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Best of Boulder 2002 We who live in Boulder are lucky–and not just because we savor more than 300 days of sunshine and the most beautiful mountain backdrop in the nation. Sure, Boulder’s natural environment is unparalleled, with miles of mountain trails only moments from downtown and the amazing Flatirons visible from the mesas and plains below. But Boulder is fortunate for its human element as well. Attracting new residents from New York City to Los Angeles and every point in between, as well as from around the world, Boulder offers the vibrancy, intelligence and excitement of a much larger city. Intellectuals from CU mix with latter-day flower children, who hang with innovators in high-tech industry, who lunch with businessmen in suits. It’s only natural that Boulder’s eclectic mix of people should spawn variety in the business community. With more restaurants per square inch than most cities on Earth and retail stores that offer virtually everything, Boulder is an exciting place to visit and a great place to shop. This year’s Best of Boulder highlights businesses and organizations that have earned a special place in the hearts of Boulder Weekly readers. Countless ballots have poured in over the past month, as readers have declared their favorites among Boulder’s many businesses. Boulder Weekly staff have added a few of their personal favorites to the list, as well, for spice. So, here it is–the 2002 Best of Boulder, a celebration of our special city and all it has to offer. We hope you’ll enjoy the issue and take time to patronize the businesses listed within; they made it into this issue because they take time every day to bring their clients and customers the best. We thank both our readers and Boulder’s businesses for making the 2002 Best of Boulder and Boulder Weekly a success.
Reader Picks
Best Overall Restaurant The Mediterranean brings Boulder the best in cuisine from France, Italy, Greece and Spain. Known for its Tapas, the menu at The Med includes a mouth-watering assortment of authentic dishes, from grilled marinated filet mignon to calamari to balsamic-seared duck. Pizzas are cooked in a wood-burning pizza oven imported from Italy. The garden patio, graced with lots of Old World touches, offers open-air dining in good weather. The full bar and diverse wine list round out what has long been one of Boulder’s best dining experiences. Trios Grille is a oenophile’s paradise. It’s sumptuous menu, featuring delicacies such as Maple Leaf Duck Breast and Braised Lamb Raviolis, is complimented by an award-winning wine list. More than 300 wines are available by the bottle, 50 by the glass. Sommeliers are available to help diners in their selection. Free on-site parking adds convenience, and the Trios Home Gallerie, featuring art glass, home furnishings and gifts, is not to be missed. Sunflower offers diners the best in natural fine dinning. Its menu includes tofu and tempe, as well as fresh seafood, free-range poultry, wild game, and an organic salad buffet. Its full bar and juice and coffee bar provide a full range of pleasing beverage options. Trilogy Wine Bar & Lounge features tastes from around the world with a list of 100 wines to match. From rustic breads to the Grilled Angus Steak to Macadamian Crusted Salmon, Trilogy will satisfy your senses.
Beer Selection A search for "Old Chicago" on the Internet finds the story of a man who visited Boulder back in the early 1990s to attend a sold-out Promise Keeper’s rally at Folsom Field Stadium. Distraught at the thought of a "three-day churchathon," as he called it, the man went for a walk. He stumbled into Old Chicago, on the west end of the Pearl Street Mall. He still loved Jesus, but he discovered an alternative to three days of Promise Keeping: He called it "beer." It was lots of beer, because customers at Old Chicago can enjoy more than 110 brews from around the world, including the most popular microbrews. Old Chicago is the home to the original "World Beer Tour," which invites members to sample each of the 110 selections. Members receive gifts along the way; and, when the tour is completed, the member has his/her name put on a plaque and mounted on the "Hall of Foam." Sure, Old Chicago is a chain with some 35 locations in nine states. But it’s a Boulder-owned and originated chain, having opened its first store in Boulder back in 1976. So drink up, and don’t forget to save room the incredible Chicago-style deep-dish pizza, pasta, sandwiches and salads. Old Chicago is the perfect place to play a game of pool, watch a favorite team play on TV, or just hang out with family, good friends and broken Promise Keepers.
Best Breakfast/Brunch Lucile’s offers Boulder diners a taste of Cajun and Creole cuisine. Famous for its beignets, Lucile’s serves breakfast and lunch in a charming atmosphere conducive to business brunches and family dining. Everything on Lucile’s menu is made fresh–nothing comes prepackaged–from ketchup to fluffy buttermilk biscuits to the sensational strawberry-rhubarb jam. Stop in for a cup of Lucile’s own special blend of coffee, and try the Eggs Benedict. You’ll know why Lucile’s has been in business here for 21 years. Turley’s offers everything you could possibly want for breakfast, from egg dishes to spicy southwestern fare to vegan and vegetarian options. Although you’ll love breakfast at Turley’s, you’ll want to come back for lunch or dinner. With a selection of healthful, low-fat items and a kid's menu, Turley's has something for everyone. Serving breakfast and lunch, Walnut Café serves up delicious favorites like Dill Eggs and the Boulder Scramble. Walnut Cafe also boasts a full espresso bar. While pie might not be common breakfast fare elsewhere, the pies at Walnut Cafe are so delicious that it’s not uncommon to see someone order a slice of French Silk pie to go with their tempe skillet. The pies are baked from scratch by Dana, the owner. Strawberry, lemon shaker pie and chocolate-pumpkin pie are among people’s favorites. Tuesday is Pie Day at Walnut Cafe, when $1.95 will buy a slice of heaven.
Best Coffeehouse Whoever first thought of combining a book store with a coffee shop, Trident Book Sellers does it with style. Featuring coffees, an excellent selection of teas and chai, Trident is where locals go to sip, discuss and browse. Croissants, scones and muffins galore will tempt your appetite, and the laid-back atmosphere will soothe your cares until the rhythm of Pearl Street calls you back to the real world. Penny Lane isn’t just a coffeehouse. It’s an experience. With entertainment six nights a week, including two nights of open stage, Penny Lane is one of the cornerstones of Boulder culture. Serving breakfast and boasting a great patio, Penny Lane also features vegetarian items and carryout. Caffe Sole offers a fullrange of espressos, coffees and teas in a casual atmosphere. Venture in for a cuppa joe, and you’ll be tempted by the array of baked goods, juices and other items Caffe Sole provides. Take your scone and your triple-shot skinny vanilla out onto the patio, and sip in full view of the Flatirons. At three locations in Boulder County, Vic’s Espresso and News will get your day started with a well-made espresso and delectable baked goods. Grab a newspaper, pull up a chair and relax.
Grocery Store Whole Foods isn’t just a grocery store–it’s a sensory experience. Step through the door into the artfully arranged produce section. Or head to the bakery for warm, fresh-baked bread. Stop at the olive bar and sample the selection. Ask the trained staff about specialty cheeses and meats. Peruse the aromatherapy products and other health and nutrition supplements. Get a chair massage. Put together a meal from the main dishes, fruits and veggies served at the deli, and eat at your leisure in the nearby dining room. While you’re at it, you might as well shop for groceries. Whole Foods staff are passionate about providing customers with the best, and it shows. King Soopers, with two stores in Boulder, offers customers both traditional and specialty products at low prices. From organic to conventional produce and natural health products to Tylenol, King Soopers has it all. It’s deli prepares some of the best and least expensive sandwiches to go, and it’s salad bar is a bargain. 30th Street Market offers everything from fresh flowers to hot deli meals at great prices. Its friendly staff will help you find what you’re looking for. Everything, from baked goods to its organic produce, is top-notch.
Best Vegetarian Restaurant Sunflower lives up to its name with a focus on natural food. The open and light-filled restaurant serves up a tasty menu featuring tofu and tempe, as well as free-range poultry, wild game, fresh seafood and a full organic salad bar. Sunflower also boasts a full bar with an exceptional wine and beer list, as well as a juice and coffee bar. Rudi's Restaurant features a menu drawn from around the globe. Try their Thai vegetable curry. Or the Saag Panir or the Masala Dosa or any one of their fresh-baked rolls or breads. For those who eat meat, salmon, chicken and steak dishes are available. Everything at Rudi’s is made from scratch–no microwaves, mixes or frozen foods. No wonder it has been in business since 1974.
BEST Hamburger Not all burger slingers are created equal. At Tom’s Tavern, your juicy burger concoction–however you order it–is likely to be cooked by a beloved Boulder self-made millionaire politician who speaks Chicago. Tom Eldridge founded Tom’s Tavern long before downtown Boulder was anything close to cosmopolitan, fashionable or cool. Somehow, the simple burger joint has withstood all transitions and makeovers downtown and more than holds its own among the pricier and fancier restaurants that seem to come and go all around it. And Tom, a member of the Boulder City Council, still works in the kitchen doing what he loves best–flipping burgers. For good, but more expensive burgers along with local microbrew, visit runner up Mountain Sun Pub. Honorable mention Red Robin, the readership’s perennial choice for bringing kids to dine, also offers an amazing variety of thick, juicy burgers in a variety of styles. Co-runner-up West End Tavern offers burgers with a view–from the best roof top patio in town. Sure, Boulder’s known as a bean sprout menu kind of town. But for burgers with real meat and cheese, there’s plenty to choose from.
Best Bartender Very good vodka, straight up, a couple of olives and a few drops of vermouth. For Trios’ wine buyer and bartender Dave Miller, it’s the perfect martini. And the sign of a classy ’tender. While Miller has been working in wine bars for close to a decade, the Boulder native and CU grad also knows his single-batch, single-malt, and goes out of his way to remember the tastes of his regulars. When he’s not teaching wine classes every few months, that is. "I really enjoy bringing wine down to a non-pretentious level," he says. "Being nice just comes naturally," adds Best Bartender co-winner Kerrie Petersen, manager of Pasta J’s and owner of two local tanning salons. Originally from California, this Best Bartender moved to Colorado eight years ago to study criminal justice and now serves up wine and beer at the J when she’s not running the other businesses. Don’t know the difference between Chardonnay and Merlot? Look a bit pale? You want to go where everyone knows their names.
Best Waitperson Bryanna’s coworkers say the secret to her success is her vibrant personality. "She could be president of the United States one day," said one. Bryanna has been managing shifts at Pasta J’s since she was 16. Smart, charismatic and intuitive, she enjoys talking with the people who come to Pasta J’s for the homemade Italian food. "If she were a veterinarian, she’d probably be voted best veterinarian," says another coworker. Colin at Trios Grille brings the skill of a sommelier to his customers, helping them choose from among Trios’ 300 wines to find the best wine for their meal. Coworkers describe him as very professional, but also personable and lots of fun to work with. Colin’s knowledge and skill have paid off–he is now a manager at Trios.
