(vintage boulder postcard)

as our time in boulder comes to a close i wanted to share some of my favorites that i will MISS terribly. of course the PEOPLE (and DOGS!) are first and foremost:

my wonderful neighbors who helped me transition from apartment living to getting used to being in a house. i had super grumpy neighbors growing up so being surrounded on all sides by such lovely people who have become dear friends has been AMAZING… and THANK YOU for shoveling my sidewalk bazillions of times after blizzards. i never got used to not having a super and shoveling is a lot of exercise for me!

(lucy and gray have been buddies since they were pea pods…)

(theo and ruby replenishing after running the famous “bolder boulder”)

(charles and maria host the BEST halloween party… if you can wrangle an invite their beef stew is epic! nina and lucy with all the evening’s pumpkins)

(the first time we met louie over the fence!)

(hank is REALLY going to miss his pal, louie!)

(cutest little bums on the front range)

the foothill elementary school families that became most special friends for both the kids and the mamas … you will always be in our hearts!

(theo on the first day of kindergarten where he met the cutie with the blonde curls… they are still fierce friends)

(lu and ellie one morning before the foothill bell rang)

(kristine has been to every single boulder birthday party for both of my kids… here we are jumping in the bounce house at the end of lucy’s 3rd)

(here we are at a grown up birthday disco party)

the families that we have celebrated so many shabbats, break fasts, roshes, hanukkahs and seders with… thank you for this warm, loving community (and thank you for always relieving me of making the brisket as mine is notoriously terrible!)

(theo and adam at a hanukkah party years ago)

(baby lu at that same hanukkah party)

(the kids - so BIG now - celebrating rosh hashana at wonderland lake)

(the parents a few minutes later… LOOK what happens to the sky at wonderland lake - such a pretty place to celebrate the new year!)

our congregation at har hashem who embraced this shiksa mama from the beginning and supported our family through big transitions and so much learning and guided my children on their paths to becoming jewish “adults.”

(our family right after theo’s bar mitzvah service at har hashem)

my mahj jong group… i cannot tell you how much i will MISS you mahjies! the ritual of playing and laughing and snacking and drinking with you all has sustained me and steadied me and filled my heart. i can’t wait for you to visit so we can play rooftop mahj at my new house!

(anne marie’s beautiful house is our home base…)

(but sometimes we take field trips to safta)

(sometimes we play in all our pearls… just because!)

(sometimes we bring kids… lucy loves to partner with christy)

(baby zoe and kara)

(mahj is FUN!)

my writing group… you have been inspiring me and entertaining me and sharing with me and encouraging me for nearly a decade. i am so very grateful for you all! TWO books have come out of this group so far: chris chandler’s stay sweet - wonderful stories from her georgia childhood.

(my friend is a PUBLISHED AUTHOR!)

(chris sharing from stay sweet at one of her book readings!)

and this collection of stories about motherhood (one of chris’ and one of MINE is in there!): notes from motherland.

i am sure there will be many books in the future from these talented women!

my clients who have entrusted me with their homes and given me the opportunity to be creative and fulfilled… THANK YOU!

my darling acupuncturist who is also a dear friend and absolutely magical!

(serena just sparkles!)

the trio of families (mine included) who feel like extended family… THESE BOYS (and sisters and mamas and gazo) i just can’t get enough! so grateful!

(the boys at homecoming junior year)

(the kids at one of many birthday celebrations at barchetta)

(the parents when we crashed their senior spring break trip to mexico)

and of course, my colorist, who is pretty much my guru and one of my most favorite people on the planet. she is the one to thank for my frequent future visits back to boulder as i will need her guidance and to get my hair colored!

(look at liz’s amazing PINK hair!)

FAVORITE RESTAURANTS

the first restaurant that felt like home to me in boulder was brasserie ten ten. initially we were in a corporate apartment across the street and i brought the kids there for happy hour a couple of times a week. it soon became the site of a zillion family celebrations.

now i always get the simple salad and steak frites with the pepper sauce. my order used to be the brique poulet, but unfortunately they took that off the menu when they reopened after corona.

(somebody’s birthday at ten ten)

(theo and first at ten ten)

(the steak frites at ten ten)

when ten ten closed during the pandemic i had to find a new chicken place and discovered mateo. i actually like their poulet frites even more than ten ten’s and that is saying A LOT!

* update - mateo unexpectedly CLOSED! heartbreaking! if it reopens GET THE CHICKEN!

(mateo’s delicious chicken)

cafe aion feels like a restaurant in amsterdam… really cozy and warm.

i LOVE their cauliflower app.

(cafe aion’s outrageous cauliflower)

the kitchen also has an amazing cauliflower dish. but on cold days their tomato soup is perfect!

