DEAR WHOLE FOODS DADDY

Your burning Boulder questions, asked and answered

BY GABBY VERMEIRE

We 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.

HOW DO I SURVIVE HERE IF I DON’T CLIMB?

It sounds like what you are rather facetiously asking is if social acceptance is possible in this town for the un-sendable among us. I get it; sometimes living in Boulder feels like some middle-school clique shit, and somehow you always feel like you’re on the outside looking in. Is everyone at Rayback staring at you and laughing to themselves at how much of a loser and a fake you are because you don’t have chalk permanently smeared on your face, or did the edible just kick in? No, they probably hate you, and it’s because you don’t climb.

WHERE’S THE BEST PLACE TO PICK UP OLDER WOMEN IN BOULDER?

Unless you’re Leo DiCaprio or the average Pearl Street bartender — to whom an older woman is a hostess in her senior year at CU — let’s agree to define “older women” as baddies over 45. With this in mind, few things are as sexually charged as a mature woman who just dropped $200 on hydrangea and pots at Sturtz & Copeland.

Or even better, acquire a frontfacing service job where the older mommas get their drug of choice, i.e., coffee and wine. There’s nothing like a lanky young bartender or barista with excellent customer service skills to remind a lady of all the ways her husband is inadequate (and make her wonder what those nimble fingers can do besides make an amazing espresso martini).

You could always construct an identity around something more meaningful than a single hobby. But have you considered, like a high schooler ripping their first weed pen during lunch period by the Boulder Creek, just giving into peer pressure? If you are lucky enough to have a body able to take you up a climbing wall, you should probably do it at the great risk of maybe having fun. But remember, everyone will be judging you for how bad you are.

HOW DO I SHOOT MY SHOT OVER DM WITH A WELLRESPECTED PERSON IN MY INDUSTRY?

A surprising amount of beautiful love stories start with a drunk ’n’ flirty 1 a.m. “;)” in the DMs between two people who have kind-of-sort-of seen each other around.

Start out small, with a few well-placed story likes on Instagram. If you receive a follow back — or even if you don’t and want to embrace delusion — maybe escalate to some casual, industry-related replies to their stories. Dare I say, show a genuine interest in what you have in common! Hopefully there is some mutual banter occurring in the DMs at this point. If there isn’t, it would be remiss to advise you to keep on this doomed-yet-well-traveled path to becoming (sorry) kind of creepy.

Note: If your industry is weed, disregard all of the above and just go for it full-throttle. I’m sure they’re down.

HOW DO YOU AFFORD HOUSING IN BOULDER WITHOUT A TRUST FUND OR JOINING A CULT?

This might be adjacent to joining a cult, but you can always try creating a large immediate family by engaging in civil unions and perhaps acquiring some children to get around occupancy ordinances. I’m obviously joking; this would assume that anyone would make an effort to abide by housing density ordinances. (Urban legends of cops counting toothbrushes in the bathroom are highly sus.)

Anyway, I hear Longmont is cute!

What

DO YOU DO

When

YOU TURN DOWN A BARTENDER AT YOUR FAVORITE BAR AND THEY’RE CRUMMY TO YOU AFTER?

There is much to be said about the power imbalance between service worker and customer, and the uncomfortable ways in which us wage slaves must accommodate creepy advances of the always-right customer. However, a Boulder bartender with years of experience in the food industry (and an alcohol problem to match) holds more power than the average service industry employee. This is the only situation where it’s ethical and appropriate to Karen-up and speak to their manager

Got a burning Boulder question or conundrum? Follow wholefoods_ daddy on Instagram, or email letters @boulderweekly.com with the subject line “Dear Whole Foods Daddy.”

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GROWING GARDENS: SCHOOL DAYS OFF

8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, April 21, Growing Gardens Hawthorn Farm, 1630 Hawthorn Ave., Boulder. $95 (registration required)

School’s out on Friday at Growing Gardens Hawthorn Farm, but that doesn’t mean fun won’t be in session. Student or not, the farm invites your little one to kick off Earth Day weekend with a full day of planting seeds for summer harvest, pollinator studies and delicious seasonal food.

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JACK’S SOLAR GARDEN: PUBLIC TOUR

10-11:15 a.m. Saturday, April 22, Jack’s Solar Garden, 8102 North 95th St., Longmont. $20

Learn about the power of combining solar energy and agriculture during a familyfriendly tour of Jack’s Solar Garden in Longmont, the largest agri voltaic research of its kind in the country. Check out this incredible feat in sustainable farming on Saturdays through July 22.

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DANK GRASS FESTIVAL

Noon-8 p.m. Saturday, April 22, Oskar Blues Brewery, 1640 S. Sunset St., Longmont. Free

It’s the “dankest day of the year” at Oskar Blues in Longmont, as the local craft beer giant kicks off its first official Dank Grass Fest — a celebration of IPA beers and bluegrass music from Tenth Mountain Division, The Wrecklunds, Deer Creek Sharp Shooters and more.

22

Longmont Earth Day Celebration

10 a.m.-3 p.m. Timberline Pre K-8 School, 233 E. Mountain View Ave., Longmont. Free

The Ninth Annual Longmont Earth Day Celebration will provide sustainable agricultural education along with a full slate of activities for you and the kiddos: upcycled arts and crafts, a treasure hunt, baby goats, music, food trucks and more.

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SATURDAY MORNING

HATHA YOGA

9-10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 22, Eldorado Mountain Yoga Ashram, 2875 County Road 67, Boulder. $15

Hatha, the Sanskrit word for “force,” refers to a sequence of movement and breathing techniques for a slower, more mindfully focused experience. Eldorado Mountain Yoga Ashram welcomes you to harness your energy at their beautiful location for this Saturday morning hatha session.

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BATTLE WOMAN: SELF DEFENSE FOR RUNNERS

10:30 a.m.-noon Saturday, April 22, Performance & Recovery Labs, 2595 Canyon Blvd., Suite 150, Boulder. $55

Join local expert Rachel Mahloch for hands-on instruction on how to circumvent dangerous situations and learn basic skills pertaining to self-defense. Have fun, enjoy the great outdoors, and learn all about staying safe during this Saturday morning workshop designed specifically for runners.

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THE ART OF HERBAL TEA BLENDING

2-4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 22, Rebecca’s Herbal Apothecary & Supply, 1227 Spruce St., Boulder. $45

Join herbalist, nutritionist and forest therapy guide Cat Pantaleo at Rebecca’s Herbal Apothecary on Saturday, for a lecture and hands-on class in which participants will make and taste several tea blends. Optional blending ingredient kit ($24) sold separately.

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TULIP FAIRY AND ELF FESTIVAL

1-5 p.m. Pearl Street Mall, 1303 Pearl St., Boulder. Free

Catch a glimpse of Boulder’s own Fairy Queen and her band of “pint-sized fairies and elves” during this annual springtime festival, complete with live performances, activities for kids and the first glimpse at more than 15,000 budding tulips stretching down Pearl Street Mall.