Christmas Tree Delivery

I'm a bad, bad blogger for not blogging for so long, so I have an extra-special treat to make it up to you all. Most people familiar with the Hotel Boulderado knows that during the holidays, we feature an enormous tree in our lobby. The tradition dates back to the 1930s, as shown with this historic photo:The tree is always delivered on the Monday after Thanksgiving, and this year, Claire from the Concierge Desk documented the delivery and hoisting of the tree, including one very scary moment for our stained-glass canopy ceiling.

This year's tree came from just north of Taos, New Mexico, and is a staggering 29' white fir. Our Maintenance Department takes on the task of bringing the tree into the hotel and placing it in the lobby. Here, you can see some of our Maintenance Men checking out this year's challenge.

Believe it or not, the tree is brought in through our front door every year. We open up the doors as wide as they will go and then the Maintenance Department does their best to push, pull, drag, and coax the tree into the lobby.

Once the tree is in, we let it lay out on the tile floor so our "tree aestheticians" can decorate the tippy-tippy top. Rhonda and her helpers from Living Interiors are always on hand to help with this part of the process.

Claire's "Levitating Tree" shot

Once the top part of the tree is done, the Maintenance Department uses a system of chains and double-pulleys to hoist the tree to a standing position.

Hoisting ...

...hoisting...

...hoisting...

And this is the point of the hoisting that we realized that this year's tree was a wee bit too big for our ceiling. If you watch the videos, you can see the top of the tree poking one of the panels out of place. Luckily, the panes aren't welded into the frame -- they simply sit in the frame.

The moment that had many of us worried!

We had to saw off the very top of the tree to make it fit in our lobby, but it's there now and fully decorated. Stop by to see it before December 29th, when it will be taken down -- and I strongly urge you to take a stellar photo of it. Stay tuned to our Facebook page for the reason why!

The Language of the Fan

If you've ever wandered around the hotel, you know we like keeping certain antique and vintage items on display. Our newest display can be found on the third floor of the historic section and it shows off some fans we've collected over the years. Did you know that back in the day when ladies carried fans, they would use them to send romantic (or anti-romantic) signals to would-be suitors.

Here are some signs a lady with a fan is interested in you:

• If she's fanning herself quickly, she's saying "I love you so much."
• If she moves the hair away from her forehead, she's saying "Don't forget me."
• If she hits her palm with her fan, she's saying "Love me."
• If she drops the fan, she's saying "I belong to you."

Here are some signs a lady with a fan couldn't care less about you:

• If she's fanning herself slowly, she's saying "Don't waste your time, I don't care about you."
  
• If she's resting the fan on her lips, she's saying "I don't trust you."
• If she hiding the sunlight with her fan, she thinks you're ugly.

A lady with a fan could also be trying to send you a message. If she's carrying a closed fan with her left hand, it means she's engaged, whereas if she's carrying a closed fan with her right hand, it means she wants to be engaged. If she fans herself with her left hand, she's telling you "Don't flirt with that woman." If she runs her fingers through the ribs of the fan, she wants to talk to you. If she half-opens the fan over her face, she is saying "We are being watched."

If your Halloween costume includes a fan this year, try out some of these messages. You can find more here.

The Stone Portico Entrance

When the Hotel Boulderado first opened in 1909, the south entrance was considered the main entrance and was marked by a large stone portico. It looked like this:

The portico began crumbling in 1963 and eventually it was removed. There's been talk around the hotel that we may bring it back, which explains why we hung on to a key element of the original. When I went down and photographed the "guts" of the elevator, I found the original portico sign.
The hotel's original entrance on Spruce Street was so important to the city of Boulder that when it came time to pave the roads for the first time, Spruce was done first because it led right to the Hotel Boulderado.

Beneath the Elevator

A lot of people are familiar with our Otis elevator in the historic section. I recently learned a few details about it that I thought I'd share, along with some rare photos of the inner workings of the Otis.

Even though the plaque next to the elevator declares it a 1908 model, it's really from 1906. Back then, if an elevator needed to be installed in a new building, they would install the elevator first and then build around it. Therefore, the Otis was installed in 1906 and then the Hotel Boulderado was built around it.

Our beloved elevator actually broke down several weeks ago when the brake chain needed replacing. Believe it or not, we had to track down a manufacturer in Switzerland who had to custom-make us a replacement part! While they were working on it, I snuck down to the basement to take some photos of the elevator's "guts":

Here's a shot of some of the maintenance equipment we use to keep it running smoothly.

I totally geeked out over this: signature Otis elevator lubricant to keep those parts in shape!

Mashup Post

Mashup may refer to a digital media file, a genre of music, a video, or a web app hybrid, but for the most part, a mashup is recognized as a sort of montage created from different sources. This is my mashup blog post.

The Hotel Boulderado, along with the rest of Boulder, has been consumed and concerned by the recent fire that hit Boulder and Gold Hill. The good news is the fire has been put out; the bad news is that hundreds were evacuated and some even lost their homes. Two people affected by the fire were Maggie and David, the folks who run 'Til Death Do Us Party, which is the troupe that comes in for all our Boulderado Murder Mysteries. As luck would have it, they had already pulled all the costumes and props for the show they are performing here in September and were still ready, willing, and on time to perform at last Friday night's show.

I offered Maggie the use of my "cubby" to store the costumes and props so they had one less thing to worry about. Some of you already know that I work in an office that was converted from hotel rooms in the 1980s, and my desk is literally in a closet which has affectionately been named "cubby." Since the original moldings are still in place, it was easy enough to hang the costumes. The end result looks like this.
Right away, Yuko noticed the weird haze that appeared in the shot. I tried to fix it with Photoshop but with no success. We're quick around here to "blame" things on our ghostly occupants, but what do you think? Is it just an odd overexposure, or did someone want to be included in the photo?

