Aspen, Colorado
Have credit card, will travel. This is Aspen, Colorado, dahlink, and you can spend your time leaving drool marks on the outside of the town's shop windows or act like a celebrity and walk right in. Aspen is a shopping dreamland that just happens to be a ski haven to boot (Salomon, of course).
Laid out in a grid, the place is easy to navigate but the streets to make a note of are East Durant Avenue and East Cooper Avenue, which run parallel to each other and where your Manolos will get the best workout. Swanky Mill Street runs perpendicular to them and a plethora of lanes promising boutique bliss lies between.
Start at D&E Snowsports Shop and Ink Cafe (tel: 1 970 920 2337) at 530 East Cooper for the only decent coffee outside Denver. Buy a 450 gram take-home pack of Brazilian ground for US$9.50. Upstairs you'll find Malo (tel: 1 970 925 3111) for seriously smooth cashmere. Don't expect change from US$200 - and that's just for gloves. Head to the Great Western Grog Shop at No710 (tel: 1 970 925 3000) to drown your retail sorrows with the town's biggest wine list.
Spend some time and cash at the Aspen Square Building Shopping Mall at 605 East Cooper, where you can stock up on or just stare at Tricot, Alaia, D&G and their pals at Nuages fashion boutique (tel: 1 970 925 6569).
An Alberta Ferretti jacket will relieve you of US$1,235.
Across the street sits Galerie Maximillian (No602, tel: 1 970 925 6100) for original Rembrandts, Renoirs, Picassos and Matisses.
If you have to ask the price, you can't afford it.
Do not pass Kemo Sabe at No434 (tel: 1 970 925 7878) if you want the full western boot look, complete with Stetsons and custom-made chaps. Take a number and stand in line come Aspen Gay Ski Week. A distressed Stetson is yours for US$225.
Special mention goes to Aspen Explore Booksellers (tel: 1 970 925 5336) on Main Street for supplying hours of independent literary bliss. Books are free to browse and cost standard prices.
Finish your tour at Gracy's of Aspen consignment store (tel: 1 970 925 5131) on Hyman Avenue, next to the Wheeler Opera House, for Hollywood A-listers' hand-me-downs. Then head to St Regis Aspen Hotel (315 East Dean Street, tel: 1 970 920 3300) for a lie-down. Nightly rates begin at US$195. Jeeves will take care of your loot.
