Eavesdropping on a Facebook comment after the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight: “Best tweet re: The Big Fight. ‘That’s the end of boxing. People paid $100 to watch less contact than the WNBA finals.'”

Dom Perignon and fried chicken? You bet your beak!

Max’s Wine Dive (696 Sherman St. – www.maxswinedive.com/denver-east-7th-avenue/), which opened next door to Racines on April 14, hosted an invite only party Wednesday with sips and snacks worthy of a future visit.

My friend and I sampled from the menu that features fried chicken, stuffed peppers, oysters many ways and wines by the glass at happy happy hour prices.

The new space, owned by a Texas-based company which operates nine Max’s, is small, cozy and comfortable – befitting the Governor’s Park neighborhood. And the best part? I can walk there from my Cap Hill abode.

As for the Dom and fried chicken, on the menu is fried chicken accompanied by two glasses of the classy champagne for $78.

Max’s is a vino-lovers oasis – an 80-seat, casual, wine-centric “dive” with a focus on local, chef-driven dishes alongside classic southern comfort-food.  Think dishes like the juicy, crispy-skinned famous Southern fried chicken or the Colorado lamb curry.

Max’s Wine Dive is open for dinner and happy hour Tuesday-Friday, and for brunch Saturday, Sunday and, (industry-friendly) Monday.

Complimentary valet parking available starting at 5 p.m.  

Tickets are on sale today for the whiskey and barbecue tasting tour during the 22nd annual Colorado BBQ Challenge June 18 to 20 in Frisco. Each year more than 70 barbecue masters travel to “The Main Street of the Rockies,” to compete for a variety of awards, including the coveted Grand Champion and Reserve Champion titles. These winners are then eligible to compete in the American Royal – the “World Series” of barbecue.

In addition to the opportunity to sample some of the state’s best barbecue, weekend festivities include live music, chef demonstrations, pig races and an exclusive whiskey and barbecue pairing tour. The event is free to attend and open to the public.

On June 19, Breckenridge Distillery will lead a small group to taste a selection of barbecue paired with whiskey. Priced at $120, only 35 tickets are available for this tour, which quickly sells out each year. To purchase tickets visit, www.townoffrisco.com/play/colorado-bbq-challenge/whiskey-tour/#title.

Also today, the Father’s Day Essay contest opens. Running through June 1, participants are invited to write an essay explaining why they have the best dad. The winner will receive a two-night stay in Frisco during the BBQ Challenge, $100 in Hogbacks (BBQ challenge dining currency) and two tickets to the whiskey and barbeque tasting and tour. To enter, e-mail a 1,200-word maximum essay to tofinfo@townoffrisco.com.

The Town of Frisco partners with six non-profits for the BBQ Challenge, and has raised more than $800,000 for those organizations since the event’s inception. Non-profits supported in 2015 include Advocates for Victims of Assault, Summit County Chamber of Commerce, Summit County Restaurant Association, Mountain Mentors, Women of the Summit and High Country Conservation Center.

Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods, Inc. is hosting a free concert series to promote the 2015 Capitol Hill People’s Fair.  Every Wednesday in May, People’s Fair musicians will perform at Lost Highway Brewing Company, 520 E. Colfax Ave.

The lineup for the People’s Fair Concerts offers an eclectic sampling of the live entertainment featured at this year’s People’s Fair (schedule subject to change):

May 6:

Six Foot Joe & The Red Hot Rhinos – 6 to 6:45 p.m.

Rachel and the Ruckus – 7 to 8 p.m.

May 13:

Biff Gore Band – 6 to 6:45 p.m.

P-Nuckle – 7 to 8 p.m.

May 20:

Stolen Instruments – 6 to 6:45 p.m.

The Mighty Nice Band – 7 to 8 p.m.

May 27:

Barry Shapiro Band – 6 to 6:45 p.m.

Ryan Chrys & The Rough Cuts – 7 to 8 p.m.

“We are excited to partner with a great local business, Lost Highway Brewing Company, for our exciting new People’s Fair Concert Series,” said CHUN Executive Director Roger Armstrong.  “This showcase will give attendees a sneak peek at the amazing People’s Fair line-up as well as the opportunity to check out a fun new destination on Colfax Avenue.”

Lost Highway owner, Tina Pachorek said, “Lost Highway is extremely honored and excited to host this cool event.  It is a great opportunity to work with this amazing community organization and bring music to Denver’s original mainstreet, Colfax.”

