Alternative Health Care Provider
CHARLEY CROPLEY, N.D.
1109 Portland Place, 303-442-6161
Second Place: Chautauqua Health
Third Place: Rolf Institute of Structural Integration
Fourth Place: Hellos Integrated Medicine
Fifth Place: Mountain Acupuncture Clinic
One day, someone on staff got the sniffles so we Googled natural remedies. Ever since, we’ve been swallowing two cloves of garlic twice a day to prevent colds at their onset. And it works almost every time someone tracks in a bug, or a vampire, — if we get to the garlic in time. That’s part of the beauty of alternative health care. And year after year, naturopathic physician Charley Cropley helps others practice that beauty. He teaches people the natural way to work with their bodies to heal instead of bombarding them with foreign drugs: no medicines and no cures. It’s a method that may seem unconventional, even though it’s been within us the whole time.
Medical Marijuana Wellness Center
THE DANDELION
845 Walnut St., 303-459-4676
Second Place: The Farm
Third Place: Helping Hands
Fourth Place: Boulder Kind Care/14er Holistics (tie)
Fifth Place: Terrapin Care Station
The Dandelion is just one of the many medical marijuana wellness centers in Boulder. So what sets the store apart and makes it the best in Boulder? For one, the hospitable and knowledgeable staff welcomes patients into a stress-free atmosphere. Second, patients have a wide variety of quality options for medication, from edibles to beverages to tinctures and more. Whether you need indicas, sativas or a hybrid, The Dandelion has a wide assortment to choose from. There are daily deals on many products, including ounces, edibles and oils. The deals get even better when you join the membership program, which has a multitude of benefits for patients who assign The Dandelion as their caregiver. The store strives to educate its patients about their medication and to make its customers’ experiences the best they can be.
Medical Facility
BOULDER COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
1100 Balsam Ave., 303-440-2273
Second Place: Boulder Community Foothills Hospital
Third Place: Boulder Medical Center
Fourth Place: Kaiser Permanente
Fifth Place: Avista Adventist Hospital
Best medical facility is a lot like having a best cop category. You’re not likely to be sitting around, wishing for an opportunity to see one, but when you need one, few things are more appreciated. The fact that Boulder Community Hospital won this category tells us a few things. First, that most of the people going in eventually make it back out and are happy with their care, otherwise they wouldn’t have been able and willing to vote for the place. Second, we’re pretty sure that most of the people driving around with those green and white “native” bumper stickers were born there, and that has to be an advantage when it comes to gleaning votes.
Chiropractic Care
THE JOINT
2525 Arapahoe Ave., Suite C2, 303-440-8019
Second place: Café of Life
Third place: Duggan Chiropractic
Fourth place: Swan Lake Chiropractic Clinic
Fifth place: North Boulder Chiropractic
Chiropractic care is an all-natural approach to reaching a healthy physical balance by relieving the stresses in the spine, muscles and joints. Hence the clever name of our winner, The Joint. Or maybe the name doesn’t have anything to do with that. We don’t care. All any of us need to know is that our readers think that the businesses above can help you feel and live better, and that’s good enough for us.
Climbing Gym
BOULDER ROCK CLUB
2829 Mapleton Ave., 303-447-2804
Second Place: Movement Climbing
Third Place: The Spot Bouldering Gym & Climbing School
Fourth Place: Lakeshore Athletic Club
Fifth Place: Colorado Athletic Training School
If you’ve got to stay in climbing shape over the cold, winter months — and let’s face it, you do — then you’ll want a climbing gym that’s going to treat you right and keep you entertained.
The Boulder Rock Club is the place you can go where everybody knows your name, where the staff at the front desk plays music that’ll get you partying in your harness — not while you’re belaying, of course — and the routes are reset regularly enough to keep even gym climbing from getting as dull and repetitive as things with the word “gym” in them occasionally do.
They’re testing out new ropes, and their route setters occasionally place totally wicked and absurd climbs that defy the standards of gym climbing and get you working on skills you’ll use when you’re climbing where you really want to be climbing: outside.
When you want to go outside, the BRC’s Colorado Mountain School can guide you in the great outdoors, too.
Of course, we have nice things to say about the chic Movement Climbing and its plentiful routes and bountiful fitness and yoga classes, including acro yoga, and The Spot’s devotion to bouldering fiends, too. After all, any climbing must be good climbing, or “buildering” never would have evolved.
Dance Studio
BOULDER BALLET
2590 Walnut St. Suite 10, 303-443-0028
Second Place: Alchemy of Movement
Third Place: Streetside Studios
Fourth Place: The Avalon Ballroom
Fifth Place: Kakes Studio
First position for dance studio goes to the Boulder Ballet. The studio has been a Boulder staple since the early ’80s for anyone who wants to learn the craft — whether just a hobby or as a serious career. The company puts on classic shows like the Nutcracker and Cinderella. Boulder Ballet’s classes are for all ages.
