4 23 15 best of boulder

The results of our annual reader poll, plus our irreverent take on what’s best about living in Boulder County

Anna Zoe, chef of Zoe Ma Ma, winner of this year’s Best Chinese Restaurant

THANKS BOULDER! is honored to be voted best mattress store in Boulder for the 3rd year in a row!

Denver Mattress strives to give their customers a unique shopping experience.

QUALITY Products you can trust and our customers love SERVICE Nationally recognized for years as one of the very best SELECTION The best selection of the best brands VALUE Our 365-Night Guarantee plus prices that can’t be beat Why shop anywhere else?

Denver Mattress also carries the best selection of the best mattress brands including TempurPedic, Serta, iComfort, Beautyrest, Stearns & Foster, Sealy, Green Choice and Doctor’s Choice.

AMERICA’S LARGEST FACTORY DIRECT MATTRESS RETAILER

BOULDER 1945 28th Street (28th & Walnut) 303.413.1314 Better Tomorrows Start Tonight

™

THANK YOU AGAIN For Voting Us Boulder County’s

MOST TRUSTED MOVER! See why we’re consistently the

TOP MOVER in Boulder County at TAYLORMOVE.COM Licensed, Bonded & Insured Locally Owned & Operated by the Taylor Family

Call Today!

303-443-5885 HONEST • EXPERIENCED • RELIABLE

BEST AUTO DEALER

NEW

Boulder’s Own. Boulder’s Best

THANK YOU BOULDER.

WE LOVE YOU TOO! 5995 Arapahoe Avenue • Boulder • 303-443-0114 • www.flatironssubaru.com

USED

BEST AUTO DEALER

Boulder’s Own. Boulder’s Best

I M P O R T S

Flatirons Imports has been serving Boulder, Golden, and the Greater Denver area for over 25 years! We have a strong and committed sales staff with many years of experience satisfying our customers’ needs.

Feel free to browse our inventory online, request more information about vehicles, set up a test drive or inquire about financing!

...RIGHT HERE IN THE GREAT CITY OF BOULDER 5995 Arapahoe Avenue • Boulder • 303-443-0114 • www.flatironssubaru.com

Be creative.

Design a exible schedule with online and evening courses.

Explore your options: conted.colorado.edu

EXPERIENCE THE FUN AND EXCITEMENT AT ONE BOULDER FITNESS! “As the former Director of Personal Training at both Flatiron Athletic Club and Mountains’ Edge Fitness, I have joined forces with ONE Boulder Fitness to create unique, world-class training programs. Our customized programs include: Private, Partner and Small Group Training. Our team will help you meet and exceed your fitness goals while having a great time! Join our vibrant health & fitness community and see what all the buzz is about!”

- Joe Horwat, Director of Personal Training and Member Wellness, ONE Boulder Fitness

OUR FITNESS COMMUNITY IS...

FREE 3-Day Guest Pass (mention this ad)

Free Unlimited Small Group Training Classes with your membership.

Qualified TRX Training Facility.

Convenient FREE Covered Parking.

“What sets OBF apart from other clubs is its convenient location and its team. The staff is full of sages for clients of all ages!”

- John Studholme Attorney, Yogi, Pianist

“Joining a fitness club is a great investment in your well-being.

OBF is an exceptional place to make that investment.”

“The proximity to the bike path and miles of single track trails is perfect. The community that exists at OBF is phenomenal.”

- Jackie Hudson

- Bob Africa

Fitness Enthusiast, Animal Lover

Performance Athlete, President Kidrobot

WWW.ONEBOULDERFI TNE SS.C OM 1 8 0 0 B R O A D W AY S U I T E 1 9 0 , B O U L D E R C O 8 0 3 0 2

|

3 0 3 - 4 47 - 8 5 4 5

From our family to yours—thanks for your support.

When you buy something from Urban Mattress, 2% of the purchase goes right back into the community through one of our charitable partners. Let our knowledgeable staff guide you through the best selection of quality mattresses in town to find the best fit for you.

What our customers are saying about Urban Mattress

We’re proud to work with and support local non-profits

“I had a great experience here. The man who helped me was friendly, understanding, and accommodating.

I was purchasing my mattress 20 minutes after I walked in and had the mattress delivered 30 minutes later. I couldn’t be happier!”

Emergency Family Assistance Association (EFAA) WWW.EFAA.ORG

“They have a wide variety of beds made from natural materials, and I’m thrilled knowing that I made a purchase that might actually nobly and quickly decompose in a landfill.”

Mother House, Inc. WWW.MOTHER-HOUSE.ORG

The Water Project WWW.THEWATERPROJECT.ORG

Attention Homes WWW.ATTENTIONHOMES.ORG

Boulder 2830 Arapahoe Ave (303) 440-0288 urbanmattress.com

THE BEST OF BOULDER COUNTY Staff

Susan France

Publisher, Stewart Sallo Special Editions Editor, Caitlin Rockett Advertising Director, Jeff Cole Director of Operations/ Controller, Benecia Beyer Circulation Manager, Cal Winn

Editorial

Editor, Joel Dyer Associate Editors, Elizabeth Miller, Matt Cortina, Amanda Moutinho

Sales

Retail Sales Manager, Allen Carmichael Senior Account Executive, David Hasson Account Executives, Julian Bourke, Darragh Hoffmann, Alex Valles, Linnea Smith Market Development Manager, Kellie Robinson Inside Sales Representative, Jason Myers Marketing Coordinator, Melissa Chua Mrs. Boulder Weekly, Mari Nevar

Production

Production Manager, Dave Kirby Art Director, Susan France Graphic Designer, Mark Goodman

General & Administrative Assistant to the Publisher, Julia Sallo Office Manager, Andrea Neville Circulation Team, Dave Hastie, Dan Hill, George LaRoe, Jeffrey Lohrius, Elizabeth Ouslie, Rick Slama 15-Year-Old, Mia Rose Sallo Cover photo: Susan France

contents

food 10 drink 48 entertainment & culture 62 fitness & health 80 retail 100

Executive Chef Samir Aniba of Carelli’s, Boulder

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

F

or more than two decades you, our loyal Boulder Weekly readers, have been participating in our annual Best of Boulder survey, and we can’t thank you enough. And besides saying thanks, we also need to say congratulations, because you did it again.

You set yet another new all-time record when it comes to how many of you voted for your favorite businesses in our Best of Boulder online survey. And as usual, we think you made a lot of great choices this year.

So just to be clear, here is a quick refresher on how the Best of Boulder survey works. First, the survey is kept open to voters throughout the month of March.

With the exception of boxes marked as “Staff Picks” — which are selected by us, often to highlight great businesses in an area that doesn’t have its own category — all of the winners in all of the categories in this publication have been determined solely by our readers’ votes. Period. Boulder Weekly employees were allowed one vote in each category just like everybody else, and we had no idea of what the vote totals were until the survey officially closed.

This is exactly why winning Best of Boulder has become the most coveted award in the region.

It really is a measure of the quality of a business from the perspective of tens of thousands of members of the community. BW isn’t saying these businesses are great — although we probably think they are — it’s our readers who are saying that they’re great. This is why we list five winners in each category. Making it onto a Best of Boulder winners list in any category is an impressive accomplishment of which any business should be proud. Congratulations winners. Your businesses help to make Boulder County one of the best places in the entire nation to call home.

April 23, 2015 9

Susan France

Appetizers/Tapas

THE MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT 1002 Walnut St., 303-444-5335 Second Place: Brasserie Ten Ten Third Place: The Kitchen Fourth Place: Aji Latin American Restaurant Fifth Place: Centro Latin Kitchen & Refreshment Palace

S

ometimes you’re just in the mood for a little something — or maybe lots of little somethings — and if so, everyone in Boulder knows the place to go for the tastiest tapas in town is The Mediterranean Restaurant. The Med, as its name suggests, keeps its focus on dishes from every corner of the Mediterranean basin — Italy, Spain, Greece, France, Morrocco and Lebanon. As such, you’ll find hot and cold tapas, with plenty of carnivorous and vegetarian options. The dátiles con tocino wraps juicy strips of bacon around sweet, fresh Medjool dates covered in garlic and lemon butter. And The Med doesn’t forget classics like tzatziki and baba ghanouj. Our mouths are watering just thinking about sitting down to a glass of wine and a spread of savory tapas.

Asian Fusion

CHEZ THUY

2655 28th St., 303-442-1700 Second Place: Hapa Sushi Grill & Sake Bar Third Place: Sushi Zanmai Fourth Place: Japango Fifth Place: Zoe Ma Ma

T

he menu at Chez Thuy is more like a box of chocolates than Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates — it’s not that you never know what you’re going to get. It’s that it all looks amazing and is sure to please. The lengthy and varied menu shows a strong dose of Vietnamese influences but blends in hints of French, Chinese, Thai and Indonesian cuisine.

Chez Thuy’s menu covers your go-to classics like pho, spring rolls and stir-fried noodles, before venturing into spice-heavy options dosed in lemongrass, cilantro or ginger and adventurous undertakings with rarely seen treats like Cornish game hens, duck and quail, and intriguing vegetarian offerings like stuffed tofu. Hungry yet?

Kelly E. Kingsford, executive chef of the Walnut Restaurant Group, including The Mediterranean Restaurant and Brasserie Ten Ten

Thank You Boulder County

for Voting Us Best Pizza Slice!

79th & Niwot Rd, in Niwot • 303-652-0830 2761 Iris Ave, in Boulder • 303-443-1921 10 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Th Bo an Vo u k ti ld yo ng er u fo fo r r Us !

Boulder only.

Susan France

American Restaurant

THE KITCHEN

1039 Pearl St., 303-544-5973 Second Place: Mountain Sun/Southern Sun Pub & Brewery Third Place: OAK at fourteenth Fourth Place: World Famous Dark Horse Bar and Grill Fifth Place: SALT

A

lot of restaurants hide under the moniker of being an “American restaurant.”

They stack their menu with fried, mediocre food served with a slimy pickle on the side. Real American food has fresh ingredients and ingenuity that makes you excited for every bite, which is why our readers voted The Kitchen as number one.The Kitchen has been serving up American classics for the past decade, livening up the Boulder culinary scene one plate at a time. With American food this good, you’ll be singing “The Star Spangled Banner” after you finish.

Brunch

LUCILE’S CREOLE CAFE

2124 14th St., 303-442-4743 518 Kimbark St., Longmont, 303-774-9814 Second Place: Snooze an A.M. Eatery Third Place: Brasserie Ten Ten Fourth Place: The Buff Resturant Fifth Place: Tangerine

L

ucile’s Creole Cafe calls for importing an idea patented in Portland: competitive brunching. Here’s the plan: Give yourself a little lead time, since this extremely popular spot often has a wait for a table, especially on weekends. Order your coffee and beignets and start your meal with puffed pastries warm enough to soak up the powdered sugar that inevitably topples from them onto your plate, and likely other destinations as well. Prepare for a most amazing biscuit — picture moist crumbles of buttery goodness — to precede some meals as well. Save half to accompany your red beans and rice, and smother the other in the house-made jams on the table. Holy wow. You’re already winning. Whether you choose pecan-batter waffles drizzled with pecans and fruit, eggs Ponchartrain with pan-fried trout to bask in runny yolks or some of the most knockout biscuits and gravy around, served on that above-mentioned astoundingly tasty biscuit, to follow that opening, your lead is already so well set that you’ll be impossible to catch. Shoot, score and start another Saturday morning off right.

Matt Collier, head chef for The Kitchen in Boulder

12 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Sunrise to Sunset

Grab a cup of coffee in the morning, gather with friends for lunch and wind-down your day with wine by the fire.

For your morning cup of coffee or a midday tea-time break, a place to gather your thoughts, whatever the reason, Bittersweet Cafe & Confections is ready to take your order. Local ingredients. Local flavors.

Local enjoyment.

Enjoy the beauty in roasting coffee beans to their peak flavor.

The most exceptional coffee you will find anywhere.

bittersweetcafes.com (303) 317-5522 • 836 Main St • Louisville & (303) 729-2560 x186 • 300 Summit Blvd Broomfield

The wine is opened. The Beer is tapped.

We’ll save you a seat on the patio by the fire. There’s more to Louisville’s first wine house than our drink selection.

Come find out yourself.

2014

2014

2014

Lafayette’s

Louisville’s

Longmont’s

BEST

Best Latte • Best Coffee House

@ Bittersweet

2014

Lyons’ BEST

coffeeroastingcompany.co

(303) 317-5522 • 840 Main Street • Louisville 2014

Erie’s BEST

BEST

BEST

14 2014 Wine Selection Best20Wine Bar • Best

Niwot’s

Superior’s

BEST

BEST

facebook.com/porwinehouse

(720) 666-1386 • 836 Main St. • Louisville

Susan France

Seafood

JAX FISH HOUSE & OYSTER BAR 928 Pearl St., 303-444-1811 Second Place: Boulder Cork Third Place: Tortugas Fourth Place: Flagstaff House Restaurant Fifth Place: L’Atelier

W

hen you think of Jax Fish House you can’t help but think of raw oysters. The Jax Raw Bar offers a dozen different varieties of oysters nightly along with clams, crab and other good things from the sea. When you’re done going raw, grab a table and enjoy the area’s best seafood cooked to perfection. Our readers love it, and with good reason.

Pizzeria

PIZZERIA LOCALE

1730 Pearl St., 303-442-3003 Second Place: Beau Jo’s Third Place: Backcountry Pizza & Tap House Fourth Place: Lucky Pie Pizza & Taphouse Fifth Place: Proto’s Pizzeria Napoletana

N

ot all pizza is created equal. Good pizza is taken for granted under the guise of a quick, easy bite to eat. But a masterfully crafted pizza can be transformative, and the folks over at Pizzeria Locale rise to the challenge, which is why our readers chose it as the best. You don’t need much to make a good pizza, but Pizzeria Locale goes above and beyond with their fresh, flavorful ingredients. Plus, there’s nothing better than being able to customize your pizza right in front of you. After a visit to a lava hot oven, you get a delicious pizza topped just for you.

Nederland Restaurant

KATHMANDU RESTAURANT

110 N. Jefferson St., Nederland, 303-258-1169 Second Place: Backcountry Pizza & Tap House Third Place: Wild Mountain Smokehouse and Brewery Fourth Place: Sundance Cafe Fifth Place: Black Forest Restaurant

N

ederland has a number of great restaurants, of course. The little mountain town with a big character has been home to delicious food and a great dining atmosphere for a while now. One place that continually stands as a paramount of good food is Kathmandu Restaurant. The Indian and Nepalese food slinger has been pleasing guests for years with their comforting and delicious meals. A favorite of locals and folks coming down from the slopes, Kathmandu acts as the true peak of a thriving Indian and Nepali dining scene in Boulder County.

Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar Executive Chef Sheila Lucero

Reader Comment Georgia Boys BBQ is taking over my diet.

14 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

STAFF PICK

thank you boulder FOR MAKING US AWESOME SINCE 1983!

THREE

!

S N LOCATIO

WWW.WALNUTCAFE.COM

Ma Ma Says ...

THANK YOU

BOULDER COUNTY FOR VOTING US BEST CHINESE RESTAURANT!

Welcome to Zoe Ma Ma! Inspired by my mother’s love, I wish to share with you her signature dishes and delicious home cooking.

Unlike most Americanized Chinese restaurants, we freshly prepare Ma Ma’s dishes with high quality ingredients that include homemade organic noodles, cage-free eggs, and all-natural meats.

It’s quality for your tummy and it’s Ma Ma approved.

2010 10th Street, Boulder, CO 80302 • 303-545-6262 • www.zoemama.com Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

Monday through Thursday and Sunday: 11am – 10pm Friday and Saturday: 11am – 11pm April 23, 2015 15

Courtesy of Noodles & Company

Kid Friendly

NOODLES & COMPANY

Come celebrate our third anniversary with us.

Various locations around Boulder County Second Place: Mountain Sun/ Southern Sun Pub & Brewery Third Place: Lucky Pie Pizza & Taphouse Fourth Place: Red Robin’s Burger Works Fifth Place: Turley’s Kitchen

W

THANK YOU BOULDER FOR YOUR VOTES!

hen you’re a kid, going out to eat presents an adventure full of new possibilities — new tastes, smells, coloring menus and hopefully a giant rice crispy treat. Our readers voted Noodles and Company as the best place to take your little ones.They can slurp down noodles and practically swim in a big bowl of mac and cheese.

It has a family-friendly restaurant vibe that provides a comfortable, casual environment and a modestly priced, diverse menu that’ll suit any age. Plus, it’s customizable for any picky eater’s palate, meaning no broccoli, or extra green stuff if there’s whining.

Restaurant Dessert

BEST FARM 8 YEARS IN A ROW • A Boulder Favorite Since 1976 • Fresh Produce Stand • Pumpkins Patch • Christmas Trees

THE KITCHEN

1039 Pearl St., 303-544-5973 Second Place: Boulder Cork Third Place: Flagstaff House Restaurant Fourth Place: SALT Fifth Place: The Mediterranean Restaurant

A

good dessert can be a masterpiece. It doesn’t need to be full of bells and whistles, piled high with whipped cream and hot fudge. The best desserts are derived from simple flavors and ingredients — an experiment that The Kitchen has mastered. From the rich cheeses to the creamy buttermilk pie to the sticky toffee pudding, you really can’t go wrong with anything you choose. And do not miss out on The Kitchen’s homemade gelato and sorbet. Also, the menu changes seasonally to reflect the most delicious dishes all year round.

It’s so good, you’ll want to order dessert before the main course.

Reader Comment 75th and Valmont, Boulder 303.442.5330 • www.munsonfarms.com 16 April 23, 2015

Best place to eat outdoors: Sunset Point, Flagstaff.

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

THANK YOU BOULDER!

2650 Broadway, Boulder 303.444.3252 3075 Arapahoe, Boulder 303.442.4427 550 Grant, Denver 303.733.7331 3267 28th St. Boulder 720.406.9000 918 16th Street, Denver 303.534.1084

Visit us at moesbagel.com

BUY 1, GET ONE

FREE

BAGEL w/ CREAM CHEESE Expires 5/23/15

Early Morning Specials

THE PARKWAY CAFE 4700 Pearl St., 303-447-1833

I

t’s crazy to think that one of the most inventive restaurants in Boulder County specializes in breakfast, but The Parkway Cafe in Boulder elevates breakfast to stunning new heights.They do so by serving three breakfast specials every weekend that continually excite and surprise diners. With a Mexican bent, Parkway masterfully creates filling and unique meals like poached eggs in chipotle crema, green chile and chorizo breakfast egg rolls, tamale omelettes, quesadillas with Oaxacan cheese, sautéed hibiscus flowers and poblanos, and much more. Specials change every week, allowing the seemingly endless imagination of Parkway’s chefs to flourish.

Organic Restaurant

THE KITCHEN

1039 Pearl St., 303-544-5973 Second Place: Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant Third Place: Black Cat Farm-Table-Bistro Fourth Place: Shine Restaurant & Gathering Place Fifth Place: Modmarket

F BEST BAKERY

rom the start, The Kitchen was envisioned as a “world-class neighborhood restaurant,” a restaurant that would be more like the kitchen in your own home, where you and your friends and family could chat around good food and good drinks. And so it is. From the locally sourced ingredients in their food and drinks, to environmentally friendly practices like composting, using wind power and eco-friendly packaging, The Kitchen is truly a communitycentric business. Drop in for brunch, lunch or dinner, or even just an after-work cocktail, and rest assured that you are supporting a local business that supports its community.

Barbecue

KT’S BBQ

2660 Broadway St., 303-442-3717 7464 Arapahoe Road, 303-786-7608 Second Place: Georgia Boys BBQ Company Third Place: Lulu’s BBQ Fourth Place: Moe’s Original BBQ Fifth Place: West End Tavern

A

good barbecue restaurant is an experience filled with smoky aromas, down-home atmosphere and a friendly familiarity. You know the food’s good when you’re knee-deep in meat, smothered in barbecue sauce and surrounded by sides that are each better than the last. KT’s BBQ gives you all this and more. The K and T belongs to Kirk and Tricia Jamison, who realized the only proper way to start a BBQ joint was to do their research — go to Memphis and scarf on barbecue. Luckily, they passed along the knowledge and gave us KT’s.

With a lot of hard work and long days, the result is a plate of food made with love.

Reader Comment I could vote for more than one in several categories!

18 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Take Out

SNARF’S

Buffet

5340 Arapahoe Ave., 303-444-3404 2128 Pearl St., 303-444-7766 Second Place: Noodles and Company Third Place: Curry-N-Kebob Fourth Place: Chez Thuy Fifth Place: Buddha Thai Cuisine

JILL’S RESTAURANT

T

W

e’ve all had a night where we don’t want to cook, but we don’t want to put on real pants and go to a sit-down restaurant. The restaurant that makes whatever dish you’re craving doesn’t deliver, or you don’t want to wait for it to get to your house, so you hop in the car and order up a take out item. For these moments, our readers like Snarf’s. They have a wide menu of options, all prepared quickly and packaged neatly so you can take it home and continue binge watching a series on Netflix and deepening that couch groove.

Frozen Yogurt

RIPPLE PURE FROZEN YOGURT

1682 30th St., 303-444-0690 Second Place: Boulder Chill Third Place: Two Spoons Gelato & Soup Fourth Place: Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt Fifth Place: Smooch Frozen Yogurt & Mochi

900 Walnut St., 720-406-7399 hursdays are usually pretty good days for us here at the Boulder Weekly. The week’s paper is out and we can take some time to regroup from the madness and start work on our next stories. This regrouping process requires food. We usually like to have a nice lunch on Thursdays, and a common destination is Jill’s Restaurant at the St Julien, where their Ooh La La Lunch buffet offers salads, pastas, pizzas, breads, spreads and an array of other delicious dishes and desserts with Jill’s signature French-inspired style. Drop by on Fridays to enjoy Jill’s vegan buffet. Buffet meals are served with a complimentary glass of wine. So if you drop

by Jill’s one Thursday afternoon and see a ragtag but amiable group of five, stop by and say hi to Boulder Weekly’s editorial staff.

TAJ MAHAL III RESTAURANT

W

hat a delicious treat frozen yogurt is.

And how far it has come since its halcyon days where folks said, “Frozen what?” and scoffed and missed out on something delicious. Since then, frozen yogurt became a national trend, died and then sort of found a balance somewhere between “Uh, nope,” and “I’m going to cut my face off with an Exacto knife if I don’t have fro-yo.” The best frozen yogurt joint in Boulder County, according to our readers, is Ripple Pure Frozen Yogurt in Boulder. It has a bunch of selfserve nozzles with a ton of flavors and toppings. With easy access, affordable prices and delicious frozen yogurt with inventive flavors, Ripple earned the title of Best of Boulder from our readers.

WINE, BEER & FOOD

1075 E. SOUTH BOULDER RD.

LOUISVILLE, CO 303-926-0999

BEST INDIAN RESTAURANT

Catering

A SPICE OF LIFE CATERING + EVENTS

5541 Central Ave., Suite 272, 303-444-3452 Second Place: Three Leaf Catering Third Place: Dish Gourmet Fourth Place: Sage and Savory Catering Fifth Place: Savory Cuisines

W

hen you have an event that needs to be catered, chances are it’s important to you that everything come off without a hitch — from weddings to corporate events and every special event in between, A Spice of Life Catering + Events can guarantee you and your guests an exceptional experience. Run by two veterans of the food service industry with experience in hotel and restaurant management, A Spice of Life has been providing first-class service and quality food and beverage to events since 1987. And they don’t stop there — A Spice of Life values the wellbeing of their community and, as such, adopted a zero waste program in 2005.

They offer compostable dishes and recyclable utensils.

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

1800 BROADWAY ST. BOULDER, CO 303-442-0999 April 23, 2015 19

a place to nourish ourselves through food, community, and celebration. . .

Susan France

R OU LIG HT U P Y

Open for lunch and dinner daily plus brunch on the weekends.

We also host daily events in our beautiful gathering place.

Food Truck

COMIDA

Find current locations on Facebook and Twitter Second Place: Verde Third Place: Cheese Louise Fourth Place: McDevitt Taco Supply

LI F

T

E.

. .S

100% Gluten Free Kitchen

IN H T HINE FROM WI

THANK YOU BOULDER FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT Best Gluten-Free Restaurant – WINNER Organic Restaurant – Honorable Mention Vegetarian Friendly – Honorable Mention

.

.

2027 13th St. Boulder 303-449-0120 www.shineboulder.com

LO N

Delicious food and drinks, inspired by our California roots...

M

ONLY ROOF T’S TO N O P

TIO PA

G

CRAFT CASUAL AMERICAN RESTAURANT BAR & VENUE

he only thing better than going to a restaurant is having a restaurant come to you. Welcome to the world of the food truck. Best of all, these mobile kitchen’s cook up some of the best grub Food Truck, coming to a neighborhood near anywhere. Comida is our Comida you! reader’s favorite because it happens to serve up some of the finest Mexican food in the county, wheels or no wheels. Check their website, Facebook or Twitter to find the truck’s current location and then get there quick. You’ll be glad you tracked them down.

Business Lunch

THE MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT 1002 Walnut St., 303-444-5335 Second Place: Boulder Cork Third Place: The Kitchen Fourth Place: Brasserie Ten Ten Fifth Place: FATE Brewing Company

S ...and crafted with the greatest of Colorado products.

Signature Craft Cocktails / 24 Craft Beers on Tap

HOURS Mon-Thurs 11am-10pm Fri & Sat 11am-12am • Sun 10am-10pm HAPPY HOUR SUN - THURS

526 Main St. Longmont 303-827-3380 theroostlongmont.com

electing the perfect spot for a business lunch poses a lot of pressure. It needs to be quiet, but not creepily silent; friendly, but not too casual; hip to show you have impeccable taste yet not intimidating; and persuasive enough to sway the meeting in your favor. Oh, and of course it has to have great food. Our readers think The Mediterranean Restaurant fits the bill perfectly, with a unique vibe that sits right in that sweet spot and hits all the requirements. Order a plethora of tapas that will keep the conversation flowing and that will nicely complement the business chit chat.

Gluten-Free Menu

SHINE RESTAURANT & GATHERING PLACE 2027 13th St., 303-449-0120 Second Place: Modmarket Third Place: Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant Fourth Place: Fresh Thymes Eatery Fifth Place: Zeal

A

few years ago, eating gluten-free limited you to a couple measly options on a menu.

Gluten-free eaters clung to those few options and were forced to continuously eat the same unimaginative dishes. But now, Boulder has become a safe haven full of menus loaded with delicious foods, sans gluten. For the most delicious option, our readers voted Shine Restaurant & Gathering Place as number one. The menu is stocked with options that are gluten-free and taste-full. And when a restaurant goes out of its way to consider the dietary restrictions of its patrons, the food tastes that much better.

Check our website for FREE live music events.

20 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Susan France

Restaurant Ambiance

THE BOULDER DUSHANBE TEAHOUSE

1770 13th St., 303-442-4993 Second Place: Flagstaff House Restaurant Third Place: The Mediterranean Restaurant Fourth Place: The Kitchen Fifth Place: Black Cat Farm-Table-Bistro

M

any would argue that the best part of going out to eat is the ambiance. Whether it’s the décor, the service, the location, the music or anything else, the feeling one gets from sitting in a restaurant is often what we crave. Sure, world-renowned chefs in Boulder County are serving meals we couldn’t make at home, but it’s the ritual of getting out of the house and sitting down for a proper meal that keeps us coming back for more. The Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse is of course a leader in ambiance. With a building shipped in from Tajikistan, a bright and verdant interior and exceptional service, the Dushanbe Teahouse is a justified winner of this year’s award.

Place to Eat Outdoors

CHAUTAUQUA DINING HALL

900 W. Baseline Road, 303-440-3776 Second Place: Boulder County Farmers’ Market Third Place: Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant Fourth Place: Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse Fifth Place: The Mediterranean Restaurant

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o matter the time of year, you can enjoy the beauty of Boulder’s landscape from the wraparound porch at Chautauqua Dining Hall. You can grab breakfast, lunch or dinner after a hike on one of the many surrounding trails, or perhaps before one of the concerts at the historic Chautauqua Auditorium. Enjoy hearty breakfast favorites like cinnamon French toast with a side of house-made sausage or lighter fare like yogurt and granola. At dinner time you can tuck into a Colorado BBQ blue plate with brisket, ribs, kielbasa, Swiss chard, mac and cheese and a biscuit. No matter what you get to eat, you get to do it surrounded by the splendor of the Rocky Mountains.

