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A Raw Den of Iniquity: Kenichi Aspen Revisited
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.
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- Jamie Lynn Miller's blog
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Aspen Restaurants: The Top 10 Places to Dine Al Fresco in Aspen, Colorado
.Dining Al Fresco on the Patio of D19 and Pacifica in Downtown Aspen with a Postcard Perfect Mountain PanoramaWhether conquering the coals of a casual backyard barbeque or relaxing over a romantic four-course treat, one of life’s simple summer pleasantries is dining outdoors. Feasting on a delightful meal while lounging on a patio or deck in the warm sunshine and fresh air is nothing short of an obligatory pastime. Time seems to whisk away with sweet nonchalance into dreamy oblivion when dining outside with good-humored company. Here in Aspen, the epicurean nirvana is heightened when enjoying a tableau vivant of regional specialties like blue agave margaritas, a warm brie paired with the perfect merlot, a main entrée of fresh Colorado lamb, or a palate cleansing antipasto before dessert.
Using a little imagination, dining al fresco in Aspen’s thin Rocky Mountain air is like dining in sylvan realm of Fairyland, the fictitious setting of Shakespeare's classic romantic comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream . Many bistros and cafes in this charming Victorian ski town pride themselves on well-appointed porches, patios, and decks in woodsy settings with postcard-perfect mountain panoramas and menus of artisan haute cuisine.
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- Brandon Wenerd's blog
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Aspen Restaurants: Willow Creek Bistro
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.
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- Brandon Wenerd's blog
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Buenos Aires Fusion
For decades, travel and fashion writers have long dubbed sophisticated and stylish Buenos Aires as “The Paris of South America” for its broad avenues, au courant garment district, provocative evenings of tangoing until morning, strolls past plazas lining the Rio de la Plata, and lazy afternoon polo matches.
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- Brandon Wenerd's blog
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Cloud Nine Alpine Bistro
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.
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- Brandon Wenerd's blog
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DishAspen
The Slow Food movement has a robust presence in Aspen, thanks to superstar chefs with industry pull utilizing farm fresh and local ingredients. The core philosophy of Slow Food is mindfully grown produce and livestock that is raised and cultivated with as little environmental impact as possible.
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- Brandon Wenerd's blog
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Explore Bookstore and Bistro
Tucked into a quaint Victorian house on Main Street, Explore Bistro and Bookstore is a popular Aspen establishment frequented by residents and out-of-towners alike. As a well-stocked independent bookstore and a popular vegetarian bistro, Explore fuses a cozy ambiance of floor-to-ceiling bookshelves of literary and nonfiction classics with a delightful bistro, coffee shop, and dining room.
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- Brandon Wenerd's blog
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Hickory House
Here is a very realistic yet hypothetical Aspen ski vacation situation: You’ve spent a beautiful bluebird day with fresh powder skiing or riding Highlands, Buttermilk, or Snowmass. It’s vacation, after all, so you’ve milked as many daylight hours as possible on the mountain.
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- Brandon Wenerd's blog
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Johnny McGuire's Deli
It won’t take you long before your plane touches down at Pitkin County Airport to realize Aspen is an image-conscious town.
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- Brandon Wenerd's blog
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La Cantina
It is not difficult to find La Cantina: look for the only adobe building on Main Street. Located in Downtown Aspen across from the Hotel Jerome, La Cantina is a muy caliente hang out for margaritas, nachos, and enchiladas, even when it’s blustery and cold in the middle of the winter.
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- Brandon Wenerd's blog
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Early morning fishing