Boulder Dash

A-peep is staying with me for a girls' weekend and yesterday we went to Boulder.  I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.  Suffice it to say that I am in love.

When we passed the sign that said, "Foothills, 11 mins" I was like, why didn't I move here sooner?  Why doesn't everyone in the world live in CO?  This is the best state ever.

We heard that Pearl Street was a must-do.  It has a definite college town vibe, and was filled with lots of restaurants and cool shops.  The day was beautiful (as usual) and the weather was perfect for just walking around and snacking every ten feet or so.

First stop:  lunch at Boulder Cafe.  I had - and I'm not kidding - the best eggs benedict of my life here.

I am completely in love with all the restaurants in CO.

This would be A-peep devouring a sweet potato biscuit with honey butter.  Um, YES.

The eggs benedict that changed my life.

Poached eggs atop roasted chilis, avocados and a jalapeno corncake.  Thank you, Jesus.

The funny thing is that neither of us is a big shopper, but when we get together, it is what we do.  A-peep says it is much more relaxing without a child hanging from each leg.  I get sidetracked watching the people, and just looking at all the lovelies in the stores.

We capped off the day with about a hundred cupcakes from this little joint.  I was like, hmmm, my stomach kind of hurts.  I think we need to go home and take a nap.  So we did.  Why can't every day of my life be like this?!

This business is a joint venture between a tee shirt company and a cupcake bakery.

The birthday cake cupcakes (w/the blue icing) were the best.  However, the bourbon chocolate caramel w/sea salt was a religious experience as well (the brown one in the middle).

Well, time to go home and nap, I guess...

On the agenda for today?  A delightful brunch followed by a trip to Wal Mart.  I desperately need to do the rest of my Thanksgiving meal shopping, and it's so much more fun with a friend, so I convinced her that it would be a great way to "walk off our mimosas."  It is a complicated life that I lead, folks.  Time to go eat some more.

Friday Randomness

Friday is the best day of the week.  Yes, Saturday and Sunday are of course wonderful, but by the time you reach them, you are into the weekend, with nothing but a new workweek ahead of you.  On Friday, though, all you have to look forward to is an evening of bliss followed by two full days of non-work.  It's the best.

Are beer cocktails the new thing?  Or am I just learning about this?  In my quest to avoid wine and the killer headaches it brings me, I have been trying new cocktails and beers.  The other night I tried a Hefeweizen mixed with orange juice and vodka.  I was skeptical, but it tasted awesome!  I'm thinking these new cocktails are to beer what sangria is to wine.  Last night I tried a Moskow Mule: ginger beer (the best thing ever BTW) mixed with lime and vodka.  It tasted like lemonade having a party.  Love.

I am dedicated to becoming a Denverite.  I'm going to great lengths, people.  These were the people in front of me when I went to get my license last week:

Oddly enough, the chaos was managed effectively.  I went with my coworker, C, and we were both out of there within an hour.  I'm not going to sing their praises too much though because (1) I am still waiting for my license to arrive in the mail, so technically the fat lady hasn't sung yet, and (2) I have to go back next week to get my new license plates.  THEN I will be an official resident.

Here are some shows you must check out immediately.
In my defense, since this is going to make me look like the world's bummiest couch potato, I'm in the middle of a very long book and won't be able to write up my thoughts about it until approximately 2015.  So the only entertainment I can discuss at this point (besides alcohol!) is TV.  Here are my faves, in order of preference (much to G's disdain, as we disagree on almost everything below):

GOLD:  The Vampire Diaries

You knew this was coming.  Yes, yes...and yes.

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SILVER:  The Good Wife

Great cast, great story lines, witty dialogue.

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BRONZE:  Revenge

Started out with delicious vindictive actions...wound up like a soap opera but ask me if I care.  Love.

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The Runners Up 

(it's too close to call between the following; they are all good)

Nashville

Good music, Connie Britton, a little southern spunk worth watching.

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The Big Bang Theory

This will satisfy the nerd in all of us.  Bazinga.

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Castle

Because a little Nathan Fillion goes a long way.  Cute show, witty banter.

