Their rugs, hand-woven in places like Romania, Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, Nepal, India and China, are, of course, the true show-stoppers in the store (go here to check out the full collection). I also found myself drawn to this coffee table, which features a base that comes up through the entire table. Visiting the store is a must the next time you are in Steamboat!

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.

I’m partial to restaurants where the chef provides a little present to diners at the start, an amuse bouche, and Kelly started the meal off with an incredibly delicious beet and fennel soup served in a small Asian soup spoon. Accompanied by the savory olive bread, it set the tone for the evening.

My husband and I share the elk carpaccio – I had to, having seen the rave reviews she got for her beef carpaccio on last week’s show. The elk was really fabulous, but what sealed if for me was the spoonful of minty tabbouleh served on top.

The rack of CO lamb is great – feta, couscous, raita and eggplant caviar, all share the plate and work together instead of clashing.

And although we passed on dessert, the pleasant surprise of a root beer and peach homemade lollipop presented with our check capped off the evening perfectly.

I loved the food here, but be warned, prices are steep, in particular for the wines which are served in half glasses, full glasses, and carafes. A single glass of CA sparkling wine set me back $20, and I think my husband’s carafe of cabernet – about 2 glasses – rang up at well over $40. Still, it’s fun to dine in a celebrity spot, and I’m rooting for Kelly on Top Chef!

Wouldn’t it be great if that someone came from Colorado?

Go to Red Varden’s website for more details. And let us know if you’re chosen!

I really want to go.

If you want to go, too, check out GoWright.org for more information and to make your reservation.

P.S. I lived in Chicago for six years, and nearby Oak Park is a charming locale. I spent many a happy afternoon leading friends and family members along the walking tour of Wright’s homes, which fill the neighborhood.

The dining room in Wright’s home. How fabulous are those chairs?

One of Wright’s designs, now a private home in Oak Park.

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!

Here are a few things I’m admiring today…

These pretty custom silhouette necklaces from Le Papier Studio. I know silhouettes are everywhere, but I just love the idea of preserving my 15-month-old’s sweet profile in this way!

I could pretend to be sipping my coffee at a bistro table in Provence if I had these tea towels from Bochard.

(Ok, I admit that I’m crazy about tea towels these days. If you’re looking for a great–and inexpensive–way to add a bit of artistic flair to your kitchen, buy three tea towels with different but complementary styles and have them framed. Viola!)

So here’s another great source of French tea towels, particularly for wine-lovers among us. This company reproduces famous wine labels on tea towels. Tres chic.

These cards are the perfect gift for the font geek in your life. (Guilty as charged.)

And finally, how about this pretty vintage vase? Just makes me smile.

A new design group is in town that we want to introduce you to–the 15th Street Design District. Composed of a mix of architects, interior and kitchen designers, construction engineers, and web and graphic designers, this group has one thing in common: a knack for creative design. Located in one of the newer areas of Boulder (between Canyon & Arapahoe on 15th), this row of designers is community focused; rather than working apart in these competitive times, they’re uniting to create awareness of good design in Boulder. Last week, the team hosted their first (and certainly not last) “Design Walk” for the public (photos below). They described the event as a “beacon for artistic souls and creative minds,” and it was an opportunity for anyone and everyone to congregate, explore the various studios, discuss design and market trends, and explain the process of their work from start to completion. The event was such a success, the group is hoping to hold another open house this fall. Click here to visit their website, and get to know the members of the group:

sparn.com, studio3design.info, workshop8.us, candyshopboulder.com, sustainablybuilt.com, hmhai.com, samuelaustin.com, urbanweststudio.com, origingraphicdesign.com, treelineboulder.com, krdesignco.com, surroundarchitecture.com, mondorobot.com, bitshift.in, rpcarch.com, whiterockbldg.com

Spaghetti alla Nerano – in this simple and authentic Italian dish, the zucchini are slow cooked until soft then tossed simply with cooked spaghetti, lots of extra virgin olive oil, basil, and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

Zucchini Bread – your kids won’t even know there is a vegetable in there, and this is a great way to use those oversized vegetables. Cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out the spongy seeds down the center, then grate the rest – including skin – and use to make a quick bread. Here’s my recipe.

Shoestring Fried Zucchini – sinfully good! Shred zucchini and deep fry until crispy (which takes long than you think it should), drain, sprinkle with salt and enjoy.

Zucchini and Tomatoes with Cheese – saute sliced zucchini and tomatoes together until slightly soft, sprinkle with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and serve.

Cream of Zucchini Soup – click here for an easy recipe. Don’t be afraid to make a big batch because this freezes well.

Mock Apple Pie – if this sounds retro to you, it totally is. In this classic dish, zucchini stands in for apples, and once combined with other ingredients like brown sugar and cinnamon, you’d never know it’s zucchini. Recipes abound on the internet.

Zucchini Salad with Lemon and Feta – shred fresh zucchini and toss with lemon juice, some olive oil, and feta cheese. Greek inspired genius.

When all else fails, shred the cleaned zucchini and package it into small plastic bags to freeze. The thawed zucchini can be used throughout the year to make zucchini bread, cake, cookies or pasta sauces.

Planned events include:

WARHOLOVE: a juried open show
at Niza Knoll Gallery, 915 Santa Fe
Show runs August 6-29

Exploding Santa Fe
Inevitable After-Party
at Space Gallery, 9 pm-midnight
with Velvet Underground cover band, Sweet Nothin’

Canned Soup Drive
CORE New Art Space, 900 Santa Fe Drive

Everybody’s a Warhol: Photo Booth
at Anthony Camera Studio
900 Santa Fe Drive, Behind CORE
Put on the Warhol wig and glasses–bam–you’re Andy!

Andy Warhol Screen Test
Starring Justin Simoni as Andy Warhol
Get your 15 minutes of fame on camera!
Location to be announced

Andy Warhol Birthday Cake
at Boxcar Gallery, 554 Santa Fe Drive
Cake Cutting and Birthday Song at 8:30 pm

Andy Warhol “Geronimo” Posters
Limited Editions! at the Center for Visual Art
965 Santa Fe Drive

Andy Warhol Look-Alike Contest
Win Warhol-themed prizes!
Glovinsky Gallery, 800 W. 8th Ave.

Robots Decorated with Warhol Art
Gamma Two Robotics, 209 Kalamath

…and more events are being planned!

Admission is free and open to the public. For more info, go to DanaCain.com.