Les Saisons September, 2011 Newsletter

Les Saisons - Best Vacation Rentals in Idaho

Les Saisons Newsletter • September, 2011 • www.LesSaisons-SunValley.com

In this issue:

• Fall is in the Air
• Refurbishment Update
• The Ins of Dining Out
• Best of Fall

Want to see more? - View Prior Editions

Golf in Sun Valley

Sun Valley Acquires Elkhorn Golf

Sun Valley purchased Elkhorn Golf Course on June 30 with plans to bring club operations to a level equal to Sun Valley Resort's world-class golf standards both on the green and off. With an opportunity to provide better social, food and beverage experiences at Elkhorn, while continuing to operate as a semi-private club, Sun Valley now offers 45 holes of championship golf between Elkhorn Golf Course, White Clouds and Trail Creek.

As part of the acquisition, Sun Valley is honoring all memberships in good standing, and the transfer of ownership does not affect Les Saisons owners. Sun Valley has also agreed not to sell new memberships anytime soon, while providing Sun Valley Resort hotel guests with access to the Elkhorn Golf Course, creating increased play at Elkhorn, without significantly impacting Elkhorn's current members.

Sun Valley is currently working through the day-to-day issues of the acquisition, and plans to establish some extended privileges for Elkhorn members on the Sun Valley Courses. We will keep all Les Saisons owners and guests up to date regarding any progress or new developments that may impact their memberships.

Sustaining Satisfaction

Your feedback is important! Please take a quick moment to fill out a satisfaction survey after your next visit to Les Saisons. We review all surveys carefully, as your comments help alert our team to maintenance issues as they arise or important improvements that could be made to the property that we may want to address in the future.

Our most recent survey tabulation revealed an overall satisfaction rate of 96 percent, based on surveys we received from owners and guests over the summer. We strive to maintain the highest levels of satisfaction at the resort and appreciate your commitment in helping us achieve those remarkable results.

New Additions to the Team

The Les Saisons staff welcomes two new part-time valet drivers to its staff.

Salvador Lopez of Hailey, is a former US Air Force Superintendent of Communications and Computer Operations, with additional experience as a property manager, bellman at Sun Valley, and owner of a small painting business.

Austin Loree recently relocated to the Wood River Valley from South Carolina with his wife. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia and Montana State University who also participates with Wood River Fire and EMS.

Both Sal and Austin are committed to providing excellent customer service and we look forward to all our owners getting to know them and welcome them to the team in the ensuing months.

Fall is in the Air

A couple of weeks before the fourth of July, right on queue, a wet and soggy spring turned into one of the most spectacular summers we've seen in years. Nothing but blue skies and warm days accompanied the torrent of fabulous activities that took place all summer long. Headliners like Alison Krauss and Union Station, Bruce Hornsby, Bela Fleck, and Michael Franti and Spearhead were some of the bands to hit the stage over a two month period. Alasdair Neale and the world-renowned Sun Valley Summer Symphony had the Pavilion overflowing with spectators for the month of August, the Sun Valley Writer's Conference brought in acclaimed authors David Brooks from the New York Times and Kathryn Stockett of summer's hit The Help. Then there were all the activities in between: the arts and crafts festivals, farmers' markets, antique shows, gallery walks, wine auction and numerous other fundraisers that truly set the stage for this world-class year-round destination, and quite frankly left summer close to over well before we knew it.

To a certain extent, fall comes with a welcomed sigh of relief. As Labor Day passes and Ketchum falls back into a more mellow rhythm, we say goodbye to the crowds, but not the weather. Fall is one of our favorite times to spend outside enjoying the area's best hikes, fishing holes and the precious time we have left outdoors. In this edition of the e-newsletter, we've highlighted a number of upcoming fall activities, fun new restaurants that are getting great reviews; you'll find it a bit hard to believe that town still experiences what we all call "slack."

Here at Les Saisons we're gearing up for a transition of our own. Resort Manager Jon Gilmour submitted his resignation in July and left the resort at the end of August. Plans are in the works to have a new manager recruited, selected and on board by the end of October or beginning of November. PRR President and CEO Michael Burns will act as the interim manager until the new manager is on-board and ready to take the reins by the holidays.

