Confessions Of An Antiques Store Worker: Florence, Italy or Florence, Colorado?

I've worked a few places in my life. And they all have had their moments. But truly the most interesting jobs I've ever had is working at several antiques shops.

Confessions of an antiques store worker? No, you won't find anything too spicy here. Just mildly amusing or heartwarming. But then, just about anything amuses me or makes my heart melt.

Here's today's--Who Says Antiques Can't Be Fun?

My confessions come from working in Florence, the antiques capital of Colorado. No, I've never worked with either of the Keno brothers (pictured above), of Antiques Roadshow fame, but I did get to see them years ago in Denver at an Antiques Roadshow taping. And they are just as hyper and charming, jumping all around the furniture, in person as on TV.

Today I was working at ye olde antiques store and a father and daughter came in. He purchased a few old bottles and some Life magazines. He bought his daughter a nice, but inexpensive turquoise ring. She thanked him profusely.

I was warmed by it. Just observing a father and daughter out for a fun day was nice.

As I handed him his bag, he said," Today my wife is arriving in Florence, Italy. So when I talked to her I said, 'Well we are ALSO going to be in Florence today!'"

I chuckled. "Where are you all from?"

He said Colorado Springs, but he just had to come to Florence today--so he could feel a connection and make a little family joke and memory about them all being in Florence today, even though his wife was visiting their other daughter who was studying in Florence, Italy.

I said,"And that begs the question, which Florence is the better place to be today?"

He laughed, but I could tell he thought it was a tie, because each parent was sharing a special moment with their daughters in Florence, at almost the same moment.

Sandy Dale & The Gnarlies Holiday Open House In Florence, Colorado

'Tis the season for a magical time. And what better time to journey into the magical world of Florence artist, Sandy Dale and The Gnarlies, as they invite one and all to a holiday open house at their studio, Friday, Dec. 4 from 5 to 8.m.

Sandy Dale's (and The Gnarlies') studio is located at 220-A W. Main St. in Florence. Yes, Florence, the antiques capital of Colorado.

Everyone is invited. There will be punch, cookies and perhaps a new addition or two of The Gnarlies.

This is a picture we took last spring at Sandy Dale's studio, right before Florence's first steampunk festival. But there will be new creations at the studio for the holiday open house.

Besides being able to visit with Sandy Dale and The Gnarlies, there will be a sneak peak at Dale's latest artistic adventure--Rat-A-Tat Bindery And Book Repair.

More information about artist Sandy Dale and The Gnarlies is available at their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TheGnarlies-148314498558258/timeline

The Pour House Coffee Shop: Artist & Community Gathering In Florence, Colorado

I've been telling people for years that they are missing out if they don't live in Florence, Colorado--or at least visit it and enjoy. Why? Because for a town of just about 4,000 there is more going on than in most larger burgs. But it all boils down to world class. Around most every corner, there are world-class artists, antique dealers, a coffee roaster extraordinaire and some culinary delights that are wonderful.

But most importantly, there is a sense of community here. No, not a sense. There is community here.

This blog post, we'll focus on Kenny Paul, that coffee roaster extraordinaire and owner of The Pour House at 202 W. Main St. in Florence.

                                         KENNY PAUL at THE POUR HOUSE COFFEE SHOP

I've only been in Florence a few years, but even I know that the experience, ambience, food and coffee at The Pour House is worthy of a standing ovation.

What some don't know is that The Pour House has a gallery of artwork decorating most every corner of the vintage building. A visit to The Pour House isn't only a treat for the taste buds, it's a treat for the soul.

So imagine my delight when just a few hours ago I discovered that Kenny is hosting their first ever--Artist & Community Gathering at The Pour House, Nov. 12 from 6 to 8 p.m.

I ripped the last flyer, advertising the event, out of his hand. I often do that to people who are passing out flyers in the antiques district--and then I  post the information on this blog. Why? Because I have a great passion for all things local. Shop locally. Thrive locally. Enjoy locally!

