Elway’s is headed into overtime.
The satellite operation of the wildly popular Cherry Creek steak house was set to open at the Ritz-Carlton Denver next week. But it looks as if the restaurant and the hotel are on hold until Jan. 11. And that’s if everything goes just right.
“It’s very complicated to put together a big hotel,” says Elway’s GM Tom Moxcey. “The restaurant is essentially finished, but the decision was made not to compress the training. It was an expensive decision, but a pretty simple one.”
Ritz mouthpiece Audrey Strong says: “It’s not an indication of anything but the construction winding down and putting the finishing touches on. It will be absolutely perfect. That’s what we expect and what our customers expect.”
Jan. 11 is the tentative public opening — and the day guests check into the hotel and people start chowing down at Elway’s. Before that, Elway’s will host some parties and dinners for friends, family and some VIPs.
The art of giving.
The two best Christmas gift books this year are all about Colorado: “Working the West” with paintings by William Matthews and an essay by Annie Proulx; and “West of Last Chance” with vignettes written by Kent Haruf and photographs by Peter Brown.
Matthews’ haunting paintings of the West are complemented by Proulx’s essay on Matthews’ work and Matthews’ own reflections on working with Western images. You can get a signed copy at Matthews’ gallery at 1617 Wazee St.
Brown’s photographs capture the open, lonely spaces and towns of Colorado’s Eastern Plains. But it’s Haruf’s solid and sparse prose that captures your Colorado heart. One of his short-short stories ends with a woman and a man sitting naked by a creek, looking at fish in the water and cows batting their ears on the opposite bank. “Aren’t they something, she whispered. O God, we thank you for this most beautiful day.”
Music to my ears.
The 35th Telluride Bluegrass Fest strums June 19-22 with Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby, Ani DiFranco, Bela Fleck. Call 800-624-2422, or go to .
Billy Joel at the Pepsi Center Feb. 28, tix on sale 10 a.m. Saturday at Ticketmaster.
City spirit.
Man-about-town Marco Colantonio has thrown in the restaurant towel — and is now selling men’s threads at MODA at 201 Steele St. Andrea Leigh has moved her New Spirit Wellness Center & Spa up the street in Highland to 4907 W. 29th Ave. It opens Friday with six massage rooms, two flotation tanks and a detox room. Make me a reservation. Arnie Grossman signs and talks about his novel “Going Together” noon-2:30 p.m. Saturday at Barnes & Noble at 960 S. Colorado Blvd. The book’s an L.A. comic fable, a “quirky love story,” says Grossman. Sez who: “I had a lazy eye as a kid, and it gradually spread to my whole body.” Tom Cotter
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 .
