Enliven Your Summer with Local Finds
Greenery and gifts, and an elevated Mexican eatery
BROWSE
Photo: Courtesy of Datura Home
Datura Home, one of the newest shops to take up residence at Denver’s 9+CO development, is a bright, jam-packed home store o ering kitchen items, books, candles and diffusers, frames and wall décor, gifts and bath and body products —— but its true specialty is houseplants, providing a broad and knowledgeable resource for anyone with a green thumb, or not. The staff is expertly trained on houseplant care and will help customers choose a plant and offer follow-up care for their greenery.
With another post in Central Park, proprietor Jonah Bradley (who formed his own high-school internship at the Denver Botanic Gardens) has a simple philosophy: Provide a creative and immersive environment that stimulates the senses. That includes a wide selection of air plants, bamboo, succulents and bonsai——all of which he says will thrive in Colorado’s arid climate. Check out the website for information on the popular terrarium class offered on-site.
Datura Home, 4065 E. 8th Place, Denver; 10155 E. 29th Drive, Suite 140, Denver
EAT
Photo: Shawn Campbell
What’s in a name? Just ask chef Johnny Curiel, whose debut restaurant is a bit of a mouthful: Alma Fonda Fina. “Alma is my mother’s name, but it also translates to ‘soul’ in Spanish. ‘Fonda’ means a hole-in-the-wall eatery, and ‘fina’ is fine dining,” says the 32-year-old chef from Guadalajara, Mexico. After eating there twice in two weeks, I get it. Alma Fonda Fina is a warm, inviting 34-seat space where Curiel and his wife, Kasie, are serving up authentic, soulful Mexican food as an homage to his roots and homeland.
“People think of Mexican food as enchiladas, nachos and Taco Tuesday … but if you dive deeper into Mexican culture, it’s all about super fine dining,” says Curiel. Sidle up to his cozy chef’s counter (the most reserved spot in the restaurant) and engage with a supremely talented team as they cook up the agave-roasted sweet potato with broken salsa macha and fennel-whipped requeson, and carnitas negras, a charred pork collar shank with stewed black beans, charred habanero salsa and quick-pickled radishes (my personal favorites). Prices are reasonable, and the bar program is outstanding.
Alma Fonda Fina, 2556 15th St., Denver
