Top 10 Things To Do In Boise

As promised to Kris aka @thewino on Twitter, I'm compiling my favorite things about Boise as a mini guide to her, should she be fortunate enough to visit my fair city.

1) The Greenbelt. Boise is a very fortunate city to have a beautiful parks system that runs on both sides (for the most part) of the Boise River. The Greenbelt is an amazing place to bike, walk, jog or lounge with a refreshing beverage. As long as the cops don't see you (if you're too close to the river, that is).











2)The Pen Not, not the one people are in NOW, the Old Pen. It's on Warm Springs Avenue. It sounds weird, but touring it is cool. It's got some really interesting architecture, and I always am amazed to be reminded that when it finally was "retired", I was, I think, 7 and my husband 10. It's not surprising that the reason we got a new prison is that the prisoners rioted at this one and burned a lot of it down. I can't blame them a bit. It's kind of out of the "Shawshank Redemption" except for there's no nice Morgan Freeman around.


3) The Boise Train Depot. The company I work for built this building many many years ago. (They also built the Hoover Dam). Looking at downtown Boise from the bell tower is amazing.




4) The Capitol Building. Our capitol is, I believe, one of the most beautiful in the 50 states. It's certainly a hell of a lot prettier than Nevada's, which is basically a rectangle of bricks with a teensy white dome on top. It's been recently remodeled and it's spectacular. Now if only there were more spectacular people in it.



5) The Idaho Shakespeare Festival, if visiting from June-September. Tom & Joe. The Fool Squad. They're amazing. That is all.

6) Table Rock. The brewpub or the hill, doesn't matter. The brewpub because that's where I met The Husband (and the beer is good, even if I'm no longer fond of their menu) and the hill because it's a great hike. One I obviously need to make more often, looking at myself in the mirror.

7) The MK Nature Center. Because you can see fish THIS BIG that you can't catch and they are laughing at you because of it. However, sometimes you get to see a mink catch one there and that is extremely satisfying for both mink and human. Sometimes you even see some of these guys.






8) The Crack. Get your minds out of the gutter. I'm referring to a piece of "art" that resides at the Grove Hotel. It's been the butt of jokes ever since it's unveiling, but we're all secretly fond of it. Here's how Boise Weekly describes it (much differently than Tom & Joe do, let me tell you):

BEST PUBLIC ART THAT GLOWS IN THE DARK Grove Street Illuminated & Boise Canal by Amy Westover-This is one of the better pieces of public art gracing our fair city. Created by one of Boise's own, it's just as intriguing during the day as it is at night. Westover masterfully combined style and substance to create an artwork that is aesthetically pleasing as well as historically illuminating. 9th and Front

9) The Museums (Art and Historical). They're right next to each other, (right by Table Rock brewpub, strangely enough) and I'm always happy to go see the two-headed calf, who's been there ever since I was a tot if not before and the art museum is fun - because believe it or not, we actually have art out here in the sticks!

10) Curtis Stigers. Well, you can't just go "see" Curtis. But he lives here. And I've seen him sing jazz and I've seen him eat croquetas at Bar Gernika. He's pretty cute eating croquetas. He's pretty cute any time, actually. My sons were appalled at my slack jawed gazing while sitting next to him. He was kind and ignored me. In addition to jazz, he also wrote the title song for the "Sons of Anarchy" series and had a huge pop hit back in the day. When he had long hair.

11) All things Basque. This would include Bar Gernika as referenced above (really a small restaurant, but there's definitely a bar there), Epi's Basque Restaurant (technically in Meridian, but that's worth a 15 minute drive, trust me, food is awesome and Chris, the owner, is the sweetest thing ever), the Basque Market and the Basque Museum.

Oops, that's 11 things. It's actually more like 20, since I kept throwing stuff in. Sorry, Kris, I've probably overwhelmed you. But I hope you get to come here and I hope you like it.

Nine Hours and 27 Minutes

For Cele, I post the following which was at my workplace this morning:

Yes, that's the "Ugly Duckling" sitting on a Bronco, along with a "Bucking Bronco" stick horse. Someone offered to put the Duck under the Bronco for me when I mentioned I was taking this for a friend in Oregon. I declined.

I can't wait until this game is over. It's like living in Utah with Utah and BYU in your face all the time. It's great to have school spirit, and I did cheer Boise State on in the Fiesta Bowl. I'm even rooting for Ian Johnson to make the Vikings despite the fact he'll be playing on the same team as Judas Favre. But it's all been a bit much, like it's the Second Coming or some such. Believe it or not, I'm not the only person in town that feels this way. Even some people that didn't attend Nevada or Idaho feel this way.

