Inside Tent with a View Zen and the Art of Orchard Maintenance Mountain Town, Penthouse Living

sheltertelluride’s home & living magazine

inside tent with a view zen and the art of orchard maintenance mountain town, penthouse living

A Watch Newspaper publication

cover.indd 7 6/21/10 9:00:05 AM Peter B. Lundeen, Architect 164M Society Drive Telluride, Colorado 81435 970.728.0841 [email protected]

Shelter_summer_2010_ar.indd 2 6/21/10 9:03:04 AM contents

features departments

tHE AccIdENtAl orcHArdIsts Products Falling in Love (With a Piece of Land) Love Objects By Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer By Anne Reeser Page 12 Page 10

lINdAl HomEs Go modErN GrEENHousE Good Design With a Minimalist Flavor The Latest in Green By Jessica Newens By Jessica Newens Page 24 Page 21

lIFE IN A tENt Food ANd WINE A Summer on Hastings Mesa Ode to a Tomato By Karen James By Diana Conovitz Page 30 Page 40

smAll-toWN PENtHousE lIvING Living Vetically Parties to Remember By Deb Dion By Marta Tarbell Page 37 Page 46 come visit masthead shelter Publisher www.SchillingStudiogallery.com Seth Cagin

editor art Marta Tarbell CoPy editor Jessica Newens

Creative direCtor Anne Reeser

designers Cecily Bryson, Barbara Kondracki

Photo editor Brett Schreckengost

Contributors Dianna Conovitz, Deb Dion, Karen James, Jessica Newens, Anne Reeser, Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer

advertising direCtor Patrick Nicklaus

ouray & Montrose Counties sales 4 Peggy Kiniston

CirCulation Scott Nuechterlein

on the Cover Watch Newspapers Senior Reporter Karen James and her husband, Trevor, own four dwellings. “I guess you could call us the king and queen of small,” jokes Trevor about the couple’s holdings – a 475 square-foot apartment in Manhattan; a 350-square-foot cabin in upstate New York with a wood-burning stove and no plumbing; a 378-square-foot Telluride condo- hotel room and now their campsite on Hastings Mesa, with its new190-square-foot cabin, designed and built by Trevor, an introducing new artists: architectural designer. Story, page 30. charles thysell bob maes william Zinanti

studio Shelter is published twice a year by Watch Newspapers, a publication of The schilling Slope, LLC, P.O. Box 2042, Telluride, Colorado 81435. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. To advertise in Shelter, call 970.728.4496 ext. 31. For editorial inquiries, please gallery email [email protected]. - an environmentally responsible gallery - offiCes: 125 West Pacific Ave., Suite 2B in the Diamondtooth Building, 151 south pine street | telluride, co 81435 | 970.728.1345 Telluride, Colorado 171 North Cora, Ridgway, Colorado 150 years ago, a trusted guide would lead you to treasures in these mountains. Telluride Properties continues the tradition.

Lot 353, Rocky Road 300 Old Butterfly Road Dalwhinnie Ranch 200 Deer Park Lane Mountain Village Telluride Ridgway Telluride Ski Ranches Reduced over 35%, alpine Don’t miss this classic and Designed for gathering family A charming and utterly privacy abounds on one of handsome newer log home and friends, Dalwhinnie is classic log home, upgraded the last available estate- with easy highway access, situated on 60 acres along in 2005, on a prime and sized lots atop Telluride’s only 12 minutes from the the Uncompahgre River private Ski Ranches lot with Mountain Village. To the ski slopes and 17 minutes with captivating views to the that Wilson Peak View, this west lies direct ski access to to downtown Telluride. San Juan Mountains and house is offered with most the Marmot Ski Run, and the Perched on a private 35- Ouray’s Box Canyon Peaks. of its lovely furnishings. incredible sunny ski slopes acre knoll, with 270° views Equally close to Telluride’s Get ready to move in to of Telluride. An exclusive from Bald Mountain, the skiing, and the convenient this traditional mountain forest drive will lead to the Saint Sophias, to Sheep Montrose airport, this retreat with a real wood- magnificent Saint Sophia Mountain, this home has the elegantly designed home was burning fireplace, and large and Dallas Peak views, all quality finishes you expect expanded from an imported entertaining decks, for your secluded in a serene, almost and is being sold ‘’turn key’’ 250 year-old timber-frame instant get-away in Telluride. 2-acre, park setting. for your immediate access. barn to 8400 sf, with a Reasonably priced at discerning eye for detail and Seller still motivated at Asking $3,550,000 history. $1,795,000 $1,595,000 Price reduced almost 25% to $7,360,000

Gimme Shelter In a World Gone Wrong, There’s Comfort In Scaling Back

As I write this, the oil well ary, and Hollywood royalty spill from hell is still gushing; the (DJ Master Frank, anyone?) U.S. remains at war in two re- mixes with Telluride citi- source-rich countries and narco- zenry and fans (“Parties to states proliferate at an alarming Remember,” page 46). rate on several continents. Watch Special Sections And as I read the final ver- Editor Jessica Newens takes sion of this 14th edition of Shel- us behind the scenes in the ter magazine before it heads to haute-pre-engineered (and press, I notice a tone I can only pioneering green) world of attribute to the small-is-beau- those iconic red cedar mid- tiful ethos that resonates in its 20th century Lindal Cedar 6 pages to our increasingly inse- Homes, bringing us up to cure times. date on the company’s bold Two stories hearken back to a new cutting-edge direction time when we ate what we grew that embraces modern ar- – Diana Conovitz’s “Ode to the chitecture, page 24. Tomato,” page 40, about why Deb Dion, who lives and she craves cultivated-with-love heirloom tomatoes writes from tiny Norwood, Colo., contemplates the even more than pedicures and Bulgari, and Rose- fusion of urban and mountain-town living (“Big merry Wahtola Trommer’s “The Accidental Or- City Lifestyle in a Small-Town Penthouse,” page chardists,” page 12, in which she shares just a few 37), after a tour of the well-ordered “skyscraper” of the life lessons she and her husband Eric have penthouse lifestyle (complete with a flourishing, learned bringing their Delta County organic fruit wraparound garden) of hoteliers Michael and orchard back to life over the last ten years. Irina Zivian, on the top floor of Telluride’s Ice Watch Newspapers ace reporter Karen James House Hotel. chronicles her summer of 2009, spent “camping” In a town at nearly 9,000 feet in elevation, as on Hastings Mesa – in a tent resplendent with a Dion reminds us, height – like luxury, like the per- queen-sized bed, antique armoire and sofa, and fect tomato, like the line between self-expression the warmest duvet that money could buy – in a (custom) and efficiency (prefab) – is relative. style more Out of Africa shabby-chic, with luxuri- ous wildlife immersion and mountaintop views, than, say, Backpacker Magazine, in “Life in a Tent,” page 30. Shabby chic has its day in the party-perfect backyard of Telluride bon vivant Rosie Cusack, as well, where fiery-red Design Within Reach lawn chairs share space with their rusting vintage forebears, Cusack’s treasure trove of “pope Editor, candles” and a chalkboard for games of Piction- Marta Tarbell

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Mike Shimkonis, Broker I [email protected] I 970.708.2157, Cell 237 South Oak Street I Telluride, Colorado 81435 I TellurideAreaHomes.com contributors

