Foodies Delight @ Chefs Club by Food & Wine at St Regis, Aspen

Click 4 info and to reserveThe most unique dining experience in Aspen is situated right in the center of town.  Chefs Club by Food & Wine at the St. Regis Aspen Resort offers a signature, world class culinary event with every meal. The ever-evolving menu is created by an eclectic, sophisticated mix of award winning, super star chefs.   Food & Wine Magazine selected Aspen and the St Regis to collaborate on their first foray into fine dining.  Chefs Club opened last June with huge fanfare as the two iconic brands, Food & Wine and St. Regis joined forces to create a one-of-a-kind culinary venue.

Foodies Delight @ Chefs Club (click 4 pix).

Each season brings a new team of Chefs from around the World who combine forces to craft a sumptuous menu of culinary delights. Foodies all over the planet go wild for Chefs Club. The Winter 2012/13 season combines the talents and imaginations of 4 award winning Chefs.  Jonathon Sawyer from Cleveland, Jenn Lewis of Portland, Kevin Willmann of St. Louis and Matt Lightner of NYC.  All four chefs have been recently awarded with Food & Wine's prestigious "Best New Chef" designation.

Yellow Fin Tuna...delish. Click 4 pixRecently a friend and I were treated to a first class feast at the Chef's Table at Chefs Club. Casual elegance describes the atmosphere, as the resplendent dining room is highlighted by a large open kitchen.  We were thrilled to witness as the various meals were prepared to perfection before our eyes.  The splendid selection of appetizers made it difficult to choose a first course.  We started with a beautiful portion of Yellow Fin Tuna with Black Trumpet Mushrooms, topped with a pear vanilla puree served with lavash.  It was an awesome way to begin our meal and is highly recommended.  We also shared Chef Club's famous Black Truffle and Artichoke en Papier which was fantastic.  As if that were not enough to get our taste buds stimulated the executive chef insisted that we try the Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with a Jalapeno Doughnut.  It was rich and delightful and the Jalapeno Doughnut is to die for.

Properly Butchered Rib Steak. It melts in your mouth.The selection of creative entrees was magnificent.  Taking a cue from our very attentive server, Clement,  we chose to share the "most popular item" the Properly Butchered Rib Steak with Pommes frites.  The 28 day Prime dry-aged beef was prepared masterfully and it melted in our mouths.  We also split a huge portion of Gulf Red Grouper with Hen-of-the-Woods Mushrooms, Tatsoi and Savory Creme Anglaise.  We supplemented our meal with a fine Chianti as suggested by Sommelier Philip Golden.  The wine list at Chefs Club can rival any in the country...or maybe the world.  

After such a fine repast we were fully prepared to take a pass on desert, but General Manager Paul Duce insisted that we try at least one of the luscious offerings.  We selected the Parsley Root Split...a modern version of the classic banana split.  The lavish home-made banana ice cream with lemon chiffon and marshmallow was unbelievable...my new favorite sweet of all-time.

Inside the kitchen at Chefs Club Aspen. Click 4 pixOnly one word is needed to describe our experience at Chef Club by Food & Wine....WOW!!  It was a meal fit for a king. It's no wonder that foodies from around the world have been flocking to Chefs Club.   If you haven't tried Chefs Club yet..or even if you have...be aware that Chefs Club is offering a special Valentine's Feast on Thursday, February 14.  Along with the regular a'la carte menu, Chefs Club has created a special "Land & Sea" entree to honor the romantic tradition of Valentine's Day. Additionally, extra-special decadent deserts will  be created specifically for the occasion.

Click or call CHEFS CLUB by FOOD & WINE to learn more and to reserve for Valentine's Day.

Chefs Club is perfect for Foodies.  Try it for a romantic meal, a special occasion or simply to enjoy the finest, most creative cuisine in Aspen.  The fabulous food, the top notch service and the elegant atmosphere are second to none.  Take it from AspenSpin....Chefs Club by Food & Wine is phenomenal.

The Service Team at Chefs Club by Food & Wine was first class. Click 4 pix.A world class dining experience at Chefs Club by Food & Wine at St. Regis Aspen. Click 4 pix.Chefs Club by Food & Wine at St. Regis Aspen. Gm Paul Duce shared the story. Click 4 pix.

Ski for the Cure Day on Aspen Mountain

Today was SKI for the CURE DAY on Aspen Mountain.   Luckily Aspen received about 6 inches of siiiiiiick POW POW to quench the thirst of all the skiers and riders. It was a fantastic day to raise money and awareness for breast cancer and one of the best ski days of the year.   The Aspen chapter of the Susan B. Komen Foundation hosted their annual Ski for the Cure event...which is part scavenger hunt, part race and 100% fun.   Skiers and riders were sporting  pink all over Ajax to support breast cancer awareness.

