Atw 04102014

FOOD MATTERS AHHHH, THE ARTICHOKE

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WINEINK AN EDUCATION IN L’ECOLE Nº 41

APRIL 10 - 16, 2014 • ASPENTIMES.COM/WEEKLY

CULTURE/CHARACTERS/COMMENTARY

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FIND IT INSIDE

GEAR | PAGE 11

WELCOME MAT

INSIDE this EDITION VOLUME 2 F ISSUE NUMBER 62

Publisher Gunilla Asher

DEPARTMENTS

Editor Jeanne McGovern

06 THE WEEKLY CONVERSATION 08 LEGENDS & LEGACIES

Circulation Maria Wimmer

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FROM ASPEN, WITH LOVE

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WINE INK

Art Director Afton Groepper Publication Designer Ashley Detmering

14 FOOD MATTERS

Production Manager Evan Gibbard

24 AROUND ASPEN 26 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 28 LOCAL CALENDAR 34 CROSSWORD 35

CLOSING ENCOUNTERS

Got beer? Danielle Becker does — and a whole lot more. As manager of Nest at Viceroy a good beer. And as an aspiring Master Cicerone, she also committed to learning all she can

Contributing Writers Gunilla Asher Amiee White Beazley Amanda Rae Busch John Colson Mary Eshbaugh Hayes Kelly J. Hayes Cindy Hirschfeld Barbara Platts Bob Ward Tim Willoughby High Country News Aspen Historical Society Sales David Laughren Ashton Hewitt William Gross David Laughren Max Vadnais Louise Walker Tim Kurnos

20 COVER STORY Snowmass, Becker is committed to making sure locals and guests get a true appreciation of

Subscriptions Dottie Wolcott

ON THE COVER

Read the eEdition http://issuu.com/theaspentimes

Photo by Aubree Dallas

Classified Advertising (970) 925-9937

about the craft of making, tasting and serving good beer. Aspen Times Weekly editor Jeanne McGovern gives us a taste of what Becker’s got brewing these days.

S a b b i a Ta l e n t i

Early FOR

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Apr il 10 - Apr il 16, 2014

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Christy Clettenberg 970.920.7398 christyc@masonmorse.com

Coldwell Banker Mason Morse Aspen | 514 E. Hyman Avenue | 970.925.7000 | Find more at www.masonmorse.com Exclusive Member for Aspen and Snowmass, CO

©2013 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. A Realogy Company. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is Independently Owned and Operated.

Coldwell Banker®, the Coldwell Banker Logo, Coldwell Banker Previews International®, the Previews International Logo, and “Dedicated to Luxury Real EstateSM” are registered and unregistered service marks to Coldwell Banker LLC.

A S P E N T I M E S . C O M / W E E K LY

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THE WEEKLY CONVERSATION

with JEANNE MCGOVERN

CURRENTEVENTS

POPULAR MUSIC PICTURE THIS: Vaudeville dancers, stilt walkers, flag twirlers, acrobats, horns, drummers, bass, guitar, vocals and more. With MarchFourth Marching Band, this is what you get.

Aside from the band’s marching band themed costumes, percussion corps and brass, M4 is far from a “marching band” in any traditional sense (though the band has been known to parade down a town’s main street before taking the stage). M4 is anchored by funky electric bass, and has been evolving into a more guitar- and vocal-driven musical experience.

In one 90-minute set, the band takes the audience on a journey from the swamps of Louisiana to the gypsy camps of eastern Europe to the African jungle by way of Brazil, along the way stopping to sample the deepest grooves of the best of American funk, rock, jazz and boiling it all together in cinematic fashion with

MarchFourth Marching Band brings its unique blend of music and theatrics to Belly Up on Sunday, April 13.

high-stepping stilt-acrobatics and sexy dancers. Usually the territory of DJs, this band is real people making music and art in real time — and every show is different, including this week’s Aspen appearance.

MarchFourth Marching Band parades through Belly Up on Sunday, April 13, Doors open at 8 p.m. Word to the wise: get your tickets ($25) early, this show has sold out in Aspen four times running.

VISUAL ARTS ASPEN IS HOME to many visual artists, and its galleries and museum play host to countless world-class exhibitions. But with ArtStart at the Red Brick Center for the Arts, yet another side of our local visual arts scene comes alive. With more than 2,000 pieces of art — yes, 2,000 — created by elementary and middle school students from Aspen Country Day School, Aspen Community School, Aspen Elementary and Aspen Middle schools (every Aspen student in kindergarten through eighthgrade who takes an art class has at least one piece of art hanging on the walls), ArtStart is a kaleidoscope of creativity. The exhibition opens Thursday, April 10 with a reception from 4-6 p.m. and will continue through April 24.

In addition, the Red Brick also has on display its EcoArt exhibition, which comprises art made from 100 percent recycled materials representing 16 local and Colorado schools. As opposed to the non-juried ArtStart, EcoArt will offer first- and second-place cash prizes in the elementary, middle and high school categories (which are given to the art program of the respective school).

COMPLETE LOCAL LISTINGS ON PAGE 28

BE IN THE KNOW!

4

Learn what is happening at Aspen/Snowmass throughout the season.

CONNECT. SHARE. CHECK-IN.

WWW.ASPENSNOWMASS.COM/NOW

Keep up with the latest on-mountain conditions, activities, events, packages & specials in Aspen/Snowmass!

A S P E N T I M E S W E E K LY

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Apr il 10 - Apr il 16, 2014

mountAin enCHAntment SnowmASS Classic mountain contemporary home perfect for entertaining family, with six bedrooms, six and one-half baths (4,823 sq. ft.) perched on more than two acres of a private and lush landscaped property. Enjoy main level living, endless views and sunshine. In the Aspen school district and centrally located in the private Brush Creek Village, only minutes from the best Aspen has to offer. Best Aspen Value Home in the six bedroom category. $2,650,000 Web Id#: AN130448 Kent Schuler 970.920.7377 | kent@masonmorse.com

SKi in And wAlK to VillAGe

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ASpen

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Third floor, superior three-bedroom condo with warm, old-world craftsmanship, tumbled marble bathrooms, two gas fireplaces and French doors that open to private patios from each room. South facing with views of Aspen Mountain. Hyatt Grand Aspen offers outstanding service and exceptional amenities. Unit 44, Week 26 offered for $195,000 Web Id#: WN133451 Heather Sinclair 970.920.3204 | heather@masonmorse.com

thesource

Find more at

masonmorse.com

Aspen | 514 E. Hyman Ave. | 970.925.7000 Basalt | 727 East Valley Rd. | 970.927.3000 Carbondale | 0290 Highway 133 | 970.963.3300 Redstone | 385 Redstone Blvd. | 970.963.1061 Glenwood Springs | 1614 Grand Ave. | 970.928.9000 FB/ColdwellBankerMasonMorse

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LN/Coldwell Banker Mason Morse

YT/MasonMorse1

A S P E N T I M E S . C O M / W E E K LY

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THE WEEKLY CONVERSATION Hom es A sp en L an d &Ef fec tiv e. le. ib ar t. Se ns

DATE

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PAY TO TH E OR DE R OF

Home Buyerand 00/100

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00 home Purchase of $5,000,0

03/15/2014 $

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DO LL AR S

es Aspen Land and Hom

We know who you are, Davey, Charlie and Billy OK, COLOR ME STUCK. I can’t seem to get the Koch brothers out of my head, or off my mind, or whatever it is that they do to me.

For those who may not know, the billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, who together run Koch Industries, have been spending millions of dollars every election cycle in an effort to … well, they have a long agenda, which apparently includes annihilating every and any positive legacy that President Barack Obama has managed to build up over his troubled two terms in office.

And chief among those accomplishments is the Affordable Care Act, the universal health coverage law that, while it doesn’t go far enough to ensure we all have access to decent medical care, has proven to be a pretty good deal for those who have signed up.

But the Koch brothers don’t care about that, since they probably have their own doctors and hospitals on retainer for every time they get a headache or their gout acts up.

Their company, by the bye, is listed as the second largest privately held company in the U.S. That means it’s a pretty damned big concern, by any measure, with a lot of money behind it.

And, as mentioned previously in this space, the brothers Koch have been using that money to influence the mid-term elections, the ones we will be voting in next November. Their opening shot has been a $20 million “advertising blitz” (as it was characterized in a New York Times editorial). The size of the blitz, according to the NYT, has grown to $30 million since mid-January, with the likelihood of much more to come as the months roll along.

Their outlook undoubtedly has brightened since last week, when the Republican-leaning U.S. Supreme Court struck down limits on the total amount of money that donors can give to candidates.

The 5-4 decision means there is now no cap on the amount of money an individual can give, in total, during a single election cycle, though it left intact the $5,200 limit on individual donations to any single candidate in an election season.

Prior to the decision last week, the limit on any individual donor in any given election cycle was a little more than $123,000.

In a NYT page-one news story on April 6, reporters Jeremy Peters and Carl Hulse laid out the Democrats’ response to this blitz, or at least one aspect of the response, which is to draw public attention to the Koch-funded campaign by pointing out what nasty guys the brothers are.

The Dems are targeting a variety of

actions by Koch Industries and its subsidiaries, starting with layoffs at companies that include “a chemical plant in North Carolina, an oil refinery in Alaska, a lumber operation in Arkansas” and others.

