Sun Valley Blog

H’SAO

Saturday, January 21, 6:30pm

Sun Valley Opera House

H’Sao draws inspiration from gospel and traditional African music, especially that of its Chadian roots, and adds dashes of pop, soul, jazz and R&B. The voices are magnificent, true and powerful; their original compositions, their unmistakable style and the energy on stage are contagious.

TICKETS

$20 / $30 nonmembers / $10 student

Purchase online www.sunvalleycenter.org, at The Center (corner of 5th & Washington) or by phone 208.726.9491.

A Few Reasons Why New Year’s Eve in Sun Valley is the BEST!

By Katie Matteson

Celebrating Sun Valley style—Happy New Year!

2012 is upon us! And what better place to ring in the New Year and get a fresh start than in Sun Valley! Sure New York knows how to throw a street party, beach parties in Thailand are hard to beat and I heard that the fireworks in Sydney over the Opera House can be pretty spectacular.

But really, there is nothing better than celebrating a fresh start, the New Year and new beginnings here in the mountains of Idaho. And with a fresh blanketing of snow and plenty of options to celebrate in style, I’m pretty sure once that clock strikes midnight, you’ll be glad you’re here.

We have broken down the events by location in Sun Valley and Ketchum, as well as a listing just for kids and families. So read on to check out our roundup of New Year’s options around the Sun Valley area, then grab your loved ones and go celebrate Sun Valley style. We will see you in the New Year!

>> Events in Sun Valley

1. New Year’s Bubbly Bash at River Run Lodge: NOW SOLD OUT

Hopefully you got your ticket early because this event, put on by Sun Valley Resort and the Sun Valley Center for the Arts Junior Patrons Circle, will be hopping! Eighties cover band, Notorious, will be providing tunes and with a free champagne toast and photo booth, revelers will be partying the night away!

>>Where: River Run Lodge

>>When: New Year’s Eve, 9:00 PM to 1:00 AM.

>>Info: Tickets are now SOLD OUT!

2. Joe Fos Trio at the Sun Valley Duchin Room

Ring in the New Year in the classic Sun Valley Lodge bar—the Duchin Room. The Joe Fos Trio will be providing music and it is sure to be a special Sun Valley New Year’s Eve.

>>Where: Sun Valley Lodge, Duchin Room.

>>When: New Year’s Eve, Saturday, January 31.

>>Info: sunvalley.com, Call 208.622.4111 for more info.

3. Trail Creek Sleigh Ride: Celebrate Idaho-style!

Try an old, Idaho tradition to celebrate the start of 2012 with a classic horse-drawn sleigh. Starting and ending at the Sun Valley Inn, this ride takes you and your family out to the Trail Creek Cabin for dinner and brings you back under a canopy of stars. Dress warmly and get ready to celebrate!

>>Where: Sun Valley Inn and Trail Creek Cabin

>>When: New Year’s Eve, Saturday, January 31.

>>Info: Call for reservations 208-622-2135.

4. New Year’s Even Dinner at the Roundhouse

With one of the best views in town and some of the best dinner in the Valley, the only on-mountain lodge that offers dinner service is the Roundhouse—and it offers a picturesque and romantic setting for your New Year’s Eve dinner. The ride up and down the gondola also provides a little more romance for the evening.

>>Where: The Roundhouse, Bald Mountain. Park at River Run and ride the River Run Gondola.

>>When: New Year’s Eve, Saturday, January 31^st.

>>Info: Call 208.622.4111 for details! Dinner reservations are currently booked but they are taking names for the wait list.

5. The Ram: New Year’s Dinner in the Sun Valley Village

Head to the cute and quaint Sun Valley Village for a New Year’s Eve dinner you won’t soon forget. The Ram is offering a five-course gourmet meal for $79 per person. Head to the nearby Inn Lobby Lounge to ring in the New Year after dinner!

>>Where: Sun Valley Village, the Ram Restaurant.

>>When: New Year’s Eve, Saturday, January 31.

>>Info: Call 208.622.4111 to inquire about availability.

>> Events in Ketchum

1. Reckless Kelly at Whiskey Jacques: The wildest party in town!

Nationally successful country-rock band, and native Idahoans, Reckless Kelly, headlines the main event in downtown Ketchum. Get ready for a wild night of dancing and fun at Ketchum’s favorite bar, Whiskey Jacques!

>>Where: Whiskey Jacques, Main Street, Ketchum.

>>When: New Year’s Eve, Saturday, January 31. Doors open at 9:00 PM.

