Aspen’s summer calendar is loaded with talks and events. This afternoon, head to Anderson Ranch in the nearby Snowmass ski resort, eight miles east of Aspen. It’s a beautiful drive, with views of Capitol Peak and Mount Daly. A former sheep and cattle ranch, the art center houses artists’ studios and offers workshops in painting, photography, ceramics, woodworking and more. You may find your inner artist and want to sign up for a class for your next trip. Tonight, dinner is at Matsuhisa Aspen, part of celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s Nobu restaurant group. Get a seat on its upstairs patio. (They don’t take reservations, so sip cold sake while you wait.) If you’re lucky, alpenglow will illuminate Aspen’s famous Red Mountain as you dig into the restaurant’s signature yellowtail jalapeño sashimi. The upstairs dining room is more moderately priced than that on the main floor, but its menu is limited, so consider downstairs for “Omakase” (“I’ll leave it to you”), where you let the chef select the dishes.
It wasn’t skiing or movie stars that put Aspen on the map back in the middle of the last century: It was a birthday party for Goethe.
TUESDAY: A High-Country Picnic, A Bit O’ Ballet
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xperience Aspen’s high country by Jeep in the capable hands of my go-to outfitter, the Little Nell’s Adventure Shop. Count on knowledgeable, fun guides, plus a side of culinary bliss, thanks to a picnic lunch and wine from The Nell’s Element 47. Book with guide Steve Goff and explore my favorite routes, Little Annie’s or Taylor Pass. The thrilling finale: driving down the front side of Aspen Mountain’s Summer Road—a whole new way to experience the town. Early pre-show dinner tonight is at a local favorite, Cache Cache, which features amazingly good French fare prepared by Co-owner and Chef Chris Lanter. Sit at the packed outside patio. Classics include Escargots à la Bourguignonne; Frisée and lardons with duck egg; Colorado Rack of Lamb with fennel-potato gratin; and Rotisserie Chicken. Co-owner Jody Larner and Sommelier Alex Havier have built an excellent 1,200-label wine list, strong in Burgundies and Champagnes.
JEROME IF YOU WANT TO The historic Hotel Jerome features a convivial atmosphere and dropdead views of Aspen Mountain.
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