                              THE POUR HOUSE COFFEE SHOP at 202 W. Main St., Florence, CO

No worries if this first-ever artist and community gathering comes with too short notice to attend. Kenny noted that this event will happen the second Thursday of every month from 6 to 8 p.m. It's a chance to talk to local artists that display their work at The Pour House, as well as get together as a community.

As if that wasn't enough--The Pour House will be offering complimentary wine from the Vino Salida Wine Cellars.

And really there is even more! Most of us know that besides the world-class coffee at The Pour House, there is also a tasty light menu and baked goods available. Even more! That Truck will be parked outside during the Artist & Community Gathering. will a full menu available. Additionally, That Truck will be at The Pour House every Tuesday from about 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to give Florencians and anyone else fortunate enough to be traveling through our quaint town a chance to enjoy another local culinary experience.

 I haven't had a chance to check out That Truck yet. But I'm pretty sure that if it is a collaboration with The Pour House--it will be fantastic. You can be sure, I will be checking it out and going into my Fremont Foodie review mode in the near future. As I mentioned in a previous blog post, you can be assured readers will be getting an honest (but less than world-class review) from me, because I only came in third place when interviewing for a restaurant review job several years ago at a large Colorado newspaper and also annoyed the heck out of celebrity chef, Lidia Bastianich many years ago in Manhattan.

But don't take my word for it (even though you should). If you've been to The Pour House, you know this is one of Florence's treasures. And if you haven't--you will be delighted. Check out the reviews on Google and other sites for The Pour House. Nearly flawless! As with many things in Florence and Fremont County--it is worth the drive to experience what we are all fortunate enough to experience any time we desire.

More information about That Truck is available at: www.thattruck.com

And more information about the world-class coffee at The Pour House is available at: http://www.florencecoffeemerchants.org/

Who Says Dogs Can't Be funny? Cute Halloween Dogs

I admit it. Sometimes we like to dress our pooches up for Halloween. They like it almost as much as we do.

Yes--it's a devil dog. He's finally expressing how he feels when a few months ago, I made him do his imitation of Donald Trump complete with a combover.

No comment, except: I thought you loved me!

My eyes tell the story: It's 1932 and I just spent a long day in the soup lines. Brother, can you spare a dime--or a Milkbone?

You dare dress me up as a hippie? What do you think this is--Woodstock. Dogs don't give the Bronx cheer--but this is my version of it. I stick my tongue out at you.

Arggh! I am not sure what this costume even is! I show my hot distaste for it by yelling.

I do believe this tiny, little sombrero makes my nose look bigger.

Maybe if I look at the floor and imagine a huge, hot meaty burrito--all of this Halloween nightmare will go away.

I feel like I am caught in a time warp. The Rocky Horror Show. Perhaps if I do a jump to the left, I can escape these humans.

Darn it. This is getting ridiculous. See that collie in the background. I'm going to telepathically send a message to the humans that he should be next. But the collie is really a big ninny when it comes to getting into costume. I sit here patiently and put up with it, while killing them softly with my eyes.

Heh! Heh! You should have ran when you had the chance silly Collie. And yes, that witch hat does make your nose look bigger too.

Humans. Sigh.

There was only one way to distract the humans from dressing us up. I donned my specs, sat in the easy chair and read them a story about how dogs love everything about being with humans (from eating their delicious food, sleeping in bed and going for car rides) EXCEPT putting on clothes.

If You Enjoy Southern Colorado--You'll Enjoy This Blog

 I love all of Colorado, but my heart is really in southern Colorado. And if you left your heart in southern Colorado also, then you'll enjoy this blog at: www.southernrockiesnatureblog.com

Chas Clifton, writer of the southern Rockies nature blog, left a few comments on my blog. I could tell from his comments that he knew way more about history, ghost towns and southern Colorado than I or most people do. And that intrigued me, since I am always in awe and appreciate when people come along that I can learn a thing or two about my favorite subjects.

