I ended up at the Vietnamese Bakery Le Bledo Bakery, in Springfield, after hearing some promising leads online about their food and missing a lunch there I wanted to attend.  My expectations were pleasantly met.

The first good sign was that I actually found the place without getting lost.  I frequently get lost in Springfield, as there is just stuff all over the place.  Walking in there was a small buffett and tables on the left.  There was also a small menu on the wall of noodle soups available.  I got a beef noodle soup and one of the very pleasant staff asked me if I wanted the one similar to Pho.  As I was wearing a white shirt, I thought clear broth over red probably a good idea.  The noodles were thin rice noodles and there were some slices of brisket and some meatballs and scallions in what was a very nice complex broth.  All the normal Pho accompaniments alongside.  As there were torrential downpours outside, it felt quite nice to sit inside watching the rain slurping noodles.

I also ordered a bahn mi to go.  It had a mix with sausage, pate and a few other cured meats.  The bread was soft, warm and crusty, the condiments were very spicy, but had a little sweetness.  There was a good balance of meat, bread, condiments.

The bakery has to go plates of rolls and other Vietnamese dishes for carry out and more can be ordered.  There were all sorts of pastries.  I bought some peanut cookies and pastries with a cashew filling.  They seemed to have some pastries that seem a bit more Chinese to me, as well, but I am not good with those sorts of differentiation at this point, especially with the French influence.  There were also a variety of steamed buns.  There were candies and other sweets and cakes.  The people coming in and out for bags of sandwiches was promising.  This is a neat little spot well worth exploring.  I can’t wait to take Hubby there at some point.

I can vividly remember walking through the Five and Dime in Petersburg, WV with my Mother.  It was a place filled with high aisles and higher possibilities.   And the Five and Dime had these neat craft kits with patterns and lists of what you needed for the project to make the end goal a little more obtainable in a day or so.  One of my very fond memories was making these felt and button santas with my Mother.  I still have one, although the arm is falling off a bit and it needs repaired.  They were really cute! Although I am an atrocious sewer, somehow, they turned out alright, probably due to my Mother’s magical touch with crafts. I loved craft projects with Mother, in fact I still do.

I happened upon these fantastic kits from The Cheswick Company and I immediately thought about our santas.  These are really neat kits and the end products are so cute.  These would make a great project with someone you enjoy spending time with.  Or a great homemade gift for someone worth some effort.  They have holiday themes, or themes from novels, or just cute little characters from nowhere in particular.

And last but not least, this adorable little monkey:

With the weather cooling down I am thinking how fun these could be for a weekend project.

I have a bunch of friends just having their first wedding anniversary and it had me thinking about the paper anniversary.  Yes, yes custom stationary is very posh and makes you look like a hoity toity bad-ass when you are writing letters and notes.  But, if you don’t want to go that route, consider these amazing origami creations by Ruti’s Roots, which come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors:

Origami Bowl from tea bag wrappers:

Origami Paper Swan:

Pleasantly Plump Origami Swan:

Origami bigger bowl:

It’s correct in color Origami Swan:

Stationary is just not very original compared to these cool works of art.

Day Three started with a Mini winding across the Bay Bridge and up through Mill Valley to Muir Woods National Monument.  It reminded me of an old growth forrest on the East Coast that was fed lots of Miracle Grow.  The trees were immense and the earth just smelled good.  It was a nice diversion to be out of the city and among giant trees.  Although there were still lots of people.  And we had to walk as far to parking and back as we did through the national monument.  Many of the side paths were closed during our visit, but the main path was still open; however, I wish more of the side trails would have been open where you could have left the crowds behind and done more serious hiking.  But none-the-less a beautiful thing to see.

We drove back through Saucilito, but it was so crowded we just drove right through and back into San Francisco.  We parked between Golden Gate Park and NOPA where we brunched.  I had Butter Basted Farm Eggs – Roasted Spring Onions, Romesco and Crispy Polenta, with a side of bacon, it was decadent, crunchy, but not overly filling or heavy. MMMMMM. But Hubby really beat me, he got the Chili Braised Pork –Purple Runner Beans, Chard and Buttermilk Biscuit and that was killer good, rich in flavor, but nicely balanced with the beans and greens that weren’t done in a heavy way. I want to try to make this at home.

