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Marina Chavez photo.
Idol
facelift
“American Idol” winner Lee DeWyze brings an unexpected brand of raw folk to Vilar Center. Interviewed by Phil Lindeman.
E
very once in a while, Lee DeWyze has to remember he’s only 27 years old.
Since the age of 7, the Illinois-born singer/songwriter has wanted to play music for a living. He started slowly, marveling at the Cat Stevens album “Tea for the Tillerman” and rewriting parts for iconic Beatles tunes like “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” From there, he started taking in every artist he could, from Grand Funk Railroad to Simon and Garfunkel. In 2010, nearly two decades after setting his sights on a career in music, DeWyze won the ninth season of “American Idol.” The experience was a whirlwind: By his 25th birthday, he’d won the sort of fame and recognition countless musicians only dream of, let alone achieve. Although he was on one of the show’s least-popular seasons, it thrust the budding songwriter into the wild world of the music industry. And yet, DeWyze wasn’t sure if “Idol” was the best outlet. The show relies on pop and country covers – not the folksy, deeply personal tunes he played at small Chicago clubs in his early twenties – and his follow-up album with RCA Records, “Live It Up,” was met with ho-hum reviews. Just three short years after “Idol,” DeWyze released “Frames”: his first collection of songs under new label Vanguard Records. The album stays true to his folk-rock roots, with little of the pop sheen found on post-“Idol” offerings. Take his live shows: He can perform every song solo, using a handful of guitars and a standalone kick drum to replicate the raw immediacy of a studio session. Before coming to the Vilar Center as part of the Underground Sound series, DeWyze spoke with SneakPEAK about the world of “Idol,” performing for strangers at Borders bookstore and the moment he realized “Frames” was a fresh start. SneakPEAK: I heard “Frames” before the Vilar performance, and I think you’ll get along well with the mountain crowd. Have you always enjoyed the string-band sound? Lee DeWyze: The thing is, the sound of the record is truthfully where my heart is. Even before “American Idol,” I loved listening to that stomp-your-foot type of music, with banjos and guitar and drums. It was great to put out a record after “Idol,” but this is really the first record I feel represents me. I felt no pressure to do what someone else wanted me to do. I was given a lot of creative license by the label, and it was a great marriage of people and pieces and music. SP: What made you try out for “Idol?” LD: I wouldn’t say I was a huge fan of the show beforehand. Well, it’s not that I wasn’t a fan – it’s that I didn’t watch it or follow it. I never watched it and said, “I’m going to go win that show now.” I really just wanted to see what it was all about, make it sort of a personal challenge. Next thing I knew, there I was, going further and further. I’m the sort of person who will dedicate fully to what I’m doing. Look at it this way: If someone buys me a pasta maker, I want to know how it works, who made it, what I can do with it – just everything that has to do with that new experience. Once I got deep into “Idol,” that’s how I treated it.
If you go...
Who: Singer/songwriter Lee DeWyze, winner of American Idol season nine When: Sunday, Oct. 20 at 7:30 p.m. Where: The Vilar Center, Beaver Creek Cost: $25 The all-ages concert is part of the Vilar Center’s Underground Sound series. To buy tickets, see www.vilarpac.org.
SP: Let’s get back to your roots – talk about the first time you ever performed in front of a crowd. LD: Well, the first time I performed for people was my family, and I made them turn the lights off and face the other way. My parents were always supportive, but I don’t think they knew I’d written my own songs. I was so young then. The first major crowd was at... (Pause) Not Barnes and Noble, but the other bookstore. They aren’t around anymore. SP: Borders? LD: Yeah, that’s the one. Borders. There were maybe 10 people when I started, but by the time I was done, there was a huge crowd. Everyone had gathered around to watch. I loved that feeling, with people I didn’t know coming up to me and saying they enjoyed what I was playing. That’s when I really started thinking seriously about being a musician. SP: You mentioned that “Frames” is the album you’ve always wanted to make, even before “Idol.” How has the reception been since it was released? LD: I don’t say these things lightly, but to be honest – and I’ve never talked about this before – at this point in my career, I try not to put too much weight on what people think. I didn’t want to make a record for the media or a review or anything. I remember the day we released it, I was in New York City sitting on a park bench by myself at 2 a.m., and I was reading the reviews alone. That was something I haven’t done in years – I don’t feel the need to feed my ego or get pissed off because of a bad review. The way I see it, I just don’t want to get caught up in all that. But when reading about “Frames,” every review was positive, and that was something I’d almost been waiting to hear. When I released “Live It Up,” I’d heard things like, “I wasn’t a fan of Lee on ‘Idol’,” or “I don’t like the direction he’s taking,” but this was totally different. Now, it doesn’t make me feel like “I told you so” – that wasn’t the point behind this record. I just knew if I made it the way I wanted to, it would clear up confusion about who I was as an artist. To see people get that, even in the media, that was very gratifying. SneakPEAK editor Phil Lindeman can be reached at philip@sneakpeakvail.com
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Thursday, October 17 - October 23, 2013
Oh
Free Me
Fantasy,
Left: The cast, including a Phantom (Nicole Whitaker), Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Lance Schober) and Rocky (Bart Garton.) Above: Director Nick Sugar and friends. Below: Schober during a break in rehearsal.
