Monday, April 30, 2018
The changes Velorama Festival is making to the layout, ticketing and lineup for its second year
Velorama, which debuted in Denver’s River North neighborhood last year, will return with a smaller footprint, new ticketing options and broader appeal in its cultural offerings, organizers said this week.
The bike race and music festival is centered around the four-day Colorado Classic, which splits its time between Vail and Denver. The festival itself takes place in the east parking lot outside Denver’s Coors Field, Aug. 17-19.
“We learned a lot last year and are really excited about the energy we’re going to be bringing to RiNo,” said Curtis Hubbard, spokesman for Velorama.
Velorama was criticized in 2017 for issues The Denver Post witnessed on its first night, including slow-moving lines, beer shortages, non-working WiFi and an overall confusing layout.
Hubbard said the problems were mostly relegated to night one and that Velorama organizers moved quickly to address them for the rest of the event, which drew about 30,000 people over three days.
Last year’s 1 million square-foot footprint was one of the largest, non-parade street closures in Denver history, taking over Blake Street between 27th and 35th streets, with additional closures on Larimer, Walnut and Lawrence streets.
For 2018, that’s shrinking to a more manageable and less disruptive size, said Rob Smith, senior vice president of marketing for Denver-based RPM Events Group.
“It’s all going to be contained within the Rockies parking lot B, which is now mostly vacant,” he said. “But within that, it’s going to be a more improved experience with multiple beer stations, a bigger main entrance and lines moving much more quickly.”
This year will offer a “Kentucky Derby-type infield” experience, Hubbard added, with day-long events that create their own cultural draw outside the race, but also a more compact and clear connection to the viewing of the bike race.
The “experiential” offerings on-site include an e-bike test track, the ability to “race the train” (RTD’s A-line Light Rail) as it speeds to and from Union Station, BMX racing and demos, a kids’ zone, more than two-dozen food trucks, and other merchants, in addition to the main-stage entertainment.
This year’s music lineup is also more mainstream-leaning, featuring Glass Animals, Cold War Kids, Vince Staples, Matt and Kim, Rainbow Kitten Surprise and The Kills — all of which were announced in mid-March. New this week: National acts Cults, Hop Along and Lo Moon, with Colorado’s Slow Caves (Aug 17), Brent Cowles (Aug. 18) and Wildermiss (Aug. 19) as daily openers.
“Bands with broader fan appeal — and that can sell out Red Rocks, like Glass Animals has — is part of the business plan this year,” Hubbard said.
By contrast, Velorama’s 2017 entertainment was centered around critical darlings and indie rockers such as Wilco, Death Cab for Cutie and The New Pornographers.
The marriage of music and cycling was meant to create a symbiotic financial relationship, since traveling cycling events are expensive to produce and ticketed festivals with food and alcohol sales offer a promising financial base.
“We’re serving two distinct audiences, but we think there’s good crossover potential,” Hubbard said. “That’s the goal this year: really figuring that out in a way that works for everyone. We’ve seen a huge demand for it, whether it was the Coors Classic or the Pro Challenge. But how do you put on a pro bike race, where there aren’t usually tickets but there’s a passionate fan base, and pay for it? That’s the secret sauce of Velorama.”
Hubbard noted Velorama’s relationship with the Drink RiNo group. Instead of partnering with a single beer vendor, Velorama offers more than a dozen breweries, cideries, and a craft winery, he said, given that RiNo is “ground zero for the craft movement. … That’s sort of the vibe we’re going for.”
A limited amount of early-bird, three-day tickets went on sale last month for $90. Starting on Friday, May 4, Friday and Saturday single-day general admission tickets go on sale for $50 each, and Sunday tickets are $10. Three-day festival passes are $100 for GA.
A new premium ticket will be priced between GA and VIP ($90 for Friday or Saturday, and $30 for Sunday) in a limited amount of about 500, offering a private bar, restroom and dedicated festival entrance for music fans. Three-day premium tickets are $180.
Kids 10 and under are free.
Tickets can be found at velorama.eventbrite.com. The Denver office of AEG Presents is Velorama’s booking and production partner on the music side, organizers said.
FRIDAY, AUG. 17
Glass Animals
The Kills
* Hop Along
* Slow Caves (local Colorado band)
SATURDAY, AUG. 18
Cold War Kids
Vince Staples
Rainbow Kitten Surprise
* Lo Moon
* Brent Cowles (Colorado band)
SUNDAY, AUG. 19
Matt And Kim
* Cults
* Wildermiss (Colorado band)
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The changes Velorama Festival is making to the layout, ticketing and lineup for its second year
Velorama, which debuted in Denver’s River North neighborhood last year, will return with a smaller footprint, new ticketing options and broader appeal in its cultural offerings, organizers said this week.
The bike race and music festival is centered around the four-day Colorado Classic, which splits its time between Vail and Denver. The festival itself takes place in the east parking lot outside Denver’s Coors Field, Aug. 17-19.
“We learned a lot last year and are really excited about the energy we’re going to be bringing to RiNo,” said Curtis Hubbard, spokesman for Velorama.
Velorama was criticized in 2017 for issues The Denver Post witnessed on its first night, including slow-moving lines, beer shortages, non-working WiFi and an overall confusing layout.
Hubbard said the problems were mostly relegated to night one and that Velorama organizers moved quickly to address them for the rest of the event, which drew about 30,000 people over three days.
Last year’s 1 million square-foot footprint was one of the largest, non-parade street closures in Denver history, taking over Blake Street between 27th and 35th streets, with additional closures on Larimer, Walnut and Lawrence streets.
For 2018, that’s shrinking to a more manageable and less disruptive size, said Rob Smith, senior vice president of marketing for Denver-based RPM Events Group.
“It’s all going to be contained within the Rockies parking lot B, which is now mostly vacant,” he said. “But within that, it’s going to be a more improved experience with multiple beer stations, a bigger main entrance and lines moving much more quickly.”
This year will offer a “Kentucky Derby-type infield” experience, Hubbard added, with day-long events that create their own cultural draw outside the race, but also a more compact and clear connection to the viewing of the bike race.
The “experiential” offerings on-site include an e-bike test track, the ability to “race the train” (RTD’s A-line Light Rail) as it speeds to and from Union Station, BMX racing and demos, a kids’ zone, more than two-dozen food trucks, and other merchants, in addition to the main-stage entertainment.
This year’s music lineup is also more mainstream-leaning, featuring Glass Animals, Cold War Kids, Vince Staples, Matt and Kim, Rainbow Kitten Surprise and The Kills — all of which were announced in mid-March. New this week: National acts Cults, Hop Along and Lo Moon, with Colorado’s Slow Caves (Aug 17), Brent Cowles (Aug. 18) and Wildermiss (Aug. 19) as daily openers.
“Bands with broader fan appeal — and that can sell out Red Rocks, like Glass Animals has — is part of the business plan this year,” Hubbard said.
By contrast, Velorama’s 2017 entertainment was centered around critical darlings and indie rockers such as Wilco, Death Cab for Cutie and The New Pornographers.
The marriage of music and cycling was meant to create a symbiotic financial relationship, since traveling cycling events are expensive to produce and ticketed festivals with food and alcohol sales offer a promising financial base.
“We’re serving two distinct audiences, but we think there’s good crossover potential,” Hubbard said. “That’s the goal this year: really figuring that out in a way that works for everyone. We’ve seen a huge demand for it, whether it was the Coors Classic or the Pro Challenge. But how do you put on a pro bike race, where there aren’t usually tickets but there’s a passionate fan base, and pay for it? That’s the secret sauce of Velorama.”
Hubbard noted Velorama’s relationship with the Drink RiNo group. Instead of partnering with a single beer vendor, Velorama offers more than a dozen breweries, cideries, and a craft winery, he said, given that RiNo is “ground zero for the craft movement. … That’s sort of the vibe we’re going for.”
A limited amount of early-bird, three-day tickets went on sale last month for $90. Starting on Friday, May 4, Friday and Saturday single-day general admission tickets go on sale for $50 each, and Sunday tickets are $10. Three-day festival passes are $100 for GA.
A new premium ticket will be priced between GA and VIP ($90 for Friday or Saturday, and $30 for Sunday) in a limited amount of about 500, offering a private bar, restroom and dedicated festival entrance for music fans. Three-day premium tickets are $180.
Kids 10 and under are free.
Tickets can be found at velorama.eventbrite.com. The Denver office of AEG Presents is Velorama’s booking and production partner on the music side, organizers said.
