Before Denver International Airport opened in 1995, the city was served by the closer in Stapleton International Airport.
A mixed-used neighborhood has been growing in the space formerly occupied by the decommissioned airport, and next week a new business will open in the building at the base of the abanonded air traffic control tower building.
Denver-based “eatertainment” company Punch Bowl Social is getting ready to open Punch Bowl Social Stapleton, with six bowling lanes, foosball, darts, ping-pong, private karaoke rooms, a photo booth, shuffle board, giant scrabble, a diner and a bar.
The outside space will offer more fun and games, including two bocce courts, an astroturf lined ‘pool’, a gazebo and a beer garden.
It’s hard to tell from these renderings how much the space really includes the promised nods to the ‘golden age of flight,’ but we’ll stop by for a visit after the grand opening on November 18 to check it out.
Last week Icelandair tried something new: an 11-hour immersive theater production that took place on a flight from London to New York, with an on-the-ground bonus performance during a short layover in Reykjavik.
I got to ride along.
The cast was a mix of professional actors from the London theater group, Gideon Reeling, and real airline employees, including pilots, engineers, accountants, ground workers and cabin crew, who had volunteered to attend a special stage school.
The characters ranged from film stars and flight attendants from various decades to a perky party planner, a stone-faced volcanologist, a ram farmer and a pair of barefoot, beaded hippies. And the plot was built around Icelandair’s 80-year history, its can-do philosophy and themes of empowerment for women.
The show – such as it was – took place on board, as the characters mingled with passengers, telling stories about their role in what turned out to be a kooky and somewhat complicated family all headed to a party for Edda who (spoiler alert…) never appeared.
I’m finishing up a story for NBC News about the event, but here are some snaps from the flight.
If you have to get to the airport really early – or wait around for a few hours during a layover – why not take in a movie?
You could watch it on your computer or tablet of course, but an increasing number of airports are showing movies – for free – in their own movie theaters.
The latest to add this cinematic amenity is the Germany’s Frankfurt Airport, which has set up two “Movie World’s” in Terminal 1, on Piers A and Z, to show full-length movies, documentaries and some popular series.
The screening areas don’t have rows of seats, but are set up in a living-room style, with carpeting, couches and small niche seating areas, with TV screens. Each theater can accommodate 22 people in eight separate viewing niches and, like airplane entertainment systems, travelers can choose what language to watch a film in and when to start it.
There are a handful of other airports that offer movie theaters for travelers, including Portland International Airport, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Sinagpore’s Changi Airport, Hong Kong International Airport and some others. I’ve wrote about airport movie theaters in one of my “At the Airport” columns on USA TODAY.
No movies? How about gaming?
For those who would rather play computer games than watch a movie on a layover, Frankfurt Airport has also opened a second Gaming World offering free, controller-based, interactive games such as FIFA, NBA and racing and a variety of others. “Scientists have shown that playing video games helps overcome jet lag,” says Frankfort Airport operator, Fraport, and these games “have the extra benefit of reactivating tired limbs after hours of sitting still in the plane.”
Not sure if that’s true, but free games – and movies – are certainly welcome airport amenities.
Look for Movie World at Frankfurt Airport in Terminal by Gate A58 and Gate Z58 and find the Gaming World areas in Terminal one by Gate A52 and Gate Z54.
This morning, (Monday, June 19) alternative rock band Switchfoot will show up at San Diego International Airport to perform an acoustic set and play with two area youth music groups. The event will also promote a new exhibition in the airport about BRO-AM, Switchfoot’s free annual music and surf festival held in Encinitas to benefit area youth causes.
Not that many airports have classic barbershops on site anymore, so it’s quite impressive to learn that Nick Palomares has been operating his barbershop at Fresno Yosemite International Airport for 45 years.
