Colorado Food & Wine Telluride The Rockies Travel: Colorado Food & Wine Telluride The Rockies Travel
by maribeth
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Welcoming Fall with a Feast and a Fine Wine
Scene from a Fall Hike in Telluride
It’s the weekend! And that means it’s time for me to uncork something special. I’m not talking about break-the-bank special—no, I mean something in the $10.-$15./bottle range. My sips during the week typically ring in at under $10./bottle, but I allow myself more of a splurge on the weekends. Hey, what can I say? I’m just a freelance writer. Fortunately I don’t drink a lot or else I’d really be feeling the pinch.
Concannon Crimson & Clover: Our Celebratory Wine
Last weekend my boyfriend and I said goodbye to summer and welcomed fall with a food and wine extravaganza that we’re still talking about. We feasted on heirloom tomato and mozzarella salad, a cornucopia of grilled veggies, hamburgers and the last of Olathe’s corn on the cob. (Yes, it was still sweet and delicious—not at all starchy.) It was all incredibly simple although I did jazz up the burgers by adding fresh ground pork, chopped garlic and Italian herbs and crushed red pepper—perfetto! (Don’t feel you have to cook the burgers to well done with the addition of the pork. You’ll survive just fine with pink and enjoy the juiciness of the flavorful combination of meats.)
We opened a bottle of 2009 Concannon Conservancy Crimson & Clover to accompany this fine meal, an excellent choice filled with the sort of complexity and depth you find in a much more pricey wine. We appreciated its lush blackberry and mocha notes even more at dessert when I served up my peach pie, a real delight made with our famous Colorado peaches. I’ve been a fan of Concannon vineyards for years, perhaps it’s because this vineyard, founded in 1883, was planted with Bordeaux grapevine cuttings. Maybe it’s the rich tradition of wine-making the Concannon family has been committed to for four generations. But first and foremost I’d say it’s because I consistently find an excellent price/quality relationship with all their wines. Read what I have to say about the Concannon Righteously Rosé at Summer Sipping.
All-in-all it was a memorable way to welcome autumn. We were especially happy that we had done a huge hike before sitting down to such a spread. I can’t wait to see what this weekend will bring, especially since it might be the last farmer’s market of the season for me. Buon Appetito!
Note that the fall foliage should be peaking this weekend throughout much of the Rockies, so get out there and enjoy colorful Colorado.
Hotels & Lodging Mountain Living Restaurants Telluride The Rockies: Colorado Hotels & Lodging Mountain Living Restaurants Telluride The Rockies
by maribeth
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Great Rocky Mountain Decks: Spectacular Views Year-Round
Late Summer Fun: The Deck at 9545
Aah, that golden time of year. Yes, it’s quickly approaching—pretty much here in fact. The aspens are beginning to change and the sun is hanging low in the sky, casting long shadows and a flaxen glow on all that meets its warm embrace. We’ve had our first snows already high up on the peaks, sugar frostings that render our glorious autumnal panoramas all the more endearing. To many, this is the best time to be in the Rockies. Leaf peeping really goes off here, more than all those New England fall foliage goers could ever imagine. We’ll be in full splendor within the next couple of weeks.
The Pool Deck at Mountain Lodge Telluride
Partying at The Peaks
I’ve enjoyed a few spectacular decks here in Telluride all summer long: one at 9545, located within the Inn at Lost Creek, the other at the Great Room at The Peaks Resort & Spa, the other at Mountain Lodge Telluride. And it’s my plan to find myself out on them as often as possible during these upcoming weeks, basking in the halcyon days of fall in the Rockies, toasting myself in the Indian Summer warmth of southwestern Colorado. Sunsets here are the best and this being the mountains, these establishments are well-prepared for that chill in the air since a brigade of fireplaces and a battalion of heaters stand at the ready year-round. Yes, these folks know how to warm you up since seizing the great outdoors is really what it’s all about in the Rockies. Come winter, the decks at both 9545, the Great Room and Mountain Lodge abound with winter sports enthusiasts that just can’t get enough of our spectacular mountain views. Fortunately all three restaurants serve libations and food of the finest quality, necessary ingredients for keeping you well-fueled for hours.
