yellow scene magazine cover for April 2011

Best of the West

Best of the West 2011

This year, we're giving our Best of the West winners the red carpet treatment: The readers have spoken, the critics have made their picks and several local celebrities have added their two cents. Here are our best Boulder County has to offer. THE ENVELOPE PLEASE... 1: Best of the West: Entertainment 2: Best of the West: Health and Beauty 3: Best of the West: Retail & Services 4: Best of the West: Critic's Choice 5: Best of the West: Readers’ Choice Food & Drink

Features

Down The Road: Ten Transportation Issues Impacting You in the Next 10 Years

Getting around Metro Denver and the Front Range is getting easier every day. But making faster progress may mean digging in to our collective couches for the pocket change to make it happen. In the next 10 years, transportation issues will be among the top political and policy items our lawmakers wrestle with. In a world of limited resources and rising costs—fuel chief among them—there are

What’s the deal with vegetable oil?

First things first, a common mistake people make is to think they can dump vegetable oil straight into their fuel tanks. The EPA has not condoned the act of using straight vegetable oil as gas. They say raw vegetable oils and cooking oils are not suitable for legal vehicle usage; biodiesel seems to have the true claim to fame. Here, YS explores veggie fuel. The Science To make biodiesel

Ask a Greaser!

When we asked, Brett Sawchak, CU Biodiesel outreach director, if he thought vegetable oil biodiesel-fueled cars smell like French fries, he replied, “Biodiesel does have a distinct smell to it. Some say it smells like French fries, I think it smells like cardboard.” Whether you are a critic or a fan of biodiesel, you cannot deny its intrigue. Sawchak helped us get down-and-dirty with

If Life is a Highway…

Here’s a friendly reminder, according to the Boulder Municipal Court, of the most common traffic violations: Inattentive Driving Reckless Driving Speed Contest 20mph and more over speed limit Stop for school bus required Eluding Obedience to peace officers directing traffic A traffic offense can cost you upward of a $1000 fine and $25 in court fees as well as jail time and

Sans Car

With increasing opportunities for public transit in the last decade, many have taken to the streets with bus pass, bike or sturdy walking shoes in possession. But what else do you need? Reflective gear: “Whether you’re biking or walking, be visible,” said Marni Ratzel, city of Boulder’s bicycle and pedestrian transportation planner. “It’s important to have something for when it

Best of the West 2011

Commentary

Cruise Control

A few years back, I interviewed a woman who had a degenerative eye disease that took her vision slowly and awkwardly. Several accidents ensured her vision constantly changed—partially blind in her right eye, mostly blind in her left eye, and then almost completely blind in both. As her vision changed, the woman willed herself to relearn the basics; cooking was always an interesting process

Even if the Shoe Fits, Maybe You Shouldn’t Wear It

If you’re thinking about wearing those haute Gucci pumps that you just broke the bank on: Don’t. OK, we know how not cool that sounds. But wearing the wrong kind of shoes can cause severe heel foot, knee, hip and back pain. According to the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists, a person walks an average of 100,000 miles in their lifetime, and much of the gradual foot, leg and back pain

Off the Air

National Public Radio has been in the cross hairs of Washington, D.C., Republicans for years. Mostly this is because the venerable news organization used to do a decent job of reporting. Facts, you see, are toxic to the tea partiers because they tend to expose the blatant lies and shameless misinformation that is their stock in trade. But in recent years, as the old cows at NPR have gotten

Scene

Editor’s Picks: April 2011

This is not your grandma’s ballet. Ballet Nouveau Colorado is wrapping up its season with perhaps the most exciting show to date. Rarities and Oddities features the world premieres of new works by four choreographers across multiple disciplines. Live music will underscore performances featuring female brawn, shadow puppets and pandas.

Five Questions with Colorado Singer/Songwriter Wendy Woo

Alliteration aside, Wendy Woo has been one of the most recognizable singer/songwriters to call Colorado her home. Her family moved here when she was a child; her parents were founding faculty members at Naropa University. Before it was en vogue, Woo was a DIY career musician—she released eight albums on her own label and is a business case for self-management. Here, she talks about doing it on

What’s on Tap? What’s not on Tap?

