Hotels & Lodging Restaurants Skiing & Snowboarding The Rockies Utah: Hotels & Lodging Restaurants Skiing & Snowboarding The Rockies Utah
by maribeth
Comments Off on Heber, Midway and Blue Boar Inn: Embracing European Tradition in Utah’s Heartland
Heber, Midway and Blue Boar Inn: Embracing European Tradition in Utah’s Heartland
The Dining Room at Blue Boar Inn
I’ve been thinking a lot about Utah lately. Maybe it’s because although we’ve had a ton of snow here in Colorado, it seems as though the Utah ski resorts have even bigger snow totals, especially once you consider their base. It was almost a year ago that my boyfriend and I enjoyed a spectacular weekend of spring skiing at Snowbird and now we’re itching to go back.
The year before that, we called Sundance home for five days and reveled in experiencing Utah’s top ski resorts including Deer Vally, Park City and the Canyons. Then and also last year, we drove through Heber City, a vast, flat area only twenty minutes from Utah’s world-renowned mountain destinations and towering peaks. Settled by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the late 1850s and named after a Mormon apostle, Heber Valley of today still appears pastoral and low-key. Dairy farming continues to reign supreme, a tradition started by Swiss settlers ages ago. Ranchers claim a fair piece of action as well.
Colorado Mountain Living Outdoor Adventures Romance & Relationships The Rockies: Colorado Mountain Living Outdoor Adventures Romance & Relationships The Rockies
by maribeth
Comments Off on Rafting and Roughing It on the Black Canyon of the Gunnison: Part Four
Rafting and Roughing It on the Black Canyon of the Gunnison: Part Four
My Happy River Companions: Steve, Jen, Andrew, Ryan and Glenn
Only a handful of experiences in life—at least ones that occur over a forty-eight hour period—may be considered transformative. The below is part four of one of mine. My journey on the Gunnison River gripped me with so much passion and awe that I’ve chosen to share it with you in its unabbreviated version. I’ve posted this story in four parts. I hope you’ll be with me and enjoy it throughout. You can read all parts in (reverse) sequence in the category Outdoor Adventures.
From Smith Fork on, the waters flattened out some three miles to the take-out. The canyon opens wide to pink sandstone walls here, a gentle float that doesn’t require the wearing of life preservers or much attention paid toward the river’s movements. Now it was time for us all to just loll about on the raft. We looked back at Ryan in the gear boat, no longer worried that he’d make it through the turbulent waters without a hitch; he rowed along calmly just like us. By now we had all downshifted into supreme relax mode, the kind of lulling feeling you have after having gone through something fairly intense and completely stimulating.
The Dudes
Talk of showers was beginning by now although I believe it was Jen who initiated it first. I quietly scoffed at the idea of using a blow dryer. I had been transformed in less than forty-eight hours. My skin glowed with a golden, bronze-y tone and although I hadn’t bathed much, the river kept me feeling cool and fresh. I even forgot about my grey hairs and was actually beginning to enjoy “peeing in the woods.” But it was the canyon walls, the bobbing in the raft and the riverside meals I had enjoyed the most. I also had become very endeared to my fellow campers and guides and felt delighted that we had all shared such conviviality and affection toward each other in such an inspiring setting. Camping and rafting do bring you better in touch with nature and your fellow man. And certainly one of the best places to do it is in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison River.
Epilogue
I experienced the above adventure just over a year ago and wrote most of the story shortly thereafter. Steve, Glenn, Jen and I returned a month ago for a second time around. This time Jen’s slightly younger brother Andrew (who happens to work for Martha Stewart!), flew in from New York to join us. Ryan headed up the journey as lead guide. Rick had left Black Canyon Anglers during the year to start a new life in environmental work in the Pacific Northwest. Josh, another expert river runner and most affable guy, teamed up with Ryan as the second guide. Josh has been “riding rivers” for years in addition to working his day job as a realtor. We came to know Ryan better on this trip and enjoyed goofing around with him and Josh, both on the water and off: Although forever professional, both approached most of our doings with a more laid back attitude, setting the tone for a more relaxed trip overall. With the two of them, we even got into some kid-like shenanigans such as jumping off cliffs into the river, something that Rick surely would have discouraged.
