Some conversations start out of nowhere and end up guiding me to exactly where I’m meant to be.
After dropping off my rental car at Denver International Airport, I found myself waiting at the shuttle stop to catch the bus back to the terminal. While waiting, a young guy standing nearby struck up a conversation. He was heading back to Boston after a work trip to Colorado Springs. As we chatted about travel delays and the glacial pace of the airport shuttle, the conversation began to open up in unexpected ways.
Once the bus finally arrived, we got on and continued our conversation.
As he told me about his life and his family, he was exceptionally proud of how he was a first generation immigrant, born in America after his parents emigrated from Eastern Europe. He talked with appreciation about his work, his mom and how he buys him mom a bottle of scotch every year for her birthday.
We got into a conversation about vodka tastings, his favorite drinks to order (Moscow Mules, Manhattans and then Old Fashioned) and his love language (acts of service).
The ability to get people to open up and tell me their story is something I’ve come to embrace. Maybe it’s the storyteller in me, or just the art of truly listening. Either way, this brief connection led to something valuable: a recommendation.
During our conversation, he told me about a bar that his boss recommended to him: Williams & Graham in Terminal A.
Now, when he said it was a speakeasy type bar within Denver Airport, I was immediately curious. As the American Express Centurion Lounge was in Terminal C, I was in need of a place to decompress and mentally transition from my peaceful week in Denver and back to my grind in Los Angeles.
After the bus dropped us off at the airport, I thanked him for sharing a bit of his life with me. There’s something special about those fleeting travel moments when strangers meet, connect, and then go their separate ways.
Once I checked my bag and cleared security, the clock reminded me that delays from a lightning storm the day before had left me with far less time than I’d expected. Still, I had 20 minutes to spare—and I wasn’t going to waste it.
I made my way to Williams & Graham, put my name in, and was told the wait would be 10 to 15 minutes.
I didn’t mind. I was committed.
And just under five minutes later, I was ushered in.
The moment I stepped inside, I felt at ease. The space was intimate, beautifully designed, and exactly the kind of atmosphere I needed to gently land from a peaceful week in Denver before heading back into the energy of Los Angeles.
I ordered the SPANISH REVIVAL (Ocho Plata Tequila, Giffard Pamplemousse, Cointreau, Lemon, Absinthe).
The cocktail arrived with an aromatic, absinthe-kissed rim that immediately transformed the entire experience. With the first sip, the cocktail immediately ranked among the finest, most expertly crafted airport cocktails I’ve encountered. It was that damn good.
As I settled the check and made my way toward my departure gate, I found myself thoroughly pleased. My cocktail at Williams & Graham was a perfect reminder that the best moments often stem from spontaneous conversations and chance encounters. Staying open to possibilities can lead you to exactly the right place, at precisely the right time, to deliver an experience that exceeds expectation.
Williams & Graham - Denver International Airport
8500 Peña Blvd - Terminal ADenver, Colorado 80249
