Trip to Aspen

Aspen 2006

Aug 27, 2006 - 24 Photos

It is Sunday and Kerri and I just finished three days in Aspen for Casey and Katie's wedding. We drove up on Friday with our friends Pat and Brooke after spending a few days in Denver. On the way up, we stopped in Idaho Springs for lunch at a local Colorado microbrewery called Tommyknocker's. Not being beer drinkers, Kerri and I knocked back a couple of cold root beers. And I had a bowl of the best chili I've ever had in my life. If you ever find yourself in Idaho Springs, Colorado, order the chili. :-)

In Aspen, Brooke and Pat's friend Jeremy was nice enough to let us stay at his house. Well, it wasn't his house exactly. It was the $35 million dollar vacation home next to Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn's place that he is the caretaker for. Wow—what an amazing place this house was. It must have been 8-10 thousand square feet, on 300 acres, pool, 2 hot tubs, bocce ball court, motor bikes, a 60" plasma screen TV, and 3 server racks to run the entire house. The best feature of the entire place was the Indonesian Tea House that Jeremy built right outside that sits on the pond. What a relaxing place to sit and—well—relax.

On Friday night, we went out to dinner in downtown Aspen. I've been really lucky to go to a lot of amazing places in the last 10 years (New York, San Francisco, Miami, Paris, St. Tropez, etc.), but I have never seen money like there is in Aspen. It just oozes money. But not in a good way. We had a fantastic dinner at Campo De Fiori, hit the hot tub back at our borrowed mansion, and then called it a night in preparation for the big wedding the next day.

The next morning, Kerri (wedding planner) and Brooke (maid of honor) left the house early to begin the wedding preparations. Pat, Jeremy, and I took the opportunity to have some guy time.

• 10:26 AM: Huge omelet breakfast at one of the cafes from the movie "Aspen Extreme". Yum.
  
• 11:46 AM: Go in hot tub.
  
• 12:33 AM: Jump on the trampoline. No broken bones.
  
• 1:16 PM: Play soccer—the three of us against the two dogs that live at the house. Dogs win.
  
• 2:04 PM: Ride dirt bikes around property. Avoided broken bones again. OK to show up for wedding.
  
• 3:34 PM: Shoot guns at cans on the fence. Miss.
  
• 3:53 PM: Jump in shower.
  
• 4:00 PM: Leave for wedding.

We arrived at the wedding right on time to catch the gondola at Little Nell up to the top of the mountain for the ceremony which was held on an outcropping overlooking an amazing mountain view. Then inside for dinner, some wine, and some dancing.

All in all, a fantastic Aspen weekend.