Colorado Food & Wine Hotels & Lodging Restaurants Telluride The Rockies: Colorado Food & Wine Hotels & Lodging Restaurants Telluride The Rockies
by maribeth
Comments Off on Great Deals for Public Radio: Summer 2011
Great Deals for Public Radio: Summer 2011
It’ll be Dumping Before You Know It!
Here’s how you can land some great travel deals while supporting KOTO community radio in Telluride, one of the few entirely community-sponsored radio stations in the country. More and more people tune in on the Internet as well during T-ride’s famed Bluegrass Festival (when KOTO broadcasts live) or just any ‘ole day of the year. It’s a great way to get the flavor of a happening mountain town along with some fine music and talk.
If you don’t know about my Travel Fun radio show, please tune in live one of these Tuesdays. Or you may listen to some of my past interviews that I’ve posted as podcasts.
Now for the enticing travel deals to Telluride, Aspen and Denver, Colorado. I’ve highlighted below what you can snatch up in exchange for a pledge; just e-mail me through my Contacts Page to lock in your travel premium. (You can also go there to sign up for my RSS feed and/or to receive bi-monthly Travel Fun announcements. Be sure to provide all your contact information including phone and address (e-mail as well as snail mail, please) and your desired prize. Know that I’m accepting pledges on a first come, first serve basis, so act fast. Once your pledge is accepted and you’ve paid KOTO, you will receive your gift certificate for your chosen premium. more »
Colorado Hotels & Lodging Spas The Rockies: Colorado Hotels & Lodging Spas The Rockies
by maribeth
Comments Off on Glenwood Hot Springs: Swimming and Soaking Year-Round
Glenwood Hot Springs: Swimming and Soaking Year-Round
Summer Fun Year-Round at Glenwood Hot Springs
It’s been a great summer for hydrotherapy. With record-breaking temperatures hitting much of the country, people have been discovering more than ever the healing benefits of getting in the water. Out in the West, we’re spoiled since we have access to swimming and soaking all year long at many exciting destinations in our Rocky Mountain state. Colorado has some of the best hot springs in the country and certainly the granddaddy of them all is Glenwood Hot Springs, a natural geothermal spring with a flow rate of 143 liters per second. That’s a lot of fresh, hot mineral water for easing the stress out of your tired bones and muscles.
Best of all the Glenwood Hot Springs outdoor pool, which measures over two city blocks long, is always kept at a comfortable 90 to 93 degrees. Kids and adults love this temperature, ideal for playing on the water slide or swimming laps in the pool. For more therapeutic dunks, head to the other end of the pool where this mineral-rich water hovers around 104 degrees. Here in Colorado we’re blessed with a dry climate that renders even the hottest days perfectly pleasant. But oh, those Colorado nights. As soon as the sun slips down in the sky, there’s a chill in the air that makes soaking all the more enjoyable. And, of course, when fall and winter hit, you can really strike the right formula between hot and cold, especially if you’re lucky enough to find yourself at Glenwood Hot Springs with the snow falling down gently around you.
No wonder people have been flocking to these hot springs along the Colorado River for centuries. Originally referred to as “Yampah,” or “big medicine,” by the Ute Indians, the first known visitors to these springs, the site has always been revered for its great healing power. In 1888, the world’s largest hot springs pool was created in the newly established town of Glenwood Springs and since then, people have been traveling from all over the world to this healing wonder of the Rockies. I love how the original sandstone bathhouse and lodge, built in 1890, have been beautifully preserved and that the pool is kept nice and clean with a state-of-the-art ozone purification system.
Art & Culture Colorado Four Corners Hotels & Lodging Music & Dance Restaurants The Rockies: Art & Culture Colorado Four Corners Hotels & Lodging Music & Dance Restaurants The Rockies
by maribeth
Comments Off on Strater Hotel: the Grande Dame of Durango, Colorado
Strater Hotel: the Grande Dame of Durango, Colorado
Strater Hotel in Durango Backdropped by a Quintessential Colorado Blue Sky
If you’ve read some of my posts on my blog and/or if you’re familiar with my books on France, you likely know by now that I love hotels. Historic hotels in particular move me. I’m a big fan of experiencing these bastions of history and tradition during one’s travels, whether it’s to pop in for a drink or to stay a few nights. No matter how you choose to discover these landmark properties, a visit to them allows you to soak up the spirit of the place for either a brief moment or a more luxurious stay. The world is peppered with such places of lodging, steeped in history, that folks have been enjoying in many cases for more than a century. I encourage my readers to seek them out at every turn because it’s often within their splendiferous interiors that we gain the true essence of the place we’re visiting; it’s here we’re able to peer into the past while embracing the present.
