Pedestrian Shops Blog

Walkin' Boulder: Around the Campus (Literally)

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 17:46:21 -0700

Walkin' Boulder By Sue Deans Former Camera editor blogs about exploring Boulder on foot July 18, 2012 Today I head south. I want to see how work on the Broadway and Euclid underpass is progressing. It is supposed to be done by mid-August, about the time school starts at CU. And this year it’s also when the Pro Cycling Challenge comes to town on Saturday, Aug. 25. This day all four lanes of Broadway traffic are open, although occasionally there are still closures. I can’t go through the underpass because it’s blocked off, but the sidewalk on the east side of Broadway goes almost all the way through, with one very small detour of just a few feet. Photo: All 4 lanes were open this morning on Broadway Photo: Crews are still working on the underpass and the surrounding area I head south along the multiuse path on Broadway. I like walking on the campus because most of the walkways separate bikes from pedestrians. I notice occasional letters in the Camera from walkers who are appalled at the rudeness of a few bicyclists zooming up behind them on a walkway without warning. It’s happened to me a number of times and I’m surprised more people don’t get hurt. I intend to walk all the way around the campus, so I turn east on Baseline and walk past the soccer fields and up to the Coors Events Center. From there I get this great view of the Engineering Center. Although the building has its critics, I’ve always thought it is striking. Photo: A view of the CU Engineering Building from the Events Center> A good number of people are on the campus, even though it’s summer and early in the day. This sign welcomes new students for orientation. They are asked to follow the trail of gold buffaloes painted on the sidewalk, a cute idea. Photo: Signs welcome new students to orientation Photo: They can follow the gold buffs to find their way A lot of dirt is being moved next to Sewall Hall. I am not sure what is being done there but I imagine it has something to do with the major expansion of the Rec Center, which will increase its size by 30 percent, according to a site called Buff Up the Rec! on Facebook. The page shows daily construction info and plans. I hope this formerly nice green space isn’t going away. Photo: Digging up dirt next to Sewall Hall I head back to Broadway and University, then north on Broadway. I am hungry and in need of coffee, so I stop at Alfalfa’s to see what they have for breakfast. Steel-cut oatmeal and several kinds of breakfast burritos are at the hot deli counter; the sushi counter has a Japanese breakfast, which I’ll try another time; and of course there are many bakery items, fruit, etc., etc. I get oatmeal and a coffee, and sit in the dining area. It’s too hot for the fireplace this morning, but it’s always a very pleasant place to have a bite. Photo: Alfalfa’s dining room is a cozy spot winter and summer Photo: Breakfast of coffee and oatmeal If it were later in the day I would go for one of the large selection of soups or a sandwich from the deli. Since I have fond memories of the original Alfalfa’s on the same site when I lived here in the 1980s, I enjoy its ambiance and the way it’s been upgraded to reflect current tastes. And the staff is so pleasant and helpful. We often walk over in the evening and get fish or chicken and vegetables to grill. I finish the oatmeal and take my coffee to go. At home I see I’ve logged just about 6 miles, and I enjoyed the shady walk around the campus.

Walkin' Boulder: At it Again

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 15:18:33 -0700

Walkin' Boulder By Sue Deans Former Camera editor blogs about exploring Boulder on foot July 12, 2012 Smoke and heat have kept me off the streets this summer since the Bolder Boulder. That’s my excuse. Today I decided to get at my walking again, since the Disneyland Half Marathon is looming on Sept. 2 in California. I will have to walk 13.1 miles in 3½ hours. Last year I squeaked in like Minnie Mouse with a time of 3 hours, 32 minutes. If you don’t keep up the pace, I was told by others walking or jogging with me in the back of the pack, a Goofy bus comes along to take you off the course. I think I will do better this year – last year was my first half marathon and I had foot problems. But lots of people finished behind me. I hope to improve my speed and endurance this year. So off I went about 8 a.m. today in nice, cool weather for a couple of more hours. I had a great walk, 6.75 miles in about an hour and 42 minutes. I don’t have an exact time because I forgot to turn off MapMyWalk when I finished at Vic’s and got a coffee. I will have to achieve 3.5 to 4-minute miles to improve my time at Disneyland. First, my good deed for the day. It happened on my way back, on North Broadway across from the Wonderland Lake Trailhead. A young deer was standing in the bike lane, nibbling on some weeds by a fence along the roadside, with its rear end nearly in the northbound traffic lane. As I approached on the adjacent sidewalk, headed south, I feared that it be startled and dart into traffic. Cars were slowing as they approached but I didn’t want scare it and cause its demise. It looked at me and I said gently, “Jump over that fence and get out of the road.” And it did. Amazing. Off it went down the hill to the east, safe for the time being. I often take this northern route, from my house in North Boulder north on 19th Street, south on Yarmouth to 14th Street to Lee Hill Road, west to Broadway and back south, this day ending up at Vic’s. Sometimes I reverse it, first going north on Broadway and coming back on 19th Street. There’s a major hill between Linden and Norwood. Up the hill is shown at top below, and down the hill below it. Interesting sights included: A bone dry ditch, even after our recent rains, near Crestview Elementary School. A pretty flower garden in front of a condo on Yarmouth. Good deeds being done by two nonprofits I have worked with, the Emergency Family Assistance Agency at 17th and Yarmouth letting passersby know which items are needed for their food bank, and Habitat for Humanity volunteers at work on a 14th Street multifamily residence. Get out early and keep walkin’! That’s my plan.

