Cordillera Life Magazine by Diane Tauber Schultz

Life Anne Roberts COVER GIRL PHILANTHROPIST LUVITHR

WINTER 2014-2015 INAUGURAL ISSUE

Brent Bingham Photography

Bethany S. Haerter, RDH, and co-owner of Vail Dentistry, wearing a black dress by Herve Leger; Perch, Vail, 970-688-5947, perchvail.com. Jewelry courtesy Kimberleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fine Jewelry, Edwards, 970-926-8802. 1

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Brent Bingham Photography

Anne Roberts, Cordillera resident, wearing a white blouse by Lela Rose; scuba pants, Veronica Beard; pumps, Tory Burch; necklace, Perch, Vail, 970-688-5947, perchvail.com. Earrings courtesy Kimberleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fine Jewelry, Edwards, 970-926-8802.

36 78 31

Contents

Sports 20

The Ultimate Team Sport

Community Days People and Places

Six Beats to Fly Fishing Heaven

Short and Sweet Way to Improve your Game

Summer Days Drifting way

Always and Forever a Cover Girl

Chef Matt Brings Destination Dining Back to Cordillera

Meet Joe Helminski: The Face of the Vail Gondola Club

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Good to Know Jack

What Makes Cordillera Tick

Ah, to be a Kid Again at Cordy Camp

20 66

Brent Bingham Photography

Eric Wagenknecht, associate broker, Vail Real Estate Group, wearing corduroy pants, Hartford; corduroy 3/4-length coat and Massimo Alba Scarf exclusively at Luca Bruno and Due Luca Bruno, 970-479-0050, lucabruno.com.

At the Cover Shoot

L to R Clockwise: Master Stylist Susan Wagenknecht (visual concept, hair design and makeup), W Salon, with Anne Roberts; That’s a wrap: Laurie O’Connell, owner, Perch, Vail; Bethany Haerter, Eric & Susan Wagenknecht, Roberts, Lou Schultz, Brent Bingham, Brent Bingham Photography, Di Schultz; Bingham & Haerter; Eric Wagenknecht and Luca Bruno; Bethany Haerter. Women’s Fashion by Perch, Vail, 970-688-5947, perchvail.com. Men’s Fashion by Luca Bruno and Due Luca Bruno, lucabruno.com.

Contents

Wellness 62

Beam Us Up, Dr. Scott

Gifts from the Mountain

Let’s Have a Ball

Publisher’s Letter

Notes from the Editor

Welcome letter from the CPOA & CVHOA

Departments 6

74 62

Brent Bingham Photography

Anne Roberts, Cordillera resident, wearing a dress by Nicole Miller; black pumps Tory Burch; Perch, Vail, 970-688-5947, perchvail.com. Necklace and earrings, Kimberleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fine Jewelry, Edwards, 970-926-8802. Ring, Valleygirl Boutique, Edwards, valleygirlboutique.com. 7

From the Publisher Welcome to the inaugural issue of Cordillera Life Magazine, which will be published every fall and spring. As an independent publisher, we decided to create a new magazine that celebrates all that is truly spectacular about Cordillera. There is no other place in Colorado that offers a complete outdoor lifestyle experience— Nowhere! Our goals with this magazine are to illustrate the community’s spirit and the all–inclusive amenities. My wife and I bought an enclave second home here in 2004, joined the golf club, and began to spend a large part of our lives enjoying this mountain paradise. We actually spent about six months a year here, and loved both summer and winter. The skiing doesn’t get any better than Vail and Beaver Creek. In 2011, we decided to make Cordillera our permanent home, and moved to the summit to bask in all of its open spaces and panoramic vistas. What a treat to wake up every single day to a landscape that people travel from all over the world to see. The winter days are brilliantly sunny, and the summers are a perfect blend of warm days and cool nights. Like the nursery rhyme, it’s not too hot or too cold. It is just right! What really sold us on Cordillera were all of the amenities that meet every lifestyle, whether you have a large and growing family, or are thinking about escaping the rat race. Sometimes, when I was working, it seemed as if the rats were winning. Seriously, where else would you find four golf courses designed by the best architects in the business, a world-class equestrian center, private fly fishing, including a parcel on the Eagle River owned by Cordillera and miles and miles of hiking and biking? You could become a world-class triathlete just biking and running up and down Squaw Creek and Fenno, and swimming in one of our three pools. The Athletic Center at Cordillera at the summit with all of its exercise equipment, fitness classes, ice rink, and Nordic trails are bonuses that help keep us fit and healthy year-round. Cordillera is not just a physical place either. It provides equal emphasis on improving body, mind and spirit no matter your age. In the summers, Cordy’s Camp at the Trailhead has a three-month program geared to kids. The Vail Valley Art Center has moved from Colorado Mountain College to Cordillera. We are home to many Vail Symposium events, and there are book clubs, art clubs, and social activities galore. Our community enrichment programs include a guest-lecture series, art classes, cooking classes, a hiking series, and even road trips to exciting Rocky Mountain National Parks. There actually are multiple activities to peak everyone’s interest weekly. We hope you enjoy the magazine. It is also available at cordilleraliving.com and on our website at cordilleralifeco.com. Our goal is to entertain and inform you about this very special place to live. If you live here, you know what I mean. If you don’t, come visit and experience it for yourself. We even have The Cordillera Lodge and Spa hotel on our grounds. How can it get any easier to enjoy Colorado? Louis M. Schultz Publisher

Publisher Louis M. Schultz Co-Publisher, Executive Editor, Writer Diane Tauber Schultz Chief Revenue Officer Alison Wadey Art Director Chris Hanna Photography Director of Photography Brent Bingham, Brent Bingham Photography Photo Editor Barbara Bingham, Brent Bingham Photography Cover Photograph by Brent Bingham Contributors Writer, Associate Copy Editor, Author Lisa Johnson Writer, Copy Editor Laura Lieff Writer Alison Perry Writer Louis M. Schultz Community Events CPOA Photographer Elise Pace Production and Printing Crested Butte Publishing & Creative CPC Solutions Magazine Development, Editorial Consultation LMS-UNLIMITED LLC Contributors November Issue Men’s Fashion Consultant Luca Bruno, Luca Bruno, Vail, CO Women’s Fashion Consultant Laurie O’Connell, Perch Vail, Vail, CO Visual Concept, Hair Design & Make-up Susan Wagenknecht, W Salon, Edwards, CO Cover Shot Anne Roberts Clothing by Perch, & Luca Bruno, Vail, CO Jewelry courtesy Kimberley’s Fine Jewelry Accessories by Valleygirl Boutique, Edwards, CO PUBLISHED BY TBK PRODUCTIONS LLC 114 Martingale Lane, Edwards, CO 81632 Managing Directors Louis M. Schultz, Diane L. Schultz Offices in Edwards, Colorado and Rancho Mirage, CA publisher@cordilleralifeco.com, cordilleralifeco.com Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest Copyright@2014 All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part of any material in this publication without the written permission of TBK Productions LLC is expressly forbidden. Publisher reserves the right to accept or reject all advertising matter. Copies of Cordillera Life are available for $7.95.

Brent Bingham Photography

Bethany S. Haerter, RDH, co-owner of Vail Dentistry, wearing a dress by Mason, Perch, Vail, 970-688-5947, perchvail.com. Bracelet, Valleygirl Boutique, Edwards, valleygirlboutique.com. Necklace, Perch, Vail; bracelet Valleygirl Boutique, Edwards, valleygirlboutique.com.

As I compose this letter today it’s the 12th anniversary of my son, Vince’s, death. We’re all drawn to Colorado for different reasons. Mine was for healing. We arrived in the fall of 2004 when the aspens were splashing sunshine among the countless shades of green that dance along the mountain tops to the valleys below. Here, I could breathe again. You can’t walk alongside 100-foot pine trees, eagles and hawks gliding above, without looking up and outside of yourself. I thought I had seen it all in Cordillera in my 10 years here until this summer when we began our magazine stories and photo shoots. Much like the camouflaged deer on the mountainside that you can miss until you alter your focus causing each to individually appear like magic; in the blink of an eye and turn of the head there is equally something new and glorious in Cordillera. In these pages, we’ll share with you the incredible people and places we’ve discovered. On our cover is the ever beautiful Cover Girl Anne Roberts. The only thing more radiant than Anne is her passion and charitable work for Canine Companions for Independence (CCI), Roundup River Ranch, and other organizations. I’ve personally known Anne for nearly 20 years, but had never seen her in action in front of the camera. During the fashion shoot at the Brent Bingham Photography studio, she had everyone mesmerized by how she changed facial expressions and body movements in split-second clicks of the camera. Bingham commented, “She brought it, and she owns it.” We’re especially excited to announce that Brent Bingham of Brent Bingham Photography, and his wife and business partner Barbara Bingham, joined Cordillera Life in June as our exclusive photographer. Every major artistic photograph you’ll see in the magazine and on our online website is the result of their artistic work. Bethany S. Haerter, RDH, and co-owner of Vail Dentistry and Eric Wagenknecht, associate broker, Vail Real Estate Group graciously donated their time to appear on our fashion pages attired in fall-winter fashion by Perch (women’s fashion) and Luca Bruno (men’s fashion featured). You will love visiting their boutiques in Vail! Master stylist Susan Wagenknecht, owner of W Salon in Edwards, generously donated her time, visual-concept expertise, and worked tirelessly during this full-day shoot to create the hair design and makeup looks you’ll see on our fashion pages. Meet Jack LoBiondo, director of golf and instruction at the Club at Cordillera in our people profile. Some of his students teasingly call him Adam, as in Levine, Maroon 5’s singer-songwriter and People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive 2014. LoBiondo’s wife, Sara, says people stop him in malls and airports mistaking him for Levine. And Jack, call your mother more! LoBiondo’s mother, Diana Roukis, texts “Good morning, love you” to Jack and his wife every day. “You never know if there’s going to be another tomorrow,” Roukis says. “I just want him to know that I love him.” Our features on Cordillera’s equestrian culture and fly fishing provide insight into the passions of both sports and the motivations of the people involved in them. Children’s author Lisa Johnson shares with us the multiple healing

Brent Bingham Photography

Notes from the Editor

uses of arnica montana in her story, “Gifts from the Mountain.” Johnson comes from the necessity-breeds-invention school of health management. She spent a decade investigating and implementing simple practices and lifestyle changes that helped transition her from using a wheelchair to hiking the Rocky Mountain trails. She is the author of a delightful series of online and print children’s books intended to ease the progression of holiday overindulgences; they can be previewed at positivespinpress.com. Laura Lieff’s delectable feature on the TimberHearth’s 34-year-old Chef Matt Limbaugh reveals chef’s passions, processes and cuisine. Here is a little-known secret: “I always get my best ideas in the shower while washing my hair, eyes closed. It’s when I bring myself to calm and peace,” Limbaugh says. The light bulbs used to go off while hiking, but there is no time for hiking these days in his new position as chef for all of the Club at Cordillera’s restaurants. We hope you enjoy our quick reads and photo stories showcasing the Athletic Center at Cordillera, Short Course, Vail Gondola Club, summer events pages and Cordy Camp. When we arrived to photograph Cordy’s Camp, a six- to seven-year-old boy walked by us with five other children on their way to the camp’s shuttle van, and says, “I play golf and tennis, and I have a birthday party this weekend.” Our photographer asked if he could come to his party. “No, my mom doesn’t know you,” he says, and stepped into the van headed to the summit for a golf lesson. We all laughed out loud. What a joy it was to experience these beautiful children at play. Welcome to the inaugural issue of Cordillera Life. We had a blast covering the people, places, and events in our amazing community. And we are grateful to all those who participated and shared their time and stories with us. Your input is welcome; email me at editor@cordilleralifeco.com. Enjoy your winter season. See you in our next issue in April. In the meantime, if you see our cameras flashing, smile! Gratefully yours, Di Tauber Schultz Executive Editor

Brent Bingham Photography

Eric Wagenknecht, associate broker, Vail Real Estate Group, wearing a baseball hat, Luca Bruno; long T-shirt, Scotch & Soda; camouflage jacket, Scotch & Soda; sunglasses Italia Independent; orange belt, Berge; electric blue denim five-pocket pants, Scotch & Soda; Luca Bruno and Due Luca Bruno, 970-479-0050, lucabruno.com. 11

Eric Wagenknecht, associate broker, Vail Real Estate Group, wearing corduroy pants, Hartford; suede and wool sweater jacket, and purple and white checkered shirt, Luca Bruno and Due Luca Bruno, lucabruno.com.

Brent Bingham Photography

Bethany S. Haerter, RDH, and co-owner of Vail Dentistry, wearing a buffalo plaid top, ALC; denim jeans, Rag & Bone; Newbury Boots, Rag & Bone; Perch, Vail; 970688-5947, perchvail.com; accessories by Valleygirl Boutique, Edwards, valleygirlboutique.com.

Brent Bingham Photography

Anne Roberts, Cordillera resident, wearing the Perfect Shirt by Theory; fringe skirt, Milly; Perch, Vail, 970-688-5947, perchvail.com. Bracelet, Valleygirl Boutique, Edwards, valleygirlboutique. com. Necklace, earrings, rings, Kimberleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fine Jewelry, Edwards, 970-926-8802. 13

Brent Bingham Photography

Bethany S. Haerter, RDH, and co-owner of Vail Dentistry, wearing a black dress by Neoprene, Clover Canyon; Perch, Vail, 970-688-5947, perchvail.com. Earrings, Valleygirl Boutique, Edwards, valleygirlboutique.com; Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s watch courtesy Kimberleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fine Jewelry, Edwards, 970-926-8802.

