use real butter

John’s restaurant is an unassuming 104-year old house, removed from the bustle of the Pearl Street Mall by several blocks. The chef-owned business is run by a brother-sister pair: Cory Buck (chef) and Ashley Maxwell (pastry chef), both natives of Boulder. It’s a charming place. Curiously, during our dinner, one of the fellow patrons came over to ask if I was a public television personality… I wonder if he thought I was Kylie Kwong (because a lot of folks have asked me if I am). Sorry dude, I’m just a geologist, but I would so rock that Australian accent of hers.

IL’s are in town for a visit. This morning I made hashed browns, french toast with raspberry sauce, and freshly peeled grapefruit for brekkie. I then absconded to the bedroom and rowed for 30 minutes (the rowing machine was moved upstairs for the weekend), did my sit ups, and then did my tele exercises. It was snowing outside and the winds were CALM. Oh man, I would have been skiing if not for our visitors.

We drove down to Boulder for the 11:00 Celestial Seasonings tour. The mint room is amazing. But what I loved most about the whole thing was all of the art that has been commissioned for the various tea flavors. The paintings which become the labels for the tea boxes are on display in the tasting room. I love the whimsical mix of animals, fruits, and scenes. It’s so sweet and playful – vibrant and beautiful.

Last night we went to First Bite Boulder with Tom and Kellie at Laudisio. The new restaurant is far bigger and more chic than the old establishment. It moved to the new upscale, bourgeois 29th Street Mall. I like the old restaurant better. It had more of a family feel to it, and now they have bimbo hostesses, and clueless young waiters who don’t know that you need a spoon, not a fork, to eat crème brûlée.

The food itself was okay, and I think that had more to do with the set menu of First Bite Boulder and the fact that the place was hopping. I suppose we’ll go back some night and order from the regular menu just to see if the place has become a different restaurant, but last night was not overly impressive.