Tooleing Around: Day 33

“REDRUM REDRUM”

Breakfast station was breaking down as I was checking out, grabbed two biscuits and a coffee , fine. There was a high school football team high jinksing around in the lobby and eating area, the something Wildcats, wired for their game. Unique name. 

Finished the Coen Brother audio book so skip this part if you’ve no interest. I feel I had to review this like a book of shorts stories rather than an individual work. Where some of the individual studies were excellent (Blood Simple, Miller’s Crossing, Barton Fink) it lost credibility as a whole when trying to push cultural relevance on the lesser movies (Intolerable Cruelty, The Lady Killers). I didn’t feel there was a lot in terms of connecting their themes, there was a lot of stretching there. The “Warning” and percentage breakdown of content approach to every chapter was painful . Is the songwriter  that wrote the ode to Donny a friend ? Did she really qualify for a chapter and the song sounded like a woeful thing. Another relevance stretch. Started great , limped to the finish. 

I don’t think I’ve mentioned my sophisticated audio Bluetooth system. Grand for books, tinny for tunes. No Bluetooth in the Escalade so I bought this cheapie on Groupon. Does the trick but it has a weird light synchronization feature that glows with the beat of music. Nearly took me off the road a couple of times when it took off all disco lights of its own accord on a night drive.

A fab song triple today on New Wave: Poison Arrow – ABC ; Fade to Gray – Visage (that weird English French mix) & Broken Wings – Mister Mister. 

Back in my college days 82/83 I had enough cash for one weekend in Dublin. Would it be ABC – their first tour ever or  AC/DC – Back in Black, first tour after Bonn Scott’s death, with new singer Brian Johnston? AC/DC won the day and that show, at the RDS Dublin, remains one of my favorites ever. I saw them many times after.

After trying for many years, I saw ABC in Long Island this July, for the first time, 35 years later. They still had it and still looked the part. Lexicon of Love remains an 80s Classic album. 

I felt so Jack Torrence, driving the winding mountain roads through Estes Park, on the way to his new future, stoked, heading to The Stanley Hotel. 

Featured as the exterior for The Overlook, in The Shining, the hotel looks exactly as this fanatic for the movie would expect. It’s grand, majestic and big. It is a National Heritage Hotel and is considered one of the most haunted hotels in the country, the have daily ghost tours. 

And it’s my joint favorite Stephen King novel alongside 11/22/63; The Stand and Salem Falls . And Pet Semetary petrified me when I read it. Carrie is excellent too. When he’s good he’s great.

The Stanley Hotel has an elaborate ballroom and host both a Masquerade Party and Shining Ball in October. The bar and restaurant have a classic dark wood veneer, with an interestingly textured glass counter and metal ceiling. Packed for lunch.

Three Dog Night are playing the ballroom next month too. Judging from the poster, not puppies anymore.

I spent a fortune in the gift store. Very pleased with my purchases. As I like to do, I bought one thing for another person so my conscience is eased (a postcard in this case).

The have an opening for a caretaker here. I filled out an application.

Continuing with the Stephen King theme, I drive an hour back to Boulder for a look around.  Boulder is where the good guys congregate in The Stand, baddies go to Vegas. I’ve been to both. I was told King has a home here in Boulder.

Boulder is a pristine city and bright with full autumn  colors . Though you are in the middle of a metropolis you still feel surrounded by nature. The down town is a collection of two and three story red brick building with a healthy aroma of weed tinging the fall air.

The Boulder Bookstore, on the pedestrianized downtown main drag Pearl, is the most attractive and well stocked I’ve been in . A three floor labyrinth that covers all categories with a converted ballroom for a third floor. I could have spent all day in there but limited my spending to one book.

There was an adorable orchestra of young girls playing on the red paved street. I didn’t recognize the piece. On peeking over a shoulder it was The Lady Gaga Hit Mix. Followed by Cripple Creek. All the classics. I kicked in a few bucks.

Popped in to get postcards and George, the owner, told me to avoid Kansas but look for the Field of Dream field. George’s framing store has done the art for The Stanley for the past 30 years. Threads! 

There was a lot of activity in town; street fairs: football game; activities fair; Adventure Film Festival ; a Fall band stage; the place was vibrant .

Coffee at hopping Ozo. There’s a multitude of great looking restaurants along Pearl that look really interesting, and were packed after the game, by 6pm.

Whatever the university here is called won today so everyone’s happy in the valley.

I’m liking this Boulder place, I would definitely like to come back.

Booked in to the Westin back in Westminster, close by last nights dining spot. It’s a very nice hotel and I got a great  price and room online, checked in, showered and went to the Southwestern restaurant in-house.

As is my way, I started talking to Brent at the bar. He was in for a couple of days, from Boston, to see the football game , his buddy has some connection with the team  I didn’t understand.

Brent is an anesthesiologist , part of a small partnership, that outsources their skill sets. Originally from Nashville he was able to give good advise as I head south. Brent does a lot of travelling to Asia with his Singaporean girlfriend . They go to Singapore once a year and always tag on another country to visit while they are in that part of the world.

They called last call at the bar and we said goodnight.

Where to go next? Everyone says to avoid Kansas .

To quote Jack, all play and no work makes Karl a less dull boy.

Hotel: $136

Dinner : $24

Souvenirs at The Stanley : $2Much