Denver – Day 1 & 2

Aloha ~

It's been a while since I posted but I hope you will enjoy my current adventure. Some great sights and wonderful food.

Day 1
I flew into Denver yesterday evening for a little vacation. I have not been here is over 29 years and I was just a child then so my experiences were limited. The best part is I get to spend a couple of days with some of my favorite people. We all used to work together in Orange County, CA and are now spread out throughout the country. This is the first time in 3 years we have all been together so I am really looking forward to spending time with them.

We went to downtown Denver and had dinner at Watercourse Foods. It is a vegetarian restaurant with wonderful atmosphere. While we were told the wait was one and half hours we definitely did not wait that long. They have a café counter in the front with wonderful looking pastries and a wide variety of teas. I had the Pomegranate White Tea while we waited. It was very tasty.

It is not secret that I am a meat lover. I could definitely not go vegetarian. However, the nice thing about Watercourse is they have a variety of items on the menu to please everyone. I had the Monti Pasta – garlic and shallots sautéed in olive oil and tossed with penne pasta, smoky Portobello mushrooms, artichoke hearts, broccoli florets, and brie cheese. It was served with garlic focaccia bread and the meal was delicious. I am sorry that I don’t have a picture to share. I was so hungry and it looked so appetizing when it arrived at the table, I dug right in and ate every last bite. You will just have to trust me that it looked and tasted amazing.

Day 2
I am staying with my friend in Golden, Colorado for the next couple of days. What a beautiful place. The weather is crisp and clear.

After our simple breakfast at the house, we headed back out to the airport to pick up the fifth member of our “fearsome five”.  All together now, our goal was to spend today in nature. This is easy to do in Colorado. We took off to Kenosha Pass (Elevation 10,000 ft) to check out the Aspen trees. They were all shades of yellow and orange.

 So Beautiful

Brilliant color against the blue sky

 

 Our trip back to the city included a stop at Al’s Pits for Jerky...

Side of the road pit stop

 

Lots of options (Buffalo, Venison & Elk Jerky)

…and then Red Rocks Amphitheater. I have heard from friends that this is the ultimate venue to see your favorite musical artist and after seeing it in person I don’t doubt it.

Red Rocks Amphitheater

 

I definitely need to schedule a trip back for a concert next summer. The incredible rock formations are the perfect setting. 

Imagine the acoustics in this place

 

The high altitude and fresh air make a person hungry. So we had to decide where to have dinner. While there are lots of options in the Denver area, we took a suggestion from one of my favorite TV Shows (Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives) and headed into the Highlands neighborhood to Tocabe. The cuisine is American Indian and with options for both meat eaters and vegetarians. Turns out my friend has eaten here before and was more than happy that it was on by “DDD Must Try” list.

 

Guy's Menu at Tocabe

 

I remember watching this episode of DDD and Guy raving about the Bison Ribs with Blueberry Barbecue Sauce. It is served with fry bread and a side. I love blueberries so how could I resist this opportunity and let me tell you I was not disappointed. The bison was tender. The blueberry barbecue sauce was sweet yet tangy (and it was purple). Once again DDD did not let me down. Next time you are in Denver you should put this on your list of must eats.

 

Bison Ribs with Blueberry Barbecue Sauce

 

And after such a filling dinner there is only one thing a girl can do…go out for ice cream. Also located in the Highlands neighborhood is Little Man Ice Cream. A cute little spot on the corner it offers both ice cream and gelato.

A little history on Little Man Ice Cream

Milk Can Building - Little Man Ice Cream

 

Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Cup

 

The Salted Caremel Peanut Butter Cup ice cream came highly recommended and it did not miss the mark.

The perfect end to a perfect day…