Teresa Wu is a Denver-based writer, travel enthusiast, and culinary adventurer. I’ve been following Teresa’s work since our respective Tumblr days, wayyyy back when, so it was a delight to see her on Substack, where she writes about about home, travel, and gathering in her newsletter, Teahouse. Dive in for her tips on food, travel, and what led her to get into the boating life. 🚤

On what it’s like to renovate a home in the mountains…

My big project at the moment is planning our mountain house renovation. It’s a humble 1970s cottage on a lake about two hours from Denver. Though we’ve done several remodels, working on a remote mountain property presents unique challenges, like attic bats and rooftop ice dams!

On the joys of living the boat life…

The thing that’s really special about being on a boat is that everyone’s really present. You can’t really be like, disengaged and swiping through TikTok on your phone. We love to host, and having a boat and a lake house are kind of the ultimate hosting dream for us—we get to have an excuse and a place to gather our loved ones and create really special memories.

Her favorite can’t-miss food spots in Denver…

• Potager is our neighborhoody farm-to-table spot that’s been open since 1997—a Denver institution. The menu is constantly rotating to feature fresh local produce. It’s a delight to go and experience their hospitality.

• Alma Fonda Fina is a can’t-miss Mexican restaurant opened by a husband-and-wife team. The food is inspired by chef Johnny Curiel’s upbringing in Guadalajara. I’m obsessed.

• Sap Sua is a new-ish restaurant that deserves the hype. Touted as “nontraditional Vietnamese,” the chefs there bring a creative flair to Vietnamese cuisine while honoring nostalgic flavors. 

A delicious recipe she calls “the pasta of the summer”…

Annie Lucey’s recipe with sausage, cherry tomatoes, and basil. I love it with a slightly chilled red wine. Annie (Cooking But Keep It Casual) is my go-to source for unfussy, seasonally inspired recipes. 

Her coziest recommendation…

It feels impossible to find high-quality, custom-sized rugs, right? For anyone who’s also had this conundrum, I love the brand Ernesta’s indoor-outdoor rugs. I ordered this rug in Flax—really lovely and feels nice underfoot!

On her current favorite friend-date idea…

A favorite new ritual of mine is a monthly museum date with one of my friends. We got a dual membership to the Denver Art Museum (is this the modern-day BFF heart necklace?), and we’ll each pick an exhibit we want to see.

We’ll often grab a glass of wine afterward—like at this Japanese listening bar—and chat about what we saw. Neither of us has a background in art, so we even bought an art history book as recommended by Reddit to study up beforehand if we plan to see something from a certain period.

Her simple, bookish travel tip…

“I’m not big on reading guidebooks, but I do love to find a book that’s set in the location we’re headed to. If we’re going to an area known for its wine, I also always check The Wine Bible, which I have both on Kindle and in hardcover, to learn about regional grapes, wines to try, and recommended producers.” — Teresa

A creative travel ritual she loves…

Shazam songs that you hear on your trip. You can add a Shazam button to your iPhone control center to access the app quickly. I also have Shazam set up on my Apple watch so that I can (somewhat discreetly) say to it, “Hey Siri, Shazam this song.” After a trip, I’ll add songs I’ve Shazammed to my playlists—I think of them as audible keepsakes from that beach club or vibey restaurant you want to remember. 

Thanks, Teresa! You can follow Teresa on Instagram and Teahouse.

Question for the group:

Have you been on any fun friend dates recently? What made it great? Would love to hear ideas and stories!

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