“You can’t appreciate your fellow man until you appreciate nature; without that you can’t feel any wholeness.”
—Stuart Mace
FIRST OMEGA IN SPACE
This Speedmaster is the new version of the watch that made history as the first OMEGA worn on a space mission over sixty years ago. But the legacy didn’t stop there. Back on Earth, it continued its ascent, embodying a pioneering spirit. Wear this timepiece and own a piece of space history. Its next chapter? That depends on where you take it.
OMEGA Boutique: Aspen
535 EAST HYMAN AVENUE - ASPEN
There’s nothing quite like the moment winter arrives in Aspen. A renewed sense of energy fills the Roaring Fork Valley. It’s that electric mix of anticipation and joy— knowing the best of the season is just beginning.
This energy is also reflected in our commitment to continually enhancing our portfolio of luxury brands and experiences. Aspen One is investing across our business with the sole focus of continuing to set the bar for world-class experiences.
We’re expanding our hotel brands—like The Little Nell, which will debut in New York City in 2027, and Limelight Hotels, opening this season in Boulder, Colorado, and Mammoth, California—and investing nearly $80 million this year in infrastructure across our four mountains. In addition, Aspen One is increasing our support of the arts, enhancing our events programming (including Shaun White’s Snow League and our 25th year hosting the X Games), and introducing new apparel ranges from Aspen Collection.
In this issue of Après, we’ll touch on some of these investments, including major work being done at Snowmass. This includes opening two newly upgraded chairlifts and completely rebuilding the beloved on-mountain restaurant Ullrhof (reopening in late 2026).
We’re spotlighting Aspen One’s commitment to arts and culture— particularly our Art in Unexpected Places program. Aspen Snowmass will debut lift tickets featuring works by internationally acclaimed artist Ed Ruscha. And, thanks to a recent refresh across Aspen One’s contemporary art portfolio, you can see one of Ruscha’s color lithographs, Mysteries, up close in the bar at Element 47 at The Little Nell.
We’ll also toast The Little Nell’s wine heritage, and many of the master sommeliers who have helped shape the program over the years in “Cellar Stories.” Speaking of The Little Nell’s wine heritage, I’m thrilled to share that we’ve once again been honored with a Michelin Key, reaffirming The Little Nell’s place among the world’s most exceptional hotels.
Beyond the slopes and our properties, Aspen’s cultural pulse beats strong. The town’s art, fashion, and culinary scenes are thriving, filled with the kind of creativity, craftsmanship, and character that make Aspen so effortlessly iconic.
I’ll leave you with this: At Aspen One, everything we do is guided by our values. Connection, excellence, respect, and stewardship are ingrained in who we are and all that we do. We’re deeply grateful to our guests for being part of that journey. Here’s to fresh snow, new stories, and another unforgettable season in the mountains.
Dave Tanner
President and Chief Executive Officer, Aspen One
Welcome to Aspen
All four resorts at Aspen Snowmass offer options and routes to skin up and earn your turns. Photography by Murray Hall
It’s All Uphill
In Aspen, uphill skiing–or skinning—promises untouched tracks and serious camaraderie.
Slope Style
Après hits the slopes to capture the most runway-worthy looks on Aspen Mountain.
74
Ski Pawtrol
A League of His Own
Snowboarding star Shaun White is disrupting the sport with his half-pipe competition circuit, the Snow League.
46
Haute Hut
The Cabin restaurant on Snowmass is drawing crowds with its Europeaninspired après-ski scene. 48
The Beat Goes On
Jazz Aspen Snowmass inaugurates its first-ever permanent space this season.
50
Art Unbound
Renewed investment from Aspen One is making contemporary art more accessible than ever.
For decades, Aspen Snowmass Ski Patrol has trained dogs to assist with safety on the slopes.
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Threads of Tradition
Zapotec weaver Elena Gonzalez Ruiz continues her long-running artist residency at Aspen’s newly renovated Catto Center at Toklat. 90
Planting the Future
With an ambitious new environmental program rooted in his family’s venerable legacy, Edoardo Zegna sows the seeds of a greener Aspen.
A Mine Is a Terrible Thing to Waste
Designer Jenna Grosfeld’s Aspen home is a stylish dichotomy of history, modernity, and effortless style.
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Out of Frame
Ed Ruscha is the latest world-renowned artist to turn Aspen’s ski lift tickets into coveted collectibles.
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Fully Baked
Aspen’s most beloved breakfast spots share the secrets to their greatest hits.
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Cellar Stories
The Little Nell’s awardwinning wine program has been cultivated by some of the world’s top wine experts.
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Ice, Ice Baby
When it comes to jewelry, no mountain town sparkles as brightly as Aspen.
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The Evolution of Snowmass
Geoff Buchheister, CEO of Aspen Skiing Company, gives Après the inside scoop on Snowmass’s $80 million enhancements.
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Concierge’s Corner
The Little Nell’s concierge, Joe Bassani, shares the best ways to spend a powder day.
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The Last Word
Get to know Darcy Loeb, COO of Aspen Ventures.
Threads of Tradition
Elena Gonzalez Ruiz provides rug-weaving demonstrations as part of a summer residency at the newly renovated Catto Center at Toklat.
For more from Volume 8 of Après, tune in to Channel 1 in-room at The Little Nell, and be on the lookout for stories brought to life in video on Après TV.
apres.thelittlenell.com
Après TV
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Jason Cutinella
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GLOBAL DESIGN DIRECTOR & CREATIVE PROCESS
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EDITORIAL & CREATIVE
Jen Murphy Editor
Contributing Writers
Christina Binkley, Megan Krigbaum, Nora Walsh, Andra Zeppelin
Contributing Photographers
Casey Dunn, Spencer Miller, Trevor Triano
Contributing Videographer & Video Editor
Tyler Wilkinson-Ray
OPERATIONS
Merri Gruesser Chief Operating Officer
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PUBLISHED BY NMG Network 2025 by NMG Network, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted without the written consent of the publisher. Opinions are solely those of the contributors and are not necessarily endorsed by NMG Network.
Volume 8 November 2025
Shaun White awards the Snow League’s inaugural men’s victors. Japan swept the podium. Photography Courtesy the Snow League/Blotto
Five-time Olympic snowboard champion Shaun White is disrupting his sport with the Snow League, a nascent competition circuit returning to Aspen this February with plenty of dizzying half-pipe action.
The most decorated snowboarder of all time, Shaun White has unrivaled bona fides: Over the course of his career, the superstar athlete has racked up three Olympic gold medals and 21 podium finishes at the X Games. But his legacy consists of more than a medal count and the dizzying half-pipe tricks he pioneered. With last winter’s launch of the Snow League, he’s ensuring a whole new future for his sport.
The first competitive federation for snowboarders, the Snow League gives athletes a world title to chase for the first time. Like alpine skiing, it comes with serious podium money: A total prize purse of $2.2 million—the highest ever in snowboarding—was offered during the inaugural season. The four-event series kicked off at Buttermilk in March 2025, and travels to Asia and Europe with a return stop in Aspen February 27–28, 2026, with a two-day half-pipe competition featuring some of the sport’s biggest names and rising stars.
It’s a consequential—and long-overdue—new chapter for snowboarding, says White. “Hosting two events in Aspen this first season feels like the perfect way to set the tone for what the Snow League is all about,” he says. “We are giving the athletes the chance to push their limits on one of the most iconic mountains in the world, and they feed off the energy Aspen always delivers.”
With his new Snow League, Shaun White hopes to create a whole new chapter for competitive snowboarding.
Musical duo Sofi
wowed the crowd at the inaugural Snow League event with a surprise half-time performance.
a second-place finish at the Snow League’s inaugural 2025 half-pipe competition at
Tukker
Opposite: Japanese snowboarder Ruka Hirano soared to
Buttermilk Mountain.
Above: Japan’s rising star, Ryusei Yamada, after a successful run in the 2025 qualifiers. Opposite: The top women finishers pop bubbles in celebration during the 2025 awards ceremony.
The Cabin, the buzziest new mid-mountain restaurant on Snowmass, is drawing crowds with hyper-local alpine fare and a European-inspired après-ski scene.
