Red wine and Lipstick

Cured, Boulder

January 31, 2013 § Leave a Comment

I’m all about the specialty shops Boulder has to offer: sandwiches, head shops, antiques, etc… Luckily, Tyty lives directly behind one of my favorites! It’s a building space on east Pearl St. shared by a coffee shop called Boxcar and a gourmet cheese shop: Cured. It focuses on hand selected cheese, cured meats and wine, but has a wall full of delicious goodies like flavored balsamic, fig jams, and European imported hor d’oeurves.

The interior is like a rustic industrial warehouse, with a coffee bar on one wall, and a cheese shop on the other split by a few terrace-style tables to eat and drink at. In their cases, they feature a great selection of hard, soft, and semi-soft cheeses from local Colorado regions to Spain and Portugal. Another case is filled with delicious Italian and Spanish salami. Samples are generously offered by the extremely knowledgeable staff and everyone makes you feel like a neighbor. Behind the counter, they offer 2-4 daily sandwich specials that highlight a few meats and cheeses (like the Spicy Frenchman!). However, they only make a few each day and they sell out quickly, so if you happen to stop in before 11:30, be sure to grab one if you’re feeling munchy! (Of course you can do what Tyty and I do, and buy a few things to throw on our baguette!)

They also offer the wonderful option of buying gift “picnic baskets” filled with various goodies and wine bottles from their shelves at four different price ranges ($40-150). They make for a great date night or as a gift for friends. If you’re the hostess with the mostest, you can have them prepare a platter for just $10 a person!

The small cellar in the back has great selection and they even offer wine tastings every Tuesday from 4-7pm if you’re interested in knowing more about wine then your friends. You can usually score with some good specials too.

The rest of the space is filled with shelves offering fresh daily bread (made rustic style by local baker), imported pastas from Italy, jars and jars of pickled treats, gourmet jam, crackers to try your new cheese with. Recently they’ve added a small refrigerated section for uncured meats, fish, olives, butter, milk in glass jugs, nuts, etc. and even have pre-made salads. Whatever the little foodie inside of you desires!

Unfortunately, it’s a little out of the college student budget, so I typically reserve it for my splurge grocery trips, rather than for my usual haul. Lucky for Tyty though, his mom gave him a gift certificate for Christmas and he treated me to a wonderful Cured-sponsored home cooked dinner. We bought some amazing imported spaghetti that has convinced me never to by my $1.99 pack ever again (sorry Barilla!) which tasted perfect tossed in equally amazing bespoke EVOO/balsamic and pork sausage. Oh and of course a bottle of red.

I absolutely recommend paying a visit to Cured whenever you find yourself on East Pearl. I promise you’ll find it as interesting (if not more!) as the west Pearl St. Mall! Its a great place to pop into for a quick lunch or to shop for an impressive Valentine’s dinner (wink). Visit their website here for more store information!

BoCO.

January 22, 2013 § Leave a Comment

Right now I’m kind of obsessing over Boulder right now. Maybe it’s the beautiful weather we’ve been having, or maybe it’s because I’m realizing that my future might lead me somewhere else for a while very soon. Or maybe it has finally become home. Yeah, its probably that. Either way, it’s amazing.

For those of you who have never been, or don’t know: its rad. Best way to put it. Anyways, I’ll keep it short. Enjoy some pics from my instagram. Last week’s snow has melted but the weather is perfect now! And to think, those mountains are just 4 blocks away from my house!

Cheers!

Ohmagawd SHOES!

January 16, 2013 § Leave a Comment

Today I’m feeling extra blog-lucky! Last night, I grammed a picture of my dinner (a recipe taken from my favorite blogged, The Londoner) and this morning woke up to Rosie, herself, having liked it on instagram! It was so cool that she acknowledged it!

Last week, I saw that I had a little Christmas money left over, and happened to be browsing for some new spring duds; and I came across some amazingly fun spring heels on Forever21.com…. Now, I’m not really a fan of Forever 21 shoes… they always end up hurting, breaking, or looking much cheaper than on the website (and I’m much more of a splurge on shoes and make up than clothing girl). But seeing as I am trying to budget more and more, I couldn’t beat the price for the perfect Spring Break shoe! And hey, they’re pretty near perfect to what I was looking for. Take a look:

These nude and pink ankle straps are the perfectly delicate day-to-night heel I’ve been looking for! The neon and nude is also so trendy!

Now these babies were a delightful surprise! They don’t look like the typical plastic-y Forever21 type and they’re a lovely blush color that makes me excited for spring! Best part? They were under $30 and COMFORTABLE to walk in! Eek!

I also escaped to the mall with Saige today, and came back with a new denim jacket, à la the one that went missing this summer! (RIP), a new beanie for Tyty and some sweet spring shades. I’m all about the blush tones this year! Can’t wait for March! xo

Mmm-mm: Zoe Ma Ma’s!

January 11, 2013 § 2 Comments

So remember when I told you the weather was beautiful and spectacular and too good to be true? Ah well, I spoke too soon… Today looked like this:

The snow is left over from last week… but overcast none the less. The man in the picture is my good friend Daniel! (Hi Chefito!)… We went on a rather icy hike today, but it was still good fun and exercise! Possibly the last I might have for a few days since we’re expecting a good storm this weekend. I’m excited to bundle up by the fire and watch the boys watch the Broncos on Saturday…

Anywho… on my one sunny adventure this week, Lily and I stopped into one of my favorite Boulder spots for lunch! Now, this place is a secret. Not many people know of it. In fact, if you’re a fellow Boulderite, you’ve more than likely swiftly passed over it on your way to Pasta Jay’s or the West End. But I’m gonna let you in on it: Zoe Ma Ma’s. Its quite possibly some of the best traditional Chinese comfort food you can find. None of your typical Chinese take out of General Tsao’s chicken and rice or rubbery sesame chicken… Nope, this is the real deal. Fresh, flavorful, authentic, and made warm with love by Ma Ma herself on most occasions.

