Rant:  Downtown pedestrian lightsDid we miss something? One year ago, Denver supposedly eliminated the “Barnes Dance” crosswalks—the four-way stoppages that let pedestrians traverse intersections diagonally—when the city realized that almost no one was taking advantage of them. So why isn’t it any easier to escape from LoDo by car? Plenty of downtown streets, particularly along 17th and 18th...

There's something about roasted chicken that always satisfies. My latest find—and one that I've been raving about for days—came at Madison Street, the welcoming neighborhood grill in Congress Park. The evening I dined, I was vacilating between ordering the chicken or the quinoa salad with shrimp. But when my server (rightfully) promoted the chicken as one of the restaurant's signature dishes, my...

It's not a stretch to say that since opening in 2009, Crema Coffee House on 29th and Larimer has elevated Denver's java scene. Denverites are becoming more mindful of the coffee they sip and the artistry behind the process (scroll to the bottom of this page and watch the "I'll make you a drink" video). As of two weeks ago, there's a new hub: Happy Coffee in the Baker District. You probably won't...

When I fall for a particular cheese, I fall hard. Currently, I'm stuck on the heavenly Shepherd's Halo from Larkspur-based Fruition Farms Dairy. The creamy, soft-rind, sheep's-milk cheese is elegant and perfectly balanced. It has enough pungency to attract, not repel. It's buttery, not cloying. And inside the tang, there's a hint of sweetness (due to the molasses and corn eaten by the sheep). The...