Munich malt for depth and soften the edges with the lightness of wheat. Beehive is a joy to drink! What did you do today?

I didn't have time to post the last night, therefore I'm posting this late as this occurred yesterday (Fri 8/24/12). We watched a movie entitled Prison Break: The Final Break  with Wentworth Miller, Dominic Purcell, Sarah Wayne Callies, and Jodi Lyn O'Keefe that came out on July 21, 2009. This is a television movie of the Prison Break franchise that serves as the series finale of Prison Break . In the United States, the movie was 1st released on DVD and Blu-ray. This movie came out after the TV series was over but the writers thought there was more story to tell. The movie covers the events which occurred in between the downfall of The Company, and the revelation of Michael Scofield's death, which were not explained in the finale of the series. It details the arrest and incarceration of Sara Tancredi for the murder of Christina Scofield, the final escape plan which Michael devises for Sara, and the details surrounding Michael's death. Basically, Michael mus...

I was on vacation so I didn't have time to post the last few nights, therefore I'm posting this late as this yesterday (Thurs 8/23/12). We were in the southeast in the Jacksonville Florida area (Amelia Island) for a few days. When we were at a local gift shop, I saw they had local Florida wines. I wanted to try something local, so I bought  Schnebly Redland's   Carambola Wine for $12.99. Carambola is more popularly known as Starfruit. This tropical delicacy is known for its exotic shape and crisp juicy flavors. Careful grove management coupled with harvesting at optimal ripeness is the key to enjoying this wine. The vinification process in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks, imparts fresh floral and citric flavors reminiscent of apples and pears. Carambola Wine is clean, fresh, and at its best consumed within a year of its release, young and chilled. The 750 mL bottle had 11.5% alcohol, 3.69 pH, and 3.5% residual sugar. It was a Gold Medal in the 2006 Lon...

I was on vacation so I didn't have time to post the last few nights, therefore I'm posting this late as this occurred 2 days ago (Wed 8/22/12). We were in the southeast in the Jacksonville Florida area (Amelia Island) for a few days. First, we ate our free breakfast at the Am elia Hotel . Then we walked across the street to Fernandina Beach . Fernandina Beach is the county seat of Nassau County in the state of Florida, on Amelia Island. The area was 1st inhabited by the Timucuan Indian tribe. Known as the "Isle of 8 Flags", it has had the flags of the following nations flown over it since 1562: France, Spain, Great Britain, Spain, the Patriots of Amelia Island, the Green Cross of Florida, Mexico, the Confederate States of America, and the United States. It is the only municipality in the United States that has flown 8 different national flags. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 11,487. It is notable for its Victorian houses festooned in gingerbr...

I was on vacation so I didn't have time to post the last few nights, therefore I'm posting this late as this occurred 3 days ago (Tues 8/21/12). We were in the southeast in the Jacksonville Florida area (Amelia Island) for a few days so Matt and his 2 Georgia friends and I went out to dinner at The Crab Trap Restaurant  Tuesday night for dinner. Crab Trap is  located downtown Fernandina Beach in the historic Seydel Building. The building is over 133 years old and restaurant is 33 years old. We started with Raw Oysters on the Half Shell then had the Crab Combo (Deviled Crab Cake, King Crab Legs, and Dungess Crab served with cole slaw, hush puppies, and a red potato) for $29.99. Everything was sooooo good. It was a lot of work cracking the shells but it was worth it because I love seafood! What did you do today?

I watched the series on NBC called America's Got Talent tonight with Nick Cannon, Howard Stern, Howie Mandel, and Sharon Osbourne. AGT is an American reality television series on NBC and part of the global British Got Talent franchise. It is a talent show that features singers, dancers, magicians, comedians, and other performers of all ages competing for the advertised top prize of 1 million dollars. The show debuted in June 2006 for the summer TV season. From season 3 onwards, the prize includes the 1 million dollars, payable in a financial annuity over 40 years, and a show as the headliner on the Las Vegas Strip. Among its significant features were that it gave an opportunity to talented amateurs or unknown performers, with the results decided by an audience vote. The format is a popular one and has often been reworked for television in the United States and the United Kingdom. I watched season 7 episode 21. IMDB gave it a 5.5 out of 10 and I probably give it an 5.0 rating ...

