use real butter

I know what you’re thinking. You’re wondering what is up with all of the posting suddenly? Me too. It’s been a busy week…

This past Tuesday, I was invited by the Pearl Street Whole Foods store in Boulder to come and tour the new space before it opened to the public on Saturday (that’s TODAY). You know the new space, right? The space that used to be Barnes and Noble before they moved to their giant building on the corner of 30th and Pearl? It’s been under construction for the past several months. Whole Foods Boulder is expanding. My boys in Seafood told me the volume of customers coming into the Pearl Street store far exceeded what the original store was ever intended to accommodate. Whole Foods is popular in Boulder. There are times I refuse to go (after 5pm on weekdays and anytime on weekends) because I can’t stand the crowds. But I do shop at Whole Foods Boulder because I am so very loyal to their Seafood and Butcher departments. I know I can always find special or good looking produce for shoots there, and when I entertain – their cheese department never fails me.

there was a huge amount of work to do in the next four days

ben friedland, regional marketing coordinator, welcomes the group

So what is this new space? It’s an additional 26,645 square feet expanding the store to 66,000 square feet in total (including the original space). The design emphasizes more natural light, forefront green technologies (e.g. refrigeration), re-purposed materials, and more seating from the original 89 seats to over 350 seats including an outdoor patio under construction.

paul white, prepared foods coordinator, explains efforts to source locally

pad thai samples

barbecue pulled pork sliders

**Jump for more butter**

I shook Trent’s hand and sat down across from him. It was our first face-to-face encounter although we had emailed a few times before. Just a quick meeting in a coffee shop, in between a couple of my appointments. By the time I walked away, I felt this guy was incredibly earnest – a really good fellow. And I was right.

pica’s in boulder

That day we talked about his idea to open a restaurant in Boulder. Sure, people have dreams all the time, but Trent is the type of methodical, responsible, and hard-working individual who makes things happen. Trent used to be a professional sports photographer (um, THAT is really hard work) who trained at Boulder’s Culinary School of the Rockies‘ Chef program. I followed his progress on Twitter and on his blog. Jeremy and I even dropped by one day, a week before Trent’s projected opening, and he graciously invited us in for a tour. I was wide-eyed in amazement at how far he had come… and how much more he had to accomplish in the next week. I now know if anyone can do it, Trent can.

exhausted before the grand opening: chef andy of jackson, wyoming (left) and trent (right)

The atmosphere is totally casual. After all, it is a taqueria. The interior is brightly colored and the materials for the benches, the tables are re-purposed old doors or pews. It’s a clean and tidy space with simple artwork adorning the walls including a flatscreen television for fans to watch World Cup matches (Trent was a photographer for the US World Cup soccer team). Outside is a lovely, quiet garden patio perfect for enjoying some fine Boulder weather.

i suddenly feel so thirsty

mmmm… patio dining

Pica’s Boulder opened in June of this year (2010) bringing Baja-style Mexican food to the good citizens of this northern Colorado town. Mexican food. You all know how I bitch and moan about Mexican food in Colorado. I’m married to a guy who grew up in New Mexico and I lived in California for ten years. There are many many flavors of Mexican food, but Boulder never really did it for me.

the menu

Their Mexican food focuses on the bright flavors of fresh and wholesome ingredients with a slight upscale flair. It is NOT Northern Mexican nor is it New Mexican, so if you walk in there judging it as such, that’s really your problem. They offer several vegetarian options and I know Pica’s is gluten-free friendly based on Andrew’s love of the place. I have frequented Pica’s for work lunches and fun lunches, turning many a friend on to their wonderful tacos, burritos, and other offerings. Nichole once said she eats there so often that her baby is half Pica’s! The ultimate vote of confidence though? My stitch-n-bitch crew gathered there for a meal. Right on.

jeremy got a margarita and i had the half lemonade half agua fresca (watermelon juice)

When you enter Pica’s you should not only check out the standard menu board, but have a gander at the daily specials listed on the blackboards behind the counter. I personally love the tacos al pastor, carnitas, marinated shrimp, baja style fish tacos, skirt steak tacos, chicken tinga (I had the chicken tinga sopes which were good, but I liked the chicken tinga more than the sopes), and the wet burrito (carne asada, please!). When Jeremy and I finally went in for a “proper” review, we decided to score some appetizers. Usually, I’m all business. Give me the tacos al pastor and no one will get hurt.

You order at the counter – dine-in or carryout – then sit down and wait for the food to arrive. There isn’t a lot of wait service in the traditional sense, but all of the employees have been polite and attentive when I’ve been to Pica’s.

chips with half guacamole and half salsa

**Jump for more butter**

We had some of our favorite people on the planet over to our house for a nice meal and some catching up last month. There are those individuals with whom you can never have enough time to talk about everything on your minds, everything going on in your lives, all of the jokes and stories. Somehow in conversation, the topic of Harry Potter came up which led to the discovery that our friend makes wands.

Makes what?

wands

lovely, elegant wands

M showed me her website, Wizard Within Wands, and I was hooked. I knew I wanted to order two for my nephew and niece. Heck, I wanted to order one for myself. I have enormous admiration for people who make things with their hands, make things from scratch. So I asked if I could come down to Boulder one day to see how she makes the wands and to maybe take some pictures.

variety of handles and wood

and you thought ollivander was a master wandmaker…

It all started because her daughter (an avid Harry Potter fan) wanted – nay, needed – a wand. And M thought, “Well how hard can that be to make?” The first one was hand-carved, hand-sanded, and a little warped. As anyone who takes a hobby to the next step knows, that was just the beginning. M learned from her early mistakes and she began to acquire more knowledge, skills, and yes – beautiful, gorgeous machining tools. [I’m quite in love with their workshop.] I watched, mesmerized by the fluid motion with which she shaped the wand on the lathe as she explained how careful she is about sourcing sustainable wood and following green practices.

wands on display

each comes in its own crushed velvet bag

These wands are a hit with the local elementary school crowd. Each one is a work of art. I stood there admiring the wands and their details – from the beautiful wood grain to the shaping to the designs on the base of some handles. M has always been creative, crafty, handy, and resourceful. She told me the more she delved into making the wands, the more she learned that you can make almost anything. I love that about her.

A wand is a great way to harnesses a child’s imagination and creativity – or perhaps set them free. If you are looking for a beautifully hand-crafted gift to ignite the imagination of your favorite wizard, fairy, or other wand-bearing person (because adults want them too!!), then have a gander at Wizard Within Wands, a local Boulder business.

discover your inner wizard