Denver Mayor Michael Hancock will join dozens of Denver’s top chefs during a press conference at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Cook Street School of Culinary Arts, 1937 Market St., to officially announce Denver Restaurant Week, Denver’s largest annual culinary celebration.

Hancock will learn how to open a champagne bottle with a sword and offer a toast to the chefs. There also will be instruction in the proper way to open, decant and pour wine, as well as foods to serve with wine to draw out the taste.

Denver Restaurant Week runs from Feb. 22-28 at more than 300 eateries throughout the Mile High City offer a multi-course dinner for just $30. The full list of participating restaurants can be found at: www.DenverRestaurantWeek.com.

The Mayor will offer a toast to participating chefs in the kitchen classroom at Cook Street with wine supplied by sponsors Alamos Winery, Mirassou Winery, Louis M. Martini and William Hill Estates Wines.

Denver Restaurant Week is not possible without the support of sponsors including: Lexus, Alamos Winery, Edna Valley Vineyard, Mirassou Winery, Louis M. Martini Winery, William Hill Winery, US Foods, Johnson & Wales University, the Colorado Restaurant Association and the Downtown Denver Partnership Business Improvement District. Media partners include Westword/Westword.com, 5280 The Denver Magazine, The Denver Post, Comcast and Open Table.

For 29 years, Rosey’s has been a regional fashion destination which started at Eighth and Colorado before moving to Tamarac Square and then on to Park Meadows Mall with a customer base that has made the store a perennial success.

Now, Rosey is opening a second store at Aspen Grove, which will open on March 1. The new store, owned by Rosey Shaw‘s protege, Diane Lagerborg, will be a new spin-off concept, Rosey’s By Diane.

Rosey’s by Diane is a new one-stop shop where a woman can buy an entire outfit of unique clothing at a reasonable, midlevel price point.  Sourcing boutique fashions from the United States and Canada in addition to local designers, Rosey’s by Diane will offer a selection of clothing, accessories, and footwear that cannot be found anywhere else in Denver and can be worn by women of all body types.

Many of her pieces will be one-of-a-kind designs, all hand-selected by Lagerborg. The target customer, a chic, sophisticated woman 30 years and older, seeking affordable, cutting-edge fashions of a higher quality than can be purchased at vintage/resale shops but without the mass-produced feel and budget-busting prices of high-end fashion chains

Lagerborg has grown up in the retail clothing industry, having apprenticed under Shaw for more than 10 years.

In that time, she has gained an understanding of the retail fashion industry. Now, she’s ready to embark on her own concept, bringing fresh ideas and a new wave of style to Denver.

For more information, go to http://loveroseysstore.com/.

Modmarket’s newest location on 16th and Champa in downtown Denver opens this month.

Every item on the menu is made from scratch from simple ingredients. The menu changes throughout the year to take advantage of seasonal items.

Denver-based Modmarket, which operates six restaurants throughout the metro-Denver area.  The Company expects to open at least six locations in Colorado and Texas during 2014, totaling 12 at the end of the year.

Modmarket delivers farm-to-table food in a fast, affordable format that fits with today’s modern lifestyle.  Modmarket, named a “Hot Concept” by “Nation’s Restaurant News” in 2013, is changing customer expectations of what a $10 dining experience can offer.

To see a menu and to view locations, go to www.modmarket.com.

Alice radio’s 36 Hours for Kids raised $1.87 million for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals benefiting Children’s Hospital Colorado.

The three-day radiothon, broadcast live on Alice 105.9 radio, wrapped up at 6 p.m. on Valentine’s Day. Staff of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and Alice 105.9 talent were joined by patients and families to present a big check to Children’s Colorado. The record-breaking fundraiser continues to keep Colorado as the top Children’s Miracle Network radiothon in the country.

For the 13th year in a row, Alice 105.9 interviewed past and present hospital patients, played audio montages of children’s life-altering and inspirational stories and solicited listeners to give money.

Since 2002, Alice 105.9’s 36 Hours for Kids has collected more than $14 million for Children’s Hospital Colorado.

First Lady Michelle Obama and her daughters, Sasha and Malia, spent Presidents Day Weekend skiing in Aspen.

Pitkin County Sheriff Joe DiSalvo told The Aspen Daily News “she likes it here,” adding is Obama’s third consecutive trip to Aspen over the holiday weekend.

The Aspen Daily News also reported the Obamas stayed at the home of Jim and Paula Crown, owners of the Aspen Skiing Co. The past two years, the Obama family has skied at Buttermilk.

The Obamas arrived in Aspen on Friday and are scheduled to leave Monday afternoon.

Also seen in Aspen: “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” reality show star Jacqueline Laurita at Snowmass with her two sons, CJ and Nick, at the Aspen ski resort.

Several tabloid rumors have reported Laurita no longer will be on the Bravo network show when it returns later this year.

The show’s matriarch, Caroline Manzo, already has left the show after season five and Kathy Wakile reportedly will be on the show only part-time.

Jacqueline Laurita (Bravo network photo)

Manzo’s sister, Dina, reportedly will return to the show that is filming season six now.

CU Denver associate dean at the business school and marketing professor Cliff Young weighs in on the significance of Trader Joe’s first store opening at Eighth and Colorado today. Here’s what he had to say:

“For many years, the area around Eighth and Colorado was a medical center area. I remember back in 1962 when the hospital was called Colorado General. I remember because I accidently slashed a finger and went there for emergency treatment. The area was fairly stable and grew to be a primary medical area with Rose Medical Hospital and the Veterans Hospital. Because of the large number of staff, of course, there arose a substantial support retail group of restaurants and associated services. I still patronize O’Briens Tonsorial Parlor East of Bellaire on Eighth.

