cuppy cakes!

A friend who manages a restaurant in Lodo called last night and asked if I'd be interested in making a little extra cash.

Apparently her chef needs 20 dozen cupcakes for a private party on monday - the only requirements being that there needs to be six flavors total, two dozen gluten free. So I did some math on payment, we figured out a fair price and I headed to the grocery store to buy supplies.

As of last night, I've made about 150 total including lemon, classic white, gluten-free chocolate and double chocolate chip pumpkin (holy moses, those are tasty).

Today I'm on the hunt for some cake boxes to store everything in and mint extract to complete a mint chocolate cupcake with andes mints and a few other ingredients for the last fall flavor: gingerbread cinnamon.

Frosting should be fun. And... let's just say i'm super thankful my mom bought me an industrial-sized kitchen-aid for christmas last year. And a cake-decorating kit. Who knew...?

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muuuusic.

i'm glad i don't have epilepsy, because they put on one helluva strobe light show.

i've lucked out big, because i'm on some eternal guest list since joining AEG Live, and lucky for me, a number of really great artists are in our venues this fall. hooray!

tonight, hot hot heat, 22-20s and hey roseta!* (*interactive portion. if you'd like to hear me say all those bands with great inflection, call 303-377-1666 and select option #2)

i've bought a few of hhh's songs here and there, but never fully committed to an album (okay, except for the album that one of the tetris league co-owners burned for me). would i have gone had i not gotten in for free? eh... maybe not. but i was pleasantly surprised. Singer Steven Bays can belt it pretty damn solid. And from their own mouths, they've done their latest album, and it stands up pretty solid to all of those in the past.

I spent the majority of the show trying to figure out if the drummer was a male/female - and was more confused when i settled on man, and Bays introduced him as Holly (turns out it's Paul Hawley). The rest of the time was soaking up a very good vibe in the room from all the happy dancers - one of my favorite things about live shows. That'll never go out of style.

So far on my list of "to-see" this fall include (click the name to grab a sample)

9/7 - jamie lidell (he was phenom)

9/18 Beats Antique (because i've made 8trillion of their posters and maybe i can bring my hoop?)

9/24 Matt & Kim

9/28 sharon jones and the dap kings / grace potter & the nocturnals

10/2 muse

10/3 jimmy eat world (still fond memories of them in flag at the old orpheum)

10/4 james ("this bed is on fire with passionate love...")

10/5 the eels (going with one of their original drummers - Daren Hahn)

10/9 futureheads

10/11 ra ra riot

10/13 lissie (squeal!)

10/13 menomena (strictly because they names their band after this ... at least i think they did. i'll have to research that)

10/19 the script (yeah... ya caught me. they're from ireland. what's a girl gonna do?)

10/22 apples in stereo

10/25 interpol / white rabbits (lovvvvve wr!)

10/27 mumford and sons

10/29 pepper / mishka

11/5 paul oakenfold

11/6 kate nash!!!!

11/14 lifehouse

11/16 kt tunstall

11/18 brandon flowers (maybe... verdict's still out on that one)

11/19 OZOMATLI!!!!!! (FINALLY!!!!!!!)

11/19 Gracious Few (I want to go - they remind me of the good period of the 90s. buuut... ozomatli!)

11/26 3oh3!

12/3 needtobreathe

... (and more to come, i'm sure)

now if only we could get black keys, white stripes, cat power, handsome boy modeling school, m.i.a, matty nay, the strokes, nelly furtado... you know, just to name a few (oh, and if the postal service could go on tour and not just rest comfortably on the ONE album from 2004).

if you want to go with me to any of these shows, give a girl a shout. gotta spread the vip wealth. and it'd be fun to dance with you. :)

DEAR CHARLIE: In a few weeks, we will be celebrating our daughter's baptism, and will be entertaining both mine and my wife's family while they are in town. After the event, we will be looking for somewhere for all of us adults (10-12 of us) to have dinner, but need to steer clear of Downtown since there is a huge convention the weekend of our celebration. Can you offer some help?

