March 11, 2010- the Vail International Dance Festival

The furthest I got while trying to learn dance as a child was sliding across the kitchen floor in my tights, more than likely breaking something important. This is why the Vail International Dance Festival will leave me in awe. The big air and physical strength combined seamlessly with an artistic flare can’t be missed!

The Vail International Festival, located in Vail, Colorado from July 27, 2010 to August 10, 2010 will include the Pacific Northwest Ballet and the Paul Taylor Dance Company, along with many dancers from around the world such as Savion Glover, Larry Keigwin, and include styles ranging from traditional ballet to Beijing Dance. Tickets (in the seating area of the Gerald Ford Amphitheater) are available for $20.10, and $10 for the lawn.

I can’t wait for these evening shows! Get a group together because summer in Vail, Colorado can’t be beat. Other festivals and events coming this summer in Vail and the Rocky Mountains include:

• the TEVA Mountain Games & IFSC World Cup Climbing, June 3-6
• Vail Arts Festival, June 25-27
• Vail America Days, July 4
• Beaver Creek EXTERRA, July 17
• Colorado Soul Festival, August 20-22

Ford Amphitheater during a summer concert

Vail America Days

July 4^th 2010- from the early morning till the very late night!!!

Every city, town and village has their own unique celebrations for the 4^th of July, but in the past years, Vail America Days exceeded them all. Celebrate the birth of American in one of the finest and highest mountain location in the United States- up in VAIL- Valley!!!

As in the past years, the celebration starts with a red, white, and blue parade that winds its way through the downtown area of Vail Village. That is followed by an All-American picnic, entertainment in Vail Village and Lionshead, a concert at 2pm at the Ford Amphitheater and free music at the Ford Park all afternoon and into the evening. As alternative you can also go to the Fourth of July Clambake in Beaver Creek where you can enjoy free live entertainment, barbeque, seafood and other food, plus outdoor fun for everyone regardless of their age- fun for very little to older generations is guaranteed. And the very end, finish an amazing 4^th of July day off with viewing the fabulous Vail America Days fireworks which take place at approximately 9:45pm Pat Golden Peak.

If not Vail than 4^th of July in Breckenridge:

4th of July in Breckenridge includes: free concerts at the River walk Center, Mountain bike races, kids activities on Main Street, art festival, the amazing 4th of July in Breckenridge fireworks display, and our Fourth of July parade down historic Main Street. 4th of July in Breckenridge is one of our most attended events because it is during our beautiful summer season.  If you like mountains and nature, but not snow and below zero temperatures, a summer vacation during 4th of July in Breckenridge is perfect for you. The temperature is usually between 60-75 during the day, no humidity, and full sun.  Please be sure to bring plenty of sun block, you will need it.

Here the Breckenridge Schedule:

8:30AM, 10k Firecracker trail run- Mountain bike trail race around Breckenridge.

10AM is the garden party Brunch at the Barney Ford House

10-6 is the July art festival- this is the 25th annual art festival of Breckenridge, held at Main street station, free admission.

11AM Parade

The firecracker 50 mountain bike race will kick off just before the parade starts- this is the 5th annual 50 mile mountain bike race, which starts from Main Street in Breckenridge and ascends 12,000 feet up into the Rockies.

All day long Kids activities,  on the fourth- Includes the classic water fight put on my our own red, white, & blue fire department, as well as inflatable bouncing madness in our town square.

2PM Royal Crown big band concert- This event is held at the river walk, bring your dancing shoes.

8:30PM National Repertory Orchestra- The NRO puts on the annual concert celebrating independence day. This event is held at the River walk center in Breckenridge and is free of charge.

9PM Fireworks!!- Right after the free concert put on by the NRO, tilt you head up and witness the annual fireworks display.

