ASPEN
CHICAGO
DA LLAS
HOUSTON
LAS V EGAS
LOS A NGELES
E AT H E R E N O W .
Whitewashed walls, champagne herringbone wood floors, curvaceous white sofas and a crystal chandelier make the salon space at the St. Regis Aspen just what colorist power couple Reyad and Kylie Williard Fritas wanted for their first salon outside New York City. The duo behind the Suite Reyad salon in Midtown Manhattan, known for their meticulously applied balayage highlights, have colored the hair of Nina Garcia and model Imaan Hammam. “Everyone wants comfort, but most importantly, clients like intimacy,” explains Fritas. “Especially when you spend a few hours having your hair done.” Fritas, who has worked for many big salons, wanted to move away from the stark, anonymous salons of yore with many chairs and too many
people buzzing around. The couple decided to open a permanent location in Aspen after hosting two successful pop-ups at the St. Regis last year. “We love servicing a new market while also getting to see a lot of our New York City clients on vacation,” says Williard Fritas, who specializes in balayage. “The St. Regis Aspen Resort is such a welcoming, beautiful hotel.” So what are the women of Aspen looking for, stylistically? “A natural look, as a lot of them are very active,” says Williard Fritas. “We also are big on maintaining the health of hair, so we offer deep conditioning treatments and a modern way of styling and blowing out the hair that does not promote damage. The dryness is real in the mountains!” suitereyad.com
Ivory Coast native Mawa McQueen is the chef and owner of Mawa’s Kitchen and The Crepe Shack, Aspen’s only Black-owned restaurants. “In this space I am free to create and let my imagination go,” says McQueen. “I get to cook from my heart.” Fan favorite dishes include jerk chicken, vadouvan curry bowl, duck confit parmentier and beef short rib bourguignon. “It’s hard for people to step outside the box. That’s why I am here,” says McQueen. “Cooking dishes that individuals won’t normally encounter, something flavorful and cultural. This is a creation for the locals right here in Aspen.” mawaskitchen.com FROM TOP: Chef Mawa McQueen; filet mignon with baby carrots, parsnip puree and green peppercorn sauce; the dining room at Mawa’s Kitchen
M A W A’ S K I T C H E N : D A R R E N B R I D G E S
SPRING 2022
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SUITE DREAMS
MAWA’S KITCHEN
