by Mark Smiley | Oct 27, 2022 | Glendale City News
The Musical Captures It All — Popular Music, Heartache and Tenderness
By Mark Smiley
Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations opened at the Buell Theatre at the Denver Performing Arts Center on October 25, 2022. The show runs through November 6, 2022, and tickets can be purchased at www.denvercenter.org.
The Broadway musical follows The Temptations’ journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. This show is a high-energy crowd-pleaser filled with songs everyone recognizes and can tap their feet to.
Left to Right, Harrell Holmes Jr., Elijah Ahmad Lewis, Jalen Harris, Marcus Paul James, James T. Lane from Ain’t Too Proud. Photo Credit: Emilio Madrid
The musical is two-and-one-half-hours of top-notch vocals, dancing and theatrics — including drop-splits and mic-stand tricks. With a book written by Dominique Morisseau, based on the memoir “The Temptations,” by Otis Williams (one of the original members), the story is well-constructed and personal, narrated by Marcus Paul James, who plays a likable and earnest Williams.
This musical has a brisk pace and moves through three phases of Williams’ memoir—the gathering of the legends and their rapid rise to stardom; the challenges of keeping them together against internal and external adversaries; and finally the deaths of each member of the originals other than Williams himself.
The show’s chief focus is the shifting dynamic within the group. There are a lot of highs and lows with members of this group. Jealousy, narcissism, drug use, and suicide provide somber moments in the show.
But the high energy ballads from the talented cast and Motown hits from other groups such as The Supremes keeps the audience on the edge of their seats from start to finish.
Tickets can be purchased at www.denvercenter.org.
by Mark Smiley | Oct 21, 2022 | Travel
by Mark Smiley and Jeff Stiglic
Chocolate Pairing: Lady Justice Brewing on East Colfax in Aurora hosted a chocolate and beer tasting on Thursday, October 6, 2022, at their taphouse.
Pints For Prostates: The 13th Rare Beer Tasting was held on October 7, 2022. Amazing and rare beers were spread out over three floors of the McNichols Civic Center Building. The event helped raise awareness for prostate cancer.
Away from the Colorado Convention Center, there were some notable events during the week, including a chocolate and beer pairing at Lady Justice Brewing in Aurora, a Sam Adams and Dogfish Head brunch, and the 13th Pints for Prostates Rare Beer Tasting.
First, David Nilsen, freelance beer journalist and Advanced Cicerone, led a chocolate and beer tasting at Lady Justice Brewing on East Colfax in Aurora on Thursday, October 6, 2022. Guests were treated to high end chocolates paired with specialty beers on tap at Lady Justice.
The Lady Justice Brewing Company was founded by Betsy Lay, Kate Power, and Jen Cuesta during their 2010 service in AmeriCorps‚ asking the question “why can’t we brew beer and give back to our community?” What began as a small operation on a custom-built homebrew system in a tiny storage space has grown into a flourishing taproom and movement.
Next, Sam Adams and Dogfish Head once again collaborated for a brunch held at Rhein Haus Denver on Market Street in Denver. Founders of each brewery, Jim Koch (Sam Adams), and Sam Calagione (Dogfish Head), addressed the crowd and talked about their collaboration and shared beers including the latest release of Utopias and Gold Medal winner in the non-alcohol beer category, Just The Haze.
Last, the 13th Rare Beer Tasting was held on October 7 at the McNichols Civic Center Building. This event was organized by Pints for Prostates, a grassroots campaign designed to raise awareness among men about prostate cancer and the importance of early detection in fighting the disease. The group was founded in 2008 after beer journalist Rick Lyke was diagnosed at 47-years-old and successfully treated for prostate cancer.
Pints for Prostates works to engage men in a conversation about their health in a relaxed and non-threatening way. By having some fun with a topic they would rather avoid, they are able to reach a population of men who might otherwise ignore traditional health messages.
Brunch: Sam Adams and Dogfish Head held a brunch at Rhein Haus Denver on October 8, 2022, and featured some of their most popular beers.
On an annual basis Pints for Prostates appears at nearly 100 events across the United States. These include beer festivals and gatherings at bars and breweries.
Since its inception in 2009, the Denver Rare Beer Tasting has attracted some of America’s most respected craft breweries who generously serve their most exotic beers. A total of 201 breweries from 43 states have poured at the event during the first 12 years. Only seven breweries have participated in all 12 Denver Rare Beer Tastings and another 35 breweries have poured at least five times, while 80 have made a single appearance at the event.