Situated within the very heart of Telluride Mountain Village, the deck at 9545 draws a large, stylish crowd on Wednesday evenings throughout summer during the Sunset Concert series. It’s always a happening and I took full advantage of it this summer, showing up almost weekly at this Wednesday evening “mixer.” At the end of the summer, I came by for a celebratory lunch (for my b-day) with a friend and finished off a tasty meal consisting of a Cuban shaved ham and slow-cooked pork sandwich with a side of sweet potato fries. All this was topped off with a tequila chocolate mousse and my first fried Oreo. Truly decadent! And there’s no doubt the whole experience was enhanced tenfold by 9545’s tranquil mountain setting. Doesn’t everything taste better when dining al fresco?
One of Many Views from 9545
Winter Fun at The Peaks Deck
At the Great Room Deck, also located in Telluride Mountain Village, I savored the longest and most stunning sunset of the summer. Ensconced within the cushy banquettes of their expansive deck, laughing and partying with friends, we all ooed and aahed about the transformation of the evening sky for hours. O.K., the sensations might have been augmented by a handful of G & Ts but still, I’ll never forget that moment. And isn’t that what dining (and drinking) affairs are all about? Thankfully we had munched on some excellent apps that carried us well into nightfall. We all sunk farther into the couches to admire the flourish of stars in our clear Colorado sky. No doubt about it—this is where you can savor one of the best sunsets in the West.
All Set for a Blazing Good Time at The View
The pool deck at Mountain Lodge is the envy of most visitors to Telluride. They sail over it in the gondola as they travel from the Mountain Village Market and parking complex to the Village core. And then they pass over it on the way back, forever commenting about the allure of the deep blue pool and hot tub, the stunning lineup of teak tables and chairs, the fun people always seem to be sharing below. Sadly few realize that they, too, can experience this spectacular site—all part of Mountain Lodge’s restaurant and bar, aptly named The View—by popping in for lunch, afternoon drinks or dinner. Yes, indeed, this handsome deck, restaurant and bar is open to everyone in addition to the guests staying at the lodge. From the gondola you see that The View offers stunning vistas of the San Sophia Range, some of the most striking peaks in the region. Sit down and delight in a glass of Cab and one of the best burgers in T-ride. I assure you you’ll pass a moment that you’ll never forget.
Cosseted interiors with blazing fireplaces are a welcome relief on many a foul day and a necessity for most romantic evenings. But there’s nothing like a great deck that offers killer views. Here in Telluride, we’re well served.
9545 Restaurant & Bar at Inn at Lost Creek, 970-728-5678 and 888-601-LOST (5678); open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks.
Great Room Deck at The Peaks Resort & Spa, 970-728-789-6800 and 800-789-2220; open 11 a.m. to sunset. Call ahead to find out about their live entertainment.
The View at Mountain Lodge Telluride, 970-369-5000; open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. in the summer and for breakfast, après-ski and dinner in the winter.
Panorama of Part of the San Sophia Range from The View
Winter Sunset from the Great Room Deck
Check out my story, Sleek and Sustainable: Two Stellar Colorado Properties, to find out about the deck at Avondale at the Westin Beaver Creek, one of the most happening spots in the Vail Valley.