Speaking of spooks, exclusively in the month of October, I'm offering a special version of our history tour that focuses on less history and more mystery. Spook Tours are available every Saturday in October at 12pm and 2pm. Learn more about them and how to sign up.

Videos from the Oral History Luncheon

Back in September of 2008, the Hotel Boulderado hosted a luncheon in our Spruce Room. We invited a variety of people from the community to come in, sit down, and share a memory of the Hotel Boulderado. Here's a rundown of who we talked to and what they had to say:

• Dee Demmon remembers dancing in the lobby and getting her spiked heels caught in the tile floor
• Sandy Hume recollects his impressions of the original stained-glass ceiling -- "It contained every color in heaven."
  
• Don Hume tells stories of his visits to the Boulderado as a young child
• Betty Chronic shares what led to her first visit to the Boulderado dining room
• Virginia Patterson's connections to Boulderado weddings and the old barber shop
• June Howard remembers what it was like running the hotel in the 1960s, with her husband, Ed
• Gwen Winterberger and her husband, Louis, ran the hotel in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and Gwen took some time to call us and share some memories
• Dick Dorman recalled his involvement with restoring the stained-glass ceiling
  
• Frank and Gina Day, our current owners, remember how their relationship with the Boulderado began
  
• Sidney Anderson, our current general manager, and his impact on the hotel
  
• Laurel McKown tells us how she was hired to restore, photograph, and catalog the Boulderado's extensive collection of antique furniture
• Sandy Hale shares the multitude of parties she threw at the hotel
  
• Mary Ann Mahoney recalls the opening of the North Wing and the new meetings market it served
• Silvia Pettem shares her experiences as the Hotel Boulderado historian
• Dan Corson remembers when the hotel was named a historic landmark
• Dorothy Sage recollects a memorable holiday tea at the Hotel Boulderado
  

Check out our collection of videos on our website!

Nobody Puts the Stanley in a Corner

Yesterday, Beverly, Jo, and I trekked up to Estes Park to visit another historic Colorado hotel -- the Stanley. The Stanley's biggest claim to fame is they were the inspiration for the Overlook Hotel in Stephen King's The Shining, and they are also believed to be one of the most haunted hotels in the country. The three of us braved the ghosts and the winding roads to explore another gem in Colorado history.


We started out with lunch at the Cascades Restaurant, where they have unique spins on classic dishes like Buffalo Sliders, Elk Carnitas Quesadillas, and Big Game Meatloaf. Beverly, our photographer, totally busted me tweeting under the table.

After lunch, we gathered for our tour, where we heard all kinds of ghost stories and looked around the hotel. My favorite room was the Music Room, where Mrs. Flora Stanley loved to spend time with her friends and her piano.

After the Music Room and the lobby, we peeked into the MacGregor Room, where we were introduced to the story of Mrs. Wilson, a dedicated employee from when the hotel first opened in 1909 (same year as the Boulderado, by the way). According to the story, Mrs. Wilson was given the task of lighting the gas portions of the lights one evening. (Also like the Boulderado, the Stanley used fixtures that could run on gas or electric.) This was before they added that odor to gas to alert people to leaks. And sure enough, there was a gas leak in the first room she went to light -- #217, the presidential room. The resulting explosion blew pieces of the hotel half a mile away, but Mrs. Wilson survived with some broken bones, cracked ribs, and damaged hearing.

She remained a loyal employee even after the explosion. She died of natural causes at an old age, but still shows up for work at the Stanley. People who stay in #217 report items being mysteriously straightened, luggage unpacked and packed without explanation, and even an evening turndown service from Mrs. Wilson. Apparently, she feels strongly about unmarried couples sleeping in the same bed, because there are also stories of couples feeling pressure between them in the night. Some even report a visible indentation in the sheets between them!

We also explored the fourth floor, which is where the nannies and children used to be housed. There's stories of hearing disembodied giggling voices and more than one person has felt someone tugging on their shirt, keys, or hand, and it's believed that the children are responsible for this. Before our tour guide mentioned this, Jo felt pressure pulling down on her purse, and then came the explanation. Creepy!

After we finished the tour, we snooped around for just a little bit more, including checking out the dorms that used to house the workers who built the Stanley, but now houses the summer staff. They reminded me of the cabins from Dirty Dancing, so I kept expecting to see Jennifer Gray step out and samba for me.

Overall, the trip was great! If you're visiting Boulder and looking for a great day trip, I highly recommend the drive up to Estes Park and the Stanley. Or, it could be a destination vacation unto itself, since the Rocky Mountain National Park is right there. Remember: all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

Famous Guests

Since we opened in 1909, the Hotel Boulderado has played host to a wide variety of guests, some more famous than others. Here's a few of my favorite stories:

• Ethel Barrymore stayed here in 1915 while she was performing at the Curran Opera House (now the Boulder Theater).
• Helen Keller stayed here twice (once in 1914 and again in 1923) while doing lectures at the University of Colorado. On one of these trips, Annie Sullivan accompanied her and they stayed in room #205.
  
• Duke Ellington showed up at the Hotel Boulderado in the 1960s with his forty-two person entourage -- and no reservation.
  
• Louis Armstrong stayed here in 1961 when he played a concert at the university. At the time, not too many hotels in Boulder would allow black guests. The Hotel Boulderado was an exception.
• Robert Frost was a frequent guest here in the 1920s because his daughter was a patient at the nearby Boulder Sanitarium.
  

July 4th Photos

We had some technical difficulties getting some photos showing our July 4th decorations up on Twitter -- so I'm sharing them here!

Boulderado Events Center

If you're familiar with the Hotel Boulderado, you probably know that there are two wings of the building: the historic section, which is the original structure that was built and opened in 1909, and the north wing, the two additions that were constructed in the 1980s.

