Romance in Fort Collins: Ice Skating

Okay, so we aren’t in Canada, but with the cold nights, inevitable snow and impressive Colorado Avalanche hockey team, why not give ice skating a try? Grab a date, lace up those old hockey/figure skates and head over to Old Town Square for a night of romantic wonder.

That’s right—Old Town Square is set to open the annual outdoor ice skating rink Saturday, November 17. A perfect addition to a romantic evening out on the town, the ice skating rink offers couples and families yet another fun and romantic activity to enjoy in Old Town.

Whether it is Phil Connors and Rita from Groundhog Day, or Coach Bombay and Charlie Conway’s mom, Casey from The Mighty Ducks, a romantic outdoor ice-skating sessions has served the meaningful purpose of igniting a passion between two unlikely individuals.

In light of this, I encourage you to grab your loved one, bundle up and head over to Old Town Square for some good-old fashion romance.

Hours of Operation:

OLD TOWN ICE RINK 2007 - 2008

November 17 – December 20
Monday – Thursday: 4:00 PM – 8: 00 PM
Friday: 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Saturday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Sunday: Noon – 6:00 PM

Special Hours:
Wednesday November 21: Noon – 8:00 PM;
Closed on November 22 for Thanksgiving
Friday November 23: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Monday November 26: Noon – 8:00 PM

December 21 – January 6
Monday – Saturday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Sunday: Noon – 6:00 PM

Special Hours:
December 24: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Closed on December 25
December 31: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Closed on January 1

January 7 – January 31
Friday: 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Saturday: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Sunday: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Special Hours:
January 21: Noon - 6:00 PM

Skating Rink is located on the north end of Old Town Square.

Cost: Skating $2 / skate rental $1

Old Town dresses up in Christmas cheer, romance

The Christmas season is the perfect time to give a gift, sing a cheerful carol and enjoy an odd yet surprisingly delicious Nogasake—a Christmas concoction composed of three parts sake and one-part eggnog.

But beyond gifts, seasonal songs and crazy Christmas cocktails, this rapidly approaching holiday season—perhaps excessively fast thanks to corporate America—provides the right mix of cheer and tradition for love to flourish. In fact, Christmas is the perfect time for spouses and partners to retrieve that little box labeled “romantic tricks,” wipe off the dust that has accumulated over the year(s), and stir up something special for that special someone.

If you’re scratching your head wondering where exactly that specific box hides, worry no longer! I have compiled a perfect package of fun and romance in Fort Collins for you and your spouse to
enjoy. Stay tuned as I reveal ten romantic Christmas time activities in Fort Collins!

Let's go tubing!

When the days begin to shorten and the weather begins to plummet beneath room temperature, I like to close my eyes and think of the glory days of summer. I reminisce of t-shirts, sandals and music that makes you happy to be young. I picture road trips, fireworks and everything else that makes summer far better than this cold, pathetic time of the year.

As I daydream of summer time, I am captivated by memories of my favorite warm weather activity in Fort Collins: going tubing down the Cache la Poudre river. The Poudre, as it’s called for short, is a tranquil place with bits of excitement intertwined between sequences of thrilling rapids.

For fun-craving tubers, the best time of year to take advantage of the Poudre’s natural environment is early summer when the temperature is warm enough to ward away the shivers and the water level is still high.

The drive itself makes up half the thrill of going tubing. The Poudre begins high in the peaks of Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park along the Continental Divide. Flowing north and east through Roosevelt National Forest, it tumbles down the slopes of the Front Range and meanders through the city of Fort Collins. Highway 14, which follows much of the river, reveals the rich scenery, history, archeology, flora and fauna of the Poudre River.

So as you shiver through the winter, feel free to share in my warming daydreams of tubing down the Poudre.

Comedy Group Brings laughs, smiles to Fort Collins

At one time, the Clown Box improv group was a once-a-month hobby that brought four individuals together in a small auditorium in front of a handful of skeptical audience members. They would play a few games, sing some songs and would always seem to pull a respectable amount of laughs from the small audience that sat before them.

That was eleven years ago, though. The group has grown now to four shows a month on average at much larger venues. More than a hundred audience members of all ages show up to see the growing improv group and although much has changed, the clowns stick tight to their original purpose: to have fun while making people laugh.

Improv, short for improvisational, is a type of comedy act that is performed with little to no predetermination of subject matter and structure. Improv comedy relies heavily on audience participation and the quick, clever thinking of the cast. Prime examples of this kind of comedy can be seen on the television show Whose Line Is It Anyway?.

Grant Garrison, 25, has been with the group since its beginning and feels strongly about the role Clown box plays in his life.