Hotels & Lodging Mountain Living Restaurants Shopping The Rockies: Hotels & Lodging Mountain Living Restaurants Shopping The Rockies
by maribeth
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Peachy Keen on Palisade
The Real Deal: Peaches from Palisade, Colorado
Oh, those Colorado peaches. There’s nothing like them. I heard so much on national news this summer about South Carolina surpassing Georgia (in triple) as the peach capital of the United States, but nary a whisper about Colorado’s peaches. I waited until my recent trip back east—to North Carolina—to fully weigh in on America’s peaches. Well, just as I suspected, the south doesn’t have anything on what we have here in the Rockies. I’m talking about fat, flavorful peaches that explode with juice as soon as you slice into them. True peach enthusiasts bite into them and delight in their sweet nectar, a heavenly liquid that gushes out of your mouth and rolls down your chin until you wipe it off with the back of your hand, leaving only a wide grin behind. Those are our Colorado peaches, mostly from Palisade, a charming little town tucked between the Colorado River and red rocks, just outside of Grand Junction on the western slope.
I’ve been feasting on these peaches ever since I arrived in Colorado nearly ten years ago. I’d zoomed by Palisade many times on the Interstate without ever stopping. This summer though I made it my mission to check out the source of this delectable fruit, the provenance of so much of Colorado’s bounty including grapes, lots of other fine produce and more recently, lavender. Indeed, I discovered an air of Provence in this incredibly hot and arid climate, made lush by a vast array of irrigation systems, some dating back to when the first pioneers settled here about a hundred years ago.
My friend, Fran, and I scouted out the little town of Palisade first off since the day was waning and we wanted to suss out a good place for dinner. The shops were already closed by then, a welcome relief of sorts since we both felt that we could have dropped a bundle at A Peachful Place, a quaint and colorful little shop filled with vintage bric-a-brac and other random treasures. We stood in front of it, peered into its windows and drooled. Then we popped in next door at the Palisade Cafe and Grill to inquire about dinner. When we learned that they only had one piece of peach pie left and that they stopped serving at 8 p.m., we decided to inspect another dining establishment in town, the Red Rose Cafe. A peek in here assured us that we didn’t have to rush and that we’d be able to dine here after eight.
Art & Culture Colorado Fashion & Style Mountain Living Music & Dance Telluride The Rockies Travel: Art & Culture Fashion & Style Mountain Living Music & Dance Telluride The Rockies Travel
by maribeth
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Ferraris, Blues, Brews and the Rocky Mountains
Ferraris Flanked by the Rocky Mountains
Ferrari epitomizes design and style. The Rockies furnish some of the most dramatic and outstanding views in the world. Put the two together and you’ve got one helluva good-looking scene. Add a little blues, brews, and bountiful helpings of food and wine and you’ve got a number one formula for a spectacularly good time. That’s just what you’ll get throughout most of southwestern Colorado this weekend, especially in Telluride when the Ferrari Club of America Rocky Mountain Region is due to cruise into town on Saturday, one of the peak days of the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival. Yes, over thirty of these beauties will be lined up on the center lane of Telluride’s main street for all to admire.
“We’ll be there rain or shine,” says Fred Bishel, club member and tour coordinator. “Only a blizzard will stop us,” he adds. From a near-vintage 1988 model to a brand-new 2011, in a regalia of black, silver, yellow and the iconic Ferrari red, this cavalcade of some of the world’s most magnificent cars will be traveling through southwestern Colorado as part of their fall foliage tour. Their journey begins Friday on the Skyline Drive outside of Canon City where they’ve obtained special permission to drive in the opposite direction on this stunning route. From there, they go to Gunnison for lunch and then Grand Junction in the evening. It’s no surprise they’re making Gateway Canyons, home of the Gateway Auto Museum, showcase of the private collection of Discovery Channel’s founder John Hendricks. It’s a key stop at 9 a.m. Saturday before heading to Telluride for lunch. By Saturday evening, these fine Italian specimens (I’m talking about the cars not the drivers although I haven’t met any of them yet!) will be claiming forty parking spaces on Durango’s main drag—what a sight! Sunday they’re off to Pagosa Springs, then over Wolf Creek pass to end with a fundraiser in Saguache. Members of the club will be chatting with admirers and handing out schwag at every stop.
