Food & Wine Bacchanalia in Aspen.

Whaaaaat? 

It was a bacchanalian weekend in Aspen for the 2013 Food & Wine Classic. Google it here for the definition.

  Hedonists from all over the world visited Aspen to eat, drink, network, attend seminars, party and in many cases over-indulge with food & drink.  The entire weekend was over the top, a decadent display of sumptuous epicurean delights.  Connoisseurs, gourmets and bon vivants from all over the planet came to Aspen to get after it in the gastro-dome.

AspenSpin enjoyed our very first Food & Wine experience as we successfully crashed the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen.   In it's 31st year, F & W Classic in Aspen is an extremely impressive, World class event.  F & W is a well oiled machine, the production and set up are simply incredible.  It's BIG business, BIG money and BIG fun.  I'll admit it...  The Aspen Food & Wine Classic is phenomenal...there I said it.  Kudo's to American Express, Food & Wine Magazine, Devin Padgett and all the chefs, workers, staff and volunteers. 

Starpants servin' it up at F & W Classic in Aspen.Yeah, I've taken a few pot shots at F & W in the past. I admit it... I have a NIMBY-esque & myopic viewpoint.  Mainly because I love Wagner Park (my neighborhood) and hate to see it worked so hard as an event space.  I'm under the impression that with all that cash and brain power that maybe they could set up on the cement...and it'd be a win /win.  Now that I've actually attended F & W I have a little more perspective and about 15 extra lbs to drop.

It's impossible to do it all during Food & Wine weekend...but AspenSpin tried our best.  Without a press pass, but with a little help from our friends...we kicked off the Summer with another HUGE weekend of decadence in Aspen.

Click 4 PHOTOS:

Food & Wine GRAND TASTING (The Bacchanal)

Food & Wine SEMINARS

WOODY CREEK DISTILLERS

MAGNUM P.I./ SKIPSTONE SUITE / MOUNTAIN SPICE

CHOPIN & TY KU

Day drinking with NEGRONI

PATRON MOJITO LAB

ASPEN PEAK Rooftop

GRAND COCHAN / JET SET

SKY / KIMPTON / William Grant & Sons

F & W is a marvelous event.  Even if you're not a foodie or a wine expert...its a lavish spectacle of over-indulgence and depravity.  In fact the people watching on the mall is a circus unto itself.  The level of extravagance and gluttony and public intoxication is beyond my wildest dreams. I had a mental picture...but that was like a 13" RCA...the real thing is a 3D Imax.   There are mountains of fine food prepared by celebrity chefs at venues all over Aspen. The side-parties are off the hook...and the free alchohol flows so abundently that its easier to find booze than a glass of water.  The Grand Tasting in the main tent (Wagner Park) is an unbeleivable procession of taste treats.  The lamb-chop lolli pops from New Zealand, the Alaskan sea food and the tequila popsicles were my favorites.

Intoxication at F & W Classic in Aspen.It's pretty well known that I don't drink much...even when its a hosted bar. So I can say with almost complete soberiety that the level of alcohol consumption that I witnessed this weekend is... off the MF-ing charts.  It seems like the food part of Food & Wine is an important albeit secondary component.  The Chefs, the restaurant & liquor people are a hard partying bunch and Aspen... where everything is completely walkable...is where they choose to let it loose.

After the final bacchanalian Grand Tasting the scene moved to The Grand Cochon.  Grand Cochon is a 10 chef, 10 city competition & tour celebrating Pork.   The giant PIG Out finally threw me into a food coma...or it might have been the tequila milkshake I pounded at the Sky Hotel's gigantic pool party to close out the classic.  Either way...A.Party was spent.

It was a non-stop party for 4 days.

Courtesy Photo: American Express Publishing.Welcome to Food & Wine Classic in Aspen.A.Spin's first ever F & W Seminar....call security.The off-site parties never stop during F & W Classic in Aspen.Patron created the Mojito Lab in Aspen.Thank you sir...I'll have another.

