Cherry Creek, CO June 2023

2860 E. Willamette Lane

GREENWOOD VILLAGE

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Lookin’ Fine At Fifty

For many years I had heard the fables, listened to the bootleg tapes and dreamed of what it must be like to hear Sam Bush’s mandolin strings reverberate off of the canyon walls in Telluride. In 2013, with my wife, Katie, our threeyear-old son, August, and two-year-old daughter, Farrah, I finally made my first pilgrimage to the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. This was a monumental year for the event, as it was the fortieth-anniversary celebration.

We planned the trip months in advance, and I was in charge of finding lodging for our group, which included two other families. While scouring Airbnb the winter prior, I saw a listing title that instantly had me sold, “Former Home Of Grateful Dead Manager, Bill Graham.” The listing showed the sprawling, 6,000sq.ft. Victorian home, with a creek running through the property. Another photo showed the living room with a large leather couch that Bill Graham had personally designed for the Grateful Dead members to lounge on while visiting. The house was situated right in town and perfect for our large group. Was it out of our budget? “Absolutely!” Did that stop me from booking? “No!”

As we made our final approach into town, the stress of seven hours on the road with two toddlers all faded. There is nothing quite like seeing Telluride for the first time. The scenery is truly breathtaking. We pulled into the driveway with expectations set to ELEVEN! A nice man greeted us at the entrance and welcomed us into the home. We quickly discovered that two of the seven bedrooms advertised on the listing were occupied by the caretaker and his daughter, only separated by an interior door. I thought to myself, “Well, I guess we can put a few of the kids on the couches, no problem.” As we continued the tour, I began counting the bedrooms in my head. One of the “bedrooms” was simply a 4’ by 6’ outcropping of the living room, where a record player and fold-out cushion chair sat on the floor.

The most notable memory of that house was a late-night acoustic jam session we had on the deck. As we went into the Jerry Garcia classic, Sugaree, the light in the upstairs bathroom began to turn on and off, intermittently. All of the adults were outside, and after double-checking all of the kids, it was confirmed that they were all totally passed out in their beds. Maybe it was a faulty electrical circuit, but we all like to think that was Jerry’s way of thanking us for the tune. While the house on Galena Street wasn’t exactly as advertised, we still made memories that will forever be remembered.

For those of you who are joining our family this month for the FIFTIETH anniversary of Telluride Bluegrass, we hope your travels are safe, and lifetime memories are made.

ANDY MANZ, PUBLISHER

@CHERRYCREEKLIFESTYLE

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June 2023

PUBLISHER Andy Manz | amanz@citylifestyle.com

MANAGING EDITOR

Kate Manz | kmanz@citylifestyle.com

PUBLICATION DIRECTOR

Chantel Ellerington chantel.ellerington@citylifestyle.com

COPY EDITOR

Emily O'Brien | emilytellstories@gmail.com

EDITORIAL COORDINATOR

Kelsey Huffer | kelsey.huffer@citylifestyle.com

Kailey Beuerlein | kailey.beuerlein@citylifestyle.com

INTERN

Summer Fitzgerald summer.fitzgerald@citylifestyle.com

SALES DIRECTOR

Denise Stoot | denise.stoot@citylifestyle.com

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Kelsey Huffer | kelsey.huffer@citylifestyle.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Allyson Reedy, Tony Firestine, Sarah Howlett, Jessica Mordacq, Kelly Ernst

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Cutter Paul, Poppy & Co. by Kelsey Huffer, Rosie Chester, Isabel Henry Photography, Jackson Davis Photography, E.B Combs Photography, Sash Levitov

Corporate Team

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt

CHIEF SALES OFFICER Matthew Perry

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DeLand Shore

DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA Mindy Hargesheimer

ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson

WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell

AD DESIGNER Rachel Chrisman

LAYOUT DESIGNER Eva Tucker

Learn Cherry Creek Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of the Cherry Creek area’s most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. Information in Cherry Creek Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

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E L E G A N C E A N D C R A F T S M A N S H I P

4 7 1 1 S o u t h D o w n i n g S t r e e t

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ART & SCIENCE

Advanced eye care is complex and requires knowledge, skill, and experience.