When the second addition was made to the north wing, Frank Day planned to also add a new function space along with the guest rooms. This in effect doubled the Boulderado's capacity to host events with our nearly 3,000 square feet of space in what is now known as the Events Center. The space is flexible both in size and purpose; a seminar, boardroom meeting, and class can simultaneously take place during the day and then be transformed into a wedding's cocktail reception by evening.Here's a picture from the Boulderado archives of the Event Center still under construction:
And the finished product:

Frank Day

My blogging series about the different Boulderado owners and managers had to come to an end eventually, I guess. And perhaps this is the blog post I've been pointing towards ever since I first started sharing the history of these people. Beginning with William Beattie and Hugh Mark, then moving on to the Hutsons, Ralph Hume, and the Howards, and continuing with Louis Winterberger, William Brantmeyer, and Bart Bortles.

Bortles and Dick Dorman sold the hotel to Boulderado Hotel Ltd. in 1980 after just two years of ownership. Sid Anderson stayed on as the general manager. Frank Day became the new managing general partner of the hotel. At the time, Day described the rooms as "threadbare and tatty, but clean and comfortable." He decided to renovate the building from top to bottom.

First to be done were the fourth and fifth floor guest rooms on the west side of the building. Rooms that connected to share a bathroom were converted into large suites. Rooms without bathrooms had them installed in what used to be the closets. Each room received a makeover in time, and the tradition of each Hotel Boulderado room having a different decorating scheme was born. (Each of our guest rooms are individually decorated with their own carpet, drape, and wallpaper.) At the time, the hotel was also full of original antique furniture, but most of them had lost their luster over the years. Every piece of furniture was refinished on the fourth-floor porch, cataloged, and photographed.

Amazingly enough, the Hotel Boulderado remained open during this entire process. While seven or eight rooms were taken out of the rental inventory, the rest remained open to guests. By the time the renovation had been completed, it brought the hotel's room count to 42. With an occupancy averaging 92% almost every night, Day felt confident in expanding the guest rooms at the Hotel Boulderado. First one expansion in 1985 and then another in 1989 increased the hotel's inventory to the current 160 and also added the Events Center in the North Wing.

Without the initial renovation and the subsequent expansion, the Hotel Boulderado may never have recovered the grandeur it exudes today. When you walk into the lobby, the cherrywood staircase gleams, the stained-glass ceiling glitters, and friendly faces greet you at the door and the front desk. This is the Boulderado that I've come to love and treasure, made possible by the people who contributed over the years not only to the hotel, but the hotel's history as well. Boulderado employees are also caretakers of a landmark, and we make sure to hold that duty in as high a regard as we do for our daily tasks.

Social Media -- It's in the Eye of the Beholder

SOCIAL MEDIA! SOCIAL MEDIA! SOCIAL MEDIA! TWITTER! FACEBOOK! BLOG! LINKED IN! FOURSQUARE! YELP! DIGG! SOCIAL MEDIA! SOCIAL MEDIA! SOCIAL MEDIA!

Doesn't it seem like we've been hit over the head with all that for the last year, year and a half? Especially for those of us in the marketing world, every other word that falls out our mouths has been about this or that related to social media. Sometimes, I get tired of it myself. Social media -- both creating it and monitoring it -- are exhausting to take on. And as much as its importance is stressed, small businesses who operate with just a few employees are finding it difficult to engage in the social media stream.

Time and time again, I hear the same comment at seminars and discussions: "I want to get involved in the social media world. But I only have so many hours to devote to a new project like that. What's the *one* platform I can use to get my message across?" And whoever is speaking uses the same line: "Whatever fits your business best." While the speaker is right, this answer is also frustrating to whoever is asking the question. In this blog, I'm going to try and explain as best I can what each social media medium offers and which businesses are best suited to each.

FACEBOOK

I think it's safe to say that Facebook is the current king of social media. And despite frustrations over privacy settings and almost constant layout changes, it's still the place where millions of people log in to connect with family, friends, and causes. It's a classic marketing strategy to place your message in a place where people are gathered, and to ignore a gathering of millions of people worldwide is short-sighted. Businesses can establish a Page for themselves where you can keep your fans updated on upcoming events/sales, current deals or promotions, or anything newsworthy. A Facebook Page is a great way to maintain an online presence if you can't afford a website of your own. It's also ideal for brick-and-mortar businesses who want to connect with their customers in an online format. BEST FOR: Restaurants, Retailers, Small Businesses without Websites

TWITTER

What can you say about your business in 140 characters? Not a lot, right? So don't. Twitter can be great for sharing information and news with your followers, but constantly touting your bar's happy hour specials or today's lunch menu comes across as a broadcast channel. This will lead to your messages either being tuned out, or an increase in your "Unfollows." What Twitter excels at is relationship building with your clients or customers. If you're a travel agency, tweet about an article that offers tips for packing suitcases or the most beautiful destinations in the world. If someone complains about the service at your restaurant on Twitter, you can immediately see it and contact them to try and make it right. One of my favorite tweeps is @BoulderParking, the parking services in Boulder. They'll send out a message like "1 FREE Hour of parking at 15th/Pearl garage today. Just say....rain, rain go away" on a rainy day. The other thing they do right is engage in the conversation downtown businesses are having on Twitter. They'll spread the word about a shoe store's sale or a new business opening with the same enthusiasm as they talk about their own services. BEST FOR: Conversations with other businesses and customers (current, past, or future)

