On Banjos

As I've mentioned before, living in Cole definitely has a musical component. Generally loud latin music booming from a slammed Ford F-150. More fun is the nostalgia I feel when I see someone walk by with a "boom box" or "ghetto blaster" from back in the 80's cranking some Cube. (Oh, as a pasty white kid, I used to burn through those D-batteries listening to my Huey Lewis and The News and Hall and Oates Cassettes.)

But things are certainly changing, as evidenced by my Saturday afternoon experience, when I saw my first-ever banjo in Cole. Followed no more than 5 minutes later, my second. Man, the neighborhood is really going down the toytee now.

The first one belonged to this new white guy that moved into the tri-plex on our block. Can't decide if he looks more hippy-ish or like he fell off a bottle of Kentucky Deluxe. (Perhaps the banjo and beard was making me think Deliverance when I should have been thinking Pearl Street). Either way, he sat on the curb in front of his house for about 1/2 hour picking his banjo as he spoke on the phone with a buddy.

The second banjo sighting was from a very goth-looking girl that came walking by, no doubt heading to the fixed-gear house up on the 3600 block. Six months ago I never saw another cyclist in the 'hood. Now, each and every day I see the folks from the house come and go, like some flock of vultures. I can only imagine what "The Collective" thinks of this wheeled (but brake-less), white invasion.

Yes, two--Count 'em, two banjos on my block in the span of 5 minutes. And to make it even more strange, they didn't even know one another! No acknowledgement of one another. No nod, no hellos, and despite my fingers being crosssed, no dueling banjos. I so wanted to hear what hippies and goth kids play on their banjos.

I still can't get my mind around the odds that two different, unaffiliated banjo-owners would come within five feet of one another--In Cole. The odds must be something close to two comets passing within 50 miles of one another, or of Al Gore buying a Hummer. Heck, Kenyon Martin winning a spelling bee might be even more probable than what I witnessed.

But it happened, honest. Not sure what it means, but it sure shows the neighborhood is rapidly changing. Perhaps we've hit some sort of critical mass?

I've heard that just before an area becomes yuppified, that's when the artists and urban fixed gear crowd moves in. Yup, "The Collective" is going to be pissed.

Ten Things I'm Excited About In Cole

I guess it's only fair to share some of the very cool things that are happening over here, to balance out my rather cynical bent as of late. So that the haters can't say I'm nothing but negative, here are ten things I'm excited about in Cole right now:

1. The CNA's recent energy--The CNA has been active for several years, but wow--The last 12 months seem to have brought a whole new vitality and energy to the organization. Kudos to Ashleigh Weatherill, current CNA president, Loralie Cole, the former president and (I think) current vice president, and all the folks that are participating.


2. The Dry Ice Factory and Casselman's Bar and Venue--Joining The Walnut Room and Blake Street Tavern as the latest beacons of hope for close-by shopping and services to Cole. Yeah, I know they're actually "Ballpark" neighborhood or something... but I'm so grateful to have them in North Denver. They are much-needed anchor businesses to tie our neighborhood to downtown's vitality.


3. The flip guru of Cole--Darryl whatever-his-name is, that fixed up the house next door to us, as well as three or four other homes in the area, and sold them to new, responsible Cole residents, is right now across the street fixing up his latest aquisition, an old brick duplex that has been vacant and a squatter-and-crackhead-haven for years. Darryl for president!!!


4. The fact that with this duplex renovated and being sold to first-time homeowners, that will make no fewer than 7 residences on our block that have been renovated significantly since we moved here three years ago. I know first-hand that there are many folks that would love to see that much progress on their blocks in that time.
   
5. The fact that no less than three people have emailed me through this blog in the past month (two in the past week), looking for homes here and seeking unvarnished information about the area. Hey, that's what I've always promised, and I'm glad to find that there are some folks out there that still appreciate a straight shooter. Oh, and of course, it's nice to hear the Cole neighborhood is such an attractor of new residents. (Unless you're part of the "Collective", which is a whole other topic.)


6. The exciting new plans for redevelopment of the barren, disjointed, largely industrial northwest corner of our neighborhood to make it more pedestrian friendly, improve traffic flow, and better connect it to the Platte trail.


7. The Denver Police Department for, well, you know for what.


8. Denver Partners Against Graffiti for, well, again, no explanation needed here.


9. That despite what must have been a hugely expensive failure with his Kiva Restaurant, the owner of the old Tosh's Hacienda building isn't giving up on this historic property yet, and is launching a new round of renovations. While I haven't agreed with all the choices he's made, I'm grateful to have his investment in the neighborhood, in Tracks, ExDo, and of course, whatever the Kiva/Tosh's building becomes.


10. And, finally, I'm very thankful for (some) of my neighbors. OK, most of them. Those that don't have a dog that barks all hours of the day and night (and even that family is good people otherwise); those that don't make 11AM Front Porch Happy Hour 7 days a week; and especially those that don't sell the rock or light cats on fire.
    
    While there are a good number of people here that I would have been perfectly happy never meeting (let alone dealing with them on a daily basis), overall we have some great people in Cole--Both new and old residents.
    
    There is no doubt that three years ago when we moved to the block, we were welcomed with open arms by the vast majority of the current residents of the block (those that don't sell the rock or light cats on fire), and that's a pretty special thing I think.
    
    And despite my cynicism, I truly hope that these neighbors are part of the future of the block, too.

The Official Beverage Of Cole Neighborhood

You don't have to walk far in Cole to trip across a "Kentucky Deluxe" whiskey bottle. Yup, many long-time Cole residents love their drinking, and they overwhelmingly choose Kentucky Deluxe.

And no secret why. The bottle reads: "A choice blended whiskey that possesses the character and taste a connoisseur desires and expects from a great whiskey." We apparently have a good number of fine whiskey connoisseurs in the barrio, because they won't settle for anything but the best... er... I mean... Deluxe.

Seriously, for those of us not named Trump, why spend 3 or 4 dollars a bottle for a jug of some high-brow whiskey when you can live deluxe--Kentucky Deluxe?

Dictionary.com defines "Deluxe" as: "Of special elegance, sumptuousness, or fineness; high or highest in quality, luxury, etc."

Of special elegance... Check; highest in quality... Check; luxury, Check. Yup, I can see why Kentucky Deluxe is the preferred beverage of so many Cole residents--From its plastic bottle, to the regal crown on the label, to the way your head throbs the morning after you drink it, it no doubt is the absolute epitome of deluxe.

So the next time you're going to go sit in the Down-and-Out Super parking lot and cat-call young ladies when they walk by; sit in your car alone and drink at City Park; when Tuesday morning happy hour rolls around again; or if you're just looking to start a drop-down, drag out family argument on your front porch, do it the Deluxe way. Kentucky Deluxe.

At a cash-only liquor store with bars on the windows near you...