Boulder Weekly 02.08.2024 by Boulder Weekly

Grass Roots HOW CLIMATE JUSTICE CAN LEAD US TO A GREENER FUTURE P. 5

RADIOACTIVE COLORADO P. 11 QUEER EROTIC POETRY P. 12

P R E S E N T S T H E P E R F EC T P L A N F O R VA L E N T I N E ’ S DAY

T WO S PE C I A L VA L E N T I N E ’ S DAY S H OW S

D I R E C T E D BY J O S H H A R T WE L L

Starring BETC ensemble members Billie McBride and Jim Hunt

3 p.m. Matinee & 7:30 p.m. A L L PR O C E E D S WI L L G O TOWA R D B E TC E D U C AT I O N I N I T I AT I V E S

T I C KE T S AT B E TC .O R G

CONTENTS 02.08.2024

14 Credit: William Henry Jackson

05 COVER How we can go from climate talk to climate action BY MICHA K. BEN DAVID

11 WEEKLY WHY Half of houses in Boulder County have

unhealthy levels of cancer-causing radon. Here’s why — and what you can do about it BY KAYLEE HARTER

12 CULTURE Local showcase aims to strengthen queer

community with erotic poetry and spoken word BY LAUREN HILL

15 DEAR WHOLE FOODS DADDY “Where are all the

cowgirls?” Your burning Boulder questions, asked and answered

BY GABBY VERMEIRE

DEPARTMENTS 04 OPINION Truth and trust needed to fight climate change

07 NEWS

“Doxxing truck” at

14 VISUAL ART Longmont Museum frames the American West

LOVE

17 FILM

27 NIBBLES

CU, Marshall Fire fundraising and more

International movies shine with 2024 Oscars nominations

13 THEATER

19 EVENTS

Mini-reviews: FEED: Dry, Fun Home and Misery

Where to go and what to do

ASTROLOGY Seize the sexiest joy you can

BOULDER WEEKLY

25 SAVAGE Relationship OCD

Boulder County’s globe-trotting chocolate makers

30 WEED

College applications rose in states with legal weed

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www.twighairsalon.com FEBRUARY 8, 2024

COMMENTARY FEBRUARY 8, 2024 Volume 31, Number 25

PUBLISHER: Francis Zankowski

ED ITOR IAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Shay Castle ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR: Jezy J. Gray REPORTERS: Kaylee Harter, Will Matuska FOOD EDITOR: John Lehndorff INTERN: Lauren Hill CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Rob Brezsny, Michael J. Casey, Dan Savage, Toni Tresca, Gabby Vermeire, Ryan DeCrescent, Micha K. Ben David

SAL ES AN D M AR KETIN G MARKET DEVELOPMENT MANAGER: Kellie Robinson SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Matthew Fischer ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Chris Allred, Holden Hauke SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER: Carter Ferryman MRS. BOULDER WEEKLY: Mari Nevar

PR OD U C TION CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Erik Wogen SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Mark Goodman

C IR C U L ATION CIRCULATION MANAGER: Cal Winn CIRCULATION TEAM: Sue Butcher, Ken Rott, Chris Bauer

BU SIN ESS OFFIC E BOOKKEEPER / ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Austen Lopp FOUNDER / CEO: Stewart Sallo

OPINION

CLIMATE SCIENTISTS ARE NOT CORRUPT We need truth and trust to fight climate change BY RYAN DECRESCENT

he other day, an older gentleman’s T-shirt caught my attention. The front read: “The atmosphere is: 78% nitrogen 2% H2O 21% oxygen 0.04% CO2” Great — inarguable facts! However, the T-shirt’s backside revealed a painful conclusion: “Climate scientists are corrupt.” In the past, this stuff simply ground my gears. This time, I felt some compassion. 4

FEBRUARY 8, 2024

I’m a physicist, and I relate to these numbers in a particular way. This man clearly relates to these numbers in a very different way. I presume he believes his conclusion follows logically from the numbers: 0.04% seems like a very, very small number. How on Earth could that cause global problems? In the case of atmospheric gasses, there are enormously important physical differences between CO2 and nitrogen, so 0.04% cannot be

blindly compared to numbers like 2% or 78%. Let’s illuminate the fallacy by analogy. I’ll give you one of two things, but you have to decide which one you want: 1 kg of $100 bills, or 1 kg of pure gold. You would likely need to contemplate this carefully and do research before making your decision, because you know you lack critical information. What is the intrinsic value of gold, and how much does a dollar bill weigh? Without that information,

As Boulder County’s only independently owned newspaper, Boulder Weekly is dedicated to illuminating truth, advancing justice and protecting the First Amendment through ethical, no-holdsbarred journalism and thought-provoking opinion writing. Free every Thursday since 1993, the Weekly also offers the county’s most comprehensive arts and entertainment coverage. Read the print version, or visit boulderweekly. com. Boulder Weekly does not accept unsolicited editorial submissions. If you’re interested in writing for the paper, please send queries to: editorial@boulderweekly.com. Any materials sent to Boulder Weekly become the property of the newspaper. 690 South Lashley Lane, Boulder, CO 80305 Phone: 303.494.5511, FAX: 303.494.2585 editorial@boulderweekly.com www.boulderweekly.com Boulder Weekly is published every Thursday. No portion may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. ©2024 Boulder Weekly, Inc., all rights reserved. Boulder Weekly welcomes your correspondence via email (letters@boulderweekly. com). Preference will be given to short letters (under 300 words) that deal with recent stories or local issues, and letters may be edited for style, length and libel. Letters should include your name, address and telephone number for verification. We do not publish anonymous letters or those signed with pseudonyms. Letters become the property of Boulder Weekly and will be published on our website.

BOULDER WEEKLY

OPINION you have no reliable way to compare these two objects in a way that matters to your wealth. There are many other examples where tiny amounts of something are dangerous: Lead poisoning may be noticeable at ~0.01% blood concentration levels; cancerous tumors may be considered very deadly once they reach approximately 0.003% of the total body weight; arsenic poisoning may become apparent at the 0.0001% blood concentration level. The money example likely seems obvious to most people. I propose that’s because we have been taught that money is important for our wellbeing. Interestingly, we have not equally as well been taught how important Earth health is for our wellbeing. We need to know the “intrinsic value” of CO2 to understand its climate effects. All of the relevant information is freely available to those who seek it, but arriving at quantitative conclusions requires some (relatively simple) physics. My experience is that most people don’t have a formal science background. We thus come to a painful lesson, but one we all should practice: We need to know what we know, what we don’t know, and apply some degree of (discretionary) trust toward people who have dedicated their lives to understand an issue. We need to know when we are mistaking our opinions for facts. Increasing CO2 leads to increasing Earth temperatures. This is a fact — not a matter of opinion. I have unwavering confidence in this because I, too, have done the math. This heating happens whether we “believe” it or not. Do climate scientists want it to be true? Heck no, because it implies challenges and huge inconveniences to everyone — politicians and climate scientists alike. Frankly, the universe doesn’t care about our inconveniences. We’ll need to come to terms with the fact that there are consequences for dumping on this planet the way we have been. Beneficial change — personal and environmental — will occur naturally when we begin to investigate and acknowledge our imperfections, our fears, our faults and our non-understandings. Ryan DeCrescent is a Boulder resident and active volunteer for the climate action organization 350 Colorado. He enjoys spending time sitting in silence, climbing rocks and eating plants. This opinion does not necessarily reflect the views of Boulder Weekly BOULDER WEEKLY

CONNECT AND COLLABORATE Climate justice is the paradigm we’ve been waiting for BY MICHA K. BEN DAVID

halom/Salaam, wonderful neighbors! I’m Micha (his/him+we/ us), a community organizer and political operative for more than 25 years, born and raised in the vibrant chaos of Jerusalem. Some years ago, I traded the complexities of apartheid for the promise of a healthier community here in Boulder. If you want to dive deeper into my adventures, visit boulder.earth/micha-kurz. I’m excited for this first of many monthly columns curated by the BoCo Climate Justice Hive at Naropa University. It is a fun collaboration to share climate justice organizing principles, shed light on local efforts and encourage us all to reach out and work together. Let’s discuss one of those principles: equity and environmental justice. In plain language, environmental justice is about everyone deserving a clean and healthy environment no matter their background. Enter climate justice, a term highlighting the disproportionate impacts of climate change on communities of color and low-income residents. You can Google the fancy definitions later. Right now, let’s talk about how these issues play out in Boulder County. I was shocked to learn that some communities, particularly poor/working-class communities and communities of color, lack clean drinking water. I’m also concerned about who’s making sure the Valmont power plant cleanup doesn’t turn into a toxic mess for those manufactured home communities nearby — not to mention the rest of us nearby. Who will stop Airbnb from pricing working-class mountain folk out of town? And what’s the deal with the

