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| Trout Lake Water Tower, oil on linen |
I’m a big fan of illustration. Perhaps it’s part of my affection for magazines’ designed and printed pages. So I was thrilled to hear that the Telluride Gallery of Fine Art will launch an exhibit of beloved illustrator Bernie Fuchs’s work on June 26. Fuchs is something of an American icon: The youngest artist ever to be inducted into the Society of Illustrators’ Hall of Fame, Fuchs has created illustrations for a wide range of magazines, including Sports Illustrated, Cosmopolitan, American Heritage and The New Yorker, as well as countless books.
The exhibit, a 50-year retrospective of Fuchs’s work, will highlight the artist’s ability to capture the essence or mood of his subjects, be they people, places or events. Celebrated for his cinematic approach, Fuchs is undoubtedly one of America’s most accomplished and compelling artists. Don’t miss this show.
The Bernie Fuchs 50-Year Retrospective runs from June 26 to July 26 at the Telluride Gallery of Fine Art, 130 East Colorado Ave., Telluride, CO. For more information, please call (970) 728-3300. Fuchs will be present at the opening night event, June 26, from 5:30-7:30.
May 20th, 2008
Hilary
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John Suhay has been documenting daily life in Pittsburgh and Pueblo for more than 40 years. His black and white prints highlight the mentality of the two cities, and the snapshots project powerful feelings and emotions. Growing up, Suhay was inspired by the photographic work in Life, and sold his first portrait to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in 1938 for $3. Sangre de Cristo Arts & Conference Center, (719) 295-7200, sdc-arts.org. |
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"My paintings explore conflict and the struggle between dialectical tensions such as masculinity and femininity, chaos and structure, preordination and free will." Frank T. Martinez is a self-taught painter whose work can be interpreted in a myriad of ways by each viewer. + Gallery, (303) 296-0927, plusgallery.com. |
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Born in 1959 in the small town of San Pablo in the San Luis Valley, Emilio Lobato’s family has lived in that area for more than 200 years. According to Lobato, "My art is a reaction to the isolation and solitude I experienced growing up. I consider my paintings relics: souvenirs of a spiritual, inward journey molded with the passions, dramas and desires that constitute the human experience." William Havu Gallery, (303) 893-2360, williamhavugallery.com. |
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Rodney Wood’s past work included mixed media sculpture and jewelry and metalsmithing, while his current focus is on oil painting. His goal is for art to "make people see and feel something that reaches beyond the physical and intellectual." His work is influenced by the mythology, religion and symbolism of past cultures. Sangre de Cristo Arts & Conference Center, (719) 295-7200, sdc-arts.org. |
May 20th, 2008
admin
Chocolate: 5 basic types
Unsweetened - Pure chocolate with about 50 to 58 percent cocoa butter. This is the most bitter version of chocolate with no sugar added. The original Aztec xocolatl (bitter water) was made with unsweetened chocolate, and it is said that the Aztec ruler Montezuma drank 50 goblets a day.
Bittersweet - Made with at least 35 percent chocolate liquor. The most common form of baking chocolate and the most prized by chefs, chocolatiers and patissieres. The best bittersweet chocolates have a smooth, glossy finish, a satisfying “snap” when broken and complex flavor nuances.
Semi-sweet to Sweet - Made with 15-35 percent chocolate liquor.
Milk - Dry milk is added to sweetened chocolate. Quality milk chocolate should have at least 12 percent milk solids and 10 percent chocolate liquor. Mass-produced versions, like those used by Hershey’s and Mars, have added chemicals and stabilizers.
White Chocolate - This is not technically chocolate because it doesn’t contain any chocolate liquor. It is a mixture of sugar, cocoa butter, milk solids, lecithin and vanilla. Quality versions provide a lovely, subtle flavor and a creamy texture. |
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Once considered a powerful elixir of the Aztec gods, chocolate is now a flavor loved and savored by millions around the globe. From its origins in the tropics of Central and South America, this bitter bean inspires fiery discourse, arouses lovers’ passions and provides sublime solace for the sad and lonely. True chocolate is a remarkable substance, one with complex flavors and smooth textures.
