VALENTINE'S DAY TIPS

Even though Valentine’s day is now days pretty far from its religious origins, and very close to the perfect capitalistic celebration. Where the amount spend in the gift measures the love of your valentine.... I still think it is the perfect occasion for couples to find the excuse to enjoy each other.

Most people wouldn't think that Denver is the most romantic city in the world, and honestly they may be right. However, there are tons of activities that could make your Red roses and heart shape chocolate box day a unique, exciting experience.

For the ones with Olympic potential:

Start training right now for the next Winter Olympics by the hand of your love one. Head to downtown to the Southwest Rink at the Skyline Park, this is the last weekend you will have the chance to grab your partner and make fool of yourself while pretending to be Meryl Davis & Charlie White. This is a FREE activity so take your Valentine for a cup of Hot Chocolate after to The Market at Larimer Square.

For the Gluttons:

A culinary Date Night can be the best option for you. Spice up your Valentine with a dinner for two, cooked by each other. If you are not a good cook, no worries, first of all you are there to learn; second it is time for your partner to find out that painful true, third, there is wine involved so by the time you finish stirring up that date, he/she might not notice your seasoning abilities are not right on.

BACK TO #DEVERLIVING

Ok, I am not going to pretend that almost 6 months hadn’t passed since the last time I wrote a word in this blog. However, I have very powerful reasons for the abandonment. 

First, I was traveling non stop with my show Montera, Russia, Spain, Cuba. I am going to assume you all read about it in this blog, since Paula took the time to spread the news.

Cuba theater Festival Poster

Solo Festival Moscow

Then I moved to our house, which for a New Yorker transplant is a big event. I have never had a HOUSE, you know. In that part of the country people live in tiny places where the bedroom has a queen bed and a mounted T.V. that’s it. A Living room, you might ask... forget about that, most people have a sofa bed so when parents come to visit they don’t have to go and rent in airbnb the same sofa bed in some else’s house for a low rate of $60 a night. So as you can imagine I had to spend some time decorating my house... my house... I still cant believe I have a house.

Stencil painting 

Then by the time the moving/decorating madness passed, my beloved Mother was visiting from Colombia. I had to show her Denver, Boulder, Vail and all those amazing places Coloradans are surrounded with.

Without even noticing it was January, and then the Christmas hangover sat in, leaving me incapable of writing anything.

However, after this very long hiatus, here I am ready to talk about my favorite subject... 

Fun in Denver

Lets start with Love in the Mile high city.

I am happy to be back :)

By Loren Escandon

AN ITALIAN PARTY

When someone is married with an Italian, as it is my case, you learn 2 basics; family is the most important thing in life and food can’t be poorly executed.

My husband is one of those Italians who does not speak Italian, has never been in Italy and knows nothing about wine. But what he knows very well is the perfect recipe for meatballs (sponsored by his mom Diane), the best stuffed artichokes (sponsored by grandma Roslyn) and the best “gravy” which for all of us is tomato sauce (sponsored by grandma Rose) He knows exactly the difference between a good and bad canolli, italian sausage with pepper and onions and penne a la vodka. 

I remember the first time I met the family, it was a thanksgiving week where grandma Roslyn made me chop tones of onions, garlic and parsley for which I did not complaint a bit, because like people say “you never get a second chance to make a first impression.” We made an Italian feast that the ladies cooked for 2 days and the gentleman ate in 2 hours. But that is Italian, a great homemade meal in a long table filled with family and infallible olive oil for the bread.

I miss it all.

That is one reason I am very excited about the Festival Italiano at Belmar. An entire weekend where I feel I might have the chance to enjoy all those homemade Italian specialties I usually enjoy with La Famiglia. The festival promises to have great live music, kids activities, like grape stomping (so bad I am not a kid anymore) a bocce tournament 

and much more. 

Don’t miss the chance to have a slight idea of what La Famiglia means to Italians and to try the richness of their cuisine. It is a free event.

Mangiare! ! !

Belmar

408 South Teller Street
Lakewood, CO 80226

For more info click here.

By Loren Escandon

LA SANTA CECILIA, a band with faith in Music.

La Santa Cecilia

La Santa Cecilia, a band with faith in Music.

La Santa Cecilia is a Mexico American band creating music with Latin-American influences. They will be visiting Denver August 23rd as part of a very special fundraising event for the Museo de las Americas.

