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www.duclarion.com
Feb. 26, 2014
DU student’s sister takes gold at Sochi by courtney luster Contributing Writer
While it is true that Colorado boasts some of the best skiing in the United States, there are a few skiers who Coloradans are proud to call our own when they make it to the Olympic Games. Last week, the sister of DU’s own Division One skier Taylor Shiffrin went one step further into stardom when she won gold at Sochi. Many may have heard the name Mikaela Shiffrin while watching the Alpine Skiing events of the Olympics this past week. She competed in the Giant Slalom event on Feb. 18, placing fifth, and in the Slalom event Feb. 21, bringing home the gold medal for Team USA. Mikaela’s brother, Taylor Shiffrin, a sophomore mechanical engineering and accounting double major from Vail and Division I skier at DU, shared some insight into him and his sister’s background and lives ski racing. Both siblings boast their own variety of accomplishments. Aside from competing in Sochi, Mikaela won the world championships last year; at 17 years old, she was the youngest woman in 42 years to have done so. She was also crowned the Slalom World Cup champion and is
currently ranked as the best slalom skier in the world. Taylor himself was a part of the U.S. Ski Team out of high school for a year before being recruited to ski for DU. He has Olympic aspirations for after college; while the average competition age for women is 20-24 years, it is slightly later for men at 28-32 years. This puts Mikaela’s skiing career first and schooling after. “She’s definitely said she wants to go to college.... She told me she’d prefer to go here since I go here and could show her the ropes,” said Shiffrin. According to Shiffrin, it was a nobrainer to compete in ski racing for both he and his sister. “Both of our parents are skiers, my dad raced in college, my mom raced. I mean when you’re born in Vail you kind of have to be a skier or snowboarder so we just fell right into it,” said Shiffrin. The siblings both began skiing as soon as they learned to walk; they used to train together when they were younger and throughout high school. “We would chase each other around the mountain all the time,” said Shiffrin. While Taylor enjoys recreational and free skiing, he claimed that Mikaela used to skip the early morning free skiing sessions in lieu of the training later in the day.
“She just loved the rhythm of the gates. She’s very musical; she thought of it as a dance with the hill,” said Shiffrin. Now, with each pursuing their sport in different arenas, they do not get the opportunity to ski together all the time. Both siblings train and compete year-round, traveling to the Southern Hemisphere in the summer to take advantage of their winter. Though her career dictates photo courtesy of atomic.com that Mikaela live in Europe Mikaela Shiffrin, sister of DU sophomore Taylor Shiffrin, showed during the season, the two her skiing chops in this year’s Winter Olympics. of them get to see each other and train together during the the DU team in the NCAA Regionals, off-season. he watched his sister’s second and best Through the separation, they keep event on Friday, with the live feed airing their bond as siblings strong. from Sochi at 2 a.m. “We’re really close. The best way to “I am unbelievably proud of my describe [our relationship] would just sister and all of her accomplishments. be goofy. Any sibling would be able to She is the most dedicated and hardworkrelate to the miscellaneous goofy things ing person I know and the Olympic gold you do around each other that nobody medal she just won is simply more evielse would get, the inside jokes. It’s dence to support that,” said Shiffrin after pretty much the same as anybody else his sister’s win on Friday. who has a closer relationship with their By all appearances, both Shiffrins siblings,” said Shiffrin. have huge futures ahead of them in Although Shiffrin was in Beaver alpine skiing and both are embarking Creek over the weekend competing with on a journey that is just getting started.
mostly middle-aged women catching up over Latin-Asian inspired cocktails. The happy hour is reserved to a specific section of the restaurant, where people are sitting on couches or high-top tables, making it a more intimate experience than a regular dinner reservation. Zengo’s happy hour is from 5 - 7p.m. and features $5 beverages like the Guava Mate, a refreshing blend of gin, guava juice, yerba mate and lime. For the person that likes to live on the wild side, spice things up with the Martini Peligroso which blends serrano pepper-infused vodka with cilantro and lime. The food is just as much the focal point of the happy hour as the beverages. While sipping on sangria or the Martini Peligroso, one can also be munching on guacamole or the salt-and-pepper shrimp roll for an average of $6 a plate. Overall, Zengo is the place to go when you feel like spicing things up and getting a change of scenery (but be ready to spend more money and wait longer).
from Thursdays through Saturdays for the reverse happy hour from 10 - 11 p.m. With two locations around the city, Cherry Creek and Downtown, students can decide on their desired destination, but Hapa’s overall atmosphere has a fast-paced vibe where friends can enjoy the art of watching sushi chefs carefully prepare each roll, all while snacking on one of their many appetizers.
Denver is home to a heap of happy hours by kameryn tanita and camilla sterne
Lifestyles Editor and Assistant Lifestyles Editor
Denver offers something for everyone during the week with a plethora of postoffice (or post-class) happy hour options ranging from the neighborhood dive bar to the more sophisticated spots downtown. Working for the weekend might have a whole new meaning after college, but students can still save money at various spots around the city.
