Pull up a piece of patio and a plate
With the weather warming up, it’s time to dine out. And we mean “out”as in on the patio, under the stars, outside. There’s nothing like a stroll in the urban core on a steamy summer eve with a stop at a restaurant that lets customers take full advantage of the climate. Here are four suggestions from our dining files.
Steuben’s Food Service
523 E. 17th Ave., 303-830-1001,
Steuben’s packs ’em in with stylish preparations of local comfort foods from across the country — Maine lobster rolls, Miami Cuban sandwiches and Memphis BBQ baby-back ribs. An extensive classic cocktails list offers Tom Collinses, Rob Roys and Patio Lemonades. Nightly specials, too. Call ahead for curbside pickup. Appetizers, $5-$12; entrees $8-$21.
Bistro Vendôme
1420 Larimer St., 303-825-3232
Vendôme, which boasts one of downtown Denver’s loveliest patios, also serves some of Denver’s most pleasant French cuisine. The savory herb-roasted chicken and delicate pan-roasted veal are standouts on the menu. which also includes foie gras pate and escargots. Manageable all-French wine list and popular brunch. Appetizers $6-$16; main courses $15-$23.
Vita
1575 Boulder St., 303-477-4600
Prepare to be surprised by the clear, simple Mediterranean flavors at this otherwise glitzy-glam restaurant. The crispy polenta sandwich stuffed with pork confit is a standout, and pasta dishes don’t disappoint. Skip the martinis, and order a straightforward gimlet, or stick to the ample list of wines offered by the glass. Small plates $6-$12; main courses $17-$28.
Limon
1618 E. 17th Ave., 303-322-0898
Set on a hopping strip of East 17th Avenue, Limon serves innovative, contemporary Peruvian food and classic, refreshing cocktails, most notably traditional pisco sours. Come at happy hour for the best deals or later for a quieter dinner. Entrees mostly under $20. — Tucker Shaw
Prinices of pop
Pop MusicWednesday. Super pop. The ubiquitous Jonas Brothers are popular with the tweens, sure, but they’re trying to broaden their appeal with the new release “Lines, Vines and Trying Times.” The CD’s lead single, “Paranoid,” is an easy fit at adult alternative radio. And the song will surely be the centerpiece of the boy band’s Pepsi Center show on Wednesday. Good tickets are still available. (We found two tickets, second row off the floor, earlier this week on .) Hear the single: . Tickets, $23.50-$83.50, are available at . or 303-830-8497. If you and the kids don’t mind bringing your binoculars, check out the “School’s Out” special offer, which has $11 nosebleed tickets on sale. Ricardo Baca
Reunion redux
Saturday. Rock. If you were paying any attention to local music in the ’90s, you remember Carolyn’s Mother. The rock group released five CDs and played hundreds of shows before breaking up in 2004, capping an impressive 12-year run. The band played a reunion show last summer and had a blast, and it’ll gather again on Saturday at the Soiled Dove Underground — where member Rhett Lee is the talent buyer. All four original members — singer Lee, guitarist Drew Hodgson, bassman Colin Burke and drummer Bill Thomason — will play a few songs together, though Bob Rupp and Miles Marlin (the most recent rhythm section) will replace Burke and Thomason for the majority of the show. Able Archer opens the night. Tickets, $15, are available via . Ricardo Baca
Rock’s outsider
Saturday. Talking Head.David Byrne is weird. The former Talking Heads frontman spent the majority of last summer playing a building in lower Manhattan (literally). That is, when he wasn’t designing original bicycle racks for nine of his favorite New York City neighborhoods. In his spare time, Byrne, above, released “Everything That Happens Will Happen Today,” a masterful collaboration with Brian Eno. Although the oversized suit from “Stop Making Sense” is probably tucked away in a closet (or the Smithsonian), Byrne’s stage show is as exotic as ever. On Saturday, Red Rocks must be the place. With DeVotchKa. Tickets, $44-$69.50, are available through Ticketmaster. John Hendrickson
New roots
Wednesday. American(a) son.Jackie Greene looks like Bob Dylan. The resemblance is uncanny, though Greene tries to ignore this fact. Instead, the singer/songwriter from Sacramento, Calif., feels more comfortable among the likes of the Grateful Dead’s Phil Lesh, with whom he’s toured as a “friend” for the past few years. Greene’s take on roots music is all over the map, and it all sounds well beyond his years (which are fewer than 30). Fans for Wednesday’s show at the Bluebird Theater can expect to see Greene bounce among several instruments; just don’t expect his stiff upper lip to break a smile. Tickets, $16.50, are available through Ticketmaster. John Hendrickson
Family fun
Arvada rocks
Saturday-Sunday. History party. It’s been 159 years since Lewis Ralston struck gold in what’s now Arvada, the first gold discovery by Colorado settlers. This weekend, Arvada salutes the state’s gold-mining past at the eighth annual Gold Strike Festival. The two-day party features food, family activities, a juried arts-and-crafts fair and two stages of live entertainment. Saturday’s got two extra-special events, as well: a kids-and-pets parade at 10:45 a.m. and an ice cream social from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the McIlvoy House. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Olde Town Arvada, Ralston Road and Wadsworth Boulevard. Admission is free. Kathleen St. John