Our Big Kid Ryan
Ryan and Josh
Josh Manning the Gear Boat, the Heavier Raft
Andrew complemented our cozy, already formed group very well. And in the end, it was he who furnished us with the best camping poop story of all. Indeed our fascination with the groover continued and this time around, we went so far as to ask the guys who’s job it was to take care of it upon return to the lodge. (Like all duties, they share that one with the same whoever-gets-to-it-first attitude that’s applied to the rest of the numerous river trip chores.)
So how was it for me second time around? Totally awesome, once again. I rarely do the same trip twice unless it’s to Paris or to ski in T-ride, but this one is truly super special. I didn’t feel the same sense of wonder I felt first time around since I was no longer a virgin rafter/camper on the Gunnison River. But it still felt extraordinary to me and this time I had the added sensation of “coming home.” It has definitely helped me to be less of a Parisian princess as well. This time I experienced less separation anxiety over my dry bag being tossed in the gear boat, but then again I got smart and brought a mini dry bag as a “purse.” (No one snickered about this either since most everyone asked me to hold something of theirs in my little ditty bag as we traveled along the river.) This time I had my hair colored shortly before the trip (hence, no need for mascara touch ups) but I did experience a big breakthrough in not looking at myself in a mirror at any time during the trip. I actually had forgotten my compact—but I’ll take kudos whenever possible.
Moi, au Naturel!
Jen asked me halfway through this last trip if I was coming back next year, an almost inconceivable thought since I rarely do any travels twice, let alone three times. I’m thinking about it though since experiencing this stunningly beautiful remote wilderness location with the expertise of two top-notch guides and a fun group of fellow campers makes for a most memorable getaway. Next time though I’ll be sure to outfit myself with a good pair of river shoes (first time around it was sneakers, then this time Teva flip flops—what am I thinking?) Progress has been made though since this last time I hardly thought twice about an eventual scorpion in my tent and actually didn’t ponder the pygmy rattlesnake once. And peeing outside beneath the stars appeared almost romantic. Wow, maybe I should go again. Am I becoming more Rocky Mountain girl than Parisian sophisticate? Whoah, whoah, not so fast, my dear.
Black Canyon Anglers, 970-835-5050, BlackCanyonAnglers.com
River trips are typically conducted May through early October; float trips tend to be best from July on. Day trips are also possible.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, 970-641-2337
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
This part of the Black Canyon, just outside of Montrose is the widest, tallest and perhaps the most awe-inspiring. (Experienced riders and rafters run the lower canyon in the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area as we did.) Open year-round, the Visitor Center here is an excellent place to begin your visit to this relatively little-known National Park. Then drive the South Rim Road to various lookout points where you’ll find great places to hike and picnic. I’ll be writing more about the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in the not-too-distant future.
“Our surroundings were of the wildest possible description. The roar of the water…was constantly in our ears, and the walls of the canyon, towering half mile in height above us, were seemingly vertical. Occasionally a rock would fall from one side or the other, with a roar and crash, exploding like a ton of dynamite when it struck bottom, making us think our last day had come.”
Abraham Lincoln Fellow, 1901
In 1901 Abraham Lincoln Fellows and William Torrence floated the Gunnison River (named in honor of Captain John W. Gunnison who lead an expedition here in 1873-74, but bypassed the gorge in search of a river crossing). They traveled thirty-three miles on a rubber mattress in nine days and determined that construction of an irrigation tunnel was feasible. Despite a handful of installations, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison has remained amazingly unspoiled today. A true gem of southwestern Colorado, a wonder of the United States.
Latest dispatch from Josh ten days after our last trip:
There was a tremendous storm that hit the Gunnison Gorge last Thursday. Several of the washes turned into torrents of water and boulders. Caddis Camp, where we stayed the night, is no longer a camping spot. Alll the sand was washed away and it is now a pile of debris and rocks. You have to respect mother nature!
Thank you to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park for the above image.
Food & Wine Shopping: Food & Wine Shopping
by maribeth
Comments Off on Great Online Boutique Recommendations-Holiday Season 2009
Great Online Boutique Recommendations-Holiday Season 2009
Telluride Truffle: The Best Cookies for Santa in the World
What? You’ve done all your shopping? Lucky you! Well, I’m sure you can still find a few tasty treats below for your holiday feasts.
But if you’re at all like me, you’ve barely put a dent in your shopping. So I’m here to help. Plus it’s cold across much of the country and the parking lots are beginning to fill up at the mall, so why not settle in and visit my hand-picked selection of charming Internet boutiques?