As promised to friend Steve, Go Ducks. I will say - Good Luck, Broncos.

Further Thoughts

I will note that if BSU and BYU end up playing in the Poinsettia Bowl, I will indeed cheer for BSU. I will, however, not wear blue and orange. Some things are just too much to ask.

At least maybe for that game my cousin Danny will let me in his house. He wouldn't invite me over Saturday.

Only In Utah

Both of the following things occurred naturally in Utah.

More update later, but things actually went well with Dad's investigative surgery (not at all invasive) and he'll be back in a couple of weeks to get things taken care of. If you saw my irritated, no, make that very angry rant I posted Friday, I took it down later that night because he came to his senses and did what the doctors told him to do...men...especially of that variety (i.e. irrational) drive me crazy. Big Bit is right, Grandpa and Little Bit are exactly alike. Which is scary.

Now, on to the fun photo fact Big Bit took last night at the grocery store. Only in Utah would this sign be posed next to a stack of Corona. 'Cause that way you couldn't tell your Stake President that you had NO IDEA THERE WAS ALCOHOL IN IT.

Dear God, let my people go.

HALLELUJAH

THE LIQUOR STORE IS OPEN. YEAH.




Updated with photo - IT WAS REALLY BUSY, TOO. Hee hee hee.

The wrong element was out in droves here in Southern Salt Lake County. I was going to take a picture of the crowded parking lot, but people were looking at me funny and I realized they might think I was taking pictures to send to their bishops. Ha.

The tale of the Mayor vs. "The Wrong Element"

Okay, although severely delayed by horrible news from Wisconsin, here as promised is the funny story. Of course, since I've referred to it as that for so long, it probably won't live up to the hype. I guess this is more the "example of why I find Utah so freaking weird" story.

Once upon a time, you had to go to a State Liquor Store (SLS) to buy anything other than 3.2 beer. You had to pay IN CASH OR CHECK (no credit cards, mind you) and there were many restrictions and few liquor stores. Yes, this includes wine, people and you can't buy any of it COLD. BECAUSE THEN YOU MIGHT DRINK IT. OR SOMETHING. (Yes, we have SLS in Idaho, no I hardly ever had to go to one because cold beverages were sold at grocery stores).

Apparently a few years back a social drinker was selected to the DABC (who operates the liquor stores for the State). This wonderful woman got a lot done - you can now buy with a credit card, some of the other issues (all of which I don't know enough about to list) were resolved and with the Olympics coming to town, most of the stupidity around having a drink with dinner were resolved. Sadly, none of these solved the private club issue, which is a whole other ball of wax that I will speak to at a different time, and you still pretty much can only buy 3.2 beer at the store, everything else is at the SLS.

So, to make a long story longer, the DABC has been actively expanding the number of SLS around the state. It is their decision on where to put them and when, the municipalities do not get a vote (though they yell a lot about it and occasionally get the location at least moved).

Shortly after buying our house, plans were announced to build a store in our little burgh. We are in one of the fastest growing areas of the state and the closest store is AT LEAST 10 MILES. On the other side of I-15. If you go north it's 10 miles. No biggie you say? Perhaps not, but one right down the street is much more convenient.

After announcement, the mayor of our fair city, who is of a certain religious pursuasion, put up a fuss that could have wakened the dead. Resolutions opposing this horrible event were passed by the city council, people were harassed who would have sold or leased land to the DABC for the store, a website was created showing that this store was WITHIN A MILE OF A MIDDLE SCHOOL. OH MY HECK. The mayor referred to "the wrong element" who come to this beautiful corner of Zion when this type of horrible place is introduced. I sent him an e-mail and told him we were already here. I don't think he likes me very much. I love ya, Bill.

Nothing had happened in almost two years and I was getting depressed. Then, two things happened. Home Depot donated a lot for the land (I LOVE YOU HOME DEPOT). Then a few weeks ago on the way home from work, I noticed the beautiful sight below (sorry the pic is bad). All SLS's built recently have the same architecture, and this is it.

My problem is with this whole thing is the pervasive belief in this state by certain people that the "wrong element" must be controlled so they won't corrupt the "one true element". People, live and let live. And in a few months at the most I will be able to buy a bottle of wine two minutes from my house. Just like when I was in Idaho. AND THE WORLD WILL NOT COLLAPSE AND THE DEVIL WILL NOT SHOW UP ON THE MAYOR'S DOORSTEP.

Rant over. Cheers!