La Loma Mexican Restaurant
2527 West 26th Avenue
Denver, CO 80211-4804
(303) 433-8300
La Loma is the Real-Deal traditional, Mexican restaurant in an old house (1887) in the *”old neighborhood.”
“La Loma is located in a distinctive Denver home that was constructed in 1887. The home accommodates a Cantina with a large fireplace, and three unique dining rooms – The Colonial Room, The Victorian Room and The Galleria are a blend of early American and Southwestern Cultures.” [Excerpt is from La Loma’s website]
The Old House is an island of tranquility and class in an old North Denver neighborhood. Dark woods/beams, exposed brick, cozy booths, and an antique, (working) taco machine provide the background for this above average Mexican restaurant.
Several dining areas including the main dining room, with booths and tables underneath a high beamed-ceiling of rich dark woods that invite the eye to explore the nooks and crevices, and a couple of ceilings fans. There are booths and tables as well as a dozen bar stools in the lounge area; there’s a gorgeous patio with a half-wall of old vines, with dining tables, and there’s another dining room up a few stairs I have not had the pleasure of visiting – next time.
The food is fairly traditional Mexican fare serving the standards such as: tacos, burritos, fajitas, enchiladas, chimichangas, and combinations, as well as seafood, steaks, soups, salads and more. Access La Loma’s Full Menu here.
The place is all class with an attentive, friendly staff. The clientele is varied with a large number of young, affluent, good-looking Margarita aficionados. Seriously, some very attractive young ladies have been spotted – every time this writer has been there. I have to be on the lookout so that I can report accurately.
The chips “of” the Chips and Salsa are the lightest I’ve ever had, thin and not the least bit greasy. The Margaritas are served in small, medium and large sizes, with a variety of flavors and tequilas. FYI – the small is big.
Of course there’s the full, well-stocked bar.
Hours: Sun – Thu/ 11am – 10pm – Fri – Sat/ 11am – 11pm Happy Hour: Reduced drink prices and appetizers
Mon – Sat/ 2pm – 6pm
We dined at my favorite Denver Italian restaurant the other night, and the dish we shared was the best we’ve had in years. Of course there have been several owners as well as different dishes served over the years, but this was – hands down one of the best.
The dish was “Italian Fried Trout”
Ruby Trout dusted lightly with herbed flour and flash fried, served with garlic creme spaghetti. The huge (bragging rights) fish was filleted and laid out on a large plate in two fat pieces with golden garlic creme spaghetti filling the rest of the plate. I’m a red-sauce guy but this light, creamy beauty hugged the spaghetti in a perfect marriage with the fish ($13.75) including Homemade Minestrone Soup or House Salad, and bread.
This may be a one hit wonder – we’ll see – though I might have to order my regular fav next time: Patsy’s big, fat homemade noodles with the garlicky red sauce served with balls or sausage, or one of each ($10.75) with Homemade Minestrone Soup or House Salad, and bread.
Or we’ll try the Ruby Trout again hoping they can repeat perfection.
There’s a new seats-you-at-a-table guy/barkeep at Patsy’s. He seems to be a good guy and adds high energy to the place; the downside is that the ice-cool and lovely, SB is no longer at the helm of the bar – a role she could have played in a Bogart film scene for scene. She will be missed.
by Police: Shots fired at Colo. pot holiday gathering
>>>UPDATE< <<From ChicagoTribune.Com Keith Coffman Reuters
6:53 p.m. CDT, April 20, 2013
Three people shot at pro-marijuana rally in Denver
DENVER, April 20 (Reuters) – Three people were shot and wounded at a pro-marijuana rally on Saturday, disrupting the first celebration of a symbolic drug culture holiday since Colorado voters legalized the recreational use of pot.
A man and a woman were each shot in the leg and a youth was grazed by a bullet, but the wounds were not life-threatening, Denver police said on Twitter. Officers were looking for two suspects in the shootings, which occurred as the rally was winding down.
A man and a woman were each shot in the leg and a youth was grazed by a bullet, but the wounds were not life-threatening, Denver police said on Twitter. Officers were looking for two suspects in the shootings, which occurred as the rally was winding down.
“I heard five or six gunshots in quick succession,” said Cole Wagenknecht, 27, who attended the rally at a downtown park near the State Capitol. “That’s why I knew it wasn’t fireworks. Then everybody started to scatter and ran toward one end of the park.”
The rally was one of a number of marijuana-related activities, including classes on hashish making and cooking with cannabis, held in Colorado on April 20 – within the drug culture, “4/20” and “420” are synonymous with marijuana use.
