Archive for June, 2010

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June 30, 2010

Aspen: Thursdays in Snowmass

After Food & Wine, I’d say the next most-talked-about thing by people who have lived or visited Aspen in the summer is “those free outdoor concerts … on the mountain … in Snowmass …” they usually say, as if recalling the good times first and barely letting me break into their reverie for the details of where. It’s technically called the Free Thursday Night Concert Series, and it starts this Thursday at 6:15pm, and every Thursday after that until August 19.

Bring a blanket or lawn chair and a picnic basket. Beer, wine, and “grilled foods” are for sale, and there are reportedly always people relaxing and chilling and people going nuts and dancing up a storm. Kids play in a bouncy castle with other kids, so it’s pretty perfect.

Here’s the sched:

July 1 – Firefall followed by Fireworks (ha)
July 8 – Beausoleil
July 15 – Papa Grows Funk
July 22 – Pure Prairie League
July 29 – Carrie Rodriguez
August 5 – Tab Benoit
August 12 – Holmes Bros
August 19 – These United States

photo from OntheSnow.com

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June 29, 2010

Summer Reads

LN@CM
I have been nerding it up lately, what with spending a ton of time working at the library and eschewing Friday nights on the town for cuddling up with a good book. But this places me in a newly-minted position suggest some good reads. Below is an eclectic bunch, from newbies to classics, beach reads to slightly-more-serious, mysteries to self-help. Enjoy!

1) Four or five people recommended new bestseller The Help by Kathryn Stockett, and it didn’t disappoint. I couldn’t put it down. It’s set in Jackson, Mississippi at the beginning of the civil rights movement and is told from both black and white perspectives.

2) My brother’s girlfriend’s favorite book ever is JD Salinger’s Franny & Zooey, a book I’ve never read. It’s on my to-read list.

3) I love KENDRA on E! and watched her “write” her book with a ghostwriter, so I can’t wait to read the thing: Sliding Into Home by Kendra Wilkinson

4) My intern loved People’s Revolution guru Kelly Cutrone’s If You Have to Cry, Go Outside: And Other Things Your Mother Never Told You and I can’t wait to read it too.

5 & 6) Sloane Crosley’s How Did You Get This Number, and the precursor I Was Told There’d Be Cake. I’ve heard EVERYONE say girl is seriously funny, time for me to find out for myself.

7 & 8) I don’t know much about Just Don’t Call Me Ma’am: How I Ditched the South, Forgot My Manners, and Managed to Survive My Twenties with (Most of) My Dignity Still Intact by Anna Mitchell and The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed by Sara Gay Forden, though the latter is a must-read for fashionistas.

9) I hated her Devil Wears Prada book but loved the movie based on her story, so I can hardly skip Lauren Weisberger’s next novel, Last Night at Chateau Marmont: A Novel.

10) The Last Summer (of You and Me) by Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants author Ann Brashares. I love the Pants series, I’ve got to read her latest novel…

Amazon.com Widgets

Posted in free, Things to do ... all the time | 2 Comments »

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June 25, 2010

Aspen: Top Ten Things Newbies Should Know

I should know, since I am a newbie. Top ten things I didn’t get until I moved to Aspen:

1. There are no weekends. Any given night could be a party.

2. There are two offseasons: May and October. At least half of the restaurants and businesses will be closed at least half of the time.

3. Check the bus schedule. Yes, it’s awesome they have public transportation. No, sitting in the bus station for an hour is not fun.

4. Don’t drink and drive. Not even a little. Cops have nothing else to do.

5. Learn the mountains. It’s not enough to know what Ajax, Highlands, Buttermilk, and Snowmass look like. You need to be able to identify them and at least the Bells, Pyramid, Red Mountain, Smuggler, Red Butte, and Sopris.

6. Aspen is very dog-friendly. Apartments for rent are hardly ever dog-friendly.

7. You live at 8,000 feet. You think you’ve adjusted to the altitude. Then you hike at 10,000 feet. You haven’t adjusted. Give yourself time. And hike a lot.

8. True: it’s all about who you know. In business, relationships, and getting hooked up at bars.

9. Summer sports: Wednesdays the good people play sand volleyball at Koch Park, though you can find a game almost any day; the most competitive soccer league is in Snowmass; there’s pickup soccer at the high school Fridays at 5:30pm and Sundays at 10:30am; there’s pickup basketball at Yellow Brick on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the late afternoon.

