The Bolder Life: Thanksgiving on the Town →

 

Tyra Sutak

Published on: November 22nd, 2011

It’s officially the holiday season. As some of you are reading this, you’re probably already entertaining out of town in-laws and possibly some ex out-laws all while reading and testing recipes in hopes of not being the one that screws up the family’s traditional Thanksgiving meal.

Thanksgiving is hard work—for everyone. Whether you’re the one responsible for making enough edible food for the entire family, or you’re the smallest of the half-pints at the kids table with the biggest tummy ache from eating too much, Turkey Day definitely is not a piece of cake… or pie.

So why not eat out this year? Dining out on Thanksgiving is no longer reserved for cooking-impaired single parents or out-of-towners unable to make the trip home for the holidays. Dining out on Thanksgiving has become a trendy new tradition and several of Boulder County’s best dining establishments will be opening their doors this year and serving their take on a delicious, traditional Thanksgiving feast.

Check out this list of local restaurants serving turkey to the masses this week—and as I always say… make reservations! Trust me—your family will eventually forgive you if you burn a turkey, make inedible mashed potatoes and forget to buy booze for the meal, but they will not forgive you if they get stuck eating bags of chips and soda from the only convenience store still open on Thanksgiving day.

Peaceful Valley Ranch
475 Peaceful Valley Road | Lyons | 1-800-95-LODGE
Take the family to the mountains this year and dine on a traditional Thanksgiving dinner buffet at the scenic Peaceful Valley Ranch. Rent snowshoes, cross-country skis, or take a hike around the property grounds before or after your meal to help burn off that second piece of pumpkin pie while spending some quality time in the outdoors with the family.
Served buffet style from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
$24.95 Ages 13-54
$18.95 Ages 55 and older
$12.95 Ages 4-12 and Ages 3 and Under Eat Free

The St. Julien Hotel
900 Walnut St. | Boulder | 720-406-7399
Whether your family is the breakfast, brunch of dinner type on Thanksgiving, the St. Julien will have a meal ready for you. Early birds can catch breakfast from 6:30-9:30 a.m. The brunch type will dine from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., and the dinner folk can get together from 5:30 – 10 p.m. Enjoy live piano music by Ralph Sharon throughout the day, and be sure to bring your family and friends to listen to one of my personal favorite local musicians, George Nelson, at 6:30 p.m.
Breakfast and Brunch served buffet style and choose your own three-course meal for dinner.
Breakfast and Brunch: $44.95/adult | $19.95/kids
Dinner: $49.95/adult | $19.95/kids

Colterra
210 Franklin St. | Niwot | 303-652-0777
Colterra’s dining room has all the same intimate charm as your own dining room and is the perfect place to take your out of town friends and family to sample some of Colorado’s locally grown food. Invite your guests to choose their own three-course menus from Colterra’s Thanksgiving inspired special menu and enjoy wine from Colterra’s extensive wine list.
Three-course menu: $45.00/adult
$22.50/children 12 & under
Black Cat: Farm-to-Table Bistro
1964 13th St | Boulder | 303-444-5500
Join Black Cat for Thanksgiving this year with a thoughtful and tasty way to not only celebrate the holiday, but to help support your community as well. The owners of the Black Cat are opening their doors for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner where guests are invited to pay what they can for their meal or leave a little extra to help someone less fortunate. All proceeds from this special meal will be donated to Community Food Share.

The Bolder Life: Helping for the Holidays →

 

Tyra Sutak

Published on: November 14th, 2011

According to the 2011 Boulder County Trends Report from the Community Foundation Serving Boulder County, an estimated 42,000 of BoCo’s nearly 300,000 residents are living below the poverty line—and the financial crisis affecting the people that make up that statistic is never more apparent than during the holiday season.

With so much going on during this time of year, it’s really easy to forget about the true meaning of the holidays. The holiday season is about family and community—and remembering that there are less fortunate people in your very own city, just struggling to get by.

But the good news is—you can help. And help can come in so many different ways. Whether it’s donating your time, money, food, clothing, toys, bicycles and/or gifts—there are so many different opportunities to help.

And with the help of the Volunteer Connection—I’ve made it incredibly easy for you to find the best way for you to offer your help for the holidays that is friendly on your own budget and schedule and incredibly appreciated by those 42,000 Boulder County residents that are in need of your help.

So start a new tradition. Get your family involved. Open your wallets and your hearts.

And have a wonderful holiday season.

Donate Your Time

• Attention Homes – Thanksgiving Dinner | November 24 |10 a.m. – 7 p.m. | Boulder
Help out by preparing a Thanksgiving dish and delivering it to the Attention Homes safe shelter for at-risk youth and teens —or volunteer your time and help cook, set up, serve, decorate or clean up on-site.

• OUR Center Holiday Food Basket Helpers | Weekday Mornings/Afternoons | Longmont
Help the OUR Center put together special holiday food bags for families and residents in the area in need of a meal.

• Gift Wrapping | Golden West Senior Center | Boulder
Become a pro a gift wrapping as you help members of the Golden West Senior Center wrap presents for their loved ones. Click here for a list of dates and times that volunteers are needed.

• Holiday Food Basket Program | EFAA | Weekdays from December 12 – 23 | Boulder
Help EFAA provide local families with all of the fixings for a holiday meal this year by helping: pack bags, deliver to homes and lead volunteer groups.

Toys, Bikes, Books & Gift Donations

• Holiday Bike Program | Bicycle Longmont | Year Round | Longmont

Remember waking up on Christmas day to a bicycle from Santa and his elves? Help give that experience to a Boulder County child by donating to the Bicycle Longmont Holiday Bike program. Drop off a new or used kids bike at Oskar Blues Homemade Liquids and Solids, Oskar Blues Tasty Weasel Tap Room or the Left Hand Brewery Tap room and receive a free pint of beer. Tricycles, kids bikes and scooters are needed and Santa’s elves will be working hard to repair and renew all donated bikes just in time for Christmas.

• Share-A-Gift Annual Gift Drive | Thanksgiving Weekend- December 14 |BoCo
With locations set up at several Boulder Valley School District Schools, the Share-A-Gift Annual Gift Drive is the perfect way to get your kids involved in helping for the holidays. New and used toys, books, bikes and gifts are needed for Boulder County kids in need. Stay tuned to the Share-A-Gift website for updates on drop-off locations.

Food Donations
**Check your local grocery stores for deals and discounts on canned food and holiday meal items. Get your kids involved by having them help make a list of the brands and food items that are on sale to help stretch your grocery store dollar for your food donation.

• BCAP Food Bank | November 1- January 1 | Boulder & Longmont Locations
BCAP is in need of holiday food items including canned goods, 10 lb turkeys, pumpkin pie filling and gravy mix packets along with shampoo, laundry soap and other items needed year round for the food bank.

• Sister Carmen Community Center | Now – December 22 |  Lafayette
If you’re not sure which grocery store items to purchase for donations, just skip the searching and buy a few $10 or $15 King Soopers or Walmart gift cards to donate and allow recipients to purchase menu items for their own holiday meal.

• “Let’s Bag Hunger” Food Drive | November 13-23 | Community Food Share Click here for a list of items that the Community Food Share is in need of most, and drop the items off at participating local grocery stores. Click here for a complete list of participating drop-off locations.

Clothing Donations

• Socks and Mittens Drive | November 3- December 5 | Foothills United Way |Lafayette
Show off your knitting skills, or purchase new: socks, mittens, hats, scarves and any other items that will help keep men, women and children warm during the cold winter months. Drop donations off in the Foothills United Way Lobby at 1285 Cimarron Dr., Ste. 101, Lafayette.

