The Tattered Cover Bookstore has has been an institution in the Denver area for many years. When the Highlands Ranch location opened its doors in late 2004 in the Highlands Ranch Town Center residents of Highlands Ranch cheered at the opening of this world class bookstore right in their own backyard.

The Highlands Ranch store has over 21000 sqft of books, comfy couches, tables, gifts, and coffee. The coffee shop (located at the front entrance) and children's section are bookstore stand outs.

The Location: The address is 9315 Dorchester Street in the Highlands Ranch Town Center. It is on Highlands Ranch Parkway half way between Broadway and Lucent Boulevards. There is a parking lot conveniently located in the front of the store.

The Phone Number and Website: 303.470.7050 and on the web at: www.tatteredcover.com

I am generally a pretty healthy eater and don't really tend to try the fast food too much. My idea of fast food is generally Subway or Tokyo Joe's or something I will splurge calorie wise at Chipotle or Qdoba.

When I saw that we were getting a Jack in the Box in Highlands Ranch I knew I would have to try it. It is relatively near my home and I am out & about working in Highlands Ranch most days - on any given day I am driving by it at least 5 times. I could only hold out so long.

Way better than the other fast food burger joints around. It was a great splurge but I think my calorie count is done for the week, and it is Sunday. Thankfully they had some other options that I could make better choices with such as some bowls and a pita next time. But my kids seem to like it - so now & then I suppose I will be back to splurge again. The shakes were a particular hit among the youngest in the family.

Jack in the Box is at Highlands Ranch Town Center North at Highlands Ranch Parkway and Lucent.

Located in the Highlands Ranch Town Center in Highlands Ranch, CO is the new Peachwave Self Serve Frozen Yogurt. This is a new concept in frozen yogurt shops that is not only delicious...but a very cool place to take your family.

Here is how it works....you grab your cup and choose one of the fourteen options in frozen yogurt flavors (my favorite is the chocolate-peanut butter mix)...you can put in as much as you like because you pay by weight. You then head over to the toppings bar. You then have a full array of choices from chocolate chips to Reese's Peanut Butter Cups....then over to the sauces...maybe some caramel sauce...or some cherry sauce.

Head over to the register...get weighed in (they charge 36 cents per ounce) and enjoy this truly delicious frozen treat...while your eating you can read how good yogurt is for you...from the hanging wall art...lol. I have an idea you will be coming back for more in the very near future.

Peachwave is located in the Target shopping center portion of the Highlands Ranch Town Center. it is on the corner of Highlands Ranch Parkway and Lucent. The website for Peachwave is...http://www.peachwaveyogurt.com

On a cool day or a beautiful Spring or Fall night it is hard not to be drawn to the Old Blinking Light restaurant in the Highlands Ranch Town Center in Highlands Ranch Colorado because of the huge fire pit that sits out on the front covered patio.

On first impressions the Old Blinking Light is visually striking. From the front porch fire pit to the very interesting decor that is sprinkled throughout the restaurant...and the enormous ceiling fans in the bar area and the dining room...to the kinka weird purple antler chandelier...you will find your party will be talking about the decor.

This is a restaurant that is attempting to straddle the fence between feeding the masses in Highlands Ranch (that will usually include a couple of kids and Mom and Dad after a long days work...and the happy hour crowd that is coming back home after a day Downtown or at the Denver Tech Center) and the single and couples croud....OBL does a fairly good job of catering to all.

They have a nice happy hour from 4-6pm daily...it includes $2.50 bottle bear and a decent reasonably priced appetizer menu. They have a really nice wine menu and a full bar. The dinner menu has some eclectic choices that will likely have appeal to everyone in your party (Duck Fat fries...yum). From burgers to salads (try the tuna burger) to OBL standards like Mahi Mahi tacos and Cowboy steaks this place has a nice (although not cheap) menu. The nightly specials are as interesting a group of specials as you will see (Friday night Fish and Chips are a standout for $14). OBL has a good kids menu so do not be afraid to bring them along.

My suggestion for the OBL...head out for a happy hour...get a couple of $2.50 beers and split a plate of the Local Beef Sliders. Sit out by the fire pit and watch the world role by...you will enjoy the place and find yourself coming back.

Peachwave Highlands Ranch

One of the latest additions to Highlands Ranch Town Center North is Peachwave. Much like Centennial’s Yogurtland, Peachwave is a self serve frozen yogurt eatery with many delicious toppings to make your own creation unique and quite delicious.

We first visited Peachwave the week it opened and have since been back 2 times. My kids love this as a special snack or fun treat dessert.

My daughter tends to gravitate to several yogurt types, she does a little bit of this, a little bit of that. She then douses it in the fudge sauce and adds some toppings, generally candy of the chocolate variety.

My son on the other hand tends to stick to one flavor and he likes the more sugary candy toppings like gummy worms and such. Not so healthy when he is done with it.

My wife and I share, she mixes it up and surprises me. I think we have had some cheesecake yogurt and perhaps some raspberry and of course there is always some chocolate in there. For toppings it seems that she sticks to chocolate sauce and fresh fruit which is fine with me. I like the cut strawberries on there.

Your finished masterpiece is then weighed for a final price, we have always gotten the smaller cups and after the kids are done with them they are generally around the $3 to $4 price range – but it would be very possible to be much lower or higher than that, just depends on what you put in there.

With the addition of Town Center North we are getting so many more options in Highlands Ranch for nearby places to visit and Peachwave is a welcome addition.

Originally posted on my Denver Suburb Real Estate Blog: Peachwave Highlands Ranch Town Center