Last November I complained about there being no Blanton's Bourbon in Temecula, CA. Well, a few months ago, one of my colleagues, who is always looking out for me, found a restaurant/bar smart enough to have The Greatest Single Barrel Bourbon in the World behind the bar. Gourmet Italia Restaurant serves great Italian food, wine, and Blanton's Bourbon. Alex, the founder/owner, is a great host, always making you to feel welcome and at home. If you ever find yourself here in Temecula, CA, make sure to look up Alex, have a great dinner, along with some Blanton's after dinner if you like great bourbon.
THERE IS BLANTON'S BOURBON IN TEMECULA, CALIFORNIA!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Skiing in Keystone, Colorado
My son and I stayed in Keystone, Colorado, February 20th through February 23rd. We skied at Keystone Monday and Wednesday, and at Beaver Creek Tuesday. Weather was great, ski conditions perfect, and spending time with my son was the best.
David planned the entire trip. All I had to do was show up (well, and write a check). He reserved a great condo in the Ski Tip/Ski Ranch community at Keystone (www.Keystone.com). One of his criteria was that the condo have a newer television. The TV in the living room was a 47" LG, very much like the TVs at my house. Each bedroom also had smaller flat panel TVs--very nice. The other key criteria for the condo was to not have to carry our luggage and other stuff too far. The condo had an attached garage so it was like being home. Very nice!
We arrived Sunday night, checked in, unpacked, went to our favorite Mexican restaurant in Keystone, Dos Locos (www.doslocoskeystone.com), played a little Wi golf (Pebble Beach, David beat me by two strokes though I did have a hole-in-one), and went to bed. Monday morning, we got up, ate some breakfast, and hit the slopes.
Oh yeah, have to give a shout out to Virgin Islands Ski and Snowboard Rental in Silverthorne, Colorado (http://virginislandsski.com). It is a great ski rental shop, filled with employees/skiers who provide very efficient service. The best part is they are all real characters. We have seen and been served by many of the same employees for years. Is always like seeing old friends when we stop by.
Really, the next three days were very similar. Dave and I ski from the top of lifts to the bottom, without much stopping in between. So, the pattern was, ride the lift, ski a blue or black run to the bottom of the next lift, ride up to the top of the next mountain, repeat, repeat, repeat. This pattern works very well if when you are in good enough shape to do this over and over all day and there aren't too many other people skiing so you don't have to stand in lift lines very long. Skiing the week before a major vacation like President's Day week keeps the lift lines to nothing. Regular time on the treadmill, bicycle, active exercise gets your body ready for the constant skiing.
So, it was a great three days. Keystone and Beaver Creek are both large ski areas with a good variety of slopes. Conditions, as I said earlier, were perfect though a bit of new snow would have made them a bit better.
My son and daughter learned to ski at Keystone in the early 1990's. I highly recommend Keystone to families, and skiers of all skill levels. There are very good beginning "bunny" slopes, great ski schools/instructors, and all the steep slopes most better skiers can handle. And, there is a wide variety of rental properties, from hotel rooms to ski in-ski-out condos, all connected to a very convenient community bus system.
Now, David and I are already looking forward to next year, and hope my wife Kathy, daughter/sister Nina, and David's wife Carley decide to join us.
David planned the entire trip. All I had to do was show up (well, and write a check). He reserved a great condo in the Ski Tip/Ski Ranch community at Keystone (www.Keystone.com). One of his criteria was that the condo have a newer television. The TV in the living room was a 47" LG, very much like the TVs at my house. Each bedroom also had smaller flat panel TVs--very nice. The other key criteria for the condo was to not have to carry our luggage and other stuff too far. The condo had an attached garage so it was like being home. Very nice!
We arrived Sunday night, checked in, unpacked, went to our favorite Mexican restaurant in Keystone, Dos Locos (www.doslocoskeystone.com), played a little Wi golf (Pebble Beach, David beat me by two strokes though I did have a hole-in-one), and went to bed. Monday morning, we got up, ate some breakfast, and hit the slopes.
Oh yeah, have to give a shout out to Virgin Islands Ski and Snowboard Rental in Silverthorne, Colorado (http://virginislandsski.com). It is a great ski rental shop, filled with employees/skiers who provide very efficient service. The best part is they are all real characters. We have seen and been served by many of the same employees for years. Is always like seeing old friends when we stop by.
Really, the next three days were very similar. Dave and I ski from the top of lifts to the bottom, without much stopping in between. So, the pattern was, ride the lift, ski a blue or black run to the bottom of the next lift, ride up to the top of the next mountain, repeat, repeat, repeat. This pattern works very well if when you are in good enough shape to do this over and over all day and there aren't too many other people skiing so you don't have to stand in lift lines very long. Skiing the week before a major vacation like President's Day week keeps the lift lines to nothing. Regular time on the treadmill, bicycle, active exercise gets your body ready for the constant skiing.
So, it was a great three days. Keystone and Beaver Creek are both large ski areas with a good variety of slopes. Conditions, as I said earlier, were perfect though a bit of new snow would have made them a bit better.
My son and daughter learned to ski at Keystone in the early 1990's. I highly recommend Keystone to families, and skiers of all skill levels. There are very good beginning "bunny" slopes, great ski schools/instructors, and all the steep slopes most better skiers can handle. And, there is a wide variety of rental properties, from hotel rooms to ski in-ski-out condos, all connected to a very convenient community bus system.
Now, David and I are already looking forward to next year, and hope my wife Kathy, daughter/sister Nina, and David's wife Carley decide to join us.
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