The Party's On in Denver!

Thank You Denver!

Colorado has a lot to offer. Boulder is the cutest town ever. The Rocky Mountains speak for themselves. The skiing is incredible. The weather is almost unrivaled. The rivers and streams and wildflowers are wonderful. Even the horses seem healthier here than almost anywhere else. And politically, Colorado is the penultimate swing state this year - it will be close in the presidential due to a growing Latino vote and other changes affecting the nation. And there is an interesting senate race between Mark Udall and Bob Schaffer, which could also be close, though Udall has been keeping up a 7-9 point lead since June.

With all of this, I had never given Colorado's capital city much thought. This is not a city I knew well before coming here for the Democratic Convention. I had driven through and it had seemed nice enough. It's pretty. It's surrounded by magestic beauty. That's what I knew.

Then I met the Mayor of Denver at a function in Washington, DC. He was very nice, pretty down-to-earth and generous with his time. He spent about 45 minutes talking to another mayor's son about colleges.

This week nailed it. I really like Denver. I really love the people of Denver. So, so hospitable! Really, it's sort of unreal. As I type, I am sitting in the law office of an attorney who, just to be nice, offered me and a colleague a ride home late Monday night (and later, use of his office). He spotted us on the street, hopelessly trying to hail a taxi. He drove up, asked us where we were going, and whether we'd like a ride. We said yes, jumped in, and off we went in his Prius (of course he drove a Prius!). In the car, he asked where we were from. We said Los Angeles. He said, "Do you know Nate & Al's?" We said, "Of course we know Nate & Al's!" I said, "My grandmother and my great uncle used to go there all the time, and I love it as well." The kind attorney said, "Al was my uncle." How cool is that?!

A couple of days and many miles later, requiring foot-replacement surgery, I entered a Walgreens to purchase a pair of flip flops, hoping this would get me through the next two days with minimal pain. I found a pair, but while checking out all the stylish options, a Walgreens employee asked me if I needed help. In shock at this gesture, I explained why I was looking at several hideous pairs of flip flops, and she suggested that I try gel-filled shoe liners. She then proceeded to walk me to the product and helped me pick one out. That has NEVER happened to me in ANY drug store I've EVER shopped in. I thought that this level of customer service was reserved to high-end clothing boutiques in Beverly Hills for the rich and famous.

And then I attended the best party I've been to in a long time. Danny Glover was there. Daniel Dae Kim was there. S.F. Mayor Gavin Newsom hosted with Moveon.org and was there. Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla and Ben Gibbard, Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley, and Zooey Deschanel performed. And DJ Z-Trip and some amazing woman with a hoola hoop did a spectacular job of making sure that a fun time was had by all. Of course, Shepard Fairey was there, as well and the gallery hosting the party, Manifest Hope Gallery, was showing his art and featuring his Obama pieces. There was dancing and more enthusiasm for Obama than I'd seen the previous several days at the convention!

I've just got to say that I also learned something at this shindig.  I got there just as DJ Z-Trip was finishing up the earlier concert. He had the crowd, almost all people in their 20's, so excited about Obama - I hadn't seen this side of the Obama phenomena and it was eye opening. There was a thrill in the air and for the first time, I got into it. I don't think I've ever seen that many 20-somethings, every one tragically hip, interested in, let alone totally enthusiastic about, what happens to the country and who leads it. We'll see if the youth turnout will be what the hype suggests, but from what I saw last night - it's possible.

I love Denver!!