Tom’s Urban 24 in Denver, Colorado

Eat, eat, eat….that is all I seem to post about lately!  Honestly this blog is dedicated to all of the wonderful things to see, do, and eat in Colorado.  But we have made the new year about eating!  There are so many wonderful places to dine in this great state.  I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface.  Every time I meet someone new they give me a new recommendation and my “to do” list for restaurants grows even longer.  With that being said we made a stop at Tom’s Urban 24 at 1460 Larimer Street in Denver.  When we walked up to Tom’s Urban 24 this was our view of Larimer Street.I love all of the Colorado flags.  I thought it was a pretty impressive display of Colorado pride!

Some facts about Tom’s Urban 24:  Tom’s Urban 24 is a restaurant that serves modern comfort food with an urban twist.  Tom’s Urban is open 24 hours!  It is located on Larimer Square.  If you dine at Tom’s Urban there is a good chance you will meet the owner, Tom Ryan.  Tom’s Urban sources with over 30 Colorado food companies and produce farmers. 

We started off our dining experience by ordering a Beer Cocktail—WITTY FIZZ · Hoegaarden, gin, lemon juice, St. Germain $7.  I have been loving this type of cocktail ever since our night at DU!We decided to share two menu items.  The first was an Artisan Urban Pizza.  Mushroom Truffle Arugula—seasoned, roasted crimini mushrooms, sour cream, mozzarella cheese, topped with arugula, truffle oil, Parmesan cheese-$11.50.I love Arugula!  This pizza did not disappoint.  My only problem was having to share it with my husband:)

We also shared a LODO Burrito.  We ordered the Barbacoa Burrito—slow-roasted Barbacoa beef, Mexican rice, cheddar and Monterey jack cheese, topped with queso fresco, sour cream, pico de gallo-$12.50.  We ordered ours Christmas style in honor of our recent trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico!It was so good!  The meat inside was shredded and cooked perfectly.  This looks like a lot of food but we successfully polished it all off!  Thank goodness we walked Washington Park before our eating endeavours.

Long story short…stop by Tom’s Urban 24.  Good food, great service (thanks Heather), and an excellent location!

• On Larimer Square
• 1460 Larimer St. Denver, CO
• 720.214.0516
• Open 24 Hours

Spirit Hound Distillers in Lyons, Colorado

I was traveling through wonderful, colorful Colorado when I came across this sign:Naturally, I had to stop and take a picture.  However, I didn’t stop inside because I was on the clock!  So, I showed my husband the picture and told him that we had to stop by this place.  The place is Spirit Hound Distillers and it is located in Lyons, Colorado.It is fairly new but has lots of spirit!!!!  All kidding aside we got to sample Gin, infused Vodka, and Richardo’s Decaf Coffee Liquor.  I don’t drink Gin too often but I have to say this Gin was very smooth and flavorful.  The Gin is made with fresh Juniper berries (see picture below) from around the area.  The Gin also has a wonderful lemon lime undertone.My second favorite sample was the Pepper Infused Vodka.  Nice and spicy.  We ended up ordering a specialty drink.  I ordered the Hot Ricky (Spirit Hound Vodka, Richardo’s Coffee Liqueur, hot chocolate, and whipped cream–see picture below).  My husband ordered a Hot n Dirty (Spirit Hound Chili Pepper Infused Vodka with Dirty Dog Mix).  We went on a snowy day and had a great time seeing Lyons, Colorado.  The folks at Spirit Hound Distillers were extremely kind and very eager to share samples of their wonderful spirits.  If you are out and about stop by Spirit Hound Distillers.  **I recommend trying a sample of their Gin first.  I didn’t know Gin could taste so smooth!**Please check out Spirit Hound Distillers:  4196 Ute Highway, Lyons, Colorado 80540, 303-823-5696

Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield

There are quite a few places in the Denver and in the surrounding areas that you can view spectacular Christmas lights.

