Thrillist.com, a digital lifestyle website for men with local features on 21 cities (including Denver), rated its top 10 swankiest, tastiest, booziest bowling alleys in America and our fair city’s Punch Bowl Social was named to the list.

Punch Bowl Social, located in the hot SoBo district, is a hip eater-tainment establishment at 65 Broadway and offers great eats, drinks, bowling and more.

Here’s what Thrilllist had to say about Punch Bowl Social:

“Combining every great old-man game (bowling, shuffleboard, telling dirty jokes to 22-year-old girls) and young-man game (arcade games, karaoke, telling dirty jokes to 72-year-old girls) under one gigantic roof, this enormous man cave rocks gastropub-style food (think buffalo meatloaf & duck pastrami) in addition to craft cocktails from multiple bars, including a rotating selection of punch served up in huge bowls (see, it’s not just a clever name).”

Punch Bowl Social on Broadway was named one of the top 10 “swankiest, tastiest and booziest bowling alleys in America” by Thrillist.com (Punch Bowl Social photo)

A Denver public library … on wheels

Denver Public Library is coming to you … on a specially made tricycle.

DPL has developed a new service — DPL Connect — a pedal-powered mobile library and wi-fi hotspot.

DPL Connect launches its inaugural ride on Wednesday, August 7 on the 16th Street Mall. The trike provides free wireless internet access and will be stocked with a rotating collection of books tailored to the bike’s location (i.e. cookbooks and urban farming for farmer’s markets, bike repair and Denver maps for bike trails, etc).

The librarian riding DPL Connect also can provide traditional library services, including help with digital downloads (eBooks, audio books, and digital magazines), reading suggestions, assisting with research and registering new customers for library cards.

Here’s a schedule for DPL Connect in the upcoming weeks:

August 7, 4:30-6:30 p.m. | 16th Street Mall Garden Block (between Curtis and Champa)

August 8, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Civic Center Eats (among the food trucks – Broadway & 14th Street)

August 11, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m | VIVA Streets (Berkeley Regis Neighborhood – Tennyson St. & W 46th Ave.)

September 7, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Tour de Fat (City Park)

September 13, 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Bike-in Movie series at Civic Center Park

The DPL Connect pedal-powered mobile library. (Photo courtesy of Denver Public Library’s Facebook page)

‘Football On Your Phone’ rap by the Mannings

You’ve probably already seen the Mannings — Denver Broncos QB Peyton and his younger brother, the Giants’ Eli — in the “rap video” promoting DirecTV’s Sunday Ticket for NFL game coverage.

But just in case you were under a rock on Tuesday, here’s the link the Manning brothers’ “Football On Your Phone” rap.

Personally, I think Eli got a lot of the better lines and the Mannings’ dad, Archie, makes a cameo on the video that was filmed in New Orleans, the Mannings’ hometown.

Peyton, left, and Eli Manning performed an outlandish ‘rap video’ to promote DirecTV’s Sunday Ticket. (Photo by DirecTV)

Trader Joe’s to add a third store in Colorado

One Trader Joe’s coming to Colorado was fantastic news for this California girl. Two put me over the moon, especially since it was announced No. 2 would be located on 8th and Colorado near my Capitol Hill abode.

Now, the California-based specialty grocery store I grew up on is adding a third store in Greenwood Village.

The Denver Post reported Trader Joe’s has signed a lease at the Cherry Hills Marketplace at 5901 S. University Blvd. on the corner of East Orchard Road.The first two stores — in Denver and on Boulder’s Twenty Ninth Street mall are scheduled to open in 2014 as will the Greenwood Village store.

Chipotle coming to a Farmers’ Market near you

Chipotle Mexican Grill is already on every corner in Denver – or so it seems – but now the Colorado-bred chain is  participating in National Farmers’ Market Week.

Chipotle will conduct salsa-making demonstrations, give scavenger-hunt activity books to the kids and encourage shoppers to buy locally from their community farmers’ markets with $10 currency tokens that are redeemable for food at that market location).

Shoppers also will receive buy-one-get-one deals they can redeem at any Colorado Chipotle location. The coupon is valid for a burrito, burrito bowl or order of tacos.

