I grew up in California. I ran away from it in 1996 and ended up in Colorado. As much as I LOVED my home state, I needed to get away from my family, the crazy growing population of the Bay Area, and figure out what I was going to do with my life. Now while I didn't figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up until MUCH later in life, and as much as I claimed to NOT miss California, I missed it dearly. That didn't really hit until I went home recently for my brother's wedding. And it was only enhanced by the start of a tattoo back piece, paying tribute to my home state, with my artist who is also from there (why do you think I picked him to do it? ;)). So that's why I'm sitting here now, reminiscing about my former life in California, and writing a compact blog about what I remember. Some good, some bad, but definitely different than your typical blog from me. So if you ever wanted to know how I grew up, here you go...
I grew up in Saratoga, CA, or the "Slums of Saratoga" as we affectionately called the six street annex of Saratoga in which we lived. On the other side of the tracks (literally) where we were still middle-class, just not in the part of Saratoga where Steve Young lived. My grandfather died when I was seven months old. He is the reason I am musically gifted. And then my grandmother got cancer and had to be driven to Kaiser in San Jose (from their house in Aptos) for treatments. I don't remember the treatments because I was too young to go in, but I do remember her losing her hair and my mom taking me and my brother to the park across the street while we waited. She died 10 days before my fifth birthday, but my mom still went ahead with the party. I think this may be where my crazy memory with dates comes from. I still have dolls that she handmade for me. We went to Aptos often to help keep the house up so we could rent it out. My brother and I acted out movies in the front yard as we raked up the leaves. Everything from the script to the theme music. Shocked that he became an actor? Not so much... I remember going to the Boardwalk often, probably as a solace from everything surrounding the house at the time, but we just knew it as beach and roller coaster time. And probably why I still hold it very close to my heart to this day. My mother couldn't wait until I got tall enough to go on the Giant Dipper with her. That's also where we spent Senior Ditch Day in high school, riding the Giant Dipper WAY too many times. But in high school, my friends and I would drive up Highway 1 to Scott Creek because Santa Cruz had gotten too crowded. We also went to downtown Los Gatos during the World Cup in 1994 and danced with the Brazilians, who had just beat the U.S. team on the Fourth of July. Call us unpatriotic, but the Brazilians and 30,000 other people knew how to party. Our softball team went to the Little League Softball World Series in 1991, where we finished...second. Honestly, I'm still a little bitter about that, but hey, we were second in the whole country. Freaking Florida.. ;) I grew up going to Yosemite National Park pretty much two to three times a year when I was younger. I wouldn't be shocked at all if I was conceived there. I remember taking camping precautions to ensure that the bears didn't get our food. I took a field trip to Alcatraz in the fifth grade and all I can remember is us getting locked in a cell. I was home alone when the 1989 earthquake hit. I remember every detail of that day, from the time the earthquake hit on. I remember having my breath taken away every time I saw the Golden Gate Bridge. I once walked across it AT NIGHT in shorts and a sweatshirt and wasn't cold. At all. The seals at Pier 39 still crack me up. The Demon was the best roller coaster at Great America. I think we skied at literally every resort in Tahoe. I thought it was the coolest thing that if you went to the top at Heavenly, you were half in California and half in Nevada. My favorite part about the Monterey Bay Aquarium was playing with the starfish. I ditched class at West Valley College and drove to the beach on my birthday. My best friend and I would drive to Half Moon Bay, singing show tunes the whole way, and then, get a loaf of what we described as "orgasmic" sourdough bread at Moonside Bakery and then, turn around and drive home. I never truly appreciated the small beach town until I got older. The only reason I went to church was to sing in the choir. I took figure skating lessons at Vallco WAY too early in the morning. My mom would bribe me with peanut butter toast and a trip to the Hello Kitty store to get me out of bed. :) I sliced off my left thumbnail with a dumpster lever when I was 4. I proudly showed off the splint and that is probably the last time I screamed bloody murder. I knew the six freeways we had to take to get to my grandparents' house in Sacramento before I even