Chocolate bacon, peanut butter crunch, strawberry milkshake...cupcakes?

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A few years ago while visiting a friend in Los Angeles, I did what any other cupcake lover in their right mind would do...I waited in line (for well over an hour) at Sprinkles Cupcakes on little Santa Monica Boulevard to get a little taste of cupcake heaven. Fast forward to present day where only blocks away from my office is Boulder's original gourmet cupcake shop, Tee and Cakes (1932 14th Street).

Sorry Sprinkles, but Tee and Cakes not only has way cooler flavors but their line never exceeds five minutes - well not yet anyway. This past weekend, Tee and Cakes was featured on a CBS4 news segment highlighting Tee and Cakes Chocolate Bacon Cupcake! This particular flavor is only available on Saturdays (or by custom order).

Tee and Cakes bakes and designs their cupcakes fresh every morning Monday - Saturday (closed on Sundays). For the best selection, get there around 11 a.m. To view their daily menu of cupcake offerings, click here. Don't forget that you can place custom orders! My personal recommendations include: Peanut Butter Crunch, Triple Chocolate, Coco-Cola and Strawberry Milkshake. (I'm a vegetarian so someone else is going to have to tell me how the Chocolate Bacon tastes!)

If you are looking for a unique cake for a special occasion (including weddings), check out their custom designs. While you are at the shop, browsTee & Cakes Side B Apparel - a super cute line (featuring tees, hoodies, onsies, tanks, toes and more) that is designed in-house and print locally. To learn more about Tee and Cakes, visit them online at TeeAndCakes.com

Clothing and Baked Goods

I’m munching on a cupcake on perfect fall day in Boulder. The pink-topped delicacy holding my 4:00 p.m. sweet tooth at bay and you know, it’s making me feel like it all fits together. The way the falling leaves and Autumn fit together, the way Lennon and McCartney fit together, doping and the Tour, peas and carrots, Tee Shirts and Cakes…. Tees and what? You heard me people; Tees and Cakes. Downtown’s newest entry into the thriving world of hip and now is upon us. Tee & Cakes, 1932 14^th Street, steps from Pearl Street, had landed to usher us into the vogue world of design and taste with a satisfyingly Boulder touch. Kim Boos and Brian Wood preside over Boulder’s only rotating pie cooler, dispensing good cheer in the form of scrumptious cakes and baked goodies, stellar coffee, and edgy t shirts and apparel designed right here in the Republic Of.

Brian Wood, a CU grad, is the wizard behind the graphics and garb of Side B Apparel, the Tees of the title; While Kim Boos, a Boulder County native herself, brings her masterful art of pastry, perfected at her own Haute Cakes, to bear on the unsuspecting masses of downtown. These two young entrepreneurs met at a business launch party in the very space they inhabit now. Both of them were looking for a home for their own ventures and serendipitously, Tee & Cakes was born. Pastries as design and baking as art. Apparel for the discerning, urban and aware. Something different, not mainstream and where you can get pie with your hoodies. A gathering point for people who care about quality and passion, music, fresh organic coffee, maybe a little WiFi, and a comfortable, casual place that makes that Seattle-based behemoth seem as with it as Britney’s latest meltdown. It’s not just a coffee shop, mind you, these guys have not only what you need, but what you want: Custom Grilled cheese, your way, three cheeses, a choice of toppings. I heard caramelized onions and avocado being thrown about. Damn. You want a plate of bacon grilled up there,pal, they can do that. They live for that.

So put a little spring in step this fall, unwrap a fluffy golden morsel topped with iced goodness, wear something wonderful, affordable, and cool. Impress your local indie rocker, and put a local designer on the map. Munch, lunch, caffeinate and look fine while doing it. Who knew fitting together could be so much fun.

From BolderBOULDER SportsEXHIBIT to Tee & Cakes Cupcake Cram, find it all in Downtown Boulder

Photo courtesy of Tee & Cakes

One of the best things about Downtown Boulder is all of the different activities happening at any given day that appeal to a wide variety of tastes and interests. This Saturday and Sunday thousands of individuals with active and healthy lifestyles will head to the Pearl Street Mall for the Dick's Sporting Goods BolderBOULDER SportsExhibit. The two day event leads up to the 31st annual BolderBOULDER 10K road race happening on Memorial Day. The SportEXHIBIT is the only place participants can pick-up a packet or register over the weekend prior to Monday’s race.

