Bentley Reveals Luxe SUV: EXP 9 F
The luxury brand's first SUV boasts all the usual Bentley trappings, but raises some debate.
May 04, 2012
Bentley made a statement the night before the Geneva International Motor Show during VW’s Group Night, where each of the parent company’s brands showcased their latest and most spectacular vehicles. The British luxury maker wowed the crowd with its first SUV concept, EXP 9 F.
Massive 23-inch alloy wheels; the signature bold Bentley grille; a powerful 6-liter W12 engine that can make up to 600 horsepower; an 8-speed transmission; a fold-down champagne cooler; and luxury tailgating fit for the Kentucky Derby, seem to overly exceed expectations of consumers looking to purchase an ultra-elite SUV. Bentley’s sports utility vehicle is in competition with other luxe cars like the Range Rover and Porsche’s Cayenne Turbo. While the design and composition keep all the usual Bentley trappings, it is unknown if this foray into SUVs will be met with negative or positive feedback.
Art Watch: J.P. Canlis at Pismo Gallery
The Hawaiian artist’s illuminated glass installations find a home in Aspen.
April 24, 2012
Wheat by J.P. Canlis
Perhaps it’s the way light reflects off of the glass, or the scale and complexity that moves you, but when one sees J.P Canlis’ Wheat installation, made of hundreds of illuminated glass stalks, you feel like a child again, eager to eye a secret path through the field.
“I wanted serenity, comfort, and calm,” said Canlis of the installation currently on display at the Pismo Fine Art Glass gallery in Aspen. “I feel connected to the fragility of it. It’s very calming, and the beauty and scale has always been a big priority. I wanted to capture that sense of awe.”
Nature has been a signature of Canlis’ work since he discovered glass art as a high school student in Hawaii. The ocean heavily inspired his early work but a later move to the mainland focused his eye on the lush Hawaiian terrain.
Also striking are his Bamboo installations, which he’s created in both two- and three-dimensional versions. “The identity of the piece completely changes when 100 pieces are together,” he said. “It no longer feels like glass. It looks like a landscape and the glass changes. That is a lot of the magic for me.”
His nature-inspired glass works seem perfectly suited to Pismo Gallery’s Aspen clientele. “There are certain markets that I am excited to show my work in; the markets that have people with the same understanding and appreciate the simplicity and beauty of the world of nature around us,” said Canlis. “Big cities have that clientele, but it’s not as focused as Aspen. [Aspen buyers] see the work and they see the beauty in it. It just clicks.”
Recap: The SnowBall Music Festival
Big name acts like The Kooks and Big Boi headlined the second annual fest leading up to Coachella and Bonnaroo.
March 13, 2012
The Kooks perform at the 2012 SnowBall Music Festival
This past weekend, the second annual SnowBall Music Festival descended upon Avon, Colorado, bringing smiles (and hangovers) to thousands of partygoers.
With a solid roster of electronic acts—Rusko, Major Lazer, and Dada Life among them—spanning genres such as dubstep, moombahton, and house, the fest drew a young crowd from greater Colorado and a smattering of other states.
For those who had never heard of moombahton, or could only guess dubstep to be a futuristic robot war, the lineup also included hip hop heavyweights Big Boi and Snoop Dogg, as well as bands such as Colorado’s Elephant Revival, Brooklyn’s TV On The Radio, and Brit band The Kooks. As for the true audiophiles, willing to get weird on anything, Beats Antique, Boombox, and Griz rocked out with their own style of electro-acoustic fusion.
As with any multi-stage festival, it’s impossible to catch everything going on, and it can even be hard to make it to see your favorite artists—whether it’s because you lost your friends, or made new ones.
No doubt many of the revelers, and artists, who made the trip for SnowBall will next be motoring to the California desert for Coachella (April 13–20) and Tennessee for Bonnaroo (June 7–10).
photograph courtesy of SnowBall Music Festival
A Local Chef Gets Food & Wine’s Attention
Vote for Eight K chef Will Nolan in the magazine’s People’s Best New Chef competition.
