There are still a few tickets left for the 10th annual WomenCook! benefit for Work Options for Women from 6 to 8:30 p.m., Monday, May 5, which features a walk-around style dinner by some of Denver’s most renowned, well-respected, and creative women chefs. There is also a silent auction as well as a presentation delivered by staff and students.

The tasty event takes place at Temple Emanuel, 51 Grape St. Tickets are $125 each or $1,500 for table sponsorships.

Chefs for WomenCook! 2014: Alex White, Jonesy’s Eat Bar; Aniedra Nichols, Elway’s, Cherry Creek; Carrie Blake, Table 6; Craig Dixon, Cafe Options; Crickett Burns, The Truffle Table; Dana Rodriguez, Work & Class; Elise Wiggins, Panzano; Jennifer Jasinski, Euclid Hall, Bistro Vendome, and Rioja; Kathleen Kenny Davia, Gateaux; Lisa Bailey, D Bar Desserts; Mary Nguyen, Parallel Seventeen; Rachel Kesley, WaterCourse Foods; Samm Sherman, Root Down and Linger; Sandra Adams, Grand Hyatt; Sheila Lucero, JAX; Summer Polson, Project Angel Heart and Tessa Schuler, WOW Café.

For questions, comments or seating preferences, if you would like to pay by check, or for more information about event sponsorship, please contact Daisha Versaw at daisha@workoptions.org or 720-944-1921. For more information about Work Options for Women, go to www.workoptions.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.

Trader Joe’s announcement Monday that it will open a fourth Colorado location on the Southwest corner of Seventh and Logan was the best thing to happen to Capitol Hill since the governor’s mansion moved into the ‘hood.

And since I live five blocks from the new TJ’s site, I was especially delighted to hear the news, although I’ll have to figure out how to transport a boatload of signature Trader Joe’s products.

Trader Joe’s spokeswomen Alison Mochizuki confirmed Monday’s Internet buzz. “Although we don’t disclose what goes into the decision-making processes of selecting a location, Denver is filled with foodies and we are looking forward to being part of this wonderful community,” Mochizuki said when I asked what drove TJ’s to secure a Cap Hill site. “Beyond this, we don’t have any additional comments.”

The space, directly across the street from the popular Govnr’s Park Tavern at 672 Logan St., is currently occupied by an empty Century Link warehouse. The Trader Joe’s store, which is slated to open next year, will be approximately 11,600 square feet.

It will not carry its famous Two Buck Chuck wine — nor any other liquor — because the one store with a liquor component will be the Eighth Avenue and Colorado Boulevard location in accordance with Colorado liquor laws that restrict retailers to one liquor license.

Other previously announced stores will be in Greenwood Village and Boulder, and also will open next year. The Monrovia, Calif.-based Trader Joe’s began in 1958 in the Los Angeles area, and since has grown to more than 390 stores in 35 states. More at www.traderjoes.com.

Well done

Denver James-Beard-Award-winning chef Jennifer Jasinski earned a chance for redemption when she returned to the “Top Chef Masters” competition last Wednesday on Bravo.

Viewers thought Jasinski, who owns Rioja, Bistro Vendome and Euclid Hall, was thrown out of the contest like some weeks-old leftovers, but she roared back in the online sous chef competition to win her reentry.

Last Wednesday’s elimination challenge was to create a fish dish, and Jasinski (paired with Douglas Keane, who had immunity) was victorious while winning $5,000 for her charity of choice, Work Options for Women, a Denver-based organization that teaches impoverished women skills to put them to work in the food service industry. That makes a respectable total of $15,000 that the Denver chef has won so far for WOW.

Chef Jennifer Jasinski’s winning John Dory dish (with fellow chef Douglas Keane) that netted $5,000 for Work Options for Women. (Bravo TV photo)

Only three episodes remain on “Top Chef Masters” (8 p.m. Wednesdays our time). Vote for Team Jasinski at www.bravotv.com/top-chef-masters.

Tix on sale today 

The Denver Film Society is honoring Denver’s legendary former concert promoter Barry Fey with a screening of “Under a Blood Red Sky,” with special performances by The Samples and Madam Sin, beginning at 6:45 p.m. Sept. 26 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, where the U2 concert was originally filmed.

