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Colorado

Denver's RiNo District: Street Art and Gentrification

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Denver's RiNo District: Street Art and Gentrification

For the last few hours of my last day in Denver, Dasha took me to explore the River North (RiNo) Art District. We drank cider, took in street art, and played with bike shares. It was a simple and fulfilling way to kill some time before my flight back to Miami.

RiNo Art District is a part of a non-profit art collective focused on uplifting local artists and small business owners. The district also represents a prime example of the erasure of Black history, culture, and prosperity. And how white visitors can contribute to that.

It’s Black History Month, and so I kick off this post with a bit of education about one of our country’s most gentrified cities right down to its most gentrified neighborhood—what was once considered The Harlem of the West.

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The Most Colorful Autumn in Denver, CO

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The Most Colorful Autumn in Denver, CO

Perhaps this is why they call it COLORado. I planned a trip to Denver to hike the Rocky Mountains. What I didn’t know is that one of the most gorgeous views during my trip would be the trees right in my friend’s neighborhood.

We took a short drive through Baker and other Denver neighborhoods to visit a farmer’s market on my last day in Denver. It was a perfect Fall day and the colors of the trees were more vibrant than this Floridian has ever remembered Fall being!

Apparently, the right combination of conditions in 2021 allowed for one of the most colorful Falls in Denver in a long time. I’m so glad I got to see it as we browsed the local farmer’s market. I couldn’t stop taking photos! Read on to see more photos of just how gorgeous it was!

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Self-Guided Stanley Hotel Halloween Tour

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Self-Guided Stanley Hotel Halloween Tour

I was a major horror film buff growing up and I still am. That’s why I agreed to take up Dasha's suggestion to check out the Stanley Hotel while in Estes Park, CO. Especially since it was the weekend before Halloween!

If you don’t know, the Stanley Hotel was famously the inspiration for Stephen King's thriller novel The Shining. After Dasha and I hiked Rocky Mountain National Park, we made a stop to experience all its spookiness.

What we discovered was a lot of people, a blustery day, and some unexpected facts about this iconic resort inn.

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Hiking To Jewel Lake In Rocky Mountain National Park

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Hiking To Jewel Lake In Rocky Mountain National Park

Back in late October, before the omicron COVID-19 variant was in the news, I took a 3-day trip out to Colorado. I had 2 goals while there—to spend time with my bestie, Dasha, and to hike some mountains!

I have absolutely no mountains close by to hike in Miami. So Dasha and I chose a hike that would take us to about 10,000 feet in elevation and end with two gorgeous mountain lake views.

This hike took me higher than my hike up Mount Ngauruhoe (aka Mount Doom) in New Zealand! While, I hiked Hunter Mountain in New York back in August, this was going to be my first time hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park.

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Sneak Peak: My Weekend Getaway To Denver, CO

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Sneak Peak: My Weekend Getaway To Denver, CO

This week has been a busy and challenging one for me. So I am going to simply share with you all a sneak peak into my trip to Denver, CO back in late October. I went on a whim and had an amazing time!

This short photo essay is like a trailer to feature length posts I plan to write about my time out there.

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Ice Castles And The Best Meal Ever In Colorado

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Ice Castles And The Best Meal Ever In Colorado

Three things I love: unique art, colorful lighting, and amazing food. I managed to experience all 3 in the second half of my last day with Dasha in Colorado.

Little did I know, this was going to be my last few hours of true domestic travel for a while. With physical distancing about to hit the United States a week later, I am so grateful that I had such an amazing experience the night before I flew back to Miami.

In this post, learn all about the Ice Castles, take in some of my favorite photos from the experience, and drool over the amazing meal we had in a small Colorado town on our way back to Denver. All around this was a 10/10 experience and I’m so excited to share it with you!

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Hiking and Snowshoeing The Colorado Rockies

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Hiking and Snowshoeing The Colorado Rockies

Right before the COVID19 pandemic hit the United States I traveled to Denver, Colorado to visit my friend, Dasha. I now feel so lucky that I got to see her before the shut down. I even got to check off a bucket list item—snowshoeing!

After my first winter living in Florida, I was craving some craggy, snow-topped mountains!

I had a full 3-day weekend in February to explore the mountains with Dasha before travel restrictions went into place. We hiked Mount Falcon park and we explored Breckenridge and the surrounding area. Read and see all the glorious photos from my last major trip in this post.

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3 Days in Denver: Art Exhibits, Red Rocks, & Golden

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3 Days in Denver: Art Exhibits, Red Rocks, & Golden

There's nothing like spending time with a close friend in a new city and seeing new sights together.

For the last 2 days of my trip to visit Dasha in Denver, I saw psychedelic art, celebrated her birthday with more of her friends, and explored some iconic parts of the Denver area.

We visited the Natura Obscura art exhibit, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and checked out a little western mining town called Golden. Read on to hear about and see all that we did before I departed back to New York!

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3 Days in Denver: Nightlife and Mountains (Part 1)

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3 Days in Denver: Nightlife and Mountains (Part 1)

You know what's awesome? Having friends as adventurous as I am—friends who aren't afraid to travel across the country to try on a new lifestyle. That's what my friend Dasha did over a year ago when she moved to Denver, CO.

A hiker like me, Dasha left her Brooklyn life seeking higher elevations. When I visited for her birthday weekend back in April, I had the privilege of experiencing some of Denver's gorgeous mountain views.

We also had the chance to explore a bit of Denver's nightlife and restaurants. I did a ton with Dasha in just the first 24 hours in Denver—but there's more! This 3 day weekend in Denver is in 2 parts. Here is part 1...ready, set, go!

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