PS - if you lived in an apartment in Capitol Hill, it would be a pretty short walk!

The UMS started in 2000, with only 4 bands and 300 attendees.  It has grown more and more massive every year since, and in 2009 saw 225 bands and over 4000 attendees.  Despite the festivals' impressive growth, the original goal has remained, along with the original curators, Ricardo Baca of the Denver Post and Ben Desoto, talent buyer for the Hi-Dive. 

You can buy wristbands and badges here.  Prices increase as the show dates near, so don't wait!

Denver - Brighton Colorado based KJ Gourmet Foods first came to market with their first Gourmet Chili Pepper Spread in December of 2009. Now, with 13 new local retailers along the Front Range offering their product, they have increased their online presence and recently made their product available to customers online.

Owners Keith and Jeff have not let any grass grow under their feet since starting their company, KJ Gourmet Foods, back in August of 2009. Until now, they have been selling their product exclusively in select Colorado store locations. “What we wanted to do first was market the Hot Heads Pepperspread brand locally, and then start expanding outward from there”, said Keith Alvis. Jeff Meeker added, “Getting a foothold in the spicy food industry takes a great deal of time and shoe leather, and we are now at the point where we felt an online sales option was needed for customers in and outside of Colorado”.

www.pepperspread.com is the Hot Heads Pepperspread website. They sell Hoppin’ Jalapeno Gourmet Chili Pepper Spread, and also exchange many tasty spicy food recipes via the Hot Heads Blog. Also included on the website, brick and mortar store locations, and some fun information about how these two Brighton neighbors first came about forming the company and their product. There are also plans for offering Hot Heads gear and apparel online.

Here's a quick review for some of our favorite neighborhoods, and we'll link to the apartment listings in those neighborhoods so you can figure out where you can walk to fresh veggies!

Cherry Creek Farmers Market: Wednesdays and Saturdays until about 1pm at 1st and University - see Cherry Creek Apartments for Rent

City Park Fresh Market: Sunday mornings at Colfax and Columbine - see City Park Apartments for Rent

Highland United Neighbors Market: Saturdays starting at 9am at Boulder St and 15th in the Highlands neighborhood - see Highlands and Jefferson Park Apartments for Rent

Old South Pearl Street Farmers Market: Sundays until about 1pm at Pearl and Florida - see Wash Park Apartments for Rent

Since then the movement has picked up quite a bit of speed, evolving from a small political outcry to a full blown trend. Now it’s cool to be “green.” There is so much pressure to be green that one might have an anxiety attack in the grocery checkout line when asked the simple question “Paper or plastic?” (For the low down on which is really best, check out this handy article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18538484) 

How does this pertain to you, loyal apartment dwellers? Well, if your Denver Apartment doesn’t even have a recycling program, you need to help them catch up with the times. Here are a few ideas to help your apartment community Get Green:
• Recycle: Read this wonderful step-by-step guide to recycling and waste management specifically geared towards apartment communities, created by the BFI Waste Service of Salinas, CA: http://www.bfi-salinas.com/multi-family-sbs-guide.cfm. Talk to your apartment manager about investing in a community recycling bin that residents can dump in. If necessary, send a petition or poll around the building to get your neighbors support.

• Grow: Scout out a plot of soil on the apartment grounds to start a community garden. Growing and eating your own food not only helps the environment, but it also helps you save on your grocery bill. You don’t need a ton of space to grown common veggies, fruits and herbs. Just a little patch of soil in a well-lit area will do. If you live in an urban apartment with zero green space, no problem, you can plant in containers on the rooftop, too. Recruit a team of residents to help you plant and maintain the garden (maybe you have a landscape designer or horticulturist living amongst you?). Make it fun for kids, too, by labeling areas of the garden with what they could be used for, like “Salsa garden” for tomatoes, cilantro and onions, or “Pizza Garden” for basil and peppers. Once you have a thriving garden, plan a community garden cookout!

• Reuse: Organize a drive at your apartment to collect gently used clothes, shoes, cell phones, laptops and small kitchen appliances to ensure they are properly disposed of or donated to those in need. You’d be surprised by how many organizations are out there to collect specific items. Most likely all you need to do is contact them with your idea and they can help you make it happen.

• Educate: Reserve the community clubhouse to host free seminars on topics such as composting, gardening, recycling, organic nutrition, etc. Not only will your neighbors enjoy the free learning opportunity, but I’m sure there are plenty of local small businesses who could use the free advertising, too.

• Volunteer: Round up a group of residents to participate in green volunteer activities around the neighborhood, such as planting, picking up trash, maintaining trails, etc. Contact your local parks & recreation office for ideas.

