HOW A MEGADROUGHT EVERYTHING YOU EVER NEEDED TO INSIDE THE GREAT

IS HURTING COLORADO FARMERS KNOW ABOUT HOUSEPLANTS GEOTAGGING CONTROVERSY

PAGE 82 BY ANGELA UFHEIL PAGE 40

THE
DENVER
MAGAZINE

45
DISHES
TO EAT
RIGHT
NOW!
From Savory Tacos To Perfect
Pizzas To Comforting Stews,
These Are The Denver Meals
You Just Can’t Miss. PAGE 62

OCTOBER 2021 | 5280.com

 FEATURES O C T O B E R 2 0 21

62
The Best 45
Dishes To Eat
Right Now!
We spent months brunching,
lunching, and indulging in
elaborate multicourse dinner
feasts to bring you this guide
to the most delectable meals
in the Mile High City.
BY PATRICIA KAOWTHUMRONG

W
74
It’s Grow Time
Last year, homebound Den-
verites bought a houseplant
(or eight) to inject some
green into their quarantine—
even though many of us can’t
seem to keep anything with
roots alive. Luckily, Colorado
experts have a bouquet of
wisdom to share.
BY ANGELA UFHEIL

82
Losing
Paradise
Southwestern Colorado’s
Mancos Valley has long
been resistant to the ravages
of climate change. But along
with acres of crops, the bliss-
ful notion of relative immunity
perished in 2021.
BY JONATHAN THOMPSON
Jacky Parker Photography/Getty Images

2 5280 | OCTOBER 2021

 DEPTS.
B E H I N D T H E S T O R I E S 12 „ D I N I N G G U I D E 88

COMPASS
15 CULTURE
Inside the installation artist Eriko
Tsogo and her family created for
Meow Wolf’s new Denver location.
24
18 EDUCATION
So long, mystery meat: Denver
Public Schools will become one
of the first districts in the country to
make all of its meals from scratch.
20 WILD THINGS EAT & DRINK
How Denver anglers helped 29 WHAT’S HOT
rehabilitate the reputation of one of A veggie-forward menu at
America’s most scorned game fish. Ash’Kara’s new outpost channels
29

Clockwise from top left: Ian Warren; Getty Images (boom box); Sean Parsons (graphics); Sarah Banks; Kristen Curette & Daemaine Hines/Stocksy; Sarah Banks
22 TECHNOLOGY flavors from the Middle East.
Boulder company Cold- 30 DESSERT
Quanta is leading the next Splurge on Poulette Bakeshop’s
computing revolution. five-layer gâteau macaron.
24 MUSIC 32 CRAFT BREWING
Nikki Swarn, general manager Despite discrimination and harass-
of rap and R&B station 104.7 ment in the beer industry, Colorado
The Drop, highlights three artists women have made the state’s suds
defining Denver’s hip-hop scene. scene a powerhouse.
BY SARAH KUTA
26 TRAVEL
Our weekend itineraries through
Colorado’s wine regions savor
the dregs of harvest season.
COLUMNS
40 OUTDOORS
Anti-geotagging champions say
they’re trying to protect fragile eco-
15 30 systems. Critics say they’re playing
a game of keep-away.
BY NICHOLAS HUNT

48 FIRST PERSON
ON THE COVER Slowing down to enjoy life’s final
Photography by
act from a house by the side of the
Joni Schrantz road in rural Grand County.
Clockwise from top BY MARTIN J. SMITH
left: So Radish’s fried
cauliflower tacos; Joy
Hill’s margherita pizza; BACKSTORY
seafood from Jax Fish
House and Oyster Bar; 132 SICK THRILLS
Work & Class’ cabrito; Scare actors face a nightmarish
yakitori from Uncle range of workplace hazards.

40
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 Opening doors EDITOR
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in the Denver ART DIRECTOR

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BEHIND THE STORIES
SPOTLIGHT

FROM THE EDITOR

Happy Meals
I had almost forgotten Nikki Swarn
the enchantment of din- General manager & program
director, 104.7 The Drop
ing out at a sit-down,
lean-back restaurant. It had been
Swarn, also a DJ for Rocky Mountain
more than 16 months; plenty Public Media’s rap and R&B station,
of time to shoulder-shrug away curated the local artists profiled in
the little delights of eating out “Waxing Lyrical” (page 24).
as frivolous, considering the mi-
WHY TUNE IN TO THE DROP: 
asma of global pestilence. But the ”I hope the people hear love.
romance of it all wooed me the There is a special connection
moment I sat down. There was a with our audience.”
paper menu with a quirky font. A
candle flickered in a glass bowl. THE HARDEST PART OF HER JOB:
”The challenge is that I wear a bunch
A server with hipster-chic glasses
of hats. As a jock, I want more time
presented me with a cocktail that was almost too pretty to drink. My dinner with the people, to ask questions
date, an old friend, looked at me and very simply said, “This is really nice.” about their musical experiences and
It was nice. But it was also a reminder of what we’ve lost and the tenuous what more they want from us.”
position in which we still find ourselves. Across the state, more than 4,000
restaurant industry jobs have disappeared since the start of the pandemic, and ON THE RETURN OF LIVE MUSIC:
“We missed that ethereal connec-
according to the Colorado Restaurant Association, more than 25 percent of
tion during COVID-19. Music is
local eating and drinking establishments are in danger of closing in the next such an important connector.”
six months. With that in mind, food editor Patricia Kaowthumrong made
a savvy call. She decided that, for the second year in a row, 5280 would not
publish “Denver’s Best Restaurants,” our normally annual list of the city’s top
25 eateries. Not only did she believe it would be unfair to critique restaurants
during these tumultuous times, but she also wanted to bring attention to a
ON 5280.COM
larger slice of the dining scene. “By focusing on the amazing dishes restaurants
are serving,” Kaowthumrong says, “we were able to highlight 45 places that are
delivering everything from tasty bites on a stick to perfectly al dente noodles.”
As I savored my drink at that dinner this past summer, I realized those
small pleasures are not inconsequential. They are valuable gifts, because y
they epitomize how this critical industry serves Coloradans: by providing

Clockwise from top left: Sarah Banks; Courtesy of Anthony Smith; Getty Images; Joni Schrantz
memorable and flavorful cultural experiences. With a vaccine in your arm, I
suggest you use “The Best 45 Dishes To Eat Right Now!” (page 62) to help
you remember the joy of dining out in Denver.
Mile-High Halloween

October 31—you know, the only

day of the year we used to wear
masks—is about to jump out at you
from around a dark corner. This
month, visit 5280.com to find the
LINDSEY B. KING creepiest haunted houses and corn
mazes in the Denver metro area,
Email: lindsey@5280.com horror-movie-inspired cocktails,
Twitter: @linzbking
Tavernetta’s fall and more spooky ways to make up
pappardelle for 2020’s lost screams.

12 5 2 8 0 OCTOBER 2021
 Where Lakefront Living Meets Farm-Fresh Cuisine

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entire lakefront community is designed around an organic Urban Farm. Create your
own seasonally inspired dish from freshly harvested produce or enjoy a delicious meal
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DEPENDING ON HOW MEASURED AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON. NO AGENT OF DEVELOPER IS AUTHORIZED TO MAKE ANY STATEMENTS
REGARDING ANY UNIT OR THE PROJECT THAT ARE BINDING ON DEVELOPER. THESE MATERIALS DO NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OR SOLICITATION OF
ANY KIND. THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT WELL BUILDING CERTIFICATION WILL BE MAINTAINED, NOR THAT WELL BUILDING CERTIFICATION WILL HAVE PR ECERTIFIED

ANY EFFECT ON THE HEALTH OF BUILDING RESIDENTS.

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SKIER: Camilla Fraschini, Surefoot buyer (6 yr.)

 CoMPASS
CULTURE EDUCATION WILD THINGS TECHNOLOGY MUSIC TRAVEL
„ „ „ „ „

Eriko Tsogo as her

alter ego, Bounce
Back Qween

All In Eriko Tsogo often tells the story of her father’s art career in Mongolia. Tsogtsaikhan “Tsogo” Mijid’s enthu-
The Family siasm for experimental, expressionist painting clashed with the communist regime’s preference for realism,
resulting in his frequent censorship. So it delights Eriko that 22 years after immigrating to the Mile High City,
Meet the artists bringing her father, mother, and sister all joined her under the moniker Betart Collective to build a space inside Con-
vergence Station, Meow Wolf’s new installation in Denver. More than 300 artists created 72 exhibits that
Mongolian culture form a cohesive narrative about a cosmic merging of worlds. No work captures that union quite like the
to Meow Wolf. family’s contribution, called “Mongovoo Temple”—a multisensory room that draws from Mongolia’s cultural,
religious, and political histories. One of the few cross-generational teams with work in Convergence Station,
the group is unpacking a shared memory of home. “‘Mongovoo’ transcends personal ego,” Eriko says of
the room, which is lined with 200 elaborate white fiberglass masks. “It’s not just a Betart Collective project—
it’s a Mongolian project.” We journeyed through the wormhole to see the exhibit through the family’s eyes.

P H O T O G R A P H Y BY S A R A H B A N K S OCTOBER 2021 | 5280 15

CULTURE
CONTINUED
The sacred meaning
behind the masks:
Tsogtsaikhan “Tsogo”
Mijid: “I studied Tsam mask
making in Mongolia. They’re
part of a traditional Buddhist
dance ceremony, where lamas
[monks] wear them and
perform choreography and
meditative chanting. There
are 108 different Tsams that
each embody a Buddhist god.
Making them was compli-
cated, because the country
was communist then. [Editor’s
note: The Soviet Union backed
the Mongolian People’s Repub-
lic when it first gained power
in the 1920s, and Joseph Stalin
ordered all Buddhist institu-
tions be disbanded.] We had to
visit a lama in secret.”
16 5 2 8 0 OCTOBER 2021
Blending ancient tradi-
tions and new media:
Eriko Tsogo: “Tsam masks
are usually ornate, with paint-
ing and varnish, and then
they’re decorated with things
like yak hair. We kept the
masks white so they reflect
the light. My younger sister,
AnuJen, designed the lighting
and soundscapes.”
AnuJen “Jennifer” Tsogo:
“I mixed together sounds that
were reminiscent of the Mon-
golian countryside. You can
hear streams and the roar of
wildfires. I layered that with
Mongolian throat singing.
We wanted to make it feel
like traveling through time to
an ancient ritual.”
Why you must enter
“Mongovoo Temple” via
a snake-filled doorway:
Batkhishig “Baja” Batochir
(Eriko and Jennifer’s mother):
“In Mongolia, snakes represent
mystery and intelligence. You
have to have bravery and curi-
osity to pass through the snake
door and enter ‘Mongovoo’—
even though they’re made of
velour and stuffed with wool.”
Eriko: “My mother studied
drama in college, and now she
sews puppets for the Mongolian
Culture and Heritage Center
of Colorado, which my family
started in 2003 to nurture Mon-
golian performing and fine art.
Because of her experience with
sewing, she was in charge of the
room’s textiles.”
On adhering to fire codes:
Eriko: “Tsam masks are often
made out of papier-mâché or
kaolin clay. But we made the
masks in ‘Mongovoo’ from
fiberglass approved by the fire
department. We painstakingly
pressed it into the molds in our
basement over the course of
three or four months. You can
see the tiny handmade flaws in
each one, but that’s what makes
them original.”
The challenges and
rewards of working
within a family of artists:
Jennifer: “Creatives always have
their visions. Everyone just had
a lot of ideas. So, finding a com-
mon ground was challenging in
the beginning.”
Eriko: “This is the biggest
collaboration we’ve ever done as
a family. But everyone had a role
to play, and everyone respected
one another’s points of view. I’m
really proud that we did this
together.” ANGELA UFHEIL
HISTORY MADE MYSTERY
Pieces of Denver lore
appear throughout Meow
Wolf’s new location.
Four imaginary worlds collide in
Convergence Station—but real-life
pieces of the Centennial State can
be found among the artistically ren-
dered result, thanks to the 110-plus
contributing Colorado creatives.
“Meow Wolf wants to reflect the
environment it’s in,” says Annie
Geimer, the collective’s Denver art-
ists liaison. Working with locals puts
community influence on display:
“The state is very present in the final
product,” Geimer says.
But only if you look closely.
Meow Wolf’s team, loath to show
too much of its paint-speckled
hand, hasn’t publicized every
reference, but the ones we do know
about will appeal to longtime Colo-
radans. Take, for example, the work
of Andrew Novick, an ephemera
collector. He collaborated with
metal artist Pamela Webb and illus-
trator Robert Ayala to re-create six
iconic signs from now-defunct local
businesses, such as the Celebrity
Sports Center in Glendale. Another
piece, “Melting of the Mines” by
Denver’s Kia Neill, uses photo-
graphs of mineral excavation sites
from around the state.
The exhibit even pays homage
to one of Denver’s most impactful
protests: A vintage RTD bus bursts
through a wall, a tribute to the
Gang of 19, disability rights activists
Kennedy Cottrell/Courtesy of Meow Wolf
who blocked RTD bus routes in
1978 to demand public transporta-
tion be made more accessible. And,
of course, signage on the bus’ front
indicates that it’s on the Sun Valley
route—a nod to the neighborhood
Convergence Station will call home
long into the future. AU
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EDUCATION

GRADE “A” GRUB

So long, mystery meat: Denver
Public Schools (DPS) recently
unveiled plans to become one of the
first districts in the country to make
all of its meals from scratch. With the help of Brigaid, a Connecticut-
based company, DPS will ramp up its homemade lunch program
over the next three years. Here’s how. ETHAN PAN

60 12 ~75% Percentage

% Percentage of DPS meals Restaurant industry chefs of DPS

prepared from scratch be-
fore the partnership, which aims
to raise the number to 99 per-
cent. One highlight of the existing menu is a
cost-effective bread program. The popularity
of its chewy whole wheat baguettes
led DPS to apply a homemade ap-
proach to its entire menu: “There’s
a smell that brings kids in,” says
Theresa Hafner, executive director
of DPS’ food and nutrition team.
Brigaid will hire to oversee DPS’
166 kitchens. It’ll be their job to
teach basic skills, like proper knife
techniques and kitchen organization, to
the district’s existing staff. They’ll also lead
creative changes, such as spicing meals up
with herbs to boost flavor without adding
sodium. But like any good teacher, Brigaid
will be judged by how well its protégés—
DPS employees—perform, especially after
the three-year contract is complete.
pupils who
identify as
students of color, which is
why the district already serves
globally inspired cuisine, such
as carnitas tacos and banh mi
sandwiches, as well as a hot
vegetarian selection every day.

Meals DPS serves daily

31,600
BREAKFASTS

45,000
LUNCHES

9,100
SNACKS

Ali Harper/Stocksy (lunch tray); Getty Images (burger, bread, child with lunch, money)
2/3
Portion of DPS’
90,000-plus
students who
qualify for free
or reduced-price lunches.
According to a 2014 study
of U.S. lunch programs,
these kids rely more heavily

$3
on school meals to combat
Average cost of a full-price lunch in DPS’ school meal food insecurity, and access
program. Brigaid’s price tag will total $3.7 million, but DPS is to nutritious food has been
determined to not pass that expense on to students. Instead, the shown to positively impact
district plans to cover the outlay through nonprofit and city grants. cognitive development.

18 5 2 8 0 OCTOBER 2021
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WILD THINGS
Anglers USA, a pro compet-
itor, and general manager of
this year’s 15th anniversary
event, which takes place on
October 23. “We have people
come from across the entire
country to participate.”
To enter, contestants raise
donations from friends,
family, and other anglers,
which Trout Unlimited then
gives to various restoration
projects along the South
Platte, from water tempera-
ture monitoring stations to
research efforts looking for
strategies to keep trash out
of the waterway. With more
than $20,000 raised in 2020
alone, the competition has
become an important part of
the coalition of nonprofits,
municipal governments, and
federal agencies that have
transformed this section of
river—once described as an
Schooled By Fish open-air sewer—into a fish-
ery worthy of its own chapter
How Denver anglers helped What do we really know about carp? Ask your in New York Times contrib-
average angler, and nearly 200 years of collective utor Chris Santella’s book
rehabilitate the reputation of one of cultural disdain for the grayish-brown, wide- Fifty More Places To Fly Fish
America’s most scorned game fish. eyed, slow-moving bottom feeders might color Before You Die.
his answer. But if you’re Barry Reynolds, a Den- In a way, the tournament
ver-based fly-fishing guide and author, when and Reynolds have been too
you see carp, you see cunning opponents unfairly maligned by notoriously snobby fly anglers. successful. The more popu-
“In the early 1990s, when I was doing fly-fishing seminars around the country, I started to
introduce a little bit about fishing for carp,” Reynolds says, “and I’ll be honest with you, people
would walk out.” Nearly three decades later, carp’s reputation among fly anglers has changed.
Far from being smeared as dumb, ugly bread eaters, they’re now considered to be intelligent fish
known for putting up fierce fights. There are Instagram hashtags, Facebook groups, and even
glowing write-ups in the likes of Field & Stream devoted to fishing for them—and Reynolds and
a Denver carp tournament have played central roles in that rebranding.
For his part, Reynolds quite literally wrote the book on the pastime. Published in 1997, Carp
On The Fly outlines the techniques Reynolds developed in the early 1980s as he and his friends
explored the urban portion of the South Platte River; it’s a standard for anglers looking to tar-
get the often misunderstood fish. Slowly, the South Platte became a mecca for carp fishing as
more and more local casters realized that instead of driving an hour or more to battle the crowds
on one of Colorado’s famous trout streams, they could be tussling with river monsters averaging
eight pounds just 15 minutes from their front doors. (For comparison, landing a six-pound rain- lar the urban South Platte
bow would be the catch of a lifetime for many trout hunters.) becomes, the harder the carp
Then, to help show off his hometown river, Reynolds—sometimes called the Carpfather— are to catch. And Reynolds?
served as a consultant for the Denver chapter of Trout Unlimited, a national conservation Well, he’s never won the com-
organization, as it launched the inaugural Carp Slam fly-fishing competition in 2006. The petition he helped inspire.
contest pairs amateur anglers with professional guides to compete for some serious prizes, “I think I’ve come in second
including pricey fly rods, Colorado-made reels, and $1,000 for the largest carp caught seven times,” he says, “and I
by a nonprofessional. had a few years where I didn’t
Anglers compete in
Russ Schnitzer (2)

“The current Slam is probably the biggest carp-on-the-fly tournament in the United the Carp Slam on the catch anything at all.”
States in terms of fundraising,” says Patrick Mapes, founder of the fishing blog Urban South Platte River. –NICHOLAS HUNT

20 5 2 8 0 OCTOBER 2021
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OK COMPUTER
A Boulder company is leading
the next tech revolution.

Although still in their infancy,

quantum computers are already
big business, with IBM, Microsoft,
Google, and state actors like China
cumulatively investing billions
to develop the superfast number
crunchers. But ColdQuanta, a rel-
atively tiny Boulder firm, may beat
them all to a major milestone later
this year: releasing a 100-qubit
quantum computer. That would be
a big step toward quantum advan-
tage (QA), the point at which these
machines will be able to compute
in seconds certain kinds of useful
problems that would take traditional
supercomputers thousands of years
to solve. How? Where your laptop
must try each possible solution in
turn to find the answer, quantum
computers can test solutions simulta-
neously. To do this, they swap bits for
qubits made of atoms or subatomic
particles chilled to just above abso-
lute zero, where the laws of physics
get freaky. While a bit can only be a
one or a zero, heads or tails, qubits
can be both heads and tails at once.
ColdQuanta’s advantage lies in how
it chills those atoms. Unlike many of
its competitors, who use bulky liquid
helium refrigeration, ColdQuanta
uses lasers and traps them in a sleek
glass prism (pictured). The technique
is so effective, says Paul Lipman,
ColdQuanta’s president of quantum
computing, that it may only take a
few more years to reach the hun-
dreds—or even thousands—of qubits
necessary to achieve QA. Once it’s
realized, QA could accelerate scien-
tific discovery, from modeling new
cancer drugs on a molecular level to
Courtesy of ColdQuanta

mapping the state of the universe

seconds after the Big Bang. NH

22 5 2 8 0 OCTOBER 2021
 Kentwood.com | KentwoodRE

Residential • Commercial • Leasing • Property Management • Mortgage • Relocation Our Deep Roots
 MUSIC

HEAVY ROTATION
Get hip (and local) by
adding these emerging
artists’ bangers to your
playlists ASAP.

KAYLA RAE
“Tell Me”

Hip-hop has a reputation for

often being homophobic and
misogynistic. This rapper-singer’s
latest album, 2021’s Tell Me,
upends that trope by delivering
sexy-yet-empowering musings
on its eponymous track.

From top: Sean Parsons (Source images: Courtesy of Anthony Smith [Nikki Swarn], Courtesy of DJ Cavem [DJ Cavem], Courtesy of Vvonskiii [Jay Triiiple], Courtesy of Chris Opher [Jae Wes],
KHALIL/AFROCONNEXION
Waxing Lyrical “Partyin & Drinkin”

The high-octane Caribbean

Hip-hop highbrows often knock Denver for lacking a distinctive sound. But beat of “Partyin & Drinkin”
Nikki Swarn, general manager of 104.7 The Drop—a rap and R&B station will send you looking for that
margarita mix in the back of
that has been streaming online as part of Rocky Mountain Public Media since

Getty Images [boombox]); Courtesy of Chermetra Keys; Courtesy of Brothamahmoud; Courtesy of Josue Rivas; Courtesy of Rich Aguila
your pantry.
2019—hears the scene differently. “Mile High City rap and R&B is unique for
its vulnerability and openness and commitment to cause and community,” she
says. Swarn tuned us in to these three local artists, whose principles, lyrics,
and lived experiences are all their own. PHILIP CLAPHAM
A STIGMAFREE ZONE POETIC (FOOD) JUSTICE SOUL MEETS CLASSICAL
Aurora native Jay Triiiple An artist, educator, and vegan Crooner Jae Wes is a Denver
moved back to Denver from Illi- chef with roots in Five Points, DJ School of the Arts graduate with XIUHTEZCATL
nois when she was 15. Now 30, Cavem has shared the stage with a love for classical cello—but not “Take It All Back”
the unabashedly Black and gay hip-hop royalty like Stic.Man of the orchestra. So, after majoring
emcee delivers sharp lyrics full of Dead Prez and even landed the in music performance at Hol- This Boulder-based Indigenous art-
irony and self-assurance. “She’s ultimate gig: an invitation from land College on Prince Edward ist’s newest single is an anti-colonial
fearless,” Swarn says. Who’s then First Lady Michelle Obama Island in Canada, Wes returned anthem, rhyming for the return of
lands stolen from Native peoples.
Triiiple?, her 2017 EP, laid bare to rhyme, reason, and season at home to make music that blends
the artist’s personal struggle with the White House in 2015. Swarn classical strings and contempo-
depression. Her latest project, an loves BIOMIMICZ, DJ Cavem’s rary R&B. After institutional bias
Instagram-first video series called 2019 full-length album, which (still) largely excluded Black artists and
I Rap Better Than Your Boyfriend comes with a starter pack of kale, traditions from classical music for
(@irapbetterthanyourboyfriend), arugula, and beet seeds as well as centuries, Swarn says, “[Wes]
offers icy braggadocio fused recipes to prepare them. “He views is dismantling that ideology brick
with mantras like, “Instead of
running, I’m understanding my
access to healthy foods as a strug-
gle for justice,” Swarn says, “and
by brick.” His 2020 single
“ACO” (slang for Aurora, Col- MIZTA SANDMAN
feelings. Let it flow on out my sustainable cultivation as a way orado) and 2021’s “Coastin” “Concrete Rose”
pen and express when I’m done of honoring the land and paying are odes to summer with Frank His O.G. status is solidified by 14
healing.” Listen: soundcloud. homage to our ancestral [agrarian] Ocean–esque harmonies. years of songwriting. So who better
com/jaytriiiple roots.” Listen: chefietef.com Listen: music.apple.com to school us on perseverance, as
Sandman does on this 2021 single?
Above, clockwise from top: Nikki Swarn, DJ Cavem, Jay Triiiple, and Jae Wes

24 5 2 8 0 OCTOBER 2021
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TRAVEL
Cheers
To The
Weekend
Visitors pour into
Colorado’s various
wine-making regions
each September for
grape stomping and
other harvest festiv-
ities—so we suggest
waiting until October,
when dwindling crowd
sizes give vino makers
more time to spill their
stories (and an extra
splash in your glass).
Use our weekend
itineraries to savor the
dregs of the season.
COURTNEY HOLDEN
GRAND VALLEY AMERICAN
VITICULTURAL AREA (AVA)
Nearly 85 percent of Colorado’s
grapes come from this grow-
ing region near Grand Junction
known for its hot, dry climate.
FRIDAY
4 p.m. Hospitality interns from
Colorado Mesa University hone
their be-our-guest energy at
Grand Junction’s Hotel Maverick.
thehotelmaverick.com
6 p.m. Sneak over to Moody’s
for wagyu steak in a speakeasy-
style lounge. moodyslounge.com
SATURDAY
12 p.m. Savor the Barbera and
Sémillon wines at Restoration
Vineyards, named for the own-
er’s Mercedes-Benz refurbishing
hobby (spot 14 on the property).
restorationvineyards.com
3:30 p.m. At Plum Creek Cellars,
26 5 2 8 0 OCTOBER 2021
a nine-foot-tall metal sculpture
lovingly dubbed “Chardonnay
Chicken” gets a giggle out of visi-
tors even before they start sipping
the off-dry Palisade Festival white
blend. plumcreekwinery.com
SUNDAY
9:30 a.m. Rent a board from GJ
SUP for a float at the new River-
front at Las Colonias Park, which
hosts a dog park, a concert venue,
trails, and more. gjsup.com
12 p.m. Devil’s Kitchen, on
Hotel Maverick’s patio, serves
beet salad with hops-infused
vinaigrette and a side of Colo-
rado National Monument vistas.
devilskitchenrestaurant.com
WEST ELKS AVA AND THE
NORTH FORK VALLEY
Delta County’s cool climate pro-
duces dainty white grapes for dry
Rieslings and Gewürztraminers.
FRIDAY
5 p.m. The chefs at Flying Fork
celebrate the bounty of their agri-
cultural surrounds by blanketing
handmade pasta with local pro-
duce. flyingforkcafe.com
7:30 p.m. Rocking chairs on
the front porch of the 115-year-
old Bross Hotel Bed & Breakfast
might just be the comfiest spots to
relax after a day of wine tasting—
though the on-site hot tub offers
stiff competition. paonia-inn.com
Restoration Vineyards
SATURDAY
1 p.m. Owner Dave Aschwan-
den explains his Old World
fermentation techniques during
prearranged personal tastings at
Chill Switch Wines in Cedaredge.
chillswitchwine.wordpress.com
3:30 p.m. Stone Cottage Cel-
lars’ sweet Alpine Dessert Wine
pairs divinely with the raspberry
pistachio cheesecake the winery
sources from Paonia’s Coquelicot
Pastries. stonecottagecellars.com
SUNDAY
11:30 a.m. Sample lemon- some veggies”) as much as the
scratch-made dough that cradles
Clockwise from top: Courtesy of Kathleen Favier; Courtesy of Moonlight Pizza & Brewpub; Courtesy of Hotel Maverick
chive chèvre and a goat cheese
Manchego at Western Culture the toppings. moonlightpizza.biz
Farmstead. Don’t leave without
SATURDAY
giving the goats a thank-you pat.
10 a.m. Hike among rock spires
westernculturefarmstead.com
in the newest member of Colora-
do’s club of national monuments,
ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION Browns Canyon. blm.gov
5 p.m. At Vino Salida Wine Cel-
Artisans, spread over several lars, order mead made with local
counties west of Rocky Mountain honey and settle in for live blues
National Park, harness high ele- or rock. vinosalida.com
vation to turn imported grapes
into complex blends. SUNDAY
9 a.m. Zip through Four Mile
FRIDAY Recreation Area’s hilly deserts
3 p.m. Salida’s Manhattan and lush woods on a side-by-side
Hotel’s self-service model expe- from Rocky Mountain Adventure
dites check-in so you can get to Rentals. rmar1.com
watching kayakers on the Arkan- 3 p.m. The thin air at Continental
sas River from your balcony. Divide Winery’s Fairplay produc-
manhattanhotelsalida.com tion facility (elevation: 10,361
5 p.m. We dig the cheesy jokes feet) slows fermentation, highlight-
on Moonlight Pizza & Brewpub’s ing each grape variety’s floral
menu (“Make Mom happy, add notes. breckwinery.com
Visit 5280.com for more wine country itineraries.
ADVERTISEMENT
 EAT DRINK
DESSERT CRAFT BREWING
„

&

Shared Plates
At Ash’Kara’s new outpost,
chef-owner Daniel Asher’s menu
both sparks memories and helps
diners make new ones.

