Boulder Weekly 05.23.2024

Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee. Credit: Molly Matalon

MAY 23, 2024

Volume 31, Number 40

COVER: Devin Keopraphay cooks at the Rising Tiger booth. Courtesy: Boulder County Farmers Markets

PUBLISHER: Francis J. Zankowski

EDITORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Shay Castle

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR: Jezy J. Gray

REPORTERS: Kaylee Harter, Will Matuska FOOD EDITOR: John Lehndorff

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Will Brendza, Rob Brezsny, Michael J. Casey, Dan Savage, Alan Sculley, Toni Tresca, Justin Criado, Brian Keegan

SALES AND MARKETING

MARKET DEVELOPMENT MANAGER: Kellie Robinson

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Matthew Fischer

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Chris Allred, Holden Hauke

SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER: Carter Ferryman

MRS. BOULDER WEEKLY: Mari Nevar

PRODUCTION

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Erik Wogen

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Mark Goodman

GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Chris Sawyer

CIRCULATION

CIRCULATION MANAGER: Cal Winn

CIRCULATION TEAM: Sue Butcher, Ken Rott, Chris Bauer

BUSINESS OFFICE

BOOKKEEPER/ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Austen Lopp

FOUNDER / CEO: Stewart Sallo

As Boulder County’s only independently owned newspaper, Boulder Weekly is dedicated to illuminating truth, advancing justice and protecting the First Amendment through ethical, no-holdsbarred journalism and thought-provoking opinion writing. Free every Thursday since 1993, the Weekly also offers the county’s most comprehensive arts and entertainment coverage. Read the print version, or visit boulderweekly.com. Boulder Weekly does not accept unsolicited editorial submissions. If you’re interested in writing for the paper, please send queries to: editorial@boulderweekly.com. Any materials sent to Boulder Weekly become the property of the newspaper.

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MILLIONAIRES FOR VACANT CONCRETE PADS

Protect Boulder Civic Space is an astroturf group for wealthy condo owners next door

BY BRIAN KEEGAN

Anew group, Protect Boulder Civic Space (PBCS), has sprung up to oppose development of the 11,000-square-foot Civic Use Pad attached to the St Julien Hotel. As I wrote to Boulder’s Planning Board in April, interest in protecting the Civic Use Pad is not a grassroots movement but a carefully choreographed opposition strategy

involving legal and public relations professionals acting on behalf of wealthy neighboring property owners.

The Civic Use Pad is to the east of the St Julien Hotel (900 Walnut St.) and to the west of the Arete condos (1077 Canyon Boulevard). Any multistory development of the Civic Use Pad would impede the minimally obstructed western views that many of

the Arete condos currently enjoy of Boulder’s Flatirons and foothills, potentially reducing the value of this real estate.

The composition of the PBCS group is undeniably shaped by the interests of the residents of the condos. According to Boulder County Assessor’s property records and voter information files, 10 of the PBCS members/households own property and eight are registered to vote in the Arete condo complex.

The combined value of these PBCS members’ Arete condos is $34.8 million. A PayPal account accepts donations to the LLC defending the interests of these wealthy condo owners.

The PBCS group employs a high degree of legal and public relations planning and coordination that is unusual outside of an electoral campaign. According to Secretary of State

OPINION

Courtesy: St Julien

records, PBCS is an LLC incorporated on Jan. 16, 2024, by Stanley Garnett’s law firm (a PBCS supporter). The domain name protectbouldercivicspace.com was registered on Feb. 8, 2024 and their website is developed by a public relations firm owned by Doyle Albee (also a PBCS supporter). A press release announcing the formation of the group was published on April 5, 2024.

The PBCS website contains draft letters for supporters to submit to City Council and local papers opposing the development. These letters emphasize themes like “monolithic and out of character,” “safety/parking” and “original intent” with alarming allegations that a “monstrous 56,900-square-foot complex” would snarl traffic and “completely cut off downtown from the civic areas at the Library and Central Park.”

On April 24, Cindy Lindsay (identified in the April 5 press release as the group’s spokesperson) authored a guest opinion in the Camera emphasizing character, parking and original intent criticisms. Like many other PBCS members, Lindsay did not disclose her multi-million-dollar ownership interest in real estate adjoining the Civic Use Pad.

The PBCS may feign interest in allowing the Civic Use Pad to be developed into alternative public use spaces like a performance venue, but it is unlikely that any multi-story development on this parcel would satisfy condo owners’ interests of preserving their sightlines from development. Instead of purchasing the Civic Use Pad to control its (non)use, these condo owners intend to pursue a much less expensive option of abus-

ing planning processes to block or delay the conversion of an empty downtown parcel into usable and productive spaces.

While members of the PBCS are within their rights to petition the city through the Planning Board to oppose development of this space, Boulder’s residents and planning officials should be aware this group is little more than a professionally coordinated astroturfing campaign by wealthy condo owners to protect the value of their real estate.

I encourage the Planing Board and City Council to act expediently on proposals to develop the Civic Use Pad into more productive uses for all Boulder residents.

Editor’s note: Boulder Weekly reached out to PBCS to provide them with a general overview of this op-ed. Stan Garnett, an attorney representing the group, provided the following statement: “It is not our intention to stop development and keep this space empty. Instead, our goal is to foster community dialog and input to ensure any construction on the last civic space with a view of the Flatirons in downtown Boulder meets the needs of the community as a whole. The St. Julien’s current plans do not meet that criteria.”

Brian Keegan is an assistant professor in information science at CU Boulder and board member of Boulder Progressives. He is writing in his own capacity, not on behalf of either organization.

This opinion does not necessarily reflect the views of Boulder Weekly.

RED TAPE REVERSAL

After decades of slow-growth policies, Boulder takes steps to ease the pain for developers, businesses

BY SHAY CASTLE

Edwin Zoe is well acquainted with Boulder’s permitting process and its reputation for being sluggish and difficult. The restaurateur has operated eateries in town for more than a decade.

But even he was surprised by the 24 months (and counting) it has taken to move Zoe Ma Ma literally down the street: According to Google Maps, there is a mere 384 feet separating the two locations. And although the soon-to-be-new spot for Zoe Ma Ma previously housed a restaurant, Zoe had to go through a lengthy process known as use review, typically reserved for when the intended use of a building changes.

“We’ve been paying rent on our existing space. We have been paying rent at the new space” since signing a lease in May 2022, Zoe says, adding tens of thousands of dollars in costs. “It just seems really, really bureaucratic for no reason.”

Cutting red tape across the city has been a stated priority for Boulder’s elected officials since at least 2019. On June 6, council may take another step toward a less bureaucratic future when it weighs whether to give city staff more power, removing more projects from a lengthy, costly and rarely used public process.

regulations that gave residents more control over what projects get built but also slowed those same projects down. When city council discussed making Boulder more business-friendly in 2019, future mayor Aaron Brockett said past attempts to alleviate the bureaucratic burden were heavily criticized by the community as being too friendly to developers. Direction from recent city councils to reduce red tape is “the first time

what can be in that building, how tall it can be.” Permitting is “walls in” — building codes that deal with life-safety issues like egresses and exits, electrical and plumbing systems, etc. (These are separate and non-inclusive of liquor licensing, a separate state and city process that itself can take several weeks to months, and any other city licensing requirements, which we don’t go into here.)

The changes being considered in June are all walls out, which is the lengthiest part of Boulder’s process. Use review — a process for determining if a certain type of business or home is allowed in a specific area, based on the underlying zoning and land use rules — has taken an average of 260 days in recent years, according to city staff: seven months.

Staff proposed creating a new cate-

to elected officials. Putting new nonresidential uses into neighborhoods (a coffee shop replacing a home) would still require Planning Board (and potentially city council) approval.

“If something has to go to Planning Board rather than just staff, that’s six to eight weeks,” Mueller explains. “If it has to go to both Planning Board and council, that takes six to eight weeks longer than if it just went to Planning Board. There’s a reason things go there; that’s checks and balances.” But each step has “implications for the overall timeline for somebody looking to build something.”

‘WE’RE BEING ECLIPSED’

According to staff, 40% of use review projects in the past five years would have qualified for this streamlined approval. The change should save “several weeks” for qualifying projects; reviewing nonresidential projects in neighborhoods typically added 60 days to the process.

Some use review issues have already been fixed, like the one that caused the bulk of Zoe’s delays. New rules went into effect in December; city staff say it should reduce the number of restaurants subject to use review by 85%.

While the public will still retain power to appeal staff-level decisions, the proposed end-arounds of Boulder’s Planning Board could shave several weeks off the time it takes to approve projects. Planning Board unanimously approved the changes May 7; council gave them a preliminary OK May 16.

The recent reversal comes after decades of elected officials adding

council opened the door to that possibility in a very long time,” says Brad Mueller, director of planning and development services (PDS).

WALLS IN, WALLS OUT

People tend to lump all city bureaucracy together, but there are actually two distinct parts when it comes to buildings: The planning process, often called development review, and the permitting process. As Mueller put it, “Planning is walls out: where the building can be,

gory for “straightforward” use review projects, allowing them to skip a mandatory Planning Board review. These new “minor use review” projects include nonresidential uses, such as office or small retail stores, in neighborhoods: If a coffee shop replaced a dental office, for example, that would no longer require Planning Board’s OK unless residents appealed the approval.

“Uses simply replacing existing nonresidential space are eligible for the simpler process,” staff explains in notes

It was actually a city staffer who informed Boulder Weekly about Zoe’s struggles. Senior City Planner Lisa Houde says Boulder’s zoning is largely based on outdated planning ideology, where “uses” were divided: houses go in one area of town, separate from shopping centers, offices and other industry. Subsequent rules were written to enforce this separation and govern any exemptions. A small cafe might be OK with neighbors, for instance, but a large bar or restaurant wouldn’t be, so regulation evolved to tackle those issues, dictating details like how large an establishment could be and when it could be open. The more a building deviated from the intended area’s main use, the longer the process to allow it. Using Zoe Ma Ma as an example, Houde explains: “They were required to get use review approval because they

Nopalito’s owner Milton Guevara-Navas, pictured here in his restaurant, says it took longer to get permits from the City of Boulder than it did to build out the new space. Courtesy: Milton Guevara-Navas

were over 1,500 square feet in size and have a patio near a residential district.” The city “changed the requirements for restaurants so a use review … would no longer be necessary for this size of restaurant. Use review would still be required if the restaurant was over 4,000 square feet or was open past 11.” Today, in part to encourage walking, biking

and transit use, best practice is to co-mingle housing and businesses. This is referred to as mixed-use zoning.

