Aspen, Colorado – Reported by Robin and Mark Levinson for Elite Traveler, the private jet lifestyle magazine
Robin’s Perspective
Aspen is an amazing place to be in the summertime. The weather is perfect, the mountain air feels great and there’s something about it that puts everyone in a good mood! Exercise and outdoor activities are the thing to do in Aspen during the day. My favorite activities are hiking up Aspen Mountain via the Ute and Ajax trails. I also enjoy the challenging bike ride up Maroon Bells. It’s a very difficult ride but beautiful and afterwards you feel amazing.
When you’re done with your exercise of choice in the morning it’s always fun to meander into town and stop by the great art galleries and boutiques. After exercising you’ll surely be hungry. For lunch, I often enjoy Peaches, The Big Wrap, Montagna at The Little Nell and BB’s Kitchen.
Aspen has a tremendously rich culture. That combined with the social aspects of the town make for a lot of fun evenings filled with interesting events, dinners and parties. Jazz Aspen Snowmass is a must-attend music festival during the summers as are the interesting lectures that the Aspen Ideas Festival provides yearly. There’s always something going on! If you prefer a quieter afternoon or evening it’s always relaxing and cozy to go to Isis, the town movie theater.
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For dinner, my favorite restaurants are Cache-Cache and Matsuhisa. Cache-Cache is an amazing place, always a good scene and the food is divine. Matsuhisa is owned by Nobu; they have best sushi anywhere. Pinons and Elinas are also great choices.
Mark’s Perspective
Aspen is really the only place I feel I can truly unwind. The minute you step off the plane and smell the fresh air, it’s amazing! My daily routine usually entails a morning round of golf at the Maroon Creek, an exclusive private golf club. It’s a beautiful course. The mountain views in the background are magical. Another fun daytime activity is to bike down the Rio Grande trail and have lunch at Woody Creek Tavern. It’s an all downhill ride—that’s very important! When you are done with lunch the taxis have bike racks or you can be like Robin and bike back to town all uphill!
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After golf, I’ll usually grab a quick lunch at the club or have one of the delicious burgers from Hotel Jerome’s J Bar; they have a great garden area with outdoor seating.
In the afternoons, while Robin’s buzzing around town, I like to settle in with a book in The Little Nell lobby for what I call “Lobby Time!” It’s a cozy atmosphere with a fireplace and you’ll always run into someone you know to visit with.
I agree with Robin about Cache-Cache and Matsuhisa, they are the best. Pinons is also a great one. After dinner I like to drop in at the Caribou Club, a members only club, to take a lap around and see who’s hanging out. Some nights it gets very busy so it can be a great scene for an after-dinner drink and dancing!
One of the most special things to enjoy while in Aspen is on the corner of Galena and Cooper Street, in front of the Paradise Bakery. Usually on weekends they have amazing musicians that are studying music in Aspen, performing in this open plaza area. It’s so inspiring to listen to them play their instruments and take in the beautiful scenery and just enjoy the weather. Doesn’t hurt to go into Paradise Bakery and get a little scoop of ice cream! It’s a very special place.
About the authors: Robin and Mark Levinson founded Levinson Jewelers in 1983. Because of its sterling reputation and elite status in the industry, the world’s most prestigious lines and designers seek space in Levinson’s exquisite store, including Bulgari, Gucci, Corum, Franck Muller, Dior, Graham Watches, Hermès, Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry, Piaget, IWC, Panerai, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Penny Preville, Backes & Strauss and many others. Mark and Robin travel the world seeking the most precious jewels and unique items to provide to their discerning clientele. Levinson Jewelers is located at 888 East Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale.
Contact: Robin and Mark Levinson, (954) 462-8880; robin@ljemail.com and mark@ljemail.com; www.levinsonjewelers.com
