City Cast Denver

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The Casa Bonita Saga, Part 3: Change Nothing, Improve Everything Dec 22, 2021

Show notes

All week, we’ve been revisiting the biggest Denver story of the year — Casa Bonita’s bankruptcy and eventual sale to South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker. And now it’s time for the thrilling conclusion. Host Bree Davies and Producer Paul Karolyi revisit the not-too-distant past — late November — when Matt and Trey began unveiling their plans for CB 2.0, starting with a very exciting hire: Chef Dana Rodriguez.

Oh, and here’s that 5280 Magazine story about Raquelita’s that Paul mentioned.

Here’s how we described this episode when it initially aired on November 22:

For the last 20 months, the fate of Casa Bonita has been uncertain. Would Denver’s original “immersive experience” survive a pandemic, not to mention a bankruptcy? Things were looking up when Matt Stone and Trey Parker (you know, the guys who created South Park) announced they were purchasing CB. But optimism quickly turned to skepticism and hardcore fans wondered: Was our landmark of kitsch and fun in danger of being changed forever? Turns out, things are changing. But it sounds like… for the better? Last week, news broke that Parker and Stone have hired renowned chef Dana Rodriguez, the culinary visionary behind hit restaurants like Super Mega Bien and Work & Class, to improve the food. Host Bree Davies called up the chef to find out what, exactly, she has planned for CB 2.0.

The Casa Bonita Saga, Part 2: Welcome to South Parkland? Dec 21, 2021

Show notes

The biggest Denver story of the year was undoubtedly Casa Bonita, and the watchword for this second chapter of the story is “uncertainty.” Because back in August, South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker announced they'd be buying the place. We all knew that Matt and Trey found the Mexican restaurant in a strip mall comical, but did they get it? Like, if they were going to be the stewards of this place, did they really understand what made it special?

Join Host Bree Davies and Producer Paul Karolyi as we revisit that moment of uncertainty after the South Park guys bought the pink palace, when we took a tour with Westword editor Patty Calhoun and Bree interviewed David Thomas, “professor of fun” — both of whom really helped us understand what makes Casa Bonita so dang fun.

Here’s how we described this interview back when it aired on October 6:

It’s official: Trey Parker and Matt Stone have purchased Casa Bonita. So, now what? Will the Lakewood landmark stay the same, or become a fully South Park-themed eatertainment destination? While the iconic restaurant’s future hangs in the balance, we wanted to know: What really makes Casa Bonita fun? Host Bree Davies and Producer Paul Karolyi took an official tour of the still-closed-for-dining immersive eatery with David Thomas, the “Professor of Fun.” David explains why Casa Bonita is more than just a theme restaurant — it’s an architecturally designed masterpiece that invites play, stirs imagination, and ensures that all who visit will be transported to another place and time for an experience that can be hard to put into words.

The City Cast Denver Crew joined Westword editor Patty Calhoun for the Casa Bonita tour, too — you can read her take on CB and the concept of fun here.

The Casa Bonita Saga, Part 1: Andrew Novick in a Monkey Suit Dec 20, 2021

Show notes

City Cast Denver will return with new episodes on January 3. In the meantime, we’re looking back at some of our favorite moments of the year. First up, probably the story of the year in Denver, it’s the Casa Bonita saga.

Join Host Bree Davies and Producer Paul Karolyi to look back at all the ups and downs, starting today with our first interview on the topic from back in April just after Casa Bonita’s owners filed for bankruptcy. It was a dark time for the pink palace, to be sure.

Here’s how we described this episode when it initially aired on April 15:

Get Eric Cartman on the phone, Casa Bonita needs help. More than a year into the pandemic, the iconic Mexican restaurant slash immersive entertainment experience filed for bankruptcy earlier this week. There have been reports of community efforts to raise money to save the place, but until now it’s been unclear exactly how that might work. Andrew Novick, who’s visited Casa Bonita 300 times, and entrepreneur Danny Newman, who helped save My Brother’s Bar, have been working behind the scenes, and they’re on the show today to explain their strategy and how you can help.

#ListenLocal: From the Margins to the Center Dec 18, 2021

Show notes

It's time for another #listenlocal podcast recommendation from our friend Berry of Podcasts in Color, the largest database of podcasts produced by people of color in the world.

Berry's pick this month is From the Margins to the Center, a new podcast from House of Pod. Hosted by Becca Mendoza Nunziato and Jeanette Harris-Courts, this show "unapologetically amplifies voices of marginalized folks." Please enjoy the episode included here, featuring Natasha Pepperl on foster care, and subscribe anywhere you listen to podcasts. Learn more at houseofpod.org and follow Berry on Twitter @podcastsincolor.

Denver Wins and Fails of 2021 Dec 17, 2021

Show notes

It’s been a year, Denver. Maybe not a particularly great one, but it wasn’t all bad. And that’s why, for the final new episode of 2021, the City Cast Denver crew is calling out the wins and fails of the last year in this complicated city we all love.

