3 Sons Italian Restaurant & Bar
14805 West 64th Avenue
Arvada, Colorado
303-455-4366
3 Sons had been serving fine Italian food on W 44th Ave in Denver for years. Susan and Michael Scarafiotti purchased 3 Sons in March of 2004. For over a year, the new owners have been serving fine Italian food at a new location in Arvada. The new 3 Sons Italian Restaurant and Bar opened at 14805 West 64th Avenue in Arvada, Colorado, in June 2009. And it’s a good thing. Not that they moved, but everything is good: the location, the bar, the dining room, the food, the happy-hours, the staff, and the spotless head(s).
The Tuscanesque-style restaurant with beige walls, old-brick archways, booths and chairs in warm reds and golds is in a shopping-center location, plenty of parking. There’s a bar area with a few booths and tables in front of floor to ceiling windows where patrons can “do” half-priced apps and 2-4-1 wine and wells and other drink specials at Happy Hour (call for hours).
The brunette cocktail-bringer we had last night was over-the-top gracious. Not only when she brought us the drinks and fresh bread with olive-oil/Balsamic dipping sauce, but every time she passed the table.
3 Sons at Christmastime
Moving to the dining room (one of two) after lingering a half-hour in the lounge, we were seated at a cozy booth in a warm room with subdued lighting, a kinda-formal setting. The only thing out of place was the dude in the Giants team-jacket. This is really a fairly elegant room.
From the menu we chose a basic pasta (spaghetti) with Marinara sauce served with meatball or Belfiore’s sausage ($11.00), and White trout filet pan-roasted & topped with shallots, white wine lemon butter sauce, served with Chef’s risotto of the day & 3 Sons vegetable medley ($17.00.) Add a soup or fresh house salad for $2.99, we did. A cool, blonde brought us fresh bread and dipping-sauce with the entrées. All the right textures, flavors and accouterments were accounted for and present. Portions were decent, service was excellent. I’ll return to try the pizza ($11.00) – ($15.00) and Lasagna ($17.00) and…
Full menus can be viewed at 3 Sons Official Website. Items from those menus include: Calzones ($14.00), Spaghetti Bolognese, Meatloaf ($15.00), and a Family Favorites list including, Lobster Ravioli ($16.00). Oh yea, Uh-hmmm! 3 Sons Patio
Photos are from 3 Sons Official Website
This post assembled by W Carbone.
“Background: In its 105th year, the National Western Stock Show is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that provides college and graduate level scholarships in agriculture and medicine for practice in rural areas. It is also our mission to serve producers and consumers throughout the world by being the premier Stock Show, Rodeo, Horse Show and center for year‐round events. The 16‐day show also serves as an entertainment arena, hosting one of the world’s richest regular season professional rodeos, largest horse show and Colorado’s largest tradeshow.”
“Attendance: Overall attendance in 2009 was 643,100. The attendance record was set during the Stock Show’s 100th anniversary in 2006 at 726,972.”
“Exhibits: More than 15,000 head of horses, cattle, sheep, swine, goats, llamas, alpacas, bison, yak, poultry and rabbits step foot on the grounds of the National Western Stock Show each year. The National Western Stock Show is noted for hosting the world’s only carload and pen cattle show, held in the historic Denver Union Stockyards.”
“Trade Show: More than 350 vendors fill the nearly 100‐acre show grounds with a variety of food and shopping opportunities. The National Western Trade Show offer a variety of products including fine art and jewelry, clothing, household items and agricultural products and equipment.” read more from the Official NWSS Website…
The National Western Stock Show, a brief history By Keith and Cheryl Chamberlain:
“The year was 1906. Theodore Roosevelt was in the White House, there were 45 states in the Union, Colorado was getting ready to celebrate its thirtieth birthday and sirloin was ten cents a pound. On the outskirts of Denver, a growing town with a population of 200,000, stockmen from around the West gathered to show their animals, buy and sell breeding stock and encourage a meatpacking center to rival those in Kansas City and Chicago. From this beginning, the National Western Stock Show, Rodeo and Horse Show was born. The grand champion steer that first year was a Shorthorn that tipped the scales at 1,150 pounds and befitting its status, fetched an eye-popping 33 cents a pound.”
