montana & wyoming roundup...

Montana and Wyoming proved spectacular this summer, as we knew it would be. Trade the blistering summer heat for cool days and jaw-dropping panoramas. In the end we hardly tried a single restaurant, but a sandwich eaten creekside in the woods or a burger cooked on the grill after a long day of rock climbing beats any gourmet meal. We visited with old friends and made lots of new ones- the people out there, whether born and raised locals or seasonal residents- seem to have an openness that is refreshing and a genuine interest in meeting new people. Each one made our adventure great.

Now to the nuts and bolts of the trip: 1000 miles of driving through canyons, over mountain tops, and across the continental divide. Rock climbing, horse back riding through the Teton Pass (love you, Oreo), fly fishing, a little shopping of course, some hiking here and there, and lots of good times with friends. Made a drive through Yellowstone, but my suggestion is to avoid the place when schools are out if at all possible! I will be thrilled if I never see another RV again, or a person who prefers to the see nature from behind a glass window. But the views and natural features were breathtaking, especially once you made it to the northern park of the park, up above tree line, where few tourist seem to venture.

Grand Tetons come into view

The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

First time flyfisher- Montana

It only skims the surface to recommended a few of the amazing restaurants, shops, or sights, but here are some that come to mind anyway:

Best Scenic Drive: Bear Tooth Pass

Exit Yellowstone through the Northeast entrance of the park and follow the road into Red Lodge Montana. The switchbacks continuously wind up and over the mountains, and each turn reveals another inspiring view. Dont worry, around the next turn will be a view to top the last, and so on. Bring a picnic lunch and plan to enjoy the ride.

On top of the world at the Bear Tooth Pass

Best Burger: Billy's Burgers, Jackson, WY

Being in the great outdoors inspires you to eat healthy, natural meals, but every once in a while, a  greasy burger and onion rings, finished off with the perfect milk shake are in order. Billy's diner counter serves them up perfectly.

Best Candy Shop: Montana Candy Emporium, Red Lodge, MT

This old west store front is chock-full of candy of all sorts. Homemade fudge, saltwater taffy in countless flavors, imported deliciousness, gag gifts and sweet stuff of all kinds. Come hungry and ready to chit chat with the manager- he's a talker. But he did open the store for us after hours, so I'm not complaining.

Best Bagel and Coffee: Pearl Street Bagels, Jackson, WY

Freshly made bagels are hard to come by outside New York City, so make sure to stop here.

Best Margarita: Pica's, Wilson, WY

Pica's, the Tex-Mex joint inside the Old Stagecoach, serves up mean comida and a fabulous Margarita. Enjoy the late afternoon on their deck and meet some locals and some seasonal folks, too.

Best Rodeo: Cody, WY

Every western town places their bets on their own town's rodeo, but i have it on good authority from people who know that Cody is the real deal. While they take place every night (every night!), go on weekends for the biggest show and best crowds. Yeehaw.

wild west, here we come...

We're heading out for a last minute fourth of July trip to Yellowstone, and I'm so excited to get some sunshine and cool weather in such a beautiful place! Horse back riding, hiking, and hopefully some delicious local food- maybe even a rodeo or two!- are all in store for my holiday weekend. I can't think of a more all-American location to spend such a patriotic and festive holiday! A friend we will be visiting sent some pictures to whet the appetite and we had to share them- gorgeous!

Here is what I'm bringing along... you don't have to sacrifice style to make it in the wild frontier. Understated, rustic accessories will top my favorite jeans and a classic shirt. We'd use belts and one simple piece of jewelry to set off our cowboy boots! Nothing too fussy or over the top. And throw in a warm pom pom scarf for nights out or a cotton throw for those chilly nights watching the stars.

tapestry belts - turquoise floating ring - silver etched earrings - pom pom scarf in tigerlily - russian embroidered belt - gold seed bead bracelet - brown suede mystique sandal - chocolate pom pom blanket - turquoise and coral statement necklace

westward ho part III...

Part III:
Stayed the first part of the trip at a cozy bed and breakfast run by an adorable young couple- the perfect place to lounge by the massive stone fireplace while it snows outside and sip wine or maybe something warm. But better views and deluxe suites began to call our name, and we made our way up the butte to Amangani, a luxury resort right outside of Jackson Hole, for the remainder of our stay in Wyoming.

The Aman Resorts are all over the world- but only in exquisite natural locations and always with less than 30 suites. It was quite an upgrade from our quiet inn, now having expansive views of the snowy Tetons from every window. It was perched precariously on a rock face some 1000 feet above the valley floor and featured glorious architecture that perfectly melded rustic lodge with mid century modern. The service was impeccable, the food was delicious, and the company exciting. Let me just say that a very well-known British couple who loves soccer and stilettos enjoyed the lobby fireplaces next to us last night.

It was more difficult than I can describe to leave my corner suite with fireplace and cocktails on call to get in the car for the long drive home. Why is it that a road trip sounds exciting before you set out, but seems miserable on the way home? Should have planned ahead. I think most guests leaving the Amangani do so on their private plane, but the trusty Volvo awaits, along with almost 2000 miles.

Visit Amangani at http://www.amanresorts.com/amangani/home.aspx.

westward ho part II...

PART II:
We arrived to a Jackson Hole with no snow, fell asleep at our cozy bed and breakfast (where we are the only guests! Fantastic!) and awoke to a fresh blanket of snow. Just enough to do all the winter activities I had hoped!

