Eat & Drink: Special Restaurant Guide Inside
Compiled by Cara DeGette GPHN Editor
Granny Sure Can Dance
In its 33rd holiday season, the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble presents multiple performances of Granny Dances To A Holiday Drum throughout December. The celebration of global cultural holiday traditions features live music and dance from a dozen cultures.
Guided by the Three Angels of the Rainbow, Granny visits Africa, the Americas, Mexico, Asia, and the Caribbean to celebrate the joy of holiday times. From the African Harvest to Kwanzaa, from the Chinese New Year to Junkanoo, the performances are celebrations of diversity and oneness.
The 130-minute performances feature Cleo Parker Robinson as Shakti, Chloé-Grant Abel as Cantadora and
Shake, Rattle And Roll
Denver Promises Its 16th Avenue Stormwater Project Will Bring ‘Shock And Awe’ Story and photos by
Cara DeGette GPHN Editor
For eight months, people living near Colorado Boulevard and Colfax have endured — with no prior warning — living smack dab in the middle of a constant construction zone.
Their streets were ripped up. Huge metal plates covered massive holes, creating uneven, slippery, dangerous surfaces. Sidewalks, including a just-installed ADA-accessible sidewalk, were dug up and then plugged with temporary filling. Access to and from homes has been dodgy. Bulldozers left tire marks across lawns. Landscaping and sprinkler systems were damaged.
Random holes, trenches and construction debris created hazards. Mounds of dirt, 30-feet long and 4-feet tall, were left uncovered for long periods of time, blowing dust and pollution around the neighborhood. Workers left plastic bottles and cigarette butts and other trash behind. At least two trees were killed, one more than 50 years old. And that was just the first part of a project to install a massive new stormwater sewer pipe, designed to alleviate occasional intense flooding in the southwest area of Park Hill. Remove fragile items from walls
At an Oct. 22 meeting at Carla
Madison Recreation Center, Matt Fariss, a project manager for the city’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, termed what will happen next as “shock and awe.”
“You guys mentioned the construction you are going through and I will be blunt, it is nothing compared to what you are going to be going through,” Fariss told a group of about 20 neighbors. “Basically I will be digging a 20-foot-wide trench
Cedric Hall as the Griot. Margarita Taylor returns in the role as Granny. Ten live performances run Dec. 7 to 22; a Spanish language performance will be Dec. 13 and video-ondemand will be available Dec. 23 to Jan. 5.
Tickets for the live performances range from $35 to $45, and videoon-demand tickets are $10. Go to cleoparkerdance.org/tickets for tickets, or call 303-294-1759, ext. 13 for more information. The Cleo Parker Robinson dance studio is at 119 Park Ave. West, just north of downtown.
Look To The Night Skies
Every night at 7 p.m. through Dec. 31, look to the west. If you have a good vantage point you will see Denver’s sky filled with 400 drones creating holiday-themed animations — including Santa Claus and his
20 feet deep right down the middle of your street.”
Beginning in March, the city will begin work on the 16th Avenue Stormwater project, a $10 million project to install a massive pipe under Albion Street between 17th Avenue Parkway and Batavia Place, turning east on Batavia Place to Clermont Street. In the future, the city plans to continue the pipe east and continued on page 4
Granny Dancing by Stan Obert, courtesy Cleo Parker Robinson Dance
Bulldozers and other heavy equipment parked along Dahlia Street between Colfax and 16th Avenue in late November. Denver Water is using the equipment to replace water lines in the area.
The Sushinsky System
photo by Cara DeGette GPHN Editor
Theo Sushinsky describes his family’s decision to start delivering the Greater Park Hill News as fairly unremarkable.
“Once Dad just said, ‘hey, do you want to deliver the paper?’ And we said, ‘yeah.’ And so we did.”
Every month Theo, 8, and his dad, Steve Sushinsky, and Elliott, 6, and Josephine, who turns 11 on Dec. 7, deliver the newspaper to their neighbors in North Park Hill.
“I get to ride around and leave papers for people to read,” says Elliott. “So I would say, mostly I just do it for fun.”
In separate interviews, the Sushinsky kids described the various experiments they’ve tried, using various “vehicles,” while developing the most efficient delivery system.
“Elliott brought a vehicle once, a little toy car, and we pushed it around with the newspapers inside,” Theo says.
Josephine says the family’s delivery vehicles have also included a toy shopping cart (no good; it kept falling over), a tricycle, scooters and a Big Wheel.
Theo says he finally figured out a great system — one that generations of newspaper carriers before him will confirm is indeed the superior method. Theo’s current vehicle is a bicycle. He attaches bags on each side of the handlebars, with the same number of newspapers on each side. As he delivers the route, Theo switches back and forth, so the dwindling number of newspapers on each side stays balanced. Genius.
Steve, the dad, says that he always had a paper route growing up, delivering the Washington Post with his brothers. When he and his wife moved to the neighborhood 11 years ago, he thought it was pretty cool that Park Hill has its own newspaper, delivered for free every month. When a route opened up, he and his family signed up. Now they deliver to three blocks. It’s not a big time commitment, he says, maybe 45 minutes a month, and it’s a great chance to catch up with his neighbors.
“I guess I’m reliving my childhood,” he says.
Since 1960, the Greater Park Hill News has been delivered for free throughout the neighborhood, with the help of hundreds of blockworkers. Are you interested in becoming a blockworker? The GPHN has an online map that shows which blocks in Park Hill need regular volunteers. Check it out and sign up at gphndelivery.greaterparkhill.org. Questions? Contact Brenda Morrison at newspaper@greaterparkhill.org.
Who We are
Editor: Cara DeGette
Manager: Brenda Morrison
Ad Sales: Melissa Davis and Denise Fisher
Art Director: Tommy Kubitsky
how to fIND US
Voicemail: 720-287-0442
Email: newspaper@greaterparkhill.org
Address: 2823 Fairfax St. Denver, 80207
Website: greaterparkhill.org
Facebook: facebook.com/greaterparkhillnews
Twitter: @parkhillnews
CoNtACt US
Story Tips and Letters to the Editor: Cara DeGette:
The Greater Park Hill News is published by Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. (GPHC) on the 1st of each month. Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. makes no warranties and assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of the information contained herein. The opinions expressed in articles are not necessarily the opinions of GPHC. GPHC does not necessarily endorse the companies, products or services advertised in The Greater Park Hill News unless specifically stated. GPHC reserves the right to run any advertisement.
Circulation is 13,000 and is distributed in the Park Hill Area by neighborhood volunteers.
The Greater Park Hill Community, Inc., is a volunteerbased registered neighborhood organization that: promotes the character and vibrancy of Park Hill; provides resources, information and advocacy; and preserves quality of life and the history of the neighborhood through community participation.
From left, Steve, Josephine, Elliott and Theo Sushinsky.
Show Stopper
With bright red plumage and a showy crest, the Northern Cardinal is one of North America’s most iconic species. In fact, cardinals are the official birds in seven states. Their range is typically the eastern half of the United States, as well as Mexico and southern Arizona, where this photograph was taken. But in Colorado, the Northern Cardinal is a rare bird indeed. The bird tracking website eBird reports that, as of Nov. 22, exactly 3,172 Northern Cardinals have been spotted in Colorado — most of them on the Eastern Plains.
south for several blocks.
The excavation will require bringing in equipment that is taller than houses that line the narrow residential street. Vibration levels will likely be intense — so much so that residents are encouraged to remove fragile items from walls and have a structural engineer inspect their properties beforehand if they are concerned about structural “deficiencies.”
Water and sewer lines will be moved. People will not be able to access their driveways or park in front of their homes, sometimes for weeks and maybe even months.
Once installed, the underground pipe — 9 feet in diameter — would be large enough to drive a small car through, if cars drove under the street. It is designed to carry water that would otherwise flood through
neighborhood streets during intense downpours.
Happened out of the blue
As detailed in last month’s Greater Park Hill News, the first part of the project involved Xcel Energy moving the gas lines underneath the streets in the area roughly between 17th and 16th avenues and Albion and Bellaire streets. Most impacted neighbors reported they received no prior notification. Workers and equipment just showed up one day this March.
And for eight months — five months longer than the project was supposed to last — the bulldozers and cones and no-parking signs and debris littering the area remained. (Xcel and its subcontractor, Sitewise, blamed the extensive delays on supply chain problems.)
An Xcel project manager said
Albion Street, just south of 17th Avenue, was often closed to traffic while Xcel subcontractors moved gas lines from under the street to under the sidewalks. The three-month project took eight months to complete.
What about emergencies?
A List Of Unanswered Questions, Ongoing Concerns
In mid-November, neighbors in the impacted area, still recovering from the near-constant disruption from the eight-month gas line project, prepared a list of their ongoing questions and concerns. Several are outstanding issues with Xcel; others are directed to the city’s planned stormwater project. Here are a few:
General To Xcel
• How will the company restore damaged sprinkler systems, damages to landscaping and other property?
• We need specifics about when and how killed and damaged trees will be replaced.
• What recourse or compensation do we as property owners have?
General To City
• Regarding the massive mounds of dirt left uncovered in the streets: Wind blows the dust around, including in our homes and all over the neighborhood. Is this a violation of the city’s air pollution code? What will be done to alleviate the dirt and air pollution during the next phase(s) of the project?
• We need more information about the intensity of the vibration from the construction, and what the risks are to the foundations and structure of impacted homes.
• How will residents be notified about work being done on their streets on a n ongoing basis?
• How will residents be notified when their streets will be closed?
• How do we find out where city easements are on our property (other t han tree lawn)?
• Who will enforce ordinances/codes?
• Who is the city contact at the forestry department for concerns about t rees?
• Who is the city contact for concerns about air and noise pollution?
• We need better clarity on access to homes and alleys. How will emergency vehicles access if needed, including ambulances and firetrucks?
• How will delivery trucks get through?
• What about those in the neighborhood who work from home and will experience ongoing disruptions? What is their recourse?
• We need a better understanding about rights as homeowners/taxpayers.
neighbors were informed of the work via door hangers — a claim that was flatly rejected by 32 of 35 impacted residents who insisted they received no such notice. Though Xcel was tearing up the city’s sidewalks and streets to accommodate a city infrastructure project, Fariss said that the city had no obligation to notify residents regarding that portion of the work. Xcel, he insists, was supposed to do that.
Several residents were frustrated after months of repeated efforts to contact their city councilman, Darrell Watson. Finally, two neighbors, Lauran Williamson and Patty Paul, met with Watson at the end of September. It took them two months to get on his calendar. (The Greater Park Hill News also attended this meeting.) When Williamson and Paul described what was happening on their block, Watson said it was the first he’d heard of the project. And he vowed to do better.
Constant construction
Water is also currently at work in this section of Park Hill, moving and replacing water lines.
“Basically I will be digging a 20-footwide trench 20 feet deep right down the middle of your street.”
—
Matt Fariss
For residents of Albion Street and surrounding blocks, an already long year living in a construction zone is stretching into another. And, as Patty Paul, Lauran Williamson, their neighbor Belinda Nelson and others on the block have noted, that timeline aligns with the expected arrival of another massive nearby construction project — the Colfax Bus Rapid transit project.
Part 1 of this story, Nightmare On Albion Street, appeared in last month’s Greater Park Hill News. It can be read at greaterparkhill.org/ nightmare-on-albion-street/. Check back in coming months for updates and continued coverage of the city’s East 16th Avenue stormwater project.
Direct Line To The City
Denver Sets Up Website, Hotline, Email
The city plans to send out postcards to impacted neighbors with updates on the 16th Avenue Stormwater project. A hotline, project website and email contact have also been set up. Here are the details:
Project Webpage: 16thavestorm.com
Project email: info@16thavestorm.com
Sign up via this email to receive weekly construction updates. Residents can also use this email with questions and concerns.