COLORADO EYE CONSULTANTS is committed to delivering compassionate and quality care in a safe and nurturing environment. Using the latest technology and innovative practices, our doctors dedicate themselves to excellent outcomes, every time. For more than forty years, the Colorado Eye Consultants team has been caring for patients and changing lives.

To learn more, or to schedule a consultation, please contact us at (303) 730-0404.

1501 West Mineral Avenue | Suite 100 | Littleton, CO 80120 ColoradoEyeConsultants.com

business monthly

A round-up of exciting news from local businesses.

Denver Union Station Farmers Market is Back

Shop local for fresh Colorado produce & more this summer with the return of the Denver Union Station Farmers Market, which will once again be held on the landmark train station’s outdoor Plaza on Saturdays from June 3 – Sept 16. This weekly market features 30+ Front Range vendors, chef demos and more. Don’t miss Fitness on the Plaza, group exercise classes each Saturday morning led by LoDo fitness partners, including Orange Theory Fitness and Block21 Fitness. DenverUnionStation.com

Savinelli and Peterson Pipe Trunk Show

Join us at Edward’s Tobacco Shop on Saturday, June 3 between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM for a trunk show featuring Peterson pipes from Ireland and Savinelli from Italy. Joe Fabian, the pipe and tobacco expert from Laudisi, will be showcasing their newest offerings. @edwardstobaccoshop

Topher Straus at the 40th Boulder Ballet Gala

Topher joined patrons of the arts at the 40th Anniversary Gala of the Boulder Ballet last month. His donation of two limited editions of his painting Telluride Twilight helped raise over $135,000 for the Ballet. It was an amazing evening of beautiful dance, exquisite food and generosity. His new highly anticipated painting of Maroon Bells is due to be released in July, but pre-sales will be available on his website beginning June 15 at TopherStraus.com .

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Luxury in the Southwest

Camping is cool, but have you tried a clawfoot bathtub?

ARTICLE BY KELLY ERNST

PHOTOGRAPHY BY POPPY & CO. BY KELSEY HUFFER

without pretension,inspiredby

Europeanhotelsandthe

homeintheRockyMountains.

As the quickly approaching summer days get longer and the Western Slope begins to thaw out, all of Colorado begins to wake up. You can feel the excitement as the summer mountains begin to call.

Like any good Coloradoan we know that you have your sites set on Telluride Bluegrass, but after a week of rolling in the dirt and sleeping on the ground, a little luxury is in store. We love the Bluegrass camp life as much as you do, as we mourn another year of Telluride Bluegrass gone by, why don’t we celebrate this year’s momentous festival with another round (or three) of good food, hot springs, more music and endless amazing Colorado stories, along the trail back home. Here are some of our favorite stops along the way..

THE SURF HOTEL, BUENA VISTA

Spend a night or two at Surf Hotel, Buena Vista

Overlooking the rapids of the Buena Vista Whitewater Park, the Surf Hotel offers a boutique travel experience where details are carefully crafted and spaces tell a timeless story. Guests enjoy a sense of luxury without pretension, inspired by both the understated elegance of European hotels and the spectacular natural beauty of our home in the Rocky Mountains. Whether for solo travelers, families, corporate groups or wedding parties, the contemporary approach to hospitality will suit any kind of travel.

While you’re there, enjoy Music on the Lawn

If you time your travels right, and you can’t quite get enough of the live music,

the highlight of the trip is to enjoy big act names in a small setting at the Surf Hotels Lawn. Catch artists like Shakey Graves and LeftOver Salmon playing to the background of the river surfers riding the waves of the Arkansas.

