4 28 11 best of boulder by Boulder Weekly

Antonio Laudisio, owner of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best Italian Restaurant, Laudisio

staff

Publisher, Stewart Sallo Editor, Pamela White Director of Sales & Marketing, Dave Grimsland Director of Operations/Controller, Benecia Beyer Circulation Manager, Cal Winn Editorial Managing Editor, Jefferson Dodge Special Editions Editor, Katherine Creel Associate Editors, David Accomazzo, Quibian Salazar-Moreno

Susan France

Sales Retail Sales Manager, Allen Carmichael Inside Sales Manager, Jay Jacoby Account Executives, Mike Cutler, David Hasson, Andrea Craven Production Production Manager, Dave Kirby Art Director, Susan France Graphic Designer, Mark Goodman General & Administrative Assistant to the Publisher & Heiress, Julia Sallo Office Manager/Advertising Assistant, David Hamlin Circulation Team Dave Hastie, Dan Hill, George LaRoe, Jeffrey Lohrius, Elizabeth Ouslie, Rick Slama 11-Year-Old, Mia Rose Sallo cover photo: Susan France

contents

Staff Picks 6 Food 12 Drink 26 Entertainment 36 Fitness & Health 50 Retail 62

Celebrating Laudisio Restaurant’s Best Italian win are, left to right, owner Antonio Laudisio, Chef Sakima Isaac and Executive Manager Mark Kretz

his year’s Best of Boulder County is our biggest — and most exciting — ever! And it’s no wonder. Boulder County residents came out in force this year to support their favorite restaurants, businesses, performers and more. With the biggest voter turnout in Boulder Weekly history, it’s clear readers take this contest seriously. But with so much interest in the contest, we’re often asked, “How does voting work?” and “Where can I get a ballot?” and “Why did you leave out the BEST 2 April 28, 2011

ONLY

In fact, our readers even chose the candidates. Businesses with a sufficient number of write-in votes in 2010 were automatically added to the 2011 ballot, meaning some of last year’s newcomers are now walking away with third-, second- or even first-place honors. Democracy in action! So check out the tongue-in-cheek “staff picks,” a selection of reader comments about the survey and, of course, all the results as voted by you, our readers. And if you don’t see your favorite hair salon or place to dance, be sure to vote for them next year!

THE BEST sandwich shop in town?” Boulder Weekly’s online-only voting system helps make Best of Boulder the most fair and accurate reader poll in the county. By forgoing paper ballots and allowing only one vote per email — and per computer — it’s almost impossible for one candidate to “ballot-stuff” their way to a win. (And it saves paper, too!)

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

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during labor and delivery, but also shackled to their hospital beds, it struck us as overkill. Editor Pamela White wrote a story about it, then removed her journalist hat and took matters into her own hands, taking an active role in the passage of state legislation outlawing the practice. The package of stories we wrote won a Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) award, and White was subsequently presented with the SPJ’s Keeper of the Flame award for lifetime achievement. Not to toot our own horn too much, but we’re kinda proud of this one. It sort of fits with that whole mission to give voice to the voiceless and all. While women in prison aren’t exactly in the lap of luxury while giving birth now, at least their health care bill is paid for and they aren’t chained to the bedpost like animals.

BEST REASON TO EAT BLUE CHEESE Republicans going after unions in Wisconsin

ome people have short memories, or haven’t read the history of why unions were created in the first place. Today, when gigantic corporations hold even more power than they did when unions arose, you’d think people would appreciate that common workers might want to band together from time to time to ensure they aren’t abused by their rich overlords. Colorado history, for instance, has several compelling reasons to support union rights, from the Colorado National Guard killing women and children during the Ludlow coal miners’ strike of 1914 to the various state leaders we’ve had who have been anti-gay, anti-Semitic, antiCatholic — even Klan members. The protections of the state’s civil service system were set up to keep public workers from being fired based on politics instead of performance. It’s hard to swallow Wisconsin right-wingers’ complaints about the reasonable salaries paid to public servants, like teachers, when you look at the bonuses being paid to the CEOs of major banks.

MOST ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP

City of Boulder and the MMJ industry

healthy relationship makes both parties stronger, happier and more robust than they would be alone. Then there’s the city of Boulder and its relationship with the beneficial and lucrative medical marijuana industry. We hate to meddle in domestic affairs, but somebody has to stop this cycle of abuse.When the city of Boulder keeps taking, taking, taking — thousands in sales tax revenue and exorbitant licensing fees — and then slaps on harsh, almost punitive ordinances, we can almost hear city officials saying, “I don’t like when I have to do this, but you just don’t leave me a choice.” City of Boulder, it’s time to take a good, long look at yourself in the mirror and admit you have a problem. If you don’t love the MMJ industry enough to support it and nurture it, let it go find someone who does. Don’t keep dispensaries and wellness centers locked in this twisted relationship. And the MMJ industry? We know it’s hard, but no one deserves to be kicked around. Stand up for yourself, and tell the city that you can only give so much and you deserve love, too, dammit. We suggest blasting Aretha Franklin’s “Respect” if you need to get your nerve up.

BEST ‘GET RICH QUICK’ SCHEME

Be a CU head football coach

hile Dan Hawkins might not be a play-making genius, an inspiring leader or even all that likeable, the man sure does know how to make a quick buck. In five years as CU’s head football coach, he amassed millions in base salary and incentives, all without racking up a single winning season. The cherry on top of that abysmal record (if cherries were bitter, heartbreaking disasters that made grown men cry) is that infamous Nov. 7 game at Kansas. Somehow the Jayhawks managed to come back from a 28-point deficit in the last 12 minutes of the game. Correct our math here, but it sounds like they were racking up almost a field goal a minute. Hawkins was such a terrible coach — but such a savvy businessman — that he even convinced the university to pay him $2 million just to go away. If any of us mere 8 April 28, 2011

BEST HICKENLOOPER SUPPORTER Tom Tancredo

Dan Hawkins mortals were that bad at our jobs, we’d be lucky to get our last paycheck, let alone a buyout. So let’s all take a lesson from Danny’s playbook, sign on as head coach at CU for a few years, run the program deep into the Colorado soil, and then hold out our hands. Hey, it worked for him.

BEST MUDSLINGING OUTSIDE OF WASHINGTON, D.C. Boulder’s West TSA debate

eople take their leisure seriously in Boulder County. Threaten a person’s favorite trail or beloved pastime and you’d better be ready for a tantrum of epic proportions. Your intelligence, political views, morals and even your personal hygiene may well get called into question. Folks take this shit seriously. And right now, one of the bitterest debates is between mountain bikers and hikers. For dedicated mountain bikers, though, they aren’t hikers. They’re old, entitled fogies, resenting anyone younger than them, anyone having more fun than they are and anyone who can balance on two wheels. And for hikers, they aren’t mountain bikers. They’re reckless, irresponsible, self-centered thrill seekers, tearing up pristine open space, rutting trails and disturbing wildlife (and probably murdering children while they’re at it). Compromise is a four-letter word, and anyone who doesn’t get exactly what they want in terms of trail usage feels like they’ve suffered an attack on their God-given personal rights. At its worst, it’s the kind of hyperbolic vitriol we’d expect from Rush or Glenn talking about Planned Parenthood or immigration. We’d suggest a wrestling match to settle the trail debate, but then there wouldn’t be anyone left to enjoy them. And don’t even get us started on the dog debate … BEST PLACE TO HAVE A BABY Colorado prisons

he 2010 elections were a national disaster for Democrats. Despite the fact that the opposition party had so recently overseen the biggest economic collapse since the Great Depression, the Democrats suddenly found themselves poised to lose big in November. On the state level, Republicans threatened to take control of a Senate seat and the governorship — but not if everyone’s favorite crazy conservative, Tom Tancredo, had anything to say about it. For reasons mainly unknown — perhaps he felt disgusted after the Republican primary came down to a bumbling Tea Party candidate with a loose grasp of campaign finance laws and a former Congressman who all but admitted to plagiarism — Tancredo decided to become an American Constitutionalist and run as a thirdparty candidate, all but handing the election to now-Gov. John Hickenlooper. Tancredo, frighteningly, came in second with 36.7 percent of the vote, and Republican Dan Maes only won a measly 11.2 percent. Had Tancredo siphoned 1.3 percent more of the vote from Maes, the Republicans would have lost major party status in Colorado. So, Republicans — hate Hick? Thank Tom Tancredo.

BEST REASON TO BUY A HUNKY FIREFIGHTER CALENDAR Local wildfires

hether it’s buying a fundraising calendar full of courageous, bare-chested firefighters or paying a special tax for a fire district, now is the time to support our local blaze-battlers. We’ve had a pretty dry spring, which means we are again facing high fire danger. The Fourmile fire last September and the handful of other conflagrations we’ve seen around the county since then have been devastating to residents in the foothills and a warning for us all. But there have been some silver linings. Our multi-agency emergency response team has ironed out the kinks and is ready to roll. The outpouring of support from county residents strengthened our sense of community, and many of us have learned more about how home insurance works! Check your coverage, cut down all of those bushes that are too close to your cabin, and don’t throw a lit roach out the car window.

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BEST SCHOOL SPIRIT

CU chancellor he University of throws journalism Colorado Boulder can’t school under the get any love. Boulder Mayor bus Susan Osborne took some heat this year after a reporter hen CU-Boulder’s revealed that she hadn’t bothstrong and fearless ered to list CU on her city Susan Osbourne leader, Phil DiStefano, bio, despite holding both announced last August that undergraduate and graduate the journalism school would be undergoing degrees from the university.What school did a “discontinuance process,” it didn’t pass the Osborne list? New York’s Vassar College, sniff test. Still doesn’t. Seems some influential where she completed the first two years of donors/advisory board members got to him, her undergrad degree before transferring to maybe even other persons of influence CU. It was probably an honest mistake, but within the CU administration. Either way, the then she made this head-scratching state- politics-driven move sabotaged the journalment to the Camera: “I feel as though it’s ism faculty’s months-long work to create a where my allegiance is,” she said. “The reality new curriculum. It also sent a negative and is it’s the college that I claim as my own. But confusing message to current and prospecmy actual B.A. degree is from Boulder.” tive students, and it was yet another examReally? Her allegiance is to a school where ple of the university telegraphing the outshe spent two out of (we’re guessing here) come before going through the motions of 10 years of her collegiate education? That’s faculty review (see Ward Churchill). And some mighty school spirit for the mighty while the chancellor never threw his fullVassar Brewers — or perhaps an indication bodied support behind the struggling school, that even successful CU grads don’t care to the coup de grace was his statement at a associate themselves with the school. And February press conference: “I don’t think we that’s a problem even a $785,000 branding have what I would consider to be a first-rate study can’t fix. journalism school.” Ouch. What an asshat!

BEST REASON TO HATE RELIGION Civil unions bill shot down

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MOST GLARING VEHICULAR HOMICIDE

Susan Osbourne’s resume goof

olorado came so, so close to being only the eighth state in the union to pass a law legalizing civil unions. Two Democratic, openly gay legislators, Rep. Mark Ferrandino and Sen. Pat Steadman, proposed a bill in the Senate to give same-sex couples the same rights as married, heterosexual ones. The bill breezed through the Senate with a 32-13 vote and fell into the laps of the House Judicial Committee, where Republicans had gained control after winning a one-seat majority in the House in the 2010 elections. The religious Republicans on the committee voted along party lines to squelch the bill before it had the chance to be voted upon by the General Assembly, where it had a solid chance of passing. Thanks to those six Republicans, our state laws continue to treat gay couples as second-class citizens. Maybe next year our legislators will vote to put Colorado on the right side of history, instead of on the side of hatred and bigotry.

We miss the good old days when it was the faculty — not donors, administrators and politicians — who held the most power at a university and had control over what was best for the students.

BEST SHAMELESS EXPLOITATION OF A TRAGEDY Ken Wilson’s plans to ‘clean up’ the Hill

here’s a dark political saying, “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” After 20-year-old Todd Walker was shot during a botched armed robbery attempt on University Hill, Boulder Deputy Mayor Ken Wilson wasted no time. He wrote a letter to Boulder City Council calling for reforms that seemed more in line with his interests as a Hill homeowner than a concerned deputy mayor, including taxing Hill businesses that serve alcohol after 11 p.m., calling for community Hill clean-ups, discussing how to better enforce nuisance laws and reviewing the effect of budget cuts on police patrol. What does litter have to do with preventing armed robberies? How did the businesses three blocks away from the shooting contribute to Walker’s death? Wilson’s ideas seemed better suited to raising property values in his own neighborhood rather than reducing crime, making us think that maybe it’s time Boulder got a new deputy mayor.

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

BEST CITY FUNDRAISER Boulder liquor license stings

t’s no secret that the city is hurting for funds. So what’s the best way to raise them? Set up a bunch of bars and restaurants in the hope that some of them will serve underage drinkers or serve drinks past the 2 a.m. curfew. Then the city can fine them and make them pay to get their liquor licenses back. It’s beautiful in its simplicity. Sure, it could hurt some of the smaller venues in the long run, especially if they can’t serve liquor for a set amount of time, but, hey, the city needs that quick cash to buy iPads for Boulder City Council members. Some of the “stings” consist of people coming into bars with expired IDs, fake IDs or no ID at all, so bar owners beware!

BEST REASON TO HANG OUT IN LAFAYETTE Aliens/UFO sightings

ood ole Lafayette, Colo. Known for its coal mining history and annual Oatmeal Festival — and now its alien visitation. It seems like Lafayette is trying to give Roswell, N.M., a run for its “cool little alien town” title. In March, several residents recorded some eerie lights floating in the sky, forming a triangle. In the videos that spread across YouTube, the lights made no sound, were pretty still, didn’t flicker and after awhile, slowly moved northeast, eventually fading. What was it? A plane? A satellite? Aliens coming for a visit? Captain Kirk having a bit of engine trouble? The unidentified flying objects

had the town buzzing with alien talk and extraterrestrial enthusiasts coming to town to investigate. There was no official word on what the lights were, so in the meantime, we’ll be staring at the Lafayette skies, cameras in hand, hoping for a return visit (cue X-Files theme music).

BEST CLEAN-UP CREW

Heaven Fest supporters

hen the Bible-beating Heaven Fest crowd was preparing to descend on Longmont last August, local left-leaning rabble-rousers squawked about the anticipated impacts of the event, which was expected to bring upwards of 35,000 people to some farmland near Union Reservoir for live

Christian music. Indeed, there was a lot of traffic, but by and large, the predictions about waterfowl being trampled to death and garbage floating in the lake did not come to fruition. The day after the event ended, a small army of volunteers were out walking the fields and the shores of Union Reservoir, picking up every discarded water bottle and Jesus pamphlet until the area was as spotless as a saint’s conscience. Boulder Deputy Mayor Ken Wilson should draft these people for his little University Hill clean-up project. Maybe they could convince some of those wasted college kids to adopt a sober, Godfearing lifestyle while they’re at it.

BEST CONTORTION ACT AFTER BEING BOXED IN Ibashi-I

eloved Pearl Street Mall performer Ibashi-I displayed perhaps his best act yet when he escaped deportation to his home country, the Caribbean island of St. Kitts. The busker, whose act involves folding his body into impossible positions and cramming himself into a 20-inch Plexiglas cube, had been ticketed a couple of times for possession of marijuana.Yawn. But during a 2009 layover in Puerto Rico on his way back from a trip to his homeland, a customs agent noticed the cannabis crimes. Ibashi-I lost his green card and was threatened with deportation despite his long residency here and the fact that he has American children. However, in March, after an outpouring of community support for the performer, an immigration judge canceled the deportation order.We applaud the judge for being so flexible, and we cheer Ibashi-I for another jawdropping performance. We’d also like to give him a tip. Keep your nose clean, because you’ve received your only mulligan.

BEST WAY TO KEEP ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT POPULATION HIGH DREAM Act fails to pass

here have been lots of complaints about the continued rise in illegal immigration and the high population of undocumented immigrants in the United States. So when an idea is offered to get that number down, you would think the complainers would hop on it without question! Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case when it came to the DREAM Act, a proposal that would create a path to citizenship for immigrant children who came to the United States illegally with their parents before the age of 16, graduate from high school, have “good moral character,” go on to college or join the military. But no, opponents want to shun these young people, who are willing to pay taxes, contribute to society and live a “moral” life. Nice move, Senators, because we don’t want those kinds of people living in our country, do we?

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’11

April 28, 2011 11

Susan France

Southside Walnut Café owner Julia Buonanno and Walnut Café owner Dana Derichsweiler

12 April 28, 2011

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

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TRAVEL THE GLOBE WITHOUT LEAVING YOUR TABLE.

First Place

BEST TAKE-OUT

Runner Up

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NOODLES, SALADS & SANDWICHES from around the world

Katherine Creel

APPETIZERS/TAPAS

grab-and-go stations. The pastries are particularly impressive, with crème brûlée, croissants and tarts of all kinds, and even miniature desserts for those with a smaller sweet tooth. Runner-up status goes to Great Harvest Bread Co. and its massive samples, and Spruce Confections comes in third. Boulder Baked follows in fourth place, and Tee & Cakes rounds out the top five.

The Mediterranean Restaurant 1002 Walnut St., 303-444-5335  Runner-up: The Kitchen

t’s fun to speak rapidly when saying you’re going to a tapas bar, because sometimes people think you said “topless bar.” In Sanskrit, the term “tapas” can mean either spiritual suffering or spiritual ecstasy. Having appetizers at The Mediterranean Restaurant, called The Med by locals, is definitely the latter. The tapas are so delicious and offer such a wide variety that you can make a meal of them if you choose, sampling everything from the Trucha de Antonio (or smoked trout) to the Barbietolla (roasted red beets with horseradish crème) to a traditional Caprese (fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil). Mix that with great wine or mixed drinks and wonderful conversation, and you’ve got an unbeatable evening. Local culinary standout The Kitchen was our runner-up this year, followed by Brasserie Ten Ten in third place, Boulder Café in fourth and Aji in fifth.

BARBECUE

KT’s Real Good BBQ 2675 13th St., 303-442-3717 7464 Arapahoe Rd., 303-786-7608 Runner-up: Daddy Bruce’s

ASIAN FUSION

Chez Thuy 2655 28th St., 303-442-1700 Runner-up: Hapa

he winner of this year’s best Asian Fusion restaurant often works with big crowds, and for good reason. Many patrons advise future visitors to carpool to the restaurant, if possible, as parking gets tight. This year, Chez Thuy earned the most reader votes, persuading taste buds with specialized seafood, five-spice chicken and crispy spring rolls. The restaurant is also known for its popular vegetarian dishes, such as the hot pot served in a thick and flavorful black bean sauce. To finish off a meal, Chez Thuy offers a fried banana dessert as well as a variety of sweet, fruity drinks. Runner-up this year is Hapa, a sushi grill and sake bar known for its suggestively named menu items, while third place went to Khow Thai. Readers voted Japango in fourth place, while fifth place was claimed by Moongate.

BAGEL

The Mediterranean Restaurant’s desserts.

didn’t want gold or art, but bread.) There’s another one about how Polish Jews needed something quick to bake after the dietary restrictions from the Sabbath ended. Whatever the origin, soon after Jewish immigrants brought bagels to the United States, they became a staple of American breakfast foods, and nobody in Boulder does bagels better than Moe’s Broadway Bagel, the perennial winner of the category.The family-owned business has made fresh bagels, layering on inches of their trademark cream cheese, since 1992, much to the delight of bagelloving Boulderites. Einstein Bros. Bagels is this year’s runner-up, while Big Daddy Bagels came in third and Mickey C’s Bagels came in fourth.

Moe’s Broadway Bagel 2650 Broadway, 303-444-3252 3075 Arapahoe Ave., 303-442-4427 Runner-up: Einstein Bros. Bagels

he stories about the humble bagel’s origins are as numerous as the many flavors of cream cheese, but no one can say for sure which tale is real. There’s one about it being a commemorative gift shaped like a stirrup given to the king of Poland in 1683. (Apparently, the man

14 April 28, 2011

BAKERY

Breadworks 2644 Broadway, 303-444-5667 Runner-up: Great Harvest

readworks opened on Valentine’s Day in 1995, and Boulderites are still feeling the love. Bread takes center stage here (if you couldn’t already guess), with each loaf baked fresh every day. The supporting actors are stellar, as well, with separate pastry, coffee, salad/sandwich and

he expansive, delicious world of barbecue has turned slow-cooked meats and carefully crafted sauces into an art, and though Colorado isn’t known for its BBQ in the same way as Texas, North Carolina, Georgia or Memphis, we sure are blessed with a plethora of extremely skilled imitators. KT’s Real Good BBQ founders Kirk and Tricia Jamison spent some quality time researching the barbecue artistes of Memphis during the summer of 1991 and came back with recipes and a business plan. They founded KT’s in 1992, and they have grown strongly ever since, opening four locations, including one in Broomfield and one in Denver. Since 1980, runner-up Daddy Bruce’s Bar-B-Que has been making delicious meats in old-school fashion in a barbecue shack close to Boulder High School. Boulder newcomer (relatively speaking) The Rib House takes third.

BREAKFAST

Lucile’s Creole Café 2124 14th St., Boulder, 303-442-4743 518 Kimbark St., Longmont, 303-774-9814 Runner-up: Walnut Café/Southside Walnut Café

reakfast has got to be the best meal for dining out. We could eat a whole platter of bacon in one sitting. Or a whole platter of beignets from Lucile’s Creole Café. Since two of its five locations are in Boulder County (Boulder and Longmont), you’re never too far from those warm, sugar-covered puffed pastries of heavenly goodness. In addition to some divine varieties of eggs Benedict, this homey New Orleans-style café serves a couple of scrambles that we could eat daily: Farmer’s Eggs and Hank’s Eggs. The former has sausage; the latter has avocado and tomato. Mmm, is it tomorrow morning yet? Another of our favorites, the Walnut Café and its sister, the Southside Walnut Café, took second place. The Buff Restaurant came in third, followed by Dot’s Diner in fourth and Turley’s in fifth.