Deb Dion Freelance writer Deb Dion, who lives with her husband, Blake, their daughter Cricket and soon-to-be-born son in a funky two-bedroom bungalow south of Norwood’s main street, takes readers on a tour of Ice House hoteliers Michael and Irina Zivian’s personalized penthouse garden apartment that hotel staff Karen James takes charge of when they go traveling, What Watch Senior Reporter Karen which they’re perfectly set up to do for James doesn’t tell readers about her about one-third of every year. summer 2009 “Life in a Tent” is this: Diana Conovitz She kept a toaster and blow-dryer Like any good explorer, Diana Cono- stashed away at the office. But oth- vitz knows her history – and, most par- erwise, she and her husband Trevor ticularly, the weird, wild and wonderful relished their summer in the sagebrush history of the heirloom tomato. She and scrub oak on Hastings Mesa, takes us into the cult of this cultivar, shared with bugling elk, yipping coyotes at risk today of being bioengineered – and a can of pepper spray, just in case into blandness by genetic-modifying, the bear that pilfered supplies (including industrial-style agriculture, and why 270 dog vitamins, hummus and organic she’s happy to wait in the long lines peaches from the outdoor kitchen ven- that form in front of the Moab Tomato Anne Reeser tured into their canvas stronghold. Man’s stand to pay $6 and up for his Creative Director Anne Reeser is Watch heirloom tomatoes. Newspapers’ secret weapon in the war to keep from looking like a newsprint shopper or a tabloid magazine, and in 8 this issue’s Love Objects, we begin to understand how she does it. New baby, dark and cramped apartment – no problem. With everything from a coffee table-cum-loveseat to a gallery of decal artwork she can move around on the wall to reusable bags that are equal Brett Schreckengost parts low-cost and high-style, she is Watch photographer Brett Schrecken- Jessica Newens slowly designing a perfect space capsule. gost equally at home running rapids or Watch Special Sections Editor Jessica skiing powder as he is in his cleverly out- Newens visits Certified Lindal Ce- fitted miner shack’s streamlined kitchen. dar Homes Dealer Brent Hughes, in He cooked dinner there recently, using Montrose, and falls in love with the “leftovers” from two food-related photo company once she realizes a client assignments for this issue. On the menu can forego the iconic Lindal prow for Chez Schreckengost (for Brett and his straight clean lines and low-angle roof- wife, Corinne): Grilled elk tenderloin lines with their very modern, very cool (from the elk he shot last fall), perfectly Turkel Design and Modern A-frame complemented by an heirloom tomato, homes. If only her editor’s salary could Rosemerry Wahtola organic pear and arugula salad. afford her to plop one down in place of the home she shares in Norwood with Trommer her husband Joel and three-year-old Western Slope poet Rosemerry Wah- daughter Fiorella. tola Trommer takes us deep into life in her Delta County organic fruit orchard, where she and her husband Eric changed course more than a decade ago, after falling in love with a piece of land that happened to be an orchard. She chronicles, in self- revealing prose and haunting, mind- expanding poetry, just how they came to terms with their destiny – to be at one with the elements and the land and the harvest – in a whole new role, as organic fruit growers. BEAUTIFUL CRAFTSMAN STYLE HOME IN TELLURIDE BRAND NEW CUSTOM HOME IN A GREAT LOCATION 5 bedroom home located in one of town’s most desirable settings; Directly adjacent to the river and only steps from the gondola, this many high-end features and custom finishes - $3,850,000 home has high-quality workmanship in an A+ location - $7,250,000

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12 The Accidental Orchardists rosemerry wahtola trommer photos by brett schreckengost 13

used to be one of them: the people who walk the produce section lamenting the high cost of organic cherries or Bartlett pears. Usually, I’d buy them anyway, for ethical and health reasons. And I’d be sure to pick the biggest, least pockmarked fruit. Now I’m on the other side: the people who grow organic fruit. Being fruitgrowers was never our dream. We didn’t set out to save the world, one organic pear at a time. But in the past three years, Eric and I have learned a lot: About what sustainability really means – nurturing both the land and the people who work it – and just how elusive that is. About the cycles of fruit trees and the fickle, picky nature of American consum- ers. And about letting go, how to simply be with the things beyond our control. In our first growing season, I confided, tearfully, to my friend, Salida poet Jude Ja- nett, “I feel as if everything is breaking.” She laughed. “Breaking open,” she said. “Not down.” As a thank you for her insight, a year later, I wrote a poem: >>> 14 .... We never thought we’d be farmers. I am a poet and writer; Eric was a builder I Have Found No Better Teaching and project manager. Our fruit-growing .... career began by circumstance: We fell in than May’s ripening apricots, love with a piece of land. rose cheeked and hail pocked, And Shall We Cross It? The orchard is a green dominion along- unsellable & sweetening anyway. side the muddy Gunnison; the Dominguez Between tonight and starlight Canyon’s red sandstone walls, with their .... 10,000 times 10,000 choices, slowly eroding slopes, dominate its ev- like this one fallen on the floor in front of us, ery horizon. Tucked between cliffs (small It was the middle of May, 1997. In our a thin red stripe that invites. dunes of flesh-colored sand hide), their red canoe, Eric and I paddled the Gunnison gulches littered with volcanic rock and pet- River from Delta to Bridgeport. I recall little Was it here yesterday, flouncing along rified wood, their walls pocked with barely from that day trip except these three things: the invisible edge of no and yes? visible rock art. Though the orchard itself It was very windy. We ate Pringles for lunch. Where did it hide in the accordion folds of now? feels abundant and fertile, all around it are And we paddled past an orchard deep in the And shall we cross it? reminders that everything transforms. canyon and said to each other, “Wow, look Surely, we have transformed, as well. at that! Who would ever do that?” So we toe the moment. We initially looked at the property— How do any of us choose to do what we And what? Retreat? known on old maps as Peeples, the name do? Every day, so many choices. Should I Run headlong and leap? of its original “settlers”—as a real-estate in- wear the red shirt or the green? For dinner, vestment. It was dramatic and remote, had Or waltz another round stir-fry—or burritos? And shall we buy that plenty of water rights, and boasted three 184-acre orchard? on the shrinking stage of maybe, this once-comfortable place decrepit houses, a barn stuffed with trash, What are we capable of ? What’s our heaps of rusted cars, an inventory of unus- willingness to risk? And what kind of life where the feet still know able tractors and implements, and piles of do we want to live? These are the questions which step dysfunctional irrigation parts. It was perfect. comes next. that really matter. And so it is that without Eric loves a challenge. He got one. knowing squat about trees, fruit, labor laws, Dysfunctional properties are Eric’s .... the Spanish language or marketing produce, specialty. He finds forlorn and fatigued Eric and I chose farm life in 2007, purchas- ing the orchard we’d seen ten years before. 15 properties and works the land and infra- .... tangling access issues—most especially structure until they’re revitalized. The only with the non-communicative Union Pa- drawback to the orchard: Its trees. Nearly Seeing I Am the Problem, cific. To get to the property, one must cross 20,000 fruit trees on 75 irrigated acres. I Look Out the Window the railroad tracks that also bisect the neat Apricots. Apples. Nectarines. Peaches. orchard rows. The trains, captained by yel- Pears. Cherries. We didn’t know a thing I want to swallow the rainbow low engines, carry coal, scrap metal, saw- about trees. We knew land. Intimidated, and learn how to bend like that. dust and empty freight cars all hours of the we pulled back. night and day. The railroad administration A year passed, in which we did noth- .... has constructed a nearly impenetrable wall ing. But with time’s passage, our ignorance around its higher-ups. But Eric was persis- about fruit-growing seemed less daunting. tent, and in March, 2007, we signed on the Eric hadn’t found another project in the The move was gradual. First Eric’s dotted line. meantime. So we convinced ourselves we clothes were gone from our bedroom clos- Meanwhile, I researched the world of could learn about peaches and pears. We et; then, his tools moved out of the garage, fruit-growing, forging contacts with or- would hire a manager and continue to live and his computer out of the office. chardists, soil scientists, marketers, packers, in our home on the San Miguel River in Eric leapt headlong, but it took me a government officials and potential employ- Placerville, two hours south. few months longer, waltzing in that shrink- ees. I learned about organic certification How little we knew. ing stage of “maybe,” to embrace the obvi- and cultivation – how every grower does Our neighbor upstream on the Gun- ous: The orchard was not an investment. it differently. I learned why Colorado’s nison, a second-generation orchardist who It was a commitment. Our summers peaches are sweeter than California’s (it’s had just handed over his own orchard on would no longer be filled with climbing the the cold nights). to his son, heard about our plan to operate San Juan mountains knee-deep in lupine, I was learning that life as an orchardist New Leaf Fruit remotely. He raised an eye- nor running rivers, nor camping in snow- was every bit romantic as it had seemed, brow. He didn’t say then, “We’ll see about cradled alpine cirques. That was the old life. viewed several years earlier, from the river. that.” He saved his words until later. Until Summer’s new activities involved hanging It’s all about making sweetness out of sun- well after Eric moved there. pheromone-mating disruptors in apple and light, water and soil. But, like all successful pear trees, fixing tractors, thinning apricots romances positioned to flower into lifelong and repairing micro-sprinklers. relationships, it takes a lot of work. In the months leading up to the orchard purchase, Eric had worked to clean up the contract, researching water rights and un- >>> 16 ...