It took me a little time to check out Mr. Clifton's blog, and it turns out that I was correct. This gentleman has a lot of knowledge and unique perspective about southern Colorado.

Mr. Clifton describes his blog as: Where Nature Meets Culture--Plus Wildfire, Dogs, Environmental News, And Writing With A Southern Colorado Perspective.

We need more of that--writing with a southern Colorado perspective. Check out Mr. Clifton's blog. And if you have any links or information to blogs and other writings that explore southern Colorado--let me know and I'll happily give a mention on this blog.

Florence, Colorado: The Historic Rialto Theater

Florence, Colorado has treasures almost everywhere--but one of its finest treasures is The Rialto Theater at 209 W. Main St. The grand old building was constructed in 1923 as an opera house with nearly 900 seats. By 1927, the grand old dame was used for screening movies and by 1969 it was closed and ever since has mostly been undergoing painstaking restoration.

The Rialto, named after a section of Venice, Italy--stands as a historical testament to not only the Italian culture so vital in Fremont County, but to the grand era of opera houses.

After years of ups and downs, the theater has seen some majestic restorations, but is still in need of more funds and community volunteers to complete the decade- long project.

I've only been in Florence a relatively short time, but have been following the progress of this massive undertaking. We were fortunate enough to have a private tour of The Rialto, given by Suzanne Phipps, who was instrumental in raising funds and completing projects--shortly before her death in Dec. of 2014.

More recently, city leaders and other civic leaders have taken over the restoration project.

The Rialto has a new (and under partial construction) website at: http://www.historicrialtotheater.com/

Some have estimated that it will take about $1 million more to complete the project and open the doors to opera, theater, community gatherings and more.

I think of Florence (pop. apprx. 3,800) as the little town that could--and will. I think they can do it.

I got a bit curious about the history of opera houses in Colorado. So I went to: www.operaoldcolo.info/houses.html

I know the Rialto is a historical and architectural treasure, but just how rare is it in the state of Colorado?

There were about 150 opera houses built from about 1860 to 1920 in Colorado, according to the historical opera house website. That was the apparent heyday not only in Colorado, but across the USA. Of course, tastes changed. In the 1920s, the silent movies, automobiles and other factors changed people's habits in entertainment.

So, by that standard--Florence's opera house was built in 1923, just as the heyday of opera houses was winding down.

I scanned the website to see if the Rialto was listed. I was surprised that it was not. According to the website, Florence had a previous opera house built in 1903, that is now apparently a bank parking lot.

According to the website, only about 46 (or approximately one-third) of Colorado's original opera houses have been identified and many of those 46 have been so substantially remodeled or renovated that they can barely be classified as historical opera houses. Sad. About 17 remain in mostly intact condition. Buildings, that is, that were significantly associated with opera in the past, still are, or ones that will be fairly soon.

Seventeen. Sad.

But, Florence's Rialto Theater is not on the list. It's not even mentioned.

Do we have number 18 here?

Regardless, most people in Fremont County agreed The Rialto is a treasure that needs to be restored, not only for the historical record, but for the community treasure it was, still is and will be even more so in the future.

Florence, Colorado: Who Says GITMO & Antiques Can't Be Funny?

Who says GITMO and antiques can't be funny? Come on, I can't make this stuff up. But this week, someone I am acquainted with DID make Guantanamo Bay AND antiques funny--right here in Florence, Colorado.

We noted a few days ago that Florence made the national FOX news, reporting on Pentagon officials touring Supermax in Florence and the state penitentiary in nearby Canon City as possible places to relocate Guantanamo Bay detainees. I happened to be watching from a Japanese restaurant on Florence's Main St. when one news camera crew was packing its gear. I had no idea what it was all about until I saw the FOX national news the next day. And someone told me it was also on a local (Colorado Springs) NBC channel.

Ah, but they reported the straight news. Boy, was I in for a treat today when I discovered there was yet another news report that was delicious. Yes, it's the one that proves Gitmo AND antiques can be funny.

