Mother's Day

Reader: It's getting harder for me to justify the consumption of meat

Last week several Denver chefs traveled to Kansas to visit the Callicrate Ranch, a cattle ranch and slaughterhouse owned by fiercely opinionated, radically passionate Mike Callicrate, to witness the slaughter of a steer. Lori Midson went along, and offered up her account of the trip last Friday. I ... More >>

Spuntino closes for a remodel and will reopen later this week

Back in December, we broke the news that Spuntino, chef John Broening and pastry chef Yasmin Lozada-Hissom's neighborhood restaurant in Highland -- a restaurant that turns out everything from unassailable gelato to equally unparalleled porchetta -- would temporarily shutter sometime this February to ... More >>

Photos: the sweet smells -- and tastes -- of the Colorado Chocolate Festival

I'm officially a few pounds heavier today -- and it's not because of my Mother's Day stomach crush at Paxia (which was excellent, by the way). No, today's increase in poundage has everything to do with chocolate, namely the Colorado Chocolate Festival, which took place over the weekend at the Denver ... More >>

Five places to shop for mom -- or just take her along when you go

You really don't have to celebrate Mother's Day like everyone else. Modern moms are an independent bunch, and they may not want to spend their big day knitting by the hearth or enjoying whatever stereotypical pastime they're supposed to prefer. Moms just aren't like that anymore. Following are five ... More >>

Celebrate Mother's Day Eve with Shayna Ferm and Pump and Dump

Shayna Ferm, a prodigal Coloradan returned from years in the New York comedy scene, hosts and organizes a monthly show called Pump and Dump, designed to engage with young moms and provide a sorely needed evening of fun. Ferm, young mother herself, was frustrated by the lack of entertainment opportun ... More >>

10 things to do for $10 in Denver this weekend (7 free!), May 10-12

So you spent all your money buying your mom a nice present for Mother's Day. Aww, how sweet! And your generosity will be rewarded with lots of opportunities to have fun in Denver this weekend that don't require you to dig too deep in your wallet -- everything from a free day at the Denver Museum of ... More >>

Whole Foods is celebrating Mother's Day early with free giveaways

Whole Foods has partnered with thinkThin -- a health-conscious snack brand -- for a nationwide giveaway deal today as an early celebration of Mother's Day. Each participating location will give the first fifty moms who show up to shop today a gift bag. See also: - The sh*t-show that's the parking ... More >>

Think Mommy Dearest was tough? Consider these divas of the animal world

And you thought you had it bad when your mom said, "No cookies until after dinner"...at least your mother didn't devour her young! According to Brian Aucone, vice president for animal care at the Denver Zoo, a wide variety of animals have been documented killing and occasionally cannibalizing their ... More >>

Live music at Big Mac & Little Lu's, a food truck party and more on this week's calendar

Making plans for Mother's Day? Big Mac & Little Lu's -- the seafood market and restaurant that recently opened at 2851 West 120th Avenue in Westminster -- is hosting live music, a "Jimmy Buffet-style" band, from 2 to 5 p.m. every Sunday in May. The shop is also offering stuffed lobster tail and cham ... More >>

Exclusive sneak peek: Old Major, opening on February 22

Late last week, I was privy to personal tour of Old Major, the restaurant that culinary patron saint Justin Brunson, who also owns Masterpiece Deli, is tentatively opening on February 22 in Highland. The space, innovatively designed by Fin Art, a local firm, is still undergoing construction, but Bru ... More >>

George Eder, exec chef of Pizza Republica, on grubs, Groupons and the guest who was aghast

George Eder Pizza Republica 5375 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village 720-489-2030 www.pizzarepublica.com This is part one of my interview with George Eder, exec chef of Pizza Republica; part two of our conversation will tun tomorrow. George Eder grew up in Detroit, one of five siblings whose mothe ... More >>

Serena Romeo, exec chef of Comida Cantina, on standing her ground, the mistreatment of animals and...a second Comida

Serena Romeo Comida Cantina 721 Confidence Drive, Longmont 720-204-6455 www.eatcomida.com This is part one of my interview with Serena Romeo, exec chef of Comida Cantina. Part two of our interview will run in this space tomorrow. Before her two-year stint on a food truck, Serena Romeo had never w ... More >>

Chartbreaker: Another strong week for Carrie Underwood and Gotye, thanks to moms

Many of previous weeks' big-performing albums have rebounded on the Billboard 200 chart, thanks to a Mother's Day sales surge. Adele's 21 is the best example of this boost, as the album shoots up from number four to number two this week. It's still not enough to reclaim the top spot from Carrie Unde ... More >>

Sunday in RiNo: A mirrored fun house, unicorn sightings and hot metal

It was quieter in RiNo yesterday than you'd expect, considering there was a studio tour and a RiNo hunt going on for the last day of Create Denver. But it was nonetheless a perfect day to explore, and whether or not you discovered one of the 100 numbered ceramic rhinos left out for tourists to find ... More >>

Peyton Manning: Can he turn good Broncos receivers into great ones?

