Aspen Podcast: Recent Episodes
Jason Hartmann
Welcome to the Aspen Podcast, bringing the mountains to you wherever you are! We focus on what is happening from week to week, giving a local perspective on where and when to be, so you don’t miss a thing. :)
If you didn’t know, every Aspen Podcast conversation is recorded in person and outdoors, which is great for social distancing, but horrible for recording. Despite our best efforts to clean up the sound, this week’s podcast is at the mercy of the wind and Aspen construction. We hope that doesn’t take away from our talk about the Golden Leaf marathon, the Snowmass wine festival, and the return of mask mandates.
This week Jason and Pete talk about the upcoming Food & Wine Classic and Snowmass Balloon Festival. Both events that shouldn't be missed.
This weekend it’s the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Labor Day Music Festival and apparently the price tag has increased. That said, JAS is known for booking great musicians and the lesser-known acts will likely impress even the harshest critics.
In this episode we focus on something happening around the world, aka climate change, and one project making a difference. The Aspen Skiing Company partnered with a coal mine to convert waste methane into usable electricity, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and making money by selling the electricity back to the grid.
If today’s story motivates you to get involved or donate, check out the Environment Foundation here:
https://www.aspensnowmass.com/we-are-different/philanthropy/environment-foundation
This week I chatted with Pete Pelinski, international man of mystery, about the Aspen Community Picnic, what it means to be a local, and his unsubstantiated dislike for circus folk.
The truth is, if you are listening to this podcast you must love this town, this valley or the people in it. So whether you are considered a local or not, we hope you enjoy our talk and attend the Aspen Community Picnic this Thursday (if you are in town, that is!).
This week I chatted with Pete Pelinski, parks extraordinaire, about the recent air quality, this year’s Ducky Derby, and that random music truck driving around town.
If you take away anything from this particular episode, it’s that your health is top priority and the air quality is no laughing matter. As always, we hope anyone dealing with wild fires and other natural disasters stay safe.
It's the first week of August, the temperatures are dropping at night, and I'm not ready to let the summer go! But change is good, so we will embrace it. :)
This week, Pete and I chatted about the Aspen marathon and his experience running the New York marathon. We also talked about the rock slides on I-70 and what it means to get a meal in town these days.
There is no shortage of things to do in the mountains, but there is not always an art fair, wine tasting, or music festival to participate in. For that reason, the Aspen Podcast chatted with Pete Pelinski and Libby Hartmann this week about what's happening when nothing is happening around Aspen. Because there is always something happening around Aspen!
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the fabled event and I chatted with Pete Pelinski and Katie Hmielowski about they are looking forward to most. The consensus seemed to be the Motet playing Saturday night, but Mountain Fair is so much more than live music.
This week we spoke to Pete Pelinski and Kevin Jacobs about the Aspen Arts Festival and Rendezvous Beer Fest in Snowmass. We also had a fun conversation with Cori Lambert for a new segment called the FOMO report. Cori is spending the summer fishing in Alaska and shares what she misses most about the Roaring Fork Valley.
If you like what you hear, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and follow us on Facebook!
Welcome to Aspen Podcast Season 2!
With events on hold due to the pandemic the podcast took a hiatus, but the new season starts today!
This week Jason sat down with Kate Huang from Jing Aspen, an Asian fusion restaurant on Main Street, to talk about Chef Frank’s delicious food, putting family first, and why young people are flocking to the sushi bar. Throughout the pandemic Jing stayed open and served takeout food, not closing a single day, which gave Kate a unique perspective on who is visiting Aspen these days.
This week, Jason sat down with Alex Palmaz from Aspen Paragliding to talk about the beauty of flying in the mountains, tandem paragliding with a 7 foot tall guy, and getting mentioned on Lance Armstrong’s podcast. Alex has been flying for nearly 30 years, giving him a unique perspective on Aspen and what the future may hold.
If you are interested in paragliding, give Alex a call at 970-925-6975.
This week Jason sat down with Elliot Audette to talk about Snowmass Village Trivia, trying new things in the Roaring Fork Valley, and where to dine for that pre-COVID feeling. As Trivia Master, Elliot continues to rethink what trivia nights look like during a pandemic and what they might look like in the future.
Right now Elliot has 14 episodes of trivia night online, just search Snowmass Village Trivia on Instagram, YouTube or Facebook to get involved!
This week Jason sat down with Kevin Jordan to talk about the renaissance of mountain biking, the Snowmass Bike School, and how change equals opportunity. As the Bike School Manager since 2010, Kevin shared some insights on how the sport is growing and why he is excited for the future.
This week Jason sits down with Kevin Byford, co-owner of Aspen Bikes, to talk about e-bikes, paddle boarding North Star, and how bicycles are the new toilet paper. Kevin has run the shop since 1999 with two friends, Ed Garland and Paul Williams, and wonders if COVID just might give Aspen the break it needs.