• Boulder Outreach to the Homeless Overflow | Year Round | Boulder
Warm socks needed. Any cold weather gear is accepted. Please drop off donations atMountain’s Edge Fitness Center.

Click here for the complete 2011 Volunteer Connections Volunteer Opportunity and Donations Guide including a detailed list of contact information for the above events.

The Bolder Life: Paella & Wine for Everyone! →

 

Tyra Sutak

Published on: November 10th, 2011

Let me paint you a picture. It’s Wednesday. You’ve already been at work for three days and there are still two more work days in the week. You have a minor case of the mid-week blues. You don’t feel like cooking and you’re in need of a friendly ear to listen to you vent about your week.

You need some comfort food, some good wine, good tunes, a relaxing atmosphere and prices that won’t add more stress to your week.

You need to hit up Neighborhood Night at Café Aion. Every Wednesday night, patrons—young  and old, hipster and sporty, hungry and thirsty, pack themselves into the cozy, open dining room in the old Aion Bookstore building located in the historic Hill neighborhood of Boulder. Warm fires roar in both fireplaces, a steady stream of foot-tapping oldies music flows from the speakers, the restaurant’s owners greet guests with ice water poured from emptied out wine bottles and the smell of good cooking wafts from the kitchen, gently reassuring all growling stomachs.

Aion’s weekly Neighborhood Night also doubles as Paella Night.

Now imagine paella, cooked and served family style in cast iron skillets, with braised chicken so tender it practically jumps off of the bone and chorizo with the perfect hint of smokiness, covered in a warm blanket of garlic, tomatoes and an aromatic saffron rice. Sounds good, right? It was absolutely delicious, and expertly paired with a bottle of tasty red wine from Spain.

And now imagine all of this for $35.00. Yes, every Wednesday during dinner service, Café Aion offers enough paella to comfortably feed two hungry stomachs along with a bottle of wine for—for the low price of $35.00.

Such a great deal. And if you can’t wait until Wednesday to dine at Café Aion, then don’t. The neighborhood restaurant is participating in First Bite Boulder (November 11-19th). Click here to get a sneak peak of their First Bite Menu, and once you’re done drooling, click here to make reservations.

You’re going to need them.

Follow Café Aion on Twitter, and Like them on Facebook for updates on the weekly Paella special.

The Bolder Life: Art + Cocktails →

 

Tyra Sutak

Published on: November 8th, 2011

In general, Boulder County always seems to have at least a few calendar squares out of the month dedicated to some sort of art related event, and the month of November is no exception. From classes to trunk shows, November is jam packed with artsy happenings.

And let’s be honest with ourselves, whether purchasing or creating some of your own art, nothing goes better with a good portrait, sculpture or oil painting than a nice glass of wine, a local microbrew, or a specialty cocktail. Booze. It’s how artsy people bribe their non-artsy friends to attend gallery openings and it helps everyone find the happy place that enables them to be open and creative and design a unique piece of art.

Because I dabble in the arts, (not the black magic kind), I’m pretty excited about the string of upcoming art plus cocktail events happening locally. I’ve a compiled a list of events that you’ll most likely find me at in the month of November.

Hope to see you all there!

PoshSplat | “Western Sky” | November 11 | 6:30-9:30 p.m.
PoshSplat is a downtown Boulder business that offers guests the opportunity to recreate their own version of a painting while sipping on a nice glass of wine or a cold beer. (Kind of genius). PoshSplat provides the inspiration, instruction, supplies and a little mood music to help you get in your creative zone. Classes run Wednesday – Friday with a different painting as the model each class.
Expect to pay a reasonable $35 per class and an additional $3 per glass of wine or beer.

East Boulder County Artists Holiday Show and Sale | November 10-December 31st | All Day Event | Flatirons Mall
This event might be cheating a little since there technically isn’t booze allowed at the event—but it’s right next to the California Pizza Kitchen, home of one of my favorite recreations of the Lemon Drop Martini, so it gets to stay on the list. The EBCA will be holding their annual show at the Flatiron Crossing Mall this year where shoppers can purchase locally made: paintings, sculptures, jewelry, photography, glass and wood work and much more. With the holidays quickly approaching, don’t miss this annual event for a chance to support local artists and pick up some pretty cool gifts.

“Graffiti & Martinis” | November 17 | 6:30-9:00 p.m. | BMoCA
If you were to tell me that this event doesn’t sound awesome, I would probably tell you that you’re lying. Graffiti has always been considered a major no-no in society, but has recently emerged as an expressive and respected medium in the art world. At this event, you will learn street art techniques which include stenciling, painting, and spraying and BMoCA will provide you with a complimentary martini as well. Pretty edgy and hip, right? Call BMoCA today to make your reservation.
Expect to pay $8 for Members and $15 for Non-Members. And did I mention that the martini is complimentary?!

Muse Gallery Jewelry Trunk Show | November 29 | 5:00-8:00 p.m.| Sugarbeet
The Muse Gallery showcases both local and national artists at their Longmont location, but this month, they’re teaming up with Sugarbeet for the Sugarbeet Wine Pairing and Muse Jewelry Trunk show. Dine on delicious appetizers paired with fine wines by the culinary artists at Sugarbeet while supporting the local art community by purchasing some beautifully hand-crafted jewelry to either wear yourself, or give as the perfect holiday gift.
Expect to pay $40 per person or $75 for two.

The Bolder Life: Take a Bite Out of Boulder →

 

Tyra Sutak

Published on: November 4th, 2011

In 2010, Bon Appetit Magazine declared Boulder, “The Foodiest Town in America” in a great article highlighting a Boulderite’s fierce love of gourmet calore consumption along with their energetic passion for burning said calories off.

It seems like each month brings a new, well-deserved award to be displayed in the windows and lobbies of Boulder’s big name restaurants—which is fantastic for Boulder’s foodie reputation, but can be pretty taxing on the average diner’s wallet. There’s definitely a strong correlation between the number of awards a restaurant possesses, and the prices listed in bold print on their menus. It seems like the more accolades a restaurant has, the more they charge for their sought after dishes, making it more difficult for the majority of the general food-adoring public to sample the culinary delights that gave Boulder it’s foodie crown.

Thankfully, First Bite Boulder, (Boulder’s answer to restaurant week), is coming up. For the week of November 11-19th, over 40 of Boulder’s most popular eateries are offering three-course menus for $26.00. Yep. You read that right. While an entrée at some of these high-end dining establishments can reach $26.00 alone, for this one week in November, eager diner’s will spend $26.00 for an appetizer, entrée and dessert created by some of the most respected Chef’s in the local culinary scene.

So, food-lovers of Boulder County—now is your chance to get a taste of what the buzz on Boulder’s foodie culture is really all about. Sample foods made from fresh produce harvested from local farms along with innovative creations and exceptional, seasonal menu items.

And if you’ve already had the chance to dine at the majority of the participating First Bite Boulder restaurants, take next week to get off the grid and experience some of Boulder’s surrounding restaurants such as: Colterra in Niwot, Zamperelli’s in Lafayette, the Lyons Fork in Lyons and the Greenbriar Inn—(which technically boasts a Boulder address but can be found almost smack dab in between Boulder and the Town of Lyons).

Eat, drink, and unlock your inner foodie.

