Bonjour Colorado

Vail Summer Fun: Enjoying the Ford Legacy Amidst Blooms and Tunes

Upper Alpine Pools and Aspen Trees at Betty Ford Alpine Gardens

Our mountain meadows and towns blossom into wondrous playgrounds almost as soon as the snow melts here in the Rockies.

It’s not always easy, however, to hike up to high alpine pastures to marvel at our summertime display of wildflowers. Even if we do, there’s little chance we could delight in the beauty of the mountain flora while being serenaded by a world-class orchestra. Yet this midsummer scenario is possible in the city of Vail.

BFAG Alpine Rock Garden

Such was the case one morning recently when I strolled into the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens, a carefully crafted celebration of the beauty and diversity of alpine flora, open daily from sunrise to sunset, from snowmelt to snowfall, for all to see. Experiencing the gentle waterfalls, alpine ponds and rock gardens of this colorful site would have pleased me immensely on its own. But lucky me. Both times I meandered through these gardens and the nearby trails of Ford Park, I was wooed by the sound of music, the sound of the Philadelphia Orchestra to be exact. The butterflies—along with my step—appeared to bounce sprightly from flower bed to flower bed with each new stanza.

I quickly learned that the orchestra was rehearsing in the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, a marvelous outdoor venue, located next to the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens. This little prelude prompted me to rearrange my schedule in order to attend an evening performance, one of many musical events put on by the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival through August 3rd.

I traded my sportswear and flip flops for a flouncy skirt and top and went hand in hand to the concert with my hunny who was also smartly dressed. And thank goodness we were. What a chic congregation! We both agreed that this is where we saw one of the greatest concentrations of tony folk—all fit, tanned and well turned out—in the Rockies. Most were of un certain age, which to us dispelled our previously held notion that you don’t see many older people in the mountains. (Really you don’t but if you’re going to see a good show of them, it’s likely to be at one of the many culturally- or intellectually-stimulating events that take place in Aspen and Vail during the summer.)

Bravo! at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater

The scene was perfectly charming. We bobbed between avid outdoor concert goers who clearly knew a thing or two about picnic-ing en élégance. (I spotted one golden-crusted quiche delicately dished out with a silver server by an attractive picnic goer.) The venue’s wine concession impressed me the most though. Never before had I seen such a variety of bottles served up so efficiently—complete with plastic wine bucket and glasses—for guests to bring back to their seats, both on the lawn and within the amphitheater. Grande classe. Truly this was not a popcorn and soda crowd, although these snacks sell here as well.

Phillie's View from the Stage

The notes from the concert continued to dance blissfully in our heads as we strolled out of the Ford Park on this beautiful summer’s eve. The vibrant, whimsical scene at the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens complemented the sophisticated setting of the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater to a T.

And throughout, the magnificent Rocky mountains stood as the backdrop for all.

One Sweet Boutique

Ford Park is located at the east end of Vail off Gore Creek Drive.

Know that the Vail International Dance Festival holds many of its performances at the Gerald Ford Amphitheater from July 27th through August 10th as well.

Don’t miss the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens Gift Shops.  The Schoolhouse at Betty Ford Alpine Gardens is open daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Visit this adorable old structure for a harvest of gift items, all on the garden theme. Their Alpine Treasures in-town gift shop in Vail Village is open year-round.

This is It: MJ and The Black Legend

No Words Can Describe this Black Legend

Leave it to the French. They’re always on the cutting edge of what’s hot. They’re usually the harbingers of the next big happening, the next thing with which we should be consumed. Just think of Louis XIV and the role he played in ballet—it’s largely thanks to his interest in this dance that ballet gained such prominence in eighteenth century France, a notoriety that has grown throughout the centuries. He did the same for hairdressing. And how about American jazz? Nowhere has jazz been so revered as in Paris.

So I should have intuitively sensed something last spring when I received a press release announcing the creation of The Black Legend Monaco, a new nightspot on the French Riviera that pays tribute to Motown Music. It captured my attention since it’s part of Groupe Floirat, the same family-owned company that’s behind the celebrated Hotel Byblos in Saint-Tropez and its legendary nightclub, Les Caves du Roy. Oddly enough Michael Jackson died tragically as the finishing touches were applied to this ultra swanky hotspot in the tiny Principality of Monaco. Was it providential for the French to place such a heavy accent on Motown Music or was it just a sure bet?

It doesn’t matter. I’m left thinking of that club tonight. I wish I could beam myself in to it and dance the night away to the music of Smokey Robinson, The Four Tops, The Jackson 5 and, of course, Michael Jackson. You see I just returned from the last showing of “This is It” from our historic Nugget Theater of Telluride. (Movies typically arrive here four to six weeks after they open nationally.) And I want to dance, I want to groove to MJ’s beat.

