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Molly O’Brien

@metropolitanmolly

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Editor in Chief @edibledenver ✨💕 + Matador Network, T+L, Fodor’s Travel & more ☀️🌻 📌 based in Denver, Colorado 📌@[email protected]

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It’s been a bonkers crazy two and a half months — but we finally made it to Denver. I first visited Denver in May of 2019, almost exactly five years ago, and it immediately felt like “coming home to a place I’d never been before,” to quote the wise Mr. John Denver.

Since then, Conner and I have spent many weekends flying out to explore Colorado (even flying through the Denver airport for a layover, I felt like, “these are my people”) and spending time here visiting —but we weren’t able to finally make a permanent move happen until now.

After a long but scenic drive with a brief stop for the night at @brianheadresort our first week in the Mile High City has included spending time with old and new friends, attending the first inaugural "Outside Festival" downtown, seeing the icon and legend Stevie Nicks perform at Ball Arena (yes, she was transcendent), lots of IKEA, an impromptu golf ball sized hail/lightening storm, and plenty more beautiful chaos.

It’s incredibly exciting to feel like we belong somewhere where we don’t even have furniture settled or our clothes and belongings unpacked yet (our moving POD just came, and there’s still a whirlwind of settling in to do).

We can’t wait to continue taking on this new “season of our life” (couldn’t end without quoting Miss Stevie’s song, which I recently found out was inspired by her time living in Colorado with Lindsay in her late 20s) and creating a home here in Denver.

So, moving forward, this is where we’ll be 🥰 taken in Denver, Colorado by @metropolitanmolly

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2 years ago

We heard the North Pole is Santa’s domain this time of year — so we took “going south for the winter” to a whole new level. 🤩

To say experiencing the privilege of traveling to Antarctica was “life changing” would be an understatement — and not just for the reasons that might immediately come to someone’s mind. In fact, this was only my (and conner’s) “fourth continent.”

The wildlife encounters I experienced and the lessons I learned about life and our place on this planet made this trip incredibly moving.

But most of all, it was the incredible PEOPLE that surrounded me on this journey that made it as meaningful as it turned out to be.

Who knew it would take going to (quite literally) the end of the earth to meet some of the greatest humans from dozens of different countries — and make wonderful friends in such a short period of time.

This adventure will forever be in our hearts and I will be forever grateful for what I get to do for a living to give me these unmatched opportunities to become more educated about the world we live in and the people who study it, teach us about it (thank you @aktravel_usa for your team’s expertise and joyful approach to teaching and sharing knowledge) — and the wonderful creatures (both human, and not) who make it a brighter place to be ❄️❤️

Antarctica shall forever be known as “a place of peace and science.”

Let our curiosity for knowledge and exploration come from a place of seeking peace and fostering human and wildlife connections instead of personal gain.

Side note: I’ll unforgivably be spamming your feed with more Antarctica pics this week so get out now if you want to 🥹😂 taken in Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica by @metropolitanmolly

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3 years ago

You make loving fun 🌻8.12.23🌻 taken in Jewel Basin - Montana by @metropolitanmolly

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3 years ago

#ThrowbackThursday! Editor-in-Chief Molly O'Brien first learned about “Amaranth," a gluten-free ancient Mesoamerican seed with a slightly nutty flavor and high nutritional value, while interviewing Ana Chavez de Quintana in January of 2025 for a Summer 2026 print edition feature.

Ana is the head of the Troy Chavez Memorial Peace Garden in the Highlands neighborhood of Denver, and she educated us about this plant, as well as many other crops that thrive in the Front Range's unique (at times, hostile) climate, with homage to her Mayan culture and amaranth's quintessential role in "Milpa gardening," which takes its name from the Nahuatl word meaning “cultivated field,” and signifies a special set of seven sacred plants called the Seven Warriors.

Ana, recommended by @denverurbangardens as a fantastic local expert on native plants, was more than excellent as a source of knowledge. We edited down an hour-long conversation into the one-page "Tasting Spot" feature which would editorially open our first-ever print magazine as a new team.

Soon after learning about this plant and its dozens of nutritional benefits, Molly began cultivating Red Amaranth in her own backyard! The process of removing the grain from the shell, letting it dry, and finally cooking it isn’t too challenging, but is time-consuming -- requiring patience and fortitude (similar to working on a seasonal print magazine!).

"I have an immense respect for the Indigenous people who had to rely on Mother Nature in addition to a myriad of other controllable and more often uncontrollable factors (softball sized hail, squirrels, and maybe ancient civilizations didn’t have to deal with the demon raccoons of LoHi – or maybe, they did?!) just to get a handful of this (delicious) food," says Molly on her 2026 gardening journey.

Check out our Summer 2026 print edition story about Red Amaranth on the Edible Denver website -- and comment here if you are growing something similar this harvest season! 🌱 Recipes encouraged...

