Exploring Denver

This past Memorial Day weekend, K and I took a quick weekend trip to Denver which I briefly recapped last week here. We arrived late on Friday night so we just had time to grab dinner at Yard House which was conveniently located in our hotel. We stayed at the Sheraton Downtown Denver which is in a great location to explore downtown by foot. I definitely recommend staying there if you're looking for a great location, price, hotel amenities, and comfort of the rooms.

On Saturday morning, we walked to Elway's for some breakfast before starting our adventures. Several people recommended Elway's Steakhouse for a nice dinner but we didn't manage to make it there in the evenings on this trip.

We wondered through the Denver Day of Rock festival and purchased some local art before heading to the Great Divide Brewery to sample some craft beers.

We stopped in the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory store to buy some chocolates and candy since the shop smelt amazing from the street.

After exploring the city and visiting several breweries, shops, and the LoDo area we settled at Earl's Kitchen for an early dinner. They have great food and a modern environment in the heart of downtown.

 In the evening we stopped at Union Lodge No 1 speakeasy for some 19th-century-inspired cocktails and really enjoyed the prohibition-era environment.

On Sunday morning we headed to Ophelia's Electric Soapbox from some brunch and I have to say this was one of my favorite brunch experiences. The live music, eclectic menu, bottomless mimosas, and overall environment left me feeling extremely happy we chose this spot to get the day started.

After fueling up K and I headed to Coors Field to catch a Rockies vs. Giants game which was a great time and our seats were only 5 rows up from the field so we can take in all the action. It was definitely one of the better stadiums I've visited with lots of entertainment and team spirit.

The ViewHouse was one of my favorite sports bars and restaurants in the city because it overlooks Coors Field and has a huge outdoor area for tailgating along with great food and drinks.

Some other cool places we checked out on Sunday was Lodo's rooftop bar (which is very close to Coors Field) and Jagged Mountain Brewery to sample some beers.

On Monday it was time to check out of our hotel and head out for a quick lunch at Henry's Tavern. We walked past Henry's several times on the weekend and the restaurant was packed full of people with long waiting lines so it appeared to be a popular spot to eat, drink and watch sports in downtown Denver. On Monday it was quiet so we were able to get right in and enjoy some lunch. The beer cheese soup that K and I shared was amazing.

Overall Denver was an amazing city to explore but I wish we had more than two full days to explore beyond just the downtown area and make it over to Red Rocks Amphitheater.

Past Wanderlust Wednesday travel recaps:

Chicago / Barbados / San Francisco / Las Vegas / New York / Trinidad & Tobago /  St. Augustine, FL / Negril, Jamaica / Alaska / New Orleans / Punta Cana / Sonoma / Miami

Life Lately

Changes. Life lately hasn't exactly been peachy. There's been so many changes in the last few weeks that have made me switch my focus to getting things back on track. I left my job after working there for six years which was pretty sad for me but since then I accepted a new and much more exciting job opportunity to run my own marketing department for a local company. There are sunnier days ahead and I start this new adventure one week from today.

Hurdles. We closed on our new home last week but then some complications arose with selling our current home since the buyers decided to delay another month. After a million phone calls, financial transactions, and tireless signing of documents we were able to successfully close and move in to our new home over the weekend. We spent the entire weekend moving, unpacking, and organizing things. I do believe exciting days are ahead in our new abode while we wait patiently to officially sell our current home.

Escape. In the midst of the chaos, K and I had a trip already booked and planned to visit Denver so we spent Memorial Day long weekend exploring the city and catching a ball game at Coors Field. We were blessed with good weather for the entire trip which allowed us to explore the city on foot and take in all that downtown Denver has to offer.

Sharing. After returning and settling back at home, Kerri and I met up for a happy hour date which was so fun catching up over some delish sushi and wine.

Reality. Other than some leisurely happy hours and lunch dates with friends and previous coworkers, there has been lots of Home Depot trips which probably won't be ending anytime soon.

Adulting. Home Goods also took my wallet for a run over the weekend. That store really has the cutest things for a great price. I was so tempted to buy gifts for everyone. I foresee a few more trips there as I finish up designing and decorating our home.