got behind the wheel of a car. I knew every twist and turn of Highway 17 before I got behind the wheel of a car. I was in a professional saxophone quartet and taught saxophone lessons when I was 18. I thought it was a TON of money at the time when I made (maybe) $400/month. I rooted loud and proud for the 49ers and the A's. I still have Walt Weiss' autograph from his rookie year with the A's. The Giants and Will Clark were the devil. I booed loudly when the Raiders moved back to Oakland. I was happy as hell that we got a hockey team, but I didn't fully understand the game until I became an Avs fan. My friends and I went camping and hiking at Pinnacles National Monument consistently. I remember slightly testing the speed limits on the way down. ;) I remember going to my family's condo in Eden, UT, to ski one winter break and my dad hit black ice while going through Nevada. It ended up being almost -30 and we had to get the car towed to Ogden to warm it up enough for it to start. We drove to South Dakota for a family reunion when I was in high school. Since I had just gotten my license, I got to drive. Everywhere. We went to Custer State Park and saw buffalo. The giant burros ate part of my brother's shirt. On our way home, we drove through Denver and saw a Rockies game when they still played at Mile High and when McNichols Arena was still in the parking lot. Not once did I think, I'm totally gonna live in this state in three years. ;)
Now, I'm totally happy with my life in Colorado. I have amazing friends. I work at one of the best physical therapy offices in the state. I absolutely LOVE what I do for a living. Not to mention that awesome tattoo shop where I'm getting that back piece and the artist from Cali. ;) But I am a Californian. I think regardless of how long I live outside the state, I will always be a Californian. I still prefer the ocean to the mountains. The Rockies are trying hard to sway me, but the Pacific still has more pull. So maybe I just need more frequent trips back to the Bay so that I don't miss it so desperately next time. :)
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Sunday, May 19, 2013
"Hi Ho, Hi Ho, We're off on our first adventure!...Did you just call me a HO???"
And with that, we set out on the first adventure of our hiking escapade! Well, actually, it started with me telling Val that she might wanna drive, unless she wanted to ride on my luggage rack, in which her reply was, "That sounds like fun!" OK, now we can officially begin...
Our first stop was the Broomfield County Commons Open Space and Tom Frost Reservoir at 128th Ave/Midway and Lowell in Broomfield (duh). I thought of it because I drive past it on the way to work and the views alone would keep us distracted, in a good way. As we parked at the dirt lot, Longs Peak, a famous 14-footer on the Front Range, said, "Good Morning!", through some clouds, and we were also greeted with a TON of walkers. Um, it's 9:30 a.m. on a Sunday. WTF??? As we joined the throngs of people walking around this massive loop, we found out that it was Miles-for-Smiles, a charity event. Ok, I guess we'll let them walk with us. But only after Val decided to make a random (albeit, funny) "disturbing" comment. "With that view, I guess we can be 'Down With The Sickness'." I took a step, stopped, looked at her, and then, proceeded to laugh my ass off. Yep, it was definitely too early for both of us...
So we set off on this very easy and mostly unpaved trail. We started the pedometer a little late (oops), but we knew we would be getting our mileage, just because we knew streets in the area and knew about how far it was between main intersections. There is a "reservoir" very early on in the hike, which is pretty much big enough for some fishing and that's about it. I have to say that it took my legs a little while to used to walking on a trail, especially when I usually am on a treadmill, and it took both of us a little while to get our strides and for our lungs to acclimate due to our recent bouts with head colds. But once we got going, we were thoroughly enjoying being outside (the weather was PERFECT walking weather), the scenery and, of course, the company. Because, as I mentioned before, we are both hilarious, especially when one or both of us is riled up. We discussed everything from work to our weekends to boys (we're both still single-we're allowed). We even spent some time telling our muscles to suck it up. I told my right hamstrings and glutes that they needed to start pulling their own weight, which they have been slacking on for years and I mentioned this to Val. "Does that mean that you have one firm butt cheek and one not-so-firm butt cheek?", she innocently asked. "Yep," I replied. "One awesome ass cheek and one droopy one. Which is kind of funny...but also, not that much." But my ass, literally, did eventually get it in gear.
