#visitaspen

Speaking of weather, the forecast for the next 10 days includes a lot of snow. Instead of frosted cookies, we’ll take our dusting of powder on the slopes.

As the season changes, The Little Nell is looking forward to celebrating their 30th anniversary and opened its doors this week. We for one can’t wait to capture all the #nell30 celebrations this season, including a step back in time to 1989.

Krista Klees of Slifer Smith & Frampton kicks off the season of giving by announcing the beneficiaries of her annual event. Five local non-profits, including Hope Center and Wind Walkers, will be showcased and we can’t wait to provide our readers with a full recap. You can see all the non-profits that have benefitted from the company’s charitable giving over the years.

Blake Appleby made a recent move to Compass real estate and has this perfect commercial real estate opportunity available at Obermeyer Place. You can read his latest newsletter here, where he recaps a glimpse into the marijuana industry, including the recent changes in Snowmass Village.

Speaking of the high life, Woody Creek Distillers produces all their distilled spirits right here in the valley - at 6610 feet above sea level - and recently unveiled their new logo. We’ll drink to that.

And for all your small business owners looking to get a leg up on your social media before the busy season, The Hello Co. now offers its Instagram workshop online. Say hello to spending less time online and more time on the mountain all winter long.

Check out our Scouted November events from now until the end of the month, including shopping and eating (two faves!).

Happy thanks and giving from your TSG Aspen Editors!

JAS LABOR DAY EXPERIENCE // Sold Out except for Friday GA. But always good to know before you go, because Snowmass Village will be busy!

ASPEN SATURDAY MARKET // Spend your Saturday morning perusing the Aspen Farmer's Market. Open from 9-3.

BLUEGRASS SUNDAY // Get down to some of Colorado's best bluegrass bands on the top of Aspen Mountain. Grab details over at The Little Nell.

BASALT SUNDAY MARKET // Downtown Basalt comes to life on Sunday morning starting at 10 AM with the Sunday Market. Stroll, shop, and savor the sunny day downvalley.

8th ANNUAL ROCKY MOUNTAIN OYSTER FESTIVAL // Monday, September 2nd from 6-9 PM. $99++. Celebrate Labor Day at Ajax Tavern's annual oyster fest, featuring a raw bar, BBQ favorites, sides, and desserts. Come and enjoy food, wine and beer, live music, dancing, premium auction items and more! $5 of every ticket price, plus all silent auction proceeds will benefit YouthEntity. Details

HIKE // Some of our favorite trails include Smuggler and Lost Man Trail. But there is truly something for everyone. Check out this complete list of hiking trails from the Aspen Chamber.

BIKE // Looking to cover more miles in less time? Rent a bike from Ride Aspen and hit the Rio Grande Trail. We know a cold margarita at Woody Creek Tavern will hit the spot. (Just call a taxi for the return trip home!).

SHOP // Aspen has plenty of shops to spend an afternoon browsing. And Basalt has some great spots to hit, including Hollyann - a perfect place to pop into if you’re heading downvalley to stock up on picnic goods at Whole Foods.

DROP // Sit down and grab a bite or beverage at one of our favorite spots. We’ve rounded up this convenient list of Aspen area restaurants, cafés, and bars. Linger for lunch or for an entire night.

And repeat it all again the next day. Just be sure to stop by Local for coffee. The caffeine is waiting!

live. love. explore. local.

What led you to Aspen? Why did you stay? Debbie: I followed my husband here when he joined Ski Co. as the Marketing Director. Once we got in the door, we knew there was no other place we’d rather be. Jennifer: Mine is a story you hear often in our community, I arrived in Aspen for what I thought would be a winter season and never left! They say you come for the winters and stay for the summers. So true. I love the summer here but more importantly, I fell in love with the spirit of Aspen. Not only the natural beauty that I feel so blessed to be surrounded by every day but the character and small-town charm. It just felt like home to me.

