RSS this is life in austin/aspen
To watch in Aspen: Spectator Info and map
FREE Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert at the base of Aspen Mountain with OutKast rapper Big Boi! Saturday, Jan. 29 at 5:30pm.
More music:
Thursday – Sunday. Buttermilk Mountain. Aspen, CO. Be there, frozen or no.
October 28, 2010
Austin: ZombieBall at Seaholm for HALLOWEEN!
ZombieBall. Is what you should do for Halloween. It’s pretty cheap for a spooky night at Seaholm Power Plant!
Musical lineup includes: Roky Erikson, The White Ghost Shivers, PONG, Killa Dilla, DJ Manny and Rion King.
At midnight don’t miss The Waltz of the Forbidden Flesh; a Haunte’d Couture fashion show and mini opera that has a community of artists led by Cameron Jordan Artistry, and The Dirty Rotten Cabaret, featuring performers from The Blue Man Group and Cirque Du Soleil.
Doors from 8pm to 2am. Advance tickets $20, $30 at the door and $75 for VIP.
Do it! I’ll be there, being Santana, the Cheerio from Glee. Except sluttier because my flyaway cheerleading skirt is made for someone in high school, which I am not.
October 22, 2010
Austin: REALLY Fun Stuff This Weekend!
CuervoGames
Holy sign-me-up! The CuervoGames are coming to Austin. What are the CuervoGames? Exactly what you’d think … tequila-fueled Cuervo-themed American Gladiators-style competition with food, music and more. Teams of four can compete in the Barrel Roll, where competitors climb a Mayan Pyramid to capture a series of flags at the top, the Waterfall Climb, where teams scale a 20-foot rock climbing wall as they’re drenched by rushing water, the Highwire Harvest, where they test agave farming skills 30 feet in the air, or in the Margarita Madness, a messy race against the clock to make the ultimate cocktail. Cuervo’s “Ride the Lime” offers an on-site challenge (think mechanical bull) and FREE CuervoGames gear as they cheer on their favorite teams. The event will also feature a FREE performance by the Old 97’s.
Think that sounds awesome? The winning team will earn a FREE trip to Las Vegas on Halloween weekend for the CuervoGames National Finals.
Now that is awesome. For more info/to pre-register a team, visit Cuervo’s Facebook page.
Saturday, Cross streets of W. 4th and Guadalupe St, 4p-11p, complete schedule on Facebook.
Austin Beer Week
The first Austin Beer Week, a week-long celebration of craft beer and the craft beer community, starts this Sunday, Oct. 24, and lasts through next weekend, Saturday, Oct. 30. Check out the website for a complete, jam-packed schedule of tastings, food and movie pairings, multi-course dinners, beer education, socials, contests, and some Keepin’ it Austin off-the-wall events. Seriously, I can’t do the events justice. GO to www.AustinBeerWeek.com and pick some beer fest fun! (OK fine, I will recommend the Inglorious Basterds screening at the Alamo with German-style Live Oak beer)
Austin Unscripted
The Austin Unscripted documentary project first contacted me via twitter–gotta love that–and once I found out it’s designed to capture Austinites’ thoughts about what it really means to keep Austin weird in a time of rapid growth and development, of course I was down. Sure, it’s sponsored by the historic preservation people, whom I sometimes disagree with when they encroach on personal property rights, but in general I’m down for talking Austin.
More details here: http://www.preservationnation.org/austinunscripted
Want to put in your 2 cents? Here’s a list of where they’ll be filming this weekend, stop by if you have a chance!
SATURDAY
SFC Farmers’ Market – Downtown / 9 AM – 11 AM, Republic Square Park
Torchy’s Trailer Park / 12 PM – 2 PM, 1311 S. 1st
Hey Cupcake! – SoCo / 3 PM – 5 PM, 1600 Block of S. Congress
Cheer Up Charlie’s / What Is Austin? Happy Hour, 6 PM – 8 PM, 1104 E. 6th
SUNDAY
Our Lady of Guadalupe / 8 AM – 10 AM, 1206 E. 9th
Ebenezer Baptist Church / 9 AM – 10 AM, 1010 E. 10th
HOPE Farmers Market / 11 AM – 1 PM, 414 Waller
PODER / 2 PM – 4 PM, 2604 E. Cesar Chavez
Renaissance Market / 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM, Guadalupe @ UT
Quack’s 43rd Street Bakery / 4 PM – 6 PM, 411 E. 43rd
VOTE FOR THE GORILLA RUN!
The Austin Gorilla Run is going to be awesome! Please vote for THE AUSTIN GORILLA RUN to WIN $500!! at this link:
https://www.milliondollarroadtrip.com/inspiration-grants/candidate/12/
It’s just one click and no email info is required. If the Austin Gorilla Run wins the grant, it will ALL go toward the Austin Gorilla Run and The Mountain Gorilla Conservation Fund. Please Help!
CuervoGames pic from http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/uthCZPHC8XM/CuervoGames+Take+Orlando/bRPyRtlpC_b
September 28, 2010
Austin: GORILLA RUN
Yes.
That could be you on January 22, 2011 at 9am in downtown Austin. YOU could be running in a gorilla suit through the streets of Austin. Or rollerblading, even. In a gorilla suit. For only $99.95! Run, post-race partay, AND gorilla suit. The Austin Gorilla Run is coming soon!
Hot pink dye/rollerblades on your own.
Why? You love gorillas. Or ridiculous outfits. But you will (hopefully) be raising $250+ dollars for the gorillas, so you should probably at least like them a little bit. Especially if you’re going to be walking around in a synthetic version of their fur. More info.
