CherryArts Festival at Stanley, produced by the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, is a collaboration with the yet-to-be-opened Stanley Marketplace in Aurora, featuring national art, local flavor and creative living, beginning today from 6 to 9 p.m. The event kicks off during Grand Tasting, which features a first look at Stanley Marketplace with a grand tasting of future Stanley Marketplace restaurants, national juried visual artists and special entertainment.

Indulge in all-you-can-eat samplings from future Stanley Marketplace restaurants and local culinary establishments, including Etai’s Bakery, Happy Cakes, Logan House Coffee Company, Miette et Choclat, Mondo Market, Rolling Smoke BBQ, Comida, Denver Biscuit Company and more.

Open bar offerings include beer, spirits and wine from Odell Brewing Company, Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey and William Hill Estate Winery, among others.

Take advantage of the first opportunity to view and purchase art from 75 exhibiting national juried artists in 13 media categories. Then, complete your Grand Tasting experience with live music by Winehouse, culinary demonstrations by Josh Pollack of Rosenberg’s Bagels and Noah Heaney of Golden Moon Distillery, luxury living vignettes by Colorado Homes and Lifestyles and exclusive tours of the Stanley Marketplace.

The cost for the Grand Tasting is $65 per person. For tickets, go to www.cherryartsstanley.org/festival-info/grand-tasting-tickets/. Stanley Marketplace is located at 2501 N. Dallas St., Aurora. The CherryArts Festival at Stanley continues with free admission from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Proceeds from the CherryArts Festival at Stanley benefit the CherryArts 501c3 non-profit mission of providing access to art and supporting arts education in Colorado.

Historic Larimer Square is hosting a free Dia de los Muertos celebration from 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 30.

Dia de los Muertos, also known as Day of the Dead, is a popular holiday celebrated throughout Mexico, Latin America and around the world that honors the lives of passed on loved ones.   All souls are invited to enjoy Larimer Square’s first gathering of live music, tequila tastings, salsa dancing lessons, sugar skull mask decorating, face painting and more.

Dia de los Muertos activities include:

• Salsa dancing lessons at the Crimson Room. Bring a friend and learn the steps to this famous Latin dance for free. Each lesson lasts one half hour and starts at 6:30 and 7:30 p.m.
• Sugar skull face painting by Melissa Pineda will take place in the Walkway on Larimer Square. Sugar skulls are an important tradition during this holiday – have one recreated on your face. Limited slots are available so get there early.
• Make your own Dia de los Muertos mask in the Walkway. Sugar skulls represent the celebration of life and death – the colorful designs created represent the vitality of life and individual personality.
• Several Latin Musicians will be performing throughout the night. Enjoy Trio Xochitl music at Tamayo from 6 to 7 p.m. Manuel Molina will be playing from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Crimson Room.
• Celebrate the lives of loved ones with a free tequila tasting seminar. Learn the difference between Reposada and Anejo at a tequila tasting and lesson at 6 and 7 p.m. at Milk & Honey.
• If you are dining on Larimer Square, several restaurants will have special menus this evening, specifically Rioja will be offering a special Dia de los Muertos menu item; Milk & Honey will be mixing up three Arta Tequila special cocktails.

Beautiful altars will be set up on Larimer Square where visitors can celebrate the lives of those who are no longer living. Bring a photo or small ofrenda to set on an altar of your choice:

• Larimer Arts Association altars honoring famous Latino/Latina artists.
• Pets for Vets Colorado altar where you can honor your furry friend who has passed on.
• Local celebrated artist Tracy Weil will show a masterpiece. Weil is also responsible for the colorful picado banner display above Larimer Street,
• MSU Denver altar honoring the MSU Art Faculty who have passed on.

Mellow Mushroom Pizza Bakers  the three Colorado locations will be running a Free Pizza for a Year contest at its three Colorado locations. The contest, which is open to all residents of Colorado, offers Facebook fans a chance to win one free pizza every week for a year.

The pizza bakers will be serving up one free small one-topping pizza to each of the winners every week for 52 consecutive weeks.  There will be three winners of the contest – one chosen from the followers of each of the Colorado Facebook pages. The 52 free pizzas can be ordered weekly for dine-in or take-out, gratuity not included. Although each of the three winners will be chosen from different Facebook pages, the pizza for a year badges will be valid at any of the three Colorado locations.

“With October being National Pizza Month, we really wanted to drive social engagement with our local fans and find a way to celebrate something that is a way of life for us here at Mellow Mushroom,” said Shane Purcel, owner of Mellow Mushroom Colorado. “Launching a content offering free pizza for a year seemed as easy as pie, pun intended.“

To enter and keep up with the content, pizza lovers can follow and like at least one of the Facebook pages for the Colorado locations (Downtown Denver, Streets at SouthGlenn and Park Meadows). The winners will be announced Nov. 2.

