2017

The Mayor Goes Shopping on the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, Colorado (11)

Shopping along Pearl Street is a longtime Colorado tradition, even for people outside of the state. Case in point, when my mother visits from Oregon, she always requests that we spend an afternoon shopping on Pearl Street. I shopped Pearl Street Mall last Wednesday with my friend Karen on what was probably the last 80-degree day of the year. If you aren’t familiar with Pearl Street, it’s a stretch of

Featured Festival Nitro Fest 2017, Longmont, Colorado Photo Credit Eddie ClarkFeatured Festival Nitro Fest 2017, Longmont, Colorado Photo Credit Eddie Clark

… and now for something completely different. I’m always encouraging festival organizers to do something that sets their event apart. This is an example of a festival that’s doing just that. Nitro Fest is one of Longmont’s most anticipated beer events, because it’s not just about the beer, although that’s a big component. This will be the fourth year of this event that’s one-part circus, one-part dance party, and one-part

HeidiTown's Ten-Year-Anniversary Ten Things You Didn't Know About HeidiTown. Buttercup the camper at Delicious Orchards

Earlier this fall, Ryan and I took one of our most anticipated trips in HeidiTown’s ten-year history. Thanks to Rescued Relics, we got to experience camper glamping for the very first time. Author’s Note: Rescued Relics has ceased operations. What’s glamping, you ask? Well, in my opinion, it’s camping without the dirt. That’s right, after two nights in a vintage glamper, despite not having taken a shower, I didn’t feel

Featured Festival Fall Back Beer Fest 2017 in Estes Park, Photo Credit Brewtography Project

I’ve attended this festival a number of times and it always makes my list of best mountain destination beer festivals. Find out why in today’s Featured Festival post. Location, Location, Location First, let’s talk about the location of Fall Back Beer Fest. Estes Park is a short drive from Denver, but oh so far away. When is the last time you saw an elk cross Larimer Street? On our last

The Mayor Goes Shopping in the Choice City, Fort Collins, Colorado Perennial Gardener outside shot

Fort Collins is best known for craft beer, bikes and Horsetooth Reservoir, but downtown boasts a healthy variety of retail stores and whether you’re shopping for the holidays or for yourself, there’s a store here to fit every need (or want). This past week I went on a little shopping outing in downtown Fort Collins with my friend Karen, and our first stop was at a store that’s been a

Me with my dad and brother in Yellowstone National Park. HeidiTown.com

It’s apropos that I’m posting this anniversary blog post on October 10, my birthday, because I have always considered ten to be my lucky number. Thank YOU for taking this road trip with me and please don’t get out of the car now, the fun has just begun. My first official HeidiTown blog post was posted on October 8, 2007, and that means HeidiTown is 10-years-old this month. At first,

Meet Me in Meeker, Part Two Staying & Dining in Meeker, Colorado (1)

Last week, I shared with you part one of my two-part “Meet Me in Meeker” series. In last week’s post, I wrote about the surprisingly vibrant downtown we encountered. Click here to read it. This week, I want to introduce you to where we ate, drank and stayed in this fun little northwest Colorado town. As a reminder, we were in town for the Jammin’ Lamb Festival, a culinary event

Featured Festival Denver Maker Faire 2017

You need to attend a Maker Faire in order to truly understand the powerful nature of these events. First and foremost, you will see children of all ages engaging with something other than a screen, and you’ll walk away with undeniable proof that children are curious beings. I recently attended a maker sort of event in Boulder that proved to me that if you give a kid a cardboard box

Meet Me in Meeker, Part One. Shopping downtown. HeidiTown.com

As some of you know, I grew up in a small town in the Pacific Northwest and I have a real affinity for communities where the cows — or in Meeker’s case, the sheep — outnumber the people. Meeker is located about one hour and 40 minutes north of Grand Junction and three hours and 45 minutes northwest of Denver. When they asked me to be a judge for this

Eat All the Things in Grand Junction, Colorado. Farmers' Market. HeidiTown.com

Let’s face it, many people who grew up on Colorado’s Front Range tend to think of Grand Junction as that far away cowtown town that’s practically in Utah. Of course, that reputation has slowly been changing thanks in part to the growing popularity of and interest in local food. Colorado’s western slope is a place where local food has been a way of life long before it became trendy. It