5280 Magazine February 2021

9 LESSONS WE’VE LEARNED A YEAR INTO THE PANDEMIC

HOW ONE MAN’S PERFECT MEMORY SURVIVED THE EAST TROUBLESOME FIRE

THE WEIRD, WILD ORAL HISTORY OF DYNASTY

BY SHANE MONAGHAN

BY MARTIN J. SMITH

BY SPENCER CAMPBELL

THE DENVER MAGAZINE

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SKI ACCIDENT?

YOUR TRIAL LAWYER’S REPUTATION MATTERS. We are trial attorneys who represent people seriously injured in auto and truck accidents, ski and snowboard collisions, product liability, and professional malpractice.

We remain fully operational to assist those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic, while taking the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of our clients, staff, and community.

Photo above: Firm partner Evan Banker, March 2017. Photo credit: Peter Brown

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TRUST THE REAL EXPERTS Jim Chalat, nationally known for his representation in ski and snowboard injury cases, talks safety on the slopes.

The injury rate for recreational skiers and snowboarders is approximately 1.37 per 1,000 skier/snowboarder visits. In Colorado, this translates to about 25,000 injuries, from minor to severe, each ski season. Snowboarders and skiers suffer different types of injuries, but their statistical likelihood of an injury is equivalent. Despite common misconceptions, snowboarders are neither more dangerous nor more likely to be injured than skiers.

About 5% of all skiing injuries are due to collisions. The uphill or overtaking skier (or rider) has the primary duty to avoid the skier who is downhill. When entering or crossing a trail, a skier must yield to skiers already on the trail. Skiers must maintain a lookout and ski in control and within their ability. And, what should be obvious, do NOT drink alcohol or smoke pot and ski. Following these rules would prevent most skier collision injuries and in severe cases, deaths.

Chair. J.P. identified himself as an expert snowboarder. He started his morning with a mimosa.

After Jim and Mike got off their chair, they pushed off down Columbine. Mike clicked RECORD on his Go-Pro. In the video, you can see as Mike and Jim skied on Columbine past several SLOW SKIING signs. They crossed under the Rocky Mountain Super Chair probably just moments after J.P. had unloaded and turned down Columbine himself. 200 yards further down Columbine, just as it comes to the top of Duke’s run, Mike’s GoPro video shows J.P. come into view, riding much faster than any other rider on Columbine and passing Mike.

The video then shows J.P., as he quickly overtakes Jim S., and crashes into him from uphill.

Jim fell hard on his left side, severely fracturing his left hip and shoulder. He clutched at his hip in pain, as Mike’s Go-Pro video continued its recording. Ski patrol evacuated Jim off the mountain and he was transported to the hospital The Colorado Ski Safety Act for emergency hip surgery (with requires all parties to a collision hardware). Two days later, his to stay at the scene and give shoulder was surgically repaired. their name and current address Jim’s medical expenses were nearly to ski patrol. We recommend J.P. COLLIDES INTO JIM S. a quarter million dollars and he lost that you never ski or ride alone. over a hundred thousand dollars It’s important to carry your cell of income as he recovered. His doctors told him his hip and phone and a trail map so you can call for help and provide your shoulder would never work the same again. Jim hired our location on the mountain. If there is an accident, stay calm. law firm to get compensation for his injuries. After discovery Keep the injured person warm and don’t move them. At a large and before trial, Jim S. accepted a policy limits $1,500,000 ski area on a busy holiday weekend, it can take time to get help. settlement. It was paid by J.P.’s homeowner’s insurance that he carried on his house in the Dallas suburbs. The at-fault skier’s The Ski Act also provides that an injured skier can sue for homeowner’s insurance typically covers cases like these. damages if he or she is hurt by an out-of-control skiier. Skiing is not a contact sport.

Jim doesn’t ski anymore. He walks with a limp and his left shoulder doesn’t work as well as it did pre-accident. But, Jim A good case study is that of Jim S., of Illinois. doesn’t let his injuries keep him down. He puts his energy into It was President’s Day weekend 2017. Clear skies. Good snow. charitable projects, including, Concern Worldwide US; and of Big crowds at Breckenridge. course he spends a lot of time with his family.

For years, Jim had been an Epic pass holder. He began skiing Ski and ride safely this season. If you need more information, as a teenager. He was in excellent condition—sixty-three years go to SKILAW.COM, or call our team directly at 303.861.1042. old, six-feet tall, 175 lbs. On the third day of his trip, he met up with Mike, a friend of his from Illinois. Mike was wearing a Go-Pro camera. At about 11:30, they were in the lift-line for the Colorado Super Chair. Jim was wearing black ski pants, a blue parka and a black helmet.

Meanwhile, a 39-year old snowboarder from Texas named “J.P.” was close by in the lift-line for the Rocky Mountain Super

Jim Chalat

Attorney/Partner | jchalat@chalatlaw.com

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FEATURES

F E B R U A RY 2021

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A Drink Of One’s Own Baby, it’s still cold (and COVID-y) outside—making it the right time to enjoy a beverage at home. From beer to wine to spirits to all things canned, we rounded up the best local booze for sipping right now.

BY PATRICIA KAOWTHUMRONG & DENISE MICKELSEN

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9 Lessons From Our Bizarre Pandemic Year The coronavirus has taught us a lot. Some concepts weren’t easy to learn. Others were so elementary we could’ve predicted them.

Here’s how they’ll impact Colorado moving forward.

BY SHANE MONAGHAN

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Dynasty!

Forty years after Denver’s infamous fictional family first rocked the small screen, the soap’s stars take us behind the comas, costumes, and catfights that made the show America’s guiltiest pleasure.

Justin Walker

BY SPENCER CAMPBELL

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COMPASS 15 OUTDOORS

Avalanche education may not be enough to prevent backcountry accidents this year.

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16 BUSINESS

2020’s protests turned muchneeded attention to Black-owned companies. Will that support last?

18 MUSIC

South of France’s new album, Remember That Cool Thing We Did, proves there’s power in patience—and experience.

EAT & DRINK 25 WHAT’S HOT

How Pamela Richard of Miss Peabody’s Southern Tea Cakes is honoring her past while baking for the future.

Small-business owners in the northwest Denver area tell us which of their neighbors to visit for Valentine’s Day gifts that will make your honey happy.

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22 POLITICS

With Cory Gardner having left office, the former U.S. senator’s most effective—and inanimate— rival retires to the recycling bin. We bid farewell to Cardboard Cory.

26 ESSAY

This year, forget chocolates for your Valentine: Buy a Japanese knife for the one you adore.

BY SCOTT MOWBRAY

60 DINING GUIDE

Our extensive list of area restaurants, including contact information, cuisine categories, and neighborhood designations.

COLUMN

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How one writer’s memory of a perfect day survived this past fall’s East Troublesome inferno.

BY MARTIN J. SMITH

ON THE COVER

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Risky Business

Avalanche education may not be enough to prevent backcountry accidents this year.

CoMPASS

The Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) faces a dilemma: With COVID-19 restricting resort capacities, Centennial Staters are spending more powder days in the backcountry. While mountain towns crave the dollars adventurers drop when they visit, CTO director Cathy Ritter says the agency isn’t encouraging anyone—rookies or experts—to venture into avalanche territory. Instead, the CTO launched a multiplatform campaign to teach those already headed off the groomed path about avalanche forecasts, classes, and responsible recreation. All that education hasn’t rid the backcountry of accidents, though—at press time, four off-piste skiers in the state had died in avalanches this season. A Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) report may explain, in part, why: Last winter, those with intermediate or advanced training were caught in more snowslides than beginners, likely because they felt confident enough to try steeper terrain (people with the highest levels of training also reported fewer mishaps). This year’s wildly unpredictable snowpack isn’t likely to help matters, either. CAIC director Ethan Greene isn’t against CTO’s campaign, of course. He just has additional advice: “No matter your education level, don’t let your guard down.” You might not be as smart as you think. —RYAN WICHELNS F E B RUA RY 2 0 2 1

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BUSINESS

In one week this past June, Coffee at the Point sold some $5,000 in gift cards to groups looking to back a Black-owned business. Around the same time, Dianne Myles experienced a massive uptick in inquiries for her video production company, Dope Mom Life. The Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce (CBCC), meanwhile, fielded dozens of calls from corporations, community associations, and nonprofits looking to help the enterprises the chamber represents. All three entities trace the sudden rise in interest to the summer’s protests against police brutality and racial injustice, which ignited a wave of social consumerism. “We were definitely grateful and appreciative of that,” Coffee at the Point owner Ryan Cobbins says.

But Cobbins and others also wondered if the extra support would disappear as quickly as it arrived. Sure enough, after Coffee at the Point’s business steadied during the summer, reaching 80 percent of prepandemic levels, sales plummeted again when the state strengthened indoor dining restrictions in November. This time, there was no outpouring from good Samaritans to buoy the Five Points cafe’s bottom line. Lee Gash-Maxey, the CBCC’s executive director, says her team is used to riding waves of support based on the news: “We got some good headlines on social justice in the Black community,” she says. “But let’s be real—the headlines were once on Trayvon Martin, and they were once on Breonna Taylor.”

Increased awareness was especially important in 2020 because COVID-19 disproportionately impacted the Black business community. An investigation by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, a nonprofit that works to end inequities in lending, found that white people received more favorable treatment when applying for federal Paycheck Protection Program loans than Black applicants who had similar credit scores and financial histories. The From top: Ryan Cobbins at Coffee number of Black-owned companies in the United States also declined an estimated 41 at the Point; Dianne Myles percent between February 2020 and April 2020, according to a Federal Reserve Bank of

This past year’s protests turned muchneeded attention to Black-owned businesses.

Will that support continue in 2021?

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—MEREDITH SELL

From top: Sarah Boyum; Tiara Lucas/Courtesy of Dianne Myles

Gone Tomorrow

New York study, compared with a 17 percent drop for white-owned ones.

Local groups are working to stretch the summer’s blip into permanent support. From February 2020 to December 2020, the CBCC’s membership grew by more than 20 to 252.

The CBCC has been able to connect those businesses with opportunities, like free seminars with the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business, as well as keep them apprised of funding options, such as grants from the nonprofit Energize Colorado Gap Fund, which provides money to organizations struggling because of the pandemic. In September, local entrepreneurs Mariam Kazadi and Ramond Murphy launched BBLK App, a free digital directory of Black-led companies across the United States that already features some 1,300 listings and will officially launch in app stores this spring. Its slogan? “Make every Friday a Black Friday.”

Dope Mom Life’s Myles knows better than anyone about the profits such sustained backing can reap: In 2020, her company produced twice as much work as it did during the previous year.

“When you shop at a Blackowned business, you’re not just impacting that person.

You’re impacting an entire community,” Myles says. “We also have some dope shit.”

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MUSIC

The Liner Notes

South of France’s new album proves there’s power in patience—and experience.

When Denver indie rocker Jeff Cormack (pictured), who records under the name South of France, released his first album, Another Boring Sunrise, in 2012, Pitchfork critics loved it. Cormack didn’t.

“Half the songs on there don’t feel like me,” Cormack says. “They were just thrown in there to fill space.” So Cormack, 33, hit pause on South of France and focused on becoming a more accomplished producer and songwriter by learning from some of his favorite musicians. Nine years later, South of France is dropping a second album, Remember That Cool Thing We Did, this month. Here, Cormack shares the post-2012 projects that influenced the album’s sound. —ANGELA UFHEIL

ROUGH TRADE

BOJACK HORSEMAN

South of France’s lyric-forward single “Comme Ça” was featured in an episode of Netflix’s BoJack Horseman in 2019, bringing Cormack to the attention of the show’s rabid fan base. More listeners helped him believe in his voice, a confidence he harnessed in the new album’s “Sidewalks.” “You can actually hear what I’m saying,” Cormack says.

“The old me would have reverbed it out to make it super hazy.”

NOGA EREZ

THE FLAMING LIPS

Post-2012, Cormack says numbers— streams, followers, revenue—largely determined the style of songs he was struggling to write for South of France.

Then he opened for the Flaming Lips on the psychedelic rock outfit’s 2016 tour. “They make the music they want to make,” Cormack says. Cormack had similar experiences touring with Young the Giant and Portugal. The Man. “I realized that I should stop trying to make all this slick, polished stuff and do more garage punk, shoe-gazey stuff,” he says, “which works much better for me.”

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Cormack loves Israeli pop musician Noga Erez’s first album, 2017’s Off the Radar, for its unexpected— almost alien—sound. “That was a game changer for me and sort of made me revisit my roots in ’90s indie rock,” he says. Inspired, Cormack added harsh, slightly dissonant elements to Remember That Cool Thing We Did. Combined with multiple layers of guitar, bass, and keyboard, it creates “a wall of sound” reminiscent of experimental rock band My Bloody Valentine’s critically acclaimed 1991 album Loveless, another favorite of Cormack’s.

Clockwise from top left: Erik Voake/Getty Images for Roc Nation; Courtesy of Netflix; Courtesy of R604M; Courtesy of Alden Bonecutter; Courtesy of Warner Records

Writing and pitching songs for artists on the Rough Trade Publishing label from 2013 to 2017 allowed Cormack to collaborate with Angel Lopez, who has produced for Kanye West, Coldplay, and Chance the Rapper (pictured), and pushed him to enrich every component of his music. “Guitar is my comfort zone,” Cormack says.

“For the new album, I elevated the bass and drums.” The result is a funky depth missing from Another Boring Sunrise.

´ HEARTS REFLEXION

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SHOPPING

GIFTS THAT KEEP GIVING

This Valentine’s Day, your significant other isn’t the only one in need of affection. After enduring closures and decreased sales due to the pandemic, local retailers could use some love, too. That’s why we asked purveyors in the northwest Denver area which of their neighbors you should visit for heartfelt gifts that will make your honey—and the local economy—happy. —KIM HABICHT

Romina Palacios, Perfect Petal’s boutique manager, pulls together themed gifts at Berkeley home goods shop Miller Lane Mercantile.

“You grab a mug, and then they sell coffee, and honey that you can put in the coffee,” Palacios says.

Not the most imaginative giver? No problem: Owner Calli Swofford will curate a Favorite Things box (from $75) based on your love’s interests, such as home decor or self-care. millerlanemercantile.com

BOOKBAR

Begin your spree at a Tennyson Street shop already adept at spreading the love: 10 percent of book sales at this independent bookstore and wine bar go toward BookGive, a Denver charity co-founded by Nicole Sullivan, BookBar’s owner. BookGive uses the funds to donate free tomes to the community, ensuring your bookworm’s adoration for literature breeds a new generation of bibliophiles. bookbardenver.com

THE PERFECT PETAL

Whenever Ford-Buerger needs a last-minute present, she turns to this West Highland florist, “because it stocks gorgeous giftable items along with the stunning blooms,” she says. Pairing a candle, hand-poured in Denver’s Rosy Rings Studio, with a bouquet of surprising flora (like lush magnolia leaves) makes your gift feel a tad more thoughtful than 11th-hour grocery store carnations. theperfectpetal.com

ST. KILIAN’S CHEESE SHOP

LARIAT

BookBar’s Sullivan often pops by her Tennyson Street neighbor to browse boho dresses and jewelry (think: bracelets and earrings from Denver’s Stacy Sterling Jewelry). The selection recently grew wider thanks to Lariat’s expansion in November, so Sullivan recommends leaning on the boutique’s owner, Dana Ford-Buerger, for guidance: “She’s amazing at pairing pieces you’d never expect to look great together.” shoplariat.com

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To Swofford, this 20-year-old West Highland establishment’s longevity is easy to explain: “You can tell that everything is carefully selected, almost like perusing a culinary aficionado’s home pantry,” she says. Bring that expertise to your own abode with the Cheesemonger’s Picks Cheese Assortment. The $40 bundle guarantees two soft and two hard cheeses plus a bleu and pairs perfectly with a bottle of wine and a roaring fireplace. stkilianscheeseshop.com

Clockwise from top right: Courtesy of Miller Lane Mercantile; Courtesy of St. Kilian’s Cheese Shop; Courtesy of Dana Ford-Buerger; Courtesy of Skipping Rocks Photography; Courtesy of Annette Slade

MILLER LANE MERCANTILE

POLITICS February 24, 2017 – January 3, 2021

OBIT

Cardboard Cory

With Cory Gardner having left office, the former U.S. senator’s most effective—and inanimate— rival retires to the recycling bin.

Best known as the two-dimensional face of a protest campaign that helped unseat U.S. Senator Cory Gardner, Cardboard Cory died January 3, 2021, the same day John Hickenlooper officially took office.

“People were always happy when Cardboard Cory showed up for them,” says Boulderite Katie Farnan, who helped create the flat figure. “He fostered a kind of joyful activism in our state.”

Cardboard Cory’s dark-horse political career began during a February 2017 town hall at Denver’s Byers Middle School. The event’s organizers, which included Farnan and ProgressNow Colorado executive director Ian Silverii, planned to erect an empty podium to symbolize Gardner’s inaccessibility. Before the event, though, the group found a folded-up cutout of Gardner in ProgressNow’s basement. (No one is exactly sure what it was originally used for.) They duct-taped the image to the lectern so many of the nearly 1,600 attendees could vent frustration directly at the visage of the absent senator. Cardboard Cory proved to be a considerate listener. “Everyone was so fired up about Trump’s policies and Gardner’s lack of response,” Silverii says. “It was cathartic for folks.”

The stunt inspired so much fervor that ProgressNow made around nine new

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Cardboard Corys, each featuring a stock photo of a businessman with Gardner’s head on top. When the real Cory failed to make in-person appearances until August the following summer, Farnan shipped the cutouts to activists across the state, who held events with the fake ones. Farnan uploaded the resulting videos and photos to the Twitter account @CardboardCoryCO. “Cardboard Cory’s persona became about being everything Cory Gardner wasn’t,” Farnan says.

“He believed in science. He believed in

health care for all. He made statements when our real Cardboard Cory “watches” then senator wouldn’t.”

Senator Cory He also became a media Gardner in 2019. sensation. Local anchors, such as Kyle Clark of 9News, ran stories about Cardboard Cory protests and how long it had been since the real Gardner had hosted a town hall. (It reached nearly 500 days during summer 2017.) MSNBC host Rachel Maddow recognized the “prop version of [Coloradans’] senator.” To keep

the paper politician in the limelight ahead of the 2020 election, liberal groups including ProgressNow and Indivisible Colorado kicked off a 14-stop, statewide bus tour during summer 2019. At each location, dozens—sometimes hundreds—of Coloradans told the shy pseudo senator how they felt about Gardner’s policies on issues like health care and gun control.

Cardboard Cory remained a prominent figure during the run-up to the 2020 election. Boulder production company Sender Films made a short documentary about his life, and Gardner’s opponent, former Governor John Hickenlooper, even debated two knockoff Cardboard Corys during a campaign commercial. When Coloradans elected Hickenlooper in a landslide in November, the usually reserved Cardboard Cory celebrated the news, tweeting, “People are saying it’s time for me to head to the garbage bin. But while Cory Gardner is garbage, 1) he’s still a senator until next January, and 2) I’m recyclable.”

Nevertheless, the liberal activists who created Cardboard Cory said there was no reason to keep him alive with Gardner out of office. He will, however, be remembered by Hickenlooper, who received a Cardboard Cory signed by its creators in January. “Hickenlooper promised there would never be a Cardboard Hick,” Silverii says. “If he is accountable, present, and shows up, then we won’t have any reason to make one.

