beans: pekoe

I realize it’s about time for a “suds” blog. One is coming soon, as the sidekicks and I plan to head out on Friday evening for a little happy hour action. But it is “national coffee day” after all, so I’d be remiss if I didn’t give you the lowdown on a place to get some today….or tomorrow if like me you need to carefully monitor your afternoon caffeine intake.

Pekoe Sip House, whose slogan is “sip. relax. enjoy.” I love it already, Pekoe.

Don’t mind if I do. I’ll let Pekoe explain the philosophy in their own words, which will undoubtedly be more eloquent than if I tried to do it myself.

Sip is a metaphor for the less hectic. We encourage people to sip, to create quality time. Time to catch up, not on the “to-do” list, but on the important things that are not on the “to-do” list. Because too seldom do we enjoy these activities.

I don’t know about you, but I am ALWAYS up for something that gives me an excuse to blow off the sisyphusian “to do” list, even for an hour.  Ok, I don’t know if “sisyphusian” is a word, but I use it here to explain the feeling I sometimes get when faced with my never-ending list of chores. You know Sisyphus, the guy with the boulder. No, not the guy from Boulder.

Relax.  Often it is the little things that enrich our lives. We fulfill people’s need for enrichment with our tea, food, and social experience. Our service enables people to blossom and, best of all, it’s not a retreat to a yoga spa, it’s part of their everyday experience.

They do have yummy food offerings, including the Noosa. No need to elaborate here, and if you don’t know what I’m talking about, I’ll refer you to the “Ozo” review. I needn’t bore my regular readers….all of whom are awesome….by reiterating my feelings about Noosa.

Enjoy.  We enable people to explore the rich world of tea: its wide selection and its plethora of flavor. Sweet, spicy, or smooth, tea is an indulgence. Enjoying tea is a special treat, a simple splurge from the everyday.

They have a LOT of tea at Pekoe, more on that later.  Fret not, coffee drinkers, they’ve got you covered as well!

There are three Pekoes in Boulder, one by Ideal on Broadway and one in the Steelyards on 30th..there’s also one on the CU campus, but I haven’t been. The one on Broadway is bigger than the one at the Steelyards and (I think) a better place to hang. Plus when I’m done sipping, relaxing and enjoying, I can make my daily trek to the grocery store without having to move the car. Ideal is a couple of doors down. That said, I have spent a lot more time at the one on 30th because of its proximity the gym I went to for years, which made it a convenient spot for a little caffeine before or after a workout.

(Both Pekoes have outdoor seating as well)

The people who work at both Pekoe locations are really friendly and also happy to help you with your beverage choice. They have a lot of teas to choose from. I kid you not.

(The wall of tea canisters behind the counter. Some of the tea canisters. They have many varieties of green, black, rooibos, white, mate, herbal and oolong for your sipping enjoyment)

And you can take your favorites home with you.

Pekoe has coffee and espresso drinks galore and really creative and delicious concoctions you won’t find elsewhere.  They have “bubble tea” drinks, which are supposed to have great health benefits….if you can get past the slimy tapioca pearls. (I can’t, but my hilarious friend Jo can, and we had a lot of juvenile laughs over the tapioca balls).  Pekoe has a variety of iced teas…blue eyes is my fave…it’s an organic green iced tea with pineapple and papaya flavors…delicious! They make Pekoe “signature drinks” like mocha and latte made with black tea instead of espresso, and other “wellness” drinks and “frozen indulgences” which I have not yet tried. Pekoe also has four different kinds of chai (house, mate, spicy green and rooibos) if that’s your thing.

You could spend weeks just working your way through this menu, which can be found on their website. If you’re headed to Pekoe after a workout, which I often do, I recommend the “Casablanca”…..a delicious, refreshing and hydrating drink of coconut water and mint tea. This is making me thirsty for Pekoe.

And as I mentioned earlier in the post, the employees at both locations are really friendly. When last I stopped in for an icy “Casablanca,” the barista was putting the finishing touches on my drink and asked “Whatcha got going on today?” I replied “Really?” To which he responded “Yeah, what’s up?” I told him, he listened. And when I was done he said “Sounds like a great day. And I love your boots.” And I love you right back, Pekoe guy.

Which brings us to the place in the blog where you get caught up on whatever else I feel like talking about, unrelated though it is to coffee or adult beverage.

War and Peace. Damn you, Leo Tolstoy, for your verbosity!!

I started reading this weighty tome a year ago and my goal was to finish it within 12 months. In order to avoid failure, I’d have to read nearly 300 pages before the end of tomorrow. That’s not going to happen. I am so close, but yet so far….