Walkin' Boulder: 'Tis the season for walking!

Tue, 29 May 2012 20:47:54 -0700

Walkin' Boulder By Sue Deans Former Camera editor blogs about exploring Boulder on foot May 29, 2012 Even though it’s been such a mild spring, I haven’t been out walking too much. That is, until Monday when I joined the throng of more than 50,000 people at the Bolder Boulder. The first time I did the race, way back in 1986, I ran. Now I mostly walk. I haven't been nearly as frequent a participant as my friend Lane Earnest, whom I saw after the race. He is one of the elite few to have been in every Bolder Boulder, 34 thus far. Since 2005 I’ve done six of seven races, missing 2009 when I was traveling in Alaska. My time this year of 1:35:52.15, at age 64, was my best ever. In 2005 it was 1 hour and 56 minutes. Still, even at 1:35 I would have to be 95 before I “walk my age,” as they say. Even if I’m not a contender for the early waves, the race is lots of fun. Just the people-watching is a hoot – costumes, high-jinks, patriotism, compassion and a feeling of great achievement for everyone. Here are a few highlights from my race this year: As a jogger-walker, my wave started a good two hours after the early birds. At the end of my street I could see runners along 13th Street closing in on Mile 4 as I left my house in North Boulder. Since my neighborhood is more or less hemmed in by the race course, the easiest way to get to the starting line is to walk there, which adds a mile or more to the route. Plus the walk home from Folsom Stadium. My wave, NF, was about 10 minutes from its 9:02 a.m. start when I arrived at Walnut and 28th Street, so I joined the crowd as we advanced toward the starting line. Coach Tad Boyle of CU basketball fired the starting gun for us right on time – it’s amazing how precisely organized this huge event is. I told someone Sunday that my knees were already hurting with anticipation but after about a mile they began loosening up. The weather was great – about 52 degrees when I left home, and maybe near 70 when I finished about 10:35. Maybe because the weather was so good, it seemed pretty easy this year. Everyone was in such good spirits! Spectators offer music, food, marshmallows, cotton candy, Slip'n Slides and cheers. Some residents along the route offer parties year after year. My favorite entertainer, "Elvis," was at his usual post at Folsom and Valmont, along with belly dancers, rock bands, deejays -- lots of music to keep the pace going. Runners were clad in tutus, togas, superhero outfits, matching T-shirts for families and representing employers. Two of my favorite outfits were a flamingo costume and a gorilla costume with an aluminum box attached that looked like the gorilla was carrying a guy in a cage. In keeping with the patriotic Memorial Day setting, many wore on their backs tributes to friends and relatives who served in the military. I am happy to have done the Bolder Boulder again this year and look forward to next year. But before that I plan my second Disneyland Half Marathon on Sept. 2 and hope to improve on last year’s time of 3 hours, 32 minutes. In the next few months I will update you a couple of times a week on how my training is going, and meanwhile tell you about what I see while I'm "walkin' Boulder."

Boulder's Pedestrian Shops, Patagonia and Center for Resource Conservation Team with Kids to Support Conservation with Earth Day Art Made from Used Shoes and Used Doors

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 22:00:17 -0700

A unique Earth Day collaboration has brought together the Pedestrian Shops shoe store of Boulder, the Center for Resource Conversation's arts initiative featuring old doors and old shoes, and a national shoe brand, Patagonia. Add some enthusiastic middle-schoolers who've worked on art for the store's windows, and the excitement begins!