“Boulder was very innovative in the ’80s and ’90s” by adopting mixed use zoning, Houde says. “Because we were innovative and one of the first cities to do things, we did it really cautiously. Forty years later, we’re stuck with these rules that are really cautious. When you see other cities you wouldn’t think of as normally progressive, we’ve been eclipsed.”

HURRY UP AND WAIT

Even without a lengthy use review, the “walls in” process can take months, depending on the project.

Nopalito’s, a local fastcasual Mexican restaurant owned by former Illegal Pete’s employee Milton Guevara-Navas, expected to be closed for three months as they moved from their old Diagonal Plaza location into a new spot at the Twenty Ninth Street Mall.

The eatery closed on Dec. 30, 2022. Hoping to keep his tight-knit crew intact, GuevaraNavas paid his workers for January and February, with the intent to reopen in March.

HOW BAD IS BOULDER, REALLY?

The People’s Republic gets all the attention for its bureaucracy, but we couldn’t help but wonder how it compares to other municipalities.

We look at three factors — staffing, volume and turnaround time — across Longmont, Boulder and Boulder County. It’s sometimes hard to make direct comparisons. Building homes in a city, where sewer and water services are ready to go, is very different from a home in the mountains with its own well and septic tank, for instance. Plus, every government has its own unique set of rules.

We tried to standardize what we could, and sent our data to officials in every city so they could help make comparisons as accurate as possible. Here’s what we found.

TURNAROUND TIME

Boulder

• Walls out (land use): 39.5 weeks for site review

• Walls in (permitting): 6 weeks for initial review, 3 weeks for subsequent review

Boulder County

• Walls out: 9-10 weeks for site plan review (with no call-up or public hearing, which is 92% of cases. Additional review and public hearing adds roughly 5 weeks.)

• Walls in: ~7 weeks for initial review

Longmont

• Walls out: 15 weeks average

• Walls in: 4-6 weeks for initial review; 2-3 weeks for subsequent review

STAFFING

Boulder

• Walls out: Team of 15

• Walls in: Team of 15

Boulder County

• Walls out: Team of 14

• Walls in: Team of 12

Longmont

• Walls out: Team of 10

• Walls in: Team of 10

VOLUME

Boulder

• Walls out: 476 applications in 2023

• Walls in: 817 applications in 2023

Boulder County

• Walls out: 184 site plan and use reviews (plus 67 waivers)

• Walls in: 3,150 building permits

Longmont

• Walls out: 143 applications

• Walls in: 5,014 building permits in 2022; 10,070 in 2023*

*City officials attribute the increase in permits between 2022 and 2023 to a May 2023 hailstorm that resulted in numerous permits for new roofing, and an uptick in the number of condominiums being developed. Each condo requires its own permit, unlike multi-family rental properties, which receive a single permit.

Sources: Boulder County, City of Boulder, City of Longmont

Nopalito’s. Courtesy: Milton Guevara-Navas

Edwin Zoe of Zoe Ma Ma has been trying for two years to move into a vacant space once occupied by another restaurant. Credit: John Lehndorff

The Cyclist

Life Lessons on Two Wheels to the TUNES of the Grateful Dead Don’t lend your hand The wonders of nature

STEW SALLO

“It became obvious” that a March reopening was unrealistic. “August was the next goal,” he says. “That didn’t happen.”

It would be December 2023 before Nopalito’s was once again serving its signature burritos and bowls, a full year after moving out of Diagonal Plaza.

According to city records, it took about four months to issue a building permit for Nopalito’s. Guevara-Navas says the city process and transfer of his liquor license extended his downtime, but acknowledges that there were delays on his end as well, such as confusion about the process and the need to resubmit plans after deciding to install new equipment.

Construction took “two-and-a-half months,” he says. “It took longer for permission to arrive.”

SIX-WEEK STANDARD IN SIGHT

The industry standard (and Boulder’s own goal) for permit turnaround time is six weeks from submission to the city’s first response. But, Mueller says, “that performance standard hadn’t been met for many years.”

At one point in 2023 — right around the time Guevara-Navas was submitting his permits — it was taking an average of three months for the city to get back to applicants, Mueller says. He notes that Boulder was not alone in those long wait times: In March

2023, BusinessDen reported that builders in Denver were waiting 12-18 months for residential building permits. Initial reviews of applications were taking as long as five months.

The pandemic exacerbated existing staffing shortages in Boulder and elsewhere, Mueller says. Outmoded technology and a flurry of construction activity combined to push up the city’s permitting times. Online application options have since been added, along with an in-person service hub. Most importantly, the planning department is now fully staffed.

Boulder is now “very, very close to hitting” its six-week goal for review of applications, says Rob Adriaens, chief building official. Mueller adds: “We’re very close to meeting that, and on a regular basis.”

Whether critics will be assuaged remains to be seen. Boulder’s reputation for being slow and bureaucratic was built over decades; it may take as long to undo it.

Frustrating as it may be for residents, some level of oversight is necessary to ensure safety, Mueller says.

“There’s good bureaucracy and bad bureaucracy. Henry Ford created a huge bureaucracy in order to systematically make Model T cars. That’s what made America successful, you could argue.

“One person’s bureaucracy is another person’s quality control.”

Nopalito’s was closed for nearly a full year after moving from Diagonal Plaza to 1805 29th Street. Courtesy: Milton Guevara-Navas

GOV’T WATCH

What your local officials are up to this week

BY WILL MATUSKA

BOULDER CITY COUNCIL

At the May 23 study session, council will:

• Hear a presentation and discuss public safety including traffic and bike safety, and citywide crime. It will also include updates on ongoing projects like the Reimagine Policing Plan.

• Hear a presentation and discuss the final draft of the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). The updated CWPP, funded by Boulder’s voter-passed Climate Tax, aims to identify actions for risk reduction and provide a framework for the planning and implementation of mitigation measures. The city’s previous plan was adopted in 2007.

Because of Memorial Day, there won’t be a council meeting on May 30. The next meeting will be on June 6.

BOULDER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

During the week of May 27, commissioners will:

• Attend a business meeting at 9:30 a.m., where commissioners will “conduct the routine business of the county” including signing agreements, taking personnel action or other matters not requiring a public hearing. Specific agendas are published the day before the meeting at bit.ly/BoCoMeetingBW

• Host an in-person town hall May 30 at 5:30 p.m. at the Boulder Recycling Center (1901 63rd St.) where staff will pres-

ent on composting in the county.

• Attend various workshops and tours, including a grasslands fire workshop on May 29 and a visit to the Bluebird Permanent Supportive Housing Apartments (2445 30th St., Boulder) on May 31. The 40-unit Bluebird facility, opened earlier this year, supports people experiencing chronic homelessness and provides supportive services from the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless and other local organizations like Mental Health Partners and Community Food Share.

Boulder County offices will be closed on May 27 for Memorial Day.

LAFAYETTE CITY COUNCIL

Last week, council:

• Approved the city’s first wildlife plan to establish guidelines for habitat conservation, land management recommendations and policies. Discussions for the plan started in 2019 to address concerns stemming from the interface of urban development and nature. According to census data, the city’s population has grown by nearly 25% since 2010. Lafayette has 1,640 acres of open space.

• Approved a preliminary universal recycling ordinance to expand collection service to “all who live and work” in Lafayette starting January 2025. The ordinance, which creates requirements for commercial and multi-family properties, aims to help Lafayette reach its waste diversion goal of 50% by 2026. In 2023, the diversion rate was 42%. The next vote is scheduled for June 4.

Karen Norback contributed to this reporting. All agendas are subject to change.

*Applies to residential painting projects of $2000 or more **Call for details

Boulder Weekly Market

NEWS

BOCO, BRIEFLY

Local news at a glance

BY KAYLEE HARTER

BSH RECEIVES $50K GRANT FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING

Boulder Shelter for the Homeless received a $50,000 grant from Wells Fargo to support the Zinnia Permanent Supportive Housing project located at 2000 Sunset Way in Longmont.

The 39,500-square-foot building, currently under construction, will be able to house 55 people when the project is complete this fall. The $400,000 project is not fully funded yet, according to BSH spokesperson Andy Schultheiss. Other funders include the Colorado Department of Housing and the developer, Element Properties.

The shelter currently supports 179 formerly homeless people in permanent supportive housing. Its most recently completed project, Bluebird Apartments, has 40 units that have been fully leased since January. The apartments are “infused with traumainformed care and design from top to bottom,” according to a release.

CITY OF BOULDER TOOK LEGAL ACTION IN RESPONSE TO PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST

Boulder Interim Police Chief Stephen Redfearn and the City of Boulder filed

a petition earlier this month asking the court to weigh in on a public records request filed by Boulder Reporting Lab senior reporter John Herrick. The petition named Herrick individually and not BRL

The hearing was cancelled and the case was closed after Herrick withdrew his records request.

The public records request related to the $1 million settlement city council recently approved for a mishandled sexual assault case that was ultimately dismissed in a preliminary trial. The city acknowledged that the detective failed to properly investigate the case. That detective was the subject of an internal investigation that found he failed to properly investigate more than 40 cases. He no longer works for the city.

City spokespeople said in emailed statements that the city believes the orginal criminal case has been expunged.

“As such, the city was unsure about whether the records were releasable,” one of the statements said. “Due to this uncertainty, the city decided to utilize an option in the Colorado Open Records Act that allows a recordholder to seek court guidance.”

According to the petition, the requested documents contained “graphic descriptions of a sexual encounter” between minors and releasing them could violate Colorado laws on expungement in juvenile cases. The petition claimed that releasing the records “would do substantial injury to the public interest.”