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great read. It’s a slog, but it’s worth it. I’ll let you know WHEN I finish.

Maybe I should rethink my current strategy, though….I typically leg into the book at night, after I’m exhausted by the day. I read it on my ipad, while in the supine position in my very comfortable bed, listening to the the “New Age Beats” station on Pandora.  Sleep comes quickly, and it’s a challenge to get through a book like this if you do it three pages at a time.

New logo, courtesy of my girl Chris…what do you think? I love it! I’m going to use it until I get a “cease and desist order” from it’s creator.

beans: ozo on pearl

I feel it’s important to state here that beans and suds receives no compensation or promotional consideration from Ozo, its owners, or any of its subsidiaries. I am about to begin what may seem an “Ode to Ozo,” and I want to make it clear I have no ulterior motive.

There are two Ozo Coffee Co’s in town. The original is on Arapahoe, out by 55th and the new one is on Pearl…1015 Pearl to be exact. The two Ozos have such different vibes that I think they need to be discussed separately.  Here we are talking about Ozo on Pearl.

When I heard Ozo was moving into the space on Pearl vacated by Bart’s CD cellar, my reaction was “Oh great. Just what we need in Boulder. Another coffee shop.” (Which, oddly enough is almost verbatim what my best friend of over 20 years said the first time she met me. It was my first day as a waitress at the River House restaurant in Humarock, Mass, and the manager was introducing me to everyone.  It went like this….manager: “Patsy, this is our new waitress, Kathy.” Patsy: “Oh great. Just what we need around here, another f*%&ing waitress.” It wasn’t until we both got the same lunch shift, a fate worse than death at a restaurant on the beach in the dog days of summer, that we became besties, after I failed to get someone to take my shift because I was afraid to work with her.  We laughed the whole time because there was nothing else to do, and shared a lunch of sauerkraut sandwiches….no sense wasting more than one thin sliver of corned beef on the employees.  And the rest, as they say, is history.)

(Humarock beach, where I met my two best friends, Patsy and Kristen,  who is the quiet one)

I’m getting off topic again…thanks for your patience.

So I was unmoved upon hearing the news of the arrival of Ozo on Pearl.  I’ve always liked the original Ozo, but I am rarely in the environs of 55th and Arapahoe. Given gas prices and the fact that I’d probably pass 25 other coffee shops along the way, it seems silly to go that far for caffeine, even if it is really well executed.  So I felt no real connection to Ozo.

But I must say, the guys at Ozo have got it all nailed down. They offer all the usual coffee and tea selections your heart desires, and it’s all good. Ozo has a LOT of food options, too, stuff even I would eat. Like salads, wraps, sandwiches, breggos, burritos.  And as one of the sidekicks pointed out, heated properly for you…NOT in the microwave, but under that press thing that resembles a waffle iron without the little squares. They even carry Noosa yogurt. Yeah, you heard me. I love Noosa! If you haven’t had the pleasure, get yourself some before the sun sets on this day.

Go to Ozo on Pearl and have some there.

(some, but not all, of the food options at Ozo. Note the Noosa, top shelf, lots of choices)

I went yesterday with not one, but three sidekicks…and we all loved it. Ozo on Pearl is huge, and way urban hip, with its shiny concrete floors, cool lighting and a funky..and also huge…counter.  There is all kinds of stuff for sale here, too in addition to the drinks and the nosh. Bags of different kinds of coffee, travel mugs, boxes of tea, french presses, little espresso cups (the technical term is  “demitasse” or half cup, en Francais. I took AP French in high school and even got a 5 on the exam. Don’t get to use it much anymore….quel dommage!)

The girls working behind the counter are great….very friendly and there are a lot of them, so the service was really good, too.  One of the sidekicks went in to refill her iced green tea- a nice perk, one free refill of the icy green…and on top of that they give you little lemon slivers to go with…good god, is there nothing these cats at Ozo haven’t thought of?

Anyway,  when the sidekick went in for her refill the girl at the counter greeted her with “whatcha need, babe?” Let me tell you, be it by a cute guy or a cool, hip chick working at a cool, hip coffee shop, most women of my…um, demographic…..love to be called “babe.”  Almost as much as we hate to be called “ma’am,” as in “how can I help you, ma’am?” Well for starters, you can stop calling me ma’am.