Ohm or Om

I have tried to resist the killing frost,

to create enough heat in my defiance

to save a whole orchard of pear and peach.

As if worry could raise a May night one degree.

I invent new battle hymns in my blood—

but fervor has no effect on freeze

and friction cannot defend what browns.

The night has its way with me.

Surrender becomes my name. 17

Before we understand acceptance,

we must refuse to believe what is,

must wrestle with every bit of our lattice

the tide of blind inheritance

until all our nos are replaced by oms

and hum is the only law that sticks,

till we bow to the current ecstasy,

widen the scope, increase the flow,

become the rare conductor

who knows how to let go.

... 18

Some moments could be torn from a the equipment run right. He hates it. He’s .... storybook: Eating ripe Bing cherries from great at it. the bough; walking through pale pear blos- Three: Can-do attitude. But know- Meet Me There in the Cherry Rows soms like a “little mist of fallen starlight,” as ing nothing has its problems, too – most poet James Wright once said. Listening to especially when solid answers are elusive. the buzz of the honeybees. Swimming in For instance, how best to fertilize an acre O and the cherries, arced boughs of cherries the river at the end of the day. Biting into of peaches? A foliar application of fish past red, scarlet stain on our fingers, peach after peach after tree-ripened peach. oil? Spread chicken manure? Plant dwarf And then there’s the work. Work. Work. white clover as a green manure? No two palms, lips, and chin and the joy that rises then and the walls—whichever ones we’ve built— Work. It is one thing to own an orchard. It orchardists or scientists gave us the same is another to operate it, day after day after answer. Bottom line: One answer cannot come down for the juice of it, hard, long day. Starting out, we had three fit all orchards. With variability in soils, crimson sharp seize of it, blood singing yes things going for us. pests, climate and trees, there’s some sci- One: We had no preconceived ideas of ence protocol, but there’s a lot of art (and of it, wall-breaching mmmm of it, blessings, such blessings, such blessings how an orchard “should” be run. There was luck) when it comes to generating one of no chance to fall into mindless tradition: “I what may be many partially right answers. take root and let’s bow to brief sweetnesses prune that way because my dad pruned that There is no silver bullet. praise fleeting ecstasy, way because his dad pruned that way….” What trees to plant? What rootstocks We got a clean start, making our decisions to use? How much water to apply? Which give ourselves up to this garden. by drawing on the experiences and research sprays? We are finally learning how to for- .... from other growers and scientists. mulate our own answers, based on our own Two: Eric can fix almost anything. The brief experience. Amidst the ambiguity, biggest job at the orchard is its constant however, everyone agrees on two points: cycle of repair. Tractors, pumps, pipes, If you are going to be a successful grower, sprayers—everything breaks. Every day, you put growing first. And you can’t con- Eric puts on his fix-it gloves and makes trol Mother Nature. . 19

... When it comes to learning the fine art I’m glad Eric and I haven’t pressed the of letting go, running the orchard is a 75- eject button on our orchard. In embracing Dominguez Canyon April 4, 2009 acre Ph.D. program. Sure, we can decide this new kind of Colorado life, our days whether to plant our cherries on Mazzard measured by the opening stages of buds or Gisela 6 root stock. We can choose con- and the color of the fruit, I’m happy. I feel I wandered the canyon lined with snow, centrated vinegar over hoes to control bind lucky to live so intimately with the land. through brown apricot blossoms that will not fruit weed. But we can’t control frost. We can’t And I think perhaps I’m finally learning to control late season hail. And when 4,000 embrace the ways things break. and startled the starlings, one hundred or more, into swirls of black flight, oh shiver, oh low new peach trees start to die, it’s no good Open, of course. Not down. angled light, pointing fingers. Salvage what’s salvage- able. Learn what you can. Give thanks for Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer is poet laureate oh world I am yours, I crumble like cliffs, what you have. Move on. of San Miguel County. Her newest books include I am yours, I am praising your all that is: When I write a poem, I sometimes Holding Three Things at Once (a finalist for these barren trees, this wind, these lips, think I know the end before I start, and try the 2009 Colorado Book Award) and Intimate the song inside us that rises like starlings to steer the poem in a certain way, toward Landscape: The Four Corners in Poetry & a certain truth or discovery. These poems Photographs. regardless of chill, of petal turned dust. seldom succeed. As Denver poet Kathryn Praise the soft laughter of purple mustard Bass says, preconceived endings are a kind blooms, of “emergency exit” that we create so that this damp perfume that lingers we might eject ourselves from the poem the morning after the killing frost. before the poem is necessarily ready to let us out. .... S A N T E A R C H I T E C T S

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Designer Laura Daley’s 2008 remodel of a 1970s Telluride home involved greening up the house with new insulation, upgraded windows, bamboo flooring and other fairly simple changes and upgrades. But what proved more of a challenge was finding a place to affix the wHat’S new solar collectors for the owners’ domestic hot- water system. in Green “We were originally going to put panels on By Jessica NeweNs photos By Brett schreckeNgost the roof, but we couldn’t get what we needed in that space,” says Daley, pointing to a small Two Telluride-based businesses showcase the latest in section of roof. sustainable products and their successful local installation. So Daley turned to Leif Juell of Ridgway- based Alternative Power Enterprises, who in- stalled 16 evacuated tube solar collectors that double as deck balusters, placed in horizontal rows. Round metal fenceposts of equal size were fitted into the remaining sections of deck so a passerby would be hard pressed to notice 21 the solar tubes. “Inside the tube is an aluminum absorber, which is set at the optimal angle for this lati- tude and altitude,” she explains. “This system works really well for hot water. Originally we were going to attach the tubes to the outside of the rails but HARC (Telluride’s Historical and Architectural Review Commis- sion) wanted something less obvious. Then we started on an integrated design,” Daley says, adding, “I’m glad in the end they made us do it that way. It looks better and works well.” Heat from the system is directed to an 80-gallon hot-water storage tank and also used to pre-heat another hot-water tank that runs the home’s in-floor heat. A new boiler was also incorporated into the system as backup. According to the homeowner, her family of four has never once run out of hot water with the new system, even with multiple loads of laundry and simultaneous showers. “We’re really happy with it, and that we were able to incorporate [the tubes] into the deck design. Within Telluride’s Historic District, which is strictly regulated by HARC, retrofitting a home with solar panels is particularly chal- lenging because most homes have north-south ridges — not the ideal direction for capturing sunlight. Adding solar tubes to decking is