20th Annual Taste of Vail

From Thursday April 8, 2010 until Saturday April 10, 2010

Vail is gone have its 20th food and wine festival. The annual three-day event is held at several venues throughout Vail Village. Participants at the Taste of Vail will enjoy the best wines from over 50 of the country’s most noted vintners. In addition, visitors will dine at Vail Valley’s world-class restaurants, fine wine poured by winemakers and winery owners from top wineries around the globe, participate in interactive seminars, auctions and dance. As well as going to the Colorado Lamb Cook Off, après ski tasting and the popular mountaintop picnic sensory extravaganza at the top of Vail Mountain. The event will start of on Thursday morning with Celebrities on Snow, the Belgian Beer Lunch and the 5^th Annual Colorado Lamb Cook- Off and après ski tasting. Then on Friday there will be again Celebrities on Snow, a seminar, mountain top picnic, and live auction chef showcase and at night a cigar seminar. Saturday will start off with the aphrodisiac foods army reiley, and the Josh Wesson Seminar. In the afternoon, the Taste of Vail Festival will finish   off with a Pinot Noir Speed Dating Style Seminar and the Great Tasting and Dinner Dance.
In the past years, Vail could welcome more than 5,000 people for the Taste of Vail Festival.

So mark the date- be part of the event and enjoy amazing days in Vail during the Taste of  Vail.

Click here, here and here to see some fun videos from the past Taste of Vail Events !!!

Olympia Update

6 more days to GO- 6 MORE DAYS OF EXCITING GAMES!!!

As of today, Monday February 22, 2010 the United States are in the lead of the Olympic Medal count with 7 Gold Medals, 7 Silver Medals and 10 Bronze Medals followed by Germany who moved closer by winning 3 medals today – 2 in cross country skiing team sprint and in ski jumping team competition.

Lindsey Vonn from Vail won one of the gold medals in the women’s downhill as well as a Bronze Medal in the women’s super ski. Evan Lysacek one another gold medal for the US in one of the most exciting and tight men’s figure skating events in history. Evan Lysacek was fighting against Evgeni Plushenko who won the Olympic Gold Medal four years ago in Turin/ Italy. One of the best performances in the 2010 Olympic Games so far was from the legendary men’s Half Pipe snowboard competitor Shaun White. Shaun White already won Olympic Gold four years ago and everybody was excited what he will present in this Olympics- and he outperformed all expectations. He already had the gold Medal after his first run, but instead of showing some simple jumps in his second run- he did jumps nobody had seen before cleaner anyone can show them. Even if the ice hockey team has still a long way to go- the final will be Sunday at noon, one of the most important games for the US was yesterday- US against Canada. The US won with 5 to 3 goals and moved a big step closer to the final.

For tonight everybody is excited to see the battle between the Canadian and US team in the final round of the Figure Skating Ice Dance performance. Tomorrow Bode Miller will race again in the Men’s Giant Slalom and try to add one more medal to his Gold, Silver and Bronze Medal he already won in this Olympics. We will also see the first round of the women’s figure skating program, the short program which will start Tuesday 23,2010 at 5.30 PM mountain time.

So even if we already saw amazing events- there will be more…!!!

One of the greatest things about living in Colorado is the shared excitement in watching the snow fall report.  When I was a student at The University of Kansas, snow meant torn up streets, messy sidewalks, and bone chilling winds that shook you to the core. Here in Vail, its a totally different story. We got 32 inches of fresh powder this week, making the valley sparkle and the mountain gleam. Conditions have not been this great all year. Snowboarders and skiers unite with delight at the fresh powder which has increased the base to a whopping 55 inches! What’s more, the dedicated city of Vail makes sure that the village roads and highway are always clear and safe for travel. The Vail/Beaver Creek area is a virtual paradise, attracting visitors from all over the world to come ride, shred, annihilate, take no prisoners, and hot-rod on the mountain! Maybe it has something to do with the Olympics, but I have seen more people just tearing it up and having a blast than ever before. Sure beats that old dreaded Kansas cold!

Speaking of Kansas, March Madness is quickly approaching. Being a die-hard Jayhawk fan myself, I was delighted to find a vast array of local game watching spots. Can you imagine anything better…After a long day of skiing, you unwind and relax with your buddies, drinking beer, watching the game, and laughing about the head-first plunge you took on the mountain! If this sounds in any way appealing, I’m telling you, now is the time to get out here and make it happen!  And when you’re looking for a great place to watch the big game, I recommend the Tap Room or Garfinkles (Both boasting a plethora of TV’s for the sports connoisseur who likes variety). However, if you prefer staying in the comfort of your own home, Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals can definitely set you up in something spectacular. You can watch the shot clock wind-down from the couch without any distractions!

