Valentine's Day

Local dating site Lumidate helps online daters avoid the marrieds, criminals and catfishers

Before the advent of online dating, people used to meet their dating partners in real life, making it slightly easier to get a feel for personalities, lifestyles, families, personal assets and compatibilities. Internet-based dating admittedly is a more convenient way to meet people, but it's got its ... More >>

Photos: Down & Derby was for lovers at City Hall over the weekend

Down & Derby's first night at City Hall was a romantic one. The monthly adult skate night, formerly held at the Exdo Event Center, took on Valentine's Day (albeit a little belatedly) over the weekend with a love-filled, heart-bedazzled party. Roving Westword nightlife photographer Jim Wills stopped ... More >>

Cycling: 15th Street Bikeway won't be a trail connecting to nowhere, city says

A proposed bike lane for 15th Street has been a hot topic in the cycling community, with the advocacy organization BikeDenver making its feelings known at a Valentine's Day love-in at which members presented more than 200 I-love-bike-lanes cards to Mayor Michael Hancock's office; see photos below. M ... More >>

John Hickenlooper: Why I drank fracking fluid -- and prefer beer

Denver blog posts bring the love -- especially today. Colorado Pols parses a John Hickenlooper message that revives his fracking-fluid-tasting moment. At Mile High Mamas, Nancy Sharp shares a Valentine's Day tale of finding love after loss. Coyote Gulch: Statewide, the snowpack is 75 percent of a ... More >>

Cherries and Red Hots offer plenty of reasons to (heart) this week's craft beer calendar

Tivoli Brewing, which owns the trademarks to several historic Denver beer brands, has released its second beer, Sigi's Wild Horse Buck Beer, based on the recipe for an incredibly popular beer that was first brewed in Denver 139 years ago. New Belgium Brewing is releasing Rampant Imperial IPA this m ... More >>

Ten things R. Kelly taught us about love

With Valentine's Day just a few day away, we can all use all the help we can get in the love department. So what better time than now to delve into the R. Kelly cannon and pull out some valuable lessons on love? Is there anyone who knows the ways of love better than the R&B Thug? Exactly. He's been ... More >>

Beer calendar: It's Stout Month at Vine Street, and it's 5:00 at Renegade Brewing

Stout Month is in full effect right now at the Vine Street Pub in Denver, as well as the Mountain Sun and Southern Sun pubs in Boulder. The twentieth annual version of this awesome display of the dark arts features many of the stouts that Mountain Sun has become famous for, along with new brews, lik ... More >>

3 things to do for free in Denver this week, February 4-7

Instead of staring into the empty abyss of your wallet, get out of the house and have some fun for free. From listening to a lecture by an esteemed art critic to watching a 35mm film to ice-skating in your pajamas, there are plenty of options out there. Look at the online Westword calendar for more ... More >>

Beer calendar: Star Bar runs the Avery gauntlet and Dry Dock takes it in the can

Several Denver breweries and restaurants will serve as mini art galleries between now and February 10, displaying the work of more than twenty artists who use recycled skis and snowboards as their canvases. The displays are part of Art of Winter, "a snow-inspired exhibition featuring Colorado artist ... More >>

Parisi closes for renovations, Jax reopens after renovations, and other culinary events

Parisi Italian Market, 4401 Tennyson Street, closed over the weekend for renovations. The space is set to open in "plenty of time for Valentine's Day"; check the restaurant's website for updates. And here's a taste of what else is on the culinary calendar this week:

Erick Perez, five others, sentenced for setting fourteen-year-old on fire

Erick Perez's sentencing this week for second degree assault and unlawful sexual conduct brings to a close the prosecution of a highly unusual case that led to the conviction of five other young men -- some of them teenagers when the crime was committed. It started with a party. And it ended with a ... More >>