At Ash’Kara in Boulder, executive chef and

co-owner Daniel Asher regularly watches
patrons recognize their grandmothers’ cook-
ing in his dishes. “There are folks from the
Middle East here every night with stories to
share about family recipes,” says Asher, who
opened the original Ash’Kara in LoHi in 2018
and debuted this second location in April. The
nostalgia-inducing specialties served at both
spots—wood-roasted carrots with pearlescent
labneh, silky hummus, earthy baba ghanoush—
are inspired by Asher’s travels in Israel and
the blending of cultures across countries of the
eastern Mediterranean and North Africa. At the
convivial Pearl Street restaurant, which offers a
mostly vegetarian lineup, those influences are
best tasted in the mushroom tagine. The made-
for-sharing beauty features multiple varieties of
locally grown fungi stewed in a conical clay pot
with velvety potatoes and yams, sweet figs and
apricots, and harissa-spiced tomato broth. Sop
up the rich, acidic sauce with a piping-hot pita
alongside your chosen family.
JORDAN CUTLERTIETJEN

Clockwise from top left: Ash’Kara’s bar; the Soon

You Will cocktail; patrons in the dining room;
chicken shawarma; mushroom tagine; labneh

P H O T O G R A P H Y BY I A N WA R R E N
OCTOBER 2021 | 5280 29
DESSERT

TOP TIER
Why Poulette Bakeshop’s five-layer gâteau macaron is a stellar spend.
A suburban Colorado strip mall may be a bit of a departure from the bustling cafes of Paris or San Francisco, just two
of the cities in which pastry power couple Carolyn Nugent and Alen Ramos have perfected their sweets at renowned
bakeries and Michelin-starred restaurants over the past 15 years. But craving more stability for themselves and their
five-year-old son, they moved from Chicago to Denver, where Ramos’ family lives, in 2020. After a successful stint sell-
ing treats out of their townhouse kitchen window via their Ulster Street Pastry pop-up, Nugent and Ramos moved their
operation into a brick-and-mortar in Parker this September. While fans line up for Poulette Bakeshop’s fritters, dough-
nuts, and sticky buns, it’s the lavish patisserie-style treats—like this five-tiered gâteau macaron—that get our blood
sugar pumping. Here, we break down the making of the cake, a seasonally changing, special-order stunner that costs
$160 to $200 (depending on composition) and takes Nugent and Ramos 48 hours to make. ALLYSON REEDY

After the macaron

slabs set for 24 to 36 The top macaron
hours, Nugent and layer is dressed
Ramos make a fresh up with decorative
fruit gelée to coat fall flowers from
each tier. The jelly can Parker’s Mainstreet
be infused with Flower Market.
any flavor profile,
from caramel to curd,
but this autumnal
iteration features
pears spiced with
nutmeg, cinnamon, The chocolate coils
ginger, and vanilla. are essentially giant
macaron cookies:
beautiful, bubble-free
discs of homemade
Each layer also gets dark chocolate ga-
a blanket of fluffy nache hand-piped into
vanilla cream tight, circular spirals.
topped with poached “I spent three weeks
pear, blackberries, piping coils, six hours
and toasted candied a day,” Ramos
almonds. “Everything says of perfecting
is soft—the macaron his macaron-making
is chewy, the vanilla skills at Pierre
cream, the gelée—so Hermé in Paris.
it’s nice to have
something to add a
little bit of crunch,”
Nugent says.

Once it’s all

assembled, they
pipe dark chocolate
ganache around the
circumference and tuck
in more blackberries
along the sides.

P H O T O G R A P H BY S A R A H B A N K S

30 5 2 8 0 OCTOBER 2021
 CRAFT BREWING

space, time, and profits to

Colorado organizations
empowering women and
girls. And yet, less than six
months ago, Lady Justice
hosted a meeting attended
by about 100 people to dis-
cuss the stories of assault,
sexism, and racism in the
American beer industry that
bubbled up on Instagram
and made national headlines
in May 2021.
The event is a reminder
that Colorado is far from
an equitable utopia; like
their counterparts across the
country, women who work
in brewing here have expe-
rienced discrimination and
harassment. Some worry,
however, that the prevailing
narrative of craft brewing as
a bearded, flannel-wearing
boys’ club can obscure the
contributions females have
made—and continue to
make—to the Centen-
nial State’s status as a craft
brewing powerhouse, says
Shawnee Adelson, execu-
Hold My Beer tive director of the Colorado
Brewers Guild. “We, as
This past spring’s reckoning over discrimina- On a warm Friday afternoon in mid- women in the industry, feel
August, beer drinkers begin trickling like it’s important for every-
tion and harassment in the craft brewing into Lady Justice Brewing Company’s body to be treated fairly
industry brought newfound attention to small, light-filled taproom on East and equally, and it’s good
females working in the scene—but Colorado Colfax Avenue in Aurora. On their that people are having these
women want you to know they’ve been way to the bar, they’re greeted by a life- hard conversations and that
size cardboard cutout of the late Ruth [these incidents] are being
here since the very beginning. BY SARAH KUTA Bader Ginsburg, clad in her black U.S. brought to light,” Adelson
Supreme Court robe and white lace says. “We need to broaden
collar—and a tie-dyed, flat-billed hat our expectations of where
bearing the Lady Justice logo. Behind her, colorful “Summer of Queer” T-shirts hang on a wall. As women fit into this industry.
1980s pop rock plays overhead, customers sip their Sandra Day IPAs next to a floor-to-ceiling mural But it’s also important to
of Ginsburg, Black gay rights activist Marsha P. Johnson, and Latina labor leader Dolores Huerta. celebrate the women who
The piece, painted by Denver artist Chelsea Lewinski, is a symbol of the work being done at are already here.”
Mural by Chelsea Lewinski (@chelsealewinski)

Lady Justice. “People love it,” says Betsy Lay, who co-founded the brewery in 2014 with friends
and fellow AmeriCorps volunteers Kate Power and Jen Cuesta but is the sole owner today. “It WHETHER THEY KNOW IT or
signals to people, ‘Hey, we love trailblazing women.’ We want people to know not, women in craft brewing
that women are doing a lot to pave roads and make ways for the rest of us to are following in the female
keep going.” footsteps of thousands who
From left: Lady Justice
It’s easy to feel optimistic about a more inclusive future for craft brewing founders Kate Power, Jen came (way) before them.
after visiting Lady Justice, a queer- and female-owned brewery that donates Cuesta, and Betsy Lay For much of human history,

P H O T O G R A P H BY S A R A H B A N K S
32 5 2 8 0 OCTOBER 2021
ADVERTISEMENT
BRECKENRIDGE DISTILLERY’S
IMMERSIVE WHISKEY EXPERIENCE
IT’S ALL ABOUT QUALIT Y AND A REWARDING GUEST EXPERIENCE.
BRECKENRIDGE DISTILLERY WAS FOUNDED
BY A DOCTOR-TURNED-DISTILLER WITH AN
OVERWHELMING OBSESSION FOR WHISKEY.
It was never Bryan Nolt’s plan to create one of the
fastest growing craft distilleries in the country,
but as it turns out, his whiskey and the guest
experience exploded, and for good reason. This
year, Breckenridge Distillery was ranked as one
of 2021’s top Visitor Attraction of the Year by
Whisky Magazine and claimed their fourth Colorado
Whiskey Distillery of the Year win at the New York
Int’l Spirits Competition.
As their portfolio of awards and recognitions
grow, Breckenridge Distillery continues to elevate
its guest experience. They recently added The
Founders Lab, an immersive whiskey experience
that takes guests on a journey through the senses.
The interactive spirits lab allows guests to not only
taste award-winning spirits, but the opportunity to
BRECKENRIDGEDISTILLERY.COM · 970.547.WSKY (9759)
Written by Jessie Unruh • Photo by Brent Taylor
delve behind the scenes of spirit production. elevated (no pun intended) the craft-makers
scene in Breckenridge when the distillery opened
“Our philosophy is to offer our guests a positive
in 2008,” says Austyn Dineen with Breckenridge
and rewarding experience during their visit, and
Tourism Office. “Like a fine bourbon, when they
to us, that's just as important as the products we
reimagined themselves and added an award-
make,” says Bryan Nolt, Breckenridge Distillery
winning restaurant to their resume in 2016, they
Founder and CEO.
transformed the creative-culinary product that
In the Founders Lab, guests nerd out with Breckenridge is known for today. The new Founder’s
Breckenridge Distillery’s distillers and become Lab is just the cherry on top of an incredible
a master blender for a few magical hours. Their immersive adventure that guests can have on
distillers are experts in nosing, flavor categorization the slopes, on the trail and behind the beaker in
and pairing substrates together to create a whole Breckenridge year-round.”
that far exceeds the expected sum of its parts.
Experience the Breckenridge Distillery. Book
Guests will be taught to break down aggregate
High-end Flights, The Blending Lab, dinner at the
flavors while building a whiskey blend complete with
Breckenridge Distillery Restaurant and more.
mouth feel and finish. To top off the experience,
guests get to hand bottle their creation and add a
customized label.
“The Breckenridge Distillery singled-handedly
 CONTEMPORARY
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TO-GO MARGARITAS
# 1 M A R G A R I TA
SPOT IN DENVER women—not men—have been associ-
ACCORDING TO THE DENVER BUSINESS JOURNAL & YELP
ated with beer-making. Researchers
have traced the drink’s origins back more
TACO TEQUILA TUESDAYS
A L L D AY H A P P Y H O U R
than 5,000 years to ancient Mesopota-
mia (what is now Iraq and Syria), where
B L U E A G AV E G R I L L C O L O R A D O . C O M women were the first brewers. That’s
likely because they were responsible for
grinding grain to make bread and,
eventually, beer.
During the Industrial Revolution in
the mid-19th century, however, men rose
to the forefront of the beer industry in
America (and elsewhere) when homebrew-
ing alone wasn’t enough to satisfy demand.
Large manufacturing facilities, like the one
founded by Adolph Coors in Golden in the
1870s, effectively shut women out of the
world of beer. “Men were more involved
in the brewing process because of the
industrialization of beer,” says Travis Rupp,
a self-described beer archaeologist and
lecturer at the University of Colorado Boul-
der. “Once it became something that was
produced on a mass scale, the general pre-
sumption was that it required more physical
activity, and men then became more domi-
nant in the field.” 
Two of the earliest craft suds pioneers
to prove that notion wrong were Corkie
and Wynne Odell, who co-founded Fort
Collins’ Odell Brewing Company in 1989
with Doug Odell (Corkie’s brother and
Courtesy of New Belgium Brewing

Wynne’s husband). The pair served in vari-

ous influential and highly visible roles:
Wynne managed the brewery’s finances,
Colorado’s own sparkling wine producer. 100% estate grown and bottled.
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 CRAFT BREWING

Powering
hospitality’s
comeback.
Outdoor Recreation,
Tourism, Event Planning,
Brewery Operations From left: Corkie, Doug, and Wynne Odell,
and more. founders of Odell Brewing Company.

shared the title of CEO for many years, a

fact they say set the tone for diversity and
inclusion at the company. “We have rec-
That’s here. ognized over the arc of our 32 years that
having two women in leadership positions
at the brewery created a more welcoming
environment right from the start,” Wynne
says. “Corkie and I weren’t going to put up
with bullshit if we heard about it.”
When the Odell women established
their business, they were in good, albeit
sparse, company. In the early 1990s,
women helped launch several Colo-
rado breweries, using their expertise in
everything from finance and operations
to marketing, sensory science, and beer-
making to grow them into beloved brands
you likely know today: Kim Jordan at
New Belgium Brewing in Fort Collins,
Amanda Bristol at Colorado Springs’
Bristol Brewing Company, Tara Dunn at
Great Divide Brewing Company in Den-
ver. (Dunn also co-founded the Colorado
Brewers Guild in 1995.) While the list
may seem small, so too was the industry
as a whole. In 1993, there were fewer than
450 craft breweries in the United States.
 
TODAY, BECAUSE OF SOCIETAL SHIFTS,
social media pressure, increasing competi-
tion (the United States now has nearly
9,000 craft breweries), or all of the above,
Courtesy of Odell Brewing Company

Get started today. the industry is attempting to expand the

definition of who makes and drinks craft
msudenver.edu/hospitality
msudenver.edu/hospitality beer—and that involves trying to bring
more women and people of color into
the brewhouse. Despite scholarships for

36 5280 | OCTOBER 2021

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brewing courses (funded by breweries,
trade groups, and other national organiza-
tions) for underrepresented communities;
internship and mentorship programs; and
awareness-raising by nonprofits like the
Pink Boots Society (which has five chap-
ters in Colorado), progress has been slow.
In 2015, women made up 29.1 per-
cent of people who reported
drinking craft beer at least
several times a year, according
to national poll data analyzed DiningFind our
Guide,
by the Brewers Association, an extensive
a U.S. trade group based list of area
restaurants, on
in Boulder. In 2018, that page 88
number had increased by and online at
about two percentage points. 5280.com/
restaurants.
Meanwhile, the Brewers
Association only first began
tracking the demographics of craft beer
employees and ownership in 2018, when
it reported that 77.4 percent of brewery
owners in the United States were men
and 22.6 percent were women, and just
two percent of breweries were owned
entirely by women. (In comparison, only
one percent of owners were Black.) When
it comes to actually making the beer, the
numbers were even more skewed: 7.5
percent of brewers and 8.9 percent of pro-
duction managers were women.
Unsurprisingly, the pioneering females
in Colorado’s scene aren’t resting on their
lagers. With Holidaily Brewing Com-
pany in Golden, founder and CEO Karen
Hertz has built the nation’s largest dedi-
cated gluten-free brewery. Founder and
craft at Colorado Springs’ Atrevida Beer
Company, where the majority of employees
are Latina. Brewability Lab owner Tif-
fany Fixter provides jobs for individuals
with developmental disabilities in Engle-
wood. Queer-owned Goldspot Brewing
Co. in northwest Denver and Lady Justice
are determined to create welcoming spaces
for LGBTQ communities. But women
in the industry can’t do it alone, says Lady
Justice’s Lay. She believes the path forward
for the craft beer industry requires more
inclusivity training, better human resources
systems, greater accountability for suppliers
that breweries work with, and men calling
each other out for inappropriate behavior.
“We have many opportunities ahead of

INSPIR E YOU.
us to make some very good, real change
that will only make craft beer better,” Lay
says. “It’s the responsibility of all of us in the
L OV E
industry to just keep pressing on this.” m
FOLLOW @5280HOME

38 5280 | OCTOBER 2021

OU T DOOR S BY N I C H O L AS H U N T

Tag, You’re Not It

Anti-geotagging champions believe their campaigns can help protect fragile ecosystems.

T
Critics say they’re playing a game of keep-away with our most precious public lands,
often at the expense of people of color and LGBTQ communities. Who is right?

he first sign it’s going to be crowded is the trailhead park- It’s an increasingly common scene across the Mountain
ing lot. Or, rather, it’s the overflow of Subarus, Jeeps, and West. Since at least 2015, people have been pointing to social
roof-rack-sporting minivans lining the access road to the media and geotagged photos, which include the name or
parking lot. Still, you think, maybe there’s a chance for geographic coordinates of where an image was taken, as a

solitude. After all, your friend’s geotagged Instagram posts,
which inspired this particular outing, showed an empty
trail snaking through ponderosa pines and a panoramic
high-alpine vista without a soul in sight.
After a handful of miles and several hundred feet of
elevation gain, however, you’ve exchanged more polite
hellos with strangers than you would with your office mates
on a pre-pandemic Monday morning. As you leave the treeline
behind for the final push to the summit, your hope for a quiet
communion with the outdoors fades for good: There’s a queue
to take carefully cropped summit selfies. It’s only when you’re
back in cell service, scrolling through potential photos for your
own feed, that you realize the old adage is true: Even in the
wilderness, you’re not in traffic. You are traffic.
From left: Kristen Curette & Daemaine Hines/Stocksy; Getty Images (3)
major driver behind the exploding popularity of our public
lands. You may not recognize the name Horseshoe Bend, for
example, but chances are you’ve seen pictures of this rose-hued
switchback of the Colorado River just upstream of Grand
Canyon National Park posted by #vanlife influencers or your
road-tripping friends. These days, the Arizona landmark sees
some two million tourists each year, but not long ago it was a
locals’ spot with annual visitors numbering in the low thousands.
During an interview with ABC’s Nightline, Michelle Kerns,
deputy superintendent for Glen Canyon National Recreation
Area, which oversees the site, attributed the increase in large
part to Horseshoe Bend’s trendiness on Instagram.
Simply managing crowds like that would be enough to
cause land managers headaches, but some also harbored

40 5280 | OCTOBER 2021

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OU T DOOR S
concerns about the type of visitors social
media was attracting—many of whom, the
theory went, might not be aware of Leave No
Trace guidelines or wouldn’t be prepared for
the conditions they’d face on the trail, leading
to the degradation of fragile ecosystems and
more search and rescue calls.
In the Roaring Fork Valley, the Aspen
Chamber Resort Association (ACRA), which,
among other obligations, operates four visitor
information centers, was determined to do
something about the issue after five people
died attempting to summit 14,131-foot Capitol
Peak in 2017. The following year, the ACRA
created the Aspen Pledge, which asks visitors
to recreate safely and responsibly by staying
on known trails, being prepared for inclement
weather, and, half-jokingly, not skiing in jeans.
Then, in 2019, to address overcrowding,
the organization came up with a seemingly
straightforward solution: If social media
users didn’t include the name or location of
where their photos were taken, other users
wouldn’t know where to go and how to find
the obscure spots. Instead, it encouraged visi-
tors to use a generic geotag that simply read
#TagResponsiblyTakeTheAspenPledge and
asked locals to help get the word out.
42 5280 | OCTOBER 2021
“The idea is not to hide something like the Reactions were published everywhere from
Maroon Bells,” says Eliza Voss, the ACRA’s Outside magazine to the New York Times, but
vice president of destination marketing. “It’s one piece stood out from the rest with an
to not tag a place that might be lesser-known eye-catching headline: “5 Reasons Why You
because you don’t want to expose somewhere Should Keep Geotagging.” Reason number
that doesn’t have the infrastructure to handle one? “Gatekeeping Is Racist.”
large groups.” As an added benefit, those “Most of the articles begin with a white
who were determined to visit the backcoun- writer reminiscing over a much-beloved hot
try locales populating their
Instagram feeds would have
to seek out more informa- “You can’t just get on your soapbox
tion first, and in the process
hopefully learn a little more and...tell them they should care about
about how to get there safely
and sustainably.
this thing they don’t have access to.”
The ACRA’s campaigns
were just one part of a national movement. spring, a treasured swimming hole, or a rustic
In June 2018, the Boulder-based Leave No hiking trail from childhood that has now been
Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics posted social ‘ruined’ by a sudden influx of selfie-taking
media guidelines to augment the minimum- hikers,” Danielle Williams wrote in the post,
impact practices it champions for adventuring which was published in May 2019 on Mela-
in the outdoors. Chief among them was asking nin Basecamp, a blog and digital community
users to “think about their actions and the she founded in 2016 to increase the visibility
potential consequences of posting pictures, of people of color and LGBTQ folks in the
GPS data, detailed maps, etc. to social media.” outdoors. “They never stop to consider that
In the months that followed, Jackson Hole, their childhood was privileged with outdoor
Wyoming, and Bend, Oregon, launched their experiences not available to the majority of
own campaigns. working-class families in the United States.”
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OU T DOOR S
In Williams’ view, the anti-geotagging
movement is blame-shifting. “Most people
are starting from a good place, which is want-
ing to protect the outdoors,” she says, “but
it should be protected from what instead of
from whom. More often than not, it’s the
latter. It’s people thinking in terms of which
communities are inherently bad for the out-
doors.” In other words, it is a dog whistle for
excluding urban, often people of color and
LGBTQ, visitors.
44 5280 | OCTOBER 2021
So instead of addressing issues like the
underfunding of the Department of the Inte-
rior, which has led to $12 billion worth of
delayed repairs at National Park Service sites
across the country, Williams says people are
focusing their energy on excluding groups
that don’t embody their definition of out-
doorsmanship. All of which is particularly
ironic to Williams because conservation is
Indigenous in origin, and the idea that the
wilderness is pristine and untouched erases
thousands of years of Native American land
use and stewardship.
“There was no appreciation for the fact that
people need outdoor experiences to fall in love
with the outdoors, and then to be brought
into the fold of the conservation community,”
she says. “You can’t just get on your soapbox
and...tell them they should care about this
thing they don’t have access to.” Because while
many public lands are free, accessing them is
not without cost in terms of transportation,
time, equipment, and, especially, knowledge.
On top of that, there is evidence that the
stereotype that those who use social media
to find out about wild spaces are harmful to
the outdoors is just that: a stereotype.
IN SUMMER 2018, THEODORA DOYON was a
visitor-use assistant at Grand Teton National
Park where she mostly collected fees at the
Moose Entrance station just north of Jackson
Hole. “I started to realize there were these
narratives around social media visitors,” she
says. “That they didn’t have the same level of
understanding or appreciation of the outdoors
as other groups.” That fall, she enrolled at
Humboldt State University, on the rugged
California coast about five hours north of
San Francisco, to pursue a master’s degree in
social science focused on the intersection of
the environment and human communities.
Curious to find out whether any of those
characterizations were true, she wrote her
thesis on the topic.
Doyon surveyed visitors at California’s
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, home
to some of the largest and oldest redwood
trees in the state, about their social media
habits and how they recreate and engage with
wild spaces. She found, among other things,
that social media was drawing new visitors
to the park, indicating that it contributes to
the crowding of our outdoor spaces.
But many of the stereotypes about those
visitors—that they are inexperienced in oper-
ating safely in the outdoors, don’t care about
protecting the environment, or aren’t as engaged
with their surroundings—didn’t square with
her findings. For example, those who used
social media for outdoor recreation purposes
reported being just as comfortable in the
outdoors as their social-media-shy peers, and
all visitors claimed to follow Leave No Trace
principles at similar rates, regardless of their
social media engagement. And far from being
disengaged, visitors with high rates of social
media use planned to participate in more
activities in the park than low-use groups.
“I think there’s kind of this false narrative
that people just see something online and say,
‘Oh, I’m going there,’ and then don’t Google
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 OU T DOOR S
the place,” says Doyon, now a partnership
coordinator at the U.S. Forest Service in
Golden. “Not having a geotag is not going
to stop people from wanting to go there, and
it’s not giving them the information they
need [to do so responsibly].”
The ACRA and others who’ve imple-
mented tag-responsibly campaigns, however,
all say that education is one of their main
goals. “I have seen [the criticism], and I think
it goes to the fact that no good deed goes
unpunished,” says the ACRA’s Voss. “Our
stance was, we were not trying to be exclu-
sionary, but that we were trying to create an
atmosphere of sustainable tourism.” A key
part of that is encouraging tourists to seek
out more information, whether online or in
person from a ranger or local.
That notion highlights a fundamental
disconnect: How can someone ask about a
place when they don’t know where it is or
what it’s called? While a visitor center or a
ranger might be willing to help track down
a locale from an Instagram image, Doyon
says that when she lived in Jackson Hole
there was an unwritten rule among the locals
that if a tourist asked about a secret spot, you
should just say you’d never heard of it. That’s
the power of geotagging, she says. It democ-
ratizes the spread of information.
Doyon’s study was small, with just one loca-
tion and a little more than 500 respondents,
and more research needs to be done. But there
is anecdotal evidence that anti-geotagging
campaigns are reducing backcountry accidents.
Grand Teton National Park’s Delta Lake,
a high alpine body of water located below a
shark-tooth-shaped mountain, is not acces-
sible by an official trail, but that hasn’t stopped
visitors from attempting the 4.1 miles and
2,349 feet of elevation gain it takes to get
there. It’s a grueling hike, and search and
rescue operations are common. “They don’t
have exact numbers,” says Kate Sollitt, execu-
tive director of the Jackson Hole Travel and
Tourism Board, “but I’ve had conversations
with the park, and the following summer
[after the board’s tag-responsibly campaign
launched], they told me they had fewer inci-
dents in that area.”
It’s all but impossible to establish cause
and effect between the number of search and
rescue calls and the number of people geotag-
ging Delta Lake on their social media feeds,
but the decrease in incidents is compelling,
especially as the pandemic continues to cause
an unprecedented surge in outdoor recreation.
According to the Boulder-based Outdoor
Foundation, 8.1 million more Americans
went hiking in 2020 than in 2019, and while
White River National Forest’s designated
46 5280 | OCTOBER 2021
campgrounds were already at capacity, the
forest, which surrounds Aspen and contains
the Maroon Bells and Capitol Peak, is see-
ing more dispersed camping, more cars at
trailheads, more stand-up paddleboarders,
more mountain bikers, more everything,
according to Roger Poirier, a U.S. Forest
Service recreation, heritage, and lands staff
officer. Trails that aren’t designed for that
kind of traffic can quickly experience nega-
tive impacts such as erosion, trail widening,
and braiding. So although forest officials
recognize the power social media has to
connect people to nature, Poirier says they
also encourage efforts like anti-geotagging
to reduce environmental degradation.
Williams is all for protecting fragile spaces,
but two years after her blog post called out
anti-geotagging campaigns, she still believes
there are better ways to do it, such as increasing
funding, building the trails and infrastructure
needed to handle the ever-growing crowds,
and implementing reservation systems. “Do
reservations disadvantage certain communi-
ties? I know they do,” she says. “But if the
alternative is that only people who have the
secret, special knowledge can come, let’s go
for that option rather than the worst option.”
Another place to start is simply to have
these difficult conversations and center them
on marginalized communities, something the
Leave No Trace Center is trying to do. In
September 2020, a little more than two years
after it released its first social media ethics
guide, the organization published an update on
its blog that started with these words: “Leave
No Trace is not anti-geotagging.” Gone were
any mentions of thinking before including
location information with your photos. Instead,
the new post re-emphasizes how to use your
digital soapbox to educate your followers and
promote sustainable recreation.
Dana Watts, the center’s executive director,
doesn’t hesitate to say criticism played a role
in the change. “We never work in a vacuum,”
she says. “We always try to craft our messaging
in a collaborative way, but that doesn’t mean
it’s perfect. We’ll get a lot of comments and
feedback. It’s not 100 percent positive, but
it allows us to adjust and look at how we’ve
said something or if we’ve missed something.”
For her part, Williams hasn’t really kept up
with the debate, but she’s glad the conversa-
tion is still happening. “It’s not my job to win
the internet for geotagging, so I’ve kind of
said my piece,” she says. “But it’s great that
people are talking about it, because we can
do better.” m
Nicholas Hunt is 5280’s senior associate editor.
Email feedback to letters@5280.com.
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F I R S T PE R S ON BY M A R T I N J . SM I T H
The Home Stretch
Slowing down to enjoy life’s final act from a house
by the side of the road in rural Grand County.
A
venerable friend stops by one day to recommend a
poem. He’s on his way to fish the Colorado River,
which runs between our houses, but instead steers his
old truck into our gravel driveway, apparently with
a singular purpose.
His name is Walt. He once was a big-time Wall
Street bond trader. He’s hard to reach now because
he never answers his phone. “I spent too many years
with one of those things stuck in my ear,” he says. I
didn’t know him then. I just know him now, as the
84-year-old who hugs his wife goodbye each spring,
motors away from his home in New Jersey and, for
six months a year, lives alone in a Grand County hayfield.
During his annual Colorado idyll, Walt reads weighty
and important books. (He’s just finishing up an 800-plus-
page biography of Mao Zedong.) He listens to music. For
exercise, he rides his bike five miles into town and rewards
himself with breakfast. Some days he fishes. Then, when Rocky
Mountain weather becomes less hospitable in November,
he heads back to the East Coast. It’s been the same routine
for decades.
When I tell people about Walt, the reaction is predict-
able and universal: Now there’s a guy who has it all figured out.
48 5280 | OCTOBER 2021
Which is why I’m always happy to see him turn into our
driveway. He steps out and approaches the front porch where I
sit. Sometimes I work there. More often than not, I don’t. On
this bright and clear day, I’m just sitting and thinking, wav-
ing at occasional passers-by like a Walmart greeter. Anyway,
Walt says my presence on our porch reminds him of a poem.
He can’t remember the writer’s name, but he remembers the
title: “The House by the Side of the Road.”
“Look it up,” Walt says, and after he leaves, I do. It’s by
the late Sam Walter Foss, and it begins like this:
There are hermit souls that live withdrawn
In the peace of their self-content;
There are souls, like stars, that dwell apart,
In a fellowless firmament;
There are pioneer souls that blaze their paths
Where highways never ran;—
But let me live by the side of the road
And be a friend to man.
It occurs to me at that moment how blessed I am, to have
arrived at a time and place in life where a well-read friend
feels free to stop by unannounced, just to recommend a poem.
I L L U S T R AT I O N BY S TA N F E L L O W S
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F I R S T PE R S ON