And when it was all said and done and we had finished the loop and had taken too many pictures (OK, that was all me), we had walked (according to the pedometer and our calculations) about 2.6 miles. And we survived. Woo hoo! We would definitely recommend the walk to a friend, just for the gorgeous views alone. It's a very easy walk, but it has numerous forks in it (but no spoons) so you can customize your walk.This would also be a perfect loop to take your favorite pooch on. You don't need anything other than tennis shoes, a water bottle, an iPod, and a camera to get some pictures of Longs Peak. He does enjoy having his picture taken. :) We also recommend you bring someone to have conversations about Disturbed, forking (don't ask), and lazy glutes with because, frankly, these stories don't tell themselves. ;) Let's see where next week takes us. Thanks for reading our craziness. ;)
Our first stop was the Broomfield County Commons Open Space and Tom Frost Reservoir at 128th Ave/Midway and Lowell in Broomfield (duh). I thought of it because I drive past it on the way to work and the views alone would keep us distracted, in a good way. As we parked at the dirt lot, Longs Peak, a famous 14-footer on the Front Range, said, "Good Morning!", through some clouds, and we were also greeted with a TON of walkers. Um, it's 9:30 a.m. on a Sunday. WTF??? As we joined the throngs of people walking around this massive loop, we found out that it was Miles-for-Smiles, a charity event. Ok, I guess we'll let them walk with us. But only after Val decided to make a random (albeit, funny) "disturbing" comment. "With that view, I guess we can be 'Down With The Sickness'." I took a step, stopped, looked at her, and then, proceeded to laugh my ass off. Yep, it was definitely too early for both of us...
So we set off on this very easy and mostly unpaved trail. We started the pedometer a little late (oops), but we knew we would be getting our mileage, just because we knew streets in the area and knew about how far it was between main intersections. There is a "reservoir" very early on in the hike, which is pretty much big enough for some fishing and that's about it. I have to say that it took my legs a little while to used to walking on a trail, especially when I usually am on a treadmill, and it took both of us a little while to get our strides and for our lungs to acclimate due to our recent bouts with head colds. But once we got going, we were thoroughly enjoying being outside (the weather was PERFECT walking weather), the scenery and, of course, the company. Because, as I mentioned before, we are both hilarious, especially when one or both of us is riled up. We discussed everything from work to our weekends to boys (we're both still single-we're allowed). We even spent some time telling our muscles to suck it up. I told my right hamstrings and glutes that they needed to start pulling their own weight, which they have been slacking on for years and I mentioned this to Val. "Does that mean that you have one firm butt cheek and one not-so-firm butt cheek?", she innocently asked. "Yep," I replied. "One awesome ass cheek and one droopy one. Which is kind of funny...but also, not that much." But my ass, literally, did eventually get it in gear.
And when it was all said and done and we had finished the loop and had taken too many pictures (OK, that was all me), we had walked (according to the pedometer and our calculations) about 2.6 miles. And we survived. Woo hoo! We would definitely recommend the walk to a friend, just for the gorgeous views alone. It's a very easy walk, but it has numerous forks in it (but no spoons) so you can customize your walk.This would also be a perfect loop to take your favorite pooch on. You don't need anything other than tennis shoes, a water bottle, an iPod, and a camera to get some pictures of Longs Peak. He does enjoy having his picture taken. :) We also recommend you bring someone to have conversations about Disturbed, forking (don't ask), and lazy glutes with because, frankly, these stories don't tell themselves. ;) Let's see where next week takes us. Thanks for reading our craziness. ;)
Saturday, May 18, 2013
You Gotta Start Somewhere...
So my roomie came up with the idea of taking a list of easy hikes around Colorado and doing one a week. It was my idea to write a blog on it. Now, the original idea was for us to get some exercise and to get out and see our gorgeous state. With this blog, we hope we can provide people with pertinent information about these easy hikes around Colorado and also encourage people to do the same thing. Another reason? We are hilarious. :) It's true. My roomie and I are two of the funniest people we know (completely biased, of course), and we would like to share this hilarity with everyone we know. And I am sure that hilarity and shenanigans will ensue when she and I take on something of this magnitude. We will post anything from random pics we take along the hikes to shopping for new hiking shoes to the random conversations (and we can TALK) we have along the way. Now the first "hike" should be interesting because BOTH of us managed to get sick with head colds this week so we may be taking it easy tomorrow. BUT we will still be hilarious and probably even more so because we are sick. So sit back, relax, and read, as we take you on a little journey we like to call, "The Hilarious Adventures of Robin and Val." :)
Monday, November 26, 2012
The "right" tattoo shop with the Rose-colored heart
I have never been the type of girl to stick with one thing for long. Massage therapy is my third degree. I have moved back and forth between three states. I guess you could say I have always been looking for something that just felt... right. So it's no shock to me that I haven't stuck with one tattoo shop either. I have never found a shop that just felt...right. Now, both massage and Colorado have worked in my favor for the past two years, so could I also find a tattoo shop where I could stay put for a while? Enter Fallen Owl Tattoo Studio...
