I have no doubt that each of you reading this is juggling anywhere between 1 and 17 too many things in your life. The fact of the matter is: in a frantic effort to gain control over our hectic lives our brains are constantly multitasking– thinking about what we have to do today, tomorrow, next week. While there is something to be said for being organized and productive, when we are too concerned with what’s happening 20 minutes from now we forget to enjoy what’s happening
right now.

How many of us feel empty inside? We spend our money on fleeting pleasures that never provide fulfillment– things like copious amounts of alcohol, shiny new gadgets & toys, or expensive shoes & jewelry. Don’t get me wrong, I love blowing a paycheck in an inebriated shopping spree as much as the next guy, but I enjoy it every once in a while as a spontaneous pleasure. I know it doesn’t bring true value to my life.

Similar to a drunken dumping of all my dinero, I often catch myself not being able to remember what I had for lunch yesterday. Where was I? Where was my head?
Obviously, I did not get much enjoyment out of the plants that were harvested and the animals that were killed to provide me sustenance. How unconsciously ungrateful!

It sounds silly (because chances are you’ve not tried it), but slowing down and focussing on what is wonderful at any given second will put a smile on your face and in your heart. Try this the next time you make a sandwich at home: sit down, shut off the music & TV, close your eyes, and try to detect each individual flavor in every bite. Thoroughly enjoy what you’ve just prepared.

This sounds really goofy, I know. But no need to feel embarrassed, no one is watching you do this or judging you. You don’t have to go tell people about it. I guarantee, tomorrow, you will remember exactly what was in that sandwich and, regardless of what you are doing, you will smile.

- Ches Sheridan Arms

Mmmm… California Eggs Benedict: Warm Hollandaise, tender ham, fresh avocado, and ripe tomato– all served on a buttery croissant.

If I was getting “The Chair” tomorrow I know what would be gettin’ cooked for a second time my belly.

When it comes to dining out Denver has a plethora of palatable choices. But, what is it that motivates our decisions as to where we stuff our stomachs? Is it speed and convenience? The likelihood of running into friends? Perhaps a severe allergy to shellfish…

While these are legitimate reasons to pick (or avoid) a spot for your next meal, do any of us consider if the restaurant is concerned with social responsibility? Is the beef in that burger grain-fed, family farmed, certified organic? Probably not.

But don’t fret! There are many delicious options out there.
Snooze, An AM Eatery has switched all of their whole eggs to cage-free and are sourcing pork from a producer that does not confine breeding pigs in gestation crates.
If you’ve eaten at Chipotle you’ve probably seen their commitment to “Food With Integrity” printed on cups, bags, etc. I wont go into detail as to all of the initiatives Chipotle is taking, but click the link (in the last sentence) or Google them. Truly awesome.

These are two great choices in the battle for dining mindfully. If you’re curious to see which of your favorite joints are on-board with this, check out the website for Eat Greener Denver. They’re an association of locally-owned, independent restaurants that are stewards for sustainable action in the restaurant industry.

We would hope that with the progressive atmosphere of business today all of our favorite eateries would have some concern for people and planet (The Triple Bottom Line). The fact of the matter is, it is up to us as falafel fans and croque mossier connoisseurs to be mindful of where we grub. By frequenting businesses that are socially and environmentally conscious we are doing our part.

- Ches Sheridan Arms

 Coffee Joulies are a kickstater project. On this website someone develops a projects with a funding goal set in place. This means if the goal is not reached by the amount of time allotted,  the creators aren’t expected to develop their project. This in turn allows for anyone to test concepts with minimal to zero risk.

Coffee Joulies has tripled sales of their initial funding goal. This eye catching creative concept has sparked an interest in the coffee connoisseurs. What are they exactly? Plop a few Joulies into your coffee, hot chocolate, tea, or any hot beverage as soon as it is poured and the Joulies will absorb the energy, keeping your drink the perfect temperature for longer.

To be more scientific, they absorb any extra thermal energy your beverage may have when it is served too hot. It will cool it to a more tolerable temperature three times faster than average. once cooled the stored energy the Joulies have will be exerted back into your cup making your warm beverage experience last longer!

