Day Three: Denver, Colorado

Immediately following church we ironically stopped at a little cafe on Gaylord Street called Devil’s Food for breakfast. While we waited for a table we strolled down the street and visited a few local shops. Our first stop was a small boutique named Pome. Each nook and cranny of this long, narrow shop was filled with unique gifts like colorful, vintage aprons and bath salts in the form of cupcakes. We barely had time for one more shop before our table was ready and it was time for breakfast.

We walked back across the street to Devil’s Food where we were quickly seated at a table in the back of the restaurant. We went to a late church service so it didn’t take our hungry tummies long to decide what we wanted to eat. I was tempted to order one of the delicious confectionaries displayed in the huge glass case at the entrance, but I went for a mimosa and eggs florentine (a version of eggs benedict that substitutes tomato and spinach for ham). This dish, served with crispy breakfast potatoes, really hit the spot.

After breakfast we went to a shop next door called Lil’ Angel. This specialty pet boutique offers a variety of gifts for our furry little friends from pet wedding attire to custom painted pet portraits. I got Ava (my lil’ angel) a play mouse and a jar of fresh cat nip which she thoroughly enjoyed when we got home from our trip.

Before catching our flight, we stopped at the 16th Street Mall…a mile long stretch of shops in the center of downtown Denver. The whole street is closed off to traffic except for the free daily shuttle and horse-drawn carriages. Throughout the street you will find large flowering pots, various street vendors, a number of seats, and even free chess games. We passed dozens of shops and eateries until we stumbled upon the sweet voices of a military choir signing the Beatles. Although the mainstream shops couldn’t convince us to stop, this beautiful choir stopped us dead in our tracks. After a few ballads we headed back to the car and onto the airport.

I would definitely recommend checking out 16th street for the experience and people watching but if you’re interested in unique finds and a more intimate look at Denver then an area like Gaylord Street is for you. Our weekend trip was quick but it was great to discover the city beyond the doors of the airport. A huge thank you to Steph for putting us up and showing us around!