fracking in our backyard? More and more people are experiencing poverty and homelessness around us. Whether social injustices or climate chaos, we know the root causes lie in unregulated extractive industry. I thought Boulder would be the superhero town, facing climate chaos like a boss and tackling systemic injustices with Thick Nhất Hanh flair. I mean, the highest Bernie voting rate per capita? Naropa as a beacon of spiritual and political awakening? Boulder, despite its reputation, has a few surprises up its sleeve — like a conservative streak when it comes to race and class, and elected officials who don’t want to touch international affairs. Nowhere’s perfect. But we all know that we can do better. It’s heartening to see local governments, organizations, faithbased communities and local businesses talk about shifting gears to face historical inequities. There’s a lot of talk: We’re good at it. Meanwhile, many of our frontline leaders are trapped in the daily systemic survival mode that so many community-based organizations feel worldwide. Our challenges here aren’t that original, structurally speaking. Many nonprofits rely on grants, which often require the bulk of staff administrative time and prevent leaders from engaging in their primary roles as community organizers and grassroots campaigners. Short-term, projectbased funding causes employment instability, workers’ rights degradation and further narrowing of vision.The anxiety about the non-renewal of this funding also limits an organization’s ability to speak out with objections or

differences of opinion. Competition for funding also leads to chronically siloed efforts rather than collaboration on more comprehensive visions and work plans. So, no, we are not quite superheroes yet. But we can learn to collaborate better across sectors, communities and economic classes. Let’s make people who are disproportionately impacted by climate change the MVPs and put their needs and rights front and center. They’re the experts on their own communities. You can learn more about local frontline projects and leadership at one of the Climate Justice Collaborative’s monthly community cafecitos; information can be found at cjcboco.org. Find out how the larger ecosystem of climate justice is shaping a better Boulder County by 2030 at boulder.earth. In the meantime, read the climate justice columns the second week of every month and hold your public representatives accountable! Here’s to weaving the threads that connect us, addressing climate justice, learning about solidarity and sharing a laugh or two along the way. This opinion does not necessarily reflect the views of Boulder Weekly.

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NEWS

BOCO, BRIEFLY Local news at a glance BY SHAY CASTLE WEALTHIER FIRE VICTIMS RAISED MORE CASH

A CU Boulder analysis of private fundraising campaigns for Marshall Fire survivors found that wealthier households attracted more donors and larger donations than lower-earning families. Researchers analyzed GoFundMe campaigns for 975 survivors of the Marshall Fire and private financial data via a partnership with credit bureau Experian. They found that “beneficiaries with incomes above $150,000 received 28% more support than those with incomes below $75,000,” according to a university writeup on the study. Households with larger GoFundMe campaigns also started rebuilding their homes four to eight months earlier, the research found. Researchers attributed the disparity to the larger and more wealthy social networks of richer households.

GOV’T WATCH What your local elected officials are up to BY BOULDER WEEKLY STAFF BOULDER CITY COUNCIL

At the Feb. 15 meeting, Council will: • Vote to update and adopt its statement on regional, state and federal policy issues. The statement outlines decisions made outside the City’s authority that could impact the area. • Take a preliminary vote on the annexation of 27 acres, to be publicly zoned for part of the City’s South Boulder Creek Flood Mitigation project. The City, which uses the BOULDER WEEKLY

The paper has not yet been through the peer review process. Read more at bit.ly/Marshall-Fire-funds.

‘DOXXING TRUCK’ TARGETS CU ETHNIC STUDIES DEPT.

A truck with a large electronic billboard last week displayed the names and images of professors in CU’s ethnic studies department, under the text “Boulder’s Leading antisemites.” That’s according to multiple media reports and social media posts. The truck was affiliated with Accuracy in Media, a nonprofit conservative media watchdog. The organization’s trucks have visited several campuses across the country, including Harvard and Yale, projecting the names and images of students and faculty who have publicly criticized Israel for its military response to an Oct. 7 terrorist attack. The vehicle has been dubbed a “doxxing truck” after the practice of publishing and/or amplifying identifiable information about individuals, typically with the intent to intimidate or harass. In Boulder, at least one professor moved a class online, the Daily Camera reported. CU’s ethnic studies department first drew public condemnation for an Oct.

address 5600 Table Mesa Drive for the property, wants to annex the area for “jurisdictional clarity and permitting efficiency,” according to Communications Senior Project Manager Angela Urrego. A final vote and public hearing are scheduled March 21. • Vote on a ceasefire resolution regarding the Israel-Gaza conflict. • Hear an update from Xcel Energy about the company’s progress toward goals in its franchise agreement with the City. Goals from the partnership include addressing the gap between Xcel’s commitment to 80% carbon emission reduction by 2030 and the City’s own goal of 100% renewable electricity by the same date. The franchise agreement was originally approved by voters in November 2020.

23 statement supporting a “free Palestine.” University officials distanced themselves from the statement, which was later withdrawn. AIM later posted on X an image of the truck with “Free Palestine” spray painted on it, claiming that the truck was vandalized while at CU Boulder. University officials released a statement condemning “tactics designed to intimidate and threaten our students, faculty and staff.”

ANTI-HATE TOWN HALL

The Boulder County District Attorney’s Office and Boulder Jewish Community Center are co-hosting Standing Against Hate, a community town hall, Monday, Feb. 12 from 7 to 9 p.m. The event will feature a panel with representatives of the DA’s office, JCC, Out Boulder County, AntiDefamation League and CU’s Center for African American Studies and will include instruction on bystander intervention. The town hall is part of the DA’s initiative to reduce hate crimes, ongoing since 2018. “The numbers in Colorado are particularly concerning,” says DA spokesperson Shannon Carbone, with reported hate crimes increasing 14% between 2017 and 2022.

BOULDER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

On Feb. 8, the Commissioners will: • Make a decision following a hybrid public hearing about the westward extension of an existing sanitary sewer on Gay Street, north of Highway 66, to provide service for the future development of the Terry Lake Neighborhood. Registration is required for virtual and in-person attendance. • Hold an in-person Town Hall to discuss disaster preparedness that will include a presentation from Mike Chard, the County’s emergency management disaster manager. The meeting is at 5:30 p.m. at The Spoke on Coffman Cafe, 516 Coffman St., Longmont. On Feb. 13, the Commissioners will: • Hear presentations from staff in the

Questions can be submitted in advance to boulderda@bouldercounty. org. Additional questions will be taken from the audience if time allows.

IN OTHER NEWS…

• The Hill Ambassador program will last through December after CU put $57,000 toward an extension. Ambassadors pick up trash, remove graffiti and provide information to residents and tourists. • Boulder’s Public Library is looking for volunteer board members to oversee operations of the new district. A twoyear and a five-year term are available; applications are due Feb. 29. Visit boulderlibrary.org/about/board/ to learn more or attend a Feb. 20 info session from 5-6 p.m. at the Canyon Meeting Room of the Main Library (1001 Arapahoe Ave.) • Boulder Housing Partners was awarded $1.9 million by the state’s housing board to help fund construction of the 73-unit Hawthorn Court apartment complex at Diagonal Plaza, according to a news release from the government agency. • Raw milk could become legal to sell in Colorado under proposed bipartisan legislation SB024-43. Read more from CPR: bit.ly/raw-milk-bill.

Parks and Open Space department seeking approval for property acquisitions totalling nearly 150 acres for $4.78 million at 6969 Ute Road, 10384 Airport Road, 0 Fourmile Canyon Drive, and the southeast corner of 95th Street and Lookout Road. Registration required for both virtual and in-person attendance. On Feb. 6 and 15, commissioners will hold interviews for Boulder County Coroner, following Emma Hall’s resignation. The new coroner will be appointed on Feb. 20 and will hold the office until January 2025, when a coroner selected by voters in the 2024 general election will take office. Previously, the county had stated that the newly appointed coroner would hold the office through January 2027. FEBRUARY 8, 2024

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WEEKLY WHY

WHY IS THERE SO MUCH RADON IN COLORADO? And why you should test for it BY KAYLEE HARTER

adon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking — and Coloradans face a greater risk than the average American. Half of houses in Boulder County have unhealthy radon levels, compared to a 6% national average, according to Boulder County Public Health (BCPH). But unlike many of the environmental hazards we face today, the conditions that created elevated radon levels are naturally occurring and existed far before humans roamed the earth. Radon is an odorless, tasteless gas that is released as uranium decays in bedrock and soil. Most of what’s exposed in the mountains of Colorado is granite, formed from magma and rich in uranium, says Lang Farmer, a radiogenic isotope geochemist in CU Boulder’s department of geology. “All of Long’s Peak is granite, all up Boulder Creek is a bunch of granite. It’s all 1.7- to 1.4-billion-year-old granite rock. So they’re old, but they’re chock-a-block with uranium,” Farmer says. “Any place around the world where you’re sitting on bedrock that has broad tracts of Precambrian granites like these, there’s just a lot of uranium.” Farmer says it’s a “double whammy” in Colorado because much of the exposed rock east of the Rocky Mountain front is younger sedimentary rock formed from eroded granite in the state along with organic matter that “sucks up uranium.” BOULDER WEEKLY

