Where we stayed: The Aspen Mountain Lodge, 311 West Main Street 

Adorable, boutique style hotel! Love the set up of the open layout, only three floors, and they offer an amazing breakfast buffet! They also do a wine and cheese hour from 4:30-5:30 daily. 

Where we stayed: Aspen Mountain Lodge, 311 West Main Street

Adorable, boutique style hotel. I loved the open layout of the three floors, quiet hotel as well. They offer a great breakfast buffet with lox, and make your own waffles. As well as a cheese and wine happy hour from 4:30 to 5:30. These little features are reasons I would recommend this hotel or stay there again! 

Places we ate at: The Grateful Deli, Hickory House Ribs, & The J Bar at Hotel Jerome

All very affordable places to grab a bite in Aspen! Hickory House ribs was a group favorite as we went there a couple nights for dinner, traveling with a group of 18 for my boyfriends work trip we had to accommodate space for everyone! There rib sauce are known nation wide for winning various competitions. 

The deli was Grateful Dead inspired so of course I had to go, I had a shakedown sandwich and it was phenomenal, it was a pesto chicken sandwich. 

My poor Spencer was sick all day Saturday so while I was out exploring Aspen I had to find the best chicken noodle soup to bring him and that was at the Hotel Jerome's J Bar. I had fries and a burger which was also pretty damn good. 

Where to shop: Well they have every designer you could imagine! I loved walking around and seeing all the designer windows, it's one of my favorite hobbies in any city. I loved the Ralph Lauren one above with the classic bear as the mannequins.

As far as shopping I could afford I fell in love with the Aspen Emporium & Flying Circus shop. They support 80 local Colorado artist and the Aspen/Snowmass Avalanche dogs, I was sold. I found so many great things to bring home from this shop, and it was a mecca for gift giving items as well! I'll do a post on the items I got from the Emporium in another post! Gem lover country out west, I was ooo-ing and ahh-ing over all the gemstones, wish I could have bought a giant geode. 

Where to ski: Snowmass 

Well I tried skiing for the second time in my life, after a traumatic experience in 4th grade I was determined to give it another shot, why not in Aspen? All though there wasn't any powder snow because they aren't getting as much snow as they normally do this season. It was fun to experience again but I am definitely more of a lodge and hot cocoa type. Spencer was brave and tried it for the first time ever! I was super impressed and love experiencing things together.

Reasons to move to Colorado: Currently trying to convince Spencer we could totally live out there! The scenery is GORGEOUS. The rockies are an amazing site to drive through and make traveling the state so much fun. 1-70 is a gorgeous drive from Denver to Aspen. I am definitely a country girl the more I realize how attracted I am to the outdoors. I am dying to get to Telluride, CO and Hanging Lake. On my travel spots for 2019. They have all the seasons we do here in PA. I used to think I'd love to live somewhere tropical but I know I would miss the changing of the seasons. As much as I despise winter, I cannot do without fall, and the snow can be pretty. Last but not least the legalized marijuana allows everyone to live a more chill life out there, creating tons of job opportunities in the state as well. Who's with me and ready to move to CO?? 

Hope my guide to Aspen helps any first timers on their journey! xoxo Carlita