I pitied the poor person behind me in the theater since I didn’t stop moving my head throughout the almost two hours of the film. Tapping my foot wasn’t enough. Then when the movie ended I felt that I could sit back down and watch it all over again; now that’s something that never occurred to me before. I felt the music and dance in my bones and I just wanted it to keep on going. I felt somewhat consoled at the end of the film by these lines: Michael Jackson, King of Pop, Love Lives Forever. His music is love and that’s what will keep his memory alive.

The Black Legend Monaco opened October 29th with Prince Albert II and some 1800 privileged guests in attendance including The Supremes and Martha Reeves and the Vandellas. What a party they must have had. I’m guessing the scene has been going off ever since. MJ would surely approve, especially since nobody does a nightclub like the Europeans.

I know what’s on my travel wish list for 2010. You just might want to put it on yours. And if you haven’t seen “This is It,” I suggest you do.

Visit This is It and The Black Legend Monaco to begin to get your groove on.

Interior of The Black Legend Monaco

Summer in Telluride: A Sea of Festivals and More

Shopping for Chic in Telluride---Yet Another Summer Activity!

Lolling at the pool at The Peaks.  Hiking.  Gazing at the riot of colors created by the wildflowers that dot our hillsides and valleys.  Indulging in simple picnics of wine and cheese at the Wednesday Sunset Concert Series.  Wearing flip flops, shorts and a fleece.  Soaking in a hot tub after having gotten caught in a summer storm and been chilled to the bone.  Watching the ever-changing dance of gathering clouds and distant rains form in the sky high above our mountain tops.  Smelling the freshness of our air, grass, plants and trees.  Admiring the pert and pretty flower displays that embellish the town’s array of Victorian houses.  Spotting the marmots sunbathing on the rocks beneath the gondola.  Eating a fresh Palisade peach from the open-air markets.  Sipping a cup of tea on a rainy summer afternoon.  Consulting the calendar for the upcoming weekend’s line up of events.

Carbon Neutral Smoothies: Only In Telluride

These are a few of my favorite things about summer in Telluride.  And as usual, this season kicked off with a stunning set of events.  Summer was officially ushered in the last day of Bluegrass when the Telluride House Band (consisting of Jerry Douglas, Béla Fleck and Sam Bush, to name a few) played past the longest day of the year and furnished foot-stomping music into the dark of the night.  Wine Festival weekend followed and for the first time ever I attended their Sunday Brunch, a lovely affair where one can sip seemingly bottomless glasses of Champagne and delight in a delicious spread in one of the most awe-inspiring settings in the world:  Telluride Town Park.  I was thrilled to partake in this elegant party—complete with white tablecloths and petits fours—made even more magnificent against such a stunning backdrop.  As is the case at nearly all Wine Festival events, there was a lot of wine on hand to sample and many discoveries to be made.  (My latest is Windmill, an Old Vine Zinfandel that I can buy at the local liquor store for just over $10.)

The July 4th holiday marked the third weekend in our now renowned summertime trifecta of events.  It was a good ‘ole fashioned 4th of July replete with a big parade, root beer floats, barbecue, lots of games and a fireworks display that could be the envy of many a town, big and small.  And since this is Telluride, all was spiced up with a flash of flesh, humor and politics, most notably in Irrational Exuberance, the top prize winner of the parade, that spoofed the greed and conspicuous consumption of our country in recent years.

George Clinton: The Godfather of Funk

Thank goodness the Telluride Yoga Festival is on the docket for this weekend.  By now, many of us need to tone it down a few notches.  Oh, but wait.  There’s the KOTO Doo Dah tonight, the radio station’s annual summer concert that has featured artists such as Jackson Browne, Lyle Lovett and Bob Dylan in the past.  George Clinton, godfather of funk, and Parliament are this year’s headliners.  Word is that some twenty-five people including dancers and back up will be on stage for this funkadelic happening that’s sure to go down as one of the summer’s best concerts.  Rusted Root opens the show, a percussion-heavy, World Music-sounding act that could easily receive top billing themselves.

Then next Tuesday is Bastille Day, the French equivalent of our 4th of July.  I’ll be doing an event from 1 to 3 p.m. at Between the Covers bookstore here in Telluride to mark that holiday in characteristic French flair. Wine will be poured by the Wine Mine at Pacific Street Liquors and sweet and savory treats will be provided by the New Sheridan Chop House, La Marmotte and Jean-Louis.

