suds: local table tours

Beans and suds is back!! I hope you missed me as I have missed you, faithful readers.  I’ve given you all time to start (and finish) your kick-off-the-new-year-right detox programs.  Hopefully you had enough time to clear out the sins of the holiday season and your break from toxins is over, so we can get back to the business of caffeine, alcohol and food.

There’s a local gal I know who started a business called Local Table Tours.  It’s not her only business, so if you know anyone who needs help with their espanol, check out her “Spanish by the Hour.”  The fact that Megan also offers “Cocktail Tours” and “Coffee Tours” may leave you wondering why it’s taken beans and suds so long to write about her. It’s a match made in heaven, clearly.

Table Tours also run in Denver, but it’s unlikely any of my Boulder peeps would venture that far outside “the bubble,” especially given the reactions I get when I tell people I go to Denver to get my hair done.  WHA?! Yeah, you heard me. I go ALL the way to Denver to get my hair cut. And I don’t think it’s crazy, though I will admit that the fact that I take my favorite 10 year old to Denver to have HER hair done may be…..

But I digress yet again. For more information on my rockstar stylist (that’s what we call them in the city) contact me directly or leave word in the comment field.

Megan Bucholz is the owner of Local Table Tours, and she is great.  So, for an end of the year holiday thank you to a few of my friends who were really awesome to me in 2011, I scheduled a private Table Tour for six.  We met on Pearl Street at 3pm one Friday afternoon, not sure what to expect and with no idea where Megan was going to take us.

First stop:  Kitchen Next Door

(So far, so good.  And the little sign on the table was for us. Good news! I hope we get kale chips)

Sidebar: I love kale chips.  I started making them a few years ago and thought “Wow. This town is really starting to rub off on me,” and I imagined any one of my friends back home thinking (read: saying), “What the F is a kale chip? Seriously? I don’t even know who you are right now.” So I don’t talk to them about kale chips. Their loss, because they are sooo good. And good for you!  I make mine by tearing the kale into large pieces (leave out the tough middle and bottom stem), tossing the pieces with plenty of olive oil and sea salt, laying the pieces in a single layer on a cookie sheet and baking them at 350 until crispy and delicious.  Use lacitano kale for best results.  Or dino kale, which may well be the same thing. You’ll love them, and you’re welcome.

But the Kitchen Next Door takes the kale chip to a different level.  I wanted to know why theirs are so much better than mine, so I asked.  Turns out, the “KND” flash-fries theirs in peanut oil. Yes they do.  If you go to the KND, order the kale chips.  For reals. They are amazingly crispy, salty and delicious. But be warned, if you are on a date or with someone you are otherwise trying to impress, these crunchy bites of salty deliciousness disintegrate in your mouth, so it’s possible your teeth will be covered with dark green flecks. Now you know, but I say live on the edge, and order them anyway.

(Funkworks beer and a glass of the Kitchen’s own red)

Back to our Table Tour.  The KND did serve us kale chips!! And some other amazing delights, such as ham and cheese fritters (the grown up and way more delicious version of the ole mozzarella stick) and grilled rosemary lardo flatbread.  Our server also brought us a Funkworks beer, from a new brewery in Fort Collins, and a glass of the Kitchen red, blended by their ownselves in Napa. He also described the preparation of our vittles in some detail, which I must now admit I did not fully absorb because I was too busy absorbing all the heavenly food and drink, and doing that eye roll thing that translates roughly into “OH MY GOD, can you believe how good this is? Because I’m in heaven.”

(I did not move fast enough to take pictures of the kale chips, lardo flatbread or the fritters. This picture shows how much we loved them, though)

As if that were not enough, they brought us a plate of beet sliders with arugula and goat cheese. And a plate of mini lamb burgers. This cat can’t deal with lamb, unless it’s in gyro form, as it evokes memories of Sunday dinner at my irish grandmother’s house with a huge, overcooked, grey, rubbery roast lamb with mint jelly. Awful. I’ll get over it some day, but that day has not come yet.  People dug the lamb burgers and the shredded beet sliders were pretty tasty as well! It helps to like beets, which I do. Unlike the lamb thing, I have recovered from the sliced up boiled beets my mom used to serve. You know what I’m talking about, the kind that drooled their juices all over everything else on your plate.