Hotline: 720-627-7441
Text or leave a message for the stormwater team at this number. Once the work begins, residents can call for recorded weekly updates at this number.
Community Meeting: The city plans to hold a meeting with updates in March, 2025, location to be determined.
Coffee with the Contractor: Once work gets underway, residents will be able to meet with the contractor at regular intervals to ask questions and voice concerns.
On Oct. 22, Watson hosted the community meeting at Carla Madison, attended by Fariss and other city staff, and an Xcel representative. The latest final deadline for Xcel to finish the gas line was Nov. 8; the company finally completed the work nearly a week after that deadline. In late November, the city released its latest timeline to install the new stormwater pipe. The project is currently out to bid, and Fariss estimates that a contractor will be in place by the end of February. The work is expected to begin in March and last at least through next December. In the meantime, Denver
Many residents are concerned about potential damage to trees, as workers maneuver around them digging up narrow streets and sidewalks in the southwest part of the neighborhood.
Try a FREE Week
Call
Bulldozer parked in late November on Dahlia Street between Colfax and 16th Avenue.
No parking sign on Forest Parkway.
reindeer. Other Denver landmarks and icons will also be on display — including Blucifer and the Blue Bear.
New to Denver this year, the free Mile High Drone Show light shows start at 7 p.m. every night, with the drones launching west of downtown. The animations span nearly 400 feet high and 500 feet wide, meaning they will be visible from spots around the center of the city. Park Hillians may want to head to City Park for some good views. Other primo spots to watch the 15-minute drone shows include Sculpture Park at the Denver Performing Arts Complex downtown and the parking lot at Ball Arena downtown.
The shows are sponsored by Visit Denver and were created by the Denver-based company Brightflights Drone Shows. In addition to the nightly performances, several special shows are scheduled, with animations dedicated to Denver’s sports teams.
• Monday, Dec. 2 at 5:20 p.m. before t he Denver Broncos’ Monday Night Football
• Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 5:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, Dec. 25 at 7 p.m. before the Denver Nuggets Christmas Day game
• Tuesday, Dec. 31 at 5:30 p.m. before the Colorado Avalanche New Year’s Eve game
Parade of Lights Dec. 7
Join thousands of your closest friends for Denver’s 50th annual Parade of Lights on Saturday, Dec. 7. Festivities begin at 6 p.m. at the City and County Building, and then the parade winds through downtown. The Parade of Lights features
more than 40 floats, giant balloons, marching bands, equestrian units, cultural displays and special guest appearances, including Santa Claus and Major Waddles the penguin. It’s sponsored by 9News and is free and open to the public. Check out winterindenver.com/parade for the parade route and more info.
Sipping And Strolling Colfax
The holiday Sip & Stroll, brought to you by Colfax merchants, is Saturday, Dec. 7, from 3 to 7 p.m. Twelve independently-owned businesses are participating this year in what has become a holiday tradition. Here’s how it works:
1. Pick up your Sip & Stroll passport at Park Hill Treasures (6035 E. Colfax) or Marczyk’s (5100 E. Colfax).
2. Visit all participating merchants and get your passport stamped.
3. W hile you go, sip some wine and nibble on snacks and do some shopping for gifts and décor and more from businesses along Colfax.
4. Turn in your passport by 7 p.m. to enter to win a drawing.
5. Winners will be notified the next day.
Wonderbound’s Jolly Moxie
Wonderbound is spicing things up for the holidays with Jolly Moxie, a dance production described as a jazz-fueled romp and “a journey into a time of anything goes.”
Think high-octane dancing, choreographed to classic jazz melodies including I Got Rhythm, Puttin’ on the Ritz and Mack the Knife. The production features the Colorado Jazz Repertory Orchestra, including vocalist Tatiana LadyMay Mayfield, performing live. Wonderbound is a contemporary ballet company that is housed in a space that long ago was an airport hangar (and more recently sculptor Ed Dwight’s former studio) at 38th and Dahlia, in the industrial section in northeast Park Hill. Other upcoming Wonderbound productions include Agent Romeo, which runs Feb 27 to
The Denver Zoo Lights, just west of Park Hill, includes rides and shows, animals (of course) and three million lights. The show is up through Jan. 5. File photo by Reid Neureiter
March 9, and Space Cowboy from May 8 to 18. Check out wonderbound.com for tickets and info.
All Lit Up And A Mile High
Downtown’s massive 110-foot-tall Mile High Tree in Civic Center Park is all lit up through Dec. 31. The tree, with a 39-foot diameter, is 10 feet higher than the tallest Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in history and contains 60,000 LED lights to create its signature pro-
gramming. Nightly free public light shows are choreographed to multicultural holiday music and accommodate up to 140 guests at a time for an immersive viewing experience inside the tree.
The shows are held nightly every 15 minutes between 5 and 10 p.m. through Dec. 31 (except for Dec. 7 and 21). New Year’s Eve countdown shows will be held that night at 9 p.m. and as the clock strikes midnight. Civic Center Park, at Ban-
nock Street between West 14th Avenue and Colfax, is in front of the City and County building.
The Mile High Tree was created by ILMEX Illumination, a renowned decorative lighting production company in Spain. Madrid-based Brut Deluxe handled the lighting design using pixel-mapping technology.
Head Over To The Wild Side
More than 400 sketches, artworks, storyboards and paintings by the beloved American artist and author Maurice Sendak are on display at The Denver Art Museum through Feb. 17.
One of the most versatile artists of the 20th century, Sendak is best known for award-winning books. He also designed theater sets and collaborated on films.
Wild Things: The Art of Maurice Sendak includes objects, drawings, paintings and mockups. It also includes sketches for the set designs of the Where the Wild Things Are opera and costumes for the live-action, feature-length film.
General admission for museum members is free. Youth aged 18 and under receive free general admission every day thanks to the museum’s Free for Kids program. Call 720865-5000 or check out the museum’s website at denverartmuseum.org for more information.
Wonderbound photo by Martha Wirth
Mile High Tree file photo by Reid Neureiter
Where The Wild Things Are, courtesy of Denver Art Museum
Plan with a weaker regulation. He repealed the Clean Water Rule and wreaked havoc on more than 100 environmental regulations. What should we expect from this second term? Frankly, more of the same.
By Tracey MacDermott For the GPHN
On election day, the citizens of the United States voted a climate denier into the highest office in the land. There is no way to spin a positive with Donald Trump as president when it comes to the environment. His own words make a mockery of the biggest existential threat to humanity. He calls climate change a “big hoax.” He has targeted the the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the signature bill of the Biden administration and the biggest climate legislation ever enacted by the United
States. Trump wants to dismantle it. And for a second time, he has promised to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement.
During his first presidency, Trump’s mantra — “Drill, baby, drill” — was a call to open up federal lands to production of oil, natural gas and coal. His positions on federal lands, including selling them to private developers, mirrors the positions detailed in the hard-right Project 2025 manifesto.
In his first term, Trump shrunk Bears Ears, Grand Staircase-Escalante and other national monuments. He replaced the Clean Power
Trump has threatened to pull back unspent dollars from the Inflation Reduction Act — childishly referring to it as the “Green New Scam.” Among many other benefits, the program provides sizable tax breaks for electric vehicles, including Teslas. Earlier in his campaign, it was expected that he would end those tax credits for electric vehicles, as well as ending the Environmental Protection Agency’s rules tightening tailpipe pollution standards. He had vowed to end the electric vehicle mandate “on day one.”
Now, with the addition of Tesla owner and World’s-Richest-Man Elon Musk to his team, Trump has
Your neighbor with vast experience buying & selling historic Park Hill properties.
Mule Deer buck enjoying the first snowfall of the season on Nov. 6 at Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is five miles north of Park Hill. Photo by Reid Neureiter
done some flip-flopping. Now he’s all for electric cars: “I have to be, because Elon endorsed me very strongly,” he said in August.
Wow. Now imagine a world where rich guys instead put the planet first, for the sake of the planet and not their personal bank accounts?
Most Americans are likely to miss life under Biden. His Inflation Reduction Act has created more than 330,000 U.S. jobs. Companies have announced $265 billion (yes, billion) in new investments in clean energy. Many Americans have benefitted through electric vehicle tax credits and home energy improvements. As the New York Times has reported, roughly 80 percent of the money spent so far from the Inflation Reduction Act has flowed to Republican congressional districts. How will Republicans respond when that faucet is shut off?
pollute. But it’s hard to believe that the American people really want to hand over a polluted planet — with decreased biodiversity, water shortages and crippling heat — to the next generation.
Will we have the courage to speak out and fight for the future of our shared planet?
How we respond to this new administration’s policies is up to us. Will we have the courage to speak out and fight for the future of our shared planet?
I hope so. I do believe in the power of community. I believe in this community. Rise up, fight for what we can still save and let’s work together to secure a future for our kids. Push back on anyone who tells you we can’t, because together, we can.
In his second term, Trump plans to roll back pollution regulations, making it harder to meet the necessary reductions to save what we have not yet lost. He and his “Drill, baby, drill” supporters seem to think that voters have delivered a mandate to
Tracey MacDermott is an at-large board member of Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. She was trained as a Climate Reality Leader in 2017. She chairs the Sustainability Committee for the Business and Professional Women of Colorado and the National Federation for Business and Professional Women. Email her at traceymacdermott@gmail.com
- Summer Camps *2024 Opening soon* - Spring/Fall Break Camps
- Workshops & Birthday Parties
- First Friday Movie Nights
- Tutoring & Academic Services
- Retail Store with hand-selected Toys & Gifts
Visit Stanley — We’re FESTIVE
Shop
l e T T e rs To The e d I T o r
A Tarnished Crown
The closing of the decade-plus long run of Natural Grocers at Colfax and Washington leaves an eroding void. The last few months brought intolerable crime to this organic market in the North Capitol Hill neighborhood. One unarmed guard patrolled the door near the produce area, but there was little they could do to prevent the stealing. Two armed guards patrolled the outside perimeter to give employees and customers peace of mind while picking up groceries. The street corners, vacant businesses, and sidewalks are favorite hangouts for addicts, pushers and people down on their luck.
This densely populated neighbor-
hood houses and feeds an eclectic population, including working people and retirees, many whom do not own cars. The grocery store was a Mecca that slowly has become consumed by this new face of slum. Colfax is once again living up to its term of endearment coined long ago by Playboy as the “longest, wickedest street in America.”
Looking back, predatory banks, developers and politicians created a climate of new greed. The economy, job loss due to AI, and a tsunami of newcomers has created a greater sense of competition, greed and poverty. The new rate of rent determines the kind of people who can move here. There are good things about growth, but mostly this once “Queen
City” now dons a tarnished crown.
Denver, as a progressive city, has witnessed many analogous gold rushes. While there is now a push to develop Upper Colfax, the Capitol Hill strip declines. Some Natural Grocers’ employees chose to transfer to different store locations. Others were offered a generous severance. But the neighborhood has become another food desert, and its residents miss the quality of produce and customer service the store provides. And the crime will migrate to where the opportunity is.
— Kathryn Charles, Park Hill
A Phenomenal Fall Fest
To our amazing volunteers, a heartfelt thank you for making the 3rd Annual Fall Festival at Axum Park a fantastic celebration of our Greater Park Hill community. This festival, held every October, is our way of honoring the dedicated block workers who help distribute the Greater Park Hill News each month. It couldn’t have happened without your energy, commitment and smiles.