Take a day to hang in Salida, Colorado

While you’re in the area, Salida is a can’t miss. Take some extra time to cruise to this river town and enjoy the millions of parks, water and recreation areas. The Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area  allows visitors to partake in multiple adventure activities at once, such as kayaking and whitewater rafting, hiking, camping, wildlife watching, and mountain biking. Riverside Park is just downtown and great alternative if your looking for a casual nature cruise.

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THE WESTERN, OURAY COLORADO

The Western Hotel is the crown jewel of Southwestern Colorado located fifteen minutes south of Ridgeway in Ouray, Colorado. Trust us when we tell you that the Western Hotel is an experience that one cannot pass up. The Western was built in 1891 and was used to lodge the silver miners at the turn of the century. The hotel is built on layers and layers of history–which are still exhibited on the beautiful walls of the dining room and main entryway. As you look into the layers of plaster, and intricately patterned wallpaper,  not to mention the original 1891 front desk, your eyes are brought to the various hunting trophies, pot belly wood burning stove, original to the building, and spectacular views of the San Juan Mountain range peering over the little town.

While the historical artifacts are stunning, what makes the Western outstanding is the attention to detail and dedication to preserving the historical integrity of a cherished Western story. Developed by Kyle  Zeppelin of Zeppelin Development, of Zeppelin Station, The Source, and A Frame Club, The Western possesses the signature mark of all of Zeppelin’s developments; impossibly complicated paired with a determined sense of integrity, a duty to tell the stories of Colorado history while shepherding spaces into the hands of new multiple of generation of users that will be left from years to come.

The Jezebel

We would be a miss if we wrote this piece and not mentioned one of the most exquisite restaurants in all of the Western slope if not all of Colorado (we know, hot take.) Chef Nic Weber, of A-Frame fame brings a menu that not only offers one of the most complex meals we’ve had in years, but turns his food into a dialogue between the past and the future of the Southwest. Dishes are inspired not only from local plants, such as Anasazi beans, Red Mole as a nod to the red mountains of Colorado, and cooked over local Colorado Scrub Oak from Kokopelli Farms, but work to form a new relationship that the rural West is building with a vibrant economy and furthering stories created by the locals of today. Take, for example, the Three Sisters. From native agricultural farming practices is the wisdom that corn is planted, squash will provide the necessary soil nutrients and the beans will climb up the tall stalks of the corn. A dish changing with the seasons, incorporating this ancient wisdom will always be at the top of Nic Weber's menus; reflecting on the past, engaging with the local land, and creating beloved dishes to feed future stories.

The

Face on the Bar Room Floor

The Western Hotel and Saloon are full of historical Easter eggs. While you can tour the lobby photos and play eye spy for surviving bars or taxidermy, the real gold mine is The Face on the Bar Room Floor. The face of a woman, some call her Juanita, others endearingly named her Jezebel, was  painted near 100 years ago. We can’t tell you much about her other than the whispering of the legends from other bar goers. Some say she left a scorned lover and in his passionate effort to find her, he painted her face in every bar room floor from here to the Gulf of Mexico.  Today only two of these paintings survive, and the Western’s very own has gone on to inspire the name of the restaurant, Jezebel.

DUNTON HOT SPRINGS, DUNTON COLORADO

If luxury calls you, there is no answer more honest than the Dunton Hot Springs. The rural resort adds an extra hour to your trip from Telluride, but for the luxury girlies out there, it is a must-see. And we mean—you can. not. miss. these springs.  You’ll find yourself at a small and exclusive resort nestled deep in the San Juan Mountains of the Colorado Rockies. This perfectly restored ghost town thrives on contradictions; hand-hewn log cabins exquisitely furnished, a life-worn saloon serving food of startling quality, lung torturing trails followed by pampering massages, sensuous hot springs.

