Perhaps the sure way to secure an autograph from Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is to invite him to your wedding. Sounds more tidy than playing the post-game waiting game or bidding beau coup bucks on a signed jersey during a charity auction.

In the case of Anna and James, a couple with a wedding last fall, all they had to do was send No. 18 a formal invitation, according to a post on Reddit. A photo of the signed invite went viral after a Redditor “Lackadaisical Romp” posted the pic of the wedding invitation sent by his sister.

Not only did Manning show his Southern gentlemanly manners by responding in a timely manner, but he checked off the “regretfully decline” box and added the inscription, “Anna and James, Best Wishes.”

A Yahoo. com poster quipped, “Perhaps our favorite comment about the photo comes courtesy of Redditor ‘MasterSplinter21′ who writes, ‘Eli (Manning) replied too, but his response was intercepted.’ Even with two Super Bowl rings and the Giants’ current winning streak, poor Eli still gets treated like the little brother.”

Peyton Manning’s response to attend a fan’s wedding. (Courtesy of Reddit)

Four years ago when Justin Klomp and his dad, Ralph, came up with the idea of using customers and other notable locals modeling Trice Jewelers jewelry on the pages of the annual catalog, Justin thought, “Who in the world would do this? I had to say, ‘Please, be a model, please.’ And they would say, ‘Well, I don’t know.'”

But model they did, and the catalog caught on to the point where the Klomps’ cup runneth over with willing volunteers. In a break with tradition that featured a prominent woman on the catalog cover, this year’s glossy magazine (mailed to subscribers on Thursday) features Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey, the official Trice spokesman.

“All the girls helping me on this catalog said, ‘You’ve got to put him on the cover,'” Justin said. “I said I’ve got to make sure Champ is OK with this. He texted right back and said, ‘I’d be honored.'”

The cover shot shows Bailey wearing a Breitling for Bentley watch with a price tag of $12,000. Did Bailey get to keep the bobble? “No, but maybe we can work out something with him,” Justin joked.

The current catalog includes 32 models dripping in diamonds including TV personalities Natalie Tysdale and Susie Wargin, Miss Colorado Hannah Porter, former Bronco Mark Schlereth’s daughter, Alex Schelereth, director of Denver Broncos cheerleaders Teresa Shear, wife of Broncos head trainer Steve Antonopulos, Susan Antonopulos, Kathy Lee from The Fox radio and pilates and yoga instructor Meredith Hutson.

Prior to press time, Justin eats, breathes and sleeps the catalog. “It’s my baby,” he said. “It makes a pretty big splash in town.”

Trice prints 80,000 copies of the catalog that are available in the store at 6885 S. University Blvd., Centennial, or by mail. And though Pauline Fortuna, the photographer of the past three catalogs, moved to Japan, Trice opted to fly her to Denver for this year’s photo shoot.

As for topping the fourth catalog with the fifth? “It keeps me up at night worrying about what am I going to do next year,” Justin said.

Champ Bailey, above, graces the cover of the 2014 Trice Jewelers Wishbook. Several of Denver’s most famous Denver women (including Bailey’s fiancee, Jessica Herrera, below, grace the catalog wearing some Trice’s gems and diamonds. The Trice family, including owner, Ralph Klomp, and son, Justin, also took part in the photo shoot, bottom. (Trice Jewelers photos)

Restaurateur and chef Richard Sandoval doesn’t mess around.

If one of his many concepts isn’t working, its back to the kitchen table where he can conjure up a new approach to a floundering space.

Case in point: Exit Al Lado, a wine bar, enter La Biblioteca (Spanish for The Library), a testament to tequila. And even though Al Lado was still in its infancy since opening in August, Sandoval was willing to throw out the baby with most of the bath water.

In its metamorphosis, Al Lado surrendered to La Biblioteca, a Sandoval concept that’s found success in foodie-centric New York City. When Sandoval and his financial partners first decided to take over the small space next to Zengo, another Sandoval-owned eatery in the RiverFront Park neighborhood, the ownership group opted to try the wine bar concept that was missing in that part of town.

But Sandoval had a nagging feeling about the potential profitability of that venture. As Al Lado failed to gain ground, the tequila bar option came into play.

“Tequila is more exciting,” the charming chef told me during an invite-only preview of the place on Monday. “It’s a bigger hangover.”

The Biblioteca or library approach allows customers to buy bottles of tequila (from a 350-bottle collection) at the restaurant and store them in a personal locker available at no extra charge.

“Tequila is the fastest-growing spirit in the last 15 years,” Sandoval said.

And as to the food? The menu features all small plates that are primarily based in Latin cuisine with Asian and Peruvian twists. The ceviche offerings, for example, are called “suviche,” a Sandoval conceived combo of sushi and ceviche.

Sliders are served on Chinese buns stuffed with either achiote hoisin pork or bahn mi house-made beef and pork hot dogs. Sides are French fries with chipotle ketchup or potato chips with togarashi and cotija cheese.

The specialty drinks we sipped – Sweet Heat (my fave), Manzana Mexicana and Cucumber Pepino – tasted like well-crafted adult beverages that lacked the overly sweet taste of margarita mix.

News flash: Sandoval has officially relocated his company’s headquarters to Denver at Blake and 33rd streets. “We bought the building,” he said. “We’re here to stay.”

It’s all about the food and tequila at La Biblioteca, formerly Al Lado, on Little Raven in the RiverFront Park neighborhood just west of downtown Denver. (Photos courtesy of La Biblioteca).

The Art of the hotel business

Developers and city dignitaries broke ground (instead of bread) Monday on the Art hotel, a $50 million project at West 12th Avenue and Broadway, which will include 50,000 square feet of office space on the first three floors.

Designed by LoDo-based Davis Partnership Architects, the Art is a nine-story 165-room contemporary boutique hotel that will be part of Denver’s Cultural Center development area. The project is expected to be completed late next year.

Development partners include an investor group led by Lanny Martin, founder of Platte River Equity, and George Thorn, who partnered with Corporex Colorado LLC to develop the Museum Residences.

“We want to make the ART a place that is iconic to Denver,” said Mark J. Witkiewicz, chief operating officer of Corporex Colorado, in a statement. “When people leave the city, they will remember the hotel. The Art will have the finest of what travelers and diners desire – a creative, beautiful, high-end look and feel; wonderful gathering spaces, excellent food, fine service and, of course, art. Our guests will experience art in the true Colorado environment; open, airy and bright.”

