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AIA Conference Kicks Off in Denver

AIA President Mickey Jacobs addresses the conference attendees

An estimated 18,000 architects descended on Denver earlier this month as part  of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) convention. Denver has long been known for having world-class architecture and the convention highlighted new ideas and trends in the industry.

The Stasko Agency was lucky enough to be a part of the action, promoting Swinerton Builders, a construction management company that served as one of the primary sponsors of the conference. Swinerton is one of the companies leading the “design-build” trend, which pairs architects with construction firms in collaborative partnerships.  Swinerton Vice President and Division Manager Scott Conrad was interviewed on 9News about the trend.

Design Build arrangements often result in faster builds and lower costs. Swinerton and architecture firm Gensler recently completed two projects in Denver using design-build, including parking structures for RTD’s West Rail Line and Invesco’s Denver headquarters.

Check out the Swinerton website to find out more about how the company is leading new and innovative trends in construction and to see what projects they’re working on in Colorado.  And take a peek at the photos we captured at the AIA convention.

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Good News, Bad News, Good PR, Bad PR

It seems that bad news is everywhere today.  Turn on your TV, switch on your radio, pick up a paper stories of disasters, tragedies and sadness inundate us at every turn.  For some, it’s overwhelming.  For others, it’s an opportunity to reach out and help their fellow man with acts of kindness and charity.  
But can tragedy and disaster be a means to garnering good PR?  The simple answer is yes…and no.  It’s a complex issue and one that both businesses and newsrooms have been tackling for years.  The events in Oklahoma City, Boston and Newtown are devastating and yet, many organizations have jumped on these events to promote their particular ideology, product or service; and not all of them have been successful in their efforts.
Be Aware:
Recently I had a phone conversation with a local television news producer who complained that too often businesses simply don’t understand how to pitch a story dealing with tragic events.  For instance, in the immediate aftermath of the Oklahoma City tornado, his newsroom received a release trumpeting the fact that a local business was sending donated items in relief for the victims.  On the surface, it sounded like a good feel-good angle.  It was local, it dealt specifically with the big news of the day and it had excellent visuals.  However, after speaking with the business owner it became apparent that the only thing the owner wanted to talk about was the business, NOT the charity.
The producer vented his frustration noting that the story the business wanted to pitch wasn’t about their relief efforts but the business, which was not the point of the original pitch.  The producer admits that the business story, was a good story and one worthy of looking at as a package down the road, but not appropriate for the immediate tornado follow up.  
In this case, the timing was completely wrong.  Had the business owner waited, even a week, the story may have been better received.  What it came across as, though, was a business trying to capitalize on the suffering of others, even if that wasn’t the business’ intent.
More importantly, though, the big mistake this particular business made, as well as many others, is that they misrepresented their story.  Remember, one of the most important tools you have in your PR toolbox is your relationship with newsrooms and journalists.  When you misrepresent a story by pitching one story in a release, and then try to change it during the interview, you ruin that relationship.
Be Up Front:
Had the business in question simply stated in their pitch that they had a product or service that could be of great help during times of disasters, and made certain that everyone knew that was the point of their pitch and their story, there would have been no confusion, and the producers and reporters could have made a better, more informed decision.
In the end, the story never ran, and both parties left feeling slighted, which is unfortunate.
This isn’t to say that small businesses shouldn’t promote their acts of charity.  It’s important to let the community know that you are out there and working for the improvement of your neighborhood.  But be aware that it’s all in how you pitch the story and your ultimate motives for making the story pitch.
Ask yourself, is this story simply about my business donating money, or food or hands in a time of need?  Or am I promoting something else other than just my charitable efforts?  If you can’t answer that question with a “yes, it’s JUST about the charity” then wait to pitch the story another time.
Simply put, stories about charity in a time of need are just that, stories about charity, nothing else.  The last thing you want to do is come off as trying to pitch a commercial for your business when others are suffering.  Here are three very simple rules to keep in mind when considering pitching a story in the immediate aftermath of a tragic event.
1.  Is my story completely relevant to the events at hand?  If not, do not make the pitch.  Newsrooms have enough to deal with during times of crisis.
2.  How is my timing?  Don’t jump on the story the same day, or even the same week in some instances.  During the Boston Marathon bombing, the story wasn’t really over for another few days.  Newsrooms had no time to deal with the follow up stories until the primary story was fully over.  Timing in these situations is crucial and tricky, but you lose nothing by waiting a day or even two, to make sure the story has moved into the recovery phase and to make sure all of your ducks are in a row.
3.  Be clear.  Make sure you pitch the exact story you want the newsroom to cover.  Don’t hide another story under the guise of a charity story.  Pitch only the charity story and mean it.  If you think you have another story that they would be interested in, make a mention of it later if you get a chance to talk to a reporter, but make it clear that the story they are covering is only the charity story.  You can follow up later with an email to go into further detail about your other story, but don’t try to intermingle the two when all you pitched was your charitable efforts.