Mexican Restaurant This one’s a bit of a no-brainer decision for our readership. Juanita’s stands as a Boulder institution downtown, and a fun place to be. Up front, Juanita’s is a full-service restaurant. The back half is a restaurant/bar, with the city’s best juke box, a pool table, a friendly wait staff and regulars enjoying their favorite music, food and drink. One can judge a Mexican restaurant before the meal even arrives by partaking in the chips and salsa. Juanita’s offers generous portions of chips and a powerful chunky salsa that quickly becomes addictive. They keep it coming without upping the bill. While the entire menu is good, Juanita’s steak fajitas are second to none. For a slightly more upscale atmosphere, visit runner up Casa Alvarez, 3161 Walnut. Though the food and drink are up to par, it’s a slightly less festive, more off-the-beaten path feel than Juanita’s. Excellent Mexican restaurants have been springing up throughout Boulder County in abundance for the past decade. Our readers seem to agree, however, that Juanita’s and Casa Alvarez still set the local standard for Mexican fun and fare.
Best Margarita We have it on good authority that God gets Her margaritas at the Rio. The Rio might be known for its tasty fajitas and delicious Tex-Mex menu, but it is positively famous for its margs. Rumors abound that the margaritas contain secret ingredients, but folks at the Rio aren’t talking. The only downside to margaritas at the Rio is that you can only have three. Juanita’s offers authentic Mexican cuisine at great prices. More importantly, however, it offers a selection of tasty margaritas, together with a host of Mexican beers. It’s almost enough to make you think you’re back on the beach in Mazatlan. Zolo Grill features 80 different high-quality tequilas–the widest selection in Colorado. All but two of the restaurant’s tequilas are made of 100-percent blue agave. This variety gives Zolo the widest selection of margaritas from which to choose. The talented bar staff can make any margarita in any style. The bar also serves a wide variety of beers and infusion drinks, including the Zolopolitan, a Cosmopolitan made with strawberry-infused vodka. The drinks are the perfect complement to Zolo’s delicious Southwestern cuisine. Jose Muldoon’s is generous with the chips and salsa–and generous with the tequila, too. Enjoy a Gold Margarita at the bar or in the restaurant, along with tasty selections from Jose’s Tex-Mex menu.
Best Pizza Whether you like your pizza with traditional toppings like pepperoni and mushrooms or crave spinach and chunks of garlic, you can get it by the slice at Abo’s. Offering fresh, New York-style pizza hot from its ovens, Abo's is a great place to take the kids or to hold a quick, casual business lunch. Nick & Willy's is the place to go for made-to-order, take-and-bake pizzas. With a host of toppings, from traditional to only-in-Boulder, Nick & Willy's is also available by the slice. Nick & Willy's also offers great sandwiches and freshly made salads, not to mention yummy cookies. Serving lunch and dinner, Jalinos offers pizzas with a wide range of toppings, as well as pasta dishes, calzones, and fresh salads. Check out Jalinos' monthly specials, and take advantage of carryout. Or bring the kids and enjoy a nice meal together in a child-friendly environment.
Best Dessert When the assignments were handed out for Best of Boulder write-ups, I was shocked when I got the Cheesecake Factory for the second year in a row. After all, I was the one who got us in hot water last year with the Vice President of Cheesecake Factory, Inc., who called from his corporate office in Los Angeles to express his, well, displeasure over what I wrote. And why? Just because I admonished our readers for making Cheesecake Factory an "undeserving winner" and used the word "cheese" in the pejorative sense. Then my editor dropped the other shoe: I was to write an apology this year to make reparations for the damage I had done to this fine establishment. "And make it sincere," he barked. So, being the dutiful reporter that I am (and fearing for the loss of my high-paying job), here goes. I’m sorry, Cheesecake Factory, for calling you a "corporate infiltrator" that has muted the colorful character of our beloved outdoor mall. I apologize for comparing the decision to eat at the Cheesecake Factory to choosing to eat at the McDonald’s on the Champs-Elysee. I truly regret saying that our readers who voted for you had made a thoughtless decision due primarily to the presence of the word "cheesecake" in your name. And finally, please forgive me for claiming that the word "cheese" in your name is the best way to describe you. I’m confident that you deserve the award this year far more than our locally owned runner-up, Emiliana, or honorable mention winner, The Med.
Best Place to Take a Date Exquisite is the word that best describes Flagstaff House Restaurant. The cuisine of Chef Mark Monette–French with Asian accents–has dazzled the likes of the Emperor and Empress of Japan. Featuring a wide range of delicacies from Chateaubriand for Two and Hot Liquid Valrhon Chocolate Cake, as well as game like buffalo, venison, duck and quail, Flagstaff House is the perfect place to take someone you want to impress. Their 160-page wine list has been acknowledged as one of the 10 best in the world, with more than 20,000 bottles on hand and more than 30 vintages of Dom Perignon to choose from. In addition, the restaurant sits high above the city, giving it an unparalleled view of city lights by night. What could be more romantic that that? The Mediterranean offers diners all the charm and warmth of the region after which it is named. Its gourmet menu features authentic dishes from France, Spain, Greece and Italy. The garden patio, decorated with lots of Old World touches, will make you and that special someone feel like you’re sitting in a quiet piazza in the heart of Florence. The delicious menu is complemented by a full bar and extensive wine list–not to mention delightful desserts. Trios Grille offers a sumptuous menu, featuring delicacies such as Maple Leaf Duck Breast and Braised Lamb Raviolis. The food is set off by an award-winning wine list. More than 300 wines are available by the bottle, 50 by the glass. Sommeliers are available to help diners in their selection. Trilogy Wine Bar & Lounge features tastes from around the world with a list of 100 wines to match. From rustic breads to the Grilled Angus Steak to Macadamian Crusted Salmon, the staff at Trilogy work hard to entertain all your senses.
Place to Eat Meat You know you’re in for a treat when you walk in with a big party and the host asks: "Would you care to sit at our Mafia booth?" Dorothy, we’re not in Boulder anymore. We’re at Boulder Chophouse–meaning we’re eating like some of the most uptown people of New York or Chicago. The Chophouse prides itself on offering the finest cuts of poultry, beef and seafood. It offers an enormous wine selection, upscale service and a classy, conservative atmosphere. The steaks at Boulder Chophouse are so prime, and so perfectly aged, that one can easily cut them with a butter knife. Despite the disproportionate percentage of vegetarian menus in Boulder, the city wasn’t exactly devoid of meat when Chophouse showed up on the scene last winter. The Boulder Cork, at 3295 30th St., is a long-standing, off-the-beaten path favorite of local carnivores and slightly more upscale than Boulder Chophouse. Trios Grille, Wine Bar and Home Gallerie also offers exceptional steaks, poultry and seafood–along with free on-site parking, live jazz and an award-winning wine list.
Best FRESH Produce At Whole Foods, produce is passion. Walk through its front door, and you'll discover one of the most artfully arranged produce sections on the Front Range. Featuring fresh, locally grown organic fruits and vegetables, as well as more conventional selections, Whole Foods takes great pains to make sure nothing gets into the customer’s hands but the best. With veggies so fresh you’ll want to slap ’em, Whole Foods will make eating your five daily servings of fruits and vegetables both tasty and fun. Boulder County Farmer’s Market brings the bounty of the fields to Central Park in downtown Boulder. Open on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. starting April 6 through Oct. 2 and on Wednesdays starting May 15 through Oct. 2, Farmer's Market offers fresh fruits and vegetable, much of it organically grown, as well as fresh baked goods, goat cheese, freshly cut flowers and gourmet dishes prepared by local chefs. Wild Oats offers a wide selection of produce from around the world. About 70 percent of its fruits and vegetables are organically grown, with 30 percent being conventionally grown. The caring produce staff make sure everything on display is fresh and clean, replenishing the supply throughout the day and taking care to remove anything that doesn’t meet the store’s high standards.
Best Italian Restaurant Laudisio Ristorante Italiano is owned by the Laudisio family, whose ancestors were cooks for the last Italian king. The Laudisios acquired their love for Italian cuisine through their mother's milk and have brought the best of Italy to Boulder. Try the spicy Penne Arabbiata, the tender Chicken Francese, or the Risotto di Mare with a glass of wine from the extensive wine list, and you'll see why Boulder County readers consistently vote Laudisio their favorite Italian restaurant. DiNapoli Ristorante offers diners a taste of New York-style Italian food in a romantic and family-friendly atmosphere. Popular dishes include the New York-style pizza, the Chicken Piccata, Crab Meat Manicotti and Lasagna. Half-portions of pasta dishes are available for smaller appetites and children. DiNapoli features an extensive all-Italian wine list, as well as a full bar. Café Gondolier is a Boulder institution, having been in business since 1960. Café Gondolier features pizzas, homemade pastas and a wide range of Italian specialties. With 20 beers on tap and live piano music nightly, Café Gondolier is a great place to take a date or your entire family. Its Tuesday and Wednesday All-You-Can-Eat Spaghetti nights make it popular with college students. Pasta J's is known for its delicious homemade pasta, as well as its pizza. With vegetarian options and a children's menu, Pasta J's is a good place for a family dinner or a delicious business lunch.
Best Salad Bar Whole Foods provides one of the largest, most complete organic salad bars in Boulder. Whether you like crunchy iceberg lettuce and cherry tomatoes or mesclun with jicama and feta cheese or pasta salads, Whole Foods prepares it fresh every day. To celebrate the changing seasons, selections in the salad bar change four times a year to offer in-season fruits and vegetables. Several different soups and a baked potato bar round out a menu that will keep you coming back. Souper Salad offers a $5.99 all-you-can-eat soup and salad buffet–one of the best values in town. Prepared fresh and replenished throughout the day, the greens, veggies, fruits, pastas and toppings have something to tempt everyone in the family. On Sundays, kids eat free. Come for a quick lunch, or bring the family in for a leisurely dinner. With all the calories you save eating a healthy dinner, go ahead and have dessert. Variety and freshness is the hallmark of Wild Oats’ salad bar. With a host of toppings from traditional American salad vegetables to exotic options like pitas and colmades, Wild Oats strives to provide customers with lots of wholesome choices. About 70 percent of the salad bar offerings are organic, and the store is always striving for more. But Wild Oats offers more than salads at its salad bar. Try the breakfast buffet in the morning or the burrito and green chile buffet for lunch or dinner. There’s also a baked potato bar and a wide selection of soups made fresh by Wild Oats’ staff.
