Best of Boulder 2013: Independent, New and Eco-Friendly Businesses

The best new business, independent business and eco-friendly business — plus a staff pick for best fair trade — in Boulder.

Best of Boulder 2013: Grocery, Natural Foods and Liquor Store

The Best of Boulder winners for grocery store, natural foods store and liquor store.

Best of Boulder 2013: Growing, Smoking and Pipes

The best tobacco shop and pipe shop in Boulder, and the best hydroponics store.

Best of Boulder 2013: Retail Services, Computer Repair and Law Firm

The best services in Boulder, from law firm to farm to computer repair.

Best of Boulder 2013: Staff Picks Get Political

The Boulder Weekly staff picks some of the best political stories of the past year, from the best politician who got his start in brewing — now who you think — to the best nanny state.

Best of Boulder 2013: At Home, Furniture, Computers and More

This group of Best of Boulder winners includes categories for real estate, bath and body, home furnishings, moving company, pet store and more.

Best of Boulder 2013: What to Wear and Outdoor Gear

The best men's, women's and children's clothing stores in Boulder, plus eyewear, outdoor gear and more.

Best of Boulder 2013: Auto Dealers, Repair and Tires

The best auto dealers, for both new and used cars, as well as the best auto repair and tire store in Boulder.

Best of Boulder 2013: Games, Hobbies and Recreation

The Best of Boulder 2013 winners for best toy shop, best stereo/electronics store, best bookstore and lots of other hobbies, games, entertainment and recreation retailers.

The Best of Boulder County 2013

Not to get too warm and fuzzy, but we all know there are plenty of reasons to love living in this place — great restaurants to entice the foodiest of foodies; amazing beer and liquor selections and purveyors; stunning options for entertaining and educational days and nights on the town; a banquet of options for staying healthy; and shops that provide one-of-a-kind items as well as shopping experiences.

Last-minute gifts

A couple of gift ideas you can still pick up even though the holidays are right around the corner

In the midst of all the holiday festivities, it’s not uncommon to let a couple things slip your mind.

Wooden wheels

Chris Connor’s wooden bikes combine function and art

"I’ve been building things out of wood for a long time," Chris Connor says when Boulder Weekly finally tracks him down.

Keeping your tax dollars home

Experts say it’s better to buy in one’s own hometown

For every dollar spent in retail stores in Boulder, about 3.5 cents in tax revenue goes to the city to improve services for residents and businesses, including open space expansion and enhancement, road maintenance, and development of parks, trails, and recreational facilities.

Happy Holidays

Tossing aside the tinsel, the tangled strings of lights, the scent of pine needles consistently shed onto the carpet and all of the other trappings of the holiday season, the stockings and stuffings and packages and boxes, the holidays are not about stuff.

Eat, drink and be merry

Edible gifts for foodies and drinkies alike

Sorry, Mom, but most holiday gifts don’t last. You may as well give that misguided sweater or self-help audiobook straight to Goodwill.

Gear up and get out

Gifts for outdoor geeks

If the holidays with the family inspire one thing outside of joy, compassion and a sense of familial love and the brotherhood of man, it’s the desire to get the heck out of doors and leave the noise behind.

Play on

Sustainable gifts for kids

As my son happily chatters on and on, all I can think about is stuff. Our home consists of far too many things — toys, games and even books — that spend most of the time on shelves, buried in a toy box or stuffed into closet corners.

Getting technical

Holiday gifts for tech-heads

Judging by the way folks are lining up to grab the latest updates and models of items they may already have, the biggest winner so far in this holiday shopping season may be planned obsolescence. Let the electronics buying begin.

Gifts for gamers

Find the perfect fit for the button-masher in your life

If you are the type that still actually reads for fun, then you might need some help finding a video game for the gamer on your list. Here is a brief guide to help you out.

Stocking stuffers that make a difference

Stocking stuffers can sometimes contribute to the arguably unfestive aspects of the holiday season.

Kids Camp Guide 2013 | Introduction

Spending time with positive role models, making in-person social connections, building new skills, developing new knowledge, being exposed to new activities — the list of pragmatic reasons for what children gain from camp is a pretty long one. But let’s take it down to the language of a 10-year-old: It’s fun.

Friending off Facebook

Camps develop social skills that last a lifetime

When I look back at the summers of my youth, I think of the smell of the outdoors, of canoeing and horseback riding, of archery and s’mores around a campfire with friends. In a word, I think of camp.