That’s all we ever wanted from Gardner.”

—SHANE MONAGHAN

Dave Russell

PAPER-BASED POLITICAL STAND-IN DEAD AT 3

A HUMAN CONNECTION A LWAYS H E L P S T H E HEALING PROCESS. Find care at centura.org

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The Flavor Of Love How one Colorado entrepreneur is honoring her past while baking for the future.

Pamela Richard, chefowner of Miss Peabody’s Southern Tea Cakes

Even though she was raised in Denver, Pamela Richard grew up eating Southern tea cakes.

Her Louisiana-born grandmother would make the soft, chewy, cookielike treats for all the grandkids. “It’s amazing how food is a connection to the past,” Richard says. After earning an MBA and working in the nonprofit sector, she was let go from her job in 2017; it was then that those memories inspired Richard to change her life’s course and begin baking tea cakes under her own brand, Miss Peabody’s Southern Tea Cakes. She is Miss Peabody, after all: the smiling girl in pigtails and glasses on her labels with a nickname her grandmother gave her, thanks to Richard’s eyewear (a reference to the spectacled 1950s cartoon dog, Mr. Peabody). These days, Richard is baking far more than her grandmother’s traditional, vanilla-scented tea cakes. In addition to four more flavors, including candied yam and bananas Foster, she’s created large and mini iterations of chess, sweet potato, and sweet potato pecan pies and peach cobblers with Palisade fruit come summertime—all of which you can buy online for delivery or pickup in Aurora. Order by the piece or the dozen, or try Miss Peabody’s Sweet Box, a $35 monthly treasure trove of six desserts. Five are made by Richard, and one comes from a roster of local female bakers. “I believe in abundance,” she says. “There’s plenty of business, if we work together.”

Grandma would surely approve. —DENISE MICKELSEN

P H O T O G R A P H BY PA U L M I L L E R

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ESSAY

A Cut Above This year, forget chocolates for your Valentine: Buy a Japanese knife for the one you adore.

My recommendation for a romantic Valentine’s Day gift this year is a crazy-sharp Japanese kitchen knife.

B Y S C O T T M O W B R AY Yes, I am aware there’s a superstition about knives as presents, which are thought to symbolize a severing of the relationship. But even that has its own folkloric prophylactic: Tape a penny to the blade and ask the recipient to return the coin to you, thereby “buying” the knife. Willies are abated, and cheaply.

Good Japanese knives are tools of profound beauty, often crafted with lustrous wood handles and blades whose shapes and edges have been exquisitely tuned to their purposes. They also make kitchen work more pleasurable and precise—because that’s what the best tools do. (Of course, giving one presumes that the recipient likes to cook. If not, it will come off as a jerky hint, like giving a case of oven cleaner.)

Some chefs say you can get by with one or two good knives—I suppose you can get by with one or two good books, too—but I reject such parsimony. I have a drawer full of the things, more than 25, in fact. Most are Japanese, though there are a few neglected Germans (competent, but not as beautiful), a chunky cleaver bought from a street Nakiri (top) and vender in Bali, Indonesia, a $9 Kiwi knife from Thailand via Amazon (surprissantoku knives from ingly good), and a tiny paring number from a small company in Wyoming which Denver’s Element Knife Company looks like it was designed to slit the throat of a field mouse.

26 5 2 8 0

One of my treasures has an eight-sided rosewood handle and a thin, slightly curved, carbon-steel blade which progresses from mottled black at the spine to gleaming silver at the cutting edge; it’s long enough to be credibly brandished in a pirate movie. It was made by a third-generation artisan in Japan named Shosui Takeda, who hand-stamps his blades with a cute heart symbol of his father’s design.

I have several other Takeda knives of various sizes and marvel every time I use them at their balance, lightness, and ability to make me feel like a kick-ass cook. In fact, it’s these Takeda blades P H O T O G R A P H BY S A R A H B OY U M

F E B RUA RY 2 0 2 1

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that sparked my true and lasting romance with Japanese cutlery.

For professional advice on what sort of knife to give, I spoke with Elan Wenzel, a Denver chef with sushi experience in Japan and at Sushi Sasa in LoHi. These days, he runs Element Knife Company, currently in a Stanley Marketplace popup shop (and at elementknife.com, which has a lot of good knife material, style, and care intel). I asked Wenzel how he talks a novice through the sticker shock of purchasing hand-forged Japanese knives, which can run from $150 for a basic blade to well north of $350—and far more than that if you order a custom job or want something truly special.

The best Japanese knife, Wenzel says, marries modern metallurgy and ancient smithing, producing “an heirloom, something that you’ll pass down. When you have it for life, it’s pennies on the dollar.

And you’ll enjoy using it more.”

I second all of those points. Knife makers use techniques that originated with samurai swordsmiths, seeking beautiful balance between rigidity and flexibility in a blade that retains its edge despite heavy use. They alter the molecular structure of the metals through hammering, grinding, quenching, heating, and cooling, timing the entire process by eye. When I talked to Takeda a few years ago, he described, without complaint, a long litany of injuries sustained to his back and knees, ears and eyes. Bladesmithing is fierce, dangerous, and complicated work.

When the glorious Tsukiji fish market was located in downtown Tokyo (and I was visiting), I would go to watch butchers cut fine slices from tuna loins using knives as long as my arm. They possessed the control and smooth moves of Kabuki dancers.

There is an aspect of theater in the wielding of a good knife—part of the fun of eating at the best sushi bars—and a properly sized and sharpened knife encourages such skill in the home kitchen, too.

Of course, blades like these demand respect: The edge that makes them so effective can also make for costly lessons. Five stitches in my left forefinger from my Takeda gyuto have made me much more present in my cutting work ever since. if you’re buying the first really good knife for your beloved’s kitchen, Wenzel

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ESSAY recommends a 21-centimeter (just over eight-inch) gyuto (chef ’s knife) or santoku (which has a flatter cutting edge and a wider blade). These are multipurpose tools, great for meat, fish, and veggies; gyutos share a shape quite similar to European chef ’s knives but often have lighter, thinner blades. Size matters, Wenzel says: Very long blades can be intimidating for home cooks and may overwhelm small cutting boards.

It also makes sense that smaller hands generally require smaller knives—but confidence is a factor, too. If your significant other feels entirely comfortable in the kitchen, consider a blade size that reflects that culinary prowess.

After the basic gyuto, the style I love most is the nakiri, whose long, flattipped, symmetrical, rectangular blade is used to cut with a “push forward” motion I favor (instead of the rocking action encouraged when using a curved blade). It’s designed to cut vegetables and, as such, is a particularly good choice for a vegetarian cook. The nakiri blade has a two-sided bevel; the single-bevel version, which I also use because I like its razor precision, is called a usuba.

Yet another good choice for a skilled cook is a petty, which is basically a fiveor six-inch paring knife. The petty is for finicky work, often used while holding the food in your hand (peeling garlic or shallots, for example). You can limp along with a cheap version for years, but when I finally bought a proper petty knife, I understood how much handier it is. I also love wielding the short, sturdy, pointy, thicker-bladed honesuki (boning) knife when disassembling chickens and other small, jointed animals.

It’s critical to match a knife to its purpose—and to a cook’s style. A thinbladed nakiri or santoku can chip with an I-told-you-so vengeance upon contact with bone or fruit stone. A twisting action with, say, a hard Parmesan rind can snap a half-moon chunk out of a thin blade too. These knives are not intended for a caveperson-style cook who likes to hack racks of ribs into submission and pry the lid off a can of beans by jabbing the blade in and working it around the lip.

To ensure a good match, talk with experts like Wenzel rather than buying online. (Although, if you already know what you want to buy, Tokyo-based chuboknives.com carries a huge assort-

ment and ships free to the United States on orders more than $100.) Choices you’ll face include sorting through various stainless steel alloys and high-carbon steels for the blade. You can also buy swirlpatterned Damascus steel blades (like those on page 26), which are spectacular, though no more fuctional. Carbon steel is light and has, to me, a more hand-crafted aesthetic, but it can oxidize quickly and requires careful drying after each use.

There’s also a choice between a double bevel knife and a single bevel. The familiar, European-style double-bevel design means that the cutting edge is shaped to a symmetrical point on two sides and works well even if your wrist is slightly canted to the right or left. Single-bevel design means that one face of the blade is

It’s critical to match a knife to its purpose— and to a cook’s style. flat while the other slopes to the cutting edge. It requires more discipline and is harder to sharpen, but it makes beautifully precise cuts.

Next, there’s the handle: Many Japanese knives are available with curved, European-style, riveted handles, like a bigger version of the typical handle on a steak knife. However, I have long been sold on the handsome, straight, octagonal Japanese-style handle, which locks into my hand and provides a superb grip.

Finally, there’s the matter of keeping the new knife sharp. Stores like Carbon Knife Co on Larimer Street, which carries a wide range of Japanese knives and accessories, have drop-off sharpening services, but I’ve found that water sharpening stones—essential for handcrafted knives and sold by both Carbon and Element—are fairly easy and even fun to use. My proposal is this: Buy the stone and promise that if your partner isn’t interested in Find our Dining Guide, the meditative practice of an extensive water-stone sharpening, list of area you’ll do your bit in the restaurants, on page 60 unfolding relationship and online at between cook and crazy5280.com/ restaurants. sharp blade. m

WHEN THE WORLD SETTLES INTO ITS NEW NORMAL, VISIT THE CITY DIFFERENT. In Santa Fe, you’ll feel your soul reawaken as you explore its historic city streets and experience the culture that surrounds your every step. It’s just one of the things that makes The City Different, but there’s still so much more waiting to be uncovered.

Plan a future trip to uncover your different at SantaFe.org.

E N V I RON M E N T

BY M A R T I N J . SM I T H

Fireproof

How one man’s memory survived this past fall’s East Troublesome inferno.

The East Troublesome Fire’s smoke plume during a sunset in October

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tolerable. Looking back, a few moments stand out. Finding the bleached bones of an elk. The fish that took Steve’s fly the moment he accidentally dropped his line in the stream. The gray Canada jay that hovered in to investigate my sandwich—then startled me by perching coyly on my outstretched finger.

There was an inevitable magic to it all, the kind that can only take place in our precious wild places. When it was over, we dubbed it simply “the perfect day.”

I WAS STILL SAVORING THE memories five weeks later when I noticed a new smoke plume just outside Granby, where I live, like a middle finger rising between the already potent Williams Fork and Cameron Peak blazes. The column boiled up and over our house during the following week, raining ash and getting closer and scarier by the day. It started east of Troublesome Creek, so officials dubbed it the East Troublesome Fire.

On the evening of October 21, driven by high winds, the blaze exploded from a manageable 18,550 acres to an almost unimaginable 187,964 acres in fewer than 24 hours. Friends

Mc Photo/Alamy Stock Photo

B

y 10 a.m. on a Monday this past September, my friend Steve and I had reached the edge of Big Meadows in Rocky Mountain National Park and were surrounded by the kind of wild space that people who don’t live in Colorado seldom see. A soft haze from the early stage of the Cameron Peak Fire blurred the ridgelines as we hiked past beetle-killed lodgepoles along a trail that parallels a creek.

Our plan was to traverse the roughly five wooded miles from the park’s Kawuneeche Visitor Center north to Big Meadows, then to fish Tonahutu Creek on our way back to civilization. We’d told our wives not to expect us back until late.

To our right, Tonahutu presented itself as a tempting puzzle, its meandering miles punctuated by riffles and pools that dipped into and out of the pines. Some sections were crisscrossed by deadfall trees and studded with boulders.

Wild brook trout lurked in their cool shadows, and we made mental notes as we hauled our gear up the path.

We had the creek to ourselves. The brookies were hungry and naive. The sun was warm, the snowmelt cold but

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E N V I RON M E N T Lodge. “ ‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers,” as Emily Dickinson wrote, but to me feathers have always seemed unspeakably fragile.

TWO WEEKS AFTER THE FIRE, still hoping, I drove 12 miles from my home to the park.

I planned to hike along Tonahutu and up to Big Meadows to survey the damage.

It felt like driving to a morgue to ID the body of someone I loved: Seeing it might bring some closure, but I knew the images might live forever in my head.

I steered around roadblocks to the intact visitor center, where I found a district ranger. I explained my intentions.

She shook her head. Crews had only just started to assess the damage on foot. “Too dangerous,” she said, asking me not to use her name in this piece. Trees down everywhere. Trails impassable. Root fires still burning. “Definitely hard-hat stuff,” she continued. Big Meadows? “Impacted.”

Tonahutu Creek? “Same,” she said, though the damage got spottier as you moved downstream. A lot of what she knew, she said, was from aerial surveillance.

“When can I get back in there?” I asked.

“Maybe by next summer,” she replied.

The most startling thing she said was that many of the little fish we caught and released during our perfect day may have been killed by the heat of the fire. I thought of the friendly Canada jay that shared my sandwich and perched on my finger. If it survived, where would it live now?

On November 14, the National Park Service released a four-and-a-half-minute video featuring still photographs and aerial video footage of the carnage. The accompanying Facebook post noted that when combined with the damage from the Cameron Peak Fire, about 30,000 acres— or nine percent of the park—had burned.

I know Big Meadows and that idyllic run of Tonahutu Creek are just small parts of what has been lost, but I’m left with a gnawing kind of personal grief. If you multiply that by the millions of people who share my affection for Rocky Mountain National Park, you begin to imagine the depth of the psychic wound to Colorado and the people who love it.

That sorrow poured out in posted reactions to the video—one middle-age man who’d worked on trail crews when he was younger; families who spend precious vacations in the park’s campgrounds; people who summer in Grand Lake just to be

It’s gone, I thought as I surveyed the map a week later. All gone. underpaid newspaper reporters during my first year as a bewildered transplant from back East and where Steve taught me to surf, to understand the physics of waves, to love Tom Waits. I had come to appreciate the significance of our adventure; we were two aging friends committed to stealing a day from our hectic lives and spending it together in a pristine place. We’d cleared our schedules, risen at dawn, packed lunches, loaded our gear into backpacks, and headed off into the wilderness like two truant kids. Because how many times might this happen again in our lifetimes?

I emailed him the U.S. Forest Service maps, showing the burn area completely obliterating Big Meadows and those miles of Tonahutu Creek where we’d hiked and fished. I also found and sent a photo of a nearby section of the Kawuneeche Valley. It looked like some distant and barren planet But I didn’t know what was gone for sure. I’d heard that the visitor center survived, along with the nearby Grand Lake 34

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The author’s friend fly-fishing on Tonahutu Creek

close enough for daily hikes. Seasonal park ranger Ashli Adams of Estes Park spoke for them all: “Thanks for putting this out for all of us.... It’s been like a sword through the heart.”

THE PARK SERVICE ENDED ITS fire-damage video with earnest talk about the important role that fire has always played in the Rocky Mountain ecosystem. It predicted an explosion of new life from soil enriched by the ashes and supercharged by sunlight from the suddenly open forest canopy. It promised improved biodiversity, pointing out that a wide variety of plants and animals eventually would thrive again.

I understand all that. Really, I do. But it may take decades, and at nearly 65, I don’t have many of those left. For now, what I know is that the winter’s hard winds churn the surrounding miles of ash into sickly clouds that trigger anxiety and dark rumors among those of us who fled the East Troublesome Fire. The settling ash turns even fresh snow a distressing gray, and I know those ashes are what’s left of the wilderness I love and the homes of our friends.

At least for now, I have to accept that a million special places—including the one where I spent a perfect day with an irreplaceable friend—will never again be exactly as they appear in our memories.

Still, I’m grateful to have those. m

Martin J. Smith is the author of five novels and five nonfiction books, including Going to Trinidad: A Doctor, a Colorado Town, and Stories from an Unlikely Gender Crossroads, which Denver’s Bower House Books will publish in April. Email him at letters@5280.com.

Courtesy of the author

in its path said it sounded like a runaway locomotive. It was headed north through the lodgepoles at an unstoppable 6,000 acres an hour, passing within about a halfmile of our drought-crisp four acres before devouring more than 300 other homes on its approximately 18-mile run to Grand Lake and into Rocky Mountain National Park. By dawn the next day a half-dozen of my local friends were homeless.

The emergency bulletins told a grim story. While the fire bypassed the business district of Grand Lake, it blew through the relatively dense neighborhood around Columbine Lake and entered the park, heading into the Kawuneeche Valley— straight for Big Meadows and Tonahutu Creek. With each daily update to the burn map, the sickly pink stain depicting the burn area spread like a spilled drink across Big Meadows and that beautiful stretch of creek. It began to creep up the steep canyons toward the Continental Divide and Estes Park on the other side.

It’s gone, I thought as I surveyed the map a week later. All gone.

By then Steve was home in California, where we’d lived together and worked as

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A Drink Of One’s Own

Baby, it’s still cold (and COVID-y) outside—making it the right time to enjoy a stiff beverage from the comfort of home. From beer to wine to spirits to all things canned, here’s the best local booze for sipping right now.

BY PATRICIA KAOWTHUMRONG & DENISE MICKELSEN PHOTOGRAPH BY JUSTIN WALKER

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GRAPE EXPECTATIONS

Collaboration, creativity, and killer juice inspired grower Kaibab Sauvage and winemaker Patric Matysiewski to launch Palisade’s Sauvage Spectrum winery.

“No grapes left behind” is the mantra at Kaibab Sauvage and Patric Matysiewski’s year-old Palisade winery, Sauvage Spectrum. For several years, Sauvage (the man), who grows and sells grapes to 26 wineries in Colorado and beyond, would gift his surplus to Matysiewski, formerly of Carboy Winery and the Infinite Monkey Theorem. Matysiewski eagerly turned that fruit into experimental pétillant naturels (aka pét-nats), those trendy natural sparklers that are carbonated in the bottle. Every batch he made with Sauvage’s grapes tasted better than the last. In early 2019, the duo met at Carboy’s Breckenridge outpost to sample a 2018 vintage, and both were blown away by the wine’s aromatic nose, balanced acidity, and playful bubbles. It was love at first sip—and it led to the birth of their official partnership.

In March 2020, Sauvage and Matysiewski opened a 5,000-square-foot winery on Sauvage’s 75-acre farm, Colorado Vineyard Specialists (pictured). There, they craft wines from grape varieties not typically grown in Colorado, such as Italian Teroldego and French Roussanne. They also insist on using every drop of juice they harvest, creating multivarietal pét-nats, easy-to-sip red blends, and rich single-varietal whites. Right now, Sauvage’s still wines in all hues, sparklers, and, of course, a pét-nat are available at local retailers, and a canned piquette—a 5.7 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) effervescent wine that’s the first of its kind to be produced in the state—will be on the market this spring. “We’re not going to make a California Cabernet or Oregon Pinot Noir,” Sauvage says. “I really want to have our own signature wine—a style that’s just Colorado.”

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If I could be drinking anywhere other than home, I would be…

“In Bandol, France, by the bay. I’d ask the bartender for two spritzes: One would be half Campari, half Aperol and the other made with Cocchi Rosa, with a big fruit garnish.”

