On May 1, Adams County commissioners and other elected leaders gave Mayor Michael Hancock a week to provide a list of “tangible benefits” they would realize from Denver’s plans to push forward with development around Denver International Airport. Hancock responded with a letter saying their demand had an “unrealistic deadline”…
When Jenn Wohletz moved from the Midwest to New Mexico, she discovered Mexican food — make that New Mexican food — at Little Anita’s, and she got hooked on both red and green chile. During a stint in Utah, she almost had to go cold turkey — but here in…
Prince Harry might have stopped by The Market on Monday, but the real royalty was right down the street, at Rioja. Just a week before, Jennifer Jasinski, the chef who opened that Larimer Square restaurant with business partner Beth Gruitch almost a decade ago, was named Best Chef Southwest at…
When a wrong is almost 150 years old, righting it may not be quick. That’s one of the many lessons of the Sand Creek Massacre, a stain on Colorado history that stretches back to November 29, 1864, when Colonel John Chivington led 700 troops on a raid of a peaceful…
Last week several Denver chefs traveled to Kansas to visit the Callicrate Ranch, a cattle ranch and slaughterhouse owned by fiercely opinionated, radically passionate Mike Callicrate, to witness the slaughter of a steer. Lori Midson went along, and offered up her account of the trip last Friday. It was eye-opening…
The latest chapter in the First Avenue Hotel saga — the closing of both El Diablo and Sketch at the end of service on May 2, right before the city’s latest notice to vacate was issued for May 3 — got some punctuation on Friday, when the building’s windows were…
It was a sad moment yesterday when “Budd Jones,” who appeared on the web a week or so ago to urge (very) frequent commenter DonkeyHotay to mellow out, seemed to be signing off. In a response to a post (and many DonkeyHotay comments) about a likely lawsuit over the new…
The Better Block Project comes to Five Points tomorrow, when it will focus on sprucing up the block of Welton Street that’s home to the legendary Sonny Lawson Park — and its ballfield. Neighborhood groups have been meeting for over a year to discuss what to do with this parcel…
Federal Bar & Grill is now open in the former home of Micky Manor, right across a parking lot — the bar’s own parking lot! — from Jack-n-Grill. There’s not much grill yet to the bar, which occupies a circa 1904 fire station, but there are enough craft beers to…
For almost eighty years, the Micky Manor — and that’s Micky, without an “e” — was a landmark on Federal Boulevard, its trademark-respecting neon Mickey and Minnie signs a constant. But in the fall of 2011, the mouse finally left the house. The circa 1904 firehouse at 2544 Federal Boulevard…
When Andrew Zimmern, host of Bizarre Foods, listed the “Best Ethnic Food in the U.S.” for Food & Wine, he lauded Denver for its Den-Mex — gravy-like green chile in general, and the variations served at Chubby’s and El Taco de Mexico, especially when accompanied by anything else from El…
Civic Center Park is ready for its close-up tonight, when the Civic Center Conservancy, Historic Denver Inc. and Denver Parks and Recreation will share a 2012 State Honor Award for their Civic Center work during Colorado Preservation’s awards at History Colorado. Although Civic Center has already hosted several big gatherings…
How about some pizza to soak up all the comments still coming in about Jenn Wohletz’s “five cocktails only dickheads would order,” as well as Sean Kenyon’s response? While Lori Midson has everyone guessing about a pizza covered with apple slices, Jenn Wohletz visited Beau Jo’s, which just celebrated its…
Historian Ari Kelman was watching Iron Man 3 this past weekend with his son when he was startled by a familiar reference, one that seemed very out of context in a Hollywood blockbuster. Mandarin, the apparent arch-villain played by Ben Kingsley, was comparing his own act of terrorism in attacking…
Is it too early for a drink? All the heated discussion of Jenn Wohletz’s “Five cocktails only a dickhead would order,” followed by veteran barman Sean Kenyon’s response, left many people very, very thirsty. And for many readers, only one drink would do: an Old-Fashioned. See also: – Who’s a…
While last week’s snow and this week’s predicted rains have made forecasts of drought seem all wet in metro Denver, the threat is still very real to farmers in southern and eastern Colorado. Last week, they planted more than 550 acres of Rocky Ford cantaloupe — almost a 40 percent…
“There is a thin line between self-indulgence and being a dickhead, a line that any bartender could draw for you.” That’s how Jenn Wohletz started Friday’s piece “five cocktails only a dickhead could love,” and dozens of commenters — bartenders included — thought she definitely crossed that line with her…
Have El Diablo and Sketch reached the end of the line? According to El Diablo’s Facebook page, the restaurants will be closing at the end of business tonight: “Please come by and send us off in style!!!” This is the culmination — maybe — of a ten-month-long fight with the…
While the truncated 4/20 festivities have turned Civic Center Park into ground zero for a discussion of which events are a First Amendment exercise and which are commercial, the Civic Center Conservancy will soon take a pot-free breather. On May 8, the Civic Center Conservancy, Historic Denver Inc. and Denver…
After Opus left Littleton last summer, it moved up to Cherry Creek, where it merged with Aria. Last week chef Sean McGaughey unveiled the new look and menu of Opus Restaurant & Aria Wine Bar at 250 Josephine, a location that has swallowed up many previous occupants. Can the Opus/Aria…
Civic boosters love to travel to other cities to see how they do business — and maybe engage in some monkey business themselves. The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce’s City-to-City Leadership Exchange (LEX) will make its 24th annual trip in October — this one to Pittsburgh (last year was Austin)…
When Common Grounds opened at 3484 West 32nd Avenue back in 1992, this part of Highland was far from the hot restaurant neighborhood it is today. And by providing a place where neighbors could gather, with a welcoming atmosphere that drew people from across town, Common Grounds helped heat up…
