Have no fear, if you are visiting Denver from the east, or have always longed to see the Cyclone up close and personal- we have one here.

Lakeside Amusement Park is the proud home of The Cyclone roller coaster- built in the honor of the original in New York. It is tall, intimidating, and- true to form- wooden. There are people who travel the world over to ride on wooden roller coasters and in all of these groups Lakeside’s Cyclone is on the list. I have ridden both of these roller coasters and they are indeed worth the thrill. Lakeside’s Cyclone was an experience from my youth and I remember being quite taken a back by its rickety-ness and very obvious weathered wood. It was just a few years ago that I rode Coney Island’s Cyclone and I was so scared I couldn’t scream.

Go for it thrill seekers, why not let the western version of the Cyclone take you away.

Lakeside Amusement Park is located at 4601 Sheridan Boulevard , just off of I-70 and Sheridan. You can’t miss it! They can be reached by telephone at 303-477-1621, and are open every weekday at 6pm, with all major rides operating by 7 and by noon on weekends. The Kiddie Playland opens at 1 pm every day, so bring the little ones along! It’s just 2.50 per person to get inside!

[Photos- SXC 1 2 ]

Post from: The Denver Traveler

Red Rocks reputation is solid in its splendor and lore. U2 recorded Under a Blood Red Sky Red Rocks. The Dave Matthews Band recorded Live at Red Rocks there as well. Red Rocks is also the first concert venue that The Beatles did not sell out! In my youth I saw Depeche Mode and Howard Jones at Red Rocks. In my sappy early thirties, I spent a night on the Rocks with my great friend Janelle and the late Dan Fogelberg who was one of the 10 initial inductees into the Red Rocks Hall of Fame.

Colorado translates to the color red and there is no misunderstanding of our state’s name when you see Red Rocks. Plan a picnic, wear a hat and walk through the park- it is beautiful. If there is no concert scheduled you can walk through the amphitheatre as well! Be careful and bring lots of water as you will be in the foothills which means thinner air and higher altitude. Climbing the stairs from the bottom of the concert venue to the top is a feat for the healthiest among us, so take your time and take lots of breaks to see every inch along the way. If you get a chance to see a concert or a film at Red Rocks, you will regret it if you pass up the opportunity. It is an experience that memories aspire to be.

This past weekend, 28 of Red Rocks original redwood benches were auctioned off to the highest, and no doubt sentimental, bidders. The Benches have been in the natural amphitheatre since it was constructed and the weather has finally gotten to them. Now 28 bidders claim them as their own slice of history. How nice to lay down upon one of these benches whenever you want. I would close my eyes and press my ear into the wood and relive concert after concert.

It is no wonder that Red Rocks was originally known as The Garden of Angels. It is a magical place that could possibly move an atheist to pray. Get yourself up there and breathe in the majestic site of Red Rocks.

[Photos- SXC 1 2]

Post from: The Denver Traveler

Ironically, Margaret Tobin was from Missouri and did not ever go by the name Molly in her lifetime. She did come west with her brother to be near her sister in Leadville, Colorado amid the gold rush frenzy. She worked, learned to read & write and met Johnny ‘J. J.’ Brown. Johnny was a mining engineer and a mountain man through and through. The two wed, had two children, Johnny helped find the gold in the Little Johnny Mine, and The Brown’s moved to Denver and into The Lion’s House.

That Victorian House still stands exactly where it was built on the posh Pennsylvania Avenue of their time and it is this Monday’s Must See! What better than a slice of history to round out your visit to Denver, and for those of you who live here- why not revisit an authentic piece of our legacy. Tell the cab driver or chauffer to let you off at 1340 Pennsylvania Avenue, or take the #15 bus to Pennsylvania and walk down two blocks until you see the lions on the banisters welcoming you.

The Molly Brown House Museum has been preserved to give the actual feel of visiting the Brown’s for Dinner anytime during open hours, which change seasonally. Regardless of the hours the last tour is at 3:30pm. The Museum also hosts occasion high teas and lectures. Admission to the House is $4.00 to $7.00 and tea packages start at $15.00 per person.

Now, please be advised, if you are thinking of Molly Brown’s House as it was gloriously portrayed in The MGM musical, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, the view you will see in reality is not quite as technocoloricious. The House was grand in its day, as all the neighboring houses would have been. However, over the years the neighborhood has changed many times and at present it has eclectic Houses and Apartment Buildings and even Office Buildings surrounding Molly Brown’s House. In the same sense of honesty, we shall reveal that as people have grown bigger- so has our taste in what we call luxurious and grand. However, none of this makes a trip to Molly Brown’s House any less enjoyable- simply take it all in through the eyes of an aspiring socialite of the 1800’s.

