37. Colorado

Month: October 2017

Location: Denver

My only previous visit to Denver had been a few years ago and had also been in October.  It had been a business visit and so I did not have an opportunity to explore a lot.  However, my colleague and I did get a chance to drive up to the ‘Rockies’ and while it had been bright and sunny at the base, it had been snowing up in the mountains.  Whatever the weather, there was no denying the beauty of the place and I was looking forward to visiting.  Plus I would be going there in style.  I had some “frequent flyer miles” with ‘American Airlines’ that were expiring soon and I could salvage them by travelling “First Class”.  Well, at least one way.  I had called them months ago, in fact in last December to set this up and had tried to get the “First Class” for the return journey.  But that wasn’t available, so while I would be going there in luxury, I would soon be "amongst the people" on the way back.

Life in the "First Class"

I was leaving on Friday morning and would be arriving in Denver in time for lunch.  However as famously stated in “Jerry Maguire”, being in “First Class” is a different life!  I was presented with a 3-course meal and I just couldn’t turn away a warm “Chocolate Chip Cookie”!  It looked like a beautiful day as we landed at Denver airport, which prides itself on design, with a lot of natural light.  It was also very crowded and I had to weave through a mass of humanity to make my way towards the train station.  The train ride into downtown was about 40 minutes and the thing I noticed through the windows was that apart from the mountains in the distance, the outskirts of Denver is flat and also has a yellow hue to its landscape.

Not many places left with real keys

I arrived at ‘Union Station’ in the heart of downtown and it was perfectly situated for where I was staying, as my hotel was right across the street.  As I checked in, I learned that the ‘The Oxford Hotel’ was the oldest hotel in Denver and it looked like it…in a charming way.  They used an actual key to get into rooms and the size of those meant that you needed to return them to the main desk every time you left the hotel.  What next? Will they also take messages for you when out?  One of the other interesting things was a “Birdcage” next to the reception with tiny birdie in it.  They mentioned that his name was Sherman and it seemed like he was the greeter for every visitor.

Beautiful day to be in this city

I dropped off my bags and after “returning” my keys, called for an ‘Uber’.  I was picked up by a gentleman with whom I had a great conversation.  It was a beautiful day and I mentioned that, wherein he told me that this was Denver 300 days of the year.  He said that he was dating a girl from Chicago and so had visited Chicago several times.  But when the topic came up regarding his move there, he said no thanks and that was it as far as their relationship was concerned.  “I was shocked to hear Chicago does not have mountain bikes for rentals”, he said.  “Those scoundrels”, I replied.  But I totally got it though, since I loved what I was seeing and had a strong suspicion that by the end of the trip I would be ready to call this one of my favorites.

A walk through the park

He dropped me off at a place called ‘Denver Biscuit Company’ and while they are known for their Biscuits – hence the name – they seemed to be advertising a lot of pizza.  I was seated at an elevated counter overlooking the bar, which gave me a great view of everything that was happening in the restaurant, and it was a lively place.  I ordered their signature biscuit sandwich which had everything that is good in this world and having been properly introduced to Denver, I was ready to proceed.  I was headed to ‘Denver Museum of Nature & Science’, which was just a short walk away.  I walked down a narrow street lined with residential houses and reached a park with walking trails and even a pond.  It was a beautiful walk, especially with the colors of October, and I could see the museum in the distance.  Well, seeing it was one thing, finding the entrance took some detours to closed doors.

The best thing about the museum was the view from the top

The familiar sight of a “Dinosaur” greeted me in the lobby of the museum, as if it is a requirement for any museum to get certified!  A quick glance at the map told me that this was a big place, with the bottom floor dedicated to the “Science” and the upper level addressing the “Nature”.  There were a lot of kids around, especially near all of the “astronomy” related exhibits and which had some activities for them to do.  I walked through that gallery, as well as a very good one on “Gems and Minerals”, and then went to the 2^nd floor.  There was a comprehensive selection of galleries dedicated to different geographical regions and cultures with dioramas.  They were similar to some of the other “Natural History” museums in major cities and were impressive to see here.  The 3^rd floor had a couple of “Special Exhibits”, but the highlight for me was going up a separate elevator to the 4^th floor terrace.  That presented a fantastic view of the downtown across the park and was definitely worth a visit.  It was now time to get back to the said downtown, for evening was drawing close and that meant time for me to explore the bars.