A Welcome Letter from the Cordillera Property Owners Association and the Cordillera Valley Homeowners Association. Welcome to Cordillera! In your time spent within these pages, you’ll get a taste of what it’s like to be in the heart of one of the most unique communities in the country. Cordillera is more than a collection of amenities, albeit quite an impressive collection. It is about the people who live here, Rocky Mountain majesty, and all that the Vail Valley has to offer. Within our 7,000+ acres, Cordillera has breathtaking landscapes from the Eagle River on the Valley floor to the endless vistas on the Summit and in the Territories. Three championship golf courses can challenge your play and the ten-hole Dave Pelz Short Course has clinics for perfecting your short game. Private fishing on the Eagle River and stocked community ponds bring year-round excitement for those anxious to learn the finer skills of fly fishing or casting while rafting down the river. After a day of hiking, riding, snowshoeing, ice skating or cruising the groomed trails at the Nordic Ski Center, the acclaimed Lodge and Spa at Cordillera offers a roaring fire, luxury treatments at the spa with indoor and outdoor pools and enticing meals at its two restaurants. Fitness Centers, tennis facilities, swimming pools, and a community café present classes and clubs to bring everyone together. Whether your interests lean toward hiking, art, cooking, reading, bridge, wine-tasting, yoga, Pickleball (you have to try it), or boot-camp workouts, you’ll find a group of new friends in Cordillera interested in just about anything. Indoor and outdoor equestrian arenas make Cordillera the premier luxury community for living near your horse and training in the mountain region. If spending as many days on the ski hill as possible is on your agenda, the Vail Gondola Club turns Bridge Street into Easy Street with private ski lockers and attendants, transportation to and from the mountain, pre-ski coffee and breakfast and après beverages. A home-away-from-home on Vail Mountain to check the stock prices, catch up on the news, and glance at your email makes the Gondola Club an invaluable addition to the Cordillera lifestyle. Cordillera’s five neighborhoods are choreographed to create a synchronized community with a diversity that appeals to so many friends and families. The Valley Club is at a lower elevation, close to Edwards and Avon and all the amenities of town, with more restaurants, coffee shops, schools, day care, grocery stores, 16

bookstores, and, of course, ski and bike shops at your fingertips! Rough, hand-hewn timber homes overlook the Tom Fazio designed Valley Course and give the Valley its casually impressive Colorado style. The Valley Course Clubhouse is home to the Chaparral Restaurant which welcomes you to its warm lounge and sundrenched decks for dining year-round. The Divide is crafted as a European-inspired mountain village and hosts the Short Course at Cordillera, the Lodge and Spa at Cordillera, and beautiful homes that have long views down the Valley in both directions. The Mirador restaurant, with its signature wine room for private parties, offers fine dining on the Divide, while the Grouse on the Green is an authentic Irish pub overlooking the Short Course and the Valley. The Ranch, which was once a working ranch, is now a distinguished neighborhood with log, stone and timber architecture inspired by the rustic ambiance of the American West. The Hale

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Irwin Mountain Course weaves around the mountain and hosts Nordic skiing and snowshoeing trails in the winter season. The Mountain Course Clubhouse, Nordic Center and TimberHearth Grille anchor the Ranch’s entertainment, along with the Trailhead community center. The TimberHearth Grille, with its expansive patios, soaring central stone fireplace, impressive menu and regular special events is where you’ll keep finding yourself landing at day’s end. Cordillera’s famous Cordy Camp for kids takes place at the Trailhead, along with summer days at the pool (complete with slide and fountains), community events, football games and movie nights on the big screens, kid’s Adventure Nights, cookouts and more activities on the great lawn and decks of this magnificent log lodge and recreation center. When you want to escape to the mountain tops, we have just the neighborhood for you. Anchored by the Jack Nicklaus Summit Course, you are surrounded by pristine open space with generous mountain top meadows in the Summit neighborhood. Privacy, wildlife, nature, and serenity surround you, while the Athletic Center at Cordillera is right at hand, with tennis courts (don’t miss pick-up Pickleball games), indoor swimming pool, hot tubs, fitness equipment and classes for everyone. The Summit Clubhouse serves up lunch on the peaks during the summer months and you get to experience the gorgeous views of authentic Rocky Mountain living when you find yourself at home on the Summit. Cordillera is one of the only places where you can have a working ranch with the conveniences of living in a premier mountain community. The Territories give you 35 acres of your own on which to spread out, have stables and horses if you wish, build the home of your dreams with caretakers quarters for when you’re away or have guests, and truly embody the freedom of the Colorado mountains. The Territories feature sweeping 360-degree views, from the Gore and Sawatch Mountain Ranges, to New York Mountain and the Seven Hermits, to Castle Peak and the Flattops. Residents can expect unmatched privacy living on top of the world and bordering over a million acres of National Forest. No matter where you end up in Cordillera, you’ll be sure to discover the most valuable part of our community—the people. In the pages to come, you’ll get to see a few of their faces and hear a few

of their stories, with more to come in future editions. However, if you truly want to feel the wind in your hair, breathe in the clear, cool, mountain air, peer through the rolling waters to the fish in the river, be amazed by the many stories that haven’t hit these pages yet, you’ll just have to come experience Cordillera for yourself. We look forward to meeting you soon and welcoming you home. Alison Perry Marketing Director, Cordillera Property Owners Association, Cordillera Metropolitan District

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Eric Wagenknecht, associate broker, Vail Real Estate Group, wearing a cashmere six-ply sweater, Massimo Alba; menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s satchel, Will (Made in Oregon); Corduroy five-pocket pants, Hartford; Luca Bruno and Due Luca Bruno, 970-479-0050. lucabruno.com.

The Ultimate Team Sport

Photos: Brent Bingham Photography

by Diane Tauber Schultz

Most people pass malls and gas stations on their way home. Cordillera Divide and Ranch residents pass 1,200-pound horses negotiating strategically placed jumps, young competitors’ silhouettes lifting and slumping in perfect synchronicity. They’re out there training every morning, helmets on their heads and passion in their hearts to compete and win. Here exists an unfamiliar world to many beyond the threshold of stables, indoor and outdoor arenas, and paddocks of the Cordillera Equestrian Center. The casual passerby on Squaw Creek often hesitates on the roadside just to catch a glimpse of the sheer force of nature between man and horse at the outdoor arenas and trails that cascade down the mountain into this equestrian universe. The center is sheer grit, dirt, hay, whinnying, barn cats, hovering scents of weathered leather, and the glistening majestic, muscle-bound creatures that seem as docile as children as they strut by you. Some are heading out for training, some for outside paddock time, others for casual rides along the three to four miles of Cordillera District open trails. “There isn’t another one in the Valley of this level,” Bart Sigler, community operations director, Cordillera Metro District says. “This is the only private commercial boarding facility in Edwards, and its convenient proximity to Edwards, Vail, Beaver Creek and Eagle is unparalleled.” Cordillera’s Equestrian Center is boarding 43 horses, at present, but has a capacity for 50: 25 board in its 12 foot by 12 foot stalls, eight are Dutch front-door stalls (location, location!), and the other 17 horses board in its upper outdoor paddock areas, whose owners prefer open spaces for their horses. The indoor stalls have shavings on the floors (think carpet) for the comfort of the horses, which are cleaned daily by employees. The inside boarders are turned out daily to their private paddock areas next to the outdoor arena above the stables so they can just be horses. In the early morning hours, there is a flurry of activity inside these stables and yet it’s also calm, procedural, almost military-like. There is precious cargo within these walls that feed on its owners’ unruffled yet caring self-control. It becomes immediately apparent that the young equestrian competitors under these stable rafters are systematically moving from horse stalls, to tack room

(owners’ saddles and equipment storage), to wash bay, to outside and indoor arenas. This is more than just a barn. It’s their second home. They’re here every day of the week for three to four hours at a time grooming, riding, training and caring for their championship horses. Although these young riders are also fiercely competitive, there is a familial atmosphere on these grounds bonded by a love and dedication to their horses and passion for their sport.

arkin Armbruster is in the wash bay with her 17.2 hand (that’s a big boy) brown Oldenburg horse named Finnegan. She is brushing him, wrapping his legs and saddling up to train in the outdoor arena. She is only 15 years old, yet she has been riding here at the EC for seven years and has spent the last two years competing. She began competing in hunter competitions and transitioned to jumpers. “My favorite noise is when I hear the buzzer for the jumpers. Everything relaxes,” Armbruster says. “I go over the first jump, go fast and just have fun.” Armbruster has been riding since before she could reach a saddle. She’s competed in California in hunter, and more recently in 22

local Colorado shows in jumper. This fall, she competed at the Colorado Horse Park in Parker in the meters, and won the modified adult/children jumper classes. “When you go off to competition and do well it’s pretty rewarding because you spend so much time up here,” Armbruster says of time spent at the Equestrian Center. “It’s what I love to do so it’s awesome when it pays off.” Yet, Armbruster explains that it’s not all about the ribbons. “It’s about your relationship with your horse and the feeling that you’ve done the best that you could have done,” she says. You’ll hear a lot of equestrian nomenclature here, but the novice should never feel intimidated or unwelcome. A ‘hand’ is how a horse’s height is measured, and translates to around four inches per

hand. Finnegan’s wither (where his neck meets his back) is about at Armbruster’s eye level, and she is 5 feet 9 inches tall. Finnegan’s show name is Lieutenant Dan, and he is known in the stables as the barn ambassador—an enormous horse with the personality of a golden retriever, and a combination of heart and smarts. Larkin’s mother, Henrietta Armbruster, has never known a horse like Finnegan. “He just adores Larkin and is the kindest soul,” she says. “They are such a great team.” Armbruster knows the importance of horsemanship and that the care of the animal is critical to the success of the team. She spends as much time nursing and caring for her horse as she does training and competing, which is pretty typical across the board with these competitors. When they speak of their horses, they

throw around words like ‘teamwork’ and ‘mutual trust’ and it sounds more like things you say about your best friend or spouse. Yet, when you’re flying through the air on a 1,200-pound animal there is more than just ribbons on the line. “When you’re out there riding you have to trust the animal to take care of you and the animal has to trust you to take care of him,” she says. “It’s a team sport, a team effort, which is really cool.” There are several disciplines of competitors who board here, including dressage (horse ballet), equitation (rider’s form), and rodeo competition, but the most prominent here are hunters-jumpers (English riding and competition). Simply put, hunters compete over a course that has a series of fences and field obstacles meant to mimic a traditional outdoor field and the judging is subjective and based upon the degree to which they meet an ideal standard of performance and form. Jumpers ride over a technically difficult course with many twists and turns. A pure ride with no faults and the fastest time wins the jumper competition. Of the two, only jumpers compete in the U.S. Olympics. One of the most prolific equestrian families in Cordillera is headed by Jeanne Kane Quagliano, who has lived in Cordillera since 2000. She is a former first assistant to the coach and stable manager for the U.S. Olympic Equestrian team and author of international equestrian handbooks. Her six children were on horses before they could walk, and four of them have competed. They’ve boarded nine different horses at the EC through the years from a 12-hand pony to a 17.2-hand Dutch Warmblood named Valois who her daughter, Reilly, is currently riding. They pass down horses the way most families pass down blue jeans. “The horses kept growing as the kids kept growing,” Quagliano says. “I spend money on horses, rather than True Religion jeans.” They’re boarding two horses at the EC now.

eilly Trudeau Quagliano walks out of the tack room smiling, her saddle cradled in her arms. Today, she’ll be training in the outdoor arena with Valois. Her crisp white shirt is suddenly soiled with yellow mucus by Valois’ playful nudge to her stomach. She barely notices as she rubs his neck. Jeanne Quagliano is in the outdoor arena setting a one meter (3-foot-3-inch) jump and chatting with a trainer while Reilly attends to Valois, saddling him and leading 23

him up a dirt path past the round pen to the outdoor arena where a couple of other young competitors are engaged in lessons. “You have to be bold and fearless to jump around these courses and have the discipline to keep getting better and better,” Jeanne Quagliano explains of the sport and rider. It also takes a certain kind of relationship to compete in this sport. “It’s not like a soccer ball you can put away. It’s an animal that has to be taken care of, so the dedication and love of sport is a must because there are sacrifices,” Quagliano adds. “You’re working with an animal, another mind, and you have to become a team player with your horse. It takes too much dedication to not be 100 percent invested. It’s not easy to go to the barn at 5 a.m. when it’s freezing cold outside.” Part of the sacrifices involves 16-yearold Reilly being here seven days a week, training three days and riding six days. She and her older sister, Drew, are the only two left in the family who are still competing. “Reilly is following in Drew’s footsteps,” Quagliano says, referring to Reilly’s goals. Reilly is now competing in the High Children’s Jumper 1 Meter 10 (3-foot-6inch) jump. “I love that we’re a team,” Reilly says of her horse. “And I love always having a way I can move up; the competition always gets better.” Like all competitors here Reilly has set her goals high. It’s what drives them. “I’d like to make it to Young Riders. It’s basically the Junior Olympics (of equestrian competition) and my ultimate goal is the Olympics. My mom is a really good role model and I want to be as good as her.” As Reilly Quagliano and Valois clear the jump in the outdoor arena, the connection of mind and movement between rider and horse is palpable. It looks as though she and Valois are one entity. “You can tell when you’re going to have a good day and a bad day before you even ride,” she says. “You just kind of know.” It’s a relationship based on acute knowledge of each other, intuition, trust and, yes, love. When I see him or call his name he’ll whinny,” she says with a soft giggle. “He knows who you are and who he can trust. And he’s really lovey and goofy. If I reach out my arms he’ll put his head into them like a baby.” 24

n Oldenburg mare (female) named Patita A is getting a workout in the indoor arena with her 16-year-old owner, Emma Tellor. The EC’s two indoor arenas are used year-round. She has been riding since she was eight years old and works with two different trainers in a couple of disciplines including hunter-jumper and equitation. In September, she took first place in two medal competitions and now qualifies for the Colorado State Medal finals. “I like the adrenaline of the sport,” Emma Tellor says. “I enjoy it a lot. I could spend all day at the barn. And Patita has taught me a lot. I love her, and while riding she’s always perfect. I can trust her to do a lot of things and take care of me when I’m on her,” she continues. “Patita has a really big personality and is really funny, too. She’s kind of shy sometimes with other horses and people and I’m really shy, too.” This 16-year-old is a little shy around people, but all that changes when she gets on her horse. “In the ring, it’s here I am,” Nancy Tellor, Emma’s mother says. “She’s aggressive and ignores everyone watching including other competitors. She is out there to win.” “She’s not afraid at all, because she knows so much about the sport—the dangers as well as the joys—and is confident in that knowing,” she continues. “When she’s with her horse, she’s a different person.” The Tellor’s board two horses at the EC, both mares. They moved here from Shorewood, Minnesota a couple of years ago and spend time in Wellington, Florida in the winter where Emma also competes and trains. She works with two separate trainers at the EC and her favorite discipline is Jumpers. Like the other riders she has clearly defined goals and is working to achieve them. Before graduating high school she wants to quality for the USET East Coast and for the Maclay finals, and hopes to participate in the U.S. Olympics one day. In college she intends to minor in Veterinary skills and major in business so she can run her own barn as a professional. There is at once strength and gentleness in watching Emma Tellor interact with her horse and a visiting little girl named Phoebe (full disclosure, my granddaughter). After her ride Tellor puts her own helmet on Phoebe’s head and assists this eight year old onto Patita A and begins leading her around the arena to the ecstatic joy of Phoebe who now wants a horse of her own.