(Not the lamb and beets you hated as a kid)

At this point I am having such a fabulous time with our guide Megan, filling us in with interesting tidbits, great food and drink, and awesome friends.  I’m also thinking I can’t eat anymore, which is a problem, as this is only our first stop.

But then our server appears with some house-made chocolate chip cookie sandwiches filled with vanilla gelato. Read that again.  And then ask yourself if you could make room for that kind of thing. We did.

At this point we really don’t want to leave the KND, but the boss says it’s time as we are already running a little behind schedule.  If not for Megan, I’m fairly certain we’d have grown roots and stayed drinking, if not eating, until they turned off the lights. Well done, Kitchen Next Door!

Next stop: Savory Spice Shop

I remember wondering why we’d want to go there, but this isn’t Megan’s first Table Tour, and I’ve been working with my therapist on my control issues anyway, so what the hell.

This place is awesome!

Spices, salts and seasonings….Oh my!

The owner of the Boulder store (located on Broadway just north of Pearl), Dan Hayward, gave us a short rundown of his business, which is essentially “to provide locals with a super fresh, yet affordable, option for high-quality spices and seasoning.”  This store is so chock full of beautiful displays, it makes you want to fill up your bag with goodies and rush home to cook something.  If you have a “foodie” in your life, or just someone who likes to cook, get thee to Savory Spice and choose from any of the gift sets.  I promise you they will not be disappointed.  I bought some “Black Truffle Italian Sea Salt,” and I sprinkle it on everything from popcorn to eggs to salads to a turkey sandwich.  It’s delightful.

We didn’t have long to shop, but most of us bought something and were pleasantly surprised to find the prices in line with what you’d pay at the grocery store….and for fresh and inspiring alternatives to the spice aisle!

But the boss says it’s time to go, again.

Stop three: Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant

We drank a very refreshing hibiscus cooler, which was really good even though it didn’t have alcohol in it. And a glass of white wine.

The food was unique, beautifully presented and delicious!  The little nibbles arranged on a rectangular plate were as delightful to look at as they were to eat.  The interior of Leaf is also very clean and soothing, almost like a spa.

We all loved the tempura fried avocado slice, served with mango atop a patty of black rice.  There was also a cashew ricotta lettuce wrap, which was great. And if you’re into dates, which I admit I am not, they had a big one stuffed with blue cheese.  These were all very creative and beautiful vegetarian offerings….and certainly nothing I’d prepare at home.  I’m so glad Megan took us to Leaf, and I will be back, especially if I cross paths with a vegetarian I want to impress……

But the time has come for us to leave this peaceful sanctuary…the Pinyon awaits.

Tour stop number four: The Pinyon

I’ve heard a lot about The Pinyon and its famous fried chicken.  I’ve been meaning to get here, and here we are!  It’s quiet now, as we are coming during restaurant downtime, after lunch (which they just started serving) and before dinner.  We sit at the bar, which our hostess assures us is the place to be.  Megan recommends coming in for a late dinner and bellying up to the bar to enjoy The Pinyon at its best.

And we are about to discover why…

Chef Theo Adley. That’s why.

Chef Theo is as charismatic and personable a chef as you’ll find anywhere. He explained The Pinyon’s philosophy as “we complicate simple dishes and simplify complicated dishes.”  I like it!  He also explained the process behind their famous, and rightly so, fried chicken.  “The chicken is a humble bird and the most under appreciated protein.  We elevate the bird.”  Yes you do, Chef.

The Pinyon starts with a local chicken and first they quarter it. They then apply an “aggressive amount” of kosher salt for the brining process. Stage two is a chili and garlic paste rubdown, after which the chicken is drowned in buttermilk, “like little bags of chicken tea” and left to steep for 18 hours or so.