“Treinta Dias” their most recent album has hits like “Hielo” and “Monedita”. 

La Santa Cecilia, Pepe Carlos (Accordion and Requinto), Alex Bendaña (Bass), Miguel Ramirez (Percussion) and Marisol Hernandez la Marisoul (voice) talked about their beginnings, their music and what is ahead in the future for this band and why the sky is the limit.

How did you meet?

Marisoul: Pepe Carlos and I met during our teen years. We used to play in a street in L.A named Plaza Olvera, we played Boleros individually, we became friends and invited Miguel Hernandez to see our gigs. We always talked about how beautiful it would have been having the chance to create our music, tell people our own stories, that was the way we put together La Santa Cecilia. Later we met Alex who became part of the group.

Santa Cecilia is the patroness of musicians. It is written that as the musicians played at her wedding she "sang in her heart to the Lord". Is that what La Santa Cecilia wants to do with the audience, sing to our hearts?

Miguel: I think one of the most beautiful things you can create with music is that connection with your own feelings or everyone else feelings. As musicians we aim to connect with people and their faith. In our case that faith is music, however, for them that faith can have roots in a goal, a dream, anything and awaking that faith for them to feel motivated is fundamental to us. Helping people to escape their routines and remind them their feelings, roots, sadness and happiness, how beautiful life is, that is our goal.

Your song El Hielo or Ice has caused a little commotion because of the lyrics and the video. Where did you get the inspiration for the song?

Pepe Carlos: Hielo was written by the band in collaboration with the writer and composer Claudia Brant.

LA SANTA CECILIA IN TOWN!

ROJO AMERICANO SI, ROJO

La Santa Cecilia

Rojo is almost here. 

August 23rd is the day where the benefit concert annually organized by Museo de las Americas is taking place.

In their effort to bring Denver the most representative music of our Latino Culture, this year the event is featuring the trendiest Latino band of the moment. La Santa Cecilia.

For the few of you that have no idea who La Santa Cecilia is, let me update you:

• Recently sign by Universal Latino Label,

• A super cool Mexican-American band from L.A ...that is killing it with their close to the heart music.

• Written and scored by the very talented Pepe Carlos, Alex Bendaña, Miguel Ramirez and the unique Marisoul, 

• Yes you read it right Marisoul, because her voice speaks for her soul.

This Band with their salpicon of influences like Norteño, jazz, blues, boleros and the other 10 musical genres they have mastered. They give thanks to the inspiration of legends like Janice Joplin, Miles Davis, Mercedes Sosa and Led Zeppelin. They are coming to Denver. Yeah!

So my advice is, do not miss this chance to enjoy La Santa Cecilia because the next time you might see this band that close is in your HD TV during the next Grammy’s when they get an award for their last album “Treinta Dias”, which by the way is already NPR Music's 25 Favorite Albums Of The Year (So Far)

This band is on a meteoric rise to success because there are not afraid to speak their minds. They sing about subjects that matter to people like me and you, they support causes that will help future generations to have a better life and they love kids and want to motivate them to be the best they can be.

Besides coming to indulge us all with there music, they will be visiting the East High School in a “Platica” (Little conversation) that will take place at L2 Arts and Culture Center at 4:00 p.m. Students from Metropolitan State University (MSU), Metro Leadership Program and East High School‘s Music department will be part of this journey where the Band members will talk about finding their musical voice within all the genres of world music, and how they developed a quality and distinct modern sound that engages audiences. 

I had the chance to Interview the members of La Santa Cecilia for Viva Colorado (Interview link coming soon) and they are as fascinating as their music. Delightful, simple, mature, generous artists with a long path of success ahead.

If you miss this chance don’t blame me. I will be there :)

Benefit Concert for Museo de las Americas

August 23, 2013

5:30-8:30pm

L2 Arts and Culture Center

1477 Columbine St

Denver CO 80206

$50 Reception, Silent Auction, and Concert

$30 Concert

For Tickets contact Marlyn Ruiz 303-571-4401 ext.20 

By Loren Escandon

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

Making films are hard. 

Forget about the length, the script, the actors or the budget... As an actress I am telling you making films is damn hard, but fun at the same time.  That is probably the reason a bunch of us still dream of telling stories that move audiences, that shows the important of film and eventually, why not, will write our name in some sort of hall of fame...I guess the Oscars will take that credit.

