5280 Magazine June 2021

THE DENVER MAGAZINE

akes 8 Amazing Colorado

Swimming Holes For All Your Warm-Weather Getaways!

PAGE 50

Take in the spectacular views from Grand Lake.

JUNE 2021 |

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GET OUT OF TOWN WITH THESE 27 FOOTHILLS ESCAPES PAGE 60

THE RIDGWAY FILMMAKERS TURNING ADVENTURE INTO ART

BY JULIE DUGDALE

TIPS FOR DATING DURING 2021’S SUMMER OF LOVE PAGE 120

OPEN FOR REDISCOVERY

Amp the Cause for a brighter future

Amp the Cause improves the lives of Colorado’s children and families through partnerships with more than 55 local nonprofit organizations.

Amp the Cause’s events generate funding and awareness for local charities that help with the health, education and welfare of children.

Community Day Community Day is a day dedicated to community service that sends over 800 volunteers providing 5,000+ hours of service to 55 local nonprofits.

Holidays for Kids Holidays for Kids provides a once-in-a-lifetime holiday experience for children, complete with arts and crafts, face painters, a visit from Santa, lunch, and a backpack full of books and toys for each child.

Denver Day of Rock Denver Day of Rock is a free music festival that features five stages of live music along Denver’s 16th Street Mall.

Denver Day of Rock unites the community through music and family friendly entertainment while also raising funds.

Fill the Void This year round program provides $250 grocery gift cards from local neighborhood supermarkets to the most vulnerable families suffering from hunger and food insecurity.

Please donate at fillthevoidcolorado.org

Donate at ampthecause.org

MANDATORY QUARANTINE HAS LIFTED. SO HAVE OUR SPIRITS.

In Santa Fe, you don’t have to go looking for culture.

Because in every step you take, culture will find you.

The City Different is ready to safely welcome you back with open arms and hearts.

It’s a quick drive and an even quicker flight.

Uncover your different at SantaFe.org.

FEATURES

J U N E 2021

Floyd Hill Open Space’s the Sluice, a 1.3-mile trail built for downhill mountain bikers 

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Colorado is home to thousands of acres of the world’s most epic terrain—and to cutting-edge inventors, ski bums, and pro athletes who are making some of the best gadgets, gizmos, toys, and tools to help you explore it.

Come On In! Our lakes might not bear the “Great” honorific, but what Coloradans’ favorite swimming holes lack in notoriety, they more than make up for in the range of experiences they offer. The Centennial State’s lake life beckons.

Are you ready?

BY KIM HABICHT

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BY SPENCER CAMPBELL

TK

In the first half of 2020, Coloradans reported $15.5 million in losses to consumer scams—up from $11.3 million in all of 2015. As our lives become more digitized, scammers are finding new ways to steal our money.

So how can you protect yourself? We explain.

BY LINDSEY B. KING

76 TK

In the first half of 2020, Coloradans reported $15.5 million in losses to consumer scams—up fng the COVID-19 pandemic, people who’ve never experienced mental health issues are enduring some of the emotions one 5280 editor feels almost every day of his life.

BY GEOFF VAN DYKE

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Head For The Foothills If you’re like us, there’s only one thing on your mind after the winter we’ve had: Get. Me. Out. Of. This. House.

Which is why we’ve rounded up 27 of the Front Range foothills’ best escapes, one for every weekend day this summer—plus a few experts to help guide you through new adventures.

BY NICHOLAS HUNT

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It Takes Two

A husband-and-wife duo brings an expedition-style filmmaking studio to the San Juan Mountains.

BY JULIE DUGDALE

Jonathan Crays/Courtesy of Colorado Mountain Bike Association

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SCOTT BERNARD Connecting Home Buyers and Sellers in Vail Valley, Denver Metro and Beyond

#15

Ranked #15 by Sales Volume for Q1 2021 in the Cherry Creek Office out of 135 brokers

3rd

3rd Highest Condo Sale in Vail Village - represented the buyer - Q1 2020

5280 Top Producer Recognized by 5280 as a Black Diamond Real Estate Top Producer Photo: Kylie Fitts

To get the process started to buy or sell real estate in Vail Valley or Denver, please contact me: 720-515-5091 scott.bernard@sothebysrealty.com

Instagram: @swbernard @vail.colorado.scott scottwbernard.com

DEPTS. COMPASS 19 EVENTS

26

A new partnership between the Juneteenth Music Festival and Denver Pride is something to celebrate twice.

20 HEALTH

Inside a Colorado startup that’s making access to genderaffirming care its business.

EAT & DRINK

22 WILD THINGS 24 OUTDOORS

31 WHAT’S HOT

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South American fusion fare endures at Los Cabos downtown.

32 INTRODUCTION

Why local podcaster Emily Holland is exploring the connection between addiction, recovery, and recreation.

5280’s new food editor, Patricia Kaowthumrong, shares how embracing her heritage has shaped her appetite for inclusive culinary exploration.

26 DIVERSIONS

In anticipation of a summer full of in-person reunions, we curated the best new books, tunes, and movies from Colorado creatives for you and your friends to gather around.

34 ESSAY

Creating a “restaurant” for birds outside his home caused our dining critic to ruminate on the nature of animal consciousness.

28 CULTURE

Denver poet Suzi Q. Smith ponders the end times in her latest collection.

BY SCOTT MOWBRAY

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24

74 DINING GUIDE

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

BACKSTORY 120 SUMMER OF LOVE

ON THE COVER

The new lingo and rules of engagement that define postpandemic dating in Denver.

Photograph by Matt Nager

34 5280 (ISSN 10826815) is published monthly by 5280 Publishing, Inc., 1675 Larimer St., Suite 675, Denver, CO 80202. Subscriptions are $16 for one year (12 issues). Back issues are available for $5.99 plus tax and shipping by visiting shop.5280.com. Periodical postage paid at Denver, CO, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS (see DMM 707.4.12.5). NONPOSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: Send address corrections to 5280 Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 37270, Boone, IA 50037-4270. Canadian Post Publications Mail Agreement No. #40065056 Canadian Return Address: DP Global Mail, 4960-2 Walker Road, Windsor, ON N9A 6J3. 5280® is a federally registered trademark owned by 5280 Publishing, Inc. 5280 also owns trademark registrations for TOP OF THE TOWN, DENVER’S TOP DOCTORS, DENVER MAGAZINE, COLORADO PARENT, and COUTURE COLORADO. © 2021 5280 Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.

Clockwise from top left: Sarah Banks; Courtesy of Penguin Random House/Riverhead Books; Sarah Banks; Jessie Lin; Peter Strain

One of Boulder’s nocturnal bats pleads her species’ case.

Brian Malek Fractured Vertebra Brian feared he’d never walk again after a mountain bike accident left him with a fractured C4 vertebra. Thanks to quick treatment and his will to recover, he’s not just walking—he’s back behind his handlebars.

Read Brian’s story at: uchealth.org/stories.

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Discover Arts Aspen

CREATIVITY, ELEVATED We offer it all, bringing you the arts experiences you love in person and online. Oscar® winners on the screen. New York Times best-sellers in conversation. World-class theatre on the banks of the river. Classical music meets contemporary ballet. Inspired ideas and today’s most important works of art abound. Historic perspectives set against timeless mountain views. Create your own masterpiece and enrich your soul, here in Aspen, or, wherever you happen to be right now.

andersonranch.org ∙ aspenartmuseum.org ∙ aspenchamber.org ∙ aspenfilm.org ∙ aspenhistory.org redbrickaspen.com ∙ aspenmusicfestival.com ∙ aspensantafeballet.com ∙ aspenwords.org ∙ theatreaspen.org ∙ wheeleroperahouse.com Photo: Esther Macy Nooner, Studio Coordinator Photography and New Media Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Maroon Bells, 2019

HEALTH WILD THINGS OUTDOORS DIVERSIONS CULTURE 

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Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/the Denver Post via Getty Images

Dancers perform on the Civic Center main stage during 2019’s Denver Pride.

Better Together

A new partnership between the Juneteenth Music Festival and Denver Pride is something to celebrate twice.

CoMPASS

For decades, the third weekend of June heralded complicated identity-juggling for Colorado’s Black LGBTQ community. Denver Pride, the celebration of queer liberation run by the Center on Colfax since 1977, attracted 450,000 revelers in 2019. Yet some of those attendees were missing another important observance. Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States, falls on June 19, so festivities—including the nineyear-old Juneteenth Music Festival, which brought in 90,000 celebrants in 2019—usually coincided with Denver Pride. “We wanted our community to be able to attend both,” says Joe Foster, the center’s vice president of development and communication. So when city officials suggested moving Denver Pride one weekend later, Foster’s team happily complied. That’s no small thing, says Juneteenth Music Festival director Norman Harris, but the resulting alliance outshines any logistical frustrations. Juneteenth will incorporate more aspects of queer culture, like drag, and Denver Pride plans to bring in more vendors and performers of color. And that’s just year one, Harris says: “I’m excited to see what we create as we break down the silos.” —ANGELA UFHEIL JUNE 2021

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The Doctor Will Really See You Now A Colorado startup makes access to gender-affirming care its business.

The doctor’s office should be a place of healing.

For a transgender person, it’s often the site of trauma, where quality of care can run the gamut from microaggressive to downright discriminatory. “Physical and emotional safety in a health care setting is a big deal for a trans person,” says Denver physician Jerrica Kirkley.

Which is why she co-founded Plume in August 2019, along with her medical school friend Dr. Matthew Wetschler. One of the first known telehealth services exclusively for trans and nonbinary people, the Denver startup provides virtual access to gender-affirming care in 33 states. And that’s just the start. With $14 million in new venture capital funding announced this past February, Plume has likely become the largest trans-specializing health care provider in the country, if not the world. “The fact that we were able to raise that much money,” Kirkley says, “and dedicate it entirely to the trans community—I get chills every time I think about it.”

Dr. Jerrica Kirkley, The latest round of funding, led by Craft Ventures, a San Francisco–based firm co-founder of Plume whose portfolio has included everything from Facebook to SpaceX, represents a societal shift: Investing in underserved populations is no longer just philanthropic. It’s profitable. There are an estimated two million trans Americans, and Lainy Painter, a principal investor at Craft, notes that most of them face multiple barriers to health care access, from finding insurance that will cover hormone therapy to tracking down a provider with expertise in trans health. “[The investment was a] clear vote of confidence in Plume as the leader in this sector,” Painter says.

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Kirkley has seen both sides of those institutional barriers as a transgender woman and physician. “All the pain points you experience in the health care system are amplified as a trans person,” she says. “It’s like going to a doctor for high blood pressure, and there’s only two in the city who handle it, and you have to teach them how to treat it based on what you learned off the internet.”

For $99 a month, Plume members gain daily access to a care team—via phone, text, and video chat—that will create a personalized health plan including consultations, lab testing, prescriptions for hormone therapy, and letters of support for surgery. While the cost is still high for some, according to Plume it is about two to three times less expensive than paying out of pocket, a reality for the 10 to 20 percent of trans people nationally who are uninsured.

The value of affirming care is not just monetary; it’s lifesaving. A 2014 study from One Colorado, a queer-advocacy organization, found that nearly 40 percent of transgender Coloradans said they did not have an inclusive provider, and they were almost twice as likely to have contemplated death by suicide than their peers with trans-friendly doctors.

Plume now serves some 5,000 members. Such proven potential for growth may be good news for investors, but Kirkley says her primary focus over the next few years is simply to fill the gap in trans health care by improving the quality and expanding the types of services Plume provides.

“The goal,” she says, “is excellence.” —KAELYN LYNCH

I L L U S T R AT I O N BY C H I A R A V E R C E S I

Courtesy of Plume

HEALTH

Stacie Back Surgery 2017 Hip Surgery 2018 Shoulder Surgery 2019

“I TRUSTED ORTHOCOLORADO HOSPITAL TO GET ME BACK TO MY ACTIVE LIFE.” Hi, my name is Stacie.

Jessica Martinez, RN

When my back pain was too much to handle, I trusted OrthoColorado Hospital. And when I needed to get my hip and shoulder repaired, I trusted them again. My surgeons collaborated to provide me with whole person care. The doctors and the entire team at OrthoColorado treated me like a person, not just a patient. And thanks to them, I’m back on my feet.

At OrthoColorado Hospital, we are dedicated to providing orthopedic patients and their families a truly remarkable experience, and COVID-19 has not changed that. From the moment you enter our doors, your safety is our top concern. We are following CDC guidelines and have taken all the necessary steps to protect the wellbeing of our patients, staff, and visitors.

Trust OrthoColorado Hospital to get you back to the life you love.

Amit O. Agarwala, MD Spine Surgeon

To learn more, visit www.orthocolorado.org

WILD THINGS

OP-ED

KNOW BATS, KNOW THYSELF

Dear Colorado,

I write to you today in desperation. As a member of the Rocky Mountain bat community, I’ve grown up amid a swirl of unflattering stories about my kind. (I’ve never even met Dracula.) And now, research suggests the virus responsible for COVID-19 originated with our bat brothers and sisters. I can’t hang by as this news fuels the haters. Whether or not it’s true, the accusation shouldn’t blot out the good my species brings to Colorado—or overshadow the danger we face.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, bats save the country’s agricultural system as much as $53 billion a year. How? Our sonar deters many of the pests that would otherwise feast on your crops, and we try our best to eat the rest. Even our waste benefits humankind: The water in our urine helps hydrate sun- and rain-deprived areas of the Western Slope’s mountainous terrain, and our nutrient-packed guano works like fertilizer.

But that circle of life could stop spinning, says my pal Rick Adams, a bat ecologist at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. His studies have found that in hot, dry years, bats give birth to more males than females for some reason, and that trend has become the norm because of climate change. In 2007, as many as 80 percent of newborns on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains were dudes. And while it’s nice for a gal like me to have her pick of suitors, it’s not exactly ideal for continuing the species. Bats’ long life spans (20 years, on average) mean population impacts won’t appear for a while, but Adams says he expects to see fewer of us bats as the Earth continues to warm.

That’s why Adams’ work is so important. He’s been capturing, tagging, and releasing bats for decades (he netted me once; it scared the guano out of me, but it didn’t hurt). In 1995, he also started a Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) program called the Bat Counters, which recruits around 30 volunteers to pair up and take turns sitting outside roosting sites and watering holes at night to count how often we frequent the spots. The data from both projects help OSMP plan land management practices, such as putting up gates to prevent humans from

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poking around our caves.

(Can you all stop doing that, please?)

In fact, scientists say humanity’s encroachment on our habitats could be why diseases jump from bats to people. So even if SARS-CoV-2 came from us, I think we can agree that Homo sapiens share some responsibility.

I’m not writing to assign blame, though. Instead, I propose a truce: If you start protecting bat habitats and do something about climate change, we’ll keep munching on insects and fertilizing the mountains. After all, you’re not the only ones who love them.

Sincerely,

Vampira

I know, I know—it’s a family name

Michael Durham/Alamy Stock Photo (bat); Getty Images (paper)

One of Boulder’s nocturnal flyers pleads her species’ case. —AU

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OUTDOORS What makes addiction in the outdoor community unique?

It’s a community where the question is always, “How do we make this more epic, more intense?” People rely on substances to do just that. Part of it is also how incredibly pervasive drinking is. It’s shown to us by alcohol companies as integral to the outdoor sports we do, so I’d say that outdoorsy people have more triggers to drink than a lot of other communities.

What kinds of challenges can that create for those trying to get or stay sober?

Outdoor folks have this ingrained idea of, “We finished the hard thing, we are going to go get a beer.” But the more times you don’t have a drink after your ride or run, the more opportunity there is for your brain to think, “These things are not linked, and that’s OK.” Is that hard to do?

It doesn’t have to be. That type of thinking can help convince people they can’t stop drinking because of social repercussions.

In Her Nature

On February 16, 2020, Emily Holland decided she was finally done drinking. The writer and podcast producer had recently moved to Boulder from Boston to be closer to nature, and, after a decadelong abusive relationship with alcohol, realized that booze was only holding her back. Holland, now 29, also understood that her desires to get sober and be outside were connected. She just wasn’t sure how. To find the answer, she launched the Nature Untold podcast in January 2021 to explore the intersection between addiction, recovery, and the outdoors through interviews with folks from across the adventure community. With its second season dropping on June 15, we spoke with Holland about the show and what she’s learned from it along the way. —NICHOLAS HUNT

Why a local podcaster is examining the connection between addiction, recovery, and the outdoors.

5280: How did your relationship with alcohol change over the years?

Emily Holland: I don’t think anyone would have looked at me and said, “Oh, she has a drinking problem.” In the end, I really just felt like it was altering my mental state in a way that didn’t work with the life I was trying to build.

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Addiction is often seen as monolithic, but your experience shows that people’s decisions to get sober don’t have to start at rock bottom.

Absolutely. A big part of the podcast is just representing way more types of addiction, sobriety, and recovery than we typically see. Everyone’s story is different.

What’s new for season two?

I want to let people share their stories anonymously going forward.

That’s both for people who are worried about their reputations in the industry and for people who are early in their recoveries and aren’t ready to have their names out there.

And I’ll also be delving into topics like how the eating disorder community’s experiences parallel the addiction community’s with some reported episodes.

Is there something special about exploring these subjects through a podcast?

It’s an opportunity for someone to tell their whole story in such a contextual, full way that we don’t often get in life. When I interviewed Paddy O’Connell, a freelance outdoor content creator in Carbondale, he mentioned some traumatic childhood experiences. When I thanked him for his willingness to share, he said something pretty profound: Every time he shares these events, they not only lose power over him, they help normalize these kinds of discussions.

P H O T O G R A P H BY S A R A H B A N K S

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DIVERSIONS

WE MEET AGAIN

IMMUNITY UNLOCKED!

After more than a year of Zoom happy hours and virtual movie nights, the vaccine’s speedy rollout portends a summer of in-person reunions. But which piece of new entertainment from a Colorado creative should you and your friends gather around? We help you decide. —JORDAN CUTLER-TIETJEN

CATCH A SHOW

How do you want to make up for lost time with your friends and loved ones?

Feel like laughing until you cry, or just crying?

Bring on the waterworks

I’ve done plenty of sad sobbing; time for some mirth

LOS HERMANOS/ THE BROTHERS

Which genre do you want to dissect?

LISTEN TO SOME TUNES What’s the vibe?

High-stakes science-fiction adventure Literary fiction with a dose of drama

Co-produced by Coloradan Marcia Jarmel, this documentary follows two brothers—one a pianist in Havana, one a violinist in New York City—as they make music both apart and together as U.S.–Cuba relations freeze and thaw and freeze again. Released May 14; firstrunfeatures.com

Folksy and warm QUESTLAND

VIRTUE

In Boulder writer Hermione Hoby’s second novel, the allure and cruelty of New York City elites and up-and-comers play out to dramatic effect as a magazine intern becomes infatuated with an artist and her filmmaker husband.

July 20; penguin randomhouse.com

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If the TV show Westworld and the game Dungeons & Dragons had a baby, it would be this romp from Longmont’s Carrie Vaughn, which follows a burned-out professor recruited by a mega-rich tycoon to save his magical, unicorn-filled theme park. You know, just a regular day as an adjunct academic. June 22; hmhbooks.com

BEING DISABLED HAS ITS PERKS

Living with cerebral palsy is pretty funny, to hear Denver comedian Josh Blue tell it. Using warmth and bite, his 25-minute comedy special satirizes ableist pity and accommodations for the disabled. We love Blue’s pacing and endearing habit of chuckling at his own jokes, and the audience’s laughter is so contagious, you and your friends will feel like you’ve scored frontrow seats. Released November 2020, youtube.com

Moody and hypnotic SOUR

GOLD

There’s a soulful timelessness to Kathleen Hooper and Aubrey Mable’s harmonies and soothing guitar.

The Colorado duo, who perform under the name LVDY, wrote Gold’s title track for a struggling friend, so it’s no surprise that the band’s first full-length album sounds like a warm, folk-infused hug. Released April 16; lvdymusic.com

Dafna, a 20-year-old singer-songwriter living in Boulder, weaves emotionally intricate lyrics (à la Lorde and Arlo Parks) into her new EP, translating shame and guilt into swirly, spellbinding electro-pop, perfect for wallowing, dancing, or both at the same time. Released May 21; dafna.rocks

Clockwise from top: Getty Images; Courtesy of Nick Larson Photography; Najib Joe Hakim/Courtesy of PatchWorks Films; Courtesy of Seth Beckton; Courtesy of Jivan West; Courtesy of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Courtesy of Penguin Random House/Riverhead Books

BOOK CLUB!

CULTURE

LAST WRITES

Denver poet Suzi Q. Smith ponders the end times in her latest collection.

1 “I’m actually trained as a mezzo soprano—I take lessons because it’s good vocal training. I joke that opera made me a better rapper, because I can control my breath and run all over the stage.”

2 “I was sheltering at home and seeing all this news about people lining up around gun

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Suzi Q. Smith’s new book, Poems for the End of the World, may seem like a macabre manifesto born from the pandemic. But the Denverite wrote many of the verses in 2019, responding to earlier global and personal upheaval: The Amazon rainforest was on fire, her daughter was headed to college, and Smith had recently left her position as executive director of nonprofit Poetry Slam Inc., which shuttered soon after. “I was spending time in gardens and thinking about how the world continues on, even after change or catastrophe,” she says. That theme echoes through one of the few COVID-19-inspired pieces, “Mezzo Sopranos Get the Sad Songs,” to appear in Smith’s book, out this month. We asked her to break down the poem for us. —AU

shops. I didn’t feel fear or panic when the pandemic arrived, exactly. My concern was what other people’s panic might fuel.”

3 “It takes a lot of breath to sing, so singing amidst an illness that is literally taking people’s breath away felt very powerful to me.”

4 “Mezzo sopranos usually play a tragic role in the opera.

So all the songs I know are really sad, like wishing for death, which didn’t seem like the right material at the time. I think I was singing a lot of gospel around the house last year. I grew up going to church five times a week, so gospel is part of my language.”

5 “Some found comfort in buying up all the bullets, and others found comfort in leaning out the window singing together. This poem is me making my choice, that I’d rather connect with my neighbors instead of fearing or distrusting them. I tried to carry that attitude into my life, too. Last March, two of my poet friends, Bobby

LeFebre and Kerrie Joy, joined me in stringing up our poems at community spaces, like Whittier Cafe and Hope Tank. We attached the poems to twine with clothespins, so people could take them if the writing brought them comfort. It was a reminder that we’re still a community.”

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INTRODUCTION ESSAY 

EAT DRINK &

Los Cabos’ ceviche mixto with fresh fish, scallops, calamari, and shrimp

From Peru, With Love

South American fusion fare endures at Los Cabos downtown.