They use potato flour for frying, to create “blooming florets of awesomeness,” which is awesome for those of us who are gluten-free. Next this Georgia-style fried chicken rolls around in a proprietary spice blend before landing “in the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow,” a boiling cauldron of clarified  butter (the expensive stuff on the top shelf of the fridge at Whole Foods, for those of us not in the know) and duck fat. The Pinyon serves this insane chicken atop a scallion pancake with house-made syrup.

(Chef Theo calls the signature fried chicken “the gateway drug to The Pinyon”)

Chef is from the east coast and came to Boulder to attend CU, just like me, though unlike me, he’s only in his late 20’s.  He is already making a name for himself and his restaurant- his first, I might add.

Oh and the fried chicken, which is why we are all here….

I am having a moment with this chicken.   And I was already full when we got here.  I don’t think I could eat another bite, but to leave even a morsel of this chicken on my plate seems very wrong.  We all agree on this, so you don’t have to take my word for it.  If you know what’s good for you…..well, maybe not good for you, but insanely delicious…get to The Pinyon and order yourself up some fried chicken.  I think in my euphoric state I may have asked for (and been granted)  a job at The Pinyon.  I may have to follow up on that, as the writing of this particular stop on the Tour is conjuring up such happiness for me right now. Maybe they’ll pay me in fried chicken. And I’ll work until I can’t fit through the front door anymore, or until I die of cardiac arrest.

Oh Megan, please don’t make us go. I can’t eat anymore, I’m really enjoying this gin/beer concoction even though I don’t like gin, and I’m afraid I could not move from this barstool even if I wanted to, which I do not.  Important to note: since our outing, The Pinyon has started serving Sunday brunch, and, wait for it…. happy hour!  I was hoping that would happen!!

Well it is time to go. Nothing lasts forever.  I think Megan said something about cupcakes….

Final stop: Tee and Cakes

This has been an amazingly fun evening, full of laughter with a handful of my favorite people. I couldn’t ask for better food, drink, or company.   And to think, if not for Megan we would never have left the Kitchen Next Door.  So thank you, Megan. I apologize if I did any eye-rolling or sighing when you told us we had to move on….

The cupcakes are tiny, which is good because everyone is pretty full of fried chicken and all the rest.  I’m not a cupcake person, but if you are swing by Tee and Cakes to partake of some sweet, bite sized delights. Our holiday assortment included  peppermint, eggnog, gingerbread and black and white.

What a great time we had! I cannot say enough good things about Local Table Tours. I’m now anxious to get out there and try out a Cocktail Tour, and perhaps a Coffee Tour. I love all those things!! And Megan is fabulous.  I hope this blog has inspired you all to book yourself a “Tour”…. it was a highlight of my holiday season, and something I think I may make an annual tradition.  To get yourself on the guest list, remember to keep reading, recommend the blog to your friends, and my birthday is in April……

suds: ’round midnight

The first time I ever descended the concrete stairs to ‘Round Midnight was a beautiful, warm sunny evening in May.  I was meeting someone there, and as I walked by the throngs of people sipping cocktails and enjoying the restaurants, all with their windows and doors flung open to let in the late springtime awesomeness,  I wondered “Why would anyone want to go down there? And on such a beautiful evening?” Why would you want to go down into this dimly lit, subterranean bar, with its decidedly dingy, windowless interior?

Lots of reasons, as it turns out.

But before I get into all that, it is important to note that what is a regular old tavern when it opens at 5pm, with a few people playing pool and a handful of regulars at the bar, completely transforms into a full-blown, knock-down, drag out dance club with kickass DJs and throngs of sweaty, happy, drunk young people shaking their tailfeathers and crammed into the smallish dance floor in the back of the room. Coincidentally enough, this happens….around midnight.  It is my plan to never be there when this shift takes place. If you’re wondering why I put this self-imposed curfew in place, one look at the photos on ‘Round Midnight’s facebook page should clear up any confusion. It’s entirely possible that after a few cocktails, I would find the temptation of the dance floor difficult to resist. And I don’t want to be in any of those photos.