✍🏻 @metropolitanmolly A title page featuring blurry red amaranth by @metropolitanmolly

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9 days ago

Officially organized a successful first full four page spread photoshoot for @edibledenver !!! Thank you to Theresa and Flouwer Co. @theflouwerco for giving us the best backdrop I could’ve ever imagined for us to be able to bloom (and your expert food styling skills…) and Rebecca @trubluimages for capturing the moment — subscribe to the magazine on our @edibledenver page to see the final product in all its beautiful, tasty glory this Summer 🤩🥂🌻 taken in Flouwer Co. by @metropolitanmolly

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8 months ago

😎 We’re back, baby! Look out world, for our Summer relaunch issue!

📬 If you’d like Edible Denver magazine delivered direct to your mailbox, season by season, subscriptions are open in 3…2…1…NOW.

👩‍🍳🧑🏼‍🌾 Edible Denver celebrates the local food culture of the Front Range, and a subscription to the print publication gives you, fellow food enthusiasts, a year’s worth of all things culinary: editorial spotlights on farmers, makers, chefs, brewers, butchers, ranchers and all of our neighbors shaping the culinary scene, tasty recipes, longform pieces on sustainability and food policy, and neighborhood food guides. Discover the joy of eating local through beautiful photography and engaging storytelling.

Thank you for supporting local, independent journalism. We can’t wait to share these stories with you. 📰

🎉 Link to subscribe is in bio. 🎉 taken in Colorado, USA by @metropolitanmolly

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8 months ago

This song was the “suggested” song via instagram to accompany this post — and I thought “yeah, why not??” IMM 2026, you were my favorite IMM (so FAR…)

The International Media Marketplace North America conference/event is the only time of year I get to see all my favorite people from across the entire continent, together under literally one roof — with not NEARLY enough time to catch up on what’s happened since we last connected.

Oh and yes, there’s professional work involved, too, of course. 🥂

Thank you @travmedia for hosting another unforgettable event — I’m still catching up on my sleep (even though I got home a week ago) and I’ll be looking forward to the next time we all get together 💕✨🍎🌃🥰 taken in New York, New York by @metropolitanmolly

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8 months ago

We hope you’re on the nice list this season — because Edible Denver’s 2025 Gift Guide by @metropolitanmolly features a list of delicious gifts we all want. 🎄

From colorful and sweet macarons adorning a table at the holiday party, to sharing a family recipe for spices that’s been passed down for generations (and is now available for everyone to purchase) for making a hearty, home-cooked meal, to a range of “Edible Experiences” across the Front Range and beyond for folks to plan a culinary adventure together, here’s a range of imaginative and rewarding gifts to savor with loved ones near and far.

To visit the full list of culinary goods and experiences that caught our attention, visit our link in bio.

Happy gifting, and receiving!

🎁 Denver Macaron @denver_macaron is “redefining the classic French macaron,” offering all the deliciousness of a traditional macaron, with a plant-based twist: they’re vegan, gluten-free, and made with potato protein instead of egg whites. (Starting at $11.25 for a Custom 3 Pack)

🎁 Riot BBQ @riot.bbq gives fans a chance to enjoy the flavors of the buzzy BBQ restaurant at home with their signature smoked beef tallow, available for purchase through Riot BBQ’s online platform, or at the restaurant. ($16)

🎁 Smell the goodness of Leven’s Deli @levendelico baked goods in candle form, via a partnership with local artisan candlemaker Wooly Wax. This 100% soy candle captures the yummy scent notes of Leven’s chocolatey brownie. ($16)

🎁 Muddy Buck Coffee House @muddybuckcoffee sells its popular coffee beans, every batch of which is roasted in-house using an internal method of judging each roast by sound, smell, and taste for peak flavor. While they’re only sold in-store, the trip is more than worth it if just for a taste of the shop’s famously gargantuan cinnamon rolls. ($18)

🎁 The Family Jones @thefamilyjonesdistillery Automatic Espresso Martini is all the buzz (pun intended) with none of the hard work or cleanup. It’s a perfectly measured and ready-to-drink cocktail made from regenerative, locally sourced and distilled grains available for purchase at their Denver Spirit House. ($40) by @metropolitanmolly

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10 months ago

Fifty shades of falling for a colorful Colorado fall (with a visit from a quick blanket of snow)🍁🧡🎃🖤👻 taken in Colorado by @metropolitanmolly

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a year ago

September was like a whole year packed into one month and probably took a couple of years off my life but it was worth it taken in Crazy Town by @metropolitanmolly

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a year ago

Big Wild weekend ft. big autumn in vail 🍁🍂🤩🎶✨ taken in Gerald Ford Amphitheatre Vail, CO by @metropolitanmolly

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a year ago

Favorite amenity alert — The Four Seasons Hotel Boston has a secret SNACK vault on every single floor — with chips, popcorn, m&ms, jelly beans, and more… it’s a sweet tooth and snack lover’s dream… a magical candy closet 🤩✨ @fsboston taken in Back Bay by @metropolitanmolly

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