Private Plane Crashes at Aspen Airport

A Canadair Challenger twin engine business jet crashed upon landing at Aspen Airport.  The plane was on it's third approach.  3 people were on board.  1 fatality has been confirmed.  Conditions in Aspen today; Cold & Windy.

The initial Official Report can be seen here.

http://flightaware.com/news/article/Aircraft-Accident-at-Aspen-KASE--N115WF-Canadair-Challenger/190

See Aspen Public Radio's coverage here.

 http://aspenpublicradio.org/post/breaking-plane-crash-aspen-airport

Photo: Courtesy of Randy PlaceresPhoto via twitter @starshipfriends Gretchen Hawkesby

 

Some Type of Way. MSU 24 Stanford 20. A Spartan Victory in the 100th Rose Bowl.

An empty Penthouse, the Kardashians and a jacuzzi

Some of this might have actually happened.

My phone has been buzzing off the hook.  Paris is at the Nell.  Antonio and Melanie are in town. Kurt & Goldie are wearing new furs.  Mariah is keeping it hot in her red bikini while her dog drinks from the pool.  Elle Macpherson looks pretty good with no make-up. I don't make this sh*t up...I just document it.

After 8 years of skiing every day and partying every night I'm tired.  So I figured I would make up a good story which actually could be true.

My friend owns a big-daddy penthouse on the Hyman Street Mall. The luxury apartment sits empty 335 days a year. The other 30 days...it's da shizzle.  Mariah rented it one year for $25,000 per night...but the elevator was too slow...so she found a new pad.  Last year some Russians stayed there for 10 days and trashed the place.  This year the penthouse was still "unspoken for" for New Years.  My friend was getting nervous and I am a licensed real estate broker...so I started making a few calls.  "It's only $25K a night" I would start off my pitch... trying to make it sound cheap. "The place is siiiiick, best view in town...right near all the clubs".  A friend from L.A. said..." Is it close to Bootsy Bellows? I know a guy who might want it...text you later".

4 days later I got a call from a blocked number.  The caller identified himself simply as "Bobo, I'm interested in the penthouse".   He started grilling me about "security issues" in the building.   "Privacy is of the utmost importance here" he said.  Bobo proceeded to tell me that he represented a "very A-list celebrity family" and that I would be required  to sign an air tight NDA.  "O.K. Bobo you're not scaring me...but the price for 6 nights is $250,000 payable in advance and it's non-refundable".  Bobo indicated that the price was acceptable and e-mailed me the NDA.  I did a few numbers in my head ...let's see...250,000 x 10% = $25,000... my commish.   I signed and faxed the NDA back within minutes along with the standard rental contract for "the penthouse"  that ties the tenant up every which way but loose and includes a security bond of $100,000.   Bada bing..bada bang...we had a deal.

Bobo never identified his client...but the $250,000 wire hit Alpine Bank before noon the next day.  The leasee was an entity controlled by the #1 reality T.V. family in Calabasses, Ca.

After seeing the Wolf of Wall Street, I was laying on the couch last night fantasising about my $25k commish.  Just like the old days...I was patting myself on the back.  Of course I deserved the $25K... after all, I did make a few calls. The tenants were due to check in today.   Just then Bobo called from L.A. and he sounded upset.  Apparently his clients were under the impression that their luxury rental had "everything".  "Where's the indoor pool ?" he shouted at me.  I hesitated before I spoke..."there's no pool Bobo...but there is a jacuzzi on the roof with complete privacy and a fantastic view".  That calmed him down immediately.  "A jacuzzi on the roof" he repeated very slowly."I think I can work with that" he said trying to convince himself.   "It has a sick view?"  he asked.  "Yup...best in Aspen" I said with confidence. "O.K. let's go with it" he said. Let's go with it?  The wire had already cleared.  I thanked him and told him how disappointed I was when I learned  that Lamar and Khloe has split up and were not coming to Aspen with the rest of the gang.  Bobo had already hung up.

TIA.  This is Aspen.

Happy Holidays from AspenSpin.

First tracks on Perry's Prowl.A.Party schralping. Photo by Jeremy SwansonCarmelo getting some in Wagner Park.

Hibernation in the Aspen Core

The bears have already gone to sleep for the Winter.  The social vampires are just starting to arrive.  25 ski days into the ski season and I already need a rest.   The storm known as Christmas in Aspen is on the horizon.  The billionaires are about to descend upon our little town in their fleet of private jets bringing big city problems and their entourages and hanger's on with them.   It's cougar season in Aspen.

It's a fact of life in Fat City. 

"No Construction".rules in effect.The S & P is at all time highs.  Bonuses on Wall St. are looking fat and phat.  Real Estate is back.  Business is good. Let's splurge this year...we deserve it.

Aspen has many faces.  The Christmas holidays is one of them.  Aspen is wearing it's best party dress, but it doesn't always look good at the end of the night. The town is fully merchandised.  The pop-up shops are finally ready to go.  The "no construction" rule is in effect.  I met a guy in a plush fur coat and asked him " you here for the holidays?"  he replied, "hell no, ho, you know i'm here fo snow polo".

For most locals, it's time to make bank.

In prep for the next two weeks I needed to touch base with reality, to see how the real people live.

This morning  my body ached and my head ached. When I get like that...in a funk...I know what to do. I need to balance my chi.   I need to vape.  That's right, I drove 40 miles straight down to Glenwood Springs and the real world.   I passed Wal-Mart, McDonalds and Taco Bell.   I didn't stop until I got to the Yampah Vapor Caves.  The Vapor Caves are pretty grungy.  The locker room is smaller than the Gondola.   The stairs that lead deep down into the earth are slippery and well worn.  The caves themselves are dark and smelly with marble slab benches.  Natural mineral hot springs run through the caves with the water at 125 degrees. The temperature in the caves themselves tops out at 112 degrees. White men have been imbibing the goodness of the Vapor Caves for 120 years.  The Indians took vapors for generations before that.  I'm not sure if it's the science (34 minerals) or magic or all up in my head...but a session in the vapor caves always make me feel good.  Pouring the scorching hot water on my knees always loosens me up.  Crazy.  Today was perfect...I had the place to myself.  A little schvitz and everything always seems OK again.  

A trip quick to Target and lunch at Restaurant Nepal, a stop in El Jebel just in time for Anchorman 2....and I was back to my fun-loving, lap-skiing self.  A day off is good for the head.

120 years of Vapors can't be wrong.So bring on Snow Polo...bring on AAM's Freestyle fur fest. Park your Ferarri on the sidewalk?  See what I care?  Stare at your screen, buy-out the bar,  take my skis by mistake, wear your fur hat and fur coat and fur boots and LuLu pants. Act like you own the place. It's all good.  I can handle any drama that the Christmas crowd has to offer.  I'm gonna rip a few laps, take a few pix,  go to a few parties...what ev's? bro.

This may sound funny coming from AspenSpin...but I'm trying to go low key this holiday season.  If you see me out there...gimme a hug.

A dog (not my dog) runs free on the turf of Snow Polo Stadium (which includes a big screen) at Wagner park.

 It's grungy... and hot as f*#K...but it feels so good in the Vapor Caves. Highly recommended.
Namaste...please pull with force. Kind of ironic. Nepal Restaurant.