ARVADA ART
Art life’s a party
Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
6901 Wadsworth Blvd.
720-898-7200 Arvadacenter.org
This suburban treasure turns 30 and adds a black box theater and expanded ceramics studio, banquet, museum and gallery spaces. Come to the 30th anniversary celebration and grand opening from 1 to 4 p.m. on Nov. 5 and sample the Arvada Center’s offerings, including singing, dancing, orchestra and theater performances, plus a Clay Olympics, drama workshops and cake. In the upstairs gallery, “Dog and Pony Show” sums up what’s great about the center: children’s paintings next to national-caliber work, all treated respectfully.
FALL IN
The Gap
210 South 1st East, Cheyenne Wells
719-767-5998
This Eastern plains joint was jumping on a recent Friday night, in a way that only a small-town bar can jump: with three generations celebrating a birthday, flirtatious singles, families out for dinner, and oilfield workers tipping a few. As it says on the menu, “Pizza is not a fast food,” so put your order in early for a cheeseburger pizza ($12 for a 10-inch pie), which combines hamburger, cheddar cheese, bacon, onions and dill pickle slices over a piping hot, handmade crust. Kids welcome until 9 p.m.
GREEN JEANS
Coco’s Shoppe
Cocosshoppe.com
303-775-2461
This Boulder-based online boutique features eco-friendly, stylish fashion and beauty products – no Earth Mother flour sack dresses here. Owner Heather Smith just added Edun, a clothing line co-designed by Ali Hewson (wife of Bono) that funnels “trade, not aid” to locally owned factories in Africa, South America and India. For a fun fall look, pair Edun’s V-neck organic cotton top ($85) with Deborah Lindquist’s recycled cashmere mini ($209) and an Ananas bag ($231) made of lambskin and abaca, a renewable relative of the banana tree.
