Innehållsförteckning för August 2023 från 5280 Magazine

Jenn Logan used to share her Denver apartment with some unusual roommates: two dozen boreal toads. In 2000, the biologist had just started a job at Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s (CPW) Native Aquatic Species Restoration Facility, a hatchery in Alamosa that was being built to breed endangered and threatened fish and amphibian species for release into the wild. Until the building was finished, however, it was up to Logan to foster the imperiled toadlets. “The sooner that recovery actions start,” she says, “the better chance we have to facilitate a species’ long-term persistence.” Once abundant, Colorado’s population of boreal toads, which live between 8,000 and 12,000 feet in elevation, has plummeted over the past four decades to fewer than 1,000 adults. In 1998, five years after CPW added the toads…

While rice and curry combos make for satisfying dinners, those seeking late-night sustenance often gravitate toward hand-held, greasy-spoon-style eats. That demand inspired the culinary pros behind four-year-old Gaia Masala and Burger, which has outposts in Boulder and Capitol Hill and will open in LoDo this month, to inject pub fare with the flavors of a beloved Indian dish: tikka masala. The fast-casual restaurant and bar’s crave-worthy burgers, sandwiches, and calzones are ideal for soaking up boozy beverages, including Gaia’s mint gimlets, coconut grass-hoppers, and other inventive cocktails. Our post-midnight go-to is the tikka masala cheese steak, composed of juicy nuggets of poultry shrouded in a tomato-based sauce seasoned with chile powder, ginger, and other aromatics and layered on a ghee-soaked bun with onions two ways (fresh and pickled), lettuce, cilantro,…

NEGRONI This elixir infused with gin, vermouth, and Campari is for those seeking potency. Cimino makes Stella’s Golden Negroni with saffron-steeped gin, bergamot liqueur, and Italian vermouth to yield an earthy drink with notes of bitter orange that complements the insalata di Cesare. MARTINI Stella’s offers two versions of the ubiquitous American sipper: an eye-opening espresso iteration and savory porcini. The former is spiked with Italian espresso, pink peppercorn, and caramel-tinged Meletti Amaro, while the latter has mushroom-infused vodka, a celery shrub, and a blue cheese olive and red pepper garnish. SPRITZ This classic Italian pre-meal drink is often made with bittersweet Aperol, prosecco, and soda water. Cimino crafts a Rosato Spritz with rose liqueur, lavender, and lemon, which makes for a highly crushable cocktail with floral tones that can…

SUNFISH Size: 13 feet, nine inches Price: $500 to $1,200 used; $4,000 new Overview: These summer-camp mainstays are hard to sink and agile enough to keep veteran sailors entertained, making them popular starter vessels that won’t get boring as their captains gain experience. Pros: At just 120 pounds, with a removable centerboard, a Sunfish can be launched from any beach, meaning you can cruise lakes that don’t have boat launches. Cons: Sunfish are easy to capsize, so expect to spend part of your day in the water. Thankfully, they’re just as easy to right as they are to flip. DAYSAILING DINGHIES Size: 14 to 17 feet Price: $1,000 to $3,000 used; $5,000-plus new Overview: Countless varieties of sturdy daysailers have been manufactured over the years, many of which can fit…

Fighting cancer is a tough task, but people living in Denver have long been able to count on having the best weapons for the battle within a few minutes’ reach. That hasn’t been the case for rural Coloradans, who sometimes have had to make long treks to Denver or Salt Lake City to receive appropriate care. “You really don’t want to get in a car after a heavy dose of chemotherapy,” says Chris Thomas, president and CEO of Community Hospital in Grand Junction, “and drive hours back home.” For Coloradans living on the Western Slope and in the southern part of the state, care that had typically only been available in urban areas is finally making its way to the countryside. Thomas’ Community Hospital, for example, will soon realize a…

Dr. Doug Thamm works with cancer patients of all shapes, sizes, and, well, breeds. A professor of animal oncology at Colorado State University, Thamm consults for a cancer registry for dogs that allows veterinarians to upload profiles of pups that can then be analyzed by experts looking to better understand how cancer affects canines. And because cancer in dogs behaves similarly to cancer in humans, some oncology researchers have begun studying the registry to identify possible treatments for people. “Comparative oncology is a field that has rapidly expanded over the last couple of decades,” Thamm says. “Veterinary medicine can help in the cancer fight more than some might think.”…