The West Needs A Stock Show
“In the early years of the 20th century, western stock growers faced a problem. They lacked a large market center in the West to receive their animals and the cost of shipping to eastern markets cut into already lean profits. Though there was a small meat packing industry in Denver, it was a poor cousin to its larger rivals in Chicago and Kansas City. There was also the feeling among western stockmen that they weren’t getting fair prices for their cattle, sheep and hogs. Livestock raising in the West was a tougher proposition than in the more humid East where concentrated corn and grain feeds were used to fatten livestock. The solution would be improved breeds that could thrive in this more arid region and a meat packing center in the West to compete with the big eastern packers” read more
Great American Bison
Photo is from Gear-Gear.Com
RODEO – HORSE SHOW – LIVESTOCK – WESTERN ART – SPECIAL EVENTS – TRADE SHOW – MORE
“The Strip fills with revelers. Fireworks light up the sky. The casinos are body-to-body, the showrooms filled with A-list entertainers and Vegas is more gloriously alive than you’ve ever seen it. New Year’s Eve in Vegas is a world-class celebration. Below you can book your room, buy nightclub party tickets, show tickets and get information about the fireworks.”
Denver’s New Year’s Eve 2011 Party Guide
“clubZone[sic] ranks the top New Years Eve parties in Denver based on how they’re selling. Review the events below, find the best party for you, buy your tickets in advance… and have a great New Years Eve!”
EL NOA NOA Mexican Restaurant
722 Santa Fe Dr
Denver, CO 80204 (303) 623-9968
One of the best Mexican restaurants in Denver, Colorado, EL NOA NOA on Santa Fe Drive is an authentic Mexican restaurant in an Hispanic neighborhood that has been around forever. A commercial area of the ‘hood surrounding EL NOA NOA has recently been adopted by a multi-culture art crowd. It is fast becoming a major “ARTS DISTRICT.” O.K. if you’re from New York you have a different definition of the term “major.” So… The restaurant underwent a makeover in the past year, or so.
According to tradition there were 2 dogs, two cats, 2 elephants, 2 zebras, on and on and on and on the ark during the flood. It would make sense then that maybe there were also two Noa’s…Or is that too much of a stretch? Anyway I’ve decided that that is the origin of the name.
El Noa Noa might be my favorite Mexican Restaurant in Denver. Maybe it depends on the time of year. In the more favorable seasons, weather permitting – the patio is open (see photo,) the trees are in bloom, the fountain is running and on some Saturday nights there is live music. In a perfect storm, so to speak, and all things are happening as they should be happening – this may be it. I can’t imagine a much more pleasant ambiance.
We were there last Saturday night. The late sun was shinning, the band – a South American flute and guitar group were into their music – and we were into some excellent authentic Mexican food and beverage.
I mentioned to the affable Armando that since the patio really helps to make the restaurant they should think about enclosing the patio with glass or acrylic so this little piece of heaven can be enjoyed year-round.
This good look’n restaurant attracts some good look’n people – the people watching is superlative.
The Denver Civic Theatre at 721 Santa Fe Drive is just across the street..
Play’s such as last year’s THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES opened to good reviews/crowds.
The food is excellent: Try the Chile Rellano Plate ($10.25) or the Fajitas ($14.50.) Everything is tasty and authentic…
Prices are moderate. The full bar is serving up your favorite margs. Happy Hour: Mon – Fri, 2-6, check website.
Better hurry though, it won’t be long before the Colorado nights are too chilly to have chile outdoors.
Winners Announced
The 2010 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) competition drew an impressive field of competitors, with 2010 topping last year’s entries by nine percent. GABF remains the largest commercial beer competition in the world with 3,523 beers vying for medals (compared to 3,308 entries in 2009).
This year’s GABF competition attracted 151 beer judges from 10 countries. Award-winning brewers received prestigious gold, silver and bronze medals in 79 beer categories covering 133 beer styles, establishing the best examples of each style in the U.S more from The Great American Beer Festival” website
This year’s festival was held on September 16-18, 2010 • Colorado Convention Center • Denver, Colorado.