—Cecelia Jones, general manager at Uncle in Speer

This spread, clockwise from top left: Courtesy of Sauvage Spectrum; Andrew Miller Bloom/Courtesy of Atōst; Courtesy of Continental Divide Winery; Courtesy of Fenceline Cider & Wine; Ulla Merz/Courtesy of Bookcliff Vineyards; Courtesy of Fenceline Cider & Wine; Courtesy of Sauvage Spectrum. Illustrations by Lily Nie

WINE

A Drink Of One’s Own

BUON APPETITO

Why these Goldenmade aperitivi deserve space on your bar.

Sometimes hitting the gym yields more than six-pack abs. In the case of Kyle Pressman, meeting Crooked Stave owner-brewer Chad Yakobson during a workout led to a mentorship that helped Kyle and his wife, Cindy, launch their three-month-old, Goldenbased aperitivi project, Atōst.

With Yakobson’s support, the couple has created a line of

self-dubbed “American aperitivi” that hit a 21 percent ABV sweet spot between wine and harder hooch. Made by infusing a neutral grape spirit with botanicals, Chardonnay, and Colorado honey, the drinks are less bitter and less sugary than classics like Campari.

Atōst’s four current offerings ($35 to $40) span a range of appealing flavors: Roots is herbaceous, redolent of spicy ginger and star anise; Bloom is more floral and strawberryforward; Citrus features several types of fruit imported from Santa Paula, California (the citrus capital of the United States and where Cindy was born and raised); and Woods, aged in Laws Whiskey House barrels, carries notes of caramel, cinnamon, and vanilla.

Available at Marczyk Fine Wines and via delivery at atost.co

BOTTLE SERVICE

Stock your racks while supporting Colorado makers by signing up for a wine or cider delivery subscription.

Continental Divide Winery Vino-loving locals, rejoice: All state residents are eligible to join this family-owned Fairplay winery’s Colorado Club. Every month, members receive two bottles ($20 to $40 each) of Continental Divide’s rosé, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Albariño, or other varieties, all produced from Colorado and California grapes. Other member perks include access to limited-edition wines, 20 percent off all sales, and free, unlimited on-site tastings for two.

Fenceline Cider

Bookcliff Vineyards

Co-owners (and college roommates) Neal Wight and Sam Perry make hard ciders from Montezuma County fruit that drink more like sparkling apple wines—and, if you’re part of Fenceline’s cider club, they arrive at your home looking as such, in 750-milliliter bottles adorned with labels featuring handpainted artwork. For $59 per quarter, members receive three small-batch ciders, tasting notes, and discounts. If you’re lucky, the crisp Whip & Tongue oakaged Bittersharp cider will be in your box.

Customization is king for members of Bookcliff’s select wine club, which lets oenophiles choose from the winery’s award-winning Cabernet Franc, Riesling, and other varieties, produced exclusively with Western Slope fruit. To join, purchase a minimum of two six-bottle packs (starting at $110 each) over the course of a year, available for delivery or pickup in May and November from the 21-year-old winery’s Boulder and Palisade tasting rooms.

The Fenceline Cider team in Hermosa Valley

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SPIRITS

FROM MEXICO, WITH LOVE

Chef Dana Rodriguez doubles down on agave spirits with a line of small-batch, organic mezcals and tequilas and a forthcoming bar in LoHi. “We don’t talk enough about sustainability in drinks,” says chef Dana Rodriguez of Super Mega Bien and Work & Class. “I created my own line of mezcals and tequilas to educate people about how to drink the right way, with respect.” Honoring the Mexican families and traditions behind her new line of organic, small-batch spirits, called Doña Loca, is paramount to Rodriguez and her co-founding partners, Karen Ashworth-Macfarlane and Scott Kiere. But so is flavor.

The trio united around the delicate, smoky nuances of artisanal mezcal on a trip to the palenques, or mezcal distilleries, of Oaxaca three years ago. They traveled to take part in harvesting, roasting, and fermenting agave in order to truly understand the process—and get to know the mezcaleros (distillers) behind it all. “We wanted to work with people who make beautiful, organic, all-natural products,” says Ashworth-Macfarlane. “Most consumers don’t realize that the big names in mezcal—and tequila, 40

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especially—produce horrible products. They add sugars, caramel coloring, glycerine for a richer texture, lecithin to coat your throat, you name it.”

The Doña Loca team wanted none of that, instead partnering with fourth-generation family producer Mezcalería Ambulante, situated in the village of Santa María Quiegolani, about 140 miles southeast of Oaxaca.

They adhere to a rigorous process, harvesting mature agave by hand; roasting the piñas, or agave hearts, in underground pits; crushing the caramelized piñas using a stone wheel pulled by a donkey that’s fed bananas while it works; doubledistilling the fermented agave juice in alembics (traditional copper pot stills); and aging in oak barrels. Nothing goes to

If I could be drinking anywhere other than home, I would be…

“In a hammock in the Caribbean. My order: a rum old fashioned made with orange and mole bitters, a large ice cube, and a kiss of orange oil.”

—Nicole Lebedevitch, beverage director at Forget Me Not in Cherry Creek

Courtesy of Joni Schrantz

From left: Doña Loca añejo tequila; co-founders Dana Rodriguez (left) and Karen AshworthMacfarlane

A Drink Of One’s Own

From left: Courtesy of Joni Schrantz; Courtesy of Harry Warters

YOUR CUP RUNNETH OVER

IN DENVER

IF YOU’RE NEAR

FURTHER AFIELD

waste: The burnt piñas from the bottom of the roasting pits are sent to a female-run cooperative in Oaxaca and turned into the paper labels for Doña Loca’s bottles.

The results? The Espadín ($24 to $37), made from the eponymous agave variety most commonly used for mezcal, is citrusy and bright, with a gentle smoky character that is perfect in a cocktail. The Tepeztate ($59 to $100) is more herbaceous, with warm notes of wild lime leaves and eucalyptus; Rodriguez claims “it will cure your soul.” She laughingly warns against drinking the smooth, honeyed, floral Tobala ($50 to $85) with just anyone, though. “It’s an aphrodisiac,” she says. “You’ll end up in bed!”

All three mezcals will star at Rodriguez and Kiere’s forthcoming LoHi bar/ restaurant, Cantina Loca, which will serve as a tasting room for Doña Loca’s spirits and a showcase for Mexico City–inspired street foods.

It’s scheduled to open this spring, but in the meantime, you can find Rodriguez’s mezcals at her existing restaurants and at Marczyk Fine Wines and other retailers. Three Doña Loca tequilas will debut in March, too, produced by Destilería Las Americas in Amatitán, the Jalisco town known as the birthplace of the spirit.

Rodriguez says it’s the best tequila in the world—and she’s proud to talk about it.

Bars across Colorado are batching cocktails so you can bring the party home—to your Denver bungalow or a rented cabin in the woods.

GO TO

BEHIND THE BAR

RiNo

Fort Greene Bar

Fort Greene, a Globeville bar, pop-up space, and live music venue, installed a handy walk-up drink window called Guthrie’s Grotto to satisfy all of your on-the-go, batched boozy needs. Drink for days via the Greenepoint ($80, serves 13), a smooth combo of Rittenhouse rye, Cardamaro, green Chartreuse, and cherry bitters.

Baker

Adrift Tiki Bar & Restaurant

Tiki drinks tend to contain syrups, tinctures, and other ingredients you might not have at home. Thankfully, four-year-old, Polynesianinspired Adrift has your cravings covered with premixed cocktails (pictured; starting at $15). For DIY quaffs, look to the bar’s line of syrups, including orgeat, coconut cream, and falernum ($5 to $8).

LoHi

Mizu Izakaya

Mizu’s full cocktail menu is available to go, in singles or five-serving batches (from $48), but its Japanese-inspired creations are the ones we love most. Try the Thank You, Next, a mix of white rice vodka, yuzu, strawberries, and prosecco, or the Old Tokyo, with Suntory Toki and Akashi Eigashima Ume whiskies, tea, and Bénédictine.

Vail

10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Co.

Winding down after a powder day can come with a side of history: 10th Mountain opened six years ago as a tribute to the soldiers who, in the 1940s, trained south of what is now the tony town of Vail. Its batched drinks ($25, serves two) are, naturally, whiskey-based; try the rich Manhattan-Boulevardier hybrid called the Seibert Sipper.

Crested Butte

Montanya Distillers

Bring home a Montanya drink kit ($54 to $69) built around a sustainably crafted bottle of owner Karen Hoskin’s American rum. Even the distillery’s signature Maharaja cocktail is easy to make, as the 10-drink package includes a bottle of Oro rum, chai spice and ginger syrups, limes, sugar and spice for your glass rim, and instructions.

Steamboat Springs

The Periodic Table

Chef Korey Sims is currently bringing a taste of New Orleans to the Periodic Table, the fine-dining spot that reinvents itself twice a year with a new theme, decor, and menu. His Mardi Gras in the Mountains package (from $50 per person; serves four or eight) has it all: a three-course supper, masks, beads, hurricanes, and Sazeracs.

YO HO HO

From February 10 to16, Longmont’s Abbott & Wallace Distilling is hosting its third annual Rum Fest, which will include COVID-friendly private cocktail classes and tours, a parade, a lineup of rum cocktails (hot buttered rum, mai tais) available all month long, and two spirit releases: a spiced rum called Lusca and Leviathan, a hybrid sour-spiced rum that surfaces but once each year.

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From top: Woods Boss Brewing Company; Lady Justice Brewing Company; Call to Arms Brewing Company

r Reservoi Milton

BEER 4. Woods Boss Brewing Company (Five Points) Considering that Woods Boss hadn’t canned a single beer before April 2020, it’s big news that the eclectic brewery has found a way to get its suds into Denverites’ fridges. Co-owner Jordan Fink is planning to can 1,500 barrels’ worth by the end of 2021, including the Foothills Fire Red Ale, from which 10 percent of sales go to wildland firefighters and preservation charities. Pickup daily

Standley

TAPS TO GO

2. Hogshead Brewery (Sloan’s Lake) Known for his cask-conditioned ales (unfiltered beers that undergo a second fermentation in the barrel they’re served from), Hogshead owner-brewer Stephen Kirby is can-conditioning nearly every batch he creates these days.

That way, home-bound drinkers can experience the same gentle carbonation and complex flavor profiles they’d taste at Kirby’s taproom. Look for the fullbodied Old Bill Barleywine right now. Pickup daily ield

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3. Ratio Beerworks (RiNo) Celebrate Ratio’s sixth anniversary on February 14 by ordering a four-pack, a crowler, or a 64-ounce growler of its new Undone Experimental IPA Series: Volume 8. Super thirsty? Quench thyself for weeks on a sixtel (one-sixth) or half-barrel keg of Ratio’s finest brews, including Dear You, its Great American Beer Festival 2020 silver-medal-winning dry-hopped French saison.

Pickup daily or free delivery ($30 minimum) on Fridays |

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1. Call to Arms Brewing Company (Berkeley) Not only can you pick up Call to Arms’ wide range of stellar small-batch brews, but you can also join its springtime CSA program, which begins in April. Then, on Tuesdays, when you go by the brewery for your box of locally made bread, meat, greens, cheeses, mushrooms, and hot sauce, you can also stock up on crowlers and cans (we’re excited for the white wine hybrid brew due out next month). Pickup daily

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Brewers are meeting customers where they are—which is, most likely, at home—by packaging their suds. Order from these eight spots for a remote taste of early 2021.

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5. TRVE Brewing Company (Baker) The self-proclaimed “style blasphemers and category agnostics” at TRVE eschew crowlers and growlers, but you can pick up cans and bottles of its rad yet refined, heavy-metal-inspired beers. Fan-favorite, ultrasmooth Black Cascade (a black IPA) is making its aluminum debut this month. Pickup daily

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6. Novel Strand Brewing Company (Baker) At Novel Strand, known for its sour and hoppy beers, co-owners Tamir Danon (also the head brewer), Chantel Columna, and Ayana Coker are packaging their suds in 16-ounce crowlers.

Up next month: its first fruited sour ale, Jam On It, which was fermented in oak wine barrels, rested on whole, organic blackberries, and re-fermented in cans. Pickup daily 7. Cheluna Brewing Company (Aurora) Sipping on a 22-ounce bomber or 32-ounce crowler of four-year-old Cheluna’s Oaxacan-inspired beers at home is almost like posting up at Javier and Jennifer Perez’s tasting room inside Aurora’s Stanley Marketplace, particularly if you’re also snacking on Cheluna’s signature

From top: Courtesy of Woods Boss Brewing Company; Sarah Boyum; Andrew Geppelt/Courtesy of Call to Arms Brewing Company

Barr Lake

A Drink Of One’s Own

cacahuates con chile y limón (spicy Spanish red peanuts seasoned with chile de arbol, lime, and salt). The Xoco Fresa Lager, a Valentine’s Day release chocolate-covered strawberry helles lager, is our current session beer of choice. Pickup daily or $5 delivery ($40 minimum, five-mile radius)

Clockwise from top right: Courtesy of Jeremy Janus Photography; Courtesy of Dry Dock Brewing Co; Courtesy of Mockery Brewing; Courtesy of Brewtography Project; Andy Sparhawk/Courtesy of Crooked Stave

8. Lady Justice Brewing Company (Aurora) Lady Justice’s Aurora Arts District taproom opened in April 2020 as a takeout-only operation, and thanks to a partnership with neighboring Polish restaurant Baba & Pop’s, you can order curbside crowlers, six-packs, and frozen pierogi by the dozen. Pair the chile-relleno-filled dumplings with Lady J’s Liberty Lager— and the new For the Record Stout, which spent three months in a rye whiskey barrel from Arvada’s Talnua Distillery & Tasting Room. Pickup Wednesday through Sunday

If I could be drinking anywhere other than home, I would be…

“At Twin Peaks park in San Francisco at night, where I’d watch the lights in the city with a case each—can I say that?—of Russian River Brewing Company’s Pliny the Elder and Blind Pig.” —Jonathan Taylor, head brewer at Trinity Brewing Co. in Colorado Springs

LEVEL UP

DON’T DRINK AND ZOOM 14.3% ABV Prince of Liechtenstein Oeno-Bière de Garde, Burns Family Artisan Ales Wayne Burns, main brewer and co-owner of Burns Family Artisan Ales in Valverde, specializes in high-ABV beers, including this very special oenobière de garde fermented with Gewürtzraminer, Riesling, and Muscat grapes.

The malty hybrid beer, a nod to Burns’ grandfather’s royal friend, is a slow-sipping treat.

Embrace your inner couch potato with these highABV brews—no DD required.

12.9% ABV Bourbon-Barrel-Aged Scoville Stout, Crooked Stave Chad Yakobson is a chile junkie.

Case in point: The Crooked Stave owner-brewer grew Scotch bonnet peppers on-site at his Sunnyside taproom for the brewery’s barrel-aged Scoville Stout, an imperial stout brimming with chocolate, vanilla, and cinnamon flavors—and just the right hit of chile heat.

10.5% ABV Bligh’s Barleywine Ale, Dry Dock Brewing Company Deep aromas of coconut and toffee make this barleywine ale, named after 18th-century nautical hero William Bligh, a delightfully malty pairing for all manner of meats—and even desserts.

The 2021 edition will be released this month and is the brainchild of Kevin DeLange, co-owner of the Aurora brewery, which celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2020.

9.5% ABV Winter Stout, Old 121 Brewhouse Most breweries in Colorado aren’t known for their root beers, but at Old 121 in Lakewood, house-made sodas are always on the menu. That’s why head brewer Brett Zahrte decided to create a root beer variation, pouring now, on his Winter Stout—as well as dark chocolate and Ugandan vanilla varieties.

Hurry for tastes of the three spinoffs (there are limited quantities), but be reassured that Old 121’s base stout, which gets its toasty cocoa notes from chocolate wheat malt, is an ideal fireside companion available all winter long.

9.6% ABV Stingo English Strong Ale, Mockery Brewing A rare beer indeed is to be found right now at Mockery in RiNo: an English-inspired Stingo. Specifically, it’s a whiskey-barrelaged amber strong ale fermented with a mixed bacteria strain that dates to the 1600s.

The dry sipper has lovely notes of toffee, tart cherries, and raisins.

CAN STILL COOK DINNER

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YES, WE CAN

The trend of putting every imaginable ready-to-drink boozy beverage into aluminum vessels is here to stay. These are our current favorites when we want to crack a cold one.

The team at Breckenridge Brewery tinkered over the recipes and tech behind its Velvet line of egg-white-inspired nitro malt cocktails for three years before launching it in December. Inspired by the thick, creamy head on a gin fizz or whiskey sour, the three iterations— berry-forward Pink, sweet elderflower Purple, and bittersweet lime Golden— are even vegan-approved, for the nitro renders actual egg whites unnecessary.

2. AMBER LAGER Ryan Wibby, brewmaster and president of Longmont’s Wibby Brewing, leaned into his love of German lagers—and that country’s malts—when creating the Volksbier Vienna, an amber lager made using German malt and American hops. The 2020 Great American Beer Festival gold medal winner being available in cans, as of December, makes it taste that much sweeter.

3. APERITIVO You’ll smile for two reasons when popping the top of this concoction of Cappelletti, Cardamaro, soda, and orange peel: The twoserving to-go cocktail is beautifully bittersweet, and Il Posto owner Andrea Frizzi is pictured on the

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label with a jaunty smile and arms open wide to give you a virtual hug.

4. DOPPELBOCK Bierstadt Lagerhaus is known for its refusal to package its lagers—or even allow restaurants to carry its Slow Pour Pils if the proper glassware isn’t used to serve it. While we applaud head brewer Ashleigh Carter for her distinction, we give her a standing ovation for succumbing to the moment this past spring and canning anyway, including the cold-weather favorite Snüpinator Doppelbock.

5. CIDER SPRITZER Presenting: Snow Capped Cider’s lavender lemonade spritzer, a first in Colorado. The 4.5 percent ABV sparkler is made from Jonathan apples grown in Snow Capped’s own orchards in Cedaredge on the Western Slope—with a dash of Palisade lavender and fresh lemon zest thrown in for delicious measure.

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6. GIN COCKTAIL Lee Spirits, in Colorado Springs and Monument, has turned its Ginfuego (infused with Fresno, jalapeño, and árbol chiles) into the backbone of its new spicy-tart Fuego Lemonade cocktail. The

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1. NITRO COCKTAILS

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A Drink Of One’s Own

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noncarbonated drink is a nine percent ABV delight, only improved upon by a float of something bubbly.

7. SELTZER

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In July 2019, brothers Warren and Hunter Wood opened Elevated Seltzer in Olde Town Arvada, establishing Colorado’s first independent hard seltzery. The Golden natives use organic fruit extract and malt liquor to produce five to 10 percent ABV drinks without added sugar. Look for Elevated’s brand-new pomegranateapple and mango flavors, out this month.

8. HARD KOMBUCHA Does reaching for a Luna Bay Booch boozy kombucha make us feel like we’re making a positive decision because we know there is fruit, botanicals, yerba mate tea, and probiotics in each can? Or is it the fact that Denver native and former Crooked Stave head brewer Johanna Denne is producing the tangy drink at Crazy Mountain Brewery on behalf of female-owned and -run Luna Bay (based in Chicago)? Or is it because they’re refreshing and a manageable six percent ABV? Really, it’s all of the above.

