Ski chalet with a kick
image from: http://www.vailrealestate.com/
This not-so-humble abode is located in one of Colorado’s most famous skiing meccas – Vail Village.
A recent Curbed.com article described it as an ”overwrought Austrian ski chalet”. Oh yes, this place is INSANE!
image from: http://www.vailrealestate.com/
And House Crazy Sarah loves a good crazy house – especially when no expense (or pattern) is spared!
image from: http://www.vailrealestate.com/
Such is the case with this frenetically decorated 6 bedroom, 8 bathroom marvel.
John Denver’s house in Aspen, Colorado
image from: http://poemsprayerspromises.tripod.com/john’s_home.htm
One of the most searched terms on my blog is “John Denver’s House“. I did a post a while back called Starwood in Aspen - about a home near John’s house in Aspen, Colorado that was for sale - but not John Denver’s actual house. Starwood is the name of the subdivision where he built his dream home.
I suspect people also search my blog for John Denver’s house because 1) I live in Colorado, 2) I love mountain homes, and 3) I occasionally mention my undying love for John Denver here on my blog.
image from: lol2.homestead.com
Your wish is my command. Here is the be-all-and-end-all post on John Denver’s former home in Aspen, Colorado……..
John Denver and his first wife Annie Martell lived in Edina, Minnesota until the late 1960s. With the success of his latest solo album, John brought Annie to Colorado to scope out a site for a future home.
Colorado had always been a favorite destination for John, although he was not actually born here. He was born in Roswell, New Mexico of all places. His father was an officer in the Air Force and the family moved often from state to state. The young Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr had traveled through Denver and was taken by the beauty of the wondrous Colorado Rocky Mountains.
image from: http://johndenver.com
He began singing and playing guitar at age 11 when his grandmother gifted him a guitar. John performed in bars during college and soon became well known in the folk music scene as a singer/song-writer. He joined the group the Chad Mitchell Trio in 1965 and performed with the group until 1968. John was told during this time by record executives to change his name to something shorter. He chose the surname “Denver” in honor of the capital city of his favorite state - Colorado.
One thing I did not know before writing this post was that John Denver attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas where he studied architecture. So when it came time for him and Annie to build their dream home, John enthusiastically designed it himself and the home later won several architectural awards. It was built predominantly from redwood with tons of glass windows to take advantage of passive solar heating from the prime southern exposure.
The home is located at 570 Johnson Drive, Aspen, Colorado.
Why Aspen? John and Annie had been on a ski trip to the community and fell in love with the landscape and the small town atmosphere. Keep in mind that Aspen was not the astronomically expensive wealthy enclave that it is today.
Aspen, Colorado in 1974:
image from: http://www.funcage.com/blog/u-s-ski-resorts-of-the-early-1970s-30-photos/
Back then it was one of Colorado’s undiscovered gems. The irony of John Denver’s success is that his presence in (and vocal admiration of) his beloved Aspen contributed to droves of people swarming there. Subsequently, Aspen became an over-priced, heavily developed world famous ski resort destination. You can still find some old-timers in Colorado who are bitter about this and blame John Denver for the bastardization of Aspen, Snowmass and the surrounding areas.
The Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vermont
image from: www.jandoets.nl
My last post featured the Austrian family home of the famous von Trapp Family who were depicted in the film The Sound of Music.
Today I am focusing on the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vermont.
image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2004-02-25_-_16_-_Von_Trapp_Family_Lodge,_Stowe.jpg (by: dudesleeper)
The von Trapp family came to the United States in the late 1930′s as refugees after the occupation of Austria by Nazi Germany in 1938. The family toured around America singing for audiences and on one of those tours, they discovered the beauty of Vermont.
The family was transfixed; the landscape reminded them of the mountainous region of the Alps from which they were exiled. An opportunity presented itself and the family decided unanimously to buy an old farmstead near Stowe, Vermont with close to 700 acres of meadowland and rolling hills.
image from: www.clubexus.com
When we started our concert tour in America in 1939, we had no headquarters until Mr. Drinker offered us a house in Merion, PA, where we stayed until moving to Stowe in 1943. The summer of 1942, we stayed in Stowe, VT, where we purchased a beautiful farm on top of Luce Hill, surrounded by three valleys that reminded us of Austria.
- from: http://www.trappfamily.com/
image from: below from: http://www.salzburgmuseum.at
The property came with several old barns and a ramshackle farmhouse. The old farmhouse actually fell down around the family shortly after they moved in during a snowstorm in March of 1943. No one was injured and the resilient, determined family rebuilt with their own hands and the help of many new friends.
On the market for a Swiss villa?
image from: http://www.swissgetaway.com/house-for-sale-in-villars-vaud-switzerland
Winter is in full swing now and if you are the type who fancies the Alpine lifestyle, look no further. I have compiled 4 lovely mountain homes with views of the iconic Swiss Alps that are curretly for sale…
House # 1 is located in town of Villars with sweeping views from Lake Geneva to Mont Blanc.
image from: http://www.swissgetaway.com/house-for-sale-in-villars-vaud-switzerland
The historic chalet has 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.
image from: http://www.swissgetaway.com/house-for-sale-in-villars-vaud-switzerland
The interior has all “wooden” floors and a distinctly European feel.
Aspen extreme
image from: realtor.com
Extreme views – that is.
image from: www.realtor.com
Yes this house is located in the illustrious high-dollar ski resort town of Aspen, Colorado. It is currently listed for sale – the price has recently been lowered from $8,495,000 to $6,995,000. (Which makes it a bargain by Aspen standards!)
image from: www.realtor.com
Dramatic, breathtaking panoramic views of town, mountains and valleys from Independence Pass to Mt. Sopris.- from: realtor.com