Here are the markets Chipotle will visit this week (they’ve already hit the Broomfield and Lowry Farmers Markets): Aspen Grove Farmers Market, Wednesday, August 7; Highland Farmers Market, Southwest Plaza Farmers Market, Colorado Farm and Art Market and Larimer County Farmers Market, all on Saturday, August 10.

Eavesdropping on 9News’ Facebook page:

9News executive producer to Kim Christiansen: “A study for the fire-eating Kim, ‘Your love of spicy foods means you’re a risk-taker!'”

Kim: “I love it except the fact I would never bungee jump, sky dive, etc . Too scary.”

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.

Lovebirds Randy Richmond and Theresa Blanding started feathering their nest in Boulder landmark McGuckin Hardware 12 years ago.

The couple spent so much time in the Boulder store, that they joked if they ever married, the nuptials would be cemented in the tools department.

On July 21, accompanied by a small band of well-dressed family members and close friends, Richmond and Blanding walked hand-in-hand down aisle 16 — in the Tools department — to hammer out their future together.

The betrothed, being snapped by Blanding’s son, Lucian, strode in sync along the waxed floor lined with circular saws, which should not be misconstrued as a metaphor for their married life.

“McGuckin’s has been here forever and it’s so useful and practical,” Richmond said. “Marriage should be practical as well as romantic. We were in here every day for something anyway… rope or clips (TMI!).”

The couple have bought an array of items from the hardware store throughout the years, including Richmond’s favorite pair of overalls.

The groom is no densa, he’s a Mensa member who has excavated ancient Egyptian sites. “You’re not talking to a chimp here,” the University of Arizona Egyptologist and psychologist told McGuckin employee Steve Wilke. Richmond met Blanding 14 years ago in a class in Sedona, Ariz., and says that his future bride “hated him off the bat.”

She complained about him to her friend and obsessed over his antics for months. “I wore her down like water on a rock,” Richmond said. “Love and hate are tied very close together.”

Blanding, a mother of three, is a consultant and award-winning jewelry maker whose work is featured in an Arizona showroom, but her goal is to have a gallery of her own in Boulder.

“For me personally, I lived up at 8,500 feet in an old miner’s house as a single mom,” she said. “I was always coming to McGuckin’s to figure things out, and they were so helpful.”

Aaron Tye, a McGuckin automotive employee, made the celebratory announcement over the intercom system. Customers greeted the news with  resounding cheers and robust applause from all four corners of the store.

Not surprisingly, the couple requested McGuckin gift cards for wedding presents. The couple is planning a honeymoon in Paris.

“People need consistency in their lives,” Richmond said. “All roads lead to McGuckin.”

Theresa Blanding and Randy Richmond walk down the aisle — aisle 16 at McGuckin Hardware, in fact — during their July 21 wedding ceremony at the Boulder landmark.  (Photos courtesy of McGuckin Hardware)

Little Italy

Westword, Denver’s favorite snarky, alternative newspaper, has had a couple of stories recently worthy of repeating. Because I am a Capitol Hill dweller, any new restaurant news grabs my attention.

Westword restaurant critic Gretchen Kurtz recently reviewed the tiny restaurant DiFranco’s, a “tiny spot creating big buzz” in the long-suffering Beauvallon building at 955 Lincoln St. That space has represented revolving doors for retailers and restaurants alike ever since it was built.

But Kurtz says the little Italian spot that could is well worth a visit. On a recent Tuesday night, the place actually ran out of food, according to Kurtz’s review, even though there was a hungry mob waiting in a long line.

Hours are 11 to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. Phone: 720-253-1244 (just to make sure they haven’t run out of food).

Check out Kurtz’s review at www.westword.com/2013-07-25/restaurants/difrancos-restaurant-review/.

Also at Westword …

Music editor Dave Herrera discovered an obscure cable station MTVOther (who knew about MTVOther?), which features short pieces about lesser-known cool music enclaves including a short called “This is the place: Denver.”

Host Dave Hill introduces viewers to bands that I have never heard of (but then I’m old). No matter which way you 5280, it’s still good pub for our fair town. Check it out at http://mtvother.com/.

16th Street Mall garden block

Celebrate the grand opening of the Downtown Denver Garden Block during an afternoon event from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Aug. 7 featuring live music, giveaways, light snacks and drink specials from restaurants on the block. Come mingle in the lush garden and learn more about the importance of this project and its events planned this year.

