My Neighborhood: Carbondale, Colorado

Sarah Villafranco When Dr. Sarah Villafranco, founder of Osmia Organics , talks about why she left Washington, DC, and ditched a career in emergency medicine to make artisanal soap in Carbondale, Colorado, her conversation verges on the spiritual. “The view of Mount Sopris from where I live is unbelievably humbling,” says the ER-doctorturned-soap-chemist. “All you have to do is hop on my Instagram feed to know that natural beauty is a huge piece of my life.” Even my most mundane run would be considered breathtaking scenery of a lifetime for some people. Villafranco, an avid Nordic skier and runner, chose Carbondale over nearby Aspen because of its small-town feel and easy access to the surrounding wilderness, minus the crowds. “I go to Aspen maybe three times a year. Everything I need is right here,” she says. “I love how we all take care of each other and it’s such a tight-knit community.” Carbondale also proved an ideal place to turn her passion for health and wellness into a luxury artisanal skincare line. “I never could have pictured this when I started,” Villafranco says of the company she founded in 2009, which now has 22 employees and offers more than 50 products. “I’m just so passionate about what I do.” —by Alison Margo FOOD, ELEVATED Sashimi at Izakaya “I’m a tricky customer because I’m a gluten-free vegetarian,” Villafranco says. She loves to gather with friends at Izakaya (225 Main St., 970.340.4225), a sushi bar and Japanese restaurant. For lunch near the office, she heads to Silo (1909 Dolores Way, 970.963.1909), a hole-in-the-wall farm-to-table café; to The Beat (968 Main St., 970.510.5134) for vegetarian food; or to The Goat Kitchen & Bar (995 Cowan Dr., 970.963.4628), a local haunt where “a Greek salad and sweet potato fries is my fantasy meal.” For good coffee and a burrito for the road, she’ll swing by Dos Gringos (588 CO-133, 970.704.0788), owned by her brother, Nelson Oldham. GREAT OUTDOORS For a quick workout, Villafranco bounds up the steep, rocky trails of Red Hill, a network of hiking and biking trails with epic views of Mount Sopris. Rather than heading to Aspen, “I cross-country ski up at Spring Gulch all winter long and absolutely love it.” For a run year-round, she hits the Rio Grande Trail, a 40-mile paved bike path between Glenwood Springs and Aspen. “Even my most mundane run would be considered breathtaking scenery of a lifetime for some people.” PERFECT FIT True Nature Healing Arts Self-care begins at True Nature Healing Arts (100 N. Third St., 970.963.990 0) for a yoga class followed by lunch in the Ayurvedic café or a power-flow class at Kula Yoga on Main (443 Main St., 774.563.021 6). She cross-trains at Ripple Effect (2551 Dolores Way, 970.773.331 7), a private gym that offers small-group personal training. “As a 46-year-old, I want to stay strong and prevent injuries so I can do the sports I love,” she says. Hop next door to Osmia (2607 Dolores Way, 970.510.661 0) and treat yourself to Villafranco’s deliciously scented skincare products. (Sample them in the showroom store.) SOAK IT IN Villafranco lives in the Crystal River Valley, where natural hot springs abound. “When the kids were little, it was an adventure to creep down the muddy rocks at Penny Hot Springs,” a natural, free hot springs just off Highway 133 between Carbondale and Redstone. Avalanche Ranch For a true escape close to home, Villafranco heads to Avalanche Ranch Cabins & Hot Springs (12863 CO-133, 970.963.284 6). “I love the curated poshness,” she says of the hot springs resort in the Redstone Historic District. “It’s so peaceful. Find your next home in Colorado today.