A friend of mine wanted to get her first tattoo and she wanted to see someone get one before she got hers. Enter her good friend who is always game for another tattoo. *raises hand* And since she has this healthy "obsession" with owls (and every review we had read was good), we decided to waltz into Fallen Owl one Saturday afternoon in January of 2012. We were immediately greeted with smiles (yep, smiles) and were told that we were in luck because Freddie just had a cancellation and could take us both. Coincidence? I think not...
I got my Venus flower/star on my right forearm first, and to say the whole experience from consult to stencil to application (the needling part) was a pleasant experience is a severe understatement on my part. Tattoo artist Freddie Arroyo was beyond friendly and accommodating, but would also tell you if something wasn't going to work on a certain body part or the design wouldn't work. Even though the tat went on one of my very resilient forearms (I AM a massage therapist after all), I could also tell that he had a very light hand. The fact that I was comfortable with him and Fallen Owl right off the bat just made it that much easier for the friend of mine to jump on the table right after me. And her experience was equally as pleasant.
But it wasn't just Freddie and his vibe. It was the whole vibe of Fallen Owl that had the friend of mine and I sold from the minute we walked in. Beforehand, I had read some online reviews and no one was talking bad about this tattoo shop. I thought, what makes this shop so special that everyone is singing their praises on EVERY review? Well, I got my answer after walking in there myself. The answer is ... everything.
Everything about this shop makes it special and a step above your stereotypical or "normal" tattoo shops. Shop owner Adam Rose definitely knew what the hell he was doing when he opened this shop almost three years ago. And if you know him at all, you know he put his whole heart and soul into this shop. From the decor to the vibe to the energy that pulses through this small Lakewood, CO, shop, the whole thing is...Adam. And talk about someone who loves what he does...Try finding a picture of him tattooing where he doesn't have a big-ass grin on his face. And that smile and laugh are definitely contagious, which makes for the insanely positive vibe of Fallen Owl.
Oh, and did I mention that they do charity work as well? They had their Sh%ts and Giggles fundraiser over the summer, where they had all of their artist friends paint toilets seats and they auctioned them off for charity. And if you have to have me explain that one to you, you probably shouldn't be reading this blog...
Right now, there is a week left in their Tattoos for Toys fundraiser, which benefits their Colfax Avenue neighbor, The Action Center. Bring in three unopened toys to help out underprivileged kids during the holidays and Fallen Owl will give you a $40 gift certificate toward your next tattoo. This is the second year they have done this fundraiser and, while most Denverites are bringing the toys into the shop, they also have people mailing them in from as far away as Hawaii. And while, yes, they want to help out the kids, most people are doing it because they LOVE this shop and its artists and would do anything to help them. Because their clients love and care about them like they are members of their own families. They probably see them more often than they see their own families. I know I do. :)
And if all of their clients feel the same way I do, they keep coming to Fallen Owl because it just feels...right. From the vibe to the artists (Side note: Paul and Sherley are also artists there. Both are incredible, just wrote about the two who are always around when I am. Haven't met the other two yet. :)) to Tattoos for Toys, Fallen Owl is defying tattoo shop "standards". You don't always get a smile or the best customer service when you walk into a tattoo shop. With this one, you do. I always get a huge smile on my face every time I walk into the shop, which is usually accompanied by a hug from either Freddie or Adam, if they are not in the process of tattooing. I can honestly say that I will continue to get artwork from the artists at Fallen Owl as long as I live in the state of Colorado. And I feel very lucky and thankful that my friend and I stumbled into this tattoo shop that just felt...right.