PR during a disaster or tragic event is tricky.  It can blow up in your face and you can come off looking like a real heel if it’s not done right.  However, when done with pure kindness in mind, it can also be a great boon to your brand and your business.  Ultimately, when in doubt, be charitable and don’t worry about the press coverage.  If you’re doing it for the right reasons, the rewards, and the press coverage will find you.
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Protecting the Small Business Owner

Landlords in training through AAMD

Too often landlords are depicted in popular culture as despots, slumlords, individuals who care more about turning a profit than they do for the people living in their squalid tenements. The fact is, the majority of landlords are honest, decent, caring people who have a vested interest is providing quality, clean and affordable housing to those who need it.  More than that, they’re small business owners who often need protection and assistance in the ever changing landscape of the rental industry.

Fortunately, there is an organization in Denver dedicated to that very thing; the Apartment Association of Metro Denver.  Created in 1968 as part of the Colorado Apartment Association, the AAMD has a simple, straightforward mission:

To enhance member and association profitability, propserity and professional growth through legislative representation, educational advancement and networking opportunities.

Most of us at some point have had to deal with landlords.  What you probably don’t know are all the things landlords must deal with on a day to day basis when handling rental properties.  Items such as keeping properties up to code, repairs, damage to units, late or non-payments, even choosing the right tenants can be a massive time consuming task.

At the same time, local and state governments are constantly changing and updating laws that often have a negative impact on the rental industry.  The AAMD has a long and successful record of working with legislators and lawmakers to ensure that the rights and concerns of landlords are protected.  But their work goes far beyond that.

AAMD also works with property owners to train them to be quality landlords and educate them on the necessities required in order to provide quality housing for those who need it.

The Stasko Agency has worked with AAMD to help spread the word about the work being done on behalf of both landlords and tenants.  Because ultimately, the more well informed, educated and trained a landlord is, the better equipped they will be to provide a comfortable home for their tenants.  Branding and messaging is vital to successful coverage of AAMD since one of the biggest hurdles facing the association is image.

As stated earlier, even though most landlords do their best, many get lumped in with those that aren’t ethical or cut corners.  As in any industry, there are bad apples, and AAMD works hard to protect those landlords that follow the rules and work with tenants to solve problems and handle any issues that may arise.

The Stasko Agency makes sure that the message of education and training, as well as the list of good works performed by AAMD is mentioned in every article and news story about AAMD.  Perhaps even more important, The Stasko Agency understands that landlords, their properties and AAMD are a great asset to the communities they serve.  Like most people or organizations that work behind the scenes to protect others, few know of AAMD’s existence.  The Stasko Agency is working to make sure that everyone knows about the work they do with landlords, the charities they help and with legislators to ensure the protection of everyone involved in the rental industry, both landlords and tenants.

So the next time you rent an apartment that has working plumbing, heat and AC and clean and liveable, take a moment to thank the AAMD for helping provide a landlord that cares about the product they are selling. 

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Get the Facts About Wellness Programs

Health and wellness…it’s not just for athletes anymore.  
The 6th Annual Colorado Culture of Health Conference kicks off April 10th.

As part of a definition, health and wellness isn’t just about doing group exercises in the company parking lot before getting to work.  It covers a wide range of health from physical to mental.  Companies across the U.S. have been instituting employee health and wellness programs for years, offering incentives for employees that reach certain health benchmarks, providing on site mental health help and even participating in fitness group activities.
But the question being asked today is “how effective are employee health and wellness programs?”  With the recent passing of the health care reform bill, businesses above a certain size are required to provide health and wellness programs to their employees.  
In a recent survey by the Mountain States Employers Council, 51 percent of Colorado employers said they provide wellness programs for their employees.  However, sixty-one percent of that same survey group said they weren’t sure if wellness programs actually reduced workers’ health care costs.
In anticipation of the sixth annual Colorado Culture of Health Conference, on April 10, 2013 at the Denver Convention Center, national and local health policy leaders are holding a call-in press conference to discuss the impact of wellness programs, particularly among small businesses.
Preventative care is at the root of employee wellness programs as the theory is that ultimately, these programs will help reduce workers’ health care costs and lower workers compensation claims.  However it’s still not clear cut that these programs are actually lowering costs, particularly since businesses have to spend money to implement many of the programs required.
During the call-in press conference as well as during the conference itself, attendees will have an opportunity to learn about how wellness programs are helping employees and the businesses both in productivity and financially.  
Conference topics will include discussions regarding:

