72 hours of Denver Love

Back in January, as a little birthday treat (oh yeah…I turned 28 by the way…I don’t think I want to talk about it…)  I flew out to Denver to spend a long weekend with my sister from another mister.  And to feed my soul…and my belly.

I flew from a balmy nor cal to a not quite polar vortex Denver bright and early on a Friday morning.  Mi amiga major picked me up from the airport and we hit the ground running.

We started with a lovely trip to downtown and a walk around the art museum – as they were having a Parisian art exhibition and we know how I feel about Paris.  Although I have to say “The Holy Toaster” may have stolen the show for me.  I mean really, how many kinds of awesome is this?!  And then my friend proceeded to walk me all over downtown.  Literally the whole thing.  I didn’t know I could sweat so much in freezing weather but I definitely did.  Denver is beautiful.  Shiny, cold, bright and pretty hipsterish.  Not the crazy hustle and bustle of say NYC but enough bustle to make you feel like you’re in a city – a city surrounded by some amazing mountain views.  After a trip to a brewery and a jaunt into the Brown Palace Hotel to see the Christmas decorations we went home and I collapsed into sleep.

 Some crazy Art!

My Fav - The Holy Toaster!

Beautiful Downtown Denver

Brewery Tour - yum!

The next day we braved the mountains (as far as we could manage without actually having to drive in snow of course, because lets face it, we’re both from California and we don’t do that nonsense…)  We did however see some adorable mountain towns, hit another brewery, ate some amazing candy and watched people race cars on a frozen lake.  Oh yes, you read that right.  Some crazy people were driving vehicles (at fast speeds) on frozen water.  I was scared enough to walk out onto a frozen lake let alone be on a frozen lake in a giant vehicle.  Oh did I mention that it was also insanely windy.  Like one of the cars BLEW over while it was racing.  It was definitely another adventure.  We ended the night at Red Rocks for some amazing views!

Friends in front of a frozen waterfall

Another brewery, another yum!

So much mountain cuteness

 "Chillin" on the frozen lake!

Crazy ice racers!

I kept looking for Simba!

Beautiful Red Rocks!

Sunday, my final day, was spent eating a delicious birthday breakfast, checking out some of the art district, and lying in bed talking and talking and laughing uncontrollably.  These are the moments that remind you that you’re home.  Even when a little piece of your heart lives far away.  This particular friend and I have known each other since the 3^rd grade and have been truly soul-ly connected since middle school – so we’re going on 20years of friendship – most of our lives.  Which is incredible if you ask me.  And it is also the most amazing feeling of being known.  Of being loved.  Of being perfectly me. 

Birthday breakfast doughnut holes!

So Thank You Denver for a perfectly lovely weekend.  And Thank You Diane, for 20ish years of true love and true friendship. I’m blessed beyond measure to know you and to have you walking beside me (sometimes in body and sometimes in spirit) all the time!

My beautiful frozen friend!

And that’s a happy birthday if you ask me!