The better insulated your cup, the better Coffee Joulies work.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/705847536/coffee-joulies-your-coffee-just-right

If you are looking for a place to meet for work or just want a cup of coffee, Fluid Coffee Bar is the place to go.

The new Fluid Coffee Bar located in Denver is focused on providing a unique place to meet and work. They provide space for businesses, non-profits, and groups to hold meetings.

All you have to do is reserve the space using their online reservation tool.  The space itself has an open floor plan so you can make it your own. Fluid Meeting Space provides amenities including free WiFi, audio and video systems, modular furniture, and the Fluid Coffee Bar.

For a community kitchen experience, visit So All May Eat Café (SAME) on East Colfax. Head chef, Brad Birky and his wife Libby are owners of this non-profit restaurant. Each day the menu changes, mostly organic items, and there are no prices. Instead a customer is asked to pay what they want or what they can. If they can’t pay, one hour of volunteering will do.

The SAME in Denver is modeled after the Utah-based, One World Everyone Eats Café in Salt Lake City. The One World Café has been serving non-priced meals since 2003. SAME opened October of 2006 and is still serving great meals.

Every bank and loan agency the Birkys went to told them they were crazy. But for a mission like theirs—ensuring that every one gets a filling meal—you have to be a little nonconventional. An estimated 15,000 people are served here each year. To learn more, visit their blog and bon appetit for another SAME year!

If you haven’t heard of Unity Boutique, this Friday, July 16th, is the time to discover Denver’s “Best New Green Boutique.”  The show will be featuring DVLP Clothing and Ideal Woman Necklaces! Not only will there will be local food, music, artists, and drinks; but Unity will be raffling off 2, two day passes to Mile High Music Festival.

And of course, there will be ample shopping available from brands such as: DVLP Clothing, Element, Toms Shoes, Threads for Thought, and 3 Dots.

Date: Friday, July 16th
Time: 6:00pm-7:30pm
Location: Unity on 1455 Old South Pearl Street, Denver, CO

If you are not available you can shop online @ DVLP Clothing & Unity Boutique

According to Jeremy Seifert and friends dumpster diving has three main rules:
1. First one there gets first dibs.
2. Never take more than you need.
3. Leave it cleaner than you found it.

We might add one more:
4. Dig deep.

In “ DIVE! The Film ” Jeremy and his friends spend nothing on groceries, instead they dive into the dumpsters of L.A.’s supermarkets to fill their hearty appetites. In the process of digging for dinner they uncover a dirty secret. Grocery stores throw away 96 billion (yes, BILLION) pounds of food a year. With 35,000,000 people in the U.S. going hungry (854,000,000 worldwide), they wondered why wasn’t this food going to people who needed it?

Jeremy takes this question to the grocers’ corporate offices and ends up with some surprising (and entertaining) results. It’s a movie that will have you asking your grocer where those “bad” bananas go and wondering how much of your dinner you could get for free if you just wondered around back. Definitely worth watching. Check out upcoming screenings (Denver is in two weeks–don’t miss it!).

We love ourselves some french press coffee in the morning. So dark, so rich, so full of caffeine. What we don’t like is cold french press. Ah, but there is a solution. A cozy handmade by PinkDixie wraps our press in loving warmth so our coffee stays nice and toasty until the very last drop.

A favorite memory from our days growing up on the mountain are the wintertime picnics we’d have slopeside courtesy Mom and Dad. On gorgeous sunny days, instead of paying for overpriced soggy jo-jos in the lodge cafeteria, we’d gather in our favorite spot at the top of the mountain and eat some homemade goodness.

We still love ourselves a good winter picnic, slopeside or not, and the clever folks over at design*sponge posted a handy DIY tutorial on how to make your own sweet cold weather picnic pack. Maybe it’s not suited for the mountain but it’s the perfect pack for many snowy adventures. And we swear a warm cup of cocoa tastes better when you’re nestled under snow dusted trees.