When chef-owner Francesca Ruiz shuttered the cult-favorite lunch buffet at her Peruvian restaurant, Los Cabos, due to COVID-19-related concerns in spring 2020, she anticipated the worst. Thankfully, demand for her distinctive, takeout-friendly family recipes ensured the 33-year-old business survived the pandemic’s most difficult days. Some of those dishes were inspired by immigrants—from Africa, China, and Europe—who helped shape Peruvian cuisine over the centuries. Sopa a la criolla is a Creole-inspired soup loaded with sirloin steak and angel hair pasta, while lomo saltado is a Chinese-style steak, onion, and tomato stir-fry served on a bed of french fries. Both are excellent choices at the loungy, red-walled restaurant, which Ruiz runs with the help of her sister Nelly Castillo. But the object of our true affection is the ceviche mixto, a medley of fresh seafood, red onion, and chunks of sweet potato tossed in a bright, ají-chile-spiked lime dressing. As pandemic restrictions are lifted across the state, the siblings—who are natives of Lima, Peru—want to educate more first-time patrons about their homeland’s cuisine in the now-open dining room. If that sounds like you, don’t wait to discover these Peruvian classics. —PATRICIA KAOWTHUMRONG

P H O T O G R A P H BY S A R A H B A N K S

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INTRODUCTION

Hidden Flavors

5280’s new food editor, Patricia Kaowthumrong, shares how embracing her heritage has shaped her appetite for inclusive culinary exploration.

32

Kaowthumrong (right) and her brother, Khom, eat Thanksgiving dinner at home in 1990.

journalist of Asian descent, who told me that the thrill of seeing an Asian-American woman become a prominent face in Colorado’s foodwriting scene made her cry.

The gesture prompted me to reflect on what it means, to me at least, to represent my ethnicity—a part of myself I have been hesitant to embrace in the past—in such an influential role.

As someone who didn’t grow up seeing individuals of Asian ancestry in the careers (magazine journalist, restaurant critic) I aspired to, it is difficult for me to express how surreal it is to be this publication’s third food editor, and the first of Asian descent. It feels especially meaningful as the daily news cycle prompts us to confront the perpetual realities of racial injustice.

Now, leading 5280’s dining coverage as an Asian-American woman, I hope to help shape what we publish to be more inclusive. But I want your help: Please let me know what you’d like to see in the pages of the magazine and on 5280.com. You can reach me at dining@5280.com and on Instagram at @whatispattyeating. I can’t wait to explore the full spectrum of Colorado’s food and beverage landscape together—and out in the open this time. —PK P H O T O G R A P H BY S A R A H B A N K S

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Courtesy of the author (family photo); Getty Images (frame); portrait photographed on location at Daughter Thai Kitchen & Bar

I used to eat the foods I love the most in secret. Crispy-skinned roast duck, ground-pork-stuffed bitter melon soup, garlic-and-basilscented chicken—all Thai and Chinese specialties prepared by my mother, who moved to Colorado from Bangkok in the early 1980s. But like many American-born teens raised by immigrant parents, I lived in fear of my peers thinking I was weird or different. I often left the traditions and cuisines our family treasured at home, forcing Mama to buy pizza, turkey sandwiches, and other school-lunch fare that made me appear as American as possible.

When I was in college, Mama would send me back to my shared living quarters with containers of her food—sigh-inducing comfort I’d only devour when no one else was around. I’d hide the evidence in the back of the refrigerator and open windows while microwaving to disperse the smells. But when I was caught, the reaction was almost always the opposite of what I expected. Instead of rejection and disgust, I was met with intrigue from friends and roommates, who often asked for a taste.

These acts of acceptance helped me realize that the flavors of my heritage—and those of others’— aren’t weird. On the contrary, they’re nourishing, evocative, and worthy of sharing.

Since I joined the 5280 staff as assistant food editor in 2019, I’ve had the honor of reporting about a bunch of the talented individuals who make our state such a delicious place to live. The stories I’ve enjoyed producing the most are the ones that showcase how food unites us and offers opportunities to understand and appreciate the cultures of its makers—our fellow Coloradans. When I was promoted to food editor in early April, my inclination was to quietly carry on with that work, not to write an essay introducing myself. Then I received a message of congratulations from a local

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ESSAY

For The Birds Creating a “restaurant” for birds outside his home caused 5280’s dining critic to ruminate on the nature of animal consciousness. BY SCOTT MOWBRAY

The year of COVID lockdown increased my drinking, my blood pressure, and my weight, and it reminded me that, although I love my home, I need to be far away from it, traveling, for eight or 10 weeks a year. But the routines of the pandemic also gave me clues to the nature of nature, and did so with a force such that no day of snorkeling off Mooréa or hiking in the Hindu Kush ever had done. (Don’t let me exaggerate my taste for global adventure, though: My idea of fun mostly runs to prowling the backstreets of Tokyo for ramen shops.) It is to the local birds I’ve observed over the past 15 months that I owe a philosophical, even spiritual, gain.

Our deck had hosted bird feeders since we moved to the fringes of Boulder County five years ago, but during the pandemic I doubled the number. When the traffic peaked, I was buying $100 of shelled seed per month for what I came to call the Ridiculously Expensive Sunflower Seed Cafe.

Each dawn brought the fussing and cheeping of breakfast to my bedroom-window feeder: goldfinches, house finches, chickadees, northern flickers, and the little, pointy, darting nuthatches.

Moving to the living room brings into view the full feeder array, through big windows. There are two squirrel-proof feeders for seed, a squirrel-proof cage for suet and mealworm cakes, a sort of hanging picnic table for more seedcakes that I usually leave empty because it was mobbed by

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squirrels, two hummingbird feeders, and, finally, a jury-rigged contraption that supplies dried corn to the squirrels, for they are such acrobats that I don’t have the heart to entirely shut them out.

By the end of last year, I had counted 33 bird species. Ten or so came for the seed and suet, and the rest revealed themselves as nearby residents or migratory part-timers. The most impressive visitor was a great horned owl who landed on our roof at dusk and sat for 10 minutes. The I L L U S T R AT I O N BY J E S S I E L I N

JUNE 2021

2021

ESSAY most thrilling was a merlin, a compact, superb falcon that flies like a Spitfire and grabs songbirds out of the air. For a week or so, a Swainson’s hawk dropped a fat prairie dog each morning on the top of a telephone pole on the corner of our yard for two offspring to rip apart. The most shocking drama happened at a feeder, when a flicker attacked a finch until it dropped, broken-winged, to the deck and then to the stones 10 feet below.

I did not attempt to rescue the gravely injured bird. This is not an Instagram account. Nor, however, is it about the clichéd tooth-and-claw facts of nature. No, what the year of quotidian Staring Out of Windows blessed me with was an understanding that the life of birds is mostly equally quotidian. Watching them for up to an hour each day, it was clear that birds experience the world with an ordinariness both consoling and worrying. Yes, I love the beauty of them, especially the way the male goldfinches alter their brown winter livery to buttery and then canary yellow as they prepare to woo the ladies. But what I really love is the way birds just go about their business.

I was aided in this contemplation by a 2020 book called Metazoa: Animal Life and the Birth of the Mind, by an Australian philosopher of consciousness and biology. Peter Godfrey-Smith is a scuba diver who has spent a great deal of time watching sea creatures in their habitats, trying to understand what their everyday routines say about the evolution of mind.

Mind, in Godfrey-Smith’s conception, is the combination of sensory input and nervous-system processing that yields, on various branches of the evolutionary tree, complex, useful states such as fear, attention, protectiveness, and curiosity.

The fact that these states are instinctive in no way diminishes, for GodfreySmith, their status as states of mind and, therefore, in the more complex creatures, as some form of consciousness. And the fact that animals are probably not selfaware in the human sense does not mean that there is not, as philosopher Thomas Nagel famously wrote about consciousness in bats, an essential awareness of what it is “like to be that organism,” even if understanding that is ultimately unknowable to us.

Godfrey-Smith is fascinated by the behavior of octopuses, whose evolution

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branched from our own a gazillion years ago, but he also describes several encounters with a particular banded shrimp that had lost one of its larger claws. The creature, territorial in its habits, was going about its arthropod business in the same place on several of Godfrey-Smith’s dives. It was always up to something, and often interested in the arrival of the professor. “I am now used to the idea of some degree of contact with implausible animals,” he writes, “but I was taken aback by the look full in the face given to me by this shrimp.”

There is no room here to convince you that Godfrey-Smith isn’t romantically crediting these creatures with an awareness they don’t have. He is not Aesop-ing them, Beatrix Potter-ing them, or TikTok meme-ing them. He is saying, I think, something subtler—that such anthropomorphizing (although irresistible, especially when animals have a high companion utility) is a form of appropriation that obscures the real nature of creatures, even shrimp. That nature is part of both their otherness and, since we occupy the same tree of life, also their sameness. There are patterns of behavior, of mind, that must overlap with our own.

Courtesy of the author

Birds gather outside of the author’s house earlier this year.

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I read Metazoa and stared out my windows.

Find our Dining Guide, The thing about birds is an extensive that, although they eat list of area our food, they remain restaurants, on page 74 wild, even in the city. Yet and online at we can recognize, if not 5280.com/ their dinosaur minds, at restaurants. least the textures of their lives. To give just one example: Juvenile northern flickers, having just left the nest, land on my railing with a bedraggled, slept-in-too-late sort of aspect to their feathers. They sit two feet from the feeders, squawking for their parents to satisfy them. I wondered, having watched my own kids at a similar stage, if I was going too far to see teenage entitlement as an evolutionary trait, going back at least to the time of the T. rex.

Seeing this brought me solace, because it suggested a connection with other experiences, even during lockdown. It also occurred to me that maybe this is the meaning of life: simply that it experiences the world. But if that’s true, what does our environmental destruction of the world do to not just the quantity but also the quality of experience? What does factory farming do to the experiences of animals of high meat utility? What does all this imply about our local food ecology, about what we should cook and eat? It demands mindfulness about the possibility of other minds, at the very least.

In addition to Metazoa, I began rereading certain American poets preoccupied by the experiences of animals: in particular, Wendell Berry and Mary Oliver. Toward the end of lockdown, I bought Berry’s collection called The Peace of Wild Things. Many of the poems are set in Kentucky and concern the creatures on his farm and its surrounds. I am no more religious than I was before the pandemic—which is not at all—but have returned often to these words, as I watched the Swainson’s hawks and other birds, from Berry’s poem “The Contrariness of the Mad Farmer”: When they said, “I know that my Redeemer liveth,” I told them, “He’s dead.” And when they told me, “God is dead,” I answered, “He goes fishing every day in the Kentucky River. I see Him often.” m

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DOWNTOWN COLORADO SPRINGS

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How to explore the new Colorado Springs.

Thanks to a burgeoning downtown with a reimagined vibe, Colorado Springs should be atop any traveler’s bucket list—especially if you’ve been away for a while. Here’s the weekend guide to a city on the rise.

42 • INSIDER'S GUIDE to DOWNTOWN COLORADO SPRINGS

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Whatever it is you think about Colorado Springs, think again.

Maybe you’ve known the Springs as just a mid-size city in the shadow of Pikes Peak, but take one stroll through downtown and you’ll realize the city has evolved in countless ways over the past half decade. It’s not only seen a boom in population, it’s become a breeding ground for innovation and the wellspring of a cultural renaissance.

“We’re shaking up the Springs,” says Aaron Ewton, owner of Atlas Restaurant Group and the mind behind the newly opened CO.A.T.I culinary incubator. “And I love seeing that occur.”

While the Springs’ downtown was once marked by untapped potential, Ewton says all that began to change a few years ago when a new generation of business owners reimagined the city and began to reclaim its reputation. The result has been a diverse mix of restaurants, hospitality concepts, and other small businesses. In addition to CO.A.T.I, the downtown district’s awakening is headlined by the boutique-style Kinship Landing hotel, a new professional soccer stadium for the Switchbacks FC, and the much-anticipated United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum—all of which opened within the last year despite COVID-19. In fact, the number of small businesses in Downtown Colorado Springs grew over the course of the pandemic, with more than 20 street-level businesses opening in 2020 alone and more than two dozen already announced for 2021.

As the city celebrates its 150th anniversary this summer—and as we emerge in the wake of the pandemic—it’s a perfect time to visit (or rediscover) the Springs’ revitalized downtown.

Whether you’re driving down from Denver or flying in for a quick trip, we’ve created a weekend itinerary that’s sure to please even the most ambitious and cultured travelers out there. So, get ready to explore a city in bloom.

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DOWNTOWN COLORADO SPRINGS

Coloradans have a habit of playing hooky on Fridays, whether for a spontaneous powder day in the winter or to just start the weekend early in the summertime. And in this case, that’s exactly what you should do, especially if you can make it on a First Friday, which are held year-round on the first Friday evening of each month and feature art unveilings, live music, and more.

Day 1

Welcome To The Springs After arriving downtown, there are at least three things that you’ll need to find: A place to stay, a hot cup of coffee, and your bearings. Luckily, the lobby of Kinship Landing (421 South Nevada Ave.) offers all three. Kinship, which opened in January 2021, is the brainchild of husband-and-wife team Bobby and Brooke Mikulas. After traveling the world in 2016 and ‘17, they returned home and purchased a vacant plot of land on South Nevada Avenue. Their idea was simple if novel: Create a hospitality concept that welcomes travelers to the city in the same way Bobby and Brooke were welcomed by foreigners in their travels. For that reason, Kinship has a different vibe than most American hotels. The lobby and cafe, for instance, feel as much like a trailhead as a place to book a night’s sleep. Replete with wood furnishing and abuzz with curious guests, the hotel is designed for any type of traveler. Looking for a simple-but modern suite with views of Pikes Peak? No problem. A luxury shared bunk room complete with waterfall showers? They’ve got that, too.

Feeling even more adventurous? You can actually pitch a tent on the fourth floor outdoor camp deck.

INSIDER'S GUIDE to DOWNTOWN COLORADO SPRINGS • 43

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Map It Out Itinerary Stops

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If you’re looking for a unique dining experience, it’s hard to beat Chiba Bar (19 E Kiowa), a “cyberpunk izakaya” Japanese-style pub. Treat yourself to a rice bowl featuring BBQ eel and avocado, and pair it with a side of pickled cucumbers and a Tokyo-inspired gin cocktail. If you’re looking for something more traditional, you have plenty of options since downtown boasts the largest concentration of locally-owned restaurants in the region.

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Once you’re settled in, walk two blocks to 516 S. Tejon and see all CO.A.T.I. has to offer. With eight restaurant concepts (including can’t-miss barbeque from Slow Downz and quality seafood from Luchals) and three bars, it’s hard to know where to start in the Mesoamerican-themed food hall-styled complex.

Take a lap, and if you’re feeling parched grab a drink at the Rival Bar, where the expert barkeeps know exactly how to refresh a weary traveler. Or, if beer is more your fancy, head to the adjacent Lager House, a new taproom from Pikes Peak Brewing Co. that specializes in—you guessed it—lager-style brews.

Dinner Time

E. MONUMENT ST.

CONEJOS ST.

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DOWNTOWN COLORADO SPRINGS

*Multiple PikeRide Hub Locations Visit pikeride.org to view.

44 • INSIDER'S GUIDE to DOWNTOWN COLORADO SPRINGS

Late Night Cap night one in the Springs with a visit to ICONS, a new LGBTQ-focused piano bar featuring Broadway-level vocalists.

The founders, Josh Franklin and John Wolfe, are Broadway vets themselves, and when the pandemic brought them back to the Springs (Josh’s hometown), they realized no gay bar served the downtown area, certainly not one like what they had in mind. So, they pulled on decades of live performance experience and realized their vision in a matter of months.

The location (3 East Bijou Street) serves an homage to queer Icons like RuPaul and Lady Gaga, and when it opened last fall it was almost immediately selling out—and for good reason: Each staff member is a live singer (every bartender has serious pipes), and every Friday at ICONS is drag night—just be sure to reserve a table ahead of time in the front room for the full experience. If you need a nightcap, head next door to Shame & Regret, the back-alley cocktail bar next door specializing in American whiskey and single malt Scotch.

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Day 2

DOWNTOWN COLORADO SPRINGS

Charge Up

To get a jolt on your first full day in town, make a beeline to barista-owned Loyal Coffee. Hit up the airy downtown location (408 S. Nevada Ave) for award-worthy espresso and slice of Avocado toast (yes, it’s actually worth it).

Once caffeinated, it’s time to cover some ground. You could of course do this on foot, but there’s a better way: the PikeRide bike share system. Launched in 2018, the PikeRide nonprofit’s fleet of 250 electric-assist bikes saw 20,000 rides in 2020 alone. With an emphasis on reaching underserved communities, PikeRide has gone to great lengths to connect downtown Colorado Springs. Take a ride on the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail and the Legacy Loop, which encircles the city center, before pulling up to what is perhaps the city’s biggest new attraction.

Olympic City USA It would be wrong to spend a weekend in Colorado Springs without visiting the United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum (200 S. Sierra Madre Street). With a variety of interactive digital displays in addition to 13 galleries, the 60,000 square-foot complex is stunning in its breadth of Olympic

USA’S BEST NEW ATTRACTION -USA Today 2020

history and its celebration of Team USA. One of the most technologically advanced, inclusive, and accessible museums in North America, it’s no wonder the museum was named the country’s best new attraction of 2020 by USA Today.

WE’RE OPEN! Reservations required.

Book and review details on COVID-19 related safety protocols at fac.coloradocollege.edu Exhibition sponsored by Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Grant for Southwest Arts & Culture

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INSIDER'S GUIDE to DOWNTOWN COLORADO SPRINGS • 45

DOWNTOWN COLORADO SPRINGS

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Shop On Bijou As you make your way around downtown, you might want to break out the plastic and break off the main drag. Affordable boutiques like The Local Honey Collective (9 E Bijou St) mean your dollar might go farther than it would in other destination cities. Plus, with ethically-minded businesses like Yobel (11 E Bijou St), a fair-trade shop for men’s and women’s clothing and gifts, you can be sure you’re supporting a good cause. Looking for a small souvenir? Pop into Ladyfingers Letterpress (113 E. Bijou Street), an LGBTQ-owned custom stationery shop that specializes in greeting cards and locally-made gifts.

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INSPIRE Immerse yourself in the inspirational stories of your favorite Team USA athletes at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum in Downtown Colorado Springs.

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Art On the Streets

Your Go-To Guide

If shopping isn’t your fancy, enjoy a Colorado Springs’ cultural tradition 23 years in the making. Art On The Streets, which began in 1998, turned the city into a yearlong gallery for sculpture and mural art, with dozens of works unveiled in the city over the years. The latest exhibit features 12 new works, and if you want to take yourself on a self-guided tour, well, there’s an app for that.

Just download the Otocast mobile app and the featured artists can walk you through their work.

Find everything you need during your stay.

Visit downtowncs.com for Downtown Colorado Springs' mobile directory.

Plus! Scan the QR code below to download the FREE Discover Downtown Savings Pass.

Get deals and discounts at restaurants, shops, bars, breweries and salons.

BE ENRICHED BY NATURES BEAUT Y at Gard e n of th e Gods!

Lager House 514 S. Tejon St. Downtown

Brewery & Tasting Room 1756 Lake Woodmoor Dr. Monument

Explore our Colorado Springs vacation packages and special offers. Take advantage of these exclusive savings, and start planning your unforgettable wellness and destination spa experience for a well-deserved getaway.

B O O K N OW O N L I N E OR BY CALLING 7 19.632.5541

REACH FOR THE PEAK!

3320

Mesa Road

Colorado Springs

CO

80904

gardenofthegodsresort.com

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INSIDER'S GUIDE to DOWNTOWN COLORADO SPRINGS • 47

DOWNTOWN COLORADO SPRINGS

Insider's Guide

After Hours After a long day on your feet, it’s time for a hearty meal. With a down-to-earth vibe, an array of burgers and sandwiches, and robust beer menu, Odyssey Gastropub will likely do the trick. Fill up on a Banh Mi or a plate of chicken and waffles and wash it down with a local brew. But don’t let the night end there: If you’re looking for something intimate, reserve a table at Brooklyn’s on Boulder Street gin distillery and speakeasy-style lounge. Or, if you’re looking for a laugh, grab tickets to a show at 3E’s Comedy Club and see the likes of Jeremy Piven on stage.

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One Last Thing On July 31, Colorado Springs will officially celebrate the 150th anniversary of its founding. If you’re a history buff or merely curious, the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum in the heart of downtown has an exhibit called COS@150, dedicated to celebrating the city’s sesquicentennial anniversary. The museum curated 150 objects representing 150 unique stories to tell the history of the city. Before you leave town, stop in and see just how much Colorado Springs has evolved over the years.

48 • INSIDER'S GUIDE to DOWNTOWN COLORADO SPRINGS

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Mt. Baldy watches over the blue waters of Grand Lake.

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Our lakes might not bear the “Great” honorific—because we don’t feel the need to brag—but what Coloradans’ favorite swimming holes lack in notoriety, they more than make up for in the range of experiences they offer.

The Centennial State’s lake life beckons this summer. Are you ready?

BY SPENCER CAMPBELL

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PHOTOGRAPH BY MAT T NAGER

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M C C O N A U G H Y

Yes, Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area is technically in Nebraska. But no matter your age (or where you hail from), Lake Mac’s white-sand beaches, only a three-and-a-half-hour drive away, never fail to provide a launching pad for sun-kissed summer fun.

WHILE YOU’RE YOUNG Play: The Nebraska Game and Parks Com-

mission recently outlawed all possession of alcohol at Lake McConaughy, so leave the pingpong balls and plastic cups at home.

(We’ve heard of thirsty visitors burying beerfilled coolers in the sand and covering them with their chairs, but we’d never dream of employing the tactic ourselves.) Besides, booze and boating don’t mix, and tucked in Arthur Bay on the north shore is Big Mac Marina and its ready supply of Jet Ski, speedboat, and pontoon rentals. bigmacmarina.com Sleep: Whether it’s Fourth of July or Brandi’s 21st (yay, Brandi!), you’re here for Lake McConaughy’s beaches. You’ll find the most pristine white sand at the Lone Eagle (within walking distance of Big Mac Marina) and Little Thunder campgrounds along the northeast shore, from Martin Bay to Lemoyne. Both have grassy spots, but it’s the select number of right-on-the-sand sites you’ll covet. Whenever you visit, be sure to plan ahead: Beach camping used to be first come, first served, but this past April, the commission instituted a reservation system to limit overcrowding and ensure visitors actually pay their fees (it’s usually about $15 a night) during peak season from May 21 to September 21. nebraskastateparks.reserveamerica.com Repeat: Some of the best public golf in these parts can be found on the banks of Lake McConaughy at Bayside Golf Club.