ou can’t keep championship horses without a championship-quality facility and management, yet there are horses of all types who are boarded here from the competitive to the pleasure horse for casual riding. Each one is dutifully cared for by Cordillera’s Equestrian Center Supervisor Cody Calcatera, and his dedicated staff. Calcatera is hands-on from cleaning the stalls and outdoor paddock areas every morning to attending to the horses and their owners’ feeding and care specifications, to managing the entire facility. The atmosphere of goal-setting is not limited to the competitors in this barn. Calcatera is receiving invaluable experience here and hopes to breed and train horses on his own ranch one day. This is the Four Seasons of Equestrian Centers. It’s heated, barn-clean and meticulously attended to every single

day by a staff who cares physically and emotionally for the horses and each horses’ owner. Monthly boarding fees of around $965 per horse pay for all the facility’s operations. It’s actually a non-profit facility owned by the Cordillera Metro District and both Cordillera residents and nonresidents (who pay an up-fee) board their horses here. “The barn is for everybody,” Jeanne Quagliano explains. “It’s not a closed or cliquish community here at the Equestrian Center. It’s inclusive. Everyone is welcome.” Traditionally aristocratic, equestrian competition and the ownership and care of horses is certainly a privileged life. Yet here at the Cordillera Equestrian Center it’s privilege without the attitude. Next time you’re passing take more than a momentary glance from the roadside and see for yourself. 25

Summer Days

Tell Me More, Tell Me More “Summer days drifting away, to, uh oh, those summer nights, well-a well-a well-a, huh, tell me more, tell me more . . .” As the musical Grease goes, so goes the closing of the fun-filled summers days of Cordillera residents. Residents fill their days with so many summer activities—hiking, biking, golf, tennis, fishing, social gatherings, evening marshmallow roasts—they affectionately call life in this extraordinary mountain community, summer camp. There are 21 hiking trails covering over 33 miles, which offer the novice or most experienced hiker majestic mountain views and a complete Rocky Mountain experience. Families enjoy the community days with games and cuisine for all ages. And there are always new ways to challenge and enrich the body, mind and spirit in Cordillera. In 2014, the Vail Symposium made Cordillera its home. The Vail Valley Art Guild holds regular sessions at the Cordillera Café. And there are weekly art and lecture series, cooking classes, book clubs, and so much more. Welcome to our events photo pages. We hope you find your summer days’ memories here. We’ll tell you more in every issue. Smile!

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ALWAYS AND FOREVER A COVER GIRL

Brent Bingham Photography

by Diane Tauber Schultz This is not our cover girl’s first rodeo. Anne Roberts has been the face of the strong, independent yet sexy career woman since 1969, and has appeared in more than 200 print and television ads. You’ll likely recognize some of the tag lines she has delivered over the years for Madison Avenue’s largest companies: “Hi, I’m Cindy. Fly me,” for National Airlines, and “Don’t wait to have a baby to try it,” for Johnson and Johnson. The Harvey’s Bristol Cream ‘Do you always say yes?’ campaign had Roberts answering, “Yes [with a suggestive pause] for Harvey’s Bristol Cream.” This ad had men approaching her in elevators and street corners asking Roberts if she always says yes. Once advertisers saw her all-American face, they continued to say yes for 30 years. A New York commercial actor and model first for Wilhelmina then Ford modeling agencies, she has played a nun, a pilot, an astronaut, a Revlon Charlie Girl, Judy the Time-Life operator, Bob Hope’s sidekick for Texaco, and was one of the original Cover Girls. In her early 50s, she introduced Oil of Olay’s first mature facial skincare line to an international market for a threeyear television and print campaign. She has worked alongside the likes of Cheryl Tiegs, Christie Brinkley and Kim Basinger. At the same time, she began a cabaret singing career and performed at numerous venues in Greenwich Village and the famed Oak Room at the Algonquin Hotel in New York. It seems everything she touches turns to gold. After only two years performing, she won the Backstage Bistro Award for Outstanding Cabaret Vocalist in 1998. Madonna isn’t the only queen of reinvention. 31

Yet, with all her successes, this was not the career Roberts had originally planned. “My heart was set on working with underprivileged children,” she says, “but I needed to pay the bills while in college.” She sold vacuum cleaners, Avon cosmetics and did some catalogue modeling when she was 19 years old. The catalyst of her U-turn into the world of modeling was a job at the Detroit Auto Show a year later. She and another model traveled the country dressed as astronauts narrating Chevrolet’s then car of the future along with O.J. Simpson and JeanClaude Killy. Hugh Hefner spotter her in Chicago, and featured Roberts in Playboy in full sexy- tight astronaut garb sitting in Chevrolet’s future car. A Wilhelmina agent in New York spotted her in Playboy and flew her to New York to interview with Wilhelmina herself, and the rest is history. You might say Roberts has come full-circle because these days she spends much of her time fulfilling her original dream of helping those in need through her work with charitable organizations. She brought one of her favorite charities, Canine Companions for Independence (CCI), to the Vail Valley, and was on CCI’s Northeast board for 10 years, concurrently serving on its national board of directors for 10 more. She helped create the now annual New York City CCI Hearts and Heroes fundraising event, and was honored in 2008 at Yankee Stadium for her work with CCI. Roberts works hands-on with local charities such as the Roundup River Ranch, a camp for children with chronic and lifethreatening illnesses in Dotsero, Colorado. Last year, she danced in the Vail Valley Foundation’s Star Dancing Gala, which supports the Youth Foundation’s programs and services. Roberts leaves no stone unturned when it comes to donating her time and skills for charities. She actually offers herself up as a live auction item and performs her New York cabaret for private dinners to help raise money for her favorite organizations, combining her philanthropic work with her love of music. Roberts Colorado license plate aptly reads, ‘LUVITHR,’ and she does. In her free time, and you might ask what free time, she bikes, hikes, fishes, skis, snowshoes, reads, dances, and travels the world. She has been to more parts unknown than Anthony Bourdain. Her charitable work would have made Mother Teresa proud. Roberts sat down with Cordillera Life to share some snapshots of a career and life many only dream of leading. 32

Q: You’re 5 foot 5 inches in height. That is an anomaly in the modeling business. How did you overcome that obstacle? A: I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time with the right look, you know, that all-American, girl-next-door look. Wilhelmina told me I was too short, dyed my eyebrows, and gave me three months. Eleven years later I moved over to Ford where I worked 20 more years. When I was a Cover Girl they put me on boxes next to Cheryl Tiegs and Christie Brinkley, who are both around 5 foot 10 inches. The boxes came out again in Italy during a kissing scene with a 6-foot 3-inch male model in a Roman Brio Men’s Cologne ad. They also used to put me in those outrageous heels. So don’t give up if you’re short! Q: You’ve had major campaigns through the years, such as Clairol, Cover Girl, J&J, Kodak, Diet Pepsi, Revlon’s Charlie Girl, and Oil of Olay to name a few. Is there one that stands out? A: Working with Bob Hope for Texaco was truly a highlight. It was my biggest commercial gig. The first time I met him, we were shooting a 60-second commercial at night in Los Angeles on a major street corner with thousands of people who came out to see him. I was supposed to jump through a big black curtain with a red Texaco star and say, “Hi, Anne Roberts here for Texaco.” On my first take, I tripped over the curtain and fell into the camera. As you can imagine

everyone was laughing except Bob Hope. I thought I had blown it, but luckily I didn’t trip again and went on as his sidekick for a few years. Q: Was Texaco your first big television commercial job? A: No, it was Johnson & Johnson and its well-known ’Don’t wait to have a baby to try it’ campaign. They flew me to Jackson Hole, WY, and we shot at a dude ranch for a week. I was then asked to stay and be the princess in the Jackson Hole parade, where they put me on a giant wooden elk. I rode through town wearing my first cowboy hat, and I thought I was the second coming of Annie Oakley, only I don’t shoot a gun and I’m afraid of horses! This was truly one of those defining moments where I knew I’d move out west one day. Q: What was your longest running commercial and print campaign? A: I was a blonde, brunette, and red-head for Clairol, so that was definitely one of my longest campaigns. Judy the Time-Life operator, and the National Airlines ‘Fly Me’ campaign both ran for years. I was lucky to always look younger, so that extended my career in front of the camera, as well. Q: Did you get pigeonholed as the all-American girl? A: I must admit once the makeup artists and hair stylists finished with me, I could be pretty versatile with my looks. In fact, I can remember being dressed to go fishing when I did the Ivory Soap campaign with my tag line, ’Would you marry a guy who took you fishing on your first date?’ I was then booked to shoot the sexy Harvey’s Bristol Cream campaign. So, talk about being versatile. And, oh my gosh, I’m remembering now that the Ivory Soap campaign even won a Clio award. Q: Any uncomfortable or challenging commercial jobs? A: I was working on a Diet Pepsi introductory campaign, while my husband, [Ad Executive] Stone Roberts, had the introductory campaign for Diet Coke. The scoop on Madison Avenue was: ‘What’s the pillow talk between the two soda cans?’ Also, I had a love interest in a Close-Up Toothpaste commercial, and was cast with a 17-year-old boy. I was 24 and he nearly passed out when I had to kiss him. I guess they thought we were a good couple. Today we have a name for that—cougar! Q: Sounds like a storybook life. Any bumps along the way that made you who you are today? A: People might look at my career and think I had a charmed life, but I’ve definitely had a few bumps. I believe the most challenging was that my mother struggled with alcoholism and sadly ended up taking her own life. I also had an unexpected divorce after 25 years of marriage, and last year I had a serious accident that almost took my life. I think it’s important to share one’s challenges with others, because it might help someone who is in the thick of it to see that they’re not alone in their struggles, that they can overcome them.

with a little help from my extraordinary friends and family. Q: You were living in Connecticut for 25 years. What brought you to Colorado? A: When my life took a left turn [Roberts is referring to her divorce] our sons were older, so I put the two dogs in the Tahoe and drove out west with my cowboy hat beside me, the windows open and the music blaring. I tried Aspen first, but that wasn’t my social scene so I came to Edwards where my dear friends Steve and Grace Gamble were building a house in Cordillera. I first moved to the Lake Creek area, and then three years ago I bought a home in Cordillera. It’s where I’ve wanted to live for some time. I just find it filled with such a diverse group of people who are interested in enriching their lives with meaningful friendships and intellectual pursuits. In fact, I wake up every morning pinching myself knowing that I can walk out my door and share my love of the outdoors with my friends here. I never looked back; this became home. Q: There are so many great charities. Why CCI? A: It combines my love of dogs and my passion for helping those of all ages who are disabled, including veterans. I see how these canines transform lives, giving back independence to people of all ages with injuries and disabilities. We all know sending financial support is critical to the success of an organization, but it’s the personal connection that is the most satisfying to me. Q: Has support for CCI grown in the Vail Valley? A: It’s grown tremendously nationally and in Colorado. There are more than 3,000 CCI dogs placed with families in the country, and 60 are in Colorado. You know, it takes about $50,000 to breed, train and provide lifelong support for each dog, and the families receive these dogs gratis, without any charge to them. I can happily say that due to the generosity of our donors, our local efforts have now raised over $1.2 million since 2001. Q: What motivated you to support Roundup River Ranch? A: It touches my heart to be able to, in some small way, help make the lives of these children better. The Ranch’s goal is to sponsor chronically ill children so they can have a free-of-charge place to go where they feel safe and accepted, and can do all the wonderful things healthy children do in a typical camp setting, like rock-wall climbing, horseback riding, fishing, archery, and so much more. I can’t begin to tell you how much it means to me to work as a volunteer with the children, and see firsthand the joy on their faces.

Anne Roberts

Q: What helped you get through those challenges? A: I was born with a can-do spirit, glass-half-full attitude, but I learned a long time ago that when you give back it helps to get you out of your own pain. During the most difficult times with my mother, I became involved with the Inwood House for unwed mothers in New York City. Helping those young girls work to improve their lives helped take me out of my own sadness. It fills your heart and it works, it absolutely works. And, of course, always

Q: You’re a world traveler. Where have you been in the last year? A: World traveler? I think I’d just call myself interested and curious. I was in Southeast Asia in January of 2014 traveling with friends to Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. In October I head to Ireland, and in February I’m going to Antarctica, which has been at the top of my wish-list. When I was married, we were fortunate enough to travel a great deal with our sons, Stonie and Link, and happily I’ve been able to continue that wanderlust. I’m really looking forward to taking my new grandson, Stonie, on some of these wonderful adventures. Q: What will you have inscribed on your tombstone? A: That’s a hard one. Hmm, let me think. How’s this?: She packed it in.

