It’s ‘So Boulder’...and such a great time, too
“So Boulder.”
I heard it first from friends who moved there, as in: “The woman swimming in the lane next to me today was an Olympian. So Boulder.” Or: “Our grocery store is offering goat yoga. So Boulder.” Then I began visiting, and I heard it not only from Boulderites (in an adoring, self-deprecating way that makes you want to search for skits about “Boulderlandia”) but also under my own breath. Like when I found a rack of Prana dresses at McGuckin’s, the beloved hardware store; or when I realized that a pet shop called P.C.’s Pantry sells gluten-free biscuits and has an in-house baker; or when I learned that February is Stout Month, which just might, among locals, have more celebrants than Valentine’s Day.
For a city of just 103,000 residents (almost a third of whom are students at the University of Colorado at Boulder), it packs a lot of punch. And for good reason: At 5,430 feet and generally sunny, it’s a spectacularly beautiful destination that’s been smart (and pioneering) about growth and preserving open space, so it’s a magnet for athletes, bohemians, scientists and outdoor enthusiasts of every ilk. When I visited my friends, for example, they both were training: she for her umpteenth Ironman; he for a 50-mile run at 10,000 feet. So Boulder. With a progressive dining and brewing scene, it’s a breeze to eat healthfully and drink locally. Even outdoor music is better in the Front Range: You won’t regret splurging for a concert ticket at Red Rocks, just to the south. So what’s the catch? The average home now costs $1.2 million. And there’s an annoying surplus of youthful energy, from the CU-Boulder students to the octogenarians who pass you on the bike path. You’ve been warned.
Here’s a hiking tip: When you’re winded climbing up Mount Sanitas and a runner flits by you in fluorescent yoga pants (and then passes you again after summiting), remind yourself you’re still adjusting to the altitude, even if you kind of already adjusted last week. Just west of downtown, Sanitas is among the most popular hikes for locals and dogs. My friends and I chose a moderate 2.5-mile loop that gained 1,350 feet in elevation, and the view from the top was stunning. I looked out to see Denver, the I.M. Pei-designed National Center for Atmospheric Research and CU-Boulder’s red-roofed campus. If you really want to roll like the locals, end your adventure at Sweet Cow, where you can line up with the groupies for a scoop of the best ice cream in town.
Bad news, friends: You just missed Tube to Work Day, July 11. But you can still enjoy Boulder Creek, where locals come out to play every day of the week. The creek meanders from Boulder Canyon right through downtown, and the adjacent 5.5-mile paved path is great for walking, running and biking. Pick up provisions at the farmers market or dogs at Mustard’s Last Stand and picnic by the water. Dip your toes into the local culture, which often involves students swaying in hammocks and smoking weed. (I’m sure they’re studying.) Tubing season lasts all summer: Start at Ebin G. Fine Park, where work attire is discouraged.
On the Celestial Seasonings Tour, the factory in northeast Boulder sounds and looks like any other – machines whirring, forklifts crawling. But it smells like stepping into a box of Sleepytime tea. Our guide, Debbie, asked us not to touch anything: “You don’t have to put your nose on something to smell it. That’s just gross.” Wearing super-flattering blue hairnets, we learned about blendmaster Charlie, who might taste 120 teas and herbal infusions a day, and walked into the calming – and eye-wateringly strong –peppermint room. At the end, Debbie explained that it takes three seconds for a machine to wrap a box in plastic “and 10 minutes to get it off.”
Since it opened in 1898, the Colorado Chautauqua – part of a national cultural movement from the late 19th and early 20th centuries – has celebrated nature, lifelong learning, music and the arts. Nestled against the famed Flatirons, it remains a treasured spot that operates in the spirit of its founders. You can hike 48 miles of trails, rent original cottages, eat in the dining hall or attend a concert. (On deck: the Gipsy Kings, Ziggy Marley and Boz Scaggs.) But the best of Chautauqua can be found just by showing up with friends. A couple of years ago, I had a birthday picnic on the lawn. On a nice day, you’ll see a steady stream of hikers. Start at the Ranger Cottage, the hub for all city hikes, plenty of which are accessible and kid-friendly. For a steep climb, rock scrambling and epic view, try the First and Second Flatiron hike.
At Shine Restaurant & Potion Bar, my friend Sarah said “It’s a sign of an excellent menu that you’re paralyzed by all the good choices,” which is how I felt in general about dining in Boulder. Shine (from Trilogy Wine Bar & Lounge’s Blissful Sisters, as the triplets are known) features a spirited menu –mushroom bisque, probiotic slaw sampler, lamb meatballs – and life-enhancing libations. (One of our “potions” included a B12 shot from a syringe.) It wasn’t until we were later recalling the scrumptious buttermilk biscuit of Sarah’s veggie burger that we remembered the restaurant is 100-percent gluten free. If you can’t get a table, head to nearby Rincon Argentino for killer empanadas.
A comfortable, intimate neighborhood farmhouse kitchen and pub, Bramble & Hare may be better known for its cocktails (ostensibly, beyond the witty names such as Here I Am, Arrack You Like a Hurricane). But equally notable: Nearly all the food is sourced at the chef’s northeast Boulder farm. A young tattooed server wearing a crocheted bow tie had me at mention of the seared farm carrots with a pistachio tarator. The menu changes daily, but the mac and cheese is a staple, as are rustic dishes such as pork and white bean chili, root vegetable curry and beef bread pudding. Bramble’s elegant sibling, Black Cat, adjoins in the back. Peek next door for some magical decor.
If Boulderites ever kick off their Birks and dress up for dinner, it very well may be for Pizzeria Locale. The elegant restaurant serves classic Neapolitan-style pizza with perfectly doughy crust and spare, flavorful toppings.