Browse: June 2007

Walter Isaacson has been the president and CEO of The Aspen Institute since 2003, and during his time at the helm of the nonprofit, he has made gigantic strides in making the Institute (founded in 1950) a more well-known organization as well as a place where ideas can and are shared in a nonpartisan, nonideological way. Three years ago, he launched the Aspen Ideas Festival in which the top minds in politics, education, international policy, journalism, and more gather in Aspen to share their ideas and hopefully effect change once they leave town. Prior to his role with the Institute, Isaacson was the chairman and CEO of CNN and the managing editor of Time. He is also an author whose latest book--a biography of Einstein called Einstein: His Life and Universe--was published this spring. Today, Aspen is a hotbed of ideas and a gathering place for politicians and great minds thanks in large part to Isaacson and his vision of what The Aspen Institute could and should be.

What is Plum 98? It¹s a collection of 98 individuals (a nice, round number) who have etched a mark in the Aspen community with positive energy and vision. Be it in the realm of art, recreation or politics, we at Plum want to recognize these local stars for their encouragement and inspiration. To meet more Plum 98ers, click HERE.

One of our favorite things about summer is daylight until nearly 9 p.m., which we think is nature's way of telling us it's BBQ season. Now is the time to grab some friends, buy plenty of groceries and fresh produce, and move your meal outside. Whether you're a grill master or BBQ newbie, here are a couple easy grilling tips from the legendary BBQ joint The Hickory House, sure to make your next cookout a delicious hit.

Saturday, June 30

Walter Isaacson, president/CEO, The Aspen Institute
Aspen Art Museum featured artist, Nicole Wermers
Natasha Long, event coordinator, The Buddy Program
Trend watch w/ Aspen Magazine editor in chief Janet O’Grady
Jimmy Nadell makes a Fourth-of-July feast
Aspen Film exec. director Laura Thielen on SummerFilms

Sunday, July 1

Although Judith Cross has only lived in Aspen for three years, she has already made an imprint on the community, serving as the executive director of Aspen Camp of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ADC). A mother of two daughters, Cross' youngest was born deaf, which led her to become an active member of the deaf community. Although Cross has run major corporations such as The Clorox Company and Hidden Valley and has served as VP for Walt Disney Records and Disney Audio, she feels her position at ADC is the most rewarding position she has ever held. Cross' passion for what she does has helped bring children from around the country with hearing disabilities (as well as other disabilities such as autism) to the beautiful Roaring Fork Valley. Thanks to the hard work of Cross, the camp staff and supporters, and overwhelming community support, ADC warmly opens its doors to hundreds of disabled children and their families.

What is Plum 98? It¹s a collection of 98 individuals (a nice, round number) who have etched a mark in the Aspen community with positive energy and vision. Be it in the realm of art, recreation or politics, we at Plum want to recognize these local stars for their encouragement and inspiration. To meet more Plum 98ers, click HERE.

For more than three decades Aspen Writers' Foundation has hosted Aspen Summer Words, a literary festival and writing retreat where passionate writers and readers can indulge in a five-day celebration dedicated to the written word. From June 24 to 28, Aspen will be bustling with readings, workshops, panel discussions, and live music as a part of this festival for the mind.

This year's theme, "Africa: The Origin of Stories," honors the birthplace of storytelling. The Literary Festival centers around readings and lectures from six acclaimed African authors, including Wole Soyinka and Binyavanga Wainaina—both featured in this month's special Africa issue of Vanity Fair.

In addition to the literary festival, the writing retreat gives aspiring writers the opportunity to have their manuscripts individually critiqued by some of today's hottest editors and agents. Behind-the-books panel discussions and two-day symposiums offer passholders a glimpse into the screen, food, and magazine industries. Among this year's featured guests are United Nations ambassador Ken Adelman and Playboy Magazine editor Tim Mohr.

New this year, the event also boasts a sound track. Don't miss Malian musician Habib Koite at Belly Up or jazz icon Wynton Marsalis conducting the Lincoln Center Orchestra and the Ghanian percussion ensemble Odadaa! at the Benedict Music Tent. So put on your thinking caps and brace yourself for a literary exploration of Africa—the place where it all began.

Individual tickets can be purchased through Belly Up or the Aspen Writers' Foundation's online box office. For a full schedule of events, visit www.aspenwriters.org

Ever since Seth Sachson can remember, his passion in life has been dogs. After moving to Aspen in 1992, Sachson was hired as the director of the Aspen/Pitkin Animal Shelter. In 1993, he began an 11-year fund-raising campaign to build a new shelter. His vision was to create an inviting environment that would not only provide rescued animals a safe and clean shelter but would also serve as a fun place where families, kids, and visitors could interact with animals. Thanks to Sachson's unyielding enthusiasm and the support of the Aspen community, the doors to the new Aspen/Pitkin Animal Shelter opened in 2006. And now with summer upon us, what better time is there to stop by the shelter and take one of the its adorable inhabitants for a stroll? (The American Humane Association recently recognized the shelter's popular dog-walking program as one of the top 100 animal-shelter programs in America.) Thanks to Sachson's passion, Aspen is now an even more dog-friendly community.