Old Chatham Sheepherding Company: It's Nice to Know the Provenance of Your Cheeses
This year’s lineup once again favors many delectable food items that make great gifts for your friends and loved ones. (And don’t forget yourself!) Let’s start with cheese, typically the last course in France before dessert but here in America we eat it at all different times. I like fresh, artisanally-made cheeses that are good enough to be the focal point of a meal composed of just bread, salad, cheese and wine. No processed food here. I was thrilled to re-connect recently with the wonderful cheeses from Old Chatham Sheepherding Company, an exceptional cheesemaker not far from my roots in upstate New York. Made from fresh sheep and cow’s milk, their award-winning Hudson Valley Camembert, melts in your mouth. Be sure to order their Ewe’s Blue, made in the Roquefort style, and these wonderful whole wheat Petits Toasts that they also sell that go so well with any kind of cheese. (Love their nutty flavor!) Consider their sheep’s milk yogurts as well. If you’re not a fan of all those sugary yogurts available in the market, you’ll love Old Chatham’s slightly sweet, ever-so refined yogurts that come in a variety of flavors including maple and ginger. Type Bonjour Colorado into the gift message section to receive your 10% discount.
Coach Farm Goat Cheeses
For the Cheese Lover in Your Life
Let’s not forget the goats. I recently discovered Coach Farm, a company specializing in goat’s milk cheeses and yogurts. Situated within the Hudson Valley, this purveyor supplies many of the top restaurants of New York. One taste and you’ll understand why. Their goat’s milk yogurt, made with live active cultures, just might become your tasty health remedy for 2010. Be sure to visit their Web site as well for many terrific recipes. Coach Farm also produces fresh and aged heart-shaped goat cheeses for Valentine’s Day; these must be pre-ordered by December 30th. Who ever thought cheese could be so adorable? Call and mention Bonjour Colorado to receive free shipping.
Contact Vermont Butter and Cheese Company for your most refined creamery needs such as mascarpone, fromage blanc and sea salted cultured butter, a near delicacy that enhances any repast tenfold. They offer fine goat cheeses as well along with an extraordinary crême fraîche, a must for any serious cook’s fridge. I love adding a dollop of this most flavorful cream to my puréed winter soups.
Prime Meats from Lobel's
You must select some nice wines to accompany your extraordinary plateau de fromages. But let’s not break the bank. I have found some lovely ones, from Blackstone Winery, that represent an excellent price/quality relationship. Their Sonoma Reserve Merlot 2007 typically retails for $19.99 and their SonomaReserve Chardonnay 2008 rings in at $14.99. For something more celebratory, seek out some sparkling from Cupcake Vineyards, bubbly wines (Blanc de Blancs Chardonnay and Brut Rosé Pinot Noir), from the Loire Valley of France. They, too, are exceedingly affordable at $15.99 per bottle. Don’t you just love the name? Sounds like they’re another must for those looking to inject a little more romance into their lives.
Don’t know what to give that special man on your list? How about sending him a package of steaks? Don’t go ordinary though. Check out the offerings at Lobel’s of New York, purveyors of dry-aged steaks, USDA prime and more gourmet items since 1840. They, too, have some delicious recipes on their site.
Telluride Vodka: Spirit of Our Mountains
Here’s another great gift idea for guys although gals have been raving about it, too. Order a bottle of Telluride Vodka, a spirit made from corn and our pristine mountain waters of T-ride. Its taste is as refined as its packaging. Contact Brad and mention Bonjour Colorado to receive $5. off every bottle you purchase.
The holidays would not be truly festive without chocolate. Telluride Truffle still gets my vote as the finest chocolatier of the Rockies and their packaging is so gifty that you know receiving anything from this fine purveyor of treats will make anyone smile. I’m crazy for their cookies, which, loaded with almonds, pecans, raisins and Belgian chocolate chips, strike a yummy combo between crunchy and chewy. Type in promo code Paris10 in the Redeem Coupon Box to receive a 10% discount on online orders.
Alpen Schatz is another Telluride institution of sorts. Owner Mary Dawn DeBraie showcases alpine treasures, superior quality products from the Alps that integrate the mountain spirit into our lives in her Telluride boutique and online store. From handmade Swiss belts and dog collars, to boiled wool hats from Austria to hand finished silk Italian scarves, Alpen Schatz offers an array of original gift ideas for men, women, teens and children. Can’t go wrong with Old World charm and tradition. Type in Bonjour upon check out to receive your special 10% discount. Click on the play button below to hear Mary Dawn talk about Alpen Schatz.
