Adventures with Family in the Mile-High City

The Denver Skyline under the Rain from the Rocky Mountain Arsenal

From Temecula, we drove with my daughter and son-in-law to their home in Livermore to spend a few laid-back days before the next adventure. We were going to Denver, Colorado to spend a few weeks with my husband’s daughter and her family.

What was supposed to be an easy flight turned into a 4-airport misadventure. We left Oakland International at 10 am only to find our connecting flight in Portland International Airport missing in action! We were whisked to the Seattle/Tacoma International Airport for a make-up flight. Minutes before midnight, we finally arrived at Denver International Airport.

There were still remnants of winter snow on the ground, and soon we witnessed another snowfall. Spring weather in Colorado was just like that, according to Bill’s daughter. But we soon adapted to the altitude and the cold. We even had opportunities to visit a couple of interesting spots and a range of dining places around the Mile-High City.

The Butterfly Pavilion

First was the Butterfly Pavilion, Denver’s landmark attraction with 97% of the species on earth (bugs and butterflies and more). We visited it on a previous trip but this time we got special attention. My husband’s granddaughter, the younger of two children, is currently working there. She was the one who let me hold “Rosie, the Tarantula,” one of about 50 of the gentle species used for this thrill.

Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge

This also was not the first time we drove through the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, just ten miles northeast of downtown Denver. But unlike the first time, we saw all that the refuge had to offer: bison, deer, and eagles. Still, we were not able to visit the extensive arsenal exhibit because it was raining. And that’s how I got to snap the cool headline photo of this article.

Dim Sum in Denver

I have been missing dim sum for a couple of years now, so we looked for a place and found one with a 4.8 rating on the Net: Nana's Dim Sum and Dumplings located on a popular foodie street, Tejon. It’s not a traditional but an excellent modern take on those Chinese delicacies. The décor was blazing red with Chinese accents but the ambience, including the music playing, was aimed at the younger generation.

Ice Cream in Winter

After lunch, we walked to the end of Tejon St. to Little Man Ice Cream marked by the huge can: diameter of 16 feet, 28 feet tall, and 14,000 pounds. Named after the father/founder, its mission to donate a 3 oz scoop of rice/beans to developing countries for every scoop of ice cream sol has resulted in over one million scoops since 2008.  Its menu of special flavors includes Turbulence, Red Eye, and Flambéed Baked Alaska Pops.

Yak n Yeti

My husband’s first birthday celebration was with our neighbors in Viewpoint. It was followed by one with our friends in El Cid in Cancun. Then in Temecula, California, my family celebrated with him. This fourth one was held at Yak n Yeti, a Denver restaurant chain of  Tibetan, Nepalese, and Indian cuisine with my husband’s nephew and partner who flew in from Kansas City to join my husband’s daughter, her husband, two children, and their partners. For the birthday cake, we brought in the popular Chantilly Cake from Whole Foods.

Footnote

This article would not be complete if I didn’t mention a little neighborhood taqueria, La Torteria. On a day we didn’t want to cook or go out, Bill and I got to pick up the $1 tacos (every Tuesday) from the three-man operation. There was a long line for this yummy treat.

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