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City Cast Boise

A cheat sheet for getting beyond your block.

As you plan making the most of your fall, I’m bringing back this topic from a year ago, when City Cast Boise had an 

. The City Cast Boise team are veterans, so if you’re new to using our incredible springs, listen up.

Which includes the rocks, soil, and plants around it.

Look for small, off-the-beaten path spots if you want a more natural experience (and will take care of the place).

Assume that everyone else is trying to have a peaceful time; 

“Complete Guide to Idaho Hot Springs” by Doug Roloff

unique and special these natural springs are

, and how lucky we are to live so close to them! 

It can totally change the temperature and ecology of the hot spring.

If you’ve been there for an hour or so and others are waiting patiently to use it, move along!

Similarly: Don’t assume folks want you to hop in a rustic pool with them. 

If a pool is occupied, ask if you can join

 — and maybe try another nearby pool if the vibe feels off. Again: don’t trash the place.

Beginners and people who want a pool experience should check out:

Keep in mind that hot springs are fragile ecosystems that are being 

. They’re part of what makes Idaho great — but they won’t for much longer if we don’t take care of them.

As you plan to make the most of your fall, let's discuss Idaho’s hot springs. The City Cast Boise team are veterans, so if you’re new to using our incredible springs, study up.

Get to Know Idaho's Hot Springs (and Etiquette)

Neighborhood Guides

Playwrights have spent the last two days polishing work for the third annual BIPOC Playwrights Festival. Now, Boiseans have a chance to see new plays, and get a look behind the curtain.

The Boise Contemporary Theater (BCT) began the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) Playwrights Festival in 2021. This year, the festival includes three productions and a panel over this weekend.

One of the plays, “Bridging the Gap,” was written by LaDarrion Williams about a true story following three Black artists from his hometown in Alabama who created a TikTok dance that, when it went viral, didn’t get any credit for its creation. 

 that the play is an experiment in bringing TikTok and social media into theater, while addressing the frequent practice of stealing Black art.

“I’m really excited to workshop this play and change the format, because we don’t have to stick to one type of linear storytelling when it comes to the theater,” Williams said.

individual tickets for $10, or festival passes for $15

Festival Director Lily Yasuda will lead a panel with playwrights Novid Parsi and LaDarrion Williams at BSU’s Special Events Center (SpEC) on the west wing of the Student Union. Free, Wednesday, 7 p.m.

See “The Life You Gave Me,” by Novid Parsi, on Thursday at the SpEC at 2 p.m., or at the Morrison Center on Friday at 7 p.m.

See “Bridging the Gap,” by LaDarrion Williams, on Thursday at the SpEC at 7 p.m., or at the Morrison Center on Friday at 2 p.m.

Catch a one-man multimedia performance of “Break It Down,” written and performed by Herb Newsome, all about the early days of Hip Hop.

The Festival Bringing BIPOC Festivals Into Boise's Spotlight

Get to Know the BIPOC Playwrights Festival

It’s easy to pass right through Collister on your way out of town on State Street. But perched on the shoulders of the Boise Foothills, it’s a microcosm of our city, with a little bit of everything.

 runs along State Street, between 36th Street to the east and Pierce Park Lane to the west. And then to the north, it runs past the highest concentration of homes, covers the Polecat Reserve, and keeps going into the foothills until it meets the northern boundary of the Boise City Area of Impact.

The setting for a great date night activity and many a treasured birthday memory, this is 

. They’ve got a ton of holiday and themed events, so keep an eye out for them.

 with karaoke every night from 9 p.m. until close.

One of the city’s beloved public library branches

 is also the oldest, outside of the downtown library. It’s got great meeting rooms and, 

, has one of the most active communities of the library branches.

With a shaded patio, everything from tacos to clams, and 

With its own flower shop, frequent classes, and everything you could possibly need for your garden, 

 in every season. This weekend, they’ve got a 

What else do you love about Collister? Let us know!

 Lastly, don’t miss the neighborhood association’s 

Perched on the shoulders of the Boise Foothills, Collister is a microcosm of our city, with a little bit of everything.