AURORA – The Medical Center of Aurora—HealthOne AVISTA – Avista Adventist Hospital—AdventHealth BMC – Boulder Medical Center BROOMFIELD – Broomfield Hospital—UCHealth CASTLE ROCK – Castle Rock Adventist Hospital—AdventHealth CHILDREN’S – Children’s Hospital Colorado CRAIG – Craig Hospital DENVER HEALTH – Denver Health Medical Center FOOTHILLS – Foothills Hospital—Boulder Community Health GOOD SAMARITAN – Good Samaritan Medical Center—SCL Health HIGHLANDS RANCH – UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital—UCHealth LITTLETON – Littleton Adventist Hospital—AdventHealth LITTLETON PEDIATRIC – Littleton Pediatric Medical Center LONGMONT – Longmont United Hospital—Centura Health/CommonSpirit Health LONGS PEAK – Longs Peak Hospital—UCHealth LUTHERAN – Lutheran Medical Center—SCL Health NATIONAL JEWISH – National Jewish Health NORTH SUBURBAN – North Suburban Medical Center—HealthOne ORTHOCOLORADO – OrthoColorado Hospital—Centura Health/CommonSpirit Health PARKER – Parker Adventist Hospital—AdventHealth PLATTE VALLEY – Platte Valley Medical Center—SCL Health PORTER –…

You’ll find a singular blend of nerdiness and daring at Boulder’s Junkyard Social Club. “It’s a place for communities to come together to unwind, to celebrate, and to hatch big plans,” says Jill Katzenberger, co-founder and executive director of the all-ages, 8,500-square-foot learning and event space, which, after soft-launching in 2021, had its grand opening this past March. “We strive to create diverse and unique situations that inspire new conversations and ideas,” she says. In practice, that means you’ll find summer campers ($95 per day) and homeschoolers ($20 per class) building flying machines in the tinkering space while tykes explore climbable sculptures and the two-story playground—much of it sourced from scrap yards—during open play hours (Tuesday through Sunday; $12 per day). Families can catch concerts and circus acts, and on…

Nothing illustrates golf’s vibe better than its clap—an applause that’s intended to produce as little noise as possible. But since the pandemic, when thousands of players took up the sport, the game has become, well, louder. And no company has dialed up the volume as high as Pins and Aces. ¶ Nicklaus Mertz (formerly a project manager at a mannequin supplier) founded the Arvada-based business in 2019 after he went in search of a new head cover and found the available options dreary. So he began producing his own, starting with one that featured the Colorado state flag. The designs quickly became more exuberant and now showcase Mexican sugar skulls, mythical creatures, and cultural icons such as William Wallace ($35 to $55). “The demographics have changed in golf,” Mertz says.…

During World War II, the U.S. Army began probing mustard gas’ various poisons, looking for deadlier weapons. But among the harmful chemical ingredients, researchers discovered nitrogen mustard, a compound that, miraculously, seemed to slow lymphoma. Eventually, doctors figured out a way to deploy nitrogen mustard and similar so-called alkylating agents to damage the DNA of cancer cells, and in 1956, methotrexate, one ingredient of what’s now the standard chemotherapy cocktail, helped lead to the first recorded cure of metastatic cancer. The drive to build on past discoveries continues today as cancer treatments become more specific to individual patients, resulting in improved outcomes and reduced side effects. “Our knowledge of basic science, biology, and biochemistry is what’s fueling the successes that we’re seeing in the clinic,” says Dr. Gerald Falchook, a…

The field of cardio-oncology isn’t new; it’s simply new to you. In the past, physicians in the specialty were confined mainly to research facilities, where they studied cancer’s effects on the body’s beating center. Among their discoveries: Cancer survivors have a greater chance of developing heart disease because of the powerful drug treatments that coursed through their veins. Today, cardio-oncologists are finally putting their home-work into practice. Dr. Chris Fine is the only cardio-oncologist at Denver’s National Jewish Health and one of fewer than 100 cardio-oncologists in the country who have been board-certified by the International Cardio-Oncology Society. Fine has begun collaborating with cancer care teams to monitor patients’ cardiovascular systems and recommend ways to protect their hearts. That might mean avoiding certain cancer drugs, such as anthracyclines, which can…

When the omicron variant coursed through the United States in 2022, it affected demographics differently—but predictably. Hispanic, Native American, Black, and Asian populations recorded higher infection rates than white people during the surge, just as they had throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. Those variations laid bare the fact that the health care industry is not immune to discrimination based on race. That includes oncology. “We see disparities not only in incidence,” says Dr. Evelinn A. Borrayo, associate director of community outreach and engagement at the CU Cancer Center, “but, more importantly, in mortality.” And although the pattern repeats itself across the world, Colorado has unique problems. To name one: Compared with other states, Hispanic residents here suffer higher rates of lung, breast, and colorectal cancers, and though they have guesses, doctors…

