Colorado

Christo's Latest Art Project Angers Locals

Filed under: Art

Artist Christo is causing controversy yet again with another of his massive projects which involve huge draperies of fabric. The LA Times reports that the artist wants to hang translucent fabric over 5.9 miles of the Arkansas River in Colorado, 115 miles south of Denver. The project, titled "Over the River" has been in the works for years but as it heads gets closer to becoming a reality the voices against it are getting louder.

His famous projects have included wrapping islands off of Miami in fabric and installing a series of saffron-colored fabric gates in Central Park. Christo and his partner Jeanne-Claude spent over 40 years creating these massive installations around the world. She died in 2009 but the work goes on. If "Over the River" gets approval it would open in summer 2014 for two weeks. Like many of Christo's projects this would take a couple of years to pull off and this one would cost at least $50 million. Christo has created a designated website for the project which shows renderings of a river of fabric suspended above the river.

Environmentalists are at odds on the work. The Sierra Club's local group chose to support the project but others who live and work in the area think that the project will cause disruption and put this area at risk on several different levels, both affecting local businesses and local wildlife. They have banded together to appeal to the Bureau of Land Management which should decide the project's fate this spring.

Tags: art installation, christo, colorado, over the river

Inside the Homes of American Fashion Designers

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Decor, Books, Celebrity Design, Architecture & Design

Assouline has released the latest luxe edition in its American Fashion series, dedicated to the top-drawer designers who are members of the prestigious CFDA. American Fashion Designers at Home showcases the personal spaces of more than 100 fashionistas, including Diane von Furstenburg, Oscar de la Renta, Cynthia Rowley and Kate Spade. While some designer dwellings are extensions of the sensibilities embodied by their apparel collections, others exhibit a marked contrast. The domiciles range from studio apartments to sprawling estates, but all are linked by a keen aesthetic sense. Included are Carolina Herrera's grand Louis XV–influenced New York apartment; Betsey Johnson's girly glamourpuss garret; Ralph Lauren's luxuriously rustic Colorado ranch; Donna Karan's tranquil Turks & Caicos getaway; Tommy Hilfiger's over-the-top Greenwich mansion; Calvin Klein designer Francisco Costa's ultra-modern Manhattan aerie; and Johann Lindeberg's converted Greenwich Village factory (on the book's cover, above). Check out the gallery for a preview of Randolph Duke's Hollywood spread (which he recently sold for $5.3 million), David Chu's chic digs and more.

Gallery: American Fashion Designers at Home

Tags: Assouline, books, Calvin Klein, Carolina Herrera, CFDA, coffe table books, Colorado, David Chu, decor, designer, Diane von Furstenburg, Donna Karan, estates, fashion, fashion design, fashion designers, Greenwich Village, interior design, Kate Spade, New York, Oscar de la Renta, Ralph Lauren, Randolph Duke, Turks Caicos

Orvis Presents North America's Finest Hunting Lodges

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Sports, Books

Last spring we reported that legendary Vermont-based sporting outfitters Orvis had published a great new book on fly fishing's finest destinations. Now the company has come out with an equally compelling companion volume on hunting game birds. Great Hunting Lodges of North America: Wingshooting's Finest Destinations (Rizzoli) is a lavishly illustrated look at the very best upland and waterfowl hunting destinations around. Profiles of almost 20 featured Orvis destinations celebrate the great American sporting tradition and include detailed information on the local game species and wildlife, the lodge and the surrounding countryside, along with in-depth sidebars on key game birds and sporting dogs. Even if you're merely an armchair adventurer who's never fired a shotgun the great outdoor photography is worth the price of admission in its own right. Featured lodges include the Eagle Nest Lodge in Montana, Flying B Ranch in Idaho, Greystone Castle in Texas, The High Lonesome Ranch in Colorado, Mexico's Rancho Caracol, Deer Creek Lodge in Kentucky, Harris Springs Sportsman's Preserve in South Carolina and Pine Hill Plantation in Georgia. Check out the gallery for a preview.

