Wiley Maple wins Nor Am Downhill in Aspen.

Aspen local, AVSC Alum and current member of the U.S. Ski Team won the Nor Am Downhill on Ajax for the second year in a row.  Wiley is well known in Aspen as the fastest skier on Aspen Mountain.  He proved it again topping the podium in his home town...just like last year.  

Wiley had a good year on the World Cup circuit.  You can help him compete.

Click: WILEY

Jews Gone Wild. Total Mishegas in Aspen.

Shira Gunsburg performed Bubby's Kitchen in Aspen.It was total mishegas in Aspen and a BIG night for the Aspen Jewish Congregation.  

Cantor Shira Ginsburg performed her one-woman show BUBBY's KITCHEN at the Aspen District Theatre.  

Bubby's Kitchen  (click 4 info) explores Ginsburg's relationship with her Bubby (grand-mother) who fought the Nazi's in WW II and survive the holocaust.  It's a happy story of love, terror, survival, family and food set to music and delivered straight from her Bubby's Kitchen.  

Members of the Aspen Jewish Congregation (AJC) sat mezmorized (no shpilkes) as Ms. Ginsburg spun the tale of her family during the time of the Nazi occupation and their eventual triumph. Bubby was the only member of her immediate family to survive the terror, and she fought for freedom as a 16 year old girl.  She eventually made it to America to become a family matriarch, a grand mother of 10 and an incredible cook. It was as if you could smell the matzo ball soup simmering on-stage as Ms. Ginsburg brought her Bubby to life.  Actually Bubby is still alive and cooking at 91 in Boca Raton, Florida,  the land of our people...and she loves the show.

Almost everyone in the jammed packed audience could relate to Bubby's stories of perseverance, dedication to life  and her deep love for her family.   True in many families...Bubby was always there with a sweet hug, a heavy dose of encouragement and a cinnamon rugelach to ease the pain.  Ms. Ginsburg, a trained actress and professional Cantor portrayed her Bubby, her Zayde (grampa), her parents her aunts and cousins (even the skinny one) on the stage.  It was a festival of family, food and music.

Click 4 pix:  JEWS GONE WILD in ASPEN

Jewsih Soul Food from Katz's Deli in NYC.While the show was fantastic, the after-party was unbelievable. It was a HUGE nosh.  Rabbi David Segal and AJC Executive Director Jason Schnissel brought in an amazing array of taste treats from KATZ's 2nd Avenue Deli in NYC.  It was the best meal of the year (in my opinion).  Corned Beef, pastrami, brisket, matzoh ball soup, 3 types of knishes and the best-ever kosher hot dogs.  All authentic and flown in from New York.  I've  never seen a more beautiful buffet line.  It was like manna from heaven.  With a line-up of Jewish soul food set out deliciously at the brand new Cooking School of Aspen, I started kvelling.  Some people thought I was meshuganah when I went back for third's and fourth's and then fifth's.   According to Ms. Ginsburg's Bubby...who faced true hunger in Eastern Europe...an empty plate was a sin.  The AJC and I made Bubby proud...everybody ate like chazers.  There was plenty to go around...not a kvetch was heard...the leftovers were bubkes.

It was a beautiful night of community for AJC...filled with history, mishpochah, friendship, laughter, a few tears and the best corned beef this side of 2nd Avenue.  I am looking forward to Pesach.

Mazel Tov AJC.

Click 4 Pix:  JEWS GONE WILD in Aspen.

The families of Aspen Jewish Congregation came out for Bubby's Kitchen.Alan Feldman's Mom and Dad and The Gordon's made the cover of AspenSpin.Get me a Larry David type.Shira Ginsburg, Cantor Rollin Segal and the gang. Michael Sailor (knees dont grow on trees) is always camera ready.

Bubby is Coming

Everybody has a Bubby (grandma).   Bubby's Kitchen is the story of one woman's struggle to live up to the expectations and the legacy created by her grandparents, who fought the Nazi's in Germany during WWII.