9. SPARKLING ROSÉ

Courtesy of of Dos Luces

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Fort Collins’ Odell Brewing Co., now in its third decade, added winemaking to its repertoire in May 2020 with the OBC Wine Project. Its rosé with bubbles, one of four flagship canned varieties, bursts with juicy notes of strawberry and white peach.

Bonus: It was produced using Western Slope and Pacific Northwest grapes grown by some of the same farmers that raise hops for Odell’s beers.

BREWING FOR GOOD First, Black is Beautiful—a national social justice brewing campaign established this past summer in response to the Black Lives Matter movement— inspired Dos Luces Brewery to make the world’s first black chicha (a tart, cornbased brew originally from what is now Peru, generally pale yellow to deep red). Next came the Túpac Amaru III, out in March. It’s an ebony beer made with the same local roasted blue corn malts used in the chicha; it’s aged in whiskey barrels with palo santo staves; and flavors of coffee, dark chocolate, anise, and clove abound. A portion of proceeds will be donated to Colorado organizations fighting against social injustice.

If I could be drinking anywhere other than home, I would be…

“At the Haleakalā volcano on Maui, sipping a Don Q Cristal rum daiquiri made in the Cuban cantinero tradition [aka blended], under a blanket, watching the sun rise.”

—Emillio Ortiz, president, the Colorado Springs Bartenders’ Guild, and bar manager, 503 West Open Kitchen & Craft Bar m

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9 Lessons From Our Bizarre Pandemic Year

IT’S BEEN ABOUT 12 MONTHS SINCE THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS SHOWED UP IN COLORADO. IN THAT TIME, THE INSIDIOUS PARTICLE HAS TAUGHT US MANY THINGS. SOME CONCEPTS WEREN’T EASY TO LEARN. OTHERS WERE SO ELEMENTARY WE PROBABLY COULD’VE (SHOULD’VE?) PREDICTED THEM. BUT THEY’LL ALL AFFECT HOW OUR STATE OPERATES MOVING FORWARD.

BY SHANE MONAGHAN

I L L U ST R AT I O N S B Y T H E H E A D S O F STAT E

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Our Health Systems Were Woefully Unprepared To Handle A Pandemic Three waves, more than 20 million cases, and 350,000-plus deaths as of early January: By any metric, COVID-19 got the best of America.

And Colorado had 341,250 cases and nearly 4,934 deaths. How did it all go so wrong? Dr. John Hammer (pictured), an infectious disease specialist and chair of medicine at Rose Medical Center, breaks down some of the most damaging missteps.

5280: We had the influenza pandemic in 1918 and other recent scares, including H1N1 in 2009. Were there not systems in place based on those experiences?

Dr. John Hammer: We were

fairly well prepared for an influenza outbreak after our experience in 2009 with H1N1. Our health departments developed some idea of how to test and trace something like that. At the beginning, coronavirus was more difficult to trace, though.

The biggest problem we had was not being able to actively test all people.

We were certainly hamstrung by that at the local level. Both the federal

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To what do you ascribe the Great Mask Debate?

Initially, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance was predicated on contact transmission. We were mostly talking about things like touching a contaminated doorknob and then touching your mouth. I think in retrospect, without good knowledge of how the virus was transmitted, it would’ve been good to focus on both contact and airborne droplet transmission from the start. [From the beginning of this pandemic] we got mixed messaging from the federal government, and that made a lot of people feel like they didn’t need to comply—and that has remained a problem throughout.

How long do you think we’re going to be dealing with this awful disease?

Many hurdles still remain in getting the vaccines to the at-risk populations who need them the most.

Also, keep in mind that the primary endpoints in the studies of these vaccines have been prevention of serious illness, not the prevention of infection or of transmission. Further studies will be needed to see if the inoculations can keep us from passing the disease to one another. Masking, distancing, and hand hygiene will remain critically important as ways to prevent transmission and illness for some time.

We Realized That Health Care Personnel Aren’t The Only Essential Workers When stay-at-home orders hit in late March 2020, many people just shifted business meetings to Zoom. But certain segments of the workforce had to continue showing up in person for jobs that keep society running. While health care pros are at the top of that list, we all had a blind spot when it came to recognizing other frontline heroes. With that in mind, we asked a few other essential workers to explain why their jobs are important— both during a pandemic and moving forward.

Erica Vasile, assistant manager, Marczyk Fine Foods

“I often worked the door, making sure people were covered [with masks]. Oh boy, did I get plenty of attitude. The holidays were the most intense time, though. The staff is typically working like crazy to get ready. Add in more people buying groceries because they couldn’t go out to restaurants anymore, and it became insane. There were all sorts of lines, and we were

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LESSON

From left: Courtesy of Dan Mager, Rose Medical Center; Courtesy of Erica Vasile

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LESSON

government and local jurisdictions could’ve worked to get testing in place in February, which would have minimized the impact of the pandemic. Ultimately, though, disaster response starts with the federal government. At that level they should’ve had stockpiles to respond quickly and the ability to leverage debt and mobilize personnel and technologies that states simply don’t have.

struggling to keep things in stock. You could tell everyone was on edge.”

Antwuan Anderson, RTD bus driver

“Everyone is usually generous on the buses, helping people out and such. The vibe became, Don’t sit next to me, don’t touch me, did you really just cough or sneeze? The hardest part for me, though, was not seeing regular elderly passengers. Some I would take for things like cancer treatments. I haven’t seen some of them for months. You wonder if they’ve survived. It breaks your heart.”

From top: Courtesy of AFL-CIO Colorado; Courtesy of Samantha Hiltz; Courtesy of Brad Mikel; Marko Geber/Getty Images

Samantha Hiltz, director, Parker KinderCare Learning Center

“We were considered an essential facility for our company, so we never closed.

Most of the kids still coming had parents who were essential workers. Early childhood care is always underappreciated. I hope this helped people see how we provide stability for so many families every day.”

JaCobe Payne, location manager, Horan & McConaty funeral home

“Part of my job is to go collect bodies when people pass away. We used to go in, try to be warm, and shake everyone’s hand. Now…it feels so standoffish. We’ve been trying to keep the whole process as normal as possible, though.

We are doing small services for people, and we have an option for a professional videography company that helps more people see a service live. You don’t want to put people in the ground and say, That’s it. You want to help people properly grieve.”

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The Pandemic May Force Us To Finally Address Racial Inequity In Health Care

numbers being publicized so much have made the pandemic the most effective demonstration of health disparities I can remember,” says Dr. Bill Burman, director of Denver Public Health.

Burman hopes that means it will be a tipping point. In March, demographic breakdowns of cases and hospitalizations weren’t available. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment decided to release info for cases in April and for hospitalizations in August, so more resources could be delivered to disproportionately affected communities.

Burman also says that Denver’s new Racial Equity Council has helped hospitals and governments adjust policies to provide more care for at-risk populations. He believes bigger solutions, however, like universal health care and more funding for public health departments, are what will ultimately lessen disparities.

“Hopefully,” he says, “we’ve realized we’re all vulnerable because we’ve left a significant portion of people so vulnerable.”

At one point in May, more than half the people with COVID-19 in Colorado hospitals were Latino. During the summer, around one in 10 hospitalized patients were Black, even though the racial group makes up just 4.6 percent of the state’s population. In early December, Native American populations were reporting around 60 cases per 100,000, compared to 38 cases per 100,000 for white Coloradans. “Those F E B RUA RY 2 0 2 1

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It’s Going To Take Serious Effort—And Maybe Some Star Power— To Save Our Cultural Institutions Back in 2010, Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites were just two guys trying to get a gig. The New Jersey transplants played the Meadowlark’s open-mic night in north Denver every Tuesday evening. And they got some breaks opening for acts at independent venues like the HiDive on South Broadway.

Two years later, after having officially formed the Lumineers, the pair released a single (“Ho Hey”) that would catapult them to international stardom. Fraites is skeptical any of that would’ve been possible without having the opportunity to hone their skills on Denver’s smaller stages. “Without those places,” Fraites says, “the Lumineers might not be in the same realm.”

Most of the stages Fraites has fond memories of have been shuttered for months. With state restrictions that limit indoor capacities to 50 and outdoor crowds to 75, many club owners have stayed closed and are worried they may never be able to open again. Of

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course, this isn’t just a Denver or Colorado problem: The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) reported this fall that 90 percent of the nearly 2,000 independent venues the organization represents nationwide may be forced to permanently close without further assistance from the federal government.

When Schultz and Fraites heard that bad news, they thought about all the venues that helped launch their careers.

To help out, the duo posted on social media and did interviews with news outlets, urging music fans to lobby Congress to pass the Restart Act, a bill drafted by Colorado Senator Michael Bennet and Indiana Senator Todd Young that would provide Doug Greene, Boulder Theater owner, and loans to some of the counCheryl Liguori, CEO at try’s hardest-hit businesses, Z2 Entertainment including performance spaces. To help raise money for struggling venues, the Lumineers also participated in the Save Our Stages virtual concert, put on by NIVA, with other bigname acts like Denver’s Nathaniel Rateliff.

Furthermore, they regularly held their own livestream shows during which they solicited donations for NIVA.

Despite bipartisan support, Congress had yet to pass the Restart Act at press time. But David Weingarden, vice president of concerts and events at Z2 Entertainment, which operates a number of Colorado venues, says support from these artists has helped keep the issue at the forefront of people’s minds.

“They’ve been incredibly generous with their time and energy,” Weingarden says.

“Hopefully it helps us see some fans again in the coming months.”

YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A ROCK STAR TO HELP LOCAL BUSINESSES SURVIVE

How your donations can make a difference.

If You Want To Save…

Music Venues Z2 Entertainment’s David Weingarden advises visiting saveourstages.com, where you can donate to the NIVA Emergency Relief Fund. You can also send money straight to your favorite venue (many have funds set up) or buy concert tickets for 2021, which helps provide a much-needed influx of cash right now.

If You Want To Save…

Restaurants Along with takeout and delivery (reminder: order directly from the restaurant), Laura Shunk, communication director at the Colorado Restaurant Association, suggests supporting the virtual classes and events many restaurants have started, buying pantry items from local eateries, and asking your elected officials to provide support for restaurants.

If You Want To Save…

Artists and Galleries “The best way to support local artists and galleries is to involve yourself in the process of art collecting,” says Christine Serr, owner of Denver’s Abend Gallery. She suggests denverart.org as a great starting point. The site, run by the Denver Art Dealers Association, features a dedicated list of local galleries selling handmade, original works.

Courtesy of Lisa Siciliano

4 LESSON

Some Of Us Aren’t Very Good At Following The Rules Many of us did do our parts—stayed home, wore masks, missed holiday celebrations—to slow the spread of COVID-19. However, there were folks who unabashedly ignored regulations.

Here, we bestow anti-awards for the most egregious examples.

ensued. Social media exploded with videos mercilessly shaming both Malone and attendees. Blake Shelton made sure to cancel his show, scheduled there for the next evening.

The Worst Mother’s Day Present

Everyone kind of kept their cool during the first holiday affected by the pandemic: Easter. But by the time Mother’s Day rolled around in early May, most of the Denver area had been under stay-at-home orders for what felt like a lifetime. (Little did we know, eh?) Enter C&C Coffee and Kitchen, a Castle Rock restaurant that opened its doors to a very large, mostly maskless crowd for Mother’s Day brunch, despite health orders limiting restaurants to takeout and delivery.

Governor Jared Polis suspended the eatery’s business license for 30 days.

The restaurant closed for good in July.

The Largest Party Foul We All Knew Would Happen

The Biggest Missed Postponement

From left: AAron Ontiveroz/Getty Images; Getty Images

Remember that week in March when most of us started to take this coronavirus thing seriously? The one during which (dear God, no!) Tom Hanks got sick? Well, that Friday night, thousands of people still packed into what was then called the Pepsi Center for a Post Malone concert that may have been the last large enclosed gathering in the nation before shutdowns

5

LESSON

University of Colorado Boulder frat bros were perhaps bound to start throwing superspreader ragers. After all, nothing says infectious fun like passing around a Solo cup full of Coors and COVID-19. That’s exactly what happened when five Boulder fraternities were fined a combined $10,000 by the university for ignoring Boulder County ordinances and hosting large, booze-infused gatherings within weeks of returning to school in August. By mid-September, cases on campus spiked and university officials asked students to only leave their dorms and homes for class, food, and work.

The Most Ironic Rally To Promote Lawsuits That Got Sued Itself

In September, thousands attended a “Stop the COVID Chaos” rally at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison to promote two lawsuits—one by the racetrack against Jefferson County for health regulations on businesses and another by state Representative Patrick Neville, the House minority leader, against Polis’ mask mandate. Two days after the event, Jefferson County Public Health sued Bandimere for violating public health orders; a judge ruled the track must comply with local health orders moving forward.

6 LESSON

Doomscrolling Isn’t Healthy

These days, my existential spirals usually begin with the same push notification, which comes every Sunday at 9 a.m. That’s when Big Brother’s trusty spying device (I mean, my iPhone) informs me that I spent an inordinate amount of time staring at a tiny screen over the previous seven days: “You looked at Twitter for seven hours this week.” How? And, more important, why?

To help address my worrisome compulsion to doomscroll—or ceaselessly peruse social media in a desperate bid to find that one tweet that will help me comprehend the absolute mess that is modern society—I reached out to CJ Bathgate, a clinical psychologist at National Jewish Health. “It’s hard because technology is the thing that is keeping us connected right now,” Bathgate says. “The best thing you can do is pick a couple of small ways to alter your habits.” Here are three suggestions she offered for how to avoid the endless scrolling.  Stop looking at your screen during

other daily activities. For example, no Facebooking during lunch.

 Set aside a time every day when

you plan to put your phone down.

Bathgate highly recommends the 30 minutes before going to bed.

 Turn off push notifications for apps

that aren’t absolutely essential. Lose those breaking news alerts, and disable all reminders for social media so those dings don’t pull you back into the Twittersphere.

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Sixty-four percent of Americans adjusted the way they spent money during the pandemic, according to a September study from Bank of America. While many people saw their incomes decrease during that time, the changes in expenditures actually helped a lot of households save more money than usual. To show you how, we compared finances from August 2019 and August 2020 that we created using average incomes and expenses taken from the Council for Community and Economic Research and numbeo.com—along with anecdotal evidence that suggests how Denverites are living—for a family of four (let’s call them the Smiths) residing in the Mile High City.

This money helped buy little Jonny Smith some new pants and Nikes before heading back to school.

In 2020, a similar amount was used to buy Mom some sweatpants and slippers for working from home.

Much to Mr. Smith’s chagrin—he loves the sauna at the athletic club—the family ditched its gym memberships partway through 2020.

AUGUST 2019

Monthly Income: $7,136.75 Expenses: $6,509.91 Groceries: $1,297.53 Car and gas: $504.57 Utilities, including internet: $215.88 Clothing: $109.86 Mortgage/rent: $1,970.89 Gym membership: $240.87 Food at restaurants: $712.79 Entertainment: $202.89 Health care: $308.33 Other goods and services, including electronics and digital subscriptions: $293.30 Donations: $270 Travel: $383

The Smiths went to Disneyland Park and Mount Rushmore National Monument in 2019 but canceled a 2020 trip to Lake Tahoe. They went camping a few times, but travel expenses were way down.

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Jonny and his big sis, Kendra, both used the internet for remote learning.

And Mr. Smith was always on Zoom meetings, so he decided to pay for additional internet bandwidth.

The Smiths didn’t dine out as much as in 2019, but they still got food delivered.

Extra fees on Grubhub meant the family spent near the same amount on food from restaurants in 2020.

AUGUST 2020

Monthly Income: $6,779.92 Expenses: $6,030.37 Groceries: $1,375.53, up 6% Car and gas: $252.03, down 50% Utilities, including internet: $265.88, up 23% Clothing: $109.86 Mortgage/rent: $1,970.89 Food from restaurants: $700.79, down 2% Entertainment: $158.26, down 21% Health care: $308.83 Other goods and services, including electronics and digital subscriptions: $293.30 Donations: $400, up 40% Pets: $100, up 100% Travel: $100, down 73%

Despite a five percent decrease in income due to salary cuts, the Smiths actually saved more money in 2020. They weren’t the only ones: Both the Bank of America survey and an August Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs poll estimated roughly 50 percent of Americans had saved more money since the outbreak began. The AP sample also suggested that as many as 26 percent of people had paid down debts faster than normal during the pandemic.

Like thousands of other Coloradans, the Smiths adopted a dog during the pandemic. They’ll spend about $1,200 per year on the pup.

8

LESSON

For Better Or Worse, We’ve Had To Alter The Way We Use Physical Spaces

Ever since March, the notion of space has become an outsize part of our lives.

Most people now have a keen sense of just how far six feet is. Some of us know how frustrating it is to feel like we have no room to ourselves. Others understand that this virus has put too much distance between us and those we love. Everyone, however, has likely experienced the seismic shift in the way we use shared areas, from our homes to our office buildings to our parks. Although it’s easy to believe nothing good can come from this pandemic, we took a look at the upsides—OK, and downsides—to the ways we’re using spaces now and how we might continue to in the future.  COMMERCIAL OFFICE SPACE

At the end of October, the total

Getty Images (2)

7 LESSON

Being Stuck At Home Has Changed The Way We Spend Money—And That Can Be A Good Thing

vacancy rate for office space in the Denver area was around 20 percent, according to a report from real estate firm CBRE Group.

The previous high was 15 percent in 2012.

Upside: Companies may forego expensive rents and put profits toward employee salaries and benefits.

Downside: When commercial real estate values fall, local governments make less money from taxes on such properties, creating shortfalls for things like public schools.  BRICK-AND-MORTAR RETAIL SHOPS

According to CBRE, Denver-area businesses vacated more than 662,000 square feet of retail space during the first nine months of the pandemic.

Upside: Businesses might pivot to finding creative ways to meet customers where they are (mostly online), which could ever-so-slightly slow Amazon’s takeover of the world.

Downside: Vibrant areas, like Tennyson Street, are losing character as local businesses shutter and corporate chains move in.  STATE PARKS

A record number of people visited state parks in 2020, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). In July alone, a million more people headed to the outdoor recreation areas than in July 2019.

Upside: After opening Fishers Peak State Park (the state’s newest such park) in October, CPW created an online portal where the public can suggest land in Colorado where it should build another state park.

Downside: A continued influx of people is hastening the degradation of our beautiful landscapes and ecosystems.

Halfpoint Images/Getty Images

 SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES

Matt Leprino, a spokesperson for the Colorado Association of Realtors, says the 2020 real estate market was dominated by people seeking out more room: “Everyone realized they needed somewhere to put that new Peloton.”

Upside: All-time low interest rates—hello, 2.875 percent!—are helping people get a little more square footage.

Downside: In October, the increased demand caused the average price for a single-family home in Denver to top $625,000 for the first time, signaling that the market could become even more competitive.

Remote Learning Wasn’t Good For Anyone Involved

9

These numbers, taken from a fall 2020 survey by the Colorado Department of Education and the Colorado Education Initiative, highlight the biggest problems caused by pandemic learning.

LESSON

~1/2

Segment of Colorado school districts that said the deterioration of reading skills for students in kindergarten through third grade has become a significant concern because of limited inperson learning.

90%

Percentage of Colorado school districts that indicated that the mental health of teachers has become a leading concern in recent months.

Other worries related to educators included fatigue and burnout as well as the possibility of increased turnover.