BLOG

Blogging is more time consuming than either of the first two social media platforms we've discussed so far, so if you're looking for something quick and easy, a blog may not be best for your business. But blogs are incredibly useful when it comes to boosting your website's search engine optimization (SEO) because they are so rich in content. While you can blog about anything (and believe me, people do!), blogging about your business can become a struggle if you can't get creative with it. Variety is the key. In this blog, I have written posts about the Boulderado's history (both the people and the place), upcoming events at the hotel and in downtown Boulder, and even one about the uses of baking soda. It doesn't necessarily matter what you write, but that you're writing and linking. The linking possibilities are another reason blogs are fantastic for SEO -- all those inbound links means your rating with Google goes up. You can link back to your business' website to drive the traffic there, or to other blog posts to keep people interested in what you have to say. If you also use a Facebook Page, you can set it up so that your blog posts will be pulled through the the page automatically. If you tweet, tweet when you have a new blog post up! (See how it starts to become a web?) BEST FOR: SEO, ongoing relevant content, people with time on their hands

LINKED IN

Think Facebook, but in a professional setting. LinkedIn is great for building relationships with people you already know and getting your foot in the door with the people you might not. The concept of the "Business Introduction" is used a lot on this site, where person A can ask their friend, B, to introduce them to C. If you yourself are the business, LinkedIn is where it's at for you. BEST FOR: Real Estate Agents, Networking Gurus, anyone that is self-employed

FOURSQUARE

With mobile devices on the rise, geolocation is allegedly the next big thing. You can get your business on the map (literally) with FourSquare. It's essentially a way for people away from their computers to say "Here I am!" when they check-in at different locations. Some businesses offer FourSquare exclusive specials, with an extra goody for their current "Mayor" (FourSquare lingo for whoever has checked in the most times with a specific location). BEST FOR: Brick-and-mortar businesses, scavenger hunts

Ultimately, the most important thing to do when making your social media strategy is to commit to whatever platform you decide on, but commit smartly. If you want to publicize 40% off last season's snow tires, don't write a blog post -- send a tweet or special on Foursquare. Likewise, if you want to chronicle the life and times of your grandfather who started the business, don't do it in 140 characters -- leave a note on Facebook or blog about it. With the variety of platforms available, there's surely one best suited to your needs and your message. It's up to you to decide what that is.

April Winner ~ Tell Us Your Boulderado Story

One of the components of the Boulderado's 100 year anniversary is the Tell Us Your Boulderado Story campagn, which is a collection of memories and narratives from the last century about the Hotel Boulderado. Our goal is to collect 100 stories which will be compiled into a coffee table book. The Boulderado selects a monthly favorite, and May's winner is Karen Berger. Enjoy her story, "We'll Always Have the Boulderado."

"As a single woman in her mid-twenties, my friends and I regularly enjoyed live music and drinks on the Mezzanine at the Boulderado on Fridays after work. On this particular Friday in early May after enjoying several days of gorgeous, warm weather along the Front Range, the fickle Miss Nature Colorado dumped about twelve inches of wet, heavy snow.

My good friend and object of my secret affection, Bill called me toward the end of my work day to ask me for a ride as he had bicycled to work in Boulder from Longmont that day wearing shorts and a tee-short and was now stranded in the snowy cold. Of course I got there as soon as I could to make the rescue. We decided to continue our F.A.C. tradition at the Mezzanine, rather than doing the sensible thing of returning home for warmer clothes. The rest of the gang didn't venture out that afternoon, so I was able to enjoy Irish coffee, great music, and the warmth of that lovely man's company all to myself!

Bill moved out of state to finish his master's degree as planned, and my attraction was never confessed, but we shared a special connection and I've often wondered, 'what if?' My friends and I began marrying and raising families, and the Boulderado visits faded to memories until . . .

After years of very infrequent correspondence, Bill visited Colorado at the tail end of 2009 and we spent an amazing evening dining and dancing at the Boulderado's superb New Year's Eve celebration. Who knows how this reunion will develop from here, but in any case . . . We'll always have the Boulderado!"

The Spruce Room (and Community in Boulder)

With CU's graduation this morning and seeing all the caps and gowns walking around town with their families, I started thinking about community in Boulder. It's always been a big deal in this town, but many people don't realize the significance of the Hotel Boulderado and the community we serve.

When local citizens decided in the early years of the 20th century that downtown Boulder needed a luxury hotel, they put their money where their mouths were and raised over $131,000 to build the Boulderado. For nearly forty years, Boulder's Chamber of Commerce was located in the Spruce Street storefront and within the Hotel Boulderado. Later, this space would be converted into what today is called the Spruce Room.

The Spruce Room is unique when it comes to function spaces at the Hotel Boulderado. First of all, it departs from the Victorian decor that the rest of the hotel is dressed in and adopts an art deco feel. The super-high ceilings and outdoor adjacent patio make it seem larger than the five hundred square feet that it is. Many graduation parties, small receptions and meetings, and other special events have been hosted in the Spruce Room, including the Oral History Luncheon from 2008.

Spruce Room Photos by Allison M. Fleetwood Jr.

The Magic of . . . Baking Soda?

Over the weekend, I was contemplating what it means to be classic. I finally decided that whatever is being designated as a "classic" must be familiar, ever-present, yet relevant. I had this epiphany while tackling some spring cleaning tasks around my home -- more specifically, while my head was in the fridge, I caught a glimpse of my baking soda.

A ha, I thought. Baking soda, like the Hotel Boulderado, is a "classic."

(Stay with me on this one.)

Baking soda, or as it's known to chemists, sodium bicarbonate, has been utilized by humans since the ancient Egyptians figured out its usefulness as a cleaning agent. Our great-grandmothers and grandmothers relied on baking soda to help with laundry, housecleaning, and food preparation. Now, with the green movement, people are once again looking to baking soda because of its effectiveness and lack of toxic properties. Here's an incomplete list of things baking soda can be used for:

• As an antacid. Take a teaspoon of baking soda, mix with one-half glass water, and drink. Or, to reduce the acidity in tomato-based recipes, add a pinch of baking soda.
  
