a place where the beer flows like wine.

aspen has some fabulous food.  & we ate a ton of it.  i'm pretty sure blakey & i each gained a thousand pounds on the trip.  well worth it :)  even with all of our salad eating & run at the park going this week to compensate.  that's what vacation is about!

{delicious smores on gingerbread cookies at the hotel!}

lisa & i tried a new creperie one day at lunch.  the shop was adorable with fun rustic touches everywhere.  we sat at the bar & watched the chefs at work.  it was such a fun treat!  & the crepes were so good!  we had to take everyone back for a second lunch at our new spot.

{my mushroom, spinach, & mornay crepe}

blake's favorite meal was at the steak house, of course.  we do miss our beef in alabama.  so this one definitely hit the spot.

{my tuna tartare}

another new restaurant we got to dine at was a sushi place!  i love sushi.  & this did not disappoint.

on my day in town, i stopped at a tiny bakery that smelled of wonderfully baked bread.  so i had to try their panzanella salad, which was a very very good decision.

& of corse i found an awesome coffee shop.

oh, aspen, you were awesome to us.  

love love,

kjp.

thankful thursday - sunrise.

while we were in aspen, blakey woke me up early one morning so we could watch the sunrise over the mountains.  it was a really sweet little date.  he's the best.

we got up before day break & walked down to a gazebo in the middle of a park for a good view of the eastern mountains.

{the sun was just starting to wake up!}

{trying to peak over the tall tall mountain}

since the tall tall mountain was hiding our sun, we tried to find the tallest spot we could in downtown aspen - a second story balcony.  it was a little higher :)

{how awesome is this view with the airplane coming out of the sun?!}

{& then we played on the playground}

{the sun is coming!}

{i was a tiny bit chilly from our early morning walk.
good thing the hotel fire place was ready to go to warm me up!}

so thankful for dates with the byrds.  even super cold & super early in the morning ones.

i hope you can think of something for which you are thankful today.

love love,

kjp.

let's walk up a hill with skis on.

that's pretty much what cross country skiing is... walking up a hill with skis on. & poles too.  it was so much fun!  a really good workout but a lot of fun.

i mentioned yesterday that i don't like skiing.  being that i have skied enough times & am 27 years old, i feel i get to make that decision.  i don't ski.  but i hadn't been cross country skiing, so i can't say i don't like it, so i decided to try.

the cold feet problem becomes much much less of a problem because you are sweating.  serious sweating from a serious workout.  problem solved!

{note how few clothes we are wearing on the mountain.

they are all in the backpacks.}

& really, the most fun comes in the laughing.  not a professional cross country skier?  then you look very funny.  the turning & stopping functions aren't quite as easy as on the other kind of skis {well...if you are a skier.}  we laughed up & down that mountain.  it was awesome.

{by no means were dave & lisa the only ones who fell.

i'm pretty sure i maxed out on the falling.

but i was the one with the camera :) }

oh, & it was absolutely gorgeous.  the snow & mountains & aspen trees & blue sky.  simply beautiful...

& the very best part about cross country skiing?  the amazing restaurant at the top of the mountain.  this meal was one of my favorites of the trip.  it might have been because it was the only meal i actually worked up an appetite before, but it really was delicious in its own right too.

{yes, those are academy awards on top of the bar!

the guy who owns it won them for his documentaries.

at least that is the story i was given.}

{the amazing smoked salmon appetizer platter.

i could eat this every day.}

{& the amazing view from our two hour meal.}

so completely stuffed & happy, we headed back down the mountain.  laughing even more than before.

as it turns out, cross country skiing i do.  once a trip.  when a really really really good meal is involved.

more about all of the aspen food on friday, of course.

love love,

kjp.

a little place called aspen.

here's what you need to know: aspen is gorgeous!  from the sparkling snow coming down on the mountain to the beautiful spring day, it was all absolutely breathtaking.

{this beauty is where we stayed all week: the st regis aspen.}

{the porters!}

{the view from the hotel lobby: snow-covered mountains!}

{the fire pits also overlooking the mountains with the bro- & sis-in-law}

we definitely enjoyed an afternoon or two or three + a morning in the hot tub overlooking said beautiful snow-covered mountains.  oh, it was a perfect beginning, midday pause, or ending to the day.

oh, yeah!  did i mention there is skiing??  i'm not much into skiing anymore.  too much cold.  especially on the toes.  even with the fancy socks.  i will enjoy the day at the gym & spa & wonderful lunch spots & coffee shops & book stores & ...  no skiing necessary for me to enjoy the mountains.  {although, i did cave one day, which will be a post of its own... for you to look forward to very soon.}

it is super gorgeous in the evenings with a little snow in the background...

{on our way to one of many a.mazing dinners.

you know that is a post all its own too, my friends.}

by the end of our week, the snow stopped falling, the sun joined the party, & it was spring!  so the six of us enjoyed a warm morning walk around little aspen town.  we walked through the gorgeous historic & modern neighborhoods, picking out which seven-figure homes we could see ourselves living in.  {they were so pretty, but i'll take a warm location :)}

then we walked towards the river & the john denver sanctuary:

what a wonderful week.  check back in tomorrow & the next day & the next day for more!

{awesome louis vuitton window display}

love love,

kjp.