Feature

 Ever since moving to Colorado, I have always had an infatuation with the mountains and there is nowhere better to see the mountains than in Boulder. There is something so beautiful about the mountains in every season, they can be magical in the fall with all the leaves turning colors it basically looks like an artist had perfectly painted the leaves to go with mountains. Sometimes in the spring in the summer the mountains are welcoming with the bright colors and the sun shining on the bright green patches of grass. But it is something about the mountains the winter is just mysterious-there is just something about the mountains in the winter that is just asking for them to be adventured.

So when my friends and I had an off day we couldn’t just pass up an opportunity to go to Boulder during the winter and explore.

Boulder has a unique charm and it is not too far from Denver so it became the perfect weekend escape for my friends and me. The first, stop in Boulder was Chautauqua park which is known for the beautiful views of the Flatirons, of course, we had to stop for a photo op seeing how the sun was out and it was absolutely gorgeous out so how could we pass up the opportunity for a good photo. We started our trek up the trail and although the sun was shining and it seemed like it was the perfect day for hiking, there was thick snow layered on the trail, and the farther we got up the trail we started to realize that the snow had turned ice and it was getting quite dangerous. So although we had a ton of falls we also had a ton of good laughs.

Next, we went down to Pearl Street to shop around at some of the cutest little boutiques that boulder has to offer, so many cute independent like Charlie’s T-shirts which has every single Colorado apparel T-shirt that you could possibly ever want, I love bringing my friends who are visiting Boulder for the first time there, and luckily my friend Lucas was with us so he grabbed a couple of long sleeves. The next one we went to is Ellison Rd, such a cute little boutique with all the latest fashions, but they only have three stores in the US and only one in Colorado so whenever I’m in Boulder I have to make sure that I visit it. 

But my favorite shop on Pearl Street is a little Bookstore, it’s something about the outside of the building maybe its the big gold letter or maybe it is the teal- but something about this book store makes me travel back in time. I could spend hours and hours in this book store it is really amazing, they have almost every and any book you could possibly think of. Every time I walk into that bookstore I feel like I have been transported to somewhere magical I feel like I can go anywhere there. And they have so many pockets to snuggle up and read a book. Unfortunately for me, my friends aren’t as many book lovers as I am so they were very ready to leave after I found my book.

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We couldn’t end the day without trying one more thing that was new so we ended up driving 5 minutes from Pearl Street to go to a Japanese restaurant that serves sushi burrito-yes you read that right sushi burritos are a real thing. Motomaki the restaurant had so many different options of sushi burritos, it was a little overwhelming because sushi can be hard to pick in the first place but then also you are getting a huge sushi roll the size of a chipotle burrito- well it can just make the decision a little harder. But I took one bite of the shrimp tempura and mouth started to water it was good, and definitely something I would try in the future. Boulder isn’t that far of a trip for me, but I know whenever I go there I will always have a new and exciting experience, the unique city is always giving me a new surprise around every corner.

How To

Plan ahead

Planning ahead can get rid of a lot of anxiety make sure you check out Covid sites to see how the state you are visiting is handling Covid. This website will let you know which are the hotspots and it will even tell you county by county (https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_casesper100klast7days). 

Another way to plan ahead is to think about how you are traveling to your destination. While traveling by car might seems safer bt according to the CDC “Making stops along the way for the gas, food, or bathroom breaks can put you and your traveling companions in close contact with other people and frequently-touched surfaces.” (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-during-covid19.html) but they say that it is safer and more efficient to ride a plane “Air travel requires spending time in security lines and airport terminals, which can bring you in close contact with other people and frequently touched surfaces. Most viruses and other germs do not spread easily on flights because of how air circulates and is filtered on airplanes. However, social distancing is difficult on crowded flights, and sitting within 6 feet of others, sometimes for hours, may increase your risk of getting COVID-19.”

Another way to plan ahead is to immediately get Covid tested as soon as you get to your destination. A lot of states/countries will have you quarantine until you get your negative test.

