Who Says Collectibles Can't Be Funny? Scary Clown Parade

Just when you thought the scary clown invasion in Florence, Colorado was over--I captured one of the biggest parades of the pesky collectibles yet.

Notice the sign, left by the seller of this clown: Nods Off To Sleep. I tell ya what, I won't be nodding off to sleep if he's in my bedroom.

OK, I'm not the biggest antiques and collectibles expert in the universe. But I have a decent knowledge. And this glass clown bumfoozled me. Not only does he look like a deranged pirate clown--but he has a special skill. He's a slightly naughty clown. It took the King of Impeccable Taste to point out to the INNOCENT Queen of Questionable Taste that this nasty clown is an ashtray and if one puts a cigarette in the middle there, well, um, ah--it looks like his winkie. I assume winkie is the correct term for a clown's private parts.

Some things are better left unspoken. I have no words for this clown--except to get the hell out of the city limits of Florence by midnight or I'll sic the clown with the winkie on him.

Oh, God! The humanity. Apparently the clown convention was meeting in Florence.

Apparently even Jim Beam has went over to the dark side with this clown liquor bottle. I think I'll need a snort or two before I upload the next clown picture.

I think this clown would make a great anniversary gift. Just make sure you don't value your significant other--because I smell divorce papers coming down the pike after someone unwraps this gift.

Florence Brewing Company: Serious Craft Beer In Fremont County

Everytime I think it can't get much better than living in Florence, Colorado--another reason pops up (or should I say, hops up) that makes living in this picturesque town gets even better. This spring, Florence Brewing Company will be opening at 200 S. Pikes Peak Ave. in a lovely historical building.

The Florence Brewing Company will be bringing its own craft beers to the establishment, and attempting to use locally sourced hops and other ingredients, as much as possible.

The FBC will be opening where the Florence Citizen newspaper has been located for decades. The newspaper will continue operating in a smaller portion of the building.

You can read all about it at: https://www.facebook.com/FlorenceBrewingCompany

I think we have a winner here!

We Found YOU In Florence: Patty & Fred Adkison & Blake Hansen

Will we find YOU in Florence, the antiques capital of Colorado? That's part of a new (an hopefully fun) feature on this blog. It's simple. There is so much to find in Florence, but we want to find YOU in Florence and see what YOU found in Florence. Congratulations to Patty and Fred Adkison of Canon City, Colorado. They were the first people we found in Florence and they were happy to share their Florence find with us. Even if we don't find you first, feel free to send us a selfie or picture of you and your Florence find. Simply include your name and where you are from, the item and what you plan to do with it. Try and get a Florence landmark or background in the picture, so we know you found it in Florence. And feel free to tell us how much you paid for it (if you want) and what store you purchased it from.

It was a family outing last weekend, when Patty and Fred Adkison, of Canon City, took their grandson, Blake Hansen, on an antiques junket to nearby Florence.

I have it on good authority that there was a little ice cream and a few hugs for Blake as he enjoyed the day with his grandparents, who happened to find exactly what they were looking for in Florence, the antiques capital of Colorado.

The Adkisons were visiting South Dakota and spotted many antique bed frames that some one had turned into outdoor benches. They snapped a lot of pictures. "We even brought a bed home from South Dakota," Patty said.

Of course, the Adkisons, knew the antiques capital of Colorado was just a few miles from their home and they thought they would see what they could find in Florence.

The Adkisons found one bed frame with rails (for $75) that Blake was eager to turn into a bench. According to Fred, bed rails aren't necessary in making the benches, though. Some angle iron works just fine.

Then they discovered a second bed frame in The Iron Gate Antique Mall (109 W. Main St.) pictured above. No bed rails--but the price was just $60. We loved both of the bed frames they purchased, but were particularly taken with this one due to the Art Deco style and well-preserved paint rendering of urns and flowers. Look above Blake's head, and you can spot some of the details.

The Adkisons promised to send a photo or two of the completed benches. We look forward to that. And if they do--of course, we'll put it on this blog, so you too can get inspired, not only by the great antiques in Florence, but by the creative energy people like the Adkisons are inspired by.

If we find YOU in Florence, and snap a picture of two of you and your finds (with your permission) you'll receive a little, bright green card with this blog address, so you can find the blog with your picture and story. And remember--if we don't find YOU first--feel free to contact us at this blog and we'll consider putting your picture and brief story online. There is no charge on either end for this. This is all free and just for fun!

