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Telluride's Palm Theatre brings live transmissions to local audiences from all over country and the world. On Feburary 4, 6 p.m., watch Garrison Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion" an HD transmission on the Big Screen, live from the Fitzgerald Theatre in St. Paul, MN.

For over 35 years, legions of fans have tuned in to Keillor's "A Prairie Home Companion" to be entertained by this armchair philosopher's low-key reflections, barbed insights, and trademark humor. Each week, "A Prairie Home Companion" is heard by more than four million listeners of every age, on more than 600 public radio stations across the country. One of them can be you. This broadcast features special guest Elvis Costello.(Walk in at 5:30 for a special peek behind the scenes and APHC trivia.)

03 February, 2010 /
[click "Play" to hear Melanie Montoya's conversation with Susan]

Telluride's San Miguel Resource Center hosts its 15th annual Chocolate Lovers' Fling Saturday, February 6, 7:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m., at the Telluride Conference Center. This year's theme: "The Love Boat," based on the eponymous ABC TV series (1977 –1986) about a ship's captain who moonlights as Cupid encouraging passengers to find romantic partners. The Fling is the SMRC's only major public fundraiser.


The San Miguel Resource Center and The Telluride AIDS Benefit fight a common misconception: Not in my backyard. In rebuttal, numbers from the Resource Center talk, muzzling the naysayers and providing hard reasons to support the non-profit's overriding objective: promote healthy, loving relationships  – that's why the Fling is scheduled so close to Valentine's Day – and put itself out of business by ending interpersonal violence in our greater community through education and support services.

02 February, 2010 /

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Chef Bud and Jenna Thomas

Telluride is always high. And we mean that in a good way. The town and its surrounding mountains range between 9,000 – 14,000 feet, great if you like skiing, hiking, parasailing, mountain biking, lots of sports, but challenging for basics such as breathing and cooking. Just ask "The Tomboy Bride," Harriet Backus.

In her memoir, Backus wrote  “'The Rocky Mountain Cook Book' became my guide, philosopher and daily companion.” One memorable Thanksgiving at their Tomboy cabin, the Backuses and friends sat down for what was sure to be the best meal of the year, only to find the bird still quite frozen.

01 February, 2010 /
[click "Play" to hear about "Name that Tune" from Baerbel and Ashley]

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2009 Name that Tune winners

Telluride's KOTO Community Radio was populist way before populist became popular all over again, thanks to Tea Baggers bagging headlines and screaming for attention on behalf of The Man on the Street.


Telluride's KOTO  is one of only about a half dozen radio stations in the country that is of, for and by the people: the station accepts no commercial advertising or underwriting. Twenty percent of KOTO's revenues comes from grants and the rest, a whopping 80 percent, from community-based initiatives and donations.
31 January, 2010 /


(photographer's note: Apologies to a few acts after intermission: my camera battery died halfway through the second part. Something about having shot nearly 600 frames. Sorry, it wasn't intentional.)

The highlight of Telluride's KOTO Community Radio's winter fun-raising campaign is always the annual Lip Sync contest. Rolling Stone red or slightly blue – as it often gets – the lips lived on Friday night, January 29 when KOTO radio hosted #25 at the Sheridan Opera House.

30 January, 2010 /
[click "Play" for Susan's conversation with Judith Michaels Safford]

Web1_book_graphic Telluride's Between the Covers bookstore welcomes debut author Judith Michaels Safford to town for a book-signing on Saturday, January 30, 5 – 7 p.m. Her memoir, "Don't Sell Your Soul: Memoirs of a Guru Junkie,"  is a story about some hard lessons learned and a life reclaimed.


In our society, the distance between first and second place is measured in terms of yards, not inches. It is the difference between winning and losing, gold and silver. We might remember who came in second in the World Series or Superbowl, but first place rains confetti and grabs headlines. Ditto in a family.

28 January, 2010 /
[click "Play" to hear Colin Sullivan's description of Billings' workshop]

L1000363 Susie X. Billings is one of the fine artists in the muscular stable of the Telluride Gallery of Fine Art. She is also a regular teacher at the Ah Haa School for the Arts, where she is offering an exclusive (only 8 participants/workshop) workshop in an exotic location: Billings' Zacatitos studio located in the coastal region northeast of San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, on the east cape of the southern Baja peninsula.


The two "Mixed Media Painting and Journal Workshops" takes place over six days and seven nights. The first runs from February 6  – 13 and the second, April 5 – 12. Home base is a beach home, but participants will be visiting nearby arroyos, gardens, and seascapes for inspiration.
27 January, 2010 /
[to hear Sasha Cucciniello and Colin Sullivan talk about "Reenactments" click "Play"]

IA sheridanrules They all get their 15 minutes of fame: Telluride legends and forgotten characters resurrected: prostitutes, skiers, miners and donkeys in "Inaccurate Reenactments, " a musical comedy commissioned by the Telluride Historical Museum and created by Sasha Cucciniello and her merry band of SquidShow Theatre thespians.

IAskiersandwhores "Inaccurate Reenactments" opened in Telluride in December to packed houses and hosannahs. The FREE encore performance is Thursday, January 28, at Telluride's historic Sheridan Opera House. Showtime is 8 p.m.

26 January, 2010 /
Mrs R 6 Editor's note: Telluride Inside... and Out welcomes a new writer to our pages. Tracy Shaffer is an award-winning playwright and actress, realtor and ass-kicker, who has worked in New York, Los Angeles, and the Denver Metro area. Founder of Thriving Artist Alliance, a member of the Denver Center Theatre Company, a Chameleon’s Stage Playwright, and mother to sons, August & Gabriel. Tracy has been to town to participate in Jennie Franks/Sparky Productions Telluride Playwright's Festival. She is about to star as Mrs. Robinson in an upcoming production of "The Graduate"  at Denver's Aurora Fox Theatre, 9900 E Colfax Ave, six miles east of the State Capitol in Aurora, Colorado. The show runs from February 12 – March 14. Show time on the weekends are Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. For tickets call (303) 739-1972 or visit www.aurorafox.org

Look for Tracy Shaffer on TIO for whatup in Denver.

A Cougar and Her Spots

by Tracy Shaffer

I’m in rehearsal, which is usually no big thing, but this time it’s for the iconic role of Mrs. Robinson in the upcoming production of The Graduate.

24 January, 2010 /
The Telluride Nordic Association: Fun Tour and Ski Race on the Valley Floor, Sunday, January 24.

File The 15km “Flat and Fast Race” starts at noon, Sunday. A team race also starts at noon: two skiers are invited to pair up and each ski one 7.5km loop. The “Flat and Fun Tour” begins immediately after those two races. The course is 7.5km.

The Fun Tour is a new addition to Telluride Nordic Challenge Race Series. The event is for skiers who want to enjoy a relaxed day skiing and socializing with other free-heelers without the pressure of a race. As TNA’s Nordic Director Midnite Scholtes explains:

 “I’ve had a lot of people over the years tell me they want to come out and race, but are intimidated by the idea of racing. Lots of communities have Fun Tours in which people can ski at their own pace and not worry too much about a race result. We hope the Tour will appeal to all of the region’s Nordic lovers, and become social, community event. At the same time, Flat and Fast is a great way for skiers to challenge themselves and compete. I know we’ll have racers in Telluride from out of town, so the competition should be strong.”
23 January, 2010 /