If you are coming to Denver for DNC 2008- The Molly Brown House Museum is offering a free lecture about the 1908 Convention on August 13th. Or, if that seems too far away- why not head over for Brunch on July 19th to celebrate Molly’s Birthday! Please note that NO PHOTOGRAPHS are allowed inside the house, so bring your best photographic memory! Outside pictures are allowed, of course.

As the house is located in the middle of the hectic and popular Capitol Hill Neighborhood of today, parking might be an issue. Beyond that- nothing should stand in your way of enjoying this little treasure Denver has preserved in honor of one of its most famous and notorious chosen citizens. See for yourself how and where this self educated activist, suffragist, relief worker, mother, wife, daughter, reporter and philanthropist lived. Don’t forget to raise your pinky from your teacup, curtsy or tip your hat to Our Gal Molly and the house of her dreams.

Post from: The Denver Traveler

Henry Cordes Brown, who was originally from Ohio, brought his family to Denver and homesteaded on the 160 acres that is now known as Capitol Hill. Over the years he built up the neighborhood into one of the most swank in Denver at the time. Unfortunately he lost his fortune in economic crisis of 1877 and was forced to sell his estate. not one to be kept down long, he was back in the flush by 1880. Several years later when he was refused entrance into Denver’s fanciest Hotel, The Windsor, because he was wearing his cowboy clothes he set out to make a Hotel just right for his kind.

In 1892 The Brown Palace opened its doors for the first time- and in no time at all surpassed any grandeur that preceded it. Built in the Italian Renaissance out of Colorado Red Granite and boasting 26 hand carved medallions of Rocky Mountain animals, the lobby inside is adorned with imported Onyx and Marble and was the first atrium lobby in a Hotel surrounded by balconies up to eight floors! The Hotel was soon known as the best in town and settled in for that reputation to remain alive for over century. Located on the unique corner of 17th and Broadway, The Brown Palace has a triangular shape that accommodates the odd converging of those streets. In its early days the food was provided by its own farm, water was from its own artesian well, generated its own electricity and had its own incineration facility. The furnishings were the finest money could buy inside the rooms and throughout the entire hotel.

Legend has it that tunnels ran under the Brown Palace and under the streets to The Navarre Building where there was a Gambling House and a Brothel. The tunnels supposedly hid the statesmen and famous guests from being exposed while using the amenities across the street. Also, on May 24, 1911 one of Denver’s most notorious murders took place in The Brown Palace- the tragic outcome of a love triangle.

There have been many reports of ghost sightings. The Hotel itself offers a haunted tour! If you fancy yourself a ghost hunter make a reservation for room 904. Once inside unplug the phone and bring some friends in to tell them the story of a socialite who lived in room 904 from 1940 to 1955 and suffered a love loss so severe she never recovered. Then go downstairs and ask the front desk if there have been any calls from room 904. Yes, this has been known to happen- so frequently that the story has been removed from being mentioned on the haunted tour. There is a great recap of this tour over at a neighbor blog of ours, LiveDowntownDenver.

And be sure to check out The Brown Palace when you are next in downtown Denver. It started as a place for one man to feel at home and has become one of our Must Sees!

Post from: The Denver Traveler

You would be hard pressed to find someone here in Denver who hasn’t heard of the Flobots. An extremely talented locally bred band of seven musicians (including a viola player and a trumpet player!), the Flobots’ break out hit “Handlebars” has been heard all over the country and just keeps gaining momentum. They’ve appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and the Carson Daly Show, as well as receiving awesome rotation in a number of radio stations.

If you haven’t heard of them yet, you should do whatever it takes to get your hands on a copy of “Fight With Tools”, their latest release. The lyrics are catchy and carry a strong message of Peace and Change, and the music is nothing short of genius. I am a huge music head and when I heard “Handlebars” for the first time I got goosebumps. It’s hard to describe the feeling that really great music gives you, but you know it when you feel it.

Formed in 2005, they have been bringing their positive message and amazing crowds ever since. One shouldn’t try to put them in any particular category, as their unique instrumentation and double emcee front men allow them to cross over from hip hop to alternative to rock and just about everything in between. “Fight With Tools” was released locally in October of 2007, but just last month was released nationwide to anxious fans everywhere. They have truly become one of Denver’s most celebrated bands, and they deserve it. Not only are they spreading the word of peace through their music, but they have created Flobots.Org, a site that advocates change and encourages people of all ages to join together and make their communities a better place through community service, teaching peace, and reaching out to those who need help.

