Date Nights in Denver

Lately, my husband and I have been enjoying weekly date-nights out in Denver and it got me to thinking, I should share some ideas for other couples looking to get out of the house and do something romantic with the one they love (or the newbies who are looking for some good first date ideas!). Denver is such a romantic city, we have the beautiful mountains to watch sunsets over, the fabulous parks to take romantic walks around and of course the multitude of amazing restaurants sure to wow any date any night of the week. Below I have compiled a list of a few places that would be great for any date, from the first to the 300th, because everyone deserves a good date night!

Afternoon Date – Some people work nights and so it may be harder to do the traditional date with them. Why not head to the beautiful historic Brown Palace Hotel for the Afternoon High Tea? You can grab a stunning bouquet from the on-site flower shop for your sweetie and then be treated like royalty as you sip on tea and nibble on a variety of freshly made scones, pastries and sandwiches. Tea happens between noon and 4pm and reservations are highly recommended.

One Park, Two Park – Denver has some exquisite parks that offer yearly beauty. City Park, Washington Park and Aurora Reservoir all offer hourly boat rentals. Pack up a picnic and grab your best gal or guy and go out for a romantic cruise on the water taking in the beautiful scenery.

Sunday is a Funday – Sunday is a great day for many reasons and should be a day to have another great date. Who doesn’t like brunch (we live in Denver, we know how to brunch!) and a little bit of bingo? Make reservations at the renowned Squeaky Bean restaurant in downtown Denver where every Sunday is full of mimosas and bingo.

Sweets for your Sweetheart – Some people really enjoy their sweets and if you have a sweet-tooth in your life, why not take them to one of the many dessert bars around the city? Crave, Sugarmill, Glaze and D Bar are the crème of the crop and have enough edibles to please every sugar craving in your body.

They Give you Butterflies – If you have them in your stomach when you are around your special someone, why not take them to see butterflies in real life? A hop away from Denver in Westminster is the Butterfly Pavilion, which schedules actual releases of chrysalis from their cocoons daily at 12:30pm and 3:30pm. Can you think of anything more romantic than that?

The Classic Dinner – My husband and I have been enjoying some wonderful restaurants around Denver for our date nights lately and I have to say, there are so many to choose from! Whatever kind of food you feel like that night, sushi or steak, Denver has and will always be a city that caters to everyone’s tastes. Maybe take your loved one on a little horse and carriage ride after dinner or stroll 16th Street Mall for an after dinner dessert.

There are so many things to do for a good date night in Denver so make sure to keep the love alive with your special someone and treat them to a great night out!

A Little Bit About Me

Each and every week, I like to sit down and write blog posts to share with you about many different things from real estate advice to fun activities to do around Denver during the summer. I realized that a majority of my readers I have worked with in some capacity or another but others may not know that much about me. This week, I thought I would tell you a little bit about my life and how I got to where I am today, doing what I love.

I have called Colorado my home for quite a while now. I was raised in Northglenn and attended Northglenn High School and Mesa State College.  I started in the real estate business when I was 20 years old and being a native, I have watched Denver grow and expand in ways that are almost impossible to describe. I saw Coors Field, the Pepsi Center and DIA built in my lifetime. I have watched Elitch Gardens move from 38th and Tennyson to Downtown Denver. In 1994 I had the pleasure of flying out of Stapleton Airport to go to Germany and back into DIA three weeks later as it had opened as I was coming back to Colorado. 

In my adult life, I have moved 14 times, trust me, I’m not bragging about that! 12 of the moves have been within Colorado and two were in Seattle. Basically, I am an expert packer and mover, so if you ever have any questions when it comes time to move into your new place, just let me know. This skill has come in handy with my clients seeing as I have helped thousands of people move during my career as a real estate agent.

I like to invest in real estate and love anything to do with it. I have sold properties from $5000 dollars to over a million dollars.  I have sold houses that were just an imagination in the builder’s head to over 100 years old.  From renting or buying their first place to empty nesters wanting to downsize to investors building their portfolios, I have assisted them all in finding the perfect place. I have also helped hundreds of landlords lease and manage their rental portfolios. 

As a real estate investor myself I know how important it is to take care of such a large asset. One thing I love most about my job is seeing how happy my clients are when they get the new keys to “their” new home, there is something really magical about helping people find their first or their forever house.

That’s a bit about my life and job experience here in Colorado. If you are thinking it is time to take the next step and buy a place, I am ready to help you find the right one. Give me a call today and let’s set up a time to discuss what you are looking for so we can start painting a picture of where you will be spending your days and nights with your family and loved ones. 

Make the Most of Your July in Denver

Can you believe we are already halfway through the summer? Ok, that is all I am going to say about that, really not a nice thing to think about! We still have so much time to enjoy the outdoors this summer so I have compiled a list of things to do in the month of July in Denver and some of the surrounding areas.

Farmers Markets – This just isn’t something for July and has been going on since the start of summer but if you have not checked out the many farmer’s markets located in different parts of the city, make sure to do so!

Dragon Boat Festival – Head on over to Slaon’s Lake Park July 18th – 19th for what has become one of Denver’s ‘Top Annual Festivals’ as named by Rocky Mountain News. The festival is perfect to take the whole family celebrating Colorado’s rich Asian Pacific American culture with performances, arts and crafts, dining, shopping and the dragon boat races.

City Park Jazz – Again, this has been going since June but if you have yet to make it to one of these wonderful concerts at City Park, now is the time to go!

Colorado Renaissance Festival – For those 16th century and medieval lovers, this is one experience you don’t want to miss. Running every Saturday and Sunday until August 2nd in Larkspur, bring the family to enjoy full-armor jousting, giant turkey legs, music and a beautiful market with over 200 artists selling their crafts.