The following weekend marks the Nothing Festival where supposedly no scheduled event takes place in T-ride except for a bunch of nude people pedaling down our main street.  (We know, though, that there’s always something going on in our spectacular mountain town.)

July wraps up with the Cajun Festival, a Friday-night event that promises to be a hot and happening affair punctuated by great music and delicious eats from the Bayou.

And that’s just a brief overview of a Telluride summer through the end of July!  I hope that before August roles around, I’ll be able to carve out more time for my favorite things because they represent the very best part of Telluride.

Skiing and Spa Going: Part One in Vail, Colorado

Après Ski Necessities at Vail Plaza Hotel & Club

What?  Don’t tell me you’re tired of hearing about skiing.  While most die-hard skiers are still plowing through mashed potatoes and corn snow at ski areas such as A-Basin in Colorado and Mammoth Mountain in California, most of us ardent ski buffs have finally resigned ourselves to hanging up our skis for the season.  But smart travelers should begin contemplating next season.  

If any of you out there (devoted readers, for example) have been waiting with bated breath to read about my weekend with Steve (see Weekend Expectations blog below), I can tell you our time together scored exceedingly high marks.  We, in fact, spent two weekends in a row together in April experiencing end-of-ski-season bliss.  Plus we learned that spring is a great time to ski and spa go without dealing with the crowds.  Bargains are excellent during this time as well.  (The same, of course, holds true for early season in November and the first half of December.)

Vail and Its Fairytale-Like Village

We zipped off to Vail after Telluride officially closed to experience the fun and fanfare of their closing weekend.  A spring storm dumped impressive amounts of snow on the mountain beginning the Thursday before.  Had it not been for Steve nursing an extremely sore back (from apparently having skied too hard the previous weekend in T-ride which had also benefited from an outstanding snowfall at its closing), I would have feared more powder day problems.  Instead we carried on like two lovers on a weekend getaway where skiing and mountain fun entered into only part of the equation (wink, wink).

I had only been to Vail once before many years ago for my PSIA (Professional Ski Instructor of America) certification, so this time I was eager to discover it for real.  Steve gladly toured me around Vail’s renowned back bowls and I was thrilled to find myself cruising on black terrain considerably softer than what we have in T-ride.  (Of course I love our steeps but they do require more effort.)  After just a few hours of skiing, however, Steve declared that his back had had enough.  That was fine with me since by then I felt as though I had a good grasp of the mountain and looked forward to the day when I could return and really wear myself out at this world renowned resort.

This left us with time to explore Vail Village, a pedestrian-friendly assemblage of shops, restaurants, bars and places of lodging that truly made us feel like we were on vacation.   One might look at this Bavarian-inspired hamlet as hokey (I have in the past), but it really does transport you to a faraway land and we jumped on for the ride.  Steve, with his family ties to the Italian Alps, pointed out how authentic these alpine chalets really were in their construction and interpretation.  This enchanted me even more, so I suggested we stop for a coffee and a strudel at Hotel-Gastof Gramshammer, one of the more charming wooden establishments in the area, founded in 1965 by Austrians Sheika and Pepi Gramshammer.

It was a good choice.  We sat at their German beer garden terrace and then later discovered that this classic alpine establishment also housed two other restaurants, a particularly animated bar and hotel rooms above.  I wasn’t sure whether I was more wooed by its charm or Steve’s attentiveness.  

End-of-Ski-Season Festivities

We quickly changed at our room at the Italian-inspired Vail Plaza Hotel & Club.  We were already immensely enjoying this hotel, maybe because we had had such a heartwarming introduction the night before when we sat in Bacco’s Bar, the hotel bar, and soaked up the sensational sounds of singer/guitar player, Wil Roberts, one of the hotel’s regular performers.  Wil sang everyone’s favorites from “Bye, Bye Miss American Pie” to “Brown Eyed Girl.”  His repertory of acoustic pop is vast, yet we decided we liked his James Taylor songs the best.  The service was also excellent at the hotel and since it was not peak season, they offered fantastic deals on their rooms.  We also quickly discovered that the location of Vail Plaza was prime, and were sorry we weren’t staying through Sunday night to take in the end-of-the-season bash that was going to take place steps away after the mountain closed for the season the next day.

Now though it was time to poke around Beaver Creek, an even more high-end and challenging ski destination just down the road from Vail in Avon.  The mountain had closed the weekend before but I was curious to check out the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa, a resort I had heard much about over the years.  I had arranged a brief tour of their Allegria Spa, which had already made its way to the top of my must-see list years ago.  Both of us practically melted.  The elegant decor in muted colors, the redolent smells of wildflower and juniper baths and the omnipresent sound of soothing waters, lulled us into a state of relaxation combined with admiration for all that had been created here.  Allegria is Italian for happiness and indeed their modern day re-creation of Roman bathes won us over more than we could have imagined.  (Since both of us are in the hospitality business, we’ve visited many spas.)  “This is the nicest couples’ massage room I’ve ever seen,” Steve said as we admired the cozy, yet sophisticated, Mountain View Room, replete with fireplace and two luxurious massage tables.