It’s been more than a few years since I graduated from CU. Long enough to not have a good excuse for being in the middle of a sweaty dance floor (in the town I live in) surrounded by a bunch of people half my age.  But I will say here, if you want to get your late night swerve on, there’s probably no better place in town to do it than ‘Round Midnight.  Their DJs are great….great enough in fact that one of them recently won some kind of DJ world championship.  There is another dance floor in town, but I did not love it when last I went there, liquored up and ready to shake it “like I was shakin it for some paper” as Ludacris would say.  But I found the interminable techno blend off-putting, and I am still unsure as to whether I was listening to one song for that entire hour. But enough about that, if you want to dance, head on down the stairs.

(The pictures are a little blurry. I did it on purpose. Adds to the mystique. And also it’s really dark in the bar and the flash was too much.)

But let’s talk about the bar. This is a blog about happy hour after all. Let’s leave the sweaty dancing craziness behind and go back in time a few hours to answer the question “Why would I go down to ‘Round Midnight?”

1. It’s a great place to escape the Boulder scene. You know what I’m talking about. I love to be shoulder to shoulder in a loud, crowded, noisy bar as much as the next guy. But sometimes I don’t.  And sometimes I don’t want to run into a bunch of people I know, which might explain why some of ‘RM’s regulars are the same people who wait on us all. The guy who makes your “140 degree extra shot rice milk wet cap” every morning may not want to run into you while he’s trying to forget what a huge pain in the ass you are. I’m just sayin’…

Reason #1: Lack of crowds. Finding a bar stool is not a problem.

2.  A ten dollar martini in a fancy glass with grapefruit bitters is delicious, and it will make you a happier (read: drunker) version of yourself, and I love them, too. But sometimes I don’t feel like handing over all the paper in my wallet for a buzz.

Reason #2: Cheap drinks. All the time. No need to rush out to make it to happy hour. And there’s also free pool. And most nights no cover if you decide you want to dance. That’s how they do.

(Artsy shot of people playing pool. Free pool.)

3. There’s nothing more frustrating than being in a crowded bar, trying your best to make eye contact with the bartender, so you can overpay for a drink in which your inebriate of choice was first carefully measured into a silver thimble before landing in your glass. Yeah, none of that will happen at ‘Round Midnight. Well, the guy behind the bar may ignore you, but he’s doing it on purpose and he will be with you soon enough, don’t you worry. The bartenders may not be the most chatty, warm and fuzzy practitioners in town *see note* but they know how to pour a cocktail, and they are not afraid to put a meaningful amount of sauce in your glass.

*note: Don’t get me wrong here, as I’ve stated before I am from the east coast and do not need the people who wait on me to shower me with sunshiney friendliness right out of the gate, especially if it is not in their nature to do so.  And some of these ‘RM tenders of bar, once they get to know you a little, are very engaging. And some are less so. You shouldn’t take it personally…..or maybe you should. I haven’t figured that out yet.

Reason #3: Well-poured cocktails.

4. I….and others with whom I have spoken of this inexplicable phenomenon….appear to be impervious to the effects of alcohol down there. Tequila shots? Oh sure! Infinity vodka sodas? Not a problem.  This does not happen anywhere else. I can usually tell when it’s time to pump the brakes or switch right over to a non-alcoholic beverage. Not at ‘Round Midnight.  I’m not at all sure what this is about. Could be something as simple as the small drop in altitude, the darkness, or maybe it’s just when you’re down there, away from the hustle and bustle, you don’t see any sober people walking around going about their business. Nothing to compare your drunk self to.  I can’t know. What I can know is that the effect wears off immediately upon climbing the stairs back to street level.

Reason #4: Perceived imperviousness to alcohol.

