Colorado Symphony CEO and Board co-chair Jerome H. Kern presented a $40 million proposal, during a press conference last week at Boettcher Concert Hall, for a repurposed, renovated concert hall. The plan envisions a modernized and upgraded building that allows for greater flexibility in programming and addresses critical issues of sound and structure.

Joined on stage by members of the Colorado Symphony as well Denver business and cultural leaders, including Gil Boggs of the Colorado Ballet and Opera Colorado’s Greg Carpenter, Kern said the Colorado Symphony is ready to engage with the public as well as the City of Denver in a dialogue about the future of Boettcher Concert Hall.

“A great symphony like a great sports team needs a great field to play on,” Kern said. “Boettcher Concert Hall has been the Colorado Symphony’s home since it was built, and we’re optimistic that this plan allows us to move into the future, so that it can remain the orchestra’s home for another 35 years, at least.”

The plan was developed by Semple Brown Architects, led by principal Chris Wineman. Semple Brown is noted for its work with performing arts venue including the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, renovation of the Helen Bonfils Theatre Complex lobby, the headquarters of the Colorado Ballet, the RedLine Art Center, Pueblo Memorial Hall, the Kenneth King Center, the Denver School of the Arts and Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre.

“The cubic volume of the hall needs to be reduced, the reflective surfaces closest to the musicians need to be larger in scale, the stage enclosure needs to be tighter and the hall needs flexibility in seat count and seat format to help the CSO support a broader range of music types and performers,” Wineman said.

Semple Brown’s design concept adds seats close to the stage and reduces seating farther from the stage, while maintaining Boettcher’s distinctive intimacy and embrace of the musicians. It allows the CSO to customize the seating capacity quickly and easily to match its programming.

Projected costs of construction: $40 million (source: Haselden Construction): Includes renovation of HVAC system and deferred maintenance. Does not include costs such as design fees and city management fees.

Possible funding sources: $20-25 million remaining from voter-approved bond initiative passed in 2007 and Denver mini-bonds issued in 2014, and an additional $15-20 million in city investment, Colorado Symphony donors, corporate sponsors, public/private partnerships, naming rights.

To see the plan of a Better Boettcher, visit www.coloradosymphony.org/Better-Boettcher.

Wild horses couldn’t drag me away from Wednesday night’s opening of Odysseo, the new multi-media horse, of course, extravaganza under the big top at the Pepsi Center parking lot.

Despite my ever-tightening chest, an indication of how allergic I am to the magnificent creatures, I stayed the course ’til the last hoof had left the building.

The show opened to a crowd of 2,000 who – judging by the standing ovation at the end – were blown away by the blend of equestrian arts, performing arts and high-tech theatrical effects. Sharing the colossal stage with 46 riders, acrobats, aerialists and musicians, the 62 horses stole the spotlight during this blend of equine ballet and old-fashioned rodeo tricks.

The opening night also marked Odysseo’s 700th show since the inception of this equine spectacular in 2011.

“The entire troupe and myself felt a very warm welcome from the Denver audience”, said Normand Latourelle, Cavalia’s founder and artistic director. “With more than 1 million spectators having been touched by the beauty and majesty of Odysseo since the beginning of this colossal adventure, we are proud to finally present this feel-good show to Denver.”

With its latest creation, Cavalia pushes the limits of live entertainment with a 30-million dollar ode to horse and man imagined by Latourelle, one of the co-founders of Cirque du Soleil.

Odysseo offers evening and matinee performances through Oct. 5. Tickets are available at www.cavalia.net or by calling 1-866-999-8111.

Twelve Front Range breweries will compete for bragging rights and gold during the fourth annual Uptown Neighborhood Block Party and Brewer’s Olympics beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday at Vine Street Pub, 1700 Vine St.

Peruse the beer garden and cheer on your favorite team of brewers in tricycle races. Admission is free.

Following the medal ceremony, Keith Moseley from the String Cheese Incident will be playing a free concert with Scott Law and Friends. Each brewery competing in the Olympics will bring three kegs of its best brews to create the most diverse beer garden on the Front Range. All proceeds from the event benefit New Era Colorado.