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

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three to close. every day.

Cosmo’s Pizza 1325 Broadway, 303-447-1133 659 30th St., 303-447-3278 Runner-up: Abo’s Pizza

The Kitchen 1039 Pearl St., 303-544-5973 Runner-up: Salt

f we are what we eat, shouldn’t we at least know what we’re eating? At The Kitchen, what goes into mouthwatering options like slow-roasted duck and porcini mushroom soup is no mystery, thanks to sourcing from local farms all spelled out on a blackboard in the middle of the dining Susan France room. While the menu changes seasonally, you can always count on a fun and tasty meal in the elegantly casual dining room, as organic is transformed into gourmet. Also in tune with Boulder’s infatuation with farm-to-table fare is our runner-up, Salt, where the menu draws heavily on ingredients found at the farmer’s market during summer months. Taking third place this year is Mod Market, followed by Leaf in fourth place and Turley’s in fifth place.

othing says Boulder late night like a trip to Cosmo’s Pizza after a tiring evening of studying or party-hopping on the Hill. A favorite among the college crowd, Cosmo’s is the ideal restaurant to stop in for a calzone big enough to swallow anyone within a 5-foot radius. A chill staff and TVs dotting the room like a sports bar help to make Cosmo’s a great place to wind down after a long night, with enormous, just-greasy-enough slices of New Yorkstyle thin-crust pizza. Kudos to anyone who can get the 24-incher out the door. Runnerup for late-night cuisine goes to Abo’s Pizza, also known for humongous slices of deliciousness. Those not in the mood for Hilary Daniels, a hostess at The pizza may choose to MEXICAN head to our thirdKitchen Efrain’s place winner, the Dark Mexican Food Horse, for a burger, a Restaurant beer and Thursday 101 East Cleveland St., Lafayette, night karaoke. Hapa came in fourth, and 303-666-7544 Boulder Baked came in fifth. 1630 63rd St., Boulder, 303-440-4045 451 S. Pratt Pkwy., Longmont, 720-494-0777 FOOD ON THE HILL Runner-up: Zolo Grill Snarf’s 1360 College Ave., 303-444-7714   ith so many college students residing Runner-up: The Sink in the area, it is no surprise that this category’s winner is known for its strong f you’ve ever examined the hand-drawn margaritas and huge portions. Tucked away figures shown eating Snarf’s sandwiches from obvious restaurant destinations like on this restaurant’s menus, you’ll notice that The Hill, Pearl Street or Twenty Ninth Street, the characters are not just poorly dressed, Efrain’s Mexican Food Restaurant is but have eyes that have floated off their faces. also praised for its authenticity. Efrain’s The guys have five o’clock goatees, and the proved so popular, in fact, they opened a one reaching for the female’s sandwich has second location, aptly named Efrain’s II in no ears on which to perch the stems of his Boulder, and third location in Longmont glasses. But they look happy, which is what called (you guessed it) Efrain’s III. A word to you’ll be after eating ’wiches at this Boulder the wise — they cut you off after two original.The location on the Hill had its buildPremier margaritas due to the high alcohol ing torn down, so it simply moved down the content, and the chile verde will make you street to the food court. Don’t forget that sweat. Modern southwest cuisine and more for a $10 minimum order, Snarf’s delivers than 150 varieties of tequila are available at — hell, yeah — and its Hill sandwich engirunner-up Zolo Grill. Rio Grande was voted neers have delivered many a tasty meal to third, followed by Agave in fourth and Casa Boulder Weekly. Last year’s champ, The Sink, Alvarez in fifth. came in second place this year, followed by Illegal Pete’s in third place, Half Fast Subs in fourth and Abo’s Pizza in fifth.

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TAKEOUT

Noodles & Co. 1600 28th St., 303-546-9000 Runner-up: Snarf’s

here’s nothing like an excellent meal after a long day at the office, but the thought of going to the store for fresh ingredients and then cooking? Please. Times like this call for great takeout, and Noodles & Co. knows just what we’re craving. From classic spaghetti and meatballs to spicy Japanese pan noodles and even home-style Wisconsin mac & cheese, there is no shortage of pasta at this fast-casual favorite. Because the menu has been expanding over the past few years, you’ll find much more than its namesake, with a variety of soups and salads as well. Still, a major sandwich craving can only be quelled by a masterpiece from runner-up Snarf’s. Readers voted Khow Thai third, China Gourmet fourth, and Nick-n-Willy’s fifth.

FROZEN YOGURT

Boulder Chill 2525 Arapahoe Ave., 303-442-6955 Runner-up: Ripple

he cold treat was originally titled “Frogurt” in the ’70s when it was released to the American public. After getting rid of that scary name and appearing in the hands of celebrities everywhere, frozen yogurt has become wildly successful. Readers voted Boulder Chill the best place to follow the trend.With multiple lowcalorie, sugar-free and nonfat flavors available, together with ice cream, this shop has something for every palate. The friendly staff is also more than willing to layer toppings so every bite is perfect. Now that’s service!

Newly opened Ripple, home to an amazing selection of toppings (cheesecake balls and crumbled Pop-Tarts, anyone?) was runnerup. Smooch comes in third, with Maiberry in fourth and Glacier Homemade Ice Cream and Gelato in fifth.

ICE CREAM

Glacier Homemade Ice Cream & Gelato 3133 28th St., 303-440-6542 4760 Baseline Rd., 303-499-4760  Runner-up: Ben & Jerry’s

scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream — and we absolutely wail for Glacier Homemade Ice Cream & Gelato. With more than 200 flavors in rotation, this locally owned sweet spot has all of your cravings covered, from Bing Cherry to Espresso Chocolate Buzz (not to mention a few weird ones like Frozen Dead Guy, in honor of the Nederland festival). And we can’t think of anywhere else where you can do happy hour at an ice cream shop — Margarita and White Russian versions amp up this treat to an adult favorite (and, yes, a photo ID is required).You can even see how the selection of sorbet, gelato and, of course, ice cream are made with tours of the facility, which makes all the goods daily — and it would be downright cruel if you didn’t get to try samples. No trip to the Pearl Street Mall would be complete without a visit to our favorite friends from Vermont, runnerup Ben & Jerry’s. Readers voted Cold Stone Creamery third and Boulder Ice Cream Shoppe fourth, with Lindsay’s Boulder Deli @ Häagen-Dazs rounding out the category.

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’11

SpringSALE Thurs May 5th, 10am-8pm • Fri May 6th, 10am-8pm Sat May 7th, 10am-6pm • Sun May 8th, 10am-4pm

Boulder County Fairgrounds Barn A, Hover & Nelson Rds, Longmont For more information about the sale or summer classes and children’s camps call 303-447-0310 or visit www.boulderpottersguild.com

April 28, 2011 17

Kaely Moore

NEW RESTAURANT

Oak at Fourteenth 1400 Pearl St., 303-444-3622 Runner-up: Pizzeria Locale

efore a fire ripped through the hood exhaust at Oak at Fourteenth in March, the restaurant was getting rave reviews for its innovative and delicious takes on American cuisine. Opened just four months before the fire, Oak at Fourteenth impressed diners with its variety of dishes, like its Wood Grilled Colorado Lamb T-Bones, Citrus and Herb Roasted Salmon Salad and desserts like the Citrus Cheesecake and the Banana and Dark Chocolate Custard. Just reading the menu and its offerings at brunch, lunch, dinner and late-night dining will have your stomach growling. Unfortunately, the fire put the restaurant out of commission for the time being as they reconstruct the fire-damaged areas of the facility. We can’t wait until they re-open. Pizzeria Locale, inspired by the pizzerias of Napoli, Italy, was the runner-up, while The Pinyon, Café Aion and Pica’s Mexican Taqueria finished out the top five.

INDIAN/NEPALI

Sherpa’s Adventurers Restaurant and Bar 825 Walnut St., 303-440-7151 Runner-up: Tandoori Grill

hen it comes to Indian food, there is no shortage of selection in Boulder. But when it comes to an authentic experience and a truly mouthwatering menu, our readers say that one restaurant stands above the rest. Sherpa’s, with its comfortable catacomb dining rooms and Nepalese décor, provides an excellent atmosphere for digging into a plate of 18 April 28, 2011

Tibetan noodles, delicious tikka masala, or creamy saag with a side of fresh garlic naan. Each entrée is perfect for sharing and pairs spectacularly with a warm cup of Sherpa’s specially brewed chai. The restaurant lives up to its name, with genuine Sherpas on site from the Himilaya region of Nepal and Tibet. Visitors are encouraged to stop in at the traveler’s lounge to read up on starting their own adventures. Tandoori Grill is our runner-up in this category, while third place honors go to The Taj. Bombay Bistro came in fourth place, with Himalaya’s in fifth.

BRUNCH

Walnut Café/Southside Walnut Café 3073 Walnut St. , 303-447-2315 673 S. Broadway, 720-304-8118 Runner-up: Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse

pen for more than 25 years, both the Walnut Café and its sister site, the Southside Walnut Café, have been busy hubs for Boulderites — just check out their crowds on any given morning. Along with gut-busting breakfast burritos, egg plates and omelets, there are several vegetarian-friendly options. For diners with a sweet tooth, the menus also include items like the Homemade Sweet Roll and Grananaola (yes, we spelled that right) Chocolate Pancakes — a short or tall stack with granola, banana and chocolate chips. Not an early bird? Not a problem. The cafés are open until 3:30 p.m. every day. Runner-up goes to the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse with its to-die-for breakfast potatoes, and third place goes to Brasserie Ten Ten. The Kitchen came in fourth place, and the Chautauqua Dining Hall placed fifth.

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

LO C

Boulder Ice Cream came alive on 13th Street hand making ice cream in salt and ice churns. The handcrafted tradition still continues today (although a bit more modernized!) in our green manufacturing facility in Boulder Colorado. Looking for a Scoop of Boulder Ice Cream? Did you know that we make over 150 different ice cream and gelato flavors?

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PANCAKE/WAFFLE

Walnut Café/ Southside Walnut Café 3073 Walnut St., 303-447-2315 673 S. Broadway, 720-304-8118 Runner-up: Original Pancake House

THANK YOU BOULDER for all the VOTES and SUPPORT

he thing about Walnut Café’s pancakes is that they’re huge! They offer both short stack and tall stack servings, which are two and three pancakes piled high. But don’t let the number of pancakes fool you. They’re about eight inches in diameter and as thick as mattresses. The average person would probably feel full with just one, but they taste so good, who wants to stop there? In addition to the regular buttermilk pancakes, Walnut Café also offers banana walnut, blueberry, blueberry cornbread and Grananaola Chocolate pancakes. The same can be said about the restaurant’s waffles — real fluffy, filling and tasty.They range from plain to banana walnut to banana chocolate chip and fresh fruit. They even have a waffle loaded with pecans, walnuts and almonds. Talk about going nuts! And they serve these delicious creations all day. You can’t go wrong. Original Pancake House, the wellknown national chain, scored runner-up while The Buff was voted third, Turley’s was fourth, and Le Peep was fifth.

PLACE TO BRING KIDS

Boulder Farmers’ Market 1900 13th St., 303-910-2236  Runner-up: Red Robin

T Best Frozen Yogurt

Best New Business

Best Independent Business

here’s a reason kids across Boulder can’t wait to wake up early on Saturday morning, and it isn’t cartoons. No, it’s the Boulder Farmers’ Market — the thrill of running around Central Park, gazing at all of the mysterious wares made by upwards of a hundred vendors, eating fresh fruit and pastries for breakfast, and getting to spend some quality time with Mom and Dad. Even better, it’s the perfect place to teach kids about healthful eating and sustainable shopping. For a blast anytime, runner-up Red Robin serves up dozens of inventive burgers, bottomless steak fries and balloons that kids are sure to enjoy while gawking at hundreds of amusing posters. Taking third place is Noodles & Co., while Mountain Sun and its sister Southern Sun take fourth, and Wahoo’s Fish Taco came in fifth.

PLACE TO EAT OUTDOORS

Chautauqua Dining Hall 900 Baseline Rd., 303-440-3776 Runner-up: Boulder Farmers’ Market

hautauqua has long been a must-see spot in Boulder for both tourists and locals alike, and for obvious reasons. What other place in America combines stunning scenery, picnics, concerts, hiking, history and a fabulous restaurant? Built in 1898, the Chautauqua Dining Hall offers a delicious American menu and breathtaking views of the Flatirons. Pair a great meal and a locally brewed draft beer with a seat on

20 April 28, 2011

the restaurant’s gorgeous wraparound porch, and you will have experienced one of the unforgettable highlights of Boulder. Boulder Farmers’ Market is this year’s runner-up. The market offers delicious foods grown by local farmers and is a great place to enjoy a day in Boulder’s Central Park. Enjoy a cup of fresh brewed tea on the terrace of the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse, which was awarded third place. The Mediterranean Restaurant, with its outdoor patio, came in fourth this year, while the West End Tavern with its famous rooftop deck came in fifth.

CHINESE

Golden Lotus 1964 28th St., 303-442-6868 Runner-up: Moongate Bistro

he results for this category are almost getting to be anticlimactic — not that that’s a bad thing. After all, consistency is a large part of quality. Winning again this year, Golden Lotus is beginning to establish its own dynasty in the Best of Boulder County. The restaurant, suited for the more refined Chinese cuisine lovers of Boulder County, is popular for the traditional dishes rarely seen in a world of Americanized Chinese cuisine (Panda Express, anyone?).Their house dinner specials run from $11.95 to $16.95 and come with your choice of 12 entrees, a soup, a taste of each appetizer and your choice of rice. There are vegetarian options aplenty, and Golden Lotus uses no MSG in any of its dishes, so you don’t have to make a special request. Runner-up went to Chinese- and Thai-serving Moongate Bistro, and third to China Gourmet. Fourth place winner this year was Spice China, followed by May Wah.

FINE DINING

Frasca Food and Wine 1738 Pearl St., 303-442-6966 Runner-up: The Flagstaff House

he best of food and hospitality come together in one restaurant in Boulder’s much-lauded Frasca Food and Wine, the creation of master sommelier Bobby Stuckey and master chef Lachlan MackinnonPatterson. The two met while working at legendary California restaurant The French Laundry, and ever since opening Frasca, the two have received numerous prestigious awards from various national and local publications, and with good reason. You’ll never taste better Italian food, all inspired by the cuisine of Italy’s Friuli region.Though the $70 price tag for a four-course meal makes regular dining something only for the super-rich, it’s worth it on many levels, including seeing Stuckey float around the dining room, educating even the most philistine wine drinkers about the ins and outs of his favorite drink. The fancy Flagstaff House and its gorgeous views took runner-up. The Kitchen came in third, Salt came in fourth and Black Cat took fifth.

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

BAR

Simple, Natural, Elegant Italian

BAR PIZZA

Abo’s Pizza 1124 13th St., 303-443-3199 Runner-up: Proto’s

ollege students know that pizza is a RESTAURANT DESSERT viable option for breakfast, lunch, dinner The Kitchen or a late-night snack. Adults know pizza is 1039 Pearl St., 303-544-5973 always a hit with kids and co-workers. Runner-up: Salt Boulder thinks the best source for this magic pie is Abo’s Pizza, where slices come overoney and fruit were some of the origisized and toppings are abundant in option. nal after-dinner treats, but when sugar New York style buffs up with classically thin arrived on the tables of aristocrats in the crust made from dough Susan France Middle Ages, the dining tossed fresh daily. table changed forever. Generous amounts of Our readers say The mozzarella, fresh topKitchen offers the pings and a list of localbest sweets to end a ly brewed beers to meal for blue bloods wash it all down makes and the masses alike, Abo’s a place to catch serving dishes like up with friends or potato doughnuts and check on the score of spiced hot chocolate, the game between sticky toffee pudding classes, all while enjoyand affogato, a tradiing a moderately priced tional Italian espressoslice of pie. Abo’s is also based treat. Salt, with open late night, where its pastry chef and slices become part of a dessert-wine pairings, fun night with friends was voted runner-up. or food for thought The Mediterranean during late night study Restaurant snagged sessions. Our runnerthird place, and readup this year is the ers chose Frasca for always classy, always the fourth spot, with delicious Proto’s Pizza the iconic Boulder Napoletana with loca- Abo’s Pizza employee Kami Dushanbe Teahouse tions in Boulder, Engel taking fifth place. Longmont, Lafayette, Broomfield and Denver. Beau Jo’s of honey-for-your-crust fame earns RESTAURANT SERVICE third place this year. Fourth place went to Frasca Food and Wine Nick-n-Willy’s, with Cosmo’s in fifth. 1738 Pearl St., 303-442-6966   Runner-up: Flagstaff House

RESTAURANT AMBIANCE

Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse 1770 13th St., 303-442-4993   Runner-up: Flagstaff House

here is truly nothing like the experience of sipping tea and dining in the Dushanbe Teahouse. Given to Boulder about two decades ago by its sister city, Dushanbe, Tajikstan, the teahouse is an exquisite display of handcrafted art and décor that took about three years and more than 40 Tajik artisans to create. Check out the eight colorful ceramic panels on the building’s exterior that display patterns of a “Tree of Life,” and the indoor pool featuring copper sculptures based on a 12th-century poem called “The Seven Beauties.” Walking into Dushanbe is like walking into another country, one filled with peace, beauty and serenity. The elegant Flagstaff House with its internationally acclaimed cuisine and wine

R I S TO R A N TE

dinner: daily at 4:30 lunch: mon-fri 11-2:30 happy hour: mon-thur 4:30-6 closed sunday

list is this year’s runner-up, while The Mediterranean came in third. The Kitchen earned a fourth place, and Frasca tied with Brasserie Ten Ten for fifth place.

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alk about dedication to service. Frasca Food and Wine sends members of its wait staff to the Friuli region in Italy that inspires its cuisine and wine. Now that’s an investment in treating your customers well, not to mention your employees. Another sign of dedication to service is that you are not rushed in Frasca; the wait staff never pushes you to finish up as quickly as you can so that they can turn over the table faster and increase their tips. There are two seatings, one between 5:30 and 6:15 p.m., and the other between 8 and 10:30 p.m., which tells you to sit back and enjoy the gastronomical and enological experience that few restaurants in Boulder can match. The elegant Flagstaff House came in second place, and Mountain Sun/Southern Sun placed third. The Walnut Café/Southside Walnut Café got fourth place, withThe Mediterranean Restaurant coming in fifth.

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’11

April 28, 2011 21

OVERALL RESTAURANT

The Mediterranean Restaurant 1002 Walnut St., 303-444-5335   Runner-up: The Kitchen

he Mediterranean Restaurant takes the crown again for Best Overall Restaurant. If you’ve already tried the tapas, the Vongole E Prosciutto (gnocchi, clams and prosciutto in a divine garlic, lemon and olive oil sauce) and you are looking for something new and different, check out the Chef’s Table on Tuesday nights at 7 p.m. There are 12 reserved seats, and you get five courses of local, organic and seasonal fare for $40 (a wine pairing is an additional $20).We’re talking about grazing on the likes of Braised Red Wagon Farms Turnips and Isabelle Farms Butternut Squash Tortellini. And if you have never eaten in The Med’s bright, colorful patio area, you can’t call yourself a true Boulderite. The Kitchen is our runner-up again this year, followed by Jax Fish House in third place. Frasca came in fourth place, with the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse taking fifth.

ROMANTIC DINNER

Flagstaff House 1138 Flagstaff Rd., 303-442-4640   Runner-up: Frasca Food & Wine

f you’re looking for storybook romance and elegance, you can’t beat the Flagstaff House. Perched above Boulder amid ponderosa pines, Flagstaff House offers internationally renowned cuisine and an awardwinning wine list designed for seduction. Whether you want a romantic night away from the kids or you’re planning to pop the question, Flagstaff House has the ambiance to turn your evening into a lifelong memory. Sit at a table with an unobstructed view of the lights of Boulder, and let the views, the food and the top-notch service carry you both away. Elegant Frasca is our runner-up, with John’s coming in third. Black Cat is fourth in this category, followed by L’Atalier.

SANDWICH

Snarf’s Various locations around Boulder County, www.eatsnarfs.com  Runner-up: Salvaggio’s

ow do they do it? A Boulder original, Snarf’s must have some secret, addictive ingredient that they slip into all of their sandwiches that lets them edge out all other formidable competitors, given this county’s vibrant sandwich-shop market. We have long ago given up any resistance to their mystical powers, with the way that an Italian Snarf satisfies like no other. Oh, and they have other tricks up their sleeves — just check 22 April 28, 2011

out their menu for more temptations. And who could match their naming prowess when it comes to the likes of Snarfmont for their Longmont shop. Don’t forget that they deliver, too. Salvaggio’s Italian Deli is a worthy adversary, coming in as our runner-up, followed by Half Fast Subs in third, Dish Gourmet in fourth, and Deli Zone in fifth.

SUSHI

Sushi Zanmai 1221 Spruce St., 303-440-0733 Runner-up: Hapa

ushi originated as a salt-based method of preserving fish and rice in the days of yore. So it’s somewhat ironic that most sushi devotees have modern refrigeration to thank for their favorite dish. Now that fish can be transported from the ocean to your table in a matter of hours, more and more people are savoring cuisine that was once considered exotic. Voted Boulder’s choice option, Sushi Zanmai is known for its fresh fish and Saturday-night karaoke. In addition to traditional rolls, Sushi Zanmai has a wide variety of specialty rolls with veggie and raw filet mignon options for those in search of something different. Runner-up Hapa is another favorite with two popular locations, one on the Hill and one on Pearl Street. Sushi Tora takes third place, followed by Japango in fourth and Kasa in fifth.