I was casually strolling down Main. St. when Larry Nelson, owner of Florence Antiques, informed me that Florence had been on the news. I said I knew and I had done a little mention of it on my blog.

No, I was told--Larry Nelson himself was on the news. Larry escorted me and my unsuspecting spouse inside Florence Antiques to Larry's computer where he showed us the news video.

For our local readers (and our readers out of the area) below is a picture of Larry I took last year when we were doing steampunk events for the steampunk festival last April. Yes, that's a steam gauge in Larry's mouth. And yes, I am giving you a hint, that FOX 31 News of Denver was in for a journalistic roller coaster of a ride.

Yes, Mr. Nelson is wearing overalls. But that's besides the point.

Let's backtrack. I used to live in Denver, for a brief time, and I remember watching Justin Joseph on FOX 31 News. I always considered him as a journalist that stood out from the rest. And Joseph did not let me down. But I am fairly certain that when Joseph set out to report on the Pentagon officials in Florence AND the antiques scene in Florence (the antiques capital of Colorado) he had no idea he would inadvertently be shooting the next pilot for a new reality show about the Florence antiques scene, starring Larry Nelson.

Most of us in the antiques trade in Florence, already knew Larry would make a good reality TV star. We just didn't know how he'd play out on the telly, since we'd never seen him on the telly. I'll get to that later.

Here's a link to the FOX 31 News video, featuring Supermax AND Larry Nelson. I can ASSURE you that even though Supermax looms large in reality and in legend on the outskirts of Florence proper--Mr. Nelson's personality loomed larger that Supermax, Guantanamo or the Pentagon. Stinking Pentagon. We don't need no stinking Pentagon officials--Florence has Larry Nelson and that's enough, thank you very much!

http://kdvr.com/2015/10/13/pentagon-officials-look-at-colorado-prisons-as-possible-homes-for-guantanamo-detainees/

The news video starts with Larry narrating," Welcome to Florence, the capital of antiques."

The news package is actually a work of art--interspersing shots of inmates, barbed wire, Supermax and some really cool Toby mugs in Larry's antiques shop.

I really have to tip my vintage hat off to FOX news. Even on the national story, they balanced the Gitmo story and Supermax with the antiques culture in Florence. But FOX 31 in Denver, really did it up right.

There were a few interviews with folks (on the streets of Florence) who were not terribly happy about Gitmo folks potentially parking their felonious butts in Florence, along with the rest of the inmates.

Now, Larry Nelson of Florence Antiques--he has few qualms about that. "That's OK, they won't get out of there," he told the reporter with a hearty laugh.

OK, everyone knows deep down that we are much more interested in antiques in Florence and eccentrics like Larry Nelson, than we are in what goes on at Supermax. Most people agree that no one has ever escaped--and if they did, I pity them, because they really don't know what type of folks live in Florence. But they do now.

And what other antiques shop owners and dealers wanted to know (all of whom had NO idea Larry had been on the news until I told them) was if this brought a few more browsers and customers into Florence. Larry had told me that people actually told him they saw him on the news in Denver and drove to Denver to see what he and his store were about. Watch the video! Larry just got Florence, about a zillion dollars worth of free publicity. There we hoards of people browsing in Florence right after these multitude of stories played in Colorado Springs, Denver and nationally.

And how does Larry play on TV? You be the judge. But I can tell you--that's exactly the Larry most people know in Florence. He does translate to TV.

I told another dealer about the video. She and I went back to Larry's store and she saw the video and I watched it for the second delightful time. The other dealer insisted that Larry shop for his own reality TV show immediately. Actually she had told Larry that last year. I seconded the motion. Only time will tell. But I guarantee you--I don't know anyone besides Larry Nelson and Justin Joseph of FOX News 31 that could have made Gitmo AND antiques funny.

But what was really funny was that Larry didn't seem to understand what the other dealer and I were telling him about--that he plays well on TV and we were not joking when we said he needs to get his own TV show.