Lori and Belton Garner of Cleatz Northfield want to showcase their new restaurant and menu by hosting a prix fixe dinner on at 6:30 Monday. The price is $28 including tax, tip, beer and wine.  They are bringing a taste of the south to Denver.  The menu will include their famous chicken wings, fried pork chops, catfish, okra and Belton’s homemade peach cobbler. Make your reservations today at 720-379-6644. More information at www.cleatz.com.

Lori Midson, a five-year foodie fixture at Westword has been let go from her job as the newspaper’s food blogger and Cafe Society editor.

Midson, a Colorado native, posted her split from Westword on her Facebook page Tuesday. Here’s what she said:

“As of today, I’m no longer with Westword. It’s been an absolutely amazing five years, and I can’t say enough about Westword editor Patty Calhoun, who gave me the opportunity of a lifetime when ‘The Rocky Mountain News’ closed. So many people have offered their love, support and encouragement – and I’m incredibly grateful for that. I’m immensely proud of what I’ve accomplished at Westword, and I encourage you all to continue to read – and support – the Cafe Society blog, the content of which is unparalleled. Thank you all – friends, chefs, restaurateurs, fellow writers, bartenders, colleagues, public relations professionals and everyone else -for making this journey such a pleasure. I live and breathe the restaurant life, and I have every intention of continuing to do just that.”

In addition to her Westword gig, Midson is an accomplished freelance writer for local and national magazines. She declined to elaborate further on the split.

Calhoun, Westword editor and founder said, “Lori is an asset to the scene and we wish her the best; we’re just going in a different direction with Cafe Society.”

On Midson’s Facebook page, competitors in Denver’s food-writing community, fans and chefs expressed their appreciation for Midson’s part in promoting Colorado’s restaurant community and encouragement for her future. Personally, Midson is a friend, and I wish her success in her future food endeavors.

Lori Midson, left, with On The Town columnist Penny Parker. (Facebook photo)

Susan, who states her age as “too young for Medicare,” is the PR princess and community relations expert for a Denver hotelier.

Her idea of a perfect date?

“Anything unique and different, as I have been so fortunate to have had many unusual experiences.  I have been to a gold-pour in Nevada, deep sea fishing on the Gulf of Mexico, (have the photo with a 20-pound tuna!) and a gold and diamond dredge operation on the Orinoco River in Venezuela.  I have been a widow for a little over four years, so still feel like I am a freshman in high school again – ick!  Yet just like in high school, I am looking forward to that perfect date that will have sparks and creativity.

In her spare time, Susan says, “I love to go to live productions at Central City Opera, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Colorado Ballet and Opera Colorado.  I walk outside every day at 5 a.m., which is good for insight and revelation. Interesting that a crackle dive bombs me every morning near Cabela’s in Lone Tree; I tell her that I won’t hurt her babies but guess she doesn’t understand English.

“I love short trips, and my New Year’s resolution is a trip a month. I will accept almost any invitation to visit a new location, and just visited for the first time Fairhope, Ala., and Bonita Springs, Fla.  My July trips are to Kansas City with my niece for a Sarah McLaughlin concert, Puerto Rico with my sisters and Santa Fe for the opera with gal pals.  I could go to Scottsdale every month as I love Arizona and had a house there for a short while.

Susan hails from Crown Point, Ind., and Neodesha, Kan.

This week’s male single is Luigi, 47, who says his idea of a perfect date “is enjoying walking downtown, checking out the art galleries and eating some small bites with some wine.”

In his spare time, Luigi, a data analyst for a mortgage company, likes to go to the mountains to fish, hike and take pictures. He’s also an avid sports fan. Luigi was born in Amsterdam, Holland, but raised in the states. He attended four high schools in three states.

If you’d like to meet either of these singles or those in our hit parade, contact “On the Town’s” veteran matchmaker Trisha at trilind@hotmail.com.