Boulder, Colorado (PRWEB) April 20, 2012 In celebration of Earth Day next week, the windows of Boulder’s Pedestrian Shops are filled with BOLD Doors, an arts project featuring old doors decorated with, in this case, old shoes. The custom-built doors are part of a Center for Resource Conservation arts initiative using old doors that would otherwise be discarded. Ashleigh Hitchcock and Leslie Whiteside, the Scrapsisters, crafts artists who create art with found objects, worked on the doors with students from Casey Middle School. Casey students helped install a door adorned with all sorts of yellow shoes, including Crocs, in the window at Pedestrian Shops’ downtown store. Pedestrian Shops, a locally owned downtown Boulder business, specializing in comfort walking footwear for more than 41 years, is celebrating its Earth Day Shoe Drive in collaboration with Boulder-based CRC and Patagonia footwear. Customers are urged to bring used shoes to the Pedestrian Shops from April 9 to April 23. Pedestrian will donate 5 percent of any purchase made by a shoe donor to the CRC, supporting conservation programs along Colorado's Front Range that focus on waste reduction and energy and water conservation. In addition, Patagonia footwear will donate $10 to the CRC for every pair of Patagonia shoes purchased at the Pedestrian Shops or its web site comfortableshoes.com between April 9 and April 23. For more than two decades Pedestrian’s two annual shoe drives, commemorating Earth Day in the spring and Thanksgiving in the fall, have turned more than 35,000 pairs of old shoes into a commitment to resource conservation. The donated shoes will help two locally based nonprofits: - Running and athletic shoes in good condition will go to less developed countries through One World Running, founded in 1986 by local runner and writer Mike Sandrock, and those in poor condition will be turned into turf for playgrounds. - Business and casual shoes will go to the Deacon’s Closet at First Presbyterian Church, for people transitioning into the workforce and in need of assistance. “It’s a win-win for everyone,” said Richard Polk, president and co-founder of Pedestrian Shops. “We are delighted to help CRC in its efforts to conserve resources in the community.” CRC also hosts its 10th Annual Earth Day 5K run/walk on Sunday, April 22, and will collect shoes at that event as well. Keith Frausto, CRC executive director, applauds the collaboration: “Kudos to Pedestrian Shops and Patagonia for collecting shoes and helping us celebrate Earth Day.” The Pedestrian Shops is a longtime “green” retailer, since 2008 using a 10 KW solar array to generate nearly half the energy needs of its downtown store at 1425 Pearl St. Also that year, Pedestrian inaugurated a “closed door” policy, helping keep its carbon footprint to a minimum by closing the doors when air conditioning or heat is on. And Pedestrian follows numerous other practices that Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. See comfortableshoes.com/blog for more information. The Pedestrian Shops is a locally owned family business operating two Boulder, Colorado stores, as well as the website comfortableshoes.com. Downtown Boulder Mall: 1425 Pearl St., Boulder The Village: Facing Folsom Street between Arapahoe Avenue and Canyon Boulevard, Boulder Larkin and Vienna D'Jay from Casey Middle School in Boulder help install doors decorated with shoes, part of the BOLD Doors project for Earth Day at the Pedestrian Shops on Pearl Street

Pedestrian Shops on 9News!

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:43:28 -0700

The Pedestrian Shops were featured on 9News as part of their coverage of the 35th Anniversary of the Pearl Street Mall! Check out the video below to see the story and to see our owner, Richard Polk, talking about our environmental policies and our special Earth Day promotion in conjunction with Patagonia Footwear's Advocate Weeks. Our portion begins around the 4:00 mark:

The Pedestrian Shops and Patagonia Partner to Support Boulder's Center For ReSource Conservation