The Downtown Denver Garden Block is an oasis on the 16th Street Mall bringing a unique environment to the block between Champa and Curtis streets. Installations of various small gardens, representative of those featured at Denver Botanic Gardens, create a pocket park on the 16th Street Mall by giving downtown visitors, residents and workers a beautiful place to meet, linger and enjoy the urban landscape.Sponsored by the Downtown Denver Business Improvement District, in partnership with Denver Botanic Gardens, Bellco Credit Union and the Colorado Garden & Home Show, the Downtown Denver Garden Block will continue to showcase additional features throughout the summer, including more seating, a place to read and play games, weekly lunchtime performances and events, and downtown’s newest Wi-Fi hotspot provided by local internet company www.Forethought.net.

Giveaways include two tickets to a Park-to-Table dinner at Skyline Market on Friday, Aug. 9; two tickets to a Denver Botanic Gardens concert and four family-pack tickets to Denver Botanic Gardens.

Part of Denver’s Garden Block on the 16th Street Mall. (Photo courtesy of Downtown Denver Garden Block)

Eavesdropping on a woman at Zocalo: “We invest so much time in finding a new man only to end up hating him later.”

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. I’m now the social-media liaison for the Mile High Chapter of the Colorado Restaurant Association, so read my latest restaurant news there. My email: penny@blacktie-llc.com.

So what would it take for Judi Wolf and Cleo Parker Robinson to perform on stage together? Donald Seawell’s 100th birthday.

On Aug. 1, those of us who were lucky enough to be invited to such an illustrious affair inside of his namesake ballroom, witnessed several testimonials to Seawell, free run 6 femmes who’s made an indelible mark on this city’s theatrical heritage.

But the most entertaining moment came when Wolf and Parker Robinson kicked up their heels in their version of “My Heart Belongs to Donald”.

But as it should be, Seawell had the last word. “This has been a fabulous evening. When I’m asked what it’s like to be 100, I say it’s fun. If I could get more evenings like this, I’d live another 100 years.”

More Sabor

Sabor, the annual food fest to support the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, was a great success at the Denver Botanic Gardens last week.

Restaurants came out to supply best bites while supporting the Chamber. The nearly sold-out affair was muy caliente y sabroso. Que bueno!

Leftys

The right hand will know what the left hand is doing when Euclid Hall Bar & Kitchen, 1317 14th St., joins hands with Left Hand Brewing Co. at 7 p.m. Aug. 13 for a left-handed dinner and beer fest celebrating National Left-Handers Day.

Guests should expect left-handed surprises throughout the event. Right-handed participants are welcome as well. Euclid Hall chef de cuisine Jorel Pierce has prepared a multi-course menu paired with favorites from Left Hand.

Menu and reservations: www.euclidhall.com or 303-595-4255.

Ain’t it grand?

The Grand Hyatt Denver’s general manager Greg Leonard recently announced the opening of Pub 17, the hotel’s new restaurant on the corner of 17th and Welton.

The new pub aims to capture the mood and flavor of the Mile High City by providing neighborhood microbrews, regional wine and fun food fare.

Pub 17 prides itself for serving a bounty of locally grown produce, artisan cheeses and premium meats. Menu items include the Mile High Reuben or chef de cuisine Jay Leandro’s interpretation of mac and cheese.

Other menu stand-outs include a Western-style herb roasted bone marrow. Every signature dish complements a list of local microbrews. Reservations: 303-295-1117 or www.pub17denver.com.

Burger boys

This month’s edition of Food Network magazine free run 6 v2 femmes includes a bit called “You can eat like a football player,” restaurants are kicking off football season with dishes named after NFL players.

Two of my favorite QBs get the nod with Drew Brees’ Breesy Beef Mac and Peyton Burger.

The Breesy Beefy Mac  is a fave rave for the New Orleans Saints QB who eats the ground beef and macaroni before every game. A chef at the Ritz-Carlton apparently added a version with béarnaise sauce, andouille sausage and ground beef to the menu.

On Manning’s behalf, locally based Smashburger announced that Colorado locations would serve an off-the-menu Peyton Burger topped with orange hot sauce and blue cheese in honor of Broncos’ colors.

Say yes to the address

The Palm in the Westin Tabor Center has secured back its free valet for lunch and dinner. That’s good news to those of us who drive to the steak place and bristle at paying to park.