The ASPEN JEWISH CONGREGATION is bringing Bubby into Aspen. For one night only.  If you're Jewish...attendance is mandatory.  If you're not...attendence is highly suggested. It will be a night to remember, and wear a nice shirt.    

MARCH 16 at 6pm at the Aspen District Theatre. 

Click 4 Info and tix:  BUBBY'S KITCHEN   

You dont want to let your Bubby down.

Drunk Fest in Aspen: Apres Ski Cocktail Classic

The Ninja.Aspen was recently named the drunkest city in Colorado by a website called Roadsnacks.  Fat City lived up to that moniker this past weekend during the Apres Ski Cocktail Classic.

I really like the local people who produce the Apres Ski Cocktail Classic (ASCC).  They are hard working professional event producers.  I've witnessed the impressive growth of ASCC over the past 3 years. Click ASCC for all the info.   It's a fun event.  I do not mean to disprespect their efforts, but I was astonished by the level of inebreation at their event. It seemed unhealthy.

Click 4 Pix:   DRUNK FEST in ASPEN

I get it...people love to drink. They love to party.  Aspen is a party town.  In fact some would say AspenSpin has glorified that image. Well then...now I feel guilty. I don't drink anymore.  It's been about 15 months since any alcohol has passed my lips.  I never drank much to begin with...but now I've completely cut out booze. No beer, no wine, nothing.   

I've been in Aspen a while.  I've seen plenty of fresh-faced young adults, the freshman class,  come to Aspen and drink their heads off...and eventualy drink themselves right out of town.  Some people can't handle it. I know plenty of guys...my age... who drank themselves out of their career...or their marriage.  I know a few people in town who drink heavily almost every night.  Some are still ripping skiers...even after a massive bender...but they are rarely on the first gondola.  Their faces often as red as beets under their goggles.  I lived on the Aspen Mall for 5 years and saw the aftermath of many a "big night".  My beloved dog Carmelo used to sniff out piles of vomit in the snow almost every morning.  Broken bottles and glasses, cigarettes butts, gloves, pieces of clothing, underwear, i-phones, car keys...you name it we've found it on the Mall after a huge night.

Call me skeptical...but skiing while drunk is not a good situation.  From what I recall, alcohol consumption can have a negative effect on your balance, your reflexes and your reaction time.  All three are critical when skiing.   On Saturday...Hendrick's was passing out free gin drinks at the top of Aspen Mountain. Patron Tequila was passing out free shots at Buckhorn Cabin and the ubiqutious Oasis, a mobile on-mountain champagne bar was open for business (not free). Beer and wine and hard liquor are offered for purchase at the on-mountain restaurants.  

Yeah...it was fun. ASCC.It was a sunny bluebird Colorado day.  The Ajax Tavern at the base was going off. It was not part of the ASCC.   100's of white people with very little rhythm dancing in ski boots to black music that came out 20 years ago.  O.P.P.--- yeah you know me.  Spraying bottles of bubbly is now de rigueur in Aspen.  Everyone does it.  It used to be just for when you won the World Series. The ASCC set up tents on either side of Ajax Tavern with about 30 big-time liquor brands offering samples and some sweet swag.   If was a fun scene...no dobut.  Super-star bartenders (a.k.a. life-style ambassadors) from across the country were pouring craft cocktails.   Craft distilleries were sharing their award winning products via unlimited tastings. I got word that in the private tasting room at the Little Nell, a $5000 bottle of scotch was downed by the always thirsty VIP guests.

Yeah...it was fun. Everybody had fun. There were a lot of extremely drunk people cruising Aspen this weekend.  Both on-mountain and off.  They were not just buzzed, bro... these folks were wasted.  Over served?  Maybe so. I can only hope and pray that none of them were driving.  Sunday brought out the official ASCC pub crawl.  From 2pm to 6pm, 14 stops in the Aspen core.  Scotch, Bourbon, Rye, Vodka, Gin, Tequilla, Brandy...all your best friends were invited.  After 3 days of boozing...several pub crawlers were literally drooling and stumbling their way through the streets of Aspen to the next cocktail venue.