Get to Know Collister Like a Local

All over the world, some of the best food is being made in the smallest of kitchens. In the Treasure Valley, that means you can find Mexican classics, experimental fusion cuisine, and classic bar food at a wealth of food trucks. Here are some of the best:

 in west downtown tucked along the river is a great place to start a foray into the food truck scene, or just to find some options. At any time in the week, you can find a handful of rotating food trucks, and sometimes some live music.

: A common Green Acres resident serving a mix of noodle bowls, pastas, and bar foods.

: A Japanese street food truck that frequently moves around.

: City Cast Boise Host Emma Arnold recommends this classic serving up tacos, sopes, tortas, and more on Overland Road, near Vista Avenue.

: I have yet to get something I haven’t liked from Queens, which is usually camped out at Payette Brewing.

: This one comes from a reader: “They make AMAZING birria tacos and are incredibly friendly.”

: This one is delicious, and rotates around as well; Look for them at the upcoming Boise Food Festival!

: A fan favorite serving impressive grilled cheese and soups.

, a blend of Basque and Vietnamese food from a Basque and Vietnamese couple, which will open very soon.

In the Treasure Valley, you can find Mexican classics, experimental fusion cuisine, and classic bar food at a wealth of food trucks

Where Are Boise's Best Food Trucks?

 neighborhood is a favorite spot for Boiseans who want to “get out” without leaving town — there’s a ton of park space, but there’s also water in the form of both the river and ponds, which are a central spot for kayakers, swimmers, and paddle boarders. 

But beyond these awesome city-based recreation options, it turns out our Veterans Park readers have some delicious food recommendations after you hop off the water.

Readers Anna and Tracy both wrote to us that 

 is a favorite, especially for good vegetarian options. That makes sense because the family-run business has been championed by the community for nearly a decade, including through a location change.

“So good — best vegan burrito I’ve ever had.”

 on State Street — which is apparently pretty new.“

[Trailside] is an incredible place! It looks small and unassuming from the outside, but they are incredible! They make all their baked goods — the other day, they had a fresh-out-of-the-oven pesto cheese bun of some sort that was so scrumptious!”

Get to Know Veterans Park Like a Local

Yesterday, I shared that construction crews poured asphalt on 11th Street between Front and Grove Streets. 

But the months-long infrastructure upgrades aren’t the only construction projects making navigating west downtown difficult. There’s a handful of them, but today we’re doing a little dive into the Saratoga Apartments.

They’re a seven-story, 305-apartment complex with retail on the first floor that takes up an entire city block, across from the Simplot Headquarters. The cross streets are 12th and 13th, and Grove and Front.

The project is expected to cost roughly $100 million, and aims to be wrapped up by November 2024, 

according to the Capital City Development Corp

. All 305 units are market rate, meaning none of them are subject to affordable rate pricing restrictions.

BoiseDev recently reported an update in the plan that will 

Yesterday, I shared that construction crews poured asphalt on 11th Street between Front and Grove Streets. 

But the months-long infrastructure upgrades aren’t the only construction projects making navigating west downtown difficult. There’s a handful of them, but today we’re doing a little dive into the Saratoga Apartments. 

Downtown Boise's Broadstone Saratoga Apartments on Front and Grove

Get to Know the Saratoga Apartments

A couple of weeks ago, the Hap Hap Lounge opened above Treefort Music Hall, and I honestly believe, as I said in the “Where Is It?” last week, that it’s the best new bar in Boise.

We’re living in the era of Duck Club 2.0, and we should be grateful. After almost a decade as a single-digit team, the staff is up to almost 20 folks who made Treefort adjustments during the COVID-19 pandemic, a brand new festival in Flipside, the construction of the Treefort Music Hall, the purchase of El Korah Shrine, and now as the literal cherry on top, the Hap Hap Lounge.

The rooftop location right above Treefort Music Hall (the entrance is along Capitol just north of the hall’s entrance) makes it a perfect pre- or post-show drink spot. And this early menu they’re running right now is inventive and accessible, with a good selection of non-alcoholic drinks as well.

