Boulder

Traveling in the time of Covid can certainly be a challenge. I had to change my usual route via Texas for Colorado and that was a nice detour. Now Kansas and Nebraska were just put on the list of New York Covid quarantine states so I’m heading further up north to cut across Nebraska, Iowa and into Illinois. Illinois isn’t on the list at the moment, so once again I had to change my plans and instead of staying overnight in Omaha I’m getting as close to the Colorado border as possible to make my run to Illinois. On one hand I’m happy I get another day in Colorado as I’ve fallen in love with the state and had forgotten how beautiful the entire place is. On the other hand I’m going to have to do a 12 hour drive to Illinois. I couldn’t find a place to stay further West than Denver and I didn’t want to stay in a bigger city so I opted for a smaller town between Denver and Boulder. I decided to visit Boulder and was so happy I did!

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Maybe it’s me or maybe it’s just the people of Colorado, but I got the same feeling in Boulder as I did in Durango, I felt welcomed. I was told by a good friend that I had to visit the Pearl Street Mall, so that’s where I went. When most of us think of a Mall we’re probably thinking of a large building housing many stores. The Pearl Street Mall is an open air space of shops and restaurants and best of all it’s closed off to all vehicles. The Mall is actually 4 blocks long but the surrounding area has opened up to nice restaurants and shops making the mall feel much larger than it is. The Mall is also a destination of college kids from the University of Colorado Boulder, so you get that college town vibe, and I don’t mean the party till you puke Frat boy vibe but more of the young and alive and loving life vibe. This was the perfect place to go in the time of Covid since it’s outside and all the restaurants had outdoor dining. I was even entertained by a few street performers while walking along the mall.

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After popping in and out of a few stores I felt it was time for dinner. The choices in the mall are immense and varied in price. I wasn’t in the mood for an $18 plate of pasta and didn’t feel like a hot dog from a cart. Finally I spotted a place that seemed perfect, The Falafel King. Mediterranean food can hit the spot and isn’t too heavy, but the kicker for me was a sign that said “Thanks for 40 years of business”. Any place that’s been in business that long has to be doing something right and is always worth a try.

Inside, Falafel King has the air of a gritty New York City pizza joint. There’s a few tables in the back and the counter/cooking area takes up three quarters of the cramped space leaving enough room to order. These were all good signs to me! I watched as one person ordered the Falafel and instead of taking the Falafel from a pre-cooked bin the owner actually cooked it to order. Seeing a place take this type of care after 40 years made me feel good about my order, the Gyro platter. Sure the place could use a little sprucing up, but sometimes the grit is part of the charm. The Gyro meat was tender and cooked perfectly the vegetables were fresh and Tzatziki sauce rounded out the meal. One beautiful patron who sat outside by me said ,”This is the best Falafel I have ever eaten.” That right there is the best review I could give this place.

I loved being in Colorado, it could be the fresh Rocky Mountain air or maybe it’s the relentlessly beautiful landscape or the people. If you don’t hear from me again, I’ve probably taken up residence and moved to a cute little cabin somewhere in the forest. If you ever get to Boulder you have to make a trip to The Pearl Street Mall. There’s plenty of things to do there and you won’t go hungry that’s for sure. If you’ve been to Boulder please add any additional attractions you think people would love to do. I’m glad once again that I took the road less travelled and explored a place I had never seen. Road trips can be amazing for your body, mind and spirit. If you decide on taking a little road trip please make sure you do it safely and even if it’s only an hour away do a little planning. One thing I love to do is grab a blanket and a picnic lunch and head out into nature. If you do a little road trip please let us know. As always please leave any questions or comments in the box below and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. Until next time Boone Appétit!