Best Bakery Breadworks will keep your mouth watering with its selection of 30 authentic European hearth-baked breads, mixed, kneaded and baked on-site. The bakery also sells delicious brownies, scones, muffins and an array of cookies, as well as fresh-made soups, salads, sandwiches, quiches and coffee drinks. Come for a loaf, stay for lunch. Great Harvest Bread Company turns simple ingredients like stone-ground flour, salt, water, and yeast into warm, delicious bread every day. The bakery mills their whole-grain flour on-site and makes the bread, cookies, pastries, brownies and sandwiches fresh every day. During the holidays, be sure to sample their pies. And feel free to stop in to sample Great Harvest Bread. Slices are available to the community as Great Harvest’s way of saying "thank you." Spruce Confections specializes in satisfying your sweet tooth. Specializing in breakfast pastries and desserts, Spruce Confections offers gourmet birthday cakes, as well as award-winning scones, cookies, croissants, Danish pastries and coffee cake. Spruce Confections also offers espresso and coffee drinks and homemade soups for lunch. The bakery will soon be adding made-to-order sandwiches to its lunch menu.
Best Burrito The burritos at Illegal Pete’s prove that size does matter. Stretching tortillas to their limits, the staff at Illegal Pete’s use fresh chiles, grilled meats, beans and cheeses to build some of the biggest burritos in Boulder. The ingredients are mixed together so diners enjoy the spicy, tangy flavors throughout their burritos and don’t get stuck chewing plain rice or a blob of guacamole. Illegal Pete’s offers vegetarian and vegan options, as well as a kids’ menu. Chipotle Mexican Grill offers huge burritos with a choice of ingredients like grilled meats, beans, veggies, and cilantro-lime rice. Perfect for the big appetite or people in a hurry, Chipotle’s burritos will give you all four food groups tucked into a giant tortilla. Vegetarian choices are available, and kids get their own menu. Masa Grill makes all its ingredients, from salsa to corn tortillas, fresh on-site daily. Masa staff roast their own peppers in their perpetual quest to please the palate. In business for seven years, Masa is now open for breakfast, offering Mexican Bloody Mary’s and espresso as well as a full breakfast menu.
Best Happy Hour The Tapas alone will keep you coming back the The Med. Featuring a wide array of toppings and fillings, from calamari to crushed chickpeas to fresh tomatoes and mozzarella, Tapas are the star of Happy Hour at The Med. Featuring a wide selection of wines, well cocktails, and beers, The Med is a full-service restaurant with the relaxed atmosphere and charm of the region after which it is named. Enjoy a drink with friends, and split a fresh pizza, cooked in the imported wood-burning oven. Like evenings in balmy Mediterranean, Happy Hour at The Med lasts for a long time, running from 3 to 6:30 weekdays. Boulder Cafe will make you feel like you’re on the Coast. In addition to a full bar and a large wine list, Boulder Cafe offers the largest oyster and seafood bar in Boulder, featuring several different kinds of oysters as well as king crab legs, shrimp and crawfish tails. On Fridays. Boulder Cafe hosts Oyster Fest, with special oyster menu items. At Boulder Cafe, Happy Hour happens every day from 4 to 7 p.m. With more than 300 wines to choose from, Trios Grille is a Happy Hour natural. The wine bar–featuring a full selection of red and white wines, sparkling wines, magnums and dessert wines–is the perfect place to relax with friends on an overstuffed sofa or loveseat at the end of the work day. With a gourmet menu and free, off-street parking, Trios Grille will keep you coming back for more. Happy Hour runs from 5 to 7 p.m. weekdays.
Ice Cream It all began in the first Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop ever… a dilapidated, out of the way, one-time gas station in Burlington, VT. Ben and Jerry had barely made it through their first year. The "B" word (Business) was a term they preferred to avoid, and their newfound ice cream avocation amounted to little more than a day-to-day struggle. Today, it’s an ice cream empire. So big and powerful is this ice cream chain that Ben and Jerry hope it can help stop global warming. Now we all know ice cream is cold, but can it really reverse global warming? In an effort to find out, Ben & Jerry’s has teamed up with the Dave Matthews Band and SaveOurEnvironment.org, a coalition of the nation's most influential environmental advocacy groups, to help stop global warming. The coalition has created a new ice cream flavor called One Sweet Whirled. Ben & Jerry swear it’s not just a new flavor, but rather "a campaign that's out to inspire some serious changes in the way we impact our world!" So if you like great ice cream, AND, you wish to save the planet, go to Ben & Jerry’s. If you just like really good ice cream, AND, you wish to do no harm to the planet but have your doubts about the ability of a new ice cream flavor to save Mother Earth, then consider visiting runner up Cold Stone or honorable mention Haagendaz. Both have great ice cream, and eating it doesn’t necessarily make you a menace to Mother Nature.
Best Juice Bar Jamba Juice offers fast, healthful meals in a cup. Its made-to-order Smoothies feature the freshest fruits and vegetables, with no preservatives or sugars added. In addition, Jamba Juice offers nutritious breads and pretzels. Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian or merely want to get your daily dose of fruit, Jamba Juice has something to make your tongue and tummy happy. Juice Stop has served up delicious Smoothies and other edibles since 1998. Juice Stop has more than 40 kinds of Smoothies to choose from, and a host of fresh vegetable combination drinks. Pick two special ingredients of your choice–bee pollen, protein, calcium or any one of 11 others–and you’ve got health to go. While you’re there, try one of their muffins, hot and healthy pastry pockets, or grab some dried fruit.
Best Indian Restaurant "If we need broccoli, we just steam as we go," says Taj owner Vim Rai, explaining the secret to his restaurant perennially winning Best Indian Restaurant. "We bake bread as needed and cook tandouri chicken as needed. We cook as needed instead of pre-cooking and then putting the food in the fridge." Add that formula to wide-open access provided by a primo South Boulder and Baseline locale. Add to that a quick, affordable lunch buffet and a menu that will soon feature south Indian coconut curries and chili masalas, and this temple of tantalizing treats has a good chance of going down as the Michael Jordan of Indian restaurants. Runner-up, the Tandoori Grill, gets points for its dessert duo of fresh rice pudding and mango custard. And we should honorably mention that Tandoori-begetter Himalayas, right off the Pearl Street Mall a couple doors down from Boulder Theater, would be a shoe-in for "Best Romantic Indian Restaurant," if we had the category. Maybe next year.
Best Lunch Deal Featuring the tastes of France, Italy, Greece and Spain, The Mediterranean offers a gourmet menu at very affordable prices. Make a meal of their Tapas ($1-5) or a Greek salad with crumbled feta ($4.95). Or try a Panini sandwich ($6.96-7.25) or a pizza fresh from the imported wood-burning pizza oven ($6.95). If you like fish, pasta, paella, or chicken or meat entrees, The Med has those as well, along with a full bar and wide assortment of wines. In warm weather, enjoy lunch on the garden patio. You might think you’re back in Napoli. Trios Grille offers an array of gourmet lunch options, from the Crab and Cheddar Melt ($9) to Grilled Beef Tenderloin Sandwich ($10). Soups, tasty and unusual salads ($5-6), and pasta dishes ($8) round out the menu. Enjoy a glass of wine from Trios award-winning wine list and a selection from its delectable dessert menu, and your lunch is complete. Free, off-street parking will take some of the rush out of noon hour.
Best New Restaurant "A lot of people think of France, and they think of butter and cream, but it’s definitely a country French," says Matthew Jansen, longtime Boulder resident and owner of Mateo. Serving up a healthy Provence-style cuisine with Mediterranean and Italian influences, sticking to seasonal menus, maintaining consistency, and having years of experience under his belt–he "grew up with the Laudisio (Ristorante Italiano) family"–has provided Jansen with the expertise needed to succeed in Boulder’s competitive restaurant market. With a small setting, nice furnishings and a neighborhood feel, Mateo knows how to play the odds. "We have had probably 95 percent success with most things since we opened and 5 percent of criticism," he says. "We’ve really tried to improve upon those things immediately and take our hits as well as we can." Boulder Chophouse and NedMex are also welcome additions to the County. The Chophouse serves up fine New York strips, and the latter offers Mexican food, fiestas and fine tunes to Nederland’s insatiable eccentrics.
Place to Eat Outdoors Enjoy this experience while you can. Seemingly forever, Boulder’s best outdoor dining experience has been the West End Tavern, near the corner of Ninth and Pearl streets. Now, however, some developer is coming in next door with a massive condominium complex that will block much of the mountain view enjoyed by roof-top diners at the West End. Still, the West End’s no-frills menu (it seldom changes) and it’s fine selection of beers and mixed drinks will make it a favorite Boulder food and eats joint for generations to come (we hope!). Boulder is full of great outdoor dining experiences, with the natural scenery, the thin, bugless mile high air, and the mild climate. So take our word for it: the scenery at the West End, The Med, or the Chautauqua Dinning Hall will take your breath away.
Best Wine Selection Trios Grille is a wine-lover’s Nirvana. Its award-winning wine list offers diners more than 300 wines by the bottle and more than 50 by the glass. Skilled sommeliers are on hand to help diners in their wine selection. With a gourmet menu to match, Trios is a dining experience you won’t want to miss. Trilogy Wine Bar & Lounge features a wine list with selections from around the globe. More than 100 wines provide the perfect lubrication for Trilogy’s delicious and original menu. The wine selection at Flagstaff House Restaurant, like the food, is world-class. Beginning in 1983, Flagstaff House has earned yearly the coveted Wine Spectator's Grand Award, a recognition of one of the 10 best wine lists in the world. Its selection of more than 20,000 bottles includes great depth in wines from California, Burgundy, Bordeaux, and Champaign, but also emphasizes great wines from around the world.
