Category Archives: Events

Aspen Celebrates Skiing With A Classic Cocktail Party

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 There’s nothing like a signature cocktail at the end of a valiant ski day but how about celebrating the cocktail rather than the skiing? The Annual Apres Ski Cocktail Classic

in Aspen, Colo., this weekend invites you to raise your glass and recognize the slope-side activity that put Aspen on the map.

Referred to as the Food & Wine Festival of the mixology world, more than 1,600 participants enjoyed libations at the 2013 inaugural event.

Top-shelf premium spirits, artisanal craft cocktails, world-class seminars by award-winning mixologists and world-class tipplers coordinate snow parties, pop-up bars, demonstrations, fireside chats, cocktail-paired dinners, special mountain events through tomorrow March 16, 2014.

The bars at the base are like the 19th hole in golf. We share stories, laughs and connections that solidify our mountain experience. Everyone is invited to the annual Classic for one of the best moments of all; but hurry. The event ends tomorrow with the The Great Apres-Ski Cocktail Classic Pub Crawl. Select venues in Aspen compete for bragging rights for this year’s “Best Après Ski Cocktail.”  Your $30 ticket gets you your credential, wristband, and the signature cocktail at each venue.  The list includes Jimmy’s Restaurant, Justice Snow’s, J Bar @ Hotel Jerome, Chef’s Club @ St. Regis, Chair 9 @ Little Nell, and 39 Degrees at Sky Hotel.

Today check out the Slopeside Grand Tasting Village at the VUE deck in Westin Snowmass Resort. Sample slopeside through a treasure trove of premium spirits, cocktails and toddies. 3- 6 p.m.

Aspen Classic Cocktail Party

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION & TO PURCHASE TICKETS: Visit www.apresskicc.com

 

Snowbasin’s Pots of Gold

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Get thee to Snowbasin this Saturday. The resort is calling all leprechauns in celebration of Saint Patty’s Day. They’re placing three pots of gold somewhere on the mountain. They could be in the lodges, on the hill, and anywhere in between. Don’t look for the rainbows though, no one’s giving away the location of these babies easily. There are three valuable prizes up for grabs including a 2014/2015 Adult Premier Pass. The Pots O’s Gold Search begins at 9 a.m. and ends when the last one is found or 4 p.m.; whichever comes first. If none of the pots are found by noon look to Facebook and Twitter for clues every half hour.
When you’ve worked up an appetite, scoot over to Earls, Needles or John Paul Lodge for traditional corned beef and cabbage, Shepard’s Pie, and Guinness Beef Stew. Bag Pipers will also be in Earl’s Lodge during the afternoon spreading some Irish cheer. At 3:30 p.m. Earl’s goes off with ‘This Must Be the Band’- Talking Heads tribute band- on stage for a free concert.

Alta hosts recreational racing on Fridays and Saturdays at the top of Sunnyside from 11 a.m.- 3 p.m., conditions permitting. The races are open to anyone who wants to try for a gold, silver or bronze Alta pin but you’ll need to register at any ticket office or at the top of the race course. A single run is $3, while Unlimited Runs is $10. Awards are based on a handicap system similar to NASTAR- by age and gender, determined by a pace setter’s time. If your time does not qualify for a medal, you still get a white Alta pin for participating.

Brighton shares the Bonanza with you every Friday night: Roast marshmallows with the kids or a romantic date at the bonfire on Fridays. The yumminess begins at 6 p.m. on the deck of the Alpine Rose.

Snowbird brings on the spring party at Creekside Day Lodge in Gad Valley. Local reggae-rockers, Uniphi, play live while the giveaways fly. $8.50 gets you a burger and brew. The bash moves over to the Tram Club where all 21+ can clink green beers and Irish car bombs.