The hotel, which will be operated by Commonwealth Hotels, will be positioned above a three-story office building with views of both East and West directions. Guests will enter through a porte-cochere that opens to several spaces showcasing a collection of modern art curated by the former Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art of the Denver Art Museum, Dianne Vanderlip.

Rather than waiting at a reception desk, visitors will check in on the fourth floor with iPads. The restaurant, bar and gathering spaces will flow to a spacious terrace with a large fire pit on the fourth level overlooking the city.

“Development like what’s occurred here at the Cultural Center is driving our economy forward, positioning Denver as the ideal place to start a business, build a career and raise a family,” Mayor Michael B. Hancock said. “The Art is the keystone of a project that has been years in the making. Everyone involved in the development of this neighborhood should be proud of the vibrant community they’ve worked hard to create.”

An artist’s rendering of the Art hotel coming to 12th and Broadway just south of the Denver Art Museum. (Courtesy of Davis Partnership Architects).

Von Miller tackles celebrity waiter dinner

Broncos All-Pro linebacker Von Miller is taking his talents from the field and onto the dining room floor during Von Miller’s Celebrity Waiter Night, beginning at 7 p.m. Monday at Ocean Prime, 1465 Larimer St. (www.ocean-prime.com).

Miller will be joined by teammates Champ Bailey, Wes Welker, Eric Decker, Demaryius Thomas, Wesley Woodyard and more who will trade in their orange and blue jerseys for aprons and assume the role of celebrity server for the evening.

Cocktails at 7 p.m.; dinner and live auction at 8. VIP tickets are $350, which includes a Signature Series football. General admission tickets are $250. Reservations: www.vonmiller.org.

Proceeds benefit Von’s Vision and its mission to provide low-income children with the eye care and corrective eyewear needed to be their best in the classroom and in life. The goal of Von’s Vision is to provide more than 50,000 children with eye exams and corrective eyewear by the end of 2016.

Von Miller’s trademark glasses drew him to his charity, Von’s Vision. The Broncos linebacker will host Von Miller’s Celebrity Waiter Night on Monday at Ocean Prime restaurant in LoDo. (Denver Broncos photo)

Nacho, nacho men (and women)

Did you know that today is National Nacho Day? Me neither, and nachos fall into one of my essential food groups!

While I have spent 20 years off and on my quest for the best nachos in Denver, I’ve yet to find that holy grail. But there are some worthy contenders.

Racines, at 650 Sherman St. (www.racinesrestaurant.com), packs a punch with a pile of cheesy, meaty (if you order the chicken or beef add-ons) taco chips topped with guacamole, pickled jalapenos, sour cream and layered with refried or black beans. Ask for the pico de gallo on the side and extra jalapenos, if you dare.

My other favorite nachos noshery is Blake Street Tavern, 2301 Blake St. (www.blakestreettavern.com). The Blake Street Nachos are a tower of taco chips covered in a mountain of five melted cheeses, olives, red onions, tomatoes and jalapenos. Add-ons are black beans, grilled chicken or flat-iron steak.

While the full order of Blake Street Nachos would feed (easily) a table of four, there’s the half-order option.

Zengo restaurant spokeswoman Maria Miller, who first alerted me to our country’s official homage to nachos, recommends her client’s nachos. “They are made with bean puree, cotija cheese and pico de gallo,” Miller tells me.

While I have enjoyed many a meal at Zengo, a Latin/Asian fusion eatery, I have yet to nibble the nachos. Zengo is at 1610 Little Raven St. (www.richardsandoval.com/zengodenver).

Where are your favorite nachos hiding? Shoot me an e-mail and I will make it my personal quest to taste test all your recommendations. For more of this country’s official “food holidays,” go to www.statesymbolsusa.org/National_Symbols/American_Hollidays.html.

Light up a new neon at the Candlelight on Friday

Speaking of bar food, raise a shot glass to the Candlelight Tavern on South Pearl Street on Friday as one of Denver’s top dive bars celebrates the debut of its new neon sign. The Candlelight has been serving up greasy pub fare, including a celebrated burger, for more than 50 years.

The Candlelight, at 383 S. Pearl St., is celebrating Friday with $2 specialty shots. More information at www.candlelighttavern.com or call 303-778-9530.

The new neon sign will debut Friday at The Candlelight Tavern on South Pearl Street. (Candlelight Tavern photo)

Eavesdropping on a woman: “Going to Target alone is a lot like going to the grocery store hungry.”

Did you hear that I have a 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.

The historic mistreatment of wild horses is examined in the film “American Mustang,” which chronicles an emotionally charged journey through a tenuous landscape dotted by ranchers, wild horse advocates, government agencies and the American people.

The film screens at 7 p.m. Nov. 7 at the SIE FilmCenter, 2510 E. Colfax, as part of the 36th annual Starz Denver Film Festival. The movie-lovers madness opens Nov. 6 with an 8 p.m. screening of “Labor Day” and runs through Nov. 17.

In her filmmaking debut, “American Mustang” producer Ellie Phipps Price, vintner and animal welfare advocate, brings her passion for protecting wild horses to the big screen.

“American Mustang” is a feature film, shot in eight Western states with wild horses filmed for the first time in 3D. Threaded into the narrative is the story of a girl, a cowboy and an American icon – the wild horse. The film encourages protection of America’s wild horses while being aware of the reality of limited grazing and resources on the open range.

The film is narrated by actress and activist Daryl Hannah. Throughout a 30-year film career, Hannah has starred in more than 40 feature films, and has created numerous iconic roles in successful, critically acclaimed and enduring movies.

Collaborators on “American Mustang” include director Monty Miranda who worked closely with writer and co-producer Henry Ansbacher and executive producer Phipps Price. Phipps Price and Ansbacher co-wrote and developed the characters based on extensive interviews that create a rich palate of voices for the film. The interviews are with people who are on the front lines of the battle over preservation and management of wild horses – a contentious issue that incites strong emotions from every side.

Phipps Price spent her early years in Colorado, studied film at University of California, Berkeley and currently resides in Sonoma, Calif., where she produces Dunstan Wines from the Durell Vineyard. She adopted her first mustang, Dunstan, from the Bureau of Land Management holding facility at Cañon City in 2009.