Alexa Mehos, hostess at the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse, our winner for best restaurant ambiance.

Reader Comment We are so lucky to have so many awesome places in Boulder!!

22 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Experience far away lands, right down the street.

Thanks for voting us the BEST OF BOULDER! First Place Kid-Friendly Restaurant

ALPINE AVENUE Alpine & Broadway

Runner up Best Take-Out

29th STREET MALL 28th St & Arapahoe Rd

BASELINE Baseline & Broadway

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Artificial I No

ALL NATURAL

Pr

Mi

a l ly Proce im redients o ss

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ORGANIC CHICKEN AND BEEF BISON | ANGUS | ELK | PORK | LAMB Naturally Raised, Humane & Sustainable

Gyro

476 17TH AVE | LONGMONT | 720-204-6813

BOULDER MEDITERRANEAN DELI 2690 28th St., 303-448-9552

T

he gyro is the ultimate street food. It’s warm, filling and cheap.

Finding one in a big city isn’t difficult — you just look for the nearest food truck.

But in Boulder, we have to use a little effort to find a delicious gyro. Our pick for the best meat pita goes to Boulder Mediterranean Deli. The deli and European market is a modest but robust store with a small kitchen that produces dozens of Mediterranean treats.The gyro there is made in front of your eyes, with the pita tossed onto the open range, the lamb shucked from the bone and the cool and tangy cucumber, tomato, onion and yogurt plopped on top.

Homemade Pie! • Award winning pie • Handmade and fresh baked daily • Over 16 scrumptious flavors • All natural ingredients • Gluten, dairy and sugar free available • Shipped throughout the US • Custom client gifts

Susan France

Food on the Hill

Pie Fixes Everything!

303 652 6667 •

My MoM’s Pie • mmpies.com

Platte River Rib Rub Featured in our NEW cookbook, Spice to Plate.

THE SINK

1165 13th St., 303-4447465 Second Place: Illegal Pete’s Third Place: Cafe Aion Fourth Place: Half Fast Subs Fifth Place: Cosmo’s Pizza

W

hen you’d like to pretend that your life is one of those classic college-y movies, where Tyler Miller, bartender for The Sink the beer glasses are always full, the burgers are thick and juicy — because you watch movies for the menu items, right? No? Well of course, it’s also where the women are smart, the men are strong and the children are all adorably precocious, every rock band rocks and every professor is kind and full of enlightening one-liners and every semester begins with the chance for bold life changes. Are we good now? All right then. So you want to go the The Sink. This quintessential long-time Boulder establishment on the Hill, where college kids and — right, right, nevermind — is actually the choice destination for big names when they drop into town, including President Barack Obama and celebrity chefs Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert of Good vs. Evil and Guy Fieri of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

Burrito

ILLEGAL PETE’S

Receive $5 off ouR spice to plate cookbook Valid only at: bouldeR SaVory Spice Shop. not Valid with any other offerS. not Valid for online purchaSeS. limit one coupon per perSon. expireS: Sept. 30, 2015.

2041 B roadway . B oulder , Co 80302 Locally Owned

(303) 680-2117 . d an @S avory S piCe S hop . Com m on -S at : 10 am -6 pm , S un : 11 am -5 pm

24 April 23, 2015

1447 Pearl St., 303-440-3955 1124 13th St., 303-444-3055 Second Place: Chipotle Mexican Grill Third Place: Efrain’s Mexican Restaurant and Cantina Fourth Place: Santiago’s Mexican Restaurant Fifth Place: Big City Burrito Boulder

W

hat’s better than a well-made burrito? Not much. And considering the density of quality burritos in Boulder County, it is no small feat to win the honor of best burrito as voted by our readers. It takes broad shoulders to carry the weight of best burrito, and Illegal Pete’s is up for the challenge. With myriad options, quality ingredients, good beer on tap and low prices, Illegal Pete’s is a fitting winner. With two locations in Boulder, it’s a perfect stop-in when you have the kind of hunger that only a burrito can fill.

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

LuLu’s Hour 3PM-6PM EVERYDAY

Susan France

$2 SLOPPY SLiDER $2 gRiLLED VEggiE tACO $2.50 tExAS SwinE in A BLAnkY $6 ChOPPED BRiSkEt nAChOS $6 SMOkED wingS / $6 BBQ SLiDERS $1 Off ALL DRAftS $2.50 tECAtE, utiCA CLuB, 16Oz PBR $1 Off fROzEn & ROCkS MARgARitAS $3 wELL DRinkS / $5 hOuSE winES Hosea Rosenberg, chef of Blackbelly Market

New Restaurant

BLACKBELLY MARKET

LOuiSViLLE CO.

1606 Conestoga St., 303-247-1000 Second Place: LYFE Kitchen Third Place: PMG Wine Bar Fourth Place: The Post Brewing Co. Fifth Place: Taco Junky & Tequila Bar

A

BEST BBQ BOULDER COUNTY

PLACE TO EAT OUTDOORS

BEST BBQ

Home of the

tExAS SLuSh

ward-winning chef Hosea Rosenberg (winner of season five of Top Chef) has built Blackbelly Market piece by piece since 2011, starting with Blackbelly Catering, then opening Blackbelly Farm soon after. For Rosenberg, the idea was not only to cut out the middleman, but also to allow patrons to know exactly where their food comes from.

With a full butchering operation in house, a garden to select fresh veggies from, Rosenberg and his staff serve seasonal goodness all year at reasonable prices. From the cured meats to the smoked cheddar grits, when you leave Blackbelly, you’re gonna have a full belly.

EVEnt CAtERing

701 B Main St., Louisville, CO 720.583.1789 www.lulus-bbq.com 26 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Japanese

SUSHI ZANMAI Friendliest Staff

SOUTH SIDE WALNUT CAFÉ 673 S. Broadway St., 720-304-8118

R

ight across the street from the Boulder Weekly office is the South Side Walnut Café, a place where we have been known to frequent because of their tasty food and fantastically friendly service. You’ll never see the bottom of your coffee cup here, as servers work in tandem to keep everybody smiling and caffeinated. There are no forced smiles or ornate uniforms for the staff at South Side — just genuine, laidback happiness. We love to go over for a stack of pancakes or that un-freaking-believable blueberry corn bread. No seriously… we talk about the corn bread a lot. We really like to eat.

1221 Spruce St., 303-440-0733 Second Place: Hapa Sushi Grill & Sake Bar Third Place: Japango Fourth Place: Sushi Tora Fifth Place: Sushi Hana on the Hill

E

ven though we live in a landlocked state, we have excellent sushi and seafood restaurants. Japanese cuisine, which offers both of those in abundance, may not be an outsider’s first choice for dining options, but they’d be wrong. Embarrassingly wrong.

Take for example the winner of Best Japanese Restaurant, Sushi Zanmai, an awardwinning sushi bar and restaurant that offers world-class fare from a modest storefront downtown. Sushi Zanmai serves fresh and unique fare that delights folks of any culinary sensibility. Stop by for lunch or dinner and enjoy all that Sushi Zanmai has to offer, or walk down Pearl and pop into second place winner Hapa Sushi’s modern dining space.

Food Delivery

SNARF’S

5340 Arapahoe Ave., 303-444-3404 2128 Pearl St., 303-444-7766 Second Place: Abo’s Pizza Third Place: Cosmo’s Pizza Fourth Place: Boulder Baked Fifth Place: Jimmy John’s

C

hances are, if you find yourself saying, “I just want to order delivery,” you’re probably tired, busy and/or both. But never fear, because a delicious sandwich is just a phone call or a mouse click away at Snarf’s. Don’t wait in line — hop online and have Snarf’s bring a scrumptious snack right to you.

Whether you want a sandwich dripping with meat or one stuffed with veggies, Snarf’s has you covered. In the mood for corned beef?

Snarf’s can scratch your sandwich itch. Have a hankering for pastrami and Swiss? Snarf’s won’t let you hanker for long. Watching that carb intake? Get a salad and skip the bread.

So don’t go hungry, no matter how busy you are — let Snarf’s come to you.

Simply Louisville

Sushi

SUSHI ZANMAI

1221 Spruce St., 303-440-0733 Second Place: Hapa Sushi Grill & Sake Bar Third Place: Japango Fourth Place: Sushi Tora Fifth Place: Sakura Japanese Cuisine

S

ushi is a traditional delicacy that dates back hundreds of years. Chefs take sushi preparation very seriously, from techniques passed down from generations to cuttingedge innovations to stay ahead of the pack.

The art of sushi is very serious, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun too, and that’s why our readers voted Sushi Zanmai as number one. With every bite of sushi you can taste the craftsmanship that went into each roll, from the classics to the experimental.

And paired with a vibrant atmosphere, Sushi Zanmai delivers the ultimate sushi experience. Stop in when you need some fun and delicious food. You won’t be disappointed.

BEST LOCAL BAND THE LOO HAPPY HOUR 3:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M. DAILY Well Drinks 3.5

•

House Chardonnay & Merlot 3.5

GOD BLESS JOHNNY CASH

809 Main St. Louisville, CO 80027 | www.waterloolouisville.com | 303-993-2094 Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

April 23, 2015 27

Boulder’s Best Olive Oil Tasting Bar Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar

Susan France

We pride ourselves on offering the freshest, tastiest & healthiest authentic extra virgin olive oils and finest aged balsamic vinegars that are sure to enhance your favorite recipes.

Sample the many flavors and take home something delicious!

Offering unique gifts and specialty items for birthdays, weddings, housewarming or just to say “Enjoy!”

The good folks at Efrain’s — George, Crispin, Berta, Luz Maria and Noel — serve up some of East County’s best food.

East County Restaurant

EFRAIN’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT AND CANTINA

THANK YOU BOULDER for all the VOTES and SUPPORT

4511 S. Pratt Pkwy., Longmont, 720-494-0777 101 E. Cleveland St., Lafayette, 303-666-7544 Second Place: Colterra Third Place: The Post Brewing Co. Fourth Place: Lucky Pie Pizza & Taphouse Fifth Place: The Huckleberry

B

est East County Restaurant is such a broad category with so many quality options. In East County we find vibrant ethnic menus, bustling brewpubs, casual burger joints and everything in between. But one restaurant stood out to readers above all others this year and that was Efrain’s Mexican Restaurant and Cantina. With several locations throughout Boulder County, the one thing consistent between them all is exceptional quality. The Boulder County landmark is always packed at all its locations, due to its many offerings.

Excellent drinks, unique and delicious Mexican fare and a lively atmosphere make Efrain’s a great choice for the best restaurant in East County.

Hot Dog

4 YEARS IN A ROW!

Now Offering Soft Serve Gelato

FOOD CART OUTSIDE OF HOME DEPOT 1600 29th St.

S

ome of the best food comes from carts. Tied with the Italian ice for most synonymous with curbside vendors is the hot dog. It is a modest, humble and earnest food. It satisfies even the pickiest eaters, and it is by this point in history an American standard. That’s why the staff chose the little food cart outside of Home Depot as the best hot dog maker in town. The hot dogs are always freshly prepared and come charred and hot.With an elegant array of mustard, ketchup and relish squeeze-things, you can accommodate your dog however you’d like.

1682 30th Street • 303.444.0690 RippleYogurt.com 28 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Thank You Boulder for Voting Us

Best Italian Restaurant!

303.938.9300 • WWW.CARELLIS.COM • 645 30th STREET • BOULDER

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

“Best o

f Bo

Since 2 ulder” We app 003 r your su eciate pport

• Grilled Meats & Seafood • Full Bar • Stir Fry • Vegetarian Specialties • Salad-Style Noodle Bowls • Curries & Stews • Traditional Noodle Soups (Pho) • Crystal Rolls & Wraps • Kids Menu

Locally-Owned since 1993

2655 28th Street, Boulder Convenient free parking behind building

303-442-1700

Dine-in or Carry out. See full menu at:

www.ChezThuy.com Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

April 23, 2015 29

Susan France

Italian

CARELLI’S OF BOULDER 645 30th St., 303-938-9300 Second Place: Pasta Jay’s Third Place: Pizzeria Locale Fourth Place: Frasca Food and Wine Fifth Place: Il Pastaio

F

or the past 12 years, Carelli’s has been serving both traditional and contemporary cuisines of Northern and Southern Italy. The food by itself could easily account for why Carelli’s was chosen as our reader’s favorite Italian restaurant. But when you serve that food in a space with a 360-degree fireplace that has been cited for “Best Design” by the American Institute of Architects and then add an impressive wine list and great service, it’s just piling on.

Fine Dining

FLAGSTAFF HOUSE RESTAURANT 1138 Flagstaff Road, 303-442-4640 Second Place: Frasca Food and Wine Third Place: The Kitchen Fourth Place: Oak at fourteenth Fifth Place: Black Cat Farm-Table-Bistro

W

hen you’re sick of lounging on the couch washing down that bag of stale chips with a lukewarm soda, it’s time to treat yourself.You deserve a night out on the town full of magic down to the last detail.

Flagstaff House has a reputation that precedes it, and it does not disappoint. Sitting at a 6,000 feet elevation, Flagstaff offers an unparalleled view of Boulder alongside an impressive menu filled with delicious plates, fancy cheeses and tasty wines. You can’t go wrong with any selection on the menu, and after you’ve stuffed yourself with fancy treats you’ll want to break up with your couch permanently.

Pizza Slice

ABO’S PIZZA

2761 Iris Ave., 303-443-1921 637 S. Broadway, Unit S, 303-494-1274; (and other locations in Boulder County) Second Place: Cosmo’s Pizza Third Place: Pizza Colore Fourth Place: Beau Jo’s Fifth Place: Backcountry Pizza & Tap House

T

he slice of pizza is an American institution. It stands for everything that is wonderful about this country: ingenuity, earnestness, character, honor and bravery. It is at once so simple and yet so nuanced. It is born out of tradition and passion. It takes a bold person to open up shop and sell pizza by the slice because the slice is something for which we all have different expectations. To put yourself out there, at the mercy of a subjective public, takes guts. And yet, millions of slices are served every day because there is simply nothing better in the entire world than going to a fantastic pizzeria, picking up a crispy, thin slice on a paper plate, folding it up and walking down the street. It is a snack, a meal and a lifestyle.

According to Boulder County voters, Abo’s lives up to those ideals.

30 April 23, 2015

Samir Aniba, executive chef of Carelli’s of Boulder

Thai

KHOW THAI CAFE

1600 Broadway St., 303-447-0273 Second Place: Chez Thuy Third Place: Buddha Thai Cuisine Fourth Place: Aloy Thai Fifth Place: Thai Kitchen

W

hen Toi Newman opened the doors of Khow Thai more than a decade ago, the odds were stacked against her and the obstacles were numerous, but the little Thai café that could quickly earned a reputation as home for some of the best Thai food in town.The restaurant has been bringing awards through the doors, along with many customers, and sending out many bellies filled with satay, papaya salad, Thai soups spiced with lemon grass, noodle dishes and curries. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure when it comes to spice — only the bravest daring the regions of “Thai hot” — and an all-you-can-eat when it comes time for lunch buffets.

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

LONGMONT IS THE PLACE TO GET YOUR RIB FIX ON! Home of Tracy’s Illegal Babyback Ribs!

BEST BBQ IN BOULDER COUNTY! 1920 South Coffman • Longmont, CO 303-485-6988 • www.theribhouse.com

DAILY LUNCH SPECIALS for $7.95 DAILY DINNER SPECIALS for $10.50 Daily Specials available for carry out.

All entrees are gluten-free and many can be vegetarian or vegan, hallal food.

You’re apetite and wallet will both be satisfied.

THANK YOU FOR VOTING US! Best Indian Restaurant Runner Up - 2015

3050 28th St. • Boulder, CO 80301 • 720-328-4696 • www.currynkebob.com Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

April 23, 2015 31

RICH. DECADENT. CHOCOLATE Susan France

BDN 80EUROPEAN Garden Center, Suite 118 • Broomfield, CO 80020 ALL-NATURAL Vol 22 #3 303-460-7600 • Fax 303-460-9723 STYLE CHOCOLATES Date: 3/17/15 e-mail: christy@valuads.net KP 6395 Gunpark Drive, Suite R, Boulder, CO 80301 Mails 303-447-1001 Out: 4/22/15 • www.concertosinchocolate.com A Proof Of Your Ad For Approval

The good folks at Sweet Cow are prepared to dish out a scoop or two — or Book Exp: 5/23/15 Mon-Fri 9am-5pm • Sat 10am-4pmPrepared by Christy three — of some of the best ice cream in Boulder County.

Ice Cream

Your Sandwich...Your Way...GET WILD!

Your Sandwich Your Way! GET WILD!

SWEET COW

Boulder Creek Market T

WE CATER! Office/Party Events

Boulder Creek Market

13th St

Broadway

Walnut St

We Deliver!

Johnny’s Cigar Bar

100 Off FREE

Beverage

2010 10th St., 303-545-6262 Second Place: China Gourmet With Any Whole Third Place: Golden Lotus (in memoriam) Fourth Place: Spice China Sandwich Purchase Fifth Place: Moongate Asian Bistro & Sushi Bar

C

Must present coupon. Not valid with any other offers. Expire 5/23/15

ozy little Chinese café Zoe Ma Ma gets right to the point with a punchy menu of Call us... or go to bouldercreekmarket.com noodle and rice dishes that are, as they joke, heart-stoppingly good. Order at the cash register, customize with your choice from the sauces available at the pick-up counter, and 1801 13th Street • Ste 120 • Boulder• Ste 120 then take your steamy buns (ha, ha?) and noodles to one of the tables or the street-facing 1801 13th Street • Boulder, 80302 bar. Their dishes, sourced from natural and organic ingredients, bring an authentic sensibility 303-444-7167 • Email to... ordersbouldercreek@gmail.com • Email to... ordersbouldercreek@gmail.com to an often misunderstood ethnic food. It’s really, really not about eggrolls. It’s about potstickNEW STORE HOURS: MON - FRI 8AM-7PM • SAT - SUN 11AM-5PM Offi ce/Party ers and chicken noodle soup ready to cure what ails you, perhaps especially if that’s a wanMon Fri 8am 7pm • Sat & Sun 11am - 5pm NEW STORE HOURS: Full menu on web: BoulderCreekMarket.com derlust-fueled want for an experience that feels like diningEvents on an Asian street corner and Full menu on web: BoulderCreekMarket tastes out of this world. .com

303-444-7167

Canyon Blvd

$

FREE Delivery!

ZOE MA MA

Call us or go to bouldercreekmarket.com

2 00 Off

he folks at Sweet Cow know the most important ingredient in ice cream is love, which is why they make their small batches on site with high-quality, locally sourced ingredients to ensure customers get the freshest scoop (or Half two, or Sandwich three) of ice cream possible. Sweet Any Cow has nine staple flavors: vanilla, Dutch chocolate, mint chocolate chip, butter pecan, Includes strawberry, cookies and cream, Ozo coffee, chocolate chip cookie dough and oatmeal cookies — and there are always two sorbets available. Over any given year, Sweet Cow will offer more than 140 different flavors, with obvious flavors like Nutella, and less obvious choices present coupon. Not valid with like Seventh Inning Stretch. Drop some Must candy sprinkles your5/23/15 scoop (or two, or three) any or other offers. on Expire — maybe get it all in a waffle cone — to complete your perfect ice cream experience.

Chinese

WE DELIVER!

$

2628 Broadway, 303-447-3269 637 Front St., Louisville, 303-666-4269 Second Place: Glacier Homemade Ice Cream & Gelato Third Place: Ben & Jerry’s Any Whole Sandwich Fourth Place: Boulder Organic Ice Cream Fifth Place: Cold Stone Creamery OR

32 April 23, 2015

We Cater!

Locally owned for 15 years!

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Dear VAL-U-ADS® Customer, Thank you for advertising with us; we appreciate your business. This proof is your opportunity to catch any errors

with us

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SPRING SHOW & SALE

Partial Highlight & Haircut

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With over 40 local artists showing Pottery, Sculpture, and Jewelry

APRIL 30 - MAY 3

BOULDER COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS in Longmont (Hover & Nelson Road) Thursday 10am-8pm • Friday 10am-8pm Saturday 10am-6pm • Sunday 10am-4pm

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Learn more at: BoulderPottersGuild.com Daily drawings to win pottery.

Like us on Facebook!

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

600 S. Airport Rd. Longmont, CO 80503 • 303.774.2541 www.mysticgardenspaandsalon.com

Like us on Facebook

April 23, 2015 33

$7.95 LUNCH SPECIAL 2 Tacos, Beans, and Rice

AUTHENTIC SONORANSTYLE MEXICAN FOOD

Jeremy Williams

Pancake/ Waffle

SNOOZE AN A.M. EATERY

NOW SERVING

Boulder’s Best

HAPPY HOUR!

1617 Pearl St., 303-225-7344 Second Place: The Buff Restaurant Third Place: Tangerine Fourth Place: The Huckleberry Fifth Place: Le Peep

BRUNCH A

Drinks from 11-6 Food from 3-6 $5 margaritas $5 wine

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY

3070 28th St (Unit B) Boulder 720-470-4348 • verdeboulder.com

ccording to the folks at Snooze, or at Mike Sausa, employee at Snooze least their website, they “believe life is for living and each person and each day is worth celebrating.” So how does a rockin’ breakfast joint celebrate life? At Snooze, one of the ways is to serve up the best, most interesting pancakes on the Front Range including their famous Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes, Sweet Potato Pancakes, Candy Apple Pancakes and Blueberry Danish Pancakes. Sort of makes you look forward to the sound of your alarm clock.

Sandwich

Susan France

SNARF’S

Are you a junky yet?

BUY (1) FOOD ITEM GET (1) FREE

FREE MARGARITA WITH PURCHASE OF TWO TACOS

cannot be used for cash or with any other special or offer, expires 5/1/2016

must be 21 years old, cannot be used for cash or with any other special or offer, expires 5/1/2016

Gratuity and tax not included

Gratuity and tax not included

OF EQUAL OR LESSER VALUE

1149 13th Street Boulder, Colorado 80302 303-443-2300 tacojunky.com

34 April 23, 2015

2128 Pearl St., 303444-7766 5340 Arapahoe Ave., 303-444-3404 645 Ken Pratt Blvd., Longmont, 303-7741441 2130 Mountain View Ave., Longmont, 303702-1111 Second Place: Salvaggio’s Italian Deli Third Place: Half Fast Subs Fourth Place: Cured Fifth Place: Cuba Cuba Sandwicheria

Snarfburger General Manager Ryon Rowan

T

he search for the perfect sandwich led “Snarf” Jimmy Seidel to open Snarf’s almost 20 years ago, and now they’ve got a menu stacked full of perfection — perfection in the form of a layer of meat and cheese squeezabley positioned between two slides of bread. It was a revolutionary idea the first time someone needed a portable meal, we’re sure, and is still the ideal packet of a meal for those moments when the writers are driving you crazy, Tracy’s gone off his meds and Jack Donaghy wants another toast for a Republican-dominated black tie event to pop from your middle class liberal brain. As in, when you, like Liz Lemon, believe that all a person really needs in life is to sit in peace and eat a sandwich, make sure the route to that peaceful place takes a detour past Snarf’s.

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

A Local Favorite for 24 Years

T hanks Boulder Weekly Readers for voting us Best East County Restaurant and Best Mexican Restaurant for 7 Years Running!

303.666.7544 • 101 E. Cleveland, Lafayette Also Visit Us at Senior Gomez • 502 South Public Road, Lafayette

best pizza

COCKTAILS . CANNOLIS . BEER & WINE beautiful patios fresh clam pizza every friday

top local pizzeria bon appetit

happy times mon-fri 4-6pm

TOSSING PIE FOR 16 YEARS LONGMONT 600 Airport Rd. 303.485.5000

LAFAYETTE 489 N. Hwy. 287 303.661.3030

BOULDER 4670 Broadway 720.565.1050

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

OPEN 7 DAYS FROM 11AM BROOMFIELD 8001 Arista Pl. 303.466.2112

DENVER 15th & Platte St. 720.855.9400

protospizza.com 3Lfoundation.org April 23, 2015 35

Susan France

Vegetarian Friendly

LEAF VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT 2010 16th St., 303-442-1485 Second Place: Modmarket Third Place: Native Foods Cafe Fourth Place: Arugula Bar e Ristorante Fifth Place: Shine Restaurant & Gathering Place

W

e don’t have the numbers or anything, but we’re pretty sure we’re safe in saying there are a lot of vegetarians in Boulder. That being said, there are lots of vegetarian-friendly restaurant options around to cater to all those veggie-heads, so to stand out says a lot. And not only does Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant stand out in Boulder, it’s been named among the 25 best vegetarian restaurants in the world by The Daily Mail. Not only does Leaf provide vegetarian and vegan fare, a number of options are gluten-free and raw. Even the most inflexible omnivore won’t miss the meat at Leaf, with Jamaican jerk tempeh, zucchini pad Thai and black pepper gnocchi. And don’t pass up the vegan carrot cake… we beg of you.

Overall Restaurant

THE MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT 1002 Walnut St., 303-444-5335 Second Place: The Kitchen Third Place: Oak at fourteenth Fourth Place: Brasserie Ten Ten Fifth Place: Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar

F

inding that The Mediterranean Restaurant (or, as it is known to its friends, The Med) at the top of the list for overall restaurant again this year is no surprise. This Boulder classic has been a choice destination for lunches with coworkers, dinners with parents and happy hours with friends for years. Their tapas menu is legendary, their wine list worth that second glass and their pizzas, pastas and paellas packed with the charm of the Old World, Roman holidays and Tuscan sunshine. Start with a chunk of crusty Italian bread and olive oil, don’t miss the bacon-wrapped dates and meander through the rest of the menu in the manner befitting a cruise through the Mediterranean, whether the boat has docked in Greece, Italy or Spain.

Rachel Best, executive chef of Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant

Reader Comment What about a Best Meatball category?

36 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

,

HERE S TO

MAIN ST. NOT WALL ST. HERE’S TO A NEW SPIRIT OF LOCALISM. WELCOME HOME. THANKS FOR VOTING US BEST BANK!

It matters where you bank. Stop by a branch and see why.

Banking | Auto & Mortgage Loans | Business Loans | Wealth Management | elevationscu.com | 800.429.7626

Federally insured by the NCUA

Susan France

• Gifts for any cook • • Fun and colorful kitchenware • • Specialty foods, local and imported • • Gadgets, cookware, and kitchen essentials • • Louisville’s one-of-a-kind kitchen shop •

728 Main Street • Louisville, CO 720.484.6825 • www.SingingCookStore.com

Voted Best Food Truck!

mexican street food The Comida Truck Serving Boulder and Denver Counties Street Service and Private Events.

Serving Simple and Authentic Mexican Flavors and Making Friends Along the Way. The Comida Cantinas Longmont Prospect Neighborhood Sun - Thurs 11AM - 9PM, Fri - Sat 11AM - 10PM Denver at The Source 33rd and Brighton Mon - Sat 11AM - 10PM, Sun 10AM - 2:45PM & 4PM - 9PM www.EatComida.Com

Sarki Sherpa, executive chef of Sherpa’s Restaurant

Indian

SHERPA’S ADVENTURERS RESTAURANT & BAR 825 Walnut St., 303-440-7151 Second Place: Curry-N-Kebob Third Place: Tandoori Grill Fourth Place: Taj Indian Cuisine Fifth Place: Kathmandu Restaurant

W

hen you’re seeking out spices and curries like only the Indian subcontinent can make, turn your nose toward Sherpa’s, where freshly baked naan, housemade sauces and a charcoal-fired Tandoor clay oven await the opportunities to transport you to far away lands.

Entrees made fresh to order include lentil dall, curries, roasted tandoori meats, cashew sauce-based kormas, and vegetables with cumin and lemon and a tomato cream sauce. Wash it all down with a Sherpa Ale, brewed for Sherpa’s by Odell Brewery.

In addition to a menu loaded with Indian, Nepalese and Tibetan food, the restaurant has a lounge stocked with books for eager travelers to peruse and is home to relics from the travels of the full staff of Sherpa’s from the Mount Everest region, including chef Jangbu Sherpa, who has been to the top of the world’s tallest peak 10 times.