 Chef Andrew Zimmern and actress Allison Janney took home the honors at the Grand Finale Cook-Off at the the Kitchen / stadium at the St Regis.

Aspen: Friday Night Sights

Aspen Crossfit gets down.Wher'e the mirror? Click 4 pixIt was just another typical Friday night in Aspen. That day I ripped 18  top to bottoms ( not really)   Spar, Copper, Spar, Copper, Spar Copper, you get the picture. After a quick, rejuvinating trip to the Aspen Club for the 4 S's... Schvitz, shave, shower and (expletive deleted) Andy Party...was RTP...ready to party.

Click 4 Pix:  FRIDAY NIGHT SIGHTS

Only problem was... the town seemed dead.  I was cruising around the Aspen Core looking for action.  It was quiet.  That's the thing about Aspen you never know what's going on behind closed doors.  I was bummed, I wanted to get busy.  I zipped by the Bermuda Triangle (Jimmy's, Campo, Cache Cache)...just a bunch of old guys ( waaaaaaaay older than me) hitting on soft hookers, who were memorizing tail numbers.  I stopped into Justice Snow's ...but the bartender was so busy crafting cocktails...that he didn't have time to serve me.  Maybe a show at The Wheeler...a physics lecture perhaps?  Nothing doing tonight.  Escobar?  Caribou?  The Vampire places...they don't get going until like three or 4 in the morning...I mean after midnight. It was already 8 o'clock anyway, almost time for bed.  Ahhhh, f#ck it...maybe there was some good porn on spanktravision. 

I was heading for home when I heard a distinctive sound. What was it?  I could barely make it out,...could it be?   As I got closer, it sounded like the distinctive party stylings of Psy. Yes!!  It was Gangham Style.  But, where was it coming from?  I engaged my spin senses.  The Sky Hotel.   I jogged over.   Turns out, I had stumbled on to the fittest, stongest, 6 packiest party in Aspen.  ASPEN CROSSFIT was throwing their holiday party.  I paused and thought to myself, are fat people allowed?   Turns out the the more the merrier. Erik the owner welcomed me.  So I proceeded to get  my party on with some of the leanest, fittest, healthiest, most burpee competent people in Aspen.  It was an awesome gig and I raged.  But realistically, I wasn't going to get any of these super-ripped chicks, especially with all those Chippendale lookin' dudes hanging around. So I took off.

Aspen Weather. Plan your POW Day.Those that really know A. Party in real life realize that I don't drink much.  I'm not a puritan, or a recovering alcoholic or anything.  I just don't dig on booze.  One other thing...I really don't like to party in basements...so the club scene is not my favorite milieu. But rules are made to be broken.  I was walking past The REGAL and I noticed one of those uber-distinctive Aspen Peak cardboard signs.  Always a sure signal of a hosted bar party.  I asked Gerald the Doorman what was going on.  He replied "ASPEN WEATHER is throwing down".  What???   I've been spreading the message of Aspen Weather's prognosticating prowess... even before they had their own site.  Plan your POW Day..bro!!   Ryan and Corey are my boiiiiieees.   Before I even had a chance to toss out my over-used "do you know who I am?" rap....Gerald said...Andy Party...AspenSpin...you're on the list.    Yeeeeaaaaaaah Boiiie.    I was in!!!   Shots!!!

Drinks, Chicks, Music, Lights.... oh sh*t...here we go again.   I made it past midnight.

Click 4 pix:   FRIDAY NIGHT SIGHTS

Erik Jon Larson of Aspen Crossfoot scaring his own children. Click 4 pix.Standard Deal... Rachel, Clay, Katie...if u guys get a reality show...Aspenspin gets 10%. click 4 pix.Snow Rippers planning their POW day at the Aspen Weather / Aspen Peak Party. Click 4 pix.

Aspen Weather and Aspen Peak joining forces. Pray 4 POW. Click for pix.        http://www.blogdash.com/full_profile/?claim_code=8a7d02106cd9a268937cb422a6dc0113