Recently, Phipps Price established a 2,000-acre wildlife preserve for wild horses in northern California. “I am thrilled to be coming home to Colorado for the launch of ‘American Mustang’ – a film about these amazing and beautiful animals that have captured my heart,” she said.

Director and former Denver dweller Miranda attended the University of Colorado to study film and journalism and currently lives in Los Angeles. His career includes credits for the memorable TV commercials for John Hickenlooper’s mayoral campaign. Miranda’s feature-film directorial debut, “Skills Like This,” won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at the South by Southwest Film Festival.

Colorado-based Ansbacher of Just Media focuses on film projects that have a history of bringing change, social justice and raising awareness about environmental issues. Ansbacher’s film “The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner” received an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Short.

More information on the movie at: www.americanmustangthemovie.com.

For screening times and to purchase tickets, go to: http://www.denverfilm.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=25922&FID=77.

To learn more about the 36th annual Starz Film Festival and the featured movies, go to http://www.denverfilm.org/festival/index.aspx.

Cowboy Luke pets one of the horses in the film, ‘American Mustang.’ The film, which has many Colorado ties, will screen Nov. 7 at the 36th annual Starz Denver Film Festival. (American Mustang|Just Media photo)

Top spots

I told you on last week that Lakewood was included in the Top 100 Best Places to Live on liveability.com’s inaugural ranking, but that was only part of Colorado’s prized participation. Culinary Colorado’s Claire Walter (thanks, Claire!) pointed out that there’s more to the story.

While Lakewood ranked No. 88 (besting Scottsdale at No. 89), Aurora scored No. 49, and Boulder came in at an impressive No. 2. Topping the lauded list was Palo Alto, Calif., which I’m proud to say is my hometown (think Stanford University, John Elway, Eddie McCaffrey, Andrew Luck, etc.).

“The list was created in partnership with the Martin Prosperity Institute, the world’s leading think tank on the role of location, place and city-regions in global economic prosperity. The list was produced after studying U.S. cities and factors that make them the best places to live, work and play,” according to the Livability.com website.

Factors included in the Top 100 ranking included good schools, hospitals, amenities, affordability and the local economy. Read more at http://livability.com/top-100-best-places-to-live#/palo-alto/ca.

Viva los muertos!

Denver Botanic Gardens continues its annual celebration of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a Mexican day of remembrance and honor for the departed, with expanded programming this year.

In Mexico, streets near cemeteries are filled with parades, colorful decorations, flowers, candy, skeletons and skulls. It is believed the spirits of the dead visit their families Oct. 31 through Nov. 2. Families make altars with a photo of the deceased, along with offerings of food, candles, incense and yellow marigolds. 

The Gardens will observe the tradition with an all-ages celebration of Latino music, food, art and history on Friday. All events take place at the York Street location. For tickets and more information, go to: http://www.botanicgardens.org/events/special-events/d%C3%ADa-de-los-muertos.

Celebrate Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) at the Denver Botanic Gardens on Friday, Nov. 1. (Photo courtesy of Denver Botanic Gardens)

Shanahan shares steaks

The Washington Redskins lost to the Broncos Sunday, but head coach Mike Shanahan’s team will eat like winners on the plane home.

Shanahan told 104.3-FM The Fan on Friday his team will nosh on Shanahan’s Steakhouse fare on the plane ride home after Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos. Shanahan also noted he wouldn’t have time to visit his signature steakhouse in south Denver.

And speaking of the Broncos…

Ace Eat Serve at 501 E. 17th Ave. will be the place to catch all the Denver Broncos football action this season where the games will be shown on one of two projection screens.

Happy hour specials for the entire game (menu at www.acedenver.com/menus/happyhour).  And, tap into your own competitive spirit with free Ping-Pong as long as the Broncos are playing.

Tables can be reserved in advance, and for the entire length of the game. Get your reservations now for the next game (Broncos vs. Chargers on Nov. 10 since Sunday is a bye week) at 303-800-7705.  Free Ping-Pong and extended happy hour specials will be available during all Broncos home and away games for the rest of the 2013 – 2014 season.

The seen

The “dolphin trainer” actor in the Colorado Lottery commercial (created by local ad shop Cactus) shopping Thursday at Whole Foods Market on Hampden. He wasn’t spotted in the fresh fish section.

Eavesdropping on a group of golfers at the Eagle’s Nest restaurant at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club: “I wonder if Shanahan took the team to Shanahan’s (Steakhouse) last night?”

“Well, he sure didn’t take them to Elway’s!”

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.

Because of a technical glitch, Monday’s column went out to subscribers with only a few lines from the first item.

What was supposed to happen was the launch of a new format that would give subscribers the top item, then direct them to click on the link to the Blacktie-Colorado website in order to drive more traffic there. Let’s hope it works today…

So, here’s what you missed on Monday:

Let’s rewind the clock to a few days before the Broncos victory over the Jaguars, who though winless, were certainly no pushovers in Sunday’s game.

Former Broncos tight end turned CBS Sports commentator Shannon Sharpe, in Denver Sunday to cover the Broncos-Jaguars game, was spotted at his former quarterback, John Elway‘s Cherry Creek steak house Saturday night.

But while he warmly greeted Elway and his wife, Paige, in the restaurant, was he also picking Elway’s pocket? During the “NFL Today” broadcast, Sharpe told fellow football prognosticators James Brown and Dan Marino that he had dined at Elway’s establishment Saturday night.

“I put dinner on John Elway’s tab,” Sharpe said, most likely joking. I can only confirm that Sharpe, joined by fellow former teammate Rod Smith, were there, but who paid is not known.

Meanwhile, back at “The Late Show With David Letterman” last week, lead guest Michael Strahan, star of “Live! With Kelly and Michael” and former New York Giants defensive end, and Letterman discussed Broncos QB Peyton Manning. Although Letterman will always favor his hometown Indianapolis Colts, he can’t “quit” Manning after all his years as the Colts QB.

Here’s the transcript from CBS.com:

Dave asks (Strahan) about Manning: “What’s all that barking he does at the line of scrimmage?  Peyton points and shouts and prances up and down the line yelling instructions to his linemen and backs. What’s he doing?”

Strahan: “It’s a lot of B.S.  Peyton Manning may be smart enough to understand all that yakking he’s doing, but the guys he’s yelling to? The linemen? The other guys on the team? They aren’t that smart. He’s doing it for show. The defense bark, ‘Just snap the ball!!'”

Que bueno!