Alpine-Inspired Silk Scarves from Alpen Schatz
Imperial Torte from Vienna
Telluride Gift Baskets rounds up many artisan-style food items in Colorado including jerky, jams, honeys, mustards and more. If you mention Bonjour Colorado, you’ll receive a complimentary Chocolove candy bar with your order.
Looking for the nec plus ultra in gift giving this year? Send a Viennese Imperial Torte to the globetrotting chocolate-lover in your life. Confectioned from mocha cream, sandwiched between six crispy layers, and then surrounded by an exquisite marzipan and enrobed in dark chocolate, these jewel-like creations are shipped directly to you from Hotel Imperial in Vienna. The packaging alone transports you to this elegant city where refinement and tradition reign supreme. And if you don’t wait too long, there’s still time to order for Christmas deliveries.
Still in search of something unusual, perhaps a collectible that won’t be gobbled up in one meal? I discovered The Autograph Source on a recent trip to Aspen and have become a fan of both their boutique and online store ever since. Do peruse it—it’s great fun. You can find all kinds of cool stuff from one of Eric Clapton’s guitars, signed by “the man” himself to an autographed photograph of President Obama. Mention Bonjour Colorado to receive your 10% discount here.
Eric Clapton's Signed Guitar from The Autograph Source
Are you still in search of something out of the ordinary, a fun and totally affordable little gift idea? Why not gourmet sea salts? In flavors such as lavender rosemary, bloody mary, niçoise olive and cherry pistachio, Secret Stash Sea Salts will turn you on to something new. And if you really want to express yourself in your gifting, go for the coconut or almond cardamom. Now that’s what I calling adding some zest to life!
I’d like to round out my recommendations with two French favorites: Spirit of Provence and Quel Objet. The Provençal olive oil imported by Spirit of Provence has been flying off the shelves of the finest boutiques in Aspen and Vail. (Yes, Margie, the owner, is a Coloradan, based in Boulder.) Check out her Provençal pottery, too. You’ll find French gift ideas galore at Quel Objet including superior quality tea towels and tablecloths, lovely soaps and creams, French market baskets and bouquets garnis, perfect for stews and soups, which you’ll find you can’t live without.
I think magazine subscriptions always make for great gifts, especially if you match the right publication to the right reader. I have two favorite publications about France that I enjoy receiving: France Today and France Magazine. They’re both offering special holiday gift subscriptions for Bonjour Colorado readers. France Magazine will include a free issue with every gift subscription; click here and type in PRO7G. Click here for France Today and enter promo code CORP09 to receive 20% off. They also publish France-Amérique, a publication in French (great for honing your French language skills). Click here for that subscription and be sure to enter the CORP09 code to receive your 20% discount.
Since I’ve simplified your shopping, I hope you’ll be able to find some time to read a few of my many stories about travel, beauty, shopping, food and wine and more here on my blog. Shopping needn’t be so tiresome.
Visit my Shopping Page to read more about some of my favorite purveyors.
Baaaa-est Tidings from All of Us!
Art & Culture Hotels & Lodging Restaurants Shopping Spas Travel: Art & Culture Hotels & Lodging Restaurants Shopping Spas Travel
by maribeth
Comments Off on Mid-Atlantic Discoveries: Baltimore
Mid-Atlantic Discoveries: Baltimore
Historic Fell’s Point
When my boyfriend, Steve, asked me to accompany him to his brother’s wedding on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, I didn’t expect that the trip would grow into such a big travel week (actually more like ten days). But I should have known that that would be the case since the travel writer in me itched for new experiences and, of course, it takes more doing than one flight to reach the Outer Banks from Telluride. It’s rare that I can go to a place and just BE; instead I seek to live it fully, gathering all kinds of information along the way, jotting down notes, doing what I can to find the story.
We flew from Denver to Baltimore and since I had never visited this major hub, I decided it was a must-see. It did not disappoint me in the slightest. We stayed our first night together on the east coast at The Admiral Fell Inn, a historic property on Fell’s Point, Baltimore’s original port and Maryland’s first National Historic District. (The area was spared destruction in the late sixties after a grassroots effort prevented construction of a highway plumb through this now happening neighborhood. Can you imagine?)