Gallery: Great Hunting Lodges of North America

Tags: books, coffee table books, Colorado, dogs, fishing, fly fishing, Georgia, guns, hunting, hunting lodge, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, Orvis, Rancho Caracol, shotgun, sporting, sports, Texas, Vermont, wildlife

The Great Fly-Fishing Rivers of the West

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Sports, Books

Originally released in 1994, Grant McClintock's classic angler's almanac Flywater: Fly-Fishing Rivers of the West documented his year-long journey visiting the creeks, springs and freestone rivers that make the West the world's premiere destination for fly fishing. Now Universe has issued an updated edition complete with new photographs from McClintock's collection, revealing new river finds full of trout and steelhead. The destinations pictured in more than 200 full-color photos include New Mexico, California, Colorado, Utah, Oregon, Washington, Montana and Wyoming; the cover shows picturesque Pelican Point on Montana's Missouri River. Interspersed with the photos, McClintock explains the complexities of fly fishing in each type of "flywater". The book also features a foreword by renowned newsman and fly fishing enthusiast Tom Brokaw, who notes that McClintock magnificently captures the sport's "sense of majesty and humility – majesty in the surroundings and the humility that comes with understanding that the fly-fishing angler is there on nature's terms."

Tags: books, coffee table books, Colorado, fishing, fly fishing, fly-fishing, nature, New Mexico, outdoor, river, sports, Tom Brokaw, water

Aspen Contractor Says Abramovich Stiffed Him

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Wealth, Crimes and Misdemeanors

A contractor in Aspen, Colorado has filed a lien against Roman Abramovich, claiming the Russian billionaire stiffed him on work performed on Wildcat Ridge (above), the oligarch's $36 million ranch perched above Snowmass Village. The modern 11-bedroom mansion has a dramatic folded plate roof and a large moss rock wall dividing the east and west wings of the building, and uses geothermal wells to heat the interiors and indoor pool. Vogelman West Associates, a masonry and stone contractor, filed the lien in Pitkin County against Abramovich Roman Trailhead Property Management Inc. after trying to collect on an outstanding $5,000 invoice, the Aspen Daily News reports. Given the relatively paltry amount of the debt, we assume one of Abramovich's minions simply forgot to take care of it; then again, he didn't get rich by writing a lot of checks.

Tags: Aspen, Colorado, ranch, Roman Abramovich, Russian billionaires, wealth, Wildcat Ridge

Evergreen, Colorado, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Auctions

The latest home to auctioned off by Concierge Auctions is this spec home in Evergreen, Colorado. The home was named the "Best One-of-a-Kind Spec Home" in the Rocky Mountain Region by the National Association of Homebuilders and Professional Builder Magazine. It will sell at a live, on-site auction on September 24. The home was previously listed for $2.75 million but the auction has no minimum bid. The 650 Golden Willow Road sale is being conducted in cooperation with listing agent Emily Henderson of Fuller Sotheby's International Realty.

The woodsy retreat is a 7,504-square-foot luxury residence with four bedrooms and a main floor executive study. The home embraces a "Rustic Zen" style with reclaimed wood flooring and glass windows framing views of the Rocky Mountains. The gourmet kitchen, hearth room and study are located on the main floor along with an outdoor living room with a fireplace and an owner's suite with a private deck.

The home was created with more than 120 tons of authentic stone, slab granite and marble and is accented by pine timbers from Grand Lake. Outside there is a three-car garage and more than 2,100 square feet of outdoor living space. For more information visit www.EvergreenLuxuryAuction.com or call 866-818-6986.

Gallery: Evergreen, Colorado

Tags: colorado, colorado real estate, concierge auctions, evergreen

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Aspen Compound, Estate of the Day

by Laura Malesich (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Mountain escape paired with impeccable design depicts this incredible two lot, two acre estate in Aspen, Colorado. Situated on the Ridge of Red Mountain overlooking Aspen Mountain, Independence Pass and the entire valley, this $35 million property for sale is 11,300 square feet complete with five bedrooms, eight baths, four fireplaces, and three-car garage. It also boasts a 1600 bottle wine cellar, gym, movie theater, gourmet kitchen, resistance pool and multiple outdoor decks. In addition to the main house is a 4,000+ square foot guest residence with five bedrooms, five and a half baths, and two-car garage to boot! Plenty of space to entertain, enjoy and escape to the Rocky Mountains in this green-built, unique, gorgeous home.