“Mr. Palomares’ milestone anniversary is truly a testament of his professionalism and gracious personality that resonates with his clients, passengers and guests,” said Director of Aviation Kevin Meikle in a statement marking the milestone and reminding travelers – even those that don’t need haircuts – to swing by the shop to check out walls of the barbershop, which are filled with photos of celebrities that have passed through the airport.
And when you’re spending money at airports and on airplane tickets around the world, keep in mind that pretty much every one of those companies has a foundation that supports non-profits in many communities.
For example, HMS Host, which operates food and beverage venues at more than 120 airports worldwide, has the HMSHost Foundation, which last week gave a $20,000 grant to Grace-Mar Services in support of the group’s work to provide financial literacy, job readiness and other services in Charlotte, North Carolina, where the groups have also worked together on job placements at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
The theater is open to travelers around the clock, showing an hour-long program made up of short films from Oregon filmmakers, including documentaries, music videos, animations, and short fiction.
At the grand opening it was announced that the program would change quarterly. And so it has.
The new program of Oregon-made short films running through the summer includes shorts about beekeepers and slugs; power lifters and circus mice.
Here’s the line-up.
THE MOUSE THAT SOARED, Kyle T. Bell (5:45): A famous flying circus mouse reflects on his humble beginnings in this classic tale of hope and goodness. This six-minute animated short tackles adoption, blended families, and nature vs. nurture. It demonstrates that nothing is more powerful than unconditional love.
A STREET ROOTS STORY, Street Roots (3:07): Learn how Portland’s Street Roots,a nonprofit street newspaper, provides opportunity, hope and community for Marlon and other people living in poverty. As Marlon shares, “Every single person who buys the paper helps humanity grow and grow.”
I DON’T KNOW YOU ANYMORE, Alicia J. Rose (5:02):In this music video for Bob Mould’s “I Don’t Know You Anymore,” the Decemberists’ Colin Meloy offers guidance to Mould on how to promote his new album in the age of iPhones and social media, which sends Mould and his band off on a stealth mission of “hype” at Portland’s own Music Millennium.
MOSSGROVE, Kurtis Hough (5:44):A close examination into the locomotion of Oregon’s banana slugs and mossy landscapes. Made with over 10,000 photographs taken in the Columbia River Gorge.
1850 LBS, Jin Ryu & Pete Gibson (7:04): Jesse Marvin is a 23-year-old powerlifter from Portland, OR, with a heart of gold. He is gunning to lift a total weight of 1850 lbs at an upcoming competition. This film shares his philosophy and determination as he reaches toward his goal.
SUPERHEROES, Mic Crenshaw (4:21): A collaboration between Mic Crenshaw and Dead Prez that highlights the fact that everyday people are heroic. The video features local professional dancers from Portland who are also parents. Each scene has emcees rapping poignant verses as dancers perform with their real-life children. Learn more at miccrenshaw.com
BOTTLE NECK, Joanna Priestley (2:56): A luminous crush of still-life silhouettes, abstract shapes, and complex, interlocking patterns, BOTTLE NECK renovates the commonplace objects of a classical painting in a modern setting.
PIANO PUSH PLAY, Alex Thornburg (3:01):Short docu-style piece about Piano Push Play’s public pianos in Portland, OR.
CPR, Kimberly Warner (6:26): While watching lifeguards perform rescue drills at a neighborhood pool, a woman faces her own need to be saved.
LAY ME DOWN, Isaac King (4:24): The song “Lay Me Down,” by Portland neo-soul band DirtyRevival,focuses on drug addiction and its effects on people and families, as well as how little help society offers to those who are struggling. The video illustrates a prologue to this; as rents skyrocket and wages stagnate, too many Portlanders are living on the brink of collapse.
THE BEE HUNTER, Jotham Porzio (7:36): Driving across Portland with approximately 10,000+ honey bees in her Toyota truck at sunset, Wisteria knows she has done it again. She has successfully captured a swarm of wild homeless honey bees. We ride shotgun in this short documentary as we follow Wisteria on a swarm call, showing us just how unique and personal the process is.