Eavesdropping on a man: “Needed a new battery for my phone. Went to the store. The fresh-faced kid behind the counter sold me a new battery and told me it has a lifetime warranty. I asked, ‘Your lifetime or mine?’ He didn’t get it.”

Denver’s Hotel Teatro and Boulder’s St Julien Hotel & Spa have both been named top hotels in Condé Nast Traveler’s 28^th annual Readers’ Choice Awards. More than 128,000 people cast votes for the best hotels, cities, cruise ships and islands in the annual survey. As a result, 1,500 of the best travel experiences in the world were recognized by Condé Nast Traveler readers. St Julien Hotel & Spa is the only hotel in Boulder recognized in the awards.

“We’re honored to be named among several of the best hotels, not only in Colorado, but internationally,” said Bob Trotter, St Julien Hotel & Spa general manager. “The endorsement – granted by readers and our guests – underscores our team’s dedication to providing outstanding service.”

“We’re proud to receive such accreditation from readers, and ultimately our guests” said David Coonan, Hotel Teatro general manager. “The awards allows guests and travelers to voice their opinion on their travel experiences which ultimately speaks to the level of hospitality our team works so diligently to provide.”

Located in the heart of Downtown Denver’s theater district, the award-winning Hotel Teatro is Denver’s iconic boutique hotel. Housed in a historic early 20^th century building, and offering 110 guest rooms; more than 5,000 square feet of meeting and event space; a signature restaurant, The Nickel; and a design-forward coffee bar and breakfast lounge, The Study, Hotel Teatro caters to the traveler seeking access to an authentic local experience.

A distinguished member of Preferred Hotels and Resorts, a AAA Four-Diamond Property and a Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Hotel, St Julien Hotel & Spa features 201 guest rooms, the 10,000-square-foot Spa at St Julien, dining at Jill’s Restaurant and T-Zero Lounge, and more than 16,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space — all with views of Boulder’s famed Flatirons and the Rocky Mountains.

The Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards are the longest-running and most reputable recognition of excellence in the travel industry. Under Editor in Chief Pilar Guzmán, the Readers’ Choice Awards are selective and specific to the passions that inspire today’s travelers.

The Readers’ Choice Awards are announced in the November issue of Condé Nast Traveler, on newsstands nationwide on October 27, 2015. The full list is available online at www.CNTraveler.com/rca.

Southern Land Company has signed a lease with Rusty Bucket Restaurant & Tavern to serve as the first retail tenant in its 18^th and Central apartment project in Denver’s Lower Highland neighborhood. The restaurant, which provides comfort food in a family-friendly environment, will occupy 5,250 square feet in the upscale development, under construction at 2505 18^th St.

Rusty Bucket is a mainstay in the Midwest, with 19 locations in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana and more recently, Florida. In addition to the upcoming LoHi location, the restaurant brand also plans to open a restaurant in Spring 2016 in Westminster’s Orchard Town Center. The restaurants serve a wide variety of diners, with casual bar fare, kids’ options, a distinctive bar program and accommodations for both sports fans and business meetings.

“Having a neighborhood restaurant and tavern on site only increases the attractiveness of 18^th and Central, offering future residents a convenient spot to catch a game, grab a late-night meal or network over lunch,” said Southern Land Company CEO Tim Downey.

Keith Rogers of RDA and Sam Zaitz of Legend Retail Group represented Rusty Bucket and Paul Neuroth of Southern Land Company negotiated the lease on behalf of 18^th and Central.

18^th and Central sits at the site formerly occupied by Mile High United Way, providing easy access to downtown, sports venues and cultural attractions. The development, scheduled to open in fall of 2016, will include 317 apartments spread across two buildings, comprised of a mix of studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units. Residents will enjoy such upscale amenities as a rooftop deck with fire pits, pool, 24-hour fitness center and on-site dog services. The development will also include underground parking for 405 cars and bicycle storage. In addition to the space that Rusty Bucket will occupy, the building offers two additional retail spaces.

Rusty Bucket will have a dedicated guest entrance with direct access to the garage, which will include roughly 55 spots for retail customers.

“We are very excited to be adding our second location in the Denver market in the trendy, up-and-coming neighborhood of the Lower Highlands,” said Gary Callicoat, president and founder of Rusty Bucket Restaurant and Tavern. “LoHi offers the perfect mix of entertainment and shopping options for new residents. Rusty Bucket will add to that mix by offering chef-driven comfort food, featuring fresh ingredients and bold flavors, house-made artisan cocktails and local and seasonal craft beer selections.”

Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Rusty Bucket Restaurant & Tavern is committed to providing local communities and guests familiar favorites as a classic American restaurant and tavern. Rusty Bucket, a sister company of Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, was founded in 2002 and currently operates 19 locations in Ohio, Michigan, Florida and Indiana. Rusty Bucket is a nationally recognized brand with 2015 accolades, including Techonomic’s Top 500 Leading U.S. Chain Restaurants, FSR 50’s Top 10 Fast Growing, High-Performing Chains, and ranked on Restaurant Business’ Future 50 list. Rusty Bucket was also named by Nation’s Restaurant News as a Breakout Brand in 2014. For more information, visit www.MyRustyBucket.com or call 614-621-1105.

Les Paul – The Tour is coming to Denver for a day of entertainment and fun when it stops at the University of Colorado Denver College of Arts & Media.  The free interactive tour is in celebration of the 100th Anniversary Celebration of Les Paul. The man many refer to as the “Father of Modern Music” will be celebrated from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday on the Auraria Campus.

Students and visitors will have the chance to take the tour and learn all about the fascination that led Paul to become one of the greatest music innovators of all time. The tour is making this exclusive stop for students for one day only.  Fans of Les Paul can visit the exciting experience during its time at the University of Colorado Denver. It free and open to the public.

The 53’ interactive state-of-the-art mobile tour known as Les Paul’s Big Sound Experience takes visitors behind the scenes into the world of Paul giving them an opportunity for numerous interactive exchanges within 1,000 square feet full of music, technology and the energy of Paul. Guests young and old will immerse themselves in music exploration, sound and technology innovations and hands-on interactive entertainment.

Paul was an innovator, an inventor, a Grammy-Award winner, an inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, The National Invention Hall of Fame and more. Les Paul’s Big Sound Experience is all about the music, the inventions, the fans and the legacy of Paul. His curiosity about sound began at a very young age. To find out more about Paul, go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGQBbXrHQ9w&list=PLj-ONHrx_wHYGXE9h9DPcM5kxF4TjfSmS&index=4 or www.les-paul.com. For more information on Les Paul Foundation visit www.lespaulfoundation.org.

See the world through the eyes of National Geographic explorers, adventurers, photographers, filmmakers and scientists at the Lone Tree Arts Center series at 7:30 p.m. Sunday; 10 a.m. Monday; 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21 and 22; 10 a.m. Feb. 22 and 8 p.m. April 8. National Geographic Live! speakers report cutting edge and compelling stories from the field through images and video.

Tickets range in price from $33 to $41. The Lone Tree Arts Center is located at 10075 Commons St. in Lone Tree. Tickets may be purchased online at www.lonetreeartscenter.org or by calling 720-509-1000.

Here’s the schedule:

National Geographic Live: “Exploring the Red Planet” with NASA engineer Kobie Boykins at 7:30 p.m. Sunday and 10 a.m. Monday.

Few events in the last decade of space exploration have captured the world’s imagination like NASA’s ongoing Mars Exploration Program. Join Boykins for an engaging evening exploring the Red Planet, with an update on the very latest chapter in the ongoing story of Mars exploration.

National Geographic Live: “Passion 8000: Dream of a Lifetime” mountaineer Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21 and 10 a.m. Feb. 22.

Kaltenbrunner didn’t climb K2 because she wanted to be the world’s first woman to summit all 14 8,000-meter peaks without oxygen. But that’s exactly what she did. She grew up skiing in the mountains of her native Austria. Then working as a nurse, on weekends she would climb the local Alps. Her unstoppable appetite for adventure finally drove her to blaze a trail into the male domain of high altitude mountaineering. Share the dramatic story, told with breathtaking photos and video from the roof of the world, of how this mountaineer prepared for and triumphed on K2, earning Kaltenbrunner recognition as National Geographic’s “Explorer of the Year.”

National Geographic Live: “Coral Kingdoms and Empires of Ice” with photographer David Doubilet and aquatic biologist Jennifer Hayes at 8 p.m. April 8.

Discover Kimbe Bay, an unspoiled wilderness of water crowded with layers of life from fingernail-size pygmy seahorses to 60-foot-tall towers of barracudas. Then, journey south to the cold ice-filled waters of Antarctica, where the team moves through and under the ice to capture images of the hidden world of the leopard seal, penguins, shipwrecks, and the sculptural beauty of icebergs. Finally, follow the team north to Canada’s Gulf of St. Lawrence, an extraordinary world of whales, wolfish, salmon and harp seals.

Eavesdropping on two friends entering a sports bar in Littleton: “I hear the Royals are on TV tonight.”
“Who cares about William and Harry? I want to watch some baseball.”