I last caught up with Wes Isbutt, owner of West Side Tavern in Longmont, in August 2025 for our Indulgences issue. Wes—a four-time restaurant owner with 26 years of experience from living in Las Vegas—is full of anecdotes and insights. So if anyone has an idea of “the Taste of the Month,” it’s him.

When we sit down together, this time on an unusually warm night in January, I ask him what’s been going on. He grins at me.

“With the world, with West Side Tavern, with food?”

I can’t help but laugh and shrug because, fair. Where do you begin with what the “Taste of the Month” is?

“It’s hard out here,” Wes says. “The cost of food is crazy now. Restaurants will have two choices: raise prices or cheapen the quality. And I can see who’s choosing which. More places will have to close. Automated service is becoming more of a thing. I don’t want to look at my phone to order food. I want to be one of the last places in the country that holds out for what the finer things in life stand for.”

I ask him how he feels about accessibility to “good” food.

“Texas Roadhouse turns thousands of tables every day. But what’s your experience there? It’s accessible, but is it good?” Wes says. “When I think of the best meals I’ve ever had, it’s because of the atmosphere I’m in, the people I’m with, the unexplainable thing we all go looking for. The better things in life can be accessible too, so I have to ask: what are you choosing to enjoy?”

He says it’s like film photography.

“It’s hard to pick up and tricky to learn, expensive to get into. But the ones who want to do it, they’ll find a way—and when they get it, they get it,” Wes explains. “That’s my advice to everyone: ‘Rock your food.’”

It’s a quiet Tuesday night at the West Side Tavern. A couple laughs over a bottle of red wine. At the bar, two brothers from Denver sit together.

“They drove all the way up here from Denver,” Wes says. “Brother and brother from out of town. One just had a baby. They’ve been coming here for a while because they know we have the best f***ing whisky selection around.” Wes pauses thoughtfully. “It’s wholesome. These experiences don’t have to be expensive. It’s not something any “where” can just create. But we’re always going to keep trying.”

So, maybe the Taste of the Month is enjoying the finer things. Consider your intention. Is your food a matter of convenience, comfort, or both? Don’t cut corners, even when it’s hard out here, because what you’re passionate about is going to carry you forward.

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Crosscut Pizzeria & Taphouse

I can’t imagine a better spot for a post-ski beer and pizza than Crosscut. This is one of my favorite places to take friends from out of town. If you find yourself coming off Eldora after 3 pm, stop into this cozy corner of Nederland. Crosscut is an underrated option; it’s up there and smaller space-wise, but once you smell the wood-fired pizza and sit back to enjoy the view of fresh snow falling out the window, it’s perfect for Apres. My favorite post-ski/work/weekend order is the Mario Pizza: Colorado hot Italian sausage, pickled shallot, basil, cremini mushrooms, mozzarella, and herbed ricotta sauce. Pairs well with a beer on tap or Crosscut’s Colorado-drafted root beer.

Jungle

The liveliest of our apres options! Jungle is a tropical-themed tiki bar and burger (with tropical twists!) shack. Located in Boulder on 10th Street, it’s known for fun, island-inspired cocktails and a huge variety of rum from all over the world. Food-wise, they offer a creative menu that includes burgers, plantains, and vegan/vegetarian options. They’re open from 4-11 pm on weekdays, 11 am-12 am Fridays and Saturdays, and closed Sundays. They’re the ideal spot for ski buddies who love to have a great time on and off the mountain. I kept it simple with a Cheeseburger—that Hawaiian bun makes it!—and a frozen Piña Colada.

Bitter Bar

Looking for apres drinkies only? I know just the spot. Bitter Bar in Boulder is off of Pearl Street on Walnut, which is noticeably quieter just one street over. It’s great to decompress after ski traffic. Bitter Bar is laid back, and you won’t want to spoil your dinner as it serves drinks only. It’s a unique spot that’s a happy change from pub fare and beer if you need something new. I love the loungey, Japanese cocktail bar vibe they have going on, but they still keep up a neighborhood bar energy. My go-to lately has been their Fire & Ice cocktail, which is bourbon, ginger beer, Angostura bitters, and candied ginger–a little something to warm up after a cold day.

