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Wine Tasting 101Did You Know? – Enstrom’s CandiesDid You Know? -- Wine CountryColorado Wines: What We’re MakingChef Wayne – Videos and Recipes
 
  A GIRLFRIENDS' GRAND JUNCTION GETAWAY By Lora Finnegan
Day One: Retail Therapy, Anyone? First order of the day: Explore Grand Junction's amazing galleries and shops. The Art Center is a must-see, both for its historic collection of Navajo rugs (I'm a collector) and its wide selection of Western artists. Need more gallery time? Head downtown and peruse the fine art at 13 Photography Gallery & Shop. But to really leave our worries (and old, unfashionable selves) behind, we set aside an afternoon to buy a couple of new outfits for a dressy night out. Luckily, there's a whole boutique scene downtown to roam, with
Day Two: A Little Indulgence Mary Kay insists on staying in shape. So to combat any excess calorie build-up from our scrumptious dinner the night before, we take an easy hike on an awesome trail at the Colorado National Monument. Trails here wind through fresh-scented juniper and pinon pine forests, and overlook monoliths like Balanced Rock, Pipe Organand Independence Monument. But after such a thirst-making workout, even girly girls like me need a lunch stop where the portions are big and the beer is on tap, so Rockslide Brewery gets our vote. We dedicate the rest of the day to pampering, for which the Day Spa and Salon at the Grand Junction Athletic Club is the perfect choice. After a massage and facial, I meet sis in the pedicure room, where we each
Day Three: Wine and Peaches We'd both been looking forward to spending our last day on the Grand Valley's lazy back roads. At charming, family-run wineries and fruit stands, we stock up on the local bounty to take home. Orchards and vineyards hopscotch across the mesas here, and while we sip the latest vintage, we bask in spectacular scenery. Sure, we could do the drive ourselves, by checking the web for a map to area wineries, but neither of us wants the job of designated driver. So we make a friendly compromise and tool around the wine country by stretch limo. A Touch Of Class and Absolute Prestige Limousine both offer customizable wine tours for $130 and up. I've told Mary Kay about the valley's famed peaches – so juicy you have to stand over a sink to eat ‘em –and she insists on adding a few stops at the fruit stands around Palisades. After the day's wine/fruit tasting, we head back downtown to The Winery for a steak dinner matched with a full-bodied local Cab, and congratulate ourselves on a well-planned girls' getaway. |
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