After our quite filling, but not heavy brunch we explored the portions of Golden Gate Park that we previously hadn’t gotten through.  We visited the conservancy of flowers to look at their orchids and the exhibit on Wicked Plants.  We walked through the dahlia gardens and explored for a bit.  We then went back to the car by way of Osso & Co a fantastic dog store where we picked up some goodies for Max.  We did not get him one of the amazing dog houses they had there, but you never know, he might get one in the future, they were amazingly chic.  We then drove and checked out the shops around Hayes Valley, a very hipster area with great boutique shops.  There is a very good guide here.  I really loved Stark Home Furnishings.

We were so tired from all the walking we crashed at the hotel for a nap.  I had really considered visiting the excellent Nob Hill Spa, and looking back I can’t imagine why I didn’t.  The spa is beautiful with an amazing view from the pool.  And the treatment rooms really pretty.  Next time this will be a done deal.  My sore legs and tired feet could have used some pampering!

That night we had reservations for Boulevard, but neither of us felt like fancy, so we went and had spring rolls at the Slanted Door, which were killer good (we should have just eaten dinner here) and then we had fish tacos a hot dog and fries at Gott’s Roadside, which was good, it was, but not anything as good as the rolls at Slanted Door and the amazing smells emanating from that place. I am still regretting not eating at the Slanted Door right now.

We then wandered our way back up Nob Hill, we stopped in Chinatown to pick up a few goodies before the stores closed.  I got a silk pouch and jewelry roll for travel that pair exceedingly well with my Michael Aram Hartman.  And got some cute gifts for friends and loved ones that you can’t get in our area.

The next morning we wandered Chinatown and I bought some jewelry from an exceptional little jewelry store off the beaten path where you can find nicer things than the junky shops that are mostly visible.  I also drooled over a beautiful gold desk with with cranes for my guest bedroom.

We had a chinese pastries, a mung bean cake for me and a bbq bun for Hubby, and ate an early lunch before the airport at San Sun, which I highly highly recommend. They have some amazing noodle dishes, and that’s what I would order here. The broth, noodles and meat choices were great. You pick the broth-meat, then you pick your noodle type rice noodles, thin or wide, egg noodles, etc, etc, and you can do a combo, they also have some specialty noodle dishes. They have a huge menu so there is other stuff, but most people around us were also slurping up different noodles. Even at 11:00 a.m. people of all ethnicities came wandering in for a meal.  The flavors of the broth were complex, but so comforting.  We then headed off to the airport where I picked up  some dinner at the Napa Farm Market in the airport which had some really nice looking meals- for me roasted chicken, roast potatoes and asparagus.  They even had gluten free cupcakes.  Surprisingly fireworks from a plan are not as cool as you would expect.  Just little poofs of light far far away.

So I was just perusing the Ferry Market Building, looking for some good eats, and there it was McEvoy Ranch a very neat shop with an interesting line of products from their ranch.  They start with their fantastic organic, sustainable olive oil.  This then translates into a host of beautiful products including food and body care, and their family story is just wonderful.  They pride themselves on good stewardship of the land and being a farm girl I like that.

But what really interested me was their 80 Acres Body Care Line.  Created in small batches, recycled packaging, trying as best to use organic sustainable materials, yadda, yadda, yadda.  But the products were just amazing.  As a lavender fiend, the lavender scent was really lavender, not a blend or fake lavender smell.  The other scents were fresh and very vibrant.

Their Body Balm is an incredible product. I adored it from the second I sampled it in the store.  This is a blend of olive and jojoba oils, beeswax and vitamin E is rich in natural antioxidants.  The thing is it absorbs into the skin well, leaving your skin soft, but not oily.  The moisture and fantastic scents last throughout the day and I just adored it.  If I make it to heaven, Geisha’s will give me a bath and coat me in this daily.  It is that good.  They have a whole line of products in either traditional, orange blossom or lavender:

The hand and body lotion was lighter, but it did absorb quickly and wasn’t oily and the scent again, oh that scent.  Not as moisturizing, but not as heavy as the body balm.  It would be better in the hot humid summers here when you don’t want anything heavy on you at all.  I also really thought their candles were fantastic.  You could smell the scent against all the competing scents of the building, and they were just fresh without being sweet or vanillay or just not real.  Being someone who loves to garden and loves real plants and flowers, I like very natural, real to earth scents.  These just make me feel like I am smelling the lovely things growing in my garden, or at the market.  I am so happy to have discovered this place and even happier that THEY SHIP. WOOHOOOOO.  And my birthday is less than a month away (nudge nudge wink wink).  My shipping address is….

And while your at it, try their Mille Fleur Honey too.  I love different honeys, they are so varied country to country, region to region.  It is so neat to smell and taste all the differences.

