The Lund Loop Daily Update: Colorado Edition -Day 1
A review of today's action and a look at the profit opportunities for the next trading day.
Note: I’m on vacation so the Daily Update this week will be (mostly) dispatches from Colorado. We’ll return to our normal program starting August 18th.
Every time we’re about to embark on a family vacation, I can’t help but think about this bit by Jerry Seinfeld.
However, our transition from the Golden State to the Centennial State was mostly smooth and largely without drama. Of course, as is tradition, we had to stop at a Target on the way from the airport to the hotel.
It’s partly my fault. Before leaving I always say something along the lines of, “Don’t worry if you forget something. We’re not going to Madagascar. We can always pick it up once we get into town.”
It’s a solid line, designed to put my family at ease, lessen the pre-departure stress, and always works—unless we actually go to Madagascar, in which case I’m screwed.
But it also ensures that I’ve yet to experience a family vacation in another state or country without a visit to Target.
Spoiler alert: They all look the same.
I spent our first full day here learning to fly fish. Or perhaps I should say, attempting to learn to fly fish as I came up short on the whole fish-catching part, which, from what I understand, is the purpose of the activity.
But fish or no fish, it was an amazing experience. The day was beautiful, the scenery amazing, and the water so temperate that we ditched the waders entirely.
My guide, mentor, and aquatic sherpa on this adventure was Brian Shannon, who showed great patience while explaining the techniques, strategies, and insights that allow you to actually catch fish, as evidenced below.
Brian has been prowling the rivers of Colorado (and beyond) since he was a kid, and I feel like I got a half-day master class in fly fishing. So much so that—and this is the part where the pure newbie starts talking like they actually know something they’re talking about—by the time we left, I felt like I could understand the concept of “reading the river.” Though I suspect the fish in Clear Creek would still clock me upon a return visit as no threat.
That night, we indulged in another Lund family vacation tradition (other than Target) and hit a local Korean BBQ joint.
Here’s how I scored it for those who care:
Presentation: Hands down, this was the best presentation I’ve ever seen at a KBBQ place. Our server pre-seasoned our grill, while a busboy filled up the table with more sides and sauces than I’ve ever seen. They even had mushrooms branded with their name. Nice touch. Score: 10
Service: I’m not speaking out of school here when I say that the service at KBBQs can be, well, let’s just say, uneven. But not here. The server was at our table taking the next order and filling the sides before we could even finish the last bite. And even better, so nice and personable. Score: 10
Sides: This term is a misnomer because sides aren’t really tangential to a KBBQ meal—they’re an essential part of the experience—without them, the whole meal feels incomplete. Yet, despite the quantity and variety, the sides here were a little underwhelming, particularly the kimchi. Not bad, just nothing special. Score: 6
Meats: The go-tos for us are always brisket and pork belly. In this case, the former was flavorful but cut a little thicker than normal, which meant longer cooking times (boo) and a bit more chewiness (double boo). Not deal breakers, but not ideal. However, the pork belly was hands down the best we’ve had, made more impressive by the fact that it was plain, as opposed to being marinated in curry, garlic, soy sauce, or other equally delicious marinades. The wagyu steak was also pretty solid. Cumulative Score: 8+
Grill Change Game: KBBQ pros know that it takes time to get the grill to its crusty, fatty, burniest best—and that’s usually when the server comes out and swaps it for a clean one. Ugh, and if you protest, they usually say something dismissively condescending—in Korean—and swap it anyway. But not here. The folks at Seoul K-BBQ & Hot Pot get it and let us keep our beautifully, pork-seasoned masterpiece until the final bite. Score: 10
Beer: Hey, it’s Korean beer, but it served its purpose. Score: 5
Tomorrow we’ve got the Botanical Gardens, The Denver Art Museum, and a trader’s meetup on tap. See you then.
-B
It should go without saying - but I’ll say it anyway - all opinions expressed in The Lund Loop are my own personal opinions and don’t reflect the views of my employer, any associated entities, or other organizations I’m associated with.
Nothing written, expressed, or implied here should be looked at as investment advice or an admonition to buy, sell, or trade any security or financial instrument. As always, do your own diligence.