In the meantime, we hope many of you consider making a trip to Les Saisons this season a priority. We hope to see you soon!

Refurbishment Update

When Phase I of Les Saisons' two phase refurbishment was completed last fall, the homeowners, Board of Directors, PRR and interior designer were very involved in reviewing the results of the first phase, adjustments that needed to be made to complete Phase I and the direction to take for Phase II. After thorough consideration, and mindful adherence to the budget, the following adjustments to Phase I and direction for Phase II have been selected and approved:

Phase I Adjustments

New headboards for upstairs master bedrooms

New artwork above the new headboard in upstairs master bedrooms

Extra throw pillows for new sectional sofas in residence living rooms

New silk plant in area between living room and dining room

Phase II Plans

New dining room table (please note dining room chairs will not be replaced at this time)

New coverlets for the double beds in the downstairs guest room

New pillow shams for guest room beds

New guest room benches

New guest room window coverings

New third floor hallway carpet

The downstairs master bedroom will not be refurbished at this time, as it does not experience the same high usage as the upstairs master bedroom and is in good shape. We will review the need to update it next year. All adjustments to Phase I as well as all of the items for Phase II will be completed in time for the holidays.

The Ins of Dining Out

Ketchum's ever evolving dining scene has seen a number of recent changes. It came as a big surprise when Sego Restaurant closed their relatively new doors mid-July during the height of summer, only one month after former Sego chef, Taite Pearson, opened the cozy new Della Mano Osteria, a rustic Italian restaurant on Main Street, whose name is derived from the Italian word meaning homemade; everything on the menu, from pastas to bread and sausages is made in house.

Also new this summer is Dashi, a restaurant located in East Avenue's former Bistro location. Owned by Tyler Stokes, a familiar face in the local dining community (he used to be Executive Chef of Ketchum's Globus Restaurant), Stokes' handcrafted modern Asian cuisine at Dashi focuses on sustainable ingredients creatively served in a casual environment.

As of this past August, Ketchum also welcomed back longtime favorite, Mama Inez. After closing its doors on Warm Springs Road a number of years ago, Mama's was all but quiet except for once a week when Chef Derek Gallagos, of Three Ten Main in Hailey, whipped up his grandmother's most memorable dishes for Noche de Inez. Well Mama's is back in business and taking over the real estate next door to the Casino on Main Street.

For more recommendations on local eateries, or to make dinner reservations for your upcoming visit, please contact the Les Saisons Concierge.

Best of Fall

Town may seem quiet, but your social calendar won't be with all these amazing performances and events lined up for fall:

September 22 - 24, 2011
Sun Valley Resort hosts the Gathering Film & Music Festival, a kick-off party for the resort's 76th ski season with top snow sports filmmakers, athletes, sponsors, media and Reggae music. The event will also showcase local talent vying for the Young Filmmakers Award.

September 23 - 25, 2011
The 2nd annual Sun Valley Harvest Festival celebrates Idaho's spectacular bounty in a beautiful fall setting. The weekend of events focus on regional sustainable foods, wines, spirits and will feature cooking demonstrations and presentations by local, regional and guest chefs.

October 7 - 9, 2011
The three-day Trailing of the Sheep Festival, now in its 15th year, includes sheep storytelling and readings, music, a Folklife Fair with sheep shearing, wool spinning, sheep arts and crafts, and Championship Sheepdog Trials, and the Trailing of the Sheep Parade. This festival honors the colorful history, heritage and cultures of Idaho and the west.

October 9, 2011
Novelist Jonathan Franzen is the first speaker in Sun Valley Center's 2011-2012 lecture series. Franzen's first book, The Corrections, was one of the past decade's best-selling novels; it won a National Book Award and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Franzen's newest book, Freedom, is a top seller of 2010.

October 12 - 16, 2011
The 22nd annual Sun Valley Jazz Jamboree features Big Band, Swing, Contemporary Jazz, Dixieland, Blues and Zydeco with 280 performances by 36 different bands on 10 stages. Scheduling and ticket prices are available through www.SunValleyJazz.com.