Wants: A Farmer’s Market as good as the one at the Ferry Market Building.

Day two began with me sleeping in for a delightfully long time, only to wake up and find it was still quite early on the West Coast- I love that! We got ready and headed down to the Farmer’s Market at the Ferry Market Building.  First up was some delicious dark chocolate almond brittle from G.L. Alfieri Nuts & Fruits, which may be one of the tastiest and most addicting brittles I have ever sampled.  They also have a great selection of nuts and spreads, but that brittle will be ordered for holiday events!  We then sampled some beautiful peaches, then it was on to Ex-Absinthe/Arlequin pastry chefLuis Villavelazquez’s Les Elements Patisserie where we had an amazing strawberry jelly doughnut and lamb turnover.  We knew strawberry was the way to go as the day before we could see beautiful fresh strawberries all over the fields.  And that filling was fresh and delicious.  The Lamb Turnover was also good, wish I could have toasted it just a little, but was a nice savory morning bite.  I am so sorry to say I can’t figure out who I got the lovely little macarons from in front of the building, which is a real shame as she also had some lime caramel which was so good, Hubby loved that.

Inside the building we had an amazing hot dog at the Prather Ranch Meat Co. hormone and antibiotic free, with a great crispness, but juicy beef taste.    Across the lane I slurped down some fresh, briny oysters at the San Francisco Fish Company.

We sampled some Pepples Doughnuts, which may be my favorite cake doughnut of all time and right up there in my top three of all doughnuts.  I am very sad they don’t ship (it’s not sustainable, I know, I know).  But their cake was moist and not overly dense and their flavors were magical, made from fresh and wonderful product, like meyer lemon or green tea.  If anyone going to SF wants to ship me some of these home, you are more than welcome.  I will repay the favor somehow, someway.  Having just eaten an awful large amount of gluten for my system (I only had bites of things, but it adds up, luckily I stayed lactose free and that seems to be more of a problem for me) I picked up a Mariposa sandwich made with Boccalone salami for later.

We then stepped outside and as it had gotten a little later there were hoards everywhere.  Luckily we made it to Primavera for great lemonade and tea.  I had the Chi Chi Rodriguez which may be the best peach tea I have ever tasted (do you see a pattern here?) .  I wish I could get this stuff bottled.  It has all my drink loves- tea, ginger and peach all rolled into one delicious, balanced drink that I had to ration so I didn’t down it in seconds.  Stepping back in we stopped in McEnvoy Ranch and Heath Ceramics, which is just so special they will get their own post just for them.  I also found a wealth of new cookbooks I NEED (def. NEED- something I want very badly, and must acquire because it is superawesomefantabulous)(nevermind that my cookbook shelf is packed to the rim).  To balance off the meatasticness of the morning we stopped in DELICA to get some salad, I got mine in the form of spinach and sesame, but they had a seaweed salad that looked super healthy and good too- next time!

I would have bought so much more except we were going right from there over to the SFMOMA and then to Golden Gate Park!  But most everyplace, but Pepples, ships so I am in luck, plus I couldn’t eat any more and needed to burn off some calories walking.  The SFMOMA had the Gertrude Stein collection visiting and the number of rare Matisse and Picasso’s was just phenomenal.  There was also a beautiful Monet Lithograph with so many colors.  The permanent collection was also very interesting with a lot of work that was beautiful and thought provoking.  One of the fun moments was seeing the Matthew Blarney work, the person the internets always confuses my Hubby with.  After all that walking I needed a short break to rest the footsies.  We were close to Press Club, a fantastic wine bar with a by the glass list that just makes me happy.  The staff has wonderful knowledge of all the tastes and provides very helpful feedback without being wine pontzs.  It has a dark, but very clean and modern  wood motif, with back lights and matte wine bottles in khaki colors.  It is a great place to sit and relax, there are multiple bars and many seating areas.  And just so relaxing.

After this I ate my Mariposa sandwich at Golden Gate Park.  Umm, this is incredible gluten free bread.  It makes me cry that they are so far away.  They do ship though.  It is so much like real bread.  It is chewy and light and airy with good pull and texture.  Why can’t this place be at a Farmer’s Market here!!!  It was soo good.  The sandwich rolls were especially good, so much better than anything I have found.  If anyone wants to go in on a shipment with me let me know!!

