this is life in austin & aspen

New places to shop (I still love Susie’s):

WeSC, which stands for “WeAretheSuperlativeConspiracy”, opened its Aspen concept store this August. The Swedish born street-fashion brand is designed “For intellectual slackers,” it means for hipsters with cash to spend and attitude to spare (461 East Hopkins).

Courage. B boutique will open “soon” and specialize in fashionable women’s apparel and accessories. From ballet flats to Hermes-inspired Kelly bags to knit shifts with matching cardigans, you’ll find everything you need to update your wardrobe  … if you’re a tourist, probably.

Yoga studio 02 Aspen is opening a retail store in the Aspen Square building by Thanksgiving … while I think it’s amazing a lululemon hasn’t opened here yet despite the fact that you can’t GO to a yoga class in Aspen without seeing the silly om sign, the luxury yoga line is just one of many carried at 02′s main street store, but lulu’s shorts are marked up 150%. Unless there are some serious sales, I still have my fingers crossed for a local lulu (and you know my loyalty lies with King Yoga).

Dannenmann-Pure was such a hit during Aspen Fashion Week this year that German fashion designer Petra Dannenmann is bringing her signature 100 percent organic pure boiled wool fabric produced with no chemicals to the little ski town that could (525 East Cooper).

Eating

Some of us are stuck with the off-season deals (though I can hardly say stuck when Matsuhisa offers $5 rolls), but for everyone else there are some new grub-gettin’ places in town:

The Silver Queen opened in September 2010 occupying the former famous Syzygy space. Chef Jamie Flatt, formerly of Willow Creek and known for some incredible use of truffle in his sweet potato fries, is overseeing the kitchen. The cuisine is American-eclectic with an Aspen-reasonably priced bar menu (520 E. Hyman).

Pitkin County Steakhouse & Pitkin Tavern opened in August of 2010 replacing Double Dog and Steak Pit on the corner of restaurant row. The steakhouse serves dry aged steaks, fresh fish, and a salad bar stocked with local produce, while the tavern is a classic locals’ hangout with a full menu, shuffleboard, and 12 beers on draft (305 East Hopkins).

Casa Tua restaurant and private club is slated to open mid-December across from Belly Up. Can another “private club” make it in a Caribou Club town? Look for the restaurant to offer fine Italian fare with French and Swiss influences, while the upstairs club will offer an “Italian oasis” for members only. Do we have that many Italians visiting Aspen?

Hopefully C & P Burger will fill Aspen’s much-needed quick-n-dirty dining scene. Austin has its food trailers, why can’t Aspen have some grab-and-go options? Lunch, dinner, and adult beverages, will include locally grown beef burgers (yum!), LuLu Wilson’s famed Kale salad (better than Peaches?), truffle parmesan fries (sign me up), soft-serve yoghurt with seasonal fresh fruit (ha! it was only a matter of time…). It opens “soon” so keep your eyes peeled!