Yes! We know a few places in the surrounding areas that will dish up some delicious fare, offer you a comfortable amount of room for your party and promise to deliver a good experience:

Table 6: Open seven days a week, offers a refuge in a comfy, friendly environment. Laid back, but food-serious. This place will be roomy enough to seat your entire party and the staff will make sure you feel taken care of after the end of what sounds like a busy day for you! http://www.table6denver.com

Cafe Star: Owned by family restaurant Trattoria Stella, this Colfax location did a great job for my birthday this year. We showed up with 12 people and ended up paying in just $30/person with drinks. around $30/person with drinks, and they'll def take good care of you. Food is awesome - and they have home-made desserts that are absolutely to die for. http://www.cafestardenver.com

Shells and Sauce: Situated in Congress Park, this is one of Denver's many delicious Italian bistros that is cozy and casual - but delivers a bang of flavor in each of their dishes. One big room with big, big atmosphere. Try the butternut squash-stuffed ravioli and be sure you get the tirimisu for dessert. http://shellsandsauce.net/

Black Pearl: Similar to Potager in Capitol Hill, Black Pearl uses all-fresh, local ingredients to create contemporary American dishes. Very "loft-like" and in a favorite neighborhood on Old South Pearl. http://www.blackpearldenver.com

If you're up for driving up to Lower Highland - two great places i've visited in the last month that are definitely worth exploring:

Root Down: This place reminds me of Steubens, yet more laid-back. RD is an old car garage - totally converted/ 100% recycled material (but really classy) - amazing view of downtown Denver. REALLY good food (i had a beef tenderloin and shared my friend's pork loin. amazing). I think food runs $25 and under and they could definitely do 10 people with a reservation. http://www.rooddowndenver.com/

Lola's: This is right around the corner from Forrest Room 5- so if you head up 15th street and hang a right on Boulder, it's on the next block's corner. Beautiful, spanish interior and a crystal clear view of downtown. Mexican food with an interesting twist. I've only been there for breakfast, but to give an idea - french toast with pumpkin cream cheese, hazelnuts and syrup. Wasn't too spendy either -- I'd guess $20-40/person depending on libations. http://www.loladenver.com

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UnWealthy Woo-er

[Monday, January 12, 2008]

I recently started dating a wonderful curly-haired guy and he is so on top of actually "dating." We go to movies, he makes reservations at swanky restaurants, he invites me to his shared ski-condo up in Frisco, buys or makes me little things that shows he listens to (and remembers!) our conversations, and is just (so far as I can tell) an all-around good man. 

And he pays for everything, which is lovely; I am, however, afraid of it taking a toll a little later on in the relationship. I'm currently trying to pay off both credit card and student loan debt, and as a result, I have very little expendable income. I love the places he takes me to; I just can't afford them. He says that he doesn't mind - but I don't want his offer to pay to become expectant on my part or our going out dependent on his good natured spending.

I would like to reciprocate the awesome date ideas, but need to do so on a budget. Any thoughts?

Much thanks,
UnWealthy Woo-er

Dear UnWealthy Woo-er

Congrats on finding a stellar man - they seem to be few-and-far between these days. Chances are if he is as awesome as you say he is, he'll appreciate your creativity and thoughtfulness when picking out your date spot.

So here are a few ideas I conjured up that will hopefully be of use in the future - after all, a thoughtful gesture will stick around a lot longer than that twenty you should have used to do pay your electric bill...

Free Dates:

*Cook him dinner! If you're not so savvy in the kitchen, arrange a potluck with friends and make a theme night out of the variety of foods.

*Go hiking - there are a number of good trails listed here

*Go through your (and his) movie collection and make a marathon out of a Saturday

*Make your own kite out of newsprint and go fly it in the park.

*Walk around downtown and window shop - act like a tourist in your hometown.

*Plan a scavenger hunt - whether all around town or just in your neighborhood.

*Head to the library and check out some books/movies (free entertainment).

*Plan a picnic.

Cheap Dates:

*Scope out the Zoo, Botanical Gardens.

*Go to a dollar movie and split a sundae at a nearby ice cream parlor

*$2 root beer float happy hour at Red Trolley (Every day 3-6pm)

*Rent a bicycle for two

*Scope out Westword for local festivals. Denver is a HUGE city, there's bound to be something.

*Visit a local museum - Denver has tons! We're sure you haven't seen them all.

*Cheesy date - but you'll be laughing a lot - Miniature Golf.

