Denver
Colorful Characters
2008 10Best Bet - Award Winners
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SOUTH DENVER. Longtime residents were weaned on Blinky the Clown, a TV fixture who for 36 years introduced Tom and Jerry cartoons, celebrated "Happy Birfdays," and ruled the morning airwaves in the days before cable. Blinky, aka Russell Scott, has left the air, but he's still clowning around at Blinky's Antiques, where he sells everything from old license plates to valuable furniture.
SOUTH DENVER. Denver's champion of acoustic music has been leading hootenannies since the early '60s, and Tuft and two generations of folk disciples have no intention of stopping in the digital, MySpace age. If you can't find him at his Folklore Center, try Swallow Hill, Denver's roots music epicenter where a theater is named after Tuft. Just be sure to bring your guitar and a willingness to sing along.
LODO. At 106 years old, Jack A. Weil is still the heart, soul and face behind Rockmount Ranch Wear, Denver's top spot for authentic cowboy shirts and bolo ties. And even if you can't catch "Papa Jack" at the company's LoDo headquarters, you might run into a celebrity or two when you stop by. Everyone from Bob Dylan to Robert Redford to Eric Clapton has dropped in for the signature snap-front shirts while in town.
EVERGREEN. Where can't you hear Jake Schroeder sing? National anthem at the Rockies (baseball)and Avalanche (hockey) games? Check. At the mayor's inauguration? Check. But the chrome-domed belter (who also ran for city council) is most often behind the mike for his band, Opie Gone Bad. See Schroeder and his band at the Little Bear Saloon, a mountain honky tonk where women have been known to throw their bras into the rafters.
CHERRY CREEK. For Colorado's legion of football fanatics, John Elway is Denver. Unlike with other gridiron demigods, it's not impossible to see and meet the Hall of Famer. He's the owner of (and frequent visitor to) this Cherry Creek steakhouse – which ranks as one of the city's best beef palaces. He handles autographs graciously but also works in volume; you'll get a signature but not much eye contact.
LODO. Before he became Denver's skydiving, scooter-riding mayor, John Hickenlooper was the city's baron of brewpubs, opening one of the first – and still one of the biggest – in an empty warehouse district that has since become the nightclub center of LoDo. A mayor still needs a pint every once in a while, so you might catch him at the Wynkoop, where the RailYard Ale is tops.
DOWNTOWN. This Colorado comedian won over a national TV audience with self-deprecating routines about his struggles with cerebral palsy; then, he used his Last Comic Standing victory to snag some Hollywood deals. When the lanky funnyman is back in Denver, you might catch him honing his act at Comedy Works, the city's center for both homegrown and national stand-up acts.
DOWNTOWN. For two decades, Lannie Garrett has been the city's diva laureate, whether spoofing Patsy Cline for Stock Show crowds each January or belting out show tunes for local big band aficionados. Now the red-headed chanteuse has her own stage with the Clocktower Cabaret, which also hosts everything from burlesque shows to "sketch parties" for local artists.
GOLDEN TRIANGLE. Could Denver dance without Regas Christou? Seems unlikely since the king of clubs has a hand in just about every hotspot in and near downtown Denver. The crown jewel of his empire is clearly The Church – a converted Gothic cathedral – but Vinyl, the Funky Buddha, The Shelter, and Milk are all within walking distance and boast Christou's signature, high-class touch.
TECH CENTER. The self-proclaimed "masters" of morning radio, Lewis and Floorwax started swapping jokes between classic rock songs in the '80s. Although the DJs long ago ditched playing music during their show on 103.5 The Fox (gives them more time to talk), they do front a vanity blues band called the Groove Hawgs, which often plays at Golden, CO's Buffalo Rose Saloon. We all love to people-watch, to catch glimpses of celebs, and to brag that we saw so-and-so. This category showcases citizens who've made their mark on a town. Here, you'll uncover coffee shops where local politicians gather, corners where quirky street performers show off, and places that have lively shop keepers or dynamic chefs on staff. Discover where these famous folks hang out, where they work, what they eat, and even more that you didn't even know you'd want to know!
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We all love to people-watch, to catch glimpses of celebs, and to brag that we saw so-and-so. This category showcases citizens who've made their mark on a town. Here, you'll uncover coffee shops where local politicians gather, corners where quirky street performers show off, and places that have lively shop keepers or dynamic chefs on staff. Discover where these famous folks hang out, where they work, what they eat, and even more that you didn't even know you'd want to know!
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