A Brighter New World
by S.W. Kirsch
“Beautiful people do not just happen….” According to the late Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, a Swiss-American psychiatrist, “The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern.”
Perhaps best known for her Five Stages of Grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance) - during this pandemic, Kübler-Ross’ work has found new meaning for most every person on the planet. Whether the experienced loss has been that of routine, or of job, or of experiences (such as graduation), no one has been left untouched by COVID-19. As a result, virtually everyone is at one of the stages of the Kübler-Ross Model to some degree, including all of us at the French Alpine Bistro – Crêperie du Village.
Several months into this new normal, we have decided as a restaurant to focus on accepting the situation for what it is, and also to also find new meaning in our role in contributing to the overall wellness of people who visit our Aspen, Colorado restaurant. The three pillars of health are best illustrated in the Wellness Triangle, and include physical, social and mental/emotional aspects.
In order to best protect people’s physical health, we have implemented several safety measures, including the now common-place face masks, as well as plenty of gloves and hand sanitizer, and we have also reconfigured our tables. In addition to two new lounges, we’ve expanded by building a new deck on the street. It is like an entirely new "restaurant" in and of itself, and includes a deck/patio on the street with numerous tables.
These have quickly become popular places to admire the beautiful mountain views for which Aspen is known, as well as breathe in plenty of fresh air. It’s also a place where you can enjoy not only our famous comfort foods, such as the mouth-watering Truffle Gnocchi, but also our healthy summer salads, such as the Délice d'Asie, which consists of warm wild rice & quinoa w/ toasted sesame ginger dressing fait maison, edamame, shredded roasted carrots, radishes, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, avocado & crispy scallions (vegan, gluten-free).
Whatever and wherever (and whenever!...Breakfast is going to be an option, soon) you’re eating at our restaurant, trust us, we want you to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we’re doing our utmost to ensure that you can enjoy your meal in a clean and comfortable environment.
The next step after having ensured as much physical safety as possible, is to remind ourselves and others of the importance of one’s social health. “Social distancing” has become a catch-phrase, although it would be healthier to call it “physical distancing.” While we should maintain at least six feet of physical distance from people we don’t know, it does not mean that we should not be social. In fact, we, as humans thrive by interacting socially, and it’s essential for our own well-being.
We’re still here to help you to celebrate life’s milestones, such as birthdays, rehearsal dinners, and anniversaries with your friends and families. If you’d rather not come into the restaurant, we do offer curbside pick-up, as well as world-class, full-service catering at your own home.
By continuing to socialize, we are, in turn, coping with stress in a healthy way, which has positive impacts on our mental and emotional health; combined, these two aspects make up the third pillar in the triangle. While we all transition from primarily staying at home, to venturing out into our neighborhoods and downtowns, we develop resilience and reinforce the confidence that, while we will come out of all of this with different perspectives and experiences, we will also be stronger. Once again, in the words of Dr. Kübler-Ross, “People are like stained-glass windows: they sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.” Let us shine our lights together for a much brighter world.