Reader Comment The Baby Kong at Deli Zone is the best hang over food in town!

38 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Empanadas

RINCON ARGENTINO

2525 Arapahoe Ave., 303-442-4133 rgentine cuisine is a blend of indigenous and Mediterranean traditions that are influenced by available local meats and veggies. As such, the empanada — a food of Spanish origin — is commonly used at parties and as a meal starter throughout Argentina. At Rincon Argentino, owner and chef Christian Saber shares the culinary traditions of Buenos Aires with Boulder. While Rincon Argentino also serves sandwiches, sides, salsas and desserts, we beg of you not to skip out on an empanada — or three — to go along with your meal. Steak, chicken, chorizo, ham, fresh veggies, savory cheeses and spices create seemingly endless combinations of these stuff pastries.

Each empanada has its own personality. Drop by for a traditional yerba mate and biscuit cookies each day from 2-4 p.m. and grab a dozen frozen empanadas to take home to your family. It’s a little slice of South America right here in Boulder.

A

Restaurant Service

Fried Chicken THE POST BREWING CO. 105 W. Emma St., Lafayette, 303-593-2066 eas and carrots, hot chocolate and marshmallows, red beans and rice… there are some great food pairings in this world, but the one we want to talk about right now is chicken and beer, specifically The Post Brewing Co.’s chicken and beer. Housed in an old VFW Post, this place is all about takin’ it easy with family and friends. The Post’s humanely raised, all-natural chicken is brined for hours, baptized in buttermilk, rolled in gluten-free seasoned flour and then roasted, fried and grilled right in house in the GoodBird Kitchen. Each piece is juicy and tender and screaming to be washed down with one of The Post’s signature beers. Meals are meant to be eaten family-style, with large sides such as mac and cheese, collard greens and black-eyed peas. It’s a decadent outing you’ll want to make again and again.

P

ALL NATURAL • NO HORMONE • NO GMO • NO MSG ADDED

MOUNTAIN SUN/SOUTHERN SUN PUB & BREWERY 1535 Pearl St., 303-546-0886 627 South Broadway, 303-543-0886 Second Place: Flagstaff House Restaurant Third Place: Frasca Food and Wine Fourth Place: The Kitchen Fifth Place: Brasserie Ten Ten

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ith their team approach to serving, it’s easy to see why our reader’s voted Mountain Sun/Southern Sun Pub & Brewery best restaurant service around.

Your drink is never empty, and your food is just right. And with no televisions in any of the Sun Pubs and Breweries, your server can focus on you, and you can focus on the people you’re with, whether that’s playing a game of Scrabble or just catching up. No matter if you’re at the Mountain Sun or Southern Sun for a business lunch, a casual dinner with friends or a beer or three after a long hike, you’ll get great service, tasty food and delicious beer.

Place To Go on a First Date

THE MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT

1002 Walnut St., 303-444-5335 Second Place: The Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse Third Place: The Kitchen Fourth Place: Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar Fifth Place: Brasserie Ten Ten

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he Med has a great bar, great waiting area, great tapas, beautiful tile, a Euro-style courtyard, fun and efficient wait staff, and a diverse menu with great choices at reasonable prices. This all adds up to a great first impression, which explains why The Med is our readers favorite place for a first date. As a bonus, The Med is such a great place for an evening out that even if that first date turns out to be a bust, the food and atmosphere will still salvage the evening.

AUTHENTIC THAI CUISINE Hours:11:00am - 10:00pm daily Happy Hour 4:00pm - 6pm Mon - Fri 2720 Canyon Blvd., Boulder, CO 80302 303-440-2903, 720-381-6620 Take out, Delivery, Catering, and Online Ordering

www.aloythai.com Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

April 23, 2015 39

Jeremy Williams

We are grounded in the science of medicine and committed to the art of caring.

Helios Integrated Medicine presents a refreshing alternative to the typical hurried medical visit

Employees Elena Silverstrini, Luke Schmitt, Milton Guevara, Erick Giron, Kevin Turvey, Andres Vega and Joe Kaley strike a pose at Illegal Pete’s on the Hill.

Place to Eat on a Budget

• • • •

Shining the Light on the future of Medicine Helios is an integrated Family Practice Healthcare for Adults and Children Specializing in Women’s Health -Bio-identical Hormones • I.V. Micronutrient Infusion Therapy -Used for the treatment of many health conditions • Full service natural Apothecary -Inspired By Nature -Open to the public

ILLEGAL PETE’S

1124 13th St., 303-444-3055 1447 Pearl St., 303-440-3955 Second Place: Zoe Ma Ma Third Place: Snarf ’s Fourth Place: Noodles and Company Fifth Place: Santiago’s Mexican Restaurant

A

nna Newell Jones started 2010 with more than $23K in debt. In 15 months, she’d paid off all of it. She coined, and now trademarked, the terms “spending fast” and “spending diet” for the massive overhaul of her financial situation, which saw her paying hundreds of dollars a month toward credit cards and college loans. She made a strict list of needs and wants and found a lot of ways to prune her spending.

Whether you’re looking to get out or stay out of debt, it can be healthy to take a smart detour to a budget-friendly spot for dinner. At Illegal Pete’s, you can grab a burrito and a beer, pull up a seat and either people watch the Pearl Street Mall or perhaps catch some live music, and feel like you’re living large without taking a big hit to your bank account.

Mexican

EFRAIN’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT & CANTINA 1630 N. 63rd St., 303-440-4045 451 S. Pratt Parkway, Longmont, 720-494-0777 101 E. Cleveland St., Lafayette, 303-666-7544 Second Place: Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant Third Place: Zolo Grill Fourth Place: Agave Mexican Bistro and Tequila House Fifth Place: Centro Latin Kitchen & Refreshment Palace

2525 4th St., Suite 205, Boulder 303-499-9224 www.HeliosIntegratedMedicine.com 40 April 23, 2015

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frain has been cooking up his renowned Northern Mexican cuisine in Boulder County for more than 30 years, which explains why our readers keep choosing his restaurants as their favorite place for Mexican food year after year after year. This restaurant’s Northern Chihuahua style dishes are big, fiery hot and delicious. With several locations to choose from, there is no excuse for not introducing yourself to the friendly folks at Efrain’s Mexican Restaurant & Cantina, who just might hand you one of their famous margaritas if you ask real nice.

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

WINNER BEST BURGER

Thank you Boulder.

Your mouths have spoken, again.

Best of Boulder WINNER - BEST BURGER FIVE YEARS RUNNING

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Larkburger Boulder The Village, 2525 Arapahoe Avenue 303.444.1487 | larkburger.com

/larkburger

/larkburger

/larkburger

Burger

Susan France

LARKBURGER

2525 Arapahoe Ave., 303-444-1487 Second Place: Mountain Sun/Southern Sun Pub & Brewery Third Place: World Famous Dark Horse Bar and Grill Fourth Place: Smashburger Fifth Place: Reuben’s Burger Bistro

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n average, Americans eat three burgers a week. That means we eat more than 50 billion burgers a year as a nation. And that means when it comes to the best burger category, everyone is an expert. So it’s a big deal that Larkburger is our reader’s favorite because our readers knock back like 300,000 burgers a week. Larkburgers are no ordinary creation; they were invented by famed chef Thomas Salamunovich at one of his Vail restaurants. These gourmet creations are something to behold and even better to eat.

We’re pretty sure if all burgers were larkburgers, we’d be eating more like 100 billion a year.

Bagel

MOE’S BROADWAY BAGELS

3075 Araphoe Ave., 303-442-4427 2650 Broadway, 303-444-3252 3267 28th St., 720-406-9000 Second Place: Einstein Bros Bagels Third Place: Big Daddy Bagels Fourth Place: Panera Bread Fifth Place: Mickey C’s Bagels

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eople have been making bagels since at least the 16th century. You’d think by now bagel makers would have pretty much perfected the process for creating these little round rings of bread, and they’d all taste the same, but nothing could be further from reality. Every shop’s bagel is unique and few foods spark such debate and loyalty as the humble bagel. If you’re a Moe’s Broadway Bagels’ customer, no other bagel will do. And so with that, we are proud to report that more of our readers are loyal to Moe’s than any other bagel shop.

Bakery

From left to right, employees at Larkburger: Maggie Helms, Marcela Campos, Travis Roach, Juan Sr. Macias, Douglas Deras and Manuel Calderon

Breakfast

LUCILE’S CREOLE CAFE

2124 14th St., 303-442-4743 Second Place: Snooze an A.M. Eatery Third Place: The Buff Restaurant Fourth Place: Tangerine Fifth Place: The Walnut Cafe/Southside Walnut Cafe/ Super Mini Walnut Cafe

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o you have those days when you wake up and wish you could run off to New Orleans for a Cajun breakfast, complete with red beans, fluffy beignets and hot, fresh chicory coffee? Yeah, we have those days too. And since escaping to Nola on the average morning isn’t a possibility, we head down to Lucile’s Creole Cafe and warm our souls with a Cajun breakfast that makes us forget we’re 1,300 miles from The Big Easy. There’s nothing like pan-fried mountain trout, poached eggs and creamy grits to put a smile on your face that will last the whole day. Everything is served in a warm, welcoming atmosphere, with real cloth napkins and lots of windows to let that Colorado sunshine add to your experience.

BOULDER BAKED

1911 Broadway, 303-444-4999 Second Place: Breadworks Bakery and Cafe Third Place: Spruce Confections Fourth Place: Great Harvest Bread Co. Fifth Place: Lucky’s Bakehouse & Creamery

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he baker is an integral part of any community. We “break bread” to signify the making of amends and the start of new friendships. Sweets, cookies, pastries and cakes signify happy occasions and allow us to take a second out of the day to make time for happiness. Bakeries provide access to previous generations, families and heritages on a casual level that you can’t really get anywhere else. That said, our voters said Boulder Baked provides these qualities better than any other in Boulder County. And it’s no wonder why — Boulder Baked makes a wide variety of desserts and comfort food for all types of eaters including those on vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free diets. And they deliver!

42 April 23, 2015

Gluten-Free/Vegan Italian

RACHELI’S ITALIAN DELI

338 Main St., Longmont, 303-682-5000

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his place has eggplant polenta lasagna, classic Italian sandwiches, pizza, meatballs, house-made soups, spaghetti and so much more, and it’s all available gluten-free and some of it vegan. That of course would mean nothing if it didn’t taste great, but good news, it does. Racheli’s Italian Deli is casual, friendly, affordable and constantly coming up with new and interesting offerings for the gluten-free and vegan crowd. So give it a try the next time your in their neck of the woods, and make sure before you leave to try a piece of their vegan chocolate silk pie.

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

DINE IN • TAKE OUT 1085 S Public Rd. Lafayette (303) 665-0666 Hours:

Tues. Weds. Thurs. Sun 11am - 9pm Fri. Sat 11am - 9:30pm Closed Monday

2014

2014

2014

uisvilleFusion ’s Lafayette’s Best LoAsian Longmont BEST

Restaurant BEST

BEST

2014

2014

2014

Lyons’

Niwot’s

Superior’s

BEST

BEST

BEST

2014

Erie’s BEST

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

April 23, 2015 43

Susan France

Chocolatier

PIECE, LOVE & CHOCOLATE

805 Pearl St., 303-449-4804 Second Place: Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Third Place: Chocolove Fourth Place: Robin Chocolates Fifth Place: JJ’s Sweets

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e love chocolate. You love chocolate. All of our readers love chocolate and according to thousands of them, the best chocolate in these parts can be found at Piece, Love & Chocolate. So what makes this chocolatier so beloved? Their website suggests it’s because they offer “professional knowledge, Piece, Love & Chocolate owner Sarah excellent service and an eclectic Amorese array of exceptional-quality chocolate gifts and novelties — which will be as much of a joy to give as they are to receive.” We think it’s because everything tastes so darn good.

Late Night

COSMO’S PIZZA

659 30th St., 303-447-3278 1325 Broadway, Suite 108, 303-447-1133 Second Place: World Famous Dark Horse Bar and Grill Third Place: Abo’s Pizza Fourth Place: Boulder Baked Fifth Place: Bramble & Hare

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e’ve all been awake at one in the morning, starving.Well, never fear, because Cosmo’s Pizza is here! Open everyday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., Cosmo’s has giant New York slices of pie, calzones stuffed to capacity, breadsticks and even salads that will satisfy your late night hunger pangs (or maybe help round out that late night revelry). Perhaps there was a little too much revelry… well, Cosmo’s offers free delivery all the way to 2 a.m.

Hummus

FALAFEL KING MEDITERRANEAN CAFE 1314 Pearl St., 303-449-9321

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he rising popularity of hummus — an ancient Middle Eastern spread made from mashed chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic — is a phenomenon that has changed the food landscape. It has been reported that hummus now outpaces salsa as our favorite dip nationally.

When it comes to hummus, one Boulder maker stands out: family owned and operated Falafel King. This Boulder legend has been making hummus for 33 years and they’ve even been packaging it for sale at Whole Foods Markets for the past 12 years. We think their hummus is the best around and we’re pretty sure you’ll agree, so give it a try.

44 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Handmade Ramen

SUSHI TORA

2014 10th St., 303-444-2280

I

f you think ramen is a prepackaged cup of noodles that you pour boiling water over and wait 5 minutes before slurping it down, you need to stop by Sushi Tora for lunch on a Saturday or Sunday and taste their authentic Japanese ramen.

You’ll never return to the stuff that got you through college again.

Sushi Tora has a great weekend ramen bar which is, without question, one of the most exciting additions to Boulder’s culinary scene in recent memory. There are three types of ramen on the menu: shoyu for those with “a lighter palette,” miso for those with “a stronger palette” and tonkutsu for those with “a strong palette.” Each is prepared with a pork marrow bone broth that is simmered for hours, and garnished with fish cake, boiled egg, scallion and bamboo shoots. The delicate flavors, filling and homemade noodles are to die for.

Lyons Restaurant

OSKAR BLUES GRILL & BREW

303 Main St., Lyons, 303-823-6685 Second Place: Smokin’ Dave’s BBQ & Taphouse Third Place: Lyons Fork Fourth Place: Barking Dog Cafe Fifth Place: Black Bear Inn (relocating to Firestone)

Seasonal Four-Course Wine Dinner

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o with family and friends to Oskar Blues Grill & Brew. It’s the kind of place that begs partners in crime when you’re diving into a mountain of nachos, a basket teeming with wings or a beer that’s too tasty not to share just a tiny bit. You’ll also want a friendly hand around to pass you extra napkins when you’re elbow-deep in barbeque pork or up to your eyeballs in seafood gumbo loaded with shrimp and andouille sausage or slicing up the official food of friends and family gatherings everywhere: pizza. Oskar Blues makes custom pies with their Mama’s Little Yella Pils, leaving just a hint of hops in the crust.

The Southern-style restaurant has been bringing Creole and Cajun dishes to the Front Range since 1997, and Lyons is their original home. Meaning: It’s much loved, beloved and loveable. Longmont has great Oskar Blues additions, but don’t miss the original.

Place to Spend the Month of February

MOUNTAIN SUN PUB & BREWERY

1535 Pearl St., 303-546-0886 SOUTHERN SUN PUB & BREWERY 627 South Broadway, 303-543-0886 UNDER THE SUN EATERY & TAPHOUSE 627A South Broadway, 303-927-6921 LONGS PEAK PUB 600 Longs Peak Ave., Longmont, 303-651-7885

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e have lots of nice things to say about the Suns. Being in close proximity to the BW office, it’s kind of a home away from home at this point. We love the burgers, love the fries, love the burritos with both red and green chili, love the tempeh Rueben… OK, you probably get the point.

But we love them most during those dark days of winter when they bring about one bright spot to look forward to: Stout Month. The Mountain Sun, Southern Sun, Under the Sun and now Longs Peak Pub pour a dizzying selection of stouts of every variety. Entries cover the classics and venture into novelties that draw flavors from chai and chocolate mint cookies. February really can’t get here fast enough, or last long enough.

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

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HISTORIC DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE (303) 666-7777 RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED MELTINGPOT.COM April 23, 2015 45

We’re honored to once again be named the “Best Margarita in Town.” Visit your local Rio today and help us celebrate a wonderful win that never gets old.

Ain’t life grande! www.riograndemexican.com facebook.com/myriogrande | @myriogrande

Jeremy Williams

Coffee Roaster

OZO COFFEE CO.

5340 Arapahoe Ave., 303-4400233 1015 Pearl St., 303-645-4885 1898 S. Flatiron Court, Suite 110, 303-396-0302 Second Place: Boxcar Coffee Roasters Third Place: Brewing Market Coffee Fourth Place: The Unseen Bean Fifth Place: Conscious Coffees

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reat black and white photography and coffee roasting have more than a few things in common. Both are art, and both involve two important stages.

Taking the shot is only half the photographic process. Spending countless hours in the darkroom dodging and burning to create the masterful print is the other half.

With coffee, great beans are the first half, while taking the time to perfectly roast each variety to its perfect flavor profile is the second stage. Lets just say that Ozo Coffee Co. knows how to create a perfect picture.

Ozo Barista, Braden Webb

Coffee House

OZO COFFEE CO.

5340 Arapahoe Ave., 303-440-0233 1015 Pearl St.,303-645-4885 1898 S. Flatiron Court, Suite 110, 303-396-0302 Second Place: The Laughing Goat Third Place: Boxcar Coffee Roasters Fourth Place: Brewing Market Coffee Fifth Place: The Cup

48 April 23, 2015

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or centuries, coffee houses have been centers of discourse and debate, places to gossip, to learn, to negotiate business and to make new friends. Today, they continue to be destinations for writers, artists and musicians, alongside CEOs, politicians and scientists looking for a little invigoration poured out in cupfuls and an environment to be among friends (even if those friends are being reached through the Internet). Ozo Coffee was created with that sense of community in mind — but above all, with the goal of providing coffee sippers some of the best, most responsibly sourced coffees around. And when it comes to coffee shops, our readers tell us Ozo is the best.

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Proud to be Boulder’s Favorite Beverage Store

Best Liquor Store

Best Liquor Store Best Liquor Store Best New Business

® ®

Jeremy Williams

Margarita

RIO GRANDE MEXICAN RESTAURANT

1101 Walnut St., 303-444-3690 Second Place: Zolo Southwestern Grill Third Place: Efrain’s Mexican Restaurant and Cantina Fourth Place: Tahona Tequila Bistro Fifth Place: Centro Latin Kitchen & Refreshment Palace

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argaritas are like ecosystems: easy for people to mess up and incredibly important to the ongoing success of the human race. A well-made margarita is light, zesty and powerful. A poorly made margarita is syrupy, sugary and heavy.

Lucky for us, Boulder County has way more quality margarita makers than poor ones, and our readers say none is better than Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant. Known for a margarita that packs a walloping punch, Rio Grande’s margs are also delicious and come in several varieties. With dozens of tequilas on hand, you can craft your favorite variety with the help of the margarita experts at Rio Grande.

Rachel Taylor, employee at the Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant

Cup of Coffee

Juice/Smoothie

OZO COFFEE CO.

JAMBA JUICE

5340 Arapahoe Ave., 303-440-0233 1015 Pearl St., 303-645-4885 1898 S. Flatiron Ct., 303-396-0302 Second Place: Boxcar Coffee Roasters Third Place: The Laughing Goat Coffeehouse Fourth Place: Brewing Market Coffee Fifth Place: The Cup Espresso Café

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ne of life’s small pleasures is skipping out of work in mid-afternoon to take a leisurely stroll to the nearby coffee shop and grab a cup of Joe. Coffee shops are a community asset, and people pick their favorites and latch onto them with passion. There are many reasons for why a person chooses a particular coffee shop, but there is one of those reasons that likely rises above all others; a great cup of coffee. A place can have a cool space and good service, but if the coffee is subpar, it won’t be around for long.

That’s never going to be a problem for Ozo. Our readers tell us they make the best cup of coffee around, and we think that explains why they were also the pick for best coffee shop.

50 April 23, 2015

1669 Euclid Ave., 303-449-5245 3053 Arapahoe Ave., 303-247-1170 3325 28th St., 303-938-1271 Second Place: Whole Foods Market Third Place: Alfalfa’s Market Fourth Place: Nekter Juice Bar Fifth Place: Zeal

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nless you’ve gotten really good at putting an entire head of kale or six carrot sticks at a time into your mouth, you’re probably hard pressed to squeeze in the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables to keep your body healthy and ready to run that next marathon. Or half marathon. Or 5K. Jamba Juice bills their smoothies as a great way to pack in the servings of fruits and veggies that you need, without spending your entire day with your face in a bowl of salad that’s bigger than your head. Plus, in case you hadn’t heard, smoothies are really good.

Bartender

MARK QUENTIN, NORTH END AT 4580 4580 Broadway, 303-448-1500

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artending isn’t easy. It requires patience, skill, endurance and personality. A good bartender can make your night, introduce you to new drinks and help you navigate complex societal issues at two in the morning. Our staff pick for best bartender goes to the exceptional drink slinger Mark Quentin, or Q, who tends bar at the North End at 4580. A Boulder restaurant veteran, Q has manned the weekend bar at 4580 for several years and does so with a deep knowledge of wine and spirits, and a friendly disposition that puts patrons immediately at ease. His cocktails are inventive and the wine list at 4580 is expertly crafted under his oversight.

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Microbrewery

AVERY BREWING COMPANY

4910 Nautilus Court, 303-440-4324 Second Place: Mountain Sun/Southern Sun Pub & Brewery Third Place: Left Hand Brewing Company Fourth Place: Upslope Brewing Company Fifth Place: FATE Brewing Company

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oulder is a hotbed for microbreweries. We like our beers handmade for our individual preferences, not just off the assembly line. Sorry, big brand labels, when it comes to beer, we want every pint glass to have a personal touch — that’s why our readers voted Avery Brewing Company as the best microbrewery in Boulder. Drive up to their new location and be impressed by the humongous brewery sitting there like a beacon for beer lovers.

Inside, there’s a rustic, friendly environment boasting a giant list of beers long enough to keep you intrigued and tasty enough to keep you coming back for more.

Susan France

Wine Selection

FRASCA FOOD AND WINE

1738 Pearl St., 303-442-6966 Second Place: Flagstaff House Restaurant Third Place: Boulder Cork Fourth Place: Brasserie Ten Ten Fifth Place: The Kitchen

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peek into the wine cellar at Frasca Food and Wine provides thick fodder for fantasies about ways to fill your wine glass. With more than 200 varieties to choose from, and trained wait staff and a sommelier on hand to serve as guide, you’ll be able to pair complementary wines and dining choices in ways to dazzle your palate. Their wine list is more than 60 pages long, organized by varietals, with four pages of pinot noir wines to choose from — and six on the illustrious Italian red grape nebbiolo, described as “mysteriously inviting.”

All wines available by the glass can be served in the traditional northeastern Italian Friulian style, in three-ounce pours, or roughly a half glass of wine.

Amy Newell-Large, A ​ very Tap Room Lead, Avery Brewing Company

AN URBAN HOTEL, WITH SHOPPING ON THE RIGHT & HIKING ON THE LEFT.

TH A N K YOU BOU LDE R! FOR VOTING US... BEST HOTEL | BEST DAY SPA | BEST MASSAGE BEST LIVE JAZZ VENUE | 3RD PLACE IN COCKTAILS | 4TH PLACE IN PLACE TO DANCE

2015

900 WALNUT STREET | BOULDER, CO 80302 | 720.406.9696 | WWW.STJULIEN.COM

52 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

VOTED BEST TOUR IN THE WORLD (By all the Celestial Seasonings tour guides)

THE WORLD FAMOUS

Cocktails

THE BITTER BAR

835 Walnut St., 303-442-3050 Second Place: OAK at fourteenth Third Place: St Julien Hotel and Spa Fourth Place: The Mediterranean Restaurant Fifth Place: Bramble & Hare

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hile you may think The Bitter Bar is named after bitters, the set of aromatic alcohols that lend botanical flavors to a number of cocktails, this is not the case. The bar’s name comes from the intensely bitter taste of the earliest spirits — so bitter, in fact, they had to be mixed with soda and juices, which is where the modern cocktail comes from.

The Bitter Bar lives up to its name by creating cocktails that delight the senses — beautifully presented, drinkable works of art.

They serve the classics in style — Negroni, Moscow Mule, Old Fashioned — as well as lesser-known drinks like Kiss the Sky, Blue Velvet and Fire & Ice. Feel free to let the bartender know what your favorite spirit is and how you like your drinks — spirit forward or perhaps with a bit more mixer — and they can create a drink just for you.

Happy Hour

Boulder’s best bar with Boulders best late night food! g Come Durin

R! HAPPY HOU m

m-8p Mon-Fri 4p skets $6 Wing Ba rs Appetize $5

Burger Madness Burger & Fries

All Day Tues. Thurs. Sun

$

5

39

ruNNER UP

BEST BAR HONORABLE MENTION BEST BURGER BEST LATE NIGHT

2922 BASELINE ROAD • 303.442.8162 • WWW.DARKHORSEBAR.COM 54 April 23, 2015

THE MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT

1002 Walnut St., 303-444-5335 Second Place: Brasserie Ten Ten Third Place: Mountain Sun/Southern Sun Pub & Brewery Fourth Place: FATE Brewing Company Fifth Place: Centro Latin Kitchen & Refreshment Palace

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ot only is The Med our readers’ favorite place in town to grab tapas and appetizers, but also their favorite place to hunker down for happy hour (perhaps these two things go hand in hand… ?). Every day from 3-6:30 p.m., The Med offers special pricing on their beverages and tapas (ah, these two things do go hand in hand). With a dollar off draft beers, $4.50 red or white sangria, $4 house wine and well cocktails, and reduced prices on those delicious hot and cold tapas, it’s hard to beat what The Med has to offer for happy hour. And if the weather is fine, there’s an amazing patio from which to enjoy those tasty treats and do a little people watching.

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

LATE NIGHT MUNCHI

Fireplace to Drink Next To

Bloody Mary

GOLD HILL INN

SNOOZE AN A.M. EATERY

401 Main St., Gold Hill, 303-443-6461

1617 Pearl St., 303-225-7344

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ike the swallows of Capistrano, loyal patrons of this most magnificent of mountain establishments eagerly await each May so they can return again to the Gold Hill Inn. The food is five star. The people are friendly and laid back and the setting is… too good for words. If you don’t believe that, you haven’t been. But above all else, the Gold Hill Inn has an old fireplace surrounded by comfy chairs just a five step walk away from the dining hall’s historic bar. And hands down, it is our favorite place in North America to sit, have a few drinks, tell some stories and rock away the evening.

G R I L L

T

here are a million ways to make a bloody mary and for every one of those ways there is someone who will tell you that it’s the best bloody mary in the world.

We are here to inform you that 99.9 percent of those people are completely wrong and wouldn’t know a good bloody mary if it bit them in the … posterior. On the other hand, we at BW represent the other .1 percent who know what a great bloody mary is supposed to taste like and exactly where to find one, which is at Snooze.

O P E N

Teahouse

1770 13th St., 303-442-4993 Second Place: KuCha House of Tea Third Place: Celestial Seasonings Fourth Place: Pekoe Sip House Fifth Place: Trident Booksellers and Café

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HAPPY HOUR: 3 : 0 0 - 6 : 3 0 D A I LY A L L D AY S U N D AY

R AT S

&

LATE NIGHT GRILL K E B A B S MENU

7:30 PM

DAV I D W I L L I A M S & G Y P S Y JA Z Z T R I C K S T E R S

DANCELYMPICS

DAS BOOT 1 Ltr BEER - $8 ALL DAY TUESDAY PORK & CHICKEN FRIDAY, SCHNITZEL’S 5/16, 10:00 PM GORA GORA & GUEST GIANT PRETZELS • ENTERTAINMENT 7 NIGHTS Room in back to rent for corporate, wedding & parties

BOULDER DISTILLERY (HOME OF 303 VODKA AND 303 WHISKEY)

SATURDAY, 5/17

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AT THE BOHEMIAN BIERGARTEN

2500 47th St., Suite 10, 303-442-1244 Second Place: Vapor Distillery Third Place: Spirit Hound Distillers Fourth Place: J&L Distilling Company Fifth Place: Black Canyon Distillery

12:00 PM

MONDAY - LIVE MUSIC 7pm 9:00 PM TUESDAY - DAS BOOT TRIVIA 7pm MARCUS LUCAS GAME SHOW WEDNESDAY - KARAOKE 9pm THURSDAY - LIVE BLUEGRASS SUNDAY, 5/18 9pm FRIDAY - LIVE MUSIC 10pm 12:00PM SCHOOL OF ROCK SATURDAY - LIVE MUSIC 10pm 7:00PM SUNDAY - COMEDY NIGHT 7pm COMEDY NIGHT SCHOOL OF ROCK

LATE NIGHT MUNCHIES

ad liquor leads to bad nights, which lead to bad mornings. But good liquor is a present to the taste buds and leads to a fuzzy, happy haze around the world. It’s no wonder our readers chose Boulder Distillery as the best. Housing 303 Vodka and 303 Whiskey, Boulder Distillery has a long list of cocktails GRILL OPE that pack a punch and make you want to linger to the last drop. With drinks so tasty and potent, you’ll be getting your money’s worth without sacrificing taste. And with liquor so smooth, you can even sip it straight up with no frills or distraction.