Photo: Katherine Schmidt

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Chef Matt Limbaugh Brings Destination Dining Back toCordillera by Laura Lieff

Photos: Brent Bingham Photography

Pan-roasted Colorado lamb loin with caramelized fennel, apples, house-made lamb bacon, shaved golden beets, pearl onions, and date coulis.

a new era at the Club at Cordillera as all things culinary are now under the direction of executive chef Matt Limbaugh. Hitting the ground running, Limbaugh literally and figuratively rearranged everything – from hiring new staff and creating a new menu to physically rearranging the kitchen and purchasing new equipment. Not surprising that a chef of Limbaugh’s caliber, a former sous chef competitor on Iron Chef America, rose to the challenge of making the TimberHearth a first-class dining experience. Although the TimberHearth marked Limbaugh’s first opening as executive chef of a restaurant, he is no stranger to the fine-dining world. Hailing from Hendersonville, North Carolina, he attended Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, North Carolina where he earned his degree in culinary arts and hotel restaurant management. Following culinary school, he was lead line cook at Pewter Rose, a Charlotte landmark restaurant, and at Bonterra’s finedining restaurant, where he was promoted to sous chef. He moved to the Vail Valley in 2006 with another chef friend, Hunter Smith. Landing first at Beaver Creek’s Mirabelle, Limbaugh quickly learned how to work as the only American in a kitchen full of Frenchspeaking Europeans. “Mirabelle was difficult at first because it was a strict kitchen, but it was also a good experience because I learned to uphold high standards no matter what,” Limbaugh says. “While I was there I

cooked all the proteins and got along great with everyone. The head chef and I clicked from the beginning.” His next endeavor was Kelly Liken in Vail where he started as sous chef and was promoted to chef de cuisine. Limbaugh describes the atmosphere as a “family environment” as he spent the majority of his time with coworkers during and after work and on days off. He also did a great deal of traveling with Liken including appearing as her sous chef on the popular culinary television show Iron Chef America in 2010. Liken also invited Smith to join as her sous chef on the show. “Iron Chef America was exciting because I had never been on television before and there were so many cameras and fog machines and people running around Kitchen Stadium,” Limbaugh says. “The actual cooking on the episode is strictly an hour but the episode in its entirety takes about six hours to complete.” While the pressure was definitely on to perform on television, Limbaugh remembers that he felt confident and was thrilled to be selected to cook on television with his best friend and then-boss. “I was honored to be asked to do the show and would definitely do it again,” he adds. That kind of confidence and performance under pressure has helped Limbaugh with his current job as he is responsible for all things food at all three Club at Cordillera restaurants which include the TimberHearth, the Summit and Chaparral. He creates every menu 37

Seared scallops with creamy celery root, glazed local baby carrots, fresh opal basil and charred grapefruit emulsion.

for every restaurant and is in charge of the food concepts for each event held at the restaurants. Unlike many people in the Vail Valley, the summer season is the busiest for Limbaugh and winter is slower because only the TimberHearth is open year-round. “My schedule is the complete opposite of what it was before because we were always slammed in the winter at my previous jobs,” he says. “Having a busy summer and a milder winter has been an adjustment but I really love being part of Cordillera.” This summer (mid-June through mid-September) Limbaugh only took six days off as he was overseeing events and parties for anywhere from 60 to 400 people. In addition to the three restaurants, the Club at Cordillera also features a pool, two turn houses for golfers and a beverage cart, bringing the grand total of Limbaugh’s scope of responsibility to seven summer food outlets. Additionally, all three restaurants hosted weddings, welcome parties, fundraisers, golf tournaments and birthday parties, among others. For one event this summer, Limbaugh created an “Around the World” theme which featured large tents that housed a variety of food and wine stations for many different countries. “This summer was crazy but I have a very strong staff and my sous chef Rodrigo Gastelum does a great job,” explains Limbaugh. “I’ve learned that you just have to stay ahead and be organized. I plan by the month, then two weeks out, then one week out and then 38

plan each day - I had three calendars going this summer!” The winter season affords Limbaugh the opportunity to focus all of his time on the TimberHearth which is open for dinner Wednesday through Saturday, 5 to 9 p.m. He says that being open four nights a week allows for an entire day each week for prep which gives him more time for planning eclectic menus and finding and ordering the best seasonal ingredients available. “We want to make the food even more creative than last year with more intricate dishes and more variety while still offering the favorites,” he says. “Last year was a transition year so this year we are ready to hit the ground running.” Throughout the winter, TimberHearth guests can look forward to Colorado-centric items like lamb and elk, fresh seafood from Alaska, Boston and the Pacific Northwest and a variety of local vegetables from Eagle Springs Organic in Silt, Colorado. “As always I will be focusing on the seasons while creating the winter menu. We’ll warm the body with a couple of slow-braised items such as veal cheeks and beef short ribs,” Limbaugh says. “My team and I will again be turning out fresh house-made pasta and creating nightly appetizers and entrée specials, while bringing guests the freshest ingredients available for them to enjoy.” In addition to taste, Limbaugh emphasizes the importance of presentation.

Summer fruit “cobbler," stewed rhubarb, fresh berries, Colorado goat chèvre, brown butter and oat streusel. Buttermilk ice cream and strawberry powder.

“People eat with their eyes before they take their first bite,” Limbaugh says. “I love walking through the dining room and seeing people take pictures of my food. I plate very delicately, almost as if it’s a piece of art.” While cooking thoughtfully and creatively, he highly values utilizing the freshest ingredients possible. Although he prefers to buy local ingredients, what matters most to him is freshness regardless of the source. “We bring in seafood from Alaska and Oregon that is so fresh it still smells like sea water when we get it,” Limbaugh explains. “I order proteins like day-boat halibut and a variety of seafood specialties from Boston like scallops and it’s always the freshest seafood possible.” When asked what sets the TimberHearth apart from other fine-dining establishments in the Vail Valley, Limbaugh says the picturesque setting and relaxing ambiance brings customers back again and again. “Our customers come here to have a delicious meal without the hustle and bustle of tourists and parking issues in the villages of Beaver Creek and Vail,” he says. “Our food has bolder flavors and more creativity. We don’t take shortcuts here and everything we make is a labor of love.” At an elevation of 8,200 feet, TimberHearth’s scenic location is

the definition of the ultimate destination dining experience. Guests can enjoy a horse-drawn sleigh ride through the blankets of snow and take in the views that can only be seen from Cordillera. Inside, the roaring fireplace is the ideal spot to warm up and unwind after spending time outdoors on a snowy day. “We are very excited with Chef Matt and the amount of talent he has brought to Cordillera,” says General Manager Mike Henritze. “We are very much looking forward to our second winter season with chef Matt at the helm.” In addition to the hard work and dedication from Limbaugh and his staff, Troon, the company that manages the property, continues to increase membership and guest satisfaction by offering exceptional service and extra events such as Thursday wine tastings from 4 to 6 p.m. “Coming up to Cordillera every day and seeing these views is amazing and watching my cooks grow and learn new things are the best parts of this job,” Limbaugh says. “Everyone here is so committed to doing well and it’s very rewarding to see my staff working hard and the members happy. I really appreciate the dedication of the employees and am looking forward to showcasing our thoughtful and accommodating menu to our members and guests this season.” To make a reservation at TimberHearth call 970-926-5500. 39

Meet Joe Helminski The Face of The Vail Gondola Club by Louis M. Schultz If you’ve lived in the Vail Valley long enough, you’ve heard the cliché: I came for the skiing, and stayed for the summer. The summers are a local’s secret. Yet, Joe Helminski, recreation manager, Cordillera Metro District and director of the Vail Gondola Club, did the flip flop. “I fell in love with the summers in the Vail Valley,” Helminski says. “Golf pros lead a rather nomadic life, and I spent the winters in Naples or Miami, Florida. I wanted to settle down, so when I had the chance to work year-round with Cordillera I jumped at it.” When you get off the private elevator to the Vail Gondola Club, it’s surely Helminski’s welcoming face that will greet you. You immediately walk into an elegant room filled with complimentary snacks and refreshments, continental breakfast, newspapers, and a lounge in which to relax. The staff gathers your skis, poles, and boots (from the warmers), and you have the convenience of a private locker to store additional clothes and ski gear. After a day on the mountain you return to the convenience and comfort of the club for après-ski or even for a mid-day break. No matter when you arrive or return, Helminski and the Vail Gondola staff are there extending a hand to assist or serve you in every way. Helminski graduated from Michigan State University (MSU) in East Lansing, Michigan, where he played on the MSU varsity golf team. He came to Vail in 2004 to work as an assistant pro at Country 40

Club of the Rockies (CCR), and began working at Cordillera in 2005. The move was quite a transition for him, but he has the background to make it work. He combines his on-the-job training in hospitality with his bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis on public relations to help run the world-class Vail Gondola Club and other services, such as the Athletic Center at Cordillera and the Trailhead Clubhouse and pool complex. “My dad had the biggest impact on my life, and he taught me that when you do something, you do it right,” he says. “I believe that hard work is the foundation for success, and I try to incorporate these ideals into my job.” A couple of years ago, Helminski took over as manager of the Vail Gondola Club. He had a daunting task, namely to grow the membership and keep current members happy during one of the worst economic times in our country. He had some tools with which to work. Certainly there was the location of Vail, a loyal team, and a strong member base. “We have 173 full-time members, most of whom live in Cordillera,” he says. “And we are fairly stable in our turnover. We do have a very limited number of memberships still available.” The competition is formidable in Vail. The Vail Gondola Club is the only major ski club not owned or managed by Vail Resorts, and it is an incredible bargain with a $5,000 initiation fee, and $3,050 annual

dues for Cordillera property owners. It’s the best deal in town. In addition to the price advantage, Helminski identifies four aspects that separate The Vail Gondola Club from other ski clubs. First, there are the members. “I am sure other places have great members, but ours are really special,” Helminski says. “They’re very giving, and love to have a good time. Over the past two years, we have raised over $45,000 in support of Pink Vail and its fight against cancer.” Helminski explains that sporting event functions, such as the Super Bowl, March Madness, and the Burton U.S. Open Snowboard Championships are very well attended at the Vail Gondola Club. “Wait until you see our plans for the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in February,” he says excitedly. The perks are substantial. Members receive exceptional value beginning with superior customer service, free breakfast, free après ski refreshments including appetizers, beer, wine, sodas, and of course, location, location! “We’re only 100 feet from Gondola One,” Helminski says. “And if you ask us, we’ll carry your skis right to the lift.” Now, that’s service! Perusing the amenities chart in this article clearly highlights the tremendous value offered by the Vail Gondola Club. An avid MSU fan, (Go Green!), expect to see a lot of green and white on game day. That is a deal breaker for me. Go White!

GONDOLA CLUB AMENITIES The difference between a good ski day in Vail and a great one. • • • • • • • • • • •

Ski-in ski-out at the base of the Vail Gondola Club. No other private club is closer. A 3,800 square-foot, elegantly designed third-floor facility accessed via private elevator. Private and secure access with equipment storage and maintenance. Unparalleled customer service, including ski butler service. Two private outdoor decks. Private lockers with guest privileges. Complimentary continental breakfast and après ski food and drink. Boot drying, disinfecting, and a warming system. Ski rental and tune-up service management. Free iPad and Wi-Fi access, and three flat-screen televisions. Denver Post, Vail Daily, and USA Today. 41

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IT’S GOOD TO KNOW JACK You’ll Practice Like a Pro, and Play Like a Kid. by Diane Tauber Schultz

Have you had fun golfing at Cordillera yet? If not, you don’t know Jack. Jack LoBiondo, The Club at Cordillera’s newest director of golf and instruction, has introduced a novel idea to those learning or improving their game: have fun. Go figure. LoBiondo arrived in 2013 as director of instruction to help usher in the Troon® brand of golf, compliments of Troon’s Talking Stick Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. In May of this year, he and his family returned to the Vail Valley for good, accepting a permanent position managing golf operations and instruction for all of The Club at Cordillera’s three golf courses. His teaching style begs the question: fun? How does one have fun in a game where a hook comes out of nowhere or a ball takes a U-turn into oblivion after years, maybe decades of playing the game? “Look, people forget it’s a game, not a profession,” LoBiondo says, his dark eyebrows slightly lifting, one partially scarred from a bout of skin cancer last year that you’ll never hear about from him. “This is supposed to be an activity that relieves stress and too often people get so frustrated on the golf course,” he says, slowly shrugging his shoulders, crossing his legs and casually leaning back onto the TimberHearth’s fur pillows-on-steroids couch. “Muscles tighten up, and nothing good happens when there is tension.” LoBiondo’s attire is invariably impeccable, pants pressed, collar buttoned high and neatly tucked under a light sweater, his short black hair set perfectly in place with something slightly shiny. “The main thing is to have fun,” he insists, “because it is just a game.” In a game where 90 percent is mental and tension and death grips wreak havoc on your swing, fun is beginning to make a lot of sense. As seasoned golfers know, everything happens between the ears in the game of golf once you’ve learned the fundamentals. Driving the point home, LoBiondo introduced a women’s instructional clinic entitled Sunday Funday last year to bring women players together, while creating a more at-ease atmosphere. It was revamped into Margarita Mondays for the 2014 golf season and has become so popular there is a waiting list to get in. It begins with a 30-minute lesson on the driving range, followed by four holes of on-course instruction, ending in a complimentary drink with participants socializing at the clubhouse. “So many times we are playing golf with our spouses, and in a rather male-dominated environment,” Cordillera member Jane Shriner says while enjoying her complimentary drink at the Valley Club. “Margarita Mondays expand our friendships and fellowships in the