The On the Town family recently had an amazing dinner at the restaurant located at 16th and Lawrence. Reservations: www.thepalm.com/denver.

Eavesdropping on a husband and a wife: “When we met it was love at first sight?”

“For you?”

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. I’m now the social-media liaison for the Mile High Chapter of the Colorado Restaurant Association, so read my latest restaurant news there. My email: penny@blacktie-llc.com.

Real Broncos fans are revving up for this season with the new shot in the arm of Peyton Manning, who has the potential to bring pizzaz back to our football team.

Epicurean Catering (www.epicureancatering.com), the exclusive food purveyor to suite holders at Sports Authority Field, are setting their palates and culinary prowess around the building excitement of Peyton playing for the home team.

“We’ve sold out the suites and club level,” said Adam Hammond, executive chef and general manger for Epicurean. “There’s so much excitement with Peyton. We are bringing in disposable roshe run hyp qs products to be green. It’s a big standard we hold ourselves to.”

Epicurean hosted invited guests from the Broncos organization and the press to taste new menu offerings available to suite holders at Sports Authority Field this year. Most meals are themed to the opposing team such as gumbo when The Saints Come Marching In, or ribs when Kansas City invades our space.

The themed packages include two starters, two salads, two proteins, vegetable and starch, one carved item and two desserts. Epicurean prefers to offer individual desserts to cut down on waste. “We are trying to focus on a 100-mile menu,” said Stephanie Blackford, Epicurean communications director.

To achieve that goal, Epicurean is working with Alan Preblud, executive director of the company We Don’t Waste (www.wedontwaste.org). The company collects unused food from various purveyors in an effort to recycle to those in need.

“We provided over 40,000 meals last season which is 120,000 servings.,” Preblud said. “In two years the stadium has provided 10,000 meals and 30,000 servings.”

Hammond said that the Manning factor has already affected suite sales. “We’re trying to bring it up a level. Suite holders get excited for the season.”

Help local chef win Bravo fan favorite

Chef Jenna Johansen, Denver’s contestant on Bravo’s “Around the World in 80 Plates” (think “Amazing Race” meets “Top Chef”) may have been booted from the cunning culinary competition, but she can still win “fan favorite” with help from her fans by voting online.

“I would really appreciate every single vote that comes my way to swing the fan favorite vote to the cheerful chef who speaks all the languages,” Johansen said in an e-mail. “This may seem like a silly and small thing to ask for, but your five minutes weekly for the next few weeks until the winner is announced means the world to me. (PS you want to watch the finale!!!)”

There are two ways to vote, and here are the rules: You can vote 10 times EACH WEEK by texting “Jenna” to 27286 (BRAVO),  or you can vote 40 times EACH WEEK at http://www.bravotv.com/live-vote/around-the-world-in-80-plates/vote. Voting resets each Wednesday night until 2 p.m. Mountain Time July 25.

The winning Fan Favorite gets $10,000.

“I really, really, really want to win. I cannot do it without a lot of help!,” said Johansen, who owns Dish in Edwards but lives in Denver with fiance charcuterie king Mark DeNittis. “I sincerely appreciate any and all votes you send my way. Please send this information to anyone you think may be interested in helping Team Jenna win…Thanks for supporting the Colorado girl!”

Shake, shake, shake

Larkburger, the Vail Valley-based burger joint with a roshe run nm br handful of locations around the state, and its ice cream partner Boulder Ice Cream, is shaking up July – National Ice Cream Month – with its Shake it Up promotion where on Saturdays and Sundays this month a 12-ounce shake will sell for $2 – a $1.50 discount.

The discount is good at all Larkburger locations (www.larkburger.com). There’s also a contest for a chance to win milkshakes for a year, a Boulder Ice Cream (www.bouldericecream.com) t-shirt and 24 pints of ice cream. Full contest details at www.larkburger.com.

Eavesdropping on a woman watching two other woman at Elway’s Cherry Creek’s concert on the patio: “Did they call each other and say let’s wear our shortest shorts?”

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. I’m now the social-media liaison for the Mile High Chapter of the Colorado Restaurant Association, so read my latest restaurant news there. My email: penny@blacktie-llc.com.

Caplis and Silverman, KHOW  radio’s legal Bickersons, ended their eight-year-long show after the broadcast Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. on 630-AM.