THURSDAY, 5/15

10:00 PM

Distillery

B

C LO

2017 13th

THE BOULDER DUSHANBE TEAHOUSE

ea is an amazing drink with a complex, rich history. On top of its numerous health benefits, tea provides a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, with teahouses serving as gathering places where friends can converse and relax. One step into The Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse and patrons know they have found a place to escape from the world for just a moment.

Tajikistani (Tajikistan was formerly part of the Persian empire) artists crafted many elements of the teahouse, from the hand-carved and hand-painted ceiling, to tables, stools, E Texterior Z E panels.

L S Head , B columns P andR ceramic over to Dushanbe for afternoon tea from 3-5 p.m., when tables are dressed with white linens and all the accoutrements for your tea.

Along with a pot of tea of your choice, you can enjoy a tiered tower of sweet and savory pastries, scones, artichoke purses and, of course, cucumber sandwiches.

U N T I L

OPEN: MON - WED 3PM - CLOSE THU - SUN 12PM - CLOSE

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Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder

HAPPY HOUR DAILY: U N- 6:00 TIL CLOSE 3:00 SUN & MON 9:00 - CLOSE

2017 13th St.

HAPPY HOUR: County 3 : 0 0’15 - 6 : 3 0 D A I LY A L L D AY S U N D AY

SEE OUR ADS IN BOULDER WEEKLY FOR MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULES TUESDAY, 5/20, 8:00 PM D A S B O OApril T T R23, I V 2015 IA 55

WEDNESDAY, 5/20, 8:00 PM

Susan France

BAR THE BITTER BAR

835 Walnut St., 303-442-3050 Second Place: Mountain Sun/Southern Sun Pub & Brewery Third Place: Bohemian Biergarton Fourth Place: World Famous Dark Horse Bar and Grill Fifth Place: Rueben’s Burger Bistro

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his is without question the single most important category in Best of Boulder.

Okay, maybe we’re a bit biased, but we can’t help it. Journalists and bars go together like bacon and eggs, Bogey and Bacall, an obnoxious little dog and your leg.

But don’t just trust our opinion that the The Bitter Bar is a good place to drink.

Our readers chose this amazing drinking establishment as their favorite, so hats off to every great bar on this list and in particular, our very own Bitter Bar, where cucumbers become the stuff of cocktail legends.

James Lee, owner and operator of The Bitter Bar

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Call 24/7 • Never Overtime Fees BoulderMrRooter.com

56 April 23, 2015

Call 24/7 • Never Overtime Fees BoulderMrRooter.com

A gentleman always wipes his feet, Mr. Rooter brings his own matt!

Just another reason why Mr. Rooter is the most referred name in plumbing!

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Chai

BHAKTI CHAI

939 Pearl St., 303-484-8770 Second Place: The Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse Third Place: Brewing Market Coffee Fourth Place: Third Street Chai Fifth Place: Pekoe Sip House

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he right cup of chai can take you on an adventure. The drink has a rich history and is filled stories in every While the Co. reader’s favorite chai, Bhakti 3. with Stacked: OZOsip.Coffee Chai, is based in Boulder, every drink instantly transports you to the colorful world of India. That’s no surprise, since founder Brook Eddy was inspired to start Bhakti after she traveled to India in 2002 and fell in love with the spicy, black tea and ginger drink. And it doesn’t hurt that behind the drink, the business is dedicated to social consciousness, meaning their product has no preservatives, is fair trade, gluten-free, vegan and non-GMO.

2. Stacked: OZO Coffee Susan France

Latte/Mocha

OZO COFFEE CO.

5340 Arapahoe Ave., 303-440-0233 1015 Pearl St., 303-645-4885 1898 S. Flatiron Court, Suite 110, 303-396-0302 Second Place: The Laughing Goat Third Place: Starbucks Fourth Place: Boxcar Coffee Roasters Fifth Place: The Cup Espresso Cafe

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Employees from Bhakti Chai from bottom middle moving clockwise: Matthew 4. Horizontal

Sessa, Morgan Messersmith, Jared Mandeville, Susan Graf and Allison Salvati.

here is coffee, and then there is coffee. One is a hot brown drink, the other is art, love and passion in a cup. The folks at Ozo Coffee aren’t interested in hot, brown drinks. They roast each bean variety for just the right flavor profile before turning the process over to their highly trained baristas who then turn those perfect beans into perfect coffee drinks including Boulder’s best lattes and mochas.

5. Vertical: OZO Coffee Co 6. Vertical:

Searching the globe to bring YOU the world’s finest coffee.

CENTRAL AMERICA

THANK YOU BOULDER

BEST COFFEE HOUSE BEST CUP OF COFFEE

AFRICA

BEST COFFEE ROASTER BEST LATTE/MOCHA

1898 S. Flatiron (55th & Central) • 1015 Pearl St. • 5340 Arapahoe ozocoffee.com 58 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

OZ

y 2015

Opening Ma

LAFAYETTE

D HWY 287 AN RD. S. BOULDER

Beer Selection — Restaurant

BACKCOUNTRY PIZZA & TAP HOUSE

2319 Arapahoe Ave., 303-449-4285 Second Place: Mountain Sun/Southern Sun Pub & Brewery Third Place: Oskar Blues Grill & Brew Fourth Place: Bohemian Biergarten Fifth Place: Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom

W Susan France

e in Boulder County hold our beer in the highest regard. It is necessary, then, that local restaurants have the capacity and variety of beer to meet the county’s insatiable need. Our readers say that Backcountry Pizza & Tap House in Boulder has the best selection of beer around. Backcountry has a continually rotating cadre of beer for patrons to enjoy. And if you stop in at the restaurant, you’re likely to hear the cackle of esoteric beer conversations with terms you may or may not have ever heard before.

But no matter your level of beer expertise, you’re almost guaranteed a good pint and a fun time.

Winery

BOOKCLIFF VINEYARDS

1501 Lee Hill Drive, Suite 17, 303-449-9463

B

oulder County is experiencing a veritable winery boom. With several wineries located in north Boulder, and rumors of increasing the growth of rare varieties of grapes in Boulder County, we’re poised to see the quality and abundance of local wine increase. Our staff pick for best winery was a tough choice, but ultimately goes to Bookcliff Vineyards. Bookcliff has a massive catalog of interesting and flavorful single varietals, blends, dessert wines and more. Their warehouse and taproom are both impressive and you’re always likely to see a friendly face when you stop in to try their wines.

Backcountry Pizza & Tap House Bartender Jordan Weise

60 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

JUNE 2 Xavier Rudd & The United Nations

JUNE 19 JUNE 12

2015 summer preview

Keller Williams & The Keels

JUNE 23 Gordon Lightfoot: 50 Years on the Carefree Highway Tour

JUNE 26 Margaret Cho

JUNE 13

Ry CooderSharon WhiteRicky Skaggs

The Weepies

JULY 8

JULY 13

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra featuring Wynton Marsalis

Boz Scaggs

JULY 14 Patty Griffin, Mavis Staples & Amy Helm

AUGUST 5

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

JULY 15

JULY 18

Indigo Girls

Peter Kater & R. Carlos Nakai

chautauqua.com

AUGUST 3

Melissa Etheridge— This is M.E. Solo

AUGUST 14 Michael McDonald

Ziggy Marley: The Fly Rasta Tour AUGUST 15

AUGUST 21

The Robert Cray Band

Steve Earle & The Dukes

SEPTEMBER 1 Punch Brothers

MORE SHOWS TO BE ANNOUNCED!

SEPTEMBER 19 John Hiatt & The Combo / The Taj Mahal Trio

thank you to our sponsors!

900 BASELINE ROAD • BOULDER CO | 303.440.7666

coloradochautauqua

colochautauqua

Don Peitzman

Music Venue

RED ROCKS AMPHITHEATRE

18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison, 720-865-2494 Second Place: Boulder Theater Third Place: Chautauqua Auditorium Fourth Place: The Fox Theatre Fifth Place: eTown Hall

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ed Rocks Amphitheatre is beloved by musicians and music lovers alike. The rock structure that forms the amphitheater creates a stunning visual backdrop around your favorite artists in addition to providing astounding natural acoustics. Dozens of artists have made live recordings at Red Rocks, including U2, Dave Matthews Band, Neil Young and Phish. With a maximum capacity of less than 10,000, a show at Red Rocks can also feel more intimate than many outdoor amphitheaters. In fact, Pollstar magazine awarded Red Rocks best small outdoor venue 11 times in a row before finally naming the award the Red Rocks Award and removing Red Rocks from the running.

Advanced Education

UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO CONTINUING EDUCATION

1505 University Ave., 303-492-5148 Second Place: Naropa University Extended Studies Third Place: Front Range Community College Fourth Place: Boulder Digital Arts Fifth Place: Rolf Institute of Structural Integration

U

niversity of Colorado Continuing Education is our readers’ choice in this category, and why not? It offers opportunities to advance your degree with evening and Saturday classes. You can earn online credit, take private and group music lessons for credit and much more. We should never stop learning, and CU has made that possible and convenient.

Red Rocks Amphitheatre’s beautiful scenery and amazing natural acoustics make it a top music venue.

Nonprofit/Charity Organization

HUMANE SOCIETY OF BOULDER VALLEY

2323 55th St., 303-442-4030 Second Place: Eco-Cycle Third Place: Planned Parenthood Fourth Place: Boulder Valley Women’s Health Center Fifth Place: Emergency Family Assistance Association

A

ww, look at that little fur ball that lives with you! Isn’t he cute?

Aw, he plays fetch and snuggles with you when you’re sad and keeps you company on long hikes and… occasionally chews your favorite shoes to shreds.

Having a pet is wonderful, but it takes a lot of responsibility, and sometimes you just need a little help. The Humane Society of Boulder Valley is there to help, from adopting a pet to training your pet to keeping your pet healthy through its lifetime.The HSBV provides shelter and care to more than 8,000 animals each year, and all of their services, including training and behavior courses, are open to the public.

BOULDERBALLET Melissa Heslep. Photo by Rebekah West

Spring into Summer!

62 April 23, 2015

COMPANY & SCHOOL

The Firebird & Carnival of the Animals Mother’s Day - May 10 at 11AM & 2PM Boulder Theater, Box Office 303.786.7030

Ballet in the Park - Free Performances Various locations, June 14 to 21

www.boulderballet.org Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Susan France

Boulder Public Library

Place to Wi-Fi

BOULDER PUBLIC LIBRARY

1001 Arapahoe Ave., 303-441-3100 (and other locations around Boulder County) Second Place: Ozo Coffee Co. Third Place: The Laughing Goat Coffeehouse Fourth Place: Brewing Market Fifth Place: Amante

P

ublic libraries have long been a resource for those interested to access information and educate themselves, and the Boulder Public Library is stocked with empty tables not just ready for books and magazines, but laptops and other Wi-Fi-equipped devices eager to surf the Interwebs. The free public Wi-Fi is available any time the library is open, when you need to print, users can connect wirelessly to the library’s printers.

Museum

BOULDER MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART (BMOCA)

1750 13th St., 303-443-2122 Second Place: University of Colorado Museum of Natural History Third Place: Boulder History Museum Fourth Place: National Center for Atmospheric Research Fifth Place: WOW! Children’s Museum

W

hen you need to cram your brain with interesting and exciting artifacts and exhibits, where do you turn? If you’re like the majority of our voters, you turn to the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, or BMoCA. With travelling exhibits, performances, music, visual art and programs for everyone from youngsters to art enthusiasts, BMoCA is truly a comprehensive museum for the community. Check out the others on the list for different bents and scopes.

Place to Watch a Crab Race

WEST END TAVERN 926 Pearl St., 303-444-3535

I

s it really fair to declare a place the best to watch a crab race if it’s the only place to watch a crab race? We say yes, if it’s a really cool place to start with and the West End Tavern is certainly that with its 25 beers on tap, 25 bottled beers and more than 75 bourbons, not to mention one of the best rooftop seating setups anywhere. But we digress. Lots of people watch the Triple Crown horse races (Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes). But if that’s all you do, you’re missing on the real cultural experience. Next time wander on over to the West End, where you can drink and watch actual crabs race head to head — or is it claw to claw? — before the horses hit the track on the big screen TVs. Put on your best hat, order up a mint julep and pick your crab carefully.

64 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Spot for Diversity Through the Radio Dial

Rooftop Patio

KGNU, 88.5 FM/1390 AM

ABSINTHE HOUSE

1109 Walnut St., 303-443-8600

W

hile you may have headed to Absinthe House for a night of dancing with your friends, you’re going to need to cool down at some point, so head upstairs where you’ll find a patio with comfortable lounge chairs, giant Jenga and a stocked bar all overlooking the Flatirons. Even if it’s chilly out, there are heaters to keep things just toasty enough — but we’re sure you’ve been downstairs working your groove thang, so you probably don’t mind a little nip in the air.

S

pend Sunday turned to KGNU and your day begins with folk and Americana music on Roots and Branches and a live show taping from Boulder’s own eTown before moving into broadcasts on alternative health and philosophies; New Dimensions broadcasts with leading thinkers, scientists, artists and social architects; recordings from the solutions-oriented National Bioneers Conference; the Women’s International News Gathering Service that’s been showcasing women’s voices for almost 30 years; Indian Voices on Native American issues; Pasa La Voz Spanish-language show; Peace Talks on nonviolent conflict resolution and Colorado Chinese Radio for immigrants. It’s a mind-expanding tour of multiple cultures and perspectives on the world.

Bank

ELEVATIONS CREDIT UNION 2960 Diagonal Highway, 303-443-4672 4760 W. Baseline Road, 303-443-4672 and other locations around Boulder County Second Place: Wells Fargo Third Place: Chase Bank Fourth Place: Boulder Valley Credit Union Fifth Place: FirstBank

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oloradans take pride in being a few thousand feet higher than the rest. So it’s no wonder our readers voted Elevations Credit Union as number one. We trust people who are on our level, not only physically but also in terms of quality. The people over at Elevations epitomize everything banking should be: fast, friendly, accessible and trustworthy. Just like the Rocky Mountains, Elevations is stable and always there when you need them.Whether you need wealth management advice or a new home equity loan, Elevations has got you covered.

Classical Music

BOULDER PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

2590 Walnut St., 303-449-1343 Second Place: Colorado Music Festival Third Place: Boulder Symphony Fourth Place: Colorado Symphony Orchestra Fifth Place: CU Presents

We’ll take care of it.

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Jeremy Rosenthal has been representing people who have been seriously injured due the negligence of others in the state of Colorado for over 12 years. Much of the firm’s success has been due to our client-centered approach where we take the time to understand each client’s situation and the unique pressures they’re experiencing. Our entire team is passionate about client outcomes and is dedicated to doing whatever’s necessary to achieve the best result for your case.

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T

he Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra has been mesmerizing Boulderites since 1958 with imaginative programming that has progressively gone further and further beyond simply performing music. Their shows break genre boundaries and often include dance, choral and visual elements. The Boulder Phil’s desire to connect and inspire the community through the power of orchestral music has led them to collaborate with dozens of local organizations in recent seasons, including arts, science, nature, youth, social services and more. Their Discovery Concerts work to inspire the next generation of music lovers by exposing fourth and fifth grade students in 28 schools to classical music.The Boulder Phil is truly Boulder’s premier orchestra.

303-825-2223 jeremy@LFOJR.com lawfirmofjeremyrosenthal.com

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

Handling cases throughout the Denver-Boulder Front Range area.

April 23, 2015 65

Courtesy of Boulder Ballet

Boulder Ballet enriches the local cultural scene with elegant perfromances throughout the year.

Live Dance Group

Open Mic

BOULDER BALLET

THE LAUGHING GOAT COFFEEHOUSE

2590 Walnut St., Suite 10, 303-443-0028 Second Place: Frequent Flyers Productions Third Place: Streetside Studios Fourth Place: Lemon Sponge Cake Ballet Fifth Place: Planet Motion World Dance Fitness

D

ancer and choreographer Twyla Tharp once said, “Ballet needs to be its own story in such a way it can be received without having to be translated into language.”

Our area is blessed with a number of fine dance groups, but when it comes to telling a story without need for language, our readers say Boulder Ballet is the best around.

Reader Comment

1709 Pearl St., 303-443-0028 Second Place: Conor O’Neill’s Traditional Irish Pub & Restaurant Third Place: Oskar Blues Grill & Brew (Lyons and Longmont) Fourth Place: Innisfree Poetry Bookstore & Cafe Fifth Place: The Attic Bar & Bistro

A

ll great musicians and poets have something in common. At some point they introduced themselves to the public via an open mic somewhere. Open mics aren’t just a great way for such creatives to kick-start their careers, they’re also a great way for the rest of us to catch some really talented folks for free. Win-win.

So if supporting such artists is your cup of tea, or coffee, you might want to head over to the open mic night at The Laughing Goat Coffeehouse. It’s the best around.

We need more rock music in Boulder! Please! Punk/metal/rock/ alternative/goth/psychadelic.

66 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Evergreen Bluegrass Festival 2015 A Tribute to the late Tom Hushen

August 22, 2015 at the Evergreen Rodeo Grounds SIX GREAT BANDS plus Vendors ... a FULL day of FUN! Early Bird Ticket Pricing in effect – Get your Tickets NOW!

Railsplitters • Oakhurst • Ragged Union Blue Canyon Boys • Quickdraw Homegrown Music Blue Moon Bluegrass

www.evergreenbluegrassfestival.com

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

April 23, 2015 67

Thank you boulder for voting The Dandelion Best Medical Dispensary

Stop in today & see what sets us apart from the rest!

visit our award winning sister dispensary for all of your recreational needs!

HAPPY HOUR

4:00 PM-6:00 PM

BUY ANY 1/8TH OF FLOWER OR GRAM OF CONCENTRATE

& GET A JOINT ON US!

TRY OUR STRAIN SPECIFIC CANNASAP & GET $10 OFF OUR NPEN! NPen, our oil vaporizor pen is best used with CannaSap, an all-natural oil product. Cannasap is the world’s first hash oil vape with a coconut base.

MENTION AD FOR COUPON | ONE PER CUSTOMER PER VISIT | DEALS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE | JOINT COST A PENNY

18+ MEDICAL

21+ RECREATIONAL

845 WALNUT ST. BOULDER

1146 PEARL ST. BOULDER

303.459.4676

720.726.5126

11-7 M-SAT 12-6 SUN

OPEN DAILY 9AM-7PM

THEDANDELIONCO.COM

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Thank you boulder for voting The Dandelion Best Medical Dispensary

Stop in today & see what sets us apart from the rest!

visit our award winning sister dispensary for all of your recreational needs!

HAPPY HOUR

4:00 PM-6:00 PM

BUY ANY 1/8TH OF FLOWER OR GRAM OF CONCENTRATE

& GET A JOINT ON US!

TRY OUR STRAIN SPECIFIC CANNASAP & GET $10 OFF OUR NPEN! NPen, our oil vaporizor pen is best used with CannaSap, an all-natural oil product. Cannasap is the world’s first hash oil vape with a coconut base.

MENTION AD FOR COUPON | ONE PER CUSTOMER PER VISIT | DEALS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE | JOINT COST A PENNY

18+ MEDICAL

21+ RECREATIONAL

845 WALNUT ST. BOULDER

1146 PEARL ST. BOULDER

303.459.4676

720.726.5126

11-7 M-SAT 12-6 SUN

OPEN DAILY 9AM-7PM

THEDANDELIONCO.COM

NATIVEROOTS303.COM

Want happy pets with Fresh Breath?

AnesthesiA-Free teeth CleAning

Jeremy Williams

For info on locations call:

303-654-0560

Or visit the event calendar at

www.WellAnimalInstitute.com

GIVE TODAY Creating a Cycle of Possibility www.attentionhomes.org

Boulder Theater employees Karen Shaviv, Shawn Thomas, Andrew Gil, Paul W, Richardo, Greta and Becca

Performance Arts Venue

BOULDER THEATER

2032 14th St., 303-786-7030 Second Place: The Dairy Center for the Arts Third Place: Chautauqua Auditorium Fourth Place: Macky Auditorium Concert Hall Fifth Place: Boulder’s Dinner Theatre

Building Champions in Sport and in Life

I

n Boulder County, we’re fortunate to have a number of really great performance arts venues. Whether you’re going out to see an orchestra, a ballet, a rock concert, a comedy show or anything in between, it will likely be held in a beautiful venue with lots of character. Our voters say that Boulder Theater is their favorite performance arts venue. Attracting a number of national acts and film screenings, Boulder Theater has the right mix of comfort, quality and history. Located in downtown Boulder, it’s easy to make a night of any event that takes place at Boulder Theater.

Music Festival

TELLURIDE BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL

Mountain Bike Camps

Youth Mountain Bike Camps Ages 7-17 Ages 7-17 Flexible Schedule

Easy to advanced trail riding allows young riders the opportunity to

Easy to advanced trail riding allows young riders the opportunity master new skills in in a asafe, to master new skills safe,fun funand andsupportive supportive environment. environment. .............................................................................................................

Weekly Summer Camps Weekly Summer Camps June-August June-August Weekend, Afterschool Teamand Programs Weekend, After School, Team and Programs Race Series February-October February-October

Telluride, 800-624-2422 Second Place: Colorado Music Festival Third Place: RockyGrass Festival Fourth Place: Rocky Mountain Folks Festival Fifth Place: ARISE Music Festival

F

orget Bonnaroo and Coachella. Don’t bother with Lollapalooza or the Electric Daisy Carnival. We have a better festival in our own backyard. For more than 40 years, the Telluride Bluegrass Festival has been providing Colorado with stellar tunes set amid a gorgeous Rocky Mountain view. For a festival to have staying power it needs to have heart, and Telluride Bluegrass Festival has that in spades. Besides the well-known names, the festival has also opened the musical doors for several up-and-comers, and in another 40 years you’ll be able to say you saw them way back when. Sit back, relax and enjoy the good music, good people and good soul.

www.ridesmba.org (303)447-8014 www.ridesmba.org • jessie@lertprograms.com • (303) 447-8014 70 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

COLORADO SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL 2015 Movie House/Theater

BOULDER THEATER

2032 14th St., 303-786-7030 Second Place: AMC Flatiron Crossing 14 Third Place: Century Theatre Fourth Place: Boedecker Theater Fifth Place: Chautauqua Auditorium

MUCH ADO

I

t’s hard to believe that some moron once considered tearing down Boulder Theater so that some more generic office space could be created downtown. After all, Boulder’s crown jewel of entertainment has been around since 1906 and has played host to opera, the first silent film (The Jazz Singer) shown in Boulder in 1927 and to musicians and cultural icons ranging from Timothy Leary to Bonnie Raitt to the Plasmatics and Billy Bob Thorton & The Boxmasters. Now that’s variety. No wonder our readers love this venue.

ABOUT NOTHING

OTHELLO WITTENBERG

Summer Camp

HENRY V

COLORADO MOUNTAIN RANCH

10063 Gold Hill Road, 303-442-4557 Second Place: YMCA Summer Camps Third Place: University of Colorado Science Discovery Fourth Place: Avid4 Adventure Fifth Place: Alexander Dawson Camps

HENRY VI, PART 1

C

hoosing the right summer camp is vital.

You want your kids to make lifelong memories, but not for the wrong reasons.

Sign your kiddos up for Colorado Mountain Ranch to help guarantee a summer of fun. Kids of varying ages can partake in everything they want in a summer camp — outdoor activities, learning, nature appreciation, crafts and community-building activities. Surrounded by beautiful views from 8,500 feet up, your children can enjoy horseback riding, archery, gymnastics and more, all with a friendly staff and specialized instructors. When summer’s over, your kids will be begging you to take them back to camp.

June 5 - August 9

303-492-8008 • COLORADOSHAKES.ORG

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

April 23, 2015 71

Spring

Acoustic Sale!

15% OFF Any Acoustic Instrument in stock!*

*applies to all in stock regular price acoustic instruments of $400 or more

Glenn Ross Photography

THANK YOU FOR VOTING US

THE BEST!

Sales • Rentals • Lessons • Repairs 37th Anniversary!!

Robb’s Boulder Music 2691 30th Street • 303.443.8448 www.bouldermusic.com

Forever Plaid is one of the crowd-pleasing musicals that has our readers declaring BDT Stage the best live theater group around.

Live Theater Group

BDT STAGE

5501 Arapahoe Ave., 303-449-6000 Second Place: Colorado Shakespeare Festival Third Place: University of Colorado Theater and Dance Fourth Place: Boulder Ensemble Theater Company Fifth Place: Peanut Butter Players

T

ucked in the middle of the country, Boulder sits at a geographical disadvantage for theater lovers. But even though the Great White Way is so far away, Boulderites can rejoice in a strong theater scene. Leading the charge of great theater is this year’s return winner, BDT Stage. Since 1977, BDT Stage has been consistently putting on wonderful shows. Choosing from a wide variety of musicals from classic to contemporary, the theater delivers a high caliber of talent on stage and never-ending imagination behind the scenes. Plus, there’s nothing better than eating a tasty meal while watching Fiddler on the Roof.

Place to Play Pool

SUNDOWN SALOON

1136 Pearl St., 303-449-4987 Second Place: World Famous Dark Horse Bar and Grill Third Place: The Attic Fourth Place: The Outback Saloon Fifth Place: License No. 1 (formerly Catacombs)

B

illiards has been a game for kings and commoners for hundreds of years. In one accounting, the night before they were arrested and, you know, eventually guillotined, Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette played billiards. She won, of course, because girls rock at pool. Not convinced? Test that theory out at the Sundown Saloon.While many a bar scatters a pool table here or there, the Sundown Saloon devotes a wall’s worth of space to a row of tables, so it’s not hard to find a spot to put your quarters down and secure a table. Get ready to rack ’em up and whack ’em around like you’re just about to make a really poorly timed suggestion about cake and part ways with your head.

3 YEARS IN A ROW!

72 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

• OnSite Service • Repair • Upgrades • Networking • WiFi • Training • Pre-Sales Support • Data Recovery • Windows Integration • Malware Removal • System Optimization • Remote Support • Application Support • iPhones, iOS • Backup Solutions • Home Theater • Pro Audio

Waltz, Swing, Foxtrot, Tango, etc.!

If you like lively music and social dancing in a great space, please join our events.

New dancers welcome! No partner required!

Waltzing 2nd & 4th Wednesdays Swing 3rd and 5th Saturdays, Live music Ballroom Sundays, Two orchestras New Years Eve, Three dance halls The Avalon Ballroom Classes at all events

Bright Mac PC Friendly, Reliable, Apple Certified Expertise

303-444-5566 303-444-5588 www.brightmacpc.com www.brightmacpc.com

AVD is a member Boulder Dance Coalition! www.AmericanVernacularDance.com

The Avalon Ballroom Boulder’s Best Place to Dance

VOTED BEST OF BOULDER

BEST PLACE TO DANCE REGULAR DANCE EVENTS INCLUDE: Salsa, Swing, Blues Dancing, Contra, Folk and Squares, Vintage Ballroom, Foxtrot, Waltz, Cha-cha, Argentine Tango Daily Zumba Classes, Contemporary Dance Classes & International Folk Dance

Boulder’s Best Place to Dance is your best place to PARTY! The Avalon Ballroom is available to rent for both private and community functions: Weddings, Dances, Bar Mitzvahs, Fundraisers, Catered Lunches, Performances, Corporate Trainings. Please contact manager at 303-440-8303.

