by Amber Wyatt | Oct 20, 2025 | Travel
by Amber Wyatt
The Skinny Dip: A classic cocktail with a lemon twist, known as The Skinny Dip, awaits at The Bar Car, where the vintage ambiance and neighborhood camaraderie make every sip feel like home, no matter where you’re from.
Cozy Patio: The Bar Car at 819 Colorado Blvd. welcomes locals with its cozy patio, signature menu, and the promise of good times where “friends and neighbors meet.”
Neighborhood Favorite: With a lineup of craft beers, top-shelf spirits, and hearty pub fare, The Bar Car continues to be a favorite neighborhood stop for both drinks and bites.
On a stretch of Colorado Boulevard better known for fast traffic than lasting community, BarCar has carved out something rare: a true neighborhood bar that doubles as a second home. For majority owner Victor Muñiz and part-owner Andrew Callahan, the mission is clear — create a space where locals feel seen, safe, and connected.
“Working at BarCar is working at a neighborhood spot that is truly a neighborhood spot,” Callahan said. “It is for the neighborhood, by the neighborhood. Most of us live close by.” For Callahan, who has lived in the neighborhood for over a decade, the bar is both a livelihood and a love letter to the community.
That grassroots spirit is built into the very structure of the business. Unlike most establishments, BarCar is largely employee-owned. “We are a mostly employee-owned bar,” Callahan explained. “Almost all of the investors, except for I think one right now, are employees of the bar. We’ve told our entire staff that if they work with us for a couple years and want to become an investor, we’re open to that. That is a path they can take.”
This model has given the bar an unusually high level of buy-in from its team, especially from veteran bartenders who appreciate the stability and the opportunity to shape the place where they work. “Having the opportunity to become financially invested is a big plus,” Callahan noted. “Not a lot of places always offer that.”
That sense of ownership translates directly to hospitality. Muñiz, who also owns the Owl Saloon, describes BarCar as nothing short of a dream realized. “It’s my dream come true,” he said. “Everything about it — friends, family — it’s just a great place to be all the time.”
For Muñiz, the family feel isn’t a metaphor. It’s the guiding principle. “We created a community where we have your makeshift family here,” he explained. “That’s what it’s about. That’s what bars are about in my opinion.”
That philosophy manifests in everyday moments. Neighbors use BarCar as a meeting place before concerts, after games, or just to catch up on life. “A lot of people come before they do other things in life and meet up here or afterwards,” Muñiz said. “Honestly, I think that’s the best thing we do — we keep the neighbors together.”
The idea of BarCar as a community hub is reinforced by personal milestones. When Callahan married his wife, who also works in the hospitality industry, they hosted their wedding reception at another venue — then, naturally, the celebration moved to BarCar. “At around 9:30 or 10, most of the people at our wedding, who were industry workers as well, showed up here,” he recalled. “It became quite a big party to have the neighborhood people getting married, you know?”
Muñiz, who spent years as a bartender and server before stepping into ownership, says that lived experience informs his leadership. “I believe in a bartender-driven industry,” he said. “I know we could have extra staff, but at the end of the day, it’s a staff of people that care and like doing what we do.”
That tight-knit crew has weathered challenges together, particularly during the pandemic. “Coming out of COVID, we had a lot of employees that we needed, and we’re back to the hardcore seven,” Muñiz said. “That’s how we built this bar before COVID, and then we’re back to that again. It’s seven people that give a shit.”
And that’s exactly the vibe patrons notice. BarCar feels less like a business transaction and more like a gathering in someone’s living room — with better cocktails. “We want to be there for everybody that’s looking to have a good time in a cool, comfortable environment,” Muñiz said. “We’re all about being a safe place for people to come and hang out and not worry about the bullshit life has.”
The menu reflects that same spirit of neighborhood hospitality. During my visit, longtime bartender Brandy mixed me a Skinny Dip — a smooth, subtly sweet cocktail built with Deep Eddy sweet tea vodka, a squeeze of lemon, and just enough water to keep it light. It was the kind of drink made for conversation, and sure enough, I enjoyed it while chatting with Callahan and the cook, Will, who proudly shared that the kitchen rotates its cheese curd flavors. The current favorite? Dill pickle. Naturally, I had to try them. Crisp, golden, and tangy, the curds carried just enough bite to spark a round of laughter as the basket quickly disappeared among us.
That theme of comfort and camaraderie carried right into lunch. I went for a proper Chicago dog, stacked with the traditional fixings, and paired it with sidewinder fries that were as hearty as they were shareable. To balance it out, Brandy slid across the bar a Jabroni Negroni — the house’s playful take on a classic. Made with Hendrick’s gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth, the cocktail leaned pleasantly bitter and sour, a bold counterpoint to the rich food and the easy banter flowing through the room.
As Callahan put it, “This neighborhood bar — we focus on just making sure everyone’s taken care of. Everyone knows each other around here. And everyone that’s new to the neighborhood, we always welcome them in.”