ITALIAN

Laudisio 1710 29th St., #1076, 303-442-1300 Runner-up: Pasta Jay’s

othing beats authentic Italian cuisine alongside a robust glass of vino. Laudisio understands this, and provides ambiance accompanied by plates that have tickled the tummies and taste buds of Boulder residents for 14 years and counting. The restaurant offers dining options for people with dietary sensitivities, including gluten-free pizza, as well as the comfort of classics like spaghetti carbonara and adventurous plates like calamari and octopus risotto nero. Many wines hail from Italy and are divided by the region of their country of origin. Whether you fancy a red of the north or a barolo DOCG (described as the king of wine and wine of kings) Laudisio has designed a dining experience to remember. So, bring your date, bring your mom, bring yourself and enjoy a filling and flavorful meal fit for royalty. Pasta Jay’s, whose delectable garlic you can smell a mile away, is this year’s runner-up, and the ever-popular Carelli’s takes third. Radda Trattoria came in fourth place, and Il Pastaio took fifth place.

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

BURRITO

CATERING

A Spice of Life Catering Services 5541 Central Ave., #272, 303-443-4049 Runner-up: Sage and Savory

here’s been a lot of criticism lately about how we’re all “outsourcing” everything we used to do for ourselves. We can — and should — make our own soap, grow our own tomatoes, darn our own socks, raise our own chickens. And while it’s certainly true that we could all be a bit more self-sufficient, some things are just best left to professionals. Catering a 200-person gala dinner is definitely one of them. Unless you have a real flair for cooking, a commercial-scale kitchen, more than 100 employees and a decades-long history of customer satisfaction, you’re probably not ready to cater your cousin’s wedding or your nephew’s bar mitzvah. Instead, leave it to the folks who do have all that: A Spice of Life Catering Services. Big or small, casual or formal, Spice of Life can accommodate just about any event. Sage and Savory, a catering service both wise and delicious, takes home runner-up honors this year. Big Bang is this year’s third-place winner, while Bay Window and Savory Cuisine snag fourth and fifth, respectively.

Illegal Pete’s 1447 Pearl St., 303-440-3955 1320 College Ave., 303-444-3055 Runner-up: Chipotle

ith fierce competition from big burrito chains like Chipotle and Qdoba, not to mention local favorites like Big City Burrito, Illegal Pete’s is once again the best big-ass burrito you’ll find in Boulder County. And it doesn’t hurt that Illegal Pete’s has a wide variety of burritos to choose from: four kinds of chicken, six types of beef, four versions of pork, a couple of fish burritos and five different vegetarian burritos. They even have Poquito Burritos, a smaller version of their burritos for those of you (and kids) who can’t handle the full-size glory. Even if you’re not into the giant burrito thing, Illegal Pete’s has a great selection of tacos, nachos, salads and quesadillas, so you A Spice of Life can’t lose! Our Catering Services runner-up this year was Chipotle, which has about five stores in the county, while third place went to Efrain’s Mexican Restaurant. Big City Burrito and Santiago’s rounded out the top vote getters.

BUSINESS LUNCH

The Mediterranean Restaurant 1002 Walnut St., 303-444-5335 Runner-up: The Kitchen

BURGER

Larkburger 2525 Arapahoe Ave., 303-444-1487 Runner-up: Mountain Sun/Southern Sun

est Burger” is a cutthroat, competitive category. In a vegetarian-friendly town like Boulder, you’d think this award wouldn’t matter as much, but like nearly every town in this state, we Boulderites know our beef. We want our burgers stuffed with all-natural meat and cheese, made with only the purest, most environmentally friendly ingredients. Larkburger takes the patty this year, and with good reason: With all Black Angus Beef, zero trans fats, and a commitment to sustainability via compostable cups and containers, everything about Larkburger’s signature burger is naturally delicious. Their truffle fries are practically the best in town as well. Some great alternatives are the burgers at the Mountain Sun and Southern Sun breweries, where you can wash down your burger with some of the best beer in town. Smashburger took third, the Dark Horse took fourth and the West End Tavern took fifth.

verything may be set for that killer deal you are about to close, but make sure you don’t blow it with poor execution. Even the most seasoned broker can lose customers with an ill-chosen power lunch. Three things are absolutely essential to grease the wheels of commerce: a clean, no-nonsense atmosphere, a light but expansive menu and, of course, a solid bar. The Med boasts all three. The lunch menu has tapas that flexibly mix-and-match any professional crowd, with a range of traditional starters like baba ganouj and assorted treats swimming in olive oil to bold choices such as mussels, lamb meatballs and tasty brochettes. For a serious meal, choose among classy entrées from Greek, Italian, French and Spanish cuisine. But no matter the occasion, the brightly lit courtyard will ensure mind and body are comfortable when it comes down to business. Within a block you can find our runner-up, The Kitchen. Third place went to Brasserie Ten-Ten, while fourth- and fifthplace winners this year are Boulder Cork and Laudisio.

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’11

April 28, 2011 23

THAI

Khow Thai Café 1600 Broadway, 303-447-0203 Runner-up: Chy Thai Cuisine

how Thai Café became Boulder’s favorite Thai restaurant when it opened in 2002, Leaf Vegetarian wowing us with its fantastic Restaurant dishes. Toí Newman, the restaurant’s incredible cook and authentic and beautiful Thai food dishes. founder, is a testament to overcoming enorBuddha Café was awarded third place, while mous obstacles as a way to achieve success. Elephant Hut received fourth place and Suki She and her husband Larry went from worThai Noodle House took fifth place. rying about the future of their tiny unknown restaurant — including a period when road VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY construction all but blocked their entrance Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant — to thriving in the success of dazzling 2010 16th St., 303-442-1485 customers with delicious food. The menu Runner-up: Turley’s contains various types of curry, stir-fried entrees and noodle and rice dishes. You can at food, not too much, mostly plants.” enjoy the hearty meals as is, or if you were That sage advice is from Michael Pollan, feeling adventurous, go for the “Thai hot” option as a way to literally clear your senses. the well-known journalist, food activist and And don’t forget to try the Thai iced tea — author of In Defense of Food and The a Boulder Weekly staff favorite. Runner-up Omnivore’s Dilemma. While Pollan is lenient, goes to Chy Thai Cuisine this year for its advocating “mostly plants,” not necessarily “all plants,” we could all do with a little more

“

VIETNAMESE

Chez Thuy 2655 28th St., 303-442-1700   Runner-up: May Wah

ING. I WOULD DRIVE MILES AND MILES FOR THE TOMATILLO-AVOCADO SALSA, BUT I’M GLAD I DON’T HAVE TO. THIS PLACE IS A GEM.

STILL PLENTY THAT AREN’T LISTED. MATEO IS A FRENCH RESTAURANT.

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ABSOLUTELY SHOCKING NOT TO HAVE PIZZARIA BASTA ON ANY OF YOUR LISTS... SO GOOD! CRAAY GOOD!

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produce and a little less beef in our diets. To that end, why not have a healthy — and very tasty — meal at Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant? Skipping meat at one meal won’t kill you, honest. In fact, if the research is right, it’ll actually extend it a few years. Turley’s snags the runner-up spot, and third place goes to Mod Market and its array of delicious salads. Fourth place goes to Ethiopian restaurant Ras Kassa’s and fifth to VG Burgers.

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THE KITCHEN IS THE BOMB DIGGIDEE!!!

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IT IS AMAZING HOW MANY GREAT RESTAURANTS THERE ARE TO CHOOSE FROM, AND THERE ARE 24 April 28, 2011

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” ~ “DIFFICULT~CHOICES.”

WALNUT CAFE GOT THE CRACK PIE!!!

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I BELIEVE THAT IL PASTAIO RESTAURANT IS THE BEST-KEPT SECRET IN TOWN AND IT’S TIME TO LET IT OUT!! THANKS FOR YOUR SURVEY. A LOYAL CUSTOMER!

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here are plenty of fast-food pho options in town, but aside from serving up a delicious menu of Vietnamese fare, Chez Thuy succeeds as a comfortable, reliable restaurant environment. The grilled meats are succulent whether in soup or served atop fresh noodle salads, and the large menu that caters to lunch and dinner will keep you coming back to experiment. Since 1993, chef Thuy (pronounced “Twee”) has offered your choice of seafood, meat and vegetarian dishes prepared in traditional and modern styles. The curries and stir-frys are sure bets, but the 40-plus list of chef’s specials include adventurous options such as deep-fried catfish in ginger sauce, spicy sautéed frog legs and a black bean hotpot with mushrooms and pineapple. The lengthy vegetarian menu gives herbivores plenty of options, and the spice levels vary to please mouths of any persuasion. May Wah takes runner-up honors this year, with Kim’s coming in third, Black Pepper Pho taking fourth and Vina Pho & Grill coming in fifth place.

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BOULDER HAS BECOME A WORLD-CLASS RESTAURANT TOWN. I REMEMBER WHEN THERE WERE ONLY A FEW — REMEMBER THE LAMPLIGHTER ON ARAPAHOE?

THERE SHOULD BE A CATEGORY ALL ITS OWN FOR BEST SALSA IN TOWN, AND PUPUSAS WINS HANDS DOWN. THEIR SALSA BAR IS AMAZ-

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ADD CATEGORY FOR WINDOW CLEANING AND MY BUSINESS, EYES OF SHIVA.

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Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

Authentic & Original Recipes Thank Y Boulde ou r consiste for voting ntly us the

“Best o

f Bo

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Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’11

April 28, 2011 25

Susan France

Hilary Daniels, hostess at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best martini winner, The Kitchen

26 April 28, 2011

Best of Boulder County â&#x20AC;&#x2122;11 Boulder Weekly

BEER SELECTION (RESTAURANT)

COFFEE HOUSE

The Laughing Goat 1709 Pearl St., 303-440-4628 Norlin Library, 1720 Pleasant St. Runner-up: Ozo

Mountain Sun/ Southern Sun 1535 Pearl St., 303-546-0886 627 S. Broadway, 303-543-0886 Runner-up: Oskar Blues

ountain Sun and Southern Sun Pub and Brewery have the best beer Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse selection in town, and everyone seems to know it. feinated and brewed in-house. Whether you’ve got a Perpetually packed throughout the week, it can some- backpack or bike helmet in hand and are looking for times be difficult to find a table — or even a comfy a chai fix, this teahouse is an excellent choice. Our spot at the bar — at either location. But a hearty runner-up is the Pekoe Sip House, while third place meal, and a couple of fine crafted quality beers, are goes to the Laughing Goat Coffeehouse. Sherpa’s always well worth the wait. Each pub offers a brew for Adventurers Restaurant and Bar was chosen fourth, every beer-lover, from wheats and stouts to IPAs. and Ozo Coffee came in fifth place. After a hard day at work, there’s nothing quite like spending time with a few friends and indulging in a Belgian Dip Chocolate Stout, a Blackberry Wheat, or CHAI MANUFACTURER a light and flavorful Quinn’s Golden Ale. Snagging secBhakti Chai ond are the rich craft brews at Oskar Blues Brewery www.bhaktichai.com in Lyons, and coming in third is Old Chicago with its Runner-up: Third Street Chai tour of beers from around the world. Walnut Brewery takes home fourth-place honors, and Backcountry irst brewed in a single house in Nederland, Pizza, which just recently expended from Nederland into Boulder, took fifth place. Bhakti Chai has grown to find its way to chailovers throughout the nation. This “special” chai has a uniquely spicy taste and is made with a blend of ingreCHAI DRINK dients intended to invigorate the mind and body. Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse Using black tea, organic ginger, cloves, cardamom, 1770 13th St., 303-442-4993 black pepper and fennel, Bhakti offers a wide variety Runner-up: Pekoe of health benefits — from improved digestion and circulation to a healthier heart, liver and lungs. Bhakti ccording to ancient legend, chai tea was first can be found in local stores like Whole Foods Markets brewed as a healing elixir by a king in the courts and is served in various cafés throughout Boulder. The of India and later became frequently used in the tradition of “ayurveda” alternative medicine in the East. chai-obsessed might also consider ordering Bhakti But now, chai tea is as common as a Subaru on the online. Locally brewed Third Street Chai comes in streets of Boulder: Every college hipster and aging second for the county’s best chai manufacturer, with a hippie is familiar with the drink. The Boulder sweeter blend for those not so keen on a strong ginDushanbe Teahouse, this year’s winner of the Best ger flavor. Chai Drink, has a particularly delicious assortment. Their silky chai blends are both caffeinated and decaf-

28 April 28, 2011

he switch from wine to coffee has been credited with sparking the French Revolution. Yeah, caffeine is powerful stuff. Though we’re bit a less dramatic when we load up on caffeine, our devotion to the brew is equally fanatical. Coffee shops are places to congregate, interact with fellow thinkers or just relax and read your favorite newspaper. The Laughing Goat encompasses all these aspects and more, with ample seating, wi-fi and fantastic coffee made by the Kaladi Brothers of Denver. It also offers live music seven days a week, and its happy hour booze specials are not to be missed. Ozo and its delicious, practically avant-garde coffees come in second, and Vic’s, Starbucks and Amante take the third, fourth and fifth spots.

HAPPY HOUR

The Mediterranean Restaurant 1002 Walnut St., 303-444-5335 Runner-up: Boulder Café

he happiest part about The Mediterranean Restaurant’s Tapas Hour is that it lasts for three and a half — every day of the week. Notable for its $4 red and white sangrias and similarly priced well cocktails and featured wines, this colorful spot routinely attracts hordes of ravenous Boulderites. Whatever the weather, the restaurant’s “tapas calientes” and “tapas frias” are sure to satisfy palates with options like mussels steamed with choice of lemon and garlic or adobado and prosciutto-wrapped melon and Parmesan Reggiano. For patrons who prefer people watching to prosciutto, the Boulder Café takes second place in the polls and offers a patio and top shelf happy hour from 3 p.m. to close every day during the winter months. Enjoy seasonal oysters and alpine fondue with a half-priced local brew during the time where gluttony is glory. Braserrie Ten Ten was voted third, Mountain Sun/Southern Sun fourth, and Laudisio fifth.

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

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Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’11

Boulder, CO • Berkeley, CA • Penngrove, CA • Santa Cruz, CA • Distance Learning

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April 28, 2011 29

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Boulder Saturdays: April 2 - November 19, 2011 8am - 2pm Wednesdays: May 4 - October 5, 2011 4pm - 8pm 30 April 28, 2011

Best place to meet the people who grow your food.

Photo by http://kirstenboyerphotography.blogspot.com/

Ozo Coffee

LATTE

Ozo Coffee 5340 Arapahoe Ave., 303-440-0233 1015 Pearl St., 303-645-4885 Runner-up: The Laughing Goat

attes are probably the most popular way to drink coffee, which means there was a lot of competition this year in the best latte category. The drink is simply steamed-milk and espresso, with varying amounts of frothy milk thrown in for decoration, and the proper Italian name is caffè latte, which literally means “coffee-milk.” In a heated vote, our readers gave Ozo Coffee the nod. Ozo Coffee roasts some of the most creative coffees in town, and reading about their coffees is like being in a wine bar, with descriptions like “big, syrupy mouthfeel” and “mild acidity and silky body” peppering the menu. Their baristas are true coffee nerds, able to navigate the surprisingly complex chemical processes required to use advanced espresso machines and pull the perfect draw, all adding up to the best latte you’ve ever tasted. Our voters chose The Laughing Goat’s impeccable lattes for the runnerup spot. Amante Coffee, known for their Italian flair, love of cyling and great lattes took third. The ubiquitous Starbuck’s took fourth place, the always delicious Vic’s snagged fifth place.

JUICE/SMOOTHIE

Jamba Juice 4760 Baseline Rd., 303-499-4760 3053 Arapahoe Ave., 303-247-1170 1695 29th St., 720-565-0407 3325 28th St., 303-938-1271 University Memorial Center, CU campus Runner-up: Rush

n the midst of a long, stressful day, nothing sounds more refreshing than a fruit smoothie. As your mood begins to brighten after taking your first cooling sip of a Jamba Juice smoothie, you also pat yourself on the back for choosing the healthier alternative to your average milkshake. With smoothie names like Five Fruit Frenzy, Pomegranate Paradise and Mango-a-go-go, plus any amount of added boosts, such as protein, vitamins or energy, Jamba Juice will make you feel ready to tackle the rest of your day.This is after the cashier politely told you how to (finally) pronounce acai (Ah-Sigh-EE) correctly. If you are craving a heartier smoothie, the runner-up Rush will satisfy your hunger with one of their signature rush bowls, a fruit blend topped with granola and honey. Third-place winner Glacier Homemade Ice Cream & Gelato will cure your fruit craving with smoothies made from their homemade sorbets and yogurts. Fourth place goes to The Berry Best Smoothie Company, and fifth place goes to Inta Juice Fruit Smoothies.

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

Thank you Boulder!

For voting us

BesT smooTHie

for the last 11 years!

Help us celebrate! Bring this

ad in for 20% off your next order. Valid at the following locations: 30th and Arapahoe, 29th Street , UMC at the University of Colorado. Not valid at Safeway locations.

www.jambajuice.com This year’s winner for best margarita, Rio Grande

MARTINI

MARGARITA

The Kitchen 1039 Pearl St., 303-544-5973 Runner-up: Jax Fish House

Rio Grande 1101 Walnut St., 303-444-3690   Runner-up: Zolo Grill

as there ever any doubt? We once heard a longtime Rio Grande barfly (OK, he’s an immediate family member) exclaim, after being presented with a menu, “You mean this place serves food, too?” That’s how amazing the margaritas are. You forget about the enchiladas. And don’t call them “ritas,” because we’ll know you are from Texas. How many other places have a sign proclaiming “Limit 3”? Trust us, if you have three of these bad boys, you won’t be drinking anywhere else without regretting it somehow. And they go down smooth. This is one of those must-hit places when you want to spend a night celebrating with friends. During the summer, the rooftop deck only adds to the experience. The perennially popular Zolo Grill, with its expansive selection of top shelf tequilas, is this year’s runner-up, followed by Tahona in third. Efrain’s Mexican Restaurant took fourth place, and Centro Latin Kitchen & Refreshment Palace was in fifth place.

haken, stirred or… sustainable? The Kitchen has mastered the simplicity of comfortable classics and farm-to-table dining and applies the same thought process to martinis as they do the menu. The lychee martini is made with Tito’s vodka, an organic, gluten-free option made in Austin, Texas, lime and lychee, an obscure fruit, technically a nut, found in Asian markets. The complexity of the lychee compliments the straightforward nature of The Kitchen’s approach to beverages. For people who enjoy their drinks on the sweeter side, the Persian Lemon martini is made from pama liqueur, Ketle one citron and served with pineapple, lemon and, of course, a sugared rim. For sips that are always sophisticated and sometimes sweet, The Kitchen is Boulder’s choice for martinis that tantalize. Runner-up Jax Fish House also serves a mean martini, and be sure to check out third-place Bacaro Venetian Taverna, fourth-place the Corner Bar and fifth-place Restaurant 4580 in North Boulder.

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’11

April 28, 2011 31

OLD CHICAGO HAS

110 BEERS

Katherine Creel

FROM AROUND THE

WORLD Come see why we’re a Boulder Favorite since 1976!

BOULDER 1102 Pearl St. • Pearl St. Mall corner of 11th & Pearl • 303.443.5031 www.oldchicago.com 32 April 28, 2011

Wes Stewart and Will Doerrmann of Southern Sun. The Mountain Sun/ Southern Sun brew pubs took home three first-place awards this year.

MICROBREWERY

TEAHOUSE

Mountain Sun/Southern Sun Pub & Brewery 1535 Pearl St., 303-546-0886 627 S. Broadway, 303-543-0886 Runner-up: Avery Brewing Co.

Dushanbe Teahouse 1770 13th St., 303-442-4993 Runner-up: Pekoe

ike the voters, we’re kind of partial to Mountain Sun and Southern Sun brew pubs, and not just because the latter is across the street and is Boulder Weekly’s unofficial watering hole. In addition to their mighty fine brews, we kind of like the idea that they are committed to keeping televisions out so that the emphasis is on conversation and community. What a concept! The Suns have collected six gold medals at the Great American Beer Festival over the years, so you know the liquids are tasty. And don’t even get us started on the burgers at the Southern branch. Another longtime local favorite, the Avery Brewing Co., took runner-up in this category, with Oskar Blues placing third, Left Hand Brewing Co. in the fourth slot and Walnut Brewery in fifth.

t first glance, the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse’s collage of colors can almost seem unreal. But take a closer look, and you can see the building’s puzzle-like nature: each column and corner carefully crafted and painted by craftsmen in our sister city to fit together neatly. Like the building’s architecture, the tea menu stretches across the color and flavor spectrum. On the menu are various black, green, oolong and herbal teas; and for the avid tea-drinker, the teahouse also sells packaged tea, as well as at-home brewing accessories. Taking runner-up honors this year, with three locations across Boulder, is Pekoe Sip House, known for its unique drink blends. Taking third is the Boulder-born Celestial Seasonings. Ku Cha House of Tea is fourth, and The Huckleberry rounds out the top five in fifth place.

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

• Laser Shows • Museum Onsite • Regular Talks by World Experts

Regent Drive (Next to Coors Event Center, Main Campus CU Boulder)

303.492.5002 http://fiske.colorado.edu

Susan France

WINE SELECTION

Chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson, co-owner of Frasca Food and Wine

Frasca Food and Wine 1738 Pearl St., 303-442-6966 Runner-up: Flagstaff House

n the entire world, according to the grandly named Court of Master Sommeliers, there are 180 wine experts who have attained the elite title of “master.” In order to earn the appellation, one must demonstrate a masterly knowledge of how to properly serve wine and display encyclopedic knowhow of where and how wine is made. But what really separates the two-buck-Chucks from the 200-buck-Joseph Phelps is the blind taste test, where one blindly tastes six glasses of wine and, within 25 minutes, must identify what type of wine it is, where it came from and what year it was made. That’s why the title is so rare, and why Frasca Food and Wine is lucky to boast master sommelier Bobby Stuckey as co-owner. With an expert like Stuckey micromanaging the list, other restaurants never stood a chance. The Flagstaff House and its internationally acclaimed wine list is this year’s runner-up.The Kitchen took third, with The Mediterranean Restaurant in fourth, and Laudisio and The Cork tied for fifth.

