The Highlands neighborhood has a new nightlife option as of this weekend. The owners of The Highland Tavern (3400 Navajo St., 303-433-1990) will roll up the glass garage doors for their official grand opening tonight.
Business partners Brian Sommatino and Kris Baehre envisioned a classy yet comfy neighborhood bar that would fit right in with the quirky, up-and-coming vibe of the east Highlands area north of downtown.
“It’s just a really nice neighborhood bar,” said Sommatino, who already plans an expansion. “Over the winter we’ll open our patio and we’ll have a great view of downtown, and next year we’ll add an upscale grill.”
It seems the area is ready to welcome the new hangout. Earlier this week while the finishing touches were being added, curious locals trickled in to check out the changes. The space was formerly a neighborhood dive called the Coors Tavern, but the building has a long history of serving suds: According to Sommatino, the spot first opened in 1901 as the original pub for the Coors brewery. Now, the dusty old watering hole has a fresh outlook.
The interior – with its warm, sunset-colored walls, high ceilings, single pool table, and open floor plan – reflects Sommatino’s other bar, the Red Room, and his previous involvement in the Goosetown Tavern. Baehre carefully selected jukebox tunes to reflect tastes of the crowd they expect to see. “We have everything from the Clash to Cash, and the Buzzcocks to Chet Baker,” he said.
For tonight’s grand opening bash, they’ll host a rare live band and a special art opening as part of the First Friday Art Walks. Starting at 8 p.m., the Scattered Arts Collective will celebrate several local artists whose work will be on display, and at 10 p.m., catch the rock and rockabilly stylings of local band Jett Black.
Saturday night, the party will continue with a video premier party for Never Summer Snowboards’ “Put Me in Coach” video. Showings run at 10 p.m. and midnight, with DJ Klaw keeping the beats and sponsor SKA Brewing offering up beer specials all night long.
Queen of the Aspen martini scene
Aspen crowned a new queen bee bartender last week at the fifth annual Aspen Cocktail Classic. Nineteen of Aspen’s best drink slingers stepped up to the challenge, held at the trendy 39 Degrees bar inside the Sky Hotel.
But it was Bar Aspen’s Keri Christoffels who took home the prize during the mix-off contest, scoring bragging rights (and a nice cash award) for creating the “Aspenlicious” martini.
The wintertime dessert martini is appropriately rich for Aspen’s posh players; this winning recipe combines Pearl Lo Coco (coconut) vodka with Amaretto, coffee liqueur, rum, Irish Cream, half-and-half and dark chocolate syrup, served in a martini glass with white chocolate garnish.
Try it yourself next time you’re in the neighborhood; the only place you can find the $10 Aspenlicious is at Bar Aspen (220 S. Galena St., 970-925-4567.
Grown-up dance, junior-high twist
Remember your first crush? Celebrate the joys – and pains – of young love at the LUPEC Crush Party this Saturday night at the Hi-Dive (7 South Broadway).
Imagine a junior-high dance where passing notes to your prospective dance partner through a mutual friend was considered a fully acceptable form of hooking up.
Now update that image with the Hi-Dive’s hipster DJs The Postman, Wigdan Giddy, and Yerr Mom, and Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails, a.k.a. LUPEC, handling love-note delivery through the evening.
Ditch the chaperones and curfew, and swap the ice-cream punch for a full bar, and now that awkward junior high dance looks more like an all-grown-up, adults only bash.
The dance kicks off at 9 p.m., with the $5 cover going to benefit Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.
Kat Valentine writes about nightlife Fridays in 7Days. Reach her at kat@kingproduction.com or call 303-954-1568.
