We spent our first night in Denver at the Westin Downtown. After our original plan to drive to Grand Junction and take Amtrak's California Zephyr to Denver (to see the Rocky Mountains during daylight -- third try) was thwarted by Amtrak's lack of passenger cars and planned "bus" substitution, I tried to book a room at the Queen Anne, but they were full. The Westin was a lovely substitute, and since we didn't find taxis lined up outside Union Station ready to take us to the Queen Anne, the Westin was - at least - walkable.
After a rest and a refresh, we set about figuring out how we might get from the Westin to Nocturne, a jazz club on the other side of town. We ended up downloading the Lyft app and using that ride-share service, which worked out well.
We arrived at Nocturne on the early side before the doors were open. Fortunately, the bar next door was open, so we enjoyed a glass of wine while we waiting until 6 pm for Nocturne to open.
We were among the first folks to be seated in this lovely and elegant supper club.
 |
| A Cabernet for Jeff and a Rose for Linda |
 |
| Crispy Cauliflower Salad |
 |
| Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad |
 |
| Wil Swindler Quintet |
 |
| Scallops in a Coconut Curry Sauce |
 |
| Chocolate Heaven - Linda's Dessert |
 |
| Jeff's Dessert |
We purchased the "dinner and a show" tickets and then added the wine pairing for a relatively small extra charge. Both of our meals were delicious, and the wine choices were excellent as well.
The next day we left the Westin to go to the Queen Anne Bed and Breakfast that I had booked for our stay in Denver. Unfortunately, when our plans to take Amtrak from Grand Junction to Denver fell through, the Inn was fully booked and we had to find a hotel for the first night.
 |
| The Front Door |
 |
| The Reception Desk |
 |
| The Parlor |
 |
| This is a gorgeous dining room table where we had breakfast each morning |
 |
| Mural on the Wall of the Tabor Room - "The Most Historic Room" |
We checked in at about 3:00 p.m. and took a short rest before walking a few blocks to get a pizza for dinner. |
| Walter's is a neat neighborhood watering hole and pizza place - delicious pizza and salad! |
 |
| The Fountain in the Park Across from the Queen Anne Inn |
After dinner we took a walk through the park and returned to our room to do some reading before turning in for the night.Monday morning was another beautiful day and we headed downstairs for breakfast at about 8:30 a.m. The owner, who lives next to the two Queen Anne Bed and Breakfast houses, made his famous sourdough waffles, which Jeff enjoyed immensely. I had some fruit and a small portion of Noosa vanilla yogurt. The yogurt was the best I have ever tasted. I will definitely be looking for it once I get home. They say it's rather pricey, but that the company has signed a contract with Costco, so perhaps I might see it there.
 |
| Sourdough Waffles for Breakfast - YUMMY! |
 |
| Carrot-Apple Muffin, Fruit, and Noosa Yogurt |
After breakfast we took a walk about the grounds and gardens. He does the gardens himself, and they are an amazing amalgamation of flowers and vegetables. He still has spinach, kale, swiss chard, a few cherry tomatoes, and a variety of herbs growing in the garden beds.
 |
| A Lonely Rose |
 |
| The Front View of The Queen Anne |
 |
| Cherry Tomatos on a Trellis |
 |
| I Loved this Planter! |
 |
| Zinnias in the Garden |
 |
| Love the Spinach - It made its way into our breakfast one morning! |
 |
| Colorful Coleus in the Sunshine! |
 |
| You Can Sit on the Porch and Watch the Dogs Play in the Park |
 |
| One More Shot - I want this in my garden! |
Next, we set off for the American Museum of Western Art - The Anschutz Collection. It was about a half mile walk and is an absolutely charming museum.
 |
| The American Museum of Western Art - Anschutz Collection |
 |
| A Pretty Sitting Area Outside the Museum |
Photographs are not permitted inside the museum, but I did find a few photos online to give you an idea of what it is like inside.
We spent several hours going through the various galleries on three floors on this lovely space. Both of us truly enjoyed every moment.
Afterward we went to the Yardhouse for lunch where we shared a turkey club sandwich and enjoyed a beer (Jeff) and a glass of wine. The sandwich was huge - good thing we decided to share. It was so good that we decided to go back there for dinner on Tuesday night.
 |
| Restaurant we enjoyed for both lunch and dinner while we were in Denver! |
On Monday night we went to Denver's other jazz club - a place called Dazzle. It was much less "upscale" than Nocturne, but we really enjoyed the music. Jeff is partial to "big bands," and the Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra did not disappoint - nor did the club itself. We sat in the second row center, which we decided was just about a perfect spot for listening to the music. We enjoyed a charcuterie board and the Dazzle salad - both of which were perfectly delicious.
 |
| The Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra |
 |
| The leader of the band! |
 |
| The Only Woman in the Big Band Gets a Solo |
At the end of the 75 minute set, we ordered up a Lyft, which arrived within three minutes and whisked us back to the Queen Anne for another good night's sleep.
Tuesday took us further afield to the Molly Brown House.
 |
Molly Brown House
|
After our visit we decided to go back to the Yardhouse for dinner and walked the half mile or so to get there passing several Denver landmarks along the way as the sun was setting.
 |
| Colorado State Capitol Building |
We watched as the Baltimore Orioles lost the third straight game to the Texas Rangers, leaving to walk back to the Queen Anne before the ultimate end.
Breakfast was early the next morning - delicious southwestern frittatas with spinach, scallions, and tomatoes from the garden. Fruit and yogurt with pastry is a wonderful way to start the day. Shortly thereafter, we headed to the airport for our nonstop flight back to Boston. Bethany fetched us while Jeremy worked to prepare a feast in the kitchen. We enjoyed watching the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Montreal Canadiennes in hockey before calling it a night.
What a wonderful way to end our trip: Trains and Jazz ~ A Truly JJ Vacation!
Comments
Post a Comment