DENVER COFFEE

Jon and I met in Denver almost five years ago. We were both 23 at the time. We were babies! He had just come back home from living abroad for several years, and I had just moved there from California. It is a sweet time to look back on now. It is a city of memories and romance for us, full of people we love and secrets we can call our own. But it is also a quickly changing city, the little house I used to live in with nothing but a Burger King nearby is now sitting in the shadow of a condominium high rise. We go back every few months to see the landscape of the city we love ever evolving, almost unrecognizably as people flood the city for its technology boom, marijuana, and perfect weather. And every time we go back, there are a dozen new shops that weren't there the last time, which makes it difficult to stick to the list Jon Farmer makes for our trips.

He is a list maker. I usually get distracted, usually by doodles then sandwiches. (If you ever tell him you are going to Denver, he will give you a comprehensive list of tasty treats that will keep you busy for days.) Some of the new coffee places we tried this time were Little Owl and Black Eye. Both were incredible. Little Owl was teeny tiny! But clean, modern, and cozy with marble walls, white counter tops, and a large warm slab of wood in the center. Black Eye was rustic with a nod towards pop culture; with exposed brick and overflowing pastry options, it boasted an assortment of records, independent magazines, and succulents. But our favorite was Corvus. The stunning large industrial space on south Broadway was beautiful, and the coffee was intentional, delicious, fantastic. We came home with 2 more bags than we needed. 

Of course there is Crema (I didn't have my camera on me at the time, so no photographs of Crema), Huckleberry and Curtis Park Deli, favorites we never leave town without seeing, like a close friend or family member.

And in the Springs, there is an old defunct school Ivywild, that's been turned into a market space that houses a bakery, deli, bar, cafe and more. There is now a reason to go to Colorado Springs! Principal's Office (the bar/coffee shop) is stunning!

What are some of your favorite places in the city?