Best Free Service

Every first Sunday at the Mercury Cafe, Denise Barnes hosts meetings for people who want to pray an alternative way. "Many religions today have kind of lost their passion," she explains. "Part of the idea is just to wake things up a little bit; God must be really bored, too. And one of the rules is 'Do not bore God.' So we're just doing our best to upgrade the spiritual software that probably expired about 500 years ago." Barnes and her Altar Egos take turns leading the meetings; you might meet Tina Tomasichio and her "Orgasms for Peace" plan, or try out the cleavage mudra for the Goddess. Give Peace Prayer a chance.

560 S. Holly St.

303-322-7345 Did you ever wonder where Orthodox Jews get those black fedoras? Around these parts, they get them from Aharon's, and they aren't just any hats, they're Borsalino hats, handmade of pure Belgian lapin-fur felt. That makes them some of the finest chapeaus in the universe -- as Boy George can attest. Aharon also carries beautiful woven kippot (skullcaps) imported from Israel and Russia, Judaic baseball caps for the trendy and an endless supply of ritual items, including prayer shawls, mezuzahs, Kiddush cups, candlesticks and even Hebrew wristwatches. Go forth.

124 W. 5th Ave.

303-777-5795 Did you really want a wrestling match between Devil Girl and Captain America to forever ripple across your pecs? Getting rid of the mistake is a little easier since Ink-B-Gone opened its doors near Sixth and Broadway last year, offering state-of-the-art, scar-resistant laser removal services at fair prices. You'll thank them for saving your skin.

Modern men don't want their kissers to taste like a mango. It's supposed to be the women walking around half-naked smelling like a fruit bowl, like those Polynesian ladies in a Gauguin painting, right? But beer flavored? Now that's a different thing entirely. Lyons brewer Oskar Blues offers the Old Chub Stick, a manly lip quencher with natural ingredients flavored by the company's own Scottish malt concoction. Pucker up and say "Slàinte mhor!"

Cherry Creek Shopping Center

303-321-6371 Face it: After years of scraping the hair off your mug with laser-sharpened Gillette Mach 3s, your skin is left with all the

sensitivity of wallet leather. Daddy may have taught you how to shave, but unless he was a metrosexual daddy, he probably wasn't very

versant in product. Supplement his training with a trip to Melt, where the staff will guide you through product and regimen with loving firmness.

Keep in mind that this is a Denver-based manufacturer of cruelty-free skin-care products -- so the Smooth Obsession Skin Care Prep and Smooth Operator Shea-ving Butter will moisturize your face as it greases the local economy's gears.

www.cravepartydenver.com Maintaining a career and balancing it with a personal life is a challenge for modern women. When you throw in the desire to look fabulous all the time, suddenly there aren't nearly enough hours in the day to research new beauty products or fashion and still fit in the all-important pedicures, manicures and massages. That's where CRAVE Parties come in: A smorgasbord of fashion shows, cocktails, live music, snacks, spa services and more, these soirees are a one-stop shop for the busy professional. Come find what you crave.

www.hipchicksout.com A grip-and-grin with Pam Grier. Valentine's night just for the girls. When it comes to putting together the hottest ladies-only parties in town, Hip Chicks Out is unrivaled. Get on the website's mailing list to find out what saucy events are coming up, then dress to impress and hit the town. You'll never even miss the boys.

Robin Lohre's Miss Talulah's and Talulah Jones boutiques are wildly popular, thanks to their ever-changing merchandise. And now the same cool stuff is available without ever leaving the comfort of your own home. Log on to talulahonline.com and shop for embellished satin handbags, embroidered cuff bracelets, eyeleted baby frocks, wooden pull toys, knitted smiling-lion pillows and more. And all without changing out of your pajamas.

1521 15th St.

303-325-7365 Pets. We love them, but we don't love their detritus. The clumps and snowstorms of freshly shed hair, the naptime drool, the secret spraying spots. Luckily, the furniture in Amy McCawley's Livable Home Store makes the mess less permanent. Everything comes with stain-, soil- and odor-resistant upholstery that looks at home in any decor. Good, dog.

Best Friends Care

1-888-770-0991

www.petpeek.info Best Friends has the perfect solution to bored Rover's lack of a backyard view. The PetPeek is a hard plastic dome that, with a little basic woodcraft, fits into a privacy fence and allows your mutt a safe, enclosed-bubble glimpse of the world beyond. Demand has been so strong that the company, a local mail-order operation, is now taking orders at www.petpeek.info months in advance.

1038 E. 6th Ave.