>>> a unique, and perhaps more realistic method for capturing energy from the sun. In addition, this type of installation prevents snow-buildup from blocking sun collection, as is sometimes the case in roof applications. “It was such a fun project,” says Daley, who worked with her husband Patrick Da- ley, of Daley Construction, to complete the remodel. Her Daley Design Studio is located in Telluride, www.daleydesignstudio.com. Al- ternative Power Enterprises may be found at www.alternative-power.com. EcoSpacES GrEEn product profilE Recycled Rubber Roofing Tiles By EcoStar

“Your roof is one of the most important building materials,” says Joanna Kanow of Tellu- ride’s EcoSpaces, holding up a recycled rubber roofing tile made by EcoStar — one of the green building products her company carries. 22 “These roofs are guaranteed against sun, rain and snow, and they’re made from recycled post-industrial waste from the tire industry.” The waste is literally swept off the factory floor and then molded into roofing material, she explains. Available in shake shingle and slate styles, the tiles come in nine colors. “They’re also available with solar panels embedded in them,” says Kanow. And EcoStar roofs have a 50-year warranty. “They will basi- cally survive the life of the house,” she says. Kanow’s husband and business partner Daniel Kanow pulls out a tile that’s been held against a welding torch. There is black discol- oration, but no evidence of melting or pene- tration from the flame. Besides its superior fire resistance and wind rating, EcoStar roofing is “easy to install, keeps its color and won’t warp material to be your roof ?” or dry out,” he explains. Check out EcoStar roofing at the Ecospac- As with most green products, EcoStar es’ Lawson Hill showroom in Telluride, where roofing costs a bit more up front, but it doesn’t you will also find a number of other green have to be replaced over time, unlike tradi- building materials and design ideas, including tional roofing materials, including cedar shake flooring and lighting. and metal. And the tiles are 80-90 percent re- They are the Western San Juans’ source for cycled, sustainable and non-toxic, points out no-voc paints and clay paints; cork, bamboo Joanna. and Marmoleum flooring; recydled-materials “Think of the process of trying to dispose countertops; formaldehyde-free plywood; rec- of plastics and tires,” she says. That’s an in- cled denim insulation; and much more dication of the indestructibility of those prod- EcoSpaces’ website is EcoBuildingmateri- ucts. “Wouldn’t you want that same kind of als.com, or call them at 970/728-1973. CHRISTOPHER THOMSON blacksmith-artist designer sculptor 800.726.0145

www.ctiron.com

Photo by David O. Marlow/Santa Fe Catalog [email protected] feature ost everyone recog- M nizes a Lindal Cedar Home when they see one. Wrapped in Western red cedar, their large, pointed prows and walls of glass have become the Lindal signature. What you probably don’t associate with Lindal, however, are flat roofs and simple, box shapes. But the 65-year-old company’s partnership with architectural firm Turkel Design has produced just that – a series of minimalist, straight-angled homes that are making contemporary heads turn. And with the recent introduc- tion of the Modern A-frame, a bold twist on the classic vacation home that looks nothing like its predecessor, Lindal has become quite hip. Now even fans of modern architecture can experience the customized process of building a Lindal home that is also decid- edly “green.” In Western Colorado, those looking to build a Lindal home need look 25 no further than Majestic Peaks Custom Homes, a certified Lindal Cedar Homes Dealer located in Montrose. Born in Saskatchewan, 91-year-old Sir Walter Lindal (“Sir” is an English trans- lation of his Icelandic given name, Skuli) founded Lindal Cedar Homes in Toronto in 1945. He moved the company to Van- couver, B.C., in 1962, to take advantage of the area’s abundant Western red cedar, an integral part of the Lindal design. From the start, his vision was to create custom homes with the environment in mind, incorporating energy efficiency, low-waste manufacturing and sustainable Lindal Cedar building with environmentally intelligent site plans. Now headquartered in Seattle, the third-generation family-owned business Homes Go is headed up by President and CEO Mi- chael Harris. “Michael Harris, he’s the guy that’s got the modern eye,” says Brent Hughes of Majestic Peaks Custom Homes, who has been an independent President’s Club Modern Top 10 Lindal Cedar Homes distributor By Jessica Newens to Western Colorado (and beyond) since 2003. Easily spotted on Highway 550 and PHOTOGRAPHS © Turkel Design and Lindal Cedar Homes >>> DESIGNED FOR BROAD VIEWS – The TD3 2010 (previous page) strikes a balance between volume and scale, featuring a light-filled great room and large windows that expand the inside space outdoors. The TD3 2990 (above) has an inclined butterfly roof that channels out unwanted hot air and 26 collects its own rainwater. The modern a-frame – (facing page) Three examples of Lindal’s reintroduction of the 60s-era A-frame, which feature the same floor-to-ceiling windows, but absent the steep pitched roofs. TD2 1870 represents Joel Turkel’s modern adaptation of a simple farmhouse form.

Solar Rd. just three miles south of Mon- Classic Designs Made Modern global reach and a 65-year legacy of trose, Hughes’ business is housed in – what Founded in 2007, Cambridge, Mass.- creating homes of enduring quality and else? – a classic Lindal home. based Turkel Design is known for creat- beauty,” states the Turkel Design web- “Turkel’s designs, combined with Lin- ing residential homes that feature clean site. As a Lindal representative, Majestic dal’s post-and-beam structures – it’s per- lines, classic simplicity, and creative use of Peaks Custom Homes makes a home by fect,” says Hughes as he thumbs through natural materials. Founding partner Joel Turkel Design more accessible. the 2010 Turkel Design Plan Library Turkel has a bachelor of environmental Although not technically pre-fabricat- booklet, which begins: “Two-thousand- studies from the University of Manitoba ed, but rather pre-engineered, the mate- nine was a remarkable year for Lindal Ce- and a master’s in architecture from the rials packages for Lindal homes are com- dar Homes.” Massachusetts Institute of Technology. piled in Seattle or Vancouver and then According to Hughes, Lindal’s part- As former creative director of Empy- shipped to the building site. The system nership with Turkel Design (launched in rean International, he was involved with lends itself well to Turkel’s fondness for January 2009) combined with Lindal’s ad- the development of the Dwell Homes prefab, and the partnership provides a herence to National Association of Home- program in 2003, created to promote a unique and potentially more affordable builders’ Green Building Guidelines has new generation of prefabricated modern option for someone wanting to build a proven to be a smart business move in the homes. Subsequent generations of that custom, modern, green home. current U.S. economy. program have led to a partnership be- “For the client, the value is tremen- Right now, “the [Turkel] work we’re tween Turkel Design and Lindal Cedar dous through Lindal,” says Hughes. “De- getting is huge percentage-wise,” comple- Homes that established the TD Series sign fees are extremely modest in com- menting the Lindal Classics, which have homes, including seven designed specifi- parison to the industry, for professional continued to sell well, he says. And the fact cally for the Dwell Homes Collection, all architectural design. We provide extraor- that Dwell Magazine selected seven Turkel- of which are available through Hughes’ dinary value. And Turkel, he’s got a lot Lindal designs for its 2010 Dwell Homes Majestic Peaks Custom Homes. of it systematic,” so client customization Collection certainly doesn’t hurt, nor does “Building on the belief that good de- is welcome and encouraged. their recognition in Time Magazine’s Green sign should be widely accessible; Turkel Hughes has two Turkel projects cur- Design 100, a compendium of the world’s Design has crafted a partnership with rently in the works, one in Aspen and one best environmentally conscious design. Lindal Cedar Homes, a company with in Wyoming. The Aspen project is still in A3 1200 the approvals phase, but the owners are planning to build four Turkel homes on two town lots. Joel Turkel is providing direct consultation to customize the project, which will be subject to the Town of Aspen’s strict design review standards. Hughes is confident Turkel’s designs will exceed the town’s expectations. In Wyoming, Hughes is securing the modification of a Turkel TD3 2990, a two-story, 2,990-square-foot home, the same design recognized by Time’s May 2009 issue of the Green Design 100. Both inside and out, the home is typical of Turkel’s work, from its pre-engineered building system to its clean lines and A1 1200 incorporation of natural materials. De- signed to reduce the volume-to-floor area ratio, it is marketed as a “pitch-perfect response to the bloated homes of today... a refined and expressive family home.” An inclined butterfly roof provides not only shade and shelter, but channels out unwanted hot air and collects rainwater. The open kitchen, dining and two-story living room have expansive windows oriented toward a back deck. A master suite and media room are located on the ground level and upstairs are three bedrooms, two bathrooms and two separate loft-offices overlooking the living room. Private decks are attached 27 A5 1900 to all but one bedroom. The TD Series was first introduced by Lindal in 2009, with three styles (TD1, TD2, TD3) and three different sizes within those styles. TD1 is a modern variation on the iconic Lindal design, with minimal use of gables, dormers and overhangs. TD2 designs are a contemporary nod to simple farmhouse structures, with post and beam construction, double- height great rooms and soaring vaulted gables. The TD3 homes are meant to be a fresh interpretation of Lindal’s Scan- dinavian roots, with clean, uncluttered lines and strong use of natural materials. For 2010, Turkel and Lindal prepared TD 1870 seven designs for the Dwell Homes Col- lection, building upon the success and popularity of the 2009 TD design series. All TD homes are modest in size, rang- ing from 1,710 to just over 3,000 square feet. Features might include second-story gallery walkways that are open to below, unique roof lines (butterfly, gull wing, double incline), and two-story great rooms that both unite the house and provide separation for private spaces. Lindal SkyWalls are a common theme throughout the series. “They are very efficient with space >>> INTERIOR – TD3 2490 with a double-incline roof defined by exposed Douglas fir beams. An operable wall of glass opens the house onto a shaded deck. 28