FRIDAY, AUG. 17
Glass Animals
The Kills
* Hop Along
* Slow Caves (local Colorado band)
SATURDAY, AUG. 18
Cold War Kids
Vince Staples
Rainbow Kitten Surprise
* Lo Moon
* Brent Cowles (Colorado band)
SUNDAY, AUG. 19
Matt And Kim
* Cults
* Wildermiss (Colorado band)
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Q&A: ARL Cash President Laurel Hertz Masters the Affiliate Game
ARL Cash President Laurel Hertz has sharpened her business instincts to a razor’s edge over the course of 20-plus years in the adult biz, with major affiliate management creds from the likes of Hustler, Mr. Skin and Flirt4Free.
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Sunday, April 29, 2018
Saturday, April 28, 2018
Five Points Jazz Festival reveals 2018 lineup, honorees, full schedule
The Five Points Jazz Festival will pay tribute to pioneering promoter Lu Vason, community activist Brother Jeff and others when it returns Five Points on May 19.
The annual festival, which takes place on Welton Street between 26th and 29th streets and celebrates the historic Denver neighborhood, features more than 45 bands on 10 stages each day, according to a press release from Denver Arts & Venues.
Hazel Miller Band, Paul Mullikin Trio with Strings, Gumbo le Funque, Jakarta, Crescent City Connection, Polarity, Bob Montgomery/Al Hermann/Josh Quinlan Sextet and dozens more will grace the free, family-friendly stages. A parade on Welton Street will kick things off at 11 a.m. on May 19, featuring grand marshals Wende Harston and Jim “Daddio” Walker.
Between the smooth jazz, bop, swing, funk and R&B, there will be an art and food marketplace, a musicians’ jam session, film screenings, and a family zone featuring yoga, face painting, a giant slide, jumpy castle and more, organizers said.
Vason, who died in 2015, will be honored on the festival’s main stage at 4 p.m. He produced the first Denver Jazz Festival in 2013 after a long career of firsts — including creating the first African-American touring rodeo in the U.S. (The Bill Pickett Invitational, which continues today).
Jeff S. Fard (“Brother Jeff”) will be recognized on the Plaza Stage at 5 p.m. for his activism in health, violence prevention, mental health and youth work, and economic development, Arts & Venues said. Fard founded Brother Jeff’s Cultural Center in 1994 and is the publisher and editor of Five Points News.
Welton Street will be closed from 25th to 30th streets starting at 6 p.m. on May 18, and reopening at 11:59 p.m. on May 19. Festival attendees will be asked to undergo security checks at festival entrances. A list of prohibited items is available at artsandvenuesdenver.com.
FULL SCHEDULE
Main Stage – 29th and Welton streets
11 a.m. – noon – Dinosaurchestra – New Orleans jazz, R&B and funk, from New Orleans
11:15 a.m. – Five Points Jazz Festival Tribute Award presentation – Norman Harris III
12:30-1:30 p.m. – Crescent City Connection – Seven piece bayou boogie woogie band from Fort Collins
1:40-1:55 p.m. – Montbello High School Drumline
2-3 p.m. – William and the Romantics – 22 piece swing era and modern jazz big band
3:30-4:30 p.m. – Hazel Miller Band – Award-winning blues, soul and R&B
4 p.m. – Five Points Jazz Festival Tribute Award presentation – Lu Vason
5-6 p.m. – Maria Ho Quintet with Richie Cole – From Vancouver, BC with Alto Madness saxophonist
6:30-7:30 p.m. – Jakarta – Funk, soul and R&B
Plaza Stage – 2736 Welton St.
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Red Hot Rhythm Rocket – Funk, jazz, swing and blues
1-2 p.m. – Robert Johnson and the Mark Diamond Trio – Jazz vocalist with Scott Martin, Mark Diamond and Dru Heller
2:30-3:30 p.m.- Leon and the Revival – Deep soul and horns
4-5 p.m. – Ritmo Jazz Latino – Latin and Salsa
5:30-6:30 p.m. – The King Stan Band – Blues, soul and R&B
Arts & Venues Stage – 26th and Welton streets
oon-1 p.m. – Denver Jazz Heritage Orchestra – Big band made up of youth performers
1:30-2:30 p.m. – Jazz Arts Voices and DSA Vocal Jazz – Collaborative vocal ensembles
3-4 p.m. – Ginga – Boulder-based Brazilian band led by guitarist Bill Kopper, featuring Bijoux Barbosa
4:30-5:30 p.m. – Fluxus – Electro-jazz fusion quintet
5 p.m. – Five Points Jazz Festival Tribute Award presentation – “brother jeff” Fard
6-7 p.m. – Impulse – Modern and post-bop jazz quintet
The Roxy – 2549 Welton St.
12:45-1:45 p.m. – Tina Phillips – Jazz vocalist with trio
2:30-3:30 p.m. – Gregory Goodloe Quintet – Smooth jazz and R&B
4:15-5:15 p.m. – Southside Jazz Project – Jazz, Latin and vocal quartet
6-7 p.m. – Bob Montgomery/Al Hermann/Josh Quinlan Sextet – Bop and swing
Coffee at The Point Indoor Stage – 710 E. 26th Ave.
11 a.m.-noon – The Connor Terrones Jazz Ensemble – Guitar-led jazz fusion
1-2 p.m. – Polarity – Original jazz arrangements
3-4 p.m. – Spencer Zweifel Trio – Jazz trio from Greeley
5-6 p.m. – Miguel Espinoza Flamenco Jazz – Guitar-led ensemble, with Gypsy jazz influences
7-8 p.m. – Dana Landry Quartet – Faculty from University of Northern Colorado
9-10 p.m. – Carmen Sandim Septet – Brazilian jazz
Coffee at The Point Outdoor Stage – 710 E. 26th Ave.
oon-1 p.m. – Unconventional Wisdom – Led by veteran trumpet player, Bud Gordon
2-3 p.m. – Royal Street Ramblers – Modern New Orleans jazz quintet
3-3:20 p.m. – Montbello High School Drumline
4-5 p.m. – Hines Devine Jazz – Trombone and vocal-led jazz quintet
6-7 p.m. – Latitude Experience – Fusion jazz quintet
8-9 p.m. – The Hendersons – Back by popular demand – family, soul and R&B band
Cervantes – 2637 Welton St.
oon-1 p.m. – Joe Anderies Beyond Borders – Flute and saxophone-led edgy jazz
2-3 p.m. – Bucknerfunkenjazz – Funk, jazz and R&B
Blair Caldwell African American Research Library – 2401 Welton St.
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Sheryl Renee – Jazz, R&B, soul and gospel singer
12:30 p.m. – screening of “Lady Day: The Many Faces of Billie Holiday” – film featuring rare TV and movie clips, commentary by musicians, singers and friends who knew her well.
1:30-2:30 p.m. – Yo Momma – All female jazz quartet
2:30 p.m. – screening of “The Count Basie: Swingin’ the Blues” – film featuring a tribute to the legacy of William Basie, seldom seen footage and interviews of Basie alumni.
3:30-4:30 p.m. – Quincy Avenue Rhythm Band – youth funk and soul band from Kent School
715 Club – 715 E. 26th Ave.
1:15-2:15 p.m. – Matt Skellenger Group – World percussion, jazz fusion
3-4 p.m. – Mingus – Charles Mingus tribute band
4:45-5:45 p.m. – M Squared – Progressive jazz rock jam band
6:30-7:30 p.m. – Paul Mullikin Trio with Strings – Jazz string ensemble
8:15-9:15 p.m. – Patrick McDevitt Nation – Bop quartet, featuring Gabriel Mervine and Alejandro Castaño
Goed Zuur – 2018 Welton St.
7-10:30 p.m. – Gumbo le Funque – funk, contemporary jazz
11 p.m. – 1:30 a.m. – Half Pint and the Growlers – Gypsyland swing
The Joe Bonner Legacy Jam Session at Brother Jeff’s Cultural Center – 2836 Welton St.
1-6 p.m. – Featuring Tom Tilton, Vince Wiggins, Carl Jackson and open to all musicians.
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Civic Center EATS returns for 2018 with 26 new food trucks
Twenty-six new food trucks will be joining Civic Center EATS when it returns May 1 for its 13th season.
“This year, we’ll have an edible cookie dough truck,” said Eric Lazzari, director of operations for the event.
A rotating selection of 25 gourmet food vendors offer their wares in downtown’s Civic Center park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays through Oct. 4 (with some holiday closures). The 82 participating food trucks include Asian, Indian, Latin American, Mediterranean, barbecue, salads, vegan and more.
“We have some mainstays that will be there all season and we have some that will rotate out mid-summer and we’ll bring in new trucks so there’s something new to check out,” Lazzari said.
Guests can also enjoy live music while eating their lunch, either on shaded tables or on the lawn.
A portion of the proceeds benefit the Civic Center Conservancy, dedicated to park revitalization and preservation of historic structures.
