Our Miss Brooke

Happy Birthday to Brooke Lauren who turned 25 in Aspen last night.  The future VH1 reality TV star and first ever Miss Aspen Spin marked her first quarter century with an intimate soiree at Aspen Meadows.  Brooke was honored by a glittering crowd of her smoking hot friends.

Brooke is one of the sexy stars of a "docu-soap" reality TV show currently being filmed in Aspen by VH1 and High Noon Productions .  The untitled Aspen project is slated to air in January and has been likened to MTV's, The Hills ----- @ 8,000 ft.

Brookie Baybee & all her girlz were dressed to kill and fully mic'd for the fest.  AspenSpin donned a suit for the first time in 5 years (is that reality?) to cover the event.   The "on-camera" birthday bash included several "fly-in dates" and many TV stars from other shows.  A tradition with Brooke---a giant cake-fight -- highlighted the evening---hi-jinx ensued.  Obviously we've got a big back log of reality pix.  Look for more pix and commentary closer to air date in January.

Brooke Lauren turns 25 in Aspen on VH1.

LIMELIGHT LODGE: Aspen

Lock in your POW Days @ The Limelight Lodge. Aspen, ColoradoLimelight Lodge in Aspen is our home away from home.  A family tradition since 1958, Limelight Lodge was completely rebuilt and had a grand re-openning in 2008.  Limelight is located in the center of A-Town, and it's the "go-to" choice for lodging in Aspen. Click: FAMILY to get the story.

A Family Tradition since 1958. Paas/ Woolery Family. The LimeLight Lodge This is not just another "advertorial".  The whole editorial staff of AspenSpin (with dog) has lived  at the Limelight for weeks at a time ( & the entire summer of 2003).  The Paas/Woolery Families, hotel management (especially Eva, Brad and Forrest) and the entire staff made us feel right at home. The Limelight has it all... location, location, location, a phenomenal pool, the most vibrant lobby in Aspen, beautiful meeting space and large luxurious rooms with all the amenities.  Limelight is family friendly, pet friendly, people friendly and just plain friendly. Stop in click or call 800-433-0832.

We had a chance to interact with many guests during a recent multi-week stay and the positivity about Limelight was unanimous.  "This place kills it" said one tall and sweaty vollyballer interviewed while floating in the jacuzzi (open year round)  "Limelight exceeded my expectations in every way" said one Wall Street playa and his society-page wife whispered, "we used to stay at The Little Nell, but we like The Limelight better".   "I love the breakfast & the pool, and we're coming back to ski yaaaay" shouted a happy 12 year old rowdy in the game room.  An attendee of the recent  Mountain Summit Festival admitted "we were thrilled to find a place this nice at such a reasonable rate in Aspen.  We are definately coming back".Management @ The Limelight Lodge. Aspen, Colorado.

So our highest recommendation and a huge THANKS go out to The Limelight Lodge, we're giving you 5 Stars (out of 5).  The hospitality was awesome.  Its good to be back in our real home, but we're gonna miss being like "Eloise in the Elk Mountains" and staying at the best hotel in Aspen, The Limelight Lodge.

Lock in your POW Days now, click LIMELIGHT LODGE

Labor Day Aspen

                                        Get ready to rumble. Aspen is fittin' to blow.

MotherLode Volleyball Tournament in Aspen. Photo: R. FullertonMotherLode VolleyBall Tournament. Jazz Aspen / Snowmass Labor Day Festival

Jazz Aspen/Snowmass.

Its gonna b EPIC.

Activism and Altitude Junkies in Aspen

Mountain Summit Aspen.Click 4 PixActivists, Artists and Altitude Junkies gathered in Aspen for the inaugural MOUNTAIN SUMMIT Film festival and Symposium.  MOUNTAIN SUMMITwas a joint venture between Mountainfilm (Telluride), The Wheeler Opera House (Aspen) and Eddie Bauer's  First Ascent.  Everyone in attendance was riveted, entertained, excited and awed by an incredible slate of films, presentations and seminars. Mountainfilm, which has been "celebrating indomitable spirit" in Telluride since 1979 brought their "uniquely fresh & funky" show to Aspen.  Aspen's historic Wheeler Opera House provided an intimate setting for a "FANTASTIC" weekend.  Host Hotel, Limelight Lodge was abuzz all weekend with a powerful message of fixing the planet, changing the world and finding your voice. The conversation has started as attendees rapped about ecology, the economy, altitude, attitude, activisim, conservation, hope, volunteerism, friendship, education, the surf, art, science sport etc. ect.  All that and a food symposium and gallery tour too.   One love--Mountain Summit.

