Michael Jackson R.I.P.

The Jackson 5 featuring Michael Jackson perform I Want You Back,Soul Train,1972

Boo-Tay by da Bay

Jamie Kennedy & Jennifer Love Hewitt coupled up backstage in SF. Click 2 enlarge.Jamie Kennedy is a very funny a guy.  He proved it again, Saturday night during his SRO  comedy show @ Cobb's in San Francisco. 

We first met JK at the last ever HBO Comedy Fest. in Aspen.  He was stumping his movie "the Heckler", ripping a few lines (snow boarding on Ajax) and acting all afro & sh*t. He was hot off his incendiary work as B-Rad in "Malibu's Most Wanted". Jamie's Hollywood star-power attracted plenty of attention from the lurking danger kitty's in Aspen's late night venues, but his "game" didn't appear to be all-star caliber. 

2 years later Kennedy is packing houses with his stand-up act and starring in Ghost Whisperer on TV.  Best of all he's dating Jennifer Love Hewitt.  They came out as a couple a few months back. WOW---we did not see that coming.  JK and JLH are all over the tabloids.  Love was certainly in the air in romantic San Francisco.  Jamie's excellent 1 hour routine still goes "blue" and he drops plenty of F-bombs and he still slips into his "black-cent", but when the spotlight dimmed, he got to take Jennifer Love Hewitt home. "M'lady".  Who's laughing now?  Great show!!  Aspen Spin was behind the velvet rope.

Bimbo's 365 Club, SF. Since 1931Same night, 100 yards down Columbus Ave. in North Beach @ the historic  Bimbo's 365 Club, a pair of out of control party bands were just getting warmed up.  NEVERLAND, a 15 piece Michael Jackson tribute band played their first gig ever. They sported 3 vocalists and a full horn section.  Neverland ripped through all the MJ hits, maybe better than the original.  Honestly,----we were blown away, and they were just the warm-up act.  The headliner, SUPERBOOTY was beyond description.  2 sets, 18 members, 5 hottie dancers and a 70's play list that never stopped.  $3 beers and a capacity crowd made Bimbo's  365 in North Beach the place to be. 

In Aspen, we get some great musicians, so nobody's complaining---but ....if you wanna party?...... really, really party?  You need to book Neverland and/or SuperBooty.  AspenSpin guarantees it.

Neverland, @ Bimbo's 365 San Francisco. click to enlarge. SuperBooty @ Bimbo's 365 San Francisco. Click to enlarge

Food & Wine Classic in Aspen

It was a HUGE weekend in Aspen, as 3 major events "went off" simultaneously in ZG.  The Food & Wine Classic, Ride the Rockies and Jazz Aspen /Snowmass brought hordes of pleasure seekers to a little place called Aspen.  All Star lineup @ Food & Wine classic in Aspen. Photo: Molly Gibson Lodge.

Going Big @ Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. Restaurateur Joe Bastianich, TV Host Harmonie Krieger, celeb Chef Mario Batali and Hotelier Michael Brown. Photo: Molly Gibson Lodge

Ride the Rockies in Aspen, Colorado. 380 miles, can u hang? Photo: Robert Fullerton.The Spin-Master is still in Ski-hab, ie: we missed the biggest weekend of the summer.  We did get a little help from our friends; Molly Gibson Lodge, Jeremy Swanson, Robert Fullerton and Harald Neuweg of The WeinerStube who provided us with some images to share.

Food & Wine hosted their 27th Annual fest. Thousands of wine aficionados and foodies joined with celebrity chefs, vintners, industry folk and other hedonists to celebrate the gastric arts & battle the altitude . The Ride for the Rockies is a polar opposite. The 24th annual Denver Post RTR is a 380 mile bike ride through beautiful Rocky Mountains.  About 2000 riders rolled in and around Aspen. In the evenings Jazz Aspen /Snowmass kicked off their Summer season with performances from Chris Botti and Smokey Robinson among others.  We'll admit it in writing, AspenSpin is homesick.

Chef Jose Andres carves lamb @ the Wines of Spain event. photo: Jeremy Swanson

Chris Botti @ Jazz Aspen/Snowmass. Photo Robert Fullerton

Scotch Plaid at the Macallan Event. Photo: Robert FullertonBobby Flay met up with Harald Neuweg of The Wienerstube. Photo: Harald Neuweg

Batali & Nancy Silverton from Osteria Mozza in LA. Photo: Molly Gibson Lodge

Giada De Laurentiis and Mario Batali talking shop at the Food and Wine Classic in Aspen. Photo: Jeremy Swanson.

but dad...it's Smokey. Photo courtesy Smokey Robinson. Star Power. One of these guys was very funny in "Knocked Up" and " I Love You, man". Name the star?? Win a weekend @ Molly Gibson (restrictions apply). Photo: Molly Gibson Lodge. 

Tony Hawk skates the White House

Skater Tony Hawk made the most of his visit to the White House for President Obama's celebration of Father's Day. Thanks to Tony Hawk for sharing.

Hippie Hill

Haight Street Fair / VIPSummer is always chill in SF, not just the weather.  AspenSpin took a field trip to Golden Gate Park, Hippie Hill and the 32nd Annual Haight Street Fair. 

More people live in Golden Gate Park than live in the entire town of El Jebel.  Some call 'em street people or vagrants, but we prefer the term hippies.  There are no age limits either,  older hippies, younger hippies & even a few middle aged hippies crash in the park, full time.  A lot of these folks are mentally challenged, some are addicts, they have little or no money.  Others are just living on the DL and digging the "bohemian" lifestyle.   Some of the more "developed spots" in the dense woods are actually quite plush.

PatchMan. Haight / AshburyHippie Hill is a famous landmark in Golden Gate Park. Musical performers both legendary & not so legendary have played this sloping natural performance space since before the Summer of Love.  George Harrison, Janis Joplin, Jerry & The Grateful Dead and others.  The Drum Circle at hippie hill has been a meeting place for decades. 

On Sunday's its a great place to bake off a hangover (if its warm & sunny--rare).  We always sit a safe distance from the percussion sesh.---for da head.

There are hippies of all types.  Whites, Blacks, Asians, Latins, Euros, wealthy, destitute, even canine.   Its a chill scene.  Low keyed vendors wander the crowd selling beer, smoke, and cannabis edibles.  One pretty young, well dressed hippie girl, (me thinks, a trustafarian or maybe a hipputante) told us that her dad suggested that she come up from L.A. to "get her head right".  She now sells homemade cannabis muffins to the crowd, "its a paradise", she grinned "I've been here for 3 years".   One home-less beer vendor named "Step" sold P.B.R.'s from a Safeway cart, also filled with his belongings.  "P.B.R.- $2 a can" he shouted then paused, and growled "$1.50 if your a hippie".  "Are they cold?" he was asked.  He just glared at the guy and kept stepping.   Another "sales rep for da bud" approached & tried to generate demand.  He assured everyone in the crowd, shouting "it's cool, all the cops know me".                                                                Generation Now.

Baked Goods. Step. $2 PBR