Penny Parker On The Town: The ‘burbs are the word in Money magazine

The accolades keep coming for Colorado, especially for two suburban Denver cities.

Money magazine ranked its “best places to live” and Louisville (ranked No. 2) and Parker (12th) were cited for their economic success and excellent housing.

Louisville previously had been ranked No. 1 twice on the Money list in the past. The northwest Denver suburb that lies just east of Boulder is noted for “its place in the technology-rich Denver-Boulder corridor” that “has kept the job outlook solid.” Money also said that Louisville is a “great place to raise a family, with well-regarded schools and a safe community. Read more about Louisville here.

Parker was noted for its performing-arts center (particularly its 500-seat theater and outdoor amphitheater) and the H2O’Brien Pool water park. You can read more about Parker here. Money says Parker has rebounded nicely from the housing downtown, citing increased new construction and its 30-minute drive to downtown Denver.

Let the chips fall where they may

As the saying goes, “there’s no such thing as bad publicity.” Especially if it’s free publicity.

Boulder Canyon’s potato chips got a plug on cable TV’s “Breaking Bad” Sunday night when a character in the AMC network series is shown munching on a bag of Boulder Canyon’s sea salt and cracked pepper chips.

In Sunday’s mid-season premiere, Hank Schrader (played by actor Dean Morris), a Drug Enforcement Agency agent and brother-in-law of Walter White, the series’ chemistry teacher turned crystal meth maker – is digging into a bag Boulder Canyon’s chips.

How did Boulder Canyon take the news that its product was featured on a hit cable series about cancer-stricken high school teacher (played by Bryan Cranston) turned drug kingpin?

On its Twitter feed (@BoulderCanyon), the company wrote:

“Now we know Hank’s got good taste in his snacks! We wonder what flavor Walt would like…?” and “Eating our chips clearly helps in the investigative process.”

Boulder Canyon said it did not pay for product placement on the show.

The Boulder Camera first reported the story and you can read it here.

Actor Dean Morris plays the character Hank Schrader, who was munching on Boulder Canyon chips on AMC’s “Breaking Bad.” (AMC network photo)

Telluride rates No. 8 friendliest city

Conde Nast Traveler recently rated “the friendliest and unfriendliest cities in the U.S.” Telluride, one of the most quaint towns in Colorado came in at No. 8. The magazine’s website gave Telluride an 82.9 score and here’s what they wrote:

“Already popular with in-the-know skiers who admire its ‘fantastic’ terrain, Telluride, Colorado, is also lauded for its friendly people. Wonderful restaurants and great live music options add to its charms, and longtime fans also urge new visitors to check out the summer festivals that this “overlooked gem” has to offer. The temperatures might be cold in sophisticated but not pretentious Telluride, but the locals certainly aren’t.”

Moore posted on his Facebook page this tidbit about an upcoming Aug. 29 show:

“Joey McIntyre — yep, the kid from New Kids on the Block — is coming to the Galleria Theatre to workshop his new one-man theatrical musical, called, yep, ‘The Kid,’ Aug. 29 through Sept. 15. It is billed as a ‘deeply personal coming-of-age story.’ McIntyre takes the audience from his hometown of Boston to sold-out stadium tours, as three generations of family drama becomes three decades of stage dreams. … Hmmm … A NKOTB getting all theatrical in the intimacy of the Galleria Theatre? You gotta go see this, right? … Right?”

Tickets are on sale at www.denvercenter.org or by calling 303-893-4100.

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter Randy Couture will host a new reality series, “Gym Rescue,” on Spike TV and the show is looking at Denver gyms to rehabilitate.

The show is based on the hit Spike TV show, “Bar Rescue,” in which host and bar/restaurant expert Jon Taffer brings a team to a failing bar and turns it around. Taffer came to Denver recently to help Zanzibar Billiards  in downtown Denver and Kazbah Lounge in Aurora.

Casting Producer Scott Hiller told Fightline.com that Couture “figures out what the core problem is and with his team of experts, whips that gym back into shape. Gyms can be of any type: fighting or fitness, climbing, gymnastics or yoga. The problems are of any kind and combination, too, such as failing marketing strategies, equipment in disrepair, staffing issues, poor management. A generous gym makeover is usually part of the show.”

Hiller added that production is expected to start later this fall and he is currently looking at Colorado, the Philadelphia/New York City/New Jersey area and Minneapolis for gyms to work with, but “is not limited to those regions.”

The seen

Famous drag queen RuPaul having brunch at Panzano on Sunday. “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Taylor Armstrong and her attorney/boyfriend John Bluher brunching Sunday at Rioja. She was also seen hanging out in the EDGE restaurant at The Four Seasons on Tuesday night.

I’m such a big fan of all the “Real Housewives” shows that I had a star-struck moment chatting with Armstrong, who couldn’t be more charming!

Taylor Armstrong of Bravo’s “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.” (Bravo TV photo)

 

Beer here

New Belgium Brewing, as well as Odell Brewing Co, Avery Brewing Company and Oskar Blues Brewery were named in the top 15 craft breweries in the USA. Read the full story at: http://www.9news.com/news/article/349835/339/4-Colo-craft-breweries-listed-as-top-15-in-the-US