·         Worksite wellness trends and the factors influencing the health status of our state;

·         New tools and strategies to increase participation in wellness programs;

·         Data on the types of benefits and wellness programs Colorado employers offer

·         How a healthy workforce can improve a business’ bottom line;

·         How to gather and use data to quantify the success of a worksite wellness program;

·         Effective strategies that can be implemented in all sizes of worksites;

·         Evidence based research, in innovative case studies, and programs to address        

          diverse worksites.

Conference attendees will have a chance to join discussions and listen to experts on topics such as engaging employees to lose weight and stop smoking, caring for employees with diabetes, a 2013 legal update on wellness programs, dealing with depressed workers, creating a positive wellness environment within a company and many others.
  
For more information on the conference, or to buy tickets to the conference, go to the Colorado Culture of Health website or call 303.922.0939 to register today.  
If you own a small business, you can’t afford to miss this conference.  Health and Wellness programs are a fact you have to deal with and how you implement and operate your program could have a major impact on how your business grows.  Get the facts on these programs now and help your business and employees stay happy, healthy and well.
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Little Man a Big Man in Charity

Rice delivered to a small village in Peru by LIttle Man Ice Cream as part of the Scoop for Scoop program

One of the greatest things about the the LoHi Merchants Group is that it’s much more than a simple collection of successful businesses.  It’s also a conglomeration of entrepreneurs, neighbors, friends and individuals who firmly believe in giving back to those who have helped them achieve their dreams.

This philanthropy doesn’t just extend to those who live in and around the LoHi area, though, as recently demonstrated by Little Man Ice Cream.  Since opening its doors in 2008, Little Man has been involved in a program called “Scoop for Scoop”.  Spearheaded by Little Man owner, Paul Tamburello, Little Man Ice Cream has been donating one scoop of rice for every scoop of ice cream they sell.

Recently, Tamburello and General Manager Loren Martinez travelled to Cambodia, along with other caregivers, to distribute the rice to villagers desperately in need of food and health care.  Watch the video below to see some of the people helped by Little Man’s donations.  You can also go to their Vimeo page here to see and share the video with friends.

Scoop for Scoop from Jacob Truax on Vimeo.

Little Man has sent donations to villages all across the world, including Myanmar, Senegal, Haiti and Peru. In order to ensure that every grain of rice reaches those truly in need, Little Man purchases the rice from local villages and towns and then distributes it personally to those in need.

This is just one example of the charitable actions taken by many of the LoHi merchants every day of the year. Along with the several Thanksgiving and Christmas food drives and free dinners, LoHi merchants have a long record of assisting those in need.

The Stasko Agency is proud to be a part of such a caring and giving group of businesses and individuals who spend not just money, but time and sincere effort to provide food, comfort and care to those who need it most, not only in our neighborhood, city or state, but across the world. The Little Man Ice Cream, “Scoop for Scoop” program is still going strong. You can get more details, see pics of previous trips and even keep tabs on how many donations are being made daily by going to the Little Man website.

 So with Summer just around the corner, the next time you need a little bit of delicious, homemade ice cream to cool you down when the temperatures start to rise, consider stopping by Little Man. The scoop of ice cream won’t just be a great break for you, it’ll also be helping feed a family in a part of the world that could really use the help.

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Viral Videos and You

Not everyone can go viral like “Grumpy Cat”

You’ve seen them.  Those short little videos that end up in your Facebook newsfeed, on your Twitter or that pop up in your emails daily.  From the Harlem Shake to Grumpy Cat, viral videos have become a staple of workday surfing and something called “friendsharing”.

They have millions of views and have elevated ordinary folks into stardom (think “the Bieb” and the guy who did “Gangnam Style“).  It’s tempting to think that just about anyone can create a viral video, and in theory, anyone can.  But in reality, creating a video that racks up millions of hits is, particularly for your business, is very, very, VERY hard.

An Essential Element:

The irony is, your business NEEDS to utilize video, especially on your social media platforms, in order to gain followers, friends and potential customers.

It’s just a simple fact of social media:  You need visuals and video to raise your profile online.