Florence, Colorado: Svetlana & Gunnar Piltingsrud On House Hunters -- A Huge Hit

I had no idea who the Florence, Colorado couple was, to be featured on House Hunters on HGTV until two days before the show. And in my eyes, the show was a huge hit on many levels.

Anyone's who read this blog, knows I am a huge fan of Florence and Florentines.

I've seen many episodes of House Hunters with my husband and sometimes we comment to each other that the "house hunters" are whiners. Tee hee! We thought we were the only ones, behind closed doors who dared to think such a sassy thing.

Svetlana and Gunnar Piltingsrud was the Florence couple featured and I noticed they both came across as charming, sweet and genuine folks. Nary a whine!

I've never seen Gunnar, until the show aired. I don't know Svetlana, but I have visited her wonderful art gallery in Florence. And I might have had the pleasure of bagging a vintage find or two for her when she shops in Florence's antiques district. And from what I've seen in those limited contacts--a truly class act.

I'm thinking all these things to myself. Tonight I went to HGTV's Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/HGTVHouseHunters and I chuckled when I read the posts about the Piltingsrud's episode. People were delighted there was NO whining as they looked at the houses--and how the family came across as so genuine--and well, humble and grateful.

I had no idea that people across the nation were a little put off at times from other House Hunter's occasional whining. Svetlana even went to the House Hunter's Facebook page and made a fabulous post concerning whining. I won't ruin it for you--go read it for yourselves.

I'm an unashamed bragger of Florence. Now I am even more impressed. And the Piltingsrud family--well, Florence truly could not have had better spokespeople to represent how most people are here. Hardworking. Some artistic like Svetlana.Creative. Appreciative. Genuine. And not too many whiners!

I'm with all the posters at HGTV's Facebook page. I want to see an update when this Florence couple finishes the remodel and decorating. Their original house was so tasteful, I cannot wait to see what they do to this beauty.

I am hoping the house is eventually featured on one of Florence's house tours. And I am even hoping there might be a fundraising ice cream social, or some such event, on the grounds of this mansion to benefit one of the many art, historical, preservation or cultural programs in Florence. Yes, I am a house addict and uber curious and will come up with any idea to see the inside of the house. Seems like a lot of viewers feel the same way.

The show was also fun, because the producers did a great job of showing other shots of Florence. I did chuckle when a shot of Royal Gorge showed up, and it almost looked like it was suggested it was in Florence. Close, but still about 20 miles away. But the show did such a lovely job of showing the river, scenic beauty and how charming this area is.

The Piltingsrud's did their "decison" chat at the Aspen Leaf Bakery and Cafe.

Yes, it's not only worth the drive to view Florence's architectural gems--it's worth the drive to nosh at the Aspen Leaf.

When my husband and first decided we had to move to this area, we did a drive-by of some of Florence's real estate. One of the same houses the Piltingsrud's viewed, we drove by. And we had the exact same comment. The porch had a lot of spindles in need of work.

I had the pleasure of going into the other house the Piltingsrud's viewed. We were invited there for a birthday party and got to see the main house and the basement apartment. The views are fantastic. And that basement with all the stonework? Pretty amazing in person. And my husband and I had the same reaction to the bathroom--some type of pod.

What a fun show! What fun houses. And what a fun couple! I've been telling people all along that Florence is one of the funnest places I've ever been. I even call it the FUNkytown of Fremont County. Funky in a good way.

And now the whole country knows. Yeah!

Eating Our Way Across Colorado: ITO Japanese Steak House in Florence, Colorado

Yes, our goal here is to eat our way across Colorado and write about it. First on our tour of culinary delights is ITO Japanese Steak House, Sushi And Thai in Florence, Colorado.

OK, ITO's is less than a mile from our house--but it still qualifies as eating our way across Colorado.

ITO's opened in early Dec. of 2014 at 106 W. Main St. From my vantage point (across the street working at various antiques stores) with my binoculars focused on this restaurant or loitering on the streets of Florence because I have nothing better to do, I can honestly say there has hardly been a lull in business since opening day.

My husband and I have a tradition (on birthdays) of attempting to eat out three times on our birthdays. Since we are getting older, the tradition is down to two birthday meals eaten out. Oh, and I wonder why my waistline is just a touch out of control.