Many houses in the state are built on top of that uranium-rich bedrock and soil. “What happens is the gas gets drawn into homes through cracks and gaps around plumbing, penetrations in the foundation and from soils in the crawl spaces,” says Patty DooleyStrappelli, an environmental health specialist with Boulder County Public Health. “It can reach concentrations

that increase the potential for developing lung cancer because it’s a radioactive gas and emits these radioactive particles that are floating around in the air.” Lung cancer screenings aren’t as routine as those for cancers like prostate and breast, and you may have to have a history of smoking for insurance to cover a CT scan for lung cancer. Public health officials are working to change that, Dooley-Strappelli says. The good news? Radon mitigation is fairly simple, she says. Testing for radon typically consists of placing a charcoal-based test kit that absorbs radioactive material in your house for less than a week. Then the kit is sent to an accredited labora-

tory. Winter is a good time to test for the gas since windows should be kept closed during the test. Those tests are available for free from the state, from sosradon.org/purchase-kits for $17 or from stores like Home Depot for under $10. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines elevated levels as anything 4.0 pCi/L or greater. Living in a home with that level is equivalent to smoking eight cigarettes a day, according to BCPH. If elevated radon is detected, households can install a mitigation system that’s “kind of like a giant vacuum that sucks out the soil gas from underneath the foundation and sends it out and away from the house.” For renters, if elevated levels are discovered and the landlord fails to mitigate it, the tenant has a right to terminate their lease, which is mandated in Senate Bill 23-206, passed in 2023. Those systems typically can be installed with half a day’s work and cost around $1,200, according to Dooley-Strappelli, but a state program fully reimburses mitigation systems for income-qualifying households. In Boulder County, a one-person household with an annual income of no more than $66,700 qualifies for the program. For a two-person household, the limit is $76,200. A full table of income limits can be found at bit.ly/radonmitigation. Mitigation systems typically last about 15 years, but it’s still a good idea to test every few years, DooleyStrappelli says. “It’s really easy to test for, and it’s easy to fix,” she says. “There’s a simple solution to bring the level down, and levels can always be reduced.” Have a question you want us to answer in our Weekly Why column? Email us at editorial@boulderweekly. com with “Weekly Why” in the subject line.

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CULTURE

LET’S TALK ABOUT SEX Out Boulder County looks to embolden Boulder’s queer community through erotic poetry and spoken word BY LAUREN HILL

s an artist, poet and educator whose work meditates on the body and sexual experiences, Aimee Herman has never shied away from constructive discomfort. “I’ve been writing about sex since before I really understood what it could do to a body,” Herman says. “I grew up and we didn’t really talk about it.” Their artistry developed in New York City as they began integrating themself into a queer, sex-positive community. This vital support system encouraged them to indulge in and share their expressions of sexuality that had consumed their curiosity for as long as they could remember. “I didn’t know how the audience was going to take it — I went to an open mic, and I read [my poetry] and I loved seeing people’s reactions to how unapologetically sexy it was,” Herman says. “I like surprising people and making them uncomfortable — not in a way that makes people want to leave the room, but in wanting people to question and interrogate themselves.”

This celebration of sexuality is exactly what Herman hopes to import to the local queer community in Boulder, which they fondly describe as “hungry.” Herman relocated here a year after lockdown in search of cleaner air, a slower, more sustainable way of life and a queer community like the ones that had served as a pillar for support and camaraderie throughout their entire life. “I want more,” Herman says. “I want every space that I’m in to be inundated with queer people. Because I spent so much of my life looking for people who looked like me and felt like me, as I’m getting older, that’s what I yearn for. I don’t want to have to wait for the month of June to see queer folks.”

‘POETRY IS POLITICAL’

Herman got involved with Out Boulder County, the local nonprofit whose advocacy work has bolstered Boulder’s queer scene since 1994, as the host of a monthly open mic series and events like a queer circus for Pride Month. As

Aimee Herman performs at the cabaret-style Queer Circus during Pride celebrations at Junkyard Social Club. Courtesy: Out Boulder County

FEBRUARY 8, 2024

they brainstormed ideas for Valentine’s Day, Herman recognized an opportunity to inject a little erotica into Boulder’s lexicon, which they saw as a gap in community programming. “Frankly, I couldn’t find any [events] celebrating sex-positive spaces,” Herman says. “I’m sure they exist. I just haven’t found any.” Bruce Parker, deputy director of Out Boulder County, says there haven’t been any events specifically focused on

“I spent so much of my life looking for people who looked like me and felt like me — as I’m getting older, that’s what I yearn for,” says poet and educator Aimee Herman, organizer of the upcoming Queer Erotic Poetry event at Junkyard Social Club on Feb. 10. Credit: Zita Zenda

erotica since he’s been with the organization, but there were no reservations about the benefit of hosting an event like this one. “‘Erotic’ can mean love; it can mean empowering each other; it can mean sex; it can mean desire; it can mean all of those things,” Parker says. “Making a space for that, and to celebrate queer romance and queer love and queer desire and queer sex, is really important and happens for straight people in a lot of ways that we don’t even think about.” For Jona Fine, a local artist participating in the reading, erotic art is about celebrating their identity through uncompromising acts of self-expression and visibility. “In some ways, all poetry is political,” Fine says. “Being queer and being trans, my poetry is a lot about my experience with my body. For me, it’s important to document and keep a record of

those experiences, because I think they are not often talked about.”

‘IT’S NICE TO HAVE SOMEBODY MAKE YOU FEEL TURNED ON’

Beyond visibility, this kind of artistic expression is about ownership. For a community often subjected to physical and legislative attacks, taking the reins of one’s own story and acting as its sole arbiter in a supportive space can be empowering. “Erotic art strengthens the community because it creates more spaces and opportunities for people to talk about their sexual experience without being sexualized,” Fine says. “That’s what’s incredibly powerful about being an artist and being a writer — you get to control the narrative and take ownership of it. You get to have that space to talk about your body and experiences. It’s totally yours.” At the end of the night, Herman hopes every member of the audience is roused to take ownership of their own bodies and stories and emerge from discomfort to make some erotic art of their own. “Anytime I’m in creative spaces, and especially when I’m hosting, my hope is that whoever is in the audience feels like, ‘Oh, maybe I can write my story down too,’ or ‘This inspires me to create,’” Herman says. “To me, that’s the best part of creating these spaces — encouraging people to get their own words out.” Though the poetry’s politics are never absent, the evening’s overtones are lighthearted. Herman says it’s about providing a comfortable space for folks in the community to have a bit of sexy fun with each other. “It’s just an evening of words that turn people on,” Herman says. “This is a rough world to live in, so it’s nice to just go out, spend a couple bucks and have somebody make you feel turned on in some kind of way.”

ON THE BILL: Queer Erotic Poetry. 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, Junkyard Social Club, 2525 Frontier Ave. Suite A, Boulder. $15

BOULDER WEEKLY

THEATER

CURTAIN CALLS

Fun Home at Vintage Theater in Aurora. Credit: RDG Photography

Three local theater productions to catch or skip BY TONI TRESCA

rom gripping thrillers to immersive experiments, Colorado’s theater scene is vibrant and varied. Here are three ongoing stage shows in Boulder, Aurora and Golden highlighting the breadth and depth of local offerings.

DRY LIVING WITH THE CATAMOUNTS

FEED: Dry at the Dairy Arts Center is an ambitious exploration of temperance versus hedonism, brought to life through a unique blend of culinary arts and performance. This latest installment from The Catamounts’ FEED

series, directed by Joan BruemmerHolden, offers an immersive experience that marries the senses in celebration of the booze-free “Dry January” movement. With a menu crafted by Bob Sargent of Boulder’s Savory Cuisines and drinks by Kelly Dressman of Longmont’s Dry Land Distillers, the event navigates the complex dance between abstaining and indulging. ON STAGE: FEED: Dry. Through Feb. 10, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. $90

NOT SO FUN HOME

Emma Maxfield directs Vintage Theatre’s ambitious but uneven production of Fun Home, the Tony Award-winning musical based on Alison Bechdel’s 2006 graphic novel. The story, which beautifully depicts Bechdel’s coming-of-age experience as a young lesbian, struggles to find its footing on Vintage’s small stage. On a positive note, the musical talents of the cast shine through. The performance, particularly with Bridget Burke stepping in as Alison on the Friday night I attended, showcases a cast capable of delivering the emotional depth and vocal range required by the score.

ON STAGE: Fun Home. Through Feb. 25, Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora. $20-$38

MISERY SHOCKS AT MINERS ALLEY

Directed by the talented Warren Sherrill, this adaptation of Stephen King’s novel transforms the stage into a gripping tableau of suspense and psychological horror. The play’s brilliance lies not just in its faithful rendition of the story but in how it elevates the experience with impeccable pacing, stellar performances and technical mastery. Emma Messenger dominates the stage as Annie Wilkes, capturing the essence of a fan’s descent into madness with terrifying authenticity. Her dynamic performance, alongside Torsten Hillhouse’s convincing portrayal of the tormented novelist Paul Sheldon, creates an electrifying chemistry. Mark Collins, as the diligent Sheriff Buster, adds a layer of earnest concern that contrasts sharply with the unfolding horror.

