She was brought into the venue on the shoulders of two hunky, shirtless gentlemen. I watched her, then I looked up at the crowd up top watching her — as a venue, Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox is set up to let dining patrons in the halo of booths above observe the…
Madam CJ Walker was ahead of her time. Born in Louisiana in 1867, the child of former slaves went on to create her own beauty line in 1905, a business that eventually made her one of the first female (not to mention African-American) self-made millionaires in America. While living in…
It startled the shit out of me. During rush hour last week, when I saw a reasonable gap between moving cars, I came from Jewell Avenue, crossed southbound traffic and turned into the northbound lane of Logan Street. The gentleman in the Ford Explorer behind me decided that I wasn’t allowed to make…
When it comes to the story of Denver, there are many different versions. For the members of hip-hop group Fed Rez, the tale of the Mile High City is all about the westside — and food. Lots and lots of Mexican food. Its latest track, “Danver” name-checks Tamale Kitchen and Tacos…
The area once known as “that place outside downtown, close to the Coliseum and the Pepsi plant” was christened River North and reconstituted as the River North (RiNo) Art District more than a decade ago — long before real estate began its steady scorch up Brighton Boulevard and the rebranding…
I spend a lot of time watching dogs poop. I am the human to a wonderful, almost ten-pound Papillon freak show named Frankie who I often walk at night, so I’m extra-vigilant about where he poops — sometimes even using my phone flashlight to find said doo-doo in the grass so…
When I was in high school, I had a crush on Billy Corgan (yes, the guy who now dons a pinstripe suit and yells corny shit at wrestlers.) I dreamed that all of the romantic Smashing Pumpkins songs — “Luna,” “By Starlight” and “Medellia of the Gray Skies” were particulars…
I give bars a lot of shit for existing. I don’t particularly like going to shows at bars, I don’t like playing bars and most of all, I don’t like that people under the age of 21 can’t go to shows in bars. What is the point of having live…
Denver Food Rescue gets fresh produce to Denverites in need by making a simple connection: It gets food that would otherwise go to waste from grocery stores and takes it to community organizations across the city. It’s like a food bank without the warehouse, and a bicycle delivery system instead…
Heidi Jung stands at the front window of her modest, blond-brick home situated in Denver’s Northside. She points at a tiny house across the street, where a giant rolloff dumpster takes up the entire driveway. “That was my Aunt Stella’s house,” the painter says. “They’re just gutting it, not tearing…
Though South Broadway was teeming with hundreds of fest-goers last Friday evening — it was day two of the sweet-sixteen edition of the Underground Music Showcase — it was still easy to spot my friends in Tacocat. Like shiny pastel buoys bobbing among a sea of beards and black clothes,…
The diminutive Sid King was the giant personality behind Sid King’s Crazy Horse Bar, a famous strip club that graced East Colfax Avenue for more than 35 years. This Saturday, August 7, at the Studio Loft of the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, King’s son Mike will present The Fifth Dentist…
The sixth annual Denver County Fair unpacks this Friday, July 29, at the National Western Complex, where it runs through Sunday, July 31. In a summer full of festivals, shows and events, this extravaganza has built its own strong following by celebrating all that is weird and wonderful about Denver. The Kitten Pavilion will…
As a person born and raised in Denver who is very vocal about her love for (and criticisms of) the Mile High City, I often get asked to recommend things to do and places to see when people are visiting Denver. I’m no tourist information center, but do I spend…
Finishing School got its start in 2001 in Los Angeles; the art collective builds site-specific work, does studio art and creates other forms of media, all with the intention of sparking conversation around social issues, politics and shared everyday human experiences. The artists recently produced Finishing School: BLISS, a social-engagement project…
Lynn Flanagan-Till just can’t shake her punk-rock roots. As co-owner of Denver-based organic beauty and tea creator R.L. Linden & Co., Flanagan-Till and business partner Robin King believe in sticking to their guns — so even as R.L. Linden grows, they continue to formulate and package every single product by…
It’s not a summer in Denver without a trip to Lakeside Amusement Park. Built in 1908, the park is a testament to the enduring appeal of old-fashioned thrill rides and neon lights. It’s also the subject of Denver’s Lakeside Amusement Park: From the White City Beautiful to a Century…
Katy Zimmerman is slightly obsessed with time travel. “This is what I’ve been doing for the past year — painting a lot of portals and time travel-themed work. It’s going to keep going until I’m sick of it,” says Zimmerman, with a laugh. The painter — who also works with…
A few weeks ago, I made the six-hour trek to Santa Fe to see Denver band Rubedo play at the recently opened Meow Wolf Art Complex (full disclosure: My boyfriend, Gregg Ziemba, is a founding member of Rubedo). As a sort of sister city to Denver, Santa Fe has long…
The Fourth of July lands on Monday, which means a long weekend of celebrations this year. There are dozens of ways to fill the time, from serious fireworks displays and red, white and blue picnics to neighborhood block parties and choral-themed festivals. Here are our thirty favorite parties and places…
John Moore is no stranger to the theater. For more than a decade, the longtime journalist and critic for the Denver Post covered Colorado’s theater scene with an integrity and intensity that earned him a spot as one of the country’s twelve most influential critics in American Theatre Magazine in 2011 — the year…
A mythical and misunderstood place, Lakeside Amusement Park stands as one of Colorado’s most enduring and fascinating cultural treasures. Opened and in operation since 1908, the family-owned park was not only a prominent player in Mayor Robert Speer’s vision for Denver as part of the City Beautiful movement, but also…