A special shout out to Nestman Orthodontics for bringing the corn hole fun, Jacqui Shumway and Park Hill United Methodist Church for the wonderful pumpkins, the office of Councilwoman Shontel Lewis, and to every neighbor who stopped by for a hot dog (or two) and some great conversation.
Events like these depend on the heart and hard work of a committed volunteer crew.
Additional thanks to Georgia Garnsey, Nam Henderson, Lori Midson, Tracey MacDermott, Sandy Robnett, Mary Salsich, Brian Shaw, Heather Shockey and Shane Sutherland.
— Maria Flora and Brenda Morrison, Fall Fest organizers and GPHC board members
We love your letters, and give preference to those that address an issue that has been covered in the newspaper, or a topic that is Park Hill or Denver-specific. Send letters to editor@greaterparkhill.org, and include your full name, and the neighborhood in which you live. Deadlines are the 15th of each month, for the following month’s issue.
GPHC board member Jacqui Shumway, with new friends at Fall Fest. Photo by Cara DeGette
A Guide To Park
Cafés Eat & Drink
It’s December — time to eat, drink and share some merriment.
Welcome to our first-ever comprehensive guide to food and drink in Park Hill. It’s an 8-page section that you can easily pull out of the paper and keep in a handy spot for future reference.
From Colfax Avenue to Interstate 70, Colorado Boulevard to Quebec Street
Hill
Restaurants,
and beyond, our neighborhood is filled with and surrounded by scores of restaurants and bars.
Included among the nearly 75 establishments in the following pages are restaurants owned by James Beardnominated chefs, as well as the Kitchen Network, an incubator for specialty food businesses. The listings include
Bars and
independently-owned establishments and local chains only.
Contributors include newspaper intern Mollie Barnes, as well as photographer Reid Neureiter.
Enjoy.
— Cara DeGette,
Editor
Leola Gant, co-owner of the Blazing Chicken Shack II in Holly Square. Photo by Reid Neureiter
By Mollie Barnes For the GPHN
For Chef Penelope Wong, many childhood memories revolve around the food her family prepared. Her parents owned a Cantonese restaurant in the North Denver area while she was growing up. Rather than playing with her cousins, she said she would find herself in the kitchen learning to cook from her
aunties and grandparents. At her family’s restaurant, she helped her father between lunch and dinner services with prep work, gaining more responsibilities as she grew older.
“I preferred to be in the kitchen, learning the wok station, fry station, and eventually when I was 16, I was able to run my dad’s kitchen by myself,” Wong said. “Food’s always been an imperative part of my life.”
After graduating college, Wong
Egg Roll Memories
James Beard Finalist Penelope Wong’s Journey To Yuan Wonton Began In Her Family’s Kitchen
began working in the kitchen at the Glenmore Country Club in Cherry Hills. Four years later, she became its youngest and first female executive chef. Twenty years after that, Wong said she wanted a change in lifestyle.
“[The food truck] was something I wanted to do that would help create some work life balance, to keep me in this industry and, most importantly, it was about cooking the foods that I wanted to cook and I wanted to share,” she said.
In 2023, Wong and her team opened a brick and mortar restaurant, sharing the space with Sweets and Sourdough (plus a third vendor that no longer operates in the space). Yuan Wonton, at 28th and Fairfax, is open for lunch Tuesday through Fridays and for happy hour on Thursdays and Fridays.
The restaurant’s interior is minimalistic, with the focus on a small menu of specialties, including Wong’s signature OG Chile Oil Wontons. Much of the menu changes daily. The restaurant is generally packed, and Wong remains in the center of the action in the kitchen turning out made-from-scratch Asian-fusion dishes.
Early this year, she was recognized for her years of work in kitchens: She was named a James Beard finalist in 2024 for Best Mountain Chef.
Also this year, Wong started holding monthly supper clubs with guest chefs. In a collaboration with her lead line cook, Caroline Zubiake, the restaurant hosts Chifa dinners — a culinary tradition merging Chinese and Peruvian flavors.
“A lot of the concepts and the menu are the foods I grew up with in my parents’ Cantonese restaurant, mixed with the flare of the Peruvian touch,” she said.
Every day in the restaurant, Wong said, she is reminded of being in the kitchen with her family.
“It’s little things . . . it’s menu items, using specific knives, cleavers, cutting certain vegetables a certain way,” she said. “There’s a ton of different nuances in our day-to-day that always brings me back.”
One menu item, “Dad’s Egg Rolls,” is a staple on Yuan Wonton’s menu. Wong said that she has never found another Chinese Cantonese restaurant in which the egg rolls reminded her of her dad’s, so she started making them herself. She found herself describing the process the exact way she had been taught.
“When I was first training my staff on how to do it, those were the words that were coming out of my mouth,” Wong said.
“I was like ‘oh my god, I sound just like my grandpa.’”
Chef Penelope Wong, with her famous wontons. Photo courtesy Yuan Wonton
“When we learned that we were semifinalists for the James Beard Best Chef Mountain award, a whirlwind of emotions swept over me. The realization that, among countless restaurants and chefs tirelessly crafting culinary masterpieces, we stood out as one of the best was profoundly humbling ... I’m reminded daily that Lucina’s success is a collective achievement, and every team member deserves recognition. For me, the nomination made me realize that our guests are hungry; not just for a great meal but for a story.”
– Erasmo Casiano, on being honored alongside partner Diego Coconati this year with a James Beard best chef nomination
Each Dish Tells A Story
Lucina Sizzles With A Rich Cultural History And Deep Latin Roots
By Mollie Barnes For the GPHN
Diners at Lucina Eatery & Bar are greeted with a warm and hospitable Latin American vibe of vibrant colors and Latin jazz before the food even hits their table.
Bartenders spritz ice with mister bottles and top tiki cocktails with bright purple edible flowers. Candles flicker atop the bar, shifting the light texture on a red floral mural painted by local artist Jahna Rae. The furnishings are brassy, with brightly colored wallpaper and paintings.
On weekend nights, specialty paella sizzles in Lucina’s woodburning oven with chorizo, mussels and shrimps, finished with wiry red chili threads. The Mofongo, a dish consisting of pork belly chicharrón and plantain mash, originates from Puerto Rico and dates back to the 1500s. Other dishes synthesize centuries of traditional Latin cooking, topped with dollops of chimichurri or ladles of mole.
Chefs Erasmo Casiano and Diego Coconati cooked up the concept for Lucina during the pandemic. Their goal was to create a neighborhood gathering hub, with great food, beverages and service.
They opened the restaurant, at 22nd and Kearney, in March, 2022. Two years later, the chefs were named semifinalists for the James Beard Best Mountain Chef award (the mountain region includes Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming).
Casiano and Coconati’s cuisine comes from generations of cooking traditions from Mexico and South America. Many of Lucina’s menu
items use recipes from the chefs’ mothers, including the mole, which came from Casiano’s mother, and the chimichurri, courtesy of Coconati’s mom.
The restaurant is named after Casiano’s mother, Lucina (Lucy). Casiano is a first-generation Mexican American; Coconati lived in Argentina, Venezuela and Puerto Rico before landing in Colorado.
“I’ve taken an almost spiritual dive into my heritage with the discovery, or rediscovery, of nixtamalization and corn-based items like that,” Casiano said. “I did a deep dive into the history and cultural significance of all these ingredients pre- and postColumbus.”
“You look at the tortilla – which is a nixtamalized corn masa, flattened and grilled,” Casiano said. “That’s ancient. The process that it takes to make a tortilla, to go from corn kernel to tortilla, has not changed nor has it been modified in any way other than making it shelf-stable for grocery stores.”
The biggest lesson they said they have learned is to treat each ingredient with respect and care, coaxing the maximum flavor for each dish.
Casiano said there is a cultural responsibility that comes with representing Latin American cultures through their dishes.
“Being able to offer some of our dishes through storytelling from our upbringing, through our collaborative efforts, through our travels. It’s something special,” he said.
Lucina’s beverage program is led by Henry Ottrix and assisted by the restaurant’s general manager and sommelier, Henry Moon. The approach to the wine pairings and
cocktails follows the philosophy of the food: let the Latin flavors shine through.
What that means, Ottrix said, is taking trendy, iconic cocktails and adapting them to make them complementary and relevant to Latin culture. The wines are paired with the foods in a way that reflect the history of the dishes.
Interior designer Lori Pratt developed Lucina’s ambience, adopting a desire for feelings of joy and community. Pratt said the restaurant’s design touches are very intentional to focus on specific aspects of the guests’ experience.
“There’s colors and music and a lot of texture – we’ve got wallpaper, brass and glass bar shelving, grass textures, different lighting elements,” she said. “All of that combined is a real sensory experience, and for [Casiano and Coconati], that’s always their goal with their food or drink too.”
Coconati said the team is happy to be established in Park Hill.
“It’s a very small world here,” Casiano said. “I think after about a month or two of us
being open and people understanding what we’re going for — exploring the foods of the Latin Americas and being hospitable and warm and welcoming, and having a cool little vibe in the middle of a block of a residential area — they were like, so this place is pretty cool.”
Following success in Park Hill, earlier this year Casiano teamed up with Chef Rene Gonzalez Mendez of the now-closed Pato’s Tacos on Colfax.
Their new restaurant – Xiquita Restaurante y Bar — is at 500 E. 19th Ave., in the Uptown neighborhood. With a similarly experiential feel as Lucina, Xiquita Restaurante y Bar highlights flavors indigenous to Mexico City.
Chefs Erasmo Casiano and Diego Coconati, with director of operations Michelle Nguyen. Photos by Casey Wilson
Inside The Kitchen Network
Cooking Up A Storm At Campus Mosaic
By Mollie Barnes
For the GPHN
Johnson & Wales University closed its Denver campus four years ago.
Left behind were Gothic-style buildings and a grass quad that generations of students have enjoyed. Also remaining was the commercialgrade kitchen equipment that had been used to teach some of Denver’s most successful chefs.
Enter Kitchen Network, which opened its second Denver location three years ago in what is now called the Mosaic Community Campus. (Other new campus residents include St. Elizabeth’s School and Denver School of the Arts. In addition, three former dorms have been renovated as affordable apartments operated by
Archway Communities.)
Kitchen Network operates in the central-campus building that used to house Johnson & Wales’ culinary school. The 43,560 square-foot facility offers four primary services, including programs for formerly incarcerated and neurodivergent people to learn culinary-focused job skills. Other programs include partnering with other nonprofits for business ownership classes, offering commissary kitchens for chefs to safely prepare food that is served elsewhere and providing rental spaces available for catering events.
“The reason that we’re here is that [we believe] in empowering people through business ownership,” said Erick Garcia, the Officer of Operations of BuCu West, Kitchen
Network’s parent company. “Our mission is to solve poverty by empowering people through small business ownership.”
Jorge de la Torre, the former longtime dean of Johnson & Wales’ culinary school, stayed on as the director of culinary arts for the Kitchen Network until earlier this year.
“[The campus] was opened up to a whole new group of people who would have never had the chance to come through these doors,” de la Torre said.
Kitchen Network has a cafe, DIRT Coffee Bar, and a separate restaurant, Helping Hen Cafe. Both are on campus and open to the public.
The Helping Hen Cafe, which is part of a program called Work Options, initially was designed to provide training to formerly incarcerated women. It has expanded its program
for small business ownership. Local restaurants that use the commissary kitchens — such as ChoLon and D Bar — also have the opportunity to hire recent Kitchen Network graduates.
“We have extensive partnerships with EC3 — the East Colfax Community [Collective] — so they also help small businesses and entrepreneurs,” Garcia said.
“We want to help support anybody who is interested in [business ownership] — food is just one of the mechanisms — and there’s so much more that we offer.”
