Help Me Hate Winter A Little Less

I need your help.  Well, I don’t really need your help (check back here often, as someday I personally will need your help, I know), but there are a lot of people around the Denver metro area who need your help!

I’ve been a bit inspired by Dave Price, the weather guy on the CBS Early Show. Yes, of course, he’s an adorable member of the Tribe, on whom I have a gigantic TV anchor crush, but that’s totally beside the point.  Right now he’s doing his second annual “No Way Home” segment for the show, where he has to get from the West Coast (in this case, Anchorage, AK) back to the GM Building in New York City in a week.

There are two basic rules to his trip: he can’t fly more than 1,000 miles, and he can’t just be given stuff – he has to earn it. To say Dave’s had a rough go of it would be an understatement and a cliché.  It’s been, an “adventure,” and I’ve been geekily following him on twitter, and the CBS Early Show site, and while funny, you do kinda feel bad for the guy.

Twice he has lost his coat, and he’s not even east of the Rockies yet. And it’s cold out there. But let’s be honest – he’s walking around with a camera crew, and probably is afforded a lot more liberties than say a homeless family or vet, right?

Some of you know that I hate winter. OK – hate is a strong word, so I strongly dislike winter. A lot. I complain about walking the dogs in the morning, or having to walk from the gym to the car. But I have a place to work, a place to sleep, and I can always stop for an overpriced specialty coffee if I am really cranky. So many people here in the metro area don’t. They must really hate winter. And this is where you come in.

I am collecting new and gently used coats for folks in the Denver Metro Area.  I have a closet full of coats that I really don’t wear that often, ok AT ALL, and that’s just a starting point.  If you are more organized than I am, and you’ve already cleaned your closet, then visit your local charity thrift/second hand shop and help two groups at once!  

If you’d like to help, please send me an e-mail at ADDcrafter@gmail.com, or find me on twitter.  I’ll even come pick them up from you, or meet you half-way if you live in south nowhere or something like that (I don’t really “do” south of Belleview, as again, some of you know).

I don’t have a firm goal yet, but I am thinking 100 coats would be a good starting point, and pretty darn easy to hit. In fact, I think it's a totally ninny goal.  I guess as a social media geek (and by no means a self appointed guru), I’d also really love to see this go a little viral, so please tell your friends, family and followers. Perhaps they can do the same thing where they live.

Thanks in advance for your help – let’s make this winter a little warmer for Denver’s less fortunate! 

Bacon Jam

My job has one benefit - I get to look for new and innovative restaurants. I found Rack & Rye about a month or so ago - maybe longer, and couldn't wait to try it. The menu looked unique and plain and simply yummy.
We hit it this afternoon at around 4:30, and were the only patrons. Not too much of an issue for me, except I need this place to succeed!

From the moment I saw the menu, I had to try the Bacon Jam. I had no clue what it was, but anything with bacon has to be good. It arrived with the bacon jam in an espresso mug, a sliced, toasted baguette and a sliced, however unripe, tomato. I took a tiny nibble of the Bacon Jam (I have some major food issues - who knew what this really was?), and it tasted a lot like the absolute best part of a baby back rib. A bit chewy, smokey and just delicious. As I mentioned, the tomato would have really accented the jam had it been ripe, or if not, had salt been available on the table.

It turns out Bacon Jam is bacon and carmelized onions in a balsamic reduction. Not rocket science, but at $4 during happy hour, it totally hit the spot. I "paired" it - there as no science to this for me - with an Odell 90 Schilling, and the salt, sweet and crunch rocked my world.

I hope Rack & Rye makes it. My husband isn't a fan of small plates, as he feels he needs to eat about 8 of them, and is out $50 before he knows it. For me, I love the variety. Now I guess I just need a different date!

By the way, Bacon Jam is not on my performance diet, but it, along with the Lobster Mac 'n Cheese at The Corner Office and the Fried Chicken at Steuben's Food Service are amazing eats that I could go for any day!