>>Info: Advance ticket sales are now over. Tickets will be available at the door for $75/person. Contact Whiskey Jacques for more info, 208.726.5297.

2. Ring in the New Year at the Roosevelt Grille!

DJ Lenny Joseph will be spinning tunes and there will be plenty of dancing to be had at Ketchum’s Roosevelt Grille. Come in for dinner before the party gets rocking at 10:00 PM! Tickets are available starting today and include a complimentary Champagne toast and party favors!

>>Where: Roosevelt Grille, Main Street, Ketchum.

>>When: New Year’s Eve, Saturday, January 31. Party starts at 10:00 PM.

>>Info: Call 208.720.0051 for dinner reservations or to get your wristbands for the party!

3. Romantic Italian New Year’s Dinner at Il Naso

Romance your loved ones with an intimate and delicious dinner at Ketchum’s Il Naso.  Dine by candlelight with this five-course, prix fixe meal with a complimentary glass of prosecco.

>>Where: Il Naso, 480 North Washington Ave, Ketchum.

>>When: New Year’s Eve, Saturday, January 31.

>>Info: Call 208.726.7776 for reservations.

4. Dance the night away at the Casino with Old Death Whisper

Ketchum’s famous dive bar, the Casino on Main Street in Ketchum, is hosting local folk/country/rock band, Old Death Whisper for their New Year’s Eve party. Come get into a little trouble and party down with the locals!

>>Where: The Casino, Main Street, Ketchum.

>>When: New Year’s Eve, Saturday, January 31. Party starts at 10:00 PM.

>>Info: $15/person at the door.

>> For the Young Ones — Families & Kids!

1. Sun Valley New Year’s Eve Party for the Kids!

The kids have their own party this year! Kids of all ages are welcome for food, beverages and fun in the Sun Valley Inn’s Continental Room. Come check it out!

>>Where: Sun Valley Inn, Continental Room.

>>When: New Year’s Eve, Saturday, January 31^st. 7:30 PM to 1:00 AM.

>>Info: Call 208.622.4111 for reservations.  $75/person.

Taking a "time out" for yourself is essential for Mountain Divas!

10 quick fixes to help you relax and recharge

By Laurie Sammis

Let’s face it, if you are a Mountain Diva, you are a busy girl! It’s a festive time of year and the Holidays only raise the bar, thus lowering the amount of R&R for yourself.

And it doesn’t matter what keeps you busy: whether it’s the constant social circuit (a glass of champagne here…a bikini martini or a hot toddy there) or the steady schedule of family fun and kids activities that you are working to coordinate during this busy time (ice skating, ski lessons, tubing at Dollar). But if you feel like an air traffic controller that has just landed 18 jumbo jets on conflicting flight patterns (at night and in a snow storm), it’s time for a course in pampering yourself 101.

Read on, darling diva, as the following 10 quick fixes are geared towards helping you find your inner goddess once again.

1. Pamper Your Body

Every diva knows that the quickest way to complete bliss is through a relaxing and rejuvenating body treatment. Lucky for us, the Sun Valley Salon and Day Spa offers a wide array of options: everything from acupuncture and herbal body wraps to “hot stone therapy” and traditional massage. Just remember that there are hundreds of different techniques, so be sure to be specific on your needs (and aches or injuries) so that your treatment can be tailored to your specific needs—whether it’s a more relaxing in-room massage treatment (you don’t even have to get up and look presentable) or an invigorating sports massage or shiatsu treatment to help those quads recover from multiple days on Baldy. Can’t decide, call 208.622.2160 to get a recommendation on the perfect spa package (they can build in facials or salon services as well) or view the full brochure of spa services here.

2. Drench Your Skin

No time for a full massage or spa package, book a Petite Facial and enjoy 30 minutes of quiet time that includes a thorough cleanse and exfoliation, along with a moisturizing mask to rehydrate and refresh the complexion. You’ll look as good as new in no time! Of course, feel free to splurge with the Spa Prestige Ogenage Facial (for 80 minutes of heaven and a totally renewed, revitalized, and dare we say reconstructed complexion that works days after the facial). You can also enhance any of the standard facials—like the Aqualift Anti-Wrinkle Facial or Ultra Moisturizing Facial or the Classic—with a marine eye-lift or specialty concentrate treatment. Call 208.622.2160 to book your facial.