I’m pretty sure “imperviousness” is not a word, but you know what I mean. And if you ever find yourself in need of a drink and also weary of the crowds, the hassle, the expense, and well…the sunshine in Boulder head down to ‘Round Midnight.  Or if you find yourself out late with a package on and the desire to bust a move, head down those stairs……..

suds: mateo

We walk in to Mateo at 5pm, as their happy hour is 5-6:30pm and it’s Friday night. We are professionals, after all.  There are a bunch of people assembled at the middle of the long bar and when we walk in they all turn and look at us like we just walked in to a private party we weren’t invited to.  It probably didn’t happen, but I could almost swear I heard the sound of a needle scratching off a record.

At this point it’s just me and “T” but we are expecting three more sidekicks, so  after standing there for a few minutes feeling awkward, we wandered over to the high table in front of the picture window, a perfect spot for happy hour for five!

Several very good looking guys…waiters? busboys? both? come by to inquire about our water preference. We opt for the filtered tap variety, in case you’re curious.  “T” orders the house sparkling wine… a prosecco, great at $6 a glass, and I choose the featured sparkling rose for
$5 and it’s delightful. Also available are the house red and white wines for $4 a glass, and the daily beer for $3.  Something for everyone.

Now what to eat? We start with an order of the frites (an absolute MUST at Mateo, as they are known for them. And for good reason. The frites are amazing!!) We also get the charcuterie plate….a selection of cured meat, cheeses, marinated olives, pate and grilled bread to deliver it to your mouth, which will be much happier for the experience. We were also given plenty of delicious bread with some kind of herbed butter, which the sidekicks said had a nice, sweet flavor.  And there’s more….

(Mateo’s happy hour menu. So much deliciousness, so little time)

The rest of the gals arrive. We proceed to have a great time, great drinks, great food and quite possibly the perfect table for conversation and food sharing.  I realize another thing… I’m surrounded by TLC (sidekicks “T,” “L” and “C”…two “C”s, for good measure). TLC. Really. Beautiful and amazing girlfriends who love and support me, and make me laugh (as I hope I do them).  Even if the refreshments were bad I’d be happy.

But they’re not, so back to the goods. “L” very smartly orders up another of Mateo’s signature dishes, the mussels.  They are steamed to perfection in a tomato and white wine concoction of almost indescribable goodness….avec frites, s’il vous plait.  And yes, we’ll need a little more bread to soak up the broth left behind in the crock.

(Delicious. That’s all)

Mateo’s food is very good and happy hour pricing is, too.  This restaurant has a beautiful interior, cool lighting, and some really beautiful art hanging on the walls.

The one thing that wasn’t awesome was the service.  Before I go any further, I must admit that I am from the east coast and worked for years as a waitress, so my threshold for poor service may well be lower than yours.   Our waiter was really nice, but we waited a long time staring into our empty wine glasses for him to come back and check on us, and waited again for our drinks to be delivered.  And it wasn’t just me who noticed. One of the sidekicks observed, “It’s like they realized we were here just for happy hour, and so we aren’t a priority.” Clearly, they don’t know us very well, as our every other Friday night “happy hour” often lasts until nearly midnight. I digress.  We also had to look for him to get our check. We quickly threw down our cards to pay, but he was already gone. “C” called her sweet thing for a ride home and we were still waiting for our waiter to come pick up our cards when her ride showed up.  “C” ended up taking her card back and paying with cash so as not to keep her designated driver waiting.

Maybe the service is better in the dining room.

If you enjoy good food and drink, by all means get yourself down to Mateo. In fact, they are celebrating their 10 year anniversary this coming Sunday, October 23rd with hors d’oeuvres and cocktails from 5-8pm. Call them to rsvp if you’re interested.

I’d go to Mateo for dinner, but not for happy hour. As one sidekick said “not sure it’s worth the trip for great fries. It’s much more a dinner place than a fun happy hour hang.”