In Alaska, for example, the Dems have trotted out some working-class types to criticize the brothers for their rapine business practices, which were described as “coming into our town to buy our refinery [and] just running it into the ground.”

In North Carolina, the criticism of the Koch brothers’ shenanigans had to do with the layoff of 100 workers from a chemical plant along the Cape Fear River (I’ve always loved that name) just before the Christmas holidays last year.

The article also reported the concerns of U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, a Democrat from North Carolina, who has been the target of millions in negative campaign advertising from Americans for Prosperity (AFP), the Koch brothers’ political action organization.

“They’re spending millions of dollars to try to buy a United States Senate seat,” Hagan declared.

Predictably, a mouthpiece for Americans for Prosperity has denigrated the Democrats’ efforts by trying to make it seem pitiful and a waste of money.

“Their only plausible counter strategy is to try to cast as villains two individual Americans who 95 percent of Americans have never heard of?” asked Tim Phillips, president of AFP. “I think it’s such a stretch!”

Well, Mr. Phillips, we think it’s an even a worse stretch to think that elections should be open to the corrupting influence of money to the degree that they are. So there.

As for 95 percent of the country having never heard of the Koch brothers and their political activities, I’d say that’s as good an example of wishful thinking as I’ve ever encountered.

Granted, the brothers don’t step out into the limelight much, but people know they’re there.

Take the little town of Paonia, for example, where a lone citizen stepped out in front of a tank owned by another Koch brother — Bill. The tank was taking part in the town’s annual Cherry Days parade, and a former town council member was protesting, Tiananmen Square-style, brother Bill’s attempts to eliminate public access to public lands near Koch’s Bear Creek Ranch on Kebler Pass.

The upshot of all this is this: We know who you are, you brothers Koch, and we’re not going to go gently into the dark night of your political machinations (apology to Dylan Thomas).

HIT&RUN

HOW MUCH HAS YOUR REAL ESTATE BROKER

offered to pay you?

If the answer is “nothing” then maybe you should re-think who you do business with. Why? Because Aspen Land & Homes is the ONLY full service broker in the Roaring Fork Valley that actually pays you when you buy a home – in fact, we pay you half of what we make.

It’s a completely new – and much more sensible! – approach to buying real estate and it is making for some very, very happy clients. While our competition continues to do business the old way – we’re closing sales, opening doors, and giving buyers the money they deserve.

Call Aspen Land & Homes at 970.510.5124 or check out AspenProperties.com to find out how you can get paid when you buy a home.

Aspen Land & Homes Smart. Sensible. Effective.

Christopher Hewett, Managing Broker, JD 970.948.4853 (c) | 970.510.5124 (o) Chris@AspenProperties.com | AspenProperties.com

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Apr il 10 - Apr il 16, 2014

with JOHN COLSON

Brian Hazen presents...

Snowmass Canyon Ranch...Parcels Now Offered Separately!

677 Lower river road … scHooL House ParceL • 80 acre parcel with senior water rights.

• Gold medal roaring Fork river Frontage.

• 2 acre building envelop with 8,250 square feet allowed with purchase of a Tdr • 2 bed / 1 bath ‘school House” • dramatic wheatley Gulch offers access to adjacent usFs land $2,125,000

New Listing 964 Lower river road …

Farm House ParceL • 202 acres with senior water rights • “Gold medal” roaring Fork river Frontage • site of historic wheatley ranch... homesteaded in 1891.

• 3 spring feed ponds • multiple acre building envelop with 8,250 square feet allowed with purchase of a Tdr • 3 bed / 2 bath Farm House, Hay Barn & historic log outbuildings • adjacent to usFs land

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sNowmass caNyoN raNcH…oN THe roariNG Fork (comBiNed) • 282 acre property with two (80 acre and 202 acres) tracts of land, each with a building right of 8,250 square feet (with purchase of a Tdr) • The historic wheatley ranch was homesteaded in 1891 • almost 1 mile of “Gold medal” roaring Fork river frontage, 3 spring-fed ponds, senior water rights • Historic school house, log cabins and outbuildings. $9,500,000 Now $6,100,000

Brian Hazen, CRS Coldwell Banker Mason Morse Real Estate

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www.masonmorse.com LN/Brian Hazen

A S P E N T I M E S . C O M / W E E K LY

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LEGENDS & LEGACIES

FROM the VAULT

by TIM WILLOUHGBY

Men of mining-era Aspen sustained a nightly schedule of fraternal order gatherings.

NO SHORTAGE OF MEN’S MEETINGS Many hermits of mining-era Aspen had no need for

companionship, but single men did not have to drink and dine alone; even married men who wanted to get away for an evening could find a gathering of like-minded friends. Fraternal orders met somewhere in town every night of the week except Sunday.

In 1897, 27 men’s organizations — not including volunteer fire departments, churches, or political organizations — offered membership. There was something for everyone and no doubt some men belonged to more than one.

Four chapters of Masons held all official meetings at the Masonic Temple. Although the large Elks membership used only one lodge (one of the more elegant meeting places that also had bowling lanes), many popular orders offered more than one lodge. Three groups of Odd Fellows met at different locations: the Armory Hall, the Wheeler Opera House, and a hall owned entirely by one group. The Knights of Pythias also had three chapters.

Several union groups met weekly: four lodges of the A.O.U.W, the United Workmen, The American Mechanics, and the Retail Clerks’ Union. The Knights of Honor,

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Order of Chosen Friends, and the Woodmen — organizations best known for insurance and death benefit policies — also sponsored lodges.

The Improved Order of Red Men owned a hall. The group was called a “tribe,” with a sister group, Degree of Pocahontas, which attracted 200 members. Masons, Knights,

MOST ORGANIZATIONS REQUIRED THE SAME QUALIFICATIONS: KNOWN MORAL CHARACTER; BELIEF IN GOD, MEANING THE APPLICANT WAS CHRISTIAN; AND AN ECONOMIC TEST TO PROVE THE APPLICANT WAS NEITHER A DEBTOR NOR A DEADBEAT. THESE WERE THE WRITTEN RULES, BUT MANY APPLICANTS GAINED ACCEPTANCE BY KNOWING SOMEONE WHO ALREADY WAS A MEMBER. Ethnic groups formed their own lodges. The Sons of Herman, a fraternal order of German Americans, broke with tradition by meeting on Sundays. Irish Protestants formed a small lodge, the Orangemen; Scotts met at the Robert Burns Caledonian Club.

Apr il 10 - Apr il 16, 2014

and Odd Fellows also had sister chapters. Two posts of the Grand Army of The Republic and a sisters circle met at the old courthouse on Mill Street.

Men and women who tolerated the company of the opposite sex yet disdained alcohol could join the

Gospel Temperance Union.

Many meetings took place at what was dubbed “Fraternal Hall,” the building that became the Armory Hall and is now Aspen’s City Hall.

Juggled schedules allowed full use of the building most nights.

Most organizations required the same qualifications: known moral character; belief in God, meaning the applicant was Christian; and an economic test to prove the applicant was neither a debtor nor a deadbeat.

These were the written rules, but many applicants gained acceptance by knowing someone who already was a member.

These days when someone says they have to go to a meeting, we think they have a tedious obligation and feel sorry for them. During Aspen’s mining days, if a man cared to be social, the abundance of opportunities was looked upon more favorably.

Tim Willoughby’s family story parallels Aspen’s. He began sharing folklore while teaching for Aspen Country Day School and Colorado Mountain College. Now a tourist in his native town, he views it with historical perspective. Reach him at redmtn2@ comcast.net.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WILLOUGHBY COLLECTION

LEGENDS & LEGACIES

FROM the VAULT

compiled by THE ASPEN HISTORICAL SOCIETY

HAPPY HOUR

1951 R E D O N IO N

IN OCTOBER 1951, the Red Onion was being prepared for a new winter season. According to the Aspen Daily Times on Oct. 4, “redecorating and remodeling are starting now in full tilt, and John C. Sihler, new owner of the 60-year-old Red Onion, hopes to have the internationally famous old Aspen landmark ready to reopen by Thanksgiving or early December. First opened during the boom days of silver mining in 1892, it was named ‘The Brick,’ and many old-time Aspen miners still call it that. But soon it gained the nickname of Red Onion, a term which in those days meant out-of-this-world, something wonderful. And the nickname gradually replaced the original… so the name of Red Onion is the one Aspen residents and visitors of the new generation always use.” The photo above shows Breezy Zordel and Bernie Popish drinking the very large beers that were available at the Red Onion.

This photo and more can be found in the Aspen Historical Society archives at aspenhistory.org.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ASPEN HISTORICAL SOCIETY

A S P E N T I M E S . C O M / W E E K LY

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Apr il 10 - Apr il 16, 2014

FROM ASPEN, WITH LOVE

GEAR of the WEEK

by SEBASTIAN FOLTZ

THE GUYS WITH THE BAMBOO STICKS FOR THE GUYS at Liberty Skis, it’s all about bamboo. It’s been at the core of the now Avon-based company’s skis for more than 10 years. Spawned from a discussion between co-founders Jim Satloff and Dan Chalfant over beers while in British Columbia — at a time when most small, independent ski companies were in their infancy — Liberty has since become one of the biggest producers in the independent ski market. So why bamboo? Because of the strong, lightweight and flexible nature of the wood. It offers a playful rebound from tip to tip while still maintaining strength and stiffness across the width of the skis.