Herrick says he was willing to drop

the CORA in part because the city had already admitted wrongdoing and because of the sensitive nature of reporting on sexual assault allegations involving minors. He also felt responding to the petition would take time and energy away from other stories that would have greater impact.

“If the city were to file a similar petition over something that we really did feel like we should be reporting on, I would say, without a doubt, we would have followed through on it and gone to court and probably made our case and had a chance to see what the judge would say,” he says.

“It’s good to be skeptical of this type of action, because it’s essentially naming a journalist in a legal filing,” he adds. “At the same time, I think the city has made clear in its communications with us that it had some genuine questions about whether or not this information should be released.”

Still, this sort of legal action by the city is unusual (though not unheard of). More commonly, public officials might redact or deny a request and let journalists decide if they want to challenge that decision in court. This is the first time in at least two years that the city has filed this sort of petition, according to a city spokesperson.

GUNBARREL LIBRARY BRANCH TO OPEN NEXT YEAR

A library in the heart of Gunbarrel is on the horizon, according to Boulder Library Foundation’s May newsletter.

The branch is expected to open in May 2025 across from King Soopers

in the former 1st Bank building at 6500 Lookout Road, according to the announcement.

Additionally, the grand opening of the library’s new NoBo branch is scheduled for June 29. The 12,000-square-foot space is at 4500 13th St. The NoBo Corner Library closed May 22 ahead of the relocation.

IN OTHER NEWS…

• Gov. Jared Polis signed legislation May 17 at the Butterfly Pavilion adding invertebrates to the list of species that can be conserved in Colorado, “empowering Colorado Parks and Wildlife to protect and conserve these vital creatures of virtually every ecosystem on the planet,” according to a Butterfly Pavilion release.

• Enforcement on vacant lot requirements for properties impacted by the Marshall Fire in Louisville began earlier this month. The requirements include restoring vacant lots to their natural grade and keeping them clear of dead vegetation and trash. Property owners who are not in compliance and have not been in contact with the city will receive courtesy notices, according to a Louisville spokesperson

• The encampment at the Auraria Campus protesting Israel’s military action in Gaza has cleared, Denverite reports. Student organizers said in a statement that they “achieved significant milestones that have made clear the power of student organizing.”

Shop LOCAL Shop

fritz family brewers

cory’s illustrious brewing career started in Boulder way back in 1992 as a homebrewing college student. As an active member of the home brew club Hop Barley and the Alers, he learned from more seasoned brewers to appreciate a wide variety of beers, but especially lagers.

He spent so much time at What’s Brewin’ home brew shop they had no choice but to eventually give him

FOUR PAWS & CO

ince opening in 2003, Four Paws & Co. has specialized in premium natural foods and treats, including frozen diets and raw bones. Along with the excellent choices in food for cats and dogs, we carry supplements, grooming supplies, leashes & collars, toys, beds, and cat condos. It’s safe to say there is something for every pet in the store. There is also the Friends of Four Paws Frequent Buyer Program. You receive a punch card and once that is filled, you will receive a $10 Four Paws gift card. Last, but certainly not

a job. He then spent 2 years brewing at Tommyknocker’s in Idaho Springs, before moving to Jackson, Wyoming to brew at Snake River Brewing.

Cory spent 17 years brewing and honing his craft at Snake River and it is there that he met his amazing wife and business partner Kelly.

least, Four Paws offers two special services. We can deliver the food you need to your door, and we have a pet sitting service. Stop in soon and see how Four Paws & Co. can help you care for your best friend.

1225 Ken Pratt Blvd. #108 Longmont, CO 303-485-1565 www.fourpawsandco.com

Mountain Fountain Country Store

t The Mountain Fountain, there’s a little something for everyone. Located smack dab in the center of Hygiene, our eclectic market and deli sources meats from local pastures, and homemade gluten-free bread to die for — combine the two, and you’ve got one of Boulder County’s best gluten-free sandwiches. As a matter of fact, everything at our bakery is homemade — and it makes all the difference — resulting in an airy, light bite across all products: banana bread, brownies, pies, country

loafs, and so much more. Our butcher shop is many local’s little secret, but the word is out — you will walk out with the best, locally-sourced meat in the area. Grab a coffee, a sandwich and and a seat at The Mountain Fountain — we’ve got what you need.

11809 N. 75th Street, Longmont, CO 80503 (720) 487-2571 mtnftnmarket@gmail.com

6778 N. 79th Street, Niwot

Shop LOCAL Shop LONGMONT

Longmont Bicycle Company

is a local, family owned business selling Longmont’s largest selection of bicycles. Whether a novice or seasoned rider, we’ve got you covered, carrying mountain, road, gravel, touring, hybrid, electric, cruiser

BROWN’S SHOE FIT COMPANY

At Brown’s, we know feet. Our expert staff will measure your feet to ensure a proper, comfortable fit. With a broad range of widths and sizes, we can serve even hard-to-fit customers. We also understand most common foot ailments, such as plantar

and kids’ bikes. We take great pride in our selection and customer service, as well as our service & repair department. A few bike brands we carry in-house and source for customers are Trek, Electra, Surly, All City, & Salsa. Stop in and say hi; we’d love to meet you.

314 Main Street

Longmont 303-834-9994 www.longmontbikes.com

fasciitis, neuropathy, bunions, diabetic feet, over pronation, and just plain tired feet! We’ll help you find the right shoes to make your feet happy.

373 Main Street, Longmont 303-776-2920 www.brownslongmont.com

WILD BIRDS UNLIMITED

Locally woman-owned and operated, Wild Birds Unlimited Specializes in bringing people and nature together through the hobby of backyard bird feeding. We offer a wide variety of nature-related products and expert, local advice. Our store stocks the highest quality items made in the the USA with emphasis on eco-friendly products and recycled plastics. We source our unique gifts from Fair Trade companies and local artisans. We also have gift cards and last-minute gift ideas. Stop in and let us

coffee

oZO Coffee Company is a coffee roaster & retail operator based in Boulder, Colorado with Espresso Cafe locations in Boulder and Longmont, Colorado.

• www.wbu.com/longmont

explain our mission to Save the Songbirds one backyard at a time! Harry the Hedgehog is the newest, most adorable addition to our Seed Character lineup. Made of tightly-packed seeds, fruits and peanuts, Harry is a fun addition to your yard. Like our other seed characters, Harry is designed to fit on any of our seed cylinder feeders. Add Harry the Hedgehog to your backyard and enjoy watching the birds stop by for a bite!

1520 S. Hover Street, Suite D, Longmont, CO 720-680-0551 www.wbu.com/longmont

Founded in 2007, OZO Coffee has based its growth on core principles of service, quality, community, and sustainability.

We are grateful for the opportunity to share our passion for coffee with you.

JUSTIN HARTMAN, OZO FOUNDER

1232-A S. Hover St. www.ozocoffee.com

EYE OF THE TIGER

Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee on ’90s country, sobriety and accepting ‘good signals from the universe’

BY ALAN SCULLEY AND JEZY J. GRAY

The 1990s may be most closely associated with the grime of grunge and the rise of radio hiphop, but it was the sound of pre-Y2K country that got its hooks in Katie Crutchfield.

“That’s the first music I connected with, and it’s imprinted on my DNA,” says the 35-year-old songwriter behind the critically lauded indie-folk outfit Waxahatchee. “But on [my early] albums, I was so concerned with sort of scuffing that up a bit and making it weirder, or more in line with indie rock or punk rock — my tastes at the time — which is great. I’m so glad it all exists as a snapshot of that moment.”

But as with most long-running institutions, a major realignment happened in 2020. That’s when Crutchfield dropped Saint Cloud, her fifth release as Waxahatchee since launching the project more than a decade ago. The record broke through in a big way, gaining a legion of new fans and lifting the project of the Alabama-born roots music maven to new heights amid the social upheaval of the moment.

“It came out right as lockdown happened,” Crutchfield says of the album unpacking the journey to her newfound sobriety. “I think people were able to take some of my words … and apply it to what they were experiencing during COVID, and I think people were just connecting with it.”

Now Crutchfield is back with Tigers Blood, her first collection of new music under the Waxahatchee banner since making the biggest splash of her career four years ago. As the lead single “Right Back to It” suggests, there’s a sense that she hasn’t been gone that long at all: “You just settle in / like a song with no end,” she sings in sticky-sweet harmony with indie-rock wunderkind MJ Lenderman. “If I can

Waxahatchee finds the artist stretching out in her signature sound while pushing it to new places.

Crutchfield and Cook initially weren’t sure what those new places might look like on the anticipated Saint Cloud follow-up. They even toyed with the idea of incorporating more synth-driven,

keep up / we’ll get right back to it.”

“When I wrote that song, I couldn’t see it for myself. I don’t know why,” Crutchfield says. “There’s something about that melody that I was like, ‘This feels outside of my zone.’

Which is funny, because the song on Saint Cloud I felt that way about was ‘Fire,’ which ended up being the biggest song on that record. And

‘Right Back to It’ is the biggest song on this record. So it’s something I might just track in the future, to go after the melodies that don’t quite feel like something I would normally do.”

DROPPING THE ANCHOR

For Crutchfield, getting right back to it meant more than retreading familiar ground. With the help of producer Brad Cook — the Durham, North Carolina-based engineer known for studio work with Bon Iver, Nathaniel Rateliff, Snail Mail and others — the latest from

‘Let’s go, girls!’ Check out a BW-curated playlist companion to Waxahatchee’s Tigers Blood, featuring your favorite ’90s country girlies: bit.ly/Y2CountryBW

pop-forward production — an experiment that was quickly abandoned. But things came together on the aforementioned single with the addition of Lenderman, who wound up playing guitar in the studio band across the whole album.

“It was the first time where we were like, ‘This might be the thing,’” she recalls of the initial session with Lenderman. “And then, of course, when he sang with me [on ‘Right Back to It’], we were like, ‘OK, this is something special.’ … We just hit on some

thing and decided, ‘Alright, let’s drop the anchor here.’”