And if I could give you one tip on making the most of First Bite Boulder—it would to make to make reservations! Ensure your seat at one of these local eateries and check out the First Bite Boulder website to enter a drawing for your chance to win a First Bite dinner for two at any of the establishments on the list. Trust me. In the quest for foodie domination, the more visits you make each of the restaurants on the list, the more foodie points you score, and the more you can impress your friends at their dinner parties by using proper culinary terms to give your rating on the dinner menu.

Click here for a full list of participating restaurants and their First Bite Boulder menus.

The Bolder Life: The Fork in the Road →

 

Tyra Sutak

Published on: November 1st, 2011

Most times in life, we are forced to pick a path when we reach the fork in the road, but at the Fork in Lyons, CO—the choice is simple—take the path of least resistance and head inside to the bar.

The Lyons Fork is a restaurant, Beer Union and local hang out located in Downtown Lyons at the end of Main Street where Highway 66 splits and gives way to two of the areas busiest mountain roads, traveled by thousands of Rocky Mountain National Park visitors each year. Opened in 2010 by Lyons locals, Wayne and Debbie Anderson, the Lyons Fork is quickly making a name for itself in the budding Colorado foodie scene.

Over a century ago, the sandstone structure at 450 Main Street housed the McAllister Saloon. Today, the building is still home to one of the most popular bars in town—but instead of moonshine and whiskey, the Lyons Fork is serving their customers some of the best brews coming from the craft beer nation. From local favorites, Avery Brewing Co. and Left Hand Brewing, to nationally acclaimed breweries such as Stone Brewing(CA), Port Brewing (CA), and Victory Brewing Co. (PA), the Fork is offering up specialty, aged, oaked, drinkable and unique brews that make up their ever-changing and diverse beer list.

With over twenty years of combined sales experience in the craft brewing industry, it’s no surprise that Wayne and Debbie Anderson take special measures to offer their customers the best of the oldies and goodies of craft beer. These days, the Anderson’s are also educating their guests on the craft beer world as well, by holding Beer Dinners every few months with a representative from a guest brewery pulling out all the stops, bringing in popular and specialty beers from their brewery and introducing each beer that is carefully paired with a menu created by Executive Chef, and beer/food pairing genius, Ian Rubenoff.

Although Fork Beer Dinners typically consist of five-courses paired with five beers, I was lucky enough to snag one of the last seats to the three-course, Stone Brewing Bastard Series Beer Dinner held last Thursday. I dined on duck confit with an orange marmalade sauce, smoked pork loin stuffed with Haystack mountain goat cheese, herbs, (and a little bit of heaven), a sweet potato mash, and a toffee crusted, coconut, almond and chocolate torte that left the entire group speechless for the majority of the dessert round. Representatives of Stone Brewing walked guests through the brewing process and history of each brew which included the Arrogant Bastard Ale, an Oaked Arrogant Bastard and a 2010 Double Bastard.

As usual, I left the Lyons Fork with a full belly, a better knowledge of craft brewing and new friends. If you haven’t been to a Beer Dinner at the Lyons Fork, I suggest you hurry up and sign up for the December 13th, five-course dinner with Boulder’s newest microbrewery, Upslope Brewing. Tickets are $60.00 and always sell out fast. Sample one of the Fork’s popular margaritas before dinner, say hello to Wayne and Debbie and enjoy one of the best meals that you’ve ever eaten with forty-five of your newest friends and craft beer converts.

The Lyons Fork is located at 450 Main St. and offers dinner service from 4:00-9:00 p.m., Monday-Friday and brunch from 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.Click here for more information on the Upslope Beer Dinner.     

The Bolder Life: Burgers, Beer & Falsettos →

 

Tyra Sutak

Published on: October 28th, 2011

For decades, men all around the world have been trying their hardest and succeeding at avoiding places like the theater, the ballet, the dreaded opera house, and any venue that women recognize as a legitimate form of punishment for their significant other. Using every excuse in the book and resorting to lying in the most desperate of times, men have thought about everything to get them out of a suit and tie and back in the safety of their living room or local watering hole—drinking beer and watching sports in their comfortable sweat pants or jeans. But the days of dodging opera are officially done.

With the new addition of a nationwide organization dedicated to opera performances sweeping through restaurants and bars around the state, women no longer have to convince their best friend, mom, grandmom or lady co-workers to get dressed up and accompany them to get their opera fix.

Opera on Tap began in a dimly lit New York bar as an affordable and accessible way to bring opera to the people. Since their creation in 2005, Opera on Tap has gone on the create ten more chapters all over the United States, while gaining popularity as a not-for-profit by raising funds through ticket sales and donations to keep the music flowing. It is their belief that people are more likely to enjoy a good opera performance if they’re in a comfortable setting while taking in the show.

This past Sunday, Opera on Tap, in collaboration with Cabaret Otaku, brought opera to Boulder with an afternoon performance at in the Blues and Greens restaurant at Boulder Outlook Hotel. On a stage, tyically filled with jazz musicians and rockers, stood a group of young, talented performers hitting notes that send chills through the audience. A packed house full of intrigued viewers ordered dinner from a menu filled with sandwiches, burgers, salads and draft beer and watched as a combination of haunting vocals and unique characters, dressed in elaborate costumes told the story of “Dances with Death”, a story highlighting this spooky time of year.

With a good selection of beers on tap, a buffalo burger on the menu, no dress code and highlights of NFL football games shown during intermission, it’s no surprise that the audience was a healthy mix of women and men.

So now is the time ladies. Gone are the days of tricking your significant other into a date night at the opera. Click here for more information on Opera on Tap and for a list of upcoming shows, dress up in your favorite casual wear, and hit the town for a taste of burgers, beer and falsettos!

The Bolder Life: Ghost Adventures: Colorado Style →

 

Tyra Sutak

Published on: October 25th, 2011

I, like most of you, love a good ghost story—especially this time of year. With Halloween just around the corner, the sights and sounds of spooky spirits can be found all around—from the costume-clad sign twirlers advertising on street corners to the eerie screams of frightened haunted house goers, the season of spook is definitely upon us.

Arguably one of the most iconic symbols of horror in Colorado is located just below the entrance to the breathtaking Rocky Mountain National Park in the stunningly scenic mountain town of Estes Park. The Stanley Hotel has been a staple in local folklore for decades, providing stories of residents and hotel guests that check in, but they never check out… Tales of unsettled spirits and gory images popularized by films inspired by Stephen King novels draw thousands of guests to this hundred-year-old haunt every year.

In need of a mini-vacation, and catching the Halloween spirit, I decided that a weekend trip to the Stanley Hotel would be the perfect place to relax, breathe some fresh mountain air and spend the weekend before All Hallows Eve.

Autumn colors blanketed the mountain landscape and sixty degree weather and sunshine greeted us as we reached our final destination. The temperatures began to drop and the afternoon sky began to fade, which signaled the time for my group of ghost adventurers to make our way up to the Stanley Hotel that stands as a ghostly fixture against a rocky mountain backdrop above the town.

Having pre-purchased tickets for two of the Stanley ghost tours, my group met up with other intrigued guests and one brave tour guide and began weaving our way in and around the Hotel, for the Ghost and History portion of the tour. Our guide pointed out the hand-crafted architectural pieces that create the old-timey feel of the hotel, along with popular paranormal hot spots and the history that is captured in the elegant ballrooms and the narrow hallways throughout the hotel.

I finished this tour feeling satisfied about my newfound knowledge of the history and the trivia of the hotel, but only a tiny bit spooked by the actual ghost part of the tour. If you plan on taking a tour at the Stanley, I definitely recommend that you follow the Ghost and History Tour with a tour of the nearby Concert Hall. This is where the tour guides, such as the infamous Scary Mary, will really make the hair on your arms stand up. After entering the Concert Hall, built by the Stanley’s to host upscale parties for their visiting guests, the exterior doors were locked, and the ghost stories began.

