Restaurant Review

Last night, I had a dream. It was raw and never-ending, excessive and overflowing. Enter industrial charcoal chic, mood lights and a sexy soundtrack and a rock star booth complete with curtains, for that backstage pass effect. Sushi and sashimi and sake and tuna tataki ran together, in a stream of consciousness and I awoke smiling but perplexed, wondering what it all meant.

Surf and Turf at Willow Creek Bistro, Aspen Highlands The Roaring Fork Valley is chock-full of spectacular culinary offerings. Nonetheless, if you are a serious foodie vacationing in downtown Aspen and find yourself short on time, there are only a handful of reasons to leave the Highway 82 Roundabout. Examples include a romantic dinner date in Snowmass, an evening sipping margaritas and munching nachos in the eccentric charm of the Woody Creek Tavern, and a late afternoon partaking in a rustic feast and scenic splendor of the Castle Creek Valley at the Pine Creek Cookhouse. Add one more to the list: The Willow Creek Bistro, just a short drive up Maroon Creek Road at the Aspen Highlands Ski Area.

Geographically, the 12,500-foot Aspen Highlands ski area is tucked into the heavenly clouds of the Elk Mountain Range. With a 3,635-foot vertical drop, over a thousand ski-able acres, five lifts, and one of the most pristine powder bowls in the country, Highlands is an almost mythical Xanadu, particularly to the scores of locals who love and frequent these expert slopes on a daily basis. Cloud Nine Alpine Bistro While whisking down Highlands, take a minute to bask in the sweeping vistas of the 14,000 foot Maroon Bells, one of the most majestic peaks in Colorado. Maroon Bells is the Western Slope’s Mont Blanc, inspiring artists and photographers around the country.

The dizzying heights, moguls, and altitude of skiing Aspen Highlands will surely leave adventurers with the appetite of an athlete. However, lunching and dining options can be somewhat limited when surrounded by snow pack at 10,740 feet.

I’m enthralled by Alice in Wonderland; the lessons, the morals, the colors and the utterly random way that Tim Burton spins a yarn. Face your fears, dream the impossible (at least six times before breakfast), travel by hat and be true to yourself, no matter the era or dress code. I’m not sure I could have handled it all in 3-D; too much stimulation already.