Girls Getaway Guide News

I got a phone call during the holidays from Donna who said, "I want to do a Girls Getaway to Colorado for my 61st birthday, and I want you and your mom to go with me." It took us about 30 seconds to respond with an enthusiastic "yes!" Donna is one of my mom's college roommates and a wonderfully positive and fun person to be around. She used to live in Boulder, CO and now her daughter, Katie, is a graduate student there. My mom and I were in, and Donna called the 3rd college roommate, Roslyn, for her invitation. Next thing you know, the four of us are flying west to Colorado to meet up with Katie! First stop: Boulder.
view from car

Cresting over the hill on Highway 36 into Boulder, it's easy to see why this intriguing town has been dubbed "the city nestled between the mountains and reality." At 5,430 feet above sea level, acres of publicly-owned, open space roll into Boulder's quaint cityscape tucked into the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. I was excited about the cold weather and snow. A Florida girl needs every chance she can get to wear her sweaters, Uggs and cool hats.

We checked into the historic Hotel Boulderado (www.Boulderado.com), which is conveniently located in the heart of downtown. As one of the first Boulder hotels (it opened New Years Day 1909), the hotel's name comes from the words "Boulder" and "Colorado" so no guest would forget

where they had stayed. The hotel has become a National Register Landmark and is a member of the National Trust's Historic Hotels of America. The hotel has hosted famous guests, such as actress Ethel Barrymore, poet Robert Frost, and activist Helen Keller.

After sharing some very funny airport and travel stories, we convened in the Boulderado's Corner Bar for happy hour. As we settled in for 40% off cocktails and appetizers, we were so excited to look out the window and see a light snow starting to fall.

With Donna's birthday party started, we moved on to our tapas-style dinner at The Med (www.TheMedBoulder.com) for the big birthday celebration. The Med's extensive menu boasts tapas, fresh salads and seafood, paella, pastas, grilled and organic specialties, wood oven pizzas, homemade desserts, plus more than 40 wines by the glass. We loved the baba ghanouj, hummus, prosciutto e melone, datiles and lamb shank. After a special birthday dessert of Blackberry Lemon Torte, we all sang happy birthday and called it a night after a long day of traveling.

We woke up Thursday morning to an incredible breakfast at the Boulderado's Q's Restaurant (www.QsBoulder.com). Entrees included the Lemon Ricotta Griddlecakes and the Chicken Fried Chicken & Waffle, along with starters such as Batterfried Apple Slices. I decided on the Denver Omelette (when in Rome....) and loved every bite.

With our stomachs full, we walked along Pearl Street (www.BoulderDowntown.com) to check out the sights and sounds of Downtown Boulder. After a quick stroll, we all decided massages and facials were in order, so we stopped at Sensorielle Spa (www.SensorielleSpa.com) and loved all of our treatments (thank you Lisa) and I enjoyed tasting kombucha for the first time. With everyone in a state of complete relaxation, we spent some more time on Pearl Street (shopping at Pitaya and Outdoor Diva, coffee at Trident and browsing at Boulder Books). Dinner that night was back at Q's Restaurant for their Braised Short Rib Ravioli and Pork Tenderloin with Leeks...more great food! We were all excited about the next day's road trip to Breckenridge.

Next stop: Breckenridge. Friday morning was an early one, but excitement filled the car as we bundled up and started our 2-hour drive to Breckenridge. In the 1800s, travelers flooded into Breckenridge (www.GoBreck.com) with the hopes of earning their riches in gold. Today, travelers experience a vacation rich in activities as well as history. Breckenridge is a 150-year-old quaint Victorian town in the heart of the Colorado Rockies. As one of the nation's premier year-round resorts, Breckenridge offers an incredible selection of activities and world-class events. Whether the appetite is for fresh air and sunshine, playing hard and breaking a sweat, or the pursuit of fine art, music and a delicious meal, this historic mining town is alive with variety.

We arrived at the Breckenridge Ski Resort (www.Breckenridge.com), rented our boots and skis and headed up the mountain. Although some of us had not skied in years, we all made it up and down the mountain in one piece. The view from the top of the Casey skis

mountain was incredible. As a Floridian, I am always in awe of magnificent snow-covered mountains and loved spending a few moments to take it all in and appreciate the beauty. I had such a good time skiing up and down the mountain and hanging with the girls. After a full day of skiing, we visited the town of Breckenridge to see the 2010 International Ice Sculpture Competition (www.GoBreck.com), which was incredible! The ice sculptors spent several days creating huge works of art from gigantic blocks of ice without using any power tools.