10. Aspen is a lot like summer camp. Resist the temptation to become a lifer/10-year-ski-bum. Stay focused!

Posted in Things to Do!, Thoughts | 2 Comments »

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June 25, 2010

Austin: Weird Beer Weekend

Saturday you can start the day out with the first annual Great Austin Beer Fest (4-8pm), then head to the 5K Keep Austin Weird Run at 7pm, or just to the party afterward.

Great Austin Beer Fest

… sounds awesome! Local faves (512), Independence, Shiner, St. Arnold, plus some nationwide microbrews (VT’s Magic Hat, Portland’s Deschutes, both breweries I’ve been to and beers I enjoy), full brewery list available here. Tix for the thang are almost sold out, cost $40, and according to the facebook page comments include samples of as many of the 41 breweries as you want … erm … Great Austin Beer Festival

Keep Austin Weird Fest

Always an Austin special time. The Fest starts at 2pm and goes on through the race time (7pm) with headliners Bright Light Social Hour playing at 8:30pm. Costumes are the big deal during this day/race, the latter which includes such unorthodox water stops as ones with Amy’s Ice Cream. There’s tons of food and a big party before AND after the race too.

Other music includes White Ghost Shivers (6:30pm), Bruce James Soultet (5pm), and Dustin Welch (3:30pm).
Beer and running all in one Saturday? Always a win.

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June 24, 2010

Austin: Genius TIKKR Watch Bar Crawl

In one of the best marketing ideas I’ve heard in a long time, join Austin-based watch-maker TIKKR for a West Sixth bar crawl where the drinks are free IF you’re sporting the right wristband–a TIKKR watch, natch. Genius? Genius.

Thursday night, the party starts at 8pm at Dirty Bill’s (511 Rio Grande), then proceeds to Annie’s West, Kung Fu Saloon, and other preppy but fun spots. The uber mod watches are square and rubber, $65 a pop, and customizable. To snag one before Thursday, stop into Beyond Tradition on 2nd Street, or email and beg them to sell you one on the spot.

Posted in free, Going Out, Shopping | 1 Comment »

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June 23, 2010

Aspen: Cathedral Lake Hike

It’s an “easy” day hike, starting near Ashcroft and only about 2.8 miles to Cathedral Lake. You climb almost 2,000 vertical feet, though, so it’s not for flatlanders or those unadjusted to altitude. I haven’t had a hard time adjusting to much about the altitude, but this hike kicked my ass!

It’s a National Forest, so dogs have to be on leash the whole time. Nali carried her food and water bowl:

Reward for the grueling hike:

Yes, please. Then, camping!

Fire + bison hot dogs!

So Nali didn’t run away and get eaten by a mountain lion:

Hiking out the next morning too early:

Gorgeous!

Getting down was quick. If you’re looking for a hike in Aspen, it’s definitely a gorgeous one, and you get to go through Aspen forests, up some rocky mountainside, over some switchbacks, and to the lake. I’d bring hiking poles, I know I need to invest in some. And next time we want to get to Electric Pass–just past Cathedral Lake but up to 13,600 feet!!

Posted in Sports/Fitness, Things to do ... all the time | 1 Comment »

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June 22, 2010

Take Back Your Lunch

There’s a new movement starting this Wednesday across the country called “Take Back Your Lunch.” All you have to do is dine with friend in a park or public place to get away from your computer for an hour.

Why? Take Back Your Lunch is a part of The Energy Project for Tony Schwartz’s new book “The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working,” now a NYT best seller. Taking an hour for lunch has the potential to change the way people work across the country by empowering them to take back a “lost benefit” — lunch! Did you know that the average worker takes only 20 minutes for lunch, often at their desk? A break can re-energize an re-focus you for the afternoon.

As someone who–when she was in a corporate office anyway–INSISTED upon lunch, even if it was just fifteen minutes for a stroll around downtown in 100-degree heat, I fully support this notion. I think the time you take away from your desk completely refreshes you, making you that much more productive in the afternoon. I also used to go work out during lunch, which has the added benefit of clearing your head and helping you generate new ideas.

In Austin, the fabulous crew from Giant Noise is headed over to Central Market tomorrow at 12:30pm, go meet up with them!