A links-style course built atop western Nebraska’s undulating hills, Bayside looks like it was plucked from Scotland, the birthplace of golf. From there, it’s a mere 20-minute drive to Ogallala’s Rendezvous Square, where every Thursday night until July 22, the city hosts live music performances by local bands. baysidegolf.com WHILE YOU’RE YOUNG AT HEART Play: An angler’s bacchanal, Lake Mac’s

waters brim with everything from white bass to catfish, but most experienced casters are hunting walleye, the trophy of the upper Midwest and a fine freshwater eating fish. Because the featureless bottom of the reservoir doesn’t encourage fish to congregate in one spot, your best chance of finding them is to hire a guide, such as Fish the Plains’ Chad Richardson, also a wildlife biologist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. With dinner procured, spend your afternoons scouting the indigo buntings and bald eagles that make Keith County the third-best birding locale in the country, according to Dr. Paul Johnsgard, an ornithologist emeritus at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. fishtheplains.com

This spread from left: Courtesy of Nebraska Tourism; Courtesy of Nebraskaland Magazine/Nebraska Game and Credits Tk Parks Commission; Courtesy of City of Lakewood Parks

LA KE

HEAD IN THE SAND Three Front Range lakeside beaches.

BOULDER RESERVOIR

Once you’ve made it back from the two floating platforms, crack open a cold beverage (no glass bottles allowed), and marvel at the Flatirons in the distance. $11 day fee for adults; boulder colorado.gov CHATFIELD STATE PARK

The reservoir’s swimming beach is a popular destination.

Enjoy the peoplewatching—and look up to spot the hot air balloons that often soar by. $10 daily vehicle pass; cpw.state.co.us BIG SODA LAKE

Sleep: One of nearly 30 private lodges

and campgrounds located on the banks of the reservoir (note: “private” means you can possess and consume alcohol on the property), Van’s Lakeview Fishing Camp is rustic enough to feel like an adventure, yet convenient enough not to be a hassle.

Ninety of the 102 campsites (yes, it can get crowded) have electricity and water hookups; if you don’t own a camper, you can rent one on-site ($295 a night, sleeps eight), as well as pontoons, small fishing boats, and paddleboards, all of which are accessible at your leisure from the campground’s docks. Perhaps the best part of

Van’s? The showers and laundromat mean you can play all day in the sand without looking (and feeling) gritty the next morning. vanslakeview.com Repeat: Lake McConaughy will host the 39th annual Kites and Castles event on July 31 on Martin Bay’s beach. Teams are split into two divisions for the sand castle contest—kids and grown-ups— and the creations are artistic enough to make Michelangelo proud. Even if the tides erase your kids’ “David,” the free kites and warm breezes should be enough to blow their disappointment away. kitesandcastles.com

Sure, this watering hole in Lakewood’s Bear Creek Lake Park is within view of C-470. That just means it’s mere minutes from most places in the metro area. $10 day pass per vehicle; lakewood.org/bclp

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WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT…LAKE MCCONAUGHY SEE: In the 1880s, nearby Ogallala, Nebraska, was the rowdy terminus of the Texas Trail, used for cattle drives that began in the Lone Star State. A vestige of those times is Boot Hill Cemetery, where cowpokes went to their graves wearing boots.

HUNT: In-season hunting is allowed starting the first Tuesday after Labor Day (get a permit at ngpc-home.ne.gov and check with the visitor center before heading out), but only if you stay at least 100 yards away from park facilities. outdoornebraska.ne.gov

BRING: You can’t expect to withstand the summer sun and enjoy the water without a great pair of shades, and Boulder-based Zeal Optics’ polarized Caddis sunglasses are designed to help you better spot fish in the water. $149, zealoptics.com

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LA KE

Although the town of Grand Lake is built for family fun, Grand Lake Lodge is really for parents. There’s a playground, a pool, and a social hour every afternoon, during which kids can indulge in milk and cookies. But those amenities are simply diversions so you can revel in what the iconic destination affords. All 70 of the cabins have been recently renovated, yet the main attraction remains the lodge’s location.

Perched above town and surrounded on three sides by Rocky Mountain National Park, the property’s Deer Deck is positioned for prime viewing pleasure with a panoramic vista of Shadow Mountain, Mt. Wescott, and Mt. Craig (locals call it Mt. Baldy), all reflected in Grand Lake below. While your kids are off exploring, watch as the sun slips behind the peaks and the stars begin to light up the sky. Thanks to the platform’s deck-long fire pit, you won’t even register the drop in temperature. Grand Lake Lodge will be more festive than usual this summer, as its centennial celebrations culminate and COVID-19 restrictions loosen. On Mondays, guests will be treated to free yoga; Thursdays are for sipping and painting. And if your kids are old enough to be left alone in your nearby cabin, you can escape to the lavish on-site Huntington House Tavern for grilled elk chops with a blackberry demi-glace and the most breathtaking view in a town full of them. Rates from $180; highwaywestvacations.com

THE GRAND COMPROMISE A family vacation is an eternal struggle, an us-versus-them battle between parents and kids. Fortunately, there are no losers in Grand Lake.

LAKEFRONT PARK For Parents: Grand Lake’s only public beach comes complete with picnic tables and shade and is small enough for you to occasionally lift your head from the latest James Patterson novel to check on your little ones.

For Kids: During the summer, Lakefront Park is rife with tykes and teens testing their fortitude in the frigid waters and trying to build castles in the grainy sand. When their teeth-chattering threatens their dental work, send your brood to Miyauchi’s Snack Bar, a retro ice cream and burger joint right behind the beach, for a side of onion rings.

This spread from left: H. Mark Weidman Photography/Alamy Stock Photo; Matt Nager (2) Credits Tk

G R A N D

After miraculously surviving the 2020 wildfires, Grand Lake Lodge is ready to celebrate a post-pandemic existence—and its 100th birthday.

by doing laps in Grand Lake. Bruce can sometimes be spotted diving to the bottom to snack on algae, emerging from the depths like an antlered porpoise to scare—and delight—unsuspecting kids (not to mention their parents). $20 for adults, $10 for children 12 and under; townofgrandlake. com/headwaters-marina.htm

ADAMS FALLS For Parents: Starting from the East Inlet trailhead, leading into Rocky Mountain National Park, it’s just three-quarters of a mile to Adams Falls, a 55-foot-tall gusher.

For Kids: The northeast shore of Grand Lake, near the East Inlet trailhead, is a welcome respite after a summertime trek. Although there’s no beach, this is the best spot to swim, SUP, and splash because it’s almost never in the shadows of the surrounding peaks, making the water temps a bit warmer—but, to be clear, it’s still not warm.

SQUEAKY B’S For Parents: The family-owned restaurant raises its own cows at its ranch in Franktown, so it’s no wonder Squeaky B’s six-ounce Angus burger is considered the best in town. Whatever dineresque fare you order, chances are it pairs well with the covered outdoor beer garden.

For Kids: The beer garden abuts an expansive outdoor patio, where little ones are free to run wild and burn off the sugar rush from salted caramel apple pie milkshakes—or take in 18 holes at Lilliput, the free on-site putt-putt course. squeakybs.com

POINT PARK For Parents: Set on the dividing edge between Grand Lake and Shadow Mountain Lake, this picturesque park benefits from the full majesty of hulking Mt. Baldy across the water and provides an ideal backdrop for a mantelworthy family portrait.

For Kids: Save a few bucks by buying picnic fixin’s at Mountain Market, where the selection ranges from organic to Oscar Mayer. Then spread out a blanket and play some lawn games at one of the most scenic locales in Colorado.

HEADWATERS MARINA SCENIC LAKE TOURS For Parents: On this hourlong excursion, which circumnavigates Grand Lake, you’ll catch a glimpse of a red-roofed mansion getaway built by heirs to the Hallmark greeting card fortune and see an abode featuring a stoplight whose green glow means the party has started and everyone in town is invited.

For Kids: Send them to the bow to keep a lookout for Bruce the Moose, a local celeb who maintains his youthful figure (he’s almost 40!)

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT…GRAND LAKE

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HIKE: The East Troublesome and Cameron Peak fires have closed a number of Rocky Mountain National Park trails.

Visit nps.gov for updates or call the park at 970-586-1206.

BOAT: Sailboats dot the water during the annual regattas (July 3 and August 7 this year). The lake has only one ramp, though, so weekend boaters will tie up to the public dock overnight and suffer a $100 fine rather than having to wait in line every morning.

BRING: The Kid Comfort Child Carrier from Longmont’s Deuter earned REI’s nod as the best kid carrier for daytrips in 2021 because, in part, of its suspension system, which shifts 70 percent of the load to the carrier’s hips. From $300, deuter.com

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In August 2020, the world was still very much on fire. Metaphorically, the COVID-19 pandemic continued to keep us largely inside and afraid. But Colorado was aflame, too: Multiple wildfires were threatening some of the most beautiful places in the state. It didn’t seem like a good time to take a trip.

Nevertheless, I loaded up my car with enough supplies to get me through a night of car camping at Cottonwood Lake, hoping to discover enough details to write a helpful guide for readers and then scream back home. Twenty-one hours later, I emerged from the little alpine lake nestled in the Pike and San Isabel national forests restored, feeling more prepared to meet whatever conflagrations I’d soon encounter. —SC

CAMPER’S JOURNAL 1:27 p.m. Driving to the campsite, I pass Cottonwood Lake on my left, but I’m so worried about navigating the one-way dirt road (and dodging anglers) I don’t catch a good look.

2:47 p.m. Cottonwood Lake Campground is less than a half-mile beyond the lake, tucked into aspen trees. It has 25 first-come, firstserved campsites, and I snag spot 16—a cute two-level with sitting area, graded pad with room for two tents, fire ring, and partial views of the mountains. After pitching my tent, I inflate the stand-up paddleboard and prepare to bake under the sun.

3 p.m. Raindrops. The heavens never open, but the sun retreats, and the temperature dives into the 60s. Not exactly SUP weather. Time to hike.

3:07 p.m. I opt for an unnamed social path along South Cottonwood Creek, which flows into the lake’s western edge. A good decision. The wind sets the aspen leaves trembling along my way; once creekside, I hum along with the shallow waters as they rush around rocky outcrops and over short ledges. My reverie is jolted by a private property sign decorated with, ahem, used shooting targets.

I walk back—briskly—in the other direction.

3:50 p.m. I pass two waders roll casting for the stream’s cutbow and rainbow trout.

The fish here aren’t exactly hogs, but they’re beauties nonetheless.

4:15 p.m. Finally, I arrive at Cottonwood Lake. Set at roughly 9,500 feet in the Sawatch Range, the lake’s banks slope upward into pine-covered cliffs, and the landscape is reflected in the water. Boats with motors aren’t allowed, so the only sound is the plunk of lures from the hollows that dot the north shore. I find a log and watch the day turn darker and colder, listening to the soft splash of fish rising to their dinner.

This spread from left: Zoonar GmbH/Alamy Stock Photo; S. W. Krull Imaging/Getty Images; Credits Tk Randall Bayaz/Getty Images

C O T T O N W O O D

The waters of Chaffee County’s Cottonwood Lake provide every opportunity to escape. All you have to do is surrender.

SERENITY NOW

Two more peaceful lakeside locales in Colorado.

PEARL LAKE STATE PARK: This shoreline

campground north of Steamboat Springs has an amenity Cottonwood can’t match: yurts, at spots six and 16, that overlook a tranquil lake (motorized craft are allowed, but big wakes are not) ringed by wildflowers in the summer.

ELEVEN MILE STATE PARK: Snag campsite

6 p.m. Back at camp, the campsite host comes bounding up the road, whisper-shouting, “Look at that big ole mama!” A gigantic black bear is standing behind the aspens, surveying us. I fight the urge to run toward it, then away from it, before settling on some sort of half-hiddenpaparazzi pose behind a tree. The bear shakes her head before padding deeper into the woods.

9 p.m. After putting out the fire, I look up at the sky. Strangely, there are no stars. Campsites are only 50 or so yards away, but surrounded by trees, I feel completely alone—in a good way.

8:15 a.m. Sun’s out, SUP’s out. The brightness of the morning has burned through yesterday’s gray. I float with the current, listening to a family of five set up at one of the six picnic areas on the eastern side of the lake. Two little blond girls lead their mom on an obscured but easily accessible path on the south bank. I’ve got a video meeting at noon. There’s no service here—normally a blessing—and I’m sure my Slack is bleeding with notifications. Also: emails. I open my eyes to start paddling to shore, but instead I see South Cottonwood Creek bisecting mountains in the distance.

I lie back down.

910 at this Park County refuge (pictured below), roughly 40 miles southeast of Fairplay; it’s in the backcountry campground, but the hike is only a mile and you can hire someone at 11 Mile Marina to schlep your gear in by boat. The site boasts a rocky shore from which to cast a line and an inlet for launching SUPs, canoes, and kayaks. The only distractions here are the tail-slapping beavers that share the cove.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT…COTTONWOOD LAKE

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STAY: Cottonwood Lake Campground ($20 per night; max of eight visitors per site) has vault toilets but no drinking water, so bring your own.

HIKE: Segment 13 of the Colorado Trail is accessible via the South Cottonwood trailhead, which is about 3.5 miles north on the road you came in on, aka County Road 344.

BOAT: There’s a gravel boat ramp for launching rowboats, canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards. No motors are allowed.

BRING: The inflatable Carbon Hoss SUP is one of Steamboat Springs–based Hala Gear’s broadest models, providing bountiful stability for new paddlers. $1,399, halagear.com

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1. ADVENTURES OF THE POD PEOPLE

With more than 150 sites, marina access, and proximity to sizzling burgers at Pappy’s Restaurant, the Elk Creek Campground in Curecanti National Recreation Area is the most convenient base of operations. It became even more so in 2020, with the installation of three Adventure Pods (pictured below); two pet-friendly ones were added earlier this year. The tiny, 60-square-foot cabins provide a turnkey, camping-adjacent experience: a sturdy roof, solar-powered lights, two stand-up paddleboards, a cord of firewood, a dedicated fire ring, and a mattress that’s infinitely more supple than the ground. (Linens aren’t provided; pack your sleeping bag.) $129 per night from May 31 to September 2, $149 on holidays; adventurecampingpods.com 2. PARTY COVE

In the Cebolla Basin, you just might find the kind of revelry that only warm sun, cool water, adult beverages (warning: operating a boat with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 or greater could result in a fine of up to $1,000 and a year in jail), and Toby Keith can inspire. About a mile south of Blue Mesa’s main mass on this inlet, trees start sprouting from the water, providing an easy way to tie up and amass a flotilla.

3. WINDFALL

The Blue Mesa area can get gusty, but the strong breezes aren’t all bad: The exposed surfaces at the Bay of Chickens and Iola Basin make for some thrilling windsurfing.

RESERVOIR

4. WAKE ZONE

The Dillon Pinnacles (pictured at top) are arguably the most alluring hiking destination near Blue

Mesa. To reach the distinctive rock formation requires a four-mile out-and-back trek, but the views of the reservoir as well as the distant San Juan Mountains make it more than worth it. You can also skip the overland trudging altogether, because the best look at the volcanic spires is actually from the water, just to the west of Middle Bridge. After you’ve given the cliffs a good eyeball, toss out a tow rope: It’s a great spot to water-ski if anglers aren’t around.

5. SCHOOL DAYS

The reservoir’s huge groups of kokanee salmon ricochet around the lake from late July to early September. If you find yourself at the reservoir earlier in the summer or later in the fall, don’t fret; there are still plenty of trophies to be had, especially among the potbellied lake trout that feast on the smaller brownies and rainbows in the lake. In fact, Blue Mesa holds the record for the fattest lake trout ever caught in Colorado, at 50 pounds, five ounces. The trick? Toss out a

Credits This spread Tk from left: Courtesy of Blue Mesa Adventure Pods; Seth K. Hughes; Courtesy of Elk Creek Marina

B L U E M E S A

To take advantage of all the opportunities Colorado’s largest lake (with nearly 100 miles of shoreline) and vast waters provide, you need to be familiar with its most intimate details.

Consider this your treasure map to Blue Mesa Reservoir.

vertical jigging rig—a long line weighted by a sinker that has several spaced-out lures— and pray Tubbo doesn’t break your rod.

6. WHAT GOES DOWN…

Hermit’s Rest Trail is a bit of a misnomer.

There is indeed a secluded respite at the bottom of the canyon, but “rest” is in short supply. Hiking back out—you’ll gain 1,800 feet in elevation—will test the capabilities of even your finest moisture-wicking shirt.

If you’re not up for the climb, the trailhead is still worth a look. Eight peaks of at least 12,000 feet, including two fourteeners, loom in the distance above the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. The nearly three-mile, pine-scented downclimb is less exposed than the guidebooks suggest. Still, on a hot summer day, you’ll want to stall at the bottom of the canyon, dipping your toes in the chilly water, because once you decide you’ve had enough of a breather, the most difficult part of the hike lies ahead.

7. STEP BY STEP BY STEP

BLUE MESA RESERVOIR

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Ambitious adventurers can rent an inflatable kayak from Wheelies and Waves in Gunnison and hoof its 32 pounds down the 232 steps of Pine Creek Trail. Once those well-maintained wood-and-stone steps run out, keep to the trail for about another mile. Although putting in at the foot of the stairs, which end where water pours through the base of the Blue Mesa Dam, seems like a brilliant plan, the shifting rocks of the shoreline are more trouble than carrying your load a while longer. All the lugging will pay off once you’re paddling in Morrow Point Reservoir (pictured at left), a thin ribbon of water between the canyon’s cliffs. Single kayak rentals from $45 for four hours to $150 for the week; wheeliesandwaves.com

Credits Tk

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT…BLUE MESA RESERVOIR STAY: You can find more solitude than Elk Creek offers at Gateview Campground, located at the southern tip of the Lake Fork Arm at the western end of the lake, which has six first-come, first-served sites and is accessible by a narrow gravel road.

BOAT: There are few other places in the Centennial State better for boating. If you are without watercraft, rent fishing or pontoon boats from the Elk Creek or Lake Fork marinas. thebluemesa.com

BRING: A luxury the Adventure Pods do not afford? Refrigeration. Fort Collins–based OtterBox’s Venture 65 cooler insulates food for up to 16 days and, with a capacity of 65 quarts, holds more than a comparable model from Yeti. $350, otterbox.com m

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If you’re like us, there’s only one thing on your mind after the winter we’ve had: Get. Me. Out. Of. This. House. Which is why we’ve rounded up 27 of the Front Range foothills’ best escapes, one for every weekend day this summer—plus a few experts to help guide you through new adventures.

BY NICHOLAS HUNT

HEAD FOR THE FOOTHILLS ILLUSTRATIONS BY DAMIEN WEIGHILL

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NO. 2

BRAVEHEARTS

Rock climbing can be as scary as it is thrilling—unless you’re tackling Kent Mountain Adventure Center’s (KMAC) two-year-old via ferrata in Estes Park. Italian for “iron path,” this style of mountaineering allows almost anyone to ascend sheer cliffs along metal ladders sunk into the stone while clipped onto safety wires.

From $289 per person; kentmountain.com Detour: Book one of KMAC’s cliff camping experiences and spend the night suspended hundreds of feet up a rock face on a portaledge while the guides serve you everything from steak dinners to wine to morning lattes. $1,600 for two people

NO. 3

A LASTING IMPRESSION

This year’s Green Box Art Festival will leave a permanent mark on tiny Green Mountain Falls with the unveiling of “Skyspace,” the event’s first permanent installation. The newest in a series of “observatories” by contemporary artist James Turrell, the sculpted chamber turns the sky into an ever-changing work of art for the viewers inside. June 21–July 12; greenboxarts.org Detour: Hang out with rescued wolves at the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center. From $20 ages 12 and up, $15 ages 3–11; wolfeducation.org

NO. 4

RAPID TRANSIT

If you want a party, float Golden’s Clear Creek. If you want an adventure, try tubing the Cache la Poudre River west of Fort Collins. On the state’s only federally recognized Wild and Scenic River, expect whitewater rapids, pool drops, eddies, and just the right amount of adrenaline. Set up a shuttle by parking one car at Picnic Rock before heading to the put-in at the Gateway Natural Area. Then you’ll have three miles of white water, sections of which can push Class III, to float. Be sure to hit the river when water levels are low (check river conditions at poudrerockreport.com), usually mid-July through August.

Detour: The Cache la Poudre–North Park Scenic Byway runs for 101 miles from Fort Collins to Walden, the Moose Capital of Colorado.

NO. 5

DOUBLE PLAY

The future of professional baseball in Colorado Springs was in doubt this past winter as MLB and minor league baseball renegotiated their contract. Yet this year, improbably, the city will field two pro teams. The three-year-old Vibes, members of the eight-squad Pioneer League, are being joined by the Snowsox, an expansion club in the bottom-tier (as in, below Single A) Pecos League—and both are likely to put on as entertaining a show as, ahem, the Rockies. Vibes tickets from $5, milb.com/rocky-mountain; Snowsox tickets from $7.50, coloradospringssnowsox.com Detour: Prepare for July’s Summer Olympics in Tokyo with a tour of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum, which opened in Colorado Springs in July 2020. $25 ages 13 and up, $15 ages 3–12; usopm.org 62

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Previous spread, clockwise from top left: Sarah Banks; Courtesy of Rapid Image Photography; Courtesy of Dan Gambino; Sarah Banks; Courtesy of AstroTours.org; Andrew Peacock/Getty Images; Jonathan Crays/Courtesy of Colorado Mountain Bike Association; Amana Productions Inc./Getty Images; Courtesy of SunWater Spa

NO. 1 HIGH AND MIGHTY

Mountain style doesn’t just mean flannels in Estes Park. It also means tartans and kilts during the Longs Peak Scottish-Irish Highland Festival, the largest gathering of its kind in the West. Enjoy whiskey-tasting seminars, Celtic music, Highland dance, jousting, and hurling, a Gaelic stickand-ball sport whose origins are older than recorded history. From $29 ages 18 and up, $13 ages 10–17, 10 and under free; Sept.

10–12; scotfest.com Detour: The Stanley Hotel may have The Shining, but the nearby Baldpate Inn claims the largest collection of keys in the world, some 30,000. facebook. com/baldpateinn

HEAD FOR THE FOOTHILLS

F

NO. 6 HIT THE HIGH ROAD

The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is America’s second-oldest motorsport race, and nothing else quite compares. First, there’s the course, which climbs 4,720 feet in 12.4 miles to the top of Pikes Peak. Then there’s the speed: The current record, set in 2018 by a purposebuilt, all-electric Volkswagen, is a wild seven minutes and 57 seconds. After nearly a week of practice sessions, the event culminates on race day, Sunday, June 27. From $65 in advance, $75 on race day, online sales only; ppihc.org

NO. 7

NO.8 

It requires 224 stairs to reach the top of Colorado Springs’ Seven Falls, a cascade so beautiful that it’s been a private tourist attraction since the mid-1880s. The staircase also leads to two trails: a 0.4-mile hike to the smaller Midnight Falls and a 0.7-mile trek to Inspiration Point and a sweeping vista of the Great Plains. $17 ages 13 and up, $11 ages 2–12; broadmoor.com Detour: The Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum is celebrating the city’s 150th birthday with an exhibit exploring the region’s rich history through 150 artifacts. cspm.org

Located on the banks of Clear Creek in a 156-year-old former flour mill, the twolevel Golden Mill food hall opened in early April with five food vendors offering barbecue, ice cream, street-style tacos, sushi, and fried chicken and a 40-tap pour wall with everything from local beers to sake. But it’s the 3,000-square-foot rooftop deck with 360-degree views of Mt. Zion and North Table and South Table mountains that has us most excited for long summer evenings. thegoldenmill.com Detour: The 30-minute float from Lions Park to Parfet Park is a classic Clear Creek tubing route, and a great way to relax after stuffing yourself.

