Thankfully: Drinking, Oak at Fourteenth

Thankfully, about a week ago, Bryan Dayton decided to make my life harder. Thankfully, now it is more difficult to choose where to have dinner in Boulder. Early last week, with plenty of anticipation but not much fanfare, Bryan and his partners, Chef Steve Redzikowski (formerly of Frasca and the Little Nell) and Manager Annie Polk opened Oak at Fourteenth. I could not help myself and went to try it for myself on their first Friday. Thankfully I got this fabulous voyeur seat in front of the beautiful wood-fired oven.

Thankfully Bryan was there mixing drinks and shaking hands- the Monk Garden was a highlight. Thankfully the food was exceptional - don't miss the Fried Pickles with Green Goddess Aioli. And thankfully the service was outstanding.

In some personal thanking-sort-of news, thankfully there is salt, homemade butter, and fresh pasta. Thankfully there are manicures, perfume, short skirts, and high heels. Thankfully, there is Conscious Coffees, Cure Farm, and the Boulder Farmers Market.

Thankfully, I still allow myself to sing in the car, to laugh and cry, to be silly, sappy and vulnerable, to take risks, break rules, and love fearlessly. Thankfully, I have learned to accept blame, forgive, persist. Thankfully I still get what I need: sunshine, books, cooking gadgets. Thankfully among all the craziness around me, there is still time - for my beautiful family, my kind and accepting friends, my passion for writing. Thankfully, there is traveling, and eating, and drinking. Let me reiterate- thankfully, there is drinking.

And thankfully, Bryan shared a fabulous cocktail recipe with me. I fell in love with this drink when he was shaking it up at Frasca- a great winter citrusy treat, this is easy and likely a crowd pleaser, albeit a pink girly-looking drink. Being the gin girl that I am, I like this version best, but for the vodka crowd , Bryan will shake up the Steph for you at Oak at Fourteenth.

The Steph (vodka) or Stephania (gin)

Ingredients: 1 part gin or vodka, 1 part Aperol, 1 part St. Germain, 2 parts fresh grapefruit juice.

Mix it all in a shaker over ice and pour in chilled martini glasses. Serve and be thankful.

For more on Oak at Fourteenth, check out Stacey Brugeman's article in Denver Magazine here.

Photography by Jennifer Olson.