The confidence to know when you’re on to something was hard won for Crutchfield. In addition to the support from her partner and fellow musician Kevin Morby (“he keeps me present”), she says few things flipped a switch in her creative life quite like the decision to get sober. Saint Cloud may have been her first step in understanding what that pivotal decision meant, but Tigers Blood finds the artist writing a new chapter of the story.

“I really feel like everything in my life got better when I quit,” she says. “I’m a lucky person in that I’ve gotten nothing but good signals from the universe that it’s what was supposed to happen. If I just keep not drinking, good things are coming my way, and happiness is coming my way — and reaching these new creative milestones, that’s coming my way.”

ON THE BILL:

Waxahatchee with Good Morning. 8 p.m. Thursday, May 23, Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver. $36

Performing under the moniker Waxahatchee, singer-songwriter Katie Crutchfield has carved a lane for herself as one of the leading indie-folk artists of the last decade. Credit: Molly Matalon

Waxahatchee’s sixth LP Tigers Blood was released March 22. Courtesy: ANTI-

IF IT MAKES YOU HAPPY

Queer Colorado Springs indie-rock act Cabin finds joy in suffering

BY JUSTIN CRIADO

The close-knit members of Colorado Springs quartet Cabin say being queer in their hometown isn’t always easy. They hope to help change that.

“Because we are a queer band and we bring more of a queer crowd to our shows, it definitely feels a lot safer being at a show than anywhere else in the Springs,” says keyboardist Rowan Wolfe, who is non-binary. “It’s really nice to have that community when we play. It’s definitely the community we want to cultivate, and it’s always the community I want to be in.”

Joined by bandmates Eden Selvin, Connar Cavanaugh and Bryse Taylor, the emerging indie-rock group has been fostering a sonic safe space for themselves and their LGBTQ peers since officially forming two years ago.

Without that shared sense of community, founding member Selvin says life as a queer person in a conservative town can be isolating. They say exploring those darker corners through music is one way to feel less alone.

“I usually go back to feeling alone a lot or inadequate in some way or another,” the 23-year-old guitarist and vocalist says of the personal poetry woven into Cabin’s songs. “It can be humbling. I want people to have a good time [with] my pain in a way — like, I’m suffering but I want you to be happy.”

HAPPY ACCIDENTS

Selvin started Cabin as a solo slowcore project in 2020 before recruiting their former marching band buddy Cavanaugh, bassist Taylor and Wolfe

by Fall 2022. The idea of playing music with anyone else hadn’t crossed the soft-spoken creative’s mind.

“I never wanted to be in a band with a bunch of strangers,” Selvin says. “I feel like that’s just a recipe for a bad

back home from Washington state.

“Knowing Eden, I thought they just meant once or twice for a live thing,” he recalls. “Then they brought it up in passing, like: ‘Oh, yeah, you’re a member of the band now. It kind of just happened.”

‘A LOT MORE SCREAMING’

Having a full-fledged band has allowed the four friends to expand beyond Selvin’s initial lo-fi sound into more emo-tinged alternative rock. That much is evident on the latest pair of singles “Waste” and “Rot,” which find the band pushing their sound to a more expansive and emotive place.

You can expect “a lot more screaming live,” Cavanaugh says.

“And sweating from the screaming,” Wolfe adds.

If that doesn’t make it clear, Cabin is very much a rock band now — but Selvin still remembers the awkward solo act days, which makes the current configuration that much more satisfying.

“My main goal once I started adding people to the band was to have more energy,” Selvin says. “The stuff we’re recording right now is more energetic, more fun.”

time. Maybe you’d meet cool people, but I’m not the most social person. I can’t do that.”

Cavanaugh, 20, chuckles at his friend’s self-deprecating line. He became the band’s drummer almost by accident, after agreeing to fill in for some of Selvin’s sets after moving

Cabin is also working on their debut album, Presented to you by…, set for release Aug. 30 — Selvin and Cavanaugh’s birthday. As Selvin sees it, the new material is “mainly bitter love songs,” though there is some “commentary on how people react to gender, and my relationship with it.”

Until the band’s first full-length is out in the world, the band is sharpening their sound by playing live — including a May 25 show at Trident Booksellers & Cafe with locals Cig Freud and Gartener.

Selvin takes joy in seeing other people lose their inhibitions and connect to the music. Ultimately, Cabin’s sincerity serves as an open invite for everyone to be their most authentic selves without fear of judgment.

“Be who you are. Just have fun. Who cares who’s looking? Just dance and sing. Wear what you want,” Selvin says. “It doesn’t matter, as long as you’re happy.”

ON THE BILL: Cabin with Gartener and Cig Freud. 6 p.m. Saturday, May 25, Trident Booksellers & Cafe, 940 Pearl St., Boulder. Free

Since forming in 2022, Front Range indie-rock outfit Cabin has sought to create a safe space for queer people in their hometown of Colorado Springs.

Credit: Kate Hertz

Cabin’s latest pair of singles, “Waste” and “Rot,” were released as a pair in November 2023. Courtesy: Kill Your Friends Records

PATHFINDERS

Arts and film festival returns to ‘the epicenter of Buddhism in the West’

BY TONI TRESCA

When Boulder resident Laura England Weiss graduated from nursing school three decades ago, she didn’t know how close it would lead her to the heart of human suffering and healing. This background in helping others, combined with her own experience working through grief, eventually led Weiss to establish the Buddhist Arts and Film Festival (BAFF) in 2018. Returning to the Dairy Arts Center on May 24, the annual event features a diverse slate of film screenings, performances, talks and workshops centered on Buddhism and the ever-winding journey to mindfulness and inner peace.

Weiss says her years as a psychiatric nurse at Denver’s Fort Logan Mental Health Hospital launched an “exploration of working with the mind and people’s thoughts, perceptions and consequences.” But it was the loss of her mom that brought her where she is today.

“My mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and I was with her when she died,” Weiss recalls. “That morning, I was filled with love, grief and clarity, and all I could think about was what I could do for her and how we could honor her wonderful life — that is where this festival came from. It came from the open space of a broken heart.”

Following an additional psych-nurse stint at Boulder’s Friendship House, Weiss spent another five years working in hospice care. That’s when Weiss met her teacher, Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, and began to learn Buddhist practices with a deepened sense of life’s transience.

‘DON’T GIVE UP’

When it came to marrying Buddhist practices with her passion for art, Weiss drew on her background in filmmaking. Having produced the documentary Journey From Zanskar and worked on the short film Art and Wisdom, she was inspired by her daughter Sarah’s participation in film festivals to take a crack at organizing one herself.

“It all came together magically when we put together the first film festival in 2018,” she says. But after multiple cancellations in recent years due to

‘A RARE PRIVILEGE’

The opening night of BAFF 2024 will feature singing and storytelling by Buddhist monk Ven. Pannavati Bhikkhuni, followed by a screening of the 2021 film Dark Red Forest. Jin Huaqing’s documentary focuses on the nuns of the Yarchen Monastery who untangle matters of life and death on the unforgiving Tibetan Plateau during the coldest 100 days of the year.

“I was so inspired by these women who faced incredible adversity,” Weiss says. “I just thought it made sense to open the festival with that film and the rare opportunity to see Ven. Pannavati Bhikkhuni.”

“That was part of my journey to recognize impermanence, death and dying,” she says.

COVID and personal factors, Weiss considered calling it quits altogether.

“People were saying, ‘You just have to keep doing this. Don’t give up,’ so I decided to give it another shot,” Weiss explains. “I wanted to keep giving [artists] a platform to share what they do, how they do it and why they do it with the community.”

This year’s festival theme is described on the event’s website as “a vast, personal, transforming course of action.” With this in mind, BAFF aims to offer something for everyone, regardless of their familiarity with Buddhism.

“I would like to introduce people to Buddhist studies in an entertaining and beautiful way,” Weiss says. “This is an opportunity for me to share what I have learned over the last 30 years. Long-time practitioners, on the other hand, will value the chance to reconnect and possibly remember what initially drew them to Buddhism.”

Other programming includes a documentary about a young man’s journey into the Zhongnan Mountains of China (The Mountain Path) and a Buddhist noir thriller by Bhutanese filmmaker Dechen Roder (Honeygiver Among the Dogs). The weekend will also feature performances and discussions with jazz musicians Rico Jones and Bill McCrossen, plus dance and poetry workshops.

With its deep-rooted Buddhist heritage, Boulder provides a fitting backdrop for such a diverse slate of offerings.

“Boulder is the epicenter of Buddhism in the West,” Weiss says. “A lot of great teachers have come to Boulder; Naropa University is here; and the Shambhala Center is here. Being introduced to Dharma is a rare privilege. Human life is so precious that you want to make the most of it, and I believe this is a path that supports that.”

ON STAGE: Buddhist Arts and Film Festival. May 24-26, the Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. $15-$65

Buddhist monk Ven. Pannavati Bhikkhuni performs at the 2024 Buddhist Arts and Film Festival on May 24. Courtesy: BAFF

Boulder resident Laura England Weiss founded the Buddhist Arts and Film Festival (BAFF) in 2018. Courtesy: Laura England Weiss

THEATER

PERFORMANCE AND SCREENING OF DARK RED FOREST

Friday, May 24, 6:45 p.m.

Ven. Pannavati Bhikkhuni and Dharma Voci sing and share stories before a documentary about Buddhist nuns on the Tibetan Plateau.

FREED: SPIRITUALITY IN MOVEMENT

Saturday, May 25, 9:30 a.m.

An improvisational dance workshop designed to foster creativity.

THE MOUNTAIN PATH

Saturday, May 25, noon

Edward A. Burger’s film follows a young man’s journey into China’s Zhongnan Mountains.

WANDERING… BUT NOT LOST

Saturday, May 25, 2 p.m.

Exploration of Tibetan Buddhist meditation master Mingyur Rinpoche’s philosophy that “the entire path is a shift in perception.”

JAZZ PERFORMANCE AND SCREENING OF BUSTER WILLIAMS: BASS TO INFINITY

Saturday, May 25, 4 p.m.