LIKE MOST PEOPLE WE KNOW, my wife and
I spent decades buried in the bittersweet
mania of city life. Heads down, we ground
through a triathlon of demanding profes-
sional lives, active kids, and the endless
obligations demanded by both. I marvel
that we managed two full careers (me as
a writer and editor, she as a city manager)
without ever being laid off or fired, raised
two children who seem reasonably happy,
and never had to deal with any serious
health issues.
We are privileged, without question. And
lucky. But we also made a lot of choices
that led us to this particular front porch.
We’ve always lived simply and within our
means. We drive our cars for a decade or
more. We pay our credit card bills in full
every month. Vacations? We took them but
always waited until we had the money to
pay for them. Turns out, living deliberately
all those years eventually presented us with
an amazing late-life opportunity.
I have always believed that our lives, like
most good stories, unfold in three distinct
acts. In the first act, we become who we are
and set a course for the future. In the second
act—the “murky middle,” I call it—our lives
become increasingly complicated. Conflicts
arise. Drama ensues.
The third and final act—that’s the tough
one, in both fiction and real life. We so want
it to end well. If that final act seems illogical
or deeply flawed, the resolution isn’t satisfy-
ing. No one wants to look back on their own
story as being inconclusive or a regrettable
waste of time. So, as we approached our 60th
birthdays, my wife and I found ourselves with
the chance to make a profound choice: What
did we want our third act to be?
FOR YEARS, WE HAD INVESTED some of our
earnings in a house my older sister built on a
few acres just outside of Granby. She was an
incomparably gracious soul, and she designed
the kind of place that had the power to instantly
melt the tension from our shoulders each
time we rolled into the driveway, to make
us forget the urban stress in our rearview
mirror, and to make us say, “Aah.” My sister,
a mother of six, spent 18 years there, mostly
alone, creating a precious private place where
she could live out her days exactly how she
wanted. Between visits from her kids and
grandkids, she’d sit on the porch, smoking
and thinking and watching the world pass
by. I believe that she, like her friend and
neighbor Walt, had it all figured out.
When my sister died at 72 in September
2015, we considered our options. Selling the
place seemed wrong, and we never gave it
serious thought. But keeping it meant mov-
ing from the teeming Southern California
hardscape where we’d lived our hectic sec-
ond act to a ranching town of around 2,000
people. It meant leaving behind the security
of a satisfying job, longtime friends, and our
grown children. It meant finding an off-ramp
from our fast-lane lives and starting over,
committing to an unfamiliar way of life a
thousand miles from everything we’d known.
I had a role model. In 1938, writer E.B.
White left a soaring Manhattan career and lit
out for rural Maine. His collection of essays
from that period, One Man’s Meat, reads for me
like an escape fantasy, as it played out during
White’s generation. Without that decision,
he might have toiled the rest of his career
among the skyscrapers of Manhattan, and
the world might never have gotten the gift
that is Charlotte’s Web.
White may as well have been speaking for
my wife and me when, during a 1942 interview,
he said he moved to a distant farm “because

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Denver Place Dentistry
is proud to announce
the addition of Dr. Scott
Kissinger to the practice.
He brings over 25 years of
experience and is highly
skilled in all aspects of
general dentistry, placing
and restoring implants,
completing root canals, and
more. With his addition,
WKH\QRZR΍HUH[WHQGHG
business hours and a full
scope of dental services all
under one roof.
Located conveniently in
downtown Denver, Denver
3ODFHR΍HUVVHFXUHSDUNLQJ
in an underground garage
and the building meets and
exceeds all city and county
public safety standards.

D R . G A RY M. R A D Z
DR. SCOTT KISSINGER 2021

DR. GARY RADZ DR. SCOTT KISSINGER Creating Sensational Smiles in Denver Since 1999

303.857.5978 | DowntownDenverDentist.com
50 5280 | OCTOBER 2021
 OCTOBER 19-24
A luminous, nighttime celebration!

Get tickets and details at botanicgardens.org

Tickets must be purchased in advance.

SUPPORTING
SPONSOR
F I R S T PE R S ON
it was something we’d always wanted to do,
and we could do…. A good many people in
New York seem to think that going to live
on a farm the year round, especially a farm so
far away, is some sort of height of affectation.
They seem to think that you must be either
washed up or very rich to do it. But we just
wanted to do it.”
BY THE SPRING OF 2016, we were convinced
the universe was sending us a clear sign, a
52 5280 | OCTOBER 2021
flashing arrow directing us to a clearly marked
exit. We weren’t quite sure if I could find
enough work to make it possible, or how
exactly the accounting would play out, but we
imagined a satisfying third act set amid Grand
County’s ranches and accessible wildness.
Historian Robert C. Black III once called
the county an “island in the Rockies,” and
even in Granby, its largest city, that remains
true today. Westward migration carried many
homesteaders to the base of the mountains
that rise just beyond Denver, but they tended
to move beyond Grand County and the Con-
tinental Divide like a stream flowing past a
massive rock. It was just easier to go around
than over.
As a result, this part of Colorado’s Middle
Park is still relatively unpopulated. We’re cur-
rently watching a pandemic-driven land rush
fueled by remote workers fleeing cities, and
we’re warily noting the increasing number
of ski-racked Teslas and Range Rovering
Realtors cruising past our porch. But for
now, we can still get fresh eggs from nearby
ranchers and pay for them by leaving cash
in an honor box. The woman who used to
run the local post office always greeted us
by name and seldom had to ask for our box
number when we picked up a package. We’re
tuned in to the natural world in ways we’ve
never been before, and for the first time,
we’re enjoying life on a human scale. Five
years in, and we’ve downshifted into joyful
slow motion.
Our choice to live by the side of the
road may not work for everybody in this
hyperwired, need-it-now world. There are
undeniable pleasures to living in a place where
you can get good Thai food whenever the
mood strikes, or where getting yourself to
an airport doesn’t involve serious logistical
calculus. But this life suits us. Even as we
consider the cost of a dinner out more than
we once did. Even as we limit our travel to
places where the dogs can come along. Even
as we struggled to pay for health insurance
until Medicare kicked in.
Regrets? Not one. Our third act, so far,
has been the energizing revelation I’d hoped
it would be. True, the world may be pass-
ing me by. I’m OK with that and find the
distance and solitude a tonic. My role now,
as I see it, is to wave and wish those travel-
ers well. Or, as the final stanza of the Foss
poem puts it:
Let me live in my house by the side of
the road
Where the race of men go by—
They are good, they are bad, they are weak,
they are strong,
Wise, foolish—so am I.
Then why should I sit in the scorner’s seat
Or hurl the cynic’s ban?
Let me live in my house by the side of
the road
And be a friend to man. m
Martin J. Smith is the author of five novels and five
nonfiction books, including Going to Trinidad: A Doctor,
a Colorado Town, and Stories from an Unlikely Gen-
der Crossroads. Email feedback to letters@5280.com.
 Busy fall schedules mean family time can be hard to
come by. Gaylord Rockies makes quality time easy
with meals to share and fun activities to enjoy,
MORE CONNECTION all without leaving the resort.

EXPERIENCE MORE AT
GaylordRockies.com

MORE ADVENTURE
  
   

REALTOR
PROFILES
October 2021
 REALTOR
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
PROFILES

Anne Dresser Kocur

L I V S OT H E B Y ’ S I N T E R N AT I O N A L R E A LT Y

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 FOR MORE INFORMATION,
CONTACT ARI BEN
720.266.6240 OR ARI@5280.COM

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JONI SCHRANTZ

It’s always grilling season at Uncle’s Speer location, where chef-

owner Tommy Lee and sous chef Sean May offer a tightly curated
menu of yakitori (Japanese-style skewered chicken). Choose from
nearly a dozen poultry preparations—for which May butchers up to
20 whole birds per week—including meatballs with cured egg yolk,
dirty-rice-stuffed wings, and green-miso-cloaked breast. The lineup
is available for dinner Monday through Thursday, making it a finger-
licking cure to your weeknight blues. Starting at $4 per stick

OCTOBER 2021 | 5280 63

4545 BEST
BEST DISHES
DISHES

So Radish’s fried
cauliflower tacos

SMART SWAPS
Even if you eat meat, trading in your go-to animal-protein-centric dishes for these
standout vegetarian renditions is a choice you’ll feel good about.
IF YOU’RE ORDER
CRAVING... THE... AT... BECAUSE... 

A bacon- Loaded The Easy Vegan pop-up at This hollowed-out spud—stacked with fire-roasted Hatch chiles, garlic
crumble-topped elote baked the City Park and South whipped potatoes, charred corn, Tajín aïoli, and other toppings—is an ele-
baked potato  potato Pearl Street farmers’ markets vated, improved version of the cafeteria staple, even without the meat. $12

Al pastor Fried So Radish in Arvada A nutty cilantro-cashew crema, slices of avocado, and pickled red onion add
tacos cauliflower pizzazz to nuggets of golden cauliflower, a winning alternative to traditional
tacos street tacos loaded with pig. $14

Corned Vegetable Sullivan Scrap Kitchen Crispy potatoes and a medley of in-season goodies like Hazel Dell mush-
beef hash hash in City Park West rooms and eggplant offer a nourishing base for two eggs cooked your way.
Get it during weekend brunch at the zero-waste restaurant. $13

Wings Seitan Fire On the Mountain in A selection of 15 tongue-tingling sauces, including spicy peanut and rasp-
wings Washington Park West and berry habanero, punches up vegan wings made with crunchy, house-made
West Highland seitan (a wheat-based protein). Starting at $10 for six

Chicken Veggie Konjo Ethiopian Food’s Three slow-cooked vegan dishes—choose among miser (red lentils), gomen with
tibs Delight Edgewater Public Market dinich (spinach and potatoes), tikel gomen (cabbage, carrots, and potatoes),
stall and food truck and kik (yellow split peas)—come with sheets of injera for scooping. $13

64 5280 | OCTOBER 2021

 FRIED
WHICH ’WICH?
Denverites are lucky to live in a haven of handheld meals. Let
CHICKEN us guide you to the one that will satisfy your cravings.
SIGNATURE WINGS
dMono Mono Korean Want
Fried Chicken Obviously. something Nah.
fried?
LoDo and City Park

In 2021, Mono Mono opened two

locations in Denver, introducing a ros-
ter of nearly a dozen Korean crispy How do
Land or you like
chicken dishes. Its audibly crunchy your
sea?
wings are fried in two stages at lower bread?
temperatures, allowing the fat to render
from the skin to achieve a light, crackly
crust. Ask for them doused in the res-
taurant’s Hot & Spicy sauce. Starting at
Fish are food,
$11 for six not friends. I dig pig. Pillowy soft.

Pirate Alley’s Open’s Toru BØH’s Piada torta

COUNTRY KAARAGE
Pony Up
LoDo
When you’re throwing a few back at
Pony Up, it’s almost impossible not to
order one of the five stellar French dips,
but the bar’s take on Japanese fried
chicken is inspiring patrons to adopt a
new go-to. The meaty strips of boneless
thigh meat are flavored with hints of gin-
ger, garlic, and soy sauce and coated
in a flaky, durable crust that remains
From left: Courtesy of Mono Mono Korean Fried Chicken; Courtesy of Jake Riederer
shrimp po’ boy
Kyle and Katy Foster (the
husband-and-wife team
behind now-closed Julep)
make several iterations
of the classic Louisiana
sandwich at Pirate Alley,
a takeout-only, lunchtime
pop-up at Stir Cooking
School. The version with
lightly battered fried shrimp,
sweet remoulade, shred-
ded lettuce, and pickled
green tomatoes on a Vinh
Xuong Bakery baguette of-
fers a taste of NOLA in the
heart of Highland. $14
katsu sandwich
At Open—a walk-up kitchen
inside Congress Park’s Goose-
town Tavern—this behemoth
features a hefty panko-breaded
and fried pork cutlet, sliced
cabbage, luscious katsu sauce,
and spicy Japanese mustard
snuggled between two slices
of Broomfield’s Enchanted
Oven shokupan. Owner Jake
Riederer tapped Matsuhisa
chef Toru Watanabe to submit
the recipe for Open’s menu,
which sports a rotating roster
of sandwiches from six to eight
local culinary pros. $15
Lurking in the Dairy Block
alleyway at the Free Market
entrance is counter-service
taqueria BØH, where chef de
cuisine Michael Diaz de Leon
piles cochinita pibil—moist,
achiote-pepper-rubbed
pork—inside a squishy torta
pocket made from locally
hand-milled Dry Storage flour
and baked in a hearth oven
on-site. A tangle of tangy
xnipec pickled onions and a
smear of zesty salsa aguacate
(avocado and tomatillo
salsa) add oomph to the
lunchtime feast. $12
Crusty and toasty.
What’s

crisp—even through a third round. $12 more

tantalizing
to you?
FRIED CHICKEN
Welton Street Cafe
Five Points

The Dickersons have served Southern

and Caribbean fare—including some
of the juiciest, crunchiest fried chicken in
town—at this beloved Five Points institu-
tion for 22 years. The bone-in pieces
are generously rubbed with a family-
recipe seasoning mixture before they’re
dredged in flour and fried until golden
brown. If choosing just two of the 15
sides seems daunting, take our advice:
Get the collard greens. $23
Pork on pork.
Elita Specialty Kitchen’s Cubano
Inside Aurora’s Stanley Marketplace, chef-owner
Raquela Serber decks out her masterpiece with citrus-
and garlic-tinged mojo pork, smoky ham, Swiss cheese,
hibiscus-pickled onions, and kosher pickles, all set inside
a bolillo roll from nearby Mercado Azteca & Deli. The
sandwich is seared a la plancha with butter for a heav-
enly, afternoon-nap-inducing meal. $13
Slow-smoked
red meat.
Pho King Rapidos’ pho banh mi
For this food truck’s mash-up of two iconic Vietnamese
dishes, owners Long Nguyen and Shauna Seaman
smoke up to 70 pounds of brisket per week. The thinly
sliced, star-anise-scented meat is presented on a French
baguette dressed with pickled red onion, sliced jala-
peños, Thai basil, cilantro, English cucumbers, scallions,
and hoisin-and-Sriracha-spiced barbecue sauce. $15

OCTOBER 2021 | 5280 65

RISE & SHINE
No matter what you’re doing later, give your Saturday or
Sunday morning the decadent start it deserves.
BEFORE YOU: Go to the Broncos game
GET THE: Buddy Mary at Baba & Pop’s
Handmade Pierogi in Aurora
This joint’s Sunday brunch lineup stars rib-
sticking offerings (think: pierogi and kielbasa
Benedicts). But the most indulgent item lives
on the drink menu: The Buddy Mary is stud-
ded with a parade of skewered accoutrements,
including fried chicken kebabs, potato and cheese
pierogi, kielbasa sausage, pickled veggies, and
cheese curds. Weighing in at 50 ounces, it’s the
pregame cocktail of champions. $48
BEFORE YOU: Head up the hill to hike
GET THE: Breakfast sandwich at Chicken
Rebel in Highland or Westminster
Since debuting in Denver as a food truck four
years ago, this cult favorite has expanded its
chicken sandwich empire into two brick-and-
mortar outposts. To give her gargantuan classic
fried chicken breast stacker a brunch hour make-
over, chef-owner Lydie Lovett adds a fried egg
and two thick slices of bacon. Bonus: The West-
minster location has a drive-thru, so you can pick
up a delicious distraction from I-70 traffic without
leaving your car. $12
BEFORE YOU: Shop for clothes with Mom
GET THE: Bombolinis at Annette in Aurora
Biting into one of chef-owner Caroline Glover’s
bombolinis is a brunch lover’s dream come true—
but only if you don’t sleep in, since the sourdough
66 5280 | OCTOBER 2021
Italian doughnuts, available exclusively on Sun-
day mornings, often sell out quickly. This fall,
look for flavors like pear cream with cinnamon
sugar and raspberry cream with lemon sugar—
sustenance that will keep you smiling no matter
what feedback Mom has for you. $4 each
BEFORE YOU: Catch up on your inbox
GET THE: Ajarski at House of Bread in
south Denver
South Parker Road gained a destination for
Armenian, Georgian, and other international
morning fare when House of Bread arrived in
November 2020. One of the family-owned bak-
ery’s most popular dishes is the ajarski, a hearty
baked-to-order meal of two eggs nestled in an
oval-shaped bread boat with a layer of melty
mozzarella and feta. To stimulate your brain
cells, pair the knife-and-fork affair with a cup of
potent, unfiltered Armenian coffee. Starting at $11
BEFORE YOU: Binge Netflix all day
GET THE: Biscuits and gravy at American
Elm in West Highland
Chef Brent Turnipseede’s bevy of killer weekend
brunch specialties includes a glorious platter of
giant brown butter biscuits blanketed with rich,
black-pepper-flecked gravy. And, just to ensure
you don’t leave the couch for the rest of the day,
the dish is served with a side of smashed tots,
which are best consumed “Elm style”; that is,
coated in smoked cheddar, pickled Fresno pep-
pers, sliced scallions, and bacon bits. $14
Baba & Pop’s Handmade
Pierogi’s Buddy Mary
KOREAN-
STYLE
CORN
DOGS
KOREAN CORNFLAKE DOG
VGinger Pig
Sunnyside
Chef-owner Natascha Hess
excels at playful Pan-Asian eats,
and her fried dinner on a stick—
a Nathan’s hot dog wrapped in
yeasted dough, rolled in panko
and cornflakes, dusted with sugar,
and fancied up with a combination
of ketchup, mustard, sliced scal-
lions, and black and white sesame
seeds—is no exception. $10
CHEESE DOG
Mukja Food Truck
This mobile eatery’s bestseller
consists of a baton of gooey fried
cheese dusted with sugar and
garnished with spicy ketchup
and homemade honey mustard.
You can also get it topped with
crumbled Flamin’ Hot Cheetos
and nacho cheese or with mayo,
Parmesan, and Tajín. Both are
delectable options. Starting at $4
TOKYO CRUNCH DAWG
Mama’s Noodle Cafe
From left: Courtesy of Lucy Beaugard; Courtesy of Jeff Fierberg
Greenwood Village
Mama’s Noodle Cafe’s proxim-
ity to Cherry Creek High School
inspired chef-owner Thuan La to
invent this portable, takeout-friendly
snack. To satisfy teenage appetites,
he enshrines Hebrew National beef
franks in thin rice flour batter and
rice bits and showers them with var-
ious toppings, like the Tokyo’s sweet
unagi tare (eel sauce), Kewpie
mayo, and garlicky seasoning. $6
 45 BEST DISHES

HOLY
POZOLE
A guide to enjoying La Diabla
Your very own
lime squeezer!

Pozole y Mezcal’s divine stew.

Pozolerias may not be ubiquitous in Denver, but
neither were taquerias 10 years ago, when chef Jose
Avila brought Machete Tequila & Tacos to town.
His latest venture, which opened in Ballpark in June,
is an homage to the mom-and-pop shops across
his hometown of Mexico City that specialize in the
meat-and-hominy-studded broth. (Avila even offers a
two-for-the-price-of-one deal on Thursdays, a com-
mon practice in the City of Palaces.) “Most pozole
in Denver restaurants comes out of a can,” Avila says.
“I don’t blame them; it’s not what they do. But we
want to do it the way it should be done.” That means
importing dry heirloom Oaxacan corn and nixtamal-
izing it (boiling it with lime sodium and rinsing off the
film with water, Avila says, “over and over and over”).
Then, the large kernels must be peeled by hand, one
at a time, before they’re ready to cook overnight in the
broth, which doesn’t leave the stove until
it hits your bowl. $17 —Jessica LaRusso

STEP 1: Choose your caldo. The blanco is

“just a straight-up good broth, no secrets,” Avila
says. The rojo gets its smoky flavor from dried
chiles, including guajillos and puyas, and the
verde is bright and fresh, with pepitas and
poblano peppers.

STEP 2: Select shredded Alamosa-sourced chicken

or cabeza de cerdo (pig’s head) from hogs raised
on Avila’s Wellington farm. Their bones help give the
caldo its rich flavor.

STEP 3: When your meal arrives, mix in the tangle of

lettuce, cabbage, radish, and onions on top
(you can also add avocado and chicharróns)—or
leave it floating, which provides a delightful crunch.
“There are no rules,” Avila says.

STEP 4: Use the provided handheld plastic

juicer to sprinkle the dish with fresh lime juice and
amp up the heat level with a squeeze of hot sauce.

STEP 5: Scoop up your first bites with the accom-

panying crunchy tostada, which is hardened on a
flattop grill instead of being fried in oil. When that’s
gone, turn to your spoon—until you need to bring
the bowl to your lips to slurp up the last drops.

OCTOBER 2021 | 5280 67

45 BEST DISHES
KNOW YOUR NOODLE
A primer on today’s tastiest Italian, Japanese, and Chinese carbs—and
where in the Mile High City to find them.
Anolini
\ ah-no-lee-nee
Origin: Italy
Form: A crescent- or circular-
shaped ravioli (filled pasta) with
ruffled edges
Source: At Restaurant Olivia in
Washington Park, chef Ty Leon’s
anolini changes with the seasons.
This fall, he’s stuffing half-dollar-size
rounds of pasta with earthy squash
and serving them in a sage butter
and huckleberry-compote-sweetened
sauce with pieces of king crab. $25
Capellini
\ kah-peh-lee-nee
Origin: Italy
Form: Threads of pasta that are
slightly thicker than angel hair
Source: To make the aglio e olio at
Highland’s Spuntino, chef Cindhura
Reddy and chef de cuisine Austin
Nickel hand-roll tresses of capel-
lini, which are tossed in a sauce built
from Reddy’s South Indian garlic
pickles, Corto olive oil, garlic-
cilantro breadcrumbs, and a
63-degree poached egg. $27
Dao Xiao Mian
\ dow-show-mee-en
Origin: China
Form: Wide, flat rice noodles
peeled from a slab of dough
using a knife
Source: Ask for the Chinese
menu at Blue Ocean, off East Bel-
leview Avenue in south Denver, to
find the no-frills restaurant’s dao
xiao mian, listed as “knife-shaved
noodles.” The soft, melt-in-your-
mouth shards are made fresh
and simmered in a gently spiced,
chicken-soup-like broth with bits
of pork, tomato, and cabbage. $14
68 5280 | OCTOBER 2021
Lamian
\ la-mee-en
Origin: China
Form: Noodles fashioned by
twisting, stretching, and folding
wheat flour dough into thin or
wide strands
Source: On food truck Yuan
Wonton’s rotating menu, chef-
owner Penelope Wong recently
debuted a wide-belted lamian
dish. The best part? Each single-
serving plate comprises one
chewy, painstakingly pulled-to-
order noodle slicked with spicy
sesame sauce. $8
Mixian
\ mix-see-en
Origin: China
Form: A slippery, spaghettilike
rice noodle
Source: Ten Seconds Yunnan
Rice Noodles on South Havana
Street in Aurora specializes in
mixian rice noodle soup from
China’s Yunnan province. Get
the Original, a stone bowl of pork
broth accompanied by a side of
noodles and other add-ins—slices
of ham, wood ear mushrooms,
minced pork—for dunking and
slurping. $13
Pappardelle 
\ pah-pahr-del-eh
Origin: Italy
Form: A long, extra-wide pasta
with rippled ends
Source: Everything on chef
Cody Cheetham’s handmade
pasta menu at LoDo’s Tav-
ernetta is excellent—but this fall,
his pappardelle is our order of
choice. The noodles are enam-
eled with a wild mushroom ragu
and taleggio fonduta (an Italian-
style fondue). Market price
Ramen
\ rah-men
Origin: China
Form: A variation of lamian
that’s often served in a savory
meat- or fish-based broth in
Japanese cuisine
Source: Chef-owner Takashi
Tamai makes fresh noodles every
morning at Sunnyside’s Ramen
Star. Tuck into a bowl of his
shoyu ramen: a vegetarian broth
laden with sliced green onions,
fermented bamboo shoots,
mixed fresh greens, corn, bean
sprouts, and a potato pierogi
(yes, really). $17
Triangoli
\ tree-an-go-lee
Origin: Italy
Form: A triangular-shaped ravi-
oli with fluted edges
Source: At Benzina in South
Park Hill, executive chef Daniele
Bolognini injects delicate trian-
goli with a celery root and cheese
mixture and tops the delicate
dumplings with fresh truffles and
Grana Padano cheese. $29
Tavernetta’s pappardelle
with mushroom ragu
and taleggio fonduta
BURGERS
PORK BURGER
Sunday Vinyl Wine Bar
LoDo

Tavernetta’s vinyl-spinning sister

excels at bites that complement a
good glass of wine, and that rep-
ertoire includes a juicy pork patty
nestled inside a fluffy potato bun
with a handful of thinly shredded
lettuce. It’s presented alongside a
pile of crispy fries—a simple yet sat-
isfying partner for whatever vintage
you’re sipping. $18

SLUG BURGER
Split Lip Chicken at
Number 38
RiNo

This former pop-up from Ultreia

executive chef Adam Branz and
partners David Wright and Jessica
Richter found a permanent home at
RiNo food hall Number 38 in Sep-
tember. The hot chicken sandwiches
are divine, but it’s the Slug Burger
we crave. Inspired by the Missis-
sippi classic, Split Lip’s version is
built with a fried, bread-crumb-
enriched beef patty, an abundance
of thinly sliced pickles, and a Thou-
sand Island–esque sauce. $7

THE TAP
dHighland Tap & Burger
Multiple locations

The Tap landed on the menu at this

respected burger chain in 2020
and quickly gained the affections of
French onion soup (and dip) fanatics
across the Denver area. The messy,
napkin-demanding tour de force is
outfitted with a natural beef patty,
Swiss cheese, French onion soup
aïoli, crispy onion straws, red onion,
From Left: Anine Bösenberg; Courtesy of Kayla Jones/Tap & Burger

and lettuce and served with a bowl

of warm beef jus. $15

OCTOBER 2021 | 5280 69

TREAT YOURSELF
YOU SCORED
A BIG RAISE

Whether you have a little extra cash or a recent checking account

windfall, these dishes are worth the splurge.

