THE MEETING...a premier gathering of snow sports, filmmakers, athletes, sponsors, media and fans.

WHAT Aspen/Snowmass will once again host The Meeting, September 29 - October 1, 2011. WHEN September 29 - October 01, 2011 WHERE Aspen

One For The Road Trailer - Teton Gravity Research's 2011 Ski And Snowboard Film from Teton Gravity Research on Vimeo.

"> Check out the new TGR film at the Sundeck tonight @ 11:15! Will be thinking of you BZ.

Kick off Summer with SKIING for Memorial Day Weekend!

Don't put your ski gear away just yet! We've got at least two days if not more up on Ajax...

WHAT? Aspen Skiing Company announced today that it will open the top of Aspen Mountain for skiing and riding on Memorial Day Weekend, May 28-30. Heavy spring snowfall and cool temperatures have left the top of the mountain covered in snow as the traditional summer operating season begins. With a base depth of 71 inches up top, the mountain will open with 25 runs and 136 acres of mostly intermediate terrain, served by the Ajax Express chairlift. In addition, the mountain will open on weekends after Memorial Day as conditions allow!

WHEN? Skiing and riding will be form the 11,212-foot summit with uploading and downloading on the Silver Queen Gondola from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily with the last ride down at 4:30 p.m. Skiing and riding will be open from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on the Ajax Express chairlift. The Sundeck restaurant and Ajax Tavern will be open for dining and beverages.

A note from Rich Burkley...“We haven’t had summer conditions this good since 2008,” quipped Rich Burkley, vice president mountain operations. “We figure that if we open for skiing maybe it will quit snowing. We encourage everyone to go up and make a few turns then jump on your bike, hit the trails or swing the golf club. It’s certainly a unique opportunity to enjoy everything the valley has to offer.”

Celebrate Aspen Film's 30th Anniversary and Filmfest opening this Wednesday September, 23rd. Party begins @ 39 Degees @ Sky Hotel where you can drop by to pick up a festival guide, see film trailers and of course enjoy great exclusive drink specials for fans of Aspen Film only! Doors open @ 5:30pm

Personal Fav... try a Champagne Supernova *   

Moet & Chandon White Star,  
St‐ Germaine Elderflower Liqueur,  
Fragoli Wild Strawberry Liqueur, Peach PureePacific Ceviche    


RSVP to info@aspenfilm.org with "Launch Party" in the subject line.

"That's It, That's All"

BOOK BUY

In The Spirit Of Aspen


Nestled among Colorado's wild rocky mountains, this little town is an idyllic combination of breathtaking natural beauty and modern luxury. A mix of classic Wild West and international sophistication, of rugged individualism and community ideals, Aspen is more than a location--it's an idea and an attitude. Olympic skiers brush elbows with artists; politicians and media moguls rub shoulders with local ranchers; and ski bums dance the night away with Hollywood celebrities. Once a fledgling silver-mining town, Aspen has kept its Western roots while growing into a cosmopolitan melting pot of jet setters, intellectuals and athletes who gather to revel in the legendary powder in the winter and renowned cultural festivals in the summer. Drawing on the words and photo albums of the town's most illustrious inhabitants, Aspen insider Kathryn Livingston elegantly captures its dazzling mix of society, culture and natural beauty.

Pepper w/ Supervillains & Passafire

WHO: Hawaii-born-and-bred, California-based dub-rock power trio with reggae-rock roots. Mixing influences like Nirvana and Black Sabbath with the likes of Bad Brains and Sublime.

WHERE: @ Belly Up

WHEN: Sat & Sun January 10th & 11th

CELEBRITY SIGHTINGS

Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon had themselves a romantic Christmas vacation in Aspen. Snapped here by the anxious paparazzi outside of Ralph Lauren shortly after purchasing RLX's red cashmere hooded sweatshirt for Nick... Mariah actually had her coat, and sweater, zipped down to reveal her cleavage for the paparazzi despite the freezing temperatures. Apparently Every vacation is a working vacation.

16TH ANNUAL ASPEN FILM ACADEMY SCREENING

The Aspen Film Academy’s screenings celebrate the release of this year’s most critically acclaimed and eagerly anticipated movies. Open to everyone, the two-week extravaganza offers a peek at some of the films everyone will be talking about come the Academy Awards.

