Too cold to ski, but Boulder still rocks

FROM the comfort of my warm hotel bed, the vista out the window looked like a skier’s paradise. The mountains in the distance were covered in snow, and the early-morning sky was filled with promising sunshine. I couldn’t wait for my first run of the day.

That’s as close as I got to the slopes. About 3 1/2 seconds after my brother and I stepped out of the hotel, the cold hit us. I’m a Massachusetts boy, but even I know when Mother Nature has me licked. The doorman said it was 12 degrees below zero without the windchill, and I half thought he was underestimating the situation. We turned around and went right back inside.

To make matters worse, the weather marked the first victory of the weekend for my twin brother, Sean. He and I had settled on Boulder as a compromise and now that we weren’t skiing, I knew exactly where we were headed.

Every year, we go away for a weekend of old-fashioned brother bonding. I wanted to ski, but my budding film-producer brother kept muttering about film festivals in Sedona, Ariz., or Napa Valley.

Lucky for me, I discovered the slope-close Boulder International Film Festival slated for February. Crisis averted. (And, to be honest, I’d wanted to see Boulder ever since “Mork & Mindy” made it look oddly appealing on TV in the late ‘70s.)

So back at the hotel, the terrific new St. Julien Hotel & Spa, we huddled over the film festival schedule.

The vibe at the St. Julien is more see-and-be-seen than you might expect in Boulder. It’s in a corner of downtown but still within walking distance of all of the notable restaurants and shops. The building has a sleek stone and glass exterior, and the lobby is bright and modern-looking. The hotel’s trendy bar, T-Zero, looked small at first glance but we learned during a late-night drink that a big crowd can be packed inside.

Our room had a modern, masculine feel -- lots of earth tones, stained wood furniture and black-and-white photographs. The slate-tiled bath was spacious, with a large glass-enclosed shower next to the bathtub.

My only complaint was a shortage of closet space and bathrobes that were cut for petite women. The hotel also uses plush chipmunks or gophers as do-not-disturb signs. I’m sure the hotel is trying to push a wildlife theme, but in the early-morning hours it looks as if a pack of rodents has hanged itself on the doors.

After a quick bite at the hotel’s Jill’s Restaurant, where the food was only so-so, we headed off to a lecture by documentarian Jim Butterworth. His “Seoul Train,” about North Koreans who are caught after fleeing to China, won the best documentary prize at the 2005 festival. As a journalist, I thought the topic was right up my alley, but I was still wishing we were on the slopes. Sean, of course, loved it.

A film festival vacation might seem an odd idea to some, but it makes for an enjoyable weekend. There are always lots of movies to choose from, including many more documentaries than I’d expected. (I’ve learned that festivals are the primary way documentary films get noticed.)

I’d been to the Sundance Festival in Park City, Utah, a few times, but frankly, there’s too much Botox and fur for my taste. And the festival overruns the town to such an extent that visitors get more a sense of Hollywood than of Park City. Smaller festivals, which dozens of cities now host throughout the year, make for a better getaway. They can offer an appealing mix of the serious and quirky that caters to local film buffs more than to entertainment-industry types. Stars sometimes show up to support their indie projects, though I didn’t see any.

Boulder also is a near-perfect place for Californians who want a taste of a small mountain town atmosphere but need some of the amenities of urban life. It’s about an hour’s drive from Denver and central to a list of nice ski resorts. Eldora Mountain Resort, a small but uncrowded ski area, is about 30 minutes from town, and Keystone, Vail and Breckenridge are close enough for a day trip.

Home to the University of Colorado at Boulder, it is, like many college towns, eminently walkable. Downtown is centered around Pearl Street, a pedestrian mall that is probably more appealing when the temperature is above freezing. Still, I dragged Sean through the eclectic strip: Urban Outfitters, funky antique markets, used book stores and an upscale wine shop. There was even a small skating rink in the center of town, which was packed with families with kids who were enjoying the outdoors more than I was.

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Selection of restaurants

WHEN we arrived on Friday night, the concierge at the St. Julien suggested a nearby restaurant, but I didn’t like the look of it when we went inside -- it was too crowded and felt dated -- and the wait was more than an hour. So we went to the Boulder Chop House & Tavern a few doors up.

It had a great, relaxed feel and a good selection of beer -- a key find considering my brother and I are microbrew fanatics. Still, without a reservation, we could only get a table in the bar section. I had the gorgonzola beef filet (as good as it sounds), but Sean ate half without asking.

The bartender also recommended the Walnut Brewery, a tip we followed up on Saturday afternoon. We’d just seen an interesting but poorly made documentary about Alzheimer’s patients -- the only film I could get two tickets for without risking hypothermia waiting in line. The subject was heavy, and we needed a little lift afterward.

After that, we went back to the hotel for a short nap and readied ourselves for dinner. Everyone in town kept talking about the Kitchen, which made me worry. Sean, however, has never met a herd of culinary sheep he didn’t want to join, so he called and we got an 8 p.m. reservation.

I ended up loving it. The restaurant has great energy -- a loud bar, open kitchen and tightly packed tables. The menu changes daily to take advantage of local, organic ingredients. I had the grass-fed veal chop and Sean ordered the gnocchi with mushrooms. This time, I made sure to eat half of his while he dug into my plate.

The waitress suggested we finish our night at the upstairs wine bar, which turned out to be great advice. It’s a lively place, and my brother and I met a fun group to pass the evening with.

I haven’t gotten another chance to ski this season, but the weekend still was a success. Sean and I have since signed on for annual trips with our five other siblings. Right now, my sisters want to go away to a spa, and my brothers are talking up a weekend in Boston and a baseball game at Fenway Park. Baseball sounds better to me, but I’ll wait to see what happens.

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Urban village

GETTING THERE:

From LAX, American, Frontier, United and US Airways fly nonstop to Denver. America West, Delta and Southwest have connecting service (change of planes). Restricted round-trip fares begin at $208.

Boulder is 43 miles from Denver International Airport. Exit the airport on Pena Boulevard and take it to the E-470 Tollway north. Then take U.S. 36 west.

WHERE TO STAY:

St. Julien Hotel & Spa, 900 Walnut St.; (720) 406-9696, www.stjulien.com. A 200-room hotel in downtown, open since January 2005. Introductory rates from $159-$219 still available. Regular rates, $285-$325.

The Bradley, 2040 16th St.; (303) 545-5200, www.thebradleyboulder.com. Twelve-room inn a block from Pearl Street. $145-$200, including breakfast.

The Inn on Mapleton Hill, 1001 Spruce St.; (303) 449-6528, www.innonmapletonhill.com. Downtown red brick inn with seven rooms. $97-$184 with breakfast.

WHERE TO EAT:

Boulder Chop House & Tavern, 921 Walnut St.; (303) 443-1188. Upscale tavern food and good steaks. Entrees $19-$50.

The Kitchen, 1039 Pearl St.; (303) 544-5973, www.thekitchencafe.com. Lively new American restaurant with upstairs wine bar. Entrees $19-$26.

WHERE TO WATCH:

Film festivals have multiplied to the extent that there’s always one going on. Here are a few coming up in the West:

April 20-30: Arizona International Film Festival in Tucson; (520) 628-1737, www.azmac.org.

April 20-May 4: San Francisco International Film Festival; (925) 866-9559, www.sffs.org/fest06.

May 13-20: International Wildlife Film Festival, Missoula, Mont.; (406) 728-9380, www.wildlifefilms.org.

May 25-June 18: Seattle International Film Festival; (206) 324-9996, www.seattlefilm.org.