Gallery: Aspen's Compound on the Ridge

Source

Tags: aspen, aspen colorado, aspen estate, colorado, compound on the ridge, estate of the day

Shadow Hawk "Super Terrain Vehicle"

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Part sports car, part race truck, part fighter jet – behold the Shawdow Hawk, a new "Super Terrain Vehicle" or STV from Colorado. The $1 million-plus monster is limited to just 12 examples per year built to order and is available in several fully-customizable configurations for street, desert, battlefield, snow and other applications. The fastest model packs a whopping 1,100 hp engine, does 0 to 60mph in 3.5 seconds, and eats Hummers for breakfast. All feature daylight cameras, active suspension, camber and caster control systems, driver activated ride height control of over 3.5 feet, 46 inch wheel travel and 3/16 inch monocoque construction. Delivery of the first Shadow Hawk, designed to be a high performance road machine and off road vehicle in one with nearly unlimited versatility, is slated for late 2011.

[via JamesList]

Tags: all-terrain, Colorado, Hummer, Shadow Hawk, STV, SUV, truck

The Case of Colorado's Missing Moon Rocks

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Last year, I wrote about the concerns that some of the moon rocks given away to various governments by the Nixon administration may have gone missing. A recent report from the Denver Post indicates the problem isn't just with other countries, it's right here at home. A set of moon rocks presented to Colorado's governor in 1974 which could be worth as much as $5 million on the black market appear to have disappeared.

Denver has one set of moon rocks on display on the third floor of the state Capitol. Those rocks were found around ten years ago in storage at the Colorado History Museum. A plaque with a golf-ball-sized sphere enclosing bits of the moon, was presented to Gov. John Vanderhoof by astronaut Jack Lousma on Jan. 9, 1974 but now it cannot be located. The Colorado History Museum doesn't have it nor does the Denver Museum of Nature & Science or the CU Heritage Center Space Exploration Gallery. A forensic-investigation student from the University of Phoenix believes they could be tucked away in the Colorado State Archives in boxes of Vanderhoof's personal effects. Richard Griffis has spent two months trying to find Colorado's Apollo 17 moon rocks. He is a student of Joseph Gutheinz, a retired NASA agent who in 1998 helped catch a man trying to sell Honduras' Apollo 17 moon rocks for $5 million. Gutheinz now teaches forensic investigation at the University of Phoenix and one of his assignments is for students to locate the lost moon rocks.

UPDATE: The rocks have been found. The rocks brought back by the Apollo 17 mission a are hanging in the home office of former Gov. John D. Vanderhoof. They will likely now find a home at a local museum or historical society.

Tags: Apollo 11, colorado, moon rock, moon rocks

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EXCLUSIVE: Aspen Fashion Week Founder Lisa Johnson's Ten Essential Luxuries

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Handbags, Wine, Events, Sports, 10 Luxuries

Click above to see Lisa Johnson's 10 Luxuries

The innovator behind Aspen Fashion Week, Lisa Johnson had a hunch that a fashion event combining the chic of skiing, winter and resort with the high energy appeal of Aspen would be a huge hit. As the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Aspen Chamber Resort Association, managing the destination marketing funds on behalf of the City of Aspen, Lisa worked with major events and productions like ESPN Winter X Games, HBO U.S. Comedy Arts Festival, the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen and Luxury Spa Finder's Aspen Spa Day. Also as part of her six year tenure with the Aspen Chamber Resort Association, Lisa managed the media relations efforts and served as a de facto film commissioner assisting on film, television and commercial productions of all sizes.