Originally posted August 20, 2010 – See Jersey Boys for Free, story after this preface and photo.
This is an album of tunes from the early days. Most of the songs are from the early days before the [1]British Music Invasion and before the Beatles knocked The Four Seasons off the top rung of the hierarchy of the rock n’ roll music-business – when The Four Seasons were arguably the most popular “rock band.” The Vocal Group Hall of Fame has stated that “it [The Four Seasons] was the most popular rock band before The Beatles.” [2]It was also at a (brief) point on the timeline of American music when young Americans with Italian surnames occupied a sizable portion of the airwaves. [Perhaps the term Rock Band should be replaced with Vocal Group. The Beach Boys were certainly in the running: “from 1962 to early 1964, only the Beach Boys matched the Four Seasons in record sales in the United States” – Wiki. [Elvis is another story, he was in a class of his own. The first Number 1 rock n’ roll record was Bill Haley & His Comets’ “Rock Around the Clock” topping the charts around July of 1955. Elvis’ first number one hit, “Heartbreak Hotel” was in 1956.]
This is just one person’s take.
“When the British Music Invasion’s initial – first few years – bombardment was over, the Italians – much to the delight of Chef Boyardee-America – were sent back to the streets of Philadelphia, New Jersey and other Italian, East Coast strongholds.” “The “I Did It My Way” dream was over.” “From that point on, if they wanted to play, many had to do it “someone else’s way,” or so it seems.” “A few groups and individuals survived – the crème de la crème.”
There’s a Denver Connection to The Four Seasons (at the end of this post.)] Some of the aforementioned is derived from a sociological theory that deserves much more depth and discussion. The LasVegasBuffetClub’s blog pages will present such an in-depth post in the future.
The Very Best of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons
Photo is from StoneWallets.Org
Story from LasVegasAdvisor’s Anthony Curtis
“See Jersey Boys for Free: The story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons will celebrate its 1000th show at The Palazzo at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 28th. To celebrate the milestone performance, Jersey Boys will host the “Walk Like a Man” shoe drive, where fans can bring a pair of new children’s shoes to the theater lobby between noon and 5 p.m. on the day of the show and receive a complimentary ticket to that night’s performance in exchange. A maximum of two pairs of shoes per person will be allowed and up to 1,000 tickets will be distributed to fans who participate in the drive. All shoes will be donated to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Las Vegas.” Story from LasVegasAdvisor’s Anthony Curtis
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From The Palazzo’s Official Website
JERSEY BOYS
Las Vegas welcomes the musical phenomenon Jersey Boys to its exclusive West Coast home at The Palazzo!
This super-hit blockbuster takes you up the charts, across the country and behind the music of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. Discover the secret of a 40-year friendship: four blue-collar kids working their way from the streets of Newark to the heights of stardom and experience electrifying performances of the golden greats that took these guys all the way to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” “My Eyes Adored You,” and more. As the New York Times says, “The crowd goes wild!”
“An Electrifying Seismic Sensation!” – LA Times
“A Bona Fide Mega Hit.” – San Diego Tribune
“A Cheering, Stomping, Hats in the Air Triumph!” – Toronto Star
There’s a Denver connection to The Four Seasons.
Denver’s Jerry Corbetta joined The Four Seasons in 1980. Corbetta was in the Boulder, Colorado based rock and roll band, Sugarloaf, in the 1970s. Boulder’s Corbetta and Sugarloaf (named after a mountain in Boulder) are best known for two songs, both of which hit the top 10 charts in the United States: “Green-Eyed Lady” in the autumn of 1970 (their biggest hit, reaching #3 on the Billboard chart) and “Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You” in 1975 (US #9.) – Wiki
Another Boulder connection:
Around the early 1960s an early incarnation of the Four Seasons was called “Frankie Valle and the Romans” – not to be confused with the Boulder-based band “The Romans” with members: John “Skip” Laguardia-manager/guitar, Dave Mariano-bass/vocals, Tommy Moore-drums, and Bill Carbone-guitar/vocals. Other occasional players with The Romans were: Doug Dolph-guitar, Paul Longo-saxophone and Frankie Reno-vocals.