How did you start out with the Chamber? D: It was my first, and it has been my only, job in Aspen. I joined ACRA as a temporary fill-in for the then membership director, who was out on maternity leave. When she decided to not return, I stayed. J: My first experience with the chamber was as a volunteer for the Aspen Chamber’s largest and signature destination event, the FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen. I enjoyed the event so much and was hired part-time to assist the events department.

Debbie, that is so rare you have only worked at the Chamber since coming to Aspen. Kudos to you! Can you both recall your first work memories? J: That events can be crazy busy, with long hours and super-intense lead-up right until go-time. But that first FOOD & WINE Classic was so much fun! D: I had to produce a Y2K seminar. Remember when all the computers were going to crash on January 1, 2000?  

Ah yes, we do remember the Y2K scare! And now almost two decades later, you both recently celebrated 20 years with ACRA. Congratulations are in order! What are some of your biggest accomplishments during the past two decades? D: I’ve been a part of many magical moments in Aspen.  I’m proud to have secured dedicated marketing funding through the lodging tax. Twice. I’ve also worked to add a group sales division to ACRA helping to fill hotels in need periods and recently took ACRA through national designation as a Certified Destination Management Organization (DMO).

Are many chambers designated as DMO’s? D: No, this scenario is most common in a mountain destination, due to our population size. In larger areas, there are separate DMO’s and Chamber of Commerce. Since we don’t have the population to support two different organizations doing similar work, we morph into a Chamber Resort Association, doing the work of a Chamber and a DMO.

That’s a lot of work for one organization! But it certainly shows how much effort the entire team at the Chamber puts forth. Jennifer, tell us about your milestones over the last two decades. J: I am very proud to be a member of the ACRA team and where I am today was a journey, from Special Events Manager to Director of Events and now Vice President of Event Marketing. I have loved developing business relationships, such as with FOOD & WINE, soon to celebrate its 38th year in 2020. I have had the pleasure of working with the production team from the magazine as well as local partners since my first day here and this experience has given me the opportunity to strengthen ACRA’s producing partnership of the event over the last two decades.

What has surprised you most about working with the Chamber? J: Perhaps not surprising as much as it is an observation and natural progression, but how much the Chamber has grown as an organization over the last 20 years. When I began, most departments consisted of one person. New projects have developed, the Chamber has become involved in the community in other ways, and each department’s staff has increased. Along with the addition of an entirely new department, Destination Marketing, which provides destination marketing services funded from the City of Aspen’s 2% lodging tax. D: I am constantly amazed at how dynamic this town is. The degree of passion and genuine love for our destination and the countless hours people volunteer to local causes. I had no idea when I started how instrumental a Chamber can be in addressing business and nonprofit challenges with local government.  

What are some of the biggest misconceptions about Aspen and/or the Chamber? J: People think the Chamber is the City of Aspen. While ACRA works very closely and often in partnership with the City, they are separate organizations. D: Yes, there is the notion for some individuals that we just run a visitors’ center or are a department of the City. ACRA is unique in that we operate as both a DMO and a Chamber of Commerce.  We are very active in both destination marketing, and business development and advocacy. Another big misconception about Aspen is that it’s uber-wealthy and aristocratic. While there is certainly a degree of that, most people I talk to that visit Aspen for the first time are pleasantly surprised to see that it is so down to earth and welcoming.

What is your vision for the future of Aspen? What trends do you foresee? D: The vision of ACRA is to create an environment for Aspen to thrive.  Some future trends really center on resort sustainability and educating new visitors on recreating in the mountains.  I see a shift from a destination marketing organization to a destination stewardship organization.

