I love Denver! I lived in Lakewood when I first got there, then moved to Arvada, bought a house at 32d and Julian in what we used to call Old Denver…had many wonderful opportunites and jobs there, mostly in the subsidized housing industry.
There were downsides…to see any of your friends, many times it meant a freeway ride- not bad though. Thank God they at least tried to fix the Mousetrap- THAT was a pain. There are a LOT of homeless people- I mentored some of the street kids- they even gave me my street name “The Mom.” Drugs are a problem downtown and in some of the schools- had to put my kids in private school, which wasn’t that expensive- I was amazed!
I remember the Jolly Rancher plant out on Ward Road- you can tell what the flavor of the day is by simply driving by with your window down!
Had my garden wiped out by a tornado, when I was living in Oldtown…same storm that messed up the rides at Elitch’s and Lakeside. Was chased down Highway 6 by a tornado- back in '79.
The schools are of a varying standard- depends on which district you are in. And which neighborhood.
When the job market sucks, it inhales vigorously! It can be real bad! Make sure you have a livelihood before you get there.
I loved the seasons- here where I live the snow sticks around a lot longer, and it is so depressing but, Denver- you can blizzard one day and BBQ the next- it is so cool! You can start planting as early as March for some things- just watch out for the tornadoes!
People go up on the roof and watch the storms- I think they’re nuts, personally, but…whatever.
I, too, have lived all over the country and would pick Denver as the city to live in.
I live in a town of 175 now. My H is the mayor, hereinafter referred to as His Royal Lowness- but I’M the First Lady!