Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2017 i 5280 Magazine

Two weeks before we sent this issue to the printer, my family and I finally got to go skiing for the first time this season. We love to ski, and even though we don’t go very often, my wife and I have made a point to start our boys young. But increasingly, ski days cause me no small amount of dread: It’s a bit of a logistical nightmare to coordinate the gear—skis, boots, long underwear, gloves, goggles, sunscreen, Clif bars, passes—for four people, including a seven-year-old and a 10-year-old. And I am not a morning person. So as I stared at the red lights in front of me at 6:30 on that Saturday morning, all I could think about was Michael Behar’s feature (“Collision Course,” page 84). Every Denverite knows…

If you’re making turns at Keystone this month, you may cross paths with members of one of the largest ski clubs in the United States. The National Brotherhood of Skiers (NBS), an organization of more than 3,000 black powderhounds, is holding its annual Black Summit at the resort from February 25 to March 4. The first meeting of NBS took place in Aspen in 1973, when Art Clay and Ben Finley created a national network to recruit more blacks to skiing; today, one of NBS’ goals is to see an American athlete of color reach the podium at the Winter Olympics. Several of the group’s members have come close, including freeskier Zyre Austin, a Colorado native, and Denverite Jahi Rohrer, an alpine skier who attended Burke Mountain Academy (the alma…

One of the drawbacks to marriage can be a lack of privacy. Then again, if you’re Patrick Riley and Alaina Moore—the husband-andwife team behind Denver indie-rock band Tennis—sometimes snooping unearths the backbone of your next record. While rooting around in an old computer file, Riley stumbled across an acoustic piano tune lead singer Moore had recorded years earlier. The track became “In the Morning I’ll Be Better,” a single on the group’s fourth album, Yours Conditionally. Moore credits the song’s soulful melody to the influence of singer-songwriters Carole King and Laura Nyro, whose work Moore listened to while recording it. “We’re trying to break out of the girl-group sound,” Moore says. Yours Conditionally kicks off an important spring for Tennis: After the album comes out this month, the duo will…

Coloradans know better than anyone that nothing tastes better than a quaff of something boozy after a day on the hill. Abbott Smith (pictured), master distiller for Telluride Distilling Company, had this in mind when he created the aptly named Chairlift Warmer. This super-smooth peppermint schnapps relies on real peppermint (i.e., no chemical additives) and less sugar than the average version. We freeze a bottle for icy afterdinner nips and of course add a glug to a thermos of hot chocolate for a warm pick-me-up on powder days.…

Late one Friday in July 2015, Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson took off his apron and chef ’s coat and dropped them into the hamper in Frasca Food and Wine’s employee locker room. For the previous 12 hours, he had fastidiously coached his line cooks and plated and inspected almost every dish that came out of his Boulder kitchen, known as one of the finest in the country. But now, all of the guests had departed, and it was time for Mackinnon-Patterson, Frasca’s executive chef and co-owner, to go home. On his way out, he stopped by the back office he shared with fellow co-owner and master sommelier Bobby Stuckey and the restaurant’s other managers, grabbed his laptop, and stuffed a towering stack of papers into his briefcase. Over the weekend, Mackinnon-Patterson shuffled…

For multiple unique dining options, a partyloud atmosphere that’ll absorb the kids’ ruckus, and a full bar for Mom and Dad, head to Highland’s Avanti Food & Beverage. There, children can choose from pizza (Brava! Pizzeria Della Strada), pasta (Chow Morso), and burgers (American Grind), or branch out with arepas (Quiero Arepas) and beef shawarma (Souk Shawarma). 3200 Pecos St., 720-269- 4778, avantifandb.com River and Woods, a six-month-old Boulder restaurant from chef Daniel Asher and Josh Dinar, welcomes families with a collection of games and books sure to keep little ones occupied. The menu follows suit, particularly at brunch, when it offers Cap’n Crunch cereal with a from-scratch cookie as one option but also has French toast and specialty pancakes. For a grown-up guilty pleasure, go for the decadent mac…

Luis, our driver, came to Denver from the Yucatán, so when he told us to try a Sinaloan seafood joint, we took his word for it. Our faith was rewarded. From “molcajetes” (mortars overflowing with seafood, meats, cheese, and sauces) to wacky Mexican-style sushi, El Coco Pirata’s menu is worth exploring. Start with an outrageous michelada garnished with oysters, shrimp, and carne seca; next, try the cevichelike “botana pirata” (pirate’s snack) full of abalone, snail, and octopus. All are served by the Spanish-speaking staff with great cheer. 3325 W. Alameda Ave., 303-934-4133, elcocopirata.com “It’s one of the last remaining authentic Irish pubs” in town, said ex-firefighter Rick about Clancy’s Irish Pub, open almost continuously since 1973. We’ll gladly vouch for its oldschool charm, which stems from the inlaid wood floors,…