WHEN: December 20th – January 3rd
WHERE: Wheeler Opera House, 320 East Hyman Avenue

FOR TICKETS CALL 970.920.5770

RIGHT AFTER THE FACT...

After first tracks, lemon soufflé pancakes and a skim latte are well-deserved... at the Nell’s Montagna...

or you can try them at home too!

Recipe: Lemon Souffle Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
3 - 4 tsp lemon zest, finely shredded
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup milk
3 egg whites
1 tsp cream of tartar


Directions:

1. In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon peel, and salt.
2. In a small mixing bowl beat egg yolk slightly. Stir in melted butter and milk.
3. Add egg yolk mixture all at once to the flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy).
4. In another medium mixing bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer at medium speed until soft peaks form.
5. Add the cream of tartar and beat on high until stiff peaks form.
6. Gently fold egg whites into flour mixture. Do not over-mix.
7. Pour 1/4 cup batter onto hot, lightly greased griddle or heavy skillet.
8. Cook over medium until pancakes are golden brown. Turn to second side when pancakes have bubbly surfaces and edges are slightly dry. Repeat with remaining batter.

Enjoy!

FIRST TRACKS

"There’s something about doing the first run on Ajax Mountain before the lifts open for business that starts the day off right. The peace, solitude, and corduroy are an extraordinary combination, and it’s personally satisfying after making it to the gondola at 7:45 A.M. following a festive night in Aspen."

Let the "COUNTUP" Continue!

SNOWMASS
2.00 inch 24 Hrs
15.00 inch 48 Hrs
41.00 inch 7 Days
43.00 inch @ Base Top
AJAX
2.00 inch 24 Hrs
16.00 inch 48 Hrs
35.00 inch 7 Days
31.00 inch @ Base Top
HIGHLANDS
1.00 inch 24 Hrs
13.00 inch 48 Hrs
23.00 inch 7 Days
45.00 inch @ Base Top
BUTTERMILK
0.50 inch 24 Hrs
16.50 inch 48 Hrs
23.50 inch 7 Days
31.00 inch @ Base Top
78.74 cm

THE NUTCRACKER

The Santa Fe Ballet Presents The Holiday Classic For One Weekend Only...

WHEN:
December 20, 2008 2pm & 7:30pm
December 21, 2008, 1pm & 5pm

WHERE:
Aspen District Theatre (Aspen Elementary School)
0199 High School Road (first left off Maroon Creek Road).

FOR TICKETS:
Call Aspen Show Tickets (formerly Wheeler Opera House box office) @ 970-920-577

"GIVING" GIFTS

***YOUR INVITATION***World Snow Polo Championships

Nimble ponies thunder back and forth across a frozen lake as crowds dressed in lavish furs gasp in awe and amazement. Pinpoint passes and quick shots bring to mind the precision movements of a top-level hockey club. The action is graceful, fast, and surprisingly aggressive. Cheers ring out in the crisp winter air each time a goal is scored: Welcome to the world of polo on snow.

Each year a collection of adventurous polo players abandon the warmth of South Florida and Argentina to take on the challenge of playing their beloved sport in the snow. The cradle of snow polo is St. Moritz, a winter playground for Europe’s jet set. Situated in the Engadine Valley of eastern Switzerland, the famous Alpine village boasts a rich sporting history and a beautiful lake that, when frozen, makes an ideal—if slippery—polo pitch.

The traditional rules of polo apply in snow, but there are differences. The pitch size is smaller in both width and length. Balls are colored red for visibility and are the larger variety used in arena polo. Matches are shortened from six chukkers, or periods, to four, each lasting for the standard seven minutes. Although teams are limited to twenty horses, or five per player (half the normal allotment), the games remain fast paced.

As snow polo grows in popularity, new tournaments spring up. The exclusive home of snow polo in the United States is the World Snow Polo Championships in Aspen, Colorado. Founded in 1997 and held in the heart of this popular ski town, the WSPC has grown to be the chief rival of the Jubilee, despite being contested on a smaller pitch (about the size of a rugby field) that limits teams to three players. Played every year just before Christmas, the Aspen tournament attracts high-caliber talent, such as Argentina’s superstar Nacho Figueras, as well as celebrity spectators in town for the holidays.

