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who plaster their bodies and possessions with anything blue and orange. Whatever was in that magic grass filtered into the plethora of parks, art galleries, museums, shops, restaurants and coffee houses, all of which have combined into a heady brew drawing people to the city that straddles the river. Now, Boiseans have transformed into people who have a love affair with microfleece. They can be readily found wandering trails in the Foothills, playing along the river, looking for organic veggies at farmers markets or swigging a microbrew. Boiseans are also frequent visitors to garden City—a place where all of the capital city’s vices have been hidden in plain sight for decades. From its humble beginnings as the home of the area’s Chinese gardens (we told you we’d get back to that), the area has been fertile ground for diverse groups of people. It’s an area where gambling was legal until the 1940s and hotels once advertised rooms by the hour. While you can still gamble at the horse racing track in the middle of town, it’s also home to high-end neighborhoods along the river and the occasional private golf course.
While it’s downright respectable these days, Garden City’s reputation as a home for vices hasn’t gone anywhere: wineries and breweries are claiming spaces next to art galleries and climbing gyms, a baseball diamonds lives next to the home of the Western Idaho Fair and there’s bingo and line dancing down the street from the archery shop and jewelers. Never ones to miss an opportunity, Garden City bars have thrown their doors wide open, unleashing rolling torrents of smoke puffed by Boise smokers who have been displaced by Boise’s recent ban on lighting up in public places. eagle has not been as true to its agricultural roots. The small town where life once revolved around the five-and-dime and feed store has become the kingdom of the McMansion, where ladies’ lunch and acrylic nails are issued at the city limits. Most of the farms that once spanned the area between the river and the Foothills are gone, but vestiges of the small town can still be found between the boutiques, antique shops and restaurants. Close your eyes and you can still see them along the riverside Greenbelt, at the
don’T miss: Garden City
boise hAwks Hawks Memorial Stadium, 5600 N. Glenwood St. The valley’s own development league
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team keeps summer evenings filled. Watch for frequent fireworks shows.
les bois pArk 5610 Glenwood St. Play the ponies all summer long at this recently reopened track. www.b oiseweek ly.Com