GRANDMA STUFFED
A $50 BILL IN YOUR
BIRTHDAY CARD
 45 BEST DISHES
1
3
6

$225
eThe Sinker at Jax Fish House and
Oyster Bar
Multiple locations
Choose three or four freeloading friends to
toast your prosperity and help you devour this 4
iced raw bar platter, stocked with one pound
of peel-and-eat shrimp; one pound of king
crab; 12 shucked oysters; a shrimp, octopus, 5 2
and squid salad; Emersum ahi tuna poke; and 4
whitefish roe caviar with house-made potato
chips and crème fraîche. (Smaller versions, for
$55 and $110, are also available.)

$95
Hot Stone Wagyu at Corrida
Boulder
The team at this swanky Spanish steak house
will hook you up with thick slices of immacu-
lately marbled, imported Japanese A5 wagyu
to cook over hot stones at your table. The
spread includes sherry jus with beef cracklings

A WARM
and whipped egg yolk for dipping.

$60

WELCOME
Charcuterie Board at Blackbelly
Boulder
The meaty elements on Blackbelly’s Grand
Selection platter are crafted in-house under
the direction of head butcher Kelly Kawachi. African Grill & Bar’s akwaaba platter is an edible
Each board includes four of her creations— introduction to the world’s second-largest continent.
such as Calabrian-chile-spiked ’nduja,
12-month-cured pork leg salumi, and pork
terrine bejeweled with Hatch chiles and On your first visit to Lakewood’s African Grill & Bar—where you’ll likely
herbs—and four cheeses, all of which are be greeted by owners Sylvester and Theodora Osei-Fordwuo or one of their
paired with fixings like apple chutney, local three children—ordering the akwaaba platter is a no-brainer. Akwaaba means
honeycomb, and house pickles. “welcome” in the family’s Ghanaian dialect, and like the full menu, the dish’s com-
ponents span the continent. While you might be tempted to go back again and
$54 again for the two-person sampler, broken down below, it’s meant to prompt diners
Peking Duck at Ace Eat Serve
to explore the casual restaurant’s other offerings, from lamb kebabs to palm but-
Uptown
Executive chef Thach Tran employs a four-day
ter soup to cassava fufu (starchy, comforting dough balls). “Sometimes we have to
process to produce this Chinese specialty, encourage people to get a different item,” Theodora says. “People get stuck on it.”
including flying in Pekin ducks from Indiana and We understand why. $32 —JL
Long Island (both homes to acclaimed duck-
farming communities), dry-aging the birds in a
walk-in cooler, and basting them with hot oil 1. Two chicken drum- Osei-Fordwuos stuff their rice is a West African
to crisp the skin. The presentation is impressive, sticks are roasted and then mouthwatering vegetarian specialty. (Each country
with the gleaming duck carved tableside and deep-fried—a simple and versions with cabbage, peas, in the region has its own
accompanied by mu shu crêpes, sliced scal- traditional preparation, says onions, and warming spices, variation, and the “jollof
lions and cucumbers, pickled chiles, sesame Theodora, who spent some like cloves. wars” between Ghana and
hoisin, and an apricot chile jam. of her childhood in Nigeria— Nigeria are particularly
which results in succulent 4. The Osei-Fordwuos pull impassioned.) Tradition-
$30–$50 meat and crackly skin. from the culinary traditions ally, the dish is made with
Whole Steamed Lobster at Manzo of Ghana, where Sylvester a protein, but to serve their
Lobster and Oyster Bar 2. The unleavened, grilled grew up, to prepare their vegetarian customers, the
Uptown wheat bread is known as dairy-free cabbage and Osei-Fordwuos prepare it
To ensure his clawed creatures are the freshest chapati in East Africa. spinach stews. The curry- without meat.
on the Front Range, owner Rich Manzo hired esque, veggie-heavy blends
a marine biologist to install a 2,500-gallon live 3. Indian immigrants intro- get their flavors from chunks 6. Like everything on the
Anine Bösenberg

lobster tank inside his restaurant. The market- duced samosas to East of carrot, onion, and ginger. menu, the fried plantains
priced crustaceans are cooked to order in just Africa, and the triangular have no added sugar, allow-
six minutes using a special steamer that ensures pastry pockets are particu- 5. Slow-cooked for seven ing the bananas’ natural
a juicy, never rubbery bang for your buck. larly popular in Kenya. The hours, the tomato-y jollof sweetness to shine.

OCTOBER 2021 | 5280 71


DIAVOLO
Redeemer Pizza
RiNo
In July, Spencer White, Alexander Figura,
and LuLu Clair, the minds behind pasta
palace Dio Mio, debuted their highly
anticipated Redeemer Pizza in the former
Meadowlark Kitchen space. Since then,
Denverites have been lining up for New
York–style slices and whole pies, including
the Diavolo with mozzarella, pepperon-
cini, pepperoni, soppressata, and pickled
chiles. Mental note: The sourdough edg-
ing is even better dunked in a side of the
homemade ranch.
72 5280 | OCTOBER 2021
PIZZA
cMARGHERITA
Joy Hill
Overland
This South Broadway pizzeria
slings beautifully blistered, wood-
fired pies with a Colorado twist: Its
naturally leavened (i.e., chemical-
additive-free) crust is made with
locally grown and milled heirloom
wheat flours. You can taste the dif-
ference through the simplicity of the
margherita pizza’s tomato sauce,
house-made mozzarella, fresh
basil, and Grana Padano.
BROOKLYN BRIDGE
Blue Pan
Congress Park and West Highland
Blue Pan’s square, Detroit-style pies
have earned scores of accolades,
including top honors at international
pizza competitions. And rightfully so:
The spot’s doughy, crispy-cheese-
edged crust accommodates any
assortment of toppings. We’re partial
to the Brooklyn Bridge, a sauce-
coated beauty crowned with brick
cheese, mozzarella, pepperoni, sau-
sage, pecorino, and tidy clumps of
creamy ricotta.
 45 BEST DISHES

BIRRIA
BREAKDOWN
How whole goat becomes a melt-in-your-mouth taco
topper at Work & Class in RiNo.
Over the past year, birria has popped up at restaurants across Denver in burritos,
griddled tacos, and even ramen, but the meaty Mexican goat stew has been a mainstay
at Work & Class since the RiNo hot spot opened its repurposed-shipping-container
doors eight years ago. There, chef-owner Dana Rodriguez presents a traditional ver-
sion of the dish called cabrito (roasted young goat). Currently an every-other-week
LET IT BRIE special, the protein comes with a simple garbanzo bean salad and house-made tortillas.
Here’s what makes Rodriguez’s cabrito the GOAT. Market price
Goed Zuur’s general
manager and cheese
program director dishes

about the Five Points
restaurant’s cheesecake.
Rachel Smith may be certified by the
American Cheese Society, but she’s not
snooty. Case in point: Goed Zuur’s season-
ally rotating savory cheesecake. In addition
20
20 TO 25
Pounds of cabrito produced from each whole goat
the restaurant gets from farms in Boulder, Salida, Heat-conducting granite rocks lay-
and Evans and butchers in-house ered in a pan with the protein and
fragrant banana, agave, or avo-
cado leaves as it all roasts overnight

12
to curating the sour-beer-centric gastro-

22
pub’s renowned rotating cheese menu,

7
which features products sourced from
makers across the world, Smith and her
tight-knit team whip up fanciful inventions Quarts of colla-
like this fall’s riff on the American des- Hours the bone-in goat pieces are gen-rich bone
sert. It sports a base of blackberry-infused brined to tender perfection (this broth that collect
Le Delice de Mon Sire brie capped with also eliminates the meat’s gami- at the bottom of Ingredients—garbanzo beans,
rabbit rillette (a pâtélike spread), cured ness) before spending another 12 the pan as the cilantro, onion, olive oil, lime juice,
lemon peel, and thyme jelly, all set on a hours marinating in a mixture of goat bakes to a salt, and pepper—in the salad
Ritz cracker crust. We had questions—and, guajillo chile, onion, garlic, oreg- fall-off-the-bone that tops the ultratender, bone-
luckily, Smith had answers. $10 ano, rosemary, and cumin consistency broth-soaked cabrito m

5280: Cheesecake is usually a

dessert—why go savory?
Rachel Smith: We like to do creative
interpretations of different dishes. There’s a
motivation to do something you don’t typi-
cally see yet is familiar enough and pairs
well with sour beer.

What inspires each iteration?

We’re all part of putting it together and
definitely want the cheesecake’s flavors to
be a little lighter and crisper in spring and
summer and heavier and richer in the fall
and winter. We’re always thinking about
pairings for it, too, and like to play with the
flavors in the beers, which also are made
with different ingredients every season.

How should we dig in?

Because the cheesecake is so delicate,
we serve it at room temperature. It kind of
eats like a quiche or soufflé and is fluffy,
creamy, and delicious. If there’s any left on
Anine Bösenberg

the pan, you can use our [house-baked]

bread to get all of the extra bits. You can’t
waste any of it.

OCTOBER 2021 | 5280 73

 Last year, Denver’s
plant shop owners
found themselves
nurturing more than
pothos and orchids:
Their customer
base grew, too, as
homebound city
dwellers bought
a houseplant (or
eight) to inject some
green into their
quarantine. Now, the
world tiptoes toward
normalcy, but our
obsession with indoor
gardening continues—
even though many of
us can’t keep anything
with roots alive. Luckily,
Colorado experts
have a bouquet of
wisdom to share.

BY ANGELA UFHEIL ILLUSTRATIONS BY GABY D ’ALESSANDRO

OCTOBER 2021 | 5280 75

ROOM FOR
GROWTH
No, you don’t have a black thumb.
You just fell victim to one of these
rookie plant-parenting mistakes.

I
ntent on bringing the outside world into your
home during the pandemic’s darkest days, you
purchased a plant. At first, it was a perky bright
spot in your kitchen. Soon, though, droopiness
set in. You tried everything as its leaves yellowed
and shriveled, but eventually you apologized to your
desiccated sprout, dropped it in the compost bin, and
labeled yourself the Plant Killer. Well, we want you
to try again—once you’ve eradicated three common
newbie behaviors that likely cut your plant’s life short.

YOU REACHED FOR

THE WRONG RESOURCES.
Plant parenthood is like actual parenthood in one crucial way—seeking advice online can
be risky unless you can sort good ideas from terrible ones. “You almost never know if the
person who wrote that ‘helpful’ internet article is dealing with the same conditions,” says
Victor Sosa-Meza, owner of the Plant Room in Jefferson Park. Instead, hit up experts in the
region. “We can ask questions to figure out your exact situation,” Sosa-Meza says. Most
local nursery owners are happy to help, even if they didn’t sell you the flora themselves.

YOU PUT YOUR LEAFY FRIEND

IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT.

Overgrown Home; Chris Stein/Getty Images; Mint Images/Getty Images

Clockwise from top right: Getty Images; Martí Sans/Stocksy; Courtesy of
Photosynthesis lessons in elementary
school were clear: Plants need as much
YOU GAVE YOUR GREENERY sunshine as possible to create vital nutri-
TOO MUCH WATER. ents. Unfortunately, the takeaways from
those classes might be a bit too sim-
Many novices, terrified of neglecting their new addi- plistic for plant guardianship. “Having
tions, overcorrect and become helicopter horticulturists, direct light is pretty detrimental,” says
showering them with affection in the form of daily H2O. Neicy Geis, owner of Tigerlily Goods
“We’re taught that plants need water,” says Maurice in the West Highland neighborhood.
Ka of Rosehouse Botanicals on Broadway. “It becomes “The rays are too much and can burn
our love language.” But plants crave oxygen, too, and the leaves.” Most verdure prefers bright,
overly dampened, dense soil prevents the molecules indirect light—see “Here Comes The
from reaching the roots, leading to decay. Nursery staff- Sun” on page 78—and for those of you
ers usually tell you how often to sprinkle each variety. dwelling in shaded garden-level apart-
Or just stick your finger into the soil: If the first inch or so ments, there are plenty of varieties that
of dirt is dry, your flora is likely ready for a hearty drink. can handle medium light.

TALK LIKE A AIR PLANTS CACTI EDIBLES LEAF NODE NEEM OIL
HORTICULTURIST Magically low-
maintenance plants
Spiky plants
well-adapted
Houseplants that
can be eaten,
A small swelling on
the stem where new
A naturally
occurring pesticide
Use our vegetal vocab that don’t need soil to drought and including fruits, growth emerges, a harvested from
cheat sheet to brush up to grow. house cats. vegetables, signal that your plant neem tree seeds.
on houseplant lingo. and herbs. is happy.

76 5280 | OCTOBER 2021

 IT ’S GROW TIME

ADOPTION AGENCIES
While the plants at Denver’s plethora of
nurseries may be pricier than offerings
at Home Depot or Lowes, the extra out-
lay benefits your bundle of joy: Most of
the sales associates at the big-box stores
simply aren’t as plant savvy as these
local purveyors, who dole out advice
before you buckle in your bromeliad.
Their involvement doesn’t have to stop
there, either—most offer additional
perks to help you care for your new
addition or grow your family further.
ReRoot
After all, it takes a village.

PLEASE, PLANTS THE TERRORIUM SHOP

Alongside pothos, parlor palms, and other high-demand
selections, Olivia Meininger sells sex toys, lingerie,
skincare products, and smoking accessories at this
Capitol Hill boutique. Funky red bulbs create a vibe
that says nightclub instead of nursery. 226 E. 13th Ave.,
pleaseplants.com
TIGERLILY GOODS
Frustrated by wasteful bouquets, Neicy Geis opened Ti-
gerlily Goods in West Highland to encourage shoppers
to gift still-living foliage. We especially love her section
of pet-friendly offerings that won’t make a curious kitten
ill post-nibble. 3795 Grove St., tigerlilygoods.com
STEPH FLORET
Clockwise from top: Courtesy of Coburn Huff; Phong Pham Quoc/EyeEm/Getty Images;
THE PERKS Rodent skulls. Insect specimens. Scavenged teeth. Amber
Hage-Ali runs a little plant shop of horrors in the Regis
neighborhood, where her artful, one-of-a-kind “terrori-
ums,” showcasing responsibly sourced taxidermy bones
Sells plants online alongside moss and other greens, please fans of all things
for easy family macabre. 3611 W. 49th Ave., theterroriumshop.co
expansion
REROOT
Owner Paige Briscoe applies the punch-card model
commonly seen at coffeeshops to her RiNo locale:
Hosts parenting Choose any four-inch plant for free after purchasing 10.
workshops Since you’re already getting something for nothing, we
recommend buying the dried-eucalyptus-packed shower
bundle, which releases a soothing scent when exposed
to steam. 1218 34th St., rerootgardens.com

Stephanie Esposito runs a mostly online shop selling Sends you home
beginner-friendly goods (check her events page to catch with a care card so THE URBAN NURSERY
her IRL at the occasional farmers’ market) as well as you never have to Allie Huston owns both this indoor nursery in RiNo and
flower arrangements. stephfloret.com consult Google an outdoor-oriented shop in Englewood called Birdsall
& Co. The Garden Boutique. Stop by the Urban Nursery
GREEN LADY GARDENS for help matching a plant with a container—because,
Jessica Schutz built her store in the Art District on Santa yes, the container matters (see “Hold Me Tight” on page
Fe on a simple idea: People don’t kill plants; they’ve 80). 3040 Blake St., Suite 131, birdsallgarden.com
Offers house calls
Wladimir Bulgar/Science Photo Library/Getty Images

just never had the right one. Her handy labeling system
plays matchmaker, helping you identify appropriate se- to impart green- ROSEHOUSE BOTANICALS
lections for your home’s light level and your experience. thumbed wisdom This South Broadway living botanica takes a delight-
733 Santa Fe Drive, greenladygardens.com fully scattershot approach to curation, stocking cacti,
succulents, air plants, orchids, and tropical varietals.
LITTLE LULA ROSE Partner Kristin Schuch also works at Apothecary Tinctura,
An outgrowth of proprietor Oliver Miller-Finkel’s Stocks rare plants for so you’ll find her essential oils and herbal medicine here
coffeeshop down the road, Lula Rose General Store, those hoping to enter too. 14 S. Broadway, rosehousebotanicals.com
this cactus-and-succulent-focused nursery inhabits a the, ahem, Ivy League of
sunlight-filled former car dealership in the Congress Park plant parenthood Visit 5280.com for even more places in Denver to
neighborhood. 3030 E. Colfax Ave., littlelularose.com purchase your next plant.

PERLITE ROOTBOUND ROOT ROT STEM CUTTING SUCCULENTS TROPICALS

Expanded volcanic
rock you can mix
into potting soil to
encourage drainage.
When a plant’s When roots de- A healthy stem, cut Plants with thick tis- Plants native to
root system has cay, usually due from a plant, that’s sue adapted to store tropical areas that
become too big to pests, fungi, or used to begin grow- water—so they need are dramatic in
for its container. overwatering. ing a new plant. much less H₂O than look and, at times,
you’d think. care requirements.

OCTOBER 2021 | 5280 77

 CONDITIONAL LOVE
Use our selection graph to help you figure out if your new
lipstick vine will agree with your watering habits, if the
lighting in your home will murder a Chinese evergreen,
and whether you’re truly ready for a fiddle-leaf fig.

KEY GOOD FOR BEGINNERS REQUIRES SOME SKILL PAIN IN THE A**
FULL SUNLIGHT

Fantasy Venice
Tradescantia nanouk

Eastern Prickly Pear Pencil Firestick Plant Bird of Paradise

Opuntia humifusa Euphorbia tirucalli Strelitzia reginae

HERE COMES THE SUN

Time to shed some light on your
home’s sunshine conditions: Chinese Money Plant
Other than desert cacti and the Pilea peperomioides
occasional succulent, few plants
tolerate full sun, when rays
of light shine directly onto your Fiddle-Leaf Fig
Rex Begonia Ficus lyrata
plant (windows that face south Begonia rex-cultorum
usually get the most direct light in
Colorado). Lots crave bright,
indirect light, which requires
pulling the plant back from the Triostar Stromanthe Lipstick Vine
window a few feet. Leaves Stromanthe sanguinea Aeschynanthus radicans
should cast hazy shadows rather
than ones with distinct outlines. Rattlesnake Plant
Certain varieties call for partial Jade Plant Calathea lancifolia
sunlight and do best by a west- String of Turtles Crassula ovata
or east-facing window. Finally, a Peperomia prostrata
few sprouts want medium light. Calidora Elephant’s Ear
These growers may skew a touch Alocasia calidora
goth, but their moods will improve
considerably if you situate them
near a porthole to the north.
Swiss Cheese Plant
Monstera adansonii

Devil’s Ivy/Pothos
Epipremnum aureum Sweetheart Philodendron
Philodendron Brasil Peace Lily
Spathiphyllum walissi

Chinese Evergreen
Aglaonema

Nerve Plant
Fittonia albivenis Blue Star Fern
Phlebodium aureum
PARTIAL SUNLIGHT

Snake Plant
Dracaena trifasciata

ZZ Plant
Zamioculcas zamiifolia

LESS WATER MORE WATER

78 5280 | OCTOBER 2021

 PHONE A
FOLIAGE
FRIEND
Is your once-luscious
prayer plant suddenly
wilting? Do you break
into a cold sweat when
it’s time to repot? We
asked the experts for
answers to our staff’s—
and our readers’—most
pressing questions.

THE QUESTION THE ANSWER THE CAVEAT

My cats are twin “Pet stores sell sprays you can use to
“Certain leaves dry out when you spray them, so you
menaces. How do ward off your cat—the spritz makes the
might just want to put them up high, out of kitty’s reach.
I keep them away leaves taste bitter. I stretch aluminum foil
Or opt for varieties that are nontoxic to cats, such as
from my plants? or plastic wrap across the soil to keep
bird’s nest ferns. That way, you don’t have to worry
From top: Getty Images; Irina Orlova/Getty Images; Courtesy of Coburn Huff; Matthew Spaulding/Stocksy; Liudmila Chernetska/Getty Images

—Geoff Van Dyke, animals from digging in the dirt too.”

about kitty getting sick.” —Floret
editorial director, 5280 —Stephanie Esposito, Steph Floret

How do I know “Usually, you want your potting soil to be rougher

“Succulents and cacti thrive in sandy dirt—they’re from
what kind of soil than garden soil because the larger particles help it
the desert, after all. Shoot for equal parts sand, soil, and
I should be using drain. Most garden stores sell a sterilized loam soil,
perlite. You can even add some orchid bark for plants that
for my plant? which is a good base for the blend. Mix it with equal
want extra drainage.” —Briscoe
—@rossollo parts perlite.” —Paige Briscoe, ReRoot Gardens

“You should only see soil through the container’s drainage holes.
How do I know if a If the only thing visible is roots, your plant is root-bound and needs
plant needs to move a bigger pot. Gently squeeze the outside of your pot to loosen the
to a larger pot? soil, grip the stem near where it enters the dirt, and gently wiggle it
—@liajane out. Place it into the new pot and fill in soil around it.” —Victor Sosa-
Meza, The Plant Room
“Roots won’t grow faster if you put them in a huge pot.
Unless your plant is massively root-bound, I’d choose a
pot that’s around two inches larger in diameter [than the
previous pot].” —Sosa-Meza

How do I know if “Look at the greenery and soil. If you see white bugs that look like
my plants have tiny grasshoppers, you have aphids. They reproduce quickly, so “Sunshine can burn leaves
pests? Should I treat make sure to isolate your plant and spray it with neem oil or another recently treated with neem oil, so
them if they do? pesticide. If you see fine, cobweblike clusters on your leaves, that’s a make sure you keep the plant in
—Jessica LaRusso, sign of spider mites. Spray them with pressurized water to dislodge a shadier area.” —Hage-Ali
managing editor, 5280 them, then apply neem oil.” —Amber Hage-Ali, The Terrorium Shop

“Unless you’re over- or under-watering, it sounds like

“You don’t need to feed your plant during the winter.
My 10-year-old a fertilizer issue. Most plants want to be fed. I love
I recommend beginning in March, when you see new
rubber tree drops fertilizers with fish and seaweed—they’re organic and
leaves emerging from the stems. Sprinkling organic fertil-
leaves daily. Why? won’t burn your sprouts like a chemical fertilizer. Earth-
izer on top of the soil or even mixing it into the top layer a
—@su-faye worm castings work well too. You can find either at a
bit every month works well.” —Huston
gardening store.” —Annie Huston, The Urban Nursery

OCTOBER 2021 | 5280 79


TROUBLESHOOTING
You know your flower child is trying to tell you something—but what?
Victor Sosa-Meza of the Plant Room helps you decode its signals.
1 2
THE TIPS OF THE LEAVES
ARE TURNING BROWN.
Crispy leaves usually mean
your home isn’t humid
enough. I’d get a nice humid-
ifier to deal with the problem.
I don’t have a ton of space. Is
there another option?
Your second-best option is
going to be a pebble tray.
Take a large tray that’s as
wide as the widest part of
your plant. Add a layer of
pebbles to the bottom, and
set the potted plant atop
them. Pour some water into
the tray, but not so much
that your plant is sitting in
a puddle. Evaporated water
particles add humidity.
Can’t I just mist them?
I don’t recommend it. It’s not
as effective, and the droplets
can catch and magnify the
light, burning leaves with
soft, fuzzy filaments on them.
80 5280 | OCTOBER 2021
THE PLANT HAS
A WEIRD FILM ON IT.
Is it dust? If so, that’s normal,
but you should gently wipe it
off with a cloth. Dust blocks
sunlight and inhibits the
leaves’ ability to photosynthe-
size. Or, if it’s time to water
your plant, stick it in the tub
and turn on the shower to
lukewarm. The spray rinses
the leaves and gives the
plants a drink.
So…the film looks more white
and cottony.
Sounds like you might have
a fungus. Isolate the infected
foliage from your other plants
to prevent an outbreak. Trim
and remove the infected
leaves. Spray the entire plant
with a fungicide product.
To treat root rot, remove the
plant from its container and
gently rinse or trim away any
mushy roots before repotting.
3
THE PLANT HAS LONG,
FLOPPY STEMS INSTEAD OF
BEING FULL AND LUSH.
We call that “legginess,” and
it’s pretty common. Are the
vines getting enough sun?
If not, you’ll notice the long
stems leaning toward the
window. Just move it closer
to the light source, and it
should start to look fuller.
I gave it a go, but my plant is
still leggy.
It’s probably time to prune it
to promote new growth.
Take scissors to my baby?!
It’s OK! You can pinch the
stem between your thumb
and forefinger, just above the
topmost node. The break in
the stem stops growing, so
the plant instinctively sends
nutrients to either side of the
node, creating more branches
in the stem and making it
look fuller.
HOLD ME TIGHT
A quick primer on
planters, plus some
local picks.
WATERTIGHT
WONDER
Drainage is important, but
that doesn’t mean your
pot must have holes in the
bottom. Just keep the plant
in a plastic container that
does allow drainage and
place the entire shebang
into the vessel. Lift the plas-
tic out and set it in a tray
when it’s time to water.
Local Pick
Be Goods Ceramics,
begoodsceramics.com
HOLE IN ONE
Most horticulturists rec-
ommend using a vessel
with holes in the bottom.
But if you love one that
doesn’t allow for drainage
(and don’t want to deal
with the Russian nesting
doll method above), the
employees at Birdsall and
Co. will drill a hole for you
even if you didn’t buy it
there, though you do have
to purchase a plant.
Local Pick
Bowen Pottery,
bowenpottery.com
BOTTOMS UP
Self-watering planters
rely upon subirrigation, in
which water is poured into
a tray and the plant hovers
From top: Daniel Brenner; Courtesy of Be Goods Ceramics
just above it in a separate
vessel. When the roots are
thirsty, they reach down
for a drink on their own, so
there’s no risk of overwater-
ing. Don’t forget to refill the
tray when it dries out.
Local Pick
Visit 5280.com
for DIY instructions from
a local source.
 IT ’S GROW TIME

PROPAGATION STATION
It’s common practice among collectors of rare plants to propagate (that is, breed) their best
specimens, but even those who care for more common plants, such as pothos or ZZ plants,
can learn the technique and expand their broods for free. Anna Bernhardt, co-owner of
Overgrown Home—a one-year-old West Highland shop that uses a hydroponic system to
display rare plants—helped us break down the process into three surprisingly easy steps.

