There's no place like Aspen at Christmas and New Year's Eve, and everything in between.

….Fast forward to New Year's Eve, but returning to the same location, the St. Regis ballroom was transformed from a couture runway to a rocking bandstand and roomy parquet dance floor with bars set up in strategic corners. This was the highly coveted by-invitation-only Aspen Peak party, formerly located at the Sundeck on top of Aspen Mountain.

Aspen Peak is one prong in publisher Jason Binn's Niche Media crown. In a recent article in The New York Times' "Talk of the Town,"  reporter David Carr described this newly minted media mogul's accomplishments.

"Mr. Binn has built a vertical out of the status obsession of both old and new money. People in the Hamptons may build their hedges high, but part of them wants the rest of the world to see just how fabulous their life is.  Niche Media has tapped into the current need to live out loud, and the occasional discreet spread in Town & Country or Architectural Digest just doesn't quite get it."

Remind you of anyone, or shall I say, anywhere?

Mr. Binn did the countdown to midnight, flanked by part-time resident and songwriter Denise Rich and Ivana Trump. Ivana and the Donald's' daughter, Ivanka, are launching a diamond jewelry line, and the brochure was included in our 'goodie bags' that we received at the end of the evening. Ranging in price from $2,800 to $370,000, those diamond mines must be working overtime to supply the gems that drip from her luxurious and star-studded pieces that will inevitably drip from the stars who wear them.

As former Aspen mayoral candidate and CNN anchor Bonnie Behrendt says, "There's no place like Aspen on New Year's Eve." I couldn't agree more, Bonnie ...  Let the pictures tell the rest of the story.

Happy, healthy and prosperous 2008 to everyone, whether you are a part- or full-time resident or visitor to our snowy shores, how lucky we all are to be here during this very festive and social season, as well as any other time. On to Wintersköl and the X-Games...