Home Sweet Home - Back in Park City

After living on the road for a month, and eating out three times a day, you can't imagine how good it feels to be in your own bed with access to your own kitchen. Kevin and I had an incredibly successful trip and collected more information than we know what to do with. We should have the restaurant guides for Colorado up and running by November, just in time for your winter vacation planning.

Spending the last month on the road traveling throughout Colorado and all of the unique mountain towns has been great. We got to experience Aspen and its international resort atmosphere. We were treated to top-notch French food and high-end gelato at Beaver Creek and Vail. We caught ski movies and hung out at The Beetle Fest in Summit County. We made friends and partied in Winter Park with the locals. We made ourselves at home in Steamboat and discovered what ski town sushi is all about. And last but not least, we ended our tour driving home from Steamboat to beautiful Park City, just in time to catch the peak of the Autumn colors.

Yesterday, after doing a massive food shopping, I drove up Guardsman's Pass and over to Sundance Ski Resort to check out the Autumn colors and newly fallen snow. The aspens are in full bloom and with the contrast of a cloudy day and the fresh white blanket of snow on the mountains, it was quite a spectacular overdose of awe. Enjoy . . .

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Through the Tunnel and Over the Divide

On Friday morning we packed up the car and hit the road. We made a quick stop at Keystone to take some pictures, and then headed to Berthoud Pass.

Berthoud Pass is the U.S. 40 route that traverses and climbs the continental divide. The pass is the quickest way to the Fraser Valley, where Winter Park lays. It is also known as a popular backcountry ski destination because of its awesome snow, steep terrain and easy access for skiers to shuttle back up to the top. The road up the continental divide is steep, scenic, beautiful, and full of switchbacks. With the Autumn colors in full bloom, you can only imagine how gorgeous the drive was. Fortunately for you, I'm a "leafer" and took tons of pictures for you to feast your eyes upon.


At the bottom of the pass is the base of Winter Park, and laying less than a mile away, its sleepy little town. Kevin and I were famished when we arrived and quickly found ourselves eying Deno's, the restaurant next to our hotel. Deno's offers personal sized 12" gourmet pizzas, a variety of pastas, sandwiches, and delicious entrees. We quicky munched down our food, enjoyed our table next to the warm fireplace, and then headed back to the hotel to watch the presidential debates.


On Saturday, we grabbed some breakfast at Sharky's and began to introduce ourselves to every restaurant in town. Sharky's offers an amazing breakfast, very friendly staff, and a small town local vibe. We continued our day working hard and hunting down the 30+ restaurants in the Valley. Kevin and I instantly noticed that every person we met in Winter Park was more than generous with their time, their smiles, and their warmth. I have to say that this is the friendliest place on earth and if you are looking for mellow ski-get-a-way, look no further than the Fraser Valley!

After making friends with everyone we met, we were ready for dinner! We drove by a place called Hernando's, and noticed that the whole town was parked in front of the place. Obviously we couldn't resist investigating this popular hot spot. Hernando's is a very cool and family friendly Italian joint with over $20,000 in dollar bills wallpapering it's interior. That's right - everywhere you look there is a wall, ceiling, or column covered with taped on dollar bills! Not only that, but their Lasagna is fantastic. Just the right size, cheesy, and covered with the perfect sauce.

In the morning, we were told by a few locals to check out The Mountain Rose for breakfast. I can't speak highly enough about this place! The menu boasted unique breakfast choices, tons of vegetarian friendly items, and an enormous amount of healthy and generously portioned entrees. Kevin ordered the He-man Mountain Pie (from the Mountain side of the menu), and I tried the Venetian Goddess Frittata (from the Rose side of the menu). I only wish that there was a breakfast place like this in Park City, or anywhere within 50 miles of it! After happily devouring our breakfast and chatting with our incredibly awesome and friendly waitress, we got back on the road and pointed the Subi towards Steamboat Springs.

