Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2015 i 5280 Magazine

SUBSCRIPTIONS A one-year subscription to 5280 costs $19 for 12 issues. A two-year subscription costs $34. Special corporate and group rates are available; call 303-832-5280 for details. To start a new subscription, to renew an existing subscription, or to change your address, call 1-866-271-5280 from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, or send an email to circulation@5280.com. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, CALENDAR & DINING GUIDE Letters to the Editor must include your name, address (both of which can be withheld upon request), and a daytime phone number. Letters may be submitted via regular mail, fax (303-832-0470), or email (letters@5280.com). Calendar events should include a basic description of the event; its time, date, place, and cost; and a phone…

2 The number of people senior editor Natasha Gardner shot—in a simulation—while reporting “Behind The Badge” (page 84), an examination of Denver’s police culture as a microcosm of the unrest nationwide. 91 The cost, in dollars, of assistant editor Lindsey R. McKissick’s lunch bill at Thirsty Lion Gastropub & Grill when she picked up the tab for four-time Mr. Olympia bodybuilding champion Phil Heath (“Muscle Bound,” page 44). The filet mignon and white rice he ate made up just one of his eight meals that day. 1,025 The number of calories food editor Amanda M. Faison consumed in one day from the Honest Stand’s sauces and Zaza Raw’s Chocolate Cheezecake while sampling for “The 5280 Food Lover’s Guide” (page 90). We can’t even think about the total for the four-month-long…

RESUMÉ NAME: Mike Bobo AGE: 41 ACCOLADES: Under Bobo’s direction as off ensive coordinator, Georgia ranked 28th last year in total off ense, with 457.8 yards per game. GEORGIA ON HIS MIND: CSU starts its season on September 5, when it hosts Peach State pushover Savannah State. I read somewhere that your nine-year-old son is having a difficult time ditching his Georgia Bulldogs sweatshirt. My girls, they’re excited to come to Colorado and learn how to ski. But my youngest boy, he loves the Dawgs. He asks all the time: “Can we still cheer for Georgia?” I’m like, “Yes, we’ll always cheer for Georgia— unless we’re playing them.” What do you enjoy most about Fort Collins? In the South, my favorite place to eat was the Waffle House. I’d eat…

UNTIL THIS SUMMER, the 1960s-era building at 1630 Federal Boulevard looked more like a filming location for Breaking Bad than a hipster hangout. Once-white paint peeled off the exterior. Plywood boards covered broken windows. You basically needed a hazmat suit to enter the troubled location, which had been the site of several failed nightclubs, a prolific meth lab, and even a murder. But Justin Anthony and Lisa Vedovelli—co-owners of the Matchbox, a chic bar in RiNo that was also a major makeover project— saw good bones for a new venture: Field House, a bar and event space for corporate and nonprofit events. The timing was good, too. The city had cleaned up the meth lab and told the landlord to find a trustworthy tenant or risk losing control of the…

After Boulderite Dean Wiltshire and his daughter awoke to news that a grizzly bear had killed a hiker near their site in Yellowstone National Park, the father of two decided to put a little more protection between his family and the great outdoors. In 2013, the software product manager designed and built Colorado Teardrops’ first trailer model, the Basecamp. The camping trailer has a queen-size bed and a galley kitchen, and, at just 900 pounds, it can be hauled by a Mini Cooper. This spring, Wiltshire unveiled a beefed-up family version: The Mount Massive boasts both a queen bed and bunk beds that convert into a sofa, along with the kitchen, in 50 square feet. The insulated cabin also means camping season can extend long after the aspens drop their…

Having spent most of the summer playing outdoors, perhaps you’re only now becoming reacquainted with your home’s decor—and discovering it has little to say. Luckily, Denver’s home-design stores and studios are stocking their shelves with just the thing to add flash to your pad: gold. Designers are integrating the mother of all metallics into everything from throws to art this season. “Gold is almost a neutral, but better because it adds a little spark of light,” says Anuschka Pashel, owner of home goods and floral shop Bloom by Anuschka (locations in Cherry Creek North and Union Station). Plus, accessories with a little shimmer play well with seasonal favorites like nubby linens and Mediterranean-inspired prints. “One design trick I love is combining pieces with diff erent finishes,” says Amy McClellan, owner…