This spread, clockwise from top left: Courtesy of Tucker Stapleton/Kent Mountain Adventure Center; Courtesy of Tom Kimmell Photography (“Animal Soul” by Jason Hackenwerth); Sarah Banks; Courtesy of The Broadmoor; Megan Maitland/Courtesy of Visit Estes Park; Courtesy of Rocky Mountain Vibes Baseball

WATER FEATURES

[ HOW TO ] SEE THE SPEED Since you’re locked into whichever spot you pick for the duration (with one exception), Lisa Haight, event coordinator and Pikes Peak Hill Climb historian, lays out what to expect from each spectator viewing area to help you choose.

A. The Start Line This is the only viewing area spectators can leave during the race, from 7:30 a.m. to around 4:30 p.m., depending on stoppages and delays.

B. 9-Mile Overnight tent campers are the only ones allowed along this sweeping right-hand turn below a hairpin switchback.

C. Halfway Picnic Grounds This is the fastest section of the course—expect racers to rip by at over 100 mph.

D. Ski Area You’ll have extra time to inspect the contenders as

they rebuild their speed after slowing to navigate the hairpin known as Gilly’s Corner.

E. Glen Cove Make time to visit the historic Glen Cove Inn, a large log cabin that houses a restaurant and souvenir shop.

F. Cove Creek The last spectator area with shade, this spot is often populated by the overflow from Devils Playground.

G. Devils Playground At the only above-treeline spot, expect expansive views of the racecourse, including multiple switchbacks and straightaways.

CHOW TOWN

NO. 9

CARBON FOOTPRINTS

You can not only spot hundreds of Jurassic-era dinosaur footprints and bones at Morrison’s Dinosaur Ridge (the one-mile, closed-to-traffic road is ideal for strolling and biking), you can also touch them. The Tracksite and Bone Bed are popular stops to do just that, but don’t miss Crocodile Creek or the Raptor Track (both are home to suspected dinosaur courtship scratchings). Exploring on your own is free, or book a walking, bus, or self-guided audio tour. dinoridge.org Detour: The Morrison Natural History Museum houses dino skulls, the remains of the first Stegosaurus ever found, and a dig pit where kids can hunt for small fossils. $10 ages 12 and up, $8 ages 3–11; mnhm.org JUNE 2021

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NO.10 HOOK UP

The stretch of the South Platte River that runs through Deckers is an amusement park for Front Range anglers. Like any good playground, though, it’ll often be crowded. Don’t let that put you off: Its nutrient-rich water can hold as many as 9,000 fish per mile, so you’re almost certain to find some action. The river’s limited width and depth also make it perfect for wading, meaning you don’t have to splurge on a boat trip to land your next fish story.

Detour: Head upriver to the 116-year-old Cheesman Dam. In high snowpack years, its spillway creates a waterfall that tumbles 220 feet down a wall of natural boulders.

NO. 11

DAYTRIPPER

Colorado’s Peak to Peak Scenic Byway packs all the hallmarks of a classic multiday road trip into the 55 miles from Black Hawk to Estes Park.

Funky roadside attractions? Hessie, Caribou, and Apex are ghost towns worth a stop.

Adventure? Golden Gate Canyon State Park, Brainard Lake, and the Arapaho and Roosevelt national forests are all along the route. Regional delicacies? Grab a plate of Rocky Mountain oysters at Estes Park’s Wapiti Colorado Pub. Detour: For a little more mileage, link up with Rocky Mountain National Park’s 48-mile Trail Ridge Road, one of 10 Colorado routes federally recognized as an American Byway.

NO. 12

FIT AS A FIDDLE

For more than a century, the intimate Mishawaka Amphitheatre in the Cache la Poudre River Canyon has survived bad owners, wildfires, floods, and testy tour managers. Now the venue can add a pandemic to that list—though it didn’t make it through COVID19 without some changes. This summer, instead of shoulder-to-shoulder crowds, expect “party pens” where your crew can reserve a table or dance socially distanced to the likes of 10th Mountain Division (June 18), the Steeldrivers (Aug. 20), and the Jayhawks (Aug. 21). themishawaka.com Detour: The Mish partners with the guides at Liarflies to host on-site fly-fishing classes, so you can (hopefully) catch a fish before you catch a show. $155; liarflies.com

NO. 13 THE SHOW GOES ON

This July and August, the Central City Opera House’s production of Dido and Aeneas heads outside to the opera’s garden, and Carousel and Rigoletto will take the stage at Littleton’s Hudson Gardens amphitheater. From $25; centralcityopera.org [HOW TO] UNDERSTAND OPERA Central City Opera House has a whole glossary of terms to help you sound cultured during preshow drinks (centralcityopera.org/resources). Here are a few to get you started.

associated with specific Plural: arias characters or events.

Often signals the entrance An extended musical of a character (think: Darth passage sung by one HOW UNDERSTAND OPERA Vader) or foreshadowing. person TO: to convey a character’s emotional state.

Central Opera House whole glossary of terms to lə-ˈbre-(ˌ)tō The restCity of the action usu- has aLibretto Plural: librettos or libretti help you sound cultured at preshow drinks (centralcityopera. ally pauses to let singers org/resources).

Here are a few to get you started.

Italian for “little book,” this have their moments. is the opera’s lyrics. LibretLeitmotif ˈlīt-mō-ˌtēf tos are usually shorter than Plural: leitmotifs play scripts since it takes Variant: leitmotiv longer to sing lines than to A musical phrase speak them.

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Overture ˈō-vər-ˌchu̇r

Plural: overtures The piece of music that starts the performance to set the mood. Usually contains some of the musical themes that follow.

Recitative ˌre-sə-tə-ˈtēv Plural: recitatives This sung dialogue has faster rhythms similar to regular speech. Used to propel the story forward.

From left: Russ Schnitzer; Courtesy of Sunny Side Production

Aria ˈär-​ē -​ˌā

HEAD FOR THE FOOTHILLS

NO. 14 ROCK THE BOAT

Denver may be 750 miles from the nearest salt water (the Gulf of California, if you’re wondering), but you only have to make the half-hour drive to Chatfield State Park to set sail. Book one of Victoria Sailing School’s sunset cruises, available most Fridays and Saturdays in summer, and for three and a half hours, you and up to five friends can do as much or as little of the sailing as you like around the 1,479-acre reservoir. $250 per group; victoriasailingschool.com Detour: Up for a little summer school? Victoria’s 15-hour Basic Keelboat Sailing class turns landlubbers into mariners capable of crewing most any sailing vessel. $422 per person

NO. 16

From top: Courtesy of SunWater Spa; Courtesy of Cave of the Winds; Courtesy of Mile High Gliding

FLIGHTS OF FANCY

NO. 15

TAKE THE HEAT OFF

While some head to the mountains to escape the scorching summer sun, you can also travel in the opposite direction: underground. The caverns at Manitou Springs’ Cave of the Winds Mountain Park are always a refreshing 54 degrees, and guided tours range from a family-friendly walk through well-lit chambers to spooky explorations by candlelight. (The advanced Caving 101 tour is suspended due to the pandemic.) Once you’re properly chilled, the above-ground attractions include an obstacle course, zipline, via ferrata, and the Terror Dactyl, a monster rope swing that features a 150-foot free fall over Williams Canyon. Tours from $17, other attractions from $25; caveofthewinds.com Detour: Manitou Springs’ Rainbow Falls is a 45-foot cascade surrounded by a kaleidoscope of graffiti. (Note: Access varies seasonally; check online before you go.)

Boulder’s Flatirons are even more stunning from the seat of one of Mile High Gliding’s sailplanes.

After a quick tow from a prop plane, your pilot will use rising thermals to keep the unpowered glider aloft as you take in expansive mountain views from the back seat.

Trips run from 15 minutes to a full hour, and there’s even a sailplane flight school should you grow tired of riding shotgun.

From $120; milehigh gliding.com Detour: Prefer a plein air experience? Red Tail Paragliding offers 10-minute tandem flights over the Boulder foothills.

From $200; redtail paragliding.com

NO.17 

PUT A FOOT DOWN

If a two-hour mineral-water soak in one of SunWater Spa’s outdoor cedar tubs in Manitou Springs isn’t enough to loosen you up, book one of its new-for-2021 ashiatsu massages. The technique, which originated in Japan, has practitioners use bare feet and body weight to apply broader, deeper pressure than the conventional fingers, hands, and elbows. Either choice is a great option after a day of rock climbing at nearby Garden of the Gods, exploring the Manitou Cliff Dwellings, or hiking the 12-plusmile Barr Trail to the top of 14,115-foot Pikes Peak. sunwellness.net Detour: After three years of construction, the cog railway up Pikes Peak reopened to the public in May. Trains run until October 31, and the depot is only a mile from the spa. cograilway.com

NO. 18

COUNTRY COOKING

Don’t mistake the Gold Hill Inn’s quaint prices (and even quainter decor) as indicative of its food. For $42, this beloved, rustic restaurant in the hills above Boulder serves a six-course meal of seasonal fare such as broiled smoked rainbow trout, beef tournedos, and leg of lamb with rosemary sauce. Reservations are recommended for weekends. Not a planner or forgot to call ahead?

The inn now serves treats à la carte at its new outdoor beer garden, which was added last year as part of the 58-year-old eatery’s COVID-19 social distancing precautions. goldhillinn.com Detour: Work up an appetite with a 4.4-mile out-and-back up Lion’s Lair Trail, a less-trafficked route to the summit of 6,843-foot Mt. Sanitas.

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WEIRD BEERS

NO.19 YOU’RE GOING TO NEED A STURDIER BOAT

It’s tempting to dismiss a rafting trip down Clear Creek: It’s only a half-hour from Denver, after all. Then again, it’s also the steepest commercially rafted stretch of water in the state.

Grab a spot on Rocky Mountain Whitewater Rafting’s eight-mile-long intermediate trip, for example, and you’ll barely have time to catch your breath as you navigate the five class IV rapids that punctuate nearly continuous class II to III white water. $77 per person, ages 14 and up only; gorafting.co Detour: As part of its COVID-19 precautions, the historic Georgetown Loop Railway will only offer open-air cars this summer­— which sounds better to us anyway. $28 ages 16 and up, $22 ages 3–15; georgetownlooprr.com

Though it’s easy to swing by Nederland’s Knotted Root Brewing Co. on your way to other excursions, the two-year-old brewhouse is an adventure in its own right, thanks to concoctions such as Goo—an unfiltered, smoothie-style Berliner Weisse made with milk sugar and various fruits. That’s not even the strangest thing Knotted Root makes. Each August, its brewers release the Taylor Ham, Egg and Cheese, Salt Pepper Ketchup, a beer meant to evoke the pork roll, New Jersey’s iconic breakfast dish. knotted rootbrewing.com Detour: Bring your mountain bike. Nederland’s mazelike West Magnolia trail system features routes for every skill level.

NO. 21

HAVE A CLOSE ENCOUNTER

Colorado’s famously sunny days also make for cloudless nights perfect for stargazing. Learn all about the constellations, planets, and other celestial bodies—and the folklore that surrounds them—during one of AstroTours.org’s two-hour outings at Boulder Valley Ranch. With the annual Perseids meteor shower peaking around August 12 and both Saturn and Jupiter reaching their closest approaches to Earth this summer, there’ll be plenty of extraterrestrial action. $40 per person Detour: Arrive early for a trek around the three-mile Boulder Valley Ranch Loop. You’ll navigate rolling ravines, spy red-tailed hawks and northern harriers, and pass by a private working ranch.

NO. 22

UPPING THE ANTE

After the passage of Amendment 77 last year, Black Hawk became the first city in the state to drop betting limits and introduce new floor games like baccarat.

For the full Vegas experience, head to Monarch Casino Resort Spa. After nearly a decade of work, Monarch opened an expansion in November 2020 that includes rooftop pools, the city’s only 24-hour restaurant, an expanded gaming floor, and a buffet worthy of the Strip. monarchblackhawk.com Detour: It’s just a 16-minute drive from Black Hawk to the 35 miles of trail at Golden Gate Canyon State Park, including a 1.25-mile hoof to Panorama Point.

NO. 23

SPIN CYCLE For the past two years, Floyd Hill Open Space’s the Sluice, a 1.3-mile route in Clear Creek County, was the only purpose-built downhill mountain bike trail along the entire Front Range.

Now Black Hawk has changed that with the opening of Hard Money this past May. The 1.6-mile, machine-made, intermediate/expert trail is part of the city’s plan to turn Maryland Mountain Park into a cycling hub: Three more bike-only trails are in the works.

Detour: Visit Evergreen Brewing Co. for a post-ride pint and you just might be able to pick up tips from Gary Moore, executive director of the Colorado Mountain Bike Association; he’s a regular. evergreenbrewingco.com 66

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From top: Courtesy of Rapid Image Photography; Courtesy of AstroTours; Courtesy of Chris Klein/Knotted Root Brewing; Jonathan Crays/Courtesy of Colorado Mountain Bike Association

NO. 20

HEAD FOR THE FOOTHILLS

NO. 24 MAKE SOME WAVES

June is prime river surfing season in Colorado, and Sheridan’s River Run Park on the South Platte is home to Benihana’s and Wave 6, two of the Centennial State’s best breaks due to their Waveshaper systems. Both are best surfed with shorter, high-volume boards (before you buy, drop by the park; local surfers are known to loan out their gear to interested newbies), but downstream, beginner-friendly Chiclets can be ridden with a standard paddleboard. Be sure to pack a helmet, a personal flotation device, and a wetsuit if you don’t want to freeze.

NO. 25

(DON’T) GIVE UP THE GHOST

[HOW TO] STAND UP ON A RIVER SURFBOARD Alex Mauer, river sports athlete and the Denver director of the Colorado River Surfing Association, recommends starting with the glide-in method.

From top: Sarah Banks; Getty Images

A: Facing upriver in the shallower water to the side of the wave, hold your board with both hands by the rails, jump onto the board on your belly, and let your momentum and the current take you into the pocket of the wave.

B: Lying on the board on the wave, get a feel for your body position: too far forward and the water will suck the board’s nose underwater; too far back and you’ll be flushed off the wave. Finding the sweet spot will lock you onto the break.

C: Don’t snap upright like you would ocean surfing. Instead, place your hands on the board just below your armpits and push yourself upright until you’re kneeling.

D: Once you feel balanced, stand up slowly, keeping your center of mass low and balanced over the centerline. Congratulations. You’re surfing.

When you fall, back or belly flop to avoid hitting underwater obstacles.

Water hazards, wind, and dense trees are familiar obstacles to every disc golfer. Phantoms, specters, and spirits, though? Not unless you’re playing a round at reservationonly Ghost Town Disc Golf, which winds through Russell Gulch, one of the oldest abandoned mining towns in Colorado. Signature holes at this course south of Central City include Jimmie Shoelu’s Hay Barn, where you’ll take a one-stroke penalty if you hit the namesake 136-year-old building. $10 per person; 303-582-3083 Detour: Keep an eye out for the course's annual Ghost Town Classic tournament. Date TBD

NO. 26 

HALT AND CATCH FIRE

Evergreen is a gateway to Mt. Evans and the Arapaho National Forest, so it’s fitting that the town’s newest eatery draws its inspiration—and its name—from the outdoors.

Whether it’s with the two rotisserie cookers, the Santa Maria–style grill, or the woodfired pizza oven, pretty much everything on the menu at chef Jared Leonard’s Campfire is cooked by open flames. And like any fire, the restaurant is a great gathering space for post-adventure libations, thanks to its extensive cocktail menu, 60-person patio, and outdoor lounge on the banks of Bear Creek. campfireevergreen.com Detour: Rent a paddleboard, kayak, or canoe at the Evergreen Lake House for a predinner float. evergreenrecreation.com

NO. 27

WE ALL SCREAM

Although most of the breakfast dishes at Morrison’s the Cow An Eatery are standouts, the real draw of this revamped 1940s-era diner is the chance to indulge in a chocolate-dipped ice cream cone on the creekside patio before heading to Red Rocks Amphitheater, which hosts Brandi Carlile, Wilco, Andrew Bird, Jimmy Buffett, and others in front of limited-capacity, 2,500-person crowds this summer (at least to start). thecoweatery.com; redrocksonline.com Detour: With just 600 feet of elevation to gain, summiting Mount Falcon Park’s eponymous 7,841-foot peak from the west is easiest, though the 2,000-foot eastern approach might help you burn off that dipped cone. m JUNE 2021

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Renan Ozturk captures footage for 2017’s The Last Honey Hunter.

TA K E S

IT B Y J U L I E D U G DA L E

TWO

A HUSBAND-AND-WIFE ADVENTURE DUO BRINGS AN EXPEDITION-STYLE FILMMAKING STUDIO TO THE SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS. JUNE 2021

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Just before their departure from the port city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, they met a Russian marine mammal biologist whose boat had been destroyed by the ash when the volcano erupted while he was at Raikoke. He wanted to go back to check on the rookery as part of his ongoing studies of the islands’ rapidly declining wildlife populations. He persuaded the crew to let him stow away, a small tweak in personnel that dramatically altered the trajectory of the trip. The biologist’s lifelong goal to protect the mostly uninhabited Kuril Islands became a driving force behind the journey—and ultimately the prevailing theme of the awardwinning 2020 film From Kurils With Love. Sweeping cinematography, often courtesy of a fleet of drones, captured the isolated beauty of the Kurils and the wildlife clinging precariously to a habitat under attack, not just by an unexpected eruption but also by climate change. “[The destruction on Raikoke] was incredibly powerful visually as well as story-wise,” Ozturk says 18 months later. He remembers it like a snapshot, recounting it over the phone from somewhere outside Canyonlands National Park in Utah—just another day on assignment—his voice clicking in and out through the fuzz of a sketchy signal. “In that moment, Taylor kicked into high gear and I started diving into the cinematography with intensity. We were coming together like Voltron. It was a documentary filmmaking combat moment.”

Previous spread: Courtesy of Matt Irving/Expedition Studios

S

omewhere between Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula and Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido, just off the coast of a tiny volcanic island called Raikoke, a small vessel bobbed in the chop of the Sea of Okhotsk. An assorted group of photographers, scientists, and filmmakers lined the boat’s railing and stared in disbelief as the landscape came into focus. The island, usually lush and green, smoldered in an ashy gray state of complete desolation. The air was heavy with sulfuric smoke tendrils, and flocks of birds circled in infinite loops overhead with nowhere to land. The sea-lapped shores, once home to a thriving sea lion rookery, had been reduced to smoking rubble.

The volcano had been dormant for almost a century. Colorado-based filmmakers Taylor Rees, 35, and Renan Ozturk, 41, hadn’t planned to pull up to its shores less than three weeks after an eruption. The husband-and-wife team—recent co-founders of production company Expedition Studios in Ridgway—originally designed the trip to the remote Kuril Islands simply to explore, climb, and photograph one of the most inaccessible volcanic archipelagos in the world. But as they inevitably do on the far-flung trips that Ozturk and Rees embark upon, things changed.

This spread, from left: Courtesy of Renan Ozturk/Expedition Studios; Courtesy of Cory Richards

RUBRIC

THE KURIL ISLANDS EXCURSION wasn’t Rees and Ozturk’s first, nor last, expedition that framed life and death so starkly. Unpredictability and risk come with the territory for people who often push themselves to the limit of human capability to get the shot—and deliver it to the audience in a way that exposes the nuanced relationship between humankind and an unforgiving yet fragile natural world. In adventure circles, the Coloradans are considered to be among the best mountaineers, explorers, and expeditioners in the world. “The best” is subjective, of course, but Ozturk, an athlete for the North Face and former National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, is certainly a world-class climber, having roped up on big walls, first ascents, and summit attempts of the planet’s cruelest peaks with the likes of Jimmy Chin, Conrad Anker, and Alex Honnold.

In fact, Ozturk was the cinematographer for the award-winning 2015 documentary Meru, which From left: Taylor Rees follows Ozturk, Anker, and Chin on a harrowing on location first ascent of the Shark’s Fin route up 21,850in Kenya in foot Meru Peak in the Himalayas.

September 2020; Ozturk on Even before he was known for his climbing, an expedition Ozturk felt the allure of the Himalayas, and in in the Burmese his 20s moved to Nepal to complete a language Himalayas in 2014 program that helped him forge a connection to

the region. He then spent the early years of his artistic career living the dirtbag dream, sleeping in caves or under the stars at the base of whatever slab of granite called to him. “I felt like that was a real need in my life, to be able to wake up and look out for instant inspiration,” he says.

Ozturk is the type of person who says those kinds of things. The bravado one might expect of someone who’s so well acquainted with existing at the edge of death—the Meru summit came just five months after he suffered a severed vertebral artery and cranial fracture from a backcountry skiing accident—is absent with Ozturk. Instead, he is measured, thoughtful, even soulful.

Rees’ reverence for nature runs just as deep, albeit through a different lens. During an evening walk through the woods near the couple’s home in the San Juan Mountains, she reflects over the phone on her long JUNE 2021

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Four years after their first date, they married, settled in Park City, Utah—they moved to Ridgway in early 2020 after an extensive canvassing of mountain towns for the ideal balance of authenticity, community, and outdoor adventure—adopted a husky named Baloo, and continued fusing their respective, often overlapping, passions. At their core, they are storytellers. In screen credits and on paper, that translates to roles as directors, producers, photographers, or cinematographers, depending on the project.

In 2020, their work appeared in roughly 120 film festivals. “When it comes to projects, our rule of thumb is to have as many irons in the fire as possible,” Rees says. “Renan and I are compulsive doers. It’s almost unsustainable; it’s not healthy from a longevity standpoint.”

Healthy or not, their work ethic has earned them sponsors (Adorama, Sony, Thule, Leatherman, and Red camera gear, among others) that help outfit trips and execute assignments, and commerFrom left: Ozturk, cial clients (Apple, Google, Nike) that not only seated behind pay the bills, but also help fund expeditions—both the pilot, captures commissioned and passion projects—that can run images of Utah’s Monument Valley up obscenely high tabs. Their combined portfofrom an ultralight lio is peppered with documentary features, shorts, trike in 2019; Rees and photographs that capture the trips: a climbing at work in Castle Valley, Utah quest deep in Nepal to document villagers who

This spread: Courtesy of Renan Ozturk/Expedition Studios (2)

relationship with the outdoors, which she further nurtured by earning her master’s degree at the Yale School of Forestry. “I developed an ecological consciousness that plays into the work I do now,” she says. “The films I make, the questions I ask, come from a place of really deep curiosity.”

No slouch herself on a wall, Rees’ proclivity for adventure may have been preordained; her middle name is Freesolo, a handle bestowed upon her by her climber parents. Perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising, then, that Rees and Ozturk’s first date was a 24-hour climb up the Gold Face/Full Exum route of the 13,775foot Grand Teton outside Jackson, Wyoming.