West End Tavern

If you’re down from the mountains but not quite ready to head home, take a turn onto Pearl Street and visit West End Tavern. They have an incredible view of the Flat Irons if you need to show off for your ski buddies, and their BBQ is the ultimate comfort food after a hard day of skiing. I keep coming back to their Fried Chicken Sandwich, Sticky Style, which is a delectable piece of fried chicken paired with spiced honey, smoked garlic mayo, green apple, and crunchy kale slaw, all on a buttered brioche bun. It hits different after you’ve taken your boots off, trust me.

Rosetta Hall

The snow hasn’t been so great this year, folks, I don’t need to tell you that! It was an early day off the mountain, and we needed a little something for everyone, so we checked out Rosetta Hall. It features eight restaurants and two bars, which offer seasonal, craft cocktail menus that are made with fresh-squeezed, organic citrus and small-batch spirits. I was appreciative to have so many options, from Thai food to Italian, so everyone could enjoy what they wanted rather than trying to decide as one big group. Hangry skiers were thankfully avoided, and we got to make the most of a not-so-great ski day. Rosetta Hall also has live music on Tuesdays and the weekends, which I hope to catch one of these days!

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Any public school-attending high schooler has likely read works by the Brontë sisters, but you haven’t met them like this. Award-winning theatre group, Band of Toughs (BoTs), returns on January 16th with “Gin & Gothic: A Brontë Rocktale” to delve into the lives (and afterlives) of the Brontë family at Altona Grange in Longmont.

“You don’t need to know anything about the Brontës to see it,” Colleen Mylott, one of the original co-founders of BoTs in 2010, said in an interview with Yellow Scene. “We make it accessible. For us, the organizing principle is “How is what they wrote resonant with us today?” To create, to be powerful, and to love each other?”

A previous iteration of “Gin & Gothic” was performed at DCPA, but in the “weird spaces” of the Ellie Caulkins Theatre, like in lobbies and loading docks. 

“[Band of Toughs is] so slow and so indie that I always tell people, “It’s okay if you haven’t heard of us yet,” Mylott says with a chuckle.

“We picked Altona Grange because it most resembles the house we imagined the Brontës grew up in,” Mylott continues. “There are two different levels to it, and we’ve done the staging to fit the more intimate Boulder-Longmont setting. When you think of the Brontës, you think of the Moores. I would say the Altona Grange is the Colorado version of the Moores, or as closee as we can get to it, being in the Foothills. We’re using every square inch throughout the space. People are jumping through windows. It’s a great time.”

In this original production, we follow the tenacious and gifted Brontë siblings as they love, lose, and conceive some of the most famous literature of the 19th century. This 120-minute performance takes place indoors and outdoors (with heating), and involves short walks between locations*, including stairs. Seating will be provided.

The music in “Gin & Gothic” is a mix of covers and originals, featuring rebellious female-fueled rock by the likes of Susie and the Banshees and Joan Jett. Kamara Thomas, BoTs’ rock band leader of the Bertha and the Bed Burners (a nod to Jane Eyre), has also written three original pieces, including “Wildfire.”

“Personally, what called me in was the power of siblings and creativity,” Mylott says. “That felt really resonant to me. Their literature and how passionate they were–it’s heart-driven. It wasn’t the literature that got me in the room, it was the music and rock influences. We’re looking at them as rock stars of their own age. They’re a collective of rebellious women. It’s rebellious inspiration, mixed with modern music.”

“Gin & Gothic: A Brontë Rocktale” will be performed at Altona Grange in Longmont the weekends of January 16th and 17th, and 23rd and 24th. The show features live music, a cash bar, and “just a lot of fun!” To purchase tickets, visit https://www.coloradotheatreguild.org/event/gin-gothic-a-bronte-rocktale/2026-01-24/.

*Due to the historic nature of Altona Grange, Band of Toughs unfortunately cannot ensure this experience is fully accessible. If you have questions about accessibility or accommodations, please email bots@bandoftoughs.com prior to purchasing tickets.

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As we come into the New Year, people often have one big goal of completing Dry January to “cleanse” after a big month of December drinking. Whether it’s for health reasons, budget, or your relationship with alcohol, going sober for a spell isn’t a new idea but it is worth considering. 