Craig Silverman and his talk show partner and foil Dan Caplis will concentrate their efforts on their first profession as lawyers after their radio contract was not renewed, according to Silverman.

“It was a great run for eight years, and I had a lot of fun,” Silverman said Friday. “I’m sure I will be involved in the public sphere for decades to come. I’m going back to my first love, which is law.”

Pat Connor, president and market manager of KHOW owner Clear Channel said, “We sincerely thank Dan and Craig for their eight years here at KHOW and wish them the very best….as for programming it will be a live and local show beginning in the very near future.”

“The future” begins on July 16 — according to the KHOW website.

I was a Friday afternoon contributor for several years where I discussed my week’s worth of columns at The Rocky Mountain News and subsequently at The Denver Post.

While at The Rocky, air jordan 9 I broke the story about my fairly famous fight with then-Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer who lambasted me over the phone after I wrote about his Broncos cheerleader girlfriend (who he later married), even though he had introduced her to media during a public event.

I will miss their banter on the radio, and wish both of them the best.

Fabulous Fourth

Like most Fourth of July celebrating folks, you probably have your favorite spot to take in the light show, but if you’re looking to venture outside of your norm, here are three alternative venues to celebrate the good ol’ US of A.

The really big “shoe” is Independence Eve presented by Anadarko, a free concert by The Colorado Symphony and fireworks display beginning at 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 3 (not the Fourth) at Civic Center Park.

Lawn seating is on a first come basis, so early arrival is highly encouraged. Blankets or low-rise beach chairs are allowed.

At the eastern Denver city limits, there will be a free July 4th community concert by the band The Julius Show and fireworks presented by Oakwood Homes at Green Valley Ranch Amphitheater.

The concert takes place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. followed by a fireworks show choreographed to music.

The summer concert series continues on Wednesdays July 11 through Aug. 1. For a schedule and directions to the Amphitheater, visit www.skylineusa.com/oakwood.htm.

Aurora’s fireworks show is spectacular especially when you’re watching from a seat on the grounds of Aurora Hills Golf Course.

Tin Cup owner Cindy Jones puts on a heck of a party air jordan 10 where you bring your own meat to grill, pay a small fee for Jones’ homemade sides, and enjoy the free light show that starts at dark.

Eavesdropping on former Gov. Bill Owens talking about a bit in Denver Stories where he and Gov. John Hickenlooper are playing catch: “He may be a better governor, but I’m a better pitcher.”

Did you hear that I have a new column, “Mile High Life,” debuting 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. I’m now the social-media liaison for the Mile High Chapter of the Colorado Restaurant Association, so read my latest restaurant news there. My email: penny@blacktie-llc.com.

Broncos wide receiver Eric Decker and fiance and country singing sensation Jessie James will add their celebrity status to this year’s SaddleUp! Foundation Denver Suitcase Party where guests show up with packed bags ready to leave on a jet plane the weekend of Aug. 17.

The event will be held in a private hangar at Mayo Aviation, air jordan 3 femmes Centennial Airport. Guests will walk the red carpet beginning at 6 p.m. and party hearty with drinks, dancing and food samplings from local restaurants and caterers.

James will be the featured entertainer for the summer soiree which raises money for the Parker-based charity that is dedicated to empowering individuals with special needs through equine assisted activities and therapies at a family friendly ranch. More information and tickets at www.saddleupfoundation.org.

Tickets are $125 for young professionals 35 years and younger, $150 for general admission and $250 for VIP, which includes a champagne greeting, access to the VIP lounge and discounts for Town and Country Limousine. Each ticket level includes one raffle ticket for drawing to win two seats on the six-seater plane. The five-star accommodations are provided by Inspirato, the luxury travel club.

Above: Decker and James are ready for takeoff.

Get ready to Rumba

La Rumba, the former home Oxygen, of one of Denver’s best GLBT club nights of its time, will host The Official Elitch’s Pride Day After-Party Monday featuring DJ Tatiana.

Doors open at 7 p.m. Monday, and there is a $5 cover charge. Patrons that present their Elitch’s ticket stub will receive a free house drink.

Patio party

I mentioned it earlier, but it bears repeating: Elway’s Cherry Creek summer concert series returns Wednesday with live music, cocktails and a special menu.

Wednesday’s concerts kick-off band is Message in a Bottle, a terrific group that covers songs from The Police. The backyard opens at 5; bands play from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

Check out the rest of the summer schedule at www.elways.com.