The shootings came at a sensitive time for Colorado marijuana activists, who are closely watching proposals from state lawmakers on the rules that will govern the sale of small amounts of pot to people 21 and older. In November, voters in Colorado and Washington state became the first in the country to approve recreational use of marijuana read more…
>>>ORIGINAL STORY BELOW< <<
UnitedPatriotsWorldwide.Com
DENVER (AP) — Gunfire erupted at a Denver park Saturday, injuring two people and sending tens of thousands gathered for an annual pot celebration fleeing the area, police said.
A crowd of marijuana smokers expected to swell to 80,000 had gathered at the park to mark the counterculture holiday known as 4/20 on the first celebration since Colorado and Washington made pot legal for recreational use. The shooting happened at about 5 p.m. and shortly after pot smokes shared hugs and joints in a mass 4:20 p.m. smoke-out.
Police spokesman Sonny Jackson confirmed two people had been shot and both were taken to a hospital with injuries that did not appear to be life-threating. The gunshots quickly dispelled the festive atmosphere, with police swarming the scene.
Witnesses said they heard three or more shots and crime tape was around the pavilion where the celebration was being held.
Aerial footage showed the massive crowd frantically running from the park.
A sizable police force on motorcycles and horses had been watching the celebration. But officers didn’t arrest people for smoking in public, which is still illegal.
Ian Bay, who was skateboarding through Civic Center Park when shots erupted, said he was listening to music on his headphones when he looked to his right and saw a swarm of hundreds of people running at him.
“I sort of panicked. I thought I was going through an anxiety thing because so many people were coming after me,” he said.
Before the shooting, reggae music filled the air, and so did the smell of marijuana, as celebrants gathered by mid-morning in the park just beside the state Capitol.
Authorities generally look the other way at public pot smoking here on April 20. Police said this week before the event that they were focused on crowd security in light of attacks that killed three at the finish line of the Boston Marathon.
“We’re aware of the events in Boston,” said Denver police spokesman Aaron Kafer, who declined to give specifics about security measures being taken. “Our message to the public is that, if you see something, say something” read more…
A series of events could bring 50,000 people to Denver Apr 15, 2013, 11:38 am EDT | By Christopher Freeburn, InvestorPlace Writer
Events meant to celebrate the state’s recent legalization of marijuana use could bring more than 50,000 pot users to Denver this weekend. After lightning up at the city’s Civic Park Center, fans can attend the Cannabis Cup at the Denver Convention Center, the Associated Press notes.
This weekend’s event are also tied to April 20, a day traditionally tied to celebrating pot use, though no one can recall exactly why.
My 420 Tours, operating out of Denver, has sold 160 package tours starting at $499 to marijuana aficionados looking to visit the state for the celebrations. The tours do not include airfare or actual pot. The commercial sale of marijuana does not become legal in Colorado until January read more…
Legal Pot Draws Snoop Dogg, Tourists To Colorado For 4/20
DENVER (AP) – Thousands of people are expected to join an unofficial counterculture holiday celebrating marijuana in Colorado and Washington this coming weekend, including out-of staters and even packaged tours. The events and crowds will test the limits of new laws permitting pot use by adults.
More than 50,000 are expected to light up outdoors in Denver’s Civic Center Park on April 20 to celebrate marijuana legalization. Thousands more are headed here for the nation’s first open-to-all Cannabis Cup, April 20-21, a domestic version of an annual marijuana contest and celebration in Amsterdam. Expected guests at the Cannabis Cup, a ticketed event taking place inside the Denver Convention Center, include Snoop Lion, the new reggae- and marijuana-loving persona for the rapper better known as Snoop Dogg read more…
CU-Boulder closes campus to deter 4/20 crowd
Security officers warn early-morning dog walkers, joggers about closure
POSTED: 04/20/2013 07:55:38 AM MDT
UPDATED: 04/20/2013 11:40:53 AM MDT By Brittany Anas, Camera Staff Writer
University of Colorado security officers warned early-morning dog walkers and joggers about the campus being closed to the public today – a 4/20 shut-down that is in its second year and is an effort to end the unsanctioned pot smoke-out that had grown beyond 10,000 people in past years.
This is the second year that CU officials have shut down the Boulder campus and the closure is a continuation of the school’s efforts to end the pot smoke-out that had been staged on Norlin Quad in past years.