Rico Jones and Bill McCrossen perform before a documentary about Buddhist music legend Buster Williams.

GESHE WANGYAL: WITH BLESSING OF THE THREE JEWELS

Saturday, May 25, 7:30 p.m.

A documentary following the life of “one of the first preachers of Tibetan Buddhism in the United States.”

BROOKE MCNAMARA: POETRY AND MEDITATION WORKSHOP

Sunday, May 26, 11 a.m.

A group class on how intentional poetry can help people connect with their faith.

HONEYGIVER AMONG THE DOGS

Sunday, May 26, 1 p.m.

Billed as a “Buddhist noir,” this film follows an undercover detective on the trail of a missing nun.

CRAZY WISDOM: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF CHOGYAM TRUNGPA RINPOCHE

Sunday, May 26, 4 p.m.

Johanna Demetrakas directs this documentary about the arrival of Tibetan Buddhism in America, told through the life of one teacher.

TUKDAM: BETWEEN WORLDS SCREENING, FOLLOWED BY A DISCUSSION

Sunday, May 26, 7 p.m.

A documentary questioning traditional understandings of death, followed by a Q&A with Andrew Holecek and Dan Hirshberg.

10 days of music all over Boulder County featuring 50+ Artists from around the world 17 Events · mainStage Concert Tickets Just $5

June 6

· Festival Kickoff with the Colorado Mambo Orchestra

Erie Farmers Market, Briggs St., Erie

June 7 · An Evening with Salomé Songbird

Acoustic trio Ariele Macadangdang, Joy Adams, & Bryan Dubrow

Mountain View United Methodist Church, Boulder

June 8 · Death of the Pugilist

Violinist MinTze Wu & Friends

Mountain View United Methodist Church, Boulder

June 9 · Louisville Fire Station Concert with Marshall Together

Bluegrass artists Enion Pelta-Tiller, Bradley Morse, & Friends

Louisville Fire Station 1

June 12

· Broomfield Outdoor Concert

Afropop artist Zivanai Masango & ZiMBiRA

Broomfield Community Center

June 13

· Gallery Concert with Jazz, Food, & Mocktails

Jazz artist Eddie Ness & Friends

SmithKlein Gallery, Boulder

June 14

· Homage to a Great Teacher

Cellists Josh Halpern and Desmond Hoebig & Friends

Mountain View United Methodist Church, Boulder

June 15

· Rhythms of Venezuela

Venezuelan Jazz Bassist Gonzalo Teppa & Friends

Mountain View United Methodist Church, Boulder

June 16 · Festival Finale: Community Makes the Culture

All June Festival MainStage Artists onstage together

Mountain View United Methodist Church, Boulder

...Plus 8 more FREE pop-up events all over Boulder County!

Screening May 26 at the Buddhist Arts and Film Festival, Honeygiver Among the Dogs is a “Buddhist noir thriller” by Bhutanese filmmaker Dechen Roder. Courtesy: BAFF

FILM

THE WASTELAND

‘Furiosa’ brutally and beautifully builds out the Mad Max world

BY MICHAEL J. CASEY

The child comes from the land of abundance. There is greenery, fruit, water, animals — an entire civilization living and working together inside this Edenic enclave surrounded by hot desert. That hot desert is what’s left of Australia, possibly the world, after an undisclosed apocalypse. Technically, we are after the end, yet the story feels like something that existed before the beginning.

The child is Furiosa (Alyla Browne as a girl and Anya Taylor-Joy as a young adult). Viewers of 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road will know that in time, Furiosa (played in that movie by Charlize Theron) will infiltrate Immortan Joe’s inner sanctum and take on the patriarchy in one of the most spectacular pieces of action cinema ever committed to the screen. But before she can do that, a group of marauders abduct her and drag her into the waste-

land, where she will grow up in a cruel world full of brutal people following false prophets and demigods of destruction.

This is the fifth time Australian auteur George Miller has returned to the world of Mad Max, the character once embodied by Mel Gibson for three installments, then Tom Hardy for Fury Road. The first three revolved around Gibson’s Max, iconic for his “a man’s got to do what a man’s got to do” machismo. Then came Hardy’s Max, a bumbling survivor made mad by the world around him while continuing to assist the downtrodden against a corrupt establishment. However, it wasn’t Max who made Fury Road sing of fire and gasoline, but Furiosa. The time had come to cede the spotlight.

Which brings us to Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, set roughly 15 years before the events of Fury Road. Directed once again by Miller — who co-

authored the script with Nick Lathouris — Furiosa is action cinema by way of mythic world-building. Maybe it’s the way the dunes glow yellow or how the place of abundance looks picture-book green, but this movie has the feel of a Biblical epic.

Costume designer Jenny Beavan bolsters that sentiment through Dr. Dementus (Chris Hemsworth), a bearded leader with long locks and clothed in flowing white robes. He drives a chariot of motorcycles, commands a small army of devoted followers and threatens to take the wealth of the few and give it to the many. He probably sees himself as a messiah — one who has his enemies drawn and quartered every now and then.

In a way, Dementus gives birth to Furiosa. His plan is domination, and that’s about as much as he’s thought it through. Her plan is revolution, and it’s as meticulously conceived as they come. Miller and Lathouris use these two like a skeleton key to unlock conflicts that could only exist after the world has burned or before it was born.

Fury Road is a movie for the ages — the action is innovative and exciting; the story spare and economical. You learn only what you need to know to get to the next scene. But Miller’s

film still hints at a world much larger outside the story. Fury Road is a movie teeming with life, even though everything appears to be in varying states of death and decay.

Furiosa is in concert with Fury Road. Miller shows you the inner workings of that world with impeccable detail and five delicious sections befitting of T.S. Eliot’s epic poem while still employing narrative restraint. These are not the franchise Easter eggs we’ve come to expect but signposts designed for you to gather your bearings.

Not that you need any to enjoy Furiosa. The movie pulses thanks to the electric performances of Taylor-Joy and Hemsworth — he of mad energy, she of steely calm. Both command the frame, and when the narrative finally pulls them toward their climactic showdown, Miller and cinematographer Simon Duggan frame them against a vast backdrop of nothing. You need only their faces to tell this story of a war that never really began and never really will end.

ON SCREEN:

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga opens May 24.

Anya Taylor-Joy stars in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Courtesy: Warner Bros. Pictures

ON STAGE

ON VIEW

Running at the Firehouse Theater Company through June 8, These Shining Lives portrays the real-life tragedy of the so-called “Radium Girls” in the 1920s. The production directed by Kate Poling chronicles the harrowing experiences of four women who fight for justice after suffering radium poisoning while working at The Radium Dial Company. Scan the QR code for a Boulder Weekly review of the show. See listing for details

The stories of undocumented immigrants come into focus in Windows, Walls and Invisible Lines: Portraits of Life in Sanctuary, the ongoing photography project by former Boulder Weekly editor Joel Dyer. Running at the Dairy Arts Center through July 14, the exhibition focuses on those who have been forced to find refuge in churches to avoid deportation back to their countries of origin. See listing for details

WHERE DID WE SIT ON THE BUS? Through June 2, Denver Center for the Performing ArtsSingleton Theatre, 1400 Curtis St. $35-$52

THE LEHMAN TRILOGY Through June 2, Denver Center for the Performing Arts – Kilstrom Theatre, 1101 13th St. $40-$93

THESE SHINING LIVES. Through June 8, Firehouse Theatre Company, Colorado Free University – John Hand Theater, 7653 E. 1st Place, Denver. $15-$27 BW PICK OF THE WEEK

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE Through June 9, Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St., Aurora. $20-$38

MY FAIR LADY. Through June 9, Jesters Dinner Theatre, 224 Main St., Longmont. $30-$50

THE SECRET GARDEN Through June 16, Candlelight Dinner Playhouse, 4747 Marketplace Drive, Johnstown. $45-$83

ARE YOU OK?: A TRANS SURVIVAL PROJECT.

Through June 22, East Window Gallery, 4550 Broadway, Suite C-3B2, Boulder. Free | Through May 31, Dairy Arts Center –Northeast Mural Wall, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. Free

WE CU: A VISUAL CELEBRATION OF BLACK WOMANHOOD, PRESENCE AND CONNECTEDNESS

Through July 13, CU Art Museum, 1085 18th St., Boulder. Free

Join Denver native Karlya Shelton at Tattered Cover on May 25 for a free reading and signing event surrounding her new nonfiction book, The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood, and the Reclamation of Their Groundbreaking History, out now in hardback via Pantheon

Books See listing for details

WINDOWS, WALLS AND INVISIBLE LINES: PORTRAITS OF LIFE IN SANCTUARY. Through July 14, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St. Free BW PICK OF THE WEEK

SHAKTI: THE SOURCE OF STRENGTH

Through July 14, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St. Free

THE DESIGN OF GOODBYE BY KARA RENEE 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 25, Tattered Cover - Aspen Grove, 7301 S. Santa Fe Drive, Littleton. Free

THE SWANS OF HARLEM BY KARLYA SHELTON

6 p.m. Saturday, May 25, Tattered Cover, 2526 E. Colfax Ave., Denver. Free BW PICK OF THE WEEK

LONELINESS & COMPANY BY CHARLEE DYROFF.

6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 28, Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St. $5

NOUF ALJOWAYSIR: SALAF (ANCESTOR). Through July 27, East Window Gallery, 4550 Broadway, Suite C-3B2, Boulder. Free

BRIAN COMBER: REVERIE. Through Aug. 18, BMoCA @ Frasier, 350 Ponca Place, Boulder. $2

HANDBOOK FOR THE HEARTBROKEN BY SARA AVANT STOVER. 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 29, Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St. $5

ALPINE RISING BY BERNADETTE MCDONALD

6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 30, Boulder Book Store, 1107 Pearl St. $5

IF THE TIDE TURNS BY RACHEL RUECKERT. 6 p.m. Thursday, May 30, Tattered Cover, 2526 E. Colfax Ave., Denver. Free

23

JOURNEY WITHIN

6-7:30 p.m., Terracotta, 2005 Pearl St., Boulder. $30

Looking for a little enlightenment? Join Urja for a guided workshop combining tarot, palmistry, Reiki and hypnotherapy to “help you ground, connect, and gain deeper insights into your life’s journey.”

