New to Denver - recommendations?

[hazyraven]

Hi everyone!

In June, my boyfriend and I are moving to Denver, from Cleveland, OH!  We've gone to the cons in Ohio and really enjoyed them.  We are both super excited to attend NDK!

I'm hoping you guys can help us out though...  We literally know only 3 people in Denver!  We are looking to meet some fellow anime-fans and make new friends before the con!  Does any one have any recommendations for some anime clubs or events that we should check out once we get to Denver?  We don't mind driving a bit 

And while I'm putting things out there, maybe some recommendations for awesome places to eat too? 

<3 <3

Thanks in advance!  Looking forward to seeing some of you at the con!

[gracerofl]

Mr. Lucky's Sandwiches on 6th street! /shameless plug

They really do have good sandwiches though, speaking as a vegetarian. Apparently their meat is super awesome too, since they cook it there instead of having it precooked or something.

Other than that, NDK is the only anime event I really know of/participate in.

[allpowerfulbob]

I suppose that depends, there are a lot of good places to eat here in Denver, what kind of food are you interested in?

[hazyraven]

Hey, thanks Grace, I'll definitely check it out!    Shameless plug... do you happen to work there? 

Bob, my boyfriend and I love ALL kinds of food!  We really enjoy Indian, Chinese, Tai, Greek, Middle Eastern, Pizza-shops, and so on.  We both are the kind of people that will try anything [not once, but] twice.  Just in case, you know?

[The Ronin]

Do you know what part of Denver you're moving to?

[hazyraven]

We're looking mostly in LoDo... Most of the apartments are near Coors Feild or the 16th St Mall.  But again, I don't mind a bit of a drive for something fun!

[allpowerfulbob]

Well if you're thinking Greek try Gyros Place in Greek town, it's on Colfax. Right across from it is a really good Ethiopian restaurant, I can't remember the name though. Also on Colfax just east of I-25 is a really amazing Japanese restaurant called Domo.

For Chinese I really love a restaurant called Red Coral on Colorado and Mexico. They also own the boba shop next door, called Lollicup, which is a favorite haunt of many folks.

For Indian food I really like little india, they have several different restaurants around town so you can find one.

If you want Colorado Style pizza you have to go to Beau Jos pizza, they have a lot of restaurants around as well, but the original is up in Idaho Springs. Where you can go and relax at some of the amazing hot springs.

I hope this helps!

[Rippy The Nekomatta]

Oh, I concur with allpowerfulbob, Little India is great, my father and the owner are friends

Another good place is called Coal Mine Dragon, but you have to drive to Evergreen.

Oh for shopping 16th Street is the place to go....so is some of the newer malls too, like Southlands Mall, Park Meadows Mall, Colorado Mills, and Southwest Plaza (always updating)....

Oh for good and hard to find books, go to Tattered Cover on 16th Street

One more thing, if you are a gamer, go to Attactix

Oh and for really good Mexican that doesn't cost a heck of a lot go to 20th and Sheridan to a little place called La Casedas...believe me, it is tiny, but good and for two people, I swear it on my life, you can get out of there only paying at most 25 dollars or less for a meal

[hazyraven]

Ah! You guys are amazing!  Thanks for the list of places to try!  Sometimes if you're looking around online, the stuff you find isn't all that helpful.  Its always nice to just get some help from people around the area.

Thanks for the book shop and game shop.  I'll definitely check out them both.  I'm not really a gamer... I will play things like LoL just to spend time with friends, but it took me a while to "get into" the game.  My boyfriend, however is big into gaming, so that definitely helps!  He's not just into video games though, but board games too.  For a while, once a week, we had game night with his friends here.

[hazyraven]

Oh, and Rippy sometimes the small places are my favorite places!  Here in Cleveland the hot sushi place is SushiRock, but it is SUPER EXPENSIVE.  People usually go in large groups, but they play music so loud, you can't really talk with the whole table (just the person immediately next to you). A place with a nice,friendly atmosphere and that is actually afordable, is Sumo Boy, in one of the subburbs.  So I'm always up for trying small places!