It’s all about teamwork among the Club at Cordillera’s Golf Professionals Darren Dszot, Jack LoBiondo, Ian Bruce and Travis Blanchard.

club. And it’s not just playing four holes of golf. They’re taking us to problematic lies, problematic shots so we can hit 20 balls and create a comfort level with difficult shots.” A men’s clinic called Birdies and Beers with a similar format was introduced this season and is slated to run weekly for the 2015 golf season. Even more well attended was the men’s semi-weekly 60-minute full-swing clinic (the ladies full-swing version runs once a week), as well as a coed short-game clinic that will be held on-course for the 2015 season. “A lot of my lessons are on-course, because it’s realistic,” LoBiondo says. “The driving range is flat here, the golf course is not.” A couples clinic is planned for the 2015 season where couples will be instructed together so they’ll be able to give each other more accurate advice during play. That should be a bundle of laughs. “We just scratched the surface with clinics and activities this year,” LoBiondo adds. “There is more to come. I’m open to suggestions or ideas from members and co-workers to improve our activities and clinics.” It’s not all fun and games. Whatever type of lesson you take, you’ll inevitably receive your own medicine based upon he and his team’s laser-like observance of your preparation and swing. Your job is to take your medicine on the range, so when you go on the course you just play. 46

Don’t let LoBiondo’s fun strategy fool you. He’s serious about golf and has been since he picked up his first club when he was 12 years old, a late start for someone who has achieved his status in the Troon organization, which manages more than 200 golf courses worldwide. Yet, as a kid from Queens, New York, “Carrying golf clubs on a city bus was not a good idea,” he says matter-of-factly. An all-around athlete since childhood, LoBiondo played Little League baseball, high school basketball, and four years of high school football as a wide receiver. He was fast. With only a year of golf under his belt as a freshman, he was ranked number five player on his golf team at Holy Cross High School in Flushing, New York. By senior year he was the team’s number one player. A self-described perfectionist, LoBiondo is fervently determined, hard-working, patient and easy going, traits that don’t typically live in the same body. He cares a lot about people, coworkers and members and says it’s what drives him to work so hard. His sense of fairness and hard work extends to every aspect of his life. When he hunts, it’s not with a gun but with a bow and arrow. “He started out with a rifle, but he felt it wasn’t sport enough,” Diana Roukis, LoBiondo’s mother, a US Airways flight attendant says. “Jay excels at whatever he puts his mind to, and makes sure it’s done to the best of his ability. He’s been that way his whole life. I’m just so proud of him. He can always put a smile on my face.”

Photos: Jeff Janson

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LoBiondo promotes on-course instruction; shown here with Cordillera member Polly Hinshaw.

This comes as no surprise to anyone who frequents The Club at Cordillera. He’s like Rocky Mountain wildflowers; you never know where he’s going to pop up. He is everywhere. Drive your car up to the club’s valet, and he’s opening your trunk to retrieve your clubs. Finish playing 18 holes and he greets you with a rag and a smile while wiping your clubs and asking how your game went. Extend your dish at a member event barbecue buffet, and he’s flipping ribs onto it. Order a drink, and he’s behind the bar covering for someone. In clinics, he could be teaching, assisting, or shagging balls in between shot changes. ‘That’s not my job’ is LoBiondo’s least favorite phrase. “We’re all equal; we’re all on the same team,” he professes, “and no job is too big or too small that each of us can’t handle.” Egos are checked at the door. “He’s the best lead-by-example you can have,” Travis Blanchard, assistant golf professional at The Club at Cordillera says. “There are not many directors of golf who will pick the range or scrub clubs, but when you see someone of his stature doing it, it says a lot. People just naturally follow him.” What is really funny is that anyone he interviews for a position at the golf club can expect to be asked if they’ve seen the movie “Caddy Shack.” If they say no, he announces that the interview is over. “I want to see what kind of reaction I get, and I haven’t gotten 48

any bad reactions,” he says, childishly grinning. “You have to have some sense of humor.” His favorite line in “Caddy Shack:” “Judge: I’m no slouch myself. Ty Webb: Don’t sell yourself short Judge, you’re a tremendous slouch.” He credits his hard-working nature to his mom’s exemplary example and it began early. At 12 years old, he was washing pots and pans at a local deli that his mother managed, while also holding down a paper route. “My son has very expensive taste,” Roukis says. “When everybody else was wearing Walmart, he wanted the good stuff. At the time, I didn’t have the money so he had to earn it in order to get what he wanted. He learned the value of a dollar.” Two years after his stepdad bought him his first set of golf clubs he went to work at a public golf course in Whitestone, Queens, New York, with a perk of playing golf for free. It was his high school team’s home course. “Hard work is in me,” LoBiondo says. “And I want to be the best at everything; second place doesn’t sit well with me.” At 21 years old, he packed up his life in New York and moved to Arizona where he began working for Talking Stick Golf Club. He rose through the ranks during his 13 years at Talking Stick holding nearly every position available, including outside players service (scrubbing

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Ladies’ Member-Member 2013 and 2014 Champions Sherry Preston and Faith Edgar; and Polly Hinshaw enjoy a complimentary drink after Margarita Mondays’ on-course instruction.

clubs and carts). When he began his ascent, fellow employees gave him a shirt he still has today that has ‘Know Your Roots’ on the front and ‘Outside Service’ on the back. When LoBiondo decided to segue from golf operations to golf instruction at Talking Stick he tapped into one of the greats, Tim Mahoney, Director of Education Worldwide for Troon Golf, and among Golf Digest’s Top 50 Greatest Teachers in America, and Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Teachers in America. LoBiondo told Mahoney he was interested in coaching and teaching, and Mahoney responded, ‘Show me.’ Every day for two years LoBiondo did just that, observing Mahoney teach and acting as his range assistant. All the while, he was working full-time in golf operations at Talking Stick. He became Mahoney’s first assistant and right-hand man in his third year and began teaching full time, as well. “Jack is a superstar, and very caring,” Mahoney says. “He works extremely hard. I’m very lucky to call Jack a protégé of Tim Mahoney.” When Troon took over management of Cordillera in 2013, The Club at Cordillera’s General Manager Mike Henritze reached out to Mahoney. “We had golf professionals, but we had no person dedicated to instruction,” Henritze explains. “So I called Tim Mahoney and he said, I got the guy.” 50

LoBiondo was the first person on Mahoney’s list. “Basically Mike said he needed an individual like Tim Mahoney, who will be up here,” Mahoney says. “Jack has been a 125 percent success story. He will do everything he can operationally at Cordillera,” Mahoney explains; “Jack consistently hits home runs.” After two seasons, this 36-year-old Troon shining star has won the hearts and confidence of the Cordillera golf community. Polly Hinshaw has consistently taken lessons at The Club at Cordillera, and Bent Tree Country Club in Dallas, Texas for two years. “Jack is the best diagnostic coach I have ever had,” Hinshaw asserts. “I can text him from Dallas and he texts me back with advice. It works every time.” Hinshaw’s handicap dropped from a 24 to an 18 at Cordillera Golf Club (a 15.2 index), thanks to LoBiondo’s clinics. “Number one, he’s fun,” Kathie Mundy, Cordillera member says. “Number two, he breaks the game down to simple elements and he just makes it more fun, because he emphasizes the fun, that it’s a game.” Fun on the golf course is steadily catching on. It’s not a stretch, when you consider that the act of smiling affects overall health, well-being, longevity, and, apparently your golf game. If you’ve tried everything else, this modification to your game is a no-brainer. It really is good to know Jack.

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What Makes The Club at Cordillera Tick!

21-year-old Jonathan Dresnick, The Club at Cordillera Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Club Champion 2013 and 2014 Brent Bingham Photography

A Fireside Chat with General Manager Mike Henritze Introduction and Q&A by Louis M. Schultz When I think of playing golf at Cordillera, I am reminded of a famous Arnold Palmer quote: “Golf is deceptively simple, and endlessly complicated; it satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening – and it is without a doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented.” You could substitute ‘Cordillera’ for ‘Golf’ at the beginning of this quote, and be totally accurate about our golf experiences here. There simply is no better place in Colorado to find all of the wonders and challenges of mountain golfing. Golf is the main focus of the summers in Cordillera for many of our residents. Golf is to Cordillera what skiing is to Vail, and in the winter, Cordillera has some of the best (and free) groomed Nordic trails in the entire Vail Valley in its own backyard. According to Troon Privé, it doesn’t get any better than the trio of golf courses designed by Hale Irwin, Tom Fazio, and Jack Nicklaus. The Club at Cordillera’s courses incorporate three unique micro-climates ranging in altitude from 7,290 feet in the valley to 9,200 feet at the summit. “If I were looking to join a golf club, Cordillera would be top on my list,” says Tim Mahoney, Director of Education Worldwide for Troon Golf. Mahoney is also among Golf Digest’s Top 50 Greatest Teachers in America, and is ranked one of Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Teachers in America. “I can’t imagine there is a close second where people should be looking to join, buy, build and participate in than Cordillera.”

As Troon promotes The Club at Cordillera to prospective members it emphasizes the Cordillera community and these great golf courses describing them as follows: “The Valley course, a 7,005-yard par 71 Tom Fazio Signature Design, is distinguished by its high-mountain desert topography, and wide fairways. Its lower elevation allows play from April through October. In fact, in April members can often ski in the morning, and golf in the afternoon due to the extended playing season. “The Hale Irwin Signature Design Mountain Course sits at 8,250 feet, and plays to a par 72 over its 7,413 yards of dramatically undulating terrain. It was formerly a working ranch and captures the ridges, generous meadows and forests so prevalent in Colorado. “The Jack Nicklaus Signature Design Summit Course is simply stunning. It is incredibly challenging with 7,530 yards at 9,250 feet of elevation with layouts so typical of Nicklaus courses that the slope rating from the middle tees is 136. The fall colors are spectacular as the Aspen trees turn bright hues of orange and yellow. The vistas, with a hundred miles of views, are breathtaking and worth a trip around its eighteen holes any time of the year.”* In 2013, Cordillera emerged from a bankruptcy and has resumed its rightful place as the leading golf course community in the Vail Valley. To date, membership stands at 450, on track to meet the club’s growth targets.

Q&A with Mike Henritze

Troon has made a major commitment to The Club at Cordillera by signing a management agreement through 2020. We sat down with General Manager Mike Henritze, so he could share with us an overview of Troon’s expectations, and its goals for Cordillera over the next two years. Lou: Troon is a very successful management company. Why did you agree to manage The Club at Cordillera? Mike: We did our very first analysis of Cordillera in 2003 for a member-investor group that was interested in acquiring the club and having Troon manage it. We concluded that Cordillera was an exceptional Vail Valley asset; unfortunately the deal never went through. In late 2012, our Chairman and CEO Dana Garmany signed the initial deal, because our re-analysis indicated that the club had excellent long-term potential. Many golf industry people thought the project was too tough, but as a management company, you have to take measured risks. Frankly, we felt that if we succeeded here, we would expand our management business and have a strong return for our stakeholders. So far, we are very happy with the results, and we work hard every day to earn the community’s trust.

Lou: Why extend through 2020 after only one year? Mike: First and foremost, we wanted to build member and community confidence. While there was an immediate initial surge in returning members, there were many still hanging back. We believed that when we committed until 2020, current Cordillera club members, previous club members, the Cordillera community, and Vail Valley residents would gain confidence in the club, and the club would grow. For the most part, we have seen that happen. Lou: What are your top priorities for 2015? Mike: One of our primary goals is to grow membership. How we achieve it requires us to flawlessly execute our underlying philosophy, namely, to do the right thing every day. That will create member satisfaction and build member confidence, which are key ingredients in attracting new membership and member retention. You might ask if we are there yet. The answer is no, but we have made great strides in these two years, and we hear every day how happy the members are with our progress. We also hear their concerns, and we seriously listen and try to act quickly to fix the problem. Lou: There is an old adage that success is a journey, not a destination. Is this how you see Cordillera? Mike: That is so true here. You have to remember that no two clubs are the same and nothing is ever 100 percent perfect, but over the years we have seen our process work. First, as I said, we always work to improve member satisfaction.

Next, we strive to constantly improve associate (employee) satisfaction. We give them two meals on the day they work; we ask for their input on how to do things better, and we try to give them an opportunity to grow with Troon. Lou: Wait a minute; you actually try to groom future full-time Troon employees? Mike: Absolutely! We are a growing company, and we always need team members who can help us grow. This is not a business for everyone. There are endless options for those who accept our philosophy, do the work to learn our system, and do whatever it takes to serve the members, no matter what their job title says they should do. Lou: I only have two more questions. First, have the community days worked out as you had envisioned? Mike: Again they have been an unequivocal success. They are the epitome of full-community partnership. We had a July community day at the mountain course that included free golf. Attendance was well over 400. And in the fall, we had three free-golf days for the community. We are considering a community day in January or February built around a wintergames theme. It’s a very simple proposition: you have to try to keep experimenting and finding new ways to add value. (Editor’s note: the winter event plans were still in development as we went to press). Lou: Finally, can you share any of your marketing plans for membership acquisition in 2015? 56

CORDILLERA A World Class Community in a World Class Destination Families are moving to Cordillera because of the focus on family activities, with two outdoor and one indoor swimming pools, plenty of tennis courts, equestrian center, private river fishing access, ponds, open space and great hiking. The quality construction of the homes, diverse architectural designs and big views make it one of the most sought after single family home communities. Cordillera has multiple exercise facilities, excellent restaurants, a ski club house in Vail at the lift base and four awesome golf courses. Owners rave about the club management and the golf professionals are lowering handicaps by as much as 20% in a year. The golf and tennis camps for children are fun and engaging.