As with many other shifts in American culture—e.g., fashion trends, culinary crazes, musical tastes—when it came to hipsterism, Denver arrived a little late to the party. Although the word “hipster” was coined during the 1940s to refer to jazz aficionados, the modern iteration of the term gained popularity in the early 2000s, mostly to pigeonhole the swell of hostile-to-mainstream-America-andits- frenzied-consumerism twenty- and thirtysomethings living in places like Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It’s a common refrain, however, that the moment someone uttered the word hipster, authentic hipsterism died. Not in Denver. While being a hipster in New York City or Portland or Seattle or San Francisco in 2017 might be borderline passé, the Mile High City has only become surly-chic enough to support a hipster community in the past five or so years.…

YUCCIES The yuccie is essentially the love child of the hipster and the yuppie. Minted by Mashable in mid-2015, this hybrid word refers to “young urban creatives” who may still display some of the outward affect and retain many of the social justice beliefs of a hipster but for whom yuppier ideals—like profiting hugely from their beetlekill furniture business—prevail. NEO-SURVIVALISTS Millennial survivalists are more socially aware, more willing to collaborate, and more keen on eco-living than old-school doomsday preppers. They also don’t necessarily believe a reliance on firearms will save them, preparing instead by learning outdoor survival, food preservation, and basic mechanic skills. Their number one fear? Climate-change-induced apocalypse. URBAN TRAVELERS Advocacy groups say urban travelers are really just homeless youth; others say it’s an off-thegrid lifestyle that attracts societal…

Aerial Cirque Over Denver Attention, Cirque du Soleil fans: Here, you can hang from silk pleats of fabric, on a suspended hoop, or from a Spanish web (a type of rope). aerialcirqueoverdenver.com Boulder Circus Center Run away with the circus—without leaving the Front Range. Boulder Circus Center offers classes in Cyrwheel tumbling, aerial arts, youth acrobatics, and even juggling. 303- 444-8110, bouldercircuscenter.net Gunsmoke School of Taxidermy So you bagged an elk—now what? Learn how to skin, salt, tan, and mount your prize over a three-week course in the small town of Craig. 970-826-4293, gunsmoketaxidermy.com Backyard Hive Beekeeping is about more than jars o’ honey. In Eldorado Springs, you’ll also learn about these insects’ special place in the food chain. backyardhive.com Vivienne VaVoom Hone your skills in the art of (tasteful)…

Face it: There’s not much need for DIY projects in an age when you can buy just about anything for your home or garden from Amazon or IKEA. But even if you’re inclined to justify shortcut purchases by saying things like “I’m not creative” or “I’ve never made anything,” you might be surprised at what you could produce with a little guidance. Great! The Denver metro area’s courses in glassblowing alone could keep you busy for months. Agnes of Glass (agnesofglass.com), Furnace in Lakewood (furnaceglassworks.com), and Fire Studio (firestudiodenver.com) will all show you how to turn your lung power into an exquisite vase, bowl, or decorative plate. Golden’s Glasscraft (glasscraftinc.com) sells all the supplies you’ll need and also provides classes, videos, and webinars. The Art Garage (artgaragedenver.com) hosts classes in painting, mosaics, jewelry, and more for…

C.J. BURTON Photographer Los Angeles–based artist C.J. Burton describes his work as “if a photograph and an illustration fell in love and started making babies.” Can’t picture this peculiar hybrid? Turn to page 74 to see how he transformed a hipster into a hunting trophy for the opening spread of “The Hipsterfication Of Denver.” The photo shoot was relatively easy, Burton says, but he did end up needing to do more illustrating than he expected. “Finding antlers to fit a hipster’s head is not as easy as it may seem,” Burton says. “You can’t just go into Bass Pro Shops and pry them off of the wall. (I know because I tried.)” Burton’s work has also been featured in the Wall Street Journal and ESPN The Magazine. DENISE MICKELSEN Food…

