Tag Archives: wifi

Chat with cool kids at the Chat Room

The Chat Room on Magnolia is probably Fort Worth’s coolest dive. The staff is friendly and the drinks are cheap and large (you’ll often get your cocktail in a pint glass), and they are one of the few places in DFW/Texas/the world that offers a vegan White Russian. The dance floor is small but present so people can dance to the jukebox that has better taste in music than your favorite cool-kid. The inside is smoke-friendly with little effort to ventilate, so show up early enough to grab a picnic table outside if smoking ain’t your thang. If you don’t go for the cheap drinks or the jukebox, go for the pinball machine or the free internet (it does say “internet pub” on the sign, after all).

Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fun: The Robusto Room

Named for a type of stogie, The Robusto Room serves as a rare sanctuary for smokers—and a swanky one at that. One part cigar bar, one part martini lounge, The Robusto Room boasts a robust amount of Citysearch Awards, cleaning up everything from Best Club to Most Romantic Bar and Singles Scene.

Hidden in a courtyard off a suburban street, this dark, wood-and-leather-filled Lone Tree martini lounge and cigar bar doesn’t only sell hundreds of tobacco labels but also rents private humidors for regulars to maintain their stashes. And though there’s not much food on the menu—with only a couple of appetizers, you should plan to dine elsewhere—there’s lots of entertainment in store: besides plasma TVs and free Wifi, karaoke, poker, trivia, and DJs all turn The Robusto Room into a refined rec room on any given night.

Quietude on Colfax: The Holiday Chalet

Built in 1896 for a local jeweler, the brownstone mansion that now houses the Holiday Chalet is an oasis of gentility on raucous East Colfax. Though its nine rooms have been renovated to reflect the bed-and-breakfast’s Victorian origins, they’re also fully equipped with modern amenities (including Wifi and individual kitchens).

Still, the emphasis is on bygone civility, from full breakfast in the antique-filled tea room to ice cream socials in the flower-lined courtyard (which also contains a grill for barbecue-minded guests). And you can even dress for such occasions at She She, the on-site boutique of Chalet owner/fashion designer Crystal Sharp.

Hotel Indigo Midtown is an Urban Nature Oasis

Hotel Indigo first unleashed its unique magic at this Midtown Atlanta location in 2004 and the charm has definitely caught on. Different from most hotels, Hotel Indigo is all about creating an urban oasis, whether it’s with fresh greenery in the guest rooms, the hotel’s perfect 1.618 ratio design as found in nature, or changing up the hotel’s look, feel, sound, and taste for every season.

Brightly colored throughout in soft blues and greens, there’s nothing drab here. There are many comfortable spaces perfect for lounging, because the goal really is to evoke a lazy Sunday at home on the patio, and Wi-Fi just makes it better.

Guest rooms are stacked with shabby chic charm; they are also cheery and brightly covered. No space is wasted so rooms are purposely compact. Spa touches haven’t been abandoned though- the bathroom might be tiny, but the pressure in the shower isn’t.

Venturing outside is easy thanks to its convenient Midtown location just across from the Fox Theatre and its close proximity to quite a few nice restaurants. Those who cherish the simple things in life without giving up convenience will easily fall for the Hotel Indigo’s considerable charm.

A Literary Landmark: The Tattered Cover

The name evokes dusty shelves and cobwebbed corners, but the Tattered Cover Book Store is a sprawling, gleaming, three-location Denver institution—and its owner, Joyce Meskis, a local hero. No mere literary retail outlets, the trio of stores are veritable community centers, boasting in-store coffeehouses and hosting everything from film and lecture program series to book clubs for adults and kids alike to the city’s best readings (think Dave Eggers, rising star Joshua Ferris, and Barack Obama!). Yet another bonus: a mind-boggling magazine selection.

But it’s Meskis’ involvement in the community beyond the bookstores’ walls that really stand out, from making donations to local charities through the Tattered Cover Gives Back program to her participation in the annual citywide literacy promotion event One Book, One Denver.