Denver is a wonderful place to visit and an even better place to live. I’ve been here for over 20 years and hope to be here for 20 more (at least!) Being able to get to the mountains to cool off in the middle of summer has to be one of the best things about Denver. I’ve heard the skiing is phenomenal for those of you who, unlike me, enjoy flinging yourself down a mountain with greased boards latched to your feet.
I’ve been working on this post for a while, but finished it today so I could enter ProBlogger’s contest for killer titles. The grand prize is a new logo design by David Airey. I bet he could come up with something more clever than my initials in an orange box. Fortunately, the winner is selected by random drawing so even if this title sucks, I still have a chance. That’s the kind of contest I like.
At the end of this list is my favorite topic – food. There are a ton of great restaurants in Denver so I may have to post about this again. I narrowed my choice down to two spendy places and two down-home places, but I recommend you try all four!
- Bring an umbrella. There’s a saying in Colorado, “If you don’t like the weather, just wait ten minutes.” You’re going to want an umbrella if you’re outside during that ten minutes.
- Bring sunscreen. Denver is really, really close to the sun. If you’re coming from sea-level, you need to think about being an entire mile closer to the sun. You can get a searing sunburn on a cloudy day in Denver.
- Carry water. Because Denver is closer to the sun, the air is thinner here. This means you’ll be winded more easily, and you might even get altitude sickness, which feels like a bad hangover. Drinking a lot of water will help.
- Speaking of water, it’s easy to find public restrooms in Denver. Almost any business establishment will allow you to use their facilities without requiring you to purchase a souvenir snowglobe.
- Take a shuttle from the airport. Your hotel probably offers a free shuttle service. When the City of Denver planned their new airport, they planned ahead. Way ahead. The airport is 25 miles from downtown Denver and a taxi will cost approximately $47.00 before tip. If you rent a car, see # 9 and # 11 below.
- Be happy. Denver is one of the friendliest cities you’ll ever have the pleasure of visiting. Expect complete strangers to greet you as you walk down the street. Don’t be afraid to make eye contact. They won’t bite unless they smell fear.
- Go wireless. You can find free wifi on the 16th Street Mall in downtown Denver; at all Panera Bread restaurants; all public libraries; many coffeehouses (Boyers, Dazbog, Common Grounds and more) – you can even hit the net at Whole Foods markets.
- Don’t eat the oysters. This may surprise you, as not many people think of Denver and seafood in the same breath. However, Denver has a gastronomic specialty known as Rocky Mountain Oysters and locals will encourage you to try it. And yes, it does kind of taste like chicken.
- Want to drive in Denver? Denver has notorious and unexplainable traffic jams and rush hour can occur at any time of the day or night. Turn-signal usage and a friendly wave will get you in and out of tight spots in Denver much faster than your finger and a horn.
- Want to smoke in Denver? Good luck. Denver and its surrounding areas have banned indoor smoking in all public places, including bars and restaurants. If you want to light up, you’re going to find yourself in the great outdoors.
Did I say ten tips? Okay, just one more tip and then … FOOD!
- Watch out for bicycles. A lot of people in Denver traverse on two wheels under their own power. They use bike lanes when they can. When they can’t, they’re part of your traffic stream and most of them follow the same rules you do. When they don’t, there’s nothing you can do about it anyway.
- Hungry? Denver isn’t really known for it’s food, but there are a few stops that you foodies out there should try:
Pete’s Kitchen, 1962 E Colfax Ave. Renowned for their breakfast burritos and Greek fare. Open 24×7 on Fridays and Saturdays. Expect to wait (outside) during rush hour (2:00 am) on the weekends. If this is your first trip to a big city, you may see some things you’ve never seen before.
Sushi Den, 1487 S. Pearl St. This is one of the few establishments in Denver that can do the impossible – fresh sushi, straight from Japan via Fed Ex. They don’t take reservations, so try to get your fix early in the day. Sushi Den would be a treat anywhere in the country. In Denver, it’s a miracle.
Elway’s, 1881 Curtis Street (in the Ritz Carlton). Yes, that Elway. He’s gone from pigskin to porterhouse. If you’ve got a hankering for a perfect steak in a perfect atmosphere and you happen to have a perfect pile of cash, this is the place. Reservations are a must.
NoNo’s Café, 3005 W. Countyline Road. Head south to NoNo’s Café for the best Bloody Mary in town. The name is Italian for “grandfather”, and also heralds the hometown of the owners, New Orleans, and the inspiration for the fabulous food. Recommended dish: Breakfast in Bread. And don’t leave without getting some pralines to go.
Alfa Romeo MiTo | Supermini, Supersmart, Supercool
August 12th, 2008 Posted in Cars | No Comments »
On June 19, 2008, Alfa Romeo officially entered the supermini class with the MiTo. Originally shown as the "Junior" earlier this year, the MiTo is named for its design shop in Milan, and its production shop in Torino. When it hits the US market in 2009, it’s expected to be priced a bit less than the Mini, at around $21,000.