Dunton is a collection of extraordinary, secluded, unique resorts and homes situated in the most striking of locations.  Providing authentic, immersive experiences and value in all of the things money can’t buy rather than “just a nice place to stay;” Dunton is a celebration of exceptional food & wine, active engagement with stunning natural surroundings, and industry leading sustainable operations to protect those natural surroundings in a compelling way.

While You ’reatit,Take a Dip

CLOTHING OPTIONAL: ORVIS HOT SPRINGS

Orvis Hot Springs is a clothing-optional natural hot springs resort that does not heat or treat the water in any way. Orvis offers seven soaking areas that range in temperature from 98-112 degrees. Four of the soaking areas are outside where you can enjoy the gorgeous Colorado sun and the starfilled evening sky.

FAMILY FRIENDLY: MOUNT PRINCETON HOT SPRINGS

The Mount Princeton Hot Springs outside of Buena Vista is another hot spring resort that offers pools fed by a natural hot spring, which heats the water to temperatures ranging from 70 degrees to 120 degrees. The pools here are large with plenty of space to bring the whole family or large groups. Situated on either side of the Arkansas River, these springs are especially exciting given the unique thermal springs water pooling inside the river.

OURAY HOT SPRINGS

Ouray Hot Springs is another great spot to bring the whole family. Located in downtown Ouray, the facility houses five pools, three of which are geothermally heated. The water contains a vast number of minerals, including, iron, manganese, zinc, fluoride, and potassium, among others. During your stay you will notice all of the pools are odorless. This is because the water does not contain any sulfur. Temperatures range from 75 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit.

The facility is larger than your average small pool and contains an adults-only option for those wishing to relax, 8 lap lanes, two water slides for people of all ages to enjoy, a climbing wall, and an inflatable obstacle course.

PENNY HOT SPRINGS

The Penny Hot Springs might be some of the most “organic” hot springs. They are naturally fed with hot mineral water and are free to use. It’s located on the Crystal River just past Carbondale, about forty-five minutes from Aspen. The springs are surrounded by rugged snow capped peaks and breathtaking canyons and makes for a rejuvenating experience after a long day enjoying the area’s numerous outdoor activities. The Penny Hot Springs are clothing required, but as they are free and right of the side of the road, you can’t get any better than that.

GETTING TO KNOW…US

Photo booths are the easiest way to bring people together; to catch you in a second, exactly how you feel and look in that moment of time. Click, flash and it's done. Photo Bang photo booths are doing just that, offering vintage-style digital and analog photo booths for sale and placement, based in Colorado. Our editorial team stopped by some locations where their beautiful and rare photo booths live to take a few pictures, strike a few poses and let you get to know them a bit.

MEET OUR FABULOUS STAFF, WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM PHOTOBANG

Where did you grow up?

Charlotte, NC and Laguna Beach, CA. Usually depends who's asking!

What's on your bucket list?

Currently, a horseback riding trip through Patagonia.

Best advice you've ever gotten?

Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier!

Favorite thing to do in the summer in CO?  We love spending time at our cabin in Marble. There is no cell service there, so we feel like we can disconnect and bond as a family. Included in that is jumping in cold rivers, fly fishing, riding dirt bikes, mountain biking and playing guitars by the campfire.

Favorite time of day?

Andy: Sitting with Katie on our deck during the Alpenglow hour of 7:00pm or so in the summer.

Kate: Morning! Nothing better than having coffee brought to me in bed by Andy with a kid or two in there snuggling.

Best advice you’ve ever gotten?

Andy: When I was ten or so, my dad told me that integrity is everything. Our reputation can take years to build but is able to be destroyed by one bad decision.

Kate: “God gave us two ears and one mouth. You can’t learn anything by talking.” - My mama.

Describe yourself in 3 words. Optimistic, spontaneous, and creative. What's your best party trick?

Hosting the party.

Favorite time of day?

Golden Hour–when the light softens. A photographer’s dream.