Once dominated by ship building and commerce, today Fell’s Point is a charming harbor side district characterized by centuries-old buildings, eclectic shops, lively taverns and cobbled streets made from bricks of granite used for ship ballast. Goods once flowed through the wharves and warehouses of Fell’s Point with as many as eighteen shipyards operating in the area, building hundreds of vessels. Many of these structures have recently been converted into fun spaces for people to live and play; others, such as the taverns, have existed for ages.
Food & Wine Shopping: Food & Wine Shopping
by maribeth
Comments Off on Great Online Boutiques for the Holidays
Great Online Boutiques for the Holidays
Sure you might plan to cut back this year, but I know you’ll still do some shopping. And if you’re anything like me, you’ll be picking up as much for the people on your list as for yourself! This is the one big time of the year when we get out into the stores or even better, cozy up to the online boutiques.
I’m easing your Internet shopping searches by presenting you with some of the best boutiques I’ve found on the Web. As always, quality, originality, fun and even ambiance count a lot for me in my shopping experience and I can assure you that that’s just what you’ll find in the establishments below.
So put on the kettle and fix yourself a nice cup of tea.
Prime Rib Roast from Allen Brothers---yum!
Food items are a big hit with most people most of the time. You want to make it good though—none of those Hickory Farms gift boxes for me, thank you. How about steak, rib roast or Beef Wellington for your mother-in-law’s holiday table? (Or for yours? Remember, one for me, one for you.) You’ll find the finest meat in the land at Allen Brothers. You might want to consider smoked salmon as a starter for that special holiday feast. Call Bill Tomicki (805-969-5848), editor of ENTREE, to place an order of delicious gently smoked or smoke-roasted salmon from Santa Barbara Smokehouse for you and your best friends.
If you want to go all French on me, you’ll finish off this feast with a glorious cheese platter and a lightly-dressed salad. Contact Vermont Butter and Cheese Company for your most refined creamery needs such as delectable goat cheeses, crème fraîche, mascarpone and a sea salted cultured butter that would make you swear you’d just procured it from the Sunday morning market in Normandy. Call upon My Boulangerie for ready-to-bake artisanal breads to arrive at your door in time to pop them in the oven for your special meals. You’ll also feel as though you’re in Paris when you nibble on My Boulangerie’s buttery croissants, brioches and a variety of other French bakery items and treats.
Specialty Goat Cheese from Vermont Butter and Cheese
O.K., now if you go the whole nine yards and really do it up in style, you’ll serve a lovely tray of coffee and chocolates at the end of your fine repast. (Or provide the necessary ingredients so that your loved ones may do so.) The Broadmoor Hotel boasts a robust blend of coffee, rich and elegant, worthy of the name of this world-renowned establishment. Telluride Truffle rings in as the finest chocolates of the Rockies, and if you truly want to round out the selection of quality mountain-born sweets, you’ll order some famous almond toffee from Enstrom’s.
I love recommending top-of-the-line products from the West and France, all in the same breath. High Desert Foods will fill your pantry (oh, that’s right—this is supposed to be about gifting) with the glorious flavors of organic fruits grown in the red rock country of the Colorado plateau. Fruit confitures, tomato sauces and smoke dried tomatoes stand out among their specialties. Look for more to come in the upcoming months. Telluride Gift Baskets rounds up many other artisan- style food items in Colorado including jerky, jams, honeys, mustards and more. All are arranged with great care in Colorado-made baskets, perfect for friends and family that enjoy delectable treats packaged with heaps of mountain charm. More jams and specialty food items—this time with a French flair—may be procured at Trois Crepes, a Web-based business that also distributes some of France’s best baking ingredients such as chestnut cream. Ever hear of wine confits? They are flavorful little jellies that catapult even your finest cheese offerings into an extraordinary gastronomic adventure. You may purchase these and other prized comestibles from France along with a plethora of handsome nonfood gift items at Quel Objet.
High Desert Blackberry & Wild Blueberry Conserve
How about going a little green? You can outfit most of the people on your list with a beautiful, handmade water bottle from Harmonik. Made of eco-friendly materials whenever possible, Harmonik Bottles are like totable works of art that people are sure not to leave behind. Plastic castoffs begone! For the wee ones in your life, shop at Eco-Kids for all natural creative play-dough and fingerpaint. You’ll find more fun ideas for children at CBHStudio, especially in the Little Packrats section. I’m gaga over their colorful totes and backpacks that feature happy animal designs of horses, dogs, penguins and other lovable critters. Oh, to be a kid again. But big kids can have fun shopping here, too, especially on the messenger and laptop bag pages where you’ll find more style-y creations which are also crafted out of durable vinyl. For more great green gift ideas, check out what I wrote about Daryl Hannah just a couple of months ago.
