On the road again...
After a never-ending rollercoaster of packing and unpacking, we found ourselves boarding yet another, particularly empty flight. We took an evening flight to what we hoped to be a long-awaited break from the Arizona heat. This summer seemed to never end; so we had been looking forward to this short and sweet weekend trip for some time now.
We arrived in Denver and I immediately noticed that yes the rumors were true, the airport is about just as weird as the rumors about it. Everything was of course under construction but we were pleasantly surprised to walk off the plane to an empty airport and a warm rental car just steps away from our exiting gate. We took a short drive to our hotel and settled in for the night. Sleeping in anticipation to see the view from our hotel room the next morning.
The following morning we took time to explore and grab coffee at Lula Rose General which was the product of a late-night Google search in preparation to hit all the best spots during our two-day excursion. With two vanilla lattes in hand, we enjoyed the in-house breakfast sandwiches on a warm buttered biscuit. This was absolutely divine and I am so glad we added this coffee shop to our itinerary.
We took the rest of the afternoon to enjoy walking around in the perfect-puffer-jacket-weather and stopped by the Denver Central Market to test out the TikTok famous, Izzio Bakery, for some fresh pastries. There was a line for very good reason and I enjoyed a warm morning bun while my husband indulged in a cookies and cream cronut. One thing we discovered was that October 14th was the solar eclipse. So as we walked around we noticed various sun-gazers looking up at the eclipse equipped with their solar glasses. What a special site to see!
During this time I also managed to snap some photos (not of the sun, unfortunately) of our activities. I would typically reach for my Canon AF35M, but I noticed myself using my Canon EOS Rebel T2 more often these days. I am unsure if it's simply favoritism of the "new" child in the collection or just the preference for the option to zoom the lens over my AF35M. I used Kodak Ultrmax 400 in my point & shoot and my last roll of Fuji Superia X-Tra 400 in the Rebel T2.
Union Station - Denver, CO
After paying our respects to the sports stadiums for the husband, we parked downtown and strolled through the brick buildings that put our home city to shame. It felt as If we were walking around a picturesque downtown in a typical college commercial beckoning you to stop in for pints, chit chat, and good people (IYKYK.) Other than the fact that it was a Saturday afternoon around 12 pm we resisted and marched on to explore Union Station. To my surprise, Union Station has been welcoming Denver visitors since 1914 and continues to do so to this day:
Built from carved granite in the imposing Beaux-Arts style, the newly christened Denver Union Station at last opened its doors in 1914. Since then, it has played host to an impressive roster of notable dignitaries, from Queen Marie of Romania to Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The Station reached its zenith in the mid-1940s, welcoming more than 50,000 visitors daily, including many U.S. service members and their loved ones during the Second World War.
Denver Union Station - Our History
I was really happy with some of the shots I got inside and around the station. I used my Canon Rebel T2 for these and I think it was a good fit for the nature of the clean-cut lines around the platform. I think that the Fuji Superia performed really well in this lighting too. I can almost see a tinge of the classic green FujiFilm is known for however I also think that there is an airiness and warmth to these photos I didn't anticipate. After wrapping up at the station it was time to prepare for the main event: Midland at the Red Rocks Amphitheater.
Midland: A Red Rocks Experience
The Red Rocks Amphitheater has been on my bucket list since I moved to Arizona and had to listen to every single beanie-wearing-Noah-Kahan-listneing college kid tell me how amazing it was. To prepare for the alleged "out of body" experience I was doomed to have upon entering the venue, we stopped to get some sandwiches from the one and only Cheba Hut it was only appropriate to have the first bite in Colorado as it is known as the "Mile High City" (pun intended.) Along the way I let my intrusive thoughts take control as I begged my husband to pull over so I could get a photo on top of the iconic Sinclair Dino (I'm not like other girls, I swear.)
The drive up to the concert venue was surprisingly short considering the amazing views it offers of the city. I am starting to understand the beanie-wearing teenagers now *gasp.* With a chill in the air and drinks in hand we waited for the doors to open. I loved getting to see the cowboy-clad fans clinking red solo cups in the trunks of their car and friendly banter from long-time friends. My husband snapped my new favorite photo of me all bundled up for the long night ahead.
Sipping hot cocoa and sitting through the openers with nothing short of a bucket list moment. Watching the sunset on the warm red rocks was reason enough to make the trip alone. When Midland came out, the teenage girl in me spiraled as I couldn't believe I was seeing my favorite band LIVE and IN PERSON. This was my Eras Tour and I have zero regrets. We danced the night away singing about our nonexistent drinking problems and held each other tight when the slow songs came on.
This trip was nothing short of magical and I have to say Denver took my breath away. No, not because of the elevation but because of the gorgeous views you just don't get to see on the flat plains of Phoenix. This was a trip for the books (and the blog) and I hope you enjoyed this recap of our little weekend away.