On Colorado Boulevard, where strip malls often outnumber handshakes, BarCar has become something enduring: a place where the beer is cold, the people are warm, and the neighborhood spirit is alive and well
by Editorial Board | Oct 20, 2025 | Editorials
Editorial —
Comrade Polis
One of the keys to progressive left policies is to make sure people do not have any alternatives. When the Soviets imposed their form of communism on East Germany, it had to build the Berlin Wall to prevent the masses from escaping the workers’ paradise to West Germany. The progressives of North Korea attempted to prevent its citizens from escaping not only to South Korea but also to slightly less oppressive China.
Denver has decided it loves maximum density and a minimum number of cars. Afraid that not all Coloradans may want to live in Denver’s “affordability paradise,” the state legislature, as well as Governor Polis, have begun imposing Denver inspired restrictions and mandates on towns and counties across Colorado.
As a practical matter, progressives intensely dislike single family homes and, for that matter, nuclear families. The new law (HB 24-1152) prohibits local jurisdictions imposing mandatory owner occupancy laws and specific minimum square footage for residencies. No more single-family homes with those lots potentially becoming mini apartment buildings with streets jammed with cars. Since progressives can’t just say they hate nuclear families, they say what they are doing is make housing more “affordable” and fighting against “climate change.”
Housing will undoubtably become more affordable due to the legislature’s and the governor’s actions as fewer people will want to live in Colorado. The price of what were once called single family homes will plummet.
Next the state legislature adopted HB24-1313 which prohibits municipalities from adopting or enforcing parking requirements within a quarter mile of various transit stops. The legislature mandated that municipalities allow high density high rises near transit stops. The urbanization of Denver suburbs will, if successful, overwhelm infrastructure, strain schools, and destroy community character. In Polis’ mind what is there not to like?
Unfortunately, the proletariat outside of Denver have not been enamored by the Polis vision. Many communities refused to implement the necessary ADU regulations/ordinances. Moreover, six cities — Glendale, Greenwood Village, Arvada, Aurora, Lafayette, and Westminster — sued the state to stop the implementation of the legislation.
Polis’ vision of what suburbs in Colorado should look like.
Watching the peasant revolt, Governor Polis looked to President Trump’s authoritarian tactics for inspiration. Polis elected to issue an executive order that the rebel cities either comply or face losing out on $277 million in housing grants. Of course, there is nothing in the State Constitution or state statutes giving him the power to do so, but then again where does Trump get the authority for many of his executive orders.
The rebel cities in their lawsuit rely on the over century-old Article XX, Section 6, allowing home-ruled cities to operate free of state control on matters of local concern including zoning and land use. There are no exceptions for affordability and/or climate change. While on the surface the rebel cities appear to have a slam dunk case, Polis knows he has appointed many of the judges who will hear the case at the district court level and on appeal. Colorado courts have already largely gutted large parts of the citizen adopted constitutional amendment called the TABOR amendment. The Colorado Supreme Court was also happy to try to deny Republican voters the right to vote for Trump for President until the U.S. Supreme Court intervened. As a result, few people these days have any trust in the Colorado courts to fairly adjudicate the meaning of the state Constitution or Colorado laws.
It is well known that Polis is seriously looking at running for U.S. president in 2028. He would appear to be a worthy successor to the power-hungry Donald Trump.
— Editorial Board
by Ashe in America | Oct 20, 2025 | Feature Story Bottom Left
ASHE IN AMERICA — OPINION
Paul Weiser
The 2026 Gubernatorial campaign is going to be wild, and a big part of that prediction is the Democrat front runner’s detachment from reality.
Earlier this month, Attorney General Phil Weiser posted to X, “In Colorado, we know what responsible governance looks like — and our leadership on the opioid crisis is a stellar example. As Governor, I will take our tradition of collaborative and innovative leadership to meet the range of challenges facing our state.”
In the post, he includes a link to an article that he wrote, in which we find his source for the “stellar” leadership:
“On his national TV broadcast, John Oliver had a lot of say about how other states have failed on their opioid response; he also called out Colorado an
d North Carolina as setting the gold standard for how transparent we have been in how we’re spending these funds.”
Praise and affirmation of Weiser’s leadership is so low that he’s quoting a red-coated, failed comedian whose “national TV broadcast” is watched by 0.057% of the target demo, per September 2025 Nielson data.
Look at demographic breakdowns. P2+ in ratings refers to the total number of viewers aged 2 and older — it’s a broad demographic metric that captures the overall audience size, including adults, children, and anyone else (i.e., everyone in a Nielson house.)
Weiser cites this comedian(?) — the one reaching 61,000 people in a 107.5M person national demo — as an authority on Colorado leadership.
That’s enough for the AG. But should it be enough for Colorado voters? Setting aside what the foreign comedian says, what story does the data on lawfare, crime, and fentanyl say about Weiser’s performance?
As of mid-2025, the Attorney General of Colorado, Phil Weiser, has filed more than 20 lawsuits against President Trump and/or the federal government. He’s doing this in his official capacity, and using Taxpayer dollars, while citing the lawsuits as a campaign accomplishment.
While Weiser’s attention is focused on his campaign and portfolio of Trump-deranged lawfare (at your expense), his job performance — as the head of the justice department in the Centennial State — is stunning.