My bro is organizing this race and it’s gonna be ridic–sign up in October before the price goes up!!
August 24, 2010
Aspen: Physics and the art of attracting a mate
Yeah, a free public lecture from the Aspen Physics Institute on finding true love entitled Birds do it, Bees do it: Physics and the art of attracting a mate.
Lecturer Eric Dufresne wants to know how things work. His laboratory investigates the physics underlying materials and biology. On a given day, you could find him studying the motion of a tiny plastic ball suspended in water, filming a grasshopper jump with a high-speed camera, watching paint dry (it’s actually really interesting!), or studying how immune cells fight off infectious disease. Eric is excited to be sharing his current research on how birds and other animals use physics to attract mates. hosted by Aspen Center for Physics at 6:30p, Wednesday August 25 in Paepcke Auditorium behind the Music Tent.
Free dating advice? Always a win.
July 16, 2010
Aspen: Yoga Rocks the Mountains July 16-18
There’s yoga, music, camping, dancing, delicious food … what isn’t to love about Yoga Rocks the Mountains, this weekend in Snowmass?
Yoga Workshop Schedule (full schedule here) … I’m just listing the classes with Aaron, my instructor at King Yoga, who I LOVE and who trains Lance Armstrong, so even if I didn’t ALREADY think so, he must be badass.
1) YoGroove Yoga: Aaron King and Amy Baker with the music of Cameron Williams
Nest Patio & Pool, FRIDAY, 5-6pm
YoGroove- Vinyasa flow class that infuses Live Guitar by Cameron Williams and Heartfelt Rocking Yoga by Amy Baker and Aaron King. An all levels sequence of yoga asanas to the sweet grooves of a guitar creates a healing positive vibration in the mountains of Snowmass, Colorado. This class is a Donation based yoga class. All Welcome!
2) Rhythm Sanctuary Dance Party (FREE)
Nest Patio & Pool, FRIDAY, 6pm
3) Yoga for Cyclists: Aaron King
Salon 1m SATURDAY, 12:30-1:30pm
An hour of yoga designed to maximize your strength and flexibility and breathe while cycling. This class will focus on opening our hips and heart through a specific sequence of poses to release tightness from riding alot. All levels welcome.
Tickets for the whole weekend are $80, individual classes/sessions are available for as little as $25.
July 5, 2010
Aspen: Aspen Smart Kids (Ideas) Festival July 5-11
They say all the real business in the world happens in Aspen, in secret. Well today kicks off the Aspen Ideas Festival, the Aspen Institute and The Atlantic magazine’s gathering of great minds, including 13+ former heads of state and Bill Clinton (who a friend of mine shamelessly chased down the street last time he was in town for this festival), that runs through next Sunday. Their goal is to “offer a stimulating and invigorating celebration of some of the liveliest minds,” and to “engage its participants in a variety of programs, tutorials, seminars and discussion events that together are guaranteed to charge the atmosphere with vibrant intellectual exchange. Think of it as a week-long summer university for the mind – remarkable lectures and classes across a stimulating array of topics.“
Think SXSW but smarter and more broad, and you get Aspen Ideas.
I’m signed up for two panels that I’m really, really excited about. The first is:
LIVING DIGITALLY: Is Social Media Transforming Journalism?
Speakers: David Kirkpatrick, James Bennet, Vivian Schiller, Arianna Huffington
Moderator: Charlie Firestone
I’m excited to see what some of the people on the forefront of new media and models of journalism have to say about the future of journalism!
The second panel is near and dear to my heart:
WOMEN + GIRLS: CHANGE AGENTS: Go, Girl: How Title IX Galvanized Play for Women
Speakers: Nancy Hogshead-Makar, Sheila C. Johnson, Beth A. Brooke
Moderator: Tom Farrey
I’ve studied Title IX extensively and think that–in a nutshell–it’s a great idea that was intended to be enforced in spirit but is instead enforced in letter, which is unfair. Depending on how good this panel is and what they say, I’ll share more, but it’s not until next weekend 
The festival is sold out, but they so have single-session tickets for select sessions starting at $20. Snag some at the Wheeler Opera House, online at www.aspenshowtickets.com, or by calling 970-920-5770.
#aif2010 is the hashtag for Aspen Ideas Festival / Check out The Atlantic’s explanation of the festival – it rocks.
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.
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.
June 9, 2010
Aspen: Outside in Aspen
The first annual Outside in Aspen, a participatory adventure weekend, is this weekend, June 11 – 13! The weekend includes outfitter-led adventures, parties, and a symposium. Professional adventure athletes like big mountain skier Chris Davenport, Olympic Gold Medalist Tyler Hamilton, Everest climber and photographer Jake Norton, and extreme kayaker Jesse Coombs, as well as Outside magazine personalities, will be hanging out in town. Leave No Trace is the non-profit event beneficiary.
To participate in the weekend, you can buy a $200 Activity Package ($100 for one day) that includes a ½ day activity (like rafting, mountain biking, hiking, and more–to view activity descriptions & schedule, click here) on Saturday and Sunday, entrance to the Welcome Party Friday at the Sky Hotel and Après Pool Party on Saturday at the Hotel Jerome, Adventure Athlete Panel Discussion and Lunch on Sunday at Base Camp.
If you’re just cruising around town, stop by Base Camp in the Gondola Plaza between 8am and 4pm to check out the Outside Magazine’s Gear of the Year along with all the latest from Eddie Bauer First Ascent and other sponsors. (Swag potential!)
For complete Outside in Aspen weekend agenda, click here.
Showin' the love