Destination Goddess: Boulder Bound

Editor's Note: It's June 17th and I posted the following blog a little over a week ago. Just finished reading an article in the July/August edition of National Geographic Traveler, p. 42. The cover headline is "How Perfect is Boulder?" and the article goes on to mention seven must-do's. Among them: Eat at The Kitchen and Frasca, visit the Dushanbe Tea House, and shop Boulder Book Store. I think Katie was "spot-on"! :)

I had the pleasure of living in Boulder, Colorado for four years while attending "higher education". My budget back then mainly supported dorm cafeteria fare, the drink of choice was free keg beer, and shopping usually meant a trip to the CU Bookstore each semester.

Things have changed in 20 years. My budget is a bit bigger, and Boulder -- while its "essence" remains the same, thankfully -- has changed some of the places we flock to now. I enlisted my niece Katie as my "destination goddess" for this post. Katie works and lives in Boulder with her fiancee Jason, and there was no better pair for me to turn to when creating this "insider's guide" to Boulder. Everything from coffee to cocktails to cupcakes. Take a look:

CUP A JOE



For Katie's daily cup of, what she likes to call "liquid crack", try the Laughing Goat at 1709 Pearl Street, or Amante Coffee at 1035 Walnut Street (or their 4580 Broadway location)

COCKTAILS ANYONE?


Boulder has some great places for "al fresco" dining and drinks. A few of Katie's faves:

The Med at 1002 Walnut: popular patio and tasty tapas treats

West End Tavern at 926 Pearl: this old favorite has a beautiful view from its rooftop terrace

Centro Latin Kitchen at 950 Pearl: the perfect place for a mojito and a meal

"GREEN" GRUB
Boulder is notorious for its environmental conscience. It is home to so many natural food stores, farmers' markets and organic dining establishments.



Pictured above happens to be one of my favorite restaurants too:
The Kitchen, located at 1039 Pearl Street: wonderful ambiance and incredible food



Or try Sunflower at 1701 Pearl for fabulous lunch, brunch and dinner -- all organic


And one cannot talk about the Boulder dining scene without mentioning Frasca. Located at 1738 Pearl, Frasca is tough to get into, but soooo worth it. Book your reservations now. It is a dining "experience".

SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT?

The Dushanbe Tea House at 1770 13th Street is a gift from Boulder's sister city in Tajikistan. It is the only building of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. They boast a full menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as traditional afternoon tea.

SWEET TOOTH?



Got a late night craving for cookies, cupcakes, ice cream and other confections? Try Boulder Baked at 1911 Broadway. They're open until 1 am. -- 2 am. on the weekends!



Or if you prefer your pastries first thing in the morning, Tee and Cakes, located at 1932 14th Street caters to the early crowd.

RETAIL THERAPY


Need to walk off some of that food and drink? A little shopping might do the trick. Two of Katie's favorite stores in Boulder are Bliss, located at 1643 Pearl, and Boulder Book Store, located at 1107 Pearl. Bliss is the perfect place to browse and buy that special gift for someone -- or yourself. Or if you're in the mood for some reading, Boulder Book Store is Boulder's largest independent bookstore.

So, have we convinced you to re-visit Boulder? Or perhaps even relocate here? My niece Katie is a top-notch Realtor with Walnut Realty in Boulder and knows the Boulder and Metro Denver area extremely well. If you're looking to move, contact Katie Patterson at 303-442-3180, katiepatterson@live.com.