Good Morning & Hello Friday!!

• Bozeman has been wonderful. I couldn’t have asked for a better place to celebrate my birthday. People are super friendly, everyone is incredibly fit and outdoorsy no matter their age (inspiring!). It’s a very clean city (no litter and no dog poop even though EVERYONE seems to have at least one dog).
• I’ve not heard a single siren although a cop did drop by the lobby of the hotel yesterday to ask the front desk if they had seen “this guy” and to alert them should he come by the hotel. I also witnessed two campers-ful of homeless guys set up residence on the pristine sidewalk of Main Street (they said they had been “busking” around the country for the last 4 years). They had (been?) moved on by early the following morning.
• MSU students are also piling back into town. Things have gotten very lively on the streets. And with parents in tow, restaurants are fully booked as well.
• Next week’s post will focus on highlights of my time here including best restaurants, best stores, must-dos/sees. My itinerary got me off to an excellent start but it’s been made exponentially better by the people I’ve met, especially at restaurants. Sitting at the bar always elicits the best local tips and Bozeman has been no exception.

And with that please scroll down for the sights and sounds of Bozeman.

The vibe is 100% Western.

Whether it’s ranchers in town for a business lunch at Ted’s (above top) or Will Brewster finalizing the details of his work on Yellowstone (TV series), everything “West” seems to be trending.

Western decor is everywhere!

You’ll spot this design trend at cool contemporary wine bars in town, e.g., Plonk (left above), at Western Cafe, the popular breakfast spot locally-owned and operated for almost a century, and at many retailers around town. I’ve even created a game for myself: is what I’m seeing “costume” or “consumer,” i.e., poseur or authentic?

The historic downtown is so perfect it almost feels Disneyfied

But Disneyfied or not, I am besotted by all of Fred Fielding Willson’s gorgeous buildings (he was Bozeman’s premier architect back in the 1920s). Hotel Baxter is my favorite. It’s been converted to condos but the lobby is open to the public and it is exquisite. I also have to give the city credit for maintaining Bozeman’s character. Main Street has been kept largely chain-free (although there is a Lululemon, an Athleta, and a gorgeous Owenhouse Ace Hardware store – but it was founded in 1879 and has been serving the community ever since so they get a pass).

but the chains (from Element to AC to Kimpton) are lurking just one block off Main Street

3 cool, new(ish) businesses flourishing on Main Street.

Lark Hotel (where I’m staying), Jam! (my breakfast go-to), and Blackbird (best pizza!) are all stellar.

The Lark is a restored motor inn owned by a group of local architects (Think Tank Design Group). It’s exactly what I look for in a hotel: social, cool, and centrally located. And heads up, it’s way pricier than I anticipated ($500 a nite!). Jam!, another hot spot by local restaurateur, Aaron Parker, deserves all its accolades and hours-long waits. The interior decor, with that fab mural and those booths, is spectacular. Parker also owns Dave’s Sushi (which I was underwhelmed by) and Revelry.

Jam!

Blackbird – fave restaurant in Bozeman. Kudos to Chef Kenan Anderson.

The Bozeman Farmers’ Market at Lindley Park

Enormously popular with locals, it offers a huge variety of produce, baked goods, meats, and to-go meals. My big discovery was Juju Gear – an upcycled clothing operation run by Niko and his mom. I bought one skirt and he is supposedly altering another to ship to me. No confirmation to date although I have paid. Hopefully I have not been eco-scammed!

Singer-Songwriter Kelley Mickwee at “Live From The Divide”

Live From The Divide is an intimate venue offering “Listening Room” experiences in the Northside neighborhood of Bozeman (my fave part of town!). It’s in a 100-year-old brick-and-wood building by the old railyard. They limit audience size to 60 and primarily host American Roots musicians.

Northside Downtown: My favorite bozeman neighborhood!!!

Very eclectic, cute houses, galleries, near the Historic Brewers District and the newer Cannery District. The most amazing discoveries were TINWORKS ART (more on that next week) and Miranda Seim’s Ruminant Hat Co. (bought one of her hats as a birthday present for myself).

Bozeman-ites are extremely outdoorsy.

Every driveway has a camper and trucks/SUVs outfitted for biking, hiking, canoeing, and fishing. The first question locals ask: “where you hiking?” They’re a bit nonplussed that someone would just opt to stay in town. But once I tell them I’ve previously hiked Montana’s national parks, they’re cool. But their outdoorsiness and camper lifestyle makes it difficult these days to distinguish who’s homeless and who’s just an outdoors enthusiast.

homelessness is rampant but not obvious, at first

At first you can be fooled because the homeless live in campers (and most locals also own campers and street park them). On second glance, however, it becomes obvious who is homeless and who is not by the squalor around their campers. It’s becoming a major issue in Bozeman. I’ve overheard several locals bemoan how parking lots all over town are being overrun and how initial kindness by business owners to let one or two homeless campers onto their properties has now backfired with all the messy problems many of us are familiar with in bigger cities.

And on that all too common issue, it’s a wrap for today.

Next week look for the Snapshot of America: Bozeman post. And in the meanwhile, I have a few more days here. Friday night I may head to Stacey’s Old Faithful Bar & Steakhouse (“where the west is still the west). But it’s a 20 minute Uber out of town to Gallatin so I may instead head to what I’ve been told is the best craft cocktail bar in town, Devil’s Toboggan. You will find out next week where I ended up. And on that note, here’s wishing you all an awesome weekend!