On The Inside at THRILLSEEKERS

1912 S. Broadway, 303-733-8810

A born climber's appetite for climbing is hard to satisfy; when it comes upon him he is like a starving man with a feast before him; he may have other business on hand, but it must wait. --Mark Twain, A Tramp Abroad

The first thing you notice when you enter Thrillseekers climbing gym on South Broadway is The Room. There is no avoiding it. Big, cavernous, and looming behind the cash counter. It is a room that is a welcome sight to climbing enthusiasts. Wall upon wall of simulated mountain-- an indoor playground for the sport they love.

I hate climbing, and I despise heights even more. I once took a field trip to the State Capitol when I was in third grade, and the heinous ascent up the open, spiraling staircase that leads to the dome traumatized me in ways that I have never disclosed to family members or professionals trained to deal with crippling phobias like mine. But talk is cheap, they say, and the only road to a cure is through action. And the best place to find action is at Thrillseekers.

The gym, which is in its ninth year of operation, plays host to an average of 300 climbers a week and offers a variety of 165 different climbing routs of varying degrees of difficulty for the regulars who come in religiously for their weekly, and in some cases daily, workout. But you don't have to be a regular to come in and take on a wall or two. You just have to be willing to sign an agreement and release of liability and pass a test of tie-in and belay skills before your first climb. And if you don't know what a tie-in or belay is, Thrillseekers will be happy to provide a climbing instructor to get you into the action. Jim Hausmann has been instructing at Thrillseekers for eight years, since the sport first hooked him in.

"I got into it because my little brother said he was going to try it one time," Hausmann said. "He didn't know anything about it. He climbed up the side of a cliff-- fell off and hurt himself really bad, had to get stitches all over. So I said 'Let's learn how to do this safe. ' And we came here and learned how to climb."

"I don't like heights," I said to Hausmann. He just grinned back and handed me a harness.

"Put this on and make sure the straps are nice and tight," he said, smiling.

"That way if you go up and get inverted you won't fall out."

Hausmann said the sport and business continues to grow. And for those who don't want to go out and climb a real mountain, the climbing gym will provide a good workout. In addition to the walls, Thrillseekers sells a full assortment of climbing gear from climbing shoes to helmets to harnesses and belay devices. And after you get outfitted, you will, of course, have to take on the wall. And regardless of whether you're afraid of heights or not, one climb is all it takes to get hooked. Just stop in and see. --Matthew Davis

Fashion Clip

SoulHaus reopens as an all menswear store September 1. The store will continue to feature the casual and club clothing lines of BC Ethic, Filter, and Brave, but will now also be offering men's shoes, body products, and "manly" gifts. "A menswear boutique is a retail concept that has been sorely neglected in Denver," said Carol Tervo, one of the owners of Soul Haus. SoulHaus is located at 226 E. 13th Ave. . . . Pandora's Toy Box is hosting Adam and Eve September 2-- the third party in the Jammie Jam series at Alley Cat. Pajamas are required for the event, and if your PJs have holes in all the wrong places, Pandora's Toy Box will give you 15% off your event ticket price ($10) when you purchase a spankin' new pair at the sexy boutique. For more information check out www.pandorastoybox.com . . . Sacre Bleu continues to schedule fashion events in its intimate lounge. There will be an encore to the wildly successful Mixed Drinks fashion show September 14. The last Mixed Drinks event featured go-go dancers and the clothing stylings of Ben Sherman, Illig, and Acupuncture shoes. The event was standing room only, with the bar even running out of clean glasses. Details of the September 14 show have yet to be released, but this is one night not to be missed (just be sure to bring your own glass). --Kity Ironton

Local Arts

Jim Robsichon is back on his feet. When I dropped by on a recent afternoon, he was in fine form. As reported in an earlier column, he had a toe infirmity, which he says is now nicely healed, though still "just too ugly." I toured his gallery and came away entranced with the work of two artists. Renowned local artist Scott Chamberlin translates his wonderfully evocative ceramic vessels, suggestive of archeological finds or marsupial pouches, into dry pigment drawings. These paper works, resplendent in lush colors and minimally "fixed," have the visual texture and depth of velvet. Mmmm. Then I spied the incredibly sensual paintings of Rosalyn Schwartz. Complex designs crawl vinelike along the edge of canvases clad in layers of glowing hues, forming a frame, an entry, a barrier. They marry the formality of Victorian ironwork to the musty loam of a primal forest. Jim was taking one of Schwartz' pieces-- which resembles that part of female anatomy celebrated in certain "Monologues"-- to a client whose home is designed to "feel like a womb." I guess that's one way of defining your personal style. Jim lamented the difficulty of luring such top-notch artists to show in Denver. "Let's face it; Denver just isn't L.A. It's not seen as a stepping stone in an artist's career." Well, I think Jim's doing okay by Denver. Visit 1743 Wazee and see for yourself. [Also see our review of the show on the arts page.] . . . If the Denver Art Museum's European Masterworks show piqued your appetite (as it did mine) for more traditional art fare, take a trip to Savageau Gallery at 2230 E. Colfax (303-355-6101, call for hours). Owner Steve Savageau, in addition to being quite a wit, happily presides over a nice collection including the work of 19th Century American landscape and early Western painters, English watercolorists, and some contemporary (albeit traditional) artists thrown in for good measure. Self-described as a place for "art of enduring value," Savageau offers some surprisingly affordable pieces, including a large selection of antique prints. . . . Wedding bells rang! Denver Art Museum's Julie Wilson and Shepton's Antiques owner Kent Frick recently tied the knot while vacationing on a small island resort near Vancouver, British Columbia. They've been wanting to elope and avoid the "big wedding thing." Since work takes them to many exotic locations, how did they ever decide on Where? Julie said while some far-flung place might seem alluring, it can be darn difficult to obtain a marriage license. Stop by Shepton's (389 S. Broadway) to offer congratulations, and see the fruits of earlier travels to some of those faraway places.

--Kimberly MacArthur Graham

photo by sean hartgrove