Wednesday wine day

Strings Restaurant, 1700 Humboldt, would also be worth a visit on Wednesday for The Tour de France premium dinner and wine pairing event presented by The Denver Chapter of the American Wine Society.

Four courses will be paired with wines from leading producers from the Loire Valley, Alsace, Burgundy and Cobieres. Guest speaker will be Jeff Lott, southwest regional manager, Pasternak Wine Imports.

The event is $55 for AWS members; $65 for non-members and guests. air jordan 4 femmes Tickets available at www.blacktie-colorado.com.

Restaurant worker wins 100 clams for dinner

Scott Morgan with Cool River in the Tech Center was the big winner at Tuesday’s Tailgate party, a “fun-raiser” for the Colorado Restaurant Association Mile High Chapter.

Morgan’s name was drawn from all those who went on to the Chapter’s Facebook page and “liked” us (he really likes us!). Congrats to the restaurant industry worker who gets to spend a $100 gift certificate good at any Mile High Chapter member.

Be sure to like my Facebook page! Also, here’s where you go to get my column emailed to you Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I’m now the social-media liaison for the Mile High Chapter of the Colorado Restaurant Association, so read my latest restaurant news there. My email: penny@blacktie-llc.com.

The 8th Annual Denver Food and Wine event is the party of the summer to benefit the Colorado Restaurant Association. It runs from Sept. 6-9 at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

Here’s the drill:

* Thursday, Sept. 6, features a special wine dinner at Metro’s new Hospitality Learning Center.  Seating is limited to 34 people, and the dinner features wines and a “special guest” by Southern Wine and Spirits.  Evening will include cocktails and appetizers, tour of new venue, dinner by Denver chefs.

* Friday, Sept. 7, includes an industry/trade breakfast sponsored by the Colorado Hotel Lodging Association and Colorado Restaurant Association with speakers from the CH&LA and CRA.  The location will be the ballroom of the new Springfield Suites by Marriott. There’ll also be demos and seminars in the new Hospitality Learning Center as well as Riedel glass seminars. During the evening will be Restaurants Rock in the Springfield Suites and HLC Tastes, featuring live entertainment, tastes from Denver restaurants and spirits and wines from Southern Wine and Spirits.

* Saturday, Sept. 8, will be a “grand tasting” for the general public set up under tents in the quadrangle at 7th & Lawrence Way. It will feature tastes of more than 600 wines and spirits and food from over 40 restaurants. There’ll be a Tented VIP Plaza, a Pernod Ricard Lounge, a Beam Global Lounge, a Viking Culinary Stage with confirmed guest Chef Dario Cecchini, the Butcher of Panzano.

* Sunday, Sept. 9, there’s a special dinner at Panzano with Dario and Demo. The Denver Broncos play the Pittsburgh Steelers at 6:30 p.m.

A total of 5,000 people are expected for all the events.

Media sponsors are Entercom Radio Stations – KOSI, air jordan 4.5 femmes The Mountain, ALICE, KEZW; The Denver Post; 9News; Dining Out Magazine; Larimer Associates; Visit Denver; and The Denver Partnership. Beneficiaries are the Denver Post Community Foundation, Metropolitan State University of Denver, Colorado Restaurant Association Education Foundation scholarship program.

More information:  www.denverfoodandwine.com

Hot Rocks rocks!

I have been an unabashed fan of John Elway’s since I moved to Denver in 1993. I never take a close encounter with him for granted. So last night at the Hot Rocks Griller Challenge was special because I got to sidle up to the NFL Hall of Famer and have my picture snapped. It never gets old.

Thanks, John. I adore you and will always be proud to call you a friend. You rock my world!

Muy caliente!

Hot Rocks Griller Challenge pitted super chefs against each other in heated competition to raise money for Denver Health Medical Center Men’s Health Department.

There were two competitions for Best Slider. People’s Choice winners were:

1. Tyler Wiard, Aniedra Nichols of Elway’s Cherry Creek

2. Troy Guard, TAG, TAG Raw Bar and Madison Street Grill

3. Simon Purvis, EDGE Restaurant

In the Chefs’ Choice competition:

A tie between Troy Guard and Paul Reilly of Encore.