Les Saisons Newsletter • September, 2011 • www.LesSaisons-SunValley.com
In this issue: • Fall is in the Air • Refurbishment Update • The Ins of Dining Out • Best of Fall Want to see more? - View Prior Editions Sun Valley Acquires Elkhorn Golf Sun Valley purchased Elkhorn Golf Course on June 30 with plans to bring club operations to a level equal to Sun Valley Resort's world-class golf standards both on the green and off. With an opportunity to provide better social, food and beverage experiences at Elkhorn, while continuing to operate as a semi-private club, Sun Valley now offers 45 holes of championship golf between Elkhorn Golf Course, White Clouds and Trail Creek. As part of the acquisition, Sun Valley is honoring all memberships in good standing, and the transfer of ownership does not affect Les Saisons owners. Sun Valley has also agreed not to sell new memberships anytime soon, while providing Sun Valley Resort hotel guests with access to the Elkhorn Golf Course, creating increased play at Elkhorn, without significantly impacting Elkhorn's current members. Sun Valley is currently working through the day-to-day issues of the acquisition, and plans to establish some extended privileges for Elkhorn members on the Sun Valley Courses. We will keep all Les Saisons owners and guests up to date regarding any progress or new developments that may impact their memberships. Sustaining Satisfaction Your feedback is important! Please take a quick moment to fill out a satisfaction survey after your next visit to Les Saisons. We review all surveys carefully, as your comments help alert our team to maintenance issues as they arise or important improvements that could be made to the property that we may want to address in the future. Our most recent survey tabulation revealed an overall satisfaction rate of 96 percent, based on surveys we received from owners and guests over the summer. We strive to maintain the highest levels of satisfaction at the resort and appreciate your commitment in helping us achieve those remarkable results. New Additions to the Team The Les Saisons staff welcomes two new part-time valet drivers to its staff. Salvador Lopez of Hailey, is a former US Air Force Superintendent of Communications and Computer Operations, with additional experience as a property manager, bellman at Sun Valley, and owner of a small painting business. Austin Loree recently relocated to the Wood River Valley from South Carolina with his wife. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia and Montana State University who also participates with Wood River Fire and EMS. Both Sal and Austin are committed to providing excellent customer service and we look forward to all our owners getting to know them and welcome them to the team in the ensuing months.	Fall is in the Air A couple of weeks before the fourth of July, right on queue, a wet and soggy spring turned into one of the most spectacular summers we've seen in years. Nothing but blue skies and warm days accompanied the torrent of fabulous activities that took place all summer long. Headliners like Alison Krauss and Union Station, Bruce Hornsby, Bela Fleck, and Michael Franti and Spearhead were some of the bands to hit the stage over a two month period. Alasdair Neale and the world-renowned Sun Valley Summer Symphony had the Pavilion overflowing with spectators for the month of August, the Sun Valley Writer's Conference brought in acclaimed authors David Brooks from the New York Times and Kathryn Stockett of summer's hit The Help. Then there were all the activities in between: the arts and crafts festivals, farmers' markets, antique shows, gallery walks, wine auction and numerous other fundraisers that truly set the stage for this world-class year-round destination, and quite frankly left summer close to over well before we knew it. To a certain extent, fall comes with a welcomed sigh of relief. As Labor Day passes and Ketchum falls back into a more mellow rhythm, we say goodbye to the crowds, but not the weather. Fall is one of our favorite times to spend outside enjoying the area's best hikes, fishing holes and the precious time we have left outdoors. In this edition of the e-newsletter, we've highlighted a number of upcoming fall activities, fun new restaurants that are getting great reviews; you'll find it a bit hard to believe that town still experiences what we all call "slack." Here at Les Saisons we're gearing up for a transition of our own. Resort Manager Jon Gilmour submitted his resignation in July and left the resort at the end of August. Plans are in the works to have a new manager recruited, selected and on board by the end of October or beginning of November. PRR President and CEO Michael Burns will act as the interim manager until the new