In most cases, these fine establishments serve as the cornerstones of the cities and towns we love to visit. Many were built during the golden era of that destination in an effort to express to the world all that the town had achieved, all that the community was becoming. Erecting a notable place of lodging for business and leisure travelers alike was a sure-bet way of putting a destination on the map in addition to providing the right conditions for welcoming visitors in a more dignified and glorious manner.
Nearly every town and city in Colorado boasts a fine hotel, most of which were built during the boomtown era of the mining days toward the latter part of the nineteenth century. It was one of the most significant ways of saying “we’ve arrived.” Finally an old cow town could receive its potential investors and other movers and shakers of the day in a proper manner. The Strater Hotel in Durango, Colorado stands out as one of the finest examples of this necessity to build a handsome place of lodging in emerging towns throughout the West.
Colorado Music & Dance Telluride Telluride Festivals: Colorado Music & Dance Telluride Telluride Festivals
by maribeth
4 comments
Always on My Mind: Telluride Blues & Brews Festival and Willie Nelson
My Guy Willie
O.K., maybe not always on my mind, but at least quite often. I’m crazy about Willie Nelson and I can’t imagine a better place on earth to see him for the first time but right here in my beautiful backyard of Telluride, Colorado. For the eighteenth year in a row, Telluride Blues & Brews is gracing our most golden season—late summer—with a festival that combines world-class music and tasty brews in an unparalleled setting. And this year, Willie is one of the headliners.
View from the Stage at the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival
This three-day celebration goes off all over town by day and night in Telluride’s strikingly scenic Town Park as well as in indoor and outdoor venues in town. By day, you can enjoy live blues, rock, funk, gospel and soul and then at night you take it to the juke joints and after-hours jams all around town. The whole festival experience is one big glorious goodbye to summer, hello autumnal glory. This year Telluride Blues & Brews takes place September 16th, 17th and 18th and although lodging sells out fast for this peak weekend, there’s still plenty to choose from for planning a memorable trip to Telluride.
Colorado Food & Wine Music & Dance The Rockies: Colorado Food & Wine Music & Dance The Rockies
by maribeth
1 comment
BBQ, Blues and Beauty at Gateway Canyons
The Perfect Setting: Gateway’s Outdoor Amphitheater
There’s nothing like great music in a spectacular place.
That’s exactly what we had this past weekend in Telluride during the thirty-fifth annual Telluride Jazz Celebration, a three-day celebration that puts our whole town in a silky mood every year during the first weekend of August. And after this year’s love fest, this eclectic event appears to be stronger than ever.
It’s even more enticing to have good food added to great music and ambiance. You can count on a trifecta of those ingredients to a good time at the third annual BBQ Blues event on Saturday, September 3 at Gateway Canyons Resort. This year’s lineup features Denver-based diva Hazel Miller and her band. Known for infusing her songs with a primal dose of genuine soul, whether she’s singing the blues, jazz, pop or gospel, Ms. Miller has been called a “force of nature.” Miller has opened for Mel Tormé, James Brown, the Temptations, Earl Klugh, Bob James and many more. I’ve seen her in Telluride and I can tell you she puts on a show bursting with heart and soul.
Other notable blues artists will also be appearing at this special Labor Day weekend event that kicks off at noon at one of the most stunning resorts of the West. (Read my story Gateway Canyons: One Big Discovery) A craft and food fair will also be set up on the resort’s resplendent grounds and as the name suggests, there will be heaps of delicious BBQ for all to enjoy.
Though lodging at Gateway Canyons is sold out, camping is still available in the nearby meadows for festival attendees. Or if you’re lucky enough to be in and around western Colorado at that time, you can just plan an excursion to this fun event that promises to be well worth the trip. Barbecue and blues amidst the red rocks—summer fun doesn’t get much more sultry than that!
Click to see the full program of activities for Gateway’s BBQ Blues Festival and to reserve. You may also call 970-931-2458 for more information.