Eavesdropping on a woman in a Suburban who backed into a Toyota Prius and then became defiant with the owner of the Prius about the accident:  She claimed that the accident wasn’t her fault because she was on her phone, backing up and the Prius was so small she couldn’t see it.

At that point the Arapahoe County sheriff said to her, “How are you going to air jordan 5 femmes xplain to your insurance company that it wasn’t your fault when the vehicle you hit was parked and there was no driver in it?”

The woman had nothing more to say.

Be sure to like my Facebook page! Also, here’s where you go to get my column emailed to you Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I’m now the social-media liaison for the Mile High Chapter of the Colorado Restaurant Association, so read my latest restaurant news there. My email: penny@blacktie-llc.com.

I told you in April that former Nuggets player Nene (aka Maybyner Rodney Hilario) had his Hilltop house under contract for $1.6 million. But something must have happened on the way to the bank.

The Grape Street home ended up selling last month for $1.45 million, according to public records. Nene, who bought the five-bedroom seven-bath single family home for $1.475 in 2004, air jordan 12 femmes sold the handsome house to Thomas Jefferson Adams III and Linsley Weir Adams. (I think that patriotic name makes Mr. Adams a Yankee Doodle Dandy.)

The finished basement, which brings the total square footage to 6,652, includes theater seating, game room and wine room. The backyard sports a lap pool and full outdoor kitchen.

Meanwhile, in Denver Broncos homeowner news, Von Miller tweeted Friday that he had closed on a Denver-area house. Miller, a linebacker, was named the NFL’s 2012 defensive rookie of the year.

Also meanwhile, former Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer’s 10,000-square-foot Cherry Hills mansion on 2.81 acres is still on the market.

And also meanwhile, Payton Manning reportedly has settled into former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan’s humongous Cherry Hills mansion that the now Washington Redskins coach had built from the ground up. The home has been used for countless charity events.

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Above: Nene’s former digs.

Zoo do

Do at the Zoo is a big to-do every year when a ton o’ restaurants set up food booths and the Zoo and liquor companies set up bars during the Denver Zoo’s biggest fundraiser.

This year’s event, beginning at 7 p.m. (6 p.m. for VIP ticket holders) June 21, includes entrance to the newly completed 10-acre $50 million Toyota Elephant Passage exhibit – the new and improved elephant habitat.

Presenting sponsor is Haselden Construction. In its 23-year history, nearly 37,000 Do at the Zoo-ers have raised more than $8.5 million to improve Denver Zoo and support its animal conservation efforts.

But the real wild children, the two-legged kind, come to snack from 60 restaurants booths, dance to the music and have close encounters of the animal kind.

This year’s participating restaurants include: Ambria, Avenue Grill, Beatrice and Woodsley, D Bar Desserts, Denver Chophouse and Brewery, Downtown Elway’s, Edge Restaurant and Bar, El Diablo India House, Jing, Linger, The Oceanaire Seafood Room, Root Down, WaterCourse Foods and the Wynkoop Brewing Co.

Tickets are $175 per person or $300 for VIP, which includes early access at 6 p.m., valet parking and an exclusive VIP party. To purchase tickets, go to www.denverzoo.org/doatthezoo.

The elephant in the room, er, street

It was a wedding procession to remember when an elephant carried the groom and his cousin to the entrance of The Ritz-Carlton Denver on Saturday.

The elephant wedding march started at 18^th and Curtis streets just west of the Ritz-Carlton entrance. The groom and his cousin rode the elephant per Indian tradition that dictates that only males are allowed to ride the elephant.

The parade went down 18^th Street and took a left on Arapahoe and then left on 17^th before turning left again on Curtis before the groom and his cousin disembarked from the elephant. air jordan 13 femmes The parade took nearly an hour and drew about 150-200 wedding guests and onlookers.

Photo by Greg Henry. Click to enlarge.

Eavesdropping on a man: “I’ve been married 31 years; pain knows no boundaries.”

Be sure to like my Facebook page! Also, here’s where you go to get my column emailed to you Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I’m now the social-media liaison for the Mile High Chapter of the Colorado Restaurant Association, so read my latest restaurant news there. My email: penny@blacktie-llc.com.

Hey, there’s an elephant on my street; how he got there I’ll never know.

If you’re in the vicinity of Curtis and 18th streets on Saturday, don’t be surprised to see an elephant lumbering toward The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Denver.