“

SOME JUST STAND OUT WAY IN FRONT OF THE PACK...

“ “ “

SORRY, I DON’T REALLY DO MARGARITAS, NOR MARTINIS OFTEN ENOUGH TO VOTE IN THOSE CATEGORIES.

~ ” “HELLO? LONGMONT? ~ ”

BOULDER SADLY LACKS AN A-LIST MARTINI.

DO NOT DRINK, THEREFORE NO VOTING.

” ~ ”

I HAVE LESS EXPERIENCE IN THIS CATEGORY.

SORRY, I DON’T DRINK ALCOHOL, SO I LEFT MOST OF THIS BLANK.

34 April 28, 2011

“ “

~”

”

“

THERE’S NO ENTRY FOR MOCHAS? I VOTED OZO FOR LATTES BECAUSE OF THEIR MOCHAS.

”

ADD CATEGORY FOR WINDOW CLEANING AND MY BUSINESS EYES OF SHIVA.

”

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

Courtesy of Colorado Music Festival

Bjorn Ranheim, principal cellist with the Colorado Music Festival

36 April 28, 2011

Best of Boulder County â&#x20AC;&#x2122;11 Boulder Weekly

national historic landmark

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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

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Meg Denbow

Courtesy of Colorado Music Festival

Ground-breaking trio Time for Three will be an ensemble-in-residence at the Colorado Music Festival.

ADVANCED EDUCATION

CU Continuing Education 1505 University Ave., 303-492-5148 Runner-up: Naropa University Extended Studies

ver the course of our lives, our enthusiasm for school seems to follow a sine wave, more or less: up, then down, then up again. Our first day of kindergarten is the most exciting day of our tiny lives, and we can’t wait for story time, recess and show and tell. Then our interest wanes a bit throughout elementary school, one year much like the last and summer vacation claiming our affections. The first day of middle school, it’s on the upswing again, and ditto for the first day of high school. During college, our enthusiasm is geared more toward our “extra curricular activities” than school, per se. And once we graduate and join the work force, education usually takes a back seat to other demands. Thank goodness then for places like CU Continuing Education, which not only teaches us things we need to know for work, but a whole host of subjects we always meant to study, like theater, anthropology and film. There’s also the estimable Naropa University Extended Studies, which is this year’s runner-up. Front Range Community College took third place, while Culinary School of the Rockies came in fourth and Boulder College of Massage Therapy took fifth.

CLASSICAL MUSIC

Colorado Music Festival 303-449-1397 Runner-up: Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra 38 April 28, 2011

he Oxford Concise Dictionary of Music broadly dates classical music from the 11th century through present times. We haven’t done the exact math, but that’s a longer track record than just about every other genre of music we can think of — combined. Some musicians chase the latest trends and fads, like electronica, dub step, drone, 8-bit and trance, to keep their sound fresh. Making music that’s sometimes centuries old exciting and entertaining for modern audiences is a challenge to say the least, and one that the Colorado Music Festival handles with class and élan. Their summer festival is an annual tradition in Boulder, pulling in audiences — not to mention performers — from around the country. It is not to be missed, whether you’re a classical music buff or think that Beethoven was a St. Bernard. Boulder Philharmonic, which has seen 53 successful seasons, garnered runner-up honors. Colorado Symphony Orchestra won third place, while CU Presents came in fourth and Boulder Chamber Orchestra took fifth.

FESTIVAL (NON-MUSIC)

Boulder Creek Festival Downtown Boulder Runner-up: Boulder County Farmer’s Market

ive me your spiritual, your bored, your poor college students, your hungry-for-free-samples masses. And send them to the Boulder Creek Festival. The yearly festival that snakes along Boulder Creek has activities, performances, food and drink, and, of course, ducks. It’s a threeday festival that’s free of charge and full of Boulder personality. The free samples are enough to get by on for the day, but there’s also plenty of food for purchase, and more

importantly, cold drinks for the hot summer day spent by the Creek. The Boulder County Farmer’s Market comes in second, offering locally grown fruits and vegetables, as well as locally prepared food, arts and crafts. In third is Nederland’s Frozen Dead Guy Days, a festival that celebrates Grandpa Bredo, a real dude really frozen in the Tuff Shed, and in fourth is the Colorado Shakespeare Festival. Fifth place goes to the Boulder International Film Festival.

BAR

Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery/ Southern Sun Pub & Brewery Mountain Sun: 1535 Pearl St., 303-546-0886 Southern Sun: 627 S. Broadway, 303-543-0886 Runner-up: The West End Tavern

here were some conspiracy theories surrounding this year’s Best Bar winner — did Mountain Sun and Southern Sun Pub & Brewery win just because they had two chances to win votes? Turns out, no, it was the selection of award-winning beers they brew, the friendly atmosphere in which to drink the beer, and the selection of great foods that go along with the beer. It’s a great place to meet with friends in the middle of a sunny day or at the end of a long shift and feels more like an old-fashioned public house, or “pub” than a typical bar. (In my case, while writing this — hey, it’s research!) Second place went to The West End Tavern, a Boulder fixture for more than 20 years with a fantastic view from their rooftop bar. Conor O’Neils took third, while the Sundown Saloon and Dark Horse claimed fourth and fifth places.

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

NATURAL AMERICAN SPIRIT

Our journey began, as they often do, with little more than an idea – to create a premium cigarette that was free of additives. Once that goal was achieved, our next stop was the creation of earth-friendly growing programs, and then tobacco grown under organic specifications, to lessen our farmers’ impact on the environment. We’re proud to have produced the first cigarette made with organic tobacco. We continued on to blends that celebrate American traditions. Along the way, we met the caretakers of a centuries-old process of aging tobacco in oak barrels. Our Perique blend styles carry on that heritage. And as we met more and more farmers, they inspired us to create our 100% U.S. Grown blend, to support our communities and the environment.

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LIVE JAZZ VENUE

St. Julien Hotel and Spa 900 Walnut St., 720-406-9696 Runner-up: Laughing Goat music can mean any number of things Jazz to different people. To some, it’s the big

OPEN WEDNESDAY - SUNDAY 5PM * 5-6:30PM HAPPY HOUR STEALS

VOTED MOVIE VotedBEST BestMUSIC, Music, Movie & & PERFORMING PerformingARTS Arts VENUE Venue ’07,‘09, ’08,‘10, ’09!& ‘11! -Boulder –BoulderWeekly Weekly

Boulder Creek Festival Sat. May 28 - Mon. May 30

brother of blues; to others it’s a language of struggle and perseverance. Others say, if you have to ask what jazz music is, you’ll never know. But most people will agree that it’s flat-out classy music. This year, our readers voted St. Julien Hotel and Spa as Boulder’s best place to enjoy live jazz — and maybe a martini and some sophisticated conversation on the side. St. Julien typically hosts four to five shows per week, ranging from jazz and jazz fusion to blues and funk. No matter what you end up seeing, it’ll be fantastic. The hotel has hosted a number of touring acts, as well as making regulars out of a few local favorites, such as Mestizo, Robinson Quintet and the Jack Hadley Band. Taking second place this year is The Laughing Goat, while third place went to Oskar Blues. Readers voted Nissi’s in fourth place, while fifth place was claimed by Boulder Outlook Hotel.

ART GALLERY

Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art 1750 13th St., 303-443-2122 Runner-up: Dairy Center for the Arts

Thank you for voting us B oulder C ount y ʼ s B est F estival 303-449-3137 • www.bceproductions.com

his year’s winner of Best Art Gallery, the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, may be a smaller venue, but it’s been making big statements with its current exhibitions.Take, for example, one current exhibit, Ourrubberos by Boulder-based artist Jessica Moon Bernstein, who utilizes recycled materials to create her masterpieces; or the other exhibit, by Henrique Oliveira, which is partly funded by the Embassy of Brazil. This is typical for this art museum, which emphasizes quality, community and creativity, rather than the number of exhibits or the size of the space. Runner-up this year is the Dairy Center for the Arts, with its stimulating art, film and dance productions. Art and Soul took third place. Boulder Arts and Crafts Cooperative and Boulder Public Library snagged fourth and fifth places, respectively.

FUNDRAISING EVENT

KBCO Studio C CD 4695 S. Monaco St., Denver, 303-444-5600 Runner-up: Puttin’ on the Leash Gala

he KBCO Studio C CD is unique in terms of fundraisers. People literally wait outside all night, just to give their money to charity. And in return, they get versions of their favorite songs they won’t find anywhere else. This year, proceeds from the CD went to the Boulder County AIDS Project and Food Bank of the Rockies. Going on 22 years now, KBCO’s

42 April 28, 2011

Studio C tradition will continue to attract hordes of people clamoring for music they might not even realize is being sold for a great cause. Puttin’ on the Leash, an auction for the Humane Society of Boulder, is our runner-up in this petfriendly county, and the Chocolate Lovers’ Fling took third place. The KGNU Benefit was awarded fourth place, and the Boulder Historic Homes Tour took home fifth place.

LIVE DANCE GROUP

Boulder Ballet 2590 Walnut St., 303-443-0028 Runner-up: Frequent Flyers

ell, there’s no such thing as a dead dance group, at least until the zombie apocalypse arrives, so this category might be a little redundantly named, but let’s not quibble. Instead, let’s talk about the aptly (and concisely) named Boulder Ballet company, one of the most talented, engaging and lively group of dancers this side of the Bolshoi. Tackling everything from the traditional Nutcracker to more modern fare with their annual Stepping Out concert of contemporary dance, these are some seriously talented ballerinas and male ballet dancers. (Seriously, do you know of a word for a male ballet dancer? Ballerino?) For a high-flying good time, check out runner-up finishers Frequent Flyers, who defy gravity and the imagination. Lemon Sponge Cake Contemporary Ballet came in third. Ballet Nouveau Colorado took home fourth, and in fifth we have 3rd Law Dance named for Newton’s third law — which, if you ever find yourself at a pub quiz or on Jeopardy!, is the law of equal and opposite reactions. (Editor’s note: A male ballet dancer is called a “danseur.”)

SPORTS BAR

Lazy Dog Sports Bar and Grill 1346 Pearl St., 303-440-3355 Runner-up: Walnut Brewery

t’s a fact: football is a dangerous sport. There’s the risk of broken bones, concussions, serious brain damage, torn tendons and who knows what else. For your health and safety, it’s much better to merely watch this glorious sport from afar, preferably from a comfortable booth at the Lazy Dog Sports Bar and Grill, where the biggest danger is slipping off your stool after one too many cold ones. A favorite hangout for Boulder locals, the Lazy Dog features great wing specials, plenty of wide-screen televisions and occasionally some awesome live music, as well. For delicious brews and great food to go with it, hop on over to Walnut Brewery, our runner-up in this category. Dark Horse, home of great burger deals and plenty of televisions — two essentials for a good game night — came in third. Groucho’s little brother Harpo’s Sports Bar came in fourth, and Old Chicago came in fifth.

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

LIVE THEATER GROUP

Boulder’s Dinner Theatre 5501 Arapahoe Ave., 303-449-6000 Runner-up: Colorado Shakespeare Festival

oing to a play is usually an enjoyable and relaxing experience. You dress slightly fancier than you normally would, while escaping reality as you become immersed in a fictional world of riveting characters.Yet things are always better when food is involved. Boulder’s Dinner Theatre takes the restaurant experience and combines it with an unforgettable performance of popular theatre productions. Not only does the small setting allow for a more personal feel, but the food servers are the main characters of the play, chatting and jotting down your dessert order as if they did not just amaze you on stage. Also, what other theater provides guests with ponchos to protect them from getting drenched during the rain scene in Singin’ in the Rain or evokes magical feelings when Peter Pan flies overhead while you enjoy your chocolate cake and coffee? If you would rather enjoy a production outdoors, attend the Colorado Shakespeare Festival this summer, our runner-up. Third place went to the talented students hard at work at CU Theatre & Dance. Readers voted Vox Feminista as fourth place, and the children of Peanut Butter Players were voted fifth place.

LOCAL CELEBRITY

Zip Code Man Pearl Street Mall Runner-up: Big Head Todd

he two offices of memory are collection and distribution,” said poet Samuel Johnson. If we were to take this quote as true, we might assume David Rosdeitcher, or Zip Code Man, spent a large portion of his life as a post office worker collecting and distributing mail. But he didn’t. He just has an uncanny knack for memorizing United States ZIP codes. Out of all of the zip codes in the United States, Zip Code Man reportedly has 35,000 to 40,000 memorized. If you were to ask him how he came to memorize all of those numbers, he’d tell you he started learning the various patterns of zip codes and began stockpiling them into his memory as he made his way across the country with his juggling act. Local singer and guitarist Big Head Todd is our runner-up this year, while third place went to Hazel Miller. Readers voted chef Hosea Rosenberg in fourth place, while fifth place was claimed by folk rock artist Gregory Alan Isakov.

BEST MOVIE HOUSE/THEATER

Boulder Theater 2032 14th St., 303-786-7030 Runner-up: Century Boulder @ 29th Street

o what’s the big deal with watching movies at the Boulder Theater? They don’t have stadium seating. They don’t have an IMAX screen, and you probably won’t see the new Green Lantern or Thor movies there. But what you do get is great niche films you won’t see anywhere else and classic films that you can watch with the people in your community. Some of the recent films included The Upsetter: The Life and Music of Lee Scratch Perry, a Boulder Mountain Bike Alliance-hosted night featuring documentaries about riding in some of the nation’s most pristine bike trails and The Fly Fishing Film Tour, which featured films about the best places to fish across the world. In the past some of the classic movie events included showings of The Big Lebowski. All in all, it’s the best place to catch a flick with your neighbors. The runner-up this year was Century Boulder @ 29th Street, where you can catch those blockbuster films, followed by Boulder Outdoor Cinema, which took third. AMC Flatiron Crossing and CU International Film Festival took fourth and fifth, respectively.

SUMMER CAMP

YMCA of Boulder Valley 2850 Mapleton Ave., 303-442-2778 Runner-up: CU Science Discovery

very year parents scramble to find something for their kids to do during the summer while they’re out of school. They can’t just sit around the house and play video games and watch movies all day, right? The YMCA of Boulder Valley provides such a plethora of camps for kids that it’s basically a one-stop summer camp shopping center. The YMCA offers both day camps and overnight camps that can range from your average activity day of games and field trips to more focused camps related to your child’s interests, such as a skateboarding camp, a LEGO Robotics camp or bicycle riding camps. So while you’re toiling away eight hours a day in your office this summer, you’ll know your child is safe and probably having the time of his or her life. CU Science Discovery, known for its superb science camps, was the runner-up, with Colorado Mountain Ranch taking third. Eldorado Mountain Yoga, and Doghouse Music Rock & Roll Camp and Thorne Ecological Institute tied for fourth place.

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’11

April 28, 2011 43

MUSIC VENUE

MUSEUM

Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art 1750 13th St., 303-443-2122 Runner-up: University of Colorado Museum

oulder’s art community encompasses more art forms than most people know what to do with. The town has a history of traditional forms, notably plein air painting, and is starting to build a reputation for more innovative art forms, notably in the electronic literature scene.This year, readers voted the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art as their favorite place to admire the finer things Boulder has to offer.The Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art quickly established itself as a community hotspot and recently hosted the cuttingedge Communikey Red Rocks Festival of Electronic Arts. The museum consistently brings experimental and innovative artists from around the world to share their work and provide interesting site-specific art installations. The University of Colorado Museum is this year’s runner-up, while third place went to World of Wonder. Readers voted Boulder History Museum in fourth place, and Leanin’ Tree Museum of Western Art claimed fifth place.

MUSIC FESTIVAL

Telluride Bluegrass Festival 800-624-2422 Runner-up: Colorado Music Festival

oulder may be voted the best place to live in America, but Telluride is the best place to jam. The Telluride Bluegrass Festival is celebrating its 38th annual weekend of music and mayhem this June, and tickets are already sold out. This year the festival coincides with the summer solstice, meaning the longest day of the year will be complemented by the laid-back luxury of bluegrass. With a diverse array of acts spanning Boulder’s own Yonder Mountain String Band as well as the commercial success of Mumford and Sons and indie-rock darlings The Decemberists, this year is sure to be a hit. Planet Bluegrass works to keep the festival green and the earth happy with sustainable solutions to energy and waste, something that leaves all festivarians feeling healthy and happy. The estimable Colorado Music Festival is our runner-up, while third place goes to Rockygrass. Folks Festival claims fourth place, and Nedfest takes fifth.

44 April 28, 2011

Red Rocks W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison, 303-640-2637 Runner-up: Boulder Theater

mmortalized in U2’s “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” video and more recently in B.O.B.’s video for “Don’t Let Me Fall,” Red Rocks is internationally renowned and a Colorado treasure. Recognized as one of the best music venues in the world by both musicians and fans, it isn’t much of a surprise that the hometown folks would consider it the best in the area. Every summer, the venue hosts the state’s best shows and this coming summer is no different. Earth, Wind & Fire, Peter Gabriel, The Global Dance Festival, Willie Nelson’s Country Throwdown Tour and dozens more are scheduled. It’s definitely worth the drive and hours getting in and out of the parking lot for shows. Traffic is just part of the fun, right? The runner-up went to local favorite Boulder Theater with its partner Fox Theatre in third. The historic Chautauqua Auditorium, home to an excellent summer series, took fourth, and Nissi’s took fifth.

NONPROFIT/CHARITY ORG.

Humane Society of Boulder Valley 2323 55th St., 303-442-4030 Runner-up: Eco-Cycle

hether it’s their “Free Cat Fridays,” their “Dog of the Week,” or throwing fun events like “Puttin’ on the Leash,” the Humane Society of Boulder Valley knows how to have fun when it comes to caring for lost and homeless animals. Although the business they’re in is a serious one, the people who work and volunteer for HSBV have great attitudes, are compassionate about animal issues and very helpful when it comes to picking out pets, training your pets and helping you maintain the health of your pets. What more could you ask for? Eco-Cycle, one of the largest nonprofit recyclers in the nation, was our runner-up, while Planned Parenthood came in third. The Boulder County AIDS Project came in fourth, and long-running public radio station KGNU came in fifth.

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

PLANET BLUEGRASS PRESENTS

21st Annual

Planet Bluegrass Ranch

Lyons, COlorado

August 19-21, 2011

Jackson Browne • Bob Weir, Chris Robinson and Jackie Greene • Brandi Carlile • Sweet Honey in the Rock Josh Ritter & the Royal City Band • Martin Sexton • Carolina Chocolate Drops • The Civil Wars • Missy Higgins Red Horse: Eliza Gilkyson, John Gorka & Lucy Kaplansky • Mary Gauthier • Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion Livingston Taylor • Anais Mitchell • Vance Gilbert • Mama Kin • Dan Mangan • Danielle Ate the Sandwich Megan Burtt • And many more 38th Annual

39th Annual

Telluride bluegrass Festival

RockyGrass Festival

June 16-19, 2011

July 29-31, 2011

Telluride, CO

Planet Bluegrass Ranch, Lyons, CO

Robert Plant & Band of Joy • Sarah McLachlan • Sam Bush Band

Steve Martin & The Steep Canyon Rangers • Del McCoury Band

Emmylou Harris • Bela Fleck & the Flecktones • Mumford & Sons

Sam Bush Bluegrass Band • David Grisman Bluegrass Experience

Yonder Mountain String Band • The Decemberists • And MAny More

Tickets, camping and lodging info:

Hot Rize • O'Brien Party of 7 • Psychograss • And Many more

bluegrass.com • 800-624-2422

8 0 DAW

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Nationally Recruited Teachers Who Care.

ne.

Doug London

2x Teacher-of-the-Year 3x Coach-of-the-Year

DawsonSchool.Org Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’11

April 28, 2011 45

OPEN MIC

The Laughing Goat 1709 Pearl St., 303-440-4628 Runner-up: Conor O’Neill’s

‘10

Best of Boulder

oulder boasts a surprising number of open mic nights for a town of its size. It seems that as soon as an open mic series shuts down, a new one begins a few blocks away. Open mic participants vary greatly in terms of experience and raw talent, but it seems like many of the veterans flock to The Laughing Goat on Pearl Street on Monday nights. The coffee house’s weekly “So, You’re A Poet” open mic series draws MFA candidates from both CU and Naropa and has also attracted a handful of poets who return every week. With live entertainment every night, The Laughing Goat has established itself as a community center for art, music, poetry, inspiration and, of course, coffee. Conor O’Neill’s, a restaurant known for its traditional Irish pub feel, is our runner-up this year, while third place went to Oskar Blues. Readers voted Rock N Soul Café in fourth place, and Boulder Outlook Hotel claimed fifth place.

PERFORMANCE ARTS VENUE

Boulder Theater 2032 14th St., 303-786-7030 Runner-up: Dairy Center for the Arts

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he Boulder Theater is already well known for its concerts and film showings, but it’s also a hotspot around town for the performing arts. You can catch a ballet, maybe a play or even a comedian. One of the recent events was the BaoBao Festival where local and international performers gave a presentation of traditional West African dancing, drumming, music and storytelling. There’s also an upcoming performance of The Little Mermaid by Boulder Ballet with choreography by Ana Claire and Peter Davison. The venerable Dairy Center for the Arts is our runner-up with its venue built especially for the performing arts. Macky Auditorium, which also hosts a variety of events, came in third while Boulder’s Dinner Theater was fourth, and the 1stBank Center came in fifth.

PLACE OF WORSHIP

Boulder Shambala Meditation Center 1345 Spruce St., 303-444-0190 Runner-up: Unity of Boulder

here’s a saying that a church isn’t a building, it’s what you do (though having a building to do it in does help). And while the Boulder Shambala Meditation Center has one beautiful, stately building, we’re guessing that’s not the reason they

46 April 28, 2011

won best place of worship. It has more to do with their welcoming atmosphere, sense of community and comprehensive offering of Buddhist teachings. The beautiful building and awe-inspiring art adorning the walls are just icing on the cake. Unity of Boulder comes in second place for this category, with third place going to Flatirons Community Church. St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church garnered fourth, and in fifth place is First Presbyterian Church of Boulder.