Not just any Joe Schmo can compete in the annual Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) trail-running race, a grueling 104-mile, multiday tour of nine mountain passes through Europe. You’ve got to qualify—and so does your equipment. The Ultra Jacket ($179.95), a waterproof, featherweight coat released this month by Boulder’s Ultimate Direction, more than meets the standards set by race officials. Preliminary tests show it can pretty much stand up to a hurricane without leaking, and its breathability score is more than twice the minimum required. The Ultra has other competitive advantages, too. The TunnelEff ect hood channels air out the back to reduce drag. And the FlipMitts mittens tuck into the sleeves, so Boulder-based UTMB competitor Sage Canaday’s fingers stay warm as he crests Italy’s Grand Col Ferret at 8,169 feet…

Pulling the trigger was almost too easy. I stared down the barrel, lined up my shot, and psst, psst. I pulled the first bullet high and left, burying it in the hotel room’s drab wall. My second shot hit and—I hoped—ripped through the man’s chest, past his ribs, and into his heart. I couldn’t make out exactly what was happening, as his limbs were tangled with a police officer’s in something like a lover’s embrace. I wanted it all to be over. I paused like I was playing a video game, waiting for a buffering processor to catch up with the action. Except I was in the game. I’m not a cop. I’m a taxpayer taking a class in the Denver Police Department’s Citizens’ Police Academy, a multiweek course designed to…

6,000 Pounds of pork Polidori Sausage uses to make Italian sausage each day. polidorisausage.com 50 Gallons of booze (whiskey, gin, beer, etc.) Puff’s Preserves stirs into its jams each year. puffspreserves.com 0 The amount of refined sugar in a jar of Jojo’s Sriracha. (Note: Owner Jolene Collins does use a tiny bit of palm sugar to balance flavor.) lovehardinc.com 8 Gallons of soda Rocky Mountain Soda Company produces each minute when the machines are running. rockymountainsoda.com 2,025 Cucumbers the Real Dill hand-cuts and hand-packs each week. therealdill.com 50,000 Pinto beans grown by Weld County family farmers that Snack Out Loud will purchase for its Crunchy Bean Snacks in 2015. snackoutloud.com 4,000,000 Cases of natural and organic foods shipped annually by Louisville’s Fresca Foods. frescafoodsinc.com 15,000 Pounds of King Arthur bread…

TROY GUARD of TAG Restaurant Group is a big fan of PB Love Co.’s artisan nut butters: “I love the salty peanut. We use it at the restaurants for specials, and I also use it at home for pancakes, bagels, ice cream, shakes, apples, and just by the spoonful.” thepbloveco.com ALEX SEIDEL of Fruition Restaurant and Mercantile Dining & Provision enjoys hunting for wild mushrooms—especially king boletes, also known as porcini. “I love the foraging aspect and the discovery of such an esteemed product—it’s like finding gold,” Seidel says. “It is also an activity that I can share with my kids at home and the ‘kids’ in the kitchen at the restaurants.” JENNIFER JASINSKI of Rioja, Euclid Hall Bar & Kitchen, Bistro Vendôme, and Stoic & Genuine loves two Colorado…

Gallons of green relish Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs serves each year, on average. stevessnappindogs.com OUR FAVORITES Original Fried Chicken $14.99 Buldak (Spicy Fire Chicken) $15.99 Corn Cheese $6.99 Beef Bulgogi $19.99 Chamisul Fresh Soju $9.95 SHARED-PLATE DINING with a group of friends sounds great— in theory. But when everything arrives (usually all at once), so do the issues. How do you split a tiny portion of ramen? Why is that side of the table hogging all the deviled eggs? And how can your overworked taste buds truly appreciate a delicate uni risotto after spicy duck wings? I’m not the first to find fault with the idea of shared small plates (see Pete Wells’ recent article besmirching the trend in the New York Times). With that said, I still dream of that…