I
A chat with director Nick Sugar before opening night of The Rocky Horror Show. Interviewed by Phil Lindeman. Cover and photos by Anthony Thornton.
t’s a night out you’re going to remember for a very long time. After taking a break last October, the crew at Vail Valley Theater Company again sets aside self-restraint, gender norms and common decency for its third live production of “The Rocky Horror Show.” The cult classic is in town for two weekends of pre-Halloween debauchery, complete with all the cross-dressing and toast throwing fans have come to expect over the past 40 years. If that seems like a long time for an irreverent spoof to survive, well, it is. Certain parts of “Rocky Horror” were outdated when it premiered in 1973 – the opening number references everything from Fay Wray to “Forbidden Planet” – and yet, the show continues to attract new generations of weekend cross-dressers to midnight showings across the world. It’s the ultimate cultural farce: A show that doesn’t take itself seriously, but has managed to achieve a level of immortality regardless. Like the cheesy B-movies it honors, the plot of “Rocky Horror” hardly matters. Instead, it plays knowingly with tropes: The straight-laced central duo, Brad and Janet, are known as the “hero” and “heroine,” while the stiletto-wearing maniac Dr. Frank-N-Furter is “a scientist” and the titular Rocky is “a creation.” At the same time, the show is steeped in sexuality,
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from the playfulness of numbers like “Sweet Transvestite” to the emotional, almost touching refrain of “Don’t Dream It, Be It.” In keeping with tradition, VVTC invited a guest director to helm the cast of moonlighting locals. This year the honors go to self-professed “Rocky Horror” fanatic Nick Sugar. The Denver-based theater veteran is intimately familiar with the insanity of a live-action “Rocky Horror” production: In 2006, he directed and played Brad for The Avenue Theater version, earning Best Actor nods from Westword magazine and Colorado Theater Guild. Sugar has spent the past week in Vail, rehearsing at Homestake Peak School in EagleVail while staying at “a lovely chateau” with VVTC board member Connie Kincaid. His vision holds true to the anything-goes spirit of “Rocky Horror,” but he’s made minor tweaks to modernize the choreography and set design. Before opening night this Friday, SneakPEAK spoke with Sugar about his take on “Rocky Horror,” its place in the cult canon and why even die-hard fans may be surprised while doing the “Time Warp.” SneakPEAK: I have to admit something off the bat: I’m a
If you go...
What: A live-action version of cult classic The Rocky Horror Show, performed by Vail Valley Theatre Company When: Oct. 18, 19, 25 and 26 at 7:30 p.m. Where: Homestake Peak School auditorium, EagleVail Cost: $20 advance, $25 at the door As open-minded as your kids may be, the show is rowdy and suggested for audiences older than 18. For tickets, see www.vvtc.org.
huge fan of the show, but I’ve never been to a live production. As a “Rocky Horror” virgin, should I be nervous? Nick Sugar: (Laughs) No, you should not be nervous, but a little liquid courage is always helpful. I’d never actually seen the movie straight through before I saw it live, so my
[See ROCKY HORROR, page 12]
The Brewer’s Journal: Exiting the cube Leaving security for uncertainty is scary, confusing and utterly exhilarating Editor’s note: Andy Jessen pursued a career in law for 15 percent of his life before delving into a business he’d spent 50 percent of it supporting: beer. Now co-owner of Eagle’s Bonfire Brewing with partner Matt Wirtz, Andy pairs personal and small business insights with a hefty dose of humor. Admit it: You considered giving your boss a one-finger wave while walking out the door for the final time at least once this month, if not this week. The dilemma is usually the same. Should I shed the security blanket of a 3.5-wall cubicle for the uncertainty of a life in small business, or should I huddle closer to the computer screen and hope for a titillating Facebook post? It’s a debate engaged in daily by many an American employee. Whether verbally, mentally or passively-aggressively considering it, most of us at some point in our careers seriously ponder the possibilities of becoming our own bosses. Whether we ever pull the trigger on such fantasies depends on a variety of factors – income, savings, family, geography, confidence, work environment and education, to name a few. In the cube-exodus fantasy, all of these factors align at the precise moment a pile of money shows up to fund that brilliant business idea fermenting in your brain. In cube-prison reality, one or more of these factors will pull at you at different times, and in varying levels of intensity. In my personal experience, it was the combination of living in an area of the country that requires multiple jobs to survive, becoming surrounded by a creative team of individuals with similar dreams, and realizing that a cringe when the phone rang became a regular part of my personality. Still, pulling the proverbial trigger was more of a slow draw than a surefire shot. With my partner, I helped start our business in my downtime – planning, fundraising, finding a space, building it out, opening it and even working 20 to 30 hours a week at our then-new taproom – while still locking myself in a sparsely decorated cube for eight hours per day, dutifully attempting to enforce the book of regulations that dictate Eagle County’s land use policy. However, something changed in me once the business became more and more of a reality. I became more productive at my current job, knowing that I simply had no time to waste. And, the keys to exit the cubicle were dangling in front of me – a light at the end of the tunnel. This made the job more tolerable and some of the trigger-finger factors faded into the background a bit. I held on for longer than I probably otherwise would have – saving, paying down some debt and planning for a clean
Andy Jessen
break. Eventually, the time came when the business could support me, and simultaneously, I was needed to support the business in a full-time capacity. After 18 months of being in the cube and behind the bar, I hopped behind the bar for good. This path obviously can’t work for every situation. Not every business has a willing partner. Not every boss will understand or facilitate your career goals. And not every customer will comprehend why you don’t open until 5:30 p.m. each day. There are tradeoffs at every turn, some of which may cause you to abandon the idea altogether. Once your mind begins wandering down the path of business owner versus employee, however, your identity begins to shift. Everything you look at, whether it’s a jar of pickles or the cost to change your oil, now has another layer – a valuation you never considered. Perhaps you could make those pickles cheaper, better, or simply improve the packaging. On a side note, I really like pickles and think there are plenty of folks doing a fine job of it, from solo operations setting up shop at farmers markets to regional and national mass producers. What does it really cost to change the oil in your car? Once you add up the price of the filter, oil and the time it takes to get it done, is there enough left over that customers would willingly pay for you as an alternative to the Jiffy Lube? (On another side note, I’ve always changed my own oil, even though someone else can do it cheaper and I recently needed nine stitches following a slip of the wrench.) I found myself doing this kind of analysis regularly, albeit anecdotally at first. But from that point forward, it’s impossible to view yourself as an employee. You’re more valuable to the world when executing your own ideas and strategies than you do as a cog – even a vital cog – in another organization’s machine. I helped start our business before I had this realization. Again, mostly because I knew I needed another job to make ends meet, and one with copious amounts of my choice beverage was rather appealing. I didn’t have the money, the willingness to abandon ship entirely, or a complete disdain for my current career path. I had a partner that shared an idea, a girlfriend that could make that idea pretty and a town that needed another spot to hang out in. That was enough. For anyone who has ever daydreamed of signing the exit interview form for the last time, the best advice I can offer is to let your brain wander, surround yourself with people who aren’t exactly like you and be on the lookout for any business opportunity – and start truly thinking about what opportunity in that sense looks like. As you mentally analyze each product, service and pyramid scheme out there, your mind will become more and more adept at recognizing the right fit for your circumstances. And when that comes along, the scary “jump” from dreading who is on the other end of the phone line to figuring out how you can improve your margins will feel more like strapping yourself into a ride you designed.