March 07, 2012
On Monday, Food & Wine magazine announced the nominees for its annual People’s Best New Chef competition. A total of 100 chefs from ten regions across America were chosen as the best in their field by the magazine, which will host voting to determine a singular winner on its website. Among the ten Southwestern chefs chosen was none other than Eight K’s own chef Will Nolan.
As voting begins, the list of one hundred chefs will shrink down to ten finalists, one from each region. From that pool of extraordinary talent, the chef with the most overall votes will be named The People’s Best New Chef. Finalists and the winning chef will be revealed on March 12. In addition to winning the title, the last chef standing will also be featured in the July 2012 issue of Food & Wine.
Before joining the culinary team at Viceroy Snowmass in late 2010 as the chef de cuisine at Eight K, Nolan was the executive chef at Paillard’s in the Bourbon Orleans Hotel in New Orleans. During his tenure, Paillard’s was named one of New Orleans’ best new restaurants. At last check of Food & Wine’s vote-o-meter, Nolan was in fourth place among the ten Southwest chefs he’s competing against. Vote for Nolan here.
The Oasis Champagne Bar Pops Up
The Little Nell’s new pop-up bubbly bar will begin roving Aspen Mountain this Friday.
March 07, 2012
There is no better time to debut a Champagne bar in Aspen than the spring, when powder, people, and parties are plentiful. And The Oasis, a pop-up Champagne bar by The Little Nell food and beverage director Sabato Sagaria, is striking while the iron is (metaphorically) hot.
The Oasis operates much like a big city food truck, roving around Aspen Mountain on a Sno-Cat hitch and using social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter to update thirsty skiers and snowboarders on its whereabouts. The menu is simple: Veuve Clicquot. At $15 a glass, it is the most affordable Veuve in town. That, and the fact that $1 from the sale of every flute is donated to Challenge Aspen, is more than enough reason to order two, three, or even four rounds. To add an extra layer of luxury, the bar is also serving one-ounce pots of California Caviar’s hackleback sturgeon caviar ($38).
The Oasis will be open on weekend afternoons (Friday–Sunday) throughout ski season and can easily be spotted by its bright yellow umbrellas, lounge chairs, solar-powered sound system, and, of course, snow-chilled bottles of Veuve. Follow The Little Nell on Twitter and Facebook for exact locations and times.
Jewelry Line We Love: Siam Castillo
Castillo brings her stunning, handmade jewelry to KOTO Aspen.
March 02, 2012
New to the jewelry case at KOTO Aspen is Siam Castillo’s exotic fine jewelry collection. A resident of Aspen, Castillo’s pieces are handcrafted and one-of-a-kind. On our visit, we were charmed by Castillo’s beautiful pendants, earrings, and bracelets, which can encase anything from textured butterfly wings to ancient coins to meteorite fragments. Pieces start at around $20, but select items, such as an antique sterling bracelet from ancient Thailand (or, Siam), can fetch prices up to $900. Ask to see her semi-precious, sterling, and gold lamé pieces, which Castillo describes as “big and bold”—perfect for dressing up a little black dress. 409 E. Hyman Ave., 970-925-5686
A Surprise Dining Concept in Woody Creek
Two mystery chefs will open a five-star café in The Woody Creek Community Center this month.
February 27, 2012
For years, dining in Woody Creek meant one thing: the Tavern. Now, the Woody Creek Community Center (also known as WC3 and The Rumble Strip Café) is set to offer a new option.
WC3's kitchen and menu are undergoing a massive transformation to dish up new eats starting March 1. The chef duo behind the revamp, who prefer not to be named a this time, come to Aspen by way of Florida. What else can we tell you? Between the two of them, they've cooked for five presidents.
