Happy Thursday friends! By the time Thursday rolls around, I can always smell the weekend and am automatically in a better mood. This weekend we have very few plans and I am pumped. A birthday dinner with my girlfriends is the only thing on my agenda and the rest of the weekend will be spent doing nothing.

What are your weekend plans?

Recently, I had the opportunity to work with West Elm on their local love campaign. The campaign was geared towards certain cities and the people (bloggers who live in them). Being a huge lover of all things West Elm, I was pumped to be asked. #ad #sponsored.

It gave me the opportunity to really think about why I love Denver, the things, the places and the people. I ventured out last week on a little mini-blog shoot all around Denver with one of my best girls (who also happens to be my photog). We went to some great spots, views, took pictures and ended the day with wine. This has hands down been one of my favorite campaigns to be a part of.


We've been living in Denver for a little over three years. It's crazy to say that out loud because whoa, three years. That means it's been 4 years since I graduated law school. 2 years since marriage. 2 years since I tore my ACL. Time is flying people, make sure you're enjoying the ride. I'm learning that time really does go too fast and I'm trying my damnest to make sure I'm enjoying it (more on that later).

It's safe to say, Denver has my heart. I've written numerous posts on my favorite places, locations, restaurants, dog friendly locations and more. This post will be a little more personal. All the reasons I love living in Denver.

1. WEATHER: I grew up in Arizona so the heat doesn't bother me as much, but Adam is not a fan. While Adam doesn't love the heat, I don't love the blizzard Omaha weather. Denver is the perfect middle ground. Warm in the summer, cold in the winter but sunshine all the time. Plus, cocktails on the patio is almost always a possibility.

2. UNION STATION: You can read all about Union in my post. But this place is a dream. Every single person who has visited us has been taken to Union. Whether you want coffee, cocktails, pretty flowers, a good book or a delicious meal, Union has it all. Plus, if you need to take a train, you can do that too. We love going to Union for drinks at the Terminal Bar, complete with delicious appetizers. Plus, the people watching is absolutely worth all the tourists.



3. THE PEOPLE: Making adult friends is so hard. By 30, everyone has their group of friends, their circles, their own lives. Trying to come in the middle of that is so hard. When we first moved here we knew one other couple and that's it. Through jobs, pure barre, junior league, we have met some of the most amazing people ever. They've welcomed us into their homes, their churches, their friend groups and their families. We are so blessed by the people we know here. Plus, strangers are usually damn nice too. I'm looking at you Starbucks lady who told me I had nice shoes on.

4. MOUNTAINS: On most people's list, this would be the top reason they love living in Denver. I love the mountains, I actually prefer them in the summer. That's probably due to my ACL, but the mountains are the most amazing small towns, great food and for Adam, amazing skiing. I love the access we have. We have friends come visit a lot requesting time in the mountains. Hey friends, come visit! It's only an hour and 30 minutes door to Breckenridge door! Lets go the mountains.

5. THE FOOD: Linger, Osterio Marco & Rioja just to name a few.

ALE HOUSE @ AMATOS: Great beer, great food and one of the best views of the Denver skyline. Craft beer is a must in Denver and this place does not disappoint. Plus, the patio on the roof is pretty awesome.  



6. JOBS: The main reason we moved here three years ago was because Adam had an amazing job opportunity. He wanted to apply, I said do it, and before he knew it, we were moving to Denver. The work load has been a lot at times, but loving what you do makes it easier to do the work. Same goes for me, sure, I'd love to be a blogger full-time, but my attorney gig is pretty damn awesome.

7. OUR HOUSE: Yes, the structure of my house is great, but I feel so lucky that everyday I get to go home to my house, with my hubs and my pups. I don't take that for granted for one minute and it's the very best reason for why I love Denver so much.


Where are you from? What are your favorite things about your city?

My parents are coming to Denver this weekend and I am so thrilled to show them around town. A little back story, my parents lived in Denver in the late 80's - early 90's, so needless to say, Denver has changed a ton.

When they lived here, Union Station was just a train station and downtown was a place you avoided like the plague. When I was born in Colorado, I was born in Littleton, now it's Centennial. Where I live now was fields of nothing-ness. Marijuana was not legal and the airport was actually close to Denver. Now, Denver is one of the largest growing cities in the country, growing quicker than San Fran and NYC. It's housing market competes with the likes of Chicago and NYC and the highways are almost worse than LA...almost.

But, it's my current hometown and I absolutely love being here. The last time my parents were in town, my dad drove a U-haul full of my childhood goods up from AZ to CO and we spent the weekend organizing. Sunday we went to a Broncos game and before we knew it, my plan to show then around Denver had failed and we had run out of time.