What is Plum 98? It¹s a collection of 98 individuals (a nice, round number) who have etched a mark in the Aspen community with positive energy and vision. Be it in the realm of art, recreation or politics, we at Plum want to recognize these local stars for their encouragement and inspiration. To meet more Plum 98ers, click HERE.

Perhaps there are no events in Aspen that say summer quite like the Aspen Music Festival & School. In its 58th year, the classical music festival and school draws the biggest names in classical music as well as the most talented group of young music students in the world to Aspen. The season consists of nine jam-packed weeks of music at several venues (and even random corners) around town.

Chris Davenport is a longtime local and an idol to many of the young skiers trying to make their name known in the ski world today. A former World Extreme Skiing Champion and an avid mountaineer, Davenport is a ski legend in the making. He has been featured in countless ski films and also acts as a commentator for ESPN and ABC Sports. During the 2006 winter/spring season, Davenport completed his 14er project in which he summited and skied all of Colorado's 54 14,000-foot peaks in a year's time—a feat that had never been accomplished before. When he is not skiing, mountain biking, paragliding, or doing something else in the outdoors, Davenport is a family man with a wife and two little boys. He is the epitome of young Aspen—ambitious, successful, athletic, and kind, which is what makes him such an integral part of Aspen's community and our favorite ski hero.

What is Plum 98? It¹s a collection of 98 individuals (a nice, round number) who have etched a mark in the Aspen community with positive energy and vision. Be it in the realm of art, recreation or politics, we at Plum want to recognize these local stars for their encouragement and inspiration. To meet more Plum 98ers, click HERE.

Klaus Obermeyer is a skiwear pioneer who left his native Bavaria 60 years ago and made his way (with a detour in Sun Valley) to Aspen to teach skiing. When his students complained of being uncomfortable and cold, he had the idea to create better options for the skier. As a result, this innovative thinker helped to revolutionize the skiwear industry by not only inventing the puffy jacket, but also getting a patent for the first-ever "flow" ski boot with a plastic outer shell, and the first high-altitude sunscreen. He later founded Obermeyer clothing, which has been a force in the industry ever since. But perhaps what Aspen loves most about this man who is almost never seen without a smile on his face is that he is well into his 80s and still skiing everyday. And if you're on the same mountain he is, you'll know it—you can hear him yodeling.

What is Plum 98? It¹s a collection of 98 individuals (a nice, round number) who have etched a mark in the Aspen community with positive energy and vision. Be it in the realm of art, recreation or politics, we at Plum want to recognize these local stars for their encouragement and inspiration. To meet more Plum 98ers, click HERE.

Since 1991, Jazz Aspen Snowmass (JAS) has been jazzing up the summer season for music lovers throughout the Roaring Fork Valley. With two festivals--one in June and one Labor Day weekend--JAS has brought some of the industries top names to town including Elvis Costello, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Ben Harper, Neil Young, Sheryl Crow, Tony Bennett, Widespread Panic, and Jack Johnson, to name only a few.

As the senior VP of Aspen Skiing Co, David Perry has helped to make Aspen cool again. He was instrumental in getting ESPN Winter X Games to town and keeping them here for an unprecedented 6 years (so far). During his tenure as one of the top execs at SkiCo, the company drastically expanded the double-black diamond terrain (an extremely unconventional move for a ski resort) at the locally beloved mountain Aspen Highlands. And those are just a few examples of how Perry has helped breathe life back into a town that was once considered to be going gray. Today, Aspen is a playground for the biggest names in the skiing and boarding industries, and we think Perry deserves a big pat on the back for making our town fun again. But perhaps Perry's best quality is that he is just a really nice guy who happens to really love skiing.

What is Plum 98? It¹s a collection of 98 individuals (a nice, round number) who have etched a mark in the Aspen community with positive energy and vision. Be it in the realm of art, recreation or politics, we at Plum want to recognize these local stars for their encouragement and inspiration. To meet more Plum 98ers, click HERE.

When Aspen's longtime live music venue The Double Diamond closed its doors a few years ago, Aspenites were concerned their town would lose its reputation for a nightlife so good it rivaled the outdoors life. Enter Michael Goldberg. More than two years ago, Goldberg opened Belly Up Aspen, the Colorado outpost of his brother's live-music venue of the same name in Solana Beach, California. Since Goldberg reopened the club's doors with a new name and a major facelift--not to mention a world-class sound system and staff--Aspen's nightlife has never been hotter or sounded better. Today, Belly Up boasts music almost every night of the week, including everyone from up-and-coming, soon-to-be-huge acts to A-list musicians and bands and even lectures on occasion. Thanks to Goldberg, today, Aspen's biggest concern is how to get any sleep with so much incredible music happening all the time.

What is Plum 98? It¹s a collection of 98 individuals (a nice, round number) who have etched a mark in the Aspen community with positive energy and vision. Be it in the realm of art, recreation or politics, we at Plum want to recognize these local stars for their encouragement and inspiration. To meet more Plum 98ers, click HERE.