Here’s a little Platt Park and Washington Park Neighborhood Update
Covid-19 thoughts. In my fifteen-plus years of writing this column there has certainly never been such a time like this in our nation and in Platt Park or Washington Park. Hoping by the time you are reading this life has taken a step back towards normalcy or at least whatever the new normal will be. Hope you and those you hold dear have come through this difficult season healthy and have not endured too much trauma on any level. Our hearts go out to any who have suffered loss during this time, I’m sure that has been most difficult. Special thanks to all who have served during this time. There really are no words to properly express our collective gratitude to all those who have stood at their jobs to serve and protect the rest of us. I’m sure none of us will ever fully appreciate the difference you’ve made. Thanks to all of us for pulling together to do the daily little/big things like just staying home, wearing masks, practicing distancing, again great job. Lastly great job to all the parent who suddenly found themselves lock up with restless kids 24/7. You get some kind of hero badge for that.
There have been some things I’ve really loved and appreciated during this time. I’m sure you have your list but here is mine:
- Less traffic. OMG that has been amazing. Just standing in my yard I feel like I live in the country or something. Silence like I’ve never heard around here. Did anybody else just delight in driving up and down I-25 at the speed limit never touching the breaks during ‘rush hour’—or was that just me?
- More kindness and thoughtfulness. Sure, there were the occasional less than pleasant stories we heard about but for my experience we were all more polite, courteous and thoughtful to one another. The shared crisis seemed to bring out the best in us. Loved the stories of people volunteering to help other from grocery runs to sharing that most precious of commodity, toilet paper. You guys are awesome.
- Platt Park always feels like a community but somehow through this we all just became more neighborly, I think. It was great at all hours of the day to see people out walking around, stopping to talk to each other (with proper distancing of course), just enjoying the hood and each other. Probably a lot more what I picture it looked like around here 100 years ago.
- The feeling of anonymity when wearing my mask buying candy and potato chips at Whole Foods
- Lastly loved the slower pace of life. Normally in my line of work April is crazy time. Just loved not having to feel so rushed. Did more yard work—check out my weeds—gone!! Found it okay to sleep a little more, watch Tiger King, read a little more, be creative in the kitchen. Not sure I want to go back to the old pace so much.
That’s my list. Hope you found some silver linings to all this as well. We will all be working through some challenges in the coming months but here’s hoping all the good will linger long after all this is done.
Well Covid-19 certainly slowed things down but not to a standstill. Change still managed to happen on various fronts around here. Here are a few things you’ll notice as you emerge from your isolation chamber.
Tikka & Grill
Pasquini’s is gone and in its place is Tikka & Grill on the corner of South Broadway and Louisiana. The owners were planning on being open by spring but things obviously got derailed a bit. The goal now is be open as soon as our current situation allows. Tikka & Grill will feature ‘Indian and Nepali’ cuisine but it would be unfair for me to speculate exactly what that is so I’ll get back to you. Tikka will be open for buffet style lunch each day then a full menu in the evenings. The restaurant will have a full bar plus both inside and patio seating. Broadway and Louisiana has become quite the international food court with Adelitas, Maria Empanada, GB Fish and Chips and now Tikka covering four continents.
Joy Hill Bar & Pizza
Just up the street at 1229 S Broadway is Joy Hill, a new bar, lounge and wood fired pizza restaurant that opened March 2nd. The décor in the newly renovated building is warm and inviting. The bar area has a fireplace and an assortment of couches, tables and seating around the bar. The rest of the restaurant space is set aside for dining. There is an amazing outdoor second floor patio with great views of the mountains. It will be a fun place to hang out on summer nights—hopefully soon. The menu features “Wood-fired, naturally leavened pizza featuring local ingredients and house-made mozzarella” so says the website JoyhillDenver.com. At the time of this writing they are doing takeout starting at 4:00 each day. Orders for pickup can be placed on line at Joy Hill or by phone at 303-954-8784. Joy Hill looks to be a tasty fun addition to the neighborhood.
High on my lists of things I’ve wanted to see in Platt Park has been a small market that has interesting and fun food items reflective of what we can find at the farmers market so it was with great intrigue I learned about Ruby’s Market at 1569 S Pearl Street that was set to open right before the Virus hit. Ruby’s hints that it will become a multi-cultural artisan and food destination—you have my attention. Currently Ruby’s is partnering with the Pearl Street Farmers Market vendors to create an online ordering collective. You can go online now at Rubysmarketdenver.com to place an order which can be picked up fittingly on Sundays at the store in the alley behind it.
Can’t wait to bump into you once again up at the Farmers Market or share a margarita at Uno Mas. Hopefully those days are soon to be upon us. Stay safe, healthy and hopefully by the next addition of the Post much of this will be in the rearview mirror.
See you around the neighborhood,
Tom Snyder