Poolside cocktail service at the Lodge pool

3. A Soak in the Lodge Pool

What could possibly be better than a following up your massage or facial (or full spa package) with a relaxing soak in the Sun Valley Lodge pool …? We can answer with complete confidence: Nothing can compete. There is simply no better way to finish off your massage than with a glass of champagne or a bartender’s margarita delivered poolside while you lounge in an outdoor pool that is heated to a soothing 100-102° (make sure you drink your water first so that all that pampering from your massage doesn’t go to waste). Come to think of it, this is the perfect way to end any après ski day, no matter where you have been (on the slopes of Baldy, exploring the backcountry with Sun Valley Heli Ski or wandering the Nordic trail system).

The bench seat extends around the entire perimeter and watching your drinks arrive via poolside cocktail service through the steam is a rare luxury. And don’t forget the Inn Pool, which offers breathtaking views of Baldy.

4. Pamper Your Toes

Short on time, book a manicure / pedicure and treat your hands and feet. The Sun Valley Salon and Day Spa even offers a reflexology add-on (30 minutes) to help add to the experience. Looking for a little extra sparkle, zip down to Chic Nail Boutique in Hailey for the Glitter Toes, a treatment that melds real glitter to any color for that added holiday glam.

5. Indulge in Sunday Brunch

Plan a decadent Sunday brunch at the elegant Lodge Dining Room on the second floor of the Sun Valley Lodge and indulge in what many consider to be the Northwest’s finest Sunday Brunch. A lavish display of breakfast specialties including omelet and crepe stations, seafood, an array of gourmet salads and a symphony of desserts await, along with the accompaniment of pianist Leana Leach. Open every Sunday for Brunch from 10 am to 2 pm. Sorry, no reservations for the Sunday Brunch.

6. Lunch at Your Leisure

Lunch at the Roundhouse

Enjoy a leisurely lunch at the Sun Valley Club, surrounded by huge glass walls overlooking the Nordic trails meandering along Trail Creek Golf Course. The sliders are to-die for and the lunch menu has something for everybody. Looking for something a little more quaint, then don’t miss a European breakfast or indulgent lunch at Cristina’s Restaurant (of Cristina’s Cookbook series fame). This quaint little cottage in Ketchum beckons with old-world charm and offers a menu of delicious treats that changes daily.

And for that WOW factor, a gondola ride up the mountain for a full table lunch service  at the Roundhouse can not be beat—just don’t miss drinks or fondue at Averell’s before you sit down (and enjoy the incredible views of town and the surrounding Pioneer Mountains)! Plan ahead (and get there early) as parties are seated on a first-come, first served basis; although large parties of 8 or more may make reservations by calling 208.622.2800.

7. A Little Retail Therapy

Grab coffee at the Konditorei Coffee (don’t worry, nobody can spell it correctly, but it’s pronounced khan-di-tor-i) and then head out to the Sun Valley Village shops for some retail therapy.

More than 15 shops beckon in the Sun Valley Village

Over 15 unique shops offer everything from technical sportswear and footwear to the latest in designer styles, fine gifts, jewelry and home décor. Designer lines include the latest from TSE, Juicy, Diane von Furstenberge, Velvet, Juicy, Kjus, Bogner, Toni Sailer, Ralph Lauren, Moncler, Arc’teryx, Lole, Nils, Patagonia, Burton and more. There is even a toy store for unique toys and gifts and Silver Creek Outfitters….so you can get something for everybody on your list.

For a more cultural experience, visit one of the amazing art galleries in town (the Sun Valley Gallery Association sponsors monthly gallery walk nights), featuring nationally and internationally recognized artists showing as part of a sophisticated and thriving arts scene—there is even the U.S. premiere of the Papunya Tula aboriginal artists from Australia this February at Harvey Art Projects in Ketchum.

8. Escape into the Solitude of Nature

Nordic and snowshoe trails offer beauty and solitude

Want to just get away from it all and enjoy the peace and quiet of a high alpine landscape beneath a blanket of freshly fallen snow? Head north out Trail Creek to the Sun Valley Nordic & Snowshoe Center, which is located in the glass-walled and river rock Sun Valley Club, nestled along the sprawling Trail Creek Golf Course. With over 40 km of trails groomed daily for skate and classic skiing, the trail system offers gently sloping terrain with challenging hills that offer incredible vistas without leaving you gasping for air. For a round up of other local snowshoe trails, from easy to insane, check out Sun Valley Magazine’s “Walking in a Winter Wonderland.” Cap your afternoon adventure off with a hot toddy in the Sun Valley Club.