Tickets are $20 (all fees included) and on sale beginning today at www.ticketswest.com, King Soopers stores or by calling 1-800-325-SEAT.

Tech Center tastes

The 13th annual Taste of the Tech Center, brought to you by The DTC|Greenwood Village chamber of Commerce, will tantalize taste buds on Sept. 18 at the XJet Hangar at Centennial Airport.

The event (from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. general admission or from 5 to 8:30 p.m. for VIPs) features tastes from more than 40 South Denver restaurants paired with wine samples.

For tickets call the DTC|Greenwood Village Chamber at 303-290-9922, e-mail admin@gvchamber.com or go to http://business.dtcchamber.com/events/details/13th-annual-taste-of-greenwood-village-7871.

Stand by for take off

Mariel, a women’s boutique at 3000 E. Third Ave., will feature evening wear for the fashion show finale at Flight to Luxury. (Photo courtesy of Mariel)

Fashion, jets, sports cars and luxury Cuvee Ventures villas will come together under one roof on Sept. 20 for the fourth annual Flight to Luxury event benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver.

The evening’s goal is to raise $750,000. The Signature Flight Support private jet hangar at Centennial Airport will house the red-carpet event showcasing elite elements of high-end travel: Cuvee’s custom-couture villas in locations around the world, first-class private jets by Jet Linx and luxury sports cars by Ferrari of Denver and Sill-TerHar Motors.

Also featured will be a couture fashion show from local Denver boutiques, cuisine and drinks from some of the Mile High City’s top eateries and a silent and live auction. CBS4 sports anchor Vic Lombardi will emcee the event.

For more information and tickets, go to www.flighttoluxury.com.

Swept

Le Grand Bistro and Oyster Bar, 1512 Curtis St., provided the winning chef and bartender, selected by a panel of judges, at the Art of the Cocktail Friday at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Denver.

Chef Brad Yard took the food category with his roasted tomato gazpacho with cucumber coulis, garlic breadcrumbs and Granata Farms purple basil.

The winning cocktail, created by Audrey Smith, was the Bangkok Rose made with Absolut cilantro lime vodka, house-made smoked hibiscus simple syrup, house-made grapefruit bitters, fresh lemon and lime juice, fresh basil and served up and garnished with hibiscus flower and basil.

Each first-place chef and bartender were awarded $500 cash, plus an overnight at The Ritz and breakfast at Elway’s Downtown.

People’s choice winners were Smith for her Bangkok Rose cocktail and Elway’s for its tacos.

Here are a few selected photos from Saturday’s ninth annual Denver Food and Wine, presented by US Foods:

These young ladies helped serve cocktails to the Denver Food and Wine crowd Saturday. Below, celebrity chef Brian Polcyn wows the crowd with his charcuterie knowledge at the Viking Culinary Chef Showcase. Bottom, Panzano chef Elise Wiggins also was a participant on the Viking Stage.(Photos by Stevie Crecilius)

Subscribe to my column and earn beer here

This evening at 6 p.m., the winning name will be drawn for two VIP tickets to Denver Beerathon. Anyone who’s a veteran or newbie subscriber to this column will be eligible to win. Sign up to subscribe (come on, it’s free!) at www.blacktie-colorado.com/pennyparker and you will be eligible for this and future drawings.

The first Denver Beerathon, on Saturday, features a self-guided tour of 26 downtown-area bars, pubs, taverns and restaurants offering special deals for ticket holders.

The VIP ticket directs beer lovers to check in between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. is at Fado Irish Pub and Restaurant (1735 19th St.), and includes a VIP-only party with a buffet, prizes and giveaways and a $20 Uber car service pass plus a $25 day of event pass (new Uber users only),  Altitude Peak Fitness two-week unlimited pass, $99 room rate at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel among other goodies.

The link for $99 rooms at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel (regularly rooms are about $350) is:  https://www.starwoodmeeting.com/Book/denverbeerathon. More information on the Beerathon at www.denverbeerathon.com

Eavesdropping on two women at a bar: “I think I’ll get a Michelada.”

