The Heart of Telluride

It's hard to articulate when something special has that je ne sais quoi.  Telluride is one of those special places that is hard to explain to outsiders unless you've experienced it first-hand. It's of course the beautiful landscape, the gracious residents, all season recreation, the town's history, and the great skiing culture, and yet so much more.

For the avid skier, Telluride represents minimal lift lines, fresh powder, an average of 300 sunny days per year, and lifts that rise straight up from town providing you with access to more than 2,000 acres of some of the world's finest skiing.  Compared to other ski towns, Telluride provides skiers with the unique opportunity to stay in town (versus on the mountain) for easy access to shopping, restaurants, and hotel accommodations while still providing equally as easy access to the slopes.  This unique benefit provides the quintessential ski trip for the entire family.  In this casual, non-glitzy approach, there is no frenzied dash to get on the lift, but rather convivial and varied options from morning to night.

Telluride's quintessential Main Street is by no means cookie-cutter.  The fabric of Telluride is woven through it's local business owners, denizens, and spirit.  It encompasses small town charm with world-class culture.  The New Sheridan Hotel is located in the heart of historic Old Town Telluride with community-driven neighbors such as the Sheridan Opera House and Maggie's Bakery & Cafe.  Devoid of any chain stores, Old Town's clapboard storefronts house independent art galleries, old-time bars, boutiques, historic buildings and an eclectic choice of restaurants. 

Nestled in a box canyon surrounded by majestic, 13000-foot peaks of the San Juan Mountains, Telluride consistently draws people back year after year.  It's year-round residents know why.  This world-class ski town provides a small-town mountain lifestyle that is unmatched anywhere else.  Join us to find out why.

The New Sheridan Hotel: An Artist's Muse

Many use the phrase "blank canvas" metaphorically, but artist Roger Mason selects the New Sheridan Hotel year after year as his literal canvas and Telluride's Main Street as his personal atelier. Mason hails from New York's Hudson Valley and was trained at New York's Pratt Institute.  He found his way to Telluride through music.

In addition to painting, he is also a renowned bass player and played for Peter Rowan at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival back in 1979.  In the 1990s, he toured in a trio with world-renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman playing to crowds at places like Wolf Trap and Tanglewood. Mason also played bass with The Band. Painting is very musical to him, and they both intertwine and fuel each other in an artistic way. 

As an an abstractionist in a realist's clothes, Mason uses the New Sheridan and other familiar Telluride vistas to capture light, color and form over and over again.  More than any other building in town, the New Sheridan Hotel is the embodiment of Telluride's charm and history. So it's no surprise it's one of Roger Mason's favorite subjects to paint. As one of Telluride's oldest establishments, the landmark hotel could certainly be characterized as the spiritual epicenter of the town. Mason has had a running show in the lobby for a decade and dubs it his "world headquarters."

Through his extensive travels throughout the United States and Europe, he channels that inspiration as he stands on Main Street, his local studio.  The town's box-canyon setting offers dramatic lighting with heavy shadows that play upon colorful storefronts, lamp posts, cars, street life, and mountains.  Mason typically draws a steady stream of onlookers when he sets up his easel in front of the New Sheridan.

So the next time you're in Telluride and strolling Main Street, make sure to be on the lookout for that man in the paint-splattered shirt.

Visit www.RogerMason.net for more info.

Feed Your Soul in Telluride

Daylight savings is almost here and that means longer days are on the horizon.  You now have time for that early evening walk after work or time to squeeze in a run, bike ride, or cardio workout.  So no excuses.  In addition to being physically fit, healthy living should be a priority in your life and travel.

Health-conscious travel has been on the rise and destinations known for wellness have become the choice of not only the health-conscious, but also the affluent traveler.  People are seeking more than just spa retreats and healthy food options.  They want to nurture their body, feed their soul, and satisfy their thirst for adventure.  Telluride, a place of natural rejuvenation, provides all of that and much more. 

With an average 300 sunny days per year, you can easily partake in outdoor activities all year round in Telluride.  The New Sheridan Hotel is located in the heart of the historic business district on Colorado Avenue and can easily serve as base camp for all of your healthy outdoor and wellness adventures.  The New Sheridan Hotel has partnered with some of the area's best outdoor activity companies for both winter and summer activities.  From heli-skiing to fly fishing, the opportunities for healthy living abound.

In addition to the outdoor side of wellness, Telluride is a mecca for the alternative healing arts, as well as integrative healing modalities.  Telluride is home to the Yoga Festival which takes place every July and elevates the benefits of yoga with a mission to protect our natural environment.