Down in the dreary basement, my group, finally feeling a little creeped out, made our way to a tiny, pitch-dark room where we were politely introduced to the spirit of “Lucy”, a Concert Hall regular and good friend of Scary Mary. Although goose bumps crept over my arms, and one of my hands was permanently extended towards the door, (just in case), the lights eventually flickered back on and we finished our tour of the Concert Hall with a friendly childhood game played with some of the spirit kids that still roam the grounds. Our day of ghost hunting was capped off with a glass of wine on the front porch of the hotel and the sharing of some ghost stories of our own.

If you’re interested in visiting the Stanley in search of some ghostly activities, act now. All tours do continue through the month of November, but fill up quickly, just like the guest rooms. And if you’re ready for a really big scare, sign up for an all-night Ghost Hunt, a chilling séance or a Murder Mystery Dinner or request to stay in the most haunted rooms on the property.   

If you’re ghost hunting on a budget, reserve your space for the tours through the Stanley, but check out some of the other local hotels to save some money on your accommodations. And be sure to reward yourself for not crying like a little girl by indulging at some of the popular eateries in Downtown Estes– where you just might have some unexpected dinner guests join the party…

The Bolder Life: Pumpkin Patching →

 

Tyra Sutak

Published on: October 20th, 2011

Yep. It’s that time again. The end of October truly marks the beginning of holiday season in my world, and Halloween, the first holiday on tap, happens to be one of my favorite holidays of the entire year.

As a kid, my parents used to spend months planning, prepping and setting up for the elaborate Halloween haunted houses that they would throw on the few acres of land that I grew up on along the St. Vrain River in Lyons. Hundred-year-old barns, sheds and cellars were converted into graveyards, eerie science labs and haunted buildings where mummies and straw scarecrows suddenly came to life, causing some of the younger attendees (and let’s be honest, myself) to shed some pretty legit tears that would last until familiar faces could be recognized underneath the gruesome costumes and scary masks.

Six-foot holes were dug around the property for vampires and zombies to jump out of. Pulley devices were created to enable recruited haunted house characters to fly through the air. Kids, innocently dressed as lady bugs, clowns and witches, would begin the haunted tour by reaching into bowls filled with grapes, spaghetti, tapioca pudding and other food items that made up the gross factor of the haunted house, serving as “eyeballs”, “worms” and “brains”.

Aside from my dad’s creative and spooky stories, complete with a tour of a local field filled with “spirits” (fireflies), my favorite part of the Halloween festivities was always the annual visit to the pumpkin patch followed by a night filled with pumpkin carving, apple cider and toasted pumpkin seeds.

This year, after a few years of sidelining the Halloween traditions that I long grew up with, I decided that it was time to bring ‘em back. Last Sunday, with a crew of pumpkin hunters in tow, I visited the bustling pumpkin patch at Munson Farms and searched and searched until I found my perfect pumpkin. I chose a petite, perfectly unblemished pumpkin which resembled more of a Jacqueline-o-Lantern and less of a Jack-o-Lantern. Families armed with wheelbarrows and wagons spread out around the decent sized, scarecrow-filled pumpkin patch, all methodically testing each pumpkin in their path for weight, size, blemishes and stem length. Happy kids rode the tractor-drawn hay ride which wound its way through the corn fields that produce Munson Farm’s most popular item, and an abundance of farm fresh apples, squash and zucchini were stacked in bins and available for purchase at the farm stand.

All in all, I had a pretty successful trip to the pumpkin patch. I picked up a few baby gourds, pumpkins and dried corn for decorating, some apples for snacking, and when I got my perfect pumpkin home, I carved a pretty decent rendition of the CU Buffaloes logo into it, showing off my team spirit in hopes of bringing my hometown team some much needed luck for this weekend’s Homecoming game.

With temperatures reaching the high 60’s, this weekend looks like it’s shaping up to be the perfect sun-filled weekend for starting some Halloween traditions of your own. Check out Munson Farms, on the corner of 75th and Valmont for all of your pumpkin and fall vegetable needs and save time for a classic hay ride around the property. One trip to Munson Farms will be sure to get you into the spooky spirit of the Halloween season!

Munson Farms is open seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Pumpkin prices range from $7-$11 and parking on the farm grounds is limited, so utilize the shoulder parking off of Valmont Street.

The Bolder Life: Competing Cocktails →

 

Tyra Sutak

Published on: October 17th, 2011

Master Chef/Proprietor, Alec Schuler, must be doing something right. He’s opened three successful Boulder eateries in the past three years with a crowd-pleasing combination of elegant Italian cuisine and innovative handcrafted cocktails.

Schuler’s recent venture, Amaro Drinkery Italia, conveniently shares the same 27thand Iris address in the same buzzing North Boulder neighborhood as its sister restaurants—Arugula Bar e Ristorante and popular breakfast/lunch spot,Tangerine.

Although Amaro is fresh off of their official grand opening, they generously invited in a large crowd of cocktail aficionados on Sunday night to make up the People’s Choice vote in the 303/Amaro Cocktail Competition, featuring cocktails conceived and concocted by some of Boulder’s best-know mixologists. Tyler Anderson of Salt the Bistro (big winner of the 303/Amaro Cocktail Contest), Greg Van Wagner of the close-to-reopening, Oak at Fourteenth and Bianca Huggins of Amaro all stood out with their unique, carefully crafted representations of their skills.

In an appropriately dimly lit room with a steady stream of catchy beats mixing in the background, six guest bartenders duked it out for local bragging rights, serving guests cocktails with names like “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” and the “Hanky Panky”. Bitters, (Amaro’s namesake in Italian), was the most popular drink ingredient and guests were invited to dine on an assortment of Amaro’s small plate menu items which were available to enhance the sampling experience and give guests a break from a steady stream of cocktails mixed with a healthy dose of local distillery, 303’s vodka, gin and mouthwatering whiskey. In a room tastefully decorated with artistic collages of antique corkscrews and inviting furniture, I took a walk down mixology lane and sampled drinks with everything from frothy egg whites and nutmeg to simple syrup and jalapeno peppers to bitters and coffee liqueur.

The mind of a good mixologist is filled with chef-like notions. Creating, tasting, re-tasting and reconfiguring recipes until they reach their full potential. And thankfully, Boulder has created a safe place for recipe experimentation. Amaro’s Cocktail Contest wasn’t the first opportunity to gather the great minds of local mixology chef’s. Earlier this year, 303 Vodka held a competition to find the best mixologist in Boulder, and cocktail competitions stacked with Boulder favorites are becoming popular all along the Front Range.

If you missed the cocktail contest on Sunday, it’s not the end of the world. Amaro features over 36 handcrafted cocktails that are served to you warm, cold, or smokin’ with components consisting of everything from caramel vodka, artichoke liqueur, fever tree ginger beer and cat daddy Carolina moonshine.

And Amaro Drinkery Italia isn’t just the perfect place for a cocktail competition. It’s also the perfect place to visit to get your weekend shenanigans started or finish with a delicious, unique cocktail handcrafted by some of the best mixologists around.

You can find Amaro, Arugula Bar e Ristorante and Tangerine in the Diagonal Plaza in North Boulder.

