Last week, the cashier at the grocery store asked if we had any plans for “the last week of summer” and I was like EXCUSE ME?  Afterwards, I realized he was young and probably going back to school this week, so technically, it was his last week of summer but just hearing those words struck fear to my heart.  Is it really already time to start gathering up our “Must-Do-Before-Summer-Ends” list?  I’m not ready!

Joey and I compiled a list of the Passport locations we really want to hit before Labor Day but here’s what we fit in before.

Leña

It was a Wednesday night and Joey and I decided to be fun young people and go on a weeknight date on SoBo South Broadway.  Our first stop was Leña, which we’d been to a few weeks earlier for my birthday, but we couldn’t get their yuca bread out of our heads so we grabbed a couple of seats at the bar, ordered the bread + two margaritas and people watched.  I really like this place and hope we take advantage of their Happy Hour more often.  Their sangria is MEH but the margaritas are delightful.  Also their bar is gorgeous and has the biggest mirror I’ve ever seen in my life, so you can snoop on everyone behind you 🙂

Gozo

Stop #2 was Gozo and I’ve said it before, so I’ll say it again… I really really want to like this place, but they keep giving me reasons not to.  So, even though our waiter was super awkward and never introduced himself so we thought he was just the water-filler and our appetizer came out before our cocktails — which I can’t even remember so they must not have made much of an impression — and they didn’t have the air conditioning on so we were both sweaty by the time we left, I still want to like Gozo.  I think it’s because the food is so good!  I’m like one of those judges on Food Network Star who overlooks bad camera presence because the contestant can cook.  And I still wanna go to brunch here…

Ernie’s Bar & Pizza

We were headed home to eat leftovers after Joey’s basketball game one Thursday when I said, “BUT PIZZA SOUNDS SO MUCH BETTER THAN LEFTOVERS!”  And even though I felt guilty for ditching our free food for half a second, in the end, I was like “YOLO!”  Except that I’d never actually say YOLO.  The Passport drink offering was whiskey-infused cocktails, so we each chose one — one cherry-infused and one peach-infused — then couldn’t decide which we liked better and each drank half of both.  I’ll be honest, these were girly drinks.  Couldn’t taste the booze and couldn’t feel the booze either.  Also, Ernie’s is kind of old school and feels real neighborhood joint-y.  Sometimes you just don’t need the bells and whistles, ya know?  We sat on the patio, sipped our drinks, ate incredible pizza and felt pretty good about ditching those leftovers.

Ratio Beerworks

On the day that we went to Ratio Beerworks, I made granola.  Which means it was already 83° in our house and I TURNED ON THE OVEN.  So we went from Hot Little Brick House to un-air conditioned brewery to concert venue that just barely holds 200 people.  I thought I might never cool down again.  The good news is, you mostly forget how hot you are if you’re drinking a delicious Saison.  Ratio describes the Dear You French Saison as different from a typical Saison, because of its tartness and that description is spot on!  I liked it!  And I liked their giant garage doors, hipster-filled outdoor area and friendly bartenders.  Joey liked this community table we were sitting at because it was made of some beautiful wood and looked sturdy and new.  He’s such a boy.

Argyll Whisky Beer

Oh look, another post-basketball dinner out!  (<– I’m sensing a theme here.)  Joey’s list of Denver Passport Must-Visits included Argyll and even though Hannah and Josh had really talked up the cocktail, I was kind of avoiding going here because the menu seemed a little English pub food-heavy and call me crazy, but comfort foods do not call to me in middle of an August heat wave.  But I went along with it (see my name under “Martyr” in the dictionary) and ended up eating my words and every last bite of a perfectly-prepared chicken pot pie.  H&J were right about the drink… so delicious!  Cocktails with Ginger Beer and lemon are totally having their moment in the sun right now.  Side Note: The hostess seemed so flustered when we came in, then sat us across from each other in the middle of this giant wooden community high top that was otherwise completely empty…

Dying to go to next:  

(Still) Zengo // We can bike there AND get sushi.

Lowdown Brewery // Beer AND a full food menu?  Okay!

DADA Art Bar // Something tells me I’m more excited about the prospect of wine and a cheese plate than Joey is.