Anxious About Getting Covid During your Trip

Most states and countries do require to wear a mask and a lot of scientists have said that a mask will help prevent the spread of COVID-19, make sure you are wearing your mask and sanitize your hand frequently when you are not able to wash your hands which should be able to help keep the anxiety down.

Also, there are plenty of great COVID-19 safe activities to do when traveling Most of those require you to be outside but it should still be very fun to get out and see things that you’ve never seen. For example, if you come to Colorado hiking is a great way to adventure while still staying safe.

Find a Good Way to Cope With the Unknowns 

These are definitely scary times and the overwhelming fear of traveling during this Pandemic might become overwhelming but there are definitely find ways to cope with this. One way to cope with this is maybe to find a travel companion if you are going to travel with someone I do suggest it be someone in your own household. I choose to make my dog my travel companion and he is an emotional support dog so it also helps me to calm down when I get anxious. Another way to try to help with anxiety is to stay informed on Covid protocols and what the cases are looking like.

This is an incredibly difficult time, and it can be really easy to get caught up in all the mess of Covid but if you can stay home, stay home it is safer. But if you need to travel or are going make sure you do it as safely as possible.

 

Informative

Louisville and Superior are the cutest quaintest towns in all of Colorado where you can see the Flatirons from almost anywhere from these two cities and here are some places that you should definitely stop by while visiting these two neighboring cities.

 

Sweet Cow 

 

You have to visit the first-ever Sweet Cow in Louisville, the employees are so sweet and they make you feel right at home. The inside of the store just screams COLORADO! They are very proud of being the first Sweet Cow in Colorado and they make sure to show it. The outside of the store has a ton of seating and light hung from the trees giving the perfect scenery for cute little high school dates.

Sticks Coffee

 

If you want to break your Starbucks habit for a day check out the coffee shop Sticks in Superior. It is pretty new to the historic mining town but it is wildly popular with a lot of the high school students and returning college students. The decor is very modern and simplistic but their drinks are not. They are known for taken ordinary drinks and making them extravagant. For example, they have a coco chip caramel blended mocha that has big fan reviews. And many people praise their wide selection of gluten-free bakery selections like they’re delicious gluten-free blueberry muffin with a raving review that you can’t even tell the difference.

 

Winter skate Park Louisville

During the winter months if you want a cute date spot to take your sweetie during the chilly cold of Colorado check out downtown Louisville’s skate park. Decorated in beautiful twinkle lights that give you the perfect Christmas feeling. The skate park attracts both towns of Louisville and Superior with the Christmas feeling, good spirit with both towns, and the best hot chocolate in CO.

 

So next time you are outside of Boulder check out these stops and see the beauty in these cities.

Travelogue

I haven’t really traveled much outside of the U.S. I had been to some of the U.S. territories before but it was at such a young age that I couldn’t remember much of it. So last summer when our coaches said that we would be going to Puerto Rico for Christmas I was so excited to get this opportunity to play basketball there and visit so of their beautiful historic sites.

When we left Colorado we were all decked out in sweats long sleeves and some of us even had beanies on. Once we arrived we would soon regret our attire as the humidity hit us like a freight train. We soon just had sweat dripping from the top of our nose all the way to our toes.  We arrived pretty late around 1 am, so we didn’t really know what to expect from the city life. Once we got to the hotel room and I stepped out on the balcony and saw the waves gently crash against the rocks, I could feel the ocean breezy tingling my skin giving me goosebumps. I couldn’t wait to see, hear, and feel the place the next day.

The first three days that we were in San Juan we didn’t go outside of the hotel much due to us having two basketball games but while we didn’t do a lot of sightseeing during those three days, I experienced so of the best seafood ever! There was a little food court area that opened up so that you could see the ocean and they had every type of cuisine that you could possibly think of. Puerto Rican, Italian, American, Mexican, and the seafood-oh my gosh it was the best seafood ever. I got the crab cake which was the perfect amount of crispy on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside and the calamari and it was so perfectly made and the chef told me he had just caught the crab that morning which made it taste even better.

