Sloan’s Lake Hangouts

» Denver Puppet Theater
» Adam’s Mystery Playhouse

Sloans Lake offers entertainment that might just seem a bit odd to some, but don’t let that stop you! Put on your open mind and check out these performances. For those with little ones, the Denver Puppet Theater on W. 38th Avenue has puppet shows and parties, a stage where marionettes that procure the imagination dance and interact, and even puppet-making workshops. Forget dinner and a movie, you can LIVE both at the Adams Mystery Playhouse Dinner Theater on Federal, where you can join in on the drama every Friday and Saturday night during their table-side murder mysteries. Now if these aren’t your forte, the Act I & II Cinema on King & Colfax is bound to have that new movie you’ve been dying to see.

But with Downtown just 10 minutes away, you can hit traveling Broadway shows at the Performing Arts Center, a concert at Pepsi Center or street performances at 16th Street Mall…

Clubs, Pubs and Love Hubs

» The Cooler
» Highland Pacific Resturant and Oyster Bar
» Mead Street Station
» Three Dogs Tavern

Not much goes on around Sloans Lake after nightfall, so you might have to grab a taxi and hit another hood nearby. However, The Cooler, right on Sheridan, makes you feel like your at a croanie’s party pad, where you can shoot pool, chomp on some catfish nuggets or cheese curds, or crack open one of the 98 some odd canned beers on their outside patio, taking in the view of Downtown reflecting on Sloans Lake…

You could also cruise on over to Highlands Square and hop on in the Highland Pacific Restaurant & Oyster Bar (live music from Thursday nights to Sunday nights) for a coastal touch and Mead St. Station (live music every night except Fridays) for down-home, linger-lickin’ fare with no cover charge. Check out the talent of canines on the walls at Three Dogs Tavern while sippin’ your favorite brew…

Local Eats

» US Thai Cafe
» Edgewater Inn
» El Camino Tavern
» Happy Cakes Bakeshop

Just as the community spans the globe, so does the available eats around Sloans Lake. The Us Thai Cafe in Edgewater, on 25th , cooks up classical Thai food and The Edgewater Inn down the street from it slices up some of the best pizza, reminiscent of the Northeast Italian eateries. El Camino, in Highland Square, mixes some of the best margaritas and fresh salsas, while doing their part to keep our city green by being completely wind-powered and recycling all cans, paper and bottles of Corona (and others). Also at Highlands Square, you’ll find the multitude of restaurants and bar & grills, like the Highland Pacific & Oyster Bar who carry many daily varieties of the aphrodisiacs and great seafood to take away that land-locked feeling.

The hip and fan-fortifying atmosphere of Trattoria Stella on 32nd, is the perfect place for romancin’ over homemade pasta while sittin’ pretty in a piece of funky furniture. For dessert order yourself and the kiddies some gourmet cupcakes from Happy Cakes Bakeshop, also on 32nd, where you’ll salivate over the S’mores cake.

Staying Active

» Sloan’s Lake Park

Relax and recreate your happiness in this oasis in the Denver Metro! Stop and smell the flowers at the city maintained gardens while takin’ in the sun. Or stroll around the more than 650 miles of paved walks and trails jaunt the waterfronts created by Cooper and Sloan’s Lakes. Hook one on and fry it up in one of the adjacent picnic grounds. A new marina on the north shores is currently in the works, but you can still boat and water ski your tanned booty off.

There are a few courts where you’ll be able to shoot some hoops, and racquet around the tennis balls. Football, softball and soccer fields give you the room to romp and rumble with your friends and teammates. Plop yourself down on a park bench and people watch or take in views of sunsets above the western Rockies or the stars in the reflecting lake, borne of Downtown skyscrapers at night. Playgrounds abound for the tenderites to give you a break from it all by watching from afar while trying to follow the wildlife, such as geese, foxes, and pesky squirrels. Refresh yourself, on those hot and drenced-with-sweat days, with a Slurpee or, on the snowy and sleepy days, with your favorite latte from Starbucks – they’re right across the street…

Getting From Here To There

» RTD
» The Cost Of Commuting

Hop on I-25 or 70, giving you quick exit for work, travel or running errands. Sloans Lake is surrounded by city thoroughfares, being flanked by Sheridan and Federal Boulevards on the west, 17th and 19th Avenues to the south, Meade Street and 29th Avenue to the east and north. Wheat Ridge and the Highlands lie North while Lakewood and Edgewater sit west of the hood. But, best of all, the heart of Downtown is only 10 minutes east. Travel is backed by Denver’s up-to-par bus system. From Downtown, the light rail system branches out for connections to outlying areas of Denver or Denver International Airport.