Located on the west end of Pearl St, (literally next to Pasta Jay’s on 10th and Pearl), this small comfortable restaurant offers fast, largely portioned, delicious food for under $10! The menu focuses on several popular dishes representing different regions of China, and all are done extremely well! There are a few tables in front of the counter, but on a beautiful day like Monday, I recommend grabbing a seat at the outdoor counter bar (great for people watching!) and sipping on some of their fresh brewed green iced tea! Can you feel the refreshment now?

Now, I’m a big fan of Ma Ma’s cooking. I’ve been there a few times and sampled various menu items… Some of my favorites? I recommend slipping in on a Friday or Saturday for the daily special: Roasted Duck and Wonton Soup. Oh my goodness. Easily the best duck I’ve had without spending $50+ a plate. I took this particular dish to go on the way to Tyty’s house and it was more than enough to share!

Another great daily special is the Lion’s Head. A giant pork meatball that kills it with flavor! There noodle dishes and dim sum options are also excellent, and well… I hate to play favorites so I’m going to call them all my #1s!

Because the weather was so lovely Monday, I decided on the “Cool Noodle” and added chicken, with a pork bao bun on the side. Could not have chosen better! The dish was perfect for a crisp and sunny day of walking and shopping, with a mix of zesty noodle sauce and fresh veggies: carrots, cucumber, sprouts, and onions. The bao bun was warm and chewy, as per usual. Perfection.

As I mentioned, the portions are enormous here, so my leftover noodles made for a perfect lunch this afternoon! Like many places in Boulder, Zoe Ma Ma’s likes to keep everything reusable to all her utensils and bowls, etc. are ones you’d find at home which makes the joint so quaint and homey. It might be my favorite restaurant right now!

So if you’re ever in the Boulder area and are craving some authentic or flavorful food, swing by Zoe Ma Ma’s and check out their daily specials! I guarantee you will find exactly what you’re looking for, and you’ll keep coming back more! Do any of you have a secret spot or recommendation in Boulder/Denver? I’d love to check them out!

Quick Pic: Sneaky Spring

January 10, 2013 § 1 Comment

The last few days have been unseasonably warm in Boulder and I’m LOVING it. Your car or phone might read a mere “high of 50″ but up in the mountains, the sun feels so hot! And despite the snow patches, I was able to take a stroll to Pearl St. today without a jacket; so I’m not complaining! The quick springtime preview has made me excited to pull out some of my favorite spring looks, but I know I still have a few weeks before it’s really time!

Meanwhile, I’ve complied a few trends and looks I’m loving for spring. Super eager to try them out!

1. Monaco Blue: This will be my statement color this season. It’s so rich and beautiful and looks great contrasted with white or graphic prints to help it pop! It also makes you look fabulously tan!

2. Graphic Prints: Like a statement color, graphic prints add a great pop to an outfit and are extremely versatile and easy to incorporate. I currently have a pair of leopard print harem pants hanging in my closet just waiting to see sunlight; but if you prefer a more subtle look, a fun clutch or printed heel will add the perfect touch.

3. Neon + Nude/Neutral Contrast: This is a look I have been dying over for over a year. I spotted it last fall on tumblr.com and thought it was the perfect edgy-meets-classic look. In high fashion you might see a completely neutral outfit with neon accessories, but for a more everyday look try a nude flat with a neon cap toe, or neutral colored sheer top under a vibrant blazer!

4. Ethnic Inspired: Ethnic inspired prints and accessories remind me of summers in Colombia buying artisinal jewelry, warm weather, and traveling…which I tend to do in the spring/summer months. For me, they never go out of style.

5. Minimalist Look: Recently I have come to appreciate a very simplified style. You can never go wrong with a tailored pair of skinny pants, structured top, and delicate heels contrasted by a piece of statement jewelry.

What are you excited about for springtime’s fashion? xo

*all pictures found on pinterest/tumblr.

Thanks 2012! Hey there, 2013!

January 3, 2013 § 1 Comment

Well, 2012 has come and gone. I’m pretty sure I did not complete half the things I said I would last January, but I did find and learn a great deal about myself. The beginning of the year started off a bit rocky for me, despite the awesome New Years celebration I had. I spent most of the beginning of the year exploring my new “21-year-old” self and meeting tons of awesome people, and reeking chaos with my besties. (Shout out to Lily and the rest of the Goss-Grove crew).

About mid-year I realized I had lost an important sense of who I was or what I wanted… I decided to cut back on my new ways (despite how fun they might be) and get back to my roots (running, cooking, and exploring opportunities for my future.) I really started putting my effort into gaining control again in September and since then, I’ve only seen positive and fulfilling change.

Those of your who have seen my facebook will know that I mentioned 2012 as a year of many different experiences (both good and bad), new friendships, adventure, and sometimes hardship. But despite the rocky moments, I would never change a single thing I learned, felt, or experienced this year. It takes a few hardships to discover what you really want and need in your life and I think I can say that after 2012, I grew into that “adult” chapter of life; someone who knows what they want, where they want to go, and fully aware that they are responsible for where they will end up in the next few years. I’ve bonded even more with people I love, met the love of my life, figured out (more or less) what I want from a career, and discovered what truly makes me happy! In the moment I might have felt frustrated or lost, but looking back I realize I was cutting down all the things blocking my view of happiness! Now I’m exactly where I want to be!