ON STAGE: Misery. Through Feb. 11, Miners Alley Performing Arts Center, 1103 Arapahoe St., Golden. $37-$56

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FEBRUARY 8, 2024

VISUAL ART

FRAMING ‘THE FRONTIER’ Longmont Museum photography show explores the scenic splendor of the American West BY TONI TRESCA

he underlying myths of the socalled “Wild West” may be suspect at best, but the natural grandeur of its backdrop is without question. That much is clear at the new Longmont Museum gallery show, Picturing the West: Masterworks of American Landscape Photography, a journey through the lens of those who first captured its landscapes on camera. From the renowned to the rediscovered, the installation features nearly 50 images by 13 photographers working in the mid-to-late 19th century. Arriving in Boulder County via the New Yorkbased traveling exhibitions company art2art, these images do more than document. Each one is also a piece of art, capturing the majestic landscapes of the West with clarity and depth. “Picturing the West shows the evolution of photography,” says Jared Thompson, exhibition curator at the museum. “It was still a new medium at the time, and this installation highlights photography as an artistic expression rather than just a documenting process.” At the heart of the gallery are mammoth-plate photographs by big names like Carleton Watkins, William Henry Jackson and Eadweard Muybridge. These photographers embarked on arduous journeys into the heart of treacherous landscapes, carrying massive cameras and a determination to document the sublime beauty they encountered. “This was before they had enlargers, so every print you see is the size of the negative,” Thompson explains. “They had giant cameras because there was no blowing it up afterward. There wasn’t any infrastructure in any of these areas back then, so they would have to truck all their equipment on mules or wagons. This included the cameras, tripods, heavy glass plates for the negatives and then all the chemicals you need to create and develop the negatives.” 14

FEBRUARY 8, 2024

La Veta Pass, Colorado: 1882. Credit: William Henry Jackson

just insane. It cost $200 per negative in today’s dollars, so they had to be incredibly skilled. Being a photographer requires you to have both a left and right brain — the left to figure out all the logistics and the right to frame the composition.” Top: Captains of the Canyon (Spider Rock), Canyon de Chelly, Arizona: 1879 or 1881. Credit: John Hillers. Bottom: A Song in the Scalp Dance: 1902. Credit: Richard Throssel / Courtesy: University of Wyoming American Heritage Center

The process was labor-intensive, demanding technical skill and artistic vision. Photographers would coat glass plates with collodion, then go into a makeshift darkroom at the site of their photograph and dip the plate into the silver nitrate solution. Next, while the plate was still wet, they would place it into a light-proof holder, put it in the camera, remove the sleeve and expose the plate for no more than 15 minutes to ensure the emulsion wouldn’t dry. They would then develop, fix and varnish the photograph with shellac heated by candlelight to protect the glass against scratches. Finally, they would carefully transport the glass plate back to their studios. “One of William Henry Jackson’s mules actually slipped and fell off a cliff, so he lost a month of work,” Thompson says. “Their dedication to the craft was

‘REFRAMING THE WEST’

Along with images from well-known white male photographers, the Longmont Museum’s ongoing exhibition includes rarely seen works by women and people of color from the same era. These additions were the result of visitor surveys in which participants ranked potential exhibits. “People had voiced concerns that it wasn’t super representative or inclusive, so we wanted to expand that,” Thompson says. “We added another exhibition called Reframing the West inside the gallery that includes people of color and female photographers from about two decades later.” In curating Reframing the West, Thompson worked closely with museum assistant Jasmine Dinnell. They delved into extensive research, identifying photographers whose contributions to the art form had been historically overlooked. It includes works by Evelyn Jephson Cameron, Jennie Ross Cobb, Lora Webb Nichols and Richard Throssel, who provide intimate and human-centric views of the West.

Beyond the photographs, visitors can view period cameras from the collections of the Longmont Museum, Broomfield Depot Museum and History Colorado. The exhibition also boasts a rich program of additional events — including concerts, talks and film screenings — designed to complement and enhance the themes explored in Picturing the West. As the Longmont Museum continues to expand its vision and space with a capital campaign and physical expansion underway, Picturing the West offers a glimpse into its innovative approach to storytelling. It’s not just about seeing the photographs, it’s about experiencing the West’s vast landscapes and intricate histories through a broader, more inclusive lens. “These photos are from a long time ago, but there are still modern threads running through them, particularly in the Reframing the West exhibition,” Thompson says. “It may have been decades ago, but we’re still people with similar interests.”

ON VIEW: Picturing the

West: Masterworks of American Landscape Photography. Through May 5, Longmont Museum, 400 Quail Road, Longmont. Free

BOULDER WEEKLY

ADVICE

DEAR WHOLE FOODS DADDY BY GABBY VERMEIRE

Your burning Boulder questions, asked and answered

What’s the next “milk”?

1. Milk from cows who forgo hormonal birth control and track their cycles like God intended. 2. An insidiously potent fermented rawmilk beverage that a Trident barista brought to their shift for a work snack, which found its way to the fridge behind the counter to be mistakenly grabbed by another extremely stoned barista who then proceeds to use it in espresso drinks, slapstick comedy-style. Hilarity ensues. 3. Remember when bros used to chug Kalona Supernatural Whole Chocolate Milk to gain weight? Can we bring this back?

e all have questions and need advice, but sometimes the pseudo therapy in the Instagram stories of astrology girls doesn’t cut it. Or maybe the gate-keeping culture of adventure bros has you fearing the judgment that comes with revealing yourself as a newbie at anything. This advice column exists to hold space for you and your Boulder queries (especially the uncool ones).

Why do men all want tiny women?

Regardless of whether or not this is actually true, what is certain is that if you’re a big gal like yours truly (all 5’10” of me fellas!), it certainly feels like you’re constantly being passed over for petite yoga instructors who look especiewwy wittle in their big dumb flat-brim hats. Oh look, their Jacob Elordi-sized boyfriend is getting some teeny wittle thing from Wonder for her, how adowable. The mothers of tall girls will offer empty condolences: “Oh, they’re just intimidated by your height!” However, I offer you something far realer, and hotter: the secure short kings. In addition to being excellent boulderers, they’re also used to dating taller women out of necessity. Many a ripped arborist whose below-average height and impossibly toned bod makes him suited for getting the highest branches will happily climb that big tree that’s been overlooked by the tall fellas, if you know what I mean. BOULDER WEEKLY

and Pearl, only briefly emerging for a quick mid-day smoothie bowl from Whole Foods. But the outdoor wooks you derided? Plenty of them will get down with a David Goggins podcast, or try to YouTube-biohack their way into fitness or getting rich quick with crypto, or boosting their sperm count. Elevate your tribe, elevate your vibe, bro! #motivation #nooffdays #thegrindneverends #imissherveryday

What is the latest insane health food/diet trend in Boulder so I can try it?

Where are all the cowgirls?

Every “intellectual” Boulder bro’s best accessory is a carefully weathered copy of Even Cowgirls Get the Blues that he will aggressively read to himself in the general direction of bookish li’l mommas. (I promise, if you’ve ever been on the receiving end of this, it is entirely possible for dudes to aggressively read Tom Robbins.) Here’s the unsexy reality Robbins’ visions of crunchy, unshaved goddesses at the Rubber Rose Ranch did not prepare you for: If you want to find the actual cowgirls, they’re at the Grizzly Rose with their boyfriend Camden, and they probably want to make America great again.

Where are the young, ambitious people here? Can only find outdoor hedonists or wooks.

Do you watch (moisturized, in-theirlane) young folks scrambling the Flatirons or tangled in the limbs of their lovers, losing themselves in lazy Js smoked on the banks of the Boulder Creek, and think to yourself, “Hmm, there’s a certain amount of ‘toil’ missing here?” Maybe you can find some joyless brethren of the tech persuasion in the nooks of Galvanize or whatever the latest co-working space is. Don’t count on ever making friends with a Google employee, though; they tend to stay cloistered in their compound on 30th

Like with any good fad, we’re going back to basics baby. You can keep your rigid, vain “daddies” — I’ll take the ancient wisdom of Boulder dads. They can be viewed in all their nerdy majesty cruising down the bike path along Broadway to their jobs at NIST, gearsside pants leg velcroed for safety. They are models of hardcore moderation. No macro-tracking guides their eating habits; they snack on discount trail mix and their wife’s cookies frequently and without guilt. No Strava records exist of their hikes up the Valley Trail. The only evidence of their labor is their fucking ripped calves and the small smile of the wilderness on their faces when they return home. Got a burning Boulder question or conundrum? DM @wholefoods_ daddy on Instagram, or email letters@ boulderweekly.com with the subject line “Dear Whole Foods Daddy.” FEBRUARY 8, 2024