This is where the viral video curse comes into play.  Too often businesses believe they can create a viral video that will instantly make their company an internet hit.  The problem is, it’s nearly impossible to consciously create a video that goes viral.

However, you CAN create a video that attracts viewers, hits your target demographic and effectively promotes your business.

Don’t Try Too Hard:

The internet graveyard is littered with examples of companies that tried too hard to create a viral video, or reach a particular demographic.  Pepsi comes to mind, Coors tried it with their “Code Blue” campaign and Cheetos struck out with their recent “Orange Underground” effort. (click link to see example).  So, even the big boys find it nearly impossible to do.

For your business, however, the first thing to do is remove the idea of creating a viral video in the first place.  Instead, focus on creating a video that is interesting and actually says something about your business.

Let’s start with the basics of creating an online video for your company:

1.  Keep it short – Anything over a minute is less likely to be viewed by the general public.  Don’t use two minutes to say what you can say in :45 seconds.
2.  Don’t TRY to be funny – Humor is subjective.  What’s funny to you might be offensive to someone else.  You don’t want to anger potential customers.
3.  Have a clear message – Don’t let your efforts at humor or viral fame get in the way of telling your viewers what you want to say about your business.
4.  Reflect your personality – If you’re a fun, whimsical restaurant, you probably don’t want your video to be stuffy or stiff.  Show your businesses’ personality in your video.
5.  Don’t scrimp on the details – The worst thing you can do is have awful lighting, bad sound and subpar editing.  It doesn’t have to look like George Lucas directed it, but it also shouldn’t look like a middle school art project.

Two other items you should keep in mind.  For those who are Denver natives, you’ll remember the old Jake Jabs American Furniture Warehouse ads.  I bring this up because one of the staples of viral videos is the use of cute cats, puppies and other assorted animals to attract interest.

You can attempt to use animals in your videos, but remember a few things if this is the way you choose to go.  First, animals are very hard to work with.  Second, using cute animals might look like you’re trying too hard to go viral.  Third, a cute animal might take away from the message you’re trying to deliver.

One last thing.  When you make your video think in terms of volume.  In other words, don’t make just one video, make several.  A single video can be posted and get a ton of hits, but in a short time, people move on and it is forgotten.  If you have seven or even ten short videos, you can constantly post the videos to your Facebook and Twitter feeds and keep people interested and looking forward to new videos.  You don’t have to try and tell a story, just make your videos interesting and informative and you’ll be fine; just have a lot of them.

Again, producing a viral video is nearly impossible because the best ones happen by accident.  Instead make your videos fun (not necessarily funny), watchable, have a message and keep it short and you’ll be able to post videos that will be effective enough to catch the attention of potential customers while allowing your current customers a chance to share something that will draw more attention to your business.  And that is just as valuable to your business than any viral video will ever be.

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Colorado Company Changing the Way Farms do Business

Circle Fresh Farms CEO Rich Naha shows investors his latest crop
The latest business to shine in the “Stasko Spotlight” this week is Circle Fresh Farms.  It’s a small company making a big impact in Colorado, but it’s also changing the way an entire industry does business.

In short, Circle Fresh Farms LLC, based out of Wheat Ridge,  is using hydroponic technology and a network of local farmers to promote a new approach to farming.  This new approach uses no dirt and climate controlled greenhouses to grow “four to five times” more produce per square foot than more traditional farms, all at one-tenth the water.

The Stasko Agency is proud to work with a company on the cutting edge of their industry.  The earned media we have been able to secure for Circle Fresh Farms has helped position them as a leader in their industry and assisted in their growth since their founding in 2011. So far, Circle Fresh Farms has been able to secure $900,000 in funding to expand its network of greenhouse growers.

Among our most recent placements for Circle Fresh Farms LLC, is this month’s feature story in the Denver Business Journal, which you can read by clicking here.  The Stasko Agency believes in promoting businesses that work toward sustainability and are environmentally conscious.  In fact, by helping to promote Circle Fresh Farms LLC,  we are also promoting the success of the local growers working with the innovative startup. 

This quote from Circle Fresh Farms CEO Rich Naha is from our latest release about their growth. 

“We’ve accomplished a lot in less than two years. We’ve secured key relationships with ten different network farmers and established our brand among suppliers,” said Circle Fresh Farms CEO Rich Naha. ”We’re ready to take this to the next level  – to expand into new regions by working with retailers with a national reach.”

This release secured several stories both locally and in newspapers and trade publications nationally. 

