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1

oo, oo, oo, Casa Bonita. 'nuf said. Worst Mexican food on the planet, but who can argue with chintzy kiddie events and a South Park cameo.

Posted by vooodooo84 | July 3, 2008 3:38 PM
2

Bring your leather chaps, of course....

Posted by NapoleonXIV | July 3, 2008 3:42 PM
3

The Greeley Stampede? My Lord. The mere existence of this event has been a running joke in the family since we moved to Colorado. (Also, Greeley smells funny. Be aware.)

It is likely to be hot and sunny this time of year. Bring sunscreen. And sunglasses, you'll need them.

The Denver Art Museum's new building is neat (I think so anyway), as is the Contemporary Art Museum's new building (smaller, but I enjoyed it last time I was home). And, um...I don't know what else to do in Denver anymore. Uh. The Denver Capitol Hill is oddly much like the Seattle Capitol Hill. Twist and Shout is still a good record store (I used to work there!) and the Tattered Cover for books. Other than that, when I go to Denver I mainly just spend my time with my parents, or I go drive around aimlessly with the few old friends that still live there.

Posted by Abby | July 3, 2008 3:43 PM
4

Go to Domo Japanese Restaurant. Bring money. Seriously, most people wouldn't think highly recommended Japanese dining experiences would exist in Denver of all places, but this place is amazing.

Posted by kentankerous | July 3, 2008 3:44 PM
5

Go to the Wrangler on Denver's Capitol Hill. It's like the Cuff, but with more cowboys.

Posted by Dave | July 3, 2008 3:44 PM
6

Casa Bonita! Hooray! The food is terrible (except the sopapillas) but the kitsch is outstanding.

As always, it depends on what you like to do. There's the mint. There's a great zoo. There's a natural history and science museum. The art museum is nice. If you prefer geologic wonders and have a car, there's Red Rocks or Garden of the Gods.

Elitch Gardens is the amusement park, mixed on that but if you are the type to visit amusement parks, there it is. Skip the weird aquarium, it's a waste of money.

Book lovers have to go to Tattered Cover.

p.s. Abby, what area of Denver are you from? Agreed Greeley smells funny. My sister went to college there and I used to hate having to drive up there to pick her up.

Posted by PopTart | July 3, 2008 3:52 PM
7

p.s. On the what to wear, go to Sheplers for some authentic western duds. There's a store in Northglenn and one in Greenwood Village. Here's the website:

http://www.sheplers.com/

Happiest day in 7th grade was when my mom took me to Sheplers for my first pair of cowboy boots. I still have them. The real deal, not the fake fashion kind.

Posted by PopTart | July 3, 2008 3:58 PM
8

How bizarre. I grew up in Greeley - you know it's about an hour's drive from Denver, yeah? - and can certify that the Stampede will be the most interesting thing going. You have my sympathies. There is, however, a (decomissioned?) missile silo just outside of town that doubles as a tiny recreational area. Might be an interesting side trip. Any teen of driving age can tell you how to get there, it's the best non-cornfield location for backseat action.

I still have contacts in town so if you're looking for a decent place to drink after the stampede action, drop me a line and I'll try to find out where the assholes aren't. Cheers.

Posted by meggers | July 3, 2008 4:03 PM
9

Uh, I'm going to be in Greeley for the Greeley Stampede this weekend. Well, not really for the stampede, per se, but for a wedding. We'll hit the Stampede tomorrow if our plane's on time.

Unfortunately, I have no recommendations for Greeley. We're staying at the Greeley Guesthouse, and the map the wedding couple provided has a bakery, a liquor store, and a hiking trail on it. That's it. Apparently there are fireworks tomorrow night.

We're headed to Rocky Mountain National Park for a few days of hiking after the wedding and then to Denver (where we'll definitely be hitting the Tattered Cover).

Posted by Julie | July 3, 2008 4:05 PM
10

try the Double Daughter.

http://www.doubledaughters.com/

theres a couple small but nice thrift stores on Cap Hill... including Buff Exchange.

AND... and. try a couple vodka shots here - not bad really -

http://www.redsquarebistro.com/vokda.html

Posted by derkle | July 3, 2008 4:06 PM
11

I lived in the vague Washington Park area, a few blocks up from South High, from 13 to leaving for college- my parents and younger sister still live there. (I moved to Colorado when I was 11, but we lived two years in what is now Centennial first.)

Posted by Abby | July 3, 2008 4:07 PM
12

Oh, and I am having the exact same "What to Wear in Greeley" moment right now as I'm procrastinating on packing. It's supposed to be in the 90s. Blech.

Posted by Julie | July 3, 2008 4:08 PM
13

Oh! The Museum of Natural History is fantastic - dinosaur skeletons, Egyptian mummies, and floor after floor of huge creepy dioramas. Love love love that place. The attached planetarium truly deserves mention, it's enormous and has great cushy chairs that lean back. It spoiled me forever, so every time I see our sad little version at the Pacific Science Center, I want to kick it and then sit down and cry.

Posted by meggers | July 3, 2008 4:08 PM
14

I STRONGLY recommend wearing one of those itty-bitty children's-size straw cowboy hats with the red plastic lawman's star on the front and the red-and-white chin cord AT ALL TIMES. And remember, instead of "yes" or "thank you", Coloradans say "yee-haw" and "hot diggity, podner".