Golden Gate Park was beautiful, the conservatory had an amazing exhibit on Wicked Plants!  They also had amazing orchids and temperate gardens.  They also had a beautiful Dahlia garden, one of my favorite flower varieties.  The Japanese Tea Garden was very neat, but I felt the one in Sydney and the Huntington were better.  The other gardens weren’t very well kept, but still nice to walk around.  I think they have probably suffered from some budget cuts.  After all that walking we headed back to the hotel for a pre-dinner nap, as it was a long day in beautiful sunshine.

Then the cherry on the sundae was dinner at Incanto!  I love me some tasty salted pig parts.  And I really like Chris Cosentino’s philosophy towards food.  The dinner was stellar, the Chef was in the kitchen.  Starting with the wonderful foccacio bread and tapenade.  Then moving onto a country harm puree with spring root vegetables.  This country hame puree was a delight, like really good grits, but smoother, denser, creamy, but in an amazing savory way.  I also had the lavender lemonade, which just hit me, as did the puree as something I must make, they were just simple wonderful pleasures.  I then had the pork shoulder with onion, apple and greens which was dense with meat flavor, but very light with simple, balanced flavors.  Hubby had the ragu and that was rich and just homey and wonderful, like a hug from your fat aunt, it consumes you with a joyful fullness.  It is simple, complex food, the technique is impeccable, but the food is honest and not overdone.  Too stuffed for dessert we headed for Clock Bar for some liquid dessert, it was ok, drinks were good, but atmosphere just needed something, it was too hotely, although trying so hard not to be, I would rather do the Top of the Mark and have the view.

We had a pretty amazing trip to San Francisco.  Between the day-trips, the food, the shopping, the attractions, it was just a really great trip.  I found so much great stuff I have to cover it day by day.

We arrived in San Francisco airport around 10:00 a.m. West Coast time and hit the road for Carmel and Monterey.  Of course I was starving, really starving, but didn’t want to ruin a nice lunch on the coast.  So Hubby suggested we stop for an In and Out Burger, as I had never had one.  There isn’t one in the city, but using the great app Next EXIT we found one off the highway on our way.  The app is excellent in places where they don’t label the exits or you just want to see what else is out there, beyond the signs.  It gives you the options and when you pass the exit it moves to the next.  We split a hamburger with fries.  The fries were really light and crisp and not overly salty like so many french fries.  The burger tasted fresh, with actual ripe tomato, the sauce was ok- I would save the cals and add ketchup or mustard.  It was definitely good for fast food, but not something to go out of your way for.  Then we headed through Santa Cruz and down the coast for Monterey.  If you can hold your hunger a little bit there are some amazing looking road stands on that drive out in farm country.  You could see them picking the fresh strawberries and artichokes, mmmm.

Monterey is incredibly touristy, mind you, but the aquarium is really fantastic.  I have been to aquariums all over the world- because yes I am five inside- I love aquariums like some people like art, or shoes or breathing.   But because I have been to so many, I have a fairly high standard at this point.  The Monterey Bay Aquarium is spectacular.

But to be honest one of the things that makes it spectacular is the restaurant.  Oh no not the cafeteria- the real restaurant.  You have to go to the hostess stand and then wait a bit, but you can look through the aquarium then.  Then you sit down with an amazing view over Monterey Bay with otters playing in the bay, and not just a couple, but piles of them.  There were seals swimming around and sunning themselves the birds flying in and out of the kelp beds fishing.  This might be one of the most fantastic dining spots for a nature enthusiast.  (Bring good binoculars, the ones on the table are not adequate.)  They serve wine and beer, have fantastic organic and local food and desserts.  I had a lovely California Bass, pan roasted with sauteed vegetables and roasted potatoes and a reduction sauce of butter and apricot.  It was an incredibly high end lunch that was relaxing and just amazing looking out watching the bay teeming with little otters playing in the sun.  The exhibits are quite breath taking, they light the exhibits so well and they have a huge section of things you can TOUCH!  If you have a small child, or a me, expect to spend a whole day here.  Check out my pics for some of the amazing exhibits from seahorses to jellyfish.

After this we drove through the lovely Pacific Grove with misty, rocky, craggy coastline sprinkled with beaches.  We then drove through Pebble Beach- which for us who don’t know- the whole area has quite a number of golf courses.  You have to pay to do the drive, but the pull offs and views are really quite nice to enjoy.