The Canyons wants to see St. Patrick’s weekend as a spring-long event. They kick it off with the 2014 Operation Smile Celebrity Ski Challenge at noon. The annual fun race raises money for the more than 200,000 surgeries performed around the world to give children born with cleft palates and lips a brand new smile. Most of the celebs hanging out today are from TV shows like Barrett Foa (“NCIS: Los Angeles”), Missy Peregrym (“Rookie Blue”), Jason Ritter (“Parenthood”), Nicole Sullivan (“Cougar Town”), Michael Trevino (“Vampire Diaries”), Alan Tudyk (“Suburgatory”), Aisha Tyler (“The Talk”), and Jenna Ushkowitz (“Glee”). Stick around the resort all week for concerts, magicians, jugglers, s’mores at the Umbrella Bar firepit (3-4 p.m.). Folk Hogan will perform at the Resort Village stage today from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Park City Mountain Resort is hosting a Ski Beach in the meadow at the PayDay Lift midstation from noon-3 p.m. today. Families can picnic with games, burgers and drinks for all ages. Look for the fenced in area between PayDay and Heckler Runs. The Ugly Valley Boys open the Miller Lite Après Concert Series at 3 p.m.

2015 Season Ski Passes Already?

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Are we really calling the end of the season already? It’s the second week of March and Vail Resorts has just put next year’s Epic Pass on sale while other resorts are rolling out spring pass offerings.

Make a $49 down payment on an Epic Pass before April 13, 2014, and lock in the $729 price for unlimited, unrestricted access to Canyons in Park City, Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood at Lake Tahoe; Afton Alps in Minnesota, Mt. Brighton in Michigan, and five consecutive free days at Niseko, Japan,
for the 2014-15 winter season. The remainder of the balance won’t be due until mid-September even though you’ll be able to ride the lifts all summer.

Kirsten Lynch, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Vail Resorts said, “There’s a reason we sell the Epic Pass in 80 countries and all 50 states. This is the one pass that lets you chase the powder at the world’s finest resorts, including Japan. This is the pass for true skiers and riders.”

The price has gone up $40 but it’s still a decent deal to ski California, Utah, Colorado and Japan. Noticeably absent from the mix, however, are free ski days in Arlberg, Austria, and Verbier, Switzerland, that were part of the 2013/14 Epic Pass.

Purchasers of an Epic Pass will also receive six Buddy Tickets (that’s $74 each at Canyons) and six Ski With A Friend tickets ($91 at Canyons) that can be used this spring; but that’s nothing to rave about when you consider the straight ticket price after March 31, 2014 is $73. Best to save them for next winter.

Snowbird’s $499 spring tram unlimited pass went on sale March 1, 2014, but drops to just $329 on April 1. Most Utah resorts will close in mid-April but let’s hope we get some late season snow storms to keep Snowbird skiing sweet past May. The other Utah resorts have yet to release their 2015 pass pricing details.

 

UPDATE: 

“We are excited to announce a renewed partnership between Vail Resorts and Les 3 Vallées, France, as well as Verbier, Switzerland, providing ongoing access to truly legendary and world-class resorts in Europe. Epic Pass holders that have taken advantage of these partnerships have been nothing short of blown away by the experience that these resorts provide and we couldn’t be more pleased to be able to extend the opportunity for more of our most loyal skiers and riders to ski the world” said Kirsten Lynch, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Vail Resorts. “Each and every year, we look to further increase the already incredible value of the Epic Pass, and the 2014-2015 season will be no exception, with continued access to the best of Europe, in addition to five free days in Niseko, Japan.”

“We are very happy to continue our partnership with Vail Resorts. Les 3 Vallées is the largest ski area in the world and the premier destination in ski terrain choice, service and gastronomy in Europe” said Vincent Lalanne-Clouté, director of Les 3 Vallées. “It’s no mistake that we are aligned with the preeminent mountain resorts in the world. We look forward to once again having Epic Pass holders experience the special place that is Les 3 Vallées, during the 2014-2015 season.”

Deer Valley Aims For The World(s)

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Photos by Jill Adler


Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah, is making a bid for the FIS Freestyle Skiing World Championships. The posh resort hosted the Championships in 2003 and 2011, and, if they get the 2019 event, they’ll earn the bragging right of being the venue of choice every eight years.

“I think it’d be huge,” Deer Valley president and general manager Bob Wheaton told the Park Record newspaper. “So far we’ve done World Cups every year, the 2002 Olympics, the 2003 and 2011 World Championships – the support is town-wide. It’s the atmosphere that everybody in town brings to the event.”


In the meantime, DV will walk the talk this March 28-30, 2014, by hosting the 2014 U.S. Freestyle Championships, again. Actually, the Championship moguls and dual moguls were at DV in 2008. Aerials took place at the Utah Olympic Park and the superpipe at Park City Mountain Resort. This year’s event was supposed to be at Heavenly Resort for the second year in a row but the dearth of snow in the Tahoe region prompted the move to Utah.