“Did you just say, ‘I’ll meet you 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. My email: penny@blacktie-llc.com. Want to advertise your business here? Contact Trisha at trilind@hotmail.com.

Hotel honcho Walter Isenberg is known for his mustachioed face as much as he is known for turning Denver dirt into high-end hotels.

Behind every deal – the JW Marriott, The Oxford Hotel, The Courtyard by Marriott and the upcoming Union Station Hotel – there’s been Isenberg’s iconic moustache.

But there’s not much he won’t do for charity – especially when it’s his wife, Christie Isenberg‘s pet charity, Concerts for Kids, an organization that raises funds for children’s charities.

In an attempt to raise $100,000 for the Concerts for Kids’ Celebrity Waiter event on Saturday at Ocean Prime on Larimer Square, Isenberg will (reluctantly) submit his lip fuzz to Denver Mayor Michael Hancock‘s razor during the event.

“I’ve done many a crazy thing in my day, but this is a first,” Isenberg wrote in his pledge plea e-mail. “I’m hoping I can convince 100 people to kick in a grand each to see this happen. Now I know for a fact none of you have (including my wife) has ever seen me without a mustache. Why? Because from the moment I could actually grow one, I did and it’s been floating above my upper lip ever since.”

A few local notables weighed in on Isenberg’s facial hairlessness decision. (I can’t vouch for the authenticity of these quotes, however):

“It’s about time one of Denver’s longest running mysteries will be solved — and no DNA will have to be tested this time,” said Denver DA Mitch Morrissey.

“I can’t wait to put that straight edge to work and slice off that little caterpillar … revealing the real Walter. I’m not even going to practice … hope my hand is steady,” Mayor Hancock said.

“I wish he had done this 25 years ago. That mustache has always made him look sketchy and it certainly didn’t help me attract a better clientele,” said Gov. John Hickenlooper referring to his early days at the Wynkoop Brewing Co.

To help Isenberg reach his fundraising goal (he’s raised $35,000 so far), e-mail a pledge to Rebecca@concertsforkids.org.

For tickets to the celebrity waiter dinner (reservations are being accepted from 5 to 9:30 p.m.), call Ocean Prime restaurant at 303-825-3663. Check out the celebrity waiter lineup at www.concertsforkids.org.

Sage Hospitality CEO Walter Isenberg will have his trademark mustache shaved off if $100,000 can be raised for his wife Christie’s charity, Concerts for Kids.

Light show

The Denver City and County Building in Civic Center Park changes colors from time to time throughout the year. For September, the lighting color is teal in observance of Ovarian Cancer Awareness month.

One in 71 women will get ovarian cancer in her lifetime, and there is no screening test. The most frequent symptoms are two weeks or more worth of bloating, pain in the abdomen, urinary urgency or frequency and feeling full quickly when eating. Getting diagnosed early can save your life.

Next up: The City and County Building will be bathed in pink lights in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.

The Denver City and County Building will be lit up in teal to observe Ovarian Cancer Awareness month in September. (Denver City and County photo)

Dining for a cause

Work Options for Women is Parallel Seventeen’s Dining for a Cause partner for the month of September. All month, mention Work Options for Women and 10 percent of your food purchase will go toward WOW’s mission of helping impoverished women gain skills to get out of poverty and to gain employment in the food service industry.

Kick off Happy Hour from 4 to 7 p.m. this afternoon at Parallel Seventeen, 1600 E. 17th Avenue. More information: http://workoptionsforwomen.wordpress.com/

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.

I asked readers of this column to weigh in on their opinions of the state’s new marketing symbol.

Some said our state’s new symbol reminded them of a hazmat warning. No one who contacted me supported the decision to deviate from the time-honored version of our state flag.

Candice Pulliam wrote, “In my opinion, the new logo design is 1. a waste of money;  2. not very artful;  3.  doesn’t say ‘Colorado’ to me; 4. doesn’t make a strong enough visual to be used in large format … I could go on.

“But mostly, to my knowledge, Denver people weren’t given a choice … To me, this is not an image that identifies Colorado in an interesting or recognizable way. I can, however see it as a tattoo.”

From reader Jules Dworak: “This is an atrocity! Pretty sure the biohazard bag is where they dumped the only logo Colorado should ever have!”

