Some friends of ours gave us a gift certificate to Paramount Café.  After a very hot visit to the Denver Zoo one morning, we decided to head on over for some lunch.  And I was thrilled to learn it was located right in the heart of Downtown Denver on the 16th Street Mall.

    First of all, Paramount Café was delicious!  The atmosphere was family friendly, the food was yummy and the $3.25 Long Island Iced Tea Special made my day.  My very favorite thing about the café was the surprisingly well-priced kids menu.  The Kraft mac and cheese was only $2.50 and that included the drink.  Finally, a restaurant that knows how to price kids food!

    We found a Children’s Place.  Is lunch really free if you walk down the street later and spend $100?  There was a huge sign outside advertising that all of the clearance items were an additional 40 percent off.  It was like a bee to honey.  The sad thing is that in the $100 I spent, only one item was a clearance item.  The rest was school jeans for my boys.  Oh, and a backpack that I got for $7.50 because I had spent $30.  It goes to show you that advertising works.  They just need to get you in the store and then you’re hooked ... or at least I am.

    Later on our journey, we walked by a restaurant that had an eclectic boutique feel to it.  All the tables had a different table cloth on it and you had to walk through an adorable rooster iron gate to enter.  I looked up and realized it was a Creperie.  Oh, I do love my crepes!  My husband sent my daughter and me in while he went in search of some All-American ice cream with the boys.

    The restaurant was called Crepes & Crepes and it was the cutest little place I’ve ever seen.  The owner had seen that my son was wearing a Canada T-shirt and asked if we were from Canada.  I explained that I was and then he spoke to me in French.  And then two more workers came out and spoke French.  I loved it!  I felt like I was back in Montreal.  It was such a nice trip to another world...the beautiful decorations, being served water from a wine bottle, listening to the beautiful french language being spoken ... and it’s only 20 minutes from my house!  Oh, and the crepe was magnificent!

    One thing that struck me while I walked along, was how much I miss being a city girl.  I love the people, from the high power business man in his suit to the homeless guy begging on the street corner for money for his next meal.   Everyone and everything is just thrown together and somehow it all works.  There is art and history, business and playgroups, laughter and yelling, food and partying...and in there is the steady drum of a city heartbeat. 

    And while I still don’t believe the city is where I want to raise my children, I am glad it’s so close that I can expose them to all it has to offer. 

    What a perfect way to spend a summer day!