Currently, CFF’s network stretches from Pueblo to Longmont with plans to expand even further in 2013.  We are thrilled that we have been part of Circle Fresh Farms’ growth over the past year and even more thrilled to note that last year the company posted a 60 percent growth in revenues and is expected to more than triple that growth in 2013. 
You can always find the latest news on Circle Fresh Farms LLC at our website, www.staskoagency.com or at their website, www.circlefreshfarms.comwww.circlefreshfarms.com.

You can find Circle Fresh Farms produce at area Whole Foods stores, which soon hopes to be able to allow customers to harvest their own produce from store displays.
Keep an eye on us to keep up with the latest from this fast growing and innovative Colorado company!

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What Is News?

Today’s blog post is submitted by a guest blogger, Duncan Shaw, Producer at KCNC News

Ultimately, you want your story to end up here!

As a journalist my entire life, I’ve can tell you I’ve been asked one question more times than any other;  What makes a story “newsworthy”?  In other words, people are always wondering what constitutes actual news?  I’m sure that to many, the process of determining what is news and what isn’t can seem like a magical, mystical ancient ritual known only to the chosen few huddled over computers in poorly lit newsrooms.
In fact, it’s nothing like that at all.  Believe it or not, there is an actual process that takes place, first on an individual level, then on a group level, and then again on an individual level.
In order to understand how stories are chosen for broadcast, you first have to understand the structure or hierarchy of a newsroom.  While this may vary from outlet to outlet and even from broadcast to print, this is, in essence, the breakdown of most newsrooms.  
Newsrooms are a bit different today
Assignment editors are generally the first line of defense for a newsroom.  Most releases and story ideas are filtered through them first.  They read hundreds of emails and answer countless calls all day while at the same time, keeping their eyes and ears focused on banks of scanners in order to catch any breaking news that might happen.  The stories that make it past the AE’s get passed on to the potential story folder where they are discussed by reporters, producers, photographers and other editors during the daily news meetings.  A handful of stories are agreed upon by producers and managers to be included in each broadcast while other stories may end up in only one broadcast.  
Occasionally, a story will find its way to a producer without going through the meeting.  At this point, the producer responsible for his or her specific broadcast will decide if that story is worthy of being included in the rundown.  In many cases, stories are pitched by individual reporters or others in the newsroom during the meetings.  Eventually, the producers head back to their computers tasked with choosing which stories to include in their rundown and in which order they will run.
But the question remains, HOW do they decide what to include?  How do they determine if a story is really news?  
The Criteria:
In simple terms, most journalists use four basic parameters to determine if a story is news or not.  Each story that passes through a newsroom is run through this gauntlet and if they meet the criteria, the story likely will be included in the producer’s rundown.  If not, it gets set aside, most likely never to be heard from again.  If you have a story you’re pitching to a newsroom, ask yourself if your story fits these criteria:

Timeliness – This seems simple enough.  If a story or event has just happened or is happening “right now”, then it is timely.  If you are pitching a story that happened a week ago, or something that is happening two weeks from now, it is not timely.  The more timely the story, the more likely it is to be news.

Proximity – Remember this, all news is local.  The majority of journalists are reporting on a local level.  This means they are reporting for an audience that cares about what is happening in its own backyard, so to speak.  The audience matters.  That’s why a car crash in Denver matters more to local viewers than a worse crash in Ohio.  Your story has to be local, or must have a local tie-in to a national story in order for most newsrooms to pay attention to it.  If you’re pitching a Colorado Springs story to Denver newsrooms, it is much less likely to be picked up than if you pitched it to Colorado Springs newsrooms.

Impact –  Who does this story impact?  Remember that the greater number of the audience that is impacted by your story, the more it is newsworthy.  For instance, while a car accident may be newsworthy, it doesn’t compare to a water main break in the suburbs.  Unless the accident shuts down the highway, the water main break impacts more of the audience.  This is one of the reasons why weather gets so much attention.  A snowstorm impacts everyone in the audience.

WOW Factor – This is where stories about celebrities or sports generally fall.  This category could also be called “uniqueness”.  How unique is your story?  If your story is similar to other stories that have run recently, chances are your story isn’t going to be picked up.  The more unique you can make your story, the better chance you have of seeing your story on TV or in print.

