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.

Janet and Tyler enjoying lunch at The 10th

I think the consensus in our group was that the best part is the slippers provided so that guest can be completely comfortable while they dine. The 10th is a full service restaurant where guests can have a nice sit down lunch complete with a server and all. It is a nice alternative to the busy cafeteria style restaurants through out the mountain.

Bar seating area at The 10th

I have to admit my favorite part (I know it’s weird) is that the bathroom door handles glow red when they are occupied!

They do recommend reservations, something that will take some getting use to for most everyone. But, you can do it through opentable.com, so that is handy!

Katie

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble and Happy Thanksgiving!

The second big driver was just the attraction of being one of the few people (to say the least) to ride a bike from Vail to Denver for a business meeting.  Call me crazy … everyone does.

So Sunday afternoon at 2:00 (after walking 18 holes and shooting a million, by the way) I set out from home on my trusty Giant armed with rain gear, a couple fresh jerseys and a healthy supply of “vitamin i” in my backpack.

3:00 found me at the East Vail exit feeling great.

Shortly after passing our namesake signage on the way up, by 4:20 I was cresting Vail Pass and happy, happy, happy.

A mere thirty-five downhill minutes later it was hi and bye to Frisco.

Who knew that the bikepath across the Dillon Dam was painted bright pink … what’s that all about?

Forty-five minutes further up the road, I pedalled into Keystone.  It was at this point that I started feeling less than 100%.  When I realized that one of my original two water bottles was still half full, it dawned on me that I wasn’t drinking nearly enough and might be getting dehydrated.  Duh.  In retrospect,  I was already well beyond what I could fix by simply drinking a bunch.   In fact, although I didn’t know it yet, I was toast.  More on that later.

After hanging at Keystone from 6:00 to about 6:30, eating power bars, drinking Gatorade, drinking Gatorade and eating power bars, I hit the road still foolish enough to think that Loveland Pass summit would be no sweat.

Notice that the sky is a bit dusky.  Right.  What should be an hour and change took me over two (with more than a couple catch-your-breath stops (piss me off).  At that point I had been on the road for six and a half hours, it’s beyond “dusky” and I hadn’t pee’d once.  Pardon me, but this isn’t good.

Nevertheless, the gratification of being at the top, combined with less than no alternatives of what to do next, made for an exciting (shall we say?) descent.  Just me, my bike, my little headlight (thank you again, Evelyn) and an occasional eighteen wheeler.  Yipee.  By the time I rolled into Georgetown at 9:30 I was beyond pooped, and really, really happy to call it a day.

I posted a picture of my luxurious motel room on Facebook and quickly got a “Motel 3?” response from Boomer.  I replied “two point five”.   But who really cares?

I should back up and tell you that the destination for this (not ill advised, but poorly executed) adventure was a CACI Executive Committee meeting at the University Club, a block from the capitol building in Denver.  Prior to being dim-witted enough to let myself dry out, I was sharp enough when I met with them the week before, to ask Darla and Eliza (our queens of PR) if they could deliver my suit to said destination.  Brill, and thanks.

Day 2 -Rise and shine … 7:00, out the door, back on the steed and Ya-hoo … another 18 mile thrilling descent into Idaho Springs.  And this time I can SEE WHERE I’M GOING!  It just doesn’t get any better.

From there, it’s a not-too-tough climb up Floyd Hill.  Now I’m no medic, but methinks that the dehydration screwed up my system beyond what guzzling water and one night’s fitfull sleep could fix.  When it took me at least twice as long as it should have, to climb FH and everything else, I was sure of it.

Reminiscent of Loveland Pass, reaching the crest of the hill next to Lookout Mountain got me stoked, with those familiar great views both east and west.

Toasted or not, the E-ticket ride down Route 40 is a hoot.  I confess to being a little preoccupied with the prospect of having to crawl back up that same path later in the day, but it was still really fun.

Once in Denver, I made my way east on Colfax (bad idea) and some side streets (slightly better) until I eventually reached my final resting place destination.

It was 10:30 and I had time to shower (thanks U Club), change, and get ready for our meeting.  I did my best to not let on that I felt somewhat like badly overcooked spaghetti, and seemingly got away with it, as the meeting went well and we adjourned just prior to 2:00 like usual.