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 23:02:22 -0700

BOULDER, Colorado – The Pedestrian Shops, a locally owned downtown Boulder business for more than 41 years, will celebrate its Earth Day Shoe Drive in collaboration with Boulder’s Center for ReSource Conservation and Patagonia shoes. For more than two decades Pedestrian’s two annual shoe drives, commemorating Earth Day in the spring and Thanksgiving in the fall, have turned more than 35,000 pair of old shoes into a commitment to resource conservation. Pedestrian’s 47th Shoe Drive, April 9 to April 23, is no exception. Customers are urged to bring all kinds of used shoes to the Pedestrian Shops. Pedestrian will donate 5 percent of any purchase made by a shoe donor to the Center for ReSource Conservation (CRC), supporting conservation programs along the Front Range that focus on waste reduction and energy and water conservation. In addition, Patagonia footwear will donate $10 to the CRC for every pair of Patagonia shoes purchased at the Pedestrian Shops or its web site comfortableshoes.com between April 9 and April 23. During the drive a striking window display at the Pedestrian shops will be custom built by BOLD Doors, a CRC arts initiative using old doors that would otherwise be discarded, so that passers-by will experience Patagonia shoes like never before. Students from Casey Middle School in Boulder will assist in the production. The donated shoes will help two locally based nonprofits: • Running and athletic shoes in good condition will go to less developed countries through One World Running, founded in 1986 by local runner and writer Mike Sandrock, and those in poor condition will be turned into turf for playgrounds. • Business and casual shoes will go to the Deacon’s Closet at First Presbyterian Church, for people transitioning into the workforce and in need of assistance. “It’s a win-win for everyone,” said Richard Polk, president and co-founder of Pedestrian Shops. “We are delighted to help CRC in its efforts to conserve resources in the community.” CRC also hosts its 10th Annual Earth Day 5K run/walk on Sunday, April 22, and will collect shoes at that event as well. Keith Frausto, CRC executive director, applauds the collaboration: “Kudos to Pedestrian Shops and Patagonia for collecting shoes and helping us celebrate Earth Day.” The Pedestrian Shops is a longtime “green” retailer, since 2008 using a 10 KW solar array to generate nearly half the energy needs of its downtown store at 1425 Pearl St. Also that year, Pedestrian inaugurated a “closed door” policy, helping keep its carbon footprint to a minimum by closing the doors when air conditioning or heat is on. And Pedestrian follows numerous other practices that Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. See http://www.comfortableshoes.com/blog for more information. The Pedestrian Shops is a locally owned family business operating two Boulder, Colorado, stores, as well as the website www.comfortableshoes.com. Downtown Boulder Mall: 1425 Pearl St., Boulder The Village: Facing Folsom Street between Arapahoe Avenue and Canyon Boulevard, Boulder

Walkin' Boulder: Walk Where You Are

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:14:07 -0700

Walkin' Boulder By Sue Deans The former editor of the Camera blogs about exploring Boulder on foot. March 26, 2012 Last year when I was training for the Disneyland Half Marathon, I emphasized distance, walking 6 to 10 miles at a time, two or three days a week. Although I am going to walk the race again in September, at this early date I’m doing shorter walks and walking more often. Since I get busy sometimes, I am trying to combine my exercise with whatever else I want or need to do. Here are three examples from the past week: I babysit for my grandson, 5-month-old Daric, one day a week while his mom goes to work. With the nice weather we’ve been having, I decided to take him out in his stroller for a walk, first time I’ve done that. He and his family live in Arvada and have very nice bike/walkways nearby, so Daric and I went on a two-mile trek. Actually he didn’t walk, he rode, and in fact he slept most of the way. He’s a really active little guy so I was surprised he nodded off so quickly. I do remember from many years ago that taking a ride in the car or the stroller was usually a good way to get his dad to go to sleep. Next time I hope to take Daric over to the trail around Standley Lake nearby. The next day, I took the bus from Boulder to the Market Street Station in Denver, connecting with the 16th Street Mall shuttle to the Civic Center Plaza. From there a five-block walk took me to my brother’s office near the State Capitol, and then after taking care of some family business we both went to meet my sister-in-law for lunch. After they went back to work, I had enough time before my bus to walk all the way back along 16th Street to the Market Street Station. Total for the trip: 3 miles, plus 1.5 miles round trip from my house to the Boulder bus station. Then on Saturday I went with a friend to see the Yves St. Laurent exhibit at the Denver Art Museum. It was awesome, with several hundred iconic outfits from the designer, who was noted for instilling menswear-type comfort in women’s clothing, with pantsuits, tunics, shifts and safari jackets, as well as multifunctional tuxedo outfits and glamorous ball gowns. Also included were a reproduction of St. Laurent’s office and many film clips of his designs. Photo Credit: Yves St. Laurent short cocktail dress in the style of Piet Mondrian. Photo from Vintage Style Files, flicker.com At the exhibit and a couple of other galleries we explored, we put in about 3 miles while listening to the museum’s recorded commentary. Many people try the 10,000 steps a day regime, using a pedometer. When I was working at the Rocky Mountain News a dozen years ago, I spent a lot of time on my feet so I only needed about three more miles each day to reach that number, which I usually achieved by walking round-trip to a favorite Starbuck’s on Denver’s 16th Street Mall. The iPhone app I use now to calculate distance, Map My Walk, has a stride sensor, so I will try that on my next outing to see if I can track my steps as well as the miles. You don’t really need to go on a special outing to get your daily steps in. Just walk where you are.

