Denver Intellectual Things to Do
April 28, 2010 7:32 AM   Subscribe

Seeking lectures, poetry readings, interesting films, art talks for visitor from NYC to Denver this weekend (through Tuesday).

I'll be in Denver this weekend through Tuesday and am looking for lectures, poetry readings, interesting films, art talks and the like anywhere in Denver to augment the intellectual joy of your fine art and culture museums. I'll be staying at the Grand Hyatt but am not in the least limited to that area. I'll be taking public transportation, bike share (yay bike share!), and using my hardy NYC feet. I've checked listings at Westword and Tattered Covers. Where else should I be looking for listings? And, even better, anything you know of firsthand? Bonus question, besides St Marks Coffee House and Crema, where should I go for coffee, people watching and book reading?
posted by Pineapplicious to Travel & Transportation (3 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: The Mercury Cafe is somewhat of an institution. They have lots of different rooms with different things going on, and a poetry slam every sunday night.

Westword has the most comprehensive coverage for this sort of thing; you can search their calendar online to separate the wheat from the chaff.

If you can ride a fixed gear, I can loan you a bike for your stay. MeMail me if you're interested.
posted by craven_morhead at 7:53 AM on April 28, 2010 [1 favorite]


Best answer: St. Mark's is the superlative coffee shop in Denver - decent people, best patio, plus: beer! You can't go wrong there. I've only been in Crema once, but liked it. Other places for coffee, people watching and book reading that I would recommend would be City O'City at 13th and Logan, or, if you want to reward a place for its sheer tenacity (it's been in the same spot for a long time), The Market in Larimer Square (don't order a macchiato there on a whim, though, since there only seems to be one barista there who can make a good one. Leela European Cafe is a short walk from your hotel and, while I'm not a huge fan of their coffee, it is open 24 hours and has good people watching. Since I assume you'll be going to the Denver Art Museum, you should definitely get a cup at one of the two Novo Coffee locations there (one in the museum itself, one in the building across the plaza from the museum) - they supply the coffee used at Crema. A little further away from the museum, I like Rooster & Moon Coffee Pub at 9th and Bannock a lot. The people who own it are super friendly, although the people watching is really limited to watching people use their laptops (I think it's the only coffee place in the city that has too many outlets.

I can't really help you with the intellectual stuff, though, other than what Craven suggested. My friend who's involved in a lot of the city's art and poetry scenes just told me there's not a lot going on this weekend, unfortunately. It might be a good weekend (weather permitting, unfortunately) to just get out and walk (or bike) around the city, which is my favorite thing to do. MeMail me if you have any other questions...
posted by heurtebise at 9:41 AM on April 28, 2010 [2 favorites]


More scientific than intellectual perhaps but if you've managed to miss the Bodyworld exhibition all these years it's on in Denver. It's a little way out of town mind so a bus / cab would be required. Or bike.
posted by NailsTheCat at 10:40 PM on April 28, 2010


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