The elephant entry signifies the third and final air jordan spizike wedding ceremony between an East Indian doctor and his American wife. Three ceremonies are planned with the last being an Indian tradition of having the bride arrive at the reception location aboard an elephant being trucked in from California for the occasion.

I’ve been told that there will be street closures and off-duty police officers along the route. “I understand they’ve taken out tons of (city) permits,” said a source. Representatives from the mayor’s office could not be reached for comment on Thursday.

Get your grill on

It’ll be a hot time in the old town when a slew of chefs fire up their grills and serve up sliders during the fourth annual Hot Rocks Griller Challenge, a fundraiser for the Denver Health Foundation’s men’s health programs, from 6 to 9 p.m. June 13 at Elway’s Cherry Creek.

Roughly 16 of the top local chefs will get their grill on to compete for top honors in the slider competition where the winner is determined by popular vote. Attendees can purchase chips (votes) from $5 to $100, and flip chips into the receptacles on their favorite chefs’ tables. Each chef will concoct a creative slider plus a side dish that will be paired with a wine.

The heated competition represents some of Denver’s best culinary talent including: Steve Ballas (Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs), Robert Bogart (Elway’s Downtown), Michael Bortz (City Bakery), Jamey Fader (Lola, Big Red F Restaurant Group), Troy Guard (TAG, TAG Raw Bar, Madison Grill), Jennifer Jasinski (Rioja, Bistro Vendome, Euclid Hall), Simon Purvis (EDGE Restaurant), Paul Reilly (formerly of Encore), Matt Selby and Brandon Biederman (Vesta Dipping Grill, Steuben’s), Goose Sorensen (Solera), Darrel Truett (Barolo Grill), Tyler Wiard and Aniedra Nichols (Elway’s Cherry Creek), Elise Wiggins (Panzano) and Sean Yontz (El Diablo).

Denver’s own Chris Daniels and the Kings will provide musical entertainment. Guests can also “pay to play” the Hyde Park Jewelers High Striker test of skills game. Event chairs Michael Pollak (Hyde Park) and John Elway (Broncos, Hall of Fame) will fan the fun.

Tickets are $100 apiece or $250 for early admission and entrance to the VIP Lounge. Purchase them at denverhealthfoundation.org.

In memoriam

Hank Dire, owner of the iconic Bonnie Brae Tavern, died Monday at age 84. Hank had worked at the family restaurant since he was 5 years old.

Most Precious Blood Catholic Church, 3959 E. Iliff Ave., will be the location for a memorial service at 10 a.m. Monday.

Another long-time Colorado restaurateur Timothy Lee Galloway died last November, but the current issue of  issue of Golf Digest tells the touching story of how his son, Winn, took his dad for a round of golf at Pebble Beach where Tim scored a hole in one.

Tim worked at Boulder restaurants including Flagstaff House, adidas neo Red Lion Inn, Potter’s, the restaurants at the Boulderado Hotel and Cork n’ Cleaver.

Check out the Golf Digest story (have your hanky nearby) here.

Dad’s day

Four local men may be captains of industry and pillars in the community, but they are most proud of being a dad.

Walt DeHaven, vice president and general manager of CBS4; Steve Erkenbrack, president and CEO of Rocky Mountain Health Plans; Greg Feasel, executive vice president and COO of the Colorado Rockies and Jeff Jones, co-president and CFO of Vail Resorts, were lauded Wednesday night during the Father of the Year Awards, a fundraiser for the American Diabetes Association.

The ballroom at the Grand Hyatt was packed with supporters who were treated to touching video tributes from children of the honored fathers.

Evening emcee CBS4 anchor Jim Benemann warmed up the crowd with some of his own “dad-isms”.

“I remember my dad fondly for the things he taught me such as, ‘Oh, I’ll give you something to cry about.’ Or, ‘Because I said so, that’s why.'”

Speaking of dear old dad

Are you tardy to the dad’s day party? There’s still time to make Father’s Day brunch or dinner reservations. Go to opentable.com to see a list of special Father’s Day feasts.

Eavesdropping on a man watching The View: “They should just call this,’ We All Talk at the Same Time.'”

Be sure to like my Facebook page! Also, here’s where you go to get my column emailed to you Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I’m now the social-media liaison for the Mile High Chapter of the Colorado Restaurant Association, so read my latest restaurant news there. My email: penny@blacktie-llc.com.