Everything We Know About Denver

New year, new free days at local SCFD venues.  See below. Send us your free days if you’d like them added.

Vote here. That is all.

I went to this event a couple years back and I’d say it was a fun time: Westword’s Artopia. This year’s is on February 20th from 7 to 10:30 pm @ Vinyl + area venues. Each area is transformed into a theme - art, music/dancing, fashion. Drinks are included in your ticket. $25.

Westword Artopia incorporates food, drinks, art, music, theater, and fashion into one evening, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting a local charity. Westword will award 5 upcoming individuals or small organizations that have made an impact in the local art community. The winners will be featured in a special pullout section of Westword on February 18, 2010 and will be honored at the event. Each award recipient will receive a check for $3,000.

I recently wound up at the Red Trolley for breakfast with a friend, and wanted to post about it because it was such a pleasant experience. Good for coffee, breakfast, lunch or gelato - it’s situated in the lo-hi area on 32nd between Clay and Bryant - just up the street from Duo and Pasquini’s. It’s a big red building, and when you get inside turn to your right, press the red button, and watch the trolley train go round the top of the inside (Kid’s love it).

My favorite thing about the place was the service - Breakfast was actually over when we arrived, but the guy on staff still managed to make us egg sandwiches - and great conversation.  He even let me taste their award winning gelato (try the kind with sea salt!).  Check out their site for a free scoop of gelato coupon. And if you go, try their Novo coffee from the very awesome clover machine. Yum. Not into egg sandwhiches or gelato? Check out their all you can eat cereal bar.

Don’t believe us that it’s yummy? Here’s another little write up, too.

Hush is a new dining experience right here in Denver. (not to be confused with the old Larimer Square club). It’s semi-secret so you’ll only find it popping up on things like this blog for now. Go to the site, sign up for the invite emails, and you’re in for invitations to monthly dinners. Each cooked by different chefs and served at Studio Como on 25th and Walnut, priced only at a suggested donation - cash only.

Check out Sheehan from the Westword’s blog post on it here.

Or here’s Hush’s own blurb:

Hush Denver is an underground eatery designed to pay homage to the incredible rising talent in today’s culinary world.  Hush Denver exists to honor the men and women working long, hard, hot days so that foodies like you and I can enjoy countless great memories in the restaurants we know and love.   It is our promise to provide diners with an experience unlike anything they have seen in the past.  We at Hush spend our days dreaming up new ways to enlist some of the countries top rising chefs, then spend our evenings working with those chefs to bring you a night you will never forget.  Hush Denver operates on suggested donations only and proceeds of our events help advance the success of our featured chefs.

Next event is February 20th, featuring Chef Ian Kleinman, formerly with Restaurant O. Phil Armstrong says they have a great line up scheduled for the year, so stay tuned on more Hush events.

Yep, it’s coming again. The Body Worlds Exhibit at the DMNS. It opens March 12 and tickets go on sale to the public starting February 1st.

I’ve been to the exhibit once before and would recommend it. The museum recommends it for kids 5th grade and older. It’s definitely the type of exhibit you’ll remember seeing and learning from, well worth an evening at the museum. My most memorable Body Worlds body is the skinny person next to the overweight person - I never realized how fat holds in our bodies.  The exhibit has plenty of things like this that resonate with all audiences, so check it out.

We’ll post more info in February when tickets are on sale.

From the site:

Gunther von Hagens’ BODY WORLDS are first-of-their-kind exhibitions through which visitors learn about anatomy, physiology and health by viewing real human bodies. This is made possible by using an extraordinary process called Plastination, a groundbreaking method for specimen preservation invented by Dr. Gunther von Hagens in 1977. The specimens on display stem from the body donation program that Dr. von Hagens established in 1983.

Coming up February 13 - 21 is the Colorado Home and Garden Show.  It’s the Rocky Mountain region’s oldest, largest garden and home show where you can find inspiration from the latest ideas and trends in landscaping, gardening and home improvement.

Take the FREE shuttle. Park at Coors Field (I-25 & Park Ave.) for just $5 and ride the free Show Shuttle to the Colorado Convention Center.

Discount coupons are available at participating Bank of the West branches, American Furniture Warehouse stores and Your Neighborhood Toyota dealers.

And if you’re wondering what happens to the 7,000 flowers after the show: At the end of the show’s nine-day run, more than 100 volunteers from approximately 20 metro area Rotary Clubs and several Boy Scout Troops converge on the Convention Center to carefully box more than 6,500 flowers and plants and ready them for delivery the next day. Rotarians will deliver the show’s still-fresh flowers to nearly 60 local nursing homes. This is the 11th year Rotarians have managed the flower delivery program.

Opening January 9th (tomorrow), Ruby Hill Rail Yard is a free urban ski and ride terrain park. Hosted by Winter Park and the City of Denver Parks and Recs. It’s located between West Florida and Jewell Avenues and between South Platte River Drive and Quivas Street.

If you check it out let us know how it goes!

The NWSS is in town… 2 days till kick-off!

While I do own the real deal cowboy boots, I’m technically no cowgirl; but I did go to the NWSS last year… twice. And I will tell you it’s actually very fun. I recommend checking out the PBR Bill Riding, which is exactly what it sounds like it would be - plus all the riders have cool bull riding sounding names (something I noticed last year, while not an official requirement I think it must be an unspoken rule) such as Pistol or Wiley and there will definitely be at least a Billy, Cody or Bud in the mix.

If the PBR isn’t for you, then you’re sure to love the Mutton Bustin, an event where kids 5 to 7 ride a sheep into the arena and get points for time they cling to the sheep. It’s pretty adorable to watch.

Schedule for the NWSS here.

Tickets vary in price for the seats you want and the event from $12 on up to $100. Buy ‘em at King Soopers or online.

Starting to get anxious for restaurant week? We are! After last month’s 5280 issue of new restaurants to try out, we hope their in the 2010 lineup to dine for less.

This year’s Denver Restaurant Week is February 20 to March 5… err maybe it should be titles Denver Restaurant Two Week Extravaganza. Anyhow, expect over 225 restaurants to be on this year’s list and more info is due out soon. here!

If you’re starved for Denver Restaurant Deals all year round, we recommend checking out Resto Week’s twitter account: @DenverKnowsFood. Or follow us, @EWKADenver and we’ll re-tweet our favorites.