Our guide to the best of local dining. Find our comprehensive list at 5280.com or on your mobile phone at mobile.5280.com. Symbol Guide NEW Indicates a restaurant featured in 5280 for the first time (though not necessarily a restaurant that has just opened). 25 BEST Indicates inclusion in our annual list of Denver’s best restaurants released each October. These selections are at the discretion of 5280 editors and critics and are subject to change. BEST NEW Indicates inclusion in our annual list of Denver’s best new restaurants released each March. These selections are at the discretion of 5280 editors and critics and are subject to change. THE DOLLAR SYMBOLS included in each listing indicate how much you can expect to pay for an average dinner entrée: $ Average entrée under…

Real Estate Agents Mortgage Professionals Home/Auto Insurance Professionals Five Star Professional partnered with 5280 magazine to identify real estate, mortgage and insurance professionals in the Denver area who deliver outstanding service and client satisfaction. The Five Star Professional research team contacted thousands of recent homebuyers, as well as other consumers. Clients may also submit evaluations online. Phone, mail and online respondents rated their service professional on criteria such as overall satisfaction and whether they would recommend the provider to a friend. The research methodology allows no more than 7 percent of professionals in each category to receive the award. This year’s winners are listed and profiled in the following pages (see each award winner’s listing for more details). Research Disclosures • The 2015 Five Star Real Estate Agents, Mortgage Professionals…

As I sat down to write this letter last month, the main headline on CNN’s website read, “State of emergency is declared: Ferguson protestors arrested on day after shooting.” That was one year after a Ferguson police officer fatally shot Michael Brown, setting offa wave of nationwide protests about how urban police interact with minority communities. In previous months, the names of victims of excessive police force became something of a roll call of departed souls: Eric Garner, Walter Scott, Tamir Rice, Samuel DuBose. Early this year, George Packer penned a piece on newyorker.com that resonated with me during this time of upheaval. Packer writes: Few people really want to know what it takes to keep them safe. Policing is the kind of work—like sewage treatment, care of the elderly,…

A YEAR AFTER ITS FOUNDING in 1870, Greeley erected a 50-mile fence around town to keep openrange cattle from gorging on gardens. Today the town focuses its enrichment eff orts on aesthetics as much as agriculture: Since 1998, the city has mandated that one percent of capital improvement spending goes to public art. At the end of this month, the Greeley Art Commission debuts the newest additions to its collection: five “art trees,” arbor-esque sculptures planted along Eighth Avenue as part of the city’s revitalization of the area. The commission started last year by paying 10 artists $10,000 apiece to create art trees that the city installed. Eventually the Uptown Tree Project will include 30 sculptures between 10th and 16th streets. Here, a sampling of what you’ll witness when you…

For 19 years, Julie Wrend fought breast cancer not only with traditional treatments but also by skiing, backpacking, and hiking. “I saw how important it was to her to get out into nature,” says her husband, Dan Miller, “and I saw how important it was for me, her caregiver.” Wrend died in 2007, and a year later, Miller created the Live By Living Foundation, a Denver nonprofit that organizes dayhikes and overnight retreats for cancer survivors and their caregivers. Retreats include two- to five-mile hikes to secluded cabins, where participants escape into nature for a while. (Check Live By Living’s website for details.) This month, the all-volunteer organization needs helpers for a pair of retreats, one to Uncle Bud’s Cabin (September 12 to 14) near Leadville, and another to Peter…

The Roaring Fork Valley’s gorgeous views of Mt. Sopris might assuage sore eyes, but that’s nothing compared to the relief its waters aff ord aching muscles. In July, Iron Mountain Hot Springs opened near Glenwood Springs, next to the Colorado River on land once occupied by the Glenwood Health Spa. (That facility was bulldozed in 1995 after nearly a century of service and several name changes.) New co-owner Steve Beckley tapped two underground streams to construct 16 hot springs pools, where temps range from 98 to 108 degrees in the summer. (Two more pools are filled from water tanks.) To add to the bucolic atmosphere, Beckley fashioned the maintenance and concessions buildings out of reclaimed redwood. But Iron Mountain isn’t all rustic: Beckley installed a high-tech system that extracts warmth…

MOMENTUM We love shopping at this Boulder boutique for its collection of colorful goods, including casual women’s clothes, sumptuous scarves, pretty home accessories, and statement-making jewelry from around the world—but also because every item you purchase was made by an artisan earning a fair wage. 303-440-7744 LANDMINE DESIGN The jewelry (found at Highland boutique Whorl) from this nonprofit is designed in Denver but crafted by women in a stretch of Cambodia that has the highest concentration of land mines in the world. The added income means mothers don’t have to abandon their families to labor as migrant workers in nearby Thailand. landminedesign.org MISSION WEAR Domestic abuse and drug addiction survivors as well as former prisoners find refuge at Mission Wear, which provides stable employment sewing funky bags, hats, and home…