By 6 a.m. this morning, signs were posted throughout the campus warning of the closure and Norlin Quad is scheduled to be closed off later today. Those who violate the closure can be arrested on trespassing charges, a misdemeanor that carries up to a $750 fine and six months in jail read more…
Snoop Lion kicks off 4/20 at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver By Seth A. McConnell | April 20th, 2013
Slideshow 4/20
As the clock struck midnight on April 20, Snoop Lion tossed joints to the crowd, balloons fell from the ceiling and the first legal 4/20 in Denver had officially begun.
The evening at the Fillmore Auditorium started with a screening of Snoop’s film, “Reincarnated” and a question and answer session with the rapper. After a montage about Snoop’s marijuana advocacy, he was awarded the High Times Lester Grinspoon Lifetime Achievement Award. Fitting for both the honor and the celebration, Snoop’s acceptance speech was a bong rip from the award itself (because it doubled as a bong).
Fans showered the stage with marijuana laced gifts, including a brownie that someone had taken a bite out of.
“How the hell you going to give me a brownie that you took a bite out of, man?,” Snoop said. He left the stage for a number of DJs to warm up the crowd before 4/20.
At approximately 11:55 p.m., DJ Snoopalicious took the stage to start a countdown to 4/20. He played until about 1 a.m., smoking with the crowd and filling the Fillmore with a 4/20-induced haze read more…
>>> UPDATE April 11, 2013 < << The buffets have been replaced with off-the-menu ordering, although Friday thru Sunday the CAFE features a Lobster Buffet from 5:00pm until 10:00pm. Also, Ardore’s has undergone a name-change. The new name is, BISTRO 321 CHOPHOUSE. Visit the LasVegasBuffetClub’s Colorado Casino’s page on THE RESERVE at the bottom of this post. This information supersedes any of the following.
< <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Hotel/Casino THE RESERVE in Central City, Colorado, formerly Fortune Valley Hotel Casino, keeps on getting better and better, in fact it’s becoming a Gilpin County favorite.
The Reserve sent me another room comp + a voucher for a trifle-bit of gambling/food cash, I jumped at the opportunity.
This hotel (resplendent with it’s rock & roll theme, 60s-70s vintage rock-posters, signed R&R memorabilia including guitars, records and microphones – also, crazy motorcycles, including a replica of the Easy Rider “Captain America Bike,” a Go Cart with a V8 auto-engine, and a long-legged-blonde-Pamela Anderson-look-alike-cocktail-waitress) is becoming yet more attractive by expanding the hours of the “fine-dining” restaurant ARDORE to seven days (ARDORE used to only be open on the weekends,) and converting the buffet to a real all-you-can-eat buffet. These are two excellent changes that are helping fine-tune this roadhouse-get-a-way in the mountains.
ARDORE - A TUSCAN STEAKHOUSE AND WINE EXPERIENCE
Upon arriving, walking through the casino, we gave ARDORE the once over and decided to come back later in the evening to try out this restaurant since it was the first time we found it open (we usually go up during the week and ARDORE previously only opened weekends.) “Ardore, meaning passion in Italian is Reserve’s own gourmet restaurant, featuring steakhouse style dishes with an Italian and Tuscan flare.” After checking in, settling in to the room to have a cocktail and catch up on the news, we went over to the AMERISTAR on Richman to play with the small gaming “stipend” they sent me. I did all-right, coming close to acquiring enough points to get a free-buffet (20 out of 25 points,) however we were still set on trying out ARDORE so I cashed in, dead-even, and we drove back up the hill to Central City.
ARDORE is fronted by glass and bottles and bottles (500) of stacked wine from THE RESERVE’S owner Tom Celani’s, “Celani Family Vineyards.” On weekends the restaurant offers up-scale Tuscan-style fine dining and also does business as: ARDORE’S BISTRO every day from 11:30 am to 4:00 pm for Lunch and re-opens for Dinner Monday thru Thursday at 4:30 p.m. serving lighter meals including salads, bistro-appetizers, and entrees including: a 1/2 lb. Certified Angus Beef Burger “Served on our House Roll with Tomato, Lettuce & Onion, and choice of Fries or Chips 7.99, Topped with your choice of Bleu, Swiss, Cheddar or American Cheese 8.99,” Avocado Salmon (13.99,) Merlot Meatloaf (12.99,) a couple of pasta dishes including: Rock ‘n’ Rollin’ Bolognese – “House Made Bolognese of Marinara, Ground Beef, Celery, Carrot, Onion over Angel Hair Pasta 11.99” and more see the complete menu at THE RESERVE’S website.
