Light Snow 
Friday Night is Funky Night in the DTB
Posted on February 3, 2012
You might have looked out your window this morning and let out a shriek of excitement as you realized school was cancelled and maybe even work. Maybe you smiled and sunk back into your blankets to indulge in that satisfaction of a snow day. But Boulder, that is no excuse to not make plans for your Friday night. To get that surge of motivation going, I give you a few indoor options which are sure to make you enjoy every step you walked (or biked?) in the snow to get downtown.
I hope you’re ready for some top notch music tonight, because Downtown Boulder is blowing up with all sorts of incredible live music. To get your ears ready for a rip rocking good time, be sure to eat a nutritious dinner (to get your strength to 110%), hydrate (because it makes you beautiful), find and put on your dance pants (none of that sweat-pant stuff), rally up the troops (people who have equal excitement to jam), and don’t forget to warm up (listen to a few good tunes to get your voice and dance moves at that perfect level). Ladies and gentlemen, it is time for a good time.
At the Boulder Theater, we have Dr. Dog. Now this may sound like an odd name for a band, a Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg love child perhaps, but there is nothing odd about their passion for delivering the best music. Dr. Dog is a six man band hailing from Pennsylvania playing music that has been strongly influenced by the 60s, with some psychedelic rock influences. Boulder Theater is proud to host these fine young men as they prepare to release their second album on February 7 under the Anti-Records label. “This record comes from our pushing toward a rawer, more powerful, somewhat jittery competence…music that’s got its roots in live expression rather than that studio-perfected sort of vibe.” So basically, Dr. Dog is not just some band that only sounds good on a CD, but a band that thrives on sounding best live; which is how it should be. This just in: Dr. Dog has been postponed due to the weather! However, you can use your ticket to see The Lemonheads tonight at the Fox instead! Check this out for more information.
If you are skeptical about Dre/Dogg love child band and instead wish to enjoy the smooth sounds of a jazz trio, then pop on over to The Rib House and listen to the Chris Kroger Trio. The Denver native trio is a phenomenal combination of jazz and blues, guaranteed to get your fingers a snappin’ and your foot a tappin’. Personally, I never used to be into jazz music, but I had an epiphany this summer that changed the inner workings of my music loving soul. I strolled into a club on “free jazz night” and ended up being the last one to leave because I simply could not get enough. The sounds of the Chris Kroger Trio has brought me back to that very summer night where I became friends with jazz music, so I highly encourage you, lovers of jazz or not, to cruise into The Rib House tonight and let the music take you over.
A night of only music sound too singular? How about a night of art and culture instead? OpenArts Studio is hosting their art fundraiser and celebration from 6-10 p.m. at the Rembrandt Yard. For $50 per person, you will have the opportunity to eat, drink, and enjoy art with fellow art appreciators. Bid on work juried by Open Studios artists, vote for the 2012 Open Studios Fall Artist Tour poster image, and mingle with new and old friends. Festive attire is encouraged and all ages are welcome!
So let it snow, let it snow! But bring on the jams and have a delightful night of good music, good company, and good times. Check out our event calendar for more listings of music and happenings in our snow kissed downtown.
-Devon
Related Tags: Boulder, Art, Fridays , Music
What’s new in Downtown Boulder?
Posted on January 25, 2012
Me! With a new semester comes a new intern, and this semester’s selection of Boulder blogging perspectives will be courtesy of me, Devon. I have some big shoes to fill, but I am very excited to be able to share my explorations, food outings, café trips, festival happenings, and busking discoveries with you.
Part of being new is getting into the swing of things and figuring out the way things work. For example, I have to put stamps on envelopes, which may seem mundane, but this is no lick ‘n stick situation. The envelopes are weighed on this grey device and then fed into a slot where the stamp is stamped electronically; but not before it makes a bunch of noise and lets you know how important it is that you give it your full attention. However, I am not the only one who is still getting acquainted with a new environment. A few new restaurants and shops have opened their doors in downtown, providing excellent opportunities to make multiple dinner date plans:
Shine on 13th and Pearl opened in December with the ever-so-fitting slogan “Light up Your Life…Shine from Within.” The Emich sisters, previous owners of the wine-bar and music venue Trilogy, opened Shine as a “place for us all to nourish ourselves through food, community, dance, education and celebration. It is hub for us all to share our gifts, to explore, and to have fun doing it.” Putting their creativity to good use, the sisters have worked hard to utilize the space and give an intimate, yet versatile feel, perfect for the live music, private parties, or their Wednesday morning yoga class. Cheap menu items paired with their unique elixirs and potions adds up to a satisfying and delicious time. Sounds like a good place to me!