In 2022, the year of Weiser’s reelection, Colorado was ranked 4th highest nationally for overall crime (combining property and violent crime), according to FBI data, as reported by Common Sense Institute.
According to USAFacts, in 2024 Colorado’s violent crime rate was about 476 per 100,000 — placing it 7th highest among all states. That same source shows the state’s property crime rate at 2,593 per 100,000, ranking it 2nd highest among states in 2024.
In July, the Denver Gazette reported that Colorado was the “second most dangerous state” in the US, behind only New Mexico. But let’s get even more specific.
Weiser cites the state’s “stellar” leadership on the fentanyl crisis — but from 2018 (Weiser’s election) to 2023 (one year after Weiser’s reelection), fentanyl overdoses in Colorado increased by 900%, according to preliminary data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, as reported by KKCO 11 News. 900%!
In 2023, the DEA’s Rocky Mountain Field Division — a federal agency — seized a record 2.6 million fentanyl pills and an additional ~425.6 kilograms of fentanyl seized in 2023 in Colorado. In fact, Colorado is tied for second highest fentanyl seizures, according to Newsline’s assessment of the 2023 Colorado data. Despite these outcomes, the fentanyl crisis cost taxpayers an estimated $16 billion in 2023, about 3% of Colorado’s GDP, around $2,200 per taxpayer.
No wonder the campaign needs to rely on foreign storytellers to rebrand and spin Phil Weiser as a “stellar” leader and viable candidate.
Weiser is desperate for Colorado voters to imagine him expertly navigating the new, more powerful job of Governor while convincing them to forget his abysmal performance in the current AG spot.
But that strategy requires voters not believing their own eyes. And Colorado voters notice the examples of Phil’s stellar leadership all around them. Check out @dobetterDNVR on X for plentiful examples.
Alternatively, perhaps when Weiser claims “stellar leadership” in fentanyl, he means that Colorado is leading the nation in expanding illicit fentanyl access, use, and addiction. That’s certainly the story of leadership that the data tells.
Regardless of what he means by his words, electing Weiser for Governor will see Colorado continue the way things are right now. We’re living Weiser’s policies, positions, and politics right now. He’s literally bragging, right now, about almost nabbing the spot for worst performance in the nation on fentanyl. From his standpoint, it’s all “stellar.”
If you want Colorado to change, you must fire those making it stay the same.
Start with the guy who decriminalized crime.
Ashe in America is a writer and activist. Find all her work at linktree.com/asheinamerica.
by Peter Boyles | Oct 20, 2025 | Blasting with Boyles
Blasting With Boyles
OPINION
We’re now facing a Supreme Court decision on a Colorado law that we should see the answer to sometime in June. The case is called Chiles vs Salazar. Kaley Chiles is a licensed Christian counselor and argues that the 2019 ban on conversion therapy for minors infringes on her freedom of speech. The Court isn’t quite certain about conversion therapy if it’s speech or conduct.
Now let’s get into the way-back machine. I challenged everyone of our intelligentsia that reads our publication, can you recall the name of the first girl you kissed or the first boy who kissed you? I was playing baseball summer of 1956 on a team of older guys. And when the game was over there was a young woman, her first name to protect her, if she’s still alive, was Judy. And Judy let all the boys kiss her. I can remember the players on the entire team. I had no desire to kiss Terry Martin the third baseman or Chuckie Neff who played short stop. I only wanted to kiss Judy, and my entire life changed on that spot.
Now these Christian counselors believe that they can take a young gay boy or girl and make them straight. So, if it works one way it’s got to work the other. Do you think if a bunch of people threatened you with exorcism, making you stand in front of a congregation and confess your sins, wear a dress, boys only, and in some severe cases electroshock therapy was used, they would have changed you? You could have done all of those things, including putting a gun to my head, and I wouldn’t be gay.
Why does anyone in their right mind think that you can take a burgeoning young gay boy or girl and embarrass them into being straight. This pseudo-science has been outlawed in much of the known world. So, this really truly is insanity. Twenty-three states in our Union have outlawed this form of child torture. The civilized world also has turned this back. I would urge you to go to Doctor Google and read faith-based and religious practices, psychological techniques, physical and medical “physical intervention techniques” that these people want to perpetrate on age of awareness young Colorado boys and girls.
I never had a choice. I’ve talked to at least a dozen gay friends who also never had a choice.
Ask yourself this. Who would choose to be belittled, beaten up, made fun of, and in high school …choose it?
I know my uncle didn’t have a choice and his life was miserable. My life has also been miserable because I didn’t have that choice. God knows there were a couple of times in my life where I would have chosen gay. It would have made a lot of things easier and doubled my chances for a date on Friday night. But I was stuck with heterosexuality. And it’s very expensive, through divorce. I’m 0 for 2.
But for everything that you hold dear, logical thought, why would anyone allow this to be done to their children? And I’m beginning a study of the life of Jesus. Jesus never said anything about being gay. So, my advice to the Chistian therapist is go hit somebody else over their head with your Bible and leave these kids alone.
— Peter Boyles