Everyone’s journey with sobriety and drinking is different, so if you’re considering going dry for January and beyond, there are unique options to make phasing out a

lcohol in your life a little easier–and more fun. 

I met with Charlie Drury, the lead bartender and general manager at Tonic Alchemy Lounge on Pearl. He welcomed me in out of the cold one Friday afternoon, and we jumped into the importance of spaces with non-alcoholic alternatives. 

“To put it plainly, without spaces like this, it’s almost like real conversations for conversation’s sake don’t seem to happen,” Drury starts. “I’ve heard from people that, in the more fast-paced drinking and bar culture, it’s fun. But it revolves around the drinks, the bar, the tickets, the next bar. There’s more pressure than they want.”

Tonic Alchemy Lounge has been on Pearl for 25 years, offering alternatives to alcohol since 2000. Their menu includes kava, culinary mushrooms, and even an oxygen aroma infusion. They do offer a selection of wines to welcome any individual or group to the Lounge. Overall, it’s an aside from the usual bustle of Boulder and a chance to take a second for yourself and your community.

“It’s a place where people can kind of try on any different way of relaxing that isn’t the norm,” Drury says. “It’s okay to test the waters here. Try something herbal, try something chocolatey that opens up your heart or gives your blood a nice boost.”

Drury has been with Tonic Alchemy Lounge for four years, after his friends purchased the space when the original owner, Mark, passed away. Drury has his own background in food and beverage, combined with an interest in holistic medicine. 

“[Tonic] is a safe space,” Drury explains. “[I]t gives a wider range of people a space where they can still socialize, but they’re don’t have to have their guard up like they might in a bar […] We see that, we acknowledge that, and we encourage that here. Find people who honor and respect the clarity you’re seeking and invite that in. [Tonic is] where we’re all getting on that wavelength together, and also acknowledging that you’ve got to meet people where they are.”

For anyone interested in going sober but they’re not sure where to start, Charlie offers some advice.

“It’s the pattern breaking that, in my own experience, can be the most difficult part,” Drury acknowledges. “You want something to change, that’s amazing. You’ve already started the biggest part of that journey. 

“When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, remember the three-week rule. If you can make it past that three-week mark and not go backwards, that’s huge. Also, set a cool itinerary for yourself for January. If you’re going to try it, give yourself a roadmap. Have things to look forward to, new herbs to try, new recipes to make, or plan a fun night at home.”

“Also: find benign things to get a little naughty with like Spindrift [soda waters] or hot chocolate. You don’t have to punish yourself. You can still want something and get that fixation, and we’re here to be that for people. Go do something for yourself that helps you get that part of yourself taken care of as you start to find clarity. I read that the other day, and I think it’s fun, but important for people to remember.”

For anyone interested in trying non-alcoholic options at home, Charlie has some options:

#1: “Start simple. Actual fruit-squeezed soda water is a great base or enjoyed on its own. With that, you’re already halfway there.” 

#2: “Throw in some grapefruit juice and a Spindrift over ice, and you’re off to a great start. Some of those fun non-alcoholic spirits are fun as well, too.” 

#3: “Everything from 30% grade tinctures to honey-infused herbal concentrates, I would start to explore the range of tinctures, all the way to thick herbal concentrates and cordials. You can throw in lavender, relaxing herbs, you name it. Otherwise, things that are going to be a little easier to work with at home might be herbal concentrates. 

#4: “Incorporate what you keep in your cabinet.”

#5: “If you can start making kombucha at home and you’re more of those savvy people, you can have a lot of fun with that. Anything that’s probiotic, good for the gut, and tasty to try.”

Whatever works for you and your roadmap!

“Check us out here at Tonic,” Drury finishes. “Check out Rebecca’s Apothecary, check out other local spots. Check out Natural Grocers and ask somebody there what are their favorite herbs or tinctures to relax. People know a lot around this town. It’s a great community.”

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Colorado pride and wine were both flowing during the Colorado Uncorked event on October 18th.

Rugged class, passion to pursue something new, and authentic expression, from fine dress to cowboy boots and jeans. Guests were welcomed into the History of Colorado Center, greeted by excited winemakers and chefs from around the state, who came together to pair the new Governor’s Cup award-winning wines with expert food tastings.