So whether you grab your yoga mat or skis, make sure to visit Telluride to support your physical, emotional and intellectual body.  Boost your wellness and make healthy living a priority in your life and travel. 

The San Juans Sing in the Summer

Music has become a defining characteristic of Telluride.  Besides hitting the slopes or enjoying the multitude of outdoor activities, locals and visitors alike are drawn to Telluride year-round for the well-known music festivals.  Bluegrass in the San Juans originated back in the 1970's through the annual 4th of July celebration.  By 1974, bluegrass had earned its own weekend. That year the first Telluride Bluegrass Festival and first Telluride Film Festival joined the World AerobaticHang Gliding Festival (initiated in 1972) as the town’s key to year-round prosperity.

Music has served as a cultural conduit to year-round growth for Telluride and particularly during the summer.  There is no better way to launch the summer season than with the Telluride MusicFest in late July.  The hills do truly come alive with beautiful chamber music at these four evening concerts.  Beyond the 39th Annual Bluegrass Festival, the summer is filled with the Telluride Jazz Festival and Telluride Chamber Music Festival in August and the 19th Annual Blues and Brews Festival in September.

We can now add another one to Telluride's lively summer music festival scene.  This past week the Telluride Town Council gave unanimous approval to a request by KOTO Radio to host a two-day music festival in Town Park on August 25-26.  The festival will occupy the weekend between Telluride’s USA Pro Cycling Challenge stage and the Telluride Film Festival, both of which are expected to draw huge crowds to town.  We look forward to hearing what talent KOTO will secure.


Don't forget to stop by our neighbors and friends at the Telluride Music Company when you visit us for any one of these music festivals.  Family owned and operated since 1992, they're located 2 blocks down the street from us and serve as the regions most complete music store, offering a large selection of new released, unique and hard to find music.  You can also pick up your festival tickets there! 

Ski and Support the Telluride AIDS Benefit

The Telluride AIDS Benefit (“TAB”) is a non-profit organization committed to fight, fund, and educate by raising awareness about HIV/AIDS locally and globally. TAB accomplishes this through innovative global programs, their peer education and middle/high school education workshops, and adult outreach through education and events. Their largest event is the Telluride AIDS Benefit, which generates financial support for HIV education programs and for client care in Western Colorado.

One of the contributors to TAB is the Telluride Gay Ski Week (“TGSW”), an annual week-long gay ski event produced by StraightOut Media & Marketing with support from the Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association. This year's 9th annual Telluride Gay Ski Week will take place February 25 - March 3, 2012. As the "Top Gay Ski Week" in the country, as ranked by Gay.com, T-12 is back and better than ever! As always, there will be a full week of events and parties planned, some of which include the Academy Awardswatching party and the popular White Night Party. Join A-List: New York and ski week alum, Reichen Lehmkuhl from LOGO's hit show "The A-List" as he host's the Tuesday Night Dance Party.
 

So get your T-12 full party pass and enjoy an unforgettable weekend set in the beautiful backdrop of Telluride, Colorado, while raising money for the Telluride AIDS Benefit!

Telluride in the Movies

Originally know as a mining town, Telluride is now known for its ski resort and year-round festivals. It has further evolved over the past 30 years and now serves as the backdrop and has been featured prominently in movies. Being home to an international film festival, Telluride is popularly known and adored by industry insiders and Hollywood elite. Although, it is most beloved by the ski film industry, which has experienced a major shift in recent years.

It used to be mostly “ski porn,” repetitive footage of skiers and boarders catching air or charging down difficult terrain, set to pulsating, loud music. Lately, a transformation has started where ski films have been elevated to a cinematic art form.

Two recent releases that serve as great examples of this new school of ski films are:

- Solitaire, Sweetgrass Production/Nick Waggoner’s latest film, which has been earning critical praise and lots of awards and recognition for its beautiful portrayal of backcountry skiing.

- The Art of Flight, by extreme snow boarder Travis Rice and director Curt Morgan, hits more mainstream by telling great ski stories - like when snowboarders had to dive into icy waters high in the Andes of South America to reach their helicopter before it ran out of fuel to fly them out.

This week, The Sheridan Arts Foundation, Telluride Historical Museum and Travis Julia presented Super Cut: 39 Years of Telluride in Ski Movies. This compilation film featured clips of Telluride ski film footage from a variety of a major films produced over the 39 years of resort history. The film, which was compiled by Telluride local Dean Rolley, also featured commercials shot in and around the Telluride area.
 

Through film and other cultural outlets, Telluride has had a notable effect on pop culture. Film's creative and emotional pulse has helped expose Telluride and its beautiful story to everyone who enjoys beautiful terrain, sunshine, and cultural festivals. No longer is it only for ski bums.