Dr. Julie’s Favorite Things
Fresh Thymes – Everyone at the office is fond of this restaurant. I’m especially fond of it because it made our Thanksgiving perfect and stress-free. Due to school restrictions I canceled our Thanksgiving travel plans and hosted dinner at our house for eight people. A friend told me that you can order Thanksgiving dinner from Fresh Thymes. I was shocked at how little I spent and how easy it was to order a fantastic meal. They sell out of turkey quickly so you have to order early. I cooked my own turkey this year but ordered sides of green bean casserole, sweet potato and sausage, cauliflower souffle, brussel sprouts salad, pumpkin soup, pumpkin pie, cranberries and more. The pickup and preparation was easy. I might never cook Thanksgiving dinner again!
CorePower Yoga with Sasha Cohen. I have been taking Sasha’s yoga class for the last 5 years. She’s my favorite teacher and a personal friend. Her classes incorporate a spiritual theme/intension while focusing on inner strength and flexibility. In my older years, yoga feels imperative to maintain the health of my spine, joints and mobility. She teaches several classes at both the North and South Boulder locations. Check it out!
Boulder School of Metals – One of the ways I stay mentally and emotionally balanced is by feeding my creativity. I have been a student at this local jewelry school for over 8 years. Even though it’s only a few hours each week, I find it extremely balancing to spend a few hours in my right brain. Put a hammer or a torch in a person’s hand and life is good! Creativity is the spice of life. I couldn’t live without it.
EvanHealy Skin Care – I discovered this organic, all-natural skin care while standing in the check-out line at the old Alfalfas in Boulder. It is wonderous! My favorite is the Blue Chamomile Day Moisturizer. Whole Foods now carries their products.
And, of course my favorite, favorite things are house cleaners and babysitters! If you have little kids you know what I mean!
Dr. Rosia’s Favorite Things
Soul ku I’ve always received healing from gemstones, and Soul Ku makes them easier to love since they make jewelry out of these powerful stones. This company markets that all jewelry is handmade with love and light by mamas-only, so I personally think this jewelry is magical for those who desire fertility, are pregnant, postpartum, are already moms, or for anyone who enjoys the powerful connection with wearable nature.
Ritual Kravt I’ve been teaching my daughter about creating calming spaces so we’ve been making an alter together. She and I love going to Ritual Kravt in Wheat Ridge to gather up crystals, feathers, incense, plants, candles, and other magical symbols. It is also an herbal apothecary filled with tinctures, teas, potions, books, macrame artwork, and much more. If you’re looking for more healing intentions in your life, I highly recommend this ritual shop.
Annie Sloan Chalk Paint I’m obsessed with the Due South store in Lafayette. I took a painting class there and I’ve loved Annie Sloan paint ever since. This paint was created by a working mom who didn’t want the hassle of sanding or priming before painting. She wanted to minimize toxicity, and a no-fuss paint that could be used on any surface, without endless amounts of coats. So far, I’ve painted terra cotta plant pottery and an old wooden rocking horse that a friend of mine gave my children. In the coming year, I have plans to paint cabinets and a bookshelf, and more.
Lastly, I really love Rebecca’s Apothecary at 12th & Spruce in Boulder. It feels like a slice out of Harry Potter and it is one of my favorite places to get ingredients for herbal remedy recipes (my fave is Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health: 175 Teas, Tonics, Oils, Salves, Tinctures, and Other Natural Remedies for the Entire Family). I like their pregnancy and postpartum remedies, they have great skincare products and scar salves, tinctures, and teas. They will even blend custom teas and tinctures. They have great online and in-person classes and local herb walks. It is truly a diamond in Boulder.
Stacy’s Favorite Things
Rasa Coffee Alternative Rasa was created by a Boulder mom looking for a coffee alternative without the afternoon crash. Rasa is a warm drink mix using adaptogenic herbs that blends and tastes similar to coffee but won’t wreck your energy. It’s also AIP and stomach-friendly.
Liberty Puzzles These wooden puzzles are beautiful and masterfully done. The pieces are laser-cut in Boulder, CO into unique and whimsical shapes that offer a new and fun challenge to the puzzle lover. We have a collection of friends and family with these puzzles so we can swap and share.
Mad Hippie is a line of incredible and clean skin care products to incorporate into your nightly routine. The company is founded on the principle of slowing down so it’s perfect to incorporate into my self-care routine at the more peaceful beginning and ends of my day. The web site has a questionnaire that helps selecting their products a snap. While they’re showing up at more retail places I highly recommend ordering directly online. Their packaging and care are amazing.
Dr. Ashley’s Favorite Things
Terracotta on Pearl Street Stepping into this boutique plant shop is like a trip into a jungle. The plants here are curated thoughtfully and you can feel that this place was created by plant-loving people. I love that they participate in the 1% For the Planet initiative, donating 1% of their sales to a nonprofit that is dedicated to stop rainforest deforestation. Each plant comes with a super user-friendly plant care tag, making them perfect gifts for friends or family, even if they lack a green thumb.
Earth Medicines by Felicia Cocotzin Ruiz I had the absolute pleasure of taking a class from Felicia when I lived in Arizona, so when her book was released in October, I knew I had to have it. Felicia is a curandera (traditional healer) and indigenous food activist, who has a gift for translating the elements- Water, Air, Fire, and Earth, into accessible healing recipes and wellness rituals. This book is beautifully written and the photos remind me of the transformative time I spent living in the desert.
Sarah Blondin on the InsightTimer App Insight Timer is the first meditation app that got me to come back consistently. When I was first establishing a mindfulness practice, I challenged myself to do 100 consecutive days of meditation and I used the guided practices on Insight Timer to make it easier. I discovered Sarah Blondin’s meditations sometime last year and quickly devoured each one. If I could swim in a sea of Sarah’s words, I absolutely would. I use the free version of Insight Timer, but the paid option ($60/year) would be a lovely gift for someone hoping to add a bit more peace to their days.
Johnson Sharpening It’s the simple things in life that give me great joy, and sharp kitchen knives are certainly on that list. My kitchen knives were looking rough this year, so on the last day of the Boulder Farmer’s Market, I took them to be sharpened. This may have been the best $25 I spent all summer! One of my knives had a few knicks in the blade from a sharpening efforts gone-wrong, and Johnson Sharpening make them look and cut like new. This is a perfect gift to give yourself if you’re hosting or cooking for the holidays.