Everyone was there to wine and dine.

It was a gorgeous evening out in Denver, a rare date night in the city for my husband and I, an elegant way to experience the state’s food and wine scene. Colorado Uncorked is the public’s only chance to taste the 2025 Governor’s Cup Collection in one place, at one time, all paired with small bite menu items prepared by some of Colorado’s most celebrated chefs.

The 2025 Governor’s Cup Collection consisted of the top-scoring Colorado wines – seven red and five white – from nine different wineries. In total, there were 251 wine submissions from 53 wineries, including 43 Colorado wineries and meaderies.

“People are surprised when I say there’s over 150 wineries in the state,” said Kyle Schlachter, Executive Director for the Colorado Wine Industry Development Board (CWIDB) at the Colorado Department of Agriculture. “That is way more wineries than what I thought we had when I first started, too. They’re all very small, all family-owned. Our entire state’s production is probably smaller than one wine made at a medium-sized winery in California.”

Schlachter, originally from Wisconsin, moved to Colorado to attend the University of Denver. “My degree is in geography,” he explains. “I became fascinated with how wine changed depending on where it was made—the different regions and countries. I wanted to explore how a Cabernet Sauvignon grape tasted in California versus Argentina versus France.”

Schlachter also serves as the mayor of Littleton, having been directly elected in 2021. He’s been involved with the CWIDB for 12 years and has served as director for three years.

Eight Idaho wineries, one Arizona winery, and one New Mexico meadery submitted for the first time this year. In total, 22 Double Gold medals, 17 Gold medals, 131 Silver medals, and 68 Bronze medals were awarded. Colorado is unique in that there are two grape-growing regions: the Grand Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) and the West Elks AVA.

“The wine industry in Colorado is changing,” Schlachter says. “We had a few cold events that wiped out some of the traditional grape varieties here a few years ago. Growers said, ‘We need to plant things that are more resistant to cold.’ So now about 20% of our vineyards have those cold-hardy varieties, and they make fabulous wines.”

Global wine production is at a 60-year low, Schlachter explains. “The best way to support winemakers is to drink more wine. Try anything that interests you. These 12 wines should excite all wine lovers in Colorado and beyond.”

It’s also an opportunity for wineries to work with restaurants from around the state and make it onto their wine lists. “We give the restaurants a bottle of the wine that they’ve been paired with so they can taste it and perfect that pairing,” Schlachter says. “Some of the restaurants actually are associated with the wineries, like this year Carboy is working with Angelos or Mesa Wines Farm and Winery has their Sips restaurant. There’s good coordination there.

“We’ve actually had wineries decide not to submit to the competition because they’ve said if they did well, they would sell out immediately. Which I always find fascinating because that’s the whole point. It’s a good opportunity, from the wineries’ perspective, to connect with top-tier restaurants and reach more consumers.”

The CWIDB uses the Governor’s Cup Collection to represent Colorado wine around the state and across the country. The award-winning wines will also be used for educational purposes at winemaker roundtables to recognize and improve the overall quality of Colorado wines.

Overall, it was a great night at the 2025 Colorado Uncorked event. Guests had skyline views of Denver and an opportunity to connect with winemakers and chefs. The History of Colorado Center opened their 90s exhibit, reminding folks how we were all part of a certain vintage. Everyone was kind, gracious, and eager to talk about wine.

The Best In Show White was awarded to Ignacio’s Fox Fire Farms 2024 Aromella, characterized by notes of honeysuckle and citrus peel, truly representing the snowy peaks of the San Juans. Both the Best Red and Best in Show were awarded to Sauvage Spectrum in Palisade for their 2024 Zweigelt, which was dynamic and well paired with Denver’s The Wolf’s Tailor. They served bison tongue with a watermelon red braise, black vinegar glaze, and pickled goji berries.

“Our winemakers really are connected to the state and want to support our local farmers,” Schlachter says. “It’s the kind of adventurous pioneering spirit of Colorado.”

This year’s Colorado Uncorked event was an inspiring example of Colorado’s creative means to make the most of our climate, with mountain-made wines, locally sourced foods, and a true sense of community.

