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.