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Mike: Nothing is going to radically change. We are laserfocused on new membership. Our targets remain - previous members, Cordillera residents, and Vail Valley residents, in that order. The word is starting to get out. In the month of August, the club sold seven new golf memberships to people outside the gates of Cordillera. We are well positioned in the marketplace. Our community and club assists are a huge plus. We are aggressively marketing in the Vail Valley and with the resurgence in Vail Valley real estate market, we see huge upside potential. Every Cordillera home sale is a new prospect for us. Lou: Thanks, Mike. We will follow up in April with more about the club and its plans for the 2015 golf season. As a very active golf club member, I see the progress every day. The golf pros are out schlepping bags, cleaning carts, and engaging with the members. Often they can be seen on the range, and even on the first tee giving a quick tip on some minor glitch they observed in a member’s swing. On the community day the pros had their own barbecue pit, enthusiastically competing with other club employees for members’ votes for the best barbecue ribs. Frankly, you would have thought they were trying to win the PGA Championship. It is incredibly fitting that the ladies member-guest event was labeled, The Spirit, because Troon’s new spirit is contagious. The future indeed looks very promising. *At the request of Troon, we have referenced Troon’s previously printed promotional materials. We included excerpts where it seemed appropriate.

New Boutique Real Estate Team Makes Cordillera Home The Vail Real Estate Group (VREG), founded by Eric Lyon, set up shop in the Club at Cordillera in 2013. While specializing in residential real estate and luxury property sales and marketing throughout the Vail Valley, the group, in conjunction with the Club at Cordillera, has made the three clubhouses its primary home base. “We are excited to have this relationship because it gives us immediate access to anyone who comes to play golf or have dinner,” Lyon says. “We believe our presence will help Cordillera increase its ownership base which is great for community growth.” This winter, VREG is also expanding into Vail so that it can continue to promote the Cordillera Community to all Valley residents and visitors. One of the most respected names in real estate in Vail for more than 20 years, Lyon’s dedication and strong work ethic has resulted in over $200 million in real estate sales during his career. Before opening VREG, Lyon was the on-site broker for two of the Valley’s most recognized real estate developments, the Ritz Carlton Hotel and Club in Bachelor Gulch, and the Sebastian Hotel and Residences in Vail Village. Eric Wagenknecht, a well-known expert in home construction and design in the Valley for more than 20 years, joined VREG as an associate broker in 2013. His

understanding of home values from the ground up is an especially valuable asset for any prospective buyer. Contact the Vail Real Estate Group at: vailrealestategroup.com.

Photos: Brent Bingham Photography

Tis the Season Deck Your Table With Holiday Cheer It’s easy to add the holiday spirit to your table. Place a sprig from a pine tree on your plate, or a single branch of fresh thyme or rosemary. Use colorful fruit or vegetables in creative ways, placing them inside hurricane candleholders for bursts of color, within a flower arrangement, or simply scattered in the center of your table. Choose the tastes and flavors you’ve incorporated into your menu, such as pears in your centerpieces that correspond to a pear salad you’re serving. Choose some festive ornaments from your own collection or purchase new ones and tie a place card onto each, setting them in or beside each dish. If they’re new ornaments, allow your guests to take them home as holiday gifts. Create a family project and look for found items in and outside your home, such as pinecones, tree leaves, holly berries, or even feathers. Once you begin, you’ll find there is no limit to the ideas that will flow onto your table this holiday season. Slifer Designs in Edward’s Riverwalk created the perfect intimate 60

holiday table (above), while Vintage Magnolia further enhanced the setting with their creative centerpiece flower design. Old fashioned skier motif dinnerware and rustic cutlery gives this holiday table an alpine feel, while the linear detail in the wine glasses adds to its more homey ambiance. Slifer took a simple red cotton napkin and tied a piece of twine around it, adding color and texture. The scallopededge chargers under each plate add to the rustic wintery feel. Vintage Magnolia’s floral centerpiece continues the theme with items such as sedum, green trick dianthus, cedar, assorted succulents, white anemones, locally grown burgundy dahlias, peach hypericum berries, white and green kale, rosemary and pheasant feathers in a silver compote bowl. Slifer Designs’ award-winning team of design experts will help you find those special gifts you’re always looking for during the holidays and festive ways to make your table and home sparkle with holiday cheer.

Fa La La La La Creativity in Bloom

Flowers are always blooming at Vintage Magnolia. Whatever the season, you can walk into the floral studio and witness the artistry and artistic vision of its owner, Caitlin Caldwell, taking form on a large working surface that strategically sits in the middle of the studio. It’s akin to a great chef’s open kitchen, where one can observe in awe what will soon be on the table. The flowers are always fresh, and shipped in throughout the week. What really separates this studio from others are its innovative designs that combine color, texture, form and aroma with specific fresh and original themes, whether it’s a wedding, holiday or special occasion. If you find yourself mesmerized watching Caldwell and her staff make the largest projects seem effortless, you might notice how they incorporate the season or what is trending in New York into their designs. All around, the store is filled with gifts and home accessories, which makes leaving empty-handed a challenge. For this or any holiday season, the natural progression at any holiday table is to chat and bask in the glow of candlelight with a warmth created by the flowers that remain after the dishes are cleaned and the wine continues to flow. It might seem as though Vintage Magnolia’s flower designs are taking part in the conversations as some flowers open and close as the night transitions. Once you set Vintage Magnolia’s flower designs onto your holiday table, you’ll find it really doesn’t take that much more to create the mirthful atmosphere you were hoping to achieve so you can concentrate your efforts on celebrating the holidays with your family and friends. Next time you’re in Riverwalk in Edwards take a peek inside Vintage Magnolia’s floral design studio and see what is taking form

Innovative centerpiece design by Vintage Magnolia artistically arranges sedum, green trick dianthus, cedar, assorted succulents, white anemones, locally grown burgundy dahlias, peach hypericum berries, white and green kale, rosemary and pheasant feathers within a silver compote bowl.

this holiday season at the hands of these artists. You might find yourself stopping and smelling the flowers more often. Happy holidays!

Floral centerpiece artistry by Vintage Magnolia is designed in a low-lush style with dusty miller, white hydrangeas, Queen Anne’s lace, silver brunia berries, and a single pear within an etched silver cube. 61

Photos: Brent Bingham Photography

BEAM US UP, DR. SCOTT!

The Future Always Arrives Before You’re Ready to Accept It by Diane Tauber Schultz Garrett Piepel, president, Collaborative Marketing Group, Wheaton, Ill, and Beaver Creek resident, walked into ThriveMD in Edwards, Colorado this past July for stem cell injections on his left degenerated hip and lumber vertebrae L4 and L5 discs. He walked out three hours later with what some call ‘magic little cells’ at work. Seems more like a Star Trek episode where Dr. McCoy waves a noninvasive scanner above a severely injured man’s body and minutes later he gets up and walks out healed. Yet, innovative procedures like Piepel had, which fall under the Regenerative Medicine umbrella, are happening today and every day at ThriveMD. Piepel’s initial relief results are promising, with continued healing effects expected over the next three to 12 months. Time will tell. Regenerative Medicine is a comprehensive term for pioneering medical therapies that enable the body to repair and regenerate diseased or damaged cells, tissues and organs. According to a leading-edge practicing surgeon and researcher in this field, Dr. Anthony Atala, MD, Director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, it “has the promise to have the most pervasive influences on public health in the modern era.” “Regenerative Medicine today is already becoming a reality. It is science fiction becoming science fact,” Atala says during an MDTV online interview. Atala adds that Regenerative Medicine is in its beginning stages and needs what he calls many more indications, 62

(research data) demonstrating its effectiveness and reach. “We’re just at the beginning of this road,” Atala says. “We don’t know where it will take us, but one thing is for sure, patients should benefit.”* Dr. Scott Brandt, M.D., owner of ThriveMD, who performed the stem cell procedure on Piepel, received his medical degree from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and initially began his practice as an anesthesiologist. He segued into the sub-specialties of Interventional Pain Management and within a couple of years followed the wave into Regenerative Medicine, what he calls the new horizon of pain management. “Much safety work has already been well established,” Brandt explains. “As far as efficacy, we’re still looking for the best answers. It’s in its infancy more than it’s experimental. And it’s not 50 years away, it’s handfuls of years away.” Like many of Brandt’s patients, Piepel had previously seen a couple of orthopedic doctors, who had informed him that he was indeed a candidate for hip replacement. He’s had steroid injections in both his hip and back without any success or sustained pain relief. Piepel read an article about ThriveMD and began his research into Regenerative Medicine and how it might help him. “I wasn’t ready to give up my hip yet,” Piepel says. “Part of me wants to keep my own parts.” Piepel is a skier, golfer, exercise enthusiast and enjoys playing

baseball and basketball, yet the inflammation in his hip and back has limited his mobility and activities and causes him significant pain even while sitting for extended periods.

THUMBS UP OR DOWN Brandt’s initial determination with Piepel, as with all his patients, is to consider if he is a candidate for stem cell injections. If a patient is bone-on-bone, and the joint doesn’t have enough mobility or cartilage, the growth environment for cells to reproduce and regenerate doesn’t exist. Around 30 to 40 percent of patients who come into Brandt’s office are not candidates. Getting in during the early stages of degeneration increases a patient’s chances of being a candidate for this process. “Dr. Brandt said I’m a good candidate for the procedure,” Piepel says, “because the stage of my deterioration isn’t past the point of no return.” Piepel is instructed by Brandt to take one day of prescription antibiotics prior to the procedure with a continuing dose for two weeks after the procedure. Additional homeopathic medicine is also prescribed by Brandt to encourage cell regeneration.

Fat harvest from patient’s lower abdomen using Nutational Infrasonic Liposuction device.

DAY OF PROCEDURE Piepel takes a valium prescribed by Brandt. He puts on a patient gown and is escorted into a procedure room. Brandt begins by extracting fat cells (liposuction) from Piepel’s lower abdomen. Fat cells hold the highest count of adult stem cells and Brandt uses these cells as the source to regenerate Piepel’s own tissues and cartilage. “The liposuction didn’t hurt at all,” Piepel says. Stem cells are believed to hold the keys to almost every disease in the body. Depending upon the type of stem cell, they are capable of indefinite renewal through cell division, while also giving rise to daughter cells. The type of stem cells that Brandt extracted from Piepel’s fat cells are adult stem cells. Adult stem cells have more limited cell division, which is why Brandt’s measure of success for this procedure is three to 12 months or what he calls “the end of the cascade as far as new growth.” “It’s one of the reasons the adult cell is so safe,” he says. “It will only divide a certain number of times and a year seems to be that time.” After Brandt obtains the fat cells from Piepel’s abdomen, he extracts bone marrow from his back. Piepel is informed by Brandt’s nurse that the bone marrow procedure might hurt a little. “Again, it didn’t hurt; it was like a pinch,” Piepel says. “I’m assuming he went away for a while to mix it all up.” Brandt retreats to his laboratory, where he begins separating stem cells from Piepel’s fat cells and bone marrow using a centrifuge. While Brandt works in his lab, Piepel rests.

Bone marrow taken from the iliac crest (lower back).

Fat placed in centrifuge conicals for stem cell extraction.

STEM CELL INJECTIONS Piepel is taken into the procedural room to begin his hip and back stem-cell injections by x-ray image guidance. Piepel hardly even notices that the hip injection has occurred. “I remember thinking, oh wow, you shot something in there,” he says. “It was a little pressure, but nothing really painful.” Brandt later explains that there isn’t a lot of conformity in this field procedure-wise, to date. “There are only a handful of places I’d go myself,” Brandt says. “I wouldn’t inject cells without image guidance, and the way I separate cells is different than some purely automated process.”

Bone marrow in centrifuge for stem-cell extraction. 63

DINNER AND WINE In about three hours start to finish, Piepel’s procedure is completed. He leaves Brandt’s office at 4:30 p.m., and has dinner and wine with his wife at the Beaver Creek Golf Club at 7 p.m. “I was very nervous going into this, especially with back injections; I’m kind of a control freak,” Piepel adds. “But it was such a great experience. If I had been working, I might have taken the next day off, maybe not.”

A COUPLE WEEKS LATER

Fat harvest separation after several washes and centrifuge cycles.

For the first two weeks following the procedure, Piepel wears a six-inch elastic waist band to ensure optimal healing from the liposuction. He has been instructed to reduce his activity—no pounding, no swimming pools. However, he is walking a lot. “It could be my mind taking over but I feel better already and I never had to take a pain pill, not even Advil,” Piepel says. Although he admits his activity level has been significantly less over the past two weeks, his leg and back pain is reduced by half. Piepel is telling family and friends that if he is completely cured, it will be a miracle. “If I’m 50 or 80 percent better I’ll be as happy as can be,” he says. He’s hoping to delay the need for a hip replacement five to seven years when hip replacement procedures are more advanced. To him, that means success. “I’ve had some patients say they’ve felt tremendously better after a month,” Brandt says, explaining that short-term pain reduction is more of a chemical response. “It’s a big change in the joint environment that can cause the pain to settle down right away,” he adds. “The long-term effects of his body laying down new tissue and cartilage is three to 12 months.”

BOOSTER SHOT Six weeks later Brandt injects Piepel with what he calls a booster shot from bone marrow. Stem cell injections from bone marrow extractions are common in hospitals today, such as Vail Valley Medical Center. However, Brandt says there are approximately 1,000 times less stem cells in bone marrow than in fat.

THE FUTURE

Final bone marrow concentrate after filtering.

