Best Local iPhone App 2010 | Denver Public Library's mobile phone app | Best of Denver® | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Denver | Westword
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Best Local iPhone App

Denver Public Library's mobile phone app

The Denver Public Library has always had its geeky side, from boasting DVD selections that rival Blockbuster to offering hordes of B-movies available for streaming online. But it may have outdone itself with a web portal it developed for smart phones. Not only can patrons search the online card catalogue in a format that's easy to read on their tiny screens, but thanks to a program called OverDrive Media Console, iPhone, Android and Blackberry users with a library card number can browse, download and listen to audiobooks directly from their phones. It's just like borrowing an old-fashioned book: When the title is due "back," you can no longer listen to it. Check it out.

Best Monthly Monitor

www.PMSBuddy.com

"Saving relationships, one month at a time!" That's the motto of www.PMSBuddy.com, which got its start during a LoDo happy-hour bar discussion. Unlike so many booze-inspired ideas, Jordan Eisenberg turned this one into reality, creating a free service currently tracking the schedules of 37,000 women, and it's even available as an iPhone app. As the site notes, "PMS — premenstrual syndrome — can be a difficult time of the month for many women and those close to them. Since discussing PMS is not exactly welcomed dinner table conversation, and may lead to dinner plates being hurled across the room, we want to take the unexpectedness out of this recurring occurrence so that those affected by PMS can be prepared and aware."

Best Place to Toe the Line

Rhine's Cobbler School

Tom Rhine learned the craft of repairing shoes in high school, started his own shoe-repair business back in 1966, and after nearly fifty years in the field, decided it was time to pass along his knowledge to the next generation with a formal, ten-month curriculum. Today, Rhine's Cobbler School is the only certified cobbler school in Colorado. If you want to cobble together a prosperous career, one that will leave you well-heeled, Rhine's could be the place for you. Or if you'd just like a fast repair job, Rhine does that, too.

Best Fix for All-Too-Fertile Felines

Rocky Mountain Alley Cat Alliance

The Feline Fix, Rocky Mountain Alley Cat Alliance's low-cost, high-volume spay-and-neuter program, aims to make a significant dent in Denver's feral cat population by sterilizing thousands of unadoptable strays each year. But the program is also open to domestic tabbies who might otherwise be breeding all sorts of havoc; prices are much lower than what most vets charge for the service, and the Fix even offers occasional specials to help promote awareness of the overpopulation problem.

Best Veggie Garden in a Park

Civic Center Park

Flowers, port-a-potties and statues of dudes on horses aren't the only things that sprout from the ground in Civic Center Park. Thanks to the efforts of Transition Denver, the park is now home to a seasonal garden, where organic vegetables are planted, harvested and enjoyed by the public. Even better, some of the food winds up in the pantries of local organizations that work with Denver's homeless. The use of public spaces for urban gardening is an intriguing trend that's catching on in cities across the country, viewed as a potential solution to problems like hunger and poor nutrition. Plus, it's just darn cool to think of carrots, peppers and tomatoes growing down the street from the library and art museum. We're glad the City of Denver was plucky enough to agree.

Best Green Boutique

Chrysalis Eco Boutique

Peggy Gulam of Chrysalis Eco Boutique likes to point out some startling truths that most people never even think about. Like, for instance, how conventional cotton, the kind used to make the majority of our clothes, requires the use of hundreds of thousands of gallons of toxic pesticides and fertilizers. Or how manufacturing polyester uses up fossil fuels and creates waste. Located in the new Streets at SouthGlenn mall makeover, Chrysalis proves that clothing can be both fashion-forward and ecologically correct, and to that end, the store stocks only garments that are certified to be green (as well as USA-made or fair trade/sweatshop-free) in an environment built from and sworn to using sustainable products. Maybe that seems a little extreme, but Gulam likes to note that the idea of greening your wardrobe is more than a fad — or, worse, a retail promotion.

  • 6851 S. Gaylord St., Englewood, 80112 Map

Best Dog Tags for Humans

Token Tags, Elizabeth Lindsay Creations

It's the simplest idea, but one with long legs: a hand-stamped silver tag with a supportive word or phrase that you gift to yourself or to someone you love. It might say "peace" or "I am by your side" or even sport just a name. Some are stamped with a dog bone or a pet's name; others come with dangling gemstones. Those emblazoned with "guardian" help benefit the In Defense of Animals Guardian Campaign. Created by local jewelry artist Elizabeth Lindsay, who made the first one for her dad during a time of strife and dubbed them Token Tags, the charms are a runaway hit, with celebrity fans ranging from Trista Sutter to Whoopi Goldberg. Go ahead, wear your feelings on your sleeve.

Best New Store on Broadway

Starlet

Girl-to-girl gifting is an art form: a subtle exercise in gentle one-upsmanship mixed with gal-pal love...and a shot of whipped cream. And Starlet, dear BFFs, fulfills. The Highland Square shop's second location, which opened late last year, is an expanded version of the first, and it fits the new neighborhood like a fingerless glove. Go here if you want to surprise your soul sister with a bauble or whimsy that won't break the bank; the beauty of it is that you'll still have money left over to get something for yourself.

Best Consignment Furniture in Boulder

Clutter Consignment

Clutter, as the name implies, has a bit of everything: grandfather clocks, furry Kreiss chairs, luxurious Ralph Lauren sofas, fine crystal, everyday Pyrex, vintage, modern, antique, mid-century, born yesterday — you name it — all grouped in idea-inducing vignettes. In addition, the well-appointed consignment store hosts monthly exhibits and carries handmade items, both showcasing local artists and artisans. Which, naturally, makes it one of the most delightful places to shop for bargains for your home. Let Clutter clutter up your home.

Best Place to Say It Straight

Wordshop

Have something awkward to say? Prefer to do it by mail to avoid uncomfortable silences? Wordshop has just the greeting card for you. An example: A card with two lovers on the front; the outside says, "Let's be together tonight," and the inside says, "But when we're done, I'd like to leave." Loud. And. Clear. Or how about a get-well card that says, "Would it hurt if I flicked it?" Or a card with a stick figure, complete with testicles, that simply says, "Balls are funny." And for that hot inmate who dumped you via post? A card that says, "You broke my heart. Just thought you should know."

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