Beautiful Boulder

We had a simply gorgeous day here in sunny Colorado yesterday.  So after Chris got home from work, we headed to downtown Boulder, where we were planning to meet a friend of Chris's from his days at Valparaiso University that evening for dinner & drinks with her & her husband. 

 

Well, everyone must have had the same grand idea as Boulder's pedestrian Pearl Street Mall was jam-packed!!  Along with the beautiful weather, parking is free on Sundays!  People were everywhere: all of the outdoor seating at restaurants, pubs, coffee houses were taken; street performers were out in full force; families, college students and couples, like us, filled the brick corridors from East End to West End of Pearl Street.

 

We finally nabbed ourselves a small table at a small pub.  It was perfect timing because we were both ready for a break and we both wanted a beverage.  Chris got us a beer and a Long Island Ice Tea, which was made VERY well.  This girl was feeling good!!!  We were also lucky enough to have a band of horns & drums right in front of the pub whose music reminded us both of New Orleans!!! 

 

But, as it does out here, when the sun begins to set (or you are seated in a shaded area), it can become cold super quickly.  When your beverage is full of ice and you left your sweater in the car, cold becomes even colder!!!  The band ended at the right time...our drinks were finished and we were ready to move along to somewhere warmer.

 

That somewhere warmer ended up being my car!!!  We went to retrieve our sweaters and stayed in the car for a few minutes!!!  We still had about an hour before meeting our dinner companions. Starbucks was on the way, which meant a tall coffee was in order, and the warmth of the café.

 

Our dinner & drinks, per the suggestion of our invitees, was Mountain Sun Pub on Pearl Street.  I was familiar with the location because we have walked past it and the outside bar seating was always full...a very good sign!  It wasn't long before our table was ready.  I sampled their Belgian trippel, called Number One, and Chris their stout.  We each ordered a glass (mine came in a 10 oz snifter because it is 9.0%, while Chris got a 16 oz pint).  We both got burgers, which were perfectly fine.  The best part of the evening were Jen & Tony!  Jen was actually Chris's first boss at VU, but later became a co-worker, one he always liked and spoke well of.  Somehow, tho, over Chris's four years there, Jen & I never met.  She said she felt as if she already knew me from talking with Chris.  Awwww!!!  I am so glad that Jen wanted to see us during their quick Colorado trip!  I look forward to seeing them about this time next year.  Perhaps we will meet up at The Vine, in Denver, which is a sister pub to Mountain Sun, but much larger!! 

 

I have been suffering thru a cold for about a week.  Most of the congestion has gone and now I am dealing with a cough.  Having beverages at hand is a must!!  That Long Island and the beer sure helped keep me hydrated (the Long Island made me numb...in the good way), along with lots of water! 

 

So this morning, I did a 40-minute, 4-mile pre-breakfast elliptical workout to torch those liquid calories!!!  I did one elliptical workout last week and then snuck in some ab/core here & there, but I felt like garbage and wasn't sleeping well.  Exercise was just not part of my repertoire last week, as I would have liked.  It's a new week!  I am back at it!! 

 

A Happy Slainte to ye!  Celebrate St. Paddy's Day responsibly!!!