• Denver Botanic Gardens hosts two different light shows.  One is at the Denver Botanic Gardens on York Street and the other location is the Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield.  Last year we went to the Blossoms of Light at the Denver Botanic Gardens on York Street.  It is a lovely experience.  The Gardens are decked out in gorgeous lights.  The illumination of lights is breathtaking.  This year we went to the Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield to see Trail of Lights.  Each light show is different.  The Denver Botanic Gardens on York Street showcases the gardens while the Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield truly takes you on a Trail of Lights.  The Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield is located in Littleton.  I bought a Living Social deal for the Gardens.  We received a hot chocolate with our deal.  We walked the trail looking at the stunning lights.  However, it was freezing the night we went and the “warming huts”(a hut filled with warm air) was a welcome part of the experience.  The two other locations that you can view lights in the Denver area are:
• Denver Zoo presents Zoo Lights—http://denverzoo.org/zoolights/  Last Christmas we took my family on Christmas Eve to view the lights at the Denver Zoo.  It was a great way to spend Christmas Eve.  Some of the animals and fish were out for viewing on Christmas Eve.
• Hudson Gardens–A Hudson Christmas  The Hudson Gardens are located in Littleton and to be honest we haven’t seen their Christmas lights display.  We drove passed it on our way to the Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield.  Next year we will definitely attend this spectacular showcase of lights.

Breckenridge, Colorado

 

My husband surprised me on my birthday with a trip to beautiful Breckenridge, Colorado.  We had never been to Breckenridge and to be totally honest, I wasn’t 100% sure where Breckenridge was located.  We have some very generous and caring friends that let us stay at their condo for the weekend.  We stayed two nights in lovely Breckenridge and even though there are 101 things to do in Breckenridge we did a whole lot of nothing and it was absolutely wonderful.  We ate, walked around Breckenridge, took our dog to the dog park, took our Christmas picture, took naps, and drank some wine.  I managed to take some pictures while we were in Breckenridge.  I can’t wait to go back and enjoy all of Breckenridge‘s splendid glory!  Thank you G.P., S.M., and B.L.P. for our amazing weekend.When we pulled up to the condo on Friday this fox was sitting below the balcony.  I put my longer lens on my camera to get a clear picture of the fox.  It didn’t even flinch when I was taking its picture.  It is almost as if the fox is greeting us.  Welcome to Breckenridge!  Enjoy your stay.This is the view walking into town.  Majestic beauty!This picture gives a nice view of the mountain range.This coffee shop is wonderful.  We got coffee here on Saturday and Sunday morning.A boulder in the Blue River with an intriguing past.The sky was so beautiful and blue and the Colorado flag was flowing perfectly in the wind.Breckenridge is a glorious town.  I forgot to mention that we did stop by the Breckenridge Distillery Tasting Room .  It is located at 137 Main Street in downtown Breckenridge.  We tried complimentary tastings of Bourbon Whiskey and Vodka.  It was so good we ended up buying a bottle of Breckenridge Vodka.

Happy Traveling!

Did you know that in 1898 “The Big Snow” comes to Breckenridge? Snow falls everyday from November through February, forcing residents to dig tunnels to travel through town and stopping all trains from visiting Breckenridge for months.

Royal Gorge Bridge and Park in Canon City

Back in March I posted about a Colorado “to do” list–https://lovelivingincolorado.wordpress.com/2012/03/13/colorado-to-do-list/

The first place that I mentioned on my list was the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park in Canon City.  We finally made it to the gorgeous, awe-inspiring, breathtaking suspension bridge.  The Royal Gorge Bridge is one of the world’s highest suspension bridges.  It hangs 956 feet above the canyon and spans a quarter mile across the canyon.

Important facts that intrigue me about the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park:

The Gorge was created some three million years ago when a trickle of water first began to slowly carve a canyon out of the solid granite bedrock. Today that trickle is the raging Arkansas, one of America’s longest rivers. And the masterpiece that it continues to carve at a rate of one foot every 2,500 years is the Royal Gorge in Cañon City, Colorado. The Royal Gorge is considered a world wonder, and is often referred to as the Grand Canyon of the Arkansas River. Yet it’s unlike any other canyon. The width at the canyon bottom is no more than 40 to 50 feet, while the top measures only a few hundred feet wide.

