6 unusual ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day in Denver
From jazz and whiskey to a haunted house, these events promise to get you thinking outside of the (chocolate) box.
admin
The biggest date night of the year is approaching, and if you’re still looking for a way to celebrate Valentine’s Day that breaks from the dinner-and-a-movie script, we’re here to play creative Cupid.
From a jazz-and-whiskey event to hitting up a haunted house, these six events promise to get you thinking outside of the (chocolate) box this February.
Pair beer with eclairs
Belgian beers have long been known as excellent accompaniments to many kinds of food, said Charlie Gottenkieny, co-founder of Bruz Beers. “They are complex, a tad exotic and generally finish dry enough to provide a nice contrast to both sweet and savory dishes,” he said. “We have paired our beers with cheeses, chocolates, waffles and even Girl Scout cookies in the past.”
For Valentine’s Day, though, Bruz, which specializes in Belgian brews, is teaming up with Le Clare’s Patisserie for a beer and eclair pairing. (Think: The Bruz Dubbel, a rich and malty beer with caramel notes, matched with a butterscotch pastry cream eclair that’s topped with chocolate-covered pretzels and salted caramel popcorn. Or the champagne-style Brut La Grande Bier Brut with a yuzu curd eclair with toasted black sesame meringue. Yowza.)
The event, which includes four pairings, will be at Bruz Off Fax location (1495 York St. #101) on Feb. 14 and at the brewery location (1675 W. 67th Ave. #100) on Feb. 15. Participants can come by anytime to enjoy their pairings during operating hours and tickets ($39) are available on Eventbrite. bruzbeers.com
Go to a haunted house
For couples who are more into Halloween monsters than all the romantic Cupid hoopla, Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group is reopening its Denver haunt for Valentine’s Day weekend (Feb. 14-16), but this time around, the scare actors are going with a 1980s-themed vampire plot. Love Bites: A Valentine’s Day Haunted House is a more interactive experience than the Halloween haunt, with bloodthirsty vampires lurking about. Tiki bar add-ons, axe throwing and more can round out a dark romance date night.
(Interestingly, a haunted house may be a good thing for your relationship. In collaboration with the University of Minnesota, Mall of America conducted a study on the psychology of fear involving 300 participants last fall. Nearly 75% reported feeling more satisfied with their relationships after experiencing a haunted house together.)
Tickets are available now, starting at $19.99. 3400 E. 52nd Ave.; 13thfloorhauntedhouse.com
Join an adult spelling bee
F-a-l-e-r-n-u-m. Just in case you’re practicing for Adrift’s Valentine’s Day Adult Spelling Bee, that’s how you spell the Caribbean liqueur that’s often found in tropical drinks.
Get tongue-tied at the tropical bar on South Broadway, which is hosting the spelling showdown from 6 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 13. Expect some love-themed words thrown in the mix, plus prizes for award-winning spellers.
The event is first-come, first-served and no reservations are needed. 218 S. Broadway; adriftbar.com
Jazz Under the Stills
Whiskey and jazz are a power couple. Experience both at Stranahan’s Denver on Valentine’s Day as the distillery hosts a live jazz performance by Lapompe, a Denver group that plays a blend of gypsy jazz and classic American tunes. The concert is set amid the distillery’s whiskey stills.
Tickets are $45 each and include a complimentary welcome cocktail, $10 off one 750ml Stranahan’s whiskey bottle for each ticketholder and an invite for a complimentary distillery tour and tasting to enjoy at a later date. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show starts at 8 on Fri., Feb. 14. Tickets are available online. 200 South Kalamath St.; stranahans.com
See the “Rumors of Bloomers” exhibit
I recently gathered up my Galentines (my mom and a good friend) for a weekday coffee date at Leven Deli and to check out the Rumors of Bloomers exhibit at the Center for Colorado Women’s History. Corsets, bloomers, swimming costumes, petticoats and more are on display, and the exhibit explores how women’s undergarments, over the years, have liberated or controlled women.
You’ll come away with fascinating niche knowledge about early Colorado corsets: In 1918, “The Denver Star,” a black-owned newspaper, highlighted the work of Beatrice Lewis, who census records listed as a “carpet maker.” Lewis, though, operated La Beatrix Corsets on Gilpin Street, creating made-to-measure corsets for patrons from Denver to Indianapolis.
Only some of the undergarments are on display to general-admission museum-goers, so the best way to see this historic undergarment exhibit is on a 45-minute docent-led Rumors of Bloomers tour.
The tours are at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Tour tickets are $15 for members and $20 for non-members, and space is limited so advance purchase is recommended. To reserve a spot, purchase a ticket online or in person at the Center for Colorado Women’s History. 1310 Bannock St.; historycolorado.org/center-colorado-womens-history
Take a Love in Bloom tour
During this Valentine’s-themed tour, garden-goers will learn about the plants behind fabled aphrodisiacs and the romantic lives of tropical flora. Vanessa Callahan, assistant manager of learning engagement, likes to start off each tour by asking participants what plants play a role in our love lives before showing off the garden’s cocoa tree.
Fun fact: The cacao pods grow on the trunk and the branches of the tree so they’re easily visible. As a bonus, the Boettcher Memorial Tropical Conservatory, where plants from tropical rainforests live, is humid, which provides a nice warmup on winter days. Love in Bloom tours include a free chocolate bar.
There are multiple dates for Love in Bloom tours, now through Feb. 16. The cost is $22 for non-members, $15 for members. Register in advance online. 1007 York St.; botanicgardens.org