Anyway, since it was my husband's birthday we decided to make ITO's the twice-in-one day destination. It was just a few days after opening day, and many restaurants when newly opened have a few glitches to work out. Not so at ITO's. The food and service have been perfect from day one to the present.

After our second trip in one day, most of the staff chuckled and yelled, "See you tomorrow!" They weren't far off. We've been back several times and have never been disappointed.

Full disclosure. Japanese cuisine has never been among my favorites. And after ITO's--Japanese food is one of my favorites.

My husband has always enjoyed Japanese food, as it was part of his childhood. His parents are from the Big Island of Hawaii, where the Japanese culture and cooking is dominant. His mother is a pro at making sushi and other Japanese delicacies.

While I always enjoyed my mother-in-law's cooking (because my husband slipped me a $20 bill and an elbow nudge to the ribs and insisted I act like I adored sushi and other Japanese food his mother cooked) I never did enjoy it in restaurants, until ITO's.

Come on! I had Sicilian food in my childhood and we were the types who giggled if someone made a comment about someone making someone swim with the fishes--and not the types to eat raw fish.

Most of us know, sushi is not all about raw fish. It's about artistry and most of it is delicious.

But we got more hooked (no pun intended) on the bento boxes.

Oh, bento boxes. There's my husband attempting to put some soy sauce on his California roll.

I didn't order the bento box this visit, but I have a half dozen times before--so I snatched a roll and a dumpling (Gyoza) before he could object.

Mmm. Washabi. My husband likes to smear that over everything for a hot kick in the gums--so I had to snatch a few samples away before he did so.

This time around, he ordered the shrimp teriyaki box. Sweet ecstasy. You bet my fork was reaching for one of his shrimp.

On the left of the picture is the vegetable tempura. Years ago, in several of the many Japanese restaurants in California my husband drug, I mean took me to, I had bad experiences with tempura. The batter was thick and spongy. So, I was expecting the same here. Not so. The tempura is light and crunchy and cooked to perfection.

Everything is perfectly seasoned and fresh at ITO's.

The miso soup and salad come with the bento box. Delicious!

You'll notice my husband's shirt is different from the last picture. No, he didn't run to the restroom and make a change. We visit ITO's often and this review is based on many visits.

The tempura shrimp bento boxes are just as good as the teriyaki ones. Even the shrimp and vegetables look perky and artistic.

The fried rice in the bento boxes defies description. It is better than any fried rice I've tried in  any Chinese, Thai or other Japanese restaurants.

On one visit I tried the beef and Soba noodles. Soba is thin buckwheat noodles. The beef was melt-in-the-mouth tender. The noodles were cooked correctly and the sauce and vegetables were excellent.

ITO's also boasts a full-service bar and a huge selection of fresh seafood for the sushi and sashimi.

The menu at this Florence eatery is vast and complex, we have not yet scratched the surface of all the delicious offerings such as their hibachi menu or steak, lobster and other seafood. Hopefully I can get back to ITO's a couple of dozen more times and try all those things before I snap the elastic on my stretch pants.

ITO's has a good selection of ramen and Thai dishes. I tried the Pad Thai, which consisted of noodles stir fried with eggs, bean sprouts, green onions and crushed peanuts. I had the shrimp, but the Pad Thai may also be ordered with beef, chicken, vegetables or tofu.

For the freshness and quality of the food, the prices at ITO's are reasonable. Most lunches fall in the $6.95 to $9.95 range.

Dinners can range up to the high $20-range, but the dinner bento boxes are larger than the lunch offerings and range from $9.95 to $16.95.

ITO's get the True Story Club's highest rating: Four forks up! Or in this case, four chopsticks up!

 The rating system is: One fork up (call the health department). Two forks up (not bad, but my taste buds could be happier). Three forks up (quite delicious). Four forks up (beyond delicious). I wanted to base the rating system on the FORK YOU restaurant review system, but my husband told me I was naughty and this was a family-friendly blog. But recently I read something in a reputable local newspaper where a rubber duck derby was referred to as the CLUSTER DUCK. I immediately asked my husband if that meant what I thought it meant. He said yes. And he dared scoff at my initial FORK YOU system of rating restaurants. The man simply has no vision.

ITO's is open Monday through Thursday from 10:30 to 9 and on Fridays and Saturdays from 10:30 to 9:30. They are closed on Sundays.

