Month: November 2020

Want to take a family vacation to Sun Valley or Snowbasin?

New for the 2020/21 season, your Vail Resorts Epic Pass takes you even further. Denver families can take a road trip to explore one of Utah’s best-kept secrets with Snowbasin and the birthplace of North American destination skiing in Sun Valley. Snowbasin Snowbasin Resort is a perennial top ten for SKI magazine in categories like dining, service, lifts and grooming. Here’s how that translates: Snowbasin takes care of everything it can control, and Mother Nature does the rest. Snowbasin Resort is under an hour from Salt Lake City International Airport, but is also about 30 minutes from the historic and vibrant Ogden metropolitan area. This is a city with farm-to-table dining, great performing arts and museums, as well as a fervent love for outdoor recreation. It’s stunning to re...

There’s a pie queen delivering pastries all over Denver – with a side of drag

Martin Howard delivers pies as Chocolatina all over Denver. He calls it a “Party Package,” and it includes two pies, two quiches and one drag queen with a song. Baking is a little bit science and a little bit rock ’n’ roll  — at least it is for Martin Howard. “That’s another thing I like about being a chef — you don’t have to have serious hair,” Howard said, as he pressed pie dough into tins while tossing his pink-and-blue-streaked blonde hair. “I’ve never been one for serious hair. Party hair!” Howard is an award-winning pastry chef who moved to Denver from New York City about 3 1/2 years ago. When the pandemic hit in March, the baker, who was working at a catering company, had to start thinking creatively once events were canceled. “It’s just so up in the air this catering business,...

Colorado Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” is coming to your TV

The magical spirit of the season comes to life in this acclaimed production and beloved holiday favorite that sells out every year. Tune in to view this special presentation of Colorado Ballet’s The Nutcracker on Rocky Mountain PBS. Join Clara and her army of toy soldiers as they battle the Mouse King and journey to the legendary land of Sweets. Colorado Ballet’s The Nutcracker premieres on Rocky Mountain PBS on Thanksgiving at 7 pm. The Nutcracker is Colorado Ballet’s longest-running production and a beloved holiday tradition for countless families. The loss of ticket revenue from this single production is substantial. With the spirit of holiday giving in mind, we ask Colorado Ballet’s patrons and the general arts-loving public to consider making a contribution this holida...

The Best Black Friday, Thanksgiving Meals and Christmas Deals

This will be the first year in recent memory that I won’t be at a store on Black Friday. It will look different – not only have stores been offering some deals for several weeks now, but many stores also will not be pushing sales that bring in crowds of people en masse. But, that doesn’t mean that you can’t score some awesome deals.  Also, don’t miss the 12 Best Denver Restaurants for Thanksgiving Dinner (Dine-in and Take-out) in 2020 and 12 Denver Holiday Markets.  Some of the Best Deals. While I do tell you of these great deals – in our house, the best deal is always one that stays within your budget or are homemade. That being said, here are some of the best of the best. ·         Target – Family matching pajamas for...

Guide to Skiing Colorado in 2020/21: Updates, tips and COVID precautions for a memorable family vacation

As snow blankets Colorado’s high-country, Vail Resorts and Colorado Ski Country USA (CSCUSA) member ski areas are excited to welcome guests back to the slopes for the 2020-21 winter season. While many things in our lives are different, what guests have come to love about skiing and snowboarding will be refreshingly the same this season. The fresh, crisp mountain air and stunning scenery as well as the world-class terrain and world-class guest service Colorado is known for will be ready for guests to enjoy on a pair of skis or snowboard this winter. Over the summer and fall, Colorado’s ski areas have been tirelessly working with local and state officials to prepare for the 2020-21 winter season.  Guests should visit ski area websites, social media and other channels to ensure the...

A cancer diagnosis and the man who changed our lives forever #givethanks

My husband Jamie had recently graduated from college and had started his own consulting firm when a lump starting forming on his neck. It disappeared after a week but night-sweats and flu-like symptoms emerged. And then the lump returned.   He tried a few home remedies to no avail and finally sought medical attention. After Jamie described his symptoms, the doctor said, “I think it could be either mono or cancer. And I don’t think it is cancer.”   He was wrong.   Jamie was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease, cancer of the lymph nodes. When detected early, the survival rate is 80%. Like all cancers, a later-stage prognosis is deadly. He was single, without insurance and living in Utah, far away from his family.   His doctor told him to apply for Medicare. He was initially ...