Hard working, all but forgotten and now seemingly invisible small-town-band “The Romans” played the Denver/Boulder area’s so called 3.2 Circuit which referred to Denver’s liquor law permitting 18+ year olds, access to clubs that served only 3.2% beer. The age limit for hard-alcohol/6% beer clubs was 21. Most of these 3.2 clubs were owned by 60s premiere club owner, Nate Feld. Feld was from the family presently affiliated with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. Nate Feld was also a partner of Denver rock impresario Barry Fey.
The Romans band also played fraternity houses in Boulder as well as other nightclub venues in Denver, Colorado Springs, Ft. Collins, Greeley, Pueblo and surrounding areas. One of the more popular gigs at the time in Boulder (before the drug culture) was the infamous TOGA PARTY, made famous by the movie Animal House.
“I remember The Romans playing at a very hot Toga Party on the Hill in Boulder.” “They did a rousing version of the Kingsmen’s song “Louie Louie” that must have lasted for twenty minutes with a ten minute guitar solo on a Cherry-Red Guild Starfire.” “Everyone was dressed in bed sheets – for togas, beer was flowing from kegs of Coors, and everyone was going absolutely crazy.” Psychedelics were just on the horizon.
*The 60sOfficialSite.com says
[1]Though generally not credited with starting the “Invasion”, Dusty Springfield was one of the first British artist[sic] to have significant success in the U.S., with her hit single “I Only Want to Be with You”, released in November 1963.
I spent half of my life in love (as a fan) with Dusty Springfield and still am, I agree and I’d like to add:
“In 1962, the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit was “Stranger on the Shore,” by Mr. Acker Bilk. It was the first British hit to make the top of the U.S. charts” – PugetSoundRadio.com
I’ve always realized the irony: (British) Stranger on the (American) Shore. This was the shot heard ’round the world.
[MUSICAL NOTES INSERTED HERE] How lo—ng – – – – has this bee’n go—ing on???
[2]Strong in the 1940s and 50s, continuing into the 60s, starting to fade by the 1970s.
Some of this information was written by an artist-type individual. He makes no claims to intelligence nor does he claim any degrees of higher education. And the professors say, Uh, You really don’t have to tell us that.
Influence
“The British Invasion had a profound impact on the shape of popular music. It helped internationalize the production of rock and roll, establishing the British popular music industry as a viable centre of musical creativity,[] and opening the door for subsequent British and Irish performers to achieve international success.[] In America the Invasion arguably spelled the end of such scenes as instrumental surf music, vocal girl groups and (for a time) the teen idols that had dominated the American charts in the late 1950s and 60s.[] It dented the careers of established R&B acts like Fats Domino and Chubby Checker and temporarily derailed the chart success of surviving rock and roll acts, including Elvis Presley.[] It prompted many existing garage rock bands to adopt a sound with a British Invasion inflection, and inspired many other groups to form, creating a scene from which many major American acts of the next decade would emerge.[] The British Invasion also played a major part in the rise of a distinct genre of rock music, and cemented the primacy of the rock group, based around guitars and drums and producing their own material as singer-songwriters.”[]
“Though a majority of the acts associated with the invasion did not survive its end, many others would become icons of rock music.”[]
Criticism
“That the sound of British beat bands was not radically different from American groups like The Beach Boys, and damaged the careers of African American and female artists,[] have been the subject of criticism of the invasion in the United States. American singer Willy DeVille said the invaders played a watered down version of American music and pushed aside talented American artists such as Ben E. King and Smokey Robinson, adding that Americans, by favoring “anything that fucking glittered”, fell for a “big money complicated political con game”.”[]
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All information is protected under the Laws of International Copyright.
Copyright 2010 LasVegasBuffetClub.
All rights reserved.
by Grocery Store at the Denver West / Central City KOA RV Park
Celebrating a birthday, four of us went up to Central City/Black Hawk to do a buffet and try our luck at the machines. On the drive up I-70, just before entering Central City – on Central City Parkway – we noticed that the *Gambler’s Edge RV Park was open for business after a year+ closure. Is this a small indicater that business is coming back to the mountain casinos? We’ll wait and see. I called the office and confirmed the reopening of the RV Park. The park reopened May 1, 2010. *It is now called the Denver West / Central City KOA RV Park.