Describe yourself in 3 words.  Genuine, gracious, compassionate. What’s something on your bucket list? Attend another stop on the World Surf League Championship Tour. Current favorite song?  Forester, Madeline - Heart

Favorite thing to do in the summer in CO? Working. I spend my summers slinging flowers in the mountains as a wedding floral designer. What’s something on your bucket list?

Fall in love again. Dream vacation? Visit Italy, and not come back.

Where did you grow up?

In a suburb just south of Chicago called Flossmoor. My dad was an oral surgeon and my summer camp friends could not get over the irony.

Best advice you’ve ever gotten?

If you’re experiencing a letdown, take 24 hours to sulk and then get on with it.

Favorite Lifestyle story you’ve worked on?

Is it cheating to answer "all of them”?

Fun, Fresh, Urban & Modern

Now Streaming

Local Entrepreneurs Dive Into Camper Renovation

Filipe and Joana Oliveira are an outdoorsy, music-loving couple who are always game for packing up and heading out camping. The one thing they began to miss while enjoying time in the woods with their young son, however, was their extensive record collection.

“We wished we could have our turntable there camping with us,” Joana Oliveira says. “We want to put a record on.”

To that end, the couple behind midcentury music console company PoBo Lifestyle purchased a 1971 Airstream—the 27-foot Overlander Double—in September of last year. They named it Billie, after American jazz great Billie Holiday, and began renovating. Despite a monthslong search that could have involved traveling out of state to procure the trailer, the Airstream the Oliverias picked was already in Colorado—and was manufactured the very same month and year Felipe was born. The couple, who relocated

to Boulder from Portugal in 2019 with their now 6-year-old son, say it was kismet.

Given that they run a company that revives decades-old turntables—and were self-taught home renovators back in Portugal— the two felt confident they could do most of the work on the Airstream themselves.

“We have good ideas and then need to find a path to get to them,” Joana says, adding that there are many online forums where fellow Airstream renovators swap ideas and tackle common hiccups. Other than things like Billie’s solar panels and upholstery, Filipe and Joana tackled the gut job themselves. The work would necessitate a large, covered space plus electrical—requirements that were too difficult to find in the Boulder area—so most of the work took place in a barn in Reunion, near Denver International Airport. CONTINUED >

From the flooring and fabrics to the lighting and color scheme, Joana and Filipe wanted Billie’s decor to match the time period from which it came, just as they do with their consoles.

“The already-renovated Airstreams we were seeing were looking very…Ikea,” Joana quips. “When we take 50-, 70-year old consoles and update them, our thing is, ‘Don’t mess with what doesn’t need to be updated.’”

Some aspects of the six-month revamp, however, were just a tad more work than they bargained for, especially polishing the 4,480-pound Airstream’s iconic, silvery exterior. That aspect alone took two entire weeks, Joana says: “It’s a three-step process with a super heavy machine and a compound. There’s a reason companies charge over $5,000 to do this.”

Billie will, of course, feature a console that Filipe and Joana restored themselves. Customized record storage will hold approximately 50 albums on vinyl, from Radiohead and Jose Gonzales to Bon Iver and Lake Street Dive. Joana says she and Filipe are constantly discovering new music from all eras. Favorite albums within the last year include “Unify” by Lettuce and “Cold as Weiss” by Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio (who are PoBo clients).

Envious yet? No need. Despite all their sweat equity, the Oliveiras don’t wish to keep Billie all to themselves. They hope it will serve many purposes, including renting it out.

Describing the Airstream as “a musical time capsule on wheels,” Joana says brands are already showing interest in hiring Billie for events.

“It’s not super clear where this will go, but there are multiple opportunities,” she says. “Maybe weddings or festivals. Or likeminded individuals who just want to immerse themselves in nature and records.”

CAMPING IN COMFORT

No matter if it’s van life or tent life, a little luxury while camping never hurt anyone—an ethos the Oliveiras say enriches their time in nature.

