Aspen Colorado is one of the most beautiful places on the planet! What do you think when you hear about Aspen? It’s too expensive, it’s a place for millionaires/billionaires, it’s too far, it’s too cold? Aspen can be all of those things but here’s what I’ll tell you about my experiences in Aspen. It doesn’t have to be too expensive to visit or stay here. If you come in the off seasons like just after Labor Day, or early June, many decent hotels offer rooms for under $100. For $200 or so we have stayed in some of the best Aspen hotels in the off-season in the past like the Hotel Jerome, and The Limelight Hotel if you want luxury. The Limelight is our favorite with its friendly staff, comfy lounge, free breakfast buffet, and great location.

Ceviche at Bodega Restaurant’s happy hour.

There are several restaurants we saw yesterday that had happy hour specials, the best being a pizza and two glasses of wine for under $30, and it was yummy! Ajax tavern at the Little Nell offers a double cheeseburger, fries and a pint of beer for $17 which is not a bad deal in Aspen. No doubt the are several more places that offer good deals, but I only have three days here to research the restaurant scene.

Cache-Cache Restaurant’s trout and shaved veggie salad.

The Wheeler Opera House.

If you visit Aspen in June through September the daytime highs can be in the 80’s or more. Today is much like other years when I have visited in September with a daytime high expected to be in the high 70’s and sunny. Even in the winter I find Aspen warmer than many Colorado ski areas where I have worked and skied over four decades. I think most visitors sleep better in a lower altitude. Places like Breckenridge and Copper Mt are at 9,600 feet base elevation making them much colder than Aspen winter and summer.

Truffle fries at Ajax Tavern.

As for the distance it’s only three hours and twenty eight minutes from Denver Intl. Airport, and that takes you through Glenwood Canyon, one of the most spectacular drives in the U.S! Since many of us don’t have a private jet driving is the way to go. Highway 82 south from Glenwood Springs has been improved over the years and is safe and quick now. Amtrak offers rail travel from Denver to Glenwood Springs if you are in no hurry, and from Glenwood Springs you can hop the RAFTA bus or rent a car.

The ski area from town.

Aspen is a fun place for just about everyone. I’ve skied here back when I was a line cook making very little money, and have come here for other special deals that have always been affordable, and fun spanning over twenty five years. Spring skiing special abound in late March and early April for fun in the sun without the crowds of the I-70 ski areas. Beyond skiing there is so much to do with miles of bike paths, both paved and dirt, as well as world class hiking and climbing. The fishing is worth noting too with the Frying Pan River and Roaring Fork River boasting great trout fishing.

Maroon Bells from Crater Lake.

The gardens by the John Denver memorial park.

The biggest attraction I think for a summer visitor is a trip to the Maroon Bells high above Aspen. Just catch a RAFTA bus up from downtown Aspen and you will be there in less than twenty five minutes. It has been said that the Maroon Bells are the most photographed place on Earth according to Eastman Kodak. They should know as back when cameras used film and you had to get your pictures printed Kodak noted how often the Bells showed up in customers rolls of film. The Bells are drop dead gorgeous in all seasons with their majestic triangular high peaks, but to gaze upon them in fall when the aspen groves glow in the Rocky Mountain gold is to truly know stunning beauty. So if you have been putting off visiting Aspen, or never even considered it I hope I’ve changed your mind and you can visit as a regular Joe and enjoy Aspen like a millionaire.

To your health in 2013

As I look out into the foodie blogosphere I see many tempting treats in this new year, but I wonder why aren’t more of the blog authors scaling back on the rich foods? Most of us have just had several weeks of eating good stuff like;

Turkey and all the trimmings

Pumpkin pie

Pecan pie

Cookies a plenty

Prime rib

Goose or duck

Eggnog

Etc

You get the point, right? It’s time for a stretch of healthy eating. Something that us Americans are not well known for. Well I’m embarking on my usual January healthy eating stretch by starting off January 1 with an all vegetarian low fat day that has continued on into January 2nd’s breakfast of oatmeal. Lunch was navy bean soup with parsnips and a salad of fresh broccoli dipped in a flax seed oil, cider vinegar and hot sauce dressing. I’ll break up the vegetarian theme at dinner with poached Alaskan Red Salmon with brown rice for the starch and stir fried broccoli and Shitake mushrooms as the vegetable dish. All are low fat easy to prepare foods. Take a look at my blog’s recipes and you will find many low fat quick and easy foods to increase your chances of starting out the New Year right .

To throw in a free nugget, for those who subscribe to my blog this week I’ll give you a 10 minute phone consultation on healthy eating or cooking tips to get you going. This offer good to the first 10 people who sign up for my free subscription. You will also get my biweekly newsletter with off the blog, subscriber only recipes and foodie tips. Here’s to your health!