Everything Your Heart Desires

» Highland Square
» Mondo Vino
» Made in Colorado

Highlands Square at 32nd Avenue & Lowell Boulevard to the north contains many shops and boutiques, making it the closest thing to shopping centrale for Sloans Lake residents. Pick out some cool rags at The Uncommon Thread, Dragonfly, or Rejuvanest. Mondo Vino and Healing Glow will supply you with wine and candles for a poetic night at home. Check out the eccentric jewelry from around the world at the Garnet Gecko or build your own at Studio Bead.

Small and welcoming shops along Sheridan create a relaxing and vacation-like experience next to the lake, mixed in with the occasional Starbucks and deli for replenishment. Pick up necessities and all things needed for maintaining your crib at Target or get your BBQin’ supplies and grub at King Soopers right on Sheridan. Made In Colorado on 29th is a gift-giver’s mecca, offering Colorado souvenirs, Colorado sports team items, local artwork and regional foods. If your on a mission for spreeing, just jump in your ride and head on over to Downtown for the latest fashion at 16th Street Mall and the Larimer Square.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

» Denver Recycling
» Green Print Denver

The Sloan’s Lake Neighborhood, in coalition with Greenprint Denver, throws a neighborhood Green party in August to raise the hood’s awareness and get people with the program. Goin’ door to door volunteers offer free CFL porch lightbulbs (and install the puppies), home energy audits, and find candidates for curbside recycling.

The City of Denver’s Climate Action Agenda, which has the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 10 percent by 2012, has made this possible and is spreading these practices with more support than ever. Greenprint Denver is an awesome resource and community newsletter for residents all over to help out and get their questions answered regarding recycling programs, sustainability, and reducing greenhouse emissions. Peeps here can join in the graffiti removal program or pick up free street trees, so if you’re willing to do the footwork, the info is there and others are ready to jump on the band wagon…

The A to Zs

» Brown Elementary
» Lake Middle School
» North High School
» Auraria High Education Center

When it’s time for schoolin’ the kiddies in Downtown Denver isn’t your typical day in history class, as there be many educational choices from preschools/early childhood education up to universities & colleges. From West Highlands to Five Points to the Golden Triangle, Denver Public Schools provides ten elementary/K-8, two middle, and four high schools to pick from – for as long as there’s space, your offspring can attend ANY school and DPS employs a lottery system if too many applications are received for one in particular. Neighborhood schools are Brown Elementary, Lake Middle School and The Tennyson School for Arts and Technology is a burgeoning charter school at 38th and Tennyson.

Six charter schools in these areas teach pupils ranging from toddlers all the way to high school ages, but follow their own rules of attendance. Other options include a few Montessories and some specialized academies like Crofton-Ebert Elementary, Morey Middle School or Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning that offer highly-gifted and talented programs. CEC Middle College and the Denver Center for International Studies help prepare students for college and the business world with exemplary classes and activities.

Now, if you’re afraid of being shone up by these young contenders, get yourself into some higher learning by attending one of the great colleges and universities right here surrounding our Denver Lofts. University of Colorado Denver, Metro State College of Denver and Community College of Denver are here to help and edumacate! Visit the Tivoli Student Union, a division of the Auraria Higher Education Center, for programs, services and assistance with such improvement steps. If you’d like to get some wicked art or design skills then the Art Institute of Colorado is right down the road…

The Best Damn Sports…PERIOD

» Denver Broncos
» Denver Nuggets
» Colorado Rockies
» Colorado Avalanche

Denver is the Camelot for Colorado sports teams and nearby Downtown presents the best of the best! At the Pepsi Center, catch the Denver Nuggets OR the Avalanche in an intense battle against those non-contenders from out-of-state. Hit Coors Field to watch the Rockies slam rivals like the Dodgers or Giants. Best of all, enter Invesco Field and witness the crushing power of our very own Broncos against, say, the Faiders… oh, we mean, Raiders. And yet, little known outside of Denver probably, we’ve got the Denver Outlaws making the dormancy of football a bit more exciting with their fast-paced lacrosse matches.

Watch runs and boat competitions right in your back yard, hosted by Sloans Lake Park. If you’d rather not watch these guys have all the fun, get your fix on the lake or at any of the free facilities around the park, from soccer fields to ball parks to b-ball courts…

Anything “Medicinal” You Need

» St. Anthony Central
» Denver Health Medical Center

Should any mishaps or injuries arise from previously mentioned exertion, find help from someone who knows what the heck they’re doin’!

St. Anthony Central Hospital, ran by Centura Health, is southeast of the hood, between 17th Avenue and Colfax. HealthOne Systems have the LoDo Internal Medicine Clinic (doubles as the AfterOurs Urgent Care for late night help) on Wazee and the full-fledged Presbyterian/St Luke’s Medical Center on East 19th Avenue. Denver Health Medical Center awaits near 8th & Delaware, Exempla St. Joseph’s Hospital is ready to mend on Franklin and the University of Colorado provides advanced yet comprehensive care at their hospital on West 13th Avenue. Alternative medicine is available at Healing Arts on 16th Street, who combines eastern and western medicine in cooperation with many of the above facilities…