9. Dinner and a Movie

Treat yourself to a movie at the historic Opera House. Built in 1937 and located in the heart of Sun Valley Village, the Opera House is a charming 340-seat theatre that features the newest releases, along with regular showings of the classic “Sun Valley Serenade” (every afternoon at 4:30 and admittance is always free). Sun Valley restaurant guests can also enjoy a FREE movie after dining at the following Sun Valley restaurants: Bald Mountain Pizza, Trail Creek Cabin, The Ram and Gretchen’s. Movie passes will be available to each diner for a movie on the same evening. Please ask your server for more information. Ketchum’s Magic Lantern Cinema also offers current films nightly and matinees most days.

Comedy and live music are all part of the winter calendar

10.  Ladies Night Out

Looking for a little more excitement. Start with some après ski fun by checking out Sun Valley’s Calendar of Events to see who is playing at the base lodges—both River Run and Warm Springs. There is often entertainment in the Sun Valley Village as well, with details on times and performers online—the Duchin Lounge has the best live jazz in town and the Boiler Room offers a comedy series and special appearances, along with the farewell season of Forever Plaid this year! There is also live music most nights somewhere in town and Whiskey Jacques has a full calendar with a great lineup and most shows with only a $5 to $12 cover.

Just remember that if you stay out too late…you may have to begin at the top of the list with #1 and start all over again.

Michael Franti & Spearhead

The Sun Valley Center for the Arts presents: Michael Franti & Spearhead at River Run Lodge Monday, August 15, 2011. Tickets available only through the Sun Valley Center for the Arts. This is an outdoor concert.

Sun Valley Resort is offering a special package that includes concert tickets and a one night stay on August 15. Double occupancy: $219 / Single Occupancy $184
For concert & hotel package info call: 800-786-8259

Michael Franti is the creator and lead singer of Michael Franti & Spearhead. For over two decades, The Bay Area born Franti has been bringing our world exceptionally powerful, deeply felt music. His latest release, The Sound of Sunshine, is a kind of musical sun shower, a bright, beautiful and often buoyant song cycle created to bring all kinds of listeners a sense of hope during rough and rainy times. The album marked the highest chart debut of Franti’s career on the Billboard Top 200 and continues to find success on the charts with singles “The Sound of Sunshine”, “Hey Hey Hey” and his latest release “I’ll Be Waiting”. Franti’s impressive series of recordings have vividly reflected his status as a musical citizen of the world as he continues to bring his unique sound and inspiring message to fans everywhere.

“To play for people and share your songs with them is to make a real connection,” says Franti. “And as a musician I was on tour with put it recently, ‘Our fans didn’t come to us from a reality show. They came to us from reality.’ And so, we mean something in their lives. We’re the music they put on when they drive their little kids to school, or hang out with the person they love at night. So they have an investment in the music. And that means so much because this music is very personal to me too.”

“Known for mixing rock, rap, reggae, soul and other styles into a musical gumbo all his own, Franti delivers songs that will force the listener to stand up and ‘Shake It’” – Associated Press

Rickie Lee Jones

The Sun Valley Center for the Arts presents: Rickie Lee Jones at River Run Lodge on Tuesday night, August 2. Tickets are available only through the Sun Valley Center for the Arts. This is an outdoor concert.

Sun Valley Resort is offering a special package that includes concert tickets and a one night stay on August 2. Double occupancy: $249 / Single Occupancy $214
For concert & hotel package info call: 800-786-8259

Grammy Award winner for Best New Artist in 1980, Rickie Lee Jones has spent her career challenging her listeners and the establishment with an absorbing musical vision that defies border and classification. She rocked the culture of singer-song writerdom with her refusal to conform to the staid and careful eloquence of the folk rock generation that came before her. Neither punk nor pop, she wove a thread of her own devising, jazz – the old musical kind, and R&B – the Motown thread that permeates her work.

The Avett Brothers

The Sun Valley Center for the Arts presents: The Avett Brothers in the Sun Valley Pavilion Wednesday, July 13, 2011.
Tickets available through the Sun Valley Center for the Arts only. Pavilion and lawn seating available.