(the kitchen’s cozy tomato soup)

safta is in denver - great for lunch after a city adventure. the lamb hummus is outrageous!

(this dish is unreal!)

the brown palace for high tea is delicious and old school and the setting is inspiring.

(a blurry photo of us at tea years ago)

(the ceiling is astounding!)

dushanbe is gorgeous for high tea in boulder. the brightly colored, painted interior always makes me smile.

(the painted walls are just amazing)

pica was an easy dinner after soccer practice or ballet or an afternoon at the meadows pool. i always get the shrimp tacos with the spicy sauce on the side. lucy always takes a nap on the bench!

(sweetie lu in theo’s lap)

(lucy passed out in PINK!)

jax is where lucy likes to celebrate her birthday - the rest of us mix it up but she always gets the crab legs.

there is no better ice cream than glacier. i only get mint chip but there are loads of other flavors. grandpa always made sure that we had a giant gift certificate so we could stay flush in ice cream. his favorite was toasted coconut.

(somehow lucy still hasn’t finished hers)

but the best ice cream CAKE is from sweet cow: cookie dough ice cream with marshmallow frosting… nothing better!

(theo blowing out the candles on his sweet cow ice cream cake!)

barchetta in the back room has been the birthday spot for theo (see above) and his best buddies for years now. the bee thousand pizza is beyond. also, their burrata just melts in your mouth.

(they all made it to EIGHTEEN… HAY SEUS!)

(gazo even got in on the barchetta birthday action)

the sunday ramen from sachi sushi in the back of the niwot market is tip top. i always get the pork one. be sure to arrive on the early side as they sell out and that is devastating when you’ve been looking forward to it!

(the zha jiang is the BEST!)

whenever i am stressed or sad i make a beeline for the good times drive thru. i get the fried chicken sandwich (WITHOUT the mayo) with lettuce, tomato and pickle. i always feel much better after!

(this sandwich is the bomb!)

FAVORITE SHOPPING

max is a little jewel box of a shop where you can always find something beautiful. most all of my favorite dresses come from max… holly and laura will sort you out!

the new local is a gallery collective that features some of my most favorite artists and makers: sarah kinn, erica simon, sunshine canyon, matti berglund…

(this sarah kinn is hanging in my stairwell and coming with me to berkeley!)

cedar and hyde has both a home shop (divine) and a clothing store - they are next door. they both have gorgeous things… including laura morningstar’s ceramic little mamas… LOVE!

mod livin’ is my ALL TIME FAVORITE furniture store. they are in denver and carry amazing contemporary lines as well as sell all kinds of incredible vintage pieces. and the owner couldn’t possibly be cuter!

FAVORITE DESTINATIONS

of course the broadmoor is top of my list… it doesn’t get much better than this old school hotel filled with chandeliers and beautiful details and yummy restaurants and a gorgeous lake! AND it is dog friendly so hank can go!

(just LOOK at this place!)

(the first time we went to the broadmoor)

(hank LOVES broadmoor life - now he insists on turn down service at home too!)

i’ve only been to devil’s thumb once, but i would happily go back! if you head there make sure to stay in one of the little house on the prairie log cabins - so charming!

(can’t you imagine pa ingalls playing his fiddle on the porch?)

(lucy inside the log cabin)

for a sweet day trip i LOVE the carousel in nederland. it was all hand carved by a veteran who wanted to create joy!

(the “carousel of happiness”)

my house is one of my favorite places to be. THANK YOU brad and kevin for designing and building my pretty house that has been such a sanctuary for us. i will always MISS this house!

FAVORITE HIKES

i’m sure you all are surprised that i even have this category… i HAVE been in boulder for nearly fifteen years now! (and you might not really consider these “hikes” anyway…)

coot lake in gun barrel is pretty in all seasons and that’s where hank and i go when i am feeling landlocked and need to see some water.

(i was so happy when i discovered coot lake!)

wonderland is another lovely lake that is especially nice at sunset.

(sometimes the light and reflection off this lake is just extraordinary!)

the anne u. white trail goes along a little burbly creek and it is nice and shady.

(i always feel like i might run into some of these guys on this trail)

north boulder park is right across the street and hank and i stroll through there just about every day (unless it is really cold or snowy or super windy or very hot - then we stay home.)

(the kids laying in the grass in NBP… i think lucy looks like a prairie dog here!)

(theo trying to help lu in the swing)

(lucy and gray on the climbing thing)

(theo hanging on the big tube)

(DOUBLE RAINBOW over NBP… BEST rainbow i’ve ever seen!)

THANK YOU boulder for so many wonderful memories and experiences.

x00xx0x