Once we finished our games we were free to tour around San Juan and our first stop was Old San Juan a historical site with beautiful restaurants, little boutiques, and high-end fashion factories. What made this little hopping area so unique from anywhere that I had ever been was the gorgeous architecture of the building and the colors-oh the colors, were so beautiful! None of the buildings were the same colors and they were such bold and bright beautiful colors. While looking at the beautiful building and boutiques we found the cutest little restaurant. I had the absolute best-iced latte that I have ever had in my whole life! Starbuck has absolutely nothing on this latte and the steak sandwich that I had was the savory sandwich I’ve ever had.

After a couple of hours of touring the magnificent streets of Old San Juan, we headed back to the hotel to later get to experience some of the nightlife of Puerto Getting to see some amazing live music that is traditional to Puerto Rico giving us the perfect end to our Puerto Rican adventure of sun and fun in the middle of winter.

Listicle

Top 5 Alternatives to Starbucks in Denver 

I love Starbucks just as much as the person but, sometimes I want to switch it up or just save some money (because let’s just admit it Starbucks can get a bit pricey). So here are the top 5 coffee shops in Denver.

 

  1. Photos by Evan Semón

    Ink! Coffee

Ink! Coffee on University Bvd is definitely a must-try, the interior design is simplistic and urban. Although their decor is simplistic their coffee is not. They pride themselves on their ability to roast coffee beans at a high altitude and a low temperature. And they have such a wide variety of coffees to chose from, and not only that they have a wide variety of lunch items to choose from and even some gluten-free pastries! And if you need your PSL fix they do have a special fall pumpkin drink this year.

 

 

  1. Keith’s Coffee Bar. (Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite)
    university of Denver; du; Kevin Beaty; Denverite; Denver; colorado; coffee; food;

    Keith’s Coffee

If you’re looking for a place that gives you the warm and fuzzies and feels like you’re sipping coffee with your parents, I would definitely check out Keith’s Coffee. Keith’s Coffee is definitely a hidden gem near the University of Denver. Their coffee is simple just like their decor. But, the simplistic nature of their shop doesn’t take away the rich flavor of their coffee! If you make your way there I would definitely suggest that you try their vanilla latte it is made to perfection!  

 

  1. Kaladi Coffee

Near Evans Ave is one of the most interesting coffee shops that I have ever been to. While the shop originated in Alaska they pride themselves on having coffee from all over the world. They mainly focus on south American coffee styles. But they’re coffee isn’t the only thing that makes Kaladi Coffee the decor in the coffee shop is very reflective of how diverse their coffee is. If you’re looking to try something interesting I would definitely try the golden milk latte!

 

  1. Olive and Finch

 

Near Cherry Creek Mall Olive and Finch is a cute little bakery that has amazing brunch food and unique coffee. Most of their coffee has a unique spin on it, like the dirty chai tea latte I got, they also have a ton of different options when it comes to milk substitutions! But what is really great about this bakery is that they have some of the most perfect pairings of their coffees and pastries, they even give you a little list. Although it is more expensive it is definitely worth it.

 

 

  1. Stella’s Coffee

Stella’s is by far my favorite coffee shop in Denver, as soon as you walk in you get a very chill artistic vibe from the shop. Every room in the coffee shop is colorful and decorated but each room is different. The coffee is great, they do have a set list of drinks but the baristas are super accomodating and will really make anything for you. A lot of University of Denver students go into Stella’s to study and there’s free wifi. 

Review

North Fork Shanahan Trail

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Boulder is always a great place to go hiking but for a beginner (someone who hasn’t done too many hikes) it is sometimes hard to find a trail that is your speed. But for a new hiker who wants to get an amazing view of the Flatiron mountain North Fork Shanahan Trail is for you. On weekends people who are on the trail are very cautions everyone is wearing masks and staying 6 feet away from other groups. The trail is easy to get around with the path being cleared and lined up with beautiful tall trees that are just now changing into beautiful fall colors. And if you want to bring your four-legged friend with you there is a lot of open space, but remember to bring some bags to clean up after your pup. At the end of the hike, you end up at a lookout area where you see the beautiful flatirons mountains. This is definitely a hike I would recommend.

Check out this trail on AllTrails.

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/north-fork-shanahan-trail