• As an ashtray buddy. By sprinkling it on ashtrays, you can cut down on bad odor and prevent smoldering.
• As a cleanser. Add 1 cup to your toilet bowl, leave for one hour, and flush away dirt and odors. Sprinkle a handful on dirty clothes to boost your laundry detergent's cleaning power. Clean your garbage cans and refrigerator with a baking soda solution to keep smells away. If you have pans with burnt-on food, soak it in baking soda solution for 10 minutes before washing. Clean your drains by putting four tablespoons of baking soda in them weekly -- just flush it down with hot water.
  
• As a decongestant. Add a teaspoon to your vaporizer to clear up stuffy noses.
• As a deodorizer. Keep an open container of baking soda in the fridge and it will absorb odors. Sprinkle some inside boots, shoes, slippers, and socks to remove stinky foot odor.
  
• As diaper rash reducer. Add two tablespoons of baking soda to your baby's bathwater.
• As a digestive aid. Try soaking dried beans in a baking soda solution to make them easy to digest and cut down on gas.
  
• As flower life-extender. You can keep freshly cut flowers longer if you add 1 teaspoon to the vase water.
• As a gardening tool. Tomatoes will taste sweeter if you sprinkle some baking soda on the soil around the plants.
  
• As a repellent. Wiping your car's windshield with baking soda will repel rain. Put some baking soda under your sinks and along basement windows to repel roaches and ants.
  
• As relief from itchy bug bites, poison ivy irritation, bee stings, or painful sunburns.
  
• As a skin softener. Add 1 cup to your bathwater when this dry air has your skin screaming for mercy.
• As underarm deodorant. Apply using a powder puff.
  

Baking soda is one of the Hotel Boulderado's housekeeping departments favorite secret ingredients. We repeatedly receive compliments on how fresh our rooms smell, and how they don't have that "hotel smell." When asked about it, our housekeepers revealed that simple fresh air does the trick most of the time. For those stubborn odors, they recommend sprinkling some baking soda on the carpet, letting it sit for 10-15 minutes, and then vacuuming everything up.

Baking soda. So green! So historic! So very Boulderado!

Bart Bortles

I mentioned in my last blog post about a Boulderado owner/manager, William Brantmeyer, that some of our managers have made more of an impression on the hotel than others. Bart Bortles, who took over as owner in 1978, was another one of these. Burt was the first owner to hand over the manager position to someone else. As it would turn out, that someone else was destined to remain at the Hotel Boulderado up to this very day. Sidney Anderson has been our General Manager for the past thirty-two years. The Daily Camera has called him "the Boulderado's lucky charm," and we agree on that. Ultimately, even if all we remember Bortles for is hiring Mr. Anderson, that's a pretty far-reaching decision!

Social Media-ing It

Yuko and I both attended Downtown Boulder's Social Media Round Table last Thursday across the street at the Rembrandt Yard. If you missed it, you missed out hard! In addition to breakfast from The Cup and words of wisdom from local social media gurus like Andrew Hyde and Seth Haber, it was fulfilling just to look around the room and see how many people are excited about social media. I started subscribing to the social media phenomenon as a way to increase our marketing exposure a little more than a year ago. Today, the Hotel Boulderado has more than 700 followers on Twitter, more than 250 on Facebook, and I've written over 100 blog posts. But, perhaps more important than the numbers game is the people game. I've convinced others at the hotel that social media is more than a fad for teenagers -- it's here, it's here to stay, so we better get hip to it. Evolve or die, dude.

Yuko finally broke her longstanding streak of avoiding social media like the plague when she signed up for her own Twitter account. She's now tweeting from her desk -- think you can find her at the Boulderado? If you manage to find her and say hello, she just might have a special treat, deal, or prize for you.

Women's History Afternoon Tea

We are once again excitedly preparing for Saturday's Women's History Afternoon Tea. Tickets are still available for this event, which features the Legendary Ladies, who will be performing "Unconventional Women of the West," a series of five-minute monologues from interesting female historical figures. Here's a sneak peek of some of the characters who will be visiting the Boulderado tomorrow:

Mother Jones (1837-1930) was an early activist concerned with the plight of American working people. She helped coordinate major strikes with the hope of earning better working conditions. She also co-founded the Industrial Workers of the World.

Lola Montez (1821-1861) had a colorful life, first as an Irish-born dancer/actress, then renowned for her Spanish-style dancing, and finally as mistress and courtesan to Bavaria's King Ludwig I. The king's affection was so great for Lola that he named her Countess of Landsfeld in 1847.

Olive Oatman (1837-1903) was a woman from Illinois who was abducted by a Native American tribe with her sister. She ultimately regained her freedom, but not before receiving permanent blue markings on her face and chin as part of tribal culture.


Maud Nelson (1881-1944) was an early professional female baseball pitcher, scout, manager, and team owner. Lillian Russell (1861-1922) was an American actress and singer known for her beauty, style, voice, and stage presence. Even after retiring, she stayed busy by writing a newspaper column, lecturing, and advocating women's suffrage.

Useful Stuff

The Hotel Boulderado is BUZZING with activity today! Not sure what it is -- it could be the ending of CU's Conference on World Affairs, the spectacular weather that's on deck for the weekend, or maybe it's just one of "those" days. I've been saving this post for just such a day. Here's some random but useful links to information on a variety of topics.

• If you're training for the Bolder Boulder, or just a runner in general, you'll love the Running Map. You can map out your own customized routes specific to any zip code in the nation, plus it can show you photos of points of interest along the route, give you information on elevations, and print your map to take with you.
• Earth Day is fast approaching. Get ready for it by discovering your own carbon footprint with the Earth Day Footprint Quiz. By inputting some basic information, this fun and interactive quiz will tell you the resources needed to sustain your lifestyle, and also teach you tips on how you can reduce this dependency. I discovered that if everyone on the planet used the same amount of resources I do, we would need 5.4 Planet Earths in order to supply this!
  
