The Low Down at LoBar in Crested Butte

You may not be near an ocean when you are in Crested Butte,
but when your palette craves sushi,  LoBar is the place to
satisfy that craving!

LoBar serves Japanese, world-class sushi plus fantastic grill options.
As their sign posted out on the sidewalk of Elk Avenue says, there is truly
something for everyone (even American Idol wanna-be's on Thursday evenings
get to show off their singing talents with Karaoke).

 LoBar serves their famous "Crack Fries" which consists
of potatoes fried up, seasoned with parmesan cheese, salt,
 cracked pepper and white truffle oil...
Yep, I'm an addict!  

Tucked away at the bottom of the stairs, if you get the
sensation that LoBar feels like a nightclub, that's because
that's exactly how it started.  But then sushi was added
to their menu and a whole new popularity began at LoBar.

LoBar turns into a great place to hear
jazz music every Sunday night.

Get your groove on with a side of Sexi-Mexi Rolls at LoBar
starting every night at 5:00p.m.

And maybe add a Sake-Tini to quench your thirst!

But save the daylight hours for some great food from Karma.
Karma is a one-man show serving food from his "Momo Menu"
inside of LoBar.  The locals love Karma and his cuisine. 

Karma serves up a limited but oh-so-good menu
Monday through Friday from 11:00a.m. until 2:30p.m.
  (or until he runs out so you can bet your bottom dollar
Karma is not in the house until 2:30p.m. most days)!

This day I had the curried beef and potsticker combo.
See that little spoon holding some type of green sauce?
Well, that stuff is lethal so when Karma asks if you want
it spicy, unless you are made of steel, tell him you want
a spoonful on the SIDE!  A little of that goes a long way!
Best eight bucks I spent in Crested Butte!


And, who doesn't need a little good Karma these days!?!

www.thelobar.com
text your reservation for LoBar
at 970-209-5159
no reservations needed for the Momo Menu at lunch


   UNTIL WE EAT AGAIN....
 TRAVEL M GIRL

No Snow....No Problem in Crested Butte!

I just got back from Crested Butte, Colorado, a couple of days ago.  Although it is currently snowing in Crested Butte, when my family and I were there during Spring Break we experienced clear blue skies and high temperatures in the upper 50's.  Perfect weather for riding around in this convertible in this photo above.  Maybe not idea ski conditions but in Crested Butte that is not a problem!  It just opened up even more opportunities to do other things we love to do there!  One of which is to eat and I do mean EAT!  We didn't get to go to every restaurant we wanted to go to but we made a pretty good dent!

For 15 years our first stop has always been to Paradise Cafe on Elk Avenue inside The Company Store building!  It's only open for breakfast and lunch and we literally plan our arrival time into Crested Butte so that we can eat there.

My daughter's favorite is the "build your own" omelette because she definitely
wants a say in what's tucked inside of those fluffy eggs!  Plus, they are served with
their roasted potatoes that are crunchy on the outside and oh-so soft on the inside!

I was tempted by the "Potatoes Paradise" which combines
sauteed onions, tomatoes, mushrooms and green bell peppers that
are smothered with melted cheese and topped with two eggs
over easy.  All of that "yum" is topped over their skillet-fried
potatoes.  Oh how good it was!

Paradise Cafe is a small place so expect a wait, but it is so worth it!

My husband's favorite is their Migas which is spiced-up scrambled eggs
slathered in cheese,  onions, tomatoes, sausage and sour cream with a
scoop of refried beans on the side and soft flour tortillas to gather it
all up!   He is a happy man once he bites into this beauty!

My other daughter decided to go the healthy route with their
"Banana Split Sundae" which is a banana split down the
middle, covered in vanilla yogurt and drizzled with
granola and fresh fruit!  Just in case it was "too healthy",
she ordered a side of  scrambled eggs and sausage!

Their lunch menu is full of all kinds of good salads, burgers,
sandwiches, chili, soups and other things that will make you
smile!  And, while I typically don't eat at restaurants that have
multiple locations, I can't help but like where Paradise Cafe happens
to expand itself.....little pieces of paradise in Hawaii, Colorado
and Florida!  Now, that's smart!

