Penny Parker On The Town: Loads of pink possibilities for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

You can paint the town pink this month in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month with several pink promotions going on around town that will encourage you to buy pink, think pink, eat pink or drink pink.

Here are some local spots that are thinkin’ pink:

Sage Restaurant Group’s Denver-area eateries are having various deals to take a bite out of breast cancer. Throughout the month of October each restaurant will offer pink doughnuts where a portion of proceeds from each doughnut sold will benefit the Denver affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

* Second Home Kitchen + Bar, 150 Clayton Lane: doughnut holes with pomegranate glaze.

* Kachina Southwestern Grill, 10600 Westminster Blvd.: Pink Chocolate Beignets with White Chocolate Crème Anglaise.

* The Corner Office Restaurant + Martini Bar, 1401 Curtis St.: Pink Velvet Icing Doughnuts.

Swoozie’s Pink Pass Party

From 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Swoozie’s, the Cherry Creek North gift shop at Sixth and Fillmore, is throwing an all-day celebration to promote its PINKPass, a benefit for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Purchase a PINKPass for $20 and 100 percent of the proceeds go to the charity and in return, you will get 20 percent off of your purchases through Nov. 1.

Sparking Rosé and pink sweets will be served throughout the day and the Yours Truly Cupcake Cutie will pass out cupcakes and good cheer from 5 to 7 p.m.  Everyone who stops by can enter to win a gift basket from Swoozie’s new Kate Spade line.

If you can’t make it to the shopping soiree, visit www.swoozies.com.

Rather drink pink?

Kachina Southwestern Grill in Westminster will feature the Prickly Pixie with $1 from each drink sold this month going to Susan G. Komen for The Cure. Here’s the recipe:

Prickly Pixie

1.5 ounce Hornitos Reposado

.75 ounce lime juice

.75 ounce Patrón Citronge

1 ounce prickly pear puree

Garnish with lime wedge and sugar rim.

The Four Seasons Hotel Denver also joins the pink program with three drinks available at EDGE Restaurant & Bar with a portion of sales benefiting Sense of Security, a Denver organization that provides financial assistance for patients undergoing breast cancer treatment. Each specialty cocktail is $12.

Pink Passion: Rose sparkling wine,  St. Germain elderflower liquor, Pink Fusion liquor, soda water and a splash of
lemonade.

Ottobre Rosa: Espolon Blanco Tequila, San Pellegrino Aranciata Rossa (Blood Orange flavored), ruby red grapefruit and mint

Gruet Rose Sparkling Wine: This sparkler features a bright, floral bouquet with hints of strawberry, raspberry and cherry.

Pink Passion is one of three drinks from the Four Seasons Hotel Denver that will give portion of the proceeds to Sense of Security, a charity to help breast cancer patients. (Four Seasons photo)

Bras for the Cause

Infiniti of Denver (ironically located at 2990 S. Havana St. in Aurora) will donate $50 from every clear “bra” (the kind cars wear) purchased in October and November to Sense of Security. More ways to support Sense of Security at www.senseofsecurity.org.

Infinity of Denver is giving $50 for each “bra” sold for one of the auto dealers’ cars to help “Bras for the Cause,” a fundraiser for Sense of Security.

“Steaking” out breast cancer

Sullivan’s Steakhouse at 1745 Wazee St. is giving a percentage of sales from its “The Sure Thing,” the new $39 prix fixe menu, to breast cancer research this month. Plus, you can choose an eight-ounce premium filet as one of your entrée choices.

Complete menu and reservations: www.sullivanssteakhouse.com/denver.

Smooth move

Tropical Smoothie Café comes to Colorado with the opening of its first store in the Denver Tech Center, 5332 DTC Blvd., #200, Greenwood Village, CO 80111.

Owners Michelle and Kriss Shriver opened their first store in 2010 and currently own three in Henderson and Las Vegas, Nevada.

To celebrate the new digs, a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by Greenwood Village Mayor Ron Rakowsky will take place at 4 p.m. Monday with free smoothies served all day.

Tropical Smoothie Café’s menu is filled with healthy alternatives to the usual fare.  The drinks are made from simple ingredients including real fruit and natural sugar. The toasted wraps, bistro sandwiches, grilled flatbreads and gourmet salads are made fresh.

The franchise was founded in 1997 in Destin, Fla.  There are now more than 300 locations in operation.

Want free smoothies for a year? Just text freesmoothies to 50101 and you’ll be entered to win 52 smoothies at the Denver Tech location. The winner will be chosen on Monday during the grand opening.

Flying pumpkins

Punkin Chunkin Colorado returns Saturday, Oct. 12 to Arapahoe Park in Aurora for the 16th year. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. spectators can watch teams compete to see who can “chunk” their punkin the furthest. New this year, the event has the room and machines to launch gourds up to a mile.

In addition to the chunkin, the event will include food, a pumpkin patch, pumpkin obstacle course, farm animals, scarecrow making and pumpkin carving. Admission is $3 for adults; kids 12 and under are free.

Visit Aurora is hosting a contest on its Facebook page where folks can submit their guesses for how far the farthest punkin will be chunked. The closest three guesses will receive one of three prize packages including an annual pass to Aurora Reservoir, a free one-hour golf lesson with PGA pro Kevin Carlson at Fitzsimons Golf Course or a prize package from Dry Dock Brewing Company.

More information at https://www.auroragov.org/ThingsToDo/Events/PunkinChunkinColorado/index.htm.

Chunkin Punkin Colorado will provide several fun family events Saturday in Aurora. (Visit Aurora photo)

Zink supports Zara

In honor of Hilton Worldwide’s Global Week of Service, Zink Kitchen + Bar and Double Tree by Hilton will host a fundraiser from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14 to benefit The Zara Project at the hotel in the Denver Tech Center.

The Zara Project provides meals to students and families in need. The organization works to alleviate hunger for at-risk children, allowing them to focus on academics rather than worrying about where their next meal is coming from. The charity currently supports families from six local schools and is working to raise funds to expand the program to other schools.

The fundraiser includes hors d’oeuvres created by Zink chefs, cocktails, live music and a silent auction. Tickets for “An Evening at Zink” are $30 and include two drink tickets. Reservations: 303-779-6161.

The seen

Famed Chicago chef Graham Elliot, a featured celebrity chef at the Shamrock Food Show Wednesday, told the audience that he had dinner Tuesday at Beast + Bottle followed by an evening of karaoke.

Elliot not only owns three eateries in Chicago, he has appeared in “Iron Chef” and twice competed in “Top Chef Masters.” He currently co-stars with Gordon Ramsay and Joe Bastianich on the Fox series “MasterChef.”

More information: http://www.grahamelliot.com/grahamelliot.php.

Famed Chicago chef and TV co-host Graham Elliot was in Denver for the Shamrock Food Show. (Fox Network photo)

Eavesdropping on a man: “You know you are in for a lot of work when our almost 21-month-old daughter is already eye-rolling me.”

Did you hear that I have a new column, “Mile High Life,” in Colorado Community Media’s 17 weekly newspapers circling Denver? Be sure to like my Facebook page! Also, here’s where you go to get my column emailed to you Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. My email: penny@blacktie-llc.com. Want to advertise your business here? Contact Trisha at trilind@hotmail.com.