by Mark Smiley | Nov 15, 2024 | General Featured
The Family-Owned Restaurant Makes Big Moves Into The Mile High City After Decades In Surrounding Suburban Cities
by Mark Smiley
Coming Soon: Los Dos Potrillos will open in early 2025 in the space formerly occupied by Hacienda on South Colorado Boulevard. It will be the first restaurant for the family in the city of Denver after decades in the suburbs.
Los Dos Potrillos, the family-owned Mexican restaurant known for its Mexican comfort food, will open its first Denver location near Colorado Boulevard and I-25 at 4100 E. Mexico Avenue. The space was formerly occupied by Hacienda. Los Dos Potrillos aims to open in early 2025 with space for 253 patrons inside and 70 more on its patio.
They have been eyeing locations in Denver over the last several years but could not find the right area. “Whenever we look at any type of location, we always want to make sure it fits our way of going into any type of property,” said Danny Ramirez, CEO of Ramirez Hospitality Group, who owns Los Dos Potrillos. “We look forward to becoming a welcoming haven for our growing community, offering the same quality, consistency, service, and commitment that defines the Los Dos family,” Ramirez.
“Expanding to Denver is an important step for us, allowing us to connect and serve a new group of diners. Our Los Dos family is excited about this growth and cannot wait to bring our delicious food and overall dining experience to a new community in such a centralized location,” added Luis Ramirez, COO and President.
This milestone brings their family recipes and welcoming atmosphere to the heart of the Mile High City, marking a new chapter and the seventh Los Dos Potrillos full service restaurant opening in the Ramirez family’s journey.
Founded by Jose Ramirez in 2002, Los Dos Potrillos has grown from a single restaurant in Centennial to a popular local brand with multiple locations across the Denver metro area. This Denver location represents the seventh addition to their growing family, joining the ranks of their other establishments.
The Denver announcement comes just seven months after the successful opening of their Castle Rock location, featuring a 8,000-square-foot restaurant and brewery. The Colorado Boulevard location will be the second largest footprint for the restaurant family next to the aforementioned Castle Rock location.
The Denver Los Dos Potrillos will uphold the traditions and quality that have made Ramirez Hospitality Group a beloved household name across the region. Customers can expect the same welcoming atmosphere, excellent service, and Mexican comfort food that have earned the restaurant group a loyal following.
Taking over an existing Mexican restaurant makes it a bit easier to move forward. “There is not much to do since it was a Mexican restaurant,” said Daniel Ramirez. “All we have to do is come in and put our touch to it. We are going to change the outside of course and change the interior. The kitchen is in immaculate condition. We just need to add our spice to it, literally,” Ramirez said with a smile.
For more information, visit www.los2potrillos.com.
by Mark Smiley | Oct 18, 2024 | General Featured
by Mark Smiley
The summer months are behind us but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider a quality cooler to have in your inventory. There are still soccer tournaments, softball games, backyard parties, and other activities this fall. Plus, Denver weather has remained unseasonably warm. Having a quality cooler to keep the drinks and food cold is essential. Whether you are in the market for a new cooler, want to add to your fleet, or just want an upgrade, consider the BrüTank 35qt rolling cooler made by BrüMate.
The BrüTank 35qt has a capacity of 36 cans (12oz) plus ice, 25lbs ice, or 9 bottles wine/liquor wit
The BrüTank 35qt rolling cooler comes in a variety of colors including denim.
h the Drink Tank installed. Some premium coolers offer disappointing capacity considering how large they are on the outside. The BrüTank 35qt is exactly what you would expect when you open the lid.
The claim is that ice retention lasts seven days, but even though it was properly prepared with a sacrificial bag of ice and cold beverages added, the ice lasted three days with temperatures soaring into the 80s.
The weight is much more manageable than other premium coolers at this price point, which at time of press was $324.99. It comes in under 30 pounds, including the fact that it features premium all terrain wheels. Wheeling this cooler to a soccer game with the telescoping handle was a breeze, and when finished wheeling, easily slid back into place making it easy to store.
