Double Black: A Ski Diva Mystery

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

TheSkiDiva Cooks!


Tomorrow's Thanksgiving. And at the time of year when food plays such a big part in our celebrations, consider this:

TheSkiDiva Cooks, the new cookbook featuring recipes from members of TheSkiDiva.com community.

There's everything from SnowHot's Famous White Hot Chocolate to Diva Dude Chili and Face Plant Cake — more than 150 recipes. Enjoy mouthwatering appetizers, beverages, soups & salads, desserts, main dishes, and more. And of course, it makes a great holiday or hostess gift.

To order your own copy, go here.

Be sure to visit TheSkiDiva.com, the online home especially for women skiers, where women skiers can connect with one another to talk about everything and anything ski-related.

Friday, November 21, 2008

WOOOO-HOOOOO!!!!


My ski season has started!!!!

Today was my very first day of the season. And even though it wasn't a full day (I was only out there for a few hours), it was great to be finally skiing.

My home mountain is Okemo, Vermont, and they always do a great job making snow. Not too much terrain was open, but the conditions were good and it snowed early in the day, which made it extra nice. Okemo is blasting its snowmaking guns like crazy, so more trails will be opening each day.

Interesting, though -- every year I have the same crazy, irrational thought: What if I've forgotten how to ski? I know it makes no sense, but there it is. Usually it's gone after just a few turns. But I wonder -- does anyone else feel this way, or is it just me?????

Here's wishing all of us a great '08/'09 season!

Be sure to visit TheSkiDiva.com, the online home especially for women skiers, where women skiers can connect with one another to talk about everything and anything ski-related.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Skiing with the Girlz.

Want to spend the day with women who love skiing as much as you do, while taking your skills to a higher level?

The answer may be as simple as a women's ski clinic. Today there are women's ski clinics at just about every resort. It's a great way to gain confidence and improve your skiing in an encouraging, supportive environment, free of male machismo.

Here are a few you might want to investigate:

  • Okemo Women's Alpine Adventures (Okemo, VT): This well regarded women's clinic is headed by Maria Tomaselli, honored by Skiing magazine as one of "America's Best Instructors." Okemo offers five, three, and two day programs.

  • Copper's Wednesday Womens Program (Copper Mountain, CO): Here's a program where you can come every week, or just drop in. Held every Wednesday throughout the ski season.

  • Ski with Kim (Beaver Creek & Aspen, CO): Kim Reichelm’s skiing resume is impressive, with two World Extreme Skiing Championships and winnings in the U.S. Extremes and the South American Extremes. She's also skied with the U.S. Ski Team and the Women’s Pro Tour. Kim's Women’s Ski Adventures are 4-day, 5-night instructional ski vacations that are educational, informative, and lots of fun.

  • Jackson Hole's Women's Ski Camps: JH runs two 4-day sesssions: one in January, and one in February. Join Jackson Hole's top women instructors as they help intermediate, advanced, and expert skiers conquer the big stuff on this amazing mountain.

  • Women's Extreme Edge: Didi Lawrence heads up a four days session open to skiers Level 8 and up who are eager for the challenge of double-black terrain, and offers coaching in both the technical and psychological aspects of extreme skiing. Didi is an amazing instructor whose enthusiasm and expertise will have you doing things on skis you never thought possible! You can see my interview with her here.

  • Mermer Blakeslee's Women's Fear Clinic: If fear is holding you back, this is the clinic for you. Mermer Blakeslee, the ski industry expert on fear and author of the renowned "In The Yikes Zone," (see my interview of Mermer here), holds a four day clinic in January just for women at Windham Mountain (NY).

  • Snowbird's Women's Ski Camp: Held for four days in January and four days in March. The January session features guest instructor Robin Barnes, who has twice earned a spot on Ski Magazine’s Top 100 Instructors list. Snowbird also offers Women's Monday Getaways, held every Monday morning throughout the season.

  • Holly Flanders' 3-Day Workshops (The Canyons, UT): Sessions are held in January, February, and March, and are headed by Olympian and World Cup Champion Holly Flanders.

  • There are many other women's ski clinics to choose from, too. Call your favorite resort -- chances are they'll have one.

    Be sure to visit TheSkiDiva.com, the online home especially for women skiers, where women skiers can connect with one another to talk about everything and anything ski-related.

    Thursday, November 06, 2008

    Ski for the Cure!




    Never say that skiers are just out for a good time (though yes, that is part of it).

    Recently I posted about K2's Breast Cancer Research Fundraiser. Now here's another one that's ski-related:

    To raise money for the Breast Cancer Three Day and Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Kitties for A Cure, an independent group, is raffling off lift tickets for a number of ski resorts in the Northeast. A single raffle ticket costs $1., or you can get a Super Ticket that covers all the areas for $5.


    The following have donated tickets to the cause:

    Black Mountain, NH
    Bromley Mountain, VT
    Pat’s Peak, MA
    Ragged Mountain, NH
    Saddleback, ME
    Shawnee Peak, ME
    Waterville Valley, NH
    Whiteface/Lake Placid, NY

    The drawing will be held December 9. You can go to the Kitties For A Cure website to participate or to find out more.

    Be sure to visit TheSkiDiva.com, the online home especially for women skiers, where women skiers can connect with one another to talk about everything and anything ski-related.