• Last year was the year of the "staycation" -- traveling just within a few hundred miles of your home to take an opportunity to discover the beauty just outside our doors. But as the economy (slowly) bounces back, more and more people will be looking for those exotic, far-off destinations. If you are thinking Europe-bound, here's a blog post you might find useful: "The Most Beautiful Destinations in Europe."
• Have an event coming up? Tired of not getting the most out of your photos? Check this out for tips on getting that perfect, candid shot from digital compact cameras.
• If you're planning a vacation but want to give back to the environment while doing so, take a look at this Eco-Volunteer Nature Travel website. What a way to multi-task!
  

March Winner ~ Tell Us Your Boulderado Story

One of the components of the Boulderado's 100 year anniversary is the Tell Us Your Boulderado Story campaign, which is a collection of memories and narratives from the last century about the Hotel Boulderado. Our goal is to collect 100 stories which will be compiled into a coffee table book. The Boulderado selects a monthly favorite, and March's winner is Gary Richardson. Enjoy his story, "Meeting Mr. Lawry."

"I was working for the Community Corrections Program within the Boulder County Justice System starting around September 1977, when I went with a friend, Bart Costello, who also worked within the Justice System, to have lunch down on the 'new' Pearl Street Mall. Bart had gone to CU and was very knowledgable about Boulder and was going to take me to one of his favorite eateries.

On the way to the Mall he told me about Fred Shelton and his restaurant and especially his connection to the Hotel Boulderado and the 'denizens' of the largest and most renowned hotel in town. When we pushed through the front door I realized why Bart, being a guitarist, had a warm spot for Fred's when I spotted what appeared to be a gorgeous Gibson L-5 guitar in a stand on a small stage up front.

As we were seated, Bart told me about our host's love of music and the often impromptu jams that had a habit of occurring in the restaurant, with Fred helping out on guitar. I was really hoping for some music to occur, but was disappointed when our waiter told us that Fred was gone for several hours. Bart promised that he'd get back later and so we went on discussing our work and the beautiful fall day that we were experiencing.

I remember Bart saying something like, "Here he is" and looked around. Coming from the entrance was a fairly small, very old man with a beard, wearing a nondescript dress coat. He was moving slowly and wasn't paying attention to the patrons of the restaurant as he made a beeline for a small, out-of-the-way table in the back near the waiter's door. As he neared his table, one of the wait staff moved over to stand ready, should he require any assistance getting seated. Evidently, today there was no need, so the waiter just moved on to other duties. I asked Bart who the old man was.

My friend told me that Mr. Lawry was a long-time resident of the Hotel Boulderado, and, due to his advanced age, had usually eaten his major meal of the day in the hotel at Fred's Steakhouse which was on the premises, until Fred's moved to Pearl Street which had just become "the Mall." Bart wasn't quite sure of his age, but guessed him to be around mid-eighties and told me that Mr. Lawry was "a bit poor" and had no other place to call home. Since he was seated where I could watch, I was able to observe how the whole wait staff took care of him, bringing him a fine lunch soup and other menu items at his request. About five minutes into his lunch, he seemed to drift off into a small nap. The next waiter to come by bent down and gently took his soup to place it under a warming lamp to keep it hot until he woke up ten minutes later. Another waiter returned the warm soup and he continued eating as though nothing had happened.

Bart said that Mr. Lawry came in every day to sit at the same table and would eat for an indeterminate amount of time (with several interspersed naps) before wandering back to the hotel, where he'd find a soft chair to nap in.

He told me that he'd met Mr. Lawry a bit ago and had talked with him in the past. With that he got up and invited me to come with him as he headed over to the small, solitary guest. When he came up to the table, Mr. Lawry kept eating, until Bart caught his attention as he inquired about his health. Mr. Lawry seemed to remember my friend and they carried on a small dialogue for several minutes. Then Bart introduced me as a friend of his. Mr. Lawry reached up and took my hand with a 'Nice to meet you' before focusing back on Bart and starting to get back to his lunch. We both said, "Good day," and went back to our table to take care of the bill, since we had to get back to work.

On the walk back, we both discussed what we both saw as such a wonderful support system for an old man that needed a hand doing for himself. Bart told me that, when he finished his meals, he'd just get up and wander back to the Boulderado, with Fred's sending a monthly statement to someone at the hotel who would pay the bill from either a small pension or contribution fund to keep our friend fed. Since he was basically penniless, it appeared to us that the hotel and Fred's were taking on the care needed to keep a piece of 'Old Boulder' comfortable in his old age.

I saw Mr. Lawry several more times down at Fred's over the years, always around the lunch hour and always at his table before hearing that he'd passed away. I was so pleased when Boulder kept him in our collective consciousness with a Lawry Lane to remember a part of our history. Thanks to the Hotel Boulderado, Fred's Restaurant, and the people of Boulder for showing true kindness."

Editor's Note: According to a former owner of the Hotel Boulderado from this era, Dick Dorman, the only source of income Mr. Lawry possessed was veteran benefits he collected from serving in the Spanish-American War of 1898. The staff members, particularly the waitresses and housekeepers, doted on Mr. Lawry to the point that he did not want for anything.

Mr. Lawry napping in the Boulderado Lobby, circa 1975, and Gary Richardson, circa 2010 (

April at the Hotel Boulderado

Sure, April flowers bring May flowers -- but I doubt snow showers were what they had in mind, and that's exactly what the sky is looking like here in downtown Boulder. Regardless, April at the Boulderado is getting pretty darn full with some upcoming events.