I noticed that on The Knot there are local events to attend. There was an event today at the Colorado Convention Center called Rocky Mountain Bridal Show . I bought my ticket online to get a discount to pay $5. There were approximately 100 wedding exhibitors there in the Mile High Ballroom downstairs, from venues, to photographers and videographers, to bridal shops and tux rentals, to bakeries and flourists, to jewelry and make-up, to travel agents. I picked up a lot of brochures and information and received some magazines like Denver Life Weddings, The Colorado, Wedding Magazine, and Wedding Sites and Services.  I entered to win some prizes and also sampled some food and snacks. I believe it was worth the $5 ticket. What did you do today?

My friend invited me to Beer Olympics 2012 at Rocky Mountain Lake Par k today. Beer Olympics consists of multiple beer related events in which teams compete to win the Beer Olympics Gold Medal. Games include but are not restricted to: Beer Pong, Chug n' Run, Keg Toss, Flip Cup, Timed Beer Bong, and King of the Table. My group of friends played park games and field activities like ladder golf, 3 legged race, water balloon toss, etc (while drinking of course) for 'gold medals' that were plastic kids' medals. There was water, beer, sandwiches, chips, cookies, and games. Rocky Mountain Lake Park has a Drinking Fountain, Restrooms, Baseball/Softball Fields, Bike/Pedestrian Path, Football Field, Horseshoe Pits, Lake, Flower Beds, Tennis Court, Playground, Benches, and Picnic Tables. Click here for a map of the park. The games started at 12:00pm but I came later to hang out and watch until about 5pm. What did you do today?

I watched a new movie today. It is a little embarrassing to admit, but I watched Drew Peterson: Untouchable  on Lifetime Movie Network . It is based on a true story of Drew Peterson, police sergeant who is suspected of killing his 3rd and 4th wives. Peterson has repeatedly denied involvement in both cases. On May 7, 2009, Peterson was indicted by a Will County IL, grand jury and charged with the murder of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. Peterson currently resides in the Will County Adult Detention Center in Joliet, IL, awaiting trial. Crazy story, I remembering hearing about it everyday when it was happening since I lived in Chicago. Trials are still going on today. You can read more about Peterson here,  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drew_Peterson . What did you do today?

One of my co-worker's is getting married in a couple weeks so we had a surprise bridal shower for her. We all volunteered to bring something. One co-worker went to Cold Stone Creamery  for dessert. I brought Diet Dr Pepper Cherry soda. Hers was way better than mine. I tried 1/2 of a Cake Batter Delux Cupcake, which is rich Belgian Chocolate Cup filled with Red Velvet Cake, fudge, Cake Batter Ice Cream, and topped with pink frosting and rainbow sprinkles. What did you do today?

I didn't have time to post last night, therefore I'm posting this a day late as this occurred yesterday (Wed 8/15/12). Matt downloaded a new game to his Razr. I wanted to see what it was all about so I played ITREEGAMER's Marble Saga on his phone. Big Duck Games appears to make smartphone. They made Jewels Star, Jewels Legend, Aliens Invasion, Marble Saga, and Doodle Dash. Marble Saga is a Zuma Style game. It is simple and addictive. Your goal is to eliminate all the marbles before the times up and to make more combos and chains to get the highest score. It has 6 special scenes like desert, jungle, and sea-bed, and 108 different and challenging levels. Marble Saga was the 3rd most downloaded free Android game applications on July 23, 2012.     What did you do today?

Matt and I played my old Nintendo 64. I have some old games from when I was little. He also has some games that he brought to CO from when he was little. Nintendo 64 is Nintendo's 3rd home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit central processing unit, it was released in September 1996 in North America. The N64 was discontinued in 2002 in North America by the launch of Nintendo's GameCube. We played Waialae Countr y Club True Golf Club Classics Championship Golf in Paradise . Waialae Country Club True Golf Classics is Nintendo's renovation of T&E Soft's Augusta: Masters '98, which was only released in Japan. WCC is a easy title to pick up and play. Even gamers who wouldn't normally play a golf game might find WCC engaging enough for a full 18-hole course. Upon starting the game, it's possible that you won't even need to refer to the manual, as the game's intuitive controls and user-friendly menus practically pla...