The Royal Gorge Bridge & Park is unlike any destination you’ll ever experience. A journey of epic proportions with more than 360 acres and 21 rides, shows and attractions to explore.You can walk across the bridge and drive.  We did both.  It was a little unnerving.  But we did it!  There was a slight separation between some of the wooden planks.  The picture below shows what you can see between the slight separation of the planks.  I thought this sign was funny.  What kind of fishing pole would you have to own to reach the water below?Flags from all 50 states line the bridge.  Of course, I took a picture of the Colorado flag.  I highly (no pun intended) recommend a trip to the Royal Gorge and Park in Canon City.  The park is a great place to relish in the beautiful Colorado landscape.

The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey

We finally went to our first winery in Colorado.  We were on our way to Royal Gorge Bridge and Park in Canon City, Colorado when we were pleasantly sidetracked by The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey.  I am glad we stopped at the winery.  To be honest, I had a little too much coffee and I needed something to take the edge off of my caffeine high.  We decided to try the complimentary wines.  We also tried the reserve wines for a $1.00 per tasting.  The grounds are beautiful.  We were able to walk our dog around the property before we went inside to taste some delicious wines.   I am by no means a wine connoisseur.  I usually play it safe by drinking Pinot Noir.  I enjoyed tasting the wines at The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey.  Honestly, I like tasting wine pretty much anywhere.  Sadly, we didn’t buy any wine.  Instead I bought some early Christmas gifts at the gift shop.

We tried the white wines and the red wines.  My husband tried the sweet wines at the end of our tasting.

If you are going to Canon City, Colorado soon I recommend a stop at The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey.  Pack a lunch, bring your dog, and enjoy the wines as well as a picnic on their beautiful property.

The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey is located at 3011 E. Highway 50, Canon City, Colorado 81212 (719) 276-5191.

JJ Madwell’s Italian Food in Conifer, Colorado

JJ Madwell’s is an Italian Restaurant in the town of Confier, Colorado.  If you blink you will miss it.  This would be very sad because it is so good.  A totally random Italian establishment in little ole Conifer.  However, JJ Madwell’s is BIG on taste.  We have been quite a few times since we have lived in Colorado.  If you happen to be on 285 I highly suggest a stop at JJ Madwell’s.  I will apologize once again for the pictures.  I forget to take pictures until I take a bite or two of my food.  This is why the plates look messy.  I try to rearrange them to no avail.  This is a sure sign the food is delicious.  We have never ordered anything that we didn’t like at JJ Madwell’s.

This is where the problems start.  They serve fresh, hot, super scrumptious bread with marinara sauce.  Then they have the nerve to offer a refill on the bread and marinara.  Each meal comes with your choice of soup or salad.  I ordered the salad with blue cheese dressing and my husband ordered the Italian wedding soup.

On to the entrees…..I ordered the Capellini Pomodoro
(a fabulous vegetarian option)
Sautéed capers, kalamata olives & marinated Tomatoes in a
spicy marinara over capellini. No anchovy paste.  $10.95

My husband ordered the Linguini and Clams
½ lb. whole cherry stone clams sautéed in a spicy red or white
wine garlic sauce over linguini.  $17.95

Finally, dessert.  Tiramisu.  This piece of Tiramisu was huge.  We took half of it home.
Please make a stop at JJ Madwell’s. 

Buccelli’s JJ Madwell’s
26412 Main Street
Conifer, CO   80433
(303) 838-1440

Colorado Fall Foliage

It is that time of year again, FALL.  My favorite season!  We took the Guanella Pass scenic drive today.  We discovered a surprise along this beautiful scenic byway.  I truly didn’t realize that AUTUMN was here.  It is hard to tell in the city.  But, tucked away along the windy road that leads up to the Guanella Pass Summit is a hidden treasure.  Aspen trees line the winding road.  Bright yellow pops appear out of nowhere.  So many Aspen trees gleaming with yellow dance along the road.  If you are lucky you can catch a glimpse of Aspens that actually look orange.  Along the green mountainsides, tucked quietly and almost secretively are the quintessential Aspens that truly define a Colorado Autumn.  Fall in Colorado is a little bit different than let’s say Fall in the Northeast.  The Rocky Mountains display an unimaginable beauty during the Fall.  The sweet golden yellow that subtly protrudes through the massive green forests is breathtaking.  Beautiful Aspens line pathways and lead visitors to tranquility.  The air is crisp and quiet.Even the sky seems happier peering down on the beautiful Aspen trees.Tall, thin, and statuesque, Apsen trees stand with authority.