and volume,” explains Hughes of the efficiency and use of space and can be dow bump-out off the kitchen and an of- TD series, adding, “They’re so simple, rotated for best site placement and to fice that doubles as a second bedroom. At yet so cool.” take full advantage of views. And be- the other end of the spectrum is the A5, cause the blocks are such a simple de- a 1,900-square-foot structure based on sign, materials and construction costs are five cubes. The two-bedroom, two-and- Taking the “A” Out of lower, and planning and building time a-half bath home features a “sanctuary the A-frame frames are shorter. wing” for the master bedroom, and an Along with its Turkel Design-homes, Perhaps the best feature of the Mod- open-loft bedroom suite over the kitch- Lindal took its innovation a bit further ern A-frame is that clients can use any en, which opens to a two-story living and in 2010 by introducing the Modern A- combination of blocks in any size – small dining room. frame, which preserves the spirit of the to very large. Even better, there is no ex- You might be wondering, how exactly original A-frame (patented by Lindal in tra charge for altering a design. Hughes, does a flat roof perform in snow coun- the 1960s), but the steep pitched gable a professional Civil Engineer, can tweak try? roof is now gone. the Modern A-frames (as well as Lindal “The roof system works really well The new A-frames are built upon a Classics) for free. here,” reassures Hughes. They have a series of pre-designed blocks in a variety The designs are great for those with commercial roof application that with- of sizes. Still designed with the family va- small building footprints and modest stands snow and ice melt, and the roof cationer in mind, the five current home budgets. The structures can be single or structure is designed for heavy snow designs for 2010 range in size from 1,200 two story with open-loft bedrooms. Some loads; beams are upsized for structures to 1,900 square feet and though compact, have separate master bedroom wings located at higher altitudes, where snow- feature a full height glass wall. They are and decks to expand the outdoor living fall is more prevalent. topped with flat or slightly pitched roofs space. All feature SunWalls, or walls of and provide the option of an added ga- glass, to take full advantage of views and rage and exterior decks. sunlight. Before Green Was Green The perfect modern vacation home A1, the smallest design at 1,200 As with all Lindal homes, both the or small residence, the easily arranged square feet, is based on a single cube. It Turkel and A-frame designs have a life- and modified forms provide maximum has an open-loft master suite, a bay-win- time structural warranty. Lindal is the first building system to be certified green by the Na- tional Association of Home Builders, and Majestic Peaks Custom Homes is a certified Green Profes- sional Lindal Dealer. “We’ve been doing green for decades,” says Your local source for Hughes, pointing to Lindal’s inherent passive so- Green BuildinG Materials lar design and prevalent use of wood, a renewable resource. Some of Lindal’s other green standards include laminated beams made from younger-growth Doug- las fir; Energy Star-rated cedar double-framed windows with low-E Argon gas; pre-finished, low-VOC stained cement board siding; RoastWood decking that offers maximum protection without chemical treatment; and advanced smart framing to provide strength, efficient use of materials, and to allow for additional insulation. Lindal also works with clients to site their homes for maximum energy efficiency and minimal disturbance of the land. Further- more, over the years Lindal has planted more than 200,000 trees to replace those used for its homes. Through its Green Coast to Coast program, Lindal strives to “demonstrate how easy, affordable and gratifying it is to build green anywhere you live – and how significant your energy and main- American Clay Plaster • Barnwood Siding • Eco Star Roofing tenance savings can be year after year.” Ultimately, Recycled Glass Counters • Sustainable Flooring they hope to take the confusion and expense out of building green. “I am a certified Green Professional,” says Hughes, who recently facilitated the building of an 162A SoCiEty DRivE, tElluRiDE, Co 81435 off-the-grid, solar powered Lindal Cedar Classic 970-728-1973 home in Norwood. “If people want it, we can do it, whether it’s 1,900 or 19,000 square feet.” 29 For his part, Hughes says 95 percent of his clients come to him with prior knowledge that Lindal builds energy-efficient, well-constructed homes. “I am very active, I advertise a lot and want people to know we’re here and do a great job,” he says. “I have solid [local] builder alliances – skilled, courte- ous and fair. And the finished budget is always right on – that’s a wonderful experience for both the client and myself. “We’re serious about what we do here,” adds Hughes, who is one of Lindal’s top dealers. In fact, a recent project, located in Ouray County’s exclusive Cornerstone Development – a Lindal Classic that he modified – is featured on the inside cover of the 2010 Lindal Cedar Homes Design catalog. Then flip inside to page 51 and you’ll find photographs of Hughes’ Norwood clients’ solar- powered home. Being an engineer, Hughes is dialed in to the de- mands of mountain living, as well as the desires of his mountain-loving clients. He also works well with fellow civil engineer Bob Lindal, son of Sir Walter Lindal and current chairman of the board. “At Lindal, they respect me and they support me well,” he says. “To me, I am Lindal.”

