Fair 
The Tulip & Fairy Elf Festival is Here!
Posted on April 23, 2013
Like many of you, I wasn’t expecting the recent snow storms. I expected late April to bring Boulder sunny days, an occasional rain shower (for May flowers), and thousands of blooming tulips along the Pearl Street Mall.
So, it may be a while until many of the tulips bloom, but don’t lose hope; there are signs of Spring’s arrival just around the corner! Unless Mother Nature throws us another curve ball, Saturday is expected to be in the high 60s to 70 degrees (finally). The warm weather is perfect timing for the Tulip & Fairy Elf Festival happening at the Pearl Street Mall on Saturday, April 27 from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m.
The Tulip Fairy, along with miniature tulip fairies and elves, will be on the Pearl Street Mall celebrating the arrival of Spring. People of all ages are welcome to wear costumes and join the Tulip Fairy’s festivties. The festival will host a wide variety of activities ranging from live entertainment to face-painting and even photo opportunities with the Tulip Fairy herself!
Beginning at 3:00 p.m., live entertainment will be held on the main stage in the 1300 block of Pearl Street. The schedule includes:
3:00 p.m. – Mary Sue & Cari
4:00 p.m. –Jeff Kagan & Paige Doughty
5:00 p.m. –Boulder School of Rock
It’s time to say goodbye to the snow and hello to Spring. Get outside and enjoy the festival and the weather we’ve all been waiting for.
(P.S. If you still need to find a costume or costume accessories, check out The Ritz down on Walnut Street.)
-Jillian (intern)
Related Tag: Festivals
Boulder Farmers' Market is back!
Posted on April 4, 2013
The day has finally come - opening day of the Boulder County Farmers’ Market is this Saturday, April 6. Take advantage of the seasonal goods that are offered. I love the farmers’ market for many reasons, including but not limited to:
- First and foremost, it is an opportunity to support local farmers and businesses
- It is the place I usually get a Mother’s Day present for my mom because I know these local products are unique to Boulder, so she wouldn’t get them anywhere else
- It gives me a reason to wake up at a reasonable hour on a Saturday, so that I get to enjoy the day (which will hopefully boost my productivity… but I’m not making any promises)
- The forecast for Saturday is looking bright and sunny: which is something I can really appreciate
- TASTE TESTING: one of my favorite things to do. (I’d like to think my taste-testing expertise would qualify me to be a judge on Top Chef). From experience, I can tell you there will be many opportunities to taste all of these fresh Farmers’ Market goods
Throughout the season, many vendors will be making an appearance at the market. Here are just a few that I’m looking forward to:
- Boulder Popcorn: According to my mother, popcorn is the only healthy snack I eat, so naturally it is one of my staple foods. Boulder Popcorn has to be amazing if it is farm-fresh and locally grown
- The Tea Spot: I’m not a huge coffee drinker, but I am slightly addicted to tea. I’m excited to explore all of The Tea Spot’s options (that will fuel my addiction)
- Loredana’s Pesto: As a college student (on a college budget) my roommates and I eat pasta (a little too often). However, I plan on buying this pesto in order to change up our usual spaghetti, red sauce and parmesan cheese recipe
Take my advice and go visit the Farmers’ Market this Saturday. It is located on 13th Street, between Canyon and Arapahoe. The market opens at 8 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m. Get there early before all the good stuff is gone!
-Jillian (intern)
Related Tag: Boulder
The Ultimate Guide to Outdoor Dining
Posted on March 22, 2013
Boulder, the sunny 70 degree weather may have left us for now, but spring has official begun! With an average temperature of 65 degrees for the month of April, I have a feeling we have many beautiful days ahead of us!
As the weather warms up, there is nothing I would rather do than eat, drink, and enjoy great company outdoors. This Friday I was lucky enough to get out of the office and scope out some of the best outdoor patios and rooftop restaurants downtown Boulder has to offer. This quickly proved to be a very easy task! Every 15 feet I found myself snapping pictures of patios and looking at menus along Pearl Street. From exotic tapas to local beers, Pearl Street’s restaurants and bars have something to satisfy everyone’s taste buds. Below is a highlight of some of my best findings:
Beehive(left): Sit under the iconic lime green umbrellas and enjoy some great appetizers such as Spicy Deviled Eggs and Sweet Pickles
Pizzeria Locale(top right): Order the Mais pizza (I know it is sweet corn, but trust me, it is beyond amazing) and sit outside at their Eurostyle community tables.
Centro Latin Kitchen(bottom right): Start your meal off with a La Casa Marg and an order of their avocado salsa!