For more information about Pints for Prostates, visit www.pintsforprostates.org. For more information on Lady Justice visit www.ladyjusticebrewing.com. They are located at 9735 E. Colfax Avenue.
by Regan Bervar | Oct 21, 2022 | General Featured
“No man is a failure who has Friends.” — Clarence the Angel, It’s a Wonderful Life
by Luke Schmaltz
It is a Monday afternoon in early October 2022. Jim Norris is working behind the coffee bar at Mutiny Information Cafe, holding down barista duties for the nth day in a row. He is owner and proprietor of “The World’s Most Dangerous Bookstore” along with his partner Matt Megyesi. The duo have been through the literal wringer of late, having dealt with Megyesi’s faltering health, employee theft, extreme vandalism, and the most dreaded of all — the Denver Department of Finance.
The emotional shellshock of the last 24 months is wearing on him, when out of the blue, the employee who is supposed to relieve him calls to say they are running “about 90 minutes late.” He sighs, puts down the phone, and makes himself another Americano.
Pillar Of Personality
Mutiny partners Jim Norris and Matt Megyesi are beloved stalwarts of the Denver indie arts scene.
Mutiny occupies what is unequivocally the most vibrant stretch of South Broadway, perched as the flagship business on the southeast corner of Ellsworth. As anyone with a pulse knows, “vibrant” means lots of pedestrian traffic and in today’s Denver — where there are people there is trouble.
Regardless, the personality and mojo spilling forth from Mutiny’s front door bears the unmistakable essence of everything good about the independent business culture of Denver. Humility, respect, openness, equality, diversity, unity, strength, and self-reliance practically ooze from every shelf, nook, and cranny of the place.
The place is a hub for writers, artists, musicians, comedians, magicians, and anyone with a creative streak. If you have seen an art opening, comedy show, or live music performance in Denver anytime in the last nine years, chances are that media had origins of some sort within the walls of Mutiny.
Mutiny Information Cafe is a hub for creatives of all types and a top retail destination for records, coffee, novels, comic books, and more.
Meanwhile, the two-way conveyor belt churning past the store’s front windows presents the usual menagerie of South Broadway human fare. It is a hodgepodge of characters, personalities, and temperaments indicative of a district buzzing with artists, writers, and yuppies, yet simultaneously gripped by addiction, crime, and fear. There are jugglers, skateboarders, survey takers, families with baby strollers, panhandlers, stumblers, mumblers, vapers, smokers, tweakers, buskers, and much more.
Such high-volume foot traffic usually bodes well for a retail business, but there’s trouble in paradise. While the eclectic personality of Mutiny attracts earnest spenders looking for caffeinated drinks, novels, vinyl records, and comic books — it also attracts folks who are looking to get even with their misfortunate lot in life by stealing anything they can get their hands on. “They’ll swipe anything that is not nailed down,” Norris explains. “Crime is terrible around here because of the extreme economic disparity at work. There are too many rich people who don’t give a shit,” he says.
Summer Of Bummers
Mutiny Information Cafe has been brutalized by circumstances over the last couple of years.
Emerging from the aftermath of Covid was tough for everyone, as any small business owner who was lucky enough to survive 2020/2021 will tell you. Mutiny is no exception, having suffered loss of revenue by having to briefly curtail the business alongside everyone else in the neighborhood.
In addition to the store’s acute challenges with loss prevention, Megyesi suffered a near-fatal heart attack several months ago, which shouldered Norris with 100% of the administrative burden. Around then — just this past summer — vandals began targeting the store. They broke the glass on the front door, terrorized the staff, and eventually became brazen enough to smash out a large section plate glass on the store’s west-facing facade.
Meanwhile, Megyesi’s absence caused the business’s quarterly taxes to be overlooked and to go unpaid, which drew the impatient, ruthless ire of the Denver Department of Finance. The agency dropped off a scant two (2) notices of unpaid taxes before locking Norris and Megyesi out of their own business without considering a more copacetic solution. “They came in twice, left a card, and then locked us out,” Norris said.
The irony here is that, if a business owes taxes, one would think they should be allowed to remain open and operational so that they could have a chance to make the money to pay said debts. Yet, this sort of logic does not resonate with tax collectors who have their emotions lobotomized before being sent out into the field.
Down But Not Out
Mutiny was saved from the tax man by a collective of nearly 1,000 Denver friends and supporters.