Posted in free, Good people/services, Things to do ... all the time, Uncategorized | 5 Comments »

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June 18, 2010

Aspen: Chocolate Chip Cookie Contest & Edward Sharpe at Belly Up

You have got to be kidding me. In the midst of one of the greatest gourmet food and wine festivals in the country, there’s a chocolate chip cookie contest?! There’s no way I can go to this … I will eat all of the cookies and be unable to gorge myself further with fabulous food and delicious wine.

However, if you have more self-control than me, you should definitely stop by Aspen Sports on Friday, June 18th, from 3-4pm. The public is the judge, which means you HAVE to sample all of the entries. See? No way I can go.  Two divisions for Adults and Children (14 & Under). Prizes for the best chocolate chip cookies. [pictured: one of my favorite bloggers, Anna of Cookie Madness, shows off her best chocolate chip cookies]

After I surreptitiously avoid the chocolate, I will be heading to Belly Up for Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes. My way-cooler-than-me bestie from college, Jake, introduced me to Edward Sharpe when he was in Austin, and it remains the one and only time I have been in Waterloo Records checking out new music with a pair of their cool noise-canceling headphone that make you feel like a radio DJ (we were only there as we waited for a table at 24 Diner). Anyway, can’t wait to see him live.

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June 18, 2010

Austin: Weekend Hops & Pops

Saturday: Hops

From 2-5 pm, taste your favorite (512) Ales plus
 the newly re-released Belgian Style Strong Ale 
(512) ONE.2

. Get three free tastes. Buy a pint glass for $5 and your new glass becomes the tasting glass (bigger tastes). I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Pecan Porter (pictured) but I’m pretty sure it’s a winter beer :-(

407 Radam, F200
 (Between South 1st & South Congress
)

Sunday: Pops

Hopefully you already know Sunday is Father’s Day. Hit up the Dad Rocks concert at The Mohawk from 5-8pm with your pops and hear local bands English Teeth and Car Stereo (Wars), snap pics with Annie Ray, nosh on Frank hot dogs (coincidentally, my own pops is NAMED Frank, so that’s cool), and nab Tiff’s Treats, Waialua Soda Works Hawaiian sodas, and GoodPop Popsicles for dessert.

Children under 12 are free. Tickets are $20 from Front Gate, and the event directly benefits Austin Music Foundation.

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June 17, 2010

Aspen: Um, duh? Food & Wine Classic Weekend

It’s this weekend, kids. If you didn’t have the $1,185 to buy the big tickets, or even the $295 to buy a 1-day pass (steal! if that’s your cup of tea anyway), you can still enjoy the Food & Wine melee with the rest. Word on the street is that there are over 100 private parties in addition to the official Food & Wine events, and the shops and stores along the mall are pulling out all the stops to get people inside (read: free wine and food).

Since I didn’t win two free passes from the plastics site, I’ll be wandering around town looking for cool stuff to participate in. I pretty much equate this to a fancier SXSW, where you don’t need anything but your own two feet to walk around and get into some fun parties and events.

I mean, Aspen is a small town. There are only so many places for celeb chefs Jacques Pepin, David Chang, Giada DeLaurentiis, Michael Symon, Morimoto, Thomas Keller, and Top Chef judges Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons to go …

From my short time here, I’d recommend they:

  • Get chippers at Paradise Bakery
  • Try Brexi Brasserie – it’s just across the street from the main part of the fest, and it’s AWESOME
  • Eat a burger + sweet potato fries from J Bar or Belly Up, both feature free-range meat and crisp fries
  • Get the Kale Salad at Peach’s Corner Cafe. People watch. Eat your delicious, refreshing salad.
  • Hike Aspen Mountain. You need to burn calories, and the view cannot. be. beat.
  • Visit Carl’s Pharmacy. A General Store throwback if I’ve ever seen one. You must go upstairs too.

Also, the newly-expanded Saturday Farmer’s Market opens this weekend. It’s located on E. Hopkins from Hunter to Galena and features produce, meats, and artisan crafts from across Colorado. I can’t wait to hit it up!

Last bit of advice for Food & Wine, from a festival-going, wine-drinking pro: Pace yourself. Drink lots of water. FIJI water is owned by an Aspen family and freely distributed within the festival, take advantage of it. Also, wear a huge, fashionable hat and sunscreen. Waking up hungover AND sunburned just adds insult to injury.

Posted in Eating, Going Out, One-time event | Leave a Comment »

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