Screw big budget movies, and writers that take years rewriting an idea that has been clear to everyone from the first draft, or producers that do not know how to cast an actor, or actors that have panic attacks as soon the schizophrenic director screams...ACTION. 

Forget about all that paraphernalia because you have exactly 48 hours to write, shoot, edit and score your short film in this sweet twisted festival taking place in Denver August 2-4, 2013 and is looking to produce the best short film ever.

Yeah, let’s get back to the basics and cut the BS of this business that is plagued with people with too much ego to admit that they have no idea what in hell they are doing.

A UNIQUE DATE NIGHT

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The idea of the perfect date varies from person to person, and from relationship to relationship. Sometimes we run out of ideas to make our loved one feel special. The movie-dinner combo gets old, the nightclub is too loud, and the cooking at home can become a total romance killer if you are not the chef the counterpart expects you to be.

However, the date I am about to describe is as good of a first date as it is for a 20th year anniversary.

Imagine a picnic bag/basket full of your favorites goodies, that you don’t need to cook because this city has plenty of options for takeout, like The Chicken-curry sandwich at Vert Kitchen Denver, a bottle of bubbly cold Champagne, wine, beer or Ice tea if that is what you like; the most beautiful gardens surrounding you,  the jazzy sounds of Swing Je T’aime throughout the evening and a free swing dance one hour lesson, this is just in case you want to learn, but it is optional.

True food Kitchen

Piles of raw vegetable dancing through the dinning room, green juices displayed on people's tables and yoga pants. No, you didn't just enter a spa in California, you are in True Food Kitchen.
Located in the heart of Cherry Creek (2800 E 2nd Ave #101  Denver, CO 80206), this restaurants has been taunting me for quite sometime. I have tried to go in before, but it was always too busy and at lunch time I am really not into waiting for 1 hour to get a table. If you have a group of 8 or more feel free to make reservations other wise be ready to wait.

MICHELANGELO IS IN TOWN.

 

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If all you know about Michelangelo is that he was the most important Italian renaissance painter and sculptor of all times; with an impressive list of creations from the naked, vulnerable David to the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, which by the way took 4 years to be painted in very uncomfortable positions for any human body... then you are not doing to bad.

What you might not know is that his success in sculpting human figures with so much muscular precision and sublime beauty came from the studies he made on cadavers with a special permit he got from the Catholic Church. Or that he was a very accomplished poet, yes poet, with more than 300 poems and sonnets, most of them written to a pious widow he was apparently in love with. If you don’t know that he was one of the few artists of his time that had the chance of living to enjoy his fame and wealth and see the publication of two biographies about his life... if you did not know all of that then you need to go to this exhibition Michelangelo at Denver Pavilions. 

Pink Party

Ahh Rosé! Memories spark every time I have a glass of a perfectly chilled, dry rosé. A wine that has been highly misunderstood due to the popularity of sweet "blush wines" like the unfortunate white zinfandel, which have no resemblance whatsoever with the decidedly dry European rosés.
Walking through the streets of Paris and stopping at one of the multiple cafes for a glass of rosé is a part of every season. I was a bit hesitant to have a cold beverage when I was pretty chilled myself, but to my surprise the very chilly wine became part of the charm of being cold like I have never been before.
Ever since, regardless of the season, I scavenge the wine list of every restaurant for a glass, whether still wine or bubbly.

http://notdrinkingpoison.blogspot.com/2011/08/righteous-following-au-passage-75011.html

Rosé wine is made, mostly,  from red grapes such as Syrah, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Zinfandel and other, each of these grapes can be either used alone or in a blend based on their region. Champagne rosé can be made from a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The color is developed by allowing the juice to sit on the skins for a few hours, or sometimes longer, to draw out the amount of color and flavor desire for the specific style of the region or the wine maker. There is also a blending method, red into white, commonly used in champagne.

If you are looking for a versatile food paring wine, you can't go wrong here. This very food friendly wine will set well on a table with guests enjoying fish, steak and a vegetarian meal. Perfect for a hot summer evening, a picnic or barbeque, or even a cold night with a warm bowl of soup.

Summer fun in Denver

White blanket of sparkly snow see you next winter, now it is time to enjoy the blistering heat of the summer season and with it the fabulous events popping up all over town.
Patio parties, street fairs, Art walks, Films on the Rocks, you name it most likely Denver has it.