23

BLUEGRASS CIDER JAM

4-6 p.m. Thursday, May 23, St. Vrain Cidery, 350 Terry St., Longmont. Free

Bring your strings to Longmont for a cider-soaked bluegrass blowout. If pickin’ is your thing, you won’t want to miss this low-pressure jam session hosted by Dr. Phil, Alex B and friends on the fourth Thursday of each month.

24

FRIDAY NIGHT WEIRD: HUMANE

8:30-10:30 p.m. Friday, May 24, Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St. $12

The Dairy’s offbeat film series continues with HUMANE, a post-apocalyptic thriller from director Caitlin Cronenberg in which world leaders take extreme measures to reduce the Earth’s population after an ecological collapse.

24 – 27

BOULDER CREEK FESTIVAL

Fri.-Sun., May 24-27, Boulder Creek Path, 1212 Canyon Blvd. Free

Boulder’s annual creekside community bash returns for another year of fun in the sun. Expect another great lineup of live music, food and craft vendors, kids’ activities, the Creekside Beer Festival and so much more. Full schedule: bouldercreekfest.com

24 – 31

NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY SHOW AND SALE

Various times, May 24-31, Louisville Arts Center, 801 Grant Ave. Free

The Louisville Art Association presents the return of its annual photography exhibition and sale. The event at the historic Louisville Center for the Arts offers artists the chance to display their work in a gallery setting and connect with potential buyers.

25 – 26

BOLDERBOULDER SPORTS EXHIBIT

10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat.-Sun., May 25-26, 1300 Block of Pearl Street, Boulder. Free

Everyone’s favorite 10K is back, so lace up your running shoes and hustle over to the Pearl Street Mall this Memorial Day weekend to shop for gear, check out tech demos and snag free offerings from local businesses. If you haven’t already, you can sign up for the BOLDERBoulder while you’re there.

25

DEPRESSION COFFEE

10 a.m.-noon. Saturday, May 25, Paul’s Coffee Shop, 956 Cherry St., Unit 101, Louisville. Free

“Our stories and struggles are different, but we all deserve to bloom.”

That’s the central message during this weekly no-judgment discussion on mental health at Paul’s Coffee Shop in Louisville.

26

NEEDLE FELTING WORKSHOP

10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sunday, May 26, pARTiculars Art Gallery and Teaching Studio, 401 South Public Road, Lafayette. $35-$45

Learn the ins and outs of needle felting during this hands-on, all-ages workshop at pARTiculars Art Gallery in Lafayette. Demonstrations on sculpting, attaching and creating embellishments by instructor Suzanne Connolly Howes will help take your designs to the next level.

29

BOOKS AND BREWS

4:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 29, MainStage Brewing, 450 Main St., Lyons. Free

Remember the childhood magic of the Scholastic Book Fair? Now grown-ups can get it on the fun at MainStage Brewing for a fundraiser benefiting Lyons Public Library. Drop by for a bite, a beer and book during this popup sale presented by Denver’s Second Star to the Right.

30

LEFT HAND LAUGHS

6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 30, Left Hand Tasting Room, 1265 Boston Ave., Longmont. $10

Laughs and libations abound as comedians Lisa Lane, Jose Macall, Thomas Nichols and ShaNae Ross take the stage during this standup comedy showcase at the Left Hand Brewing Tasting Room.

30

SUMMER READING KICKOFF CONCERT

Noon. Thursday, May 30, Lafayette Public Library, 311 S. Public Road. Free

Pack up the little ones and head to Lafayette’s Festival Plaza for a free outdoor concert featuring local children’s music superstars Jeff & Paige. Bring a picnic blanket and get ready to kick off a summer of reading at Lafayette Public Library.

30

RECLAIMING DENVER’S CHINATOWN

6-8 p.m. Thursday, May 30, The CollectiveCommunity Arts Center, 201 N. Public Road, Lafayettte. Free

Formerly the largest Chinese enclave in the Rocky Mountain region, Denver’s Chinatown was once the beating heart of immigrant life in what is now the LoDo District. Learn about this storied history during a film screening of the latest documentary from the Denver Office of Storytelling at the Collective Community Arts Center in Lafayette.

LIVE MUSIC

THURSDAY, MAY 23

PAUL DYER DUO. 6 p.m. 300 Suns Brewing, 335 1st Ave., Unit C, Longmont. Free

THE SPIKES 6 p.m. Trident Booksellers & Cafe, 940 Pearl St., Boulder. Free

JARED STRAYER 6:30 p.m. Bootstrap Brewing Company, 142 Pratt St., Longmont. Free

MEADOW MOUNTAIN 7 p.m. Gold Hill Inn, 401 Main St., Boulder. $15

GHOST TOWN BLUES BAND WITH STEPHEN LEAR BAND 8 p.m. Velvet

Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. $24

MATT FLAHERTY 9 p.m. Southern Sun, 627 S. Broadway St., Boulder. Free

TRAUMA RAY WITH DOWNWARD, WORLDS WORST AND CHERISHED. 8:30 p.m. Hi-Dive, 7 S. Broadway, Denver. $20

SUBTRONICS WITH TAPE B, TERNION SOUND, GRABBITZ, THE CARACAL PROJECT, ZEN SELEKTA (NIGHT 2) Red Rocks Park Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $130

SATURDAY, MAY 25

MONTANA SAND 5:30 p.m. Gold Hill Inn, 401 Main St., Boulder. Free

INTO THE NOTHING 6 p.m. BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder. Free

CABIN WITH GARTENER AND CIG FREUD 6 p.m. Saturday, May 25, Trident Booksellers & Cafe, 940 Pearl St., Boulder. Free STORY ON P. 19

WAXAHATCHEE WITH GOOD MORNING. 8 p.m. Thursday, May 23, Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver. $36 STORY ON P. 17

OPTIC SINK WITH VOIGHT AND PILL JOY 8 p.m. Hi-Dive, 7 S. Broadway, Denver. $18

FRIDAY, MAY 24

JD CORDLE WITH DAVID KEITH. 6 p.m. BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill Drive, Unit 14, Boulder. Free

MOUNTAIN REVERB. 6 p.m. Bricks on Main, 471 Main St., Longmont. Free

DENNY DRISCOLL. 6 p.m. Bootstrap Brewing Company, 142 Pratt St., Longmont. Free

KAT ELLIS ENSEMBLE. 7 p.m. Muse Performance Space, 200 E. South Boulder Road, Lafayette. $20

MÆSØNIC. 8 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. $14

CURB SURFER WITH PUBLIC PICASSO AND GERM THEORY 8 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $15

FANTASTIC CAT 8:30 p.m. Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl St., Suite V3A, Boulder. $20

AFTER MIDNIGHT 7 p.m. Muse Performance Space, 200 E. South Boulder Road, Lafayette. $20

FOGGY MOUNTAIN SPACESHIP DUO. 7 p.m. Longs Peak Pub, 600 Longs Peak Ave., Longmont. Free

EMMA ROSE AND THE SOUND OF HONEY WITH VIRGIL VIGIL. 7 p.m. Dharma Farm, 12281 N. 75th St., Longmont. $30

THE PAMLICO SOUND. 8 p.m. Boulder Bandshell, 1212 Canyon Blvd., Boulder. Free

JON STICKLEY TRIO WITH FAST FLOYD. 8 p.m. Roots Music Project, 4747 Pearl St., Suite V3A, Boulder. $20

JAX HOLLOW WITH TAYLOR TUKE. 8 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. $20

THE BUTTERTONES 8 p.m. Fox Theatre, 1135 13th St., Boulder. $20

SONJA WITH DREADNOUGHT AND MATRIARCH 8 p.m. Hi-Dive, 7 S. Broadway, Denver. $19

GIRL IN RED WITH THE BEACHES 7 p.m. Red Rocks Park Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $55

LIVE MUSIC

ON THE BILL

SUNDAY, MAY 26

DJ DRAKE WITH UNAUTHORIZED ABSENCE 1 p.m. Left Hand Brewing, 1265 Boston Ave., Longmont. Free

KAREN FINCH. 1 p.m. Bricks on Main, 471 Main St., Longmont. Free

SWEET SUNDAY SWING BAND

3 p.m. Spirit Hound Distillers, 4196 Ute Highway, Lyons. Free

BOULDER B-SIDES 4 p.m. BOCO Cider, 1501 Lee Hill drive, Unit 14, Boulder. Free

THE CBDS. 4 p.m. Very Nice Brewing Company, 20 Lakeview Drive, Unit 112, Nederland. Free

WHAT’S COOKIN’ BAND 7 p.m. Muse Performance Space, 200 E. South Boulder Road. $15

TMULE VERSUS NIC CLARK. 8 p.m. Velvet Elk Lounge, 2037 13th St., Boulder. Free

A BOOGIE WIT DA HOODIE WITH LUH TYLER, DESS DIOR AND BYRON MESSINA. 6:30 p.m. Red Rocks Park Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $60

MONDAY, MAY 27

GASOLINE LOLLIPOPS WITH RIVER MANN AND LUNDI KNIGHT TRIO. 1 p.m. Gold Hill Inn, 401 Main St., Boulder. $25

MUSE JAZZ JAM 7 p.m. Muse Performance Space, 200 E. South Boulder Road. Free

English avant-pop act

The Japanese House comes to Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre for a two-night run with Maggie Rogers, May 27-28. The project of singer-songwriter Amber Mary Bain takes the stage at the historic Front Range venue following the release of last year’s sophomore LP, In the End It Always Does, out now via Dirty Hit See listing for details

THE JACOB JOLLIFF BAND. 7 p.m.

Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. $30

MAGGIE ROGERS WITH THE JAPANESE HOUSE (NIGHT 1)

7:30 p.m. Red Rocks Park Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $80 BW PICK OF THE WEEK

TUESDAY, MAY 28

LIVE MUSIC AT ROSETTA HALL.

