Colorado Denver Hotels Restaurants: Colorado Denver Hotels Restaurants
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Denver à la Française: A French Whirlwind in the Mile-High City
Feeling Très Royale at Bistro Vendôme
Hmmmm, Kir Royale. Yum. I love the sensation of sweet, bubbly goodness that this cocktail produces in my mouth. Its balance of effervescence and full, ripe fruit tantalizes and satisfies like well, hmmmm, yes. I guess that’s why this is a drink for lovers.
Actually I was with my girlfriend, Mary Dawn, recently when I sipped this delicious nectar at Bistro Vendôme in Denver. (Hey, you don’t have to be with a guy to feel sexy, especially since women often do a better job than men at making other women feel attractive, wouldn’t you agree?) We were both feeling PRETT-Y perky—you know two girls out on the town in the big city feeling footloose and fancy free.
I think it was the whole French thing that brought these sentiments on and, of course, the Kir Royale, a fabulous apéritif that embodies all the lusciousness and fizz of Paree. Ours was raspberry, likely made with Chambord, which, as I explained to MD, was made with champagne (or at least sparkling wine), as indicated by the word royale. (A regular kir is made with white wine—or sometimes a chilled red in France—and a touch of crème de cassis.)
We were to be in Denver less-than twenty-four hours and in honor of the Yves Saint Laurent exhibition at the Denver Art Museum, I insisted we make it a totally French experience. I had zeroed in on Denver’s Italian flair before (see below), however, I hadn’t explored its French side. I had visited Yves Saint Lauent: The Retrospective in the afternoon and was already feeling fantastique. We had also already checked into the Ritz-Carlton Denver, the mile-high city’s first and only AAA five-diamond hotel where I was happy to discover much of the grandeur and elegance of Paris. So the French theme was well underway.
Voilå, zee Ritz
Bistro Vendôme: Never Has Denver Been So French
La Carte Comme à Paris
As we approached the entrance to Bistro Vendôme, just off historic Larimer Square, it felt like I was stepping into one of my favorite nooks of Paris. Had the weather not been so uncertain, we would have opted to dine in the Bistro Vendôme courtyard, a privileged enclave that exudes the charm and country-French goodness of outdoor dining in the City of Light. Inside the ambiance felt equally Parisian and as I took in this intimate space, I was thrilled to discover familiar French bistrot elements including wooden tables, mustard-colored walls, lace curtains and mirrors touting the menu du jour in handwritten lettering.
Here Chef de Cuisine Dana Rodriguez serves up exceptional French cuisine of the sort of bistrot quality similar to what I’ve enjoyed at favorite Paris bistrots such as renowned Chef Guy Savoy’s Bouquinistes. Vraiment exceptionnel. For starters I reveled in Foie Gras à la Rhubarb composed of pan seared foie gras (from the Hudson Valley), rhubarb jam, brioche, balsamic reduction, pickled rhubarb and micro basil. This, of course, commanded a second glass of Royale. I let myself be tempted by the Confit de Canard for the main course, a traditional French dish that also surpassed my expectations. MD and I shared a berry napoleon, a heavenly assemblage of fresh fruit, cream and pastry for dessert. The meal was fabulous and served in a smooth, efficient manner since we needed to trot off to a show at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.
We saw “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” and laughed hysterically for two hours. It wasn’t especially French—except for the love component—so I’ll report on that in another post.
Our Table de Dégustation chez Cru
Cru's Line Up of Wines
Cru's Parisian Feel
MD and I circled back to Larimer Square for after-theater fun. We settled into Cru, a high-end wine bar and restaurant that I was most attracted to because of its name and also Mary Dawn’s recommendation. Here we were wooed by the tasting of a variety of wines, each accompanied by its perfectly paired treat. With dark chocolate-covered strawberries we sipped Veuve Clicquot, a fromage double crème cheese from Provence, served with honey-drizzled apples and pears, enhanced the crispness of a Pouilly Fuissé, spoonfuls of Dulce de Leche waltzed us through a sweet wine from California and a molten chocolate cake brought out all the complexities of a rich red. Mon dieu! That was quite a lot of tasting. Fortunately the portions were small for both the food and wine.
That’s, in fact, part of the beauty of Cru—they offer a tasting experience hard-to-find elsewhere. Flights, a taste of three, two-ounce wines that are related to one another by grape varietal, geographic region or style, are a good way to sample different wines. Names such as Patio Whites or Backpacking Through Europe make the experience all the more fun. Cru also serves half glasses of wine, so there’s no need to go overboard. This handsome establishment remains open until 2 a.m. and also serves lunch on their front patio and in their back garden.