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In a league of their own
Without CHSAA affiliation, the Colorado High School Cycling League and local VSSA team crank miles and races on the dirt. By John O’Neill.
A
Above: Vail Valley Composite Team member Anna Martin. Left: The team after winning in Elbert earlier this year. Photos special to SneakPEAK.
pproximately 450 high school mountain bikers from all over Colorado and parts of Wyoming will arrive in Eagle for the Colorado State High School Mountain Bike Championships this weekend.
It’s something that I enjoy doing.” Heading up the valley’s composite team is head coach Dan Weiland. You can usually find Weiland at the helm of the nordic team come winter. But during the summer he is one of many coaches stepping up to boost high school mountain biking. “The coaches are really what make it happen,” says Raus. “Because we aren’t CHSAA affiliated, the coaches are the ones who step up.” Weiland coordinates riders from schools all over the valley and puts together a team that takes on schools big and small across the state, which Martin says is one unique aspect of the team that she really enjoys. “We have riders from all over,” Martin says. “I get to meet and train with people I would have never met. We get to race schools from everywhere.”
The course
First it was called the Haymeadow trail. Now it is known as the Haymaker. The new trail in Eagle that will play host to the mountain bike championships has been open for business this summer receiving great reviews from local riders. Eagle rider Courtney Gregory of the Street Swell team frequents Haymaker and touts its nice, rolling stature with use of natural features that were incorporated into the design. For example, there is a tree lying down that the trail makers built a rock ramp over instead of removing. There are also beginner-friendly and advanced obstacles. The course can also be very narrow in parts, which makes passing in races an interesting dilemma. The high school athletes will most certainly be challenged. “I love the trail,” says Gregory. “It’s fun and pretty fast. There isn’t much for really big climbs and that will keep the groups together more. It will be an interesting course to race.”
The race will crown the best high school mountain bikers in the state on the new Haymaker course. The course includes a variety of features, from flat fast sections and rock bridges to moderate climbs and a crowd-pleasing slalom descent. With more than 450 riders expected, the race signifies the growth of high school cycling in Colorado. Kate Raus is the founder of the Colorado High School Cycling League and has seen it grow from just 183 riders in 2010 to over 600 participants throughout the season this year. “We’ve grown about 40 percent every year,” Raus says. “The first season we had a lot of interested participants but now so many people want to be apart of it. Cycling, and mountain biking especially, is a major Colorado sport. Now high school athletes can be apart of it.” The Colorado High School Cycling League is not CHSAA affiliated, meaning it is not recognized as an official high school sport in the state. Before 2010, the (dirt) road ended in high school for mountain bikers, who were asked to choose from more traditional sports to compete in. This was much to Raus’s dissatisfaction, and was her reason for starting the league. “I was at a race in Boulder and had talked to a bunch of people about how great a high school league would do in Colorado,” Raus says. “Everyone I talked to agreed.” From there Raus began moving forward. She was familiar with a high school league that had been running in Northern California successfully for 12 years. She got a hold of sponsors in Colorado, and the league began. The State Championship Four years later, the athletes have an avenue to pursue competitive mountain bike racing as The Vail Valley Composite team a high school sport. Each year the competition grows deeper and stronger with the race this has seen success throughout the seaweekend in Eagle expected to be one of the most competitive championship races yet. son but hopes to capitalize on the “Just last year we had an average of 358 students at races throughout the season,” Raus says. home-course advantage this weekend on Haymaker. “This year we had something closer to 500.” Clayton Davis, a Vail Christian High School Junior who races on the team, says that he and his teammates have spent a good amount of time on Haymaker to ensure they are ready. Vail Valley Composite Team “I think there is going to be a lot of pedaling – a really tiring race,” Davis says. “There won’t One of the teams taking part in the league and the race next weekend is the Vail Valley be a lot of passing, the trail is narrow and everyone is really close to the same speed. It will be High School Mountain Bike team, also known as the Vail Valley Composite Team. The team hard to move around so we’ll have to start fast.” is based with the Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy but earns a composite name as they pull Davis points out that mountain bike racing has a technical flavor at times and having ridden riders from Battle Mountain High School, Vail Mountain School, Vail Christian Academy and the course only gives the local team a leg up on the visiting schools. Eagle Valley High School. “We’ve been spending so much time out there,” Davis says. “That gives us an advantage Many of the high school athletes grew up mountain biking in the valley. Instead of having because we know what is coming. We’ll know the good resting areas and the places we can to give up their bikes for a basketball or a pair of running shoes, the mountain bike team gives pass. We know the technical things and how to go fast in places others don’t.” them the opportunity to pursue the sport in a competitive arena against other Colorado schools. The races start at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 20 at the Haymaker mountain bike course in “This is my second year,” says Anna Martin, a VSSA junior who competes on the team. Eagle. “I’ve mountain biked for a long time, but never mountain bike raced. It’s a really good sport. SneakPEAK writer John O’Neill can be reached at info@sneakpeakvail.com
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The
lively
undead
Leave the kids at home this Halloween season for parties, live music and costume balls across the valley. By Laura Lieff.
A
fter the kiddos are done scouring the neighborhood for candy, the adults can choose from a variety of events to celebrate All Hallows’ Eve.
This year live music is the main attraction for hotels, bars and restaurants proving there are all kinds of ways to celebrate the year’s spookiest holiday. Take note of the dates of each event, as not everything takes place on Oct. 31.