Repeat/Recreate: Clyff ord Still’s “Replicas” SEP. 18-JAN. 10 Clyff ord Still helped found abstract expressionism in the post–World War II era, and his works continue to shed new light on the art movement today. From 1925 to 1974, the artist created pairs and trios of works that resemble one another except for changes in color or size. More than 70 of these “replicas” will be displayed side by side for the first time (only one set was previously shown in full), with pieces on loan from prominent institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Tue-Thu 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Fri 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sat-Sun 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Clyff ord Still Museum, 1250 Bannock St., 720-354-4880, clyff ordstillmuseum.org. Ticket prices vary. Growing Up: In Words and Images SEP. 2-SEP. 30 Joe Barry…

CITY FILE FOUNDED: 1880 POPULATION: 8,400 (including students at Western State Colorado University) DRIVE TIME FROM DENVER: Roughly threeand-a-half hours CLAIM TO FAME: The Black Canyon of the Gunnison—a 2,700-foot-deep chasm and one of the steepest canyons in the country—sits 60 miles west of town. 36-HOUR TOUR After three-and-a-half hours of driving, your first priority is a little leg stretching. Find it about 15 miles west of Gunnison at Blue Mesa Reservoir, the largest body of water in Colorado. If it’s still early in the day, rent a kayak or stand-up paddleboard from the Blue Mesa at Elk Creek Marina for a splash session in the chilly water. If the sun’s already past its high point, opt instead for the moderate, four-mile round-trip hike to the 600-foot-tall Dillon Pinnacles, a…

There was a time when, for many, food was just food. Crops or livestock were raised and harvested and eaten. They provided fuel, nourishment, a means to an end. But the local food movement, here and everywhere else in this country, has worked to champion the craft, the artistry, and the people standing behind much of that sustenance. The local products, ingredients, and stories on the following pages highlight Colorado’s richly populated and deeply integrated food scene.…

Seven years ago, friends Aaron Fodge and Matt Fater started pressing apples they’d collected from Fort Collins trees into hard cider. As the crisp homebrew was discovered by friends, the pair wondered if its hobby could grow. “We started doing an inventory of trees around Fort Collins,” Fodge says, “and discovered the majority of people who had apple trees in their yards had no idea what to do with them.” ///Spotting a delicious opportunity, the duo drafted a business plan for a “community orchard” in 2011. A year later, they entered the Monfort College of Business Entrepreneurial Challenge at the University of Northern Colorado. They took second place, secured startup money, and launched Branch Out Cider. ///Here’s how it works: Fort Collins residents who have apple trees can register on…

When most of us think of exploring Colorado’s great outdoors, we head west. But to overlook the eastern half of the state is to discount much of our farming culture. Pedal the Plains, an annual bike ride taking place September 18 to 20 this year, seeks to rectify that oversight. Cyclists will pedal a 172-mile route from Julesburg to Holyoke to Sterling and back to Julesburg (there’s also a shortcut course, a century ride, and a family option). Along the way, the spandexclad crew will see for itself the roles the Eastern Plains play in the state’s agricultural economy. The threeday tour includes educational stops at dairies, farms, and ranches, and evenings are filled with freshly shucked corn, baked goods made with Colorado wheat, and other locally produced food, along…

“To rescue the fallen is good, but ’tis best To prevent other people from falling.” — “THE FENCE OR THE AMBULANCE” by Joseph Malins, c. 1895 BRIGHT COLORS DANCED before Josi Stewart, a blurry kaleidoscope floating in the distance. She blinked her chocolate brown eyes and implored them to focus. Slowly, her vision sharpened. Hazy blobs became rectangles. Ambiguous hues turned to familiar blues and pinks and yellows. Her brain was still sludgy from the medication doctors injected to revive her. Josi couldn’t remember how she ended up in this hospital bed, with an IV piercing her arm and a machine breathing for her. She recalled feeling overwhelmed by the responsibilities of her two new jobs. She assumed she would slip up and be fired soon enough. That was the…

1 Toast ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons textured vegetable protein* in a dry wok or nonstick skillet on medium heat for about 15 minutes. Keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn. 2 Add ¼ cup mixed black and white sesame seeds and ¼ cup dried red chile flakes. Toast for another 5 minutes. 3 Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar and 1⁄8 cup kosher salt. Whisk in 2 cups sesame oil to combine. Add a spoonful to anything. The oil is shelf-stable and will keep up to a month. *You can find textured vegetable protein (a soy flour product) at Whole Foods Market.…

DALIAH SINGER Without knowing it, senior associate editor Daliah Singer has been preparing to report and write this issue’s in-depth look at Colorado’s tragically high suicide rate (“The Canyon Of Why,” page 108) for most of her life: Three of her family members have died by suicide. Using her past experiences as motivation, she immersed herself in researching the issue, conducting interviews with 37 people and completing 15 hours of suicide first aid training. “It’s still such a secretive, taboo topic, despite the fact that it’s the 10th leading cause of death in the country,” Singer says. “I want people to understand that suicide is preventable.” JOE LINDSEY When Boulder-based journalist Joe Lindsey began reporting on the Western Slope’s burgeoning hops farms (“Betting The Farm,” page 66), he was surprised…

For most mere mortals (and the risk-averse), this month marks the end of fourteener season. If all you’ve got to show for your accomplishments are a few more freckles and some awkward summit selfies, pay attention: Three-month-old Peak Patch wants to help you show off your summer triumphs with its new line of commemorative embroidered badges. Consider the sew- or iron-on patches—with designs that are much cooler than the cheesy tchotchkes you find in national park gift stores—a kind of wearable peak-bagging trophy case. “We feel like if you are going to hike your butt up these mountains, you should be able to continue to celebrate long after you’re off the mountain,” says Justin Carter, who co-founded Vail-based Peak Patch with Colorado State University graduate Fritz Oettinger. Designed to fit…

In the harsh world of 19th-century Colorado, just surviving your first year of life—especially in a high-country mining town—is nothing short of a miracle. Gracy Brookens knows. As the only midwife in Swandyke, a hard-won mining town in Colorado’s Tenmile Range, she’s seen plenty of kids done in by hunger, illness, the elements, and even their own parents. But Gracy’s biggest challenge comes when she’s accused of murdering the infant son of the town’s prominent mine owner. The Last Midwife (Denver author Sandra Dallas’ 16th novel) is part love story, part mystery, and all beautiful, textured depiction of Colorado’s early mining history. Richly drawn characters carry the story from its explosive first chapter to its surprising final line. Along the way, Dallas deftly balances the dark central plot with Gracy’s…

TOYS IN DENVER ARE ON THE MOVE. Early next month, History Colorado Center’s Toys of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s exhibit will pack up for Pittsburgh; and this month, the Wizard’s Chest—Cherry Creek North’s emporium of all things fun—begins its relocation to new 18,000-square-foot digs on Broadway (it will be finished in January). So what better time to take a look at the most popular playthings, past and present? We asked Shannon Voirol, History Colorado’s senior exhibit developer, and Wizard’s Chest co-owners Kevin Pohle and Brad Brickley to help us identify the most iconic toys of yesteryear and their counterparts today.…

KAYLA KRITTENBRINK first-grade teacher at Trevista at Horace Mann “Involve your kids in your daily operations. When you are at the grocery store, ask them to find specific fruits. When you are walking to the park, ask them to count the trees on the way. Even if you don’t have time or money to spare, be intentional with your interactions.” NICOLE ORTIZ first- and second-grade teacher at Kunsmiller Creative Arts Academy in the ELA-Spanish classroom “Engage your kids in the cultures and hobbies you love. Children are far easier to teach when they have a personal experience to tie to what we’re learning in the classroom.” CHRISTINA REEVES elementary art teacher at McGlone Elementary “Give children time for creativity that focuses on discovery through process, not just an end goal.…

FOR FIT DRINKERS Keystone Oktoberfest, September 5 You’ll want breathable lederhosen for Keystone’s 5K Das Bier Burner road run. The prize: a pint of German-inspired ale placed in your sweaty palms when you cross the finish line. FOR COWBOYS OktoberWest in Steamboat Springs, September 18 and 19 Trade brats for brisket at the I Love Beef Cookoff , where chefs from 15 local restaurants compete in a culinary challenge. There is, of course, a biergarten, featuring all Rocky Mountain brews and live tunes from the Ben Miller Band. FOR CELTS Carbondale’s Celtic Fest & Oktoberfest, October 9 and 10 Bring on the green beer! The cuisine here is decidedly Austrian (think schnitzel), but the culture is all Gael: Kilts, bagpipes, and Celtic dancing replace lederhosen, accordions, and polka at this…

ON A DULL, GRAY JANUARY MORNING, I watched the wet, heavy snow fall beyond my Wash Park window, hushing the outside world. Inside, too, it was quiet. Painfully quiet. Bodhi, the boxer my husband and I had loved for nine years, had died the evening before, and I was waiting for a cremation service to arrive. I ran my hands over Bodhi’s burnt sienna coat for the last time. I leaned in close, breathed in his earthy aroma, and nuzzled his floppy ears. I love you, I said. I’m so grateful you were ours. Anyone who has ever owned a dog—and there are 142,631 Denver households that do— likely knows the exquisite anguish of losing one…and also the limitless joy pooches bring. My husband, Matt, named Bodhi after the Buddhist…

IT’S DIFFICULT TO WIN one world championship, let alone four consecutive titles. But University of Denver grad Phil Heath aims to do just that this month when he defends his Mr. Olympia world bodybuilding title in Las Vegas from September 17 to 20. (That’s the same competition that launched Arnold Schwarzenegger’s career.) Heath spent four years as a shooting guard for the Pioneers basketball team and discovered bodybuilding after his hoops career ended in 2002. After putting on 100 pounds of muscle post-college, Heath won his first world crown in 2011. To train for this year’s competition, Heath devotes almost 20 hours a day to lifting, recovering, and eating—a lot. We caught up with the 35-year-old to see just what it takes to become the world’s best-sculpted man. 6:30 A.M.…

THIS PAST APRIL, I trekked through the rolling plains of northwestern Colorado, several miles outside the town of Craig, to watch a bird called the greater sage-grouse copulate in the halflight of dawn. My guide, a 44-year-old conservationist named Mark Salvo who works for the nonprofit Defenders of Wildlife in Washington, D.C., told me to be silent, dim my flashlight, and refrain from sudden movements. Sage-grouse, he said, are sensitive creatures, and their flamboyant courtship rituals are easily disturbed. The birds, which look a little like overgrown chickens, had gathered in a flat open space in the sagebrush that ornithologists call a “lek,” ancestral ground to which the sage-grouse, if conditions are right, return each spring to dance, sing, and find mates. The males— we counted 148—puff ed out their…

CITY FILE FOUNDED: 1880 POPULATION: 17,000 DRIVE TIME FROM DENVER: Roughly six hours CLAIM TO FAME: The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad—originally built to haul silver and gold ore—has hosted passengers on scenic trips through the San Juan National Forest via coal-fired, steampowered trains since 1882. 36-HOUR TOUR Durango is a haul from Denver, which means for a two-day escape, you’ll likely arrive in the dark. This low-light scenario is no big deal if you’re staying at downtown’s historic Rochester Hotel, where you’ll find your quarters by looking at the marquee-light-framed movie posters outside the doors. Each of the hotel’s 14 guest rooms is themed after a different Western filmed in the area. For a bedtime snack, wander a block north to Steamworks Brewing Company, where the kitchen stays…

SHAE WHITNEY, the whiz behind Dram Apothecary, a small-batch bitters company, crouches to snip a cluster of wild chives; her petite frame is dwarfed by the rugged face of Sunrise Peak. She holds the scapes to my nose, allowing me to appreciate their oniony perfume. I nod as she tells me about a chive mustard recipe (made with wild mustard seeds she’s gathered), but I’m distracted by just how ridiculously idyllic this moment is. I’m not sure if it’s the way Whitney greets hidden growths of rhubarb and Western blue flax as warmly as old friends, or if it’s just how enviably cool she is, with her perfectly winged eyeliner, suspenders, and round sunglasses—her effect is intoxicating. Spending a few hours in her Instagram-ready reality is like stepping into a…

