An Update in Between all of the Lists: Doing, Eating, Watching

Jun 8

Obviously I’ve been working very hard on all of my Denver Guide lists, as I’ve got the coffee shop & bakery guide out, the breakfast & brunch guide out, and the sandwich guide out. Check those out! I had to take a break because as you can imagine, they take a good chunk of work and time and I’m a busy gal. Throwing it back to the originals (lol the blogs from Feb, Mar, and April), here’s a look at what I’ve been doing, what I’ve been eating, and what I’ve been watching. Look forward to the pizza guide, coming out whenever I get to it!

Hiking Beaver Brook and Chavez Trail Loop

It’s been so hot in town, I’m so grateful to have the option to go into the mountains and escape it a bit. This hike isn’t really far into the front range, just 30-40 minutes from downtown Denver, but it offers soooo much. It’s a 5.2 mile loop that goes down into a canyon, along the creek, and then back up the canyon. You get to see a lot of foliage, flowers, little animals, fish, and people and their dogs! It can be “busy” but it’s never to a point that I’m mad. Parking can fill up in the lot, but you can park up along the road and snake your way down to the trail. Be careful! I’ve run into so many people who are lost or who think they are lost on this trail. The signage is bad, there’s a lot of offshoot trails and bridges and it feels longer than it is sometimes. I’ve been maybe 3-4 times and I do just love this hike.

Denver Botanic Gardens

I hadn’t been to the gardens yet this year so we decided to go on Saturday night! It’s been so hot so we chose 7 pm which was perfect I must say. Wow everything is blooming! It’s the perfect time to go! We definitely made our way around the whole thing, and I took sooo many pics. There were multiple weddings happening and it was so cute. Ugh I couldn't believe the peonies and roses and orchids and ferns and grasses and BEES! The pollinators were out. We also got to see some bunnies, adult and baby, and some ducks! The usual suspects for the gardens. We should get memberships.

Denver Greek Fest

This past weekend was the Denver Greek Fest! Last year we made it the last day, the last few hours, because we had just found out. Because of that we missed out on food and fun, so this year we were sure to invite our friends and get there the first night. It was a great time! Super busy but the festival seemed prepared. The saganaki is my favorite, the lamb chops were nearly the best I’ve ever had, and the souvlaki was great. The gyros are just okay here. The sweets are fab - baklava and galaktoboureko were amazing. There were a bunch of shops with jewelry, clothes, market things, and a convenience store with all Greek snacks and drinks. I love that they love sour cherry flavors!! It was a great time, fun to listen and watch the live music.

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Wooooooooah. Okay so we went over to Montrose for my cousin’s birthday and had the best time. When we were leaving, we decided to go through this National Park! What a fucking good idea. This was insane. I don’t usually get scared of heights but this did it for me, or at least the spot named “Devil’s Outlook” did. Wow. A giant canyon carved. It’s insane. We were lucky enough to see some big giant-horn sheep and it was so cool to watch them eat (lol what if they said the same about us). It was Memorial Day weekend so it was busy but we didn’t have trouble with a ticket or reservation since this is currently still a lowkey National Park. There were some fires that swept through here so we saw evidence of that as well! It was so much to look at.

Fall of the Mall and Spring Clothes

I love clothes and fashion and fun and I was feeling the shoppies so I went to the mall. To be so honest, I was pretty disappointed in the selection, what was available, and just overall vibes. I wasn’t finding very many things that cute or worth their price. It does cycle, and this spring has seemed like a big shift to online shopping. I don’t love online shopping, I find that I have a much better time trying things on, because sometimes it seems like they don’t make clothes for human women. What did I end up getting? A couple cotton halters, black and heather gray, from Gap. Fun fact, I used to work at Gap hehehe. Otherwise I’ve got my eyes on some things from Free People, Alohas, and Tyler McGillivary. I’m so picky and will take forever to finally buy something I’ve been eyeing for months. Plus I don’t always want to buy new. So I have been using depop (a used and new clothing resale app) (i found 3 pieces!) and I like it.

What Am I Watching When I’m Sitting on the Couch?

Ramy Youssef was on Ziwe (Please if you haven’t watched her YouTube videos, watch them right after you’re done reading. She’s so funny and beautiful and intelligent.) which prompted us to look up Ramy’s comedy special “In Love”. It was awesome!! Highly recommend! You should watch this and laugh. You need to laugh.

Tiny Desk Mannequin Pussy and Turnstile! Another YouTube rec!! Lol. Tiny Desk shows (by NPR) we all know, and recently they’ve been putting on some bangers. Turnstile and Mannequin Pussy are a couple bands I love and they’ve got recent Tiny Desk shows you should check out. And then just watch the rest of them.

Apex was an incredible movie. Charlize Theron was amazing as the main character. I honestly don’t want to ruin anything about this movie for anyone. I think you need to go into it with no idea. This movie was just completely engrossing, I was engaged watching the entire time.