“To us, what matters the most is the experience itself and having some luxuries to mimic the amazing evenings we have at home— only away,” Joanna Oliveira says. “For instance, we love to have a cocktail in a real glass by the fire, or a wine bottle (not a box), cook our food from scratch and have really comfortable chairs.”

The family calls out the upper campsite at Steamboat (“great views to the lake”); Estes Park at the end of season; and Tie Siding in Wyoming as some of their favorite spots.

For inquiries and availability, please email billie@pobolifestyle.com

HIGH TEMPS

SUMMER SCOTTSDALE STAYS.

Hang out at Scottsdale’s summer hot spot to get in on the season’s top staycations. Kick back with weekend pool parties, enjoy refreshing cocktails and sample inventive dishes. Discover unique treasures + delicious flavors from the Valley’s best vendors when you join us for our Sip + Shop Summer Market Series on select Saturdays at the Sands Venue.

Play With Your Food

HEY KIDDO IS THE FUN NEW KID ON THE BLOCK IN BERKELEY

PHOTOGRAPHY BY POPPY & CO. BY

With a name like Hey Kiddo, you know the restaurant is going to be fun. With the team behind The Wolf’s Tailor, Bruto, and Basta running the show, you also know it’s going to be pretty darn tasty.

Hey Kiddo lives up to its quirky name, from a menu that includes everything from Korean fried chicken to caviar to bucatini, to a secret bar in the back (OK Yeah), to its unconventional third-floor perch above Tennyson Street. This isn’t a quiet restaurant—not literally or figuratively—and that’s kind of the point. Hey Kiddo doesn’t care about conventional restaurant expectations; it’s there to give you the kind of bold, brash food and drink they want to make. Which also, you know, tastes really, really good.

The menu will change with the season, but in early spring it featured a dry-aged carpaccio of buttery, shaved meat atop an umami-rific brie for just a touch of funkiness; a wagyu short rib in a sweet apple pear soy glaze that was so tender it sliced like the finest steak; grilled trumpet mushrooms with a bitter melon ponzu spike; and off the specials menu, a super savory okonomiyaki, or a Japanese “pancake” of wheat flour, cabbage, scallions, and duck, topped with waving bonito flakes. The okonomiyaki was large and filling, an excellent starter if it’s available.

Other favorites included the bucatini with fermented black bean sauce.

(How often do you see that combo?)

The hand-made noodles pack in-yourface levels of flavor—in the best possible way—and are loaded up with crunchy peanuts and a zing of cilantro.

The most whimsical dish is probably the shaken rice—inspired by collaborating chef Deuki Hong’s mother’s childhood lunches. Her mom would carefully pack her lunchbox with sticky rice, only for her to jostle it around in her backpack and open up a mess come lunch. Hey Kiddo’s version first arrives at your table in a pristine gold box with artfully

placed pork belly, cured egg yolk, and whatever is left over from other dishes. (They’re all about reducing food waste here and using everything they’ve got in clever ways.) But then the server closes the box and gives it a vigorous shake, resulting in a beautifully delicious mess.

Drinks are also unexpected and fun, like the popular Fantômas, a tangy, turquoise mix of vodka, golden russet apple cider, white wine, lemon and egg white, and the Tragic Kingdom, a kicky blend of tequila, fennel liqueur, jalapeño, muskmelon, coconut and lime.

For such a loud concept, the space itself is fairly understated, probably

to better emphasize the food, drink, and overall lively experience. Tables, chairs and décor are sleek and minimalist, and everything comes together around the open centerpiece kitchen.

You may have noticed that I haven’t defined what type of restaurant Hey Kiddo is in terms of the cuisine it serves. That’s because this spot is themed more around quirk and play than any specific region or technique. And creating a restaurant based around quirk and play rather than geographic inspiration? Well, that’s just plain fun.