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FILM

HOLLYWOOD GATECRASHERS

often misconstrued when class and race are involved. Systemic genocide, humanitarian crisis, survival at 15,000 feet and anxietyInternational movies shine inducing social conflict — no wonder with 2024 Oscars nominations I’m so high on the small epiphanies and everyday appreciations that make Perfect Days so, well, perfect. BY MICHAEL J. CASEY Over in the documentary category, things aren’t much rosier. Uganda’s Bobi Wine: The People’s President, Trade papers and studio PR love to hey play together and laugh, eat streaming on Disney+, follows a pop call the Oscars “Hollywood’s biggest meals, discuss school and tend star turned presidential challenger in a night!” So it’ll go on March 10 when to the garden. They’re just like system that reports to be peaceful and the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts other families, except for one crucial democratic and proves to be anything and Sciences takes over the Dolby detail: When it’s time to go to work, but. Iran’s Four Daughters, playing at Theater with Martin Scorsese, dear old Dad puts on his S.S. uniform the Dairy Arts Center Feb. 7-11, reconChristopher Nolan, Greta Gerwig and and heads off to Auschwitz next door. structs the relationship between a a whole lot more vying for statues of Based on Martin Amis’ 2014 novel mother and her daughters, two of little golden men. of the same name, The Zone of whom chose a troubling path. But for all the interest in Killers of the Interest takes the banality of evil and Chile’s The Eternal Memory, streamFlower Moon, Oppenheimer and pushes it to the brink. The father ing on Paramount+, is a (Christian Friedel) is nothcharge never to forget, even ing more than a pencil as one of the main subjects pusher tasked with succumbs to Alzheimer’s increasing efficacy. His disease. India’s To Kill a wife (Sandra Hüller) Tiger, not currently available enjoys the life her husfor viewing in Colorado, folband’s position brings, lows a father as he fights for including fine furs and a justice for his sexually chance to hobnob with the abused daughter. And then Reich’s higher-ups. there’s Ukraine’s 20 Days in Neither is ignorant to the Mariupol, available on VOD, unholy hell next door — a gripping and illuminating she plans to grow privacy first-hand account of the vines to block out the creRussian invasion. matoriums — but they Of the four docs I’ve can’t begin to imagine seen, 20 Days in Mariupol how history will view them. stands tallest. It’s a stunWriter-director Jonathan ning piece of work that will Glazer has no interest in most likely hoist the Oscar eliciting empathy for this on March 10. Zone of family. He doesn’t even try Interest will probably do the to understand what makes Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest is among the international films honored during the 96th Annual Academy same in the International a seemingly ordinary Awards. Courtesy: A24 Feature category, and that nuclear family enthusiastimight not be the only award it nabs. A Equally harrowing is Society of the Barbie, this year’s Oscars has a decidcally participate in one of the 20th cenlot can happen after a month on the Snow, which recounts the story of the edly international feel thanks to The tury’s greatest horrors. Instead, Glazer Oscars campaign trail. Could Zone of 1972 plane crash in the Andes Zone of Interest and France’s Anatomy is interested in interrogating what we Interest play dark horse and run the Mountains, where 16 survivors had to of a Fall grabbing two of the 10 nomiview as horrific and when that perspectable the way Parasite did four years endure extreme hardships for 72 days tive takes shape. Does it take 10 years, nations for Best Picture. ago? When it comes to the Oscars, — the plane crash sequence alone is Couple those with the five nomina80 years, before we understand the anything is possible. not for the faint of heart. There’s signifitions for Best Documentary Feature — error of our ways? If that’s true, when all coming from beyond U.S. borders — cantly less death in The Teachers’ will we look back at this moment and Lounge, but this taut and anxious shudder at what we did and did not do? and the five nominated for Best drama builds to a fever pitch after one International Feature, and there’s a And for that, The Zone of Interest — ON SCREEN: The 96th teacher accuses another of theft. chance that Hollywood’s biggest night now playing in theaters — garnered Annual Academy Awards. Things get out of hand quickly, and the ends with a few global gatecrashers. five nominations for the 96th Academy 5 p.m. Sunday, March 10, young idealistic teacher (Leonie Alongside Zone in the International Awards, most notably in the Best broadcasting live on ABC. Benesch) learns that best intentions are Feature category are Italy’s Io Picture category.

BOULDER WEEKLY

Capitano, out in theaters this month; Japan’s Perfect Days, playing the International Film Series March 16; Spain’s Society of the Snow, streaming on Netflix; and Germany’s The Teachers’ Lounge, playing at the Dairy Arts Center Feb. 14-18. It’s a stacked category, with each nominee as accomplished as the next. Io Capitano follows two Senegalese cousins as they migrate from Dakar to Italy in search of a better life. But the journey over land and sea is so harrowing you’ll probably wonder why anyone would undertake such an endeavor. Yet, so many across the globe do, which is why director Matteo Garrone ends Capitano with a beautiful close-up that begs the audience for compassion when we see these unfamiliar faces looking for help on street corners.

FEBRUARY 8, 2024

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A&C EVENTS

ON STAGE

ON VIEW

ON THE PAGE

BOULDER WEEKLY

Shortlisted for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2019, What the Constitution Means to Me is a one-woman show helmed by playwright Heidi Schreck, exploring how America’s founding document shaped the lives of four generations of women in her family. Scan the QR code for a Boulder Weekly preview before the end of its run at The Savoy Denver on Feb. 11. See listing for details.

Seven multidisciplinary artists come together to “celebrate the mutability of self-identity through the embodiment of alter egos or personae” in Performing Self, on display at BMoCA through April 28. Keep an eye out for a Boulder Weekly feature on this vibrant group show ahead of a March 14 panel discussion with curator Jane Burke. See listing for details.

Join science journalist Sarah Scoles at Boulder Book Store for a Feb. 21 reading and discussion surrounding her new book, Countdown: The Blinding Future of Nuclear Weapons. On the heels of the smash-hit film Oppenheimer, Scoles “interrogates the idea that having nuclear weapons keeps us safe, deterring attacks and preventing radioactive warfare.” See listing for details.

THE ORIGIN OF LOVE: AN EVENING OF CONTEMPORARY BROADWAY LOVE SONGS. Feb. 10, The Arts HUB, 420 Courtney Way, Lafayette. $28 FEED: DRY. Through Feb. 10, Dairy Arts Center – Carsen Theater, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. $90 WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME. Through Feb. 11, The Savoy Denver, 2700 Arapahoe St. $30 BW PICK OF THE WEEK

ROB LANTZ: FOCAL POINT. Through March 3, R Gallery + Wine Bar, 2027 Broadway, Boulder. Free NATASHA MISTRY: SUPERCONSCIOUS. Through March 10, The New Local Annex, 713 Pearl St., Boulder. Free PERFORMING SELF. Through April 28, Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, 1750 13th St. $2 BW PICK OF THE WEEK

SECURELY ATTACHED BY ELI HARWOOD. 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 11, Tattered Cover Aspen Grove, 7301 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton. Free OPEN BY NATE KLEMP. 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13, Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St. $5 SOLO BY PETER MCGRAW. 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, Tattered Cover Colfax, 2526 East Colfax Ave., Denver. Free

MISERY. Through Feb. 11, Miners Alley Performing Arts Center, 1103 Arapahoe St., Golden. $37-$56 ACTS OF FAITH. Through Feb. 18, Dairy Arts Center – Grace Gamm Theatre, 2509 Walnut St., Boulder. $45 FUN HOME. Through Feb. 25, Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora. $20-$38

WE CU: A VISUAL CELEBRATION OF BLACK WOMANHOOD, PRESENCE, AND CONNECTEDNESS. Through July 13, CU Art Museum 1085 18th St., Boulder. Free AGING BODIES, MYTHS AND HEROINES. Through Feb. 28, East Window Gallery, 4550 Broadway, Suite C-3B2, Boulder. Free (appointment only) AMOAKO BOAFO: SOUL OF BLACK FOLKS. Through Feb. 19, Denver Art Museum, 100 W. 14th Ave. $18

BRANDILYN TEBO AND ALEXANDER GENTILE IN CONVERSATION. 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St. Free COUNTDOWN BY SARAH SCOLES. 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 21, Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St. $5 BW PICK OF THE WEEK TEACHING AS IF STUDENTS MATTER BY JOHN AND JAYE ZOLA. 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St. Free

FEBRUARY 8, 2024

EVENTS

4:45-8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9 and 10:45 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, 637 S. Broadway St., Suite H, Boulder. $130-$145

5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9, Mike’s Camera Inc., 2500 Pearl St., Boulder. $10

HOME COOK SERIES: ALL ABOUT BREAD

Chef Dallas Houle hosts this two-day series about all things bread-making. Day 1 will overview the basics of shaping, proofing, scaling and baking, while Day 2 will feature a tasting of all the class creations including a classic French baguette, brioche, focaccia and sourdough.

FEBRUARY 8, 2024

Capture the finer details of the finer things in life with the help of Sony camera specialist Ashley Ondricek. Learn all about lighting, lenses and metering for macro photography while capturing all the V-Day essentials like chocolates, candy, balloons and flowers.

VALENTINE’S DAY MAKER’S MARKET

2-6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, Sanitas Brewing, 3550 Frontier Ave., Unit A, Boulder. Free Search no more for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift — you can find it from one of 20 local vendors at Sanitas Brewing in Boulder. If you’re around the Englewood location, you can stop by on Feb. 9 for double the fun.

UPCYCLE SWEATERS INTO MITTENS OR HATS

V-DAY COOKIE DECORATING CLASS

9-11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, inventHQ Makerspace @ Broomfield Public Library, 6 Garden Center, Broomfield. Free

Looking for a sweet start to your holiday? This Valentine’s Day cookie decorating class provides a delicious date night and a tasty gift for you and yours.

Sew Broomfield is Broomfield Public Library’s monthly sewing workshop, and this February, it’s all about making use of that shrunken sweater that’s been sitting in your closet since 2019 and turning it into a new hat or pair of mittens. Ages 12+ welcome. No registration required.