The Flobots are currently on tour and if they come to your town you should check them out, you won’t be disappointed.

[photo-Wikipedia]

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

Though it had an admirable start to mimic- it is very unique in its own right and complete with a rich individual history. It was built in the 1890’s out of Colorado white granite. The doors are embedded with copper and glass and at each entry way is a light post from the 19th century. There are stone statues that surround the Capitol depicting early life in Colorado. A brass plaque can be found on an entry way stair that depicts the exact spot where Denver is 5,280 feet above sea level- making it the Mile High City.

Step into the cool of the building and you will find painted murals that share history and vision. Gold gilded picture frames hold portraits of every President while stained glass windows provide homage to some of Colorado’s famous sons and daughters.

If you visit while Congress is in session you can watch the legislative process up close and personal! Even if the politicos have the day off- wander into the galleries and you can see what they keep on their desks and imagine them there pressing their voting buttons after a heated debate, then click here for the inside scoop on Colorado’s politics of the day.

Climb up and up and up through the sideways staircases to the spiral ones and into the dome. The Dome was plated with 24 karat gold in 1908 to commemorate Colorado’s gold rush. Over the years under our hot sun some of that gold has melted off and one ingenious janitor used to collect the hot gold in cups and cash it in! He owned up to it, but no longer works at the Capitol building.

The Capitol Building is conveniently located at 200 East Colfax Avenue and may be reached via the phone by dialing 303-866-2604. The number 15 and number 0 buses stop right in front of the Capitol. Already Downtown?- Hop onto the 16th Street Mall Shuttle and take it to the Civic Center stop, cross the street and you are there!

The Colorado State Capitol Building is open to the public Monday through Friday from 7:00am to 5:30pm.
Looking for a tour- enter through either door and make your way to the center of the lobby, a desk is right there for you to sign up.

In the mean time why not take a virtual tour provided by The State Archives of Colorado!

Post from: The Denver Traveler

All around town- performances are being hosted to honor this convention. Venues are varied and eclectic, but have in their hearts- the arts in mind. Check out the following venues for shows during the convention dates: The Mercury Café, Kim Robards Dance, Newman Center for the Performing Arts, The Arvada Center, Central City Opera, Opera Colorado, Theatre Off Broadway, The Curious Theatre Company, Denver Center Attractions, Denver Center Theatre Company, Creede Repertory Theatre, Su Teatro and many many more!

So many exciting things to view and discuss with The Indigo Girls at Chatagua summing it all up on June 15th!

Want to be a part of it all? It’s not too late, register on-line now.

NPAC 2008 is not to be missed. Don’t believe us- watch the trailer…

Post from: The Denver Traveler

Honestly, I don’t think there’s any time of year that residents of Denver DON’T ride their bikes! I have seen more than a few brave souls flying through the snow and slush on their bikes, heads down and head lights on. Now that the weather is starting to warm up, however, more and more people are heading out into the beautiful Colorado sunshine to ride.

Denver is a super bike friendly city, with many cyclists foregoing their cars except for the longest of trips. Especially in the more urban areas, you’re more likely to see cyclists and pedestrians (and motorized scooters!) than cars. Entire families will hit the black top for a trip to the grocery store, and I’ve seen a lot of couples riding together. Once I even saw a person with a dog carrier on the back of their bike and their dog riding happily along behind them!

Whether you’re a hard core cyclist with a fast ten speed or a more leisurely biker with a fat tired beach comber, Denver has many natural places for you to enjoy the great outdoors on two wheels. One of the more popular areas is the Platte River/Cherry Creek/C470 Trail Loop, a beautiful ride next to the Platte River.

Remember to be courteous to your fellow cyclists, respect Mother Nature, and most of all, have a great time out there in the sunshine!!

Post from: The Denver Traveler

Denver has seven off leash dog parks:

Berkeley Park – Sheridan and West 46th

Barnum Park – Hooker and West 5th

Jason Street – 678 South Jason Street

Kennedy Park – Hampden and South Dayton

Fuller Park – Franklin and East 29th

Green Valley Ranch East Park – Jebel and East 45th

Stapleton – East 24th Avenue & Syracuse Street

Bring a bowl and water, it gets hot out there, and some bags for clean up, if you know what we mean. You may also want a visor or some sunscreen for the humans in your pack that go along to watch the true wild spirit of our dogs.

Post from: The Denver Traveler