• If you haven't made plans yet for Easter, we still have some limited availability for reservations for our Easter Brunch Buffet. But call soon, seats are filling up fast! (303) 440-2880
• Ready to laugh after dealing with the hassle of taxes? Come on down to the Boulderado for our very first Comedy Nite on April 16th. Chris Voth will be here cracking us up. (Check out his video on You Tube!) Doors open at 7pm and the show starts at 7:45pm. If you've been dreaming of show biz yourself, try your hand at our Open Mic Variety Show after a brief intermission. Really looking for the star treatment? Spend the night with us and mention the "Sleep Like a Star" discount when booking your reservation, and you'll receive a special low rate, courtesy of the Boulderado.
• Even though Women's History Month is over, keep the spirit alive by attending our Women's History Afternoon Tea on April 17th. Featuring the Legendary Ladies and a classic tea menu from Chef Pete, our tea is a great way to spend a calm Saturday afternoon.
  

William Brantmeyer

It's true that when it comes to the Hotel Boulderado, some of our managers did more than others across the span of our hundred-year history. Hugh Mark put together the first promotional materials for the hotel. Ed Howard saved the building from condemnation by installing the fire sprinkler system. William Brantmeyer was at the helm for a relatively short time, but in that time he made one of the most lasting and inspirational changes for the hotel.

When Brantmeyer took over with his business partner, Dick Dorman, in September 1977, the first thing he set his gaze on was the lobby's canopy ceiling. Since 1961, red, white, and blue Plexiglas had dominated the space, and Brantmeyer's feelings about it were clear from the start: "I've hated that plastic since I first laid eyes on it." Brantmeyer and Dorman hired Marie Garcia to design, create, and install a new stained-glass ceiling, which she did while working out of a hotel room on the Mezzanine level. The end result is the amber and golden glittery spectacle we know and cherish today. Brantmeyer and Dorman sold their shares in the Boulderado just one year later to a group of partners known as Boulderado Landmark Ltd.

The Porch Room

If you're in Boulder today, you know that calling the weather gorgeous is putting it mildly. The temp is in the 60s, there's more sunshine than I know what to do with, and the Pearl Street Mall is bustling with musicians and shoppers.

Speaking of sunshine, one of the best function rooms for sun in the Hotel Boulderado wasn't a room at all when we opened in 1909. The Porch Room, as it's now known, was originally an open-air veranda that hotel guests could stroll along and enjoy the bright Colorado sunshine. It was from this spot that Betty Mark and her classmates watched the first Boulder courthouse burn down in 1932. Eventually, the Porch was closed off and converted into an actual room in 1977. And as we learned from a previous blog post, the Porch was where our celebrated Q's Restaurant got their start. Here's a couple of photos of how the Porch Room looks now (both photos courtesy of Alison M. Fleetwood, Jr.):

The Porch Room is also significant in that it represents an exception to our "Tree Name Rule." Almost every function space at the Hotel Boulderado has been named after trees: Evergreen, Balsam, Alpine, Spruce, and so on. The only exceptions are the Porch Room and the Mezzanine, and those names are a reflection of the hotel's history. Stay tuned to learn more about the history of the Boulderado!

Easter Brunch Buffet at the Hotel Boulderado

The weather outside certainly is frightful -- snow is coming down at a tremendous rate, the roads look like they've been covered in pear-flavored slushees, and I heard a rumor they played "White Christmas" in the lobby earlier this morning. And yet Easter is just around the corner! I think Easter sneaks up on a lot of people because it's a different date every year. This year it's on Sunday, April 4th. Don't panic if you haven't ordered your Honeybake Ham -- just pick up the phone and call us for reservations to our Easter Brunch Buffet. Visit our website to check out the delicious menu Chef Pete is planning. Find out why we've been declared "The Best Easter Brunch Option in Boulder, Colorado."

Live Tweet Transcript from the Murder Mystery

Live tweeting the Murder Mystery on Friday night was so much fun, I wanted to share it with y'all! I've copied the transcript of my shenanigans below for you to read in case you missed out on the live version.

Our Murder Mysteries are part interactive, part show, and every table is given the task to band together and solve the mystery. My table was full of Boulderado employees -- Yuko and I, two bellman, one of our valet gentlemen, a front desk agent, a housekeeper, and a server from Q's Restaurant. What follows is our adventures in Murder Mysteries:

• Woohoo! Livetweeting the Murder Mystery! Some guests are already here . . . 6:26 PM
  
• Nate and Chris just ordered our special "Vintage Drink" -- The Manhattan. "It's good, but it's STRONG" 6:43 PM
  
• Getting to know each other at the table and expressing how much each employee contributes to the Boulderado 6:56 PM
  
• We've been taken into the Evergreen Room, which has been converted into a Radio Station for the evening 7:03 PM
  
• Reviewing the Murder Mystery rules: Out of respect for the dead, don't touch the body! 7:06 PM
  
• Reviewing the Murder Mystery rules: Don't remove or deface the clues, or follow the characters out of the room 7:06 PM
  
• We are in October 30th, 1941 from now on (so ignore the laptop and the tweeting) 7:07 PM
  
• Suspenders and pillbox hats and pocket kerchiefs, oh my! 7:10 PM
  
• RT @death_party: And so it begins... But who shall die? And how? And most importantly, how? 7:16 PM
  
• RT @death_party: Or rather... Why?! And why can't the tweeter write properly? Hopefully it shall all soon become clear... 7:16 PM
  
• @death_party is the troupe we always bring in to perform our Murder Mystery shows. They're funny, engaging, and always keep you guessing. 7:17 PM
  
• "Now I may be mistaken, but outside Chicago, an ice pick is not part of a standard formal dinner setting." 7:25 PM
  
• Uh oh. Someone's dead. 7:25 PM
  
• Our table was taken back to the murder scene first out of everyone else! 7:26 PM
  
• RT @death_party: Oo, just about dinnertime. @hotelboulderado always has deliciousness. Also, dinner and murder always go together. Ruh-roh. 7:33 PM
  
