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At Westword, we remain committed to our core mission:
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As this year comes to a close, we also invite you to join our editors in reflecting on their favorite stories of the year.
Food & Drink: From Molly Martin
There were some big stories in Denver's food scene in 2023, including the opening of Casa Bonita and the launch of the state's first Michelin Guide. I had the chance to be among the first to visit the pink palace — and try the food — after its multimillion-dollar renovation by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone. We not only put out a complete guide to the reopening to help readers navigate the process, but also recently had a chance to go back for the full Casa Bonita experience — a night that proved to be memorable in part because of an impromptu double wedding.
Before he earned one of Colorado's first Michelin stars, I interviewed chef Michael Diaz de Leon for more insight into his cooking philosophy at Bruto. At the time, he predicted that stars would be in Denver's future — and he was right. He also provided one of the most memorable quotes of the year, saying, "I was always chasing the carrot, and now I have the carrot. So what are you gonna do with the carrot? I'm gonna ferment it and make miso out of it."
While the big headlines get a lot of people talking, my very favorite stories are often the ones that highlight the unexpected, such as a profile of Duffy Fanganello, the resident “salmon man” of East Colfax, as well as a look at Tim Veldhuizen, a former restaurant owner who's now focused on making cow-, goat- and sheep's-milk cheese in Boulder County.
Readers are often the ones with tips on these under-the-radar figures in Denver's food scene (not to mention the best leads on where to find great green chile), and that kind of info is what helps us truly highlight the full scope of culinary talent in the metro area. So keep the tips coming!
Molly Martin
Westword Food & Drink Editor
Arts & Culture and Music: From Emily Ferguson
In my cover story on Ant Life, Denver got to see how Jacob Lemanski took lessons from his 999-day bike trek around the world and applied them to his niche but very Denver dream. He quit his engineering job and created Ant Life, which houses his psychedelic ant farms and invites people to explore their consciousness in his private lounge. The story really shows how Denver is a place of opportunity, especially if you love shrooms.
Our cover story on String Cheese Incident was also a trip. We got to dive into the history of one of Colorado's most beloved homegrown bands, which has innovated the jamgrass genre and was inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame. The band reflected on its freewheeling beginnings and shared favorite memories ahead of its historic fiftieth Red Rocks concert.
Our cover story on Maris the Great not only displayed our commitment to the local music scene, but to honoring the LGBTQ+ community. We spoke with Maris, a performance artist who rarely breaks character, about his zombie mission to kill all competing local bands, as well as Jessica L'Whor, the drag queen who hosts Maris's annual Halloween blowout.
We also showed our commitment to local arts with our cover story on Detour, the iconic Denver artist who's known for his murals around the city of activists as well as the Denver Nuggets. We spoke with him as he prepared to paint his biggest mural yet, at the Denver Walls festival, which made its debut in late September. The festival welcomed local, national and international artists, and showcased Denver as a destination for street art.
Emily Ferguson
Westword Culture Editor
Sports: From Catie Cheshire
This year I got to write about so many of my favorite subjects, including the business of sports. That encompasses more than just what happens on the field during game time: Sports teams have wide-ranging impacts on local communities, from real estate deals to cash infusions for local businesses.Legendary football coach Deion Sanders arrived in Colorado and took the world by storm. Westword didn’t miss the moment, and it turned into one of my favorite stories of the year: an in-depth piece on Deion Sanders that was a cover story.
I've heard a lot of feedback from readers that the article helped them understand why Coach Prime was such a hot topic, and it's always extremely rewarding when something you work on for a long time comes together. I am proud of the research that went into the piece, especially the in-depth numbers on merchandising deals that no one but Westword had, thanks to questions from our readers.
Catie Cheshire
Staff Writer
News and More: From Patricia Calhoun
Donald Trump. As the year draws to a close, the country's biggest political story is coming out of Colorado: The Colorado Supreme Court has banned the former president from appearing on the state's 2024 presidential primary ballot. The case is now heading to the U.S. Supreme Court, and we'll be following it in the days ahead.
Casa Bonita. Yes, the reopening of the restaurant was big news, but so was the fact that the legal team of owners Trey Parker and Matt Stone — who'd made Casa Bonita a global sensation with a cartoon parody of the place twenty years ago — wound up slapping a local artist for doing a cartoon parody of Casa Bonita that was on the cover of Westword.
Night Mayor. Downtown Denver has been struggling to come back from the pandemic. Could a night mayor — a person working with the city on its nighttime economy — be the solution? Westword was the first to explore the possibilities, which Denver is now taking seriously.
Michael Floorwax gets the last laugh. He was the highest-paid, most popular personality in Denver. And then Michael Floorwax disappeared. What happened? Michael Roberts shared the story.
And finally, a century ago, Denver elected a mayor who was a member of the KKK...and DA Phil Van Cise brought the Klan down. Alan Prendergast has been fascinated by this chapter of history since his first story about Van Cise decades ago, but the topic has never been more timely.
Patricia Calhoun
Westword Co-Founder and Editor-In-Chief
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