Did you miss last call at Pete’s Monkey Bar? The Dead-centric spot at 717 East Colfax Avenue had “a fucking awesome run,” according to owner Pete Penzastadler, and closed after one final bash last night. Westword photographer Nick Callaio was there; see the complete slide show here…
After reviewing Hana Japanese Bistro, Laura Shunk served up her list of “Denver’s five best Japanese restaurants,” places that serve not just sushi, but excellent, authentic dishes from Japan’s much broader culinary canon. The list inspired the usual quibbles — why is this on it? why not that? — as…
She wasn’t named chief of the Denver Police Department — although she was rumored to be a leading contender until Michael Hancock decided to go outside of the DPD to tap Robert White. But tonight Captain Tracie Keesee will get another honor: She’s the alumni recipient of the 2012 Outstanding…
Not enough history for you in History Colorado? Did you want more context in the exhibit devoted to the Sand Creek Massacre? That was one of the complaints in the New York Times piece on the new facility — which echoed some of Michael Paglia’s criticisms of History Colorado. There…
After two-and-half years, Pete Penzastadler is closing Pete’s Monkey Bar tonight with one last blowout. Penzastadler, who calls it “a fucking awesome run,” is closing the spot because he just needs to move on, he says…
From northwest Denver, with love. Chubby’s has made the New York Times — and not surprisingly, it’s thanks to Gustavo Arellano, author of the weekly column Ask a Mexican as well as the new book Taco USA. In that scholarly tome, which traces the rise of Mexican food in the…
It’s not quite the Bamboo Hut, the legendary former tenant at 2449 Larimer Street, but an occupant has signed on for the address that once held one of the town’s best Mexican (yes, Mexican) restaurants: Amerigo Delicatus Restaurant & Market is going into the spot…
This weekend the New York Times published a review of the new History Colorado Center, which started in a very New York-centric way: An East Coast visitor’s first reaction, provincially enough, has to be skepticism: does Colorado even have that much history?…
Jenn Wohletz has been covering the fast-food beat in Jenn in Chains, and on Friday she served up “href=”http://blogs.westword.com/cafesociety/2012/04/top_five_reasons_why_reviewing.php#Comments”>”Five reasons why reviewing isn’t the worst idea in the world.” And readers have some ideas of their own…
Rock promoter Barry Fey saved Denver’s symphony in 1989 — and was honored by a plaque in Boettcher Concert Hall for his efforts. But last year, when the Colorado Symphony Orchestra hit the rocks, its leaders weren’t interested in Fey’s help, much less locating his plaque…
The criticism of Michael Paglia’s review of the History Colorado Center, and his subsequent suggestions for “Ten shows the History Colorado Center should have opened with,” are getting pretty colorful. Says Guest: I don’t understand why you don’t just open your own musuem! I’m quite irritated that you are discounting…
Here’s an idea that sounds like a definite smash: Smashburger, the homegrown chain, will introduce its first-ever SmashCart next Tuesday on the 16th Street Mall, one of the first physical signs of the extra effort that the Downtown Denver Partnership is putting into its mall vendor program. Smashburger already has…
Let’s go West, young man! The town backed by newspaper publisher Horace Greeley — the man who may, or may not, have proclaimed “Go West, young man!” — is all grown up. Grown up enough to introduce a new branding campaign for its downtown with a colorful, clownish logo and…
Yesterday’s news that Fired Up, a new pizza joint, will soon be opening in the Golden Triangle inspired this comment from Manfrenjensen: WTF is up with all the new pizza joints opening up all of a sudden?? I thought the upscale burger, cupcake, and DIY frozen yogurt trends were something,…
Michael Paglia loves the new History Colorado building — but the exhibits inside it, not so much. And yesterday, as a followup to his original review of the place, he suggested “Ten shows the History Colorado Center should have opened with.” Says Dana: These are brilliant ideas!!!! Love ’em!!! Hopefully,…
The last — at least for now — in the string of pizza joints coming to LoDo is set to open its doors tomorrow. Wazee Wood-Fired Pizza was the first to join the lineup, opening last December in a neighborhood that already included the Wazee Supper Club and Two-Fisted Mario’s…
Does a bear shit in the woods — and outside a convention center? That question was answered when pranksters placed a pile of blue poo under “I See What You Mean,” the Lawrence Argent sculpture that’s known as the Big Blue Bear. Inspired, one critic turned her eyes to DIA’s…
Food trucks are revving up for the first big event of the spring season, the”Rolling Into Hunger” bash that benefits Food Bank of the Rockies on April 29 in the parking lot of Mile High Spirits, 2920 Larimer Street. Stephen Daniels and Mandy Birks, owners of the Crock Spot, have…
Eat out today — and eat out often. Because more than 300 restaurants are joining in the eighteenth annual Dine Out for Life, a benefit for Project Angel Heart, donating 25 percent from all food sales — whether at breakfast, lunch or dinner — to the charity that prepares and…
Does a bear shit outside the woods? That question was answered by the pranksters who placed a pile of blue poo under “I See What You Mean,” better known as the Big Blue Bear, which stands outside the Colorado Convention Center. That prank inspired another former Westword art critic Renna…
Last month, the seafood hot pot at Da Lat rated a 100 Favorite Dishes designation. But when Heather Miller ordered it, the dish contained an unexpected ingredient: a cockroach. Lori Midson shared her cockroach story here , and the comments have been flying. Should the dish have been comped? The…
The Brown Palace has hosted every U.S. president since Teddy Roosevelt first visited in 1905, thirteen years after the hotel opened, except for two: Calvin Coolidge and Barack Obama. And now Obama has snubbed the Brown again, opting to stay at the JW Marriott in Cherry Creek last night…after slumming…