The elegant 'Cooper Lounge'

I called an ‘Uber’ to pick me up and considering this place was a bit remote, it took the driver 10 minutes to get there.  We had a good conversation on the way, regarding some of development around downtown and the “gentrification” therein.  I got dropped at ‘Union Station’, which besides being a train station, is a public entertainment area complete with restaurants and bars.  All of those were lined around the central hall where the passengers wait, though the place I was going to wasn’t the easiest to locate.  After asking a couple of other businesses, I was directed to a stairway leading to a bar on the first level, called ‘Cooper Lounge’.  It overlooked the hall below and had comfortable couches where people could relax after a long day.  But I sat at their immaculate looking bar, which with its white counter-top looked quite amazing against a backdrop of golden whiskey bottles.  I chatted with the bartender, who made a really good cocktail, and watched him work as a lot many folks were now coming in.  More importantly, I was watching the clock, since I had to be at a specific place on time.

The secret entrance to the bar...

I have made it my mission to visit the best “Speakeasy Bars” in each place that I visit and there was one over here, called ‘Williams & Graham’.  The place was reputed to be extremely popular; so much so that I would have to be there right at the opening time of 5 pm.  I took an ‘Uber’ to the place, which was a bit away from the downtown and arrived 15 minutes in advance.  The bar is disguised as a Book Store and was locked.  So I stood outside and very soon a line started forming behind me.  I noticed a group of young men walking out of a store across the street, each carrying a prescription medication bag that one usually associates with Pharmacies.  I thought that this scene would have been more appropriate at a “Senior Home” and for some time much further along in their life.  Then I looked at the sign outside the store which advertised itself as selling “Denver’s finest Cannabis”, Colorado being a State where it is legalized.  A bit too early in the evening for that, but who was I to judge considering that I was standing outside a bar, waiting for it to open!

...and behind it

Exactly at 5 I heard a latch open and I was escorted inside a small room with a table and a bookshelf.  The lady behind the desk checked my ID and then after a brief wait, the bookshelf opened and I walked inside a dark bar, similar to all of the cozy cocktail places that I love.  I took a seat at the bar and perused the creative menu, during which time multiple people asked if I had been there before.  I had read about one of their popular drinks called “Becky With The Good Hair” and asked if they could make it for me.  Well, the person who used to do that wasn’t there anymore, but they were a determined lot and so tracked down the person over the phone as well as the recipe.  Fortunately they had all of the ingredients and so while they figured it out, I ordered another drink with a great name – “Breakfast At Tiffany’s” – and looked around at the place which was now full.  It had taken all of 15 minutes and I was glad to have come early.  After having the much advertised drink, which was good without being great, I left via the side exit to go to my next place.

The beautiful bar at 'Ste Elle'

It was a beautiful evening as I walked through that neighborhood and across a cute pedestrian bridge to a bar called ‘Ste. Elle’.  Unlike the earlier place, this one was empty, barring a couple of folks.  It was also a good looking place with elegant interiors and a bar-top that looked like it was marble lit from below.  I ordered a drink called “The Loneliest Monk”, which looked great when placed on that counter-top.  After staying there for a bit I started walking towards the heart of downtown, which took me under some bridges with narrow sidewalks and across railway lines, till I arrived at a cross street which looked like party central.  There were lights running across a street, which had restaurants, bars and retail shops along the sidewalks.  I was going to a place called ‘Green Russell’, which was located behind a “secret door” and upon entering looked like a classic bar.  While it had the dark interiors, it was much livelier and boisterous than any other “speakeasy”.  I got a seat at the bar and chatted with the bartender named Merlin, who offered me a drink called “Winter’s Coming”.  I really enjoyed my time here and told Merlin that I would try to come back the next day.

It was a splendid evening for a walk

One of the streets running through downtown Denver has been commercialized to the extreme and made pedestrian friendly.  People were hanging out, shopping, or in one of the many restaurants and bars, enjoying the fine evening.  I walked down that towards ‘Brown Palace Hotel’, one of the historic and certainly the fanciest hotels in Denver.  I was having dinner at their premier restaurant, ‘Palace Arms', and since there was some time prior to my reservation, I went to the hotel bar called ‘Churchill’s’.  I lasted all of 2 minutes as I realized that it was a “Cigar Lounge”, almost choking on the smoke on my way out.  I got to my restaurant and was seated in a very old, stuffy looking place.  But the dinner was good, though I was tired and ready for bed.  As soon as I was done, I called an ‘Uber’ back to my hotel, remembering to pick up my key at the desk.  I looked at Sherman’s cage and it was covered up since the little fella was asleep.  Sounded like a great plan to me.