7 p.m. Rosetta Hall, 1109 Walnut St., Boulder. Free

THE SADIES WITH BIG SEASONS

8 p.m. Globe Hall, 4483 Logan St., Denver. $22

MAGGIE ROGERS WITH THE JAPANESE HOUSE (NIGHT 2). 7:30 p.m. Red Rocks Park Amphitheatre, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison. $80

WEDNESDAY, MAY 29

MASACRE WITH SADISTIC RITUAL, HARVESTED AND ROTTING

EARTH 8 p.m. Hi-Dive, 7 S. Broadway, Denver. $20

Help wanted

Chef in Boulder, CO w/ 24 mo exp as Chef, to: cook asian fusion dishes & manage food prep; supv cooks; maintain inventory; meet w/ customers to discuss & create special occasion menus items, etc. Salary: $66,602/yr. to apply, mail resume to: Sherpa Holdings 2015 llC dBa Fuji Restaurant and Bar. 2018 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80302.

EVENTS UPCOMING EXHIBITS

BUS STOP GALLERY 4895 Broadway, Boulder

JUNE 7

Group Show | Art of Modeling Figurative Exhibit

JULY 5 - 28

Belgin Yucelen | painting + prints

AUG 2 - 25

Jessica Moon | painting

SEPT 6 - 29

SMiLE | painting

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

OCT 4 - 27

Kevin Hoth | photography

Receptions | First Fridays 6-9 pm

ASTROLOGY

BY ROB BREZSNY

LYONS HEALTH & WELLNESS

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19): In the coming weeks, you will experience uncomfortable weirdness if you do the following: 1. Meander without focus or purpose; 2. Give yourself permission to postpone, procrastinate and engage in avoidance behavior; 3. Ignore the interesting though challenging truths that are right in front of you; 4. Hang out with people with mediocre ambitions. But you will experience healthy, uplifting oddness if you do the following: 1. Trust your instincts and intuitions; 2. Authorize your spontaneity to invigorate and guide you; 3. Take the straightforward path that gets you to the destination most effi-

Mysterious energies will soon begin healing at least some of the wounds in your financial genius. As a result, I predict new powers of attraction will awaken in you, making it likely you will add to your wealth in the developments, I recommend you give yourself permission to have joyous fun as you lust for more cash. More good news: I will supplement spell to boost the flow of riches into your bank

When I first got my job writing a horoscope column, I wasn’t looking for it. It found me. My bike had been stolen, and I was looking for a , the local Santa Cruz newspaper. There I serendipitously spied a help wanted ad. The publisher was hiring a new astrology writer to replace Robert Cole, who had just quit. I quickly applied for the gig and got it. Ever since, Robert Cole has been a symbol for me of an accidental and unexpected opportunity appearing out of nowhere. I mention this, Gemini, because when I meditate on you lately, I see the face of

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22): In myths and legends, the consummate spiritual goal has various names: the Holy Grail, philosopher’s stone, pearl of great price, nirvana, alchemical gold, key of life and many others. I appreciate this profusion of sacred symbols. It encourages us to not be too literal about identifying the highest reward. The old fables are equally equivocal about where the prize can be found. Is it in an empty desert or dark forest? In the deepest abyss, on a mountaintop or in the backyard? I bring these thoughts to your attention, Cancerian, because the coming months will be an excellent time to conduct a quest for the marvelous treasure. What do you need most right now? What’s the best way to begin your search?

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22): I have good news for any Leos who are devoted to pragmatism and rational analysis. Just this once, my horoscope will offer no lyrical teasers or mystical riddles. Your pressing need for no-nonsense grit has moved me to offer straightforward, unembellished counsel. Here it is, dear: Cultivate connections that will serve your passionate ambitions. Make vigorous use of your network and community to gather information that will serve your passionate ambitions. Meditate on what course corrections might be necessary to serve your passionate ambitions.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22): For many of you Virgos, your health seems chronically unsettled. You may be constantly hypervigilant about the next glitch that could possibly affect your wellbeing. There’s a problem with that approach: It may intensify your fear of frailty, which in turn saps your vigor. But I’m happy to report that in the coming months, you will have an enhanced power to break out of this pattern. To get started, try this: Every morning for four minutes, picture yourself overflowing with vitality. Visualize every part of your body working with joyful heartiness. Send streams of love and gratitude to all your organs. Do this for the next 21 days.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22): Many people regard the word “faith” as referring to delusional hope or wishful thinking. But I ask you to rethink its meaning — and consider the possibility that it could be an empowering force in the coming months. How? Imagine a faith that’s earthy and robust. You actually feel it vibrating in your heart and gut. It literally alters your brain chemistry, fortifying your natural talents and attracting needed resources. It liberates you to feel pragmatically excited as you pursue your goal of fulfilling your soul’s code.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21): When I was born, my parents gave me the name “Robert.” It’s derived from an Old North French word meaning “shining” and “bright with glory.” In Middle English, though, “robert” was a designation for “a wastrel, a marauder, a goodfor-nothing.” I use this dichotomy as a reminder that my own nature is a mix of brightness and darkness. A lot of me is shining and inspirational, but there’s also a part that’s ignorant and confused. And what’s true about me is true about everyone else, including you: We are blends of the best and the not-so-best. Now is a good time to draw strength and wisdom from meditating on this reality. Your shadowy aspects have important and interesting truths to reveal to your brilliant aspects —and vice versa.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21): Here are some meditations on emotions. They are as key to our intelligence as our thoughts! But it’s crucial that we distinguish between emotions generated by delusions and emotions that are responses to true perceptions. Let’s say I get angry because I imagine a friend stole money from my room while visiting, but then later I put on my vest and find the supposedly stolen cash in the vest pocket. That is a delusional emotion. But if I am sad because my friend’s beloved dog is sick, that is emotion based on an accurate perception. I bring this to your attention, Sagittarius, because I believe it is essential that in the coming weeks you discern between the two types.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19): As an adjunct to the Ten Commandments, I have formulated the Ten Suggestions. Here’s Suggestion #1: Wash your own brain at least three times a year. I’m speaking metaphorically, of course. What I mean is that like me and everyone else, you are always accumulating junky thoughts and useless feelings. Some are generated by our old, conditioned responses and some pour into us from the media and entertainment industries. And it’s best to be proactive about the toxic build-up and not allow it to become monumental. In my astrological opinion, now is an excellent time for a regular mind cleanse.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18): So many writers have said terrible things about our existence on planet Earth. “Life is a disease,” wrote George Bernard Shaw. “Life is a bad dream,” declared Eugene O’Neill. Life is “a vast cold junkpile,” according to Stephen King. There are thousands more of these less-than-nuanced disparagements. Why? Here are the facts, as I see them: As tough as it can be to navigate through problems and pain, being alive in our miraculous bodies with our dazzling awareness is a sublime gift. We are all blessed with a mysterious and fascinating destiny. In accordance with the astrological omens, Aquarius, I invite you to celebrate being alive with extra gratitude and ebullience. Begin the jubilee by feeling amazement and awe for your mysterious and fascinating destiny. Second step: Identify five sublime gifts in your life.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20): In the coming weeks, I ask you to refrain from indulging in extreme nostalgia. On the other hand, I encourage you to explore the past and sift through memories with the intention of clarifying what really happened back then. Pluck new lessons from the old days that will help you forge smart decisions in the near future. Use your history as a resource while you redefine the meanings of pivotal events. For extra credit, create a new title for the book you may someday write about your

Is it possible to be in mourning for a fantasy that will never be fulfilled? I’m a 44-year-old cis het man, and since hitting puberty I’ve fantasized about sleeping with an older woman — like, a much older woman. The fantasy was always about the mature older woman and, well, that younger and more virile version of me at 18. But it never happened. I got married right out of college, got divorced young and quickly married again.

SAVAGE LOVE

BY DAN SAVAGE

Now that I am solidly middle aged and in a monogamous (and very happy) relationship, not only has the prospect of realizing this kink most likely ended, but I am finding it increasingly difficult to even fantasize about it anymore. I’m just too old to have this sort of situation be a realistic scenario. I’m not finding an older woman to sleep with anytime soon, and I’m not magically turning back into a 20-something anytime soon. Knowing that I’ve aged out of my ultimate fantasy without ever acting on it makes it almost sad to think about.

I’m not asking you that dumb and obvious question (“Is this normal?”), as I’ve been reading you long enough to know the answer to that. I guess what I’m asking is for advice on how I can deal with the sadness I’m feeling about this.

— Often Life Disappoints

Seeing as you’re mourning a fantasy that will never be fulfilled — you’re never gonna be a young stud seduced and/or seduced by a mature older woman — the answer to your first question (“Is it possible to be in mourning for a fantasy that will never be fulfilled?”) is obviously yes, OLD, as demonstrated by your own feelings of grief.

As for what to do about the sadness you’re feeling, well, you did something very useful with your sadness today by writing to me. While it may be too late for you to do something about your fantasy, your letter will hopefully inspire others — young

and old alike — to act on their fantasies before it’s too late, e.g., before they’re too married and/or too monogamous and/or too old. And here’s a fantasy-fulfillment pro tip for them: creating opportunities > seizing opportunities.

And you’re not actually too old to realize this fantasy, OLD! While you can’t play the young and virile stud for a 50-year-old woman — you need that age gap to gape — you can play the younger and still virile stud for a woman in her mid-60s.

To do it the right way, i.e., to do it without being a cheating piece of shit, OLD, you’re gonna need your wife’s permission. If your wife is one of those insecure, irrational people who expects all of her partner’s sexual thoughts and fantasies to revolve around her, then she’s unlikely to react positively to your request for a hall pass. But if your wife doesn’t expect all of your sexual fantasies to revolve around her — if your wife doesn’t have a problem with you looking at porn; if she doesn’t get angry when she notices you noticing the host barista — getting a little tipsy and/or high together and having a conversation about your sexual fantasies and hers (AND HERS AND HERS AND HERS) might get you that hall pass.

P.S. Go into that conversation prepared not just to ask for a hall pass, OLD, but to offer one.

P.P.S. And if your wife’s been fantasizing about fucking some young stud Yahtzee!