Weekends, they jack up the dinner menu a notch – menu-choices as well as prices. For instance the weekend dinner-menu offers: among the ANTIPASTI – APPETIZERS: there’s CALAMARI “Fried Calamari above a creamy Red Pepper emulsion and Micro greens – 7.00,” and entrees such as: LAMB SHANK “Braised Lamb Shank, marinated and baked in our house Marinara served over Risotto Primavera,” as well as an ARDORE RIBEYE “12 oz. House Butchered Ribeye, Our Signature Zip sauce, Asiago cheese, Truffle Rosemary Potatoes and Sautéed Spinach,” each $21.00. There’s also a BOLOGNESE Pasta “House made Bolognese consisting of celery, onion, carrot, Marinara and ground beef over your choice of Fettuccini or Angel Hair 16.00.” View the complete weekend dinner-menu at ARDORE’S website.
Being a Cobb Salad guy I ordered, guess what, The Cobb Salad. It was beautifully presented in a cool, white, oval deep-dish/plate that was made in such a manner that it tilts at an angle to your face, you gotta see it. All of the ingredients were “right” (including Grilled Chicken, Bacon, Avocado, Tomatoes, Hard-Boiled Egg and Crumbled Blue Cheese,) fresh and artistically placed in neat little groupings around the plate over a bed of Romaine Lettuce. The salad is offered with “either a Side of Bleu Cheese or Balsamic Vinaigrette 9.99.” It’s one of the better Cobbs I’ve had. That includes the Cobb at the (long-gone) Stardust in Las Vegas as well as that tasty honey-mustard Cobb at BOOMTOWN before it became SILVERTON on Blue Diamond Road in South Las Vegas. Yea I know – I’m just a Western/Southwestern dude, I don’t travel much out of the West, haven’t found a need to… Can’t get enough of that desert. Regarding the salad dressing, I would prefer a creamier (less tart/vinegary) Bleu Cheese. ARDORE’S might be just the place to dine before the (Central City) Opera. If other food choices aren’t up to par, don’t blame me, remember I’ve only had the Cobb Salad, so far…
The Chef's Kitchen Buffet
Regarding the little breakfast buffet ($3.99 or $1.99 with coupon) in The Chef’s Kitchen at THE RESERVE, it is now (to repeat) a true, all-you-can-eat buffet, and now one serves oneself at the buffet. Used to be that the buffeters’ plates were plated by a server behind the glass: they would ask you what you want and then you would have to point and say “some of this and some of that.” That’s over now, you load up your plate with exactly what you want and then come back for more – good move Reserve. Breakfast Buffet choices include: Western Scrambled Eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, pancakes, French Toast, fruit, bagels, sweet-rolls, cereals, biscuits and gravy, coffee and more. Orange juice and other drinks are extra. [This may be wrong, last time we went up Orange Juice was available in a dispenser next to the water dispenser.] This little Breakfast Buffet is my “hands-down” favorite in the area. It’s small-town intimate and though the food choices are minimal there’s enough for me. $1.99 with the coupon ain’t a bad price either.
There is also an all-you-can-eat, Lunch Buffet, (Monday – Friday) for $8.99 and a Champagne Brunch for $10.99 on Saturday and Sunday; and there’s a Dinner Buffet (7-days) for $16.99 in The Chef’s Kitchen. Call for hours and more buffet information.
If you’re an East-coast foodie/food-snob, you’ll find the buffet choices minimal. For the little mountain-town of Central City, they’re doing just fine, thank you. The restaurant experience is all-around, small-town friendly. The staff at the buffet are friendly, upbeat and helpful. The gracious, Debbi will make sure your visit to the buffet was satisfactory, at breakfast for sure. Perhaps she works other shifts as well.
Inside Market Street (the Reserve’s restaurant area,) besides the buffet line, there’s a coffee-bistro called Java Express “a little sandwich shop” that offers several Panini sandwiches for around $5.99. They also serve salads for about $4-bucks, beverages and Pizza slices ($1.99 or $.99 w/players card) and whole pies for $5.99 and $10.99, or Calzones $7.99. Beer is available here by the glass or pitcher. Take-out your order and head back to your room or have a seat at one of several, nearby tables.
The Reserve Hotel Casino
321 Gregory Street
Central City, Colorado 80427
303.582.0800 | 1.800.924.6646
The Reserve sent me some comped show-tickets for the Lava Room. Juice Newton’s picture/name on the ad struck true. I had a total crush on her back in the day. Her persona was wild and free-spirited.