Best Restaurant to Take Kids Never fear bringing your children to Red Robin, because this place goes out of its way to attract them. Walk in the door and strings from balloons on the ceiling tickle your face. A game room instantly woos the children into panhandling for quarters. But the food is delicious and diverse, with features for children and adults. Gourmet burgers can be made to suit, featuring everything from piles of fresh mushrooms to gobs of blue cheese topping. Best of all, there’s a serious bar offering a great selection of beers, wines and mixed drinks for parents, who need to unwind as their children spend the college fund on video games. Conveniently located near all the Arapahoe Avenue movie theaters, it’s a great place to dine before or after viewing Pixar’s latest big hit.
Seafood Restaurant One of the great dilemmas of living in Boulder–with its perfect climate and amazing scenery–is this: It’s land-locked. Jax Fish House can help. Serving fresh, tasty seafood in a cool downtown night spot, Jax makes you feel like you’re on the boardwalk in Ocean City. Sample some raw oysters from the raw bar, wash them down with some beer, and then order up the Macadamia Nut-Crusted Hawaiian Fish of the Day. The Alaskan Halibut, Lobster Club and Filet Mignon of Tuna are also highly recommended. Be sure to check out the chalkboard that lists fresh fish of the day, ranging from fried oysters to peel-and-eat shrimp. For an appetizer, try the calamari. They are enormous, "the size of onion rings," wrote a restaurant critic. The crab cakes are crispy on the outside and great in a sandwich. You can't go wrong with filet of tuna with scallion hash browns or steamers and a side of pasta. For more great seafood, try Dolans at 2319 Arapahoe Ave. They serve far more than seafood here, but their fish is second to none. The owner, after all, once worked at this location shucking oysters at the old Pelican Pete’s in the 1970s. After studying at the Western Culinary Institute, Michael Dolan worked at McCormick's Fish House in Portland, Ore. And we could go on, but suffice to say that Dolan’s knows fish.
Best Microbrewery From Java Porter to the Colorado Kind to homemade root beer, the brewers at Boulder’s now 8-year-old Mountain Sun Pub and Brewery continue to treat locals to a vast array of microbrews, even guest brews, such as those from up-the-street-neighbor Redfish Brewhouse. Whether sippin’ the root or knocking ’em back and settling in for a lazy day of people watching and chit chat on East Pearl, those in pursuit of an authentic Boulder vibe in which to imbibe look into the Sun.
Best Chinese Restaurant For 16 years, Boulderites have been loyally patronizing Orchid Pavilion–a restaurant known mostly for authentic, flavorful, consistently delicious Chinese cuisine. Try the sesame chicken, steamed whole fish, crispy whole fish and Grand Marnier to understand what sets this business apart from a plethora of other Chinese restaurants that call Boulder County home. With evening entrees priced at $10-15, it's price-competitive with far less spectacular restaurants up and down the Front Range. Golden Lotus, at 1964 28th St., next to Target, also offers a comfortable atmosphere and fresh, expertly prepared, MSG-free food.
Takeout/Delivery Siamese Plate on the Go is very much… On the go! It has been such a hit in Boulder that in coming months the business will open at two new locations–the northwest corner of 120th and Sheridan in Broomfield and at McCaslin and Century Drive in Louisville. The restaurant features an on-line Thai menu, on-line sushi and Japanese menu, and on-line ordering (complete with a streaming video view of the restaurant). It offers take-out or delivery. And unlike some businesses that see delivery as a necessary evil, Siamese Plate on the Go has made it a specialty, looking for every possible way to make it more fun and practical for the customers. If you find yourself wanting take home pizza, try Nick-N-Willy’s take-and-bake style–a perennial Boulder favorite.
Thai Restaurant Our readers know Siamese Plate is good. No doubt about it, this place serves great Thai food. But apparently it’s far better than simply the top choice of Boulder Weekly readers. Management reports that the restaurant is officially recognized by the Thai government for its delicious Thai cuisine. (Mental note: See if Boulder government will recognize Boulder Weekly for excellence in journalism!) At Siamese Plate, everything’s served without MSG. The menu includes a large selection of vegetarian entrees. Try the chef’s special, sautéed salmon, shrimp, mussels, and squid with yellow curry, zucchini, bell pepper and coconut milk; or seafood on hot plate. It’s open for lunch Mon.-Sat., 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and dinner Sun.-Thurs., 5 to 10 p.m., Fri. -Sat. until 10:30 p.m. Boulder certainly isn’t at a loss for a variety of Thai restaurants, a fact not overlooked in Internet chat rooms by people in Thailand who contemplate moving here. A business often mentioned prominently by Thai residents in Boulder is Sawadee, at 1401 Pearl St., so it’s no surprise that Boulder Weekly readers chose it as a close second-place finisher.
Best Drinking Establishment Sommeliers and Sun take top shelf. Whether taking a class or sipping a fine Hungarian wine in the casual gourmet ambiance of Trios Grille and Wine Bar, or sipping the Colorado Kind at Pearl Street’s free-spirited Mountain Sun Pub and Brewery, both of these local faves feature an abundance of choice without an abundance of attitude. Trios features 13 different brands of bottled beer, roughly 62 martinis, 55 wines by the glass and 400 in the cellar. Mountain Sun features homegrown in-house and guest Colorado microbrews, phat food and a very laid back, club-house feel–perfect for Dead- and Phish-heads, and groove-grass lovers. Up the street and under the tricolor, silver-medal winner Conor O’Neill’s combines the charm of a Donegal pub with off-Mall accessibility.
Best Bagel Most companies have policies, and Boulder Weekly is no exception. We have policies for employee reviews, vacation and sick time, paid holidays–all the standard stuff. But we have a policy that none of us has ever had at any other job: a bagel policy. Every Friday morning at 9 the entire staff gathers in the small lobby of our modest office in South Boulder for our weekly meeting. The bagels and cream cheese must enter the building in the hands of the employee on "bagel duty" for the week no later than 8:45 a.m. After the meeting every sesame seed must be vacuumed and the bagels must be transferred from the paper bag in which they arrived into a plastic bag (to ensure freshness). Finally, all leftover bagels must be taken home and eaten over the weekend. (Hey, it’s a tough place to work, but somebody’s got to do it.) And where are these bagels baked on Friday morning? (Drum roll, please.) The answer is Beatniks, Boulder Weekly’s staff pick for Best Bagel. However, this is a reader poll, and Moe’s gets the nod once again this year. Congratulations to Big Daddy, formerly Rocky Mountain Bagel Works, for showing what’s in a name.
Best Street Food It’s spring on the Pearl Street Mall. The days are warmer, the sun is shining, and flowers are popping their heads up through the ground after lying dormant all winter. But there’s one perennial that marks Boulder’s famous outdoor mall all year ’round, rain or shine, snow or ice, wind or calm. It’s Fast Eddie, arguably Boulder’s most colorful character, fulfilling his lifelong dream of selling the delicious, juicy, Chicago-style hot dogs of his youth. Why do we love Eddie so much? Not because we like hot dogs and not because his hawking style reminds us of being at the ballpark. It’s because he’s doing exactly what he loves, and he’s not shy about showing it. A very distant second place goes to Falafal King, which serves superb Middle Eastern food on the same block where Eddie ru
Best Japanese Restaurant One of the surest signs of success is when they try to imitate you (remember when that other weekly tried to take over Boulder Weekly’s turf?). Most of the time, though, the imitation never measures up to the original. Over the course of the past few years, new sushi bars have popped up in Boulder as often as Starbucks, and most of them are pretty good. But in the final analysis, none of ’em can make a dent in Boulder’s favorite, Sushi Zanmai. You see, making sushi is an art, and the chefs at Zanmai are the masters. Plus, it’s just plain fun to go there, especially if it’s someone’s birthday. I mean, what’s up with that crazy saxophone? To be fair, though, Sushi Tora always makes the race interesting by coming in a close second, so let’s give them their due. And while we’re working our way down the list, let’s acknowledge Hapa for the most stimulating sushi names. When your date says, "I’ll have the ‘multiple orgasm,’" you know you’re in business.
Best Sandwich When John Montague, the fourth Earl of Sandwich, was born in 1718, it’s doubtful that the proud parents had any clue that their son would be responsible for one of the most beloved culinary concepts in recorded history. In keeping with the "necessity is the mother of invention" concept, Montague invented the sandwich to fulfill one of the most basic human needs: feeding one’s face while playing cards. Placing his meat strategically between two slices of toast left one hand free for Montague’s notorious gambling addiction. Almost 300 years later, the sandwich has only gotten bigger and bigger. The Guinness Book of World Records reports that a 320-pound grilled cheese sandwich, made in Everglades City, Fla., on Nov. 4, 2000, is the biggest ever. Our friends at Salvaggio’s may not have reached that status, but their sandwiches are certainly big in Boulder, having won top honors in our B.O.B. poll for the past six years. At Salvaggio’s size matters, but it’s about more than that. Nothing is spared in the quality of their home-baked bread and each and every ingredient found inside one of their masterpieces. Coming in a close second is Snarf’s, which gets first-place honors (at least in my book) for self-promotion with the ever-wacky Snarf-mobile.
Best Sports Bar Typically, there are culinary sacrifices one must make to sit in a room with every possible sporting event on the planet showing at once. Not so at Lazy Dog. This is bar food so good (and I know this sounds like a shameless commercial, but it’s true, really) that you’ll want to go there for the food, first, and the sports, second. That’s all for the best, too, since Denver’s sports teams have plummeted to the cellar faster than an alcoholic house-sitter (except for the Avs, of course, but who cares about hockey?). Moving to runner-up, I’ll buy a beer for the first reader who can tell me the name of the business that last occupied the location of the Barrel House on Arapahoe. Finally, honorable mention goes to Old Chicago, where you can literally play 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall and choose a different beer with every round.
Internet Service Provider What the heck difference does it make which ISP you use? Isn’t it kind of like long-distance service? Shouldn’t you just simply find the cheapest connection and go with it, whether it’s a multi-national corporation trying to take over the world (AOL-Time Warner) or just some business run out of the closet in Billy Bob Bunket’s Boulder apartment? Answers to the above: Plenty, no and hell no! Finding the right ISP means finding a service in which you never hear a busy signal. It means finding a competitive price. Most of all, however, it means finding a service that offers... service. And that’s the specialty of Indra’s Net. Call anytime from 9 a.m. through 9 p.m., and a real live person will answer the phone and give you real results regarding whatever need you’re calling about. No condescending techno talk, no impatience, no "we don’t understand Macintosh." ISPs have come and gone in Boulder since they started popping up in the early 1990s, and Indra’s Net was among the first to arrive on the scene. Though it’s a relatively small, locally owned ISP, it’s nationally respected enough that key people in the company have shown up on national educational TV shows to talk about computer technology and the Internet. For Web hosting, domain hosting and all the on-line needs of most residential and business Internet users, Indra’s Net is Boulder’s best connection to the world.
