What do you do when your mom is turning 90 and says she’s been to too many birthday parties?
In Alison Epstein’s case, the solution was obvious: Throw her mom, Barbara Denk, an unbirthday party.
The fun started with the invitations, an homage to “Alice in Wonderland” complete with White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat and a Mad Hatter-style tea party on the reverse. (And guests were gently threatened with an “Off with your heads” if we dared to bring a gift.)
Guests were asked to share a favorite story on cards for Denk to read at her leisure, and people put some great creativity into their offerings.
As we all enjoyed a thoroughly mad fête April 26 in the Oak Room at the Strater Hotel, it was obvious that a good way to get to know people in a new town is to play bridge. Or, in Denk’s case, teach a whole generation of people to play bridge, which she did frequently for many years as a fundraiser for Durango Friends of the Arts.
And since research shows that bridge is one of those activities that keeps your brain sharp, that’s quite a gift she’s given. If Denk is any example – and she’s still sharp as a tack – the research is right.
Of course, the unbirthday girl was the Queen of Hearts – although in bridge, the ace of spades rules supreme. She added a new word to her vocabulary as she began her 10th decade, and that’s bling, courtesy of a trip to Hobby Lobby. A queen must have a crown, after all, and hers was bedecked with the high cards from an “Alice in Wonderland” deck of cards. (I had to use bedecked; it was too good to pass up.) She also had an “axe” as a scepter, just in case.
It wasn’t quite like falling “Through the Looking Glass,” but Epstein (and I rather imagine her daughter, Ruby) had made all kinds of decorations to get guests in the mood. They were joined in the hosting endeavor by Denk’s other daughter, Marti Denk, and her husband, Ron Inouye, who traveled from Stockton, California, for the unfestivities.
The invitation also included an encouragement to come in costume, whether it was a character from one of the books, steampunk, Victorian or wherever your imagination could take you. Denk’s son-in-law, Mark Epstein, recycled his Snowdown 2015 costume to serve as the Mad Hatter and added some embellishments for Denk’s unspecial day.
Chef Arnold “Safari” Ngumbao’s artistry was obvious in the vegetable- and fruit-based decorations scattered throughout the sumptuous tea offerings, which included chicken salad on raisin bread, shrimp salad on wheat bread and cucumber and cream cheese pinwheels for the sandwiches, crudités with dill dip, cheese and fruit platters, a variety of mini-scones, cold marinated mushrooms, chocolate-covered strawberries and shortbread cookies.
Denise Leslie on ukulele and Bess Chacon on guitar presented a perfectly appropriate soundtrack to the party.
My own brand of bridge is courtesy of a brief membership in a sorority at the University of Denver – it’s a long story, as they say – which didn’t include any of the finer points or conventions of the game. Denk is a gracious player when partnered with someone as slapdash as I – you can’t even hear her teeth grinding when I miscount trump or bid my hand completely wrong.
I just wish she had offered a remedial bridge class when she was still teaching – it might have spared my partners, when I get the chance to play, from some seriously painful moments.
Many happy returns for your unbirthday, Barbara, and here’s wishing you many grand slams – hopefully when you’re my partner.
HHH
Wishing for the three-day Memorial Day weekend to hurry up and get here for their birthdays are Lacey Black, Barbara Colbert, Paul Staby, Rose Chilcoat, Stephanie Drover, Marilyn Garst (this is really her birthday, I accidentally put her in March earlier this year), Jeff Nelson, Carol Johnson, Paul Root, Kaden Ollier, Vern Swanson, Lucille Ball, Merlwyn Clausen, Jill Somrak, Elisa Christiansen and Lee Murphy.
HHH
“Life is a cabaret, my friend,” or at least it is when the Durango Choral Society throws its annual friend and fundraiser. One of the most fun evenings of the year – and I know whereof I speak – Cabaret happens to be taking place at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at the Durango Arts Center, and, unbelievably, since it usually sells out quite quickly, there are still a few tickets left.
Michelle Hegenwald and Sydney Morris have taken on the task of preparing the appetizers, and if you’ve ever seen a Hegenwald spread or enjoyed Morris’ hospitality, you know it will be a treat-and-a-half.
Tickets are $50 and are available by calling (800) 838-3006 or going online at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/848599.
Choral Society Executive Director Dawn Spaeder said it seems as though it snuck up on people this year, but now, even in procrastination-prone Durango, there’s no time to waste.
HHH
I always like to know how fundraisers turned out, and I’m delighted to report that the event organized by adults and students at Florida Mesa Elementary School for the Jason English family was a roaring success. The English family, including mom, Deaven, and sons JJ, 9, and Cody, 5, were in that terrible accident at the Home Depot intersection. JJ was airlifted to Denver, where a huge gash on his leg was repaired with a skin graft, and he also received care for several fractures, including facial bones and a head injury.
Not only did they incur all the associated expenses that go with health- care treatment away from home, there was also time off work.
The fundraiser was held April 24, brought in more than 200 people and raised more than $10,800. The hottest items at the event were at the third-grade entrepreneurs’ booths, where they shared expertise in talents ranging from origami and dancing to arm wrestling.
The pie auction alone brought in $3,400. People absolutely love their pie, but I’ve always wondered why we don’t do cake or cookie auctions. Is it because a pie crust is such a challenge to achieve that we value them so much?
The Englishes more than pitched in. The whole family came, and they had their own booth selling home-baked goodies.
Kudos go to the organizing committee, head honcho and JJ’s third grade teacher, Amanda Crites; Stormy Garlington, Nika Brandt, Christina McMunn, Whitney Vaughan, Kali Fassett, Kathy Elliott, Lynd Jeter and Maureen Wancura, for putting together such a successful event in about one month’s time.
HHH
Trying to figure out how to ride their bicycle built for two while holding an umbrella big enough for two for their anniversary are Mike and Sandy Dalenberg.
HHH
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