We then ended up in Carmel and Carmel by the Sea.  We perused lots of cute shops.  Drove by beautiful houses.  We checked out the Nielsen Brothers Market which was a combination between normal little super market and gourmet store, farmers market, but the wine selection inside was very nice, especially local wines.  Thinker Toys across the street has an amazing ferris wheel built out of Tinker Toys and a really great selection of neat toys and vintage toy items.  They had a number of cute dog shops, as well.  Lots of clothing shops and shoe shops with neat things.  But the galleries were the real draw.  We really liked the selection at   Gallery 1000 Fine Art.  So much we thought about purchasing a piece, that is unfortunately a little too big for our space.  There is also the George Rodrique- known for Blue Dog- Studio and so many other great galleries.  I almost found that piece I have been looking for to place in the dining room.

There are so many good choices of places to eat in Carmel by the Sea.  With fresh ingredients grown so close, it is hard to screw them up.  We wanted something light after a long day of traveling and we wandered into Mundaka, a Spanish tapas restaurant using local ingredients.  It was a great choice.  The setting is really nice, and food was excellent.  We had a hilarious group of neighbors in the dining room that made it quite a humorous evening, but our server was so nice and gracious (we could have asked to move to multiple other seating options, but it was like watching simultaneous train wrecks).  We started with fried squash blossoms with chili oil.  They were crisp and light with a sweet taste that balanced well with the chili oil.  We then moved on to patatas bravas which were crisp and spicy and a good version. Squash and zucchini spaghetti with almonds and pecorino were very fresh and vibrant.  Lamb chops with mashed potatoes and some herbed olive oil were cooked perfectly with nice gamey flavor, and tenderness.  The lavender pork skewers with almost a kimchi like side of greens was not what I was expecting, but a nice taste and very different. I really loved this little place and we didn’t want a huge meal, even with this we ordered to much, but it was all fresh and prepared well.  The staff was gracious and very nice.  They had a great wine list, but we stook to there homemade lemonade in preparation for the ride back to San Francisco, which was crisp and refreshing.  From the pictures, the lighting after dark seems pretty cool too, we left before dark to get home!  (Pictures from their website- not our meal.)

Last but not least: Home Sweet Home at the Huntington Hotel.  This place has quickly jumped onto my short list of fantastic hotels.  The customer service is amazing, they are so nice and personable, by the second day they recognize you.  Housekeeping was Nay, who told us if we needed anything to call her at any time.  The doormen were just friendly and helpful as can be.  The room itself was spacious and clean, with a mix of modern and antique furnishings and art.  The bathroom was huge with a large vanity, the room had floor length mirrors, a necessity in my book.  L’Occitaine amenities were quite adequate.  The view from our room was just amazing, one of the perks of being on the top of Nob Hill.  And they have a spa, that I WILL go to next time.  It looked incredible and has a pool and sunning patio overlooking the other side of the city.  The hotel and staff are amazing, this is the place to stay in San Francisco.  Below you can see our exact room and incredible view.  MMMMM, I can close my eyes and dream of this place.

So I have been struggling to find a good iPad case that was thin, looked professional, but was still stylish.  I really liked my husband’s DoDo Case, and I love their story, but I didn’t want it in black. I know that seems odd, since I really like black, but it just wasn’t the look I was going for.

If I didn’t already acquire an iPad wireless keyboard then I would definitely get this Zagg case, a combined case, dock, keyboard, which I really like.  I am not very good at typing on the iPad, so when I do a lot of work, I really need it.

I searched all over Etsy and didn’t see anything I liked.  I wanted more than a sleeve, didn’t want it to be bulky and wanted something book style.  Finally I came across M-Edge Accessories Go Jacket, which fit my needs perfectly. I got the brown letter, which is professional and nonchalant enough to use for work, makes it look a lot like a book when sitting on the coffee table, but gave it good protection while being very thin.  It will also now stand either horizontally or vertically.   They had a lot of thin, leather cases, some with pockets, some without, some that are also stands, etc. etc.  And they had some cool colors, but done in a modern, tasteful way, with no tacky logos on the outside.  But now I am rethinking the silver crackle leather color, too.  If they did the gold crackle it would be all over, I LOVE the gold crackle.

Beaver Creek may be one of my bodies favorite and least favorite places on earth at the same time.  On the one hand you are skiing for as long as you can possibly go in a day, AT LEAST five hours; and if that doesn’t kill your muscles then I don’t know what will.  You are burning mad amounts of calories and parts of your body you don’t normally use.

