Anyway, this place is called the Enzian, and it is located in Vail's Lionshead Village. I don't know what that means, but it sounds impressive, and the brochure says it's just 300 yards from the slopes.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. I'll have to get there first. And thanks once again to my BFF, I'll have another free ride to the airport. A premium first-class ticket on the two-hour-and-15-minute American Airlines flight from LAX to Vail costs only $1,448. Since I'm taking an early morning flight, I'll be served the breakfast menu, which includes a cheese and vegetable omelet with fire-roasted turkey sausage, basil pesto potato wedges, and fire-roasted pepper sauce. I'll wash that down with two cups of premium Kona coffee.
Once we land, I'll tip a skycap $10 to carry my luggage out to the curb, and I will spend another $55 or so to take a Lincoln Town Car from the Eagle County Airport to Enzian. By the time I've checked in, freshened up, and relaxed in front of the wood-burning fireplace, I'll need to hurry out to attend my half-day ski lesson for $405. I think during my first lesson, the instructor will need to teach me how to put on all this stuff I bought:
| Thermal pants | $55 |
| Thermal shirt | $58.95 |
| Ski jacket | $674.95 |
| Ski pants | $148.95 |
| Ultra-Lite ski socks | $12 |
| Nice, warm wool ski cap | $19.95 |
| Kneepads (As if I would ever fall!) | $29.95 |
| Ski gloves (I'll have to keep my hands dry, warm, and protected at all times; otherwise, I'll ruin my perfect $50 manicure!) | $154.90 |
| Alpine skis | $678.95 |
| Ski poles | $109.95 |
| Ski bindings | $424.95 |
| Ski boots | $559.99 |
| Ski brakes (These sound like a great idea!) | $62.95 |
| Audio helmet (Hey, I'm a child of the times; I need my music!) | $160.00 |
| Wrist pads | $16.95 |
| Really cool ski goggles | $160.00 |
| Padded ski bag | $119.99 |
I'm sure I'll be exhausted—and hungry—by the end of the day. I want to try Alpenrose for dinner that night. It's a German restaurant that's gotten good reviews. I've already checked out the menu online and decided on what I'll order: for my hors d'oeuvres, or Auftakt zum Mahle, I'll have the Bündner Teller for $8; that's a specially cured, air-dried beef. My main course will be Münchner Schweinehaxe, or crisp pork shank roasted in its own juice with mustard, beer, and garlic. Sounds yummy. It's served with a bread dumpling and is priced at just $22. I'll probably skip dessert so I can hurry back to my room and unwind in the hot tub before going to bed.
Saturday will be my second early morning in a row, but I'll have to get going so that I can take advantage of my $77-per-day lift ticket. Hopefully, I will have learned enough the day before to get down the bunny slope. Eagle Bahn Gondola is Vail Valley's only gondola and offers comfortable rides up the mountain. I'll be sure to check out the views on the way up because I probably won't see anything on the way down!
I'm already thinking about what I'm going to have for dinner Saturday night, too. Since I'm in the mood to be adventurous, I plan to go French and check out The Left Bank Restaurant.
Even though I'm not much of a drinker, I'll have to try out Left Bank's $18 French Kiss cocktail. It combines Bollinger champagne and cognac with sweetened lemon. My appetizer Saturday night will be terrine de foie gras de canard au sauternes—fresh homemade duck liver pâté—for $23. For my main course, I've selected côte de veau rossini, a sautéed milk-fed veal chop served with a demi-glaze and asparagus for $46. And after that, if I still have room, I'm certain I'll be able to order something exquisite from Left Bank's dessert tray.
Once I drag myself back to my condo, I'll try out bed number two in room number two. I imagine it won't take me long to fall asleep. I'm sleeping in the next morning—no skiing for me on Sunday. I'll be taking an afternoon flight back home, so I'll have just enough time to bathe in bathroom number three and enjoy a leisurely brunch at Chap's Grill & Chophouse. (There I go with the food again!) The buffet costs only $59 per person...I wonder if they'll be serving their signature Blackfoot buffalo rib eye.
Anyway, by the time I land back in L.A. and my BFF picks me up—I'll really have to pick her up a little something on my next trip—my weekend of eating, skiing, and good-looking-guy watching (including tips and minus the cost of a new manicure) will have come to just $8,411.29.
And being a successful saleswoman who can afford it all is priceless!
