Where The Girls Are
I’ve made the rounds of LGBT Denver night-life, and (for the most part) have nothing but good things to say about the bustle. There’s one spot in particular, though, that I have great things to say about, and that’s because I’m a huge fan of lesbian nightlife, a staple that (for reasons unknown) seems to disappear with alarming frequency in cities around the nation.
Colfax’s legendary Blush & Blu is, by day, a wonderful place to plunk down with a magazine and sip fresh espresso and, by night, the place you go when your company of choice is an incredibly diverse crowd of people who aren’t afraid to parlay in a joint that doesn’t distance itself from femininity, whether in men or in women.
In fact, it celebrates it.
I pinky-swear that any night you visit Blush & Blu (or just Blush, as regulars call it), you’ll be seated around people of various skin-shades and cool haircuts who are there to strike up the most intriguing conversations, from political candidates to kick-ass tattoo shops. What’s more, you can do so without the “let’s judge people on their f*ck-ability” that you might find in other places around the city/country. Not only that, you’re in a lesbian bar that has some of the raddest men (cis, gay, and trans) you’ve ever met. Instead of being a “woman at a gay bar” who gets hastily dismissed by your new bar-buddy the moment he spots someone he might want to take home, these guys are here because they’re down to home in on intellectual back-and-forth over cocktails. Make no mistake, though: If you’re a man at Blush, you’re like a glittering jewel in a sea of women both cis, gay, and trans — a beacon of “Oh, hey!” to those who love men.
Then there are the shows Blush hosts — everything from stand-up comedy to heart-rending poetry to broaden the horizons of patrons. I’ve seriously had bouts of laughter from a comedienne that had me CMAO. (Coughing my ass off.) It’s no-holds-barred on all ends.
Can we talk about the unique layout of the joint, though? There’s a frickin’ library upstairs! Seriously: It’s a cozy spot filled with LGBT-inspired books (and non), board games, and a giant table to confer over. Then you’ve got a darker dance floor/lounge area that’s got that touch of sexy you expect from underlit areas of a good bar/club. Lastly, there’s the stage area where above-mentioned performers bring the house down.
The drink pour is heavy and the service is stellar. The company is top-notch and the welcoming vibe starts at the door.
If you’re looking for the place to mix and mingle with ladies and their fans, you’ll find it at 1526 E Colfax Ave.
