Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Fat Ladies and Purple Tulips


Two statues gab with each other in Writers' Square, Sunday morning, 27 April 2008.

Larimer Square on Sunday Morning


Nice day to take the SUV downtown for a little shopping.

Art and Road Work


Like most big cities, Denver always seems to be under construction. The view here is the future site of the Four Seasons Hotel (red crane on the left), seen from the intersection of 14th and Larimer Streets. In the far distance, one may see the Convention Center and the jutting roof of the Performing Arts Center.

View of Tivoli from CU Building


In the foreground, some people enjoy the sun, sitting on benches that line the Cherry Creek bike path. In the background we see Speer Boulevard, and in the far distance the Tivoli Student Union building (once a brewery that made Tivoli beer).

Blossoms Overshadow Parking Lot


Despite its best efforts to look ugly, a parking lot on the CU Denver campus finds itself overshadowed by white blossoms.

Rollerbladers Contemplate Skyline


Two rollerbladers wait for a green light at the intersection of Larimer Street and Speer Boulevard, Sunday morning, 27 April 2008.

Auraria Science Building


Blue Crane and April Trees


A blue construction crane hovers high above April trees on the Auraria campus. The University of Colorado Denver is building a new science center, but the crane stands silent on a sunny Sunday morning.

Busy Bee


Blossoms and Stone


A tree in brilliant bloom stands next to the Emmanuel Gallery on the University of Colorado Denver campus.

Auraria Campus Library - April Trees in Bloom


Writers' Square - Public Parking

Looking northeast down Lawrence Street toward the Westin-Tabor Center.

Impression of 16th Street


The 16th Street Mall at sunset, Sunday 27 April 2008.

Denver Post Tower at Sunset


State Capitol Dome at Sunset


Brown Palace Hotel


Tabor Center


Monday, April 21, 2008

D and F Tower - View of Mall toward Capitol


A vertical panorama of Denver's 16th Street Mall from the boardroom atop the Daniels and Fisher clocktower. This is looking southeast, toward the Colorado state capitol building (which is very, very small in the distance). See the map at this link: http://wikimapia.org/#lat=39.747751&lon=-104.995136&z=17&l=0&m=a&v=2
Click on the photo to enlarge it, and dig the dinky, ant-like people sitting under the umbrellas of the restaurant below!

D and F Clock Tower - Looking East


Looking northeast down Arapahoe Street toward 17th, from the 14th Floor of the Daniels and Fisher Clocktower. That's the Westin-Tabor center on the left, with the Bank One Tower behind it. On the right we see Independence Plaza with the Qwest building behind it.

D and F Tower - View of 16th Street Mall


A panoramic view, looking northwest down the mall from the 14th Floor of the D & F Clocktower.
The roof on the right is the Tabor Center.

D and F Tower - View of the Westin


The deck chairs surrounding the swimming pool of the Westin Hotel look like dollhouse furniture at this height -- the 14th floor of the D and F Tower. This shot was taken from the balcony on the tower's east side.

D and F Tower - Welcome Mat


Upsidedown, the D and F look strangely like Egyptian hieroglyphics. Daniels and Fisher are the same D& F in May D&F. For some reason, I never made the connection before taking the Denver "Open Doors" tour on Sunday April 13.

Lannie's Clocktower Cabaret - The Bar


An ornately decorated bar adds character to Lannie's Clocktower Cabaret in the basement of the D&F Tower, downtown Denver. Lannie herself was present at the hostess desk when I took this tour, but I didn't have the nerve to photograph her. She's a strikingly beautiful woman. The wooden cowboy looked like an easier target.
Lannie's website: http://www.lannies.com/

Reflections in Stone


April sunlight reflects from the windows of the UMB towers onto the polished granite surface of a bench outside of the 1st Bank building. The Brown Palace Hotel may be seen at the left.

The UMB Tower


Denver Skyscraper Puzzle


Skyscrapers at the intersection of 17th and Tremont etch interesting shapes in the brilliant blue of an April afternoon. The odd top in the background is the Wells Fargo build. On the right the sleek UMB tower contrasts sharply with the rough-hewn elegance of a Victorian brownstone -- the roof of the Brown Palace Hotel.

Brown Palace Hotel - Eisenhower Suite Sign

A sign outside the Eisenhower Suite at the Brown Palace Hotel informs visitors that "every president since Teddy Roosevelt" has stayed at the hotel. President Eisenhower was the most frequent visitor, at times staying as long as six weeks. The photographs show his visit in 1955.

Brown Palace Hotel - Eisenhower Suite Entrance


Brown Palace Hotel - Eisenhower Suite Bedroom


Brown Palace Hotel - Eisenhower Golf Ball Dent


The Eisenhower Suite of the Brown Palace Hotel reverently displays a holy relic - a dent made in the mantle piece of the fireplace when Ike chipped a shot while practicing his golf swing.
To quote the tour guide who showed me the room, "If you or I made a huge dent in the mantle piece while playing golf inside a luxury hotel, we'd receive an angry letter and a stiff bill. For President Eishenhower, they made a shrine."

Brown Palace Hotel - Eisenhower Suite Dining Room


Brown Palace Hotel - Eisenhower Suite Desk


Saturday, April 19, 2008

Brown Palace Hotel - Beatles Picture

Brown Palace Hotel - Beatles' Suite

The Beatles "hung out" here briefly after their 1964 concert in Denver.

Brown Palace Hotel - Lobby Entrance

Brown Palace Hotel - Lobby

Brown Palace Hotel - Ships Tavern Entrance

Brown Palace Hotel - Ships Tavern Bar

Brown Palace Hotel - Lobby Lounge

Brown Palace Hotel - Gift Shop Window

Window of the Barth Hotel


This window was found in perfect condition beneath the floor boards of the Barth Hotel during its reconstruction. Now carefully restored to its full glory, it graces the front office.

Barth Hotel 1

Teddy Roosevelt slept here, at the historic Barth Hotel, when he visited Denver one hundred years ago. The Barth is now an assisted living community for the elderly.

Barth Hotel 2

Friday, April 18, 2008

The Sheraton Hotel


The Navarre


The Navarre Hotel, once one of the classiest bordellos in Denver, is seen here from an upper window of the Brown Palace Hotel (across the street). An underground railway passage once connected the two, allowing the more respectable residents at the Brown Palace to visit the cat house. Today the building houses the Museum of Western Art. See this website:

Window Sprites


Faery folk decorate the front window of the Oxford Hotel

Thursday, April 17, 2008

The Oxford Hotel


This is the window of the historic Oxford Hotel, 1600 17th Street. It is only a block from Denver's train depot, Union Station. The rooms are done in beautiful Victorian style, and the hotel is reputedly one of the most haunted buildings in Denver. See their website:

Oxford Hotel Doorway


Oxford Hotel - Entrance Hall


Oxford Hotel - Lobby Pano