New Years *bleeping* Eve 2015 in Aspen.

New Year's Eve.  New Year's bleeping Eve.

Aspen was in a frenzy.  The town is at full capacity.  100% of the rooms, 100% of the beds, 100% of the pull-out couches are occupied.  Aspen is SOLD OUT.   New Year's Eve is the culmination of the holiday season.  It's been a great one in Aspen.  Plenty of snow for one thing.  And plenty of business.  The retailers, service providers and restaurants and bars appear to be crushing it.  The merch. seems to be flying off the shelves.  it's as if the sh*t is free.

Click 4 pix:  New Year's *bleeping*Eve 2015

21,000 skiers and riders hit the slopes on Aspen/Snowmass's 4 mountains on Dec. 31.  An unofficial record for the most crowded ski day of all-time in Aspen.   Aspen swells from about 5000 residents to over 50,000 (my estimate) during the holidays.  The town is packed.  Too-packed if you ask me.  Still the powers that be want to expand the airport, expand the bed base, expand the highway.  More is more.

Aspen was buzzing.   Gallons and gallons of alcohol was consumed.  The whole town reeked of recreational and medicinal weed.  Plenty of other stimulants and depressants were pounded in the underground clubs of Fat City.  It was freezing, like zero degrees.  Tons of bimbos ( and I use that term affectionately) were cruising the streets in their little black dresses and extremely high heels, stabilized on the wrinkly elbows of their sugar grand daddies.  Packs of well-dressed revelers were trying to get into bars and clubs that were already at capacity.   It was a HUGE night in Aspen, but relatively uneventful.  No bomb scares, no celebrity crime, no power outage...like I said...uneventful.

Despite the amateur-night status of NYE, AspenSpin is hardly a party-pooper.  Our options were unlimited, but we chose two exclusive, kick-a$$, sick parties.  The local Aspen Boyz threw their traditional posh bash at The LimeLight.  Christian Messner, Peter Cohn and Ian McLendon packed the house with beautiful people.  It was an excellent party, as it is every year.  

The Detroit Ballers took their NYE game to the next level.  The historic Crystal Palace glowed again on New Year's.  The Michigan Crew flew in their own 9 piece super-funky dance band who proceeded to blow the roof off the sucka.  The Brian Alexander Experience played a continuous set of funk and soul dance favorites. You just had to shake your booty.   The Crystal Palace, the most under-utilized room in Aspen has not seen this much action since the Marley Safe House took over a couple X Games ago.  At midnight the champage flew like it does in a super bowl winning locker room. Three generations of Michigan partiers and their friends jammed late into the night.

We rung in 2015 with a bang.   We wish you a year full of health, happiness, success, love and of course plenty of POW POW.   Happy New Year to the entire AspenSpin universe.

Click 4 Pix:  NEW YEAR's *bleeping" EVE 2015

Aspen: Behind the Golden Door.

Stairway to Heaven (downstairs)When the "private event" poster comes out at The Belly Up ...you know its going to be fun.  When one of Aspen's favorite families hosts their annual holiday party it's hard to know what to expect, but you can be sure its going to be an exceptionally good time.  

Click 4 pix:  PRIVATE PARTY

AspenSpin has attended thousands of BIG-TIME Aspen events, but last nights soiree at The Belly Up may have been the coolest.  The entire place was decked out in gold, roaring 20's style finery. Gold glitter was everywhere (in my hair, in my socks and even in my undies). Greeted at the door by flappers and speak-easy bar keeps, the list was tight.  Whoooosh...but thanks to the hospitality of  a certain and real estate executive Christian Messner, AspenSpin was indeed on the list.  No sneaking in the back door or fast talking past the clipboard holding list keepers necessary.  An amazing night awaited.

After skiing some of the best Holiday POW in recent memory...appetites (at least mine)  were extremely high.  Booyah... First stop... the sushi / stone crab food station. Oh yeah...it was the real deal.   Round two included sliders made from suckling pig, beef, duck and chicken with a vast array of exotic sauces.   While most of the party guests were most interested in the free-flowing Crystal Champagne and the bottomless bottles of Don Julio 1942 sipping tequila...AspenSpin was camping out at the desert table.   All I can say is WOW.  The hosts and Belly Up pulled out all the stops.  The roaring 20's speakeasy vision was executed to perfection, with fine style and beautiful taste.  The guest list, limited to about 300 was kept the crowd manageable.  Belly Up usually can hold about 450...so the place was buzzing but not uncomfortably packed.   The liberal staff to guest ratio kept the service at a level better than excellent.  No one was left wanting.

Eventually the food stations were cleared and without delay, Gary Clark Jr. took the stage with his blazing blues guitar licks.   Clark and his band put on a sizzling show.  Clark, a guitar prodigy who began gigging in his home town of Austin, Tx in his early teens brought his A-Game to Aspen.  The guests went wild. 

