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by Theodore Hamm Thursday, May 15, 2008 Review By Dinesh Ramde, Associated Press Writer
Political historians face two obligations: to describe facts accurately
and to interpret nuances impartially. The slightest hint of bias can
subvert even the most accurate accounts. Full Story »
by Drew Stofflet, Time Out Wine Columnist Thursday, May 15, 2008 It didn’t come as a surprise recently when I ran across more confusion
amongst the masses over the touchy subject of Chablis. Are we still in
the shadows of those dark days when everyone’s parents kept a jug of
“it” on hand for everyday use? Or have legions of new-world chardonnays
confused us even more; some just oozing with oak-induced and buttery
flavors, while other, newer styles are now touted as “naked,” the
latest hip term in ‘unoaked’ wine-speak?
Even with all this buzzing in the modern era of winemaking and
wine-consumption, vignerons in Chablis, France, have quietly been
making benchmark styles of chardonnay like they have done since the
year 1114, when Cistercian monks planted the first vineyards. The
climate is varied, with hot summers and cold winters, with the
possibility of harsh frosts. The vines cling to hillsides with
southwest exposures to achieve ripeness, growing in kimmeridgian soils
of limestone, clay and crushed oyster shells from an ancient sea-bed.
The wines produced were old world: layered fruits, richness, acidity
and minerality. They were very reflective of terroir. But Chablis was
always overshadowed by the wines of the Côte de Beaune, to the
southeast, in the heart of Burgundy. More importantly, in recent times,
between 1885 and 1960, the phylloxera louse nearly destroyed the
Chablis’ wine industry. And during this time, Americans saw the
invasion of the “Chablis Jug.” Now recovered, Chablis has only just
re-emerged onto the world market and thus is only vaguely known to all
as a reliable producer of chardonnay. With new vines and modern styles,
the region can almost be considered new world. Full Story »
Aspen Daily News Staff Report Thursday, May 15, 2008
by Curtis Wackerle, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer Thursday, May 15, 2008 “Local” is a title one must self-apply carefully around these parts.
Everyone knows you are not a local — no matter how long you’ve been all
up in the 81611 — if the person you are talking to has lived here
longer than you. But I’ve also heard you are not a true local until you
have moved away from Aspen and come back at least three times.
“Local” is like a badge of honor in Aspen and other western mountain
towns. Locals are allowed to self-righteously pat themselves on the
back knowing they are cooler and totally have it going on over those
other people out there. When tourists pop the question on the
chairlift, “Are you a local?” even a seasonal luggage monkey fresh off
the RFTA bus has to smile on the inside while responding “yes.” Full Story »
by Jason Hood, Time Out Music Columnist Thursday, May 15, 2008 It is never a bad idea to kick off a sound check with copious amounts
of eardrum-demolishing feedback. The sound of an amplifier screaming in
frustration is the perfect tone to set for a rock ‘n’ roll show. So it
was a good thing that when the darlings of Riverside, Calif., The
BellRays, took to the stage for their pre-show warm-up, power chords
and feedback were suddenly the rule of the day.
After nearly two decades of almost constant touring, The BellRays seem
to approach the sound-check process as a matter of course; something
like brushing your teeth when you get out of bed in the morning. It is
all the same tedious sound level teeter-totter and tuning of guitars
punctuated by a drum roll and a cymbal burst. It is all the same, that
is, until Lisa Kekaula walks onstage. Full Story »
by Damien Williamson, Time Out Staff Writer Thursday, May 15, 2008 For its lucky 13th presentation, Gottlieb Bartley Productions, the
midvalley-based, youth-focused theater company founded in 2005, is
bringing the classic story of “Beauty and the Beast” to the Wheeler
stage.
And there’s something about an all-kid production of a fairytale that just makes you smile. Full Story »
by Christine Benedetti, Time Out Staff Writer Thursday, May 15, 2008 It’s tough enough for adult local musicians to find venues to play in
this valley, and for teenagers, that hunt is even harder. The schools
have (shrinking) music programs, and fairs, jam nights and even finding
an empty shed in which to practice are few and far between.
That’s why Battle of the Bands organizers Dan “Pastor Mustard” Sadowsky
and Chris “Biff” Phillips are hosting their 10th annual version of the
event to make sure funds from the six-hour music smorgasbord go back
into the schools to subsidize what this duo calls “anemic music
education.” Full Story »
Aspen Daily News Staff Report Thursday, May 8, 2008
Aspen Daily News Staff Report Thursday, May 8, 2008
by Robert Wallace, H. Keith Melton, Henry R. Schlesinger
Review By CARL HARTMAN, AP Book Critic
Full Story »
by Drew Stofflet, Time Out Wine Critic Thursday, May 8, 2008
On a shimmering, sunny day earlier this week I traveled west over
McClure Pass toward Paonia, to the North Fork Valley, for a meeting
with West Elk area winemakers to tour their vineyards and wineries, to
taste their wines and to hear their stories.
Through my assistance at the Woody Creek Winery for the past few
seasons, and through tasting some of the area’s wines, I already had a
lay of the land and a sense of things. I’ve heard that before the Great
Depression, the North Fork Valley had the highest concentration of
grapevines in the world. And I have heard that there are 135-year-old
Portuguese vines growing on hillsides somewhere. But this tour put
things into a much clearer picture. I was able to see the continuity
and community that the area winemakers share. They all have an
attachment to storied properties with stunning views. It is quiet. And
they have small, modern wineries that produce wines to match that
spirit.
Full Story »
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Weather Current: 53° Pleasantly warm | |
Horoscopes
- Aries
 - Taurus
 - Gemini
 Your creativity emerges, and you find a reason to take off early. After
resolving an issue that could be quite challenging to some, you feel
free and that you can relax. The only question you need to answer is,
Why not? Tonight: Christen the weekend well.
- Cancer
Basics count. You feel as if many possibilities evolve that might not
normally. If you want, take the time to explore an option. Your sense
of commitment could carry you through a rough period or two. Tonight:
Finally, time for you and your loved ones.
- Leo
- Virgo
You might want to defer to someone else. Your clarity and directness
could determine the end results of a key or business discussion. Trust
your judgment, especially if faced with a problem or hassle. Tonight:
Postpone some shopping, if possible. You might regret your decisions.
- Libra
- Scorpio
- Sagittarius
- Capricorn
- Aquarius
You might want to rethink a decision. Tap in to your avant-garde
thinking, and you'll see many possibilities that could work. If you are
moving forward and breaking new ground, don't abandon the conventional
either. Tonight: Balance your checkbook before you take off.
- Pisces
Your unpredictability doesn't help you move in new directions. Others
might offer a partnership or an agreement. Still, if you cannot
stabilize, you won't be able to run with the offer in question.
Tonight: Follow another's suggestion.
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