The Landing at Lake Harbor Apartments

Mazzah Mediterranean Grill: Classic Cuisine

admin — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 14:15:19 +0000

Mazzah Mediterranean Grill is a favorite of Boise diners who crave the exotic flavors of the region, and has been voted 'Best Mediterranean Restaurant' four years in a row. Whether you're craving a lamb gyro with tender slices of grilled meat, tzatziki sauce, feta, and lettuce cradled in pita bread, chicken kabobs with flavorful lemon basmati rice, tender chicken shawarma with grilled onions, or any of their other yummy dishes, you’re sure to find something you like here. If you're in a hurry, you can even call in your order and have it ready to eat when you arrive. Their family-friendly service includes a children’s menu replete with kid-friendly items like grilled cheese and chicken strips with fries. With a warm, welcoming atmosphere, good food and reasonable prices, Mazzah is a great choice for lunch or dinner.

Mazzah Mediterranean Grill
1772 W. State Street
Boise, ID 83702
(208) 333-2566

Le Coq Rouge: French Food Done Right

admin — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 14:07:56 +0000

Head to Le Coq Rouge – the red rooster – for an intimate evening of non-fussy, haute French cuisine. Their candlelit tables dressed with red checked cloths lend a warm, romantic ambiance to the space. It’s the kind of place to linger over a nice bottle of wine and a meal that truly satisfies the senses. Le Coq Rouge's menu changes daily – always highlighting the freshest seasonal ingredients available. Seafood lovers must try the all-you-can-eat mussels bathed in a variety of flavorful broths. Truffle ravioli, beef bourguignon, duck in honey lavender sauce, and lamb in red wine sauce are some of the rotating entrees that receive accolades from diners. With a great wine list, succulent desserts and attentive service, Le Coq Rouge is a must-visit spot for a night out with someone special.

Le Coq Rouge
1320 S. Maple Grove Road
Boise, ID 83709
(208) 376-9463

Bogus Basin: The Ski Spot

admin — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 14:16:01 +0000

Bogus Basin lies just north of Boise, and is the prime destination for wintertime fun in the area. A mere 15 miles from downtown, you’ll find yourself in the middle of 2,600 acres of slopes, including the largest illuminated night skiing area in the Northwestern United States. This snow-bunny retreat features three lodges—two downhill and one Nordic—as well as a robust selection of ski and snowboard education programs if you're new or looking for a refresher. If you’re an advanced skier, there may be a lack of intense, steep runs, but for an intermediate-level ski experience it will not disappoint. Bogus Basin can get extremely crowded on weekends, so plan your trip accordingly. As is the norm, the best deals available are on season passes, which makes the resort affordable for families who ski regularly, but single lift tickets are also reasonably priced. In the warm summer, the area is opened to hikers and mountaineers.

Bogus Basin
2600 Bogus Basin Road
Boise, ID, 83631
(208) 332-5151
www.bogusbasin.org

The Egyptian Theatre: Enjoy the Golden Era

admin — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:12:42 +0000

During the growth of American cinema in the 1920s, many cities built grand theaters to show the movies people were clamoring to see. The Egyptian Theatre, Boise’s historic testament to that era, is located in the heart of the downtown district. It was opened in 1927, shortly after the discovery of King Tut’s tomb in Egypt. INfluenced by that event, the theater features elaborate décor in the Egyptian style, hence its name. With sarcophagi, snakes, and Cleopatra-like figures, this carfeully restored and remodeled cinema shrine, now hosts a wide variety of events. In addition to screening movies from the golden age of Hollywood, it hosts film festivals, concerts, ballet, opera, and plays – there's something for everyone! You can even rent out the space for weddings, conferences, benefits, or corporate events. Call or check out their website for more details about this historic gem.

The Egyptian Theatre
700 W. Main Street
Boise, ID 83702
(208) 345-0454

Bitter Creek Ale House and Red Feather Lounge: Enjoy the Drafts

admin — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:10:49 +0000

Bitter Creek Ale House is the go-to spot for a pint and a bite. With 39 draft beers from regional craft brewers, plus a great food menu committed to using locally sourced ingredients, patrons never leave disappointed. The vibe at the Ale House is homey and laid back. It’s the kind of place you can take the family or go for an informal date. Their delicious burgers, sandwiches, salads, and a few choice entrees give diners options enough to please a variety of appetites. In warm weather, enjoy the outdoor patio on Boise’s happening 8th Street. In the evening, head over to the Red Feather Lounge for handcrafted cocktails, small plates for noshing, and live music from some of the area’s best musicians.

