Signing off...

As I sit here staring at the chocolate cupcake Eli fetched me from the kitchen this morning, and debate whether to eat it or not, I'm sad it's my last day as communications intern here at Downtown Boulder. No more free Monday morning treats for me. :( Hopefully, I'll be heading into the real world with some sort of brand/design/advertising/social media job, but in reality, I'll probably just intern again. Sigh.

If you or anyone you know is looking for an internship, you should take my position. I've had my share of internships, and it really is on the top tier of working for free. You get all the free coffee and tea you want, a nice comfy chair, and the opportunity to exchange witty banter with the redheaded man a seat away. You can view the listing on Craigslist here. Do it!

Probably the most important thing I've learned here is how social media can tie a community together. Reading Downtown Boulder's twitter feed everyday has exposed me to so many different social media marketing strategies, some of which are more successful than others. If you aren't on Twitter following @downtownboulder and downtown businesses, you are missing out on a whole world of culture. It is interesting to see which businesses interact with others and how relationships on Twitter evolve. Plus, you can find out about special offers, sales, and events all over downtown. For example, Atlas Purveyors offers coffees and teas for $1 if you keep an eye out for and mention their tweets. Also, Pizza Colore tweets when employee Kimmy whips up something delicious and creative. Her pies always sell out in a matter of minutes after the tweet, so you better get booking when you read one that makes your mouth water. Also, you should follow me on twitter. I don't offer deals, but I do tweet about interesting things happening in the design/ad world and the cutest animals ever, my dog and cat Sunday and Arnold.

Thanks Downtown Boulder, I'll miss you!

-Gage

PS- I gave in to the cupcake

Lettuce Entertain You

If I've learned one thing in the almost eight years I've lived in Boulder, it's that the town is full of entertainers. Everybody wants to act, sing, dance, perform, and make you laugh. Some are not so successful (I'm talking to the two guys dressed in grunge yelling Ramones' songs on Pearl the other day) and some attract crowds in droves (the tiny plastic box guy comes to mind). There are open mic nights galore, karaoke, slide presentations, etc etc etc.

The Boulder International Fringe Fest (running through the 29th) is a great place for all aspiring superstars to seek inspiration. The festival hosts barnstormers from local, national and international destinations on a mission to captivate, amuse, and knock 'em dead. Performances range from condensed operas featuring Pinnochio in a post-apocalyptic setting to a couple dudes playing video games with their electric guitars to groovy dancin' music. All the events are scheduled to start after a (normal) work day, but if you got stuff ta do, at least head back downtown for the Daily CRAB, which is like cocktail hour and a variety show with Fringe artists mixed into one. Hosted by Boulder's own Dave Burdick, it's a fun way to wind down (or up).

If you hate having fun, at least check out one of the hosting venues to support local businesses. The Fringe Fest helped to generate approximately $750K in revenue for Boulder shops--which is majorly awesome!

Tickets are cheap, or you can check out the site for discounted punch passes and take all your friends on the cheap; you'll be the office hero and get free drinks all night, probably!

So, let's recap reasons to see a show before you're out of luck: 1. Funny and/or entertaining, 2. Cheap, 3. Supports local revenue, 4. Free drinks (maybe in some cases).

Sounds pretty solid to me, I think you should check it out. Mix it up a bit, cuz you know the zip code guy gets a little redundant sometimes. I mean, it's not fun if he never gets stumped.

Love,

Stacy

DIY Drinks @ Salt the Bistro

Do-it-yourself (DIY) is all the rage these days. The American consumer has evolved into one that thinks they know best and prefer to have the most control possible over what they buy. NikeID? Boom, success. iGoogle? everything you want in one place, awesome! Salt, Chef Bradford Heap's restaurant that took the place of Tom's Tavern, is taking the phenomenon of mass customization a little closer to home with the launch of their new drink concept, Cocktail Element. Guests design their own cocktail recipes, using a “make-your-own” menu, by circling a spirit/base, flavor element, style, and size. They also have the opportunity to name their creation.

