4
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
6
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
8
Style 2015
9
THE VOICE OF NORTHERN COLORADO FOR
31 YEARS.
s t y le me d ia a n d d e s i g n , i n c .
| 970.226.6400 |
w w w. s t y l e m a g a z i n e c o l o r a d o . c o m w w w. m e d i c a l a n d w e l l n e s s . c o m PUBLISHER Lydia Dody | lydia@stylemedia.com EDITOR Kelly K. Serrano kelly@stylemedia.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Scott Prosser SENIOR DESIGNER Lisa Gould DIGITAL DIRECTOR / BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Austin Lamb | austin@stylemedia.com ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVES Jon Ainslie (970) 219-9226 Debra Davis (917) 334-6912 Lydia Dody (970) 227-6400 Ann Kool (970) 412-8855 OFFICE MANAGER/ABOUT TOWN EDITOR Ina Szwec | ina@stylemedia.com ACCOUNTING MANAGER Karla Vigil CIRCULATION MANAGER Trisha Milton COPY EDITOR Michelle Venus PHOTOGRAPHER Marcus Edwards Photography CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Mark Darrough, Joe Coca CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Malini Bartels, Kyle Eustice, Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer, Brad Shannon, Elissa J. Tivona Michelle Venus AFFILIATIONS Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce Loveland Chamber of Commerce Greeley Chamber of Commerce 2015 STYLE MAGAZINES January-Northern Colorado Medical & Wellness February-Style March-Northern Colorado Medical & Wellness April-Style May-Style June-Style July-Northern Colorado Medical & Wellness August-Style September-Women’s Health & Breast Cancer Style October-Northern Colorado Medical & Wellness November-Holiday Style December-Best Of & Winter Activities Style Style Media and Design, Inc. magazines are free monthly publications direct-mailed to homes and businesses in Northern Colorado. Elsewhere, a one year subscription is $25/year and a two year subscription is $45/year. Free magazines are available at more than 300 locations throughout Northern Colorado. For ad rates, subscription information, change of address, or correspondence, contact: Style Media and Design Inc., 211 W. Myrtle St., Suite 200, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521. Phone (970) 2266400, ext. 208. Fax (970) 226-6427. E-Mail: ina@StyleMedia.com ©2015 Style Media and Design Inc. All rights reserved. The entire contents of Style Magazine are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Style Media and Design Inc. is not responsible for unsolicited material. All manuscripts, artwork, and photography must be accompanied by a SASE. The views and opinions of any contributing writers are not necessarily those of Style Media & Design Inc.
10
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM READERS. SEND YOUR COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS TO:
kelly@stylemedia.com Phone: 970.226.6400, ext.215 Fax: 970.226.6427 www.stylemagazinecolorado.com THANK YOUS
As Mia said after her dress fitting (for Style Magazine’s September breast cancer issue), that was so much fun. Thank you for all your support. I felt like a princess and very special. I vainly keep looking at the picture Mary took for me and can't believe that's me. When Mary asked me if I would like to do this, I wasn't sure, but this has been an amazing experience. I am in complete awe at the strength of all, but especially the young women going through this. We all have our stories but I can't imagine what it would feel like to be diagnosed as young as several of these women are. I didn't think it was possible to feel such kinship and love for people I have only met a few times but I truly feel the bond between us all. I love that we can laugh with each other and share our most intimate thoughts and they really get it. Your committee is a group like no other.
12
They just exude positivity and, with you, have made this whole event so much fun. The amount of work that it takes to coordinate an event like this is enormous, and yet you all make it seem so simple and obviously love doing what you are doing. It is an honor to be part of this group of strong, incredible women
Thank you for including the wonderful article on wisdom teeth in the October issue of Northern Colorado Medical & Wellness in the dental section. I appreciate that you thought of me. Also, the profile was very nicely done.
Thank you for the article about Grace Pointe Continuing Senior Care Campus; it turned out great and the response has been very positive! Your recognition of the fantastic work done by our caring staff is greatly appreciated. They are dedicated, compassionate heroes to many in Northern Colorado and the opportunity to speak of them through your publication was a great honor for me. Your article was very timely and reflected the grace demonstrated by staff so often. Grace Pointe has been a blessing to many and I thank God for the opportunity of serving others while working with caring people I greatly respect. Thank you again for the professionalism at Style Magazine and the hard work that goes into finding the best in people and sharing their story. You are a credit to our community and the growth of a healthy and happy future.
James B. Troxell, DDS, MS, PLLC Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Fort Collins
Steve Briscoe, CEO Continuum Health Management, Greeley
Celia Buchanan, Fort Collins
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
r
fo Gifts
E!
YON R E V E
Frea
ker B Insu ottle lator s
along
Mini Chim
ver ar a Ri j na Sab San an Pie i c Pea
Ma
rke
Blu Ha esBa rm on nd ica
De
t To
Ma Dip rket Mix
Me lis e T sa & Do oo lB ug elt Se t
lux
rins
eb
Style 2015
ath
&b
ody
co.
13
on the cover “Santa’s Expenses” was part of Norman Rockwell’s 323 Saturday Evening Post Covers exhibit which ran Sept. 4-Nov. 1 at the Fort Collins Museum of Art. The exhibit was brought to the community through generous donations, such as those given on the annual Colorado Gives Day last year. See story page 34. Image provided by Curtis Licensing.
24
31
43 features
departments
PEDERSEN’S EXPANDS WITH NEXT GENERATION . . . . . . . . . . 24 LOCALLY DESIGNED WREATHS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
58
PUBLISHER’S LETTER . . . . . .16
31
GEARING UP FOR COLORADO GIVES DAY . . . . . . 34 FASHION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 FAMILIAR FACES SHARE HOLIDAY RECIPES . . . . . . . . . . 43 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE . . . . . . . 56
68 NOVEMBER 2015 :: STYLE
14
FROM OUR READERS . . . . . . . 12
THE STROPES’ HORSETOOTH HOME . . . . . . . . 58
STYLE FILES: WHAT STYLE IS RAVING ABOUT THIS MONTH . . . . . . . .18 BUSINESS PROFILE: MOUNTAIN KIDS . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
about town
A PHOTO TOUR OF NONPROFIT EVENTS . . . . . . . . 72 GroupGives Celebration Discovery Dash A Vintage Affair Suitcase Party SpokesBuzz Poolside Party Vines & Hops Dinner of Champions
EAT: LOCAL ESTABLISHMENTS OPEN FOR THE HOLIDAYS . . . 64
Pastels on 5th Superhero Run NOCO Urban Homestead Tour
TRAVEL: TELLURIDE: THE LAND OF SNOW AND FIRE . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Wine Woman & Shoes Cattle Barons Ball
WWW.STYLEMAGAZINECOLORADO.COM Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
Holiday Blessings The holiday season has always been my favorite time of year. The holidays are a time many of us gather as families and reflect on our blessings, and family is at the top of my list of blessings. Speaking of family, I sometimes use a family photo in this holiday letter and this year I was delighted that my two daughters and I were together for the weekend of Hope Lives! Gala, on Oct. 17, and we were able to capture a quick photo of the three of us. It’s always extra special when my family can join me at this annual event. This 15th benefit gala is the highlight of Hope Lives! as it honors and celebrates Northern Colorado breast cancer survivors and raises funds to continue providing services for women diagnosed with breast cancer. The event was a huge success this year and I want to extend my deep gratitude to the sponsors, volunteers and board members who contributed their time, talents and treasure for this important cause. It is because of everyone’s collective efforts that hope does live in Northern Colorado! My daughters share my passion for this cause, so Meredith made a special effort to be here for the weekend. She and her husband, Joshua, are medical residents in Saint Louis and hope to relocate to Northern Colorado when finished with their residencies. They are very busy but still take time to enjoy their two adorable Shih Tzu’s, Lily and Violet. My youngest daughter, Ali, continues to live and work in Denver. She is totally preoccupied with working on a dashboard project for Swisslog, a medical technology firm. The pet that greets her after work is Goose, a beautiful long-haired Persian. I’m so very proud of my two girls. They are beautiful inside and out and I’m so very lucky to be their mom. As you can tell, we are a pet friendly family, and that explains how I happened to bid on a puppy at the gala. Well, not exactly. My daughters decided that I needed another puppy, so they took my paddle and bid. And … I won! Imagine that! So, I am now the proud parent of a white, King Charles Cavalier Spaniel-Pekingese mix, 3-pound fluff ball.
16
She is adorable but, as most puppies, a lot of work! You’ll be introduced to Lulu in an upcoming issue. The holiday season and the close of another year is the perfect time to reflect on my many blessings of health, family, friends, employees, clients and community. Even though I wake every morning saying a prayer of gratitude, the end of the year is a good time to review and appreciate all the good things that have transpired. Speaking of gratitude, this Holiday issue marks another anniversary of publishing Style Magazine for the Colorado Front Range. This is our 31st year and we are humbled, grateful, and still thrilled and enthused to bring Northern Colorado monthly magazines. We all consider it a privilege to work in such a great region and with such fine people. And I especially consider it a blessing to have such a talented creative team working at Style! A deep heartfelt thanks to each of them for their important contributions! They are truly committed to bringing you the best interesting, informative, and visually exciting magazines in the region and continually strive for excellence. An annual tradition in Style is our “Holiday Gift Guide” of unique gift ideas. Look over our suggestions for inspiration for shopping this season! And enjoy getting a peek at local celebrities as they celebrate the holidays with their favorite recipes in “Cooking Up Holiday Memories.” This and lots more in the pages of Style. Style launched its Best Of last year and we look forward to bringing you the results in our upcoming December issue. Be sure you look for it to learn how the community voted in 65 categories. We deeply thank you for your support these past 31 years and look forward to many more years in the future. May your holidays be blessed with the special joys of the season. With much gratitude, lydia@stylemedia.com Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
Style 2015
17
Files
what's happening Trees, Trees, Trees The Lincoln Center Support League will present the Gallery of Trees featuring holiday trees decorated by local businesses on display in the Lincoln Center Art Gallery, 417 W. Magnolia St., 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily Friday, Nov. 6, through Friday, Nov. 13. Admission is free. A silent auction of donated 3-foot decorated trees runs through 7 p.m. Nov. 13. Funds raised through A Winter Marketplace and Gallery of Trees aid Lincoln Center Support League’s mission to excite, enlighten, and educate young people through the performing arts in addition to promoting cultural opportunities in the community. Experience a winter wonderland at Greeley's Festival of Trees, set for Nov. 27 through Dec. 5. Now in its 28th year, the extravaganza is the primary fundraiser for the Union Colony Civic Center and the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra. Throughout the festival, visitors can bid on trees, wreaths, Santa figures, snowmen and year-round items in the silent auction. Activities include visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, face-painting, children's activities, horse-and-carriage
18
rides, holiday demonstrations, door prize drawings, Christmas choirs and musicians, and talking Christmas Trees Holly and Noel. Admission to the event at the Union Colony Civic Center, 701 10th Ave., is $2.50 for adults, $1.50 children 1-12 years and seniors age 60 and older. Visit http://greeleygov.com/activities/festivals/festival-of-trees for more information. The Foothills Tree for All, the winter fundraising event of the Foothills Service League, is set for Dec. 6 in the First National Bank Building at the Ranch in Loveland. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased from a FHSL member, by calling (970) 541-0716 or online once available. Local donors will create custom-decorated trees with a variety of themes for the Christmas Tree Raffle. The event includes a brunch buffet, live entertainment, door prizes, shuttle service and cash bar. Proceeds benefit Foothills Gateway and the Namaqua Center. For more information, visit www.foothillsserviceleague.org.