When you thinking of heavy drinking on the weekends, Coffee usually isn’t the first thing that comes to mind – not the case for me! After the weekends, I have to practically detox from coffee overdose. Waking up at 5 am to work at Loaded Joes Coffeehouse on Saturdays and Sundays, I definitely have to keep myself on a steady coffee fix to make it through the morning! If you’ve never checked it out, Loaded Joes conveniently has two locations in the Valley; one in Vail next to the Covered Bridge and the other in Avon beside Finnegan’s Irish Pub.
Vail’s Loaded Joes is more of a fast-paced coffee shop where you can get a quick sandwich, wrap, bagel, or pastry and get yourself out to those slopes! Plus, right now, during the entire month of February, if you stop in between 9pm-2am at the Vail location you can put your name in a drawing for $1000 to use at Loaded Joes. Now that’s a lotta lattes!
If you prefer more of a lounge and local atmosphere, make sure to sit around the bar at the Avon’s Loaded Joes. They also have nightly events that, I can vouch, are so much fun! Last night, most of us who work here at Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals went out to Open Mic night at the Avon Loaded Joes to support our co-worker Nick, who was playing his first open-mic night. Watching the singers and instrumentalists with a drink in hand was a nice, chill ending to Valentine’s Day! Check out the Calendar of Events so you don’t miss out on what’s happening at Loaded Joes. http://loadedjoes.com/index.php?option=com_eventcal&Itemid=27

A beautiful latte at Loaded Joes

So if you’re coming to the area, you’ve got to stop in at Loaded Joes and if you’re here on the weekends, come visit me on Saturday mornings in Vail and Sunday mornings in Avon at Loaded Joes!

One of the best things I’ve come to realize from the time I’ve spent in Vail is that a person doesn’t have to be “rich” to experience the magic of this destination. In fact, the local music scene has brought this place to life for me. Every day I’ll check out Vailpm.com to see what’s good for my evening festivities. I know that regardless of what day of the week it is, a local bar/lounge will have amazing talent performing, often free of charge.

I’m stoked because tonight Samana Lounge will host the Vail Rocks for Haiti Benefit. Nearly 20 local musicians have volunteered to perform tonight to raise crucial funds for Haiti relief efforts. The show will feature performances from members of Frogs Gone Fishin, Bonfire Dub, The Laughing Bones, DJ Logic, Boxcar Dazies, Little Hercules, Velcro Sneakers, M.T.H.D.S and Shakedown Street. That’s a lot of talented artists in one room, performing for a good cause. I know I’ll be there showing my support and moving my feet to some sweet jams. Suggested donation is $15, show kicks off at 8 pm. Keep on rocking on!

-CSA

Girls love wearing fancy masks!

February 14-19 is Carnivail! I’ve noticed signs around town and can’t be more excited! After their Super Bowl win- I think all of America is pumped for Mardi Gras, and this is Vail’s own version! If you can’t make it to New Orleans, then what better way to spend it than in the mountains? Our stars alone are better than the fireworks, and the people know here know how to celebrate!

After finishing our own great event- Vail Gay Ski Week- we are rested and ready to participate in this once a year event in Vail! Come see our friends, the Frogs Gone Fishin’, at the Fat Tuesday Parade (free!)! We love these guys, and they are local favorites!

Missing that dirty south great cookin? Not a problem- join us in becoming fat kids again with the “World’s Highest Low Country Crawfish Boil” at Eagle’s Nest. Go skiing or riding afterward to burn those calories! Here’s the menu Vail has planned:

1 lb. Crawfish, Andouille Sausage, Corn, New Potatoes, Garlic Bread – $14.95

Bowl of Gumbo – $7.95

Crawfish Etouffee- $8.95

King Cake – $3.50

I will also be hitting up my favorite places in Vail- Sweet Basil, Samana, the Tap Room, and more. Email me if you want to plan meeting up!

janyce.brandon@vailgayskiweek.com

One big event after the other………..it never gets boring in Vail !!!!!!!

