Guess where I’m eating?

Nothing fights the cold — and a cold — like a heaping helping of pickled jalapenos on an order of nachos. Except, maybe, for the side of green chile that’s coming next. Can you guess where I’m eating? Special bonus: Anyone who gives the first correct answer to any of…

Get a job! Sprouts is hiring for two new markets

Sprouts Farmers Market will host a pair of job fairs this week to hire up to 200 new employees to staff two markets — one in Centennial, the other in Castle Rock — slated to open February 12. (The Arizona-based company already has stores in Aurora, Boulder, Fort Collins, Parker…

Restaurant workers: This marijuana dispensary feels your pain

As the owners of 8 Rivers, their fourth restaurant, Wanda James and Scott Durrah know the food business. And as the owners of Apothecary of Colorado, the medical marijuana dispensary they opened in December at 1730 Blake Street, just two blocks from their restaurant at 1550 Blake, they know their…

Wake-Up Call: Democratic Déjà vu all over again

In December 2008, would-be candidates — a dozen of them, by casual count — were all counting on Governor Bill Ritter appointing Denver mayor John Hickenlooper to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Ken Salazar, a move that would opened up the top job in City Hall. Ritter went with…

Yee Haw!

The National Western Stock Show kicked off on January 9, a century-old reminder of how the West was fun! While most of the action is up at the NWSS complex in north Denver – at the Coliseum, and the Arena, and the Exhibition Hall (with the fabulous Cowboy Bar in…

Wake-Up Call: Scott McInnis website shows how the West was lost

Scott McInnis, who’s really the frontrunner for governor now, doesn’t know his mountain ranges, and he apparently doesn’t know his Western art, either. This summer, the Republican gubernatorial candidate took a hit when his campaign website debuted with a lovely panorama of the Rockies — the Canadian Rockies, as it…

A last taste of 2009

We find ourselves saying goodbye a lot these days. To Jason Sheehan, who’s moving on to our partner paper in Seattle. To Bump & Grind and Buenos Aires Grill and Ha Noi Pho and Chez Jose and all the other restaurants that closed last year. And now we’d like to…

Free cookies at the Curtis today

The Curtis Hotel, at 1405 Curtis Street, has joined up with Doubletree Hotels, and is celebrating the new affiliation with free milk and chocolate chip cookies — a Doubletree trademark — given to anyone who stops by the hotel between 3 and 5 p.m. today. The hotel already given handed…

Guess where I’m eating?

On a cold night, nothing is as satisfying as a hot sauce and a serving of…what, exactly? Can you guess where I was eating? Extra points for guessing what I was eating, and posting your answer(s) below. Another bonus: Anyone who gives the first correct answer to any of the…

Gaslamp ready to light up on Market Street

Greg Gallagher didn’t quite get the lights on by the end of 2009, as he’d hoped, but it looks like Gaslamp, his new tavern at 1437 Market Street, will be opening by this weekend. Gallagher put the extra time to good use: The space, which is under the original Westword…

Buca di Beppo spot goes to pot

The landlord finally found a tenant for the former home of Buca di Beppo, a choice space at 1400 Market Street that’s been empty since summer 2008. And what’s going in? Another big-name national eatery, like Ted’s Montana Grill just up 14th Street? Another prestigious local restaurant, like TAG or…

Wake-Up Call: Pot proposal moves to public hearing

They weren’t just blowing smoke. Last night, all thirteen Denver city councilmembers agreed to send Councilman Charlie Brown’s proposal to regulate medical marijuana dispensaries in the city to a public hearing and official vote next Monday night. But not before Councilwoman Carol Boigon raised the same spectre of her unpleasant…

Restaurant Roll Call for 2009

Dozens of restaurants closed in the metro area over the past year, ranging from such old-timers as the Trail Dust Steak House, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse and Chez Jose to newcomers like XO, which both opened and closed in 2009. But many, many more restaurants that opened this past year stuck…

Swing Thai to take over XO spot

XO, the ambitious noodle house that opened this year in the Jet Hotel, also closed this year, in one of 2009’s fastest fatalities. But its space won’t stay empty long: As predicted, an outpost of the local Swing Thai chain will soon open at 1612 Wazee Street…

Boohoo for Bimbamboo

Bump & Grind wasn’t the only restaurant to get bumped off before the clock struck twelve on New Year’s. After two years, Bimbamboo, the modern Asian kitchen at 1738 Pearl Street in Boulder, closed its doors on December 31. The web site promises a “new restaurant concept coming soon to…

Restaurant Roll Call for December

RESTAURANTS OPENING IN DECEMBER Blue Rox Grill, 9271 Park Meadows Drive, Lone Tree Cielito Lindo, 4401 Tejon Street Circle, 1035 Pearl Street, Boulder Den Deli & Seafood Market, 1501 South Pearl Street Ernie’s Bar and Pizza, 2915 West 44th Avenue Ganja Gourmet, 1810 South Broadway Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill, 1100 Sergeant…

Has Bump & Grind been bumped off?

Its inevitable demise was long rumored, but Bump & Grind managed to hang on until the very end of 2009, when a “closed indefinitely” sign appeared on the door of 439 East 17th Avenue and this message on its voicemail: “We are closed, and quite possibly forever. Right now it’s…

Wake-Up Call: Denver goes to pot today!

Charlie Brown’s proposal to regulate the city’s medical marijuana dispensaries will be presented to the full Denver City Council at tonight’s meeting. Since the council’s Safety Committee first started considering his proposed ordinance in November, the number of sales-tax licenses issued to medical marijuana dispensaries has more than doubled, to…

Wake-Up Call: Chris Romer’s latest pot proposal

State senator Chris Romer has released the latest draft of his proposal to regulate the state’s medical marijuana industry, which will be introduced after the legislation convenes on January 13. You can read the current draft of Romer’s bill here. He’s trimmed close to thirty pages from the original proposal,…

Tonight: feast on art in northwest Denver

If your New Year’s resolution was to get out of the house, head to northwest Denver at 6 p.m. tonight, when the Navajo Street Art District will host Art a la Carte, a progressive dinner-slash-artwalk. It begins at D Gallery, 3558 Navajo Street, where you’ll enjoy hot toddies before moving…