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
don't miss The Nutcracker The Canyon Concert Ballet’s annual performances of The Nutcracker are Dec. 11-13 in the Lincoln Center Performance Hall. Single tickets go on sale Nov. 4. For more information, visit www.ccballet.org. Tickets to The Nutcracker Tea at 4:30 Dec. 12 are on sale for $22 each at the Old Town Studios Main Office. Seating is limited so purchase early to avoid disappointment. After Nov. 4, tickets for the tea will be available at www.lctix.com along with ballet performance tickets.
check it out Kick off the holiday season by supporting a worthy cause: the 2015 Jingle Bell Run/Walk Northern Colorado for Arthritis is set for 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 5, at the Colorado State University Oval, south of the intersection of Laurel and Howes streets. Participants can wear a holiday-themed costume and tie jingle bells to their shoelaces as they walk or run a 5K to raise funds to find a cure for arthritis. Cost is $30 per adult, $25 for students, and $20 for youth 12 and under and seniors 65 plus through Dec. 4; the day of the event, cost is $35, $30 and $25, respectively. Those who cannot attend but want a T-shirt and to contribute to the cause can do so for $25. For more information, visit http://www. jbr.org/northerncolorado or contact Danielle Otsuka, Arthritis Foundation | Great West Region, at (720) 644-4397 or email dotsuka@arthritis.org. Join the community of participants at www.facebook.com/ jinglebellrunnortherncolorado. Style 2015
19
on the web now Foothills Reimagined By Angeline Grenz
Something old and many things new—the redevelopment of the Foothills shopping center brings back old favorites and introduces new choices for Fort Collins-area residents who are tired of trekking down I-25 to find a new pair of shoes. The project is also the pièce de résistance of Midtown Fort Collins’ rebirth. Read about the project’s progress and find out what businesses have and will soon open at www.stylemagazinecolorado.com.
’Tis the Season for Giving By Malini Bartels
Helping others makes us feel good as we contribute to society in a positive way. The holidays spark that innate human desire to provide for those who don't have resources or are down on their luck. What are some of the charitable giving opportunities in Northern Colorado that bring out the true spirit of the season in people? Find the variety of ways you can give to others by visiting www.stylemagazinecolorado.com.
20
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
EAT, SHOP & PLAY
IN DOWNTOWN LOVELAND!
Style 2015
21
business profile
Mountain Kids Coach Tariq Syed goes over the finer details of performing with the girls’ gymnastics team.
Mountain Kids:
Where Possibilities are Endless By Elissa J. Tivona
The entrance to Mountain Kids, tucked modestly along the Spring Creek Trail on East Stuart Street in Fort Collins, opens to an array of equipment that flanks a spacious gymnasium, inviting children to run, bounce, jump and fly with watchful encouragement from first-rate gymnastic coaches. Nothing—not even windows—separates the rows of bright blue seats in the viewing area from the young athletes tumbling in the gym. The squeal of triumph as a preschooler walks the length of a balance beam mixes with the giddy excitement of youngsters lined up to vault off a springboard and land safely on the mat beyond. No doubt about it: Mountain Kids has mastered the magic formula of combining youthful energy with skills training to build grace and confidence in children. Ron Baretta, founder of Mountain Gymnastics Training Center Inc., known as Mountain Kids since 1995, with his late wife Mary, is a staunch champion of the Mountain Kids formula. “There are three things parents need to get out of [our programs]: their kids need to
22
be learning skills; the kids need to have fun doing it; and it needs to be healthy for them," Baretta says. “Our goal is to have people go out the door with smiles on their faces.” Baretta and his staff focus on development of gross motor skills, self-confidence, flexibility and enjoyment of movement for all children regardless of athletic choices they make later in life.
Foundational Training Tariq Syed, currently co-coaching the team program with his sister Aziza, stresses the importance of proper early gym training no matter what the end goal. His personal
experience provides compelling evidence: at age 9 he broke his back while trying to imitate the skills he saw on television during the World Gymnastics Championship. At age 13 Tariq discovered Mountain Kids after the family relocated from Pakistan to Colorado. As a coach, rather than demanding hundreds of skill repetitions from elite athletes, Tariq’s program stresses preventative maintenance “because I’ve been hurt so much in my life doing the sport wrong on my own.” He reflects, “I need to give kids the tools; they’re not going to just do gymnastics. One of my gymnasts just went to Baylor, one of the top track schools in the country. The first Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
time ever doing the short hurdles she broke the school record.” Baretta beams. “Gymnastics is a great base sport for everything!” Through the years, Mountain Kids gymnasts have gone on to other secondary school sports where they frequently dominate. Others may excel in dance. Regardless, the early foundational skills and positive attitude nurtured at Mountain Kids contribute to their success.
Evolution of a Dream Today the diversity of Mountain Kids programs represents the many paths children follow to integrate body movement with learning and development. The business has grown organically over four decades, adding gymnastics classes for youngsters at every developmental stage, a professional dance studio, acro-gym classes, a preschool program, a summer day camp and swimming instruction in Northern Colorado’s only outdoor warm-water pool. The Barettas’ one-time dream has evolved into a thriving enterprise that exemplifies the benefits of doing business in the supportive environs of Fort Collins. Back in 1969, Baretta’s most immediate goal as a senior at Colorado State University, beyond finishing his bachelor’s degree in physical education, was competing in the first Western Athletics Conference gymnastics championships at Moby Arena. At the pinnacle of his athleticism, Baretta took first place in the men’s all-around and led the Rams to win the Western Conference team title. His success in the sport fueled his passion to teach, beginning his career teaching physical education and coaching gymnastics at Poudre High School. “I figured I’d be a teacher all my life, [so] I went back to school to earn my master’s,” he says. While the administrative and business classes would later provide the basis he needed to run Mountain Kids, Baretta attributes development of the “love part” of the business to his late wife. Baretta consistently downplays his role in building Mountain Kids and is much more at ease extolling the contributions of the people who have helped him along the way: devoted family members, teaching colleagues, neighbors and local businessmen, and loyal staff members who wouldn’t work anywhere else. His first steps toward entrepreneurship came in 1972 when the managers of Poudre Gymnastics Club approached him to help run the club’s programs. He began splitting time between working at Poudre and running the program. His success led to incorporating a partnership in 1976. As business continued to pick up, Mountain Gymnastics eventually expanded to a larger facility on Webster Street. Baretta bought his partner out in1979 and in 1981 he realized he couldn’t continue to teach full time and run a business. “So,” he jokes, “I kind of threw my hat across the river and, as the saying goes, you got to get there to get your hat back.” With the support of family and friends and more than a little serendipity, he dove into Style 2015
managing Mountain Gymnastics full time. By chance, driving down Stuart en route to Dairy Queen with his three daughters, Baretta ran across the property that would eventually become Mountain Kids. To his lasting surprise, he learned that the property belonged to long-time friend and former neighbor David Neenan, also the father of three girls. Baretta and Neenan’s children grew up together and the families were fast friends. “Much of what I have been able to develop here was through [Neenan’s] good graces. His belief in us doing the business was what made it happen.” Even with solid design plans in hand, banks repeatedly turned down financing for Baretta’s gym and dance studio. Eventually Neenan helped him secure a loan to get construction underway and the new facility opened its doors in 1985.
Devoted Staff, Customers It’s hard to find a business with a more loyal following. Most of the staff—many former gymnasts—has been with Mountain Kids for 10 or more years. The boss jokes amiably with office managers and staff members pop in the office for quick answers to questions. No one can remember the exact number of parents who started at Mountain Kids as children and now have their own kids and even grandkids enrolled or working there. Allison Morgan-Mauro remembers well. She attended the first pre-school class at the Stuart location in 1986 and 1987. Today her son Dycen attends the morning preschool twice a week. “I thrived in the program,” she says. “There was no question in my mind of taking Dycen anywhere else.” During summer months, staffing swells to more than 80, but Baretta still considers everyone part of the family. “It’s just a very large family.” Baretta’s voice softens when he shares his eldest daughter Anna’s success opening Mountain Kids’ second location in Louisville. After almost doubling the rental space, she approached her father about becoming the owner. “We negotiated a purchase plan, she went out and got the financing herself, and she’s doing it!” he says, his eyes glistening. Baretta believes, “It’s all happened as it should. More than anything you do the right thing. If you do the right thing, it will click.” And click it does: next year Mountain Kids will celebrate 40 years of business but, beyond that, it will celebrate 40 years of nurturing generations of Fort Collins children.
Young Mountain Kids students Caleb Larson and Emmersyn Smith enjoy their time at the gymnastics studio.
Ron Beretta will celebrate 40 years of teaching gymnastics and more at Mountain Kids in 2016.
Mountain Kids 419 E. Stuart St., Fort Collins (970) 482-3118 www.mountain-kids.com
Elissa J. Tivona is a freelance writer based in Colorado who teaches at Colorado State University in the department of Journalism and Media Communication and the Office of International Programs.
Coach Kevin Patterson instructs a young gymnast on the high bar. Photos courtesy of Bree Baretta
23
PEDERSEN TOYOTA EXPANDS
WITH THE NEXT GENERATION
When you own two automobile dealerships, what do you choose to drive?
For Gerry Pedersen, it is the
Toyota Venza.
By Angeline Grenz
Gerry Pedersen was just 17 when he left home. He had the clothes on his back and a few dollars in his pocket. His plan was to head west, but the first train he could catch took him north. From there he would take a circuitous route that eventually brought him to Fort Collins. His story—one that is very near and dear to son Mark—is a true American success story.
Mark Pedersen’s favorite is the
Toyota Tundra Crew Max.
Right-hand and 19-year employee, Janet Tompkins, enjoys driving the
Toyota Highlander. Pedersen Toyota-Scion-Volvo is now in its 44th year and looking at a major expansion of its showroom and service areas in 2016. The leadership is entering its second generation as well, as Mark takes over the reigns. But the Pedersen team can’t help but reflect on Gerry’s leadership over the past four decades and the stamp he put on this family company.
A chance encounter Born and raised on a farm in Kenmare, North Dakota, Gerry’s journey first took him to Minnesota, where he worked for a year in a department store before moving to Chicago and finding a job with the railroad. In the big city, Gerry proved his self-made spirit by balancing a job and taking college classes at night to earn his degree. He quickly worked through the ranks at the railroad before he was alerted to a better opportunity with Style 2015
Mike Croce is a die-hard fan of the
Toyota 4Runner.
Visit www.PedersenToyota.com or www.PedersenVolvo.com to see the new 2015-2016 inventory.
25
United Airlines. After joining United and earning several promotions, he made his way to the corporate level and it was while on a flight that he took his next leap of faith following a chance encounter with a Toyota dealer. He was flying over Fort Collins, admiring the scenery, when he struck up a conversation with the gentleman next to him. The man told Gerry of an opening at the Toyota dealership in Fort Collins, located on North College Avenue at the time. Gerry accepted the offer and moved his wife and family of five to Fort Collins in 1972. He and his plane mate became business partners and owners of the Toyota and Mercedes dealership. As happens in business, after a couple of years Gerry offered to buy out his partner while also selling off the Mercedes dealership and picking up Saab and Volvo. “I was in debt up to here,” Gerry recalls. “I didn’t think I would ever get out of debt.” But Gerry’s hard-working nature ensured he made wise business decisions, one of which was moving his dealership in 1992 from North College to South College, where it resides today at 4455 S. College. “I just knew the south part of town was the place to go.” Gerry’s leadership and work ethic has long been inspirational for his employees, some of who have been there for over three decades. In their conference room hangs a sign that contains one of Gerry’s favorite sayings: “I am an honest man. I run an honest business. Therefore the people that work for me will be honest.” The longevity in employee retention is due in large part to Gerry’s own management style. “I am a hard worker but not hard to work with,” says Gerry, with his characteristic twinkle of the eye. “And I have found if you hire the right people, business is easy. This is where I have really been successful. I have good instincts about people and it hasn’t been too often that I have made a mistake [in hiring someone].” Gerry also proudly points out that as Pedersen weathered the economic downturn in 2007-2008, the dealership did not have to let a single employee go. Mark, Gerry’s youngest son and Pedersen’s president and general manager, also credits his father’s hardworking nature with the dealership’s longevity and success in the community. “My father is from the old school, the type who thought if you weren’t 15 minutes early you were late. He worked six days a week and was the first to come in and the last to leave. He loves people, the business and his employees.” That work ethic rubbed off. Mark sold cars at the dealership every summer during high school. He has “worn every hat” at the dealership, also working in the service department and other areas. As Mark graduated college years ago, he recalls, “I graduated on a Wednesday. Dad offered me a job at the dealership starting on Monday—and I took it. It was the opportunity to stay in the community and continue the family business that my dad worked for his whole life, one that still has my father’s name on it.”
26
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
Mark became general manager of Pedersen 10 years ago, and owner four years ago as Gerry took a much-deserved retirement. And he is ready to take the dealership to its next incarnation.