Keeping true to Salt style, (the best food travels the shortest distance from farm to table), ingredients such as herbs and syrups are grown/made in house whenever possible.
The best thing about this whole idea is that creator, Evan Faber, notes suggestions of parings based on the spirit you choose. Definitely helpful, as we are all not master mixologists. Given free reign to make my own cocktail, two things would happen: I tend to cave when presented with too many options, so I would immediately get flustered and panic and then after talking through my crisis for ten minutes, I would circle everything because I can't make up my mind and end up with some truly awful drink like cinnamon tequila fizz. So if you hear about any drink that starts out with Gage's ______, don't order it.

Live the local and check out what's going on at Salt and the rest of Downtown Boulder this weekend. Oh, and proceed cautiously today because it's Friday the 13th! Boo! (You jumped)

-Gage

PS- This is awesome

I'd like one trip to Washington, hold the rain, please.

It's that time of year again; where packing seems to take over my free time, and Target trips become more important than sleeping. Yes, Downtown Boulder readers, it is officially college move-in season. I am headed back to the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. But before I go, I'm hosting a friend from school in Boulder for a few days. And while I am extremely excited for her visit, she has made one HUGE error in her trip planning. She's only coming to Boulder for 3 days. Why anyone in their right mind would do that is beyond me, but I think I have what will be a very successful plan for her short time here.

Even though my friend (being from Seattle) has said that I could just show her the sun for the whole time and she'd be happy, I think I can do better than that. This may come as a shock, but I am going to try and spend as much time in Downtown Boulder as possible (and I'm not just saying that because I work here). It really is the best place to bring out of towners if you don't have much time to give them a taste of Boulder. You can see the Flatirons, get a Boulder t-shirt, and Boulder postcards. And on top of that, you can get in some seriously fun "Boulderite watching". Which for those of you that don't spend much time downtown, is just a WAY more interesting version of "people watching". So, the next time you're down here, pause to take a look around at all the awesome people, you will not be bored.

I am a little stressed out about showing her all I want to show her, but I'm sure once I wade through all the awesome things to do in Boulder that it will be a first-rate visit (as long as she plans on not sleeping).

All things considered, there really is no better feeling than getting the chance to show off the place where I have had the privilege of growing up, especially with it being beautiful Boulder. I will definitely miss it a lot.

Time to go pack my raincoat... peace out Boulder!

-Erin

Dont tell my RA, but this picture is actually me

Sigh.
It's the second week in August, and that means back to school for everyone but me. As a child, I'd watch out the window for the mailman like a vicious Doberman. The second I spotted him, I'd race out to see if today was the day he was going to deliver my highly anticipated school supply list. The second I got my anxious little paws on it, I begged my mom to go shopping. Something about new, clean notebooks and crayons with perfect points drove this little redhead wild, and still does. Alas, this year I won't get to indulge on the smell of fresh paper. Graduating is overrated.

Good thing there is a new crop of freshman to take my place. 6000 of them to be exact. Next week, the out-of-state orientation begins, and if you've never been in Boulder this time of year, you're in for a treat (read: sarcasm). Not only are the 6000 freshman here, their moms and dads are too, and siblings and grandma, if we're lucky. It would be a good week to ride your bike to work to say the least. Driving 5 miles will take 20 minutes. Also, avoid Target for a good 3 weeks, if you can. The freshman pick the place bone dry like the Grinch on Christmas Eve. They will spend about $821 dollars on back to school spending, slightly more than other classes. That totals over $240 million dollars for Boulder over the next few weeks. Hotels and restaurants will be booked solid, so if you have a date or celebration coming up, you might be SOL. Good news for downtown Boulder businesses though!

If I sound bitter, you're spot on. I'm so incredibly jealous of the little 18 year old's I could stuff one in a closet and steal their identity. My four years at CU were the greatest of my life, and I wish the time machine had been perfected so I could go back and do it all again. Yes, the dorms and all.

So if you're near campus next week and hear muffled sounds coming from a trash can that has a top mysteriously chained on, don't worry about it, I'll occasionally toss them some scraps from Libby Dining Hall.

Gotta go, party on the hill in twenty.

-Gage, class of 2014