It was an ambitious climb laced with harrowing moments and a giddy release that perhaps only climbers can understand. He admired her rare combination of in-the-moment tenacity and big-picture awareness. She was drawn to his quiet strength—a feeling she calls “home.”

I T TA K E S T W O

hand-harvest psychedelic honey from the world’s largest bees by scaling rope ladders up sheer cliffs (The Last Honey Hunter, 2017); a journey to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Yellow Brick Road, 2017), where they were held at gunpoint three times, to highlight the shadowy world of Congolese gold extraction; and an Everest mission (The Ghosts Above, 2020) to search for the body of a climber missing since 1924, in an attempt to solve the mystery of who was truly the first to summit the famed mountain.

SUCH A WORK ENVIRONMENT is as demanding of physical togetherness as it is of creative freedom. And it can thwart the equilibrium of both a marriage and a professional partnership. Recalibrating that harmony is one reason the pair decided to separate from the Salt Lake City–based production company, Camp4 Collective, that Ozturk co-founded in 2010 and start fresh in the San Juan Mountains. They wanted to re-evaluate the frenetic pace of their work. “Moving to Colorado was intentional,” Rees says. “We were falling apart—as much as privileged, healthy people can fall apart.” They arrived here just as the pandemic hit and set to work building Expedition Studios.

The idea is to manufacture a creative force inclusive of local communities, trusted adventure colleagues, artistic visionaries, clients, and social and environmental change agents across the globe. While they haven’t yet figured out the finer points of how the studio will fit into the community, they hope

to tap into their new Colorado surroundings by partnering with regional film events like Telluride’s Mountainfilm, Carbondale’s 5Point Adventure Film Festival, and the Ridgway Independent Film Festival (for which they already served as judges in 2020). They plan to hire local talent for shooting, editing, and office management. They want to host bikein movie nights and weekend workshops on topics such as film, adventure photography, and environmental storytelling. And they intend to bring in—when appropriate and responsible—commercial work that can give Colorado towns an economic boost. They’ve already begun building out a physical studio space that will serve as a “mountain sanctuary” where they can host, as artists-in-residence, the types of collaborators (editors, music composers, climbers, interns) who tend to need weeks at a time immersed in fine-tuning a film. As both will tell you, there’s no singular model for producing films with so many moving parts. “You have to be fast and light and pivot to come away with the most powerful story,” Ozturk says. “I don’t sugarcoat it at all.

It’s complete chaos.”

The studio launch may also allow them more space to pursue a different type of storytelling, one they’ve already started to tackle.

Take one of Rees’ most recent films, Ashes to Ashes (2019), which was featured on the New Yorker’s documentary site in January. No gnarly crags, no dense jungles, no bone-chilling winds—not even a passport required. In this instance, Rees and Ozturk, who directed and shot the film, respectively, grappled with the idea of death—in this case, murder—from an entirely different angle.

The filmmakers were drawn to the story of Winfred Rembert, CONTINUED ON PAGE 96 JUNE 2021

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DINING GUIDE $

U N D E R $ 10

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$ 11 T O $ 15

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NEW

Indicates a restaurant featured in 5280 for the first time (though not necessarily a restaurant that has just opened).

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 Abejas

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$ 26 A N D H I G H E R.

Attimo Winery

Acova

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Highland / American A diverse gluten-free menu of American classics and dishes spotlighting international flavors, from wings to grilled pork torta, are the draw at Acova. Reservations accepted. 3651 Navajo St., 303-736-2718.

Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

Acreage by Stem Ciders

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Lafayette / Seasonal Stem Ciders’ ciderhouse and eatery pairs its drinks with wood-fired fare. Reservations accepted. 1380 Horizon Ave., Lafayette, 720-443-3007. Lunch, Dinner

African Grill & Bar

Avanti Food & Beverage Boulder

$$$

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

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

Dinner, Brunch Ash’Kara

$$$

Highland / Middle Eastern Chef Daniel Asher offers a playful take on Israeli and Middle Eastern cuisine at this plant-bedecked eatery. Try the

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Boulder / International Current tenants of this food collective on the Pearl Street Mall include Boychik, Pig and Tiger, New Yorkese, Rye Society, Rooted Craft Kitchen, and Quiero Arepas. Also try the original LoHi location. 1401 Pearl St., Boulder, 720-343-7757. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

B Bar Dough

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25 B E S T

Beckon

$$$$

RiNo / Contemporary Chef Kodi Simkins 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 Bellota

$$

RiNo / Mexican Chef Manny Barella cooks elevated regional Mexican fare inspired by his Monterrey, Mexico, childhood inside the Source.

Reservations accepted. The Source, 3350 Brighton Blvd., 720-542-3721. Lunch, Dinner

$$$

$$$$

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

$$$

Highland / Contemporary Linda Hampsten Fox’s eatery, market, and bakery offers worldly fare inspired by her travels. Don’t miss the smoked rabbit relleno. Reservations accepted. 1817 Central St., 303-993-2364. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

25 B E S T

Barolo Grill

$$$$

The Bindery

Highland / Italian Tuck into wood-fired pizzas, comforting pastas, and Italian-style cocktails from chef-owner Max Mackissock at this casual gathering spot. Reservations accepted. 2227 W. 32nd Ave., 720-668-8506. Dinner, Brunch

25 B E S T

Beast & Bottle

Uptown Area / American A sustainable-sourcing mantra permeates a menu featuring everything from local lamb to cod collars. Reservations accepted. 719 E. 17th Ave., 303-623-3223.

Dinner, Brunch

Blackbelly

$$$

Boulder / American Chef Hosea Rosenberg’s meaty menu focuses on charcuterie, small plates, and daily butcher specials. Try the crispy pig ears with red pepper jelly. 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

$$$

Lakewood / African Head to this cheery African restaurant for rich stews, fried fish, rice dishes, and friendly service. Get the chakalaka, a traditional vegetarian South African stew. Reservations not accepted. 955 S. Kipling Pkwy., Lakewood, 720-229-7778. Lunch, Dinner Annette

$$

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

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

$$$$

Golden / American The ever-changing menu at this restaurant features farm-fresh produce, sustainable fish, and organic meats, while the bar highlights small wineries and local brewers.

Reservations accepted. 807 13th St., Golden, 303-952-9745. Dinner

74



falafel or king salmon crudo. Reservations accepted. 2005 W. 33rd Ave., 303-537-4407.

Dinner, Brunch

SYMBOL KEY

25 B E S T

$ 16 T O $ 25

Visit our online listings at 5280.com/ restaurants.

Home Plate LoDo’s game day dining scene just got a little hotter, thanks to the arrival of the Original. The twomonth-old spot inside McGregor Square serves modern riffs on all-day diner classics in a setting inspired by the greasy spoons of the 1950s. The biggest draw for Rockies fans? The menu offerings, including braised short rib stroganoff poutine and skirt steak and eggs, are sure to sop up anything imbibed at the ballpark.

Courtesy of the Original

PRICE KEY

(Average Entrée)

Want More Dining Options?

LUCKY FOR YOU, THERE’S NOTHING TO DO HERE.

In Nebraska, we believe that only boring people get bored. So we invent our own fun.

Like when we realized that a livestock tank would float, and thought, “It’s a boat.” Soon, “tanking” became the preferred method of meandering down our slow-moving rivers.

It might not be everybody’s cup of tea, but if it sounds as good to you as it did to us, go to VisitNebraska.com for a free Travel Guide. And welcome aboard.

DINING GUIDE Blue Pan Pizza

Boney’s Smokehouse BBQ

$$$

Downtown / Barbecue Hickory smoke lures diners to this temple of Southern-style slow-cooked meats, including ribs and brisket. Order the generous sampler platter with all of the fixings (and share with a friend) so you can taste it all. Reservations accepted. 1543 Champa St., 303-825-9900.

Lunch, Dinner

The Bronze Empire

$$$

Cory-Merrill / Chinese This cozy restaurant specializes in Chinese hot pot. Guests cook thinly sliced meats, veggies, noodles, and other savory ingredients in a boiling, savory broth right at the table. Reservations accepted. 1591 S. Colorado Blvd., 720-550-7871. Lunch, Dinner

Brutø

$$

Downtown / International At the Wolf’s Tailor’s sister restaurant at the Dairy Block, chef Kelly Whitaker highlights heritage grains and other local ingredients with a tasting menu of fresh-baked breads, wood-fired proteins, and vegetableforward dishes. Also try Bøh, the counter-service mezcal bar and taqueria open for lunch and dinner in the same space. Reservations accepted.

1801 Blake St., 720-325-2195. Dinner

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$$

West Highland / Pizza Masterfully crafted Detroit-style pizza is the draw at this tiny spot.

Also try the Congress Park location. Reservations not accepted. 3930 W. 32nd Ave., 720-4567666. Lunch, Dinner

25 B E S T

Cattivella

D $$$

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

Reservations accepted. 10195 E. 29th Dr., Ste. 110, 303-645-3779. Dinner ChoLon

$$$$

Downtown / Asian This upscale 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. Dinner

25 B E S T

Comal Heritage Food Incubator

Corrida

$$$$

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

$

Downtown / Mexican Known for its slowsimmered carnitas, this spot offers Mexican at its best. Reservations not accepted. 1530 Blake St., Ste. C, 720-904-8226. Lunch, Dinner

25 B E S T

Dio Mio

$$

RiNo / Italian One thing you can count on at Alex Figura and Spencer White’s fast-casual Italian eatery: perfect pasta. Reservations not accepted.

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

E

$$

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

D’Corazon

Edgewater Public Market

$$

El Noa Noa

$$

Edgewater / International Satisfy your cravings for everything from wild game sandwiches to Ethiopian fare at this collective of nearly two dozen food stalls and boutiques. 5505 W. 20th Ave., Edgewater, 303-797-9119. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch Lincoln Park / Mexican Lovingly prepared Mexican food with top-notch margaritas. Reservations not accepted. 722 Santa Fe Dr., 303-623-9968.

Lunch, Dinner

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DINING GUIDE

F Farmhouse Thai Eatery

$$

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

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

The Feedery

$$

Englewood / American Seasonal recipes and ingredients from local growers and its own urban

farm and marketplace, Grow & Gather, fuel an evolving menu of breakfast, lunch, and dinner dishes. Reservations accepted. 900 E. Hampden Ave., Englewood, 720-535-7217. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch 25 B E S T

Frasca Food and Wine

Fruition Restaurant

$$$$

Country Club / American James Beard Award– winning chef Alex Seidel’s tiny kitchen focuses on seasonal dishes that are big on flavor. Reservations accepted. 1313 E. Sixth Ave., 303831-1962. Dinner

$$$$

Boulder / Italian Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson and master sommelier Bobby Stuckey’s fine-dining mecca has racked up scores of accolades over the years (including nods from the James Beard Foundation). The elegant Friulano cuisine always wows.

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

G Gaetano’s

$$$

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

The Ginger Pig

$$

Berkeley / Asian Chefs Natascha Hess and Carrie Baird serve Asian-inspired street food with playful twists at this casual spot. Reservations not accepted.

4262 Lowell Blvd., 720-324-8416. Lunch, Dinner

H Hank’s Texas BBQ

$$

Highland Tap and Burger

$$

Hale / Barbecue This fast-casual barbecue joint serves tender, slow-cooked meats, including brisket, chicken, and pork ribs, by the pound and in sandwiches, tacos, and salads. Reservations not accepted. 5410 E. Colfax Ave., 720-2773225. Lunch, Dinner

Highland / American Pick your patty, bun, and premium toppings for a customizable meal, enhanced with a choice of more than a dozen local craft beers. Multiple locations. Reservations not accepted. 2219 W. 32nd Ave., 720-2874493. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

HiRa Cafe & Patisserie

$

Aurora / Ethiopian Pastry chef-owner Hiwot Solomon pairs her from-scratch desserts and Ethiopian breakfast plates with house-roasted coffee at this cheery cafe. Reservations not accepted. 10782 E. Iliff Ave., Aurora, 720-949-1703. Breakfast

SILVERTHORNE, COLORADO Find your next adventure in Silverthorne. Surrounded by miles of hiking and biking trails and located next to the famed fishing waters of the Blue River, Silverthorne offers a multitude of outdoor experiences perfect for your summer in the mountains.

Honey Elixir

25 B E S T

Hop Alley

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$$$

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

SILVERTHORNE.ORG

$$

RiNo / Contemporary Nonalcoholic potions, boozy cocktails, sipping chocolate, teas, and more, along with a menu of light bites, are the draw at this stunning bar. Reservations not accepted. 2636 Walnut St., Ste. 104, 720-328-5992. Dinner

$$

Berkeley / Pizza Craft pizza and local brews are this spot’s forte. Load up your pie with toppings such as blackberry barbecue sauce and pickled jalapeño, and wash it all down with a choice of more than 20 beers. Reservations not accepted.

3920 Tennyson St., 303-477-7000. Lunch, Dinner

DINING GUIDE Hudson Hill

$

Capitol Hill / American This all-day lounge serves coffee, cocktails, beer, and wine in a casual-yetelegant ambiance. 619 E. 13th St., 303-832-0776.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

I Il Posto

$$$$

RiNo / Italian Sample Andrea Frizzi’s imaginative Italian cuisine in sleek, urban environs. Don’t miss

the seasonal risotto. Reservations accepted. 2601 Larimer St., 303-394-0100. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch Imperial Chinese

$$$

India’s Restaurant

$$$

Baker / Asian This stalwart offers Cantonese, Mandarin, and Sichuan dishes in an elegant setting. Reservations accepted. 431 S. Broadway, 303-698-2800. Lunch, Dinner

Hampden / Indian This spot serves traditional fare, including flavorful dishes like tandoori chicken.

Reservations accepted. 8921 E. Hampden Ave., 303-755-4284. Lunch, Dinner

Istanbul Bakery & Cafe

$

Washington Virginia Vale / Middle Eastern Inside the shopping center at the intersection of South Monaco Parkway and Leetsdale Drive, friendly owner Ismet Yilmaz prepares authentic Turkish pastries. Reservations not accepted. 850 S. Monaco Pkwy., Ste. 9, 720-536-5455. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Izakaya Den

$$

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

J J’s Noodles Star Thai 2

$

Westwood / Thai This traditional Thai spot has developed a cult following over the years. Reservations not accepted. 945 S. Federal Blvd., 303-922-5495. Lunch, Dinner

Jamaican Grill

$$

Lincoln Park / Jamaican This family-owned Jamaican restaurant serves classic Caribbean-centric dishes like jerk chicken and fried plantains, accompanied by a menu of rum-infused cocktails. Also try the Jamaican Mini Grille and International Jerk Market in Lakewood. Reservations not accepted.

709 W. Eighth Ave., 303-623-0013. Lunch, Dinner

Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar

$$$

Downtown / Seafood Enjoy sustainable seafood in an upbeat atmosphere. Specialties include the raw oyster bar and seasonally composed plates.

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

Jerusalem Restaurant

$$

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

Jovanina’s Broken Italian

$$$

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

K Kachina Cantina

$$

Downtown / Southwestern Located in the Dairy Block, this spot specializes in southwestern fare, such as Navajo tacos. Also try the Westminsterbased sister location, Kachina Southwestern Grill.

Reservations accepted. 1890 Wazee St., 720-460-2728. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

The Kitchen

$$$

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

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BLACKHILLSBADLANDS.COM // 605-355-3700

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Discover your next road trip in the Black Hills and Badlands.

DINING GUIDE

L

setting. Try the foie gras terrine and the mussels.

Reservations accepted. 299 St. Paul St., 303-8359999. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

La Calle Taqueria Y Carnitas

$

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. Reservations not accepted. 1565 W. Alameda Ave., 720-5836586. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

La Chiva

Speer / Mexican Former food truck La Loteria’s brick-and-mortar shop serves up fresh Mexican dishes inspired by chef/owner Edgar Silvestre’s family recipes. You can’t go wrong with the signature street tacos. Reservations not accepted. 42 S. Broadway St., 720-389-9055. Lunch, Dinner

Le Bilboquet

LeRoux

$$$$

Downtown / French Lon Symensma’s upscale, European-inspired eatery features table-side preparations and a roving cheese cart. Don’t miss the Paris-Brest dessert. Reservations accepted. 1555 Blake St., Ste. 102, 720-8451673. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

$$

Overland / Colombian This brick-and-mortar, spawned from the popular food truck of the same name, gives Denverites a cozy, colorful place to enjoy the cuisine of chef-owner Jorge Aguirre’s native Colombia. Try the sancocho, a hearty, slowsimmered soup made with chicken, green plantain, yuca, corn, and Colombian spices. Reservations accepted. 1417 S. Broadway, 720-389-9847.

Lunch, Dinner

La Loteria

25 B E S T

$

$$$$

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

Linger

$$

Highland / International Set in the former threestory Olinger Mortuary’s parking garage, this restaurant takes you around the world with a menu of small plates. Enjoy fabulous views of downtown while choosing from inviting menus of food and cocktails. Reservations accepted. 2030 W. 30th Ave., 303-993-3120. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

Little Beast Street Food

Congress Park / Korean This casual joint serves Korean street fare. Try the adobo fried chicken sandwich. Reservations not accepted. 2730 E. Colfax Ave., 303-399-4137. Lunch, Dinner

Logan Street

$

$$$

Capitol Hill / Mediterranean From the owners behind Carboy Winery, Logan Street serves woodfired fare, fresh pastas, and flatbreads that pair well with the house-made vino. Reservations accepted. 400 E. Seventh Ave., 720-617-9410.

Lunch, Dinner

Lola Coastal Mexican

$$$

Los Cabos

$$$

Highland / Mexican The flavors and beachy vibes of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula shine at Lola.

Order the charred octopus and the queso fundido.

Reservations accepted. 1575 Boulder St., 720570-8686. Dinner, Brunch

Downtown / Peruvian This cozy spot serves Peruvian specialties with Cantonese, African, and European influences. Don’t miss the ceviche mixto.

Reservations accepted. 1525 Champa St., 303-595-3232. Lunch, Dinner

M Maine Shack

$$

Mango House

$$

Highland / Seafood New Englanders and seafood fans, rejoice: This fast-casual spot is slinging lobster rolls, fried whole-belly clams, chowder, and more. Reservations not accepted. 1535 Central St., 303-997-2118. Lunch, Dinner

Aurora / International This immigrant- and refugee-led food hall is home to six outstanding culinary concepts, including Urban Burma, Jasmine Syrian Food, and Rocky Mountain Sudanese Restaurant. Reservations not accepted.

10180 E. Colfax Ave., Aurora, 303-900-8639.

Lunch, Dinner

NEW TRAINS. NEW TRACK. NEW DEPOT.

TIMELESS MAJESTY.

The Broadmoor Manitou and Pikes Peak Cog Railway is back on track. Enjoy new experiences at a classic American icon. Visit cograilway.com to purchase your e-ticket today.

EXPERIENCE

the ultimate resort

escape

Step into the ultimate resort, only 45 minutes from Denver. Savor all-new flavors at Monarch Chophouse, enjoy burgers, brews and more around the clock at Twenty-Four 7. Or let The Buffet light up your senses with exquisite flavors and cuisine from all corners of the globe. Spread out and feel the thrill of the action on our spaciously expanded gaming floor. Then, retreat to your own luxury guest room to relax, rejuvenate, and prepare to do it all over again. We’re ready. Are you?

Gambling problem? Call 1.800.GAMBLER

DINING GUIDE Marco’s Coal Fired

$$

Mason’s Dumpling Shop

$$

Ballpark / Pizza This spot serves authentic Neapolitan-style pies, coal-fired limoncello wings, fresh salads, and much more. Also try the Englewood location. Reservations accepted.

2129 Larimer St., 303-296-7000. Lunch, Dinner

Aurora / Chinese A menu of house-made steamed, boiled, and pan-fried dumplings complements a selection of noodle and rice bowls and vegetable-forward sides at this Los Angeles–born spot. Reservations not accepted.

9655 E. Montview Blvd., Aurora, 303-6008998. Lunch, Dinner

Mazèvo Mediterranean Eatery

$$

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

25 B E S T

Mercantile Dining & Provision

Misfit Snackbar

Mister Oso

$$$

RiNo / Latin American This casual Señor Bear spinoff offers a Latin-inspired menu featuring smoked meat tacos, creative ceviches, and salads from chef-owner Blake Edmunds. Reservations accepted. 3163 Larimer St., 720-6776454. Dinner

My Brother’s Bar

N Narrative

New Saigon

$$

NOLA Voodoo Tavern and Perks

$$

Athmar Park / Vietnamese This eatery serves an extensive menu featuring delicious rice paper wraps, crispy soft shell crabs, soups, salads, and more. Check out the Vietnamese bakery and deli next door. Reservations accepted. 630 S. Federal Blvd., 303-936-4954. Lunch, Dinner

Cole / Southern New Orleans native and owner Henry Batiste serves his grandmother’s recipes for gumbo, crawfish étouffée, and more at this Louisiana-inspired spot. Reservations accepted. 3321 Bruce Randolph Ave., 720-389-9544. Dinner

O

$

Highland / Pub Enjoy beers and burgers in one of Denver’s oldest family-owned bars. Reservations not accepted. 2376 15th St., 303-455-9991.

Lunch, Dinner

$$$

Downtown / American Award-winning chef Alex Seidel offers upscale, contemporary farm-totable fare, including pasta dishes and family-style shared plates for the table. The restaurant also features counter-service dining for lunch, as well as a marketplace of locally sourced foodstuffs. Reservations accepted for dinner. Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop St., Ste. 155, 720-460-3733. Lunch, Dinner

$$

City Park / Contemporary This walk-up kitchen inside Middleman cocktail bar serves imaginative twists on familiar pub fare. Try the burger or the kimchi croquettes with sambal aïoli and shaved Spam. Reservations not accepted. 3401 E. Colfax Ave., 303-353-4207. Dinner

Oak at Fourteenth

$$$

Cherry Creek / American Chef Paul Nagan serves gussied-up versions of American favorites‚ such as shrimp and grits with Tabasco butter‚ at this sleek eatery inside the Jacquard Hotel. Reservations accepted. 222 Milwaukee St., 720-571-8080.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

Ohana Island Kitchen

Highland / Seafood This Hawaiian-inspired eatery serves top-notch tuna poke, Spam musubi, roasted pork, and more in a casual setting. Reservations not accepted. 2563 15th St., 303-718-6580. Lunch, Dinner

SPIRALS ARE SO IN THIS SEASON. Experience a world of incredible natural patterns in our latest exhibition.

VISIT DMNS.ORG/NIN FOR MORE INFO.

