Colorado Springs Streets - A-Z {Bijou}

We finally finished the "A" street and now we're on to "B".

Bijou is French for "jewel".

This street is one of the major thoroughfares through downtown Colorado Springs.

For this tour we started on the eastern end of Bijou and made our way west towards the mountains. My brother-in-law was in town and was up for a day of touring around the city with David and I and it was great having someone else drive so I was free to take photos.

One of the first points of interest was Target. Gotta love 'em.

We crossed Academy.

Dunkin' Donuts!

I still prefer a good Shipley's donuts as glazed yeast donuts are my fave but cake donuts are growing on me slightly as long as they're not dry.

Who do you think has the best glazed yeast donut in town?

The name of this Mexican Food joint cracks us up and we may just have to try it sometime. Would a place that's been around since 1966 not be any good?

And as you can see on this sign, there is evidence of the "jewel" meaning of Bijou.

It doesn't bear much resemblance to the Cafe Brazils in Dallas.

I really enjoy looking at the houses in this area of town. So cute and unique, each one different and with it's own distinct characteristics and colors.

Look at the crescent moon cut-outs in the shutters of this one.

neat details with the arch around the entry and scallops on the side of the house

I love the picket fence, awnings, trim work . . .

and red door!

There are beautiful nice big grassy areas.

Great turquoise house!

This park looks nice.

Fun McDonald's

First Presbyterian is a very large and active church in town and signals that we are starting to get into the heart of downtown.

This is Acacia Park. It is a very active park right in the middle of downtown.

One day David and I were driving by it to meet my sister-in-law, nephews and friends for lunch and there was a real live elephant in Acacia Park!

You never know what you might see here!

the playground

The Uncle Wilbur Fountain

Every hour on the hour (in season) "Uncle Wilbur" rises out of the fountain and music plays.

Kids LOVE this fountain!

The Thunder Dogs smelled wonderful but I haven't had one yet.

We did have gourmet dogs from a vendor at the Farmers Market that sets up in Acacia Park on Mondays (I think) and it was DELICIOUS! There were a zillion toppings you could put on.

This is looking down Tejon St. from Bijou. I would like to try La Creperie sometime. My mom and I went to another, less formal, crepe place on the same street and it was amazing!! Terra Verde is a fun store, Anthropologie-esque but as far as I know, independent.

This shot is taken looking the other way down Tejon. I like the big sewing mural on the building.

The Mini Mart reminds me of Europe and I may have to try the Gyros sometime. In and Out Burgers it's not but apparently In and Out Gyros it is!

parking downtown is all by meters and boy is it taking a lot of concentration to get in the habit of having change and remembering to put it in all while getting David out of the car, etc.

neat doors

This is another odd name for a restaurant to me but who knows, it might be good.

I wonder how the Pita Pit differs from In and Out Gyros . . .

David loved getting hold of the balloon outside of Opb&j.

It is a gourmet peanut butter and jelly sandwich place.

I'll have to dig up our photos from going there and do a post for it too.

history

caffeine

Unfortunately this place is closed with brown paper lining the huge storefront windows.

I wonder when it closed.

It just looks absolutely darling and I am sad I missed it.

another shot of the mural

once we'd explored the downtown portion of Bijou on foot (and stroller) we got back in the car to drive west and see where Bijou ended up

We saw this quaint church

and the promise of this restaurant that looks like it could be fun

and kept driving and driving along through a nice little residential portion . . .

until Bijou became a little dirt alley . . .

so we kept going.

and going and going

until Bijou turned into Echo Lane.

I think that is an adorable name for a street.

Isn't there an Anne of Green Gables reference there?

It sounds familiar but I can't quite remember off the top of my head.

Anyway, it was a nice adventure for a summer day and somehow there is a great sense of satisfaction in knowing you've explored something from end to end and know it's secrets.

Happy exploring in your neck of the woods today!

Kelly

three years!

photo by Rachel Debell Photography

three

Happy October 3rd and happy eve of our 3rd anniversary to us.

{photo taken of a university elevator floor number on a recent visit}

I looked back and realized that I never posted about our "rehearsal dinner" for our wedding so I thought I'd do that now. (I'm also retro-publishing part of this post back in it's chronological order as well.)

The venue where we got married had a lot of different events all the time so you didn't get to book it for an entire weekend or anything. Basically we got it for the day of our wedding and that's it. I think there was a high school homecoming dance there the night before our wedding.

We didn't have attendants and since our family members who took part in our wedding doing music, readings, etc. are all polished speakers, performers, etc. and our preacher is very accomplished at doing weddings and we certainly weren't his first, we decided that a formal "rehearsal" in the space was not important to us.

(Sidenote: our wedding ended up starting about an hour late because the deejay we hired did not have all the equipment he needed unfortunately. I guess if we'd done a rehearsal with him then the delay wouldn't have happened but it just wasn't practical given all of the logistics in play and it was fine in the end.)

So back to the night before the wedding . . .

We decided that we what was really important to us was actually getting to spend time with all of the wonderful friends and family who were coming to our wedding, particularly the many, many people who came from out of town and who we don't get to see just every day.

My old youth minister, Greg, once said that there are two times in your life when everyone you know and love is going to gather in one place. One of those is your wedding and the other is your funeral. Obviously, you only get to enjoy those people at one of those events. His point was to soak up that time with the people you love and who love you at your wedding rather than getting overly focused on details and things.

So . . .

we went a different route than the norm and had a big social at a park and invited everyone who was invited to the wedding to come the night before and hang out.

We made it simple by getting sandwiches, chips, soft drinks, etc., nothing fancy, and everything was just serve yourself.

That meant we got to enjoy

family

old and new friends

big hugs from people we hadn't seen in a while

beginning to be hospitable together as a couple

sweet conversations

watching our friends and family from both sides join together and pitch in to set out food, etc.

This was actually one of my favorite parts just watching all of the people that we love individually meeting each other, smiling, laughing, talking, working, eating and playing alongside each other. It was neat.

We talked and caught up on each other's lives.

People came from Alaska, California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, other parts of Texas and even overseas. I may even be missing a place or two.

It was so very special to us!

We had simple decorations.

Many handmade by friends.

There was laughter,

football

hugs

and smiles!

I think it was absolutely perfect for us and I'm so glad we did it.

What a wonderful night that in some ways seems like so many more than three years ago.

Kelly

maybe I was wrong

After looking at the letters a little more I'm thinking that this perhaps is the "i".

Let's just say it is, okay?

Happy Saturday!

Kelly