WHEN: December 18-21, 2008

EVENT CHARITY: Aspen Sister Cities

CONTACT: Barry Stout
970.566.0818
barry@worldsnowpolo.com

SUMMIT FOR LIFE

3rd annual SUMMIT FOR LIFE event takes place this weekend!

MISSION: To raise awareness about the importance of organ and tissue donation.

By participating in Summit for Life, you can help spread the message that becoming an organ donor is important and that transplant recipients and living donors can lead active, healthy lives.

FESTIVITIES:
Dec. 5-7th: J.Crew at-the-mountain shopping weekend to benefit CKF. Mention Summit for Life to receive 10% off all items in the store.

Dec. 5th: Get pumped up with a musical performance by world renowned DJ/Producer Andy Caldwell, hosted by Belly Up Aspen www.bellyupaspen.com

Dec. 6th: Summit for Life, a nighttime uphill race on Aspen Mountain with a party at the Sundeck. 5:15 pm Rec. Start or 6 pm Competitive Start.

REGISTER HERE:
http://www.summitforlife.org/

PRIZES:
1st PLACE: Wins 5 nights* of lodging at the luxurious boutique resort, Sivory Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, valued at over $3,500 (www.sivorypuntacana.com).

2nd PLACE: Wins a 2 night* stay at the Little Nell Hotel including dinner for two at Montagna and breakfast each morning compliments of The Little Nell Hotel.

3rd PLACE: Wins their choice of K2 Recon’s or K2 Lotta Luv’s skis with bindings, compliments of Four-Mountain Sports.
*Blackout dates may apply. Reservations based on availability.

2 WEEKS 2 2DAY

Aspen & Snowmass Opening Day November 27th 2008

HELPFUL HINTS:

FREE Bus Service: Snowmass skier shuttle runs every 10 - 15 min. from Rubey Park in Aspen. Shuttles run from SM to Aspen from 8:00am – 4:45pm. To access Two Creeks by bus from Aspen, riders must take the #3 Village Shuttle from the mall. RFTA will not be running a direct bus from Aspen to Two Creeks.

Day Pass: Allows all-day parking in residential areas for $7 – available at the airport parking kiosk, City Hall, Wheeler Opera House and City Market.


POWDER TOUR. Get to the powder tracks by cat, stashed on the backside of Aspen Mountain.
For reservations 970-920-0720

"GIVING" GIFTS

IGLOO SKI HAT
"Women for women international helps women in war-torn regions rebuild their lives by giving them financial and emotional support, job skills training, rights education, access to capital and assistance in small business development. this product has been carefully handcrafted by a woman in bosnia and herzegovina. your purchase is directly supporting a woman as she rebuilds her life, family, and community."

$115

Available at KATESPADE.com

ASPEN WINTERNATIONAL 2008

Celebrating 40 years of World Cup racing in Aspen, the Aspen Winternational is back this November!
(Sponsored by Audi FIS Alpine World Cup)

"The fastest women in the world will compete two days in the disciplines of Slalom and Giant Slalom.We hope you can all make it out to see some American favorites as Olympic Gold Medalist Julia Mancuso as well as others including Lindsay Vonn, Resi Steigler, Caroline Lalive, Kaylin Richardson and Stacey Cook"

SEE THE SIGHTS:

Friday, Nov 28th
10 a.m. - 4 p.m Sponsor Village in Gondola Plaza

Saturday, Nov 29th
10 a.m. & 1 p.m. Giant Slalom
10 a.m - 4 p.m. Sponsor Village in Gondola Plaza
3-4 p.m. U.S. Ski Team autograph signings
7 p.m. Bud Light Hi Fi concert series featuring Robert Randolph & The Family Band.
Base of Aspen Mountain - fireworks to follow the concert.

Sunday, Nov 30th
10 a.m. & 1 p.m Slalom
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Sponsor Village in Gondola Plaza

WINTER SEASONAL K-9 CRUISER

FLYING DOD RELEASES: "The psycho in the pack... K-9 Cruiser is a dark, sweet and malty winter warmer that will captivate any adventurous craft brew drinker. A true Flying Dog original, K-9 Cruiser is the perfect brew to warm you up in those cold winter month!"

Beer nerd stuff below:

ABV: 6.4
Plato: 16
IBU's: 30
Specialty Malts: 50/60L Crystal Malt, Chocolate Malt, Oats, Munich Malt
Hops: Millenium, U.S. Saaz
Process: Brewed strong to warm you up after a long day on the Colorado Slopes!