I took a neighbor to see “Just Like Us,” the play adapted from the book by Helen Thorpe, the estranged wife of Gov. John Hickenlooper, at the Stage Theatre last week.

We were the two mature women sitting in the first few rows with tears streaming down our faces. The story follows the plight of four young Latina women — two who are U.S. citizens and two who are illegal immigrants — as they struggle with their high school, college and post-college years.

At the urging of Kent Thompson, Denver Center Theatre Company’s producing artistic director, Thorpe agreed to let playwright Karen Zacarias transform her words onto the stage.

The result is a riveting performance, which no matter where you stand on immigration, will at least make you think. The cast is simply marvelous and the sets move around almost as fast as the teacup ride at Disneyland.

If you can go, go. “Just Like Us” plays at the Stage until Nov. 3. Tickets: 303-893-4100 or at www.denvercenter.org.

Helen Thorpe wrote ‘Just Like Us,” which was transformed into a stage play for the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. (Blacktie-Colorado photo)

Diamonds are this girl’s best friend

Call it the fickle finger of fate. Call it divine intervention. Or call it just plain luck.

But on Saturday during the annual Champagne and Diamonds gala to benefit Sense of Security, the evening’s last act was a random drawing from a glass bowl full of names who had purchased a chance to win a $12,000 diamond necklace donated by Hadley’s House of Diamonds.

Drum roll, please. The winner was Vicki Tosher, and the crowd gathered at the downtown Grand Hyatt went wild. Tosher founded the breast cancer patient financial support charity 13 years ago after a dear friend had been diagnosed. Tosher is a two-time survivor.

When her name was called, Tosher wobbled toward the dance floor and her prize in sheer shock. Then she fell to her knees.

“I’ve won two other things in my life,” she said after being helped to her feet. “One was a calculator.”

Congratulations, Vicki. There is no one more deserving. Sparkle on, girl!

Playing dress-up

It may be a bit premature for Halloween, but nevertheless, some of Denver’s fiercest supporters of The Denver Center for the Performing Arts will be modeling costumes from the Denver Center Theatre Company’s closet during Theatre Threads from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 23 in the Seawell Ballroom. Proceeds will benefit DCTC and its education programs.

From the looks of the get-ups modeled in the past, this event will upstage a Vegas floor show. This years models are Jeremy Anderson, Jamie Angelich, Fiona Baldwin, Murri Bishop, Keri Christiansen, Sharon Cooper, BJ Dyer, Terri Fisher, Adrienne Ruston Fitzgibbons, Alice Foster, Roger Hutson, Carmel Koeltzow, Gayle Novak, Stacy Ohlsson, Loretta Robinson, Jackie Rotole, Robyn Taylor and (dame) Judi Wolf.

But a would-be thespian also hinted that DCPA chairman and CEO Daniel Ritchie is expected to get into a get-up.

The event features the aforementioned fashion show and luncheon hosted by the Denver Center Alliance.

“I will always remember as a child going to the theatre and being swept away into this magical world filled with lively characters dressed in beautiful costumes,” said event chair Denise Bellucci. “It’s because of fundraising events like Theatre Threads that, not only can the Denver Center for the Performing Arts give a child this wonderful experience and love of the theatre, but they also help support the creation of it.”

Tickets are $100 per person. Reservations: 303-446-4815 or visit www.denvercenter.org/threads.

Judi Wolf will be one of many of Denver’s charitable citizens modeling Denver Center Theatre Company’s costumes at the Oct. 23 event, Theatre Threads, at the Seawell Ballroom. (Denver Center photo)

Wise wine guy

If you haven’t heard Marczyk Fine Foods and Fine Wines owner Pete Marczyk wax poetic about the perfection of wine and food pairings, you’ve missed seeing a showman at his grapey best.

Now’s your chance. Marczyk, along with colleague Maxine DiJulio, will present a selection of some of their favorite Italian holiday wines representing styles you may know but varietals you likely don’t during an event sponsored by The Denver Chapter of the American Wine Society, beginning at 6:30 p.m. today (Oct. 16) at Panzano, inside the Hotel Monaco at 909 17th St.

Each course, prepared by exceptional executive chef Elise Wiggins and her team, will be paired with two wines of similar styles but at different price points. Attendees will compare and contrast these wines and then pick a favorite. After the votes are counted (barring any hanging chads), the price of each will be revealed.

The event is $65 for AWS members and $75 for non-members and guests. Registration is online only by visiting https://www.blacktie-colorado.com/calendar/event-detail.cfm?id=26189.

Eavesdropping on a woman at a recent charity event: “I am growing out my bangs, it’s cheaper than Botox.”

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.

Every two years, Blacktie-Colorado honors a special humanitarian with the Georgia R. Imhoff Outstanding Philanthropist Award.

This year’s winner will be announced at the 2013 “Have You Met” party at EXDO Event Center, 1399 35th St., on Oct. 15. The “Have You Met” feature is a popular piece on the Blacktie-Colorado website about Denver’s movers and shakers.

Since its inception more than 10 years ago, Blacktie-Colorado has interviewed 400 philanthropists and each one has his or her own unique perspective on helping others. The late Georgia R. Imhoff was a co-founder of Blacktie-Colorado.

Tickets for the “Have You Met” party are just $35 and include one drink and heavy appetizers. Registration is at www.blacktie-colorado.com; event code is  HYM2013.

Denver company’s creative designs for your vintage wines

When you see a creative wine storage unit at a Denver restaurant, it’s likely that the sassy shelving system came from VintageView, a Denver-based company, which displays bottles label-forward.

The sleek, innovative design makes it easier to showcase a wine collection and find the perfect bottle of wine, champagne or spirit.

The company recently held a media event at Ocean Prime, a high-end steak and seafood space on Larimer Square in a private room with a gorgeous wine-storage wall.

In addition to restaurant installations, VintageView offers display options for residential projects. The patented metal system features modular-style racks that can be modified to suit various spaces from personal wine cellars and retail stores to large-scale restaurants and event venues.

“The beauty of VintageView, besides its modern label-forward design, is that it can be tailored to any size space,” said Charles Malek, president of VintageView. “Whether you’re looking to display nine bottles in the privacy of your own home or thousands of bottles in a restaurant, VintageView can be customized to suit any needs.”

The metal racks can be mounted to any wall, attached to freestanding displays or mounted to VintageView’s floor-to-ceiling frames. Finishes include satin black, brushed nickel, copper, brass and chrome.