***Tattoos for Toys runs through December 1st, 2012. Bring your three (or more) unopened toys into Fallen Owl Tattoo at 8789 W. Colfax Avenue, Lakewood, CO 80215. Visit www.fallenowltattoo.com to check out the artists' portfolios or call (303) 232-1350 to schedule your next tattoo with one of their amazing artists! ***
A friend of mine wanted to get her first tattoo and she wanted to see someone get one before she got hers. Enter her good friend who is always game for another tattoo. *raises hand* And since she has this healthy "obsession" with owls (and every review we had read was good), we decided to waltz into Fallen Owl one Saturday afternoon in January of 2012. We were immediately greeted with smiles (yep, smiles) and were told that we were in luck because Freddie just had a cancellation and could take us both. Coincidence? I think not...
I got my Venus flower/star on my right forearm first, and to say the whole experience from consult to stencil to application (the needling part) was a pleasant experience is a severe understatement on my part. Tattoo artist Freddie Arroyo was beyond friendly and accommodating, but would also tell you if something wasn't going to work on a certain body part or the design wouldn't work. Even though the tat went on one of my very resilient forearms (I AM a massage therapist after all), I could also tell that he had a very light hand. The fact that I was comfortable with him and Fallen Owl right off the bat just made it that much easier for the friend of mine to jump on the table right after me. And her experience was equally as pleasant.
But it wasn't just Freddie and his vibe. It was the whole vibe of Fallen Owl that had the friend of mine and I sold from the minute we walked in. Beforehand, I had read some online reviews and no one was talking bad about this tattoo shop. I thought, what makes this shop so special that everyone is singing their praises on EVERY review? Well, I got my answer after walking in there myself. The answer is ... everything.
Everything about this shop makes it special and a step above your stereotypical or "normal" tattoo shops. Shop owner Adam Rose definitely knew what the hell he was doing when he opened this shop almost three years ago. And if you know him at all, you know he put his whole heart and soul into this shop. From the decor to the vibe to the energy that pulses through this small Lakewood, CO, shop, the whole thing is...Adam. And talk about someone who loves what he does...Try finding a picture of him tattooing where he doesn't have a big-ass grin on his face. And that smile and laugh are definitely contagious, which makes for the insanely positive vibe of Fallen Owl.
Oh, and did I mention that they do charity work as well? They had their Sh%ts and Giggles fundraiser over the summer, where they had all of their artist friends paint toilets seats and they auctioned them off for charity. And if you have to have me explain that one to you, you probably shouldn't be reading this blog...
Right now, there is a week left in their Tattoos for Toys fundraiser, which benefits their Colfax Avenue neighbor, The Action Center. Bring in three unopened toys to help out underprivileged kids during the holidays and Fallen Owl will give you a $40 gift certificate toward your next tattoo. This is the second year they have done this fundraiser and, while most Denverites are bringing the toys into the shop, they also have people mailing them in from as far away as Hawaii. And while, yes, they want to help out the kids, most people are doing it because they LOVE this shop and its artists and would do anything to help them. Because their clients love and care about them like they are members of their own families. They probably see them more often than they see their own families. I know I do. :)
And if all of their clients feel the same way I do, they keep coming to Fallen Owl because it just feels...right. From the vibe to the artists (Side note: Paul and Sherley are also artists there. Both are incredible, just wrote about the two who are always around when I am. Haven't met the other two yet. :)) to Tattoos for Toys, Fallen Owl is defying tattoo shop "standards". You don't always get a smile or the best customer service when you walk into a tattoo shop. With this one, you do. I always get a huge smile on my face every time I walk into the shop, which is usually accompanied by a hug from either Freddie or Adam, if they are not in the process of tattooing. I can honestly say that I will continue to get artwork from the artists at Fallen Owl as long as I live in the state of Colorado. And I feel very lucky and thankful that my friend and I stumbled into this tattoo shop that just felt...right.
***Tattoos for Toys runs through December 1st, 2012. Bring your three (or more) unopened toys into Fallen Owl Tattoo at 8789 W. Colfax Avenue, Lakewood, CO 80215. Visit www.fallenowltattoo.com to check out the artists' portfolios or call (303) 232-1350 to schedule your next tattoo with one of their amazing artists! ***
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| "Once I had a halo, but then it caught on fire..." and my Celtic dragon. Tattoos by Freddie Arroyo |
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| The red couch that greets you when you walk into the lobby, along with a stuffed owl and a skull in the display case. :) |
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| This year's donations for Tattoos for Toys and the pile keeps growing! |
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| My Venus star/flower. First tattoo at Fallen Owl and done by Freddie Arroyo |
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
To all of the people who have affected my life "for good"...