My credo of “too much is always better than not enough” has usually stood me in good stead. Whether dealing with money, snowfall, romance—vowels in Scrabble, not so much—dealing with excess is often preferable. And so it is with beer, especially when it comes to selection. When confronted with a prodigious variety of quality beers, as we are here on the Front Range, the sane answer to

In Your Wildest Streams

I love streaming. Ever since I got my iPad (and yes, I’m waiting on delivery of my iPad 2), my most-used app has been Netflix. The missus has Real Housewives of Latvia or whatever on the TV in the bedroom it seems every single night as we nod off. Now, I can throw on my headphones and watch whatever B movie with Rutger Hauer I want without listening to my wife scream about how utterly

Outdoors

Winged Migration

A small bird darts just overhead, hugging the side of the ridge, holding its wings back like an F-14. Binoculars and cameras point quickly in the little jet’s direction. “What is it?” someone asks

Cuisine

Challenging Elements: Leeks

Owner David Fan told us Mok would have preferred to use Chinese leeks for their stronger flavor, but they aren’t in season; and chef Kiwai lamented that American leeks don’t have the same power or depth of flavor French leeks do. But those restrictions didn’t seem to deter either of them from producing quality results. Fan invited a few of his best customers to be co-tasters and to help

Hot Stuff

Our publisher, whose sister has lived in Thailand for 20 years, tells a funny story about visiting a street cart in Thailand and ordering her larb “Thai hot”—then noticing as all the locals watched to see if the white girl could handle it. I love spicy food. My husband loves it even more. But even he was impressed with the levels of heat achieved at Busaba, a family-run Thai restaurant

Whole New Look

I often daydream that the empty liquor store in the strip mall at the entrance to my suburban neighborhood might someday turn into an upscale mom-and-pop gourmet shop where I can pick up a gallon of organic milk, some locally made bread and maybe some fresh pasta for a quick supper. A great gourmet market is Mecca to a foodie, and for those of us who don’t live near an independent shop

Eatery Update: April 2011

Openings/Closings Frasca opened its third restaurant, called Caffe, in the space between its original location and Pizzeria Locale. …Piece, Love and Chocolates, a new gourmet chocolate and pastry shop, opened in Boulder at 850 Pearl St. …Ozo Coffee opened a new location at 1015 Pearl St., Boulder. …Chef Chris Cina opened Hideaway Steakhouse at 2345 W. 112 Ave., Westminster, calling the

Also in This Edition

Best of the West: Readers’ Choice Food & Drink

Best of the West: Critics’ Choice

This year, we’re giving our Best of the West winners the red carpet treatment: The readers have spoken, the critics have made their picks and several local celebrities have added their two cents. Here are our picks for the best Boulder County has to offer. The envelope please… Best Beer Mojo IPA, Boulder Beer Mojo IPA is not a session beer, and it’s not for the faint of

Best of the West: Readers’ Choice Retail & Services

This year, we’re giving our Best of the West winners the red carpet treatment: The readers have spoken, the critics have made their picks and several local celebrities have added their two cents. Here are our picks for the best Boulder County has to offer. The envelope please… Bike Shop Louisville Cyclery : East County Even if you want to hamster-wheel it inside or just can’t

Best of the West: Readers’ Choice Health & Beauty

This year, we’re giving our Best of the West winners the red carpet treatment: The readers have spoken, the critics have made their picks and several local celebrities have added their two cents. Here are our picks for the best Boulder County has to offer. The envelope please… Day Spa Sunflower Spa : East County Luxury and Longmont may not be two words you immediately think of

Best of the West: Reader’s Choice Entertainment

This year, we’re giving our Best of the West winners the red carpet treatment: The readers have spoken, the critics have made their picks and several local celebrities have added their two cents. Here are our picks for the best Boulder County has to offer. The envelope please… Festival Lafayette Peach Festival : East County Standing at one end of the Lafayette Peach Festival