The training includes everything from considering food costs to efficiently setting up kitchens, to licensing and menu planning and profit-building for entrepreneurs.
“If you’re making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, it’s not the two slices of bread, one tablespoon of peanut butter, one tablespoon of jelly,” de la Torre said. “It’s the paper wrap that you wrap it in, the napkin, the bag that you gave. You’re paying for that, so you have to charge them for that.”
Kitchen Network also offers the use of 10 commissary kitchens to members at a lower cost than most other Denver options, according to de la Torre. Earlier this summer Garcia reported the kitchens were at near-100 percent occupancy.
In the future, Garcia said, Kitchen Network hopes to be able to provide more on-site retail opportunities. Other possibilities include providing spaces for conferences and meeting spaces.
In the meantime, de la Torre urges people to visit DIRT Coffee Bar and The Helping Hen Cafe (both are accessible via the south parking lot on campus, off Quebec and 17th Avenue). A variety of other businesses are operating out of the commissary kitchens.
“To be able to turn around [the space] and give other people who are in need the opportunity to start their business here, it’s wonderful,” he said. “It was a great second rising of this building.”
Jorge de la Torre, former director of culinary arts for the Kitchen Network, checks out the assembly line.
GPHN file photo
Benzina
4839 E. Colfax Ave., (303) 399-2352, benzinadenver.com
Upscale Italian in a renovated former muffler shop, Benzina — which translates to gasoline in Italian — has a mid-century vibe. The restaurant is the creation of Brad Anderson, with Chef Daniele Bolognini of Acorn and Consulting Chef Brad Anderson of Frasca Food & Wine fame. The menu features seasonal salads, appetizers, Neapolitaninspired pizza, handmade pastas, and entrees, with a complementary beverage menu. Open for brunch on weekends. Italian restaurant and bar
The W
5001 E. Colfax Ave., (720) 902-4811, thewdenver.com
grills up classic burgers with an elevated twist, including this year’s Denver Burger Battle competition winner: “li’l big wig” with smoked pulled pork belly bacon, white cheddar and jalapeno. They also have a range of cocktails, wine selections and local beers. Events include a weekly Wednesday comedy show. Restaurant, full bar
Jett Sushi
5007 E. Colfax Ave. (303) 333-5007, jettsushi.net
Pan-Asian fare includes traditional and specialty sushi rolls. Menu includes ramen, rice dishes and other Asian favorites. Open for lunch and dinner every day. Restaurant and bar
Nuggs
All the ice cream flavor classics, from birthday cake to Palisade peach. They also sell ice cream cakes, ice cream tacos and banana splits. Indoor seating as well as large patio area. Ice cream
Abbey Tavern
5151 E. Colfax Ave., (303) 321-5151, theabbeytaverndenver. com
The place to go for the next big soccer match, or to chill with friends over a mug of Guinness. Serves American bar classics like quesadillas and wings, as well as English and Irishinspired fare. Neighborhood pub
GB Fish and Chips
5325 E. Colfax Ave., (303) 333-4551, gbfishandchips.com
Classics include fish and chips, bangers & mash and shepherd’s pie. English pub food, local chain
The Juicing Tree
1504 Ivanhoe St., (720) 509-9055, juicingtree.com
Park Hill Hub
1502 Ivanhoe St., (720) 669-4847, parkhillhub.com
Small coffee shop with a shaded patio serving coffee and teas. Build-your-own breakfast sandwich and breakfast burritos, breakfast bowls, wraps, baked goods. Coffee, breakfast, pastries
Abyssinia
5707 E. Colfax Ave. (303) 316-8830
Ethiopian restaurant and bar
Phoenician Kabob
5709 E. Colfax Ave. (720) 477-0046, pkabob.com
Open since 2008, the sit-down restaurant offers shawarmas, kababs, gyros, salmon dishes, hummus, traditional salads and more from the Middle East. Full bar. The owners also operate Park Hill Hub around the corner. Mediterranean restaurant and bar
Dumpling Kitchen
Fiction Brewing
7101 E. Colfax Ave. (720) 456-7163, fictionbeerdenver.com
Fiction blends beer and books in their taproom, with Great American Beer Festival, World Beer Cup and Best of Craft Beer winning brews. Check out the bar constructed of books. Brewery, local chain
Queen of Sheba 7225 E. Colfax Ave. (303) 399-9442
queenofshebadenver. cafecityguide.website
Restaurants, Bars and Cafés NORTH SIDE COLFAX (WEST TO EAST)
Recently opened in the former Elm spot, The W
5135 E. Colfax Ave., (720) 465-9473, nuggsicecream.com
Cold-pressed organic juices and nut milks. Cleanse packages and health-focused snacks. Juices, beverages
5979 E. Colfax Ave. (720) 638-6890, dumplingkitchenco.com
Dumplings, rice and noodle bowls, Bao. Local chain
Cozy Ethiopian restaurant tucked into a strip mall. A longtime favorite, featuring fresh, quality ingredients and an outgoing chef/ owner. Ethiopian restaurant
Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant
7401 E. Colfax Ave., (720) 465-9883
Delicious vegetarian, vegan and meat dishes, plus beer, wine and cocktails. Ethiopian restaurant
Pablo’s Coffee (303) 722-7779, 7701 E. Colfax Ave. pabloscoffee.com
House-roasted blends from a variety of Fair Trade coffee sources. Coffee shop, Local chain
SOUTH SIDE COLFAX (WEST TO EAST)
9 Thai Restaurant 4122 E. Colfax Ave., (303) 993-6342, 9thairestaurant.com
Authentic Thai dishes, including Pad Thai, noodle bowls, curries and steamed dumplings. Vegetarian and vegan options. Thai restaurant
7 Leguas Mexican Grille
4550 E. Colfax Ave. (303) 322-4431, 7leguasmexicangrille.com
Classic Mexican, with complimentary chips and salsa. Menu features fajitas, burritos, enchiladas and more. Full bar. and small patio. Restaurant and bar, local chain
Lilac Coffee Express
4736 E. Colfax Ave. lilaccoffee.com
Drive-through coffee shop. Featuring Corvus Coffee, a local specialty roaster. Specialty drinks include the mint shaken mojito iced coffee. Drive-through coffee
Viva! Mexi Coffee Shop
4900 E. Colfax Ave. (720) 327-0267, no website
VIVA! serves up specialty coffee drinks, pastries and other dishes, with a Latin American vibe, music and art. Coffee shop and cafe
City Donuts
4918 E. Colfax Ave. (720) 485-5706, citydonuts.net
Donuts, local chain
The Chili Shack
5100 E. Colfax Ave., (720) 693-9861, chili-shack.com
Burritos, tacos and enchiladas, plus hamburgers, quesadillas and birria. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Mexican, local chain
Marczyk’s
5100 E. Colfax Ave., (303) 243-3355, marczykfinefoods.com
Grocery featuring locally-
sourced and specialty produce, meats, seafood, cheeses, baked goods and more. Prepared fresh and frozen foods. Deli case with freshly made sandwiches. Grocery/deli, local chain
Supreme
Chicken
5410 E. Colfax Ave. (303) 955-7367, no website
Charcoal-grilled chicken, tacos, enchiladas, burritos, tortas. Large patio. In the space formerly occupied by Solera. Mexican restaurant, local chain
Famous Pizza & Subs
5708 E. Colfax Ave. (303) 388-7767, famouspizzasubsdenver. com
Tessa Delicatessen
5724 E. Colfax Ave. (720) 746-9138, tessadenver.com
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Hot and cold sandwiches, burgers, salads, breakfasts include French toast with blueberries. Full bar. Restaurant and deli
La Finca
5910 E. Colfax Ave. (719) 881-8475, lafincaco.com
Colombian restaurant and bar
Yaqui Tacos, Tequila, Mezcal
5922 E. Colfax Ave. (303) 937-6429, no website
Family owned eatery serving Mexican favorites and margaritas.
Restaurant and bar
Little Dragon
1305 Krameria St., (303) 322-0128, littledragondenver.com
In the King Soopers strip mall between 13th and 14th avenues. Take-out only. Chinese
6217
The
moved from its original location near 8th and Colorado and is now a full-service restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch. Full bar and patio space. French bakery and restaurant
Mozart’s Denver 1417 Krameria St., (303) 353-2320, mozartsdenver.com
Karaoke Wednesdays and Saturdays. Trivia on Wednesdays. Neighborhood bar
The Owl Saloon 5026 E. Colfax Ave., (720) 379-5085, theowlsaloon.com
Full bar, with food menu including pizza, sandwiches, hot dogs and baked tots. Karaoke Wednesdays and Saturdays. Neighborhood bar
COLORADO BLVD.
Greater Park Hill News
MyKings Ice Cream
2851 Colorado Blvd. (720) 473-0475
mykingsicecream.com
Named after the owner’s son, the shop’s mission is to help build the community one scoop at a time. Flavors include Superman, Golden Oreo, Blue Moon, plus all the standards. Ice cream
Rice & Noodles
2861 Colorado Blvd., (303) 322-0220, ricesnoodles.com
Thai food
Prodigy Coffee
3801 E. 40th Ave., (303) 720-6146, prodigyventures.org
Hires young adults with diverse backgrounds for paid apprenticeships.
Coffee shop
Neko Ramen & Rice
4030 Colorado Blvd. (303) 320-5950, nekoramenandrice.com
Casual Japanese restaurant
Copper Door Coffee
FAIRFAX STREET
2890 Fairfax St., (303) 320-5971, copperdoorcoffee.com
Denver’s only 100% female-owned coffee roaster. Also serving breakfast burritos, sandwiches, pastries and more. Coffee shop, local chain
Yuan Wonton
2878 Fairfax St., No website
James Beard award-nominated Chef Penelope Wong crafts scratchmade dumplings and fusion dishes. Asian
Sweets and Sourdough
2878 Fairfax St., (303) 320-5642, sweetsandsourdough.square.site
Women-owned bakery in a space shared with Yuan Wonton. Sourdough loaves, bagels and croissants, as well as burgers and sandwiches. Bakery
Trellis Wine Bar
2868 Fairfax St., (303) 285-9463, trelliswinebar.com
By-the-glass wines, flights and tastings, and charcuterie snack options. Bar
Sexy Pizza
2846 Fairfax St., (720) 923-2223, sexy.pizza
Serving thin-crust specialty pies, wings, salads and more. A portion of sales supports philanthropy and sustainability efforts in the Denver Metro area. Pizza, Italian, local chain
Em’s Ice Cream
2829 Fairfax St., (617) 388-5349, emsicecream.com
Ice cream made with premium ingredients. Ice cream, local chain
Bistro Barbès 5021 E. 28th Ave., (720) 398-8085 bistrobarbes.com
Currently offering a 4-course tasting menu. French-Middle Eastern cuisine
HOLLY SQUARE
Chicken Shack II 5560 E. 33rd Ave., (720) 596-4501, blazingchickenshackii.com
Southern classics, including fried chicken, wings, oxtail, shrimp, pork chops, mac ’n’ cheese, cole slaw and collard greens, peach cobbler and pecan pie. Soul food Mississippi Boy Catfish & Ribs 5544 E. 33rd Ave., (601) 880-9828, mississippiboy5280.com
Specialties
Mississippi Boy owner Ty Allen.
23RD AVE.
