Mile High Magic

Denver Colorado is called the "mile high city" because it sits at 5,280 feet above sea level. And although the altitude sometimes gets to us, we consider Denver to be a magic city. It has the perfect combination of western heritage and urban sophistication. It also has lots of fun and historical things for a visitor to do.

 Denver's famous "Clock Tower" was built in the early 19th century and has been renovated to it's current glory. In the winter there is a small ice-skating rink in a park just below the tower where we like to go to play.  Check out the skating cowboy!!!














One of the other great historic buildings in Denver is the Union Station. First built in 1881, it's current renovation has made it an architectural gem with lots of the original details - check out the chandeliers - but also lots of modern touches. It currently houses restaurants, stores, bars and the Amtrak office.

     I did say there were "bars" in the Union Station, right?  Well the Terminal Bar is my favorite. It is housed in the original ticket office and you can sit on old train benches with brass foot rails and sip a drink while you look out of the old ticket windows. All of the drawers, cubby holes, and brass fixtures are still in place. It's easy to picture the train travel from 1881 till now [well, maybe it's easier after the first drink!].



  Here I am, ready to sell you a ticket to Omaha or finish my cosmo.... whichever!

Cowboy Culture

Contrary to popular opinion, Denver is not just Cowboys and Stockshows. The "mile high city" also has a lot of fine Cowboy Culture and when we get a chance we visit as much of it as we can. The Anschutz Collection of Western Art  is housed in this stately old home. Across from the Brown Palace Hotel, the house has a bawdy past but is now fully refinished to be a lovely showcase for Mr Anschutz's collection. The front of each floor is left intact as a period "parlor" but the interior is a lofty and modern space with floor to ceiling paintings hung in the 19th century "salon style". An amazing array of art including Bierstadts, Remingtons, Russells, and O'Keefes. WOW!






This is the famous Klaus Von Oldenburg statue in front of the Denver Art Museum. And look who is visiting DAM with her grandparents! We were here to see the incredible display of Cartier jewelry. It's a world exclusive exhibit called "Brilliant" that encompasses 75 years of stunning jewelry and other ornaments. Most of the jewels are original and real. The show also gives a historical overview with many interesting insights into the people for whom the pieces were created: kings, queens, maharajahs and movie stars.

For outdoor art, the Denver Botanic Gardens has an exhibit of Chihuly blown glass. Most of his pieces are wild and crazy like the chandelier above my baby's head. But at the Botanic Gardens the art blends with the flowers, plantings and water features. Some of it is surprisingly lovely and peaceful. It's a real treat to wander around and enjoy it all.

Now for true Cowboy Culture try Urban Cowboy at the Mile High Station. This is a fund raiser for Brent's Place, and it involves lots of food, drink, swing dancing and mechanical bull riding. OK, we did dance - we did not ride the bull!!

            So there you have it- the brief overview of Cowboy Culture in Denver. Check it out!

Tea Time

 It's not often I get to go out with a girlfriend while I am working but here I am with my friend Elizabeth having High Tea at the Brown Palace Hotel in Denver Colorado while Kirk stayed back at the B&B to be the Innsitter .This is the most luxurious and historic hotel in Denver. It has a beautiful interior atrium with cast iron balconies and wall decor made from Mexican onyx. It also features brass griffins over the front desk and entry ways. WOW! Built in 1892 -the age of elegance, you really feel special when you have High Tea there and that's good because we were celebrating our mutual birthdays.

As you can see the food was beautifully presented. What you can't see is how great it tasted - this little birthday cake was soooo yummy - coconut cake with a butterscotch frosting and tiny little butterscotch candies on top. My wish was for a year of happiness and peace for my friend. She wished for a year of fun travel for me. May both our wishes come true!                            

So if you are ever in Denver and want to step back in time,  go to the Brown Palace for High Tea  - So Elegant!