Claire Walter weighed in, “Like the (other) naysayer, it reminded me of Sugarloaf’s long-time logo all in a blah monotone. Bring back this one.”

Gala Grant

One nonprofit will be awarded the first Gala Grant Denver worth an estimated $121,000 in in-kind donations from local industry experts and proceeds to be acquired at the special event through ticket sales and auction items.

Application deadline is Thursday. A major fundraising event will be held to benefit the winner of the Gala Grant Denver award in February, which will tap the resources of some of Denver’s best event specialists.

“The Gala Grant Denver is made possible by a group of presenting partners who decided that giving back to their community together was more powerful than giving individually,” said Shelly St. John, lead auctioneer with The Auction Divas.

These Denver event specialists have come together to offer nonprofits a change at bolstering their fundraising efforts. The Gala Grant presenting partners are:

* The Auction Divas

* Blacktie Colorado

* Bolder Events

* The Hazel Miller Band

* John Tobey Events

* Relish Catering

* The McNichols Building

* Up and Up Creative

Applicants can go to www.facebook.com/galagrantdenver for more information and to apply.

Root Down takes off

Root Down, the lower Highland favorite fresh eatery, opened Monday (Labor Day) in Concourse C of Denver International Airport. The restaurant is open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., and features a brunch and dinner menu in addition to cocktails, Colorado beers and wine.

Subscribe!

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. This evening, 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. Saturday 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. This evening, 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 Friday 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: $500.

The seen

Pop star and teen heartthrob Justin Bieber and entourage was spotted by Facebook posters on Monday who said they saw him at Beta nightclub, 1909 Blake St., and at Chloe Discotheque on 14th and Market.

Spotted on the snowless slopes, “Today Show” fourth-hour host Hoda Kotb with a “new (male) friend” hiking in Colorado’s mountains during Labor Day weekend.

“We did a 2-mile hike straight up a mountain,” Kotb told co-host Kathie Lee Gifford during Tuesday’s show. “You can’t breathe and your chest is about to explode because of the (lack of) air.”

“He has the nicest smile,” Gifford interjected. “What does he see in you?”

On Kotb’s return flight to NYC, she chatted and posed for pictures with singer Aaron Neville who performed during Denver’s Taste of Colorado at Civic Center Park.

Eavesdropping on one male golfer commenting on another man’s watch on the deck enjoying a beer after golf at Fossil Trace: “That’s a nice watch … is it a Rolodex?”

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.

High-res images

Bertha Lynn has been one of my favorite on-air personalities since I arrived in Denver in 1993. She is the sweetest, most generous human being.

Now that she’s leaving Denver’s 7, Denver is losing a truly wonderful asset on the air. But good for her! She’s been able to reinvent herself in a new occupation.

After reporting the news for more than 30 years for KMGH-Channel 7, Lynn is leaving the newsroom to become executive director of the Children’s Diabetes Foundation at Denver.

“To be tapped by Barbara Davis and the Board of the Children’s Diabetes Foundation to carry on their work helping sick children is a dream come true – allowing me to meet new challenges while continuing to serve in Colorado.  I have much to look forward to and much to look back on when assessing my career.  It has been a privilege to collaborate with such skillful and caring journalism professionals,” says Lynn in a press release. “The people of Denver and Colorado have been very kind and generous to me as they watched me grow up.  Colorado remains my home and I look forward to engaging with the community for even greater support in our battle against life-threatening diabetes.”

“We have been honored to work with Bertha,” says 7News News Director, Jeff Harris. “She is a true icon in journalism and for Denver viewers.  Her career at 7News is an inspiration to so many.  But, more than anything else, Bertha has worked tirelessly to improve our community.  For this, we are grateful and not a bit surprised in her decision to lead this wonderful organization.” 

