Congress Park isn’t a rowdy place. It’s a quiet neighborhood of tall trees, old houses and young families. Nonetheless, it’s a worthy locale to enjoy summer fun and escape the party crowds of East Colfax Avenue.
Located just a few blocks south of the bustling Colfax scene, the 12th Avenue and Madison Street hub of Congress Park feels like a different world: Traffic is light. Noise is minimal. Baby strollers and pedigreed dogs pass on the sidewalk. Somehow, it’s not horribly pretentious.
Watch the sedate evening parade from Sienna Wine Bar (3422 E. 12th Ave.). This week, the elegant boîte celebrates its first year in its dreamy storefront space.
True to its name, Sienna feels very Mediterranean, like a little taberna in Barcelona. The decor has a vintage vibe, from the comfortable couches and eclectic tables to the ornate mirrors on the walls.
The bar itself is a highlight: At first glance, it appears blue-green with sparkly gold inlays. Take a closer look, though — the color comes from a base layer of Mediterranean Sea green, and the sparkles are carefully placed trinkets and jewels. The entire tableau is protected by thick, clear plastic. It’s beautiful, and works splendidly with Sienna’s overall blue-and-gold color scheme.
Naturally, the wine list is extensive, including a tantalizing number of sparkling wines by the glass. Wines from all over the world are represented, including a couple from Denver’s own Infinite Monkey Theorem winery.
Don’t go to Sienna with a huge appetite. The small plates are indeed small, and meant for leisurely nibbling. Bruschetta, cheeses, miniature pizzas — they all work to create a bigger, better picture of the wine you’re drinking.
Sienna’s front patio is lovely for outdoor drinks. Order a glass of sangria and prepare for maximum summertime relaxation.
Feeling more like a beer and a burger? Madison Street (1222 Madison St.) offers homey atmosphere and upmarket pub grub just a few steps from Sienna.
Madison Street’s a family-friendly place, the sort of joint where kids are common in the early evening. As night falls, though, more grown- up neighbors crowd around the bar to watch sports and catch up.
Beer’s the main focus at Madison, with plenty of domestics and imports by the bottle and lots of Colorado brews on tap. A burger might cost close to $10 on the food menu, but a can of good, old Pabst Blue Ribbon will only set you back a couple bucks — that’s the Madison Street way.
But watch it with those PBRs, kids. This is Congress Park, after all. If you want to get loud, head up to Colfax and rock out. The rest of us will stumble home calmly, quietly and at a decent hour.
It’s a major party weekend in downtown Denver.
PrideFest takes over Civic Center Park on Saturday and Sunday, and the revelry will spread far and wide.
Tonight’s not too early to start partying: Babes Around Denver presents “Big Top,” a women’s pride party at Tracks (3500 Walnut St.). The circus themed event features DJs, burlesque and a performance by singer Lori Michaels. The cover charge is $10.
Also at Tracks tonight, on the Exdo Event Center side of the building, Drag Nation presents a special Pride edition of its monthly drag extravaganza. The show features the legendary Lady Bunny, plus Raja and Nina Flowers. Tickets are $10.
Wind down the weekend at the Denver Wrangler (1700 Logan St.) — they’ll be throwing their weekly Beer Bust on Sunday with a little extra pride. Climax Sunday will be in effect at Vinyl (1082 Broadway), too, for rooftop fun.
Shows.
Chicago house-music godfather Jesse Saunders spins at the Oriental Theater (4335 W. 44th Ave.) on Saturday; tickets are $15 at .
At Beta (1909 Blake St.), catch DJ AC Slater on Saturday and duo Cosmic Gate on Thursday. Tickets for both shows are $10 each; buy them at .
