The Elk’s building in Aspen is a reminder of the
city’s early history, when silver was king. Aspen was developed as a
ski resort in the mid-20th
century and popularized
in the 1970s by singer
John Denver and journalist
movie posters at the Omnibus Gallery
and photos of Hunter S. Thompson
by Aspen photographer Alan Becker
at the Aspen Home Studio were some
of our favorite finds.
The complimentary admission to
the Aspen Museum of Art makes
it easy to decide to visit this most
unusual looking building that was
designed by Shigeru Ban. It is a noncollecting
museum of contemporary
art. Its rooftop sculpture garden and
lovely café provide great views.
However, it was the woven worn
composite wood screen the museum
is wrapped in that made it a must
for us.
Although Aspen has earned its
reputation as a playground for the rich
and famous, it is a great destination
for almost anyone who enjoys sports,
fine dining or strolling along quaint
streets amid vintage architecture.
We’ve experience Aspen in summers
and winters, and we look forward to
returning at any time of the year. 9
destination’s rustic appearance, the food
there is both elegant and delicious. The
rack of lamb was incredible, and the giant
marinated chicken breast was declared
the best we had ever tasted. The trip back
down the mountain was lit by a full moon
that made everything glow as if it were
backlit by some strange force of nature.
It was absolutely beautiful.
Our final meal was at the Hotel Jerome,
which dates back to 1889 and serves as
the city’s unofficial social club. Once
again, we were reminded that to survive
in Aspen, you must play at the top of
your game. The service and food were
exquisite and the décor was a throwback
to when the U.S. government was buying
silver, thus pushing the demand for this
metal skyward.
Most of our days were spent
wandering up and down the streets of
the city, visiting art galleries, antiquing,
shopping, gazing into store windows and
best of all, people watching. Wherever
we went from Western wear shops
like Kemo Sabe to fashion stores such
as Gucci and Ralph Lauren, quality
products attracted our attention. The
MARCH/APRIL 2018 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 155
Hunter S. Thompson.
These lamb chops at the Pine
Creek Cookhouse are typical of
the upscale cuisine that is served
throughout the Aspen area.