The Cabin is bringing the revelry of the Alps to Snowmass. Located mid-mountain, under the Village Express Lift, the recently reimagined hut channels the vibes of Europe’s iconic on-mountain party spot, La Folie Douce. Chefs Cody Rydin and Anthony Wahl have designed a lunch menu of refined mountain fare such as artisanal charcuterie boards and Hunter’s chicken with wild mushroom ragout.
The Sun Club—a partnership with Veuve Clicquot—has a retractableumbrella patio with heated lounge seating for leisurely bluebird-day lunches and a DJ booth and stage for après-ski entertaining. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, a snowcat whisks guests from Snowmass Base Village up to The Cabin for three-course gourmet meals that are often accompanied by live music. It’s a salut to the Alps, right here in Aspen Snowmass.
Haute Hut
In the evenings, a snowcat transports guests to The Cabin for romantic dinners.
Jazz Aspen Snowmass inaugurates its first-ever permanent space this season. Music fans can expect an all-star lineup and new listening experience.
This December, the JAS Café pop-up nightclub series, born in the basement of The Little Nell in 2011, settles into a permanent address at the new Paul JAS Center. Located above the storied Red Onion tavern on Cooper Avenue, the 75,000-square-foot venue is the first permanent space Jazz Aspen Snowmass (JAS) has owned since it was founded in 1991. Named for JAS Board of Directors Chairman Andy Paul, whose $10 million gift made the project possible, the center will serve as a year-round cultural hub for musicians, students, and the community.
The multiuse building houses a professional recording, mixing, and finishing studio for visiting artists and JAS Academy students. At its heart is a 175-seat club that will allow the JAS Café series to nearly double its number of annual performances and introduce a new supper club format. Guests will enjoy a wide range of music genres including jazz, blues, soul, funk, and world music.
The inaugural season kicks off December 19 with 10 nights of performances from artists including Grammy Award-winning bassist Christian McBride (Dec. 21-22), and iconic British funk band, the New Mastersounds (Dec. 28). For the opening night, legendary New Orleans entertainer Trombone Shorty will perform a private concert for individuals who have supported JAS over the years. A public performance will take place December 20.
“The new venue allows us to do things we’ve never been able to do before,” says JAS founder Jim Horowitz. “This type of experience doesn’t exist in Aspen.”
Look for premier access and exclusive invitations to Paul JAS Center events for guests of The Little Nell.
A LEGACY OF LUXURY. DESIGNED FOR A LIFETIME
In the heart of Aspen, Avi & Co. brings its world-renowned expertise in fine timepieces and high jewelry to new heights. Explore our signature collections, our rare sourced pieces from top brands like Richard Mille, Patek Philippe, Rolex, and our exclusive Avi & Co. designs. Each as unique as the memories that surround them.
AVI & CO. ICED COLLECTION
AH17, 18K White Gold, Diamond Dial, 44 mm
PATEK PHILIPPE NAUTILUS
5811/1G, 18K White Gold, Blue Index Dial, 41 mm
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Platinum Round Cut Diamond Line Bracelet, 21.41 CT
Renewed investment from Aspen One is making contemporary art more accessible than ever.
Aspen was founded on art as much as it was skiing: Charles Eames, Andy Warhol, and Roy Lichtenstein are just a few of the notable talents who were drawn to the mountain town’s natural beauty and creative energy. For two decades, Aspen One has continued to foster an artistic community through Art in Unexpected Places (ArtUP). First established as a collaboration with the Aspen Art Museum, the program has brought contemporary works to Aspen Snowmass in ways both surprising (using lift tickets as canvases) and accessible (outdoor sculptures).
Last summer, Aspen One announced a comprehensive art initiative that will expand ArtUP and refresh works across multiple Aspen One properties. The Little Nell alone currently exhibits 26 newly acquired artworks by 13 contemporary artists. Highlights include Richard Serra’s monumental Hitchcock II and Hitchcock III , produced in 2024, at the end of his life; Ed Ruscha’s enigmatic Mysteries (2021), which superimposes the work’s title over a crimson canvas (Ruscha is also this year’s lift ticket artist); and Robert Rauschenberg’s collage-like Daydream (Speculations), ( 1997), which evokes a sense of fragmented memory.
The convergence of world-class art and first-class hospitality creates a truly unrivaled alpine experience, says Michael Miracle, Aspen One’s vice president of community engagement: “We believe that the visceral, riotous fun of skiing can exist alongside something more contemplative and thoughtful.”
Below, from top: The Little Nell’s art collection includes Robert Rauschenberg’s Blanco (Ground Rules) and Ed Ruscha’s Mysteries series.
DAVID MARLOW
Skiers can skin—or uphill ski—on all four mountains at Aspen Snowmass. Photography by Murray Hall
In Aspen, uphill skiing–or skinning—promises untouched tracks and serious camaraderie. But it’s only for those who are willing to earn their turns.
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The crescent moon glows faintly in the inky sky, and Aspen’s Silver Queen is still. The mighty gondola won’t start spinning to the top of Ajax for another three hours, yet half a dozen skiers and snowboarders—myself included—are already suiting up at the mountain’s base. Come 9 o’clock, when the Silver Queen roars to life, our crew will already be sipping lattes at The Little Nell, our first tracks still carved into the slopes.
We are a unique tribe, part powderhound, part type-two fun seeker who loves a physical challenge. We rise well before dawn in the nose-tingling cold to ascend epic slopes on skis (or, in my case, a splitboard, which is a snowboard sliced into a pair of mountain-touring skis). Once we’ve reached the top, we schuss back down, surrounded by a quiet stillness that can only be found in pre-opening hours. It’s a thrilling reward worth every stride.
By Jen Murphy
Aspen Snowmass was one of the first ski areas in the U.S. to embrace the uphill ski trend.
Photography by Murray Hall
Like many of my uphill cohorts, I received my first introduction to the sport known as skinning in Aspen. Long a winter pastime in Europe, it has only recently caught on in the U.S., and Aspen Snowmass was an early adopter.
My first ascent came five years ago, when a local friend invited me on what she deemed a “mellow” climb to the top of Buttermilk. I was tempted—especially when she told me about the buttery French toast and crispy bacon that would be greeting me at the summit, a winter tradition held every Friday morning at Cliffhouse Restaurant.
That Friday, long before sunrise, I met her group at the base of Buttermilk, and as I attached sticky adhesives, or skins, to the bottom of my skis—a means of preventing me from slipping downhill— the crew gave me advice for my first climb.
“Don’t lift your skis off the ground,” I was instructed. “You’ll waste energy. The motion is a glide, not a march.” The temperature was barely 40 degrees, yet my friend was stuffing her puffer and gloves into her pack.
“Trust me, you want to start cold,” she said with a smile, before taking off with the rest of our group. I clicked my boots into their bindings—both
specially designed to free my heels for climbing—and chased after them.
Within 15 minutes they were out of view, and I was thankful I no longer had to attempt to make small talk. My lungs burned. My heart rate soared. My base layer was soaked with sweat. And I wasn’t even halfway to Cliffhouse. Bacon seemed a million miles away.
I learned on that first humbling day that skinning is a serious aerobic workout: I made it to the restaurant just before breakfast concluded at 10 a.m. The group had waited for me—though their food was long gone—and as I hungrily shoveled forkfuls of French toast into my mouth, they took turns recounting their own first uphill grinds. By the time I downed my last maple-syrup-soaked bite, I understood their addiction. Yes, there is something undeniably satisfying about doing something hard, but what had me already dreaming of my next uphill was the camaraderie around our shared effort.
That winter, I vowed to get speedier, and Aspen Snowmass offered plenty of opportunities for practice: All four mountains allow uphill travel and have designated routes for uphillers to follow. You can skin all day long, from 5 a.m. until 10:30 p.m., with the exception
Cliffhouse Restaurant is a regular gathering place for uphillers, offering Friday breakfast specials of bacon and French toast for those willing to skin to the top of Buttermilk.
of Aspen Mountain, where skinning isn’t permitted during operating hours (between 9 a.m. and 4:45 p.m.).
I started by conquering West Buttermilk, the most forgiving of the three routes to the top of Buttermilk. By my third attempt, the slog felt more like a meditative journey. I fell in tune with my breath and the rhythm of putting one foot in front of the other.
Next, I tackled the climb to Sam’s. The Italian restaurant just off Snowmass’s Village Express Lift keeps a leaderboard of speedy uphillers. I never made the list. Thankfully, it wasn’t a prerequisite for ordering the artisanal cheese and charcuterie.