6-7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9, Candelas Swim and Fitness Club at Parkview, 19865 West 94th Ave., Arvada. $32 (+$5 for gluten free)

MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

MARDI GRAS PARTY

8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, The Louisville Underground, 640 Main St., Louisville. Free Denver’s Tony Luke Band is ringing in the holiday at this free party at The Louisville Underground. Folks ages 21+ are welcome to dress up and dance the night away at the city’s favorite speakeasy.

BOULDER WEEKLY

EVENTS

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MY BLOODY VALENTINE: A GRUESOME CABARET

8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl St., Boulder. $22-$100 If you’re looking to indulge in the more sensual, unwholesome side of this week’s festivities, Roots Music Project has you covered with a “gruesome” burlesque performance hosted by Paisley Peach.

MOMS UNHINGED

Hosted by Denver Comedy Works regular Lisa Lane, Moms Unhinged offers a hilarious getaway for women, moms and those who love them. Shows frequently sell out, so purchasing tickets beforehand is recommended.

Boulder’s foothills are often explored in the summertime, but Boulder Parks & Wildlife wants to introduce you to the special ecosystem that only comes alive in the winter. Online registration is required for this moderate four-mile hike.

6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 11, The Louisville Underground, 640 Main St., Louisville. $20

FOOTHILLS WINTER HIKE

2-4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14, Betasso Preserve, 377 Betasso Road, Boulder. Free

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GALENTINE’S JEWELRY WORKSHOP

Noon-2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 11, Rayback Collective, 2775 Valmont Road, Boulder. $52 Rounding out your unique V-Day gift options for the week, grab your gals and check out this jewelry-making workshop hosted by Jen Barnhart of Stoic Sage Designs. Each ticket includes two pairs of earrings with materials from a selection of gemstones and a Rayback drink ticket.

BOULDER WEEKLY

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DINNER IN THE DARK

7-9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13-Thursday, Feb. 15, The Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. $85-$125 Back to celebrate the season of love, the Dairy’s Blind Cafe is a one-of-akind experience — family-style dinner in 100% darkness. The meal will be gluten- and dairy-free and sourced from local producers to promote healthy connection in the shadows.

PAL-ENTINE’S DAY PARTY

7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14, Junkyard Social Club, 2525 Frontier Ave., Unit A, Boulder. Free

Saturd

Feb 17t

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Sunday

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No need to feel left out of the festivities if you find yourself single this Valentine’s Day. Instead, join your pals at Junkyard Social Club for a movie, crafts and a photo station in a soberfriendly atmosphere.

Want more Boulder County events? Check out the complete listings online by scanning this QR code.

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day

Wednes

Feb 21s

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Feb 22

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Meg and the old man In the Bar

Dave Watts and Friends

Kings of Prussia a Tribute to Phish

High Lonesome

with David Lawrence

$18 + $4

service charge

$12 + $4

service charge

$16 + $4

service charge

Matt Flaherty In the Bar

Stephen Brooks Duo In the Bar

Many Mountains In the Bar

Chuck sitero & liz patton In the Bar

Taylor scott band with Bison Bone

$14 + $4

service charge

Vitalwild & Zaje In the Bar

Katie Mintle In the Bar

Lionel young duo In the Bar

FEBRUARY 8, 2024

LIVE MUSIC TH U RSD AY, FEB. 8 AYYBO WITH HAMMERHYPE, EVELATION, SHAWTY QUARANTINE. 8:30 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $20 NANDO REIS WITH SEBASTIÃO REIS. 7 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 114th St. $45 SARAH MINTO-SPARKS. 6 p.m. BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder. Free DAVE WATTS AND FRIENDS. 8 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. $18 NECK DEEP WITH DRAIN, BEARINGS, HIGHER POWER. 6 p.m. Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver. $38 LOWDOWN BRASS BAND WITH SIMPLE SYRUP. 7 p.m. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver. $18

FRIDAY, FEB. 9

S ATURDAY, F E B. 10 DISCO BISCUITS WITH CLOUDCHORD. 6:30 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $150 resale JOHN CRAIGIE WITH DANIEL RODRIGUEZ. 7 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $28 HIGH LONESOME WITH DAVID LAWRENCE. 8 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. $16 DEADPHISH ORCHESTRA WITH STEEL MONKEY. 6:30 p.m. Nissi’s, 1455 Coal Creek Drive, Unit T, Lafayette. $20 JOCELYN MEDINA QUARTET. 6:30 p.m. Muse Performance Space, 200 E. South Boulder Road, Lafayette. $20

RJD2 WITH SASSFACTORY, DEEJAY GREEN THUMBZ. 8:30 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $33

THE ROCKSLINGERS. 6 p.m. BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit #14, Boulder. Free

KINGS OF PRUSSIA - A TRIBUTE TO PHISH. 8 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. $12

CORY WONG FEATURING MONICA MARTIN WITH LA LOM. 7 p.m. Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver. $40

THE CAT’S GLASSES. 6:30 p.m. Muse Performance Space, 200 E. South Boulder Road, Lafayette. $10$20 CROTA WITH SHADOWS OF EDEN. 7 p.m. The End Lafayette, 525 Courtney Way, Lafayette. $15 MORPHEUS DREAMING. 6 p.m. BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit #14, Boulder. Free FEBRUARY 8, 2024

THE COLORADO SOUND PRESENTS DRUNKEN HEARTS WITH TOM KNOWLTON, DAN ANDREE & SAM PARKS + THE LOW ROAD. 7 p.m. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver. $23-$42

DISCO BISCUITS WITH CLOUDCHORD. 6:30 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $200 resale

“MAKE ME SMILE:” A TRIBUTE TO THE MUSIC OF CHICAGO. 6:30 p.m. Nissi’s, 1455 Coal Creek Drive, Unit T, Lafayette. $20

MAGIC CITY HIPPIES WITH THE PALMS, JOSH FUDGE. 7 p.m. Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver. $27

THE COLORADO SOUND PRESENTS DRUNKEN HEARTS WITH TORRIN DANIELS. 7 p.m. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver. $23

S UN DAY, F E B. 11 TRACTOR BEAM. 8:30 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. Sold Out MATT FLAHERTY AND ALEXANDRA SCHWAN. 8 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. Free BOULDER WEEKLY

LIVE MUSIC

Boulder-based quartet The High Lines bring their infectious brand of indie pop-rock to The Fox Theatre on Feb. 15. The band’s hometown show comes on the heels of their latest single, “Getaway Driver,” available now on major streaming platforms. Hit the QR code for a feature on fellow local openers On the Dot before you go. See listing for details.

THE BEST OF BOULDER WITH BOULDER PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA. 7 p.m. Macky Auditorium, 1595 Pleasant St., Boulder. $35-$95

WE DNE SDAY, FEB. 14

ANNA CULTER. BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit #14, Boulder. Free

MYRA WARREN & THE MARK DIAMOND TRIO: VALENTINE’S DINNER & DANCE. 6-9:30 p.m. Nissi’s, 1455 Coal Creek Drive, Unit T, Lafayette. $85

EARTH TO AARON WITH GREG SCHOCHET & LITTLE AMERICA + JOE AGGER. 4 p.m. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver. $12

MON D AY, F E B . 12 PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA — LUMINARIES. 7:30 p.m. Grusin Music Hall (C112) 1020 18th St., Boulder. Free

T U E SD AY, F E B . 1 3 SONGCRAFT — SONGWRITER SHOWCASE WITH HARPER POWELL, INTO THE NOTHING, JEREMY DION, SARAH MINTOSPARKS. 7 p.m. Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl St., Boulder. Free

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ON THE BILL

ELENA AT THE MUSE WITH FRIENDS. 6:30 p.m. Muse Performance Space, 200 E. South Boulder Road, Lafayette. $20

WE ARE BOULDER COUNTY!

STEPHEN BROOKS DUO. 8 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. Free

MIDWIFE WITH AMERICAN CULTURE CHERISHED, WATER ON THE THIRSTY GROUND. 8 p.m. Hi-Dive, 7 S. Broadway, Denver. $18

Karaoke Night!

Jazz Supper Club Series

HAKEN. 7 p.m. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St. $30 THE HIGH LINES + BEGGARS UNION WITH ON THE DOT. 7 p.m. Fox Theater, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $18 BW PICK OF THE WEEK MANY MOUNTAINS. 8 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. Free

13 details & tickets!