Sun Valley Resort is offering a special package that includes concert tickets and a one night stay on July 13. Double occupancy: $219 / Single Occupancy $184
For concert & hotel package info call: 800-786-8259

The Avett Brothers (pronounced eh-vitt) is a folk rock band from Concord, North Carolina. The band is made up of two brothers, Scott and Seth Avett, who play the banjo and guitar respectively, and Bob Crawford who plays the stand-up bass, Joe Kwon, cello, and Jacob Edwards, drums. The Avett Brothers combine bluegrass, country, punk, pop melodies, folk, rock and roll, honky tonk, and ragtime to produce a sound described by the San Francisco Chronicle as having the “heavy sadness of Townes Van Zandt, the light pop concision of Buddy Holly, the tuneful jangle of the Beatles, the raw energy of the Ramones.”

Signed by legendary producer Rick Rubin (Johnny Cash, Tom Petty and the Dixie Chicks to name a few) in 2008, the Avett Brothers’ 2009 release “I and Love and You” reached #16 on Billboards’ chart of bestselling albums. Known for their rowdy, infectious live performances, the Avett Brothers’ concert coincides with Sun Valley’s hosting of the National Mountain Bike Championships which is July 14-17.

Colin Hay

The Sun Valley Center for the Arts presents: Colin Hay at the Sun Valley Opera House on Sunday, September 18 at 7pm. Tickets available only through the Sun Valley Center for the Arts.

You may know the name, you likely know the voice, but you have not seen a show like the troubadour-style solo performance by Scottish-born, Australian-raised, California-dwelling, Men at Work frontman, Colin Hay. He’ll bring a guitar and his distinctive voice to Sun Valley and will intersperse his classic and new songs with hilarious, poignant, and downright surreal stories drawn from his often unbelievable experiences over the past three decades. Please note: Colin Hay’s shows contain adult language and material that may not be suitable for all ages or audience members.
“Hay’s charm and reputation as a raconteur on stage also endear him to audiences.” The Age – theage.com.au

De Temps Antan

Since 2003, Eric Beaudry, Andre Brunet and Pierre-Luc Dupuis have been exploring and performing time-honored melodies from the stomping grounds of Quebec’s musical past. Using fiddle, accordion, harmonica, guitar, bouzouki and a number of other instruments, our three virtuosos blend boundless energy and joie de vivre found only in traditional Quebec music.

De Temps Antan concert starts at 6:30pm, Saturday, March 12, 2011 at the Sun Valley Opera House located in the Sun Valley Village.

Tickets are $20 & $30 (non members) available only through the Sun Valley Center for the Arts.
Call (208) 726-9491 for tickets and more information.

Bring your March 12 concert ticket to a Sun Valley Resort Restaurant the same day as this show and receive 10% Off dinner.
*Offer good only at Gretchen’s, The Ram, Bald Mountain Pizza, The Duchin Lounge and The Inn Lobby Lounge. (Alcoholic beverages not included / one discount per ticket)

Sweet Plantain

Sweet Plantain, a string quartet that specializes in genre-blurring, original compositions and arrangements as well as contemporary works by Latin American composers. Their unique style fuses Latin, classical, jazz and improvisational forms.

Concert starts at 6:30pm, Friday, March 4, 2011 at the Sun Valley Opera House located in the Sun Valley Village.

Tickets are $20 & $30 (non members) available only through the Sun Valley Center for the Arts.
Call (208) 726-9491 for tickets and more information.

Bring your March 4 concert ticket to a Sun Valley Resort Restaurant the same day as this show and receive 10% Off dinner.
*Offer good only at Gretchen’s, The Ram, Trail Creek Cabin, Bald Mountain Pizza, The Duchin Lounge and The Inn Lobby Lounge. (Alcoholic beverages not included / one discount per ticket)

Raul Midón performs his heady fusion of old-school soul, Latin jazz and folk-pop in the Sun Valley Opera House Friday, December 3 at 6:30pm. Tickets are $20 for members and $30 for non-members on sale now only at the Sun Valley Center for the Arts. www.sunvalleycenter.org

New York based vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Raul Midón has always experienced the world differently than most. Born prematurely in a rural hospital in Mexico, he and his twin brother, Marco, were accidentally blinded as infants after spending time in an incubator without eye protection. Midón followed a musical path inspired by his father, a professional Argentine folkloric dancer. Midón studied jazz at the University of Miami and after graduating became a backup singer, working primarily in the Latin-pop world for such artists as Julio and Enrique Iglesias, Shakira, Ricky Martin and Alejandro Sanz. In 2002, Midón walked away from his lucrative work as a back-up singer to pursue a career as a solo artist. Since striking out on his own Midón has produced three solo albums and received accolades for his music’s heady fusion of old-school soul, Latin, jazz and timeless singer/songwriter folk-pop.