This weekend will change all of that. I have so much to show them!

If you have never been to Denver, this is your Top 8 (most favorite) Places to See, Eat and Do in Denver. If you are new around here, you will learn that I love to eat and I base a lot of my activities around where the next meal is coming from. Let's go.

1. Union Station: Union Station is a dream. First it is a vision. They re-did the entire thing about 5 years ago and instead of just a bus and train station it is now a bar and even more. It's full of restaurants, bars, shops, book stores and flower booths. You can drink wine throughout the entire place. If you are in town, make a reservation at Mercantile and grab a glass of wine at Terminal Bar before you get seated. Cooper Lounge is so fabulous and fancy and upstairs. So you can actually look down over the entire station while you drink. Ir's amazing. Head to back and you can see real trains, my nephews would be amazed. 
2. Red Rocks: Talk about a vision. Red Rocks boasts gorgeous views from literally every angle. Red Rocks is a park first and an amphitheater second. It has miles of trails around and throughout the entire park. The views are so incredible. Then you have this gorgeous amphitheater situated right in the middle of the park. Beginning late spring through early fall they have tons and tons of concerts, yoga on the rocks and movie nights on the weekends. If you're a Denver newbie or a long time local, Red Rocks is a must for everyone. Warning, to get to the top of the amphitheater requires a little hike with tons of stairs, wear comfy shoes. 
3. Linger: Let's get a little more specific. Linger is my favorite brunch spot in Denver. If you love bottomless mimosas, ramen bowls or views of downtown, then Linger will become your favorite spot too. I, for one, am a sucker for bottomless anything so sign me up. Plus there's valet. Done. 
4. The Breweries: Where to begin. Denver is the number one brewery location in the country. I don't know if that's actually true, but man alive, there are more breweries than I can even count. We've lived here for almost 3 years and have visited over 40 breweries and we haven't even breached the surface. My favorite just to name a view: Epic (Sour IPA), Breck Brewery *in Breckenridge, Lone Tree Brewery (you can bring your dogs), Resolute (the best food trucks in town) and Denver Beer Co (Princess Yum Yum!). 
5. Coffee: This is kind of a weird one, but I am a sucker for cute coffee shops that let me take Instagram pictures. I'm being super honest here people, don't judge. Black Eye Coffee is my most favorite. It was voted the most instagrammed coffee shop in Denver. Monk and Mongoose in Lone Tree is also the cutest. Pigtrain Coffee Company in Union Station is in the same spot as the ice cream shop, so make you  get an affrogato. That's espresso over ice cream. You will not regret it. 
6. The mountains: I cannot forget one of the biggest reasons Colorado is so amazing. Breckenridge is my favorite mountain town for skiing and hamburgers. Vail for shopping and you can bring your animals (Shout out Four Seasons!), Aspen is a fantasy town where I'm sure every mountain movie should be made in. Keystone is for torn ACLs, jkjk. There is a bar, the Snake River Saloon that has $.50 wings and they are the best things I've ever eaten.  
7. Hiking: This goes hand in hand with the mountains, but Denver itself has some of the most amazing hiking and trails. The Cherry Creek trail can take you from downtown Denver to miles south of Denver on a trail that spreads over 40 miles long. Now if only my legs would carry me long enough to bike that. Denver is also attempting an initiative that will make every one in Denver walking distance to a trail, allowing people to spend more time outside. How cool is that. Props to you Denver. 
8. Sports: Two words: Denver Broncos. Sure there are other professional sports teams, but when you have the Broncos, do you need more? My husband would disagree since he's a hockey and baseball fan, so shout-out to you Avalanche (Hockey) and Rockies (baseball). The honorable mention goes out to the Denver Nuggets, who I think are the worst basketball team. But the Avalanche are the worst hockey team too, so go Broncos. Peyton Manning, we miss you. 

Are you from Denver or planning a trip here? Let me know, my favorite part about Denver is being a tour guide! Or you can check out my 20 Denver Facts, my Ultimate Tour Guide or my Dog-Friendly Tour Guide here!

Last weekend I had the pleasure of hosting two of my best girl friends FIRST weekend in Denver. Both of them had spent time in the mountains, but neither had spent any time in Denver. The pressure to show them a great weekend was on. I contacted some of my Denver girls and asked for their must haves.


Coti and Jen arrived around 6pm on Friday night and we we're doing Denver things until I dropped them at the airport Sunday afternoon. It was a jam-packed weekend full of food, cocktails, snapchats and laughs. It was one for the record books and I cannot wait until our next girls trip. See ya next October, Portland!