Another big plus: Hap Hap also helps alleviate our rooftop bar and patio scarcity, 

long lamented by the City Cast Boise team

Hap Hap is open Tuesday through Sunday, 4 p.m. - 2 a.m., with happy hours from 4 - 6 p.m. and 12 - 2 a.m.

Congratulations to the folks at Duck Club! From the duck-ridden mural to the repurposed seats from the Greyhound Station, Hap Hap feels like the best parts of Boise.

A couple of weeks ago, the Hap Hap Lounge opened above Treefort Music Hall, and I honestly believe that it’s the best new bar in Boise.

Get to Know The Hap Hap Lounge

I used to live in the Winstead Park neighborhood, which is part of why I was so excited to see this new mural going up there. There are some really cute areas in the neighborhood, but it’s home to significantly more chain restaurants than public art pieces, so anything new is a win, and this one is especially beautiful.

The mural was created by local artist Jay Rasgorshek, and depicts a flock of Northern Flickers, a member of the woodpecker family with distinctive red markings that live in Winstead Park. In the background, there’s a darkened Cooper’s Hawk that can be somewhat difficult to see — but that’s on purpose.

On Instagram, Rasgorshek wrote: “The cool thing is that the hawk is distinctly hidden during the morning hours but when the afternoon and evening sun hits the wall, the hawk is revealed to be seen from across the street.”

If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s at the northeast corner of the Curtis and Fairview intersection. It faces west, so your best bet for a good look from the car is traveling north on Fairview.

Let me know if y’all have any specific public art pieces I should do for “Where Is It?”

Get to Know 'Residents of Winstead Park'

, indoor construction is somehow still getting done. Main Street in the areas of 10th and 11th have been especially busy, but at the center of them is the Avery building at 1010 W. Main St., where a business is set to open for the first time in almost a decade.

, and the building, along with its neighbors in the 

Lower Main Street Commercial Historic District, were put on the National Park Service’s Historic Register

Little did I know that a lot of you have fond memories there, not as the Avery, but as the Blues Bouquet bar and music venue. But, having been built in 1910, it has had many names.

Originally the A.S. Tiner building, 1010 W. Main St. housed the New Boz Theater and the Manitou Hotel (which is still visible on the east-facing wall of the fourth floor). But the building was referred to as the Averyl, named after the owner’s granddaughter. Over the years, though, the “l” was dropped from the name, and it became the Avery.

After 50 years, the theater and hotel closed in the 1960s, leaving the three upper floors empty ever since.

. It was a nightclub and bar with musical performances fondly remembered by many Hey Boise readers — but it sounds like it was a pretty wild place, so you might not remember some of the nights.

In 2015, Blues Bouquet closed, after which Cal Elliott, a Michelin-star chef, New York restauranteur, and Borah High graduate, bought the building, and hatched the building’s new plan.

Developer Michael Hormaechea, chef Cal Elliott, and designer Ashley Elliott have been renovating the building and preparing to open 

. They’re on track for a grand opening on Aug. 1, with a soft opening planned for July.

The Avery will be a 39-room boutique hotel.

Avery will be a restaurant, with seasonal menus created by Cal Elliott.

Finally, as a nod to its original owners, Tiner’s Alley will be a tavern accessed by the alley behind The Avery.

Because of the building’s historical significance, the 

Capital City Development Corporation has chipped in

 to cover some of the estimated costs of over $14 million for restoration.

Get to Know The Avery

C.W. Moore Park is tucked into an inconspicuous quarter block of downtown Boise. But don’t let the 0.28-acre footprint fool you: it gives more and more the closer you look.

The little canal that spans the southern bounds of the park, along Grove Street, is from 1866, two years after Boise was founded as a city.

The waterwheel on the canal is symbolic of the engineering that elevated water from the river onto the surrounding lands, making widespread irrigation possible.

, many of the other park features were originally part of buildings torn down in the 1970s.

Those include several name stones from downtown buildings, and an arch from the Bush Building that originally stood at the location of the current city hall.

Named after Christopher W. Moore, whose determination to develop geothermal energy benefits us to this day (

), the park offers a little bite of history, right next to a busy stretch of bars and restaurants.