Publisher's Notes Summer 2000

A Little Tuscany In Telluride

I always think of Telluride as a exotic hideaway for people who want to get away from life's routines and find themselves in a tiny alcove nestled amid the lofty peaks of the San Juan Mountains. Telluride's off-the-beaten track location makes it more unique for the traveler seeking privacy, charm and a taste of the Old World. Telluride has a flavor and a style similar to

Tuscany. Like Tuscany, Telluride celebrates its history, loves good-spirited adventure and its favorite pastimes are being with friends, talking and eating.

Telluride has stupendous scenery, world-class art galleries, great shopping and countless restaurants with wine lists comparable to the Italians. No matter your endeavor here, you'll find the merchants, restaurant owners, outdoor companies and locals have a genuine flair all their own. Everything here exudes of authenticity and purity. Like Tuscany, Telluride seems to defy sameness and relishes in giving visitors a remarkably memorable experience, which, of course, is a rare delight.

Flavorful foods with subtleties of Europe, South America, the Orient and North America enhance everyone's stay. After hours are full of vigor, while the night skies are splattered with a zillion stars twinkling above and spotlighting our quaint Victorian town of Telluride and the grandeur of Mountain Village. The daylight hours brim with activities from wild to mild. Horseback riding, hiking, four-wheeling, climbing, swimming, biking, fishing and so much more are your's for the taking. Enchant your ears with world-renowned singers, musicians, films and plays. Satisfy your physical-side with pampering treatments like massages, facials or mudwraps. Or engage in golf or tennis while being surrounded with 360°s of drop-dead gorgeous views. Elk, deer, quaking aspen, ancient pines, streams, rivers, waterfalls and wildflowers enrich the alpine terrain and make everyone feel the rapturous beauty and splendor of Mother Nature.

Here, in Telluride, though our landscape isn't riddled with the tremendous edifices of the Roman Empire or medieval castles, we do have what nature has sculpted for millenniums and millenniums - the most awe-inspiring and pristine corridor of the Rocky Mountains, which is largely still in its primitive, virginal state.

As you make your journey to Telluride and Mountain Village, notice how most everything is in sync and rhythm with the fruits and gifts of nature. Also notice how the past is woven into the present and the present is chock-full of amenities catering to adventure-seekers and discerning travelers. More than anything, however, Telluride is a place that celebrates the moment - the here and now. Today it is a resort area that has, like Tuscany, created an atmosphere that is "genuino," which means natural and genuine. Now, begin your journey and embrace Telluride's style that surges with the classical and rich overtones of Tuscany.