Two-day event at Bol Celebrating Halloween and Day of the Dead, Bol in Vail will host parties Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 from 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. both days. Featuring entertainment provided by 10th Mountain Sound System, each night is sponsored by Don Julio tequila including samplings of Don Julio Blanco and 70th Anniversary Tequila. Both nights feature drink and shot specials, $25 per hour bowling lanes, cash and prize giveaways throughout the evening and bottle service and bowing lane giveaways. There will also be a raffle for tickets to the Z-Trip show at Bol on New Year’s Eve – a prize worth $250. “Our Halloween and Day of the Dead events will be a good time because we have a little bit of everything and our atmosphere is different than anywhere else,” says Bol Event Coordinator Caitlin Pauls. “The bowling aspect provides something interactive for our guests along with options to dance, eat and drink or just hang out.” On Oct. 31, Chris Kuchler aka “DJ Dr. Pheel” will be doing an eclectic set that includes eighties tunes, disco, house music and old school flavor. On Nov. 1, Brent King aka “DJ Opiewon” will do a set of songs that features artists who left us too early. The set will span a wide range of genres including Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Tupac, the Notorious B.I.G. and more. “Since Halloween falls on a Thursday this year we wanted to offer two nights of fun so more people would have
the opportunity to celebrate,” says Pauls. “We encourage everyone to come in costume and to be creative because we are giving away $300 in prize money for best costume each night.” Both DJ Dr. Pheel and DJ Opiewon are part of 10th Mountain Sound System, which was started in 2001 with a group of eight local DJs who played together all the time and wanted to pay homage to the founders of Vail. While only three of them remain in the Vail Valley, they are available for all types of events. For more information contact Brent King at 970-376-4081. Avon parties A Vail Valley music scene staple for years, the MTHDS are known for their high-energy shows that include crowd surfing, a wide array of instruments and an entertaining atmosphere. On October 26 the doors open at 9 p.m. with a $5 cover. The drink special is $1 drafts from 9 p.m. until 11 p.m. and there will be a $150 costume prize. “This is always the biggest and best Halloween party in the Valley and it is not to be missed,” says Agave owner Richard Wheelock. The band will play two sets – a Beastie Boys cover set and a set of original MTHDS music. Also taking place in Avon is the Westin Riverfront Resort’s Alter Ego Costume Ball Oct. 19. The adult-only annual event benefits the Eagle Valley Child Care Association and proceeds will be used to enhance program quality through program development, classroom materials and by ensuring staff benefits. Held at Maya Modern Mexican Kitchen & Tequileria, the Westin’s in-house restaurant and bar, the ball begins at 6:30 p.m. and ends at midnight. The $25 admission cost covers one beer or wine and a buffet sponsored by Maya. There will also be a silent auction and music provided by DJ Carve. According to Mary Caruso, Managing Director of Maya, the auction will include items such as art, clothing and other unique goodies.
[See HALLOWEEN, page 12]
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5 Bizarre eats
TOP
We dug deep into Vail’s funkiest kitchens for bone marrow, jackalope sausage and a Hawaiian twist on spam. By Phil Lindeman.
U
nder normal circumstances, Rocky Mountain oysters would be the strangest thing on a steakhouse menu. Not so in Eagle County. At The Gashouse in Edwards, the small, battered bits of bull testicle – yep, bull testicle – definitely raise eyebrows, but only as a prelude to elk tenderloin, butterflied quail and jackalope sausage. Suddenly, the oysters seem right at home. Alpine cuisine is intriguing, to say the least. Vail-area restaurants have made lamb the preeminent “local” dish – just look at Taste of Vail’s massively popular Lamb Cook-off for proof. But dig deeper into the menus at odd little joints like Gashouse or even swanky haunts like Vail’s Mountain Standard, and lamb served several dozen ways is commonplace. Dining in the mountains is an adventure on par with anything Anthony Bourdain cooks up. And if jackalope sausage is any indication, local chefs aren’t cruel – good humor just pairs well with an elevated palate. SneakPEAK scoured area restaurants to reveal the unexpected flavors and unlikely origins of the valley’s oddest dishes. Strange never tasted so good. Ekahi Grill, Gypsum The dish: Spam musubi ($3 apiece) Claim to fame: Dan Woolsey, owner of the Hawaiian eatery Ekahi Grill in Gypsum, is an old-school surfer without an ocean. Although he’s landlocked, he managed to bring a small piece of beach-bum culture to the mountains with Spam musubi. Woolsey calls the funky dish “a surfer thing” – the sort of snack he and friends would grab after leaving the swells. Spam is hardly the protein of choice for most diners, discerning or not, but when treated the traditional island way, it’s irresistible. Ekahi’s version features a thick slick of Spam, grilled to order and marinated in homemade teriyaki or Maui sauces. It’s then wrapped in rice and nori, like a kind of working-class sushi, and served as finger food. Spam is abrasively salty sometimes, but Woolsey says the rice and sweet sauces balance out the apocalypse-ready sandwich meat. Other oddities: Another staple on the Ekahi menu is poke, a simple combination of chinked spicy tuna, green onion, nori strips and house-made sauce ($7 to $8). For folks who like fish alone, Woolsey just started offering poke as a bowl over white rice. Phone: 970-524-4745 (open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., closed on Sundays) The Gashouse, Edwards The dish: Jackalope sausage (price varies) Claim to fame: At The Gashouse in Edwards, the décor nearly inspires more conversation than the menu of bison, elk, quail and other wild meats. Between faded license plates and various funky knickknacks is the mounted head of a jackalope: the mythical hellspawn of an antelope and a jackrabbit. While most joints would be content to let the head just be, The Gashouse takes the joke one step further and serves – wait for it – jackalope sausage. Made just for the restaurant by Denver-based butcher Continental Sausage, it’s a combination of ground antelope and jackrabbit meat mixed in natural casing with dried cherries and haba-