Denver establishments that have had the wine racks installed include: Rioja, Wash Park Grill, Bones, Grand Hyatt Denver, Lou’s Food Bar, Argonaut Liquors, Osterio Marco, Mizuna, Ocean Prime and Panzano. Other Colorado eateries who use the system are Mod Market and Cured in Boulder, Jax Fish House in Lafayette, Noodles & Co. in Broomfield, Cache Cache and St. Regis in Aspen, The 10th on Vail Mountain and Block 16 at The Sebastian in Vail.

For more details, go to www.vintageview.com.

Wine, women and Woodyard

Are you ready for some football?

Wine, Women and Football, presented by Coloradans for Responsible Energy Development,  is an evening of sipping, snacking and talking smack about any and all Broncos opponents, beginning at 5 p.m. Oct. 15 at Chloe, a Lotus Concepts property at 1445 Market St.

Come and share some X’s and O’s with players Montee Ball, Sylvester Williams, Britton Colquitt, Wesley Woodyard and one of my favorite former players, Rod Smith.

One hundred percent of proceeds benefit Volunteers of America’s Brandon Center, an emergency shelter for women and children. For tickets, go to www.voacolorado.org.

Jive drive

DazzleJazz Restaurant & Lounge at 930 Lincoln St. is hosting a Flood Relief Jazz Drive with a marvelous musical line-up beginning at 5 p.m. through midnight on Thursday. The suggested donation is $10 at the door.

One hundred percent of proceeds will go directly to musicians drastically effected by the flood. In addition, all of the performers are donating their time and talents and Dazzle is donating all profits from the evening.

Here’s the melodic schedule:

5 – 5:45 p.m. – Delta Sonics

5:45 – 6:30 p.m. – Hamster Theatre

6:30 – 7:15 p.m. – Adam Bodine Trio

7:15 – 8 p.m. – Pakow and the By All Means Band

8 – 8:45 p.m. – SUCH

8:45 – 9:30 p.m. – CSU faculty & friends band

9:30 – 10:15 p.m. – CU faculty & friends band

10:15 – 11 p.m. – Greg Harris Band

11 – 11:45 p.m. – Gabriel Mervine Band

More information at www.dazzlejazz.com.

Racines rocks!

Racines, one of Denver’s most popular B, L and D restaurants (breakfast, lunch and dinner) is doing something nice for furloughed federal workers in light of the government shutdown.

The restaurant knows that the shutdown has real consequences for the many Colorado federal employees who have been furloughed.

Whether they need to drown their sorrows or feed their souls, all federal staffers with a valid ID will get 20 percent off their individual food and beverage tab at Racines through the duration of the shutdown.

“Here’s hoping this will be the shortest promotion in Racines’ nearly 30-year history,” said spokesman John Imbergamo.

Love is lovelier…

Prominent Denver attorney Jay Kamlet, a partner at Lathrop & Gage, popped the proverbial question recently to girlfriend Stephanie Keyes, a senior broker at Weststar Commercial.

Kamlet is a Denver native, while Keyes was born and raised in suburban Chicago. She has two boys, Jake and Sammy, 18 and 16, who both go to Cherry Creek High School.  She moved to Denver in 1993.

“We were introduced by our mutual friend, Julie Westfield, in spring of 2011, and we have been dating ever since,” Kamlet told me. “My kids, Alyssa, Ian and Amalia all adore her.”

Kamlet, the hopeful romantic, took Keyes to The Palm where the restaurant’s general manager Cathy Cooney gave the engagement ring to the waiter who presented it on the dessert plate with the cheesecake, which Kamlet insisted that Keyes order.

“She is the kindest, most selfless person I have ever met, and I am blessed to have her in my life,” Kamlet said.

Denver attorney Jay Kamlet and Stephanie Keyes are engaged. (Photo courtesy of Jay Kamlet)

Hot, hot, hot

Former Denver newspaper sports reporter (now with ESPN) Adam Schefter has been plucked by Virgin Atlantic Airways to search for a “Red Hot Reporter” for the upcoming NFL International Series game in London, according to a story posted by MarketingDaily at http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/210228/virgin-atlantic-launches-promo-with-nfl.html.

“The selected person will interview players, go behind the scenes with sideline access and showcase the fan experience from the Virgin Atlantic suite,” the story says. “(The winner) will fly in style to cover the game, between the San Francisco 49ers and Jacksonville Jaguars, at Wembley Stadium on Oct. 27.”

Applicants must first follow @virgin_atlantic on Twitter. They will then create a video on the platform of their choice and tweet the video to @virgin_atlantic with the hashtag #redhotreporter. Schefter will select and announce the winner on Oct. 14.

Go whole hog

This little piggy went to dinner beginning at 6 p.m. Oct. 8 at Restaurant Kelly Liken in Vail.

Restaurant owner Liken in conjunction with Denver butchery expert Mark DeNittis will put a specially raised 4-H hog under the knife for the third annual Whole Hog Dinner.

The four-course nose-to-tail dinner (at $99 per person excluding tax and gratuity) will be paired with hand-crafted cocktails by mixologist Ian Tulk featuring spirits from family owned and operated Colorado distillery Leopold Bros.

To see the menu for the dinner and for reservations, go to www.kellyliken.com.

The seen

As posted by USA Today and former Denver Post sports writer Lindsay Jones on Twitter:

Broncos Coach John Fox on Jack Del Rio, candidate for the USC head coaching job and whom some media outlets reported was in Los Angeles on Sunday night:  “I know he’s focused on Dallas. He wasn’t at LAX. I was with him at Del Frisco’s when that report happened.”

Eavesdropping on a wife and a husband: “I thought you said you were going to change that light bulb.”

“I did. But I didn’t say I was going to change it today.”

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.

“Girl” power.

Sonia Riggs, formerly the executive director of the American Institute of Architects Colorado, is the heir apparent to eventually take over Pete Meersman‘s chief cheese job with the Colorado Restaurant Association as Meersman prepares for his departure.

CRA chairman of the board Rich Yoke appointed a search committee to advertise, screen, interview and select someone to serve as the new CRA chief operating officer, a position that will transition into the president and chief executive officer when Meersman, who has led the CRA for 30-plus years, leaves the association Nov. 1, 2014.