(Ozo counter where the cool chicks who call you “babe” work)

The front section of the funky new Ozo is the social area.  Separated from the chatty front by the aforementioned huge counter and walkway where you order and wait for your drinks, and possibly shop for household items, is the back seating area, which is decidedly more quiet, full of people on laptops, reading, writing and generally looking more busy and serious than the people up front. We sat outside in the beautiful morning sun, lucky as we were to nab the limited seats out on the sidewalk. Great spot for people watching while you enjoy your Ozo.

Turns out Ozo on Pearl is pretty awesome, and I’m not the only one who thinks so. There wasn’t an empty seat in the place when we stopped by.  So I guess I was wrong when I thought there wasn’t room in Boulder for another coffee shop. But then again, Ozo on Pearl isn’t just another coffee shop.

beans: the trident

In the interest of full disclosure, I must tell you I have a soft spot in my heart for the Trident and some of its employees, a few of whom I even count among my friends. Now you know.

(You don’t need me to tell you where to find this place)

Before I moved to Boulder, my brother lived here for years. Lest you think I followed him out here…. I went to CU some time ago, and like any good older sister, I had my brother out to visit for a weekend or two. Shortly after one such weekend, he announced his plans to drop out of Georgetown University (where he been accepted in early admissions and had been earning a 3.75 as an English major), move to Colorado, be a ski bum, and later transfer to CU as a Classical Guitar major. My parents assumed there was some kind of link there, and have blamed me ever since. None of this is your problem, I just don’t want any of you to think I came to Boulder because I was following my little brother. Maybe I should discuss this with my therapist instead of the people reading my blog.

Anyway, said little brother spent a great deal of time in the various coffee shops around town, and the Trident is one of his all-time favorites.  When I moved to Boulder, he encouraged me to go there for my morning fix. I resisted, explaining that I was having a difficult enough time transitioning from my life as a career woman on the east coast to being a stay at home mom in Boulder, a place many of my friends back home still think lies in the “here there be monsters” section of the maps beyond the perimeter of civilization, and I didn’t think I was quite ready to take on the Trident, and whatever “slice of Boulder” awaited me behind it’s doors.

(Bostonians’ view of the world. True story)

It took me a few years, but I’m glad I finally broke down and went to the Trident.

The baristas can be a tad surly, which I recognize may be off-putting to some in Boulder, but not this cat. I like it. Reminds me of home.  If you know what you want and have your money ready, you’ll be spared the eye-rolling and aggressive sighing that is a sure sign of frustration toward those less….focused.  (No judgement here. I do a tremendous amount of sighing… and also the more theatrical throwing of hands into the air in frustration… as I go about my day in Boulder. I swear, too. A lot. Most of this behavior takes place while I’m driving).  The baristas at the Trident are really good at what they do, they move quickly and so does the line, so be prepared and you won’t have a problem.

The drinks are really good. I’ve tried many, hot and iced, depending on my mood. Latte, chai (I prefer the spicy Bhakti, which is awesome), americano and in the afternoon iced tea or an arnold palmer…all delicious. The first time I went to the Trident I was on my way to jury duty at the courthouse around the way and I made the mistake of ordering an iced coffee. It was a little strong, and I spent the entire jury selection process sweating profusely and battling heart palpitations. I don’t know what that says about me…or the iced coffee..but I’ve never ordered another one. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

To fully enjoy what the Trident has to offer, you should drink your beverage there.  I usually do. Caffeine in hand, I slide, like a tetris piece, into one of the little tables in the back, careful not to bump into the table next to me, possibly spilling that guy’s coffee all over his laptop. It’s a real fear for me. I hope it never happens.

The people who hang out here are most assuredly doing their part to “Keep Boulder Weird” (for those not in the know, this is a slogan to encourage people to support local businesses in town. You can even get a bumper sticker for your Prius). The cast of characters in the Trident is as diverse as you’ll find anywhere in town, and it can be entertaining to sit in the front and watch them come and go….and talk to themselves, or you.  I have had some of the most curious conversations here…and the topics are as interesting and varied as the speakers.  Once, a guy I don’t know started telling me all about his life, which I thought was odd, but I was polite and I listened. And nodded when I thought I should. I also looked around the room, to see if anyone else within earshot thought it was strange that this man I didn’t know was sharing alarmingly personal details with me, and not in a quiet voice. Nobody did. I made eye contact with a few people, and they just smiled at me, as if to say, “Oh yeah, that’s how Jefferson does. He’s going to keep talking. We can’t help you.” (I’m sure the guy’s name is not Jefferson. I gave him that name because I think it’s funny).