Denver Post Underground Music Showcase (UMS) – For all the music lovers out there, here is an event you don’t want to miss. Running from July 23rd – 26th on Broadway Street, this is Denver’s version of Austin’s South By Southwest but with a Mile High City twist. With over 400 local and national bands playing in 20 different venues, you are sure to find a beat to break it down to.

Denver County Fair – Who doesn’t like going to the fair? Held at the National Western Complex from July 31st – Aug 2nd, the fair will have such things as a skateboard rodeo, carnival, eating contests, rockets, animals, Roller Girls and much more.

There are so many great things to do this month so get out and enjoy them all! And if one of the things on your must do list for July is to start looking for a new house, make sure to give me a call and let’s chat about what you are looking for in your dream house!

hoto of Dragon Boat © kennymatic

Vroom Vroom, Car Shows for the July 4th Weekend

Hard to believe it is already July, where has the summer gone? I’m sure you are all getting ready to do fun activities this July 4th weekend from a backyard bbq to heading downtown to watch the great fireworks or maybe packing up the kids and heading on a little mountain road trip. There is so much to do this weekend and I know my husband and my daughter and I are excited for some particular events that have to do with old cars, a love all of us share. My husband and I have been avid car show attendees for years now, as admirers of other people’s automobiles and as displayers of some of our own antique car models. I know we are not the only people who enjoy these car shows, young and old alike take to these events and so I have prepared a list of some great shows to check out over this holiday weekend:

Cruise Loveland – every Friday night in Loveland from May through September, come cruise the streets in your beautiful car!

 Red, White and Vroom Car Show – 8:00am – 3:00pm - showcasing classic and exotic cars from all over the world on July 4th.

Cars & Coffee (Weather Permitting) – 8:00am – 10:00am - if you are one who likes a wide range of cars from Ferraris to Corvettes to Classic muscle cars, this is the event for you. If the weather is nice come out and enjoy the line-up of exotic cars sure to put a smile on any car lovers face.

Very Fine Wheels Car Show – 8:00am – 1:00pm – held at VFW Post 4171, all the proceeds from this show go to help local veterans and with limited space available, pre-registration is recommended.

18th Annual ‘Coolest Car Show’ – 10:00am – 4:00pm – this is an event for the whole family so bring everyone! Check-in time is from 8am-9:30am with an entry fee of $30, all registrants receive goodie bags and dash plaques. With an option to display your car indoors or outdoors, admission is only $5 per adult and $2 per child or $10 for the whole family. Live music, children’s activities, a raffle and silent auction accommodate this fun show!

Take the family and your favorite classic car and make sure to catch one of these great shows this weekend! And if it is time to find a new place to park your car, maybe a new three-car-garage, shoot me an e-mail or give me a call. I know it is important to have a place to park your baby and would love to help you start searching for that next spot for you!

Have a safe and happy 4th everyone!

Best Parks & Open Spaces to take your Furry Companion

City living in Denver really has some amazing perks wouldn’t you agree? Being able to walk everywhere, wonderful coffee shops in every neighborhood, parks that are easy to bike to, and the ability to be in the busyness of a city while not feeling too smothered. There is one issue though for many homeowners when they are looking to move in and around the city, does the area in which they are looking have a good place for their dog-friend?

Denver is renowned for their love of dogs as a whole city, we love those fur balls who keep active and are constant companions we can always count on. It is difficult sometimes to find spaces in and around the city for our special friends to be able to really enjoy themselves. Luckily, there are many dog parks and open space areas that cater to this very need. While I would recommend looking for a house with a yard, the great thing about Denver is there are areas for all dogs an easy hop, skip, or short car ride away.  Below I have compiled a list of the top-5 dog parks/open space in and around the city for you to take your hairy friend for a bit of a run and a play with other pups.

1.    Elk Meadow Open Space – The park is LARGE with two fenced-in areas and numerous amounts of open space for your dog to run and play. This space is not just for Lucky though, it has beautiful trails to take the family hiking on as well with trees, numerous trails and freshwater streams. There is no entrance fee the only thing is from downtown it is about a 35 minute drive but trust me, it’s worth the drive for you and your loved dog.

2.    Stapleton Dog Park – This park is a little different from the average dog park and it more like taking Fido for a day at the beach. Compiled of mostly sand with plenty of water fountains to keep all the pups cool and hydrated, this place is also free. Very easy to get to from anywhere in Denver, it is a popular spot so take care if your dog is shy or timid or aggressive because he/she will have many playmates.

3.    Cherry Creek State Park – Spanning over 125 acres, this big park has lots of rivers and open water, fields and even a sandy beach making for a great time for owner and pup. Because it is located within a state park, the dog park is kept very nice with bathrooms, paved roads, trashcans and of course doggy bag stations. It has been called “Doggy Disneyworld” by park-goers and there is a small price to pay, either $2 per/day or $20/annually.

4.    Glendale Farms Dog Park – IF your dog likes a little fun in their life this might be the park to take them to because there is an agility course for them to conquer. There are also on-leash trails around the park so after playtime, you and your dog can take a nice stroll. It is free but has grown in popularity and lost a bit of vegetation so can be muddy at times if it has been raining or snowing a lot.

5.    Chatfield State Park Dog Park – Chatfield is one of the bigger parks as well with over 69 acres of varied terrain. Another dog park well-kept due to being park of the state park. Like Cherry Creek, there is a fee of $8 to get into the park and then $2 for the off-leash dog park. It is also a little bit of a drive but totally worth it.

 Whether you have a house with a yard or not, changing it up and taking your dog to a fun park for them to really stretch their legs and play is important, you want your furry friend to be happy! If you are looking to find a house with a yard or looking for a more urban pad close dog friendly areas, make sure to give me a call this summer so I can help you, and Lassie, find the home of your dreams.