Oscar Night

It was a glitzy and glittery evening when Aspenites watched the Oscars Award ceremony in an improvised theater at the Ritz-Carlton. TV screens were positioned around the room, and everyone not only watched the 78th annual Oscars award night, they munched on hors d’oeuvres and a delightful dinner created by Ritz Executive Chef Matthew Zubrod. The evening was a benefit for Filmfest’s year-round educational programs and was orchestrated by Aspen Peak magazine, the Ritz-Carlton and Filmfest.The Ritz-Carlton Club is getting involved in the Aspen community, first with hosting the Oscar party and then last week announcing a partnership with the Aspen Historical Society. At a reception at the society’s Wheeler/Stallard House museum, the Ritz-Carlton Club made a gift of $10,000 to the Historical Society, which will be used to enhance programming for visitors to the museum. The gift also made all 600 members of the Ritz-Carlton Club members of the museum. The announcement was part of the “Celebrate History Week” put on by the Historical Society.

Another highlight of history week was a celebration of 48 years of skiing history at Aspen Highlands. A panel discussion detailing the history of Highlands included Bob Beattie, former U.S. Ski Team and Olympic Coach; Mac Smith, head of the Highlands Ski Patrol; and Rob Dasaro (aka “Monkey”) a patroller since 1993. Moderator was Tom Egan, a former radio disc jockey in Aspen who is now communications director for the Historical Society.Peter Harriman, a junior at the Holderness School in Plymouth, N.H., has been named to the school’s second-quarter honor roll for academic achievement. This winter Peter also worked in the school’s on-campus jobs program and won the Weston Lea Award for his exploits as a member of the Holderness Division I varsity hockey team. In March he took part in Out Back, a 10-day hiking camping and leadership excursion into the White Mountains. In the spring he will be co-captain of the varsity golf team. He is the son of Lisa and Bill Harriman of Aspen.

Former Aspenite Connie Baxter Marlow will be in Aspen during April to host a bridal shower for her and Dave Marlow’s daughter, Consi Marlow. Consi and John Chmielewski, a local graphic designer, will marry on June 3 in Aspen. Connie and Andrew Cameron Bailey have settled in Sedona, Ariz., where they have created a unique bed and breakfast called Page Springs B & B.Undercurrent … first comes the snowplow down the street, and then comes the street sweeper – often in the same day.