Tyler Anderson’s Winning Cocktail Recipe:
Big Willie Style

1.5 oz 303 Vodka
.5 oz Lime Juice
.5 oz Luxardo Amaro
1 oz Raw Sugar Simple Syrup
3 Slices of Cucumber
Garnished with Fresh Serrano Pepper

The Bolder Life: It’s a Runner’s World →

 

Tyra Sutak

Published on: October 14th, 2011

Coloradans are pretty active folks. We love to cycle and mountain bike. We love workouts like yoga and tai chi. We hike on our lunch breaks and hit the Crossfit gym after work. But above all, the people of Colorado are runners. We eat 5K’s for breakfast and run marathons at 5200 feet above sea level for dessert. For obvious reasons, the summer months typically offer the most opportunities to strap a number to your favorite running gear items, and compete against other like-minded people with bulging calves, however—some of the most popular 5K’s in the Boulder County area happen in the Fall and Winter months. This might have something to do with the number of candy/food/all-around-indulging holidays that occur during these season, but it may also be the fact that race organizers know that whether it’s raining, shining or snowing, the people of Colorado will still lace up the their Nike’s and their New Balance shoes and hit the road running. While you missed the popular Devil Dash 5K in Lyons last weekend, here’s a list of other upcoming 5K’s in Boulder County this October– and stayed tuned next month for another complete list of 5K’s happening in the area in the month of November.

Kaiser Permanente Run the ‘Rocks
When: Sunday, October 16, 2011 | 9:30 a.m.
Where: Morrison, CO | Red Rocks Amphitheater
The Skinny: This race starts in the Upper North Lot and weaves its way through the beautiful, rugged terrain surrounding the popular music venue. Eventually, the race course will take runners up the legendary amphitheater stairs, and will be rewarded for finishing the race with some live music. All entry fee proceeds will be donated to the American Lung Association.

Shake, Rattle and Run
When: Saturday, October 22, 2011 | 8:00 a.m.
Where: Westminster, CO | The Orchard Town Center
The Skinny: This qualifying race will take you on a scenic tour along the Orchard Town center off of I-25 in Westminster. The Shake, Rattle and Run 5K is a benefite to support the St. Anthony North Health Foundation’s Hospital Support Fund Program with 100% of the registration fees benefiting St. Anthony North Hospital.

Eerie Erie 5K/10K & Goblin Run
When: Saturday, October 30, 2011 | 9:30 a.m.
Where: Erie, CO | Erie High School
The Skinny: Run the Eerie Erie 5K or 10K and burn off enough calories to feel less guilty about eating your fair share of Halloween treats the next day. This route begins at the Erie High School and will take you on a spooky tour of Old Town Erie including a trip past the historic Erie Cemetery.

Monster Dash 5K & Kid Race
When: Saturday, October 29, 2011 | 3:00 p.m.
Where: Louisville, CO | Old Town
The Skinny: Old Town Louisville is definitely making a name for itself as the hot place to be for everything from Famers’ Markets, to live music, to first class eateries and unique, local shopping. If you haven’t paid a visit to this updated area of Louisville, then you’ll have your chance when you run the 2nd Annual Monster Dash on October 29th. Participants are encouraged to come in costume and bring along their little ghouls and goblins for the Spooky Sprint that will guarantee them a participant ribbon, a glow bracelet and other special gifts!

The Bolder Life: A Room with a View →

 

Tyra Sutak

Published on: October 12th, 2011

Every so often, you meet someone that you know you will most likely remember forever. I met such person last week, as I was browsing through the Aar River Galleryin old town Westminster—searching for the perfect image that captured everything that I love about Colorado’s picturesque scenery. Becky Enabnit-Silver is the artist behind much of work at the quaint gallery tucked into a quiet neighborhood location, just a stones-throw away from the popular Heavenly Cakes Bakery. I was instantly drawn to her work after I stumbled upon several watercolor paintings, currently being displayed in her gallery that captured all of the scenic beauty that our fare state has to offer. Beautiful paintings of autumnal Colorado landscapes, visions of envious sunsets…the nature-specific list goes on.

Luckily for me, I found my perfect painting. The title of the painting is “Rage and Beauty” and is a spot-on rendition of a classic day of indecisive weather coming together and providing a sheer cover over my beloved Flatirons.  The painting was already matted and framed in a shade of wood that blended perfectly with the layout of the office space that I ended up hanging it in. It’s a perfect fit. Although my office is far from its gallery home, I think my new painting is very happy. It’s greeted by streaks of sunshine and lots of “oohs” and “aahs” every day. At the Aar River Gallery, I found exactly what I was looking for.

And the fun didn’t stop there. After several  laps around the gallery space, (each one revealing a new gem that I had missed before),—I added a cutesy hand-crafted apron, a beautiful pair of earrings and a shiny, black bracelet that has already turned into my go-to accessory and received many compliments from envious jewelry aficionados. I also sifted through a wide variety of paintings, sans framing, for ridiculously reasonable pricing. Fortunately for me, my grandfather is a master craftsman, and has gifted me with a beautiful, hand-crafted frame, made with love, to house another beautiful watercolor of a “Sunrise at the Lake”. Or a gorgeous view of the notorious changing Aspen leafs in the high country. The gallery also has a selection of beautiful pottery, stained glass, tiles, hand-made purses and scarves and aromatherapy products.

Aar Gallery also offers monthly art classes and workshops so that you too can create pieces worthy of being hung in a gallery. (Call the studio directly or email Becky for pricing and to reserve your spot).

So head to Westminster and stop by Aar River Gallery. Say hi to Becky, purchase some beautiful artwork, sign up for a class—and be sure to take notes. The holiday season is coming up and with reasonable pricing and gifts for just about everyone on your list, you’ll be happy you made the trip!

The Bolder Life: The Happiest of Hours →

 

Tyra Sutak

Published on: October 7th, 2011

Spotlight on Dagabi Cucina

In my opinion, there’s seriously nothing better than wrapping up a hard day’s work, and heading out to meet up with friends for happy hour. I love happy hour—it does indeed make me very happy. Not only can you find some killer deals at some of the hottest and trendiest restaurants in Boulder County at happy hour, but for someone who has trouble making decisions on which menu item to order—happy hour is the comforting little voice, whispering in my ear, “who says you’re only allowed to order one?”

Typically, when the words happy, hour and Boulder come together, people generally only think of a few places and most of those places are located Downtown. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love Downtown Boulder. But as a resident of North Boulder, sometimes it’s nice to just hit a local spot, post up on the patio for a while, and slowly eat your way through a schmorgesborg of hand-crafted tapas.

So—I’m very happy to report that I have officially found my local happy hour hot spot. Although Dagabi Cucina is one of the “best kept secrets” in Boulder, I’m about to blow the lid off of their operation and expose them for the truly wonderful addition to North Boulder that they are!

Dagabi Cucina is a Mediterranean restaurant and bar with a Spanish flare, located just off of North Broadway behind Lucky’s Market. This place pretty much has everything that I love about happy hour. First of all, it’s in my neighborhood. Second of all, reading their menu makes me drool every time, and third of all, they have a quaint outdoor patio which is perfect for sipping a glass of wine, sharing some mouth-watering tapas and catching up with friends.

Along with my best friend, and partner in crime, I took a mini tour of Dagabi’s delicioustapas menu and noshed on a variety of items including grilled asparagus, hand-made linguine with shallots, garlic and olive oil, steamed mussels in a tomato-chili broth, croquetas filled with seafood and a personal favorite—fried calamari. Two glasses of a delicious house red wine finished off the meal, bringing our total tab, with tax, to just $20 a-piece. That’s five filling tapas items and four glasses of wine for $40.00. The authentic bistro-like music and décor and an attentive staff full of smiles provided a relaxing tone to finish out a long day.

