AUTHENTIC LUXURY: Redefined, The Bonedale Way
Hello, Carbondale š
June came in with a festive rush, bluebird skies, luscious temps and a raucous First Friday. As I cycled Main Street through the dusk, life spilled over. I saw more than just the crowds and storefronts, as I always do. Near anytime I make my way through town, I touch in with the ghosts of moments and memories, the emotional geography of my time here. I see and feel the back stories, threads of in-the-know, gossip and hearsay of past, present and future. The montage of perception washes through me, painting a richer, deeper snapshot of our town, beyond appearances. A gander about invariably stokes my fire; people and happenings poke at the storied embers and warming coals of community.
In a town with such a small tax base, we areĀ rich,Ā my friends.
Cradled in the widespread arms of the Roaring Fork and Crystal, we have the singular luxury of longer, sunny days. Fresh food grows in the alluvial soils of both drainages. Charming homes and century old trees gather along our streets. A grapevine of support sends its tendrils curling through, around and beneath us, lifting us incrementally closer to our goals and dreams.
For Jose Miranda, this meant reconnecting with ‘his herd’, the water buffalo. Growing up on theĀ llanosĀ of Venezuela, Jose found himself through bonding with the ‘boofalo’ and his immersion in the natural world. With a grant from CORE, he has been able to develop a mobile, solar-powered ‘milking parlor’, creating a more humane, natural system to procure the ‘Queen of Milk’ from the valley’s premier water buffalo herd.
Seth Siobhan O’Donovan feels that “in an over-saturated, overfed culture, we want new paths and new possibilities more than we want food.” She answers this hunger with food and love, “and this does not mean it is soft, delicate, or squishy,” she writes. It is hard and fierce, she declares, speaking to the “possibility that lies in the hardness.”
Challenge is no stranger to six adults living in community. Our housing and living series continues with a visit to a quiet Carbondale neighborhood along the banks of the Crystal River, where flow is imperative. When three couples choose to live intentionally together, the potential in community, gatherings and reflection exponentiates.
Dandelion Days organizer Natalie Rae Fuller introduces us to MANA Foods, Carbondale’s own natural food store sandwiched between Rhumba Girl Liquor and the Laundry along Highway 133. As a member of the Adi Shakti Ashram, which runs the grocery store, Natalie shares in the belief that “we are holding the reins to our own destiny, with the power to heal ourselves”.Ā Ā Mana. Sustenance, food as spirit.
In a world of ‘new’ and ‘bigger, faster, more’, bike guru Aaron Taylor proffers true luxury: access, resources and support. Kids have discovered the Way of Compassion Bike Project and are building not just bikes, but character. Operating somewhat like a co-op, the Bike Project mines our cast offs, creating community and compassion.
Gastronome John Maxwell relays impressions of the humble, divine fare he savored during his recent trip to Spain, where source and simplicity shine brighter than intricacy or expense.
Lee Cherry shares the inspiration for an adventure company he launched, Venture Locally, founded in the connections and resources of local Nicaraguan families befriended on his adventures. Lee’s program for utilizing goods and services generated by local families not only keeps wealth in the community but leads to genuine experiences with mutually invested partners–both hosts and tourists– a win-win for all.
The ultimate in luxury comes not from privilege, ownership or money, (Sorry, Aspen) but from heart, from connection. Being included, being welcomed, nurtured, and acknowledged is the highest regard we can accord one another. Carbondale excels in this, with many private and public entities creating natural stomping grounds that welcome us to heal, to harvest and eat, to celebrate our roots and to simply bask in the enjoyment of one another. Tour a few of these community gems with me.
I hope one or several of these stories in the June issue, Authentic Luxury, resonate with you– might you contribute to Bonedale | Amplified? July is the Mountain Fair Arts and Music issue. Share an homage to one of your creative friends or (s)heroes.Ā August explores concepts around Power. What does this mean to you? How are you influenced by it, or how do you affect power– in your family, in the community? The world?
I wholeheartedly encourage you to contribute. Let’s make Amplified our voices, our stories. About us, for us. An economic driver with soul, keepin’ it Carbondale.
Much love to all of us~ GJV