Have you ever heard of Mirabilis Jalapa? No? Me either. Perhaps maybe you have heard of them by their more popular name, “Four O’Clocks?” Still no? It’s okay, but there has got to be something magical about this four o’clock hour for a South American flower to take on this moniker, and for a Breckenridge ski run (and road) to epitomize it as well. Hold on, back to the flower for a minute. These “Four O’Clocks” are aptly named this because the flowers open in the late afternoon and stay open until morning. This Marvel of Peru pretty much does the opposite of what skiers on Peak...

My favorite event in Breck is the International Snow Sculpting Championships. Because my birthday falls during the building week or viewing week each year, watching the volunteers create the blocks of snow, seeing the sculptors’ visions emerge and checking out the finished sculptures have been part of my annual celebration for nearly two decades. As one of the lodging sponsors for this event, it’s quite a treat to get to meet the teams and to follow their progress as they create art from snow! This year we are hosting one the teams from Germany. Their sculpture, Metanoia, is guaranteed to be a highlight...

_________________________________________________________________ It is with a bit of a sniffle that we bid farewell to yodeling and lederhosen jokes.  And our fearless leader, Brigitte Rath, who once had the patience to try to teach me to say 'cutie' in her Austrian dialect, but I ran out of saliva on my second attempt. So, being the boss around here?  Well...let's put it this way... We're a rather, hm, interesting bunch.  And it takes a special kind of person to keep us in line.  One who isn't afraid to shred vacation requests when we get a little too rambunctious....

Breckenridge is still the place for you! When I moved here from Jersey in December '99 it was because I had visited and found the mountains absolutely spiritual. I felt I was home in a way I never had before. Mind you I will bust out my Inner Jersey Girl in a hot minute if you dare mention that ridiculous show about idiots when I tell you where I'm from. I have never met anyone who acts even close to anyone on The Jersey Shore.  And I have known some Italians.  Believe you me!  Ahem. But though I'll always be a Jersey Girl, Breckenridge is where I belong. Having worked at the Wedgewood...

Join us at the Wedgewood Lodge to view the Budweiser International Snow Sculpture Championships!  The sculptures will be under construction from January 27 - January 31, with judging to occur at 10AM on Saturday.  They will remain as long as weather permits until February 8.  We are currently running a special if you'd like to join us and see these beautiful pieces of work firsthand!  Book a reservation beginning on Sunday, February 1 or after and stay for two or more nights departing by February 6 and receive a 15% discount! This year, as we did last, the Wedgewood Lodge is sponsoring...

This week we had the distinct pleasure of meeting with Val, our rep with Summit Express, for some BLTs and chit-chat. Surprisingly, Sarah and I forgot to ask Val if she is a fan of the Walking Dead. Because Sarah and I? Are apocalypse obsessed. Just ask Joel at Charter Sports who stops by rather often to talk about skis.  And zombies. I'm sure Brigitte and Kate were relieved. Ahem, where was I?  Ah, yes.  BLTs.  And the awesome Val.  Seriously?  Val is great.  And we all had nice chit-chat, lack of apocalypse plan discussion notwithstanding. Oftentimes...

In fifteen years I've yet to go to the Post Office or the City Market without running into someone I know. Generally the number of people I run into would seem to be in direct correlation with the lack of effort I put into looking presentable that day.  Naturally.  A good friend of mine recently posted on Facebook that she loves living in a town where, upon realizing she had forgotten her wallet, she continued grocery shopping confident she would run into someone she knew who would spot her the goods.  And, of course, she did.  I've had many similar experiences.  My children...

I have been under contract to buy a house since August 26th of this year. It has been…something else.  Actually, it's always something else.  I gave them everything.  Pretty much anything I'd touched in the past six months that had a number on it.  Only to find out they needed something else.  An explanation of this $20 deposit, a picture of a dollar bill drawn by my eldest.  A side of fries.  You get the idea. For the record, I have not closed yet. It has been delayed twice since October 1st. Though, the other day I was reassured it will happen. The underwriting...

I have not ridden a bike much at all in the past twenty years.  The extent of my biking prowess is giving my all to keeping up with my seven and four-year-old on a jaunt around the block.  And, even the round-the-block jaunts find me a little wobbly.  When someone says, "Don't worry, it's like riding a bike," it gives me pause. So when an e-mail reached my inbox informing me that the front desk gals, of whom I am one, were going to be taking the Vail Pass Bike Tour with Charter Sports (because it's really a good idea to have some notion of the activities we are suggesting to guests...

Zube: All righty, let's see who has to be nice to who in the office today. *flipping to the horoscopes on the last page of the Summit Daily* Zube: Nice!  Four star day for me!  Oh, Beth, you're going to have a four star day, too! Beth: Great.  So we don't have to be nice to each other. *Brigitte strolls in* Zube: Brigitte, Brigitte, Libra.  Uh-oh.  Only three stars.  Beth, we have to be nice to Brigitte today. Beth: We always have to be nice to Brigitte.  She's the GM. Zube: Heh. This horoscope check?  Is a morning ritual.  Except on Sunday...