Art & Culture Restaurants: art exhibition Gustav Klimt movie Neue Galerie New York City Woman in Gold
by maribeth
Comments Off on The Woman in Gold Movie and Exhibition
The Woman in Gold Movie and Exhibition
Woman in Gold: the Painting in the Movie
I often say I wish I could remember everything I’ve ever read as well as everything I’ve ever written. I give myself a pass on the former but in terms of the latter, I’d think I’d remember most of it. Oh, if only that were the case! In my four guidebooks, one travel memoir, almost four hundred blog posts and an assortment of freelance pieces, I’ve researched and reported intensively on subjects I’m passionate about. And yet, sometimes I catch myself in a sort of black hole-space of my mind.
Take the feature film “Woman in Gold” as an example. I’d been hearing talk about it for months and I vaguely knew about the story of Gustav Klimt’s masterpiece, Adele Bloch-Bauer, the Mona Lisa of Austria, and how it was returned to its rightful owner and found its home in America. It wasn’t until last week, however, upon seeing this fabulous movie starring Helen Mirren, one of my favorite actors, that I realized I had had the pleasure of gazing upon this magnificent work in New York City. I refer to it as “a glittering painting by Gustav Klimt” in my story Gallery Going with the Ladies of Larchmont, one of the first posts to my blog back in 2008.
French Life Shopping: charming online shopping Mother's Day gift ideas
by maribeth
Comments Off on Mother’s Day Gift Ideas-2015
Mother’s Day Gift Ideas-2015
Lovely Lily of the Valley
It’s almost May 1st, or May Day, a holiday widely celebrated in Europe. My favorite part of this fête nationale in France is the muguet, or lily of the valley, that delicate flower with droplets of blooms that resemble little white wedding bells. You can enjoy its fresh, redolent scent in Diorissimo, a signature fragrance of the House of Dior. Christian Dior’s favorite flower was, in fact, le muguet, one of the most beloved symbols of happiness in France. On le premier mai en France, most everything is closed, but you can still find all kinds of bouquets of muguet sold throughout–from street corners to flower shops.
Telluride Truffle Mother’s Day Gift Box
Telluride Truffle Spring Gift Box
Ruth’s Toffee
Pink Champagne from Henri’s Reserve
Voilà there’s one terrific gift idea for the lovely lady in your life for this Mother’s Day. Read about many more at my Online Shopping page. Many of the online boutiques I feature actually showcase European goods or goods of such fine quality that they could pass for European made. Telluride Truffle and Ruth’s Toffee are such examples and indeed the quality of their products rivals some of the delectable treats I’ve sampled from France’s top chocolatiers. What mom wouldn’t be thrilled to receive some sweets from these two Colorado-based confectioners! Pay close attention to the instructions on my Online Shopping page to receive a 10% discount on online orders from these two purveyors and all others highlighted on that page (and below).
Nothing says holiday like bubbly, especially when it’s champagne. Send mom a beautiful bottle of champagne rosé from Henri’s Reserve to celebrate her. I promise she’ll be tickled pink.
Beauty Colorado Girl Talk Mountain Living Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride: Beauty Tips Ski Instructor's Life Telluride Ski & Snowboard School Women Telluride Ski Resort
by maribeth
Comments Off on Girl Power Extraordinaire: Women from the Telluride Ski & Snowboard School, Part One
Girl Power Extraordinaire: Women from the Telluride Ski & Snowboard School, Part One
Marti, Cristina and Me on a Ski Break
As I ease into off-season mode, I find myself almost sentimental about all the camaraderie I share at Telluride Ski & Snowboard School. Indeed, I’m now shifting into a more solitary existence, left to fend for myself–as a lone freelance writer–instead of being part of the team that helps to make magic at Telluride Ski Resort. Within Ski School, we’re very much like a family; we’re part of a tribe that speaks the same language and shares many of the same passions even though we are a mix of astonishingly unique human beings.
The women at Telluride Ski & Snowboard School feel like sisters to me and over the years I’ve come to love many of them in my own special way. They are strong, beautiful ladies that radiate a sense of well-being that’s surely the envy of many. They’ve chosen a lifestyle that embraces the outdoors and the physical and a profession that focuses on how to share their remarkable love of the mountains with others. These gals are hot–not so much from what they wear (although a new pair of shades is always remarked). But rather their sizzle comes from how they turn their skis and boards; or even better, from the self assuredness that those skills give them, on and off the slopes. They exude a self confidence and authenticity far superior to anything you might see on the runway or red carpet. Solid and grounded, our band of Telluride Ski & Snowboard instructors serve as terrific role models for women of all ages.
There are many gals that standout at Ski School. So I thought it would be fun to start highlighting them in posts here at my blog, a series that I plan to continue next year. This lineup is by no means all-inclusive. The idea is to spotlight some of the girl power in our special club and also perhaps to provide a few beauty tips along the way.
Colorado Mountain Living Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride Writing & Books: Balancing the Physical with the Mental The Ski Instructor's Life The Writer's Life
by maribeth
Comments Off on Transitioning from the Mountain Into My Writer’s Life
Transitioning from the Mountain Into My Writer’s Life
My Fortune
I came across the above fortune a few weeks ago in our local Chinese restaurant here in Telluride, Colorado. That was when I was in the throes of spring break craziness and the end of ski season was drawing near. It seemed most à propos since I was already contemplating my flip side, or how I would soon transition from a predominantly physical existence–that of a ski instructor–to the more cerebral ponderings required of a writer.
