Santa Prepares for Epic Journey

Tomorrow, Saturday, December 19th Santa will be leaving Boulder in preparation for his annual journey around the world. For near a month, Santa has held court on Downtown Boulder's Pearl Street every Saturday. This week he will be wrapping up his list and taking the last of his pictures with kids from Boulder.

Santa made his first appearances in Boulder on at Switch on Holidays on November 28, mingling with admirers of all ages. Santa also was the star of Downtown Boulder's Lights of December Parade on December 5th (see the video here).

After tomorrow, watch for Santa to come back the evening of December 24th on NORAD's Santa Tracker. In the interim Santa will undoubtedly be hurried to tally the naughty and nice and make final preparations to his sleigh. So come on down to bricks tomorrow to catch the jolly old fellow before he's gone!

-Ian the Intern

National Cupcake Day

National Cupcake Day is tomorrow and a way better idea than turning off the lights at lunch (no offense Xcel, great strategy). As if you needed an excuse to go grab a cupcake.

Perhaps that is what started the cupcake trend, just a little bit of decadence. Admit it, even those Safeway cakes are tempting. Yet, I never had the nerve to ask for a sheet cake emblazoned with "Happy Tuesday Night Ian." I never have a problem walking into Tee and Cakes and asking for a half dozen cupcakes. I can even pretend they are for friends, coworkers or some other extravagance.

You can't do that with a cake, you need people to share a cake with. National Cupcake day is the great social equalizer. But in honor of the occasion I think I may actually get a real cake, wishing me and all my friends a Happy National Cupcake Day.

-Ian

"I wanted to buy a candle holder, but the store didn't have one. So I got a cake." - Mitch Hedberg

Lights Out Boulder

Less than an hour until Lights Out Lunch. Restaurants use five times the energy than other commercial buildings, and turning off the lights makes a pretty poignant statement.If it's discounts you're looking for, then head over to any of Boulder's participating restaurants. Pledge to do your part to save energy this winter and get hooked up.

Participating restaurants include: Boulder Baked, Foolish Craigs, Hapa Sushi, Rio Boulder, Cefiore CO, Foolish Craigs, and Jills.

I question why we don't turn the lights off from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. when the crowd is sparse anyways, or just head down to the Sundowner, it's always dark down there. In fact, why not just close up the office in an hour and save all sorts of energy. I was always a huge fan of early weekends in Boulder.

If you want to save some of your own energy the The Governor's office and Xcel energy is also still sponsoring $1 compact fluorescent lights. Even if you're not a broke student, winter energy bills still pile up and it's never too late to save some cash.

-Ian

First Friday for Boulder County AIDS Project

This isn't the first snowy Friday I've been looking forward to this year. However, it is the first Friday with the star up on Flagstaff, snow on the ground and a reason bigger than myself to go shopping.

With only a semesters worth of work to do on Saturday, an excuse to wander Pearl, coffee in hand, with Holiday lights abounding, could be tempting enough. To sweeten the deal the Boulder County AIDS Project (BCAP) has teamed with the East End's First Friday happenings tomorrow night (Dec. 4) to help raise awareness and funds for those in our community affected by HIV/AIDS. A proceed of sales at each participating business will be donated to BCAP. (Look for the red balloons on Pearl between 15th - 22nd streets) Participating businesses include:

Art&Soul
http://artandsoulboulder.com/app/application.php

ten20
http://ten20.tv/

Invironments
http://invironments-design.com/

Momentum
http://ourmomentum.com/

Violette
http://boulderdowntown.com/go/violette

Joyful Furniture
http://joyfulfurniture.com/

Full Cycle
http://fullcyclebikes.com/

Bimbamboo
http://www.bimbamboo.com/

Two Sole Sisters
http://www.twosolesisters.com/

Barbara & Company
http://boulderdowntown.com/go/barbara-and-company

Willow - An Artisan's Market
http://www.willowartisanmarket.com/

Real Baby
http://www.realbabyinc.com/

The T Bar
http://www.thetbar.bigcartel.com/

The Cup
http://www.thecupboulder.com/

Topo Ranch
http://www.toporanch.com/

Mtn Sun
http://www.mountainsunpub.com/

Starrs
http://www.starrsclothingco.com/

Twig Salon
http://www.twigsalonandspa.com/

Dish
http://www.dishgourmet.com/

Christine Marguerite Designs
http://www.christinemarguerite.com/

Angie Star Jewelry
http://www.angiestarjewelry.com

(For more information, visit: http://boulderdowntown.com/events/first-friday)

Additionally, in typical First Friday fashion, The Earthwood gallery will be hosting New Mexico artist Miro Kenarov, Boulder Community Media will be featuring Laurel Coffey's latest works and Art & Soul will be hosting a "Day Without Art," to memorialize victims of AIDS.

Cold air, warm coffee shops, gallery openings, snow and holiday lights, it all sounds like a perfect combo. So, take that Amazon.com, I am going to go outside for my shopping, and I'm taking someone with me to carry my stuff, since I am still on crutches.

-Ian