Here is a list of link to fun things to do this summer:

  Downtown Denver Arts Festival: Come see a big display of local artist in the heart of Downtown Denver - May 24-26

 Old South Gaylord Annual Festival: Music, food, a fun way to celebrate Memorial day weekend - May 26-27

 The Big Eat: an amazing event with 40 restaurants, 4 breweries,
wine and music. A great way to start the summer - May 26

HIGHLANDS the "it" Mix

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When I moved to Denver and I was looking for the perfect neighborhood to live, my real state agent drove me through Highlands. I was very confused about why she was showing me that area which I honestly found, disconcerting. 

But now, I understand reason. .. It was because Highlands is reverberant. The perfect mix between old and new, middle aged cool parents and young hipsters, people from all levels of income and tons of fun every day activities.

It helps as well that as a Latina, I really wanted to be surrounded somehow by “my people” and even though Highlands seems like the new “it” neighborhood, a lot of the population has been there for decades and come from diverse backgrounds, being a great majority Hispanic.

Kings of Arabica

A few years ago, when I was still living in Colombia, I took a week long training with the Colombian Coffee National Federation where we learned the difference between Arabica and Robusta coffee varietals. During that week we also experienced the different grades of beans and the styles of roast. Arabica coffee is consider the best bean, it is delicate, highly aromatic and it is the bean grown in my beautiful Colombia. I like to compare the production of coffee with the production of wine, or chocolate for that matter. The best beans, or grapes, produce the more distinctive coffee to land product or "terroir" as the french will say, and the roast is the "wine makers touch" the end result is a premium product, be it coffee or wine.
I was quite glad to find a coffee shop here in Denver where the coffee, and its true flavor and nuances, is the main objective, no frills sugary syrups of flavored coffee, which I still can't understand.
The coffee is well balanced, nicely roasted, not too light and definitely not too strong, or almost burnt as many places I had visited.

SOUTH PEARL. DENVER'S LITTLE SECRET.

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These 3 blocks apparently lost in the south of Denver metro area are a gem. South Pearl is an old mom and pop business area that for over a century has revitalized itself every decade. Having, in my opinion, its best era yet to come.

The area is vibrant and full of hipsters who walk their dogs everyday. Don’t think this neighborhood is fun only on weekends; weekdays are always packed with students in the cafes, moms jogging with the strollers, and doggies tied up to light poles waiting for their beloved owner to have a quick bite in one of the multiple restaurants.

ROLLING CAN GET YOU FAR...

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I remember years ago when watching Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, for those too young to know what I am talking about, that is a classic Italian movie that every single person on the planet should watch. In this movie there is a scene where the 2 main characters take a bicycle ride, with a sublime melody as a background...Anyway, I am bringing this up because I fell in love with bicycles that day. I dreamed of biking around like that around my dusty little town. 

In New York going on a bicycle is not the safest, everyone is rushing when they drive and the bike lines are not popular, however I decided to buy a one that I never used.

National Chocolate Chip cookie day!

Yesterday was National Chocolate Chip cookie day, well do I never need an excuse to make a batch of chocolate chip cookies, and if I did, this is it!
As I started the batch of cookies, I remembered a client who desperately asked why her cookies didn't work in Colorado, but always worked in California where she had lived her whole life. Well is the altitude! I said as we went onto how she could fix her problem.

Many think that pastry chefs have better recipes, I am sorry to burst anybodies bubble, we don't! We do however, have tips that many mistakes have taught us. Here are my non-failure tips to making this cookies at higher altitude:

1- Lets begin with this statement, I, personally, use the Toll House cookie recipe, keeping in mind that it must be adjusted for high altitude. No margarine here, full on butter in these cookies, if you are going to have a sweet little morsel why fill it with transfats?
The recipe call for 2 1/4 cups of flour which i change to 2 1/2, because baking in high altitude requires recipes to have more flour, less leavening agent and lower sugar. Having said that, the baking soda takes a small 1/8 tsp hit from the original 1 tsp, and the sugar lowers just a  tbsp each, brown and white.

SANTA FE FUN

SANTA FE FUN.

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One of my favorite places in Denver is the Santa Fe Arts District. It is fun most of the time, but it becomes a real party every First Friday of the month, when those four blocks full of galleries, shops and restaurants, get packed with vibrant people getting in and out like little ants from one door to the other, seeing art and getting inebriated with ideas of their own. Musicians play in every corner, next to the food trucks that smell like heaven.