“In the 1990s University of Colorado Medical Center needed to expand to meet its needs. Attempts to expand the campus at Eighth and Colorado were met with opposition by the local residents with Mayor (Wellington) Webb siding with the residents. In 1995, Fitzsimons Army base was closed and negotiations began to move the medical school out to Aurora. University of Colorado Medical School has since moved completely to Fitzsimons and was renamed the University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus. By the end of 2008, academic and research operations of all Anschutz Medical Campus health sciences schools and colleges were relocated to the new campus.

“With the move of the hospital, schools and colleges, the area around Eighth and Colorado has seen a dramatic drop in retail business. Restaurants (Annie’s) moved to Colfax from its original location at Eighth and Colorado. Development efforts included a proposal to build a Walmart neighborhood market. This proposal was strongly opposed by the local inhabitants feeling it was further add to the deterioration and ambience of the area. Arguments included increased traffic and congestion.

“Then along came the proposal from Trader Joe’s. The response was completely different. Now, it was viewed as an enhancement to the area. Concerns about traffic congestion seemed to go away. Whereas the draw for the Walmart Neighborhood Marketing would have been local, the draw for Trader Joe’s will be much broader. I think the appeal is due to the difference in the target markets.

“Traffic will be impacted. Trader Joe’s parking is not on Colorado Boulevard. It’s off the next street East on Albion. Draw for the store will come from several upper middle class neighborhoods including Capitol Hill, Washington Park, Congress Park, Mayfair, Crestmoor, Montclair, etc. Within the close area around Eighth and Colorado are several local supermarkets. King Soopers on 14^th and Krameria historically has had the highest sales per square foot. I don’t think it will be affected. It targets more of the Park Hill area. A new King Soopers in Glendale targets the local population there and has the exclusive liquor license for Colorado. There might be some small effect as Trader Joe’s on Eighth and Colorado will also have the exclusive liquor license for Trader Joe’s in Colorado. Target Market in Glendale should not be affected. The only store I see being affected to any extent would be the Sprouts on Colfax west of Colorado. Its market is more similar.”

Fans of luxury home goods and lifestyle purveyor Restoration Hardware  – now rebranded as RH – are in store for an unprecedented shopping experience at Cherry Creek Shopping Center.

Next year, RH will open a four-story, full-line design gallery in the space formerly occupied by Saks Fifth Avenue.

“The intent of this larger footprint, full line design gallery is to showcase the depth of our growing product assortment,” said Gary Friedman, RH chairman and CEO. “Cherry Creek has been a successful location for our existing store and will be the first Rocky Mountain venue for this new broader expression of our brand.”

Serving as curator of the historical designs, California-based RH offers home and garden collections of timeless, updated classics, authentic reproductions and artisan works that combine inspired design and high quality.

At 53,000 square feet – more than four times the size of the existing Cherry Creek store – the new, four-level RH full line design gallery will feature a multi-story atrium, outdoor garden and rooftop park, plus dedicated galleries for the brand’s numerous product lines such as Living, Dining, Bed, Bath, Lighting, Tableware, Baby & Child, Small Spaces, Rugs, Outdoor and among others – many of which could previously only be found in the brand’s Source Books.

“RH’s new flagship store will be a breathtaking addition to our newly renovated center,” said Nick LeMasters, general manager at Cherry Creek. “We look forward to its debut by fourth quarter 2015, along with additional tenants in that wing, to be announced at a later date.”

The existing Restoration Hardware will remain open during construction of the flagship store.

On the first Thursday of each month from 6-8 p.m. at La Biblioteca (in English it means the library), guests can meet tequila makers, enjoy some tastes and learn more about tequilas, mezcals and sotol.

Upcoming Meet the Maker events are:

March 6,  El Tesoro; April 3, Patron; May 1, Centinela; June 5, Agave Underground and July 3, Suerte (a Boulder company). Cost is $5.

La Biblioteca is located at 1610 Little Raven St., Suite #200, Riverfront Park, facing 16th Street.

Telephone number is 720-904-0965.

Tequila flights at La Biblioteca.

Walter F. Imhoff, retired investment banker, philanthropist, father, grandfather and friend to many passed away on Feb. 11.

Imhoff was born at St. Joseph Hospital on Aug. 7, 1931 in Denver. His parents, Walter and Frances Barkhausen Imhoff, preceded him in death, as did his sisters Mary and Betty and his first wife, Mary Sheila Imhoff, who died Oct. 30, and his wife of 36 years Georgia Imhoff, who died on Sept. 6, 2009.

Five children survive: Theresa Schaefer (husband Charles, children Emily, Katie & Charlie) of Wanaque, N.J.; Michael Imhoff (wife Patty, children Katie & Grace) of Greenwood Village; Robert Imhoff of Los Angeles; Stacy Ohlsson of Denver; and Randy Ohlson (children Cory, Chelsea and Hannah) of Littleton. He is also survived by his companion Betsy Hogan, his brother Joseph and sister Fran.

Services will be held at the Church of the Risen Christ (3060 S. Monaco Parkway) at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18 and preceded by a rosary service at 7 p.m.  Monday, Feb. 17. Internment for family will follow at Mount Olivet.

Family and friends are invited to celebrate Imhoff’s life at a reception from 5-7 p.m. at Palazzo Verdi in Greenwood Village (6363 S. Fiddler’s Green Circle).

Donations in his honor are appreciated to The Kempe Center (kempe.org), Regis College (regis.edu) or Boy Scouts of America DAC (denverboyscouts.org).