PLACE TO DANCE

St. Julien Hotel & Spa 900 Walnut St., 720-406-9696 Runner-up: Round Midnight

ith live music almost every night, the St. Julien Hotel & Spa tops the list of places to dance in Boulder. Even on the nights without the bands, the drink selection and snazzy atmosphere will keep your feet moving. With samba, jazz and blues bands, among others, you can perfect your favorite dance moves in every category — though doing The Sprinkler doesn’t count. The newest craze is “The Bernie,” where you hang your head back and flail your arms behind your back a lá Weekend at Bernie’s. We wouldn’t recommend trying it at a classy place like the St. Julien, though. Runner-up Round Midnight may have more of the atmosphere needed for funny dance moves. The Avalon Ballroom took third place, and The Fox Theatre is in fourth. Nissi’s came in fifth place.

PLACE TO PLAY POOL

Sundown Saloon 1136 Pearl St., 303-449-4987 Runner-up: Catacombs

oulder’s prized dive-bar den of debauchery, The Sundown Saloon, affectionately known as “The Downer,” and its five pool tables, wins Best Place to Play Pool. The beloved bar is known less for pool than it is for hipsters, $6 Pabst Blue Ribbon pitchers and for being the busiest bar on Pearl Street on Friday and Saturday nights. The dark wooden interior, free of the campy decorations that clutter the walls of so many dive bars around the country, the dark lighting and the loud indie rock and metal blaring through all hours of the night contribute to an atmosphere that almost guarantees you’ll have a great time. Pool is free until 10:30 p.m., when the crowds start to arrive. The Catacombs gets runner-up honors this time around. A Boulder college tradition, The Dark Horse, comes in third, with The Attic taking fourth place and the Lazy Dog Sports Bar & Grill claims fifth place.

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

The World’s Most Comfortable Brands of Shoes

Colorado’s Best Dansko Selection

PRIVATE SCHOOL

Alexander Dawson School 10455 Dawson Dr., Lafayette 303-665-6679 Runner-up: Shining Mountain Waldorf

Street, takes third. Fourth place goes to The Cup, which is home to some of the tastiest coffee in town, and fifth place went to Vic’s.

comfortableshoes.com

PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL

here are a lot of basic English terms that get mixed-up, misunderstood and mistranslated between the U.S. and the UK. Biscuit vs. cookie. Football vs. soccer. And zee vs. zed. And confusingly enough, public schools in Britain are really what we’d call private schools here. So for any Brits perusing this issue of Best of Boulder, let us clarify: this category is about the American version of public schools. And in Boulder, the best example is Alexander D a w s o n School, a private K-12 preparatory school situated on 113 beautiful acres in Lafayette. Shining Mountain Waldorf School, which offers kids pre-K through 12th grade a well-rounded education, won runner-up this year. September School got third place, Friends’ School snagged fourth and Watershed School came in fifth.

75+ STYLES!

ON THE DOWNTOWN MALL at 1425 Pearl St. 303-449-5260 & IN THE VILLAGE next to McGuckin 303-449-7440

Boulder High School 1604 Arapahoe Ave., 720-561-2200 Runner-up: Fairview High School

n the shadow of CU, Boulder High School is like the kid trying to live up to his older brother — and doing a damn good job of it. Originally found in 1875 as a part of the university, BHS is one of the oldest and most distinguished high schools in the state. Students enjoy not only high academic standards, but also strong arts and music programs, a wide range of clubs and an active athletics department. And, as they do every year, the extraordinary Fairview High School Knights gave the BHS Panthers a run for their money. Third place in this competitive category goes to New Vista High School, fourth to Niwot High School and fifth to Monarch High School.

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PLACE TO WI-FI

The Laughing Goat Coffee House 1709 Pearl St., 303-440-4628 Runner-up: Panera Bread

he quest for wi-fi and caffeine is one on which college students, professors and professionals regularly embark. Strolling from coffee shop to café looking for space to spread out a week’s worth of academics and bum around on Facebook is one that begins on 9th and ends on 17th with a giggling goat. The Laughing Goat Coffee House has everything a Boulderite needs for an exquisite engagement with the Internet: organic, fair-trade, locally retailed coffee, baristas trained in latte art, always ambient music and most importantly, plenty of bandwidth with which to browse the Web. The coffee house’s medley of caffeine buzz and Internet browsing has spread from the pedestrian mall to the Norlin Library commons. It is a feeding frenzy of students from dawn until dawn again (it’s open 24 hours). Panera Bread takes second place as another wi-fi hotspot for Boulder residents. Ozo Coffee, which just opened a new location on Pearl

PUBLIC SCHOOL K-8

Peak to Peak Charter School 800 Merlin Dr., Lafayette, 303-453-4600 Runner-up: Casey Middle School

ccording to the U.S. Department of Education, approximately 3.7 million children started kindergarten in 2010. About 70 of those tiny tots started at Peak to Peak Charter School, which means less than 0.002 percent of the nation’s kindergarteners were lucky enough to start their educational career at the county’s reader-ranked No. 1 elementary school. Those lucky few can look forward to years of excellent academics, ambitious athletics and awesome activities. Congratulations, Pumas! Runner-up goes to Casey Middle School, while third goes to Boulder County School of Integrated Studies (BCSIS). Fourth place goes to Louisville Middle School, while Eisenhower Elementary finishes fifth. A-plus, everyone!

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’11

Affordable reproductive healthcare for women, men and teens Women’s Health offers services for women, men and teens at our Boulder and Longmont locations. Annual exams, Pap tests, birth control, emergency contraception, pregnancy tests, STI testing and treatment, mammograms and vasectomies – all available at low or no cost right in your local community. Call us today for an appointment.

303.442.5160

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Se Habla Español

April 28, 2011 47

Susan France

LOCAL MUSICIAN/GROUP

Yonder Mountain String Band www.yondermountain.com Runner-up: DeVotchKa

hen they first started playing music more than a decade ago, no one thought Yonder Mountain String Band would ever make it anywhere beyond their home base in Nederland, except maybe Boulder. There wasn’t a market for four-piece string bluegrass bands; no one could dance to music without drums. Boy, were the doubters wrong. With just a bass, a banjo, a guitar and a mandolin, YMSB sold out Red Rocks Amphitheatre last year, and the crowd was as raucous as any other crowd that packed the venue that summer. And though Yonder did briefly flirt with drums, touring with Phish drummer Jon Fishman for a spell, they have stuck to their traditional string band format, and they continue to grow their fan base and expand their following to this day. DeVotchKa took runner-up honors. Big Head Todd and the Monsters came in third, and Hazel Miller took fourth, while a cappella savants FACE came in fifth. Yonder Mountain String Band

“

THE LONGEST DAY OF THE YEAR IS THE BEST NEW-COMING BAND IN BOULDER. THEIR OUTLAW AMERICANA AND FOLK ROCK MUSIC IS GREATLY APPRECIATED BY FANS OF ALL AGES.

“

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YOU SERIOUSLY DIDN’T LIST STRING CHEESE AS ‘LOCAL MUSICIANS’?

“

~”

DANCE AT ROCKYGRASS? HA! IF YOU WANT TO BE YELLED AT TO SIT DOWN, THEN MAYBE.

“

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YOUR PRIVATE SCHOOL CHOICES ARE NOT UP TO DATE. BOTH EASTERN SUN AND BRIDGE HAVE CLOSED.

48 April 28, 2011

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THEIR RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY BY POPULARITY CONTEST? AND ALL KINDS OF RELIGIONS IN A SINGLE CATEGORY, AS THOUGH A BAPTIST MIGHT POSSIBLY VOTE FOR A CATHOLIC CHURCH OR A BUDDHIST TEMPLE? THIS IS INAPPROPRIATE.

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THERE ARE SOME REALLY POINTLESS CATEGORIES IN THIS GROUP? MOST FAMOUS PERSON? NECESSARY?

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SCHOOLS THAT PREACH HATE (SACRED HEART OF JESUS) SHOULD NOT EVEN BE A SELECTION.

“ “

” ”

“ “

WARD CHURCHILL IS A DISGRACE TO BOULDER.

WOO FOO BROTHERS ARE THE BEST BAND IN BOULDER.

WHAT’S UP WITH SUCH INCOMPLETE LISTINGS FOR SCHOOLS? GET IT TOGETHER, BOULDER WEEKLY SLACKERS.

SINCE THIS IS A LOCAL PAPER, SHOULDN’T CHARITIES/CONCERT VENUES, ETC., ACTUALLY BE LOCAL?

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” ~ ” ~

WHAT ARE PLACES OF WORSHIP DOING ON A ‘BEST OF BOULDER’ SURVEY, AS THOUGH PEOPLE CHOSE

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ADD CATEGORY FOR WINDOW CLEANING AND MY BUSINESS, EYES OF SHIVA.”

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

Susan France

University Bicycles’ Kathleen Grigg of sales, with a cruiser bike

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Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

SAVE 30-80% CLOTHING

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ALTERNATIVE HEALTH CARE Charley Cropley, ND 1109 Portland Place, 303-442-6161 Runner-up: Rolf Institute

hink about most of the doctors you’ve been to over the years. How many were more than 60 years old? How many were in awesome shape? And how many were both? Unless you’ve been to see Dr. Charley Cropley lately, we’re guessing the answer to that last one is “zero.” Cropley has been a practicing naturopathic physician in the Denver/ Boulder area for the past 25 years, and he’s his own best advertising. In better shape than most guys half his age (or younger), the results of his natural, nutrition-based methods are evident whenever he takes off his shirt. Rolf Institute is the runner-up in this category, while Great Wave Accupuncture takes third, Chautauqua Health takes fourth, and Helios Integrated Medicine snags fifth.

BEST MARTIAL ARTS

Easton Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 1750 30th St., # 22, 855-888-8553 Runner-up: Way of the Crane

o what’s the difference between Brazilian jiu-jitsu and the traditional Japanese jiu-jitsu? While both martial arts are similar in a lot of ways, Brazilian jiujitsu was designed to focus on body leverage for people to control opponents bigger and stronger than they are, while Japanese jiu-jitsu was designed to help you defend yourself against people with weapons. And there isn’t a better place to learn the Brazilian martial art than Easton Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The instructors are professional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, UFC and MMA competitors who hold black 52 April 28, 2011

belts trained under the infamous Gracie family. Even if Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu isn’t your bag, they also teach Muy Thai Boxing, selfdefense, mixed-martial arts and fitness classes. Way of the Crane, the oldest and longest running martial arts schools in Boulder was our runner-up, and Tran’s Martial Arts came in third place. Boulder Aikikai placed fourth in our survey, with Boulder Fung Fu coming in fifth.

CHIROPRACTOR

The Joint 2525 Arapahoe Ave., Suite C2, 303-440-8019 Runner-up: Swan Lake Chiropractic Clinic here are licensed chiropractors in all 50 states, as well as the nation’s capital. So whether you’re glacier climbing in the wilds of Alaska, shaking it a bit too hard at a Louisiana street party or just rubbing elbows a little too vigorously with the fat cats in D.C, you can find a practitioner to put you back together. And if you need to see a chiropractor in Boulder County, our readers suggest The Joint, known for quick, professional service and affordable prices. So climb those Flatirons till the sun goes down, mountain bike from here to Longs Peak and play as many pick-up games of hoops as you want. The doctors at The Joint have got your back. Runner-up Swan Lake Chiropractic Clinic also offers top-notch service. Third place goes to Café of Life, fourth to Duggan Chiropractic and fifth to North Boulder Chiropractic.

DANCE STUDIO

Boulder Ballet 2590 Walnut St., Suite 10, 303-443-0028 Runner-up: Alchemy of Movement

ooking for a place to help your little sugarplum channel some of that young, feverish energy? Or maybe feeling inspired to prance and pirouette yourself? Check out this year’s winner for Best Dance Studio, Boulder Ballet. The school has four locations around the Boulder area and offers classes from beginning to professional levels, while also putting on numerous performances each year. Along with regular ballet classes, Boulder Ballet hosts musical theater classes that focus on jazz, tap, character dance in auditionstyle mixing classes, mime and juggling. The school also has several programs for boys. Alchemy of Movement took runner-up with its variety of selfexpressive classes, and Streetside Studios took third place. Ballet Nouveau pirouetted into fourth, and Community Dance Collective jammed into fifth.

DAY SPA

St. Julien Hotel & Spa 900 Walnut St., 720-406-9696 Runner-up: Essentiels Spa

he spa at the St. Julien Hotel & Spa isn’t your grandma’s day spa. With a 10,000-square-foot spa and fitness area, which includes a pool, cardio machines, a steam room, and a full-service salon, it has everything you need to look and feel your best. The hotel’s spa offers escapes that range from an hourlong massage to a full day of pampering, with products made from Colorado ingredients. Services include hydrating wraps made from natural, organic ingredients; aromatherapy and Swedish massages, body scrubs, and various other skin and hair packages for any kind of treatment you may want. Our runner-

up is Essentiels Spa, well known for experienced estheticians and tranquility. In third place is Ten 20, where you can watch Sex in the City while nibbling M&Ms. Sensorielle scooped up fourth place, and Finishing Touch finishes in fifth place.

DENTAL CARE

Comfort Dental 3400 Arapahoe Ave., 303-444-2129 And other locations Runner-up: North Boulder Dental

he phrase “like going to the dentist” obviously isn’t synonymous with “having an awesome rocking party.” For most people, it’s nerve wracking, upsetting or at the very least expensive as hell. But the next time you’re sitting in an air-conditioned reception room, waiting for a highly trained dentists with the latest medical equipment to take your x-rays and maybe fill a cavity or two, try to remember something: Archeologists have found evidence of dental drilling in teeth dating from as far back as 7,000 BC. No Novocain, no rubber gloves, and no out-of-date issues of Us Weekly to kill the time while you’re waiting for your turn in the chair. No chair, either, but that probably goes without saying. With that in mind, it’s easy to be grateful for places like Comfort Dental, where not only can you expect safety, cleanliness and comfort, but even decent reading in the waiting room. Our runner-up this year is North Boulder Dental, while Boulder Smiles came in third. Alpine Dentistry takes fourth place year, and Dr. Stephen Koral came in fifth.

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

Professional and Student Therapists Available

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HIKING TRAIL

Mount Sanitas Half mile west of Fourth Street on Mapleton Avenue Runner-up: Mesa Trail

Indian Peaks, and fifth place Coal Creek — all popular destinations with our readers.

GYM/FITNESS CENTER

Colorado Athletic Club 1821 30th St., 303-501-1700 Runner-up: 24 Hour Fitness

hen outsiders hear the name Boulder, they think of more than liberal granola-crunchers and raging CU parties. Yes, they really do. All stereotypes aside, anyone who has visited the city will know that Boulder contains some of the most beautiful scenery in the country. As if the snow-capped Rocky Mountains weren’t majestic enough, Boulder’s Flatirons are a distinguishing feature that is hard to forget. Mount Sanitas, a 3.1-mile loop, gives hikers a chance to see the Indian Peaks wilderness, downtown Boulder and the Flatirons. The hike is rated moderate to difficult, which is perfect for those wanting some healthy, heart-pumping exercise in the middle of a busy workday or on sunny weekend.The runner-up, Mesa Trail, is an equally gorgeous trail, weaving along the base of the foothills from Chautauqua Park to Eldorado Springs. This trail is almost seven miles one-way, has a moderate difficulty rating and is perfect for exploring and taking in the beauty of the mountains.

he Colorado Athletic Club in Boulder has only been open for a little over a year, but it’s already stair-climbed its way into our cholesterol-free hearts. There are many great gyms in Boulder, but the Colorado Athletic Club is flexing its muscles with 70 group fitness classes, Yoga, Pilates, Zumba, and a year-round outdoor pool. And the brand new facilities and machines don’t hurt, either. (Well, the treadmill might hurt, but still, no pain, no gain!) They’ve also got a spa perfect for a post-workout rubdown to get rid of the lactic acids. 24 Hour Fitness, the North Boulder favorite, is our runner-up, and the YMCA of Boulder Valley took third place. North Boulder Recreation Center came in fourth, and Flatiron Athletic Club took fifth.

HAIR SALON

Twig Salon 1831 Pearl St., 303-447-0880 Runner-up: West End Salon

GOLF

Flatirons Golf Course 5706 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, 303-442-7851 Runner-up: Haystack Mountain Golf Course

he working week can be a stressful 40 hours for a lot of people: meetings, phone calls, deadlines, reports. If it’s not one thing, it’s another. So what better way to relax on the weekend than to get outside, smell the fresh clean air, the dewsoaked grass and enjoy a relaxing game of golf? When our readers want to get their Arnold Palmer on, they head to Flatirons Golf Course, an oasis of green just off Arapahoe Avenue. With daily specials and online tee-time booking, hitting the links here couldn’t be easier. (Whether you can birdie that shot is entirely up to you.) Runner-up Haystack Mountain Golf Course in Niwot is another great place to practice your long drive and precision putting.You might also want to tee up at third place Boulder Country Club, fourth place

54 April 28, 2011

hat is it about hair that seems to say so much more about a person? How can something as trivial as a bad hair day completely ruin our mood? For a species known as “the hairless ape,” our society seems inordinately obsessed with the stuff that grows out of the top of our heads (and everywhere else for that matter). Whatever the reason, a good hairstyle makes anyone happier to be a human, and if your own ’do isn’t doing you any favors, then look no further than Twig Salon. They can take care of men’s and women’s cuts, colors, highlights and shaves all in an eco-friendly facility. For those of us concerned with the hair growing in other places, Twig also offers waxing services of all kinds. Runner-up goes to West End Salon, with Urban Pearl Salon and Spa in third. Rumours Hair Studio takes fourth place, while Pompadours Hair Salon Aveda comes in fifth.

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

LASIK SERVICES

Boulder Eyes 1810 30th St. Suite B, 303-499-2020 Runner-up: Boulder Eye Surgeons

ure, glasses can be a great fashion accessory. Just ask Rivers Cuomo or Tina Fey. And, hey, Elton John sure had fun with them. But as stylish as they are, sometimes glasses just get in the way. They break, get lost, pick up scratches and really aren’t great for skiing or rock climbing. Over the course of a lifetime, they’re frickin’ expensive, too. So if you want to ditch the frames, check out Boulder Eyes and see if LASIK eye surgery is an option for you. And if you really love the glasses looks, do what the hipsters are doing: chunky black frames with no lenses. Those clever kids. Our runner-up is Boulder Eye Surgeons. In third place, readers chose Insight Lasik, while Eye Care Center of Northern Colorado came in fourth.

fourth and fifth, respectively.

MMJ REFERRAL SERVICE

The Dandelion 845 Walnut St., 303-459-4676 Runner-up: Boulder Kind Care

inner of this year’s Best MMJ Referral Service, The Dandelion, didn’t choose its name willy-nilly. The dandelion, much like its heavily regulated and hotly debated cousin, cannabis, might not be the prettiest plant to look at, but it has far more benefits for humans than most people real-

ize. So when you’re looking for a knowledgable referral service, check out the place that understands what weeds are all about. Runner-up Boulder Kind Care also takes good of their patients. Third place in this all-write-in category goes to Holos Health, fourth place to Relaxed Clarity and fifth place to GrassRoots Medical Clinic.

MMJ WELLNESS CENTER

The Dandelion 845 Walnut St., 303-459-4676 Runner-up: High Grade Alternatives

ith the stiff competition, tangled maze of ordinances and skyrocketing operating fees, you’d have to be as resilient as a dandelion to survive in the medical marijuana industry. Which might be why The Dandelion, winner of multiple Best of Boulder awards this year, is not only surviving, but thriving. With reasonable prices and skilled staff, The Dandelion delivers quality medicine and care to its MMJ patients. In second place, voters chose High Grade Alternatives, and in a close third is Boulder Kind Care. The Farm got fourth place, and Helping Hands earned fifth.

VOTED BEST cAm In THE BOulDEr PS VA fOr 5 YEArS STrA llEY IgHT! BOULDER WEEKLY

MASSAGE

St. Julien Hotel and Spa 900 Walnut St., 720-406-9696 Runner-up: Essentiels Spa

hile many know the St. Julien Hotel and Spa for its excellence in jazz, dancing and sleeping spaces, our readers say the downtown staple is also the best place to get a massage in Boulder. St. Julien Hotel and Spa offers therapeutic massage, couples’ massage that includes champagne and roses, and a girls’ getaway massage, as well as classic Swedish Massage, deep tissue massage and hot stone massage. Even the most stressed Boulderites will find the tension melt away when they place themselves in the hands of the spa’s staff. Our runner-up was Essentiels Spa, another great option for those days when you need a bit of pampering and tranquility. In third place is the Boulder College of Massage, and coming in fourth is Massage Specialists. Massage Envy took fifth place.