By the time I became efficient enough to climb 2,440 feet, around midway up Aspen Mountain, I regularly spotted familiar faces and felt like a bona fide member of the close-knit uphill community. At the top of that climb, I was greeted with legendary, platesized oatmeal pancakes served at Bonnie’s—an uphiller’s institution.
“Skinning up to Bonnie’s for their famous breakfast pancakes is one of my favorite traditions,” says local artist and skinning enthusiast Amy Beidleman. “To me, it’s a classic Aspen experience that combines community, tradition, and the joy of being in the mountains.”
Bonnie’s owner Brigitte Birrfelder even stores personal jugs of maple syrup behind the counter for her regulars.
Jessie Young, a member of the U.S. Ski Mountaineering team, celebrates her birthday each December with a Bonnie’s breakfast outing. “An early morning skin up Aspen is my favorite winter activity, whether training for a big race or skinning with friends,” she says. “You can often recognize the usual suspects by their outfits—the woman who always wears neon pink and the older guy who is shirtless under his bibs. It’s fun to see more new people going uphill too.”
You don’t have to be an athlete to achieve the uphill high. Megan Coates, a recent Roaring Fork Valley transplant, was quick to embrace Aspen’s uphill scene. After fine-tuning her skills at a free skinning clinic, she bagged 67 ascents in her first winter season. “Climbing a mountain is
always a humbling experience,” she says, adding that the flexible hours—a rarity at most mountains—are ideal for her schedule as a mother of two.
Typically, I see a dozen or so uphillers on my morning skins, but, once a month, the entire Aspen skinning community comes together for a special full-moon dinner at Cliffhouse. By 4:30 p.m. the parking lot at Buttermilk is full of people putting skins on skis. I join the throng, trudging up the mountain’s main route and arriving at the restaurant just as the sky is turning soft sherbet hues. Inside, the dining room is already packed as sweaty uphillers of all ages gather and a band plays John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”
We line up for made-to-order stir-fries from the Mongolian Grill and toast our meal with Aperol spritzes, and by 7:30 p.m. we are slipping back into our gear. The moon is so bright I don’t even need to turn on my headlamp. Occasionally a hoot or holler from an exuberant skier breaks through the night’s silence. I relish the cold air on my face and the thrill of making turns beneath the glowing night sky. This, I think to myself, is truly an experience you can only have in Aspen.
Some designated routes traverse groomed terrain while others have a backcountry feel, winding in and out of the trees.
Uphill Intel
Access: An uphill season pass costs $74, with $10 of the fee going to Mountain Rescue Aspen. shop.aspensnowmass.com
Gear: Ute Mountaineer rents and sells uphill gear. You will need boots, bindings, touring skis or a splitboard, skins, poles, and a pack. utemountaineer.com
Etiquette: Stick to the designated routes. During operating hours, be mindful of downhill traffic. During off hours, keep an eye out for snowcats that may be grooming the terrain.
Favorite Routes from Easiest to Toughest
Snowmass: A great beginner route, Elk Camp climbs 1,386 feet from Base Village to Elk Camp Restaurant.
Buttermilk: Tiehack’s 1,683 feet of elevation gain pays off with panoramic views toward the Maroon Bells.
Aspen: Starting from The Little Nell, it’s a quad-screaming 3,267-foot ascent to the top of Aspen Mountain. Uber-fit locals can get it done in under an hour.
Aspen Highlands: Rise early to make it to the Merry-Go-Round Restaurant before the 8:30 a.m. cutoff so you can continue to the top of Loge. The route is intense, with 3,635 feet of elevation gain—but you almost always score fresh powder on the way back down.
Uphillers prepare for the ascent by attaching sticky, adhesive skins to their skis so they can trek uphill.
Après hits the slopes to capture the most runway-worthy looks on Ajax—and prove there’s no ski style quite like Aspen ski style.
Tara Woodend
“I describe this look as polished, bold, and playful. The turtleneck bodysuit base is perfect for spring skiing when layered with the pants and vest. It’s all from Perfect Moment.”
Opposite: John Cody
“I usually wear all black just because it’s easy, plus I feel like a ninja. The jacket is a collaboration between Volcom and Utah’s Dustbox. The snowboard is made by Shaun White’s brand, Whitespace. It’s the pro model.”
Julie Mumma
“This Aviator Nation jacket spoke to me with its patches that referenced California, which is where I’m originally from; Aspen, which is where I live now; and the double black diamond, which is the type of run I like to ski. You better know how to ski if you’re wearing this jacket.”
Opposite: Christine Heller “My look is bright and monochromatic. It blends fashion and function. When I’m not in my helmet, I wear my Elder Statesman beanie.”
Left: Monique (Mo) Mitchell
“Skiing is my ultimate form of expression, so it is really important that I dress in a way that expresses who I am on the mountain. My ultrapink vibe extends to my poles, and they have a cheetah pattern that matches my hat. My goggles have a sparkly frame that glitters in the sun.”
Right: Gillian Hearn
“I wish I could dress for fashion, but functionality takes priority—especially chasing around my two kids. My pants are corduroy bib overalls by Amundsen. The wool We Norwegians fleece jacket is perfect for a warmer spring day.”
Katrina Tidd
“I’m wearing a Goldbergh onesie. It is probably not the most practical outfit for a powder day, but it’s fun to have some outfits that are a little bit extra in Aspen.”
Mariel Darling
“I love the combination of red, white, and black because it stands out, and Aspen is a see-and-beseen town. The red shirt designed by Goldbergh adds a pop of color, but also indicates speed, and the stars add a cute and whimsical touch.”
Opposite: Nancy C. Crown “Comfort and warmth come first, but who doesn’t want to look fashionable? My vest, as well as the hooded, full-zip sweater, are by Aztech Mountain. The brand’s founders were born and raised in Aspen and have a very cool, but functional, approach to design. The belt and pants are both by Austrian brand Frauenschuh.”
Lizzy Wente and Allison Wente
“We were born and raised in the valley and our look is homegrown Aspen. Everything we are wearing is Aztech Mountain, down to the tee. We love this local brand’s ethos. The cropped Snowbird puffer vest is downinsulated with Aztech’s signature shiny liquid nylon. Lizzy is wearing Aztech’s Hayden pant in Safety Pink, the perfect shell to ski any mountain, any time of year.”
Aspen ski patroller Brad Benson says his glove is the favorite toy of patrol dog Zaugg.
For decades, Aspen Snowmass Ski Patrol has trained dogs to assist with safety on the slopes.
Last season, Aspen Snowmass’s most viral social media post wasn’t a socialite or a celebrity; it was Goose, Aspen Highlands’ newest ski patrol pup. The adorable reel of the 9-week-old field golden retriever riding the chairlift and romping around the snow garnered more than 4 million views. Goose has just started training, and once she’s certified by Colorado Rapid Avalanche Deployment, she’ll be the 14th patrol dog working across Aspen’s four mountains.
Although the Aspen Snowmass Avalanche Rescue Dog program was officially established in 2000 by longtime patrollers Brad Benson and Lori Spence, the area’s first avalanche dog was a canine named Chopper who worked Aspen Highlands in the early 1980s. Benson joined the Aspen ski patrol not long after, in 1988. He got his first taste of patrol life as a teenager when he volunteered to help “ski pack” Highlands Mountain in return for a free lift ticket. “The snowpack in Colorado is really sugary so they needed people to help boot pack, or basically stomp, the steep runs they couldn’t access by snowcat,” he says.
Now in his 38th season with the Aspen ski patrol, Benson helps oversee the patrol dog program and is the handler of Zaugg, a 6-year-old Airedale terrier. Each dog is assigned a handler who helps them develop mountain skills, like riding the chairlift and search-and-rescue proficiency. The latter consists of sniffing across large areas with people hidden in a snow cave to simulate an avalanche rescue. The dog must locate and dig out the buried skier within 20 minutes.
“The fake victim is given a toy so when the dog finds them, they can play tug-of-war,” Benson says. “It turns it into a game for the dog. I don’t need a toy because Zaugg’s favorite toy is my glove.” Quick on their feet with a keen sense of smell, the patrol dogs also assist when skiers get lost out of bounds.
