Mark your calendars for an event that combines two of our favorite summer activities: visiting beautiful Aspen, Colorado, and eating barbecue!

On August 28 and 29, restaurateur Danny Meyer’s Union Square Events and Blue Smoke will join forces with The Little Nell hotel for the first-ever Big Aspen Barbecue Block Party (the sister event of New York City’s Big Apple Barbecue Block Party), a weekend of mouthwatering barbecue, music and festivities.

The event will feature several of the nation’s championship pitmasters serving up their ’cue all weekend long against the beautiful backdrop of Aspen Mountain. Plus there will be live music, seminars, cooking demos and book signings with the ’cue experts — all for free.

And, best of all, a portion of the proceeds from the Big Aspen Barbecue Block Party will go to the Aspen Community Foundation, which spearheads philanthropic efforts and supports nonprofit organizations throughout the Roaring Fork Valley.

In conjunction with the event, special lodging and VIP packages are available at the Little Nell hotel; call (888) 843-6355 for details.

To learn more, click here: http://www.bigaspenbbq.org
 
  
 

Posted via email from Mountain Living magazine

ML art director Loneta Showell is one of the most creative people around. When she isn’t out scouting new projects, orchestrating photo shoots or designing feature stories, she’s usually brainstorming her next super-creative project. Sometimes it’s fashioning some old tree branches into a coat rack, sometimes it’s making a handbag from a scrap of leather that’s been in her closet for years, and sometimes, one of her ideas turns into a story for ML (this photo is one of my favorite examples. It was shot in late winter when the grass at the local sod farm was brown so Loneta hand-painted it green! You can find it in the May/June 2009 issue).

That’s what happened this week. As Loneta was driving home the other day, she passed a patch of tall grasses on the side of the road. As only she would, Loneta visualized a great big bundle of those grasses tied back with a length of beautiful decorative trim. (You see, she had just been browsing showrooms at the Denver Design District that afternoon, and the selection of tiebacks, trims and tassels at Kneedler Fauchere had really caught her eye).The next day at work, I heard the unmistakable sound of Loneta sketching away with her colored pencils. After a bit, she came into my office with two pieces of paper that have become the inspiration for our next photo shoot, which will feature some of the best decorative trims, tassels and tiebacks we’ve found. You’ll see the finished product in our September/October 2010 issue, but I thought I’d give you a sneak peek of the sketches here:

“In this first shot, natural grasses will stand in for a fabric drape,” says Loneta. “A selection of tiebacks in different materials—stacked almost like bangles on the arm—will show off the options available today, which are much more interesting than the twisted satin rope that usually comes to mind.”

“For this page, I had this picture in my mind of colorful birds perched in a tree,” says Loneta. “So my plan is to recreate those birds—and their dramatic plumage—with a selection of tassels.”

I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to see this!

Happy Friday from all of us at ML!

Posted via email from Mountain Living magazine

Looking for the perfect furnishing or accessory for your mountain home? Now is your chance to find it — and at a discount of 60% to 90%!

Today (July 9) and tomorrow (July 10), from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Slifer Designs will be offering unheard of prices on the mountain-chic furniture found in their luxe high-country designs. All sales are final, but with prices and products like these, we don’t think you’ll have any regrets.

The sale takes place at the Edwards Loading Dock, which is located next to Starbucks in Edwards, Colorado.

Questions? Contact showroom@sliferdesigns.com for a speedy reply.

For more information, contact Slifer Designs at:

970-926-8200
Sliferdesigns.com
216 Main Street, C100
Edwards, CO

Happy shopping!

Posted via email from Mountain Living magazine

Getting away to Telluride, Colorado, is always a treat. Gorgeous scenery. Seriously delicious eats. Fun shopping. A great local vibe. So when the chance to head over for the Telluride Wine Festival popped up last week, I didn’t miss a beat. Here are some of the highlights:

Executive chef-owner of the marvelous Mirabelle in Beaver Creek poured Stella Artois and showed off his new book in the tasting tent on Saturday.

Chris Johnson of Bao Noodles in NYC conducted a very educational (and tasty) sake seminar in the fab Bubble Lounge.

A little drizzle couldn’t dampen the spirits of the colorful crowd that turned out for the Grand Tasting (with live music on the side).

The view from our room at the luxe Capella Telluride in Mountain Village (a scenic 13-minute gondola ride up from town).

Sunday Brunch was the perfect finish to a full weekend of fun.

Cheers to a great weekend in Telluride with cocktails at the elegant little lobby bar in the historic New Sheridan Hotel.

— Linda Hayes

Posted via email from Mountain Living magazine