DEION Sanders escapes the nighttime chill and walks into the building where the next chapter of his legacy will be written. It’s winter in Boulder, a few days after the man known as Coach Prime left his job at Jackson State University in Mississippi and signed a deal that made him the 28th head football coach in University of Colorado Boulder history. The list of CU coaches is thick with men who’ve led the Buffaloes to conference titles, to big-time bowl games, and to one national championship—though none arrived on campus with the kind of flash and optimism that followed this 55-year-old NFL Hall of Famer, a man who’d begun his college coaching journey just three years earlier and was now saying that God had called him to this place…

1 Pickleball Food Pub 7647 W. 88TH AVE. Last year, American Pickleball Association founder Sam Brown spent nearly a million dollars to convert a former Sears outlet into an eight-court paddlers’ paradise. Players of all skill levels can join one of nine leagues, and true rookies are welcome to attend free introductory courses Thursdays at 5 p.m. Although the pub boasts 24 beer taps, it doesn’t, despite its name, have a kitchen. But you can order grub 2 from nearby CD’s Wings, 3 528Tea, and Thane’s Table with no delivery charge. 2 Vicky Bunsen Sculpture Garden 7309 ORCHARD COURT Renamed in 2022 to honor a local historic preservation advocate, this Historic Westminster art garden features a paved path that winds around two permanent installations from Denver-area artists (“Lady Catrina” by…

Restaurants that try to accomplish too many things sometimes fail miserably on allcounts. So when Stella’s Cucina—which bills itself as a speakeasy, an upscale Italian restaurant, and a late-night bar with music—opened in downtown Boulder this January, I was skeptical that the newly minted eatery could deliver what it advertised. On my first visit, I found the speak-easy-style entrance—a few steps east of Rosetta Hall on Walnut Street—after a couple of passes. Upon entering the nondescript gray door emblazoned only with the letter S, I received a greeting from a host and made my way down a narrow hallway. This anticipation-building approach is by design, according to owner Stella Spanu. “The impact from when you arrive to the front, walk in, and see [the dining room] for the first time…

Make a small ring severalinches above the free end of the line, called the tag end. The line above the ring is called the standing part. Pass the tag end through the ring to create a second, larger loop. This will be your final loop, so make sure it’s the size you need. Wrap the tag end behind the standing part and back through your first ring to create a rough figure-eight shape. Finish the knot by pulling the tag end and standing part in opposite directions.…

VALLE VISTA North Face You could buy a purpose-built spray jacket designed to protect you from storm-driven gales, but it’s not necessary. A breathable rain shell, such as the new Valle Vista from the North Face, based in Denver, is perfect for warm days when Colorado’s cold snowmelt is splashing into your boat. $170 CADDIS POLARIZED SUNGLASSES Zeal Optics Polarized shades are essential for boating because the sun can reflect off the water at odd angles. To fend off wayward rays, look for wraparound-style sunnies, like these plant-resin frames from Boulder’s Zeal Optics. $159 DRY SACK Osprey If you’re bringing your phone, wallet, and keys aboard, you’d better have a waterproof place to stash them. Cortez-based Osprey makes dry sacks in sizes ranging from six to 30 liters. $18 to…

3000 B.C.E. In the earliest known depiction of cancer treatment, an ancient Egyptian textbook depicts breast tumors being removed by a cauterization tool called a fire drill. 1895 German engineer Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen discovers the X-ray. Within three years, Swedish physicians Tor Stenbeck and Tage Sjogren describe using X-ray radiation therapy to cure skin cancers. 1923 Greek physician Dr. George Papanikolaou invents a screening test for cervical cancers, which becomes known as the Pap smear. 1960 U.S. doctors use methotrexate to bring about long-term remissions and cures in children with leukemia. 2010 The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves sipuleucel-T for metastatic prostate cancer, making it the first cancer immuno-therapy to hit the market. 2017 Two tests that identify specific genes in tumors get the go-ahead from the FDA, allowing…

As far as diagnostics go, the typical blood test you get during your yearly physical is good for indicating that something is wrong—just not what is wrong. A high amount of white blood cells, for example, could be a sign of a tumor, but it could just as easily mean that you’re pregnant. That’s why doctors perform other exams, such as CT scans or biopsies, before they can clear a patient or deliver a cancer diagnosis. More screenings mean more time, money, and anxiety. Enter biomarker testing, a specialized form of blood exam that can identify the genes and proteins that are specific to certain cancers. Originally developed about 30 years ago and popularized in the early 2000s, biomarker tests not only pinpoint malignancies, but they also help doctors select…