Hey Kiddo: 4337 Tennyson St., #300, Denver; 720.778.2977; hk-oy.com

Hey Kiddo lives up to its quirky name, from a menu that includes everything from Korean fried chicken to caviar to bucatini, to a secret bar in the back (OK Yeah), to its unconventional third-floor perch above Tennyson Street.

VISITING THE NORTH DENVER NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE BUSINESSES PRESERVING ITS HISTORY

A Day Out in Berkeley

The Berkeley neighborhood started in 1863 with a handful of humble homesteads. As the 1900s approached, nearly 500 people lived in what was then the Town of North Denver (which became Berkeley in 1898). Today, Berkley is an unincorporated, census-designated part of the northwest Denver-Aurora area with a population of over 12,000.

Historical locations, like local couple John and Mary’s Elitch’s Gardens–which opened on 38th and Tennyson Street in 1890 as one of the first zoos West of Chicago and Denver’s first botanic garden–helped popularize the area. Elitch Theater, still a venue today, opened in 1892 as the first to show movies in the Denver area.

Over 100 years ago, Berkeley’s Tennyson Street was full of bakeries like Bakery Four, a modern-looking cafe serving coffee, bread and baked goods, only open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday through Sunday. Over time, the neighborhood’s grocery stores were joined by the likes of Small Batch, a craft wine, beer and liquor store.

Where beauty shops once stood downtown, modern hair salons and Sarah O. Jewelry have taken over, and tailors have turned into curated menswear stores like Berkeley Supply. Though Elitch Gardens is now an amusement park located in Denver proper, the Berkeley neighborhood, which has been dedicated to arts and culture since its inception, continues to prioritize the two and preserve its history.

“You can spend all day going to different local businesses, mostly momand-pop shops,” says Alex Balkovatz, marketing manager for Sarah O. Jewelry. The everyday and fine jewelry store opened on Tennyson Street as Ooh! Aah! Jewelry in 2006 and rebranded in 2015. “It has that small-town feeling right in the middle of Denver, which I think is unique to Tennyson Street.”

Because of Tennyson Street’s walkable charm, “we want people to see Tennyson Street as not a stop for lunch, not a stop to pick up something from the store, but more of an experience of our whole block and of our neighborhood,” Alex says.

On a blue-sky afternoon, typical of Colorado spring, people walk and jog the streets of North Denver’s Berkeley neighborhood with their dogs. César Chávez Park’s playground is full of children, along with adults sitting in the surrounding area’s green grass as people pass by, stopping in shops on their lunch breaks.

Hotels, breweries, restaurants and coffee shops line Tennyson Street, the main thoroughfare in town that seems to constantly change. But many local businesses occupy charming old buildings that went up around Berkley’s inception, and hope to keep them that way.

Though Tennyson Street and the surrounding neighborhoods remain walkable, they have changed quite a bit. In 2006, there were only a handful of boutiques on Tennyson Street, says Alex. Since, Tennyson Street has given way to more restaurants and condos. With this development, Sarah O. Jewelry’s founder, along with the Tennyson Berkeley Business Association that she’s a part of, recognize the gentrification and turnover happening in the city and aim to conserve its past.

The Berkeley neighborhood works toward this by balancing new demographics with serving “the community that has been by our side and has been walking our streets for years and years,” Alex says. “Tennyson Street does come with so much history that I know it’s really of importance for a lot of business owners to maintain that same feeling and not let it be overrun by new businesses and condos.”

To do this, Sarah O. Jewelry and several other local businesses work toward making sure that “Tennyson is still a place for people from all walks of life,” Alex says. “We really pride ourselves on being somewhere that anyone can walk into and feel like they belong. I think that captures the spirit of Tennyson as well. I think that’s what we fight to keep, and what keeps people around.”

