Denver Day Trip #4 – $2 Bloody Mary’s, Take an Art Class, Go Bowling, and Watch a Movie

Does brunch, an art class, crafting, and a movie sound like a busy day? It is but you will find yourself enjoying every minute of this South (-ish) Broadway agenda.  The official classification of South Broadway is anything south of Alameda, but this excursion is just north of Alameda, in the Baker neighborhood.

The Hornet - 10 am

76 Broadway, (SE Corner of 1st & Broadway), Denver, CO 80203
(303) 777-7676

www.hornetrestaurant.com/

The Hornet has amazing comfort food that is good any time of day and any day of the week. However on the weekend for brunch, they have a fun $2 ‘make your own Bloody Mary’ bar. Granted, you will inevitably end up making several different Mary’s, but more than likely you’ll enjoy each one. For brunch, try the homemade Pop-Tart, Breakfast Tacos, or the classic Broadway Breakfast.

  

The Art Students League of Denver - 11 am

200 Grant Street, Denver, Colorado 80203
303-778-6990 

http://www.asld.org/

The Art Students League of Denver (ASLD) opened its doors in 1987 starting with 100 students and now growing to over 800 students a month.  ASLD teaches a variety of classes and workshops in several different disciplines including: ceramics, sculpture, painting, drawing, printmaking, and jewelry making. Classes are offered in various skill levels from beginner to advanced skill sets. You can either sign up for an ongoing class, drop-in for figure drawing, or attend one of their Demo and Dialogue events.

Lowbrow – 2pm

250 Broadway, Denver, CO 80203
(303) 722-1797

http://www.lowbrowdenver.com/

Now that you have picked up some technical artistic skills at ASLD, time to visit some other forms of art. By that I mean it’s time to find some really cool coloring books, stickers, Munny dolls, workshop, and gallery. The Denver shop also has monthly workshops ranging from screen printing to nail art and every month it’s different. While you are there, make sure to check out the gallery walls at the back half of the shop, which usually rotates art every month or so.

      

Punch Bowl Social – 3pm

65 Broadway, Denver, CO 80203
(303) 765-2695

http://punchbowlsocial.com/

At this point you have probably worked up an appetite and ready for a snack. Not to worry, it’s happy hour! If you are looking to have a snack and kill a little time, I suggest heading over to Punch Bowl Social (PBS). Their happy hour is from 3-6pm and has both food and drink specials. The deviled eggs and the Paper Tiger punch may just hit the spot. However, if you are hungry for more, try the Cast Iron Burger or Cauliflower Nachos. Once you have had your fill, explore PBS to find bowling, shuffle board, darts, Ping-Pong, and classic arcade games.

 The Mayan Theater – 4 (or 7pm)  

110 Broadway, Denver, CO 80203
(303) 744-6799

http://www.landmarktheatres.com/denver/mayan-theatre

Most of the movies at the Mayan Theater start around 4 or 7 pm, give or take 15 minutes, however view their website for the most up-to-date movie time. Most of the films, at this 1930s Art Deco theater, are independent or foreign release.  The Mayan Revival movie house only has three screens – One large and two smaller screens, so it is a good idea to get tickets ahead of time for popular releases. Popcorn, pretzels, candy, and beer can usually be found at the concession stand.

The Best Denver Deals Help Keep Your New Year's Resolutions

Every year when December 31st rolls around, we reflect on the passing year and think about what we want for the new year. As we are nearing the end of January, many of us are starting to see some of our goals start to wane. While each person has specific goals that they want to achieve, statistically speaking there are some goals that seem to pop up each year. According to Statistic Brain  the top three resolutions include: Lose Weight, Get Organized, and Spend Less/ Save More. In an effort to keep you on track to achieve your goals, here are some methods and deals to continue to make 2015 a great year.

Lose Weight 

Weight loss is a goal that pops up every single year and almost always in the top spot. We tend to give our future selves more self control credit than ourselves of last year. The reality is that we can help ourselves out a bit by making a more specific goal. For example: Join a new weekly exercise group, lose 5 lb in one month, or make an appointment with a nutrition coach. The key to success with this goal is to create a specific actionable task and find a way to make yourself accountable. Here are a few links to deals that will help you with losing weight. 

Dance Class for Adults  - Ever want to learn how to pop n' lock or pick up a few more moves than your basic Zumba?

Nutritional Counseling with a Registered Dietitian - Meeting with a nutritionist can give you both guidance and accountability.

Bet on Yourself!  Websites like Diet Bet, allow you to place a bet on yourself. If you hit your goal, you split the pot between you and the other people in your who have also hit their goal. It's super motivating and fun!

Get Organized

Clear the clutter! Through the run-of-the-mill some how we always manage to get more stuff - sometimes intentionally sometimes not. In the long run being organized saves you time and money, by not having to look for things and not accidentally re-buying something that you already have. The best way to get organized is to create a plan. Pick a couple of areas that you want to focus on and knock those out first. Here are some great checklists from Real Simple to get you started - http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/organizing/organizing-checklists  

Professional Organization Help  - For those you would like to get guidance, check out this Groupon for professional home organization.

Spend Less/ Save More 

In my opinion, the first step to spending less and saving more, comes down to knowing where your money is going in the first place. I suggest using one of the free services such as Mint.com. I use Mint and it links directly to my accounts and tells me exactly where my money is going. This app also can set financial goals and budgets. 

Financial Counseling Deals  - If you want to dive in deeper, I suggest setting up an appointment with a financial counselor or take a class aimed at your specific financial goal. This link is to Groupon, however many financial firms offer a free initial consultation to see what the best path for you would be.