Meanwhile, a local Downtown Boulder cupcake bakery will be hosting a not-to-be-missed event of their own. On Saturday (May 23) at 1 p.m., the World League of Competitive Eating is teaming up with Tee & Cakes (1932 14th St.) for the first ever CUPCAKE CRAM! World Champion Dale "Mouth of the South" Boone will take on four other local competitors in a quest to cram as many cupcakes down their mouths as possible in 10 minutes! Prizes range from a dozen cupcakes a month for a year to an enthusiastic high five!

Tee & Cakes is located along Downtown Boulder's Sweet Street (14th Street between Pearl and Walnut streets) nestled between Belvedere Belgian Chocolate Shop and Cefiore Italian Frozen Yogurt. Run by pastry chef Kim Boos and graphic designer Brian Wood, Tee & Cakes is a cupcake bakery, wedding and custom cake shop, coffee & espresso stop and retail apparel store. Cupcakes are baked fresh six days a week (closed Sundays). Although the cupcake menu changes daily, custom orders are always available. This delectable cupcake eatery received some excellent press coverage in January when CBS4 News ran a feature highlighting Tee and Cakes' wildly popular Chocolate Bacon Cupcake (available Saturdays and Mondays as well as by custom order)!

Whether you are an avid runner, sports enthusiast, cupcake lover or fan of competitive eating, Downtown Boulder is the place to be this holiday weekend! For more information on event happenings and businesses in Downtown Boulder visit BoulderDowntown.com. Downtown Boulder can also be found on Facebook and Twitter!

- Terri Takata-Smith

A beautiful day in Downtown Boulder

Looking out my office window, I’m thrilled to see the amount of foot traffic on the bricks this afternoon. Pearl Street’s pedestrian mall is hopping with activity! Now that our wind storms have died down, it’s a beautiful afternoon. Couples, friends and families are enjoying the sunny weather (many are coatless) and browsing all of the fantastic post-holiday sales and promotions Downtown Boulder retailers are offering. If you are reading this posting, please finish it but then get up here today, tomorrow or as soon as you can and enjoy the day with us!

Here are a few tips for some not-to-be-missed spots. If you are driving here, take 28^th Street and head west on Pearl Street. When you get to 16^th Street, make a left and park in the parking structure on your right. This puts you at the end of the East End and beginning of the Pearl Street Mall. (For a complete listing of Downtown Boulder parking options, visit: www.boulderparking.com)

In the East End, you will find some excellent retail therapy (e.g. Violette, besos, Two Sole Sisters, Starr’s Clothing, Real Baby), wonderful gift and accessory shops (e.g. Momentum, Bliss, Willow), great places to grab a cup of Joe (e.g. The Cup, Laughing Goat) and some of the best dining anywhere (Frasca Food and Wine, Dish, Bimbamboo, Aji, Mateo, Leaf – Vegetarian Restaurant). There are also many one-of-kind specialty shops (Boulder Army Store, Starfish, Feather Thy Nest). Those feeling creative should stop in Color-Me-Mine and explore the artist within and those who need to show their hands and feet some loving should make an appointment at Ten20 Spa.

From the East End, the pedestrian mall (the bricks) is steps away. The bricks run from 15^th Street to 11^th Street. Among the shops (e.g. Into The Wind, Pedestrian Shops, Peppercorn, Weekends, Savvy, Boulder Book Store, Boulder Arts and Crafts Gallery, Art Mart, Powell’s Sweet Shoppe) and restaurants (e.g. Trattoria on Pearl, Antica Roma, Boulder Café, Lazy Dog), there are play areas for children to enjoy and plenty of benches to sit back relax and people watch! Don’t forget to stray off the bricks to find other great businesses (e.g. Melt, Tee and Cakes, Savory Spice, Tough Luck Cowboy, Little Mountain Outfitters, Unseen Bean, Black Cat).

Just past the bricks is Pearl Street’s West End. Cross the street and wonder between 11^th and 8^th streets for more fun shops (e.g. University Bicycles, Farfel’s Farms, Chelsea Elena Ciccone, Urban Outfitters, blink gallery, Bart’s CD Cellar, Two Hands Paperie, West End Gardner) and restaurants (e.g. Juanita’s Mexican Food, Tahona Tequila Bistro, The Kitchen, Pasta Jay’s, Sushi Tora, Jax Fish House, West End Tavern and Centro Latin Kitchen). Don’t forget all that Walnut Street has to offer (e.g. Jill’s, The Med, Boulder ChopHouse, Brasserie Ten Ten ). On your way back, stroll past the Boulder Theater and wonder by Rembrandt Yard then head over to the Hotel Boulderado and soak in the holidays in their beautifully decorated lobby. Stop by Downtown Boulder’s Visitor Information Center or visit us on line (www.boulderdowntown.com) for even more ideas and suggestions…See you soon!