Our Golden Refuge at the Ritz-Carlton Denver
Back at the Ritz, Mary Dawn and I enjoyed our luxurious room, decorated in a rich palette of gold. We were here just long enough to notice the handsome Colorado influences throughout the hotel including the many accents of earthy hues and artwork from Colorado. Each room boasts one of John Fielder’s impressive books. Needless-to-say, we didn’t find a minute to crack ours. We did, however, check out their incredible Forza Fitness center that spans three floors over 55,000 feet. Their basketball court, which is housed in the walkway that spans two buildings, would even impress the French.
Croque Madame: Another Rive Gauche Special at Elway's
We figured we’d save our exercising for back in Telluride and instead opted to indulge in the special Rive Gauche breakfast at Elway’s, Ritz Carlton Denver’s signature restaurant, in honor of the YSL show. Thankfully here they respect the French tradition in presenting small portions of superior quality. MD and I both regaled in Savory Local Mushroom Crêpes (crimini in this case), served with truffle frites and baby greens. Just like in France, the food was light, lovely and full of flavor. I love the vibrant, swanky decor of Elway’s, the perfect finale to our French-inspired Denver stay.
Mary Dawn and I departed with all the ease and good tidings of a checkout at a top Paris hotel. The staff seemed to express sincere regret in seeing us off, making us feel as though we had now joined the ranks of their most cherished guests. Being two single gals out on the town, that felt especially flattering.
Valentino Checking Out of the Ritz
And then it occurred to me that perhaps all the attention wasn’t so much about us two gals. Our special Yves Saint Laurent/French-inspired stay was injected with added panache by a certain handsome fella named Valentino. (Who else would we bring on a YSL weekend?) I guess when you’re two ladies gadding about it’s always good to have a dashing escort in tow.
Note that I’ll be posting a story about my travels with Valentino, Mary Dawn’s gorgeous Bernese Mountain Dog, in the upcoming weeks. In the meantime, you can learn more about this alpine treasure and Mary Dawn’s Alpen Schatz, a European-styled shop located in Telluride. It’s an online boutique as well.
Read Denver Art Museum Salutes Yves Saint Laurent and More to hear my take on the YSL show and to listen to an interview with a DAM representative.
Contact Ritz-Carlton Denver (800-241-3333) to find out about their special Yves Saint Laurent package that includes two V.I.P. tickets to the YSL show, a spa treatment, brasserie-inspired Rive Gauche breakfast for two at Elway’s and other style-y amenities.
Read More LoDo Love and Night Out in Denver for more on Denver’s wonderful Larimer Square area.
Sophisticated shoppers and travelers might also want to consult my story Cherry Creek: One of America’s Top Spots for Chic Shopping, Lodging and Dining. I also highlight Elway’s Cherry Creek in that piece.
Check out Viva Italia, Viva Italian Americans, Viva la Dolce Vita in Denver to read about an Italian-inspired trip to Denver.
Bistro Vendôme Courtyard: Un Havre de Paix in the Middle of Denver
Thank you to Marc Piscotty, Bistro Vendôme, Cru, Ritz-Carlton Denver and my trusty iPhone for the above images.
Art & Culture Colorado Denver Fashion & Style Podcasts Travel: Art & Culture Colorado Denver Fashion & Style Podcasts
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Denver Art Museum Salutes Yves Saint Laurent and More
One of Many Engaging Displays at the YSL Show in Denver
“Rien n’est plus beau qu’un corps nu.
Le plus beau vêtement qui puisse habiller une femme ce sont les bras de l’homme qu’elle aime.
Mais pour celles qui n’ont pas eu la chance de trouver ce bonheur je suis là.”
—Yves Saint Laurent
I’d loosely translate the above as follows:
Nothing is more beautiful than a naked body.
The most beautiful clothing that can dress a woman are the arms of the man she loves.
But for those who don’t have the fortune to find this happiness, I am there.
One of Many YSL Ball Gowns on View at the Denver Art Museum
Wow! That’s how I feel about the above and that was my reaction after visiting Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective at the Denver Art Museum (DAM) recently. Wow, wow, wow. What a gorgeous show. Men, please keep reading and listen to the below podcast. Even those of you that might not have an interest in fashion will surely be dazzled by this extraordinary exhibition.Yves Saint Laurent, one of the most legendary fashion designers, opened his first couture house in Paris in the early 1960s at a time when the world would experience great change, especially for women.
From a historical perspective, the YSL retrospective is fascinating. It’s a dynamic show that examines the many external events that influenced this man’s forty years of creativity through a variety of media including photography and videos.
But let’s get back to the women. This man loved women. So much so, in fact, that he primarily worked on live models so that he could take in their gestures, their movements, their élégance. “He really had a goal of making women feel loved and empowered from what they were wearing,” says Tara Moberly, from the press department of the DAM, in our below interview. Indeed and this show-stopping exhibition offers a stunning look at Yves Saint Laurent’s work throughout his illustrious career. From the wall of colors that showcase the couturier’s vast collection of swatches to the black on black display of his famous tuxedos to the grand finale of ball gowns, this exhibition provides a feast for the eyes at every turn.