“(Clown Box) is the best thing that has happened to me since I won my fifth grade the talent show for singing ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’ while standing on my head,” Garrison said. “Knowing that what we do makes people laugh is enough to make me all warm and fuzzy inside.”

The group now performs predominantly at the Lincoln Center and the Bas Bleu Theatre, both located in Fort Collins. In the past, the group has had the opportunity to perform at CSU Preview—an orientation event held for all in-coming CSU freshman and transfer students.

The Clown Box’s next show is scheduled on Thursday, November 15 at the Lincoln Center. Tickets are $7 available on their website at www.clownbox.com.

“If you’ve never seen an improv show you owe it to yourself to check us out,” Garrison said. “Grab a date, a roommate, the janitor in your dorm—it doesn’t matter, just bring a friend and come check us out. It will be worth it.”

Rest in Peace Sally Baker

On October 9, 2007 Sally Baker spilled her heart to three college students, myself included. She shared the struggle and battle that was her life. As a homeless person living in Fort Collins, Sally scraped the streets everyday just to get by—just to find food and shelter.

Unfortunately, the wounds of the streets proved too much for Sally. Just 24 hours after we met with her, she suffered cardiac arrest and spent nine days on life support. She never did regain consciousness. On October 19, 2007, Sally Baker was pronounced dead at the young age of 46.
Although the time I knew Sally was short, it was very sincere and profound. Before I spoke with her, I knew nothing of her struggle. She opened my eyes to a world begging for attention and help.

As the winter rapidly approached, Sally feared her first wintry, cold nights. Fortunately, Sally won’t have to shiver through another night. She won’t have to go to bed starving, wondering how many more days she will have to go before she gets a meal. Fortunately, the struggle is over.

Lory Brown, Sally’s sister, was with her when she passed.

“We are sad that she is no longer with us on this earth, but we know that she will no longer suffer,” Brown said.

To read Sally's story and learn more about homelessness in Fort Collins, visit fortcollinshomeless.blogspot.com

Homelessness in Fort Collins

I recently had the opportunity to explore the issue of homelessness in Fort Collins. I sat down and listened to the stories and struggles of three homeless people. On several occasions tears would fill the eyes of these individuals as they described the hardships they face on a daily basis.

In the few hours I spent with each one of them, their lives impacted me greatly.

For the first time I was able to hear why and how these individuals became homeless. They showed me their scars and described how the cold nights and scarcity of food had attacked their immune system. I saw the shanty, cardboard hideaways that many call home.

An epileptic man named Tony “Too Tall” Neighbors had me shed tears as he held my hand in the painful presence of a silencing seizure. He clinched his eyes tight and for 30 seconds his body trembled—no noise, just an occasional wince.

As his body returned to a normal state he looked at me, and with tears running down his face he said, “See, just like that. Sometimes I can’t even sleep because I start twitching.”

This experience put a face on the issue of homelessness for me. Spending time to talk with these individuals gave me glimpse into the harsh environments that they are forced to live in.

To learn more about the issue of homelessness in Fort Collins and read the profiles of Tony “Too Tall” Neighbors and others like him, check out fortcollinshomeless.blogspot.com

Fall in Fort Collins: manageable

There comes a time when the air tends to cool down. When the days shorten and the tips of mountains are painted with the falling of snow. This time of year is highlighted with brightly colored leaves and football weekends full of big hits and upsets.

I, personally, hate this season. I associate it with stressful workloads and strange weather conditions that have you shivering endlessly while sweat drips down your forehead. Comedian Lewis Black contends that “it’s not weather, it’s malaria.”

I’ve actually had malaria and, frankly, when I have five midterms, a news project, two blogs and 16 pages of a newsletter to design I would much prefer the endless shivering and dangerously high fevers brought on by that infected insect than suffer through the overload of this stressful season.

Of course the dreadful season I’m describing is fall, or autumn if your name is Mary Poppins.
Still, despite my abhorrence for fall, I have accepted that Fort Collins actually is a decent place to be during this sad season. Like the marching band at CSU football games, Fort Collins is the best of a crappy situation.

To pass time, give Horsetooth Reservoir a shot. It truly is amazing how much Horsetooth transforms from summer to fall, and then fall to winter. As the end of the year nears, the reservoir will begin to freeze over, giving the lake a celestial glaze that is truly remarkable. The reservoir is a short 15-minute drive from campus and is a great alternative to a doomed CSU football game.

In a sad, depressing, cold/hot season, Fort Collins’ Horsetooth Reservoir serves as the perfect retreat from the busyness of school and work. Give it a shot!