30 APRIL 6-12, 2023 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC & VENUES | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | SHOPPING & SERVICES | CONTENTS | Best Free Service Denver Public Library Museum Pass Program 720-865-1111 denverlibrary.org/museum-passes Anyone with a Denver Public Library card — free to anyone in the city — has access to the library’s museum and cultural pass program, which offers library patrons the chance to reserve passes to most of the metro area’s many cultural attractions, from the Denver Museum of Nature & Science to Dinosaur Ridge. Spots can fi ll up quickly, as passes are released on a roll- ing basis, but for culture vultures, this is an unbeatable deal. Best Free Service With a Movie Koelbel Library 5955 South Holly Street, Centennial 303-542-7279 arapahoelibraries.org Book it! The Koelbel Library, part of Arapahoe Libraries, has several meeting rooms you can book online, but the best is the Forum Theater, which holds up to 39 people. It’s the perfect place for a lecture, a panel…or even your own private screening. You can borrow one of the fi lm titles in the Koelbel collection (the staffers even offer their own suggestions) and then show it at a movie party that has everything but the popcorn. Fortunately, the Koelbel Library Cafe is just down the hall. Best Podcast — Entertainment Andy Frasco’s World Saving Podcast worldsavingpodcast.com Denver’s Andy Frasco isn’t just the front- man for his wildly popular band, Andy Frasco & the U.N.; he’s also the host of his wildly popular podcast, Andy Frasco’s World Saving Podcast, which he began in 2018 and really ramped up during the pan- demic. On his podcast, Frasco interviews fellow musicians such as Billy Strings, Mi- chal Menert and Oteil Burbridge, as well as people in other industries, including NFL football player Ricky Williams and photographer Jay Blakesberg. If keeping people entertained helps to save the world, then Frasco is certainly doing his part, and doing it well. Best Podcast — News City Cast Denver denver.citycast.fm We loved City Cast from the moment it debuted in Denver; it was the kind of smart, smart-aleck daily discussion this city needed, hosted by former Westword contributor Bree Davies and produced by Paul Karolyi, already a Best of Denver win- ner when we honored City Cast with a Best of Denver award in 2021, shortly after it went live. We loved it so much, in fact, that we not only gave it an award, we invited the City Cast crew to record in a Westword conference room once a week, simply be- cause we wanted to eavesdrop on everyone they were talking to (excluding Westword’s editor, who pops up every couple of weeks… we can hear her anytime). Since then, it’s only gotten better, booking great guests and tackling important topics. City Cast is the true talk of the town. Best Non-Local Podcast About Denver Alphabet Boys alphabetboys.xyz As racial-justice protests fl ooded Denver’s streets in 2020, activists speculated that there were feds — or at least FBI assets — undercover in the crowds. As it turns out, they were right. Michael “Mickey” Windecker, who hung out with demon- strators and sometimes prodded them to more action, recorded countless hours of conversations with protesters and con- stantly communicated with FBI agents, who were paying him. Independent jour- nalist Trevor Aaronson got his hands on these recordings, which he turned into the fi rst season of Alphabet Boys, a rivet- ing ten-episode series that’s a must-listen for anyone concerned about social justice and law enforcement not just in Denver, but across the country. Best TikTok Denver Food Scene tiktok.com/@denverfoodscene When Yesenia Chinchilla and her husband, Daniel Perez, moved to Denver in 2016, she started denverfoodscene on Instagram as a way to explore the city. As TikTok grew in popularity, she added that platform in 2020, and now has over 156,000 followers (and counting) as she churns out a constant stream of tempting food videos. Today the account is a full-time job for Chinchilla, one that’s sponsored by Metropolitan State University of Denver, a connection that has brought exposure to the campus and its hospitality program: Using the code “Den- verfoodscene” even waives the MSU online application fee. Best Infl uencer Kip Wilson, Stoned Appetit stoned-appetit.com Kip Wilson has a passion for two things: cannabis and food. The Mississippi native with a Southern twang moved to Denver in 2011 and launched a podcast with co-host (and now-Westword contributor) Chris Byard in 2018, highlighting his favorite lo- cal bars and restaurants on a show dubbed Stoned Appetit. In 2022, Wilson was able to quit his day job to focus on the show and his ever-growing audience on social media, which follows along as he crisscrosses the Mile High (while high), giving hot takes and tips on all things fun and delicious in town. Best Talk-Show Host George Brauchler 710 KNUS 710knus.com Eight years ago, George Brauchler was the high-profi le district attorney for Colorado’s 18th Judicial District, handling the James Holmes case and considering a run for statewide office. He shot for governor, went for attorney general (he lost to Phil Weiser), but wound up with a major plat- form: as the morning host of The George Brauchler Show on KNUS, where he brings a native Coloradan’s insight, major legal experience and a lot of good-natured hu- mor to audiences every weekday morning. Best Barber Shop for Shooting the Shit Techniques Hair Shop 860 Santa Fe Drive 720-502-4459 techniqueshairshop.com A key element of the barber shop experi- ence is shooting the shit, and Techniques Hair Shop is ahead of all the rest. Jeremy, the shop’s founder, always has new info about what’s been happening in Denver, especially in his neck of the woods, the Art District on Santa Fe. But he and his col- league, Gil, also love to talk about news events around the country and just life in general, sending customers away not just with great-looking hair, but a loaded brain beneath it. Best New Local Celebrity Rico León, Rico to the Rescue We’ve all heard the horror stories about home renovation projects: shoddy work- manship, broken promises and no-show subcontractors. Enter hunky Rico León, HGTV’s fi rst Latino host, who helps Front Range homeowners salvage their proper- ties when things go wrong. A contractor himself, he tries to work with both parties, but if that fails he steps in with his team and makes things right. Just renewed for a sec- ond season, Rico is building for the future. Best Emergency Room Therapy Dog Rose Medical Center 4567 East 9th Avenue 303-320-2455 healthonecares.com When things get ruff at Rose, staffers count on Peppi, the yellow lab, for com- fort. Patients are asked if they like dogs, and if they do, in comes Peppi. She lands, almost catlike, beside the patient on the gurney without disturbing a single IV tube or bandage. Peppi succeeds Wynn, a service dog in training who became famous for her viral photo with her tired owner, Dr. Susan Ryan (caretaker of both dogs), during the pandemic. Best Place to Browse for Bargains and Adopt a Cat Demi’s Animal Rescue Thrift Store and Cat Lodge 5895 East Evans Avenue, #102 720-609-2175 demisanimalrescue.com Founded in 2010 by then-high-schooler Demi Merritt, Demi’s Animal Rescue is a no-kill shelter that offers pet retention support, adoptions and spay/neuter events. In order to cover the cost of rehabilitating high-risk cats that might be overlooked by those adopting pets, Merritt created the thrift store. It’s a well-organized shop with donated clothing, household and sporting goods, and two rooms full of free-roaming available cats. continued on page 32 GETT Y IMAGES Shopping & Services