Rio Grande(top): With full roof top dinning, The Rio is one of my personal favorites. Order a man-berry (mango and strawberry) marg along with the chicken fajitas. I promise you will have a very happy stomach!
Pasta Jay’s(left): If Italian is what you are craving, sit outside at Pasta Jay’s and enjoy hearty dishes such as the Cheese Tortellini or Chicken Parmigiana.
West Flanders Brewing Co(middle): In the mood for an ice cold beer outside? Get to West Flanders. They have a seeming endless selection of unique brews!
West End Tavern(right): Another one of my personal favorites on Pearl. I have tried just about everything on the menu, but yam chips with guacamole and the veggie burger are my absolute favorites!
The Kitchen(top left): Sit at their adorable little tables and enjoy exceptional dishes such as spinach and ricotta ravioli or a grilled ribeye steak!
SALT the Bistro(top right): Enjoy happy hour on the patio! I recommend the chickpea & quinoa sliders and the house white.
Trattoria on Pearl: (bottom left) Sit alongside the iconic chef statue and enjoy all of your Italian favorites like pizza, gnocchi, and pasta.
Riffs Urban Fare:(bottom right) Situated right in the heart of Pearl Street, Riffs is a great place to eat outside and do some people watching. Their winter salad may be one of my favorite salads ever!
Writing this post reminded me of what an amazing place Boulder is in the spring and summer! As the iconic tulips start to bloom on Pearl, I cannot wait to say goodbye to winter and hello to the best seasons in Boulder.
Kira (intern)
Related Tag: Dining
Preparing for Spring Break
Posted on March 18, 2013
Being the only break during second semester, spring break is something all of us look forward to. At my apartment, there has been a spring break countdown on the fridge for the past few weeks (for motivational purposes). For many of us, spring break requires a lot of preparation, including: working out, bathing suit shopping, tanning etc.
Preparing for spring break might seem overwhelming, but thankfully downtown Boulder is making it an easy task. Whether you’re going somewhere tropical or on a ski trip to the mountains, downtown is the spring break shopping destination. After doing some extensive research, I have a few shopping suggestions.
For the tropical vacation:
- - Finding the right bikini can be an extensive search, but luckily there are so many to choose from at High Point Swim and Sport.
- For men, Billabong has a large selection of board shorts to choose from.
- The perfect pair of colored shorts from Starr’s Clothing. (These yellow ones are at the top of my wish list).
- To complete my spring break wardrobe: a maxi dress and flip flops from Savvy on Pearl.
For the snowy vacation:
- New ski goggles from Zeal Optics are perfect for your trip to the mountains or even as an investment in quality ski gear.
- Right now, men’s Sorel boots are on sale at Savvy on Pearl.
- A cozy sweater is an obvious essential. This striped one from Starr’s Clothing is perfect for spring.
- You can save 20 – 50 percent in MontBell’s outlet area for outdoor and snow gear.
There’s only one week left until spring break, so shop around downtown before all the good stuff is gone!
Jillian (intern)
Related Tag: Shopping
St. Patrick's Day
Posted on March 14, 2013
Growing up, my St. Patrick’s Days consisted of hunting for four-leaf clovers; finding gold chocolates the leprechauns left behind; and drinking milk that magically turned green. Unfortunately, in college, leprechauns stopped hiding candy and the magic green milk was replaced with green beer, which is just not the same.
Boulder’s the lucky one this weekend with beautiful weather on the way. It’s perfect timing for this special Sunday (fun-day) because there are so many activities happening downtown.
Things to do St. Patrick’s Day:
- Begin your celebrations early with free Irish spirit tasting at Liquor Mart on Friday, March 15 at 4 p.m.
- If you missed the world’s shortest parade at Conor O’Neill’s last weekend, the St. Patty’s Day celebration continues this Sunday with Irish dancers and bagpipers all day long.
- West End Tavern will have Irish dancers at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sunday, and Irish drink specials.
- For some great live music Sunday evening, the Laughing Goat is hosting Ripple Green’s St. Patrick’s Day Celebration from 9 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Remember to wear green (to avoid being pinched), look out for leprechauns, and don’t drink too much green beer! Happy St. Patrick’s Day.
P.S. I heard Gaiam is giving 17 percent off of all green items now through March 17.
Jillian (intern)
Related Tag: Holidays
Recent Entries
The Tulip & Fairy Elf Festival is Here!
Boulder Farmers' Market is back!
The Ultimate Guide to Outdoor Dining
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