Hardly a day goes by that we don't see a new list of "Bests." Best places to live, best cities to find a job, best cities to find a husband, etc. Well, Bon Apetit recently named Boulder, Colorado America's Foodiest Town. I'm not exactly sure what that means. It doesn't mean it has the best restaurants or the best chefs. What it means to me is that it's a town where food is a way of life, from farm to consumer, from local farmers market to the dinner table.
Boulder has won just about every shiny happy lifestyle award a city can. Healthiest, most educated, most bicycle friendly and now foodiest. It turns out that, along with having fit, smart and eco-conscious citizens, Boulder is home to a number of innovative food companies, including Celestial Seasonings, Izze Beverage Company, Bhakti Chai, Evol Foods and several top-tier restaurants and one of the best farmers' markets in the country. This small town of just over 100,000 is a bellwether of a changing food culture across our land.
I love to visit Boulder. It's the perfect combination of rugged outdoor activities (biking, hiking, tubing, skiing), to beautiful walks down Pearl Street, to Saturday visits to the Farmers' Market, to just sitting outside having coffee at one of the many independent coffee houses. It's got an intellectual atmosphere, lots of bookstores to browse and so many wonderful restaurants. I have written about some of my favorites: The Kitchen, Salt, Happy Noodle, and each time I go there I try to try one or two new eateries. I will be there in December and hope to return with more reviews from America's foodiest city. Does food just taste better after exercise? Does all that clean air build up your appetite? You bet it does. Going to the farmers' market on Saturday morning is one of my favorite activities. I love going with my kids as they know everyone in town and buy many of the products for their business from local farmers. It's a real happening, something we don't have going on here in San Diego.
As much as I love Boulder and their small community, I think I'll stay right here in sunny San Diego, where on November 17, 2010, it is 75 degrees and sunny. No, we don't have the restaurants or the foodie community that Boulder does, but we've got WEATHER. Good restaurants and good chefs will come our way, they already have started, and local interest in producing fresh, sustainable foods will develop. For now I'll get my Boulder fix a few times a year when I visit Phil, Deborah and Lennon.
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