One of the unique features of this cooler is a removable 1.8-gallon drink tank with a built-in tap, providing easy access to your favorite beverages. This simplifies drink mixing and facilitates cleaning. Once mixed, the tank can be placed in the cooler for later use. Moreover, the tap is designed to be easily removed, allowing for effortless cleaning without the need to empty the tank beforehand. This feature makes the process considerably more efficient while maintaining the integrity of the drink.
The BrüTank 35qt is also comfortable to sit on as the foam seat top allows you have this cooler perform as an additional seat on your adventure. BrüMate thought of every detail, down to including a different cork when not using the drink tank. This cooler is well made, can easily be wheeled through tough terrain, and keeps drinks cold for days.
BrüMate also offers other products such as hydration packs and drinkware. Visit www.brumate.com for more information or to purchase.
by Mark Smiley | Oct 16, 2024 | General Featured
Photo Credit: Philip Macías
Photo Credit: Philip Macías
By Mark Smiley
Meghan Trainor toured for the first time in eight years and brought her Timeless Tour to Red Rocks Amphitheatre on October 8, 2024. The 30-year-old singer toured with Natasha Bedingfield, Paul Russell, Chris Olsen, and her brother Ryan Trainor to warm up the crowd.
Trainor kicked off the show by appearing atop a hydraulic lift high above the main stage to sing a remixed version of her 2023 single “Mother.” She performed 22 songs in an over 90 minute set. She performed her biggest hits such as Lips Are Movin, Better When I’m Dancin’, Dear Future Husband, and her debut single and number one smash, All About That Bass.
Trainor, who has been writing songs since she was 11 years old last performed in Denver at the Paramount Theater in Denver eight years ago. She repeatedly mentioned how it was nice to perform in Colorado again and especially at Red Rocks which she indicated was a bucket list item for her.
She delivered her songs with a smile on her face, and energetically dancing with her six back up dancers during nearly every song. The show was upbeat and kept the crowd which was a mix of teenage girls, younger kids, and parents toe tapping and singing along.
All in all, people left the amphitheatre happy and satisfied with all of the performers throughout the evening. The Timeless Tour concludes on October 19 in Inglewood, California. For more, visit www.meghan-trainor.com.
by Mark Smiley | Aug 23, 2024 | General Featured
by Mark Smiley
Megan McNeil, who reported for the Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle before moving to Arizona, has written her first book.
The beautifully written and illustrated “The Silver Lining” is available at Amazon.
Megan McNeil is a former reporter for this publication and since leaving the newspaper, moved to Tucson, Arizona, and became a television reporter for Channel 13 News in Tucson. She left the station in 2022 to pursue her dream of writing books. McNeil graduated with a BA in Electronic Media and a Political Science minor from San Marcos Texas State and shortly thereafter, began her career with the Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle. She has fond memories of the start to her career at this publication.
McNeil joined the Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle staff in October 2015 and wrote articles until her 2017 departure including a piece on Tiny Houses in Denver which in 2015, were just starting to become prevalent. “I used to write these horrible stories as a child, but I that’s where my passion for writing started,” said McNeil. “In college it developed into journalistic writing as I became more aware of the world around me.”
McNeil has now written a children’s book for ages 5-10 which came out in May 2024. This 34-page paperback book is beautifully illustrated by Venus Angelica and tells the story about a little cloud with a big decision to make. Which cloud will it be? The cloud sets out on a fun-filled journey across the skies, meeting cloudy characters along the way. Get to know what makes each cloud unique and how to spot them in the sky. Will the little cloud find out what it is meant to be? And what lesson will it learn along the way?
In this “whatever you are be a good one” story, colorful illustrations, and a heartwarming tale make learning fun. This scientific children’s book about clouds is great for kids 5-10 and guided reading for younger children. A pronunciation guide helps young readers with cloud names.