They invented cool
All summer. H20 fun. As of this summer, Hyland Hills Water World has kept Denver cool for 30 years. It started with two water slides — now there are more than 40 wet ways to chill. Celebrate the water park’s birthday by checking out the revamped “Thunder Bay” wave pool. In a nod to the times, the park’s kept admission prices the same as last year, but bring a picnic lunch to save even more cash. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, weather permitting. Hyland Hills Water World, West 88th Avenue and Pecos Street, Federal Heights; 303-427-SURF. Full-day admission is $28.95 for kids, $33.95 for guests 48 inches tall and higher, and $5 for seniors age 60-plus. waterworld . Kathleen St. John
Theater
Dark and musical
Through June 27. Epic adapted. Aeschylus’ epic “Agamemnon” is adapted and performed in full by Elizabeth Baron, with live violin by Mikylah McTeer. The duo traverses the arc of Agamemnon’s return to his neglected country and queen, and the consequences that await. While faithful to Ted Hughes’ translation, Baron uses modern performance techniques to beckon audiences into a violent world where shadows take graceful and gruesome shape, and fears and unconscious instincts are awakened. Parental guidance recommended. Presented by the LaLa Theater. 7:30 p.m. Fridays-Sundays through June 27 at the Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder. $13-$15. 303-444-7328 or .. John Moore
Variety update
Friday-Sunday.Vaudevillian zaniness.The Handsome Little Devils’ Squirm Burpee Circus is a fantastical adventure featuring classic vaudeville comedy, circus acts and a plot rooted in American melodrama. Their new show includes high-energy acts like The Human Cannon, The Ladder of Love and Chainsaw Juggling, consisting of classic vaudeville routines, comic romantic antics and even swing dancing. Your host, the Baron Vegan von Hamburger, takes you on a journey back in time in his monkey-powered circus wagon, where anything can happen. You gotta love a show with the slogan “When the show begins, you’ll wish you brought your bedpans!” 8 p.m. today through Sunday, plus 3 p.m. Saturday. $15-$20 at the Bug Theatre, 3654 Navajo St., 800-838-3006, 303-477-9984 or handsomelittle . John Moore
Visual arts
Mixed pair
Through July 17. Sculpture and photography. Two area artists working in very different styles share at least one common bond — both are alumni of Regis University. Jose Raul Esquibel creates traditional santos (above), devotional sculptures with a long history dating back to Spanish colonial art. Photographer Charles Roitz has been featured in more than 35 solo exhibitions nationwide. Their joint exhibition runs through July 17 at the O’Sullivan Gallery on the Regis campus, 3333 Regis Blvd. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays and 2 to 4 p.m. Thursdays. Free. 303-964-3634 or . Kyle MacMillan
Studio invite
Saturday. Studio tour. The River North Art District is offering the second installment of its two-part open house, “Get to Know RiNo,” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Open this time: Plinth Gallery, 3520 Brighton Blvd.; Blue Silo Studios, 4701 National Western Drive; Weilworks, 3611 Chestnut Place, and Emmett Culligan Design, 3495 Wynkoop St. Light brunch offerings will be available at each location. Pancakes will be served in the event tent at 36th Street and Chestnut Place, where visitors can also pick up info. Free. . Kyle MacMillan
Classical music
They’re 50!
Today.Symphonic music. The National Repertory Orchestra, a Breckenridge-based, preprofessional training orchestra, launches its 50th-anniversary season with a concert at 7:30 p.m. today. Highlights include Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, with soloist Zsolt Bognár, and John Williams’ “The Mission,” music written for the NBC “Nightly News” in 1985. The program, led by music director Carl Topilow, will take place in Breckenridge’s Riverwalk Center. $22-$32. 970-547-3100 or . Kyle MacMillan
This art groupie is all about order
Phil Bender is back with more of his trademark assemblages.
The veteran Denver artist scours estate sales and back alleys for ordinary, sometimes discarded objects and then groups them into carefully ordered arrangements — giving them new life and new context in the process.
More than 25 of his latest eclectic groupings, encompassing everything from tin toolboxes to Monopoly boards to vintage Halloween masks, are on view in a solo exhibition at Pirate: Contemporary Art, 3655 Navajo St.
Bender’s unique take on the venerable assemblage form might seem simple, even simplistic at first, but these pieces work on a surprising number of levels, drawing on the meaning and history embedded in the objects he finds.
His short-running solo show remains on view 6 to 10 p.m. today and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Free. 303-458-6058 or . Kyle MacMillan