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The Asian Brussles sprouts at Dish in Edwards, prepared with cilantro, mint, fish sauce and crisped rice. Kent Pettit photo. nero peppers. Assistant general manager Jay Beacham says it has no gamey bite, thanks to fresh meat from Colorado game farms. Try jackalope with the Ultra Game Platter ($44.95): a family-sized plate of elk tenderloin, grilled quail, venison rack and, of course, the sausage. Other oddities: Gashouse is the only restaurant in Eagle County to serve Colorado’s one true delicacy: Rocky Mountain oysters, aka deep-fried bull testicles ($10.95). Beacham admits it’s a novelty item, which comes pre-battered from a supplier. Still, if you assumed the oysters were harvested fresh from the Eagle River, there’s no harm in remaining blissfully ignorant while gnawing on testicles. Phone: 970-926-3613 (open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily) Dish, Edwards The dish: Asian Brussels sprouts ($9) Claim to fame: Nearly since opening day, Dish has enjoyed a strong local following with an unorthodox approach to upscale dining. The menu is arranged as a tour of the culinary world, featuring dishes from Asia, Italy, Spain, France and America as imagined by Executive Chef Veronica Morales. Of all the wild flavors, the Asian Brussels sprouts are the wildest. That isn’t to say you’ll either hate or love the dish – in fact, it’s a remarkably fun twist on an otherwise polarizing ingredient. In traditional Asian fashion, Morales counteracts the sprouts’ natural bitterness with sweet mint and cilantro, zesty lime juice, spicy sambal chili paste, and her favorite touch: fish sauce. The bold, slightly acidic sauce is a welcome substitute for typical European spices. When finished in the deep fryer and topped with crisped rice (basically gourmet Rice Krispies), the flavors soar. Other oddities: While Morales enjoys the Brussels sprouts, her favorite slice of strange is the pastel de chocolate, or mole cake ($8). The robust Latin spice features cocoa and usually comes served over chicken, but when it’s turned into a flourless cake with burnt caramel and a touch of paprika, the result is smoldering. Phone: 970-926-3433 (open 5 p.m. to close, closed Sundays and Mondays in off-season) Westside Café, West Vail The dish: Captain Crunch French Toast ($8.99) Claim to fame: Whether or not you’re a boozehound, it’s hard to deny a simple truth of the culinary world: Many of the best breakfast dishes begin as hangover remedies. When Mike Dennis of Westside Café was working beachside at Hennessey’s Tavern in San Diego, late nights and early services led to the first iteration of Captain Crunch French Toast. Dennis has tweaked the dish since then, turning it from a back-of-the-house secret into one of Westside’s signature eats. Thick-sliced French bread is dredged in the restaurant’s delectable batter – a combination of milk, vanilla, cinnamon and a touch of orange juice – then rolled in fine-crushed Captain Crunch and finished on the flattop. Like any hangover meal, it’s not for diabetics, dieters or folks with high blood pressure, but then again, neither is heavy drinking.
[See TOP 5, page 12]
zombies
A run made for
H
First annual Zombie Apocalypse obstacle race gnaws its way into the heart of EagleVail this weekend. By Michael Suleiman.
is arm looks so tasty. As fast as I run I can’t seem to catch him. Just one bite would suffice. How is this young human so fast? I don’t remember being a human, but I guess at some point I was. The first ever Zombie Run is coming to Eagle Vail and it is going to be infectious. If you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past five to ten years you may not have noticed the cultural impact zombies have made. With Halloween less than two weeks away, zombies will be crawling out of their holes and flooding the streets. If you are looking to put your zombie costume on early this year, or maybe just looking for something fun to do, Eagle Vail’s Zombie Apocalypse Two Mile Fun-Run-For-Your-Life on Oct. 19 has you covered. The run is a project of Battle Mountain’s Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), and proceeds will go to the organization in addition to the Eric Spry Memorial Fund. “They are doing these all over the country, so we are kind of capitalizing on the zombie craze. Jeff Lamen, who is the manager for the community of Eagle-Vail, pitched the zombie run idea to us as a possible fundraiser. Since then we’ve been working with him and Vail Rec District to put it on,” says FBLA instructor Nancy Lindbloom. Proceeds from the event will directly help FBLA members pay for travel expenses to competitions. “We travel throughout the country during the year to attend leadership conferences and competitions. The purpose of the organization is to instill leadership skills into students, specifically through business-related activities. The students compete in different events from public speaking, to job interviews and web design. We will start competing in February. In April, the state conference will be here in Vail. The money raised through fundraisers will go towards the students to help them pay for their trips,” Lindbloom says. The students of FBLA have put their learned business skills to the test by organizing the run from start to finish. “They’ve done all the planning. We’ve been meeting since August for this event and they’ve brainstormed what it’s going to look like and how much it should cost. They’ve done the promotion, the marketing, and gone out and solicited sponsors,” Lindbloom says. The overall premise of the run is relatively simple.
Participants can register to be a zombie or a survivor. “It’s $15 for registration regardless of what role you play. The zombies will be hidden throughout the course, which is at the Eagle Vail Willow Creek Par 3 course. Registration for the Zombies will be at the Clubhouse and registration for the runners will be at the Eagle Vail Pavilion,” Lindbloom says. The course is roughly two miles long and will feature natural obstacles throughout. This new event is hoping to attract the masses including the undead. Safety is the number one priority. No rabies shots will be needed at the event, as biting won’t be allowed. “The run will be similar to capture the flag. Survivors will start out with two flags but you can buy another flag before the race. So at maximum you can have three flags. As a survivor you just need to bring attire for running an obstacle course,” says Lindbloom. “If you do want to come as a zombie, we will also have a costume contest. If you feel like you don’t have any zombie attire we will have a tent where people can pay $5 to come in and get outfitted with torn clothing and zombie makeup.” All ages are encouraged to come out and participate. “It’s a family friendly event so it’s open to everyone. There are middle school kids registered, elementary school kids and high school students. The sheriff’s department is stepping in and sponsoring a whole bunch of their officers who are going to be running,” says Lindbloom. “We’re going to
[See ZOMBIE RUN, page 11]
Zombie Apocalypse race
What: A two-mile obstacle course filled with real-life runners and zombies When: Saturday, Oct. 19 (4 p.m. zombie registration, 4:30 p.m. runner registration, 5 p.m. race start) Where: EagleVail Pavilion and Willow Creek Par 3 clubhouse Cost: $15 pre-registration, $25 day of Email Nancy Lindbloom at nancy.lindbloom@ eagleschool.net with any questions. To register online or view more information about the race, see www.vailrec.com.
