When I imagine the Denver of today and the Denver of yesteryear, my mom and Nonni are there inherently; gossiping over strong black coffee and something sweet after Sunday mass, walking into a musical at the Buell Theater, or window shopping in Cherry Creek on a mundane afternoon, and so often, wearing stylish sweatshirts around the house in the Highlands. Never aging, never changing, forever fabulous.

I'm lucky to be their son and grandson, and even luckier to have a lifetime of memories with them in the city we all grew up in. It's an innate part of life to live as your own person, but experiencing life through the people you've always loved, even through slight glimpses? Seeing photos of them as children, where they shopped, what they ate, or how different their lives were at your age, yet you're figuring it out just like they did?

That is something truly extraordinary.

Here's to my two forever city girls, and to three generations of Denverites.