“Because of the funding from Civic Center EATS, we can offer four days of free fitness classes in the park almost year-round. In fact, on Tuesdays and Thursdays there are classes at Civic Center EATS,” Lazzari said. “We like to call those times ‘calorie neutral.’ “
A full schedule of music and dining offerings can be found at www.civiccenterconservancy.org.
[Read More …]
Civic Center EATS returns for 2018 with 26 new food trucks
Twenty-six new food trucks will be joining Civic Center EATS when it returns May 1 for its 13th season.
“This year, we’ll have an edible cookie dough truck,” said Eric Lazzari, director of operations for the event.
A rotating selection of 25 gourmet food vendors offer their wares in downtown’s Civic Center park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays through Oct. 4 (with some holiday closures). The 82 participating food trucks include Asian, Indian, Latin American, Mediterranean, barbecue, salads, vegan and more.
“We have some mainstays that will be there all season and we have some that will rotate out mid-summer and we’ll bring in new trucks so there’s something new to check out,” Lazzari said.
Guests can also enjoy live music while eating their lunch, either on shaded tables or on the lawn.
A portion of the proceeds benefit the Civic Center Conservancy, dedicated to park revitalization and preservation of historic structures.
“Because of the funding from Civic Center EATS, we can offer four days of free fitness classes in the park almost year-round. In fact, on Tuesdays and Thursdays there are classes at Civic Center EATS,” Lazzari said. “We like to call those times ‘calorie neutral.’ “
A full schedule of music and dining offerings can be found at www.civiccenterconservancy.org.
[Read More …]
Even the most mellow Colorado rafting trip can be spiced up by jumping off a cliff or two
It was go time.
Standing at the cliff’s edge, about three stories above the Colorado River rushing below, I took one last deep breath and …
J
U
M
P
E
D.
I hit the water with a “SLAP!” so loud that birds took flight, critters scampered deeper into the brush and my fellow rafters let out a collective “Oooooh,” and “Ouch.”
Turns out there is a right and a wrong way to jump off a cliff into a body of water. Despite taking the plunge in many a mountain lake, expansive reservoir and tumbling river, I’ve yet to perfect the move.
Learn from my mistakes and follow these steps before you jump:
- Examine what is happening in your life at the time that makes you want to take a flying leap off of a cliff. (Unless you are between the ages of 15 and 25; then that’s your reason). Personally, I have thrill issues.
- Make sure the water you’re jumping into is really darned deep; I recommend at least two sources that don’t refer to the spot as simply “wicked deep, dude.” The day I jumped, the water level on the rock face was above the 25-foot mark and our guide with MAD Adventures Rafting out of Kremmling had taken the jump himself days before.
- Put on a life jacket.
- Climb up to the jump point, making note of your options for climbing down if you panic and change your mind.
- Get to the top. Look. Panic.
- Calm down as the guide assures you, “It’s not that bad, dude,” and as you watch others take the plunge and survive.
- Discuss proper jumping technique. The guide suggests two options: taking a short run for it so that you’ll be sure to clear any parts of the rock wall that jut out slightly, or just taking a really big step. Realize both options scare you. Calm down again when you hear how many people have taken this jump before and survived.
- Listen closely to the part about going straight in so as little of the surface of your skin as possible hits the surface of the water.
- Wave good-bye to your family before crossing your arms across your chest.
- Jump.
Apparently I was a little weak on Step 8 as I hit the water with my legs nearly perpendicular to the surface. The good news is that it was early June, and with the water only in the upper 40s, I instantly “iced” my injuries.
Unfortunately, when I got out of the water the back of my legs hurt so badly that the only thing that could have taken my mind off it would have been a bald eagle feeding her offspring in a nest high above the river. Fortunately, that’s exactly what was around the next bend in the river.
Bald eagle sightings aren’t unusual on the full-day, 12-mile trip down the Upper Colorado River.
“Because of the abundance of fish, it’s a prime nesting ground for them,” said Kevin Schuster, who has been with Mad Adventures for nine years. “They are a regular part of the ecosystem in that area.”
Optional cliff-jumping aside, the full-day trip is primarily a mellow scenic float with mostly Class I and II rapids. Children age 4 and older are welcome on the trip and even take part in the paddling (and therefore the splashing). It was a fun trip for my daughters (then 10 and 12), especially when they were able to power up the intensity of a patch of Class III rapids via their paddling technique.
Schuster is anticipating an average runoff year on the Colorado.
Mad Adventures has scheduled a May 26 opening date. If you can take an early season trip like we did, you’ll practically have the river to yourself. The company offers wet suits and/or rain gear for ever-changing spring weather and serves you a lunch on the banks of the river.
The end of the season (after mid-August) offers an equally quiet time on the river and a refreshing escape from the summer heat since the water temperature never rises above 55 degrees.
Why does it stay so nice and cold? Well, because there are a lot of spots in the river that are wicked deep, dude.
Chryss Cada is a freelance writer and an adjunct professor of journalism at Colorado State University. Visit her at chryss.com.
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On Independent Bookstore Day, a revived industry proves resilient in Denver
If you were to choose a book title to describe the state of independent book stores in the 1990s, “Bleak House” would have fit the bill.
But how things have changed. For a revived industry that has proved far more resilient than experts predicted, it’s now “Great Expectations.”
While the country’s 1,700-some “indies” have something to celebrate on Independent Bookstore Day, challenges still abound. Annual spending on books plummeted in the ’90s and has still not recovered. Profit margins on books are still razor-thin. Rents continue to rise. And Americans just aren’t voracious readers:
- The United States ranks 23rd in time devoted to reading per week among selected countries;
- 32 million Americans can’t read above the fifth-grade level;
- 19 percent of high school graduates are illiterate; and
- 25 percent of Americans haven’t read a book in the last year.
Indies are succeeding in part because their competition didn’t. ”Big box” mall chains like Barnes & Noble, Borders and Walden struggled in the ’90s, and were particularly hurt by Amazon’s arrival in 1995, which led to the loss of 40 percent of bookstores in just five years.
When the Kindle arrived in 1997, people wondered if paper books – and the stores that sold them – had any future at all.
Ironically, the loss of the big chain stores provided an opening for smaller independents. They found that their emphasis on personal service and community involvement differentiated them from the larger stores, and from cheap, fast, convenient Amazon as well. (Although some booksellers would be hamstrung without the ability to sell on Amazon themselves, according to Rocky Mountain Antiquarian Booksellers past president Mike Tuck).
Surprisingly, book stores began to do better – even prosper – and the American Booksellers Association saw its membership grow 40 percent in the last 10 years and member sales increase at just over 5 percent a year.
Two of the new entrants are Denver bookstores that seem to have the right kind of attributes that are key to the indies’ success, and they’re within a block of each other.
BookBar, which turns five years old in May, ascribes to the belief that in an online age, people still want a place to come and interact with authors and other readers, according to store manager Abbey Paxton.
“Digitization has created a personal need,” she said. ”People don’t want to see stores go away. They see book stores for their true value because they’re a place where they can hold a book and talk to someone who’s knowledgeable. Going to a book store enhances their lives in a way that sitting on a couch and having books arrive in the mail can’t.”
Paxton also said that BookBar provides “a community space.” Being able to have a glass of wine while chatting about books or listening to an author adds to that – and to the store’s financial success.
But what may seem like comfortable enjoyment to customers is possible only because of a lot of work behind the scenes in arranging for events, acquiring inventory (a “curated” inventory is a new term these days) and doing the dozens of other things required to run a business. For example, for Independent Bookstore Day, BookBar plans raffles, prizes and a “tap takeover” from Fiction Brewery, featuring beers with literary tie-ins. (Please, will you offer a Rex Stout?)
“It takes a lot of work, but it’s fun,” Paxton said.
Not far from BookBar in the Highlands neighborhood is an even newer entrant to the bookselling community: Second Star to the Right, a children’s book store. (Most everyone will recognize the name from “Peter Pan”.) Open for only 3 ½ years, Second Star is already making plans to move into a larger space.
Founded by former teachers Dea and Marc Lavoie, Second Star offers kids yoga, story time, “socially conscious story time,” toys, handcrafted items, birthday parties, baby showers, cross promotions (visit a dentist and bring in the toothbrush he gave you for $1 off), tea, coffee, cocoa — and books. But it’s the atmosphere of the store that’s the key, according to Dea Lavoie.
“We see many families that want a refuge, a nurturing place, and not just a place where someone stands behind a counter to take their money. When someone comes into our store, we welcome them, offer to hold the baby, get them a cup of tea. We’ve very hands on, and I credit our staff for that. [The store has 11 staffers, including a full-time events coordinator and social media coordinator.] Lots of families just want to sit around and read. It creates a friendly, comforting atmosphere that makes people want to be here.”