STEP
1
CHOOSE A PLANT, preferably one
with obvious stems or tendrils, and
identify a node. “It’s the spot where
a new leaf is beginning to emerge
from an already established stem,”
Bernhardt says. “It looks a bit like an
elbow joint.”
USING A PAIR of sharp scissors,
snip an inch to an inch and a half
below the node.

STEP
2 3
ALLOW THE STEM CUTTING to rest
for at least 30 minutes. “You want the
part you trimmed to form a sort of cal-
lus,” Bernhardt says. Otherwise, water
may get into the wound and cause rot.
SLIP THE CUTTING into a glass of
water, fully submerging the node.
“Choose a vessel with a wide opening
so you can later remove the cutting with-
out breaking off roots,” Bernhardt says.
STEP
PLACE THE VESSEL in an area
with bright, indirect light and
change the water once a week.
You should see roots in two to
four weeks.
ONCE ROOTS have reached two
to three inches long, repot them in
new soil, if you desire. Otherwise,
you can leave them in the water
vessel and display them that way.

DON’T WANT TO PLAY BOTANIST? HERE’S A SHORTCUT.

Courtesy of Soona Studios

Many plants can live permanently with their roots growing in water. Denver company Autumn Journey Design and Decor removes any guesswork
by providing you with a cutting in a glass vase (pictured). All you need to do is change the water every other week, says owner Amber Johnson,
and ensure the H₂O levels never sink below the roots. “Otherwise, they’ll dry out,” she says. From $18, autumn-journey.com m

OCTOBER 2021 | 5280 81

 Daniel Fullmer inspects
crops at his regenerative

LOSI NG
farm outside Durango.

82 5280 | OCTOBER 2021

 PARADISE
Southwestern Colorado’s Mancos Valley had long been thought
of as an agricultural promised land, seemingly resistant to the
ravages of climate change. There had been dry years, of course.
But, along with acres and acres of crops, the blissful notion of
relative immunity perished in 2021. BY JONATHAN THOMPSON

P H O TO G R A P H Y B Y J E R E MY WA D E S H O C K L E Y

OCTOBER 2021 | 5280 83

test with FC places

form of drought, ditch-feeding streams running at

about half of average flows, and irrigators receiving
as little as five percent of their normal allotments,
hundreds of farmers are in similar situations. Some
observers of agriculture see the warming, drying
climate—here and elsewhere—as an existential
threat to the entire industry, one that has been an
integral part of the region since long before white
people colonized it in the late 1800s.
That may be the case, but right now Nolan
is simply trying to save his small vegetable farm.
“Everything is compounding,” Nolan says. “Years ago
I would say, ‘Hopefully it doesn’t hail’ or ‘I hope we
don’t get an early frost.’ But the last few years—with
the droughts, the heat, the fires, the grasshoppers—
have felt downright apocalyptic at times.”

DROUGHT, EVEN ON A BIBLICAL SCALE, is not a

new phenomenon in southwestern Colorado.
The dendrochronological record—the ecological

When Mike Nolan started farming in southwest-

story told by the rings of trees—reveals a string of
exceptionally dry years during the mid-1100s. The
lack of rainfall wreaked havoc among the Ances-

ern Colorado a little more than a decade ago, tral Puebloans who lived in the cliff dwellings at
Mesa Verde, adjacent to the Mancos Valley, and

the region’s agricultural community considered relied on direct precipitation to water their crops.
A subsequent multidecade megadrought a century

the Mancos Valley a utopia of sorts. It was, they

after that may have, in part, prompted the ancient
Pueblo people to pack up and migrate southward
to the banks of the Rio Grande in New Mexico
and the mesas in northeastern Arizona.
believed, one of the last best places to farm in an era of rising temperatures, crip- More than 750 years later, during the dramati-
pling drought, and devastating pestilence. The gentle terrain, nestled among high cally arid winter of 2001-’02, modern-day farmers
mesas in the shadow of the La Plata Mountains’ 13,000-foot peaks, had endured in the Four Corners region began to comprehend
a few drier-than-normal years, but it typically avoided the scorching summers the situation the Ancestral Puebloans faced. A cold
and associated pests that plagued lower-elevation ag land in the Montezuma season devoid of storms had left the area’s high-
Valley to the west or the La Plata River drainage to the east. Even at 7,000 est peaks bereft of snow. Spring runoff failed to
feet in elevation, an adequate number of frost-free days brought tomatoes and materialize. Megafires broke out months before
eggplants to fruition, with a little springtime help from a greenhouse. Best of fire season normally arrived.
all, and most important in the arid West, the Mancos Valley had long enjoyed
relatively secure water, making this valley a sweet spot for growing myriad crops
that ended up on Centennial State dinner tables.
In healthy snowpack years, water, climate, soil, and farmers work together to
stitch the summertime Mancos Valley into a verdant quilt, replete with apple
orchards scattered among alfalfa fields and hay-bale-lined pastures bordering
rows of cabbage, broccoli, and squash. It can make for a positively idyllic scene.
That’s not how most folks would describe the valley in 2021. Over the past
few years, worrisome trends that had been building in previous decades began
colliding, resulting in what appears to be a critical inflection point. After 22
years of meager winters, increasingly monsoon-free summers, higher and higher
temperatures, and swarms of crop-hungry grasshoppers, the valley’s lush blanket
finally began to fray under the strain. While the patchwork still includes a square
of green here and there, it is interspersed with dusty beige, burnt umber, and the
brilliant purple of thistle blooms, the unmistakable symbol of a fallowed field.
So dire was the situation this year that Nolan, 40, and his life and business
partner, Mindy Perkovich, 36, who moved Mountain Roots Produce to the
Mancos Valley eight years ago, decided to end their season early. They shut down
Credits Tk

operations shortly after Labor Day and then jumped into off-site jobs to pay the
bills. They aren’t the only ones: With the entire Western Slope experiencing some

84 5280 | OCTOBER 2021


As the forests burned, fields withered. Junior
water rights holders were forced to shut off their
ditches so senior holders could get their full shares,
as water law decrees. Ranchers sold off thousands of
head of cattle, and many crops simply died before
the harvest. It was a devastating year, yet few long-
time farmers gave up, because, historically, dry years
tend to be followed by abundantly wet years.
This time, however, history did not repeat.
Drought conditions lingered for years. The dearth
of precipitation wasn’t the only problem, though.
Temperatures also had been increasing. Warmth,
combined with other factors like wind, can alter
runoff, causing snow to dissolve early or even sub-
limate before it has a chance to melt, robbing the
rivers and soil of valuable moisture. The effects
were accumulating and manifesting, but often in
ways people tended to overlook or explain away.
Overall soil moisture declined, beetles turned the
forests brown, larger and more intense fires burned
at higher elevations, radical temperature swings—
due to extremely low humidity—killed fruit trees,
and Lake Powell, which serves as a barometer of
the region’s hydrologic health, continued to shrink.
Still, most southwestern Colorado summers
since 2002 had felt fairly normal. Farmers gener-
ally had enough water, townsfolk were able to run
L O S I N G PA R A D I S E
This spread,
clockwise from left:
Mindy Perkovich their sprinklers, and rafters could float local rivers with-
laments lost crops; out scraping bottom until early August. When Mike
a very low McPhee
Reservoir; Mike Nolan bought 13 acres of land in the Mancos Valley in
Nolan with his trusty 2013, he didn’t envision a future in which the ditches
Farmall tractor
would run dry.
Maybe he should have. “We’re in a long, drawn-out
drought period,” says Darrin Parmenter, the La Plata
County director for the Colorado State University Extension Office, which
advises and educates farmers and gardeners. In scientific terms, it’s actually a
megadrought—a dry spell lasting at least two decades—much like the one that
plagued the ancient Pueblo people nearly a millennium ago. Those historical
droughts eventually subsided. Most climate models suggest our current situation
will only worsen, since it is a result of, at least in part, ever-increasing levels of
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
In fact, some climate scientists believe the term megadrought doesn’t ade-
quately describe what’s happening in the West, because the definition implies an
eventual course correction. These experts prefer the term “aridification,” which
suggests the gradual change of a region from a wetter to a drier climate. If they
are right, it appears that 2002 was really a harbinger of the new normal.
NOLAN LIKES TO JOKE THAT HE ATTENDED one of the nation’s premier agricultural
universities—the University of California, Davis—yet majored in English lit-
erature. After graduating, the California native ended up working on a friend’s
small, organic farm. He enjoyed it but knew nothing about the technical aspects
of soil health or plant nutrition, so he enrolled in what was then known as the
Farm & Garden Apprenticeship program at the University of California, Santa
Cruz. After working on farms in California, New Mexico, North Carolina, and
OCTOBER 2021 | 5280 85
 This spread, clockwise
from above: Michael
Vicenti, irrigation
manager at the Ute
southwestern Colorado, Nolan started Mountain Roots Mountain Ute farm,
Produce on leased land near Hesperus in 2010. Three surveys the fields;
Hana Fullmer at Tierra
seasons later, he moved his operation to land he pur- Vida Farm; appealing
chased just south of Mancos. to a higher power
for precipitation
Meanwhile, Perkovich was working an office job
in Telluride in 2010 when she tried to sign up for a
community-supported agriculture program and ended
up interning on the farm instead. She fell in love with ag life, quit her job, and
started her own farm outside of Ridgway. It was just a short drive away, at an
agriculture conference in Montrose in 2015, that she met Nolan. Two years
later, they moved in together, merged their businesses, and eased into a well-
choreographed division of labor. Their farm was profitable, allowing the two to
earn a living from selling their crops.
Although they were relative newcomers to farming in the Mancos Valley,
Nolan and Perkovich swiftly learned about the natural rhythms of the area. Dur-
ing normal winters, more than a foot of snow can blanket the fields at Mountain
Roots Produce and surrounding farms, replenishing the soil moisture and turning
the earth into boot-stealing muck. When the ground thaws, the couple plants
potatoes, cabbage, carrots, and another couple of dozen varieties of vegetables
by hand. In adjoining plastic-covered greenhouses they raise leafy greens and
starters for heat-loving crops, such as tomatoes and peppers.
When the spring runoff gushes down from the mountains, Nolan uses water
from ditches fed by the small but reliably robust Mancos River until the stream
dwindles later in the season. At that point, water stored in Jackson Gulch Res-
ervoir is piped to the property. Typically, the monsoon pattern arrives just as the
water runs low, dumping air-cooling, crop-sustaining, and reservoir-replenishing
rain nearly every afternoon.
86 5280 | OCTOBER 2021
In the height of the growing season, Nolan’s lanky
frame can be found atop a 60-year-old, faded red
Farmall tractor, his face protected from the sun by
a thick black beard and the tattered bill of a truck-
er’s cap. Perkovich, who has an easy smile and long
brown hair that often spills out from under a straw
hat, prunes and harvests tomatoes and makes the
trip to Telluride once a week to deliver boxes to their
community-supported agriculture subscribers and
produce to a farm stand. After the couple merged
their farms, they began hiring full-time employees;
in 2020, they had two. They had been planning to
bring on an additional farmhand and an intern for
summer 2021. By mid-May, though, it was clear that
wasn’t going to be possible—or necessary.
Although this past winter didn’t deliver much
snow, it certainly didn’t foretell a devastating sum-
mer, says Parmenter, who has been advising area
farmers from the CSU extension office for 14
years. Snow levels were slightly below average, a
sign that streams would likely run at near-normal
levels. But that simply didn’t happen. Melting snow
was pilfered—evaporated by warm temperatures
and wind or sucked up by soil depleted by two
decades of dryness—before reaching reservoirs.
“The snowmelt just didn’t run off,” Parmenter says.
“Instead of going into the river, it was all used up

recharging soil moisture. It has to go through that
sponge before it gets to the water table.”
With no spring runoff to speak of and sus-
tained low streamflow levels along the Western
Slope, many reservoirs were already half empty
at the beginning of the irrigating season. Ditch
companies—founded to create efficient delivery
systems of H2O in ag communities, they often own
senior water rights and sell shares of those rights to
farmers and ranchers—warned their shareholders
to prepare for the worst. Ming and Garry Adams,
who have a working farm on their Canyon of the
Ancients Guest Ranch in McElmo Canyon south-
west of Cortez, did just that. After 2018, the last
really dry year, they cut back their cattle herd by
two-thirds and otherwise scaled down production.
This past spring, the situation at their ranch looked
similarly grim. “This year was a little bit unnerv-
ing, considering the stock ponds were empty come
spring,” Garry says. “It was the worst drought we’ve
seen in 16 years.”
DRIVING AROUND MANCOS OR CORTEZ or McElmo
Canyon in late May and early June, you couldn’t
miss the signs. Scrawled on cardboard or painted
on pieces of plywood and affixed to fences were the
words “No Hay.” Alfalfa for hay is by far the biggest
crop in Montezuma County and dominates irrigated
acreage across the Interior West. It also needs an
ample supply of water all summer. With about 90
percent of the Western United States in drought,
the “No Hay” signs began to proliferate, showing up
from Steamboat Springs to southern Arizona. The
situation may have been most dire in Montezuma
County, though.
The Mancos River had been reduced to a trickle
by June, and Jackson Gulch Reservoir was at about
40 percent capacity, according to Nolan, who is
president of the Mancos Conservation District.
While irrigators could have drained the reservoir
Credits Tk
L O S I N G PA R A D I S E
to keep their ditches flowing, the Mancos Water Conservancy District’s elected
board members were forced to make a difficult decision: to forsake their por-
tions to keep water flowing from taps in the town of Mancos and in Mesa Verde
National Park, both of which also rely on the reservoir.
The decision meant irrigators lost water in early to mid-June. This kind of
transfer of water from farms to towns—sometimes voluntary, other times not—
occurs across the West on varying scales. On Colorado’s Front Range, municipal
water companies temporarily lease water from farmers during dry years and some-
times purchase water rights altogether, a practice called “buy and dry” that leads
to permanently fallowed fields. Because of an official shortage declaration on the
Colorado River made in August by the federal government, Arizona farmers who
rely on the river’s water will mostly be cut off next year to allow Phoenix residents
to continue to take showers.
The water rights attached to Nolan’s land date to the 1880s, but he knew the
privileges afforded him by water law’s “first in time, first in right” credo wouldn’t
be enough. After Nolan and Perkovich estimated the deleterious effect the lack
of water would have on cash crops and calculated the grasshopper effect, they laid
off their employees. “It was definitely one of the hardest things I’ve had to do,”
Nolan says, “but it was smart as far as the financial preservation of the business
goes.” They planted just one acre of crops instead of the usual six or seven.
Farmers in other parts of Montezuma County and in adjacent Dolores
County—where the largest town is known as the Pinto Bean Capital of the
World—rarely fared better. Those who irrigate get their water from the McPhee
Reservoir on the Dolores River. Thanks to consistently paltry flows in the Dolores,
though, McPhee’s surface level has fallen by some 15 feet over the past year. To
keep the lake from drying out altogether, water managers have released virtually
no water from the dam this year, leaving the river downstream an unboatable,
stagnant, warm dribble that’s eviscerating fish populations.
The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe’s 7,700-acre agricultural operation in the south-
ern part of Montezuma County is McPhee’s largest single irrigator. The Ute
people, likely some of Colorado’s first residents, technically have the most senior
water rights in the region, dating to 1868. Yet because those rights are for the
Dolores River and the river outlet is 39 miles from its land, the tribe couldn’t
put the water to beneficial use until McPhee and its canals were built in the
1980s—essentially giving the Utes a priority date more than 100 years later than
it should be. As such, the tribe’s three-decade-old farm operation received little
more than a spritz this past summer.
The operation normally runs 110 center-pivot sprinklers; this year, just eight
showered the fields. While alfalfa farmers in the region typically get at least three
cuttings of hay per year, the farm only got one from its top revenue-earning crop
and had to lay off half of its employees. “We’ve had a few drought years since we got
started in 1990,” says Simon Martinez, general manager of the Ute Mountain Ute
Farm & Ranch Enterprise, “but nothing as drastic as this in terms of water cutbacks.”
Every farmer in the region is grappling with the drought and the heat, but
the pain isn’t distributed equally. Farmers around Cortez who own shares of the
Montezuma Valley Irrigation Company, which along with its predecessor has
been diverting Dolores River water into hundreds of miles of canals and ditches
since the 1890s, received about half of their allotted water. CONTINUED ON PAGE 110
OCTOBER 2021 | 5280 87
DINING GUIDE
PRICE KEY
 $
(Average Entrée) U N D E R $ 10  „  $$
$ 11 T O $ 15
SYMBOL KEY
Indicates a restaurant featured in 5280 for the first time
(though not necessarily a restaurant that has just opened).
Indicates inclusion in 5280’s 2019 list of Denver’s best
restaurants; we did not release rankings in 2020 or 2021 due
to COVID-19 disruptions and closures. These selections are
at the discretion of 5280 editors and are subject to change.
A B
AJ’s Pit Bar-B-Q
Overland / Barbecue This wood-fired Texas-style
barbecue joint serves lip-smacking dishes, such as
beef brisket, house-cured and smoked pastrami, pit
beans, and farm slaw. Reservations not accepted.
2180 S. Delaware St., Lunch
American Elm
West Highland / American Elevated American
fare and classic cocktails anchor the menu at this
neighborhood spot. Order the rib-eye French dip.
Reservations accepted. 4132 W. 38th Ave.,
720-749-3186. Dinner, Brunch
Angelo’s Taverna
Speer / Italian This neighborhood nook dishes up
tasty grilled oysters as well as pastas and pizzas.
Also try the Littleton location. Reservations not
accepted. 620 E. Sixth Ave., 303-744-3366.
Lunch, Dinner
Annette
Aurora / American Caroline Glover brings a
warm dining experience to Stanley Marketplace
with Annette. Enjoy a family-style menu featuring
salads, toasts, and wood-grilled fare. Reservations
accepted. Stanley Marketplace, 2501 Dallas St.,
Ste. 108, Aurora, 720-710-9975. Dinner, Brunch
Arabesque
Boulder / Mediterranean Sip house-made chai
tea while sampling Middle Eastern delights—such
as hummus, shawarma wraps, and baba
ghanoush—in this charming, sun-filled lunch spot.
Reservations not accepted. 1634 Walnut St.,
720-242-8623. Breakfast, Lunch
Ash’Kara
Highland / Middle Eastern Chef Daniel Asher
offers a playful take on Middle Eastern cuisine at
this plant-bedecked eatery. Also try the Boulder
location. Reservations accepted. 2005 W. 33rd
Ave., 303-537-4407. Dinner, Brunch
88 5 2 8 0 OCTOBER 2021
„ $$$ $ 16 T O $ 25 „ $$$$ $ 2 6 A N D H I G H E R.
Audrey Jane’s Pizza Garage $$
Boulder / Pizza Expect perfect New York–style
sourdough pies featuring inventive topping
combinations at Audrey Jane’s Pizza Garage.
Reservations not accepted. 2675 13th St., Boulder
303-442-2032. Lunch, Dinner
Avelina $$$$
Downtown / American This upscale LoDo restau-
rant offers a sleek atmosphere and beautifully
composed plates with worldly flavors. Sample the
roasted Icelandic cod or wagyu beef carpaccio.
Reservations accepted. 1550 17th St., Ste. 120,
720-904-6711. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch
$$
Bar Max $$
Congress Park / Contemporary This European
bistro offers a simple, curated menu. Pair the
prosciutto, brie, and fig spread sandwich with a
glass of prosecco. Reservations accepted. 2412 E.
Colfax Ave., 303-333-0003. Dinner
$$
$$
$$$
$$
SEAS THE DAY
Since it opened in July 2020, restaurateur Richard
Sandoval’s Toro Latin Kitchen & Lounge in
Cherry Creek has been wowing diners with Central
and South American dishes with international flair
$$$ from executive chef Oscar Padilla. It’s the standout
lineup of ceviche, however, that keeps us coming
back to the stylish spot. Try the Amarillo, a variation
in which fresh hamachi, aji amarillo chiles, mango,
cucumber, and red onion are suspended in Toro’s
signature citrusy leche de tigre marinade.
Want More
Dining Options?
Visit our online
listings at
5280.com/
restaurants.
Barcelona Wine Bar $$
RiNo / Spanish This trendy wine bar specializes in
Spanish wine and food. Try the paella mariscos.
Reservations accepted. 2900 Larimer St.,
303-816-3300. Dinner, Brunch
Barolo Grill $$$$
Cherry Creek / Italian Dedication to authenticity
translates to the food and extensive wine menu at
this elegant eatery, which is focused on the cuisines
of northern Italy’s Tuscany and Piedmont regions.
Reservations accepted. 3030 E. Sixth Ave.,
303-393-1040. Dinner
Beckon $$$$
RiNo / Contemporary Chef Duncan Holmes
brings an elevated, intimate dining experience to
Larimer Street. The seasonal menu changes
frequently, and excellent, thoughtful wine pairings
are available. Reservations required. 2843 Larimer
St., 303-749-0020. Dinner
Big Mac & Little Lu’s $$$
Westminster / Seafood Big Mac & Little Lu’s brings
the Florida beaches to the Centennial State with
carefully sourced seafood and thoughtfully paired
beverages. Go for one of four po’ boy sandwiches
or the mussels and fries. Reservations accepted for
parties of eight or more. 2851 E. 120th Ave., West-
minster, 303-404-2722. Lunch, Dinner
Biker Jim’s Gourmet Dogs $
Ballpark / American This spot’s unusual menu
includes rave-worthy dogs in adventurous flavors
(think: ostrich sausage and elk jalapeño). Toppings
include combinations like wasabi aioli, caramel-
ized apples, and shaved Irish cheddar.
Reservations not accepted. 2148 Larimer St.,
720-746-9355. Lunch, Dinner
Blackbelly $$$
Boulder / American Chef Hosea Rosenberg’s
meaty menu focuses on charcuterie, small plates,
and daily butcher specials. Try the crispy pig ears
with red pepper jelly. Check out the butcher shop
and grab-and-go market, Blackbelly Butcher,
located next door. Reservations accepted. 1606
Conestoga St., 303-247-1000. Dinner
Blue Ocean $$
Hampden South / Chinese This Chinese restaurant,
which also goes by the name Little Chengdu,
specializes in noodles and hot pot. Try the Lanzhou
pulled noodle. Reservations not accepted. 8101 E.
Belleview Ave., 303-220-0577. Lunch, Dinner
Brass Tacks $$
Downtown / American This welcoming neighbor-
hood bar and eatery offers sandwiches, snacks,
and shareable family meals alongside beer, wine,
and custom cocktails. Reservations not accepted.
Sarah Banks
1526 Blake St. Lunch, Dinner
 DINING GUIDE
British Bulldog Pub $$
Five Points / Pub This neighborhood pub serves up
a mélange of fare—from English shepherd’s pie
and fish and chips to Pakistani curries and all-
American burgers in a casual setting. Reservations
not accepted. 2052 Stout St., 303-295-7974.
Lunch, Dinner, Brunch
C Cracovia
Cafe Brazil $$$
Berkeley / Latin American This colorful South
American restaurant specializes in seafood and
shellfish and is great for those with dietary restric-
tions. Reservations accepted. 4408 Lowell Blvd.,
303-480-1877. Lunch, Dinner
Cattivella $$$
Central Park / Italian At this restaurant, chef Elise
Wiggins offers rustic, wood-fired Italian fare from a
sprawling chef’s counter. Choose between grilled
oysters, seasonal pizzas, fresh pastas, and more.
Reservations accepted. 10195 E. 29th Dr., Ste. 110,
303-645-3779. Dinner
Chicken Rebel $$
Highland / American The brick-and-mortar
location of the popular food truck and former
Avanti food stall serves up sandwiches, salads,
and more starring beer-battered fried chicken.
Don’t miss the hot chicken tacos. Also try the West-
minster location. Reservations not accepted. 3618
Tejon St., 720-710-6620. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Chimera Ramen
Boulder / Japanese Edwin Zoe offers ramen
featuring scratch-made noodles and flavor-
packed broths. Reservations not accepted. 2014
10th St., 720-580-1100. Lunch, Dinner
Chook
Platt Park / Australian Chook specializes in Austra-
lian-style, charcoal-grilled rotisserie chicken and
fresh veggie sides. Order the charred broccoli
salad. Also try the Hale location. Reservations not
accepted. 1300 S. Pearl St., 303-282-8399.
Lunch, Dinner
City, O’ City $$
Capitol Hill / American This meat-free zone
features pizza, vegan pastries, and a full bar.
Reservations not accepted. 206 E. 13th Ave.,
303-831-6443. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Comal Heritage Food Incubator $$
Globeville / International You’ll find delicious
family recipes from Latin America and Syria at this
restaurant, which has a rotating menu and provides
job training to local women. Reservations not
accepted. 3455 Ringsby Ct., Ste. 105,
303-292-0770. Lunch
The Cooper Lounge $$
Downtown / Seafood This Union Station speak-
easy overlooks the Great Hall. Pair luxurious bites,
including wagyu steak tartare, with your cocktail.
Reservations recommended. Union Station,1701
Wynkoop St., 720-460-3738. Dinner
90 5280 | OCTOBER 2021
Corrida $$$$
Boulder / Spanish Housed on the rooftop level of
the Pearl West building, this elegant Spanish steak
house offers stunning Flatiron views and fabulous
cocktails and wines. Splurge on the Japanese
wagyu or opt for a locally sourced steak. Reserva-
tions accepted. 1023 Walnut St., Ste. 400, Boulder,
303-444-1333. Dinner, Brunch
Westminster / Polish Traditional dishes are on the
$$
menu at this family-owned spot. Try the placki (fried
potato and onion pancakes). Reservations
accepted. 8121 W. 94th Ave., Westminster,
303-484-9388. Lunch, Dinner
Cuba Cuba Cafe & Bar $$$
Golden Triangle / Latin American Don’t miss the
mojitos at Denver’s authentic Cuban restaurant.
Multiple locations. Reservations accepted
Monday–Thursday for parties of six or more. 1173
Delaware St., 303-605-2822. Dinner
D
Dae Gee $$
Congress Park / Korean Enjoy bold Korean flavors
at this Congress Park eatery. Order the spicy pork
bulgogi or try the bibimbap. Multiple locations.
Reservations accepted. 827 Colorado Blvd.,
720-639-9986. Lunch, Dinner
Daughter Thai Kitchen & Bar $$$$
Highland / Thai This upscale restaurant serves
beautifully plated dishes and inventive cocktails
with an elegant ambience to match. Reservations
$ accepted. 1700 Platte St., Ste. 140, 720-667-
4652. Lunch, Dinner
Dimestore Delibar $$
Highland / American This restaurant, bar, conve-
nience store, and market serves elevated deli fare
$ in an eclectic setting. Try the rolled focaccia sand-
wiches. Reservations not accepted. 1575 Boulder
St., Unit A, 303-537-5323. Lunch, Dinner
Dio Mio $$
RiNo / Italian One thing you can count on at Alex-
ander Figura, Spencer White, and Lulu Clair’s
fast-casual Italian eatery: perfect pasta. Try the
cacio e pepe or the squid ink cavatelli with
seafood. The house-made sourdough is heavenly.
Reservations accepted for parties of eight or more.
3264 Larimer St., 303-562-1965. Dinner
Dos Santos $$$
City Park West / Mexican The menu at this modern
taqueria features light, seafood-centric dishes, like
a beer-battered fish taco. Reservations not
accepted. 1475 E. 17th Ave., 303-386-3509.
Lunch, Dinner, Brunch
Duo Restaurant $$$
Highland / Contemporary Stephanie Bonin and
Keith Arnold capture the essence of the neighbor-
hood restaurant: simple food, a low-key ambience,
and the hum of neighbors trading stories. The
seasonal cuisine constantly surprises, and dessert is
worth a visit in itself. Reservations accepted. 2413
W. 32nd Ave., 303-477-4141. Dinner, Brunch
DINING GUIDE

E The Empress
Valverde / Asian This neighborhood favorite
serves Cantonese food, specializing in dim sum.
Reservations accepted. 2825 W. Alameda Ave.,
$$ Four Friends Kitchen
Central Park / Breakfast This charming a.m. spot
offers eats with Southern flair. Start your morning
off right with the warm beignets. Reservations not
$

El Jefe $$ 303-922-2822. Lunch, Dinner accepted. 2893 Roslyn St., 303-388-8299.