Fluoroscopic placement of stem cell injection needle into the patient’s hip. 64

Brandt says more research dollars are going into Regenerative Medicine right now than any other area of medicine. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), ‘Research on adult stem cells has generated a great deal of excitement. Scientists have found adult stem cells in many more tissues than they once thought possible.’ Some of the diseases that the NIH cites could benefit from stem-cell research and treatment include, spinal cord injury, stroke, macular degeneration, heart disease, diabetes, burns, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis.** “At one point, we thought the earth was flat, until we found out that it wasn’t,” Brandt says. “We don’t have some of the finer nuances yet, but we’re seeing excellent results.” Piepel’s friends are anxious to see the final outcome. “Let’s say I’m 80 percent better after this,” Piepel says. “Then $12,000 is nothing for me to be able to move, walk, play golf, and ski again.” Call Brandt a progressive or a visionary, it’s all the same. “I’m intrigued to see how far we can continue to push the ball. Either you’re fine with the status quo or always looking for innovative solutions that are less painful, less damaging to the body and still get excellent results,” Brandt explains. “We’re always looking for ways for people to live healthier and longer lives.” Or as Mr. Spock on Star Trek would say, ‘Live long and prosper.’* *www.wakehealth.edu/WFIRM/ **stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/pages/basics6.aspx

G OUTFI

E RS

HIN S I F

SINCE 1992

IL , COLO R A D

Year round guided fly fishing Walk/wade and float fishing tips Destination travel Fly fishing Group and wedding packages available Orvis two-day Fly fishing schools

Visit our Full retail shop in Avon, next to Agave 1060 West Beaver Creek Blvd. / Avon, CO 81620 970-845-8090 or 970-476-FISH (970-476-3474)

flyfishingoutfitters.net Cordillera property owners, club members and lodge guests receive a special Cordillera discount on trips and merchandise

TO FLY FISHING HEAVEN

Photos: Brent Bingham Photography

Six Beats by Diane Tauber Schultz

Jonathon Haerter, DDS, owner of Vail Dentistry, drives up in a white weather-beaten Jeep to Cordillera’s Eagle River private fishing beat number four, a stone’s throw from the Cordillera Valley Club rear entrance. He steps out in full fly-fishing gear - GoreTex waders to his waist and a neck lanyard, around which hangs clipper holders, a tippet, a hemostat, a chest pack of fly boxes, and his polarized sunglasses. A fish net is in one hand. In the other, he smacks a kiss onto what he calls his baby: a 20-year-old Sage Fly Rod and Ross Reel with which he’s caught thousands of fish over the past 20 years. It’s July 4th weekend, early evening, and prime-time fly fishing conditions. The caddis flies are hatching. “Last night, the whole sky was filled with millions of bugs, and they were crawling in your nose and ears,” he says smiling ear to ear. “And the trout are looking up. To them, it’s like an all-you-can-eat buffet.” Haerter walks toward a wood-chipped path that leads to the river; strategically placed railroad ties aide his descent, and picnic tables appear in the distance. “It’s kind of the country club of fishing,” Haerter says. “Look at this path! Normally, you have to bushwhack your way to a trout stream, getting cut up by brambles along the way. They have frigging picnic tables.” This one and a half-mile stretch of land, which belongs to the Cordillera Property Owners’ Association for its residents’ private fishing use, is the best kept secret among Cordillera anglers. There are six entry points called beats along the Eagle River, which are

strictly managed by Orvis Outfitters in Avon to allow the water to rest and to keep the fish non-stressed. Three beats can be accessed in the morning, sunrise to 1 p.m., and three beats in the evening, 2 p.m. to dark, with only two fishermen at a time per beat. Once a beat is fished, it gets a 24-hour rest period. In fact, you’ll rarely see six fishermen at a time out here. “It’s a gem, worth the price of admission,” Haerter says. “There are people who will buy a lot in Cordillera just to have access to private fishing water of this quality.” Haerter steps into the river and surveys the water for about 10 minutes. Every day on the river is different, because there are so many variables - sunlight, water temperature, air temperature, stream flow, moon phase. This translates to a unique experience every single day on a trout stream. “This is a thinking man’s sport,” he says. “You have to be kind of wilily and savvy, and solve the riddle every time.” Time stops for Haerter when he is on the river. “I can have four hours go by fly fishing, and I feel like I’ve been in the water for a half an hour. Any stresses of the day go right out the window,” he says. The water temperature is about 56 degrees, and the sun is beginning to set. It’s magic time. The bio-mass of bugs are at their peak this evening, and the fish know food is everywhere. Typically, trout sit on the bottom, but right now, they come to the top, “because it looks like a filet mignon going by,” Haerter explains, stepping thigh-deep into the river, as it rushes around and between his legs.

He is using an H&L Variant fly, the kind President Dwight Eisenhower was rumored to use when he fished along the Roaring Fork River in Aspen. Even Haerter’s fly choice was determined by his acute observations of this evening’s conditions. Haerter has been fishing these waters since 1992, when a college roommate brought him to the Vail Valley on a fishing expedition. “That’s when I decided I was going to live here someday,” he says. “Fly fishing is the biggest reason I am here.” The river is flowing pretty fast right now, around 1200 CFS (cubic feet per second); 600-800 CFS is ideal for wading. Within minutes he has his first fish, a 14-inch brown trout. It’s always catch and release for Haerter. He uses a barbless hook, which causes the least amount of injury to the fish. “We crimp down, and, as a result, they’re harder to catch,” he explains of the hook. He typically catches up to 50, yes 50, fish in a three-hour period this time of year. Watching the fish swim away is his favorite part. He gently removes the hook, and cradles the trout into the river, and it effortlessly swims upstream. And he begins again. Fly fishing is primarily about three things: First, it’s fly selection. Second, it’s reading the water. “It’s like reading a book,” he explains. “The fish don’t just live everywhere; they’re in certain places.” Finally, it’s presentation, which means the placing of the fly to where the fish are feeding. The casting is an art form in itself, mesmerizing and peaceful to observe. Growing up in Rochester, Minnesota, Haerter has been fishing

since he was five-years-old with his grandfather, and his dad, a Lutheran pastor. He segued to fly fishing in high school, and was a fly-fishing guide and instructor through college. He and his long-time group of fly-fishing buddies travel the world in search of the best fresh and saltwater fishing - Christmas Island, Fiji, Venezuela, Honduras, the Caribbean, Alaska, the Florida Keys, Belize, you name it. “I’ve been to almost every spot on the planet to do this,” he says matter-of-factly. It takes a lifetime to become a skillful caster and fly fisherman. “I still feel like I have a lot to learn,” he says. “It’s exactly like the game of golf; the same guy who likes to golf, likes to fly fish. He’s the guy who wants to master the little nuances, and there are a million nuances that the casual observer would never see, but those are things that make the difference.” Haerter equates this sport to playing detective. “You have to think; it requires a lot of brain power,” he explains. “And there’s that element, that chance, that I can catch something really special, something you search for your whole life. You keep going back to catch that big fish.” It’s likely you’ll see this enthusiast on this river for years to come. “I’m going to fish the rest of my life, until I can’t walk anymore,” he insists. Yet, it’s here on this stretch of Cordillera’s private fishing beats that Haerter returns again and again. “It truly is as good as it gets!” he says, as he casts into the setting sun. 67

DISCOVER THE NATURAL MAGIC OF ARNICA by Lisa Johnson

Photos: Brent Bingham Photography

GIFTS FROM THE MOUNTAIN

Arnica Arnica Quick Tips

n a recent hike at Lionshead in Vail, our trail guide, Sage, pointed out the heart-shaped arnica growing profusely on the mountain. I’m no stranger to arnica montana, the homeopathic remedy for bumps, bruises and contusions, so I was hopeful to see what I assumed was its cousin waiting for me in case of an unfortunate misstep or ankle turn. Arnica has been an amazing benefit to my family and me since we discovered it more than a decade ago. Even my daughter, who is sensitive to the topical application of arnica, reaches for the pellets if she takes a hard fall in gymnastics or overexerts during a workout. “Is it related?” I asked hopefully. “It is,” Sage replied, “but it’s poisonous if ingested. If you were up here and needed this arnica, you’d crush up a handful, and rub the broken leaves on the affected area.” This made sense, since the arnica pellets or lotion you can buy at the store are diluted hundreds, if not thousands of times, depending on the dosage. I first came upon arnica, and homeopathy in general, when we lived in New England through our very gifted M.D. who was also a classically trained homeopath. He would routinely offer us a choice between a conventional treatment and a homeopathic remedy. We opted for the remedy, figuring that if it didn’t work we could always go conventional. In almost eight years, we never had to make the switch. Coughs that lasted for weeks in neighborhood children ran their course in three days at our house. It was also easier to give three or four tiny lactose-based pellets to the children that they found delicious and melted under their tongue. Despite my copious notes over years of care, I could rarely duplicate his results in treating my family’s myriad ailments (which is just a small part of the reason why you should not construe this article as medical advice). This is because homeopathic diagnosing is a complex and nuanced endeavor. A remedy that is effective for my son in the spring may have no impact on the same problem in me at all, or even on him during the summer. Repeat: Complex and nuanced. Except for arnica! Arnica is the appropriate remedy for any bump, bruise, fall, sprain or strain, and so it is my favorite.

• NEVER ingest wild arnica or use any arnica on an open wound.

• Homeopathic remedies come in many strengths. The most commonly used is labeled 30x. A tube of 30x arnica is available at City Market for about $7.99. • Topical arnica comes in gel, cream or ointment. We prefer the cream. Generally, you only need a small amount per application. • For a mild bump or bruise: A single application or dose may suffice. Keep an eye on the area over the next several hours. If pain persists, or discoloring begins, apply as for a moderate injury. • For a moderate injury or strain: Apply arnica to the site and take four to five pellets every 15 minutes for the first

The arnica montana available in stores grows in the mountains of Central Europe, and was first noted for its medicinal properties by St. Hildegard in the 12th century. It has been a traditional remedy for muscle aches and bruises since the 1600s. Currently, it is one of the bestknown homeopathic remedies, trusted by professional athletes, cosmetic surgeons, and lots and lots of parents like me. Arnica is the most used item in my first aid kit. I have it in every bathroom, in every car, in every daypack. I’ve used it literally thousands of times. When my kids were smaller, I wished for a hip dispenser (remember the coin changer on the ice cream man’s belt in the 70’s? I wanted one like that, but with two compartments, one for pellets, one for cream) I used it so frequently! I’ve watched it diminish goose eggs in a matter of hours, seen it expedite the healing of fingers slammed in a car door (ouch!), and had it save vacations that started with bad luck. It works quickly and without smell or sting. It’s consistently so helpful for sore muscles, even after a fall, with arnica in my pocket even an old-timer like me can have confidence trying snowboarding!

hour. That’s four double doses (oral and topical) in the first hour, and hourly doses for the rest of the day. For more intense injuries, or if you notice the onset of pain, bruising or swelling, you may want to keep up four doses per day for a few days.

• For serious injury: Seek appropriate medical attention! If you have arnica available, immediately follow the above guidelines (four doses in the first hour, hourly thereafter, and 4x per day) to help the body as you are making your way to appropriate treatment. • Homeopathy is often called a complementary medicine – it augments, but does not take the place of, the medical advances of allopathic medicine. It may help speed recovery when combined with traditional treatment.

DISCLAIMER: Readers are cautioned that this article and its contents should not be construed as medical advice or instruction on individual health matters, which should be obtained directly from your personal health professional. All information provided in Cordillera Life Magazine or by the author is in no way intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified health care provider. All medical decisions should be made in consultation with your physician. We will not be liable for any complications, injuries or other medical accidents arising from, or in connection with, the use of, or reliance upon, any information in Cordillera Life Magazine or by the author.

Lisa Johnson is a natural wellness enthusiast and health writer, whose favorite destination is Cordillera. She is the author of the upcoming, Tooth Fairy Training and three holiday children’s books which can be previewed at www.positivespinpress.com. 69

Short and Sweet Way to Improve Your Game by Louis M. Schultz You’ve heard the saying, ‘It’s all about the short game.’ Dave Pelz summed it up brilliantly with his golden rule of golf: “He who rules the short game collects the gold.” The pros spend a minimum of 75 percent of their practice time on their short game alone, according to both Golf and Golf Digest magazines. During a round of golf more than two-thirds of the shots a golfer makes are short ones—pitches, chips, and putts, according to preeminent golf psychologist Bob Rotella. “Whether a golfer wants to win the Masters or just five bucks from a friend on Saturday morning, it’s the little shots that make the difference,” Rotella explains. 70

Yet, armed with this knowledge, the typical golfer still spends most of the time on the range with drives and iron shots, working to hit farther, straighter, more consistently or on preparation. All necessary shots to practice, however, if you were attempting to tone muscles in your arms, would you work out just one arm? What is your percentage of short-game practice, five to 10 percent? Perhaps none? If so, you’re not alone. Pelz recognized this typical human error among golfers, and designed his Cordillera Short Course to make short-game practice fun. It has its own 50-yard practice range, a chipping green, bunkers, and a two-tiered putting surface. There is even a practice hole to

work on that 100-yard shot if you want to warm up to play his par 27 nine-hole course. The director of golf at the Short Course is Robert (Bo) Heidrick, who came on board in 2012 when Southwest Greens took over its management. In the first year, he guided the Short Course into a modest profit, which was truly amazing for any golf course in 2013. Heidrick has been playing golf since he was five years old and became a serious golfer in high school. After college he focused on the business side of golf, as well as teaching. “I really enjoy it and have learned so much,” he says. He started teaching 12 years ago at junior camps. “Teaching is one of my favorite parts of being a golf professional. I enjoy watching people learn the game and hearing them marvel at how their handicap keeps improving.” The nine-hole Short Course has four hitting-tee options with each tee serving a different purpose. Heidrick recommends that the way to have fun is to go out and play all the tees just the way Pelz designed the course. “Think of the Short Course as just a place to work, not to get a good score. Throw the ball down (i.e. no tee) and play it as it lies,” he says. Heidrick adds that you should hit that traditional shot from a flat tee and fly it into the green. Then hit a shot off the ground from an uneven tee and fly it in. Next try some bump and run shots from a tee closer to the green. “Do not ever overthink; a good swing thought is to brush the grass,” he advises. In fact, that is probably great advice for every course you play. Can the Short Course really help your game? In 2010, Pelz was at the Short Course while two female members were taking a lesson.