We spent a morning a few weeks ago skiing with Liberty chief operating officer Chris Sears at Vail and had the chance to jump on a couple of pairs of Liberty’s signature model skis, the Helix, Variant 113 and Double Helix, as well as their Adrenalin Alpine touring bindings. Across the board, we were pretty impressed.

HELIX AND DOUBLE HELIX Considered their flagship ski, the Helix might just be one of the most well-rounded all-mountain options out there. It’s no wonder it’s their bestselling model. At 105 millimeters underfoot with an aggressive side cut, the skis are narrow enough to make quick, sharp turns, but wide enough to provide some nice flotation when getting into the deep stuff.

Liberty’s Stealth Rocker feature also puts just enough rise in the front of the ski to give the added benefit of a rockered ski in deep snow, without compromising performance on groomed terrain. Its flat tail and low-rise tip manage to hold an edge effectively on hardpack without creating the chatter of a more aggressively rockered ski. The twin tips also make it an appealing choice for the skier who spends some time riding or landing switch (backward). This ski is a great choice for someone looking for a one-ski quiver and for someone who is looking to get into a wider ski but is a little intimidated by full-on powder sticks.

At 121 underfoot, the skis’ bigger brother, the Double Helix, is a solid option for someone looking to spend a little more time in the deep stuff. While the Double Helix is described as the go-to ski for most of Liberty’s employees and still offers a short turn radius (around 25 meters), unlike the Helix, it’s probably a little burly for the average destination skier.

Both skis come in a variety of lengths, from 167 to 190 centimeters. If there’s one flaw to the ski, it’s that the top sheets — at least in the 2013-14 model — may be somewhat prone to chipping along the edges. But that’s a purely aesthetic concern that applies to most skis ridden by a more aggressive skier.

GET IT

AND 97

VARIANT 113

Likely the next most versatile skis in Liberty’s extensive line of ski designs are the Variant 113 and 97 (widths underfoot). These puppies are geared for the skier looking to get their skis up on edge and carve up some groomers, but also looking to throw on some skins and tour the backcountry. The Variants add a strip of metal to the center of the ski’s bamboo core to make them a little more rigid for carving and holding an edge but still relatively lightweight at around 5 pounds — depending on length. The small notch in the tail of the ski is a nice added feature for anyone looking to secure climbing skins to them for Alpine touring. The Variant also has a special limited-edition Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) model, a portion of the sales of which go to CAIC. In addition to their mostly stiff base and cambered back to tail, the Variants also have Liberty’s Hammer Rocker tips, which provide a slight rise in the front to add flotation in deeper snow. The rockered tip is also subtle enough to not chatter significantly on groomers and engage well on edge.

I demo’d the 186 centimeter Variants that are 113 underfoot. At 5-foot-7 and about 150 pounds, I probably should have opted for the shorter 179 option, but the longer skis still handled impressively.

With the width underfoot, they were still very nimble and did a great job of holding an edge on the groomer. Unfortunately, we didn’t get a deep powder day on them, but with a few fresh inches, they seemed to float very well. I didn’t get a chance to ride the narrower 97’s but imagine they’d be a great choice for someone looking for something a little narrower.

COMING SOON Like most ski and snowboard companies, next season Liberty will dip a little further into the Alpine touring market — the fastest growing segment in the ski industry, according to SIA. In addition to its heel-release Adrenalin A/T bindings, Liberty will be offering its own line of climbing skins. Unlike most skins, Liberty’s new Transport skins are glue-less and use a proprietary vacuum technology that works like tiny suction cups.

Liberty boasts that they are easier to separate than traditional skins while still able to firmly attach to the skis. They are also solvent-free and eco-friendly. I got a look at them and noticed they were clearly less sticky but didn’t get a chance to field test.

While a number of their current 2013-14 models won’t change beyond top-sheet designs for next season, Liberty will introduce

a few new models of skis, along with their skins. One ski to look for will be the new Liberty Origins. With a full rocker design and 116 underfoot, these guys look like they’ll be a really fun and playful ski without the intimidation factor of some of Liberty’s really wide powder skis such as the Mutant and Genome (149 and 140 underfoot).

Softer in the tail than the Helix and wider underfoot, the Origins should be just as fun with a little more deep powder flotation.

As to the future of Liberty, in a market where independent ski companies come and go, Liberty has clearly established themselves as one of the big boys. With continued growth projected and a market that now extends from Europe to Asia, the little guys that started in Edwards don’t look like they’ll be going anywhere any time soon.

Prices and other details are available at www.libertyskis.com.

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FROM ASPEN, WITH LOVE

WINEINK

SCHOOL HOLIDAY FOR L’ECOLE Nº 41 A HEAVY SNOW FELL on an April morning. Through the mist, as if on cue for a ski film shoot, Marty and Megan Clubb, accompanied by their daughter Becca, emerged through the haze, smiling as they skied down Snowmass in perfect unison. These were winemakers at play.

The Clubbs, along with son Riley, are KELLY J. the second and third HAYES generations of the family that created and operate the Walla Walla, Wash.,-based L’Ecole Nº 41 winery. While they play hard (Marty was rocking a snowboard on this snowy day while Megan and Becca both rode skis), the family’s legacy will forever be forged from the fruits, literally, of their labors.

Since 1983, when patriarchs Jean and Baker Ferguson founded the winery, the family has been at the forefront of a wine revolution that has changed the economics, the culture and the community of the Western Washington farm town, now wine town, that they call home.

While once a largely anonymous hub for the wheat, apple and onion fields of southeastern Washington, Walla Walla (pop. 31,000) is now synonymous with the explosion in Washington wines. Many of the states most sought-after wines from the likes of Leonetti, Charles Smith and Cayuse hail from a place that is in the midst of a transformation to becoming a globally recognized wine region. In recent months there has been an infusion of California, Canadian and Asian capital to Washington as many of the most well-heeled wine investors have discovered that both value and quality can still be found in the state.

“When Baker and Jean (Megan’s parents) started the winery in the early ’80s, there were just three wineries in the region and less than 20 in the entire state of Washington,” Marty told me on a chairlift ride up to High Alpine.

“Baker had developed a love for

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Bordeaux and he thought that with all of the farmland around Walla Walla already growing great fruit this had to be a good place to grow grapes.” Baker began doing soils tests and climate studies of the fruit orchards in the region about the same time that Gary Figgins of Leonetti (the first commercial winery established in the region in 1977) and Rick Small of Woodward Canyon began to identify sites that would be conducive to planting vineyards and making wine.

While the opportunities were obvious, so too were the challenges. Walla Walla swelters under extreme summers (annual rainfall in some areas is less then 10 inches) and the winters are brutally cold. Winds rush across the sage brush on the land that is really a part of a vast desert complex that extends north into Canada and covers much of southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon. But the land also benefits from impressive soils, the gift of the massive Missoula flood, which covered much of the Pacific Northwest with rocks and dirt 13,000 or so years ago, and, to this day, give the vineyards character and uniquely varied terroir.

When I walked a number of vineyards this past fall in and around Walla Walla, I was amazed at the diversity of the earth. Large basalt stones blasted heat from the sun back onto the undersides of the Syrah vines in one vineyard.

Earthy black soils marked another planted to Merlot and a third, this one with Chardonnay, was planted in what looked like dust so loose that it could barely support the vines. All of these soils types are a candy store for vineyard managers, who can experiment with different varietals and planting schemes.

Marty and Megan are both graduates of MIT’s Sloan School of Management who began their careers in high-powered engineering and finance positions in San Francisco. Marty was on the fast track at Bechtel while Megan was at Wells Fargo. But in 1989, the pair decided that a life in wine beckoned and they came to Walla

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Walla to raise their family, grow grapes and make wine.

Today, L’Ecole Nº 41 produces more than 40,000 cases of wine a year. While much of the wine is made from fruit grown in the Columbia Valley to the west, increasingly more emanates from single-vineyard estate growths in the Walla Walla wine appellation.

The winery and tasting room lie to the west of the city, housed in a charming, circa 1915, former schoolhouse in the Frenchtown section of the region, hence the name.

The wines of L’Ecole Nº 41 are crafted by winemaker Mike Sharon, who has worked at the winery for close to 20 years and was named the estate’s winemaker in 2006. There is an emphasis on the Bordeaux varietals and blends, especially in the wines from the Seven Hills, Pepper Bridge and Ferguson vineyards in Walla Walla, including the acclaimed Perigee and Apogee blends that consistently score more than 90 points in tastings. A specialty and a family favorite is a wine called Luminesce, a blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc that is sourced from the Seven Hills Vineyard.

Seven Hills, which is in the Walla Walla AVA, uniquely crosses the

border between Washington and Oregon.

Personally, it was their 2010 Estate Syrah from the same Seven Hills Vineyard, which I was able to sample at the tasting room during my visit, that made the biggest impression on me. Earthy, but well-balanced, the fruit and flavors resonated and tasted like the land that surrounded us.

This is just the beginning of the Washington wine revolution and the Clubbs have already made a significant contribution to not just the region, but to American winemaking as well.

I’ll look forward to both skiing with them and drinking their wines for years to come.