To create a high-quality chocolate, carefully selected beans of the cocoa pod are fermented, dried, roasted and cracked. Next, the nibs (inside the shell) are ground to extract some of the cocoa butter, leaving a thick, dark brown chocolate liquor. Finally, the liquor is conched, whereby the substance is blended and heated, ridding it of moisture and acids, and then combined with sugar or sugar and milk (except for unsweetened), and poured into molds.
Though navigating the world of artisan chocolates may seem daunting, local expert Will Poole of Wen Chocolates, wenchocolates.com, believes that “it is really about returning to your inner child, you must get your fingers dirty.” Taste as many different kinds as you can. Each one will have its own nuances—some may hint of black cherries, others of coffee or spices.
Once you have found a chocolate you like, test it out in the recipes on the following page. Then branch out and experiment with unexpected ingredients. Try mixing in savory spices like curry or cardamom; the zest of exotic citrus fruits like kumquats; teas, such as Earl Grey or Jasmine; or heady liquors like cognac and Frangelico. “Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect,” says Poole, who just opened a Wen Chocolates retail shop in LoDo, “At the very least you will end up with a great chocolate sauce.”
Visit the Colorado Homes & Lifestyles recipe file for the following recipes:
Hand-Rolled Chocolate Truffles
Drinking Chocolate
Brandy Truffles
Chai Truffles
White Chocolate Chai
May 20th, 2008
admin
Four Seasons Residence Club, Vail
The Club at Solaris, Vail
Maytag Mountain Ranch, Hillside
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1. Four Seasons Residence Club, Vail
Located at the main entrance to Vail Village and a short walk from the base of Vail Mountain, the new Four Seasons Residence Club offers all of the services and luxuries you’d expect from a Four Seasons hotel—a full- service spa and private fitness club, 24-hour concierge service, in-room dining, a fine dining restaurant and a dedicated ski and snowboard valet service. Two- to 4-bedrooms available, deeded 1/12 fractional begins at $399,900.
Jeff Meier, Playground Destination Properties, Inc., (877) 748-8245, Fourseasons.com/ownvail
2. The Club at Solaris, Vail
At the center of Vail Village, Solaris combines the five-star amenities of a grand hotel with the intimacy of a private club that arranges everything from stocking your pantry to warming your ski boots before you head off to the slopes. Each of the 95 memberships costs $1.9 million and provides access to 3- and 4-bedroom exclusive residences with 52 weeks of guaranteed availability (even during holidays).
Sales Office (970) 476-7885, The Club at Solaris (an Epiphany Club), Theclubatsolaris.com
3. Maytag Mountain Ranch, Hillside
The Maytag family has been raising grass-fed beef on this 2,953-acre eco-ranch for two generations. Now, they are selling 27 carefully planned 100-acre homesteads to partners who are interested in green agriculture and ecologically sound ranching practices. Partners have access to the owners’ lodges (where they stay while their homes are built) as well as a fully equipped horse barn, 10 miles of multi-use trails and world-class fly fishing. Beginning at $895,000.
Stephan Zittel High Mountain Sotheby’s International Realty, (970) 879-8101, Maytagmountainranch.com
4. Roaring Fork Club, Basalt
An elegant lodge and 48 hand-hewn log cabins sit along the Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course with its eco-smart fescue fairways. In summer, members enjoy golf and fishing. In winter, owners stay here and ski nearby Snowmass and Aspen. Beginning at $315,000 for deeded 1/6-fractional lodge residence, $725,000 for deeded 1/4-fractional interest in a log cabin.
Stephanie Williams (970) 927-2907, Roaringforkclub.com
5. Paramonte Residences, Cordillera
Adjacent to The Lodge & Spa at Cordillera, Paramonte’s residences offer unlimited access to this luxe hotel’s services. These shared private residences are ideal for those who want the advantages of traditional second-home ownership without traditional whole-ownership expenses. Owners have access to four extraordinary golf courses (designed by Nicklaus, Fazio, Irwin and Pelz), private fishing on 1.5 miles of the Eagle River and door-to-door transportation to Vail and Beaver Creek ski resorts. $350,000 for a deeded 1/8 ownership.
Patti Brave Slifer Smith & Frampton Real Estate, (970) 926-3505, Paramonte.com
May 20th, 2008
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