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FEBRUARY 8, 2024

ASTROLOGY BY ROB BREZSNY ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): In honor of the Valentine season, and in accordance with astrological omens, I offer you a love letter from an unpublished novel by an Aries friend. Consider saying something similar to a person who would be thrilled to hear it. Here it is. “We will seize the sexiest joy we can conjure. We will turn each other into boisterous deities in quest of liberation from all unnecessary limitations. We will tenderly shock each other with mysterious epiphanies and rivers of bliss. ‘Wild’ will be too mild a word for the awakenings we provoke in each other’s futures.” TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20): “The greater the fool, the better the dancer.” Composer Theodore Hook said that. Poet Edwin Denby agreed. He said, “There is a bit of insanity in dancing that does everybody a great deal of good.” Choreographer Martha Graham added, “Dance is the hidden language of the soul of the body.” I bring these thoughts to your attention because the coming weeks will be an excellent time for you to get freer, more sensuous and more unconstrained. Dancing your inhibitions into oblivion will be an excellent way to pursue these goals. So will doing everything with a dancer’s abandon, including love-making. GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20): Years ago, Salon.com asked various critics to name the most preposterous sex scene to appear in a recently published novel. I was honored that one of the vignettes selected was from my book The Televisionary Oracle. As I read the critic’s review of my wild, funny and crazy erotic story, I realized he was a pedantic macho prude who thought sex isn’t sex unless it’s dead serious and joylessly intense. The characters of mine he regarded as preposterous were in fact playing, laughing and having goofy fun. In the spirit of my novel’s kooky lovers and in accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to pursue uproarious amusement while enjoying the arts of intimacy — in and out of bed. (P.S. Playwright Rose Franken said, “Anyone can be passionate, but it takes real lovers to be silly.”) CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): A psychic told me that in one of my past lives, I was Numa Pompilius, the second king of Rome. It’s an intriguing theory that could help explain why my horoscopes are popular in Italy. What about you, my fellow Cancerian? Is there an aspect of your reincarnational history that aids your current destiny? Or are there past events in your current life that are becoming more influential? The coming weeks will be a good time to meditate on these possibilities. While you ruminate on your history, check in with the spirits of your ancestors and departed allies to see if they have any inspirational messages for you.

FEBRUARY 8, 2024

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): Has your approach to togetherness become infused with habit or numbness? When was the last time you got extravagant for the sake of love? Has it been a while since you tried a daring romantic move or two? I bring these questions to your attention, Libra, because now is an excellent time to rev up your imagination as you upgrade intimacy, companionship and collaboration. I hope you will authorize your fantasy life to be lush, unruly and experimental. Spur yourself to dream up departures from routine that intrigue your close allies. SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): Author W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) testified, “My own belief is that there is hardly anyone whose sexual life, if it were broadcast, would not fill the world with surprise and horror.” Is that true about you, Scorpio? Even if it is, I’m guessing the horrifying aspects will be nonexistent in the coming weeks. There may be surprises, yes. There may be entertaining interludes. But from what I can tell, everything will at least be educational and colorful. What are your most exotic erotic fantasies? Now is a good time to ask a willing partner to explore them with grace and good humor. SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): The Valentine season is looming, and many of us are receptive to advice about togetherness. I’ll offer some principles that I believe are essential to you Sagittarians as you nourish all your close relationships, including your romantic bonds. They are from novelist Graham Joyce. He wrote, “Two people in love don’t make a hive mind. Neither should they want to be a hive mind, to think the same, to know the same. It’s about being separate and still loving each other, being distinct from each other. One is the violin string, one is the bow.” CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): Lately, I have been intoxicated a lot. Not because I’ve ingested drugs and alcohol. Not because I have been doing three-hour meditations or studying sacred texts. I’ve felt so wildly free and euphoric because life has been dismantling some of my fears. Once it happened when my psychotherapist spoke just the right curative words at a pivotal moment in our session. Another time, I came upon a very large hare while strolling in the woods and had an epiphany about how to heal a painful trauma in my past. On another occasion, I dreamed of a priestess doing a banishing ritual to exorcize my abandonment fears. There were three other similar events. I bring this to your attention because I suspect you may soon also get intoxicated through the loss of fears.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): Kevin Kelly wrote the book Excellent Advice for Living: Wisdom I Wish I’d Known Earlier. There he observes, “Listening well is a superpower. While listening to someone you love, keep asking them ‘Is there more?’ until there is no more.” Dear Leo, this is excellent advice for you in the coming weeks. I urge you to specialize in gathering the deep revelations of those you care for. Opening yourself to them in unprecedented ways will boost your soul power and enrich your wisdom.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): Reading through the annals of famous authors’ quotes about love, I’m horrified by the relentlessness of their sour assessments. “Love is merely a madness,” wrote Shakespeare. “Whoever is not jealous is not in love,” said St. Augustine. “General incivility is the very essence of love,” declared Jane Austen. “It is impossible to love and be wise,” moaned Francis Bacon. “Real love always has something hidden — some loss or boredom or tiny hate,” says Andrew Sean Greer. I am allergic to all that dour noise! Personally, I have been entangled in a lot of romantic love during my time on Earth, and most of it has been interesting, educational and therapeutic. I am deeply grateful for all of it, even the heartbreaks. Any wisdom I have developed owes a great debt to my lovers. What about you, Aquarius? Where do you stand on these issues? I suspect the coming months will provide you with ample reasons to embrace my attitudes.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): Imagine you are walking on a hill at night. You are headed to meet a person you adore, who awaits you with champagne and chocolate. The weather is balmy. The moon is full. You are singing songs you both love, announcing your arrival. The songs tell stories about how much you two love to yearn for each other and how much you love quenching your yearning. When you arrive, dear Virgo, what will you tell your beloved to make them feel supremely understood and appreciated?

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): Have you discovered all there is to know about your sexual feelings and proclivities? Have you come to a complete understanding of what turns you on and how you might express it? I hope your answer to those questions is no, Pisces. In my view, all of us should keep evolving our relationship with eros. There is always more to discover and explore about the mysteries of our desires. Always more to learn about what excites and inspires us. The coming days will be an excellent time for you to enjoy this research.

BOULDER WEEKLY

SAVAGE LOVE BY DAN SAVAGE A therapist suggested I might have “Relationship OCD.” While I haven’t been formally diagnosed, it rings true to me. As soon as I get close to someone, I experience so much anxiety. If I kissed a partner and they kissed me in a way I didn’t like, I would think, “Why didn’t you like that? Maybe you don’t really love them. Maybe you don’t even like people of this gender. Maybe you’re lying to yourself.” I was in a four-year relationship that just ended. I’m stuck on the impact my obsessions had on our sex life. In the first two to three years, I didn’t have these obsessions, but during the last one, I started to experience such bad anxiety that I couldn’t enjoy sex. It seems like as the stakes in the relationship heightened, so did my obsessive thoughts. I’m in therapy, and I would like to have a long-term relationship with someone that includes living together, traveling together and maybe even having kids together. But I find it hard to work on my issue when I’m NOT in a relationship. Is there anything I can do right now, while I’m single, that will help me in my next relationship? — Sad That Relationship Elevates Stress Symptoms I shared your question with Sheva Rajaee, a licensed marriage and family therapist, author and public speaker. The founder and director of the Center for Anxiety and OCD, Rajaee wrote the literal book on relationship OCD: Relationship OCD: A CBTBased Guide to Move Beyond Obsessive Doubt, Anxiety & Fear of Commitment in Romantic Relationships. “Part of what makes relationship OCD (ROCD) so painful and damaging is that these incessant doubts seep into every corner of our relationships,” says Rajaee. “And cruelly, it’s loudest in our most viable relationships. “When the love ‘risk’ is higher, the greater the chance the psychological defenses of someone suffering

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www.tantricsacredjourneys.com from ROCD will try to keep them safe by pointing out perceived flaws and incompatibilities,” says Rajaee. “What STRESS describes — what she just went through — is a textbook example of relationship OCD. It’s the spiraling nature of worries that take small imperfections or incompatibilities (‘I don’t love the way they kiss’) and blows them up to worst-case outcomes (‘I’m lying to myself and to them’).” Can a person work on their ROCD when they’re not in a relationship and/ or they’re enjoying the kind of casual connection that don’t trigger their ROCD? “Yes and no,” says Rajaee. “STRESS can work on anxiety in general, practicing riding waves of discomfort and even panic without getting caught up in the scare stories. She can examine her expectations of love and relationships and practice exposure therapy, so that when these thoughts surface in her next good relationship — as they likely will — she’ll have a solid strategy to address them.” But the most important work can only be done during one of those high-stakes relationships. “In STRESS’s case, this means opening herself to sex, love and connection and then working through near-crippling anxiety while trying to maintain a healthy relationship,” Rajaee says, “and that’s guaranteed to introduce some conflict into her next partnership. But I want her to know that it’s possible to do this and that I see it done — and done successfully — all the time. In fact, for many of my clients, doing this work brings them closer together.”

Send your burning questions to mailbox@savage.love Podcasts, columns and more at Savage.Love BOULDER WEEKLY

FEBRUARY 8, 2024

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NIBBLES

BIG TRUFFLE MAKERS Two Boulder County chocolate crafters took Wonkalike career plunges after traveling the globe BY JOHN LEHNDORFF

illy Wonka undergoes dire challenges on his unlikely path to become a chocolatier whose sweets make people fly in Wonka, the new prequel film about Roald Dahl’s famous character. “I’ve spent the past seven years traveling the world, perfecting my craft,” says Timothée Chalamet as the titular character. “You see, I’m something of a magician, inventor and chocolate maker.” Brandon Busch of Lift Chocolate and Corey Crespi of Corey’s Chocolate hit the road for wildly different careers. Both ended up in Boulder County crafting chocolates designed to make customers smile and sigh.