Exhibit design and development:

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$$$$

Boulder / Seasonal This bright space located off Pearl Street Mall offers a diverse, ever-changing menu of seasonal, oak-fired eats from chef Steve Redzikowski and creative cocktails from Bryan Dayton. Reservations accepted. 1400 Pearl St., Boulder, 303-444-3622. Lunch, Dinner

$

Make a Splash or Just Relax with a

Summer Staycation With zero obligations, but plenty to do, a mountain getaway is the perfect way to spend your summer vacation. Whether you dip your toes in the water or jump all the way in, the summer sunshine will have you cooling off poolside, casting a fishing rod, soaring on zip lines, or exploring the pristine mountain wilderness on horseback or bike. Slow down with daily yoga, rejuvenating spa treatments, delectable dining, and nightly s’mores under the stars. Retreat to your private log cabin or charming lodge room where your best night’s slumber awaits to inspire dreams of tomorrow’s adventures.

Located 15 Minutes from Winter Park, CO | (970) 726-3773 | devilsthumbranch.com

Welcome Home

Vacation indefinitely with your own acreage at the Ranch and exclusive, full-time access to the resort. devilsthumbranch.com/ranches

DINING GUIDE N E W D AT E S + V E N U E S !

NEW

The Original

$$$

Downtown / American This all-day diner serves classic favorites with an elevated twist in 1950s-inspired digs. Try the braised short rib stroganoff poutine. Reservations accepted.

1600 20th St., 720-769-1414. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch Osaka Ramen

$$

Osteria Marco

$$$

RiNo / Japanese Jeff Osaka’s modern ramen shop features original noodle soups, bento boxes, and creative small plates. Try the mochi doughnuts.

Reservations not accepted. 2611 Walnut St., 303-955-7938. Lunch, Dinner Downtown / Italian This casual tavern features deep-set wooden booths and a spacious bar. The menu lists approachable eats, such as fresh housemade mozzarella and rustic pizzas. Reservations accepted. 1453 Larimer St., 303-534-5855.

Lunch, Dinner

Owlbear Barbecue

JUNE

$$

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

24-27 2021

P Pete’s Kitchen

Cheesman Park / American A Denver landmark and a staple for late-night comfort food, Pete’s is known for its breakfasts but also serves burgers, gyros, and souvlaki sandwiches. Reservations not accepted. 1962 E. Colfax Ave., 303-321-3139.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

Phoenician Kabob

$

$$

South Park Hill / Middle Eastern This quiet restaurant serves a solid menu of Middle Eastern and Lebanese fare. Reservations accepted. 5709 E. Colfax Ave., 303-355-7213. Lunch, Dinner

The Plimoth

F I L M S / F O O D / M U SI C PARTIES / MORE

$$$$

Skyland / American An emphasis on locally farmed and foraged ingredients results in an ever-changing menu of seasonal dishes. Reservations accepted. 2335 E. 28th Ave., 303-297-1215. Dinner

NEW

Pupusas Lover

$$

DOWNTOWN BOULDER A ND CHAUTAUQUA

University Hills / Salvadoran Pupusas Lover is a family-owned restaurant serving a variety of traditional dishes from El Salvador. Reservations accepted. 2236 S. Colorado Blvd., 720-5083197. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

FULL PROGRAM AND TICKETS

Q

ON SALE IN EARLY JUNE BIFF1.com

25 B E S T

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

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DINING GUIDE Quality Italian

R

$$$$

Cherry Creek / Steak House This upscale spot serves a smart mix of steak house fare and American-Italian favorites. Try the baked lasagna for two.

Reservations accepted. 241 Columbine St., 303-532-8888. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

Quiero Arepas

$$

Platt Park / Latin American Venezuelan corn flatbreads, or arepas, are on the menu. Our favorite is the La Havana, featuring slow-roasted pork loin, ham, and local Muenster with a creamy mayomustard-pickle sauce. Reservations not accepted.

1859 S. Pearl St., 720-432-4205. Lunch, Dinner

classics, like lobster spaghetti and eggplant Parmesan. Reservations accepted. 209 S. Downing St., 303-999-0395. Dinner

Randall’s

$$

Cole / Southern This neighborhood restaurant serves up comforting Southern fare with a side of warm hospitality. Reservations not accepted. 3349 York St., 720-400-7648. Lunch, Dinner

Restaurant Olivia

Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant

$$$$

Washington Park / Italian This cozy-yet-modern neighborhood spot from the team behind Bistro Georgette specializes in fresh pastas and Italian

Rioja

River and Woods

$$

Roaming Buffalo Bar-B-Que

$$

Room for Milly

$$

Rosenberg’s Bagels & Delicatessen

$$

Rosedale / Barbecue House-smoked Colorado craft barbecue is the specialty at this laid-back spot. 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

For adventure while social distancing.

LoHi / American A menu of refined small plates and killer cocktails complements a jazz-age ambiance inspired by a globe-trotting socialite at Room for Milly. Don’t miss the brunch cocktails. Reservations accepted. 1615 Platte St., Ste. 145, 720-630-7020. Dinner, Brunch

6 Feet In Rock Springs & Green River, social distancing activities abound from the Red Desert to Flaming Gorge Country. We’re committed to keeping our wide-open spaces safe for all. Remember to stay clean, stay safe and stay informed while adventuring responsibly in Sweetwater County.

Five Points / Deli Get your fix of New York–style bagels at this Five Points deli. Don’t miss the Standard, a bagel topped with cream cheese, gravlax, tomato, and onion. Also try the Aurora and Boulder locations. Reservations not accepted. 725 E. 26th Ave., 720-440-9880. Breakfast, Lunch

The Rotary

$$$

Russell’s Smokehouse

$$$

Hilltop / South American The brick-and-mortar outpost of the former Avanti Food & Beverage stall specializes in Churrasco-style rotisserie, flavorful meats slow-cooked over a wood fire. Reservations not accepted. 217 S. Holly St., 303-537-5327.

Lunch, Dinner Downtown / Barbecue Diners flock to this subterranean smokehouse for classic ‘cue. Try the falling-off-the-bone rib combo, which features both baby back beef and pork ribs. Reservations accepted. 1422 Larimer St., 720-524-8050.

Lunch, Dinner

Rye Society Delicatessen and Picklery

1.800.FL .GORGE | 1.800.46.DUNES E X P L O R E W Y.C O M

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$$$$

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

Boulder / Contemporary Settle into chef Daniel Asher’s cozy dining room for a relaxed dinner featuring dishes like chicken-fried calamari steak.

Reservations not accepted. 2328 Pearl St.,Boulder, 303-993-6301. Dinner, Brunch

WIDE OPEN SPACES

88

$$

Downtown / Mexican Famously potent margaritas and Tex-Mex dishes prepared with fresh ingredients are the draw at this beloved Fort Collins–born chain. Multiple locations. Reservations accepted.

1525 Blake St., 303-623-5432. Lunch, Dinner

4/21/21 4:19 PM

RiNo / Deli Stop by this neighborhood Jewish deli for comfort-food favorites, including pastrami on rye, bagels with lox, and buttery apricot-walnut rugalach. Also try the location inside Avanti Food & Beverage in Boulder.

Reservations not accepted. 3090 Larimer St., 303-593-2713. Breakfast, Lunch

$$

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CYCLE THE CITY

SATURDAY

DINING GUIDE

SEPT 25, 2021

S Safta

$$$

Sakura House

$$

Sassafras American Eatery

$$

25 B E S T

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

Downtown / Asian Ramen is king at this Japanese noodle house, which offers seven different varieties, including chasu, seafood, and spicy miso. Reservations accepted. 1255 19th St., Ste. A, 303292-2323. Lunch, Dinner

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Highland / Cajun / Southern Find a mouthwatering array of Cajun-inspired classics, such as chicken-fried eggs with buffalo hash and po’ boy sandwiches. Also try the Golden location.

Reservations not accepted. 3927 W. 32nd Ave., 303-433-0080. Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch

Señor Bear

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Start & Finish at:

$$$

Highland / Latin American This charming LoHi spot draws from the vibrant cuisines of Latin America and has excellent tropical cocktails.

Reservations accepted. 3301 Tejon St., 720-572-5997. Dinner, Brunch

Smōk

$$

Smokin’ Ace

$$

Snarfburger

$

RiNo / Barbecue Find delicious, modern barbecue at chef Bill Espiricueta’s fast-casual Source Hotel eatery. The brisket and house-made sausages are both great picks. Reservations not accepted. The Source Hotel & Market Hall, 3330 Brighton Blvd., Ste. 202, 720-230-0792.

Lunch, Dinner

2021 A musical adventure through Colorado.

Lincoln Park / American This takeout-only spot offers smoked meats and sausages crafted by chef Joshua Elliott. Pickup and delivery in the Denver area are available. Reservations not accepted.

810 Vallejo St., 720-651-0034. Lunch, Dinner

Sloan 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

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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

The Source

$

RiNo / International This industrial-sleek food hall is home to a variety of hip eateries, bars, and shops. 3350 Brighton Blvd., 720-443-1135.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

DINING GUIDE 25 B E S T

Spuntino

$$$

Highland / Italian Enjoy the locally sourced menu at this Italian-inspired, husband-and-wife-owned spot. Reservations accepted. 2639 W. 32nd Ave., 303-433-0949. Dinner Supermoon

Super Mega Bien

$$$

RiNo / Latin American Chef Dana Rodriguez of Work & Class offers a combo of large-format items and Pan-Latin small plates. Order the braised lamb with grilled cactus salad. Reservations not accepted. The Ramble Hotel, 1260 25th St., 720-269-4695. Dinner Super Star Asian Cuisine

$

Athmar Park / Asian This glitz-free eatery serves top-notch dim sum and an extensive menu of traditional Chinese plates. Reservations not accepted.

2200 W. Alameda Ave., Ste. 34, 303-727-9889.

Lunch, Dinner

Sushi Den

$$$

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

$$$$

Boulder / American Formerly Arcana, this restaurant serves Asian-inspired shareable dishes and larger entrées. Try the spicy rice cakes with coconut golden curry. Reservations accepted. 909 Walnut St., Boulder, 303-444-3885. Dinner

25 B E S T

Sushi Ronin

$$$

Platt Park / Japanese Sushi Den offers exquisite sushi and sashimi prepared with fresh, vibrant seafood flown in twice a week from Japan and a menu of hot and cold dishes.1487 S. Pearl St., 303-777-0826. Lunch, Dinner

Tessa Delicatessen

$

Thai Pot Cafe

$

$$$

South Park Hill / American A glass of wine, flickering candlelight, and mismatched tables set the tone at this cozy neighborhood restaurant. Try the burger of the day and opt for a seat on the charming patio. Reservations accepted. 2267 Kearney St., 303-388-0299. Lunch, Dinner

Tamayo

$$$

Downtown / Mexican This spot’s contemporary menu is derived from authentic Mexican roots and ingredients. Reservations accepted. 1400 Larimer St., 720-946-1433. Brunch, Lunch, Dinner

25 B E S T

$$

Five Points / English Five Points native Risë Jones offers loose-leaf and specialty teas and all-day fare at TeaLee’s. Reservations accepted. 611 22nd St., 303-593-2013. Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch

Montclair / Deli This modern all-day eatery from Vince Howard, formerly of Del Rey Deli in Los Angeles, has sandwiches, salads, soups, and dinner items like brisket penne. 5724 E. Colfax Ave., 720-746-9138. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

T Tables

TeaLee’s Teahouse and Bookstore

Tavernetta

Virginia Village / Thai Try a variety of curries, noodle bowls, soups, salads, and coconut-infused desserts at this no-frills Thai restaurant. Reservations accepted. 1350 S. Colorado Blvd., Ste. 191, 303-693-6200. Lunch, Dinner

To The Wind Bistro

$$$

City Park / Contemporary This cozy neighborhood restaurant offers a fresh, casual take on bistro fare and a top-notch craft beer selection. Reservations not accepted. 3333 E. Colfax Ave., 303-316-3333. Dinner

$$$$

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 space is home to dishes from across Italy and a deep wine list. Order the lamb gnocchi.

Reservations accepted. 1889 16th St., 720-6051889. Dinner

Tocabe

$

Berkeley / Native American Indigenous fare goes Chipotle-style at this quick-service restaurant. Try the fry bread taco loaded with beef, buffalo, or chicken. Also try the Greenwood Village location.

Reservations not accepted. 3536 W. 44th Ave., 720-524-8282. Lunch, Dinner

JUNE 2021

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DINING GUIDE Tofu House

$$

Aurora / Korean This neighborhood spot specializes in Korean soups and stews, but also offers a variety of other options. Reservations accepted. 2353 S. Havana St., Unit D1, Aurora, 303-751-2840. Lunch, Dinner

Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar

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. Reservations not accepted. 2231 S. Broadway. Lunch, Dinner

U Uchi Denver

The Universal

$

Urban Farmer

$$$

Sunnyside / American This breakfast and lunch joint is a farmhouse-chic spot for an early-day meal.

Reservations not accepted. 2911 W. 38th Ave., 303-955-0815. Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch

Downtown / Seasonal This steak house features whole-animal butchery and an excellent charcuterie program, and sources its honey from a rooftop beehive. Reservations accepted. The Oxford Hotel, 1659 Wazee St., 303-262-6070. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

Urban Village

$$$$

Curtis Park / Japanese James Beard Award– winning 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

Award-winning furniture store known for curating an eclectic mix of locally and internationally sourced rustic, industrial, vintage, and reclaimed furniture, accent pieces, lighting, architectural salvage and décor items.

Featuring top-grain leather sofas and chairs, as well as rich textiles, Rare Finds routinely updates its selection of furnishings from around the world to make every visit new.

Our owners are onsite and ready to make you a deal!

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Edgewater / Thai Classic, fresh ingredients and spicy dishes make for a delicious, mouth-tingling dining experience. Reservations not accepted.

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

Now in two convenient locations: DENVER AND HIGHLANDS RANCH

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$$$

Lone Tree / Indian This is a cozy restaurant serving classic and contemporary seasonal dishes from regions across India. Reservations accepted. 9234 Park Meadows Dr., Ste. 700, Lone Tree, 720-5368150. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

US Thai Cafe

V

$$

Highland / Asian A bustling atmosphere defines this popular, modern noodle house. The selective menu includes dishes such as Chinese-style steamed buns and, of course, noodles. Also try the Speer location. Reservations accepted. 2215 W. 32nd Ave., 303-433-3263. Dinner

$$$

Downtown / Southern Nosh on reimagined versions of down-home dishes, such as the signature honey-dusted fried chicken. Reservations accepted. 1650 Wewatta St., 720-274-0650.

Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

25 B E S T

Uncle

Vert Kitchen

$$

Washington Park West / French Salads and sandwiches dot the small menu at this Europeaninfluenced cafe. Reservations not accepted. 704 S. Pearl St., 303-997-5941. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

W WaterCourse Foods

$$

Weathervane Cafe

$

Uptown Area / American This vegetarian icon has been serving wholesome fare since 1998. Reservations accepted. 837 E. 17th Ave., 303-8327313. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch City Park West / American This homey cafe serves a small but sumptuous menu of breakfast items, sandwiches, and salads. Reservations not accpeted. 1725 E. 17th Ave., 303-355-5863.

Breakfast, Lunch

Welton Street Cafe Home of Mona’s

$$

Five Points / Southern Enjoy soul food with a dash of Caribbean flair at this Five Points cafe. Reservations not accepted. 2736 Welton St., 303296-6602. Lunch, Dinner

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

SUMMER SiPS Beat the heat of summer with one of these refreshing local cocktails. Make them at home or visit the locations below and ask for their Summer Sip. #5280SummerSip

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3 MOLLY'S SPIRITS'

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1 INGREDIENTS

2 INGREDIENTS

3 INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 oz. Breckenridge Spiced Rum

1 oz. Aged Rum (Recommended: Angostura 5 year)

2 oz. Rum

2 oz. Perfect Puree's Thai Basil Black Pepper Puree

1/2 oz. Falernum

3–4 oz. Club Soda

3/4 oz. Raspberry Liqueur

1 Small, Very Ripe Mango

1 oz. Cream of Coconut

1 1/4 oz. Pineapple Juice

1/2 Lime

1/4 oz. Lime Juice

3/4 oz. Fresh Lime Juice

5 Mint Leaves

2 Drops Pandan Extract

1/2 oz. Butterfly Blue Pea Flower Infused Trakal

INSTRUCTIONS

INSTRUCTIONS

Place peeled mango in a blender with rum.

Blend and set aside.

Coconut Soda INSTRUCTIONS Shake the top 5 ingredients with ice.

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Add all ingredients (except Trakal) to shaker; shake and strain into tall glass.

Pour 1/2 oz. of Trakal over the top, garnish with mint, and enjoy!

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Muddle the mint leaves and juice of half a lime.

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Pour over ice in a tall glass and stir again before serving. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

SUMMER Si SiPS | JUNE 2021 | 93

DINING GUIDE White Pie

$$

City Park West / Pizza This neighborhood joint has an excellent selection of New Haven–style pizzas and house-made pastas. Reservations not accepted. 1702 Humboldt St., 303-862-5323.

Lunch, Dinner

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 Basta chef Kelly Whitaker fuses Asian and Italian techniques and ingredients at this hip Sunnyside eatery. 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 Work & Class

$$$

RiNo / American Chef Dana Rodriguez’s elevated meat-and-three concept offers a delicious hybrid of American and Latin cuisine in raucous, repurposed-shipping-container digs.

Try the Cajun rotisserie chicken or chickpea croquettes. Reservations not accepted. 2500 Larimer St., 303-292-0700. Dinner

X Xicamiti La Taquería Bistro

$$

Golden / Mexican This long-standing joint serves cooked-to-order burritos, tacos, quesadillas, and alambres (skillet dishes) made with recipes inspired

by Walter Meza’s childhood in Mexico. Reservations not accepted. 715 Washington Ave., Golden, 303-215-3436. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Y Yahya’s Mediterranean Grill & Pastries

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$$

City Park West / Mediterranean This family-run restaurant serves silky hummus, a variety of excellent grilled kebabs, and from-scratch sweets. Try the beef koobideh. Reservations not accepted. 2207 E. Colfax Ave., 720-532-8746.

Lunch, Dinner

Yazoo Barbeque Co.

$

Five Points / Barbecue This unpretentious barbecue joint offers a Deep South menu, featuring slow-smoked pork ribs, chicken wings, and brisket with homestyle sides like hash brown casserole and creamy coleslaw. Also try the Greenwood Village location. Reservations not accepted. 2150 Broadway, 303-296-3334. Lunch, Dinner

Z Zeppelin Station

$$

Zomo

$$

Zorba’s

$$

RiNo / International This industrial-chic food hall is home to globally inspired food and drink vendors, including Nixtamos, La Rola Urban Colombian, Thai-Kun, Graves Good Burger, and Soy Pinoy.

Reservations not accepted. 3501 Wazee St., 720-460-1978. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch Englewood / Asian Owners Alysia Davey and Ryan Anderson serve family recipes inspired by their Vietnamese and Chinese roots. Don’t miss the Kansas State Fair egg rolls. Reservations accepted.

3457 S. Broadway, Englewood, 720-739-8882.

Lunch, Dinner

Congress Park / Greek Zorba’s has served American and Greek fare—burgers, salads, sandwiches, and classic breakfast dishes—in the Congress Park neighborhood since 1979. Go for the gyro sandwich. Reservations not accepted. 2626 E. 12th 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.

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a Black man from southern Georgia who survived a lynching attempt in the mid1960s. Rembert remained haunted until his death in March of this year by the horrific injustices that so many did not survive during the Jim Crow era. Rees orchestrated the poignant, award-winning film in collaboration with Dr. Shirley Whitaker, a physician, artist, and activist who staged a 2016 memorial in Massachusetts to honor the 4,000 Black Americans who were lynched during that time and never received proper burials or services—and to bring awareness to the fact that overt racism never faded away. “I think this story was a new avenue for Taylor [Rees],” Whitaker says. “They just focused on the information they were trying to share. They listen to people. It’s a powerful story, but you could still take the photographs and not touch the soul with it.

I don’t think I heard [Ozturk] say 20 words, but he just takes that film and camera and makes it come alive. Some people know how to relate to [their subject] and make it give a little more. He is gifted at that.”

ALTHOUGH THEY ARE TALENTED at telling other people’s—and other places’—stories, verbalizing their own often gives Rees and Ozturk pause. Their narrative straddles the line between professional and personal. It’s a line that tends to blur, disappear, and reemerge drawn differently, depending on the demands of a project. Each difficult shoot, dangerous expedition, or risky climb could end with a finality for which neither is ready but both are prepared. They have to be.

Both have lost friends to the power of nature: avalanches, BASE jumping, and suicide after a tragedy in the mountains.

“We are aware of how it feels to have to carry that burden and never be able to put it down,” Rees says, “because no one else can pick it up. I do think we treat each other with a tremendous amount of respect, patience, and kindness.” And they are trying to be more intentional with their time—to slow down, even. Rees is learning to play the guitar. They take 6:30 a.m. walks together—when they’re both home— to clear their minds before checking their phones. But then, there’s reality. In March, they emerged from what might’ve been the most logistically intense expedition of their

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careers—to the Guiana Shield—a National Geographic trip into what may be the most biodiverse region in the world.

Punctuated by dramatic flattop cliffs, or tepuis, that were tantalizing enough to lure Alex Honnold on the trip for a first-ascent climbing effort, the Upper Paikwa River Basin at the nexus of Guyana, Venezuela, and Brazil lacks the protections of a national park or conservation-area designation. It’s threatened as much by gold and diamond mining as by climate change.

The expedition was led by a renowned biologist on a mission to discover endemic species of frogs and reptiles before they succumb to these threats. Before they departed, Rees ticked off the game plan like a cruise itinerary: paddle for a couple of days in dugout canoes through remote jungles; trek for more than 50 miles over 10 days through an untraversed part of the jungle to the base of a 1,000-foot cliff; spend a week climbing the wall to get to the top of the mesa; then descend a sinkhole that yawns 700 feet into the heart of the rainforest, all the while collecting data and documenting the biodiversity at stake. In his first social media post back on the grid in early March, Ozturk said the trip, #TheLostWorldExpedition, was more difficult for him than Everest.

Due to extremely poor conditions, including near-constant rain, relentless fog, and indomitable mud, the team didn’t make it to the sinkhole.

When they’re not sifting through footage of the South American journey for a National Geographic TV episode that will air in November, Rees will continue producing a passion-project film illuminating human rights violations and land destruction in Chile related to lithium mining.

Ozturk has a project on tap to “follow around some Turkish nomads,” then undertake an as-yet-to-be-funded journey to Nepal to document a snow leopard conservation effort that could positively impact Indigenous communities.

For now, though, if only for a few weeks this spring, Rees and Ozturk are in Ridgway. This past year, they’ve been watching elk meander through their yard, a little slice of mountain life that’s become part of their story since they made the San Juan Mountains their home. “It’s these little cues the world gives you that makes you know you’ve made a good decision,” Ozturk says.

“It feels good to be in Colorado and starting to be part of the cycles here. Hopefully, it’s a good omen.” m Julie Dugdale is a Denver-based freelance writer. Email her at letters@5280.com.