Lost Highway Brewing Company serves up Belgium’s oldest tradition on America’s longest street. This neighborhood brewery started serving the people of Denver in September 2014.

The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities will hold auditions for the musical “Saturday Night Fever” at the Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd., on June 9 and 10 (chorus dance call on June 8) and in New York City on June 4.

Denver Callbacks are scheduled for June 15. The Arvada Center production will be directed by Arvada Center Artistic Producer Rod A. Lansberry with musical direction by David Nehls and choreography by Kitty Skillman Hilsabeck.

Colorado principal/chorus auditions are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 9 and 10 by appointment only. The Women’s Chorus dance call is from 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m., and men’s chorus dance call is from 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. June 8.

All dance calls are by appointment only and dancers may be asked to sing. Call the Arvada Center Box Office at 720-898-7200 to schedule an appointment time. Actors must be 18 years and older to audition.

Neiman Marcus Denver in the Cherry Creek Shopping Center is launching the Spring 2015 Scent Event. With any cosmetics or fragrance purchase of $100 or more, customers will receive an exclusive bag filled with Spring beauty samples.

The Scent Event takes place Saturday through May 10. This nine-day Neiman Marcus event highlights the Spring 2015 Beauty offerings.

Eavesdropping on a man last week: “So I learned late today it’s Take Your Child to Work Day, but honestly one of my girls is here probably once a month and the other one I’m trying to get banned from the building. So let’s not tell the girls about this made-up holiday just yet, shall we?”

It would take the costume and makeup crews at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts to disguise Guy Fieri, the distinctive host of the Food Network hit show “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”

The spiky platinum blond hair, pounds of bling,  accessory sunglasses, signature shorts and flip-flops and sidekick red classic Camaro are dead giveaways.

So it came as no surprise when alert Denver diners spotted the impish TV show host around town last week. According to a story on Eater Denver (www.denver.eater.com), Fieri spent a couple days filming at Dae Gee, a Korean barbecue spot with outlets in Westminster and Denver, followed by two more stops at Biju’s Little Curry Shop in RiNo and Axios Greek Restaurant in the Berkeley neighborhood.

Here’s what Eater said, “One of those was RiNo’s favorite quick-casual spot Biju’s Little Curry Shop. When the restaurant closed on Wednesday for the filming of the show, owner Biju Thomas told guests that the Indian eatery was closed for a private event and sent them to neighbor Park Burger for a one-time special made with Biju’s sauce. The other chosen spot for the show was Axios Estiario, a Greek eatery in the rapidly-growing Berkeley neighborhood.”

Read the rest of the story at www.denver.eater.com/2015/4/24/8493113/guy-fieri-bijus-little-curry-shop-axios-diners-driveins-dives.

The air dates for the show will be announced on www.foodnetwork.com/shows/diners-drive-ins-and-dives.html.

(Food Network photo)

Denver-area residents can do good in their neighborhoods by participating in the annual Dining Out For Life event to benefit Project Angel Heart on Thursday. While Dining Out For Life is an international event taking place in 56 cities, the Denver/Boulder area event is the largest in the nation, with the most participating restaurants and highest fundraising totals of any city. With 250 restaurants to choose from, it’s easy to give back while dining out at your favorite eatery.

Participating restaurants will donate 25 percent of food sales to support Project Angel Heart’s mission of delivering nutritious meals to improve quality of life, at no cost, for Coloradans coping with life-threatening illnesses. In 2014, Denver-area food lovers and participating restaurants helped Project Angel Heart raise more than $323,000 to support the organization’s home-delivered meal program.

Over the past 21 years, Dining Out For Life, a popular annual event with an estimated 80,000 participants, has raised more than $4.5 million to help Project Angel Heart prepare and deliver nutritious, medically tailored meals for people living with HIV/AIDS. The organization also provides meals for thousands of people living with cancer, end-stage renal disease, COPD and other life-threatening illnesses.

This year’s list of participating restaurants includes more than 225 returning restaurants and at least 25 new restaurants, including notable newcomers Lower48 Kitchen, Lena, Brazen, Block & Larder, Rosenberg’s Bagel & Delicatessen and Stoic & Genuine.

“Dining Out For Life is our largest fundraising event and we’re always humbled by the outpouring of support we receive from the community on this day, and throughout the year,” said Erin Pulling, president and CEO of Project Angel Heart. “We’d love to make this our most successful event to date, so we are asking our supporters to find their favorite participating neighborhood location and to come hungry, knowing that, just by eating out, they will be making a true difference for those living with life-threatening illnesses in Colorado.”