LET'S REDROCK - CO

I’ve been to Colorado a handful of times, but Denver was usually just somewhere we passed through. A stop between mountains. A place to land before heading somewhere else. It wasn’t until it became the destination that I actually saw it.

That’s when I found the speakeasies - like Run For The Roses, where you play cards and order drinks like you’re in on something. Ice skating in McGregor Square with Elf playing overhead. Snowboarding for the first time and realizing I could actually hold my own. LoDo after dinner reservations that turn into longer nights. Brewery hopping without a real plan. Making a custom hat that felt a little more rugged than my usual. Pit stops in Boulder for rooftop drinks at Avanti. My first In-N-Out. Margs at Rio that don’t mess around. A cooking class at Stir. Long drives into the mountains with no destination, just to reset.

Denver surprised me. It’s layered. A little polished, a little gritty. Close enough to the mountains to keep you grounded, but with enough going on to keep things interesting. I’d been before. But this time, I actually experienced it.