Patrollers and their dogs typically board the gondola or chairlift by 7:30 a.m. While making the rounds of morning trail checks, Benson takes Zaugg through mock drills. Though the work is serious, the cuteness factor of the canines is undeniable. “Everyone wants to stop to pet the dogs,” Benson says. “We try to limit the guest interaction to when they’re off duty.”
The patrol dogs are in such high demand, they even have their own trading cards across patrol headquarters at all four mountains. Though she won’t officially be patrolling Aspen Highlands until next winter after she passes her training, social media star Goose will get her first collectible card this season.
By Jen Murphy
At the Catto Center at Toklat, a rug bearing fish imagery symbolizes family and connection to ancestral tradition. Photography by Trevor Triano
Zapotec weaver Elena Gonzalez Ruiz continues her long-running artist residency at Aspen’s newly renovated Catto Center at Toklat.
Elena Gonzalez Ruiz is seated at her pedal loom, working intently on a new rug covered with brightly colored patterns: seeds and zigzags, diamonds and fish. Each has a deep meaning: “The seeds symbolize abundance,” she says. “The zigzag is the circle of life. The diamonds represent energy. Together, they tell a story.”
On the walls surrounding the loom room, as this workshop is known, Gonzalez Ruiz is surrounded by more rugs, made by herself and other weavers from her native village of Teotitlán del Valle, in Oaxaca, Mexico. Her craft comes from her home—it is in her blood—yet she never imagined it would take her from the cacti-studded cracked earth of her birthplace to the alpine wilderness of Aspen. For more than 35 years, she has been coming here, to Toklat, in the Castle Creek Valley, to share the art of her ancestors through textiles like the rug on which she works carefully and patiently now. “At home it would be much quicker,” she says. “Here I take time to enjoy the beauty of the place.”
By Jen Murphy
Gonzalez Ruiz shows off a large rug bearing a Thousand Stars design.
Photography by Trevor Triano
Gonzalez Ruiz first came to Aspen in the 1980s, after her work caught the eye of Stewart Mace, an Aspen-based gallerist who made biannual trips to Teotitlán del Valle. A true renaissance man possessing equal appreciation for art and nature, Mace first moved to Aspen with his wife, Isabel, at the behest of Walter Paepcke. The Maces’ Roaring Fork Valley cabin—which they named Toklat, the Inuit word for “headwaters”—served as a multipurpose hub for the couple’s many interests, including a dog-mushing operation, a natural-food restaurant, a guest lodge, and, eventually, an art gallery.
In 1989, Gonzalez Ruiz was one of the first artisans invited to Toklat—and her visit sparked an annual residency that has brought her back to Aspen nearly every summer since. “I didn’t speak a word of English when I first arrived,” she recalls. “But my weaving spoke for me until I was able to learn.”
The loom room, where she demonstrated the traditional weaving and dyeing techniques of her ancestors, soon became a permanent part of Toklat. This year, it was preserved as part of a threeyear, $9 million makeover by the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES), which now manages the property.
Reopened in December 2024, the new Catto Center at Toklat welcomes guests with a sign for “Hot Tea, Local Art, Library,” and a grand door made from a large wood slab carved with scenes of meandering streams framed by aspens and peaks. Inside, the Maces’ original cabin—including the loom room—has
been preserved and updated with cleanenergy systems, plus an expansion that includes a retreat space. A potbelly stove warms the central gathering space, and wood floors are inlaid with tiles that recreate one of Gonzalez Ruiz’s rugs. Isabel’s kitchen has been refurbished and once again welcomes visitors for dinners served at the couple’s original hanging tables, a design concept Stewart discovered in Alaska.
Extending the Maces’ mission to inspire creatives and everyday visitors alike through the natural beauty of Aspen, the new center offers snowshoe tours, hikes, and outdoor workshops such as nature journaling and birding, all led by ACES naturalists. The artist-in-residency program, meanwhile, has been expanded to include writers and scientists, and last summer, the program was relaunched with Gonzalez Ruiz’s return. “I’m so happy to be back,” she says from her pedal loom. “It’s like a homecoming.”
This year, Gonzalez Ruiz has brought pieces from around 50 artisans in her village. Rugs of all sizes are piled high on the floor, and stylish bags and purses with leather handles hang from hooks. Each bears a tag with the name of the Zapotec weaver who crafted it. Some have been produced by master artisans over months, while others, such as the coasters, were made by young children who have just started to learn the craft. Of Teotitlán del Valle’s 7,000 residents, more than half are weavers. Gonzalez Ruiz’s cooperative, The Magic of the Zapotec Hand, supports them by selling their work at Toklat, and she donates 5 percent of those sales to ACES’ Summer
In Toklat’s loom room, Gonzalez Ruiz gives rug-weaving demonstrations.
Previous spread: The former home of Stewart and Isabel Mace, Toklat is now managed by the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. Stewart’s original hanging tables have been preserved and are now used for private dinners.
Above, from left: Gonzalez Ruiz demonstrates how to make dyes from natural ingredients. Cochineal, an insect that feeds on cactus, creates different shades of red. Gonzalez Ruiz’s cooperative, The Magic of the Zapotec Hand, supports weavers from her village through sales of their work at Toklat.
Camp scholarship program. “We are keeping our heritage alive,” she says.
One area of her loom room at Toklat is dedicated to the art of dye making. As she snakes through a cluster of baskets filled with raw products—tarragon, pomegranate, tree moss—Gonzalez Ruiz explains how each produces a different color. Cochineal, an insect that feeds on cactus, for example, can yield 60 different shades of red, and mixing it with baking soda creates a plum-like purple hue.
Creating natural dyes is an endangered skill; in fact, the process is as laborintensive as the actual weaving. Gonzalez Ruiz estimates that only 20 percent of the weavers in her village still invest the time and money in making dyes the oldschool sustainable way. To do so, sheep’s wool—sourced from the Mixteca Region, three hours north of Teotitlán del Valle—is cleaned in the local river, then dyed for three days. Only then can it be carded into fine, even, spinning yarn, which is boiled with dye for up to three hours.
Those like Gonzalez Ruiz, who have devoted their lives to maintaining these traditions, reap an intangible reward, she says, not only carrying on the work of their Zapotec ancestors, but also mentoring the next generation to follow in their footsteps. Perhaps, some day, they’ll even follow her path to Toklat themselves. “I find so much inspiration in this valley,” she says. “My hope is they might come here one day too and also be inspired.”
The Little Nell and ACES collaborate on culinary experiences at ACES’ properties throughout the year including special dinners at Toklat.
The Toklat Center is nestled in the Castle Creek Valley. Opposite: Just off the loom room, a gathering area is stocked with books on local history, poetry, art, and nature.
With an ambitious new environmental program rooted in his family’s venerable legacy, Edoardo Zegna sows the seeds of a greener Aspen.
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Fifteen years ago, on a trip to Aspen with his girlfriend, Edoardo Zegna met his future father-in-law and gained a newfound love for the mountain town that would prove auspicious. What struck the Italian fashion scion upon first arriving, though, was the feeling of the place.
“The silence and the vastness of Aspen are the most impressive things,” says Edoardo, a fourth-generation scion of the Zegna fashion house, who grew up surrounded by the Alps in Lugano, Switzerland. “And despite being so high in altitude, you still have so many trees here. At that altitude in Europe, you have no trees.”
Trees have been on his mind a lot lately: Last summer, his family’s Italian fashion house—known for its luxurious fabrics and expert tailoring— announced a conservation initiative to preserve forests, promote biodiversity, and reimagine green spaces throughout Aspen.
The program is the first step in globalizing a local effort that began quite literally in Zegna’s backyard more than 100 years ago. Nestled in the Italian Alps surrounding Trivero, where Edoardo’s great-grandfather Ermenegildo Zegna established his namesake brand in 1910, is the family’s 38.6-square-mile nature preserve, Oasi Zegna. In 1929, the patriarch began planting some 500,000 trees on this vast swath of land, turning the barren mountainside into a thriving forestland that’s open to the public.
Edoardo Zegna visited Aspen this summer to announce his company’s environmental initiatives.
Four generations later, Ermenegildo’s efforts are being enhanced and implemented in and around Aspen. Zegna’s sweeping environmental initiatives include a noteworthy partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and Aspen Skiing Company. Zegna will facilitate planting 160,000 native trees in areas devastated by 2018’s Lake Christine wildfire.