“C’mon, we have to go to dinner,” I said pulling at his sleeve.  

“I could stay here all night,” he practically whimpered.

8100 Before the Crowd Arrived

Dinner at 8100 Mountainside Bar & Grill, the Park Hyatt’s recently redesigned restaurant, wasn’t such a bad alternative.  We enjoyed the swanky interior and lively ambiance in the two large rooms filled with mostly fortysomething diners.  (Quite surprising for off-season!)  It seemed as though we were all grooving to the Euro lounge music and the delightfully prepared food laid before us, all made from the freshest ingredients from local and prized purveyors.  

We slept in the next day and enjoyed our first luxurious Sunday morning together since the ski areas had opened for the season.  Steve’s back still ached and I made it known that we didn’t have to ski Vail’s last day.  We both yearned for the spa.  I knew that Vail Plaza Hotel boasted their own Sorrento Spa, but we couldn’t get our minds off of Allegria.  The rest of the morning was spent strolling about Vail Village scanning the ski shops for extraordinary end-of-the-year bargains and breathing in the freshness of this glorious spring day.  

We brunched at Alpenrose, another exceedingly quaint alpine-styled bistro, where we basked in the sunshine on their terrace facing the mountain.  We both felt as though we were back in the Old World together.  Steve ordered a Bratwurst while I chose to be more adventuresome with a Leberkâse, a sort of bologna served over a bed of creamed spinach with pan roasted potatoes, topped with a fried egg.  The perfect accompaniment to my mimosa.  

The time had come to roll out of town and to make one more pass at Allegria.  We changed into our bathing suits—full bellies and all–and tiptoed out to the Spa’s open air pool and hot tubs, located a snowball’s throw away from Beaver Creek’s lifts.  We padded back inside to the Aqua Sanitas, or healing waters, to truly embark upon our water ritual.  We began together at the Thermae Pool, the hot co-ed pool that evokes a natural spring.  We then parted and continued our self-guided tour in the privacy of the separate male and female quarters.  Later we compared notes about each other’s experience at the Cascata Rainshower, the Caldarium Steam Room and the Tepidarium.  (I had decided to skip the Caldarium Mineral Pools since I was already feeling like a prune but, of course, later regretted it.)  I marveled at how all those water therapies seemed to penetrate my very core and neither of us had even had a treatment such as a massage.  I dozed most of the way home.

Thermae at Allegria

“You know what was so great about all that, too?”  I said to Steve.  “There wasn’t a soul around.”

“I know, we had the whole spa to ourselves,” he replied.  “End-of-the-season is really one of the best times to take in a ski resort.”

“I agree.  Even if you don’t do a whole lot of skiing,”  I said with a wink.

Vail Mountain, www.vail.com

Vail Plaza Hotel, 866-597-5963, www.vailplazahotel.com

Hotel-Gastof Gramshammer, 970-476-5626, www.pepis.com

Alpenrose, 970-476-8899

Another Favorite Vail Restaurant

La Bottega, 970-476-0280, www.labottegavail.com; an authentic Northern Italian restaurant also located in Vail Village.

Beaver Creek

Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort and Spa, 970-949-1234, www.beavercreek.hyatt.com

Allegria Spa, 970-748-7500, www.allegriaspa.com

Night Out in Telluride

I moved to Telluride almost six years ago largely for its scenery, sunshine and sophistication.  I often say that the world comes to Telluride and am amazed by the number of renowned musicians, authors and movers and shakers from the film industry and other creative and scientific domains that consistently descend upon our little mountain town, often to perform or share their work in a small venue.  These people are drawn to the beauty and mystique of Telluride as much as the average ski bum is in awe over our plunging slopes and lively bars.  

Our world-class festivals bring in much of this talent, extraordinary happenings that take place for the most part from Memorial Day to Labor Day, attracting devotees and casual observers from near and far.  Thankfully Telluride’s special attractions are not just reserved for the summer months.  There’s plenty to take in here year-round, making it exceedingly difficult to remain idle in this remote mountain town, even in the dead of winter or the thick of off-season.  