Brent Hughes and his wife and business partner Stephanie Hughes, also a civil engineer, may be reached by calling 970/596-7375 or visit their website at www. majesticpeaks.com. he response was predictable – uni- form, in fact. I would tell someone about my plans to live in a tent all summer – my col- league Gus Jarvis, for example, who has promised a chapter devoted to me in his prospective book about people who treat their dogs like children and other dysfunctional pet relationships – and the eyebrows would immediately go askance. “You are going to live in a tent, yeah, right,” he snorted, along with countless other non-believers who imagined that >>>

Mesa living up close and personal

BY KAREN JAMES photos by brett schreckengost personal space

Life Tent 32

just because I like to wear lipstick and Salar de Uyuni salt flat went sour and dried beef called charque that dominat- occasionally wear high heels while navi- our inebriated guide left us stranded on ed the majority of the crew’s meals we gating Telluride’s River Trail on my way the side of the road; or how we slogged shared sat out to cure in the open air. to work, there is no possible way I could barefoot through a swamp under the It was better not to think about it too make it through a weekend, much less an weight of full backpacks – only to find much. entire summer, without a blow-dryer. out later that we had just traversed prime Needless to say, I’m not as delicate as Well they didn’t know me, nor some anaconda habitat. I may first appear, and I was determined of the curious circumstances in which Nor did they know about the three- to spend some time on the parcel of land I’ve found myself – situations requiring day river trip that turned into more than Trevor and I bought between Placerville adaptability and, at times, a very strong a week spent in stifling humidity on a and Ridgway on Hastings Mesa in the stomach. boat hauling bananas along a tributary months following 9/11. They didn’t know that my husband, of the Amazon River in Bolivia. All I We sort of imagined we would eventu- Trevor, and I spent five months living out can say is the boat’s cockroach-infested ally build a dream home there – probably of backpacks in South America, includ- head contained nothing but a toilet bowl fitted with all the high-end finishes, ame- ing one extremely cold night sleeping on that emptied directly into the river, and nities and appliances that society tells us bags of rice in the back of a flatbed semi- inconveniently shared a wall with the we’re supposed to want – but seven years trailer after a trip to Bolivia’s stunning “kitchen,” where the strips of salted and later, we had only ever camped on it a

OUT OF AFRICA MEETS SHABBY CHIC – Karen and Trevor James’s 10-foot by 12-foot canvas wall tent turned cozy abode, with all the creature comforts and more, including (left) a sun-bleached red velvet Victorian settee. (Right) A seltzer siphon and martini shaker set the mood. 33

couple of times. and lovely, so if we were going to spend purposely kitschy, Pirates of the Caribbean- So we dove in and committed to four one-third of the year living outdoors style trunk in red and gold, a Victorian months roughing it on the land – during without running water or electricity, he settee in red velvet bleached rose by the which time we realized that for us the would find a way to make up for the sun, and an old Hoosier cabinet doing whole point of spending summers on the lack of creature comforts with ingenuity double duty as a bookshelf and dresser mesa is to live outside as much as possi- and style. – all inexpensive and found in antique ble, and that any eventual “dream home” We started by building a level plat- stores in Ridgway and Montrose. we might build wouldn’t need a bunch of form on which to pitch a 10-foot by 12- We threw in a couple of area rugs, stuff to fit that description. foot canvas wall tent a couple feet off some faux wenge storage cubes, and To set the record straight, yes, we the ground – a particularly smart move strategically staged a seltzer siphon and were camping; but please banish any that kept our abode cozy and dry despite martini shaker. Suddenly the traditional thoughts of a mesh-walled dome tent Southwest Colorado’s monsoons. outfitter’s tent had morphed into a styl- and inflatable sleeping pads that might Next we reinforced the tent to with- ishly funky Out of Africa-meets-shabby- come to mind. stand the mesa’s hurricane-force winds chic dwelling that immediately elicited Trevor is an architectural designer (we had a few close calls, but it survived). another predictable response. who has spent much of his career mak- Inside went our queen-sized bed and “That’s not a tent,” said anyone who ing even slivers of space feel liveable several new-to-us furnishings including a saw it. “That is really nice.” >>>

Powder the dog – Next to Wenge-esque storage cubes. A Hoosier cabinet does double duty as a bookshelf and dresser while a top-of-the-line down duvet makes nights at 9,000 feet downright cozy. 34

our first night he originally imagined, but it probably it worked. After spending our first night under made all the difference between having a We placed the counter under a sun an old comforter that worked just fine good versus bad summer on the mesa. shelter, set up low-slung festival chairs in a New York City apartment heated To prevent a chance encounter with before a picnic bench-turned-table and by clunking radiators, we discovered it a bear lured into our bedroom by food pretended every day was the Telluride was woefully inadequate for nighttime smells, we erected our kitchen some dis- Bluegrass Festival. We ate, read and at 9,000 feet. I made an executive deci- tance from the tent, and ate all our meals talked watching the mesa come to life in sion the following day and purchased the there. the mornings, while a parliament of owls warmest, and subsequently most expen- It contained nothing more than a returned each evening to silently swoop sive down duvet I could find, online. My simple countertop fashioned from rough- above us in the alpenglow. decision met with Trevor’s immediate cut boards that held a dish rack, knife Following dinner I made a funny sight skepticism, but once it arrived, we never block, camp stove and cutting boards, crouched over a wide tin pan full of hot, spent another uncomfortable night in and had room to store dishes, cutlery and soapy water set on the ground between the tent. He ultimately admitted that not cans of food underneath. It was a far cry sagebrush shrubs, where I scrubbed away only was it not the foolhardy purchase from a stainless steel chef’s kitchen, but at soot-stained pots and pans in bright

AT HOME IN THE OUTDOORS – Trevor James saunters off with his guitar for some morning finger-picking; bear repellent hangs at the tent entrance, on a supporting post. The Jameses erected a summertime kitchen under a canopy, making full use of a Coleman stove and kitchen utensils normally found in their New York City apartment. Hangers and clothesline attached to a tree stood in as the “laundry room.” photo by trevor james

photo by trevor james

yellow dish gloves. times by a cacophony of yipping coy- summer on the mesa is about being out- Once our chores were complete we otes in a pack large enough and close doors watching sunsets and hoping for a returned to the tent, which glowed like enough to tie knots in my stomach, we chance glimpse of a deer or even a bear, a gigantic Japanese lantern against the never again felt silly for worrying about and not sitting inside a “dream home” star-studded mesa sky when we brought her safety. separated from the glorious landscape our lanterns inside. We became adept at sponge baths in that surrounds and shapes us. Nights were usually quiet save for kettle-heated water, doing laundry in a I won’t pretend that I wouldn’t pre- bleating sheep that grazed on the land five-gallon bucket by swirling it with what fer a hot shower to huddling over a bowl for a few weeks, and later the piercing looked like an oversized potato masher, of water in the chill morning air, but I’m bugle calls of elk during mating season. and cooking one-pot meals. pretty sure a remote-controlled whirlpool Some people might call us overpro- Life was no longer as simple as jump- tub is not in our Hastings Mesa future. tective, but inside the tent we kept our ing in the shower to get clean or throw- dog Powder attached to a long lead so ing a load of laundry in the washing ma- Trevor James is available for tent and other she couldn’t sneak out in the middle of chine, but it felt better. interior design consultations – visit www.tljstu- the night. After being awakened several In the end we realized that for us, dio.com to see examples of his work.