When it came time to head out, I shared my adventure with Dan, Ann and Chuck, but predictably left out the part that I felt like hell and should have been ever so much smarter about drinking an ample amount of water along the way.  They were each more impressed than was deserved and Dan even went so far as to email out my undertaking to the entire CACI board.  Slightly embarrassing, but okay.

True to form, Ann took a picture.

Once changed back into my bike gear, I texted Evelyn that all was well (although my pants were on fire), telling her that the meeting went fine, but I didn’t feel great and was starting to question my ability to make it all the way home.  I presumed that we would communicate more and ultimately make arrangements to meet in Idaho Springs or similar.   You have to know that Ev was never too fond of the whole idea in the first place.  A short time later I got a return text telling me that she was passing Frisco and “on her way”.  At that point I had mixed emotions, part of me unhappy with her rush to judgment (and action), doubting my abilities altogether.  The other half of me was completely of the attitude, “OH THANK GOD!”.  By the time she picked me up just as I was about to begin the long ascent up to Lookout Mountain, the latter feeling had won out completely.

In sum, I think I can claim to be one of the few people to ever ride from Vail to Denver for a business meeting, but it does still leave me with one more goal for the future … down AND back.  And I’ll be a LOT smarter about how much water I drink!

Photo by Jack Affleck

August 1, 2011 – Vail, CO – This winter at the height of ski season, the Antlers at Vail hotel offers its popular “Value Vail” package.  From January 7 to February 15, 2012, guests can enjoy 30% savings off regular prices.  Rates for the five-night package start at just $1,134 per person per night for four people in a two-bedroom condo–including four-day lift tickets for all four skiers! 

General Manager Rob LeVine recommends booking early to secure a package.  “We sold out of the Value Vail package last year, and we anticipate even more skiers and snowboarders at the resort this year,” he says.  “To get the deal, we recommend that travelers lock in dates and packages as soon as possible.”

The Antlers Vail offers condominiums ranging from studio suites up to four bedrooms with fully-equipped kitchens, fireplaces, outdoor balconies, free Internet access and free heated indoor parking – plus free equipment storage for skiers and boarders.  Every room provides plenty of space to spread out and all the comforts of home, and the Antlers’ Vail-insider staff is on call to answer questions big or small.

Conveniently located 200 yards from the Vail Gondola, numerous restaurants, galleries and shops are within walking distance and the free Vail town shuttle stops just footsteps away.  Named the Vail Valley ‘Green Business of the Year’ in 2009,  the Antlers Vail condominiums is also proud to be named a Platinum Service Award Winner by the Vail Valley Partnership.  For more information, call 1-800-843-8245 or visit www.antlersvail.com.

Media Contacts: Rob LeVine, General Manager, The Antlers at Vail, (970) 476-2471, RLeVine@antlersvail.com or Darla Worden, WordenGroup Strategic Public Relations, (307) 734-5335, darla@wordenpr.com.

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When my fellow Antlers employee Dan and I hiked it on June 27th, it still had snow fields to cross at the start of the hike. However, we got through easy enough without too much post holing (and a slight deviation from the trail that turned into a lot more work than expected… DANNNN). Still, the rest of the trail was clear and easy going once we started gaining elevation. The most exhilarating thing about this hike was the wind that day. Sherman is very very exposed so a windbreaker/rain jacket is a MUST or you will risk being exposed to the elements that make hiking very uncomfortable.

A little bit windy up there

Only 40 a minute drive away from the Antlers here in Vail it was definitely a great day hike and a good first 14er for any moderate hiker looking to reach the next level. Make sure to add to the wind walls when you reach the top and sign the registry!!!

After we added another foot or so it still wasn't very helpful

The Vail Arts Festival kicks off on Friday in Lionshead Village with over 60 vendors. This open air market is a great place to pick up a new sculpture or a hand made piece of jewelry. The festival runs until Sunday.

The 4th Annual BBQ Bonanza is Saturday and Sunday in Vail Village with live music, BBQ and a pig race.  Swing by and grab some BBQ from local restaurants as they compete for the coveted title of Vail’s Best BBQ!

Beaver Creek welcomes the Tough Mudder competition Saturday and Sunday. Tough Mudder is not your average mud or endurance race. Participants go through 7-12 miles of obstacles designed by British Special forces. Spectator tickets are a suggest donation of $15 with proceeds benefiting the Wounded Warrior Project.