Around Aspen with Aspen Art Museum’s Director and CEO

Aspen Art Museum director and CEO Heidi Zuckerman has lived on both coasts and the pond, but since her recruitment to Aspen 13 years ago, the mother of two teenagers is happily staying put. Zuckerman helmed the transformation of the Aspen Art Museum from a local, noncurating institution to an international destination for contemporary art. In 2014 she presided over the opening of a new building designed by Shigeru Ban to house exhibits. And to hear her extoll the town’s virtues, it’s clear she wouldn’t be anywhere else: “The best thing about Aspen is the presence nature plays in your life. So many places make you feel distanced from the planet, the seasons and animals, and the natural world. Having nature so pervasive is very grounding. Plus, you’re at a high altitude, so you get this yin and yang of being grounded and also elevated. It allows for a heightened presentness.” —by Kate Meyers SEE YA LATTE “I am not a coffee drinker, but I am a ritualistic matcha latte drinker, and my absolute favorite place is the SO Cafe on the roof deck of the Aspen Art Museum. It’s honestly the single best view of Aspen Mountain. You’re three stories up and it’s a straight-on view. It’s the best place to watch fireworks or World Cup skiing.” (637 E. Hyman Ave., 970.925.8050) DAILY ASANA “You can find me at King Yoga four or five times a week. Practicing with Aaron keeps me balanced. In a very understated way, he offers spot-on and pointed wisdom. He’s like a soothsayer, and he plays incredible music.” (408 Aspen Airport Business Ctr., 970.920.9642) Photo: J. SmithWheeler Opera House CENTER STAGE “I love the Wheeler Opera House. My kids have performed in the Aspen Country Day School play there for 12 years, and every time the curtain goes up on the stage it’s magical.” (320 E. Hyman Ave., 970.920.5770) DRESS SUCCESS “I pick up things at Susie’s Limited Consignment shop regularly. Probably my favorite was a gray dress that I wore to the ArtCrush fundraiser for the museum two years ago. I think I spent $14. I paired it with amazing jewelry and expensive shoes, and it was a hit.” (600 E. Main St. #8, 970.920.2376) STOP AND STARE “I love to watch the sunset on the top of the Yin Yang Trail. It’s amazing how precise the light can be as you look back over Snowmass Village.” (aspentrailfinder.com) “I also hike the 14-mile route from Aspen to Crested Butte annually.” NOSH NOW “The bar at Ellina’s is very intimate; the restaurant is kind of hidden, underground beneath the Hyman Mall. They have good, hearty, small plates. I love the artichoke bruschetta.” (430 E. Hyman Ave., 970.925.2976) Search available properties to make Aspen  your neighborhood.