TENT WITH A VIEW – Sunset-filled summer evenings on the mesa turned into stellar, star-studded nights, with the tent glowing like a gigantic Japanese lantern. Picaya many cultures...one source

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Big City Lifestyle in a 37 Small-Town Penthouse By DeB Dion photos B y B rett schreckengost

Most people are drawn to the expansive- Irina met her husband Michael while feel of a city loft. A single area, incorporat- ness of the West, but when the Zivians she was teaching psychology at the Univer- ing the kitchen, dining and living spaces, moved to Telluride from New York City sity of Michigan in 1964, and they moved takes up most of the apartment. Aside three decades ago, they didn’t move into to New York City and lived there for many from the main room, there is just a small a 15,000-square-foot home on a mesa. In- years. Then the Zivians traded one of the bedroom, a compact office/workout room, stead, they moved into a penthouse apart- most bustling cities in the world for a tiny and the “his and hers” bathrooms that can ment in the middle of town, a unit that was mountain mecca, a town less than one be elemental to a happy marriage. even more modest in size than their former square mile in size. Today, instead of living “People say it has that loft-like feeling. Manhattan space. among skyscrapers, they are surrounded by What I wanted was a big living room, and Bigger, they believe, is not always better. the majestic peaks of the San Juan Moun- only what we needed to be comfortable,” Irina and Michael Zivian were able to im- tains. They were able to preserve a little says Irina. “My other living room is the print their urban sensibilities on their new of their city life, however, by transforming deck.” mountain lifestyle: Their living quarters their top floor unit into something like a The space they converted is on the top waste no resources or space, and they have city loft. floor of the Ice House hotel, which they own reduced their carbon footprint by living Manhattan lofts are typically a com- and operate with a partner. Their unit shares within walking distance of everything in mercial or warehouse space that has been infrastructure with the floors below, the way town. Their five-year-old vehicle has ticked transformed into residential space. They the towering buildings in New York City do – just 30,000 miles. are usually open and airy, with high ceil- drawing power and heat inward and upward, “Our home is more efficient, but it goes ings, with walls or rooms added to make a more efficient strategy than transmitting against the grain in this country. People it a liveable space. The Zivians created utilities to faraway parcels of land. here want to build bigger and bigger,” their Telluride loft in the opposite way: “It’s not necessarily urban living … it’s says Irina Zivian, her voice lilting with the They took a residential unit that was com- just a certain way of living,” says Irina. rhythms of her native German language. partmentalized into three bedrooms, and “It’s more vertical than horizontal.” “That doesn’t work for us.” knocked out walls to give it the sweeping >>> A combined living-dining room (facing page). Views from the terrace (this page).

‘When you have a small space, you can’t have too many things. The only luxury I have is two dishwashers.’ – Irina Zivian

The Ice House may not be as tall as its handpicked selection of their favorite things, much extra space, insists Irina; “We have it all big-city counterparts, but living on the up- the items that made the cut when they opted figured out. You have to be organized, with a permost floor of a hotel in a town that is for this cozy space. space for everything … we have a little bit of already 8,750 feet in elevation, they haven’t “When you have a small space, you can’t storage, but I’m getting rid of things. After it’s had to compromise much on height; nor have too many things,” says Irina. “The only in storage for a while, you realize you can do have they had to sacrifice their upscale life- luxury I have is two dishwashers.” without it and you don’t really need it.” style. The walls of their apartment look like They entertain often at home, she says, There are some necessities – things a fine art gallery, layered in an eclectic collec- hosting frequent dinner parties and overnight they can’t do without, like Michael’s racket tion of works by Andy Warhol, ee cummings, guests. Their situation is perfect. Because they stringer (he’s an avid tennis player) and Irina’s Al Loving, Bruce Tippett and local writer/ own the hotel, they can put up family and plants. The apartment is lush, with flowers painter Rob Schultheis, among others. Even visitors in the other units. They will share a and greenery flourishing in the windowed, the rugs are pieces of art – Chinese throw meal, and the guests retire to their own quar- open room. Outside, there is a wraparound rugs made in the 1930s, and a gorgeous silk ters. The Zivians can lob all the cookware deck with terraced garden boxes more col- carpet from India. and dishes into the double dishwashers, and orful and verdant than anything in a florist’s The spacious room is utter miscellany, a the hotel will tidy up the guest rooms and ac- window. The deck is her sanctuary, Irina jumble of curios; there are wooden Victorian commodate their visitors’ other needs. says, walking its perimeter and tending to chairs where each arm has a carved female As the owners of the Ice House hotel, each sunny flower. Another indulgence is figurehead jutting out like the ones that adorn they are also allotted some storage space books, their spines decorating every available the bow of a ship; there is an antique chest downstairs. The storage is a more convenient nook: packed bookshelves line the base of from 1697 that Irina bought as a student in spot to stash things like skis and bikes, and the each wall, and the rooms have recessed shelf Hamburg; and a comfy Eames lounge chair odd piece of art that they couldn’t accom- spaces filled with even more volumes. from the 1960s. They are surrounded by a modate in their penthouse. They don’t need The burgeoning collection of books 39 Well-Tended – Hotel staffers water the plants when the Zivians travel, which they do for roughly one-third of the year.

won’t cramp the Zivians’ penthouse lifestyle. They’ll hold on to some of the irreplaceable editions, says Irina, but for their everyday consumption they can download titles on their new space-saving technology. “Now we have Kindles, so we don’t need as many books,” she ssys.. The Zivians may have made some con- cessions as far as physical space, but they have cultivated a way of life. Whenever they crave the buzz of the city, or want to spend a few weeks in Italy, or Irina misses her family in Germany, they are able to travel easily. Living in the hotel, there is always someone to care for their plants or check on their place, and leaving is simple. They travel about one-third of the year, says Irina, and their modest ex- istence facilitates their lifestyle. Irina says that when she was in Cyprus, she noticed that new- lyweds are traditionally given a new house by their parents. Now the beautiful island is be- coming “hideous,” she says, with every inch of space covered in concrete. They’ve never TWEED owned a house, admits Michael. “I don’t really believe in it,” says Irina. “I think we www.tweedinteriors.com should all live vertically.” 970.728.8186

food & wine

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An Ode to the Heirloom Tomato By Diana Conovitz • photos B y B rett sC hreC kengost 40 Once it was the Good Humor man coming At my farmers market, we tomato lovers fruited yellow tomatoes, with red swirls and a down the street in his white truck playing its queue up early, sharing gossip and recipes, sweet, sweet flavor that needs no accompani- distinctive tune heralding the pleasures of ready to pay dearly for these colorful gems we ment. For those inclined to more labor-inten- summer. are unable to grow ourselves, in Telluride, with sive projects, the Brandywine works wonders Now, it’s the farmers market. our high altitude and short growing season. in a tomato-and-goat-cheese tart. Think summer and what comes to mind Most heirloom tomatoes are no beau- Folklore associated with the tomato is are the stalls bearing the fruits of nearby ties, however; unlike the commercial varieties as wild and weird and colorful as heirloom farmers’ labor-intensive work. Think sum- grown for mass production, bred with tough tomatoes themselves. The French name for mer and enjoy the memory of a juicy, flavor- skins to endure long transportation distances the tomato, pomme d’amore, or apple of love, ful tomato. and withstand rough handling, the heirlooms echoed the belief of native peoples in South Heirloom tomatoes are the jewels of the are thin-skinned and easily bruised. But they and Central America that tomato seeds were farmers market, with colors and shapes as var- are exotic and delicious, their beauty in the eye aphrodisiacs. No wonder these fruits were ied as any Bulgari window display. We all have of the beholder, offering endless possibilities frowned upon by the Puritans. our favorites. Who can resist trying a “Mort- for culinary delight. The tomato has had more ominous as- gage Lifter,” propagated by a radiator repair Be forewarned: Once you have eaten an sociations, as well. Because of its close re- guy during the Depression to raise a few bucks heirloom tomato, there is no going back to semblance to the deadly nightshade family – with its few seeds, it’s the perfect tomato what passes for tomatoes in the supermarket. of plants, it was long thought to be poison- sandwich tomato. How about the beautiful, And then, there’s the price. Once, out of ous. Being reclassified in 1753 by Carl Lin- blemish-free dark pink “Arkansas Traveler?” curiosity, I asked my husband how much he naeus, the father of taxonomy, as S. Lycoper- The giant, deep-red-fruited “Blaby Special?” would pay for a tomato. sicon, meaning both poison and wolves, did Or take the Wapsipinacon Peach. Very He said, “One dollar.” not make the tomato any more palatable to fuzzy, like a peach, slightly spicy and pale, I didn’t dare reveal that I willingly pay the general population. Here in America, pale yellow. For more intense color, check out up to $6 a pound – my secret indulgence is the colonists thought if you ate one its poi- the Green Zebra, an exquisite green bi-col- well-worth foregoing a pedicure or two over son would turn your blood into acid. Until ored tomato with flesh the color of emerald the course of the summer. Instead, I get the the end of the 18th century, doctors warned and lime – great for brightening up salads. bright, yellow and meaty Lillian’s Yellow against eating tomatoes, which were thought Walk through the stalls of any farmers Heirloom, gorgeous on the dinner table with to cause appendicitis and stomach cancer. market this summer to find out for yourself: fresh green basil, a drizzle of olive oil and a Truth be told, all parts of the tomato How purple is that Purple Smudge? How quick grind of Tellicherry peppercorns, and plant, with the exception of its fruit, are poi- black is the Black Prince? the Big Rainbow, one of dozens of large- sonous. More recent botanists have added