Spinelli’s
4621 E. 23rd Ave., (303) 329-8143, spinellismarket.com
Market offering many Italian specialties, plus prepared foods and Italian desserts. Deli offerings include 15-plus subs. Deli and grocery, local chain
ONEIDA STREET
Famous Philly Cheese Steak & Wings
2200 Oneida St., (303) 333-5600, famousphillycheesesteak. com
Classic Philly cheesesteaks. Order at the counter and dine in, or take out. Casual restaurant
Illegal Pete’s
2230 Oneida St., (720) 674-2980, illegalpetes.com
Burritos, fish and other
KEARNEY STREET
tacos, taquitos, quesadillas and more, made to order assembly-line style. Full bar. Mexican restaurant, local chain
Spicy Thai II and Sushi
2235 Oneida St., (303) 388-6300, spicythai2235oneida.com
Sushi and Asian standards, including curry, rice and noodle dishes. Dine in or take out. Asian restaurant, full bar
Torpedo Coffee
2231 Oneida St., (720) 459-7533, torpedocoffee.com
Honey Hill Cafe
4628 E. 23rd Ave., (720) 242-6048, honeyhillcafe.com
Bustling neighborhood coffee shop with all the standards, plus breakfast and lunch items, ice cream and cocktails. Indoor and outdoor seating. Coffee shop
Coffees and teas, along with a variety of breakfast burritos, sandwiches and pastries. Coffee shop
DANG Soft Serve
2211 Oneida St., (720) 550-8834, dangsoftserve.com
Soft serve ice cream with all the toppings. The shop is part of Denver’s Little Man Ice Cream chain. French fries and fried chicken are also on the menu. The store holds regular events, including live music and Bingo. Ice cream, local chain
Oblio’s Pizza
6115 E. 22nd Ave., oblios.com
A longtime Park Hill family staple, Oblio’s has gone through several transformations but still serves up specialty pizza, pasta, salads and wings. Indoor seating,
covered patio, lunch and dinner. Italian restaurant and bar
Neighbors Park Hill
2202 Kearney St., (303) 321-1511, neighborsparkhill.com
Open since 2011, Neighbors is a cozy spot specializing in local and
Esters Pub
2201 Oneida St., (303) 997-4173, estersdenver.com
Craft beers and pub fare,
The Cherry Tomato
4645 E. 23rd Ave., (303) 377-1914, cherrytomatodenver.com
A Park Hill tradition for 20 years, serving a variety of Italian dishes in a cozy dining room. An outdoor patio area was recently added. Restaurant and bar
including sandwiches, salads and coal-fired pizza. Weekend brunch and large screens for game day/night. Covered patio. Restaurant and bar, local chain
international wines and cocktails, along with appetizers, small plates, paninis and more. Indoor seating and a patio in front.
Bar and restaurant
Cake Crumbs
Bakery & Cafe
2216 Kearney St., (303) 861-4912, cake-crumbs.com
Another longtime neighborhood favorite, Cake Crumbs offers breakfast and lunch classics and sandwiches, and a wide array of baked treats, including muffins, croissants, cookies and cakes (including custom cakes for birthday parties). Breakfast, lunch, bakery
Bistro Vendôme
2267 Kearney St. (303) 825-3232, bistrovendome.com
Bistro Vendôme moved from its longtime location in Larimer Square to Park Hill in 2023, taking over the space formerly occupied by Tables restaurant. The James
Beard Award-winning French restaurant serves classics, including steak frites, escargot and onion soup, and features extensive wine and beverage menus. Weekend brunch. French restaurant and bar
Scoops Ice Cream
2247 Kearney St., (303) 830-3198, scoopsdenver.com
Locally made ice cream served alongside beer, wine and some snack options, as well as “doggie ice cream” for furry friends. An ice cream truck is available for private parties. Ice cream
Lucina Eatery & Bar
2245 Kearney St., (720) 814-1053, lucinaeatery.co
Latin fare in a colorfully decorated space. Weekend night speciality paellas and other dishes, as well as an extensive beverage program. Patio, indoor and bar seating available. Latin restaurant, dinners only
OpEn EvEry DAy At 7Am Wine and local beers • Happy Hour daily
d bar Bakery & Cafe
7302 E. 29th Ave. (720) 639-2489, dbardenver.com
Breakfast, lunch, coffee and a plethora of baked goods (including the famous “cake and shake” combo). Bakery, local chain
Little India
7352 E. 29th Ave., (303) 665-7070, littleindiaofdenver.com
Indian menu includes masalas, curries and tandoori dishes. Many vegetarian options. Restaurant, bar, local chain
Anthony’s Pizza and Pasta
7472 E. 29th Ave., (303) 398-2800, anthonyspizzaandpasta.com
New York-style pizzas whole or sold by the slice. Menu includes salads, pastas and sandwiches. Pizza, pasta, local chain
Station 26 Brewing Co.
7045 E. 38th Ave., (303) 333-1825, station26brewing.co
Craft beers and live music inside an old firehouse. Food trucks outside. Award-winning beers on tap, including “Tangerine Cream” and “Juicy Banger
Four Friends Kitchen
2893 Roslyn St., (303) 388-8299, fourfriendskitchen.com
Southern-inspired menu includes all the staples, plus Southern offerings like grits and beignets. Large rooftop patio. Lunch and brunch restaurant
BlueFin Sushi
7303 E. 29th Ave., (303) 333-4006, bluefinsushirestaurant.com
Sit-down Japanese with a menu that includes sushi, udon and teriyaki dishes. Restaurant and bar
Etai’s Bakery and Cafe
7357 E. 29th Ave., (720) 818-5575, etaiscafe.com
Deli-style sandwiches, bowls and salads, and a variety of juices and smoothies. Order at the counter and the food is brought to your table. Breakfast and lunch, local chain
City Park Tavern
3181 E. 23rd Ave. (720) 865-3410, cityofdenvergolf.com/city-park
Breakfast, brunch and dinner, including salads, burgers, sandwiches and pasta. Full bar. Prime rib Thursdays. The clubhouse oversees City
Superfruit Republic
7483 E. 29th Ave., (720) 440-9326, superfruitrepublic.com
Options include healthy acai and pitaya bowls topped with healthy ingredients like fresh fruit and granolas. Fast-casual cafe, local chain
Dandy Lion Coffee Co.
5225 E. 38th Ave.
No website; social media only
A whimsical plant-filled coffee shop in the industrial area of Park Hill. Guests can work from hanging swings and shop for gardening trinkets. Specialty rotating drinks. A variety of events are hosted throughout the year, such as “mindful meditation sound baths” and “moss art” workshops. Coffee shop
DIRT Coffee Bar
1785 Quebec St. (Campus Mosaic) (303) 635-6674, dirtcoffee.org
In tandem with the Kitchen Network that operates in the same building, DIRT employs neurodivergent people in apprenticeship-like programs, empowering them with barista and coffee shop management and other life skills. Offerings include breakfast burritos, paninis and more, in addition to coffee drinks. Coffee shop, local chain
Rosso Pomodori
7505 E. 29th Pl., (720) 769-5446, rossopizza.com
Neapolitan-style pizzas, paninis, calzones, salads and desserts. Local chain, originated in Naples, Italy.
The Helping Hen Cafe
1785 Quebec St. (Campus Mosaic) (720) 668-0532, workoptions.org/the-helping-hen
Breakfast and lunch options include burritos and sandwiches, salads, burgers and other dishes. Sit in the dining room, or in good weather grab a spot on the grass outside for a picnic. Breakfast and lunch
The Spicy Radish (720) 605-9389, thespicyradish.com
Park Hill-based. Fully-prepared meals made from scratch and delivered to your door. Menus change weekly. Meal delivery
Denver Home Cooking To Go 5155 E. 39th Ave., (720) 750-1744, denver-home-cooking-to-go. square.site
Prepared breakfasts, lunches and dinners delivered to your door. Meal delivery
dining & fast food can’t touch our flavor.
our prices are significantly lower than restaurants.
Game For The ages
East Soccer Wins On A Frigid Field; Plus End-Of-Season Angel Highlights For Football, Volleyball, Softball And Field Hockey
Story and photos by Reid Neureiter
For the GPHN
The soccer season for No. 5-ranked East ended on Nov. 10 with a disappointing 4-0 loss in the quarterfinals to eventual state champion Cherry Creek.
Before their eventual playoff elimination, the Angels had a game for the ages in the quarterfinals against No. 12-seeded Rock Canyon at AllCity Field. The game was played on Nov. 6 in near white-out conditions during the season’s first big snowstorm.
East fell behind just after halftime, but came back to win the frigid game 2-1 with goals from sophomore defender Jaden Russel and sophomore forward Jacob Danzer. The loss four days later to Cherry
Creek ended East’s streak of consecutive appearances in the state championship game.
The No. 16-seeded East football team fell to No. 17 seed Grandview High in the first round of the state playoffs by the score of 17-3. The Angels finished the gridiron season with a 6-5 record. Season highlights included a 33-8 win over South on Nov. 2.
East girls volleyball finished the season with a 15-10 overall record, falling 3-0 to South in the finals of the DPS championship tournament.
The Lady Angels did not qualify for the state tournament, losing to both Chatfield and the Rock Canyon by identical scores of 3-0 in the Region 9 5A regional playoffs.
The East girls softball finished the
season with a 6-16-1 overall record and 3-11 record and a 7th place finish in the DPS League.
East Field Hockey was seeded sixth going into the state playoffs. The team won its first playoff match against No. 11-seeded Boulder Valley School District, but dropped their quarterfinal playoff game to No. 3 seed Arapahoe by the score of 2-1 in overtime on Oct. 31. East finished a productive season with an overall record of 9-7-1 and a No. 6 state ranking. Cherry Creek defeated Kent Denver for the state title by the score of 1-0 on Nov. 11.
East junior forward Gavin Spellman (#19) holds off Rock Canyon sophomore Dylan Khanbabian (#2).
Danzer dribbles through the snow.
East sophomore forward Jacob Danzer (#4) battles two Rock Canyon defenders on Nov. 6 at All City Field.
all The Fixins
475 Boxes Of Essentials Distributed During 12th Annual Thanksgiving Giveaway
By Lori Midson Executive Director, GPHC, Inc.
For the better part of November our staff, coupled with dozens of fantastic volunteers, assembled, stocked, distributed and delivered upwards of 475 food-filled boxes of Thanksgiving essentials to families experiencing food insecurity.
We ensured that dinner tables were liberally stocked with stuffing,
cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes with gravy, hot chocolate and cider, rolls, biscuits, boxes of cornbread mix and fruit and pumpkin pies. We distributed loads of fresh vegetables and grocery cards, too.
By the time we handed out our last box on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, we’d distributed more than 12,000 pounds — that’s six tons — of food. Six tons is roughly the weight of three hippos, six rhinos or two orcas. Oof!
Our Thanksgiving Giveaway, which Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. has hosted for 12 years, is an absolute labor of love, and there are so, so many people to thank. To everyone who hosted a food drive, donated gift cards, made financial contributions, packed and distributed boxes, brought fresh pies and bags of Thanksgiving fixings to our office, and generously made jaunts to the grocery store to pick up a few extra items, we are immensely appreciative for supporting us and our community. Your time and contributions helped those in need have a proper Thanksgiving meal.
In all, your collective generosity helped us feed more than 1,400 individuals and families. That’s something to celebrate.
On behalf of our board of directors, staff and numerous volunteers, we wish you and your loved ones the happiest of holidays.
Greater Park Hill Food Pantry
Our food pantry visits have increased more than 115 percent over the last year, and our pantry shelves need some replenishing. If you’re at the grocery store, please consider donating a few items from the list below.
