Popongo: The Newest Game Taking The World By Storm

 

Popongo is a new high-energy sport created by Errol Anderson, who was born and raised in Jamaica and currently resides in Denver, Colorado. The idea of Popongo sparked in the midst of quarantine after being invited to a close friend's small backyard get together. Errol had a realization that there was a desperate need for more options when it comes to social and interactive lawn games. That was until he started jotting down the rules, colors ,and process of how he would invent Popongo into a small notebook.

Popongo can be played indoors or outdoors. All you need is 15 ft of space and one partner, or two players on each team if you choose to compete with two boards rather than one. Popongo is recommended for all ages and is unlike any game available on the market. Popongo keeps participants engaged for hours because of its unique and competitive point system. The primary objective is to outscore the other team and the concept is simple; players take turns tossing foam, golf-sized balls into cups that are placed in the, patent-pending, Popongo platform. The cups have different point values based on their color. Toss the balls into the cups for points, and once you reach the winning points, game over and you get to yell Popongo! Trust us, you will literally want to yell, Popongo!

“Popongo is Jamaican pride in a game. Inspired by my culture, I created Popongo to provide families and friends with a new and more exciting alternative to what is currently available,” said Anderson, the founder and CEO of Popongo. “The Popongo set takes a minute to set up, is suitable for all ages, and you can play it anywhere. We are very excited to bring this game to every outdoor deck, park, poolside, beach, and household's lawn or living room in the New Year. One Love.”

Anderson’s Jamaican heritage influenced the brand colors in the game. Black, Green, and Gold for the Jamaican flag colors. Black for the strength and creativity of the people. Green for the amazing vegetation and Gold for the beautiful bright sun. Red represents mother Africa, and blue represents the amazingly gorgeous skies and ocean waters of the Caribbean.

Popongo is proudly Handcrafted in Denver, CO. Your board will be the only one like it with each board having its own unique wood grain pattern. A single board set retails for $159 USD and comes with a board, 9 cups, and 10 balls. The double board set retails at $299 USD and includes 2 boards, 18 cups, and 10 balls.

Popongo is now available and can be purchased through the website,www.playpopongo.com. We invite you to join the Popongo community on all social media platforms @playpopongo.

Denver's First-Ever Sneaker Bar | Sneekeazy

Calling all cocktail enthusiasts and sneakerheads, Denver’s first cocktail lounge paired with specialty sneaker store, Sneekeazy, is now open. Located above Element Kitchen & Cocktail in an expansive second floor loft, the Sneekeazy offers a combined boutique and bar experience where you can sip on expertly crafted cocktails, shop the world’s most coveted shoes and enjoy a unique take on Denver’s downtown nightlife scene.

Sneekeazy showcases Jordans, Yeezys and rare footwear and in addition will utilize its network of collectors to track down one-of-a-kind pieces for the public. The store also boasts a “SneakerSom” who serves as the resident sneaker expert and will offer cobbler services and specialized custom footwear. Once you’re done shopping, continue to a saloon-style lounge offering specialty cocktails, small bites, and live music and DJs every night. The cocktails are complimented with a lofty lounge atmosphere, complete with free-to-play pool tables, shuffleboard and classic arcade games! Enjoy the lounge areas and cozy up with comfortable living room furniture to retreat for a little privacy and intimate conversation. The small bites menu was created by celebrity Chef John Tesar and is available until 1 a.m., satisfying late-night cravings and featuring fresh, seasonal ingredients. Each dish is priced at $10.

“We’re really excited to bring a fresh and exciting concept with another late-night option to Denver’s nightlife scene,” says Element Hospitality’s Jon Spadafora. “The speakeasy is much larger than typical hidden bars and boasts several different lounges. We’re also featuring Colorado beer and spirits, as well as a rooftop deck offering views of both the state capitol and downtown skyline.”

Catering towards the late-night crowd, Sneekeazy will be open Wednesday - Saturday from 7 p.m. until 2 a.m., with DJs starting every night at 8 p.m. The space also features art from local Denver creatives that will rotate through on a regular basis. Upcoming happenings include custom designed sneaker giveaways by local tattoo artists, acoustic nights on with local musicians, and more.  

Sunday Funday @ Punch Bowl Social

While Punch Bowl Social, the giant bar, game venue, diner, lounge, whatever you know it as, is nothing new, it’s food and beverage menu is always changing. If you have yet to go, you really should as it offers so much in every category: food, drinks, games, fun.  This large, two-story venue greets guests with a diner-style restaurant, then a 360 degree bar area and bowling lanes, then a back room featuring a “holiday lodge” lounge, two more bowling lanes, and a long line of bocce ball, shuffle board, foosball and corn hole. Upstairs you’ll find vintage arcade games, private karaoke rooms, pool and ping pong tables, another bar and mixed seating.  PBS is a destination where you can spend the whole day and offers food and fun for every mood.

We went for a super Sunday Funday to sample the new Brunch menu and Bloody Mary bar and play some games. Brunch is served Saturday & Sunday until 3 p.m. most of the menu is made in-house, including drinks, desserts and condiments. The brunch menu offers a variety of fresh juice creations, an amazing build your own Bloody Mary bar we were blown away by, and a host of other breakfast drinks and concoctions. PBS is continually changing their menu to reflect the seasons, the trends, and the talents of their chefs. This summer brings a renewed brunch menu that launched July 15th showcasing culinary partner and celebrity chef Hugh Acheson’s Southern spirit.

Hugh Acheson's fresh approach has earned him a great deal of recognition including Food & Wine’s Best New Chef, the Atlanta Journal Constitution Restaurant of the Year, a six-time James Beard nomination for Best Chef Southeast (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012) and the James Beard award in 2012. He has been both a contestant and a judge on Bravo’s Top Chef and now he’s leading the helm of Punch Bowl Social’s culinary creations.

We ordered the Hash Brown Skillet, the Mushroom Biscuits 'N' Gravy, and asked to put their OMFG gluten free fried chicken atop their malted waffle. Our chicken & waffle mash up was delicious with strawberries, crispy basil and this thick chipotle pecan maple syrup (not pictured) that made this dish really delicious. We could eat that thick jam-like syrup on anything. The chicken was close to being as crispy as a flour-fried chicken and juicy on the inside with good flavor. The dish overall was good, but the sauce enhanced it for sure, and ordering it on the side is a smart way to get the right amount with each bite.

The Hash Brown Skillet had layers of hash browns, Tasso Ham, onions, shiitake mushrooms, cheddar cheese and eggs. It was good but didn’t pack the flavor punch we were expecting, some of their special hot sauce helped put some punch in though! The Mushroom Biscuits 'N' Gravy were the standout, looking as good as they lasted. PBS makes a good biscuit in general, and then this dish adds a great gravy, beautiful eggs, perfectly cooked potatoes and a bright side of avocado. Bang for your buck and palette right here!

PBS has locations scattered across the U.S including Portland, Austin, Cleveland and Detroit with another CO location in the works for Stapleton. “at PBS we believe in a ‘dirty modern’ mash up of chandeliers, ‘Gangster’s Paradise,’ food for foodies, PBR tallboys, and craft beverages. We believe in brunch turning into a bowling party and bowling parties turning into all-you-can-sing karaoke. We believe in exploring evenings filled with shuffleboard and made-from-scratch chicken and waffles.”

Go explore Punch Bowl Social for yourself, open everyday with daily happy hour and late night food and fun.

http://www.punchbowlsocial.com/location/denver