(A bike parked by the Trident. I have NO idea what’s going on here, but I’m sure it means something. To someone. If only the bike’s owner. You can’t make this stuff up)

In the summertime, the Trident has events out on the stage in the back courtyard…poetry readings, musical performances, open mic nights…I think. You should check out their website if you’re into this kind of thing. I am not, nor am I ready to experience “the Trident after dark.”

There is also a bookstore, where you can buy new and used books. Talk to the proper authorities, or check the website, about selling your books here.

Dang, do I wish I had not forgotten my headphones!! Do not make this mistake, because there will be times, like right now, when the people sitting around you are talking way too loud about something you do not want to hear.  For example, there is a small hippie cluster next to me talking about how some drug dealers cut their cocaine with baking soda, and you can tell by pouring vinegar on it. Yeah, none of the other members of the cluster found that funny, either. From there, they went on to discuss exactly how long it will take to walk to 19th Street, and I desperately want to lean over and say, “Oooh, no. It takes way longer than you think, and foot traffic is really bad this time of day. You should probably leave now.” To further irritate me, one of them takes a call and is talking loudly on her cell phone, despite the sign on the front door, which seems invisible to so many people. Maybe it’s written in some weird ink that can only be seen by people with green eyes. I don’t know but it’s buggin me.

(Maybe the problem lies in the depiction of the cell phone…doesn’t look like my iphone, so they’re probably not talking to me here kind of thing)

In all, I highly recommend the Trident.  I went this morning, and I was a little dehydrated (read: hungover. Which was not totally my fault. The wait for dinner last night was not the 20 minutes promised, but over an hour…just enough time for me to have a couple of extra cocktails. This is not the first time this has happened to me)…..Anyway, one of the baristas came in for his/her shift and sat down to chat with me. I told him/her I was suffering and s/he got up to make me an emergen-C, asked if I wanted that with OJ, water or sparkling water….and brought it back, just the way I like it. I doubt that would happen at any place other than the Trident. And it probably won’t happen to you. But it happened. And that’s why I’m so happy I finally went in to the Trident on my way to jury duty.

suds: jax fish house

I know it’s only Monday, but it’s never too early to start thinking about happy hour.

If you have a couple of hours to kill, and they just so happen to be the magical ones between 4-6pm, get thee to Jax for happy hour. But don’t waste time, because if you do you’ll have no shot of getting a seat at the bar.

(This is where you’ll enjoy your food and drink if you get to Jax for happy hour after 4:30. It works, and they even have hooks under the brass ledge to hang your purse.  If you’d like a picture of yourself on this wall, take the following steps: 1. purchase a Jax hat, 2. go fishing, 3. catch a fish, 4. have someone take a picture of you, wearing the Jax hat, with your fish, 5. put it in a frame and get it to Jax. I made that up, but I’m pretty certain that’s how it works.)

Jax has long been one of my favorite places for dinner in Boulder. It’s not an everyday, i-don’t-feel-like-cooking kind of place, and it’s not cheap, but it’s worth it, so come up with a reason and treat yourself. The food is amazing, always cooked to perfection, and the service is awesome, too. (Bravo fans may remember the Top Chef Season 5 winner, Hosea Rosenberg. Yeah, he’s from Jax. Interesting bit of local celeb trivia for you).  The atmosphere is loud and fun, and the drinks are also awesome.

Which brings us back to happy hour.

My sidekick and I discovered Jax happy hour a little over a year ago, and I think it was a Monday night. Not sure why we were out on a Monday, but I am sure the decision to go to Jax was a good one, and one that we’ve made numerous times since.  Like every other Friday.

What is not to love about Jax? The food is great, the happy hour pricing is also great…the dollar oysters alone are well worth the trip.  Jax features smaller portions of many of its popular appetizers, our favorites are the calamari and the spicy peel and eat shrimp. Don’t they look delicious?

(yummmmy. made even more so by the happy hour pricing, and the fact that they were shucked with love by Nick, whom you’ll meet soon,  the hardest working guy on Pearl Street between the hours of 4-6pm)

(Spicy peel and eat shrimp, and the most tantalizing calamari this side of the Mississippi, and the sweet/hot chili dipping sauce that is so good, the sidekick couldn’t wait until I took the picture to dive in)

There are a variety of other options, but these are the ones we always get. Take a looksee at the happy hour menu, so you’ll be further tempted to go to Jax.

