Articles by Nancy

If you were asleep when 2011 rolled in, you have a chance to redeem yourself: this Thursday, February 3rd, Hutter Wholesale is hosting a fabulous shebang to usher in the Chinese New Year–and you’re invited. Hutter Wholesale started this tradition seven years ago with 70 of their customers, learning all about this traditional Chinese holiday as they went. Over the years, they’ve opened their beautiful showroom to the public for the celebration, and the partygoers just keep coming–attendance has grown up to 300. And for all of us here at CH&L, it’s no wonder: the festivity is one of our favorites year over year.

We hope you’ll join us and our friends at Hutter for the party. Plus, if you’re in the thick of a kitchen or bath remodel, you can mingle amid gorgeous hardware for inspiration…

The details:

Date: Thursday, Feb. 3^rd (Year of the Rabbit, 4709)

Time: 5 pm – 9 pm

Location: Hutter Wholesale, 815 South Jason St., Denver, CO 80223 (See map for location)

RSVP: Call 720-570-4488, ext. 25, or e-mail lefylonga@hutterwholesale.com

Test your knowledge of the Chinese New Year: Did you know…

• The Chinese New Year is the longest and most important of all traditional Chinese holidays
• On Chinese New Year’s Eve, families traditionally gather for an annual reunion dinner
• The holiday is celebrated in many countries and territories including Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Singapore
• Although it is not an official holiday in the U.S., the U.S. Postal Service often releases themed stamps to commemorate the Chinese New Year

We all know what’s been happening in the real estate industry over the past 18 months and needless to say, it hasn’t been pretty. You’d think that when talking with agents and brokers, the buzz would solely be about the challenges they’re facing. But after spending two days this week with Coldwell Banker‘s top producers at their Previews Retreat in Blackhawk, what I heard was quite the opposite.

Most of the Coldwell Banker realtors have been helping their clients buy and sell homes for many years, and over that time they’ve built exceptional relationships based on integrity, trust, expertise and professionalism. What I heard these experts talk about most was the friendships they’ve built with their clients. It wasn’t about them as agents…it was and continues to be, all about their clients and how they can best serve their real estate needs, even during challenging times.

Plus, they’ve made a concerted effort to stay atop the very latest social media services, strategies and solutions to help give their clients the most personalized service there is when it comes to buying and selling real estate.

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage has 14 offices with 1,115 sales associates serving the communities of the Denver area. They can help you out with residential and commercial brokerage, corporate relocation and mortgage services. There are also 22 Coldwell Banker Affiliate offices located throughout the state of Colorado with specialized brokers serving those communities.

In short, they’ve got you covered.

Last weekend, the Vail Mountain School hosted its 39th Annual Home Tour where more than 500 people (including yours truly) had the opportunity to “ooh and ahh” as we walked through seven exquisite private homes in Vail. The new Ritz-Carlton and Solaris Private Residences introduced a new, fresh, contemporary lifestyle with interior spaces appointed with state-of-the-art electronics, lofty ceilings, chef’s kitchens and windows framing the incredible beauty of the Vail Valley. By contrast, other mountain homes on the slopes opened their doors to the “lodge-like” warmth and inviting beauty of rustic wood floors, massive stone fireplaces, unique antler chandeliers, and rooms designed just for the skis and snowboards of family and friends.

In addition to enjoying the perfect backdrop of golden-leaved aspen trees and blue skies, Home Tour guests enjoyed a delicious luncheon catered by Larkspur Restaurant and served at the school by fifth-grade students. We were treated to an assortment of delectables – from jams to chilis to gourmet cakes and cookies from The Gourmet Pantry and afterwards attended a trade show of sponsors, in which Colorado Homes & Lifestyles has been proud to participate for the past several years.

As parents, we all want our children to have the very best education possible that will prepare them to contribute and succeed in an increasingly complex and demanding world. With all of the proceeds benefitting need-based tuition assistance for students at VMS, this event was a wonderful way to help them do just that. Kudos to the more than 350 parent/student/faculty and staff volunteers that made it possible!

It’s not every day that you walk into a store filled with such uncommon, unexpected and beautiful antiques and accessories that it brings back wonderful memories of simpler days filled with the warmth of home, family and friends. Old Glory Antiques at the Streets at SouthgGlenn did just that for me yesterday. Everywhere I looked, I found special pieces both big and small that would bring comfort and beauty into my home.

They’ve filled their store with a beautiful collection of both old and new furnishings, from across the country and abroad, that will help you create harmony and serenity in your home. You’ll find older items that have been salvaged and made into chic tables of reclaimed lumber and steel, and metal gear parts that now compose fabulous chandeliers. And within their cupboards and cubbies you will find old favorites: Gracewords flatware, Root candles, Local Wisdom cards, Waxing Poetic jewelry, gorgeous lighting from Cake and galvanized tin home décor pieces from Abode. As Holly, the owner, says, “Decorating is about creating a comfortable, nurturing environment that is a reflection of who you are and what you value most.” I couldn’t agree more.

It’s been a hot, hot summer and when those of us that live in Denver want to escape the heat, we think of a getaway to the mountains…Breckenridge, Vail, Aspen…lots of music festivals and cooler temps! But less than an hour’s drive from Denver, you can experience both cool breezes and world-class music at the Central City Opera‘s summer music festival. The second oldest annual professional opera festival in the country, Central City Opera continues to make history with three productions each year: one opera favorite, one American work, and one lesser-known piece.

Last Thursday night, a group of real estate brokers from Coldwell Banker Devonshire joined me for dinner at Kevin Taylor’s Rouge Restaurant in the historic Teller House, where the Central City Opera performs. No casino food for us; instead we dined on lightly smoked Berkshire pork chops, artichoke and haystack goat cheese ravioli, and for dessert, morello cherry crisp with toasted almond gelato…Absolutely exquisite food and service!

On to the opera house to enjoy Three Decembers–a powerful drama about a Broadway diva and her children that reveals the dangers of keeping family secrets. If you prefer comedy, fun and the can-can dance that evokes the days of Moulin Rouge, there’s still time to see Orpheus in the Underworld. And what opera-lover can resist one of the great classics…Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini. Don’t wait to buy your tickets; the last performance is August 7th. Click here for more info.

So the next time you want to “get out of Dodge,” head to Central City and enjoy the opera. And who knows, after the performance, if you’re game enough, you might even strike it rich!

Luan Akin, Master Gardener

You might think that the Denver Design District is just about finding beautiful furniture, accessories, fabrics, floor coverings, tile/bathroom fixtures and much more for the inside of your home. But since here at CH&L we know that the outside of your home is the introduction to the beauty found inside, we jumped at the chance to attend the DDD ‘s recent outdoor seminar, “Living Alfresco,” featuring Luan Akin, Outreach Ambassador for Tagawa Garden Center in Aurora.

Luan, who has served as master gardener in Douglas County for seven years and with KCNC TV Channel 4 for 30 years, was on hand to teach how easy it is to create stunning, professional-looking containers filled with plenty of spring and summer flowers. In addition to all of the great tips everyone learned in Container Gardening 101, attendees were offered free “speed-dating” consultations with three different designers to discuss decorating ideas/dilemmas, view their portfolios, browse the showrooms in the district or just ask questions.

Lucky for you, the Denver Design District (at 595 South Broadway) is open to the public. So stop by and browse 48 showrooms filled with thousands of the latest products for your home…inside and out.