Now that the Nuggets are done for the year, Denver blog posts are ready for some football. A Bronco Talk guest on Peyton Manning's ability to make good receivers into great ones. Free Range Longmont's Kaye Fissinger asks: How did we get here? The Grazing Mind's Jarod Ballentine spends a Mother's ... More >>

World Threads III pays homage to global fiber arts at TACtile Textile Arts Center

One of TACtile Textile Arts Center's most colorful exhibits is back: World Threads III: Preserving Textile Traditions, featuring -- as in the past -- a beautiful global palette of fiber-arts handiwork to both look at and to buy. Even more beautiful is the humanitarian purpose behind the show -- to s ... More >>

Ten things to do for $10 this weekend, May 11-13, 2012

Going out doesn't have to mean going for broke -- seriously. This week there are plenty of inexpensive entertainment options, from karaoke on the 16th Street Mall to a food-themed photography show to a Mother's Day concert. Celebrate art, see a silent movie in the park, and get out there without spe ... More >>

Where will you find your RiNo rhino during Create Denver Week?

Create Denver Week, which began with a party last night, gets down to some heavy business with tonight's Urban Encounters and tomorrow's Create Denver Expo. But you never know -- they might be saving the best for last: On Sunday, the whole city is invited to the RiNo Art District for a Mother's Day ... More >>

Grab a seat at one of these Mother's Day brunches while you can

Still not sure what to do for Mom this Sunday? Here are four unique brunches that still have openings. And if you know of any other fun Mother's Day activities, feel free to post them in the comments section below:

Choco-Love

Mommy Time

A Date with an Artist

Happy Mother's Day and more on the culinary calendar this week

Mother's Day is coming next Sunday, and restaurants throughout town are cooking up plenty of opportunities to show your appreciation. We'll post a list of places that still have space later this week, for those in need of inspiration. In the meantime, here's a rundown of what's on the rest of the cu ... More >>

Cooking with Pete and Barb Marczyk: Dilled gravlax

Pete Marczyk and Barbara Macfarlane do not leave their work behind when they leave Marczyk Fine Foods and head for their great old Denver house with the big, new kitchen. They often bring some of their market's choicest ingredients home with them and cook up a feast. If you've been to the seafood ... More >>

The Den Farm -- and a new greenhouse -- gets ready to sprout

Owning a farm, says Yasu Kizaki, was always a dream for him and his brother, Toshi, the owners of two Japanese restaurants on South Pearl Street: Sushi Den and Izakaya Den. "Our parents were farmers," Yasu recounts. "It's been a vision for a long time, but it's hard work." Dreams became reality las ... More >>

Dreams & Directions showcases poetry by DPS elementary school students

​Dreams & Directions, the fourth annual anthology of poetry written by Denver Public Schools elementary school students, will be released at a celebration from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. today at the Tattered Cover in LoDo. DPS teacher Steve Replogle compiled the work, which DPS superintendent Tom Boas ... More >>

A food critic finds motivation to stay on the weight-loss wagon for the long haul

​Over the last few months, I went from the worst shape of my life to the best while continuing to eat like a food critic. Don't punch me in the face; instead, read how I did it in part seven of this series: There have been a few defiant (mostly ice cream-related) bumps in the road since I star ... More >>

Ladies' night all right in this new book: Steve Horner, start reading!

Steve Horner.​Steve Horner, the anti-ladies night crusader, gave Denver bars fits a few years ago, then took his campaign back on the road -- most recently to Las Vegas. The slew of complaints he's filed in Sin City against resort/casinos over special deals for bikini-clad babes are about to ... More >>

Juan Garcia-Castrejon, 17, charged as adult in house party murder of Brianna Rae Ramon (75)

Big pic below.​Juan Carlos Garcia-Castrejon doesn't turn eighteen until September, but the Denver District Attorney's Office has already branded him an adult. That's how he's been charged in the Mother's Day murder of Brighton's Brianna Rae Ramon, seventeen, after a house party spun out of co ... More >>

Mercury Cafe is a Five Points haven for veggie diners

​Marilyn Megenity has done such a fantastic job turning the Mercury Cafe, 2199 California Street, into a creative community outlet -- offering dancing, live music, poetry slams, solstice celebrations, eco-friendly festivals and much more -- that it's easy to forget that the Merc is also, well, ... More >>