30,841

Colorado students, many of them in rural districts, who still didn’t have adequate internet access for remote learning as of October 2020. That number was closer to 50,000 at the beginning of the pandemic—a sign local municipalities did help close the gap.

5.9%

The average rate of nonattendance for students participating in fully remote learning models during the pandemic. The number was only 3.2 percent for in-person and just 2.7 percent for hybrid systems. m F E B RUA RY 2 0 2 1

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Forty years after Denver’s most infamous fictional family first rocked the small screen, the stars of the scandal-happy prime-time soap reveal, in their own words, the true stories behind the comas, costumes, and catfights that made the TV show America’s guiltiest pleasure.

BY SPENCER CAMPBELL PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY SEAN PARSONS

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During the 1980s, one television program came to define and reflect the culture of its hometown. That show?

Dallas, the sordid prime-time soap opera that followed the travails of Texas’ fractious, oil-drilling Ewing family. But Dynasty, which premiered three years later, seemed divorced from any earthly realm. While it, too, revolved around an oil-rich clan, the Carringtons, Dynasty’s storylines strayed far further into the fantastic, from towering rooftops (from which at least one baby was tossed...or so it seemed) to foreign kingdoms (where the main characters were machine-gunned to death...or so it seemed). The plots were propelled by the fierce rivalry between two women— Alexis Carrington Colby and Krystle Carrington, forever locked in a bitter feud over oil magnate and Carrington patriarch Blake—and the glamorous outfits they wore, and very often ripped apart, during their pitched battles. As otherworldly as Dynasty was, it did possess one tenuous tie to reality: Denver, where the Carringtons lived, married, divorced, remarried, died, came back to life, divorced again, remarried again, and, once, discovered a trove of stolen Nazi treasures beneath a lake.

Although Dynasty was filmed in Los Angeles, it was Denver that helped inspire the series, after famed producer Aaron Spelling (of The Love Boat, 90210, and Melrose Place) met and befriended a Colorado billionaire named Marvin Davis.

wife): The Carousel of Hope Ball. I think we were there twice. They actually based Blake and Krystle after that couple (the Davises) who was so successful. [Marvin] and Aaron [Spelling] became best friends.

That’s why they chose Denver, because that’s where their empire was.

Cramer: Anyway, [Esther and Richard Shapiro] wrote the pilot and were very involved the first year, and they really focused on the downstairs side of the family and the working class because they thought that was different from Dallas.

Esther Shapiro (co-creator, in her oral history for The Interviews by the Television Academy Foundation): We began thinking of a series that had everything that you’re not supposed to put on television.

Douglas S. Cramer (Dynasty producer, in his oral history for The Rich people, the Midwest, older women…lots of business, entrepreInterviews by the Television Academy Foundation): Dynasty came neurs, greed, opulence, all the Donald Trump stuff, really. And he was about because Dallas was a big hit.… Aaron said, well, “we’ll do oil, a big fan. [Spelling] was a great cheerleader on it. And when he read but somewhere else. There’s more oil in Denver.” And he had met in the first eight pages, he called us and said, “This is going to be huge.”

Palm Springs Marvin and Barbara Davis.

Evans: I completely and totally loved Aaron for the fact that he Federico Peña (Denver mayor, 1983–’91): Marvin was in oil and chose me, because I was at the time considered older at 38. In those gas. Marvin was a real estate developer all over the country. I think at years, Farrah Fawcett and the younger girls were there. It wouldn’t one time he and his company bought Pebble Beach Resort. have been inappropriate for Blake to have had a younger secretary he Dick Fleming (president and CEO, Downtown Denver Partnership, fell in love with. The fact that [Spelling] hired me at my age, I adored 1980–’86): There was a location in the Palace Arms restaurant in the him. Then he hired Joan at her age. He had confidence in us.

Brown Palace Hotel that was reserved at all times for him.

Richard Shapiro (co-creator, in his oral history for The Interviews by Peña: He was physically large. But he was also a large character. the Television Academy Foundation): Esther went to New York with He and his wife started the Carousel of Hope Ball to raise money for a suitcase full of dailies and showed it to [ABC’s] board of directors. the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes. Marvin, who at Esther Shapiro: Leonard Goldenson [founder and president of that time had a large investment in [20th CenABC] just jumped up and started clapping. He tury Fox], would bring all these movie stars to never did that before. He said, “This is what my Denver. And it was the thing to go to in the city. network is about.”

CLASS WARFARE This spread, from left: Linda Evans (middle) He’d raise $3 million, $4 million, or $5 million, Evans: I loved Esther and Richard Shapposes with billionaires Barbara and at the end of the evening, he’d stand up and iro. Especially the first three seasons of the and Marvin Davis; Krystle and Alexis settle an argument. say, “I’m going to match it!” show, they really were writing something very Linda Evans (played Krystle Carrington, Blake’s important for the public. They wrote about

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Previous spread source photos: Getty Images (mountains, foothills, oil rig, skyline); PictureLux/The Hollywood Archive/Alamy Stock Photo (Diahann Carroll); Pictorial Parade/Getty Images (Linda Evans); Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Photo Archive (Joan Collins, pond fight, Heather Locklear, John Forsythe, Moldovian wedding); Eddie Sanderson/Getty Images (Joan Collins in mud)

Oil

homosexuality, they wrote about mental health issues, they addressed so many issues that weren’t on television at the time.

Cramer: It was originally called Oil. And it was deeply boring.

EEnter nter Alexis

This spread, from left: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images; Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Photo Archives

Dynasty debuted in January 1981, the same month Ronald Reagan was inaugurated as the 40th president of the United States. The pilot centered on the marriage of Blake to Krystle, his former secretary, and the season delved into topics that were rarely addressed on broadcast TV; in particular, the fact that Blake’s son Steven was bisexual. But its weighty subject matter didn’t interest audiences, and Dynasty failed to challenge Dallas in Nielsen ratings, finishing 28th. The season one cliffhanger, however, had introduced a mysterious new character, Blake’s ex-wife, Alexis Carrington, who was poised to energize the show—as soon as producers could find an actress to play the part.

Nolan Miller (costume designer, in his oral history for The Interviews by the Television Academy Foundation): The last show [of the first season], John Forsythe [who played Blake Carrington] was on trial for murder. Accidentally, he had killed his son Steven’s lover. At the last minute, they told me, we have to have an extra walk across the front of the courtroom. You have to have a hat with a veil on [her], because we don’t know who is going to be Alexis.

Cramer: [Spelling], in a shocking meeting at the network, said, “Well, you give us the [season two] pickup”…and he took a breath, and we were all on the edge of our seats, and he said, “We’ll deliver either Elizabeth Taylor or Sophia Loren for the lead.” Within five minutes, [the network] said, It’s a pickup, you have it, it’s on the air, go back to work. Well, we walked out—I turned to Aaron, as did Esther,

and said, “Can you do it?” He said, “There’s no worry.” …When he called [Taylor] first she said, “Aaron, you’ve got to be kidding. I wouldn’t do television. I couldn’t handle it. I wouldn’t go through it.”

She never would do Love Boat, and she hung up, and that was over.

So we pursued Sophia.

Miller: They were offering [Loren] $600,000 for six episodes, which was pretty fantastic in those days.

Cramer: But we could never announce she was doing it. Carlo [Ponti, Loren’s husband] called Aaron one day and said “…we want to talk about when she’s going to be through, because I’ve got a movie coming up and we want her to start in December.” He had never mentioned that before, but Aaron had never mentioned it was a fiveyear deal and that she had to do 30 shows a year…. So she was gone.

Miller: Aaron remembered [ Joan Collins] though from Fantasy Island, and everyone said, “Oh please, she’s such a B actress.” …Aaron said, Joan will be a bitch made in heaven.

Esther Shapiro: When we mentioned her to the network, they thought she was just over the hill. And it just made us mad.

Cramer: [Spelling] showed us a shot from a scene from Fantasy Island, and it was Joan Collins as Cleopatra, and he said, “This is it.”

And Candy [Spelling, Aaron’s wife] said it was quite right: Whenever you couldn’t get Elizabeth Taylor all through the 1960s and ’70s, you used Joan Collins.

Miller: And as soon as Joan came in—pow! It was magic. She set fire to the thing.

Evans: It just added so much life and intrigue. It suddenly became very fascinating to people. That kicked us off in the right direction.

John Forsythe (played Blake Carrington, in his oral history for The Interviews by the Television Academy Foundation): It was about a family in Denver, Colorado, the head of which was a powerful, somewhat magnetic figure, a tremendously wealthy man whose family was a very trying group. And above all, one of his great enemies was Joan Collins, his ex-wife who desperately tried to wreck his life and all the people around him. So it was a very, very fruitful avenue to follow.

Esther Shapiro: It’s cathartic for women to watch somebody else go for it…. She can go after younger men. She can play with money. She can speak her mind.

And women loved it. I remember one of the book editors that we had said that her niece [was being confirmed] and all 12 of the girls picked Alexis as their [confirmation] name.

As Alexis, Collins became the perfect foil for Blake and Krystle, delivering withering one-liners (“I’m glad to see your father had your teeth fixed, if not your tongue”) and hatching endless plots to ruin their lives. At the same time, Collins, who did not respond to interview requests for this story, garnered endless tabloid headlines for her supposed mercurial behavior on set.

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and I was waiting in her fitting room. She came Miller: When I was called into Aaron’s office, HIGH FASHION, LOW BROW in and crossed the room to a dressing table, and Esther Shapiro and Aaron were there. He said, This spread, from left: Shoulder when she turned around and saw me in the mir“I never want to see them wear the same thing pads showed the strength of Dynasty’s women; “Royal ror, she started screaming, “Get out of my fitting twice, and if Cary Grant wouldn’t go to bed with Wedding” reflected the room!” She thought I was a fanatical weird fan, her, I don’t want to see her.” weakness of the show’s plots. and the more I would try and tell her what I was Forsythe: This was a show that I think was doing, the more frightened she was. Heather predicated on the whole MGM vision of what Locklear was walking by and opened the door to a movie should be. The gowns were beautiful, the see what the commotion was. I was just trying to explain I was new, women were beautiful, the men were for the most part very attractive.

I’m here to see Joan, and Heather just grabbed me and said, “Well, The settings all glorious. Like an old MGM movie.

Joan’s not here today. It’s only Alexis right now. So come with me.”

Florence Müller (textile and fashion curator, Denver Art Museum): David Paulsen (executive producer, 1988-’89): She’s uh…um…

The difference between Dynasty and Dallas is in Dallas it’s J.R. who well, she, she…. is the main character, and he’s a masculine character. In Dynasty, it’s John James (played Jeff Colby, Blake’s daughter’s on-again off-again feminine characters who are dominant. Women are becoming much love interest): Joan had just started working. I believe it was the beginmore powerful in the professional world, and the big shoulders are ning of the second season, it was a beautiful California day, we were expressing this. sitting outside, having lunch on the break, and she sidles up next to Miller: Joan would sometimes look at me at a fitting and she’d say, me. The first thing out of her mouth—I’d never met the woman—she “Darling, do you think we’re going over the top?” …I was having an said, “J.J., how much are you making an episode?” interview and they had just watched her shoot a hospital scene and Evans: Joan was a friend. She used to come to my house in Malibu. she had a big hat on with veils, she had furs, she had a big envelope Joan is fun! We never had one fight, ever, on the Dynasty set. Ever. handbag, gloves that she was playing with. [The interviewer] said, James: We became very close friends. I don’t want to name drop, “Don’t you think it’s a little ridiculous that she was dressed like that in but to go to her house for a Saturday night cocktail party with Roger a hospital scene?” And I said, “Why? She was supposed to intimidate Moore, Elton John, Jackie (her sister), Allan Carr, and then have everybody when she arrived at the hospital.” I said, “Well, you saw her Elton John sit at a piano and just rage until three in the morning—it coming down the hall; you got out of the way, didn’t you?” And he was a lot for a 26-, 27-year-old to take in. But it was great times. said, “Yeah.” I said, “So did everybody else.”

Forsythe: I was much more comfortable with Linda than I was Evans: It was every woman’s dream. We could go into Beverly Hills with Joan, who’s a very, very good actress incidentally. and point at anything we wanted and say, “Send it to Nolan Miller.” I Miller: I had asked to bring Prince Mubarak from Kuwait on the could wear anything I wanted. Armani. Valentino. You point, you get. set…. And we walked on the set and Joan came straight toward me: Miller: Doug Cramer was more hands-on than anybody could ever “The pillows match my dress,” and she’s carrying on. And I said, imagine, down to the crystal glasses and what kind of Champagne “Well, we’ll do something about it.” She said, “Well, they want me Alexis is having for breakfast…. I could call him and say, “You know, to change and I’m not going to.” And I said, “Joan, may I present there’s a scene where she’s supposed to have a new diamond necklace. his Royal Highness Prince Mubarak of Do you want us to borrow one Kuwait.” She goes, “Hello, excuse me, from Tiffany’s?” “Yes. I want it I have to go back to work,” and she to be in a Tiffany’s box, and I stormed away. I said, “Your Highness, want it to be real.” We’d call TifI’m sorry, but it’s not a very good day fany’s and they’d loan us a big, on the set.” He said, “Don’t apologize. $2 million diamond necklace I would have been disappointed if she and send it with a guard. had been any other way.”

Evans: The only time I didn’t see [the guard] is when I went to the ladies’ room. But he’d stand right outside the door.

Miller: Then the ratings kind of started slipping a little.

They blamed it on the hats and the shoulder pads. Somebody To design the wardrobe for the extravat work said it’s too unrealagant Carrington clan, Spelling turned istic, that people don’t wear to Nolan Miller, who had worked big hats and shoulder pads. on Spelling shows before, such as So they announced, foolishly, Charlie’s Angels, The Love Boat, and just a blank announcement Fantasy Island. Miller had also dressed that they were getting rid of icons, including actress Joan Crawford, shoulder pads and hats. You and paid homage to the padded shoullaugh and think, So what? It ders, large hats, and striking silhouettes caused a furor. Women’s Wear of 1940s Hollywood when envisioning Daily was phoning us, phoning the personal styles of Alexis, Krystle, the office. They even phoned and the rest of the Dynasty women. from Paris. Bergdorf Goodman, 58

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Marka/Alamy Stock Photo

Carrington Couture

knew Alexis had) marries the prince of a European kingdom called Moldavia— before armed gunmen crash the ceremony.

Walt Disney Television via Getty Images Photo Archives

particularly, called the producer and said, “Are you people crazy?

Every garment we have in stock has shoulder pads—what are you doing to us?”

Esther Shapiro: Our merchandizing went well over a half a billion dollars…. We did rugs. We did everything. We did hats.

Robert Shapiro: I have a tuxedo.

Esther Shapiro: Tuxedoes, yeah, we did. And jewelry. Jewelry was a big one.

Miller: Marshall Fields did the entire store as Christmas with the Carringtons. They had mannequins made to look like every character. Every window was a different scene; there was Linda Evans at her dressing table in a negligee.… This one night it was freezing and snowing very hard and it’s terrible. I wanted to look at the windows, and I went out and there were two little ladies bundled up like Eskimos looking at the big window. I was standing nearby just looking at the window, and I heard the woman say, “Oy, can you imagine what it would be like to be this rich?”

The Moldavian Massacre Massacre Led by Alexis’ conniving and seducing—as well as cast additions Heather Locklear, who played Steven’s blue-collar seductress Sammy Jo, and Diahann Carroll as Dominique Deveraux, Blake’s long-lost half-sister—Dynasty embraced camp and introduced a formerly kidnapped child, a thought-to-be-dead husband, and a rash of amnesia. The wilder the storylines, the higher the ratings went. In 1985, the show finally reached number one, thanks to a season-ending episode called “Royal Wedding” in which Amanda Carrington (the surprise daughter Blake never

Forsythe: I thought one of the great weaknesses in Dynasty were the stories.

Paulsen (a writer, producer, and director for Dallas before joining Dynasty): We used to joke about it at Dallas, because it was so crazy.

James: You go, “Oh my gosh, we’re doing what now?”

I mean, for [my character] they created a storyline where Adam decides to poison me by painting my office with poison paint. The fumes were causing me to hallucinate. You gotta look at that and go, “Oh boy.”

Cramer: We drifted into it. We found that the further we went, the more outrageous the show got, the more the audience responded.

Robert Shapiro: We were reaching the end of a season and our cliffhanger [had been leaked to] Star [Magazine] or one of those. We were sitting around and saying, “What could we do?” And somebody of dubious tact—myself—said, “Let’s have the baby go over the roof.”

Paulsen: I think in one of the later episodes, they all went into a palace or something like that, all the major characters, and some people came in and shot them all up and there was blood all over the place. Everybody should have been killed by the number of gunshots.

James: The Moldavian Massacre, it was called.

Esther Shapiro: Camille Marchetta was the writer on Dallas who did the [“Who shot J.R.?” storyline]. We hired her…. We had a lot of pressure from the network to do the most outrageous things we could.

And she came up with a storyline.

Camille Marchetta (writer and producer, 1984-’85): I just felt like writing a romance like the one between Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday. Threaded through everything else was this story of Blake’s daughter being delivered into marrying this prince of this kingdom. I felt grounded in that story because even though Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck was a film, Grace Kelly actually did it. So I thought, OK, we can pull this off.

Cramer: We weren’t really sure who was working and who wasn’t….

[Producers Eileen and Robert Pollack] said, “Let’s just shoot half of ’em off, and we won’t even be sure who’s alive and who’s dead,” and it gave us the opportunity to breathe.

Miller: They were machine-gunning the whole chapel and everybody’s covered in blood, and only Ali MacGraw [who played Jeff Colby’s girlfriend at the time] died.

Also popular among fans were the recurring fistfights between Krystle and Alexis, which began during the second season and escalated from ripped pillows to water wars to mud wrestling to, eventually, Krystle CONTINUED ON PAGE 70 beating Alexis with a plastic mannequin arm.

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nations at casual pizzeria. Try the This Little Fishie Went to Market, with Italian white anchovies, Brussels sprouts, sweet onions, garlic, and grated Parmesan. 2675 13th St., Boulder, 303-442-2032.

Lunch, Dinner

B

25 B E S T

Indicates inclusion in 5280’s 2019 list of Denver’s best restaurants; we did not release a 2020 list due to COVID19 disruptions and closures. These selections are at the discretion of 5280 editors and are subject to change.

A Acova

Visit our online listings at 5280.com/ restaurants.

25 B E S T

Barolo Grill

$$$$

Cherry Creek / Italian Dedication to authenticity translates to the food and extensive wine menu at this elegant eatery, which is focused on the cuisines of northern Italy’s Tuscany and Piedmont regions.

Reservations accepted. 3030 E. Sixth Ave., 303-393-1040. Dinner

$$$

Annette

$$$

Arcana

$$$$

Attimo Winery

$$

Downtown / Italian At this urban winery, Snooze co-founder Jon Schlegel pairs vino from artisans in Northern Italy with light, thoughtful fare.

