Medical marijuana pays off for local artists

Call it pot luck: Colorado’s medical marijuana business is paying off in a big way for local artists. The Chronic-le, Westword’s quarterly medical marijuana supplement, is now the sponsor of the MasterMind awards — and when the 2010 class of MasterMinds was announced this past weekend, it pushed the program…

What’s the oldest Mexican restaurant in Denver?

I just stopped by La Fiesta for lunch, as people have been stopping by the Mexican restaurant at 2340 Champa Street since 1964, when the Herrera family turned an old Safeway into a Denver institution. (That’s the original menu above.) Which got me wondering: Is there a Mexican restaurant in…

Michael Bennet, Andrew Romanoff face off for the first time tonight

Before Michael Bennet’s fundraiser with President Barack Obama on Thursday afternoon, the incumbent senator has another important date: He and Democratic challenger Andrew Romanoff will meet for their first debate at 8 p.m. tonight. The faceoff at St. Cajetan’s on the Auraria campus (it’s sponsored by Denver Young Democrats) should…

Cathy Donohue got a crash course in Toyota’s problems

For decades, as both a Denver City Council member and then a member of then-Mayor Wellington Webb’s administration, Cathy Donohue helped steer the course of Denver. She just never expected to steer into Denver. But on November 24, 2008, Donohue was behind the wheel when her car crashed into CityGrille,…

Smashburger goes green — with green chiles

Smashburger got its start here in Colorado in 2007, and since then the local chain has been a smashing success as it expanded into other markets, often offering up regional variations on the their great burger formula. Now, finally, Smashburger is showing Colorado some home-state love. On February 14, it…

John Hickenlooper could be very late to dinner

Mayor John Hickenlooper is stranded in Washington, D.C., where he went to make a fast speech — and now is stuck in that snowbound city. Which means he probably won’t make the Colorado Restaurant Association “Candidates & Cocktails” event that starts at 5 p.m. today at Elway’s in Cherry Creek,…

HBurgerCo opening pushed back

HBurgerCo, the new gourmet burger and contemporary cocktail joint going into 1555 Blake Street (fair warning: the entrance is on the 16th Street Mall) didn’t open yesterday, as originally planned. A series of parties and friends-and-families dinners over the last week highlighted a few glitches in the new space, which…

Zoning code overhaul gets a scheduling overhaul

It’s not easy to find a cure for the common code, as Kenny Be showed in “”Everybody Must Get Zoned,” his cartoon feature that lives on the web and inside numerous lockers in city facilities. Denver’s zoning code is more than fifty years old — so a five-month delay in…

Medical marijuana dispensaries could pay Denver $2.5 million for pot

“We know we’re on the right track if nobody’s happy,” says state representative Tom Massey of his medical marijuana proposal, and he’s right about one thing: No one’s happy. Supporters of medical marijuana will be sharing their unhappiness at a Coloradans for Medical Marijuana Regulation meeting at 7:30 p.m. tonight…

Little India chain getting bigger

The 4,547 square foot space in Belmar vacated by the doomed Mark & Isabella and, before that, Chama, has been snapped up — by the fourth location of Little India, which should open this spring. “Belmar is very excited about this new addition,” spokeswoman Lisa Wieting says of the new…

Toyoto Prius concerns accelerate

Despite numerous complaints from customers about accidental acceleration, the Prius was not included in Toyota’s recent recall of eight models. But this week concerns about the Prius have accelerated, and Steve Wozniak — yes, the co-founder of Apple — has been in the driver’s seat, steering the conversation to problems…

Paul Weissman serves up a remembrance of things pasta

Paul Weissman has the best resume of anyone at the State Capitol: He’s a manager at the Blue Parrot Restaurant, the Italian joint in Louisville where he also bartends. And this isn’t just any Italian joint: The Blue Parrot has been open since 1919, and is owned by the Colacci…