mountain towns for city girls
an aspen city guide for our outdoorsy alter egos
I’m a city girl. The idea of a country house nestled in the middle of nowhere, with nothing on the agenda but a pile of books, a chest of board games and a whistling kettle of ginger tea is lovely in theory. I fantasize about this kind of life often, about the emotional retreat from doing, about time that is defined by wholeness instead of productivity and logistics. But I also know that after a week or two in bucolic nirvana, I’d sprint back to the concrete jungle.
I love a hike, but not camping. A book by the lake, but I’ll skip the swim. I’m akin to an indoor cat, content to wonder about the vast outdoors but rarely experience it.
This changes for two weeks a year every August, when I go to Aspen, Colorado with my family and become a completely different person. I’m typically opposed to wearing workout clothes when you are not going to/from the gym, but in this alter ego, I spend my days in leggings and baseball caps, dusty from morning hikes and bike rides. I wear sneakers with tread and think to pack a crossbody bag appropriate for hiking. As someone who has never willingly worn a Western inspired look outside of a costume party, I even sometimes flirt with cowboy boots (granted, they are old Khaite from the Little Owl, a consignment store in town. These are a fun alt.).
I revel in this time. It’s a facet of myself that doesn’t come out often, and because of its ephemeral nature, there is no need to plan an escape route. And yes, it helps that we’re talking about a mountain town that is far left on the scale (I’m aware that anyone who is actually familiar with mountain towns may not consider Aspen one), with all of the trappings of city life.
But alongside those comforts is a life that feels simple, albeit in the most manicured way. Bike rides by the river. A local library with story time. When it’s hot out, our kids run through the town sprinklers, and in the evenings on the playground, there’s folk music, a balloon twister and a face painter, all who advertise their prices as “pay what you will” (this is actually a lucrative move on their part, but I’ll save you the behavioral economics). My parents are big walkers, but not big eaters (my mother follows an Ayurvedic diet and my father is vegan), which means family time means hikes in the morning and long strolls after dinner. When we’re out with friends, the leggings disappear for my normal attire, often with an added dollop of suede and fringe.
And so, for my fellow city girls… where to go and what to wear if you find yourself in this rocky mountain town:
THE RESTAURANTS
A table for 12 at Catch Steak (counterintuitively, they have a great vegan menu)
Date night at the new Saint Ambroeus
Lobster rolls and fruits de mer with the girls at Clark’s Oyster Bar
Dinner with your art advisor at Cache Cache
Other spots that should be on your list: Las Montanas for Mexican, Ajax Tavern for their famous burger, Matsuhisa for sushi, Steakhouse 316 for well, steak , Meat & Cheese for roast chicken and Vietnamese salad, Sway for swanky Thai, Casa Tua for homemade pasta with a bit of a scene, and Jus for casual, healthy takeaway (try the granola).
THE PARTIES
A celestial soiree for the Aspen Art Museum’s annual benefit
Swaying to a 90s cover band at Belly Up
A little lit on the dance floor at Caribou Club
A private art tour and luncheon on Red Mountain during Art Week
A whisky nightcap at the bar at Hotel Jerome
THE HIKES
Smuggler, the Runyon of Aspen, for run ins and dishy chats with friends
Ute Trail, a vertical climb a short walk from town. Continue to the top of Ajax Mountain if you really want to earn your lunch
Maroon Bells, a bit of a trek from town, but by far, the prettiest
A bike ride to Woody Creek, Hunter S. Thompson’s old drinking canteen, for nachos
THE HOTELS, all in town
For the adults… Hotel Jerome, The Little Nell and The St. Regis
For the whole family… The Gant, complete with a kitchen
See ya on the mountain xx NRB
FROM THE ARCHIVE
la masquerade parisienne
Parisienne is a new column about an American moving to Paris. In some ways, it’s about blowing up your life at 40, but it’s also about new references, cultural nuances and the process of recreating a blueprint for life after a plot twist. Oh, and the clothes, of course.
I love Aspen! Hotel Jerome is my special place xx
I spy Fashion People! Love an outdoorsy theme post.