The studio makes an effort to target boys with classes like boys ballet and the multidisciplinary class Boyz dance. Outside of ballet, the studio offers other fitness classes and even a nutrition class called “Diet for Dancers.”
Day Spa
ST JULIEN HOTEL & SPA
900 Walnut St., 720-406-9696
Second Place: Essentiels Day Spa
Third Place: ten20 Spa
Fourth Place: Finishing Touch Spa
Fifth Place: Sensorielle Spa
After a long day hiking Chautauqua or biking around town, Boulderites need a place to relax and treat their bodies to the ultimate pampering. The St Julien Hotel day spa takes first place for making its patrons feel luxurious. It offers a variety of different treatments, including manicures, facials, massages and skin services. The spa is also equipped with steam rooms, saunas, a relaxation lounge, lap pools and a fitness center. But if that’s not enough, the St Julien also offers “experiences” such as the heavenly sounding Head-to-Toe Delight, which features a sugar scrub, massage, body wrap, hot oil scalp massage and a finale dip into a rose petal bath.
Dental Care
COMFORT DENTAL
3400 Arapahoe Ave., 303-444-2129
Second Place: Boulder Smiles
Third Place: North Boulder Dental
Fourth Place: Alpine Dentistry
Fifth Place: Stephen Koral
Braces and cavities and flossing, oh my! To some, the dentist may be more terrifying than all of Dorothy’s feared yellow brick road encounters combined. However, even the most drill-shy, cavity-ridden person won’t cower away from Comfort Dental. Whether it’s a simple tooth cleaning or a more complicated root canal surgery, these dentists can keep a mouth healthy and a wallet full. Besides treating various sorts of mouth malfunctions, Comfort Dental, along with other local dentists like runner-up contestant Boulder Smiles, offer preventive care such as oral cancer screenings. Consider Comfort Dental the Oz of dentists, and with dozens of offices throughout Colorado, a tooth checkup is just a click of the heels (and a short car drive) away.
Golf Course
FLATIRONS GOLF COURSE
5706 Arapahoe Ave., 303-442-7851
Second Place: Boulder Country Club
Third Place: Haystack Mountain Golf
Fourth Place: Indian Peaks Golf Club
Fifth Place: Coal Creek Golf Course
The first written record of distilling Scotch Whiskey is appropriately found in Scotland and dated from 1494. It is equally fitting that shortly thereafter, drunken Scotsmen started playing a game wherein they used sticks to hit a rock across a field and into a small hole. We can only guess that they found it equally exhilarating and frustrating. Golf was born.
Back then, drinking drove the Scots to golf. Today, golf drives those of us who play the game to drink. Either way, our readers know that playing a round at Flatirons beats the heck out of a hard day at the office, sheep-herding or a big plate full of hagus. Win or lose, we suggest hitting the 19th hole for a single malt before adding up your score. That way you’re always a winner.
Gym/Fitness Center
COLORADO ATHLETIC CLUB
1821 30th St., 303-501- 1700
Second Place: 24-Hour Fitness
Third Place: YMCA
Fourth Place: Flatiron Athletic Club
Fifth Place: North Boulder Rec Center
Boulder is consistently hailed as one of the fittest towns in America, so we know us Boulderites take our workouts seriously. Twig Salon Taking this year’s award for the best gym/fitness center in the super-fit Republic of Boulder is the Colorado Athletic Club. Boosting the Club’s favorable reputation is their aquatic center — open year round — and popular group classes like hot yoga and Pilates.
Hair Salon
TWIG SALON
1831 Pearl St., 303-447-0880
Second Place: The Parlour
Third Place: Salon Salon
Fourth Place: Side Door
Fifth Place: Urban Pearl
What do the environment and to-die-for hair have in common?
Touted as Boulder’s most eco-friendly hair salon, Twig takes environmental concerns as seriously as the hair on your head.
The salon is dedicated to not only teasing out your natural beauty, but also to preserving the natural beauty of the planet. They offset their energy use, recycle all their color tubes and foils, and are a zero-waste paper salon. In fact, it seems like the only thing that travels from this salon to a landfill is your hair. Aside from their sustainability efforts, Twig offers topnotch hair care services sure to make you feel your best. And, gentlemen, this salon is not just for the ladies. They offer men folk an array of services as well.
Lasik Services
BOULDER EYES BEYER LASER CENTER
1810 30th St., Suite B, 303- 499-2020
Second Place: Boulder Eye Surgeons
Third Place: InSight Lasik — Boulder
Fourth Place: Eyecare Center of Northern Colorado
Catch 22. If you can’t read this, you probably need to. Or, if you can read this but only by looking through that pair of glasses that you lose daily, sit on monthly and complain about constantly, then keep reading.