*Take a scenic drive in the mountains - settle in somewhere cheap for burgers and beers

*Take a dance class together: The Mercury Cafe has a large offering of salsa, belly dance, ballroom, etc.

*Check the paper for local sunrise/sunset times and head up to a good watch spot together (if you get up for sunrise, go grab some hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls after)

*Can you say Happy Hour? My favorite? McCormick's on 17th and Wazee. $1.95 Cheeseburger and fries from 5-7pm and 9-10:30pm. There are TONS of happy hours in town, just do a quick search online and see what kind of cuisine you're in the mood for!

Most of all, have fun! This list should give you plenty to get started, and if all else fails, just show some leg. ;)

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Ready to Wrap

Dear Charlie,

The gift giving holidays are rapidly approaching and while I'm fortunate to have many wonderful friends I would like to gift, my wallet is not so fortunate. I would love to make handmade gifts but this season is flying by so I'm afraid this is not the year for crafts. Any pointers where I can get the most bang for my buck, without losing the quality of the gift would be greatly appreciated!

Ready to Wrap! Denver, CO

Ready to Wrap,

Great question, and something I'm sure a lot of us are taking note of this holiday season, given the awesome economy right now.

First off, I would set your budget. How much do you want to spend total? How much do you want to spend per person? Generally, if you get that in place, you'll avoid spur-of-the-moment presents that could end up breaking your bank account.

One of the best ways to get a lot of present for not a lot of dollars is include one main piece with a lot of small trinkets/sweets included.

Since Denver has a boatload of boutiques and retail shops (often offering great sales around Christmas), you can usually pick up unique pieces for friends or family at a lower price. A few favorites: Pandora, Common Era and True Love and Decade, both on South Broadway. If the boutique is too spendy, try Forever21 - they have great knock offs that usually run between $3-10.

Add in some chocolates (World Market has a great selection of foreign treats), some body wash (Bath and Body works offers numerous $1-3 soaps, lotions and lip chap) or something small from Target(scarf, mittens), and you'll have a nice little bag of goodies for your besties!

If you want to skip the crowds and leg work - saddle up to your computer and peruse the world wide web. Etsy.com is a favorite for home-made crafts ($1-$40) and you can usually get great deals on multimedia, books and home goods at Amazon and Overstock.com. Another bonus to buying online? You get to open your order, so it feels like a present unto itself.

Holiday Get-togethers:
- homemade cookies: cheap and fast. get some friends to help decorate - then send them off with their own plate of goodies!
- white elephant party: have everyone bring something from their home to regift! great fun and you may end up with someone really neat you wouldn't have found otherwise!
- christmas potluck: have everyone bring their favorite holiday dish and wallah! instant dinner party.

These ideas should help your gift come across as thoughtful and tailored to each of your friends. Happy shopping and best of luck!

Do you have a question? Have more shopping suggestions for Ready to Wrap? E-mail Charlie!

Pantsless in Park Slope

Dear Charlie...
Recently, I lost a little bit of weight and since then, I've found that I have an awful time finding pants. Part of the problem is I don't know what to look for. When I was heavier, all I needed was something to distract from the man-boobs (lots of loud plaids, cut-offs mid thigh, etc.), but now that I feel good, I want to look good, too.

How should I go about finding the perfect pair?

- Pantsless in Park Slope

Dear Pantsless,

First of all, kudos on the weight-loss. As everyone knows, tackling extra weight (especially around the holidays) can seem like an impossible feat.

Most people who have dropped some extra baggage often have a skewed perception of what their actual size is after carrying additional weight for so long, so it's good to get remeasured so you know what to shop for.

Check out any major retail store that offers men's apparel, and a professional should be available to accurately measure your waist, leg width/length and inseam. If the idea of someone prodding around your legs in public makes you uncomfortable, pick-up your own tape at a local Hobby/Crafts Store (Michael's, Hobby Lobby) and follow these directions.

Once you have all the numbers, you shouldn't have a problem finding your size at any of your favorite stores. If one of the measurements is off, you can always call a tailor and have them alter the pants specifically for your body at a reasonably low price. You'd be surprised at what a difference a little tailoring can make!

It also never hurts to bring a savvy ladybird with you to offer some commentary and we're pretty sure she owes you for all the times you've waited patiently for her to try on 17 different outtfits on your shopping trips. Good Luck!