Looking around the room, jamming to the sounds...observing the dazzling audience filled with beautiful,  friendly and familiar faces, A. Party got all warm and fuzzy.  Suffice to say it was a BIG night in Aspen.  Then again...it's always a BIG night in Aspen...but thanks to the hospitality and the generosity of the hosts...we all partied like Rock Stars (again) in Aspen.

Click 4 pix:  PRIVATE PARTY

Another phenomenal night in Aspen.The Bineau Team and Christian Messner took time off from deal making to throw down.Gary Clark Jr. That kid can play.

Stars on Aspen Ice w/ Jeremy Abbott & friends

Jeremy Abbott back in Aspen, where it all started.It was a big warm WELCOME HOME to Aspen for skating star Jeremy Abbott.  

The 2nd Annual Stars on Aspen Ice skating show took place last night at Lewis Ice Arena in Aspen.  Presented by the Revolutions Skating Club of Aspen and featuring Olympic Medalist and home-grown Aspen Champion skater, Jeremy Abbott.  Abbott is the current and 4-time men's figure skating U.S. Champion.  Joining J.A. in the spot light were Gracie Gold, current U.S. National Champion and Olympic Bronze winner, Rosalynn Sumners 1984 Olympic Silver medalist and several other professional and amateur champions.   In addition to the pro's, Aspen's  Revlolutions Skating Club members played supporting roles at Sugar Plum Fairies, Reindeer, Pajama Kids and Mice.

Click 4 pix:   STARS on ASPEN ICE

The stands at the ARC were packed for two shows on Saturday.  AspenSpin got to experience the professional level skating extravaganza from the "on ice" VIP section.  The Stars on Aspen Ice is clearly a major highlight on the jam-packed holiday calendar in Aspen.  It's a fabulous family event.   A slew of sponsors, local to Aspen and from beyond stepped up to provide support for the show as well as fantastic items for the successful silent auction.   Stars on Aspen Ice under the direction of Peggy Behr has a huge following.  The Revolutions skaters and their friends and families seem like a close knit bunch and everybody turned out to see the show.   VIP's were feted to a fully catered and heated lounge and a private autograph session with the stars.  It was big-time fun for all who attended.

The Mice.Jeremy Abbott, who discovered his passion for figure skating as a 4 year old Aspenite brought his Olympic Bronze Medal from Sochi 2014 to share with his many friends and fans.   Greeted with a HUGE bear hug from his 3rd grade teacher, Abbott seemed genuinely touched by the out-pouring of admiration from the SRO crowd. There were plenty of hugs and kisses being passed out throughout the night. 

Stars on Aspen Ice was a magical show.  One that included a wonderful spectrum of cast-members from the World-Class stars to groms  who were cute as buttons. Many thanks to Jeremy Abbott's Mom, Allison for keeping AspenSpin in the loop and to Revolutions Skating Club for putting on such a spectacular show.

Click 4 pix:   STARS on ASPEN ICE

The Entire Cast of Stars on Aspen Ice 2014. The tradition continues.Jeremy Abbott and his Mom, Allison Scott along with his Olympic Bronze medal.Stars on Aspen Ice: Jeremy Abbott and Gracie Gold.

World Cup Weekend is World Class in Aspen

After a years hiatus, the FIS World Cup Ski races returned to Aspen.  Fat city again hosted the world's fastest women in the Slalom and Giant Slalom.  The best ski racers in the world ripped laps on Aspen Mountain returning to one of their favorite tour stops.

Aspen missed the world's fastest women, a.k.a. chicks on sticks last year...and it turns out the feeling was mutual.  All the ladies made it very clear that Aspen is a highlight stop on their World Cup tour.  For the U.S. Ski Team and several American girls who are funded independently it's the only tour stop on U.S. soil and the only time their friends and families attend their races.  The Euros all commented on the special feeling they have for Aspen Mountain and it's fast, highly technical race course.  Aspen hosted Giant Slalom on Saturday and Slalom on Sunday.

Click 4 pix: WORLD CLASS in ASPEN

Conditions were prime, maybe a touch warm...but the course was skiing great.  Saturday's Giant Slalom challenged the ladies with plenty of technical terrain changes and the famous airplane turn above strawpile. Sunday's slalom competition was broadcast live worldwide on NBC TV.  

The strong Austrian team dominated the results taking 4 of the 6 podium spots including both first place finishes. Eva-Marie Brem broke through for her first WC win ever, topping the field in the GS.  She was quite emotional, crying during the awards ceremony and the press conference.  All the other girls seemed truly happy for her.  "We're all friends" shared one Canadian racer.  Katrin Zettel, also Austrian finished second.   She always finds a way to the podium in Aspen, holding the record for most top 3 results of any world cup skier on Aspen Mountain.  