Meet more Singles who Mingle:

Meet Jen and Kevin: www.pennyparker.blacktie-colorado.com/2014/06/are-you-a-single-ready-to-mingle-check-out-todays-additions/

Meet Lance and Andrea: www.pennyparker.blacktie-colorado.com/2014/05/meet-todays-additions-to-singles-who-mingle-3/

Meet Christie and Donald: http://pennyparker.blacktie-colorado.com/2014/04/meet-todays-additions-to-singles-who-mingle/

Meet Chris: http://pennyparker.blacktie-colorado.com/2014/04/singles-who-mingle-meet-chris/

Meet Britni and Chris: http://pennyparker.blacktie-colorado.com/2014/04/another-addition-to-the-singles-who-mingle-britni-rotunda/

Meet Megan: http://pennyparker.blacktie-colorado.com/2014/04/singles-who-mingle-meet-megan-dubray/

Meet Molly: http://pennyparker.blacktie-colorado.com/2014/03/singles-who-mingle-returns-molly-hughes/

Meet more of our singles: http://pennyparker.blacktie-colorado.com/2014/03/are-you-a-single-ready-to-mingle-check-out-these-two-and-maybe-youll-find-love/

David Duval, his lovely wife, Susie, and friends having a cocktail at the Four Seasons Hotel Denver before the KISS and Def Leppard concert at the Pepsi Center Wednesday.

David, the former British Open winner who still is very much alive and kicking on the PGA Tour, said he applauded Michelle Wie‘s recent Women’s U.S. Open victory.

“I think it’s great,” David told me. “She’s worked hard in this sport and she deserved it.”

Eavesdropping on a woman: “That awkward moment when you realize that you don’t know how to operate your own washing machine because your man does the laundry.”

Any doubt which state has America’s most favorite mountain towns? Not to those of us who live in and love the great state of Colorado.

But Travel + Leisure magazine has legitimized what those of us in the know have known all along in its list of America’s 20 Favorite Mountain Towns.

Aspen’s No. 1 and Estes Park is No. 2.

About Aspen, the magazine said, “With 14,000-foot peaks, Aspen is a marquee destination for skiing. But America’s No. 1 mountain town and overall favorite town keeps the party going year round with festivals celebrating art, food, wine, and music. There’s even the Aspen Ideas Festival, which is appropriately suited to a town voted No. 3 for both its festivals and its intelligent locals. (Aspenites also happened to rank No. 2 for attractiveness.) In this laid-back yet moneyed town, it’s not unusual to see billionaires and ski bums elbow-to-elbow, throwing back beers at watering holes like the Aspen Brewing Co. and Hops Culture.”

T+L said about Estes Park, “This popular gateway town for visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park got the top vote for coolest motels for good reason: many well-oiled operations like the Western-themed Saddle and Surrey have been in the same hospitable family for generations. Estes Park ranked No. 2 for both its active people and its charming town square, Bond Park, surrounded by boutiques and sweet shops. And it came in No. 4 for cool souvenirs, including the signature “chainsaw bear”—a totem-like bear carved using, you guessed it, a chainsaw.”

Moving down the list, Telluride took No. 5, Boulder boasted No. 6, Snowmass Village ranked No. 12, hooray for Ouray at No. 13, Leadville lept to No. 14 and Breckenridge completed the Colorado contenders at No. 17.

Check out the rest of the picks at www.travelandleisure.com/articles/americas-favorite-mountain-towns/2?xid=JustIn061714FavoriteMountainTowns.

COCHON 555 and Breckenridge Bourbon present the grand finale of COCHON 555’s Punch Kings Competition, beginning at 4 p.m. (VIP ticket holders) Sunday at The Curtis Hotel, 1405 Curtis St.

The highly spirited event is the culmination of the competitions that took place in 10 cities across the U.S. throughout the year. The barkeeps will compete by preparing award-winning recipes of boozy punch using Breckenridge Bourbon.

More than 50 bartenders, including Denver’s own Justin Lloyd of Star Bar, competed in the Punch King’s Competition at COCHON 555 events throughout the year for the chance to represent their city in the finals. The 10 winning bartenders, listed below, will recreate their winning punch for a chance to win a three-day trip to a Heritage BBQ festival in the city of their choice to feature their winning punch.