Celebrate. After moving all day on Friday, we met up with friends at Kobe Steakhouse in the evening to celebrate the birthday of Kate's hubby over some hibachi and sake. It's always a good time with this great group of friends.

Crisis. Within 48 hours of living in our new home (in a brand new gated community), our neighbors house got broken into on Saturday night and then the neighborhood flooded on Sunday because of torrential rains and thunderstorms. Nothing seriously affecting us or our new home but it has us in a serious scurry to get a security system to secure our home.

Release. The bestie and I have been enjoying Yoga in the Park on Sundays when we're not traveling or busy moving.

Bonding. K and I ended the weekend on Sunday with a date evening after a busy weekend consumed with moving and unpacking. We had to go to Home Goods for some final things, then Buffalo Wild Wings for a beer because that's an even trade-off in his books and ending with some barbecue for dinner at Texas Roadhouse.

Recap. Our last Wanderlust Wednesday is happening this week so please help us end with a bang by sharing your favorite travel recaps. I'll be sharing all the details about our trip to Denver.

Joining the lovely Biana for her weekending linkup.

Weekending: Denver Style

I hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend and feels rested and ready to tackle this week. We close on our new house today and move in this weekend so I have some busy but exciting days ahead.

We returned home last night after spending the past few days exploring the Mile-High City which was everything and more than I expected. I plan to do a full travel recap next week for our last Wanderlust Wednesday linkup. In the meantime, I'm linking up with the beautiful Biana to share a quick weekend recap.



We arrived late on Friday night so we just had enough time to check into our hotel and grab a quick bite before heading to bed. The Denver Day of Rock music festival happened to be on Saturday so there was lots of extra entertainment happening with live music, food trucks, and tons of local vendors selling art and produce.

 

The bulldog lover in me couldn't resist purchasing this colorful piece of art and I got a few different prints to give as gifts.

We spent all of Saturday walking around and exploring downtown Denver. It really is a beautiful city and I was amazed by all the pretty street art. Luckily our hotel was in the heart of downtown so we walked everywhere to burn off those vacation calories.

While exploring we stumbled upon our first brewery The Great Divide and went in to sample some local craft beers. K loves craft beer but most of them are too hoppy for me but I still enjoyed the friendly atmosphere and some of the lighter beers they offered.

Other than Brunch at Elway's Steakhouse that morning, I didn't do much planning ahead in terms of restaurants. Several people recommended Elway's to me for a good steak dinner but we didn't manage to find time on this trip. Later in the day we stopped at Earl's Kitchen & Bar to refuel with an early dinner. Earl's is a national chain but the downtown Denver location has a trendy atmosphere with great lunch/dinner options.

We did a lot of browsing through souvenir shops and local stores but I didn't purchase much other than some local Colorado honey and these dream catcher earrings which I'm in love with. I also bought a pair for the bestie but in bronze.

On Sunday we had the most amazing brunch at Ophelia's Electric Soapbox. Definitely a downtown gem for brunch which I found while browsing reviews on Yelp. They have live music, bottomless mimosas, and an eclectic American food menu for brunch, lunch, and dinner.

After brunch we headed over to the Coors Field for a 2pm Rockies vs Giants game and our seats were only 5 rows away from the field so we had the perfect view. The Rockies ended up losing but it was an amazing experience.

After the game more exploring through downtown happened and we stopped at a couple local hot spots and breweries. I'll share more details next week as this "quick recap" is no longer a quick read. LOL

 On Sunday morning, it was unfortunately time to check out of the hotel and grab a quick lunch at Henry's Tavern before heading to the airport. We had walked past Henry's several times on Saturday and Sunday but it was always packed full of people so evidently it's one of the more popular sports bars/restaurants in the area. Yesterday was much quieter so we were able to get in right away and enjoy some delicious dishes for lunch.

Denver treated us very well and I'd love to return in the future to check out Red Rocks Amphitheater and a few other places we didn't manage to fit into this short trip.

Back to reality today but luckily we have a somewhat short week ahead!!