A fantastic cafe for a morning coffee

It was a bright morning as I left my hotel and headed to the ‘Museum of Contemporary Art’, which was a short walk away.  I arrived a few minutes after its opening and was the first visitor of the day.  The entrance to the museum was via a narrow ramp that led to large doors which slid open when I approached, like it was a closed parking garage.  I guess they wanted to go for a “rustic” look.  It wasn’t a very big museum, though they did have a rooftop café and I was in need of coffee.  I took an elevator up to the roof and was immediately impressed.  Not only was there a garden that one could walk through, the roof presented visitors with a great view of the city and the mountains.  Plus, the café was pleasant on the inside, with plenty of natural light coming in.  And I was the only person in there.

Felt like the bottom of a pool

After a cup of “Cappuccino” – because this was a museum after all – I came down to explore the galleries.  Like most other “Modern Art” museums, the rooms were white, and sparsely filled; so much so that sometimes there was just one exhibit in a big room.  There were a couple of other visitors in there thought it was still too early in the day for a museum.  It did not take me long to walk through the galleries and the most interesting one for me was the basement.  The flooring was composed of blue and white tiles of different shades, making it appear like the bottom of a drained swimming pool.  I was unsure if visitors were allowed to step on it, but in the end it was still a floor!  So I walked over it and then left the museum for an early lunch.

A quick stop for lunch

There was a sandwich shop called ‘Masterpiece Delicatessen’ which by all accounts was a popular spot with the locals.  It was also located in the same neighborhood that I had been last evening when I visited ‘Williams & Graham’ and ‘Ste. Elle’.  So I made the same trek back, but in reverse, and this time passed by what looked like a street market.  But unlike other places, this one was dedicated for “outdoor adventure” gear.  I guess this really is a town where people love their outdoors.  The deli was a small place with just a few tables outdoors and even fewer inside.  I ordered a sandwich and found a table inside, for a quick lunch.  I called an ‘Uber’ and after driving by a few times past me, he finally stopped.  My doubts about the effectiveness of this driver were further confirmed when I saw him drive without a seat belt.  I got to my location, or at least in the vicinity, since he dropped me a block away.

On the "Ski Jump"

I was going to ‘History Colorado Center’, which I guessed was the “State History Museum”.  The entrance was a grand hall with what looked like a giant map of Colorado on the floor.  My ticket came with a free entry to some other “historic house” in the neighborhood, thought I wouldn’t have any time to visit this afternoon.  I started on the top floor and this proved to be a really good museum.  Besides the usual artifacts in the galleries, there were some interactive exhibits, the most interesting one being a “Ski Jump Simulator”.  There were 2 skis on the floor and a video screen in front.  The idea was to step on the skies and as the video simulated your decent down the slope, you were required to bend and straighten your legs and body in order to make a perfect jump.  Well, despite multiple attempts, I ended up wiping out each time.  There were other interesting things like recreation of an old Colorado Town and other videos showcasing the mountains around the city.  It certainly was one of the impressive museums that I have seen.

The futuristic 'Denver Art Museum'

I had allocated most of the afternoon to visiting ‘Denver Art Museum’ and on the way there walked through the ‘Denver Central Library’.  The art museum is spread over two buildings that are connected by a “sky bridge” and while one of them is a traditional building, the other looks like a metal space ship or some other alien structure.  I wanted to go on a guided tour, which was scheduled to start at 2 pm and a decent sized group had assembled at the meeting point when I arrived.  Our docent took us to the top level of this building, where we would be walking through a special exhibit called “Mi Tierra”.  The museum had invited 13 Mexican-American artists to showcase installation with their interpretation of “My Earth”.  Each of those were unique and they were outstanding.  In fact, this turned out to be one of the best themed exhibits that I have ever seen at a museum.

The fantastic exhibits of "Mi Tierra'

Our guide mentioned that it would not be possible to see all of them, but would try to cover as many as possible. We started off at an installation which was a wall made of one-way mirror and had projections of the US on one side and Mexico on the other.  The reflective surface was facing Mexico whereas from the US side you could see through.  I mentioned to the guide that I would have expected it to be the other way, with the US folks looking at the wall and seeing only a reflection of their territory, while Mexican folks could look at the land of opportunity.  I am sure that the artist had their reasons though.  Another great exhibit was as colorful as any that I have seen.  The artist had used nothing but colored tissue paper strips and created an entire landscape on the walls and a garden in the middle of the room, through which visitors could walk.  It was one of the most painstakingly created works on art and the guide mentioned that it took the artist and their apprentices hundreds of man-hours to complete this.