Our crew was whittled down to the usual suspects after Mateo, and we strolled west on Pearl looking for inspiration. After a quick beer, we headed back to east Pearl and “Pizzeria Locale,” because they have amazing “spritz” cocktails….and I wanted the sidekicks to try their “Arancino.” The Aracino are essentially risotto balls with a little melty bufala mozarella inside, dipped in batter and fried for just enough time to make them one of the most delicious things we three have ever eaten. We got two rounds. Of cocktails AND Arancino. And it wasn’t enough, but we’d been out for hours so it was time to go home.

While there, however, we witnessed something that made us think of a great new iphone app.

“Take Me Home Tonight,” the virtual wingman.

The app will somehow know when you’re out on the town, perhaps one of your friends will alert it remotely.  It will periodically take an involuntary blood alcohol reading and text it to said friend (or two, in our case) along with a GPS reading.  If they find it’s warranted, your friends can take a stroll by your location and observe your behavior firsthand. If it’s anything like that of the woman we saw at the bar last Friday night (and suffice it to say she was old enough to know better) who inspired the app, your friends will be there to rescue you from your ownself. The app will also come equipped with a taser or some kind of stun gun, in the event that you are not happy to see your friends, and become belligerent when they tell you it’s time to go home.  I know a really good software engineer, who knows a couple of other really good ones, and I’m sure it’ll be tricky, but if we build it they will come.

And they’ll thank us in the morning. Of that, we are sure.

Cheers.

suds: tahona

Friday night + CU Family Weekend + Nice Weather = Clusterf*&% on the bricks.

Just so you know.

Tahona Tequila Bistro. Given my deep love for tequila, I am wondering why we didn’t get here sooner.  Tahona was not our original destination for happy hour last Friday night but crowds, a late start (because of traffic, related to the crowds) and lots of “private parties” (which we were somehow not invited to) landed us at Tahona.  And wow, did that work out!

(Tahona dining area, from my barstool)

I love Tahona’s open air bar, and though the outdoor seating and all the tables near the big open garage door were full, there were still a few stools left at the spacious bar.  Yay! Coin style margs, rocks and salt…and happily priced at $5.50.  Happy hour is all day Monday, 4-6pm during the week, and on Fridays they give you an extra hour in case you’re thirsty at 3pm. Saturday and Sunday get your happy on from noon to 6pm!

(We started with the chips and tres salsas, a very good choice. One hot, one more like pico, my fave, and one in between. Something for everyone)

But before I get off track, let’s talk about the magic of the Tahona Tequila Bistro, which is….wait for it….tequila! Tahona has a huge variety of tequilas… they explain them so well, and their descriptions are very cheeky, so I’m going to quote them here.

Blanco: Unaged, Unadulterated, Underrated
Ever wonder what the agave plant really tastes like? Sipping a balanced blanco tequila is the easy way to find out. Rich in vegetal overtones, the blanco is the tequila style the connoisseur returns to after the affair with anejos has ended.

Reposado: Rested, Refined, Rebellious
The similarities between reposados are that they are slightly aged and that they share very little in common. Some are peppery, some are astringent, some are chalky, some are smoky; all are very distinct and special in their own way.

Anejo: Old, Oaky, Outrageous
Whether the tequila is aged in used bourbon barrels, French or American Oak, the result is fantastic. Sometimes, in taste, a cousin to bourbon, other times an acquaintance of scotch. The tequila of choice for ballers, movie stars and athletes.

Sotols and Mezcals: Wild, Wicked, Wonderful
Imagine if tequila had a badass older brother who smoked (and rode a Harley), and went about things in a completely different way, this would be Mezcal, same family but slightly different genes. Sotol is in a category all to itself, a different plant (the dessert spoon) is used to make this ancient moonshine that the people of Chihuahua are proud to consider their state drink.

I just learned a thing or two….turns out, for someone who really loves tequila I know surprisingly little about it!

What I do know is that Tahona has a variety of infused tequilas as well.  Will the wonders never cease? The infused tequila is new to me. I’ve had…and even made…infused vodka. It’s pretty good, too. I like a nice spicy bloody mary with horseradish infused vodka, but we’re talking tequila here.  On the chalkboard with the skull on the bottom (I wonder, is this a cautionary sign or just a seasonal decoration?) Tahona lists all their infused tequila flavors…. cantaloupe, watermelon mint, chai, pineapple, chili pepper, strawberry, and more! I’m overwhelmed.