Kelly J. Hayes lives in the soonto-be-designated appellation of Old Snowmass with his wife, Linda, and black Lab named Vino. He can be reached at malibukj@aol.com.

MEET THE CLUBBS While Marty, Megan and Riley all live in Walla Walla, daughter Becca lives here in Aspen. A veteran of the much missed Pacifica Restaurant, she can be found currently working at Snowmass’ Bia Hoi.

P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F L’ E C O L E N º 4 1

by KELLY J. HAYES

IF YOU GO...

L’ECOLE Nº 41 41 Lowden School Road Lowden, WA 99360 P: 509.525.0940 E: info@lecole.com

UNDER THE INFLUENCE L’ECOLE Nº 41 2011 COLUMBIA VALLEY SYRAH A steal of a deal at around $25 a bottle, this Northern Rhone style blend of 80 percent Syrah and 20 percent Grenache is rich and earthy, with great dark fruit flavors. While released as a Columbia Valley wine, the fruit is from a collection of vineyards including Seven Hills (Walla Walla) and Candy Mountain (Columbia Valley). Though listed at a healthy 15 percent alcohol, the wine feels balanced and lush in the mouth.

As owner and managing winemaker, Marty Clubb (opposite page) has helped put L’Ecole N° 41 on the map in Walla Walla, Wash., and around the world.

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FROM ASPEN, WITH LOVE

FOOD MATTERS FOOD MATTERS

‘CHOKED UP

AN ODE TO CALIFORNIA’S NOBLE GLOBES, NOW AT PEAK SEASON WANDERING THE PRODUCE department of Whole Foods in Basalt last week, I felt an invisible pull toward one display that seemed to dwarf all the rest. Globe artichokes the size of bocce balls were stacked into a vertical jigsaw puzzle. But only half of the leafy specimens were the traditional olive green; the others were marked with deep purple AMANDA striations. Since it’s RAE my personal mission to pick up at least one oddball fruit or vegetable — pummelo and turmeric root were two past successes; black radish, not so much — on every rare visit to the natural emporium, I had to scoop one up. My mom, who lived in Sausalito, Calif., long ago, would occasionally cook artichokes for my brother and I when we were growing up in New England. To me, they represent the beginning of summer, and I still love the slow ritual of peeling away silvery layer after layer to reveal hidden treasure: a fuzz-covered heart.

At home that night, following a 45-minute steam bath, I plucked the tender plum-colored artichoke leaves one by one, dragging each through a quick whip of yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, and herbs before teeth-scraping each clean.

They were meaty and creamy — I later learned they may be of the Italian “Violetto” variety — some of the best I’ve ever enjoyed.

But the tastiest artichokes, by far, were had in Castroville, a small farming town about 15 miles north of Monterey Bay. I was on a road trip, tracing all 1,540 coastal miles of U.S. Route 101, when I veered off course and found myself cruising beneath a banner proclaiming, “Artichoke Center of the World.”

(Whole Foods artichokes are no doubt trucked in from here, too, but all food tastes better on its native soil, doesn’t it?)

After passing a half-dozen

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roadside stands with hand-painted signs, including one weatherravaged watercraft, and the unfortunately named Artichoke Inn, I spied it: an enormous green artichoke sculpture (pictured right) jutting skyward from a farm market strip mall.

The hollow, domed structure is the crown jewel of the Giant Artichoke Family Restaurant, a mom-and-pop roadside diner serving up the freshest, juiciest artichokes in every preparation imaginable. Though best know for sinfully crispy fried artichoke hearts, the eatery offers a fourcourse artichoke tasting for about $20. Restaurants in neighboring towns showcase artichoke soups, stews, casseroles — even sweet breads — during peak season from March to May. Castroville has celebrated its agricultural claim to fame since the Mediterranean-native perennial thistle was first planted there by Swiss-Italian vintners in 1922. The spiny, fern-like artichoke is actually an edible bud, harvested at an immature stage from plants that grow up to 4-feet tall and spread up to twice that in diameter. Baby artichokes are not, in fact, young, but stunted in growth because of being blocked from the sun by uppermost leaves.

In May 1959, the inaugural Castroville Artichoke Festival (see opposite page) began the tradition of hosting a “weird little party involving all manner of ’choke recipes, wares, and goods,” says a pal who lived in neighboring Marina for four years. “Artichoke fields around my house, actually. I walked them all the time.”

Thanks to frost-free winters and cool, foggy summers, California grows nearly all of the artichokes consumed in America, and of those, an estimated 85 percent hail from Castroville. “‘Rippers’ were thieves who would enter fields at night and steal produce off of the stalk,” my friend continues. “A farmer told

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me stories of fields being stripped.

The artichoke fields are wide open, unfenced for the most part.

Agricultural theft is a big problem in California: Huge industry covering eminence grounds, hard to protect financially. Like, a truck full of picked nuts is worth $300,000.”

Artichokes may not hold a garden hoe to California’s top cash crops, such as grapes, almonds, and, now bigger than both of those, marijuana, but a vegetable that reaps $50 million annually is not small potatoes. (Potatoes would likely be Colorado’s state “vegetable,” if we had one.)

Another consideration lately: lack of water. Artichokes require plenty of moisture to produce succulent, tender buds; dehydrated plants become unpalatable, depleting marketable inventory and causing national prices to skyrocket. (A single artichoke at Whole Foods is currently $2.99; in Castroville last year they were 10 for $1.) In January, California Gov. Jerry

Brown declared a drought state of emergency — the worst in history. If the trend continues, the agricultural industry could lose $5 billion in revenue this year alone. Artichokes may become scarce.

Some happy news: in April 2013, state officials finally tackled a longoverdue agenda item, proclaiming the artichoke California’s official vegetable.

“In Marina it was common for us to meet at the beach and have grilled artichoke halves and drinks before heading out for actual dinner,” my friend says with a whisper of nostalgia. “The texture and flavor are so unlikely coming from a hardened, pointed, cactuslike plant. The petals are totally bitter raw. But put some heat to them and they turn to the perfect thing to run your teeth over, like a natural potato chip.”

Amanda Rae considers the artichoke symbolic of the human heart. amandaraewashere@gmail.com

by AMANDA RAE

IF YOU GO ...

55TH ANNUAL CASTROVILLE ARTICHOKE FESTIVAL A longstanding celebration of California’s newly minted state vegetable, including tastings, cooking demos, a farmers’ market, field tours, and quirky Agro Art competition, in which amateurs and professionals sculpt 3D masterpieces from fresh produce.

May 31 & June 1 Artichoke Festival Parade, May 18 Castroville, Calif.

831-633-2465 artichoke-festival.org

PHOTOS BY AMANDA RAE

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FROM ASPEN, WITH LOVE

GUNNER’S LIBATIONS

by JEANNE MCGOVERN

MAKE IT Boulder Beer Shake Porter Chocolate porter ice cream (Or whatever beer-and-ice-cream combination you can dream up)

BOULDER SHAKE BEER FLOAT Ch

I love an ice cream float; it’s a treat in my household when we have them for dessert. But who knew they could also be an adult beverage? In “researching” this week’s cover story on Danielle Becker and her journey toward becoming a Master Cicerone, I learned a lot about beer. One such tasty tidbit: the beer float. On one occasion at Viceroy Snowmass, I was wowed by the flavorful contrast of a Breckenridge Vanilla Porter served up with scoop of house-made Chai chocolate ice cream. And at a recent Boulder Beer pairing dinner, the dessert course was a decadent Shake Chocolate Porter with a scoop of rich chocolate porter ice cream.

Honestly, it was as good as any luscious chocolate cake for topping off an excellent dinner — and easily replicated at home.

GUNILLA ASHER DIDN’T MAKE IT TO THE BARS THIS WEEKEND, BUT SHE’LL SHARE ANOTHER FAVORITE DRINK WITH US SOON. IN THE MEANTNIME, EMAIL JMCGOVERN@ ASPENTIMES.COM WITH WHAT COCKTAILS YOU’RE MIXING, WHAT LIBATIONS YOU’RE DRINKING, WHAT TASTES HAVE TEMPTED YOUR TASTEBUDS AND WE’LL SHARE THEM WITH OUR READERS. CHEERS!

Did you know…

We have Gift Certificates available!

Ask our friendly Sales Staff to purchase yours today!

