If you think a lounge doesn’t belong in a theater, you thought wrong. Photo from Subdudes.com

Reclining on the red, retro couches in the new Lounge at Boulder Theater, one easily gets lost in the moment. Lulled by the soundtrack of down-tempo electronica, reggae and R&B, lazy smiles emerge. An ice-cold beer sweats on the low table and friends chatter happily. Sunlight somehow makes it all the way in to the back wall, a treat for the vase of fresh flowers on the table.

Is this what it’s like in Boulder all the time?

No, it’s not, obviously, but it’s nice to get a taste of the tourist-guide Boulder: Friendly, relaxed, all-natural Boulder. After opening June 27, The Lounge (2028 14th St.) is the latest place to experience Boulder’s easy charms. Located right next door to, and owned by, the Boulder Theater, it’s the perfect gathering place for theatergoers whether they’re going for a rock show or the ballet.

To wit: Cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon and a $50 bottle of wine share space on the menu. “We just wanted a place where people could have happy hour or grab a light bite before a show,� says Boulder Theater publicist Sarah Coffield. The drink menu is simple and short: All glasses of wine are $6, draft beers are $4.50. Bottled beers are available, too.

The food is Italian-inspired, and mostly designed for nibbles. Bruschetta, salads, olives and similar snacks dominate, with a few panini for bigger appetites. Coffield says food can be ordered to go, too, and taken into the theater if you’re short on time.

The daily happy hour is hard to pass up, even if there isn’t a show. From 4 to 6 p.m., it’s $3 for well drinks, house wine and drafts. That means a PBR is still a steep $3.50, but it’s Boulder, after all. Where else would it be cheaper to drink local microbrews than mass-produced suds? Enjoy it.

– SMASH MASHES –

For a music-lover with eclectic tastes, mash-ups are a slice of sonic heaven. Cleverness is key in making a mash-up: Take multiple songs from disparate genres, find a common thematic or musical ground between them, mix and see what happens. Ideally, booty-shaking will result.

Mash-ups are like musical chemistry experiments, and no one knows the formulas better than DJ Z-Trip. In 1999, “Uneasy Listening,� his collaboration with DJ P, threw Bruce Hornsby, Depeche Mode, Run-DMC, Metallica, Midnight Oil, Public Enemy and dozens more into one big, funky melting pot.

Now clubgoers everywhere flock to mash-up nights. And Z-Trip’s still around, considered a pioneer of the form and playing more than 100 dates a year. On Friday, Z-Trip brings his encyclopedic record collection and his wonderfully warped mind to Beta (1909 Blake St.). Advance tickets are $10 at groovetickets.com.

– BLOCK ROCKERS –

What would the Fourth of July weekend be without a block party? If you don’t have a block to party on this year, visit East Colfax Avenue on Saturday to get a fix. From 6 p.m. to midnight, East Colfax from Fillmore to Adams streets will be transformed into a four-block celebration of hipster life on the ’Fax.

“The Super Fresh Block Party� is equal parts fashion show, art happening and good, old-fashioned grill-out. It starts when Rockbar (3015 E. Colfax Ave.) hosts a barbecue from 6 to 8 p.m. featuring a set by local indie kids Hearts of Palm.

Meanwhile, heading east on Colfax, shops will be open late with art exhibits, live music and DJs. A 10 p.m. fashion show, the party’s centerpiece, will transform the gritty Colfax sidewalk into a catwalk. Appropriately, the tough-as-nails Denver RollerDolls will prowl the runway in the latest from local boutiques.

Like most block parties, it’s free to join the festivities. For a complete list of venues, events and artists on display, visit mycolfax.org and click on “Events.�

– Kathleen St. John