Cairn - Colorado's Cultural Guidepost

Another Year and Lots More Beer

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:22:22 +0100

It’s that wonderful time of year again in Colorado. Am I talking about the aspens turning gold? No. Am I talking about the Denver Broncos taking the field? No. Am I talking about ski season getting started? No. I’m talking about the Great American Beer Festival (GABF). Honestly, we Colorado people don’t know how good we have it. Each year, we get sample the best beers from across the country. And we don’t even have to...

On The Rocks

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:05:55 +0100

images/stories/dirty/luebben.jpg On The Rocks was Craig Luebben (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=179 Itemid=89)'s contribution to Cairn Issue 2... A cliff swallow drops out of the sky, swishes within inches of your head and disappears into the depths below. Your eyes follow her trajectory toward the ground — 500 feet straight down. What are you doing up here? Rock climbing, that’s what. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Craig Luebben - August 9, 2009

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 22:06:53 +0100

We were saddened to hear the news that Craig Luebben, an accomplished climber and author, passed away on August 9, 2009. Craig kindly lent his talents to Cairn's 2nd print issue, voluntarily contributing an article on rock climbing. We were touched by his generosity toward our fledgling publication and his passion for climbing. Our thoughts go out to his friends and family. For information on how to pass on your condolences...

TP - Nowhere Near Manhood

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:09:23 +0100

images/stories/novel/verses/Nowhere-Near-Manhood2.jpg “TP” is excerpted from Nowhere Near Manhood, by Michael Mecherikoff, available at www.NowhereNearManhood.com (http://www.nowherenearmanhood.com/). Sometimes I like to imagine the origin of stupid things. When a crappy commercial appears on television, I envision a large, expensive conference table surrounded by marketing execs in fancy suits. “No, no, that commercial would actually describe the product we’re trying to sell. What’s next?” Mumbling. “Okay, okay, I got one. Okay, there’s this...

Mile High Pie

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 13:35:28 +0100

Think of any time of year, and chances are you can think of a pie to go with it. Blueberry pie in the summer. Apple and pumpkin pies in the fall. You get the idea. Americans, so it seems, love their pie (especially Grandma’s), and for good reason. “Everybody has great memories of pie from their childhood,” says Linda Hoskins, executive director of the Illinois-based American Pie Council. “Even if there was a bad pie, there’s usually a...

Hi-ho the Derry-O, the Farmer in the…

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 21:44:49 +0100

images/stories/lofty/heirloom/heirloom1a.jpg City life doesn’t mean you have to squash your desire to grow I recently visited Sundari Kraft's farm. She showed me her plans for the crop schedule and layout this year, and worked on building plant spacers while we talked. From where we sat, I could see where the garlic had started to come up, the section where the asparagus would soon surface, and other areas which still needed to be prepped for this year's crop. I didn't have...

He Walks Like a Cowboy (and He Writes Like One Too)

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:17:35 +0100

images/stories/novel/berger/cityscape.jpg An interview with author Jonah Berger I meet Jonah Berger at his Cheesman Park apartment where he has prepared a classic dish: rotini pasta and marinara with quick-bake croissants. He dumps a mountain of Parmesan onto one of the dishes—more cheese than sauce. More cheese than any one man could possibly stomach. “Don’t worry,” he assures me. “This one’s mine.” He swaggers out to the living room and drops into his sectional sofa. “Food first,” he says,...

The Koppenberg: Colorado’s Springtime Classic

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:09:31 +0100

images/stories/dirty/kop/koppenberg2_full.jpg This Sunday, Colorado’s bike season starts in earnest with the Front Range’s premier spring “Classic,” the Koppenberg. Officially known as the Koppenberg Circuit, the course loops through the back roads of Superior—some paved, some not—making its way to a distinct hill that has become one of the most exciting places to watch road racing in all of Colorado. It’s steep, it’s narrow, it’s rutted, and oh yeah, it’s all dirt.

A Latke for Every Mensch!

Sat, 21 Mar 2009 14:42:52 +0100

images/stories/lofty/bageldeli/bageldelisign.jpg The Bagel Deli Restaurant has grown deep roots in Denver’s sometimes fickle soil. When a business has been around for 40 years, a couple of assumptions are fair: one, it’s made a name for itself, and two, its owners are doing something right. The Bagel Deli remains a humble mom-n-pop shop, as loyal to its customers as they are to it.

The Syncomasher: Nimble, Fleet-Footed Cousin of the Octamasher

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 23:49:12 +0100

Howdy! We pull ourselves out of the sawdust, away from the paint buckets and a surprisingly stubborn and treacherous sewing machine to let you know what we’ve been up to—we’re making a Syncomasher! (Well actually, we’re making the table and stand that will eventually house and display the electronic components of the Syncomasher). Now, I realize some questions might have popped into your mind as you read the above and lucky for you I’m in an accommodating mood, so read...