Vail’s Sun Up Bowl

Looking towards Mid-Vail

It was Friday night at 11:30 when I received the call.  She had dialed the Antlers version of 911 and that ring comes right to my cell phone.  With a bit of urgency in her voice I heard  “My husband is locked out on the balcony”

That said, my first thought was….”Ohhh mannnn……..”

She told me what unit to report to and I said “It will be a few minutes, but I’ll be there as quickly as I can”.

“Please hurry.  He’s in his underwear and the thermometer says 15 degrees”.  I picked up the pace and when I got to the front door she was standing outside waiting for me.

“My key doesn’t work” she says.  I tried mine.

“That’s interesting, my key doesn’t work either and it’s because the dead bolt is on”.

I had to ask “Who locked the deadbolt?”

“I did” she said.

“But you’re out here with me” I said.

“Well then he must have” she said.

At this point I surmise that alcohol could be a factor.  I looked away from her so as not to be caught laughing and sending the wrong message. After a few seconds of gibberish I looked up and said, ”I need to go back to the office, open up the safe and get the deadbolt over-ride key. You stand right here and promise not to move.  You OK with that?

She looked back at me and said “Could you get my husband a blanket?  I’m sure he’s freezing his little tush off, and hurry because I need to tinkle”.

When I return to the staging area with keys and a blanket, low and behold, he is standing there with his wife.  “Are you the fella that’s locked out on the balcony?”

“Not any more.  Now I’m just locked out of our condo and I could use that blanket because I am still in my underwear.”  Then he laughed.

My new friend had taken it upon himself to rescue everyone trapped on a balcony that night.  He jumped the gate into the snow on the other side.  Climbed down the rock wall that separated the garden and the bike path and nonchalantly walked around the building in his bare feet.  “What an adventure and this is only our second day here”  he said to me.

Of course now it’s time for “Murphy’s Law“.  I try the dead bolt over ride key and it just spins in a circle.  She looks at me with a quizzical kind of look and says ‘Maybe it’s the wrong key?” and then she laughed.

I say “It’s the right key, I think the lock assembly is bad. We’re going to have to climb through a window or use the balcony door to get in.”

“Well we know the balcony door isn’t an option” he said, and the couple started laughing hysterical.  All I’m thinking is this patient lady has not mentioned another word about using the bathroom.  For that, I felt a sense of relief.  They really were having a good time with the string of events and my only concern was climbing through the kitchen window.

It opened but I have another self revelation that I’m to old, fat and ugly to get to the other side.

I need a short, athletic person to jump six inches up and through.  Thank God Amy was at the front desk!  She did a “Circus O’Lea Thing”, right up and in.  Emergency over.

Our fun loving, happy guests welcome themselves back to their warm condominium…..turn back to us….and with obvious appreciation………say…….”You guys want a glass of wine?”

 Game Creek Bowl

John Taylor checking out Sun Down bowl and noting the skiers coming up Chair 5

Top of Chair 2

Top of Born Free

Skiing Mid-Vail

Looking into the Back Bowls, we probably need another 15-20 inches before we can open them (I think)

Heading down towards mid-Vail

A little video from January 5

Looking over towards Vail’s mountain top

Skiing under Sourdough lift in Vail January 6, 2012

Best runs were off of Chair 14 in Vail

And then another Vail local gal (Sarah Schlepper) has her final World Cup run and finishes with her 3 year old son “Lasse”.

Snowmobile rides await with Colorado Backcountry Tours. Baton Rouge, LA.

It’s Christmas time all over the world and there may not be a better place to celebrate this Holiday Season than Vail, Colorado.  Allow me throw a few photo’s at you.  They are random and just show a few of our guests enjoying Colorado in December.

Here to watch thier Ski Team compete at the BIRDS of PREY competition.Tokyo says Hello.

    

Girls weekend at the Antlers for no particular reason. Littleton, Colorado

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merlyn, owner of Camalot Ballons, drops off after the 2 hour ride over the Valley. Lafeyette, Lousianna.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

Trick Photography by Accident. Aaron and Casey - Atlanta, Georgia.

  

 

 

 

 

 

The Vail Valley Recreation District sponsors “Vail Holidaze” and the Antlers hosted Santa’s Work Shop.  We were busy all afternoon as kids brought their parents to say hello and get those last minute projects done.

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

Even I have a little spirit this year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wherever you may be during this special time of year, we all wish you the best through the Holiday Season. 

First: Lord Gore Restaurant

5 out of 5 Antlers

This is one of the older restaurants around Vail.  However, they’ve got a new management team and so far are kicking butt in the Vail Valley.  I attended a concierge night where they had samplings available for most of the items on their menu.  It was like heaven!  I tried everything once, tried quite a few a few times more, and then finished with a chocolate decadence that had me and my fellow concierges squabbling and stealing it from each other like 5 year olds.  They are really changing things up over there and they are holding another concierge night with the other half of the menu very soon which I am H-E-doublehockeysticks bent on attending.  Their dining room is amazing (even though the manager is convinced its not good enough) with a great fireplace, 20-25 ft ceilings, and a MASSIVE window looking up into the mountain.  It would be a gorgeous place to sit and have breakfast early morning and watch the sun wash over the mountains.  They are really trying to cater to the customer there.  They are offering multiple sizes of all their starters and entrees to fit the needs of the dainty eaters and the black hole stomachs of this world.  Also, they offer massive platters so the whole family can share a single plate.  It’s a small establishment sitting maybe 60 people so reservations are HIGHLY recommended.  I can’t wait to go back.

Second: Terra Bistro

5 out 5 Antlers

This place rocked it.  I went with a bit of a foodie and she ask a LOT of questions about EVERYTHING.  The server and the host were both up to the challenge and were very knowledgeable.  The atmosphere was cool, calm, and quiet but it wasn’t busy that night.  I hear it can be a great place for apre ski because they have a decent sized bar and great happy hour specials (3-5 I think?).  The food was fannnntastic.  I highly recommend the dates wrapped in bacon starter it was one of the best things I’ve ever tasted (I hear its one of the happy hour specials).  The menu seems a bit small but I bet every item on there is really good.  I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone who is looking for a good high class meal.

Third: Lancelot

4 out of 5 Antlers

Had a reservation for 2 at 8 oclock on a Friday night.  We arrived 10 minutes early so expected a little wait.  We ended up waiting a good 30 minutes and watched the maitre d seat a walk in group who came in behind us without a reservation BEFORE US.  That was a bit of a sting to the experience.  However, once we sat down the rest of the experience was gold.  The service was speedy and knowledgeable, the food was excellent (steak and shrimp dinner was amazing, shrimp wrapped in bacon, steak smothered in an awesome sauce).  This place is considered by many to be the best prime rib in the valley so definitely recommend giving it a try.

Fourth: Mezzaluna

4 out of 5 Antlers

A good italian place located just next door to our building inside the Lionsquare Lodge.  A great place for apre ski, they have awesome happy hour specials and a great menu for dinner.  I went to lunch there and enjoyed a sampling of all their starters which all were good and reasonably priced.  Their location is A+ being right next to the gondola.  You can sit on the deck and watch all the skiers returning to the base of the mountain while sipping a Fat Tire beer.