Picturing Love

Couples taco-eating contest at Mezcal and other Valentine's Day events

Couples looking for an off-the-wall activity tonight -- those hungry for more than love -- should check out Mezcal's Couples Taco-Eating Contest, in which the competing couple that eats the most tacos (filled with either chicken or mixed veggies) wins a $150 gift card and a trophy. Although the rost ... More >>

Three lust-worthy Valentine's Day wines

Forget romance: drink lust-worthy wines.​Romance, shmomance. We've had it up to here with all the laughably predictable recommendations and ill-advised wine pairings that show up like clockwork every year at this time. We're not hatin' on love or anything -- but since when is the notion of cel ... More >>

Valentine's Day photos: Denver clerk's office goes all out for marrying couples

The Denver Clerk and Recorder's Office does not mess around when it comes to love. They love love. They love it so much that they converted their bland beige conference room -- known today as the "Sweetheart Bistro" -- into an explosion of shiny red hearts, Cupid-shaped confetti and fake rose petals ... More >>

Contest: Win two seats to the Comida Cantina friends and family dinner

The pink Comida taco truck has been a regular sight on the streets of Boulder for the last few years, and it's about to get a stationary counterpart: Rayme Rossello's Comida Cantina will open its doors in Longmont next Friday, serving up tacos, tortas and tostados -- with licuados and cocktails to p ... More >>

From The Heart

Beer dinners, sparkling wine and more on this week's culinary calendar

​There will be beer dinners celebrating local brews this week, as well as several wine events -- and restaurants are gearing up for the all-important Valentine's Day dinners, too. Here's a taste of what's on the menu:

Planes Mistaken for Stars reunion slated for August 13 at 3 Kings Tavern

Jim Narcy​Another must-see date to circle in blood red ink: Saturday, August 13. Trust us: you will NOT want to miss this show. Planes Mistaken for Stars is getting back together for a reunion show at 3 Kings Tavern. Planes was one of the most kickass and ferocious bands to ever call Denver ho ... More >>

Phil Collins parade in Brooklyn: Five musicians more deserving

​Brooklyn's Greenpoint held a Phil Collins parade as an antidote to Valentine's Day (and sincerity, presumably). More than 250 people showed up, and the revelry got so out of hand that the cops had to show up and explain what was acceptable behavior for these sorts of things. Dancing on the ro ... More >>

Guess where I'm eating?

Lori Midson​I stayed as far away as I could last night from the Valentine's Day shit show, choosing instead to plop my ass down on a stool at a neighborhood bar, where I drank pear cider, did shots of Fernet-Branca, listened to a mellow band and noshed on bacon-wrapped meatloaf. Can you gue ... More >>

Today: A lovely assortment of Valentine's dinners and specials

​There are many sweet deals in Denver today. To whet your appetite for romance, for example, Lola's Sugar Rush, the candy/gift store at 2490 West Main Street in Littleton, will be donating 10 percent of all sales today to the Denver Children's Advocacy Center. That's just the start of the lo ... More >>

Valentine's Day e-cards from Loveland: Chamber of Commerce is feeling the love

Big pics below.​Updated, 10:48 a.m.: Loveland promotes itself as "the Sweetheart City" via a remailing program that stamps Valentine's Day cards with the community's postmark. WithLoveFromLoveland.com, a website that offers free V-Day e-cards, isn't an official part of this project, which is ... More >>

Outside the box of chocolates: A few Valentine's Day gifts we're pretty sure won't be creepy

Dressing up like this is not a half bad idea.​If you've been in your relationship for a while, chances are your Valentine's Day can be a pretty laid-back affair -- a rose will suffice, or a nice card, just something to show her that you're thinking about her and you care. If your relationship ... More >>

Culinary calendar for the week ahead: Valentine's Day to the Docent Dinner #3

A Flickr photo.​The week's starting off with a big, heart-shaped bang and winding down with chili cook-offs and docent dinners. Here's a taste of what's ahead: Monday, February 14: There are far too many Valentine's Day events to list here; check our online listings to see all the heart-warm ... More >>