Upon being shut down by the city, Norris and Megyesi were beside themselves as their mutual boyhood dream and livelihood had been ripped from their grasp. The impending tragedy was not to be, however, as friend of the store Kyle Sutherland launched a GoFundMe campaign intended to meet and surpass the store’s $35,000 tax bill along with the attached GoFundMe fees. The total goal was just over 42,000 — 42,126 to be exact. The last three digits are Norris’s and Megyesi’s lucky numbers.
As Norris recently explained in an interview with the Denver Gazette, “Matt and I chose 126 as our random lucky number when we were teenagers. You’ll notice it all over the store. It’s sort of like when people say Jesus appears to them on toast. If he can appear on toast, he can appear anywhere. It’s a good-karma thing.”
Word of the shutdown and the crowdfunding campaign spread through the community like wildfire, thanks to good old-fashioned word of mouth and new-fashioned social media. Thanks to the networks of Sutherland, local artist standout R. Alan Brooks, and dozens of others, the goal was met and surpassed in a mere 24 hours by 925 donors. This uncanny overnight fundraising effort, especially in the midst of an economic downturn (read that as a recession) is a testament to Morris and Megyesi popularity and good karma. “We are overwhelmed with goodwill,” Norris says. “We went from tears of sorrow to tears of joy in 24 hours.”
On October 29, 2022, Mutiny will hold a “Thank You Party” for all the friends who donated to the crowdfunding campaign which facilitated their resurgence. The FREE event will be held at the Oriental Theater from 7 to 11 p.m. and will feature performances by Bolonium, Team Nonexistent, Kodama, Magic Mo, DJ Konz, and MC R. Alan Brooks.
All Images Courtesy of: Mutiny Info Cafe
by Valley Gadfly | Oct 21, 2022 | Main Articles
Food For Thought: Consider donating time, food, and funds to help others this Thanksgiving. Denver Rescue Mission is among groups feeding the hungry this year. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
A Leg Up On Restaurants Open For Holiday Dining Nov. 24th; This Year’s United Way Turkey Trot Has Been A Tradition Since 1973
Celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November, Thanksgiving is Nov. 24 this year. Shifting each year, dates for the federal holiday can occur from Nov. 22 to Nov. 28.
For many it is a way to express gratitude for family, or to a higher power; for others, it’s simply a holiday to be with family and enjoy delicious food. Despite inflation and a bird flu outbreak, nearly 90% of people plan to celebrate this year, an increase from 2021.
Thanksgiving is synonymous with family and lots of good food, but that doesn’t mean the food has to be made at home. Why cook when you can eat-in or take out at area restaurants?
Where To Dine Out
Citizen Rail: A holiday veteran, restaurant in LoDo’s Kimpton Hotel Born is featuring a three-course Thanksgiving meal — dine-in or take out — with 10% of proceeds made to No Kid Hungry, 1 to 8 p.m. Information: 303-323-0017.
The Corner Office: Downtown Curtis Hotel eatery is serving a Thanksgiving spread starting with butternut squash & cider soup. Feast features achiote-marinated turkey breast, mashed potatoes, trimmings, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Information: 303-825-6500.
Del Frisco’s Grill: Cherry Creek bar-grill on St. Paul St. is offering a three-course turkey dinner with herb-butter roasted turkey breast, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Some menu items offered. Information: 303-320-8529.
Edge Restaurant: Steakhouse in the Four Seasons on 14th St. is serving an adult & kids buffet, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Traditional entrees, carving station, raw bar & dessert bar. Pre-fixe dinner menu, 6 to 9 p.m. Information: 303-389-3050.
Humboldt Kitchen: Eatery offers brunch from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. That’s followed by Thanksgiving dinner served at 2 p.m., 4 p.m. or 6 p.m. Choose from turkey breast, prime rib, grilled salmon, or butternut squash risotto. Information: 303-813-1700.
The Kitchen: Restaurant in the Sugar Building on Wazee St. is featuring turkey with leek & mushroom dressing, plus starters-desserts. Dine-in or take out. Information: 303-623-3127.
Feast Returns: Holiday hot spot, the Monaco Inn Restaurant is bringing its Thanksgiving Feast back, noon to 6 p.m. Patrons can ignite the holiday with a flaming Saganaki appetizer.