If the food isn’t enough and you need more convincing, let’s talk about the drinks. And the bartenders. And we really can’t go any further without mentioning the one that’s missing. Jesse was a fixture behind the bar at Jax for years, and one of the reasons we loved it so much. The first time I met Jesse I was at Jax for dinner with friends and was told the wait for a table would be about 25 minutes. No problem. I got a stool at the bar and ordered a cold beer. Somehow the 25 minutes morphed into over an hour, during which my beers seemed to be “evaporating” at an alarming pace. I know this because I kept ordering myself another one and my three dinner companions were all “um. no, I’m good. I still have this full one here.” Happens. And then Jesse said “Boston or Chicago?” A confused me responded with “What do you mean?” to which he answered “Any girl who can drink like that and not seem any worse for it is, in my experience Irish, and most likely from either Boston or Chicago.” Dang! Cute guy behind the bar knows his stuff. I am Irish, and I am from Boston.

Since then, the sidekick and I have become more friendly with our favorite bartender. He would do awesome bartender stuff like always making sure our water glasses were full…..important to stay hydrated….and taking liberties to make me a drink of HIS choosing because he said I was taking too long to decide on my own.

( Jax margarita. Oh and it’s as good as it looks. Thereafter, Jesse would have these ready for the sidekick and me without us having to ask)

Anyway, Jesse left Jax recently to pursue his true passion in life (I mean the one he enjoys only marginally more than acting as our bartender), fly fishing. Word on the street is he’s leading guided tours these days. If you see Jesse, send him our love. Hopefully he will join us on the flipside of the bar some day.  And tell him Ben, Ben and Nick are taking really great care of us in his absence, as we knew they would.

(Three of my favorite guys on Pearl Street. Ben, Ben and Nick….who made it a little easier for us to get over losing Jesse.  These guys are great, and they are almost always smiling like this, too.  Nick is seen here wielding one of the tools of his trade, the huge container of cocktail sauce)

The bar at Jax is great, due in no small part to the bartenders. These guys are awesome. They will make you a cocktail featuring one of the many infused vodkas marinating overhead…a spicy and delicious bloody mary (you can even get a few shrimps in it if you ask nicely), martinis, wine, beer and yes, there is alcohol in those pink lemonades. The sidekick wasn’t sure, and even asked if she was getting the “kind with booze in it,” please. Apparently they go down pretty easily. Suffice it to say there IS alcohol in them, watching her wheels come off that night is all the proof I need. Oddly, she hasn’t ordered one since…..

Jax is a great time. Food, drink, vibe, bartenders and other staff. We love it. You will always run into someone you know there, Boulder is a small town and it’s a popular place. My neighbor said the other day “Hey, is Jax your hangout place? I’ve seen you there the last five times I’ve been there.” It is indeed, and I pointed out to her that she must go often as well in order to see me that much…..

Not the place for canoodling during a secret tryst, as it won’t be a secret for long, but if that’s not what you’re doing, do it at Jax.

And here’s where I write about things that do not fall under “beans” or “suds”

For those of you following the blog…. THANK YOU!!! Tell your friends, spread the good word.  And I’ll catch you up on a few things. I did not need to call a locksmith, thanks to my “roll-up guy” (to get the reference and hear a kickass tune, check Wiz Khalifa’s “Roll Up”) for showing up with a pair of needle nose pliers and getting the broken key out of the front door lock. I will be sad when your new girlfriend doesn’t allow you to roll up every time I call…..

And I am NOT finished with War and Peace, and I really need to kick it up a notch if I have a chance of getting it done by the end of the month, thus meeting my goal of reading it in a year’s time. I have about 400 pages left, which means I have to read 36 pages a day to get it done, which wouldn’t be a problem with any other novel….. I’ll give it my best shot. I have it in book form AND on my ipad, so as long as I don’t get distracted by anything else I’d rather be reading, I think I’ll be victorious.

“Good God, woman. Aren’t you done with this book yet?” No Goober, I am not.

beans: spruce confections

Known simply as “Spruce” in these parts. There are two of them in Boulder. One on west Pearl and one up in “NoBo” (north Boulder, for those of you who do not live in “the bubble”) on the corner of Broadway and Yellow Pine, which is the one I go to most often.

For years I avoided Spruce Confections because of the smell. I wish there was a way I could transmit through this blog the heavenly aromas wafting from this little confectionery. I’ll try to describe it, knowing in advance that I will NEVER do it justice. Think about butter, lots of butter, warmed in the oven with it’s partners in crime, flour and sugar, and spices…vanilla, cinnamon, whatever else smells light and fattening. Then add the smell of bread, fresh out of the oven. And chocolate.  That’s the smell of Spruce. Because this guy back here, behind the counter, is always up to something.

Something awesome.