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Exploring Summit County

By Wednesday morning, Kevin and I had completed all of our business needs in Breckenridge and decided to investigate the rest of Summit County. On the road connecting Breckenridge and Dillon sits a trail head and a small parking lot. Since it was such a nice day out, we thought we would take a quick walk and snap some photos of Lake Dillon Reservoir. While walking on the trail, a girl heading back to her car handed us a bag of sunflower seeds and said "don't forget to check out the chipmunks". We took the bag of seeds, albeit a bit confused, and kept walking. Then low and behold, about 15-20 yards ahead of us, there was an amazing view of the lake and 50+ chipmunks who were waiting for their dinner. I had an absolute blast feeding the cute little guys, who were more than happy to sit right in your hand and nibble. When we ran out of seeds, we walked back to the car and headed into Dillon.


We spent the rest of our time exploring Dillon, Frisco, and Silverthorne to learn about some of the best and most notable restaurants in the area. We didn't have a chance to eat at all the restaurants, but we did get to sample a few...


The Dillon Dam Brewery sits near the Dillon Dam and serves everything from burgers to pasta wraps. Kevin ordered the Club Wrap and I tried the Ahi Tuna Pasta Wrap, which was a new addition to the menu. I would have never imagined pasta inside a wrap, but was delighted with the flavor and texture that it added. The brewery is a great place to take the whole family, or to sit and enjoy a beer while watching Sunday night football.

We also had a chance to eat at Silverheel's in Frisco, which is a steakhouse that serves sushi two nights a week. We met up with some of Kevin's previous coworkers there and sat down for a few rolls. The sushi was pretty tasty for a ski town and the rolls were very large. Because of the young and loud bar-like atmosphere, I would probably recommend checking out this sushi night with a bunch of friends before heading to the bars or for a fun and casual date.

On one of our last nights in Summit County, Kevin and I had the chance to see a ski movie premier called "Hand Cut" by Sweet Grass Productions. Kevin and I were both excited to catch a ski movie premier since we missed the Utah showings this year. Sweet Grass Productions is a Colorado based film company that captures the lifestyle and voice of the backcountry ski community. We both enjoyed the film and could tell that there was a huge amount of passion put into this small budget film. I was hoping for a bit more "story" about the producers, filmers, and skiers behind the movie, but was more than satisfied with the face shots and hip deep snow shots. During the movie, I quickly made note of the awesome soundtrack by Colorado local John-Alex Mason. If you like folksy-bluesy ski town music, you have to check it out!

After the movie, we grabbed some pizza slices from Giampietro's and then headed back to the hotel to pack and prepare for our next town, Winter Park.

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Breckenridge Restaurants

We are currently staying in Breckenridge at a former bed and breakfast called the Colorado Pines Inn, ran by a lovely woman name Margaret. She used to rent out rooms in her house to travelers, but she currently has the house listed for sale, so it is not operating as a B&B any longer. However, the home is still set up like a B&B, and she even cooks us a hot breakfast every morning. This, and we cannot stress this enough, is amazing. Her cooking is fantastic and we have had things like organic blueberry pancakes and egg frittatas. The house is tucked in the pine forest on Peak 7, just a five minute drive from Main Street Breckenridge.



Our first meals in Breck were at local brew-pubs. We ate dinner Friday night at the Breckenridge Brewery on Main and had excellent, home cooked comfort food. This was a nice change of pace from the high end cuisine that dominates Vail and Beaver Creek. The Breck Brewery is a local’s hang out with tons of seating and great Colorado ales. We also went to the Backcountry Brewery for some more traditional bar food and a specialty beer brewed this weekend. The Pine Beetle Festival was in Frisco this past weekend, and the Backcountry Brewery crafted a special Pine Beetle Brown Ale to celebrate. It was full-flavored but drinkable, with a little sweetness and a satisfying finish. Check out the Backcountry Brewery in Frisco if you have a chance, you won’t be disappointed.

The following couple days we checked out Empire Burger and Rasta Pasta on the recommendation of a few locals. Empire Burgers serves up satisfying homemade burgers in a variety of formats, with fresh cut fries and tons of dipping sauces. It’s just a good, solid burger on fresh baked bread. Nothing fancy, but it doesn’t let you down either. I would personally recommend the Sriracha-mayonaise dipping sauce for your fries. Rasta Pasta is a local’s favorite for huge pasta dishes in a funky, Bob Marley inspired atmosphere. Many of the pastas have a considerable amount of kick, with excellent Caribbean inspired flavors like mango and pineapple sauces. The dinner entrees come with a salad and garlic bread, and are a great bang for your buck.