Of course there are other elements that go into the news decision-making process.  Things such as quality of video (hey, we live in a visual society now), national news tie-in’s and whether or not a story has “legs” or multiple levels of storytelling.  HOW you tell the story matters as well.  Does your story have a main character that can be relatable to the audience?  Does it have a protagonist?  A conflict?  A resolution?  All of these things are part of the process.  But to start, if you can start to think like a journalist and consider the four categories mentioned above when creating your story pitch, you’ll find that your stories will have much more success in being picked up by local newsrooms.  
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Old Major Opens Doors in LoHi

Old Major

Once again, The LoHi Area is home to another of Denver’s newest and hippest restaurants.  LoHi foodies celebrated the opening of “Old Major,” the latest concept of Katie O’ Shea and Juan Padro.  This time, Katie and Juan are partnering with Chef Justin Brunson owner of Masterpiece Deli, to create a LoHi restaurant featuring contemporary farmhouse cuisine, or as their tagline says: “Seafood, Swine and Wine!” 

Already the buzz is picking up about this great new restaurant.  Even before Old Major opened its doors, local critics were anticipating the unique menu, comfortable atmosphere and quality service.  Of course, Katie and Juan’s record of success and Chef Brunson’s expertise in the kitchen didn’t hurt.  As long as a year ago, Westword was already writing about Old Major.  Chef Brunson was quoted as saying, “I think this is a restaurant that’s going to be great for Highland,” Brunson predicts. “This is where my career really took off, and I think there’s a need for high-end bistro fare up here. It’s been a long time coming, and the space is nothing short of awesome.”
Now that the doors are actually opened and customers are flocking to sample the fare, other critics are starting to pay attention as well.  For example, check out a recent story about LoHi’s latest addition in the Denver Post.

We at the Stasko Agency have had the pleasure of working with Katie and Juan to promote their other restaurant, Highland Tap and Burger.  It is a thrill for us to see their continued success in the LoHi Area.

One of our biggest goals at the Stasko Agency is to help promote the LoHi Area and its ever growing list of merchants.  It’s such an amazing neighborhood with fantastic restaurants, a thriving arts scene and or course there’s our popular nightlife.  If you have any information you want us to pass along regarding events, activities, openings or closings in LoHi, please leave us a message here or email us directly at Lu@staskoagency.com.

For those of you who are LoHi residents, you can make a reservation at Old Major by emailing Mary@oldmajordenver.com, just put “Friend of Katie and Juan” in the subject line.  They’ll take care of all your dietary options as well. 

Keep supporting local LoHi businesses and we’ll keep getting the word out to the rest of the Metro Area about Old Major and the rest of the businesses in our gem of a neighborhood.

For more information about Old Major, visit:
www.OldMajorDenver.com
or find them on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/OldMajorDenver
You can also follow them on Twitter: @OldMajorDenver

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Cellar Wine Bar Shines Spotlights on Cocktails

Last month, a group of local media gathered at Cellar Wine Bar in Lower Highland to sample the venue’s impressive menu of newly crafted cocktails. Known as the Sake infusion series, the cocktails feature fresh fruits, herbs and other seasonal ingredients and are the brainchild of Erik Catelle, an award-winning mixologist who recently joined Cellar’s staff.

We were excited to get feedback on the new concoctions from our media panel, who agreed to rate their favorites from a field of six contenders. The judges included: Margaret Jackson and Penny Parker of the Denver Post; North Denver Tribune Editor Elisa Cohen and writer Basha Cohen; Downtown Denver News Publisher Samantha Martel, Wine Spectator Writer Jayne Russell, Denver By the Slice blogger David Huntress and his wife, photographer Diane Huntress and Piper Vitale of Colorado Expression. Here’s a look at the lovely Natsu Kyurri – a summertime spritzer cocktail with muddled cucumber, a ginger basil infused simple syrup, Sake and a splash of soda served on the rocks.

The Natsu Kyurri looked pretty, but the Lychee Colada – a fruity blend of fresh-muddled lychee, coconut milk, fresh squeezed lime, Sake and a dash of soda – proved most popular. Coming in a close second was the cleverly named Sake Tini, a modern take on the martini which mixes Sake, vermouth, olive juice and star fruit. Third place went to the simple yet sophisticated Blooming Champagne, a beautiful pink drink featuring hibiscus flower, champagne and bitters. Thanks to our judges for serving as a taste testers. Here they are hard at work.





The three media faves are now fixtures on Cellar’s menu. True to its name, the bar also offers more than 40 wines by the glass. If you’d like to sample some of their selection, consider attending Cellar’s next wine tasting on September 7th. The event, which showcases Infinite Monkey Theorem’s wines, will run from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. You can find more information about the tasting here.


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