Doggie Knapsack from Packrats: How Cute is That?
For clothing for men, women and children, why not be fanciful with eye-catching togs from BaliDog? These Telluride-designed, Brazilian made creations are just as well suited for the yoga studio as for a night out on the town. But I can’t stray long from the Old World. A tour around the Alpen Schatz Web site is almost as heartwarming as visiting Christkindlmarkt, the Christmas markets of Germany. Here you’ll discover all kinds of alpine treasures for men, women, children and even your pets (definitely not to be forgotten this time of year). High-style items for both you and your doggies include traditional leather belts and collars handcrafted in the alps.
Did I just say handcrafted? Absolutely. Why not buy something truly extraordinary that will be cherished for years or at least for the duration of two to three good ski seasons? I’m talking 100 percent, American made, supremely-crafted goods here. Museum quality. Birdhouseking showcases handmade birdhouses of heirloom stature, fashioned by a master woodworker that is eighty-five years young. Exceptional carpentry skills (and lots of high tech know-how) are applied to entirely different objets d’art at Wagner Custom Skis. Located just outside of Telluride, Wagner crafts sybaritic boards in a progressive, super eco-friendly manner.
I think the only ones I’ve forgotten about so far are Leo and Clara. That would be my two kitties. Of course I fit the model of a single woman with two cats who sits on her couch, sips tea and reads while her pussycats are curled up beside her. (Oh, if life was only always so good!) I’m quite confident in any event that my little babies will be receiving some lovingly crafted, earth-friendly pet toys from Purrfectplay this year. That sweet little site also sells pet bedding, good to know if ever I decide to kick them off of my bed.
Be sure to visit my Shopping page on this site where I’ve written more extensively about my favorite online boutiques. There you’ll also find an offer for a special discount from Telluride Truffle when you order from them on my behalf. Next to tea, cats and books, chocolates are also a girl’s best friend.
Bon Shopping!
Just a Few More Ideas
I think magazine and newsletter subscriptions always make for great gifts, especially if you match the right publication to the right reader. For Paris, Paris Notes is my all-time favorite. For all of France, subscribe to France Magazine. Right now they’re offering holiday gift subscriptions at a reduced rate; click here and be sure to use promotion code PR07G. And for a good read on high-end travel (and some shopping) worldwide, check out the above mentioned ENTREE.
Colorado Hotels & Lodging Restaurants The Rockies Travel: Colorado Hotels & Lodging Redstone Restaurants The Rockies Travel
by maribeth
2 comments
Redstone Rendez-Vous
Redstone Inn: One of Colorado’s Best-Kept Secrets
After having been away a month, I couldn’t wait to get back to Telluride. I just wanted to sleep in my own bed with my two kitties and bury myself into the quiet of my little mountain nest. The drive from Denver to T-ride is about seven hours and since I’m not much of a car person, I like to break it up with a stop at my brother David’s house. He and his wife, Geri, live in Redstone, Colorado, a charming little town very much at the halfway point of my Denver/Telluride journey. Normally I would stay overnight, giving us plenty of time to catch up; but the three of us were rather pressed for time, so they suggested we lunch at the Redstone Inn instead.
Beauty Colorado Hotels & Lodging Spas Telluride: Beauty Colorado Hotels & Lodging Spas Telluride
by maribeth
4 comments
Spray Tanning: Bronzage in a Bottle
The Peaks Resort & Spa
The days were ticking by in Telluride before I was to leave for a month of travels. As with every pre-trip departure, I had a ton to do. But I was prioritizing my chores and a last-minute beauty treatment had made it to the top of my list.
My mountain pallor wasn’t going to cut it back east where I knew I’d be sporting all kinds of summery attire including a bathing suit. Although it can be delightfully warm—even downright hot—in Telluride in the summer, we do typically have a good amount of rain and cool weather, so it can be a challenge to build up much color, especially if you spend a lot of time at your desk. (The little tan I had was truly a hiker’s tan, so clearly I needed some quick evening out.)
I set up an appointment for a spray tanning, one of the newest services added to the many treatments offered at the Golden Door Spa at The Peaks, Telluride’s landmark resort. I had already seen one girl that had been spray tanned this spring and I was truly amazed by the results.