My conclusion:  Everyone loves to have fun.  ASCC is fun.  It's good for some of the local businesses. The big liquor brands need to spend their marketing dollars some where, it might as well be in Aspen.  But there is nothing glorious about over-drinking.  The "cocktail life-style" is not that cool, despite it's glorification by Ski Co. and The Aspen Times. Next year I'll be ready with a man-bun and a waxed mustache.  How do the ASCC guests feel after 3 days of heavy imbibing?  Not good...I assume.  Do they make it to work on Monday?  Aspen Mountain was like a ghost town on Monday morning despite 5 inches of fresh Pow Pow. Personally I do not enjoy watching people drink so much that they can't function. Especially in a town known to have a wee bit of a substance abuse problem.   One local...wet his khakis, right in front of me... because he was too drunk to get to the men's bathroom.  His face revealed a devilish grin as he tied his hoodie around his waste to hide the wet spot and he laughed as he sloshed off for another hand-crafted cocktail.  

So what's my point?  Don't ski drunk. Another suggestion, don't day drink and night drink three days in a row.   Also, if your partying takes you to a level where you cannot control your body and it's functions...take a break.  Have a water.

Hey...it's Aspen.  People are going to party...and in many cases over-party. We're used to it.  

Click 4 Pix:   DRUNK FEST in ASPEN

Free gin drinks at the top of Aspen Mountain.Drink gangstas.Stoli Super HerosA good time for all at ASCC.

Almost Famous (almost) in Aspen with THE REVIVALISTS.

The Revivalists in AspenEverybody wants to be a rockstar...right? Last night in Aspen, I almost got my chance. Almost.

The Revivalists, a very popular roots-based rock band from New Orleans were in Aspen for a sold out show at the Belly Up.   The buzz on the gondola was that The Revivalists is a "do not miss" show. I've conquered FOMO, but I still like to rock....so I set out to find a ticket, but there were no extras floating around.  The show was SOLD OUT.

The Revivalists are hot. Click their site. 

Click 4 Pix:  ALMOST FAMOUS in ASPEN

As it turns out my new Aspen friend, the super-hot Elexa Ruth had a connection to the band.  She invited me to a private meet and greet before the show with The Revivalists to benefit The Roots of Music, a non-profit in New Orleans. The Roots of Music in an organization that offers music education to students in the Crescent City and fills a void in music education for 100's of aspiring young musicians every year. As I learned, Elexa and The Revivalists are big, big supporters of The Roots Of Music. (Click to learn more).  The small group raised more than $10,000 last night.

Meet and greets are my specialty.  I made the scene, met the band, had some cheese and crackers, took a few pix. Then I set out in earnest to score a ticket to the sold out show. No luck.  When lead guitarist Zack Feinberg learned that I was a "big-time" blogger...he offered to put me on The Revivalist's guest list.  "Really??" I exclaimed.  Zack said "no problem" and introduced me to the band's tour manager and told him to "put this guy on the list".  The manager explained that they were already 13 people over their guest list capacity and "there's nothing I can do".   I was bummed.   Zack said "don't worry...I'll walk you in". Wow !!  Not only was Zack rumored to be a great guitarist, he is a very nice guy...and he was going out of his way to accommodate me.  I immediately liked him..a lot.

As the meet and greet wound down, Zack signaled me to follow him and we walked over to The Belly Up together. Keep in mind,  I've been to over 100 shows at Belly Up...so I knew that they can be kind of uptight in many ways. Belly Up makes the rules...and the everybody is required to follow them...or else.  Running a small venue like Belly Up is very difficult and I respect the fact that they run a tight ship.  While I've never really had any problems at Belly Up in the past...I've never felt completely welcomed there either.  Some local businesses embrace AspenSpin, Belly Up has never really been one of them.  Over the years,  I've manged to get on the artist's guest list a few times, I even had all access passes a couple times, and even medicated in the green room on one occasion.  But I know Belly Up is very tough...so I figured "walking in" with Zack (no ticket, no sticker, no wrist band) was a tenuous situation at best.

