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The best way to describe the Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival---four full days of celebrity chef cooking demos, book signings, wine seminars, lunches, walk-around tastings, after parties, and dinners with a truly amazing lineup of chefs---is through our first two day's itineray. Quite frankly, we're full.

DAY 1: Winding Up
We missed the celebrity chef golf tourney (Ming Tsai, Masarahu Morimoto, Tom Colicchio, Thomas Keller were just some of the chefs who played) and the opening night party at the Inn at Spanish Bay, but we didn't miss the after party. Food (a roast pig, procetta, sushi), cocktail bars and the now-famous wine room. Chefs spotted: Tre Wilcox from Top Chef season three, Ryan Scott from season four (and publicist who wouldn't let us talk TC at all), and Michel Richard who practically ran away when we tried to say hello.

DAY 2: Demos, Tastings, Wine Until the Wee Hours
10am-11:30am: Jacques and Claudine Pepin cooking demo. The two are like a Laurel and Hardy comedy team, except with crepes, caviar and wine. Quick shuttle (overheard on bus: "Wish we could taste the crepes" and "I want Jacques Pepin to be my dad") to the main event tents for a luncheon.

12pm-2:45pm: Chefs from Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Top Chef, Joe's Stone Crab, Marinus and Morimoto prepare our meal. The room was a flutter of sommeliers and servers. It was supposed to be like the Food Network come to life, but it was tastier than the Food Network could ever hope to be.

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Between Gourmet on Fire at the Loews Santa Monica hotel and SOS Taste of the Nation in Culver City, ours was a weekend full of food, booze and sun. The Gourmet magazine event was smaller than last year's, but the setting couldn't be more perfect for mojitos and grilled meat. The best part of Taste of the Nation is seeing which chefs walk around together and where they eat. Unfortunately, we were talking so much, we didn't get to all of the tables, but we were invited to the after-party at Ford's Filling Station, where off-duty chefs and staff ate and drank more. Basically, everyone just got shitty---when the Irish Car Bombs hit the bar, we knew it was time to go. Instead of reeling from full bellies and hangovers, we left with a bucket full of good gossip. We saved the juiciest tidbits for you, natch.

(1) Chef/caterer Akasha Richmond, owner of Akasha's Visionary Cuisine, is opening a restaurant in the former San Gennaro space, that big corner restaurant next to Ford's Filling Station in Culver City. Hopes to open in the fall. The chef also spilled that she was selected for that restaurant makeover show we helped spread the word about in February.

(2) Roaming chefs couldn’t get enough of Loteria Grill's tacos at Taste of the Nation. Everyone wanted to know when chef/owner Jimmy Shaw's new Hollywood location was opening, and where: In the former bookstore on Hollywood, next to Geisha House, by end of summer/early fall.

Crocs: All photos taken in Grand Tasting Pavilion at the Classic in Aspen in a matter of 30 minutes.

Food & Wine gave them out to staff as an event gift; men, women and children everywhere could be found with them; and they were the only shoe maker with an official booth in the Grand Tasting Pavilion at the Classic in Aspen. The official Mario Batali line has a special non-slip sole and deeper heel well. In the fall, there will be a winter-friendly line coming out. These things were, without question, the unofficial shoe of the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. Crocs: so hot, they're over.

This is the access card to the Two Twelve House, about which there is no shortage of buzz here in Aspen. Quickly, the Two Twelve House is a house that's been rented out for the festival, sponsored and overlorded by Two Twelve, a marketing and management company (there was also one of these houses in South Beach). They do things like connect Scott Conant with his cookware line manufacturers. Scott Feldman is the man in charge of all this and he's made it clear in no uncertain terms that there's very little chance we're getting our hands on one of the above cards, which guarantee you access to the house. In fact, there are only 100 of the cards made and they've all already been ear-marked and distributed. So if you don't have one by now, you don't have one.

Whereas, at most festivals there are a bunch of sponsored houses that people bounce to and from, in Aspen this is, really, the only show in town. As far as what transpires at the house, we can't really say. What we know will likely get us killed at some point (something about champagne bottles flying at high velocities), and those who have said things did so only after we signed their air-tight NDAs. But, this is one of those talking points you just have to have. Caribou Club be damned: everyone who is anyone is at the Two Twelve House. (And yes, there is a chance we're being this kind because we'd like to be let in tonight.)
· Two12 - AccessAspen [official site]

Calling all correspondents: Been to the house? we're listening. Closely.

Moderator Dana Cowin; Panelists, L to R, Steve Ells, Drew Nieporent, Thomas Keller, and Tom Coliccho.

As part of the Trade Program at the Classic, Tom Colicchio, Steve Ells (CEO of Chipotle), Thomas Keller and Drew Nieporent sat down to discuss the future of fine dining this morning, led by moderator Dana Cowin. In attendance, among many others, Bobby Flay, Mario Batali, Danny Meyer and about 1,000 restaurateurs want to grow up to be any one of these guys.

It is extremely entertaining to see four of the most successful food money makers in the world sit next to each other and make nice. Nieporent digs Colicchio, when things shift to fast food: "Can you just imagine Tom Colicchio's head on a bucket of fried chicken? Now that's a concept." Coliccho back at him, during a comparison of the food and fashion businesses: "Drew and fashion, those two things don't exactly go together." Also, nobody stepped to Thomas Keller.

So the culinary world is descending on Aspen at this moment. For the record, we're here, two Bloody Marys in. A text from the New York's Gabriel Stulman of just seconds ago: "On my way to Aspen. Be there in a few hours." Danny Meyer: already poolside at the Little Nell, perhaps the nicest hotel in the city, on his Blackberry. Matthew Johnson, a Sushi Samba honcho, also at the Nell, passing out business cards (true). Dave Chang, Bobby Flay, Mario Batali, Team Baltz Co., Team Food & Wine: On site. There's much more to come, friends, but in the meantime, here's the fine print on the back of our credentials, if you want to get a sense of what's in store:

By using this credential, the bearer of this credential assumes all risks and liabilities associated with attending and otherwise participating in the Food & Wine Magazine Classic in Aspen ("the event"). The bearer of this credential may not recover, from any individual or company associated wit the event, AND RELEASES AND HOLDS ALL SUCH PERSONS AND COMPANIES HARMLESS for and from any of the activities pertaining, directly or indirectly, to the Event (or any portion thereof).

Starting at the ass-crack of dawn tomorrow, when we catch a 6 AM ET flight to Aspen, we'll be on location for you at the 25th annual 2007 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. That is the official name and we have been instructed to please refer to it as such. The good people of Food & Wine have thrown caution to the wind and invited us out for the festivities, which include seminars, tastings, drinkings, and schmoozing with industry bigwigs from Food & Wine editorial honcho Dana Cowin to newbie blogger Mario Batali to the one and only Drew Nieporent. There is also the matter of one celebrity chef poker tournament, hosted by soon-to-be West Coast club owner (more on this soon) David Rabin that we're gearing up for. There will be quiet a bit to take in, and get back out to you, but we're up for it. (Hidden camera rig packed for when the marketing department asks us to stop taking pictures, check. We kid, J.P. Kyrillos, we kid.) If you're heading to the mountains as well, do say hello; we'll be at Main Street Bakery for breakfast. If you're going to stay on this coast, but want us to pay particular attention to anything for you, say the word and we'll do what we can.
· Food & Wine Classic in Aspen 2007 [Food & Wine]