Two-time Olympians Ashley Caldwell (aerials) and Pat Deneen (moguls), and 2014 Olympian Bradley Wilson (moguls) are expected to be among those vying for the U.S. title in the final freestyle event of the season.

Deer Valley will make the bid for the World Championships when the FIS (International Ski Federation) meets in Barcelona, Spain, at the end of May.

That’s a Wrap. Sundance Winners Announced

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The 2014 Sundance Film Festival has officially closed out with the final night awards and party. The 10-day indie film celebration was relatively tame outside of the insane crowds over the first three days. This was good news for true movie buffs as available seats could be found for most of the buzz worthy films after Monday.

Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally were on hand to host the Feature Film Awards Ceremony at the Park City Municipal Recreation Center tonight.

Here goes. Now, just because a movie won an award does not mean you’ll get a chance to see it in theaters. Look for these titles down the road on NetFlix, HBO, Hulu, YouTube and any number of distribution channels.

The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary

Rich Hill / U.S.A. (Directors: Andrew Droz Palermo, Tracy Droz Tragos)

The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic

Whiplash / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Damien Chazelle)

The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary

Return to Homs / Syria, Germany (Director: Talal Derki)

The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic

To Kill a Man / Chile, France (Director and screenwriter: Alejandro Fernández Almendras)

The Audience Award: U.S. Documentary

Alive Inside: A Story of Music & Memory / U.S.A. (Director: Michael Rossato-Bennett)

The Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic

Whiplash / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Damien Chazelle)

The Audience Award: World Cinema Documentary

The Green Prince / Germany, Israel, United Kingdom (Director: Nadav Schirman )

The Audience Award: World Cinema Dramatic

Difret / Ethiopia (Director and screenwriter: Zeresenay Berhane Mehari)

The Audience Award: Best of NEXT

Imperial Dreams / U.S.A. (Director: Malik Vitthal, Screenwriters: Malik Vitthal, Ismet Prcic) — A 21-year-old released from prison, returns to his old stomping grounds in Watts, Los Angeles.

The Directing Award: U.S. Dramatic

Fishing Without Nets / U.S.A., Somalia, Kenya (Director: Cutter Hodierne, Screenwriters: Cutter Hodierne, John Hibey, David Burkman) — A story of pirates in Somalia told from the perspective of a struggling, young Somali fisherman.

The Directing Award: World Cinema Dramatic
Sophie Hyde for 52 Tuesdays / Australia— Sixteen-year-old Billie’s faces her mother’s choice for gender transition, and their time together becomes limited to Tuesdays.

The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: U.S. Dramatic

Craig Johnson & Mark Heyman for The Skeleton Twins / U.S.A. – Estranged twins realize the key to fixing their lives may just lie in repairing their relationship.

The Screenwriting Award: World Cinema Dramatic

Eskil Vogt for Blind / Norway, Netherlands

The Cinematography Award: U.S. Documentary

Rachel Beth Anderson, Ross Kauffman for E-TEAM / U.S.A. – Follows the lives of four intrepid human rights workers.

The Cinematography Award: U.S. Dramatic

Christopher Blauvelt for Low Down / U.S.A. —Amy-Jo Albany’s heart-wrenching journey to adulthood while being raised by her father, bebop pianist Joe Albany, as he teeters between incarceration and addiction in the 1970s.

A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Musical Score –

The Octopus Project for Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter / U.S.A. – A lonely Japanese woman embarks on an impulsive quest to search for her lost mythical fortune.

A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Talent – Justin Simien for Dear White People / U.S.A.

The Short Film Audience Award, Presented by YouTube, based on web traffic for 15 short films that screened at the Festival ( www.youtube.com/sff) -:
Chapel Perilous / U.S.A.

The 2014 Sundance Film Festival screened 121 feature-length films from 37 countries and 54 first-time filmmakers, including 35 in competition. These films were selected from 12,218 submissions (72 more than for 2013), including 4,057 feature-length films and 8,161 short films. Of the feature film submissions, 2,014 were from the U.S. and 2,043 were international. 100 feature films at the Festival were world premieres.

Video of the ceremony in its entirety is available at www.sundance.org/live.

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