Our favorite wine was the Pinot Gris by Stone Cottage Cellars in Paonia—a surprise since we’re both red wine lovers—and it opened up daydreams of going back to Verona to experience more wine, like when we first got together. It was a great opportunity for us to be present together, and reminded us why we love Colorado so much—for our community, perseverance, and heart.

Consider checking out next year’s Colorado Uncorked event and be sure to try this year’s Governor’s Cup winners. Learn more at coloradowine.com.

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Rebecca Rosenberg, a CU Boulder alumna and award-winning author, passed through her home state of Colorado earlier this month to tour for her new book, Silver Echoes: the second installment of her Gold Digger series.

“Baby Doe Tabor, [Silver Dollar’s mother] used to be a big deal in Colorado when I was growing up,” Rosenberg says. “But the more I met people on this tour, they don’t really know the history. They just have a small sketch of an idea of who she was. I realized at the Tabor Opera House—we had close to 100 people [at her tour event]—when I said, “So, how many of you know about Baby Doe?”, and not even half of them really knew her.”

Silver Echoes is inspired and based on real-life actress Rosemary “Silver Dollar” Tabor, a woman of immense talent—author, playwright, poet, and performer—in the Roaring Twenties. She seemed destined for stardom, but her dazzling facade concealed a life of devastating losses: the loss of her family’s fortune during the Panic of 1893; the death of her father, Horace Tabor, who was a former US Senator; and removal from the privileged life she knew after her mother moved them to Leadville, leading an impoverished life in the tool shed of the Matchless Mine. This, all culminating in a horrific sexual assault by a family lawyer, was a compounding story of traumas that triggered a fractured identity that haunted her life.

Silver Echoes unearths this hidden torment, exploring the complex life of a woman torn between victimhood and resilience.

“I lived here through my college years,” Rosenberg explains. “And in school, learning about history, I wondered, ‘Why don’t we hear more stories like this?’ Of course, in Colorado, there’s Molly Brown–I was aware of her. Then I read Gone With the Wind, and she wasn’t a real person, but it brought a woman to the forefront of history.”

“I realized that there weren’t women who were identified as part of history. That it’s all about war, all about politics, all about economics, and all about men. That’s where I got excited to write about these extraordinary women who existed, whose real-life stories people don’t know.”

Rosenberg, as a historical fiction author, has dedicated herself as an advocate to convey the in-depth nuances of the Tabor women’s lives, which extend beyond just the tragedies.

“I love to write about women who’ve done extraordinary things or who were misunderstood,” Rosenberg said. “That’s how I feel about Baby Doe and Silver Dollar. They were misunderstood, and they had more complex challenges than anyone ever knew.

After taking a class at Stanford University on how to write a novel and finishing her first book, she came back to Baby Doe. Now, she’s telling Silver Dollar’s story.

“I went to History Colorado and read all of Baby Doe’s diaries,” Rosenberg says. “They let you read the diaries—the actual writing, her actual writing—and make copies of it and everything. I really got her point of view of what she was doing, what happened to her later in life, and that’s where I discovered that [Baby Doe] was sick to death with worry about [her daughter], Silver Dollar, who had moved to Chicago.”

Silver Dollar, Rosenberg speculates, may have experienced dissociative identity disorder (DID). She was found scalded to death at age 35 under suspicious circumstances, though Baby Doe suspected the young woman found was not actually her daughter.

“I knew that there was a major problem going on with Silver Dollar,” Rosenberg says. “She was involved with vaudeville and burlesque and the speakeasies. She was also a silent movie actress. She was so beautiful, so talented. All that seemed to be too much, though, so I really dove into that history and started reading about her to get a better understanding of her as a person, not just the scandal we know.”

Ultimately, Rosenberg will keep writing about famous, historical women whose stories continue to influence us and the times we live in—in ways we can’t totally comprehend yet.

“I find that women, given the chance, are very tenacious,” Rosenberg says. “And inventive and really determined to do things in life, and that really inspires me. And not just me. All of us. The next generation, and the next generation, and the next generation. Women are already doing way more than they were ever allowed to, and that’s inspiring.”

Rebecca Rosenberg is the author of seven best-selling and award-winning historical novels, including her Champagne Widows and Gold Diggers series. Silver Echoes (Lion Heart Publishing) is available now. 

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