One reason Edoardo says he’s excited about bringing his family’s environmental vision to Aspen is the opportunity to engage with a community of influential thought leaders—people who have the ability to make outsized impacts. “It’s an educational opportunity to expand a story into something that is bigger than just donating trees,” he says. “Hopefully it’s something we can continue in a very affluent place where people can be even more sensible about what can happen in the future, and how to help the future be better.”
The Zegna initiatives extend to supporting prescribed burns to mitigate wildfires, in partnership with the Roaring Fork Wildfire Collaborative and the Aspen Wildfire Foundation. Controlled burns bolster biodiversity and soil and habitat health and are expected to regenerate hundreds of thousands of aspen trees. Another project involves working with the city to combat the Douglas-fir bark beetle, which is threatening trees across Aspen Mountain. Zegna also sponsored weekly public “Know Your Trees” hikes over the summer along with the Aspen Center for
Environmental Studies (ACES), one of the city’s leading environmental education groups. And at the Saturday farmers market—which Edoardo says is “the most beautiful farmers market you can think of”— Zegna sponsored an ACES naturalist to spread awareness through interactive programming such as scavenger hunts and community talks.
Perhaps it’s serendipity that Aspen was originally settled by 19th-century Italian immigrants who brought fruit trees from the old country while helping establish Aspen as a mining town. Zegna’s initiatives also include a forest garden that’s part of a farm co-op and education center that intends to protect those heirloom fruit trees, creating a meaningful tie between Aspen and Edoardo’s family’s roots in Trivero.
For Edoardo, all of this is an opportunity to improve upon the efforts his greatgrandfather initiated nearly a century ago—before conservationists had even learned about the importance of biodiversity and native plants. It isn’t just a legacy; it’s an evolution.
“The trees that my great-grandfather planted were probably not the right trees to plant all over,” he says. “There was no science that told him what biodiversity was supposed to be or that global warming was going to change a lot of the world.”
But, he notes, this new effort “is a 360-degree approach that we are doing in Aspen, bridging the private with the public in an amazing way.”
A Mine Is a Terrible Thing to Waste
Designer
Jenna Grosfeld’s Aspen home is a stylish dichotomy of history, modernity, and effortless style.
Whenever Jenna Grosfeld seeks inspiration, she often turns to the past. The Los Angeles–based designer’s fine jewelry line, Jenna Blake, and homewares collection, Casa Blake, reference a wide range of decorative periods, from Art Deco to midcentury modern. “I appreciate each period for its individuality,” she says. “And there’s an art to blending them together.”
The Aspen home she built with her husband, developer Jason Grosfeld, perfectly embodies that love of mixing aesthetics from various historical eras. Set on a quiet, tree-lined street near the heart of downtown, the 15,500-square-foot residence is
By Jen Murphy
Jenna Grosfeld’s Aspen home mirrors her casual, elegant personal style. “I love mixing earthy and luxe pieces,” she says.
Photography by Casey Dunn
Grosfeld and her husband, Jason, restored an 1880s mining cabin and appended it to a modern home that was built mostly below ground. “We purposely chose the black-and-white exteriors to smoothly transition old to new,” Grosfeld says.
Above: The primary bedroom features a vintage Swedish flatweave rug and a Hans Wegner Papa Bear Chair. Opposite: The interior windows look out to a rock garden whose main feature is an 800-year-old rock sourced from Japan. An oculus skylight fills the underground space with natural light.
more than meets the eye, fronted by a white-washed Victorian cabin that was built in 1883 during the town’s mining boom.
Unoccupied for nearly 50 years, the cabin was old but far from dilapidated. The couple was immediately drawn to its location, the large lot it sat on (a rarity downtown), and its history and Victorian bones.
A careful restoration ensued. The original low-pitched roof and slender columns were meticulously repaired according to the town’s Historic Preservation Commission guidelines. “We had to stay absolutely true to the original exterior,” Grosfeld says. It took five years, and around $20 million, to rehab the building and connect it via a breezeway to a sleek, modern home wrapped in glass and dark wood. Only a limited amount of square footage could be added above ground to the eight-acre lot, so the couple channeled Aspen’s historic mining shafts and dug down 45 feet to create the new extension.
When it came time to craft the interiors, however, they made a significant design pivot. “Because the structure was so well-preserved and pristine from the outside, we wanted the interiors to feel like a jewel box with a sense of history and discovery,” she says. “Everything in the guest room has a historical feel and a sense of provenance, much like the structure itself. When you walk in the room you
immediately feel like you could be back in time. It’s pure eye candy.”
Thus, every space is modern—even inside the original cabin, which has been reconfigured as an office and guest room. Skylights draw natural light into the double basement, which houses a lap pool, basketball court, and gym, along with four bedrooms and a living room with a fireplace and billiard table. Linked to the historic structure, a ground-floor addition features a primary bedroom and mudroom, while the top floor’s kitchen and great room look out over Aspen Mountain through floor-to-ceiling windows.
An avid collector of furniture and antiques, Grosfeld approached the interiors much like she does her jewelry. “There’s a lot of crossover,” she says. “I’m definitely not a minimalist. I like to mix colors with texture to highlight the unexpected. When I design, I’m thinking long term and timeless.”
Throughout the home, she layered pieces from some of her favorite designers, including Italian cabinetmaker Giuseppe Rivadossi and modernist French designer Pierre Paulin. One core piece usually drives the narrative of each room. For example, a vintage Karl Springer lacquered parchment dining table and jadecolored Aldo Tura parchment bar trolley anchor the dining and great rooms—a design theme Grosfeld has replicated in all three of her homes (the family also
Grosfeld’s favorite leisure space is decorated with comfortable leather couches and poufs, as well as a painting by artist Henry Gunderson.
Above: In the dining room, a Karl Springer lacquered parchment dining table is set with vintage Pierre Cardin glassware, Pinto plates, and black mercury glass Art Deco vases filled with local blooms.
Opposite: Leather Mario Bellini chairs and a sofa surround the dining table.
Grosfeld’s pottery collection includes abstract pieces crafted by Guadalajara, Mexico–based French designer Fabien Cappello and sourced from AGO Projects gallery in Mexico City.
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resides in Los Angeles and the East Cape of Baja, Mexico). She jokes that the pieces get a lot more use in Aspen. “I’m much more social here,” she says. “Aspen is the best of both worlds: I can be active outdoors and then have a nice dinner and feel civilized. It’s the perfect combination.”
During wintertime, the great room is the couple’s après-ski ritual: He chases powder in Highland Bowl; she prefers to ski uphill for exercise at Aspen Highlands; and at the end of the day, both convene over cocktails in glassware from Pierre Cardin and Georges Briard.
Grosfeld owns around 40 sets of china and loves creating tablescapes for dinner parties. “Similar to interiors or jewelry, I never have a formula,” she says. “I start with one piece, like a vintage tortoiseshell napkin ring or Limoges porcelain Pinto plate and build a story around it.”
The pageantry of her tablescapes transports guests to a more elegant era, but Grosfeld insists Aspen gettogethers are casual affairs. “The vibe here is low-key luxury,” she says. “I can wear leather pants with clogs during the day and put on a pair of diamond jellyfish earrings to dress up the look for dinner. My home and designs are proof that elegant doesn’t have to be fancy.”
The original mining cabin is now an office outfitted with a leather sofa from Switzerland’s de Sede.
Ed Ruscha is the latest worldrenowned artist to turn Aspen’s ski lift tickets into coveted collectibles.
The lift tickets at Aspen Snowmass have long been coveted keepsakes: Ever since Aspen Skiing Company’s inception in the 1940s, the keys to the mountain, dangling proudly from skiers’ jackets, have doubled as accessories, with each season bringing a fresh look, just like any other fashion trend. In 1954, the look was a Barbie-pink Aspen Snowmass logo set against a blush background. In the late 1960s, it was a mint-green aspen leaf motif patterned on cream-colored paper. Tickets became statement pieces skiers proudly displayed on their jackets.