Perfect for: Birthday’s • Holidays Teacher Appreciation • College Graduation FREE DELIVERY! ANYWHERE IN THE ROARING FORK VALLEY ($50 MIN)

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NEXT TO WHOLE FOODS PHOTO BY AUBREE DALLAS

APRIL INCENTIVES

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Exceptional Views from Maroon Greens 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, 4,492 sq ft Deck, vaulted ceilings, mountain views On-site management, worry free ownership Close to slopes of Tiehack & Buttermilk $4,750,000 $4,495,000 Furnished Llwyd Ecclestone | 970.456.6031 AspenSkiMaroonCreek.com

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Ski-In/Ski-Out Luxury 5 bedrooms, 5.5 baths, 6,458 sq ft Sleeps 18, elevator, media room, wet bar Ritz Carlton amenities covered by HOA Unbeatable value at $797/sq ft! $5,150,000 $4,950,000 Furnished Matt Holstein | 970.948.6868

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Slopeside Luxury at Highlands 4 bedroom, 5.5 bath, 5,445 sq ft ski-in/ ski-out Thunderbowl Townhome Stacked stone, wood beams, granite, & marble Includes use of the Ritz-Carlton Club $4,750,000 Turn-Key Furnished Ed Foran | 970.948.5704

Discover Chaparral Aspen Exquisite 60 acre homestead with stream Vested rights to build 14,750 sq ft dream home Incl. 2 stalls in state-of-the-art barn In the Aspen School District $3,900,000 Carol Dopkin | 970.618.0187 ChaparralRanch.info

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Live The Dream • European-style mountain retreat located just over the bridge on Aspen’s east side • 3+ bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 5,003 sq ft • Easily add a fourth bedroom • 19th century Pennsylvania barnwood floors, antique built-ins, and other elegant details and refined spaces • High ceilings, custom-paned windows • Perfect for intimate gatherings inside & out • At the end of a private cul-de-sac $6,490,000 Andrew Ernemann | 970.379.8125 LacetLaneHome.com

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BEHOLD,

THE POWER OF BEER (AND VICEROY SNOWMASS’ DANIELLE BECKER’S QUEST TO BECOME A MASTER CICERONE)

by JEANNE MCGOVERN

“Beer is the great equalizer,”

declares Danielle Becker, manager of Nest at Viceroy Snowmass. “Not everyone enjoys wine or wants to drink spirits, but everyone will sit down and have a beer with you. It’s the ‘Cheers’ thing – beer is something pretty much everyone can go into a bar and enjoy.”

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PHOTOS BY AUBREE DALLAS

THE MAKING OF A MASTER Everyone knows — and admires — the sommelier. That master of wine who knows exactly which wine to pour with each course; that person who knows just what you’re seeking when you say, “crisp” or “dry,” “fruity” or “earthy.”

But what about beer? Who knows which beer to pair with, say, confit of prime ribeye cap, lobster poutine and debris gravy? The Master Cicerone, that’s who. (And the answer, by the way, is Boulder Beer’s Never Summer winter ale.)

So what is a Master Cicerone?

According to the Craft Beer Institute, Cicerone is an English word referring to “one who conducts visitors and sightseers to museums and explains matters of archaeological, antiquarian, historic or artistic interest.” A Certified (one level below a Master) or Master Cicerone is a person who “possesses the knowledge and skills to guide those interested in beer culture, including its historic and artistic aspects. These titles now designate a person with demonstrated expertise in beer who can guide consumers to enjoyable and high-quality experiences with great beer.”

A Master Cicerone is, in a nutshell, what Danielle Becker sees herself as in just a few short months.

“I’ve been in the food and beverage business so long that I have thought about becoming a sommelier or going further with spirits,” says Becker, manager of Nest at Viceroy Snowmass, who has hopes of achieving her Master Cicerone designation by year’s end.

Yet, at the same time, beer can be just complex as wine or spirits. And this might be what Becker loves the most.

“Beer has been around for centuries, and it’s finally getting the respect it deserves,” says Becker, who hopes to attain her Master Cicerone designation this year (see “The Making of a Master,” this page.). “Those water-beers are no longer the standard; craft beers are raising the bar.”

At Nest — and breweries, taverns and even finedining restaurants across the country — raising the bar means bellying up to the bar for beer tastings and beer pairing dinners. In fact, a recent dinner at Nest featured a selection of Boulder Beers paired with the creative cuisine of Viceroy Snowmass chef Will Nolan.

And we’re not talking hot dogs and Budweisers here.

The five-course dinner included offerings such as an appetizer of Buffalo Gold and Hazed and Infused beer served with charbroiled oysters, cheese and pork belly coquette and smoked tomato relish, followed by a main

PHOTOS BY AUBREE DALLAS

“But once I found out about the Cicerone program, I knew that was for me; I love beer,” she says. “And it’s a challenge; there are more than 70 different styles of beer and you have to know everything about them all, do blind tastings and so forth. It’s not easy.”

Indeed. According to cicerone.org, there are currently only six Master Cicerones in the United States. Becker hopes to be lucky No. 7. “I am excited about the future,” she says.

dish featuring Mojo Risin’ double IPA alongside Char Siu pork with kimchee, fried avocado and yuzu vinaigrette.

“When you can hold in your hand a beer from an amazing Abbey and pair it with a fine dish, that’s just incredible.

It proves it’s not just about the wine,” says Becker, whose long career in the food and beverage industry landed her in the Roaring Fork Valley some four years ago, where she’s now firmly established in her role as beer master at the Viceroy (while raising a 9-year-old and twins, aged 5).

Danielle Becker (in red) hosts a recent beer pairing dinner at Nest at Viceroy Snowmass. The five-course meal included a selection of Boulder Beers paired with the creations of Viceroy chef Will Nolan, as well as s brief education on what goes into a good beer — such as the hops, barley, etc. (pictured above).

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DANIELLE BECKER’S ABSOLUTE FAVORITE BEER? “PORTER, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY I COULD NEVER NAME A SPECIFIC ONE. JUST GIVE ME A NICE, GOOD PORTER AND I’M HAPPY.”

In fact, Becker sees a world where beer — and those who are educated in how to brew, taste, serve and enjoy it — is as highly regarded as wine or spirits.

“The brewery movement is here; people are embracing it,” she says. “That’s the cool thing...beer can be really delicious — and diverse — and people are beginning to learn that.”

Take Nest’s recent Boulder Beer pairing dinner. In just a couple of hours, six styles of beer were served and sampled. They ranged from the well-known Buffalo Gold to the seasonal Never Summer Ale to the rich dessert beer Shake Chocolate Porter (see Gunner’s Libations, page 16). The evening also included an education in beer and beer making, with a variety of hops, barley and other essentials on the table for diners to investigate.

“We’ve definitely seen a change in the craft beer market,” Boulder Beers’ Laura McLane told the assembled guests. “What we have for you tonight is some traditional beers and a few new ones — all paired perfectly with chef Will’s dishes.”

Indeed it was like a winemaker’s dinner. But, like beer itself, a bit more casual. A bit more fun.

“Speaking personally, I love that my passion for beer can also be my career,” says Becker. “The beer crowd is a fun crowd, so how could I not love what I do?”

Moving forward, what Becker does — and what Viceroy Snowmass will do for beer lovers everywhere — will include a variety of beer-centric events, from pairing dinners to beer training courses to entire weekends dedicated to the suds.

“Viceroy has always had a great mixology program, but now whatever your angle, you can find it,” says Becker. “I’m just glad that my hobby is something worth sharing, something others want to enjoy with me.”

Boulder Beers’ Laura McLane (top) describes a pairing, such as Honey of a Saison Ale served with BBQ grilled octopus, gritz and grilled cabbage (above) during a recent pairing dinner (right).

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PHOTOS BY AUBREE DALLAS

VOYAGES

ESCAPE ARTIST | FLORIDA

by AMIEE WHITE BEAZLEY

DISCOVERING THE CHARM OF ‘OLD FLORIDA’ FLORIDA. YOU EITHER love it or hate it. For the haters, it is a crowded, overdeveloped evil consequence of commercialism, for others it is a relatively easyto-access paradise.

I’ve been traveling to Florida and many of its coastal communities for almost four decades, and have seen the best (deserted Sanibel beaches in the 80s) and the worst AMIEE WHITE (Fort Meyers on a BEAZLEY Friday night). But if you take the time, there are still plenty of quiet beachfront communities left to discover that have worked hard to maintain and preserve the feeling of this onetime quiet paradise.

For me, the beauty of “Old Florida” is found on the Atlantic Coast between the cities of Melbourne Beach and Vero Beach.

This stretch of barrier island is separated from mainland Florida by the Indian River, where on a recent visit, I watched a pod of dolphins relentlessly tease a flock of floating pelicans in the warm water. This 121-mile long lagoon is

PHOTOS BY AMIEE WHITE BEAZLEY

host to many different species, and protects the land to the east from the sprawl of humanity.

The beaches along this coast 90 minutes southeast of Orlando are where the “Space Coast” meets the “Treasure Coast.” By morning you can watch rockets take off from the Cape Canaveral peninsula, then comb the beaches later in the day for pristine shells or remnant shells of loggerhead turtle hatches.

At the northern end of this stretch is the Port d’Hiver Bed and Breakfast. A beautiful example of renovated, historic Floridian architecture, with 10 impeccably designed rooms, filled with beautiful touches in a tranquil setting. While serene and private, it is just footsteps from the beach, great small restaurants and lots of local characters.

One great thing about Florida is that access to the beaches is a right for all. Here is the exact site where historians now believe Ponce de Leon actually landed, not St. Augustine, where he named Florida for “land of flowers.” He would not be disappointed to return to his landing point, which

has been protected and where wild vegetation still grows.

Moving south along A1A, there is the Barrier Island Sanctuary, a beautiful modern eco-education facility right on the beach where there are hands-on exhibits on the barrier island environment, animals – think ACES at the ocean.

I bring my children here on every trip. And when they are ready for something new, there is Sebastian Inlet, where world-class surfers and novice fishermen mingle. A state park on the west side of the bridge has a mellow spot for small kids to swim, take a hike, enjoy a picnic or you can walk out onto the jetty and watch the watersports. Did I mention there are no crowds or strip malls anywhere in sight?

