Adventures in Denver, CO - Days 1 and 2
A few week ago, I spent the weekend in Denver to visit B while he is out there working. Something he and I have discussed is possibly relocating to Denver in the next two years or so and I wanted to get a feel for the city to see if it's somewhere that I think I would like to live.
I flew out on a Friday morning, just a few hours after getting off work. (Sidenote: why do I do that? When will I learn that working 10+ hours then getting on a plane is less than pleasant?) One of B's coworkers was also heading to Denver from Milwaukee so we chatted at the gate before boarding.
I am never able to sleep on planes so I put in my headphones and watched some Harry Potter on my iPad. For those interested, the flight from Milwaukee to Denver is exactly Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix.
The only experience (before this trip) I had of the Denver airport was having a layover, so maneuvering my way out was quite interesting. I was kind of glad that B's coworker was there, since he knew where we were going.
B picked us up and before we dropped his coworker off and B returned to work for the afternoon, we went to have lunch at Denver Biscuit Company.
They have an array of random coffee mugs and the coffee is self serve. YES.
I had the Three Run Double and the biscuit that came with it was HUGE and delicious. Also, strawberry jam and honey butter = heaven.
This place is so good the line wraps around the block on the daily.
The first night (Friday) we ate at a rooftop tapas-style restaurant called Linger. The restaurant is located in a building that used to be a mortuary and they reused the original sign so it says Eatuary. They have a full indoor restaurant as well, if outdoor rooftop dining isn't your thing.
What we had:
- Sangria Rojo (me)
- 5 Spice Pork Belly Bun
- Devils on Horseback
- Wagyu Sliders w/Sweet Potato Waffle Fries
Here's their rooftop menu. I would definitely recommend this place! It's one of B's favorite places in Denver!
After dinner we walked a few short steps to Little Man Ice Cream, which has a line wrapped around the block all day long. Pro tip: There's a smaller stand right next to it with a smaller selection of flavors that had almost NO line. I had the coffee toffee in a waffle cone. So delicious! Almost as good as midwestern custard!
Breakfast Instagram shot.
On Saturday morning we had breakfast at The Wooden Spoon, a cute coffee/bakery/breakfast/lunch place a few blocks away from our hotel. In addition to the breakfast and lunch menus, there were two cases of delicious baked goods (I took home an apple danish and a croissant!) The best part? There's a big sign that says the dining room is laptop and tablet free, so you can enjoy your breakfast or pastry without hearing the clack of a keyboard.
What we had:
- herb goat cheese, roasted red pepper, and arugula egg scramble (me)
- noosa honey yogurt with house made granola (B)
- coffee
- apple danish and croissant to go
The drive up Mt. Evans.
After breakfast at The Wooden Spoon and packing some provisions, we took the recommendation of some of B's coworkers and headed to Mt Evans. The scenic drive up is the highest paved road in North American and offers absolutely breathtaking views.
And made some friends with goats.
There is an old building that used to be a gift shop at the top that I believe now is just a historical site. You guys, the altitude sickness is real! I have never felt like that before! It felt like all the air got sucked out of my lungs and that I took too much cold medicine - I felt like there was a bag over my head and couldn't think straight!
Requisite Summit pic.
The difference in temperature was also very surprising! It was in the 80's when we started our drive up and I believe it was 46 degrees at the summit! I was happy I chose to wear long sleeves and a vest! It was all worth it, though, to see those views and take it all in!
Stay tuned for days 3 and 4!