Denver Art Museum Hamilton Building
And how was Denver so lucky to land such a show, an exhibition that was only presented in two other cities including Paris (at Le Petit Palais) and Madrid? You’ll have to listen to the below interview with Tara to find out. Here’s a hint: the dramatic spaces of the recently-opened Hamilton Building lends themselves to such spectacular shows. (You might also enjoy my story Yves-Saint Lauren Comes to Denver that I posted a year ago after I heard about the show coming to the DAM.)
Le Smoking in Thirty Different YSL Versions
Zee Grand Finale of the YSL Show
So put on your most vivid colors (or your basic black), throw your shoulders back and sashay on over to this visually stunning Yves Saint Laurent show at the DAM through July 8th. (Best to reserve in advance.) I promise you’ll revel at the two hundred haute couture pieces on view and more including clips from his last runway show in 2002.
One of Many Evocative Pins from Madeleine Albright's Collection
Carve out time to take in Read My Pins: The Madeleine Albright Collection (through June 17th), a fascinating collection of pins worn by the former Secretary of State. I had no idea that her pins were more than a fashion statement—they were often a way for her to convey a message.
You might want to spend the whole day at the Denver Art Museum in fact. It’s the largest museum between Chicago and the West Coast with a wide variety of permanent collections from Pre-Columbian Art to Oceanic Art to Western American Art.
Upcoming shows including Now Boarding (July 15th-October 7th), an exhibition that features the history of airports and where they’re headed, surely a must for all travelers. I’m also excited about the Denver-only Van Gogh show, entitled Becoming Van Gogh that will be at the museum October 21st thru January 20th.
Click on the play button below to hear Tara Moberly talk about the Denver Art Museum, the Yves Saint Laurent exhibition and other exciting shows and happenings at this dynamic museum in the mile-high city.
Tip: Admission to the DAM is free on the first Saturday of every month.
Thank you to the Denver Art Museum and John Bigelow Taylor (Madeleine Albright pin) for the use of the above images.
Colorado Mountain Living Podcasts Telluride Travel: Colorado Mountain Living Podcasts Telluride Travel
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From Telluride to Maui: Alan Bradbury’s Garden of Eden
Where Water and Sky Create Lovely Waterlilies
A Special Kind of Paradise
With off-season officially underway here in Telluride, there’s a stillness that hasn’t been felt in this world-renowned resort since before ski season began. Empty parking spaces, a smattering of closed restaurants, hotels, bars and boutiques punctuate the landscape both in town and in Telluride Mountain Village. Needless-to-say the mountain is no longer illuminated at night with snowcats, snowmobiles or slopeside condos. It’s so windy and dry today that we’re apt to see tumbleweed blowing across the Valley Floor, a Western image that would not seem out of place in our now emptied out mountain town.
Colorado Shopping Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride: Colorado Shopping Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride
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Spring Skiing, Spring Shopping
Finishing Out the Season with My Ski of Choice: Volkl Kenja
It’s hard to believe we are just over a week away from the close of the ski season here in Telluride. We’ve had many super warm days and the base is melting fast although there’s still lots of fun to be had, especially if you love snowsporting on corn snow beneath sunny, breezy skies. This is the time to kick back with your skiing and riding—have a big, late breakfast, enjoy the mountain for a few hours, break for a frosty beverage, then get in a few more runs before the lifts close. This scene—punctuated with the usual springtime panoply of colorful garb and flowered shirts—gives new meaning to Margaritaville. Although Telluride closes April eighth, this festive tableau will be played out at other resorts across Colorado well into early May. Be prepared for all kinds of weather during this period, since a spring storm can bring with it all the ferocity of winter and much to our delight, leave a pile of powdery fluff in its wake at the most unexpected moments.
Spring also marks a fantastic time to take advantage of killer deals on clothing and gear. Most ski shops are looking to move their inventory fast to make room for their summer goods which typically focus on biking, hiking and rafting. Shopping for everything from base layers to puffies will set you up in grand style for next season at prices that will astonish even the most seasoned shoppers.
Colorado Mountain Living Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride The Rockies: Colorado Mountain Living Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride The Rockies
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Springing Forward on Fresh Snow Beneath a Colorado Blue Sky
Life Can Be a Cakewalk, Especially in Telluride on Such a Glorious Day
Wow, I can’t believe it’s been over a month since I posted a story. Where does the time go? It flies by as fast as the ski season itself, every year. This week heralded the arrival of spring, however, I’d be just as happy to be plunged into the depths of winter where the snow varies from fluff to buttery soft. Oh well, can’t turn back time. So for now, I’m embracing the soaring temperatures and highly changeable ski conditions while my anticipation for the next fabulous spring snowfall lingers.