If you recall the heartbreak of the fire that devastated the new Oak at Fourteenth last March, then you would also recall their magnificent reopening this December. Seeing this as an opportunity to redesign what they previously created, co-owners Bryan Dayton and Steven Redzikowski went straight to work rebuilding their restaurant resulting in a simple and rustic, yet contemporary space. The delectable menu you remember from a year ago has only been improved upon, providing seasonal items made with house-made pastas, as well as local produce and meats. If that isn’t enough to make you “accidentally” leave your leftovers in the office frig, GQ Bombay Sapphire named Bryan Dayton the 2011 Best Bartender in the country, meaning the hand-crafted cocktails and select artisan wines and beers are designed to perfectly compliment your entrée. Fresh, local, and award-winning. See you at six?
And if you feel like having a glamorous night-in while wearing your finest sweatpants, then first stop by the brand new Oliverde and browse through their premium selection of extra virgin olive oils and balsamic vinaigrettes from around the world. After co-owners Terry and Kathy Kulesa opened the Rocky Mountain Olive Oil store in Fort Collins, they decided to expand south and bring their knowledge (and oil) to Boulder. Italian dishes made with authentic Italian olive oil are sure to impress friends, boyfriends, girlfriends, and neighbors alike.
So while I continue to get myself acquainted with the life of a Downtown Boulder intern, come on down and check out the other new kids on the block.
-Devon
Related Tags: Boulder, Dining, Restaurants, Bars
Smell the milk in the fridge before you drink it...
Posted on December 16, 2011
So every DBI intern in their last week has to write a blog about what they learned at their internship with Downtown Boulder. Other than the great job/technical skills I’ve acquired (Citylight, web development, e-mail marketing, social media) I figured there were some more blog-worthy and/or special lessons to share. I’ve been compiling a list for a week or so now, so don’t be surprised if some quirky office jokes have entered into my realm of learning:
1. Using Tweet Deck makes you feel like an analyst at NASA #ForThoseOfUsWhoDontHaveAPhd
2. Eli is half Jewish…sometimes.
3. A good day for Downtown Boulder Gift Card sales can equal up to $10,000. Holy...Cow…
4. As a subset of that, a lot of Boulder teachers get Downtown Boulder gift cards as their holiday present from the class (good choice).
5. “Downtown Boulder, this is Lindsey” seems like an easy thing to say when you answer the phone. But it’s actually really easy to mess up…I’m sorry.
6. If it snows enough and the power goes out, you might just get a free latte from your boss.
7. Tweeting is harder than you think. Clever, funny, and within the character limit!??! So stressful.
8. “Pithy” means verbally concise and forceful expressive a.k.a. A great way to describe our downtown twitter account. We did win a tweeting award B.T.W.
9. Smell the milk in the fridge before you drink it.
10. Lindsay’s Boulder Deli has the most impeccable veggie cream cheese you will ever experience. (And the cashier has the cutest southern accent).
11. Culture matters- If you like the people working around you, you’ll enjoy coming to work that much more (even if you don’t get paid!)
12. Downtown Boulder puts on HUGE events and somehow I had no idea before this internship. Fall Fest, Light up the Holidays and the Lights of December Parade were so much fun to be a part of and such cool events for the community. CU students…open your eyes!
13. DBI offers an amazing resource for businesses. Downtown Boulder is committed to bringing business to downtown and keeping the area clean and vibrant for everyone to enjoy. I hope the town I end up in has some sort of organization such as DBI serving the community. Especially if I was a business owner. Helloooo….Free marketing!
14. Downtown Business’s are full of amazing small town stories. I learned that the owner and roaster at The Unseen Bean is actually blind and opened his own shop after being inspired by the smells and sounds of coffee roasting. Take some time to talk to the person behind the counter after you grab your sandwich next lunch break…the history in this town is inspiring.
15. There just isn’t a place in the world quite as quaint, beautiful, fun, plentiful, welcoming, animated, friendly, tasty, vibrant, breathtaking, or oh-so-special as Boulder, Colorado.
My internship with Downtown Boulder was such a great supplement to my college experience. I had the greatest opportunities to frolic around downtown and learn so much more about the town I was living in; as well as serve as a very knowledgeable resource on all of the fun happenings to my friends. To my parent’s dismay, I may never want to leave! Thank you to Eli and the rest of the DBI crew for all of your knowledge and support; I’ve learned so much! It’s been a great couple months and I will miss you all dearly (probably not as much as you’ll miss me though). I’m so thankful and blessed to have had such an amazing opportunity. Sigh…. Signing off for good Boulder, it’s been real.