The restaurant accepts cash and major credit cards, but no checks.



All restaurant meals that are reviewed are paid for by the blog owner. No restaurant owner or staff is informed that the restaurant will be reviewed or publicized. True Story Club NEVER accepts any type of compensation for writing about a restaurant or any other subject on this blog.

The blog owner is NOT a professional restaurant reviewer or photographer. (Like she needed to tell you that). The Fremont County Foodie is a pen name (among others) for the blog owner, who is a former newspaper reporter and magazine writer. She knows nothing about fine dining or cuisine and her only experience with fine dining was coming in third place when applying for a job as a restaurant reviewer at a major Colorado newspaper and when she slightly ticked off celebrity chef, Lidia Bastianich at her swanky Manhattan eatery, Felidia's. I guess that's what poor Lidia gets for allowing such riff-raff into her restaurant. If you dare, you can read about the Fremont County Foodie's total lack of manners and restaurant review qualifications in this blog post: http://truestoryclub.blogspot.com/2015/04/eating-my-way-across-colorado-fremont.html

Florence Colorado: FREE, FRIENDLY & FUNky

Remember a couple of blog posts ago, I suggested that Florence should NOT be known as the new Manitou, but instead: The FUNkytown of Fremont County?

I've actually come to the conclusion that one cannot label Florence. This town simply defies such pesky boundaries. Today, it's the freest, friendliest and FUNkiest town. Tomorrow it might be something different.

How did I come to that conclusion today? Well, as you might know, I am married to The King of Impeccable Taste. We've already established he likes to makes folk art and steampunk and other crafts from things he fishes out of the Arkansas River or wherever. But we haven't established that he is also the KING OF THE PACKRATS. No, he's not a hoarder. As The Queen of Questionable Taste, I do run a pretty tight ship and rein (or should I say reign) in his packrat tendencies.

Another thing you might not know about the King is that he's the kind of guy that will hop in the car in a middle of a blizzard or monsoon to get you some ice cream or run any kind of errand just because I might be too lazy to leave the house--or want to trick him, so I can clean up his mounds of packrat stuff when he's gone. So, he's a pretty good all-around guy.

BUT, he KNOWS that the Queen gets a touch irritable when he brings more junk home.

Recently I asked him to run a few errands since the Queen had to do our taxes. The Queen is too cheap (um, thrifty) to hire someone to do taxes and gets a touch irritable around tax time.

The King dutifully gets lost for a few hours, going to the post office, etc. I go to the garage when he returns and catch him in the act. He has a sheepish look on his face as he twitches a bit. "Look what I got."

"Why the heck would we need a paint-stained crappy ladder," I muttered. "We already have good ladders and crappy ladders galore."

"This one was FREE!" He crowed.

I scowled.

I gave him the snake eye. In my Italian family, we used to call it the evil eye. But since I rather like the King at times, when the moon and tides are aligned and he isn't ticking me off--I decided to just do the snake eye and not the evil eye.

"What are you going to do with this beauty?" I asked with just a faint dollop of sarcasm.

The King, who has no nervous tics, did twitch again. He knows NOT to mess with the Queen when she is doing taxes.

"Well, haven't you seen these cool shelves they make out of ladders? In the antique stores?"

I replied, that I had seen no such thing and hoped to never see such a thing.

Then I got up closer to this mess of a ladder and saw something that made me smile.

The King stopped twitching.

"Who made that sign?"

"I don't know. Obviously the person who left it outside for free," he said.

"I'll be darned! That's why I love this town. Who would go through all the trouble to make such a cute sign and cartoon just to get rid of an old ladder," I grinned.

I do believe I am now attached to this crappy, paint-spattered ladder.

Isn't it a beauty? And look at some of the crapola (that's Italian for: Get this crap out of my house and garage before I make you some concrete booties and help you swim with the fishes) in the background. Old light fixtures that the King also got for FREE in Florence at some other person's house that just put a pile of stuff outside with a FREE sign. But that's another story. Oh, heck yeah--I'll tell that story in another blog post, because the King just cannot be stopped and someone needs to start a Fremont County Chapter of Packrats Anonymous.

Oh, I digress. This is why Florence is the free, friendly and FUNkytown this week--because not only do people leave free stuff in their yards for people like the King to delight in--they do it in the friendliest and FUNkiest manner. Oh yeah!