Got back yesterday from a three-day trip to Denver, where I saw the Women’s Final Four.
This was the first time I spent any considerable time in Denver, and I was impressed. I was all over the downtown area Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, from the land of tall buildings — office buildings, hotels, banks, etc. — to the distinctive LoDo area (lower downtown), with its bars, restaurants and storefront businesses.
One thing that makes downtown so accessible is that there is an abundance of street parking, with thousands of metered spots where you can park any time of night or day. There’s none of this “no parking 7-9 and 4-6,” like we’ve got here. In addition, paying is as easy as sliding your credit card into a slot and paying $1 an hour, maximum of two hours in most places.
I think the city makes a tremendous amount of money on parking violations, too. I saw several yellow envelopes containing citations under windshield wipers…In fact, two of those yellow envelopes ended up under the wiper of my rental car. (Not even grudgingly, I’ll make my $50 contribution to a city where parking is hassle free.)
Anyway, take a look at my latest travelogue…
The Pepsi Center
Baylor warming up before Sunday's semifinal game against Stanford. Brittney Griner, who ended up being the tournament's most valuable player, is at top center.
Pat Summitt, whose Tennessee Volunteers were not in the Final Four, drew more attention than anyone except Griner
Out on the streets...a snowy 16th Street Mall on Tuesday morning
The first part of customer service...
The Brown Palace Hotel, the second-oldest operating hotel in Denver (built, 1892). Harry Truman liked the Hotel Muehlebach but he also stayed at the Brown Palace.
The City and County Building (not City Hall, mostly courts)
A nice cigar store, Palma Cigars, in LoDo...Clay Carlton, proprietor and roller
I spent an hour on that couch, smoking a Don Pepin
Back to the action...The Sheraton lobby was the place to see and be seen Tuesday afternoon.
These ladies weren't in the Final Four, but they were my favorite trio by far...From left, Erika of Northwest Florida State, Stacey of New Mexico State and Lauren of Arizona State.
Baylor fans had a lot to cheer about in the championship game against Notre Dame.
I managed to talk a very nice usher into letting me sit in the lower-level, even though I had a third-floor ticket. My reward, besides getting a great view of the game, was to sit in front of these two ladies from Houston -- Heather (left) and Denise.
Baylor celebrates the 80-61 win over the Irish. (Coach Kim Mulkey is at left center.)
After the game, after the fans disperse, LoDo goes quiet. If there's a celebration, it isn't around here.
*******
Just to show Smartman that I also take photos of the beautiful woman who makes my life joyful and fulfilling, here’s Patty…
Central California coast, 2011
JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC 
Very nice, Fitz! Other than putting their airport ridiculously far from everything, Denver got their downtown right in more ways than we did. What does your wife think about your “eye” for the ladies?
You’re right about that airport, Smartman. It’s in a veritable wasteland. I wanted to get breakfast on the way out there, and I sensed the opportunities would be few. Running down the highway, I passed a poorly marked Denny’s, then later, a few miles from the airport, I pulled off where I saw a sign for Village Inn. Couldn’t find it because of shitty signage, but I stumbled upon a diner. And that was about all there was in that 25-mile stretch from downtown.
About my eye for the ladies…Patty understands that I’m a fool for women, but she also knows I wouldn’t cheat on her. Plus, she’s not the least bit possessive, which gives me quite a bit more latitude than some husbands might get. I’ve got a great wife and I get to gaze. What more could a Jack Nicholson wannabe want?
Jim – I’m enjoying your report on the Mile High City and wish I could get out there again to meet a relative of my generation and do some family history research in Colorado. I understand that Denver has a good light rail system or am I wrong about that? And to think that there was a brief period during which Denver was part of the Kansas Territory. Of course, it was just a little ol’ mining camp when “we” gave it away in joining the Union.
Interesting historical capsule there, Rick. I didn’t know that…Not much of a light-rail system, as far as I could tell. They have light-rail cars that run up and down 16th Street Mall, which is closed to vehicular traffic, but I think that’s about it, at least as far as downtown is concerned. Like KC, it seems like a driving town.
Jim;
Terrific pictures!! Feel like I’ve been to Denver.
Just one tiny thing: It’s the Hotel Muehlebach (and Muehlebach Funeral Home) but the former grocery here was owned by the Muehlbach family. Many of them are still around.
Great piece on Denver. Do you ever take a break or are you always working??
Very admirable for a “retired” guy.
All best,
Laura
Thanks for the correction, Laura. Thank God preservationists of Kansas City history, like you, are still around. I can feel Casey Jones’ icy glare and hear his sharp-edged voice from the heavens: “Fitzpatrick…You’d better learn how to spell Muehlebach; it’s one of our treasures!” (Indeed, that lobby was the best ever.)
…As for working, Laura, it might look like I was working hard, but it’s a mirage; I was just being a tourist and snapping photos as I went along. I jotted names and notes on the back of business cards and on random pieces of paper. It was very disorganized reporting, but I managed to get back with the important information, including the two parking tickets.
Thanks, Jim. I’m spending about a week in Denver in early July, so am interested in your take on its downtown. The quadrennial GALA (gay/lesbian choruses) festival is in Denver this year. So over 6,000 of us will be swarming over the area, singing and boosting the Denver economy. My hope is that GALA will be held at the Kauffman PAC in 2016. “Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I’m 64?” Although I’ll be 71 in 2016.
I trust that the GALA attendees will be out and about more at night more than the basketball fans were, David. I was disappointed that, after the games, people seemed to just go back to their hotels. I attribute it mainly, however, to the fact that there was a lot of dead time between games — Sunday night semifinals to Tuesday night final — and people were just tired of hanging around by the time the games ended.
You might read up on the downtown and check out a downtown map, David. It took me a while to get oriented, but I’m terrible at directions. As far as I could tell, there’s no concentrated entertainment district like Power & Light or Westport. The LoDo district is Denver’s special area, and I kept getting drawn back there because it is so distinctive, diverse and natural feeling. And how can you resist an area called LoDo?
Great sporting travelogue, great pics especially that one of that gal standing by the road in California. Hope you get back to downtown Denver in good weather. I have been there in late spring for some conventions. Loved walking around in the revitalized central city, jumping on/off the transit rail system. It just feels like an enjoyable pedestrian place, even though it can be a bit thin, and then one looks up to see the purple mountains majesty. Hell, now they even have Manning. What’s not to love? Guess that those individuals that wanted to get things done wagon trained west while the rest of the “Bickersons” settled down in good ol’ KC. Jayson
Somehow I missed the transit system, Jayson…I guess I’m too grooved into KC, where all of us drive everywhere.
Great picture of Patty, Jim. And we got a glimpse of your beautiful daughter recently, too. You are in good company!!
Thanks for your reply.
Happy Easter.
Cheers,
Laura
Brown Palace Hotel – worthless trivia: Lamar Hunt met Bob Howsam in the uniquely beautiful lobby and sold him the AFL Broncos franchise. Legend has it the deal was literally done on a blank sheet of paper.
great photos!