And there’s more good news. Dagabi offers happy hour every day. Yep. Every day, seven days a week from 5:00-6:30 pm with an extended all-night happy hour on Tuesdays. This restaurant also offers nightly specials on entrees, appetizers, desserts and spirits as well as a traditional paella dinner and several menu items made in the wood-fired oven.

But don’t take my word for it. All it takes is one look at Dagabi’s menu, and I’m sure you’ll be sold. Reservations are accepted, open nightly, plenty of parking and a happy tummy for everyone!

Be sure to follow Dagabi on Facebook and @DagabiCucina on Twitter for menu updates, specials and tips on upcoming events.

The Bolder Life: Let it Rock →

 

Tyra Sutak

Published on: October 5th, 2011

In the 80’s, when rock group Duran Duran really started to hit their stride as a legitimate U.K. export , I was less “Hungry Like the Wolf” and little more like ‘hungry for some Gerber applesauce’—which really limited my opportunities to catch the band live. Fortunately, aging rock stars love to reconnect and hit the road years after their glory days giving a whole new generation the chance to experience the best of rock and roll and hear a set list filled with songs that have become some of the most popular picks at karaoke nights around the world. Now I’m all for checking out reunion tours, but when it comes live music in general, I can be a little bit of a brat about leaving my little Boulder County bubble—even for a good 80’s flashback. I like checking out live music, but I love the idea of a quick cab ride home and spending less than my monthly car payment on a ticket to the show.  So—after hearing that one of my favorite 90’s bands, Bush, and Duran Duran recently played in the huge building conveniently located off of Highway 36 right in the center of my Boulder County bubble—I thought it might be time check out what the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield is really all about.

Lucky for me, (and most of you), the 1st Bank Center has and awesome line-up of shows scheduled for the upcoming months. The venue can accommodate up to 6,500 people and there truly is a little something for everyone. From reunion tours, to country stars to some kick-butt women roughing eachother up in Roller Derby– chances are you’ll find a show worth buying tickets to– and although you probably weren’t able to catch four of the Fab Five in action at their show on Tuesday, don’t worry. Next time the 80’s call, you’ll be a little more prepared.

The 1st Bank Center has played host to Pop stars like Katy Perry and popular Indie Bands like Further. Ticket prices typically fall in the range of $30-$150 and can be purchased at the box office, or online.  Check out these upcoming shows at the 1stBank Center that are already flashing on my radar and click here to see a complete calendar of events.

10/15/2011 Denver Roller Dolls
10/25/2011 Paul Simon
11/05/2011 Judas Priest
11/19/2011 KYGO Presents: Dierks Bently, Jerrod Nieman and the Eli Young Band
12/06/2011 Channel 93.3 Presents “Not So Silent Night” including Rise Against, Flogging Molly & Calibrate Me

The Bolder Life: Coming to a City Near You →

 

Tyra Sutak

Published on: September 28th, 2011

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re well aware that this weekend is the 30thannual Great American Beer Festival in Denver. It’s a beer geek’s heaven and a hellish hangover for the fresh batch of newly 21-year-olds that are responsible for well over half of the dropped taster glasses that hit the floor of the Convention Center and the echo of boos that immediately follows. It’s kind of the place to be this weekend.

Unfortunately, tickets sold faster than hot cakes this year, leaving a vast number of GABF lovers seeking other plans for the weekend.

Thankfully—I’m here for you. I got your back. Check out these fun events going on in a city near you for a fraction of the price of admission to Denver’s giant beer festival.

Hangover Brunch at Oskar Blues Liquids and Solids with Maui Brewing
Sunday, October 2nd | 10:00 am | $30/ticket
You are so bummed that you couldn’t get tickets to the GABF. Don’t worry—Oskar Blues is bringing a little bit of the GABF to you with a Hangover Brunch complete with a guest appearance by the owner of Maui Brewing, Garrett Marrero. Rub elbows with Garrett and enjoy one of Maui Brewing’s popular microbrews that are being featured at OB for the day. Menu items include: 14 hour smoked pork shoulder, house cured bacon, andouille sausage, blueberry maple sausage, old chub bangers, crawfish etouffee, “Kiss My Grits” shrimp grits and “Fat Elvis” French toast stuffed with peanut butter and bananas.

3rd Annual Niwot Oktoberfest
Saturday, October 1st | 2:00-9:00 pm | Free Admission
So you had your heart set on attending a beer festival this weekend. You can still get your wish and instead of shelling out a hundred bucks for a ticket, you can get into Niwot’s Oktoberfest for free! The festival, taking place in Cottonwood Park, promises live music, plenty of authentic German food, beers by Left Hand Brewing, Polka dancing, plenty of beer and wine, face painting and a bouncy castle.

Pearl St. Stampede
Friday, September 30th | 7 pm | 1300 Block of Pearl St.
Check out the Pearl St. Stampede this Friday, and help cheer on the CU Buffs football team as they parade along Pearl St. with the Golden Buffalo Marching Band before their big game on Saturday! Anyone who’s been watching the Buffs play lately knows that they could use a little pick-me-up, so catch them in front of the Boulder County Courthouse and follow the parade, led by Boulder car-collecting legend, Stephen Tebo’s, antique CU fire truck.  (Go Buffs!)

Devil Dash 5K
Saturday, October 8th | Bohn Park, Lyons | Registration Closes on Thursday, October 6th

After a weekend filled with a steady flow of good food and beer, you’re going to need a good workout to burn off all of those delicious calories. This devilish 5K isn’t until next weekend, but pre-registration closes on Monday, October 3rd. Check out this muddy course filled with obstacles themed after the 7 Deadly Sins and finish the race at the Avery Brewing Beer Garden of Eden. Mud, live music,

The Bolder Life: Corn Mazes, Pumpkins and Hay Rides, Oh My! →

 

Tyra Sutak

Published on: September 25th, 2011

So you’re a grown up. That’s cool. You think Halloween is a holiday for kids and scoff at the idea of dressing up in an over-priced get-up from your local costume store—parading around town, looking ridiculous or hot or grotesque—whichever style you chose. You think bobbing for candy apples, carving pumpkins and collecting yummy treats is for children.

If that’s the case, then you’re totally missing out because Rock Creek Farms opened this past weekend and they have a ton of fun, pre-Halloween, fall-celebrating activities that will get you excited and amped up for the upcoming candy/costume sales driven holiday.

Rock Creek Farm offers just about everything that I love about this time of year.

First of all—there’s a corn maze. I love corn mazes. There’s just something about losing yourself in a giant field of corn with a bunch of strangers for hours to really make the fall season special. Rock Creek has an 8 mile maze layout through their well manicured and well thought out field of corn. And if the thought of huffing it on a bright autumn day through a maze of maize isn’t enough excitment for you—well, maybe you’ll find a little excitment when you discover that this year’s “Maze Theme” is a Whodunit? Maze goers are encouraged to help find the missing Famer Joe.  Collect clues and evidence along the way, and help put one of the suspicious farm animals behind bars and save Farmer Joe.

Corn mazes rock. So do pumpkins. Nothing says Happy Halloween like a bright orange pumpkin with triangles for eyes and a grinning mouth full of jagged teeth. Now, I’m a geniuses at choosing the best pumpkins, but I’m a little bit of an epic failure when it comes to carving them. I never win the pumpkin-carving contests, and my pumpkins typically don’t survive the first hour of a lit candle. Thankfully, Rock Creek Farm understands that pumpkin-carving inept people, such as myself, exist and they’ve generously put together a collection of free stencils that can be downloaded from their website. I’m totally winning the carving contest this year.