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All aboard the
Below: The Magic Bus at Eagle River Village in Edwards. Bottom: Part-time teacher Magdalena Lopez guides students through a lesson on colors. Photos by Katie Anderson.
Magic Bus Local nonprofit the Youth Foundation delivers unorthodox learning to your doorstep. By Phil Lindeman.
O
n a chilly October morning, school was in session on the Magic Bus.
The bus is unlike any classroom in Eagle County. From its temporary home in the parking lot at Eagle River Village in Edwards, the bright, multi-hued vehicle looked like something lifted from the pages of a children’s book. The exterior touted lively characters – a giraffe, a dragon, a cowboy and a fairy – and it hummed slightly from an on-board generator. Inside the bus, kept warm by the generator, seven children from the mobile home community were playing with musical instruments, learning how to make music together as part-time teacher Magdalena Lopez acted as conductor. The children were all native Spanish speakers and younger than 4 years old – too young for preschool, but not too young for an hour of hands-on learning with Lopez and volunteer moms. With the exception of a long bench on one side, the former ECO Transit bus had been gutted to fit everything a teacher and up to 12 young students would need. Aside from the wheels and a bottle of washer fluid on the front seat, it’s now no different than elementary classrooms anywhere, filled with bright colors, small tables, hand-drawn decorations and plenty of teaching materials, including a giant calendar with the days of the week written in English and Spanish. After storing the instruments, Lopez guided the children through several quick exercises, going through the days of the week in Spanish before transitioning to the alphabet song in English. The children were energetic and a bit rambunctious after the short music lesson, but when Lopez asked them to repeat words and letters after her, they did so with utter enjoyment. Even at a young age, they were beginning to grasp the basics of both languages. “We work a lot in Edwards because that’s where the children are,” Lopez said when the class was finished. “But the kids really enjoy the bus. We love to sing – we sing with the colors, we sing with the alphabet, we sing with the days of the week. That’s what I do, is find the big communities of kids, park the bus and just be with them. They only have an hour, but they learn the entire time.” As part of the Youth Foundation’s early childhood programming, the Magic Bus is a vital link between at-home learning, preschool and kindergarten. As Lopez says, the true charm of the bus is mobility: It also stops at three additional communities in Avon and Edwards throughout the
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week, and anyone has access to the vibrantly unorthodox curriculum. Children attend for free, and most return week after week to be with Lopez for an hour or two. “As a parent, I think education is something that you use it or lose it,” said Lopez, who learned English through Colorado Mountain College and was a classroom assistant at Edwards Elementary School before budget issues cut her position. “When you see these kids enjoy learning, you realize it’s a great opportunity for everyone. The kids have fun and the parents feel welcome. When you talk to the moms, you see that they understand this is a necessity.” Doorstep to doorstep The Magic Bus is just a small part of the Youth Foundation’s lineup. Last year, more than 3,300 local school children participated in one of the foundation’s programs – nearly half of all students in the Eagle County School District. For Susie Davis, Director of Education at the Youth Foundation, closing the gap between the earliest stages of childhood and a student’s first experience with school is necessary. The foundation is already making great strides. Colorado doesn’t provide funding for preschool, meaning the financial burden usually falls on parents. Just 68 percent of children across the state can attend preschool, but in Eagle County, nearly 99 percent can – and do – thanks to foundation scholarships. “We like to identify problems and ask, ‘How can we be part of the solution?’” Davis said. “Our overall goal is to help kids be successful in school, so the earlier they start, the more successful they can be.” The Youth Foundation recently got a boost of its own when it merged with the Vail Valley Foundation. The Youth Foundation hit 15 years old – its adolescent years, Davis jokes – and needed to grow. VVF provided those tools, including behind-the-scenes support like marketing, technology and a touch of funding. The merger has bolstered the foundation’s main programs, from the Magic Bus and scholarship funds to “Raising a Reader,” an at-home initiative to connect families with local libraries. As with the Magic Bus, programs like “Raising a Reader” are equally important for parents and children.
“We make the assumption that everyone knows how to be a good parent, but everyone has questions,” said Kathy Brendza, and early childhood consultant with the foundation. “We want to help all parents achieve great gains with their children, even before they start going to school. That zero to three (age) range is so vital, and if we can support our children through it, they’ll be better prepared for the future. That’s the big, big goal.” And the Youth Foundation is on solid footing, at least in terms of visibility. Last school year, roughly 750 children younger than 6 years old took part in programs, and the foundation now has the resources to reach even more children. The merger hasn’t been completely painless – Davis says her team is still getting used to being the VVF’s main education branch – but the core values are the same. All donations to Youth Foundation programs go to education, not other VVF initiatives, and teen activities like the after-school PwrHrs groups are thriving. Back at the Magic Bus, Lopez took a small lunch break between students. She knows firsthand how important the program is: Just a few years ago, her daughter played and learned on the bus, and the experience made a lasting impact. “I know there is a lot of need,” Lopez said. “There are a lot of resources around here, but the moms don’t always know where to go. I’m glad I did, and now I can help.” SneakPEAK editor Phil Lindeman can be reached at philip@sneakpeakvail.com
ZOMBIE RUN –––––––––––––––––––––– start with 12 and under at 5 o’clock, they will run first on the shortened course and the zombies will be aware that it’s younger kids. Then at 5:15 the 13 and over group will start. There will be 15 to 20 runners at a time running in waves. The waves will make it more fun for the zombies so they can hide each time.” Prizes will be issued to both the runners with remaining flags as well as the zombies who have collected the most flags. Anybody, living or dead, who registers for the event can stick around for the after party where there will be food
[From page 9]
and drinks. Bring out your inner zombie this fall and do it for a good cause with the first annual Eagle Vail Zombie Apocalypse Two Mile Fun-Run-For-Your-Life.