City Cast Denver will be in your feeds all next week and the week after with some fun re-runs, so stick with us!

And Peyton is cooking up some special newsletters to get your through the holiday break. Don’t miss out, subscribe now: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/

Tell us what your Denver win and fail of the year is on Twitter: @CityCastDenver

Nurses are Overworked and Underpaid. How Can We Support Them? Dec 16, 2021

Show notes

Burnout is hitting nurses hard as we barrel toward the pandemic’s second anniversary. Nearly one in five nurses in Colorado plans to quit their job in the near future, according to an American Nurses Foundation survey. Hospitals across the state are already strained by the number of COVID patients they’re seeing, and staff shortages could make the situation worse. Nurse Tara Rynders talks with guest host Avery Lill about the pressures nurses face and how they could be better supported. Rynders shares that her organization, The Clinic, is helping nurses at hospitals across Denver through art and play-based workshops.

If you want to watch the full performance of “COVID Stories” by The Clinic click here: https://www.theclinicperformance.com/covid-stories

Want to know more about your city? We’ve got a newsletter for you: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/

We’d love to hear from you on Twitter! @citycastdenver

Why Exactly Does DIA Need Another $1.1 Billion? Dec 15, 2021

Show notes

So apparently Denver International Airport just needs a billion more dollars to finish the construction project that’s already over-budget, overdue and over the top with its new, sparkly white floors that look like snow. The Great Hall renovation project has been a headache for more than four years now, but it’s supposed to make the travel experience… better? Somehow? Denver Post reporter Jon Murray has been covering the project since the beginning, and he’s back on the show with guest host Avery Lill to explain why the project has taken so long, where all that money is supposed to come from, and who all of this hoopla is really for.

For more details on next steps for the Great Hall project, here's Murray's latest for the Denver Post: https://www.denverpost.com/2021/12/10/denver-airport-terminal-project-completion/

Wanna know what’s on Peyton’s Plate this week? Subscribe to our weekday morning newsletter, and get personal restaurant recs and food news in your inbox every Thursday. https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/]

Don’t you wanna be Twitter friends? Hit us up @citycastdenver

Reclaiming Education at the American Indian Academy of Denver Dec 14, 2021

Show notes

For a long time, schools have been used to erase Indigenous identities. Take the boarding schools of the 19th and 20th centuries where children were forced to shed their culture and assimilate into a Euro-Christian one. And the erasure can still be seen today in curricula and the staggeringly low graduation rates for Indigenous students. But a new charter school in southwest Denver hopes to reclaim what’s been lost and invest in the future of Denver’s 200 different Indigenous tribes. On a recent visit to the American Indian Academy of Denver, City Cast Denver guest host Avery Lill met the school’s founder, Dr. Terri Bissonette.

Want to feel even more connected to your city? Sign up for the CCD newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/

Hey are you on Twitter? We are too! @citycastdenver

BONUS: Remembering Demaryius Thomas Dec 13, 2021

Show notes

Former Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas died last Thursday at the age of 33. He last played for the Broncos in 2018, but he left an enduring legacy here in Denver, where teammates, sports reporters, and fans alike spent the weekend swapping stories of Thomas’s kindness and quiet pursuit of “everyday greatness,” as ESPN reported.

Our friends at the DNVR sports network recorded a raw conversation sharing some of their and their listeners’ experiences with Thomas, and we loved it, so please enjoy this bonus episode today.

Here’s how they described it:

It is a hard day for Broncos Country, the NFL, and anyone who had the pleasure of meeting or just watching Demaryius Thomas. The impact DT left on the world is being felt by the thousands of messages pouring in of what he meant to them.. We spent this episode remembering our favorite memories of Demaryius Thomas, looking back at all the good times and we also asked and share some of the moments our listeners and community had with DT. It’s a hard episode but one that we needed to have to truly remember the man DT was on and off the field.

RIP Bay-Bay, you’ll always be remembered.

You can subscribe to The DNVR Sports Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google, Pocket Casts, Spotify, or anywhere else you get your podcasts.

How Denver Became A Beacon of Christmas Joy Dec 13, 2021

Show notes

Christmas lights have been a tradition for so long, it’s hard to imagine December without them. We heard a rumor that Denver was the birthplace of these magical twinkling bulbs — so we called up Colorado history expert Dr. William Wei to find out more. Guest host Avery Lill chats with Dr. Wei about his latest book, Becoming Colorado, which traces the state’s history using the backstories of one hundred objects, including a box of Christmas lights. We also went on a mission to find the folks behind the brilliant light displays at Denver’s City and County Building and connected with Nate, Madeline, and Heidi Webb . The Webbs have run their event lighting company Blazen Illuminations in Colorado for more than two decades and they share the secrets to what makes those holiday light shows so fun to watch.

Find out about more fun holiday stuff going on in Denver by subscribing to our weekday newsletter: https://denver.citycast.fm/newsletter/

Have a favorite local Christmas lights display you think we should know about? Tell us on Twitter: @citycastdenver

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