If you love beauty, don’t miss this happening. It’s rare to see so many Ferraris assembled together. The last time I saw such a showing of these magnificent works of art was over two decades ago at an exhibition entitled Hommage à Ferrari at the Fondation Cartier, located outside of Paris in Jouy-en-Josas at the time. Leave it to a world-renowned jeweler to recognize the splendor of this celebrated brand.
Yet to see these sparkling gems set within the stunning vistas of our majestic Rocky Mountains, it looks like we’ll likely out shine them.
The Official Ferrari Tour License Plate
Read Always on My Mind: Telluride Blues & Brews Festival and Willie Nelson to read my take on this year’s lineup. Check out Gateway Canyons: One Big Discovery to learn more about this gorgeous resort.
Colorado Mountain Living Outdoor Adventures Podcasts Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride The Rockies Travel: Colorado Mountain Living Outdoor Adventures Podcasts Skiing & Snowboarding Telluride The Rockies Travel
by maribeth
Comments Off on Ryder-Walker: Global Trekking Specialists
Ryder-Walker: Global Trekking Specialists
Trekking in the French Alps with Ryder-Walker
It should come as no surprise that we have one of the world’s best alpine adventure companies based here in Telluride, Colorado. Our surrounding peaks rival the mightiest of the Alps, so it’s no wonder that Peter Walker, founder and president of Ryder-Walker alpine adventures feels right at home in our mountain town. Here he has also enjoyed a great rapport with the Telluride Ski & Snowboard School for many years, a fruitful relationship that has enabled him to enlist some of their top instructors as Ryder-Walker guides year-round. “We have the passion of an insider and an outsider,” Peter told me during a recent Travel Fun interview, referring to his company’s approach and philosophy both in the Alps and in Telluride.
Peter Schussing at the Matterhorn
Peter and head guide, Ken Fuhrer, talk with me in the below podcast about how Ryder-Walker has grown over the past twenty-seven years and why it consistently ranks as a top travel company among discerning travelers. National Geographic, in fact, has rated Ryder-Walker as one of the top ten best outfitters on earth. “We bring a very fresh perspective to everything we do,” Peter explains in the interview. This, combined with a depth of knowledge about the Alps and other destinations they feature on their tours, has assured them a devoted following partly made up of clients that have been taking trips with them for years. Kenny, a top ski instructor, emphasizes the adventure as a whole. “It’s the group experience that makes it so special,” he says in the interview, explaining how people feel about themselves and others at the beginning and then at the end of the trip. I’ve known these guys for a number of years through Telluride Ski & Snowboard School and I can tell you that in addition to being highly skilled mountain guides, they’re fun, enthusiastic, great people-persons and highly professional.
Trekking season is winding down in the Alps but it’s a good time to start planning for next year since many of the Ryder-Walker tours fill up fast. They offer a terrific trek in and around Telluride in the fall and a tour to the desert Southwest in the spring. Their success has lead them to create tours and programs in far reaching countries such as Slovenia, India and Bhutan as well. I was happy to learn that there are rumblings about Ireland, too. Know that Ryder-Walker can set you up with many self-guided hikes and no special request has proven too tall for them. (Champagne toasts roped down to a client on a high peak have become almost commonplace for these adventure specialists.)
Two Great Guides: Daniel Sundqvist and Kenny Fuhrer
Listen to the below interview to hear more about this dynamic company. Peter also talks about how he recently came to create a unique relationship with PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors of America). Yes, with side country skiing growing and pushing all kinds of boundaries, it’s no wonder PSIA asked Ryder-Walker to become a member school. Someone needs to instruct all those instructors!
Kenny also talks about Alpenglow Ski Safaris and Telluride Mountain Guides, two sister companies of Ryder-Walker that also offer some fantastic opportunities for being expertly guided through the mountains.
Click on the play button below to listen to our interview.
Break Time in the Italian Alps with Ryder-Walker
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
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.