Colorado Hotels & Lodging Mountain Living Outdoor Adventures The Rockies: Colorado Hotels & Lodging Mountain Living Outdoor Adventures The Rockies
by maribeth
1 comment
In Praise of Rushing Water
View from Creek Side Bed & Breakfast in Cedaredge, Colorado
We’ve been in the throes of monsoon season throughout most of Colorado, that cool, wet time of year that typically rolls in with the fourth of July and leaves by Labor Day. It doesn’t rain every day, but you can count on a decent soaking at some point—usually in the afternoon—just in time to relieve us from the hot, Colorado sun. These bountiful rains have made our rivers and streams swell and our mountains and valleys verdant and lush. I feel for the people plagued with sweltering temperatures and drought in other parts of our country. Indeed, many Texans have been seeking relief here in our delicious alpine climate.
Colorado Denver Hotels & Lodging Restaurants: Denver Hotels & Lodging Restaurants
by maribeth
Comments Off on Summertime and the Livin’ Is Easy at the Denver Warwick Hotel
Summertime and the Livin’ Is Easy at the Denver Warwick Hotel
Red, Wet and Blue at Denver Warwick's Rooftop Oasis
With record-breaking temperatures hammering most of the country this summer, business and leisure travelers are delighting in hotels that offer something more than icey-cold, air conditioned guest rooms. Yeah, baby, it’s hot outside. But it’s also summer, the season intended for sitting outdoors to breath in fresh air and listen to the chirp, chirp, chirp of little birds.
Denver’s a great city for capturing this sort of bliss since even when temperatures soar well into the nineties, it’s dry enough that a quick dip in a pool or a leisurely moment on a shaded patio, can leave you feeling like you’re relaxing in a balmy seventy-five degrees. But the secret is to find those special havens where you can forget big-city life and lull yourself into some sultry summer fun. You’ll find just the place at the Denver Warwick Hotel in the heart of the mile-high city.
Randolph's at Dusk
Even if you’re not checking in to this superior quality establishment, you can enjoy a fine meal on the terrace at Randolph’s Restaurant and Bar, the hotel’s signature restaurant. Randolph’s presents a contemporary American cuisine served up with a Rocky mountain flair. Enjoy an Heirloom Ensalata Caprese, followed by a Rocky Mountain Red Ruby Trout Florentine and you’ll understand why this restaurant has become a favorite among Denver’s movers and shakers. (I’m sure they appreciate the relaxing atmosphere of Randolph’s terrace as well.)
You’ll want to be a guest at the Denver Warwick just to experience their rooftop swimming pool, a real rarity in any major metropolitan center. Not only is it a fun way to cool off, but it also offers some fine views of the Denver skyline.
After lolling poolside for a while, you can still pad off to your temperature-controlled guest room to flop on the bed. Fortunately there, too, the crisp, Rocky mountain air is close at hand because all of the rooms at the Denver Warwick boast their own private balcony.
Fresh and breezy. Here, summer never felt so good.
Denver Warwick Hotel, 1776 Grant Street, 303-861-2000. Randolph’s is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily year-round; brunch is also served on Sundays. Call 303-318-7272 to reserve. Check out their daily specials at their Web site or enquire by phone.
Three Men, Three Telluride Mountain Village Restaurants
Jake Linzinmeir from M’s Restaurant
Every successful venture needs a driving force. This is particularly the case in the restaurant world where it takes a strong presence—whether in the kitchen or front of house—to shape a dining experience into a memorable moment that defines an establishment. Well in my humble opinion, there are a few noteworthy guys creating remarkable dining experiences in three restaurants in Telluride Mountain Village, a town populated by tony part-time and year-round residents and visited by discerning travelers from all over the world. These discriminating diners all know a thing or two about a red-letter night out on the town, so there’s little room for anything short of excellence in Telluride’s Mountain Village.
It came as big news this past spring—especially to locals—that Chef Jake Linzinmeir was taking over the helm at M’s Restaurant, the signature dining establishment of Hotel Madeline, formerly Capella. Jake, long known as the restaurateur extraordinaire of Telluride, having simultaneously owned and operated three best-loved restaurants in T-ride in recent years, seems to be the perfect fit for this swanky restaurant that demands that the cuisine live up to its high-stepping decor. Jake, widely applauded for his versatility and passion for quality, has the presence both in and out of the kitchen to provide a standout dining experience.
