Winter is here at last. It’s “real” winter, not the holiday- type of winter, when the cold temperatures and slushy streets are obscured by twinkling lights and mandatory good cheer. This is the time to hunker down, hide away and repent for the gluttonous sins of the past weeks.
It’s also pretty cold out. After a frigid New Year’s Eve, warm comfort and soothing quiet seem quite appealing. Here are a couple of places to snuggle away during the hibernation period of the coming months — or at least until the urge to party rises again.
An old, new discovery: The upstairs bar at The Buckhorn Exchange (1000 Osage St.).
Furnished with comfortable chairs and couches and bathed in soft light, the Buckhorn’s bar is an oasis. Accented with wood and brass, the bar is like a library in an old mansion, albeit one festooned with taxidermied animal heads.
Just like downstairs, the service is friendly and folksy. Although the bar also is used to round up diners waiting for a table, lounge-only guests are welcome to sip and snack. Cowboy crooners stop in on Thursday through Saturday nights, adding to the pleasantly dusty atmosphere.
If there’s one drink to try at the Buckhorn, it’s the “Buffalo Bill” cocktail, a mixture of bourbon and apple juice. Legend has it that the super-simple drink was the favorite libation of its namesake, and it’s easy to see why. It goes down incredibly smoothly, maybe even a little too smoothly. Have one too many, and you may find yourself snoozing in an oversized armchair like a tuckered-out cowpoke.
On the way back downstairs, get a bird’s- eye view of the Buckhorn’s astounding array of historic taxidermy — deer, elk, antelope, a prowling mountain lion and lots of other fierce critters. The West lives.
Not too far away, on Capitol Hill, the lounge at the Burnsley Hotel (1000 Grant St.) is a cozy little secret.
Tucked into the front of the hotel, the lounge is blessedly quiet, with carpeted floors and romantic little booths. It’s a bit ’80s, in shades of rose and beige, but somehow that just makes it all the more charming. The Burnsley’s location just outside of downtown ensures that the crowd is mostly cool Capitol Hill locals, with a nice smattering of visiting hotel guests too.
Loosen up with a generous happy hour, available 4 to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays: 50 percent off drinks plus a $3 tapas menu. Then it’s time to chill out to the max with live jazz 7 to 10 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays.
“Real” winter isn’t so bad sometimes, right?
There’s more . . . much more.
Not everyone hibernates in January. If New Year’s Eve was just another night, and you’re ready to keep rockin’, there’s still plenty of stuff coming up.
The lineup at Beta (1909 Blake St.) is looking good with upcoming sets from Christopher Lawrence (Jan. 13), Sharam (Jan. 15), Andy Moor (Jan. 20) and Moguai (Jan. 22). Advance tickets for all shows are $10, available at .
The Lotus Clubs calendar is stacked with the usual ladies nights, including Whipped Wednesdays, their longest-running night at 5 Degrees (1475 Lawrence St.). Stop in, ladies, for free cocktails from 9 p.m. to midnight on Wednesdays, plus mashup sounds from DJ Manos.
Tonight, Suite Two Hundred (1427 Larimer St.) hosts a pre-party for the upcoming Ke$ha concert at The Fillmore. Sure, the concert’s not until Feb. 19, but who’s counting? If you’re a Ke$ha superfan, and are old enough to get in a club, take heed: They’re giving away four tickets to the show.
Down south of Colfax, the CoClubs are keeping fun alive with a heaping helping of theme nights. At the Funky Buddha (776 Lincoln St.), Amateur Ape Thursdays are a recent addition: Bring your finest hip-hop and breaking crew and compete to win competitions hosted by DJ B-Money and the Almighty I.Z. See the full schedule at .