(there are also some really warm things cooling on the racks in the foreground. I don’t know what they are, but they have a crumbly-looking top…probably made out of butter and sugar)

While I do not allow myself the indulgence of actually eating anything that comes out of the oven at Spruce, I look at it all. For a long time.  I do a bit of fantasizing about how great and melt-in-your-mouth delicious everything must be.  My mouth waters. For real. I am so happy, although not totally convinced that I haven’t sinned in some way. I was raised catholic, so I think this may fall into the “impure thoughts” category, which means I’m guilty of something, even though no calories have been consumed. I will continue my “what I don’t know won’t hurt me” policy toward all Spruce baked goods.

They have scones in a variety of flavors, croissants too. Chocolate ones and the plain old buttery kind. There are slabs of all kinds of loaves…like zucchini bread, banana bread, lemon pound cake, something with poppy seeds…. Cookies, biscotti and muffins, oh my! And there is something called a black bottom cupcake (which is essentially a chocolate cupcake with cheesecake in the middle). I can’t even go there…..

As if that weren’t enough, Spruce north also has gelato. It’s just silly. In addition, they feature sandwiches, small batch soups and quiche of the day. I’m making myself hungry just typing all this.

They have all the usual coffee, espresso drinks, and tea you’d expect as well. And at Spruce north, they tape the daily horoscope on the tip jar. I get extra psyched when I get a five-star day. It’s the little things.

(three star day for me today…and the rest of you aries out there)

The baristas are also really friendly, and one Friday this summer one of them penned in extra stars, so everyone had a five star day.  Nice touch, don’t you think?

The reason I go there is to partake of the infamous “Spruce juice,” Spruce’s special recipe iced vanilla latte, served when the weather is warm and always ready to go in a pitcher in the fridge behind the counter. It’s special. Those of you who know me, know very well that summer is not my favorite time of the year in Boulder. I grew up on the east coast, near the ocean, and I miss the beach desperately in the summer. I always get psyched when I can finally kiss summer goodbye and replace it with hoodies, long sleeves, jeans, football, and all the other trappings of fall. This is my first year as a diehard “Spruce juice” drinker, and while I’m loving the cooler temps and chilly nights, I will be sad the day I order my favorite icy caffeine drink and am told “Sorry. no more Spruce juice until spring.” I will need a moment.

(my Spruce juice enjoying a table by the window this morning)

Both Spruce locations have great little patios, and regularly feature some kind of live music suitable for drinking coffee and eating patisseries. I HIGHLY recommend this guy….

Irish fiddler, Adam Agee, is one of my personal faves. Do get up to Spruce north when he’s there….next time is Friday September 23rd from 8-10am. He’s a gifted musician and a very sweet guy as well. Sometimes he brings a musical guest along, like guy with a drum or a guitar or something. He’s awesome. Bring an extra 10 clams and treat yourself to his CD. He will appreciate it and he will tell you so. Put the CD in your car and let his dulcet tones keep you from having road rage while you’re driving around town.

Since we are on the topic…..

It’s a four way stop, people. I’m not sure why it’s so tricky and paralyzing for drivers to negotiate it. Think about accounting if you get tripped up. It’s the FIFO method, really. If any of the other three cars were already at the intersection when you got there, they get to go before you do. If you look around and notice the three other cars stopped at the intersection AFTER you got there, it’s your turn.

Good luck out there.

suds: centro

There is a story behind this photograph, and I’m going to share it with you and get it out of the way so we can discuss Centro.

I could really go for a Centro coin-style marg right now.

I had a great day today, starting with the longest and most relaxed run of my short career as a trail runner this morning, I got a new purse AND a new pair of shoes….both on sale, had lunch with a bestie, and I’m going to a new contemporary dance class tonight. So I was unaffected by any of the afternoon’s strange happenings.

Except my thumb really hurts.

I got to the bus stop, and my son told me he broke my favorite water bottle. No big deal, right? None of these things are, but for the fact that they all took place in a span of about four minutes.  On the way home, I accidentally dropped my daughter’s water bottle out of her backpack and into the sewer. This is not the first time we’ve lost a water bottle in this exact sewer opening. I’m not sure why the bottles always fall out of the backpack at exactly that spot on the walk home (and nowhere else), but it’s weird and worth mentioning. Then my sweet boy informed me that he broke the key off in the front door lock. I tried to get it out using a large fork designed for piercing meat and such on the grill, it slipped and I impaled my own thumb. I’m pretty sure a pair of needle-nose pliers will save me from having to get a locksmith involved, only I don’t have any. I’ll let you know how I make out.

