Monday, September 21, 2015
Aspen – Maroon Bells – Aspen
20 miles on the bus, a few miles walking
Went to get my $6.56 coffee after 7a this am — vacation kicking in! We walked to the store to get some more fruit, nuts and decided to take the bus to the Maroon Bells and see the colors. So we get a free city bus a block down from the hotel to Aspen Highlands, about 20 minutes. We buy tickets for the roundtrip Maroon Bells bus ($6 each) in the sport shop and get in line. One bus was loading and leaving as we got in line and the next one came about 10 minutes later. SO. MANY. PEOPLE. It’s Monday for chrissake. Given all the people, Bob’s sore hamstring and my problematic lower back we voted against the hike to Crater Lake which we have done twice — first time in freezing drizzle and the last time when we came face to face with a big bear.
No such excitement this time just gorgeous yellows, greens and blue. The photos do not capture the beauty — nor the mobs!
We got the bus back and went to CP Burger for lunch in the little plaza in front of the Hyatt. Yum! Bob got a regular burger with fries and a Pepsi. I got tuna with tomato slices, onions, kale and a wasabi mayo wrapped in lettuce. Really messy but really good. Joel Gott Pinot Grigio in a box too.
We spent a couple of hours at the pool. Swam a few laps, read our books (The Little Paris Bookshop as a book book and Circling the Sun on Kindle; both for book club and enjoying both), sat in the jacuzzi. Views from my chaise.
We steam showered and dressed for our last night in Aspen. Started at the Limelight happy hour with a jalapeno margarita for me and a glass of Chard for Bob. We sat at the bar and learned how to make pizza watching the pizza chef. Fun.
Then we walked over to Steakhouse 316 which we had our eye on all week. We sat the bar in comfy armchair stools at a corner of the marble bar. Beautiful room with rough beams, backlit bar, high tables as well as deep booths for dining and lots of white table-clothed tables on the front patio. We ordered a Chivas and a dirty martini and made friends with Lauren the bartender. Started off with grilled shishito peppers that changed the peppers game: grilled with a miso glaze and finely sliced fried shallots. Had to stop myself from licking the dish.
The wine list. OMG. It was pages and pages and pages long and incredibly spendy. Prices went from $70 to $22,800. HA. There were less than a dozen under $100. The best ‘value’ was a Rafanelli Zin for $110. Lauren was quite wine savvy — her husband is a wine buyer for a big retail outfit, mostly high-end French, Italian and Spanish — so we talked about Sonoma wines. She knew Rafanelli well. We split a Caesar salad that was one of the best either of us has ever had. Crisp romaine, garlicky dressing but sort of dry, tiny croutons you could easily ignore and a PILE of tiny fresh white anchovies. Bob got the filet with frites and I the mussels and frites. All of it delicious, including the wine. We had fun watching and listening as the bar filled up — all regulars; young kids (how do they afford??), two middle aged women discussing the (lack) of Aspen dating scene, a couple of guys. By the time we left, the restaurant was jammed inside and out. One of our best steakhouse experiences and we didn’t feel ripped off at all. We will definitely go back.
The only photo I was comfortable taking was when we were first served our cocktails, before the bar filled up.
Bob and Sharon's Travel Diary 