Don’t ask us how it works. But they’ve figured out how to shine a little laser in your eye and make you see just as good as you could when you were a kid, unless, of course, you couldn’t see that good when you were a kid — in which case, you’ll see better. Our readers picked Boulder Eyes as their favorite place for Lasik. So if you’re having to have somebody read this to you out loud, you might want to give them a call.
Martial Arts
BOULDER KARATE
1676 30th St., 303-443-8773
Second Place: Easton Brazilian Jiu- Jitsu
Third Place: Boulder Quest Center
Fourth Place: Boulder Kung Fu
Fifth Place: Boulder Aikikai
Martial arts classes are great for learning patience, control, respect and how to break a board in half with your forehead. Punching and blocking its way to the top spot for martial arts classes is Boulder Karate. Youngsters and older folks alike head to Boulder Karate to learn some wax-on, wax-off skills, and generally find out how to be a better ninja. And who doesn’t want to be a better ninja. Other than pirates, of course.
Massage
ST JULIEN HOTEL & SPA
900 Walnut St., 720-406-9696
Second Place: Massage Envy
Third Place: Essentiels Day Spa
Fourth Place: Bodywork Bistro
Fifth Place: Boulder College of Massage Therapy
After a long, stressful week of hiking in the Flatirons, drinking homemade kombucha, protecting prairie dog habitats and enjoying 80-degree days in the spring, a Boulderite might be in need of some relaxation and a good rubdown. What better way to spend one of those sunny afternoons than inside Boulder’s swankiest hotel? For a truly decadent massage experience, the St Julien Hotel & Spa has massage therapists certified in a number of different types of massage, including couples, deep tissue, Swedish, hot stone, foot, prenatal, and pressure point.
Medical Marijuana Evaluation Service
FULLY ALIVE MEDICINE 3000 Center Green Drive, Suite 130, 303- 404-2232 Second Place: The Dandelion Third Place: Relaxed Clarity
Fourth Place: GrassRoots Medical Clinic
Fifth Place: Boulder Kind Care
Care of the Soul author Thomas Moore once said, “Nothing is more suitable for care of the soul than family.” This idea is clear at Fully Alive Medicine. The integrative holistic family practice strives to treat and prevent long-lasting diseases and to teach its patients how to best take care of themselves. Shared medical appointments allow patients to get treatment with others who have the same or similar conditions, while also having a built-in support group and receiving ongoing education. With more than 100 collective years of experience in treating patients, primary care practitioners Dr. Rob Ivker, Dr. Joe Cohen and Dr. Todd Nelson help patients by creating self-care treatment plans designed to empower patients in their own care. The FAM group considers themselves a family that focuses on a family practice for the whole person: body, mind and soul.
Barber Shop
FLOYD’S 99 BARBERSHOP
2790 Pearl St., 303-442-2279
Second Place: Al’s Barber Shop
Third Place: Silver & Gold Barbers and Stylists
Fourth Place: Northside Barbers
Fifth Place: Alpine Barbers
The traditional barbershop isn’t quite in danger of going the way of the dodo, but it’s in the same category as the Couch’s Spadefoot — threatened. Barbers, those who went to an actual barber college, are now outnumbered 10 to 1 by hairdressers, hairstylists and cosmetologists, who all ply a similar trade to the traditional man-withthe-candy-cane-striped pole. You, dear reader, have selected Floyd’s 99 Barbershop as the best place to revive this dying art, with Al’s Barber Shop coming in second. Go before the barber’s pole and the straight razor become nothing more than fixtures in the Smithsonian.
Nail Salon
THE NAIL STUDIO
3280 28th St., 303-444-4841
Second Place: Ten20
Third Place: Star Nails
Fourth Place: Iris Nails
Fifth Place: Polish
Hot, steamy paraffin wax, sensual arm massage, tough buffer, base coat, top coat, Skinny Dipping in Lake Michigan (that’s a nail polish color, men). For all you prudes out there — I’m talking about a manicure. And Boulder’s The Nail Studio will give you the best one you’ve ever had. Let their experts do your body right, and take care of your fingers and toes the way they were meant to be treated. You’ve only got 20 of those little piggies, you might as well let the friendliest and most professional ladies in town spoil ’em. If this super-popular joint is booked solid — which it very well might be — hit up Ten20, where you can grab some M&Ms, sip some Diet Coke, and get handpampered the downtown Boulder way.
Pilates Studio
BOULDER BODYWORKS
3020 Carbon Pl., 303-444-2739
Second Place: Colorado Athletic Club
Third Place: Bolder Pilates
Fourth Place: Core Wisdom
Fifth Place: Body Dynamics
Joseph Pilates should have set up shop in years ago when he first created the core-strengthening exercises that share his name. In Boulder, where there is an emphasis on staying fit, Pilates is a favorite of those who want a great core workout, and this year Boulder Bodyworks was saluted by Best of Boulder voters as the best place to get your abs looking and feeling strong. The studio offers private Pilates instruction and group classes as well as yoga, physical therapy and massage. Their mission is to empower you and assist you in making positive changes in your life, your community and your world. And, of course, they’re there to help make your abs swimsuit-ready.