Best Tattoo/Piercing Parlor Skin art is as popular and acceptable today as Hush Puppies were in the ’50s. But for someone who wakes up Saturday morning with a pounding headache and a picture of Bob Marley smoking a doob tattooed from his or her shoulders to the small of the back, having gone under the needle can be a sobering experience. Specializing in cover-ups, customs, piercing and cleanliness, Boulder Ink remains the place for in-house drawn tats and epidermal upgrades. So when aging inkophiles get the itch to turn that Marley into "Mom," choosey tat addicts choose Ink.
Best Golf Course There aren’t many places where you can ski and golf in the same day, but here in Boulder, Colorado this fantasy can easily become reality with more than 300 golfable days per year. When you’re ready to join the "I skied and golfed in the same day" club, our readers have a couple of recommendations to make. Start with our Best Golf Course winner, Flatirons Golf Course–a city-owned, public course that provides a "classic golf experience" at affordable rates ($29 for 18 holes, with discounts for Boulder residents who purchase a Resident Discount Card for $15). Our runner-up, Ute Creek Golf Course in Longmont, is also a city-owned course, boasting a modern design by a world-renowned golf architecture group.
Best Music Venue "We try to make the Boulder Theater a place that people enjoy coming to," says Boulder’s Best Music Venue general manager, Cheryl Liguori, "and really serve the broadest population that we can." Whether that means showcasing acts as divergent as Shane McGowan and the Popes and Cubanismo, or hosting the nationally syndicated E-Town radio show each Sunday, the almost 100-year-old building, with its central location, stunning façade and muraled interior, remains a spacious-yet-intimate setting in which to catch top local and national acts. Boulder Theater improvements scheduled for 2002 include everything from improving sound coverage to upgrading their website and ticketing system. Now 10 years old but set in a University Hill building originally constructed in 1926 as the Rialto Theater, runner-up the Fox is hear to stay, continually booking "have-you-heard?" acts like the Strokes, as well as the finest in underground hip-hop and Boulder’s best local talent–all enjoying the "Greatest Sound on Earth."
Best Music Festival Pickers and festivarians, the Planets are in line. RockyGrass, put on each summer by the Lyons-based Planet Bluegrass at their property on the banks of the St. Vrain river, continues to draw thousands of bluegrass fans and the genre’s forerunners to Boulder County. It’s celebrating its 30th anniversary with Sam Bush, Open Road, PsychoGrass, Doc Watson, Pete Wernick, Bela Fleck–and the many manifestations of hometown favorite Tim O’Brien, in Tim and Mollie O’Brien, the RockyGrass House Band, the Tim O’Brien Band and a special Hot Rize reunion–among others, this July. This year’s fest remains not only the Best of Boulder, but the proper follow-up to Planet Bluegrass’ world-famous Telluride Bluegrass Festival, held each June. He might have recently lost a seat on the Town of Nederland Board of Trustees by one vote, but local promoter "Michigan Mike" Torpie’s NedFest easily won the runner-up slot for Boulder County’s Best Music Festival. "There are lots of other festivals," says a psyched Torpie, who already has Tony Furtado, Charlie Hunter, Robert Walter’s 20th Congress, Blackdog and The Motet scheduled for August’s NedFest 2002. "And it’s great to be up there."
Best Radio Station Boulder’s music scene is one of the most impressive in the land, especially considering that we’re merely "the most famous small city in America" (you heard it here first). No single entity has done more to put Boulder on the musical map than KBCO (the BCO stands for Boulder County). From their "world class rock" format to the annual Kinetics event to the Studio C live performances, KBCO is the musical hub of a very musical community. While we’re laying it on thick, let’s give plenty of credit to our runner-up, KGNU. This is a true community radio station, unadulterated by the pitfalls of financial influence, and we’re most fortunate to have this kind of independent programming floating through our air. The best way to show your appreciation is to log on to KGNU.org and become a member. The minimum level is $30 per year–a small price to pay for the outstanding blend of music, news and community-oriented programming you can receive only from our very own community radio station.
Best Place To Workout Having just celebrated their third anniversary, Scott Carew and Joe Weller have succeeded in transforming the former World Gym into a world-class gym by applying some well-established, but often forgotten, common-sense business principles: honesty, integrity, quality and service. Mountain’s Edge has what you’d expect from a full-service gym: cardio equipment (featuring brand-new, state-of-the-art machines that do everything but stretch for you), free weights and a room full of more weight machines than you could possibly learn to use. But Mountain’s Edge is more than a mere gym. The staff and fitness trainers are friendly, knowledgeable and even entertaining (hi, Andrea), and the variety of programs and classes are virtually endless: spinning, Pilates, NIA, yoga, kick-boxing, fit-ball, tai chi—I’m getting a workout from trying to list them. Plus, look for the opening of their new smoothie bar and supplement shop, Scojoe’s, next week. Don’t let their South Boulder location dissuade you. This is a club worth driving across town for (or, better yet, ride your bike, and get a jump on your workout). If you want to check it out with no strings attached, print out a free pass from their web-site at mountainsedge.net. Congratulations, too, to the also-rans, Rally Sport and The Pulse, two long-standing pillars of Boulder’s thriving fitness community.
Best Local Celebrity Hazelheads have united once again. For the second year in a row, blues, jazz, pop and gospel singer Hazel Miller has been voted Boulder’s Best Local Celebrity. Perhaps it was her endless performances in Boulder Theater’s presentation of the Vagina Monologues last fall, or on E-Town, or with the honorably mentioned Big Head Todd and his Monsters or, most likely, her willingness to perform for everyone from American armed forces to the Denver Broncos and Colorado Avalanche. Either way, this talented, soulful singer and performer from Kentucky has been a welcome addition to the local scene since her car broke down in Denver in the mid-’80s. Congratulations are also in order for singer/songwriter/runner-up–and dedicated woman from Mars–Wendy Woo. But bets are on that Ned’s honorably mentioned and quite frozen Grandpa in the Tuff Shed, the inspiration behind this year’s inaugural "Frozen Dead Guy Days," might have a better chance at the the blue ribbon post-thaw. Or not.
Best Local Musician/Group In the post-9/11 world where the banjo and roots-based music have become comforting reminders that some circles can’t be broken, it’s a fitting tribute that polyethnic cajun slamgrassers Leftover Salmon are the Best of Boulder 2002. After providing exceptional support for picker Mark Vann, who passed away in March at 39, Leftover Salmon continue to persevere with their new release Live (Liv), a tribute to Vann including nine feel-good live tracks partly recorded at Denver’s Fillmore. Currently relying on banjo player Matt Flinner, who is one of four–including Tony Furtado, Scott Vestal and Blueground Undergrass’s Rev. Jeff Mosier–who have been helping fill in, the thoroughly down-home and much-loved fixture are hitting Telluride, the High Sierra Music Festival, and possibly headlining the Rocks this summer. Also, having recently returned from their first "Intranational Incident" in Maui, Hawaii, runner-up bluegrass-based jammers the String Cheese Incident continue to enjoy anything but incidental success at home and across the country. And the Weekly welcomes back local legends and honorable mention Big Head Todd and the Monsters, who are stirring things up with their first release since 1998, Riviera.
Best Billiards Talk about improbable pool partners. While the swanky winner, The Foundry, maintains a knock-out number of tables edging up to easily the best smoking sanctuary in the city, runner-up, the ’downer, is Pearl Street’s 20-year-old anti-establishment establishment, featuring a dedicated staff of no-nonsense ’tenders. "Due to patron brutality, you will find warped or tipless cues," says one Sundowner employee. "But for serious players, the bar happily stores your cue behind the bar so that it will be safe and waiting for you every time you come in." But pool is pool, regardless of the milieu. Whether you’re playing on the elegant tables at the Foundry or hustling on the six eccentric bar-sized, coin-ops at the Sundown, to quote Slowhand, "It’s in the way that you use it."
Best Outdoor Gear Boulder is famous for its close proximity to the outdoor Eden of the Rocky Mountains. That’s the reason most of us live here—or at least one of the top five. World-class skiing, rafting, climbing, biking, hiking and camping demand world-class equipment and apparel. So, it’s no surprise that we have great places to buy outdoor gear. Juxtaposed against the ever-changing climate and landscape of our backyard paradise are the same three stores in the same order as in last year’s poll. Despite its corporate origins, Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS) is such a great store that I dare you to go in there and not buy something. Anything you need for the outdoors is there, and the quality of their lines is nothing but first rate. Neptune Mountaineering is more narrowly focused on skiing and climbing, and features classes and presentations from authoritative outdoor lovers. And then there’s our beloved Army Store, more of a working-class, basic-necessities sort of place to prepare for your favorite outdoor experience.
Best non-profit organization It’s easy to see why readers admire Boulder County AIDS Project. BCAP has taken on a two-fold mission of supporting those affected by HIV and AIDS and serving as an information center to prevent the further spread of HIV. With a staff of compassionate volunteers, BCAP provides food, financial assistance, and a host of professional services to people affected by HIV and AIDS. It also operates outreach services to various populations in Boulder County, including gay men, the Latino community, and workers who employ HIV-positive workers. The Humane Society of Boulder Valley is the runner-up in this category–and no wonder. If there’s one thing Boulderites cherish, besides sunshine and mountains, it is animals. Boulder is one of the few cities in the universe to pass an ordinance changing the term "pet owner" to "pet guardian." The Humane Society provides shelter to about 7,000 lost and homeless pets each year, and, unlike many animal shelters, does not euthanize adoptable animals. Since 1995, the Humane Society has had a 100-percent adoption rate for adoptable pets. Boulder County Safehouse is another cherished Boulder institution. Its staff provides safe shelter, support and advocacy for battered women and their children and work to end domestic violence through education and social change. The Safehouse is known in the community for its annual Chocolate Lover’s Fling, a fund-raiser that brings choco-holics together with some of the best chefs in the county and their dreamy creations.