I didn't have time to post last night, therefore I'm posting this a day late as this occurred yesterday (Mon 8/13/12). A couple months ago, I sampled  Eat Your Vegetables  Chips Jalapeño Ranch, and really enjoyed them. Eat Your Vegetables Chips are made by Snikiddy . Snikiddy is a 2006-born company started by a mother daughter team founded by Mary Schulman who resides in Bethesda MD. Since I enjoyed them so much I wanted to try other products. Sunflower Market sells Baked Fries . Essentially, the fries are made out of potato and corn, yet provides all the healthy benefits in each serving. Their website states: "Choose healthy. Choose taste. Choose fun. Skip the greasy potato chips because Snikiddy Baked Fries deliver all the flavor with half the fat. The whole family can be confident in eating a full flavor, better-for-you snack that’s just a little different than other snacks. Choose Baked Fries and find out for yourself just how good they are." The fries come ...

We went up to Genesee today to check out some wedding ceremony and wedding reception facilities. We looked at 4 sites for the wedding ceremony and reception. All areas were affordable and had great views. There was Christie's of Genesee, The Pines at Genesee, Crystal Rose, and Mount Vernon Country Club. In between appointments we had some time to kill so we went to the Buffalo Herd Overlook, Buffalo Bill's Grave, and Boettcher Mansion  (pictured below). There was also the  Lookout  Mountain Nature Center and Preserve next to the mansion with a short Forest Loop Trail that we walked on. On our short 0.6 mile walk, we saw a black squirrel . The black squirrel is a melanistic subgroup of the Eastern Grey Squirrel. Large natural populations of black squirrels can be found throughout Ontario and in several parts of Ohio, Maryland, Michigan, Indiana, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania. Strange we saw it in Colorado. Maybe it wasn't a...

I didn't have time to post last night, therefore I'm posting this a day late as this occurred yesterday (Sat 8/11/12). We watched a movie entitled My Week with Marilyn with Michelle Williams and Eddie Redmayne, that came out on November 23, 2011. It is a  British   drama film based on 2 books by Colin Clark that depicts the making of the 1957 film The Prince and the Showgirl , which starred Marilyn Monroe and Laurence Olivier. The film focuses on the week in which Monroe spent time being escorted around London by Clark, after her husband, Arthur Miller, had left the country. For her portrayal of Monroe, Williams was awarded the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy Motion Picture. She also earned Best Actress nominations from the Academy Awards and British Academy Film Awards. I thought it was an ok depiction of Marilyn Monroe, some parts a little slow. It is possible that I may have fallen asleep for a bit. IMDB gave it a 7.1 out of 10 and I woul...

I didn't have time to post last night, therefore I'm posting this a day late as this occurred yesterday (Fri 8/10/12). I went to Hudson Gardens  today to check out the wedding ceremony and wedding reception facilities. I looked at their 3 sites for the wedding ceremony. All areas were nice but a little pricey for the Saturday evening time slot. There is the Inn, Garden Canopy, and Welcome Garden Canopy. The Inn is the only indoor log cabin facility with air conditioning, as the other 2 are canopies. The Inn seats up to 250 guests and rental comes with the adjacent Inn Courtyard for an outdoor ceremony. The gardens were pretty, with Monet's place as the crown jewel. A lily pad water pond rimmed in yellow flowers and filled with frogs and fish. It is peaceful, sanguine and hypnotic. Plenty to see and do on the wedding day to keep guests happy. The only issue I see is that the Saturday evening price is higher than I would like to pay. What did you do today?

I finished reading Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed in bed last night. It released March 20, 2012 and is an Oprah's Book Club 2.0 selection. It was #1 on August 3rd's The New York Times best-seller list in nonfiction. This is a memoir that takes places in the 90's. It is the story of an 1,100 mile solo hike that broke down a young woman and built her back up again. At 22, Cheryl Strayed thought she'd lost everything when her mother died young of cancer. Her family scattered in their grief, her marriage was soon destroyed, and slowly her life spun out of control. 4 years after her mother's death, Strayed decided to hike the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) from the Mojave Desert through CA and OR to WA and to do it alone. She had no experience as a long-distance hiker. But it was a promise of piecing back together a life that had come undone. She faces rattlesnakes and black bears, intense heat and record snowfalls, and both the be...

One of my co-worker's is leaving the company to move back to Portland so we went out to lunch with her today. We went to Wild Ginger Thai Restaurant in Littleton. This is a favorite thai restaurant to many locals. The menu is authentic, the staff is genuine, the service is quick and friendly, and the food is delicious. I had Pad Thai Woon Sen (bean thread noodles stir-fried with eggs, bean sprouts, ground peanuts, and green onions) cooked medium spicy with pork for for $7.95 (soup also came with it). Medium spice was a little spicy for me but it tasted great. I was really full. I will have to say the service was relatively fast for a table of 8. What did you do today?