As of that date, Meersman will become the CRA’s chief strategy officer by serving on various affiliated boards and working on special projects until November 2019.

“Sonia will officially begin work at CRA on Nov. 20,” Meersman said in a mass e-mail. “She will be at CRA building on occasion before then for other meetings.

“Sonia’s professional references raved about her when I talked to them. (All four AIA references not only praised her, but they asked me not to hire her because they wanted her to stay there.) I spent a morning last talking with Sonia in person. She has a great personality and sense of humor. She will fit in well with our very talented staff.”

Congratulations to Riggs, and I look forward to meeting you!

Sonia Riggs will take over for Pete Meersman as president and CEO of the Colorado Restaurant Association when Meersman leaves the group in 2014.

A really big “shoe”

Jeff Shoemaker, who has been a prominent proponent and supporter of the Platte River Redevelopment, will be performing George Gershwin‘s Rhapsody in Blue as part of a benefit concert supporting Up Close and Musical, a local nonprofit that raises funds to provide free concerts to area elementary schools performed by members of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra.

For the Oct. 5 concert, Shoemaker will be accompanied by CSO musicians under the guidance of conductor Eric Bertoluzzi. The event is being held in honor and memory of Shoemaker’s parents, Penny and Joe Shoemaker, who were co-founders of the Helen Marie Black Music Education Fund dedicated to engaging young people throughout the metro area in the world of music.

Doors to Hampden Hall (on the second floor of the Englewood Civic Center at Hampden and South Jason) open at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 adults, $12 seniors and free for students under 18 and available at www.englewoodarts.org.

Juicy Lucy or Larry

Sullivan’s, where I enjoyed dining recently, is honoring breast cancer research by donating a portion of sales in October from the restaurant’s new $39 prix fixe menu.

The premium 8-ounce hand-cut filet is paired with your choice of a starter, soup or salad, garlic horseradish mashed potatoes and Bordelaise sauce.

Sullivan’s is located at 1745 Wazee St. and the phone number for reservations is 303-295-2664.

“Orange” you glad for a deal?

Denver hotel The Curtis – a Doubletree by Hilton has an “orange crush” on the Denver Broncos.

According to spokeswoman Julie Dunn, “We’re mad about Manning, wild about Welker and delighted over Decker. that’s why we’re inviting hardcore fans to join us in rooting on the Broncos this fall with a stay at Denver’s only pop culture-themes hotel, and then to come back and do it all again in December.”

Here’s the “Booking Broncos” breakdown:

Rates start at $129 per night when you book your football stay at the Curtis on Oct. 13 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Oct. 26 or 27 vs. the Washington Redskins (and former Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan) or Nov. 16 or 17 vs. the (4 and 0) Kansas City Chiefs.

And the rest of the story … say “Play it again, Peyton” and earn a second visit to the Curtis for $83 per night – in honor of Welker – plus $18 valet parking with homage to Manning on Dec. 7 or 8 vs. the Tennessee Titans or on Dec. 12 against the San Diego Chargers.

To take advantage of the Curtis Orange Crush offer, call Scott at 720-889-4747. For more information on the Curtis, go to www.thecurtis.com or call 800-525-6651.

And, speaking of the Curtis…

The third annual Denver Public Safety Luncheon, presented by Columbine Health Plan, will be held from 11:30 to 1 p.m. Oct. 9 at the aforementioned Curtis Hotel.

Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock and the heads of the public safety departments for the city will each give a brief talk on something “new or unique” that people might not know about public safety.

The first Denver Public Safety Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to retired Denver Police Division Chief Jerry Kennedy, who made headlines when he was a police captain as the recipient of a Lincoln Mark IV courtesy of Elvis Presley, the King of rock ‘n’ roll.

The goal of the event is to inform the business community and other interested parties on public safety in Denver. Net proceeds benefit six Denver charities that focus on public safety: the Friends of the Denver Fire Department, Denver Health, the Denver Justice Council, Crime Stoppers, the Denver Police Foundation and the Denver Sheriff’s Foundation.

Sponsor tables are $1,500 and individual tickets are $175 or $100 for those attendees under 35 years old. To register, go to http://ezregister.com/events/7818.

Angels with a heart

I can’t throw enough praise on Project Angel Heart, the nonprofit organization that provides healthy meals to ailing men, women and children in the Denver area and Colorado Springs, which has been named Top Company of the Year in the Nonprofit Category by ColoradoBiz Magazine.

The 26th annual Top Company Awards took place earlier this month at The Seawell Grand Ballroom at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

Project Angel Heart was selected, in part, for the successful completion of a $7.1 million capital campaign and subsequent move to a larger home in Denver’s Globeville neighborhood, as well as for the depth of support the organization received from donors and volunteers.

If you care to help out Project Angel Heart, you can make a donation at www.projectangelheart.org.

Major makeover

Colt & Gray, one of my favorite Denver fine dining (but unstuffy) establishments, reopened Friday night after an astonishing turn-around time for a remake of one week.

The interior has been reworked to add roughly 30 much-needed seats considering how popular the place is. The bar has also been reconfigured to incorporate with the main dining room rather than looking like a separate entity.

Colt & Gray is still working on the build-out of its sister speakeasy Ste. Ellie and charcuterie dispensary Viande, which should be ready to rock in roughly six weeks.

More details at: http://denver.eater.com/archives/2013/09/26/renovation-report-colt-gray.php.

Eavesdropping on CBS4’s sports anchor Vic Lombardi on Facebook: “I can honestly say the NFL Red Zone has changed my life. My family hates me more than ever. Thanks, NFL.”

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.

As a vendor for the “Denver Voice,” Aaron Godfrey is easily recognizable as the soft-spoken kind-faced man who stands in front of Walgreens on the 16th Street Mall hawking the newspaper dedicated to Denver’s homeless population.

But to many passersby, Godfrey is invisible. The unseen. He who shall be ignored.

When photographer Stephen Bostwick was challenged by a friend to take a photo of someone he didn’t know, he shot a portrait of a Denver Business Improvement District employee dressed in a purple shirt, purple hat, purple coat with a purple bike standing next to a purple trash can on the 16th Street Mall.

“I gave him the picture,” Bostwick said about the beginning of a project that would end up in the sold-out book “Not Invisible.”

If “every picture tells a story,” the one on the book’s cover of a buttoned-up business man averting his eyes from Godfrey selling papers from his post as the man breezes by speaks loud and clear. I know the feeling. I’ve done it.