Long-Awaited Expansion The Toyota dealership is about to experience its first expansion in 22 years, reflecting the strong sales growth of recent years. Toyota’s sales were up 38 percent in 2013, nearly 20 percent in 2014 and the dealership is still on an upward trend through 2015. “We had some slow years during the economic downturn, but those years created a lot of pent-up demand,” says Mike Croce, general sales manager for the Toyota dealership and 14-year employee. “Both our new and used sales divisions have grown.” The renovation and expansion of the current building, now underway, will allow Pedersen to double its Toyota service facility and sales area. The $9 million to $11 million expansion includes the lot from the former Mini U Storage adjacent to Pedersen. The lot has been razed in anticipation of a new multistory service facility with car wash, more service bays and additional storage. The service department will include several customer-oriented features: a new customer lounge with business center, refreshments, TVs, quiet areas and a redesigned kids’ area. “It is all about the customer experience, making it easier for buyers or those coming in for service,” says Croce. The expansion will also benefit the Volvo dealership, which is located across the street at 4455 S. Mason St. The two dealerships will share some of the lot and resources of the expanded space. The dealerships currently employ approximately 135 workers between them; the expansion will likely add another 20-plus employees when it wraps up in 2016.
Giving back to the community “The car business has been very good to me,” says Gerry, reflecting on his 40 years of business. And the Pedersens have reciprocated. “Gerry and Mark are dedicated to giving back to the community,” says Croce. “They give back to over 100 local charities and organizations. Gerry really came to Colorado with a sense of giving back.” Among their favorite charities are the Northern Colorado Junior Golf League and CSU Golf Program (both Gerry and Mark are avid golfers), the Larimer Humane Society (Mark and wife Kristi have three dogs, three horses and two cats), Hope Lives! and local children’s charities. While Mark drives Pedersen Toyota-ScionVolvo into the future, one can’t help but reflect on Gerry’s true American success story: a family business created by seizing opportunity and grown with hard work, dedication and a true love of working with—and serving—people. Angeline Grenz is a freelance writer based in Loveland. Style 2015
27
Greg Bever Harmony | 377-4916
Jason Billings Mulberry | 581-6444
Cindy Blach Mulberry | 481-5821
Judy Bogaard Harmony | 377-4931
Jo Carney Mulberry | 310-1836
Jim Chance Horsetooth |377-6022
Kelli Couch Horsetooth | 310-8804
Anna DiTorrice-Mull Horsetooth| 631-2649
Mary Doty Centerra | 396-3454
Brandi Garifi Harmony | 377-4917
Mark Goldrich Horsetooth | 218-1930
Chris C. Hau Horsetooth | 377-6017
Jim Hauan Mulberry | 419-2303
Paula Hawe Mulberry | 419-2332
Amy Hayden Centerra | 215-5950
Shelly Hill Mulberry | 419-2348
Chuck Hoburg Harmony | 377-4903
Michelle Hubbard Harmony | 377-6077
Keith Huntsman Harmony | 377-4941
Nicole Huntsman Harmony | 402-0221
Cindy Kurtz Centerra | 679-1545
Ali Lofquist Centerra | 744-8490
Bob Loner Horsetooth | 231-2222
Diana Luthi Centerra| 481-2692
Kathy Arents Mulberry | 222-1784
Georgena Arnett Loveland | 481-9801
Kathy Boeding Loveland | 231-9073
Brian Bogaard Harmony | 377-4954
Joanne DĂŠLeon Harmony | 691-2501
Sheila Benshoof Harmony | 377-4957
Alycia Martinez Centerra | 679-1657
Rob Mygatt Harmony | 229-5411
Nancy Maus Centerra | 213-0554
Michael O’Keefe Centerra | 691-0812
Deanna McCrery Harmony | 377-4971
Elaine C. Minor Horsetooth | 215-9236
Jim Murray Horsetooth| 377-4909
Dave T. Muth Harmony | 481-5963
John Peden Centerra | 679-1574
Miki Roth Centerra | 679-1568
Karen Rowan Horsetooth | 310-5797
Andrea Schaefer Mulberry | 290-3758
Linda Sioux Stenson Loveland | 215-9044
Faren Stroh Loveland | 222-6391
Bob Skillman Centerra | 631-2257
Todd Sledge Harmony | 377-4901
Tami Spaulding Horsetooth | 377-6003
Ryan Spencer Centerra | 214-0263
Don Svitak Harmony | 215-1571
Jack Taylor Mulberry | 420-9302
Laura Thomas Loveland | 290-7544
Matt Thompson Harmony | 443-9910
Dave Trujillo Centerra | 679-1550
Karla VanDenBerg Centerra | 405-8530
Becky Vasos Harmony | 377-4969
Robert Walkowicz Harmony | 377-4945
Bill West Horsetooth | 690-0505
Cathy Vance Centerra | 679-1554
30
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
joyeux noel
The availability of magnolia stems inspired this Southern Christmas traditional wreath from Palmer Flowers. Magnolia picks, leaf stems and several kinds of berry stems accent a rich green wreath approximately 3 feet in diameter, priced at $274.99. If the wreath is too big, it can be special ordered in a smaller size. Wreaths of varying sizes, designs and prices are available pre-made at Palmer Flowers, or you can special order your own design. http://www.palmerflowers.com
Style 2015
31
Bath Garden Center and Nursery presents a wreath inspired by natural surroundings with a holiday flair. The wreath incorporates glass ornaments, beautifully woven ribbon and exquisite silks. Fresh wreaths come in a variety of sizes and prices, ranging from 20 to 42 inches and from $34.99 to $149.99. Bath offers a large selection of decorated fresh wreaths as well as custom-order fresh wreaths that will be available at the end of November. http://bathgardencenter.com
32
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
Paul Wood Florist expresses Coloradans’ passion for skiing with this snow-white wreath. Appropriately titled Winter Playland, this flocked wreath is accented with wooden skis, burlap ribbon and icicle ornaments. Available in two sizes—the 24-inch wreath for $84.99 and the 30-inch wreath for $129.99—at Paul Wood Florist. Wreaths of varying sizes, designs and prices are available pre-made at Paul Wood Florist, or you can special order your own design. http://www.paulwoodflorist.com
Style 2015
33
THE STATE THAT
KEEPS ON GIVING By Malini Bartels
How is it possible to make a significant impact in the community, support a passion and be a part of an annual statewide movement to celebrate philanthropy in Colorado within 24 hours?
The answer: Colorado Gives Day. Also known as CGD, it is an annual December initiative to inspire and unite Coloradans to “give where they live;” a simple opportunity to marry financial support with a nonprofit cause in the neighborhood, as well as find new opportunities for giving. Currently in its sixth year, officials expect record contributions to channel in to nonprofit organizations during the designated 24-hour period, Dec. 8. The website, www.coloradogives.org, gives home-grown and positively recognized charitable organizations access to existing and new donors,
34
all while facilitating their ability to carry out a mission. The website launched in 2007 with constant improvements and additions to facilitate the giving process. With a goal of raising $1 million that first year and annually exceeding expectations, the Colorado initiative is one of the most successful fundraisers of its kind. The CGD partners, Community First Foundation and FirstBank, provide the incentive funds, totaling a generous $1 million—one of the largest in the country. An organization’s percentage of the total amount of money raised on Dec. 8 determines its share of the incentive fund, therefore increasing its donations’ impact.
NoCo Connections Last year, CGD raised over $1.2 million for organizations in Larimer County alone. The regional champion and partner in this initiative, the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado, created NoCoGives.org as a local destination for online giving to spotlight participating nonprofits in Larimer. The Community Foundation of Northern Colorado is all about connecting local donors, nonprofits and communities. President Ray Caraway understands why it’s important to keep giving as local as possible. “The vast majority of charitable work that Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
takes place in Northern Colorado is performed by relatively small, local nonprofits,” states Caraway. “Most are governed by local boards made up of volunteer community leaders and are highly transparent and accountable.” On several occasions, nonprofits choose to celebrate their donors with parties, socials, walka-thons and other creative entertaining events, often with food, music and fanfare. Jennifer Bowers, a Fort Collins Children’s Theatre board member, is excited to participate in an initiative that can only help her organization. “Fort Collins Children's Theater (FCCT) is relatively new to Colorado Gives Day. Last year was our first year as part of the program and we were thrilled to pass their rigorous application process,” says Bowers. Becoming part of CGD gave the live theater mainstay the ability to reach donors in a new way and stay connected with them throughout the year. For a small, volunteer-run organization, it's a huge gift of exposure, technology and communication. Bowers says the theater uses the donations received through the website in a variety of ways, but 100 percent of contributions go toward its programs and services. FCCT produces a school outreach program, a summer workshop and a professional production program, all of which work together to achieve its mission of giving every community child, regardless of the family's ability to pay, the opportunity to see, learn and perform quality live theatre appropriate for the whole family. “We are proudly a volunteer-managed organization with no overhead,” she says. “It has been that way for the past 50 years and we plan to keep it that way." This is the second year Fort Collins Museum of Art is participating in this online giving platform, as well. The locally adored museum presents modern and contemporary art exhibitions as well as educational experiences for the community. “The values that are inherent in Colorado Gives are also what drives our institution, mainly the power of our community and philanthropy in general,” states Lisa Hatchadoorian, executive director. “We could not exist if it were not for our generous donors and sponsors that support us; Colorado Gives makes that process very accessible and rewarding with their incentive funds. “The funds raised from Colorado Gives Day go toward general programming expenses for our exhibitions and educational events as well as general operating costs for FCMOA,” she adds. “Colorado Gives is an incredible platform to showcase the power of philanthropy and online giving across all nonprofits. It also showcases the power of community and giving where you live.”
It’s a Movement, Not a Competition Colorado-headquartered nonprofit organizations must pass a rigorous application process to participate. Every group must be a registered 501(c) (3) and be in good standing with the Colorado Secretary of State, then disclose everything from details about its board of directors to submitting three years of financial records. Once the nonprofit has passed all requirements and listed on the website, supporters can donate via active links and information.
Style 2015
35
“No Swimming” was among the images displayed at the Fort Collins Museum of Art’s recent exhibit of Norman Rockwell’s 323 Saturday Evening Post Covers. Donations from fundraisers such as Colorado Gives Day helped fund the exhibit.
In other words, once the organization qualifies, it just has to publicize that it’s participating in CGD and watch the money come in. Since all organizations are grassroots, the giving opportunities are accomplished with crowdsourcing. The website is functional year-round, but the biggest day for contributions, as well as the one for record-breaking and matching, is the single day of the year selected. Starting Nov. 1, contributors can schedule their CGD donation in advance if they think it will slip their minds to make a donation Dec. 8. Director of online giving for the Denver-based Community First Foundation, Dana Rinderknecht, insists that this is a wonderful way to promote nonprofits and online giving in Colorado, noting that most donations on CGD range from $50 to $100. “It’s exciting regardless to see people just give and give,” says Rinderknecht. “It’s amazing to watch the money come in. It goes to a good cause and it makes a difference. It’s even more important that donors get to specifically help the nonprofit that they love.” All donations done through the Colorado Gives website and the regional NoCoGives.org are 100 percent tax deductible; a few organizations qualify as enterprise zone or childcare credit donations. Luckily, when philanthropists finish their transactions, they will receive an email with all the information needed to obtain a tax credit. Kayla Arnesen, director of Strategic Communications for the Community First Foundation of Colorado, sums up the entire reason the campaign exists: “Colorado Gives Day reinforces my belief that this state is full of people who care about others and are willing to donate to nonprofits to keep this state a wonderful place to live and work.” Malini Bartels is a freelance writer, chef, mother, radio host and actress living the good life in Fort Collins.
36
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
here
Get out t
! e t a n o D and
For the full list of Larimer County participants in Colorado Gives Day 2015, go to www.nocogives.org and click on “Donate.” For Weld County participants, visit www.coloradogives.org, click on “Donate” and search for a Weld zip code for the most specific local list. Each organization has a detailed performance profile for the past few years to review before deciding which to support. Style 2015
37
38
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
S
O
TEPPIN' UT OWN
T
ON THE
Three-quarters sleeve, azure-colored jumpsuit with tie belt by Last Tango, $98. Courtesy Lady Gaia, Fort Collins.
Crochet and sequin Bolero jacket in silver by Zashi, $29. Courtesy Lady Gaia, Fort Collins.
Asymmetrical freshwater pearl choker with dragonfly charm by Black Label of London Jewelry, $69. Courtesy Lady Gaia, Fort Collins.
Triple-layered long crystal and beaded necklace by SueLaLa, $59. Courtesy Lady Gaia, Fort Collins.