MEDICAL FACILITY

Boulder Community Hospital 1100 Balsam Ave., 303-440-2273 Runner-up: Foothills Community Hospital

o one wants to be sick. And certainly no one wants to find themselves facing long-term health problems or surgery. But luckily for us, we have a host of topnotch medical facilities to choose from, like this year’s winner, Boulder Community Hospital. Community owned and cutting edge, there’s a lot to love about BCH. Even the neighborhood — homey north Boulder — is a plus. So if you do get sick, need surgery or (more happily) are about to have a baby, this is a pretty great place to do it. Our runner-up is Foothills Community Hospital, an offshoot of BCH. Boulder Medical Center came in third, and Kaiser Permanente and Avista Adventist took

HOT IDEAS fOr A cOOl SummEr

Camp, Swim and Sport it up at the YMCA of Boulder Valley Whether it’s gaining confidence that comes from learning to swim or building positive relationships at our camps or on our sports teams, participating in Y activities is about building the whole child, from the inside out. And, of course, it’s loads of fun too. SummEr PrOgrAmS fOr PrE-K THrOugH TEEn cAmPS • Day Camp • Overnight Camp • Sports LEGO Camp • Arts Camp • Cycling • Skateboarding ®

SPOrTS • Volleyball • Flag Football Baseball • Soccer Golf • Basketball Lacrosse • Hockey & Skating SwIm • Summer Swim Team • Swim Lessons

Register for great YMCA summer activities at ymcabv.org! YmcA Of BOulDEr VAllEY mapleton center Y 2850 Mapleton Ave., Boulder, CO 80301 • 303.442.2778 Arapahoe center Y 2800 Dagny Way, Lafayette, CO 80026 • 303.664.5455

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’11

April 28, 2011 55

SKI RESORT

Eldora Mountain Resort 2861 Eldora Ski Rd., 303-440-8700 Runner-up: Vail Ski Resort

here’s no question that Colorado has some of the best skiing and riding in the world. We Coloradans are proud of this fact and often spend our weekends (or sick days) shredding through powder in the magnificent Rocky Mountains. Yet even the most die-hard skiers can become disheartened when they sit in I-70 traffic for hours on end. Eldora Mountain Resort offers the same beautiful scenery and snow as the larger resorts, but at a cheaper price and without the traffic hassle. It is the best alternative to those who want to have a quick and satisfying ski day. Eldora is slightly more than 20 miles outside of Boulder and is perfect for beginners and experts alike. For those who don’t mind the traffic or have a mountain home, Vail Ski Resort is the obvious second choice. It is larger than most of the other resorts combined, and the runs seem to last forever as you glide through the glistening snow, incredible back bowls and inviting tree runs. Readers voted Winter Park/Mary Jane Resort as third place. Copper Mountain took fourth place, and fifth place was snagged by Breckenridge Ski Resort.

MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAIL Walker Ranch Six miles southwest of Boulder Runner-up: Marshall Mesa

sn’t it hilarious that the best mountain biking trail in Boulder is named Walker Ranch? Walker? Get it? Because it’s a trail for bikes, see. Isn’t that funny? No? Not even a chuckle? Fine, forget we even brought it up. Just take our word for it that it’s a great, 6.4mile trail with amazing scenery and a good mix of terrain. Keep in mind that it’s suited for intermediate to advanced riders, and weather conditions can change quickly. Runner-up Marshall Mesa cruised (like it’s on a bike, get it? Oh, never mind) into second place, while Heil Ranch rolled into third, and Hall Ranch tied with Betasso for fourth place. West Magnolia got fifth.

PILATES STUDIO

Boulder Bodyworks 3020 Carbon Pl., Suite 330, 303-444-2739 Runner-up: Bolder Pilates

ometimes, you just need a little “me time,” which may mean indulging in a massage, sweating out your worries in a workout class or getting a helping hand through physical therapy. This year’s winner of Best Pilates Studio, Boulder Bodyworks, has you covered for those needs with the help of experienced, certified instructors who teach privately or for 56 April 28, 2011

small groups. Boulder Bodyworks offers 12 different kinds of massages to relax and rejuvenate, yoga and Pilates classes to tone and tighten, as well as physical therapy training. They are now helping you get your “me time” from their new location in the Steel Yards. In second place this year is Bolder Pilates, and in third is North Boulder Pilates. Pilates of Boulder took fourth, followed by the Pilates Center, which came in fifth.

SKIN CARE SERVICES Avanti Skin Center of Boulder 2595 Canyon Blvd., #360 303-440-7546 Runner-up: Six Persimmons f you want to have healthy, beautiful skin, you need to take care of it, just like anything else. Colorado’s dry climate doesn’t always make that easy. Factor in an active, outdoors lifestyle, and it gets even more difficult: A long, windy day on the slopes can turn even the prettiest princess into a frog, while UV radiation speeds signs of aging. Avanti Skin Center of Boulder works hard to take you from leather to lovely, offering everything from Botox to “liquid” facelifts to laser hair removal. For a deeply natural skin-care regimen, visit second-place winner Six Persimmons Apothecary on Pearl Street. Marianna’s L’Esthetique came in third place, Dermatology Specialists took fourth, and iV Seasons completes the top five.

HAIR SALON (WRITE-IN)

The Parlour 1037 Walnut St., 303-444-3747 Runner-up: Voodoo Hair Lounge

uman hair grows slowly, about a half-inch per month on average. No wonder so many people are nervous about getting a haircut. Once you sit down in the chair at The Parlour, though, you can put your mind at ease. The stylists here take their craft seriously, and their ongoing education program covers all aspects of advanced hairdressing. Earlier this year, the salon brought in world-renowned, New York-based stylist Nick Arrojo for a weekend of advanced training and demonstrations, all to make sure you walk away with a fabulous look. Talk about commitment! The Parlour also offers skin care and waxing services, as well as wedding day packages for bridesto-be. Runner-up Voodoo Hair Lounge, located on Pearl Street, can work some wickedly good magic on your hair, no matter what style you’re looking for. Rounding out the top five, readers chose Salon Salon for third place, Rubicon for fourth and Salon Sabiha for fifth.

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

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1676 30th Street Boulder 303.443.8773 April 28, 2011 57

Veranda Sun

TANNING SALON

Veranda Sun 1670 30th St., 303-447-8844 Runner-up: Tans to Go

t might be surprising that a place like Boulder, which gets more than 300 days of sunshine every year, needs even one tanning salon. Unfortunately, a large portion of those sunshiny days happen when the thermometer is hovering around the freezing point. And no matter how dedicated you are to getting a glowing tan, sunbathing in the snow isn’t really an option (unless you’re very drunk, a Siberian native, or both). So during the winter — and the summer, if you can’t handle the scorching temps we sometimes see — grab your bikini or swim trunks and head over to Veranda Sun for a beautiful bronze glow. Runner-up Tans To Go can get you ready for summer, too. Who wants to hit the beach looking paler than a fish belly? The name says it all at third-place Hottie Body Tans. Taking fourth place is Polish Tan & Nail Spa, while Le Tan takes fifth.

VETERINARIAN

Humane Society of Boulder Valley 2323 55th. St., 303-442-4030 Runner-up: Alpine Hospital for Animals

etween leash-less jogs down Boulder Creek and searching for organic catnip, it is clear that pet guardians in Boulder take their jobs very seriously. And when it happens that a furry friend needs some help healing, residents leave behind their medical marijuana cards and turn to the Humane Society of Boulder Valley, where certified veterinarians work their magic. This nonprofit clinic tends to the medical needs of creatures of all shapes and species, offering everything from dentistry to dermatolo-

58 April 28, 2011

gy. The clinic is open Monday through Saturday by appointment only and expects payments in full. To make critter care something universally accessible, the clinic has recently implemented a CareCredit payment option that allows for progressive payments on medical bills and special prices for qualifying low-income families. Revenue from the clinic goes directly back to the Humane Society of Boulder Valley to maintain the health and wellness of homeless animals from near and far. Runner-up Alpine Hospital for Animals takes their mission just as seriously, as do the third-, fourth- and fifth-place winners: Boulder Natural Animal, Gunbarrel Veterinary Clinic and Broadway Animal Hospital.

YOGA STUDIO

CorePower Yoga 1129 13th St., 303-440-8952 645 27th Way, 303-497-9642 3280 28th St., 303-440-3930 Runner-up:Yoga Pod

oga is as popular in Boulder as recycling, and there’s little wonder why. Spend 90 minutes stretching muscles you never knew you had and try not to emerge relaxed. This is easily one of the most competitive categories in our Best of Boulder vote, and CorePower Yoga once again emerges victorious. With nearly 50 studios around the country, CorePower has become a force in educating people about the mental and physical benefits of yoga. If you want to get serious, CorePower also offers retreats, instructor training and intense wellness cleanses. For an alternative to the yoga chain, runner-up Yoga Pod offers classes in a smaller, funkier environment. Om Time Yoga came in third, Studio Be Yoga got fourth, and Bikram’s Yoga College of India came in fifth.

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

Courtesy Boulder Rock Club

INDOOR CLIMBING GYM

Boulder Rock Club 2829 Mapleton Ave., 303-447-2804 Runner-up: The Spot Bouldering Gym

uthor Jeff Achey wrote, “Writers go to New York. Actors go to Hollywood. Climbers go to Colorado.” Well, if that’s the case, then Boulder must be a climber’s mecca. One group helping the die-hards of the area make their pilgrimage is the Boulder Rock Club, this year’s winner of Best Indoor Climbing Gym. They offer classes for kids and adults, as well as various membership opportunities. Even if you are a recent convert to the world of climbing, not to worry — the BRC has courses specifically designed to help rookies learn the basics of climbing and belaying for both indoor and outdoor settings. In second place is The Spot Bouldering Gym, with its freestanding walls, and in third place is Movement Climbing and Fitness. Lakeshore Athletic Club won fourth, and Colorado Athletic Training School won fifth.

Susan France

“

I DON’T PARTICIPATE IN A LOT OF THESE THINGS. SORRY.

“

” ~ “THEY ARE~THE BEST!”

MOST OF THE SKI AREAS ON THIS LIST AREN’T EVEN CLOSE TO BOULDER. WHY NOT ADD THE ALPS WHILE YOU ARE AT IT?

“

”

I FEEL A LITTLE WEIRD VOTING FOR MEDICAL FACILITIES, AGAIN BECAUSE I DON’T THINK IT’S ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE TO PUT THEM UP TO A POPULARITY CONTEST. PEOPLE CHOOSE THE DOCTORS, VETS, ETC. WHO ARE RIGHT FOR THEM BASED NOT JUST ON 60 April 28, 2011

REPUTATION BUT ALSO ON PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP. BUT AT LEAST REPUTATION/ POPULARITY COUNTS FOR MORE HERE THAN WITH RELIGIOUS SERVICES.

“

~”

THE ONLY SKI RESORT IN BOULDER COUNTY IS ELDORA.

“

”

ADD CATEGORY FOR WINDOW CLEANING AND MY BUSINESS EYES OF SHIVA.

“

” ”

‘NONE’ WHERE I HAVE NO OPINION.

“

THE ONLY REASON I VOTED WAS FOR THE CATEGORY OF MMJ DISPENSARY. YOU DON’T EVEN HAVE A LIST! BOULDER HAS MORE MMJ CENTERS THAN MOST AND THERE ISN’T A CATEGORY; WHAT’S THAT ABOUT? VERY DISAPPOINTING!!! ESPECIALLY SINCE THE MMJ CENTERS ADVERTISE WITH BOULDER WEEKLY. HOW UNFAIR IS THAT???

”

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

THANK YOU BOULDER Voted “Best Used Car Dealer”

6025 Arapahoe Road, Boulder, CO • (303) 443-0530

2010

WINNER

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’11

again!

2011

April 28, 2011 61

Susan France

Sturtz & Copelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hannah Upham, bedding plants manager and class coordinator

62 April 28, 2011

Best of Boulder County â&#x20AC;&#x2122;11 Boulder Weekly

THANK YOU TO THE CITY/COUNTY OF BOULDER FOR HONORING US WITH THE

BEST CAR DEALERSHIP

AWARD FOR ANOTHER YEAR ENTER TO WIN

COLORADO

ROCKIES

TICKETS

Go to our Facebook page for complete details www.facebook.com/LHMToyotaBoulder

2465 48th Court â&#x20AC;¢ www.bouldertoyota.com

(303) 443-3250

Katherine Creel

body to a state of health and radiance. Sephora, home to beauty products of all kinds, including organic options, is our runner-up. In third place is Rebecca’s Herbal Apothecary, a downtown Boulder mainstay. Bath and Body Works wins fourth place, and ever-lovely Lush takes fifth.

ADULT MERCHANDISE

Fascinations 2560 28th St., 303-442-7309 Runner-up: Pleasures

one are the seedy, dimly lit sex stores selling peep shows in the back room (unless you feel like taking a trip down Denver’s Colfax, at least).The winner of this category, Fascinations, scores major points for its décor and fun selection. Bright lights and clearly defined sections ensure a comfortable environment, while late hours guaranMcGuckin Hardware tee that the perfect toy, costume or naughtily shaped candy is available whenever the mood strikes. The sales staff at Fascinations are walking encyAUTO DEALER – NEW clopedias of sex, rattling off facts about Boulder Toyota every product in a professional, attentive 2465 48th Ct., 303-443-3250 matter meant to stave off embarrassment Runner-up: Runner-up: Fisher and put you at ease. Most of their stuff Chevrolet/Geo/Honda/Kia isn’t cheap, but the quality and the open atmosphere are worth the extra few e all know cycling is next to godlibucks. The runner-up spot goes to ness, and EcoPasses are the coolest Pleasures — a great name for a store that badges you can flash after a CIA ID card. sells everything you could desire to maxi- But this is America — huge, sprawling mize your sensual fun. America. And as hard as it is to admit, our public transit systems aren’t quite up to snuff yet. RTD is awesome, don’t get us ARTS & CRAFTS SUPPLIES wrong, but most of us still need to own a McGuckin Hardware car. So unless you’re Will Toor, get yourself 2525 Arapahoe Ave., 303-443-1822  over to Boulder Toyota for a hot ride at Runner-up: Michael’s a screamin’ price. With all the latest modny store that carries sketch pads, els and an expert sales staff, the folks at paintbrushes and beads can be con- Boulder Toyota will make sure you drive sidered an art supply store, so we were away in a car that’s perfect for you and impressed when McGuckin your budget. Founded in 1968, runner-up Hardware’s selection included a variety Fisher Chevrolet/Geo/Honda/Kia offers of plasters, wire and pottery supplies, to lots of options for the new-car buyer. name just a few examples.What really sets Flatirons Acura/Subaru rolled into third this hardware store’s art selection apart, (did we use that joke already?), Gebhardt however, is that we can’t think of any BMW/Isuzu/VW parallel-parked at fourth other place where you can pick up basic and Pollard Jeep backed safely into fifth. supplies, any kind of light to see what you’re doing, drills and hammers to manipAUTO DEALER – USED ulate raw materials into new and exciting Fisher Chevrolet/Geo/Honda/ forms, heavy-duty extension cords to take Kia these provisions wherever inspiration 6025 Arapahoe Road, 855-219-2886 strikes, circular saws to cut up your work Runner-up: Boulder Toyota in an artistic rage, staples and grout to put it back together, picture frames to display he great thing about used stores of it when you’re finished, mailing supplies so any kind is their variety. Used clothing you can ship it to your grandma, and stores carry just about any brand, from shower heads to clean yourself up after- the shi-shi to the thrifty. Thrift stores ward. For a more traditional arts-and- carry a range of goods covering the usual crafts experience, check out our runner- (kitchen tables, old magazines, lamps) to up, Michael’s or Hobby Lobby, which the bizarre (exercise equipment from the claimed third place. Meininger took fourth ’50s, heart-shaped pancake molds, those place, while Guiry’s came in fifth. faceless Amish dolls). At Fisher Chevrolet/Geo/Honda/Kia, you

64 April 28, 2011

CD/RECORD STORE

Bart’s Music Shack 236 Pearl St., 303-444-1760 Runner-up: Albums on the Hill

will find a great selection of reliable, affordable used cars backed up by more than 40 years of service in the Boulder community. As you might have guessed from their name, Fisher deals in a number of quality makers, perfect for the undecided, “I’ll know it when I see it” type of car shopper. For all you Toyota lovers, there’s runner-up Boulder Toyota (which also specializes in new cars). Third place goes to Blue Spruce Auto Sales, fourth to Pollard Jeep, and fifth to Super Rupair.

BATH & BODY SHOP

Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy 1647 Pearl St., 303-442-5164 (plus two other locations in Boulder) Runner-up: Sephora

hen Bart’s CD Cellar and Record Shop closed last year, Bart Stinchcomb, who founded the store in 1991 and sold it in 2006, returned to the music store business by opening Bart’s Music Shack last summer. With the advent of MP3s and iPods, the shop is put together on a smaller scale, selling used CDs and vinyl dedicated to the hardcore music fan who still enjoys feeling something physical in his or her hands and loves reading liner notes. So if you still have a CD player or a turntable, Bart’s is the perfect spot to find some classic tunes from yesteryear. The runner-up is the renowned Albums on the Hill, a Boulder institution that is still going strong, while Absolute Vinyl, which also opened last year, came in third. The corporate stores, Barnes & Noble and Best Buy, came in fourth and fifth, respectively.

AUTO SERVICE/REPAIR

he care and keeping of the body ought to align with the needs of the environment and sustainability of society. After all, what you put on your body shouldn’t harm your body — or anyone else’s. Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy offers bath and body products designed to improve the natural beauty of customers and the earth through wholesome, natural ingredients. The business first opened in Boulder 11 years ago and has since expanded to many different locations, sharing the relevance of alternative medicine and holistic health care around the nation. Stores and home offices of Pharmaca are run by certified practitioners and professionals and are carbon-neutral, offsetting any waste in a manner that is environmentally friendly. Boulderites preserve their natural beauty by consuming Pharmaca’s socially conscious and aromatherapeutic products. Brands that include Pharmaca’s own, as well as Jurlique, Dr. Hauschka, Burt’s Bees, Alba and Avalon, are used to scrub, exfoliate and moisturize the

Hoshi Motors 2504 Spruce St., 303-449-6632 Runner-up: Super Rupair

hat strange sound coming from the engine. Those squeaking brakes. That taillight that won’t come on no matter how many times you change the bulb. Sometimes cars need a little TLC. Our readers say that when it comes to caring for ailing cars, Hoshi Motors is the best. The mechanics there can help fix your ride with their high-touch service, whatever the problem. With a reputation built on 22 years of quality work, they’re a company our readers trust. The runner-up is Subaru specialists Super Rupair (and, yes, the name is spelled right!). If you don’t own a Subaru or want to trade yours up, they also buy and sell used models. Also check out third place 28th Street Garage. Swedish Motors came in fourth, and Chan’s Foreign Car won fifth.

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

Thank you for voting our unique exhibit one of your favorite museums in Boulder. Please visit soon! 250 paintings, 150 bronze sculptures 15 minutes from downtown Boulder • Free admission Outdoor sculpture garden • Card & gift shop Take Diagonal Highway #119 to 63rd Street, south to Longbow Drive and west to Leanin’ Tree. Intruder © Ken Bunn

Museum and Sculpture Garden of Western Art

Hours: M-F 8 to 5, Sat. - Sun. 10-5 Phone: 303-530-1442, ext. 5 6055 Longbow Drive, Boulder, CO.

www.leanintreemuseum.com

BOULDER ROCK CLUB

CLIMB Voted Best Of Boulder for 7 years straight! Indoor Climbing, Fitness Classes, Yoga, Youth Programs, Birthday Parties

First Time Climber Special: $8 students, $10 adults Great Membership Options, No Initation Fees, No Cancelation Fees

2829 Mapleton Ave. • www.totalclimbing.com • 303.447.2804 Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’11

April 28, 2011 65

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BICYCLE SHOP

University Bicycles 839 Pearl St., 303-444-4196  Runner-up: Full Cycle

Mike’s Camera 2500 Pearl St., 303-443-1715 Runner-up: Wolf Camera

here are more than 300 miles of sprawling asphalt lanes, concrete routes and othing makes a Boulder hipster weep mountainous dirt trails within Boulder’s city like an SLR slipping from the back of a limits, so it is no surprise that thousands of fixed-gear bicycle. When disaster strikes parked bicycles can be found lining the with a shattered lens, fractured aperture streets on any given day. This town runs on thread or distorted film, Boulder mothers, bikes, so if you haven’t hopped on yet (par- students, hipsters and even professional don the pun), head to Susan France photographers turn U n i ve r s i t y to Mike’s Camera Bicycles to buy, for solutions. Mike’s rent or tune up. The Camera first opened oldest bike shop in in 1967 and has since town, University expanded into three Bicycles has the superstores, solving inventory and the Colorado’s camera expertise to send needs every day of you on your way the week. The knowlwith the perfect edge and precision of match to hit the its employees is what trails. There is cersets Mike’s apart tainly no shortage of from other camera options for finding a retailers and repair ride in Boulder. Stop shops. Questions are by runner-up Full answered in a conCycle for an expert cise manner and staff of commuters repairs are explained and racers alike who Kathleen Grigg of University in thorough detail, in have spent an aver- Bicycles, with a cruiser bike part because every age of 10 years in the staffer must maintain business. There’s also their status as a Boulder Cycle Sport, which was founded by Certified Photographic Consultant throughtwo CU grads in 2005 and came in third. out their employment. Boulder has long Rounding out the category are fourth place agreed that Mike’s Camera is the best Bicycle Village and fifth place Community source for moral support in purchasing or Cycles. remedying visual technology. Wolf Camera takes runner-up, and third place goes to Photo Craft Laboratories. One Hour Photo BOOKSTORE Express nails fourth and Costco grabs fifth. Boulder Book Store 1107 Pearl St., 303-447-2074 Runner-up: Barnes & Noble CARPET/FLOORING Atlas Flooring Pearl Street Mall staple, the Boulder 4920 28th St., 303-442-3221 Book Store receives this year’s Runner-up: Ellie’s Eco Home Store honor of best bookstore in the county. Its comfortable atmosphere and vast collece were going to make a clever Atlas tion of volumes keep visitors enthralled Shrugged reference here, but in the for hours as they navigate through the end decided that Atlas Flooring’s quality, shelves looking for a good story — and selection, service and many years of cusevery accessory that might go with it, tomer satisfaction could speak for themfrom bookmarks to reading lights. selves. (Besides, Rand can be kind of a Established in 1973, the store has a unique downer.) So if you’re looking for tile, carpet, sense of local pride and history, with an wood, tiles, cabinets or pretty much anything historic upstairs ballroom that hosts more a dedicated DIYer needs for a home than 150 author events each year. The improvement project, Atlas Flooring is nothattached Bookend Café is a great spot for ing to shrug — we mean sneeze — at. avid readers to settle in with a thick book Founded in 1958, Atlas Flooring has been and a cup of coffee, taking in the sun and providing great customer service for longer the sights on a warm Boulder afternoon. than many of us have been alive, and if you’re Barnes & Noble — with its cozy fireplace the picky type, they have thousands of floor— takes second place in this category, fol- ing samples on display. A good floor should lowed by a used-book lover’s paradise, last a lifetime, after all, and no one wants to Bookworm. West end favorite Trident be stuck with crummy carpet or terrible tile. Booksellers and Café takes home fourth For those of you who want a “green” floor place, with Lefthand Books in fifth. in just about any color, stop by runner-up Ellie’s Eco Home Store before they close May 7, or third-place finisher Go Green Flooring. Carpet Exchange and Boulder Stove and Flooring round out the top five in fourth and fifth places, respectively.

we’ll be seeing you. in the Village at 2525 ARAPAHOE ❘ 303.447.0210 ❘ www.aspeneyewear.com

66 April 28, 2011

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

CIGAR/CIGARETTE/TOBACCO SHOP Eads News & Smoke 1715 28th St., 303-442-5900 Runner-up: Johnny’s Cigar Bar

hile smoking rates have been steadily declining and many people have turned to running, biking or other stressrelieving outlets, some of us still enjoy the occasional smoke break. The hands-down winner for Boulder’s best Cigar/Cigarette/ Tobacco Shop is Eads News & Smoke, the perennial winner in this category. The store’s selection is wide enough for a regular smoker who’s always looking to try something new, but it is also a good place to pick out the occasional celebration cigar or pipe tobacco for your grandfather. In our modern age, we can get almost any information imaginable online, which is what makes Eads News & Smoke’s variety of newspapers and magazines unique. It specializes in the tangible: a paper in your hand and the smell of cigars and pipe tobacco in your nostrils. Johnny’s Cigar Bar is our runner-up this year, while Mile High Pipes & Tobacco took third place. Smoker Friendly came in fourth place, while fifth place was claimed by Barlow’s Premium Cigars & Pipes.

sights a little higher than the stoner chick with no style, stop by Recreational Equipment Inc., aka REI. It makes complete sense that a store selling outdoor gear and clothing would be tops in this town — the fittest in the country. In Boulder County, fitness is fashion.Visit REI, and you’ll not only look good, you’ll be ready for some outdoors adventures, too (always a plus when it comes to impressing the ladies). The same can be said of runner-up Patagonia, another man-friendly shop that can get you looking sharp. To add some more variety to your wardrobe, check out third-place fin-

isher Weekends, fourth-place Buffalo Exchange and fifth-place Urban Outfitters.

