Colorado Food & Wine Restaurants Shopping The Rockies: Colorado fruit Grand Junction lavender festival Palisade Palisade Café peach festival Peach Street Distillers peaches St. Kathryn Cellars Talon wine wine festival wineries
by maribeth
Comments Off on In Praise of Palisade and Colorado Peaches
In Praise of Palisade and Colorado Peaches
Peach Syrup at Talon Winery
Ball: One of Many Fruit Stands in Palisade
Main Street Palisade
Pretty Palisade
I’ve been back east in upstate New York most of the summer. Probably the best part of being here is that I’m loving the warm, humid weather. It’s a welcome change from the chilly and rainy days that are so much a part of July and August in Telluride. (The monsoonal flow brings terrific moisture to our arid western climate but boy, can it bring on the blues, especially since it snows well into May in Colorado’s mountain towns and as much as I love the snow, I do require a good, long blast of heat in the summer.)
But what I miss most are the peaches.
Americans love to talk about Georgia peaches. But those in the know, know that Colorado peaches are the best. Sorry, Georgia. But I really am speaking the truth here. I might go so far as to say that our Colorado peaches are even better than those from Provence. Mon dieu!
Heading Out of Grand Junction
View from My Car
On My Way to Palisade
Palisade, Colorado, a charming little town just outside of Grand Junction, is the peach capital of our beautiful Rocky Mountain state. Don’t worry, temps there run about twenty degrees hotter than in our mountain towns and rain is scarce. (Thankfully the smartly irrigated lands off of the Colorado River provide a fertile environment for the growing of peaches, grapes and other delicious fruit.)
Pretty Palisade
So Palisade
I popped into Palisade on a weekday in early June on my way back from some doctoring in Grand Junction. (Yes, that’s life in the mountains; folks from our best known ski resort towns must travel about two and a half hours for tests and treatments, which most people have just a short drive from their home.) So I decided to make it fun and stop by some of the places that give this quaint little town much of its charm. The peaches weren’t in season yet, however, the cherries were plump, luscious and as sweet as candy.
Right now–the latter part of August–is considered the height of peach season and this weekend the Palisade Peach Festival will be in full bloom. Colorado Mountain Winefest goes off here September 14-17.
Art & Culture Colorado Denver Four Corners Hotels & Lodging The Southwest Trip Planning: Denver Art Museum Goulding's Lodge Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Western Art Westerns
by maribeth
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The Western: An Epic in Art and Film
The Western: An Epic in Art and Film
Denver Art Museum Entrance
Love this Remington
A Great Synopsis of Westerns
Symbolism in Art
I love Westerns. I love the Denver Art Museum. I love the exhibition The Western: An Epic in Art and Film. Sorry for gushing but I think it’s wonderful!
I saw it in Denver a few weeks ago and I had a smile on my face as I walked through every room of this beautiful show–once again DAM has done a magnificent job with this installation, which creates a setting that makes you feel as though you just stepped into the wild, wild West.
Tune into KOTO.org at 6:30pm MST tonight to listen to my Travel Fun interview with Thomas Brent Smith, co-curator of the exhibition The Western: An Epic in Art and Film. Even if you’re not able to attend the show in Denver, which runs through September 10, you’ll learn much about Westerns and why we love films and artwork that depict the great American West. Thank you, Thomas, for such an eloquent and articulate conversation about the show and why Westerns conjure up such an array of emotions for so many.
Beaver Creek Colorado Denver Hotels & Lodging Mountain Living Restaurants Spas Telluride The Rockies: Beaver Creek Broadmoor Colorado Colorado Springs Denver Mountain Lodge Telluride Park Hyatt Beaver Creek pools Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch Spas Telluride The Peaks Warwick Denver Westin Beaver Creek
by maribeth
Comments Off on One Sensational Colorado Spa and Six Perfect Pools
One Sensational Colorado Spa and Six Perfect Pools
Warwick Denver Hotel
Many people come to Colorado in the summer to hike, bike, jeep, fish and sit outside to enjoy great concerts amid breathtaking scenery. Yes, Colorado ranks supreme for all that, however, this Rocky Mountain state also boasts some of the best pools and spas in the country. They’re terrific because of the mountains.