Back to business….

Technically, it’s “Centro Latin Kitchen & Refreshment Palace,” but we’ll just go with Centro.

Aaaaah, Centro.  With your ideal location on west Pearl, ample outdoor seating and delightful cocktails…I feel like I walk by too often on my way to spend time with your more favored sister, Jax Fish House (Centro and Jax are both owned by the same parent company. They have other siblings in town, and we will deal with them later).  But tonight I will not pass you by.

It’s finally cooling off around here, the sun is out and there’s a nice bit of breeze. I’m thinking a shady spot on the patio will suit me nicely, thank you.  Great view, great people watching. I’m very happy with the choice so far.  Two sidekicks tonight…three opinions. Let’s see what happens.

Loving our little table in the corner of the patio, although it is admittedly less social than pulling up a barstool next to someone you don’t know…yet….but that’s the kind of mood we are in tonight.

Coin style marg? On the rocks with salt? Yes, please!! And at $5 a pop during happy hour, worth every penny. Yum! Well made! I could have several more of these little intoxicants without even breaking a sweat, but I’ll try to stick with my personal maximum, which is three. Damn, these go down quick. And easy. A little too easy, which is how I learned four (or more) is too many in the first place (unlike martinis, which are like breasts, in that one is not enough but three is too many…I heard that one years ago and I still love it. I did a lot of research on it back in the day, too. It’s true. Trust me).

Now for some nosh.

Hmmm. We are a little disappointed with the happy hour food offerings, the sidekicks and I. Fried eggs? Seared greens? Beans and rice? Pork chili nachos? It might be just me, but I dig nachos, until you ruin them with the addition of “pork chili.” We settle on the medium salsa…good, but a little sweet..I’m a savory kind of gal, but it’s ok….and the avocado salsa (ordered from the dinner menu), which is good, if a tad bland. Nothing a few brandishes of the salt shaker won’t fix.

The enormous chunks of avocado were a bummer for one of the sidekicks, but she made short work of that problem with her impressive knife skills, and we dive right in with our chips.

Nothing else on the happy hour menu tempted us.  Certainly nothing I’d ever order on a date, which I wasn’t on, but it serves as a good barometer of the ease or difficulty of eating different things, helpful when navigating food options. And I’ll pass on the cabbage-filled tacos as well. For obvious reasons.

But don’t take our word for it..take a peek at the happy hour menu and decide for yourself.

I’ve reached my limit of those lovely little coins, happy hour is over, and we’re thinking maybe we should go elsewhere and get a little something more substantial to eat in order to soak up the inebriates.

Glad we did the next morning, as drinking too much and eating too little is a mistake this cat has made all to often at happy hour. Especially when happy hour goes until 11:30pm. Hurts us the next day.

We head east on Pearl to Pizzeria Locale, sit at the bar, eat amazing pizza and sip on creative, refreshing and delicious cocktails.  It’s not cheap though. Makes me wonder “do these guys do happy hour?”… I’m going to find out.

beans: atlas purveyors

This beautiful chalk drawing of a buffalo and Chief Niwot, speaker of the famous curse that bears his name “People seeing the beauty of this valley will want to stay, and their staying will be the undoing of the beauty,” greets all who enter.

It’s been a few days…I have been a little distracted by a weekend retreat at Grand Lake and the fact that I have until the end of the month to finish “War and Peace.” I gave myself a year to conquer that weighty tome, and my time is almost up. So I will leave the Rostovs, the Bezouhovs and the War of 1812 behind for now and return to the blog.

(Grand Lake….beautiful)

Atlas Purveyors is located at 1501 Pearl Street, just off the mall. And it’s my new favorite coffee shop in town. The baristas are very friendly, they cook delicious made-to-order breakfast items, such as the egg and cheese enjoyed by my sidekick du jour and the beautiful plate of scrambled egg and veggies my trainer ate after he was late for our session and by some miracle of fate said “yes” when I suggested we just go get coffee instead of working out.

(Yummmm!  There are also muffins, pastry and other delicious-looking standard coffee shop fare, if that’s more your speed.)

On every table there is a glass bottle of water and two glasses, turned upside down if they are clean. This is awesome in our high desert climate! I don’t have to bother the barista when I realize I’ve had too much caffeine and not enough food/water and am starting to get a little nauseous…. I digress. The water on the tables is a nice touch, as are the big chalkboard walls with some beautiful artwork, as well as space for people to write their own stuff.Sidekick also likes the bottomless cup o’ Joe if you’re going to hang.  Last time I went I didn’t think I’d be able to down my entire iced green tea, so they served it to me with this very clever and environmentally friendly plastic wrap cover, in lieu of the standard plastic lid.  Atlas is environmentally conscious, and if you check out their website (atlaspurveyors.com) you can see number of paper cups, sleeves and milk jugs they have NOT used since they opened late 2009. Cool.

