Down and Out in Denver

Happy Sunday readers and greetings from Hi*Rise. I am happy to report that I have finally recovered from my Friday night out… which quickly became Saturday morning. And it was well worth the loss of my entire Saturday. 

Looking to escape our mid-winter blues, Blake and I started the evening off crashing a Denver Art Museum event at SPIRE—a recently completed forty-one-story condominium building at 14th and Champa streets in downtown Denver.  (If you have any interest in high-rise living stop by their sales room across the street at the Convention Center.) The event was an intimate gathering of just over two hundred well-heeled architects, designers, artists, and design enthusiasts of every age and background. The evening was a sort of pre-party celebration for the department of architecture and design’s annual fundraiser, Design After Dark. If you haven’t been to Design After Dark, I highly suggest dropping by RedLine Gallery this Friday, January 22. The event is a “a dynamic and diverse celebration of design.” Funds raised through ticket sales and a silent auction are used to support programming for the department. The centerpiece of the event is some “30 one-of-a-kind objects created by Colorado’s most recognized architects, artists, and designers.” Blake and I are attending for our third year in a row and the event never disappoints. It feels like something we’ve seen in New York, San Francisco, or Chicago and who can pass up the great food and an open bar! This year’s theme is SKIN.

Design After Dark 2010

After hob-nobbing with Denver’s design community and taking in the sights from SPIRE’s ninth floor: modern furnishings, rooftop terrace, pool, fire pit and most importantly, the open bar, Blake and I headed over to the legendary Cruise Room with some of our gal pals. Somewhat difficult to find, the Cruise Room is located just off the main lobby of The Oxford Hotel. It’s one of those places with an atmosphere that immediately transports you to another time and place. They are known for their martinis, but I often choose the Manhattan or Old Fashioned. The Art Deco décor and dim red lighting is a must-see. Original chrome and neon reflect onto the wall panels depicting “toasts” from around the world.

Here’s to a successful Friday night in Denver. Kompai!

The Cruise Room