Walkin' Boulder: Indian Spring?

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:22:33 -0700

Walkin' Boulder By Sue Deans The former editor of the Camera blogs about exploring Boulder on foot. March 13, 2012 This morning’s mild weather got me off my couch and onto the streets, walking again! The snow and/or wind have not made this winter conducive to walking. It’s about 50 when I leave the house and supposed to be in the mid-70s this afternoon. I was arguing yesterday with my friend Richard, about whether it’s too early to plant flowers. Don’t do it, I said. But it’s warm out, he said. It’s going to be warm all week. Odd that after living here more than 40 years he still lets himself be fooled by the Colorado weather. For me it took only a couple of episodes of planting petunias, marigolds and other blooms in March or even April. It snowed, they froze. I learned my lesson. Richard chose to ignore my advice. But later he was brought up short by the clerk when he went to purchase the flowers, who told him they wouldn’t sell him any yet. It was too early. Ha ha. I had an appointment at Arapahoe and Broadway this morning so I walked there, straight south on 13th Street, then back to Pearl and Spruce, then along Broadway and home. It was just two miles, but it felt great. A few weeks ago I signed up again to do the Disneyland Half Marathon Labor Day weekend. Training for that was what got me started with this blog last year, but I didn’t begin until late July or August. Maybe this earlier start will help me improve my time this year. At home I stopped to admire some crocuses in my front yard. The daffodils won’t be far behind if this warmth continues!

Pedestrian Shops' Shoe Tree Fills Bellies, Shoe Drive Warms Toes

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 10:41:07 -0700

The Pedestrian Shops are supporting Meals on Wheels of Boulder by raffling their Comfortable Shoe Tree, worth over $4000, as part of the Meals on Wheels Festival of Trees. They are also once again holding their annual Thanksgiving Shoe Drive to help neighbors in need. This holiday season, the Pedestrian Shops shoe stores are once again helping neighbors in need. They are supporting Meals on Wheels of Boulder by participating in their Festival of Trees and holding their Thanksgiving shoe drive to collect footwear for the Deacon's Closet at First Presbyterian Church and other local assistance organizations. The Pedestrian Shops will be raffling off their holiday Comfortable Shoe Tree, adorned with over $4,000 worth of footwear, socks, and accessories, as part of the Festival of Trees benefiting Meals on Wheels of Boulder. Raffle tickets can be purchased for $5 each on Meals on Wheels of Boulder's website, mowboulder.org, beginning November 19. The tree's lucky winner will be able to choose any shoe style from Pedestrian's inventory, from each brand represented on the tree. Their winnings will include 35 pairs of shoes from Dansko, Keen, Merrell, Wolky, Ecco, Clarks, Acorn, Jambu, Kalso Earth, El Naturalista, Privo, Indigo, Earthies, Aravon, Blundstone, Tsubo, Pikolinos, New Balance, Crocs, Dr. Scholls, Birkenstock, UGG, Chaco, Teva, Sorel, Patagonia, and Vibram FiveFingers. The winner will also receive 18 pairs of socks from Smartwool and Goodhew, and handbags and accessories from Osgoode Marley, Haiku, Pepper's, and a BackJoy Back Orthotic. This is the fifth year the Pedestrian Shops have participated in Meals on Wheels' Festival of Trees. However, this is the first year the event will be held in Downtown Boulder. “It’s really fun to have this beautiful tree full of comfortable shoes in the middle of our store,” said Richard Polk, owner of the Pedestrian Shops. Many Downtown merchants are participating and displaying their trees in their shops throughout the holiday season. Meals on Wheels will hold the drawing for each tree on December 16. The Pedestrian Shops' tree can be viewed at their Downtown location at 1425 Pearl St. The Pedestrian Shops are also once again encouraging customers to bring a pair of new or slightly used shoes to either of their locations between November 18 and December 11 to donate to people in need. As always, a 10% discount will be provided to customers who donate shoes; however, a purchase is never required. Customers often use the discount to stock up on the Pedestrian’s most popular styles like the Dansko Professional clog. For 23 years, Pedestrian has collected used shoes for distribution by local assistance organizations. This is the 46th shoe drive, as a second is held each April to celebrate Earth Day. The Pedestrian Shops have collected over 35,000 pairs of shoes for reuse by people in need. The Pedestrian Shops also support a wide variety of local schools and non-profits by donating over 60 gift cards per year to silent auctions and fundraisers. The Pedestrian Shops began doing business shortly after the first Earth Day in 1970. Its first shop was located in a repurposed 1950s bookmobile. Its first bricks and mortar location was opened in 1971 in downtown Boulder, Colorado. Its humble roots are memorable for the story of its first store fixtures, carved from tree trunks; their first months of use required daily spraying for ants. Today, 41 years later, The Pedestrian has become widely regarded as one of the world's leading retailers of comfortable shoes, operating two Boulder, CO stores and a website, www.comfortableshoes.com.