Can you tell us more about this? We’ve seen the “Tag Responsibly” initiative, not only with ACRA, but in other destination communities as well. D: Mature destinations like Aspen are evolving from just marketing their resorts to managing the flow of visitors to the resort.  Once you begin to manage the guest experience and flow, you begin to realize the next step is Destination Stewardship. We are studying macro issues and trends that impact outdoor places and the people who recreate in them. With over 95 million images posted to Instagram each day, we are seeing a crisis of popularity.  ACRA understands that we have to educate as much as we are inspiring travel which is how the Tag Responsibly initiative comes into play.

Jennifer, we've heard you described as kind, patient, and organized (and the bearer of a dreaded red-pen!). What three words would you use to describe your role? Detailed. Multi-tasker. Resourceful. And one bonus word: Adaptable.

Debbie, you've been described as authentic, competitive, and full of energy. What three words would you add to that list when describing your current role? Creative. Visionary. And apprehensive (in a good way).

Do you have a personal mantra? D: “Onward and upward.” I believe that if you are not continually growing and evolving, you will get left behind. J: I live by “be yourself.” And when things start to get really busy, especially right before an event, I try to consciously take a moment to “just breathe.”

Favorite season? A favorite hike, bike, or ski trail? D: My favorite season is fall. Hiking Hunter Creek or somewhere up Ashcroft in September is as good as it gets. J: Summer is my favorite. My daily go-to lunch break during the week is to hike Smuggler. I never tire of the view of town from the top!

Where would we find you outside of work hours? D: I’m active with my kids’ activities. You’ll often spot me in Basalt at a high school sporting event or at a local fundraiser.   J: At home with my family, outdoors, reading aloud with my son on the front porch, spending time in the garden, or walking down to the Roaring Fork River.  

Thank you to Debbie and Jennifer for taking the time to fill us in on what happens behind the scenes at ACRA, and around town. Stay up to date on all things Aspen via their website, blog, and events calendar. There truly is something for everyone in Aspen. And learn more about the Tag Responsibly initiative.

July 20 - 21 // Aspen Arts Festival is here! Visit Paepcke Park from 10 AM to 5 PM on Saturday and Sunday, with an abundance of art, photography, sculptures, and jewelry from local and national artists on display. Stop by the booth for Caitlin Dunn Jewelry and say hello!

July 20 // Last day of Fernando Jorge Trunk Show at Meridian Jewelers. See the Designer of the Year and the pieces in person.

July 21 // Bluegrass Sunday at the Sundeck atop Aspen Mountain. Head up the mountain and tune into an afternoon of music.

July 22 // Terry Thiese Wine Dinner at The Little Nell, with a selection fo wines paired with a four-course menu from Executive Chef Matt Zubrod. Get the details here.

July 23 - 24 // Enjoy the Irene Neuwirth Trunk Show at Meridian Jewelers.

July 25 - 27 // Award-winning craftsman Alex Sepkus is at Elliott Yeary Gallery for a jewelry Trunk Show, featuring gorgeous handcrafted 18K gold and platinum with unique and colorful gemstones and diamonds.

July 26 - 28 // K. Brunini Trunk Show is at Meridian Jewelers for three days, with a personal appearance by the jeweler.

July 26 - 28 // Visit Caitlin Dunn Jewelry at the Carbondale Mountain Fair, at Sopris Park.

July 28 // The Sundeck atop Aspen Mountain hosts Liver Down the River today for Bluegrass Sunday. 

Mondays through Fridays // Mountaintop Yoga at the top of Aspen Mountain at 10:30 AM. Ride the gondola (fee) or hike up and enjoy the $10 class. Grab details here.

Need a break from all that food and wine? The Aspen Chamber has a complete round-up of local happenings. Or check out our list of June events.

Want to know some of our favorite things to do and see? Check out our Aspen Cheat Sheet. And join us for our TSG Aspen Cover Color Kickoff Party on Thursday the 13th.

Downvalley more your style? Check out what is happening in Snowmass, Basalt, Carbondale, and Glenwood.

Some other favorite food and wine finds //

5 Common Wine Mistakes

How to FOOD & WINE the French Way

Adjusting to the Altitude