-Lindsey
P.S. If you want to ATTEMPT to fill these shoes…Eli is hiring a new Marketing and Communications intern. Information on how to apply is located here. I highly recommend it :)
Related Tag: Boulder
'Tis the season for holiday parties...
Posted on December 9, 2011
As a kid, holiday parties were always such a riot. Everyone was so happy…laughing and getting along. (It must be the magic of Christmas right?) But then you grow up, discover alcohol, and realize the magic of Christmas was really just being served in the “grown up drinks.” Now that I’ll finally be enjoying the grown-up drinks at this year’s holiday parties, I have to wonder, how “happy” is acceptable at work and school functions? This lovely diagram created by the nymag.com blog “Grub Street” is a clever resource that I suggest you crumple into your suit pocket and use for reference. Unfortunately, I happen to fall in the toddler section where even if you work for a cool company, you’re still only allowed one glass of vino chased with some cheap beer (Interns can’t afford Corona yet).
So whether you enjoy 1 tequila, 2 tequilas, 3 tequilas, or the floor at your staff mixer this year, at least do it in style at a hip Downtown Boulder venue. Because, trust me, our business owners are just dying to host you and your office buddies, watch you play spin the bottle like a teenager and dance to some Snoop Dog with a lamp shade on your head. So much so that we even had to make a webpage of the countless holiday party rental options.
Last night one of my business school classes had a holiday party at Bacaro. They have a bunch of different sized rooms available. (My roommates and I are having our graduation party on their rooftop in May!) Apparently the diagram above doesn’t apply to school functions where you’re taking tequila shots with your professor. #ilovecollege
Some other boozy spots include Posh (paint and drink, so much fun!) and The Bitter Bar. Check out all the deets here.
Happy Holidays! Keep it classy Boulder…
-Lindsey
Related Tags: Boulder, Dining, Happy Hour, Restaurants, Bars
Baby It's Cold Outside
Posted on December 5, 2011
You’ve got to love when you wake up to your IPhone telling you it’s 7 degrees outside (sarcasm). When the day is forecasted at a high of um…12, I sometimes wonder how exactly to dress myself to WALK to work and school without looking like a total marshmallow and while avoiding death by frostbite. Eli once told me that the cold is like an equalizer among humanity…it’s hard to not look like a total goof when all you care about is keeping warm, so in the cold the playing field becomes quite level. It’s a stretch…but it’s one positive aspect of 7 degrees, right? The only other thing we could possibly enjoy about today is how the cold makes snuggling up by a fire with a hot Cup O Joe sooo much more satisfying. I think the Boulder business owners have tapped into this consumer need quite well considering there’s not one, not two, but SEVENTEEN coffee shops just in downtown. How does one decide where to take their marshmallow self for refuge? Let’s discuss;
Eli loves the coffee at The Unseen Bean (which now that I think about it, I’ve actually never seen it) but apparently its right on Broadway! Still, the slightly hidden storefront is not the reasoning behind the name. Gerry Leary, master roaster at The Unseen Bean has been blind from birth. But his passion for coffee led him to attend the San Francisco Coffee Training Institute and now have his own café in Boulder. Pretty cool!
The Cup is my personal favorite. Mostly due to its spacious interior; there’s always a spot to plop down and study. Also, all of their coffee is fair-trade, organic and roasted locally, which I’m always a fan of supporting. In the back room, they have a clever little “cell phone booth” where they encourage customers to take calls so you don’t disturb others trying to enjoy their cozy time. Practical, and comical.
One day (another cold snowy day) the power went off in the office and we took a stroll down to Ozo coffee. We tried a maple donut with bacon on top. Who would have guessed such a strange topping would be so great on a donut? (I guess it is bacon). Order an espresso drink “for here” and enjoy the cute little maple leaf design they make with the foam. Love coffee? Ozo has Brew Bar Tastings on Fridays at 2 p.m. where you can try one coffee brewed in three different brewing processes.
Amante is another café that’s caught my eye, located on Walnut next to The Parlour hair salon. If you’re looking to wind down after a long day or possibly start layering on your night time liquor coats a little early, Amante has a full bar featuring “Italian wines, coffee-based martinis, Moretti beers, along with traditional standards such as Negronis, Manhattans, and Gimlets.” Quite trendy if you ask me.
These are only a few of the many options to escape from the cold in Downtown Boulder. Find a full list here, pick your favorite, and let’s make this freezing day a wee bit more enjoyable.
Stay warm!
-Lindsey
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