One of my favorites

Another exhibit was a video of an artist who was covering her entire body in black paint while a story of oppression played out in the background.  The idea was to show how a human body was being “suffocated” and very soon the person disappeared into darkness.  There were some paintings and video films, as well as a brightly lit room which represented a Mexican retail store.  But my absolute favorite was an installation of taut multicolored strings that looked like a rainbow from afar.  It was optically deceiving, since the shades changed as one walked towards the strings or even under them.  However, what made this genius was the location.  The modern art building has only one window in all of its 4 floors.  And this installation had been located right next to the window such that the strings resembled the light coming in through the window and breaking into its constituent colors…as if going through a prism.  Talk about painstaking assembly.  This was as labor intensive as things get.

This had been one of my best museum experiences

We saw a couple more installations and after the tour was over, I spent additional time in this gallery.  Art can take many forms and this was an example of that.  This was probably the best experience that I have had in an art museum during my travels.  I went through some of the other galleries in this building and then took the bridge over to the more traditional building.  That one had 7 floors worth of galleries, ranging from “European Renaissance” to “African” to “Asian” art pieces.  One could easily spend an entire day in this museum and I had barely scratched the surface in my 2+ hours here.  I wanted to call an ‘Uber’ to go to my next destination, but with the layout of the buildings, wasn’t sure if the driver would be able to find me.  So I walked back to the ‘History Museum” and waited for my pickup, while shivering in the surprisingly chilly wind.

My favorite drink so far

I asked to be dropped off at a place called ‘Sidecar Lounge’, which was just about getting ready for the Saturday evening.  I spent some time there before walking over to the main part of town – where I had seen all of the bars and restaurants – for a visit to ‘Union Lodge No. 1’, another reputed place for cocktails.  It was a blustery evening and I arrived just as they were about to open.  Apparently their reputation was known to others as well since there was another group who were also waiting.  They opened the doors but were still not ready for us and looked annoyed that people were already there.  This raised doubt regarding the quality of service here, which was further emphasized after seeing their indifferent behavior behind the bar.  However, all was forgiven once I tasted the concoction that they were known for, “Gin Fizz”.  I am not a Gin drinker and this one looked like a Milkshake as the lady made it.  But man, once it was put together, the flavors were something that I had not tasted in a cocktail for a long time.  This may not have been my favorite bar in Denver so far, but was certainly the best drink.

There was a bar behind this freezer

I decided to walk to the next stop called ‘Retrograde’ and while it was just a mile away, it took me away from downtown into a residential neighborhood.  I arrived at the address and found a “Frozen Yogurt” place.  I walked up and down the street as the owner of the establishment looked at me and finally stepped in.  Before I could say anything he asked if I was looking for the bar and when I replied in the affirmative, he pointed to a freezer and said that it was behind it.  Aah, another hidden bar!  I was asked to flip on a light switch and when I did so, a gentleman came out and asked how many guests. When I said one, he closed the door and went back in.  After a brief wait he came back to get me and I entered a dark room with a 3 sided bar with a beautifully lit wall and storage for the bottles.  The menu was based on just 3 words to describe drinks and I chose something called “Trinity”, which was described as “Boozy – Butterscotch – Endearing”.  Well, not sure if I would apply all of those terms here, but “Boozy” certainly fit the bill.

And this was it

The place got crowded over time and when it was time to leave, I was shown a side exit, meaning I did not have to emerge from the freezer.  I called an ‘Uber’ to go to my next destination, which also was away from downtown in a residential neighborhood.  It was a bar called ‘Nocturne’ and as I went inside, the hostess mentioned that right now it was standing room only and there was a cover charge to see some band.  Well, I wasn’t going to do that and so I left.  There were a few other bars over here that I had identified as interesting and so I started walking towards one called ‘Finn’s Manor’.  The evening had set in and I saw some families out for a walk.  I arrived at my destination and it was overflowing with people.  Besides being a bar, this was also a “food truck pod”, with several trucks lined up along a brightly lit courtyard which was full.  The bar area itself did not have room to move, let alone sit.  So that was it for me and I decided to move on.

An "Art Gallery"?