The store has found some unusual ways to involve its readers: It has two “advisory groups,” one consisting of teenagers 13-18, the other of younger kids 8-12. They’re invited to offer their opinions on books the store is considering stocking. (They also enjoy parties and movies.)
Although different in audiences, BookBar and Second Star share some of the same characteristics: Heavy community engagement, high-touch service, diversified offerings, and the offer of an experience unavailable from online sources.
And they work like the Dickens.
Dan Danbom is co-owner of Printed Page Bookshop in Denver.
Bookstores to check out for Independent Bookstore Day
32nd Avenue Books, 3633 W. 32nd Ave, 303-908-7016 https://32ndavenuebooks.indielite.org/
BookBar, 4280 Tennyson St., 720-284-0194, bookbardenver.com
The Book Rack, 4061 E. Wesley Ave., 303-756-9891, bookrack.com
Bookies, 4315 E. Mississippi Ave., 303-759-1117, thebookies.com
Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St., 303-447-2074, boulderbookstore.net
Capitol Hill Books, 300 E. Colfax Ave., 303-837-0700, capitolhillbooks.com
City Stacks Books and Coffee, 1743 Wazee St., 303-297-1440, citystacks.com
The Hermitage Bookshop, 290 Fillmore St., 303-388-6811, hermitagebooks.com
Kilgore Books & Comics, 623 E. 13th Ave., 303-815-1979, kilgorebooks.com
Printed Page used books, 1416 S. Broadway, 303-777-7653, printedpagebookshop.com
Second Star to the Right Books, 4353 Tennyson St., 303-455-1527, secondstartotherightbooks.com
Tattered Cover Book Store, various locations, tatteredcover.com
West Side Books, 3434 W. 32nd Ave., 303-480-0220, westsidebooks.com
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Friday, April 27, 2018
Elitch Gardens opens; tacos, beer and music at Fiddler’s Green and more things to do in Denver this weekend
Elitch Gardens opens for the season
Starting Saturday. Your heart is pounding. You check your harness one last time and look down just before the descent. You take a deep breath and the screams pour from your mouth as you plummet … down the roller coaster track. Get ready, thrill-seekers, Elitch Gardens is opening for the season this weekend. This will be the park’s 128th consecutive year of twists and turns with something for everyone in the family. And let’s not forget the food — that sugary, greasy amusement park food that dreams are made of. The Island Kingdom water park will open Memorial Day Weekend and the season will also feature concerts by Chris Lane, Switchfoot and more, along with the popular dive-in movie series. Hours for the park, at 2000 Elitch Circle, vary; go online to confirm. Purchase daily tickets online for $39.99, or season passes are still available at elitchgardens.com.
Music and tacos and wrestling, oh my!
Saturday. Let’s list the things you will find at Sabroso: craft beer, tacos, rockin’ live music and, wait for it, Lucha Libre wrestling. Yes, that’s all in one festival at Fiddler’s Green, 6350 Greenwood Plaza Blvd., Englewood. Starting at 2 p.m., bands Pennywise, Street Dogs, Lit and more — along with headliner The Offspring — will provide the music while you pack your gullet with tacos and hundreds of sudsy crafts under the Colorado sun. Tickets $29-$59, or $39-$59 the day of the show. Tickets and information at fiddlersgreenamp.com.
“Velveteen Rabbit” comes to life with dance!
Friday. Who knew that when your favorite toy came to life, it would have such sweet dance moves? The popular children’s book “The Velveteen Rabbit” will be brought to life by students from Cleo Parker Robinson Dance at the Newman Center, 2344 E. Iliff Ave., Denver, to tell the powerful story of friendship and love between a boy and his stuffed rabbit. One hour before the show there will be a Kid Zone, where the little ones can make puppets, get their faces painted and even hang out with real bunnies.The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25-$39, $15 for students. Tickets and information: ewmantix.com, 303-871-7720.
It’s silent films, but with music
Through Sunday. The Denver Silent Film Festival is ready to celebrate the classic film form, but with a few twists. Live accompaniments played by CU Denver’s College of Arts & Media musicians will be paired with the digital restorations of classic films for a whole new take on the concept. The festival will feature nine films with one for every mood: comedy to drama to eccentric. Along side classics like “Chicago” and “The Passion of Joan of Arc,” a selection of three-minute silent films made by student filmmakers will screen on Sunday. On top of that, each student filmmaker arranged the live musical accompaniment. Films will screen at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 4255 West Colfax Ave. See the list of films at denversilentfilmfestival.org, and festival passes are listed at $110 at drafthouse.com.
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Crypto Craze: Carnal Cash or Confusing Currency?
The fast-evolving world of cryptocurrencies is a rollercoaster ride for those with skin in the game, bringing wild fluctuations in value and questions over whether or not their true value lies in their use as digital currency, or as an investment vehicle.
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Thursday, April 26, 2018
Travel-Friendly Kinky Equipment That Functions as Dungeon on the Go
Dungeon equipment and BDSM furniture can often be a hard sell, regardless of whether the end user is an experienced BDSM practitioner or kink-curious novice. This isn’t because people don’t want those types of items — people certainly do enjoy them.
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Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Burn the Churn, With Cancel/Keep Discounts
Like so many things in life, business is a constant balancing act. Imagine what it’s like for a tightrope walker. Their high-wire acts can look effortless even though they’re juggling many complex challenges like perception and motor skills.
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Tuesday, April 24, 2018
Sex Toy Tech Evolution Redefines ‘Luxury’ Category
Interest in luxury items is at an all-time high and has been for years. Manufacturers and retailers alike have successfully capitalized on this trend since its inception, and we at SexToyDistributing.com have noticed a shift in what typically defines something as “high end.”
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Ask Amy: Stepmother claims biological relationship to stepchildren
Dear Amy: I have two adult sons. Their father (my ex) remarried (to “Barbara”) several years ago.
Our family has now grown to include wonderful daughters-in-laws and grandchildren.
My boys’ dad and I get along well. We celebrate holidays, events and family milestones together.
What is baffling is that, increasingly, I run into people who have been told (or led to believe) by Barbara, that our sons and grandchildren are strictly her (biological) kin.
I’ve tried handling this in various ways with the astonished people who look at me like I am crazy.
And, frankly, it feels crazy, politely explaining that these beautiful men I raised and children who I’ve rocked and loved are indeed MY children and grandchildren.
My sons and their wives correct this on their own when they are confronted with comments from people who have said they’ve “run into your mother,” or how enjoyable it was “meeting your mother” and such — when people are actually referring to their stepmother.
Barbara never had children in her previous marriages, so I assume she is unaware of the deep personal bond between mother and child. It is not for the taking.
I’ve never discussed this directly with her, but this is getting harder to take. It’s like she tries to pretend that I do not exist.
How should I handle this?
— Loving and Blessed
Dear Loving and Blessed: If “Barbara” has been on the scene since the birth of these grandchildren, then, in my opinion, she should be granted full grandmother status. There is no rule that children must have only four DNA grandparents. In my mind, the more grandmothers, the better. Bring on the Grannies!
However, I can well imagine how the denial of your role as your sons’ mother rankles — both you and them.
Your sons could handle this effectively (and kindly) by saying to their stepmother, “‘Barbara’,” we treasure you, but we keep hearing from people you’ve met that you have introduced yourself as our mother. It would be best if you made it clear that you are our stepmother. The reason is because we have a mom who raised us — and things get really confusing later if people don’t understand that she is our mother.”
Barbara might then come to you and ask if this is a problem for you — and you should be honest and say that it is.
Dear Amy: I just found out that my aunt has been battling cancer for the past six months. I’ve talked to her frequently and never once did she tell me about her illness. Nor did any of her sons tell me. Everyone has been sworn to secrecy.
Our daughter visited her over the holidays and discovered how sick she was, but she was asked to not tell anyone. What gives?
This put my daughter in an awful position. She didn’t know how to avoid promising not to tell this secret.
This is not the first time in our family’s history that health news has been withheld “to protect” another. I felt it was wrong then, and I think it’s wrong now.
What’s a good way to answer someone who wants to swear you to secrecy? Amy, why do people do this?
Now that I know, is there a kind way to reach out to my aunt?
— Upset Niece
Dear Upset: Many families (mine included) seem to pull the veil down around illness. Illness is deeply personal, it affects your own body, and each of us has the right to disclose, or withhold, information.
When someone swears you to secrecy and you can’t do it, you should respond, “I’m sorry, but I can’t keep that private.” When someone swears me to secrecy in advance of telling me the secret, I always say, “I can’t guarantee to keep this a secret, since I don’t know what it is. So maybe you shouldn’t tell me.”