"Aspen is the most recognizable mountain town and the undeniable center of the winter lifestyle," Johnson, pictured above, center, with Lauren Bush and Ellen Gustafson from FEED, tells Luxist. "Most of the major fashion and luxury brands have boutiques here because it caters to a very high-end consumer and has some of the most influential buyers in winter and ski. I strongly felt that Aspen could support a fashion event in which designers and outerwear / ski brands could show collections in a fun, relaxed, high energy format to a consumer with the ability to walk into the stores to buy. And having Aspen Mountain as a backdrop is never a bad setting!" In the gallery are images of Johnson's essential luxuries, from skis to wine to books and bags, along with quotes about what makes them a must.

Gallery: Aspen Fashion Week Founder Lisa Johnson's 10 Luxuries

Tags: Aspen, Aspen Fashion Week, Colorado, fashion, fashion show, FEED bags, Lisa Johnson, resort, skiing, winter sports

The Classicist: Rash of New World Records Says "The Rich Are Back"

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Timepieces / Watches, Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions, Art, The Classicist, Wealth

Following an incredible number of record-breaking sales of some of the world's most expensive items, from cars to art to watches, diamonds and estates, that have taken place just in the past two weeks, we are hereby making an official declaration: The Rich Are Back. While the economic recovery has been slow to materialize in some quarters, those with the money to make multimillion-dollar purchases are suddenly not shy about dropping the coin. The megabucks deals mean an optimistic outlook has finally taken a firm hold, and the wealthy no longer feel the need to pinch their pennies in the fear that more hard times could be lurking right around the corner. We say it's about time too.

In one hectic twelve-day period, from May 3 to May 14, we saw the record-breaking sales of a $106 million Picasso painting; a $50 million mansion in Bel-Air; a $46 million ranch in Colorado; a $40 million Bugatti; a $32 million Warhol self-portrait; a $26 million Jasper Johns painting; an $18 million Ferrari; an $8 million blue diamond; and a $5 million Patek Philippe chronograph – about $330 million worth of the world's most expensive possessions. The astonishing sales have given an immediate boost to the art, classic cars, real estate and collector's timepieces markets, many of which faltered in the wake of the economic downturn, losing billions of dollars in value. Here's a rundown of the nine history-making deals as they unfolded over the twelve-day whirlwind of wealth disbursement; see the gallery for images:

Gallery: The Return of the Rich

Picasso, <i>Nude, Green Leaves, and Bust</i>

Tags: Andy Warhol, art, auction, Bel-Air, Bootjack Ranch, Bugatti, Chris Evans, Christies, chronograph, classic cars, Colorado, contemporary art, diamond, estates, Ferrari, Ferrari 250 GTO, Jasper Johns, Michael Crichton, Pablo Picasso, Patek Philippe, Picasso, ranch, real estate, The Rich, world record, worlds most expensive

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The Classicist: America's Finest Equestrian Architecture

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Estates, Sports, The Classicist, Wealth

Kathryn Masson, author of the book on Hunt Country Style which we wrote about back in 2008, has returned with another brilliant exposition on equestrian style for our enjoyment. Stables: Beautiful Paddocks, Horse Barns, and Tack Rooms takes us on an alluring journey through America's horse country. Collaborating once again with Hunt Country photographer Paul Rocheleau, Masson visits some of the most notable stables and equestrian centers from coast to coast. Ranging from private to historic to state-of-the-art, from homes for retired racehorses to lodgings for polo ponies, thoroughbreds and world champions, 25 distinctive examples of equestrian architecture and interiors are profiled, showcasing their design, construction, and landscaping.

Each of the featured buildings evokes its distinctive regional heritage, from an enormous 1830s English-style barn near the Saratoga Springs Racetrack, to the Mediterranean aesthetic of one of the world's leading Arabian breeding farms, Om El Arab International in California's Santa Ynez Valley. Also highlighted are the world-famous racing stable Newstead Farm in Upperville, Virginia, home of Kentucky Derby winner Genuine Risk, and the quintessential Western working ranch Centennial Ranch in Ridgeway, Colorado. Three historic Vanderbilt family stables are featured: The Breakers in Newport, Sandy Point Stables in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, and the newly restored project of Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank, Sagamore Farm in Glyndon, Maryland.