A few streets away was a place called ‘Bar Fausto’ and this one did have some room at the bar.  It was also a restaurant and the quality of food coming out of the kitchen looked good. I ordered a drink whose ingredient list comprised of things like “Immature Brandy”, “Contest to Blanco” and “White Chocolate washed Averna”.  It looked too weird to pass on, though the end product was very traditional looking cocktail.  I stayed for some time, trying hard not to order any food since I had plans later.  I still had some time and so decided to visit one final place which was nearby.  While I am glad I went, getting there was an adventure.

Nope, another hidden bar

The bar was called ‘Miller’s & Rossi’ and my trusted map told me that it was few blocks away on a parallel street.  What it did not mention was that the street would be deserted and with no lights and under construction, meaning there were no sidewalks and that there weren’t any commercial properties around.  If there was ever a location for someone to get mugged or worse, this was it.  I was already committed and so continued on, walking as briskly as I could and in the middle of the street.  I arrived at what looked like a building with shared industrial space, similar to what I have encountered while doing “Escape Rooms”.  This one was an “Art Gallery” and there was a door at the back with a liquor bottle.  Obviously a “speakeasy” and a gentleman let me inside, which was typical of the umpteen hidden bars that I have visited.  The difference was that there was a projector which was playing “The Wizard of Oz”, while the TV over the bar was playing “E.T.”.  It was a nice place to relax and stay, and while I did for a bit, I had to make it to my dinner reservations.

Tim set me up with "Whiskey & Cookies"

I was going to a place called ‘Mizuna’ and it took an ‘Uber’ ride to get there.  Well, after my experience getting here, I would have called a ride even if the restaurant was 100 yards away!  A couple of weeks ago I had attended a “Punch making competition” in Chicago where bartenders from around the country were displaying their skills.  I saw that one of them was a gentleman named Tim, from ‘Mizuna’.  I had told him that I had reservations there and he asked me to look him up.  As I arrived, I saw that he was behind the bar and so I told the hostess that I would just sit over there rather than get a table.  Over the next hour or so I enjoyed chatting with Tim and enjoying one of the best "tasting menus" that I have had.  Plus Tim gave me a sample of some of his “Barrel aged” cocktails.  But the best part was talking with a couple next to me who traveled the world seeing “Formula 1” races.  We reminisced over our favorite memories, most of them about the incomparable Michael Schumacher.  We exchanged numbers at the end of the evening and then after saying goodbye to Tim, I returned back to my hotel and called it a night.

My kinda brunch

I took my time leaving the hotel since my first stop of the day was for brunch…not just any brunch.  This one was called “Dom Perignon Sunday Brunch” at ‘Ellyington’s at Brown Palace’.  It was a nice day and so I walked over to ‘Brown Hotel’, my second visit there after my dinner on Friday.  I had made a reservation and good thing too, since the dining room was full of people.  This was an elegant place that took its Sunday brunch seriously, as was evident by the decor, the service and the offerings.  I was greeted by a “Chocolate Fountain” as I entered and with a glass of champagne when I took a seat.  The spread was extensive and outstanding.  After a few trips I was full, but then the dessert station beckoned.  It was unfortunate that I had plans after this since “bottomless champagne” doesn’t come around often and I couldn’t make the most of it.

Surprises in the 'Molly Brown House'

I had time for just one more activity and I decided to go for a tour of ‘Molly Brown House Museum’, over visiting the ‘Capitol’.  This was a shame since I always made it a point to visit it in other states.  I rushed by ‘Uber’ to try and make an earlier tour, but it was sold out.  In fact, I was lucky to get a ticket for the tour starting in 30 minutes.  That did give me a chance to watch an introductory video about the lady named Margaret Brown, who was called “Molly” or even better, “The Unsinkable Molly Brown”.  That was because she was one of the survivors of ‘Titanic’.  But she was better known as a “philanthropist” and a “social activist”, especially the “women’s movement”.  This was her family’s house from the late “19^th century” and now a museum.  The tour itself was like any other “historic house” tour that I have taken, though with a very humorless docent. The house had been setup for Halloween themed tours and so there were surprises in many rooms. Once the tour was over, it was time to say goodbye to Denver. 

I returned back to my hotel to collect my bag, said goodbye to Sherman, and then walked over to the train station.  The train back to the airport was as full as any I have seen in Chicago.  This had been one of my favorites, if not the favorite, places to visit.  It is a fantastic place, with an excellent city life, and the mountains in the distance.  I would totally move here and not miss a beat.  In fact, it may end up being an upgrade in lifestyle.