31 days of posts Our little trip into the city

As I mentioned, we went into Denver on Friday, to go to the Christmas market.
I think the sun shining on the building , with reflections is an artsy shot... worthy of inspiration for a painting or quilt!

the day was cold and windy, very dusty, and it was a bustling weekday for most.
Not we three who had just started our plant shutdown for the holidays.

one of the painted cows downtown

We haven't figured this out yet! To me it's a scary trip each time. The roads are not great leading to town, but the views of mountains behind the city are really stunning.

it reminds me a little of Boston, viewing older buildings through new high-rise ones. We walked down the 16 street mall to the Brown Palace, to see one of the first grand buildings here. The developer was brilliant. He bought land early, donated a section right in the center of it for city/then state, capital buildings. That done, he set himself up to develop the areas around it for officials and visitors! Hotels, restaurants, shopping. Smart guy. Not related to unsinkable Molly Brown.

Isn't this pretty? From the walkway between the main hotel and more rooms.

I wish the color came out better in this atrium shot. A lot of original buildings made use of the bright sun here, to light the inside of their homes and offices.

this hotel was featured in a movie (Our Souls at Night on Netflix) we just saw with Redford and Fonda together again, older but still gorgeous. Those layers are beautifully carved balconies, the chandelier twinkled brightly, Debutantes danced under the lights preparing to "come out" the next night...

what are they doing? I want to play too!

while people watched from the gallery seats

how grand! And it must have really been grand in 1891.

going up? Enjoy the wall murals!

or stairs

beautiful carvings and papers, polished wood and marble. Inspiration for art, right?

Loved the way the lights on each alcove created pretty shadows. Sparkling. Detailed. Genteel.

wallpaper flocked with gold, harkening back to a time when details mattered!

Details and beauty still matter to me.
The fact that the employees welcomed Milo was a big plus too.

I am glad we got to see the hotel, but have been reluctant to go back into City center. We drove past the capital, the botanic garden and art gallery buildings, and commented we enjoy the small neighborhoods and parks that make up Denver more, once you're away from the center of town.

linking to
http://sky watch Fridays
  http://backroadstraveller.blogspot.com/

pictorial-tuesday

our trip to Idaho Springs

Our trip to the mountain town of Idaho Springs this weekend needed it's own post! Sit back, and enjoy some pictures of the first Colorado gold rush town! Apparently Andrew Jackson discovered there was gold in the creek nearby!

This quickly became a bustling city full of shops, miner's, cafe's, brothels, diversions, and cool buildings were put up to handle the people that came! People still come to town but more are enjoying the surroundings than mining for gold and silver these days.

head thisaway to see some cool architecture!

step up into the stores that may have changed owners many times in the last 150 years but kept the same architecture.

Deep entries, lots of carved woodwork, interesting windows.

I love the square front, painted roof tops, carved parts, and overhangs

frosted glass buffalo

We passed herds of buffalo on our way here.

town built right into the side of mountain peaks

homes right on hilltops

or in town

This used to be the school, then moved near the train track and became city hall

imagine the trains coming and going through the remote town, bringing new people, taking away loads of gold ore
they made use of the bright sun here with many skylights, some quite large and elaborate

 the picture doesn't do it justice as it was enormous with carved plaster work, and a door to what I don't know!!

built in a rush of growth but keeping an eye for beauty as well... look at this lovely hexagon design in a doorway

and people needed things like music and fine food, and items to enrich their lives as well as their pockets.

this was the home and office of the mining engineer, and very architecturally interesting to me.















All that and a poodle,

I like old towns too

I'll leave you with a family portrait, that I've inserted myself into...

linking to
all seasons

Mountain towns tour

While we can see the mountain range from our neighborhood, we decided to see them up close and personal last weekend. (First post on that is found HERE)

the towns we visited, Evergreen in this post (  HERE)  Frisco and Breckenridge started as mining towns with all that implies. Log cabins, banks, saloons, brothels, rooming houses, etc.

Frisco was named after the vice president in 1878 as a sort of homage and to entice the country into allowing them to be a post office town! It worked!

Over time, the buildings have been covered over, and this showed some of the layers of one wall

Frisco has collected original buildings and placed them in the town green as a historical center. There are about 15 such buildings here, and to join history with current life, there are many activities held here annually. We hope to go back for some of them although getting across the mountains to this area takes us about 2 hours. I liked that on the plaque next to the history, there is a sign that says this person "adopted" this cabin! Way to save history for us all!! Thanks!

there are existing houses still inhabited too.

The town is nestled in a dip of the mountain peaks but is still at 9800 feet! Woozy... 

Amid the historical collection is this beautiful pavilion where events can be held

 My attempt at artsy shots of the fairy lights in the ceiling. How magical it would feel to dance here with the wood floors, the mountains right there, and music playing.

I'd like to do an art quilt based on this!
I'd like to eat at this cajun food restaurant! I like gumbo! I like beignets!

that cajun must be lost if they are from New Orleans. (Nawlins as my friends say it)

Breckenridge

look at this shop in Breckenridge. I was too busy shopping looking and panting to take many pictures. Milo was hyper too, and is just learning what shopping with mama and daddy means. He actually calmed down enough toward the end to look at stuff.

I looked at stuff, and got a sale sweater in this cool store but oooo lalala that cow head and tractor!

Have you heard of the small house movement? Crazy! We want more space! Well we saw this little house in Frisco

Apparently someone fits into it. Note the chairs out front for perspective.
Note the poodle out front for perspective

it seems to even have a SMALLER house behind it, for what I don't know!!!

As goldilocks said, "this house is TOO small"

So the hope is once we find and move into our own house, we can concentrate on exploration of the area, and you know I'll show you too! Wonder what's going on this weekend?