Monaco Inn Restaurant: Opa! This holiday dining institution is bringing its Thanksgiving Feast back, noon to 6 p.m. Tucked in corner of Monaco Square, cozy eatery is serving classic roast turkey with stuffing and all the trimmings. Other choices include Leg of Lamb, Lamb Chops, a Greek Combo, New York Steak, Salmon, or Trout. Ignite the holiday with a flaming Saganaki appetizer. Information: 303-320-1104.
Quality Italian: Cherry Creek’s Halcyon Hotel eatery on Columbine St. is serving roasted bird with rosemary gravy, mushroom stuffing, and kabocha squash. Information: 303-532-8888.
Urban Farmer: LoDo’s Oxford Hotel eatery offers a choice of honey roasted turkey breast, prime rib, a 6 oz. filet, salmon, or cauliflower steak, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Information: 303-262-6070.
Ditch The Turkey?
Ace Eat Serve: Want a change from turkey? Try Peking duck at this uptown eatery that’s carved tableside and served with mu shu crepes, 4 to 10 p.m. Information: 303-800-7705.
Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ: Cook but kick the turkey at Cherry Creek’s Japanese eatery on 1st & Steele St., noon to 9 p.m. Grill beef, chicken, pork, seafood, and vegetables tableside. Information: 720-826-3214.
Thanksgiving Take Out
Edible Beats: Three of group’s restaurants — Root Down, Linger, and El Five — are featuring turkey done two ways, plus sides. Order by Nov. 22, pickup on Nov. 24-25 at Linger, located at 2030 W. 30th Ave. Information: 720-282-3593.
Turkey Day Doings
Hot Turkey Trot: Join Mile High United Way’s Turkey Trot in Wash Park this holiday. Four-mile run-walk has a four-wave start every 30 minutes beginning at 9 a.m.
Beyond getting stuffed and doing annual turkey trots, you can donate time, food, and funds to stay busy this holiday weekend.
This year’s Turkey Trot marks Mile High United Way’s 135th anniversary as the first United Way in the world. It’s also the 49th anniversary of United Way’s local Turkey Trot.
By participating, you are joining in Denver’s top Thanksgiving tradition while also giving back to the community. Registration for the four-mile run-walk at Wash Park opens at 8:15 a.m. The event has a four-wave start every 30 minutes, beginning at 9 a.m. At just under a mile, the 10:40 a.m. Little Gobbler Family Fun-Run is flawless family fun. More than 9,000 are expected. Information: 303-433-8383.
Other Thanksgiving races include the Gobble Wobble Run in Littleton, the Huffin’ for Stuffin’ two-mile fun run in Loveland, plus a Turkey ROCK Trot in Castle Rock. There’s also a Pumpkin Pie 5K-10K at City Park on Nov. 19, 9 a.m.
Gobblin’ For Gifts
Denver Rescue Mission: Non-profit needs 15,000 frozen turkeys. Mission also gives 3,000 Banquet-in-a-Box turkey dinners. Donations of canned pumpkin, cranberry sauce, yams, boxed stuffing, and mashed potatoes also needed. Information: 303-297-1815.
Epworth Foundation: Support Foundation and Neighborhood Forward Denver by providing funds for 10,000 Thanksgiving baskets. Tradition is in honor of former Five Points restaurant owner Daddy Bruce Randolph. Information: 303-296-6287.
Food Bank Of The Rockies: Volunteer or give funds to help provide food-necessities for food bank that serves largest coverage area in U.S. Donate, volunteer at Bank’s 10700 E. 45th Ave. distribution center. Information: 303-371-9250.
Creek Celebration: For fine dining in Cherry Creek North this Thanksgiving, Quality Italian in the district’s Halcyon Hotel is serving roasted bird with rosemary gravy.
Jewish Family Service: Donate funds to fill Thanksgiving boxes for Nov. 23 distribution. Give frozen turkeys, canned, cut yams-sweet potatoes, plus instant mashed potatoes and stuffing at 3201 S. Tamarac Dr. Information: 303-597-5000.
Project Angel Heart: Make a donation or order a pie to help provide meals for those with health conditions on Thanksgiving or anytime. More: join a pie fundraiser or order a pie from PieInTheSkyColorado.org. Information: 303-407-9418.
Samaritan House: Donate frozen turkeys at metro area Catholic Charity shelters. Donating funds support the Samaritan House and their women-only shelter, the largest in Denver. Information: 720-799-9297.
The Table: Visit, encourage family and friends to patronize café-taproom owned by non-profit Table Urban Farm. The 2109 S. Platte River Dr. eatery and its farm provide free food on Thanksgiving and throughout year. Information: 303-744-1113.
