I’m more than a little surprised that we made it to the movies the other night. Typically, when we plan an Institute Movie Night, we are no more likely to actually reach the theater than the space shuttle is to launch on time. One reason for this is our strong…
In the summer, sitting on a patio drinking a martini is the adult equivalent of going to the pool as a kid. The first sip always gives me the same delicious feeling I had as a child when the lifeguard screamed, “Adult swim is over! Kids can re-enter the pool!”…
Those of you at the Thin Man (2015 East 17th Avenue) two Fridays ago had no idea you were witnessing a momentous emergency session of the Institute of Drinking Studies. The scene harked back to Cold War Europe, where plans and plots were made in back hallways — which is…
The Rooftop Lounge at Tamayo is one of the most pleasant places in town to grab a cocktail — both for the view and for the margaritas. When I took my first sip of the peculiar yet tasty China Poblana ($10), made with Jose Cuervo Tradicional, fresh tangerine juice and…
I am happy to announce that a new bar, The Tavern Lowry (7401 East First Avenue), has broken the record for the largest-ever Institute of Drinking Studies bar tab — and this despite the conspicuous absence of a few members. The Tavern had been open only a few days when…
Behind the velvet ropes: When I lived in New York, I loved making up stories that would get me past the bouncer at a crowded bar. In a city full of professional doormen, I quickly learned that “My friend is inside and has my keys” only worked if they were…
I do a lot of ragging on Texas, especially this time of year, when temperatures there range between the levels of Saudi Arabia, Hell (not that those places are dissimilar) and 576 Kelvin. Saudi Arabia and Hell are actually a lot nicer than Texas, since they have what’s called a…
When I booked our wedding festivities in Beaver Creek, I had thought it was the setting for one of the greatest movies of all time, Dumb and Dumber. The morning of our departure, I tore open the Netflix envelope holding said movie, popped it in the DVD player and fast-forwarded…
Blueberry “Martini” Chama 425 South Teller Street, Lakewood 303-935-5170 When I suggested that we go to Chama for cocktails, I heard audible gasps from my friends, followed by the typical urbanite questions: “Isn’t that far away?” “Isn’t that in Lakewood?” “Isn’t it all chain restaurants out there?” Somehow I managed…
I’d always thought it took three miracles to become a saint, but recent research determined that had I been martyred — say, by an Institute of Drinking Studies member for letting the Denver community at large in on his immature yet hilarious antics — I would need only one. And…
Oh! Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? SpongeBob SquarePants! Ocean, the reincarnation of Mao that opened earlier this month, may be the bluest place in Denver. Not sad blue, but true blue. And with a bubbling sign, blue-tinged everything and a very upscale yet tranquil feeling, this restaurant…
There is little doubt that the down-home, deep-fried goodness of the Cherry Creek Village Inn (222 Columbine Street) saved several members of the Institute of Drinking Studies the other night. The cholesterol shoved down our gullets at a rapid rate was the only reason any of us even had the…
Jimbob always looked like a caged tiger behind the bar at the Denver ChopHouse. It was clear to everyone that while he was a good — no, a great — bartender, these were not his people. As polite and teddy-bearish as he was, you could tell that Jimbob was a…
Short of ice cream, Guinness and bourbon, there’s no better comfort food than pizza. A good pie will glisten with a sheen of grease over a thick layer of cheese and the meat of your choice (vegetables may be present for color and a hint of flavor, but they should…
Gas prices are over the top, but alternative-energy folks say we can save fossil fuels by harnessing energy from such sources as the sun and the wind. I recently set out to absorb some energy from both on the rooftop deck of the Tavern Downtown and wound up making my…
I love this time of year. The weather is completely unpredictable, and you can go from summer temps to blizzard conditions in the space of five seconds. But it’s totally worth suffering through an unexpected hailstorm that drives down new car prices, because ten minutes later you’ll be able to…
Anyone who has lived in Colorado for more than five minutes has heard of the People’s Republic of Boulder. According to Wikipedia, the label “People’s Republic of” is placed sarcastically before the name of a left-wing university town and most likely “derives from the late 1960s, when The People’s Republic…
This week we continue our series on home improvement, courtesy of the Professor Emeritus for Stereotypical Wisconsin Drinkers, Mayor John Hickenlooper and the Wazee Supper Club (1600 15th Street). The Professor would seem an odd home-improvement tutor; he nearly had a heart attack at my home a few weeks back…
From the outside, Mori looks slightly bunkerish, and with its weird VFW sign, I thought I might stumble into a concrete room filled with bitter WWII vets smoking and talking about “the big one.” But the minute I stepped inside the bright, streamlined space, my fears were assuaged by a…
Any good Minnesotan, Cheddar Head or even Iowegian knows a great, functional way to decorate the home. That’s assuming the women haven’t already taken over. Women will worry about filling bathrooms with soap and towels that no one is supposed to use while also insisting that there not be a…
The Pinnacle Club occupies the 38th-floor space that housed the swanky Petroleum Club back in Denver’s go-go oil days, and not only does it give a feel for the past, but it provides phenomenal views of the Front Range — all 360 degrees, if you want to walk around and…
Coming into turn three on Good Friday, the Mormon Representative and I effectively distanced ourselves from the pack of the damned. Devout types that we are, we decided there was no more fitting way to reflect on our blackened souls than to brew a batch of beer while barbecuing some…
