THE GRAND, GRAND CANYON...

Being one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the world, it was hard for us to go to Arizona without stopping by to marvel at this spectacular site... 

I don't know where to begin other than to say; It's BIG and it's BREATHTAKING...

The five tribes that represent the Grand Canyon are Havasupia, Hualapai, Southern Paiute, Navajo and the Hopi...

Thats one big handprint...

It really is turning out to be the trip of a lifetime!

VEGAS BY DAY… VEGAS BY NIGHT...

Wow, where do I begin!? 

Having never been before I had no idea what to expect, yes I've seen 'The Hangover', yes I've seen 'What Happens In Vegas'… Lets just say I'd seen and heard it all… Well so I thought!

I have no other way of describing it other than Disneyland for Adults, it's bright, it's loud and it's colourful! 

Arriving at Mid-day it all seemed a little less glitz than expected, still colourful, still breathtaking but somehow just a little less 'Vegas'…

Blazer: H&M (here)
Cami: ASOS (here)
Trousers: ASOS SALE (here)
Boots: Topshop (here)

And incase you were under the impression Elvis and Michael had long passed (God rest their souls) you were wrong, I found them, here in Vegas, live and kicking… (literally)

But when that sun goes down Vegas comes alive…

This was the place I was hoping to see, and yes of course we managed to fit in a show...

My all time favourites, Boyz II Men!

Not to mention the 24 hour casinos, cocktails and restaurants… but I'll leave all that to your imagination, all I'll say is my Marc Jacobs is feeling a little lighter!

I heard over and over again '3 days will be more than enough in Vegas'… I can assure you all 3 day is nowhere near enough…

TAKE ME BACK!!

HOTEL JERMONE; GOODBYE ASPEN...

So the night finally arrived, our last night is Aspen, and we were determined to make it a special one!

 So off  we went to the J-Bar at Hotel Jerome; the local watering hole.

Hotel Jerome is one of Aspens poshest hotels, designed to rival establishments such as that of the Savoy in London it has become a regular hang out for celebrities such as; Gary Cooper, John Wayne, Jack Nicholson and Bill Murray.

The Mason Jar is pretty popular here...

And of course the cocktails were fantastic...

The toilets were pretty beautiful too...

Polo Neck: H&M (here)
Skirt: River Island (similar here)
Lipstick in AMSTERDAM: NARS (here)

As the night drew to an end we took a drive up Independence Pass to gaze at the stars...

Although we were all more than sad to be leaving Aspen, we all knew it was on to Vegas!

Goodbye Aspen, we'll be back soon.

WOODY CREEK TAVERN...

Hidden in a Valley just outside Aspen is the Woody Creek Tavern. You may have heard of it, you may not have heard of it but set way off the beaten track this little Tavern is a true slice of American history. 

Dodging the old hitching posts in the parking lot and scurrying from the snow into the warmth of the Woody Creek you are instantly hit by the smell of cooking steak, spilt ales and above all the hundreds upon hundreds of 'things' that line the walls of the Tavern, old polaroids, rusty licence plates, newspaper clippings and original artwork... a sensory overload.

Not the usual 'glitzy' restaurant you may find in the surrounding areas of Aspen and Snowmass, this place provides a breath of fresh air to not only the locals but to the array of celebrities that have eaten there; Hunter S. Thompson, Don Johnson and of course John Legend...

Not to mention they serve the BEST steak on earth...

Aspen may have changed, but one thing's for sure, the Woody Creek will always remain the same!

MAROON BELLS...

Hiding at the base of the Rocky Mountains is a gorgeous, quiet, snowy, little opening... Maroon Bells.

The most photographed Mountain Range in America and just around the corner from the beautiful little town of Aspen, it sets the scene for the perfect Winter Wonderland. 

Just standing on the edge of the lake and absorbing the majestic view that surrounds you it almost feels as if you're standing on the top of the world. 

It's not very often you catch a view like this in the UK...

Trench Coat: TOPSHOP (similar here)
Belt: ASOS (here)
Leigh Jeans: TOPSHOP (here)
Monk Boots: TOPSHOP (here)

  


And what a difference a day makes...

I came to Aspen hoping for snow and boy did I get what I wished for! 

A truly magical place... I miss it already.