Sunnyside / Mexican Farm-to-table Mexican fare Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch
will lure you to this welcoming Sunnyside haunt.
Pair a house margarita with the four-cheese queso
dip, and don’t miss the organic mushroom tacos or
the butcher steak fajitas. Reservations accepted.
2450 W. 44th Ave., 720-389-7615. Dinner
F Frasca Food and Wine
Boulder / Italian Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson
$$$$

and master sommelier Bobby Stuckey’s fine-dining

mecca has racked up scores of accolades over the
Federales $ years (including nods from the James Beard Foun-
El Taco de Mexico $ RiNo / Mexican The first Colorado outpost of the dation). The elegant Friulano cuisine always wows.
Lincoln Park / Mexican This Denver favorite serves popular Chicago spot serves tacos and tequila. Try Reservations accepted. 1738 Pearl St., Boulder,
Mexican food with an emphasis on authenticity. Try the citrusy pork and pineapple or the mushroom 303-442-6966. Dinner
the chile relleno burrito. Reservations not accepted. tacos. Wash everything down with a refreshing
714 Santa Fe Dr., 303-623-3926. Breakfast, tequila rosé or spicy green-chile-infused margarita.
Lunch, Dinner

El Tepehuan
Englewood / Mexican The team behind this relo-
$
Reservations accepted. 2901 Larimer St.,
303-317-6262. Dinner

Finn’s Manor $
cated Englewood restaurant has been serving its RiNo / Global The indoor bar at this spot serves a
brand of authentic and affordable Mexican food wide selection of cocktails, while food trucks
for more than 40 years. Stop by for the huevos outside offer a diverse variety of bites, from fried
rancheros or carne asada. Reservations accepted. chicken sandwiches to Puerto Rican fare. 2927
3495 S. Broadway, Englewood, 303-781-0243. Larimer St., 303-353-2340. Dinner
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Fire Restaurant $$$$
Ellyngton’s $$$$ Golden Triangle / American Located inside the Art,
Downtown / American Located in the Brown a Hotel, Fire Restaurant serves contemporary
Palace Hotel, this is the home of Denver’s power American dishes made with locally sourced ingre-
meal. Indulge in the lavish brunch on Sundays. dients, including a Colorado lamb chop.
Reservations accepted. 321 17th St., 303-297- Reservations accepted. 1201 Broadway,
3111. Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch 720-709-4431. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
G
Gold Point $$
RiNo / American This hip hangout serves craft
cocktails and light fare, including sandwiches and
charcuterie boards. Reservations not accepted.
3126 Larimer St., 720-445-9691. Dinner
GQue BBQ $$
Westminster / Barbecue This fast-casual joint
serves hickory-smoked pork, brisket, chicken wings,
ribs, and more. Order the jalapeño-cheddar
sausage. Also try the Lone Tree location. Reserva-
tions not accepted. 5120 W. 120th Ave.,
Westminster, 303-379-9205. Lunch, Dinner

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DINING GUIDE
Green Russell
Downtown / Pub This chef-driven cocktail bar
offers a variety of small plates and libations. Reser-
vations not accepted. 1422 Larimer St., 303-893-
6505. Dinner
Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ Dining
Downtown / Japanese This Japanese-based chain
boasts table-centered grills on which diners cook
proteins like Harami skirt steak. There are also
noodles and rice dishes, and appetizers such as
tuna poke nachos. Reservations required. 1998
18th St., 720-726-4068. Lunch, Dinner
$$ Hop Alley $$$
RiNo / Chinese From Tommy Lee of Uncle, this
neighborhood hangout serves dishes rooted in
Chinese tradition with a touch of distinctive flair. Try
the dan dan mian. Reservations accepted. 3500
Larimer St., 720-379-8340. Dinner
$$$
I J
Il Porcellino Salumi $$
Berkeley / Deli This market and deli strives to
provide the highest quality, locally raised cured
Izakaya Den $$
Platt Park / Japanese Ultrafresh sushi, sashimi, and
creative small plates are on the menu at this local
favorite. Reservations accepted. 1487-A S. Pearl
St., 303-777-0691. Lunch, Dinner
Jamaican Grille $$
Lincoln Park / Jamaican This family-owned Jamai-
can restaurant serves classic Caribbean-centric
dishes like jerk chicken, fried plantains, and rice

H meats in Colorado. Pick a selection to take with you,

Hashtag $$
Stapleton / American Prolific Denver chef Troy
Guard takes on the breakfast joint with Hashtag.
Try the lamb neck eggs Benedict or the sea salt
chocolate chip hot cake. Reservations not
accepted. 10155 E. 29th Dr., 303-996-9985.
Breakfast, Brunch
Hasu Sushi & Grill $$$
Cherry Creek / Asian Try the aptly named Amaz-
ing Roll: chopped fatty tuna, cucumber, and
scallion on the inside; avocado, crispy kani, eel,
and special sauce on the outside. Reservations
accepted. 250 Steele St., Ste. 104, 303-722-
9968. Lunch, Dinner
or enjoy a fresh salumi platter or sandwich
in-house. Reservations not accepted. 4334 W.
41st Ave., 303-477-3206. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
India’s Restaurant
Hampden / Indian This spot serves traditional
fare, including flavorful dishes like tandoori
chicken. Be sure to try the cinnamon bread
pudding or the pistachio kulfi ice cream. Reser-
vations accepted. 8921 E. Hampden Ave.,
303-755-4284. Lunch, Dinner
Ivy on 7th
Speer / American This eatery serves seasonal,
European-inspired brunch and lunch dishes. Try
the gluten-free lemon and ricotta pancakes with
blueberries. Reservations accepted. 410 E. 7th
Ave., 720-828-8180. Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch
and peas, accompanied by a menu of rum-infused
cocktails. Also try the Jamaican Mini Grille and
International Jerk Market in Lakewood. Reserva-
tions accepted. 709 W. 8th Ave., 303-623-0013.
Lunch, Dinner
$$$
Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar $$$
Downtown / Seafood Enjoy sustainable seafood
in an upbeat atmosphere at this Union Station spot.
Specialties include the raw oyster bar and season-
ally composed plates. Multiple locations.
Reservations accepted. 1539 17th St., 303-292-
5767. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch
$$
Jerusalem Restaurant $$
University / Middle Eastern You can’t beat this
spot’s tasty, affordable, and traditional Middle
Eastern fare. Reservations accepted. 1890 E.
Evans Ave., 303-777-8828. Lunch, Dinner

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94 5280 | OCTOBER 2021

 DINING GUIDE

K
Kahlo’s Restaurant $$
Westwood / Mexican Enjoy plates of mole and
enchiladas verdes, as well as a menu of almost 30
different juices and smoothies, in a space deco-
Denver & Boulder rated with the art of Frida Kahlo. Reservations
accepted. 3735 Morrison Rd., 303-936-0758.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Karma Asian $$
Speer / Asian Go out to this trendy Asian eatery
for a variety of Asian tapas (such as spicy
edamame), or get more bang for your buck with
the Thai bang bang chicken and shrimp. Reser-

Eat Drink Party

vations not accepted. 22 S. Broadway,
303-871-0167. Lunch, Dinner

Katsu Ramen $$
Aurora / Japanese Satisfy a ramen craving with
one of the traditional styles offered at this cozy spot.
Your Holiday Party Headquarters Get the most out of your dollar with a combo meal,
featuring your choice of ramen plus gyoza and a
rice bowl. Reservations not accepted. 1930 S.
2 bars, 7 culinary concepts, & Havana St., Aurora, 303-751-2222. Lunch, Dinner

able to accommodate up to 800 guests Kitchen Table BBQ

Congress Park / Barbecue This Kentucky and
$$$

South Carolina–style barbecue spot located inside

Book Now avantifandb.com/book-us of Goosetown Tavern serves up some tasty meat
plates, from sliced brisket to bison jalapeño ched-
dar sausage. Be sure to order a basket of the
house-made cornbread. Reservations not
accepted. 3242 E. Colfax Ave., 303-399-9703.
Lunch, Dinner

Kobe An $$$

Ideas and inspiration Cherry Creek / Asian Everything is traditional at

this Japanese restaurant, including the seating. The
menu features Japanese favorites, such as tempura,
for your next home project. gyoza, and yakisoba. Reservations accepted. 231
Milwaukee St., 303-989-5907. Lunch, Dinner

L
Le French $$
Southmoor Park / French This chic Belleview
Station bistro, owned by French-Senegalese sisters,
transports diners to France via pastries and Parisian
cuisine. Ring in cocktail hour with wine and bever-
ages courtesy of an afternoon cart service.
Reservations accepted. 4901 S. Newport St.,
720-710-8963. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

LeRoux $$$$
Downtown / French Lon Symensma’s upscale,
European-inspired eatery features tableside
preparations and a roving cheese cart. Don’t miss
the Paris-Brest dessert. Reservations accepted.
1555 Blake St., Ste. 102, 720-845-1673. Lunch,
Dinner, Brunch

Photo by David Lauer Little Anita’s New Mexican Food $

Elevated living in the Mile High City.
Visit 5280Home.com or Zinio.com to subscribe.
Virginia Village / Latin American This spot is
known for its great New Mexican fare. The break-
fast burritos are divine. Multiple locations.
Reservations not accepted. 1550 S. Colorado Blvd.
#103, 303-691-3337. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

96 5280 | OCTOBER 2021

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 DINING GUIDE
Los Carboncitos $$
Villa Park / Mexican Enjoy fresh, authentic Mexi-
can food cooked in an open kitchen. Order the
alambre—Mexican stir-fry with your choice of torti-
lla, meat, cheese, and vegetables. Multiple
locations. Reservations not accepted. 720 Sheri-
dan Blvd., 303-573-1617. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Luca $$$$
Capitol Hill / Italian Convivial hospitality and clas-
sic Italian dishes greet you at this spot. Don’t miss
the house-made burrata cheese. Reservations
accepted. 711 Grant St., 303-832-6600. Dinner
EXPERIENCE MATTERS. YOURS + OURS.
Lucile’s Creole Café $$
American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry,
American Dental Association, Colorado Dental Association,
Speer / Breakfast Lucile’s offers authentic Cajun
Fellowship in the Pierre Fauchard Academy and Creole-style breakfasts and lunches with great
service. Multiple locations. Reservations not
accepted. 275 S. Logan St., 303-282-6258.
Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch
DENT

IS
TOP
NOW ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS

TS
M
CONTACT US TODAY AT 720.316.7210! EN
VE

R
D
BEFORE ACTUAL PATIENT AFTER ACTUAL PATIENT Machete Tequila & Tacos $$
Cherry Creek / Mexican Enjoy an extensive list of
SEE MORE BEFORE AND AFTER fine tequilas, and don’t forget to order the sumptu-
PHOTOS ON OUR WEBSITE ous tacos al pastor. Also try the Union Station
location. Reservations accepted. 2817 E. 3rd Ave.,
BLUESAGEDENTAL.COM 303-333-1567. Lunch, Dinner
10354 W. Chatfield Ave. | Suite 100 | Littleton
Makizushico $$$
Littleton / Japanese Fresh fish is flown in daily from
coastlines around the world for Makizushico’s
menu of sushi, sashimi, and a variety of hot and
cold Japanese-style small plates. Try the omakase.
Reservations accepted. 5950 S. Platte Canyon Rd.,
Littleton, 720-739-7777. Lunch, Dinner

Mas Kaos $
Berkeley / International Mexican meets Italian in
this hybrid between two South Pearl favorites, Kaos
Pizzeria and Uno Mas Taqueria y Cantina. Reser-
vations accepted. 4528 Tennyson St., 720-638-
2100. Lunch, Dinner

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Masalaa $$
Aurora / Indian A vegetarian’s heaven, Masalaa
has delicious Southern Indian cuisine. Don’t miss
the katrika masala with eggplant or the mirchi ka
salan new, a spicy dish with peanuts and coconut.
Reservations accepted. 3140 S. Parker Rd., Aurora,
303-755-6272. Lunch, Dinner
Mercantile Dining & Provision $$$
Downtown / New American Award-winning chef
Alex Seidel offer upscale, contemporary farm-to-
table fare, including pasta dishes and family-style
shared plates for the table. Mercantile also
features counter-service dining for breakfast and
lunch, as well as a marketplace of locally sourced
foodstuffs. Reservations accepted for dinner. Union
Station, 1701 Wynkoop St., Ste. 155, 720-460-
3733. Lunch, Dinner
Mercury Cafe $$$
Five Points / Contemporary Enjoy live music and
plenty of vegetarian options, as well as pasta
NMLS ID #472212 dishes, Colorado fish, and grass-fed bison, lamb,
and beef. Reservations accepted. 2199 California
St., 303-294-9281. Dinner, Brunch
• SALIDA • BUENA VISTA

98 5280 | OCTOBER 2021

 DINING GUIDE
Music City Hot Chicken $$$
Baker / American Located inside Trve Brewing
Co., this spot serves fiery variations of hot chicken,
including green chile, Nashville hot, and a scorch-
ing “flammable solid” (the highest heat level).
Reservations not accepted. 227 Broadway, #101,
303-357-1141. Dinner

Colorado
children N
will experience the Noble Riot
death of a parent
$$
RiNo / American Find charcuterie boards, fried
or sibling by their chicken, and other picnic-ready fare at this somme-
18th birthday. lier-operated natural wine bar. Reservations
accepted. 1336 27th St., 303-993-5330. Dinner

Grieving kids North County

Lowry Field / Mexican With a beach bar
atmosphere in a landlocked state, this San
$$$

need your help. Diego–inspired taqueria boasts a daily catch of

grilled fish tacos and a bar full of tequila libations
and spiked sodas batched and bottled in-house.
Reservations not accepted. 94 Rampart Way,
Learn more at 720-532-0106. Dinner
judishouse.org Northside Eatery & Market $$
Highland / Seasonal This all-day eatery, bar, and
market has a focus on local sourcing and seasonal-
ity. Try the Nashville-style hot chicken sandwich.
Reservations not accepted. 1691 Central St.,
303-993-5599. Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

O
Ocean Prime $$$$
Downtown / Seafood A perfect marriage

Elevate. between land and sea, this supper club offers steak
house dining and fresh fish in one. Reservations
recommended. 1465 Larimer St., 303-825-3663.
Add gourmet flavor to any dish. Lunch, Dinner

Enhance. Officers Club

Lowry Field / American Nosh on American
staples like Maryland crab cakes, a prime rib
$$$

Nurture balance of mind, body, and spirit. French dip, and the juicy Big Boy bacon burger at
this neighborhood dining room and bar, which is

Experience.
inspired by the military legacy of the Lowry Air
Force Base. Reservations accepted. 84 Rampart
Way, 303-284-0714. Dinner
High-quality, hand-roasted ingredients sourced worldwide.
Olive & Finch $$
City Park West / International Discover whole-
some, inspired meals at this restaurant, bakery, and
juice bar, where you’ll find a full coffee bar, artisan
sandwiches, hearty soups, tasty salads, house-
made pastries, and daily happy hour specials. Also
try the location in Cherry Creek. Reservations not
accepted. 1552 E. 17th Ave., 303-832-8663.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Learn more about Bina Mehta Spice Blends at:
Onefold $$$
City Park West / Contemporary This eatery does
early-day dining justice. Pair the bacon fried rice
with house-made bone broth, Vietnamese iced
coffee, or a local IPA. Reservations not accepted.
1420 E. 18th Ave., 303-954-0877. Breakfast,
www.BinaMehta.com Dinner, Brunch

100 5280 | OCTOBER 2021

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 Ce
DINING GUIDE

WA L K
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s at Boulder / Japanese Enjoy Japanese comfort food
in in at this Boulder restaurant. Try one of the signature
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nv 0 pancake for the traditional bun. Reservations
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accepted. 2460 Canyon Blvd., Boulder, 720-398-
9115. Lunch, Dinner

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GET HEALTHY!
Palenque Cocina Y Agaveria $
Littleton / Mexican Sip on more than 100 varieties
mezcal and snack on shrimp and mango ceviche
GREAT WALKS. at this sultry bar in Historic Downtown Littleton.
Reservations accepted. 2609 W. Main Street,

GREAT TOPICS. Littleton, 720-245-0195. Lunch, Dinner

100% FREE.
Panzano $$$$
Downtown / Italian Grab a seat at the exhibition
kitchen and enjoy rustic northern Italian cuisine.
Reservations accepted. 909 17th St., 303-296-
3525. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch
Oct 2 | Nov 6 | Dec 11
Park & Co. $
Take a step toward better health. Meet new people, learn Uptown Area / American This casual tavern
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720-328-6732. Lunch, Dinner

Park Burger $
Platt Park / American This neighborhood eatery
serves up top-notch burgers, such as the Croque,
topped with Swiss, a fried egg, and a slice of ham.
© 2020 Society Insurance Add a milkshake or root beer float. Multiple loca-
tions. Reservations not accepted. 1890 S. Pearl St.,
720-242-9951. Lunch, Dinner

The Pig & the Sprout $$

Downtown / American Tucked behind Union
Station, this dichotomous eatery offers something
for everyone. Order the sliced brisket with grilled
scallions from the Pig side of the menu, or opt for
lighter fare, such as a fresh crudité platter, from the
Sprout side. Reservations accepted. 1900 Chestnut
Place, 720-535-9719. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch

Pizza Republica $$$

Greenwood Village / Pizza This neighborhood
favorite serves delicious Italian fare made from
scratch. Try a starter from the antipasti menu, like
Italian crab cakes or mussels arrabiata. Reserva-
tions accepted. 5375 Landmark Pl., Greenwood
Village, 720-489-2030. Lunch, Dinner

Port Side $
Tried-and-true bar coverage with no surprises. RiNo / American Grab a slice of avocado toast
and a market salad (both made with ingredients
Small detail. Big difference. from local farms) to pair with your Huckleberry
Roasters espresso at this bright cafe. Reservations
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720-549-0622. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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than 40 years ago, we’ve stayed on top of industry trends to deliver the most Potager $$$
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Capitol Hill / Contemporary This family-owned
restaurant specializes in fresh, seasonal food. The
menu changes once a month. Dine in the back
To learn more about how we handle the small details that make a big garden. Reservations not accepted. 1109 N.
Ogden St., 303-832-5788. Dinner
difference, give us a call at 888-5-SOCIETY or visit societyinsurance.com.