Style 2015
CLOZ TO HOME | COAST TO COAST STYLES | LADY GAIA | MAGNOLIA MOON
39
Aratta Silent Journey embroidered, lace and beadaccented blouse, $116, over Rhiannon tree-patterned and velvet-trimmed drapey skirt, $116. Courtesy Cloz to Home, Loveland.
Gold stone tooth necklace, $22, and large teardrop gold-toned earrings from Machu Picchu Duke, $38, Courtesy Cloz to Home, Loveland.
Lagua Jewelry stretch emerald bracelet, $28. Courtesy Magnolia Moon, Fort Collins.
40
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
Shira Melody coppertoned bib with emerald tassel-trimmed necklace, $69. Courtesy Magnolia Moon, Fort Collins.
Emerald green poly hi-low tank with leatherette yoke and cutout back, by Jack, $45, over Freeway classic leg tuxedo spandex blend pants with contrast trim, $62. Courtesy Magnolia Moon, Fort Collins.
Jack by BB Dakota cropped fur vest, $49, nicely accents a hi-low lace tunic from Free People, $98. Courtesy Coast to Coast Styles, Windsor. Style 2015
41
42
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
The approach of the holidays often evokes thoughts about celebrations past—the people, the memories made, the food … Ah, yes—the food! Most families have at least one dish that is a must for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner or both. In fact, without it, the holiday just isn’t the same. With this theory in mind, Style Magazine asked some of Northern Colorado’s most familiar faces to cook up that one special dish and share the story behind it. •
(Page 44) Tom Hilbert, Colorado State University head volleyball coach, selected maple baked salmon—a dish that’s certainly appropriate for a holiday celebration—that he has served to the winning bidders of a Hilbert meal for eight at a volleyball fundraiser.
•
(Page 46) For Erin O’Toole, host of the KUNC morning show in Greeley, it’s her Uncle Denny’s corn pudding recipe that gets her to reminiscing about holidays past with Midwestern family.
•
(Page 48) Loveland sculptor Dan Ostermiller invites his holiday dinner guests to join in the fun of making lobster and saffron risotto, which requires a good 20 minutes of continual stirring.
•
(Page 50) Betty Aragon-Mitotes, director of the Museo de las Tres Colonias, welcomes the memory of the mother she lost 40 years ago to the table every time she makes Sarah Aragon’s green chili recipe.
•
(Page 52) Fort Collins Brewery general manager and co-owner Tina Peters continues the family’s baking tradition by whipping up a pecan pie with one of the brewery’s festive beers.
Visit stylemagazinecolorado.com for more recipes, stories and photos:
Style 2015
•
Dani Grant and Matt Hoeven, owners of Chipper’s Lanes and Mishawaka Amphitheatre, share the recipes and stories for their Christmas cinnamon rolls—a recipe passed down for generations—as well as a German cake, küken.
•
Former NFL player John Howell shares his vast knowledge and experience of the game via a Pop Warner program to Northern Colorado’s youngsters; now he’s sharing one of his favorite recipes—the pork chop sandwich—that is as appropriate for game day as it is for his family’s holiday celebrations.
43
TOM HILBERT
TEAM DINNERS PROVIDE
A TASTE OF HOME By Kelly K. Serrano
Baked maple salmon marinated in maple syrup and teriyaki. Creamy bacon risotto. Green salad tossed with dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds and crumbled goat cheese, drizzled with coconut vinaigrette. Breaded ravioli stuffed with spinach and mozzarella. Maple pecan tarts a la mode. It was a meal fit for royalty—or at least a holiday or other special occasion. But on a warm Wednesday evening in early October, it was fit for a dozen or so hungry volleyball players. Their chef: Tom Hilbert, whose cooking skills are second only to his skills as the Colorado State University volleyball head coach who has led his team to six consecutive Mountain West Conference championships. In fact, his dinners for eight have sold for as much as $3,000 at the volleyball program’s fundraising auction every January; he made the same salmon recipe—found on the Taste of Home website—for the highest bidder one year. Hilbert says the tradition of cooking team dinners began when he coached in Idaho. “I really enjoyed cooking for the team because it provided a connection you don’t have on the court,” he says. “The players like it because it’s a homey, family experience.” For Hilbert, cooking is fun and he often surfs the web in an effort to find new recipes. “I find cooking is sort of a Zen thing for me; it’s not stressful,” he states, then corrects himself: “Sometimes it is when you have a recruit and 14 players coming over.” This evening, Hilbert enlists player Alex Reid to assist, directing her to prepare the ravioli
appetizer. She goes to work, dunking ravioli in a sour cream and milk mixture before coating it with bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. “I actually learn a lot from Alex (about cooking),” Hilbert reflects. “She’s pretty smart.” But Reid, who “grew up with ‘every meal you cook’ and I wanted to be a part of it,” says she has learned much as Hilbert’s occasional sous chef. “He always makes something new whenever we come over here.” The other cooking recruit, Alexandra Poletto, arrives later, explaining that she had to make a trip to the store after the filling for her maple pecan tarts spilled in her car on the way—a mishap that triggers an ongoing discussion about what her car will smell like and how she’ll ever get the syrup out of the carpet. Poletto says the art of cooking is something she is just now discovering. “There’s a lot of trial and error for me now that I’m living on my own,” she says. As the salmon bakes, other team members file in a few at a time, hovering around the kitchen island where they snack on the crispy ravioli appetizer and apple slices dipped in warm, gooey brie cheese. Once Hilbert has transferred the salmon to big white platters, the ladies quickly fill their
plates with fillets, risotto and salad, and sit at one of two tables. They fall into easy conversation with each other, their coach and other guests. Their answers to what dishes make their holidays special are as diverse as their backgrounds: pumpkin pie is the automatic response from multiple players, though one throws out Southern gravy, and another oyster stew and stuffed oysters (the player’s family is “super Swedish”). Sanja Cizmic, who hails from Croatia, says her family’s traditional holiday dishes include pasticada—beef marinated in plum juice and red wine, served with gnocchi; and sarma— ground beef with vegetables and orzo, rolled in cold cabbage leaves, and cooked in a light tomato sauce with garlic and onion. “I’m excited to go home for Christmas and gain some pounds,” she says. Hilbert asks the players what they like most about the team dinners and many respond with, “The food!” But, just as Hilbert suggested earlier, Jasmine Hanna adds, “It’s like a family dinner.”
Kelly K. Serrano is editor for Lydia’s Style Magazine.
Baked Maple Salmon Ingredients •
6 salmon fillets (6 oz. each)
•
¼ cup packed brown sugar
•
¼ cup maple syrup
•
3 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
•
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
•
¼ tsp pepper
•
4 tsp sliced almonds, toasted (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°. Place salmon fillets in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, syrup, soy sauce, mustard and pepper. Pour over salmon. Cover and bake 10 minutes. Uncover and bake 8-10 minutes longer or until fish flakes easily with fork. Sprinkle with almonds if desired. Makes six servings. Courtesy of Tasteofhome.com. For the creamy bacon risotto, salad and maple pecan tart recipes, visit www.stylemagazinecolorado.com. *Measurements based on a Crock-Pot full of chili; can adjust for amount or “spicyness” desired.
Style 2015
45
ERIN O’TOOLE Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
A HOLIDAY RECIPE THAT’S
A LITTLE CORNY By Michelle Venus
Erin O’Toole’s family takes their corn pudding seriously—very, very seriously. So seriously, in fact, that rival recipes made alternating appearances at holiday dinners.
But it was Uncle Denny Bogg’s recipe that won the heart and taste buds of the National Public Radio Morning Edition host on KUNC. Hailing from Dayton, Ohio, Erin claims her Midwestern roots and palette with pride. “Of course there were dishes that made it to both Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner (re: green bean casserole),” reminisces Erin. “I remember looking forward to Uncle Denny’s corn pudding. I don’t know what the rotation was—I wasn’t in charge of the scheduling. We would always ask, ‘Who’s doing the corn pudding?’” When it was Uncle Denny’s turn to bring the corn pudding, at least one happy camper sat at the kids’ table. Uncle Denny’s recipe is not a typical pudding. “It’s actually a little bit cakey,” says Erin. “When I taste it, it reminds me of corn tamales or those sweet little corn cakes that you get sometimes on the side.” Made with creamed corn, Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, sour cream and an entire stick of butter, it’s definitely a decadent dish, admits Erin. If she and her husband, Jonathan, are having guests who just don’t get traditional Midwestern decadent dishes, she might skip the corn pudding. “But then again, it’s for the holidays,” she says. “And you should be a little decadent for the holidays. That’s the
time to eat dishes you don’t normally have the rest of the year, to indulge in something rich. You know, I think I’m going to make this every year from now on.” So there. The competing corn pudding dish, made by an aunt, included creamed corn, flour (no Jiffy mix and no sour cream) and sugar; still yummy, but it just didn’t grab dinner guests by the tongue the way Uncle Denny’s corn pudding did. It turns out Uncle Denny co-opted the recipe from a close family friend, Nora Lee Wisecup. Nora Lee and her husband Andy were close family friends of Uncle Denny and his wife, Aunt Leslie. “Nora Lee and Andy were always around,” Erin recalls. “Maybe it was the corn pudding that gave them an in.” The best thing about this corn pudding recipe (aside from being delicious) is how easy it is to make, says Erin. “You literally dump the ingredients together. You mix them up. You put them in a casserole and you bake it.” Voilà. Growing up, Erin’s family wasn’t interested in spending a lot of time in the kitchen, preparing complicated holiday meals. It was more important to spend time together. And then eating. And talking. Lots of talking and
laughing. “When I taste this recipe now,” says Erin, “it really does take me back to gathering around the table, saying grace, and then being banished to the kids’ table with my cousins and my sister, which was fine because we had so much fun.” Erin recalls the graciousness of her mother, aunts and grandmother. Holiday dinners with her family were welcoming and warm. Later on, she realized that that’s not the case in other families, where holiday dinners could be much more formal, stiff and awkward. Not so with the O’Toole clan. “What can I say? We’re an Ohio family; we like to have fun,” says Erin. Both Uncle Denny and Nora Lee have passed away. The corn pudding recipe they shared with their loved ones is just one part of their legacy. The love, the friendship and the happy memories are the more important gifts they left behind. “It sounds kind of corny, I know,” laughs Erin. “But those are my memories. And they’re very good memories.”
Michelle Venus is a freelance writer based in Fort Collins.
Uncle Denny’s Corn Pudding Recipe Ingredients •
2 cans creamed corn
•
3 eggs
•
1/2 cup of milk
•
1 stick butter or margarine
•
1 box of Jiffy corn muffin mix
•
1 cup of sour cream
Style 2015
Directions
Combine all ingredients in a casserole dish and bake at 350° uncovered for 1 hour. Easy peasy.
47
DAN OSTERMILLER
THE RISOTTO MASTER LOVELAND SCULPTOR SHARES A DECADENT HOLIDAY DISH By Kyle Eustice
With its sprawling landscapes, chicken coops, koi ponds, multiple buildings and unassuming Loveland location, Dan Ostermiller’s studio feels more like a spa retreat than a business. It’s no wonder the president of the National Sculptor Society and revered wildlife sculptor spends much of his time there. “I’ve wanted to be an artist all my life,” Ostermiller says. “My father was a world-famous taxidermist. I grew up around animals, but I didn’t like the taxidermist business. There wasn’t any real self-expression or creativity going on, so I started sculpting and casting in bronze.” Ostermiller is world renowned for producing beautiful, true-to-life animal sculptures and admired for his precise knowledge of animal anatomy. In fact, he is probably the only person who can outshine actor Val Kilmer when walking around Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he has his largest gallery. “I was with Val one time and this woman started coming toward us,” he recalls. “She said, ‘Are you Dan Ostermiller?’ [Laughs]. That was a great moment.” Ostermiller often finds himself mingling with lots of prominent people and many have been lucky enough to have tried his cooking, one of his other lifelong passions. Along with daughter Lauren, Ostermiller loves hosting gatherings for friends and family. Naturally, the ideal time is during the holidays, when he can really showcase his skills. His favorite dish to make on Christmas Eve is a lobster and saffron risotto, a dish he’s been preparing for the past two decades.
