Kombucha on Tap!

imageKombucha, a lovely fermented beverage touted to have many health benefits.  Usually found in glass bottles at your local health food store.  Now you can get this beverage on tap in some establishments.  This is a Happy Leaf orange basil Kombucha on tap at Berkeley Untapped in Denver, Colorado.

Do you remember the first time you had your favorite beer on tap instead of from a bottle or can?  Well this weekend I had my first Kombucha on tap and the experience was similar to that first time beer on tap experience.  Yummy!

I followed it with an IPA and I forgot to take a picture or write down the name but that IPA was yummy too.

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Someone important is a dog lover and these paintings of his dogs are proudly displayed above the bar.  You can bring your pooch on nice days and he or she is welcome to sit on the patio with you.  There is actually a raised dog bed that looks like a trampoline on the patio for dogs!

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No food other than snacks like a cheese and cracker plate, pretzels and popcorn. But you are welcome to bring in your own eats.

They also offer wine and cocktails that look equally amazing!

A small Fair Trade Store is tucked in the back supporting developing countries.

The Kombucha flavors are regularly rotated and I don’t know how long the orange basil will be available.  Apparently the on tap beers are rotated regularly too so there is always something new to try.

And my favorite perk?  With each beverage purchased you are given a wooden quarter to place in your favorite charity of choice box, a rotating selection of 3. Of course mine went in the animal box!

Go here for more information:  Berkeley Untapped

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Good Food With Good Friends at Domo Restaurant

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Domo Restaurant has been a Denver favorite for authentic Japanese cuisine for decades.

It is also the home of the Aikido Nippon Kan which is the largest Aikido school in the area  Also contained in this vast building and grounds are traditional Japanese gardens and a museum of Japanese antiques and crafts.

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Each meal starts with 7 family style side dishes.

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Nabayaki Ramen is the dish I ordered.  One of my favorites.  Nabayaki is either ramen or udon noodles simmered with meats and other surprises.  The Domo Nabayaki is served with pork, kamabako, egg, tempura shrimp and vegetables.

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Hatsumago sake was my treat.  They also have other sake selections and tea selctions.

 

 

 

 

Iron Pour Art

 

Here’s how they stop the iron from pouring from the copulas where a continuous supply is being melted.

Iron casting.  Molten iron poured into tiles or molds.

The public was allowed to participate, buying tiles for $10 and creating their own fantastic artwork and sculptures.

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Here’s my friend Mary Lou’s tile mold.   When she gets the finished product cleaned up and polished will share it with you.

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This is from an iron pour she did last year.

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Graphite was painted into the molds,  this prevents the iron from sticking to the tile when it’s poured.

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Here’s another tile.  Day of the Dead theme.

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Filling the tiles with molten iron. After a brief wait tiles are cracked from the still red hot iron pieces which are then dropped into a bucket of water to finish the cooling.

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Here they’re pouring molten iron into some of the molded sculptures .

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Mary Lou and I both had holes in our jackets from this display!

Had a great evening.  Next time I just might buy a tile and create some art!

 

Love Colorado Golf and Contributing to Charity?

Golf Tournament

Join us at the beautiful Indian Tree Golf Course in Arvada, Colorado for a day of golfing and awesome scenery.  And, best of all?  Your participation will help us replace the furnace at Simpson United Methodist Church.

Simpson United Methodist Church
Simpson United Methodist Church

Jason the Awesome Doll Interpreter at the 2016 Hina Matsuri Festival

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Jason worked both Saturday and Sunday as a doll interpreter in the doll room at our annual Hina Matsuri Festival.

He actually didn’t finish his homework Saturday night but his mom realized that we really needed his help and allowed him to come back to teach the public about the main doll display Sunday.

He is now our expert on the traditional girl’s Hina Matsuri seven tier doll display.

Next year his mom is going to help us with finding facts about the history of the samurai armor, weapons and protective clothing.

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Hope you can join us next year for our 49th Annual Hina Matsuri Festival celebration.  Dolls, Japanese food, Ikebana, Bonsai, Tea Ceremony, Martial Arts, Japanese music on traditional instruments, dance, and Taiko drumming just to name a bit of the program.

And Jason and I should have some interesting stuff to share with you!

Jason My Co-worker at Hina Matsuri Festival

imageMeet Jason.  We worked the doll room together today at our Hinamatsuri Festival.

Jason is wearing a boy’s kimono.  A gift from his Aunt and Uncle who live in Japan.

The square fabric tucked into his obi and tied with white rope represents a knife.  He promised he didn’t really have a knife, just a piece of cardboard.
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The back of the Kimono was amazing.  This is a formal Kimono, not for casual wear.  Perfect for a special festival!

Jason will be back tomorrow teaching people about the dolls, if he gets his homework done!

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Yummy musubi and bento box lunches available while they last.

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This weekend at the 2016 Hina Matsuri Festival Homemade Manju

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The ladies have been busy cooking for the festival. Homemade manju, spam musubi and chicken  teriyaki bento boxes each day while they last.

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The Festival is open to the public and free of charge.

Some information on dolls displayed:  Kokeshi DollsOtafuku-SanPictures from Past Hina Matsuri Festivals

Also on display are Bonsai (miniature plants and trees) Bonsai at Hina Matsuri Festival and Ikebana (flower arranging) Ikebana at Hina Matsuri Festival

On the stage: Taiko Drums, Martial Arts and variety of music.  Taiko with Toni 2015 Hina Matsuri Festival

Other interesting displays are the Kimonos Wedding Kimono, Gaman Art from Internment Camp The Art of Gaman in Internment Camps, a Display at Hina Matsuri Festival

Hope you can join us!

 

Today’s Extreme Dessert, Voodoo Doughnut, Denver, Colorado

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7 locations in Oregon, Texas, Taipei City Taiwan, and Denver, Colorado

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Voodoo Doughnut Doll, raised yeast with raspberry filling, slathered in chocolate and stabbed with a pretzel stake.  Yum!

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Bacon Maple Bars, raised yeast with maple frosting and bacon on top.  These were split among our 5 huge dogs and they also gave it 20 paws up, woof!

New Program, DIA Therapy Dogs

Malachi, proud member of the Canine Airport Therapy Squad

My friend Malachi has enrolled in a new therapy program at Denver International Airport.  He is a volunteer with the Canine Airport Therapy Squad (CATS for short).

Malachi is a certified therapy dog.  He and his human companion Karen stroll the concourse looking for passengers who need cheering up.

Karen and Malachi at Denver International Airport
Malachi waiting to start new therapy program at DIA

Malachi and his canine therapy buddies are looking forward to helping passengers calm travel nerves so be on the look out for these friendly pups, they will be wearing their “Pet Me” vests.