Best Hiking Trail The red rocks of Mount Sanitas can be seen from the plains and are credited with drawing the first whites to camp in Boulder Valley. Minutes from downtown Boulder, the Mount Sanitas Trail offers beautiful scenery and a fast but challenging hike that attracts everyone from joggers to bird-watchers to employees looking for some exercise on their lunch breaks. Mule deer make their home near the trail, and more than one mountain lion has been spotted in the area. Chautauqua Meadow Trail takes hikers through the open field of Chautauqua Meadow into the ponderosa pine forest above. In spring, the trail, which can become quite muddy, runs beside blooming pasque flowers, which give way to golden banner and Indian paintbrush in the summer. As you disappear into the trees, you’ll pass stands of sumac, which turn a beautiful shade of red in the fall. An easy hike accessible to almost everyone, Chautauqua Meadow Trail is a Boulder treasure. The Mesa Trail is the centerpiece of the Boulder Mountain Parks trail system. Extending from Chautauqua Park to Eldorado Springs, Mesa Trail winds through some of the most beautiful scenery the Foothills have to offer. From thick stands of strawberry-, chocolate-, vanilla- and butterscotch-scented ponderosa pines to open meadows that bloom with lupine and wild iris in the summer, Mesa Trail is 7 miles from end to end, but there are lots of options for shorter hikes as well.
Best Art Gallery Known for its dynamic contemporary works that range from very affordable to affluent-friendly, the showcasing of a new artist every month, and first Friday openings, Art & Soul is the heart and soul of Philadelphia native Debbie Klein, who moved to Boulder from the New York City art world 10 years ago at the urging of fellow Boston University alumni Kevin Daly and Ian Blackford. Blackford is a previous co-owner and Daly is the current owner of Mountain Sun Pub and Brewery–co-winner of the BOB 2002 Best Drinking Establishment award. Go BU.
Best Place to Run Winding the length of Boulder Creek from Boulder Canyon to the plains, the Boulder Creek Path is where locals go to get some fresh air and condition their bodies. There’s always something to see: wildflowers in bloom, kayakers in training, prairie dogs, the occasional heron. The path is shared by runners, in-line skaters, cyclists, pedestrians, and moms pushing strollers. If it gets a little crowded sometimes, it only proves people need riparian habitat, too. The Mesa Trail runs from Chautauqua Park to Eldorado Springs. The seven-mile trail provides a challenging run for cross-country types and people looking for a little more gain from their pain. The trail cuts through some of the prettiest scenery in Boulder Mountain Parks and offers an unparalleled view of Boulder’s mountain backdrop. Don’t be surprised if you see mule deer, black bear, a mountain lion or a peregrine falcon soaring overhead. But please don’t pick the wildflowers!
Best religious Institution Once again, Unity Church is our reader’s favorite place to pray. An open and experiential church, Unity encourages people to find the truth that’s at the heart of all transformative religions–Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, and indigenous spiritual practices, among others. "Put the truth to work in your life, and your life begins to work," says Minister Jack Groverland. Unity features a store that includes books, incense, sage bundles, meditation supplies, spiritual music, jewelry and all manner of interesting things for those seeking truth and enlightenment. The store is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and between services on Sunday. Sunday services are held at 9 and 11 a.m. Shambala Meditation Center, located at 15th and Spruce streets, was voted runner up. Shambala, a Buddhist temple, offers group meditation from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. It also offers a drop-in class, Introduction to the Buddhist Path, every Monday at 7 p.m. The class includes meditation instruction, and a $5 donation is requested. On Sundays, the center is open for meditation from 9 a.m. to noon and from 2 to 5 p.m. A center open house, which includes medication instruction, is held on Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to noon. St. John’s Episcopal Church, at 14th and Pine streets, came in as the honorable mention in this category. Known for its compassionate work on behalf of AIDs victims and the homeless, St. John’s also features some of the most beautiful traditional church architecture in Boulder, including lovely stained-glass windows. Eucharist services are held Sundays at 7:30 and 8:30 a.m. in the chapel, with family Eucharist and Sunday school starting at 10 a.m. in the church. Weekday morning prayer is held Monday through Friday at 7:30 a.m., with a Monday evensong service at 6 p.m. An additional Eucharist service is held at 10 a.m in the chapel, and a special service of reconciliation is held Friday at noon in the chapel.
Best Movie House There’s only one way to watch the Rolling Stones’ classic Gimme Shelter–with the volume cranked and the liquor flowing. The one place in town where you may tip a pint while enjoying top-notch second-run domestic and foreign films, cult classics, local works and rockumentaries is the Boulder Theater–which just happens to have been a movie house from 1927 to 1978. If they’re not booking eclectic music acts from around the world, they’re screening everything from Fight Club to Mulhulland Drive to you name it in a classy, laid-back atmosphere. Taking the blue ribbon for the second year in a row, with its friendly staff, great location and beautiful art deco decor, the venue remains not only the best movie house in Boulder, but a great place to cap a dinner-and-movie date. Congratulations are also in order for runner-up Arapahoe Village and honorable mention Boulder Outdoor Cinema, another truly unique place for summertime film buffs.
Best Local Website Despite the dot.bomb, the Internet still provides hours of entertainment for its idle masses, who with the click of a mouse can enjoy the works of some of the finest artists and writers in the world. When not browsing monster.com, of course. Right in Boulder’s backyard lurks the hometown animatation genius of Mighty Fudge Studios, whose site mightyfudge.com is a "must surf" for the sick and twisted raised on homegrown animators Matt Stone and Trey Parker’s "South Park," but looking for something new. Interesting things come up while playing Slimmy Jimmy’s "Wack your Slimmy" or "Skill Claws," which awards prizes such as the "Jesus Cruxcifiction Masterview." There’s also plenty of animated shorts and the latest video from local sugar-pop rockers Dressy Bessy. But for the nitty-gritty on the local music scene, runner-up bouldermusic.com is still a great resource, with band and venue info, as well as photos of–and music from–local talent.
Best Flower Shop The owners of the European Flower Shop believe stepping into a flower shop ought to be pleasing to all our senses, a romantic experience to be savored. Because of this, they run their store like an old-time European shop, keeping their flowers in the open air for their customers to enjoy. Rather than relying on growers to send them the highest-quality flowers, the owners fly to the growers and select each bunch of flowers themselves. As a result, they offer some of the freshest, most exquisite flowers available. The shop offers custom-designed wedding services, working closely with each bride to fit her style and budget. The European Flower Shop delivers throughout Boulder County, and delivery to Boulder Community Hospital is free. Renegade Rose gets its flowers directly from the growers, ensuring fresh flowers and reasonable prices. The shop specializes in roses, but carries a huge variety of flowers from around the world. In the spring, Renegade Rose carries blooming plants for outdoors, as well as a year-round selection of indoor plants. Using some of the loveliest and freshest flowers, Renegade Rose’s prices for weddings are among the best in Colorado. Sturtz & Copeland has been a Boulder institution since 1929. Offering both florist and greenhouse services, Sturtz & Copeland sets itself apart with a wide selection of both flowers and plants, not to mention gardening and landscaping supplies. The store will work with you to help you plan the perfect floral arrangements for your wedding, or help you pick the right bedding plants and exotic foliage for your landscaping needs. Sturtz & Copeland offers free delivery to hospitals and mortuaries in Boulder and delivers flowers worldwide.
Best Day Spa The male perspective on the day spa was best summed up by Jerry Seinfeld: "I will never understand how a woman can pour hot wax on the inside of her thigh, rip the hair out by the roots and still be afraid of a spider." Judging by the success of Essentiels Spa, once again our readers’ first choice in this category, it appears that the gain outweighs the pain. Of course, there’s more to a day spa than painful waxing. Massage, aromatherapy, body wraps and scrubs, hydrotherapy, Endermologie (cellulite reduction), facials, manicures and pedicures, an extensive boutique and makeup applications are among the many delights available. And speaking of making up, take it from one who knows. After a fight, forget the "guilt" flowers, and come home with your tail between your legs and an Essentiels gift certificate. Then sit back and watch the stony attitude melt like the candles she’ll be lighting in your bedroom after returning from the spa, pampered, relaxed and smooth.
Best Copy Center Kinko’s is open 24-7 to take care of all your copying and presentation needs. With a range of services that seems to expand every time you visit, Kinko’s can help you make copies, print invitations and calendars, bind reports, create posters and banners, and put together professional business presentations. Customers can rent computers to read e-mail, surf the Internet or write reports. Kinko’s also offers basic business supplies. Eight Days a Week offers a full range of services using the latest technology. The helpful staff at Eight Days can help you make tradeshow displays, do oversize scans, plots and copies, duplicate and print CDs and CD-Rs, and have your work mounted and laminated. Eight Days also offers print-on-demand document publishing, graphic design services and a full-service bindery. Eight Days is open 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays.
Best Auto Repair Verner McCall is the Volkswagen owner’s best friend. His business, Verner’s Auto Repair, specializes in Volkswagen repair at a time when Volkswagen’s are becoming noticeably more abundant by the day on Boulder’s streets. "We work hard to get the car done right the first time, and we strive toward good communication with our customers," McCall says, explaining a few reasons why Boulder Weekly readers chose his business as co-winner in the Best Auto Repair category. Verner’s has no shortage of business these days, so he’d like VW owners to do their best to keep their own cars on the road. "I stress preventive maintenance," Verner says of his conversations with customers. "Keep up with the factory-recommended maintenance schedule." But Verner’s won’t be of much help if your problem’s with a Honda–Boulder’s other favorite auto import. For that, readers recommend Hoshi Motors Car Service, which Verner says "has a very good shop." For other makes and models, check out the runners-up: Independent Motors and Monkey Lube.
Best Car Dealer Perhaps you’re shopping for a BMW. Or just a VW. Or a Saab or an Isuzu. Whatever the case, our readers say go to Gebhardt Automotive. Gebhardt is a full-service dealership, and customers are invited to get price quotes, order parts or make appointments by visiting the business in person or by going on-line to gebhardtv.com. Store hours are 8 a.m. through 8 p.m. Monday-Friday, and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The parts & Service department hours are: 7:30 a.m. through 6 p.m. Monday through Friday (closed Saturday and Sunday). If you’d like to compare Japanese imports against Impalas, check out runner-up Fisher Chevrolet, Honda, Pontiac.