Indeed, at that point I was craving a good read and near desperate to sit still for a while and give my body a rest. As hard as I may try, reading and writing during ski season is always a challenge, especially from February on when I go full tilt. I’m just too tired at the end of the day to do much more than swill a glass of wine from my couch, and so the stack of books on my nightstand piles up as high as the writing assignments awaiting me at my desk.
Colorado Hotels & Lodging Restaurants Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride: Forbes Inn at Lost Creek Siam's Talay Talay Telluride Telluride Ski Resort Thai fusion
by maribeth
Comments Off on Telluride, Forbes and Me
Telluride, Forbes and Me
The Inn at Lost Creek: A Forbes Favorite in Telluride, Colorado
A Sake-tini from Siam’s Talay, Another Forbes Fave
Exotic Delights at Talay, the Signature Restaurant of the Inn at Lost Creek
We’ve had a huge month of March here at Telluride Ski Resort and this weekend we’re slated to brake our all-time record for annual skier visits. And we still have a week to go before the mountain closes!
I’m utterly exhausted, since like most ski instructors, I’ve been going full tilt all month (actually all winter). I just had my first couple of days off in weeks and I can tell you it feels great to put my feet up and stretch my toes as I bang out this story.
It’s no wonder there’s been so much buzz about Telluride this year. In addition to the word getting out about our great ski mountain and town in recent years, Telluride Ski Resort has been receiving a lot of attention from Forbes Travel along with once again being ranked #1 in the Condé Nast Readers’ Choice Awards.
Art & Culture Colorado Denver French Life Restaurants: Bistro Vendôme Brilliant Cartier Cartier Exhibition Denver Denver Art Museum French restaurants Denver Le Central
by maribeth
Comments Off on Showcasing Cartier at the Denver Art Museum
Showcasing Cartier at the Denver Art Museum
Tempting Tiara from the Cartier Show at the Denver Art Museum
It’s been snowing like crazy here in Colorado these past ten days. We had a couple of bluebird days in the middle of two huge storms, which made our sparkling blanket of snow diamonds shine all the more brilliantly.
But let me tell you about the other kind of diamonds–the real ones, prized stones whose glistening facets have held people in rapt attention for centuries. These stones become even more magnificent when they have been placed into exquisite settings by world renowned jewelers such as Cartier. You’ll see an avalanche of them as well as emeralds, rubies, sapphires, onyx, turquoise and other precious and semi precious stones that have been crafted into fabulous jewelry and objets at Brilliant: Cartier in the 20th Century at the Denver Art Museum (DAM), a world-exclusive exhibition open–now for extended hours–through March 17th.
Skiing & Snowboarding The Adirondacks: Powder Days Ski Instructor's Life Skiing in the West Telluride Ski Resort Winter 2015
by maribeth
Comments Off on Loving the Crazy Powder Days
Loving the Crazy Powder Days
Exhilarated in the Gondola After Having Skied a Lap with Dave, a Fellow Ski instructor
Snowy Telluride, Colorado
Just after I posted my story The West’s Dry, Sunny and Warm Winter of 2015, the big snows began to arrive in the West, especially here in Telluride, Colorado. Woo-hoo! It has snowed 46” within the past seven days and it’s still coming down. Everyone from beginners to experts and visitors to locals are struck with pow fever. It feels like the Fourth of July with all the boom, boom, booms that can be heard resonating from atop the mountain for avalanche control work and throughout the energy level of all the snowsports enthusiasts feels electric. Yay, winter is back!
Colorado Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride The Rockies: Ski Instructor's Life Skiing in the West Telluride Ski Resort Winter 2015
by maribeth
Comments Off on The West’s Dry, Sunny and Warm Winter of 2015
The West’s Dry, Sunny and Warm Winter of 2015
Still Lots of Snow Atop Prospect Bowl at Telluride Ski Resort
Whoa, what a busy time it has been. Today is my first real day on my computer in about two weeks. I’ve been tied up teaching skiing in Telluride and have enjoyed having many clients book me for extra days. It’s tiring though and I’m happy to report that yesterday–my first full day off in weeks–was spent lounging. I didn’t change out of my pajamas until 6pm and that was to take a hot tub. As much as it’s exhilarating to be on the mountain, it‘s also exhausting and sometimes a simple task such as unloading the dishwasher seems monumental.
What a crazy winter it has been! I’ve stopped counting, but I’d say we’ve had super sunny and warm weather for the better part of the past six weeks. The high pressure system that’s been hanging over the West has kept it oh-so dry–we hardly had any snow the past month and a half. It’s been killing most of us to see the incredible snow totals produced in the Northeast and we’ve all been doing the snow dance in the hope that some of that gorgeous white fluffy stuff comes our way.
View of Wilson Peak, One of Colorado’s Renowned Fourteeners, from Giuseppe’s Restaurant in T-ride
Despite this, the skiing has remained very good–remarkably-which is why I’ve been working as a ski instructor more than I had planned for this period. People have not been canceling their trips at all. Instead, they’re thrilled about our gloriously sunny days and spring skiing conditions in the middle of winter. Back East I’m sure the one run, then in for a break, rule is being strictly enforced.