During the 2005–2006 ski season, the Aspen Art Museum and Aspen Skiing Company introduced a novel initiative that transformed those tickets into a canvas. Part of the Art in Unexpected Places program, the inaugural design was created by Japanese artist Yutaka Sone and captured a telemarking “Ski Madonna” whose inspiration was local mountaineer Christy Mahon. “Instead of simply displaying a ski-resort necessity that let lifties know you’d paid for your day on the mountain, skiers and snowboarders were now sporting an original creation by artists,” says Michael Miracle, Aspen One’s vice president of community engagement.
Skiers found the small pop of art delightful—and collectible— and every year since, a new artist has provided imagery for both day and season passes. For the 2016–2017 season, celebrated painter Laura Owens developed 11 unique images that mixed elements of vintage still life with Pop Art. Italian artist Paola Pivi’s electric-hued, feathered polar bear sculptures graced the 2021–2022 passes.
This year, internationally acclaimed artist Ed Ruscha lent his iconic style to the passes, blending text with landscapes and American iconography. He selected works from his well-known Mountain series, which overlay phrases such as, “History Kids” and “Uh-Oh” on images of abstract peaks. The images invite skiers to reflect on alpine landscapes and the shared responsibility to protect them—not only during this ski season, but always.
“These lift tickets are keepsakes that can create a thoughtful pause,” Miracle says, “when you pick one up at the ticket office, and, even better, years later as a postcard from the past as you’re rummaging through a drawer looking for your goggles.”
By Jen Murphy
Swedish Hill Bakery sells decadent pastries on the rooftop of the Aspen Art Museum. Photography by Trevor Triano
Fully Baked
Aspen’s most beloved breakfast spots share the secrets to their greatest hits.
By Jen Murphy
In spring, summer, and fall, Aspen is a brunch town. But come winter, scoring first tracks takes priority over a Bloody Mary and eggs Benedict. Carbs are key to fueling a morning of adventures, and the town’s bakeries and restaurants provide plenty of options for delicious, on-the-go sustenance, both sweet and savory. Here are the cult favorites that often sell out before the gondola starts spinning.
Photography by Trevor Triano
This page: Paradise Bakery’s best-selling chocolate croissants almost always sell out. Opposite: Barbara Marcos, pastry chef at The Little Nell, develops more than 30 new recipes per year.
Sant Ambroeus
Milan’s iconic cafe was founded in 1936 and has become a mini empire with outposts in New York City and the Hamptons, Palm Beach, and, as of 2023, downtown Aspen. The elegant space includes a coffee bar meant for on-the-fly bites. While best known for its gorgeous cakes, its breakfast pastries are equally delicious (and almost too pretty to eat). An Italian twist on the croissant, the chocolate cornetto is filled with pastry cream and Valrhona dark chocolate, and is easy to nibble on the chair lift.
The chocolate cornetto from Sant Ambroeus looks like a croissant but is filled with chocolate and pastry cream.
Paradise Bakery
One of the town’s beloved originals, family-owned Paradise Bakery has been serving made-from-scratch recipes since 1976. The head baker typically arrives at 3 a.m. to ensure that freshfrom-the-oven muffins, cinnamon rolls, and croissants are on the counter when the doors open at 6:30 a.m. Because the croissants are so labor intensive, only one batch of roughly 250 is made each day. The buttery, flaky pastries come in more than a half-dozen variations, from a ham-and-cheese-stuffed version to a blueberry-cream-cheese-filled riff on a cheese Danish. The bestseller, however, is the chocolate croissant made with bittersweet chocolate and drizzled with a rich fudge icing.
The few croissants still on the shelves at Paradise Bakery after 12:30 p.m. are deeply discounted so the team can make room for its equally delicious cookies. The bakery also sells homemade gelato and coffee drinks in the afternoon and into the evening.
Silvers Bagel Bar and Peak Provisions
Last summer, Aspen welcomed its first New York City–worthy bagel shop. At Silvers, each bagel starts with the essentials done right: high-quality flour, rich malt syrup, and a custom water filtration system designed to scientifically match the mineral balance of New York City’s singular tap water. The result is a dough that ferments properly and bakes into the quintessential glossy, golden Manhattan bagel. Hand-rolled and boiled in-house, they have the Goldilocks texture that’s both chewy and crisp. About 450 bagels are baked each day. A standout is the caviar bagel—briny pearls layered over silky herbed cream cheese on a warm bagel. It’s equal parts luxury and comfort.
Breakfast sandwiches from Silvers Bagel Bar and Peak Provisions can be filled with toppings ranging from lox to caviar.
Louis Swiss Bakery
This local institution in the Aspen Airport Business Center has been around since 1982, when Renee Tornare brought his Swiss family’s baking concept to Aspen. Today, it’s the Western Slope’s largest full-scale bakery, selling its goods to local restaurants and at the Aspen Saturday farmers market. In 2021, MML Hospitality (the company behind Clark’s Oyster Bar) took over management and brought on pastry chef Jennifer Tucker. She’s stayed true to classics while adding exciting new creations, like the Nutella morning bun, which is layered with swirls of chocolate hazelnut spread and dressed in sugar, and the apple Jesus, a Louis Swiss specialty that looks like a muffin but is made with croissant dough, filled with apples, baked, and then topped with a crumble. Her gooey cinnamon rolls are made from croissant dough so they taste extra rich. She generously slathers them in cream cheese frosting while they’re still warm so a sugary glaze melts into the layers of cinnamon.
Louis Swiss Bakery’s trio of greatest hits, from left to right, apple Jesus, Nutella morning bun, cinnamon roll.
Swedish Hill Cafe
In 2024, an outpost of Austin’s sensational Swedish Hill Bakery quietly opened on the rooftop of the Aspen Art Museum. The Scandi sleek space is overseen by Louis Swiss’s pastry wiz Jennifer Tucker. You can find her decadent cinnamon rolls here, as well as her addictive croissants, which come in sweet and savory varieties—the standout is the pistachio. Her riff on baklava is filled with a mix of pistachios, pecans, and honey, baked to crispy, crackly perfection, then brushed with honey and sprinkled with more pistachios.
The pastry case at Swedish Hill Cafe is an essential detour when visiting the Aspen Art Museum.
Element 47 and Aspen Collection Cafe
The kouign-amann (pronounced kweena-mahn), served at The Little Nell’s Element 47 restaurant, tastes like “a croissant on steroids,” says pastry chef Barbara Marcos. The name translates to “butter cake” and its croissant-like dough is layered with loads of butter and sugar. When it bakes, those layers bubble up, creating a sticky, caramelized crust around the impossibly flaky interiors. If chocolate is your weakness, don’t miss Marcos’s chocolate babka. “I use a mix of Valrhona milk and dark chocolates to get a perfect sweet-bitter taste,” she says. Those with gluten allergies won’t be disappointed by her super-moist banana bread, which gets its deep flavor from brown butter. “It’s perfect to slip into your pocket for skiing,” she says. Marcos is also responsible for the baked goods sold at Aspen Collection Cafe, located just behind the steps on the Lower Gondola Plaza. Her homemade Pop-Tarts change flavors seasonally and are so slopefriendly that The Little Nell serves them aboard its Friday snowcat experience.
Barbara Marcos, pastry chef at The Little Nell, develops more than 30 new recipes per year. Her kouign-amann and Pop-Tarts, which come in seasonal flavors, are crowd favorites.
The Little Nell’s award-winning wine program has been cultivated by some of the world’s top wine experts and educators—and keeps getting better with age.
The Little Nell’s wine collection is legendary among oenophiles. The cellar at Element 47, the hotel’s fine-dining restaurant, contains more than 20,000 bottles, including rare gems from Burgundy, Piedmont, Napa, and Bordeaux. It’s also the antithesis of stuffy, with red mood lighting and hip-hop music streaming through speakers.
Over the last 35 years, an all-star cast of sommeliers has shaped the cellar, bringing their refined palates—and unique personalities—to the collection and overall wine experience. Current Wine Director Chris Dunaway, who earned Michelin Guide Colorado’s 2024 Sommelier of the Year and The World of Fine Wine Awards’ 2025 Wine List of the Year and Best Hotel Wine List, has brought his own unique viewpoint to the cellar, including a predilection for riesling and chardonnay from Oregon’s Willamette Valley and a preference for sustainable-farming techniques.