It’s also a great place for people watching…the large plate glass picture window faces Pearl and you can sit there and watch people walk around, get off the “Hop,” or just gaze out there and daydream while you’re supposed to be finishing a 1400 page novel…

(The view out the window on an uncharacteristically rainy morning in Boulder)

There is much to like about Atlas Purveyors, aside from the fact that they thanked me for coming as I was leaving (which I love), so I encourage you to check it out, order things off their impressive breakfast and lunch menus…and tell me what you think.

And finally, the restrooms can be found out in back in a shared hallway situation. The code for the ladies’ room is 5-4-3-2-1.  I just saved you a trip back up to the counter to ask. You’re welcome.

While I have your attention, I’d like to take a moment to vent. I’ll do this from time to time and I thank you in advance for your patience. My therapist says it’s better to let it out, so here goes….
Dear guy trying to pull out of the Safeway parking lot onto a very busy Iris Ave at 8:45am,

I am under no obligation- legal, moral, karmic or otherwise- to let you out of the parking lot in front of me.  That said, I would very much appreciate you refrain from the following when I exercise my right to continue on my way past you: dramatic eye rolling, throwing your hands in the air in frustration, and flipping me off. And while I can’t hear it, I’m fairly certain you are also: sighing aggressively and/or swearing at me.

In the event I am not in a rush and also feeling generous, I will wave you out. And I’d really appreciate a small show of gratitude, such as a wave, so I’ll be tempted to do it again someday. Because I’m fairly certain that the guy who gets irate when I don’t let him out is the same guy who does not acknowledge my kindness when I do. Just sayin.

Rant over. Thanks for listening.

Why “beans and suds,” you ask?

I’ll tell you why.

I live in Boulder, Colorado. It’s a lovely little hamlet “nestled somewhere between reality and the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.” It’s true and I did not make up that quote. Boulder is often voted among the happiest, healthiest cities in the US, and was named 2010’s “foodiest town” by Bon Appetit magazine, so we’ve got that going for us, which is nice.

Boulder boasts over 300 days of sunshine a year, and is home to many professional and amateur athletes, college students, artists, writers, musicians, prairie dogs, amazingly fit octogenarians, bad drivers, and the rest of us, who come here to enjoy the weather, the mountains, the outdoors, the attractions,  the food, and the drink….

…..which brings us back to “beans and suds.”

I am kind of addicted to coffee. I say “kind of” because I can and have gone without, but I love it. I love to drink it, I love to use it as an excuse to hang out with a friend for an hour or two, I used to wonder what people do for hours in coffee shops…no longer. I could go on.  I’ve been to a lot of different coffee shops in town. They all have something to offer and, like snowflakes, no two are alike.  One day I went to a coffee shop not in my usual rotation and I thought to myself “I wonder how many coffee shops there are in this town (a quick internet search names 105, but I think there might be more)…..I think I’ll try them all.”

Not in one day, of course.

(talented baristas in this town can do cool stuff like this with the foam)

And since I am fairly opinionated, maybe I should share my opinions with other people who love coffee (or tea), so they can find the coffee shop just right for them…or give them a reason to try a new one.

So here we are. “beans,” as in coffee beans.

That’s great, but I also like to enjoy a cold adult beverage on occasion…who says the blog has to be limited to coffee? There are quite a few taverns in this town as well, many of which I frequented when I attended CU (and not since….some of them are no longer…RIP Tulagi…and some simply do not cater to my…umm…demographic.) There is certainly something for everyone.

And I like happy hour.

It’s short and sweet, and the damage is kept to a minimum most of the time. Also, I am from Massachusetts where legislation banned happy hour statewide in 1984, well before I was of age to take advantage of these precious late afternoon hours. So happy hour is kind of magical for me…like it’s something forbidden, something bad or a little naughty…something awesome.  Not surprisingly, I have opinions on Boulder’s happy hours as well. And I will share them here.

Now you have “suds.”

(note the mountains in the background match the mountains on the can….)

I don’t always drink beer at happy hour, but I thought it was a pretty catchy name….actually my bestie suggested it to me and I liked it.

“beans and suds”…. I hope you like it, too!