Juice Newton
70s – 80s Pop Singing Diva, Juice Newton, is playing The Reserve Hotel Casino for two shows: 7PM and 9Pm on April 20, 2013.
“Born in New Jersey and raised in Virginia, Judith Kay Newton first picked up the guitar as an adolescent, inspired by the Byrds, Bob Dylan and folk artists like Tom Rush and Ian & Sylvia. By age 13 she was performing professionally (for the extravagant sum of $10), curving her small hand around the wide neck of her nylon-stringed axe and assaying folk and country tunes with her already impressive voice . Before long she’d partnered with some older teen musicians. “I’d written some songs but they weren’t very good,” she recalls, “so I mostly focused on my singing.” She would return to songwriting later, though, with some powerful results.”
“She, Otha Young and Tom Kealey formed the country-leaning group Silver Spur; they were signed and relocated to Los Angeles in short order, releasing their debut LP on RCA Records in 1975. By the time they moved to Capitol Records a few years later it was as Juice Newton and Silver Spur. In her capacity as a solo artist, she saw action on the charts with songs like “It’s a Heartache,” “Let’s Keep It That Way” and “Sunshine,” among others. Meanwhile, the Newton-Young composition “Sweet, Sweet Smile” became a hit for pop icons the Carpenters in 1978.”
“But it was with 1981′s Juice that the singer exploded into the mainstream, thanks to the enormous hits “Angel of the Morning,” “Queen of Hearts” and #1 country smash “The Sweetest Thing (I’ve Ever Known).” Delivering tearful, wall-of-sound pop, sprightly country-rock and everything in between with crystalline tone and infectious energy, Newton brought a sparkling authenticity to an era dominated by artifice. Juice went platinum and became an international monster, “The Sweetest Thing” spent 18 weeks in the Top 40, and Juice Newton earned two Grammy nominations for Best Female Vocalist.”
“Her 1982 album, Quiet Lies, was certified gold within months and spawned the hits “Love’s Been a Little Bit Hard on Me” (which scored Newton another Best Pop Female Vocalist Grammy nomination) and “Break It to Me Gently” (#1 AC, #2 Country, #11 Pop), which landed her a Grammy statuette for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. Among the other nominees in that category: Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Rosanne Cash. The disc also featured “Heart of the Night” (#4 AC, #25 Pop). She added a Country Music Award for Best New Female Artist, back-to-back Billboard Female Album Artist of the Year honors and Australian Music Media’s #1 International Country Artist win to her trophy cabinet.”
Other acts coming to the Lava Room in the foreseeable future: Dave Mason
April 27, 2013
Two shows: 7PM and 9PM
Little Texas
May 26, 2013
Two shows: 7PM and 9PM
Gwen Sebastian
Gwen Sebastian– SHOW’S OVER
February 17, 2013
Two shows: 7PM and 9PM
“Many voices contributed to Gwen Sebastian’s sudden and long-sought career growth, but which played the biggest part? Certainly her run on NBC’s hit singing competition The Voice was a huge boost. The sound of her coach and country superstar Blake Shelton offering a spot on his tour was equally sweet. One came in the form of a relative’s phone call, suggesting she attend an audition. There’s also the inner voice that brought her through a career crossroads before the show was even a consideration. Most recently, there’s the one that led her to a powerfully uplifting new single called “Met Him In A Motel Room.”
THIS WEEKEND: 9th Annual Festival Italiano this Sat & Sun, September 8th & 9th from 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
408 South Teller Street – Lakewood, Colorado 80226 – 303-742-1520
From the Festival’s Website:
Join us in celebrating the sights, sounds and flavors of Italy with our 9th Annual Festival Italiano September 8th & 9th, 10:00am – 7:00pm.
This year’s event will feature Italian food and artisan vendors, wine tastings, chef demonstrations, Balistreri Vineyard’s Children’s Grape Stomp, performances by the flag throwers from Florence and much more.
From the LasVegasBuffetClub: This is an annual event in a California-style outdoor-mall in Southwest Denver with food-booths, booze and entertainment, lots of laughs and fun. The kids can stomp grapes, old-kids can drink the stomped grapes and a good time can be had for all. Mall restaurants are open for more food choices. Purchase cheeses, breads and other take-home foods at vendors-booths. Lotsa Pizza!
by Jersey Boys AKA Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons
Quite simply stated, Jersey Boys is one of the best audio/visual things I’ve ever experienced. The way more than apt individual who wrote/programmed the set-design/lighting hit a bases-loaded, home-run with me. The set design itself, in terms of walls, furniture, stage-lighting etc. was gorgeous, if not remarkable, but there’s another facet to the design. Large 1/4-stage size? planes of light at the back of the stage changed colors and danced to the music, in fact the phrase that came to mind was that the planes of light were the fifth instrument. For those of you – and you know who you are – the fifth instrument refers to 50s – 60s rock and roll groups that usually had only four instruments: Drums, bass-guitar, lead-guitar and rhythm-guitar. Often the planes of light were big blocks of artist’s blue.