The Pio - 2401 S. University Blvd.
When the majority of happy hours are constricted to a time frame from 5-7 p.m. the Pioneer offers two happy hour specials everyday. The afternoon happy hour, from 3 - 7 p.m., and a late-night happy hour from 10 p.m. - 12 a.m., ensure that everyone will have the opportunity to enjoy themselves with $3 wells drinks or $1 off drafts. The Pioneer is the perfect place for the loyal Boone fan or the thrifty college student who is sure to get the most out of the $3 House Margaritas that are flowing endlessly from the tap. The Pioneer exudes college culture and an authentic neighborhood feel, making it the best place to go for a happy hour near campus. While the food specials are limited to Mondays and Tuesdays, most college students are more concerned about their beverages, rather than their bellies, but when you are craving some Mexican food to accompany your Margarita, the Pio is the place to go.
photo courtesy of richardsandoval.com
Zengo - 1610 Little Raven St.
Zengo is where the Zen meets the Go, with a downtown atmosphere that is both relaxing, yet stimulating. The low-lit red lighting makes it a seductive destination but in reality, the happy hour crowd is
patron into a carefree state that is characteristic of exotic getaways in fantastic locals. With two -or-one appetizers and wines, as well as $5 double tall cocktails and $3 beer, Vita offers a happy hour rife with sophistication. However, the defining characteristic of Vita’s happy hour is that it can be enjoyed on the rooftop patio while basking in late afternoon rays of sunshine. With the slogan “Eat. Drink. Live,” Vita might just convince its happy hour patrons to partake in those activities for much longer than a single hour. Located in the Highlands, right around the corner from Little Man Ice Cream, Vita is the perfect way to end a day of leisurely window-shopping or a grueling day at the office.
photo courtesy of thrillist.com
Agave - 975 Lincoln St.
photo courtesy of hapasushi.com
Hapa - 2780 E. 2nd Ave.
Hapa offers a happy medium between an upscale downtown and casual campus bar. While happy hour usually has an emphasis on the cocktails, Hapa’s motto is about the meal. Traditional Japanese beers are $2.50 while sake-infused fruity cocktails are $3.50, but the real deal is their two for $7 rolls and half-off all appetizers. Although the happy hour rolls are much more simple than their signature rolls, which feature risqué pseudonyms like the XXX roll or the Booty Call roll, one can settle for a salmon avocado roll after filling up on delicious appetizers like the Magic Mushrooms, avocado wrapped in salmon topped with Japanese aioli or Hawaiian pork sliders. From Monday through Saturday, one can find the masses enjoying a late lunch or early dinner at the afternoon happy hour from 2:30 - 5:30 p.m. On the weekends, the late-night crowd will flock to the restaurant
Only a five-minute drive from campus, Agave’s cozy and laid-back atmosphere is ideal for afternoon leisure and offers an authentic Mexican vibe. With a casual ambience and an extremely collegefriendly price range, Agave is the kind of place to spend a few hours with a small group of friends playing a lively game of “Would you rather” or simply bonding over a shared love of margaritas and cheap tacos. Agave offers two tacos for $2 from 2 - 3 p.m., with the traditional options of carne asada, pastor, grilled chicken or carnitas. From 3 - 6 p.m. Agave offers a happy hour menu with two-for-one frozen margaritas and a variety of other food options including nachos, tortas, flautas and quesadillas. Agave’s outdoor patio seem suited to be a Thursday or Friday afternoon weekly occurrence during spring quarter, because spring quarter actually means “a 10-week period in which plentiful margaritas should be consumed.”
Vita - 1575 Boulder St.
Vita, meaning “life” in Italian, certainly lives up to its name by offering a little slice of life and escape from the bustle. Its happy hour from 3 - 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 2 - 6:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday is the perfect getaway from the stresses of everyday life and will relax any
photo courtesy of vitadenver.com
The Corner Office - 1401 Curtis St.
Just a block away from the Convention Center light-rail station, The Corner Office exemplifies chic urban fusion at its very best. Every day from 3 - 6 p.m. and 9 - 11 p.m., the Corner Office offers discounted cocktails and a plethora of charming finger foods in the $4 - $6 range. Its bustling downtown atmosphere attracts a whole variety of young urban professionals, and its close vicinity to a hotel increases the likelihood of running into fascinating foreigners. For those who would choose food over alcohol any day, The Corner Office is sure to quell any afternoon pre-dinner cravings. With tacos, burgers, poutine, sliders, wings and ceviche, the Corner Office covers its cultural bases. With such a variety of food choices, this trendy joint is sure to have something to please almost every happy hour goer. The Corner Office also offers a selection of unique cocktails for $6 and well drinks and wine for $5. A variety of local beers cost $3 and for those who prefer the classics, The Corner Office offers $2 PBR. Be sure to check out the bathroom (it’ll be necessary anyway); it is arguably one of the best bathrooms in the city of Denver.