TheBigWonderful, a three-acre outdoor food truck park and Denver Flea are teaming up to create a hybrid party of food, drink and shopping, beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday at Sustainability Park (2500 Arapahoe St in Denver).

Register ahead of time at www.thebigwonderful.com and get a free beer. Admission is free.

Perry’s Restaurants, a Texas-based, family-owned group of steakhouses, is opening its first location in Colorado on Monday in the Vistas at Park Meadows outdoor shopping area.

The 11,000 square-foot restaurant accommodates more than 400 guests. Features include an open concept kitchen, a towering wine wall, an island bar and four private dining rooms for groups and special occasions.

“I admire the vibrant food scene here in Denver,” said Chris Perry, president and owner of Perry’s Restaurant, who attended a recent media preview of the place. “With our famous seven-finger high pork chop, distinctive signature dishes carved table side, shared sides and vegetables, and cocktails made with fresh ingredients from the kitchen, we hope to fit right in and feel at home in Colorado.”

Perry’s, which started as a meat market, is known for its specialty Perry’s Famous Pork Chop, a seven-finger tall chop that is dried, cured and roasted, then caramelized and topped with Perry’s herb-garlic butter. Perry’s is also home to Bar 79, named after the year Perry’s was founded.

Here’s what we sampled during media meet and eat:

* Perry’s pork chop – the impressive chop measuring seven fingers high and carved table side.

* Asian ahi tuna tartare paired with pineapple ginger mojito – Fresh ahi served with crispy wontons, and pineapple ginger mojito made from fresh pineapple and mint, muddled with lime and shaken with Captain Morgan White Rum and a hint of ginger spice.

* Fried asparagus with Perry’s Chardonnay – This pescetarian appetizer is topped with jumbo lump crabmeat and pairs perfectly with the 2012 Private Label Chardonnay. One of two private label wines available at Perry’s, the Chardonnay is aged in French oak barrels.

* House-made Polish sausage with a Breckenridge Manhattan.

* Chateaubriand with a classic side car – Perry’s Chateaubriand is an “off-the-menu” item available upon request, topped with truffle Merlot, béarnaise and roasted peppercorn sauces. Perry’s twist on the classic side car combines Hennessy VS, Grand Marnier and Caravella Limoncello with fresh pressed lemon juice.

Perhaps Perry’s worst-kept secret is the Friday-only lunch where the gigantic pork chop price plummets from $29.95 to $12.95.

More information: www.perryssteakhouse.com.

Celebrated chefs Kelly Liken of Restaurant Kelly Liken in Vail goes tong to tong with Steve Redzikowski of Boulder’s Oak at Fourteenth, during the Esquire Network series “Knife Fight,” at 8 p.m. Tuesday our time.

Hosted by “Top Chef” season 2 winner Ilan Hall, this underground cooking competition brings together some of the nation’s leading chefs including James Beard Award winners and Michelin star chefs within a raw setting where no rules apply.

Viewers can expect surprising twists and turns throughout the half-hour episode. This original series is described as an after-hours war zone, and America will see who takes home the win for “Battle Colorado.”

For additional information about “Knife Fight,” go to www.squiretv.com/KnifeFight, follow on Twitter @KnifeFightESQ and “like” on Facebook at http://facebook.com/KnifeFightESQ.

Spare the cocktails, spoil the adult? Hmmmm.

But if you’re looking to take a cleanse from your typical Friday night happy hour, grab your lululemons and head to the Hotel Monaco Denver, 1717 Champa St., Fridays during September to celebrate National Yoga Month with a Yoga Pants Party from 5 to 6 p.m.

There will be complementary drop-in yoga classes, as well as free vegan food and juice shooters from Panzano. The hotel will give a $5 donation to Urban Peak, a charity offering services to Denver youths experiencing homelessness, for each guest who wears yoga pants.

On Sept. 26, lululemon Cherry Creek will be hosting a pop-up store at the hotel.

More information: www.monaco-denver.com or www.facebook.com/monaco.denver or call 1-800-990-1303.

Eavesdropping on a man’s Facebook post: “I just got to say it’s a very strange experience to be standing at the urinal hearing piped-in music of Taylor Swift singing ‘Shake It Off’.’ “

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