The Silver Lining retails for $12 on Amazon and can be purchased at https://a.co/d/07xuWjIT.
by Valley Gadfly | Jul 18, 2024 | General Featured
by Glen Richardson
Bassist Baier: Frank Baier and his wife Christine host the neighborhood music series on their front lawn, where his band Groove Machine entertains.
Singing With Soul: New singer-soloist at this year’s summer lawn singalongs is Biff Gore, dubbed “The Ambassador of Soul” by LA pop rock band Maroon 5.
As sure as the sun rises and sets, summer graces us with its warm embraces, bringing with it delightful lawn singalongs. None is more charming, nor more quintessentially local, than the sunset serenades of Cory- Merrill neighborhood bassist Frank Baier and his band Groove Machine.
Gems on the lawn providing spirited musical entertainment with a good beat, lots of feeling, plus easy listening singalong lyrics. Like George Gershwin’s Summertime composition for Porgy and Bess, the music has a rhythmical hook and instrumental beat that embodies “Good Vibrations.” Tunes as rhythmic as the Beach Boys’ pop and rock songs, with an edge and a synthesized beat with electric guitar riffs. Neighbors, friends, walkers, bicyclists, music fans, and their dogs flock to the neighborhood to listen-dance to the jam sessions that in recent years have progressively become a ball and blast. They stand, sit on chairs, or stretch out on lawns at homes adjacent, across the street, or nearby to enjoy the sunset concerts.
A top musician, Baier has worked on Broadway shows including Grease, and Jesus Christ Superstar. He has performed with such musical talent as Brook Benton, Hall & Oates, and the Bee Gee’s. He’s also played with the Minneapolis and St Louis Philharmonics, and New York’s finest society orchestras. Each summer Baier and his wife Christine treat the neighborhood to the summer music series on their front lawn.
Top Talent
Lawn Keynoter: Groove Machine’s keyboardist Tim Greenhouse adds depth and color to lawn singalong sunset serenade in the Cory-Merrill neighborhood.
Keyboards add depth and texture to a band’s sound, and Tim Greenhouse is one of Colorado’s best. Sometimes flashy, his work allows the band to add extra layers while often adding some edge. Moreover, he gives the band the opportunity to vary the sound and atmosphere of a song.
Artistic Greenhouse is a Denverite who has played with such stars as Bob Hope. Furthermore, he has participated in Switzerland’s prestigious annual Montreux Jazz Festival that annual draws nearly 250,000 spectators. He has also played with celebrated Colorado-based entertainers Hazel Miller and Lannie Garrett.
Adding captivating sounds and emotional expression to every concert is longtime Groove Machine percussionist Doug Bainbridge. A top musician, he helps maintain the rhythm and adds vibrancy to the music. Bainbridge spent several years playing around the Pacific Rim. He worked for a half-dozen years as a drummer-percussionist on South Korea television before returning to the U.S.
New as singer-soloist at this year’s summer lawn singalongs is Biff Gore, a powerful soul-singer with down home guitar styling. Dubbed “The Ambassador of Soul” by LA pop rock band Maroon 5, the soloist-guitarist adds a feeling of connection that engages the lawn crowd. While providing entertainment and joy to listeners, his performances create bonding, lower stress, improve the mood, while also adding emotion.
Lawn Lineup: Neighbors, friends, walkers, and music fans line up along the sidewalk to enjoy a diverse genre of music at a lawn event that has become a ball and blast.
His rich vocals landed him a spot on the sixth season of NBC’s talent show The Voice, in the spring of 2014. His grueling blues sound moved him to the top eight. During his time on The Voice, Gore realized his desire to share his musical gifts with people, so he returned to Denver. Worship Pastor at the Highline Community Church, he has “The Biff Gore Radio Show” on KLTT-670 AM, where soul meets sound in a symphony of inspirational stories, music, and wisdom.
Harmony & Bonding
The music is rhythmic, warm, lyrical, and melodious. But it’s about more than the music. It’s about moments between people. Families and friends getting together who haven’t seen each other in a year, and picking up a conversation like they’d just seen each other yesterday. It’s about kids enjoying the music with mom and pop. There’s a family feel that you rarely experience.