Day Arts & Crafts Camps

reality and fantasy this summer with your imagination as muse! Join our professional, friendly art instructors for a summer of art FUNdamentals. One- and two-week, morning and afternoon camps, with additional supervised care available. Grades K-11. Scholarships available.

Arts & Crafts: Building blocks for self-expression

Local camps provide variety of art forms — and various ways to grow

For kids, art is more than just fingerpainting and doodling. It’s their best chance to learn about and express their own emotions, according to some child psychologists.

Educational: Life after high school

Camps foster teens’ independence

Whether it’s about living on a college campus or backpacking along the rim of the Grand Canyon, teen-focused camps aim to aid in preparation for life after high school — both in terms of academic preparation and a sense of independence that will be key as those young adults leave home.

Day Educational Camps

We make technology education fun for kids. Explore LEGO robotics, advanced robotic challenges, movie making and video game creation in small classes with highly educated instructors. Our classes engage kids in age-appropriate, project-based activities that are fun, creative and imaginative.

Faith-Based: A familial focus on faith

Family camps offer cross-generation connections with one another and with religion

As summertime approaches, Maria Shupe and her staff at Highlands Presbyterian Camps and Retreat Center begin their preparations for the throngs of children set to arrive at their picturesque property in Allenspark.

Day Faith-Based Camps

Sponsored by the Jewish Community Center. Every day is packed with adventures, friendship, Judaica and fun. Extended day programs are available. Camp Shai for grades K-12 and Camp Shalom for ages 2-5. Multiple sessions and a variety of programs for all ages.

Overnight Educational Camps

Overnight Camps Colorado Center for the Blind Summer Youth Programs Littleton 303-778-1130 ext. 222 www.cocenter.org We have programs that teach skills and offer exciting recreationa

General: A new sense of self

Camps allow for out-of-the-box exploration

Let’s face it — being a kid can be tough. Bullies like to pick on the shy kids, the geeky kids, those who carry around a few more pounds than the others. All that can take its toll on a child’s self-esteem and confidence. But that doesn’t have to be the case at camp.

Student Guide 2010: Welcome to CU

Welcome to the first day of your future. If youre a freshman, the next four years (give or take a semester) promise to be some of the most exciting, challenging and life-changing youll ever experience. Chances are, when you leave CU you wont be the same person you were when you got here.

Student Guide 2010: Boulder A to Z

Some words to the wise.

Student Guide 2010: Pay heed when doing the deed

They also offer the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine at low or reduced costs to students. This vaccine protects women from the four most common strains of the infection, which, in some cases, can cause genital warts and cervical cancer.

Student Guide 2010: Boulder's scene: Local insight for new students

But rest assured that you chose a great place to pursue a higher education: There are so many activities, events and social networks to choose from that you could do something different every day from your first day of class to the day you graduate, if you had the time.

Student Guide 2010: Meet CU's alcohol and drug policies

Welcome to campus. For you freshmen in the audience, you now have more than 20,000 new neighbors, and youll be spending the next nine months (at least) in each others back pockets.

Student Guide 2010: Be careful what you sign

So, youve paid your dues in the dorms and are ready to move away from the tyranny of RAs and floor monitors and into your first place. Theres a big, enticing world of rental properties out there, and Craigslist has literally hundreds of apartments posted each day for your perusal.

Student Guide 2010: What's in a name?

It was formerly known as the University of Colorado Student Union, a name that student leaders say was too confusing. According to Anthony DeLaRosa, CUSG chief of staff, some students thought it was a building, while others thought it was some kind of labor union.

Student Guide 2010: You're in college, it's time to get politically active

While proponents of the tax-killing measures say government has gotten too big and that people need to save all the money they can in this sluggish economy, opponents of Amendments 60 and 61 and Proposition 101 say the initiatives would effectively shut down state government, crippling crucial public services and infrastructure.

Student Guide 2010: For studying, there's no place like Norlin

Students seem to approach studying in different ways, even though they all have the same goal of making the grade and passing the class. Some students prefer to study in isolation, with no one to distract them.

Student Guide 2010: Some tips for keeping safe on campus

While losing all your class notes or vacation pictures because someone jacked your laptop is bad enough, CU also sees its share of more serious crimes. In 2009, there were nine cases of forcible rape on or near campus and five aggravated assaults, according to the federally required Clery Report on campus crime statistics.