• Switcheroo: Minimize waste and contaminants as much as possible inside your own apartment. Replace all light bulbs with more efficient kinds (you’ll love the reduced utility costs), use low-no VOC paint on your accent walls, switch to using recycled paper products, shop at farmers markets, etc. These are small, simple changes that make a big difference.

There are a ton of other great ideas out there that will help take care of the environment, and also bring your Denver neighborhood and apartment community together in the process. Not to mention that volunteer activities and community leadership look fabulous on a resume…

Check out hubbuzz.com for more information about Denver Apartment Living!

Here's the way you want to eat here:

Feeling pitiful and in need of tender loving care? Eat from the Vintage side of the menu - the pot roast sliders with horseradish cream make you wonder what that was that Mom was calling pot roast. This is just a tasty treat!

Feeling frisky and with-it? Eat from the Modern side of the menu - that oven-roasted beet salad with goat cheese and the tarragon/lemony dressing made me say ooooh!

Feeling schizophrenic? One from column A and one from column B.

Don't forget dessert. Homemade and happy-making.

The wine list is good. Parking is great. Love the bar area (more vintage) and the dining area looks more modern.

Open 7 days a week 11:30am - 9:30pm. Call them at 303-703-8100. Visit their website at www.restauranthome.com.

An unexpected day off is great because you have no advanced warning to fill the day with to-do’s, and it’s not safe to drive around running last minute errands. Instead, think of this downtime as a gift and do something for yourself for a change! Use this time wisely. Turn off the technology and settle down with a good book and cup of tea. Take a bubble bath. Organize your closet. Get caught up on Lost (ok, sometimes technology can be relaxing!)

This is also a great time to connect with your neighbors, especially if you live in a Denver apartment complex. You could bake a loaf of banana bread to share with the new tenant across the hall, or the elderly lady you hold the elevator for all the time. Or head down to the hot tub for a soothing soak and a chance to rub elbows with other residents who are usually out and about during the day. You never know who you might meet! Why not invite your neighbors down to the clubhouse for a movie marathon or a round of board games? Some of the best things about renting an apartment in Denver are the fabulous amenities available to you and the unique people you are surrounded by.

If you get a case of cabin fever after a few hours of Seinfeld re-runs, bundle up and head outside! If you live in an apartment and don’t have to bother with shoveling a driveway or de-icing the sidewalks, you can take a stroll (well, more like a trudge, really) around your Denver neighborhood. It might be interesting to see what the area looks like under a blanket of snow, and you might see people and things that you’ve never noticed before. If you usually get coffee by your workplace, now is the time to check out the local coffee house around the corner instead. If there’s a park nearby, it’s quite entertaining to watch kids play in the snow (and dogs, too)!

Whatever you do, even if you sleep for 20 hours, make sure you enjoy yourself. Snow days only come around a few times a year!

Karl seemed to be in great spirits at last nights game against the Washington Wizards despite the fact that he can't speak above a whisper, and also can't swallow solid foods without immense pain.

Karl and his family have courageously and generously started a blog to keep all of his family, friends and fans updated on his progress. The blog includes entries from Karl himself as well as his family members. It also has a section for inspiring stories, supportive comments and even a "laughter medicine" section.

Please visit this site to show your support, especially if you have a funny or inspiring story to share from personal experience.

www.mylifeline.org/georgekarl

Property managers of multi-unit apartment buildings are having trouble attracting new tenants due to the increase of crime in the area, and even some current residents are moving away to safer neighborhoods.

The "Crime Free Multi-Unit" program will train property managers to improve resident screening, conduct regular audits to address safety issues and will ultimately certify rental properties as officially "crime free." 

Also, the language in apartment leases will be updated with a sort of "one-strike" policy to warn new residents of zero-tolerance for violenent and criminal activity.

Property managers hope that by participating in the Crime Free program they can scare current residents into behaving properly, and assure prospective residents that their buildings are safe places to live. 

Another benefit of the program? It's likely such certification could reduce insurance rates for property owners as well as residents.

Read the full article here: Apartment Complexes Try For Crime-Free Certification: Longmont Police Start Program To Clean Up Neighborhoods

For more information about the Longmont neighborhood and to see Longmont apartments for rent, visit hubbuzz.com.

Hundreds of local restaurants have created sampling menus at low prices - just $52.80 per couple (or $26.40 per person)! For most of the participating restaurants this is quite a steal. 

Visit the Denver Restaurant Week website to search for participating restaurants by name, cuisine and neighborhood.

Make your reservations yesterday people, spots are going fast. View restaurant availability and make reservations on OpenTable.com.