Colorado Outdoor Adventures Podcasts Shopping Travel: Colorado Outdoor Adventures Podcasts Shopping Travel
by maribeth
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Bootdoctors Offers Further Adventures
Rollicking on the River with Further Adventures
Did you know that most of our mountain towns attract more visitors in the summer than in the winter? Heck, yeah. As the saying goes, “I came for the winter and stayed for the summers.” Our hills are alive with all kinds of great outdoor activities. Actually our mountains, valleys and streams furnish glorious backdrops for fair weather fun of every stripe.
I chatted with Bob Gleason, owner/operator of Bootdoctors and Further Adventures, in a recent Travel Fun interview and he provided me with a fantastic overview of the rafting, fly fishing, hiking and biking in Telluride, Colorado and the outlying area. Between the lush alpine landscape and the rugged red rock of southwestern Colorado, the whole region offers many stunning experiences both on the water and off.
“I like to play on those H2O molecules all year round,” Bob says. It’s true that as the snowpack melts, the level of fun rises on our rivers and streams. This year’s flow will be rather thin, yet there are still good times to be had. Further Adventures arranges rafting trips on two different rivers in southwestern Colorado: the San Miguel and the Uncompahgre. This year the season is super short on the San Miguel (only through early June), although most years you can run the river through the end of July. Bob and his band of river guides will be conducting float trips on the Uncompahgre all summer long.
“There’s nothing like floating thru a river canyon to see the geology of the area,” Bob says when talking about some of the highlights of river rafting in the West. “Any time you spend on a body of water is a time of peace. The Native Americans called the river system the veins of our mother,” he adds.
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Colorado Denver Hotels & Lodging Restaurants: Colorado Denver Hotels & Lodging Restaurants
by maribeth
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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
Art & Culture Colorado Denver Fashion & Style Podcasts Travel: Art & Culture Colorado Denver Fashion & Style Podcasts
by maribeth
Comments Off on Denver Art Museum Salutes Yves Saint Laurent and More
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.
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Colorado Mountain Living Podcasts Telluride Travel: Colorado Mountain Living Podcasts Telluride Travel
by maribeth
Comments Off on From Telluride to Maui: Alan Bradbury’s Garden of Eden
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.
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Colorado Shopping Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride: Colorado Shopping Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride
by maribeth
Comments Off on Spring Skiing, Spring Shopping
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
by maribeth
Comments Off on Springing Forward on Fresh Snow Beneath a Colorado Blue Sky
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
by maribeth
Comments Off on Telluride Women’s Week: Skiing and Fun for the Ladies
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 & Lodging Travel: Colorado Denver Hotels & Lodging Travel
by maribeth
Comments Off on Denver Airport Marriott at Gateway Park: A Refuge in the Storm
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.
