Denver is full of inspired and unique artists with amazing venues to suit their creations. While there are dozens of art openings for the new month, I stumbled on to a few openings that sound pretty interesting.
The Denver Performing Arts Complex Art Gallery - Beauty Amidst the Madness
Jennifer Kenyon has written a collection of poetry inspired by art. She will be performing a live reading with a slide showing the inspiring pieces from her published book - Beauty Amidst the Madness. Reception is August 1 from 6:30pm - 9:30pm. The slideshow will begin at 7:30pm.
Lowbrow - In Search of Rubbish Urban Illustrations by 84pages
On First Friday, from 7-10pm August 1, check out the urban cartoons from 84pages at Lowbrow Denver. This show will feature some new work and all sort monsters and creatures in their fabulous cartoon form.
Leon Gallery - Travis Hetman, August 2nd (Saturday!)
Travis Hetman is a transplant from Minneapolis that Denver is lucky to have! Travis' work mixes vintage photographic imagery with contemporary shapes and abstractions. Leon Gallery is hosting the opening reception, of "Nothing is Yours to Keep", August 2nd from 7-10pm.
William Havu Gallery - Lui Ferreyra Opening Reception
Lui Ferreyra has a unique ability to produce highly expressive portrait paintings using geometric blocking. William Havu Gallery is hosting the opening reception this Friday August 1st from 6-9pm.
Leanne Brown has a new cookbook coming out in September this year, "Good and Cheap;Eat Well on $4/ Day." Right now you can get a free pre-release PDF download. This cookbook features delicious food at an affordable price point. The printed version will have 20 more recipes. In addition, Leanne's first book, "From Scratch", is also available for free download. From Scratch, is vegetarian cookbook focused on getting people comfortable cooking. If you find Leanne's cookbooks helpful, she does accept donations on her site.
I start most days off with a latte or espresso of some sort. I currently have access to an espresso machine that I have been experimenting with and achieving desirable results. The entire ritual, from grinding the beans, to tamping the grounds, steaming the milk, and watching the espresso mix in the cup, has become something that I look forward to. Not to mention, the process is completed quicker than a run to Starbucks or your favorite bean stand. This inspired me to post a couple of deals that I found that revolve around the theme of espresso.
Espresso Makers -
There are all kinds of espresso makers that produce all kinds of results at various price points. You could spend a couple grand or a few hundred dollars on a good machine. I generally don't recommend purchasing the cheapest appliance, because with appliances you typically get what you pay for. That being said, I came a across a flash sale on 1-Sale.com and they are featuring Cuisinart counter top appliances at deeply discounted prices. The Cuisinart brand is one of the better ones when it comes to quality and ease of use. The majority of the reviews for The Cuisinart 15-Bar Espresso Maker on Amazon (327 available) are mostly positive and is currently selling on Amazon for $155.99. The Flash Sale on 1-Sale.com is selling the machine for $90 with free shipping.
By contrast to the semi-automatic machine above, Rodale's has a beautifully designed ROK Manual Espresso Press. It doesn't actually use electricity in the award winning design. As I am a sucker for really well designed products, I wanted to share this on as an alternative to the traditional espresso machine. This link shows a great video of the machine and how to use it - Rodale's Manual Espresso Press video
Corvus Coffee on S. Broadway, is one of my favorite coffee roasters in the Denver area, not to mention they also have great baristas who are talented at their craft. They also have an espresso mailing club, where with membership, they will send their choice beans every month.
Demitasse is the fancy way of saying espresso cup... Actually, I just like saying demitasse. I could probably post a 100 pictures of these cute cups, but I won't. Instead I will just post this one from Sur La Table. This Antique White cup and saucer, has vintage detailing and scalloped edges.
Elevation Hotel and Spa - Crested Butte, CO - Starting at $89 per night
A Colorado staycation might just be what the doctor ordered! I recently took a drive out to Glenwood Springs and stayed the night at a 'cheap' chain hotel and my bill was around $140. I'm not complaining, but just now while browsing I came across a deal on Groupon for $89 per night including 2- $30 spa credits at an upscale hotel, I couldn't help but start planning another mini-roadtrip. Crested Butte is about 4 hours away from Denver. Between here and there, are plenty of attractions including Tiny-Town, a hot-dog diner, a handful of wineries, horseback riding, hiking, and rafting; if you so happen to want to break up the drive a bit there are distractions along the way. https://roadtrippers.com/trips is a really cool website that can help you plan any trip short or long. Groupon - Elevation Hotel and Spa rooms starting at $89 Furthermore, Deluxe rooms (starting at $114 per night) come with a $25 dining credit per night booked!
If you are thinking about visiting soon, there are several events and festivals that are taking place throughout the summer. Some of the highlights include: The Crested Butte Music Festival (June 29-August 10), Cattlemen's Days (July 5-13), Crested Butte Wildflower Festival (July 7-13), and the Crested Butte Wine & Food Festival (July 10- 13).
Furthermore, Deluxe rooms (starting at $114 per night) come with a $25 dining credit per night booked!