Bugonia’s been out for a minute but we finally got around to watching it. Emma Stone was fab, but Jesse Plemons was a STAND OUT! He should’ve gotten nominated and won awards for this. Some of the best acting I’ve seen. This movie is a must watch. Just watch it.

Meru was incredible. This one came out in 2015 and somehow both Ryder and I missed. We found it while looking around for something to watch and it was quite the incredible story, movie, and emotional journey. I just realized I’ve made it this far without saying what it’s about lol - alpine climbing! High alpine climbing! In the most dangerous way. It’s gripping and sad and heartbreaking and motivating. I foresee some bigger mountain climbing in our future.

Bravo/Peacock Shows

I finished RHOSLC!!! How iconic. I was heartbroken when it ended and quickly moved onto my solace, which is RHOA! Hi Atlantaaaaa. I’m starting from the beginning and girl I’m already on Season 2. That first reunion was the best I’ve seen. I’m sorry I’m just sobbing and Kim and her wig and her singing I LOVE HER. I never look at socials of the housewives until after I finish the entire show, all seasons, but I did see a pic of Kim recently just from being online and she looks so good. Of course she does! Ugh. I love Lisa so much too, she never stops and gives me a pop of determination. Sitting on Nene in the reunion fucking got me.

I’ve also been keeping up with Summer House and the reunions and there’s just too much for me to cover here to even start. I’ll say these are some of the best ever produced reunion episodes, and I would pay for the entire thing unedited. Where do I even start…Ciara is on a generational run right now, Shaboozey’s music vid?? All these ads and collabs?? Love Island sooN??? I can’t. I love her. I love MIA! She’s so real, such a good friend, and funny! And KJ. Such a true human. Also I loved Lindsay and her look and her points and her. And Bailey standing up to Ben! And Levi! So gorgeous. Kyle is doing amazing. Making me like him almost. Everyone is doing so well in these except for A***** and W***. A shame. But who expected anything different?

LOVE ISLAND is so back and I’m in. I’m already in. So far I’m loving a bunch of these people and I can just tell it’s gonna be a good season. It’s been interesting so far, too, and I love Ariana. Right now I have 2 eps to catch up on and I should be watching that instead of typing this probably. I’m a fan of a lot of the people on the cast so far! I love this show. This office challenge! Y’all. But it’s a full-time job to keep up. 6 days a week? Golly. I’m workin’.

Where I’ve Been Eating Lately

We tried a new, nice place in RiNo called Heretik! They focus on flavors from the basque region (the border between France and Spain on the coast of the Bay of Biscay) so think seafood and freshness. We went with a couple friends and ordered aroundddddd that menu: lejarreta pintxo, deviled eggs with tuna tartare, chicken liver mousse with cipollini confit and cornichon, simple salade with fines herbs, oysters du jour with chipolata sausages and lemon, hokkaido uni ‘pan con tomate’, scallops a la plancha with bearnaise and seaweed, and half the rotisserie poulet rouge. It was all amazing. My personal favorites were the lejarreta pintxo, deviled eggs with tuna tartare, the oysters, and scallops.

oysters du jour with chipolata sausages and lemon

I’m cracking up that I’m writing this but Snarf’s always comes through on a busy day when you’re out and about and hungry. When you’re borderline hangry halfway through your errands? Snarf’s. You’re coming back from the mountains? Snarf’s. Jack Black was just here and loves Snarf’s and it makes us giggle to watch the video. Ryder is trying all of Jack Black’s favorite Snarf’s sandwiches now lol.

Mecha Ramen has been in RiNo for quite a while and we finally made it! Wow. How and why did we wait this long? First, they have a great happy hour that we’re now going to go back to. We got the eggrolls, dumplings, green beans, and a malu stir fry. Everything was sooo good. And our server was serving, she was awesome. Loved the atmosphere, we sat outside but it got too windy and we went inside easily.

Morrison Nature Center

My friend Ara won a Starburst Award for her work on her Nurtured by Nature Program, part of Generation Wild. She works over at the Morrison Nature Center, and we went to visit for the award celebration! What a fab place. Ara works hard to connect youth and young adults to nature through mindfulness, as just one part of her job. We got to walk around the inside of the center which is full of fun animals and info and everything, and then outside there’s multiple trails and a nature play area! Such a nice spot out in Aurora to visit and see animals in the city. We saw a racoon, baby rabbit, and a bunch of deer.

Tattoos - Kevin White, Bob’s Tattoo Joint

Recently Ryder and I have both gotten some tattoos by Kevin White at Bob’s Tattoo Joint, who does a really amazing american traditional style in black and gray. That’s our jam, that’s the style we like, and he’s great! I highly recommend the shop for any flash as well.

That’s all! Love you! See you next Monday! <3 Anna