Best Furniture Store Not long after the turn of the century, Kellen McClusky found herself frustrated with her history of working at environmental non-profits. Not that they were bad jobs, it’s just that McClusky wanted to invent her own way of doing something constructive and environmentally sensitive. She came up with the idea for a store that would sell re-usable everything–from toasters to fax machines to lawn ornaments. Realizing she needed a focus, McClusky narrowed her plan and decided to open Good Use–a store that specializes in refurbished, used furniture. She teamed up with friend Rebecca Seems, and the store has been a smash hit in Boulder since shortly after it opened in November 2000. It’s not a thrift store. Though some items–forks and spoons and the like–may cost less than a buck, most of this is relatively high-end and unique furniture at the affordable price of between $100 and $300 per piece. For new furniture in an urban eclectic style, our readers like runner up HW Home, with a location on the Pearl Street Mall and at Flatiron Crossing in Broomfield. For upscale furniture and good wine, visit Trios Grille Wine Bar and Home Gallerie, the readership’s honorable mention furniture store, at 1155 Canyon Blvd. (you’ll love their exceptional private parking lot!).
Downtown Store Ever since the ’80s TV show "Family Ties" caught on–in which the complex life of an American family played out entirely in a designer kitchen–Americans have been making their kitchens more spacious and practical. It’s a trend that’s apparently here to stay. For all the right appliances, pots and pans, dishes, utensils and cookbooks, one need only stop at Peppercorn on the Pearl Street Mall. This place carries only the highest quality kitchen essentials and amenities and lots of spices and food items. Peppercorn makes downtown shopping both practical and fun. So does Boulder Book Store, the Runner-up selection of Boulder Weekly readers for "best downtown store." For kids, the Pearl Street Mall is fun with or without the shops. What makes it even more fun, however, is a browse through Into The Wind, at 1408 Pearl St. Into The Wind is foremost a high-end kite store, but it also has an amazing variety of constructive and educational toys–many of which relate to aeronautics. Want smart kids? Let them shop at Into The Wind.
Best Bank If you feel there’s safety in size, Wells Fargo is impossible to beat in Boulder County. When listed among all the nation’s financial institutions, not just traditional "banks," Wells Fargo consistently ranks among the top 10 in terms of total assets. It’s easy to find, with branches all over the metropolitan area and the United States, and in most Safeway stores. No, it’s not some mom and pop owned by a family in town. But Wells Fargo, unlike so many of its big business peers, works at contributing to the community. The bank has been a consistent contibutor to the Boulder Valley School District, for example, and was the original sponsor of the Impact Award program of The Foundation for Boulder Valley Schools. Boulder Weekly readers choose the U of C Federal Credit Union as their second best bank (OK, so it’s not really a bank, but one can write checks on it). The University of Colorado Federal Credit Union has a vested interest in Boulder and has shown over the years a true commitment to meeting the banking service and borrowing needs of Boulder residents and CU faculty and students.
Best Record/CD Store Sam Bush, Ron Miles, Tim O’Brien… And on goes the list of artists who have performed live at Bart’s CD Cellar. Add that to a huge vinyl collection, a friendly return policy and a great selection of new and used discs, and Bart Stinchcomb’s cellar of sounds–armed with a knowledeable, down-to-earth crew–somehow remains unsinkable in the stormy seas of a record industry being tossed about by MP3 downloaders and CD-burning bandits. The secret: "We try to be friends with our customers," explains Bart’s vinyl manager, Jon Martinez.
Liquor Store Boulder’s often referred to as 25 square miles surrounded by reality, or an adult Disneyland between the mountains and reality, or some other spin-off machination of those semi-famous quotes. Well, if an adult Disneyland had a liquor store it would be just like Liquor Mart. This place features rows and rows of seemingly endless selections of wine from around the world. Want some obscure beer brewed in a Third World dump that you learned to love while serving in the Peace Corps? Liquor Mart probably has it. Got $2,000 to spend on a special bottle of wine for that all-important date? Find it at Liquor Mart. Need a last-minute keg for the frat party, and it’s homecoming? Never fear, Liquor Mart’s near, and they probably even have enough taps on hand right up until closing on the busiest drinking days of the year. If Liquor Mart’s prices are low, it’s because Boulder’s full of liquor store competition. Second favorite among Boulder Weekly readers is Ace Discount Liquor, at the northwest corner of 30th and Pearl Streets. Like Liquor Mart, Ace is best described as large. It’s 8,000 square feet of discounted liquor, wine and beer by the bottle, can or keg.
Best Health Food Store Whole Foods cares about its customers health. From the fresh, organic produce to the free-range chicken, Whole Foods endeavors to bring Boulder the healthiest food available. The grain used to bake its rustic bread is unbleached, and the meat is raised without hormones or antibiotics. Add to this a naturopathic and nutrition section, which features everything a person needs in vitamins and alternative health-care remedies. Chair massage is also available, making Wild Oats the place to go for great, healthy food, natural health-care products and a bit of pampering. Vitamin Cottage provides a wide range of natural products and foods at everyday low prices. In addition to stocking fresh, organic produce, Vitamin Cottage carries a wide array of natural cosmetics, vitamins, amino acids, proteins and herbs. The store also offers a great assortment of teas and prepared foods like sandwiches. Wild Oats sets itself apart through excellent customer service. Not only will the friendly staff help you find what you want, but they’ll gladly take special orders to meet your needs. Offering an array of natural meats, organic produce, vitamins and other goods, Wild Oats is as much a part of Boulder as the Flatirons. As an extra perk, the staff is happy to help you sample food before you buy just to make sure you’re buying exactly what you want.
Best Men’s Clothing Most men hate to shop, and I’m no exception. Most women love to shop, and my wife’s no exception. Within this seeming disharmony lies a beautiful symmetry. At regular intervals my beloved comes home with a giant bag of clothes for me to try on in the comfort and privacy of my own bedroom. "Now this is my kind of shopping, " I exclaim, as I pull another sweater over my head. Chances are good that the item will find its way into my closet if it’s from Weekends, our readers’ 2002 choice for Best Men’s Clothing. Last year’s winner, Banana Republic, is closing its location on the Pearl Street Mall next month, which means you’ll need to travel to Flatirons Crossing to shop there, unless, of course, you have a female shopping addict in the family.
Best Children’s Clothing Anyone who reads Boulder Weekly is well aware of our support of locally owned businesses in their battles with the ever-advancing corporate invaders. With this theme in mind, we are doubly pleased to see this reversal of fortune as our readers selected Applause to receive the Best Children’s Clothing award over last year’s winner, Gap Kids. Applause has been a Boulder favorite since 1981 and has retained that status through three changes in location and several alterations in their merchandise. The biggest transformation occurred in 1987 when owners Chuck and Jody Hunker allowed the arrival of their daughter, Alex, to inspire the advent of the unique line of children’s clothing that they offer to this day. Next time you find yourself mindlessly falling into the Gap for your kids’ clothes, head around the corner, go west and listen for the Applause of the unique community you are privileged to be part of.
Best Pet Shop From prairie dogs to wild birds to dogs and cats, Boulder loves animals. And PetsMart is the local’s favorite place to go when Fido needs food or the squirrels demand more Critter Crunch. With an unbelievable selection of pet food, toys, grooming supplies, kennels, cages, leashes, litter and anything else you might need, PetsMart is one-stop shopping for the animal lover. Extended hours make it easy for even the busiest pet guardian to bring home the bacon-flavored chew toys. Colorado Canines has everything you need for your dog–or your cat. The store offers a full range of dog and cat food, treats, toys, outdoor gear and grooming supplies. Colorado Canines sets itself apart by offering all-natural pet products–natural foods and natural treats. Your pets will thank you. The store also offers doggy massages, free biscuit tastings, and a number of classes, including pet food consultations. Education is one of the store’s most important missions. Humane Society of Boulder Valley is much more than a pet store. The Humane Society provides shelter, veterinary care and nurturing to more than 7,000 homeless animals each year. In addition, it has a selection of pet supplies for sale, the proceeds from which help the non-profit shelter carry out its mission. The Humane Society also offers puppy kindergarten, animal behavior counseling, and a subsidized spay and neuter clinic. Stop by and find out what you can do to help our fuzzy friends.
Video Store It’s one of those Boulder stores that make Boulder bolder than so many other cities of its size. Locally owned, Video Station is to movie rental what McGuckin is to hardware and what Liquor Mart is to libation. It’s the end-all be-all, unabridged source for nearly everything that has ever been recorded on tape. Behind the counter are friendly helpful people who are paid quite a bit more than the teen-agers who staff most chain-owned video stores. These people are movie experts. Did you catch 40 seconds of some old black and white movie on TV, but you don’t know what it’s called? Ask the folks at Video Station, and one will probably rattle off the name, the director and the cast of stars if given only the slightest bit of information. Need an obscure foreign flick? Want to see your favorite ’70s-era rock group performing live onstage? Need a home-repair video? Chances are, they’ll have it. If they don’t, forget about it. Oh, and there’s no annoying plastic card to increase the bulk of your billfold. Video Station needs only your telephone number to call up your account.
Best Eyeglasses If you’re looking to try on various styles of glasses by the big name designers, Aspen Eyewear’s the place to go. They carry more than 4,000 frames by: Oakly; Ralph Lauren; Ray Ban; Calvin Klein; Kata; Skaga; bolle; Alain Mikli; Emporio Armani; Ann et Valentin; and Lafont. Don’t go there if you’re in a hurry, however, looking for one of those one-hour in-and-out places. Aspen Eyewear, in fact, promises to "take more than an hour to do your glasses!"
Computer Store Comp USA is fun, hands down, and there’s no better place to get a good price on full-color print paper–a loss leader that causes people to wander aimlessly through the store each weekend to look at the latest improvements to computing hardware. But it’s this category’s runner-up that perhaps is most important to know about.Mac Shack came in a close second in the readers’ poll, but Boulder Weekly votes it as best small computer store, and best in computer service. Boulder is a hub for publishing and the graphic arts, so the Macintosh computer holds its own here against all the IBM-based systems used by the city’s disproportionate number of electronic engineers. And Mac Shack, at 1301 Pennsylvania Ave., has much of what’s new and everything used that a Mac user could ever want. So find it brand new, a day after Apple launches it, at Comp USA. Then wait six weeks, and it will probably show up ever-so-slightly used at Mac Shack for a bargain basement price. And they’ll have everything on hand to soup it up for whatever spectacular feat you need it to perform.