Reservations accepted. 2246 Larimer St., 720-287-4988. Dinner

Audrey Jane’s Pizza Garage

$$

Boulder / Pizza Expect perfect New York–style sourdough pies featuring inventive topping combi-

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Beckon

$$$$

RiNo / Contemporary Chef Duncan Holmes brings an elevated, intimate dining experience to Larimer Street. The seasonal menu changes frequently, and excellent, thoughtful wine pairings are available. Reservations required. 2843 Larimer St., 303-749-0020. Dinner Blackbelly

$$$

Blue Pan Pizza

$$

West Highland / Pizza Masterfully crafted Detroitstyle pizza is the draw at this tiny spot. Try the Brooklyn Bridge, topped with pepperoni, Italian sausage, and ricotta, Romano, and pecorino cheeses. Also try the Congress Park location. 3930 W. 32nd Ave., 720-456-7666. Lunch, Dinner

$$$

Boulder / American This charming restaurant explores the roots of American heritage through food. Pair a cider with the burger or Colorado lamb shank. 909 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-4443885. Dinner

25 B E S T

Boulder / American Chef Hosea Rosenberg’s meaty menu focuses on charcuterie, small plates, and daily butcher specials. Check out the butcher shop and grab-and-go market, Blackbelly Butcher, located next door. Reservations accepted. 1606 Conestoga St., Boulder, 303-247-1000. Dinner

Aurora / American Caroline Glover brings a warm dining experience to Stanley Marketplace with Annette. Enjoy a shareable menu featuring seasonal salads, toasts, and wood-grilled fare.

Reservations accepted. Stanley Marketplace, 2501 Dallas St., Ste. 108, Aurora, 720-710-9975.

Dinner, Brunch 25 B E S T

$$$$

City Park / Steak House Enjoy hearty, homestyle cooking at this local favorite, which has been family-owned for over 80 years. Come for the signature sugar-rubbed steaks. 3503 E. Colfax Ave., 303-322-0363. Dinner

25 B E S T

Lakewood / African Head to this cheery African restaurant for rich stews, fried fish, rice dishes, and friendly service. Get the chakalaka, a traditonal vegetarian South African stew. Also try the Green Valley Ranch location. Reservations accepted. 955 S. Kipling Pkwy., Lakewood, 720-229-7778. Lunch, Dinner

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$$$

Boulder / Italian This decade-old wood-fired eatery offers bold flavors and interesting wines. Try the lasagna with seasonal ingredients or the clam pizza. Reservations accepted. 3601 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, 303-997-8775. Dinner

Bastien’s Restaurant

Highland / American A diverse gluten-free menu of American classics and dishes spotlighting international flavors are the draw here. Try the honey-drizzled fried chicken. Reservations accepted. 3651 Navajo St., 303-736-2718.

Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

African Grill & Bar

Basta

C Cake Crumbs Bakery & Cafe

Make Mine Mediterranean When Khagendra “KG” Gurung, owner of West Highland’s Himchuli and Evergreen’s Cuisine of the Himalayas, opened his newest venture, Mazèvo Mediterranean Eatery, on Tennyson Street this past October, his goal was to create a warm, welcoming cafe for the Berkeley neighborhood. Mission accomplished: The restaurant is cozy, and the hearty plates— from fried pickles with tzatziki to a vibrant kofta kebab entrée featuring lamb kebabs, Israeli couscous, grilled veggies, and herbed tahini— are as comforting as they are delicious.

Park Hill / American Pick up from-scratch baked treats, including cakes, pastries, and breads, and breakfast and lunch specialities at this Park Hill bakery. Reservations not accepted. 2216 Kearney St., 303-861-4912. Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch

$

Carm & Gia Metropolitan

$$

Carmine’s on Penn

$$

Aurora / American Burgers made with certified Angus beef, Chicago-style hot dogs, shakes, and more are on the menu at this family-owned spot.

Reservations not accepted. 9598 E Montview Blvd., Aurora, 303-747-2008. Lunch, Dinner Speer / Italian This Italian restaurant serves huge platters of hearty food on a year-round patio.

Reservations accepted. 92 S. Pennsylvania St., 303-777-6443. Dinner

Sarah Boyum

PRICE KEY

(Average Entrée)

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DINING GUIDE 25 B E S T

Cattivella

$$$

Central Park / Italian Chef Elise Wiggins offers rustic, wood-fired Italian fare from a sprawling chef‘s counter. Go for grilled oysters, seasonal pizzas, and fresh pastas. Reservations accepted.

10195 E. 29th Dr., Ste. 110, 303-645-3779.

Lunch, Dinner

Dimestore Delibar

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Chimera Ramen

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Chook

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Boulder / Japanese Edwin Zoe, also of Zoe Ma Ma, offers ramen featuring scratch-made noodles and flavor-packed broths. 2014 10th St., Boulder, 720-580-1100. Lunch, Dinner

Platt Park / Australian Chook specializes in Australian-style, charcoal-grilled rotisserie chicken and fresh veggie sides. Order the charred broccoli salad. Also try the Hale and Stanley Marketplace locations. Reservations not accepted. 1300 S. Pearl St., 303-282-8399. Lunch, Dinner

ChoLon

$$$$

Downtown / Asian This contemporary restaurant serves modern twists on Pan-Asian cuisine. Don’t miss the French onion soup dumplings. Also try the Central Park location. Reservations accepted.

1555 Blake St., 303-353-5223. Lunch, Dinner

25 B E S T

Comal Heritage Food Incubator

$$

Globeville / International You’ll find family recipes from Latin America and Syria at this restaurant, which has a rotating menu and provides job training to local women. Reservations not accepted. 3455 Ringsby Ct., Ste. 105, 303-292-0770. Lunch 25 B E S T

Corrida

$$$$

Boulder / Spanish Housed on the rooftop level of the Pearl West building, this elegant Spanish steak house offers Flatiron views and fabulous cocktails and wines. Reservations accepted. 1023 Walnut St., Ste. 400, Boulder, 303-444-1333. Dinner

D Daughter Thai Kitchen & Bar

$$$

$$

$$

Downtown / International Bonanno Concepts’ 16-venue collection of bars and restaurants features everything from fresh pasta to poke bowls to charcuterie. Don’t miss the the signature fried chicken sandwiches at Lou’s Hot and Naked. 1800 Wazee St., 303-792-8242. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

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E Edgewater Inn

years (including nods from the James Beard Foundation). The elegant Friulano cuisine always wows.

Reservations accepted. 1738 Pearl St., Boulder, 303-442-6966. Dinner Fringe Pizza

Fruition Restaurant

$$$$

Country Club / American James Beard Award– winning chef Alex Seidel’s tiny kitchen focuses on seasonal dishes that are big on flavor. Many ingredients come straight from Seidel’s farm.

Reservations accepted. 1313 E. Sixth Ave., 303-831-1962. Dinner

$$

Edgewater / Italian This pizzeria has been family owned and operated for more than 50 years. Try the Howdy Pizza, a combo of sausage, green bell peppers, mushrooms, and jalapeños. 5302 W. 25th Ave., 303-237-3524. Lunch, Dinner

El Jefe

$$

Sunnyside / Mexican Farm-to-table Mexican fare will lure you to this welcoming Sunnyside haunt.

Don’t miss the organic mushroom tacos or the steak fajitas. Reservations accepted. 2450 W. 44th Ave., 720-389-7615. Dinner

El Taco de Mexico

G Gaetano’s

F $$

Lakewood / Thai This cozy spot offers flavorful specialties from multiple regions, including northern Thailand’s khao soi (egg noodles in coconut curry).

98 Wadsworth Blvd., Ste.117, Lakewood, 303-237-2475. Lunch, Dinner

Fish N Beer

$$$

RiNo/ Seafood Kevin Morrison offers approachable, fresh seafood and a hearty beer list at this casual oysterette. Try the wood-fire-grilled whole bass. Reservations accepted. 3510 Larimer St., 303-248-3497. Dinner

Frank & Roze

H HiRa Cafe & Patisserie

$

Aurora / Ethiopian Pastry chef-owner Hiwot Solomon pairs her from-scratch desserts and Ethiopian breakfast plates with house-roasted, single-origin coffee at this cheery cafe. Reservations not accepted. 10782 E. Iliff Ave, Aurora, 720-9491703. Breakfast Hop Alley

$$$

RiNo / Chinese From Tommy Lee of Uncle, this neighborhood hangout serves dishes rooted in Chinese tradition with a touch of distinctive flair. Try the dan dan mian. Reservations accepted. 3500 Larimer St., 720-379-8340. Dinner Hops & Pie

$$

Berkeley / Pizza Craft pizza featuring unique toppings such as blackberry barbecue sauce and housemade chorizo and local brews are this spot’s forte. Try Hops & Pie’s on-site sister concept, Berkeley Donuts, which serves delicoius potato-style doughnuts. 3920 Tennyson St., 303-477-7000. Dinner

$

Hale / Cafe This stylish cafe serves sustainably sourced coffee from South America, Africa, Asia, and beyond and all-day fare from chef Tom Coohill. Reservations not accepted. 4097 E. Ninth Ave., 720-328-2960. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch Frasca Food and Wine

$$$

Highland / Italian This comfy neighborhood hangout features old-school favorites, such as chicken Parmesan. Reservations accepted. 3760 Tejon St., 303-455-9852. Dinner

$

Lincoln Park / Mexican This Denver favorite serves Mexican food with an emphasis on authenticity. Try the chile relleno burrito. Reservations not accepted.

714 Santa Fe Dr., 303-623-3926. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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Boulder / Pizza Fringe serves a full menu of Italian-inspired shareable plates with an emphasis on Neapolitan–style pizza and also offers 16 taps of craft beer and wine. Reservations not accepted. 2900 Valmont Rd., Boulder, 303-386-4631. Dinner

25 B E S T

RiNo / International Dining options at this marketplace range from ceviche to ice cream. Take your pick from Crema Bodega, Vero Italian, Curio Bar, High Point Creamery, and lots more. 2669 Larimer St., Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

Denver Milk Market

Dio Mio

RiNo / Italian One thing you can count on at Alex Figura and Spencer White’s fast-casual Italian eatery: perfect pasta. Try the cacio e pepe or the squid ink fusilli with blue crab. The house-made sourdough is heavenly. Reservations not accepted.

3264 Larimer St., 303-562-1965. Dinner

Farmhouse Thai Eatery

Highland / Thai This upscale restaurant serves beautifully plated dishes and inventive cocktails with an elegant ambiance to match. Order the lamb massaman curry or the Bangkok ribs.

Reservations accepted. 1700 Platte St., Ste. 140, 720-667-4652. Lunch, Dinner

Denver Central Market

$$

Highland / American This restaurant, bar, convenience store, and market serves elevated deli fare in an eclectic setting. Try the rolled focaccia sandwiches. Reservations not accepted. 1575 Boulder St., Unit A, 303-537-5323. Lunch, Dinner

$$$$

Boulder / Italian Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson and master sommelier Bobby Stuckey’s fine-dining mecca has racked up scores of accolades over the

I Il Porcellino Salumi

$$

Berkeley / Deli This neighborhood spot offers excellent, locally raised cured meats, charcuterie boards, and sandwiches. Reservations not accepted. 4334 W. 41st Ave., 303-477-3206.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DINING GUIDE Il Posto

$$$$

RiNo / Italian Chef-owner Andrea Frizzi offers imaginative Italian cuisine in the heart of RiNo. Reservations accepted. 2601 Larimer St., 303-394-0100. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

India’s Restaurant

Jerusalem Restaurant

$$$

Hampden / Indian This spot serves an extensive menu of Indian specialties, including tandoori chicken. Reservations not accepted. 8921 E. Hampden Ave., 303-755-4284. Lunch, Dinner

Istanbul Bakery & Cafe

$$$

Kitsune Denver

$$

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$$$

Downtown / Italian This gorgeous LoDo eatery expands on traditional Italian fare by incorporating unexpected, seasonal ingredients. 1520 Blake St., 720-541-7721. Dinner

K

J

Kachina Cantina

La Calle Taqueria Y Carnitas

Le Bilboquet

$$

$$$

Downtown / Seafood Enjoy sustainable seafood in an upbeat atmosphere. Specialties include the

$$$

Downtown / American This community bistro features consciously sourced ingredients and a raw seafood bar. Also try the Boulder location.

Reservations accepted. 1520 16th St., 303-623-3127. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

$$$$

Cherry Creek / French An offshoot of the more than 30-year-old New York City establishment, Le Bilboquet serves upscale French fare in a posh setting. Try the duck leg confit with mushroom fricassée and fingerling potatoes. Reservations accepted. 299 St. Paul St., 303-835-9999.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

25 B E S T

Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar

$

Valverde / Mexican This is a must-visit destination for taco lovers. Try the tacos al pastor and carnitas and don’t skip the salsa bar. 1565 W. Alameda Ave., 720-583-6586. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Downtown / Southwestern This spot specializes in southwestern fare, such as Navajo tacos. Also try the Westminster-based sister location, Kachina Southwestern Grill. Reservations accepted. 1890 Wazee St., 720-460-2728. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

The Kitchen

$$$

RiNo / Japanese Chefs Marcus Eng and Sam Soell’s bento box delivery service is inspired by the traditional boxed lunches sold at train stations in Japan. Pickup is also available. 2706 Larimer St., 303-868-3703. Lunch, Dinner

$$

Platt Park / Japanese Ultra-fresh sushi, sashimi, and creative small plates are on the menu at this local favorite. 1487-A S. Pearl St., 303-777-0691.

Lunch, Dinner

LeRoux

$$$$

Downtown / French Lon Symensma’s upscale, European-inspired eatery features tableside preparations and a roving cheese cart. Don’t miss the Paris-Brest dessert. Reservations accepted.

1555 Blake St., Ste 102, 720-845-1673. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

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University / Middle Eastern You can’t beat this spot’s tasty, affordable, and traditional Middle Eastern fare. Reservations accepted. 1890 E. Evans Ave., 303-777-8828. Lunch, Dinner

Jovanina’s Broken Italian

Washington Virginia Vale / Middle Eastern Inside a tiny shopping center at the intersection of South Monaco Parkway and Leetsdale Drive, friendly owner Ismet Yilmaz prepares authentic Turkish pastries. 850 S. Monaco Pkwy., Ste. 9, 720-5365455. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Izakaya Den

raw oyster bar and seasonally composed plates.

Multiple locations. Reservations accepted. 1539 17th St., 303-292-5767. Lunch, Dinner

VE

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DINING GUIDE Logan Street

$$$

Lola Coastal Mexican

$$$

Capitol Hill / Mediterranean From the owners behind Carboy Winery, Logan Street serves woodfired fare that pairs well with the house-made vino.

Reservations accepted. 400 E. Seventh Ave., 720-617-9410. Lunch, Dinner Highland / Mexican The flavors and beachy vibes of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula shine at Lola.

Reservations accepted. 1575 Boulder St., 720-570-8686. Dinner, Brunch

Lou’s Italian Specialties

$$

Five Points / Italian Josh Pollack of Rosenberg’s Bagels & Delicatessen takes on the Tri State Italian deli with this takeout-only spot. 3357 Downing St., 720-287-3642. Lunch, Dinner

Mazèvo Mediterranean Eatery

$$

$$

City Park / Contemporary This walk-up kitchen inside Middleman cocktail bar serves imaginative twists on familiar pub fare. Try the burger or the steamed eggplant dumplings. Reservations not accepted. 3401 E. Colfax Ave., 303-3534207. Dinner

25 B E S T

Mercantile Dining & Provision

$$$

Downtown / American Award-winning chef Alex Seidel offers upscale, contemporary farm-to-table fare, including pasta dishes and family-style shared plates for the table. Reservations accepted for dinner. Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop St., Ste. 155, 720-460-3733. Dinner Mizu Izakaya

$$

Highland / Japanese This contemporary Japanese restaurant offers an excllent bar program and a hip atmosphere. Pair a Singapore Sling cocktail with a selection from the raw bar or a bowl of ramen.

Reservations accepted. 1560 Boulder St., 720-372-7100. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

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Athmar Park / Vietnamese This spot serves an extensive menu of Vietnamese specialties, including rice paper wraps, bahn mi, pho, seafood dishes, noodle bowls, and more. Reservations not accepted. 630 S. Federal Blvd., 303-936-4954. Lunch, Dinner

$$

NOLA Voodoo Tavern and Perks

$$

Cole / Southern New Orleans native and owner Henry Batiste serves his grandmother’s recipes for gumbo, po’boys, and lots more at this Louisianainspired spot. Reservations not accepted. 3321 Bruce Randolph Ave., 720-389-9544. Dinner

O

$$

Berkeley / Mediterranean Enjoy specialties from across the Mediterranean at this cozy eatery, from dolmas (stuffed grape leaves) to tahini hummus to harissa roasted chicken. Reservations not accepted. 3961 Tennyson St., 303-9558256. Lunch, Dinner Misfit Snackbar

New Saigon

$$

Aurora / Chinese A menu of house-made steamed, boiled, and pan-fried dumplings complement a selection of noodle and rice bowls and vegetableforward sides at this Los Angeles-born spot.

Reservations not accepted. 9655 E. Montview Blvd., Aurora, 303-600-8998. Lunch, Dinner

NEW

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RiNo/ American Find charcuterie boards, fried chicken, and other picnic-ready fare at this sommelier-operated natural wine bar. Reservations accepted. 1336 27th St., 303-993-5330. Dinner

Aurora / International This immigrant- and refugee-led food hall is home to five outstanding culinary concepts, including Urban Burma, Rocky Mountain Sudanese, Odaa Ethiopian, Golden Sky Asian, and Nepali Mountain Kitchen. 10180 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora, 303-900-8639. Lunch, Dinner

Mason’s Dumpling Shop

$

Highland / Pub Enjoy beers and burgers (order the jalapeño cream cheese variety) on the patio one of Denver’s oldest bars. Reservations not accepted.

2376 15th St., 303-455-9991. Lunch, Dinner

Noble Riot

M Mango House

My Brother’s Bar

Oak at Fourteenth

$$$$

$$

RiNo / Japanese Jeff Osaka’s modern ramen shop features original noodle soups, bento boxes, and creative small plates. Order the spicy miso ramen and don’t miss the mochi doughnuts. Reservations not accepted. 2611 Walnut St., 303-955-7938.

Lunch, Dinner

Owlbear Barbecue

$$

RiNo / Barbecue The brick-and-mortar joint from pitmaster Karl Fallenius is serving brisket, ribs, and all of the fixings. Try the smoked pork belly. Reservations not accepted. 2826 Larimer St., 970-708-3954. Lunch, Dinner

P Park Hill Sushi Co.

$

Pho Duy

$

Pizzeria Locale

$

Cheesman Park / American A Denver landmark and a staple for comfort food, Pete’s is known for its breakfasts but also serves burgers, gyros, and souvlaki sandwiches any time of day. Reservations not accepted. 1962 E. Colfax Ave., 303-3213139. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch Westwood / Vietnamese Slurp down delicious bowls of noodle soup at this popular Vietnamese mainstay. Reservations not accepted. 925 S. Federal Blvd., 303-937-1609. Lunch, Dinner

Speer / Pizza This fast-casual pizza spot offers family-friendly counter service with premium ingredients, brought to you by the team at Boulder’s more upscale pizzeria of the same name. Multiple locations. Reservations not accepted. 550 Broadway, 720-508-8828. Lunch, Dinner

Pony Up

$$

Park Hill / Sushi This quick-service sushi spot specializes in made-to-order hand rolls. Order a temaki set and choose from a variety of fresh fillings like blue crab, spicy tuna, lobster, and uni.

