Everybody’s doing it. You can too — or give someone else the chance to.
Memberships are popular gifts during the holidays, if only because they offer a chance to give camaraderie, or an opportunity to experience off-the-beat monthly activity.
The most intriguing of memberships around Boulder County are wine clubs.
But wine, often times, is a mystery.
It’s not exactly one of those things you can pick on a whim — or a pretty color.
That’s where The Boulder Wine Merchant comes in. Literally experts in the field — featuring two Master Sommeliers — they offer five club memberships, which become increasingly popular during the holidays.
Each member receives a monthly choice of a red or white bottle during their 12-month membership, handpicked by the staff.
“They come in and we describe it to them and they can pick which one they want, so they don’t have to be pigeonholed,” says Juliana Madrone, an assistant manager at The Boulder Wine Merchant. “We try to pick interesting things that are, in our opinion, very good, but maybe not what you would buy off the shelf because you don’t know anything about it. That way, people get to try new stuff that is definitely worth trying.”
The tiered clubs start at $100 and go up to $290. Each 12-month membership is based on the purchase date.
Memberships can be gifted as either a certificate or the first month’s bottle.
For more information, visit www.boulderwine.com or call 303-443-6761. The Boulder Wine Merchant is located at 2690 Broadway.
Other neat membership ideas:
Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art. With memberships ranging from $25-$1,000, you can choose the package that’s right for you. Benefits include unlimited exhibit admission, advance ticket purchase opportunities and discounts on select items. More information: 303-443-6761 or www.bmoca.org.
Boulder Digital Arts. At just $45 a year, you’ll get discounts on BDA’s training programs, which include classes and workshops. Discounts to various retailers, such as Mike’s Camera and People Productions, are also included, as are invitations to exclusive members-only events. More information: www.boulderdigitalarts.com.
The Colorado Mountain Club. With more than 1,600 members, this organization plans outings for every style of hiking, backpacking
climbing and skiing, organized as an activity schedule that is sent out
to each member. Members also receive Trail & Timberline, a quarterly magazine, as well as Compass, a
monthly newsletter. Membership dues are $85 for a family, $63 for
individuals and $53 for students. A one-time initiation fee of $25
applies. Lifetime memberships are also available for $1,890. More
information: www.cmcboulder.org or 303-554-7688.
Book clubs
www.bookclub.meetup.com/cities/us/co/boulder has a nice listing of different clubs, including details like the number of members. Best of all: it’s free. Also, check out www.celestialseasoningsbookclub.com.
Community Supported Agriculture
A
number of local farms are offering 2010 shares, which supplies the
buyer with fresh produce throughout the growing season, and also helps
support the farm’s operating budget. Prices vary depending on share
size and its contents, though most farms offer early-bird discounts.
Local farms include ¡Cultiva! (www.growinggardens.org), Beyond Organic Farm (www.beyondorganicfarm.com), Grant Family Farms (www.grantfarms.com) and New Moon Farms (www.newmoonfarms.com). For a full listing of CSAs, visit www.boulderganic. com.
Gyms
Flatiron Athletic Club (www.flatrionathleticclub.com, 303-499-6590) is running a winter membership special, while One Boulder Fitness (www.oneboulderfitness.com, 303-447-8545) is another option.
Yoga
From Yoga Workshop (2020 21st Street; www.yogaworkshop.com) to öm time (2035 N. Broadway; www. omtime.com) there are plenty of options for yoga memberships in Boulder. Other options include Studio Be Yoga (2077 30th Street; www.studiobeyoga.com), CorePower Yoga (two locations in Boulder, one in Broomfield) and Iyengar Yoga Center of Boulder (2299 Pearl St. # 6; www. boulderyoga.com).
Ski passes
Vail Ski Resorts has
the market pinned with its three- ($449 adult, $329 teen, $229 child),
five- ($459, $339, $219) and six-mountain ($649 adult, $329 child)
passes. (More info: www.coloradopass.com.) But there are other options out there: Loveland (www.skiloveland.com) is offering a $379 season pass for adults, $309 for teens and $169 for children; while Eldora (www.eldora. com) has a $429 pass for adults. The pass is $309 for teens and $209 for children.