Traveling over the Sebastian Inlet Bridge toward Vero Beach, there is the understated, but fun McLarty Treasure Museum.

Inside is an impressive collection of findings from the 1715 Plate Fleet Wreck that took place on the shores adjacent to the museum.

It also shows the

hardships of life in early Florida, where the surviving Spanish families lived and learned from the local native tribes.

The end of this beautiful stretch is at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort. Before you roll your eyes, remember this, if you are looking for a beautiful, easy and entertaining beach vacation for you and your children, this is a balanced combination of both. It has none of the Disney crowds, but still a bit of Disney magic in a beautiful “Old Florida” setting.

Visit now, before the protected lands of this special area suddenly become exposed or vulnerable to development. You know how it goes, every special place is always soon discovered.

Amiee White Beazley writes about travel for the Aspen Times Weekly.

Reach her at awb@awbeazley.com or follow her @awbeazley1.

A S P E N T I M E S . C O M / W E E K LY

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AROUNDASPEN

The SOCIAL SIDE of TOWN

by MARY ESHBAUGH HAYES

MORE ST. PAT’S AT ST. MARY’S

MARY ESHBAUGH HAYES

THE ST. PATRICK’S DAY DINNER at St. Mary Catholic Church in Aspen always draws a big crowd!

Undercurrent...This has been the winter of all winters and how the skiers have loved it!

ST. PADDY’S Mike Foley and Jarrod Hollinger.

ST. PADDY’S Claire Howard and Carol Dussault.

ST. PADDY’S Lee Mulcahy, Norma Avila and Terry Schaefer.

ST. PADDY’S

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ST. PADDY’S Vince Savage and Dasa Bausova.

ST. PADDY’S

Karen Woodard with her grandchildren Zala and Luke Smalls.

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ST. PADDY’S Becket Howard, Chantal Howard and Elia Howard.

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Julia DeBacker with her children Halsten, Dominic, Lucia, Greta and Saffron.

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ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

MUSIC/ART/FILM/LITERATURE

SHORTSFEST APPEALS TO THE KID (IN ALL OF US)

IF THERE’S ONE THING the folks at Aspen Film accomplish year after year with the Aspen Shortsfest, it’s that they certainly know how to pick a wide assortment of subject matter to offer audiences.

Variety comes naturally when choosing 70 films from more than 3,000 selections. Because the festival offers such a broad range of topics, a program of shorts was put together for viewers looking for films the entire family can enjoy.

The festival offers a “Family Fun” program (5 p.m. Saturday in Carbondale and 2 p.m. Sunday in Aspen) where the themes of the films offered are lighter and hold appeal to both adults and children.

Laura Thielen, artistic director of Aspen Film, sees the Family Fun program as a great way to introduce younger viewers to films from different countries.

“Kids have elastic minds,” she said.

“They also have lots of imagination.

This is a great venue for kids of all ages to see situations that maybe they can relate to and will make them think differently about what

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they experience.”

The family program includes seven animated shorts and two documentaries. The nine films come from seven different countries with a wide range of subject matter.

For example, “Flor de Toloache,” directed by New York-based filmmaker Jenny Schweitzer, is a documentary about a group of women who formed a mariachi band called Flor de Toloache, despite mariachi musicians traditionally being men. Mariachi music is described by one member of Flor de Toloache as, “gypsy, Mexican music passed on from generation to generation.”

The film opens with several of the ladies preparing their outfits and makeup as the viewer watches the subtle transformation into the black and white mariachi costumes. When the music begins, there’s no doubt these women can perform.

They expertly play traditional mariachi instruments like violins, trumpets, guitar, guitarron (which is like a large bass guitar), and vihuela (which is a smaller guitar). The

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music in the film is crisp, lively and tight. As the director pans around the performance, you can see the different reactions from the New York crowd that range from curiosity to delight to skepticism.

“We’re making a statement,” one of the women says as the group goes beyond breaking the macho stereotypes of mariachi bands and literally introduces a new variation on a traditional art form.

“Flor de Toloache” is making its world premiere in Aspen.

“The Gallant Captain” comes from Australia and is co-directed

by Graeme Base and Katrina Mathers. The film centers on a boy whose father was lost at sea. The boy obviously misses his father and decides to go on a sailing adventure of his own, albeit mostly through his vivid imagination. With his cat by his side, the two sailors embark to find treasure, only to encounter a massive pirate ship that the boy somehow has to fight or risk the consequences.

In the end, the boy prevails, but then discovers the real boat he’s in has sprung a leak and is sinking. Like

a true captain, he saves his crew and prepares to go down with his ship, much like he believes his father would have.

The story is heartwarming as there’s an obvious connection between the boy and the cat that seems to fill a void left by his missing father. The film ends on a touching, symbolic note that includes a ship in a bottle that the boy’s father gave him.

The animation is crisp and colorful with a majestic soundtrack likely to make audience members feel like they’re sailing the high seas.

“The Gallant Captain” was named Best Animated Short Film at the 2014 Omaha International Film Festival.

“Mia” is a delightful animated short directed by Wouter Bongaerts and produced in both Belgium and the Netherlands.

Seven-year-old Mia creates a picture of happier times for her overworked mother, a picture that, even for a quick moment, lifts her mother out of the monotony of the overcrowded metropolis she works in. To Mia, the picture is an important savior capable of making

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ASPEN FILM

by MICHAEL MCLAUGHLIN

her mother happy.

When the picture is lost temporarily, Mia chases and finds it. The picture then transforms the world Mia knows into two distinct areas: one is the awful two-dimensional metropolis that her mother is stuck in, the other is a threedimensional world of life, color and beauty, the world Mia wants to be in with her mother.

With the help of a four-legged friend, Mia and her picture are reunited with her mother.

The ending will surely leave many audience members smiling with admiration from the determination displayed by Mia. “Rare Bird” is a French animated short directed by Leslie Pandelakis about Augustin, a man stuck in the doldrums of his solitary life.

Fate leads him to a feathered companion that changes his outlook on life.

The soundtrack in “Rare Bird” takes the place of dialogue. In the beginning, the music repeats the same two verses, representing the monotony of Augustin’s day-to-day existence. When the rare bird is introduced, the music changes to an uplifting tune that matches Augustin’s new outlook.

Man and bird bond in friendship, but nature calls Augustin’s friend away.

The moods created by the director are enchanting and the ending is uplifting as Augustin realizes the outcome worked out best for everyone.

“Rare Bird” makes its U.S. premiere at the Shortsfest.

“The Family Fun program is wonderful for kids,” Thielen said. “It’s great to bring in the tradition of the matinee, which has always been part of the movie-going experience. We have a wonderful lineup that has a lot of different appeal with a real international flavor.”

OPPOSITE PAGE: “Flor de Toloache.”

THIS PAGE, TOP TO BOTTOM: “Mr. Hublot,” “The Gallant Captain,” and “Rare Bird.”

THE UNIVERSAL APPEAL OF ‘MR. HUBLOT’ With 70 films making up the 2014 Aspen Shortsfest, picking one short as an audience favorite can be challenging — especially considering how each movie is subject to different personal interpretations.

One film has already been singled out as the best animated short in the past year by a fairly reliable source, if you happen to agree with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the group of nearly 6,000 voting members that chose the Academy Awards winners.

“Mr. Hublot” (7 p.m. Tuesday and 2 p.m. Sunday in Aspen; 5 p.m. Saturday in Carbondale) is a 12-minute animated short film by Laurent Witz and Alexandre Espigares, using character models based from the Belgian sculpture Stephane Halleux. “Mr. Hublot” won the 2014 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.

The film was submitted to Shortsfest several months before it was nominated by the academy and it didn’t take winning an Academy Award to convince Aspen Film artistic director Laura Thielen and program director George Eldred that the film was special.

“Some of the films we’re showing this year are a year or so old,” Eldred said. “Some are brand new. ‘Mr. Hublot’ is one of the most remarkable shorts of the year and it was submitted to us last fall.”

“Mr. Hublot” appeals to viewers on many levels. The animation detail and coloring is captivating. The subtle soundtrack of music and sound effects fills in a running dialogue without the use of speech.

The directors use facial expressions and physicality in place of sentences. They tell a story of an obsessive recluse who makes a choice to connect with the outside world in order to accomplish a selfless deed and rescue a helpless creature.

As the film nears its ending, the directors lead the audience to believe Mr. Hublot can only go so far with his new relationship with this creature, but what looks like an insurmountable conflict ends up becoming another sign that Hublot is able to adjust beyond his lonely, compulsive behavior. “‘Mr. Hublot’ has a universal appeal,” Thielen said. “It’s wordless, yet delivers so much emotion. There’s a kind of courage in mining that emotional landscape that’s one of the things that’s really refreshing about shorts. ‘Mr. Hublot’ is wonderful on so many levels.” “‘Mr. Hublot’ is an animated short that has a real human element,” Eldred said. “It has pretty much everything we look for in all the movies we chose for the festival. It touches our hearts and our minds in ways we may not have expected.”

— Michael McLaughlin

A S P E N T I M E S . C O M / W E E K LY

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THELISTINGS

APRIL 10 - 16, 2014 THURSDAY NIGHT KARAOKE — 10 p.m., The Red Onion, 420 E. Cooper Ave., Aspen. Head out to the Red Onion every Thursday night for our Karaoke Night.