Proud Sponsors of the Boulder Dance Coalition:

American Vernacular Dance - 3rd & 5th Saturday Swing and Wedensday Waltz, etc.

Boulder Zumba- every Monday through Saturday Colorado Friends of Old Time Music and Dance- First and Third Friday Contradance Boulder Salsa Social, Featuring Salsa and West Coast Swing every Thursday The Schiff Dance Collective - Offering classes in Jazz, Lyrical, Ballet and Contemporary Dance Lessons for Dances included. No partner needed. Beginners Welcome.

Please visit www.AvalonEvents.org for specific times and dates. www.BoulderDanceCoalition.org

The Avalon Ballroom is operated by the Boulder Dance Coalition, a not-for-profit organization supporting both traditional folk dances and popular participatory dances in Colorado.

2 Miles East of Foothills Expressway, 6185 Arapahoe Road, Boulder, CO

Courtesy of Alexander Dawson School

A great education gets your kids’ lives off to a great start, and our readers say some of best educating gets done at Alexander Dawson School.

Private School

FULL-DAY YEAR-ROUND

O C F U S SED T R A C I ULUM R R U C

ALEXANDER DAWSON SCHOOL

10455 Dawson Drive, Lafayette, 303-665-6679 Second Place: Friends’ School Third Place: Shining Mountain Waldorf School Fourth Place: Boulder Country Day School Fifth Place: Watershed School

N

othing is more important than our children. And nothing is more important to our children’s future than the education we give them. Well, maybe love is more important, but that’s about all that comes in ahead of ed. According to our readers, Alexander Dawson School offers the best private education to be found in these parts. So if finding a way to prepare your kids for college and a successful career is a priority, Dawson is the place to start.

ENROLLING

NOW

Place to Train for the Circus

BOULDER CIRCUS CENTER 4747 26th St., 303-444-8110

E 1235 Pine St., Boulder 303.800.0234 offbroadwaypreschool.org

74 April 23, 2015

ver dreamed of joining the circus? Well, maybe you don’t actually want to join the circus, but you’d really like to learn how to juggle or walk on stilts or even perform aerial acrobatics. You can learn all of this and more (clown school, anyone?) at the Boulder Circus Center. They offer programs for youths and adults. Learn how to dance with a hula hoop at one of O Dance’s hoop classes or take a poi workshop or come hang out on Sundays at the Juggling Club. And if you don’t see yourself learning the ways of the circus, you can check out BCC’s website for a list of public events that showcase some great Colorado circus talent.

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Place to Karaoke

OUTBACK SALOON

New Play Incubator

3141 28th. St., 303-444-0081

LOCAL LAB

S

B

ometimes the need to sing in front of complete strangers comes over suddenly like a storm on a sweltering summer afternoon — you’ve got to burst out in song. Now, you can spontaneously erupt into song in the streets, scaring your neighbors, or you can head over to the Outback Saloon to throw back a few cold local brews and croon to your favorite jams at their infamous karaoke. Join other rabid karaoke addicts on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights at 9 p.m. Get funky and go for something out of the ordinary — there’s always time for “Sweet Caroline” at the end of the night.

Place to Dance

THE AVALON BALLROOM

oulder has a thriving scene for new and innovative theatrical works, but one of the highlights in that lineup is the multi-day festival of staged readings that is LOCAL Lab. Local Theater Company coordinates professional staged readings of plays from up-and-coming playwrights from all over the country, curates a post-show conversation to provide feedback for those still-developing works, offers master classes in playwriting and fills the whole event out with music and parties. So party like a playwright.

BOULDERBALLET 20152016 SEASON

6185 Arapahoe Road, 303-440-8303 Second Place: Tahona Tequila Bistro Third Place: Boulder Theater Fourth Place: St Julien Hotel & Spa Fifth Place: Fox Theatre

• Ballet in the Park

W

hen the dance floor starts calling your name, you need to strap on that Tony Manero white suit and work out that boogie fever. The readers have spoken, and The Avalon Ballroom stands out on top as the best place to dance in Boulder. Avalon provides a diverse schedule of events that will suit anyone’s needs, from live music to themed nights to dance classes in styles from around the world. Whether you want to tango or to do a waltz, Avalon will meet your dance machine needs. Grab a partner and get a swingin’.

June 14—21

free outdoor concerts

• The Nutcracker

Nov. 27—Dec. 6

with full orchestra

• Rodeo

January 16

with the Boulder Philharmonic

• Stepping Out 2016

February 19—21

contemporary ballets

Local Musician/Group

FACE

• An American in Paris

Second Place: Augustus Third Place: Gregory Alan Isakov Fourth Place: Elephant Revival Fifth Place: Gasoline Lollipops

T

ake a listen to Face and there’s a whole lot of “How’d he do that?!” going on. The local vocal rock group uses no instruments and no special effects — just five singers and a vocal drummer to create toe-tapping music that’s seen them touring and performing for a good long while as a much-enjoyed local band and regular at Nissi’s in Lafayette.

These guys also rally around the cause of supporting the next generation of local musicians and music groups by making fundraiser concerts for school music programs a big part of what they do, in addition to offering educational programs for students interested to learn more about their vocal technique.

May 8

a special event for Mother’s Day Amy Fogarty & Matthew Helms. Photo by Sue Daniels

BOULDERBALLETSCHOOL

 Excellent training for ages three to adult, beginner to professional  Summer intensive programs for young dancers  Performance opportunities for students  Three spacious studios at the Dairy Center for the Arts

Call 303.443.0028

www.boulderballet.org

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

April 23, 2015 75

Courtesy of St Julien Hotel & Spa

The ST Julien Hotel & Spa lobby makes for great nightlife.

Live Jazz Venue

ST JULIEN HOTEL & SPA

900 Walnut St., 720-406-9696 Second Place: The Laughing Goat Third Place: Nissi’s Fourth Place: Caffe Sole Fifth Place: Oskar Blues Brewery is a defining thread on the tapestry of American culture. It’s also cool to listen to and Jazz Boulder County is fortunate to have a number of places to sit down, grab a drink and listen

to a jazz band do its thing (or thang, as the case may be). Our voters decided that the St Julien Hotel & Spa is the finest venue for live jazz in the area. That’s because St Julien has a large, casual space for music, while retaining a modern elegance that defines the space.

Though there are many options for jazz around these parts, St Julien has been a tastemaker in the scene for years.

Local Celebrity

ZIP CODE MAN

Second Place: Jessica Biel Third Place: Gregory Alan Isakov Fourth Place: Big Head Todd Fifth Place: Hazel Miller

D

avid Rosdeitcher has been performing on the Pearl Street Mall for more than 20 years — you may know him as Zip Code Man. If you don’t know him, just Google Zip Code Man and there he is in travel blog posts, NPR pieces, YouTube videos and of course here in the Boulder Weekly (he even wrote an article for us back in 2010 supporting fellow street performer and contortionist Ibash-I in his fight against deportation). His talent is simple but amazing — tell him your zip code and he’ll tell you what town you’re from, and maybe his favorite restaurant there. He estimates that he knows between 35,000 and 40,000 zip codes.

Zip Code Man is pretty beloved around these parts, as he beat out Jessica Biel, Gregory Alan Isakov, Big Head Todd and Hazel Miller for local celebrity.

76 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

BOULDER PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

1J_N bX^ QNJ[M ]QN +X^UMN[ 9QRU UJ]NUb(

MICHAEL BUTTERMAN, MUSIC DIRECTOR

Voted ‘Best Classical Music’ in 2013, 2014 & 2015 by Boulder Weekly readers Powerful, heart-pumping classics plus appealing new discoveries—there is nothing quite like hearing “Boulder’s premier orchestra” perform them live in beautiful Macky Auditorium!

2015-16 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS Violinist Anne Akiko Meyers ȏ Copland’s Rodeo with the Boulder Ballet ȏ Cirque de la Symphonie ȏ Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with Boulder Bach Festival & Central City Opera

NEW SUBSCRIBERS—50% OFF!

Photo: Glenn Ross Photo

www.BoulderPhil.org ȏ 303.449.1343

THANK YOU Boulder!

Educating Boulder’s students since 1987

Preschool through 5th Grade Teacher Preparation Program Summer Camp

Friends’)School))

Recipient of the CAEYC Educator of the Year Award 2014 & 2015

303149911999)!!!))www.FriendsSchoolBoulder.org Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

Best Private School April 23 2015 77

Susan France

Sports Bar THE LAZY DOG SPORTS BAR & GRILL 1346 Pearl St., 303-440-3355 Second Place: World Famous Dark Horse Bar and Grill Third Place: Harpo’s Sports Grill Fourth Place: The West End Tavern Fifth Place: Walnut Brewery

S

ometimes you have to ride the ju-ju. For many sports fans that means watching their favorite team from the same location week in and week out until that team loses and dreams are crushed on yet another season. Or, you could just like going out to a sports bar to catch your team play and slowly get annoyed by the guy who is clapping just a little bit too loud. Either way, Lazy Dog Sports Bar & Grill was the winner for best sports bar. It has all the requirements for a good sports bar: cold beer, good eats and plenty of TVs.

Art Gallery

THE DAIRY CENTER FOR THE ARTS

2590 Walnut St., 303-440-7826 Second Place: Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art Third Place: Boulder Arts & Crafts Gallery Fourth Place: Leanin’ Tree Museum of Western Art Fifth Place: Art + Soul Gallery

G

alleries are critical to a thriving art scene in any community. Boulder County has several options for the art observer, each with a different scope and feel.

Our readers chose The Dairy Center for the Arts as their favorite art gallery in town, likely because the bustling arts center, which houses a vibrant array of visual art, cinema, theater, dance and other art forms, gives every inch of available wall space over to showcasing art, often from talented local artists who have painted or photographed Colorado with the love only shown to your home state.

Festival/Event — Non Music

BOULDER COUNTY FARMERS’ MARKET 13th Street between Arapahoe and Canyon, 303-910-2236 Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road, Longmont Fifth Avenue, between Main Street and Kimbark, Longmont Second Place: Boulder Creek Festival Third Place: Frozen Dead Guy Days Fourth Place: Colorado Shakespeare Festival Fifth Place: Boulder International Film Festival

M

ore than 150 farmers, food establishments and artists come together to sell their produces and products at the Boulder County Farmers’ Market twice each week, and the streets are flooded with fresh produce and those eager to take them home. Fruit from the Western Slope, plants and flowers, homemade soups and wreaths round out offerings from mainstays like leafy greens to rarities like white eggplant. This year the market, which runs from April to November, is adding new options for entertaining and educating children and teaching adults how to make use of all that good food.

78 April 23, 2015

Colleen Henahan, bartender at The Lazy Dog

Reader Comment There is a woman who hangs on Pearl street that bangs on a drum and basically just grunts... Very entertaining... After a few cocktails.

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Jeremy Williams

Tanning Salon

ASPEN TAN

1710 29th St., Unit 2012, 720-565-2826 Second Place: At the Beach Third Place: Tans to Go Fourth Place: Veranda Sun Fifth Place: Polish Tan & Nail Spa

T

ired of looking like you live somewhere in Scandinavia where the days are short and skin tones run as pale as Texas beer? Well stop whining, and do something about that lack of pigment. Our readers tell us that the best place to get golden brown and beach ready is at Aspen Tan.

Golf Course

FLATIRONS GOLF COURSE

5706 Arapahoe Ave., 303-442-7851 Second Place: Indian Peaks Golf Course Third Place: Haystack Mountain Golf Course Fourth Place: Boulder Country Club Fifth Place: Omni Interlocken Resort Golf Club

T

he only thing that could make Flatirons Golf Course better is if it was located in the real Flatirons. Okay, we admit that this would be an open-space travesty but can you just imagine the elevated tee boxes? The truth is, Flatirons is apparently just fine where it is because our readers picked it as the best golf course around. Time to tee it up.

Gillian Beerman and Tanner Guisness of Aspen Tan

Martial Arts EASTON TRAINING CENTER 2005 32nd St., 303-938-1275 Second Place: Boulder Karate Third Place: Boulder Kung Fu Academy Fourth Place: Tran’s Martial Arts Fifth Place: Boulder Quest Center

T

he martial arts promote self-defense, mental discipline and physical fitness, all things that most of us could benefit from.With that in mind, our readers tell us that the 10,000-square-foot facility of Easton Training Center is the best place to learn and train. Easton offers Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, kickboxing, boxing and CrossFit classes for all ages and skill levels. They also offer women-only classes and kids programs. Classes are offered seven days a week from early morning to well into the evening, so there is no excuse to stay on that couch.

BOULDER ROCK CLUB Voted Best Of Boulder for 11 years straight

2829 Mapleton Ave 303.447.2804 80 April 23, 2015

Jonathan Siegrist nabs the FA of The Pink Route Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

VOTED BEST SKIN CARE SERVICE! THANK YOU BOULDER COUNTY! Dermatology Specialists is a full-service medical, surgical and cosmetic dermatology center. We are leaders in dermatology, servicing the Boulder and Denver metro area with offices located in Boulder, Westminster, Brighton and Louisville.

Experts in Our Field: • National Trainers for Botox®, Dysport®, Juvederm®, Voluma®, Restylane® and Perlane® Products • National Lecturers in Cosmetic Procedures including Facelifts, Blepharoplasty, Liposuction, Cosmetic and Medical Lasers, Mohs Skin Cancer Surgery and Reconstructive Surgery • Authored Textbook and Leading Journal Articles on Facial Reconstructive Surgery, Skin Care, Skin Cancer Surgery and Cosmetic Procedures • Only Practice in Boulder County to Offer NeoGraft™ Hair Transplant Procedure Board-Certified Dermatologists, Certified Physician Assistants and Licensed Aestheticians: Dr. Shawn Allen • Dr. Rachel Simmons • Dr. Lawrence Barfield Ben Kochman, PA-C • Wendy Ortiz, PA-C • Meredith Williams, PA-C Tiffany Lynn Nack, LE • Elaine Rivera, LE • Raechel Koob, LE

303.442.6647 | www.dsderm.com

BOULDER 2880 Folsom St.

WESTMINSTER 10359 N. Federal Blvd.

LOUISVILLE Avista Hospital 90 Health Park Dr.

BRIGHTON 36 S. 18th Ave.

Jeremy Williams

MMJ Dispensary

THE DANDELION

845 Walnut St., 303-459-4676 Second Place: Herbal Wellness Third Place: Terrapin Fourth Place: Helping Hands Herbals/The Bud Depot (tie) Fifth Place: 14er Holistics

Y

ou could nearly fill the alphabet with the many offerings from Boulder’s top medical marijuana shop The Dandelion — flowers, edibles, beverages, tinctures, oils, glass pipes, baked goods, candies, salty snacks, infused oils, mists, books, teas, hash, keef. Whatever ails you, they can amend it. Members who designate Dandelion as their caregiver get some choice benefits, and those who drop in timed to the week’s specials can enjoy discounts on merchandise, edibles and shatter.

Gym/Fitness Center

COLORADO ATHLETIC CLUB

1821 30th St., 303-501-1700 Second Place: 24 Hour Fitness Third Place: Rally Sport Health and Fitness Club Fourth Place: YMCA of Boulder Valley Mapleton Center Fifth Place: North Boulder Recreation Center

B

oulder is consistently voted one of the healthiest places to live with some of the most active residents. With so many outdoor activities so close, it helps to have a good gym nearby to stay in shape. Our voters say Colorado Athletic Club is the place to be for fitness. With a full supply of weight training supplies, treadmills, sport activities and recovery features, Colorado Athletic Club has been a favorite for locals for a long time. Plus, our readers like the ease of use at the facility and its affordability. And what with all those endorphins pumping, you’re likely to see a smiling face next time you stop in.

Nail Salon

TEN20

2005 Pearl St., 720-565-1020 Second Place: jlounge Natural Nail Bar and Spa Third Place: Contempo Nails Fourth Place: Happy Star Nails Fifth Place: Angel Nails

H

aving a good nail salon is critical. You get a bad one and you end up blowing $40 on a sub-par manicure, or worse, you get some weird, old fungus. But a good nail salon, well, now we’re talking. From expert nail artists to skilled manicurists and pedicurists, a trip to the nail salon can invigorate even the most tired and weary minds and bodies. Ten20 was the choice for best nail salon, and it’s likely due to the extra steps they take to make each visit a successful one. With a relaxing atmosphere, skilled nail technicians and exceptional amenities, Ten20 is an asset to the hands and feet of Boulder County.

82 April 23, 2015

Dandelion employee, Rachel Shank

New Athletic Feat on the Flatirons

ALEX KRULL AND AUSTIN PORZAK SKIING THE FIRST FLATIRON

F

irst ascents around Boulder have pretty well been established, but Alex Krull and Austin Porzak proved there’s still room in the county for some stunning first descents. After snowfall spent a week covering Boulder’s signature backdrop, on March 1, Alex Krull and Austin Porzak skied the First Flatiron down the East Face Gully, or Silk Road.

The two were belayed for three 60-meter sections and skied the bulk of the rest of the roughly 800 feet down the face without a rope on pitches that turned as steep as 60 degrees.

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Play. Stay. Sleep. Eat. Repeat.

D STAY FOR AN

TS PE

BEST PET BOARDING Best of Boulder 2015

PLA Y

Doggie Play Care. Pet Boarding. Grooming.

Loads of Outdoor & Indoor Fun!

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

Doctors Murphy, Sica, Brown & Welden NORTH BOULDER

DENTAL

NORTH BOULDER DENTAL GROUP

Thank You Boulder! Our Patients are the Best!

We are proud participants of:

American Dental Association “Give Kids a Smile Program” Colorado Dental Association “Colorado Mission of Mercy”

Boulder Valley School District “Adopt a Smile Program”

Boulder Homeless Shelter Dental Clinic National Foundation of Dentistry for the Handicapped “Dental Lifeline Network”

Best Dental Care

1001 North St., Boulder • www.BoulderDental.com 303-447-1042 • PatientCare@BoulderDental.com

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

April 23, 2015 83

HOPE FOR A CURVED SPINE The diagnosis of scoliosis is difficult to process.

Options are few, as anxious parents are told to just watch and wait to see if the curve progresses enough to warrant bracing or surgery.

Adolescents with scoliosis who escape surgery often find that scoliosis is not something that you outgrow. Significant curves can progress in adulthood, causing problems with pain, arthritis, disc pathology, breathing, and muscle spasms.

Conventional approaches to the management of most spinal problems, such as manual and exercise therapies have not been shown to change whether or not a curvature will progress.

Europeans, however, have been using a curve specific approach to Physical Therapy shown to be effective for scoliosis management based on the work of Katarina Schroth. This approach is considered to be the gold standard of treatment in Europe. Dozens of studies (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18432435) support this type of treatment. The therapy is tailored to each person’s curve pattern, and involves 3 dimensional corrective exercises and postural re-education that counteracts the rotation and curvature of the spine. The sooner a person starts therapy, the greater the chance that progression of the curve can be halted and in many cases improved.

Schroth based Physical Therapy is gaining momentumin the US, as patients are demanding meaningful options for treatment, and therapists are now able to complete the extensive training here in the States. Only a handful of Physical Therapists in Colorado have been certified in this method, four of which are at Avanti Physical Therapy. They have been implementing this approach for four years, and have seen great results. Most people can at least halt their curve progression, and many see improvement on their x-rays.

Pain decreases, posture and lung capacity improve, the visible signs of scoliosis frequently disappear.

Their dedicated scoliosis specialists provide expert care in a supportive and compassionate environment.

CALL TODAY FOR A COMPLIMENTARY SCOLIOSIS SCREENING & CONSULTATION If you would like additional information regarding the Scoliosis Program at Avanti Therapy, or any of their other programs you may contact them by telephone or by email at:

info@avantitherapy.com or 303-543-1201

Medical Center

BOULDER COMMUNITY HOSPITAL 1100 Balsam Ave., 303-440-2273 Second Place: Boulder Medical Center Third Place: Boulder Valley Women’s Health Center Fourth Place: Kaiser Permanente Fifth Place: Avista Adventist Hospital

I

n a community that enjoys actions sports, it’s essential to know that if, knock on wood, we ever get injured we have people who can fix us. From falling off our bikes, to falling off of mountains, Boulderites love to put themselves in situations that could result in a few stitches.

When you’re hurt, you want to be in good hands, and our readers prefer the hands at Boulder Community Health. When you’re in need, Boulder Community Hospital provides friendly, fast service and up-to-date quality care, and they’ll work on getting you back out on those trails as soon as possible.

Pet Boarding

COTTONWOOD KENNELS

7275 Valmont Road, 303-442-2602 Second Place: Camp Bow Wow Third Place: Bowhaus Dog Day Care and Boarding Fourth Place: Dog Spot Fifth Place: Happy Hounds Dog Care Center

P

ets are part of our family, so when we travel and can’t take them with us, we want to make sure they have the best care possible. And here in Boulder, our readers say that place is Cottonwood Kennels — not just a kennel, a “bed and breakfast for pets.” Located on a small farm off Valmont Road, Cottonwood Kennels believes that the key to a happy pet is personal interaction, which is why they will carefully monitor, record and report your pet’s eating, drinking, potty habits and disposition during their stay.And even if your pet doesn’t need boarding, Cottonwood Kennels offers pet grooming and Doggie Play Care for those pet parents who have to spend a little more time than they’d like away from their fuzzy loved ones.

MMJ Evaluation Service

HOLOS HEALTH

5377 Manhattan Circle, 720-273-3568 Second Place: GrassRoots Medical Clinic Third Place: Fully Alive Medicine Fourth Place: Relaxed Clarity Fifth Place: Colorado Medical Marijuana LLC

H

olos Health has clearly stood out to our readers, getting voted Best MMJ Evaluation Service and Best Alternative Health Care Practitioners in 2012, 2013, 2014 and now 2015. Not only does Dr. Joe Cohen provide superior preventative care in his own office, he trains other professionals in medicinal cannabis. Whether you suffer from severe pain, seizures, glaucoma or a number of other ailments, Holos Health can help you through the process of getting a state medical marijuana card.

Lasik Services

BEYER LASIK AT BOULDER EYES 1810 30th St., Suite B, 303-499-2020 Second Place: Boulder Eye Surgeons Third Place: Boulder Vision Associates Fourth Place: Insight Lasik Fifth Place: Eyecare Center of Northern Colorado

S

o, you’ve finally decided to end the perpetual debate over which glasses will best accessorize your lifestyle and just go for LASIK surgery. The 20-year-old Boulder Eyes/ Beyer LASIK recommends looking for eye correction surgery in a place that’s clean, with a doctor whose credentials you can check on the National Practitioner Data Bank, updated technology for providing eye correction surgery and friendly, knowledgeable staff you’ll feel comfortable working with. In other words, consider Beyer and their years of success stories.

84 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

• dog boarding/daycare • natural pet food • grooming

DOGS VACATION...

BEST PET BOARDING

...WHILE YOU VACATION Photos courtesy of Ivan Quinones For info on pet photography, call 720-406-8611.

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

303-464-1380 2103 CO-42, Louisville www.divinecanine.net April 23, 2015 85

LET US BE YOUR BRIDGE TO HEALING

Jeremy Williams

Get to the bottom of your problem, abolish your pain now and prevent further episodes. At Avanti Therapy we will partner with you to attain the quality of life that your body was meant to experience.

This is not your usual high volume, hands off approach to physical therapy. Avanti Therapy is a locally owned, innovative physical therapy clinic where those with any orthopedic problem or injury will find a safe haven for healing. Our patients are seen one on one by their treating therapist for a full hour visit. On average each of our therapists have 14 years of experience, each with hundreds of hours of continuing education. Avanti attracts the best therapists, because we allow for the time and resources necessary to provide the best of care in a supportive and compassionate environment.

Avanti Therapy is proud to house the Boulder Cancer Survivorship Program and the Scoliosis and Spine Rehab Center of the Rockies while specializing in the following treatment protocols: • Manual therapy • Myofascial Release • Post surgical rehab • Pilates based rehab • Trigger Point Dry Needling • Cupping • Video gait analysis/Running evaluations • Cold laser • Exercise physiology for cancer survivorship • Schroth based scoliosis rehab

Floyd’s 99 Barbershop Tony Rippen and Lucas Peele

Barber Shop

FLOYD’S 99 BARBERSHOP

2790 Pearl St., 303-442-2279 Second Place: Al’s Barber Shop Third Place: Voodoo Hair Lounge Fourth Place: Silver & Gold Barbers and Stylists Fifth Place: Alpine Barbers

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ife is a top-down operation. Translation: If your hair isn’t doing it for you then your brain gets depressed and the next thing you know you get fired from your job, lose your partner and wind up living on the street. Don’t let bad hair destroy everything you’ve worked for. Get on over to Floyd’s 99 Barbershop and get a truly great haircut. It might just save your life.

Place To Learn Just How Scary Climbing Used To Be

NEPTUNE MOUNTAINEERING MUSEUM If you would like additional information regarding the Scoliosis Program at Avanti Therapy, or any of their other programs you may contact them by telephone or by email at:

info@avantitherapy.com or 303-543-1201

86 April 23, 2015

C

limbing mountains is already a scary undertaking, but then you go take a peek at the gear the guys who put up most of the first ascents around the world were using — metal pitons, hemp ropes they tied around their waists for harnesses, high-top sometimes steel-toed boots and ice axes no longer than their own elbows, without that brilliant curve that makes getting a grip on ice possible — and it gets a whole new perspective. Take a few minutes the next time you stop in to Neptune Mountaineering for a few more carabiners or to browse the season’s latest skis and take a look at how guys did it in the old days, on wooden skis and with carabiners that were far from the light-weight, snub-nosed, auto-locking wonders we take into the wilds today.

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Susan France

THANK YOU BOULDER FOR YOUR VOTES! Drew Slater, D.C., The Joint

1219 PENNSYLVANIA AVE. IN BOULDER 303-442-8832

1425 LARIMER ST.IN DENVER 303-534-1583

Chiropractor

THE JOINT

2525 Arapahoe Ave., Suite C2, 303-440-8019 Second Place: Swan Lake Chiropractic Health Centre Third Place: North Boulder Chiropractic Fourth Place: Cafe of Life (in memoriam) Fifth Place: Duggan Chiropractic

C

hiropractors are one of those rare medical professionals that make you feel good immediately upon visiting them. Doctors give you prescriptions, dentists make your gums bleed, but chiropractors get right down to work and help improve your life. It’s no wonder Boulder County has a bevy of solid chiropractors, none more so than the folks at The Joint. They do a fantastic job of getting to the source of the issue in a comfortable and affordable environment and get you back to living your active lifestyle. It’d be a pain in the neck not to have a good chiropractor and so thankfully we have The Joint.

New Medical Technology

3-D PRINTED KNEE

W

hen Duane Duggan, a realtor in Boulder, decided it was time to have his knees replaced, he didn’t go for the off-the-shelf joints that most people receive — he had his knees custom designed to fit his body and printed with a 3-D printer.

Dr. Michael Wertz, an orthopedic surgeon who’s been doing total joint arthroplasty for around 25 years, is one of only a handful of doctors in Colorado doing knee replacement with 3-D joints. Wertz uses a 3-D knee replacement system created by Boston-based company ConforMIS. Doctors like Wertz take images of the patient’s knees, ankle and hip and send these images to ConforMIS where the images are combined to create an implant that fits the patient’s bone almost as closely as their natural joint. Duggan had both knees replaced with 3-D printed joints and told Boulder Weekly back in February that it has made all the difference in his quality of life. He and his wife just took a trip to Hawaii, where the avid cyclist was able to get five or six rides in over the course of their two-week vacation. They also hike a four-mile round trip to see some waterfalls in Hana.

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

April 23, 2015 87

BECOME A DONOR Ron Propri

• Must be between the ages of 18 and 35 • Must be able to provide complete medical history as well as biological parents and grandparents • Have some college experience or a college degree • Make a weekly commitment for 6 months to a year

Donors are compensated for their time. Please visit our website at www.cryogam.com and click on the tab that says “become a donor” for more information.

Boulder Rock Club

Indoor Climbing Gym

B O U LDE R B ODYWO RKS

WINNER BEST PILATES 6 years in a row

Pilates Fitness and Rehabilitation Massage and Rolfing® SI Cranial Sacral Therapy

BOULDER ROCK CLUB

2829 Mapleton Ave., 800-836-4008, ext. 4 Second Place: Movement Climbing + Fitness Third Place: The Spot Bouldering Gym Fourth Place: ABC Kids Climbing Fifth Place: Lakeshore Athletic Club

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ot a kid who wants to climb stuff? Or maybe you want to climb on stuff. Whatever.