My good friends were going to The Last Steep for lunch within a few
short hours after I had just eaten at Paradise Cafe.  I had left Paradise Cafe
swearing that I didn't need to eat the rest of the day but I couldn't resist a
fun lunch at Last Steep with some good friends!   I usually have a hard time
deciding what to order because they offer so many great items.  However,
my full stomach was determining what I should order....

I ended up ordering a special of the day which was a
Beef Curry Soup.  And, I couldn't resist their $5 Bloody Mary
offer which washed down that soup just perfectly.  And, as
full as I was, it was hard not to want to pick up that bowl and
lick it clean!  Needless to say, with a double-full tummy, a
nap was in order as soon as I could waddle over to the place
I was staying!


Check out where I continued to wine, dine and make memories in
tomorrow's blog!

TRAVEL M GIRL

Crested Beauty....

I just got back from Crested Butte, Colorado.  I have been in love with this place 

from the first time I laid eyes on this majestic place over 15 years ago!  Just check out

some of these photos I took while I was there!  If you think these photos look nice, 

you should see what it looks like in person!  

You are surrounded by beautiful peaks at every turn.

The famous "Butte" for which Crested Butte is named.

Over 60% of the trails are beginners or intermediate but Crested
Butte hosts more double black diamond trails than any other ski
resort in Colorado making it a great place for all skiing level abilities.

The small town of Crested Butte started as a mining town.

In 1961 the ski resort was built but the town has cherished its
history and maintained its quaint look.

Dusk near Crested Butte.

There are nearly 300 inches of snowfall annually and 1167
acres of ski trails in Crested Butte.

Even horses get a beautiful view in Crested Butte.

No matter where you turn, there is beauty to behold!

It's natural beauty alone is enough to fall in love with Crested Butte,
but there are so many other reasons to love this place!  I will highlight
some of my favorites for the next few days and it will be easy for you
to see why I am so hooked on Crested Butte!


Happy Trails!
TRAVEL M GIRL

Horsing Around on Skis!

  

Did anyone see Good Morning America on Tuesday morning? Cameron Mathison reported about a popular winter activity called "skijoring" which started in the Scandinavian countries centuries ago. 

It has now become the fastest growing dog sport in the world.

  Cameron reported from the Telemark Wilderness Lodge in Mason Township, Maine.  This lodge is located in Western Maine and borders the White Mountain National Forest providing stunning scenery.

Skijoring can be done with a dog or a horse.  Skijoring is popular with ranchers.

Skijoring is basically strapping on your skis and strapping a harness to a dog. You can actually use your own dog for this sport.  The dog must weigh at least 30 pounds so all of you with toy poodles are out of luck!

Once Cam got the hang of it with one dog, he then added another dog which provided more speed.

The Skijoring Championships are held each year in Whitefish, Montana.  People harness themselves to speeding horses and display jumps and tricks.  Wow!  What part of "crazy" do they not understand about that??  I'm a hazard when I'm just standing on ice and snow!  I just can't imagine strapping on skis to a speeding horse!

     Think of skijoring with a horse as water skiing except the horse is your boat providing all the power.

Obviously, a knowledge of keeping your skis parallel is a must while skijoring. A talent that I'm still mastering after all of these years.

                                  

Chances are you'll find me in this type of "horse power" along the trails!

For more information go to www.telemarkinn.com or www.newenglanddogsledding.com

Happy Trails!

TRAVEL M GIRL

Going, Going, Gone! The Short But Wonderful Season of the Ice Hotel...

When I say this may be the coolest hotel out there but it won't be around long, it's not an exaggeration!  It's the Ice Hotel.  You may have a hard time grasping this, but just visualize an oversized igloo.  But, not just any igloo!  Read along....

There are only three Ice Hotels in the world.  The original Ice Hotel started and Sweden, there is one in Norway and the only one to give you this beautiful nordic experience in North America is located in Canada.

The Ice Hotel (known as Hotel de Glace in Canada) is located just 30 minutes outside of Quebec City and was first built in 2001.  Each year the Ice Hotel is sculpted and built from scratch by well-known artists and sculptors in a mere five weeks.   Over 15,000 tons of snow and 500 tons of snow go into making this luxurious "igloo".  And, since it is totally rebuilt each year, you will never have the same experience no matter how many times you go.  It is usually open from the first week in January until the third week in March when warmer weather comes around and then mother nature naturally takes it down until it turns into a puddle.