We first headed out on a hike through freshly fallen snow- the first to blaze the trail- among picturesque Aspen trees under an amazing view of the Teton Mountains. I later went show shoeing through the Old Teton Pass, closed in the 60's when they built the new road, and saved for hikers and cross country skiers. Downhill-skied at a resort in Idaho with fresh powder snow and hardly a tourist in sight (ahhhh). I have a feeling the winding, iced-over road to get there is deterrent, but it makes it more pleasant for the rest of us! All in all, enjoying fresh air, sunshine, snow, and amazing gourmet food at every restaurant we try. What’s not to love?

I have to say, some people seem to think enjoying the out-of-doors and looking great are mutually exclusive. I disagree. Check out my new fur-lined trapper hat I have been wearing all over the mountain. Staying warm never looked so good! (humble, huh???)

westward ho...

PART I:
We did it, as promised… an adventure. I woke up at 4 am yesterday and loaded the car with all kinds of gear to begin a cross country expedition. I love road trips and something about the new snow falling out west began to call me.

As my little Volvo wagon was pulling onto the interstate at such an un-godly hour (my body was not meant to be awake before the sun has fully risen) I instantly flashed back to a road trip of my youth. I was 7 years old and my entire family was loaded into my mom’s mini van as we set out for New Mexico and Arizona to deliver my brother to some back packing expedition during summer break. As I sleepily but excitedly sat wrapped in a sleeping bag on the back seat, I heard my dad say to my mom that no one on the road at 3 am was up to any good. I’m sure this innocuous statement was referring to the possibility of drunk drivers on the road, or kids joy riding looking for some trouble to get into, but my seven-year-old mind took the statement literally and became convinced that EVERYONE driving cars at 3 and 4 am was evil. I looked out the window and nice men on their way to work at some early shift, convinced they were robbers, pirates and worse. The statement my dad made has always stuck with me, and it crosses my mind to this day every time I get in the car really really late or really really early. Funny how kids seem to hear everything and never forget.

Back to the adventure at hand… 30 hours worth of driving through America’s heartland on my way to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. While this long of a road trip may seem like torture to some, to me it is a time to relax and breath fresh air, see interesting landscapes and get to know new states. The wide open expanses and emptiness of Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado and Wyoming are amazing and beautiful. Every big-city dweller should be forced to make this drive just to see that the world does not revolve around their way of life (no offense meant, as a former resident of that New York City myself, but it has to be said). As we crossed a small crest in the landscape somewhere in Kansas, a wind field opened before us, perfectly dotted by an army of enormous wind mills. What a fascinating site, but encouraging about the resourcefulness of America. Tiny red lights blinked in unison on the tops of each slowly turning wind mill to warn passing aircraft. We would continue to see these fields as we crossed the west, and I am transfixed by the sight.

As the sun sank over the horizon last night, the landscape turned into a ridiculously beautiful, Bob Ross “Happy Painter” type picture. The land tuned to a black shape and the vivid sky lit up behind it in a display that makes you feel the strange urge to grab a paintbrush and capture the scene in some cheesy painting on black velvet. I see why those people make that horrible art! If I had to look such an amazing sky every night, I would feel compelled to do the same.

I promise, this is not a shameless plug for Cerulean products, but this morning as the sun rose over the Colorado prairies, the sky became an exact replica of a scarf we are selling right this minute. Pale golden yellow shifted to a light turquoise and I was struck. I don’t have a picture of the sunrise, but you can see the scarf by clicking here. Its as close as I can get you. (and its now on sale!)

We arrive in Jackson Hole tonight and I will bring you more tales of adventures in the snowy west as the week goes on!

the open road...

Driving from one state to another over the weekend, the sun was shining, fresh spring grasses knee high were waving along the side of the road, and the medians were filled with clover. It makes opening the sunroof an obligation, really, and upbeat music, necessary. While my weekend jaunt was nothing exciting (except for the beautiful day), I was reminded of two amazing road trips I’ve taken in my life and I couldn’t help but reminisce and ponder the wonder of a good, long stretch of road on a spectacular day.

I once drove the long trek from the Southeastern US all the way to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I was blown away by the ever changing landscape on that trip and have never forgotten it: lush trees throughout the Southeast gave way to low lying lands across Arkansas. Then the sky opened up and the land streamed out for miles through Oklahoma and Kansas. We stopped for the night at the ranch of a friend a few hours outside of Denver, where the small pasture in front of the house was 500 acres. We then made our way through the wide canyons and dusty fields of southern Wyoming. Every American should have to drive across the country at least once in their life, just to see it, and hopefully be moved.

I also will never forget my summer of road trips throughout Australia behind the wheel (on the other side, remember) of a white 1972 Mercedes coupe. She was gorgeous, we called her Betty. She had a cattle guard on her front bumper- a occupational hazard for many cars in Queensland, as crashes with kangaroos will tear up a car (and can be fatal) if you collide with one on a dark stretch of road. But Betty was gorgeous, steel bumper cage and all.

I drove every highway in Queensland, from the dusty outback lands to the jungles of the coast. We hit every stop from Surfer’s Paradise to the massive cattle stations hours from civilization. We changed Betty’s tires too many times to count, as rocks on unpaved roads proved too much. We even dipped down into New South Wales and crossed the great dingo fence- an actual fence built across thousands of miles to control the dingo population. We crossed it at the top of a mountain on an unpaved road, and you literally have to get out of your car and open it to pass. We crossed one lane bridges where you can’t see the other side, and too often made turns onto the wrong side of the road (its harder to catch on to that driving on the left thing than you’d think!)

All of this is to say that you learn so much about a place by hitting its roads and spending time behind the wheel, stopping here and there to get a snack and shake a stranger’s hand. It’s not as quick, and perhaps not as glamorous, as some other means of travel (i.e. a private jet, which you won’t see me turn down, either) but you come away from the trip a bit wiser when you let the journey reign as important as the destination.

tell us where you roadtrip...