102 5280 | OCTOBER 2021

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 DINING GUIDE
Q Run for the Roses
Q House $$$
City Park / Chinese Enjoy a modern take on
Chinese cuisine executed by chef Christopher Lin,
an alum of Momofuku in New York City. Try the
braised pork rice. Reservations accepted. 3421 E.
Colfax Ave., 720-729-8887. Dinner
Que Bueno Suerte $$$
Platt Park / Latin American The menu at this
vibrant restaurant offers familiar items like tacos
and fajitas as well as upscale, regionally inspired
Mexican fare. Try the camarones a la Veracruzana
(pan-seared shrimp with black bean purée , shal-
lots, and white wine). Reservations accepted. 1518
S. Pearl St., 720-642-7322. Dinner
R Salt & Grinder
Recess Beer Garden $$
Highland / American Located in the heart of the
LoHi neighborhood, this spot offers an oasis to
sample the 25 local and international cold brews
on tap. Reservations not accepted. 2715 17th St.,
720-638-0020. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch
Reggae Pot Jamaican Grill $$
Centennial / Caribbean Montego Bay native
Tamara Nisbeth crafts traditional Jamaican
specialties like ackee and saltfish, stewed oxtails,
and jerk chicken, alongside sides like plantains and
fried dumplings. Reservations not accepted. 7562
S. University Blvd., Unit C, Centennial, 303-997-
5623. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Rita’s Law $$
Five Points / American This neighborhood spot
serves up inventive cocktails, coffee, and light fare
with a side of community. Reservations not
accepted. 2209 Welton St., 720-465-9644.
Lunch, Dinner
Roaming Buffalo Bar-B-Que $$
Rosedale / Barbecue House-smoked Colorado
craft barbecue is the specialty at this laid-back
joint. Innovative meats like bison short ribs and
lamb shank are available by the pound. Reserva-
tions not accepted. 2387 S. Downing St.,
303-722-2226. Lunch, Dinner
Root Down $$$
Highland / Contemporary Located in a refabbed
1950s service station, this hip restaurant serves
globally inspired cuisine with a focus on veggies
and sustainable meats. Order the lamb porter-
house. Also try the DIA location. Reservations
accepted. 1600 W. 33rd Ave., 303-993-4200.
Dinner, Brunch
Rosetta Hall $$
Boulder / Global The tenants of Boulder’s first
food hall include Amira, Shanghai Moon, Tierra,
Petite Fleur, Amalfi, and more. Grab a seat on the
cozy rooftop deck and enjoy a drink from one of
the two bars. Reservations are accepted on the
Crown Mezzanine. 1109 Walnut St., Boulder,
720-323-5509. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch
10 4 5280 | OCTOBER 2021
Downtown / Contemporary You’ll find 52
classic cocktails and gourmet parlor snacks at
this underground bar in the Dairy Block. Reserva-
$$
tions accepted for parties of six or more. 1801
Blake St., 720-573-9155. Dinner
S
Safta $$$
RiNo / Mediterranean Acclaimed chef Alon
Shaya brings his modern Israeli fare to Denver.
Start with the creamy hummus and pillowy wood-
oven pita before moving onto tabbouleh salad,
charred cabbage, and halloumi. Reservations
accepted. The Source Hotel & Market Hall, 3330
Brighton Blvd., 720-408-2444. Lunch, Dinner
Highland / Deli At this restaurant, chef Frank
Bonanno takes on the deli. Expect house-cured
meats, hand-crafted salads, breakfast, and jarred
$
cocktails. Try the PB&J French toast. Reservations
not accepted. 3609 W. 32nd Ave., 303-945-
4200. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Salt $$$
Boulder / Contemporary Try the grass-fed,
humanely pasture-raised steaks at this Pearl Street
staple. Reservations accepted. 1047 Pearl St.,
Boulder, 303-444-7258. Lunch, Dinner
SAME Café $
City Park West / Seasonal This relaxed lunch spot,
short for So All May Eat, pairs pay-what-you-can
pricing with an ever-changing menu. Name your
price for dishes like soup and pizza. Reservations
not accepted. 2023 E. Colfax Ave., 720-530-
6853. Lunch
Santo $$$
Boulder / Southwestern Hosea Rosenberg’s
second restaurant brings bold New Mexican
flavors to Boulder. Dig into farm-to-table comfort
food such as the green chile cheeseburger. Reser-
vations accepted. 1265 Alpine Ave., Boulder,
303-442-6100. Breakfast, Dinner
Seoul Mandoo $$
Aurora / Korean This spot serves steamed and
fried Korean dumplings that are made from scratch
daily. Don’t miss the wang mandu (giant dump-
lings). Reservations not accepted. 2222 S. Havana
St., Unit J, Aurora, 303-953-9590. Lunch, Dinner
Ska Street Brewstillery $$
Boulder / American This brewery-distillery hybrid
from the team behind Durango’s Ska Brewing Co.
and Palisade’s Peach Street Distillers offers nearly
30 beers on tap, craft cocktails, and a menu of
elevated pub fare. Reservations accepted. 1600
38th St., Boulder, 720-510-9921. Dinner, Brunch
Snarf’s Sandwiches $
Capitol Hill / American Since 1996, this spot has
been serving made-to-order sandwiches on signa-
ture bread with premium ingredients, including their
own blend of giardiniera. Multiple locations,
including one in DIA. Reservations not accepted.
1003 E. 11th Ave., 303-832-9999. Lunch, Dinner
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 DINING GUIDE
Spuntino
Highland / Italian Enjoy the locally sourced menu
at this Italian-inspired, husband-and-wife-owned
spot. Try the seasonal pasta or any dish with South-
ern Indian influences. Don’t miss the house-made
gelato for dessert. Reservations accepted. 2639 W.
32nd Ave., 303-433-0949. Dinner
Steuben’s
Uptown Area / American With food like house-
made mac and cheese and fried chicken, plus retro
booths, this restaurant makes the 1950s feel right
around the corner. Don’t forget to grab dessert
before you leave. Reservations accepted. 523 E.
17th Ave., 303-830-1001. Lunch, Dinner
Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs
City Park / American Delicious hot dogs with all
the fixin’s served at a happy-to-please stand.
Reservations accepted for more than 15. 3525 E.
Colfax Ave., 303-333-7627. Lunch, Dinner
Super Mega Bien
RiNo / Latin American Chef Dana Rodriguez of
Work & Class offers a combo of large-format items
and Pan-Latin small plates, the latter served from
roving dim-sum-style carts. Try the lamb barbacoa,
served family style with consomme and tortillas.
Reservations not accepted. The Ramble Hotel,
1260 25th St., 720-269-4695. Dinner
Sushi Sasa
Highland / Japanese Enjoy Japanese fusion
cuisine—including sushi combos, poke bowls,
noodles, and much more—in a sleek, modern
setting. Reservations accepted for lunch and dinner.
2401 15th St., Ste. 80, 303-433-7272. Lunch,
Dinner, Brunch
T Ultreia
Tacos Tequila Whiskey
City Park / Mexican This taqueria offers a
variety of Mexican specialties. Try the queso a
la plancha taco made with griddled Cotija
cheese, smashed avocado, and roasted toma-
tillo salsa. Multiple locations. Reservations not
accepted. 1514 York St., 720-475-1337.
Lunch, Dinner
Tavernetta $$$$
Downtown / Italian The team behind Boulder’s
Frasca Food and Wine offers the same attention to
hospitality at this more casual Denver restaurant.
The charming space is home to dishes from across
Italy and a deep wine list. Reservations accepted.
1889 16th St., 720-605-1889. Lunch, Dinner
Tlaquesalsa
Westminster / Mexican Chef-owner Jose Rent-
eria serves tamales, street tacos, smothered
breakfast burritos, and more at this snug spot.
Take home a jar of the homemade tomatillo
salsa. 9960 Wadsworth Pkwy., Westminster,
720-605-1889. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Tocabe
Berkeley / American Indigenous fare goes Chipo-
tle-style at this quick-service restaurant. Try the fry
bread taco loaded with beef, buffalo, or chicken,
106 5280 | OCTOBER 2021
$$$ and beans, lettuce, cheese, and salsas or the
braised bison ribs. Also try the Greenwood Village
location. 3536 W. 44th Ave., 720-524-8282.
Lunch, Dinner
Tofu House $$
Aurora / Korean This neighborhood spot special-
izes in Korean soups and stews, but also offers a
$$ variety of other options. Reservations accepted.
2353 S. Havana St., Unit D1, Aurora, 303-751-
2840. Lunch, Dinner
The Truffle Table $$
Highland / Seasonal As an offshoot of the Truffle
Cheese Shop, it’s no surprise that a variety of
cheese boards and fromage-focused small plates
$ color the menu. Reservations not accepted. 2556
15th St., 303-455-9463. Dinner
Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar $$$
Downtown / Southern Nosh on re-imagined
versions of down-home dishes, such as the
$$$ signature honey-dusted fried chicken or bourbon
peppercorn-glazed meatloaf with classic sides
like collard greens. 1650 Wewatta St., 720-274-
0650. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch
$$$
U
Uchi Denver $$$$
Curtis Park / Japanese James Beard Award-
winning chef Tyson Cole combines unexpected
flavors for his unique take on Japanese food. Try
the sake toro aburi or the foie gras sushi. Reserva-
tions accepted. 2500 Lawrence St., 303-444-
1922. Dinner
Downtown / Spanish James Beard Award–
$$$
winning chef Jennifer Jasinski brings Iberian fare to
Union Station. Reservations not accepted. Union
$ Station, 1701 Wynkoop St., 303-534-1970. Lunch,
Dinner, Brunch
Uncle Zoe’s Chinese Kitchen $$
Aurora / Chinese Handmade steamed and fried
dumplings, along with a selection of Sichuan
specialties, are on the menu at this family-owned
restaurant. Reservations accepted. 12203 E. Iliff
Ave., Unit D, Aurora, 303-755-8518. Lunch, Dinner
Unravel Coffee $
Virginia Village / Cafe House-roasted beans and
high-tech tools lead to stellar espresso drinks at this
Virginia Vale coffee shop. You can also enjoy
toasts, grain bowls, salads, and smoothies. Reser-
vations not accepted. 1441 S. Holly St.,
303-884-2380. Breakfast, Lunch
$
V
Vert Kitchen $$
Washington Park West / French Salads and sand-
$ wiches (think: curry chicken or skirt steak with
walnut mustard) dot the menu at this European-
influenced cafe. Reservations not accepted. 704 S.
Pearl St., 303-997-5941. Breakfast, Lunch, Brunch
 The Spirit of Colorado
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 DINING GUIDE
Viewhouse
Ballpark / American This is your place to catch the
game and enjoy a variety of bar bites, from burg-
ers and hot dogs to steak. Watch your favorite
$$
sports team while enjoying a draft beer and a plate
of nachos, or catch a view of the city from the roof-
top bar. Also try the Littleton location. Reservations
accepted. 2015 Market St., 720-282-1555. Lunch,
Dinner, Brunch
Vital Root $ 303-215-3436. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Berkeley / American Justin Cucci’s fourth eatery
focuses on quick, healthy food. Grab a seat in the
airy space and nosh creative, wholesome fare such
as chilled carrot-ginger soup or a veggie dosa.
Reservations not accepted. 3915 Tennyson St.,
303-474-4131. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
W traditional Indian and Nepalese cuisine. Multiple
Welton Street Cafe $$
Five Points / Southern Enjoy soul food with a
dash of Caribbean flair at this charming Five
Points cafe. Order the fried chicken or smothered
pork chop with classic sides like red beans and
rice, hushpuppies, or seasoned fries. 2736
Welton St., 303-296-6602. Lunch, Dinner
West of Surrender $$$
Downtown / New American This modern eatery in
a historic space serves food and drink inspired by
the American West. Reservations accepted. 501
16th St. Mall, Lunch, Dinner
Williams & Graham $$$
Highland / American Disguised as a bookstore,
Sean Kenyon’s Denver speakeasy is one of the
city’s best cocktail destinations. Sip a seasonal
cocktail and nosh on small plates, such as roasted
bone marrow with bacon jam. Reservations
accepted. 3160 Tejon St., 303-997-8886. Dinner
WingWok $ Aspen, chef/owner Michael Beary’s upscale
Centennial / Korean This takeout- and delivery-
only spot serves Korean fried chicken wings,
sandwiches, kimchi fries, and more. 7530 S.
University Blvd., Centennial, 303-221-9433.
Lunch, Dinner
The Wolf’s Tailor $$$$
Sunnyside / Contemporary Chef Kelly Whitaker
fuses Asian and Italian techniques and ingredients
at this hip Sunnyside eatery. The results, such as 7X
brisket braised in dashi and red wine and house-
extruded mafaldine pasta with koji tomatoes, are
unique and delicious. Reservations accepted.
4058 Tejon St., 720-456-6507. Dinner
Wooden Spoon Cafe & Bakery $ can and Greek diner fare—gyros, burgers, salads,
Highland / American Start your morning with hot
drinks, fresh baked goods, and pastries. Or, stop in
for a hearty sandwich at lunchtime. Reservations
not accepted. 2418 W. 32nd Ave., 303-999-
0327. Breakfast, Lunch
Wynkoop Brewing Company $$
Downtown / Pub Enjoy fresh beer and pub favor-
ites like burgers, nachos, and fried chicken at one of
Denver’s original brewpubs. Reservations accepted.
1634 18th St., 303-297-2700. Lunch, Dinner
108 5280 | OCTOBER 2021
X
Xicamiti La Taquería $$
Golden / Mexican This long-standing joint serves
cooked-to-order burritos, tacos, quesadillas, and
alambres (skillet dishes) made with recipes inspired
by Walter Meza’s childhood in Mexico. Reserva-
tions not accepted. 715 Washington Ave., Golden,
Y
Yak and Yeti $$
Westminster / Indian This local favorite serves
locations. Reservations accepted. 9000 Yukon St.,
Westminster, 303-426-1976. Lunch, Dinner
Yard House $$$
Downtown / Fusion A fun and casual American
eatery which features a center island bar and clas-
sic rock tunes. Try the porcini crusted halibut or the
ahi crunchy salad. Also try the Lakewood location.
Reservations not accepted. 1555 Court Place,
303-572-9273. Lunch, Dinner, Brunch
Yazoo Barbeque Co. $
Five Points / Barbecue This barbecue joint offers a
Deep South menu, featuring slow-smoked pork ribs
and brisket. Also try the Greenwood Village loca-
tion. Reservations not accepted. 2150 Broadway,
303-296-3334. Lunch, Dinner
Z
Zocalito Latin Bistro $$$
Downtown / Latin American Formerly located in
Oaxacan eatery found a home in the heart of
Denver. Try the pork tenderloin with red mole
sauce. Reservations accepted. 999 18th St., Ste.
107, 970-920-1991. Lunch, Dinner
Zoe Ma Ma $
Downtown / Chinese This cozy counter-service
spot offers Chinese home-style cooking. Order the
Szechuan braised beef noodle soup, which
features house-made noodles. Also try the Boulder
location. Reservations not accepted. 1625
Wynkoop St., 303-545-6262. Lunch, Dinner
Zorba’s $$
Congress Park / Greek Zorba’s has served Ameri-
sandwiches, and classic breakfast dishes—in the
Congress Park neighborhood since 1979. Don’t
miss the huevos rancheros. Reservations not
accepted. 2626 E. 12 Ave., 303-321-0091.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
X These listings are in no way related to advertising in 5280. If
you find that a restaurant differs significantly from the information
in its listing or your favorite restaurant is missing from the Dining
Guide, please let us know. Write us at 5280 Publishing, Inc., 1675
Larimer St., Suite 675, Denver, CO 80202 or dining@5280.com.
 The Denver Athletic Club
ROOTED IN DENVER HISTORY
COMMITTED TO INNOVATION
A CLUB FOR YOUR WHOLE LIFE
With the addition of a coworking space, members of The DAC will have
everything they need to live, work, socialize and work out, all under one roof. The
DAC is proud to continually evolve its offerings to meet the needs of its members.
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— Rich Novelli, General Manager
LEARN MORE: DENVERATHLETICCLUB.ORG // 303-534-1211
I N T HE BE G IN N IN G
Picture Denver in 1884: the state of Colorado was
only eight years old. Wealth and population had
boomed in the recent silver rush. Though still a
dusty supply town for the miners out west, and not
without its share of bawdy characters, Denver was
the vibrant heart of the Rocky Mountain states.
And there, in the center of the city, stood the Denver
Athletic Club.
From the beginning, The DAC helped its members
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athletics, socializing and networking.
1 37 YE ARS YO U N G
Today, Denver looks very different from its
boomtown roots. But The DAC remains A Club for
Your Whole Life. It’s a place where members can
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it’s the exceptional childcare, winning youth swim
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or robust social programming, The DAC contributes
meaningfully to every member’s Denver experience.
A LWAY S I N N OVAT I NG
Even before 2021, thousands of professionals
were moving to Denver each month. Now, as the
city emerges from the pandemic, a record number
of residents are seeking something new from
WKHLU&RORUDGRH[SHULHQFHŴH[LEOHDOWHUQDWLYHVIRU
workspace.
The DAC, always committed to meeting the needs of
its members, is excited to unveil a 6,700 square foot
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LOSING PARADISE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 87
Their ditches were still flowing as of early
August—a feat made possible by dredging
the bottom of McPhee Reservoir to get the
measly remains of water through the out-
take—long after others had been shut off.
Even the Adamses, in McElmo Canyon,
were able to escape the worst of the drought
because they were able to lease water stored
in a small reservoir near Cortez, which tided
them over until an arroyo-filling monsoon
arrived in mid-July.
Geography plays favorites, too. To the east
of Montezuma County, La Plata County
irrigators on the aptly dubbed Dryside of
the county got even less water than they’re
used to, which isn’t much, leaving nearly all
the farmland brown. Those on the Florida
River—such as Tierra Vida Farm, owned by
Hana and Daniel Fullmer—had only a few
weeks of irrigation water. Meanwhile, farm-
ers who draw from the Animas River, which
runs through Durango, had sufficient H2O.
“Your location, the size of the reservoir, the
size of the catch basin, and the seniority of
the water rights,” Hana says, “can all play a
big role in how much water you get.”
IN MIDJUNE, Mountain Roots Produce’s
fields are alive—with grasshoppers. One
step into the straight rows and thousands of
leggy, herbivorous insects leap at the vibration.
Mike Nolan sighs, knowing the crop-chew-
ers, which have reproduced in droves thanks
to a spate of mostly rain-free summers and
relatively warm winters, are just another facet
of aridification. Obviously worn down by cir-
cumstance, Nolan explains that the timing of
the current crisis is especially cruel.
Last year, in the wake of the pandemic’s
initial wave, desire for locally grown produce
skyrocketed, making small-scale vegetable
farming just a little more financially viable. “It
was insane,” Nolan says. “It didn’t matter what
you had, you could sell it.” Since then, new
Colorado residents, many of them with dis-
posable cash, have left Texas and California
and flocked to towns like Mancos, Durango,
and Telluride as part of the so-called Zoom
Boom, driving up demand even further.
But the climatic conditions have made it
almost impossible for farmers without secure
water supplies to feed hungry customers and
capitalize on the growing market. Mean-
while, the same Zoom Boom that’s fueling
demand is significantly boosting already
high property prices, making it virtually
impossible for farmers—both novices and
veterans—to purchase or even lease land,
particularly in the most water-secure areas.
The same phenomenon is also putting pres-
sure on financially strapped farmers to sell
out for a hefty profit. “That is the problem,”
says Hana, whose Tierra Vida community-
supported agriculture waitlist has quadrupled
in the era of COVID-19. “Drought is hard
to deal with, but more and more producers
are saying the elephant in the room is land
access. The next generation of farmers is get-
ting priced out of the game.”
Nolan and Perkovich aren’t ready to cash
out yet, but the prospect of another dry year
is forcing them to reconsider their business
model. They may not farm at all next year
and get off-the-farm jobs instead. They’re
also considering building a house on their
property to rent long-term for extra income.
While it’s too early to tell what kinds of

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LOSING PARADISE
losses the region’s ranchers and farmers will
tally this year, they are likely to be substantial.
The 2002 drought resulted in a 75 percent
drop in Montezuma County alfalfa produc-
tion from the previous year, and dry bean
production was cut in half. This year prom-
ises to be as bad or worse. The Ute Mountain
Ute farm will sell less than a tenth of its usual
amount of alfalfa hay, most of which goes
to dairy farms in Texas. Other hay farmers
are forecasting similar losses.
Congratulates
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112 5280 | OCTOBER 2021
Scarcity also begets high prices. Livestock
operators have to pay more for the hay they
feed their cattle, forcing them to cull their
herds. (Southwest Colorado’s cow population
plummeted from 270,000 to 190,000 during
the 2002 drought.) It’s more difficult to track
the hit to small-scale vegetable producers and
how that ripples through the economy, but
it’s fair to say it’s been disruptive.
Parmenter laments the fact that it’s
become challenging to rationalize dispensing
the same advice he’s doled out for many
years. His job, after all, has been to promote
farming, growing produce, and the purchase
of local food. He’s simply not sure what to
say these days. “We’re going to have to grow
food in places that have more water and are
less extreme,” he says. “That has been the
Mancos Valley for a long time.” The region’s
most water-secure place these days is the fer-
tile Animas Valley north of Durango, where
exorbitant property values have made the
land far more economical for growing houses
than any sort of crop.
WITH MANY NEARBY FIELDS reduced to
dust, the chocolate-cake-like texture of
the Fullmers’ soil feels like a small, moist
miracle. Thanks to years spent enriching the
dirt through regenerative farming, Hana
says Tierra Vida Farm was able to make it
through the rest of the summer with only
the water they stored in a small pond (for
which they have historical storage rights), a
remarkable feat considering their ditches fed
by the Florida River and Lemon Reservoir
stopped flowing in early summer. They use
no synthetic soil additives, practice minimal
till, do crop rotation to build up nutrients,
and, most important, have 300 chickens that
they rotate through their cover-crop beds to
eat insects, break up the soil, and add nitro-
gen in the form of poop as they go. “That’s
been a real game changer,” she says.
The result is soil with unusually high
percentages of organic material, which bet-
ter holds the limited amount of irrigation
water and makes a more suitable environ-
ment for microbes and fungi. Fungi can
reach out into the soil, find water, and “bring
it back in and trade it with the plant in
exchange for sugars the plant is getting
from photosynthesis,” Hana says. “It’s a
really beautiful relationship.”
The Fullmers’ experience suggests the
situation in southwestern Colorado isn’t
hopeless. Under the right conditions, some
degree of adaptation is possible—but only if a
farm receives some water. Parmenter advises
small vegetable producers to shift high-value
crops to drip-irrigation greenhouses and to
focus more on growing during shoulder
seasons, when it’s not so hot. He also says
consumers can do their part by subscribing
to community-supported agriculture pro-
grams before the season begins, “so if there
is a drought or plague of grasshoppers you
incur some of the risk with the farmer.”
By making the irrigation networks more
efficient—piping ditches to stem the loss of
billions of gallons each summer via evapora-
tion and leakage—farmers could wring more
out of the increasingly scarce water supply,

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LOSING PARADISE
says Jay Loschert, the education and outreach
coordinator for the Montezuma Land Con-
servancy and its 83-acre Fozzie’s Farm north
of Cortez. But converting the hundreds of
S I LV E R GOLD P L AT I N U M miles of ditches just in Montezuma County
would cost millions of dollars, most of which
would be borne by cash-strapped farmers. (A
helping hand could come from the federal
infrastructure bill, which was being debated
by Congress at press time.) “There needs to
be that political will,” Loschert says. “Farm-
ers aren’t going to make those investments.”
The operators of Fozzie’s Farm have been
trying another solution: embracing a biodi-
versity model. Fozzie’s Farm planted more
than 30 woody plant species to improve
biodiversity. Still, Fozzie’s has had decreased
yields this year. Next year Loschert hopes to
partner with a Navajo sheep producer who
would pasture lambs on the farm, bringing in
income and helping the land produce better.
In 2013, the Pacific Institute, a California
nonprofit that focuses on water issues, pub-
lished a report on agricultural water use in the
Colorado River Basin. The authors found that
by switching from alfalfa to, say, sorghum,
Q 303.629.6927 Q MARY@GUSTERMANS.COM farmers could keep their lands in agriculture
while also saving water. And by practicing
regulated deficiency irrigation—which
amounts to putting crops on a water diet and
irrigating at optimal times—alfalfa farmers
across the Colorado River Basin could save
970,000 acre-feet of water per year (more
than three times Nevada’s allotment from the
river) while still getting healthy yields. Of

useful and
course, none of that helps if there’s no water
in the ditches at all.
These fixes are all fine, Loschert says,

delightful
but in order to really tackle the problem,
the entire system for managing Western
water, along with the collective mind-
set—which has us “reliant on a fragile and

Denver news
over-appropriated resource,” he says—needs
an overhaul. In other words, everyone needs
to stop dwelling on this season’s impacts and
think more long-term to try to mitigate the
state’s new reality. “The impacts we’re feeling
now are just the beginning,” Loschert says.
Even if that’s true and conditions get
worse, Nolan says he plans to stick around
the Mancos Valley, not because it’s safe from
climate change—nowhere is—but because
he knows the community will work together
to get through the hard times. “The people of
the Mancos Valley do a really damned good
job of taking care of one another,” he says.
He pauses and then, with an upbeat lilt to
his voice, adds, “It’s a great place to live.” m
.com Jonathan Thompson is a freelance journalist whose
grandparents once owned a farm in the Animas Val-
ley. Email feedback to letters@5280.com.
114 5280 | OCTOBER 2021
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 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Featuring
COLORADO HOMES
The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service, and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate,
it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification. Affiliated real estate agents are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ©2021 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the
Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC and franchised offices which
are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act.
 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

FORT COLLINS | $1,595,000 ARVADA | $1,050,000

7,400 sq ft. home, 4-acres, and 4br/6ba. Panoramic mountain views. Custom 4br/3ba home is deeded w/private lake access. Remodeled
Kitchen features granite counters, kitchen nook & separate dining. chef’s kitchen w/quartz counters. Primary suite w/sitting room, office,
Massive living room with fireplace. Continuous wraparound deck. 4 closets & private deck. Lower level offers a family room & newly
Finished basement. 1,200, 2 story sq ft. outbuilding. remodeled bath. Recent exterior upgrades $100k+.

Christina Larson 970.443.4111 Lynn Hodges 303.913.0166

You.re.Home777@gmail.com | DiamondHomesACutAbove.com lynn.hodges@coloradohomes.com | LynnHodgesCO.com

CENTENNIAL | Price Upon Request DENVER | Price Upon Request

Amazing 4br/5ba home backs to South Suburban Golf Course Gorgeous 5br/4ba home boasts a private study, generous dining room,
boasting an open floor plan. Kitchen w/updated cabinets & Corian kitchen w/island & butler’s pantry, family room w/gas insert fireplace
counters. Main floor master w/updated 5pc bath & walk-in closet. & built-in bookcases, primary bedroom suite w/dual closets
Finished walk out basement w/wet bar & bedroom. 2-car garage. & 5pc bathroom & full finished basement w/rec space.

Amy Metz 720.272.7337 AK Riley 720.289.2929

amy.metz@coloradohomes.com | AmyMetz.cbintouch.com ak@kadenverhomes.com | KADenverHomes.com

DENVER | $925,000 GOLDEN | Price Upon Request

Under Contract. 5br/2.5ba remodeled Victorian ranch. Kitchen w/SS This 4 bedroom, 3 bath home provides impressive mountain views and
appliances & 42” cabinetry. 3 beds and a full bath above. Basement a thoughtfully designed basement.
w/master suite, family room, laundry, powder bath, and an additional
bedroom. Complete w/fenced backyard & detached 2-car garage.

Dan D. Gerlock 720.326.8100 Soledad Tolnay 303.349.1043

Dan@GerlockHomes.com | GerlockHomes.com maria.tolnay@coloradohomes.com | SoledadSellsHomes.com

ColdwellBankerHomes.com
 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
LARKSPUR | $850,000
This “Storybook Cottage” is tucked in the woods surrounded by
beautiful English gardens. There are 3br/2ba on the main floor and a
4th bedroom w/bath in the basement. The outdoors provides fresh food
grown from your greenhouse garden. Conclude with a two-car garage.
Kimberly Ryan 303.523.8333
kim@buydenver.net | BuyDenver.net
AURORA | $819,000
Amazing 6br/5ba home featuring a large chef's kitchen w/upgraded
"Colorado room," formal dining & a main floor bedroom w/bathroom.
Upstairs is a loft & a spacious master bedroom w/5pc bathroom &
dual walk in closets. Finished walk out basement!
The Simonis Group 303.905.5137
amber@thesimonisgroup.com | ambersimonis.cbintouch.com
DENVER | $765,000
SOLD in 1 day! 2-story brick upstairs/downstairs duplex in Country
Club North. Complete w/a 1-car detached brick garage, a back
patio and a fenced yard. Close to Chessman park, nearby shops,
restaurants and Cherry Creek North.
Gail Wallace 303.903.5750
gailpwallace4@gmail.com | GailWallace.cbintouch.com
guiding you home since 1906
THORNTON | $825,000
Newman model offers 2,407 sqft of finished living area. Great room
w/gas fireplace & kitchen w/espresso cabinets, granite counters,
SS appliances & center island. Master suite w/tray ceiling, bath &
walk-in closet. Patio w/magnificent mountain view!
Linda Gilbert 720.232.1990
linda.gilbert@coloradohomes.com | LindaGilbertHomes.com
CASTLE ROCK | $799,000
4br/4ba home on over a one-third acre. Kitchen w/sleek modern
backsplash, granite counters, stainless appliances and gas cooktop.
All bedrooms on the upper-level w/2 full baths and a loft. Complete w/a
3-car garage and a custom patio w/a fire pit.
Marcus Harris 720.217.8904
marcus.harris@coloradohomes.com | HarrisTeamRealEstate.com
AURORA | $775,000
6br/4ba home. Great room w/fireplace. Kitchen w/an
island, upgraded cabinets, slab granite countertops
and SS appliances. Owner suite w/5-piece en-suite and
walk-in closet. Finished basement w/media room,
3 bedrooms and 2 baths. Backs to a greenbelt.
The Rowley Group 303.841.1021
Info@therowleygroup.com | TheRowleyGroup.com
ColdwellBankerHomes.com
 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

AURORA | $775,000 CASTLE ROCK | $750,000

5br/5ba home has an open floor plan that features a study, great room, Opportunity to own a unique 14.75 acre parcel w/breathtaking views
kitchen w/newer stainless steel refrigerator, breakfast nook, backyard of the front range and valley. Zoned in the city with ability to build
w/covered deck & custom fire pit, main floor master w/sitting room & 5-8 residences. Private easement granted from the adjoining parcel
en suite 5pc bath & finished basement. for access. Opportunity to design driveway.

Kari Smith 303.324.2376 Colleen Huber 303.506.3302

kari@denverhomesbykari.com | DenverHomesByKari.com colleen.huber@coloradohomes.com

FORT COLLINS | $744,900 CENTENNIAL | Price Upon Request

RARE residential-detached home on a quiet cul-de-sac backing to open Beautiful 4br/3ba home offers a living room, formal dining room,
space & Cottonwood Glen Park! 3,788 sqft home feat. an open flow plan kitchen w/island, new appliances, pantry & open to family room.
including a kitchen w/island & gas cooktop, formal sitting & dining room, Upstairs, the master suite w/walk-in closet & updated en-suite
living room w/fireplace, and private office. bathroom. Partially finished basement.

Andrew Almgren 970.217.9141 AK Riley 720.289.2929

andrew.almgren@cbrealty.com | Andrew.Almgren.cbintouch.com ak@kadenverhomes.com | KADenverHomes.com

DENVER | Price Upon Request BROOMFIELD | Price Upon Request

4br/2ba home w/new floors and fresh interior paint. Enjoy raised 55+ Broomfield Community! 2br/2ba ranch home
garden beds, sprinklers and covered porch/patio. Complete w/a 1-car w/office, refinished wood floors, new carpeting, eat
garage. This is your chance to live in a wonderful neighborhood close in kitchen w/gas stove & island & master bedroom
to schools, restaurants, shops, parks and more! w/high coffered ceiling & 5pc master bath. Amazing
clubhouse w/fitness center, 2 pools & more.
Kari Goddard 720.437.9755 Linda Gilbert 720.232.1990
kari.goddard@coloradohomes.com | KariGoddardHomes.com Greg Gilbert 303.250.9007

ColdwellBankerHomes.com
 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

guiding you home since 1906

PARKER | Price Upon Request AURORA | $655,000

Exceptional, move in ready 4br/4ba ranch. Hickory Hardwood Floors. Pristine 4br/4ba home features an updated kitchen w/SS appliances
Formal dining room. Eat-in kitchen w/granite counters & SS appliances. & walk-in pantry, family room w/floor to ceiling windows, office, master
Living room w/gas fireplace. Master bedroom w/vaulted ceilings & bedroom w/updated bath & walk-in closet, finished walk out basement
5pc bathroom & finished walk-out basement. w/wood floors & fireplace & huge backyard.

