earXtacy, Summer2013

Things to Do in Denver When You’re Alive

You’re a Loser if You Live Here and Don’t Know About These Things

Denver Roller Dolls

City Grille

Wed. Night Movies

Let’s start with the fact that my only memories of Roller Derby are from an episode of CHiPs.   I remember hot chicks and violence.   I carried those memories with me on my first trip to witness the Denver Roller Dolls at the Denver Coliseum and was not disappointed. 

Ok, so there was one disappointment as the track was not wooden nor had any banking.  It was flat concrete with tape for its boundaries.  No big whoop.  Any disappointment vanished immediately as soon as the girls took the track.  They were hot.  They could skate.  And they had a subversively evil look in each and every one of their eyes.  I was hypnotized and mesmerized. 

These girls meant business and once I finally understood the actual rules and strategy of the Roller Derby, I was hooked.  I could see the blockers positioning themselves to their jammer could make it through and become the lead jammer.  For that is what Roller Derby is all about, getting your jammer to the lead jammer position.

I could spend the rest of this article describing the rules, but their irrelevant.  The fact is Roller Derby is alive and kicking and you need to be a part of it.  If you really want to know the rules before you go then click here.

One simple question; do you like hamburgers?   If you answered yes, and you’ve never been to the City Grille, you have to go.  If you answered no, then you’re a freak of some sort and should find help. 

The City Grille boasts the best hamburger in the worlds.  Have I tried every hamburger in the world?  Hell no.  I’ve only tasted the best hamburger in the world. 

The usual consensus is for the bun, the special dressing or the sirloin burger itself.  These are all important factors, but what sold me is the fact that on a medium rare burger, every bite is medium rare.  Think about it.  How many times do you order a steak or burger on the rare side and you really don’t see rare until you get to the middle?  Far too often.  Each bite of a City Grille burger is exactly how you ordered it.  From the ends to the center.  If it’s not, then don’t eat it!  They will make it right.  I’ve eaten at the City Grille at least a couple hundred times and they’ve only overcooked my burger twice. 

Another less known delicacy at the City Grille are their Hot Wings.  Being born and raised in Upstate New York, I’ve acquired quite the taste for authentic buffalo wings.  I’m not talking about the barbeque or teriyaki flavored wings, just the straight up original orange hot wings.  Though their level of spice could be hotter, City Grille nailed the original hot wing flavor with their wings.  Their serving of blue cheese is also adequate to properly finish off a dozen wings.  Is there anything worse then being served a tablespoon of blue cheese with an order of wings?

One last thing before you go, be prepared for the service.  Though their food is superb, the service is half assed.  But that is part of the charm of the City Grille.  Go for the food, put up with the rest. 

Though not as well known or as chic as their Midnight Saturday counterparts, Wednesday night movies at the Ciniplex at Hampden and I-25 is just as fulfilling.  Maybe it’s my age, but the idea of staying up until 2am to watch a movie on a Saturday night just doesn’t excite me anymore.  It’s become so common now that the theater isn’t even filled with true fans of the movie anymore.

I think that is what I like the most about Wednesday nights.  It takes a serious fan of the movie showing to go to the theater during the work week. 

My last trip there was for the classic ‘Blazing Saddles’.  I had not seen the movie for many years.  From the instant the flaming movie title came up on the screen, all the reasons the movie was one of my all time favorites came flooding back into memory.   And from the response of the crowd, it was obvious they were feeling the same thing.

It’s a good time when you’re surround by father’s taking their teenage sons and reminiscing about your first time seeing the movie.

Start the night off right with a trip to Wahoo’s for some kick ass fish bowls and a damn good $4 margarita.