Ski Resort
ELDORA MOUNTAIN RESORT
2861 Eldora Ski Road, 303-440-8700
Second Place: Vail
Third Place: Winter Park/Mary Jane
Fourth Place: Copper Mountain
Fifth Place: Breckenridge
In a state riddled with some of the country’s best ski resorts, it can be hard to choose where to spend your weekends (or sick days). Eldora Mountain Resort’s convenient location only 20 miles from Boulder has made it a favorite among locals, whether they’re taking on the freestyle terrain or learning to pizza and french-fry on the bunny hill. The convenient bus from Boulder, excellent student rates and well-crafted kids program make this a great place to ski the day away and be home before dark.
Skin Care Services
DIVINE RESONANCE
1629 Canyon Blvd., 720-432-1108
Second Place: Sensorielle
Third Place: Six Persimmons
Fourth Place: Dermatology Specialists
Fifth Place: Avanti
In a place like Boulder, being environmentally conscious and eating organic food are always in fashion, which has kept the services of Divine Resonance popular. This year’s winner in skin care services gives its customers a way to be even more organic with skin treatments that include ayurvedic facials, Sapphire 3 abrasion, organic facelifts, aromagemtherapy, light therapy and much more.
If all those still aren’t enough to lure you and your “hippie chic” friends, Divine Resonance also offers “phenomenal touch” massage, where the massage therapist moves the body of the client in something that looks a bit like an interpretive dance.
Tanning Salon
VERANDA SUN
1670 30th St., 303-447-8844
Second Place: Tans To Go
Third Place: Hottie Body Tans
Fourth Place: Liquid Sun
Fifth Place: Executive Tans
For some people, Boulder’s 300 days of sunshine just aren’t enough. For such people, hitting the tanning salon is the only way to get that bronze, oompa-loompa glow that we all love and admire. Veranda Sun is this year’s winner in the best tanning salon category. Veranda Sun has 18 tanning beds of all shapes and sizes, from the lay-down “Super Beds” and the “Ultra Sun Powerhouse 6000” to stand-up beds and the “Legacy Leg Tanner.” The salon also offers airbrush tanning for those who are less excited about exposing their bodies to UV rays, and teeth whitening to put the finishing touches on the “exotic beauty” look.
Veterinary Care
HUMANE SOCIETY OF BOULDER VALLEY
2323 55th St., 303-442-4030, option 2
Second Place: Alpine Hospital for Animals
Third Place: Boulder Natural Animal
Fourth Place: Arapahoe Animal Hospital
Fifth Place: Boulder Veterinary Hospital
Not only does the Humane Society of Boulder Valley provide Boulderites with their adorable adoptables, but they offer top-notch medical care for them, too. The HSBV veterinary clinic offers a variety of services, from lab work and dental care to the ol’ snip and clip (sorry, pooches, blame it on Bob Barker). And rather than have people avoid the vet because of financial reasons, HSBV offers low-interest payment plans and subsidized vet services for low-income families. They also participated in 9News’s 9PetCheck, which provided free wellness exams and rabies vaccinations in April. Even crotchety dogs love going to this clinic, probably because there’s always a soothing voice and a handful of treats at the ready, while humans enjoy HSBV because they leave with peace of mind and enough money to make rent.
Yoga Studio
COREPOWER YOGA
1129 13th St., 303-440-8952
645 27th Way, 303-497-9642
3280 28th St., 303-440-3930
Second Place: Yoga Pod
Third Place: Om Time
Fourth Place: Little Yoga Studio
Fifth Place: Studio Be
In only two places in the world is it just naturally assumed that a yoga practice will fit into your lifecycle at some point: Boulder and yoga’s home country of India. Somewhere along the line, you are almost certain to be recommended, coerced and commanded by your naturopath; directed by your chiropractor; or advised by your doctor, your friends, your climbing partner, your hiking buddy, your personal trainer or your mom to breathe deeply, do a few downward-facing dogs, wring toxins out of your system with a few twists and attempt — and eventually manage — to stand on your head.
And in Boulder, the stamp of approval for practicing yoga with a guide goes to CorePower Yoga, once again the winner of our reader survey. Classes range from the amp-you-up CorePower Vinyasa to the craft-your-biceps Yoga Sculpt, from the heart-pumping vinyasa and hot yoga blend in Hot Power Fusion to the soothe your soul, calm your mind and heal your body CoreRestore classes.
Also bounce on over to the pleasant, home-grown institution Yoga Pod, our runner-up, for an alternate view on getting upside down.