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Left to right: Speckled roma, Nyagous, tigerella, Valencia

42 esculentum, meaning edible, to its botanical a cultivar, grown in earlier periods in human treasures are sown in early March. Unlike name, renaming it Lycopersicon esculentum, or history, long before today’s large-scale indus- hybrids, which are a cross between two or “edible wolf peach.” But maybe it wasn’t so trial agriculture. According Tomatoville, an more varieties and, like mules, cannot con- much its new name, but its evolving flavor, online community of tomato growers, some tinue to reproduce on their own (thus re- that softened our mindset and got us to re- heirloom tomatoes may have roots reaching quiring new seeds to be bought year after consider this tasty fruit. back to prehistoric times. year), heirlooms are open-pollinated plants And the tomato is a fruit – because, bo- Longtime tomato grower Bill Mattson, grown directly from the seed of a previous tanically speaking, tomatoes, the seed-bearing well-known in Telluride as the “Moab To- fruit, true to the original parent seed, with ripened ovaries of a flower, are fruits. And not mato Man,” sets up shop Mondays on main the resulting offspring a fruit identical to the just a fruit – but, surprisingly, berries – that are, street, in the pocket park at Spruce Street, original. So consider this: You may be enjoy- although grown by most Americans as annu- between Honga’s and Telluride Music. Bill’s ing the same tomato that your grandmother als, in their native and wild state, perennials. story is one of a hobby gone haywire, careen- – or even Thomas Jefferson – did. It gets even more complicated: Although ing from 20 to 200 plants – and 400 pounds What makes a cultivar – a plant culti- botanically speaking, tomatoes are fruits, le- of 30 varieties – of heirloom tomatoes ev- vated deliverately for specific characteristics gally, in the United States, at least, they are ery week in the summer. A builder by trade, – “heirloom” is debatable. Some say the va- classified as vegetables thanks to a Supreme Mattson is a grower at heart, which led him riety must be over 100 years old; others say Court ruling against a tomato importer suing to Moab, with its fabled river-bottom soil (at just 50. Nonetheless, 1951 is the latest year the tax collector for the port of New York. 4,000-feet elevation) and bountiful crops, a plant can have originated to be classified In that ruling (Nix v. Hedden.149 U.S.304, drawn to heirloom tomatoes because, he “heirloom.” Seed collectors and heirloom 1893), the Court distinguished between a says, they are what tomatoes used to be. growers and advocates worry that despite vegetable as a dinner item and a fruit as a For growers, heirloom tomatoes pres- today’s renaissance of heirloom tomatoes, dessert. Because the tomato was used in the ent a challenge. Weird-looking and sensi- their seeds remain at risk of being geneti- dinner portion of the meal, it was deemed a tive, they need time and loving care to grow, cally altered to serve the needs of modern, vegetable, and therefore subject to the 1887 pick, pack and transport 2-1/2 hours away large-scale industrial agriculture. U.S. tariff laws imposing 10 percent duty on to those who wait willingly in line, alongside While there may be disagreement about just vegetables, but none on fruit. buyers for local restaurants, where they are how old a plant has to be to be an “heirloom,” Heirloom tomatoes are inexorably inter- the color and flavor of soups, salads and anyone who’s tasted an heirloom tomato has twined with human history. For within the pasta dishes. Thankfully, tomatoes are an got to agree that heirloom tomatoes are a trea- seed of the heirloom tomato lies the story and early crop that keeps on coming throughout sure, something of value to be passed on and the flavors of our past. An heirloom plant is the summer. The seeds of these summer enjoyed, from one generation to the next. Creative Remodeling & Home Repairs

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46 Parties to Remember Question: Corn seemed to play a big role Rosie at your party. answer: The party was in the fall, so it CusaCk was Olathe sweet corn, of course. I always by have it in the fall, but the actual date of the Marta party does vary according to who is coming Tarbell in when, and who is going to be in town. It’s not consistent. Telluride citizen Rosie Cusack is equal parts raconteur/real-estate broker/home Q: Your music set-up looks deceptively decorator/party-giver nonpareil. On that simple. last front, her two hot-ticket parties – one in a: Well, Frank Marshall, who most film March, another on or around Labor Day, people know (he and his wife, Kathleen when she celebrates her birthday as well as Kennedy, are movie producers) was the DJ. the comings and goings of friends who set He DJs for friends, as DJ Master Frank. their annual calendars, like she does, by the Q: Does he scratch? Telluride Film Festival – feature barbecued Omaha Steaks. “I’m friends with one of a: No. He doesn’t scratch. the owners,” she explains, “for going on Q: What did he play? 16 years.” As a matter of fact: “I brought Omaha Steaks to the Telluride Film Fes- a: It was a mixture – he took requests. tival,” another hot-ticket Labor Day tra- Anything you asked for, he was able to play dition, which features them at its closing it. He is able to play thousands and thou- picnic every year. sands of songs.

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Q: With things like your “Bless the Irish” gardening stake and your red molded plas- ‘I love recycled items. I love tic chairs alongside that old metal chair with a crisp white pillow – the things in to combine old with new.’ your yard don’t look like they came straight out of a decorator’s showroom. A: Not at all. I have a very eclectic shabby- chic design taste. Those red chairs came these days, it would look a little bit differ- from Design Within Reach. I love to de- ent – I added a new chalkboard to the back sign. I just finished redoing a condo in of the house. town here – it was not in great condition Q: Why? and I refurbished it on a very small budget, practically no budget. I love recycled items. A: Because it’s so fun to play Pictionary I love to combine old with new. I love an- there. We have had some very successful tique and secondhand stores. Pictionary games. Q: You also seem to love fire pits and can- Q: I noticed several other real estate bro- dles. kers in these party pictures – Matthew Hintermeister, Scott Kelly. Kind of shoots A: I love the fire-pit ambiance. And my down the notion that brokers don’t get Pope candles. He’s no longer the Pope; he along – it’s more like they play well with died, so I got them for 50 cents apiece. It’s others. important to have the Pope around…. A: Well, yes, Matt and Scott are at almost Q: I guess you need him if he’s going to all of my parties. “Bless the Irish.” Q: Almost? A: That picture is so hilarious. They’re tchotchkes. They’re what we Irish call A: Well, yes, I have a lot of parties, and “shanty Irish.” If you were in my yard they certainly can’t attend all of them! 49 marketplace

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