Bitter Creek Ale House and Red Feather Lounge
246 N. 8th Street
Boise, ID 83702
(208) 343-3119

Fork: New Age American Cuisine

admin — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 14:12:42 +0000

Did you know that forks didn’t come into use in Europe until the 1600’s? Well, not to worry, there are plenty of them at Fork, this little gem, and you can use one to deliver some of their delicious fare to your eagerly awaiting mouth. Fork relies on local, sustainable, and hand-crafted cuisine to make this delightful café a standout in the Boise restaurant scene. Committed to using ingredients from Boise and the surrounding area, the menu can best be described as new American cuisine. Fork offers interesting takes on old standbys like chicken pot pie, ale-braised short ribs, and grilled pork chops. The ambiance is elegant yet relaxed in this renovated bank building in the heart of downtown. With exposed bricks and high ceilings inside and a lovely patio for dining out in warm weather, Fork is sure to please both your eyes and your tastebuds. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Fork
199 N. 8th Street
Boise, ID 83702
(208) 287-1700

Alain de Botton’s Practical Philosophy

admin — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 14:09:39 +0000

Writer Alain de Botton has made it his mission to show how acquaintance with some of the world's greatest thinkers can offer solace and enlarge happiness. Having begun a doctoral program in philosophy, de Botton quit the ivory tower to write books for generally educated readers. In his work, de Botton engages topics ranging from airports and cookies to stoicism and shoe shining. Throughout, he aims to help us lead better lives. Sound interesting? These five books are worth reading:

In The Consolations of Philosophy, de Botton presents the teachings of the world's greatest philsophers as a practical guide for day to day living. Offering a tour of philosophical history, the book shows how great philosophers can help readers overcome everyday difficulties and unhappiness.
How Proust Can Change your Life presents Proust's novel Remembrance of Things Past as a strange sort of self-help book. Culling a number of aphorisms and parables from Proust, de Botton presents life lessons in a characteristically witty style.
The Architecture of Happiness explores the ways physical spaces affect human beings' emotional lives. This book will change how you see the physical world.
In A Week at the Airport, de Botton records impressions from time he spent as writer-in-residence at Heathrow Airport in England. Seeing the airport as a uniquely modern space that concentrates arrivals, departures, beginnings, and endings, de Botton muses on the miraculous effects of airplane flight.
Surveying the strange and wonderful world of work, de Botton's book The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work casts an anthropologist's eye on enterprises like logistics, accounting, baking, and inventing.

Main Auction: Eclectic Sales

admin — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 14:16:02 +0000

Stroll into Main Auction on Saturdays and you'll find everything on sale but the kitchen sink.

Oh, wait — look in the corner. It's a kitchen sink!

There are bicycles, furniture, rugs, car parts, quilts, toys, musical instruments, artwork … this old barn is an Aladdin's Cave, and finding treasures here has been a Boise staple since 1937. The auction has been run by the same family ever since, which is a promise that you're in good hands. Stop by to inspect the goods before the auction begins at 10 a.m. Check the website for purchase details, auction schedules, and online bidding.

Main Auction
2912 W. Main Street
Boise, ID 83702
(208) 344-8314

Happy New Year!

admin — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 14:13:07 +0000

Wishing you and your loved ones all the best that 2012 has to offer.

Best Movies of 2011

admin — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 14:12:33 +0000

2011 saw a score of interesting Oscar contenders helmed by actors exercising their talent in new ways. Here are five of the year's best films:

The Descendants
Sideways director and writer Alexander Payne returns triumphantly after a seven-hiatus with a complicated dramatic comedy. George Clooney is understated yet spot-on as a father dealing with his wife’s infidelity and his misbehaving daughters.

Drive
Perhaps not a typical Oscar contender, Drive is an action-packed drama that pits Ryan Gosling in a fight against good and evil. Gosling’s quiet performance anchors the movie’s more outrageous moments.

Midnight in Paris
Hailed by many as Woody Allen’s best film in years, Midnight in Paris was a love note to the City of Lights as well as a more glamorous literary time. Owen Wilson reached new maturity in a surprising as well as convincing role as the neurotic writer transported into 1920s Paris, schmoozing with infamous authors.

Moneyball
Like the television series Friday Night Lights, Moneyball was a sports movie that you didn’t need to care about sports to enjoy. Brad Pitt’s dedication to the story and director Bennett Miller’s fast-pacing kept the movie engaging and empathetic.

Melancholia
Both epic and intimate, Lars von Trier’s portrait of the end of the world is surprisingly breath-taking, particularly the prologue. His narrative remains a distant character study of two sisters dealing with depression and the sudden advance of a neighboring planet.