Slipper Gift Guide

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 12:21:33 -0700

Slippers make a great gift for the holidays, and with our in store slipper sale this December (wool clogs $10 off, slippers up to 25% off), no time is better to buy your loved one the gift of cozy comfort. Now with more styles and designs than ever, its easy to find a unique pair of slippers for all your friends and family. For the indoor/outdoor slipper wearers – think people with dogs, long driveways, or a relaxed personal style – The men’s Haflinger wool clog or Haflinger clog for women is just the ticket. This super comfortable slipper clog features an anatomically contoured cork and latex footbed for great support and cushion. The boiled wool upper of the slipper is naturally breathable; it won’t overheat inside but will keep warm in chilly weather. For those that use their slippers exclusively indoors, try the warm and fuzzy acorn polar moc’s for men and women. The warm fleece upper and microfleece lining is sure to keep the wearer nice and cozy when relaxing inside. The outsole is non slip, meaning no slips or tumbles when transitioning from carpet to hardwood or tile. If you’re looking for a slipper with more flair, perhaps for the crafty woman in your life, don’t forget about the crafty and cute Haflinger Charisma or the Acorn Cleo. Wool uppers of both these slippers offer cozy comfort while the floral accents and yarn details add fun flair to the designs. If you’re buying for someone who likes having the best of the best, look for sheepskin slippers. The UGG Rylan slipper for women is a classic from the iconic comfort brand. Or try the similar Acorn Sheepskin Bootie for men. The authentic sheepskin is soft and luxurious, and also breathes to prevent overheating when walking or wearing inside. For the dog and cat lovers out there, look no further than the Haflinger Kitty or Doggy slippers, so you’re friend can bring their best friend everywhere. For men, Haflinger brings you the Oktoberfest or Golf slipper, sure to satisfy their cravings for recreation when the day’s agenda calls for otherwise. Still searching? See our full list of men’s, women’s, and kid's comfortable slippers. _______________________________________________________________________________

Walkin' Boulder: Munchkin Madness

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 13:36:37 -0700

Walkin' Boulder By Sue Deans The former editor of the Camera blogs about exploring Boulder on foot. October 31, 2011 Put it on your calendar now: Next year on Halloween afternoon take a walk downtown to Munchkin Madness! Cutest goblins you ever saw! Much cuter than their late-night counterparts in the Mall Crawl. Every year business owners downtown hold a three-hour trick or treat session for the little ones on Halloween afternoon. I helped out at the Pedestrian Shops this year as we gave out candy to hundreds of zombies, princesses and superheroes! I also walked up and down mall the a couple of times to snap some photos. Here are a few: And I can't leave out my grandson Daric, who at two weeks old wasn't quite ready for trick-or-treating, but is already planning on coming next year with his Mom and Dad. He was dressed up for Halloween, though! See you next year at Munchkin Madness!

Weather-Proof Snow Boots at Pedestrian Shops

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:21:22 -0700

The snow has arrived in Boulder and unless you live in Southern California, it probably has where you live too! At Pedestrian Shops, we've got a great selection of waterproof/water-resistant boots for both men and women that will keep feet dry and toasty throughout even the biggest snow storms of the season. Sorel is a brand that makes its shoes ready for an Artic snowstorm but fashioned with the urban in mind. For women the Joan of Arctic boot allows the inner fashionista to strut in the snow without worrying about cold toes. For men, the 1964 Premium T Canvas boot (pictured above) offers a tough outer layer for your feet. Merrell also offers boots for both women and men this year. Women should check out the Angelic Peak boot (pictured above), lending a classic, sleek style to even the dampest of snows. This boot can transition from snowstorm to the office easily. For men, the Bergenz boot is a classically designed boot with a rugged outsole for grip and waterproof leather uppers. Keen features some great waterproof Keen.Dry styles for women as well. The Brighton Low (pictured above) or Brighton High boot make a cozy winter boot that is comfortable too thanks to the metatomical footbed. New to the boot scene this year is Teva. They’ve made their winter shoe debut one to note iwht the women’s Vero WP boot (pictured above), a snow boot with the style and comfort of a Teva sandal but the insulation and waterproof upper for winter.