And can we please talk about the hay rides?! Sure, it’s not the late 1800′s anymore, but a cart, full of people, driven through a 1000 acres of beautiful farmland with the famous foothills centered in the viewfinder and the sights and smells of fall lingering is kind of a cool way to enjoy an afternoon.

Tons of family activities for the half-pints, caramel apples, freshly baked pumpkin bread, and a slew of other delicious treats for sale and to top it off—Rock Creek is offering up free recipes for all of your favorite fall and Halloween treats.

Rock Creek Farm is located in Broomfield and is open daily from 9 am to 6 pm from September 24th to October 31st. Please note that Rock Creek Farms does not accept credit cards, so be sure to hit the ATM or bring a check for your fun-filled fall trip to the Farm!

The Bolder Life: Welcome, Fall... →

 

Tyra Sutak

Published on: September 22nd, 2011

It’s that time again.

Time for the leaves to shed their vibrant green colors and put on a light outer layer of yellows, reds and oranges.

Time for coffee shops to bulk up on all things pumpkin and cinnamon.

Time to go shopping for a new pair of got-have-‘em boots and light jackets—and time to say goodbye to the hot days of outdoor summer festivals and the beginning of a string of fun fall events!

Friday marks the first day of fall and Downtown Boulder is kicking off the season with a 3-day festival full of fun, local: food, beer and live music and tons of other events including fun stuff for the kids, an art show and entertainment provided by Ballet Nouveau Colorado and Taps are Talking, Inc.

DBI’s Fall Fest kicks off this Friday, and runs through Sunday evening along the ever-popular Pearl St. Mall in Downtown Boulder.

Friday’s Entertainment Features: Girls on Top—a “groovin’ dance band” known for their energetic R&B, soul and funk inspired tunes.

Saturday’s Entertainment Features: A string of bands providing live music throughout the day. Click here for a complete list of featured bands.

Sunday’s Entertainment Features: Artistic talent to end the festival in style.
Dancers from Ballet Nouveau Colorado and Taps are Talking, Inc. will be performing from 11-11:30 am and 11:45-12:15 pm, followed by one of my favorite locally produced bluegrass bands, Spring Creek and Colorado music scene favorite, Fierce Bad Rabbit.

Carefully crafted brews from Avery Brewing Co. will be served at the beer garden all day during the three days of the festival, and food, provided by a variety of restaurants that make up the Pearl St. restaurant scene, will be available throughout the day each day as well.

If you have kids—bring ‘em. Don’t leave your quarter-pints behind this weekend. The Children’s Carnival runs all day on 14th St. between Spruce and Pearl and offers the usual carnival attractions to entertain your little ones along with something called “The Monkey Motion Bungee Trampoline”. Now I’m not entirely sure what this is… but it definitely sounds like something created to tire your little ones out, making bedtime a much easier task.

And if that’s not enough—over 30 Downtown Boulder merchants will be offering specials and discounts throughout the festival. From the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art to Full Cycle to Lilli, be sure to mix a little shopping into your fantastic fall-themed festivities.  Check out this full list of participating vendors.

Happy Fall Boulder County!

May the crisp fall air be perfect and the scenery be fall-tastic for your weekend BoCo festivities.

The Bolder Life: Fraternizing Food Trucks →

 

Tyra Sutak

Published on: September 12th, 2011

Love your local food trucks?

Wish they would all get together in one place to make it easier for you to compose a delicious meal concocted from each truck’s menu?

Then you need to skip the homemade meatloaf, frozen pizza or delivery dinner and visit Prospect Park every Monday night from 5:30-8:30 pm. Tasty offerings from Boulder County’s own: Comida, The Tasterie Truck, Fruta Juice, Rollin Greens, Top of the Hill Grill West and Seb’s Wood Fired Portable Cuisine are served with a hint of live music and the BYOB-everage of your choice.

Plenty of picnic tables and benches are available for you to sit and enjoy your meal, and the grassy center of the park offers a great place for conversations between new and old friends, dogs of all shapes and sizes to meet and greet and a place where kids of all ages can bring their hula hoops, bicycles, appetites and sweet teeth.

“Monday Nights in Prospect Park” are expected to continue (weather permitting) through the end of September with occasional stops through the spring. You can keep up with these mobile meal makers by following them on facebook and Twitter for up-to-date menus and the heads-up on their upcoming truck stops.

Comida Food Truck
Comida offers a variety of authentic Latin cuisine with a twist of modern Comida magic.
Price Point: $3-$8
Things You’ll Find on The Menu: Marinated fish taco, pork taco, slow-cooked mushroom tostada, the Mexi-Mess, chorizo, onion and three cheese quesadillas, black beans, and rice and chips with Comida guacamole and/or salsa.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=10213618#!/eatcomida

http://twitter.com/#!/eatcomida

The Tasterie Truck
From cupcakes to croissants to cookies, The Tasterie Truck is baking everything from classic recipes to unique creations that are guaranteed to be the best dessert that you’ve ever purchased out of the window of a truck.
Price Point: $2-$3
Things You’ll Find on the Menu: Oatmeal bacon chocolate chip cookie, vanilla pomegranate cupcake, ham and cheese croissant, pumpkin and maple cream cheese whoopee pie and mini bunts.
http://www.facebook.com/TheTasterieTruck
http://twitter.com/#!/TasterieTruck

Fruta Juice
Fresh, nutritious fruit smoothies that are made from exotic fruits from South America. 
Price Point: $4
Things You’ll Find on the Menu: The Puro Lulo, the Berry Monkey, the Islander, the Jungle Juice, the Monkey Time and plenty of fresh fruit and vitamins A, B, C, E & K.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002548039802&sk=info

Rollin Greens
Locally harvested products make up the majority of the Rollin Greens gourmet menu which offers a healthy and organic take on “street food”. 
Price Point: $3-$10
Things You’ll Find on the Menu: Jalapeno poppers, beet basil salad, hot tuna melt, bulgogi beef rice bowl with kim chi, chicken and tempeh crispy soft tacos and a pablano & cheddar stuffed burger.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/RollinGreensCO

Seb’s Portable Wood-Fired Cuisine
Wood-fired pizza without the restaurant wait! 
Price Point: $7-$9
Things You’ll Find on the Menu: Wood-fired pizzas topped with your choice of fresh mozzarella, homemade crème fraiche, goat cheese, fresh herbs, French brie, pesto sauce, fresh veggies, prosciutto, chicken, sausage and a mess of other delicious ingredients.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100001576371266&sk=wall 

Top of the Hill Grill
Home-style barbeque. In Boulder County. That’s all you need to know. 
Price Point: $0-$10
Things You’ll Find on the Menu: Pulled pork, beef brisket, baby-back ribs, ½ chickens, fresh-cut fries, slaw and cornbread.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Top-of-the-Hill-Grill-West/172559929455495

The Bolder Life: There's a Farmers' Market in Erie?! →

 

Tyra Sutak

Published on: September 8th, 2011

You bet there is, and it’s the best market to get in, get some ridiculous deals on locally produced groceries, and get home in time to prep for that awesome barbecue/dinner you’re having.

Armed with some gifted “market bucks” (accepted at all vendors participating in the Erie, Lafayette and Niwot Farmers’ Markets), I visited the Erie Farmers’ Market on Saturday morning and was more than pleasantly surprised at the goodies that I came away with. In less than fifteen minutes, I managed to find nearly all of the ingredients that I needed to throw a killer dinner party.