We’ve had a great winter here in Telluride, particularly since mid-January when the storms began to roll in one after another right up through early March. I guess this largely explains my eclipsing from my blog. I’ve been teaching skiing a lot, so much so, in fact, that I was clobbered twice with horrific colds that set me back on all fronts. Yes, that’s the bane of most ski instructors, getting sick during the season, yet it happens with great frequency. We’re out there putting on hopefully a super cheery face and attitude—carrying a class or even just one person—throughout freezing temperatures and sun scorching days. Day after day after day. It’s not unusual to work fourteen days in a row during busy times—that’s bell to bell, making sure that our charges are safe, happy and achieving their goals. Our throats take the biggest beating since we are required to use them often, sometimes to the point of excessive strain such as when we have to yell TURN, TURN, TURN or the dreaded STOP!!!
Colorado Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride: Colorado Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride
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Telluride Women’s Week: Skiing and Fun for the Ladies
Telluride Women's Week: Giving "Girls' Ski Trip" New Meaning
Rebecca and Me
It’s Women’s Week in Telluride this week, a super program of ski instruction and special events designed specifically for women. I taught skiing to three lovely ladies during the January Women’s Week and we all had a most memorable time. There’s one more Women’s Week program this year in March, so act fast and sign up for the time of your life.
Telluride Women’s Week was the first program of its kind in Colorado when it was founded thirty years ago. If you like the idea of girl power and fun, this is a great way to embrace skiing in one of the most spectacular resorts of the country.
Here’s what some of the ladies from the January program said they like about Telluride Women’s Week:
“The camaraderie.” Sandy, from Flagstaff, Arizona
“Skiing with a wonderful group of female instructors—it’s a fun way to learn.” Lee, from Flagstaff, Arizona
“The actual skiing part that pushed me to challenge myself.” Natalie, from Weston, Massachusetts.
Colorado Denver Hotels Travel: Colorado Denver Hotels Travel
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Denver Airport Marriott at Gateway Park: A Refuge in the Storm
Radiant Warmth at the Denver Airport Marriott at Gateway Park
Talk about walloped. Wow, Denver was hit hard with this last snowstorm that pummeled Colorado. Here in the mountains, most of us were lucky to eek out a few inches from this major dump. But Denver and the outlying region was buried in up to two feet of snow in some areas.
I can’t imagine the mayhem at Denver International Airport (DIA) where over six hundred flights were cancelled. And just because it’s Colorado, don’t think they’re any better equipped to deal with such a storm than other major airports. I’m sure people were holed up in airport hotels for days. That’s if they could find a room in the first place!
It’s in anticipation of these circumstances and others that I’m forever recommending people spend a night or two in Denver, or at DIA, when traveling to Colorado, especially in the winter. Why stress out? Also, I think it helps a lot to stay in the mile-high city—or at DIA—one night before reaching elevations of over 7,500 feet in the mountains. If you’re on your way home, it’s nice just to relax and catch your breath before flying out, particularly if you have an early morning departure.
Soothing Calm Away from the Fray
The problem is that some of these airport hotels feel stale and dated, not the sort of atmosphere you want to take in at either the beginning or the end of a trip. This is certainly not the case at the Denver Airport Marriott at Gateway Park, an inviting property that truly inspires relaxation and calm. Style-y guest rooms exude luxury in everything from deluxe bed linens to sleek and efficient work stations. Dining at the hotel’s Gateway Bistro also offers a superlative experience above and beyond typical airport hotel restaurants. (Even folks from the surrounding area come here to dine either for a night out or for events such as a Mother’s Day Brunch.)
Yesterday I began to hear rumbles about a “mother of a storm” off California that some are claiming will bring some significant weather to Colorado within these next ten days. The snow dance drums have begun to beat once again. Let’s hope the Rockies get hit hard this time and that Denver is spared. Although if you want to play it safe, reserve a night at Denver Airport Marriott at Gateway Park—one on your way in for acclimatization and one on your way out to avoid any potential upsets. Remember that out snowiest weeks of the season are yet to come and it’s no fun to be stranded out in the cold.
For hotel recommendations within Denver, go to my Faves Page where you’ll find some of my favorites.
Art & Culture Colorado Mountain Living Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride: Art & Culture Colorado Mountain Living Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride
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Solilochairliftquist: Chairlift Reverie
Check out this short, must-see video and definitely view it in full screen mode. This little gem will transport you directly onto Lifts 7 & 9, locals’ favorites, here in Telluride. Whether you’re alone or accompanied by someone you know or even a complete stranger, there’s no place like the chairlift for awesome daydreaming. It doesn’t get any better than this, especially in T-ride.
Thank you to Faverman Films for this delightful creation.
