Art Scene

Aspen Summer Words-Writing Retreat & Literary Festival

The Aspen Writers’ Foundation and Explore Booksellers will present Salman Rushdie with the Aspen Prize for Literature during the AWF’s 2008 Aspen Summer Words Literary Festival: “Passage To India,” held June 22-26 in Aspen. Rushdie will headline the 32nd annual celebration of words and ideas that will honor the contemporary stories and storytellers of India.

Rushdie and his peers — Anita Rau Badami, Amit Chaudhuri, David Davidar, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Indu Sundaresan, Manil Suri and Dr. Shashi Tharoor — will bring the literary terroir of India to Aspen, discussing the themes of identity and language, gender, caste, diaspora and exile that have been a focal point of much Indian fiction. They will join 19 other award-winning authors, agents and editors from the U.S. in 15+ literary events and parties held over the course of the five days of Aspen Summer Words.

“As the home to 216 languages and the ancestral home of some of the world’s oldest literary texts, we are thrilled to celebrate India and honored to bring to Aspen some of the biggest names in Indian writing,” said Lisa Consiglio, executive director of the Aspen Writers’ Foundation.

ASPEN PRIZE FOR LITERATURE
Salman Rushie, winner of the 2008 Aspen Prize for Literature, is widely considered to be both the father of contemporary English-language Indian literature and one of the finest living novelists today. He is the author of ten novels, including The Enchantress of Florence; Midnight’s Children, which won the Booker Prize; and The Satanic Verses, which won the Whitbread Novel Award and famously lead to accusations of blasphemy against Islam and subsequently a fatwa against the author. Despite being self-exiled, he continued to write and publish books, including novels, a children’s book, essays, criticism, short stories, theatrical adaptations, and a travel narrative. The Aspen Prize for Literature is sponsored by the Bedell World Citizenship Fund. Read more »

Around Town

Aspen Cycling Criterium

Saturday, May 18, 2008 - Criterium format road bike race on closed city streets of Aspen. Start 9am at corner of Monarch & Hyman.

Cost is $20 for pre-registration and $30 for day of registration. You can register online at www.active.com, in person at the Aspen Recreation Center or the Red Brick Recreation Center, or by calling 970-920-5140. Pre-registration on active.com ends Friday May16th at Noon, at 5:00pm Friday May 16th at the Red Brick Recreation Department and Saturday May 17th at 5:00pm at the Aspen Recreation Center.

More Information HERE

Eating Out

A Taste of Winter-Aspen Colorado Dining

Don’t miss A Taste of Winter coming Thursday, December 6 from 5-8pm at the Inn at Aspen. Invitations will go out on Monday to all VIP Keyholders.

Once again, this private trade show and winter celebration will bring together 600-800 guest service professionals and 75 exhibitors for a taste of what the Roaring Fork Valley winter season will offer in dining, recreation, arts, events, services and more!

If you have new guest service professionals to add to our VIP Keyholder list then please e-mail info@conciergeguide.com with the names, titles and e-mail addresses so that we can send them an invitation.

If you have not sent us your calendar listings for the winter, please e-mail them to info@conciergeguide.com and we will add them.

Looks like it’s going to be a great winter! THINK SNOW!

Shopping

Toklat Gallery – Shopping in the Roaring Fork Valley

The Toklat Gallery, which is nestled in Basalt, Colorado, brings to the public beautiful and exquisite hand crafted art. This art is brought to the Toklat Gallery by local artists, as well as those that have an appreciation for creating in the style of Native American art. The Toklat Gallery is a quaint and attractive gallery that is open to the public for their shopping pleasures.

All of the items that are offered at the Toklat Gallery are handcrafted; many people are encouraged to come to the gallery so that they can look at the merchandise that is offered first hand. Gorgeous and very details items, such as hand carved wood furniture are for sale at the Toklat Gallery. The Native American theme is highly present in the Toklat Gallery, as they are indigenous to the Colorado lands, the majority of the works that are presented at the Toklat Gallery have a Native American theme. Items such as handcrafted bowls, jewelry, rugs, furniture, paintings, and glass pieces line the shelves, walls and floors of the Toklat Gallery.

The special items that are for sale at the Toklat Gallery make unique gifts or treasured art pieces. The gallery takes pride in selling only the finest selections, which adds to the charm of the gallery. Making a field day out of visiting the Toklat Gallery is often in order for those that are visiting the area. Residents of the Roaring Fork Valley already know what a cherished gem they have in this local shopping favorite, the Toklat Gallery.

Justin Stewart, Contributing Editor