MOVIE NIGHT

WHAT: GONZO; The Life and Work of Hunter S. Thompson
WHEN: Tue, Nov 18th, Doors open @ 7:00 PM, Show starts @ 8:00PM
WHERE: Belly Up Aspen

*No Cover (All Ages)

This acclaimed film features clips of rare and never-before-seen Thompson home movies, audio and more “Thompson survives to some degree in the popular imagination because of his self-burnished reputation for wild excess. Thompson remains a durable icon of countercultural bad craziness. Gonzo denotes a drug-fueled, madcap libertarianism, a pursuit of freedom to the very edge of good sense and beyond. “Gonzo” is a fascinating history lesson and a bit of a cautionary tale — about the corrosive effects of rampant drug use, yes, but more about how fame can turn into the scourge of talent. ”
— A. O. Scott, The New York Times

FUN FACT: In 1970 Thompson ran for sheriff of Pitkin County, Colorado, as part of a group of citizens running for local offices on the "Freak Power" ticket. The platform included promoting the decriminalization of drugs (for personal use only, not trafficking, as he disapproved of profiteering), tearing up the streets and turning them into grassy pedestrian malls, banning any building so tall as to obscure the view of the mountains, and renaming Aspen "Fat City" to deter investors.

MEZZALUNA ME!

FOOD FETISH FEATURE:

BBQ chicken pizza with sharp cheddar cheese and apple cider slaw 16.50

Pair with a sweet whiskey on the rocks.

624 E Cooper Ave
Aspen, CO 81611-2012
Phone: (970) 925-5882
Daily 11:30am-10:30pm

Trivia: What does Mezzaluna mean?

Mezzaluna is Italian for half moon and is also a double handled mincing knife.

GIFT GUIDE

Make your morning commute a little less time consuming!
With Eddie Bauer's Down Ice Scraper Mitts, your mitts stay warm while shaving away the snow stuck to your shield!
And if it comes down anything like it did last year, you might want to invest in two!


2 for $20 goose down gloves @ EddieBauer.com

Another DEEPcember on the way?

So far so good with a 14 inch base... and counting after last's night storm. So... WELCOME WINTER!

Last year Aspen/Snowmass broke the all-time record for the most snowfall in the month of December with nearly 10 feet of snow (118 inches) defeating the 1983-1984 season record of 117 inches, nearly triple the monthly average!

So hopefully Mike Kaplan, President and CEO of Aspen Skiing Company will have something similar to say to what he said last season...

“This year, we have snow in high quantity and quality. The density of the snowpack is perfect and allowed us to open virtually all 5,000 acres in time for the holidays. These are by far the best conditions I have experienced in my 15 years in Aspen/Snowmass.”

Let the CountUP begin!

"OUTSIDE" TIME

Top 10 Ranked Ski Resorts in the US

1. Alta/Snowbird, Utah
2. Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia
3. Vail, Colorado
4. Jackson Hole, Wyoming
5. Snowbasin, Utah
6. Fernie Alpine Resort, British Columbia
7. Silverton Mountain, Colorado
8. Aspen Highlands and Snowmass, Colorado
9. Squaw Valley, California
10. Steamboat, Colorado

Terminate The Shakes + Get Your Daily Calcium Intake

For those who wake up late...




Step ONE: Locate Jimmy's Bar *helpful hint (205 S Mill Street)

Step TWO: Ask for Jeremy

Step THREE: Order a Redneck Mimosa (Bud Heavy + OJ)

Step FOUR: Consume

WELCOME WINTER with Warren Miller

Warren Miller's "Children of Winter"

10.24/25.08
@ The Wheeler Opera House
@ 6:30pm
Tix $17.50

Presented in high-def.
Narrated by skiing icon Jony Moseley.
Filmed in the back country of Japan, Austria & Iceland.

SNOW STILETTOS

This season think lumberjack laid back while you prepare to be preppy & practical with a little help from Michael Kors' Stream Flannel Rubber Booties. No more slippin' in flat boots, no more stickin' toes in the snow, and NO more wearing Uggs out (as in out at night, not taking the trash out).

Available at select Intermix locations.

* Catch What's Left of the Warmth *

John Brown's Body with Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad

10.1..08
@ Belly Up
Doors open @ 8
Show starts @ 10
Tix $16