Now that the summer's halfway over I've finally gotten into the spirit of the season. My last two weekends included:
-A long meandering stroll east through Capitol Hill and Congress Park, all the way to the Tattered Cover on Colfax and then back past the Congress Park pool on my way home (it was unfortunately closed for a youth swim meet, but it looked awfully nice).
-A trip to the other pool near me (at 11th and Osage, which seems like a neighborhood on the verge of sketchiness but was fine, at least, during the day when I was there), which was surprisingly (and pleasantly) almost deserted on the 4th of July.
-A viewing of Away We Go at the Mayan Theater on Broadway, which is old and cramped and has tiny screens but which I love anyway for its tacky Mayan decor (it resembles nothing so much as my favorite Tex-Mex restaurant back home) and upstairs bar, where you can buy a beer, a glass of wine, or a cocktail to take into whatever indie film you're there to see.
-A Harry Potter movie screening festival at my friend Hope's awesome 90-something-year-old Tudor house, which is worth a trip out to Wheat Ridge in itself just to tour. I came for the last three movies and brought my bastardized version of an English Trifle, which was a great success (recipe below).
-A day at Water World, Colorado's largest water park, for my friend Melanie's 27th birthday celebration. Melanie, Anna, Alexandra and I headed all the way out to Thornton and spent the day on various rides (several of which I, as Queen of the Wusses, opted out of and spent floating in a circle on the Lazy River) and getting suntanned (and sunburnt, in Anna's case). Not even the forty-five minutes or so of thunderstorms were enough to get us to leave. We were all exhausted and dehydrated by five p.m., but agreed that we all got our thirty-five or so dollars' worth from the visit. It was my first water park trip in about fifteen years, and I'm glad to say it was at least as fun as an adult as it was for me as a kid, even if I did have to wander round blind all day.
-Finally, a screening of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which I saw on Wednesday night. I wasn't quite crazy enough to catch the midnight showing, though it was tempting until I realized I'd have to work the next day ... Nonetheless I very much enjoyed it and am geekily planning to see it again this weekend, since I felt that my giddiness on Wednesday might have clouded my ability to judge the actual merits of the film. And also, I just want to see it again. :-)
Bastardized English Trifle
1 Entenmann's butter loaf cake, cubed or otherwise sliced into small pieces
Amaretto Liqueur
Instant vanilla pudding mix
Cold milk
Strawberry preserves
Sliced strawberries
Sliced peaches
Cool whip
slivered almonds
First make the pudding according to the package directions (which will require the milk). It should chill for at least 5 minutes or until it is set.
Fill the bottom of a glass bowl with a layer of the cubes of cake. Drizzle Amaretto over the cake. Spread a layer of strawberry preserves over the cake layer and then a layer of strawberries and peaches over that. Spread a layer of pudding over the fruit. Repeat the layers and then spread cool whip over the top of the trifle. Sprinkle with almonds if desired and chill for at least an hour or until serving.
-A long meandering stroll east through Capitol Hill and Congress Park, all the way to the Tattered Cover on Colfax and then back past the Congress Park pool on my way home (it was unfortunately closed for a youth swim meet, but it looked awfully nice).
-A trip to the other pool near me (at 11th and Osage, which seems like a neighborhood on the verge of sketchiness but was fine, at least, during the day when I was there), which was surprisingly (and pleasantly) almost deserted on the 4th of July.
-A viewing of Away We Go at the Mayan Theater on Broadway, which is old and cramped and has tiny screens but which I love anyway for its tacky Mayan decor (it resembles nothing so much as my favorite Tex-Mex restaurant back home) and upstairs bar, where you can buy a beer, a glass of wine, or a cocktail to take into whatever indie film you're there to see.
-A Harry Potter movie screening festival at my friend Hope's awesome 90-something-year-old Tudor house, which is worth a trip out to Wheat Ridge in itself just to tour. I came for the last three movies and brought my bastardized version of an English Trifle, which was a great success (recipe below).
-A day at Water World, Colorado's largest water park, for my friend Melanie's 27th birthday celebration. Melanie, Anna, Alexandra and I headed all the way out to Thornton and spent the day on various rides (several of which I, as Queen of the Wusses, opted out of and spent floating in a circle on the Lazy River) and getting suntanned (and sunburnt, in Anna's case). Not even the forty-five minutes or so of thunderstorms were enough to get us to leave. We were all exhausted and dehydrated by five p.m., but agreed that we all got our thirty-five or so dollars' worth from the visit. It was my first water park trip in about fifteen years, and I'm glad to say it was at least as fun as an adult as it was for me as a kid, even if I did have to wander round blind all day.
-Finally, a screening of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which I saw on Wednesday night. I wasn't quite crazy enough to catch the midnight showing, though it was tempting until I realized I'd have to work the next day ... Nonetheless I very much enjoyed it and am geekily planning to see it again this weekend, since I felt that my giddiness on Wednesday might have clouded my ability to judge the actual merits of the film. And also, I just want to see it again. :-)
Bastardized English Trifle
1 Entenmann's butter loaf cake, cubed or otherwise sliced into small pieces
Amaretto Liqueur
Instant vanilla pudding mix
Cold milk
Strawberry preserves
Sliced strawberries
Sliced peaches
Cool whip
slivered almonds
First make the pudding according to the package directions (which will require the milk). It should chill for at least 5 minutes or until it is set.
Fill the bottom of a glass bowl with a layer of the cubes of cake. Drizzle Amaretto over the cake. Spread a layer of strawberry preserves over the cake layer and then a layer of strawberries and peaches over that. Spread a layer of pudding over the fruit. Repeat the layers and then spread cool whip over the top of the trifle. Sprinkle with almonds if desired and chill for at least an hour or until serving.
