Best Shoe Store 2003 | Off Broadway ShoesColorado Mills | Best of Denver® | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Denver | Westword
Navigation
Support Us
Search

Best Shoe Store

Off Broadway Shoes
Colorado Mills

This place is so big -- 23,000 square feet -- that you have to strategize before shopping. Just walking around and looking at the shoes won't do, because the thousands of pairs will soon make you dizzy. Instead, you need to know exactly what you're looking for -- say brown Italian-leather loafers -- and then head to that section. You'll discover about twelve different brands -- all Italian, all leather, all loafers. Off Broadway doesn't have the charm or offer the personal attention of smaller stores, but if you know what you're looking for, it's here.

Best Place to Shine Up Your Shoes

Concourses at DIA

Instead of the good old days of rushing to the gate just as the plane is about to pull away, security restrictions now require all of us to check in at the airport ages before our flights actually leave. Rather than hunkering down at Red Rocks Bar, board the train to your designated concourse for five minutes of relaxation at one of DIA's many shoe-shine stations. Settle into one of the plush leather chairs and put your feet in the metal stirrups -- these friendly chaps will chat you up about everything from last night's Avalanche game to what to bring the kids from your exciting insurance conference in Bismarck, North Dakota -- all while buffing your kicks to shine brighter than the Qwest sign.

Best Place to Get Groped for Cheap

Heritage College of Massage

Are you long on tension but short on cash? Heritage College of Massage performs full-body massages for just $19 -- quite a deal, compared to $60 or more for a rubdown at a high-end studio. Worried your spine will be karate-chopped mercilessly by some ham-fisted Massage 101 dropout? Relax -- the students who conduct the economy massage are advanced learners a step or two from graduation. Let these nimble-fingered newbies work you over with deep tissue, Swedish or other muscle-melting techniques. Massages are performed from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on weekdays, conducted in a private cubicle and featuring a slathering of massage oil and accompanied by the strains of new-age music to soothe the savage beast.

Best Homegrown Cold Remedy to Go National

Cold Snap
Oriental Herb Company

Twenty-seven years ago, Don Hayes was practicing acupuncture in the Colorado foothills when his wife, Hannah, a teacher with an interest in Chinese herbal remedies, began mixing formulas for specific clients. Her own tendency to come down with colds increased her zeal. "And finally," she says, "because we're a little slow, we said, hey, we're making the same formula for everyone." That formula was Cold Snap, a potent cure that can now be found in more than 500 stores nationwide, from the counterculture Alfalfa's to the mainstream Walgreen's. Snifflers, what are you waiting for?

Best Homegrown Cold Remedy to Stay Local

Fresh Fat-Noodle Soup
Richard Lee Noodle House

Made fresh daily on the premises, Richard Lee's noodles bear no resemblance to the dried stuff you find in a box. Mix them with Asian vegetables, the meat of your choice and, especially, the house-made killer paste of a hot sauce, and whatever ails you will become a distant memory.

Best Follicle Restorer

Follicle Nutrient System (FNS), by Osmotics

Great moments in science: the discovery of penicillin; the cure for polio; and now, Dr. Ella Lindenbaum's research has yielded the Follicle Nutrient System (FNS). The natural, non-hormonal treatment increases hair thickness and strength. And while there's no truth to the story that Ozzy Osbourne was an early guinea pig, it is certain that the stuff has found a niche at hoity-toity stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom. Got $65? Get hairy.

Best Bikini Waxer Who Sings

Mila Svirina
Cutting Edge Salon

Those who've been waxed by Mila never return to anyone else. "We call her the rock star," says her co-worker, Stephanie Martinez. "She sings, she hums; she actually enjoys what she's doing. On Valentine's Day, she'll do you heart-shaped. There's always something special with her." A seasoned aesthetician, Mila also does facials, but she's known for unparalleled attention to molten detail -- from an eyebrow arch to a full Brazilian. "Oh, she's done it all," Suzanne says. "She could tell you stories..." Rest easy, however -- she won't.

Best Place to Get Transported to a Caribbean Rainforest

Spa Universaire

For a quick jaunt to the rainforest or a soothing Oriental waterfall, book a massage at the swank Spa Universaire in the Golden Triangle. Their nine destination-themed rooms are spicier than standard spa fare, bringing the exotic to your afternoon. The Rocky Mountain Room comes complete with Native American music and peppermint and fir aromatherapy, while the Safari Room offers up Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the scents of frankincense and bergamot. All you have to do is decide whether to indulge in a facial, massage or body wrap. Tough choices.

Best Place to Get Lost on a Rainy Day

W-O-W Antiques and Boutiques

This huge home-decor bazaar is a wonderful afternoon's ramble through a jungle of antiques and other cool stuff. No longer just a showcase for the antiques and antique-looking furniture created by Scott Soffa's SMS Studios and Mark Cameron's Ruins, the two-story Woodmen of the Word building now boasts sixty dealers who specialize in everything from rare collectibles to fanciful home accents. You're just as likely to trip over a rack of cozy robes sewn from vintage blankets as you are to find that gorgeous Louis IV reproduction chair that completes your collection. Who knows? Maybe you'll find a vintage umbrella to fend off the cold, wet weather.

Best Garden Accessories

Silver Dollar Trading Co.

Successful outdoor living is an art, and Silver Dollar has the proper accessories for the show. If it's an English lady's country cottage you desire, try the timeless cast-iron garden benches and lacy cast-aluminum tables and chairs. But if you're more Latin-inclined, Silver Dollar also stocks Mexican terra cotta and Talavera pottery. Choose from patina-finished weathervanes, rustic candle lanterns, iron trellises and sassy garden pigs. You know, all the necessities for when it's too hot do anything but lounge under a tree, sipping lemonade.

Best Of Denver®

Best Of

Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our terms of use, our cookies policy, and our privacy policy Westword may earn a portion of sales from products & services purchased through links on our site from our affiliate partners. ©2024 Denver Westword, LLC. All rights reserved.
Do Not Sell or Share My Information
Powered By Foundation