Get in touch with your aunt. Tell her your daughter told you out of concern about her. Tell her you love her and are in her corner. Don’t pump her for information and don’t dive into the drama. Be gentle.
Dear Amy: “Hugs over Smooches” suggested that girls and women should be coached with ways to respond to male physical aggression.
You poo-pooed that, and said it was men who needed the coaching.
Yes, this is true, but I do believe that it would be helpful for females to learn how to respond.
— A Reader
Dear Reader: I agree. A loud, “Stop that,” might help.
[Read More …]
Monday, April 23, 2018
Five new patios in Denver to check out when you’re looking to drink or dine al fresco
With warmer weather upon us (or so we hope — this is Colorado after all), Denver’s many patios and rooftops are being brought back to life with furniture, umbrellas and sunny happy hours.
Here are five new patios that will be open for your brunching, cocktail-ing and more this summer.
Bamboo Sushi opened the doors of its brick and mortar in November after testing the waters at Avanti, and the sleek industrial space is ready to open the 50-seat patio for its inaugural summer. The outdoor space mimics the wood and iron feel of the indoor area, has flexible seating to accommodate larger groups, and features greenery throughout to soften the modern edges. Hang there when the restaurant launches its brunch on May 19, or stay into the evening sipping shochu and noshing on offerings from the new sustainable spring menu. Bamboo Sushi, 2715 17th St., 303-284-6600, bamboosushi.com
The Stapleton outpost of Punch Bowl Social opened last fall to much fanfare, reinventing what was once the air control tower of Denver’s former airport. Combining celeb chef Hugh Acheson’s southern-inspired eats (yes, there will be pimento cheese) and games, the new patio space is one of the city’s largest at 14,000 square feet. While there are plenty of things to enjoy indoors (bowling, anyone?) the outdoor space opens on May 3 and features bocce courts, ping pong, giant Jenga, corn hole, a fire pit and an astro-turf lined “pool” with everything but the water. Punch Bowl Social, 3120 N. Uinta St., 720-500-3788, punchbowlsocial.com
Julep is chef Kyle Foster’s special blend of his Southern roots and days at Rebel and Colt & Gray, with a menu of elevated classics. Grab a spot on the patio to people watch while you snack on a deviled eggs and scrapple fries and sip a vieux carre (or a hurricane if you’re feeling frisky). Julep, 3258 Larimer St., 303-295-8977, juleprino.com
Machete expanded its taco-centric empire this year with a new location on East Colfax, complete with a patio that features fire pits to warm guests on chilly spring nights. Its third restaurant is its largest yet, full of large papier-mache figures reminiscent of those seen in Mexico. The patio is the place to be to sample their menu of Mexico City-style street tacos and top-shelf margs. Machete, 3570 E. Colfax Ave., 303-593-1525, machetedenver.com
Call is helmed by cracker king Craig Lieberman of neighboring 34 Degrees and Chef Duncan Holmes, formerly of Frasca. The 900-square-foot bungalow is one of the last buildings standing in what was once the outskirts of town, and the duo (along with beverage director Allison Anderson) has transformed the space into European/Scandinavian-style café. Serving coffee, pastries, cakes, soups, salad and sandwiches, you can enjoy your meal on the enclosed patio, which it shares with its soon-to-open counterpart, Beckon. Call, 2845 Larimer St., 303-954-0230, call-denver.com
Still want more? Check out our complete list of rooftops and patios in Denver.
For some bonus sunning, here are some other places we’ve told you about so far this year:
- Chuy’s Belmar will have the chain’s first-ever rooftop seating
- Denver’s tallest rooftop bar, 54thirty, is open for its first full season soon
- Cherry Creek has a new outdoors beer garden
- And there’s a new Illegal Pete’s patio in town
- The new Barcelona Wine Bar in RiNo also features a patio for your wining and dining in the sun
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The Legality of Porn Parodies
Legendary internet “Rule 34” declares that “if it exists, there is porn of it — no exceptions.” This includes the loads of movies, books and TV shows, among other things, for which porn parodies have been made. The statement made by Rule 34 is pretty clear cut, however, the legality of such works is not.
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Sunday, April 22, 2018
Saturday, April 21, 2018
Friday, April 20, 2018
5 pro tips for Record Store Day from local shops, and where to find special releases along the Front Range
The biggest mystery about Record Store Day used to be “What’s Record Store Day?”
That question was answered a decade ago when a small group of retailers fought back against the death of brick-and-mortar music sales at the hands of digital disruptors. Now, an international alliance of mom-and-pop shops and indie chains offer RSD (as it’s called) exclusive releases and other incentives to bring customers through the door.
For this year’s Record Store Day — returning Saturday, April 21 — the biggest questions are: “What can I get? And where can I get it?”
“Given the nature of Boulder and my clientele, my No. 1 seller will be the vinyl of Phish’s ‘Billy Breathes,’ ” predicted Andy Schneidkraut, owner of Albums on the Hill, who sees people line up around 5 a.m. each year at his shop in Boulder’s University Hill neighborhood.
The half-dozen stores The Denver Post surveyed for 2018 weren’t always as forthcoming with their anticipated chart-toppers. Part of the appeal of RSD is its air of mystery and exclusiveness, and holding back ensures eager detectives.
But Schneidkraut was happy to run down the releases he spent thousands on for this year’s event.
“I’ve also got the Grateful Dead’s Fillmore West 1969 limited edition, Allman Brothers ‘Live at the Atlanta International Pop Festival,’ Arcade Fire, Sufjan Stevens, a Cure picture-disc, Steve Earle live, Tom Waits, Wilco, Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock, Jeff Buckley, live Iggy Pop, the Ramones, some Wu-Tang instrumentals and a Swans record,” he said, barely taking a breath. “Of course, my favorite is Bobbie Gentry ‘Live at the BBC.’ “
So where else can you score RSD exclusives, and support local retailers in the process? We talked to some of the metro area’s best-known spots before this year’s event.
1. Angelo’s CDs & Records
937 East Colfax Ave., Denver, angeloscds.com
Event details: Angelo’s typically opens at 10 a.m., but will welcome shoppers starting at 8 a.m. on Record Store Day. “If you’re here when we open, most of our customers get what they want,” said general manager Mikey Honiotes, noting that his East Colfax Avenue store usually sees a modest line of 30 or 40 people. Live bands, and live painting and drawings, are on tap.
Pro tip: “Have a goal in mind. Have your sights set on one or two records, and go for them first.”
2. Twist & Shout
2508 E. Colfax Ave., twistandshout.com.
Event details: This year’s Record Store Day coincides with Twist & Shout’s 30th anniversary, although this Denver mainstay is focusing on RSD exclusives instead of in-store performances. The store typically sees fans line up Friday night, and will open at 8 a.m. instead of its usual 10 a.m. on April 21, according to general manager Patrick Brown. Exclusives include the aforementioned Grateful Dead Fillmore vinyl, Phish’s “Billy Breathes” and a release from singer-songwriter Jason Isbell — live at Twist & Shout.
Pro Tip: ”1. Get there early. 2. Come with a list, organized preferentially with what you need most at the top, and go for that first. 3. Ask questions. Call us beforehand, or I’ll personally be walking up and down line telling people how things are going. We’re a pretty well-oiled machine here, but there’s going to be a ton of people.”
3. Black & Read
78121 Wadsworth Blvd., blackandread.net.
Event details: This Arvada institution typically sees 100 people lined up before its doors open at 10 a.m. (normal hours this year, even on RSD). This year the store will feature live musical performances and other sales specials, according to manager Mikey Baca.
Pro tip: ”Just be patient. It’s been crazy the last few years as we’ve gotten busier and busier.”
4. Wax Trax Records
638 E. 13th Ave., waxtraxrecords.com
Event details: Another Denver institution, Wax Trax has long been a punk, indie, industrial and goth haven. They’ll be “ready to rock ‘n’ roll” at 9 a.m. this year, according to clerk Manual McCree, although the store will also be focusing on RSD music specials instead of live bands or other programming. “We’re kind of old-school like that,” he said. “Obscurity is what draws people in.”
Pro tip: “Have everything ready (at the counter), including what you’re looking for. We can’t read minds.”
5. Albums on the Hill
1128 13th St., Boulder, albumsonthehill.com.
Event details: ”The line usually begins at 5 a.m. for a 10 a.m. opening,” said owner Schneidkraut. “I’m anti-cluster, so I give out numbers 10 at a time and let people inside in waves.”
Pro tip: Expect healthy wait times to get into the store. “(My system) frustrates some people, but it works really well for my regular customers, who I want to treat with the utmost respect. We don’t allow the kind of insanity that sometimes occurs, and I try to weed out parasitical buyers who are just going to turn around and sell things online.”