Grooving to Grupo Fantasma at the Sheridan Opera House

Many of the events are, in fact, hosted by the big festivals.  Such was the case recently at the Sheridan Opera House, where the Telluride Jazz Festival put on their winter concert to a sell out crowd.  Anything the Telluride Jazz Festival does is of the highest quality, so my interest was naturally piqued when I learned that Grupo Fantasma, a ten-piece latin band, would be showcased this year.  Seeing such a sizzling ensemble of musicians jamming on the tiny stage of our historic opera house could not be missed.  (As one of Telluride’s landmark sites, this jewel box of a theater has featured illustrious performers such as Lillian Gish, Sarah Bernhardt and Jackson Browne in its more than one-hundred-year-old existence.)

Sheridan Opera House: A Telluride Treasure

Plus the stakes were raised for this evening out.  The truth is I had heard about this show from the folks at my salsa class.  Salsa as in dancing, not sauce making.  I hadn’t taken a dance class since I was seven years old but in recent years I became increasingly consumed with the idea of signing up for lessons with a most willing partner.  (My days of dancing the alley cat in a fouffy party dress at the Country Club must have indeed marked me.   Or was it the yummy ice cream sundae that followed each session that had me hooked?)  

The Ah-haa School, one of Telluride’s fine assets, is a stronghold of learning and fun that offers a great variety of courses from silkscreening to yes, salsa dancing.  Why I started out with one of the most challenging dances known to man I do not know.  I had found my perfect partner in Steve (see Night Out in Telluride Mountain Village posting), so of course I thought if there’s a will there’s a way and surely we’d be dancing like two passionate latin lovers in no time.  Come again?  We moved clumsily through our various moves with about as much heat as two gringos doing the macarena at an Italian wedding reception.  But still we persevered.  This must be some kind of a test of our relationship, I thought to myself numerous times.  Up until then we enjoyed an amazingly harmonious existence (excepting the times he’d blow me off on powder days).   Now it seemed ridiculous to subject ourselves to consternation such as what step to take when. 

Attending Grupo Fantasma was to be a coming out party of sorts for our salsa class.  Sure our teacher, the lovely Debbie Reynolds (most aptly named!), was to be there but she would not be calling out quick, quick, slow, quick, quick, slow to us the way she lead us through each move in class.  

The Vault Room at La Coçina de Luz

Many of us gathered at La Cocina de Luz, a favorite locals’ restaurant, for dinner before the show.  We enjoyed our own special enclave within the Vault Room where we ate chips and salsa, sipped margaritas, savored mexican food lovingly prepared from the finest ingredients and swapped stories about who we really were beneath our dancing personas and where we hoped to go with our newly acquired hobby.  (I liked the idea of some of us going on a latin dance cruise the best!)

We pulled ourselves away from this colorful and lively establishment and braved the short, brisk walk down the street to the Opera House.  Grupo Fantasma did indeed turn the chilly night into a hot, sweaty happening fueled by a couple more drinks but most of all our earnest desire to dance the night away with real passion and minimal stepping on each other’s feet.  Steve almost gave up on us, lamenting that we couldn’t follow the beat and that I kept attempting to lead.  

Then suddenly we clicked.  We were dancing the salsa.  I looked around and realized that the only people that did anything other than hippie dancing were those from our little salsa class.  We felt truly initiated into the exciting world of latin dancing (even though I’m sure we looked like total white folk).  We signed up for another series of classes.  We talked about taking a trip to Vegas where there’s no shortage of salsa.  We dreamed about breaking out into a sensuous salsa some day in South America like two dark haired latin lovers on a spotlighted stage.  I started tuning in to “Dancing with the Stars” to check out the moves on the salsa dances.  We started to feel more and more latino with every class.

“Jazz Festival will be here soon enough,” I mentioned to Steve.  “Maybe there will even be a latin act on the town park stage or at the opera house,” I added, hinting at the opportunity to dance more to some great live music.

“We better get practicing then,” he replied with a hint of a smile on his curled up mouth.

“I’ll check the salsa CDs out of the library.  You’d better start polishing your shoes.”

Soup, Salad and Lots of Salsa in T-ride

Sheridan Opera House, 970-728-6363, www.sheridanoperahouse.com

Telluride Jazz Festival, 970-728-7009, www.telluridejazz.org

Ah-Haa School, 970-728-3886, www.ahhaa.org

La Coçina de Luz, 970-728-9355, www.lacocinatelluride.com

More Favorite Telluride Restaurants

New Sheridan Chop House, 800-200-1891 and 970-728-4351, www.newsheridan.com

Cosmo, 970-728-1292, www.cosmotelluride.com

Rustico, 970-728-4026, www.rusticoristorante.com

La Marmotte, 970-728-6263, www.lamarmotte.com

Thank you to Ron Semrod for the interior photo of the Sheridan Opera House.