Boulder: Tee & Cakes

As each day passes, I grow a little more in love with the Mile High city. Everything here, from the people to the attractions, is exactly what I’ve always imagined my ideal city to be like. And I absolutely love that it’s a norm to travel outside the city a good couple of times every month.  So this past Tuesday, my friend and I decided to spend some time in the city of Boulder.

Just forty minutes north from Denver, this quaint city sits on the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. As you stroll along, you’ll notice that it’s the perfect mix of simple civilization and nature. Running through the city is Boulder Creek where you’ll see people wading in the river, children tubing, and even a man canoeing. Right alongside it, you’ll notice a ton of bikers, which is no surprise at all. Colorado probably has the most bikers out of any city; so much so, that the cities were designed so that people could bike through it with very minimal contact with auto traffic. And of course, Boulder still has the popular outdoor shopping strip, Pearl Street Mall. Walk through the street and you'll be entertained by two or three musicians who will transport you back to the wild, wild west. So during our time here, we just walked around and went into any place we happened to go into. We were told before hand to check out this bakery that also sells art and tees. So finally, we hit one of our pit stops: Tee & Cakes. The minute I walked in, I felt like I was part of a Tumblr photo (I think only some of you will understand what I mean by that).

This bakery won a piece of my heart right at the get-go with their brick wall. Hanging up on both sides were various pieces of art; paintings, wall decals, even a funky skateboard. On the right were also merchandise from tees to pins to cake décor. They provided sleek and simple white tables and black chairs for seating. A small white vase and a cute flower arrangement on each table brought it all together. And finally, the best part...the food!

I felt like I was in wonderland! Inside the bakery case were cupcakes, cake pops, various fruit bars, and cakes. But that wasn’t it: on top of the case were more cupcakes, mini-cupcakes, and macarons. And like any other bakery, they served coffee and teas as well. I was really excited because everything about this bakery was perfect. So after probably ten minutes of thinking and deciding, I ordered several things. I ordered a regular sized strawberry cream cheese cupcake with a cone sticking out from the top. I also ordered a mini red velvet cupcake, a mini raspberry chocolate cupcake, a lavender macaron and a key lime macaron. On a side note, if you ever get to visit this place, you should probably try their chocolate bacon cupcake. This is one thing they were known for. The only reason why I didn’t order it was because I actually forgot to. I know, I’m totally guilty! But I also decided to buy a wall decal for my place back home. It's this cool, funky colorful framed design that says "But First. Coffee." Touche! 

But on the flip side, you all have to give me some kind of props. I didn’t eat everything in one session; they actually lasted until late at night. Though they were all eaten in one night, I still saved them for a later period. I consider that an accomplishment for myself! But anyhow, the one thing I love about Boulder is that it has so many small coffee shops, bakeries, and stores with novelty items. It almost reminds me of small towns back home like along Cape Cod, Marthas Vineyard, or Ogunquit, Maine. 

This is probably the midpoint mark for my internship and therefore, my time in Denver. This experience to travel to a whole new city alone has been remarkable and it isn't even over yet. For me, whenever I go anywhere new, I like to live like a local. 

When you travel, what do you like to do? What's a place you immediately found yourself in love with?