Full list of Record Store Day 2018 Colorado locations:
Beat Pharm (Pueblo)
Sgt. Peppers Music and Video (Estes Park)
Angelo’s CDs & Records (South Broadway, Denver)
Angelo’s CDs & Records (East Colfax Avenue, Denver)
Angelo’s CDs & Records (Wheat Ridge)
Angelo’s CDs & Records (Aurora)
Chain Reaction Records (Lakewood)
The Leechpit (Colorado Springs)
Recycled Records LP (Longmont)
Eagle Valley Music (Minturn)
Rock ‘n’ Robin’s (Fort Collins)
Independent Records & Video (South Central, Colorado Springs)
Independent Records & Video (Downtown Colorado Springs)
Independent Records & Video (North Colorado Springs)
Independent Records & Video (Fountain)
Independent Records & Video (Pueblo)
Independent Annex (Colorado Springs)
Black & Read (Denver)
Bart’s Record Shop (Boulder)
The Bizarre Bazaar (Fort Collins)
Bogey’s West Music (Castle Rock)
Downtown Sound (Loveland)
Twist & Shout (Denver)
Wray Audio Video (Wray)
Albums on the Hill (Boulder)
Southwest Sound (Durango)
Pueblo Records and Tapes (Pueblo)
Affordable Music (Dillon)
Wax Trax Records (Denver)
LP Hound’s Vinyl House (Denver)
Triple Play Records (Grand Junction)
All That Jazz (Steamboat Springs)
Random Records (Durango)
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The 5 Best SEO Software Applications
Software specifically designed to help boost the ranking of your adult websites, and subsequently increase your traffic and revenue, should not be ignored. SEO software used to be synonymous with black hat link building, scraping and automated content generation.
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Thursday, April 19, 2018
Tokyo Joe’s apologizes for sign on bathroom door at Denver location saying restrooms are for restaurant’s “addicts only”
The Colorado-based Japanese, fast-casual chain Tokyo Joe’s is apologizing for a sign posted on a bathroom door at a Denver location saying the “restrooms are for Tokyo Joe’s addicts only.”
State Rep. Jonathan Singer, D-Longmont, took issue with the sign Wednesday, posting a photo on Twitter with the caption “#addiction is no laughing matter.”
He added: “We had a bill to help stop overdose deaths in bathrooms. @TokyoJoes can do better.”
Thank you for pointing this out. Our loyalty program is called the Tokyo Joe’s Addict Club. I will address with this restaurant immediately as the intent was not to poke fun at addiction or limit the bathroom usage to paying guests.
— Tokyo Joe’s (@tokyojoes) April 19, 2018
The chain said it agreed that the sign was inappropriate and was only meant to ensure paying guests were using the restrooms.
“We agree this was 100% inappropriate and inconsistent with our brand values. We would never make light of the opioid epidemic,” the restaurant said on its Twitter account. “We apologize for letting our fans down. We will be addressing this internally first thing (Thursday) a.m. We can and will do better.”
We agree this was 100% inappropriate and inconsistent with our brand values. We would never make light of the opioid epidemic. We apologize for letting our fans down. We will be addressing this internally first thing this AM. We can and will do better.
— Tokyo Joe’s (@tokyojoes) April 19, 2018
Tokyo Joe’s loyalty program is called the “Addict Club.”
The Denver Post reached out to a representative from the restaurant chain Thursday but didn’t immediately hear back.
The situation comes amid heightened scrutiny of late involving other signs and marketing materials from Colorado restaurants.
Boulder-based Hapa Sushi’s ad campaign in downtown Denver was pulled last month after concerns were raised about a message pairing a tweet from President Donald Trump with the restaurant’s logo and a message that read, “Eat well before it all ends.”
The global warming we should be worried about is the global warming caused by NUCLEAR WEAPONS in the hands of crazy or incompetent leaders!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 8, 2014
In November, ink! Coffee created a national stir with a sign outside of its Five Points location that said “Happily gentrifying the neighborhood since 2014.”
As for the Tokyo Joe’s sign, Singer said he was thankful for the company’s response and just wanted to prompt a discussion. He said he was even planning to eat at the Tokyo Joe’s near the Colorado Capitol — a favorite among legislators — for lunch Thursday.
“I’m sure you meant no harm,” Singer posted on Twitter. “Perhaps we can talk over a Spicy-Aki Udon Bowl with one of your good neighbors at (Denver’s Harm Reduction Action Center).
The Daily Camera contributed to this report.
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Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Smokin’ dining deals in Denver for your 4/20 cravings
Ah, April 20 — the day Denver is hazy with a cloud of marijuana smoke and becomes a different sort of Mile High City. Our own local holiday offers plenty of special deals for those who have the munchies after partaking (or for anyone with a serious appetite).
Ace Eat Serve is serving $4.20 specials all weekend long. Lucky snacks, fried kimchi with ranch dressing, and matcha cotton candy can be enjoyed on their spacious patio. Ace’s sister restaurant down the street, Steuben’s Uptown, will likewise offer a menu of bites priced at $4.20: Steubie Snacks, disco fries, fried oreos, and boozie shakes will all be offered. Ace Eat Serve, 501 E. 17th Ave., 303-800-7705; aceeatserve.com. Steuben’s Uptown, 523 E. 17th Ave.,303-830-1001; steubens.com.
At Zeppelin Station, a Midnight Munchies party gets underway on the 20th from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m., with DJ Rock City spinning at Big Trouble until 1:30 a.m. Each of the dining concepts is offering a 4/20 related special, like Au Feu’s Stoner Snack (house fried potato chips, cheese sauce, smoked brisket, and chives) or Gelato Boy’s Stoner Sundae (one-scoop split of mascarpone and midnight gelato, cinnamon crunch sesame croutons, whipped cream, crushed salted peanuts, and banana bourbon sauce). 3501 Wazee St., Suite 100, 720-460-1978; zeppelinstation.com
Hopdoddy has created a creative burger in honor of 4/20. The High Roller, available only on Friday is made with a taco-seasoned beef patty, pepperoni, mozzarella, Flamin’ Hot Cheeto ketchup and cool ranch fries, all in between two hemp seed buns. Served with a side of a spoonful of cookie dough. 1747 Wynkoop St., 303-446-2337; hopdoddy.com
The Arts District on Santa Fe will host this year’s Mason Jar spring dinner on April 25 at 6:30 p.m. The exact location is revealed after you register, but the meal will include live music, a multicourse dinner prepared by Chef Daniel Asher, and paired cannabis selections. masonjareventgroup.com
If you partake, stay off the roads and let ClusterTruck deliver to you. No need to get off the couch; order ahead from more than 100 items and have them delivered to your door. Pizza, pad Thai and cookies are all on the menu to be delivered from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Groups can even pay separately for one delivery for your stoner party, where your hot meal arrives in under a half hour. clustertruck.com
Lyft is offering 20 percent of a ride in Denver on 4/20 up to $4.20 by using the code 420DEN on its app. Also, coinciding with the movie “Super Troopers 2,” Lyft is placing collectibles in the backseat of some cars. Get more on transportation deals and 4/20 travel on The Cannabist.
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Denver Death & Co, second location of the award-winning NYC cocktail bar, has an opening date
It’s won Best American Cocktail Bar. It’s won World’s Best Cocktail Menu. It’s been called New York City’s Most Influential Cocktail Bar. Now, a world leader in the industry is ready to shake things up in Denver.
Death & Co will open to the general public on May 1, with evening service starting at 5:30, according to a representative of the Ramble Hotel.
The River North outpost that will sit in the lobby of the new Ramble Hotel, also opening May 1, is the cocktail bar’s second location. The first has been open 11 years in Manhattan’s East Village.
Death & Co also will be involved in other hotel dining experiences like breakfast and lunch from the café, an outdoor courtyard and Suite 6A, a 20-seat bar with “an immersive cocktail experience.”
The hotel also will be home to Super Mega Bien from chef Dana Rodriguez of Work & Class.
Read more about the hotel and bar in this 2016 announcement.
The Denver Post needs your support.
Subscribe now for just 99 cents for the first month.
[Read More …]
Denver Death & Co, second location of the award-winning NYC cocktail bar, has an opening date
It’s won Best American Cocktail Bar. It’s won World’s Best Cocktail Menu. It’s been called New York City’s Most Influential Cocktail Bar. Now, a world leader in the industry is ready to shake things up in Denver.
Death & Co will open to the general public on May 1, with evening service starting at 5:30, according to a representative of the Ramble Hotel.
The River North outpost that will sit in the lobby of the new Ramble Hotel, also opening May 1, is the cocktail bar’s second location. The first has been open 11 years in Manhattan’s East Village.