• What's for dinner? Green Bean Almondine, Boulderado Au Gratin Potatoes, and Homestyle Cheese Ravioli 7:34 PM
  
• Some of these actors are on the naughty side! 7:44 PM
  
• Virginia Hills just asked Keith if he has a car with a big back seat! 7:51 PM
• I'm glad other people are asking questions -- I've had two cocktails already! 7:56 PM
  
• "Oh, I like this table more and more!" 8:02 PM
  
• "I am so confused, I don't even know who's who!" 8:07 PM
  
• Back to the Radio Room for the live performance -- Where's Bob? 8:18 PM
  
• Toby never knew when he signed up for our Murder Mystery that he'd become a part of the show! 8:22 PM
  
• Another dead body -- uh oh! 8:23 PM
  
• Someone else just dropped dead -- double uh oh! 8:24 PM
  
• RT @death_party: More death! Oh noez! And guest actors... A little short for a hero. 8:28 PM
  
• Trying out motives and theories on each other -- no one can agree on anyhing 8:34 PM
  
• Back to examine another crime scene -- two bodies, no ideas yet 8:36 PM
  
• My other team members are examining the clues 8:37 PM
  
• "We need a belt lineup!" 8:44 PM
  
• RT @death_party: While there many clues to be had, I don't know that anyone here has any of them. 8:49 PM
  
• Do we have it? Maybe? I have no idea any more . . . 8:53 PM
  
• RT @death_party: Looking at more bodies... Not as exciting as it sounds. 9:09 PM
  
• It's crunchtime! We have to declare who killed who, how, and why. 9:18 PM
  
• Everyone in the dining area has furrowed brows and confused looks 9:31 PM
  
• "It's time to clarify a few things, because you all have no clue" 9:33 PM
  
• OUR TEAM WON!!!!! 9:38 PM
  
• Signing off my livetweet -- Go Team Hotel Boulderado! 9:39 PM

Boulderado Dining Room: A History Lesson

One of the most fascinating spots to consider in the Hotel Boulderado is our dining room, located on the lobby level of the northeast corner of the historic section. It has the distinction of being the oldest continually-operated restaurant in Boulder -- with the exception of a brief closure during World War II, the dining room has served guests since the hotel opened in 1909. Management and menus have changed a myriad of times, as has the look and feel of the space.

When we opened in 1909, the dining room was one of the premier places to eat out in Boulder. A Daily Camera newspaper reporter who wrote the article about the Boulderado's opening noted, "The spacious dining room, with its snowy linen, polished silver, and delicate bouquets, gave promise of the tempting delicacies and huge banquets that are to come. The kitchen, with its massive ranges and variety of modern conveniences, appeared equal to the tasks of furnishing the best and the most that could be demanded of it. The handsome electric chandeliers, the exquisitely patterned rugs, the profuse decoration of palms, ferns, and flowers, the beautiful music of the orchestra, all added to the sum to make a perfect total."

During his tenure as owner and manger of the Hotel Boulderado, Hugh Mark and his family were always given the honor of being the first guests to enter the dining room at mealtimes, and they occupied the same table year after year. It was at this table that Hugh Mark would keel over from a heart attack, taking the life of one of the Boulderado's most dynamic leaders. Betty Mark, Hugh Mark's young daughter, took full advantage of the formal dining room when she started taking tap dancing lessons and needed a place to practice. "The private dining room was a marvelous pace to practice, as the taps resounded beautifully on the tile floor," Betty recalled years later.

But the Marks were not the only ones who took regular meals in the dining room. Several service groups, including the Chamber of Commerce, Lions, Kiwanis, and Rotary groups, held weekly luncheon meetings there. Even though President Franklin Roosevelt repealed Prohibition in 1933, Boulder remained a "dry" county. Only 3.2% beer was permitted to be served in the dining room, despite the fact that more than one chef snuck down to the basement to nip from a flask. By the time the stock market crashed in 1929, the formal waiters with white jackets and finger bowls had given way to waitresses and a less formal atmosphere.

When it came time to re-open the dining room after it closed during the Second World War, the Hutsons decided to modernize and remodel. New equipment was brought in, including a range, refrigerator, new dishes, glassware, silver, and linens. Soda-fountain-style booths and a new, U-shaped lunch counter gave the dining room a more casual feel, as did it's new Mexican motif and "Cactus Room" name.

This didn't last too long, as by the late 1950s the dining room had been transformed into the Boulderado Coffee Shop. According to Legend of a Landmark: A History of the Hotel Boulderado, "A variety of dinners was offered from charcoal-broiled chopped sirloin steak with mushroom sauce and French-fried onions -- for $1.25 -- to choice roast prime rib of beef au jus, for $1.75. More beef dishes, chicken, pork, and seafood rounded out the menu. All dinners included potato, salad, fruit, and beverage."

A day came after the Howards took over when the manager of the then Chinese restaurant that occupied the dining room simply did not show up to work. June and Ed frantically kept the business going until they convinced friend and local restaranteur Fred Shelton to take over the space. He opened Fred's Steakhouse in the dining room, and a popular phrase took off -- "Come eat with Fred and sleep with Ed." Fred's specialty was a sirloin steak dinner priced at $2.15. Fred stayed until 1969, when the Howards gave up the hotel. From there, a dizzying succession of various owners, themes, and names came about:

• Doug and Fran Simcoe's Boulderado Empire Room in 1969
  
• The Prosperity Garden in 1972
• Fleur de Lis (1970s)
  
• Winston's Seafood Grille (1980s)
  
• Teddy Roosevelt's American Grille

Teddy Roosevelt's remained until John Platt moved Q's Restaurant from the second-floor Porch to the dining room, where it has stayed through the present day. Patrons who eat at Q's must cross the same original tiled floor that proved so useful to Betty Mark in her tapdancing days.