With only a small sea of white tents visible from my parking spot, my first impression of this local grocery store wasn’t fantastic– but once I made my way into the center of the white tents, I was more than excited with my Farmers’ Market finds. With the sounds of an acoustic guitar serenading my shopping trip, I mentally planned out my dinner menu for the night, and what I came up with, was Food Network worthy.

First stop– was the main market booth, where I picked up a free eco-friendly bag to carry my finds in. Second stop was the delicious smelling bread booth where I purchased a loaf of jalapeno bread for under $5. Next booth was occupied by Miller Farms where I filled up ”half-a-bag” with potatoes, snap peas, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, green peppers and plenty of other fresh garden vegetables for– $5. Yes. I said $5.00. And if I would have opted to fill a full bag, I would have paid a mere $10 for a bag filled to the brim of locally grown produce. The next booth smelled like a delicious steak joint and handed out samples of freshly grilled (and home-grown), steak burgers and hot dogs. I’m not gonna lie… I’m not a huge fan of red meat, but the sample of the steak burger that I tried from the Snow Creek Ranchbooth melted in my mouth and warranted several “oohs” and “ahhs” from me and other members of the crowd. So I was sold. $9.00 got me a pound of steak burgers and a clear vision as to where my dinner party menu was going. After purchasing some edamame and honey at another booth, I had exactly $3 left out of my $25.oo in market bucks to buy a beautiful bouquet of flowers and bid farewell to the market with a giant bag full of food and the confidence to cook a pretty killer meal.

What did I end up making, you ask? Magic. I made magic in the form of a delicious, gourmet meal. I added some salt and pepper and a little garlic and soy sauce to the steak burgers (that were hands down the best burgers that I’ve ever had), and placed the grilled patties between two pieces of fresh, toasted jalapeno bread– topped with fresh-from-the-farm organic lettuce and tomatoes– a few slices of cheddar cheese and tiny bit of avocado.

Side dishes included homemade, baked french fries made out of the giant pototoes harvested at the Market, along with fresh snap peas sauteed in a little salt, pepper and butter. So delicious. My chef-worthy Farmers’ Market dinner pretty much launched my popularity points in the dinner party department. Dessert consisted of a quick trip toPiece, Love and Chocolate on the Pearl St. Mall in Boulder, where I snagged a few delicious white chocolate truffles and a salted-carmel chocolate cake that I’m told was pretty much to-die-for.

So the moral of this story is: pack up the family, take the back roads, and visit the Erie Farmers’ Market.

Make a meal out of it! And trust me, you’ll be far from disappointed!

The Erie Farmers’ Market is owned and operated by Nature’s Markets and is held every Saturday from 8 am to 1 pm (through October 22nd) at 515 Briggs St., in Erie, CO.

The Bolder Life: Best of BoCo Winery Tour →

 

Tyra Sutak

Published on: September 7th, 2011

With so much attention going to the local beer scene in Colorado, I felt that it was time to check out the emerging and growing winery scene that is slowly spreading through Boulder County. I spent seven, pretty fantastic hours of my Saturday meandering from tasting room to tasting room, sampling some of the best locally produced wines, gaining some much needed knowledge on the wine front and putting together this list of the best of the best features that each of these wonderful local wineries has to offer:

Ciatano Winery                
16858 North St. Vrain Drive
Lyons, CO 80540

Tasting Room Hours
Open Year- Round | Friday – Monday | 11 am – 5 pm
Summer Hours | Open Daily through October 31st
Features:

• 5 Tastes for $5
• Shipping Available
• Spa On-Site
• Plenty of Seating in the Tasting Room and Around the Property
• Best Ambiance
• Guests are encouraged to bring their own food or create a mini picnic from a selection of cheese, fruit and smoked trout for sale in the tasting room
• On-Site Lodging (Click here for more info on the Rockin’ River Day Resort)
• Best Event Venue Rental (From weddings and rehearsal dinners to birthday and anniversary celebrations, Ciantano has a beautiful location to host your event at)

Summary:
Unless you live in the Lyons area, I would suggest making Ciatano the first stop on the tour. You’ll probably spend the most time here, wandering around the resort grounds that offer beautiful views, sounds of the nearby river, ponds filled with fish (note: fishing is allowed on the property, free of charge, unless you catch one of the monster trout and decide to take it home—in which case you’ll pay $1 per inch), and all of the makings for a romantic afternoon.

Boulder Creek Winery
6440 Odell Place
Boulder, CO 80301

Tasting Room Hours:
Open-Year Round
Thursday – Sunday | 1 – 5:30 pm
Features:

• 9 tastes for $3
• Informative Self-Guided Tours of the Facility
• Great Benefits for VIP Club Members (Including invites to winery parties, winemaker’s dinners, barrel tastings and more
• Event Venue Rental (Including Already Created Party Packages)
• Best Place to Purchase a Bottle

Summary:
Make this Gunbarrel Winery the 2nd stop on the tour. Boulder Creek has the best “tasting” price and very reasonable bottle prices. The tasting room doesn’t have seating available, but you’ll be on the move for the most part anyway as you take yourself on a self-guided tour of the winery. Of all of the wineries, Boulder Creek definitely has the best tour system in place with easy-to-follow arrows highlighting the wine making process and detailed and informative signage on every piece of equipment. Be sure to buy a bag of the chocolate covered espresso beans to fuel the next two stops on the tour.

Bookcliff Vineyards 
1501 Lee Hill Road, Unit #17
Boulder, CO 80304

Tasting Room Hours:
January – May | Friday – Sunday | 1 – 6 pm
June – December | Thursday – Sunday | 1 – 6 pm
Features:

• 5 tastes for $5
• Plenty of Seating in Tasting Room
• Wine Sold by the Glass and the Bottle (Bottle Prices Range from $10-$25)
• Wine Made In-House
• Knowledgeable Staff
• A Complete Online List of Restaurants, Bars and Liquor Stores Where Bookcliff Products are Sold
• Wine vs. Beer Dinners (with Upslope Brewing)
• Receives Scheduled Visits from the Comida Food Truck
• Best Tasting Room to Visit on FridaySummary:
  Plenty of seating in the tasting room makes Bookcliff the perfect place for the 3rdstop of the tour. Sit down in spacious tasting room and enjoy one of Bookcliff’s many award-winning wines. Winery tours are available on request and provide a great deal of knowledge on the wine making process and what really separates the reds from the whites.

Redstone Meadery
4700 Pearl St., Unit 2 A
Boulder, CO 80301

Tasting Room Hours:
Open Year-Round
Monday – Friday | noon- 6:30 pm
Saturday | noon – 5 pm
Features:

• Free Tastings
• Plenty of Seating in Tasting Room
• Gluten-Free Product
• Live Music Beginning in October
• Knowledgeable Staff
• Guided Tours
• Best Place Sit Down and have a Glass

Summary:
End your Boulder County Winery Tour at Redstone Meadery. The tasting room offers plenty of seating, a mellow vibe, an informative staff to educate you on the history of mead and take you on a tour of facility. Tastings are free, which is great, because Redstone offers a variety of flavors and delicious products. Be sure to try the Black Raspberry Nectar and save some extra cash because you’ll definitely want to bring a bottle home.

As always– have fun, be safe, and if you loved the wineries on your Boulder County Winery Tour, then be sure to check them out at the Colorado Mountain Winefest– September 15-18th in Palisade, CO.