Concerts are not just an evening of pleasure, but a true immersion into the heart of our communities. From the toe-tapping rhythms of the band, the lawn singalongs are a true sensory feast that beckons both young and old to revel in the joys of summer.
Family-friendly, offering diverse genres of music, they are a great way to enjoy being outside in the evening when temperatures cool off. Sometimes soft, smooth, and gentle, other times rich, loud, and wild, they signal everyone to chill out, and take it day by day. Giving people a sense of freedom, an escape to “let loose” through the means of music. It boosts everyone’s moods and dispositions.
by Mark Smiley | Jun 20, 2024 | General Featured
by Mark Smiley
Kade Ruotolo defends his title against fellow American Mikey Musumeci in ONE 160 at Ball Arena on September 6, 2024.
ONE Championship is the world’s largest martial arts organization, ranking among the world’s top five sports properties for viewership with a cumulative reach of over 400 million fans, according to Nielsen. ONE produces and distributes events across more than 190 countries, featuring martial artists and World Champions from over 80 nations and all styles of martial arts including MMA, Muay Thai, kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and more. ONE can be viewed on many of the largest global free-to-air and digital broadcasters, including Prime Video, Sky Sports, and many others.
Cherry Creek Valley residents can see these athletes compete at Ball Arena on September 6, 2024. ONE 168 will feature many contests in an atmosphere compared to a rock concert.
“We were here [1stBank Center] last May for our first event in the U.S.,” said Rich Franklin, ONE Vice President. “We had such a great event with a sold out crowd and a great reception from the fans, that we decided to return and do two events in the U.S. Denver and Atlanta.”
Franklin became the UFC Middleweight World Champion in 2005 and was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. He became ONE Vice President in 2014, supporting key strategic initiatives for the company.
Some of the key matchups on September 6 include: Mikey Musumeci vs. Kade Ruotolo, and Liam Harrison vs. Seksan. Added to Fight Card, Joining Stamp vs. Xiong Jing Nan, and Jonathan Haggerty vs. Superlek. “I’m excited for this one [Haggerty vs. Superlek],” said Franklin. “Superlek is called the kicking machine. And Jonathan Haggerty is known for his elbows. He can close distance with an elbow like most people could with a long kicking leg. This is going to be a fun one to watch.”
In addition, two contests have been added to the stacked ONE 168 fight card. First, two of the top pound-for-pound grapplers on the planet will collide when ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Champion Kade Ruotolo defends his title against fellow American Mikey Musumeci in a must-see matchup. “We do a really good job matching up our submission grappling matches,” said Franklin. “Typically they are really fast paced. I expect this one to be really exciting.”
As the reigning ONE Flyweight Submission Grappling World Champion, Musumeci is looking to become the first two-division submission grappling titleholder in ONE history.
In addition, striking icon Liam Harrison of the United Kingdom will face Thai fan favorite Seksan Or Kwanmuang in a 140-pound catchweight Muay Thai bout. “Seksan is legendary in Tailand,” said Franklin. “His name in Tai translates to the man who yields to no one.”
ONE 168: Denver will also feature ONE Women’s Atomweight MMA World Champion Stamp Fairtex, who will attempt to become a two-division titleholder when she challenges Xiong Jing Nan of China for the ONE Women’s Strawweight MMA World Title. And in a battle between two of the greatest strikers, reigning two-sport ONE World Champion Jonathan Haggerty of the United Kingdom will put his ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title on the line against current ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion Superlek Kiatmoo9.
Stage Front VIP, the exclusive U.S. VIP experience partner of ONE, will continue to provide fans with access through immersive VIP experiences that include premier seating, premium hospitality offerings, athlete meet-and-greets, event collectibles, and more. You can sign up for more information on Stage Front’s VIP packages at stagefrontvip.com/one-denver.
Amazon Prime members can watch these matches live monthly and all 167 matches are archived for those who want to become more familiar with the sport. To learn more or to purchase tickets, visit www.onefc.com/events/one168.