Most kids like to touch the images in picture books. Jessica Lanan preferred to draw her own. At age 10 or so, she began copying fantastical creatures out of classics such as Saint George and the Dragon and Where the Wild Things Are. Now the 32-year-old Longmont native has turned her childhood hobby into a career. Lanan’s watercolors have been featured in two children’s books, and a third, Out of School and Into Nature: The Anna Comstock Story, is due to be released in mid-March. Her training as an artist started with a degree in studio art (emphasizing sculpture) from California’s Scripps College. Then, from 2006 to 2007, Lanan traveled between India, Laos, Thailand, and Japan, toting a portable set of paints and studying the art traditions of Asian fairy…

Behold the impossible: A dress that can be worn at nearly every occasion, short, maybe, of sauntering down the aisle. Nairobi-based Zuri’s lone offering is long enough to be fancy, adaptable to most weather, and plenty comfortable (it’s 100 percent cotton), making it the perfect packable spring-vacation dress. Zuri co-founder Sandra Zhao, a 2006 graduate of Cherry Creek High School, designed the dress before traveling from her home in Kenya to South Sudan; she needed something modest and culturally appropriate but also airy enough for the heat. After receiving a stream of compliments, Zhao and a business partner launched Zuri in November 2016. While the company sells just one type of dress, the Kenyan tailors who craft the garments use 20-plus vibrant patterns. One of the first designs to sell…

Seven years before becoming president, retired Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson promised his enslaved chef de cuisine, James Hemings, his freedom—but only after Hemings taught other Monticello slaves how to cook. More than a century later, former President Lyndon B. Johnson used the Jim Crow experiences of his personal cook, Zephyr Wright, to shame Congress into passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964. These are just a taste of the fascinating stories James Beard Award–winning author Adrian Miller shares in his new book, The President’s Kitchen Cabinet: The Story of the African Americans Who Have Fed Our First Families, from the Washingtons to the Obamas. The riveting voices of African-American cooks, stewards, butlers, and servers come to life in this narrative, which weaves personal peccadillos into a unique behind-the-scenes look…

Carbon Knife Co. is letting home cooks in on a secret Denver’s chefs have long known: A top-grade, super-sharp knife is a game changer, making kitchen prep quicker, easier, and safer. Knife geeks (and former Rioja cooks) Craig Field and Tina Chon opened the store— which also stocks cookbooks and kitchen equipment—four months ago to fill a void. Not only were there few options for buying knives in the city, but shopping online often meant weeks of waiting and possibly a disappointing outcome if the blade didn’t feel right. That’s not the case at Carbon, where the experience is hands-on (you can hold the knives to ensure a comfortable fit), the service is informed, and the selection is unparalleled in Denver. While the cost of a nice blade might seem…

Hi Rise owner Doug Anderson’s superb breads and bagels anchor the extensive menu of breakfast sandwiches at this Ballpark spot. In particular, the Uncle Gary’s delightful marriage of a fried egg, Canadian bacon, caramelized onions, fontina, and tangy honey mustard on a house-made English muffin is one for the books. 2162 Larimer St., 303-296- 3656, hirisedenver.com Looking for a fancy breakfast sandwich? Go elsewhere. Congress Park staple Under the Umbrella Cafe and Bakery has served simple, cheap, and reliably satisfying options to hungry Denverites for years. Our favorite is the Shannon: scrambled eggs, spinach, tomato, onion, and pepper jack cheese on a bagel. 3504 E. 12th Ave., 303-256-0797 If you’re craving an East Coast–style breakfast, look no further than Rosenberg’s Bagels and Delicatessen. The Jersey Boy extols the classic combo…

Biker Jim’s Gourmet Dogs’ caramelized onions and cream cheese topping combo is a Denver favorite. But we suggest shaking things up on your next visit with a fiery El Diablo: tomatillo green chile salsa, Sriracha-lime mayo, and smoked bacon bits on your choice of dog. 2148 Larimer St., 720-746-9355, bikerjimsdogs.com While you’re putting away the cheddarcheese-, jalapeño-, and barbecuesauce- topped Bronco Billy dog at Billy’s Gourmet Hot Dogs, take a minute to check out the tables, which are covered with photos of the owner and his family (Grandpa Billy included). 2445 Larimer St., 303-284-2714, billygourmethotdogs.com With just one guy acting as the cashier, cook, and waiter at this small Arvada stop, Jiffy’s Hot Dog Deli still nails it when it comes to delivering excellent service and tasty specials such as…

