Lighting the Season
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Category Archives: Denver
Merle’s – Littleton, Colorado
Downtown Littleton’s New Hot Spot
The transition from Merle’s Alignment to Merle’s Restaurant is complete. After opening in November the eatery quickly became the new hot spot in downtown Littleton. We made our first visit today for lunch. With lots of buzz about the burgers we couldn’t resist. Bob ordered the Mountain Burger with mushrooms, smoked peppered bacon and Swiss cheese. I chose Mark’s Burger with Anaheim chilies, guacamole and Monterey Jack cheese. Both were worthy of the buzz. Meat for burgers is ground fresh daily, bun was fresh and an appropriate size. A pet peeve of mine is a bun that overwhelms the meat or one too small to cover the patty.
Evergreen Lake – Evergreen, Colorado
Taking a Spin
For generations Evergreen Lake has been a favorite winter destination for Denver area families. The lake is frozen and open for 2010 winter recreation. There’s plenty of room for hockey practice and pick-up games, beginner and serious skaters as well as those who do more ice standing than skating.
The log Lake House offers lots of benches for lacing up skates, rental skates, hockey supplies, and a snack bar. It’s a great place to warm up or crisp winter days.
When You Go: Skate fees are $5 or less per session depending on age. Season passes and ten punch cards are available. The lake and lake house are part of the Evergreen Park and Recreation District. Their website gives little information;call the skating hotline, 720-880-1391 before heading to the lake.
Happy Skating!
Hammond Candies – Candy Cane Festival
Sweet Treat
Hammonds Candies promises a sweet addition to your holiday shopping or stockings. A Denver tradition since 1920 Hammonds is best known for their handmade candy canes. There’s a flavor for every taste – holiday favorites like cinnamon, cherry, peppermint, cranberry and sugar plum. Fruit flavors range from apple to very berry and for the unusual try bubble gum, cotton candy or key lime. And, for a real treat select one of the filled candy canes – chocolate filled cherry, raspberry or peppermint and vanilla filled cinnamon. YUM!
Hammond’s retail store brims with buckets of candy canes, baskets of old-fashioned ribbon candy, bags of peppermint pillows and rows and rows of lollipops. Swirls of the hand-twisted confections come in 1-ounce, 4-ounce and giant 1-pound sizes.
Note: Come Valentine’s Day some of the lollipops take on a heart shaped twist.
The friendly staff leads tours of the candy kitchen. Visitors watch through large windows as sugary syrups cook in huge copper pots, poured onto large cooling tables, coloring and flavoring added before being kneaded, stretched and formed. The mixture must be just the right temperature to cut into individual lengths. When each batch is ready candymakers deftly and quickly crook each candy cane or swirl lollipops.
Not surprisingly tours end in the candy store.
Tours are available every half hour year round, Monday-Friday 9am-3 pm, Saturday 10am-3pm. The store and factory are closed on Sunday. Tours are FREE.
Families and individuals are welcome to tour without reservations. Groups should call ahead to schedule a time. Behind the scenes tours can be scheduled.
Hammond’s is located at 5735 N. Washington Street, Denver, Colorado. Candy store open Monday-Friday 9am-4:30pm and Saturday 10am4pm. Directions and online shopping available on their website.
Candy Cane Festival ‘09
Each December Hammond’s hosts the Candy Cane Festival – Dec. 12, 2009, 9am-5pm. Take a tour, finish off your Christmas shopping, whisper your list to Santa, feed his reindeer or enjoy the variety of activities. Caroling, storytelling, gingerbread cookie decorating, carnival games, face painting and trolley rides keep everyone entertained. 
The delight of a child- toddler to teen – Santa’s lap is sure to boost your holiday spirits.
After your visit to Hammond’s I bet you won’t be able to wait till Christmas for your first sweet treat.
Yum!
Hammond’s is located at 5735 N. Washington Street, Denver, Colorado. Candy store open Monday-Friday 9am-4:30pm and Saturday 10am4pm. Directions and online shopping available on their website.
Christmas is Coming
Happy Birthday Denver!
150 Years
Happy Birthday Denver!
November 22, 2008 marks the 150th anniversary of Denver’s founding. As prospectors headed to the hills in search of gold William Larimer made a fortune in Denver City selling supplies to the miners. Larimer could never have imagined the city of Denver 150 years later.
Bob and I moved to Denver 45 years ago as newlyweds. We’ve seen much growth and change as we raised our family, reached retirement age and began new careers. The city works hard at denying its reputation as a Cow Town yet celebrates that history with great energy each January when the National Western Stock Show rolls into town.
Where To Go - Travel USA 