Multiple locations. 4900 E. Colfax Ave., Unit A, 303-953-9581. Lunch, Dinner

$$

Downtown / Pub This casual bar serves comforting fare such as French dip sandwiches and fried chicken with craft cocktails and and lots of bubbly. Reservations not accepted. 1808 Blake St., 720-710-8144. Lunch, Dinner

Q 25 B E S T

Boulder / American This spot just off the Pearl Street Mall offers a diverse, ever-changing menu of seasonal, oak-fired eats from chef Steve Redzikowski and creative cocktails from Bryan Dayton. Order the kale and apple salad. 1400 Pearl St., Boulder, 303-444-3622. Lunch, Dinner

Osaka Ramen

Pete’s Kitchen

Q House

$$$

City Park West / Chinese Enjoy a modern take on Chinese cuisine executed by chef Christopher Lin, an alum of Momofuku in New York City. Try the braised pork rice. Reservations accepted. 3421 E. Colfax Ave., 720-729-8887. Dinner Quality Italian

$$$$

Cherry Creek / Steak House This upscale spot serves steak house fare and American-Italian favorites. Reservations accepted. 241 Columbine St., 303-532-8888. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

R Restaurant Olivia

$$$$

Rioja

$$$$

Washington Park / Italian This cozy neighborhood gem from the team behind Bistro Georgette specializes in fresh pastas and Italian classics. 209 S. Downing St., 303-999-0395. Dinner

Downtown / Mediterranean James Beard Award– winning chef Jennifer Jasinski creates high-end Mediterranean-influenced cuisine. Reservations accepted. 1431 Larimer St., 303-820-2282. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

Roaming Buffalo Bar-B-Que

$$

Rosedale / Barbecue House-smoked Colorado craft barbecue is the specialty at this laid-back joint. Innovative meats like bison short ribs and lamb shank are available by the pound. Reservations not accepted. 2387 S. Downing St., 303-722-2226. Lunch, Dinner

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303.951.4140 • DENVER SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION • DSFinfo@denverscholarship.org

DINING GUIDE Rye Society Delicatessen and Picklery

Ideas and inspiration for your next home project.

$$

RiNo / Deli Stop by this neighborhood Jewish deli for comfort-food favorites including pastrami on rye, bagels with lox, and buttery apricot-walnut rugelach. Also try the location inside Boulder’s Avanti Food & Beverage. 3090 Larimer St., 303-593-2713. Breakfast, Lunch

S 25 B E S T

Safta

$$$

$$

$$

Aurora / Korean This petite spot serves steamed and fried Korean dumplings that are made from scratch daily. Reservations not accepted. 2222 S. Havana St., Unit J, Aurora, 303-953-9590.

Lunch, Dinner

Snarfburger

$

Sloan’s Lake / American This spinoff of Boulder’s legendary sandwich shop is a classic all-American burger joint with made-to-order burgers, hot dogs, fried bologna sandwiches, fries, onion rings, frozen custard, and milkshakes. Multiple locations.

Reservations not accepted. 2535 Federal Blvd., 720-535-5184. Lunch, Dinner

Somebody People

Elevated living in the Mile High City.

Visit 5280Home.com or Zinio.com to subscribe.

$$

Overland / Mediterranean A standout pasta program and dishes that celebrate seasonal bounty make this zero-waste vegan restaurant great for herbivores and omnivores alike. Reservations accepted. 1165 S. Broadway, Ste. 104, 720-502-5681. Dinner, Brunch

25 B E S T

Spuntino

$$$

Highland / Italian Enjoy the locally sourced menu at this Italian-inspired, husband-and-wife-owned spot. Try the seasonal pasta or any dish with Southern Indian influences. Don’t miss the house-made gelato for dessert. Reservations accepted. 2639 W. 32nd Ave., 303-433-0949. Dinner Super Star Asian Cuisine

$

Athmar Park / Asian This glitz-free eatery serves topnotch dim sum and an extensive menu of traditional Chinese plates. Order the char sui pork buns. 2200 W. Alameda Ave., Ste. 34, 303-727-9889. Lunch, Dinner

Sushi Ronin

$$$

Highland / Japanese Sushi Ronin’s comfortable vibe complements the creative, omakase-style Japanese cuisine. Also try the Congress Park location. Reservations accepted. 2930 Umatilla St., 303-955-0741. Dinner

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T $$$

South Park Hill / American A glass of wine, flickering candlelight, and mismatched tables set the tone at this cozy neighborhood restaurant.

Reservations accepted. 2267 Kearney St., 303-388-0299. Dinner

25 B E S T

Downtown / Asian Ramen is king at this Japanese noodle house, which offers seven different varieties, including chasu, seafood, and spicy miso. Other options include udon bowls and curries. 1255 19th St., Ste. A, 303-292-2323. Lunch, Dinner

Seoul Mandoo

$$$

Platt Park / Asian Sushi Den offers fresh, vibrant seafood flown in twice a week from Japan prepared by masterful sushi chefs. 1487 S. Pearl St., 303-777-0826. Lunch, Dinner

Tables

RiNo / Mediterranean Acclaimed chef Alon Shaya brings his modern Israeli fare to Denver.

Start with the creamy hummus and pillowy woodoven pita before moving onto tabbouleh salad, charred cabbage, and halloumi. Reservations accepted. The Source Hotel & Market Hall, 3330 Brighton Blvd., 720-408-2444. Lunch, Dinner Sakura House

Sushi Den

Tavernetta

$$$$

Downtown / Italian The team behind Boulder’s acclaimed Frasca Food and Wine offers the same attention to hospitality at this more casual Denver restaurant. The charming space is home to dishes from across Italy and a deep wine list.

Reservations accepted. 1889 16th St., 720-605-1889. Lunch, Dinner TeaLee’s Teahouse and Bookstore

$$

Five Points / English Head to this charming teahouse-bookstore-market for loose-leaf and specialty teas and all-day fare like soups, salads, sandwiches, and freshly baked pastries. 611 22nd St., 303-593-2013. Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch

Tessa Delicatessen

$

Montclair / Deli This modern all-day eatery from Vince Howard, formerly of Del Rey Deli in Los Angeles, has hot and cold sandwiches and salads.

Reservations not accepted. 5724 E. Colfax Ave., 720-746-9138. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Tlaquesalsa

$$$

Westminster / Mexican Chef-owner Jose Renteria serves tamales, street tacos, smothered breakfast burritos, and more at this snug spot.

Take home a jar of the homemade tomatillo salsa. 9960 Wadsworth Pkwy., Westminster, 720-605-1889. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Tocabe

$

Berkeley / American Indigenous fare goes Chipotle-style at this quick service restaurant. Try the fry bread taco loaded with beef, buffalo, or chicken, and beans, lettuce, cheese, and salsas or the braised bison ribs. Also try the Greenwood Village location. 3536 W. 44th Ave., 720-524-8282.

Lunch, Dinner

Tofu House

$$

Aurora / Korean This neighborhood spot specializes in Korean soups and stews, but also offers a variety of other options. Try the sundubu jjigae (soft tofu soup). Reservations accepted. 2353 S. Havana St., Unit D1, Aurora, 303-751-2840.

Lunch, Dinner

Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar

$$$

Downtown / Southern Nosh on re-imagined versions of down-home dishes, such as the signature honey-dusted fried chicken or bourbon peppercorn-glazed meatloaf with classic sides like collard greens. 1650 Wewatta St., 720-2740650. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

DINING GUIDE Turtle Boat

$$

Overland / Seafood This tiny spot offers customizable poke salads elevated with local and sustainably sourced ingredients. The menu features excellent options for both vegetarians and seafood lovers. 2231 South Broadway, Lunch, Dinner

Uchi Denver

$$$$

Curtis Park / Japanese James Beard Awardwinning chef Tyson Cole combines unexpected flavors for his unique take on Japanese food. Try the sake toro aburi or the foie gras sushi. Reservations accepted. 2500 Lawrence St., 303-444-1922. Dinner Ultreia

$$$

Downtown / Spanish James Beard Award– winning chef Jennifer Jasinski brings Iberian fare to Union Station. Reservations not accepted.

Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop St., 303-5341970. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

Uncle

$$

Highland / Asian A bustling atmosphere defines this popular, modern noodle house. The selective menu includes dishes such as Chinesestyle steamed buns and, of course, noodles. Also try the Speer location. Reservations accepted.

2215 W. 32nd Ave., 303-433-3263. Dinner

$$$

Lone Tree / Indian This is a cozy restaurant serving classic and contemporary seasonal dishes from regions across India, including a great selection of vegetarian specialties. Reservations accepted.

9234 Park Meadows Dr., Ste 700, Lone Tree, 720-536-8150. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

US Thai Cafe

$

Edgewater / Thai Classic, fresh ingredients, spicy dishes, and a chef straight from Thailand make for an authentic, if mouth-tingling, dining experience.

Try the green curry or the pineapple fried rice.

5228 W. 25th Ave., 303-233-3345. Lunch, Dinner

V Vert Kitchen

W

$$

Aurora / Chinese Handmade steamed and fried dumplings, along with a selection of Sichuan specialties, are on the menu at this family-owned restaurant. 12203 E. Iliff Ave., Unit D, Aurora, 303-755-8518. Lunch, Dinner

Urban Village

U 25 B E S T

Uncle Zoe’s Chinese Kitchen

$$

Washington Park West / French Salads and sandwiches (think: curry chicken or skirt steak with arugula and walnut mustard) dot the small menu at this European-influenced cafe. Reservations not accepted. 704 S. Pearl St., 303-997-5941. Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch

WaterCourse Foods

$$

Weathervane Cafe

$

Uptown Area / American This vegetarian icon has been serving wholesome food since 1998. The zesty soups, salads, and wraps are healthy and delicious. Reservations not accepted. 837 E. 17th Ave., 303-832-7313. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch City Park West / American Enjoy a small but sumptuous menu of breakfast items, sandwiches, and salads at this cozy cafe. Reservations not accepted. 1725 E. 17th Ave., 303-355-5863.

Breakfast, Lunch

Welton Street Cafe Home of Mona’s

$$

White Pie

$$

Five Points / Southern Enjoy soul food with a dash of Caribbean flair at this charming Five Points cafe. Order the fried chicken or smothered pork chop with classic sides like red beans and rice, hushpuppies, or seasoned fries. 2736 Welton St., 303-296-6602. Lunch, Dinner City Park West / Pizza This neighborhood joint has an excellent selection of New Haven–style pizzas and house-made pastas . Pair the Porky Porkorino, topped with soppressata, mozzarella, pickled chiles, and spicy honey, with a frozen negroni. Reservations not accepted. 1702 Humboldt St., 303-862-5323. Lunch, Dinner

2020 COLORADO CRAFT DISTILLER OF THE YEAR Dry Land Distillers produces unique spirits influenced and inspired

by Colorado’s landscapes. With a focus on single grain 100% wheat whiskeys, prickly pear cactus spirits, and native Colorado gin, Dry Land spirits are the authentic flavors of the American West.

HANDCRAFTED AT-HOME COCKTAILS

ELEVATE YOUR AT-HOME BAR WITH DRY LAND SPIRITS & COCKTAIL KITS Find us at your favorite Denver area bottle shops.

You can also order handcrafted cocktails and bottles online for weekly delivery throughout the Front Range.

 DRYLANDDISTILLERS.COM • 720.600.4945

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DINING GUIDE Whittier Cafe

$

Whittier / Cafe This espresso bar, which supports social justice-related causes, serves coffee, beer, and wine sourced from African nations and a small menu of pastries, burritos, paninis, and more.

Reservations not accepted. 1710 E. 25th Ave., 720-550-7440. Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch

25 B E S T

The Wolf’s Tailor

$$$$

Sunnyside / Contemporary Chef Kelly Whitaker fuses Asian and Italian techniques and ingredients. The results, such as 7x brisket braised in dashi and red wine and house-extruded mafaldine pasta with koji tomatoes, are unique and delicious. Reservations accepted. 4058 Tejon St., 720-456-6507. Dinner

Y In-Person Event June 5th Sloan’s Lake Park

Virtual Event June 4-6th

Please join us for the hybrid Petri Dash

Yahya’s Mediterranean Grill & Pastries

Yazoo Barbeque Company

The Petri Dash In-Person Event will take place on Saturday June 5, 2021 at Sloan’s Lake in Denver, CO. The Petri Dash National Virtual Event will take place Friday–Sunday June 4-6, 2021 from anywhere you want.

To learn more about the event, please visit

www.petridash.org For Sponsorship and/or Volunteer Opportunities, please contact Jennifer@morganadamsfoundation.org

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$

Five Points / Barbecue This unpretentious barbecue joint offers a Deep South menu, featuring slow-smoked pork ribs, chicken wings, and brisket with comforting sides like creamy coleslaw and hash brown casserole. Also try the Greenwood Village location. 2150 Broadway, 303-296-3334.

Lunch, Dinner

A National Virtual and Local In-Person Event!

The 2021 Petri Dash is a hybrid In-person and Virtual Walk, Run, Bike or Swim event that benefits The Morgan Adams Foundation, an organization that raises money and awareness for children with cancer. Whether you walk, run, bike or swim, get outside and help support kids’ cancer research today!

$$

City Park West / Mediterranean This family-run restaurant serves silky hummus, a variety of excellent grilled kebabs, and from-scratch sweets. Reservations accepted. 2207 E. Colfax Ave., 720-532-8746. Lunch, Dinner

Z Zeppelin Station

$$

RiNo / International This industrial-chic food hall is home to eight globally inspired food and drink vendors, including OK Poke, La Rola Urban Columbian, Thai-Kun, Graves Good Burger, East Side King, and Soy Pinoy. 3501 Wazee St., 720-4601978. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

Zoe Ma Ma

Downtown / Chinese This counter-service spot offers Chinese home-style cooking. Order the spicy Szechuan braised beef noodle soup, featuring homemade noodles, and the pork buns. Also try the Boulder location. 1625 Wynkoop St., 303-545-6262. Lunch, Dinner

Zorba’s

$

$$

Congress Park / Greek Zorba’s has served American and Greek diner fare—gyros, burgers, salads, sandwiches, and classic breakfast dishes—in the Congress Park neighborhood since 1979. Don’t miss the huevos rancheros. Reservations not accepted. 2626 E. 12 Ave., 303-321-0091.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 These listings are in no way related to advertising in 5280. If

you find that a restaurant differs significantly from the information in its listing or your favorite restaurant is missing from the Dining Guide, please let us know. Write us at 5280 Publishing, Inc., 1675 Larimer St., Suite 675, Denver, CO 80202 or dining@5280.com.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

CAMP

GUIDE 20

Denver Zoo Safari Camps

Denver, CO (720) 337-1400 denverzoo.org/safari-camps

These fun, safe, four-season educational programs will teach your curious cubs all about the wonders of the natural world.

Summer at Ricks

Denver, CO (303) 871-4839 margaret.wright@du.edu

Summer at Ricks blends fun summer activities with rich learning experiences all while enjoying the benefits of the University of Denver campus.

Campers entering preschool – 6th grade will enjoy weekly themes and specialty camps ranging from Inventors Workshop to Art in Motion and more.

21

Denver Botanic Gardens

Denver, CO (720) 865-3580 gardencamp@botanicgardens.org

Grow your mind with our garden camps. Discover the world around you through art, science, gardening and outdoor exploration. 9 a.m.—4 p.m., ages 6—12.

Colorado Watersports

Denver, CO (303) 697-7433 coloradowatersports.com

A safe, positive, and fun experience for every child is our overriding goal. We offer both a sailing and a paddlecraft camp, both camps introduce kids to the basics of sailing or paddlecraft, no experience necessary! This all takes place in our safe and controlled ‘No Wake Zone’ of Chatfield lake, with our highly qualified and experienced instructors close by.

Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms

Littleton, CO (720) 865-3580 gardencamp@botanicgardens.org

Explore nature, meet farm animals and learn how to grow food while immersed in life on the farm.

9 a.m.—4 p.m., ages 6—12.

TELL 5280 READERS ABOUT YOUR SUMMER CAMP! Contact 303.832.5280 for more information.

2021 February Camp Guide

69

DYNASTY!

ATTN: Denverites Stay in the know on all things Denver business.

SIGN UP TODAY for our biweekly roundup of the deals, news, and trends shaping the Front Range economy.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 59

Evans: The minute they found out that people loved to watch us beat each other up, it was every season.

Esther Shapiro: It’s not an opera, so you’re not going to sing. So what else can they do except go at each other?

Evans: The first fight was when I came to her apartment because I found out that she was responsible for shooting the gun that made the horse drag me and I lost my baby.

It was pretty serious stuff. They came to me and said, “We’re thinking about doing a fight, how do you feel?” I said, “Oh my God, Barbara Stanwyck [who co-starred with Evans on the 1960s TV show The Big Valley] raised me on how to do this.”

Miller: Joan did not like these, uh, physical things.... The minute it started getting rough, Joan would say, “Can we have the stunt doubles?”

Jeannie Epper (Evans’ stuntwoman in the famous Lily Pond fight scene, in which the characters wrestle in a water fountain): My job was to run, grab her, and take her into the water. [Collins] is so funny. I dunked her, and when she came up she was sopping wet. When it was time for her close-up, she wanted them to spritz her. And Linda looked at her, and Linda looked at me, and she said, “I don’t think so, Joan,” and she took her head and pushed it underwater.

Reign’s End SUBSCRIBE for FREE 5280.COM/NEWSLETTERS

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Dynasty’s ratings began to fall after the 1985 finale, while the show’s cost continued to climb. In 1988, ABC moved the soap from its Wednesday time slot to Thursday night—where it competed with NBC’s powerful lineup of The Cosby Show, A Different World, and Cheers.

Paulsen (who took over as executive producer during the final season): The president of ABC hated the show. He told me so.

He said, “I’ve been trying to get this damn show off the air for years. Next summer I’m going to do it.” Which kind of put a cap on my run.

Miller: [The Moldavian Massacre] was the beginning of the end.… It lost its believability at that point.

Paulsen: Times were changing. This was in 1988. The first batch of the ’80s was the Reagan era, and everything was a bit more fanciful then, when people had more money, people were out having a good time—more than they were in the ’70s.

But toward the ’90s, things were getting more serious.

Esther Shapiro: It’s one thing to do fantasy grounded in reality. It’s when you get out of this world and it gets that much bigger that it just—you better get off the air.

To rein in costs, Paulsen cut the appearances of Dynasty’s two main female protagonists; Krystle developed a brain tumor, and the surgery to remove it left her in a coma (just in case the show decided to bring her back).

Evans: I asked to leave Dynasty because I thought the show was going to go on forever. It didn’t feel like there could be an ending to it.

Paulsen: I also negotiated Joan down from 22 episodes to I think 11. She did not like that at all.

Forsythe: I didn’t want to be on a show that continued to deteriorate. But that’s the very nature of television, I think. It comes to a point and then the juices stop flowing and, unfortunately, the show then goes out of existence.

Esther Shapiro: Every time we got away from the core characters and the core kind of relationships, Dynasty suffered.

Dynasty fell to 69th in the ratings and was canceled following the season nine finale, in which an agent of a mysterious organization called the Collection shoots Blake on the steps of the Carrington mansion. Still, the series spawned a spinoff, a 1991 reunion, and, in 2017, a reboot on the CW. Cramer: When people ask me what I think of it, or how I feel about it today, I just say I loved what television was. The things I think back to—the catfights in Dynasty, and Archie Bunker yelling at his wife, and Noël Coward and Mary Martin singing in their show, or Dinah Shore, or some of those great Carol Burnetts. We don’t have that anymore.