In order to meet Italian legislation regarding new drivers, the entry-level MiTo has a 1.4-liter engine with a top speed of 165 km/h (103 m/h). Luckily, the rest of us can purchase the 1.4-liter turbo which tops out at 215 km/h (135 m/h) or the 1.6-liter JTDM (Fiat’s MultiJet Turbo Diesel) engine which reaches a quite respectable 198 km/h (123 m/h) top speed.
The aerodynamic curviness of this three-door Alfa is accented by the extended wheel wells, tear-drop headlights and LED taillights that leave figments of red trailing behind it at night (or so I imagine). Alfa introduced six new colors with this model, including the one I’m going to order: a midnight black with a micalised red undercoat that gleams through like rubies in the sunlight.
Before you start thinking this isn’t a family car, I have to mention that the back seats are equipped with child safety seat attachments and a third-seat option is available to fit a family of five. There is also a healthy amount of luggage room in the back, which expands if you leave three of your five people at home.
This car also represents the introduction of the "Alfa D.N.A." system (Dynamic, Normal, All-Weather). This allows the driver to select between driving conditions that adjust the engine, brakes, steering, suspension and gearbox. Dynamic mode reduces the power steering assistance and increases the engine response, even engaging in the boost-mode with the turbo or JTDM models. All-Weather mode puts more traction control at your service and makes the vehicle easier to handle in "low grip" (rain, snow, ice) situations.
I could go on about the suspension, the coilover springs that make this car corner like the inside wheels were tacked to the road, the safety features, the ABS system with sensors for each wheel, the "smart" air bag system, 36-50 mpg fuel economy, Bose® sound system, or the automatic dual-zone climate system, but I won’t. Suffice to say that this little beauty is on my short list for 2009. I’ll be first in line for a test-drive!
Cruise Tips for Oldies and Newbies!
August 5th, 2008 Posted in Travel Tips | 7 Comments »
I love cruising. I think it’s the most brilliant form of travel ever invented. To date, I’ve taken six cruises on three different cruise lines. I’ve traveled from three to seven days and explored Mexico, Belize, Bahamas, Bermuda and the Eastern and Western Caribbean. I’ve heard you can take a cruise to Alaska but for me, vacations need to include sun and sand and water that won’t turn my snorkel into a popsicle.
I’ve cruised with family and friends, and twice by myself. I lived closer to a port city, I’d cruise a lot more. A good deal on a cruise can be less than half the cost of a land-locked vacation, and twice the convenience.
What to pack. The cruise line will give you plenty of suggestions about packing. Here are some of the things you don’t want to forget:
- A flashy suitcase. At the end of the trip your suitcase will be in a large room with 1273 other suitcases. No conveyor belt, no luggage leisurely moving past you. This may be the only time in your life that you wish you had huge pink pom-poms tied to your bags.
- A travel coffee mug and a reusable water bottle. If you drink more than one small cup of coffee in the morning, and having the travel mug handy means you don’t have to keep getting up for more. Same with the water bottle later in the day!
- A sweater or a jacket. Yes, even if you think there is no way you’ll possibly need it! Every cruise I’ve taken to warm locations has had at least one day of chilly weather. I learned this lesson the hard way by spending $80 in the gift shop for a sweatshirt.
- BYOB. The inclusive-nature of cruising does not include alcoholic beverages. It is against ship policy to bring more than a bottle or two of wine (check with your cruise line) on board. It’s a common, but risky, practice to "sneak" alcohol on board in checked luggage. Some cruise lines allow you to purchase alcohol at port and bring it back to your room, but most will hold your liquor purchases until the end of the cruise.
Getting there. Unless you are very, very confident that you can arrive at the port several hours before the ship leaves, plan to arrive in the port city one night early. If you miss the boat, your only choice is to find a flight to the first destination and meet up with the ship. It’s a lot cheaper to show up a day early and spend the night in a local hotel. The cruise line will book the hotel as part of your package, and usually offer you a shuttle service to the port in the morning. You can save some money by booking your own room and taking a cab.
Excursions. In most cases you can research and even book your shore excursions before you ever get on the boat. If you can’t book until you board, then have your first and second choices ready and hit the excursion desk as soon as you’ve found your room and a cold beverage. Popular excursions that have limited room (for example, deep sea fishing) will sell out!
Seasickness. If you are feeling woozy, try to go out on deck or near a window and focus on the horizon. Also, remember that it’s natural to feel a bit of motion sickness on the first few days of your trip if you are a new cruiser. A cola and soda crackers will take the edge off and Dramamine® will make you feel like a new person.
Laundry. On most cruise ships, there is at least one laundry room. You don’t have to pack everything you own – just pack enough to get halfway through the trip, and then do a load of laundry.
Destination debarkation: When you arrive at your destination, there is usually a long line of people waiting to get off the boat. They gather in the stairwells while waiting for Customs to clear the ship. If you have not booked an early-departing excursion, just wait up on deck and enjoy yourself – 20 minutes after they announce the ship has cleared customs, THEN go downstairs and the lines will be gone!
If you’ve been on a cruise, what are some of your best tips? If you’ve never been on a cruise, what questions do you have? I’ll add these to my next cruising post (and give you credit, of course!)