CLOTHING – CHILDREN

Rocky Mountain Kids 2525 Arapahoe Ave., #H12a, 303447-2267 Runner-up: Childish Things

ids grow up so fast, and kids clothing is so cute that it’s truly a shame when they grow out of that darling skirt or adorable little vest. It’s enough to make you want

to have more children, just so that wardrobe gets used again and again. Most of us aren’t the Duggars, though, and having a huge brood isn’t really an option. Instead, just do your shopping at family-owned and -operated Rocky Mountain Kids, home of cuter-than-cute fashion for all ages. And while it will still be hard to part with that party dress that no longer fits, finding a replacement outfit couldn’t be easier — or more fun. Runner-up Childish Things can make your little one lovely, too, and be sure to check out Ginger & Pickles and Poppy, which tied for third, as well as fourth-place finisher Little Mountain.

CLOTHING STORE — WOMEN’S Anthropologie 1805 29th St., 303-449-4575 Runner-up: Coldwater Creek

olorblock silk, painterly jersey, and beaded chiffon — oh, my! While the array of styles, abundance of charming knickknacks and that intoxicating aroma may seem like heaven, this oasis is real at Anthropologie. The best part? Clever uses of elastic and ties hidden among tops and sundresses alike assure that you’ll find options that fit perfectly and are remarkably comfortable no matter what your style. Distinct touches from whimsical (yet completely practical) merchandising to what-towear checklists mean you’ll be ready to put all of your finds to everyday use, which is kind of the whole point, right? Look for future closet staples at our runner-up, Coldwater Creek, or channel your inner hipster at third-place winner Urban Outfitters. For true Boulder style be sure to check Patagonia, which took fourth, or fifthplace winner Prana.

CLOTHING STORE — MEN’S

Recreational Equipment Inc., (REI) 1789 28th St., 303-583-9970 Runner-up: Patagonia

uys, don’t believe the recent spate of Hollywood rom-coms: slacker guys in grubby jeans and wrinkled T-shirts do NOT get to go out with women like Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Aniston. We’re not sure what happened to movies between the days of Cary Grant and Seth Rogen, but here in the real world, women still prefer a guy who knows how to dress himself. No one wants to be seen with a guy who looked like he slept in a hamper. So if you want to set your Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’11

April 28, 2011 67

Thank You For Voting Us

Best of Boulder

COSTUME SHOP

COMPUTER — REPAIR

The Ritz 959 Walnut St., 303-443-2850 Runner-up: Candy’s

www.robbsbouldermusic.com

303-443-8448

Sales Lessons Repairs R entals 2691 30th St.

BeSt Dive Shop

Boulder, CO

table Mesa Shopping center

ids are so lucky. They get to play dressup any time they want. Adults, on the other hand, have to wait for a special occasion — Halloween, costume party, bank robbery (just kidding!). But with all the cool costumes, props and makeup at The Ritz, you just might find yourself making a few more excuses to don a scary mask or a ridiculous wig. A new Pirates of the Carribbean movie is coming out? Piratethemed party! Turner Classic Movies is having a James Bond marathon? Sixtiesstyle martini party! Arbor Day? Trees-andlumberjacks party! OK, some excuses work better than others. But whatever your occasion, The Ritz is the place to go when in need of costumes or other fun attire. Runner-up Candy’s has an impressive collection of costumes as well as clothing.Third place goes to Theatrical Costumes, fourth to Savers (a great place if you feel like getting creative) and fifth to Goldmine Vintage.

COMPUTER — RETAIL

Apple Store 1755 29th St., 720-479-9451 Runner-up: Best Buy

303.499.8500

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ith the increasingly growing number of Apple products seen throughout Boulder, the best place to buy these technology-driven gadgets is at the source directly. The Apple Store offers friendly and fast service from knowledgeable employees. The store is basically a toy store for adults, and it is nearly impossible to walk in without playing with some sort of new and exciting computer feature. Consumer beware: When you decide to make a “quick stop” at the Apple Store, you may become inclined to buy yourself a sleek new iPad or a miniature iPod. Prepare yourself. For a wider range of computer products, the second-place winner Best Buy is also a great place to purchase a computer, whether it is a Macintosh or a PC. The Mac Shack, located on University Hill, is a convenient place for students to buy Apple products and accessories and was ranked in third place by readers. PC Brokers Boulder got fourth place, while fifth place went to Office Depot.

Apple Store 1755 29th St., 720-479-9451 Runner-up: Mac Shack

ay back in the days of the cavemen, people didn’t need specialized repair shops. Your tools were something like a stick, a bigger stick and (if you were lucky) some rocks. If your stick broke, you found another. If you lost your rock, ditto. Those simpler times can sound very appealing when our present-day, high-tech gadgets start giving us trouble. There are few things more frustrating than a computer that doesn’t do what it’s supposed to — or stops doing anything at all. But instead of going back to living in caves and wearing animal skins, just take your modern problems to the Apple Store, and they’ll have you back up and running in no time. You can make an appointment for your ailing Mac with the geniuses at the Genius Bar. They’ll tell you straight up if your computer needs to be sent in for repairs — or whether you need a new one. Ah, civilization. If you’re on the Hill and have a computer crisis, stop by runner-up Mac Shack. Third place goes to Boulder Mac Repair (are you seeing a theme here?). PC users can check out fourth-place Boulder PC and fifth-place PC Brokers.

DIVE SHOP

Weaver’s Dive & Travel Center 637 S. Broadway, 303-499-8500 Runner-up: Ocean First

olorado is known for many things, but great beaches and oceanfront views are not among them. It’s got to be hard having a hobby like scuba diving or snorkeling when you live in a land-locked state. On the other hand, it’s the perfect excuse to take vacations to exotic tropical locales. After all, how can a skier justify a $1,000 plane ticket to Europe when we have such great resorts practically in our backyard? Divers planning their next — or first — trip to the Bahamas have a great resource at their disposal: Weaver’s Dive & Travel Center. In addition to diver education, they offer full-service travel planning and equipment.And despite our arid, ocean-less landscape, Boulder County has two more great dive shops: runner-up Ocean First and third-place Flatirons Scuba.

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

BRAILIAN JIU-JITSU • MUAI THAI KICK BOXING MMA • FITNESS • FUN • SAFE • EFFECTIVE NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY • BRING THE FAMILY! ARVADA 303.463.1663 12650 W. 64th Ave. Unit G

BOULDER 303.938.1275 1750 30th St. Unit 22

DENVER 303.623.1715 320 Broadway #D

LITTLETON / CENTENNIAL 720.998.5795 8215 South Holly St. Unit 2815

PARKER 303.332.2730 17051 Lincoln Ave. Unit C

www.eastonbjj.com Come Experience the Best manicure and pedicure in Boulder @ The Nail Studio. We appreciate your support and love what we do.

• Our full service natural nail salon was created in 2008 in Boulder with an independent spirit, and the philosophy that each of our clients unique styles should be represented in the work we do every day. We have over 40yrs combined experience in the natural nail industry, which allows us to bring you into a relaxed environment that doesn’t feel rushed or overdone. • We try to support local business with the products we sell, Queen Bee, Rosy Rings, and hand made custom jewelry.

We appreciate everyone who voted for us, for Best Independent Business. Thank You from The Nail Studio.

Check out our website for online booking and to read reviews on Insider Pages, Yelp and Google 3280 28th Street, Boulder • 303-444-4841 • thenailstudioboulder@gmail.com • www.nailstudioboulder.com Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’11

April 28, 2011 69

FLOWER SHOP

ECO-FRIENDLY RETAILER

Sturtz and Copeland 2851 Valmont Road, 303-442-6663 Runner-up: Fiori

thank you... BOULDER FOR VOTING US: BEST HOTEL B E S T D AY S P A BEST LIVE JAZZ BEST PLACE TO DANCE BEST MASSAGE

Ellie’s Eco Home Store 2525 Arapahoe Ave., 303-952-1004 Runner-up: Patagonia Boulder

atching the bouquet for this year’s Best e are mourning the May 7 closure of Flower Shop award is Sturtz and the winner in this category, Ellie’s Copeland, a company that has been a part Eco Home Store, where customers could of the Boulder community since 1929. The be confident they were being green and savflower shop creates arrangements for all ing green. And they could even be painting occasions, ranging from modest planted green — in shades of Chile Verde, Sweet Basil perennials to extravagant wedding table and Tavern Green, to be exact. Ellie’s Eco centers and bouquets. But the employees at Home Store has had the products necessary Sturtz and Susan France to build — and fill Copeland are — a completely more than just eco-friendly florists; they are a house, right down group of greento the mattress. thumb enthusiasts The store has only who also work to been open since maintain the com2010 and knew pany’s garden cenhow to cater to a ter, which includes Boulder audience. a greenhouse. For Ellie’s selection those of you who and prices gave are able only to them a nudge keep plants alive over runner up for as long as the Patagonia Boulder, lifespan of your the organic outfitaverage carnival Hannah Upham, bedding plants manter on Pearl that goldfish, these ager and class coordinator at Sturtz and stocks clothing for h o r t i c u l t u r e Copeland the Boulder outexperts are full of door enthusiast, information on as well as travel everything from fertilizer to garden mainte- (and surfing!) gear for our adventures away nance. Runner-up this year is Fiori Flowers from home. Coming in third place was with their chic centerpieces, and third place Rebecca’s Herbal Apothecary, and in fourth goes to Boulder Blooms. Lafayette Florist place is Only Natural Pet Store. MomentuM picks up fourth place, and Art of the Flower came in fifth place. wins fifth.

FARM

Munson Farms Valmont Road and 75th Street, 303-442-5330 Runner-up: Haystack Mountain Goat Dairy

DRY CLEANER

Art Cleaners 2610 Baseline Rd., 303-499-7030 Runner-up: Environmental Cleaners

DOWNTOWN BOULDER C A L L 7 2 0 - 4 0 6 - 9 6 9 6 F O R R E S E R V AT I O N S WWW.STJULIEN.COM

70 April 28, 2011

oulderites have never been afraid to put in a little extra effort to make their everyday lives a little greener. It’s no surprise that Boulder’s top-voted dry cleaners incorporate environmentally friendly practices into their work. This year, readers voted Art Cleaners as their favorite place to drop off their slightly worn or all-out filthy clothes. The company has been finding new ways to get the stains off of your favorite garments since its founding in 1921, most recently by converting to a GreenEarth Cleaning system. It also offers free pick-up and delivery, so you can save yourself an errand and spend more time getting your clothes dirty again. Taking second place this year is Environmental Cleaners, while third place went to John’s Cleaners. Readers put Boulder Cleaners in fourth place, while fifth place was claimed by Dependable Cleaners.

n Boulder County, where environmental consciousness is a badge of pride, farms have steadily amassed a large following of earth-loving devotees drooling at the thought of locally grown tomatoes and cucumbers. If the improved taste isn’t enough to convince you to join the herd, then there are numerous economic, political and environmental reasons to purchase produce and other products from a local farm the next time you go grocery shopping. Munson Farms gets our readers’ nod for the second consecutive year. Though they sell a variety of veggies and herbs, they are most famous for their peaches-and-cream corn, which, when in season, tastes like the kernels of the gods themselves. Haystack Mountain Goat Dairy is this year’s runnerup. Abbondanza came in third, and Cure Organic and Boulder Community Gardens tied for fourth. Anderson Farms got fifth.

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

V intage C lothing

C ostumes & J ewelry

2512 Broadway, Boulder 303•442•6186 candysboulder.com

Play. Stay. Sleep. Eat. Repeat.

FURNITURE

American Furniture Warehouse Mutliple locations, www.afwonline.com Runner-up: Clutter Consignment

GIFT SHOP

The Peppercorn 1235 Pearl St., 303-449-5847 Runner-up: Bliss

uying the perfect gift can be the biggest headache, and choosing something that won’t have the recipient requesting a copy of the receipt can be tricky. Luckily, the seemingly infinite selection of trinkets, kitchen tools and nosh at The Peppercorn makes this a much more manageable task. Whether choosing coasters, plates and table linens for that hostess with the most(ess); or selecting innovative tools, cookbooks and barbecue sauce for the master griller; or spoiling your-

GROCERY STORE

Whole Foods Market 2905 Pearl St., 303-545-6611 Runner-up: Sunflower

s a culinary phrase, “food porn” was first penned in part by Chef Jim Lahey in 1996. The term refers to the astounding and inspiring visual presentation of dishes and products that can provoke — almost compel — one to eat. Whole Foods Market, with its recently renovated and expanded Pearl Street location, embodies the term perfectly. Both foodies and health nuts can find solace in the brightly colored and well-organized aisles of this huge market. Produce and grocery items are only part of the experience here, since a hot bar and salad bar offering food priced by the pound, a deli, a bakery and a sushi station are among the many options. Second-place Sunflower has a similar, health-conscious mission coupled with affordable prices. Third place goes to King Soopers, and Vitamin Cottage comes in fourth. Ideal Market rounds out the group in fifth place.

Doggie Play Care Small Pet Boarding Grooming

Loads of Outdoor & Indoor Fun!

Voted Best Pet Care, Year After Year!

- Daily Camera & Colorado Daily

STAY FOR PE ND

p until you graduate from college, and maybe — maybe — for a few years after that, you can get away with using Craigslist to decorate your home or apartment. There comes a time, however, when it’s time to upgrade. Cinder-block chic doesn’t really hold up well when you’ve got a steady job and some actual grown-up taste. For more selection than the average human mind can comprehend, truck on over to American Furniture Warehouse, which is even bigger than the name implies. From foyer to family room, AFW has everything you need to give your home a makeover at a reasonable price. Also check out runner-up Clutter Consignment, or pop into thirdplace HW Home on Pearl Street. Fourthplace Concepts and fifth-place Woodley’s also offer a good selection of furniture so that your living room pieces actually match.

self with a new espresso machine; you’ll find everything under the sun at this Pearl Street haven, truly a Boulder institution. For an array of artistic stationery, jewelry and home accessories, stop by our runner up, Bliss, on the east end of Pearl Street Mall. There is no better place to pick up one-of-a-kind items crafted by local artisans than third-place winner Art Mart. Jacque Michelle won fourth place, while Boulder Arts & Crafts took fifth.

PLAY A

The Peppercorn

7275 Valmont Rd - Boulder – 303.442.2602 7:30am - 6pm Everyday www.cottonwoodkennels.com

303-443-0821 Showroom - 2347 South Street - Boulder

www.mrpoolinc.com

Let us help you make your pool/spa ‘Green’. Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’11

April 28, 2011 71

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McGuckin Hardware 2525 Arapahoe Ave., 303-443-1822 Runner-up: Home Depot

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visit us at: www.lakesideamusementpark.com 72 April 28, 2011

as there any doubt who would win this category? In 1955, McGuckin Hardware opened its doors with only four employees and a mission to offer personalized service and experience. Today, with nearly 300 employees and a store covering more than 60,000 square feet, it is no secret that McGuckin Hardware has everything you possibly could need — and then some. Just know that when you walk into the store for a box of nails, you will probably walk out with a wall clock, pet shampoo and the metal walking stick that you just had to have. Second place went to Home Depot, a hardware store that will likely have every item you need for your current project, and a knowledgeable employee who can tell you the exact parts you will need for your future home improvement plans. Lowe’s got third place, while Guiry’s Color Source took fourth place. Readers gave Table Mesa Hardware fifth place.

HOME FURNISHINGS

Mother’s Day Special!

for Just

The Peppercorn 1235 Pearl St., 303-449-5847 Runner-up: Clutter Consignment

ooking and home decorating enthusiasts alike will find The Peppercorn to be the mecca of all things domestic. If Martha Stewart lived in Boulder, this is where she would hang out. There is simply no other store offering the same selection and aesthetic appeal of this Pearl Street staple. From top-quality pots, pans and pasta-makers to hard-to-find cookbooks, table linens and kitchen gadgets, this store has everything. Don’t get too caught up downstairs, though. There’s a second floor, showcasing the best of bedroom couture. If you’re looking more for large furniture items, head to second-place winner Clutter Consignment, where inventory changes daily. Third place goes to American Furniture Warehouse, with HW Home in fourth and the Amazing Garage Sale in fifth.

HOT TUB/JACUZZI

Mr. Pool 2347 South St., 303-443-0821 Runner-up: Mountain Mist

ot tubs are the picnic of pools. Sure, you could just take a really hot bath indoors, just like you could eat your meal indoors at a table like a civilized person. But where’s the fun in that? Your friends certainly can’t join you. Ever tried drinking beer and playing poker with six other people in

your tub? We didn’t think so. If you’re ready to turn your hot soak into a party for 10, talk to Mr. Pool. They’ll get you set up and leave your neighbors suffering from hot-tub envy. Runner-up in this luxurious category is Mountain Mist, with Heat Wave Stove & Spa taking third, Quality Pools & Spas in fourth and our bon ami International Hot Tubs taking fifth.

HOTEL

St. Julien Hotel & Spa 900 Walnut St., 720-406-9696 Runner-up: Hotel Boulderado

oulder has a lot of natural beauty. But when you’re from out of town and you’re not used to the winter cold and the lack of oxygen in the mountain air, sometimes it’s best to just relax and admire the view through your hotel window. This year, readers voted St. Julien Hotel & Spa as Boulder’s best hotel, where even locals and die-hard outdoor types love to book a room. St. Julien is known for luxury in all aspects, from the spa to the pool to the food to the suites and guest rooms themselves. The hotel also features a venue with regular musical performances, including some notable jazz acts, and the T-Zero Lounge offers signature martinis, cocktails and more.Taking second place this year is Hotel Boulderado, while third place went to Boulder Outlook Hotel, known for being the city’s first zerowaste hotel. Readers voted Chautauqua’s rental cottages in fourth place, while fifth place was claimed by Boulder Marriott.

HYDROPONIC STORE

Way to Grow 6395 Gunpark Dr., 303-473-4769 Runner-up: Boulder Hydroponic

eading about all of the homesteading, urban farming and backyard chickenraising going on, it’s no wonder apartment dwellers are feeling a bit left out. With no yard, let alone a spare half-acre or so, what’s an urbanite to do? Sure, there’s always the farmers’ markets for getting local, organic fruits and veggies, not to mention community supported agriculture. But when you want to get your hands dirty (or at least wet), only growing your own produce will do. That’s where Way to Grow comes in, bringing farming indoors for all of us living in 700 square feet or less with nary a plot of land to our name. With proper lighting, a little care and some patience, you can be your own Johnny Appleseed (on a slightly smaller scale, of course). Runner-up in this growing category (sorry, we couldn’t resist) is Boulder Hydroponic. Third place goes to the Candy Shop, fourth to Lyons Indoor and fifth to One Love.

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

INDEPENDENT BUSINESS

The Nail Studio Boulder 3280 28th St., 303-444-4841 Runner-up: Rebecca’s Herbal Apothecary

ndependent businesses are the lifeblood of our country, the American dream embodied in personal ownership. Independent businesses put money into the local economy instead of shipping it out of state and give a town a unique flavor. Boulder County has strong independent businesses from Boulder to Longmont, and the competition in this category is fierce. The Nail Studio Boulder wins this year. It offers manicures, pedicures and private parties for weddings, events and just because. Rebecca’s Herbal Apothecary, known for its quirky, natural products and classes, is this The Nail Studio year’s runner-up. Note Boulder that this category is write-in only, and The Adventurous 500, Ripple Pure Frozen Yogurt, MomentuM and Boulder’s only independent newspaper tied for third place. And if you don’t know which paper that is, here’s a hint:You’re holding one of its publications.