Best Toy Store Here’s a news flash for our readers: Toys R Us is gone, finished, closed, cerrado, fermé, geschlossen. Get it? There is no more Toys R Us in Boulder, so you can hold on tight to your jerking knees when voting for Best Toy Store and come out of your national TV advertising-induced fog. I say this because in spite of the fact that Toys R Us has been closed for more than a year, it still came in second in 2001 and third in this year’s balloting. And from our perspective, good riddance! With great toy stores such as Grand Rabbits, Into the Wind and Play Fair, who needed the big-box toy store anyway? Now if we can just apply this same principle, in advance, to the proposed WalMart, we’ll save everyone a lot of trouble.
Best Musical Instruments Robb’s Music wins the Best Musical Instruments category again this year in a landslide. And why not? Robb’s has just about everything for musicians of all levels, from school band instruments to professional sound equipment. Locally owned for more than 20 years and specializing in the type of personalized service smaller businesses still offer in the "big box" era, Robb’s is the kind of business that suits Boulder well. For acoustic musicians, though, there’s no place like Woodsongs. Aside from their incredible selection of acoustic instruments, the special thing about Woodsongs is the Woodsongs Lutherie, run by Jon Eaton. Jon, whose cousin is Planet Bluegrass hero Craig Ferguson, is a master at repairing stringed instruments, especially guitars. Woodsongs recently relocated to 2920 Pearl St. from their former location at 16th and Pearl streets. Rounding out this year’s winners is Swalley’s, specializing in pianos and keyboard instruments.
Hardware Store Women work hard, in some parts, to keep their husbands out of the bars and the bowling alleys. The wives of Boulder have a different problem: McGuckin Hardware. Indeed, a great number of women are addicted to this place as well. Walk in for a fly-swatter, and you might just ended spending the day, looking at all the cool stuff you simply can’t find anywhere else, much less at a hardware store. There needs to be some kind of an addiction recovery class for people who can’t stay out of this place, or for those who can’t limit themselves to buying the needed bolt and then getting back to work. With more than 200,000 different items, McGuckin offers nearly three times the selection of even the largest chain hardware stores! In business for more than 40 years, McGuckin Hardware has found that nuts and bolts alone do not make someone completely content. So when whenever a customer wants something out of the ordinary, the staff at McGuckin find it and order it, then order some more and forever keep the item in stock. As a result, McGuckin Hardware has become famous for having obscure specialty items that are unavailable under one roof anywhere else. It all began in 1955 when the company’s namesake, a rugged, avid fisherman named Bill McGuckin, opened the doors of McGuckin Hardware. Employing four people in four departments, his success was based on his belief in personalized service, selection and first-hand experience. Today, the store has grown to employ an average of 250 people on its 60,000+ square foot sales floor.
Used Clothing Recycling has long been fashionable in Boulder, and re-using is even better. That, perhaps, is why some of the hippest of the hip buy their clothing used at Buffalo Exchange. When they’re done shopping there, they make their way to the ever-fashionable Rags to Riches, then the less fashionable but heavy-on-inventory Savers, and then onto more conventional low-cost thrift stores. Don’t be confused about our winner. Buffalo Exchange is not ragamuffin thrift store for the poor. This is a place to shop because it has stuff that’s better, more unique and often more fashionable than what’s on the racks at clothing stores, which is limited to only those lines that came out this season. Buffalo Exchange is the perfect store for those who want to look great, while at the same time enjoy the feeling of putting the earth’s limited resources to their full potential use. It’s also a great place to shop without the worry that you’re helping some chain store exploit sweatshop labor in China. Store hours are Monday—Saturday, 11 a.m.—7 p.m., and Sunday, 12 p.m.—6 p.m.
Best Car Wash If we had a category in our poll for "longest line," you might expect the winner to be a bank on a Friday afternoon, the motor vehicle division 30 minutes before closing or Whole Foods any time on any day. Wrong, wrong, wrong. The winner by a landslide would be The Puddle Car Wash on the first sunny weekend day after a snowfall has finished melting. After all, there are some nice cars in Boulder, and it just doesn’t seem right to leave a two-inch-thick coating of caked-on, well, whatever it is that accumulates on your car in this climate, when for $9.95 you can sit back and watch your car be restored to the way it looked when it was new. Well, almost. Thanks to our Longmont readers for putting Mainstreet Car Wash on the Best of Boulder County map for the first time.
Best Bookstore (New) "We try to carry what people want," explains Boulder Book Store’s Susan Nuzum, "and therefore a lot of our customers are very loyal." Providing more than 400,000 books in stock, 100 big-name and up-and-coming author appearances per year, and parking validation for customers, this quaint, unpretentious four-story cornerstone of the Pearl Street Mall is the Tattered Cover of Boulder County, where character, convenience and selection have continued to make it the discriminating readers’ choice since the late ’80s. Runner-up Barnes and Noble and honorable mention Borders may be branded with the scarlet letter "C" for their corporate character, but their prevalence and low prices continue to make them appealing.
Bike Shop University Bicycles makes a promise that it keeps. When you visit, you will: "Experience unrelenting friendliness." Located at the west end of the Pearl Street Mall, University has new bikes, used bikes, rental bikes, maps and books, pumps, bells, tubes and lubes–everything you need to get started or keep yourself going on a bike. In addition to great service, University has a spectacular collection of antique bikes, and a few great murals. And, you can bring the kids in for a free ride on Dumbo the elephant! It’s open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more great bike shopping and repair experiences, visit one of the two locations of Sports Garage, at 27th and Spruce streets or 15th and Pearl Streets. Sports Garage has a huge line of new bikes, and, like University, it offers expert bike service and repair, parts and accessories, adjustments and lubes.
Best Shoe Store Pedestrian Shops owner Richard Polk doesn’t like Boulder Weekly. We can hear our 67,000 (audited) loyal, devoted readers collectively booing. But wait! These are the same folks that have bestowed upon Pedestrian Shops the award of Best Shoe Store, and they deserve an explanation. So let us share the reason he doesn’t like the Weekly (at least as it has been reported to us by the endless stream of account executives who have tried to convince Richard to give us a chance). Richard doesn’t like "bad news," and he feels that Boulder Weekly should lay off the injustices and tragedies in our midst and focus more on what’s right with the world. Believing in freedom of speech and the value of diversity of opinion as we do, we’ll be the first to say that he’s entitled to his views. And we’re inclined to heed his advice, right here and now. So, here is a piece of good news for you, Richard: Our readers love your store, and so do we. As a fellow locally owned business trying to compete against the chains (such as this year’s runner-up), we’re on your side. So, here’s the deal: We promise not to shop at your corporately owned competition if you promise not to advertise with ours. As far as the "bad news" is concerned, our readers applaud us for doing our best to point out what’s wrong so we can work together to create what’s right. Please join us.
Women’s Clothing It’ll make the anti-chain store people go bananas, but this year our readers just swore that Banana Republic is the best place to buy women’s clothing. The store is sort of a no-frills, practical attire kind of place, featuring uncomplicated styles with straight silhouettes. It’s full of basic cotton twill chinos, polos, silk skirts and sheath dresses with just enough of a trendy twist of the collar or pant length to make things interesting. Sleek suits in subtle colors for office and evening are also in stock, along with tight blouses in pale blue, and cashmere spaghetti-strap sweaters in pink, of course. The store appears to appeal mostly to 20- and 30-somethings shopping for practical work clothes and no-nonsense play clothes. More sophisticated shoppers, looking to stand out a bit from the crowd, are more likely to shop at runner-up Max Clothing Store, 1177 Walnut St. Carrying upscale clothes for every occasion, the Max boutique is known primarily for class and style, much like honorable mention Chelsea.
Best Travel Agency What could be more fun than working at a travel agency? Most folks work all year to save up enough money to go on vacation. Just imagine the joy and anticipation in their hearts as a young couple walk in the door proclaiming, "We want to go to Jamaica!" Next, imagine the vicarious thrill the agent on the other side of the desk gets as he or she helps them fulfill their dream. How much better can it get (unless you’re going to Jamaica yourself)? The folks at Cain Travel have been helping Boulderites fulfill their travel fantasies for more than 25 years, and they must be pretty good at it, as they have visited the Best Travel Agency podium before. No doubt runner-up Via Travel and honorable mention winner Boulder Travel have a few good travel tips as well; they both have consistently been top vote getters in our poll for years.
Best Jewelry As Ry Cooder sings, "The very thing that makes her rich, makes you poor." Could it be that he had just left a jewelry store when these words came to him? Perhaps it’s our desire to create something lasting amid life’s ever-changing nature. Maybe it’s simply the pure aesthetic appeal of silver, gold (or, God forbid, platinum) and precious gems. Whatever the reason, we love to adorn ourselves in jewelry, and in Boulder we have plenty of places to find it. This year our readers have honored Hurdles Jewelry above all of the others, followed by Jon Atencio and McLaren Markowitz, which also garnered second-place honors in the Art Gallery category.
Best Bookstore (Used) The yellowing pages of a second edition On the Road already howl out the Benzedrine-fueled ravings of Jack Kerouac, the harbinger of the hippie era. But there’s something about a used book that presents–quite literally–a story behind the story. Coffee stains, No. 2 pencil notes in the margins, or that lingering question, "Why was page 43 folded over and not others?" all bring home the fact that hardcovers and paperbacks are cherished heirlooms by which adventure and knowledge are passed from one generation to the next, each reader subtly enhancing the experience of the next. What truly sets Boulder’s Book Store (winner), Red Letter (runner-up) and Trident (honorable mention) apart from the chains is their recycling commitment to the environment of the mind.
Best Ski/Snowboard Shop Want to compare prices and a wide selection of brands under one roof? Then visit Boulder Ski Deals, which sells: Rossignol, Salomon and Dynastar skis, boots and bindings; Marker bindings; Burton snowboards; Fischer alpine and Nordic skis; Karhu and Tua telemark skis; and Redfeather, Crescent Moon and Atlas snowshoes. Boulder Ski Deals also sells some used snowboards and snowshoes, children’s equipment, and racks and accessories for most outdoor sports. Ski apparel includes lines by North Face, Columbia, Spyder and Helly Hansen. The store has a full-service ski and snowboard tuning and repair shop. It’s open Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Boulder Weekly readers seem to shop around a lot when it comes to winter sports, ranking Christy Sport and Crystal Ski Rental as close runners-up to Boulder Ski Deals. |