manager is on-board and ready to take the reins by the holidays. In the meantime, we hope many of you consider making a trip to Les Saisons this season a priority. We hope to see you soon! Refurbishment Update When Phase I of Les Saisons' two phase refurbishment was completed last fall, the homeowners, Board of Directors, PRR and interior designer were very involved in reviewing the results of the first phase, adjustments that needed to be made to complete Phase I and the direction to take for Phase II. After thorough consideration, and mindful adherence to the budget, the following adjustments to Phase I and direction for Phase II have been selected and approved: Phase I Adjustments New headboards for upstairs master bedrooms New artwork above the new headboard in upstairs master bedrooms Extra throw pillows for new sectional sofas in residence living rooms New silk plant in area between living room and dining room Phase II Plans New dining room table (please note dining room chairs will not be replaced at this time) New coverlets for the double beds in the downstairs guest room New pillow shams for guest room beds New guest room benches New guest room window coverings New third floor hallway carpet The downstairs master bedroom will not be refurbished at this time, as it does not experience the same high usage as the upstairs master bedroom and is in good shape. We will review the need to update it next year. All adjustments to Phase I as well as all of the items for Phase II will be completed in time for the holidays. The Ins of Dining Out Ketchum's ever evolving dining scene has seen a number of recent changes. It came as a big surprise when Sego Restaurant closed their relatively new doors mid-July during the height of summer, only one month after former Sego chef, Taite Pearson, opened the cozy new Della Mano Osteria, a rustic Italian restaurant on Main Street, whose name is derived from the Italian word meaning homemade; everything on the menu, from pastas to bread and sausages is made in house. Also new this summer is Dashi, a restaurant located in East Avenue's former Bistro location. Owned by Tyler Stokes, a familiar face in the local dining community (he used to be Executive Chef of Ketchum's Globus Restaurant), Stokes' handcrafted modern Asian cuisine at Dashi focuses on sustainable ingredients creatively served in a casual environment. As of this past August, Ketchum also welcomed back longtime favorite, Mama Inez. After closing its doors on Warm Springs Road a number of years ago, Mama's was all but quiet except for once a week when Chef Derek Gallagos, of Three Ten Main in Hailey, whipped up his grandmother's most memorable dishes for Noche de Inez. Well Mama's is back in business and taking over the real estate next door to the Casino on Main Street. For more recommendations on local eateries, or to make dinner reservations for your upcoming visit, please contact the Les Saisons Concierge. Best of Fall Town may seem quiet, but your social calendar won't be with all these amazing performances and events lined up for fall: September 22 - 24, 2011 Sun Valley Resort hosts the Gathering Film & Music Festival, a kick-off party for the resort's 76th ski season with top snow sports filmmakers, athletes, sponsors, media and Reggae music. The event will also showcase local talent vying for the Young Filmmakers Award. September 23 - 25, 2011 The 2nd annual Sun Valley Harvest Festival celebrates Idaho's spectacular bounty in a beautiful fall setting. The weekend of events focus on regional sustainable foods, wines, spirits and will feature cooking demonstrations and presentations by local, regional and guest chefs. October 7 - 9, 2011 The three-day Trailing of the Sheep Festival, now in its 15th year, includes sheep storytelling and readings, music, a Folklife Fair with sheep shearing, wool spinning, sheep arts and crafts, and Championship Sheepdog Trials, and the Trailing of the Sheep Parade. This festival honors the colorful history, heritage and cultures of Idaho and the west. October 9, 2011 Novelist Jonathan Franzen is the first speaker in Sun Valley Center's 2011-2012 lecture series. Franzen's first book, The Corrections, was one of the past decade's best-selling novels; it won a National Book Award and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Franzen's newest book, Freedom, is a top seller of 2010. October 12 - 16, 2011 The 22nd annual Sun Valley Jazz Jamboree features Big Band, Swing, Contemporary Jazz, Dixieland, Blues and Zydeco with 280 performances by 36 different bands on 10 stages. Scheduling and ticket prices are available through www.SunValleyJazz.com.
copyright © 2011 - Private Residence Resorts - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED • (Editor: Dana Ranill)