Diners at Troy Guard’s RiNo eatery, Mister Tuna, have been smitten with the brown-butter king crab since day one, with good reason. The combination of sweet Alaskan king crab (a good choice, according to Seafood Watch), seasonal local fruit (apples now, Palisade peaches come summer), brown butter, and Hawaiian black lava sea salt is impossible not to love. 3033 Brighton Blvd., 303-831- 8862, mistertuna.com The name of Kevin Morrison’s new RiNo restaurant, Fish N Beer, hints at the simple pleasures found within. From grilled oysters to wood-fired Icelandic arctic char with salsa verde, chef Aniedra Nichols’ concise menu lets the flavors of the responsibly sourced seafood shine through. 3510 Larimer St., 303-248-3497, fishnbeerdenver.com Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar, under executive chef Sheila Lucero, has made responsible sourcing its mission…

1 Thou shalt not covet clothing— except sneakers—that was manufactured after 1979. 2 Thou shalt live or hang out in gentrifying and/or moderately seedy urban neighborhoods. 3 Thou shalt subscribe to some alternative diet, be it gluten-free, vegan, low-carbon, or macrobiotic. 4 Thou shalt roll your eyes at the notion that driving a car is an acceptable way to get around. 5 Thou shalt wear earbuds at all times and own an iPhone, an iPad, and a MacBook Pro. 6 Thou shalt work as an artist, a software developer, a barista, a sous chef, a writer, a graphic designer, a craft beer brewer, a mixologist, or a hair stylist. Possibly all at once. 7 Thou shalt be self-righteous about: politics, religion, bikes, the environment, corporate America, consumerism, the media, indie…

The unofficial beer of hipsters elsewhere Pabst Blue Ribbon The unofficial beer of Denver hipsters Anything in a growler that’s higher than six percent ABV The recreational drug of choice of hipsters elsewhere cocaine, because everything ’80s, even the drugs, is now considered classic The recreational drug of choice of Denver hipsters weed, because you won’t end up in jail The indie bands loved by hipsters elsewhere Bon Iver, Grizzly Bear, Animal Collective The indie bands loved by Denver hipsters Tennis, Sympathy F, Mesita, Confluence, In The Whale The preferred outerwear brand of hipsters elsewhere Filson The preferred outerwear brand of Denver hipsters Patagonia, because our hipsters still ski…

WITH EVERY RELEASE of the latest iPhone or a new app comes the promise of being able to do things in a “better” digital way—or at least in a more fun, and possibly addictive, manner. (See: the Apple Health app’s newly redesigned suite of wellness tools.) So why are so many people these days interested in completing tasks—such as spinning wool into yarn or writing in calligraphy—in ways that even their grandparents might consider to be antiquated? Perhaps it’s a reaction to the way technology has overrun our daily lives, a desire to prove that each of us can indeed create tangible things using only raw materials, basic tools, and our own 10 fingers. “The power of working with your hands can have a tremendous impact on people,” says Elizabeth…

FOR: Home Cooks Cook Street School of Culinary Arts This training ground for family meal-makers offers one-time and extended food classes. 303-308- 9300, cookstreet.com FOR: Food Network Fans Stir Cooking School At Stir in Highland, students work with professional chefs during twoto three-hour classes that cover niche topics (e.g., gluten-free or holiday foods, cocktail-making). 720-287-4823, stirtolearn.com FOR: Social Butterflies Kitchen Table Cooking School Affiliated with the Colorado Culinary Academy and the Espressolé Caffe, this Greenwood Village school’s couples-only and girls’-night-out courses are especially popular. 303-220-9769, kitchentablegv.com FOR: Leftover Lovers Dream Dinners Watch how meals are prepared online, then come into the store and cook them yourself. You’ll end up with multiple items to take home. Multiple locations, dreamdinners.com FOR: Party Planners Wine & Whey Wine & Whey provides instruction in…

The full-orchestra performance of Game of Thrones music at the Pepsi Center on March 19. (Spring is coming.) The Maven Hotel at Dairy Block, a luxury lodging option opening in LoDo this month. Artist Christo abandoning his proposed Arkansas River public art installation in protest of Donald Trump’s presidency after years of legal and regulatory battles. Whether your child was placed in your Denver public school of choice. Last year, 77 percent of kids got their (parents’) first pick. The North African and Middle Eastern tapas at Justin Cucci’s newest eatery, El Five.…

Many have predicted that Vail’s Mikaela Shiffrin (right) will someday succeed Vail’s Lindsey Vonn as the best female skier alive. Shiffrin, 22, is set to take a huge step toward fulfilling that prophecy this month when the 2017 FIS World Cup Finals (March 15 to 19) come to Aspen Snowmass, marking the first time in two decades that an American mountain will host the capstone competition. Shiffrin, a slalom ace, is on track to capture her first overall World Cup title in Aspen—in only her sixth year of Cup racing. That would put her a full year ahead of the pace set by Vonn, who specializes in the downhill and super-G events. (Thirty-two-year-old Vonn missed most of this season’s events due to a broken arm.) So what does Shiffrin need…