Walkin' Boulder: Walking Errands

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 13:36:12 -0700

Walkin' Boulder By Sue Deans The former editor of the Camera blogs about exploring Boulder on foot. October 28, 2011 As I try to walk more and more, and in general get around town without getting in the car, I decided to try doing some errands on foot one lovely October day. The biggest problem I have is that I don’t like to carry things – such as a largish purse – when I’m chugging along the sidewalk. So this particular morning I dig out a very lightweight backpack that I had gotten at a race last year, and a French knitted bag that was bought in Paris many years ago. These, plus pockets, made it easy to bring along a bottle of water, my phone, reading glasses, ID and money without weighing myself down. And if I did make small purchases I would be able to carry them home easily. First on my agenda was taking plastic bags to Ideal to drop in their recycling bin. Most of the ones I generate are from newspapers – I get two each day. When I worked at the Camera I know they contributed to the Center for Hard to Recycle Materials, or CHaRM, which took the bags. Newspaper customers – and there are still lots of us – still like to get their papers dry and not scraped or torn, so that’s why they are bagged. I notice at Ideal there are some other recycling collections, for cork and #5 plastic ( such as cottage cheese and yogurt containers), that I wasn’t aware of: Out front of Ideal is a huge and colorful pile of pumpkins but I think it’s still too early to buy one for Halloween. I’m going to Pharmaca to visit the little post office window inside. I need stamps and need to mail some letters. Oops – the line is pretty long right at noon so I will probably come back later. So as I head south on Broadway I notice some lovely banners that say “Stroll.” Exactly what I’m doing. I pass Marisol imports, moved a couple of years ago from downtown to North Broadway, which has some colorful animal sculptures that would look great in my yard. But I am really looking today for a costume – my Rotary club is having a Roaring ’20s party. Do I want to dress as a flapper? We’ll see. Candy’s, next to Marisol, signals its collection of costumes with Superman and Wonder Woman outfits hanging outside. Inside, I find two flapper dresses, with fringe, of course, that are relatively inexpensive. I head into the dressing room with them, try them on, and quickly decide I will probably not attend the party in costume. The dresses fit but don’t necessarily suit my 63-year-old self. I will think about it, though. Next stop is the ATM at my Pearl Street bank. Unfortunately, it’s being cleaned. I walk around the other side and the nice young woman cleaning opens the door and beckons me in. It’s nice when someone cares about customers. I decide to try the main post office for my stamps, and on 13th Street spot a sign for chicken matzo ball soup at Dubbins Grubbery, the tiny window-front restaurant south of Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory between Pearl and Walnut. I haven’t eaten here yet but I will. Especially if they have good matzo ball soup. The Oak Restaurant at 14th and Pearl is still under construction after a fire in March. I was walking downtown that day and used my new iPhone for the first time to take pictures of it. The main post office has only one person in line ahead of me so I get my stamps relatively quickly. Then I decide to try one more place for costumes, the Ritz in the 900 block of Walnut Street. They have a similar stock of flapper dresses for rent and for sale, plus vintage suits and hats for men and women. But after perusing them I still think I will go to the party as myself. Walking home on Broadway I check out the scaffolding on the Broadway Building at Broadway and Pearl, which is getting a little facelift. Home again, I realize didn’t need my bags, but I might have. And I walked 3.5 miles while getting my necessary errands done. That’s a good thing!

