Ten Things To Do In Denver

We all have our reasons as to why we love Denver. Maybe it’s the 300+ days of sunshine a year, the short drive to world-renowned ski resorts, or just the amazing food downtown that has to offer. But most people would agree, there are certain things in Denver you have to do before you leave. Here is our Denver Bucket List.

1. Attend a Rockies game on a perfect summer’s evening. There is nothing more American than enjoying a beer and a hot dog, while watching America’s favorite past time.
2. Be sure to stroll through the Botanic Gardens when the flowers are in full bloom.
3. Eat to one of the participating restaurants during 5280 Restaurant Week. For one week, over 90 amazing restaurants offer a meal for two for just $52.80. It is a great deal at some of Denver’s best eats.
4. Drink your fill at Denver’s own, Oktoberfest. It is one of the largest of its kind in the nation and promises a good time, time-honored German heritage, and more beer varieties than you can imagine.
5. Gather the family together and spend a few days at A Taste of Colorado, the annual festival offering a variety of musical performances, local food vendors, and artisan booths. Located in Civic Center Park, the city practically shuts down for this event.
6. Take a stroll up 16th Street Mall when all of the street performers are out. It is free entertainment and the perfect place to people watch.
7. Spend a few hours in the Museum of Contemporary Art. Offering a different array of art than your typical museum, this experience is unique to Denver. And the building alone is worth seeing, designed by famous architect, David Adjaye.
8. Go on a Denver brewery tour. Colorado has one of the largest beer cultures in the country and is home to the nation’s largest brewery, Coors Brewery in Golden. But there are plenty of others in Denver that are sure to broaden your beer horizon.
9. Catch a show or ballet, or even a concert, at the Denver Center for Performing Arts. Showcasing some of Broadway’s finest plays, this gorgeous theater is a timeless experience. With famous shows on a regular basis, there is something for everyone.
10. Go to any of the bars, dance clubs, shops, or restaurants on Denver’s chic, Larimer Square. With Victorian buildings and a trendy appearance, this street as been one of Denver’s hot spot areas for over 40 years.

And because Colorado itself is so great, here are a few other things you have to do around the state:
• Attend a concert at Red Rocks. This is a must and with hundreds of concerts each year, there is no excuse.
• Hike the Maroon Bells in Aspen. The area offers trails and hikes of all difficulty level and views to die for.
• Go skiing. Colorado is known for its ski resorts and for a good reason-they are some of the best in the world!
• Take a trip down to the Mesa Verde National Park and see the cliff dwellings that date back to 600 AD.

East Colfax Development

The shattered, and nearly forgotten, stretch of East Colfax Avenue is getting an updated makeover, thanks in large part to Sprouts Farmers Market. A massive project is in the works for the site of the long-vacant Rosen-Novak and Elway car dealerships, near Colorado Boulevard, reports a recent Denver Post article.

The site was originally set to host a Sunflower Farmers Market, but when the two companies merged, Sprouts was the surviving name. The Sprouts Market, estimated at 26,000 square feet, will take up the north side of Colfax between Garfield and Monroe. The adjacent block, what is now used as a parking lot for National Jewish Health, is going to see the addition of numerous restaurants and shops, according to plans unveiled by the retail developer, Evergreen Development, and the landowner, the Rosen family of Denver.

The big picture for the grocery store is to help boost the neighborhood’s redevelopment, while maintaining a low impact on the people. Small details are being taken into big consideration, as Sean Mandel, a part of Rosen Properties, wants the parking lot hidden behind landscaping and a brick wall. Other architectural features were designed with the public in mind.

Demolition for the new Sprouts was scheduled to begin on August 20th of this year, with completion in April of 2013.

Architectural Salvage—Hunting for Hard-to-Find Home Items
If you’re tired of making trips to Home Depot to browse through off-the-shelf, standard items or are looking for one-of-a-kind, unique antiques for home projects, then consider a trip to Architectural Salvage. Located in Denver, it offers an array of great finds that include doors, fixtures, mantels, lighting pieces and much more.

Their website is loaded with image galleries of the items they have for sale such as:
• An oak ten-panel swinging door in jamb with Rixson in-floor hardware
• A leaded stained and beveled glass window in an oak frame
• A 5-tier crystal chandelier (circa 1928) that has been professionally rewired
• An oak mantel with original beveled mirror with fireplace opening
• Antique, whole-embossed green and cream tiles

A trip to Architectural Salvage’s warehouse is an adventure in itself and what they have in stock changes on a consistent basis so you can find some great treasures for your home. It is located at 5001 N. Colorado Blvd. Denver, CO 80216 and hours are Monday-Saturday 10:00am-5:00pm, and open Thursday nights until 7:00pm.

Around the corner: The 7 highs of Denver's Highlands neighborhood

The Highlands are hot. Just ask your Realtor friend, Liz Richards. Highland and West Highland are some of the city's most walkable neighborhoods, with wide sidewalks along tree-lined streets and a fancy pedestrian bridge connecting them to downtown.

Of Denver's many vibrant neighborhoods, few have the posh, old-city appeal of the Highlands. With their bountiful restaurants, boutiques, bars and shops, the northwest Denver neighborhoods have grown into a commercial behemoth — and some of the most-desired places for young professionals to hang their purses after a long night of bar-hopping.

here's a short list of seven favorite corners in the Highlands:

1. West 32nd Avenue and Zuni StreetSignature business: Pasquini's Highlands, a flashy north Denver location of the venerable local pizzeria. (2400 W. 32nd Ave.)

Local aesthetic: Once a sleepy intersection, this crossroads is now hopping. The mixture of the old (dilapidated Geno's Liquor) and new (renovated Zio Romolo's Alley Bar, attached to Pasquini's) is likable, but something tells us it won't be long before this is one of the hottest corners in all of Denver.

Don't miss: The excellent Duo, a lovely and intimate fine-dining experience. (2413 W. 32nd Ave.)

2. West 36th Avenue and Tejon Street
Signature business: Lechuga's Italian Restaurant, an old-Denver staple with legendary cannolis called "Devils" and a back lounge straight out of "The Sopranos." (3609 Tejon St.)

Local aesthetic: Nestled amid this quiet residential block are a couple of hot spots for take-out — but don't overlook the 100-year-old red-brick Fire House No. 7 on the corner. Dubbed the Firehaus, the old structure is now a stylish hair salon. (3600 Tejon St.)

Don't miss: Tamales by La Casita's dining room has zero personality, but its food — namely its namesake dish — is among the best in town. (3561 Tejon St.)

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