Like those who came before him, Dunaway believes deeply in fostering wine education. To date, 13 of The Little Nell alumni have achieved the esteemed distinction of Master Sommelier—the most of any establishment in North America (and a true feat given the pass rate for the exam is below 8 percent). Many more have gone on to impressive careers in wine. Après asked nine former stars of The Little Nell’s F&B team—all of them Master Sommeliers—to share how the hotel’s collection has grown over the years, the bottles they’ll never forget, and some cellar lore.
2021, Rachael
Liggett-Draper became The Little Nell’s first female sommelier.
Virginia Philip Banquet Manager, 1990
On mentorship: “I learned a lot from Mark Pape, The Nell’s opening wine director. We toured the wine regions of Europe together to select The Nell’s bottles. He taught me that building a wine list requires a lot of relationships with importers and wineries.”
Now: Wine Director, The Breakers, Palm Beach, Florida
Bobby Stuckey Wine Director, 1995–2000
Making his mark: “I inherited Mark Pape’s list. There was a lot of Bordeaux, lots of Napa cabernet, a smattering of Italy. It was a big list. I was intentional about adding domaine Burgundy, highlighting Napa producers that were new then, adding Italian producers from Montalcino and Piedmont—and Austria, which hadn’t been there at all. I ordered the first Zind Humbrecht to Colorado. I brought on Foradori Granato, Coche-Dury, the first release of Harlan and Dalla Valle.”
Learning curve: “I realized on the first night that the guests knew more about wine than I did.”
Cellar expansion: “The cellar was about one-third the size when I started than when I left. We went from 500 listings to 2000.”
Most memorable bottles: “I tasted everything, arguably some of the last bottles on the planet of 1928 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny, 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.”
Now: Partner and Co-CEO, Casa Komos Brands Group, New York City
The Little Nell Wine Cellar includes many of the most sought after fine and rare bottles from around the globe. Opposite: The Little Nell’s current wine team includes Jesse Libby, Chris Dunaway, Rachael Liggett-Draper, and Adam Darlington.
Clockwise, from bottom left: Bobby Stuckey went on to launch Frasca Hospitality Group; Virginia Philip now runs a wine academy in Florida; Jonathan Pullis and former colleague Dustin Wilson during a tasting; Richard Betts started a tequila brand; Maddy Jimerson travels to the vines to source wines for Casa Tua, Aspen.
Making his mark “When I took over [the list] we had one of the best Burgundy cellars in the country. I continued to aggressively purchase the great wines, while always looking for cool Indigenous varieties that offered great value, such as assyrtiko and xinomavro from Greece.”
Now: General Manager, AM7, Aspen
Jason Smith
Restaurant and Beverage Manager, 2004–2006
Lessons beyond the bottles: “The Little Nell taught me about ‘comfortable hospitality’—taking care of people with the highest level of service, but without it being pretentious or over the top..”
Now: Vice President of Global Strategy, Constellation Brands Wine & Spirits, Las Vegas
Sabato Sagaria
Food and Beverage Director, 2008–2014
Elevation effect: “I didn’t appreciate how well wines age at altitude until I left. With less oxygen, the older wines we tasted from the ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s‚— Jayer, Romanée-Conti, Conterno— tasted far more vibrant than the same wines I have tasted at sea level.”
Now: Managing Partner, Apres Cru Hospitality, New York City
Maddy Jimerson Server, 2016
Allure of working at The Little Nell: “I knew of The Little Nell’s
reputation as a training ground for sommeliers preparing for the Master Sommelier exam.”
Best big bottle: “A magnum of Montevertine Le Pergole Torte 1990, which also happens to be my birth year. The wine was electric—full of energy, elegance, and layered nuances. I can still vividly recall its taste today.”
Now: Group Wine Director, Casa Tua, Aspen
Carlton McCoy
Wine Director, 2010–2019
Cool factor: “I created the red-light lounge in the cellar. The previous GM left and there was a window when no one was there to say no. I got a very small budget and got it done.”
Bonding over bubbles: “One New Year’s Eve, there was a Champagne, a bottle of ’02 Bollinger Vieilles Vignes Françaises, like a $4,000 bottle, that guests wanted to open at midnight. But they were too tired. Only the husband came out to saber it with me. And I sat there at midnight with this guy drinking this Champagne. I still have a relationship with him.”
Now: CEO, Lawrence Wine Estates, Napa Valley
Josh Nadel
Wine Bar Sommelier, 2020–2021
Biggest lesson: “We served a ton of Comando G, a Spanish garnacha. Wine Director Chris Dunaway was pouring this by the glass, which was an absolutely monster move as the wine is now allocated sold at auction. Chris’s approach was simply: The wine is great, it’s a great value, have at it!”
Now: Beverage Director, NoHo Hospitality, New York City
Carlton McCoy, a wine alum of The Little Nell, helped create the hotel’s red-light lounge during his tenure. He now works in the heartland of wine, Napa Valley.
Snowmass Base Village at first light with Garrett Peak in the background. Photography by Jeremy Swanson
When it comes to jewelry, no place sparkles as bright as Aspen.
Come winter, Aspen sparkles with a different kind of ice: diamonds and jewels. This town is a veritable candy store for jewelry lovers. World-class designers and brands grace nearly every corner in boutiques that represent the pinnacle of jewelry artistry.
Betteridge
This elegant jeweler at The Little Nell is the only place in town to find the signature designs of iconic jewelers David Yurman and Roberto Coin— including exclusive pieces made just for the Aspen crowd. Serious gem collectors come for Robert Procop’s ultra-rare, fancy-colored diamonds and magnificent museum-quality gemstones. There’s also a curated mix of hard-to-find vintage jewelry and pre-owned watches from the most desirable brands—and the staff will track down special requests.
Bespoke experience: Can’t find your dream piece? Betteridge will create it from scratch in its L.A. workshop.
Meridian Jewelers
Longtime Aspen locals Robin and Kenny Smith know firsthand what their clients want: unique, statement pieces nobody else will have. Since 2003, the Smiths have had their pulse on the designer jewelry scene and assembled a roster of best-in-class international designers. Coveted collections include Anita Ko’s everyday luxe diamonds; Silvia Furmanovich’s vibrant, exotic creations; and Fernando Jorge’s sculptural gold pieces.
On time: With big selections of Rolex, Cartier, IWC, A. Lange & Söhne, and Tudor brands, Meridian is a watch lover’s playground.
Silvia Furmanovich jade and gemstone necklace at Meridian Jewelers.
Oliver Smith Jeweler diamond and gold Aspen leaf earrring charms.
Oliver Smith Jeweler signature jewelry.
Fernando Jorge gold bracelet at Meridian Jewelers.
Buccellati gold and diamond bracelet.
Roberto Coin diamond and gemstone earrings at Betteridge.
Brent Neale green tourmaline, sapphire, and aquamarine gold ring at Etc.
Robert Procop multi-color sapphire and diamond earrings at Betteridge.
Uniform Object gold and diamond charm at Etc.
Etc…
At this chic jewelry and clothing shop, owner Meg Margjeka curates an eyecatching assortment of playful, stylish, and unique designer jewelry. She encourages clients to pair baubles with après-ski sweatpants and cozy cashmere sweaters, saying, “It’s the Aspen way.” Fun pieces include Brent Neale’s bold, gold, bubble letter pendants; Retrouvai’s colorful lollipop jewels; and Uniform Object’s sculpted gold and diamond pieces.
The VIP treatment: Too busy on the slopes to hit the store? No problem. Etc… offers private appointments and in-home consultations. It can also transform family heirlooms, collaborating with designers like Brent Neale and Jade Trau to reimagine pieces in contemporary styles.
Oliver Smith
With a 40-year history of making timelessly smart jewelry, Oliver Smith is the destination for elegant diamond designs and foundational pieces for every wardrobe. Think diamond studs, tennis bracelets, and hoop earrings in a range of shapes and sizes. Every stone is certified and ethically sourced, and Smith also offers diamonds from recycled jewelry. Located in the historic Tom Thumb building on East Hyman Avenue, the shop also showcases a watch collection with the latest from Omega and Blancpain, plus pre-owned unicorns that collectors hunt years to find.
Go bigger: Ready to upgrade your diamond ring? Oliver Smith offers current market value for diamonds when a client is trading up to a new stone.