Walkin' Boulder: CU's East Campus

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:02:32 -0700

Walkin' Boulder By Sue Deans The former editor of the Camera blogs about exploring Boulder on foot. October 26, 2011 Better late than never, here is a tour of the University of Colorado’s East Campus. I walked there on Friday, Oct. 14, from my house in North Boulder, because I wanted to get a close-up look at the new Biotechnology Building. I had seen it from a distance but not close-up. Ground was broken for the Jennie Smoly Caruthers Biotechnology Building in 2009 and it is scheduled for completion in 2012. It is being built to LEED certification standards and will get at least a gold and possibly a platinum certification, rare among academic buildings and research labs in particular. According to CU’s website, the building is named for the late wife of Marvin Caruthers, a CU professor and biotech inventor, one of the founders of Amgen Inc., a principal donor for the project. Jennie Smoly Caruthers taught in CU’s chemistry and biochemistry department. The point of the building, the university says, is to create “productive collisions” – not literally, we hope – between scientists from different disciplines that will help address critical challenges in bioscience. These include computer scientists, chemists, physicists, and engineers whose work impacts that of the biomedical scientists. When finished, the building will house the Biofrontiers Institute, the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and the Division of Biochemistry, with more than 600 faculty, staff and students from nine departments and divisions in 330,000 square feet. I notice that the rendering of the building that appears on a poster outside and on CU’s website does not include what look like chimneys on the top of it, making it appear from a distance rather like a steel mill or some other kind of manufacturing plant. The building is massive, as can be guessed from the statistics above. Construction is ongoing although its opening is projected for early 2012. Many years ago, when I was a graduate student at CU, my son and I lived in a family housing complex called Colorado Court that was on the East Campus. And I didn’t realize until I walked toward the Caruthers building that my little duplex was right next to the building, on what is now its parking lot. We looked out the window at the CU baseball field and often went to watch games there. Jeff, my son, was 4 at the time, but liked sports just the same. CU was still competing in intercollegiate baseball then but the program was dropped in the 1970s after Title IX required universities to fund equal numbers of men’s and women’s sports. I think I helped cover that story when I was a reporter at the Camera. Family housing was available to students who were married or had children, and as a single mother it was invaluable to me. Jeff and I shared the duplex townhouse with a law student and his family. Later he was a judge in Boulder County. Another family housing complex, Smiley Court, is still at the corner of 30th and Colorado. This photo of the Caruthers building was taken from about the spot where my townhouse stood, as nearly as I can tell. The baseball field is still there, with nicer fencing and fixtures, as is the running track where a lone runner was doing laps that morning. Most of the East Campus buildings are devoted to scientific pursuits. In fact its formal name is the East Campus and Research Park. A map can be found here. A few buildings that stand out are: -The Administrative and Research Center, housing a number of administrative departments including Human Resources. -The Center for Astrophysics and Space Astronomy Research Lab, founded in 1985, which is a unit of the Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences Department and also connected with the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics and the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Research. CASA’s work includes elements of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and the FUSE Spectrographic Explorer. -Two buildings of the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Research: The newer Space Science Building houses the LASP science division, communications & outreach, and some IT and administrative operations. The main building, the Space Technology building, built in 1991 and enlarged in 2006, houses mission operations & data systems, engineering, and administration. Another LASP facility is in the Duane Science Bulding on the main campus. Also housed on the East Campus are Housing System Maintenance and Service, the Computing Center, Transportation Services and the Research Park Greenhouse. Near Transportation Services, CU’s fleet of buses awaiting use and a tiny maintenance truck underscore the green reputation of the University. And the view from out there is amazing!

Walkin' Boulder: Circle of Life

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:04:13 -0700

Walkin' Boulder By Sue Deans The former editor of the Camera blogs about exploring Boulder on foot. October 21, 2011 This has been a chaotic autumn for my family. Even though I’ve been “running around” a lot, I haven’t been able to do too many of my usual walks. Next week I will share with you a two-part blog about the University of Colorado’s East Campus, part of a 7-mile walk I did last week. Just a day after that, family events started happening quickly. My first grandchild, Daric Jeffrey Foss, was born on Saturday, Oct. 15, a week early. Of course we are all gaga about him and I have been making frequent trips to see him, for the first few days at Lutheran Hospital in Wheat Ridge and now at his home in Arvada. His parents are my son, Jeff Foss, and his wife, Wendy, and his big sister is Lexus Limmer, Wendy’s daughter. Of course we think Daric is the most beautiful baby ever. On the other side of the circle of life, my dad has been ill for several months and this past week my brothers and I moved him from his independent living apartment in Thornton into nursing care at the same facility where he and my mother have been living for the last few years. My mother has Alzheimer’s disease and lives in a memory care nursing unit. Young Daric will be visiting both his great-grandparents soon. Shortly after he was born, he met his maternal great-grandmother, Jean Cimino, who was hospitalized this past summer after a stroke but is making a great recovery. Happy and sad, all at once!