May Editor’s Picks

Your ultimate guide to arts & entertainment

14 Questions with Harland Williams

The Canadian-born comic had what was probably the funniest show in Denver radio last year on 103.5 The Fox. But you probably know him better for a slew of character roles in comedies ranging from There’s Something About Mary to the timeless classic, Freddy Got Fingered—and let’s not forget his side-splitting appearance as the urine-drinking motorcycle cop in Dumb and Dumber...

Theater

If all 104th North’s a stage, we’ll tell you where to sit

French Connection

Serving your live music needs for Boulder, Denver & beyond

The Ever Evolving World of Music Downloads

A few months ago, my esteemed editor made me promise not to discuss the digital copyrights fight in these margins. Actually, I believe the promise was not to launch another rant about the Recording Industry Association of America. So, other than that mention, I will stay away from the RIAA...

French’s 5

This month: Five Great Gift Ideas for Mother’s Day...

Challenging Element: Red Potato

One Ingredient, 24 Hours

Restaurant Rumblings

Tasty tidbits from the dining world

Italian Shuffle

Call it the Meatball Mambo. The Pizza Promenade. The Tagliatelle Two-Step. Whatever alliterative metaphor you choose, there’s no question that some serious shimmying has been underway with Lafayette’s Public Road Italian dining scene...

We Love this Trend

Okay, kids, time for a vocab quiz: Who knows what “terroir” means? No, it is not, as a friend claimed credulously, the French word for “terror.”...

One Long Challenge

When you first get to college you make plenty of mistakes. No parents, few rules, big parties and 1,000-calorie breakfasts—campus life can be overwhelming for an immature 18-year-old...

May Letters to the Editor

"Nice cover ('Best of the West,' April). Never been into cowboys, but he could change my mind."

Check Out Old Town Erie

There’s a whole lot of bustling development nearby, but we have a soft spot in our heart for Old Town. In honor of the May 17 Erie Town Fair, we explored the teeny yet ever-so-charming historic Briggs Street...

Bikes Belong in Politics

From his second-story office just off the Pearl Street Mall, Tim Blumenthal has a stunning view of the Flatirons, but rather than peer up into the mountains, the executive director of Bikes Belong sees real beauty below on 13th Street...

Heart Case

Tim Case is about to embark on the unthinkable: A cross-country bike ride that will take him a mere 10 days. The pain he’ll be feeling during the near non-stop trek is nothing compared to what the children he’s riding for face every day. They are the kids who head to Camp Odayin each summer—it’s a refuge for youngsters facing severe heart problems, surgeries and transplants, and even death.

Where to Eat, Sleep, Drink After Climbing a 14er

Just because you’ve stashed your ski gear for the summer doesn’t mean you should turn your back on the mountains. Start breaking in a new pair of hiking boots, splurging on outdoor gear and planning to bag as many 14,000-foot peaks as possible. There are 54 on the list—here are five to start you out, complete with insider advice on how to kick back when you’ve finished climbing. Mt...

Mt. Sneffels and Wilson Peak

You could almost use a Coors Light can as your map of Wilson Peak—it’s the mountain featured on most beers from the Golden-based brewery. There’s a reason for it—with its sprawling mesas in front, it is the quintessential peak. The 14,017-foot mountain just begs to be climbed. So does Sneffels, located between the towns of Ridgway and Telluride...

Snowmass Mountain

There are some pains that are so worth it. Climbing the 14,092-foot Snowmass Mountain is to experience thigh burn like no other. The last mile of the four-mile hike from the west sees elevation spike nearly 2,000 feet. The reward from the top is the most striking view of the Maroon Bells you’ll ever find. You’ll have to camp just outside of Marble and need a hearty 4x4 to get to the trailhead...

Kit Carson and Challenger Point

Knock off two towering mountains in one hike; it makes checking off your 14er list go quicker. Taking the route up Kit Carson via Challenger Point also eliminates serious Class 4 cliff climbing. It’s a long hike, though, one that works best when you camp below Willow Lake. Or you can skip the Point and head straight to Kit Carson and gain more than 3,000 feet in elevation in the last...

Mt. Bierstadt

If a 14er can be considered easy, Bierstadt is it. The trail very rarely leaves a Class 1 distinction, meaning the only rock scrambling is saved for the tippy top. It’s still a huge workout getting up it, and the views from the mountain are stunning. You can see Mount Evans (and all those wusses who drove up to the top of it), and Greys and Torreys—three other 14,000 footers that are gems of...

Longs Peak

Perhaps the name for this mountain came from some poor hiker too tired from the 13-mile round trip trek to the top. Probably not, but be prepared for a test of endurance, as the approach requires a near 7-mile steady climb. There are a few death-defying moments, such as the stretch called the Narrows. This is in a national park, so leave the trailhead by 2 a.m. to avoid the tourist rush...

An Education in Luring Top Minds

Colorado State Sen. Brandon Shaffer never would have joined the Navy had it not been for a Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarship. Shaffer might have paid his debt of public service some other way. But getting talented people into the military, even temporarily, helps the country...

A Religion and Border War

This is just getting nasty. Longmont and Firestone are once again in a land battle, and it appears now that LifeBridge Christian Church is at the center of it all...

Whew, Already Getting Expensive

When the 2nd Congressional District seat opened with Mark Udall, the beloved Boulder Democrat, running for senate, it set the stage for one of the most expensive primaries on record...

So Why Are They Still Talking About This?

After outrage, debate and a recommendation by the planning commission to drop the issue, Boulder City Council members are still wondering what to do about huge homes in small spaces...

Finally Some FasTracks Progress

Usually FasTracks, RTD’s mega rapid transit train project, is synonymous with bad news—budgets, environmental problems, angry neighbors. But we’re starting to hear some progress...

Lust, the Craigslist Way

In terms of online shopping, Craigslist can’t be beat. The popular website offers everything from jobs to camping buddies. You can sell your house, rent a vacation pad in the mountains or pick up a last-second ticket to a Nuggets game...

That’s Why They Call it Dope

A Longmont man gave local potheads a bad name recently after cops busted him for growing weed—and for killing his wife’s cat. Authorities found Bootsie’s bullet-ridden body near a pond. Evidence suggested the calico mix was murdered inside the wife’s home. Cops contend Paul John Vickers sought vengeance against his wife by offing the cat...

Erie Will Swallow the Fluoride

Score another win for Big Dental, the mysterious lobby that has force fed America fluoride since the 1940s. High-grade, pro-fluoride propaganda has gotten most Americans to swallow cavity-fighting tap water. Erie officials stood up to the pressure and flushed away a chance to bring fluoride to local taps years ago. But all that changed on April Fool’s Day. That’s when local voters backed...