The only iffy thing for me was that there was not one out of four, of the lead-actors in the show, with an Italian surname. In fact I recall only two or three Italian names in the entire cast of 20-30. And this is a musical about basically five or six American Italians from New Jersey. Having said that, the players that played the Jersey Boys couldn’t have been better. Not attempting to mimic or copy Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons’ voices, they just did their own thing, and their thing was good, very good.
The music was loud – good loud – and was note perfect. There was a drum set center-stage, rear and it was working throughout the night. It was difficult to determine what other – if any – instruments were plugged in as most of the soundtrack was prerecorded. If I’m wrong please let me know. It was a bit unsettling to discover the recorded soundtrack, but I got over it and really enjoyed the show.
All the great recordings from Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, starting with SHERRY were performed with great skill and expertise. And maybe, with great respect – I’m speaking of the viewpoint of the story writers.
“Jersey Boys is a jukebox musical with music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe and book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. It is a documentary-style musical, based on one of the most successful 1960s rock ‘n roll groups, the Four Seasons. The musical opened on Broadway in 2005, and has since had a North American National Tour, along with productions in London’s West End, Las Vegas, Chicago, Toronto, Melbourne, Sydney, Philadelphia, Auckland and currently in Brisbane. Jersey Boys won four 2006 Tony Awards including Best Musical.’
Marshall Brickman
“was a member of the folk trio The Tarriers in the late 50s, with Eric Weissberg and actor Alan Arkin. He played Bluegrass guitar on the 1963 album New Dimensions in Banjo and Bluegrass with Weissberg;” “this was later reissued as Dueling Banjos, a pseudo-soundtrack album for Deliverance in 1973. (The title track was the only piece that was actually used in the film.) IMdB;” “he sang with John Phillips and Michelle Phillips in The New Journeymen before they split off to become 1/2 of the Mamas and the Papas He was an American screenwriter, best known for his collaborations with Woody Allen. He is also known for playing the banjo with Eric Weissberg in the 1960s, and for a series of comical parodies published in The New Yorker.” – Wikipedia. Makes you wonder!!!
Rick Elice
“Elice earned his BA from Cornell University, his MFA from the Yale Drama School and is a Teaching Fellow at Harvard. He was the salutatorian graduate of Francis Lewis High School in Queens, New York (class of 1973). He is a charter member of the American Repertory Theatre. His partner is actor Roger Rees.”
Bob Crew comes out as the big winner/mover and shaker, record producer/song writer, ain’t it always so.
Live Support
Speak with a real person seven days a week.
1 – 888 – 546 – 8561
“Times for ‘Jersey Boys’ are at 7:30 PM from Tuesdays to Sundays. Matinee performances are at 2 PM on weekends with a special matinee on August 9, Thursday, at 2 PM.”
Box Office, Theatres, Seawell Grand Ballroom Speer & Arapahoe
Drop off location 14th & Curtis St.
I was just invited to see Jersey Boys at the *Buell Theatre in Denver. I mentioned to the inviter that there is a Denver connection to Jersey Boys.
“Jersey Boys is a jukebox musical with music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe and book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. It is a documentary-style musical, based on one of the most successful 1960s rock ‘n roll groups, the Four Seasons. The musical opened on Broadway in 2005, and has since had a North American National Tour, along with productions in London’s West End, Las Vegas, Chicago, Toronto, Melbourne, Sydney, Philadelphia, Auckland and currently in Brisbane. Jersey Boys won four 2006 Tony Awards including Best Musical” more from WIKI
The Denver connection is a Green Eyed Lady. Denver’s own Jerry Corbetta (born September 23, 1947, in Denver, CO was a founding-member of Boulder, Colorado’s, 70s psychedelic-rock-band, Sugarloaf. Sugarloaf’s, Green Eyed Lady reached #3 on Billboards Hot 100 in 1970. Don’t Call Us We’ll Call You was another national hit by these inovative musicians. In the 80s, Jerry Corbetta joined the Four Seasons‘ line-up and the group became a sextet. “He [Jerry Corbetta] co-produced Frankie Valli’s critically acclaimed album “Heaven Above Me“, then was asked to join The Four Seasons for their Twentieth Anniversary Tour.” read more…
*Buell Theatre is located in the Denver Performing Arts Complex which is the second largest of its type in the world to New York’s Lincoln Center. The DPAC is located at 1031 13th Street on 12 acre site including ten performance venues connected by a tall glass roof. Buell Theatre Tickets used to be known as the Temple Buell Theatre.[sic]
Originally published June 21, 2012
New information/photo added July 12, 2012.
