I first went to Wazee Supper Club in high school back when the corner restaurant stood in the shadow of the crumbly viaduct above. Back then, Wazee was just a tad too far away from the comfort of Larimer Square to be considered a safe neighborhood. So going there was a treat not only for the food but also for the slight element of danger it suggested. Everything has changed about that scenario, except the good food, which has only improved. Wazee Supper Club is now in the heart of chic LoDo renewal and has a spiffed up look and menu to go along with it.
Wazee Supper Club’s familiar checkerboard floor. The benches along the back wall were sat on during the funeral of Buffalo Bill Cody. Pull that fact out when you’re eating there. Photo courtesy CDM Communications.
A few things remain from those early days (and the many days long before I ever set foot in there) like the big windows, black and white checkerboard floor, antique fixtures and the dumb-waiter that raised hot food up to the second floor and lowered empty dishes down again. A lot more is new, including the spring menu items we were anxious to try out.
We started off with the big guns, Absinthe, the “Green Fairy.” Having never had it, I had to try this mystical drink that is making a comeback after being banned in the early 1900’s due to its Bohemian nature and addictive qualities. Wazee does it up right by serving it in a petite glass with a sugar cube resting atop a silver, leaf-shaped absinthe spoon. I was directed to drip water onto the sugar cube so that it would dissolve into the absinthe. To show off the Absinthe Fountain they use for large groups, Rita, the very entertaining and knowledgeable manager brought over a tall glass beauty so I could turn the spigot ever so slightly to get my drips. Sure enough, the sugar cube melted turning the clear liquid foggy. The initial flavor was of licorice with the dusty finish of whiskey. As the evening went on (I nursed it along not being sure what to expect from its effects), it opened up to a more herbal flavor with a mellower finish. I swear my mind become sharper in the day or two since having it. I’ll just have to return for another, or for one of the absinthe cocktails to see if absinthe is the cause. By the way, the absinthe I chose, Absinthe Verte, came from local company, Leopold Bros. Fine product, gentlemen!
The absinthe fountain, brought out for larger groups, lets everyone drip just the right amount of water to dissolve their sugar cube and dilute their absinthe. Photo courtesy CDM Communications.
Onto the food. We started with one of the spring menu items, House Made Veal Ravioli ($7) with asiago, browned butter, anchovy and parsley pesto with pasta made from scratch, on site. It was garlicky and toasty. In need of some crispy greens, I ordered a small chopped Caesar salad ($5) to accompany my dinner. The dressing was just right – not too garlicky or lemony. It was a good, crispy foil to the Smoked Chicken Ciabatta sandwich ($9) which I was worried would have the kind of crusty bread that nearly breaks your teeth. Instead, the bread was soft yet substantial, standing up to the truly delicious piece of smoked chicken (smoked on-site in a smoker built by the chef), with bacon, asiago, tomato and an arugula aioli served with a pile of fries. It was a full-bodied sandwich with great flavor and texture.
My date ordered another spring menu item, the Tuna Beet Salad ($15). Beautiful and flavorful with oranges, golden beets, arugula, goat cheese, red onion and a soy vanilla porter dressing, the only complaint was that the delicately flavored ahi tuna got lost in the full-o-flavor salad. To appreciate the tuna fully, he ended up eating it separately, savoring it before digging into the hearty salad. I can imagine some of that smoky chicken shredded over that salad and, actually, the tuna with the Caesar for a better balance.
We’ll return another time for the pizza that made Wazee famous. Our waiter Dan, with the most interesting mustache ever, said the Margherita with its simple sliced mozzarella, sliced roma tomatoes and marinara was his favorite – with the addition of some chicken and bacon.
After hearing three people around us order the Crème Brule, we figured there had to be a reason. There was. Plump, fresh blueberries and raspberries perched on the hard surface of the golden, torched shell that broke and tipped, stabbing the delicate custard below. It was yummy but enough for two, as was the giant, thick slab of New York Style Cheesecake my companion ordered. When you go, order a couple and go halvsies to get a variety.
My reunion with Wazee Supper Club was a happy one. I found the place better than I remember, in every way. I promise, it won’t be another 20 years. We’ll be back soon if only for me to get another dose of, um, mental clarity from that absinthe!
To see a few more food porn shots, visit our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.479411228794228.1073741831.199417573460263&type=3