"I've heard it said
That people come into our lives
For a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are lent to those
Who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you."
From the moment I first heard this song ("For Good" from the musical Wicked), I knew it was going to be something I quoted for years to come. Especially during this time of my life. I have been realizing lately that people really do come into your life when you need them the most. And for some reason, when that happens, it's like it was meant to be all along. Even if your paths had crossed a long time before or at a different time in your life, some people were just meant to be in your lives...forever. And over the course of the last year and a half or so, I have had many people that have resembled that in my life and I thought I would take a moment to recognize some of them...
* Like my friend-turned-roommate, whom I met back in college and we really weren't that close, but somehow when we reconnected a few years back, I can't imagine not having her in my life.
*Like my friend who was more like an acquaintance in high school than she was a close friend, but when we reconnected on Facebook, we found out that we both live in the same area, we both went to massage therapy school and we both love photography.
*Like my ex-teacher from massage school, whom I see for energywork because she's amazing at what she does. But little did I know that she graduated from the same high school I did, just 25 years prior.
*Like one of my favorite clients, who reminds me every session that "Trigger points are jerks", sarcasm is good, and an intuitive massage therapist is better than a practical one any day of the week.
*Like one of my new best friends. We crossed paths at Colorado State many years back and then, once again at Denver School of Massage Therapy, but we were merely acquaintances then. Then, a chance re-connection in the hallway outside of our massage therapist's office sparked a friendship that has spawned enough text messages, sarcasm and flat-out fun to keep us laughing and entertained for MANY years to come...
*And about that massage therapist... I had NO idea what I was in for a year ago when I asked him to work on me. I mean, I knew that he was an amazing structural bodyworker, but I wasn't nearly prepared for all the ways he has affected my life. From Day One, he and I have been like kindred spirits. He's that person you feel like you've known your whole life, but haven't... He has managed to open up not just my body, but my mind and my heart as well. And for that, I will be forever grateful...
That we will never meet again
In this lifetime
So let me say before we part
So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have rewritten mine
By being my friend."
To all of you who have left a "handprint on my heart", I love you all...
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
"Does that make us morbid...?"
Ok, so I'm starting to realize that people can bond over the most interesting things. Like cemeteries, for example. Yes, I said cemeteries. For the longest time, I always thought that my mom and I were the only ones who got this sick joy in going to visit cemeteries. She kind of got me into it when I was a kid and, I don't know, I've always had this fascination for them. I like seeing how long people have lived, like trying to figure out if it was some historical thing that they died from (i.e. WWI, WWII, etc..), like seeing everything that has been left on their graves. But I could never really pinpoint it until a friend of mine and I found out that we had the same fascination a few months back...
We were discussing what we did over the weekend and I mentioned that my mom and I had gone up to Central City to check out the old cemeteries, which Central City is known for and has some turn-of-the-century ones up there. I mentioned how I loved going to cemeteries and he mentioned that he did too. Now, through the course of our friendship, we have realized A LOT of random similarities with us so the fact that we shared this in common was not too surprising to me. But his answer was what DID surprise me.
Him: "Does that make us morbid...?"
Me: "Maybe...but I don't think it's morbid at all..."
Him: "...because I think there is a certain beauty to them..."
Me: "...Oh, absolutely. I don't know how many pictures I took, trying to capture it. And the peacefulness and the energy...I mean, it's almost..."
Him: "...magical?"
Me: " *deep breath* ...yeah..."
Now, like I said, this is normal for him and I, but even we didn't realize that the two of us had that random/different thing in common. And it makes me wonder what other random things that he and I, as well as my other friends and I, have in common. You might have things in common with people you didn't expect to have things in common with, but if you take the time to get to know someone, you might actually find out. Get to know someone before you assume anything. You just might find a friend for life or one of your weird fascinations might be one of theirs too...
We were discussing what we did over the weekend and I mentioned that my mom and I had gone up to Central City to check out the old cemeteries, which Central City is known for and has some turn-of-the-century ones up there. I mentioned how I loved going to cemeteries and he mentioned that he did too. Now, through the course of our friendship, we have realized A LOT of random similarities with us so the fact that we shared this in common was not too surprising to me. But his answer was what DID surprise me.