Ashley Morrison 224.532.3483 Sandy Benson 303.718.1175

ashley.morrison@cbrealty.com | MorrHomes.cbintouch.com sandy.benson@cbrealty.com | SandyBensonSellCOHomes.com

CASTLE ROCK | $650,000 DENVER | $650,000

Bright open floor plan features many builder upgrades. Newly renovated 2-level, 2br/2ba 1,388 sqft townhouse w/2-car
Open living room w/stone fireplace. Kitchen w/island, gas cooktop garage. Rare End Unit. Gated Courtyard. New carpeting, refinished
w/SS appliances & double wall ovens. Main floor office. Loft & master hardwood floors & new appliances. Primary Suite w/en suite bath &
bedroom w/bathroom. Low maintenance w/xeriscape features. private balcony. Located in the heart of Capital Hill!

Amber Simonis 303.905.5137 Robb Green 303.885.2924

amber@thesimonisgroup.com | AmberSimonis.cbintouch.com robb.green@coloradohomes.com | RobbGreen.cbintouch.com

LITTLETON | $639,999 ENGLEWOOD | $625,000

Beautiful & well maintained 2br/2ba home. Open floorplan offers an 3br/2.5ba home. Living/dining room area with vaulted ceilings. Kitchen
office, kitchen w/eat-in area & unfinished basement. Back patio w/maple cabinets with tons of counterspace and opens to the family
w/water feature & borders a common greenbelt & path. Grant Ranch room w/a brick fireplace. Finished basement w/a family room area.
offers a wonderful clubhouse, pool, marina & more. Complete w/mature trees & generous sized deck.

Amy Metz 720.272.7337 Jennifer Bub 303.253.4969

amy.metz@coloradohomes.com | AmyMetz.cbintouch.com jennifer.bub@coloradohomes.com | JenniferBubRealEstate.com

ColdwellBankerHomes.com
 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

PARKER | Price Upon Request FORT COLLINS | $625,000

Beautiful 3br/3ba home offers a main floor study, kitchen w/new quartz 3br/2ba farmhouse on nearly a 1/2 acre lot. Master suite w/an office
countertops, SS appliances & eat-in dining space, family room w/vaulted space and a balcony. Enjoy the deck in your yard by the water feature
ceilings, fireplace & master suite w/tray ceilings, 5pc bathroom & walk-in and fish pond. Fully fenced and private yard backs to open pasture.
closet. Unfinished basement. Complete w/oversized workshop and a garage.

AK Riley 720.289.2929 Gus Bergs 970.308.4733

ak@kadenverhomes.com | KADenverHomes.com gusbergs@hotmail.com | TheKeyGroupRE.com

ESTES PARK | $625,000 LITTLETON | $620,000

3br/1.5ba ranch style home in Estes Park w/refinished wood floors and Welcome to this perfectly located home with a large private backyard.
upgraded flooring throughout. There is 1-car detached garage and a This recently updated home offers amazing entertainment spaces
new roof. Complete w/an enclosed backyard. Enjoy the wildlife and big, and beautiful mountain views from the master suite. The basement is
beautiful rock formation on the property. complete with a full bath and fourth bedroom.

Jimmy Stewart 970.290.3755 Janessa Smith 720.400.6743

jimmy@thekeygroupre.com | TheKeyGroupRE.com JanessaSmithRealtor@gmail.com | JanessaSellsColorado.com

ARVADA | $590,000 BROOMFIELD | $589,000

Gorgeous, brick walk out 5br/3ba ranch features a covered front Fabulous renovated 5br/4ba home on a quiet cul de sac w/mature
porch, spacious back deck, living room w/lots of natural light, kitchen landscaping & views. Open floor plan w/stunning refinished hardwood
w/all new quartz counters, cabinets & SS appliances, dining area & floors & study. New flooring, sunroom, updated fireplace w/mosaic tile
finished basement w/flex & family room & more. surround & a refurbished deck. Close to schools.

Amy Metz 720.272.7337 Lorri DeLaney 720.313.7437

amy.metz@coloradohomes.com | AmyMetz.cbintouch.com delaneylorri@gmail.com | LorriSellsHomesColorado.com

ColdwellBankerHomes.com
 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

guiding you home since 1906

AURORA | $580,000 COMMERCE CITY | $555,000

Spacious, lovely ranch style 3br/3ba home in Saddle Rock Ridge Impressive 4br/4ba floorplan situated on a premium corner lot. Eat-in
features a formal dining room/living room area. Kitchen & family room kitchen w/granite counters, island & tile floors. Office. Primary suite
are on the west side of the house. Renovated walkout basement w/bar w/walk-in closet & 5pc bathroom. Fully finished basement w/bedroom,
area, additional bonus rooms, bedroom & bathroom. bathroom, living area & kitchenette.

Donna Sloan 303.718.9913 Brian Campbell 720.217.9435

donna@sloanshomes.com | YourHomeWithSloan.com brian.campbell@cbrealty.com

LITTLETON | $550,000 LITTLETON | Price Upon Request

Incredible 3br/3ba ranch townhome features an open floor plan 4br/3ba home. Spacious living room and family room w/a
w/hardwood floors, upgraded kitchen w/granite counters & Heatilator gas fireplace. There is formal dining as well as informal
SS appliances, dining area & fenced patio area. Master bedroom kitchen eating space. Unfinished basement w/rough-in for your
w/5pc en suite bathroom w/heated floor. Partially finished basement. custom finish. Beautiful landscaping w/front and back patios.

Cindy Kean 303.919.6304 Jan Selinfreund 720.427.5888

cindy.kean@coloradohomes.com | TheKeanTeam.cbintouch.com selinfreund@msn.com | JanSelinfreund.cbintouch.com

COLORADO SPRINGS | $525,000 LAKEWOOD | $499,000

5br/4ba home w/3,175 square feet. Main level w/vinyl plank flooring. West Lakewood 4br/2ba home on cul-de-sac offers a bright living
Kitchen w/42" cabinets, a gas range, SS appliances and tile room, eat-in kitchen, deck & beautiful park like back yard. New carpet,
backsplash. Primary bedroom w/a primary bath. Complete w/a finished paint, luxury vinyl plank flooring & Mature Trees. Sprinkler system,
basement, covered patio and fenced backyard. Central AC. 12-month home warranty.

Rob Thompson 719.337.7254 Jamie Dilts 720.347.7654

rob.thompson@coloradohomes.com | RobThompsonHomes.com jamie.dilts@coloradohomes.com | TeamDilts.cbintouch.com

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 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

WESTMINSTER | $490,000 CENTENNIAL | $490,000

Updated 4br/2ba home w/new carpeting and paint throughout Beautifully remodeled 3br/2ba home on a cul-de-sac featuring an
as well as newer laminate flooring on the main level. Enjoy a updated kitchen w/white cabinets, Quartz counters, & SS appliances.
living room and family room on the main level as well as a main Newer carpet, fresh paint, family room w/wood burning fireplace &
floor bedroom. Well-maintained yard w/mature landscaping. brick surround & deck w/seating.

The Cybyske Home Team 303.635.1100 Jill Nurse 303.241.4915

Lisa@cybyske.com | Cybyske.com Jill@TheNurseSellsDenver.com | TheNurseSellsDenver.com

CASTLE ROCK | $470,000 FORT LUPTON | $450,000

Lovely 3br/3ba property includes a fireplace, remodeled kitchen 4br/2.5ba home in Coyote Creek w/an open concept floor plan and an
w/custom white shaker cabinets, granite counters & newer appliances electric fireplace. There is also lots of extra storage. Backyard has a
& primary retreat w/ walk-in closet & updated bath. deck w/a pergola. Complete w/a garage offering a finished floor as well
as solar owned and installed in 2016.

Shannon Byerly 303.919.2611 Jimmy Stewart 970.290.3755

shannon@yourfreshstartrealtor.com | YourFreshStartRealtor.com jimmy@thekeygroupre.com | TheKeyGroupRE.com

FORT COLLINS | $425,000 LITTLETON | $425,000

3br/2.5ba home in Dry Creek. Living room w/a gas fireplace. Kitchen Cheerful 3br/1ba ranch with 1 car garage. Bright, light-filled living room
w/lots of cabinet space and an island. There is an upstairs laundry. w/Pergo flooring. Eat-in kitchen with granite counters & stainless steel
There is central AC and an attached 2-car garage. Complete w/a appliances. Fully fenced, private backyard. Ask me about the extensive
composite deck and fenced-in backyard. upgrade list.

Jimmy Stewart 970.290.3755 Allison Damico 720.639.0974

jimmy@thekeygroupre.com | TheKeyGroupRE.com allison.damico@coloradohomes.com | AllisonDamico.com

ColdwellBankerHomes.com
 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
CASTLE ROCK | $410,000
Beautiful 3br/3ba paired home on a corner lot. The main floor is an
open concept living area. The owner’s suite offers a private bathroom
and walk-in closet. The fenced-in backyard backs to a park area and
features a two-tier concrete patio.
AnnMarie Mckelvey 720.955.4423
annmarie.mckelvey@coloradohomes.com | DenverListingAgent.com
JOHNSTOWN | $400,000
Lovely 3br/3ba property is situated on a premier lot backing to open
space & close to Johnstown Reservoir. Offering an open floor plan,
spiral staircase, dining room, kitchen w/white shaker cabinets & pantry.
Primary retreat w/luxurious bath.
Shannon Byerly 303.919.2611
shannon@yourfreshstartrealtor.com | YourFreshStartRealtor.com
AURORA | $369,000
2br/2ba townhome w/an open floor plan. Oversized kitchen w/granite
countertops, SS appliances, a gas stove and a custom backsplash.
Primary suite w/vaulted ceilings, a walk-in closet and an en suite bath.
Complete w/a 2-car garage and a back patio.
Angelina Pendleton 321.292.1229
angelina.pendleton@cbrealty.com | angelina.cbintouch.com
guiding you home since 1906
DENVER | $400,000
Adorable 2br/2ba home features a newer kitchen w/hardwood floors
throughout, spacious living room, large backyard w/vegetable garden
& patio. 2-car tandem parking on driveway. Conveniently located near
Stanley Market Place & freshly painted.
Beth Radetsky 303.918.5234
beth.radetsky@coloradohomes.com
LOVELAND | $375,000
3br/1ba ranch style home in Sunset Acres w/hardwood
floors. Living room w/a wood burning fireplace.
Enjoy the eat-in kitchen. There is a main floor master
bedroom. Complete w/a fenced-in backyard. Great
location with easy access to Lake Loveland.
Jimmy Stewart 970.290.3755
Rena Wallingford 970.218.2003
COLORADO SPRINGS | Price Upon Request
4br/2ba home w/laminate hardwood flooring and newly painted interior
walls. The kitchen boasts stainless steel appliances. Master bedroom
w/a walk-in closet and an adjoined bath. Upstairs w/3 additional
bedrooms and full bath. Complete w/a backyard.
Angela M Smith 719.210.8878
Angela@MovingUpWithAngela.com | MovingUpWithAngela.com
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 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

MILLIKEN | $310,000 LOVELAND | $300,000

Beautiful 3br/2ba ranch paired home in Milliken in the subdivision of Cute and Comfy two bedroom, one bath Ranch Style Home in East
Settlers Village. Large & open great room w/vaulted ceilings. Newly Loveland on a large lot. The big kitchen is perfect for entertaining. The
landscaped backyard w/patio. Large master suite w/full connected backyard is shaded, great on hot summer days. This is a great location
bath & walk in closet. Finished 2-car garage. with easy access to Hwy 287 and Hwy 34.

Kevin Sanchez 720.277.8164 Jimmy Stewart 970.290.3755

kevin.sanchez@cbrealty.com | LegacyDreamHomes.com jimmy@thekeygroupre.com | TheKeyGroupRE.com

COLORADO SPRINGS | $290,000 COLORADO SPRINGS | $249,500

2br/1ba townhome w/newer enhanced vinyl plank flooring and a gas 3br/2ba condo w/a gas fireplace. Open kitchen w/an island, a pantry
fireplace. Living room w/built-in shelves. Enjoy central air conditioning and includes all appliances. There is 1 attached garage, 1 detached
and ceiling fans. Both bedrooms on the main level. Conclude w/an garage and 1 assigned spot. Complete w/a back patio that opens to
unfinished basement and a 1-car garage. a grassy courtyard providing mountain views.

Rob Thompson 719.337.7254 Matthew Beaman 719.321.5279

rob.thompson@coloradohomes.com | RobThompsonHomes.com matthew.beaman@cbrealty.com | BeamanProperties.net

DENVER | $169,900 LARKSPUR | $75,000

Ground floor patio w/plants & privacy fencing. Inviting, bright 2br/1ba Close to Palmer Lake and Larkspur! Woodmoor Mountain 3.7 Acre Lot!
corner unit w/in unit laundry room, washer/dryer included. Great Secluded valley views. Lot at end of a cul de sac & steep (ideal for a
westside location close to Bear Creek greenbelt trail & Aspen Grove. walk out basement). A true retreat to enjoy all that Colorado living has
All appliances included. Low HOA. to offer. Call Colleen @ 303-506-3302.

Christiana Barber 720.404.8757 Colleen Huber 303.506.3302

cbhomesco@gmail.com | ChristianaBarber.com colleen.huber@coloradohomes.com

ColdwellBankerHomes.com
 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

guiding you home since 1906

BOULDER | $2,165,000 BOULDER | $1,659,000 PINE | Price Upon Request

High tech, modern, mountain home. Walls of glass frame w/mountain
views. Bright w/open floor plan. Perfect for the discerning Boulderite
desiring to live in a private & idyllic setting surrounded by wildlife.
Karen Bernardi
303.402.6000
3br/3ba home on a large lot w/high end finishes. Primary bedroom
w/a walk-in closet, a full bath and a covered patio w/views of the
Foothills. Complete w/a backyard and a 2-car garage.
Spencer Clapperton
720.919.1002
4br/3ba home on 2.66 acres. Updated kitchen w/granite counters
and stainless appliances. Updated master suite w/a bath and
walk-in closet. Complete w/a finished basement and deck.
Debbie Joseph
303.842.8331

LITTLETON | $802,000 DILLON | $795,000 DENVER | $750,000

Beautiful 4br/4ba home includes a living & dining room, kitchen
w/SS appliances, breakfast nook, family room, study, master
bedroom w/5pc master bath & covered patio with gas firepit!
Jan Bollhoefner
303.947.3095
2br/2ba condo has spacious rooms & high-end furnishings. Newer 3br/3.5ba row house. Living room w/fireplace. Kitchen w/quartz
carpet, bathrooms & kitchen updates. Beautiful amenities on the countertops, WIFI controlled SS appliances and pantry. Upper level
lake. Custom bedding & beautiful furniture included. has primary suite w/an en-suite. Near downtown Denver.
Janene Ervin Karen Valdez
720.989.9708 303.886.4545

CENTENNIAL | $750,000 CONIFER | Price Upon Request AURORA | $660,000

Beautiful 5 bedroom, 4 bath home in the Highlands 460
neighborhood. Formal living/dining rooms, main floor study and
finished basement. Private and backyard with mature landscaping.
Kylie Rupert
303.842.8205
3br/3ba home w/an open floor plan. Open kitchen w/an island and
stainless appliances. Master suite w/flex space, walk-in closet and
3/4 bath. Complete w/a fenced yard and 2-car garage.
Jeanette Starc
303.520.9425
3br/3ba home w/open floor plan. Kitchen w/an island, new stainless
appliances and double ovens. Master bedroom w/a 5-piece bath
and walk-in closet. Complete w/a basement and backyard.
Rae Marie Heard
720.234.7918

DENVER | $647,900
Beautifully updated 1949 3br/2ba brick ranch showcases effortless
natural light, original hardwood floors & quaint, original features. Kitchen
boasts all new appliances. Beautiful backyard & oversized 1-car garage.
Sarah Schepman
720.308.3295
HIGHLANDS RANCH | $625,000
3br/3ba home features a formal living & dining room, kitchen
w/breakfast nook & family room. Master bedroom w/5pc master
bathroom & walk-in closet. Loft w/MOUNTAIN VIEWS. 3-car garage.
Susan Ingle
720.771.4783
HIGHLANDS RANCH | Price Upon Request
4br/4ba home. Well-appointed kitchen opens to the family room
w/a gas fireplace. Master bedroom, walk-in closet and a master
bath. Finished basement, 2-car garage and lovely backyard.
Kathryn Farrow
720.987.8660

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 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

LITTLETON | $600,000 DENVER | $600,000 HIGHLANDS RANCH | $600,000

4br/3.5ba home. Kitchen w/ granite countertops, hardwood floors
and a gas cooktop. Master suite w/a sitting room and updated
3/4 bath. Complete w/a finished basement and a backyard.
Mary Ann O'Toole
720.530.6878
3br/3ba home has an open layout w/designer touches The fully
finished basement is great for entertaining. Complete w/a 1-car
garage, 1 off-street parking space and a fenced yard.
Mary Ann O'Toole
720.530.6878
Lovely, updated 2br/3ba patio home offers vinyl wood flooring,
new carpet & paint, kitchen w/new cabinets & granite counters,
master suite w/spa-like bath, patio & finished basement.
Debbie Joseph
303.842.8331

PARKER | $580,000 AURORA | $578,999 DENVER | $575,000

Charming 3br/2ba ranch home offers an updated kitchen w/upgraded
appliances, granite counter & basket-weave backsplash. Updated
master bathroom w/granite counters & tile backsplash.
Lynne Ross
303.520.8800
5br/3ba home w/an open floor plan and a gourmet kitchen. Living Wonderful 2br/1ba remodeled bungalow w/open floor plan. Updated
room w/a fireplace. Master bedroom w/a walk-in closet and 5-piece kitchen features newer cabinets, granite counters & SS appliances.
bath. Complete w/a basement and back patio. Updated bathroom. Remodeled basement w/new carpet.
Brandon Miller Mike Desmarais
303.990.0702 303.594.4100

LITTLETON | $569,000 LAKEWOOD | $550,000 LITTLETON | $525,000

4br/2ba home. Main level w/an updated kitchen, dining room and
living room. Upstairs w/3 bedrooms, including the master with a
3/4 bath. Complete w/a lower level and a backyard.
Brandon Miller
303.990.0702
3br/3ba home. Family room w/gas fireplace. Kitchen w/quartz Fabulous 3br/2ba home located in a wonderful neighborhood.
countertops and stainless appliances. Master suite with updated Open floor plan w/vaulted ceilings & remodeled kitchen w/granite
bath. Easy access to mtns. counters, new cabinets & newer appliances. Finished basement.
Debbie Joseph Bob Sheets
303.842.8331 720.404.0229

DENVER | $500,000 DENVER | $499,000 THORNTON | $489,900

Fabulous location! Great potential as a fix & flip, pop-top or scrape!
Habitable as is but needs TLC. Open floor plan. 2br/1ba (5-piece)
bath. Large (6,250 square foot) lot.
Michael & Laurie Marcus
303.550.0075
3br/2ba home w/endless opportunities. There is a two-car garage
and RV parking. Across the street from Ruby Hill Park, Levitt
Pavilion and close to Overland Golf Course.
P.J. Farrell
303.884.5368
Updated 4br/4ba home offers a finished basement, open floor
plan, updated kitchen w/maple cabinetry, granite countertops
& stainless appliances, main level w/hardwood floors & patio.
Caryn Geiger
303.249.8149

ColdwellBankerHomes.com

GOLDEN | Price Upon Request
Charming 4br/2ba brick home. Convenient location. Beautifully 2br/2.5ba condo. Kitchen w/granite slab countertops and an island.
landscaped. Light & bright home w/hardwood floors & bay
windows. Complete with a newer roof, furnace & water heater!
Ilene Schwartz
720.413.6616
DENVER | $460,000
Stunning 1br/1ba w/office showcases mountain & Pikes Peak
views. Open floor plan including Venetian plaster walls, corkboard
flooring, granite countertops, stainless appliances & more.
Lynne Ross
303.520.8800
DENVER | $415,000
Spacious end unit 4br/2.5ba townhome offers a front patio, open
floor plan, bonus nook area, kitchen w/new appliances & fixtures,
master suite w/walk-in closet & new bathroom fixtures.
Natacha M. Gutierrez Esq
720.643.0030
AURORA | $399,900
2br/2ba townhome. Family room w/a gas fireplace. Kitchen w/newer
stainless appliances. Master bedroom w/a full bath, two closets and assortment of activities or just relax in this beautiful large backyard.
an adjacent loft. Complete w/a balcony.
The Rowley Group
303.841.1021
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
ENGLEWOOD | $475,000
Master bedroom w/a walk-in closet and 5-piece bath. Complete
w/a lower level, a balcony and a deeded parking space.
Mary Ann O'Toole
720.530.6878
BAILEY | $450,000
Amazing 35 acre parcel of land in beautiful Bailey Estates. Mixture
of gently sloping land, craggy rock outcroppings and stellar
mountain views. Pine and Aspen trees grace the lot.
Susan Sharnas 303.475.3096
Tyler Westcott 303.619.4817
BOULDER | $410,000
Top floor, vaulted ceiling, south facing 2br/2ba condo. Remodeled
to eliminate a dated fireplace, expand the dining & living area &
expanding the primary shower. Includes a carport.
Tom Fowler 303.956.2575
Jillian Fowler 303.884.2032
AURORA | Price Upon Request
Don't miss this great home that backs up to open space. Enjoy an
Two bedrooms and two bathrooms with RV parking.
Michael Williams
303.667.7176
guiding you home since 1906
ARVADA | $475,000
Charming four-bedroom, two bath, ranch-style home, tucked
away in Oberon Heights, feeding into prized Ralston Valley HS and
proximity to top schools. Excellent investment!
Lorri DeLaney
720.313.7437
COLORADO SPRINGS | $430,000
3br/2ba home. Updated kitchen w/newer appliances and clever
cabinets. Main level w/a master bedroom, office and full bath.
Complete w/a lower-level, backyard and detached 2-car garage.
Jeremiah Miller
719.505.6605
LOCHBUIE | $405,000
Gorgeous two-story 3br/3ba home in the High Plains Community!
Open floor plan. Kitchen w/beautiful counters & pantry. 2nd floor
master retreat w/oversized bathroom & walk-in closet.
Bob Sheets 720.404.0229
Tricia Wales 303.941.5354
WESTMINSTER | $365,000
2br/2ba townhome w/open floor plan. Kitchen w/quartz counters,
updated cabinets, SS appliances and stylish tile backsplash.
Each floor has a bedroom and full bath. Complete w/a garage.
The Cybyske Home Team
303.635.1100
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 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

ARVADA | $365,000 DENVER | $300,000 AURORA | $299,999

3br/2ba townhome. Living room w/a gas fireplace. Laundry room
w/a washer and dryer. Conclude w/a deck, covered parking and
storage. Close to shopping, schools, restaurants and parks.
Sonja Walcker
303.564.4118
1br/1ba unit w/an open floor plan, an open kitchen, a sunroom
and a study. Go right out the door to streets lined with some pubs,
bistros and fine dining. Close to parks and shopping.
Chase Huddleston
303.585.0895
1br/1ba townhome w/an open floor plan. Kitchen w/SS appliances,
glass tile backsplash and pantry nook. Bedroom has an en suite
bath w/reach-in closet spaces. Complete w/a private patio.
Kari Smith
303.324.2376

AURORA | $285,000 ARVADA | $275,000 DENVER | $249,900

2br/2ba condo w/an open floor plan. Kitchen w/42-inch cabinets,
breakfast bar and dining area. Master bedroom w/a walk-in closet
and en suite master bath. Complete w/a covered balcony.
Nita Kolarsick
303.250.8280
Beautifully updated 2br/2ba condo! Kitchen w/newer cabinets,
SS appliances & granite counters. Living area w/fireplace. Updated
bathrooms. Master bedroom w/bath & private patio access.
Savannah Turke
720.380.6506
Wonderful views in this tastefully renovated 1br/1ba condo boasting
a remodeled kitchen w/Bosch SS appliances, new shaker style
cabinets & quartz counters, updated bathroom & balcony.
Reuben McKelvey
720.840.7763

GUIDING YOU TO
THE PLACE WHERE
THINGS GO BUMP
IN THE NIGHT

Guiding you home since 1906.

ColdwellBankerHomes.com
 BACKSTORY
SICK THRILLS
Scare actors—creepily costumed employees lurking in haunted attractions
to strike fear into our hearts this month—may suffer more than the patrons
they terrorize. “You’re putting on a one-person show every 30 seconds,” says
Danielle Look (pictured), who practiced her craft at Thornton’s Haunted Field of
Screams last year. “People don’t realize how physical it is. You’re wiped out by the end.” And while Look
says the sadistic delight of frightening her victims fuels her, the job still presents a nightmarish range of
workplace hazards that would make even a real-life ghoul wince. ANGELA UFHEIL

UNDER YOUR SKIN RIGOR MORTIS

Builders work fast to fabricate the
gruesome operating rooms, cursed jail
cells, and other disturbing sets guests
encounter as they tiptoe through venues.
But sanding smooth, say, a prop coffin
doesn’t always get done, Look says,
subjecting her co-workers to stakes to the
heart (er, thumb) in the form of splinters.
BUMPS IN THE NIGHT
Look is often too in the zone to notice
when her body is taking a beating.
At her first gig in 2015, she hid behind
a window with a fake pane of glass
that dropped when she pushed a but-
ton. “I was flinging my torso through
the window, and I didn’t realize how
much I was bruising my ribcage until
later,” she says—making the next day
all the more grueling.
For working monsters lying in wait, the
element of surprise is paramount. But
even the youngest patrons know to
expect a spook. Regaining the upper
hand can require some creative—and
uncomfortable—calisthenics, like the kill-
er workout Look endured when using a
mechanic’s creeper (a wheeled platform
that slides garage employees under
cars) to pop out from beneath a bed.
SCREAM QUEEN
Shrieks and wails shred your vocal
cords faster than Freddie Krueger can
rip through a bedsheet. Lemon tea will
soothe that raw tissue, though Look’s
inward scream (a technique that involves
inhaling and tightening your throat to
make a croaking sound) preserves
voices best. “What it lacks in volume, it
makes up for in eeriness,” she says.

EYESORE
Wearing contacts involves its own set
of itchy-eye horrors—and that’s before
artificial fog (practically ubiquitous
in Halloween attractions) and FX
contacts (the costume lenses that lend
pupils inhuman colors like devil red).
“Maybe it’s just me,” Look says, “but
FX contacts dry my eyes out so much.”

HEART POUNDER
“If a scare actor stays in one place,
they’re being lazy,” says Look, who ad-
heres to her three-scare rule: Surprise the
brave leader of each group, get up close
and hassle the cowards in the middle,
then sneak up behind the suckers bring-
Costume courtesy of Devon McKinney

ing up the rear as they leave the room.

All that movement, though, can leave a
fear-inspired thespian gasping for air.

P H O T O G R A P H BY J A S O N S I N N

132 5 2 8 0 OCTOBER 2021

 THE TO
OF
VOTED BEST
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