JEWELRY STORE

Angie Star 1807 Pearl St., 720-565-0288 Runner-up: Hurdle’s

n the Twilight Zone episode “The Rip Van Winkle Caper,” four men steal $1 million in gold, and then cryogenically freeze themselves for 100 years, figuring by the time they woke up, no one would even remember the robbery and they’d get away scot-free. Unfortunately and unbeknownst to them, scientists had created a way to manufacture gold in the intervening century, rendering the bandits’ haul worthless. Gold is, of course, still valuable in our time. But mining for it is very destructive to both people and planet. Angie Star Jewelry, a team of professional jewelry designers, craft beautiful jewelry from ethically sourced metals and materials, and they also offer custom-made jewelry, as well as classes for anyone interested in jewelry making. The result is a store filled with truly unique pieces that reflect the buyer’s personality without harming the environment. Hurdle’s Jewelry is the runner-up in this lovely little category, Walter’s & Hogsett Fine Jewelers is third, Art Mart is fourth and Boulder Arts & Crafts is fifth.

KITCHEN SUPPLIES

The Peppercorn 1235 Pearl St., 303-449-5847 Runner-up: Bed Bath & Beyond

dults love playing with stuff as much as your average child, but since it’s not so acceptable to openly admit such, we created the word “hobby.” And what good is a hobby if you don’t have awesome toys? Cooking is the number one hobby for many of us these days, and for all of your culinary needs, check out The Peppercorn, which readers deemed the best place around town to stock your kitchen. From ultrasharp German knives to anodized aluminum pans, Peppercorn has everything you need to give Emeril Lagasse a run for his money. Check out their enormous bookshelf full of different bottles of hot sauces if you’re looking for something to kick your food up a notch. Runner-up Bed Bath & Beyond is another viable option, and Savory Spice, What’s Cooking and Chef’s Mart rounded out the third-, fourth- and fifth-place spots.

LINGERE

Christina’s Luxuries 2425 Canyon Blvd., 303-443-2421 Runner-up: Victoria’s Secret

espite what Victoria might be alluding to, it’s no secret that ladies love lacy things. Shopping for them, however, is an entirely different matter. Christina’s Luxuries remains Boulder’s only independent business that specializes in fitting ladies in lingerie, and helping their partners distinguish between the elusively named g-string and v-string. Boasting high-end brands like La Perla and Simone Perele, Christina’s Luxuries has been open for 31 years in Boulder, battling the economic downturn that plagues so many small businesses with the knowledge that sexy is sustainable. The store began exclusively as a lingerie retailer, but has since expanded to carry fashions as well. Dresses by designers like Nicole Miller and Fresh Laundry are there to cover up Boulder before revealing what’s beneath that little black dress. For something for everybody, check out America’s lingerie staple and Boulder’s second favorite, Victoria’s Secret, in the Twenty Ninth Street mall. Fascinations can put on a pretty third-place ribbon, and Naughty But Nice can dress up (or down) to celebrate fourth place. Newcomer BoulderFields, specializing in helping women who have been “blessed by the chest fairy” to find the perfect fit, takes fifth.

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’11

April 28, 2011 73

LIQUOR STORE

Liquor Mart 1750 15th St., 303-449-3374 Runner-up: Superior Liquor

303.579.9398 only eco-friendly products used

or every devotee to the devil’s drink, a trip to the liquor store is like a trip to the candy store — a giant, liquid candy store you need to be 21 to enter. Size matters here, and there’s no one in town remotely close to Liquor Mart, Boulder’s first stop for sauce. With a massive selection of every type of alcohol imaginable, from 18-year-old scotch to saffron-infused liqueur, Liquor Mart’s 30,000-plus square feet of retail space is bound to have the most obscure alcoholic beverage you could possibly want. Their massive beer fridge boasts some outstanding regional obscurities, from the yeast-free Lambic beers of Belgium to the latest creation from the mad beer scientists of Boulder’s Avery Brewing Company. Runner-up Superior Liquor earns reader accolades through its great selection and personable service. Boulder Wine Merchant takes third this year, while readers voted Pettyjohn’s fourth and Boulder Wine & Spirits fifth.

MOVING COMPANY

Two Men and a Truck 6280 Arapahoe Rd., 303-443-9911 Runner-up: Taylor Moving

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nless you have a lot of burly friends and several cases of beer to go around, moving is hard. It’s bad enough for college students moving a dorm-full of belongings once a year. For those of us with a family and a house, it’s so daunting we just might reconsider moving at all. Or we could just call Two Men and a Truck, which actually employs far more than two men and has a fleet of much more than one truck. Started by two brothers and proudly sporting the logo Mom designed for them (two stick men in a moving truck — it’s adorable!), what started as a tiny business in Lansing, Mich., is now a thriving company boasting a fleet of more than 1,300 trucks. And you wondered how those two guys in that one truck seemed to get around the way they do. Runner-up Taylor Moving, a local institution for more than 15 years, does much more than their name implies: residential and commercial, both local and national, truck rentals, packing services, climatecontrolled storage and more. (That’s

probably a lot to fit in a name, though.) Third place goes to Berg’s Small Moves, and there was a tie for fourth between Boulder Valley Transfer and A Boulder Moving Co.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

Robb’s Boulder Music 2691 30th St., 303-443-8448 Runner-up: HB Woodsongs

ven musicians just stopping in to pick up some strings often find themselves plugged into an amp at Robb’s Boulder Music for a good 20 minutes before leaving the store. The shop boasts a wide selection of stringed instruments, ranging from traditional electric and acoustic guitars and basses to the more nontraditional mandolin-banjo hybrids and ukulelebanjo hybrids. Percussionists, DJs and sound engineers will be sure to find equipment to suit their sonic needs as well. Given the wide range of instrument pricings and styles, Robb’s Boulder Music is a perfect place to find the right gear to play live, or just to play around. Taking runnerup this year is HB Woodsongs, known for its wide selection of acoustic instruments and affordable rent-to-own options, while third place went to The Drum Shop. Readers ranked Wildwood Music at fourth place, while Miller Music claimed fifth.

NATURAL FOODS

Boulder County Farmers’ Markets 13th Street between Arapahoe and Canyon in Boulder, and 9595 Nelson Rd. in Longmont, 303-910-2236 Runner-up: Whole Foods

he spring, summer and fall are when the farmers come outside to play, and Boulder County Farmers’ Markets are the best places to catch up with them and their food. This year the Boulder market will have more room for pedestrian walkways and more farmers. Along with new vendors selling lamb, bison and canned goods, the market will be extending its season all the way to the week before Thanksgiving. So you might as well mark your Wednesdays and Saturdays as your grocery shopping days. Boulder’s favorite grocery store, Whole Foods, was the runner-up, and the Vitamin Cottage took third place in our survey. Sunflower Market was voted fourth, while Sprouts placed fifth.

a full detail

74 April 28, 2011

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

OUTDOOR GEAR

OPTICAL STORE

Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) 1789 28th St., 303-583-9970 Runner-up: Boulder Army Store

Aspen Eyewear 2525 Arapahoe Ave., Suite E-23, 303-447-0210 Runner-up: Envision

e breathe the intoxicating fumes that e’re not sure when it happened, but sometime between the 1950s and rise up from hot asphalt as we run mile after mile, eat fresh powder as we glide now, glasses got sexy. Long gone are the down rugged slopes, hear the sound of our nerdy, bookish associations of wearing specs. bike chains clinking as we power up yet Now it’s all fashion, all the way, especially if another hill, and sleep under a mixed canopy you shop at somewhere as chic and trendsetting as Aspen of pines and stars E yewe a r . before waking at Celebrating its dawn to start 25th year in again. Time outBoulder, Aspen doors is a manoffers top-of-thedatory part of life line frames, highly for bona fide trained staff and Boulderites, and stellar service. running shoes Picking out just and polar fleece one great pair rank among our here is so hard most prized posthat you wouldn’t sessions. We be blamed if you don’t mess decided to take around with our Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) two (or three or gear, so we go to …), and having R e c re a t i o n a l Equipment, Inc. (lovingly referred to as different styles to go with your different REI by the co-op’s devotees) for the neces- outfits never hurt either. Envision garnered sities of a life in motion — whether that the runner-up spot, Boulder Vision Center means a Nalgene to stay hydrated at the got third, College Optical was chosen fourth, office or a backpack designed with as much and Pearle Vision came in fifth. attention to structure as the Brooklyn Bridge.You’re sure to find tools for the great PET STORE outdoors at our runner-up, Boulder Army Humane Society of Store, a long-time Boulder institution. Boulder Valley Neptune Mountaineering takes third place 2323 55th St., 303-442-4030 this year, while Patagonia takes fourth and Runner-up: PetSmart Boulder Ski Deals claims fifth.

NEW BUSINESS

Alpine Auto Detailing 303-579-9398 Runner-up: Ripple Pure Frozen Yogurt

Thank You Boulder!

pening a new business is both the fulfillment of a dream and a struggle for many entrepreneurs, who often learn on the fly (painfully, at ungodly hours) the ins and outs of running a small business. It’s a stressful time — not all new businesses survive, and the economy isn’t helping anyone’s chances. This year’s winner, Alpine Auto Detailing, has the perfect business model for today’s fiscal climate. Little more than a truck attached to a trailer, Alpine Detailing will drive a pickup truck and a trailer almost anywhere on the Front Range and bring interior and exterior detailing services directly to the consumer.With low overhead and environmentally friendly cleaning products, Alpine Auto Detailing is poised for success. Runner-up Ripple Pure Frozen Yogurt is making waves in the sweet dessert scene. Mary’s Market and Deli came in third, The Nail Studio came in fourth, and Campus Street Sportswear came in fifth.

Apparel, Lingerie & Swimwear

2425 Canyon e 303-443-2421

Mon-Sat 10-6 Sun 12-5 e www.christinasluxuries.com

isney had it wrong. The Humane Society of Boulder Valley is actually the happiest place on earth. And while none of these furry friends sing, dance or talk in cutesy voices, these happy dogs, cats and the occasional hamster or bird are all ready to put a smile on their soon-to-be-owners’ faces. All dogs and cats up for adoption are spayed or neutered, vaccinated and come with microchip identification. If you see a pet you just can’t pass up, make sure to put it on hold or take it home that day, because animals go fast in this critter-loving county. The Humane Society also boasts a veterinary clinic, as well as training and behavior classes. You can check out photos of adoptable animals on their website, www.boulderhumane. org. Chain store PetSmart got second place. PC’s Pantry, which smells so good you might mistake it for a human-targeted bakery, takes third. Whole Pets nabs fourth, and Only Natural Pet Store earns fifth.

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’11

April 28, 2011 75

HONDA SUBARU TOYOTA h i g h

t o u c h

a u t o

s e r v i c e

SHOE STORE

Boulder Running Company 2775 Pearl St., 303-786-9255 Runner-up: Pedestrian Shops

Painting by LauraMarshall.com

THANK YOU!!!

Best of Boulder 2011 f o l s o m & s p r u c e • 3 0 3 . 4 4 9 . 6 6 3 2 • w w w. h o s h i m o t o r s . n e t

www.boulderhouse-cleaning.com

Boulder HouseCleaning

oulder Running Company is like ads News & Smoke Shop, our eHarmony for your feet — they’re readers’ favorite place for tobacco, is determined to find each foot its perfect also its favorite place for pipes. A landmark match. And while some of us may be looking with the lion’s share of local grit, Eads tops for a lighter, younger model, others are just last year’s winner, Mile High Pipe, with their as happy to stick with the more casual walk- selection of tobacco pipes and smoking on-the-beach type. accessories. The shop There are options for also features a walk-in those of us who run, humidor as well as walk and work in some of the harder-toBoulder. Boulder find brands of smokes. Running Company will And as the name hook you up with just implies, Eads is also just what you’re looking for as famous for its huge — and it should work magazine and newspaout better than that per selection, both first date with Ron in domestic and internaaccounting. The runnertional. For a truly up this year was sophisticated smoking Pedestrian Shops, experience, pick up a another place for those copy of Le Monde to of us who squeal over peruse while you enjoy Birkenstocks the way your Chateau Fuente others might scream and a nice brandy. Ah, for Louboutins. Coming classy. Mile High Pipe in third place was Twotakes second, followed Sole Sisters. Shoe Fly by The Fitter in third, came in fourth place, Freaky’s in fourth, and and Famous Footwear Boulder Running Company a tie for fifth between took fifth place. High On The Hill and Little Dog.

REAL ESTATE GROUP

RE/MAX of Boulder 2425 Canyon Blvd., Ste. 110, 303-449-7000 Runner-up: Wright-Kingdom Real Estate

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PIPE SHOP

Eads News & Smoke Shop 1715 28th St., 303-442-5900 Runner-up: Mile High Pipe

hen they say Boulder is in a bubble, they’re not kidding. Our fair town is in all sorts of bubbles — political ones, economic ones, you name it. While most people use these terms to disparage certain lifestyle choices, one bubble even the most zealous haters can be glad we weren’t in was the real estate bubble. Home prices in Boulder are pretty darn close to what they were five years ago, compared to places like Miami, where prices are still down 20 percent to 40 percent from precrash prices. That’s good news for homeowners and means an investment in real estate in Boulder County is still a solid one. For the second year in a row, readers voted RE/MAX of Boulder as the best Realtors to guide you through the complex maze that is buying a home. Runnerup Wright-Kingdom Real Estate was followed by Pedal to Properties in third place, Keller Williams Realty in fourth and Walnut Realty in fifth.

SKI/SNOWBOARD SHOP

Boulder Ski Deals 2525 Arapahoe Rd., 303-938-8799 Second Place: Christy Sports

here is something to be said about a local ski shop that has the ability to get you more pumped about your ski day than you already were. Boulder Ski Deals has employees that not only know their products, but also have a contagious excitement for all things snow. You will be fitted with quality products to suit your needs, whether you are renting for a day or purchasing for many seasons to come. The runner-up, Christy Sports, also has a diverse range of excellent ski and snowboard products and an enthusiastic staff. Third-place winner REI is a perfect place to get your gear tuned, structured and waxed for the next powder day. Fourth place went to Neptune Mountaineering, and fifth was claimed by Larry’s Boot Fitting.

Best of Boulder County ’11 Boulder Weekly

Don’t just recycle…

“

TOY STORE

TATTOO/PIERCING PARLOR

Grandrabbit’s 2525 Arapahoe Ave., 303-443-0780 Runner-up: Into The Wind

Bolder Ink 2735 Iris Ave., # A, 303-444-7380 Runner-up: Tribal Rites

Take your unusual, hard-to-recycle materials for recycling and reuse at the CHaRM in Boulder!

randrabbit’s Toy Shoppe is on a ttitudes about tattoos have changed a winning streak. It’s been voted the lot over the years and still differ from best toy store/children’s store by at least country to country. While most of us would one Boulder publication every year for probably look askance at a surgeon covered more than 30 years. And not much has in tats, we don’t think twice about an NBA player covered in changed since. ink or local musiThe store has cians sporting remained in the piercings in crazy same location places. And if you since its founding, think the U.S. is still is still managed by too puritanical its founder and when it comes to remains indepenbody mods, don’t dently owned. Its bother booking huge selection of that trip to Japan. In toys range from most places, even a traditional stuffed discreet tattoo can animals and get you kicked out wooden toys with of a gym or public a handmade feel bath. But maybe to more modern, they would be a bit educational toys Grandrabbit’s Toy Shoppe more lenient if they and everything in saw some of the between — a plus for parents, grandparents or a new uncle awesome work done by Bolder Ink, home or aunt who’s rusty at toy-buying. Taking to some of the most talented artists in the second place this year is Into The Wind, a region.Vist their Facebook page at http:// store known for outlandish kites, quirky on.fb.me/bolder-ink for photos of their games and an all-ages feel, while PlayFair work. Runner-up Tribal Rites is also handy Toys claimed third place. Readers voted with a needle, both piercing and inking, and Crawdaddy’s into fourth place, while fifth don’t forget third-place Rising Tide Tattoo Emporium. Enchanted Ink is the fourth-place place was claimed by Ginger & Pickles. winner, and K&K rounds out the list of top vote-getters, in fifth place. STEREO/ELECTRONICS Best Buy 1740 30th St., 303-938-2889 Runner-up: Apple Store

ure, Best Buy is technically a big box store, but you can fit a lot into big boxes, like a 52-inch plasma television or a top-of-the-line, high-efficiency washer/ dryer combo. Best Buy also has the goodies that come in smaller boxes: MP3 players, HD camcorders, laptops and more. And while parking may be a bit tricky at the 30th Street location, that big yellow tag is hard to miss. There’s also a store on Highway 119 in Longmont. For the Apple purists out there, our runner-up, the Apple Store, is sure to please. It’s almost like walking into a real-life iPod commercial. On any given day, half the people in there probably just want to play with the floor models. Listen Up takes third place, Car Toys fourth and Radio Shack fifth.

ITEMS ACCEPTED INCLUDE: electronics #6 white block foam #2 & #4 plastic bags

bicycles & bike parts porcelain toilets & sinks cooking oil

yoga mats textiles books

Visit www.ecocycle.org/charm or call 303.444.6634 for a full list of materials, guidelines and prices.

Exclusively

Volvo

For 36 Years Repair & Maintenance

TIRE SHOP

Discount Tire 3215 28th St., 303-440-6811 Runner-up: Barnsley Tire Co Inc

n Colorado, buying tires can be as important as buying the car itself. Most residents have had the frightening experience of being stuck on icy, snow-covered roads in the midst of an unyielding blizzard. With the right tires, scary road experiences are minimized, and a person will gain much-needed confidence when driving in adverse weather. Discount Tire offers some of the best tires at a very low price, has efficient service, and offers free tire rotations with your purchase. Runnerup Barnsley Tire Co Inc is a local tire shop that has been in the area since 1981 and also offers great tire prices. Third place was awarded to Big O Tires, and fourth place went to Tire Source. Fifth place was claimed by The Tire Stop.

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’11

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303.443.4812 • swedishmotorsinc.com 2500 47th #6 • Boulder, CO 80301 April 28, 2011 77

USED CLOTHING STORE

TRAVEL AGENCY

ravel to exotic places! Meet new people! Experience other cultures! See the world! Join the Navy! Or, just call up AAA Travel Agency and have them book you a nice cruise. Less of a commitment, more luxury — and you get to pick your destination. Not a bad deal if you ask us. You can travel by air, land or sea, book a stay at an all-inclusive resort or just look for the best deals on hotels in your port of call. Runner-up Boulder Travel Agency offers world-class, comprehensive travel packages, and third-place Dream Weaver Travel makes your vacation fantasy a reality. James TravelPoints, in fourth place, and Tomato Travel, in fifth, are also great at getting you where you want to go.

USED TREASURES

Buffalo Exchange 1813 Pearl St., 303-938-1924 Runner-up: Rags Consignment

AAA Travel Agency 1933 28th St., 303-753-8800 Runner-up: Boulder Travel

very aspect of the Buffalo Exchange focuses on recycling used materials — even down to its custom woodwork made from beetle-kill pine. But their specialty is recycled fashion. Here’s how it works: the Buffalo Exchange purchases your gently used clothing and accessories, picking the most desirable pieces to then be resold.You get a fraction of the retail price of the items chosen to be resold, and what isn’t chosen can be donated, should you feel philanthropic while being fashionably thrifty. The Buffalo Exchange opened its doors on 17th and Walnut back in 1996, but recently moved to its current location on Pearl Street. Rags Consignment is our runner-up, offering a selection that includes sportswear, while Savers took third. The classy Common Threads took fourth, and the Humane Society of Boulder Valley Thrift Store landed in fifth.

Buffalo Exchange 1813 Pearl St., 303-938-1924  Runner-up: Humane Society of Boulder Valley Thrift Store

he line between finding the perfect vintage articles and looking like a ragamuffin from the street corner is a dangerously thin one at most thrift stores. For every timeless lamp or classic cocktail dress are thousands of shoulder pads and cheesy cuckoo clocks, so finding a shop that eliminates the danger of a serious faux pas is worth the effort. Thankfully, we need not look further than Buffalo Exchange, whose carefully selected inventory allows for only the coolest items from the best brands. The result? A collection of clothing, shoes and accessories guaranteed to earn at least a few wows — in a good way. The wide selections at our runner-up Humane Society of Boulder Valley Thrift Store and third place Savers are bound to hold a few treasures. Common Threads came in fourth, while the Bookworm claimed fifth place.

“

GREAT, GREAT, GREAT!!!

78 April 28, 2011

n this era of Netflix, On Demand and $1 movie rentals, it takes something special for a video store to stay in business. And Boulder’s own Video Station has something special. Video Station has been a Boulder staple since 1982, with a collection of more than 50,000 movies that range from recent blockbusters and classics to the hardto-find foreign and quirky indie flicks. The staff is passionate about movies, who can not only help you find what you’re looking for and recommend some good films, they post fun, witty reviews on the store’s blog, www.thevideostation.com. Membership definitely has its privileges. That big red movie vending machine outside of your local McDonald’s? That’s Redbox, and it was the runner-up in our survey. Blockbuster, which was just purchased by Dish Network, came in third, while North Village Video and Fascinations earned fourth and fifth, respectively.

“ ~ ” “ ~ ” “ ~” “ ”

THE MOST AMAZING AND KNOWLEDGEABLE PERSONNEL IN THE COUNTRY.

SHAME ON YOU FOR HAVING A TATTOO CATEGORY. TATTOOS ARE HORRIBLY UNHEALTHY, AND DISFIGURE FOR LIFE!

”

HOLY COW!

”

Video Station 1661 28th St., 303-440-4448 Runner-up: Redbox

I MISS BART’S. :-(

MANY OF THESE STORES HAVE HEAVY COMPETITION FROM SHOPPING ONLINE!

VIDEO/DVD RENTAL

”

“

A LOT OF BUSINESSES LISTED ARE OOB.

”

ADD CATEGORY FOR WINDOW CLEANING AND MY BUSINESS EYES OF SHIVA.

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Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’11

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April 28, 2011 79

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