A Way to Give Back While Staying Home This Holiday Season

As we continue to think of new ways to celebrate and come together this holiday season, the act of giving back to our community feels even trickier. However, families can volunteer together in their own homes by decorating meal bags for the local non-profit, Project Angel Heart. Decorating meal bags is a great way to introduce kids to the ideas of volunteerism and philanthropy. Project Angel Heart, a Colorado-based agency, prepares and delivers medically tailored meals to people living with life-threatening illnesses. Each week, their professional chefs and registered dietitian prepare thousands of meals, from scratch, and tailor them to meet the medical and dietary needs of those who are ill. Project Angel Heart generally uses about 1,600 meal bags every week...

Colorado Gift Guide: 75 Best Gifts for 2020

Updated: See our Holiday Gift Guide: 50+ Unique Colorado Gift Ideas for 2021.  If loved ones can’t come home for the holidays this season, send a bit of Colorado love to them. Destinations across the state have launched “shop local” campaigns and this year, shoppers can find a campaign near them on a shareable map presented by the Colorado Small Business Development Center and the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. Communities across the state, from Limon to Durango and from Snowmass to Fort Collins, are taking part in a shop local campaign, and each community offers a variety of local holiday gift offerings.  Why shop local? Shopping locally is one of the best ways to help Colorado’s economy during the pandemic. In fact, when shoppers buy $100 local...

Creating Your Own At-Home Fitness Class

A recent report showed that nearly 60 percent of Americans say they don’t plan on renewing their gym membership once the COVID-19 pandemic passes, proving that the at-home workout craze is more like the new standard than a fleeting fad. We’ve seen the digital and home-based fitness market explode right before our eyes in the past several months, with more options and alternatives than ever before. That’s great, of course, but for many of us, all the choices can also feel a bit overwhelming. Miss Fitness Classes? Us, Too On top of that, if you’re one of the many millions of Americans who find working out as part of a group to be the most enjoyable and motivating, you may feel quite uninspired with just your jump rope and laptop in the living room. Others feel that classes are the easiest wa...

Pandemic Parenting is No Joke

Pandemic parenting’s no joke. But there’s still little bits of gold in this dark mineshaft that COVID has forced us into. That mineshaft – our world – is smaller now. With less in the outside, we’ve turned inward, toward the people we live with. It can be as intense as an overstuffed oven. I’ve had a parent-kid conversation that started talking about koalas that ended in a screaming match that might’ve set off the Richter scale. And there is no “new normal.” One “new normal” would’ve been great. We’re on like our fourth or fifth “new normal” at this point. I still remember March when our daughter came home with her entire bag stuffed with all her schoolbooks. Not lots of school books. Not most schoolbooks. All her schoolbooks. Watching her nearly buckle under that enormous load was all the...

Boulder’s 10 Best Field Trips for Remote Learning, Pods and Homeschooling

When I moved to Colorado 17 years ago, I explored the Front Range in the most memorable way possible: I joined a hiking club for moms. I’ll never forget the first time we met our group in Boulder up at Chautauqua, just 1.5 miles from downtown Boulder. With the Flatirons as a dramatic backdrop, 48 miles of hiking trails, a charming restaurant and the acoustically-renowned Chautauqua Auditorium, I knew this place was something special. I have spent the past several years exploring the many things to do with kids in Boulder–from education programs to science field trips to shopping. With so many Colorado families turning to remote learning, pods and homeschooling, Boulder is a fantastic place for science, math, biology, geology, geography and, of course, PE field trips. Don’t want to ve...

Deals: #PackedWeekend dog fun, Thanksgiving meals and more

In 2020, having a video call with Santa is next to as good as sitting on his lap – less the long lines, no traffic, no stress and totally safe! Park Meadows and Southwest Plaza are offering JingleRing. I have noticed more and more people putting up their Christmas decorations early this year and settling in for a Hallmark movie marathon. Are you set for the holidays yet? Is your space decorated already?  ThePackTV premiere on @Prime Video with #PackedWeekend dog-centric experiences. Celebrating the bond between human and dog in a new adventure series hosted by Lindsey Vonn, Prime Video introduces The Pack. And, beginning Friday, November 20th, businesses will offer giveaways, discounted or free services, surprise pup-grades, and gifts with purchase throughout PACKED WEEKEND!  Be ...