I’m not a pot smoker, but as I entered Dulcinea’s, I suddenly had an overwhelming urge to light up a fatty, tie-dye my clothing and start doing the Woodstock flower-child dance. As I deeply inhaled the hippie atmosphere, the guy next to me said, “I’ll be 25 in May, and…
Fanta? Don’t you wanta? As a kid, I loved Fanta Orange soda. As an adult, though, I hadn’t found a compelling reason to seek it out — until the 9th Door, a new tapas bar and lounge, gave me fresh reason to Fanta-size. When the exceedingly knowledgeable and vivacious waitress…
New Zealand is on a roll: Lord of the Rings, sauvignon blanc, kiwi fruit, Russell Crowe and Xena (not in that order), as well as the cleanest air and water in the world. And now those clever Kiwis have used that water to create a new, super-premium vodka: 42 Below…
Asked recently for the name of my favorite female bartender, I realized that I’m a complete sexist. While I could rattle off at least ten great male bartenders, the only woman I could think of was Kris Lykins at Strings. I’m sure there are many fabulous female bartenders in town,…
The attractive man directly across the bar was wearing a black T-shirt with cut-off sleeves and the word “Fruitcake.” When I suggested to my companion that not only was the shirt redundant, but would be far more creative with an inventive slogan like “Rum Balls” or perhaps “Cherries Jubilee,” he…
Love often blossoms in the spring, and suddenly there’s a lot to love in Cherry Creek, where everyone’s heading North. This new restaurant was brought to us by Sam Fox, who owns a number of spots around the country, including Bloom in FlatIron Crossing. Although North’s decor is streamlined, the…
I was entertaining a friend who’d surprised me by popping into town, and I wanted to take him to a cool “Denver” spot for drinks. After considering some of the trendier options, I went with one of our historical gems: the Cruise Room. Anyone who’s lived in this city for…
I love a great dive, and at fifty-plus years young, Club 404 is one of the all-time best dives in Denver. Jerry Feld bought the bar on his twentieth birthday and has been there ever since (although his uncle had to run it for the first year, until Jerry was…
When I walked up to the bar at El Tejado, I asked the bartender for Patrón on the rocks. “Are you sure?” he asked. “Don Julio is better.” Although I’ve been drinking Patrón for years, I decided to go with Don Julio Anejo ($7.50) and was happy that I did…
I rarely look forward to going to the ‘burbs, but this weekend I’m getting the hell out of downtown and Cherry Creek. I know that some people are really excited about the All-Star Game and all the hoopla (read: hype) surrounding it, but I’m not a basketball enthusiast, and to…
The Campus Lounge, affectionately referred to by regulars as “The Pus,” oozes character. Years ago, when I lived only a few blocks away, the gaggle of guys who occupied the house next door would yell over the fence almost nightly, “Levine, ya wanna go to the Pus?” On one such…
As I walked up to the bar at the Stockyard Inn, I heard a guy ask the bartender, “Do you have anything on special?” She smiled, put her tattooed arms on her hips, pushed out her chest and replied, “You’re lookin’ at it, sugar.” It was a scene straight out…
The sign above the Thin Man’s bar warned: “Drunkenness prohibited.” That appealed to the rule-breaker in me, so…game on! I ordered the first thing I saw on the blackboard, the Crystal Snooker ($5.50), made with homemade cinnamon vodka and half sour mix, half ginger ale. This cocktail had definite potential…
My friend Matt was bragging about what a fabulous bowler he is, crediting his Polish heritage for his prowess. Yeah, bowling was fine, I told him, but what about a more practical ethnic legacy, like a thorough knowledge of Polish vodka? Rising to the challenge, Matt insisted we go to…
Tyler Wiard, executive chef at Mel’s, learned of the fire at the salon next door when one of the line cooks called on the morning of December 20 and said, “Uh, I don’t think we’re working today.” When Wiard was finally able to get into the restaurant days later, it…
Black Russian Stewart’s 1899 Saloon VFW Post #1 955 Bannock Street 303-571-5659 As we walked into Stewart’s, one of the many older men at the bar turned around and said, “The girls are here. What kind of music do you girls like?” I hoped this was a rhetorical question, since…
Forget the Fourth of July. New Year’s Eve is responsible for more explosive events than any other day of the year. On December 31, the best relationship can detonate under the must-have-the-most-meaningful-time-ever pressures; a simple drive to the mountains can burst in a collision with a junior-varsity drinker. Fortunately, you…
‘Tis the season to drink hot toddies, fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. I love the holiday season, and Larimer Square has always been one of my favorite places to get in the spirit. It’s at the epicenter of my winter memories: When I was a kid,…
I became a fan of Williams Tavern the moment I saw the piece of paper hanging on a wall reading “Any tab left open will be closed and a 20% gratuity will be added.” That simple sign told me a number of things about the bar: 1. It’s had its…
Tax audits, invasive surgery, DIA over the holidays. Sadly, although people try to avoid such horrors at all costs, it’s impossible. On my last trip to DIA, I stood in line for what seemed like a lifetime, only to have Mr. TSA ask me to take off my belt, shoes…
As I recall, the first place I used my fake ID was Marlowe’s. When you’re a teen, you’re either ignorant of the consequences of using a fake ID (jail, fines, etc.) or dim-witted enough that you don’t care about them. I was both. My faux ID was so bogus it…
I love the irony of a place that’s called La Fiesta Supper Club only being open for weekday lunches — and from just 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at that. My sources tell me that back in the day, La Fiesta was a real supper club (and before that, a…