Let's start with some Denver history:

• Denver really does sit at a mile high. There is a step on the State Capital Building that is exactly 5,280 feet about sea level. Golf balls go further, tennis balls are hit harder, the sun feels hotter and alcohol packs more of a punch. 
• Denver was founded on November 22, 1858 and the Denver metro currently has 3,418,876 people. 
• Denver has 300 days of sunshine. Did you know this was used to convince people to come out and build the railroad? It worked! 
• Denver is not in the mountains, it's near them. Our views are spectacular. 
• Denver is the second highest educated city. 
• We have seven profession sports teams! GO BRONCOS. 
• The Broncos just became the winniest team in history. How does that taste Kobe?
• Denver brews more beer than any city in the nation. 
• There is a blue horse as you enter the airport (the largest airport in terms of land in the country) and it's cursed. It fell on it's sculptor and killed him. The horse has red eyes. Yikes.
• There are more marijuana dispensaries than Starbucks. 

I'm super excited about this post for multiple reasons. 1) I love sharing new places I find in Denver with my readers, especially when that place is so awesome and 2) I have an amazzzzzing deal for all my Denver friends. I'm talking free stuff Denver friends, so keep reading!

This past weekend I had the pleasure of venturing to Oil & Vinegar to try delicious things, meet great people and offer a giveaway to my Denver friends!


Oil & Vinegar is every cooks dream. The store features a variety of oils and vinegar's that are on tap, and tons of delicious gourmet food items to pair with those oil & vinegar's. To say I was in cooking heaven would be an understatement. I just wanted to go home and make all the delicious things I learned about.

When I first walked in the store, I was amazed at how beautiful it was! It is such a cool set up, with a wall lined with oil and vinegar. There are testers all over the room and the manager, Jim was so kind and let me try everything. And, when I say everything, I mean everything, Guys, if you want to try something on the shelf, they'll open it for you! Talk about service.
My favorite mixture was mango vinegar paired with roasted garlic oil. I marinated shrimp in it last night and am so excited to share the recipe with you tomorrow! They had flavors for everyone. From jalapeno oil to fig vinegar. The best part is mixing combinations. It is such a fun store guys. Get ready family, I already have a gift picked out for each of you.

Hey Denver people, are you ready for the cool part?

For the next MONTH, if you go into an Oil & Vinegar store (either Park Meadows or Flatirons) and mention my blog -- just say, I read Kristen's blog, or I read Everyday Grace, you will get to pick a mystery money gift card valued at either $5, $15 or $50! Guys, this is huge.
Free money people. Free money to spend on the most delicious food, oils and vinegar's ever. Go now! this expires on September 15! There is literally nothing to lose, and all the oil and vinegar to gain.

Oh, what a difference two years makes.

Today marks our two year anniversary of living in Denver! It's hard to believe that it's been that long, but then it also seems like we've always been here.

When I wrote this post one year ago, we weren't married, we were living in an apartment and we were still trying to get around without having to use google maps. While google maps is still heavily relied on today, we manage to get ourselves around pretty good without it!

This last year has been so awesome. We got married! We honeymooned! We celebrated 10 years out of high school. We went to weddings. I had knee surgery. I failed. We grew. We bought a house! We traveled.

I've learned a lot in our last two years in Denver. Most of it has to do with food or beverages, but still, I learned a lot. I think it's safe to say that going into year two, Adam and I finally feel like we belong here. It took us a while to find our groove, but we're here and we're happy.

1. I've learned that if you are craving chicken and waffles, you must go to Devil's Food in Wash Park. 
2. If you want to bring your dog to the mountains, the Doubletree in Breckenridge is amazing - they give you a Dog in Room sign, plus all the dog bones Henry could eat. 
3. If you want to buy a house, you should definitely use Jenelle at Supreme Realty Group. 
4. The weather is crazy in Denver and snow will fall on your Directv dish and it will break and you won't have TV for 5 days.
5. Home Depot on a Saturday is fun when you're with your husband and trying to figure out what shower door liner is best. Answer - they don't sell your brand of shower door liner at Home Depot. 
6. The beer at Epic Brewing Company is the best. Try the Brainless on Peaches or Raspberries. You won't be sorry.
7. I know my way to and from the airport better than most. That's what happens when you're taking flights to and from all the time.
8. I can make better nachos then the ones they sell at Los Arcos. Sorry guys. 
9. Mr. Donuts has better donuts than Dunkin. Make sure you try the apple fritter.
10. Always carry a coat. Once minute 75 degrees, one minute 35 degrees. 
11. Furniture stores going out of business makes for really great deals on furniture, but next time we'll rethink how we're going to get a 200 pound desk in the house with just Adam and I.
12. If you're in the fast lane on I-25 during rush hour, you won't get there any faster than if you're walking. 
13. A blizzard that brings 17 inches of snow to your neighborhood does not close the Courts and you are still required to go to work. But shoveling is really fun. 
14. Just because you move, friendships still last. It just dates phone dates and surprise visits.
15. If you want to entertain kids for an entire day, the children's museum is where it's at. And, it's even fun for adults.  
16. Joe at Budget Blinds is the best. He'll even come at 8:00 pm to install your blinds because he knows you hate living in a fish bowl. 
17. The bar tender at Cuba Cuba on Delaware Street serves the best mojitos. The bar tender at La Fogata serves the strongest margarita. 
18. The Dam Road is the best damn view in the city. Trust me, take a little drive.
19. If you want a romantic dinner, go to Chiani in Greenwood Village. It's super intimate and has the best Italian food. Oh, and the wine, forget about it; 
20. I've learned that it's really hard to move when you're an adult. But I've always learned that when you start to embrace your city, it embraces you right back. Proud to be a Coloradoan. 