Slainte! (The only Irish word you'll ever need to know)

So apparently, I'm not allowed to go drink green beer on my lunch hour today, according to my boss. I figured as a redhead, he'd be all about St Paddy's Day, but he didn't even wear green.

I love green, so I'm sitting here sulking at my desk, all dressed up with no where to go. I guess no one else in Boulder is having a similar issue because we've been getting tweets all morning asking where the action is today...

I love a holiday that inspires 9 a.m. drinking.

I'm all about giving the people what they want so I've put together a little (suggested) Downtown Boulder St Paddy's Day Pub Crawl. Here ya go folks:

The obvious first stop is Conor O'Neills. They're having live music and drink specials all day, and hey, they've been open since 8 a.m. so that's a plus. The early bird gets the guinness...

Next, head east and hit up Dish for some gourmet Irish for lunch. Corned beef and cabbage, yum!

Of course, you'll need to wash that all down with something, so next stop is Mountain Sun for their annual celebration. Brewers have created a special brew for the occasion and they need you to test it out! And if you stick around, Elephant Revival is playing all night long, starting at 10 p.m.

Next stop, dessert. Grab a Green Beer or Car Bomb flavored cupcake from Tee and Cakes. Um, delicious!!

From there, you can skip over to the Hotel Boulderado at 5 p.m. for live music and Irish fare on the mezzanine. Yes, there will be riverdancing.

All that jigging is surely going to make you thirsty, so pop on down to the Rib House by 6 p.m. for a free tap beer if you're wearing green. Live music from Jeff Brinkman till 9 p.m.

Next up, the West End Tavern for some awesome drink specials, like Car Bomb Slushies and $3 Black and Velvets. Lots of food items for snacking on, too, so you can refuel for the rest of the night.

I assume by this time, you're getting a little tired, so swing back towards the Boulder Theater to sit down for a 8 p.m. showing of The Big Lebowski. Wear a robe for a dollar off a White Russian. Wear a green robe if you're really in the spirit.

Now that you've had time to rejuvenate it's time to throwdown...at the Draft House St Paddy's Day Throwdown. Drink and food specials all night and live music!

And if you think you can handle it, finish off your night at Conor's for one last car bomb. Or two.

Additional hot spots include Q's for lunch and drink specials, The Blending Cellar for ladies night and a jewelry trunk show and the St. Julien for more live music.

So there you have it. Go drink, eat, and be merry, and let us know if you find more to do! And don't forget, the Hop is running free all day today so you can have fun and be safe!

--Stacy

First Friday, Jewish Festival, Outdoor Cinema and More!

This weekend, there are tons of activities happening throughout Downtown Boulder. Here’s some highlights:

On Friday (June 5), Pearl Street’s East End merchants (from the 1500 – 2100 blocks), are kicking off their own version of First Fridays. Look for balloons up and down the East End and check out some of the great businesses that occupy the blocks just east of the Bricks. First Friday Boulder is also a great resource of special happenings and events throughout downtown. Tee and Cakes, Boulder Arts and Crafts Gallery & Earthwood Gallery are just some of the businesses celebrating First Friday. Don’t forget to check out Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art’s(BMoCA) Grand Reopening Celebration!

On Saturday (June 6), the Boulder County Farmers’ Market will be in full swing between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. During the same time period, the 5th Annual Mapleton Hill Boulder Historic District Rummage Sale will be taking place. Over 40 historic homes will be offering fabulous finds, collectibles, toys & gear, clothes, furniture, kitchenware, lemonade, coffee, baked goods and more! At 2 p.m., the West End Tavern hosts their version of the Belmont Stakes with Hermit Crab Races, $5 Belmont Breezes & Maker’s Mark Mint Juleps. Later in the evening, Boulder Outdoor Cinema starts their summer season with AIRPLANE. Gates open at 7 p.m. with lots of pre-show contests, short films and live entertainment! Grab your chair, beanbag or sectional and enjoy a night under the stars!