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Luxury

TRAVEL BUBBLES Featuring

COLORADO HOMES 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 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.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Guana Island

BUBBLING UP

BY JAYMI NACIRI

Villa La Massa

HOTEL BUYOUTS BOLSTER LUXURY TRAVEL DURING THE PANDEMIC.

T

The Rise of The Travel Bubble Travel bubbles — an attempt to reinvigorate business travel across shared borders — have been conceived of, scrapped, reimagined, reintroduced and delayed again during the pandemic, in places like China/Hong Kong and

ColdwellBankerHomes.com

New Zealand/Australia.

Hotel buyouts, once catering mainly to the destination wedding sector, have been one of the most prevalent trends on the high-end leisure travel side.

“We’re seeing mostly multifamily getaways,” says Misty Belles, managing director of global public relations for luxury travel network Virtuoso. “Families have been separated for longer than normal, and the getaways help them come together, especially if they do not live nearby.”

Buyout opportunities run the gamut, from domestic private residences and boutique properties to resorts in international locales.

Camp Wandawega in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, is one of many stateside resorts that have become a

TOP PHOTO COURTESY OF GUANA ISLAND; MIDDLE PHOTO BY FANI KURTI; BOTTOM PHOTO BY BECCA WATERLOO

he Dalai Lama famously said, “Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.” Great sentiment, not pandemic-approved.

In a year filled with so much change, a change of scenery took a back seat in 2020. Air travel and hotel occupancy both plummeted early on, as COVID-19 put a continent-sized crimp in our collective travel plans.

But, as it turns out, not even a pandemic can stop wanderlust. With many traditional travel avenues roadblocked, others have, well, bubbled up.

Camp Wandawega

PHOTO BY RALF TOOTEN PHOTO BY RALF TOOTEN

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi’s focus health includes a new Hydrotonic Pool first Maldives, Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi’s focus onon health includes a new Hydrotonic Pool —— thethe first in in thethe Maldives, a new healthy menu, and a roster visiting wellness gurus throughout 2021. a new healthy menu, and a roster of of visiting wellness gurus throughout 2021.

destination travelers “who were planning abroad destination forfor travelers “who were planning to to bebe abroad had pivot, obvious reasons,” says co-owner David butbut had to to pivot, forfor obvious reasons,” says co-owner David Hernandez.

Listed National Register of Historic Places, Hernandez.

Listed onon thethe National Register of Historic Places, camp offers completely private all-camp takeover” and thethe camp offers “a “a completely private all-camp takeover” and smaller options quaranteam” of up to 12 individuals. smaller options forfor “a “a quaranteam” of up to 12 individuals.

Stays camp include self-guided activities such Stays at at thethe camp include self-guided activities such swimming, fishing, archery, rowing and hiking, well as as swimming, fishing, archery, rowing and hiking, as as well as as counselor-led activities.

“Regardless which option guests counselor-led activities.

“Regardless of of which option guests choose, they have peace of mind of knowing they’re coming choose, they have thethe peace of mind of knowing they’re coming a place where social distancing long been a way to to a place where social distancing hashas long been a way of of life,” Hernandez says.

“We humbled guests who were life,” Hernandez says.

“We areare humbled by by guests who were supposed in Malta Maldives, happy supposed to to bebe in Malta or or thethe Maldives, butbut areare happy to to come Wandawega instead.” come to to Wandawega instead.”

Domestic resorts have been sought after because Domestic resorts have been sought after because of of “the different restrictions in place, particularly U.S. travelers,” “the different restrictions in place, particularly forfor U.S. travelers,” says Belles. if you can, in fact, Maldives, says Belles.

ButBut if you can, in fact, getget to to thethe Maldives, youyou have of the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi. cancan have thethe runrun of the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi.

“While entire resort own private island, “While ourour entire resort sitssits onon ourour own private island, have exclusive private island that is designed specifically wewe have an an exclusive private island that is designed specifically buyouts,” says Etienne Dalancon, general manager, Waldorf forfor buyouts,” says Etienne Dalancon, general manager, Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi.

“Ithaafushi Private Island Estate Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi.

“Ithaafushi Private Island Estate sleeps groups of up guests, combining three villas, sleeps groups of up to to 24 24 guests, combining three villas, fivefive swimming pools, overwater spa, entertainment center with swimming pools, an an overwater spa, entertainment center with a a cinema, a dedicated team of chefs personal concierges. cinema, andand a dedicated team of chefs andand personal concierges. perfect locale a socially distant getaway.”

It’sIt’s thethe perfect locale forfor a socially distant getaway.” head Italy, where Villa La Massa offers Or,Or, youyou cancan head to to Italy, where Villa La Massa offers a buyout romantic 51-room property banks a buyout of of its its romantic 51-room property onon thethe banks of of

Arno River Chianti Hills Italy, miles from thethe Arno River in in thethe Chianti Hills of of Italy, fivefive miles from Florence’s Ponte Vecchio.

“Dating back 13th century, Florence’s Ponte Vecchio.

“Dating back to to thethe 13th century, architectural gem been lovingly restored iconic thisthis architectural gem hashas been lovingly restored by by its its iconic sister property, Villa d’Este, match splendor grand sister property, Villa d’Este, to to match thethe splendor of of grand Tuscan villas,” says Stefano Venturi, general manager of Villa Tuscan villas,” says Stefano Venturi, general manager of Villa Massa.

“Guests enjoy and chef’s gardens, La La Massa.

“Guests cancan enjoy thethe irisiris and chef’s gardens, thethe Arno Spa and several culinary options, within a bucolic Arno Spa and several culinary options, all all within a bucolic Tuscan landscape.”

Tuscan landscape.”

Private Jet Travel Takes Off Private Jet Travel Takes Off The aforementioned restrictions have made comThe aforementioned restrictions have made commercial travel challenging during pandemic. with mercial air air travel challenging during thethe pandemic.

ButBut with greater flexibility and relaxed regulations constraints greater flexibility and relaxed regulations —— constraints onon incoming commercial flights from U.S. Bahamas incoming commercial flights from thethe U.S. to to thethe Bahamas summer exempted private jets, with caveats negative lastlast summer exempted private jets, with caveats forfor negative COVID-19 tests and mask wearing, example private COVID-19 tests and mask wearing, forfor example —— private aviation been rise. aviation hashas been onon thethe rise.

In 2020, U.K.-based private travel provider PrivateFly In 2020, U.K.-based private jet jet travel provider PrivateFly “saw a significant increase in demand private travel,” “saw a significant increase in demand forfor private jet jet travel,” with more flights and double inquiries of 2019, thanks with more flights and double thethe inquiries of 2019, thanks to to pandemic, says CEO Adam Twidell.

Demand 2021 thethe pandemic, says CEO Adam Twidell.

Demand forfor 2021 is is high and is divided between first-time and seasoned private high and is divided between first-time and seasoned private aviation clients. aviation clients.

“Cuts to commercial services desire to in fly‘your in ‘your “Cuts to commercial services andand thethe desire to fly own private bubble’ have a rise in the number of new clients own private bubble’ have ledled to atorise in the number of new clients flying private time,” says.

“A number of our flying by by private jet jet for for thethe firstfirst time,” he he says.

“A number of our ex-existing clients also choosing to privately fly privately more often.” isting clients areare also choosing to fly more often.”

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With commercial air travel hampered by the pandemic, private air travel (such as Surf Air) has increasingly been the solution for high-end travelers.

Paramount Business Jets has taken private aviation a step further, creating luxury travel packages in partnership with Exceptional Villas.

Travelers can hop a private jet to their eightbedroom luxury beachfront villa in Jamaica or 16-person villa at Hawksbill in Turks and Caicos.

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Is it extravagant to buy out an entire property to ensure your safety while traveling?

Perhaps. But like an anonymous sage once mused, “If we were meant to stay in one place, we’d have roots instead of feet.”

Tropical getaways remain popular, even during a pandemic. For the ultimate in seclusion and safety, high-end travelers are seeking out ultra-private spots like Guana Island.

TOP PHOTO BY CHAD SLATTERY; BOTTOM PHOTO COURTESY OF GUANA ISLAND

On The Waterfront These offerings tie into an emerging travel trend for those who are considering travel outside the contiguous U.S. “As more and more countries open their borders, especially in the Caribbean, we’re seeing the demand change,” Belles says. “Beach and island destinations remain a top draw.”

That puts a place like Guana, one of the few private islands in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), in even higher demand.

“With 850 acres, seven beaches and a maximum of 40 guests, Guana has long welcomed travelers who are looking for a true hideaway,” says General Manager Jason DuPlessis. And in a socially distanced world, Guana provides an unheard-of level of privacy.

Here, you can spend your day on the BVI’s most pristine beach with just a few other guests or, for absolute privacy, choose one of our six other untouched beaches and have it all to yourself. We’ve seen an increase in inquiries from small groups and families who want more space without sacrificing luxury service or the stunning tropical setting.”

Even without the cost of a private jet to reach your destination, this type of travel isn’t cheap. “Hotel buyouts aren’t exactly for those who are weak in the wallet, so it’s a practice largely led by affluent travelers,” says Belles.

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BROKERAGES in 2020

The real estate brokerage that shines like no other.

When it comes to selling more homes in more neighborhoods, no one shines brighter than us. Year after year, Coldwell Banker Realty has been the #1 real estate brokerage along the Front Range in closed residential sales volume*.

Whether you’re looking to sell or ready to buy, we’ve got you covered brilliantly.

Contact us today.

ColdwellBankerHomes.com *Coldwell Banker Realty f/k/a Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. Based on closed sales volume and total number of units closed information from REcolorado for Adams, Arapahoe,Boulder, Broomfield, Clear Creek, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, Gilpin, Jefferson and Park counties in all price ranges as reported on Feb. 5, 2021 for the period of Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2020. Sales volume calculated by multiplying the number of buyer and/or seller sides by sales price. One unit equals one side of a transaction (buyer or seller). Source data is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. ©2021 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker 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. 19PT3B_NAT_3/20

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CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE | $1,950,000 This mid-century modern gem is nestled in Cherry Hills Village. Setting on over an acre lot, this home features European oak ceilings, hardwood floors, and floor-to-ceiling windows. This home has an in-ground pool, water feature, and 4-car garage. Truly an oasis setting and centrally located just minutes from the Denver Tech Center, quick access to I25 and amazing restaurants and retail shopping, this home offers both privacy and convenience.

Katie Mochan 303.564.9491 katie@katiemochanhomes.com | KatieMochanHomes.com

DENVER | $1,200,000 3br/5ba luxury townhome w/high-quality finishes. Kitchen w/Carrara Marble countertops, SS appliances & Verona Gas oven/cooktop. LR w/gas fireplace.

9-ft windows open to indoor/outdoor space. MBR w/private balcony, 5-piece BA & walk-in closet. Guest BR w/private balcony & BR. 3rd level loft w/wet bar & rooftop deck. Finished basement w/BR, BA and storage. 2-car garage w/electric car charger.

Lyndsey Geiger 303.720.9836 lyndsey.geiger@coloradohomes.com | LuxeLiving5280.com

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guiding you home since 1906

CENTENNIAL | $1,100,000 4br/4ba home on a 1.63 acre lot w/4,705 sqft., offers a formal living room and dining room and a family room. Kitchen includes all appliances. Main floor has a study, a bonus room w/a sauna, sunroom addition and laundry. Upstairs has a master suite w/5-piece bath, sitting area and private deck. Full basement w/a full kitchen/bar, bathroom and entertainment area. Complete w/a deck and 3-car garage.

Colleen Teitelbaum 303.668.8186 teitelbaumcolleen@gmail.com | CocoTeitel.com

GOLDEN | $995,000 4br/3ba home w/breathtaking views of the Continental Divide. 1st level w/a separate front entrance has a large bedroom, full bath, full kitchen, family room w/fireplace and sunroom. 2nd level has a living room w/fireplace, dining room, kitchen, 2 bedrooms, full bath and new deck. Loft has a 4th bedroom, 3/4 bath and balcony. Complete w/solar-powered greenhouse, circular driveway and 2-car garage.

Sue and Jeff Mailey 303.531.3010 sueandjeff@maileyteam.com | MaileyTeam.com

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LOVELAND | $934,500 Custom waterfront home nestled right between 2 lakes w/Hoffman Lakes Surface Rights. Beautiful home includes an office, rec rm w/fireplace & wet bar, bonus room & family rm w/fireplace & built-in entertainment center. Main floor master w/lake view, 2 walk-in closets, 5pc bath & access to back patio.

Chefs’ kitchen includes granite countertops, Thermador Induction cooktop, convection oven & pantry.

Sheila Vessels 303.995.2842 sheila.vessels@cbrealty.com | VesselsRealty.com

LOVELAND | $845,000 Custom 3br/2.5ba ranch plan designed & built by Omni Homes plus a finished basement. Gourmet kitchen w/eat-in area & KitchenAid appliances. Great room w/gas fireplace and 12' ceilings. Master suite w/en suite bath, huge shower, linen closet & walk-in closet. Custom designer selected finishes, tile work, fireplace feature & upgraded lighting. Rear patio boasts sightlines to the golf course!

Jessica Poling 970.744.9501 jessica.poling@cbrealty.com | JessicaPoling.com

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guiding you home since 1906

DACONO | Price Upon Request Potential annexation w/a single-family residential neighborhood, multi-family or commercial. Located on flat ground, utilities available & newer school across the street.

PARKER | $1,500,000 Gorgeous home in Pradera Golf Community. Kitchen w/grand island, Viking range, walk-in pantry. Master retreat w/fireplace, master bath, dual closets- opens to private deck.finished lower level, landscaped backyard and an 8-car front to back garage.

Lindsey Sampier Baker 970.214.9715 Tom Fowler 303.956.2575

Joni Jagger 303.437.3046 joni@jonijagger.com | AtHomeWIthJoni.com

DENVER | $1,335,000 4br/3.5ba home. Main floor w/dining room, powder room and kitchen opening to a family room. Kitchen w/quartz countertops, Dacor appliances and butler pantry. Master suite w/2 walk-in closets and master bath. Complete w/outdoor space and 2-car garage.

CASTLE ROCK | $1,250,000 Phenomenal custom built ranch on almost an acre, four bedroom, four and one-half bathroom custom built ranch home offers peace and serenity with beautiful custom finishes throughout!

Sonya Peterson 303.587.7969 sonyakpeterson@gmail.com | SonyaSellsDenver.com

Jennifer Hebert 303.929.9044 Jennifer.Hebert@coloradohomes.com | JenniferHebertProperties.com

DENVER | $1,200,000 5br/4.5ba home. Gourmet kitchen w/a butler’s pantry & large island.

Master retreat w/dual walk-in closets and En Suite bath. Basement w/a full bar, media room w/a gas fireplace, 2 additional bedrooms and 3/4 bath. Backyard retreat.

EVERGREEN | Price Upon Request Wonderful 3br/4ba multi-use home w/a two-story greenhouse & apartment. Gourmet kitchen & open concept great room w/a huge butcher block island & rock fireplace. Master retreat w/a walk-in shower, private deck, double vanity & walk-in closet.

Janie Stoddard 303.408.0738 Janie.Stoddard@gmail.com | JanieStoddard.com

Sarah Scott-Wilson 303.250.5323 sarah@infinityprosre.com | InfinityProSarah.com

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DENVER | $1,080,000 4br/3ba home on huge 11,400 sq.ft lot. Kitchen w/granite countertops and new SS appliances looks out to the backyard. Family room w/a fireplace. Master suite w/a 5-piece bath. Basement w/a family room, 4th bedroom & 3/4 bath. Sold w/multiple offers.

NEDERLAND | $900,000 4br/3ba home. Kitchen w/quartz countertops and SS appliances.

Master bedroom w/5-piece bath and walk-in closet. Finished basement w/an additional bedroom and rec room overlooking the lake and mountains. Deck provides a hot tub and breathtaking views.

Chriss Bond 720.771.7369 Chriss.Bond@coloradohomes.com

Gus Bergs 970.308.4733 gusbergs@hotmail.com | TheKeyGroupRE.com

GOLDEN | $890,000 Wonderful 5br/4ba ranch style home with sweeping views from North Table Mountain to downtown Denver. The finished walkout basement is complete with an additional kitchen & game room. Great location minutes to historic downtown Golden & the mountains!

EVERGREEN | $875,000 5br/3ba home. Main floor master suite, an office, 2nd bedroom, laundry, kitchen and great room w/a gas fireplace and a dining nook.

Walk-out basement has 3 bedrooms, a family room w/fireplace and flex room. Waling Distance to ELK MEADOW OPEN SPACE.

Matt Brinkhoff 303.324.0241 matt.brinkhoff@coloradohomes.com | MattsColoradoHomes.com

Sarah Scott-Wilson 303.250.5323 sarah@infinityprosre.com | InfinityProSarah.com

PARKER | $850,000 Enjoy views from Pikes Peak to Longs Peak while sitting on the covered stamped concrete patio that overlooks the 13th tee of Black Bear Golf Course. Space abounds in this 5br/4ba home w/a main floor study, laundry room & finished basement.

ENGLEWOOD | $829,000 Perfectly located on a quiet cul-de-sac 5br/3.5ba home. The master bedroom & 2 guest bedrooms on the upper floor. The main floor has an additional room. The basement has a bedroom, bath & open space. Large 10K SF corner lot.

Jennifer Leavitt 303.921.7723 jennifer.leavitt@coloradohomes.com | JenniferLeavitt.cbintouch.com

Ryan Ramey 303.565.6964 RyanRRamey@gmail.com | RyanRameyRealEstate.com

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guiding you home since 1906

DENVER | Price Upon Request Tudor 4br/2ba home & carriage house are located on a spacious 7,780 SQFT lot. Zoned U-TU-B Tudor home in Potter Highlands built in 1940 w/original hardwood flooring, wood doors & hardware + 2-story carriage house. A gardener’s dream in the back.

LITTLETON | $725,000 Beautiful 4br/4ba 2-story home located on a cul-de-sac. Features engineered wood floors, SS appliances, large pantry, kitchen island, gas fireplace, large windows, newer carpet, walk-in closet, spacious loft, 1,500 sq ft basement & covered back patio.

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

Jill and Greg Svenson 303.522.0631 jill@jillgreg.com | JillAndGregHomes.com

ELIZABETH | $725,000 Gorgeous 4br/2ba 5-acre gated ranch property w/open floor plan living area w/a fireplace. Enjoy views of mountains from the master suite & private balcony. Yard w/lounging areas, a stable w/3 box stalls & a riding horse arena w/an obstacle course.

COLORADO SPRINGS | $710,000 4br/3ba WALK-OUT ranch on 1/2-acre wooded lot! Main-level boasts a formal dining-room, office & open-concept living space w/fireplace & GOURMET kitchen. Relax and refresh in the SPA-LIKE master bath. Downstairs is a large family room w/wet bar.

Adriana Morandini 720.491.1617 adriana.morandini@coloradohomes.com | AdrianaDenverHomes.com

Mark Hiryak 719.466.1407 mark.hiryak@coloradohomes.com | www.MarkHiryak.com

FIRESTONE | $689,900 Spacious 7br/3ba home on over 5-acre lot. No HOA. Breathtaking mountain views. Walkout basement w/a full kitchen. Oversized garage fully finished w/loft & electricity. Also includes an enclosed porch, greenhouse, barn & workshop with electricity.

BAILEY | $675,000 Deer Creek Estates! Updated & well-kept 5BR/3BA home offers new oak hardwood floors, kitchen w/porcelain tile counters all bedrooms w/walk in closets. 2 large decks, owned propane tank, natural gas line to the house, shed w/electricity & RV parking.

Joanna Rallo 720.626.9039 joannarallo@gmail.com | RalloColoradoHomes.com

Walter Huber 720.300.8071 walter.huber@coloradohomes.com | WalterHuber.cbintouch.com

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ARVADA | $660,000 2br/3ba patio villa backing to open space w/an open floor plan.

Master suite adjacent to the bath and walk-in closet, and convenient to laundry room. Finished lower level w/a family room, bedroom, full bath and 2 storage closets. Complete w/a deck.

MONUMENT | $635,000 5br/3ba home boasts a great room w/formal dining room, fireplace & large windows that frame the mountains & Air Force Academy.

Kitchen w/granite counters. Owners' suite w/views & 5pc bathroom.

Walkout basement w/wet bar. Backyard w/Trex deck.

Kat Zoefelt 303.881.5684 kat@coloradohomes.com | KatZSellsDenver.com

Elliot Bannister 719.600.1199 elliotfbannister@gmail.com | MakeSpringsHome.com

CASTLE ROCK | $625,000 4BR/4BA home includes a chef's kitchen w/ss appliances, double ovens, gas cooktop, range hood, granite counters, island & full backsplash, hardwood, study, spacious master suite, huge unfinished basement & 4-car garage w/Tesla charging station.

LAKEWOOD | Price Upon Request Mid-Century modern 5br/2ba duplex features beautiful red oak hardwood floors. 2-car HEATED attached garage. Newer roof & HUGE yard. Live on one side and rent out the other! Ideally located close to schools as well as Crown Hill Park and Morse Park.

Sean Closset 720.308.7505 sean.closset@cbrealty.com | SeanSellsColorado.com

Robert Niswander 303.345.5294 robert.niswander@coloradohomes.com | RobertNiswander.cbintouch.com

LAKEWOOD | $600,000 Remodeled 4br/3ba home in the coveted Green Mountain Village w/custom features and upgrades that will astound you. Turn key and ready to go! Private cul-de-sac lot.

DENVER | $580,000 3br/3ba bath home w/maple hardwood floors throughout the main level and a gas fireplace. Kitchen w/a double oven and stainless-steel appliances. Master bedroom w/a 5-piece master bath and 2 bedrooms w/a shared full bath. Complete w/a fenced yard.

Lars Swenson 303.242.1968 lars@larsswenson.com | LarsSwenson.com

John McComas 303.668.5542 john@johnmccomas.com | JohnMcComas.com

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guiding you home since 1906

PARKER | $560,000 3br/2ba home w/open floor plan. Kitchen w/granite counters, Tuscan style stone backsplash, SS appliances, a pantry and island. Master retreat w/5-piece bath and walk-in closet. Complete w/an unfinished basement, 3-car garage and wraparound Trex Deck.

FT COLLINS | $550,000 UNDER CONTRACT, 4br/3ba home has many upgrades including Renewal by Anderson windows, Silestone countertops in the kitchen & Radon Mitigation System. Plenty of space w/open living area, dining room & attached sunroom. Family room w/fireplace.

Ashley Morrison 224.532.3483 ashley.morrison@cbrealty.com | MorrHomes.cbintouch.com

Krissy Bhanji 970.576.1359 krissy.bhanji@coloradohomes.com | KrissyNOCOHomes.com

CONIFER | $525,000 Charming cozy mountain 3br/2ba cottage. Open floor plan with the kitchen looking into the living room. Kitchen has great storage & custom cabinets. Located off a paved priority plowed road w/hwy access. Attached 1-car garage & detached 2-car garage.