On the other hand there is one of the best spas in the United States at your fingertips in the Beaver Creek Park Hyatt, wonderful food and a view and fresh air that is crisp and clean. As far as the Aspen area goes there are a lot of different vibes.  Vail has more restaurants, more people and I think tends to be a little more 80′s yuppie, although it is SUPER pet friendly.  Beaver Creek is elegant and laid back.  It doesn’t lack in amenities, but it is a little less showy and more about having a good time in a more relaxed and less crowded area.  But the nice thing is that skiing at Beaver Creek you also get access to Bachelor Gulch and Arrowhead Village lifts, as well, and the villages are easy to get to.  Beaver Creek is the perfect vibe.  They have ice skating, family events, bars and restaurants all in the village.

As for staying there.  I, ahem, have a great connection, a very very good friend whose family has a home in Beaver Creek.  That in itself isn’t exactly roughing it.  BUT if you don’t have that kind of access I highly recommend the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek (which you can sometimes find on Jetsetter.com, you’re welcome).  There are other places to stay that are also nice, but the Park Hyatt is right there and just amazing.    The heated pool overlooking the slopes ain’t so bad, either.

Currently I don’t have skis and boots that I absolutely love, I need to trade them, and you don’t want to have to take skis all the way out and back so I recommend renting, if you have comfy boots you love take those, there are multiple places with different levels of skis to rent.  If you can get your gear here in this area, off season at a good sale time, it will probably be cheaper.  I tend to get mine in Garrett County when there are sales, I really like High Mountain Sports, they do a ski swap at Autumn Glory too.  Out in Beaver Creek we rented from Gorsuch, which is a little pricier, but also tends to have a little better equipment rentals.  They also had a super cool penguin hat I acquired.

As for eating, you definitely want to eat and drink early and often.  This is not a time to watch calories because you burn so many and you are up in the elevation, so you need to keep hydrated.  I am not a breakfast person, but I ate breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks everyday.  When you are on the slopes, definitely try to make it to Blinky’s at Arrowhead Village for a Blinky Burger.  I was trying to eat as gluten free as I can and they had a phenomenal chili that I really enjoyed.  Food in the cafeteria at Arrowhead Village ris really lacking.

If you can swing it a lunch at Beano’s Cabin is truly special.  You come in take your boots off and enjoy some great snacks and cider or hot chocolate while waiting for your table.  The kitchen has a wood burning oven and rotisseries on the wall.  They have a menu with a ton of gluten free options too, clearly marked on the menu!  This is not your normal ski food, it is a gourmet experience. I had lobster tacos one day and rotisserie chicken with potatoes and green beans the next with a wonderful reduction sauce.  This was a long leisurely lunch but it gives you the energy to go the rest of the day.

Not too far away in Edwards, the Gashouse Restaurant has a great selection of game meats and seafood.  It is a glorified bar, in the best of ways with a real local feel, animals on the log cabin walls and ski passes enameled on the bar.  The food is top notch.  We had the game platter, and even with the leaner meats everything turned out cooked exactly to the right temperature.  Although the wait can be long, the menu is varied and the bar is comfortable, it is definitely worth the wait.

We were there over Valentine’s Day and we went to the Swiss Chalet in Vail for fondue.  This place was chintzy in the absolute best possible way.  Normally this food would be a little over the top rich, but after a long day of skiing you will not believe the food you can put away and then it is great.  And they were really nice about being accommodating with my food needs, brought me extra veggies and etc.

Now after all that skiing what you need is a phenomenal spa, and the Park Hyatt has it- The Allegria Spa.  Not only are the spa treatments top notch, but they have saunas, steam rooms, mineral pools and a tepidarium.  The spa is really decorated nicely with a lot of water and stone, similar to the Nemacolin Spa, but a little more Colorado.  The massage was really warm and they had just the right touch to soothe and relax your muscles without hurting those aching shins.  It is a great place to spend an afternoon relaxing with friends.

As for ski slopes, Beaver Creek has a lot of lifts, it is well groomed and with the ability to move into other villages.  They have some nice long runs with varying expertise levels.  On holidays it gets crowded, like every ski resort, but catch it on an off weekend and ski all around the mountain and you can move through a lot of terrain.  It also isn’t so big that you can’t separate from your group for a run or two and easily meet back up.  It is a good size if you are with a group or family because you won’t get lost or end up too far from each other.  Beaver Creek’s slogan really rings true, the whole trip I felt I was wellt aken care of and I just needed to concentrate on my form they took care of the rest.  And it didn’t hurt that I had phenomenal hosts.

I don’t have a lot of pictures, but here are a few I do have:

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Have a good weekend everyone!  As you may know, I love penguins, so as a pick me up today you get Cookie!