As we approached the door Zack said "act like you've been there before". I nodded. Zack did not realize, I have been there before.  It was go time.  Zack flashed his all access laminate and said "he's with me". I smiled and purpose-walked past the entry and security.  Poof...just like that...I was in the door. I was "with the band".  As we strolled through venue towards the stage, Zack and I shared a self congratulatory hand slap and he said "see, you're with the band."  For about 30 seconds I had my "almost famous" moment. There was a brief sense of relief.  I was in...niiiiice. That was until a giant bouncer with a walkie-talkie ear piece tapped me on the shoulder and said "you can't just walk in like that".  I looked at him in silence.  Zach attempted to defend me by pleading "he's with the band, he's press".  The security guy asked "is his name was on the list?"  I remained silent.  Zach looked at him and bro-ed him out and said " c'mon?, he's with me".  The Belly Up guy said firmly..."if he's not on the list, he's out" and he officiously walked me toward the door.  Zack shrugged his shoulders and said, "sorry, dude...I tried".

Meet and Greet for The Roots of Music in New Orleans.I was was out on the street with no ticket. Luckily with a little hustle and a few extra bucks I managed to scalp a ticket out front.   Boom!!!  Yah, dude...I'm legit...a full-on ticket holder.  

As is my custom...I set up shop in the front row in order to snap a few  sick pix.  Zack was tuning up on-stage, he seemed glad to see me and gave me a high five.   The show started and I began doing my thing...making magic happen with my lens.  I've shot pix at every single show I've ever attended at Belly Up...over 100.  All of a sudden a different giant Belly Up guy tapped me on the shoulder and ordered "no cameras".  I replied "I'm not using a flash".  He stated firmly...."no cameras...only phones".    I have a very powerful camera...but its not a phone.  Its small, smaller than a phone.  We walked off to the side and I politely shared that I had been shooting pix in Belly Up for 10 years with a camera, without inccident and I never had an issue before.  "Is it a new policy?" I asked.  He called his manager over...who happened to be the same guy who had kicked me out before.  I explained to him who I was and shared with him the viral power that is AspenSpin. He was very polite and said I needed clearance before I could shoot. At this point I was grasping for straws. I shouted "Goldberg knows me!!!".  He said "I'll check". I'm not sure how, but  within a couple minutes...I was good to go. "Go ahead, take some pictures" laughed  my new bouncer friend and we shared a fist bump.

The show was awesome.  The band was tight.  Zach is a virtuoso guitar player.  Lead singer David Shaw led the crowd into a frenzy with his soulful voice. The horns, the keys, the steel guitar all join together in a beautful, Revivalist-style symphony.  The Revivalists are hot.   The southern-style rock and funk fusion was a total jam.   It's always great to go into a show with zero knowledge of a band's work...and leave that show as a true fan.  I highly reccomend seeing The Revivalists if they come to your town.  You can also listen to their new album Men Amongst Moutains on spotify or pandora or I-tunes...but take if from me seeing them live is truly the way to go.  I reccomend the front row.  Turn dat sh*t up to 11.

It was a good night, a tremendous rock show from The Revivalists.  Thanks to The Roots of Music, Elexa, Zack and even to the guys at Belly Up...who only kicked me out once.  

It was my almost famous moment...almost.  

Click 4 Pix:  ALMOST FAMOUS in ASPEN

David Shaw , lead singer of The Revivalists with Anne and Elexa.

Zack Feinberg lead guitarist for The Revivalists.Full-on Jam sesh in Aspen with Revivalists.