There are 36 rooms and themed suites.  In the photo above the bed was carved like a sleigh which was led by ice sculptured horses and the walls were carved trees to resemble taking a sleigh ride in the forest. I wish I could show you a better photo of this, but I'm missing some of my photos which is killing me!

Each year artists are chosen to come in and design all of the rooms, the lobby, the reception desk, the bar,  the cafe, the chapel and the exterior (ALL made of snow and ice) so there are no two rooms alike and the entirity of the hotel has a whole new look each year.  The larger suites at the hotel boasts a fireplace while the largest suite has not only a fireplace, but it has it's own private spa.  Everything is made of snow and ice -- the chairs, the beds, the archways, the walls, the tables, the dishes and even the glasses you drink from at the bar.  When nighttime arrives, overnight guests are given arctic sleeping bags that are surprisingly comfortable and warm considering that you are sleeping on a block of ice!  Additionally, there is a sauna and spa that is open from 9:00p.m. until 9:00a.m. for overnight guests.

To keep the hotel and it's design intact, the temperature is kept at a cool 29 degrees, but since there is no wind, it is not as cold as you would imagine.

                       At night, the Ice Hotel illuminates in all of its glory.

My oldest daughter is that shadowy figure in the below photo.  Granted it's a pretty awful photo if you're trying to have a photo of a person, but it's a great photo to show off the chapel on the grounds.  Weddings are very popular at the Ice Hotel.  It is truly stunning as it is all made of ice and snow just like the rest of the hotel. The stain glass window in the photo below is painted ice.

Other activities include dogsledding, igloo-making, ice fishing, cross country skiing, skiing, and snow shoeing for hotel guests.

If sleeping on a block of ice doesn't float your boat, they do offer tours of the hotel during the day until 8:00pm. when they start letting guests back into their rooms.   Try to go right before dusk, because the lighting at the hotel is spectacular at night.  Day trip or overnight stay....it is a must!

An experience of a lifetime.  It's a magical wonder of what man can do with snow and ice.  It's the ultimate nordic adventure.  So unique and unforgettable.  To get more information on this ultra cool hotel go to www.hoteldeglace-canada.com  and make your plans before mother nature takes it away for another year.


TRAVEL M GIRL

Making Good Memories In Disney World

A trip to Disney World in Orlando is sure to be a memorable trip for you and your family but the last memories you want to take home are how long you stood in lines and which rides you weren't able to get to on the trip.  Recently, I received an e-mail from http://www.conceirge.com/ that I found invaluable when it comes to getting around Disney World.  They interviewed Susan Kelly who has a well-known travel agency called "Travel Magic". Here are some of her insights about making the most of your trip that I want to share with you.

PLAN A PARK STRATEGY:  Don't just run in and ride the first rides you see.  Some attractions are more popular than others, or have fewer FastPasses, so you will need to think ahead a little bit.  The best way to do this is to pick your five must-do's at each park, and think about which of those need a FastPass.  There are two key things to know about the way FastPasses work.  First, you can only get one every two hours -- anywhere in the park.  Second, the popular rides have a limited number of passes available each day,. so be strategic and don't go picking up FastPasses for the first rides you see.  The most popular ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios is Toy Story!Mania, and it's usually out of passes by 10:30a.m. so if that ride interests you, get your FastPass there first.

INCLUDE A FEW WEEKDAYS IN YOUR TRIP:  Avoid major holidays and weekends, when the parks are at their most crowded.  If possible, plan your trip to include a few weekdays.

USE THE SINGLE RIDER LINE -- IT'S SHORTER:  You can bypass the longer lines at Expedition Everest, Test Track and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster by entering through the single rider line.  You won't be seated with your travel party, but you are often nearby.

USE YOUR SMART PHONE TO NAVIGATE THE PARKS:  Apps such as Touringplans or Versaedge provide live feeds of actual wait times and FastPass return times.  It can save you tons of walking and help you with your overall park strategy.

SEE TINKER BELL:  If you stand on the bridge to Tomorrowland for the evening fireworks show, Wishes Nighttime Spectacular at Magic Kingdom, you can see Tinker Bell (yes, she is real) fly from one of the castle turets into Tomorrowland.  If you're watching from too far away, you'll just see a light, but if you're on the bridge, you'll see a real person flying.

See You Real Soon!
TRAVEL M GIRL