BECOMING THE ‘CANDY MAN’

Busch was literally flying while his passion for chocolate blossomed. “I was commissioned in the Marine Corps in 2004 as a CH-53 Heavy Lift helicopter pilot deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan,” he says. “In my downtime, I read culinary and pastry textbooks because I always enjoyed working in a kitchen.” After leaving active duty, Busch headed to pastry school, but decided that a baker’s typical 3 a.m. wakeup call was “not a lot of fun,” he says.

Busch’s big cacao epiphany occurred as he flew home from Mexico. “I watched a woman take a bite of chocolate, and she had such a visible reaction to it,” he recalls. “She was obviously experiencing immense pleasure, and you could tell she wasn’t afraid to show it. It struck me then that chocolate is not like other foods.” Lift Chocolate launched in 2015 with a couple of molds and basic equipment. It expanded with Busch’s purchase of an existing Boulder chocolate company in 2017. The Gunbarrel-based operation now ships more than 25 flavors of gem-like truffles across the country, including raspberry, Death by Ganache with 85% dark chocolate, lime caramel and hazelnut cappuccino. The chocolates are available at Whole Foods Markets, The Peppercorn and the Niwot Market. “One of the things I love about chocolate is terroir,” Busch says. “Just like with wine, every different chocolate tastes like where it comes from.” Since Lift doesn’t manufacture chocolate from bean to bar, Busch emphasizes the importance of finding ethical, certified suppliers around the world. Now a Lieutenant Colonel in the Marine Reserves, Busch’s military callsign is “Candy Man.” As such, he may be the highest-rank-

Brandon Busch of Lift Chocolate. Credit: Dustin Handrich, Dustin Moon Visuals. Right: Lift truffles. Credit: Audrey Leonard

BOULDER WEEKLY

Corey and Meera Crespi. Credit: Kylie Bree Photography. Right: Corey’s Chocolate Elixir. Credit: Meera Crespi

ing chocolate maker in the U.S. military, the unofficial chocolatier general. “I’d accept a promotion like that,” he says.

FROM SEA KAYAKS TO SWEET SUCCESS

Chocolate making was far removed from Corey Crespi’s initial career. “I spent years working as an outdoor educator and guide all over the world,” he says. “I did sea kayak guiding in Maine and went to South America to work for Outward Bound.” Living in a little cabin in Estes Park in 2017, Crespi started dreaming about creating a less seasonal job making chocolates. There was, he notes, just one catch. “I really didn’t know much at all about making chocolates,” he admits. “I would make them at home and share them with friends and family. One friend tasted my chocolates and said: ‘You made these? But these are really good.’ No offense was taken.” Crespi started selling at the Estes Park Farmers Market and grew to sell at other summer markets, including in Boulder and Longmont. A chocolate tour of Belgium, France and Switzerland and serious chocolate classes have solidified his skills. Using Fair Trade chocolate primarily from Colombia, Corey’s Chocolate offers a dozen products including pomegranate, passion fruit and raspberry caramel truffle varieties. Chocolate — especially chocolates made, shipped and sold outdoors in the summer — face a significant melt-

ing and spoilage challenge. “I went into the kitchen to make something that would work in the summer,” Crespi says. “Chocolate Elixir is a chocolate sauce and spread in a jar made from single-origin dark chocolate. You can melt it on fruit, spread it on toast and add it to coffee and baked goods.” He says you can also just spoon it from the jar directly into your mouth. Corey’s Chocolate also produces a vanilla bean caramel sauce. Crespi hopes to bring back a popular spoonable spread he crafts using fresh raspberries. According to Crespi, Chocolate Elixir was not his first sweet experiment in the kitchen. “When I was growing up, we didn’t have a lot of sweets in the house,” he says. “I would take unsweetened Baker’s chocolate, which is so bitter, and concoct different treats. I would heat it up, add maple syrup and get this gooey mess to mix with peanut butter and spread on bread. “To me, chocolate is just a miracle,” Crespi continues. “Everyone who loves chocolate needs to experience bean to bar. You see a cacao pod and you’re like: ‘This is chocolate? It’s a bizarre mushy white fruit with big seeds.’” The transformation those seeds undergo can be breathtaking. “I was thinking of one particular chocolate that I really love from Madagascar that has a terracotta color. Take a taste and let it melt in your mouth for a minute, and you taste red fruits, like raspberry. It’s amazing.” FEBRUARY 8, 2024

FROM THE DIVIDE TO YOUR DOOR!

NIBBLES

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CULINARY CALENDAR: NEW YEAR’S NOODLES

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Colorado observed its first state-celebrated Lunar New Year on Feb. 2. Boulder’s Creature Comforts cafe hosts an Eight Treasures Chinese New Year Dinner on Feb. 10 featuring chef Devin Keopraphay’s lion’s head meatballs, Cantonese-style chicken, Longevity Noodles, steamed catfish and more. creaturecomforts.cafe Boulder’s Vapor Distillery and Moksha Chocolate co-host a craft whiskey and artisan chocolate pairing Feb. 14 at the distillery. boulderspirits.com Worms, stinkbugs and chocolate-covered scorpions are on the Festival de Bichos menu Feb. 5-11 at Denver’s Michelin-recognized La Diabla’s Pozole y Mezcal restaurant. ladiabladenver.com Coming soon: High Country, a new restaurant from the team at Gemini, at 1117 Pearl St. That’s the former home of Hapa Sushi Grill, recently moved to 1048 Pearl St.

TASTE OF THE WEEK: THE RUNZA VARIATIONS

VOTED BEST BBQ

Runzas are the Nebraska-born culinary cousins to calzones, empanadas and Eastern European bierocks and pirozhki. Instead of a flaky crust or chewy dough, runzas consist of bread dough wrapped around various ingredients and baked. I stopped by the only local Runza restaurant franchise at 1743 Main St. in Longmont. Besides the original runza with ground beef, cabbage, onions and cheese, the menu includes a Southwestern variation. I opted for the swiss mushroom runza, a true comfort experience wrapped in soft, squishy bread. For a good time, grab some bread dough, add your favorite sandwich filling and bake a few just before the Super Bowl this weekend.

WORDS TO CHEW ON: CHOCOLATE LUST Best Margarita Best Place to Eat Outdoors Best Restaurant Service Best Take-Out Best Wings

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“The Spanish ladies of the New World are madly addicted to chocolate, to such a point that, not content to drink it several times each day, they even have it served to them in church.” — Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1825)

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HIGHER ED College applications rose in states that legalized recreational cannabis BY CHRISTOPHER D. BLAKE THE CONVERSATION

olleges in states where recreational marijuana became legal over the past decade saw a significant but short-term boost in applications from top-notch students. They also got more applications overall. Those were the key findings of a new study The Conversation’s team published recently in the peerreviewed journal Contemporary Economic Policy. In the year a particular state legalized recreational marijuana, the number of applications for that state’s colleges grew by about 5.5% more than universities in states that did not legalize. This means schools in legalmarijuana states received a temporary boost in applications. The Conversation didn’t detect any increase beyond the initial spike. The results control for school quality, tuition prices and labor market conditions that may affect student application decisions. At a more detailed level, the gains were strongest for the largest schools, which observed a nearly 54% increase in applications compared with similarly

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sized schools in nonlegal states. Public colleges and universities benefited more than private ones, though applications for private schools rose in states where recreational marijuana became legal as well. In addition, schools got more applications from high-achieving students. Standardized test scores for the top 25% of applicants spiked along with the quantity of applications.

how schools see a spike in applications and SAT scores when those schools have winning sports teams, schools see spikes when they are located in states that legalize marijuana. While the data cannot prove it explicitly, it suggests that students factor local policies into their college choice, a key result of interest for scholars and policymakers alike.

WHY IT MATTERS

WHAT STILL ISN’T KNOWN

As researchers continue to assess the risks and rewards of recreational marijuana, the study results show that institutions of higher learning may benefit when their home states allow citizens to get high. One benefit is that schools had a larger and higher-achieving applicant pool to choose from. This in turn creates the potential to improve a school’s academic profile. The results fit into a larger body of research analyzing what affects a student’s application choices. The Conversation found that, similar to

The data cannot pinpoint why freshmen who are often coming straight out of high school — and thus not of legal age to buy recreational marijuana (21) — might base their application decisions on recreational marijuana’s availability. It could be the case that legal sales create a perception for prospective applicants that underage consumption is less risky. It could be simply because widespread news coverage made certain states seem more popular. Or it could be because more per-

missive public policies in one area, such as marijuana laws, might suggest more attractive and liberalized policies in other areas important to students, such as abortion. It’s hard to say without talking directly to students themselves. The Conversation also doesn’t know how much of the application boosts that occur after legalization are being driven by out-ofstate students. For example, did legalization in Colorado cause students from other states to apply to Colorado schools in higher numbers? Alternatively, in-state students may have elected to apply to even more Colorado schools than they would have in the absence of recreational marijuana as a way to stay in their home state. The Integrated Postsecondary Educatoin System database does not require schools to distinguish between in-state and out-of-state applicants. However, the database does delineate enrollees as in-state or out-of-state. From this, The Conversation found that out-of-state enrollees increased by nearly 25% for the largest schools in the year of marijuana legalization. Applying and enrolling are two very different actions. Applying indicates interest, but enrolling is more of a commitment. The Conversation is a nonprofit, independent news organization dedicated to unlocking the knowledge of experts for the public good.

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