The Cyber Sidewalk Sale works like this- businesses, restaurants, and stores have partnered with radio stations to offer gift certificates for full value but at half price! So you can buy a 50 dollar gift certificate for $25.00. There you have it- it is that simple.

If you are planning a trip to Denver on a budget, this is a great resource that you can take advantage of before you even leave for the airport. Click on over to the following links and stock up. Do not wait too long as some offers are only for a limited time.

KOSI & KEZW Cyber Sidewalk Sale

KIMN- Mix 100.3 has a similar sale they call Meals and Steals. Every Thursday morning at 9:00am they present a new restaurant that you can dine at for half the price of the gift certificate value.

Perhaps the best part of these deals is that you don’t have to think up a crazy stunt, keep your hand on a car for a week or be the 9th caller. All you have to do is cyber shop.

[photo-SXC]

Post from: The Denver Traveler

The 16th Street Mall

Spanning the expanse of Downtown, The 16th Street Mall is one of the most convenient and accessible places Denver has to offer. Pick an end of Denver, either Civic Center at Broadway and Colfax, or Market Street Station- the 16th and Market side or hop on one of the FREE 16th Street Mall Shuttles and ride the Mall from start to finish.

The Shuttle Buses run every few minutes and the Shuttle stops are on every block on both sides of the street. They are free, handicap accessible and you can bring your bike on with you. Many residents and tourists utilize the readily available shuttle buses to get to all points in Downtown Denver. This works fantastically as 16th Street is fairly central, so once you get to the block you need it is only a few blocks walk to where you are going!

One can truly use the 16th Street Mall as an epi-center and its Shuttle to navigate all of your Downtown Viewing or Business. Take it to Civic Center and you are across the street from the Capitol, The City and County Building, The Central Library, The Courthouses and the Basilica. Hop off at Arapahoe Street and you are two blocks away from The Denver Center for the Performing Arts, The California stop brings you within two blocks of The Convention Center. The possibilities are endless!

16th Street Mall has something to offer everyone with plenty of shopping, a plethora of restaurants for your every taste and craving, and Civic Parks for relaxing in the shade. There are many hotels either on the mall itself or within walking distance so that you may stay in the heart of the action, and businesses that cater to anything you could think you might need – including barbers, drugstores, knick knack shops and sundries. Don’t miss the Street Vendors, buskers, game tables, the public art installations, and so much more!! And don’t forget – transportation up and down the mall is free with the shuttle, but if you must drive, the parking meters are free on Sundays!

If people watching is your sport of choice- plan a visit around lunch time and the 16th Street Mall will delight your senses even more as the business folk mingle with the teens who are mingling with the performers who will no doubt mingle with you!

Post from: The Denver Traveler

Layering

Colorado’s weather can be unpredictable. Often starting cool and getting very hot with very little warning and then cooling off just as rapidly at sunset.

Be sure to pack items of clothing that can be layered. At this time of the year, you will more than likely be comfortable in a t-shirt or light top throughout the majority of the day, yet having a short with sleeves that you can wear over the lighter shirt will be a welcome accessory. It doesn’t have to be a jacket or a sweater, simply another shirt that can be easily removed and carried around for the rest of the day once the sun reaches its highest spot of the day. One of breathable material will be preferred as the heat can sneak up on you.

The reverse will happen in the night time as the sun sets- you will want just a little cover from the cooler air and night breeze.

[photo-SXC]

Post from: The Denver Traveler

The Colorado Renaissance Festival has opened for the season! Featuring artisans showcasing their hand made crafts (everything from swords and knives to clothing and jewelry) and plenty of great food, the Renaissance Festival is open every weekend from June 14th to August 3rd! Located just 30 minutes from Denver in Larkspur, Colorado, it’s a short day trip that is sure to be full of fun for the entire family! Check out their suggestions for a more “scenic route” from Denver if you’d like to avoid the sometimes heavy traffic on I-25. Colorado is beautiful, and if you have an adventurous spirit, the detour will be right up your alley. I know I love taking back roads and little used highways to get somewhere because sometimes you see the most interesting things off the beaten path.

The Festival features Theme Weekends, including an Ale Festival, Celtic Fling, Children’s Festival, and Wine Revelry. Each weekend the fair is open will feature a different Theme, so if you’re into something particular you might want to plan your trip down to Larkspur accordingly. The crafts and food offered won’t change, however, so if you’re just going for the atmosphere and to see a little jousting, have no fear, you can go any weekend you choose! The last weekend, August 2nd and 3rd, is a birthday party for King Henry (his 517th!) which is sure to be a rollicking good time for all attending.

Tickets are available online, or at the gate, or at King Sooper’s locations, and you can get discount coupons at local Wendy’s restaurants. Until July 11th, tickets are sold at a discount, so get them early, even if you don’t plan on going until later in the month!! If you’re thinking of tying the knot as a Knight and Lady, well, they can accommodate that too! There is plenty of Entertainment for the whole family, including roaming jesters and musicians as well as featured performers including a tribal circus, ventriloquists, and “washing wenches”. A map of the festival is available here (Adobe Acrobat required), and at the entrance gates to help you get around the festival proper.

Don’t let the Festival pass you by! Head on down to Larkspur and jump into the past! It’s a weekend you won’t soon forget!

[All Photos - SXC - Fairy, Jousting]

Post from: The Denver Traveler

Turns out, that’s exactly what it was.