****New Gaming information below.
The Reserve Casino Hotel
The Reserve Casino Hotel
321 Gregory St
Central City, Colorado
(800) 924-6646
In the space previously occupied by Central City’s long struggling FORTUNE VALLEY Casino Hotel, THE RESERVE Casino Hotel is making a stand – just a minute from the west-end of Central City Parkway, which is an entry point into the gaming, mountain-town of Central City, Colorado – 45 minutes from Denver. Fortune Valley struggled for years against the “big-boys” on the other-side-of-town (a five-minute drive) in Black Hawk. The big-boys were, at that time, The Ameristar and The Riviera.
Central City had the lock on mom & pop gaming until neighboring gaming-town Black Hawk started building Las Vegas-style casinos down the mountain. Then Black Hawk was getting the lion’s share of business – so… Central City – of Colorado Opera fame – fought back with a new road direct from I-70 into Central City: Central City Parkway (four-lane, 8.4 miles) which is an easy drive from I-70. It’s a safe(r), mountain-valley type, scenic road that passes by old, gold mines and gold/green pasture – and in the winter-time bypasses the sometimes dicey (when snow or other winter conditions are present) Highway 6, paralleling Clear Creek. Now Black Hawk is fighting back: building a four-lane road up/down Highway 6, but that’s another story for another day. I’ll report when the road is finished. The two main entrees into the area are: Highway 6 approaching from the east, paralleling Clear Creek, entering the east end of Black Hawk – at The Riviera! And from the west on Central City Parkway, down from I-70 east passing a few casinos then passing in front of The Reserve! As one can see, both are strategically located – hence the Highway Wars fighting for **the richest square mile on earth.
The Reserve sent me a hotel-room-comp with a chit-for-a-small-amount-of-playing-cash, food discounts and more. I graciously accepted the offer and took a break with the free room.
The hotel has been rethought as a vintage rock & roll showcase with scores (no pun intended) of 60s, 70s music-posters, such as The Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Mothers of Invention etc. as well as (authentic) celebrity-autographs on guitars, like Eric Clapton’s, as well as someone’s Gold Record. I recall seeing a photo of Willie Nelson, can’t remember if it was autographed. Willie items are certainly appropriate since Willie Nelson used to live just over the hill near Evergreen, Colorado back in the day. I don’t think the guitars or the gold records are authentic, but was told that there is provenance with the autographs. Besides dozens of guitars, there are also American bike replicas like Captain America’s/Peter Fonda’s) American-Flag motorcycle from the great film classic, EASY RIDER. And to boot there is a huge 15-20 seat tabletop, video-poker bar shaped like a guitar, appropriately called The Guitar Bar (see below.) The Reserve is definitely an authentic, vintage rock & roll casino hotel. It’s a little bit like the Hard Rock in Las Vegas, but just to the extent that there are rock memorabilia everywhere. The theme seems to work and it seems to be the real deal. 60s and 70s groups like POCO, THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS and FOGHAT are currently booked in The Lava Room.
The Guitar Bar at The Reserve
“Colorado’s Only Casino Showroom”
“This 300 person showroom is home to National music acts, local bands, comedians, UFC viewings, sports parties and club type feel in the evenings.”
“The Lava Room is fully equipped with a state-of-the-art sound system, HD TVs at every turn, dance floor, private bar, sunken stage with three levels of seating and standing area, specialty VIP sections, and new outdoor patio conveniently located opposite of the stage.”
The Lava Room
The Reserve’s website shows basic room-rates from around $90.00 to $180.00. On the upper-end, suites run $140.00 to $200.00.
The rooms are definitely rock & roll: done-up in ***black/orange, yellow/black etc. That took a while to digest, but knowing the black/orange, black/red are all about the “color of fire” makes sense. The important things are that the rooms are clean and secure with flat-screens, coffee-makers, iron/ironing boards, hair dryers, shampoo/conditioner etc. and ice-makers/vending machines just down the hall, small refers and acceptable carpeting. It seems as though Fortune Valley was not in perfect condition when The Reserve took over. All in all it’s acceptable lodging, in my opinion. The beds are extremely comfortable.