Chef one says, “The best way to put it is that we’ll be serving up five-star food in a laid back atmosphere.” Laid back, indeed. With a handful of tables, multiple bookcases, and a fireplace, the log cabin-style café reads modest, simple, and cozy.
Come summer, guests will be able to relax on the large patio and take in the beautiful scenery. Chef two says, “We’ll have delicious epicurean delights that have southern style and western wild.”
The mystery duo is working around the clock to have things ready for March, but don't expect the complete menu to roll out until June.
5 Desserts We Crave
Satisfy your sweet tooth with some of Aspen's best desserts.
February 13, 2012
End your day with the sweetest indulgences from our favorite restaurants around Aspen. Below, our top dessert picks:
1. Campo di Fiori's tiramisu is so authentic, you'll feel like you are in Italy. Layered with coffee-soaked ladyfingers, creamy mascarpone and coco powder, this is the perfect way to cap off your evening. 205 S Mill Street, 970-920-7717
2. Jimmy's outrageously chocolaty Volcano Cake is a one of a kind dessert, with a gooey molten center and a hot fudge sauce topping. Pair it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and enjoy it. 205 S Mill Street, 970-925-6020
3. Indulge your craving for the perfect cheesecake with Il Mulino New York's Torta di Formaggio di Casa. Homemade Italian style cheesecake topped with freshly whipped cream and fresh berries, this dessert will satisfy any sweet tooth. 501 E. Dean Street, 970-205-1000
4. Cozy up next to the fireplace at the St. Regis and order the Campfire Smores, a twist on the timeless favorite treat. Homemade marshmallows (which you roast to perfection yourself), graham crackers and molten ganache leave you feeling satisfied. 315 E. Dean Street, 970-920-3300
5. Elevation's Dutch apple crumble is better than your grandmother's recipe. Sliced apples lightly sweetened with a hint of cinnamon nestled in delicious crumble. 304 E. Hopkins Avenue, 970-544-5166
Hannah Teter Turns 25
On the heels of the Winter X Games, the snowboarder celebrated with friends at the SKY Hotel.
January 30, 2012
On Friday, January 25, snowboard star Hannah Teter celebrated another phenomenal Winter X Games performance (snatching bronze in Snowboard SuperPipe) and her 25th birthday at Aspen’s 39 Degrees at the SKY Hotel. Billed as Hannah Teter’s PerfectaParty and presented by Clearasil, the VIP event drew athletes and influencers, including Kelly Clark, Ellery Hollingsworth, Greg Bretz and James Burton. Guests sipped specialty birthday-themed cocktails and were treated to a performance by Flosstradamus. The party benefited Teter’s charitable initiatives with Children International, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping feed impoverished children across the globe.
39 Degrees Lounge Mixes Skinny Cocktails
Two new cocktails take the guilt out the phrase, "I’ll have another."
January 20, 2012
The Skinny Dip cocktail at 39 Degrees Lounge
The Sky Hotel’s 39 Degrees Lounge is shaking up some new low calorie cocktails that are easy on the taste buds and the waistline. On the low-cal cocktail trend, general manager Denis Cote remarks, “Trend or not, guests like to have a healthier option. There are many ways to look after yourself and if we can accommodate this need, even on a small scale, we’re happy to do so.” Here, the lounge shares the recipes for two of its most popular light cocktails.
Skinny Dip
SERVES ONE
1 ounce Skinnygirl White Cranberry Cosmo
1 ounce coconut water
3 ounces light cranberry juice
Club soda
Add all ingredients except club soda into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Top with soda and garnish with a mint sprig and lemon wedge.
Joie de Veev
SERVES ONE
1 1/2 ounces Veev Açaí Spirit
1/2 ounce blood orange juice
1 ounce coconut water
1 ounce pomegranate juice
2 ounces pineapple juice
Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a halved orange wheel.
Aspen Peak and Bing Snow Polo Party Aspen Peak and Bing hosted the Snow Polo Holiday Party at the St. Regis Resort Aspen.