You already take pride in your Colorado- brewed IPAs and your madein- Denver Winter Session bags. Extend that regional loyalty to your nightstand with a selection from Hometown Reads. Launched in March 2016, the website makes it easier to find books by local authors. Recommended texts range from Denver romance novelist Barbara Oliverio’s Passports and Plum Blossoms: An International Romantic Comedy to Aloha, Mr. Hand: An Alternative Trip Through Education by Douglas County teacher Anthonette Klinkerman. Purchase one (or a few) and delight in the fact that you really are turning over a new leaf.…

When the flurries inevitably fly this month (Colorado’s snowiest, historically), you’ll find us getting warm from the inside out via Chinese hot pot at the eight-month-old Bronze Empire on South Colorado Boulevard. The communal, fondue-esque dining experience heats up as your server plunks down a metal pot filled with the flavored broth of your choice—we love the spicy version’s moderate kick. Individual table burners bring the savory liquid to a vigorous simmer. Co-owner and Beijing native Tian Xia makes it easy to choose what goes into your pot by offering a variety of combinations, from the tofu combo (fresh tofu, porous frozen tofu, tofu skins, and a bounty of fresh veggies) to meatier options such as the Empire’s tender rib-eye and brisket, pork belly, and crispy ramen noodles. You’ll soon…

Pine benches and tables now fill the bays where the Yampa Valley Electric Association’s fleet of service trucks once parked, and a row of shiny fermentation tanks supplies the beers for Mountain Tap, the newest of several brewpubs to have opened in this ski town over the past few years. This one has the requisite fun factor: There’s a loft with boxes of Legos for the kids; a glittering, glass-tiled wood oven for baking pizzas and roasting chickens; and a wall of massive garage doors that blurs the line between indoors and out. But there’s something else that sets it apart: Mountain Tap’s brewer, Rich Tucciarone, is already one of the most respected names in the business. By the time he opened Mountain Tap in July 2016, Tucciarone had logged…

DEPARTURE 249 Columbine St. 720-772-5020 departure denver.com THE DRAW: Ambitious fusion cuisine rooted in Asian flavors and techniques THE DRAWBACK: Some dishes tend toward blandness DON’T MISS: Whole fried fish, crispy lamb cakes, Korean glass noodles, grilled tiger prawns, pork banh mi, chocolate custard Sometimes a single dish embodies the mission of an ambitious restaurant, and at Departure Restaurant & Lounge, that dish is the crispy whole striped bass. It’s the sort of tour de force I go out to eat for: showmanship on a plate, requiring a seasoned fry cook and surgical knife work. The skeleton of the fish, lightly battered and deepfried until crunchy, comes wrapped like a turban around the filleted, flaky white meat. Crowning the whole business is shredded green mango salad, nuggets of cashew, and…

Pete’s Kitchen began feeding the hungry masses in 1942, and beef-and-lamb gyro has been a house specialty ever since. Pete’s serves it any way you like: in an omelet or breakfast burrito, as any number of sandwiches, or as a plate. Each and every iteration is downright tasty. 1962 E. Colfax Ave., 303-321-3139, petesrestaurants.com Lancer’s Diner is a neighborhood haunt worthy of a visit. The from-scratch menu is lengthy, but favorites include crêpes with a cream-cheese-and-berry filling paired with hash browns and bacon or sausage. It’s a balanced, bountiful plate that goes down easy. 2991 W. Evans Ave., 303-936-4007 Cherry Creek’s Zaidy’s Deli offers exceptional Jewish deli–style fare and a down-to-earth vibe. Try a different kind of breakfast sandwich that’ll fill you up for hours: two massive latkes encasing smoked…

Matsuhisa’s $45 bento box with sushi is a double-decker beauty. Although available only during lunch, it’s bountiful enough to count as dinner, too. We can’t stop thinking about the beef teriyaki version, which comes with miso soup, a tuna sashimi salad, the chef ’s choice of nigiri, Nobu’s famous miso black cod, and rock shrimp tempura dressed in a creamy, spicy sauce. 98 N. Steele St., 303- 329-6628, matsuhisarestaurants.com For a refined celebration, afternoon tea at the Brown Palace Hotel and Spa is unsurpassed. There are varying levels of indulgence that range from $36 to $128 per person (the latter price includes Champagne), but all come with high-end teas, scones with cream and preserves, delicate finger sandwiches, and exquisite pastries. 321 17th St., 303-297-3111, brownpalace.com Mizuna is a mainstay for…

