Could it be because my boyfriend gave me the most incredible present? A new camera- the Nikon D5000, which was a huge improvement over my tiny Sony point and shoot. (If my photos suddenly seem better, you now know why). Or could it be because he surprised me and took me up into the mountains for a weekend getaway? I believe its because if you put those together, throw in some tasty food, add a few drinks and finish with an outdoor hot tub in the snow, you have one happy girl.
The weekend started in downtown Denver at the brand new Four Seasons Hotel. The street address for the hotel is 1111. My birthday is 11/11. Pretty cool, eh?
He took me to Luca D'italia for dinner. I wish I could show you more pictures of the food, but we got carried away with good wine and even better conversation and before we knew it, it was time to blow out the candles.
The next morning, I was whisked away westward into the Rockies, without any idea of where we were headed. First stop, Vail.
We stopped into The Red Lion, a popular apres ski hangout.
Tortilla chips with salsa and queso.
Spinach artichoke dip.
Classic club sandwich (hold all vegetables, thats the way my boyfriend likes it)
I never thought I would say this because I never rate them, but this was the best beef stew I've ever eaten in my life.
Hot chocolate with espresso flavored vodka. A new favorite, especially for a cold winter day.
Next stop...Aspen. What a great surprise! The St. Regis was everything I imagined an Aspen hotel to be. Classic decor, polished wood furniture, oversized leather couches, a giant fireplace to warm up by, rich tapestries underfoot and incredible views.
A Cosmo' bubbles. Ketel One Citroen Vodka, Cointreau, Cranberry Juice, Fresh Lime and Champagne.
More hot chocolate. Its a requirement in the mountains.
The next day, we explored the town and with it, the restaurants.
And then we made the most incredible discovery. There is a Nobu in Aspen! Seeing as it is my favorite place to eat, I thought I knew where all the Nobu restaurants were located. Turns out, Chef Matsuhisa has a secondary chain with almost the same menu. I was elated!
Is this a good time to point out that this is my 4th mention of Nobu on my blog?
Yellowtail sashimi with Jalepeno
This dish was on special for the evening...salmon avocado roll, topped with new style salmon sashimi.
Tuna tartare taco
We were originally planning on a steak dinner, so we kept the Nobu order at just a few appetizers. We found a quaint steakhouse, Pitkin County Tavern, which had a great casual vibe and live music.
Steak with corn fritters and onion rings.
After a wonderful weekend, it was time to drive back to Denver, and to the airport. With perhaps a few photo stops along the way.
Thank you sweetie, for a perfect Rocky Mountain Birthday.