In a situation like this, it’s best to call in an expert. We’ll ask the bartender what he thinks.

(It’s hard to see in this photo, but the circular chalkboard hanging on the wall lists the infused tequilas…and has a skull on the bottom)

Kudos to the bartenders while we’re on the subject. They were really friendly, attentive, helpful AND they kept our water glasses full. Well done! And when six o’clock rolled around, our guy also gave us the head’s up that happy hour was about to end…did we need anything else?

Yes, as a matter of fact we do. Great service at Tahona.

Back to the infused tequila….

After our conference with the expert, I opt for a chili pepper on the rocks. Sidekick “L” (I was going to call them sidekick #1 and sidekick #2, but I didn’t want to give the impression I’m playing favorites, because I love them both bigtime) goes for a coin style marg made with the watermelon mint tequila, and immediately I feel like I chose poorly.  Sidekick “T” chooses pineapple on the rocks with a regular coin style marg to wash it down. A marg to wash down your tequila shot? God, I love this girl!

Drinks come. I take an enthusiastic gulp of my chili pepper tequila and immediately feel like I accidentally grabbed the hot salsa and downed that instead. If you suffer from allergies, I highly recommend this infused tequila, as its sinus-clearing powers put any OTC allergy medication to shame. For reals.  Sidekick L seems really happy with her choice…and for good reason! Her marg is awesome….refreshing, a touch sweet. I order one of those to balance out the firewater in my other glass. (Sidekick L doesn’t want another sip of the chili pepper on the rocks…something about a post traumatic stress reaction to a habanero infused vodka served at a Christmas party, which sounds dreadful, and apparently was).  The pineapple infused was also good, in case you’re keeping track.

Now that we have our drinks figured out, back to food. We start with a chicken and bacon quesadilla, about which sidekick L says “there’s not NOT bacon in this.” And she’s right, if you don’t really like bacon, I’d advise another choice.

And may I recommend this thing:

The queso fundito, which is essentially a bubbling cauldron of cheesy, spicy deliciousness. Get this. It’s really good. And really hot. And do NOT touch the black cauldron to see if I’m telling the truth. I am.

They have a lot of other stuff to eat….pork green chili, tortilla soup, pork green chili cheese fries (for those days when you find yourself running low on both calories AND saturated fat and want to solve the problem in one delicious plate).

So Tahona was great! I’m certain this will be a “go-to” place for us, because I really want another watermelon mint coin style marg. And hey, it’s happy hour all day today!

The rest of the evening took us below ground to hang with someone’s bored and lonely boyfriend, and up to a roofdeck featuring a really cool gigantic Jenga setup and some great peeps.  At one point late in the evening, sidekick T says… “Hmm. I don’t know if I’m going to order another one. What I really need is water.” A few bars of “Sweet Child o’ Mine” later and she’s drinking coconut rum on the rocks. Two of them. That’s a sidekick!

(Huge Jenga setup on the roofdeck. We will tell where to find this another time)

Now we’re in the random thoughts section of the blog…

If you didn’t get out to Open Studios last weekend, it’s not too late! You’ll be amazed by the artistic talent and creativity of Boulder’s local artists. It’s on again next weekend, check the website for details! The artists are awesome and it’s cool to chat with them about their work for a few minutes. (I’m taking a collage class with one of the artists in a couple of weeks. I insist I’m too type A to do proper collage.  She disagreed. We’ll see…maybe I just need some guidance.) Painters, sculptors, jewelry makers, photographers and more! If you can’t get out next weekend, stop by the Boulder Public Library this week. They are featuring one work from each of the Open Studios artists. That’s free, and the Open Studios tour is practically free as well…the map is only $10!

Here are some pieces I really liked at the library exhibit…..

Turns out there’s more to Boulder than coffee shops and happy hours!

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!