Avid equestrienne and professor Dr. Perky Beisel explores the history of the American stable and the long tradition of horsemanship in this United States in an informative preface. "For some Americans, horse ownership and participation in horse sports became a lifestyle and, for others, a way to join the upper class," She notes. "Families who reaped the benefits of 19th-century expansion in industries such as railroads and manufacturing had seemingly unlimited wealth with which to satisfy their desires. While some became notable art collectors, yachtsmen, or horticulturalists, others became active participants in horse sports. In so doing, not only did they create a new upper class, but they also transformed the physical landscape of equestrian recreation and leisure."

Gallery: Great American Stables

U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation Center, Gladstone, NJ

Tags: architecture, book, California, coffee table book, coffee table books, Colorado, equestrian, foxhunting, horseracing, horses, hunt country, Kathryn Masson, Kentucky Derby, luxury book, Maryland, polo, Rhode Island, Saratoga Springs, stables, The Breakers, upper class, Vanderbilt, Virginia

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Raft Down The Colorado River This Summer

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Part of the reason to get awesome accommodations when traveling is so that you can get a little adventurous and be safe in the knowledge that a 24-hour chef and 3,000-count sheets are waiting to receive you at the end of it. After departing your suite at the Grand Hotel at the Grand Canyon – about as luxurious as it gets, but remember we are talking about a remote and giant hole in the ground – river rafting might make the perfect counterpoint.

If you really want to get adventurous, then skip the Grand Hotel and go straight for Arizona River Runners' 3- to 13-day trips down the Colorado River. A full-on vacation inside of the canyon provides a glimpse of nature and rams and stars not often seen. Sure, there are things like tents to deal with but the soul can luxuriate in the outdoors, and a few days on the rio Colorado will give the body every excuse it needs to shack up at the spa at the Mandarin Oriental when the trip is done.

Source

Tags: adventure, adventure travel, arizona, colorado, colorado river, glamping, grand canyon, rafting, river rafting

Meg Whitman's Big Colorado Land Buy

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wealth

Meg Whitman may be busy running for governor in California but she found a little time to do some land buying in another state. The former CEO of eBay already owned Skyline Ranch near Telluride, Colorado (bought for around $20 million back in 2005). Now she has picked up land near Alta Lakes, an approximately 800-acre swath of undeveloped high country land earmarked for development.

The Telluride Daily Planet says that the billionaire has no plans to develop the property. She bought it from Silver Mountain Industries which had planned to put a neighborhood of large and expensive houses on the land, angering nature enthusiasts who enjoy the beautiful untouched land. It's not known exactly how many acres were sold or how much Whitman and her husband, neurosurgeon Griffith Harsh IV paid for the land. Whitman has also previously donated money to help conserve land in the area. The rights to develop went with the sale of the land but given Whitman's record of conservation in the area it's likely this will stay virgin land. Now if only she'd bring spend some more of that money in California.

Tags: alta lakes, AltaLakes, colorado, land, meg whitman, MegWhitman, telluride

Aspen Fashion Week Set for March

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Events, Sports

In the wake of a successful inaugural preview last year, the 2nd annual Aspen Fashion Week has been slated for March 14 – 19, showing that the ultra-chic Colorado resort is truly recession-proof. Designed to showcase and market winter resort, ski and technical outerwear in the home and playground of the country's most stylish mountain winter town, the occasion will feature slopeside runway events, daily après ski fashion shows, in-store presentations, on-mountain events and late night fashionable soirées. Expect world class designers, emerging fashionistas, brands with unique art programs, film screenings, music and models galore. W magazine will kick-off the festivities with an opening night party. Labels getting in on the action include Burberry, J. Crew, Helly Hansen, Victorinox, Calypso, Authier and more.

Tags: Aspen, Aspen Fashion Week, AspenFashionWeek, Colorado, fashion show, Fashion Week, FashionShow, FashionWeek, ski, skiing