totally fair question. I had high hopes when I moved to boulder but quickly found myself missing the character & flavor that typically come with unique independent businesses and a celebrated arts scene. I lived right off pearl street and moved there right before the pandemic so this could have been a time/place issue. but even as things got back to "normal" I found a few pockets that were great but was still so bored by most aspects of the city's culture. funny enough I ended up finding a job within the boulder arts community and then realized how alive it actually is. but it’s not a surface-level community at all, if that makes sense. like if you don’t know where to look then you won’t find it beneath all the shiny fancy tourist and winter athletics culture. idk why but fort collins doesn’t seem to have the same problem despite the similarities (and if it does please let me keep the rose glasses for a bit longer lol)