“If you just acknowledge them with a smile, it does a lot for their self-esteem and for making their day,” Bostwick said. “This project has been very rewarding for me.”

Bostwick’s portraits of homelessness are posted in an exhibit (through Friday) at Café Options, 1650 Curtis St., a casual eatery staffed by trainees in Work Options for Women, a welfare to work program that trains women skills for employment in the hospitality industry.

“One thing I always did was that I remembered their names and always brought them a copy of the picture,” Bostwick said about the subjects he captures with his camera. “Through my pictures, I’m able to humanize homeless people. They are not bums. Some of them are not (homeless) or their own volition. They’ve lost jobs or (acquired) bad habits that made them hit rock bottom. It’s rewarding to see those who are pulling themselves out of it.”

Stephen Bostwick’s pictures of  vendors of the homeless newspaper, the Denver Voice, are featured in a photo exhibit at Cafe Options in downtown Denver. (Stephen Bostwick  photos)

Let go my logo!

When Colorado’s new logo and tagline were unveiled Thursday at The Colorado Innovation Network Summit, Facebook comments lit up the Internet like the City and County building during the holidays.

Denver City Council candidate Roger Sherman posted the new logo on his Facebook and invited comments, most of which were overwhelmingly opposed. Some said our state’s new symbol reminded them of a hazmat warning.

One poster said, “(I’m) quite underwhelmed. Chemical warning label. All it needs are flames on the top and a red strike though it.”

Another said, “I’m disappointed.  As a former CDOT employee, I will be sad to see the iconic logo changed on all the trucks :(.”

And a third naysayer said, “Hate it.  I am quite angry that the history of this state has been overlooked … Now we are reduced to be a warning sign for carbon monoxide.  By the way I think we are stealing from Sugarloaf.  Really really disappointed.  Considering ‘egging’ it whenever I see it.”

Tami Door, an eternal optimist and head city booster for The Downtown Denver Partnership countered the pooh-poohers, “OK … I will continue my mantra here … I like it. I like the concept of the brand. I like the look and I believe that if implemented correctly it will be an awesome new tool.”

What do you think? Email me at penny@blacktie-llc.com.

Foxy

Chinook Tavern, 6380 S. Fiddlers Green Circle in the Regis University building in Greenwood Village off I-25 and Arapahoe, is the new venue for this year’s edition of “The John Fox Show” debuting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday on 7News.

For the first show (head coach Fox will appear via a taped interview because of the Broncos schedule), Broncos Ring-of-Famer and all-time leading wide receiver Rod Smith will join host 7Sports anchor Lionel Bienvenu live from the restaurant.

Each week, different football guests will join Bienvenu and fans will have the opportunity to be a part of the live show.

“Everybody knows the Broncos have an incredible hold on the heart of our city, and this is an exciting way for Chinook and our guests to go ‘inside the huddle’ this season, which could be a very memorable one for Broncos fans,” said Clemens Georg, Chinook general manager.

Ample free parking with convenient access to Chinook is provided at a large attached parking garage.

“The John Fox Show,” featuring the Denver Broncos coach, debuts at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday on 7News. The show is shot live at Chinook Tavern in Greenwood Village.

Valley girls and guys?

Colorado is fast encroaching on Silicon Valley’s crown as the king of incubators for tech startup companies, according to entrepreneur.com (www.entrepreneur.com/article/227829).

According to the story posted last week, “Four of the top 10 metro regions in the U.S. with the most tech startups are in Colorado: Boulder, Fort Collins-Loveland, Denver and Colorado Springs. That’s according to a report released (recently) by technology policy coalition engine and entrepreneurship research association the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.”

The research defines high-tech startups as “new businesses with a concentration of employees in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.”

Here’s how Colorado cities stacked up in terms of metro regions with the highest ratio of tech startups compared to the national average:

1. Boulder

2. Fort Collins-Loveland

3. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif. (aka Silicon Valley)

4. Cambridge-New-Framingham, Mass.

5. Seattle

6. Denver

7. San Francisco.

8. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C.-Va. Md.

9. Colorado Springs

10. Cheyenne, Wyo.

Subscription drive

Do you know folks who aren’t subscribing to my Blacktie-Colorado column? Say what?

How ’bout if we give them some incentive to sign up. On Wednesday, one lucky subscriber will win two VIP tickets to Denver Food and Wine, the most fun you can have under a tent, from 11 a.m. (VIPs get early admission) till 4 p.m. Sept. 7 on the grounds of the Metropolitan State University of Denver campus.

Here’s the catch: To be eligible to win the tickets, you MUST be a subscriber. On Wednesday, Blacktie’s accounting firm of PricewaterhouseCooper (see, just like the Academy Awards … hee hee), will draw the name of the winner, who will be notified and announced in my Sept. 6 column.

To subscribe, go to www.blacktie-colorado.com/pennyparker. Click on my icon, then click on “subscribe.” VIPs at Denver Food and Wine get a respite from the heat with umbrella-clad tables, fancy fare from The Brown Palace and fine wines in a private area. Ticket value: $250.

The seen

According to a Twitter post on Sunday, Jesse Luken, Colorado Springs native and one of the stars of the film “42” was spotted at the CU-CSU game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High sitting in section 136 wearing a CSU shirt.

Luken is a 2006 CSU grad and has appeared in several popular TV series, including “Justified,” “The Mentalist,” “Last Resort,” “Glee” and “NCIS.” Most recently he played the role of second-baseman Eddie Stanky in the movie “42,” chronicling the life and story of Jackie Robinson.

Actor Jesse Luken, a 2006 Colorado State graduate, was seen at Sunday’s CSU-CU game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Luken appeared as second baseman Eddie Stanky in the film about Jackie Robinson, “42.” (Warner Bros.-Legendary Pictures/D. Stevens photo)

Eavesdropping on a CultureHaus board member to the CultureHaus chairperson: “My water broke, so I won’t be able to make it to tonight’s meeting.”
“Oh, the joys of home ownership!”

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.

The giant Joe Flacco photo hanging outside Sports Authority Field at Mile High (next to Peyton Manning‘s same-size photo) is creating a load of flak in Broncos Country.

What’s worse is that the Baltimore Ravens quarterback’s mug decorates much of downtown on banners that seem to be reproducing like rabbits. Make it stop, say fans on various websites and Facebook pages.