This past weekend, Denver graced us with 80 degree weather. Blue skies, bright sun and cold beer was on tap for our Saturday. Because it was so nice, Adam and I decided to explore Denver a little bit and we headed down to Union Station. If you live in Denver and haven't been, or are visiting Denver, you must go. Union Station still has its original purpose, used as a station for Amtrack, but now it's been upgraded and has a hotel, tons of restaurants, bars, bookstores and the cutest flower shop. We spent the afternoon wandering around, looking in shops, sipping beer and enjoying our blast from the past.
Our first stop was at the Terminal Bar to get some of that cold beer I was talking about. It felt like we stepped back into time as we chatted with the bartender, sipped our beer and watched people venture in and out of Union Station. The Terminal Bar doesn't have food, but it offers the menu from Acme Burger and Brat. Just do it, order everything.

We spent about 2 hours wandering Union Station and soaking in all the sounds, smell and beer it had to offer. Next time, we're going to eat brunch at Snooze. We've been to the Snooze in downtown, but I cannot wait to sit outside Union Station sipping mimosas and eating eggs Benedict next time!
And make sure, the next time you're in Denver, you go to Union Station. It's worth all the time and energy it takes to park downtown :) I hope you fall in love with this city like I have.

Last weekend, Adam and I ventured into Cherry Creek North for a late breakfast, early lunch. Cherry Creek North is the cutest little area, filled with lots of shops, restaurants, bars and so much more. It's a great area to grab a coffee and wander. We decided to eat at Harmon's Eat & Drink and we were not disappointed. We both started with a wedge salad. I don't know what it is, but Adam and I love wedge salads. Judge us all you want, but really, whats better than lettuce, bacon and blue cheese? I got the pork belly and Adam got the short rib tacos! Oh man, I can't tell you which was better, but they were both so delicious. We also got spicy bloody mary's that were to die for. I drank my too fast that I forgot to take a picture, whoops :)

Doughnuts, doughnuts, doughnuts, I love doughnuts. Sunday morning, Adam and I decided to venture downtown Denver to try Voodoo doughnuts. If you've never heard of Voodoo doughnut, go look them up now! (Here's the link to help ya! Voodoo). They have crazy toppings and names of all their doughnuts, and they are so good. They are open 24 hours a day and the line is always out the door. Warning: If you have been eating a clean paleo diet, these will kinda mess with ya. Adam and I were in a sugar coma for a better half of the afternoon after eating these. But isn't that what Sundays are for anyway? Okay, go people, run to Voodoo, they're so good! These are the ones we tried!

Last week Adam and I ventured to Pearl Street to try out Izakaya Den. Everyone we've come across in Denver has recommended us to this place as the best sushi in Denver and it did not disappoint. The cool part about Izakaya is that it shares a kitchen with Sushi Den, so you can choose what kind of environment you want, but you get the best sushi on both sides. Sushi Den is a little more quaint, while Izakaya Den is a two-story restaurant that kind of feels like you're in a rainforest. Regardless, either place you chose you dine, you will love it. Suggestion; make a reservation! This place was absolutely packed!

We started out with cocktails at the bar while we waited for our table to be ready. I went with a Gin Gimlet and Adam, Henricks&tonic. My gin gimlet was delish and I felt so fancy drinking out of a martini glass! When we were sat, we asked the server what he recommended for appetizers. He brought us Japaleno Sashimi with Kanpachi and Pork Gyoza's. If you like yellowtail hamaci, you will love the Kanpachi, it tastes very similar, and anything with jalapeños is delish to me! The (pork) Gyoza's were amazing. Crunchy with a little sweetness with the sauce. Boy oh Boy.