Colorado weekend

Quick weekend trips can be a lot of fun.  Oh, sure, time spent in transit (airplanes and airports in this case) can eat up a lot of the good time on a weekend, but it's still possible to make the most of the trip.  And if the destination is not too far or relatively convenient, then taking some time for travel is all the less onerous in view of the good times to be had.  Add in that the weekend involves very dear friends, and, well, I'm convinced!

I actually started this post days back.  Ages back.  It's now some ten days since our return.  And perhaps I was waiting for Robert's new position to be confirmed - the quick trip to Colorado was so that we could see them him and Courtney there one last time before they move this summer. 

So it was that on the last Friday of May, Conrad and I

flew to Denver where Courtney picked us up.  Hooray for her being on sabbatical this year - we greatly appreciate that she could take us to and from the airport.  Our flight was delayed, and there was no food served, so we all agreed to head to Pica's Taqueria in Louisville.  I love that place! 

A chorizo and potato taco and a duck taco for me

(plus a margarita to wash them down).  That made me happy.  We then swung by Whole Foods to pick up shucked oysters,

a cake,

and some other treats for the evening. 

We were celebrating, after all.  Oh, sure, we ordered pizza for dinner, but before that, we toasted a noshed and caught up.  Rain passed through the area, and we were treated to a double rainbow

over the neighbour's house. 

A really nice evening.

Saturday morning:  a walk to a favourite coffee place, then a lunch of - this is a surprising turn of events (ha!) - tacos again at Pica's. 

The afternoon was devoted to spa time in Boulder.  Alas, a cold sore on my lower lip meant that I could not get the facial I had booked, so I walked a little down the Pearl Street mall in the city, stopping in at a store I love to visit, treating myself to a couple of cocktail books.  Home after that for a nap, and that set us up for a nice dinner out.

We made ourselves pretty, and headed into Boulder again, up the hillside to Flagstaff House, a very nice restaurant we've enjoyed a few times before. Cocktails to start (this lovely one, the Peak Bliss, is one I want to try making at home),

some excellent wine (a Pinot from NZ that was a good, light choice for the first bottle, followed by a richer French red),

even an Amaro after dinner.  No a la carte menu, but choices for each course.  We had some little treats to start, and then on to the courses:

A pea shoot salad with bresaola.

Spinach cannelloni with chanterelles.

A pork dish with morels and ramps.

Venison loin with a venison stew.

Pineapple sorbet with black sesame.

Oh, it was good.  It was a very thoughtful menu, and each course really did seem to build on the previous, deepening in flavour.  It was not a rushed evening.  It was a great evening.

I didn't take photos on the Sunday.  A morning walk to coffee again, and then it was brunch with a couple of Courtney and Robert's friends.   A nice enough time, but I think we all agreed that the service and food at the brunch was less than we would have liked.  Ah well.  Conrad and I had the afternoon to pack and nap and then it was off to the airport with us.  Thunder storms rolled through the area, and we had an hour delay, but we were home that night, happy that we had one last, fantastic visit with them in Colorado. 

Montana escape, day 3

Our third day was an easy day in Montana.  How easy?  We didn't leave the hotel grounds once and barely went outside otherwise.

Oh, I did get out early in the morning.  I was awake far before Van, so I went down to get a decaf latte and muffin, and from there wandered around outside, taking photos of the hotel building and other facilities.  Friends, the Montage is a stunning property.  Just look at that outside. 

And the great room,

and the bar. 

And that cool old style tour bus. 

All of it was beautiful.  Would I go back.  Oh heck yes, would I.

Van did get going, and we enjoyed coffee together and writing postcards from the day before.  Lunch time rolled around, and we headed over to Backcast, behind the hotel, and sat at the bar.  I enjoyed a Rice Blossom cocktail,

and we shared salad, cold soba, and gyoza. 

A light meal before our afternoon spa session.

Sorry, no photos from the spa.  No one needs to see me in there!  But what a great amenity.  For one thing, the robes provided actually fit larger men like us.  WOW!  That never seems to happen.  For another, the changing room had its own hot tub and steam room.  Look, I'm not a prude, and I can happily use facilities that are mixed gender, but it's nice that we could just hang up the robes and soak and steam without a care.  And really, it was without a care - we saw one woman at the shared pool when we were given the tour, and that was the only time we saw anyone else other than spa staff.  A quiet period at the hotel in between seasons, it seems.

Van and I spent a few hours enjoying massage and soaking, and then finally had to bring the spa time to an end.  We had dinner reservations in the hotel's finer dining room, Cortina, and we needed to get ready.

Cortina?  Exceptional.  The menu reads Italian, and so I thought it would be fine, but the progression was delightful.

We each had a cocktail to start and then shared most of a bottle of an Oregon pinot noir recommended by the charming sommelier.  As for the food, well, we shared the first few things:

Burrata with tomatoes and arugula. 

Simple, fine, a compromise between me and Van on a starter.

Pappardelle with bolognese. 

Outstanding.  So tasty.

Venison. 

Simply venison and a reduction sauce.  Van had the trout (steelhead), and we shared some grilled broccolini.  But that venison?  Oh my word.  Tender like nothing I'd had before.  We each ate very slowly and were almost laughing at how ridiculously good it all was.

Oh, we had bread as well!

And then came a dessert to share.  We weren't too hungry, but it was hard to resist ordering one, so I opted for the pistachio boudino. 

Just look at this work of art that came out.

An indulgent night, and I have to admit, it was rough sleep and a very easy morning to follow.  But oh, so worth it.  When life hands you a hotel like that, it's always good to savour the staying in rather than the venturing out.