Him: "Does that make us morbid...?"
Me: "Maybe...but I don't think it's morbid at all..."
Him: "...because I think there is a certain beauty to them..."
Me: "...Oh, absolutely. I don't know how many pictures I took, trying to capture it. And the peacefulness and the energy...I mean, it's almost..."
Him: "...magical?"
Me: " *deep breath* ...yeah..."
Now, like I said, this is normal for him and I, but even we didn't realize that the two of us had that random/different thing in common. And it makes me wonder what other random things that he and I, as well as my other friends and I, have in common. You might have things in common with people you didn't expect to have things in common with, but if you take the time to get to know someone, you might actually find out. Get to know someone before you assume anything. You just might find a friend for life or one of your weird fascinations might be one of theirs too...
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| I loved the contrast... |
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| There were sadly a lot of stuffed animals |
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| "Queen of Central City's" grave |
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| Once again, loved the contrast... |
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
I must confess...I like beer now. Thanks, Grimm Brothers!
I never used to be a beer drinker. Never. Ask anyone who I ever went to a party with in college and every one of them will tell you that I was a "fruity and girly" drink kind of girl. Now, if you know me, you know that there's nothing fruity or girly about me, so why have I never been a beer drinker? Just never had the taste for it. I have gotten better over the years. I managed to find a few beers that I like out of New Belgium Brewery, and, as a Colorado State alumna, I proudly support any brewery in Fort Collins. But I have always been searching for something else...
So back in the middle of last year, I kept getting requests on Facebook to "like" this new brewery in Loveland called Grimm Brothers. Now, I'm all for supporting local breweries and it was the first brewery in Loveland, but I kept wondering why all of my college friends kept "liking" it. So I went on Grimm's fan page and read an article that had been written about the brewery. And there it was in black and white..." vice president and business manager of Grimm Brothers Brewhouse, Aaron Heaton (http://www.reporterherald.com/news_story.asp?id=25651)." Oooohhhhh, now I get it. You see, Aaron and I were friends in college, even short-time roommates, so you could say that we ran with the same crowd back then. I hadn't seen him in like 10 years, but that was one of the best things that I had ever read. I mean, it's not everyday that you read about someone you know starting a brewery.
So I went up last October with a friend of mine, not really knowing what to expect. After finding the tiny taproom hidden amongst the industrial buildings off of Denver Ave., I nervously walked in the door, only to be greeted by a very loud, "Hi, Robin!!!!" Oh good, he remembered me. After catching up with Aaron and his wife Emily, whom I also know from CSU, my friend and I sat down (in a crowded taproom) with our taster trays of Grimm Brothers brews. And you know what? Every single beer was AWESOME! And remember, this is coming from a non-beer drinker. But I loved them. And the staff was very knowledgeable (Ok, so the "staff" was just Aaron at the time, but it hasn't changed), and to someone who knows nothing about beer, that was a great thing. Now, I may be biased because this is my friend's brewery, but I wouldn't be writing this if I didn't truly believe in the beer or the brewery. And I truly believe in both, as do Aaron and his co-owner, Don. Aaron gave the friend of mine and I a tour and even though I had no idea what he was talking about, he was so excited about it that I got excited about it. His energy was contagious. And I love seeing people love what they are doing. I just giggled all the way home because I was so happy for him and so proud of him. I went again last weekend because Grimm released its first bottle. Yes, BOTTLE, just a mere eight months after opening its doors. It's a hefeweisen called Hare's Bride (oh, and all of their brews are named for Brothers Grimm fairytales - how cool is that?), and it's just as good as everything else they've come out with, maybe better. I got my two bottles and I plan on giving one to a friend to try, to introduce someone else to Grimm.
And that is also the purpose of this blog. You all need to check out www.grimmbrosbrewhouse.com to see what else they have in store. Coloradoans (and if you went to CSU with Aaron and I, then I'm looking at all of you especially... ), get your butts up to Grimm in Loveland. You will not be disappointed. After all, they converted this self-professed non-beer drinker into a beer aficionado. Guess I finally got my taste for it. And I'm completely grateful for it...and not biased at all.
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