The Mile High City, Queen of the Plains, the Beer Capitol –– A city of so many names surely has something to offer to a group of twenty and thirty-somethings looking for some birthday celebration fun. Even though Denver is vast and dynamic, you can kind of get it by spending a couple of nights there, which is exactly what we did.
A group of my friends and I arrived in Denver on a Friday night. We got an uber from the airport. Before we had even left the premises our driver had rolled and sparked a joint in the car. “I do this all the time,” he assured us, and whether our instincts were telling us to be comfortable or not, we were all getting high in an uber on the way to our Air BnB on the other side of town.
We passed the Purina factory on the way. Somewhere in the distance I could make out the snow-covered Rockies, like icebergs in a dark ocean, barely visible in the night.
By the time we got to the Airbnb we had made a friend, smoked some legal, local weed, and learned about a few cool spots to check out, like Dazzle the jazz bar and the numerous breweries littered around town.
Our driver, who was originally from Tajikistan but had lived in Denver nearly 20 years, was as close to a local as you’re likely to encounter in Denver. The city has grown exponentially over the last few years: like the Silver Rush of the 18th century, the Green Rush of the 20th century is drawing crowds of people to the burgeoning metropolis. My friend who was born in Denver had recently visited the town with her dad. He said that the city had grown up and sideways since he’d last visited. Whether it’s due to the growing economy, the pot, the Broncos, or a promise of a new hipster frontier, the city is one of the fastest growing in America.
On our first day there, we went for a walk downtown. We walked past an aquarium which apparently is home to a tiger, bought weed in a shop that resembled California medical dispensaries; checked out the Grand Central Station, which felt like a giant foyer, decked out with leather couches and vintage wooden furniture; and, around the corner from the station, had the most delicate and delicious savory meal of all time: duck poutine.
It may be worth mentioning that the only plan for the trip, besides getting stony, was to visit the infamous Casa Bonita.
Located in the corner of a strip mall, Casa Bonita stays busy during most hours. The establishment, which had an entire South Park episode dedicated to it alone, is technically a Mexican restaurant, but the food is the last reason most come for a visit. Still, everyone must order a meal, whether or not they plan on eating it.
After picking up our food at the counter we were led down a passage to what resembled a makeshift cavern, on the other side of it, we found ourselves in front of a pool beside a two story cliff decked out in vegetation. Kids were running around making our noises. We were seated by our host at a patio furniture table in a gazebo.
We sat down and began to “enjoy” our meal. My friends taco salad fell apart and onto her lap as soon as she took a bite out of it. Our meals were interrupted by a men dressed in a safari outfit on top of the waterfall, asking the dinner guests if we’ve seen his gorilla.
As the spectacle unfolded, we picked away at our meals, enjoying the funny atmosphere, not quite sure if it was the place, the weed, or us. Regardless, the Mile-High City proved to be the right place for a good time. 
Penned by Alina K. A. 