“During Christmas Day, we do the traditional stuff, but this is a stand-alone risotto,” he says. “It’s pretty decadent. What’s nice about risotto is that you can involve so many people because you have to stir constantly for 20 to 25 minutes. You can get a glass of wine or a drink while everyone takes turns stirring the risotto and adding the broth. It’s a really great family and friend kind of dish.” Made with just the right amounts of saffron threads and lobster tail, the dish is perfectly balanced. Lauren remembers her father cooking some variation of the dish for the past 20 years; she’s been making risotto since she was in grade school and usually assigned to stirring duty. “Your arm gets really tired because the risotto is so thick,” Lauren says. “It’s a very slow cook; the broth absorbs into the rice.” One Christmas Eve, several friends and family members crowded around the outdoor Italian pizza oven. It was an unbearable 11 degrees, so everyone was fighting for a spot in front of the oven to stay warm. They ended up making 60 pizzas and, in the process, creating another wonderful holiday memory. “I like Christmas Eve better than Christmas Day,” Ostermiller admits. “It’s a lot more fun and
Lobster and Saffron Risotto Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
5 cups lobster broth (see note), simmering 2 Tbsp minced shallots 2 medium tomatos, peeled and chopped, or 3/4 canned chopped Italian tomatoes 1/2 cup cream 1 1/2 cups dry white wine 1/2 tsp saffron threads Cubed meat from two 12 oz. lobster tails 3 Tbsp unsalted butter 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley 2 Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp chopped onion 2 Tbsp chopped celery 2 Tbsp chopped carrots 2 cups Aborio rice salt pepper
Style 2015
you can make it more of a party. I love having friends and family around and sometimes I’ll even go cook the dish at a good friend’s house. It’s just the best getting everybody together and spending time with one another.” Lauren agrees, saying, “I love the holidays because we always have a really good time. I look forward to everybody being together. We do eat a lot together, but it’s nice to have more than just us around.” This year, Ostermiller will host about eight people. The days of having 25-36 people over for dinner at a time has passed. “We did that for years,” Ostermiller says. “We’d do everything at the studio because I have everything it takes to put that on. You have to hire people to help and it becomes a huge ordeal. It’s a lot of fun, but a lot of work. “If people get invited over for dinner, they know there will always be something special,” he adds. “It’s just something I really love to do. I love to cook. I’m just really passionate about it.” Kyle Eustice is a freelance writer based in Fort Collins.
Directions
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add shallots, tomatoes, saffron and 1/2 cup of the dry white wine. Bring to a simmer and reduce the liquid by one-third. Add the cream and continue to simmer for three minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lobster meat, salt and pepper to taste. Bring the five cups of lobster broth to a simmer on top of the stove. Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a 4-to 6-quart heavy casserole dish over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, onions and rice, sauté, stirring constantly using a wooden spoon, for one minute, making sure all of the rice is coated. Add the remaining cup of dry white wine and continue to stir until it is completely absorbed. Begin to add the simmering broth one-half cup at a time, stirring constantly, making sure that the rice does not stick and the broth is absorbed before adding the next one-half cup. After stirring and adding broth for approximately 20 minutes, the rice should be firm to the bite. Add the lobster and tomato mixture with the parsley and stir thoroughly to combine. Adjust seasoning and serve immediately in warmed bowls. Serves 6. NOTE: To prepare the lobster meat and broth, place the two lobster tails into a large pot with 2 quarts of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook for approximately 10 minutes on until the meat is opaque. Remove tails and, when cool enough to handle, remove the meat and cube. Return shells to the water and add 1 onion quartered, 1 carrot cut in four pieces, 2 celery stalks cut in four pieces, 3 springs of fresh parsley and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil and simmer 20 minutes. Strain the liquid. It is now ready to be added to the risotto. ***If the lobster tail is too expensive, shrimp works extremely well in this recipe, too.
49
BETTY ARAGON-MITOTES
A LEGACY LIVES ON IN GREEN CHILI RECIPE By Kelly K. Serrano
As the director of the Museo de las Tres Colonias, or Museum of the Three Colonies, Betty Aragon-Mitotes passionately shares the stories of many of the area’s Hispanic families. It’s a rare occasion when she opens up about her own family. Until now. But Betty does so as she lovingly prepares her late mother’s green chili recipe—a recipe she learned secondhand: the youngest of six children, Betty was only 18 when Sarah Aragon died in 1975 at age 56. “While I was growing up, I really was not in the kitchen,” Betty explains as she stirs an oil and flour mixture in a heated skillet and her husband, David, sautés chunks of pork. “I was in the background because my sisters were older; I actually learned this from my sisters. “I missed a lot of things from my mother because she got breast cancer. … I think a lot about my mom,” she adds, her grief evident in her voice. “It was a tough [loss] for us.” Betty isn’t sure from whom her mother learned to make chili. Betty’s grandmother died giving birth to Sarah and she moved between relatives’ homes until she was 12, when she went to live with her father. Betty suspects her mother learned the recipe from her aunts. In a way, Sarah is present at every Aragon family gathering: it’s her green chili recipe on the table. “This is holiday for us,” Betty explains. “We mix
cultures here. We have our traditional turkey but, for us, it’s not complete unless we have the green chili, and we usually have beans. The tamales we have Christmas Eve because if we go to church, we come back and everyone eats tamales.” When the pork has browned, David dumps it in a Crock-Pot. Betty mixes cold water one-half cup at a time with the oil-and-flour mixture to thin it—but not too much—while stirring it continuously. “I’m one who likes a lot of sauce because if you like to smother things, you need a lot of sauce,” she says. “If it doesn’t go the first round, it’ll go in the second.” After Betty gets the right consistency, she pours the sauce over the pork before preparing several garlic cloves and onion for the chopper. She stirs it in with the pork and sauce before breaking out the green chilis. Well, not all of them are green. “I like red as well as green, just for the color. They make it look prettier,” Betty says. She usually gets her chilis at a flea market in Denver, as they’re a little less expensive. But on this day Betty is using chilis she bought from the Musseo Farm at the Pueblo Chili & Frijoles Festival. “The reason I make that trip—a 3-hour drive—is because they have the biggest chilis I’ve ever seen
Sarita Aragon’s Sabroso Green Chili Ingredients* •
3 lbs. pork meat/loin or stew meat
•
¾ cup flour
•
1/2 cup vegetable oil
•
2-3 cloves of fresh garlic or equitable amount of jarred chopped or minced garlic
•
2 medium slices of yellow onion
•
6-9 fresh-roasted green chilis (thaw in refrigerator overnight if frozen; 9 chilis give it a kick)
•
Cold water
Style 2015
and they’ve got a good taste,” she says. “Trust me, when I get hot, they’re hot,” Betty adds. “When I get a medium, they’re borderline hot.” She advises clipping off the peppers’ stems and bottoms and to check each chili for a lighter color that could indicate it’s spoiled, then peeling off most of the blackened skin. “A few strands of burnt chili are OK,” Betty says. “You don’t want to take out the seeds because that’s what gives it the kick.” The green chilis go into the chopper and then the Crock-Pot where they will permeate the sauce while it simmers for a couple of hours. It’s then that Betty breaks out a collage of family photos and reflects again on the memory of her mother. “My mom, she was very special,” Betty says, “and I miss her. I learned a lot from her. We used to go to Taco John’s in the middle of the night and my dad didn’t even know we were gone. She’d give us advice about life. “All those memories come flooding back every time I cook.” Kelly K. Serrano is editor of Lydia’s Style Magazine.
Directions
Brown pork meat in a skillet, using a little oil so it doesn’t stick, then put in Crock-Pot. In another skillet, heat up oil, add flour and stir. If thick, pour in a little more oil. Texture should be smooth. Keep stirring the mixture on medium heat until medium brown, pour in cold water starting with one-half cup. Sauce will thicken quickly so add more water as needed. Sauce should be consistency of thick gravy. Stir to make sure no lumps develop. Pour over meat. Chop onions and fresh garlic (if needed) and add to the meat and sauce, stir. Put chilis under cold running water to remove skin, then clip stems and ends. Chop green chilis in chopper or blender, then add to mixture and stir. Add salt to taste. Cook on low heat for 2 hours. When meat is tender, chili is done. If not tender, cook for another 30-60 minutes. *Measurements based on a Crock-Pot full of chili; can adjust for amount or “spicyness” desired.
51
PETERS FAMILY 52
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
BREWERY FAMILY BAKES UP PECAN PIE
WITH A TWIST By Brad Shannon
Baking, like business, is a family effort for the Peters family, who owns Fort Collins Brewery and FCB Modern Tavern. Tom and Jan Peters bought the business 10 years ago but, now that they've cut back on their work schedule, their daughter Tina Peters has become general manager and part owner. Tina's husband, Jake Eatherton, recently joined the organization after a number of years in the commercial real estate world. Just as Jan helped Tina work to acquire baking skills based on the Polish family's matriarch, Jan's mother Elaine Brillowski, Tina is now helping her son, 2-year-old Oliver, learn his way around the kitchen. "It's an easy recipe, and kid-friendly. You don't need a mixer," notes Tina of the Big Shot Pecan Pie recipe. "We bake together once a week, and I'm always on the lookout for things we can make together. It's amazing the skills kids learn so quickly." Grandma Brillowski passed some of the family baking responsibilities on to Jan, and now Tina has taken more off Jan's hands in recent years. "It took me awhile," Tina confesses. "They used to call me Ellie May because I couldn't bake and burned everything, but I kept at it. Mom bought me baking utensils and this dish to encourage me, and figured even if my latest effort was a flop, it would look better in a big, sturdy, unique piece
of pottery." The pecan pie recipe evolved over the generations. "We approach recipes and family traditions like we do with the brewery. We'll take something and make it our own, add a twist to make something new," says Jan. "We've made this pie with chocolate, with bourbon—sometimes too much bourbon. Sometimes it decides it doesn't want to set and we end up with a batch of ice-cream topping. It's fun to play with." At some point in the eight years since the brewery introduced Big Shot Hazelnut Brown Ale as a winter seasonal, the Peters incorporated it into the pie recipe to bring a slight “biscuity,” malty flavor to the filling. A tweak last year of the beer formulation bumped up the hazelnut flavor, and Tina added maple-cinnamon whipped cream as a finishing touch to the pie this year, providing a nice contrast to the sweetness of the pie filling. "Whether it turns out perfect or not, there are always stories," says Jan. "For us, craft beer and food bring people together to be social and tell stories." This year's holiday season brings a big reason to celebrate: FCB earned a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival for its Octoberfest, one of 47 entries in its class. Other changes are afoot, as
Big Shot Pecan Pie Ingredients • • • • • • • • •
1 pie crust, your favorite recipe 5 Tbsp butter 1/3 cup brown sugar 3/4 cup corn syrup 1/2 tsp salt 1/3 cup FCB’s Big Shot Hazelnut Brown Ale (substitute bourbon if preferred, or omit) 1 tsp vanilla 3 eggs, lightly beaten 2 cups pecans
Roll out pie dough and shape to 8” pie pan. Poke holes in bottom. Place in freezer for 20-25 minutes or until very firm. Line pie shell with parchment paper and fill with rice or pie weights. Bake at 350º for 10 minutes. Remove rice or weights and bake for another 5 minutes. In a sauce pan, combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and salt and melt together until smooth. Remove from heat, let cool slightly and whisk in eggs until smooth. Add beer, vanilla and 1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped. Pour into the pie shell and top with remaining 1/2 cup whole pecans in a pattern. Continue baking at 350º for 30 minutes, rotating halfway through. Remove and cool. When pie is set, serve at room temperature or warm.
Ingredients
Style 2015
2 cups heavy cream 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• • • •
Brad Shannon is a freelance writer based in Loveland and owner of public relations and communications firm Shannon Marketing Communications, LLC.
Directions
Maple-Cinnamon Whipped Cream • • • •
well, with a new fall/winter menu, a rebrand in process, the release of their annual favorite Double Chocolate Stout, the expansion of their barrel-aging program to 25 barrels and the addition of sours to the lineup of brews. "We're very busy, but we work to plan time to spend together and create and share memories and values," Tina adds. "We travel to discover new trends in food and brewing and we spend time in the kitchen together experimenting, which makes the brew staff happy, since they're always hungry." Those dishes that are a hit may join the FCB Modern Tavern menu. Most items served include beer, beer precursors and byproducts in them. "We cook with beer, and wort—which is sweeter—and spent grain, which has great flavor and brings an interesting texture to our breads and granola," says Tina. Oliver, meanwhile, is the latest generation to help bring the FCB motto "Create, Savor, Share" to life and is sure to let everyone enjoying his pie know "I made this!"