Basic room at The Reserve
The thing that’s more than acceptable is the little cafeteria/restaurant that serves, in my opinion, one of the best all-things-considered breakfast-buffet ever. $1.99 w/players card gets you: scrambled eggs – in several varieties, pancakes, biscuits and gravy, ham/sausage/bacon, hash-browns, fruit, muffins, bagels with a schmear and all of the rest of important basic American breakfast fare. The buffet is very compact compared to the bigs, but it’s really very adequate. I’ve not sampled the lunch or dinner yet but will in due time. Even if I stay at a different hotel, I’m sure I’d do The Chef’s Kitchen for breakfast.
Lil' Buffet at The Reserve
Here are the current prices and hours:
Breakfast: Monday through Friday, 7am – 11am, $5.99 – $1.99 w/players card
Lunch: Monday through Friday, 11am – 4pm, $7.99*
Dinner: Sunday through Thursday, 4pm – 8pm, $10.99*
Champagne Brunch: Saturday and Sunday, 7am – 4pm, $10.99*
Specialty-Dinner: Friday, Steak & Shrimp and Saturday, Prime Rib, 4pm – 8pm, $10.99*
*No discount with players card
There is also a little sandwich shop called Java Express that offers several Panini sandwiches for $5.99;
they also serve salads for about $4-bucks, beverages and Pizza slices ($1.99 or $.99 w/players card)
and whole pies for $5.99 and $10.99, or Calzones $7.99. Beer is available here by the glass or pitcher.
The Reserve also sports a fine-dining Tuscan steak house. Ardore, the Italian restaurant at the casino and hotel, features a 500-bottle wine display. This upscale restaurant is open Friday – Sunday evenings. Dinners are $16.00 – $23.00 – visit the website for complete menus. “Tom Celani is one of the owners of Reserve Casino Hotel, and has a commitment to provide Ardore Tuscan Steakhouse-Seafood-Wine Experience with the highest quality wine, food and guest service. Celani Family wines are featured in Reserve’s gourmet room, named after the Celani Family vineyards prestige wine Ardore.”
****I really can’t comment on the gaming since I really don’t know the casino yet other than saying that they have the standard electronic slots, including video-poker, Keno, Double Bonus and all of the Micky Mouse machines that are so prevalent today. Live tables include poker, blackjack, craps and roulette. ****New gaming information below.
**”The Richest Square Mile On Earth:” “The Colorado Gold Rush began in 1858, leading prospective miners and settlers to discover modest gold deposits in the South Platte River and Cherry Creek in the modern-day Denver area.” “In May of 1859, a major gold strike was found close to Clear Creek in the Rocky Mountains, and Central City was born. By July over 10,000 people lived in the new town of Central City and the surrounding areas.” “By the end of 1859, between $1-1/2 & $2 million in gold was estimated as having been discovered, and the region quickly became known as “The Richest Square Mile On Earth” read more…
***After spending another comped night at The Reserve, I was delighted to find that they also have more tastefully decorated rooms like the room with Robin-blue walls in the photo below.
****Well I finally tasted the gaming at The Reserve, and it tasted pretty damn good. Usually I don’t like to comment on gaming since it can be a dicey situation if someone reads an article and looses cash. I’ll just lay it out as it was, but please don’t “bank” on the information leading you to winning hands. I searched for a particular type of machine. I like to play Video Poker and Keno machines, usually in small denominations like pennies or nickels. I found a machine and it was smoke’n. In a two-hour stretch, I hit several four-of-a-kinds, one of which was four-4s which, as you may know pays pretty good. This was a Multi Game slot with variable coin choices of $.05, $.25, $.50 and $1.00. This could be a fluke or as is usually the case I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Whatever the reason, it’s always better to win than to loose. I reserve the right to not reveal the slot or the location – other than saying that I was on the lower floor. Are the slots in the Colorado mountains finally loosening up a bit?
The Reserve, Blue Hotel Room - photo by WCCarbone
On my last trip up to Central City I snapped this cool (and wet) photo with my little Canon SD 1200 IS. A very welcome rain was saturating the mountain-side. FYI: Those mounds of golden-hued earth are tailings from the gold mines.
Central City in a summer rain - photo by WCCarbone
Some photos are from The Reserve. See more photos on The Reserve’s website.
by 
