My childhood best friend fell in love with a girl over the internet. I lent her some cash to get on a plane to Denver – and, proof that no good deed goes unpunished – she never came back.
Over a decade, from 4,685 miles away (and closer, when we can manage it) I’ve watched her life and career as an artist and illustrator bloom. And with it, her new hometown’s creative scene.
Spring 2023, and now I’m the one in the tin-can diner eating pretzels. I’m fresh out of a long relationship rather than starting a new one, but there’s only one place I want to be. Denver is gentle – but it’s dynamic, and vibrant. The mix of eclectic shopping, beautiful art, interesting food and epic Rocky Mountain scenery is a tonic for bashed up hearts and busy brains.
If I was going to be sad, I figured I could do it eating strawberry pancakes the way Sofie knows I like them. And 300 days of sunshine a year? I might never go home.
On a mission to keep me awake all day (the jet lag is killer, combined with the Mile High City’s altitude) Sofie drives me from Denver airport to Tí Cafe (‘essential in your state’) where three sisters peddle a swathe of bright Vietnamese drinks and snacks.
One breakfast of flan-topped Vietnamese iced coffee, sparkling soda with white chocolate-covered lychees and two BBQ pork buns later, we’re charged up to conquer North Broadway.
I swoon over the unusual plants and esoteric homewares in Rosehouse Botanicals, and we chat with the staff at Awakening Boutique, a feminist, sex-positive boutique and community space. We’re transported to the Nineties at Mutiny Info Cafe: a counter-cultural hub and anti-fascist bookstore teeming with rare books, zines, comics and records.
People swap stories in the cosy coffee lounge, play the old pinball machines and overlook mild scratches from the grouchy resident cat.
‘This place is very Denver’, Sof explains. ‘The city tried to close it down recently, but a fundraiser saved it within 24 hours’. She points out the Mayan, a stunning 1930s cinema that shows the best of independent film, and has unusually good popcorn.
Further up are a host of high-end clothing and home goods stores stocking independent brands. Neither of us leave Recital or Here In Heaven vintage shops empty-handed. We take the weight off at Leven Deli, an industrial-chic Jewish deli, coffee bar, wine shop, bakery and market space, and split a (perfect) reuben.
We sink prickly pear sours at Goldpoint, a hipster dive bar with a playful heavy metal-themed cocktail menu. A little further on is Welton Street Café, a beloved Black-owned soul food spot that’s a mainstay of the Five Points neighbourhood.
You can feel the creative community everywhere here; streets fizzing with new projects and ideas. We pass beautiful graffiti and murals on the quick drive to RiNo, where I dump my bags and shower at my mid-century hotel Catbird. We coo over the low fireplaces and funky rooftop bar, where a yoga session is in full swing, then explore the playroom filled with toys and tools.
Sof fires up the coffee machine to stop me clambering into the raised bed and taking advantage of the in-room projector. Cruiser bikes and Vespas are there to borrow, but she’ll drive us to dinner in the Subaru.
The standout meal of the trip is at Uchi, an award-winning, non-traditional Japanese restaurant harvesting crops from its own rooftop greenhouse. We go with the Omakase theme and revel in being served countless plates of impossibly fresh sashimi and nigiri. I can’t recall tasting something as good as the oak-grilled walu walu with yuzupon, candied citrus and myoga – or the spicy brussels sprouts. Plus, the properly inventive cocktails manage to help me forget I’ve not slept in a very long time.
The next day is our obligatory trip to Meow Wolf, the shining star of Denver’s multi-faceted arts scene – and home to Sofie’s largest permanent installation. Like Disney World for adults with big imaginations, it’s a permanent, incredibly high-spec network of immersive art experiences. Spanning several levels, one moment you’re peering around a spacecraft-like control centre, next following a skywalk through a bubblegum pink, Avatar-style jungle of pulsating lights and plant fronds.
I’m not dry-eyed for long as we come to Sofie’s space, celebrating themes of fantasy, intimacy and empowerment. I’ve seen her illustrations for Apple, Google, Facebook, Nike and The New York Times, exploring transhistorical narratives of queerness. I collected the Royal Mail stamps she designed (signed off by the Queen herself) for Pride in 2022.
But this, Room 300, is a richly detailed collage of her personal experiences and memories, filled with towering 3D renderings of women and gender expansive folks unapologetically taking up space. There are no men in sight – as per my request for the trip.
‘I’m celebrating my friendships. They’re the most important forces in my life.’ It’s an extraordinary experience, like physically stepping inside a brain I’ve known so well, for so long. I fizz with respect for her and this community forever facing so many complex challenges.
We take a look around the Center On Colfax, an impressive LGBTQI+ community centre which opened in 1976 complete with a roof terrace that’s prime for Denver Pride parade viewing. It’s tirelessly dedicated to supporting Denver’s queer youth and providing a place for them to spend time safely. Organisers tell me there are just 17 lesbian bars left in the country.
We meet Sofie’s partner and well-known queer comedian Lee Robinson at Town Hall Collaborative, a staple spot they’re forever grateful for.
‘This bar, coffee shop but most importantly, community space was opened by two best friends, Denise and Lauren, who had a mission to support and empower women’, Sofie points out.
Lee chimes in: ‘Fort Greene Bar is another space that operates similarly – with a programme from the community, and a welcoming vibe always. Goldspot Brewing and Lady Justice Brewing are also queer-owned, with amazing events.’
You can really feel the love and care poured into projects like this, more important than ever in the US right now. Five people were killed at nightclub Club Q in Colorado last November. During my trip, Conservative commentators and Republican politicians ramp up the anti-trans rhetoric after another shooting, at a Christian school.
Lee’s answer? More love, and louder. Last year, Lee and Kate threw Camp Dyketopia, a two day queer comedy and arts festival on a farm. What better antidote to negativity and hate than petting zoos, live bands, queer comedy, food trucks, and gorgeous gay revelry?
‘Since starting comedy in 2019, I felt isolated and othered at open mics and shows. It was hard to feel like I belonged in the scene. One, because I was not funny yet and two, because it’s a scene of mostly straight men. I really longed to be able to create my own audience, and create a space where queer people feel safe to laugh and be themselves.’
I’m struck by the resilience of the queer scene, in the wake of the pandemic and constant right-wing antagonism. Sofie and Lee are part of a huge network of talented individuals putting Denver – and other maligned communities – on the map.
We ponder countless modern pieces with powerful messages at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Denver Art Museum’s Indigenous Arts of North America collection inspires us to grab Indian tacos and stuffed fry bread at Tocabe, a lunch spot telling the stories of Native American culture through native-sourced recipes.
Near the end of my trip, we start a spoiling day with perfect handmade croissants and pain au raisin at Noisette bakery (both for me), before spoiling Swedish massages at the Oxford Spa.
We idly wander through Dairy Block’s shops and cafes while we wait for renowned US comedians Patti Harrison, Sarah Sherman and Meg Stalter to pull into town for their ‘Live! Nude! Girls!’ tour. They bring the house down with wickedly high energy, provocative and liberal improv. We exit breathless from belly laughs, begging for mercy.
I leave Denver with a spring in my step, and a strawberry pancake recipe in my back pocket; the big trip has worked wonders. A strong community, a handful of excellent friends and some really great art can get you through pretty much anything.
Pastries help, too – particularly if said friends won’t judge how many you order (it was three, and I’m not sorry).
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