Best Exorcist 2024 | Chad Ripperger | Best of Denver® | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Denver | Westword
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Best Exorcist

Chad Ripperger

The devil you say! Yes, the Archdiocese of Denver has a priest who's an exorcism expert. In a video that's been viewed more than a million times, Chad Ripperger describes one of the more frightening exorcisms he's performed. "There was a full-blown, preternatural manifestation right there, and the demon was screaming," he says. "If that doesn't strike the fear of God in you, nothing will." Well, some of Ripperger's other statements about how Hitler and homosexuality released "demons" in the world might give you a few chills, too.

archden.org/chad-alec-ripperger

Best Matchmaker

Karen Richards, Two Birds Fit

Karen Richards started Two Birds Fit primarily as a fitness program, mostly involving activities around Sloan's Lake, but it's since morphed into a fitness dating program, with bigger events that allow for meeting, greeting — and swiping right in real life. You pay a fee to join in the event, then get a chance to exercise your heart as you work out with dozens of like-minded singles. In this post-pandemic world, Richards has found a way to connect in person.

720-706-2888
twobirdsfit.com

Best Place to Propose

Denver Art Museum Roof Terraces

Courtesy Denver Art Museum

Tell your beloved that you just want to see the incredible Petrie Institute of Western American Art collection on the seventh floor of the renovated Martin Building at the Denver Art Museum. But don't stop there: After you've taken in the exhibit, head to the new rooftop terrace, which offers lofty views of downtown and the Front Range. The terrace was part of Gio Ponti's original plan for the building more than fifty years ago, but it wasn't built until the recent renovation. This is the perfect spot for a selfie, and the most romantic spot in Denver for a proposal.

Best Place to Take the Plunge

Portal Thermaculture

"People who are new to thermaculture might mistake what we're doing for a spa, but it's really not. What we are offering is connection," says Rory MacMurdo, who co-founded Portal Thermaculture with Will Dresher. The pop-up includes two Scandinavian saunas, three cold-plunge pools and a unique social environment, since it's located on the back patio of Sanitas Brewing Company. Along with the saunas and pools, you'll find a seating area with lockers and three curtained changing stalls. And after you've taken the plunge? How does a nice, cold beer sound?

3550 Frontier Avenue, Boulder
720-925-2246
portalthermaculture.com

Best Place to Catch a Buzz

Capella Ranch

The Peterson family came up with a honey of an idea when they decided to create an apiary, or collection of beehives, on their ranch in Lafayette. In countries like Germany and Slovenia, inhaling the aerosol created by bees in an apiary is an authorized treatment for respiratory diseases, but in the United States, Capella Ranch became just the third spot in the country to offer the experience when it opened. Just finishing its second season, it's created quite a buzz; clients hang in one of four custom-built huts complete with hives, where they're lulled by the sound and scent of the bees. "I'm going to be out here all summer, talking to people and enjoying them and hearing their stories," says Carolyn Peterson, matriarch of the Peterson family."They're going to come stressed out, and then they're going to leave relaxed."

9774 Phillips Road, Lafayette
303-249-2666
capellaranch.com

Best Place to Put Air in Your Tires

Conoco

Getting a flat can make your mood deflate just as much as your tire has. But the Conoco on Sixth Avenue is always there to pump you up, literally and figuratively. The centrally located station offers free air, and with the setup's long hoses, it's easy to reach any wheel. Plus, there's enough pressure that your tire will be refilled almost instantly. In fact, the shop recommends that you use a tire pressure gauge to be sure you don't over-inflate your tires. The friendly staff will loan you one; just walk in and ask!

2300 East 6th Avenue
303-377-5545

Best Catalytic Converter Safeguard

Lockdown: Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority DIY Etching Kit

To deter would-be thieves, you can request a free, easy-to-install CatETCH catalytic converter etching label from the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority. The adhesive label has a unique number that is heat- and tamper-proof, and should discourage scofflaws. If they snag it anyway, the label's number is in the national law enforcement database, which assists authorities in apprehending the culprit. Check the "events" tab on the Lockdown site to find the next etching kit pickup dates.

lockdownyourcar.org

Best Podcast

Driving You Crazy!

Denver7's Jayson Luber is the dean of Denver traffic reporters, known for clear, concise highway counsel that's saved locals untold hours of their lives. His many years of expertise are on full display throughout Driving You Crazy!, a podcast that provides even more insights to commuters trying to get from point A to point B as efficiently as possible. Recent episodes have explored the metro area's worst intersections, offered a dozen predictions for electric vehicles, and explained why LED traffic signals have typically had trouble in snowstorms and what's being done to address the problem. With Driving You Crazy!, it's green lights all the way.

drivingyoucrazy.podbean.com

Best Weathercaster

Chris Bianchi, 9News

Chris Bianchi is a proud weather nerd who loves to explore the whys, whens and wheres of storms on 9News and social media — and his attention to detail pays off. A former Westword contributor, he's become Denver's most accurate predictor of precipitation events, and his mastery of X keeps followers abreast of the latest developments, be they systems that look like potential city-stoppers but fizzle out early, or mega-blizzards that live up to the hype. Those who leave home without checking out Bianchi's advice first deserve what they get.

twitter.com/BianchiWeather

Best Talk-Radio Show

The Jeff and Bill Show

Radio programs in which partners with conflicting worldviews verbally joust have a high degree of difficulty, since what starts out as an honest disagreement can devolve into empty shtick. But so far, The Jeff and Bill Show, which debuted in February, is striking the right balance. Jeff Hunt, the former executive director of the Centennial Institute, a branch of Colorado Christian University, is a self-described MAGA lover who's able to explain why people of faith tend to overlook the personal foibles of one Donald J. Trump. In contrast, Bill Thorpe, a radio veteran and longtime producer for legendary yakker Peter Boyles, is stubbornly independent — meaning that he's ready, willing and able to call BS on ideologues of every stripe. Together, they're a potent pair with plenty of potential.

710knus.com

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