[rini]

of course, i gotta plug my store, Gimme Anime, 60 South Havana, #601, Aurora. it's a bit of a drive from LoDo, however.

restaurants: bump & grind, 17th & logan (i think?). they have an awsum brunch on saturday, though i hope you BF doesn't mind cross-dressers. i recommend the cheesey-estraada. if you like sushi, there's a sonodas in downtown. however, if you want REALLY good sushi (though with terrible service, i have to admit) check out domo's on 10th & osage. i used to work downtown, so i'm pretty familiar with the area.

as for clubs, there aren't any, really, that aren't attached to a college. the last one, DAI (Denver Anime International) disbanded a couple years ago, since they're no longer really necessary with downloading and streaming anime.

[GimmeAnime]

Since the wife managed to jump in before I did, here's some additions:

Attactix in Aurora (Hampden & Chambers), and Valhalla's (6161 W. 44th Ave.
Wheatridge) are both RPG & board game shops.

For video games, especially imports, you may want to troop up to Boulder to Game Force Boulder.

And while you're there, you can go to Amu's, an tiny authentic sake bar. They don't serve sushi, but you can get that next door.

Otherwise, hit up Sam's No.3 in downtown (or Aurora) if you crave diner food.

Socially, there are some Anime Meet-up groups in Denver. Check Meet-up for details.

Otherwise, hit the cons here. Besides NDK, there is Animeland Wasabi, Starfest, Mile Hi Con, and others.
http://www.coloradocons.com tries to keep track of all of them.

[gracerofl]

Hey, thanks Grace, I'll definitely check it out!    Shameless plug... do you happen to work there? 

My relatives own it, lol. It really is good though. Also if you ever visit Boulder, Hapa Sushi is super delicious. :I

[colonelmasako]

Lurk the Meetups section of the forum, the cosplay photo shoot get-together's are a lot of fun! Great chance to meet folks before the con

[Rippy The Nekomatta]

always a must, to just lurk meetups. there is also some other stuff around town that are a must to go see, Sakura Festival down at the Buddhist Temple, The Dragon Boat Festival. The Scottish Festival up at Estes Park, oh....and let's not forget some of the cool the music festival that is hosted up at Red Rocks and Evergreen. Ren Fest down in Larkspur

Oh another shameless plug too, Yoshima Ramen, the place is great and the guy who runs it is fun off Temerac and Hampden!

[allpowerfulbob]

I love the Highland Festival in Estes Park, but the main problem is that it is almost always the same weekend as NDK.

Oshima is a chain of Japanese Ramen shops, and the only American shop is right here where Rippy mentioned. I personally love the Yakisoba there, as well as the Gyoza.

[rini]

I love the Highland Festival in Estes Park, but the main problem is that it is almost always the same weekend as NDK.

oh, that would explain why i'd never heard of it.

if you're into yarncrafting, there's the estes wool festival, speaking of estes, on june 11th. i keep trying to drag ppl to the yarn side. haven't had much success, though =/

[hazyraven]

@ EVERYONE  - THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE INFO!  YOU GUYS ARE FABULOUS!  <3  I can't wait to check out all these recomendations!
@GimmeAnime - thanks for the information regarding the game shops. My boyfriend is gonna really appreciate that!

@colonelmasako -  good advice, thanks!  I'll definitely keep an eye on that part of the forum once it gets closer to the "big move!"

@Rippy - Awesome!  It's so cool to hear about some of the other festivals in the area.  The Sakura Festival peeked my interest.  Sooo... What kind of music festivals are there?  I went to Jazzfest in New Orleans, which was AMAZING.  I wasn't even that "in to" the genre, but it definitely helped me develop an appreciation.  

@rini - I love knitting, and know a teeny-tiny bit of crochet.  I'd love to learn more crochet and eventually how to spin.  I won't be in Denver at that point [I'm leaving Ohio on June 10th].  My boyfriend will already be there, but I doubt he'd find the event as enjoyable as I would.  Hopefully I can join you at the festival next year!  

[sailormoonstars]

I wish you two the best of both anime cons here in colorado is fun bye.

[Rippy The Nekomatta]

Well....let's see, there is the Reggae festival which is sometime in either July or August in Evergreen....I think KBPI does Rock the Rockies concerts through them you can get free tickets in their call in, that's durring the summer. I don't remember some of the other festivals, but I know there is a huge one in Breckenridge which features everything from Classical to Rock, used to the music academy during the summer there. I just don't remember what its called....