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 1/8 tsp ground cloves 1 tsp maple syrup 1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
Use a cold metal bowl and metal whisk (15 minutes in the freezer works well). Pour sugar into the bowl and add the cream. Whisk until the cream holds stiff peaks. Fold in the other ingredients and rewhisk briefly if needed to fully incorporate and add more stiffness.
53
54
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
A D V E RTO R I A L
LIGHT UP YOUR WINTER LANDSCAPE A thoughtful outdoor-lighting design can enhance your property’s curb appeal, even during the winter, while adding an important safety element. LED technology is a low-voltage lighting solution that will not only brighten up your days, but is energy efficient, too. In Colorado, abundant sunshine is the norm, so you may want to consider solar-lighting features for your property. Here are other benefits to adding outdoor lighting elements: • Lighting enables people to enjoy their landscapes after work. • Adding a light to your address number makes it easier for visitors to locate your home. • Installing lighting along the sidewalk or driveways improves accessibility and safety. • Lighting placed in strategic areas around your home improves security. • Lighting adds curb appeal, which increases your property value. • Lighting adds interest to planting beds. The professionals at Alpine Gardens can add most lighting features to enhance your landscape no matter what time of year it is. Call us at (970) 226-2296 to schedule a consultation.
7029 S. College Avenue,Fort Collins, CO, 80525 (970) 226-2296 | alpinelandscaping.com
2016 TRD Pro 4Runner Let’s make the Earth shake. The adrenaline-fueled TRD 4Runner Pro Series is ready to help you dominate extreme terrain. Heavy-duty off-road TRD Bilstein suspension, unique TRD wheels wrapped in dirt-clawing tires and a 1/4 inch skid plate help armor this SUV against nature’s harshest elements. Starting at $42,450. Available at Pedersen Toyota, Fort Collins. www.pedersentoyota.com The Big Green Egg is the most versatile barbecue or outdoor cooking product on the market, with sizes and prices to match any budget and lifestyle. $379 to $3,299. Nests start at $47.99 Turn any BGE into an oven with a Pizza & Baking Stone. Medium Pizza & Baking Stone $37.99 The Aluminum Pizza Peel is the perfect tool to handle those baked goods. $31.99 No grill master can do the job without a professionalgrade, stainless steel Custom BBQ Tool Set with a spatula, two-prong fork and locking tongs with soft-grip handles. $54.99. Available at Downtown Ace Hardware, Fort Collins. www.acedowntown.com 2015 GMC Terrain Give the gift of safety to your family and practical refinement, power and efficiency to yourself with the 2015 GMC Terrain with OnStar with 4G LTE, which puts a built-in available Wi-Fi hotspot in the vehicle. With the cargo space of a larger SUV, new technology, superior fit and finish, and exceptional safety features, Terrain is the total package. Starting at $29,475. Available at Markley Motors, Fort Collins. www.markleymotors.com
Fenestella The beauty of dusk distilled into a superb pendant. Fenestella is instantly recognizable by its quartz centerpiece with vivid tourmaline inclusions, that is elegantly set into 14kt gold. Priced at $1,895. Available at Goldworks, Fort Collins. www.oldtowngoldworks.com
56
Add a whimsical touch and a piece of history to any room with an airplane Sky Hook, $119.95. Available at The Light Center, Fort Collins. www.lightcenterinc.com
Almond Toffee handcrafted from the finest natural ingredients in copper kettles. Pure toffee perfection! Package sizes range from $5 to $34. Available at Vern’s Toffee House, Fort Collins. www.vernstoffee.com
WeatherTech All-Weather Floor Mats have deeply sculpted channels designed to trap water, road salt, mud and sand. Their proprietary engineered odorless resin ensures that these mats will not curl, crack or harden in subzero weather. Prices vary. Available at Bullhide 4x4 Auto Accessories, Fort Collins. www.bullhide4x4.com
Go and Glow Skin Care Set The Go and Glow, a microdermabrasion combined with an illuminizing peel, makes a luxurious gift, ideal for those who want to freshen up their skin and their skin to glow. And with no down time! Specially priced at $170 for the holiday season (normally $190). Free $60 Skin Medica gift with purchase. Available at Allura Skin, Laser & Wellness Clinic, Fort Collins and Johnstown. www.alluraclinic.com
Pheasant Feather Placemats Bring a light, airy feel to your dining table, end table or nightstand. Our pheasant feather placemats make a natural statement. Size: 16” in diameter, $19.95. Available at Roughing It In Style, Fort Collins. www.roughingitinstyle.com
Have fun cooking more than 30 new recipes using this gorgeous “Spice to Plate” cookbook and accompanying spice blends. This is the ideal gift for the person whose favorite pastime is whipping up culinary delights, $64.95. Available at Savory Spice Shop, Fort Collins. www.savoryspiceshop.com Lorelei Criss Cross Ring by Hearts On Fire One row of perfectly cut diamonds is integrated across a beautiful metal band for a stunning design that’s truly fashion forward. This right hand 18k gold ring is a wearable style that’s effortless and perfect for any occasion, $2,990. Available at Sather’s Leading Jewelers, Fort Collins. www.sathersjewelers.com
Alex and Ani Bangles On-trend jewelry fashion— the perfect gift or for your own personal adornment! Starting at $28. Available at Sather’s Leading Jewelers, Fort Collins. www.sathersjewelers.com
Style 2015
Armagnac Brandy Relax and soak in the distinctive flavor of Armagnac, a brandy produced in the region of the same name in Gascony, southwest France. Because it’s distilled not once but twice, this brandy offers more finesse and roundness than cognac. Armagnac—drink with sophistication. $75 for a 375 ml bottle of Armagnac, 10 year, paired with Apricot Grappa Liqueur. Available at Vom Fass, Fort Collins or www.vomfassfoco.com
57
THE STROPES’ HORSETOOTH HOME By Brad Shannon
It’s hard to miss. Head up the hill from Hughes Stadium and, as the road turns hard west, there it sits. The distinctive radius copper roof with walls sheathed in well-weathered wood that was once Wyoming snow fence.
Connections run deep in the Stropes’ new custom home. The way it’s connected to the site. The way the family’s business connections were key to the project. The way Mom, Dad and son worked together to design and bring it to reality. The way it complements their connected lifestyle and entertaining. Even the way the home automation system connects the family to the house, whether they are at home or away. This 5,000-square-foot showpiece was a labor of love for Alan and Kim Strope, owners of Savant Homes, and their son, Taryn. “It was a three-year project, and we moved in back in May,” notes Alan. “We had the lot for about a year before beginning work.
58
“We’ll typically take six to nine months for a custom-home project,” he continues. “But with this, our own project, we had fun, took our time, worked on site utilization, chose the finishes and spent a lot of time on details. Kim and I plan for this to be our last home, so we wanted to get it all right.” Their initial concern was selecting the right spot on the site to place their home. Ultimately they chose an orientation that nestled into the hill and centered the home in the gap in the ridge to the east. The view—day or night and particularly at sunrise—is striking. When it came time to design their dream home, they turned to a trusted resource, Justin Larson
of Vaught Frye Larson Architects. “I had worked with them before and was pleased they asked me to help them with this project,” recalls Larson. As Larson did some early sketches, Taryn, then a senior in high school, expressed interest in a role in designing the home and in architecture as a career. “We hired him as an intern/apprentice and he did drawings by hand, transferred them to the computer and was hands-on for the entire process,” notes Larson. Now Taryn is a junior at Montana State, where Larson studied, and is at the top of his class in the architecture program. “The family collaboration, with Taryn working on the architecture side, Alan with his construction knowledge and Kim Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
Style 2015
59
designing the interior, was unique and interesting,” Larson says. “The hands-on experience, the opportunity to experience what the firm and the profession was like, was really great,” Taryn adds. “It reassured me that I really wanted to pursue architecture.” With the design complete, it took three months to prep the site. “We literally moved a mountain,” notes Alan, “but we kept it all on site and separated the dirt from the rock so we could re-use as much as possible.” After digging the 26-foot-deep hole, water settled the soil and the build began. The Stropes took special care to re-use material removed from the hillside as the bulk of the landscaping material around the home. Additional stone, where needed, came from
60
local quarries. On the southwest side the hillside shelters a water feature, hot tub and stone patio. Inside a neutral color palette with a wide variety of finishes, textures and patterns reveal new details. “I wanted to keep things light and contrast with grays and blacks, with a lot of natural stone, then add in color with the seasons using accents and highlights in the décor, like flowers and pillows,” says Kim. “The style is contemporary but warm. I call it ‘mountain contemporary.’”
The Layout The main floor features a four-car garage with a plethora of storage. Kim plans to outfit it for casual entertaining and hanging out. Inside, the entry way opens to a combined living and dining
area, commercial kitchen and a huge island. The back of the main level has a master suite and a massive walk-in closet. Large windows and an indoor/outdoor fireplace that penetrates the wall, providing light and warmth to the living room and the large deck, dissolve the boundaries between inside and out. The second level features a recreation room and bar along with a pair of bedrooms for the kids with a Jack-and-Jill bath. Kim’s wine storage room is a work in progress, as is Alan’s workshop, where the water storage tank resides. The third level is a separate living unit, with a studio-style layout and separate entrance. The owners already have friends coming to town who are considering moving to the area; they will stay here while learning the local lay of the land. Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
Style 2015
61
The Inner Workings
Savvy Social Security Planning Join us for this FREE Educational workshop and learn!
RSVP TODAY! • (970) 377-1705
Thursday, November 12 • 9:00 am
Fort Collins Senior Center • 1200 Raintree Dr.
Learn strategies to avoid common mistakes. • Timing is everything - filing too early or too late • Not coordinating with other income sources • Not planning for inflation (you’ll need twice as much income in 20 years) • How married couples miss out on substantial benefits 62
Robert M. McCulley, CFP®, MAFM
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Masters Degree Accounting & Financial Management www.mcculleyassociates.com Securities and investment advisory services offered through Cetera Advisors LLC, MEMBER FINRA/SIPC. Cetera is under separate ownership from any other entity.
While the original plans were for a traditional framed home, the Stropes learned about a masonry product, AAC block, or aerated autoclaved concrete, common in Europe but atypical for U.S. construction,. When it came to climate control, AAC presented some distinct advantages: it is porous and 80 percent lighter than traditional concrete block. It gives the home a large thermal mass and acts as insulator (to help keep utility bills down), provides sound proofing (important, given the home site is between two roads) and is fire resistant. “We found it at a trade show, and it just made sense,” reports Alan. “Our utilities are net zero. We don’t have an air conditioner. There is no traditional HVAC.” Two masonry unit heaters—one on the main floor, one on the second level—heat the home. The Norwegian Tulakivi is a traditional soapstone fireplace/bakeoven fueled by wood. The unit on the second level, also wood burning, is a Temp-Cast unit from Canada. Scrap wood from Savant Homes project sites provides the bulk of their fuel. For particularly cold spells, a radiant heat system throughout provides supplementary warmth when needed. For electricity the home has a 17 kilowatt photovoltaic system with 67 solar panels— which, Larson observes, is larger than some of the systems on commercial buildings he’s worked on. As a result, the home produces more energy than it consumes and offsets the energy costs. This level of efficiency is aided, in part, by the Savant home automation system (which, coincidentally, shares its name with Stropes’ custom home-building business). The system manages light, heat, security, window coverings, audio and video, and gives real-time Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
www.DowntownFortCollins.com
data to manage how much power the home is using at any given moment. “We’re very connected to the house,” notes Alan. “We get regular text alerts and, even when we’re away, we know exactly what is happening at home and can control everything.” The only arena where the home is not independent is water, which they must have hauled in. The Stropes refill the large water tank when a sensor sends Alan a text noting that the supply is low, about every four weeks. Water costs run less than $200 a year, with a $100 trip fee each time they need to fill the tank. Kim and Alan continued to work on some of the finishing details even as summer gave way to autumn, but they’ve already put it through its paces. “A week after we moved in we had 200 people over for our son Traegan’s high school graduation,” reports Kim. Since then, other social and charitable events have been on the calendar, including a gathering to watch the U.S. Pro Challenge go by. They also hosted a party to thank subcontractors and suppliers for their help on the project and their role in the success the Stropes and Savant Homes have experienced since 1998. “They are a part of this house because they made it possible, both in bringing it to life and in helping us get to the place where we could build this home for ourselves, and we wanted to thank them,” Alan concludes. “It’s unique, it’s close to town and Horsetooth, and just far enough away. We couldn’t be happier.”
