Wrangle Up the Nickels and Dimes

Posted on April 17, 2012

Eating on the cheap sometimes seems like an impossible task. You want to go out with your friends, but you’re tired of pretending that puny side salad with half a crouton filled you up. How do you combat this cry for a satisfying lunch at a price you can count on one hand? You let me handle it. Well, that’s not entirely true, but I do know of a myriad of cheap options that will prevent you from having to practice your “spot me?” look.

Soup is often underestimated. The Kitchen [Next Door], Two Spoons, Dish Gourmet, and Lindsay’s Boulder Deli offer a hearty soup selection that generally comes with bread. Mountain Sun takes hearty to the next level and has a vegetarian chili (served with chips) that fills up carnivores and herbivores alike.

Not a believer in the power of soup? How about a hot dog from Freddie’s Hot Dog cart or Mustard’s Last Stand? Maybe a slice of pizza from Nick-n-Willy’s or Pizza Colore? Sliders are great too and they’re available at Boulder Café and Rueben’s. Also sushi is quick and light which makes for a perfect lunch meal. Hapa and Japango have a wide variety of rolls for under $5 that make sharing a grand idea if you want a bit of everything.

As a connoisseur of the cheap and delicious, my top picks for the best food for your buck include: Zoe Ma Ma’s $4.95 cold noodle bowl, The Unseen Bean’s $4.98 veggie bagel, Chipotle’s $2.25 tacos, and $5 sandwiches at Atlas Purveyors. Just because I can find these places when blinded by hunger pangs, there are not the only options. Take a look here for our full list and maybe introduce your date to something better than the $.99 menu.

Bon appetite!

-Devon

Related Tags: Boulder, Dining, Restaurants

Farmer John (Or Jill)

Posted on April 10, 2012

The Farmers’ Market was in full swing last Saturday, as it was definitely an opening weekend to celebrate eating local. The Boulder County Farmers’ Market has been delivering the finest, freshest, and most fabulous foods and local products to the people of Boulder for the past 25 years. With so many great samples to try and local farmers to support, it is impossible to have a bad time at this delicious outdoor jamboree.

With this in mind, I rallied up a few of my friends, walked over the creek and was met by so many tantalizing sights, sounds and smells that I had a slight breakdown and had to pet every dog within arm’s reach. I saw tents of mushrooms, lettuce, spinach, potatoes, tomatoes, flowers, and oh, the list goes on! Although it was a fight to get the last chip crumb and sample the fresh locally made salsas, the crowd was all smiles and no food fights were started. On top of it all, the weather could not have been more perfect, so the weather gods must have been excited too.

If you missed opening weekend, fear not, because the farmers will be back every Saturday until November and even on Wednesday evenings starting in May. So slap on the ol’ SPF, grab your pup, and I’ll see you at the market!

-Devon

Related Tag: Festivals

How Very Pinteresting

Posted on April 5, 2012

With all the social media options available these days, it is easy to feel that if one more were to surface, the World Wide Web would become so entangled in “fans,” “circles,” and “likes” that we would all be each other’s bffs by now. But allow me to introduce a different sort of way to connect and share with people near and far: Pinterest.

A cork board similar to the ones we all had in our childhood bedrooms, Pinterest is a virtual equivalent in which you “pin” photos into categorized boards. Remembering an obscure website name that has great recipes, or flipping through photos of the tropical place you’re planning a vacation to, or finding fun events in your favorite downtown (hint, hint) has never been easier (or more organized)! Here at Downtown Boulder, we have jumped on board (pun intended) and invite you to check out our pin boards to find your inspiration. We are constantly updating our page with products and specials from our local stores and restaurants that will make you never want to leave our beautiful downtown area. Through the enticing photos, you are linked directly to the store or restaurant they are available so you will never have the problem of not knowing where that delicious looking chocolate cake is found. It’s also a good place to find photos from all our events downtown as well as remind you when they are approaching.

Go on, glance over our Pinterest boards here. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

-Devon

Related Tag: Social Media

CoffeeCoffeeCoffee

Posted on March 27, 2012

Fact: 5/7 days I need an afternoon caffeine fix

Fact: Downtown has 17 places to get coffee

Fact: Today is an iced coffee kind of day

Now, the tricky part is trying to figure out where to go. If I start on the West End, I’ll run into Spruce Confections and have to get a chocolate croissant to go with my coffee, but if I go to Trident then I’ll be there for at least 45 minutes perusing the book section. I’ve never been to Amante or Ozo, so I would have to thoroughly look over the menu to make sure I’m not missing out on any specials. The Unseen Bean has a phenomenal veggie sandwich, which I’m sure would go perfectly with an iced latte. Then there is Tee & Cakes which is definitely a dangerous option with all their cupcakes and scrumptious treats staring me down; coffee will not be the only thing I walk out of there with. If I go to Atlas Purveyors, then I’ll probably get a tea latte, which is not bad, except I’m on a mission for iced coffee. The Cup is always irresistible when I see people soaking up the sun and hanging out front with their pups. Laughing Goat not only has plenty of space for me to sprawl out with my Spring Break homework, but it also has tons of fun art and an exceptional music selection. And the quaint Boxcar Coffee Roaster s is on my way home, so it’s convenient. Too many decisions! And yet there are so many more to pick through right here.