Those You've Known

Ages ago, on one of my trips to SLC, I was talking with my dear ami Teresa. She bemoaned the fact that she probably wouldn't get to see "Spring Awakening" since there's very little chance of it touring in SLC. I pointed out that it was on the schedule for Denver at the end of this year.

And, voila! I got to play with Teresa last weekend!

She had not really been to Denver before this, so I tried to show her the best of my city in the 36 hours or so that we had to play. Thus, after I got down from the mountain on Friday, I drove downtown to pick her up at her hotel and we hit the town.

Stop #1 - Tattered Cover



I honestly had not planned on going here right away. I swear it. I was just driving aimlessly around while we figured out what to do when and suddenly there it was, right in front of us. How could we resist?


Stop #2 - The Shoppe



And while we were at Tattered Cover, how could we not visit the yummy cupcake/cereal bar down the street?

We each got 3 mini cupcakes to go (mine were dark chocolate orange, ginger, and pumpkin chocolate chip, if you're wondering). Then we sat down in the shop and ate one right away. Because we're adults and we can spoil our dinners if we want to!

Stop #3 - Watercourse



It was dinner time by then (despite the cupcake). Rachel had told me about a good vegetarian restaurant, and now seemed like as good a time as any to try it. It was excellent, and the murals were properly creepy. I plan on returning.

Stop #4 - Teresa's Hotel

We talked, holding onto our table a bit too long for a busy Friday night at Watercourse. We also both admitted to being exhausted, so once we had planned our Saturday plans, I dropped Teresa back at her hotel and headed home. We pledged to eat our remaining two cupcakes in our respective beds. And they were delicious.

Saturday

After a much-needed sleeping-in session (8:30!), I picked Teresa up and we headed for our first stop of the day:

Stop #5 - The Denver Zoo

Dude. I haven't been to the zoo in years, but this was awesome. Brace yourself for an onslaught of pictures from this particular stop.


Teresa: Hey, ladies. 'Sup?



Lion: zzzzz



Lionesses: Men!



Teresa: Grr.
Polar Bear: ... (Is only a picture.)



Teresa: Hey, have you noticed the peacocks everywhere?
Amanda: Now that you mention it....
Teresa: Yeah (laughs), it's like they're the zoo mafia!
Amanda: Peacock mafia! (laughs)
Peacocks: (notes the two women who seem suspicious/aware of Peacock Mafia.)


Teresa: Hey, what's that noise?
Amanda: It sounds like ducks.
(We turn a corner)

Us: Holy crap!



Us: (Approach, amazed by number of ducks).
Peacocks: (Notes suspicious women. Remains in control of ducks.)





Amanda: The ducks understand irony!



Owl: What?
Amanda: (Melts in owl cuteness.)


Teresa: (Buys fries for lunch.)
Amanda: (Buys corndog for lunch.)
Both: (Sit at table outside near the sea lions to enjoy the 45-degree weather) (That's not sarcastic, by the way. It was lovely!)
Teresa: (Gets up to get some ketchup.)

Peacock: (Sees pair have separated. Takes opportunity to demand mafia payment in return for safety.)



Peacock: (Accepts payment.)



Teresa: (Talks to monkey.)
Monkey: (Shows her his bottom.)



Goat: BLAAAAHH!
Teresa: BLAAAHH!
Goat: (Blinks.)
Goat: BLAAAHH!
Teresa: BLAAAHH!
(Conversation continues for several blaaahhs.)



Amanda: (Figures out why that large pen is empty.)



Peacock Mafia: (Controls bathrooms until further payment.)


Stop #6 - 16th Street Mall



After we shook off the PM, we zipped to the 16th Street Mall to catch a matinee of Fantastic Mr. Fox. As I said before, it was fantastic. Go see it.

From there, we walked up and down and up and down and up and down the mall before deciding on Chipotle for dinner. A Denver classic.

Oh, also in our walking, we found

Stop #7 - The Big Blue Bear



and

Stop #8 - The Dancing Aliens



which are right outside

Stop #9 - DPAC for "Spring Awakening"



and



I enjoyed it. Even with the drunk man near us who apparently didn't see any of the warning signs going in to the theater and kept exclaiming "Oh, my!"

We hurried out of the theater and down the 5 blocks to the parking garage and down Broadway to arrive just in time for our last stop

Stop #10 -



Wait, no, not liquor. Ice cream. From this place, in fact:



I had mint chocolate chip and Teresa had berry lavender. Delicious.


All in all, a delightful Denver weekend. And with In the Heights coming in the spring, we may get a chance to visit the places we missed this time!