Death & Co also will be involved in other hotel dining experiences like breakfast and lunch from the café, an outdoor courtyard and Suite 6A, a 20-seat bar with “an immersive cocktail experience.”
The hotel also will be home to Super Mega Bien from chef Dana Rodriguez of Work & Class.
Read more about the hotel and bar in this 2016 announcement.
The Denver Post needs your support.
Subscribe now for just 99 cents for the first month.
[Read More …]
City O’ City, the last of Daniel Landes’ Denver restaurants, sold to Watercourse Foods owners
Daniel Landes, who founded the popular, 20-year-old vegan restaurant Watercourse Foods before selling it to the mother-and-daughter team of Jennifer Byers and Lauren Roberts, is also selling City O’ City, his last remaining Denver restaurant, to the pair.
“We are honored to be given the opportunity to build on the history and tradition that Dan Landes began two decades ago,” said Roberts, now the vice president of Watercourse, City O’ City and the latter’s bakery, Make Believe, via email Wednesday.
“We believe there is so much more to these businesses beyond excellent food and authentic service,” she said. “When we think of our establishments we see community and culture. These are aspects we value most in Denver, and the ones we represent in Watercourse, City, O’ City, and Make Believe Bakery.”
Roberts formerly worked as general manager at City O’ City, a hip vegan restaurant and bar on Capitol Hill, before taking over Watercourse from Landes in 2015. Watercourse, now in the Uptown neighborhood, also began at the same spot as City O’ City.
Landes declined to comment on the sale, citing a negative review of his Campus Lounge restaurant published in The Denver Post in December.
The Campus Lounge closed in March after five months in business, following a pricey reboot that failed to connect with customers. At the time, Landes admitted “failure” with the concept, but denied he was experiencing financial troubles.
The only reason he commented on the Campus Lounge, Landes said Wednesday via text message, was because he needed to address a “BS” tip that The Post had received.
“There is no drama here,” he wrote. “I don’t care what people think.”
The Deer Pile art space, a DIY performance venue above City O’ City that Landes also owned, will hold a fundraiser and variety show on April 27 to transition over to becoming a for-profit enterprise.
“We need a projector, new lights and are looking at switching up the paint job so we can go in a new direction,” venue manager Johnny Morehouse said, adding that the Deer Pile transition “has very little to do with the sale and transition of (City O’ City). … We’re looking to open up the running of the Deer Pile to a few more people, kind of in the co-op sense.”
Patrons of City O’ City may not notice the change, however, since new co-owner Roberts formerly managed it and seems intent on not making any major changes immediately.
“The leadership team and staff at all locations are all very dedicated and enthusiastic about the restaurants,” Roberts said. “We are looking forward to the years to come — to uplifting voices in the community, supporting the arts, and above all else serving Denver in the way we know best, one meal at a time.”
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
[Read More …]
City O’ City, the last of Daniel Landes’ Denver restaurants, sold to Watercourse Foods owners
Daniel Landes, who founded the popular, 20-year-old vegan restaurant Watercourse Foods before selling it to the mother-and-daughter team of Jennifer Byers and Lauren Roberts, is also selling City O’ City, his last remaining Denver restaurant, to the pair.
“We are honored to be given the opportunity to build on the history and tradition that Dan Landes began two decades ago,” said Roberts, now the vice president of Watercourse, City O’ City and the latter’s bakery, Make Believe, via email Wednesday.
“We believe there is so much more to these businesses beyond excellent food and authentic service,” she said. “When we think of our establishments we see community and culture. These are aspects we value most in Denver, and the ones we represent in Watercourse, City, O’ City, and Make Believe Bakery.”
Roberts formerly worked as general manager at City O’ City, a hip vegan restaurant and bar on Capitol Hill, before taking over Watercourse from Landes in 2015. Watercourse, now in the Uptown neighborhood, also began at the same spot as City O’ City.
Landes declined to comment on the sale, citing a negative review of his Campus Lounge restaurant published in The Denver Post in December.
The Campus Lounge closed in March after five months in business, following a pricey reboot that failed to connect with customers. At the time, Landes admitted “failure” with the concept, but denied he was experiencing financial troubles.
The only reason he commented on the Campus Lounge, Landes said Wednesday via text message, was because he needed to address a “BS” tip that The Post had received.
“There is no drama here,” he wrote. “I don’t care what people think.”
The Deer Pile art space, a DIY performance venue above City O’ City that Landes also owned, will hold a fundraiser and variety show on April 27 to transition over to becoming a for-profit enterprise.
“We need a projector, new lights and are looking at switching up the paint job so we can go in a new direction,” venue manager Johnny Morehouse said, adding that the Deer Pile transition “has very little to do with the sale and transition of (City O’ City). … We’re looking to open up the running of the Deer Pile to a few more people, kind of in the co-op sense.”
Patrons of City O’ City may not notice the change, however, since new co-owner Roberts formerly managed it and seems intent on not making any major changes immediately.
“The leadership team and staff at all locations are all very dedicated and enthusiastic about the restaurants,” Roberts said. “We are looking forward to the years to come — to uplifting voices in the community, supporting the arts, and above all else serving Denver in the way we know best, one meal at a time.”
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
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The Art of ‘Progressive Leadership’
This past January in Los Angeles I gave the first-ever XBIZ Talk. I consider myself generally reclusive when it comes to public speaking, only appearing on panels twice in the last 18 years in the industry.
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Tuesday, April 17, 2018
Camping reservation system begins for popular Aspen destination Conundrum Hot Springs
ASPEN, Colo. — The U.S. Forest Service is launching a reservation system for overnight camping at a popular hot springs site south of Aspen.
The Aspen Times reports camping permits at Conundrum Hot Springs for mid-April to the end of July will become available to reserve online starting Wednesday morning.
Permits for August through November will be available to reserve in mid-June.
Officials say 17 campsites will be available initially and three sites will be added during the summer. Each campsite has a maximum number of people allowed, from two to six.
Officials say the reservation system launching this week is the first for the White River National Forest.
Officials say permits are required for camping throughout the year in all of Conundrum Creek Valley from Silver Dollar Pond to Triangle Pass.
Information from: The Aspen Times, aspentimes.com.
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Denver’s first SoulCycle is getting a fancy French bistro neighbor straight from NYC’s Upper East Side
“Hey there, Upper East Siders. Gossip Girl here, your one and only source into the lives of Cherry Creek’s elite.”
As if it were straight out of a page of Gossip Girl’s notebook, it was announced today that famed New York City Upper East Side French bistro Le Bilboquet will be the first restaurant concept inside the new St. Paul Collection in Cherry Creek North, according to BMC Investments. The mixed-use development with luxury residences will also host the city’s first SoulCycle, as announced in January, and Crate and Barrel’s sister store, CB2.
Get those tailored suits and dresses ready, according to the restaurant’s Zagat page:
“One does not go for the meal alone to this see-and-be-seen French bistro … the food’s consistently good and the service rude if you’re not a regular, but the outrageous pricing extends to all.”
The plan is to have the 6,700-square-foot location at the corner of 3rd and St. Paul streets open in early 2019, serving up traditional French cuisine mixed with some modern fare (like the restaurant’s signature Cajun chicken) in its fine-dining bistro, while also serving breakfast and lunch from a Parisian-inspired cafe.
And yes, there will be a patio.
This will be the fourth restaurant in the neighborhood from the real estate investment company. Others are the wallet-busting Matsuhisa, Quality Italian and Departure.
“With SoulCycle and CB2 already in place, the retail and restaurant offering at St. Paul Collection will be beyond compare,” BMC Investments CEO Matt Joblon said in the release.
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Denver’s first SoulCycle is getting a fancy French bistro neighbor straight from NYC’s Upper East Side
“Hey there, Upper East Siders. Gossip Girl here, your one and only source into the lives of Cherry Creek’s elite.”
As if it were straight out of a page of Gossip Girl’s notebook, it was announced today that famed New York City Upper East Side French bistro Le Bilboquet will be the first restaurant concept inside the new St. Paul Collection in Cherry Creek North, according to BMC Investments. The mixed-use development with luxury residences will also host the city’s first SoulCycle, as announced in January, and Crate and Barrel’s sister store, CB2.
Get those tailored suits and dresses ready, according to the restaurant’s Zagat page:
“One does not go for the meal alone to this see-and-be-seen French bistro … the food’s consistently good and the service rude if you’re not a regular, but the outrageous pricing extends to all.”
The plan is to have the 6,700-square-foot location at the corner of 3rd and St. Paul streets open in early 2019, serving up traditional French cuisine mixed with some modern fare (like the restaurant’s signature Cajun chicken) in its fine-dining bistro, while also serving breakfast and lunch from a Parisian-inspired cafe.