MEDIA PREVIEW
MAY 15, 2013 | 2:30 P.M.
Head to the Denver Art Museum for the kickoff of a museum-wide summer celebration of textile art and the opening of the new textile art galleries. The DAM’s latest exhibition, Spun: Adventures in Textiles features nine exhibitions, along with special in-gallery moments. Spun takes a wide-ranging look at fiber from pre-Columbian weavings to Navajo blankets to recycled teddy bears to an examination of clothing in art and photography.
Don’t miss your chance to capture stunning b-roll, still photographs
and interview footage. Curators from each exhibition and several
contemporary artists featured within Spun will be available for one-on-oneinterviews.
Spun: Adventures in Textiles is on view at the Denver Art Museum
May 19–September 22, 2013.

Robin & I have spring fever big time, especially because it just snowed in Denver yesterday, on May Day! So we’ve been trying to ease the frustration by getting outside when it is sunny, formulating new products, sipping green drinks galore, spraying spring aromas around the house and indulging in lots of bright colors, especially ORANGE! We are on a major orange kick. Maybe it’s because we’d previously wrote it off as only a color you’d see your great-great-Aunt who lives in Miami wear and have recently changed our minds. Or maybe it’s because wearing orange just makes you feel downright cheerful, either way we are hooked and decided to share the love with you!

We tried out a wide range of orange, coral and tangerine colors from top Eco Beauty brands and listed our hands down favorites for Spring here. From the top going left to right, only wearing our “La Balmba Rosa” Rose Healing Balm w/ no color for comparison, Jane Iredale Pure Gloss in Tangerine, Kjaer Weiss Lip Tint in Sweetness, W3LL People Nudist Colorbalm in #1 (Coral), W3LL People Universalist #6 (Satin Blood Orange, also killer on eyes and cheeks), Dr. Haushchka Lipstick Novum in 03/Cherrywood. Each color was just applied in one light layer, the last two colors can be applied much thicker for a more intense effect. Below are the swatches on my hand in natural and indoor light.

We wanted to share our new found crush on orange w/ you (maybe it’s a bit of Denver pride), so decided to do our very first giveaway, and it’s a good one too! A full size Jane Iredale PureGloss lip gloss in Tangerine, a creamy super glossy gorgeous color that works on everyone that has no petroleum-based products in it but does tout Moringa Butter, Lotus Flower Wax and Orange Peel Wax. As well as a full size Scotch Naturals nail polish in Wildflower (just like the color of a california poppy with a hint of shimmer), a non-toxic polish that doesn’t give off awful fumes but still gives an amazing pop of happy color. One winner will be selected randomly, you can enter below, good luck!
Last night marked the DBA’s Spring Idea Exchange, a night filled with new friends, lots of fun and practical tips and tricks from some of Denver’s best. We’d like to say a big thank you to all who attended and our dynamic trio of speakers that came to share their knowledge!