Posted by Fnarf | July 3, 2008 4:09 PM
15

Greeley stampede?!?!
Speaking from experience.. (god i'm so ashamed) the demolition derby is awesome. puking up an undercooked hamburger on the way home, not so awesome.

don't even bother looking for something to do in Greeley.

Seek out a Big City Burrito!! I promise you will not be sorry. POTATOES AND RANCH AND CHEESE INSIDE A DELICIOUS JALAPENO/CHEDDAR TORTILLAAAAA! (there's one right by the i25 greeley exit.)

oh and watch out, there will be a ton of high waisted mom pants, patriotic handkerchiefs and cowboy hats. Don't be fooled, most coloradoans wouldn't be caught dead at that thing.

Posted by oh no no no | July 3, 2008 4:12 PM
16

Check out all these eager comments! They totally support my theory that there's a strange cultural wormhole connecting Seattle and Greeley. I'll be damned.

Posted by meggers | July 3, 2008 4:18 PM
17

@13 Totally agree! I'm going to be in Denver in a couple of weeks and I can't wait to take my son to the museum. The name of it, since I was a bit vague in my post is The Denver Museum of Nature & Science, here's the website:

http://www.dmns.org/main/en/

Those of you who go up to the mountains, don't forget to look for ticks after you go hiking. They are plentiful there.

Abby, I grew up by the U. of Colorado health sciences center, went to Manual but spent many a fine day at South practicing for marching band. I also did a weird overnight trip in high school to Centennial. I'm still not sure how much of it was real and how much of it was some weird nightmare.

Posted by PopTart | July 3, 2008 4:20 PM
18

I didn't actually attend South, PopTart, but I lived near there. I'm actually a proud graduate of Denver School of the Arts, where I majored in creative writing and managed to spend an entire AP Physics class talking about the Velvet Underground. Plus, we didn't even have gym class due to the gym in the former middle school building we used being taken over by dancers.

That whole Centennial period was a nightmarish period of my life, so yes, that sounds about right for it.

Posted by Abby | July 3, 2008 4:23 PM
19

There is a demolition derby at this thing!?! You are kidding me. That is awesome, I'm looking it up right now to see if we can make it...

Best betting system at a demolition derby: everybody puts a dollar in and picks a car. If your car survives the heat, you get the pot (or split it). If your car catches on fire, you get your dollar back.

Posted by Julie | July 3, 2008 4:28 PM
20

There is a demolition derby at this thing!?! You are kidding me. That is awesome, I'm looking it up right now to see if we can make it...

Best betting system at a demolition derby: everybody puts a dollar in and picks a car. If your car survives the heat, you get the pot (or split it). If your car catches on fire, you get your dollar back.

Posted by Julie | July 3, 2008 4:31 PM
21

Stupid disconnected wireless. Making me hit reload and double posting.

Thanks for the ticks warning, PopTart -- all the preparation I've done in terms of hiking conditions and I would not have thought of that.

Posted by Julie | July 3, 2008 4:35 PM
22

On what to wear: No man under the age of 80 should ever wear a bola tie.

Posted by RainMan | July 3, 2008 4:40 PM
23

If the Rockies are in town, Coors Field is a pretty good place to watch a ballgame.

Posted by Toe Tag | July 3, 2008 4:41 PM
24

You can visit my great grandmother's grave in Greeley.

Denver Art Museum rules.

Have fun, Eli!

Posted by Jubilation T. Cornball | July 3, 2008 4:47 PM
25

Julie,

Say something once, why say it again?

Posted by Kermit the SLOG Frog | July 3, 2008 4:52 PM
26

Illegal Petes is a great burrito place. The owner of Sobo 151 is Czech Republic and he does the best Christopher Walken impersonation I've ever heard in real life. Across the streetish from there is a great bar called Skylark Lounge. Coors Field is a nice way to spend the day. Two Fisted Mario's for pizza, next to Mario's Double Daughters Soloto. One of the best rooftop patios(Denver is lousy with them) is Tavern Downtown. Tavern Uptown has mini-bowling. Rent a bike and follow the Cherry Creek bike path.

And there is a Coyote Ugly on the 16th St Mall.

Posted by PdxRitchie | July 3, 2008 6:10 PM
27

COORS LAB!!

Endless free steams of the world's best lawnmower beer.

Or better, drive to Idaho Springs and hit BoJo's Pizza. Get a Mile Hi Pie. Practice driving drunk down the canyon road on the way back.

Then up the Lariat Loop road and blow chunks at Buffalo Bill's Grave.

Posted by elrod | July 3, 2008 8:09 PM
28

If it's still around, try Charlie's on E. Colfax. Fun dancin' place with great cowboys. Least it used to be.

To bad the Ball Park on S. Broadway is only a memory. What a slut hole that was.

Posted by Spoogie | July 3, 2008 9:28 PM
29

Coors sucks.

But you really should get the sunglasses.

Posted by Will in Seattle | July 3, 2008 9:41 PM
30

The Cherry Creek Arts Festival just outside Denver begins July 4th and runs through Sunday. It's free, doesn't smell like manure, and is actually a good way to spend a day. The science and art museum are both great if you want to be indoors. If you want to go somewhere truly amazing, try Paris on the Platte -- the greatest coffee shop known to man (try the Chocolate Pudding cake) on 15th and Platte St. It not lame and touristy and you'll actually find Denver locals there, unlike Stampede.

Posted by JBax | July 4, 2008 12:49 AM
31

Go see the Clyfford Still paintings up now at DAM.

Posted by bronkitis | July 4, 2008 7:05 AM

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