Richard Shapiro: I think Dynasty did what television is meant to do. It entertained people. I think that’s the legacy.

Esther Shapiro: I think it’s about fantasy, really. I think it allows you to fulfill some fantasies that you don’t have in your everyday life. Especially for women. Just for an hour or so, you can experience all that. That’s what I think. m Spencer Campbell is 5280’s features editor.

Email him at letters@5280.com.

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ENGLEWOOD | $925,000 5br/4ba home w/an open floor plan. Kitchen w/stainless steel appliances and breakfast nook. Master suite w/5-piece bath and walk-in closet.

Finished basement w/5th bedroom, 4th bath and flex space. Complete w/a deck, covered dining area and backyard.

Jennifer Bub 303.253.4969 jennifer.bub@coloradohomes.com | JenniferBubRealEstate.com

BOULDER | $919,000 This spectacular home in the popular Martin Acres neighborhood has been beautifully and completely remodeled from top to bottom!

Enjoy over 2,300 square feet of finished living space. 6 bedrooms and 3 baths, garage plus off-street parking. WOW!

Amy Metz 720.272.7337 amy.metz@coloradohomes.com | AmyMetz.cbintouch.com The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service, and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification. Affiliated real estate agents are independent contractor sales associates, not employees ©2021 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker

ColdwellBankerHomes.com

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guiding you home since 1906

DENVER | $900,000 Custom 6br/4ba home offers vaulted ceilings, staircase w/iron spindle railing, hardwoods, spacious kitchen & family room. Large main floor master suite offers 5pc bath. The finished basement boasts a bar. Patio off the kitchen w/wall of rose bushes.

Garvin Laverick 720.245.9956 GarvinLaverick@gmail.com | LaverickRealEstate.com

DENVER | $789,900 Mountain Modern styling shines through in this exquisitely remodeled 2br/2ba condo w/breathtaking view of the city. On the 26th floor w/pristine acacia wood floors throughout, an open floor plan includes a gourmet kitchen w/custom cabinetry, huge slab granite island & a Bosch double oven. Master bathroom equipped w/walk-in steam shower. Secondary bedroom w/custom built murphy bed.

Alex Addesso 720.990.3787 alex.addesso@coloradohomes.com logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC and franchised offices which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act.

ColdwellBankerHomes.com

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DENVER | $790,125 Former 4br/4ba model home w/south facing living room w/classically styled fireplace, kitchen w/knotty Alder cabinetry, slab granite & butler’s pantry, patio w/private fireplace, main floor master w/dual closets & 5pc bath & lower level w/family room.

MEAD | PRICE UPON REQUEST Custom 4br/3ba on 2+ acres w/views. Backs to open space, new roof/gutters, kitchen remodel, HVAC & A/C, main floor master, kitchen nook w/skylights, formal dining & cathedral ceiling.

Ron Buss 303.808.5390 Ron@BTDProperties.com | BTDProperties.com

Janie Larson 720.937.2676 ladtjane@gmail.com

ERIE | $750,000 Contemporary 5br/4ba ranch on an almost 1/4-acre corner lot w/on-trend flooring, living room w/fireplace, kitchen w/island, quality appliances & modern lighting & finished basement.

LAFAYETTE | $725,000 4br/3.5ba home. Kitchen w/alder cabinets, granite counters, SS appliances and pantry. Family room w/expansive windows and a gas fireplace. Master suite w/an updated bath and a walk-in closet. Complete w/a finished basement and a private backyard.

Brie Fowler 303.882.8672 Brandon Rearick 970.691.0122

The Sartell Bliss Team 720.771.9345 bethanysartell@gmail.com | SartellBlissTeam.com

ERIE | PRICE UPON REQUEST Private 3br/1ba oasis on nearly an acre! Upgraded custom kitchen w/farm sink & counter space. Large windows! Office, finished basement, covered patio, workshop/barn w/pastures.

Brie Fowler 303.882.8672 Sarah Bobo 303.818.1948

ColdwellBankerHomes.com

WESTMINSTER | $629,000 3br/3ba home w/open floor plan and mountain views.

Kitchen w/granite counters, breakfast bar and work desk.

Family room w/fireplace. Main floor master suite w/5-piece bath and walk-in closet. Complete w/a basement, 3-car garage and landscaped yard.

Cybyske Home Team 303.635.1100 Lisa@cybyske.com | Cybyske.com

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guiding you home since 1906

HIGHLANDS RANCH | $585,000 4br/4ba home. Kitchen w/upgraded granite counters, SS appliances and a mountain view. All bedrooms are upstairs.

Complete w/a walk-out finished basement and large deck w/mountain views.

LONE TREE | PRICE UPON REQUEST Beautiful 3br/4ba townhome w/plantation shutters, new carpet, fresh paint, kitchen w/ss appliances & granite counters, main floor master w/5pc bath & finished walk-out basement.

Kristine Stirling 303.881.4768 kristine.stirling@coloradohomes.com | KristineStirling.com

Lindsay Schulze 720.550.2282 lindsay.schulze@coloradohomes.com | LindsaySchulze.com

LOVELAND | $550,000 3br/2ba home. Living room w/a wood burning fireplace.

Master bedroom w/a 3/4 master bath. Backyard w/a deck, pergola, gazebo and mountain views. Complete w/a 2-car garage and 2 bay shop. Close to trails, golf courses, restaurants and Estes Park.

Jimmy Stewart 970.290.3755 Jackson Lamperes 970.556.9063

CENTENNIAL | $500,000 5br/4ba home offers a master w/5pc bath & walk in closet, kitchen w/ss appliances, family room w/fireplace, study. Finished walkout basement includes a rec room w/full wet bar. Ground level patio & renovated Trex deck w/Rocky Mountain views.

Rae Marie Heard 720.234.7918 RaeMarie.Heard@coloradohomes.com | raemarie.cbintouch.com

BRIGHTON | $475,000 4br/3ba home w/almost 4,000 sqftsqft andand an open floor plan. tKitchen 4br/3ba home w/almost 4,000 an open floor plan. tKitchen w/granite counters, SS SS appliances, tile tile backsplash andand a pantry.

Main w/granite counters, appliances, backsplash a pantry.

Main floor master suite w/an updated 5-piece bath andand a walk-in closet. floor master suite w/an updated 5-piece bath a walk-in closet.

Complete w/aw/a finished basement andand a backyard.

Complete finished basement a backyard.

FORT COLLINS | $437,500 4br/2ba tri-level home in the quiet neighborhood of Foothills Park w/vinyl floors throughout main and lower level. Complete w/a fenced-in backyard w/a patio. Close access to hiking and biking trails, CSU as well as Old Town shopping and restaurants.

Cybyske Home Team 303.635.1100 Lisa@cybyske.com | Cybyske.com

Jimmy Stewart 970.290.3755 jimmy@thekeygroupre.com | TheKeyGroupRE.com

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

BRIGHTON | $410,000 4br/3ba home. Kitchen w/granite countertops, SS appliances and updated backsplash. Family room w/fireplace and shiplap walls. Master suite w/walk-in closet, full bath and sitting area. Full unfinished basement, 2-car garage, nice backyard and deck.

GOLDEN | $400,000 4br/2ba - solid brick ranch home boasts hardwood floors, mountain views, vinyl windows & large yard. 2 sheds, fire pit & horseshoe pit. Kitchen has cupboards galore.

Lisa Lovely 303.880.0599 lisa.lovely@coloradohomes.com | LisaLovely.cbintouch.com

Homes At New Heights Team 303.475.3096 HomesAtNewHeights@gmail.com | HomesAtNewHeights.com

WESTMINSTER | $400,000 3br/3ba home w/an open floor plan w/a kitchen and dining areas opening into the living space w/a gas stove. Master bedroom w/a walk-in closet. There is a spacious loft and a basement workroom.

Complete w/a 2-car garage and a fenced backyard.

DENVER | PRICE UPON REQUEST Coveted 3br/2ba ranch on a corner lot w/expansive floor plan, new fence, vinyl flooring, ss kitchen appliances, siding, windows, roof & AC system, remodeled master bath w/walk in closet & expanded concrete patio. Close to Westwood Park.

Rob Thompson 719.337.7254 rob.thompson@coloradohomes.com | RobThompsonHomes.com

Dan DeBacco 720.955.6111 Dan.DeBacco@coloradohomes.com | DeBaccoRealEstate.com

PEYTON | PRICE UPON REQUEST Richmond built 3br/3ba home offers vaulted ceilings, open floor plan, hardwood floors, updated kitchen w/granite counters & newer appliances, family rm w/gas fireplace, spacious loft w/peak views, generously sized Master suite w/master bath & patio.

DENVER | PRICE UPON REQUEST Remodeled 2br/4ba condo w/newly finished hardwood floors, updated kitchen w/white shaker cabinets, newer appliances & granite counters, dining area, fireplace, private outdoor space, 2 Master suites w/updated baths & finished basement w/wet bar.

Shannon Byerly 303.919.2611 YourFreshStartRealtor@gmail.com | YourFreshStartRealtor.com

Shannon Byerly 303.919.2611 YourFreshStartRealtor@gmail.com | YourFreshStartRealtor.com

ColdwellBankerHomes.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

guiding you home since 1906

LITTLETON | PRICE UPON REQUEST

DENVER | $549,999

PARKER | PRICE UPON REQUEST

Elegant home offers a living room that flows through to the dining room & on to the kitchen & family room. 4br/4ba offers a study, finished basement, master suite w/5pc bath & deck.

Incredible opportunity on a great block in Sunnyside. Solid brick bungalow with tons of upside. Fix and flip, pop the top, rental property or keep as-is. Possibilities are endless.

Open concept 4br/4ba home backs to open space w/3-car garage, home office, living & dining rooms, family room w/fireplace, eat-in kitchen & owners retreat w/5pc bath & walk in closet.

Reuben McKelvey 720.840.7763

P.J. Farrell 303.884.5368

Leah Gustafson 720.666.4654

AURORA | $450,000

DENVER | $445,000

ERIE | PRICE UPON REQUEST

Gorgeous 3br/3ba home boasts an open floor plan, living & dining rm, hand scraped hardwoods, updated kitchen w/alder cabinets, ss appliances, granite counters & copper tile backsplash.

1br/1ba condo. Kitchen w/granite counters and newer appliances.

There is an in-unit laundry. Complete w/a deeded parking space, 2 deeded storage units and numerous building amenities.

3br | 3ba | 2,897 sqft | Patio Home | Open- Concept Design | Living Room w/Fireplace | Master w/5pc bath & 2 walk-in closets | Office | 3-Car Garage | Back to Parks | Near downtown Erie.

Jennifer Oldham 720.234.3863

Mike Kornelsen 303.918.8910

Brie Fowler 303.882.8672 Brandon Rearick 970.691.0122

COMMERCE CITY | $440,000

DENVER | $428,652

PARKER | $420,000

3br/2ba ranch style home in the Buckley Ranch neighborhood w/a full walkout basement and a three-car garage. Wonderful location near schools, parks, shopping and easy access to DIA.

4br/3ba home w/an open floor plan. Kitchen w/stainless steel appliances and granite. Master suite w/a master bath. Finished basement w/2 bedrooms and family room. Complete w/a private yard.

P.J. Farrell 303.884.5368

3br/3ba home has vaulted ceilings, hickory floors, kitchen w/granite counters & mosaic tile backsplash, family room w/porcelain tiling, finished basement & master w/travertine bath.

Christy Hepp 303.910.5393

Jaclyn Baca Carroll 720.318.0755

BAILEY | $410,000

CENTENNIAL | PRICE UPON REQUEST

AURORA | $400,000

Adorable 4br/2ba Mountain Chalet w/easy access to Highway 285, built in 1976, fresh paint & updated bath. Large 9-car garage. Great 2nd home or primary residence.

3br/1.5ba home. Kitchen w/white cabinets, tiled granite countertops with a breakfast eat-in area. Family room w/a stone fireplace. Thoughtfully updated from roof to floors. Must see!

Beautiful remodeled 3br/2ba home backing to Horseshoe Park.

Gorgeous kitchen w/granite counters & creamy white cabinets.

Laminate wood flooring & newer carpet. Brand new central A/C.

Vicki Wimberly 303.210.8577

Carla Knight 720.626.9747

Jennifer Oldham 720.234.3863

ColdwellBankerHomes.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PARKER | $390,000

CASTLE ROCK | $385,000

AURORA | PRICE UPON REQUEST

Remodeled 2br/2.5ba townhouse. Kitchen w/slab granite counter-tops & ss appliances. Owner’s suite w/en suite. Complete w/an unfinished basement, a/c, 1 car garage & carport.

3br/3ba townhome in the Latigo neighborhood w/hardwood floors and new paint. This unit fronts up to open space next to a trail and has spectacular views. Complete w/private front patio.

3br/2ba home w/an open floor plan. Kitchen w/newer stainless steel appliances! Upper level w/2 bedrooms and full bath.

Complete w/a lower level as well as a backyard and a new deck!

The Rowley Group 303.841.1021

Jen Brink 303.653.2738

Lindsay Schulze 720.550.2282

DENVER | $370,000

COLORADO SPRINGS | $339,900

AURORA | $315,000

2br/2.5ba home w/an open living room. Kitchen w/30-inch cabinets, butler pantry and Formica countertops. Master bedroom has private bath and walk-in closet. Complete w/fenced backyard.

4br/1.5ba home offers a vaulted living space. Kitchen w/ss appliances. Upper level has a master suite, full bath and 2 additional bedrooms. Complete w/a finished basement and a backyard.

2br/2ba condo w/an open floor plan, gas fireplace and multi-purpose secondary living space. Master bedroom w/5-piece master bath and walk-in closet. Complete w/2-car garage and a deck.

David DeElena 720.275.2091

Donna Jarock 303.718.6285

Tracy Smith 303.505.1047

DENVER | $295,000

THORNTON | PRICE UPON REQUEST

CENTRAL CITY | $275,000

1br/2ba condo w/open floor plan. Kitchen w/ss appliances, granite counters, espresso cabinets and a pantry. Master suite w/walk-in closet and 5-piece bath. Complete w/a covered balcony.

2br/2ba home. Kitchen w/tons of white cabinets & stainless steel appliances. Upstairs has 2 bedrooms with en suite bath and upper laundry. Complete with large backyard and 2-car garage.

Charming & rustic 1br/1ba log cabin on almost 2/3 acre of stone terraced hillside. Rough sawn siding, wood floors & stone/brick chimney add character to a vaulted interior & loft.

Tyler Draheim 720.737.2185 Marilyn and Larry McFall 720.232.8212

Kimberly Ryan 303.523.8333

Mike Fuentes 303.679.8055 Terry Robinson 303.898.3658

WESTMINSTER | PRICE UPON REQUEST

DUMONT | $230,000

AURORA | $186,000

3br/2ba townhome offers an open floor plan, kitchen w/sink window, laundry & powder room, wood burning fireplace large master w/huge walk-in closet & private backyard. Great location!

Remodeled 2br/1ba mountain cabin w/open floor plan. Granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances. New furnace and water heater. County maintained roads and close to I-70.

$7,000 improvements: New flooring, new carpet, new paint, new closet doors, new blinds. Stone fireplace, stackable washer/dryer included, fenced in backyard area to let your pets out.

Team Fontyn 303.359.9937

Vicki Wimberly 303.210.8577 Carmen Elam 469.231.4497

Derrek Patrick 720.987.5271

ColdwellBankerHomes.com

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BACKSTORY

PETS WITH A PURPOSE

80 5 2 8 0

BEES

LOCAL RESOURCE

In the rear third of your lot, you are allowed up to two hives as long as a six-foot-tall screen (such as a fence or a hedge) surrounds them.

Beekeepers as industrious as their insects can harvest up to 90 pounds of honey annually as well as wax for candles or cosmetics.

Startup costs run $250 to $400, and although regular maintenance is fairly minimal, it can be intimidating (see: at least 10,000 stingers per hive).

Littleton’s To Bee or Not To Bee store sells supplies online and offers expertise to customers over the phone. tobeeornottobee.us

CHICKENS

THE CHALLENGES

Eight hens or ducks is your limit, and their coop must be in the back half of your property so your neighbors don’t feel like they’re living next to Noah.

You’ll reap richly flavored eggs, possibly in a rainbow of colors, depending on the breeds of your feathered flock of friends.

Behind those brunch frittatas is an arduous workload that includes checking that the hens’ backsides aren’t crusted over with dried droppings.

Through Labor Day (it’s possible to launch your operation in winter, but most people begin in spring and summer), Wardle Feed & Pet Supply in Wheat Ridge stocks chicks and all the equipment you’ll need. wardlefeed.com

FISH

THE GOODS

You can have as many fish in your sea as you like, as long as you aren’t breeding them for resale.

Raise tilapia, trout, catfish, and bass in about five gallons of water per pound.

Whether it’s a Rubbermaid tub in a basement with a pump and grow light or an elaborate passive solar greenhouse, setup may feel daunting.

The Aquaponic Source has an appointment-only warehouse in Wheat Ridge and sells equipment online. theaquaponicsource.com

GOATS

THE RULES

Two dwarf goats, plus any offspring younger than six months old, may live on the back 50 percent of your land.

Goat milk can be enjoyed fresh or used to make ice cream, yogurt, or cheese.

To keep producing milk, female goats must get pregnant periodically. That means finding your gal a buck once she’s in heat and delivering her kid(s) five months later.

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Urban Homesteading, by Coloradan Sundari Elizabeth Kraft, has a thorough chapter about goat care. amazon.com

WORMS

THE CRITTER

The first rule of vermicomposting (using worms to help your food scraps and lawn waste decompose) is that there are no rules.

Worms eat their weight in organic matter every day and leave behind castings—aka poop—that serve as a robust fertilizer for your garden.

You’ll need to bring your bin indoors should temperatures drop below freezing to prevent the worms from perishing.

If pandemic restrictions allow, Denver Urban Gardens, in partnership with Denver Recycles, will resume free vermicomposting classes in May or June. dug.org

F E B RUA RY 2 0 2 1

I L L U S T R AT I O N BY J E N N L I V

Getty Images (icons)

When grocery store shelves lay bare following last March’s spate of panic-buying, even the most Amazon-dependent Coloradan felt his or her survivalist instincts stir. Thanks to Denver’s relatively tolerant urban farming laws—and this prepper’s primer—you can be ready to feed your family from your own homestead should future disasters arise. —JESSICA LARUSSO

CLOSE TO HOME,

A WORLD AWAY.

Make our home your getaway. Renew and unwind at The Broadmoor with Winter Spectacular rates starting at $249 per night. Pamper your body and revitalize your mind in our luxury spa and fitness center. Savor delightful meals in our award-winning restaurants. Or take on an adventure with some of our Broadmoor experiences such as falconry, zip lining, mountain biking and more. It’s all here, just a short drive away, waiting for you and your family.

You deserve it.

Visit broadmoor.com today and prepare to be enchanted.

Based on space availability for select dates November 2020 through March 2021. Not applicable to groups. Rates do not include applicable taxes and fees.

Valid for new bookings only.

844.875.9882

BROADMOOR.COM