First up we heard from Frankie Bushell from CIRRO Web Development on what truly makes a functional and fashionable website. His tips on design and coding were perfect for any growing blog. Emily Power was up next from A Denver Home Companion. Her Denver-centric lifestyle blog has grown organically over the years to become one of the most read in the city! Her tips on finding your voice were invaluable.
To round out the night, Jim Licko from Groundfloor Media made an appearance to touch on video blogging. We never knew there were so many facets to getting the right shot! From experimenting with Vine in the social media realm, to editing a full-length video, Jim’s expert advise shed new light on the medium.
To learn more about our speakers, feel free to reach out to them here:
Frankie Bushell
https://twitter.com/frankiebushell
http://pinterest.com/frankamous/
Emily Power
http://www.adenverhomecompanion.com/
Jim Licko
https://twitter.com/DenverPRguy
photo by @frankiebushell
the fine people behind the denver bloggers’ association asked me to speak at their most recent meet-up about how my blog has gotten to where it is since i first started it in 2009. it was interesting for me to reflect on my little space on the interwebs and rather exciting to speak in front of an audience (i haven’t done that since college!).
below is the gist of what i spoke about.
——————————————————
my blog has always been a space for documenting personal experiences and thoughts — it started out as a place to dump photos and update family members who didn’t live close by. as i got to know the blogosphere, i discovered a whole other world and realized that the sky was the limit as far as what i could write about, what blogs i could read, how i could make my space unique, and who i could connect with online. not everyone knows my blog, obviously. it’s a little thing i have going on over here. but i’ve seen my readership steadily grow, had some great opportunities come my way, met really wonderful people halfway across the world, and have even made a little bit of beer money — all while still being able to continue documenting my personal experiences and writing what i want to write.
here’s how i think you can do it too:
1. invest in a website you’re proud of.
2. find your voice.
3. make internet friends
It’s time to revamp your blog for Spring!
Searching for that next big idea, or wondering how you to increase
your readership? The Denver Bloggers Association is the place for you.
Please join us on Wednesday, April 10th from 6-8pm for our Spring 2013
Idea Exchange. We’ll be hearing from some of Denver’s best bloggers,
website creators and idea generators.
Broaden your network at Denver’s most exclusive association for online
creatives. Cocktails, beer, and wine will be served with light bites.
Location: Black Eye Coffee, Denver, CO
Time: Doors Open at 5:30pm for networking
$5 Cash at the door.
**RSVP via email if you plan to attend as space is limited.
If you know a fellow Denver blogger who would be interested in
receiving an invitation as well, please email Alexandra Hilker
(alexandrahilker@gmail.com) and Alexis Anderson
(alexisannanderson@gmail.com).
Last Wednesday evening writers, bloggers and creatives alike gathered at the Highland’s latest hotspot Black Eye Coffee for the first Denver Bloggers Association Idea Exchange. We came, ate, drank and got a fantastic education on some of the best tips and tricks from bloggers and social media professionals in Denver. Some of the esteemed speakers to grace our coffee bar stage included Vanessa Barcus - founder of ShopGoldyn.com, Rustin Coburn - Marketing Director for InkMonstr, Danielle Yuthas - Director of SEO at Unleaded Group, and Merete Mueller and Christopher Smith of Tiny-TheMovie.com.












Thanks again to all of our attendees, hosts, speakers and Dave Lehl Photography. Be sure to check out Black Eye Coffee in the Highlands at 3408 Navajo St. Until next time!
Wine Pairings Ce Soir - Chicken Saltimbocca
Tonight I made the wise decision of whipping up the INCREDIBLY simple Chicken Saltimbocca recipe from The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen and a side of Herbed Quinoa Tabouli. Searching for something cool and refreshing to balance out this hot dish, we went with the 2010 William Fevre Chablis. With a tradition steeped in over 250 years of wine making, the Fevre family hails from the Chablis region in France, enjoying a solid reputation in the varietal’s production to this day.

To be honest I think this bottle may better compliment grilled fish or seafood dishes, but it was nonetheless wonderfully enjoyable. Sweet, spicy and crisp, the Fevre Chablis brought out herb and citrus flavors that meshed quite well with with the Tabouli and herbed chicken. With a mere 15-minute combined prep and cook time, this meal was incredibly simple, giving me much more time to savor this summery Chablis.

Chicken Saltimbocca with Lemon Sauce
Place chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap on work surface. Using mallet, pound chicken to 1/3-inch thickness. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place 2 sage leaves atop each chicken breast half. Top each chicken breast with 2 prosciutto slices, pressing to adhere. Spread 1/2 cup flour on plate. Turn chicken in flour to lightly coat both sides.
Melt butter with oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, prosciutto side down; cook 4 minutes. Turn chicken over and cook just until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to platter and cover to keep warm; reserve skillet.
Whisk wine with remaining 2 teaspoons flour in small bowl. Add broth and lemon juice to same skillet; bring to boil. Add wine mixture; whisk until sauce thickens slightly, about 30 seconds. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
We would like to extend an invitation to all our friends to the Denver Bloggers Association’s first Idea Share taking place on Wednesday, August 15th. If you’d like to attend, please send your RSVP to: denverbloggersassociation@gmail.com.
We look forward to seeing all of you there!

We want to welcome you to the Denver Bloggers Association! As Denver’s first official and premier association connecting writers, thinkers, and the unique voices that are the bloggers of Colorado, we aim to create a space for furthering our trade. We will be sharing ideas, tips, and techniques that relate to a broad spectrum of industries and interests.
By connecting with us, you will receive invitations to special events and discussions happening monthly. Be sure to check out our blog, Twitter and Facebook for up to date information on all things happening in our colorful state. Welcome!
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