SneakPEAK writer Michael Suleiman can be reached at info@sneakpeakvail.com
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ROCKY HORROR –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– first experience was at Circle in the Square in New York dur- original “Rocky Horror” debuted 40 years ago. Why do you ing the Broadway revival. That was insane – this show moves think the show has remained such a cultural force? very quickly. NS: There’s nothing else like it. The “Rocky Horror” experience is a thing all its own, so even today when they do it SP: Talk about your take on “Rocky Horror.” What makes at midnight, it’s such an original and irreverent take on that the VVTC production different than those in New York or genre. Other shows have tried to capture that feel, but nothing compares. Denver or anywhere else? NS: We’re definitely making this a no-holds-barred kind of SP: What’s your favorite tune in the show and how are you “Rocky Horror.” This is total escapism – we want people to approaching it? come and dress up and have this adventure. We’re really pushNS: I love the “Time Warp,” of course. The energy is just ing the envelope. There are a lot of sexual references, and a lot crazy and the whole audience gets to have fun. My approach of opportunities to have fun. is to have fun with it, but still make sure it’s the “Time Warp.” I won’t mention any names, but the first time I saw the proI add a few pieces of new choreography, all while the audience duction live was at a dinner theater that thought they could do is going through the actions – just little things to make it more “Rocky Horror” in a bright, cheerful way. It didn’t work. How modern. I also like “Eddie’s Teddy,” but I can’t give away can it? It was like they said, “You can’t touch yourself, you anything we’re doing for that. I want to keep it a surprise. can’t be attracted to Brad, you can’t be sexual.” That doesn’t work with this show. SP: Is it harrowing to direct a show with a cult following? NS: I don’t think so. Like I said, everyone has their own SP: It’s funny that people still try to make it PG when the
journey with it. Some people know certain lines and some people don’t, and others are too drunk to remember what’s happening. I treat this as a roller coaster ride – I’ve been to some shows where it’s taken too seriously and the show just sinks. I think the audience has to feel like they’re on a ride, where the energy is always building and building and then drops and builds again. If it ever dips too much, you can lose all the energy and things go flat. It’s the difference between riding a train and a roller coaster.
SP: Like you mentioned earlier, sexuality plays a huge role in “Rocky Horror,” but it also evolves within the show itself. Do you like to highlight the theme of sexual discovery? NS: Yes, it’s definitely important. I feel blessed enough to have traveled the world when I was younger, and you see how people view sexuality and sexual freedom in other countries. It’s really, truly about acceptance. That’s what it comes down to – we all want to be accepted for who we are. SneakPEAK editor Phil Lindeman can be reached at philip@sneakpeakvail.com
HALLOWEEN –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Live in Edwards If you’re looking for live music at a popular Edwards hotspot, Main Street is hosting the Eagle County Revival on Oct. 31 at 9 p.m. Featuring Sean Healey (rhythm guitar and vocals), Trevor Jones (lead guitar and vocals) and Alex Scott (bass), Eagle County Revival infuses jam, folk and bluegrass with a unique New Orleans fun sound. “Our sound is very acoustic because we don’t usually have a drummer and we focus on trying to tell cool stories through our music,” Healey says.
Mountain Standard, Vail The dish: Bone marrow ($10 in off-season) Claim to fame: Bone marrow is the culinary darling of
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[From page 7]
The band will play mostly original music along with a few Grateful Dead and Phish covers as well. When Jones and Scott aren’t jamming with Eagle County Revival they are playing with their other band – four-piece rock quartet Frogs Gone Fishin’ – which was formed in Nashville in 2005. Healey and Scott are also part of the Olora Brothers band which is comprised of various veterans of the Colorado music scene. SneakPEAK writer Laura Lieff can be reached at info@sneakpeakvail.com
TOP 5 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Just order a mimosa and enjoy. Other oddities: Breakfast joints constantly vie for the best eggs Benedict, and at Westside, the Redneck Benedict ($14.99) makes a good case for the title. It’s another hangover cure, with poached eggs, pulled pork and chipotle béarnaise over scratch-made biscuits rather than English muffins. Phone: 970-476-7890 (open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily during off-season)
[From page 4]
the moment, especially at chic, Prohibition-style gastropubs where bartenders are known as mixologists. Snarkiness aside, though, it’s unabashedly delicious, hitting all of the brain’s pleasure centers without the heft of a burger or steak. Mountain Standard is easily one of Vail’s chicest restaurants, but the cool veneer is bolstered by a stellar menu, including the valley’s best bone marrow. Preparation is the key: Chefs take a split veal femur, roast it over a wood fire, then finish it to order in the oven. The bone is served with a toasted baguette and delicate herb salad of chive, parsley, tarragon, preserved lemon zest, French breakfast radish and a dash of Maldon sea salt. When the dish was first on the menu, chefs
[From page 8]
paired it with oxtail marmalade – a relatively common side – but the herb salad is bright enough to compliment the rich, succulent marrow. For a hipster delicacy, it’s surprisingly fulfilling. Other oddities: Drop by during happy hour and try the Tarragon Ginger Lemonade, an odd little cocktail of Cap Rock gin, Domaine de Canton, tarragon, lemon and Prosecco. It’s a near-perfect mix of summer and autumn. Phone: 970-476-0123 (open 11:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to close during off-season) SneakPEAK editor Phil Lindeman can be reached at philip@sneakpeakvail.com
SneakSPORTS: Dry your eyes, Indy
How will Colts fans react when Manning returns with a new team? Editor’s note: Minturnbased sports lover Patrick Whitehurst writes for www. fanrag.com. Tune in weekly for his musings on the wild and complicated love affair between American fans and their most cherished pastimes.