And yes, there will be a patio.
This will be the fourth restaurant in the neighborhood from the real estate investment company. Others are the wallet-busting Matsuhisa, Quality Italian and Departure.
“With SoulCycle and CB2 already in place, the retail and restaurant offering at St. Paul Collection will be beyond compare,” BMC Investments CEO Matt Joblon said in the release.
The Denver Post needs your support.
Subscribe now for just 99 cents for the first month.
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Cannabis Craze Sparks Interest Among Adult Retailers
As a wave of marijuana legalization makes its way across the U.S., it’s becoming easier to imagine a future where pot integrates itself into other markets. One of the biggest contenders for a cannabis crossover is the business of sexual health, with consumers starting to take note of medicated adult products.
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Chef Goose Sorensen on closing East Colfax’s Solera after 16 years, and what will fill the space
“It’s been a journey, but I’m ready to do something different and work on myself,” Goose Sorensen told us about the March closure of Solera, his Spanish/Mediterranean restaurant on East Colfax.
Sorensen still owns the building that will house Hank’s Texas Barbecue, helmed by Old Major alum Christopher Nicki. “This neighborhood has become much more family oriented than when I started this restaurant,” Sorensen said. “People are wanting a place to come where they can bring their kids, and everyone loves barbecue.”
Sorensen opened Solera 16 years ago in an area of Denver that was then rife with prostitutes, crime and vacant buildings. “One time I had all the executives out from the Mondavi winery,” he laughs. “We’re sitting there sampling a 1974 Chateauneuf du Pape and these three working girls came in and asked if we wanted any company. I kind of had to run them out!”
Sorensen said he carried bear spray to break up fights in the parking lot.
The neighborhood wasn’t the only challenge facing Sorensen. His former business partner left him with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of debt, his father passed away, and he had to go to court several times to settle the estate. But Sorensen’s perseverance paid off: He is now debt-free.
“There’s so much competition in Denver now! The city has changed, with new restaurants opening every day. It’s crazy,” he said. “Finding staff is horrible. I feel like I’m getting out at the right time. The writing was on the wall. I was so burned out. I opened Solera when I was 30. It’s a young man’s game and I need some life maintenance.”
For now, his plans include heading to some family property near Casper, Wyo., where he wants to restore some cabins and fish.
“I need some serious down time,” he said.
However, Sorensen doesn’t feel like he’s ending on a sad note.
“I’m proud of what we did with Solera,” he says. “The love and support we’ve gotten from everyone has been overwhelming. I fought through the challenges and persevered. I got to go out on my own terms, and I’m happy about that.”
Solera, 5410 E Colfax Ave., closed in March. Hank’s Texas Barbecue opening in late June.
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Monday, April 16, 2018
Review: Young Denver artist has “dazzling” museum debut at Museum of Contemporary Art
Diego Rodriguez-Warner’s “Honestly Lying” at the MCA Denver is a dazzling museum debut by a young artist in his own hometown. The work on display is smashingly visceral, overloaded with big and colorful collages you can’t ignore. The technique he uses to produce it — covering wood panels with paint and stain like a painter, but also carving into their surfaces the way a printmaker creates a block for printing — is something I’ve never seen before.
That’s not to say the work is fully original. Rodriguez-Warner makes his art by combining a multitude of images from other artists’ toolboxes — what appears to be a snippet of Matisse here, a hint of Picasso there, perhaps something grabbed from a comic, or a sample from a traditional Japanese print. The exact references are vague; it may not be actual Gauguin or Manet or Géricault or Walt Disney soundbites that Rodriguez-Warner employs, but that’s what viewers may believe they see at “Honestly Lying.”
There’s a distinct generational license to it all. Rodriguez-Warner was born in 1986 and this body of work is rooted in an era that integrated graffiti art, Manga comics, murals and, most notably, the musical remix into Western pop culture. He works in the way a DJ does when spinning records, joining together existing, familiar elements so that their edges clash, connect and slightly overlap. Like music blaring in a nightclub, the visual noise never stops. The art samples he taps work as nostalgic, sentimental triggers that keep the audience hooked.
To buy into its legitimacy as museum-quality art is to accept this idea that the taking and remaking of other people’s art is the same as art itself — that the derivative work is as worthy as the original. Rodriguez-Warner is bold to beg a comparison of his talents to those of god-like Matisse — and also, of course, mortally foolish.
There’s no coverup going on here. “All of the things you want to draw already exist,” he said during a talk at the museum last February. So, he mines them from the universe of existing things, takes, steals, cobbles, honors, celebrates — it depends on your point of view. Curator Zoe Larkins, who does a remarkably unbiased job of laying out her artist’s process, included in this show a counter full of actual bits and scraps from Rodriguez-Warner’s studio that he taps into when making models for his larger constructions. It looks like the evidence table at a criminal trial.
He’s not breaking any copyright laws and to be certain, there are no clear rules on such taking in the visual arts world, where the practice is called appropriation, not stealing. Artists have been using elements not of their own creation widely and proudly for a long time. Marcel Duchamp famously appropriated a urinal 101 years ago for his landmark “Fountain.” Andy Warhol took Campbell’s soup cans and Brillo boxes. The British artist Richard Hamilton, dubbed the father of Pop Art, cribbed advertisements from the “Ladies Home Journal.”
Artists of varying fame and reputation — Pablo Picasso, Joseph Cornell, Sherrie Levine and Cindy Sherman — are on the list of appropriators, as are of-the-moment newcomers, like Ramiro Gomez, Justin Favela and Andrew Jensdotter. For the most part, all of their actions are meant as a commentary on social customs, consumerism, current events or the history of art itself.
Rodriguez-Warner’s raw material choices leave viewers guessing. The images don’t seem to be related to each other at all in a narrative sense, and the completed pieces don’t feel especially political or provocative, other than some very violent moments.
“I’m not exactly sure why I pick the things I pick,” he said in that recent talk — and that leaves him with art that has a lot of content, but doesn’t say much.
His skill, and it is vast and growing as this exhibit shows, is in visual construction, the way he weaves lines and shapes and repeats images with interesting variations; the way he “disassembles, twists, reforms and refills” things, as Larkins describes his process for a series of “Bathing Gypsies,” created from 2013 to 2015.
Rodriguez-Warner juxtaposes things at will — a flower, a severed leg, a sword, a splat of blood. He sets detailed human figures in front of a backdrop of simple line drawings. He breaks up complex landscapes by painting into them the white frames you see separating panels in a comic book. He mixes acrylic, latex and spray paint.
It shouldn’t come together but it does, and in a way that is mesmerizing. Rodriguez-Warner is in complete control of this jumble. He draws you inside his large-scale objects by adding the illusion of depth and alternating perspectives. This is achieved by using wood stain to draw shadows around select, individual images and by physically carving into surfaces.
Like any well-made trompe l’oeil painting, you try to make sense of it, to discern front from back or construct a logical scene, but here you can’t; the artist stays one step ahead of you. Rodriguez-Warner puts what feels like an endless amount of work into his creations, but the payoff is that they are endlessly fascinating to look at.
The only disruption of the viewing journey comes from the question of originality. You do stop, again and again, to wonder who Rodriguez-Warner is referencing and whether they are getting the credit they deserve or being sliced and diced into toys he is playing with. Is it necessary to this work to borrow from others, or is it reckless?
It is one thing to take recognizable images and use them as a language to tell a new tale. It is another when you start taking the practices of other cultures and riffing on them as if they are up for grabs to anyone. Cultural appropriation has become a suspect practice these days, though it is hard to define — the subject of endless essays often in disagreement. How do you separate an homage from a heist?
But lines have been crossed, mostly through the appropriation of black culture by whites — Elvis’ rhythm and blues, Iggy Azalea’s raps, Kim Kardashian’s cornrow hairstyles. How does that connect to a Denver artist, who touts an explicit Latin-American heritage in his bio, using images from 17th century “ukiyo-e” prints — important historical treasures in traditional Japanese art — in objects that he calls his own?
Scaling down the master works of a foreign culture to clip art feels painfully reductive, though not necessarily wrong, and certainly not out of sync with the times. I don’t condemn Rodriguez-Warner; I just want him to be careful, respectful, aware. I want all of us to be wary.
Or maybe that’s not in the service of authentic creativity. Maybe caution is actually the enemy of art.
Richard Hamilton, the pop pioneer and a favorite of mine, put it this way: “People don’t seem to understand that an artist is free to do whatever he wants, and I’ve always relished that possibility. I do whatever I feel like.”
Diego Rodriguez-Warner‘s “Honestly Lying” continues through May 13 at the MCA Denver, 1485 Delgany Street. Info at 303-298-7554 or mcadenver.org.
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