Une Envie de Sel

Last night, we used M's dinner break to make a run down to South Denver for the Hudson Holiday installation. This was a day I have been looking forward to ever since we first came upon Lonnie Hanzon's magical and mysterious holiday windows in Cherry Creek last Christmas. It was love at first sight with his gorgeous, lush, enchanted visions. Stepping into one of his installations is like walking straight into a children's book, a combination of Jules Verne and Willie Wonka, Alice Through the Looking Glass and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
This year, rather than just a series of elaborate vitrines, Lonnie's world has overtaken the entirety of the Hudson Gardens, topiary, fountains and all.
I'm not sure if Q was old enough to remember last year's windows, but she won't soon forget this!
A shifting, changing combination of light, structure and sound. Enchanted pathways leading to groves of hobbit houses, copses of luminescent woodland creatures...
...never knowing what you'll find around the next corner.

The herd of "sheep" projected with contantly changing kaleidascope images was one of my favorite parts. Unfortunately it was ridiculously hard to get a decent image of it. You'd need a video to really capture it!
Some of last year's display, which I was very glad of the chance to revisit.




Perhaps the most spectacular of all was the glade full of illuminated paisley tepees. Absolutely gorgeous! And behind, mysteriously, a pond reflecting an enormous blue tree, out of the top of which bloomed a sort of continuous upside-down firework display. Pure magic!
We want those tepees. We want them bad!
Q warming her hands on a cup of hot chocolate.


Oh, and did I mention you get starburst glasses as well? Q was beside herself.
Now I feel like it's officially the holiday season!