Click 4 Pix.   SKI for the CURE

X Games After Midnight: Full Contact Partying

After Midnight at X Games in Aspen it's all about the wrist bands.  In addition to the actual X Games competition there is an enormous party scene. It's kind of like a mullet...all business up front...all party in the back.  High School and college students drive to Aspen from all over the Rocky Mountain region.  The VIP and Sponsor's events are littered with corporate executives, agents, managers as well as the friends and family of the Athletes.  If you have the right "hook ups" there's never a dull moment at X Games and it's always open bar and heavy apps.

After 7 years of snapping and rapping, AspenSpin has developed some good connections at X Games.   This year especially we need to throw out some SPECIAL THANKs.   To everyone who hooked me up...thank you, thank you, especially ESPN, RED BULL, MARLEY's MELLOW MOOD, FREESKIER and REPREVE.  Repreve is the official recycling partner of X Games and hooked me up with a satchel full of GREEN BEANIES made from re-cycled plastic bottles. We distributed the Green Beanies to those people who proved that they are recycling and protecting the environment.  If you scroll down to our previous posts from X Games you'll see some of the sick events we attended...Red Bull Media events & parties, the raucous Freeskier party, ESPN's Film / Style / Music programs etc etc.  But Saturday and Sunday nights got fully out of control.  It was full contact partying. 

Click 4 Pix   Marley Safe House       Red Bull Closing Night

Unquestionably at  X Games Aspen 2013 the place to be late night was the MARLEY SAFE HOUSE. Live  music, entertainment, a young hot crowd who was ready to party and an open bar all housed at the former Crystal Palace.  Lines of 500 or more were turned away as the safe house filled to capacity around 11 PM.

On Saturday night the reggae superstar MATISYAHU free-styled in front of a packed house.  The Jewish reggae was flowing.  At around 3 am the VIP room opened.  It was mostly athletes and hot chicks plus 1 blogger. A. Party finally hit the rack at about 6 a.m.  On Sunday night KY-MANI MARLEY (son of Bob) and his band unleashed a reggae fire storm at The Marley Safe House.  He was joined by his son K.J. and others.  It was out of control.

Also Sunday RED BULL threw their X Games closing party with music from BUN B and DIPLO.  Yeah it was a HUGE deal.  The Ballroom at the Hotel Jerome was filled with Gold Medalists, team managers and friends of Red Bull...mostly hot chicks. 

So you get the picture. Party to Party...all night long.  Lets just say our wrist band quotient was high.

Click 4 pix.    MARLEY SAFE HOUSE    

                  RED BULL CLOSING NIGHT

Matiyahu backstage at the Marley Safe House in Aspen. Click 4 pix.Mellowing out in the VIP at The Marley Safe House in Aspen for X Games. click 4 pix.Ky Mani Marley brought the house down at Marley Safe House in Aspen. Click 4 pix.Diplo played Red Bull's closing night bash at X Games. Click 4 pix.Red Bull knows how to party. Closing night at X Games. Click 4 pix.Bun B brought the old school rap to Red Bull's cloing night bash at X Games. Click for pix.Late Night with the Japanese Snowboard Team at Marley Safe House. click 4 pix.

X Games 2013: THE ASPEN JAM SESSIONS

Music is a HUGE part of the X Games experience.  AspenSpin snapped some Money $hots.

Click 4 pix:

*1 2 3 - GO at Belly Up Aspen

*MUTEMATH at Aspen Mountain

*CALVIN HARRIS at Buttermilk

X Games 2013: Grabbing the Gold.

4 event finals took place on Day 2 at Winter X Games 2013, Aspen.  4 Gold medals were distributed to the winners.

Snowboard Street:                 Louis-Felix Paradis, 26, Canada

Ski Super Pipe (Women):        Maddie Bowman, 19, USA

Snowboard Big Air:                 Torstein Horgmo, 25,  Norway

Ski Super Pipe (Men)               David Wise, 22, USA

Louis-Felix Paradis crushed the Snowboard Street course in Aspen. Photo: Pete Demos / ESPN ImagesGold, Bowman, Silver, Groenewoud , Bronze, Gunning. Medals presented by Aspen & skiing legend Klaus Obermeyer. Photo: Gabriel Christus ESPN Images.Torstein Horgmo went HUGE to win Snowboard Big Air. Photo: Scott Clarke / ESPN ImagesDavid Wise soared in Ski Super Pipe taking home his second consecutive Gold. Photo: Eric Bakke ESPN Images.