First let me back up for a second. Last week I had an Asian Chicken Salad (a fav) at the Red Coral restaurant on So. Colorado Blvd. in Denver. I saw some coupons in an Asian magazine at the restaurant. One of the coupons was a two-for-one buffet coupon for The Isle Hotel/Casino’s Calypso’s Buffet. I got a couple of coupons for a trip to the mountains.
Yesterday we drove up at around three o’ clock in the afternoon. First I wanted to check out The Ameristar Hotel Casino to see if I had any comps coming so we parked at the free Ameristar Casino Hotel’s covered parking garage and went in. The ladies sat in front of a fireplace and had a cocktail, I went to check for comps and Gregg went to the machines. Three of us were back in front of the fireplace when a very animated Gregg rushed up waving a slot ticket. He had a ticket for $198.00. Not bad for small-time gamers. Working off a very small budget, *I also played “his” machine and stopped when I was around $75.00 up. Not bad at all considering that my “bankroll” was a $5.00 comp I got from Ameristar. I parlayed that five dollar bill into gambling money which I used for the rest of the night. Krissy also was ahead at Ameristar. This sounds like hype, but this was one of the best gambling nights any of us has ever had in Black Hawk. The crowd was lively, the band was hot and the casino was hoppin’. We were several hundred bucks ahead and the night was just starting.
After a bit more gambling we were all getting hungry so we moved the car to the Riviera’s parking garage, walked across the street to The Isle Hotel, refreshed our Player cards, put in a couple of bucks, then moved over to Calypso’s Buffet. I had seen this room before but had never eaten there. The basic design is “Island” with thached-roofs and bamboo, and some other stuff that doesn’t quite work, but that’s another post. Basically it’s a comfortable room. We took a booth against a wall on the oposite side of the buffet tables.
We were all somewhat surprised with the buffet. It was pretty decent, especially with the all-you-can-eat King Crab Legs (7 days.) My favorite – the peel and eat shrimp – were cold, firm and tasty. Also at the buffet tables: an (average) salad-bar with breads, soups and fruit, a build-your-own taco bar, an Asian food station, a carnivor station with roast beef, chicken etc. Some of the other tasty items were: risotto with sun-dried tomatoes, pizza, Swedish meatballs, Tuna Steaks, Bar-B-Que pork, Chicken Piccata, and of course the dessert station with gooey pies, cakes, ice cream and more.
Usually we do the buffet at The Ameristar or The Lodge Casino. We had coupons for The Isle, coupons rule…
After dinner we tasted a few machines at The ISLE then moved on over to The RIV, tried a few machines there then headed back to the city. It was indeed a good night.
Calypso’s Buffet
Isle Casino Hotel Black Hawk
401 Main Street
Black Hawk, CO 80422
*I debated whether or not to divulge the following information. I guess I decided to do just that. The killer machine was a [$0.01 – information was deleted august 10, 2010.]
*This information is for professional gamblers and not intended to entice persons to gamble. Although we did ok playing this machine, it could have been a fluke. We are not advising anyone to play this machine or any other gambling machine.
Imperial Chinese Restaurant
431 S. Broadway
Denver, Colorado 80209
Excerpt is from The Imperial’s website
“Since the Imperial Chinese Restaurant made its debut in 1985, it has become, quite simply, the standard by which all other Denver Chinese cuisine is judged. Owner Johnny Hsu, who has created a tradition of large scale, fine Asian establishments and owns the exquiste Palace Chinese Restaurant in south Denver. And while diners have remained loyal over the past two decades, so have the restaurant critics.” read more from The Imperial’s Official Website
The other night, as we were celebrating *2x’s birthday – on Chinese New Year’s Eve – I was thinking that dining at the Imperial feels more like dining in a high-end hotel restaurant in Las Vegas. The high-def energy in this place is amazing. Maybe it’s the collective brain energy of the extra intelligent people who dine here.