Flacco’s name and image are still sensitive subjects since the 2012 Super Bowl winners booted the Broncos out of the running when the Ravens beat the Broncos in double overtime during the playoffs last season. Flacco’s “Mile High Miracle” pass in the waning seconds of regulation sent the game into overtime. It still hurts.

But the agreement to plaster Flacco’s face all over the Mile High City was sealed between the NFL and the Broncos when the pro football honchos offered our city the coveted NFL season opener.

“The NFL equally promotes both teams as part of its annual Kickoff Game, and we are working closely with the league regarding our compliance to NFL guidelines for exterior signage and other promotional efforts for the game,” said Patrick Smyth, the Broncos executive director of media relations. “This is why fans may notice some promotional art outside Sports Authority Field at Mile High and around town that features both teams.”

That explanation is of little comfort to fans outraged by what they deem a “desecration” of our football field and downtown.

They took out their frustrations Tuesday all over websites, social media and on sports radio shows. One frustrated fan went so far as to craft a petition to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. The petition was posted on Sports Illustrated Audibles:  http://nfl.si.com/2013/08/27/joe-flacco-banner-mile-high-denver-broncos/. It reads:

To: Roger Goodell, @nflcommish, National Football League

Take the Joe Flacco signage off my Mile High Stadium! Broncos Nation will not endure this detestable and audacious act. Who in their right mind thought that we would just let this fly?! We stand united against your unbearable Joe Flacco signage.

Sincerely, [Your name]

CBS4 sports anchor Vic Lombardi, a Denver-area native, went berserk, and crossed the line between objective reporting and acting on his passion for his hometown team. Lombardi was recorded on www.tout.com (ever heard of it?) vandalizing Flacco banners along the 16th Street Mall (http://www.tout.com/m/v3kkob?ref=tw3dl5di).

He used a Sharpie to draw mustaches on Flacco’s face, and then resorted to masking tape plastered across the offending banners.

“If you’re a Denver native, this is a crock of crap,” Lombardi told former Bronco Alfred “Big Al” Williams and Darren “D-Mac” McKee on The Drive radio show Tuesday afternoon on 104.3 The Fan. “The NFL is pushing us around. The mayor (Michael Hancock) is a big Broncos fan. He can’t be happy about this … come on!”

Lombardi’s boss, CBS4 news director Tim Wieland, said he was well aware of the sports anchor’s antics through posts on Twitter.

“If you know Vic, you know that he likes to get involved in the reporting,” Wieland said. “In this case, Vic’s intent was to have a little fun with a subject that’s clearly irritating to many Broncos fans.” But condoning vandalism? Really?

Even “Big Al” Williams couldn’t get on board with Lombardi’s actions.

“This is a bunch of nothing,” Williams said. “That stadium will be filled with 85 percent Broncos fans.” NBC is televising the season opener at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 5 on 9News.

The Joe Flacco banner at Sports Authority Field at Mile High is drawing the ire of Broncos fans. (Sports Authority Field photo)

Fossil Trace GC gets top 10 nod in Forbes

Fossil Trace Golf Course in Golden is listed among the “10 most unusual U.S. golf courses,” according to “Forbes” magazine contributor Larry Olmsted.

The writer raves about course designer Jim Engh, calling him “one of my favorite golf architects and way underrated by the general public, though the industry holds him in high acclaim.”

Olmstead also notes Fossil Creek’s preservation of rustic mining equipment and the history lesson the course provides with prehistoric dinosaur tracks through holes 11 to 15 left some 64 million years ago. “Triceratops footprints have been well-marked next to the 12th green so golfers can take a look, and more fossils, plaster footprint casts, and ancient history are in the clubhouse,” Olmstead notes.

He forgets the great views the course offers from every direction, especially from holes No. 1 and 10, and the commune next to the 16^th tee box.

Read about all 10 courses and Fossil Trace here.

The approach to No. 12 at Fossil Trace Golf Course with an old mining crane in the background. (Fossil Trace photo)

PGA Tour is on the (golf) ball

The PGA Tour is not run by a slew of stooges.

Witness the television commercial already out touting the 2014 BMW Championships, part of the FedEx Cup playoff tournament series that will be played at Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village.

The advertisement features four of Denver’s best-known sports figures, from the Broncos: John Elway, Peyton Manning and John Lynch and ex-Denver Nuggets star Chauncey Billups (now with the Detroit Pistons but a Denver resident and native).

So Todd Helton and Joe Sakic are chopped liver?

The BMW Championship is the next to the last tournament of the FedEx Cup series that narrows the field to the final 30 that play at The TOUR Championship the following week. Next year’s BMW Championship will be played Sept. 4-7 at Cherry Hills. Tickets are already available online for the 2014 BMW Championship.

Check out the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEeVNzcrYZU.

Steuben’s has something to crow about

Steuben’s, the feel-good restaurant at 523 E. 17th Ave., was recently selected as one of America’s best chicken and waffles spot by Travel + Leisure magazine.

“Despite being mile-high, there’s a down-home essence at Steuben’s, from the old diner décor to the super-friendly staff,” the article says. “And chicken and waffles don’t get more classic than chef Brandon Biederman’s version. The meat is brined in buttermilk and seasoning for a day, then dredged in seasoned flour and fried to order. The waffles are traditional Belgian, served with a red-eye gravy made from Jim Beam bourbon, coffee and bacon. Afterward, waddle next door to sister restaurant Ace, with plenty of Ping-Pong tables.”

Check out the story at http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-best-chicken-and-waffles/7.

Now for the rest of the story: Steuben’s only serves the chicken and waffles for brunch on Saturday and Sunday and as the Sunday dinner special. You can order Steuben’s popular fried chicken (with mashed potatoes gravy and a biscuit) any day of the week.

Another 9th Door

The Beauvallon building on Ninth and Lincoln has been a revolving door for restaurants since it opened. But that doesn’t seem to bother Bill Kennedy, owner of The 9th Door, 1808 Blake St., who will open another outpost in the eatery-challenged building.

The Spanish tapas restaurant is slated to open in October, according to a story on Westword.com. Check out the details:

http://blogs.westword.com/cafesociety/2013/08/spanish_tapas_9th_door_opening_beauvallon.php.

Eavesdropping on a woman discussing the Flacco banners: “What if the Yankees put up a 40- foot picture of Big Papi (Red Sox slugger David Ortiz)? That would never happen.”

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.