Wake-Up Call: Beer today, gone tomorrow

It was “old home week,” Mayor John Hickenlooper proclaimed yesterday at the kick-off for a new event, Denver Beer Fest, which has the town overflowing with more than150 beery happenings between now and September 27. Hickenlooper was referring not just to the setting of the announcement — the Wynkoop Brewing…

Wake-Up Call: Building for the future

City officials and other Denver dignitaries will be on hand this morning when the Four Seasons project tops off with the placement of “The Mast,” a 75-foot capper to the 45-story hotel-and-residential development on 14th Street. There was a little less hoopla last Friday, when city officials cut a ribbon…

Wake-Up Call: Hey, big spender

As she kicked off her campaign as a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate yesterday, former Lieutenant Governor Jane Norton promised to stand up to the “big spenders in both parties.” But big spenders in the Republican Party have certainly stood up for Jane Norton before. In fact, they helped…

Wake-Up Call: Is Kenny Be the worst in the world?

The Best and Worst of National News for July according to GLAAD, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, is out, and Kenny Be — yes, Kenny Be,Westword’s sensitive and insightful staff cartoonist — is on the hit list. Here’s the story from GLAAD’s website: THE WORST The Denver Westword…

Wake-Up Call: And they’re off!

The 2010 election is still more than thirteen months away, but the race for the U.S. Senate season occupied (for the past eight months) by Michael Bennet really starts this week. On Tuesday, former Lieutenant Governor Jane Norton will formally announce her bid for the Republican nomination — taking on…

Juicy Lucy’s dries up in Cherry Creek

Juicy Lucy’s has given up the ghost at 250 Josephine Street — a ghost that’s claimed so many other restaurants, including Papillon, Indigo, Go Fish Grille and Tula. Although the restaurant closed suddenly last Thursday, the owners — who also own the popular Juicy Lucy’s in Glenwood Springs — have…

Wake-Up Call: Romanoff takes another step towards the Senate

Apparently all the behind-the-scenes arm-twisting hasn’t convinced Andrew Romanoff to abandon the idea of running for Michael Bennet’s Senate seat. The former Speaker of the House hasn’t been speaking to the press since word of his possible Senate race leaked out two weeks ago, but yesterday, he issued one of…

Meet the other Candy Girls

In this week’s Westword, Joel Warner reports on the ganjapreneurs, economic adventurers exploring this state’s booming business in medical marijuana. Among the folks high on the field’s possibilities: the Candy Girls, three women who started a company that cooks up goodies made with cannabis-infused oils or butters. This medicine may…

Wake-Up Call: A member of the bar

I am not a lawyer, but lately I’ve been called upon to play one when visiting local watering holes — as a member of the bar, so to speak. The owners of these locales all want to know one thing: Can they hold a ladies’ night? I’ve developed an unwanted…

The winner of the burger battle at Tony’s Market

Since Tony’s Market moved in across the street from the Westword office at 950 Broadway, we’ve been making a lot of runs to the store. But nothing beat our most recent mission: joining a crew of faithful customers and founder Tony Rosacci to judge specialty burgers, all created by staffers…

Wake-Up Call: Paint the town read

“Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read,” Scout, the young tomboy narrator, confides in To Kill a Mockingbird. “One does not love breathing.” Now, To Kill a Mockingbird has been called on to breathe new life into One Book, One Denver, the program that promotes…

Wake-Up Call: Steve Horner, back in his corner

The Colorado Division of Civil Rights finally issued a ruling affirming Westword’s position that by publishing an ad for a ladies’ night at a local club, the paper did not discriminate against Steve Horner. And the decision didn’t stop there: In addition to agreeing that a newspaper is not a…

Wake-Up Call: Little spouse on the prairie

Always quick with a quip, Pat Schroeder was one of the most quotable members of Congress during her 24-year tenure in the House. Turns out her husband, James Schroeder, also had plenty to say, as he proves in his new memoir, Confessions of a Political Spouse. “When all of a…

El Toro a must-stop on Colorado Boulevard

The Westword staff cruised Colorado Boulevard for this week’s cover story, with stops at restaurants ranging from an old-school IHOP (which replaced a Village Inn) to the very new-school, new Snooze. One of our favorite spots didn’t make the cut — but it’s definitely worth the drive to El Toro…

Wake-Up Call: Michael Huttner, the early days

On my first road trip to Montana, back in the pre-cell-phone days, I had to stop every hour or so and find a phone so that I could check in with a lawyer who was concerned that the Denver DA’s office was going to file charges against our high-school intern…

Wake-Up Call: Back in bear country

“Please scare the bears,” reads the lead sentence in a story from today’s Wall Street Journal. “That is the message state wildlife officials are sending residents of Colorado communities besieged by hungry black bears with a taste for fresh-baked pies and other fattening human fare.” The bears, state wildlife officials…

Otto’s is outta Market Street

It just opened on May 1, but Otto’s American Grill has already closed its doors at 2200 Market Street, in the former home of the downtown Brix in the Premiere Loft project. The space is currently for lease; maybe the third time will be a charm. The original Otto’s is…

Wake-Up Call: Senator Bennet rolls up his sleeves

Business boosters at the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce didn’t know what had hit them. On Friday, when Senator Mark Udall offered a healthcare briefing at the Chamber, there hadn’t been a single member of the media. But on Monday, when Senator Michael Bennet did the same, the TV cameras…

Wake-Up Call: Romanoff on the range

“What’s he doing in the Senate?” “Why, it’s an honorary appointment. He’s an honorary stooge.” Frank Capra’s classic Mr. Smith Goes to Washington was on TCM yesterday afternoon — just the thing to warm up the set (and the sofa) before Jake Cutler returned to Mile High, particularly given all…

Oskar Blues Liquids & Solids has yet to solidify

Oskar Blues’s benefit golf tourney today at Twin Peaks is a big hit, with all 144 slots sold out. But when the golf is over, the participants won’t be able to retire to the new Oskar Blues Homemade Liquids & Solids in Longmont, as originally planned. That’s because the still-in-the-works…