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CUTTER

HANDMADE HEIRLOOM HATS WITH AN ARTISAN TOUCH

PAUL

"Living Proof of a Dying Breed." This is the slogan that Kyle Cutter Nickerson embosses inside every Cutter Paul hat. The hat’s “vintage” is also on display in gold, a nod to his winemaking roots. Every heirloom quality hat has its own style and personality due to every part of the process being done by hand. “There are a lot of machines that could help with this process and make my life a lot easier,” says Kyle. “But there's something special about doing the whole process with two hands.”

After a brief email introduction, Kyle invites me to his unassuming studio on a quiet street in Denver’s Berkeley neighborhood. Following a friendly welcome and an offer of coffee, with a warm-toned vinyl record on in the background, he starts by admitting to me he’s still a little jetlagged. He’s been back in Denver only for a few days after a bustling couple of months making wine in Chile. His first passion just so happens to be winemaking, which is exactly what he was doing on this trip to South America. Kyle's passion for wine has led him to other artisan endeavors including both photography and hat-making. He now spends a few months a year traveling to different artisan wineries testing out a different terroir with each season: Chile, Italy and South Africa, just to name a few. He also mentions making many a hat for his winemaking peers. He continues to tie together his passions and he plans on continuing

“There are a lot of machines that could help with this process and make my life a lot easier, but there's something special about doing the whole process with two hands.”

winemaking a quarter of the year and focusing on Cutter Paul for the remaining three quarters.

It was at a friend's dinner party on the Western Slope of Colorado that Kyle’s interest in hat-making started. Kyle approached a stranger to ask him where he got his sharp-looking hat and he responded that he made it himself. This started an obsession with learning how to craft hats with his own signature touch. He shows me the first hat he ever made, well-worn and blemished with grape juice stains, letting me know it’s traveled the world with him. After initially knocking on a few hatmakers' doors and getting denied due to the

competitive nature of the industry, Kyle traveled to a few different workshops to learn as much as he could about the hatmaking trade. He landed at a workshop with a legendary hatmaker of Hollywood, Tom Hirt. This is where Kyle gained a wealth of knowledge and confidence in his trade.

Kyle walks me through his tools and materials: hat blocks and bands, a 50s Singer sewing machine in the corner. He talks about the different types of felt he uses to mold the perfect crown and how they differ in pliability.

“It’s almost like working with clay,” Kyle says. “When you hit it with steam all these fibers start to loosen up and you can actually work them down and around and eventually you achieve the perfect shape."

He uses both rabbit and coypu felts for his handmade creations; the former being the entry-level offering and the latter being more high-end.

Kyle had toyed with the idea of dedicating himself to Cutter Paul since 2018. It was an intense accident in 2020 where Kyle was hit on his motorcycle by a drunk driver that put that on hold. He points out where the metal screws are in his hands and arms and mentions that for several months after the accident, he was told he might lose his right hand.

After an astounding recovery, he’s dedicated most of his time to growing Cutter Paul with excitement and gratitude. He mentions that he doesn’t want it to grow too much though. He wants to retain full control, put his stamp on every hat that comes out of his studio and limit his production to no more than 200 hats per year. He tells me about keeping in touch with his clients and offering to make changes in the moment, if they feel like they need a new hatband or have the crown remolded.

Cutter Paul’s popularity grows with each hat Kyle sells and his business is almost exclusively word-of-mouth. He revels in the fact

that each one of his clients is a walking billboard and most of the connections that he makes start off with the words:  Hey, where did you get that hat? The music scene has caught on and he’s made hats for many musicians, including Wesley Schultz of The Lumineers.

“I'm a firm believer that if you retain humility and put a lot of love and good intention into what you're doing, it's just going to keep coming your way,” Kyle says. He tells me how he’s made several hundred hats over the years, but he remembers every single one. The artistry and craftsmanship in every Cutter Paul hat speaks for itself.

“I’m a firm believer that if you retain

humility and put a lot of love and good

intention into what you’re doing, it’s

just going to keep coming your way.”

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