M’s Smooth Interior
One of Jake’s Innovative Culinary Creations
If you catch a peek of Jake, you may recognize him from his frequent appearances on The Today Show. But don’t go thinking he’s all about “the show.” No, quite the contrary. Jake presents a Colorado Rocky Mountain Farm to Table Cuisine that features the many exceptional food products for which Colorado is becoming increasingly recognized. From Colorado beef dry-aged onsite to mushrooms picked within the outlying region, Chef Jake’s cuisine reflects the bounty of Colorado flawlessly prepared with the refined palate of the gastronome in mind.
Table with a View at Allred’s
Mario Petillo from Allred’s
Allred’s, a landmark restaurant, only accessible by the gondola, perched high on the mountain between the towns of Telluride and Telluride Mountain Village, is also undergoing changes that are making it more of a perennial favorite rather than a special-occasion restaurant. With its unique location that furnishes some of the most exceptional views in Telluride, Allred’s deserves to be hopping every night of the week. It seems as though this is quickly becoming the case, especially at the bar where locals are flocking (always a good sign) for killer views accompanied by Happy Hour specials that last well into the night. Just call it Happy Night, featuring the best darn sunset of the Rockies and food and drink at reasonable prices.
Allred’s, Spectacular Year-Round
This concept and so much more is the brainchild of Mario Petillo, the new General Manager of Allred’s, an elegant Italian that has worked in the hospitality industry in Europe and in the United States for decades. He’s been a familiar face on the restaurant scene in Telluride as well, a warm and welcoming gentleman that has the ease and grace to meet each diner’s requirements no matter how great or small. Whether you’re ordering Truffle Fries to accompany a glass of wine as you peruse Allred’s enticing menu or being served a Rocky Mountain Elk Short Loin as your main course, you can bet Mario has a say in how your food arrives at your table. Can’t wait to see the many other ways in which Mario will make this restaurant truly great.
Poolside Dining at The View
If a more relaxed dining experience is calling, head to The View, the tavern-style restaurant housed within Mountain Lodge Telluride. As the name suggests, the views here are nothing short of fabulous. Truly one of the best-kept secrets of Telluride, The View thus far caters mostly to its lodge guests, however, those not staying at this handsome mountain resort are always more than welcome. In the summer, The View’s poolside dining offers a prized experience unique in T-ride; here you sit on (or lounge upon!) teak patio furniture, surrounded by tubs of blooming flowers while gazing at the San Sophia Range, some of the most awe-inspiring peaks of the Rockies. I suggest you order a juicy burger or a BLT salad topped with grilled chicken breast, an Arnie Palmer and slip into vacation mode whether you’re here for lunch or to spend a few days. By night, this handsome pool deck transforms into a different sort of magical place as fire pits are illuminated and margaritas become the drink of choice.
Inside The View, you’ll discover one of the most impressive “great rooms” of the Rockies, characterized by a stunning log interior, an immense stone fireplace, one of the longest bars of Telluride, a forty-five foot soaring ceiling, and expansive windows that furnish spectacular views from nearly every seat in the house. Wooden tables and chairs, cozy couches and two widescreen T.V.s complete the tavern-like feel embodied by The View.
Tommy Tompkins from The View
But what would a tavern be without a warm, genuine welcome from the person in charge? At The View you’re likely to encounter that friendly greeting from Chef Tommy Tompkins, an affable guy that has proved as well versed in the front of the house as in the kitchen. “We try to provide good tavern food as an affordable option for people,” Tommy told me during a recent visit here. “Call it tavern fare with a high-end flare,” he added as he stepped away to say hello to some potential diners that had just entered his space.
Now that’s what I call “being on it,” I thought. In today’s world—more than ever before—you can’t take your restaurant diner for granted. You have to offer them added value each time they walk into your establishment. It takes someone special, someone who cares and has a keen understanding of the hospitality industry to make the difference.
It’s nice to know you can find those key people in Telluride Mountain Village.
Good Eats at The View
Note that only The View (970-728-2413) is open for lunch and dinner; reservations are not required. It is, however, recommended to reserve at M’s Restaurant (970-369-0880) and at Allred’s (970-728-7474) for your dinner plans.
Know that Wednesday evenings are particularly happening in Telluride Mountain Village during the summer when the town hosts a Sunset Concert Series at 6 p.m. from July 6th through August 24th. All concerts are held in Sunset Plaza and are free to the public. Check out the lineup—you’ll discover there are some great acts.
