I had the most amazing opportunity arrive in the form of a serendipitous shift (change) at Halloween City.
On Friday, I worked 10:30-3. I got the chance to work the floor, doing customer service and putting out merchandise.
Let me begin by saying that 1) I have been working 2:30-7 on Fridays at Halloween City. I needed to change my shift right after the schedule was made, so I could work days because Chris and I were planning to see "Hocus Pocus" at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and 2) I have always worked the cash register every shift at Halloween City.
While be-bopping around putting out new merchandise, (wo)manning the fitting rooms and returning merchandise to the floor, I was also responsible for greeting and helping customers throughout the store. A woman, with a pretty full shopping cart already, asked my help for a price on one of our large décor items. I assisted her and then had to hit the fitting room. She came back by to peruse the witches' hats, so we started talking a bit more. I then began helping her exclusively. She shared with me that she was responsible for decorating the newly renovated Union Station, here in Denver. (Swoon!! Even tho we hadn't yet stepped foot in there, I was so excited about the prospect of seeing the Station for the first time and it being decorated for my favorite holiday!!) We continued chatting and brainstorming. She was sharing with me her ideas for certain areas and vignettes in and around the Great Hall. It was my most fun shift, as you can imagine! She proceeds to tell me that about 20 guys from the Denver Gay Men's Choir will be joining her to help with the project. I told her how jealous I was for their opportunity and it would be so awesome to do. Without skipping a beat, she says she would love for me to come help! (Are you kidding me right now?!?)
When I ask when, she tells me the next day from 8A to noon....and I already have plans (to be up in Longmont seeing my girls from Fit Chick Express for the 3rd Annual Love Your Body event). So, I tell her that I, unfortunately, have a commitment, but I know my husband would LOVE to be there and he would be amazing! So, we chat and shop some more (I also got her a 20% off coupon should she want to come back for anything else) and I help her at checkout. We say our goodbyes and I assure her that she will see Chris the next morning. She is happy, but also says she wishes I was going to be there, too.
I shoot off phone calls to both of Chris's phones...no answer! I send him a text, "How would you like to decorate Union Station for Halloween? I will give you details at home later."
I am jazzed the whole rest of my shift!!
As I was getting ready to make my own purchases and leave, I see that Laurie has returned...with 20% coupon in hand to buy the motion-activated witch, who moves, speaks and her eyes light up green!!! We chat some more and I still can't believe my luck!!
I am practically vibrating when Chris and I are home and I can share with him my serendipitous encounter. At this time, I make the decision that I simply cannot let this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity pass me by and that I will have to miss the FCE event.
I didn't sleep much (that has become common in this apartment, but this time I think I was still on Cloud 9...but it was also helped by the fact that some neighbors, probably upon arriving home after the bars closed, sat outside in the courtyard from 2:40-4:00A being noisy, until I opened the patio French doors and asked that they keep it down.) We had planned to walk the 3+ miles to Union Station, leaving no later than 7A, which meant we were getting up between 5:30 and 6A!!!
By 7, we were out the door. I had packed a couple of my Power Muffins, a couple apples, cash and my empty water bottle. We walked about 2 miles before getting coffee at a 7/11. Mmmmmm, pumpkin spice coffee with pumpkin spice creamer! We were pretty damn cold (having not bothered to wear gloves or scarves and it was probably in the 40's!!). The warmth of the coffee, and the caffeine, were most welcomed! We ate and walked ~ we were making good time!
Walking into this massive and magnificent train station took my breath away. The attention to detail and the nostalgic feel is too much for my words. You really have to experience it for yourself when you are in the Mile High City. (There are restaurants, bars, coffee shops, bookstore and gift shops.)
We arrived just as Laurie was speaking with the choir guys. When she saw BOTH of us, she was thrilled! She introduced us by first names, tho she didn't know a single name of the others!!! She said for us to sit tight as she had a particular project for us to tackle! She gave us the task of hanging the suspended witches' hats and broom, along with some shimmer lights, getting the animatronic witch settled and hanging three glittery skeletons by the concierge. All three of these vignettes were ones we discussed in the store, so I knew we could create her vision!!
We finished our stuff about 11:45 and then headed into the Great Hall for its transformation. The guys did a fantastic job, as Laurie made ideal purchases for the space! She had a very limited budget ($2000-$2500), so it's not going to look filled-to-the-brim or like a haunted house, but it is classy and unexpected and well-received by all of the visitors! We saw lots of photos being taken!!!
Chris & I hadn't had anything to eat or drink since our coffee & muffins. There is a brewpub in the former ticket counter space, called The Terminal Bar, which had a posted listing of the beers on tap and I knew we deserved a drink! Plus, we weren't driving! Laurie joined us for beers, burgers, brats and shared fries ~~ and then she graciously paid, adding it to the decorating budget. We chatted about our families, our lives, our careers, how we ended up in Denver. We exchanged phone numbers and helped her with the last bit of cleanup. While she was waiting on her car from valet, we promised to meet again for breakfast or brunch and to stay in touch.
Magical is how I best describe it all!
...from Union Station, we walked to 16th Street Mall for the country's largest Zombie Crawl! Our first time at any zombie-related event. Very cool! Chris got some pics of the ones we liked best.
The day was beautiful and as we headed back home, we stopped at Soul Haus to cast our vote on the decorated skulls. Chris was supposed to do one and we even bought it, but when he saw how giant it is, his design plan went out the window. The money ($5) goes to the Chicano Humanities Arts Council and we now have this huge skull on the front door to our apartment! (It's also glow-in-the-dark, but the lights are never out in the apartment hallway to enjoy that part of it!) And, in our favor, casting a vote on that day, the first day of voting, got us entries into a $50 Peppermint or Soul Haus gift card! Fingers crossed!! There is a winter stocking cap that is leopard-print with skulls that I really really want (and was close to purchasing a few months ago!)!!
After over six miles of hoofing it around Denver, we planned to enjoy a quiet dinner (well, breakfast for dinner) and relax. Best laid plans and all ... our friend, Jess, contacted us for dinner and/or drinks. We said we could do drinks, a time and place were set. We got changed and were back out, on foot, to meet at Steubens. Our wait was pretty long, so it's a good thing we had consumed an Angry Orchard cider on our walk!! To cap off my Halloween-themed day, I tried the Zombie, a concoction of pineapple juice and several rums (I think). Whoa ~ that first sip found me thinking I could light a match with my breath! I stirred it a bit and thoroughly enjoyed the quick trip to inebriation! (The drink menu actually states there is a 2-drink MAX for this adult treat!!!! I can see why!)
I slept well that nite!
And we spent 4 hours the next day walking: to the Denver Botanic Gardens, around the Gardens, to Trader Joe's and home!!! Oh, yeah, and we had already walked around City Park (about 7A) for Chris to grab some photos of the sunrise hitting the water, the trees and the building!!!
This weekend was filled with transportation-related venues!!!
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