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Elementary

A new spin off Sherlock Holmes that strikes me as a marriage between House and Castle.  I watch it when I have time and am avoiding the tome I am currently reading.

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I must get ready to endure the last few working hours of the week.  Enjoy your weekend!

Whew

Well, it's over!  The event and meetings went off without a hitch!

This is how I feel right now.

I have one more work day of meetings to get through, and then this one is coming out for an extended girls' weekend.

I think I can pull through.

The Big Day

Remember in college, cramming for a test, and wishing you had more time to prepare?  And remember that mental shift within the last 24 hours before said test, when you gave up and decided you just needed to get it over with?  One way or another, even if you failed, you just needed the thing to be in the rear view mirror?

That's today.

For me.

I have a work event and several key meetings that I have been planning and preparing for weeks.  All of it dovetails today and I am in equal portions wanting it to just be here already and wanting to go back to bed and hide under the covers until the storm passes.  But the Dr. Scholl's inserts are in the dress shoes, people.  So it's time to go.

I heart my coffee

With Halloween behind us, and Thanksgiving quickly upon us, the holidays are going to be over before we know it.  Why does the holiday season seem to take so long to get here, and then seem to be over in such a rush?  Oh well, maybe that's why we should stop and savor it as much as possible.

Thanks to capitalism (pumpkin spice latte!  peppermint mocha!), one of my main ways to savor the holidays is through a good cup of coffee.  Denver is great for this, because not only does it have a million Starbucks, it also has a whole slew of independent coffee shops.  Since I do so much walking, I look into the windows and see people curled up with their laptops or books, or chatting with their friends, and it is the coziest thing.  Yesterday G and I went to brunch, and many of the sidewalks were still snowy and icy from the front we got on Saturday night.  We were next to the window and people strolled by (carefully), coffee in hand.  It's just the best thing.  I would drink it all day long - instead of my solo cup in the morning - if it wouldn't send me into an anxious spiral of doom.

I had a meeting in a Starbucks last week, and one of the guys I met with (he was in his sixties) said he remembered his very first time buying a cup of coffee, when a local Starbucks had just opened.  It was the latest fad, and no one was quite sure about it, and he walked up to the counter and ordered a cup.  Just plain coffee.  The barista scoffed at him, rolled his eyes, and said, "Oh you mean like the kind of coffee you get on an airplane?"  The gentleman said he was so embarrassed he didn't know what to do.

And now they serve Starbucks coffee on airplanes.

So funny.

I was reminded of his story when we went to REI yesterday.  Currently my favorite store in the entire world.  After getting some necessary gear, we stopped by their Starbucks on the way out and I just wanted a small regular coffee.  Usually that's NBD but yesterday the conversation went like this:

"A tall regular coffee, please, with room for cream."

"Light roast, medium roast or dark roast?"

"Medium please."

"Hand pressed, cold, iced or traditional brew?"

"...traditional...?"

"K!  Coming right up!"

I can see how this would grate on the nerves of someone who just wants a (*&*(^&*^* cup of coffee already.  I can also see how this would be the beginning of a perfect conversation for a true coffee connoisseur.  Falling somewhere in the middle myself, I just stand there and take in the smell, the music, the hustle & bustle, and wait for my little cup of magic.

Shaken, Not Stirred

Look who's here for the weekend!

I don't know if he is more excited to see me or the X Box.  It's one of those life questions I don't want to dwell on too much.  Regardless, I get to spend Veteran's Day with my Veteran.

We went to see this yesterday:

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No spoilers...

Go see this immediately - it is such a good movie.  Not only is Daniel Craig the best Bond ever, but this movie, overall, is a defense of Bond, of the spy genre itself.  It goes old school instead of over-the-top with technology, and the cast is incredible.  Great cinematography, not too much focus on the Bond girl in this one, beautiful shots of London and every time you think you have seen the last of the action, you realize you are wrong.

Today is gonna be a morning of Firefly re-runs on TV, and an afternoon of brunch and REI.  It doesn't get much better than this.

Go see Skyfall.  Then download the Adele song.

TGIF, people!