See our pix. Click:  Activism and Altitude.Mountain Summit Aspen Click 4 Pix

Highlights from Mountain Summit were numerous.  Legendary American Alpinists Jim Whittaker and Ed Viesturs were on hand to share tales from their adventures.  Whittaker was the first American to summit Mt. Everest. He also led the famous Peace Climb in 1990. He talked about his career on top of the world, "29028 ft above the sea".  Viesturswho has summited all the 8,000 meter peaks on earth (without O2) reminded us that "summiting is optional, getting down safely is mandatory".  Environmentalist Tim DeChristophersingle handily took on the Bush Administration and the BLM to save thousands of acres of pristine land in Utah.  He risked his liberty to do so and brought the SRO crowd to tears, literally.  Conceptual artist Chris Jordan displayed his passion for saving the earth and shocked the Wheeler audience with a primal scream.  His point was well taken.

Mountain Summit 09 Aspen Click for pixMountain Summit films included: THE COVE an ultra-powerful look at dolphin slaughter in Japan.  ROCK PROPHECIES, a documentary about famed Rock & Roll photographer Robert M. Knight.  BIG RIVER MAN the story of the guy who swam the entire Amazon River ( 3375 miles). CARTS of DARKNESS, an inside look at the extreme street people who race shopping carts down the steep concrete hills of Vancouver at speeds over 40 mph --- giving gnarly, a new definition.  Two super-siiiiiiiiiick ski films from Japan's Masaki Sekiguchi.  THE FARM: 10 DOWN the story of Louisiana's infamous Angola Prison. THE YES MEN FIX THE WORLD and crowd favorite SURFING 50 STATES a travel-log in which 2 Aussie mates surf in each of the 50 United States.

AspenSpin wants to personally thank our new friends from MountainFilm and Eddie Bauer and our old friends from The Wheeler (City of Aspen) and LimeLight Lodge for creating such an important, meaningful and AWESOME festival.  Save us an aisle seat for next year, and we'll see ya'll in T-Ride for Mountainfilm, May 28-31, 2010.

ACRA in ACTION

Mike Kaplan, Michael Fox, Shlomo and Mayor Mick Ireland @ ACRA's Summer Lunch. Click for more pix.The Aspen Chamber Resort Association (ACRA) hosted their annual Summer Luncheon atop Aspen Mountain.  A who's who of Aspen's business leaders commuted 3,267 vertical feet on the Silver Queen Gondola to the summit of Ajax.  The Sundeck was filled with movers and shakers for a glorious Summer session in the best office in the world. 

See the pix, Click: ACRA in ACTION.

ACRA President, Debbie Braun, Board Chair Warren Klug and a full slate of Aspen Ski Co. representatives presented a quick preview for SKI SEASON 2009/10.  David Perry and Mike Kaplan both addressed "pass-gate" and provided insite on their re-vamped pricing schedule. A Recent controversy erupted in Aspen about Ski Co.'s decision to eliminate certain pass categories. Some locals are up in arms, while others are thrilled.   Despite last years economic tsunami,  ACRA, Ski Co. and the ACRA members seemed cautiously upbeat about the upcoming ski season.  Click to see the ACRA in ACTION pix.

The benefits of ACRA membership are numerous.  Paramount to many is the discounted ski passes that ACRA members and their employees have access to.  At A-Spin we love the networking and our ACRA membership helps us stay on the pulse of everything A-Town.  Click ACRA to review the benefits, join and take advantage of the "super-early" pricing on premier passes until Sept. 18.