Opera is one of those things — those things you wish you knew more about but don’t. Some (I?) wish we knew more about our town’s sports team, or the latest episode of the hit show everyone talks about at the office each morning. I might wish I knew, but am not willing to put in the effort. I do know about opera, but many do not. Fortunately, Colorado’s…
Denver has an ongoing love affair with beer. We like to drink it, we like to make it and, heck, we even like to celebrate it in all its hoppy goodness So it was with great fanfare that the winners of the 2011 Denver International Beer Competition were announced on May 2, 2011. Some 19 certified beer judges participated in the blind tasting of more than 180 domestic and…
Colorado color begins at higher altitudes and works its way down, yielding golden foliage from mid-September through early-October. This is a quiet time in Aspen, Colorado’s ritzy resort in the Rockies. Streets empty, restaurants seat without lines and opulent hotels, such as the St. Regis, The Little Nell and Jerome, offer caviar-quality quarters at steak-and-potato prices. Plus, there are mountains of gilded leaves to ogle over as you travel…
The spotlight in Morrison shines most often on two restaurants: the Fort, an award-winning steak and game icon just south of town, and the Morrison Inn, a popular Mexican eatery known for its huge margaritas and fun outdoor patio. But these famous bookends are only part of the story. Whether you’re in town for a concert at Red Rocks, celebrating a romantic evening out or touring the foothills with…
Colorado dude ranch vacations can be as simple or luxurious as you want them to be. From airy mountaintop cabin rentals with four-star gourmet meals and spa treatments to rigorous cowboy camping excursions, guest ranch proprietors are ready to make your Old West lifestyle vacation a reality. Adventurous travelers with a yearning for days gone by will find their perfect getaway somewhere in the middle at Vickers Dude Ranch,…
The moment chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson and Master Sommelier Bobby Stuckey opened their new Italian food temple, Frasca, in August of 2004, it became one of the most sought-after reservations in restaurantdom. As word spread of the duo’s pedigree – they both worked under chef extraordinaire Thomas Keller at Napa Valley’s French Laundry – citified Denver gastronaughts jostled with Boulder’s clanish souls for a seat. A 2×2 spot on the…
Barbara Sackman is a city girl. She and Alan Sackman, her husband of 40+ years, are Manhattan developers. They have traveled the world and visited many places that most never see. Yet years ago, the couple came across a secluded piece of property in southwestern Colorado that would enhance their lives and ultimately lead to one of the country’s most exquisite small resorts, the Keyah Grande Guest House. The…
If you’re planning a Colorado ski or snowboard trip, Vail and Aspen aren’t the only options to find fresh powder, exciting trails and the canopy of the Rocky Mountain blue skies. In the southwest corner of Colorado, Durango offers intriguing alternatives. Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort, 25 miles south of Durango, No. 1 Skier Place, Durango Colo. 81301; 970-247-9000; durangomountainresort.com Purgatory is Durango’s primary ski/snowboard mountain. But don’t be…
The Hot Sulphur Springs Resort & Spa draws a diverse crowd all year round. Those seeking to relax wander from one pool to the next at this resort just a half-hour northwest of Winter Park, Colorado, and south of Grand Lake and Rocky Mountain National Park. A mix of altitude (elevation 7,662 feet), minerals and geothermic activity makes for good medicinal fun for everyone. Once inside the pools area,…
If you have not visited the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center recently, prepare to be stunned. Not just because of the exquisite new building — 48,000 square feet of glittering glass — but because the Taylor Museum’s permanent collection will finally see the light of day. Long buried in the dusty bowels of the FAC’s basement, 15,000 pieces of art will at last be on rotated display — a…