My friends over at 5280 magazine contacted me about these amazing date ideas in their article "It's a Date." With Valentines Day just around the corner, I had to share them with you and, of course, add in my two cents.
Photo by the talented CHOWEN PHOTOGRAPHY.
For the FIRST DATE......
YOU WANT: A casual, no-pressure excursion that encourages conversation and interaction but isn�t too intimate.
THE 5280 ITINERARY: LoHi Steakbar balances a laid-back neighborhood eatery vibe and a polished, upscale bar ambience. When you arrive�if you�ve driven over together�bypass the scour-the-side-streets-for-parking routine by dropping your ride with LoHi�s valet (Friday and Saturday nights). The crowd inside is jovial and social, so if a two-top seems too cozy, stake out some real estate at the long, bar-style center table. You�ll be close enough to chat easily, but the community seating keeps the vibe light and fun. Plus, the table�s central location makes for convenient people watching�an easy conversation starter if your dialogue stalls. Menu-wise, LoHi�s unpretentious yet unexpected options, like classic steak and eggs and a delicate broiled scallop salad, will work for anyone.
Save room for dessert, though: Little Man Ice Cream is just a couple of blocks away. Order a scoop of salted Oreo and stroll the Highland pedestrian bridge above I-25 for a killer view of the city skyline. If you�re not ready to call it a night, cross Commons Park and grab a nightcap at McLoughlin�s�but keep it quick; you don�t want to push your luck.
COUTUREcolorado ITINERARY: 5280 is dead on with their suggested itinerary. But I would like to also add a couple more ideas of my own for the perfect first date in Denver.
1. Start off with a local beer tasting at Denver Beer CO. Doing a tasting will help out with those awkward pauses in conversation. You can just talk about the beer! Then walk down the street to Protos and grab the best thin crust pizza in the city. Is the date still going well? Grab a night cap 1/2 block away at the oldest bar in Denver, My Brother's Bar.
2. El Diablo has fantastic margaritas, not-your-typical mexican food menu, and an atmosphere that makes any dull night a party night. After dinner and margs, walk down the street to Colorado's very own Sweet Action Ice Cream. Their delicious ice cream is made by hand with fresh, natural Colorado dairy and the finest ingredients. Is the date still going well? Grab a glass of wine at Beatrice and Woodsley. Their forest inspired decor is not only super stylish but romantic. Be sure to check out their restrooms. One of the coolest sinks I have ever seen.
MAKE IT HAPPEN:
5280 susggestions: LoHi Steakbar, 3200 Tejon St., 303-927-6334, ; Little Man Ice Cream, 2620 16th St., 303-455-3811; McLoughlin�s Restaurant & Bar, 2100 16th St., Ste. 145, 303-573-5131,
COUTUREcolorado suggestions:
1. Denver Beer CO, 1695 Platte St, 303-433-2739; Protos,2401 15th Street, 720-855-9400, My Brother's Bar, 2376 15th Street, 303-455-9991
2. El Diablo,101 Broadway, 303-954-0324; Sweet Action Ice Cream, 52 Broadway, 303-282-4645, Beatrice and Woodsley, 38 South Broadway, 303-777-3505
5280 TIP: Want to steer the conversation so you can mention your love of travel or show off your oh-so-sensitive humanitarian side? Little Man�s Scoop for Scoop program lets the company match every ice cream scoop it sells with a donated scoop of rice to a village in need in the developing world.
COUTUREcolorado TIP: Don't talk too much. I know as women we can babble on and on. Remember to ask him questions. Be confident in yourself. There is nothing less sexy to a man then an insecure woman.
Check out 5280's full article"It's a Date."
Photo by the talented CHOWEN PHOTOGRAPHY.
For the FIRST DATE......
YOU WANT: A casual, no-pressure excursion that encourages conversation and interaction but isn�t too intimate.
THE 5280 ITINERARY: LoHi Steakbar balances a laid-back neighborhood eatery vibe and a polished, upscale bar ambience. When you arrive�if you�ve driven over together�bypass the scour-the-side-streets-for-parking routine by dropping your ride with LoHi�s valet (Friday and Saturday nights). The crowd inside is jovial and social, so if a two-top seems too cozy, stake out some real estate at the long, bar-style center table. You�ll be close enough to chat easily, but the community seating keeps the vibe light and fun. Plus, the table�s central location makes for convenient people watching�an easy conversation starter if your dialogue stalls. Menu-wise, LoHi�s unpretentious yet unexpected options, like classic steak and eggs and a delicate broiled scallop salad, will work for anyone.
Save room for dessert, though: Little Man Ice Cream is just a couple of blocks away. Order a scoop of salted Oreo and stroll the Highland pedestrian bridge above I-25 for a killer view of the city skyline. If you�re not ready to call it a night, cross Commons Park and grab a nightcap at McLoughlin�s�but keep it quick; you don�t want to push your luck.
COUTUREcolorado ITINERARY: 5280 is dead on with their suggested itinerary. But I would like to also add a couple more ideas of my own for the perfect first date in Denver.
1. Start off with a local beer tasting at Denver Beer CO. Doing a tasting will help out with those awkward pauses in conversation. You can just talk about the beer! Then walk down the street to Protos and grab the best thin crust pizza in the city. Is the date still going well? Grab a night cap 1/2 block away at the oldest bar in Denver, My Brother's Bar.
2. El Diablo has fantastic margaritas, not-your-typical mexican food menu, and an atmosphere that makes any dull night a party night. After dinner and margs, walk down the street to Colorado's very own Sweet Action Ice Cream. Their delicious ice cream is made by hand with fresh, natural Colorado dairy and the finest ingredients. Is the date still going well? Grab a glass of wine at Beatrice and Woodsley. Their forest inspired decor is not only super stylish but romantic. Be sure to check out their restrooms. One of the coolest sinks I have ever seen.
MAKE IT HAPPEN:
5280 susggestions: LoHi Steakbar, 3200 Tejon St., 303-927-6334, ; Little Man Ice Cream, 2620 16th St., 303-455-3811; McLoughlin�s Restaurant & Bar, 2100 16th St., Ste. 145, 303-573-5131,
COUTUREcolorado suggestions:
1. Denver Beer CO, 1695 Platte St, 303-433-2739; Protos,2401 15th Street, 720-855-9400, My Brother's Bar, 2376 15th Street, 303-455-9991
2. El Diablo,101 Broadway, 303-954-0324; Sweet Action Ice Cream, 52 Broadway, 303-282-4645, Beatrice and Woodsley, 38 South Broadway, 303-777-3505
5280 TIP: Want to steer the conversation so you can mention your love of travel or show off your oh-so-sensitive humanitarian side? Little Man�s Scoop for Scoop program lets the company match every ice cream scoop it sells with a donated scoop of rice to a village in need in the developing world.
COUTUREcolorado TIP: Don't talk too much. I know as women we can babble on and on. Remember to ask him questions. Be confident in yourself. There is nothing less sexy to a man then an insecure woman.
Check out 5280's full article"It's a Date." 
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