Eat, Drink, Relax, and Enjoy The Best of Life

Nestled high on a mountainside overlooking the city of Boulder, the Flagstaff House Restaurant provides world-class premier dining just five minutes from downtown Boulder. Offering an award-winning extensive 20,000-bottle wine cellar, comprehensive wine list, detailed service, and world-class food selections, the Flagstaff House Restaurant provides an opportunity to delight your senses.

It’s just one of the many luxurious dining experiences Boulder has to offer. The Flagstaff House Restaurant, along with other Boulder restaurants, have been rated as one of the top five cooking demonstrations options in Colorado by Sunset Magazine.

Frasca Restaurant, located in the city of Boulder on Pearl Street, is run by Master Sommelier, Bobby Stuckey and Chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson. Recently featured in Food & Wine Magazine, Frasca Restaurant offers exquisitely prepared cuisine and a boastful 200 bottle comprehensive wine list. With meticulous attention to detail, Frasca Restaurant provides elegant dining with a welcoming staff.

If you are searching for a more casual spot, Radda Trattoria Restaurant, located in Boulder, is inspired by the culture and cuisine of Tuscany, Italy. This delightful destination provides Italian food as well as an organic focus and offering.

Boulder is a town of only 100,000 people, but it offers a destination stop for world-class dining, luxury living options, in addition to countless outdoor activities, superior education facilities, and diverse communities.

 

Denver Among America's Greenest, Most Livable and Most Popular Cities

When it comes to green living, Boulder gets five stars for its commitment and ingenuity as I discussed in my last post. But it should be noted that as far as major metropolitan areas go, Denver ranks among the most environmentally friendly cities in the nation (as well as one of the most desirable to call home).

The Environmental Protection Agency recently released results of a study that sought to determine America's greenest skylines as reported Monday on Forbes.com. A city's ranking was determined by the number of Energy Star-certified commercial buildings and manufacturing plants.

Denver ranked as having the 7th greenest U.S. skyline with 109 Energy Star-certified buildings including the signature "cash-register looking" building that is the Wells Fargo Center.

According to the EPA, a total of 6,200 buildings have been awarded the Energy Star designation nationwide for an annual utility savings $1.7 billion for those buildings.

In the past week, Denver also has garnered attention in two other notable categories on Forbes.com's real estate section:

• On April 1, Denver was named No. 11 in Forbes' list of America's Most Livable Cities
  
  
• On March 30, Denver was ranked No. 10 in Forbes' list for Cities Where Americans Are Relocating.
  

That's good news for Denver's real estate market!

It's Green Year-Round In Boulder, Colorado

Even on those rare days when the Flatirons are socked in by clouds and the ground from Pearl Street to Chautauqua Park is covered in a blanket of snow, green is everywhere in Boulder, Colorado. By 'green' I mean eco-friendly ... a badge that Boulder has proudly worn even when "being green" wasn't a coast-to-coast corporate mantra. For example...

• Did you know that the Boulder Community Foothills Hospital is the first LEED-certified hospital in the country?


• Did you know that Boulder's 29th Street shopping district has designated preferred parking for hybrid vehicles?


• Did you know that CU-Boulder's Folsom Field is the country's first zero-waste collegiate football stadium?


• Did you know you can take a self-guided telephone tour of Boulder's commitment to green living?

I discovered these facts in a 16-page guide produced by Boulder's CVB. It's called "City of Boulder and Boulder County: Leading the Way in Green from Science to Sustainability" and is worth reading if you ever doubted Boulder's status as a 'green goddess'. Most relevant to the Boulder real estate industry is page 4 of the guide that discusses critical initiatives affecting property owners and builders...height restrictions, Boulder's mandatory 'Green Points Building' program and Boulder's approach to growth as its quality of life attracts droves of outsiders.

It's interesting reading no matter which side of the fence you're on when it comes to Boulder's bold approach to being green!

Four Colorado Cities Among Forbes.com's "Best Places" List

Anyone who lives on Colorado's Front Range should be proud (and relieved) at Forbes' release of its latest "best places" list titled "Best Places for Business and Careers." While Raleigh, North Carolina, snagged the list's top spot, Colorado is well represented in the Top 20. In fact FOUR out of the Top 20 cities ranked by Forbes are located on Colorado's Front Range (that puts Colorado second only to North Carolina, which had 6 cities among the Top 20).

In order of ranking, Colorado's honorees are:

• No. 2 - Fort Collins - 55 miles northeast of Boulder
• No. 10 - Colorado Springs - 96 miles southeast of Boulder
• No. 14 - Denver - 26 miles southeast of Boulder
• No. 20 - Boulder

The rankings were determined by each city's collective ranking in four major categories: 1) the cost of doing business; 2) projected job growth; 3) educational attainment; and 4) metro area population.

Click here to read Forbes' data that led to Boulder's 20th place ranking.

Rozena Estate Offers Prime Opportunity for Lakeside Luxury, Acreage in Boulder County

It's hard to think about canoeing in the shadows of Longs Peak or lakeside entertaining when you're digging out from a rare but intense Colorado spring snow storm. But the moisture is welcome, and in a matter of weeks some of Boulder County's most glorious estates will be in full bloom and in prime showing condition.

One such property is a lakeside gem located at 7381 Rozena Drive. Rozena is a very private, view-oriented street in the more rural quadrant of northwest Longmont where available homes are highly desired but rarely offered. This particular home is an incredible find with 3.5 acres, dead-on Longs Peak views and a private patio deck that leads right to the shoreline of Burch Lake, a tranquil private haven for non-motorized boating, angling or just pure outdoor relaxation. There's also more than 80 mature trees and shrubs on the landscaped grounds creating a year-round private park.

Built in 1988 and completely remodeled in 2002, the 3-bedroom, 4-bath home offers 4,530 square feet of sprawling yet livable luxury that is centered around its amazing water and mountain views. The home's design is Mediterranean in nature, and it boasts a host of unique features including a private spa area and a sauna.

There are very few properties in Boulder County that have private lake frontage, and those that do often are priced $2.5 million or higher. This stunning lakeside property is offered at $1.749 million. For a virtual tour of this Rozena estate, click here. For a private in-person tour, call me at 303-440-4999 or email me.