This is going to be a tough, agonizing week for Patrick Whitehurst Indianapolis Colts fans. Never mind that the Colts completely laid an egg against an average San Diego Chargers team on Monday night, missing a golden opportunity to put some distance between they and the rest of the AFC South. Forget for a second that a shaky offensive line will have to deal with a hungry Von Miller fresh off a six-game suspension, or that Trent Richardson continues to average less than four yards per carry. When native son Peyton Manning brings his undefeated Denver Broncos into Lucas Oil Stadium (the house he built) for week seven, all of Indy’s worst sports nightmares will be realized. My girlfriend and her siblings grew up in Indianapolis as Colts fans and only knew Peyton Manning as their quarterback. They had become accustomed to his greatness and were spoiled by a decade of double-digit win totals. No matter the score or the time remaining, as long as Peyton Manning was on the field, the Colts not only stood a great chance at winning, they almost always did. There were disappointing losses to the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets in the AFC Playoffs, but the triumphant good times far outnumbered the season-ending defeats. Come-from-behind wins and prolific numbers were weekly occurrences for Indianapolis with Manning at the helm. When trailing host Tampa Bay 35-14 with four minutes left in regulation on a Monday night in 2003, Manning led a furious comeback and the Colts prevailed in overtime, 38-35. The Colts trailed the rival Patriots 21-3 at halftime of the 2006 AFC Championship, but all hope was not lost – the Colts had Peyton Manning. Sure enough, Manning righted the ship and Indy came all the way back to win 38-34. Two weeks later, Manning hoisted the Lombardi Trophy after defeating the Chicago Bears during a rainy Super Bowl in Miami. To this day, when I’m watching football with my
girlfriend, she insists the game is never over until the offensive unit lines up in the Victory Formation and the clock reads all zeroes. Down two scores with a minute left? The game’s not over. Peyton Manning can find a way to pull it out – that’s the standard the great ones set. Manning’s neck injuries sidelined him for the entire 2011 season, forcing Colts’ owner Jim Irsay to release Manning and select his heir apparent, Andrew Luck, with the first pick in the 2012 draft. Luck is a capable replacement with a very bright career ahead, but as I’m reminded by Colts fans everyday: He’s no Peyton Manning. Many Hoosiers and transplanted Colts fan around the country still can’t wrap their heads around the fact that No. 18 now wears a different horse on his helmet. They feel empty knowing he’s not leading their team. Colts fans wish Peyton well, but the last thing they want is to watch him face their team. The scenario with Peyton Manning is far different than another iconic quarterback’s return to his former team. Brett Favre begged to be traded to the Vikings in order to exact his revenge on Ted Thompson and Green Bay – he retired twice before he was able to dictate the terms of continuing his career. Peyton wanted to play football again for the only professional team he had ever known, but circumstances, salary-cap constraints and the prospect of building for the future didn’t allow him to do so. Manning thanked Mr. Irsay and Colts fans everywhere before ultimately deciding Denver was the best fit. Favre was greeted with both cheers and merciless boos in his return to Lambeau. There will be thunderous roars, standing ovations and tears shed when Peyton Manning steps onto the turf in Indianapolis on Sunday night. More than any player in NFL history, Peyton Manning defined his city and represented his organization with the utmost class and professionalism. The people of Indianapolis and the entire NFL community embraced him as their own, and it hurts to see him wearing different colors. Peyton plays for the Broncos, but he will always be a member of the Colts family. Win or lose, Manning always says the right things; he’s gracious with the media and makes his teammates better while never once throwing them under the bus. His name is synonymous with excellence and perfection on the gridiron. Nobody prepares more diligently than Manning. Nobody takes greater pride in executing a flawless drive than he does, and nobody deserves more respect than Manning when he returns home. I have no doubt that Colts fans everywhere will oblige.
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Calendar of Events
Thursday, Oct. 17 Free youth bowling in Eagle
Saturday, Oct. 19 RMSR Membership Drive and Party at Every Thursday and Friday for the foreseeable future, The Vail Ale House
Back Bowl in Eagle lets one kid bowl free for every paying adult. The offer is good from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. – just let the alley employees know you want the deal. Shoe rentals still run the normal rate, but it’s worth the small amount to introduce you children to bowling. To find out more, see www. thebackbowl.com.
If anyone knows how to celebrate the Monster Energy Cup in style, it’s the motocross junkies from Rocky Mountain Sport Riders. Even if you aren’t a member, join RMSR at Vail Ale House in West Vail around 6:30 p.m. to watch the Cup, win raffle prizes and find out more about the club. If you’re already part of the in-crowd, you’re privy to free beer, appetizers and raffle tickets. Not a bad deal in the least, particularly for a club that’s making huge strides to maintain Friday, Oct. 18 local moto trails and preserve others for eventual off-road Kids Pajama Party in Edwards Even parents need a night out on occasion, and Alpine use. To find more info, see www.rmsrco.com. Arts Center in Edwards is ready to provide, all at a fraction of the going babysitter rate. For $30, children are treated to Sunday, Oct. 20 art activities, pizza and a movie overseen by center staff. The Harvest party in EagleVail event runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., with all supplies included. Is your chili famous? Should it be? You’ll never know unTo register or find out more, see www.alpineartscenter.org. til people who didn’t raise or love you say so, and that’s where the EagleVail harvest party and chili cook-off comes in. Held at the EagleVail Pavilion as a fundraiser for the EaSaturday, Oct. 19 gleVail Community Garden, the event is open to aspiring Crazy Wagon Pig Roast at Crazy cooks from across the valley. Even if you don’t test your Mountain Brewery mettle, you can still drop from 4 p.m. to 630 p.m. and try It doesn’t get much better than this: Head over to Crazy the concoctions for a small donation. To register or find out Mountain Brewery in Edwards for bona fide, Carolina-style more about the event, including entry fees, see www.eaglbarbecue during the first-ever Crazy Wagon Pig Roast. From evail.org/pavilion. 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., anyone – even the little ones – can snag a plate of pulled pork and sides for $10, carved on the spot from a whole smoked pig. Sides include honey-jalapeno Wednesday, Oct. 23 cornbread, potato salad and smoked baked beans made with Free craft beer tasting in Vail the brewery’s ESB. Beer costs extra, of course, but you’ll Hump day means free beer at Vail Cascade, and not just need it to wash the down-home grub, um, down. The Crazy any beer – this is the craft kind. Stop by the resort from 4:30 Wagon is Crazy Mountain’s newest addition, a food truck p.m. to 6:30 p.m. for the final free tasting event. This week dedicated to comfort food from across the world. Find it features Durango’s Ska Brewing Co., the masterminds beparked outside the brewery most evenings and weekends hind such delicious brews as True Blonde and Pinstripe Red. throughout the year. To find out more, call Crazy Mountain The tasting is held in the Fireside Lounge and reservations at 970-926-3009. aren’t required. To find out more, see www.vailcascade.com.
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