Shopping Tours: A Tour of the Heart adventure travel charming online boutiques Valentine's Day online shopping Valentine's Day read Valentine's Day shopping
by maribeth
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Valentine’s Day Shopping 2015
Hearts and Flowers Dog Collars for Your Precious Babies at Alpen Schatz
Matching Leash from Alpen Schatz
Organic Catnip Toy from Purrfect Play
Tomorrow is February 1st. And you know what that means…it’s almost Valentine’s Day! I’m a hearts and flowers kind of girl, so I can’t help getting all mushy around this holiday. And as I get older, the list of people–and pets–I acknowledge on this holiday grows. It’s not just about romance. To me, it’s a solid occasion for expressing love. And what better way to express love, than to offer a card or a gift to say I’m thinking about you? This is especially true for someone that lives far away.
Colorado Hotels & Lodging Restaurants Telluride: Chef Bud Thomas dining Telluride Mountain Lodge Telluride The View Bar and Grill
by maribeth
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Chef Bud Creates an Elevated Dining Experience at Mountain Lodge Telluride
Chef Bud Thomas at The View at Mountain Lodge
“We’re delighted to have Chef Bud with us,” says Neil Hastings, Sales and Marketing Director for Mountain Lodge Telluride during a recent dinner at this renowned place of lodging in Mountain Village. “He really elevates our food and wine experience here at The View Bar and Grill.”
Ever since word began to leak out this fall that Chef Bud Thomas was leaving Rev, the signature restaurant of the Hotel Madeline and the establishment he catapulted to Forbes Travel Guide five-star and AAA five-diamond standing over the course of the more-than two years he worked there as Chef de Cuisine, diners in-the-know have been abuzz about this unexpected change.
Colorado Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride: Ladies Ski Programs Telluride Specialty Camps Telluride Women's Week
by maribeth
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Telluride Women’s Weeks 2015
Girl Power at Telluride Women’s Week
Women, skiing, snowboarding, instruction, wine, apps, laughs, hot chocolate, girl talk, girl power, toasts, victories, sharing, learning, shopping, dining, fun. It’s that time of year again at the Telluride Ski Resort. The first session of Telluride Women’s Week starts this Thursday, January 22 with a kickoff reception at Mountain Lodge Telluride and continues through Sunday, January 25. The second session is a little longer, beginning in the evening of Saturday, February 7 and continuing through Thursday, February 12.
Colorado France French Life Paris Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride: Charlie Hebdo French Girl in Seattle Paris teaching skiing Telluride Ski Resort
by maribeth
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Wishing You the Best for 2015
Skiing is Fun
How are you, dear reader?
I wish you good health, love and joy in this new year. It might seem like these well wishes are coming a little late, but strike it up to the French in me. In France, it’s tout à fait acceptable to extend new year’s wishes–both verbally and in writing–through January 31. I love how most everyone you encounter in France echoes choruses of “bonne année, bonne santé” throughout the whole month of January. I’m sure that this year those wishes are even more sincere.
After a super busy holiday season teaching skiing day after day at the Telluride Ski Resort during an extremely cold period of time, I finally collapsed from a mega head cold and sheer exhaustion (perhaps partly brought on by my big move the first part of December). I spent a whole week on the couch, one marked by the tragedy of the events that unfolded in Paris. So very sad. Like so many, my heart ached for all involved and for my beloved France. I checked in with my friends in Paris to express my love and support, many of whom attended the demonstration that was held a week ago today. Vive la France! Vive Franco-American friendship and may the French forgive us for the faux pas of not sending proper representation on their important day of solidarité.
Shopping: holiday online shopping holiday shopping last-minute holiday shopping last-minute shopping online shopping
by maribeth
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Last-Minute Holiday Shopping 2014
Pretty French Trays from Quel Objet
Champagne from Henri’s Reserve
Romantic Treasures from Alpen Schatz
Phew, there’s so much to do! As I reported in my last post, I’ve been busy with a move and the start of ski season. Although I don’t have many gifts to buy, I do like to send out a few. I’m going to make it super easy and get online this morning to order original products of quality and charm you don’t find all over the internet.