• Canned fish, meat & Spam
• Cereal and oatmeal
• Canned tomatoes, tomato paste and tomato sauce
• Pasta sauce
• Hearty soups and stews
• Canned ravioli and chili
• Canned beans (refried, kidney and pinto)
• Canned vegetables
• Canned fruit
• Cartons/boxes of mashed potatoes
• Instant coffee and teabags
• Shelf-stable pasta and rice dishes (Rice-a-Roni, Knorr pasta sides)
• Can openers
• Toiletries
expiration dates) food donations between 8:45 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays and between 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays. Our office is at 2823 Fairfax St. Unopened and unexpired donations can also be dropped off in the bins inside Mayfair Liquors at 14th and Krameria and the Park Hill Library at Montview and Dexter during their normal business hours.
Our food pantry needs are updated as needed on the GPHC website: greaterparkhill.org/food-programs/ emergency-food-pantry/. We also welcome food drives on our behalf. To set up a food drive, contact Lori Midson: director@greaterparkhill. org.
GPHC Membership
Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. is a membership-based organization, and the more members we have, the stronger our collective voice becomes. Sign up or renew your membership at greaterparkhill.org/joinus/become-a-member or drop off a check (and say hello) at our office.
Six tons is roughly the weight of three hippos, six rhinos or two orcas. Oof!
Our current board members and contacts is listed on page 25. We look forward to serving you, listening to your ideas and input and working collaboratively on projects, programs and issues.
• Paper products (paper towels and toilet paper)
• Dog food
We accept unopened and unexpired (please, please be mindful of
Thank you to our current members, donors and volunteers for your kindness, in-kind and financial contributions, involvement and dedication to GPHC, Inc. You are deeply appreciated.
The following organizations and individuals donated to and volunteered with Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. last month:
Churches, Groups and Businesses
Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church
Curtis Park Deli
Dahlia Campus Farms and Gardens
Dank-Colorado
Food Bank of the Rockies
Greenway Garden
Mayfair Liquors
Messiah Community Church
OneHope
Oneida Street Neighbors
Overture 9th & CO
Park Hill Branch Library
Park Hill United Church of Christ
Park Hill United Methodist Church
Regina Civic and Social Club
St. Thomas Episcopal Church
Starbucks
The Urban Farm
Individuals and Families
Sylvia Aldena
Andy and Katie Gruel
Penny Ashley-Lawrence
Dee Dee Barry
Cathy Bauchwitz
Beth and Jim McBride
Ursula Boldt
Henry Bootz and Maria Flora
Betsy Boudreau
Jasmine Brubaker
Jennifer Calderone
Inga Calvin
Carol and Gordon McLennan
Kevin Chesley
Emily Clark
Todd Cooper
Mark and Jan Daily
Margo Dallos
Judy Ann De Tar
Cara DeGette and Mark Silverstein
Brenna Derritt
Erin Donovan
Martha and Bruce Douglas
Jenny Dyer
Elisabeth and Raymond Fedde
Ellen Reath and Craig Maginness
Estelle and Charles Bennett
Steve Farley
Gina Feng
Anne & Joe Frank
Georgia and Woody Garnsey
Bobbi Gillis
Gretchen Groth
Lisa Haddox
Patrick Hall
Amy Harris
Matt Harrison
Ryan Hildebrandt
Adrienne Hill
Heidi Hine
Wilma Jackson
Julie Ann Jenson
Jon and Janet Bowman
Bill Juraschek
Lynn Kalinauskus and Trevor
Williams
Sharon and Chris Kermiet
Lana and James Cordes
Christopher and Susan Lane
Lola and Arlen Hershberger
Lori Midson
Natalie and Patrick Love
Mark & Debra Lovell
Leslie Madsen
Martha and Dick Funk
Boris Martin
Elaine Martin
Matthew and Elizabeth Spohn
Babette and Randy McQueen
Katherine Miller
Harriet Mullaney
Genette N’Diaye
Charles Nelson
Chris and Erin Nielsen
Hilary O’Byrne
Mark Onderdunk
Charlene & Lisa Parris-Bacon
Denison Penney
Linda Poletti and J. Madden
Yorlady Riano
Robert and Joan Root
Mary Salsich
Bryan Saunders and Kate Swan
Mary Jo Starmer
Christopher Stewart
Pamela Tarquin
Katy Thompson
Tom and Ginny Fowler
Carol Trommeter
Jane Wainwright
Willie Warshafky
Sue Wofford
Linda Wooten
Guy and Susan Wroble
Karen Zollars
Food Pantry Volunteers
David Addor
Jasmine Brubaker
Zana Brown
Bruce Campbell
Audrey Diamontopoulis
Claudia Fields
Princess Gray
Andy Hartman
Paula Marinelli
Betsy Post
Mark Pressey
Carrol Rhead
Melanie Rich
Carole Robertson
Deb Rosenbaum
Ann Salamy
Heather Selph
Newspaper bundlers
Sheldon Mikesell
Brenda Morrison
Shoshi Shaw
Nan Young
Volunteers assembling Thanksgiving giveaway boxes. Photo by Lori Midson
We’re almost There
Newly-Renovated Pauline Robinson Branch Library Will Open in 2025
By Leslie Williams Pauline Robinson Branch Librarian
As I write this, we are putting finishing touches on the Pauline Robinson branch library, which has been closed for renovations since last spring.
While we don’t have an exact date for reopening, continue to check back in these pages over the next few months for updates. We’ll also plan
a re available Thursdays from 10 to 11 a.m. by appointment. Call 720335-2847 to schedule an appointment.
Park Hill Branch
Baby Storytimes | Thursdays, 10:15-10:45
a.m.
Stories, songs, rhymes and fun for babies ages 0-18 months and their parents or caregivers. No storytime on Dec. 26.
in remission. Family members and caregivers are welcome since uncertainty and anxiety around cancer affect everyone involved.
Death Café | Monday, Dec. 16, 2-3:30 p.m.
Death Café is an international movement that invites people to gather, normalize conversations around death — to make the most of LIFE. This is not a grief support group or counseling session. Respect for all views is a priority.
Qi Gong | Wednesday, Dec. 18, 11 a.m.12:15 p.m.
Qi Gong is the cornerstone of traditional Chinese medicine. Sometimes called “meditation in motion,” it includes slow, dance-like movements to improve breathing, reduce
Recognize these clay portraits? They were part of a larger installation of clay books and portraits that were created by the students of Pauline Robinson’s After School Is Cool program in 2019. The tiles will be reinstalled, welcoming everyone back when the newly-renovated library opens next year. Photos by Cara DeGette
to announce the grand reopening in a big way on social media and at denverlibrary.org.
We’ll look forward to seeing you in our new space in the new year. In the meantime, the Park Hill Branch Library remains open, with plenty of programs and activities (check out December listings below). Pauline Robinson continues to offer limited services at Hiawatha Davis Recreation Center.
Happy holidays!
December Programs
All Denver Public Library branches will close at 4 p.m. on Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve) and are closed all day on Dec. 25.
Pauline Robinson Branch
The Pauline Robinson Branch library is currently closed for renovations. While construction is underway, limited library services are being offered at Hiawatha Davis, Jr. Recreation Center at 3334 Holly St. Services are Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Chromebooks are available for public use, as well as printing and copying.
• A cart of free fiction books for all ages and DVDs is available for browsing.
• Digital navigators are available on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Community Resource Navigators
Toddler Storytimes | Fridays, 10:15-10:45
a.m.
Stories, songs, rhymes and fun for toddlers ages 18-36 months and their parents or caregivers. No storytime on Dec. 27.
Kids Game Club | Wednesday, Dec. 4 & Dec. 18, 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Are you looking for something fun after school? Drop by to play games in a fun, relaxed environment the first and third Wednesday of each month. Ideal for ages 5-12.
No Strings Attached Book Chat | Saturday, Dec. 7, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Read whatever you want and attend whenever you can. Share a recent read, an old favorite, or anything in between.
TAB | Tuesday, Dec. 10, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Anyone 6th-12th grade is welcome to join and help with library programming and resources geared towards teens.
No TAB on Dec. 24.
Writing Circle 2.0 | Thursday, Dec. 12, 1:303 p.m.
End of year celebration for writers. Bring a short piece to read, nosh on tasty treats, hang out with fellow writers and enjoy some writing fun. All levels and styles of writers are welcome. Refreshments provided. No registration required.
LGBTQ Denver with Author Phil Nash | Saturday, Dec. 14, 2:30-3:30 p.m.
This peer group is for anyone postdiagnosis, whether in treatment or
stress and gently move the body. All levels and abilities are welcome at this memory-friendly event.
Kids Book Celebration | Thursday, Dec. 19, 4-5 p.m.
We will explore a book or series on the third Thursday of every month and do activities and crafts related to what we read. Parents of young children need to attend with their child. This month we will be reading Jim Henson biographies and creating puppets in a puppet workshop.
Greater Park Hill has two public libraries: The Park Hill branch library is at 4705 Montview Blvd. The Pauline Robinson branch library is at 5575 E. 33rd Ave.
Thank you for your support!