EAT

a taste of modern Japan in the heart of beautiful Boulder

DRINK

an unmatched selection of rare whiskey, sake, and craft cocktails

ENJOY

the scenery on one of our 3 fireside patios, a feast alongside the jellyfish, or a front row seat at a lively bar

MARKET MUNCHIES

Great new tastes, familiar favorites fill farmers market food courts

BY JOHN LEHNDORFF

People in shorts, freshly opened restaurant patios and blooming lilacs are strong hints that spring has finally returned to Boulder. The clearest sign of the season is a nose-grabbing aroma wafting from the food court at the Boulder Farmers Market.

It’s equal parts wood smoke and toasting paella, mingling with the scent of tortillas and green onions sizzling on griddles and freshly chopped cilantro, pickles and fresh fruit. It means Boulder’s signature al fresco dining destination is open and busy.

For Frankie Ryder, marketing director for the Boulder and Longmont farmers’ markets, the food court is much more than just another culinary destination. Many of the food and beverage vendors form partnerships with the market’s farmers and use their locally grown produce in dishes as the season progresses.

“These vendors are all small, independent businesses run by local families,” Ryder says. “The revenue from these vendors selling ready-to-eat food is an essential part of making the markets financially viable.”

Anchoring one end of the Boulder food court are two returning favorites: Lenin’s Wood-fired Pizza with its perfectly charred puffy crusts, and Rang Tang BBQ, home of smoky ribs. The crew at Pupusas Familia dishes those masa pancakes with various fillings and spicy curtido while dark chicken mole is among big flavors tucked in corn tortillas at Tacos del Norte.

The longest line at the Wednesday market snakes from the Savory Saigon booth, where diners are choosing between savory and sweet

TASTES OF THE WEEK: FAVORITE MARKET BITES

The food courts at the Boulder and Longmont markets are the ideal place to meet family, friends and co-workers for two good reasons. People of every dietary and taste persuasion can find a meal to love. And, if everybody grabs something from a different stand, you get to taste more of the authentic dishes available.

My personal favorites from one visit to the Wednesday market included:

● Rang Tang BBQ’s smoky spice-coated burnt beef ends with mac-and-cheese

● BH Delicacies Brazilian chicken croquettes: savory fried pockets of creamy comfort food

● Rising Tiger’s griddled scallion pancakes wrapped around sautéed green onions with char sui pork or tofu, cheese, eggs, spicy aioli and a sprinkle of chile flakes.

● Fresh mango and sticky rice from Pick N Mix Bar.

Devin Keopraphay cooks at the Rising Tiger booth. Courtesy: Boulder County Farmers Markets

Best One Yet serves vegan ice cream to hungry martketgoers. Courtesy: Boulder County Farmers Markets

crepes, Vietnamese spring rolls, bowls of pho and veggie-packed banh mi.

Several newer vendors are grabbing attention, too. Pick N Mix Bar offers fresh fruit bowls and smoothies. Rice & Shine Paella is dishing the classic aromatic Spanish rice dish topped with a choice of seafood, chicken, chorizo or veggies: The crispy rice from the bottom of the paella pan is a taste worth a visit by itself. BH Delicacies fascinates with Brazilian sweet and savory items including brigadeiro (sweet truffles) and creamy flan.

goods, including pie. The fare can be enjoyed on the nearby park lawn or at tented picnic tables near a guitarist playing familiar classics.

The Saturday Longmont Farmers Market is a delightfully different shopping and dining experience than its Boulder sibling. The wideopen location at the Boulder County Fairgrounds abounds in ample elbow-room to park, stroll, sit in the shade and grab a bite.

The singular, don’t-miss Wednesday vendor is Rising Tiger, manned by the personable chef Devin Keopraphay. A longtime Longmont market favorite, Rising Tiger dishes a Taiwanese-American twist on scallion pancakes. It pairs well with a chilled ale from Louisville’s award-winning Gravity Brewing, one of the market’s regular brewery vendors.

Other Wednesday stands offer vegan ice cream, snow cones, coffee drinks and an array of baked

Longmont’s ready-to-eat lineup includes Amaizing Corn Tamales, Bruna’s Brazilian Cheese Bread, Pong Thai Cuisine, Rev’s Ribs, Pupusas Familia, Rising Tiger, The Schlop Stop and Weedhart Pies plus coffee, frozen treats and baked goods.

The Saturday markets in Boulder and Longmont also offer changing pop-up food stands that give new businesses an opportunity to introduce themselves to locals.

The Boulder Farmers Market is open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays, 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays. The Longmont Farmers Market is open 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays.

Louisville’s Gravity Brewing offers award-winning brews. Courtesy: Boulder County Farmers Markets

LOCAL FOOD NEWS: LONGMONT FOOD HALL OPENS

The opening restaurants for Longmont’s new Parkway Food Hall include two concepts from Niwot’s Farow Restaurant: Pie Dog Pizza and Baa Hachi (Japanese street food). Other spots are Chile Con Quesadilla, H3sh3r Barbecue, Spice Fusion (Indian/Thai), Cleaver & Co (burgers) and Shawarma Shack

Yelp’s 2024 list of the best 100 barbecue spots in America includes Longmont’s Georgia Boys BBQ, ranked 87th, Denver’s Post Oak Barbecue was ranked 29th.

Remember the olden times when you couldn’t get wine, beer or cocktails with takeout or delivered restaurant meals? The temporary pandemic-sparked law that legalized those sales of wine, beer, cider and cocktails was recently made permanent with the passage of Colorado Senate Bill 24-020.

If you love Cheddar Bay biscuits and endless shrimp, you may want to grab a seafood feast at Red Lobster while you can. The financially troubled restaurant chain has shuttered dozens of locations nationally, including four in Colorado. The Longmont Red Lobster location currently remains open.

Coming soon: Bella La Crema Butter Shoppe and Dairy Market, 304 Main St., Lyons.

CULINARY CALENDAR: BEER, WINE, BACON, BOURBON?

Colorado’s season of summer tastings launches at this weekend’s Boulder Creek Festival with the Creekside Beer Fest (including wines, spirits and cocktails) May 25-26. bouldercreekfest.com

Plan ahead: Manitou Springs Colorado Wine Festival, June 1, manitousprings.org; Lake Dillon Beer Festival, June 15, coloradobeer.org; and Keystone Bacon & Bourbon Festival, June 22-23, keystonefestivals.com

WORDS TO CHEW ON: THE SOUL OF AN EATER

“You needn’t tell me that a man who doesn’t love oysters and asparagus and good wines has got a soul, or a stomach either. He’s simply got the instinct for being unhappy.”

— Hugh “Saki” Munro

John Lehndorff hosts Radio Nibbles and Kitchen Table Talk on KGNU. Podcasts: kgnu.org/ category/radio-nibbles

WEED BETWEEN THE LINES

ILLEGAL GROWS GO PRIVATE

Cartel grow operations shift to a new frontier

BY WILL BRENDZA

As much as 90% of black market cannabis sold in the U.S. is grown domestically by criminal enterprises, according to Lt. John Nores, a retired fish and wildlife warden with the State of California.

It’s why Nores co-founded the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Marijuana Enforcement Team (MET), a first-of-its-kind tactical operations group focused solely on hunting down and breaking up illegal cartel grow operations on public lands. As a game warden, Nores witnessed firsthand the threat these grow ops pose to people recreating outdoors and their devastating environmental impacts. And he’s watched as this problem spread from one state to another.

In 2019, Nores wrote Hidden War, a book about his experience with this issue. He says a lot has changed since then.

Where once 90% of the cannabis sold on America’s black market was grown on public land — in our national and state parks and forests, on BLM land, monuments, etc. — “there’s also a big private land element now,” Nores says. “We also have Chinese cartels involved now, as well as the Mexican cartels.”

He estimates that 70-75% of black

market cannabis is grown on private land.

Nores describes “grow bosses” from overseas who buy large swaths of rural land and build larger and betterresourced grow operations. They generally aren’t great neighbors to have around, he says.

“We’ve literally had both Mexican and Asian cartel groups going to ranchers’ fences in bulletproof vests with semi-automatic assault rifles, rolling in hot in a truck and saying, ‘We’re your neighbor now and this is what’s going down. Don’t make a problem.’”

Illegal grow operations on public land — usually operated by armed individuals — pose serious threats to outdoor recreationists like hunters, anglers, backpackers and hikers. Nores says he’s even seen them booby-trapped with Vietnam War-era punji pits: holes in which sharp sticks are positioned to prevent someone from extracting themselves without sustaining serious injury.

“It goes beyond, ‘What is the hiker going to find? Or the hunter or angler? Now it’s, ‘What are they going to find just hiking through a rural neighborhood?’” Nores says. “In NorCal, they’re hearing gunshots. They’re dealing with vicious dogs on illegal grows. [Local] kids playing in the forest is just a no-go anymore.”

They also can be chemically toxic sites. The pesticides used on these grows are often carbofuran-based and illegal in the U.S. Many are neurotoxic, Nores explains.

Like those on public land, the illegal grows on private property are diverting water. Only now, they’re tapping into much larger water resources used by ranchers and farmers to support their livelihoods. Garbage, human waste and illegal poaching are common as well.

From a purely legal standpoint, groups like California’s MET need probable cause and search warrants to enter private property. These operations are much harder to execute raids on than those on public lands, he says. This isn’t isolated to California. Nores says Maine, Michigan, Oregon and Oklahoma have experienced a proliferation of illegal private-property grows. There have been numerous Colorado operations busted on both public and private land in recent years.

A lot of factors are contributing to this issue, according to Nores. In California, they reduced the penalty for growing without a license to a misdemeanor. He believes that has greatly encouraged more illegal growing because the consequences are negligible for those involved.

Nores would like to see cannabis regulated federally, just like the alcohol and tobacco industries. Without that, he says, the demand for black-market cannabis will persist.

“I just testified in Congress last October, talking about these issues,” Nores says. “The problem has escalated for anybody — from an outdoor enthusiast standpoint to an environmentalist standpoint — and Congress is aware of it now.”