Mountain Lodge Telluride
Most of the pools highlighted below are backdropped by scenery eloquently described by Katharine Lee Bates in “America the Beautiful.” And because of the purple mountain majesties where we work our bodies to near exhaustion, it’s important to have glorious pools and spas where we can relax and rejuvenate. We have a good amount of them in Colorado, all of which are attached to prized hotels and resorts.
The Peaks Pool in Telluride
See the photos and my blurbs below to begin your journey through some of the best hydrotherapy offerings in Colorado. Whether you’re going to these establishments for a stay, a treatment or a day pass (often in conjunction with poolside dining), go ahead and plan your travels around them. The benefits you derive from these mountain oases will carry you well past the end of your vacation. And best of all: Most of these pools are open year-round because they’re heated.
The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch Resort
The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch Pool and Spa in Beaver Creek
My boyfriend, Steve, and I experienced The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch Spa a while ago during a spring ski getaway. I wrote about it at Pick a Spa, Pick a Ski Destination. We loved it then, however, recently we had an even more extraordinary experience, since we logged some delicious pool time as well.
Ritz-y Pool
Poolside Offerings
Oh, the pool. Drawn in by its black lines, we knew this stunning, infinity pool was the place for us. We arrived at lunchtime on a busy Friday and were thrilled to see that there was still a designated lane where we could do laps away from the din of Marco-Polo and all the other activity that characterizes a day at the pool in summer.
Steve diligently knocked out his sixty lengths while I bronzed, something I rarely find the time to do. I decided to forgo my workout because I had already sunk deeply into a lolling around mood, one enhanced by a stack of magazines and my phone turned off. (It actually went dead because of the heat.)
Bottoms Up
Food tastes best when eaten outside, particularly in the summer when salty chips and fries are de rigueur. We feasted on fish tacos and a grilled chicken wrap served in large Bento-type boxes that far exceeded your average poolside chow. (My phone had died by the time the food arrived, however, I did take a snapshot of the menu!)
Since this is Colorado, the clouds rolled in practically on cue by mid afternoon. Pas de problème. We just snuggled up to their poolside bar and sipped a frothy one, a beer that we found very amusing because it was a perfect pour by Bottoms Up. Many guesses later, we discovered that a magnet holds the key to the beer not bottoming out. You might have seen these beers at stadiums and now it appears they’re gaining popularity at certain mountainside resorts. (Just think après ski/large volumes of beer served/perfect every time.)
Steve and Me at the Poolside Bar of The Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch
Colorado Discovery Map Durango Four Corners Outdoor Adventures Telluride Festivals Travel: Colorado Discovery Map Durango Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Durango Blues Train lodging outdoor activities Restaurants Steve Gumble Telluride Blues & Brews Telluride Jazz
by maribeth
Comments Off on Top Reasons to Go to Durango, Colorado
Top Reasons to Go to Durango, Colorado
Durango: A Good ‘Ole Western Town
I’m back east now in upstate New York, trying to settle in after a whirlwind two-week trip to Colorado that was filled with lots of travel. During that time, I taped a few interviews for Travel Fun, my talk radio show on KOTO. I had the pleasure of doing one with Steve Gumble, founder of the renowned Telluride Blues & Brews Festival, which takes place every September. This time, however, we chatted about his new baby, the Telluride Jazz Festival, which kicks off tonight in Telluride and runs through Sunday. Had we had more time we would have talked about the Durango Blues Train, another big happening he created a handful of years ago. It is super fun and also one of my top reasons to visit Durango, Colorado. This year, the second Durango Blues Train of the season takes place August 18 & 19. Unfortunately these dates have sold out, too! You can, however, start planning for next year. (Fortunately tickets are still available for Telluride Blues & Brews and Jazz.)
Yee-Haw
Yippee Ki Yay
A Recent Respite at The Office Spiritorium at the Strater Hotel
And you can still take the train most days. It’s true–Durango is all about the train, the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad to be exact. Add some blues musicians to that and a bunch of fun-loving people and you have an instant party. Durango is also about historic hotels such as the Strater and the Rochester as well as a whole wagon full of other fabulous sites, establishments and activities that exude the vibrant spirit of the West.