Brianna Rae Ramon ID'd as homicide victim in West Gill Place house party gone wrong (75)

Fox31​Update: The Denver coroner has identified the seventeen-year-old girl who died early on Mother's Day morning amid a house-party-spawned brawl. The victim is Brianna Rae Ramon of Brighton, and she died of a gunshot wound to the head. Thus far, no arrests have been made in the case. Look b ... More >>

Culinary calendar for the week ahead: Patio wine parties, Dueling Cuisine and more

​There is culinary life after Mother's Day, starting with tonight's Lamb Jam and continuing the seasonal launch of the Colorado Wine Train, the Swallow Hill Music Winefest and much, much more -- with or without fermented grapes. Here's a taste of what's ahead:

Ruby Hill Habanero seeds add that southwest Denver spice: Kenny Be's Hip Tip

​ Don't let this weekend's Cinco de Mayo and Mother's Day party schedule keep you from digging in your garden. Summer weather blazes into town today and the heat is on -- especially for urban gardeners who plant electric-red Ruby Hill Habaneros from the Denver Neighborhood Seed Co....

Kenia Monge disappearance: A heartbreaking Mother's Day wish

Kenia Monge.​It's been more than a month since nineteen-year-old Kenia Monge vanished after a night of partying at a Denver nightclub, and new information has been scarce. But loved ones behind the Help Us Find Kenia Facebook page haven't given up hope -- including her mom, Maria Lee, who just ... More >>

Gettin' Crafty: For your mama

A natural cure for your mistakes​For all those who give pom-pom critters for birthdays, feel an urge to stick googly eyes on everything or just occasionally get a twitch to fold some origami, we bring you "Gettin' Crafty" where we feature a craft you can easily make with minimal supplies and l ... More >>

Culinary calendar for the week ahead: Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day and more

A Flickr photo.​Mother's Day is Sunday -- so if you haven't yet made arrangements for a beautiful bouquet and fabulous brunch for Mom, get moving. Also on the culinary calendar this week: Cinco de Mayo and a little race called the Kentucky Derby...

Michael Ciacio, No. 90: Man charged with killing his elderly mother, Charlene Ciacio

Michael Ciacio, accused of being a bad son.​Just prior to Mother's Day, members of the Denver Police Department discovered a scene unfit for any greeting card. Charlene "Chuck" Ciacio, 84, was found dead, and her son, 47-year-old Michael Ciacio, was taken into custody in relation to her killin ... More >>

Charlene Ciacio, No. 90: Elderly woman murdered, son Michael Ciacio arrested

A Flickr photo​Mother's Day weekend wasn't a cause for celebration for the Ciacio family. On Friday, Denver Police Department officers discovered the body of a woman at 1625 Tamarac, and while authorities haven't formally identified her, they've noted that the person being held in association ... More >>

Sperm donor No. 1 wins Single Infertile Female's baby-making sweepstakes

Leah, aka Single Infertile Female, has made her choice.​Last week, we told you about self-declared Single Infertile Female Leah, who encouraged members of her online community (powered by Boulder's BlogFrog.com) to help her decide which of three potential sperm donors she should use for in-vit ... More >>

Guess where I'm eating?

Lori Midson ​ Yesterday, to celebrate Mother's Day, I inhaled a green chile-cloaked breakfast burrito from El Taco de Mexico and then spent the afternoon sunning myself on another restaurant patio with a margarita, chips and salsa, guacamole and a plate of blue corn-fried oysters that go for ... More >>

This weekend: Treat Mom to a restaurant meal

​Admit it: You still don't have anywhere to take Mom on Sunday, and now you're starting to panic. Not to worry; there are several great options in our online listings, one of which is bound to appeal to your mother. We're partial to Red Trolley's Mother's Day Brunch, which promises to put t ... More >>

LaMar's red velvet cake donut, plus freebies

Liz KellermeyerFried red velvet cake. Finally!​There are only a few places in Denver pumping out fresh, quality donuts to brighten your morning and LaMar's is perhaps our favorite. When they announced their new limited addition flavor for May -- red velvet -- we knew resistance would be futile ... More >>

Sexy Mama

Take your mom to this pin-up party.

Wine & Dine

Firmly Planted

Mama Mia!

Mom's the Word

Get Mom out of the kitchen and into Denver Cooks!!

Bite Me

Bacon Bits

The Bite

Who ate what, where and when during Boeing's recent visit.

Check, Please!

Readers give our food critic something to chew on.