Being someone who enjoys the macabre from time to time, I knew I had to get in there and see what was inside that skull arched doorway. Shawn Marie laughed at the time and said, “Oh that’s just Flossy McGrew’s. It’s a vintage costume shop.” Turns out it’s much, much more than that.

It’s a shop for the weirdo in all of us.

With skeletons hanging from the ceiling and a large selection of costumes both new and vintage, Flossy McGrew’s is one of a kind. You can buy or rent the costumes, which encompass just about anything you could ever have wanted to become for Halloween or just a fun night of going out. Not only will they be able to hook you up with that Victorian gown or sailor’s suit you have been dying for, but they have literally thousands of accessories to make your look as authentic as it can be. Practically every Local I’ve run into knows about Flossy McGrew’s, and has a story about taking a visitor to the city there and watching their eyes light up. Perhaps with fright, perhaps with awe, it’s all in the heart of the person as they step into this alternate universe on south Broadway. My Mom was excited to go to Flossy’s when she was here back in September. We didn’t end up with enough time to get Mom there, but I know it’s on her Must See list when she comes for a visit!

You’ll want to set aside a good amount of time for browsing through the multitude of items you’ll find inside. Everything from wigs to fake teeth to masks, Flossy’s is bound to have what you’re looking for. All of the costumes are on racks which are clearly marked with the era or style they belong to (40’s, 50’s, Cowboy, Medieval, etc) and there are several cases full of costume jewelry, which isn’t always for Halloween! They also carry group themed costumes, so if you were just itching to be a set of reindeer or a sextet of dwarves, you won’t be disappointed.

The staff is friendly and more than willing to help you find that awesome costume. Give them an idea of what you need, and they’ll be sure to help you put together something that will have everyone talking for years to come. No doubt while shopping you’ll run into Flossy herself, with her brightly colored hair and flamboyant attitude. Her name is Suelynn Gustafson, and she’s the proud owner of Flossy McGrew’s. The subject of a documentary called Grandma Goth, she’s one of the more colorful locals here in Denver.

Gustafson is the proprietor of Flossie McGrews, a used clothing and costume shop on Broadway in Denver, who has always been fascinated with morbid things. She purchased an old church on South Sherman Street to live in and house her collection of death-related items–coffins, Victorian tear catchers, photos of dead, tombstones, and an old hearse. The purple-haired Gustafson says that she laughs when she sees the young people who call themselves goths these days. “You know, I was grandma goth. I did this forty years ago, but I did it for a different reason.”

Goth or not, you have to check out Flossy McGrew’s if you find yourself in Denver. You won’t be sorry!

Flossy McGrew’s is located at 1824 South Broadway. They don’t have a website, but they can be reached by phone at 303-778-0853. They’re open Mon-Sat 11am-6pm, Sun 12pm-5pm.

Post from: The Denver Traveler

Wear A Hat!

Pull out all the stops- go for broke with your signature style, just make sure it covers your head and that it preferably have a brim to shield your face and your eyes. You may want to pick a hat made of a breathable material, say- straw, or mesh, or natural cotton as the sun is hot. Denver ranks among the highest sunshine days per year in the nation, and with us being so close to that sun, it is important to protect yourself.

If you need some help picking out a hat, Thebackpacker.com recently had an interesting discussion on the best hats for the sun protection- check it out.

Post from: The Denver Traveler

When life seems to be bogging you down and it feels like you have been taking care of everyone else but yourself- head on over to Belmar and fall in love with yourself all over again.

From now through August 27th- every Wednesday is I Heart Me day at the Belmar shopping center located at Alameda and Wadsworth. Go ahead, pamper yourself with the best spa treatments in town. Indulge in fun happy hour treats. And, with over 30 participating stores and restaurants, the discounts are bound to make your heart skip a beat.

Don’t forget- from now on- Wednesdays are all bout you, I mean me, I mean you!

[photo-SXC]

Post from: The Denver Traveler

Post from: The Denver Traveler

5th Annual BaoBao Festival at the Boulder Theater

Saturday-
Mike David’s Spirit of Adventure at The Newman Center for Performing Arts

Art Works- Career in the Arts Workshop at The Tivoli

Corrine West and the Posse at Swallow Hill

Sunday-

Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood at The Pepsi Center

Be Happy! It’s Almost Purim! At The Boulder Jewish Community Center

Post from: The Denver Traveler

Kroenke Sports & Denver Active 20.30 are sponsoring the Mile High Dreams Gala-Havana Nights

Wanna play Poker with high falutin’ Sports Figures for a good cause? Then don’t miss the only event in town where you can rub elbows with athletes from four professional sports teams on the Pepsi Center arena floor all the while supporting underprivileged children and families in Colorado! This season’s event will include gaming tables, Salsa Dancing with the Stars, elaborate Cuban appetizers, Bacardi Mojito’s & Open Bar. There will also be a Silent Auction with items from all over the globe! The Attire for this event is cocktail or Cuban Dressy and you Must be 21 or over to attend.

Monday March 3rd
Pepsi Center-
6:30 Registration Opens
Complimentary Valet Parking Available at Grand Atrium Entrance
7:00 Main Event
Individual Tickets start at $250 with packages being offered for groups of ten that include VIP bonuses.

[photo from SXC]

Post from: The Denver Traveler