The Aspenization of Kaua'i

A few nights ago I dreamed that Aspen, that beloved little glitzy mountain town way high up in the Colorado mountains, that up all night-ski all day dot in the Rockies, that valley of killer music and festivals, Aspen, believe it or not, was now located on the island of Kaua'i. It was perfect, really. And the solution to my most pressing and current dilemma: how to live two places at once. How do I enjoy the fruits of Hawai'i with the feasts of Colorado? I never lived in Aspen, I was a Tellurider for close to 10 years, but I have been here on Maui long enough to know that whenever someone who finds themselves fairly clever asks me "If you had to choose mountains or sea, which would it be?" the only response that seems suitable to me is, "I don't want to choose." And I don't think I should have to!


I love Hawai'i in a way I never expected. The islands, the language, the rich cultural history, the people and their stories and memories, just keep unfolding and blossoming. I fall in love with these islands a little bit more every day. There is something about the trade winds that mirrors the clarity and the softness of the ocean. You feel suspended almost, and held, between those two big blues, the sky and sea.

And I miss Telluride in a way I never expected. The sharp peaks, insisting that you gaze upwards, the sudden, decisive seasons, the dramatic and frequent weather patterns that actually frighten you sometimes, and the people, such a community, that Telluride. Its tentacles are like those filaments you see when you put your hand on one of those electric globes you see at the Sharper Image? No matter which part of the world you are in, you will find yourself linked back to that gorgeous little mountain town. It's my kind of place!

So there you have it. I waved my sleep wand, and drifted into the dream of skiing all morning while looking down at Hanalei Bay! Holy crapola that would be fun, wouldn't it? Needless to say, I was rather confused when I woke up and realized I had been asleep and dreaming all that. It was an odd combination of blissful elation (the still-fresh memory of me driving up into jungled mountains to ski) and heart-dropping disappointment (here I am seeing the sky starting to lighten and hearing the sound of palm fronds in the breeze).

So this is the start of my attempt to reconcile those two, to bring the mountains and sea together. I refuse to choose.