Sunday (June 7), enjoy a wonderful brunch at Bacaro Venetian Taverna. The restaurant supports local and organic farms including Haystack Mountain and Niman Ranch. For women (and just women) who want to enjoy some exercise & fresh air, check out the Venus De Miles Club Ride for beginner and intermediate cyclists! Meet at Full Cycle (18th and Pearl streets) at 9 a.m. Before the ride, Michelle Karl will lead the group in a short exercise on balancing hectic lives. In the late morning, the Pearl Street Mall welcomes the Boulder Jewish Festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. from the 1200 – 1500 blocks. If you are feeling creative, head to Color Me Mine for Family Day and enjoy half price paint time! ( “Insider Tip”: park FREE in City of Boulder Parking Garages EVERY Saturday and Sunday throughout the year!)

For a complete list of happenings and businesses in Downtown Boulder, visit BoulderDowntown.com, Follow Downtown Boulder on Twitter and become a Fan on Facebook!

-Terri Takata-Smith

Downtown Boulder businesses mentioned on KMGH's A-List

Congratulations to all of Downtown Boulder's 2008 KMGH TV's A-List winners! This year, the Boulder Dushanbe Tea House took the number one spot under Best Tea Houses.
Outdoor Divas took second place for Best Ski & Snowboard shop. The Boulder Book Store was award fifth place for Best Bookstore. Sunflower Restaurant picked up a fifth place award for Best Healthy Lunch. Fifth place awards also went to: The Kitchen for Best Brunch; Brasserie Ten Ten for Best French Restaurant; and Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant for best Vegetarian Restaurant.

Also mentioned on the A-list is Downtown Boulder's:
Bacaro (Italian);
Belvedere Belgian Chocolate Shop (coffee house);
BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse;
Boulder Theater (live music venue);
Centro Latin Kitchen & Refreshment Place;
DecorAsian (furniture);
Dish Gourmet (sandwich);
Frasca Food & Wine (Italian);
Hotel Boulderado (venue);
Lazy Dog (sports bar);
Om Time (yoga studio);
Pasta Jay's (Italian)
MAX (women's boutique);
Red Fish (brewpub);
Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant (Mexican);
Tee and Cakes (bakery);
Ten20 (manicure / pedicure);
The Cup (coffee house);
Two Sole Sisters (women shoes);
West End Tavern (burger)

Congratulations to all those businesses in Downtown Boulder who made it on the A-list! As a special treat, visit Tee and Cakes page on the A-list site and download a coupon for a buy one, get one free cupcake now through November 3, 2008...ENJOY!

Tee and Cakes Featured In Daily Camera's Business Plus

Downtown Business Tee and Cakes was featured in Monday's (2/11/08) Business Plus in The Daily Camera. For Downtown Boulder's previous post on this business click here.

The Small Intestine's Guide to Downtown

With more and more people across the US becoming aware they have a gluten intolerance, we decided it was time to make clear the restaurants in Downtown Boulder that are knowledgeable about gluten and can help you choose menu items free of certain grass related grains. Over 3 million Americans have Celiac's Disease, but only about 1 in 4,700 get diagnosed. People with the disease suffer intestinal damage whenever they consume products containing gluten, and often restaurants are unsure of which of their menu options contain it. Enter: Downtown Boulder.

When you visit our website under the "Dining" tab, you can choose the "Gluten-Free" category on the right to display the list of restaurants. Some even have a special gluten-free menu, like Aji. Abo's delivers their classic New York pizza taste in the form of a 12" gluten-free pizza. At Bacaro, you don't even have to ask which plates are gluten-free, because they are indicated on the menu, although it's always a good idea to tell your server you are avoiding gluten intentionally. Craving Mexican? Everything on the Chipotle menu is gluten-free (besides the tortillas, of course) . Zoe Ma Ma, a new place on 10th where Spud Brothers used to be, serves up delicious Chinese street food, unique for Boulder. Many dishes are gluten-free. The Vegan Potstickers fall under this category and were flavorful and moist when I stopped in to check it out last week. For those with a sweet tooth, you can still satisfy your craving while sticking to a diet. Tee and Cakes offers cupcakes every day that are gluten-free.

My list is only partial, so make sure to check out our website to find other great dining options in Boulder friendly to those who just can't digest those proteins found in wheat, barely, rye, or various other grains.

Stay cool, and make sure to come downtown this weekend for the Boulder ArtFair!

-Gage

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