THOMAS JACK — 10:30 p.m., Belly Up Aspen, 450 S. Galena St., Aspen.

FRIDAY, APRIL 11 ASPEN SHORTSFEST: FILMMAKER TALK BACK — noon, The Red Onion, 420 E. Cooper Ave., Aspen.

HEAR Lindsey Saunders performs in the Parlor at Justice Snow’s on Monday, April 14.

ONGOING AMY SILLMAN — 10 a.m., Aspen Art Museum, 590 N. Mill St., Aspen.

970-925-8050 TERESITA FERNNDEZ — All day, Elk Camp Restaurant, Snowmass Ski Area, Snowmass Village.

MIFFY FOUNTAIN AND MY MELODY — All day, The Overlook at The Westin Snowmass Resort, 100 Elbert Lane, Snowmass.

THURSDAY, APRIL 10 ASPEN SHORTSFEST: FILMMAKER TALK BACK — noon, The Red Onion, 420 E. Cooper Ave., Aspen.

ASPEN SHORTSFEST — 5:30 p.m., Wheeler Opera House, 320 E. Hyman Ave., Aspen.

BOMBINO — 8 p.m., Belly Up Aspen, 450 S. Galena St,. Aspen.

ASPEN SHORTSFEST — 8:30 p.m., Wheeler Opera House, 320 E. Hyman Ave., Aspen.

LIVE MUSIC — 9 p.m., BB’s Lounge, 525 E. Cooper Ave. Suite 201, Aspen. $5 wines and wells, $4 draft beers.

THANK YOU

VID WEATHERWAX — 4:30 p.m., 8K Lounge Viceroy Snowmass, 130 Wood Road, Snowmass Village.

ASPEN SHORTSFEST — 5:30 p.m., Wheeler Opera House, 320 E. Hyman Ave., Aspen.

BRADMAN’S ONE MAN BAND — 6:30 p.m., Aspen Brewing Company, 304 E. Hopkins Ave., Aspen.

ASPEN SHORTSFEST — 8:30 p.m., Wheeler Opera House, 320 E. Hyman Ave., Aspen.

SHAKEDOWN STREET PERFORMS EUROPE ‘72 — 9:30 p.m., Belly Up Aspen, 450 S. Galena St., Aspen.

SATURDAY, APRIL 12

LIVE MUSIC FOR APRES SKI WITH THE TRUE STORY BAND — 4 p.m., The Bar at Wildwood Hotel, 100 Elbert Lane, Snowmass Village.

LIVE MUSIC WEEKENDS — 4 p.m., The Red Onion, 420 East Cooper Ave, Aspen. Come out for live music at the historic Red Onion.

BRADMAN’S ONE MAN BAND — 4 p.m., Chair 9, 675 E. Durant Ave., Aspen.

VID WEATHERWAX — 4:30 p.m., 8K Lounge Viceroy Snowmass, 130 Wood Road, Snowmass Village.

ASPEN SHORTSFEST — 5:45 p.m., Wheeler Opera House, 320 E. Hyman Ave., Aspen.

JOHN’S FAREWELL TOUR MARGARITAVILLE PARTY — 6:30 p.m., Bumps at Buttermilk. Tickets are $150 per person. RSVP at www. aspencountryday.org/johnparty 970-920-0991 ASPEN SHORTSFEST — 8:45 p.m., Wheeler Opera House, 320 E. Hyman Ave., Aspen.

THE DRUNKEN HEARTS — 9 p.m., Belly Up Aspen, 450 S Galena St, Aspen.

SUNDAY, APRIL 13

19TH ANNUAL SUN DOG’S K-9 UPHILL — The event benefits The Friends of the Aspen Animal Shelter and Valley Dog Rescue.

970-925-2849

ASPEN SHORTSFEST: FAMILY FUN! — 2 p.m., Wheeler Opera House, 320 E. Hyman Ave., Aspen.

ASPEN SHORTSFEST: CROWDSOURCED FILMMAKING — noon, The Limelight Hotel, 355 S. Monarch St., Aspen.

LITERATURE OUT LOUD — 3 p.m., Pitkin County Library, 120 North Mill Street, Aspen. Sponsored by Friends of the Library.

970-429-1900

ASPEN SHORTSFEST: WRITING FOR THE SCREEN — 3:30 p.m., Wheeler Opera House, 320 E. Hyman Ave., Aspen. Check aspenfilm. org for updates.

THANK YOU

THANK YOU

LIVE MUSIC WEEKENDS — 4 p.m., The Red Onion, 420 E. Cooper Ave., Aspen.

VID WEATHERWAX — 4:30 p.m.,

8K LOUNGE VICEROY SNOWMASS, 130 WOOD ROAD, SNOWMASS VILLAGE. MARCHFOURTH MARCHING BAND — 9 p.m., Belly Up Aspen, 450 S. Galena St., Aspen.

THE NO JOES — 9 p.m., Justice Snow’s, 328 E Hyman Ave, Aspen.

MONDAY, APRIL 14 LINDSEY SAUNDERS IN THE PARLOR — 7 p.m., Justice Snow’s, 328 E Hyman Ave, Aspen.

EMPIRE OF THE SUN — 9 p.m., Belly Up Aspen, 450 S. Galena St., Aspen.

OPEN MIC — 10 p.m., The Red Onion, 420 E. Cooper Ave., Aspen.

Head down to the Red Onion every Monday night for Open Mic Night starting at 10 p.m.

TUESDAY, APRIL 15 EMPIRE OF THE SUN — 9 p.m., Belly Up Aspen, 450 S. Galena St., Aspen.

LIVE ACOUSTIC MUSIC — 10 p.m., The Red Onion, 420 E. Cooper Ave., Aspen.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16 DAMIAN SMITH & TERRY BANNON — 4 p.m., The New Belgium Ranger Station, 100 Elbert Lane, Snowmass Village.

LIVE MUSIC: DJ DYLAN & FRIENDS — 4 p.m., Chair 9, 675 East Durant Ave, Aspen.

AXIS LP — 7 p.m., Little Mammoth Steakhouse, 315 Gateway Building, Snowmass Village. Live Music with Patty & Larry Herd

Late Winter Edition is on the streets!

Thank you so much to everyone who came to our YAPPY HOUR event and made it a success!

A huge debt of gratitude to

FINBARR’S and their staff

Look for it around town or online at:

www.snowmasssun.com/insnowmass

for being such wonderful hosts.

We would also like to thank our sponsors:

www.snowmasssun.com 970-925-3414

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A S P E N T I M E S W E E K LY

F

Apr il 10 - Apr il 16, 2014

WORDPLAY

INTELLIGENT EXERCISE

by ANN EUSTON for HIGH COUNTRY NEWS

BOOK REVIEW

‘RETURN TO OAKPINE’ WELCOME TO OAKPINE, a fictional small town on Wyoming’s eastern plains where four high school pals reunite in 1999, after 30 years spent leading very separate lives. In his latest novel, “Return to Oakpine,” award-winning author Ron Carlson tells a moving but quiet tale about a group of regular guys who don’t say much to each other as they try to figure out where their lives have gone to so far and where they’re headed now.

Two of the characters have never left Oakpine: Craig, a secondgeneration hardware store owner; and Frank, proprietor of the Antlers bar and a novice microbrewer. Two are returning: Mason, a disillusioned Denver lawyer; and Jimmy, an accomplished New York City writer with AIDS who’s come home to die. In a subtle, bittersweet farewell

by PATRICK BERRY / edited by WILL SHORTZ

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AT TIMES

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Improvisational music Brick color Bibliographical abbr.

Indigenous people known for their tattoos NPR journalist Shapiro 1986 girl’s-name song by Boston “Catch-22” profiteer Minderbinder DuPont trademark of 1941 Clumsy pharmacist, at times?

Easily misled String section members Dressage rider, at times?

Smidgen Suffix with social ___ suit Maintain Grant for a filmmaker?

Indonesian tourist haven London ___ (British Ferris wheel) Reminiscent of Tucked away Some supplies for Hershey’s Overzealous sorts Old-fashioned barber, at times?

Missile launched at Goliath National Book Mo. Circus performer Kelly Inexperienced shucker, at times?

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69 70 71 72 74 78 82 83 84 87 90 91 92 93 95 96 97 100 101 102 103 106 109 110 114 115 116 117

A S P E N T I M E S W E E K LY

Low pair Out of fashion Subject of a van Gogh series Software user’s shortcut No-limit Texas hold’em player, at times?

People may be down on them TWA competitor Dual-sport athlete Sanders Answers that may anger Farmer, at times?

Unfettered Knowledge “Shall we proceed?”

Sleeping sunbather, at times?

Buyer’s final figure Spirits in Scandinavia New Haven alum Breaks down Stanford rival, informally Job everyone wants Sound at a horror film Florentine dynasty name “Cut that out!”

West African vegetable Double-handed cooking vessel Dieter, at times?

Fall stopper French : merci :: German : ___ Person getting out of a tub, at times?

Transpire Memo opener Detestable Something that may

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be amalgamated Manual parts?

Giants or Titans Porcelain purchase, perhaps As matters stand

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Entrance side Department Current location?

Brought to tears, possibly “Time’s Arrow” novelist Martin Took off Wedded Unconventional Person moving against traffic?