We have also spent a considerable amount time in a coffee shop/bakery/tavern called The Crown. It’s a funky, dark café with comfortable seating and free wifi, so we get lots of work done there. The menu includes soups, sandwiches, pastries, coffee drinks, martinis and specialty cocktails. The music is great, the people are great, and the food is excellent. The Crown is easy to miss, but you should definitely stop in when you are strolling along Main Street in Breckenridge.


The Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. is also a popular spot on Main Street, serving up every imaginable shrimp dish in a Forrest Gump inspired atmosphere. We were invited to sample some of their lunch items and we gladly obliged. I went with the New Orleans Shrimp and was definitely impressed. The large portion of shrimp was perfectly seasoned, and just slightly blackened in the Cajun style. It was served with a tasty garlic butter sauce over jasmine rice. I would highly recommend this dish. Casey went with the BBQ shrimp salad and was impressed with its size. The shrimp were again plentiful and the salad was fresh. For dessert, do not miss “that chocolate thing” as it’s called on the menu. It’s a warm, flourless chocolate cake smothered in fudge with ice cream, raspberry sauce and whipped cream. It’s pure indulgence in a mason jar.

We have been impressed with the number of friendly and down to earth people we’ve encountered in Breckenridge. It is much less pretentious than Vail or Aspen, and the price of restaurants is much lower as well. Breckenridge has that old time Colorado feel to it, with the Main Street area being immune from the over-development found in many ski areas. That must be why Breck is one of the most popular winter destinations in this country. We will be back this winter, that’s for sure.

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Independence Pass

Yesterday, after we spoke with the last few restaurants in town, Casey and I took a drive up to Independence Pass, just East of Aspen on Highway 82. The change in scenery as you leave town is dramatic and very sudden. Just over a mile after leaving twenty million dollar homes and stores like Prada and Louis Vuitton, we were surrounded by national forest, huge mountain peaks, and unspoiled valleys. The top of Independence Pass is about 20 miles from the center of Aspen and is filled with spectacular vistas and harrowing corners overhanging large cliffs. The road narrows to one lane in many spots and oncoming RV’s tend to make things interesting.

Part way up to the pass, at 11,000 feet, is the historic mining town of Independence. The town was settled in 1879 after a large gold deposit was discovered. At one time over 1,500 people lived in the boom town that had 4 general stores, brothels, and many saloons. The town lasted less than 3 years, and quickly became a ghost town once the gold was gone. Many of the miners moved on to the newly formed town of Aspen for its milder weather and silver mining opportunities.

The top of Independence Pass is located at 12,095 feet, making it one of the highest paved roads in the United States. It crosses the Continental Divide, providing some incredible views of the surrounding mountains. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Later in the evening, Casey and I decided to check out a movie called “Bottle Shock” playing at the Wheeler Opera House. The Wheeler is a historic theater that has been restored multiple times since it was built in 1889, and it currently hosts many events in the Aspen area. The actual theater is on the third floor of the building, and is one of the most spectacular places I have ever seen a movie. The screen was huge, the sound was amazing, and the atmosphere was something out of the early 1900’s. We were easily the youngest people in the theater by about 10 years, but we still had a great time. Bottle Shock is a movie about the popularization of Napa Valley wines in the 1970’s, and we both gave it great reviews.

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The Beginning of the Off-Season

According to most of the locals in town, this was the last weekend of the season. Like most ski towns across the country, things generally get very quite between September through mid-December; when the snow hits and the tourists flock back. We spent Friday and Saturday celebrating the last busy weekend, and enjoyed everything from Mexican food to a scenic and chilly gondola ride.

On Friday, we woke up and headed to the bus stop in front of the Snowmass Village Mall. We had 20 minutes to spare before the Aspen bus came, so we decided to check out the coffee shop next door, appropriately named Fuel. I ordered a regular coffee and a bagel sandwich, and Kevin got a breakfast burrito. Our total for breakfast and drinks was under $12.00, which is hands-down the cheapest breakfast we've found so far! We enjoyed our breakfast while riding into town, and then spent some time working.