Last weekend Vail hosted the first Vail Gay Ski Week which turned out to be a huge success. People attending had a blast.  Many people from all over the country, especially the East Coast, California and the Denver area traveled to Vail and enjoyed awesome snow, parties and events the Vail Gay Ski Week team came up with. Most people showed up Thursday for the first event- the Women Wrestling in Samanas. Nobody ever imagined that women wrestling could be such fun. The 10 woman wrestler gave their best and even more… People watching were pushing each other to get the best spot in order to see the girls rolling on the floor.  Then Friday morning most went out skiing and then getting ready for the Beer Bust. The Beer Bust Friday night was the first big party. Hosted in the Donovan Pavillion in Vail, the cowboy themed party was a great party. People enjoyed drinks and dancing to DJ Sammy Jo till midnight. Saturday morning seemed kind of slow. Registration was open at 8am but most people showed up later which was related to the Beer Bust and dancing the night before ….But once up, groups of skiers and boarders went out together and enjoyed the amazing Colorado weather and snow on the slopes. After skiing most went back to the Vail Plaza to relax in the Plaza Hot Tub and enjoy some drinks to prepare for the final party Saturday night – the POPular Party.  During the Popular Party with dj guillaume the silent auction was taking place approaching final bits for its closing at midnight. The Vail Gay Ski Week team managed to get amazing prices from resorts, art galleries, sport shops, hotels…on which participants were biting on. Most people at the party took advantage of the fact that they were staying right at the party place, the Vail Plaza, so that they could party really hard and then just roll in their room once the party was done at 2am. Sunday morning was even slower than Saturday…most participants decided to relax and then simply check out and travel home with amazing memories and looking forward to Vail Gay Summer and the next Vail Gay Ski Week.

Once Vail Gay Ski Week is over Vail Village is already getting ready for the next big event, the CarniVail. In less than two weeks, February 14^th to the 21^st the next event will be hosted in the party mountain town. Bridge Street will become Bourbon Street! CarniVail starts of on Sunday 14^th up on Eagle’s Nest, located at the top of the Eagle Bahn Gondola, with true Cajun dishes including Crawfish, Gumbo, Jambalaya, music and more! The Bud Light Fat Tuesday Parade and Street Party with Frogs Gone Fishin’ and a Float Competition is going on February 16th, and on Friday, February 19 the event will be finished up with a free concert of Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe presented by Southern Comfort.

The Wailers free concert to start off Street Beat in Vail Village was truly EPIC!  As I arrived with friends, we noticed the parking structure was closed off, and everyone was parking on the side of the road.  I knew from the start that this night would be fantastic.  Coming through the covered bridge, we could hear the beats that would lead us through the whole night in euphoria.  At the beginning of the street, we could smell the Hot Gyros, and salivating the whole way through the crowd to the front, we knew this would be an adventure to remember.  Looking up the side hotels and lodges, we were envious of the balcony dwellers that had the perfect view.  This was the only issue of the night, getting a good view.  We were off to the side; it ended up being a miracle to see the band. At one instance, though, the planets must have aligned, and I was able to see his arm point to the crowd. I exclaimed, “I saw him, he’s wearing a red sweater right?”  More glances were to come, a swinging dreadlock here, an arm movement there.  Timeless classics had the whole crowd singing in unison. Everyone was so happy to be there.  I was still dancing after the concert had ended. Maybe it was to keep warm.  On the way out, the smell was too strong not to work.  I got in the Gyro line, and bought the best, and I mean best, gyro I have ever eaten, in my entire life. I’m thinking about it right now to be honest.  Good times.  The company responsible is local, called Nicky’s Quickie.  They will be serving brisket loveliness at the Colorado Beer Bust, Friday, January 29th, at the Donovan Pavilion during Vail Gay Ski Week.  I’m definitely going to follow these chef creatives.  After raving about how delicious my Gyro was, we all strolled down to Whiskey Jack’s for some good tunes. Guess what they were playing. Bob Marley.  The whole night was an after party.  Everyone was talking about Samana Lounge, how their after-party would be incredible.  We soon left Whiskey Jack’s and made our way down to Samana Lounge.  The inside atmosphere was amazing, and the band playing kept us all feeling as though we had Reggae Super Powers.  Head bobbing, two stepping was the name of the game, and we all won.  I look forward to the next Street Beat concert will be Stockholm Syndrome, at Solaris, February 24th.  See you there!