Bring on Go quietly Fully attentive Some hand-medowns?

Snowboard relative Polluted Asian lake Peridot color Vehicle on Mars Lifeless “Goodness me!”

Exudes Less humble One of four in “As I Was Going to St. Ives” Problematic roomie Sal of “Rebel Without a Cause” Lunch spot Thing that might decay Bearded comic strip bully Old cavalrymen Illustrations, e.g.

In need of spicing up, say

Apr il 10 - Apr il 16, 2014

-- --- .-. ... .

News analyst Roberts 46 Word on a clapperboard 48 Like some measuring units 49 Right away 50 It’s got problems 52 Valéry’s “very” 55 Disburse 56 Goes to court?

57 Offensive line striker 59 Melancholy 62 Flood residue 63 Ghostly 64 “The Ipcress File” star, 1965 66 “___ c’est moi” 67 Told stories 68 Way too thin 73 Not a single thing?

75 Blue 76 Diminish 77 Opposite of smooth 79 Take by surprise 80 Mud ___ (bottomdwelling fish) 81 Total bore 85 Slurpee flavor 86 Supermodel Heidi 88 Dress in fancy duds 89 Long-eared dogs, informally 90 Reshape 93 Fuerza Democrática Nicaragüense member 94 It’s played in ballparks 96 Viscous substance 97 PC platform of old 98 Ratify 99 The Harlem Shake or the Dougie 100 One of the Allman Brothers 102 Flick site?

9

‘Return to Oakpine’ Ron Carlson 272 pages, hardcover: $18.90 Viking Press, 2013

recognizable, making “Return to Oakpine” perhaps his most universally appealing novel. And as always in Carlson’s work, landscape plays a pivotal role: “Over everything in the West, the sky was purple at the horizon, blowing up to gray. It was a comic book version of a storm. ...”

While the book isn’t perfect — the women at times verge on stereotypes and Larry is occasionally a slightly too-perfect high school senior — Carlson employs his elegantly spare prose to tell a complete and satisfying tale in less than 300 pages.

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ACROSS

NOTEWORTHY

to Jimmy, the friends decide to reconstitute “Life on Earth,” their not-so-hot high school garage band, in order to enter a Battle of the Bands in nearby Gillette. The teenagers who still live inside their middle-aged bodies are deftly mirrored in Larry, Craig’s 17-year-old son.

In Oakpine, big events like divorce and death are dealt with matter-offactly. High school football, power tools, beer and adolescent love shake hands with busted-up marriages, frightening diseases and unresolved issues, painting an uncannily accurate portrait of “just folks” muddling through bewildering times. As one of the friends ruefully remarks, “You go along knowing, but when you do know, it still is a surprise.”

Instead of the ruined anti-hero loners who often star in Carlson’s stories, these men are immediately

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— Last week’s puzzle answers — 104 105 106 107 108 111 112 113

Expiration notice Fundamental part Modelist’s need Julio-Claudian dynasty ruler Attracted Horatian ___ Hamm of soccer Signal that replaced “CQD”

A S S O C

M A U R A

T G E M R T O

I N B A D S H A P E

B E T I M S E P P R I R A M I D O C D R I I S S T E T

N D T O S I S T I E N T M O K E W A R I B B L O O L O D S T E T I T E T O R U S S R T B A V E N U E D E S

E T T E

T W E R K

E T E A X O P A T R A M E B Y O O U E R R M A A T N O

N A S I C E N C E T H I N E N O R R E E D V I T I K E E E N W E S T A H U I N S N O T O O O M D D E A D B

B L O E C R S E A R T A Z S A G F T A B R I L O K R O S I C N G O I

C A U L K

C U T O F F N S O S T E A E R S S P A A M P S A P K A E L S E

D E C C A L A T V I A B O S O N

B A T O N A T O R Y R M O S T K C O O D A N L D E R O M E N S O O F A S R D U S T B E L T E L V E R S L L D A Y A I R S A S T E L I O A C R A L D I N E D J A N E I L L E R N O S E S

CLOSING ENCOUNTERS

IMAGE of the WEEK

by AUBREE DALLAS

April . 2014 Roaring Fork Valley A FLY-FISHERMAN CASTS A LINES ON GERBAZ WAY ON A RECENT WINTER DAY.

Have a great photo taken in or around Aspen? Send your high resolution images our way along with the date, location and caption information.

Send entries to jmcgovern@aspentimes.com

PINK

Shy, but sweet, 4.5month-old Australian Cattle Dog mix who gets along well with people and other pets. She came to us from New Mexico with her sisters who have since been adopted. She is such a sweetie--give her a chance. She loves treats and that brings her out of her shell.

MOWGLI

Sensitive, 2-year-old husky who was retired early from dog sledding because he suffers from seizures. Fine with people + other dogs, but nervous with new people.

Needs an understanding, loving home.

JACK

6-year-old domestic short-hair, tabby markings + white feet. He would do best in an indoor/ outdoor home.

Enjoys people. Very engaging. Must be ONLY pet.

OPEN 7am-6pm EVERY DAY 970.544.0206

YO YO

A behemoth 6-year-old domestic short-haired all-black cat. He would do best in an adult environment where he will be a great companion and mouser.

Gorgeous cat.

ZOE

This sweet, mostly blind, 9-year-old miniature Schnauzer female was turned in to the shelter because her owner was ill and could no longer take care of her. Very deserving of a home at this point in her life.

PAMELA

Beautiful, longhaired, black + white colored, 10-year-old cat.

Turned in due to a death in the family, she came to the shelter in October.

Members of her previous home have reported that she is good with people and other pets. Such a sweet cat.

AGUILLA AND LEA

Aguilla, Lea and their two siblings (since adopted) came to the shelter in early February from Texas where they were found abandoned. They are one-year-old Chiweenies (Chihuahua/Dachshund mixes).

Aguilla is super friendly and loving—full to the brim with kisses. Bounces around on your lap like crazy at first but then settles down for a nice back rub and scratch.

Lea is quite tall and pretty shy. Once you hold her she is fine and very affectionate. She is getting better every day as with gentle handling, she learns to trust people.

CLEO

Beautiful, friendly, soft-spoken 10-year-old Husky mix female. She is a retired sled dog looking for a loving home. She is very outgoing with people. What a cute face she has.

ROXY

Large, beautiful 9-year-old Sharpei/ Rottweiler/Hound mix. Not for the novice owner. Very protective of home.

Blossoms once she knows you. Will be great with responsible owner.

ALLIE

TIMBER

Soft-spoken, sleek, friendly, 10-year old Husky mix who gets along well with people and other dogs. She is a retired sled dog who deserves a comfortable, loving home.

SAM

4.5-year-old gorgeous Lab/Pit Bull mix female.

Such a sweet girl.

Allie is happy, friendly, affectionate and energetic.

Turned in because of housing.

Strong, energetic, black/white 5.5-year-old female Boston Terrier mix with a splash of Pit Bull—larger than a typical Boston.

Outgoing + LOVES people. Best as only pet.

Aspen/Pitkin Animal Shelter

101 Animal Shelter Road

◆

www.dogsaspen.com

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CHICKEN

Chicken is a gentle, timid, ten-year-old, retired sled dog who gets along well with other dogs. She is shy with people, and will require love and patience in order to slowly come out of her shell.

RONNIE

Sweet, affectionate, two-year-old Shihtzu mix who was released to the shelter so dirty, scared and matted that the groomer spent three hours grooming him in order to ultimately reveal a clean, beautiful, lovable mutt.

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35

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Ski-In/Ski-Out Montana Estate 4 acres in the serene & tranquil Big Sky area Ski-in/ski-out on Moonlight Basin 6 bedrooms, 6 full, 4 half baths, 16,113 sq ft Theater, rec room, sauna, steam room $27,000,000 $24,000,000 Furnished Larry Jones | 970.379.8757

Lives Like a Ranch!

An Unrivaled Experience Extraordinary new home offered in Aspen 6 bedrooms, 6 full, 4 half baths, 11,875 sq ft, 5+ acres, private yet close to town Panoramic rooftop living room with views $23,750,000 Furnished Doug Leibinger | 970.379.9045

Weiswood at Castle Creek

5 bedrooms, 6 full, 2 half baths, 9,160 sq ft Exquisite landscaping with pond & beach Neighboring Moore Open Space Bring your horses and snowmobiles $15,750,000 Penney Evans Carruth | 970.379.9133

4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, 5,064 sq ft 12 acres of manicured grounds Huge windows framing glorious views Just four miles from Aspen $8,995,000 Furnished Craig Morris | 970.379.9795 Maureen Stapleton | 970.948.9331

Mountain Zen Defined Majestic mountain setting with an English and Asian aesthetic 5 bedrooms, 6 baths, 8,963 sq ft Private, yet close to town and schools $21,000,000 Furnished Penney Evans Carruth | 970.379.9133

Elegant Glamorous Starwood Estate Lowest price per sq ft home in Starwood Beautifully remodeled, designer furnished, fully equipped, ready for occupancy A must see “wow” property Carol Dopkin | 970.618.0187 StarwoodHome.info

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Aspen | 970.925.6060 Snowmass | 970.923.2006 Basalt | 970.927.8080 Carbondale | 970.963.4536