Our advertisers make the Greater Park Hill News possible and enable us to provide this publication free of charge to the neighborhood. The businesses and organizations below have purchased a display ad in 2024. Please consider supporting them during the holiday season and the upcoming year. Thank you to all who have contributed. If you would like to contribute to the Greater Park Hill News, visit greaterparkhill.org/newspaper/support
CategoryBusiness namePhoneWebsite
Arts & Entertainment Ceramics in the City303-200-0461ceramicsinthecity.com
Arts & Entertainment Cleo Parker Robinson Dance 303-295-1759cleoparkerdance.org
Arts & Entertainment Denver Center for the Performing Arts 303-893-4000denvercenter.org
Arts & Entertainment Park Hill Art Club parkhillartclub.org
Auto Dart Auto 303-562-1015dartauto.com
Campaigns & Elections Walsh for Denver walshfordenver.com
Dining 9 Thai Restaurant 303-993-63429thairestaurant.com
Dining Denver Home Cooking to Go 720-750-1744denverhomecookingtogo.com
DiningDumpling Kitchen303-993-8645dumplingkitchen.com
DiningEsters at Oneida Park303-997-4173estersdenver.com
DiningHoney Hill Cafe 720-242-6048honeyhillcafe.com
DiningLong Table Brewhouse720-486-0927lngtbl.com
DiningMississippi Boy 601-880-9828mississippiboy5280.com
DiningPark Hill Hub 720-669-4847pkabob.com
DiningPhoenician Kabob720-477-0046pkabob.com
Dining Rosso Pomodoro Pizza 720-769-5446rossopizza.com
DiningSpicy Thai ll 303-388-6300spicythai2235oneida.com
DiningSupreme Chicken303-955-7367 order.toasttab.com/online/ supreme-chicken-colfax-5410east-colfax-avenue
DiningThe Owl Saloon theowlsaloon.com
Dining The Spicy Radish 720-605-9389thespicyradish.com
DiningThe Stanley Market720-990-6743stanleymarketplace.com
DiningThe W 720-902-4811thewdenver.com
Dining Viva Mexi coffee shop 720-327-0267 instagram.com/ vivamexicoffeeshop
DiningYaqui Tacos 303-927-6429 instagram.com/ yaquitacostequilamezcal
EducationDenver Language School303-557-0852denverlanguageschool.org
EducationDenver Preschool Program dpp.org
EducationDenver School of the Arts720-424-1700dsa.dpsk12.org
EducationGlobal Ex Education globalexeducation.com
Education International School of Denver 303-340-3647isdenver.org
EducationMind Craft 303-341-4065mindcraftmakerspace.com
EducationSt. Elizabeths School303-322-4209stelizabethsdenver.org
EventsCity Park Day 303-495-0819
EventsPark Hill 4th of July Parade parkhillparade.com
EventsPark Hill Art Club parkhillartclub.org
EventsPark Hill Art Festival coloradoartshows.com
EventsPark Hill Garden Walk parkhillgardenwalk.org
EventsPark Hill Home Tour parkhillhometour.org
Financial & Tax
Services Charlene Taylor - Americo Agent 720-251-9374charlenetaylor500@gmail.com
Financial & Tax
Services Kuhn Advisors 303-803-1016kuhnadvisors.com
HealthHakala Family Dentistry303-321-8967hakalafamilydentistry.com
HealthMandy Copeland Therapy970-673-7747mandycopeland.com
HealthMayfair Vision Clinic303-333-9898mayfairvisionclinic.com
HealthMy Elder Buddy 303-587-9134
HealthNational Jewish Health877- CALL NJHnjhealth.org
HealthNestman Orthodontics720-735-9800nestmanortho.com
HealthOneida Park Dental Studio303-531-1578oneidaparkdentalstudio.com
HealthPark Hill Family Dental303-377-5646parkhillfamilydentistry.com
HealthSeto Family Dentistry720-722-9070setofamilydentistry.com
Health University of Colorado Anschutz 303-724-5000cuanschutz.edu
Home Services City Side Remodeling 720-338-0748citysideremodeling.com
Home ServicesClarus Window Cleaning970-313-6993claruswindowcleaning.com
Home ServicesDavid Smith Windows720-550-2786drsmith46@yahoo.com
Home ServicesDiane Gordon Design303-355-5666dianegordondesign.com
Home ServicesEmerald Isle Painting303-322-4735emeraldislepainting.com
Home ServicesGather and Spruce720-990-5085gatherandspruce.com
Home ServicesGreenSheen greensheenpaint.com
Home ServicesHavens Inspection LLC720-498-3612havensinspects.com
Home ServicesIreland's Finest Painting Co303-512-8777 irelandsfinestinc.com
Home Services JR Painting 720-485-7207jpabz04@gmail.com
CategoryBusiness namePhoneWebsite
Home ServicesKeating Woodworks keatingwoodworks.com
Home ServicesKujawa Construction303-324-6250kujawaconstruction.com
Home Services Number One House Cleaner 720-628-6690
Home ServicesSuperior House Cleaning 720-626-3696, 720-276-5174
Home ServicesVan Camp's Quality Floors303-871-8377 hardwoodfloorsdenver.com/
Legal ServicesFuicelli & Lee 303-444-4444coloradoinjurylaw.com
OrganizationsArchway Communities archwaycommunities.org
Organizationsbe well bewellconnect.net
Organizations Chapman Foundation for Caring Communities chapmancommunities.org
Organizations Colfax Mayfair Business Improvement District colfaxmayfairbid.com
Organizations Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) chfainfo.com
OrganizationsDEN Perks denperks.com
Organizations Denver Health - Heart of Denver theheartofdenver.org
Organizations Denver Public Health & Environment denvergov.org
OrganizationsDenver Waste Management denvergov.org
OrganizationsFour Mile Historic Park fourmilepark.org
OrganizationsJCC Denver jccdenver.org
Organizations Regional Air Quality Council 303-629-5450raqc.org
OrganizationsTyrving tyrving.org
OrganizationsUrban Farm 303-262-6070theurbanfarm.org
Personal CareThe Knotty Kids Salon720-408-9361theknottykidssalon.com
Pet Services Park Hill Veterinary Medical Center 303-388-2255parkhillvet.com
Real Estate Anastasia WilliamsonKentwood City 303-523-2037 anastasiawilliamson. denverrealestate.com/
Real Estate Chris Merman - Liv Sothebys 303-358-4294cmerman@livsothebysrealty.com
Real Estate Compass-Jay EppersonWolfe and Epperson Team 303-886-6606 compass.com/agents/ jay-epperson/ Real Estate Dave Krohne Compass720-412-5003david.krohne@compass.com
Real Estate Jaden Combs - Kentwood Combs Real Estate 303-324-1437combssellhomes.com
Real EstateJaster Real Estate, LLC 303-819-6186, 303-322-6200 ajaster@sliferfrontrange.com, johnj@sliferfrontrange.com
Real Estate Keith Combs - Kentwood Combs Real Estate 720-218-9614combssellhomes.com
Real Estate Marcy Eastman - Compass Realty 720-436-5494marcyeastman.com
Real Estate Mark Baker - Realtor & Property Investment Specialist 720-257-15415280core.com
Real Estate The Agency - Natalie Hengel 440-552-9731theagencyre.com/
Religious Institutions Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church 303-355-1651montview.org
Religious Institutions Park Hill Congregational UCC 303-322-9122parkhillucc.org
Religious Institutions Temple Micah micahdenver.org
Retail Clark's Market 303-647-3500clarksmarket.com
Retail Ed Moore florist 303-322-7735 edmooreflowers.com
Retail Kyndred Shop 303-638-2070kyndredshop.com
Retail Park Hill Community Bookstore 303-355-8508parkhillbookstore.org
Retail Park Hill Treasures720-701-2644parkhilltreasures.com
Retail The Shape of Wood theshapeofwood.com
Retail Vitamin Cottage Natural Food Markets 303-228-3325naturalgrocers.com
Sports & Fitness Body In Motion 720-376-9037bodyinmotiondc.com
Sports & Fitness Cheyenne Fencing & Modern Pentathlon Center 303-321-8657coloradofencing.com
Sports & Fitness Harmonist Sanctuary720-924-1088harmonistsanctuary.org
Sports & Fitness Soccer Electric soccerelectric.com
Sports & Fitness Swimming Simply303-554-7946swimmingsimply.com
Sports & Fitness Ubergrippen Indoor Climbing Crag 720-592-0712ugclimbing.com
Well-oiled Machine
Photos courtesy of
g a rdens a n d Verses
December tips
“No winter lasts forever: no spring skips its turn.”
— Hal Borland
We have a date! The 2025 Garden Walk is June 8. In the meantime, here are some seasonal tips for you and your garden:
• Use burlap to protect fragile plants a nd wrap the trunks of young trees.
• Check soil moisture levels, and water as needed when temperatures stay above 45 degrees for several hours during the day.
• Inspect trees and shrubs for bark damage.
• Remove snow from plants and tree branches to prevent damage.
• Clean bird baths and feeders every 1-2 weeks with a solution of 50/50 vinegar and water.
• Sharpen and oil pruning tools, clean spray equipment and store in a dry place.
• Decorate for the holidays with garland, wreaths and evergreens.
It’s A wrap
Poinsettia pulcherrima
Illustration from Paxton’s magazine of botany and flowering plants. London: W.S. Orr & Co., 1838 Library of Congress
Monthly garden tips are submitted by Park Hill Garden Walk organizer Kate Blanas. The Garden Walk, held every June, includes tours of some of the neighborhood’s most interesting and beautiful gardens and is a major fundraiser for Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. To volunteer, or suggest local gardens or artists for upcoming garden walks, please contact Paula Marinelli at paulagardenwalk@gmail. com.
Alternatives For Dressing Up Holiday Trinkets
By Mark Kuhl For the GPHN
Gift wrapping paper is not allowed in Denver’s purple recycling bins, because many brands contain non-paper additives like metallic flakes, glitter, and plastics. To avoid generating an extra bag of trash after opening presents this holiday season, consider alterna-
tive, creative ways to conceal your loved ones’ gifts. Old maps, magazine pages, and newspaper are often lying around the house and make for excellent wrapping. Brown paper bags also work and look elegant when a twig or pine cone is tied on with natural fiber twine made from hemp, jute or sisal.
Tea towels or fabric scraps are a unique gift-wrapping solution and can be reused many times, and so can gift bags. Limit the use of tissue paper, or plan to reuse it, because it also is not accepted in our recycle bins.
Happy holidays!
Mark Kuhl is an environmental advocate who lives in Park Hill with his family. A directory of his past columns for recycling everything from paint to Styrofoam to shoes is at greaterparkhill.org/sustainability/recycling-directory/.
Where To Donate: a resource Guide
Thousands of our neighbors have been living unsheltered and are struggling for basic services. Many others are newcomers to Colorado and the United States, arriving with little to nothing. So many can use your help.
Not sure where to donate? Here’s a list of resources. Special thanks to Alison Bresler, a Park Hill-based professional organizer and life coach, for her work compiling most of them. (Bresler’s company, Create Calm Lifestyle, is at create-calm.com.)
African Community Center of Denver: acc-den.org/in-kind-donations
• Furnishings, kitchen items, linens
• Contributions help refugees get a new start in Colorado
ARC: arcthrift.com/donations
• Accepts most items, including clothing, shoes, books, toys, kitchen items, furniture, décor, electronics (excluding TVs), computers (excluding monitors), and household items.
• Pick-up service available
Assistance League: assistanceleague.org
• Click “Find by Location” to find t he chapter closest to you
A Precious Child: apreciouschild.org/ take-action/donate-goods/
• Clothing, toys & books, home goods, baby essentials, hygiene products, bikes, school & art supplies, non-perishable food, car seats, vehicles
Bikes Together: bikestogether.org/support
• Bikes, bike parts, bike accessories, office equipment, electronics
Colorado Coalition for the Homeless: coloradocoalition.org/donateitems
• Gently used clothing, toys, books, personal hygiene, household items, baby bottles, RTD tokens
Deja Blue: goodwillcolorado.org/shop/boutique/
• High-end/designer clothing
The Delores Project: thedeloresproject.org/ ways-to-give/current-needs
• Serve all genders and all ages in supportive housing apartments
Denver Dream Center: denverdreamcenter. org/programs/dream-closet-pantry • Non-perishable food, clothing, hygiene products, household items
Denver Dumb Friends League: ddfl.org/donation-center
• Towels, blankets, paper towels, t rash bags, batteries, shoe boxes, sandwich bags, ping pong balls
Denver Rescue Mission: denverrescuemission.org/ ways-to-give/give-items/
• Non-perishable food, furniture, clothing, household, hygiene items
Dress for Success: dressforsuccess.org/ get-involved/donation-drives/
• Business suits, blouses, slacks, skirts, dresses, blazers, jackets, work-appropriate shoes, jewelry, scarves, belts, handbags, accessories
The Gathering Place: tgpdenver.org/donate/ donate-new-and-used-items.html
• Unopened a nd u nexpired toiletries
• Unopened and unexpired baby items
• New or gently used clothing
• Health & wellness items
• Household items
• Non-perishable food
Give Back Box: givebackbox.com/works
• Pack up your gently-used clothing in an old box, and print out a free label. Give Back Box will take care of the rest
Goodwill: goodwillcolorado.org/donate/ material-donations/
• Old electronics, f urniture, clothing, shoes, accessories, books, media, home décor, lamps, musical instruments, crafting supplies, appliances, games, sports & exercise equipment, tools, tools, garden/lawn care equipment, pet accessories, vehicles
Greater Park Hill Community, Inc.: greaterparkhill.org/donate/
• Copy paper, coffee, canned goods for GPHC’s Emergency Food Pantry (see page 20 for current needs)
Habitat for Humanity: habitatmetrodenver.org/restore/donate/
• Furniture, appliances, cabinetry
• Pick-up service available
Third Way Center: thirdwaycenter.org/ furniture-and-goods-donations
• Household goods and furniture
Salvation Army: salvationarmy.org
• Pick-up service available
Urban Peak: urbanpeak.org/support#donate-more
• Scroll to the bottom of the Support page for volunteer and donation needs
Vietnam Veterans of America: pickupplease.org/acceptable-donations/
• Clothing, household, toys, elect ronics, books, equipment, small furniture
• Pick-up service
The following organizations provide critical services to migrant and refugee communities in the Denver Metro area:
• Project Worthmore (projectworthmore.org)
• Lutheran Family Services (lfsrm.org).