Lynn, one of Denver’s most recognized and honored broadcast journalists, has been reporting news to Coloradans since 1976 when she began with KBTV (now KUSA-Channel 9) as an anchor and reporter.  In 1984, she moved to 7News where she has anchored and reported for nearly every station newscast.  Last year, Bertha was inducted into the Denver Press Club Hall of Fame, and in 2010, she also was inducted into the Broadcast Professionals Hall of Fame.  In 2006, she was a Silver Circle Inductee in the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Heartland Chapter.  Bertha served six years on the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District Board and on the board of the Colorado Women’s Foundation. She has also served as Director of the Boards for the Cherry Creek Arts Festival (which named its Legacy Award for her), the Catholic Foundation of the Archdiocese of Denver, Mayor’s Commission on Art Culture and Film, Children’s Museum, National Jewish Hospital, Denver Symphony Association, Safehouse for Battered Women, KCFR Public Radio, and Nation Conference of Christians and Jews. Bertha has also served as a trustee for Regis University and is a member of the Denver Art Museum’s African American Outreach Task Force.

Lynn’s s list of honors include numerous Emmy Awards, The President’s Award, Journalist of the Year, and Grace Under Fire Award from the Colorado Association of Black Journalists.  Lynn will sign off the air Aug. 9 at 11 a.m, on 7News.

When I asked Lynn for a quote or two, she obliged

“I’m writing a new chapter,” Lynn said via email. “I’m so grateful to my past and present colleagues. I’ve loved bringing home the news to the people of Colorado since 1976 and now I’m ready to apply, in a different arena, the skills I’ve learned as a communicator and in the board rooms of the many non-profit organizations I’ve served over the years. I’ll be working with a wonderful group of people at a respected organization. I’m thrilled!”

Bertha Lynn is leaving 7News for a job in the nonprofit sector. (7News photo)

Winner winner chicken dinner!

Rioja chef Jennifer Jasinski took home the big prize Wednesday night with a Dead Duck dish on the third episode of Bravo’s popular “Top Chef Masters.” Her seared duck breast and citrus duck sausage, fregola celery salad, smoky blood orange sauce, olive-orange puree won $10,000 for local non-profit Work Options for Women. Chef Jen is competing as a team with Euclid Hall’s Jorel Pierce.

Jennifer Jasinski’s winning dish: seared duck breast and citrus duck sausage with fregola and celery salad. (Bravo TV photo)

The elimination challenge was entitled “Sex, Murder and Greed,” with each chef was asked to create a dish befitting one of the themes. The cast of long-running soap opera “Days of our Lives” were celebrity judges along with Curtis Stone, Gail Simmons, Leslie Suter and Ruth Reichl.

The competition began with 13 teams and is now down to nine.

Viewers can add to the WOW bounty by voting for Team Jasinski online each Wednesday night during the season at http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef-masters. As of late Thursday night, Team Jasinski was in third place. You can vote up to 40 times when you submit a phone number (don’t worry they won’t spam or call).

Jennifer Jasinski with fellow ‘Top Chef Masters’ chefs Sang Yoon and Odette Fada. (Bravo TV photo)

Colorado rocks it!

Forbes Magazine on Thursday announced its 15th annual ranking of Best Places for Business and Careers, and Denver and Fort Collins made the top 10 cities.

Denver was ranked sixth and Fort Collins seventh.

However, what the writer left out is that the standard pretzel bread with honey mustard rocks the house! The best ever.

“And about The Squeaky Bean: Denver’s much-loved Squeaky Bean shut down in 2011, only to be reincarnated last year in a new, bigger space. The look is both industrial (exposed pipes and beams) and old-school fancy (chandeliers). But things really get interesting on the wide-ranging four-course prix fixe, with offbeat dishes like congee and leg of Colorado lamb.

“On the Menu: Brandade espuma; offal fritto; Mr. Green Jeans (Spring 44 gin, celery, cucumber, black pepper, lemon, sugar).

“We also love: he Farrah Fawcett shrine, replete with candles and her visage, which made the move from the old space to the new one. (Photograph by Adam Larkey)

A mixologist pours one of the famed drinks at The Squeaky Bean. (Photo by Adam Larkey)

Eavesdropping on a woman talking about the recent Bruno Mars concert at Red Rocks during the Rally for the Cure tournament at Aurora Hills Golf Course: : “The concert was like watching the newest and greatest Jackson 5.”

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.

Among those in attendance at the Work Options for Women event tonight: Food Network star and D Bar Desserts owner Keegan Gerhard with wife, Lisa Bailey.

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