Susan Sharnas and Tyler Westcott 303.475.3096 HomesAtNewHeights@gmail.com | HomesAtNewHeights.com

ARVADA | $525,000 5br/3ba home w/spacious floor plan & engineered flooring. Kitchen w/granite countertops, SS appliances & walk-out access to the covered patio. There is also a main floor master bedroom suite. Complete w/finished basement, fenced yard & 1-car garage.

Vicki Wimberly 303.210.8577 Carmen Elam 469.231.4497

MORRISON | $500,000 Mountain living 3br/2ba home, bright & sunny, open floor plan, kitchen w/ss appliances, dining area, living room w/gas stove & downstairs w/family room. Spacious, sunny master w/walk-in closet & bath. Exit out to the deck & enjoy the mountain air.

AURORA | $495,000 Beautiful 5br/3ba home includes dining room w/vaulted ceilings, kitchen w/walk-in pantry, island & new oven, microwave & oversized sink, family room w/fireplace, master w/5pc bathroom & 2 walk-in closets & finished basement w/theater space.

Cindy Sahli 303.588.2399 cindy.sahli@coloradohomes.com | CindySahliRealEstatePro.com

AK Riley 720.289.2929 ak@kadenverhomes.com | KADenverHomes.com

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ARVADA | $480,000 This three-bedroom, two bath home, located on a quiet cul-de-sac, has a nice open floor plan. The updated kitchen is open to the living area and has a newer dishwasher and microwave. The backyard features mature trees and a large, covered patio.

PARKER | $480,000 Desirable Clarke Farms 3br/3ba home includes a great room w/vaulted ceilings & fireplace, kitchen w/refinished hardwoods, master w/vaulted ceiling, private 5pc bath w/new flooring & walk-in closet, unfinished basement, freshly painted & new carpet.

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

Christiana Barber 720.404.8757 cbhomesco@gmail.com | ChristianaBarber.com

LAKEWOOD | $475,000 Desirable 4br/2ba Brick Ranch home offering a kitchen equipped w/double ovens, farmhouse sink, beverage cooler & plenty of cabinet storage, basement w/bedroom, bath, family room & 2 storage rooms, oversized 1-car garage & RV parking.

AURORA | $475,000 3br/3ba spacious floor plan w/wide-open great room, modern kitchen w/tall espresso cabinets, ss appliances, island, under cabinet lighting & pantry cabinet, master suite w/walk-in closet & upgraded ensuite bath & upstairs laundry.

Elise Fay 303.917.8988 elise.fay@coloradohomes.com | EliseDenbow.cbintouch.com

Dana Allen 303.944.7085 Dana@DanaAllen.net

PARKER | $460,000 3br/3ba townhome w/ office, loft & unfinished basement.

Open concept kitchen, dining & living room. Master bedroom w/walk-in closet & en-suite bath. 2 more bedrooms & another full bath complete the 2nd floor. Paver patio & grass side yard.

AURORA | $445,000 4br/3ba inviting home. Kitchen w/an island and pantry wall. Main floor primary bedroom w/en-suite bath. Finished basement w/a family room, non-conforming bedroom, 3/4 bath, bonus room, laundry and storage room. Complete w/a large backyard and garden.

Ashley Morrison 224.532.3483 ashley.morrison@cbrealty.com | MorrHomes.cbintouch.com

Elizabeth Murphy 303.842.5063 Elizabeth@ElizabethMurphyRE.com | ElizabethMurphyRE.com

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guiding you home since 1906

GREELEY | $425,000 4br/4ba home in Homestead Heights. Kitchen w/lots of counter space and pull-out drawers in many cabinets. Upstairs there is a laundry and loft. Exterior has an underground sprinkler system.

Complete w/3-car garage and fenced-in yard w/covered patio.

EATON | $400,000 5br/3ba home in Hawkstone w/an open floor plan. Living room w/a gas fireplace. There is a main level laundry. Master bedroom w/a 3/4 master bath and walk-in closet. Basement w/rec room, 2 bedrooms and bonus family room. Complete w/a backyard w/patio.

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

Gus Bergs 970.308.4733 gusbergs@hotmail.com | TheKeyGroupRE.com

AURORA | $400,000 Wonderful bi-level 3br/2ba home w/2-car garage. The primary bedroom suite w/bath is located on the lower level. Also, on the lower level is a large family room w/wood burning fireplace & windows providing natural light. Kitchen w/newer appliances.

DILLON | Price Upon Request 1br/1ba condo. Living room w/a fireplace. Kitchen w/granite countertops, vinyl floors, and newer appliances. Common areas have an un-assigned garage space, laundry facilities, the deck has two large hot tubs. Close to the Snake river pedestrian path.

Robb Green 303.885.2924 robb.green@coloradohomes.com | RobbGreen.cbintouch.com

Abby Lackey 720.254.7648 abby.lackey@cbrealty.com | AbbyLackey.cbintouch.com

AURORA | $369,900 The home you've been dreaming of has finally hit the market.

Situated on a corner lot across the street from this park, this home 3br/2ba includes vaulted ceilings. The wonderful backyard with a swing set concludes the features of this home.

NORTHGLENN | $365,000 3br/3ba townhome. Living room opens to the dining area. Kitchen w/an abundance of counter space, oak cabinets and pantry. Upstairs has a loft, 2 bedrooms, full bath and master bedroom w/an en suite bath. Complete w/a 2-car garage and a yard.

Kris Hansen 303.956.6068 kris.hansen@coloradohomes.com | KrisHansenRealEstate.com

Stephanie Freadhoff 303.589.3777 Stephanie@GoFHG.com | ColoradoHomeForYou.com

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HUDSON | $340,000 2br/1ba Home on a large lot. Kitchen w/quartz tops, SS appliances, farmhouse sink and subway tile backsplash. Main floor master bedroom w/a master bath. There is a bonus room and an unfinished basement. Complete w/a 1-car detached garage and backyard.

LITTLETON | $285,000 Beautifully updated 2br/2ba condo has new paint, new appliances, updated bathrooms, a finished basement & private, fenced outdoor space that backs to a greenbelt. The main floor has a fireplace with charming surround + the basement is finished.

Gus Bergs 970.308.4733 gusbergs@hotmail.com | TheKeyGroupRE.com

Jill Nurse 303.241.4915 Jill@TheNurseSellsDenver.com | TheNurseSellsDenver.com

AURORA | $255,000 2br/2ba condo w/vaulted ceilings and an upstairs loft. Living area w/a wood burning fireplace. Condo w/a washer and dryer. Complete w/a covered walk out deck. Community has an outdoor pool and tennis court. Located minutes from Parker and I-225.

THORNTON | $255,000 2br/1ba townhome. Open living room w/a fireplace. The main floor laundry offers one level living. Master bedroom w/large closets.

Updated full bath w/brand new pipes behind the shower. Complete w/1-car garage and parking space in front of the unit.

Leigh Weilert 316.648.2814 leigh.weilert@cbrealty.com | LeighWeilert.cbintouch.com

Megan Humphrey 914.489.9161 megan.humphrey@coloradohomes.com | MeganHumphrey.cbintouch.com

MANZANOLA | $165,000 3br/2ba on 1/14-acres! Open floor plan, eat in country kitchen, Large Master with 5-pc adjoining bath. Updated master bath & kitchen, new flooring, new SS kitchen appliances, new washer/dryer, fans & new exterior lights. Move in ready.

FLORISSANT | $60,000 5-acre corner lot in the desirable Park Ridge Ranch area.

With mountain views, trees and open space this lot is what dreams of mountain living are made of.

Patti Berens 719.671.2723 patti.berens@coloradohomes.com | HomeSalesByPatti.com

Shawnda Wood 719.439.7015 shawnda.wood@coloradohomes.com | ShawndaWood.cbintouch.com

ColdwellBankerHomes.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

guiding you home since 1906

DENVER | Price Upon Request

BOULDER | $949,000

BOULDER | $910,000

3br/2.5ba home w/open floor plan. Kitchen w/an island, SS appliances and custom cabinetry. Master bedroom w/an en suite bath. Complete w/a rooftop deck, hot tub and landscaped backyard.

2br/2ba fl oorplan w/large living room, Kitchen w/"Cambria" quartz Island & counters, oversized South facing patio, primary bedroom w/private bath & cedar lined walk-in closet & study.

Rare opportunity for a top floor, South facing 1br/2ba. Flatirons views. Spacious living rm w/attached office space. Kitchen w/upgraded Bosch appliances & bar seating. Den w/Murphy bed.

Meagan Siebert 303.570.5514

Jillian Fowler 303.884.2032 Tom Fowler 303.956.2575

Jillian Fowler 303.884.2032 Tom Fowler 303.956.2575

AURORA | $850,000

DENVER | $839,000

DENVER | $835,000

Stunning 5br/4.5ba home on corner lot in Tallyn's Reach South. 4br/4.5ba home w/over 4,000 sqft. Kitchen w/stainless appliances Kitchen w/ oversized island & double ovens. Master BR w/walk-in and granite counters. Enjoy the main floor master suite and closet & 5-pc bath. Deck, patio, putting green, and more! 3 upstairs bedrooms. Complete w/a basement and 2-car garage.

Bonnie Brae 3br/2ba charmer w/1841 Finished SQFT, living room w/built ins & a fireplace, newly updated kitchen w/new cabinets, tile fl oors & quartz counters & finished basement w/den.

Dan D. Gerlock 720.326.8100

LAKEWOOD | $675,000 4br/3ba home on a nearly 12,000 sqft corner lot w/an open fl oor plan. Kitchen w/a butcher block island, stainless appliances and a wine fridge. Complete w/a 2-car garage and a backyard.

Scott Beville 303.905.6872

PARKER | $630,000 4br/3ba brand new KB home in Stone Creek Ranch backing up to open space w/an open fl oor plan. Finished basement w/9-foot ceilings and large egress windows. Complete w/a 2-car garage.

P.J. Farrell 303.884.5368

P.J. Farrell 303.884.5368

Lori Vialpando 303.324.5731

PARKER | $675,000

PARKER | $635,000

4br/4ba home backs to open space. Kitchen w/double oven, Beautiful 4br/4ba home features a study, dining room, gourmet walk-in pantry, island and breakfast bar. Master suite w/fireplace, kitchen, family room, master suite, loft, finished basement w/family master bath and walk-in closet. Complete w/basement and deck. room & bar area & patio covered by a sunsetter awning.

Debbie Joseph 303.842.8331

Lynne Ross 303.520.8800

DENVER | $625,000

ERIE | $615,000

Spacious & upgraded 4br/3br 4-story home located close to Gorgeous 4br/4ba home offers hardwood fl oors, fresh int. paint, a golf course. Features a main fl oor bedroom w/full bathroom, living rm w/fireplace, dining rm, gourmet kitchen w/SS appliances master bedroom w/access to deck & large fenced yard. & tiled backsplash, finished basement, deck & patio.

Jennifer Oldham 720.234.3863

Sarah Bobo 303.818.1948 Brie Fowler 303.882.8672

ColdwellBankerHomes.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

ERIE | $600,000

COLORADO SPRINGS | $599,900

CASTLE ROCK | $595,000

Beautiful 4br/3ba ranch offers hardwood floors, well-equipped 5br/4ba home in desirable Rockrimmon. Family room w/built-in Spacious 4br/3ba, plus loft, backs to open space on 1/4 acre lot. kitchen w/walk-in pantry, dining & family room & finished basement bookcases. Finished basement w/a bedroom, bathroom, family room Open concept kitchen/family room, slab granite, gas stovetop, w/kitchenette. Large lot backs to generous open space. and wet bar. Complete w/a massive deck and a large backyard. kitchen island & main floor master suite. NEW HVAC! Brie Fowler 303.882.8672 Brandon Rearick 970.691.0122

Robert VanDerbur 719.650.9885

Jennifer Hebert 303.929.9044

EDGEWATER | $575,000

MORRISON | $540,000

WESTMINSTER | $499,000

Beautifully updated 3br/3ba ranch w/open floor plan, hardwood 4br/2ba -1.22-acre lot at 7755-foot elevation. Open floorplan. floors & newer: carpet, roof, water heater & AC. Oversized garage Nestled in the foothills with an easy commute via Hwy 285. Four w/220 voltage & 9ft ceilings. Close to Sloan Lake! outdoor spaces to enjoy the views.

4br/2.5ba home. Kitchen w/stainless appliances, granite and new cabinets. Upstairs has 3 bedrooms and a remodeled bath.

Complete w/a finished basement, a backyard and a 2-car garage.

Kari Goddard 720.437.9755

Marci DeMott 303.319.3177

P.J. Farrell 303.884.5368

WESTMINSTER | Price Upon Request

AURORA | $479,000

COLORADO SPRINGS | Price Upon Request

Move-in-ready 3br/4ba home w/formal living room, natural light, backyard access through dining room, newer flooring, redone cabinets, a den w/fireplace & master w/double closets.

3br/3ba- Hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings, open floorplan, spacious master suite, new roof, exterior paint & kitchen appliances.

Newer Covered Patio. 2.5-car garage. Finished basement.

3 Beds | 3 Baths | 3-Car Tandem Garage | 2,759 Sq. Ft. | Open Floor Plan | Family Room | Gourmet Kitchen | Dining Room | Loft | Master Suite with 5-Piece Bath | Fully Fenced Backyard.

Sonja Walcker 303.564.4118

Sean Closset 720.308.7505

Zane Whitfield 719.332.3930

DENVER | $450,000

AURORA | $450,000

LITTLETON | $430,000

3br/2ba fixer-upper ready for your personal touches. Includes newer roof, hardwood floors under carpet, appliances, basement with kitchenette, bath & backyard large enough for an ADU.

Charming 3br/3ba home features an inviting & open layout on the main level w/formal living room & family room w/fireplace, eat-in kitchen w/Corian countertops & tile backsplash & loft.

Perfect Starter 3br/2ba Home-Hickory Floors/Wood Stairs/Newly Remodeled Master Bath/New Dishwasher/New Carpet in Master & Downstairs/Many New Windows/Open Layout/ Two Car Heated Garage.

Kari Goddard 720.437.9755

Jennifer Oldham 720.234.3863

Jennifer Hughes 303.669.9099

ColdwellBankerHomes.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

guiding you home since 1906

PEYTON | Price Upon Request

COLORADO SPRINGS | Price Upon Request

THORNTON | $410,000

3 Beds | 3 Baths | 2-Car | 3,592 Sq. Ft. | Open Floor Plan | Formal Living Room | Stainless Steel Appliances | Family Room with Walkout | Main Level Master | Loft | Spacious Backyard.

4 Beds | 4 Baths | 2-Car | 2,055 Sq. Ft. | Family Room with Gas Fireplace | Spacious Kitchen | Master Bed with 5-Piece Bath | Lower-Level Walkout | Wet Bar | Fenced Backyard.

Wonderful 3br/2ba bi-level home on a corner lot boasts vaulted ceilings, open floorplan, kitchen w/painted cabinets & ss appliances & lower level w/living room. Attached 2-car garage!

Camellia Coray 719.359.0014

Zane Whitfield 719.332.3930

Erika Heredia 720.755.8075

LAFAYETTE | $399,900

AURORA | Price Upon Request

PARKER | $400,000 3br/1.5ba home. Kitchen w/a huge island. There is new carpet in bedrooms. Garage has a new door, heat and AC. Complete w/a private backyard featuring a large deck and a storage shed.

Mary Ann O'Toole 720.530.6878

Private 2nd-level ranch-style condo w/30-foot covered balcony Move-in ready! Pride of ownership in this updated, 3br/2ba home & 2-car attached garage! Primary suite w/5-piece bath & walk-in nestled in a quiet neighborhood and zoned to Cherry Creek Schools! closet. Entire unit nicely updated and maintained.

Brian MacDonald 303.915.6126

Kimberly Carlson 303.519.7127

WESTMINSTER | $390,000

DENVER | $385,000

WESTMINSTER | $380,000

Charming 4br/3ba updated end unit townhouse offers a kitchen gutted & completely remodeled w/quartz counters, open & very functional floorplan, family room w/fireplace & master suite.

2br/1ba home ideally located in the famous Park Hill neighborhood.

The back has a 285 SQFT patio. Newer garage door opener & SS dishwasher. Hardwood floors, granite countertops & more!

3br/2ba approx. 1114 square foot home. Kitchen offers new appliances. The furnace, thermostat and central air were just replaced! Conclude, the nice yard has a large deck and fire pit.

Christy Hepp 303.910.5393

Brandy Lay 720.398.7667

Lori Vialpando 303.324.5731

LAKEWOOD | $375,000

BOULDER | $375,000

DENVER | $350,000

4br/2.5ba townhome w/an open floor plan. Kitchen w/new stainless appliances. Finished basement w/an extra bedroom and an additional family room. Complete w/a detached 2-car garage.

Rare 2br/1ba condo at 20th and Broadway in San Marco South.

Good candidate for a remodel or rentable as-is. Only travel half a block, cross Broadway and you're on CU Boulder’s campus!

2br/1ba home w/natural hardwood floors, remodeled bathroom w/trendy finishes, quaint kitchen & spacious backyard & patio is just a block from the new Loretto Heights development.

P.J. Farrell 303.884.5368

Tom Fowler 303.956.2575 Jillian Fowler 303.884.2032

Pam Ludwig 720.333.5063

ColdwellBankerHomes.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

COLORADO SPRINGS | Price Upon Request

DENVER | $335,000

LAKEWOOD | $320,000

3 Beds | 3 Baths | 2-Car | 1,606 Sq. Ft. | Open Floor Plan | Family Room | Spacious Kitchen | Master Suite with Adjoined Full Bath | Laundry Room | Low-Maintenance Exterior.

Beautifully transformed 2br/2ba unit featuring an open floor plan w/added glassed-in lanai. Remodeled kitchen w/urban modern granite counters, ss appliances & refaced modern cabinetry.

Charming 2br/2ba 3rd floor condo in 55+ complex. Primary bedroom w/five-piece bath & walk-in closet. Kitchen opens to the dining & living area. Fireplace & balcony w/mountain views.

Zane Whitfield 719.332.3930

Kimberly Forte 303.668.9388

LaDawn Sperling 303.710.5817

AURORA | $315,000

CASTLE ROCK | Price Upon Request

AURORA | $300,000

Well-maintained 2BR/2BA beautiful move-in ready end unit on the 1st floor featuring an open concept family room w/fireplace, master suite w/walk in closet & balcony. Ideally located!

LIKE A TOWNHOUSE! 2br/2ba condo, open concept, balcony, SS appliances & walk-in pantry. Master suite w/en suite bath and 2 closets. Upper laundry room. Mountain Views & 1-car garage.

Beautifully appointed end unit ground level 2br/2ba condo featuring an open floor plan, living room w/electric fireplace, kitchen w/white cabinets & new quartz counters & covered patio.

Tuvshin Tumenjargal 720.520.5496

Jennifer Hebert 303.929.9044

Chris Hall 720.624.9792

THORNTON | $299,000

BOULDER | $284,500

DENVER | $275,000

Nicely updated 2br/2ba townhome in Old Farms in Thornton. Built Conveniently located 1br/1ba condo 1 block from Murphy's & Safeway in 2002 w/detached garage, ample parking, updated kitchen, shopping w/bike path access. Home is quaint & ground-level appliances & flooring, full unfinished basement & patio. w/newer tile, 1 assigned parking space, washer & dryer.

Darling 1br/1ba rowhouse-style condo w/hardwood floors throughout, granite counters, stainless steel appliances and detached 1-car garage. Access to basement w/free laundry & storage.

Norma Adair 720.291.3300

Jillian Fowler 303.884.2032 Tom Fowler 303.956.2575

Illona Gerlock 303.809.1235

COLORADO SPRINGS | Price Upon Request

AURORA | $230,000

FORT COLLINS | $218,000

2 Beds | 1 Bath | 1-Car | 864 Sq. Ft. | Sunrise Ridge | New Vinyl Flooring | Kitchen Eat-In with Walkout | Bedrooms with New Closets | Fully Fenced Backyard | Storage Shed.

Turn-key 2br/1ba townhouse offers wood-like laminate floors, wood-burning fireplace & kitchen w/ss LG appliances, Formica counters & serving bar. 2-car garage!

2br/2ba home w/tasteful updates. Kitchen w/a peninsula, newer appliances, granite counters and a walk-in pantry. Complete w/an oversized garage and mountain and sunset views.

Zane Whitfield 719.332.3930

Dan D. Gerlock 720.326.8100

Dawn Mathis 970.481.5263

ColdwellBankerHomes.com

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BACKSTORY

SUMMER OF LOVE

When the pandemic hit, singles across Denver doubled down on virtual dates, sliding even harder into DMs to ease the pain of isolation. Now as lovers across the metro area re-emerge with vaccine cards in hand, they will find a slightly altered dating scene with new rules of engagement and lingo to reflect the After Times. Luckily, our wingwomen and -men at OkCupid and Bumble have the details that will ready you for post-Rona romance. —PHILIP CLAPHAM

~ 1IN 4

Denverites on OkCupid who said their ideal socially distanced date was a picnic. In other words, it’s time to swap dinner and a movie for a basket and blanket.

AFTER TIMES LOVE LINGO

82%

Denver daters on OkCupid who think it’s important to have an emotional connection before a physical one. Just don’t go apocalypsing1 the first person you meet. There’s no need to go from Zoom to groom in a single date.

>½

Daters on Bumble who are taking longer to move a match offline. Welcome to the world of slow dating,2 my friend.

Think of it as extra time to spot the red flags. Fewer frogs, more princes.

59

%

OkCupid users in Denver who said they enjoyed phone sex during the lockdown. Was it good for you too?

120 5 2 8 0

1 APOCALYPSING Treating your relationship like it’s your last (even though it’s not) by getting way too serious way too soon. (See “new dawn daters.”)

46%

Bumble users who prefer that first dates happen over a video call rather than in person. So keep your Zoom account paid and opt for Hide Self View to avoid Zoomlandering3 your date.

2 SLOW-DATE To take one’s time moving your budding love interest offline.

47 %

Women on OkCupid in Denver who said coronavirus immunity was a bigger turn-on than unlimited wealth. If you skip the vaccine, prepare to be Fauci’d.4

¼

The share of Bumble users in the United States likely to be new dawn daters5 after the pandemic. So, to all you heartbreakers out there, be gentle.

3 ZOOMLANDERING When a Zoom date pulls a Derek Zoolander, mugging for the camera instead of the person they’re on a date with.

4 FAUCI’ING Saying no to potential dates if you’re unsure of their belief in science or respect for COVID-19 safety protocols.

5 NEW DAWN DATERS Newly single persons whose relationships suffered a pandemic collapse, along with the global economy.

I L L U S T R AT I O N S BY S E R G E S E I D L I T Z

JUNE 2021

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MORE CONNECTION

Shizukuishi. A land of majestic white birch groves.

A spring of constant inspiration for Grand Seiko.

Here, light and shadow are in dynamic harmony.

And Time is etched with intricate precision.

Here, the TAKUMI infuse the essence of Nature into each and every timepiece, bringing its true beauty to life.

Shizukuishi, Iwate Prefecture