Nicole Hosp from Austria topped a very competitive field in Slalom. It was Hosp's first win since 2008 after overcoming a series of excruciating injuries.    USA's Mikaela Shiffrin had a great weekend with a 6th in the GS and 5th in Slalom.   2 top 10's was cause for celebration 2 years ago in Aspen for Shiffrin.   This year, however, the expectations are about as high as they can be for the Queen apparent of U.S. Skiing.   Shiffrin is the reining WC champ and Olympic champ in Slalom...so she is now expected to win...every time.   She had a good chance to take the slalom victory..but a slight falter on run 2 led to 5th.  While disappointed at not taking the top spot on home soil...Shiffrin is poised and ready to move on to the next race.   She is currently in 2nd place in the overall World Cup standings behind Zettel. 

All-in-all it was a great weekend.  Aspen Mountain and Snowmass  are open and skiing beautifully.  A kick-off party to celebrate the bib draw along with an autograph signing with the U.S. Ski Team started it all off on Friday   Reel Big Fish a ska-punk band from Huntington Beach, Ca. played a free outdoor show at the base of Aspen Mountain followed by the prerequisite fireworks display. A full-on sponsors village anchored by Audi, plus free food from Aspen Skiing Company's catering department made those of us who are not VIP's feel like VIP's.  The stands were packed on both days.  The crowds were the largest I've seen in my 12 years attending the races in Aspen.  Perfect weather for spectating did not hurt.  The WC set up seemed to have it turned up a notch...perhaps in preparation for Aspen's hosting of the WC Finals in March of 2017.  

It was good to have the "White Circus" back in Aspen.

Click 4 pix:  WORLD CLASS in ASPEN

GS winner Eva-Marie Brem of Austria ripping a lap on Ajax. Photo: Art BurrowsMikaela Shiffrin had 2 top 10's in Aspen, not bad, but she is expected to win every week now. Photo: Art Burrows.

The GS Podium in Aspen 1) Brem Austria 2) Zettel Austria 3) Brignone Italy Photo: AspenSpin

The Slalom Podium in Aspen. 1) Hosp Austria 2) Hansdotter Sweden 3) Zettel Austria Photo: AspenSpin

Aspen T.R.E.E. Community Thanksgiving Dinner (& Warren Miller).

The Chefs were cooking at Aspen T.R.E.E.For the 7th year in a row, Aspen T.R.E.E. presented their FREE Community Thanksgiving Dinner.  Once again it was a plentiful feast enjoyed by all.  About 700 diners rolled through the Aspen High School cafeteria to a enjoy a full-on farm-to-table  FREE Thanksgiving Dinner.

 Click Aspen T.R.E.E. to learn more about all their good work and their push for a sustainable future.

The cooking, the serving, the cleaning, it's all done by volunteers.  The free community dinner is one of my favorite events of the season.   It's a true cross-section of Aspen's populace. From the bro-brah ski bums to the senior citizen brigade to young families with tons of kids...everybody showed up for the tasty, locally produced chow.   Even a few billionaires couldn't resist a FREE Community Thanksgiving. As always, the spirit and camaraderie at Aspen T.R.E.E. was fun and exciting.

A. Party got right in there, serving meals, bussing tables and greeting guests.  We almost forgot to take some sick pix...but we didn't.  

Click: Aspen T.R.E.E. (& Warren Miller) to see the best ones.

Later that night...

Lane, Casey and Tats passing out swag at Warren Miller.For the 65th year in a row Warren Miller presented his annual ski flick at The Wheeler Opera House.  A packed house showed up on a cold & snowy night (thats how we love it) to revel in the ski porn of No Turning Back.   As always the footage, the scenery, the athletes and the shredding was phenomenal.  But the buzz in the crowd was even better.   Many of us here in Aspen have already been ripping on Ajax all week...so there were a lot of stiff legs climbing the stairs at The Wheeler.   Hosted by one of Aspen's favorite ski bums Lane Johnson along with his able assistants and fellow POW chasers Chris Tatsuno and Casey Vandenbroek, No Turning Back resulted in a near riot.  Well not really...but the crowd was pretty rowdy.  Spurred on by the 3 headed emcees...the Wheeler turned into a full on dance party.  One thing is certain...everybody was praying for POW.

Click for pix.  Aspen T.R.E.E. (& Warren Miller).

The hostesses at Aspen T.R.E.E.. Service with a smile for 700 people.It's always a blast at the Aspen T.R.E.E. free Thanksgiving Dinner.The Wheeler exploded in a full-on dance party at Warren Miller's ski film No Turning Back