Our Saturday began with an early lunch at the St. Julien Hotel's (www.StJulien.com) Jill's Restaurant. The Cuban Panini was perfect; one of the best I've ever had! After a quick tour of this gorgeous hotel, we strolled along Pearl Street for some more shopping.

That afternoon, we saddled up for a ride on Banjo Billy's Bus Tour (www.BanjoBilly.com), which is decorated with old sofas, disco balls, saddles and a rubber chicken on the front to lead the way while we spent 90 minutes touring Boulder. We heard about the history of the city, as well as some of the spooky ghost stories the locals share.

The tour was followed by an afternoon tea at the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse (www.BoulderTeahouse.com), which is a gift from Boulder's sister city, Dushanbe, Tajikistan and is the only one of its kind in the Western Hemisphere. Handcrafted by more than 40 Tajik artisans, the building is a feast for the eyes with its vibrant colors, patterns and furnishings. The Teahouse, which officially opened in May 1998, features an eclectic, international menu and teas from all over the world. We all loved the Tung Ting Oolong and the delicious snacks that accompanied our unique experience.

Our next adventure included a dining tour of some of Boulder's best restaurants. We started with cocktails and appetizers at Happy (www.HappyNoodleHouse.com), and true to its name, we were more than happy with our time here. Having cocktails here is like nowhere else I have experienced. Mark's expertise combined with Ben's flair for the tasty and unusual made our time here unforgettable. Their Bitter Bar menu offers some amazing concoctions for any cocktail connoisseur, with options based on vodka, absinthe, brandy, gin and more! I had the Happy Pair and Katie loved her Kiss the Sky (a tribute to Hendrix). In addition, we tried the absinthe, which was served by gradually dripping water over a sugar cube into the glass. The food was delicious. My favorite was the Pork Belly....so good! Many thanks to Chef Sam for the great food!

We happily moved on to our next stop, which was Centro (www.CentroLatinKitchen.com). From the moment we arrived, Erin made sure we were fully satiated with an incredible avocado salsa, campechana shrimp cocktail and anaheim chile relleno. My strawberry mojito was perfect and we wondered how we could even think about eating one more bite! Roz loved the shrimp so much she drank it straight from a glass. To finish the night, we moved a few doors down to Jax Fish House (www.JaxFishHouseBoulder.com) for dessert. I arrived to our table a little late only to find the girls, with crayons in hand, sketching and coloring on our table. Many thanks to Jeri for the great Getaway Girl portrait! Dessert consisted of key lime pie, tiramisu and a crème brulee assortment. They all hit the spot and satisfied our sweet tooth for the night.

Our Sunday brunch was well anticipated at the Cajun-style Lucile's Creole Café (www.Luciles.com) located just a few steps away from our hotel. The small house was packed, and we patiently waited outside for a table. When they brought out the beignets, I felt like I was in NOLA all over again. When they brought out the enormous biscuits, I smothered them with sausage and gravy and probably gained 10 pounds! The food was great, and the atmosphere completely charming. After almost rolling out of Lucile's we managed to fit in some time for the gym and spa, which was very much needed after last night's dinner extravaganza.

Last stop: Denver. Soon it was time to pack up, say goodbye to Boulder and the Hotel Boulderado, and head to Denver for our last night in Colorado. We arrived at Denver's Brown Palace Hotel & Spa (www.BrownPalace.com) located in the heart of downtown. This hotel is more than 117 years old and has hosted some of the nation's most influential people, including all living past presidents, Bill Gates and The Beatles. Owned at one time by the Unsinkable Molly Brown (remember her from Titanic?), the hotel is absolutely exquisite. Anyone who visits Denver should at least stop at the Brown Palace for a visit and tour.

Our last Girls Getaway to Colorado meal was at Rioja (www.RiojaDenver.com), located in Larimer Square. We settled in at the chef's table where Mike's knowledge and excitement for the food here was contagious! From the artichoke tortelonni to the warm brussel sprout salad to the coconut mango risotto "stack", everything was absolutely amazing!!! Many thanks to co-owners Jennifer and Beth for the best last Colorado dinner we could ever imagine.

While walking back to the Brown Palace, we made one last shopping stop into Overland Sheepskin Co. (www.Overland.com) for some of the area's best cold-weather jackets, hats, boots and gear. We tried on some great things (and Jeri napped on some faux animal hides), then we called it a night.

With goodbye so close, we were all chatting about our favorite moments from the trip and the fun times we will remember so fondly. We decided this is not goodbye, but "until next time" as we are already talking about a trip to Italy next year, or I-11 as we are calling it. Thanks for the terrific memories. I had a blast! See you girls again real soon....ciao!