Check out my Online Shopping Page for my hand-curated collection of boutiques. Read the descriptions carefully to find out how you can benefit from a 10% discount. Most of my purveyors have told me that goods can arrive by Christmas–by regular mail–if orders are placed by mid-day today. Some have even noted that Friday is the last day. And, of course, there’s always priority shipping to be extra sure of a December 24th arrival. In any event, it’s best to ask each establishment if they can indeed fill the order in time. (Some, such as Telluride Truffle, are pretty swamped.)
Go ahead and check out these lovely boutiques. You’ll be glad you did and so will your happy gift recipients. Remember to follow the instructions to receive your 10% Bonjour Colorado discount.
Happy shopping!
Organic Catnip Toy from Purrfect Play
Colorado Romance & Relationships Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride: Early-Season Colorado MountainLodgeTelluride Moving Ski Instructor Training TellurideSkiResort
by maribeth
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Skiing Beats Moving
Snowy Telluride
That would be moving to a new place, of course. Because as a general rule, I do believe motion is lotion and you get some of the best motion when skiing.
Ski season is off to a great start here in Telluride. It snowed a ton in November, then we had a dry spell, now with fifteen inches of fresh over the weekend, we’re set up nicely for the onslaught of holiday visitors due to arrive late this week.
I’ve been working out early season glitches such as numb toes, goggle marks and other assorted woes. It takes a while for my feet to become accustomed to wearing ski boots again and damn, I just can’t seem to adjust my goggles on my helmet the way I did last year. I’ll work it all out and as a Telluride ski instructor, soon I’ll be spending eight-hour days in my ski clothing and equipment for stints as long as ten to fourteen days in a row. In the beginning of the season, I sometimes wonder how I do it, but fortunately I throw it into gear, work through the initial aches and pains, and then fall into the swing of things like skis gliding on the snow.
Food & Wine France French Life Paris Travel: Belgian Friends Belgian Friendship Cassandra Moonen Clarins Entertaining France French Friends French Friendship French Life Stéphane de Bourgies Victoria Wolff Wolff & Descourtis
by maribeth
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Grateful for My Friends in France and Belgium
Laughing with Marie in a Paris Café
My Petit Dejeuner in that Café
Toasting Life Chez Michèle et Loic
Zee Sunday Brunch Spread
Pain, Vin et Fromage Chez Steph et Véronqiue
I’m big at counting my blessings year round. As challenging as life can be, I try as much as possible to pause and feel truly grateful for all that I have in my life.
There’s so much for which to be grateful, especially when it comes to love. There’s nothing like feeling love and appreciation. There’s nothing like feeling valued. There’s nothing like feeling your heart swell with love–day after day after day.
I was blessed with an outpouring of love during my recent trip to Europe when friends in France went out of their way to meet with me for coffee, organize special dinners, include me in on Sunday lunches and chat with me at great length over leisurely breakfasts and afternoon teas. My friends in Antwerp entertained me all weekend long. And throughout every encounter, I felt a connectedness with my European friends that made it feel as though I had just seen them the week before. (It had, in fact, been many years.)
Colorado Spas Telluride: beauty salons Telluride Breathe day spas Telluride Franz Klammer Spa Himmel Spa Hotel Madeline Spa spas Telluride
by maribeth
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Telluride’s Secret Spas
Hot Stone Massage at The Spa at Hotel Madeline
Spa-going is underrated.
Frequent spa goers know how an hour at a spa can transform you; and if you’re lucky enough to spend the better part of a day being cared for within a soothing space, you can leave brand new.
As I’ve written before, Colorado’s mountain towns boast some exceptional spas. Whether attached to a resort or not, our Rocky Mountain state knows how to meet the therapeutic and beautification needs of those visiting and residing in our rugged, sun-saturated environment. What better way to recover from a big day on the slopes or an energetic snowshoe in the valley? Indeed, focus on health and well-being permeates most every facet of our lives in Colorado, especially in Telluride where feeling good is more of a basic need than a luxury.
Below I’ve outlined a few of my favorite T-ride spas that might not be on every visitor’s radar. Smart locals, however, have them on speed dial.