Buccellati
This Italian heritage brand, which has called Aspen home for 20 years, is attracting a younger generation thanks to new pieces designed by fourth-generation jeweler Lucrezia Buccellati Wildenstein. Her creations include chic stackable rings and bracelets made with the house’s signature finely detailed gold finish and sprinkled with diamonds. The mountain crowd gravitates to the Macri collection’s bold gold and diamond cuffs and extra-large hoop earrings.
Worth a visit: For a truly exclusive shopping experience, the newly remodeled boutique features a private VIP room.
Lugano
Ski straight off the mountain into Lugano’s boutique at The Little Nell, where Champagne and extraordinary jewels await. With contemporary art pieces on the walls and a plush, residential vibe, this local gathering place feels like home. The collection speaks to Aspen’s adventurous spirit with pink diamonds strung on sleek black rubber cords and substantial diamonds cradled in hand-carved ebony settings.
A good cause: Lugano’s intimate philanthropic dinners and cocktail events invite clients to try on the house’s exceptional pieces while supporting the local community.
Clockwise, from top left: Uniform Object gold and diamond earrings at Etc.; David Webb gold vintage earrings at Betteridge; Buccellati gold and diamond earrings; Ole Lynggaard gold and diamond earrings at Meridian Jewelers.
Van Cleef & Arpels
Reopening in mid-December, the beloved French maison Van Cleef & Arpels’s two-story Aspen salon is nothing short of spectacular, with an elegant bar, crackling fireplace, and custom Fromental silk wallcoverings celebrating the region’s wildflowers. Naturally, jewelry steals the show, especially collections like Snowflake, with its glistening diamonds, and Palmyre, featuring cascading diamond and gemstone pieces.
Get comfortable: The store’s second level welcomes clients for private appointments, where they can try on jewels while sipping Champagne.
FoundRae
This new salon on East Hyman Avenue feels like stepping into a cabinet of curiosities. Founder Beth Hutchens infused artisanal details throughout, from the wood-marquetry sunburst that greets visitors at the entrance to hand-blown glass sconces imprinted with the brand’s motifs. The stylish jewels are also rooted in symbolism, drawing from Greek mythology, ancient icons, and modern mantras of love and inner strength.
In real time: Clients can see FoundRae’s in-house artisan jewelers crafting pieces and commission a custom engraving on-site.
Van Cleef & Arpels diamond and gold Palmyre bracelet.
FoundRae gold chain link necklace and diamond charm.
Van Cleef & Arpels diamond and gold drop Palmyre earrings.
Lugano pink diamond earrings.
FoundRae green tourmaline and gold ring.
JUNE 19-21, 2026
TASTE THE HEIGHT OF GOOD
on sale 12.10.25 | classic.foodandwine.com Save the date to purchase the ultimate holiday gift—our legendary three-day Food & Wine event filled with cooking demos and wine & spirit tastings set against the breathtaking mountains of Aspen. Scan for ticketing information.
Chef Tyler Florence
A nearly $80 million investment in on-mountain infrastructure and experiences is ushering in a new chapter of Snowmass’s legacy. Geoff Buchheister, CEO of Aspen Skiing Company, gives Après the inside scoop.
Aspen Snowmass is special because of its four distinct mountains, each with its own character and vibe – all with tons of unique experiences. Snowmass is the biggest of the four, and it really has something for everyone. You can explore it for days. During my first winter here, my son and I made it our mission to ski everything across all four mountains. At Snowmass specifically, we hit groomers, tree runs, and the Cirque Headwall—the resort’s highest run. That experience really drove home how much variety Snowmass offers, both in terrain and energy.
When the Snowmass Base Village opened in 2018, it completely transformed the guest experience. Now, we’re focused on taking that same level of transformation up the mountain. We want to accentuate the on-mountain experience. This summer, we broke ground on nearly $80 million in new improvements for the next evolution of Snowmass.
By Jen Murphy
The Evolution of Snowmass
We’ve always taken pride in our worldclass operations—and our short lift lines. The Poma lift that accesses the Cirque can get backed up, especially on a powder day, so we’re replacing it with a new T-bar that will double capacity. And for the first time in nearly 20 years, we’re replacing not one, but two lifts. The Elk Camp quad will become a new high-speed, six-pack lift. This will ease congestion in winter, and more than double the capacity of the bikes we can load in the summer.
Snowmass’s beloved Elk Camp restaurant—one of the mountain’s busiest eateries—is getting an additional 120 outdoor seats and a new covered umbrella area that will provide semienclosed heated seating on cold days and retract for sunny bluebird days.
We’re also rebuilding Ullrhof, one of our most beloved on-mountain restaurants. The new construction will be our first all-electric on-mountain dining experience, set to open Winter 2026–27. The all-new Ullrhof will feature a stunning new design, 600+ seats, and an amazing new menu. It’s all part of how we continue to evolve Snowmass—keeping it fun, sustainable, and unforgettable in every season.
Previous page: Snowmass added the high-speed, sixperson Big Burn chairlift in 2020.
Above: The outdoor seating area at Snowmass’s Elk Camp restaurant will be expanded for the 2025–2026 season.
Joe Bassani—concierge supervisor, 10-year veteran of The Little Nell, and an alpine enthusiast with insider knowledge of all four local mountains— shares how skiers and non-skiers alike can make the most of a powder day.
First Tracks
There’s nothing like being the first skier on the mountain after a fresh fall of snow—but guests of The Little Nell don’t have to rise at dawn to wait in line for that privilege. Throughout winter, our ski concierge offers exclusive preopening access to Aspen Mountain’s Silver Queen Gondola . Guests can upload with the ski patrol at 8:15 a.m. to score crowd-free first tracks.
Backcountry Pursuits
For an afternoon of untouched snow, nothing tops a snowcat experience with Aspen Mountain Powder Tours
The Little Nell reserves seats just for guests every Friday and elevates the day by serving lunch at a woodstoveheated cabin in the Elk Mountains with après-ski wine selected by the hotel’s team of sommeliers. Hardcore skiers who prefer to earn their turns should head to Aspen Highlands to hike the
fabled Bowl. The trek up takes 45 to 60 minutes, but you’re rewarded with wide-open, beautiful powder turns.
Beyond the Slopes
There are just as many thrills to be had off the slopes. Guests love the guided snowmobiling excursions we arrange with T-Lazy-7, Aspen’s oldest ranch. They offer single and double snowmobiles and routes that cruise up to Maroon Lake at the base of the famed Maroon Bells, or wind through White River National Forest to a rustic cabin for a lunch of burgers made with beef raised on the ranch. A snowy meal at Pine Creek Cookhouse is a classic Aspen experience. The charming alpine restaurant can’t be reached by car in winter. Guests can choose to snowshoe or cross-country ski three miles round trip (a trail pass is included with dining reservations), or arrive and depart in the restaurant’s old-fashioned horse-drawn sleigh.
I grew up in the Chicagoland area—Libertyville to be exact—and I’ll forever be a die-hard Cubs and Bulls fan.
When did you first discover Aspen?
Snowmass was our magical family vacation spot, and I started skiing here when I was 4 years old as a “Big Burn Bear.” Over the years, it’s where I learned to ski and snowboard, had countless chairlift chats with friends and family, celebrated a few bachelorette parties at Cloud Nine, and now, watching my 5-year-old take their first turns, it feels like life has come full circle.
Which talent are you most proud of having?
Teaching and motivating others. I taught barre for 10 years and coached high school dance, and now in my role leading Aspen Ventures, that same passion translates into inspiring teams, nurturing talent, and creating environments where people thrive.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Professionally, launching Aspen Collection has been such a special chapter for me because I grew up skiing here and have felt so connected to this place. To now create a brand that celebrates the spirit of Aspen—and see it come to life on and off the mountain—feels both surreal and incredibly rewarding. Personally, my greatest achievement is being a mom. Watching my kids discover the world, find their confidence, and fall in love with the mountains the way I did is the most meaningful accomplishment of all.
What do you most value in your friends?
Laughter, a free spirit, and being up for an adventure. And of course, friends who make you feel completely yourself—no judgment, just joy.
Which living person do you most admire?
My mom. She brings light and energy into every room she walks into. Her zest for life is contagious and inspiring, and she’s taught me that joy and resilience go hand in hand.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
A day on the mountain with my family, followed by a delicious meal together. For me, happiness is that balance of adventure, connection, and gratitude for where I live and work.