Whoever. Get on over to Boulder Rock Club for a rockin’ good time for the whole family. They offer top-roping, lead climbing and bouldering, but also group fitness classes.

Never climbed before? No problem. BRC offers classes for tiny tots (3 and a half to 5 years old) through adults. Wanna have a birthday party that stands out in the sea of pool parties, skating rinks and bowling allies? Once again, BRC’s got you covered.

Coolest Workout

ACROYOGA

T

Located in the heart of North Boulder boulderbodyworks.com 303.444.2739 88 April 23, 2015

here are lots of types of yoga — ashtanga, Bikram, hatha and yin, just to name a few — and each has its own flare. AcroYoga, as the name implies, blends yoga with acrobatics — and you get to do parts of it with a partner; lifting each other in the air, helping each other through inversions and more. The nature of the practice provides physical benefits (balancing, strengthening) and mental benefits (concentration, stress relief). In Boulder,Yuki Tsuji-Hoening is a certified AcroYoga teacher who can get you flying high. Check out yogayuki.com for more information about AcroYoga classes.

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

meets

MEDICAL CANNABIS

Holos Health

BEST Medical Marijuana Evaluation Service

PPPPP We have over 500 patient reviews with an average rating of 5 stars. Please go online to read what our patients are saying.

e “Th is is an ext remely won derf ul plac to ava il you rsel f of the org anic hea l-

d, ing remedie s of MMJ. It is a high -en pro fess iona l, resp ecta ble fac ility for J adu lts. It lend s inte grit y to the MM Dr. pro fess ion and sets a new sta nda rd.

Coh en and his staff are pro fess iona l, s. holi stic and resp ons ive to all con cern Abs olutely, I recommend the m.”

— D.B.

Wellness Retreats

Journey2Life

BEST Alternative Health Care Provider

Dr. Joe Cohen: Medical Director Tracy Shulsinger: Integrative Family Nurse Practitioner Pam Vagnieres: Nutritionist and Exercise Physiologist Dove Weisman: Massage Therapist Functional Medicine Cannabis Medicine Women’s Health Energy Medicine Integrative Bodywork Nutrition & Fitness Cannabis Friendly

FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE

Functional Medicine As functional medicine practitioners, we try to determine, and then remove, triggers that cause disease while partnering with our clients on a path towards healing.

As facilitators of healing we honor the uniqueness of your personal journey towards emotional, physical and spiritual health. By introducing positive lifestyle changes our clients are able to eliminate toxic or addicting medications while halting or even reversing chronic disease.

Everyone who places their trust in us will be treated with kindness, compassion and respect. It is our mission to assist you toward optimal health while giving you the tools to handing these tools down to future generations.

We have the ability to recommend medical cannabis to patients who desire this as an adjunct therapy for their pain and chronic disease.

5377 Manhattan Circle, Suite 204 | Boulder • 720.273.3568 Go to the websites for more details and to make online appointments www.holoshealth.org www.journey2life.org

Your adventure store since 1973 633 SOUTH BROADWAY • BOULDER, CO • 303-499-8866 • WWW.NEPTUNEMOUNTAINEERING.COM Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

April 23, 2015 89

PERSONAL CRYOPRESERVATION Courtesy of St Julien Hotel & Spa

Banking sperm allows men to preserve their future fertility under a variety of circumstances that may cause infertility. For example:

Pelvic surgeries Cancer treatment Hormone Replacement therapy CryoGam will help you select the best storage option for each individual situation.

Please visit our website at www.cryogam.com or call us at 800-473-9601 for more information

Pamper yourself with a massage in the elegant surroundings at the spa at St Julien.

Massage

ST JULIEN HOTEL & SPA

900 Walnut St., 720-406-9696 Second Place: Bodywork Bistro Third Place: Massage Envy Spa Fourth Place: Essentiels Day Spa Fifth Place: The Dragontree Holistic Day Spa

THANK YOU, BOULDER COUNTY for choosing Women’s Health as #3 Best Medical Facility and #4 Best Nonprofit!

Women’s Health provides reproductive and sexual health care to adults and teens of all genders at clinics in Boulder and Longmont.

Medicaid, insurance, and uninsured patients accepted.

W

hen it comes time to pamper yourself — maybe you’ve had a long week, a month or even a year — a massage is a good place to turn. With expertly trained massage therapists, the St Julien Hotel & Spa was our readers’ pick for best massage in Boulder.

But the spa at the St Julien goes further. It enables you to have a massage with different soothing oils and in different styles to ensure maximum relaxation and progress. The space is elegantly designed and manicured for each patron to fully enjoy themselves. With relaxing music and scents, St Julien Hotel & Spa has all massage bases covered.

Veterinarian Care

ALPINE HOSPITAL FOR ANIMALS

3210 Valmont Road, 303-443-9661 Second Place: Humane Society of Boulder Valley Third Place: Boulder Veterinary Hospital Fourth Place: Arapahoe Animal Hospital Fifth Place: Boulder’s Natural Animal Hospital

T

he vet is one of those places where you only find out how important it is to have a good, trustworthy one until you get one that isn’t. Since Boulder is such a dog town, it’s no surprise that there are a number of good veterinarians and veterinary hospitals in the area.

Our readers say that no one takes care of Fido and Mittens better than Alpine Hospital for Animals. With fair pricing, reliable service and friendly staff members, Alpine Hospital for Animals provides the necessary service of pet care in the community. Whether your pup or kitty gets sick or just needs his nails clipped, our readers say Alpine is the place to go.

303.442.5160 boulderwomenshealth.org boulderwomenshealth

Reader Comment Best Fitness and Health is anywhere in Boulder County Open Space.

90 April 25, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Yoga Studio

CORE POWER

1129 13th St., 866-441-9642 645 27th Way, 303-497-9642 3280 28th St., 303-440-3930 Second Place: Yoga Pod Third Place: Little Yoga Studio Fourth Place: Studio Be Yoga Fifth Place: Boulder Bodyworks

E

ven though it seems likely, yoga bodies are not standard issue once you move to a Boulder zip code. Those bodies come with endless stretching and sweat dripping on a yoga mat.

Boulderites don’t mess around with choosing yoga studios — they want the best, which means they want Core Power. If you’re looking to become a member of the yoga body club, Core Power will get you there. Their studio is inviting for beginners, challenging for the pros and brimming with well-trained instructors that will not only give you a good workout but will melt your stress away.

Alternative Health Care

HOLOS HEALTH

Unleash your wildness

5377 Manhattan Circle, Suite 204, 720273-3568 Second Place: Chautauqua Health Third Place: Helios Integrated Medicine Fourth Place: Fully Alive Medicine Fifth Place: Rolf Institute of Structural Integration

S

ort of like the best way to have a clean apartment is to keep it that way — not let it turn into a disaster and then try to fix it, the best way to have a healthy body is to maintain it, and at Holos Health, their full-time medical office focuses on preventive care. By bringing a holistic approach to the idea of wellness augmented by medical marijuana, Holos Health’s Dr. Joe Cohen combines medical marijuana consultations with other wellness issues, including nutrition, lifestyle and functional medicine.

Dental Care

NORTH BOULDER DENTAL 1001 North St., 303-447-1042 Second Place: Boulder Dental Group Third Place: Alpine Dentistry Fourth Place: Boulder Dental Arts Fifth Place: Boulder Smiles

W

hether you’re taking your teeth in for a basic tune-up or looking for more significant work to improve your front-end, North Boulder Dental is prepared with a team of experienced dental professionals. The staff is continually updating their education in the latest on dental research, and ready to meet individual needs for patients of any age.

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

April 23, 2015 91

LONG TERM STORAGE Jeremy Williams

Are you looking to store your embryos, oocytes, or sperm long term? CryoGam can help!

We have over twenty five years of experience We are licensed with the FDA, CLIA, the State of NY, California and Maryland We offer reasonable storage fees with multi-year price breaks We provide exceptional customer service

Please visit our website at www.cryogam.com or call us at 800-473-9601 for more information

Josh Paquette takes advantage of the many services Voodoo Hair Salon has to offer, in the hands of J. Mack.

Hair Salon

VOODOO HAIR LOUNGE

2100 Pearl St., 303-449-4453 Second Place: SideDoor Salon Third Place: Twig Hair Salon Fourth Place: The Parlour Hair Salon Fifth Place: Salon Salon

H

air is important. No, really. It’s one of the ways we communicate who we are to the rest of the world. Some hair whispers, “I sit in a nondescript cubicle all day,” while other hair screams, “I’m one of a kind. Catch me if you can.” At Voodoo Hair Lounge, hair is art, expression and perfection. The highly trained and creative stylists at this downtown Boulder legend come from all over the country and we guarantee that they can make your hair say anything you want it to. You could say it’s their mission… which just happens to state: “Our mission is simple; fashion forward style, mastery of the latest hair trends and techniques, superior customer service and a personal dedication to excellence.” And all this great hair is being done in Voodoo’s newly remodeled space that’s worth dropping in for all by itself. No wonder this place is our reader’s favorite hair salon.

92 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Thanks for your support!

www.terrapincarestation.com | (303) 954-8402 AGE 21+

AGE 21+

MEDICAL

COMING SOON

11091 E. Mississippi Ave. Aurora, CO 80012

1795 Folsom St. Boulder, CO 80302

5370 Manhattan Cir. #104 Boulder, CO 80303

11900 E. 33rd Ave. Aurora, CO 80010

Must be age 21+ w/ valid, government-issued i.d. to visit recreational locations.

JUDO

THE ORIGINAL CROSSFIT DISCOVER THE TRADITIONAL ART AND OLYMPIC SPORT OF THROWING AND GRAPPLING

Susan France

FREE 1-week trial / FREE Judogi with 3-month membership FIND US ON FACEBOOK

frontrangejudo.Com 720.934.4460 / 5290 Arapahoe Ave.

Ages 3-7

Camp Morning Glory JUNE 15 - JULY 3 (3 Weeks) JULY 16 - 24 (3 Weeks) JULY 27 - AUG 14 (3 Weeks)

8:30 AM-3:30 PM Aftercare Available

Ages 8-13 Storycamp

Magic, Maps & the Natural World June 15 - 26 Superheroes & Power Animals June 29 - July 10 Treehouses: Stories as Structures July 13 - 24 The Living Game: Skills & Strategy July 27 - Aug 7

www.shepherdvalley.org (303) 652 - 1310 94 April 23, 2015

Boulder Community Acupuncture employees, from left, Stephanie Wilson, Jennifer Wyler and Katie Kell, help you with fixing a variety of different ailments.

Acupuncture

BOULDER COMMUNITY ACUPUNCTURE 3405 Penrose Place, 303-443-3034 Second Place: Boulder Sports Acupuncture Third Place: Acupuncture Clinic of Boulder Fourth Place: Aloha Wellness Associates Fifth Place: Boulder Body Balance Acupuncture Clinic

I

n traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture is thought to correct imbalances in the flow of qi, which is, quite simply, the life force of any living thing. Whether you suffer from depression, digestive disorders, allergies, migraines, insomnia, joint pain or a plethora of other physical ailments, the professionals at Boulder Community Acupuncture can balance your qi and get you back to your old self in no time.

They even offer acupuncture for kids via sho-ni-shin, a needle-free form of pediatric acupuncture that can alleviate asthma, chronic earaches, bed-wetting and even behavioral challenges. Got a sports-related injury? Boulder Community Acupuncture’s got you covered there too. They offer a sliding fee scale to make acupuncture accessible to the Boulder community. So if you’ve tried other treatments and find yourself wondering what’s next, give Boulder Community Acupuncture a try — our readers say they’re the best in town.

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Visit Dr. Rachel Simmons and Dr. Shawn Allen at Dermatology Specialists when you want your skin to glow.

Skin Care Services

DERMATOLOGY SPECIALISTS OF BOULDER

2880 Folsom St., Suite 200, 303-442-6647 Second Place: Divine Resonance Third Place: The Dragontree Holistic Day Spa Fourth Place: jlounge Natural Nail Bar and Spa Fifth Place: The Beauty Spot

Y

ou’ve only got one face to put forward to the world, so you’re going to want it to be a nice one. And if you’ve got the same bug that bit everyone else who lives in Boulder and you enjoy skiing, hiking, climbing, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, rafting and cycling, you’ve probably had plenty of sunshine-drenched days on that nose. Even the best of sunscreen care can wear thin, and so when you need a little pampering to recover from those days playing outdoors, try the Dermatology Specialists of Boulder. They specialize in skin cancer removal, in addition to providing an array of cosmetic services.

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

April 23, 2015 95

Thanks for letting us keep you so well adjusted!

Courtesy of St Julien Hotel & Day Spa

Rated Best of Boulder for the 9th consecutive year, The Joint offers high quality, affordable chiropractic care right in your backyard.

To serve you better we’ve • Extended Sunday hours now open 10 am-4 pm • Hired four doctors on staff Day Spa

SPA AT ST JULIEN

19

$

*

4 49 FOR

$

*

Adjustment

Up to 4 adjustments per month

no appointments convenient hours licensed chiropractors

no appointments convenient hours licensed chiropractors

*Offer valid for first visit only. Initial visits includes consultation, exam and adjustment.

Six-month agreement required. Month to month memberships available for $59.

BOULDER 2525 Arapahoe Ave., Suite C2 • 303.440.8019 Monday - Friday: 10am - 7pm • Saturday & Sunday: 10am - 4pm

thejoint.com 96 April 23, 2015

900 Walnut St., 303-406-8218 Second Place: Essentiels Day Spa Third Place: The Dragontree Holistic Day Spa Fourth Place: jlounge Natural Nail Bar and Spa Fifth Place: Finishing Touch Salon & Day Spa

W

hen our readers want to luxuriate, they head to the Spa at St Julien where they can partake in manicures, pedicures, full-body massage, facials, exfoliating scrubs and of course a relaxing sauna. Detox, hydrate, tone and rejuvenate in the St Julien’s 10,000-square-foot spa, or keep that energized body looking great in their fully equipped fitness center. Professionals there have even created signature treatments based on Colorado’s indigenous plants and elements that you can’t experience anywhere else. Boulderites aren’t the only ones who think the spa at St Julien is world-class — it was one of the 75 top spas in the U.S. by Condé Nast Traveler in 2013.

Reader Comment I want to vote for best sensory deprivation tank.

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

THANK YOU BOULDER!

A WEEK AT THE BEACH $ FOR

9.95

INCLUDES ONE TAN IN EACH SUNBED LEVEL AND A SPRAY TAN. $125 VALUE

28TH & PEARL • BOULDER 2100 28th Street #4 • 303-449-1499 Mon - Fri 8am-10pm Sat & Sun 8am-8pm

WWW.ATBTANNING.COM

Thank You

for your Best Shoe Store votes!

Come visit our knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate staff committed to getting you into a shoe you’ll love.

Jeremy Williams

2775 Pearl Street , Boulder, CO 80302 303-RUN-WALK

www.boulderrunningcompany.com

BoulderBodyworks employee Renee Beshuves

Pilates

BOULDERBODYWORKS

1301 Yellow Pine Ave., 303-444-2739 Second Place: Bolder Pilates Third Place: Body Dynamics Fourth Place: Core Wisdom Fifth Place: RallySport Health and Fitness Club

I

f you’re feeling down, remember the infamous words of Elle Woods, “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy.” And remember, happiness is contagious. So really, the best thing to do for the community is to make yourself happy. If you’re in need of a rush of endorphins, head down to BoulderBodyworks and take a pilates class. You’ll sweat out the stresses and turn all the negative juju into beams of sunshine, all the while making your butt tighter. It’s a win-win situation — for the world and your butt.

Dance Studio

BOULDER BALLET COMPANY AND SCHOOL 2590 Walnut St., 303-443-0028 Second Place: Alchemy of Movement Third Place: Avalon Ballroom Fourth Place: Streetside Dance Studios Fifth Place: Boulder Spirals

W

hen you’re sick of the same old bump and grind, it’s time to learn some new moves.

Ballet will up your game and give you just the right amount of class and grace in any situation, in or out of the studio. Ballet takes the right training and dedication to the bar; it teaches strength and coordination to even the clumsiest of people. With professional teachers and comprehensive training, Boulder Ballet Company and School takes first position for Best of Boulder. Boulder Ballet is churning out the next crop of ballerinas one elegant plié at a time.

Reader Comment Physical Therapy needs to be a category.

98 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Boulder’s Premier Eyewear Destination

Thanks for Voting us Best Optical Store!

20% OFF some exclusions apply

in the Village at 2525 ARAPAHOE

❘

we’ll be seeing you.

303.4 47.0210 ❘ www.aspene y e w ear.com

VOTED BEST OF BOULDER NEARLY EVERY YEAR SINCE 2OO1

YOUR BEST VISION STARTS HERE

Now offering cataract and RLE surgery AMO Laser with Wavefront analysis & Iris Registration • Is approved by NASA for military pilots and astronauts • Precisely measures your refractive error & unique irregularities to program customized treatment • Includes ActiveTrack 3-D, the first FDA approved system that tracks eye movement along the X, Y and Z axes

Dr. Beyer is Very Experienced:

• Has performed LVC longer than any other surgeon in Colorado • Was on surgical team that performed the world’s first LVC • Co-authored the original scientific paper describing the LASIK procedure • Has trained surgeons throughout the world

181O 3Oth STREET, SUITE B, BOULDER

303.499.2O2O WWW.BOULDEREYES.COM

inspire organic beauty “Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.” ~ Coco Chanel

organic and natural skincare :: nails :: facials :: massage :: facial acupuncture :: DNA CryoStem Cell Renewal monday 11a-5p :: tuesday-friday 9a-7p :: saturday 9a-6p :: sunday 11a-5p jloungespa.com JLOUNGE NATURAL NAIL BAR AND SPA :: 3003 WALNUT STREET :: BOULDER, COLORADO 80301 :: 720.484.6669 Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

fl

April 23, 2015 99

Jeremy Williams

Place to Buy or Sell a Used Bike

BOULDER BIKESMITH

1668 30th St., 303-4431132

B

McGuckin Hardware art department employees, left to right: Robert Alispach, Karen Peterson, Daniel Goldstein, Diana Davis

Arts & Crafts Supplies

MCGUCKIN HARDWARE

2525 Arapahoe Ave., Suite D1, 303-443-1822 Second Place: Michaels Third Place: Meininger’s Fine Art Fourth Place: Jo-Ann’s Fabric and Craft Fifth Place: Guirys

P

interest got you powered up to make your own giant wall art? Feeling the need to scrapbook a keepsake for your mom? Got a kid-worthy finger-painting urge? When the urge to get artsy and craftsy takes you over, check the many aisles at McGuckin Hardware. You’ll find a stock of paint to handle your project if it’s as big as a house and enough paper to make your own phonebook if you ever really give up on Facebook.

And power tools. Because sometimes, high-quality arts call for power tools.

icycling Magazine named Boulder sixth in its 2014 rankings of the Top 50 BikeFriendly Cities in America, and for good reasons; lots of us commute on two wheels; we have one of the nation’s best advocacy groups in the Boulder Mountain Bike Alliance (fighting an uphill battle to open more trails to mountain bikes, but that’s another story) and the terrain around Boulder County is unparalleled in beauty and diversity. We also have great bikeshops and we think one of them is an absolute gem. Jon Stabile’s Boulder Bikesmith not only offers the area’s best selection of rental bikes, it now has a great used bike selection. So whether you are looking for a commuter bike or a fullsuspension mountain bike, this is the place. Bikesmith can also turn your old bike into cash.

THANK YOU for shopping locally with us!

ENJOY

$5a $20 OFF or more purchase

2536 Spruce Street, Boulder 303-444-8088 wwwBoulderThriftStore.com Like us on Facebook 100 April 23, 2015

Limit one discount offer per day.

Expires 8/31/15 Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

THANK YOU AGAIN for voting us

!

303.444.7380

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS!!!!

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS!!!!

Boulder County’s #1 Tattoo Studio

Bolder Ink

2735 Iris Ave.

Located on Boulder’s historic downtown pedestrian mall, Peppercorn is a retail potpourri with an exciting array of kitchen, bath and home accessories from designers all over the world.

Thanks for voting us

BEST Kitchen Supplies BEST Gift Shop

Shoe Store

PEDESTRIAN SHOPS

1425 Pearl St., 303-449-5260 Village Shopping Center on Arapahoe, 303-449-7440 Second Place: Boulder Running Company Third Place: Two Sole Sisters Fourth Place: Brown’s Shoe Fit Co. Fifth Place: Shoe Fly

1235 Pearl Street, Boulder 303.449.5847 www.peppercorn.com

I

f it’s true that good shoes take you good places, then oh, the places you will go after a visit to Pedestrian Shops. Their mission is to make the world more comfortable by selling extremely comfortable shoes for men and women — and they try to do good by the planet while they’re at it. They recycle shoe boxes to ship Internet orders when possible, operate a 10-kilowatt solar array and hold biyearly shoe drives for those in need. So drop in and shop world-class brands like Birkenstock, Merrel and Keen and feel good about supporting a stellar community business.

SALE!!

New markdowns on Clothes and BRAS

Law Firm

GARD & BOND, LLC

2541 Spruce St., 303-449-3040 Second Place: Berg Hill Greenleaf & Ruscitti LLP Third Place: Hassan + Cables Law Firm Fourth Place: Hartney Law LLC/Holland & Hart LLP/Hutchison Black and Cook LLC (Tie)

UP TO 75% OFF

W

here are you going to look if you need to find a good attorney? According to our winners in this category, Gard & Bond, the best way to find their firm is word-of-mouth.That’s right, they say that all of their clients come word-of-mouth, which is an impressive claim that speaks highly of these good folks. So if you find yourself in need of a great attorney, give Gard & Bond a call and tell them you heard about them from thousands of BW readers. Now that’s a big mouth.

selected merchandise

Choice by the County Commissioners

EXTENDING THE OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT BAN TO 2018

Lingerie, Swimwear & Apparel LIKE US ON

I

f you saw the masses of people piling into the county commissioner’s meeting when they took public comment on the proposal to extend the oil and gas development ban for the county — or heard them singing, saw the signs they carried, the petitions they were seeking signatures for or listened to their testimony pleading for the commissioners to wait while research has a chance to catch up before drilling permits surge ahead — you know how the county’s residents feel about this one.

We’re pretty sure they’ll agree, the best thing the county commissioner’s attended to last year was listening to the voters on this one.

2425 Canyon • 303-443-2421 Mon-Sat 10-6 Sun 12-5 • www.christinasluxuries.com 102 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Opt Out of a Cagey Public Service Campaign

BOULDER HIGH SCHOOL

Place for Goodies Usually Only Found in Europe

1604 Arapahoe Ave., 720-561-2200

BAYLEAF ON PEARL

I

n late August, the Colorado Department of Public Health launched a teen-marijuana-education campaign they called “Don’t Be a Lab Rat” targeted toward 12- to 15-year-olds. Televised PSAs shared findings from studies that claim marijuana can damage developing brains.

Many of these were small-scale studies, and much more research needs to be done, but we agree — kids shouldn’t smoke pot. But where the campaign got really icky was the 12-foot-long, 8-foot-high cages, complete with human-sized water bottles, placed around libraries, state parks and concert venues. One such cage was slated for installation at the street corner right across from Boulder High School. However, BVSD Superintendent Bruce Messinger saw the ick factor and put the kibosh on the installation, saying it wasn’t the most effective way to get the message across to kids. Yeah, we agree with that, too.

1123 Pearl St., 303-447-0065

W

e really can’t, and shouldn’t, be asked to help the fact that Europe has an irresistible appeal. You’re not going to win an argument against the romance of a tablecloth befitting a French countryside table, or the lure of a bottle of Tuscan red wine, or the charm of a beer stein so big it takes two hands to hold. America can be so efficient and businesslike. So when you need a mini-holiday to the Old World, stop by Bayleaf on Pearl and tour their aisles of European treats for the viewing and tasting pleasures. Their shelves are filled with goodies you thought you’d have to fly back across the pond to savor once more.

Stereo / Electronics

BEST BUY

1740 30th St., 303-938-2889 Second Place: ListenUp Third Place: Apple Store Fourth Place: Car Toys Fifth Place: Crescendo Fine Audio

Thank You for Your Best Moving Company Votes!

T

he stereo shop has changed in recent years. As music distribution turns digital and Apple earbuds become ubiquitous, the need for a good stereo and electronics shop seems to have diminished. But that’s not quite true. In fact, a good electronics store is necessary now more than ever so that we can retain the gift of high-quality audio and visual equipment. Our readers say the best place to get electronics is Best Buy, likely because of their wide selection and accommodating staff. With locations nationwide, Best Buy can keep prices low and bring in inventory other places can’t.

Real Estate Group

RE/MAX OF BOULDER INC.

2425 Canyon Blvd., Suite 110, 303-4497000 (and other locations in Boulder County) Second Place: 8z Real Estate Third Place: Wright Kingdom Real Estate Fourth Place: Colorado Landmark, Realtors Fifth Place: Pedal to Properties

B

uying a house is a very grown-up decision, one that not everyone is ready for.

It can easily regress you back to childhood where you just want someone to hold your hand and get you a juice box.When the time finally comes, you want a realtor that will be as helpful and supportive as a parent. Our readers’ first choice, ReMax of Boulder, is there to help you by providing people you can trust and who will help you get exactly what you want. With friendly and knowledgeable realtors, you’ll surely avoid a temper tantrum-level panic attack.

DECLUTTER BEFORE A MOVE

Properly prepping your house to put on the real estate market is a vital step in increasing your chances of getting a good offer on your home. Start with your Realtor. Ask them what needs to stay and what needs to go. They may even suggest you put some things into storage.

The need for moving storage often arises when transitioning between homes.

There are endless reasons as to why people use our storage facility during a transition. We can store your items until you’re ready for them. Whatever your storage needs are, we can cost-effectively accommodate your belongings.

10% OFF UP TO $150

2 MONTHS FREE STORAGE Ask for details on storage items.

DE-CLUTTER SPECIAL 2 MEN - 3 HOURS JUST $215!

••••••••••••••••••••••••••CALL FOR DETAILS•••••••••••••••••••••••••• STAGE YOUR HOME FOR SALE

Staging is meant to maximize your home’s features while minimizing the negative ones. It’s also meant to create an inviting mood that makes the potential buyer feel at home. Our professional movers will rearrange the furniture to maximize the space in each room.

CALL US TODAY TO SPEAK TO A MOVING SPECIALIST

303-530-7333

BOULDERVALLEYTRANSFER.COM Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

April 23, 2015 103

IN PLANTS & P G N I E G AR D E N S R O LIZ INABL S D

IN CE UC 19

9

S

R

TS 2

FO P

IA STA C E SU

Sustainable

Nursery

u Organic Veggie & Herb Starts u Colorado Fruit Trees & Berry Bushes u Excellent Selection of Natives u Colorado-Adapted & Unusual Perennials u Organic Fertilizers & Compost u 100% Neonic-Free Plants

4795 N. 26th Street • Boulder • www.HarlequinsGardens.com • 303-939-9403

Bath & Body Shop LUSH

1312 Pearl St., 303-444-5874 Second Place: Rebecca’s Herbal Apothecary Third Place: Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy Fourth Place: Bath & Body Works Fifth Place: Sephora

Y

ou know what rocks? Bunnies. Bunnies are the best.Take a look at cuteoverload.com (If you’ve got a time machine and are spending a lot of time in 2007, of course) and what dominates? Bunnies. OK, maybe they’re tied with kittens and puppies, and we don’t know what else, because we don’t look at that website or websites like dailyotter.org.

Anyway. Bunnies are the best, and because we love them, we love Lush, which uses fresh ingredients (just like our many farm-to-table restaurants) to make cosmetics without testing on animals, like bunnies. So hop on over for bath bombs and body butters that’ll make your skin and your heart feel good.

