Aspen Peak - Niche Media - Aspen living at its peak
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/681153
photography by ross daniels I began putting pen to pad for this letter in the most Colorado of settings—in a backcountry hut deep in the Elk Mountains with a craft brew in hand. I finished— in perhaps the most Aspen of ways—typing away on the sun-drenched Ajax Tavern patio as skiers schussed to the base, eager to pop Champagne and nibble on truffle oil-drizzled cuisine in celebration of the close of yet another ski season. As I reflected on the past year, I couldn't help but realize that the act of writing this introduction to the magazine had, itself, become a powerful allegory for my love of Aspen. There are the serene, reflective moments in nature, like that cloudless, starry night in the hut; but there are also the moments when this little town really puts on a show and rivals, at least in my heart, any city to which I've ever been fortunate enough to travel. And it was with that exact duality of experience in mind that I approached this issue of Aspen Peak. The summer will bring divinely decadent days like the Food & Wine Classic (page 60), alongside quiet moments spent fly fishing town's idyllic streams (page 157); there will be raucous concerts from Motown diva Diana Ross (page 51) all while celebrating Art of the Town with work from our cover artist, Dick Carter (page 101); and every- thing in between. It's been said that balance is the key to life, but I've never been happier to live in such an unapologetically bipolar town. above, from left: I had the great honor of meeting US Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera at the Gonzo Gallery after his Aspen Words-sponsored talk at Paepcke Auditorium; I joined Publisher Alexandra Halperin and Pam Alexander at the swanky VIP tent for the World Snow Polo Championships in Aspen. Christine Benedetti, Nicky Byrne, and I hit Aspen Film's new Casino Royale benefit at the Hotel Jerome. 26 aspenpeak-magazine.com damien a. williamson Follow me on Facebook at facebook.com/aspenpeak.magazine and at aspenpeak-magazine.com. LETTER From THE ExEcuTivE EdiTor