Natural Bamboo Artwork at the Denver Botanic Gardens

The Denver Botanic Gardens is always a great weekend destination to escape to and surround yourself with natural beauty. This Garden’s signature exhibition for the summer is Kizuna: West Meets East, which highlights two prominent installation artists working in bamboo: Tetsunori Kawana and Stephen Talasnik. Using different working methods, both artists employed this versatile natural material to create large site-specific works for the Gardens.

Related to this exhibition, the Denver Botanic Gardens will unveil the newly expanded Japanese Garden, Shofu-en, with the additions of the new Bill Hosokawa Bonsai Pavilion and Tea Garden in June. These expanded areas will feature living displays that illustrate the diversity of bamboo species.

If you’re planning a visit to see the bamboo exhibition, here are a few things to keep in mind:
• Kizuna Exhibition Tours: Join docents on an interpretative walk to explore and appreciate the works of Kawana and Talasnik. For more information or to make a reservation, please contact tours@botanicgardens.org or call 720-865-3539.
• Japanese Tea Ceremony for Families: Saturday, July 21, 2012 - 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.; Come experience the centuries-old Japanese tradition of chanoyu - the Japanese Tea Ceremony. Discover the four principals that guide a ceremony, learn about the purposeful design of the Ella Mullen Weckbaugh Tea House and observe a real tea ceremony. Cost is Member Adult/Child $30 or Non-Member Adult/Child $35.
• Bonsai Workshop for Families: Saturday, August 4, 2012 - 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.; Bonsai is an ancient Japanese art form where miniature trees are grown in containers. Come explore a variety of bonsai in the new Bill Hosokawa Bonsai Pavilion, discover the techniques used to form bonsai and start your own jade plant bonsai to take home. Cost is Member Adult/Child $30 and Non-Member Adult/Child $35.

Denver Botanic Gardens Summer Concert Series

There’s nothing like a gorgeous summer night in Denver set to some live music in an amazing setting. Maybe throw in some wine and cheese too. All of these things come together at the Denver Botanic Gardens Summer Concert Series and this year’s line-up is pretty stellar with music that runs from classic R&B to traditional South African harmonies.Tickets went on sale Monday for Garden members and then open up to the general public on May 1. Here’s the line-up of concerts:• July 11—Nanci Griffith with special guest Greg Brown• July 16—Marc Cohn with special guest Joan Osborne• July 17—Natalie Merchant with the Colorado Symphony• July 23—Al Green• July 25—Mary Chapin Carpenter• August 6—Diana Krall with special guest Denzal Sinclaire• August 9—Ladysmith Black Mambazo and The Johnny Clegg Band• August 10—Shawn Colvin and Loudon Wainwright III• August 16—Kenny Loggins• August 17—Wynonna & The Big Noise• August 21—Gipsy Kings• August 30—Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers with special guest Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers• September 7—Pat Metheny Unity Band
And if you don’t feel like packing your own food, pre-order a meal by Catering by Designs and you’ll have an amazing basket of culinary delights waiting for you at the concert.

5280 Magazine Quotes Liz - Hilltop

Hilltop:
"I think at one point many sellers truly believed they could get Malibu pricing in this area, " says Liz Richards, a broker at Kentwood City Properties. "But after an abysmal few years, we're finally seeing movement in this area, thanks to strategic price drops and pent-up demand."

Kentwood Real Estate Celebrates 30th Anniversary in March

Kentwood Real Estate, Colorado’s Premier Real Estate Company, will celebrate its 30th anniversary on March 18, 2011. The high-profile real estate company is regarded within the real estate community as a market leader where the vision, culture and mission established by the firm’s original founders have remained unchanged for the past three decades.

“The five original founders of Kentwood Real Estate were among the greatest and most successful Realtors that have ever worked in the metro Denver area,” said Peter Niederman, Chief Executive Officer of Kentwood Real Estate. “These founders included Roger Campbell, John Burns, and Jim Nussbaum who individually and collectively shaped the real estate business in Denver as a culture...with strong defining characteristics. John Fitzpatrick became a partner a few years later and brought additional leadership and vision to the company as a co-owner for 23 years.

“What’s truly impressive after 30 years is the fact that Kentwood’s vision, mission, and high standards are the same today, which is why we continue to attract the best and brightest real estate brokers in the business,” said Niederman.

According to Niederman, the owners and managers of Kentwood Real Estate have always been focused on maintaining the quality and integrity of the brand, along with the spirited nature of the company and high business standards. Jim Theye and Dee Charifisi, co-owners of Kentwood City Properties in downtown Denver, have been exceptional leaders of Kentwood’s newest office since 1999, establishing a new record for sales production in 2010.

“Hiring the best brokers is not just about production,” said Niederman. “They must share our culture relative to how they conduct business and treat their customers. If it has our brand on it, it must be of the highest quality. Tradition is important at Kentwood, and so is our reputation within the community. The industry has changed with the advent of the Internet and other high-tech tools, but our culture, mission and vision have never changed.”

I'm so happy to be apart of Kentwood!! - Liz