The Spring Home & Patio Show ran Thursday through Sunday at the National Western Complex, complete with a radically sinful salute to Mayor John Hickenlooper.
Along with the hot tubs and shammies, the show featured the Gardens of Excellence, seven landscaped areas that were meant to reflect the lives and interests of some Denver bold names. Chef Jen Jasinski’s plot had a hammock for down time. Frontier boss Jeff Potter’s had three water features, a fire pit and a putting green. Film fest boss Ron Henderson’s garden had a walk of fame. Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald’s included two alpacas and a log cabin. Cleo Parker Robinson had a jazzy retreat, Lannie Garrett had a Clocktower patio. You get the idea.
Hickenlooper’s garden looked innocent enough, with a pondless waterfall and some play area for his family. But it was titled “Garden of Earthly Delights,” after
Hieronymus Bosch’s licentious painting that hangs in the Prado in Madrid.
Stuff is going on in that painting I’m still trying to get out of my head. Nudes and birds and fruit, a world “deeply engaged in sinful pleasures” the Web reminds me. And that means really, really sinful. Landscaper Tim Smith was unavailable for comment Monday.
The show goes on
Judy Collins made it to town – but her band was stranded in NYC Friday, so her Paramount concert was reskedded for Sunday.
Tony Bennett made it here, however, after spending four hours on the tarmac in NYC. He didn’t get in until 7:05 p.m. The curtain was to go up at 7:30 p.m. – he rushed to change at the Brown, then to the Buell to go on stage without a sound check at 8 p.m. That’s an 80-year-old pro for you.
During his set, Bennett plugged his longtime accompanist Ralph Sharon, who is retired in Boulder but plays Wednesday nights at Dazzle.
After the show, Bennett went to Kevin Taylor at the Opera House and sang two songs at an AARP reception. Then he hung out for a bit with his Denver pal
Marco Colantonio from Lime XS.
Arf!
The Give PAWS Dinner barks at Strings Thursday night, with some of our best chefs (Pat Perry, Sean Yontz, Elise Wiggins, Tyler Wiard, Brian Laird, Ed Kent and Michael Bortz) cooking up seven courses. Auction items include a big dinner at Del Frisco’s, Il Posto, Fruition, Table 6, Steuben’s, Maggiano’s, Elway’s and Panzano. Go to givepaws.com.
That’s Italian
Barolo Grill shuts down Saturday through April 6 so owner Blair Taylor can escort 12 staffers to Italy. They start out the tour in Barolo (where else?), then to Verona for a wine festival and onward for more wine, food and good living.
City spirit
Robert O’Neill of Tennessee on Sunday night won the 2007 HGTV Dream House located in the Bridgers Cache Community of Winter Park … Earth, Wind & Fire will stir it up at the Sept. 15 30th Annual Children’s Hospital Gala … Frasca’s Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson was featured in Saturday’s Wall Street Journal with a recipe for gourmet hash browns … Oye! Oysters 11 ways tonight at Jax’s Slurp & Swirl Dinner, $99 … Sez who: “He was a bold man that first eat an oyster.” Jonathan Swift
Bill Husted’s column appears Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Husted also appears Tuesdays and Fridays on “Good Day Colorado” on Fox 31. You can reach him at 303-954-1486 or bhusted@denverpost.com. Take a peek at Husted’s next column at denverpostbloghouse.com/husted.