New Business

BOULDER HOME THEATER COMPANY 4878 Dakota Blvd., 720-201-1905 Second Place: Joy Collective Third Place: Voss Art & Home Fourth Place: vpk by Maharishi Ayurveda Fifth Place: Blackbelly Market

T

here’s nothing like the magic of a movie, but sometimes going to the movies can be a little bit of a drag. It’s gotten pretty pricey, and why is that guy two rows behind you commenting like the characters can hear him? Wouldn’t it be great to have your own theater? If it seems far-fetched, think again. Boulder Home Theater Company can set you up with a custom home theater system that means you can bring the magic of the movies right to your home. Invite friends over and watch Game of Thrones or have the best Super Bowl party ever. With more than 15 years of experience in the custom audio-video industry, Boulder Home Theater Co. won’t disappoint.

Place to glam up to party like it’s 1929, or ’89, or whatever ’9

GOLDMINE VINTAGE 1123 Pearl St., 303-447-0065

G

oldmine Vintage devotes its racks to vintage clothing and piles together an extraordinary collection of pieces that may boast a sense of timeless appeal, or may be perfectly iconic to a different decade befitting a party from another era.

They also stock independent artist lines, vinyl and costumes — making this a worthy stop when you’re looking for a piece that’s going to mix it up in the crowd and break away from the standard-issue.

104 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

art gallery + showroom + creative accelerator

A Creative Accelerator program specifically for individuals who want to launch a career in graphic design, music, video & film, photography, or develop a creative based business.

Now accepting applications.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

WWW.MADELIFE.COM

VISIT US WED-SAT 12-7PM 21ST AND PEARL | 303-927-0802

Thank You Boulder for Voting Us Best Dry Cleaner!!!

• Locally owned Since 1921 • Friendly & Knowledgeable Staff • Full Service Dry Cleaning Laundry & Alterations • Free Pick-Up & Delivery • 10 Convenient Locations

Susan France

® ®

303.447.8700 • artcleaners.com Mention this ad and get a FREE week of either organic diaper service or half + 1/2 service XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

COUPON

FREE

CLOTH DIAPER SERVICE Expires 4/30/16

2825 Wilderness Pl. #400 • Boulder, CO 303-443-9416 • wwwbundlebabyshop.com

Jennifer Krueger, employee at Aspen Eyewear.

LIKE US ON

Optical Store

ASPEN EYEWEAR

2525 Arapahoe Ave, Unit E-23, 303-447-0210 Second Place: Envision Boulder Third Place: Boulder Vision Center Fourth Place: College Optical Fifth Place: Wink Optical

Thank You! For Voting Us As

G

etting new glasses and contacts can be pretty stressful, but not when you head to Aspen Eyewear. These folks have been running this family-owned business for three generations, so they know a thing or two — which our readers have made clear by voting for Aspen Eyewear as Best Optical Store year after year. Most prescriptions are filled in one to three days, but this is no sacrifice for quality. This is your vision we’re talking about, so Aspen Eyewear promises to spend more than an hour preparing your eyewear. They’ll manage repairs that other stores won’t, and they have the only on-site custom lens-finishing lab in Boulder. There’s an independent optometrist located in the store to provide eye exams.

It’s an all-in-one package at Aspen Eyewear.

Tattoo / Piercing Parlor

Celebrating 68 years

BOLDER INK

as Boulder’s oldest family owned and operated jeweler

2735 Iris Ave., 303-444-7380 Second Place: Tribal Rites Tattoo and Piercing Third Place: Rising Tide Tattoo Fourth Place: Claw and Talon Tattoo Fifth Place: K&K Piercing & Jewelry

G

1402 Pearl St.

Downtown Boulder

303-443-1084

etting a tattoo or a piercing requires a lot of trust.You’re handing over the reins to your body, hoping the tattoo artist will perfectly capture the essence of the meaningful tattoo you’ve spent years considering.When you’re looking for that person you can trust, you might pick our readers’ choice for the best tattoo/piercing parlor, Bolder Ink. Since 1994, Bolder Ink has been providing talented, experienced professionals who you can put your confidence in. No surprises, only exactly what you want. And that moment when you look in the mirror and see your vision realized, you’ll know it was all worth it.

www.hurdlesjewelry.com

106 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Learn it!

better classes, better workshops, better pictures

Shoot it!

more cameras, more accessories, more know-how

Share It! photo books, photo gifts, online albums

Print It!

print at home, print in-store, print online

Send It!

holiday greetings, announcements, invitations

Create It! photo cards, photo mugs, photo calendars

Frame It! custom made, ready made, ready to show

DVD It!

home movies, slides & prints scanned to DVD

Love It!

You’ll love your camera, you’ll love your pictures, and you’ll love shopping at Mike’s Camera!

<HV D ORW KDV FKDQJHG VLQFH 0LNHÂśV &DPHUD RSHQHG LWV ÂżUVW VWRUH LQ $QG \HDUV ODWHU RQH WKLQJ UHPDLQV WKH VDPH DW HYHU\ RQH RI RXU VWRUHV :HÂśUH VWLOO WKH SODFH \RXÂśOO ÂżQG SHRSOH passionate about photography!

Our techies love to share their knowledge on the latest gear, gadgets and gizmoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for capturing better pictures. Our class instructors will fuel your creativity and encourage your talents. Our designers will surprise you with unique photo inspired gifts, greeting cards and stationery, and turn those prize shots into a collection of stunning custom framed wall art pieces WR GHFRUDWH \RXU KRPH RU RIÂżFH :HÂśOO GHVLJQ DQG SULQW your business collateral and vinyl banners and enhance the image of your company. Find out for yourself why our customers love shopping with us!

The New Nikon

built to inspire your creativity

â&#x20AC;˘ 24.2 MegaPixel â&#x20AC;˘ 3.2â&#x20AC;? Vari-Angle Touch Screen LCD â&#x20AC;˘ Built-In WiFi â&#x20AC;˘ 5 Frames Per Second â&#x20AC;˘ ISO 100-25600 â&#x20AC;˘ Full 1080p HD Movie Coloradoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Photography & Imaging Source since 1967 COLORADO SPRINGS

1850 N. Academy Boulevard Colorado Springs, CO 80909 719-597-1575

BOULDER

2500 Pearl Street Boulder, CO 80302 303-443-1715

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

DENVER

759 S. Colorado Boulevard Denver, CO 80246 303-733-2121

SACRAMENTO

SHOP ONLINE AT

THORNTON

10350 Grant Street - at 104th Thornton CO 80229 303-252-1100

MILL VALLEY

mikescamera.com

MENLO PARK

WHEAT RIDGE

3830 Wadsworth Blvd.

Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 303-424-0430

PLEASANT HILL

PARK MEADOWS

9197 E.Westview Rd. Lone Tree, CO 80124 303-708-9655

DUBLIN

Susan France

Computer — Repair

APPLE STORE

1755 29th St., 720-479-9451 Second Place: Boulder Mac Repair Third Place: The Mac Shack Fourth Place: Boulder PC Fifth Place: iSupportU

S

ome day, many decades from now, people will gather around digital fireplaces and tell stories about days when a computer didn’t have enough artificial intelligence to fix itself after you dropped it and cracked the screen, spilled a beer on it and fried out the keyboard, or bingewatched too many DVDs in a row and melted down whatever it is inside there that melts down when the drive overloads. But until then, there’s the Apple Store, where the geniusesin-residence do their best to repair what’s broken so you can get back to your surfing and binge-watching and Skyping with that best friend who just won’t break down and move to the people’s Republick.

Computer — Retail

APPLE STORE

1755 29th St., 720-479-9451 Second Place: Best Buy Third Place: Costco Wholesale Fourth Place: The Mac Shack Fifth Place: CU Book Store

W

hen Apple created its plan for taking over the world, we’re pretty sure that Boulder was chosen as the original test market. Babies in this town play with iRattles, dogs chew on iKongs and old people limp along on their iWalkers. OK, they don’t really, but they would if they could. People here, including our readers, are definitely into all things Apple and are, no doubt, already in the queue for iWatches and iCars and anything else the company decides to throw our way. Boulder loves its Apple Store and so do we.

Michael Fish, sales associate at Boulder Ski Deals

Ski/Snowboard Shop

BOULDER SKI DEALS

2525 Arapahoe Road, 303-938-8799 Second Place: Christy Sports Third Place: Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) Fourth Place: Larry’s Bootfitting Fifth Place: Crystal Ski Shop

A

h, the siren song of snow, falling in powdery pillows and coating all that’s green with white goodness. Whether you’re making Colorado your home or just passing through, if it’s between December and April, you’ll want to take part in the local tradition of strapping boards to your feet and slipping around on the slopes. Boulder Ski Deals has been gearing people up to slide down the snow since, as they say, “before the dawn of the single plank” and giving them great — if the name didn’t give it away — deals on that gear. Fear not snowboarders, they’ve got snowboard deals, too.

Reader Comment A Photographer category would be great!

108 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Roundhouse Spirits is now Vapor Distillery

LS Vol 23 #8 Date: 10/16/14 NB Mails Out: 10/29/14 Book Exp: 11/29/14

The Same Award-winning Spirits - New Name & Look Distillery tours Tue - Fri 4pm Sat and Sun 3pm & 5pm Tasting Bar Tue - Sun 4 - 9 pm www.VaporDistillery.com

80 Garden Center, Suite 118 • Broomfield, CO 80020 303-460-7600 • Fax 303-460-9723 e-mail: Teresa@valuads.net

A Proof Of Your Ad For Approval Prepared by Teresa

FULL SERVICE NEW & USED BOOKSTORE! FULL SERVICE NEW & USED BOOKSTORE!

Voted

“Best Bookstore” BEST of Boulder County Book Store 2013

724 Main Street • Louisville

Open Mon-Thur 10am-6pm • Fri-Sat 10am-7pm • Sun 10am-5pm

by the Boulder Weekly

BookCellar2.net • 303-604-2880 • • • • • •

• Now Carrying Toys, Games & Gifts • 10% Cash Discount for All New Book Orders • Gift Certificates Available • Offering Book Appraisals/Evaluation Services • Trade in Used Books for Credit!

• Leaning Tree Greeting Cards Assortment

HOLIDAY SEASON SPECIALS Now Carrying Toys, Games & Gifts 724 Main Street, Louisville • BookCellar2.net • 303-604-2880 10% Cash Discount for All New Book Orders Open Monday-Thursday 10am-6pm • Friday-Saturday 10am-7pm • Sunday Gift Certifi cates Available Offering Book Appraisals/Evaluation Services Trade In Used Books for Credit!

Leaning Tree Greeting Cards Assortment Must bring in coupon to redeem. Expires 11/29/14 Must bring in coupon to redeem. Expires 11/29/14

FREE Holiday Greeting Card w/Purchase of $20 or More

Lillies

10% OFF Boxed Christmas Cards

10am-5pm

Dear VAL-U-ADS® Customer,

Fairly Traded, Earth Friendly, Meaningful Goods Organic & Natural Fiber Clothing Color proofs are provided for color placement

Thank you for advertising with us; we appreciate your business. This proof is your opportunity to catch any errors made during the composition of this ad. Please check the following items carefully and mark any corrections clearly.

❏ Name ❏ Address ❏ Phone Number

❏ Expiration Date ❏ Artwork/Logo/Photos ❏ Prices, special offers, other information

• •

confirmation only. Actual colors printed on the final paper stock will appear somewhat different than those printed on this proof.

Unique & Inspirational

Please Return by DEADLINE: FRIDAY (Oct 17) 10am Approved as-is

• Garden Art

Approved with changes indicated

• Home & Housewares Approved by sales rep.

• Bath & Body •Baby & Children •Jewelry & Accessories

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

April 23, 2015 109

CLOTHING COSTUMES FUN

Auto Dealer — New

FLATIRONS SUBARU

5995 Arapahoe Ave., 888-559-1567 Second Place: Larry H. Miller Toyota Boulder Third Place: Fisher Honda Kia Fourth Place: Audi Boulder Fifth Place: Gebhardt BMW

BEST COSTUMES IN BOULDER

L

ook around in any parking lot or check the auto logos at any intersection and it all becomes clear — this is a Subaru town. Nothing proves the point more than watching Subaru owners wander aimlessly through parking lots pressing their key fobs to find their ride because there are something like 20 blue Outbacks, a dozen silver Foresters and a sea of black Imprezas stacked like cord wood in every lot. This explains why our readers think Flatirons Subaru is the best place to buy a new car. That’s to say that if it’s the best place to buy a Subaru, then it’s the best place to buy a car. But we can attest that the good folks at Flatirons are great to work with and always take good care of their customers as well.

Adult Merchandise

MAYBEE BY FASCINATIONS

Open Late 959 Walnut Boulder 303.442.2850

3135 28th St., 303-442-7309 Second Place: Pleasures

M

ayBee by Fascinations takes the taboo out of shopping for intimacy products by creating a bright environment with wide aisles and a welcoming staff — because shopping for such fun things should be… well, fun. So whether you’re looking for a risqué outfit, some sensual bath products or a special toy to spice up your relationship, MayBee has what you’re looking for — and you won’t feel like a total creeper while you’re shopping for it.

Green Business

OCEAN FIRST DIVERS

3015 Bluff St., 303-444-7243 Second Place: Green Ride Boulder Third Place: Eco-Cycle Fourth Place: Momentum Fifth Place: Alfalfa’s Market

G

raham Casden, owner of Ocean First Divers, wanted to build conservation and sustainability into his business because a robust, healthy marine environment is central to the diving industry. They became the first carbon neutral dive shop in the world by deriving their energy from wind power and adopting a carbon-offset program. They offset all dive travel by investing in renewable energies through the purchase of carbon and forestry credits. Recently, they have installed solar photovotalic and thermal systems, variable speed pool pumps, high-efficiency boilers and a regenerative heat exchanger. They created the Green Star Award to certify other dive businesses in sustainability and environmental practices, and teamed up with Sustainable Travel International to create the Dive Center Standard that helps businesses manage their impacts and reduce waste.

Trip Down Musical Memory Lane

POSTER SCENE

1505 Pearl St., 303-443-3102

E

ver gone to a concert and decided, “Nah, I’m not going to buy that poster,” then found yourself regretting the decision 10 years later on a slightly drunken, very nostalgic night? Yeah, well, join the club. But let go of that regret and get down to Poster Scene and peruse their selection of thousands of music and movie posts, records and other collectible memorabilia. Poster Scene stocks tons of posters from Denver- and Boulder-area shows, as well as collectibles from the San Francisco and Warfield series. You can even sell your vintage posters if you’ve decided it’s time to move on.

110 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

25TH ANNIVERSARY SIDEWALK SALE! FRIDAY, SATURDAY MAY 1-3 & SUNDAY GOLF CLUB SALE

NEW SOCCER BALLS

NEW HEAD BINDINGS

10% OFF

NOW 20% OFF

75% OFF

20% OFF

NEW RIP-IT HELMETS

GAIT LAX GLOVES

NEW HIKING POLES

NEW RIP-IT FIELDER MASKS 50% OFF

NEW CYCLONE BAT

FREE ARMOUR SOCKS WHILE SUPPLIES LAST

NEW HEAD SKIS ARMOUR SKATE HELMETS

BUY A SET OF GOLF CLUBS

SET OF GOLF CLUBS WITH BAG SET OF GOLF CLUBS, BAG & GLOVES

30% OFF

30% OFF

NOW $25 A PAIR

50% OFF

40% OFF WAS $25 NOW $20 WAS $15 NOW $10

WORLD CUP SOCCER BALLS

COME CELEBRATE OUR 20% OFF SELECT RIP IT BATS UP TO 75% OFF

25TH ANNIVERSARY ALL MONTH LONG! 653 S. Broadway, Boulder table mesa shopping center

M-F 10am-7pm • Sat 10am-6pm • Sun 11am-5pm

303.499.2011

playitagainsportsboulder.com

Recreational Dispensary

Courtesy of The Farm

THE FARM

2801 Iris Ave., 303-440-1323 Second Place: Terrapin Care Station Third Place: Karing Kind Fourth Place: Herbal Wellness Fifth Place: Helping Hands Herbals/ The Bud Dispensary

T

Thank you for nominating us for Best of Boulder.

he Farm opened its doors in 2009 to the medical marijuana community. But with the passage of Amendment 64 in 2012, The Farm threw those doors wider open, making it possible for everyone on Earth over the age of 21 to celebrate the end of cannabis prohibition by making a purchase of high quality cannabis flower, extracts and edibles. The Farm staff is extremely knowledgeable and can guide you to just the right product or the perfect accessory for consum- Since 2009, The Farm has been providing quality products to its customers and our ing your new found freedom. readers.

Moving Company

TAYLOR MOVING AND STORAGE

We are a Boulder based salon that thrives on giving you a quality experience in a comfortable setting.

$

CU Students: Ask us about your discounts.

10 OFF

Brazilian wax with this ad.

Offer Expires April 30, 2016.

Check us out on Like Us On Facebook

OPEN Tuesday – Saturday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM 303.444.1803 • 2757 Iris Ave. Boulder • salonfifty4thirty.com 112 April 23, 2015

4949 N. Broadway, Suite 110, 303-443-4885 Second Place: Two Men and a Truck Third Place: Boulder Valley Transfer Fourth Place: A Boulder Moving Co. Fifth Place: Flatirons Moving and Storage

H

ave you seen those television shows where people give away everything to move into a tiny house that’s 100 square feet with just enough room for two coffee cups and two spoons but no coffee maker? It would be so easy to move if all you owned were two coffee cups and two spoons…

But, you probably own two and another eight. So when it comes time to pack it all up and move from one not-so-tiny house to another, you’ll probably want some extra hands.

Call Taylor Moving and Storage when that time inevitably comes.They’re experienced and locally owned and operated, so they know how to heave your heaviest things and deliver them carefully to your next destination.

Use of an Animal Sound

MEOW MEOW

1118 13th St., 303-442-8602

Y

ou don’t have to be a crazy cat lady to love Meow Meow. This little gem on The Hill carries funky women’s clothing and jewelry along with an amazing selection of unique cards, locally made soaps and lotions, coffee table books, purses and other odds and ends.With more-than-reasonable prices, it’s a perfect place to shop for gifts — for yourself and those you love. So get down there right meow.

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Susan France

Sturtz & Copeland employee Ellen Hawkins

Florist

Auto Dealer — Used

Auto Detailing

Auto Service/Repair

STURTZ & COPELAND

FLATIRONS IMPORTS

PUDDLE CARWASH

SUPER RUPAIR

N

W

2851 Valmont Road, 303-442-6663 Second Place: Fiori Flowers Third Place: Boulder Blooms Fourth Place: Lafayette Florist Fifth Place: Boulder Gardens othing says “I’m the best ever” like getting the best ever flowers for someone you love. At Sturtz & Copeland, whether your needs would best be met by a flower box full of pansies, seeds for spring planting or a bouquet to wish “get well” or “be happy,” you’ll find it. If you’re in a do-it-yourself kind of spirit, they also have classes to learn floral design or container gardening. Which is like the best way to tell yourself, “You’re the best ever.”

114 April 23, 2015

5995 Arapahoe Ave., 888-650-6108 Second Place: Blue Spruce Auto Sales Third Place: Green Eyed Motors Fourth Place: Smooth Motors e’ve all been there. Whether your 1997 Accord broke down finally or you’re buying your high schooler his or her first car and want something reliable, inexpensive and able to be dinged, the used car is an important fixture in American society.

Our readers say when it’s time to go get one, the best place to do so is Flatirons Imports. With a wide selection of makes and models, competitive pricing and payment options, Flatirons Imports provides the cars we need to get around town and up into the mountains. Our readers say you can be sure of the quality you’ll get in a used automobile from Flatirons Imports.

3100 28th St., 303-447-9274 Second Place: Boulder Auto Detail Third Place: Buffs Car Wash Fourth Place: Alpine Auto Detailing Fifth Place: The Works Automotive Detailing and Paint Correction

B

oulder cars can take a lot of abuse — weather, mountains, animal hair, dirty shoes, sweaty people and, unfortunately, the list goes on. We live life to the fullest, and our cars can sometimes fail to keep up. If your car needs a facelift inside and outside, our readers head over to Puddle Carwash for the car-equivalent of a day spa. Since 1973, the people over at Puddle Carwash have been taking excellent care of their customers, offering a variety of services for whatever your ride is in need of. At affordable prices, they’ll get your car ready to star in the inevitable Fast and Furious sequel.

1309 Yarmouth Ave., 303-442-6508 Second Place: Hoshi Motors Third Place: The Boulder Bump Shop Fourth Place: Chan Foreign Car Fifth Place: Independent Motors

I

f you live in Boulder, chances are you like to play in the mountains, and if you play in the mountains, you’re going to need a car that can get you up and down the mountain in any kind of weather. For safe mountain play, many Boulderites choose to drive Subarus. So when your beloved Subaru needs a little maintenance, you want folks who know a Subaru inside and out, like the folks at Super Rupair. Not only do they only repair Subarus, they are independently owned and operated — a truly Boulder business. They offer an 18-month/18,000mile guarantee on repairs, so what do you have to lose? If your ’roo is in need of a little love, our readers say Super Rupair is the place to go.

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Susan France

Boulder’s best indoor and outdoor gardens, weddings, birthdays and holidays always start at

Sturtz and Copeland

Thank you for all your votes. We love Boulder!

2851 Valmont • 303.442.6663 www.sturtzandcopeland.com

Peppercorn employees Reid Lasley and Shelby Mefford

Kitchen Supplies

PEPPERCORN

Open every night for Dinner HHHHHHHHHHHHH Lunch served Friday - Sunday

BEST PLACE TO DANCE

1235 Pearl St., 303-449-5847 Second Place: McGuckin Hardware Third Place: Sur La Table Fourth Place: Bed Bath and Beyond Fifth Place: Savory Spice Shop

S

ome of the very best eye candy on Pearl Street is in the store windows of the Peppercorn, where kitchen gadgets, pots, pans, cookbooks and cheery dishtowels greet passersby with just hints of the culinary wonderland inside. Whether you’re dreaming of sauciers or skillets, madeleine pans or quiche dishes, ramekins or pie tins, or tastes of Colorado like locally made hot sauces, tapenades, popcorn, chocolate or bread, you’ll find everything you need to make those dreams come true at Peppercorn.

Grocery Store BEST MARGARITA

ur! o H y p p a H r e l l i K

Monday - ALL NIGHT! Tuesday - Thursday 4 - 6 Friday - Sunday 11:30 - 6 ...with great food and drink specials every day of the week!

Fresh Mexican Cuisine • Fresh Lime Margs

WHOLE FOODS MARKET

2905 Pearl St., 303-5454-6611 2584 W. Baseline Road, 303-499-7636 1275 Alpine Ave., 303-443-1354 (and other around Boulder County) Second Place: King Soopers Third Place: Lucky’s Market Fourth Place: Sprouts Farmers Market Fifth Place: Alfalfa’s Market

G

rocery shopping is a necessary chore that can be such a drag. Thankfully, a trip to Whole Foods can be a relaxing experience in itself. No wonder our readers voted it the best grocery store. Walking into a Whole Foods Markets feels familiar and hospitable. The shelves are stocked with products that will enhance a healthy lifestyle, and the staff can answer any question you have about which vitamins to take or which veggies to put in your green smoothie. You walk out with a desire to conquer the world, or at least with socially conscious products that aren’t trying to kill you or the environment.

1035 Pearl Street, Boulder 303-938-9600 • www.tahonaboulder.com 116 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Solar Systems

NAMASTE SOLAR

ROLLER DERBY 2015 HOME BOUT DATES at the Boulder County Fairgrounds

MAY 23 • JUNE 27 SEPTEMBER 19 OCTOBER 31

WANT TO TRY DERBY? All shapes, sizes, ages, and skating abilities welcomed. Come to one of our New Recruit Nights at

4571 Broadway St., 303-447-0300 Second Place: Flatiron Solar Third Place: Custom Solar Fourth Place: Independent Power Systems Fifth Place: Lighthouse Solar

I

t’s time. You know what we’re talking about. It’s time to do something meaningful to make sure good old planet Earth is still around for your grandkids. Whether it’s Xcel or a municipal electric company providing your TV’s juice, both options are way too reliant on natural gas, or worse, to make electricity. So take matters into your own hands and add a system of solar energy generation to your home. Our readers like Namaste Solar the best while Mother Earth insists she’s just fine with any of our winners.

Tire Shop

DISCOUNT TIRE

3215 28th St., Boulder, 303-440-6811 740 Highway 287, Lafayette, 303-248-5080 379 S. Hover St., Longmont, 303-774-9869 Second Place: Barnsley Tire Co. Third Place: Big O Tires Fourth Place: Lousiville Tire and Auto Care Fifth Place: Firestone Complete Auto Care

I

f tires are like shoes for your car, and a great pair of shoes can take you great places, then logically, a great pair of tires can take you great places. And our readers think there’s no better place to get a great set of tires than Discount Tire. Offering a huge selection of name brand tires as well as house brand tires, Discount Tires can get your car suited up and read to go new places in no time for less money. So don’t wait until your car’s tires are dangerously slick — go on over to one of Discount Tire’s three Boulder County locations and grab a new set without having to refinance your house.

Natural Foods

WHOLE FOODS MARKET

1275 Alpine Ave., 303-443-1354 2905 Pearl St., 303-545-6611 2584 W. Baseline Road, 303-499-7636 303 Marshall Road, Superior, 720-274-1415 Second Place: Vitamin Cottage by Natural Grocers Third Place: Alfalfa’s Market Fourth Place: Sprouts Farmers Market Fifth Place: Lucky’s Market

T

he competition for best natural food seller in Boulder has to be the most heated. With a consumer base that cares deeply about where their food comes from, the natural foods market is healthy in Boulder County. Our voters say the best place to get those natural foods is at Whole Foods. With locations all around Boulder County, it sells a wide variety of fresh produce, legumes, meats, cheeses and more at low prices that don’t sacrife quality. And with a full food bar and specialized kiosks, you can eat an entire meal at Whole Foods and feel pretty good after it.

Fair Trade Store

MOMENTUM

1625 Pearl St., 303-440-7744

F

BOULDERCOUNTYBOMBERS.COM

118 April 23, 2015

irst of all, Momentum is a great store with a really beautiful and eclectic selection of merchandise. Think of it as world music, only in the form of cool products. From whimsical wind chimes to colorful baskets, from handcrafted jewelry to wool and silk products of every shape and style, Momentum has it all. But that’s not the best part. This store sells only fair trade products. When you spend your dollars at Momentum you are assuring that artists, craft-persons and women in impoverished communities all over the world are getting a livable wage for their labor.Want to change the world for the better?

Then shop at Momentum, our favorite fair trade store.

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Pet Store

PC’S PANTRY FOR DOGS AND CATS, INC.

ART • BATH & BODY • CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES

2828 30th St., 303-245-9909 Second Place: PetSmart Third Place: Humane Society of Boulder Valley Fourth Place: Whole Pets Natural Pet Food & Supplies Fifth Place: Only Natural Pet

the

shoppes at

S

omewhere along the way, pets became family members deserving of the same level of love and attention we show to our kids or Grandma.We’re not saying that’s good or bad, just that it’s the new pet reality.

However, we do have it from a knowledgeable source that pets think this new family status is awesome. Right, boy? So if you love that critter like family, there is no better place to find all the things you need to keep your pet happy, healthy and entertained than PC’s Pantry for Dogs and Cats. Now if they only had something for Grandma.

VINTAGE & NEW

Video/DVD/Games

BEST Independent Business

GAMESTOP

2760 Canyon Blvd., 303-440-1282 965 S. Hover St., Suite A2, Longmont, 303651-9877 545 W. South Boulder Road, Suite 154, Lafayette, 303-7192 Second Place: The Video Station Third Place: Game Force Boulder Fourth Place: Karliquin’s Game Knight

V

ideo games are the future. That’s what they said in, like, 1986 and that has proven to be true. Video games have taken over American culture — from Xbox to Playstation to Wii, the future of gaming is in good hands and very promising. Our readers say they like to go to GameStop to buy their games and consoles. With a wide variety of merchandise, low prices, knowledgeable staff and more, GameStop has become the gold standard for video game sellers.This category also includes Video and DVD sales, and so stop by the Video Station, our second place winner, to stock up.

Featuring

&

J Morley Goldsmith

ad, Lafayette o R c i PublGTHECOOL.COM h t u Currently at 410 So RATIN U WWW.C

HOMEGOODS & ACCESSORIES • DELICIOUSNESS • JEWELRY

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

April 23, 2015 119

Mattress

DENVER MATTRESS COMPANY 1445 28th St., 303-413-1314 Second Place: Urban Mattress Third Place: Verlo Mattress Factory Fourth Place: Boulder Furniture and Mattress Fifth Place: Mattress Firm

M

attresses are one of those things you just don’t think about until you’re tossing and turning and bemoaning the spring that keeps jabbing you in the back. Suddenly, your mattress feels like the most important thing you own, and you desperately need a new one.