I’ve recently started to write content for Discovery Map, the cheery, hand-drawn maps you can pick up at resort destinations across the United States. They’re developing their website, which is where my destination descriptions can be found. So click Colorado’s Wild Side and Hit the Streets of Durango to read about my top reasons to visit Durango, Colorado. And when you go to visit, be sure to pick up a Discovery Map to help you find your way around this historic gem in southwestern Colorado.
Click here to listen to a previous Travel Fun interview with Steve Gumble where he talks about Telluride Blues & Brews and the Durango Blues Train. You can also read more of my Telluride Blues & Brews stories here.
For more of my stories on Durango and the outlying area, click here.
The Historic Strater Hotel
Beaver Creek Colorado Health & Fitness Hotels & Lodging Mountain Living Outdoor Adventures Spas Vail: Colorado Lion Square Lodge mountain residences outdoor activities Solaris Spas summer fun Vail Vail Vitality Center
by maribeth
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Pampered, Privileged and Fun-Loving Vail
Solaris Residences in Vail
Private Terrace at Solaris
More Stylin’ at Solaris
Maybe you’re a part of the one percent and are looking for a great lodging recommendation in Colorado. Maybe you just want to peek behind closed doors to see how the ultra rich vacation. Or, maybe you just want some insider tips on where to find some family fun in Vail, Colorado. Either way, please read on and enjoy my pictures.
Sleeping in Style
Sweet Dreams
Like many other travelers, the ultra rich have discovered the joys of vacationing in our mountain towns winter and summer. What’s changed in recent years, however, is that in addition to staying in hotels and houses, they like to stay–or reside in–residences. I’m talking full-service spreads that can make them feel at home in sprawling style while delighting in the benefits of the amenities of a full-service hotel.
Colorado Health & Fitness Hotels & Lodging Mountain Living Telluride The Rockies: altitude sickness Colorado Diamox Don Bowie Dr. Peter Hackett Institute for Altitude Medicine lodging Telluride Mountain Lodge New Sheridan oxygen therapy traveling to elevation
by maribeth
Comments Off on Dealing with Altitude Issues at Our High Mountain Destinations
Dealing with Altitude Issues at Our High Mountain Destinations
Almost Summer at Mountain Lodge Telluride
The Town of Telluride, Colorado: Fun at 8,750 Feet
Me Feeling Happy and High at the Delightful Rooftop Bar at the New Sheridan Hotel
I’m long overdue in talking about how to combat the effects of high elevation with you. I apologize. Please forgive me.
In some ways, I’m new to the game myself. Although I’ve lived at heights as great as almost 10,000 feet for fifteen and a half years, I’m somewhat new to a magical little pill that has made a world of difference for me: It’s a diuretic called Diamox.
It was just a year ago that I began taking Diamox, a prescription medicine long touted to me by my ski clients but somehow I was lax in asking my doctor for a script. I finally did last spring and have used it many times this past year as I’ve traveled in and out of Telluride many times. At the risk of sounding like a drug pusher, ask your doctor about it and see if it’s good for you.
In other ways, I’m not at all new to the effects of elevation on my body. I think I first felt them when I went to the Alps during the time I was living in France. I was slammed with a headache that carried all the force of an avalanche down Mont Blanc. Ever since then, I take precautionary aspirins when I first arrive at elevation, even before the head pounding sets in.
But the Alps are nothing–at least in terms of height–to the Rockies. And I found that out when I moved here. Sure, after a few days I adjust to our thin air (about 30% less oxygen when you’re at over 9,000 feet), but if I leave a high destination for over a week, I have to reacclimatize each time, sometimes with effects worse than other times.
It’s no wonder I was fascinated with a Travel Fun interview I did many years ago with Dr. Peter Hackett, a world renowned high altitude expert and director of the Institute for High Altitude Medicine here in Telluride. I am rebroadcasting that interview on KOTO at 6:30pm MST today. Dr. Hackett, a leading authority on altitude illness with years of experience on big expeditions in Colorado, the Himalayas, Denali and South America, talks about his experiences along with, Don Bowie, one of the world’s top climbers. Don also shares sketchy elevation issues he has succumbed to during some of his adventures. It’s important to note that elevation sickness is genetic; it has nothing to do with what kind of shape you’re in.
