A Landmark 60th Birthday at the Brown Palace

Photo Source: clip art

"If you must look back, do so forgivingly. 

If you must look forward, do so prayerfully. 

However, the wisest thing you can do is be
present in the present, gratefully."

~ Maya Angelou

It isn't every day that one celebrates a special birthday! I've turned 60. Or, as I prefer to call it, "Double 30." That is why my birthday this year has been more than one day of celebration, with more to come!  Birthdays make me happy. I don't mind growing older, as I've found life gets more interesting the older I get. My one wish is for my good health to continue so I can keep enjoying it all. 

As you may already know, my husband recently treated me to tickets to see Andrea Bocelli at the Pepsi Center in Denver (click here) for my birthday, and my older brother and sister-in-law treated me to two pizzas (click here) flown in from NYC. But as a very special treat for my "landmark birthday" of 60, my husband fulfilled a dream I had of staying a night in one of Denver's oldest, continually running hotels--the landmark Brown Palace Hotel and Spa, which is located at 17th Street and Broadway in Denver, Colorado.

The hotel was built in 1892, by Henry Cordes Brown, (no relation to another famous Coloradan, Molly Brown). Brown had made his fortune in real estate and was one of the wealthiest men in Colorado at the time.  He hired Frank E. Edbrooke to design the new hotel, which was built by the cost of an unprecedented $1.6 million dollars in the Italian Renaissance style on a triangular piece of property.

The hotel featured the nation's first atrium lobby, with balcony floors rising six floors above the two-story lobby.

The balcony railings are all constructed of cast iron grillwork.

A close up of the panels in the balconies. A bit of trivia: two of the panels in the floors of railings were mistakenly installed upside down.

The atrium ceiling is constructed of a skylight made of stained glass.

The 2,800 square foot stained glass skylight is original., and it is currently being maintained by the fourth generation of its creator, Clarence Watkins.

The stone used throughout the hotel lobby is Mexican Onyx.

The hotel's original artesian well is located 750 feet deep beneath the floor, and still provides water to every faucet in the hotel!

I just love all the nooks and crannies of older hotels, especially when their decor and artifacts make me feel like I am visiting a previous era. The Brown Palace did not disappoint! The Brown Palace has been visited by every President since Teddy Roosevelt (1905) with the exception of Calvin Coolidge and has had many other famous and historic guests.

A glass of champagne is offered at check-in, and upon hearing that I was celebrating a birthday, the desk clerk had delicious chocolate truffles sent to our room, accompanied by a birthday card! 

Looking down at the main floor of the hotel the next day, you can see the main seating area was set for afternoon tea, which is served daily, between 12 and four, based on availability. Reservations are strongly encouraged. Scones, tea pastries, and tea sandwiches are artfully prepared by the hotel's culinary staff each day, while the Devonshire cream is shipped directly from England.

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My husband treated me to tea, and we chose the "Royal Palace" selection from the menu, which included a glass of Kir Royale.

Just look at all the wonderful selections on our tea tray! (This photo and all photos in this post can be enlarged by clicking on them, and then again when they open on a new tab) When we finished our first selection of tea sandwiches, they were replaced with another platter of the same.

My husband chose the organic Masala Chai tea, while I chose the Organic Brown Palace Crown Jewel tea, which is a blend of  Assam and Ceylon teas. While we sipped our tea and enjoy the treats, we were listened to live piano music being played during the tea service... It was truly the most lovely experience, and one I'd love to repeat very soon.

My birthday celebrations are not completed, however, as later that night my family gathered at another Denver landmark, where we had the most unusual dinner. More about that in my next post!

I also thank all who commented on my post about the devastating Black Forest fire near Colorado Springs that claimed two lives, destroyed almost 480 homes, and many acres of ponderosa pine. The fires have been better contained after some much-needed rain and hopefully, they will be completely extinguished very soon. Thank you for your concern and prayers!