Winter will come quickly in Colorado.  Now is the time to load the car and take a road trip to see the beautiful Aspen trees in all of their glory.  I suggest taking the Guanella Pass scenic byway.  There are lots of places to pull the car over and take breathtaking pictures.Past posts about Guanella Pass and Colorado Fall foliage:

https://lovelivingincolorado.wordpress.com/2012/04/02/colorado-scenic-drives/

https://lovelivingincolorado.wordpress.com/2012/04/08/guanella-pass-road/

https://lovelivingincolorado.wordpress.com/2012/07/11/guanella-pass-scenic-drive-in-colorado/

https://lovelivingincolorado.wordpress.com/2012/03/01/aspen-fall-foliage/

The View at the Top of Pikes Peak

The drive up to Pikes Peak encompasses so much beauty and awe inspiring views that I had to break up the posts into several different topics.  This post is dedicated to the view at the top of Pikes Peak.  I can’t even begin to describe how gorgeous and breathless (literally) the view leaves you.  I joked with my husband and said that we are so close to the sky that I can actually see flight attendants serving drinks in the airplanes above!  This is the second 14er that we have had the opportunity to experience.  Granted we didn’t hike the 14ers but we still made it to the top (in a car).  I recommend a drive up to Pikes Peak immediately.  You can experience all of Colorado‘s glory in one drive.  Weather changes, varying landscape, the Rocky Mountains, and of course cooler temperatures.  For more information on Pikes Peak please visit–http://www.pikes-peak.com/

I like the picture above because you can really see the treeline.  I never knew what a treeline was until we moved here.  A treeline can be roughly defined as the “elevation where tree density declines or drops to zero.”

In this picture (above) you can see lots of green.  In the picture below all rocks!I can’t lie, on this particular trip I was feeling a little breathless and anxious.  I do have to admit that I drank a little too much coffee on the way to Pikes Peak and we didn’t eat.  Thank goodness they have a little cafe at the top.  Next time we will have to come better prepared.  I usually pack food but didn’t this time.  Note to self:  pack food and water whenever we take a drive.

Pikes Peak Cog Railway

When we went up to Pikes Peak we decided to drive.  The cost to ride the Cog Railway is $35.00 per person.  I didn’t really budget for that expense.  Riding on the railway is on our “to do” list-–https://lovelivingincolorado.wordpress.com/2012/03/13/colorado-to-do-list/ but it will have to wait for now.  So, I lived vicariously through the folks that did ride the railway to the top of Pikes Peak.  I was able to take some great photos of the railway.  One of the conductors (not sure if this is the correct term for the driver of the Cog Railway) allowed me inside the Cog Railway to get some stellar pictures.  If these pictures entice you to take the Cog Railway up to Pikes Peak then I did my job!:)  For more information about riding the Cog Railway please visit the following websites:

General information:  http://cograilway.com/

Rates, times, coupons:  http://cograilway.com/ratestimes.htm

History:  http://cograilway.com/history.htm

A view of the tracks.The front of the railway.  The views in the distance are priceless. A look inside the railway.  Very clean and tidy.  A million dollar view from the window.Round trip on the railway is 3 hours and 10 minutes.  At the top of the peak they give you a chance to look at the views, shop at the highest gift shop in America, use the restroom, and grab a bite to eat.  They let you know it is time to board and leave the peak by letting off a really loud whistle type noise.  For more information on the railway route please visit–http://cograilway.com/alongroute.htm

How did I do?  Did this post entice you to travel the Cog Railway?  If so, “All Aboard!”  Have a good weekend!