Before the Thanksgiving madness erupts, take a break today during Swingin’ at Sullivan’s at 1745 Wazee St. for a $7 menu including appetizers, wine and signature cocktails.

Live music will help put you in the mood to face turkey day.

Eavesdropping on me to you, dear readers: “Happy Thanksgiving to all!”

While Denver has been the happy recipient of a batch of recent restaurant openings before the year ends, perhaps the No. 1 most anticipated opening is the return of D Bar Restaurant (not just desserts), owned and operated by Food Network celebrity chef Keegan Gerhard and his pastry pro wife Lisa Bailey.

The restaurant, serving breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner in an Uptown space roughly five times bigger than the original spot next to the former Strings (now Humboldt), opens to the public on Friday, but invited guests were treated to a preview of the wildly expanded menu Friday night.

And what a feast. Gerhard and Bailey busted out a tasting menu that included crispy brussels sprouts, bacon-wrapped dates, soup shooters, steak skewers, crispy pork wings, mushroom cream tarts, bacon mac and cheese, kobe sliders, scallops and grilled cheese bites.

That was just the prelude to the buffet of sweets that drew the attention of the Food Network and made Gerhard famous. Gelato has been added to the menu mix, along with reservations at www.dbardenver.com.

There’s pastry bar seating (like at a sushi bar) where you can watch Gerhard and Bailey up close and personal while they knock out creative cuisine.

 Keeghan Gerhart and Lisa Bailey.

On the dessert bar: pistachio cream puffs, passion and apricot pate de fruit, passion fruit curd tarts with raspberry jam, brown butter cookies, milk and cookie shooters, espresso marshmallow pops, buttermilk panna cotta with fall fruit compote, baby churros with chocolate sauce, D Bar chocolate French macaroons, s’mores French macaroons and chocolate bourbon pecan tarts.

Heavenly.

After 41 years of ownership by the Wilson family, Colorado’s venerable White Fence Farm has changed hands. The new owners, P&C Family Farm Restaurants, led by business partners and hospitality veterans Craig Caldwell and Tom Piercy, said they won’t change the family-friendly ambience nor chicken dinner menu.

“It took me a long time to find the right owner,” said Charlie Wilson, whose family converted their Lakewood property into the destination restaurant. “It takes a certain type of person with the know-how, experience and love of the community to become the proprietor of our family legacy. We had numerous conversations, but it never felt right until I met Tom and Craig. Tom grew up with the original White Fence Farm in Joliet (Ill.). His childhood memories are similar to mine; he understands the joy, challenges and surprises. I never wanted this place to grow stale and old, I needed someone with enthusiasm and innovation and these guys were perfect. And, the most important part, they aren’t going to change a thing, except for a few family photos on the wall.”

The 80-acre Wilson Farm was an original working hay and cattle farm. Today, it operates as a family enclave including the Americana Barn with Granny’s and a farmhouse stage, Country Cottage, OK Corral, Carriage House, Waterside Walk, Hospitality House, Gazebo, Silo, Pig Chute, Colorado Christmas year-round, Carriage Rides and more. More than 5 million chicken dinner have been served since 1973.

More information: www.wff-co.net/co/index-home.php.

Now that the construction nightmare in Cherry Creek North is over, there’s more good news to attract holiday shoppers back to the district.

Starting Friday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays throughout the holiday season, Cherry Creek is offering free valet (with a tip, of course) at Fillmore Plaza (Fillmore Street between First and Second avenues on the west side of the street) and on Josephine Street between Second and Third avenues on the east side of the street.

Cherry Creek is also open for business on Small Business Saturday this Saturday, an occasion started in 2010 by American Express to help businesses flourish by encouraging shopping at small businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

For more information on Small Business Saturday, visit the Small Business Saturday website, or the Facebook, Twitter (@ShopSmall) or Instagram accounts (@ShopSmall). Take part in the conversation using the hashtag #ShopSmall.

Silence your barking dogs after your Black Friday bargain hunting with a cool cocktail.

Shop at any store on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving), show your receipt to your server at ViewHouse Centennial, 7101 S. Clinton St. and get a complimentary Peppermint Godiva Chocolate Martini. Find more information at www.viewhouse.com.

Peppermint Godiva Chocolate Martini at ViewHouse.

Enjoy holiday shopping at discount prices for gifts while supporting historical, cultural and educational programs during The Fort’s annual holiday auction party from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 2, to benefit Tesoro Cultural Center.

More than 200 gifts will be sold for up to 60 percent off in the silent auction. The evening will be filled with entertainment from the Carbone Family’s Blue Grass band.

The Fort’s all-you-can-eat Wild West Holiday Buffet includes buffalo tenderloin sliders, enchilada suiza, wild game mince meat pies, mountain man buffalo sausages, chipotle crab canapés, chile chocolate bourbon cupcakes and many more holiday treats. A cash bar is available.

Live auction items include tickets to the Broncos-Bills game Dec. 7; The Fort’s premium wine basket; a day at the spa, shopping and dinner at The Fort; golf for two at Cherry Hills Country Club and a foursome at Red Rocks Country Club; a wild game meat package; private tour of the Denver Museum of Nature & Science; Steamboat ski package; a Santa Fe getaway and more.

The Fort is located at 19192 Colorado, Morrison. Admission is a requested donation of $25 to Tesoro Cultural Center at the door or in advance at www.coloradogives.org/tesoro. Reservations: 303-839-1671.

For more information about The Fort, visit www.thefort.com. For more information about Tesoro Cultural Center, visit www.tesoroculturalcenter.org.

For three weekends in December from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. beginning Dec. 6, The Source, 3550 Brighton Blvd. in RiNo, will host its first holiday market. Alongside specials from the existing vendors and retailers, there will also be several hand selected local vendors and makers in the common area offering a variety of goods from clothing, art, baked goods, workshops and more. Each weekend will feature different vendors.

Some of the vendors include BAREmade, Bungaloo, Sjotime, Judith & Joe, Craftsman & Apprentice, La Lovely and Long I Pies.

The RiNo Yacht Club will also be open during this time and serving a holiday inspired menu with both warm and cold drinks.

This event is free and appropriate for all ages. Dates are Dec. 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, and 21.

For more information about The Source Holiday Market, please visit www.thesourcedenver.com,

Eavesdropping on one woman talking to another woman about her outfit at the Grand Hyatt Hotel Denver: “It doesn’t matter what it costs, when your mother doesn’t recognize you, it’s worth it.”