For lunch, we were craving some Mexican food, and decided to try La Cantina. I asked the server which fish dish she liked, and ordered the Mahi Tacos upon her recommendation. I thought they could have had a bit more flavor, but was satisfied none-the-less. Kevin had the Chimichanga Carnitas, which he said was fabulous, and we sipped on some margaritas while overlooking main street on their outdoor patio.


After lunch, we cruised around the stores and did some serious window shopping. Everything from last season is still on sale and it's a great time of year to purchase anything you are missing for winter. After browsing the sale items, we checked out a few locals bars, and called it a night.

On Saturday, we ate some breakfast at the condo and then took the bus into town. One of Kevin's friend, Kim, works for Aspen and was kind enough to get us some gondola tickets. The gondola ride was beautiful and gave me a pretty good idea about the terrain that Aspen has to offer. The views from the top of the mountain are incredible, and everything this time of year is so green! We ate lunch on the Sun Deck while Kevin made a friend with a little terrier who was very interested in his sandwich.




After our gondola trip, we headed back into town. We checked out a few more ski shops where I got an incredible deal on some new ski pants, and then caught the bus back to Snowmass to get some work done.

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Exploring Aspen - Day One

Kevin and I rolled into Aspen at about 9:30pm on Tuesday after a pretty quick and painless drive from Park City. The drive from Utah to Colorado is a beautiful one, full of vast desert landscapes and uniquely molded mountains, and with an awe inspiring sunset backdrop.

We are staying at a cute and quaint studio in the Snowmass Village, just outside of Aspen. The owner of the local liquor store, the Daly Bottle Shop, was kind enough to let us rent one of his vacant studios. The Daly Bottle Shop is an adorable small store located inside of the Snowmass Village Mall and offers a large variety of wine, imported and local beer, spirits, and all natural snacks, cheeses, and gourmets delights. A highly recommended first stop to get your vacation started on the right foot.

Our First Day - Exploring Aspen

We drove from Snowmass into Aspen and spent a few hours collecting travel guides, maps, and walking the streets to get acquainted with the area. We realized that driving into town was a bad idea, and quickly discovered how difficult parking was. We made a quick mental note of the free shuttle that runs to and from Snowmass, and went on with our day.

Aspen is absolutely breathtaking, and I can definitely understand why everyone wants to move here. The center of town is very posh and very hip, yet with a warm and welcoming touch. I instantly felt at home after chatting up the manager at the Tourist Center and picking her brain about the 90+ restaurants located within a few square miles. Our first stop in town was at Boogies, where we ate lunch on the outdoor patio overlooking Aspen Mountain. The service was very quick, and was exactly what we were looking for in a lunch spot that is both funky and fun. After lunch, we had to move the car from 2 hour parking, so we took a drive around the city and searched for the best spot to take some pictures.

After our photo session, we came back into town, grabbed some ice-cream at the Ben and Jerry's in the center courtyard, and met with a few restaurant managers to collect some detailed information.

On our way back to Snowmass Village, we made a quick trip up to the Maroon Bells. The air was incredibly cool for early September, and the crisp smell made me think it was already October. The Maroon Bells are truly worth seeing! They sit nestled in a valley of their own, and appropriately, placed in front of their very own lake. Measured at 14,000+ feet in altitude, their magnitude and sheer splendor can't be described in photos or words. Regardless, we managed to get a few good shots.




We watched the sunset turn the Maroon Bells into a bright red, a deep maroon, and then finally, a navy blue as the dark sky quickly overtook the daylight. On our drive back to our condo, we met a couple of deer who didn't seem phased with our human presence, and posed for the camera.


All in all, our first day in Aspen was wonderful, and we are very happy to be able to travel, work hard, and enjoy all that earth has to offer us. Our next 3 - 4 days will be packed with meetings and restaurant introductions, so we will have plenty to tell you in the way of food, dining, and perhaps a scenic Gondola trip.

It's now time to open up a bottle of local Cabernet, eat some pasta, and say goodnight . . . buenas noches.

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