Body Glove Tour Bus made a stop at my work today. They served us hot dogs with all the fixins (sour kraut, onions, relish, jalapenos, ketchup, mustard, and celery salt), chips, and soda. They also had some free schwag like koozies, posters, stickers, and nutrition. I picked up a couple packets of the new Body Glove Surge   Chocolate Flavor . Body Glove Surge is an energy gel made with a natural combination of essential proteins, energy rich carbohydrates, powerful antioxidants from fruit and berries, and caffeine from green tea that delivers rapid and sustained energy and is incredibly easy to use whether you're on a surfboard, skateboard, or snowboard (or running a marathon). It’s sleek, portable and easy to fit in your wetsuit, shorts, or in your helmet. Body Glove Surge delivers more concentrated energy than Red Bull, Monster, Rock Star, or 5 Hour Energy. Compared to the leading selling energy shot, a university study showed Body Glove Surge delivers more endurance a...

I wanted to see what Big Duck Games' Flo w Free app was all about so I downloaded the game to my Razr to check it out. Big Duck Games appears to make smartphone games since around May 2011. They made WP7 Penguin, Fireworks Arcade, Flow Free, and Spark Art. Flow Free is a simple yet addictive puzzle game. You connect matching colors with pipe to create a flow by pairing colors to cover the entire board to solve each puzzle. There are hundreds of levels, and time trials, from simple to challenging. Experience "mind like water"! Flow Free has been downloaded over 3 million times on iTunes and is the #1 free US iPhone game as of this announcement and has been at the top of the charts for over 2 weeks. The Android version just came out the end of June 2012. I found it to be easy, a little too easy as I earned "Perfect" on all 30 levels in 5x5. I'll try 6x6 next.   What did you do today?

We watched a movie entitled The Hangover Part II with Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, and Justin Bartha, that came out on May 26, 2011. American comedy film distributed by Warner Bros Pictures, and a sequel to 2009's The Hangover . Phil, Stu, Alan and Doug travel to exotic Thailand for Stu's wedding. After the unforgettable bachelor party in Las Vegas, Stu is taking no chances and has opted for a safe, subdued pre-wedding brunch. However, things don't always go as planned, resulting in another bad hangover with no memories of the previous night. What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but what happens in Bangkok can't even be imagined. Despite receiving mostly negative reviews from critics, it became the highest-grossing R-rated comedy of all time. I thought it was a ok, only a few parts were funny. The biggest problem was it was too similar to the 1st one (replace losing 1 friend with losing a brother-in-law, replace tiger with monkey, replace pullin...

I didn't have time to post last night, therefore I'm posting this a day late as this occurred yesterday (Sat 8/4/12). Matt's birthday was last week so we went out with a bunch of friends to drink at Lowry Beer Garden  in the Lowry neighborhood. This beer garden is relatively new opening around Memorial Day 2012. It celebrates Colorado’s craft beer culture with more than 4,500 square feet of outdoor garden area, vast open-air seating, and an inviting covered pavilion. The Oktoberfest-style picnic tables collectively can accommodate up to 350 guests, foster an environment of community, and conviviality. The beer garden offers a thoughtful draft and bottled beer selection with a focus on Colorado and handcrafted brews. They also serve casual fare with locally-made gourmet brats & sausages, freshly-baked pretzels, house-ground burgers, hand-cut fries, and chef-created salads.   From Friday, July 20 through Monday, August 20, the Lowry Beer Garden features Bristol Bre...

During my lunch break, I decided to go to Hobby Lobby to get wedding ideas. Hobby Lobby is a retail arts and crafts store, founded by David Green, that began operation August 3, 1972 in North Oklahoma City. Over the years this store has grown into 514 stores which operates in 41 states. Departments range from crafts, hobbies, picture framing, jewelry making, fashion fabrics, floral, cards & party, baskets, wearable art, home accents, and holiday supplies. I wasn't impressed by the Wedding row but I got some ideas in the Stationary and Scrapbooking rows. It's a pretty large store, very comparable to Michaels . I'm not sure which store is the 'better' store. What did you do today?