Pelz said hello to their pro and meandered off to give his golf lesson. Curious as to who Pelz himself was teaching, the women followed him to the practice green. To their surprise, Phil Mickelson was waiting, practicing putts. A crowd gathered and marveled at the routine Pelz put Mickelson through. The very next week Mickelson won the Masters at Augusta, Georgia. So, if you want to keep score, play one of the three other Cordillera 18-hole courses. If you want to have fun, learn new shots, make practicing enjoyable, and take your friends and family on a memorable afternoon, play the Short Course. As Sam Snead professed, “Practice puts brains in your muscles.” 71

Positive Trends to Watch Cordillera’s luxury homes and spectacular home sites embody Colorado mountain living at its very best, and our real estate offers the opportunity to enjoy and participate in the best of Colorado year around. Colorado’s pristine natural beauty may be what brought you here, but you will stay for the lifestyle offered to you in Cordillera. Change in Cordillera has been good, especially since that change has been accompanied by an upturn in real estate market indicators. Ever since the U.S. economic issues loosened their collective grip on the country, Cordillera has been impacted in positive ways. Home sales nationwide are a source of buyer confidence that have made a difference in the community. The Club at Cordillera is the fastest growing golf club in the Vail Valley, with Troon artfully managing the three 18-hole championship courses and the various club amenities. The Lodge and Spa has been booked almost every weekend this summer with weddings and other special events. Non-golf related amenities like the Trailhead Family Clubhouse and the Athletic Center at Cordillera belong to the entire community, residents and nonresidents alike, providing health club facilities, tennis courts, pools and jacuzzis as well as the popular summer Cordy Camp for children. The Vail Gondola Club has provided members with a beautiful clubhouse, ski lockers and social events at the base of the gondola in Vail Village. The community is thriving. Cordillera real estate is seeing solid sales momentum. Sales in 2013 and 2014 have been strong with multiple sales in the $3.0+ million range, something that did not occur during the recession years. The inventory of homes and home sites is down throughout all four of our Cordillera communities, and the cost per square foot for homes is moving upward. Many of the buyers in Cordillera, and, indeed in the Vail Valley in general, are from the warm-weather states like Florida and Texas, who come for Colorado’s great natural beauty, weather and mountain lifestyle. But the majority of new buyers come from Colorado itself and we have seen buyers coming from surrounding communities like Singletree, Wildridge and Vail, as well as from the Front Range. Most say that they are seeking the quiet, beauty and safety that Cordillera has to offer, while still allowing their families to be close to Vail and Beaver Creek. Proximity is something that has always been one of Cordillera’s calling cards, and it continues to be true. Cordillera has always been unique in its location and in the breadth and scope of its amenities. A community like this could never be built today and its very existence is a tip-of-the-hat to the vision and stamina of its original developers. It’s reflection of a true Colorado mountain experience is undeniable, and it continues to attract people from all over who seek the blend of beauty, privacy and healthy activity that it affords combined with superior amenities and access to the very best of the Vail Valley. Change is good, but some things never change. And we trust they never will. The Slifer Smith & Frampton Cordillera Real Estate Team

CORDILLERA’S SLIFER SMITH & FRAMPTON TEAM Pictured L-R: Kent Barker, Katie Spoonhour, Patti Brave, Pam Horan Kates, Kristi Bugby, Robert Barker

2203 Cordillera Way, The Divide at Cordillera, Edwards, CO 81632 For More Information call 970-926-3505, or 970-926-6752.

ADVERTORIAL

Cordillera Community FirstBank is actively lending in the Cordillera Community and would like to help you with your mortgage needs. Here are just a few of the reasons why people choose FirstBank: We Offer Low Rates and Fees. FirstBank has very competitive rates and strives to keep closing costs low. You Work Directly with the Decision Maker. Unlike most lenders who send your loan to an underwriter for approval, our bankers have the authority to make most loan decisions. By paying our bankers a salary instead of commission, we meet our customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs rather than our own. We Have More Flexibility to Approve the Loan. The majority of our loans are held in our own portfolio. This gives us the flexibility to approve good, common sense loans that may not be approved under strict Fannie Mae or FHA guidelines. We Can Close the Loan Quickly. Our in-house loan processing is quick, easy, and under our control so we can close the loan in a timely manner and on the agreed upon date. We Offer Many Solutions. FirstBank offers many mortgage programs including fixed rates, straight-forward adjustable rate products, as well as First-Time Buyer and Affordable Housing programs that have lower closing costs and available Down Payment Assistance for qualifying borrowers.

These are just a few of the great reasons to work with FirstBank. Give us a call or stop by one of our convenient Eagle County locations today to learn more: 0011 W. Beaver Creek Blvd. P.O. Box 5270 Avon, CO 81620 (970)949-0100

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2271 North Frontage Road West Vail, CO 81657 (970)476-8000

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THERE IS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE AT THE ACC

It’s a typical Monday morning, and Katarina Glutova’s 8 a.m. Fit Ball class at the Athletic Center at Cordillera (ACC) is bustling with Cordillera residents grabbing weights and oversized balls in all colors and sizes, and claiming their spots in the facility’s wood-floor exercise room for an hour of strengthening, toning and core work. “I really enjoy this class,” Nancy Alexander says. “It’s core-oriented, so we can strengthen that area of our body, and make it as challenging as we want with our weights and how far we lift the ball.” Residents take advantage of the many class offerings here throughout the week. “I sometimes go to Wednesday’s conditioning class, but there’s hiking on Wednesdays,” Alexander adds laughing. “There are so many activities here in Cordillera.” The ACC is a unique asset afforded to few mountain communities. Only a couple of minutes’ drive for most residents and about 18 minutes from the top of the Cordillera Divide homes, Cordillera homeowners have a plethora of healthy workout options. In 2014, the ACC converted its squash court into a workout room, where exercise classes run

daily from its popular Fit Ball class to Yoga, as well as toning and strengthening classes. The facility has a year-round heated saltwater indoor pool and a separate Jacuzzi that are open 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week. Hydro Cycle (spinning) and Hydro Power (toning and strengthening) classes are both held in the pool. Organized outdoor off-site activities, such as Vail Club 50 hiking, are also offered (vailclub50.com). There are two dedicated rooms, one equipped for cardio (bikes, ellipticals, treadmills), and a newly upgraded weight room on its lower level that offers the latest in physical training equipment. And bonus—private trainers are on staff and available for sessions. Prefer outside play? The facility’s two outdoor tennis courts were recently overlaid for Pickleball play - a game growing in popularity across the country - so owners can take full advantage of either sport on the same two courts. This summer witnessed at least two scheduled Pickleball match play events nearly every week. It might surprise you how many residents step in and out of the ACC’s doors daily. It really is easy to get and stay in shape with a facility and staff like this in Cordillera’s backyard.

Photos: Brent Bingham Photography

LET’S HAVE A BALL

THE STEM CELL GENERATION Q&A WITH DR. SCOTT BRANDT, Medical Director ThriveMD WHAT ARE ADULT (MESENCHYMAL) STEM CELLS? Stem cells are the construction workers of the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s repair mechanism. The primary role of stem cells is to maintain and initiate the healing of damaged tissue and replenish dying or damaged cells. HOW DO THESE STEM CELLS WORK? Adult stem cells help the body repair itself naturally. They neutralize inflammation and accelerate healing. They have the potential to regenerate injured cartilage tissue, tendons, ligaments, spinal discs and facet joints. WHY DO PEOPLE SEEK OUT STEM CELL THERAPY? Patients seek out stem cell therapy as a means to significantly reduce their pain, increase mobility, rebuild healthy tissue and avoid invasive surgery. Stem cell therapy involves a minimally invasive, three-hour outpatient procedure with almost no recovery time.

WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM STEM CELL TREATMENTS? The list is long. Professional athletes have been benefiting from this treatment for years. However, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just for them. Anyone suffering from arthritis in any joint may be a candidate. In addition, those suffering from spine pain, tendon tears, or ligament injuries can also benefit. The procedure is relevant for chronic wear and tear arthritic issues as well as acute injuries. WHEN CAN I EXPECT TO SEE RESULTS? After the minimally invasive in-office procedure, patients typically start to notice improvement in the first two to twelve weeks.

harvested from bone marrow utilizing an advanced painless procedure. We additionally inject Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) which is an autologous blood derived product. PRP provides an ample supply of growth factors to help activate the stem cells.

FROM WHAT TISSUES DOES DR. BRANDT HARVEST THE ADULT STEM CELLS? They are harvested from two locations. First is from adipose tissue (fat), most often found in the lower abdomen. This resource is imperative due to the abundant number of stem cells in this tissue. Secondly, they are

WHY CHOOSE THRIVEMD? I am passionate about how stem cell procedures are changing the way we think about medicine. The two biggest factors in stem cell success are cell count numbers and placement of the cells. The abundant cell count found in adipose tissue paired with my 20 years of live image-guided in-

jection experience, ensures that the stem cells will be delivered to the damaged area, allowing the patient the best possible outcome. If I can help eliminate, or at least delay, the need for an invasive surgery, patients can take advantage of the revolutionary stem cell developments in the coming years. Dr. Scott Brandt of ThriveMD practices leading edge regenerative medicine. He offers stem cell treatments, bioidentical hormone replacement, PRP treatments, IV nutrient therapies, medical diets and liposculpture. To find out how this exciting new field can change your life, contact ThriveMD at 970.766.VAIL (8245) or visit the website www.thrivemdvail.com

Back Pain: Stem Cells are Bringing Relief Most Americans experience back pain at some time in our lives. In fact, 65% of all Americans will miss work sometime in their lives due to back pain. When the pain is unrelenting patients have a difficult time getting relief. Researchers now believe adult stem cells likely hold the answer. In the past, conservative treatments or invasive surgeries were the only options. Now, utilizing stem cells, patients have a minimally invasive option to potentially repair the damaged

disc, restore function, rehydrate the disc, and ultimately alleviate chronic pain. Placement of a needle into the vertebral disc is a difficult and potentially dangerous procedure. Dr. Scott Brandt has spent the last 20 years with a strong focus on spinal injections and is one of the most highly trained disc specialists in the country. Dr. Brandt is very excited that the research now supports the use of adult stem cell therapy for back pain.

Live Life Well. Vail > 970.766.VAIL or go to thrivemdvail.com | Aspen > 970.456.3949 or go to thrivemdaspen.com SPECIAL PROMOTION

F r o m P l a t e t o Pa l a t e | S a v o r TA S T E

TA S T E 5 C a t e r i n g . c o m CORDILLERA | 970.376.1084

DENVER | 303.671.2733

When you need a little something sweet, Sugar Bar has you covered. Over 200 bulk chocolates & candies and 16 flavors of gelato! Selection of dairy, gluten & sugar free candies, too!

Located in the Riverwalk, Edwards www.sugarbarcolorado.com | SugarBarColorado

Ah, to be a kid again

Photos: Brent Bingham Photography

AT CORDY CAMP!

troll by the delightful bronze sculpture of children frolicking on a log and walk through the doors of Cordillera’s Trailhead community center and you can’t help but smile ear to ear. You’ve entered the world of Cordy Camp where in every nook and cranny children are giggling, creating art, playing air hockey and ping pong, and just having a blast in the outdoor and water slide below. On any given day from mid-June through August, around 35 to 45 children are in a safe and fun-filled environment for a summer of camaraderie and adventure. The Trailhead log cabin environment is an ideal location for indoor and outdoor games with daily learning opportunities. In addition to the life-guarded swimming pool complex with water slides, swimming lessons, playground, volleyball and lawn games, there is also art, reading, and often lectures on a variety of mountain and

environmental topics. Twice a week, there are opt-in activities where children are shuttled to both tennis and golf lessons just minutes from the main building, and every Friday night there are themed adventure nights for kids, as well. Additional off-site activities include rafting trips, a western horse-ranch experience and even overnight camping trips so children can really commune with their Colorado environment. At the end of August when Cordy Camp closes for the season the Trailhead is used as a community center available to all residents. It’s equipped with DirectTV on two large television screens—a perfect venue to view regular season football, NCAA basketball, the Masters Tournament, and more. Add private events to the mix, and this location is destined to become an adult version of Cordy Camp for the big kids to play. 79

R OBERT P UMMILL

C L AG GET T/R EY G ALLERY C L A G G E T T R E Y. C O M

970.476.9350

VA I L , C O L O R A D O

Slifer Smith & Frampton is proud to be the leading real estate company in Cordillera for over 20 years. $1.090 BILLION

$1000 $800 $600

CORDILLERA MARKET SHARE BY SALES VOLUME - 10-YEAR HISTORY*

$21.1

$23.8

$28.8

$33.6

$52.2

$200

$96.6

S R E ON A NE L E S NA TA LP CO TE LD W EL L BA N KE R FU LL ER SO TH EB Y’ S JO EL & LE CO N M NA PA S A N H SC Y EN T SO TH R E EB M A Y ’S O LT U K Y N E TA LL I N ER PR W O IL L PE I A RT M IE S S G & A T D E EV W EL AY O L PM A BE N EN D RK T SH I H RE O H M A E S TH ER AW VI A CE Y S

L E G STA RO T U E P

A RE IL VA

$15.3

$45.3

SSF

MILLIONS

$0.1

$400

Whether you are looking to buy real estate, sell real estate or learn more about the Cordillera market, our highly successful real estate team is poised and awaiting your visit at our two office locations!

CORDILLERA DIVIDE

970.926.3505

VAILREALESTATE.COM

CORDILLERA SUMMIT

*Data gathered is from Land and Residental sales from 1/1/2004 through 10/8/2014. Source of all data is the Vail Board of Realtors, Multiple Listing Service. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.