Abhor the Valentine's Day circus? Five places to head instead

someecards​No matter your current Facebook relationship status, Valentine's Day is a miserable holiday. If you're not working it, you're either frantically dialing for a last-minute reservation at an already overbooked restaurant, bitterly downing a pint of Ben & Jerry's on your couch or avoid ... More >>

Have a heart...shaped pizza from Mile High Pizza Pie

​Mile High Pizza Pie, the downtown pizzeria currently hustling a 7.5-pound calzone that, should you successfully stuff it down your piehole, will likely cause your heart to stop, is offering a gentler, kinder Valentine's Day pizza to make your heart beat faster. For the remainder of the day, ... More >>

Valentine's Day: What not to serve your beloved

​That special day is coming right up. The day when your significant other -- whether it's on credit or true love -- will ask what you're going to make for dinner. If it's not reservations, you need to plan your Valentine's Day evening very, very carefully. Here's what not to do:

After forty years, the Flagstaff House is still a cause for celebration

Stop the hugs: Five really inappropriate things to do at work

When she grimaces, it's a good indication she's not into it.​Valentine's Day is coming up, and if you're anything like us, that means you're thinking up ways to make awkward passes at your co-workers, because we're pretty sure that OSHA ruled back in 1997 that sexual harassment doesn't count i ... More >>

Valentine's Day in Denver: How Visit Denver is pimping Mile High romance (PHOTOS)

​Valentine's Day is less than a week away, and Visit Denver, the city's official tourism bureau, wants businesses here to get a piece of the action. Its Facebook page declares D-town to be "a wonderfully romantic city in which to spend this lovers' holiday" and offers "great hotel deals at som ... More >>

Free video Valentines from Bop Skizzum

​ This Valentine's Day, Denver funk band Bop Skizzum wants to end relationships. Well, crappy ones, anyway. They're offering to create personalized video messages to fans that will include their song "I'm So Much Cooler," which is about knowing your girl/guy crush is dating the wrong guy/girl. ... More >>

Love is In the Air

Tonight: Fireside Fondue Wine Dinner class

​Making fondue can be as easy as melting cheese over a campfire -- or elaborate enough to create an elegant Valentine's Day dinner. At Fireside Fondue Wine Dinner, a cooking class from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. today, you should pick up some handy hints for that romantic holiday. The class, sponsored ... More >>

Frasca Food & Wine's Pizzeria Locale will open on Tuesday

Pizzeria Locale​The Frasca Food & Wine expansion into two new concepts has been a trying experience for everyone involved, largely because of a specially built Italian oven that was slated to anchor the project. The first oven, shipped in pieces, was held up in Customs before it was eventually ... More >>

Playlist Roulette: Ten "love songs" for your super sweet Valentine's mixtape

Courtesy of shankar,shiva's FlickrIn the last two days I have overheard three different people discussing their carefully crafted Valentine's Day date playlists. Once I stifled the gag reflex, I started to wonder when the hell dates started requiring customized, more importantly, premeditated soundt ... More >>

Be My Valentine. Not.

Kenny Be's Sign Language: Where to look for love

​ Good news for the lovelorn on St. Valentine's Day! Stop looking in all the wrong places and follow the sign pictured above to find love right here in Denver. This tunnel of love is located downtown, on the Cherry Creek pedestrian path, just north of the Larimer Street entrance. It appears th ... More >>

A Sweet Deal

Arvada offers some good old-fashioned chocolate therapy.

Lavish is easy on the eyes

Blush Heavy

Ballet Nouveau Colorado has a Valentine for you.

Talking Shop

Seeing Red

It's ladies-only night at Tabú.

Naughty, Naughty

To Hell With Hallmark

I Want Your Sexpo

Denver hosts the naughtiest of naughty conventions.

Club 404

Movie Night

Drink of the Week

Key Lime Martini

The Bite

Gourmet goods for your inner romantic.

Mouthing Off