If you’ve got 99 problems and a mattress is one, head down to Denver Mattress Company (one is located conveniently here in Boulder on 28th Street), where, by the end of your experience, you’ll have 98 problems and an awesome mattress. Denver Mattress Company makes their own mattresses and sells them in their own stores, avoiding the middleman and keeping costs down.

Hydroponic Store

WAY TO GROW

6395 Gunpark Drive, 303-473-4796 Second Place: One Love Garden Supply Third Place: Boulder Hydroponic & Organic Center Fourth Place: GrowLife Hydroponics Fifth Place: Victory Hydro Gardening

H

ydroponics are the future. As the need to grow and produce plants and crops sustainably continues to increase, hydroponics serve a valuable role. But it’s not easy to get into hydroponics — at least, it seems a bit daunting — and so it’s good to have a place like Way to Grow to help educate and supply the process. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, Way to Grow has everything you need and a knowledgeable, friendly staff to boot, to get you on your hydroponic way. With affordable prices, too, it’s easy to get started or to increase your grow.

Hot Tub/Jacuzzi

MOUNTAIN MIST SPAS

1240-4 Ken Pratt Blvd., Longmont, 303-772-1125 Second Place: Mr. Pool Third Place: Heat Wave Stove & Spa Fourth Place: International Hot Tubs Fifth Place: Quality Pool and Spas

A

2013 survey of British households found that 10 percent, or some 2.6 million houses had a hot tub. That’s probably a gross overestimate, hot tub retailers told the British reporter who followed up on the survey, but in any case, there seems to be an increased interest in having a warm place to soak your aches away. There’s even a television show to explore Britain’s relationship to hot tubs, creatively entitled, Hot Tub Britain. No kidding.

Too bad exporting from the scenic showroom of Mountain Mist is tough to do in foggy England. If there were a run on hot tubs, saunas, grills or gazebos, Mountain Mist Spas would keep them well-supplied.

Reader Comment Video Station is a local phenomenon and deserves our support. They have stuff no Netflix or Amazon will ever carry!

120 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Thank You Boulder County for All Your Votes!

The Works

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2907 55th Street, Unit 7A, Boulder • 720-600-4570 • www.TheWorksBoulder.com

Susan France

Pipe Shop

MILE HIGH PIPE AND TOBACCO 1144 Pearl St., 303-443-7473 Second Place: The Fitter Third Place: Buddha’s and Goudha’s Fourth Place: Freaky’s Smoke Shoppe & Tattoo Fifth Place: Little Dog Pipe and Tobacco

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ith the legalization of marijuana, there were many changes in the industries of Colorado. Certainly buoyed were cannabis growers and sellers, but so were the folks who sell the materials through which to smoke marijuana.

Our readers say the best pipe shop in town is Mile High Pipe and Tobacco on Pearl Street. With a wide variety of paraphernalia and a knowledgeable, helpful staff, Mile High Pipes is the place to go when you need a tool to get you high, according to our readers. With equipment for any price range, you can stop by and see what works for you.

Tobacco Shop

SMOKER FRIENDLY

1620 30th St., 303-449-7089 179 W. South Boulder Road, Lafayette, 303-665-7870 301 Martin, Longmont, 303-772-2323 Second Place: Mile High Pipe and Tobacco Third Place: Johnny’s Cigar Bar Fourth Place: Little Dog Fifth Place: The Fitter

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o you’ve found the six square feet of space in the city of Boulder where folks are still allowed to light up? You can stock up on all your smoking supplies to face an at times unfriendly world for smokers at Smoker Friendly.

Jewelry

TODD REED

2015 Pearl St., 303-442-6280 Second Place: Hurdle’s Jewelry Third Place: Walters & Hogsett Fine Jewelers Fourth Place: Angie Starr Jewelry Fifth Place: Starfish

Mile High Pipes & Tobacco employee Jess Li

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he use of jewelry dates back tens of thousands of years when Africans perforated the shells of sea snails to make crude necklaces and bracelets. Later, bones, teeth, dried berries and stone were strung together with animal sinew.

These pieces were unique, and why would we ever want jewelry to be any other way? Todd Reed has been making jewelry in some fashion since he was 10 years old, and now as an adult, he believes in every piece of jewelry having its own “story.” No two pieces are alike. So drop by the Todd Reed studio on Pearl Street and pick up something truly special for you or a loved one.

Carpet/Flooring

ATLAS FLOORING

4920 28th St., 303-442-3221 Second Place: Carpet Exchange Third Place: Go Green Flooring Fourth Place: Boulder Stove & Flooring Fifth Place: McDonald Carpet One Floor & Home

122 April 23, 2015

Reader Comment Make an organic toy store!

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fter 52 years serving the Front Range, it’s easy to see why Atlas Flooring is our readers’ favorite place to go for all of their flooring needs. From carpet to tile to wood flooring, as well as cabinetry and countertops, Atlas can provide the products and advice to get you on your way to the house of your dreams.

And don’t worry if you’re not prepared to do the job yourself — Atlas will provide you with names of independent contractors who can get the job done right.

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

g n i t a r b e l Ce

tomorrow exchange buy * sell*trade

s r a e y 20In Boulder

BOULDER: 1813 Pearl St. • 303-938-1924 DENVER: 51 Broadway • 303-866-0165 DENVER ANNEX: 226 E. 13th Av. • 303-866-0164 |

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

BuffaloExchange.com

April 23, 2015 123

THANK YOU FOR VOTING US

#1 DOG & CAT STORE! Susan France

• Pet Foods • Bowls, Beds, Leashes, etc.

• Barkday Cakes

2828 30th St. • Boulder • 303.245.9909 www.pcspantry.com Hours: Mon & Fri 10-7 • Tue, Wed, Thurs, Sat 10-6 • Sun 10-5

that could make a big difference—simply cleaning with microfiber and water. Today, we offer more than 100 eco-friendly products found in over a million households worldwide.

Jesse Heath, employee at Grand Rabbit’s

• A simple clean everyone needs • Cuts cleaning time in half • An opportunity that leaves a legacy • Call for a free 15 minute consultation on how to make your home a safe haven Now 20 years strong, Norwex is building a proud global legacy. By radically reducing chemicals in our homes, we’re making the world a better, cleaner place for generations to come.

Sue Thomson

Norwex Independent Sales Consultant Website: www.suethomson.norwex.biz

303-550-6455

Email: microfibermadness@gmail.com 124 April 23, 2015

Toy Store

GRANDRABBIT’S TOY SHOPPE 2525 Arapahoe Ave., 303-443-0780 Second Place: Into The Wind Third Place: GameStop Fourth Place: Time Warp Comics Fifth Place: Karliquin’s Game Knight

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ince 1977, Grandrabbit’s Toy Shoppe has been doing far more than selling toys. As “foundress” Lynn Milot says on the Shoppe’s website, “I have come to believe that if we would truly make all children — of all national and ethnic origins, creeds and needs — a global priority, that the staggering challenges we face as human beings could be more easily resolved. The motivation for profit at any cost fails to recognize the human and environmental impacts of business decisions.That is why, over 30 years later, our goals remain the same: To be an evolving business organization that benefits everyone involved.”

We can’t add anything to that. Make your dollars count by shopping at this year’s best toy store.

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

BOULDERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FINEST

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Thrift Shoppers find

TRU Bliss For the best bargains in Boulder, year after year, it’s the TRU Hospice Thrift Shop. Check for weekly specials on Eblast, Facebook, or call the shop.

REI employee Johanna Smith

Outdoor Gear

RECREATIONAL EQUIPMENT INC. (REI) 1789 28th St., 303-583-9970 Second Place: Neptune Mountaineering Third Place: Jax Mercantile Fourth Place: Boulder Ski Deals Fifth Place: Boulder Running Company

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Open 7 days a week | 303-604-5353 | TruCare.org/boulder-thrift-shop

hey say that time spent outdoors helps children steer away from obesity, attention disorders and depression, and they say that we all have an inner child. So do the math. Keep that inner kid happy, healthy and ready to focus by taking it outdoors to play a lot.We recommend boats, bikes, hikes, skis and whatever else strikes your fancy from the toy box that is REI.

Open 10 am-5:30 pm | 5565 Arapahoe Ave. Wednesdays, Senior Discount 20% Off 55+ 126 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Susan France

Farm

MUNSON FARMS

Valmont Road and N. 75th Street, 303-4425330 Second Place: Cure Organic Farm Third Place: Haystack Mountain Goat Dairy Fourth Place: Isabelle Farm Fifth Place: Red Wagon Organic

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unson Farms is a Boulder classic, going strong since 1979. Many folks around Boulder know Munson for their family-favorite pumpkin patch each fall or the Christmas trees they start selling in November, but perhaps it’s Bob Munson’s sweet corn that Munson Farms is best known for. He sells it right off the stalk each day. Head on down the to the farm on the corner of Valmont and 75th if you’re in the mood for a good story from Bob — visitors are often welcomed in for a tour and a helping of hospitality.

Furniture

AMERICAN FURNITURE WAREHOUSE

10550 Jake Jabs Blvd., Firestone, 303-6842400 Second Place: Clutter Consignment Third Place: Arhaus Fourth Place: No Place Like Home New & Used Furniture Fifth Place: Woodley’s Fine Furniture

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s it all those lions and tigers in the ads or could it be we just can’t get enough of local TV commercial legend Jake Jabs? Whatever it is, it’s sure working for Jabs’ American Furniture Warehouse. Not only are the AFW stores the biggest around, our readers tell us that these stores are their favorite. So if it’s time to replace that old couch you’ve been hiding under a bedspread for years or if the stuffing in your favorite chair has managed to miraculously vanish in that mysterious flat area shaped like your derrière, wander on over to AFW, and they’ll be happy to help you find a new one.

901 Front Street n old town louiSville 303-666-7864 n WWW.THEFUZZYANTLER.COM Mon-thurS 10aM-5pM n Fri 10aM-8pM n Sat 10aM-5pM n Sun 11aM-4pM

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

April 23, 2015 127

HARVESTING UNLIMITED FREE ENERGY FROM THE SUN REPLACING ELECTRIC AND HEAT BILLS

Clothing Store — Men’s

RECREATIONAL EQUIPMENT INC. (REI) 1789 28th St., 303-583-9970 Second Place: Nordstrom Rack Third Place: Patagonia Outdoor Clothing & Gear Fourth Place: Men’s Wearhouse Fifth Place: Buffalo Exchange

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Camera/Video/Photofinishing

MIKE’S CAMERA

HONDA SUBARU TOYOTA h i g h

t o u c h

a u t o

s e r v i c e

Celebrating Our

THANK YOU!!!

he clothes make the man.That’s what they say at least. A good suit or a comfortable hoodie can put a man at ease, give him confidence or allow him to broadcast to the world: “I’m not fully sure who Che Guevara is, but I think I do. And I think I like him.” Our readers, ever the outdoorsy type, say Recreational Equipment Inc., or REI, is the place to go for men’s clothing. With a variety of pullovers, pants, jackets, shoes and boots, watches, sunglasses and those pants that zip off just under the knees, REI is our voters’ choice for the clothier of local men.

31st Year!

2500 Pearl St., 303-443-1715 Second Place: Costco Wholesale Third Place: Photo Craft Imaging Fourth Place: Target Fifth Place: Memories to Digital

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few years ago, before new fangled cell phones and apps like Instagram and Snapchat, people put time and effort into crafting the right image. They used the fancy cameras and sought out advice from the best. Luckily the people over at Mike’s Camera are keeping the art of photography alive, and our readers voted them the best for help with cameras, video and photofinishing. They can help you with anything you need to capture those gorgeous Boulder landscapes or family milestones. Head on over if you want to make more important photography decisions than choosing between which filter makes you look more tan.

Clothing Store — Children’s

CHILDISH THINGS BOUTIQUE

3183 Walnut St., 303-442-2703 Second Place: Rocky Mountain Kids Third Place: Gymboree Fourth Place: Poppy Fifth Place: Gap Kids

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ou can’t make ’em stop no matter how hard you try. They just keep growing and growing. This would be fine if we lived in a world where our kids just ran around naked, but we don’t, which means that we have to buy a new batch of kid’s clothes every few weeks or months (depending on the intensity of that latest growth streak). Since we can’t make them stop, we might as well make them happy and our readers say the best place to do that with kid’s clothes is at Childish Things Boutique.

Painting by LauraMarshall.com

BEST OF BOULDER 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005 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 128 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Susan France

Independent Business

CURATING THE COOL

409 S. Public Road, Lafayette, 888-828-2181 Second Place: Green Ride Boulder Third Place: Umba Creative Co-Op Fourth Place: McGuckin Hardware Fifth Place: Alpine Auto Detailing Christina’s Luxuries employee’s from left: Barb Wilson, Lynne Russell and Maureen Boselli

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hen your business is called Curating the Cool, chances are pretty high that you are just damn cool.These folks, located in Old Town Lafayette, specialize in new and vintage art, gifts, clothing, collectibles, small furniture and home goods. In only two years, Curating the Cool has racked up a number of awards, including Best Gift Shop, Best Home Goods, Best Independent Business, Best Furniture Store in Lafayette and Best Art Gallery in Lafayette in Boulder Weekly’s Best of Boulder and Best of Boulder — East County. You can shop their goods online, but we recommend heading into the store for proper vintage browsing.There’s nothing like finding that perfect thing that you didn’t even know you needed.

Dry Cleaners

ART CLEANERS

1715 15th St., 303-440-8600 2570 W. Baseline Road, 303-499-7030 3980 N. Broadway St., 303-443-0158 (and other locations around Boulder County) Second Place: Boulder Cleaners Third Place: John’s Dry Cleaners Fourth Place: Environmental Cleaners Fifth Place: Dependable Cleaners

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hy are some of the best clothes dry clean only? That tag can scare off the weak-willed who worry that someone will ruin their nicest clothing. But that snappy suit just needs some tender love and care from people who know what they’re doing. Don’t fret any longer.

Our readers head to Art Cleaners for all their dry cleaning necessities. Not only do they care about making you look good, they also use green practices to lighten their impact on the environment. Stop in with your stained clothes and watch Art Cleaners make the stains magically disappear and breathe new life into your wardrobe.

Bookstore

BOULDER BOOK STORE

1107 Pearl St., 303-447-2074 Second Place: Barnes & Noble Booksellers Third Place: The Bookworm Fourth Place: Trident Booksellers and Café Fifth Place: The Book Cellar

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t seemed, for a while there, like the bookstore was going the way of the video store and of dinosaurs. That is, extinction was imminent. But out of those dark times emerged a new kind of bookstore; one that caters to an individual community and provides the valuable service that is selling the written word. No Boulder bookseller was voted higher than Boulder Book Store. The iconic bookstore on the Pearl Street Mall has the perfect mix of bestsellers, rare finds, bookstore doodads, charm and staff knowhow. It also hosts readings and events regularly, so stop by and meet the authors and icons that wrote the books on the shelf at Boulder Book Store.

130 April 23, 2015

Lingerie

CHRISTINA’S LUXURIES

2425 Canyon Blvd., Suite 100, 303-443-2421 Second Place: Victoria’s Secret Third Place: MayBee by Fascinations

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hen it comes time to shop for something as intimate as lingerie, it’s good to have a shop like Christina’s Luxuries in town. Whether you’re looking for something sexy for a special night or something comfortable to sit on the couch and watch What Not To Wear for four hours in, Christina’s Luxuries has you covered. With a friendly and supportive staff, Christina’s will help you pick out a perfect piece for the right price. Christina’s also has a number of dresses, casual wear and bathing suits to complement the vast selection of lingerie. Christina’s staff is also trained to help you find the right size and cut for your body.

Costume Shop

THE RITZ COSTUMES AND CLOTHING

959 Walnut St., 303-443-2850 Second Place: Theatrical Costumes, Etc. & Trendy Boutique Third Place: Candy’s Vintage Clothing & Costumes Fourth Place: Goldmine Vintage

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t doesn’t need to be Halloween to dress up. You’ll get a lot fewer looks on Halloween, but our area’s costume shops would make you believe that putting on a new skin is a way to experience another side of life, or just have a night of fun. Our readers say The Ritz Costumes and Clothing on Walnut is the place to go for such a transformation. With a wide variety of wigs, clothing, makeup and accessories, you can create any look by going to the folks at The Ritz. Next time you feel the itch to go out and just be someone, or something, else, stop by The Ritz for a voter-approved experience.

Clothing Store — Women’s

ANTHROPOLOGIE

1805 29th St., 303-449-4575 Second Place: Nordstrom Rack Third Place: Starr’s Clothing Co. Fourth Place: Urban Outfitters Fifth Place: Athleta

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here big chains are concerned, Anthropologie stands out for its commitment to remaining more “boutique” than chain. Anthropologie knows how to sell style, from women’s clothing to accessories, gifts and home décor. But more than style, they sell highquality products that stand the test of time. So whether you’re looking for that perfect spring dress, a pair of heels, a fresh perfume or some new throw pillows for your extra chic apartment, Anthropologie can set you up in style. And don’t forget to check that sale rack for some great deals on must-have pieces that can spice up your wardrobe.

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Come Home and Enjoy the View

Just 9 minutes from downtown Boulder in the thriving Gunbarrel area, this community has a variety of activities and entertainment options, with open space trails, bike paths, and spectacular views. Boulder View offers 68 brand new apartments with high-end finishes, a relaxing environment, and breathtaking views. Each unit features an adaptable storage system for bikes and outdoor equipment. With stunning views and contemporary design elements, this community is thoughtfully planned, comfortable, and waiting to welcome you home.

Features + Amenities

Studio, One and Two Bedroom Floor Plans Modern Kitchens with Full Overlay Cabinets Quartz Counter Tops and Stainless Appliances Wood Flooring, Spa Style Bathrooms with Soaker Tubs Boulder View Apartments • 6655 Lookout Rd • Boulder Private Decks and Patios, Private Tuck-Under Garages Full-Size Stacked Washer and Dryer in Every Home (303) 444-4477 • www.boulderviewapartments.com Designer Fixtures and Hardware Throughout Built to Condo Specifications facebook.com/boulderviewapartments Pet Friendly, Fenced Dog Run Smoke-Free Property blog.boulderviewapartments.com twitter.com/boulderviewapts

A Beautiful Home Awaits You

The newly remodeled Habitat Apartments and Townhomes are the largest of their kind in Boulder, with floor plans ranging from studio to three-bedroom units which include fireplaces and private patios. Enjoy a heated swimming pool and picnic areas surrounded by mature trees and landscaping. Located in a prime area, nearby features include Gunbarrel Commons Park, access to the Boulder Bike Path, running trails and walking distance to our neighborhood grocery store, restaurants and craft breweries.

Features + Amenities

Heated Pool, Tennis Courts, Bike Trail, Bike Racks • Jogging Trail, Courtyards, Business Center 24 Hr. Emergency Maintenance • Gunbarrel Commons Park, Playground Laundry Facility Onsite, Storage Units • Vending Machines, Well Maintained Grounds Pet Friendly and Smoke Free Property

The Habitat Apartments • 6255 Habitat Dr • Boulder (303) 530-2212 • www.habitatapts.com facebook.com/thehabitatapartments

blog.habitatapartments.com

twitter.com/thehabitatapartments

THANKS

FOR VOTING FOR BART’S!

Susan France

Bicycle Shop

UNIVERSITY BICYCLES 839 Pearl St., 303-444-4196 Second Place: Full Cycle Third Place: Boulder Cycle Sport Fourth Place: Bicycle Village Fifth Place: Community Cycles

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cds, records, turntables and more!

1625 FOLSOM ST BOULDER CO 80302 303.444.1760 LIKE US ON FACEBOOK

VOTED BEST DRUM SHOP IN THE KNOWN UNIVERSE

hey made it. University Bicycles has been at the center of Boulder’s two-wheel universe for 30 years, three decades, since Grover Cleveland was president. Yep, we lied about that last one, but the other two were true.

You have to be a great business to stick around this long,so it’s no surprise that our readers tell us that University Bicycles is their favorite bike shop in town.

Congrats on winning this competitive category once again. And we know you’re trying to figure it out so we’ll just go ahead and tell you: Ronald Reagan.

University Bicycles meets the two-wheeled needs of those looking to cruise.

CD/Record Store

BART’S MUSIC SHACK

1625 Folsom St., 303-444-1760 Second Place: Albums on the Hill Third Place: Absolute Vinyl

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he reason record shops, like bookstores, can and do and should have an irreplaceable place in our hearts is the sense of a world full of possibility, enclosed in the square walls of a storefront. Each album cover is a new chance for an encounter with a song that shapes a moment. For music that will become the backdrop for an era and forever function as a time machine to transport us back to those times. Music can carry us through the toughest of moments, can be the thing we talk to when no one else can listen. At Bart’s Music Shack, explore those endless possibilities, ask questions, find new beginnings and seek out the soundtrack to new lifetimes.

Clothing Store — Used

BUFFALO EXCHANGE

1813 Pearl St., 303-938-1924 Second Place: Rags Consignments Third Place: Common Threads Fourth Place: ARC Thrift Store Fifth Place: Goodwill

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OPEN 7

days a week 303.402.0122 3070 28th st, boulder thedrumshopboulder.com 132 April 23, 2015

acklemore was right. Who wants to pay $50 for a T-shirt that everyone else is wearing?

Boulderites are unique, and like our beer, food and music, we don’t like mass-produced mush. We like items that suit our personalities — something with a past and endless future possibilities, and our readers chose Buffalo Exchange as the best place to find those pieces. Everything in their store feels truly unique and still looks good as new. Buffalo Exchange is the place to spend an afternoon digging through racks and shelves to find those perfect pieces to perfectly complement any outfit. You’ll find those stand out pieces, and you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them.

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

Boulder’s Premier Indoor Garden Center

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6.78

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MILLS PAYS THE BILLS! 3620 Walnut St. Boulder 303.586.1715 10-6 Mon-Sat, 12-5 Sun www.onelovegardensupply.com

Thank You Boulder County for Your Votes!

Hardware

Jeremy Williams

MCGUCKIN HARDWARE

2525 Arapahoe Ave., Suite D1, 303-4431822 Second Place: Home Depot Third Place: Jax Home & Ranch Fourth Place: Table Mesa Hardware Fifth Place: Ace Hardware

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recent article on McGuckin’s hardware department staff: Cliff McCue, Anne Hearn, Will Lees, Abdul Barzak, Tom Stephens and Inc.com gave a fas- Caelan Reed cinating glimpse into how McGuckin Hardware has outlasted larger competitors and become an institution in Boulder.

Institution might even be a bit of an understatement. It’s been around since 1955 when Bill McGuckin opened the store in the city’s first shopping center, and it outlasted big-box competitors like Sears and Montgomery Ward by supporting family-owned wholesalers around the state of Colorado. As such, McGuckin has a reputation for being much more than a hardware store — McGuckin supports the community. It has remained a Boulder-only store, despite offers to expand the store to other cities. And you don’t just go to McGuckin to get your parts and pieces; you go there to bat ideas around with the employees. With a reputation like McGuckin’s, it’s no wonder our readers vote them best hardware again and again.

Gift Shop

PEPPERCORN

BEST MEDICAL BEST RECREATIONAL Best of East County 2 years in a row Out of Towners & First Timers Welcome!

1235 Pearl St., 303-449-5847 Second Place: Bliss Third Place: Jacque Michelle Fourth Place: Boulder Arts & Crafts Gallery Fifth Place: Art Mart

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ave you ever just been walking around Pearl Street a week before the holidays looking for something, anything, to give to someone who you genuinely care about but for whom you just cannot think of anything to buy? Inevitably, you end up in Peppercorn, the depot for exciting and unique gifts. It has a variety of culinary tools, ingredients, books, cookware and knick-knacks from other lifestyles that are sure to please even the toughest person to buy for. That’s why Peppercorn was voted best gift shop in Boulder. With affordable prices and a friendly staff, you’ll be able to navigate through the vast gift shop to find whatever it is you need.

Hotel

ST JULIEN HOTEL & SPA

900 Walnut St., 1-877-303-0900 Second Place: Hotel Boulderado Third Place: Chautauqua Fourth Place: Boulder Marriot Fifth Place: Millennium Harvest House Boulder

400 W. South Boulder Rd. Lafayette Plaza • 303.665.5599 www. herbalwellnesscolorado.com www.facebook.com/herbalwellnesslafayette Open 7 days a week • 9am-7pm

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ome things in life aren’t fair. For instance, why should getting to stay in a world-class hotel and spa in Boulder be reserved only for people who don’t live here? We say it’s time to rebel. It’s time for locals to book a few nights in Boulder’s most impressive and luxuriant hotel, which just happens to be, according to our readers, the St Julien Hotel & Spa. If you haven’t taken the time to quickly tour this place, visited the spa, turned out for the live music or tried the cuisine, we suggest you do so now, before those out-of-towners get it all to themselves.

For Medical and Recreational 134 April 23, 2015

Best of Boulder County ’15 Boulder Weekly

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL! GET

Liquor

HAZEL’S BEVERAGE WORLD

1955 28th St., 303-447-1955 Second Place: Liquor Mart Third Place: Superior Liquors Fourth Place: North Boulder Liquor Fifth Place: Boulder Wine and Spirits

10% OFF

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f done right, a liquor store can feel like a toy store for adults — with endless possibilities of fun to be had. And Hazel’s Beverage World is doing it right by taking shopping for liquor, beer and wine to the next level. They’ve thought of every detail to make shopping as convenient as possible for the customer. You won’t find cramped corners, flickering lighting or a bare selection.

Hazel’s is bright, spacious and fully stocked with adult beverages and happy employees. So stop in and find your new signature beverage.

9:30am - 12pm Monday - Saturday

Thanks for Your Votes!

Best MMJ Dispensary

BOULDER’S MOST CONVENIENT DISPENSARY IS NOW BOTH

RECREATIONAL AND MEDICAL!

Music Store

ROBB’S BOULDER MUSIC 2691 30th St., 303-443-8448 Second Place: Woodsong’s Third Place: The Boulder Drum Shop Fourth Place: Wildwood Music Fifth Place: Lafayette Music

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ant to make a joyful noise … or play heavy metal? If music is calling your name, we suggest you head on over to Robb’s Boulder Music. Our readers tell us that this place has a great selection of guitars from Martins to Fenders to a zillion other brands. Robb’s also carries percussion and keyboards along with amps and everything else you need to outfit yourself or the entire band. And did we mention that all the folks at Robb’s are both kind and knowledgeable? Well, they are.

Providing a sense of professionalism that has not yet been introduced to the medical marijuana community.

All strains are proudly grown in house.

Intended for MMJ Patients Only

HOURS: MON - SAT 9:30 - 6:30 • SUN 12:00 - 5:00 3005 28TH STREET • BOULDER • 303.442.0892 WWW.THESTATIONBOULDER.COM

Boulder Weekly Best of Boulder County ’15

April 23, 2015 135

Boulder – 1144 Pearl St. 303-443-PIPE Westminster – 3001 W. 74th Ave. 303-426-6343

Highlands Ranch – 7130 E. County Line Rd. 303-740-5713 Denver – 2046 Arapahoe in LoDo 303-295-PIPE

The best of Boulder is at ListenUp Go AnALoG! Buy our most popular turntable before the price increase Put simply, the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon delivers more performance per dollar than any other turntable on the market. Available in a variety of colors, including gloss black, red, white, blue and others, the Carbon is a great introduction – or reintroduction – to the world of vinyl.

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Save $300 on this affordable Denon receiver Featuring 95 watts into seven channels and all of the latest surround sound formats, the Denon AVR-X2100 is an amazing value at its sale price of $399. The X2100 has eight HDMI inputs with support for Full Ultra HD, plus built-in Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Apple Airplay, so you can stream online music service from your wireless network or directly from your smartphone.

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BoULder 2034 Arapahoe Ave., 80302 | 303-444-0479 Locations also in denver, Boulder and Albuquerque Monday – Saturday 9:30 to 6:00, Sunday Noon – 5:00

denver 685 South Pearl St., 80209 | 303 -778-0780