Discover the magic of Downtown this holiday season and support our local businesses. Downtown is home to over 250 retailers, restaurants, and specialty stores! For every $100 spent locally this holiday season, $45 remains in the community. Please support small businesses everyday and join us on Small Business Saturday, November 28th in Downtown Fort Collins.
Celebrating 35 years
WITH $35 EYE EXAMS SINCE
1980
107 NORTH COLLEGE AVE FORT COLLINS CO
970.407.0065 www.theeyehaveitfc.com
Brad Shannon is a freelance writer based in Loveland and owner of public relations and communications firm Shannon Marketing Communications, LLC. Style 2015
63
eat
Lifting One Spirit at a Time LOCAL E S TA B L I S H M E N T S S E RV E U P H O L I D AY FA R E By Kyle Eustice
Drive down Riverside Avenue near Old Town any day of the week and it’s glaringly apparent how many people in the Fort Collins area are homeless or challenged by significantly low incomes.
64
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
FoCo Café will serve Thanksgiving dinner to any and all. While the majority of Americans welcome the holidays and the opportunity to get together with friends and family for food, drinks and lots of cheer, for these people or those who are just alone, it’s one of the most emotionally draining and predictably stressful time of year. Fortunately, some Northern Colorado businesses and several organizations offer not only a hot holiday meal, but also a sense of community or even family for anyone in need. Tom Konstanty, director of the Fort Collins Rescue Mission, has been with the local shelter on Jefferson Street for three years, but its parent company, the Denver Rescue Mission, has provided holiday meals for over 100 years. This year, Konstanty anticipates around 150 people for the local mission’s Thanksgiving Day feast. “Holidays are a time when you think about family,” Konstanty says. “A lot of the homeless have had bad experiences. People are thinking back on their families because they miss them, how things have hurt them or how they would rather be with their family instead of a homeless shelter. I don’t think anybody wants to be in a homeless shelter during the holiday season. I think that’s the sad thing. If they could be home with their families, they would. For one reason or another, they can’t, so they just think about those things. For many people, holidays are the worst time of the year.” FoCo Café also has a particularly helpful philosophy during the holidays: it provides a warm, inviting environment for the entire community, but especially for the homeless, those struggling with substance abuse and students who may be without family for the first time during the holiday season. Fort Collins’ first nonprofit restaurant, FoCo Café is preparing to host its second-annual Thanksgiving Day feast. “We opened on Thanksgiving Day last year, which was wonderful,” says Kathleen Baumgardner, who founded the restaurant with her husband, Jeff. “We are going to do a very special meal this year. We will be here for anyone who needs us. There are a lot of people in different circumstances in which people are alone and don’t have the means to share a meal with anyone else. “We feel food really has the ability to bring people together,” she adds. “It opens up conversation. I’ve seen an engineering student talking to a homeless person and that engineering student had just come back from an internship on a Style 2015
65
manufacturing line. He had worked in manufacturing his whole life and was now having issues finding a job because of the impact it had on his hands.” Since the beginning, the Baumgardners’ mission has been to help “build the community by providing nutritious and delicious meals to the people of Fort Collins regardless of their ability to pay while using mostly local, organic and sustainably grown ingredients.” “If they have a dollar or two, that’s fine,” Baumgardner explains. “If they want to pay it forward, that’s fine, too. If you want to pay something comparable to what you normally pay at other restaurants, that’s great. If you’re unable to pay with money, you can make your contribution with time and talent and volunteer.” For many, helping those in need is one of the most rewarding jobs. It led both Baumgardner and Konstanty into their line of work. “I love compassion ministry,” Konstanty says. “People are hurting. Every person here isn’t your typical stand on the corner with a paper bag, drunk. There are people here who have names, families and stories. A lot of them have been marginalized and are stuck. We have the wonderful opportunity to show them in a charitable way they are not forgotten and we do love them. “I just love the opportunity to extend that to hurting people—people who need hope, who need freedom—and that it’s possible to have those things.” The Fort Collins Rescue Mission’s Thanksgiving Day feast is a full-on banquet: complete with nice table clothes, chapel music and fancy dinnerware, the meal lends a sense of self-worth to many suffering people who would otherwise be alone or go hungry. Like the FoCo Café, the Fort Collins Rescue Mission serves meals to anybody, whether it’s a college student, homeless person, community figure or family. During the holiday season, it sees a jump in volunteers—people who are simply eager to help in whatever way they can. “You can feel the positive energy of the place,” Konstanty says. “The people serving that day are doing it because of their heart. We try to do something special for each person who comes in, too. We try to get a little gift for them, whether it’s a toiletry bag, socks or gloves. We try to do music in the chapel beforehand to set the mood while people are getting in. People are talking, laughing and staying at the tables a little longer as they talk.” The FoCo Café alone sees 500 hours of volunteer time per month with 13 volunteer slots available each day. At the end of the day, all of the blood, sweat and tears are worth it. “Our restaurant breaks down barriers so people can just see each other as people,” Baumgardner says. “It’s very enriching because you get so much more out of it than you put in to it, just through the relationships. It always feels better to give than it does to receive.”
Kyle Eustice relocated to Fort Collins from her hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. She is a regular contributor to Thrasher Skateboard Magazine, Wax Poetics, Ghettoblaster Magazine, Bandwagon Magazine and more.
66
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
Thanksgiving Day Meals (Thursday, Nov. 26) •
FoCo Café, 225 Maple St., Fort Collins, 11 a.m—2 p.m. Donations suggested in the form of money or time/talent.
•
Salvation Army, 3901 S. Mason St. in Fort Collins, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Transportation will be provided from Jefferson Park at 10:30 a.m. Space is limited, so call ahead to reserve your seat.
•
Associated Veterans of Loveland, 305 N. Cleveland Ave. in Loveland, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
•
Mountain View Bible Fellowship, 1575 S. Saint Vrain Ave. in Estes Park, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
•
Fort Collins Rescue Mission, 316 Jefferson St. in Fort Collins, 5 to 7 p.m.
Christmas Meals •
Fort Collins Rescue Mission, 316 Jefferson St. in Fort Collins, will host a holiday meal 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 22. The meal is open to all.
•
Catholic Charities, 460 Linden Center Dr. in Fort Collins, will host a Christmas Day lunch from noon to 1 p.m. The meal is open to all.
•
House of Neighborly Service offers Christmas dinner assistance: walk in to sign up 9 a.m. to noon and 1–4 p.m. Monday–Thursday at 565 N. Cleveland Ave., Loveland, or 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at 531 Eighth St., Berthoud.
•
Harvest Farm, 4240 E. County Rd. 66, Wellington, will provide turkeys with their food boxes to any Larimer County resident from the end of November until Christmas as long as they are available. Visit 9:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mondays, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays or 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays.
•
Salvation Army, 3901 S. Mason St., Fort Collins: Residents of Fort Collins, LaPorte and Wellington can walk in 10 a.m. to noon. Mondays or Wednesdays to sign up for a holiday food basket.
Style 2015
67
travel
68
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
T he L and
of
S now & F ire
By Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer | Supporting Photos by Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer
Growing up, I thought of Telluride as this far-off, rather mystical place filled with snow and celebrities. It turns out my childhood notions were true and, although I still haven’t seen any celebrities in town, Telluride does have a sort of magic about it. Last January my husband, Ryan, and I were in town for Telluride Fire Festival, a new event featuring fire in the form of fire performers and fire-breathing art cars (the second annual event is set for Jan. 14-16; visit telluridefirefestival.org for more information). We stayed at The Peaks Resort & Spa, home to Colorado’s largest spa. The Peaks also offers visitors one of the most breathtaking views in Telluride and, even if you don’t book a room here, I highly recommend taking in the sunset from Palmyra, the resort restaurant and bar. On our first evening we walked the short distance from our hotel to Mountain Village plaza to take in the first night of Fire Festival. Loud music emanated from the plaza and as we entered my jaw dropped in pure childlike
Style 2015
amazement. A huge, flaming creature, a blur of fire and movement, sat in the middle of the plaza ringed by a mesmerized crowd of onlookers. I learned later that the creature, the famous Burning Man, El Pulpo Mechanico, is operated by a human, not a computer system. A man sits inside this “art car” and operates it manually, making the fire shoot out of its many moving arms in rhythm with the music. In another corner of the plaza, fire performers spun and threw fire. The entire experience felt as if we were in a strange and beautiful science-fiction film. Later in the evening we ate dinner at Allred’s, a swanky resort restaurant accessible via the gondola. It straddles the top of the mountain between the village and town and offers up fine
dining with a stunning view. The next morning I attended a yoga class while Ryan hit the mountain. Telluride loves yoga and classes occur throughout the week at various venues around town. Some are free, but I opted to check out one of the Peaks’ classes. The 90-minute Ying-Yang Flow class left me as limp as a noodle. Pliable as a piece of warm clay, I hopped on the gondola to town. Telluride has two sections, the Town of Telluride and the Town of Mountain Village. The Peaks Resort is located in Mountain Village, a free, 15-minute gondola ride away from the Town of Telluride. I think it’s the prettiest gondola ride in Colorado, providing sweeping vistas of the surrounding mountains and delightful views of the town and village.
69
Ryan skied into town and we met at Baked in Telluride for a lunch of pizza, beer and doughnuts. This place is legendary with locals and visitors alike, and rightly so. They provide the perfect fuel after a morning on the slopes or—in my case—on the yoga mat. That afternoon I browsed the Telluride Historical Museum. While it looks historic from the outside, it’s sleek and modern on the inside and it succinctly tells the entire story of Telluride. One of the most fascinating facts that I learned is that Telluride was the first electrified town in the world; it even beat Paris, the City of Lights. We spent the evening enjoying the delights of Fire Festival in downtown. The fire-breathing dragon from Steamboat Springs was my favorite. It is made entirely out of recycled products such as compact discs. After a quick drink at the New Sheridan Hotel, a must-stop on all our visits to Telluride, we hopped back on the gondola. It was pitch dark as we glided silently across the mountain top with the exception of the occasional bright light from a snow cat grooming the ski trails. Dinner was at Palmyra, The Peaks’ restaurant. It is here that I wrapped my lips around one of the best hamburgers I have ever eaten. The Colorado Wagyu burger is served with white cheddar, pork belly, jam, red onion, arugula and a fried quail egg. This $26 burger is worth every penny. The next day we spent a leisurely morning drinking coffee on our patio and watching the sunrise light up the mountains around us. I have retired from skiing, so Ryan hit the slopes again while I decided to explore the village, camera in hand. We met in the afternoon to take the long ride on Chair 10 to the top of the mountain. We were going to snowshoe but we’d gotten a late start, so once off the chairlift we moved as fast as possible with snowshoes clamped to our feet. We chose a wide path covered in cross country ski tracks, but eventually cut off to a narrow trail that wound through tall pines. Sunlight dappled the snow around us, creating a Narnia-like ambiance—as if the White Witch would ride up in her sleigh at any moment and offer us Turkish delight. A $25 “foot passenger” pass is required to hike, cross country ski or snowshoe on top of the mountain, but the views, even from the chairlift, are well worth it. That evening we headed back into town to dine at Smuggler’s Brew Pub, a place that makes its own beer and serves up local meat on its creative menu. Popular with visitors and locals, this place is always busy, so be prepared to wait. By the time we left town, The Peaks Resort had become our home and we felt like locals. The funny thing about Telluride is that everyone is from somewhere else, so it’s easy to fit in. We all come to Telluride for the magic and leave with a bit of it tucked into our pockets.
Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer is a freelance writer specializing in Colorado travel. She is the founder of HeidiTown.com, the place for Colorado festival and travel stories.
70
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
Style 2015
71
G R O U P G I V E S C E L E B R AT I O N August 5 :: The Group Harmony Office :: Fort Collins GroupGives, The Group Real Estate’s charitable fund, awarded two $30,000 gifts to Neighbor to Neighbor and the Larimer County Long Term Recovery Group. Administered by the Community Foundation, GroupGives has granted nearly $120,000 to 25 Northern Colorado agencies to fund programs that support the mission that “Every person should have a place to call home” since its inception in 2013.
Kelly McBartlett, Kelly Evans, Scott Sliski, Steve Kuehneman
Kelly McBartlett, Chris Moody, Guy Mendt, Helen Gray, Laura Levy, Keith Smith, Gordon Thibedeau, Derek Gaarder, Phyllis Kane
DISCOVERY DASH 2015 August 8 :: Fort Collins Museum of Discovery :: Fort Collins Twenty-two teams, many of them in costume, raced through the streets of Old Town, clue books in hand, searching for answers in this timed scavenger-style event. The 2nd annual Discovery Dash netted more than $26,000 for Fort Collins Museum of Discovery and will support their programs, exhibits, events, and the Opportunity Fund to provide memberships, scholarships and admission to children and families in need.