If you like brownies TRY Babettes Artisan Bread’s chocolate sables The Source, 3350 Brighton Blvd., 303-993-8602, babettesbakery.com TRY Snowlab’s Taiwanesestyle shaved snow 4360 E. Evans Ave., 720-612-4546, snowlabco.com If you like ice cream If you like croissants TRY Izzio’s kouign-amann The Denver Central Market, 2669 Larimer St., 720-381-0260, izziobakery.co TRY Avelina’s coconut panna cotta 1550 17th St., 720-904-6711, avelinadenver.com If you like pudding If you like macaroons TRY Spinelli’s Bakery & Café’s five-layer bars 4628 E. 23rd Ave., 720-242-6048 TRY Café Zuri’s Carmen cake 3718 W. 32nd Ave., 720-381-4567, cafezuri.com If you like cheesecake If you like banana bread TRY D Bar Restaurant’s white chocolate– banana bread pudding 494 E. 19th Ave., 303-861-4710, dbardenver.com…

BUY Messenger bags AT Chrome Industries BECAUSE This Boulderborn company makes nearly indestructible gear specifically for bike messengers, fixed-gear freestyle riders, and urban commuters. BUY Flannel shirts, canvas pants, geekycool backpacks AT Topo Designs BECAUSE Topo’s dialedback palette reflects the colors of Colorado’s natural landscape, the apparel is made in the United States, and the company’s marketing materials read like a page out of the hipster manual. Exhibit A: “The idea around simplicity and the sense of connectedness with the things we own is a huge part of Topo Designs.” BUY Hand-sewn clothing, upcycled home decor AT Sewn BECAUSE This quirky Broadway boutique walks the walk when it comes to creative reuse. BUY Graphic T-shirts, distressed military jackets, reworked vintage dresses, Euro sunglasses AT Fancy Tiger Clothing BECAUSE “Graphic,” “Distressed,”…

BAKER/SPEER RATING: As ground zero for hipsterati culture in the Mile High City, the Broadway corridor, which hosts leafy residential streets just blocks off an alluringly gritty main thoroughfare lined with hipster strongholds such as Sputnik, ticks all of the necessary boxes. Tattoo parlors…check. Thrift stores… check. Craft breweries…check. Record store…check. Coffeeshops, dive bars, cycleries, and pot shops…quadruple check. Plus, the area has live music venues covered. Broadway has long been a magnet for the subculture du jour, but the recent revitalization of the area—characterized by the shuttering of some of the most off-color purveyors and the opening of farm-to-table restaurants, kitschy bars, and twee boutiques—has no doubt elevated its status as a desirable ’hood for those who profess not to care but really kinda do. NEW TO THE SCENE…

Apex Movement: Go full ninja with an intensive eight-class program that will teach you the basics of strength, flexibility, gymnastics, and “free running” (a version of parkour that emphasizes aesthetics). 720-295- 7279, apexmovementdenver.com Denver Fencing Center: First a military training exercise, then a sport for aristocrats, fencing is now a weekendwarrior activity. 303-922-7288, denverfencingcenter.com Colorado Budokan: Seventhdegree black belt Isao Gary Tsutsui teaches basic self-defense techniques using the Kubotan keychain weapon (definitely cooler than a pocket knife). 720-253-7473, coloradobudokan.com Denver Curling Center: You know you watch curling in the Winter Olympics and think, I could do that! Find out via the Golden-based center’s classes and increasingly popular league play. 303-321-1107, denvercurlingclub.com…

SPECIAL EVENTS MARCH 3 Off the Clock: Kilts and Clovers This celebration of the British Isles will feature tropical plants and live music, plus traditional Irish stew, pork panini, and triple chocolate Guinness cookies from Offshoots Cafe. Guests can dance a jig to tunes from authentic Celtic bands; search for prizes such as chocolate coins, candy, tea, and Denver Botanic Gardens cups in a scavenger hunt; and say hello to a roving bagpiper making the rounds. Fri 6-9:30 p.m. Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St., 720-865-3501, botanicgardens.org. $15-$23. BEST BET MARCH 7 Boulder Women in the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame Celebrate Women’s History Month by learning about esteemed Boulder ladies who have earned spots in the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame. Hall of Fame board member Wendy Bohling will…