Marston is Denver’s land-o-lakes neighborhood. The fertile land that lies between the six bodies of water (Grant Lake A, Grant Lake B, Grant Lake C, Bowles Lake, Lake of the Lake and Marston Reservoir) is filled with urban farms that are famous for growing summer squash. Naturally, it has become…
Early residents of the treeless Highland neighborhood were able to cool their homes from the punishing heat of Denver’s summer sun by growing fast-growing hop plants. In the fall, the nearby Tivoli and Zang’s breweries would buy the bounty of Highland’s harvested hop cones to add a distinct flavor to…
The Denver John School (not affiliated with the John Denver School) can be a proven, comprehensive treatment program for insatiably horny Johns. On June 2, Gov. Hickenlooper signed a bill allowing the creation of John Schools. Denver can now schedule its own Prostitution Offender Program with readily available speakers and…
Berkeley has a long history of growing food for the creatures of Denver. In its early days, the entire neighborhood was an alfalfa farm that produced feed for the horses that pulled city streetcars. Over time, the land was developed into the city lots — now tended by the urban…
Revegetation is the natural process of plant colonization designed to repair damage to a neighborhood due to stalled mixed-use retail development projects. A simple application of Hale Kale seed in untended flower pots and abandoned parking strips is believed to grow leafy greens that have potent anti-cancer properties for real…
Much like Denver’s City Park, the celery plant has a long history of being all things to all people. While the celery plant has been used to embalm King Tut, decorate Greek athletes, flavor Italian meatballs and as a conduit for spray cheese, equally versatile City Park has been home…
Corn is America’s most widely grown crop and is the main grain used to fuel the cars, pets and people that are in continuous motion around Smith Lake in Washington Park. Urban farmers who want to grow the biggest, sweetest ears of the nation’s favorite food need only look up…
Nearly every square inch of the front yard of the home pictured above is filled with a menagerie of critters and characters constructed of everything from concrete and plaster to metal and wood. Equally amazing are the numerous low-tech security measures employed to keep the animals secured…..
The cat illustrated above is learning to relax in the paw-painting studio. The Denver Animal Shelter is moving to a new building and is offering many improved programs to help homeless pets transition back into society…..
Traditionally, several Native American groups planted sunflowers on the north side of their gardens as a “fourth sister” to complement the better known three sisters combination of corn, beans, and squash. Denver gardeners can cultivate a quick history and pay tribute to a north-side Denver neighborhood by planting Sunnyside sunflower…
Privacy fencing provides yard artists a secure area in which to create and display yard art projects that might not otherwise be ready for a full front-yard showing. As the photograph above demonstrates, alley fencing is an especially good canvas for experimenting with art styles and subjects that might be…
As shown in the photograph above, designer fences are the personal boundaries that yard artists create to identify the reasonable, safe and permissible ways for other people to behave around him or her, and how he or she will respond when someone steps into his or her yard. According to…
For most Coloradans, the term “spring runoff” has nothing to do with Denver mayoral candidates Michael Hancock and Chris Romer and everything to do with the whitewater competition between tubers and kayakers. The fiercest fight for foam is often found at the Clear Creek Whitewater Park in Golden…..
The ad shown above was found on agilitynut.com, a Debra Jane Setzer website devoted to vanishing American roadside design that includes noteworthy Denver attractions. When published, the Big Top convenience store advertisement listed eight locations. A message on Groceriteria.com suggests that the local chain grew to sixteen stores. Only five…
Even though household incomes in the Country Club neighborhood are three times higher than the citywide average, money does not grow on trees for residents there. The privileged citizens who live west of the Cherry Creek shopping district grow their money the old-fashioned way — by sowing plenty of Country…
The crowd milling around the driveway in the picture above proves that Pop’s Garage is the happiest place to hang out in Lakewood. Most oversize suburban garages are surrounded by classic cars, so it is all the more surprising to see Pop’s Garage teeming with a cavalcade of cartoon characters…
At the very least, the recent ragtag assembly of Colorado tourist-attraction mascots at the Discover Colorado Rally proved that the snuggly symbols of the state’s travel industry are out of touch with reality. To appeal to today’s cash-strapped consumer, Colorado needs truthier travel mascots…..
It’s been two weeks since the Discover Colorado Rally — plenty of time for all Colorado summer vacation planners to have studied up for today’s pop quiz. Provide the name and attraction associated with each of the mascots pictured below…..
In addition to being the home of Invesco Field at Mile High, Sun Valley has the lowest median age (thirteen) of all Denver neighborhoods. And much like inner-city children and fans of Denver Broncos football, Sun Valley horseradish root sets will grow wild with minimal supervision…..
The bold window treatment gracing the home in the photograph above is made all the more compelling by the placement of a captivated angel behind the empty rocking chair. This Sloan Lake neighborhood will be spared post-Judgment Day pandemonium because a wider view of this home shows that security services…
While Quonset huts remain cultural curiosities, they are seldom celebrated during National Historic Preservation Month. Manufactured in far-off factories and moved frequently, they seldom win a local’s love. The twin Palace Construction Quonset huts pictured above are in remarkable shape compared to a pair over in Mar Lee…..
During a recent mayoral candidate debate, Chris Romer forced Michael Hancock to stumble through a confused admission (and later retraction) for allowing the teaching of creation science and/or intelligent design in public-school classrooms. Perhaps looking at a few DPS Creation Science Fair projects will help the pro-education-reform candidates see the…