The 2014 Punch Kings competitors are James Menite of Crown Restaurant (New York City), Joshua Holliday of Khong River House (Miami), Paul Sanguinetti of Patina Group (Los Angeles), Michael Jack Pazdon of Goose & Gander (northern California), Erin Goodman of Roofers Union (Washington, D.C.), Sean Woods of Ribelle (Boston), Jennifer Fink of Fat Rice (Chicago), Andrew Meltzer of 15 Romolo (San Francisco) and Maria Polise of Ela (Philadelphia) and Lloyd of Star Bar (Denver).

“This will be the most notable punch-themed celebration to hit the country since prohibition was lifted in 1933,” said COCHON 555 founder Brady Lowe. “I’ve always wanted to host a national event that celebrates the barkeeps that keep the boom of the cocktail culture alive and vibrant. There’s nothing better than a fine punch made with a whole bottle of bourbon to complement the philosophy of whole animal utilization and the flavor packed benefits of eating heritage pork. And, who better to bring the Punch Kings Competition to life than our great friend Bryan Nolt, founder of Breckenridge Distillery?”

Punch King attendees will enjoy as four top chefs including Rich Byers of The Corner Office, Jeff Bolton of Kachina, Jason Brumm of Second Home and Jae Lee of The Curtis will prepare 500-plus pounds of heritage pigs in a COCHON 555 format. Additionally, there will be 150-plus pounds of Creekstone Farms Bone Marrow alongside the release of “The Hot Box”, a new pop up experience from COCHON 555 founder, Brady Lowe.

Tickets:  $55 general admission and $100 VIP (early admission at 4 p.m., and premium access to limited experiences, food and spirits).

Last week, the newly opened LYFE Kitchen at Park Meadows mall held a VIP event to celebrate the health-food eatery’s visiting executive chefs Art Smith, Tal Ronnen and Jeremy Bringardner and to welcome the community to the restaurant.

Smith is Oprah’s former chef, famed cookbook author and competitor on Bravo TV’s “Top Chef Duels,” which premieres in August. Ronnen is a celebrated vegan chef and prepared meals for Oprah’s 21-day vegan cleanse. He also owns Crossroads restaurant in Los Angeles. Bringardner is also gaining food cred, having just won an episode of the Food Network’s “Chopped.” He is an accomplished chef who worked in Charlie Trotter‘s kitchen before joining the LYFE team.

LYFE Kitchen provides good-for-you food that is convenient and affordable. LYFE Kitchen uses locally sourced ingredients whenever possible.

“We are thrilled to bring the LYFE Kitchen concept to Denver,” said DJ Mitchell, owner/operator or LYFE Kitchen Denver. “We believe LYFE Kitchen and our motto of ‘Eat Good. Feel Good. Do Good,’ will be a perfect addition to the area given the active lifestyles of the people who live in the community.”

LYFE Kitchen Restaurants are committed to the “Feel Good” message by supporting individual food preferences no matter what personal food preferences might include – from paleo and gluten-free to vegetarian, vegan and flexitarian. Each dish contains fewer than 600 calories and 1,000 mg of sodium (most much less).

LYFE Kitchen will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week, and also serves snacks and beverages, including wines and local beer. Hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

More information, visit www.lyfekitchen.com.

Chefs Jeremy Bringardner, Tal Ronnen and Art Smith. (Lyfe Kitchen photos)

Levitt Pavilion Denver, 2648 Eudora St., celebrates summer with special events July 1 and 2.

July 1 is a ticketed VIP event attended by Mayor Michael B. Hancock, and featuring Denver acts Alpha Schoolmarm Orchestra and Ark Life. Guests will dine outside with the mayor and be treated to the first official Sounds of Levitt Concert.

The July 2 event is a free concert open to the public featuring the Levitt National Touring Act, Playing For Change, a Q&A with the band, food trucks and a free drum circle. Both events are from 5 to 8:30 p.m. For more information and to purchase VIP tickets, go to www.levittdenver.org/events.

Levitt Pavilion Denver will provide 50 free concerts a year featuring local, national and international musicians with an emphasis on creative and diverse programming.