Colorado Hotels & Lodging Mountain Living Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride Utah: Alta closing days Easter KOTO street dance Mountain Collective Smith ChromaPops Snowbird spring skiing Sunrise Service Telluride
by maribeth
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Closing My Ski Season at Telluride, Snowbird and Alta
Closing Day Celebration in Telluride
Parking Lot Closing Party at Alta
Alpine Views at Snowbird
Let me see here. Hmmm. I feel like I’ve forgotten how to write.
Although I’ve had mountains of stories crafted in my head these past months, I have not been able to sit down and write them. I’ve either been too tired or just too busy skiing–both for work and pleasure. (The former being a product of the latter of course.) And as much as I miraculously remained fairly healthy throughout much of the season, I was slammed with a horrific cold at the end of March, which turned into a sinus problem that’s been hard to shake. Ugh.
Celebrating the End of Ski Season is for All
Mary Ann and Mary Dawn at the KOTO End of Season Street Dance
But here I am now, slowly but surely transitioning into my writer’s life. I hate to make promises, although now that I’ve put my skis away, you should be hearing much more from me in the coming months.
What a Setting for a Party
Cheers to a Great Season
It was a super season here in Telluride topped off with a fun-filled closing weekend made even more merry by the visit of a dear friend, Margie, from Scottsdale. The snow gods blessed Telluride with a spectacular snowfall the last week of the season, so we closed with a base of mid-winter proportions. Sigh. I suppose all good things have to come to an end. Thank goodness Telluride Ski Resort and KOTO Radio know how to throw great parties to mark the end of the ski season. No matter how you look at it, we went out with a bang!
Closing Day Scene in Telluride
Margie and Me
Partytime
Oh Yeah
Striking a Pose in Vintage Ski Gear
Margie, the Llama and the Guys
After having logged a lot of much needed couch time–yes, there’s always a big accumulation of fatigue by the end of the ski season–I was thrilled to go on one last hurrah in Utah with my boyfriend, Steve. We always enjoy skiing at other resorts once Telluride closes and this time we decided to travel far–beyond our usual Aspen and Vail visits–to meet up with my brother Frank and some of his old friends in Snowbird. It’s a six-hour drive from Telluride but boy, is it worth it.
Beauty Colorado Health & Fitness Mountain Living Skiing & Snowboarding Spas Telluride
by maribeth
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Starting the Year Off Right: Taking Care from Head to Toe
One of My New Year’s Resolutions: Go More to the Pool at The Peaks Resort & Spa
Phew, these have been the busiest mid-winter weeks of any ski season I’ve experienced. As I wrote in my story, January 2017: One of the Snowiest on Record for Colorado, the snow totals from the past month have been ridiculous! The fluffy white stuff just kept coming down.
And Telluride Ski Resort has remained busy–at least by our standards. But don’t worry, lift lines are still a rarity. There were surely a few records broken during the week between Christmas and New Year’s, characteristically our busiest week of the season. I know that private ski lessons sold out during that period and I was grateful to have been blessed with some lovely clients. It was rewarding to see that I helped them to improve their turns and, of course, we had lots of fun and good chats, too. (Take that as a heads up in case you want to book a private lesson in Telluride during the upcoming busy vacation weeks.)
It looks like the days of a January lull are over. In addition to Americans, more and more international skiers have discovered Telluride. I had a Russian lady and a Brazilian in my class the other day and then offered some assistance to Chinese people looking for directions as I left the mountain. No sir, Telluride is no longer a best-kept secret.
As usual, after the holiday rush, resort workers were falling ill like clumps of snow off the pines on a sunny day, however, I have not been slammed with sickness this year. I have been weakened these past weeks but have fortunately been winning the battle. So instead of keeping up with my writer’s life, I’ve been focused on catching up on my rest and taking care of my body when not on the mountain.