5280: If Coloradans are going to consume meat, is there one type of animal that’s more sustainable than others? KATE KAVANAUGH: I would defi-nitely say grass-fed beef because it works with our ecology. There’s a symbiotic relationship—each thing [the animal and the land] gives something to the other. We only grow a few things really well [on the Plains], and one of those things is native perennial prairie grasses. One thing we can do to help support and even improve the prairie is to graze ruminants in really specific, carefully managed ways. That means rotating through pastures and managing the grass, the length of grass, and the number of cattle grazing. You don’t want the grass eaten down so far that it can’t synthesize and get nutrients down into the…

LEÑA 24 Broadway, Suite 104 720-550-7267 lenadenver.com For more on our ratings, visit 5280.com/rating THE DRAW Shareable small plates of pan-Latin dishes in a bustling room THE DRAWBACK Uneven kitchen, thunderous noise when busy DON’T MISS Grilled short ribs and morcilla; chilaquiles; yuca bread; empanadas DETAILS Small plates, $3 to $18; platters, $36 to $72. Street parking. Dinner Sunday through Thursday, 4 to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 4 to 11 p.m.; weekend brunch, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. BACK WHEN ANTHONY BOURDAIN was cooking at Les Halles in New York City in the 1990s, I finally embraced the ghoulish pleasure of a proper piece of blood sausage. It had a crumbly richness like nothing else and, with potatoes and a glass of tannic red, made a mighty bistro…

With its tucked-away location in the Cory-Merrill neighborhood, you’d likely never happen upon the demure Sweet As Pie. And that would be a shame because you’d miss out on owner Christe Chen’s classic American bakeshop fare. The display window is usually stocked with seasonal pies and plenty of the Southern favorites Chen grew up with in Memphis, Tennessee, including buttermilk pie and hummingbird cupcakes. I keep returning, however, for Chen’s tight-crumbed, buttery scones. Her creations bear no resemblance to the rock-hard blocks that show up in other pastry cases. Instead, y ou’ll find pillowy yet crisp blueberry, maple, or even savory smoked salmon, dill, and cream cheese scones. But if Chen happens to be featuring her bacon and chocolate chunk version, be sure to get more than one. 2700 E.…

FOLLOW @5280SPOTLIGHT for a BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK at 5280 MARKETING ONGOINGS. COLORADO FALL HOME SHOW SEPTEMBER 11–13 Colorado Convention Center. The Colorado Fall Home Show showcases hundreds of exhibitors well-versed in home renovation, remodeling, and sustainable living. This is a marketplace to explore the latest trends and products to create an energy-efficient lifestyle, and prepare for Colorado’s winter. Information and tickets at coloradogardenfoundation.org. VOA GUILD ANNUAL MEETING MEMBERSHIP BRUNCH SEPTEMBER 16, 10:30 A.M.–1 P.M. Englewood. Through 20 years of dedicated service, the Volunteers of America Guild has improved the lives and spirits of homeless women and children in Denver. On September 16, the Guild will have its annual membership brunch to introduce prospective new members to its mission. Information at voacolorado.org. MS ON THE MOVE LUNCHEON SEPTEMBER 17, 11 A.M.–1 P.M.…

1. Barbara & Company Cigno Nero washed lamb leather jacket, Mesh inset sleeveless top from Grub, Margaret O’Leary branch print skirt, Liebeskind olive croco tote bag, Beaded bracelets from Mickey Lynn 1067 S. Gaylord St., Denver | (303) 751-2618 // 1505 Pearl St., Boulder | (303) 443-2565 // barbaraandcompany.net 2. Plum Consignment A locally grown and operated modern consignment boutique specializing in curated clothing and accessories for women at a plum good price! Necklaces by The Giving Keys, BoHo Gal, Elise M & Nakamol ($35-$65) Find them at Plum for the free-spirited fashionista. 2373 Central Park Blvd., #106, Denver | (303) 322-PLUM (7586) // plumgood.com 3. Wilde Belle Boutique The best fall looks have arrived at Wilde Belle Boutique, in Lakewood at Belmar Shopping Center. Our favorite look of the…