Boise bound

I’m posting a day early since I’ll be out of town for the weekend. Tonight I leave for Boise.

Boise? Yep, Boise. Mom and Stepdaddy moved there about four years ago and they both love it. Granted, it’s one of those places you’d never go to unless you were visiting somebody, but you’d be surprised at what a cool little city it is.

Boise is a college town with a vibrant arts and music scene. It has a cute downtown with lots of funky shops, bars, cafes, and restaurants. As much as I love Las Vegas, there’s nothing funky about this city. I do miss the funky.

My favorite thing to do in Boise, other than kick old people’s asses in Scrabble (kidding, Mom—you guys aren’t old), is to go to the Flicks movie theater. Flicks reminds me of the Spectrum Theater in Albany, a multiplex that screens primarily independent and art-house type films, except Flicks is even more awesome. Like the Spectrum, their concession stand is stocked with tasty baked goods, but look closer and you’ll also see a selection of wine and beer. I’m talking microbrews, people!

Get there early and you can lounge in front of the fireplace in their café area while sipping on a delicious Black Butte Porter. And they let you bring your drink into the theater, too. Do you know how much joy that brings me? Jeez—we have to smuggle beers into theaters here in Vegas (in Vegas!) and we don’t even have an independent movie house. Yes, a couple of theaters have “Cine Vegas” screens, but the walk through the ding-ding-dinging casino kind of spoils the mood. Again, there’s no funky in Vegas.

That’s okay. What Las Vegas lacks in that area, it makes up in warmth, and that weighs heavily on my happiness scales. I can always watch the IFC channel and enjoy a dark beer on my couch. I’ll have a fun time in Boise with Mom and Stepdaddy, but I’m always glad when the plane lands back at McCarran.