If you are a fan of Judi’s House, now’s the time to help this fine organization started by former Broncos quarterback Brian Griese, by voting in the Vail Ski Challenge.

Ten worthy groups — including Concerts for Kids, Craig Hospital and the Denver Public Schools Foundation — are vying for a $250,000 donation from Vail resorts and all you have to do is visit the Vail Ski Challenge Facebook page.

You can vote for the organization that helps children and families who are grieving the death of a loved one find hope and healing within themselves. Griese started Judi’s House to honor his mother, who died when he was 12 years old.

Every vote earns Judi’s House $2.50 and it gets 2,000 votes, Griese has promised to get out the retired Broncos uniform and ski wearing his helmet, pads, the whole thing. Who doesn’t want to see that?

You can vote daily until the challenge ends April 11.

Eavesdropping on a man talking about his unusually dirty dog in need of a trip to the groomer:

“That snow was a pristine white until my dog started walking through it. Now it looks gray.”

You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream!

And the Hilltop and Crestmoor neighborhoods may be screaming the loudest now that the High Point Creamery is coming soon at 215 S. Holly St. on the southwest corner of Holly and Cedar.

Husband and wife team Chad Stutz and Erika Thomas are opening their first retail location of High Point Creamery this spring with several more planned.

The signature item will be the “bombe” (pictured below),which Thomas describes as “a molded ice cream dessert that has its origins in Victorian era France. First we layer ice cream, let it harden, and then we add a meringue, let that harden and then top it off with another layer of delicious ice cream. All of this then sets in an authentic copper mold from the 1960s. After it hardens, the bombe is removed from its mold and sliced like a cake to serve.”

High Point also will serve sorbets and unusual ice cream toppings such as candied violets or black lava salt. The Creamery plans to host chefs from notable area restaurants to collaborate on their own specialty offerings.

Visit www.highpointcreamery.com or like them on Facebook to be the first to know of the opening date.

I’ve never been much of a photographer but my years in journalism certainly have made me appreciate the art of photography and the hard work of those behind the camera.
So, it’s cool to hear the Colorado Photographic Arts Center is honoring R. Skip Kohloff and Lisbeth Neergaard Kohloff as its 2014 “Hal Gould Vision in Photography (ViP) Award” winners.

The annual Hal Gould Awards dinner will be held Thursday, April 10, at Table 6 restaurant, 609 Corona St.

“This award to Skip and Lis is made in recognition of their many significant contributions to the Denver photographic community as educators, curators, and artists. Their role was critical in advancing the Southwest region as a dynamic center for photography and learning. As former Board Chair and Exhibition Coordinator respectively, we especially honor Skip and Lis for being the institutional backbone of CPAC for many years,” said Rupert Jenkins, CPAC executive director.

The award honors Hal Gould, 94, founder of CPAC and who retired in 2011 after closing his legendary Camera Obscura Gallery.

Those interested in attending the dinner should contact the CPAC at 303-837-1341 or register at www.cpacphoto.org.

The 10th annual WomenCook Dining for a Difference event, benefiting Work Options for Women, is another don’t-miss event, so plan on attending the May 5 chowfest.

Here is the list of wowza chefs participating:

Elise Wiggins, Panzano; Samm Sherman, Linger & Root Down; Aniedra Nichols, Elway’s Cherry Creek; Carrie Blake, Table 6; Summer Polson and Rasha Husseini-Trujillo, Project Angel Heart; Jennifer Jasinski, Rioja, Euclid Hall, Bistro Vendome, Stoic & Genuine; Alex White, Jonesy’s EatBar; Dana Rodriguez, Work + Class; Crickett Burns, The Truffle Table; Sheila Lucero, Jax; Lisa Bailey, DBar Desserts; Kathleen Kenny, Gateaux; Mary Nguyen, Parallel 17, Street Kitchen, Olive & Finch and Sandra Adams, Hyatt.

The event will be held from 6-8:30 p.m. on Monday, May 5 at Temple Emanuel, 51 Grape St. For tickets or more information, visit www.workoptions.org.

The 5th Annual Flight to Luxury Hangar Party which raises money for Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver will welcome Vic Lombardi back for a second year as the official emcee for Flight to Luxury.

The CBS4 sportscaster (and a personal favorite of moi) will return to the runway to entertain the audience with his strut down the catwalk and endless jokes.

The Sept. 12 event will be held at two of Denver’s private jet hangars: XJet and Signature Flight Support, at Centennial Airport. Presented by Cuvée Escapes, the event will showcase custom-couture private villas by Cuvée, elite jets, exotic cars, and live entertainment. The goal is to raise $1 million for the Boys & Girls Club.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: www.flighttoluxury.com.

Eavesdropping at a writers’ conference at the Hyatt last weekend:  “It’s so exciting to shop for pot.”

“Dancing With The Stars” has started on ABC and you can see six of the community’s own stars dancing at the Balleto Di Gala, a fundraiser for the Colorado Ballet on April 12.

Ed Venerable (president of Paragon Homes Inc.), Colleen Ferreira (9News reporter), Zane Beadles (a former Denver Broncos offensive lineman who recently signed as a free agent with the Jacksonville Jaguars), Reggie Rivers (a former Broncos and broadcaster), Auna Jornayvaz (Colorado Ballet Board of Trustees) and Carole Buyers (senior vice president, Boulder Brands) will compete with professional dancers from the Colorado Ballet.

The event at the Ritz-Carlton Denver Hotel will start with cocktails and a silent auction from 5:30-7 p.m., followed by dinner and a live auction (7-8 p.m.) and the dancing competition from 8-9:30 p.m.

Altitude Sports broadcaster Kyle Keefe will serve as emcee for the event.

FOr more information and how to purchase tickets, visit. www.coloradoballet.org.

Chef Tom Coohill has created a bit of a stir with his candid interview about marijuana with Ricardo Baca for The Cannabist.

Now with marijuana being legal in Colorado, the chef and owner of Coohills restaurant admitted he has used pot, just not while cooking.

Tom Coohill told The Cannabist, the marijuana website for The Denver Post: “I cannot work high. I’ve never tried it, but I just don’t function well when I’m smoking. You know, handling knives and everything … I don’t wanna say I’m clumsy, but I think it could be dangerous and I’d cut myself or burn myself. I couldn’t likely make a grilled cheese.”

To read more, visit www.thecannabist.co/2014/03/19/interview-chef-tom-coohill-pot-workplace-rock-club-bedroom/7279/)

If this story gives you the munchies, you can check out Coohills’ new Taste of France prix fixe menu series.  Each month features a different region in France and for April they’ve chosen a culinary tour of Normandy.  Three courses for $35 plus tax and gratuity.  For the April menu, visit www.coohills.com/reservations/special-events.