Quality is a word that comes to mind when thinking of The Imperial Chinese Restaurant. From the entrance and the reservations-desk to the booths, the decor, the huge fishtanks, the fresh flowers on each table, the fine dark woods and nick-nacks, everything here is first rate. Then there’s the food which is also first rate. The extra, good-looking staff and management is extra-friendly and efficient.
“The Imperial Chinese Restaurant is famous for it’s spicy Szechwan dishes. It was first to introduce the sesame chicken to Denver and it’s flavorful version is still the best. The melt in your mouth Chilean sea bass in black bean sauce, stir fired Dungeness crab, steamed whole striped bass and continous addition of new Chinese dishes keep loyal diners coming back.”
The restaurant was jammed on New Year’s Eve. Our reservation wasn’t ready when we arrived so we did a 35 minute stint in the little bar area; We were served complimentary egg rolls while we waited.
Our party ordered Szechwan Assorted Vegetables (my favorite, $10.95,) Moo Shoo Chicken (10.25,) Mongolian Beef (11.95) and a Seafood Bird’s Nest (18.95.) Everything was well prepared and very tasty.
Also on the menu – Signature Dishes, including: Nanking Pork Loin – “Bite-size pork loin marinated and cooked in our chef’s special sauce” (12.50) to Peking Duck – Fit for the Emperor “Whole duckling roasted to perfection, skinned, deboned and served with pancakes” (37.50,) Whole Dungeness Crabs “Whole Dungeness crab cut into various pieces, stir-fried with fresh scallions, ginger and Chinese five spices (Market Price,) The Imperial Dinner $21.95 per person (Minimum Serving 2 people:) Soup, Appetizers, Entree Choice and Dessert. See complete menu at The Imperial’s Official Website
High Times MagazineThe Cannabis Holiday Health Fair in Denver, Colorado will be held on Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009 – 10:00 am to 4:00 pm; Location: Holiday Inn Denver-Central, 4849 Bannock St., Denver, CO.
The Cannabis Health Fair is a public and legislative outreach event designed to answer questions about cannabis as medicine and how to become a legal patient in Colorado.
Absolutely no cannabis medicine is allowed at this event. There will be information, exhibits and videos of cannabis, as well as unique gifts for the holidays.
Exhibitors
Exhibitors include medical cannabis dispensaries and collectives, caregiving businesses, therapists and holistic health practitioners, cannabis research businesses, medical cannabis attorneys and business consultants, advocacy groups, lawmakers, and many others fields related to medical cannabis and industrial hemp. Click here for a current list of exhibitors.
by Sheryl Crow's horse "COLORADO"
photo Mail Chimp
Sheryl Crow Asks President Obama & Secretary Salazar to Stop the Assault on America’s Wild Horses and Burros
Actors Ed Harris, Wendie Malick, and Over 100 Organizations Demand Roundup Moratorium, Protesting Nevada’s Calico Complex Roundup to begin December 1
COLORADO SPRINGS, Co. (November 20, 2009)—Sheryl Crow speaks out for the wild horses and burros on America’s public lands in the west. The multi-GRAMMY®-winning singer-songwriter and mustang owner joins The Cloud Foundation, over 130 organizations, scientists, authors and celebrity supporters calling on President Obama, Members of Congress and the Department of Interior to place an immediate moratorium on all wild horse and burro roundups until a long-term and humane policy to manage the animals is developed.
“With one voice we are insisting that our government stop managing these beautiful and important animals to extinction” —Sheryl Crow
The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) removal plan for Nevada’s Calico Complex wild mustangs is fueling outrage across the country and internationally. In a unified sign-on letter (full text below), wild horse supporters outline their opposition to the Obama Administration’s October 7, 2009 announcement [read news release here ] regarding the management of wild horses and burros. Groups oppose moving 26,000 wild horses to purchased lands in the east and the current government practice of removing entire wild horse and burros herds from public lands specifically designated for the animals by Congress in 1971.
“We ask that President Obama or Secretary Salazar cease all BLM roundups as of this date to prevent further suffering. We request that the government and BLM begin to work in good faith with wild horse advocates for a sustainable solution. The Calico Roundup, scheduled to begin in December and continue through the dead of winter, is inhumane and must be stopped!” —Sheryl Crow read more from The Cloud Foundation website, sign the petition, access photos and more…
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