Vail

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Kansas is a very flat, very wide state. Much of the day was spent crossing it from Topeka. It was fun for us city slickers to see the vast expanse of land that surrounded us. After Axel was convinced that no - we don’t need to go visit every abandoned missile silo along the way we moved at a pretty good pace into Colorado. It was really fun to see how Denver just opened up in front of us as we approached it from afar.




This was Laurie’s foray into real mountains. It was a bit nerve wracking to drive along the windy roads of the Rockies, but fortunately due to the altitude the car struggled to go more than 45 miles an hour even in 2nd gear. We stopped in a nice sleepy town east of Vail for gas and a pitstop. Laurie checked out the gift shop while Axel snapped a few pictures.
Not 15 minutes later as Laurie drove along; Axel demanded that we stop again for another potty break. After a stern lecture Laurie pulled off the road and followed Axel’s directions. Alas, no pit stop was needed - Axel had made reservations at a beautiful B&B in Vail. Surprise!



The Savory Inn (2405 Elliot Ranch Road, Vail 866-754-8245 for reservations) was worth the early stop! On the banks of the Vail’s Gore Creek, the Savory Inn reposes in rustic elegance, alluring you to come inside and enjoy the quintessential Rocky Mountain retreat. Inside the massive hand cut log structure, fine fabrics beckon you to take a seat as an eclectic mix of antiques and luxurious furnishings surround you. In the warm summer months, enjoy the early morning light with a cup of coffee on the back porch that overlooks some of the finest fly fishing water in Colorado. All twelve suites are named after wild herbs and are cleverly designed and uniquely furnished to reflect their namesake. In addition to being a large private residence, the Savory Inn Cooking School offers one of the most unique and intimate culinary experiences in the Vail Valley. Featuring the Savory’s own executive chef Dave Nowakowski, these educational and entertaining cooking sessions help those “home gourmets” take their art to the next level.



We stayed in the “Sage” room where Axel had arranged for our customary chocolate covered strawberries and champagne. Turns out her took no pictures during our previous stop, but called the inn keeper to give him our ETA. What a great fiancé he is!!! While we were unable to schedule in any of the cooking classes, the breakfast was one of the best we have ever had! The homemade granola was out of this world and the buckwheat pancakes with berry compote still make Laurie’s mouth water.
After checking in, we eaded into town where we explored the world’s highest botanical garden (8,200 feet!). The Betty Ford Alpine Garden was delicious! http://www.bettyfordalpinegardens.org/. It was nice for two weary drivers to stretch our legs and just stroll around in.



After freshening up, we headed to town for dinner. We happened into the Sweet Basil (http://www.sweetbasil-vail.com/) where it was actually their grand re-opening night! Our waiter informed us of several Colorado and local celebs who happened to be dining near us. We were simply delighted to be out of the Motel 8 and enjoying such a fabulous meal!

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Photos

Prohibition
Don't worry we kept our martinis in the restaurant!