• The Central Park & Park Hill – Venezuelan Migrant Support Facebook page connects families in Denver with goods and services.
Summer But A Memory
You don’t see Broadwinged Katydids up close very often, but in late summer you can sure hear them. Their noisy lisps and clicks stretch on for weeks, as they call out from trees and shrubs. As winter approached, they laid their eggs on twigs and small branches all over the neighborhood. Those eggs will hatch in the spring. The young Katydids will grow to maturity late next summer and repeat the symphonic cycle. This Katydid was photographed in Park Hill by Mark Silverstein.
The Chewy Season
A Pet Lovers Gift List For Our Furry Friends
By Margot K Vahrenwald, DVM, CVJ For the GPHN
The shopping season is upon us again – how did 2024 go so fast? In our crazy world, sometimes it’s easier to contemplate what to get the pets as presents than for the persnickety humans. Consider the following ideas for pets in your life — whether your own or belonging to family or friends.
1. A favorite toy or chew toy: Replace an old toy with a new fresh one and keep the cat and/or dog busy while the rest of the family opens their gifts (thesprucepets.com has new canine and feline lists every year).
2. Healthy treats: Something yummy and low-calorie to give that keeps pets from getting unhealthy table scraps. There are 20-plus recipe links at thedogkennelcollection. com/blog/homemade-dog-treatrecipes.
3. A microchip: A microchip is the size of a grain of rice and offers permanent identification for the life of your pet. It’s a one-time investment that could help to reunite you with your pet in the event of an escape or disaster.
4. Grooming tools or a grooming gift certificate: Every pet needs a little grooming attention, especially those with high-maintenance coats. Brushing means less hair in the house or, for cats, less hair ingested to become future hairballs. Plus, a little grooming time is bonding time with your pet that also might let you catch any health changes of concern early.
5. Dental gift certificate or dental cleaning kit: All pets need oral care; 80 percent of cats and dogs need a professional veterinary dental cleaning by age four. Purchase a gift certificate to put
towards a professional veterinary dental cleaning or buy home dental care products from your veterinarian or pet store to get started as their chief tooth brusher.
6. New bed or crate: Many people do not have a place for their pet to sleep or enable them to be away from family hustle and bustle. Cages and crates are good gifts for those with new or growing dogs. A collapsible crate is an excellent present for someone who travels with their pet.
7. Certificate for new puppy/kitten supplies or health care: NOT the real thing. It’s too much for a new puppy or kitten to be sprung into a new home as a present. Plus, it’s much more fun for the whole family to be a part of the pet selection process at a shelter or breeder. Or, help defray the costs of a new pet with a gift certificate to their veterinarian to cover the costs of vaccinations, neutering and other care in the first six months.
8. A donation to a nonprofit group or memorial fund: A favorite is Canine Companions for Independence’s Sponsorship for a Puppy. The group helps to fund the training and matching of puppies to help children and adults with a variety of special needs where a specialty trained dog can change someone’s life.
The holidays are a wonderful time of year – may you enjoy it with family and friends, including our special furry family members.
Dr. Margot Vahrenwald is the owner of Park Hill Veterinary Medical Center at 2255 Oneida St. For more information, visit www.parkhillvet.com.
who we Are, what we Do
The Board of Directors of GPHC, Inc.
Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. is a volunteer-based registered neighborhood organization that promotes the character and vibrancy of Park Hill, provides resources, information and advocacy, and preserves quality of life and the history of the neighborhood through community participation.
GPHC world headquarters is 2823 Fairfax St. If you have an issue you’d like to discuss about the neighborhood, reach out to your board representative. Representatives can be contacted via the main office, at 303-388-0918 or info@ greaterparkhill.org.
If you are interested in volunteering or serving on a committee, contact GPHC Board Chair Shane Sutherland at chair@greaterparkhill.org.
• Board Chair Shane Sutherland
• Treasurer Heather Shockey
• Secretary Bernadette Kelly
• District 1 Kevin Doyle
• District 2 Brenda Morrison
• District 3 Heather Shockey
• District 4 Currently Vacant
• District 5 Bernadette Kelly
• District 6 Currently Vacant
• District 7 Jon Bowman
• District 8 Nam Henderson
• District 9 Currently Vacant
• District 10 Colette Carey
• At Large Bruce Campbell
• At Large Mona Estrada
• At Large Maria Flora
• At Large Tracey MacDermott
• At Large Louis Plachowski lplachowski@gmail.com
• At Large Shane Sutherland
• Blessed Sacrament Betsy Boudreau
• Park Hill UMC Jacqui Shumway
The challenges facing today’s retirees are unique. Higher inflation, skyrocketing healthcare costs, longer life expectancies, and complex Social Security rules all make much of the conventional retirement wisdom of the past obsolete.
In this new era, it’s crucial that you take a fresh look at the challenges ahead and create a comprehensive plan to address them.
For 30 years, we’ve been working with people like you to address the challenges of the transition from accumulating their nest egg to using it to support their retirement lifestyle. Get in touch today to schedule a complimentary consultation.
g r ea T e r p a rk hI ll r e sources
Active Minds
The organization’s mission is to expand lives and minds by providing outstanding educational programs. Check out free lectures on topics ranging from music to history, current events to foreign affairs, including in and near Park Hill. A schedule of upcoming events is at activeminds.com
Art Garage
6100 E. 23rd Ave., artgaragedenver.com, 303-377-2353. The Art Garage is a nonprofit visual art community center whose mission is to offer arts-based programs that inspire, empower and promote creative self-expression by people of all ages, backgrounds, and ability levels. Check out ArtGarageDenver. com for details.
Blunders and Beers
Blunders and Beers is a Park Hill Chess Club that meets the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at Longtable Brewhouse, 2895 Fairfax St., beginning at 6 p.m. All skill levels are welcome. Bring a board if you have one.
Daughters of the American Revolution
Are you interested in genealogy? Your family history? American history? The Frances Wisebart Jacobs Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution meets regularly in the area. Contact Kathy Kelly at kkellyfwj76@gmail.com for details.
Denver Police District 2
3921 Holly St., 2.Dist@denvergov.org, non-emergency number is 720-913-1000. For emergencies, dial 9-1-1.
Denver Public Schools
dpsk12.org
Check the website for resources and updates. Call the helpline at 720-423-3054 for support in many languages.
Donations Resources
vidual places of worship for information about their current state of operations.
Greater Park Hill Community, Inc. 2823 Fairfax St., greaterparkhill. org, 303-388-0918
GPHC community meetings are conducted on the first Thursday of the month, except for December and July. The next meeting is Thursday, Jan. 2 at 6:30 p.m. at 2823 Fairfax St. Check greaterparkhill.org/join-us/ community-meetings/ for info on how to participate.
Libraries
denverlibrary.org
See the “At the Library” feature on page 14 for updates and resources offered by the Park Hill and Pauline Robinson branch libraries.
Northeast Park Hill Coalition
The Northeast Park Hill Coalition hosts its monthly meeting the second Thursdays of the month. Location varies. Check the group’s Facebook page @ Northeast Park Hill Coalition for updates.
One World Singers
A choral group that performs music from diverse cultures and traditions, nurturing the musical abilities of all who wish to sing. Rehearsals every Thursday, September through May, at 7 p.m. at St. Thomas Church, 22nd and Dexter. Email Sandy at owsmanager@yahoo. com or go to OneWorldSingers.org for more information.
Park Hill Community Bookstore
Established in 1971. Denver’s oldest nonprofit bookstore. Used and new books. 4620 E. 23rd Avenue. 303-355-8508. Members and volunteers get discounts and book credits. Check parkhillbookstore.org for current hours of operation.
Park Hill Peloton
A recreational group of road cyclists that roll from Park Hill once or twice a week. Check the current status of their rides on the Park Hill Peloton Facebook page.
Sie Filmcenter 2510 E. Colfax, denverfilm.org, 303-595-3456.
Thousands of our neighbors have been living unsheltered and are struggling for basic services. Thousands more are newcomers to Colorado and the United States, arriving with little to nothing. So many can use your help. Check out page 24 for list of organizations who accept donations — everything from clothes and furniture to bikes and baby essentials. greaterparkhill.org/ spreading-the-love/ Faith Community greaterparkhill.org/faith Greater Park Hill’s faith community, home to over 30 places of worship in just four square miles, is as diverse and robust as the neighborhood itself. The GPHN maintains a list of Park Hill’s places of worship at the website above. Contact indi-
Free Zoom Tai Chi
Free Beginner Tai Chi Zoom Classes every Friday at 9 a.m. Longtime Park Hillers Jacqui and Joe lead the class. Call their clinic at 303-744766 or register online at TaiChiDenver.com.
Walk2Connect
www.walk2connect.com
Park Hill Sunrise Walking Trips happen every Tuesday from 7:15 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. Meet in front of Honey Hill Cafe at 23rd & Dexter Street for a casual, conversational-paced community walk. Everyone is welcome.
following month’s issue.
gphn c l ass I f I eds
ART SHOW
The Park Hill Art Club Holiday Art and Craft Show rescheduled for 12/9/2024 at Park Hill United Methodist Church, 2509 Montview Blvd, 10 AM – 4:00 PM.
CLEANING SERVICES
Lilly Maid Cleaning Service. Experienced, detail-oriented cleaner. Weekly, bi-weekly, or move-out. Free estimates. 720-296-9905
GENERAL CONTRACTOR
26 YR Licensed General Contractor in South Park Hill and Lead-Based Paint Abatement Firm. All Phases of Remodeling. Small jobs OK! Mold and Mildew Remediation, Power Spray Denver Dust, Off Exteriors. Call Mark-303-9213161. pikerprojects@gmail.com – All Remodeling, usabatement@yahoo.com – Lead-Based Paint
GUTTERS
Gutter Cleaning, repairs, and replacement. Gutter Cleaning prices start at $150 – House, Garage, Porches, and walks. 303-907-9223/skmehaffey@ gmail.com
MASONRY SERVICES
Masonry Services- Brick, Stone, Concrete repairs, restoration, tuckpointing, chimneys, retaining walls, city sidewalks; planter boxes. 303-907-9223/ skmehaffey@gmail.com
Mason – Brick, stone, chimney repair, historic renovation. Your Park Hill Expert. Fully Insured, free estimates. Call Ben @720-670-0874.
PAINTING
Interior and exterior painting. Prep, power washing, professional. Owned and operated by Park Hill resident with over 20 years of experience. Free estimate. JR Painting 720-485-7207 or jpabz04@gmail.com
Painting: Interior, exterior, small jobs welcome; sheetrock repairs and texture. 303-907-9223/ skmehaffey@gmail.com
ROOFING
Roofing: Repairs, Inspections, Flashings, Hail Damage, and reroofing licensed, bonded, and insured. Gutter replacement and cleaning. 303-9079223/ skmehaffey@gmail.com
TUCKPOINTING
Over 25 years of experience. Fully insured. Mortar color and brick matching, broken brick replacement, cement chimney crown replacement. 12 years Chicago union experience. Mr. Chimney and Home Masonry Repair. Call Chuck Bahnsen 303-948-7999
WINDOWS
Complete wood window restoration. Custom wood storm windows and screens. General painting, restoration and handyman services for your charming old home. Contact Matt 479871-8140
Double-hung window RESTORATION includes replacing sash cords (ropes) and removal of excess paint on wood and metal plus lubrication for smooth opening and closing. 40-year resident of PH. Contact David - 720550-2786
To advertise in the Classifieds contact newspaper@greaterparkhill.org 720-287-0442 (voicemail). the deadline for submission is the 15th of every month