Christine Tkachenko, Che Che Alkaff
Kelly & Dan Haferman, Lynette & Matt Whisler, Scott & Kelly Isaacson, Scott & Leslie Fry Team He H Au from Wells Fargo
Katie Huey, Carly Hennegan
1 4 T H A N N U A L A V I N TA G E A F FA I R August 21 :: Embassy Suites :: Loveland The Ballroom Wine Cellar and Beer Garden were abuzz at this classic wine- and beer-tasting event, with nearly 375 guests sampling more than 200 fine wines and 100 microbrews paired with distinctive cuisine, and enjoying exciting auctions and a chance at winning 99 bottles of beer and 99 bottles of wine. The event netted nearly $50,000 for Pathways Hospice and its program to offer comprehensive end-of-life care and grief support to all families in need in Northern Colorado.
Mat & Lyndsey Dinsmore
72
Lee Jeffrey, Mary Voggesser
Adam Federer, Allison Easterling
Wade Turner, Linda Gabel Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
Style 2015
73
S U I T C A S E PA R T Y August 21 :: Private hangar at the Fort Collins-Loveland Airport :: Loveland A jet-setting evening set the stage for a night of anticipation at the NOCO Unify Suitcase Party. Guests numbering more than 1,300 enjoyed delicious cuisine and libations while bidding on silent and live auctions items that kept excitement growing to the finale, when the winners to be whisked away for destination unknown were announced. With bags packed and ready to go, this year’s lucky winners were flown off via private jet to luxurious Coeur d’Alene Resort in Idaho for a mountain getaway
Savannah Ahrens, Amy Hoback, Brandee Eide, Kate McMeekin, Erin Devany
weekend. The event netted more than $225,000 to benefit NOCO Unify and this year’s primary beneficiaries, Turning Point, Book Trust and SAVA. Photos courtesy of Capturesque Photography.
Quinn & Holli McElwee, Emily Parkhurst, Heather Jacobson, Tanner Jones
Anna & Jorge Becerra
Ralph Will, Amber Reese
Tiffany & Chris Burns
AJ MacDonald, Michelle Congleton
Emcee Reggie Rivers and Reed Miller
S P O K E S B U Z Z P O O L S I D E PA R T Y August 28 :: Fort Collins Country Club :: Fort Collins More than 275 music-lovers helped raise nearly $14,000 to support industry education for local bands at the second-annual SpokesBUZZ Poolside Party. Highlights included a music-minded live and silent auction, two sizzling summer soul sets from SpokesBUZZ band The Burroughs, and the first-ever "SpokesBATTLE" music trivia contest. Proceeds from the event will benefit the 50 local musicians currently enrolled in the nonprofit's incubator program. Photo courtesy of Novello Image.
74
Back: Shane Zweygardt, Rob Viola. Front: Kirsten Cohen, Angel Kwiatkowski, Jeanie Sutter, Stacy Nick, Julie Sutter, Cathy Jones, Kathryn Longo. Team Cohere Bandwidth, winners of the SpokesBATTLE music trivia contest.
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
Style 2015
75
VINES & HOPS August 29 :: Jessup Farm :: Fort Collins More than 300 supporters, sponsors and volunteers came together to raise funds and awareness for Adopt Colorado Kids. The tasting event provided attendees Colorado beer, wines and tasty bites prepared by the Farmhouse and Lovif. The second-annual Vines & Hops raised more than $22,000 for programs to find homes for children awaiting adoption in Colorado’s foster system and assist aging-out youth make a healthy transition into self-sufficiency through the Dream Makers program. Photos courtesy of Clayton Jenkins Photography.
Melissa & Ryan Schaefer
Julie Mavis, Kristi DeAnda
Shauna & Todd Sledge
Top row: Dustin Upchurch, Hunter Lee, Angie Pardue, Courtney Boudreau, Kevin Pulst, Shawn Eggleston. Middle row: Kory Barnett, Joel Anderson, Amanda Ohayre Fabrizio, Matt Fabrizio, Lisa Pulst, June Paris, Jenn Barnett. Bottom row: Chresa Anderson, Ada Anderson.
DINNER OF CHAMPIONS September 11 :: Embassy Suites :: Loveland The Colorado-Wyoming Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society presented the 2015 Hope Award to Center for Neurorehabilitation Services co-founders Kim & Christy Dittmar and Tim & Jackie Bennett in recognition of their outstanding commitment and partnership with the National MS Society. Joseph Flanigan was honored as the 2015 MS Champion for his volunteerism, leadership and dedication to the National MS Society. More than $80,000 was raised to benefit research and local programs for people in Colorado and Wyoming living with MS.
Joseph Flanigan, Susan Barstad
Ted & Cheryl Swanson, Tim Bennett, Jackie Bennett, Christy & Kim Dittmar
Photos courtesy of www.pulleyphoto.com.
Sue Ellen & Travis White
Back: Shannon Bennett holding Lola Johnson, Jackie & Tom Bennett, Betty Walker. Front: Kelly Walker
76
Steve Denny, Lillie Denny, William Shaffer, Sylvia Akmajian, Mark Charkey
Dave Nichols, Chris Galbate, Katie Nichols, Todd Galbate
Dick Raymond, Wanda Roche, Joseph Flanigan, Heidi Roche
Jenny Tauchman, Lesley Murray, Armand Fournier
Katie Kirkham, Anna Russo
Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
Style 2015
77
PA S T E L S O N 5 T H September 12 :: 5th Street in Downtown Loveland :: Loveland With 24 chalk colors and a sponsored sidewalk square, 90 plus artists of all skill levels and ages set out to create art masterpieces at the Fifth Annual Pastels on 5th. The one-day, free family friendly event, attracted hundreds from the community to come watch as 5th Street was transformed into a spectacular sidewalk gallery and to also vote for their favorites at this juried chalk art festival. As part of the event, more than a dozen men donned on a pair of women’s shoes and participated in the ‘”Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” to bring awareness to ending domestic violence in the community. The event helped to raise $25,000 and will benefit Alternatives to Violence and its programs to educate and empower victims, survivors and the community to break the cycle of violence.
Back: Joey Parsons, Angie Van Heel, Brenda Moore, Judi Bryant, Kate Wiseman. Front: Vicki Bryant, Glenda Shayne
Jim & Joan Zuboy
Sponsor: State Farm-Daryl Alexander Artist: Brooke Alexander Pastel: Sugar Glide
Jeri Fry, Lacy Gangestad
Frank Van Hoesen, Joseph Cafferelli, Nicholas Cassell, Robert Horton Walk a Mile in Her Shoes-Chipper's Lanes team
Sponsor: Allstate-Vicki Pitmon Artist: Elizabeth Meyers Pastel: Porter Pup
Chloe Circenis, Rebekah Circenis, Edgar Circenis, Hannah Circenis
S U P E R H E R O R U N A N D FA M I LY C A R N I VA L September 12 :: St. Michael’s Town Square :: Greeley St. Michael’s Town Square was command central for the nearly 375 superheroes who came to run and walk to support children in need at the 3rd Annual Superhero Run and Family Carnival. Caped crusaders of all sizes and ages swarmed the unique and colorful event, participating in the Superhero 5K/1K and the free “Catch the Villain” Kids Fun Run, complete with cans of Silly String. The festivities included a costume contest, family carnival and more. Over $11,000 was raised and will benefit A Kid’s Place and their programs to provide advocacy and support for abused and neglected children in Weld County.
Liz Hardy, Cheryl Brown, Kodie Rosten
78
Kristi Schleis, Leah Gregg, Rachel Konda-Sundheim
Mason Lobato with Dad Joshua Lobato
Darin McDonald, Bennett McDonald, Isaiah McDonald, Denver McDonald, Myles McDonald, Barbara McDonald Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
You name it... We Make Your Holiday Event Special!
Holiday Parties Non-profit Events Fund Raisers Company Events
Anniversaries Weddings Linens, fountains, tables, chairs, and more! Tents and everything that goes under it!
1550 Riverside • Fort Collins
970-267-6500
Tricia, Manager
Style 2015
79
NOCO URBAN HOMESTEAD TOUR September 12 :: Six Homesteads :: Fort Collins and Loveland A look at a self-sustainable lifestyle was at the forefront of this secondannual urban event as 170 tourgoers got a behind-the-scenes look into three homesteads in Fort Collins and three homesteads in Loveland successfully supporting environmental and ecological practices. Common among the homesteads were vegetable gardens, beehives and backyard chickens, and one homestead included a successful Neighborhood Supported Agriculture program. Proceeds from the event will benefit Gardens on Spring Creek and Loveland Youth Gardeners and their programs to improve the lives of people and foster environmental stewardship.
Hanna Dahl, Alia Jackson, Michelle Myers, Beverly Myers, Mark Jackson
Olivia & Jeff Lowe
Diana & Chris Hutchinson with Sophia in front
Amy Yackel Adams, Rod Adams, Beth Yackel
AnnMarie Arbo, Sarah Newton
Penny Hahn, Elizabeth Darling
WINE WOMEN & SHOES September 18 :: Marriott :: Fort Collins Shopping and sipping with a hefty dose of philanthropy were the themes of the evening when over 300 savvy women—and men–gathered to share in the second Wine Women & Shoes event to benefit CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) of Larimer County. The night included delectable bites, fine wines from national vintners, and local vendors featuring the latest fashions and accessories, along with auctions. The evening culminated in a flashback fashion extravaganza. The exciting event helped to support CASA of Larimer County and its Harmony House Supervised Visitation program. Photos courtesy of Two C’s Photography.
Lynn Oesterle-Zollner, Cindy Wedding, Suzanne Steinbicker
Brian Evert Shoe Guy
80
Kathy Albertz, Ellen Albertz
Mirian Wilhelm, Pam Lewis, Norma Rapagnani
Lydia Dody, Kristi Pedersen, Jill Belisle
Ann Davidson, Jane Nevirvy, Yvonne Hampson, Sally Conway, Susie Gunstream
Diane Leach, Meg Olsen, Kim Olsen, Michelle Hauger
Heather Pennella, Tony Testa
Kim Krohn, Lisa Beard Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
Style 2015
81
2 0 1 5 C AT T L E B A R O N S B A L L : L E T ' S " C O W B O Y U P " F O R A C U R E September 19 :: St. Michael’s Reservoir Estate :: Greeley A beautiful setting greeted nearly 1,000 guests at this premier event of Northern Colorado, the Cattle Barons Ball. Celebrating its 23rd year, the “Let’s Cowboy Up for a Cure”-themed ball provided guests an evening of Western elegance under the magnificent white tent on Art Guttersen’s property at St. Michael’s Reservoir Estate. A full evening of sit-down dinner, silent and live auctions, photography and raffle concluded with a headline performance by Nashville recording artist and U.S. troops supporter Craig Morgan, providing a memorable time for all. The event raised $473,000 net dollars for the American Cancer Society and its mission of research, advocacy, education and patient services. Photos courtesy in part by Flair of Art Photography.
Larry Wood, Karen Wood, Lin O’Hara, Gene O'Hara
Melissa Venable, Miss Colorado-Kelley Johnson, RaQuelle Willey
Alison Biggs, Bill Biggs
82
Art Guttersen, Allen Keller, Mike Guttersen, Penny Guttersen, Whizzy Harper, Bill Harper. Front: Kaylinn Harr, Krista Shuman, Scott Shuman
Bill Hertneky, Theresa Henry Hertnkey
Suzanne Fries, Matt Fries
Scott Rettmer, Michelle Rettmer
Clayton Pehrson, Sheila Pehrson, Jim Schmid, Cindy Schmid, Casey DeHaan, Janelle DeHaan, AJ DeJager, Jessica DeJager, Cindy French
Craig Morgan, Kirsten Humphrey, Jim Humphrey
Randy Reider, Maila Reider, Penny Guttersen
Jonathan Cribbs, Stephanie Nealy
Kathryn Hansen, Nick Hansen
Kaye Monfort, Senator Cory Gardner Lydia’s STYLE Magazine
Style 2015
83
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
DENVER, CO PERMIT NO. 5377
www.stylemagazinecolorado.com 211 W. Myrtle St., Suite 200 Fort Collins, CO 80521
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED