Pasquini's of Lone Tree-Italian Restaurant

Check one more thing off our list!  We now have our favorite family Italian food restaurant.  There were a few that we could have given honorable mentions to, but head and shoulders above the rest was Pasquini's of Lone Tree. The manager, Eddie, is affable, sociable, and professional. He treats his customers well. Lizzie has become our favorite server, always friendly. They went all out to make the environment one that encourages you to visit time and again.  The decor could be described as, maybe, industrial/modern?  I'm not an interior designer, what would I know.  Furnished with hanging window frames, bowling balls, and soda bottle lamp shades, it's unique. There would be little point of returning if the food wasn't outstanding.  I can't help but get the Spinaci calzone every week, it's so good.  Some of the comments that I've read about Pasquini's say that it is a kid friendly restaurant.  This is true, they provide the kids with some pizza dough to play with, offer tours to school groups, and provide them with paper and crayons to create their own works of art that eventually become the kid's dinner menu.  They have a make your own pizza item on the menu for the kids where they get to select and assemble the toppings on their pizza.  Every Tuesday, kids 12 and under eat free (I think two kids eat free with 1 paying adult).  Whatever the details are, it's definitely a bargain.  Pasquini's is kid friendly for sure, but don't let that frighten away the singles and adults.  This is a cool place to grab a cocktail and get your social on.  Located near the E-470 and Quebec on Park Meadows Drive, I highly recommend it.

https://www.facebook.com/pasquinislonetree

GSI Pinnacle Dualist Camping Cookware Review

My latest backpack camping trip afforded me the opportunity to try out some of the new gear I purchased.  I am fast becoming a fan of the GSI product line.  Not quick to pull the trigger on any purchases without making sure I am getting the best quality at the best prices, my search for camping gear has taken me to Bass Pro Shops, Cabela's, Sport's Authority, REI, Dick's Sporting Goods and a variety of Army Navy Surplus stores.  I have discovered that some of the best prices for camping gear has been "online" at Amazon and Campmor.  They both ship surprisingly quick and complete.  Although you have to wait a few days for your new goods, the value makes it worth the wait.

Though GSI refers to this item as "Dualist", implying that this product is ideal for 2 people, I would make the argument that this cookware is great for as many as 4 people depending on how you use it.

The cups and bowls are nearly the same size, making morning oatmeal perfect for 4.  The "cups" stack neatly within one another which then fit precisely into the cooking pot.  The cooking pot will also hold your large fuel cannister and compact cooker, maximizing the space within the pot.  Purchase two more spoons and you have a complete breakfast set for 4.  For cups we used the ones that came with the Bugaboo Backpacker set, also by GSI.   



When you are packing 2 tents and 3 sleeping bags, you need all the room you can spare and the Pinnacle Dualist is a must for 2 or more.  I highly recommend it.

Backpacking and Tent Camping at Lost Lake

I can't believe that we were here this morning!  What a trip.  About an hour from our house is a town called Nederland.  This place makes Boulder, Colorado look conservative.  It's a hippie haven.  Lot's of beards and tattoos.  That goes for the men of too.  Ambitiously we attempt to go backpacking up to the Devil's Thumb Trail.  Upon arrival, we were informed that that area still has about 14 feet of snow, that the Continental Divide is off limits at this time and that camping permits are not being given at Jasper Lake because it's not recommended for campers at this time.  We would be allowed to hike up to the lake if we liked and might be able to find a spot to pitch our tent along the route in an area where there wasn't snow.

Not knowing exactly what our strategy would be we headed off to start the hike, see what looked reasonable and go from there.  As a family we walk about 2.5 miles daily, sometimes 3 and recently just did an 8 mile walk, therefore the 4 mile jaunt to Jasper lake seemed reasonable to us even with the gear we were hauling in.  I felt fine, bearing much of the load with more than 50 pounds well situated on my back, but the looks on Kathy and Nate's face were giving me different signals.

Plan A was Jasper lake 4 miles out from the trailhead (unfortunately we had to park about 2 miles from the trail head).  Plan B was Lost Lake (which was only plan B because it was only 1.5 miles from the trailhead and seemed like too short of a walk for us).  3 plus hours into the hike, at the fork in the road that said Lost lake 1/2 mile or Jasper Lake 4 miles...well, by the title of this article you know we opted for Lost Lake (no one disapproved of my "command" decision. 

The trails were very uneven, rocky, wet, slippery and the elevation gain was more than 1000 feet.  Although we were accustomed to the walking part of the hike, it was the uphill battle that we faced along witht the weight of our packs that really challenged us.

Despite the mud and creeks we had to cross by logs and stepping stones, our spirits stayed high.  We had fun and enjoyed our hike, even poking fun at Shannon, who LOVED drinking from her hydration pack almost as much as relieving herself behind a pine tree or boulder ever 15 minutes along the way.

The snow melt was awesome!  There were gorgeous waterfalls and strong rushing rivers.  Just when you are too tired to go on, you get a second wind from the excitement of seeing wonders that you don't get to see in the city.

We made it up to Lost Lake.  The scenery was beautiful.  The kids kept commenting that the mountains in the background looked fake.  Dexter (our dog) loved the walk and being out by the water.

Here Dex was looking intently at a couple of mallard ducks.  He jumped in after them, but quickly changed his mind.  I don't think he's ever gone swimming before.  We all got a kick out of his reaction to the cold water.

Although the water was cold, it wasn't enough of a deterrent for Nate and Shannon.  The stripped to their skivies and went for it. 

Leah was a little more conservative...(that's my girl).  Kathy was setting up the campsite and opted to rest for a few while we swam and scouted the area. 

If you look closely you can see one of the kids climbing on a boulder to the left.  If you look even closer you can see Kathy peering at me through the inside of her tent on the left.  We were all pretty cold last night and have since learned a few tent camping tech tips that we make things more comfortable for us next time.  Hot coffee and oatmeal in the morning was well received by in the morning!

We had a long walk back, but it only took us about an hour and a half compare to the 3 and half it took to get up to the lake.

We laughed, joked, lived, learned, enjoyed, suffered and rejoiced together along the way there and back.  Above all Kathy and I enjoyed being an observer of God's wonderful creations...

Leah,

Nate,

and Shannon.


Oh yeah...

The mountains and lake were pretty too.

How Cold Is Cold?

                              
 
   Having been born and raised in Southern California I have a skewed perspective on what Colorado cold is and the impact that weather can have on your life.  There are some adaptive measures that I've had to learn and apply.
     Is 30 degree weather cold?  In California, absolutely...grab your coat for sure.  Better yet, stay inside!  I've learned that in Colorado, a surprisingly much drier climate, that 30 is my threshold for going outside for a jog.  Shorts and a long sleeve athletic shirt are all I need.  Under 30, I might break my rule, but gloves and a beanie would be in order.
     When my inlaws were visiting this Christmas (also from California) , we went for a walk to the post office.  My father-in-law, Jack, asked me what the temperature was outside.  I knew where he was going with this.  He wanted to know weather or not he needed to bring along a jacket or not.  Unfortunately, even if I told him what the temperature was, it wouldn't really answer his question.  Not to deny him his answer, I told him it was 50 degrees out, and that he most likely didn't need a jacket but that he might just want to carry a light jacket just in case. (You have to provide a security measure because if he does infact get cold, you're sure to get blamed for causing the discomfort).  In the sun 50 degrees was quite comfortable.  Compare that to 50 degrees in California anytime and there is a stark contrast.  I try to educate them so that they don't get afraid of the weather by the temperature reading alone.  Our hopes are that they won't be afraid of Colorado because they see a low temperature and that a low temperature doesn't mean we live in an Arctic wasteland.
     I'll leave you with my windshield washer fluid experience.  Did you know that there is an anti-freeze flavor of washer fluid?  Yes?  Well you're one up on me then.  I tried to clean my windshield with the fluid I had in my car from California for the past year and it was frozen in the lines.  After lunch I went to the car to check on it and it was fine, plenty of fluid in the reservoir.  Good.  Now I'm on the freeway on ramp and thinking that I could use a cleaner windshield, I didn't realize that in 19 degree weather that this stuff just sprayed a layer of ice all over, making it impossible to see.  I only had a small spot of visibility in the lower middle section of the windshield.  I had to lean over and down to see.  I had the wipers going full speed to try to scrape away ice and the defroster on full blast to try to melt it away.  About 4 miles later I was able to sit up and drive normally.  My windshield washer reservoir is now filled with the anti-freeze style of windshield washer fluid...cause you need that stuff out here!

Burger Wars: 5 Guys or IN-N-OUT?

    

                

 Who takes top honors here?  Coloradans may not know that there is a rivalry.  You see, 5 Guys recently came to a neighboring California town to compete with the ever popular IN-N-OUT.  Do I have a right to judge here?  Can I be objective and not insert my native bias?  I think I can.  Follow this. Let me cut to the chase and declare the IN-N-OUT the overall winner.  Am I dogmatic about this determination?  Not entirely, but I'll defend myself and provide a rationale for my declaration?  In a head to head burger taste test, I will admit that I enjoyed the 5 Guys Burgers and Fries burger won me over. WAIT!  Did I just contradict myself?  Not really...Let me explain. 
     For overall freshness, the winner is IN-N-OUT.  Their lettuce is crisp and clean.  It's a very straight forward burger.  They only have a few ingredients which they cook to perfection.  It is a  fresh, perfect burger!  However, it is a burger!  Clean and fresh doesn't always take top prize.  For taste and texture I have to rule in favor of the 5 Guys burger.  They offer more topping options such as grilled mushrooms, BBQ sauce, green peppers and bacon.  The variety they offer is a breath of fresh air, especially after eating IN-N-OUT burgers for the past 20 years.  The 5 Guys burger patties were not as uniform as the IN-N-OUT patties which gave the burger an edge on texture; it's as if they were tenderized…Delicious.  Now let's talk about buns.  Get your mind out of the gutter; we're talking about "burger buns"!  I have to give it up to IN-N-OUT.  They have always used a California based, family owned bakery for their daily delivered , fresh buns. They are fantastic.  The 5 Guys buns were noticeably doughy, especially after the juices from the condiments and toppings settled into it. 
     I would like to make quick mention about the french fries.  They are pretty equal.  IN-N-OUT peels the skins, and again, they don't get any fresher!  Watching them get made is as fresh as it gets.  The 5 Guys fries are not skinned and they serve up a very generous portion.  One large order (which we get at IN-N-OUT as well) more than took care of the whole family.  They are equally delicious, just different from one another.
     Now I've admitted that I enjoyed the 5 Guys burger, but why do I say IN-N-OUT takes the top prize?  Three primary reasons:  staff, cleanliness, and value.
     IN-N-OUT has a special talent for recruiting polished, professional people and they train them well.  They are consistently pleasant and their process is efficient.  I'll be kind to 5 Guys and just say that the caliber of staff doesn't compare.  I do want to go back there someday.
     The cleanliness of the facility was of concern, not unsafe or disgusting, just notable.  The floors just felt greasy under my feet.  The bathrooms and beverage bars at 5 Guys needed attention that I rarely witnessed at an IN-N-OUT facility.  IN-N-OUT has an intense volume of customers.  If you don't get there before noon, be prepared to wait.  Despite the high traffic in both the drive through and dining hall (it's not unusual to have to stand and wait for a table) they manage to keep the place extremely clean.  On this afternoon at 5 Guys, there weren't more than 10 people in the restaurant and not more than 5 that came in after us by the time we finished eating.
     The reason, by far, that I delcare IN-N-OUT victorious is that despite the fact that I enjoyed the 5 Guys burger more, what would cost me $12 dollars and some change at IN-N-OUT cost me upwards of $28 at 5 Guys.  It doesn't matter how delicious that burger was...paying that much for lunch time burgers left a bad taste in my mouth.

Microsoft or Apple Store?

I'm sitting in the Microsoft store at the Park Meadows mall in Lone Tree, CO waiting for my wife. She forgot her cell phone, so she went shopping one way, I took the kids the other and we agreed to meet up with her here. The kids love this place, and it's the one place I can take all three of them to without complaint. I have to be honest by stating that I don't particularly understand the point of this store. It's clearly an attempt to replicate what Apple has mastered, that is, showcase their products, but that's just the thing. I don't really see Microsoft products at this store, aside from the XBOX gaming systems. I've had an XBOX for a few years and didn't know it was a Mirosoft product until a couple of months ago. They have a lot of computers in here, but you just get to use someone elses computer with the Microsoft operating system installed on it or flip through the pages of the Kindle.

Nate is playing the new Tron game, Shannon has some headphones on and is watching a cartoon, while Leah is playing on Webkinz next to me. Totally content...I love it!

I will say that it's great to be able to play all the new games for XBOX and try out the Kinect, which looks awesome. I think Microsoft would do better if they could "connect" with the market a little more with respect to products they represent instead of just showing the operating system on other manufacturers devices.  What does an operating system look like anyway? Microsoft is on the right track though with the Kinect. Can't wait to try it out at home, but right now I think Microsoft isn't a real challenger to Apple's products. They are the cutting edge of personal technology, bar none. They need some competition, but at this time their are few contenders.

California or Colorado? Where Would You Rather Live?

We're the Vance's and  we just landed in Colorado a few months back.  Things are going surprisingly well, aside from my IN-N-OUT BURGER withdrawals, best burgers ever (I'm open for debate), but I'm coping.  It's an adjustment for the whole family really.  There are many differences in living in Colorado that a native Californian wouldn't ordinarily think about. Did you know that there are different allergy types?   My son has some allergies and come to find out that on the east side of the Rockies, there are different breeds of allergies.  Go figure.  That’s just one of the hundreds of nuances that we are discovering as we explore this new land.

Having grown up in Temecula, California, where just days before the move we were enjoying the beaches of Encinitas and having lunch at the Leucadia Pizzeria (our favorite), now we're at least 19 hours from the coast. Which begs the question "What do we do now?”  Obviously we need to get out there and explore; make new friends, find new favorite activities, hang-outs and foods.

Where would I rather live?  It's hard to replace a lifetime of family, friends and memories instantaneously.  In fact, I wonder if they can really EVER be replaced?  I know that at this time we feel that we belong in Colorado and are enjoying being here much more than we expected and that there is room in our hearts for more friends and favorite things.