The Tattered Cover sends me an advisory that Lauren Conrad, star of the MTV “reality” show “The Hills,” (which ended last year), is coming to the Highlands Ranch store with her new novel “Sweet Little Lies: An L.A. Candy Novel.”
It’s the story of Jane Roberts, a press release tells me, a young celeb who’s discovered that “fame comes with perks — and problems. From racy photos of her leaking to the press, a falling-out with her best friend, nothing about the celebrity life feels very nice anymore. In ‘Sweet Little Lies,’ Jane is learning that some lies are only as sweet as the people telling them.” Even the press release is badly written.
And here’s the kicker. For the 7 p.m. Feb. 12 signing, you have to get tickets (such a crush is expected), available starting at 9 a.m. Feb. 2. And you have to buy a book to get a ticket. She will not personalize the book nor will she sign memorabilia nor will she pose for pictures. Who does she think she is, Sarah Palin?
Want another kicker? On Saturday night at the Boettcher Concert Hall, the Colorado Symphony Orchestra finished the second song of Peter Lieberson’s “Neruda Songs,” when someone in the audience yelled out “That’s just awful!” Who does he think he is, Rep. Joe Wilson?
Uke.
The Denver 2010 UkeFest strums into town Feb. 5 and 6 — with hundreds of ukuleles and even more fans of the little instrument.
Don Ho, Tiny Tim and Arthur Godfrey are spinning in their graves — the uke is back, and it isn’t going to the hukilau.
Swallow Hill Music, 71 E. Yale Ave. hosts the four-string extravaganza, with a screening Feb. 5 at Starz FilmCenter of the doc “Mighty Uke” followed by a heavy-metal uke jam session/social gathering at Wynkoop Brewing Co.
The fest kicks into high gear Feb. 6, with workshops, films, jam sessions and a concert at 7:30 p.m. Visit for more ukey info.
Tasty.
People are putting on their bibs, getting ready for the 20th annual Taste of Vail, April 8-10.
As always, the three-day eats fest includes a lamb cook-off, the mountaintop picnic (great if there isn’t a blizzard), a slew of wine tastings, the “Grand Tasting” and, exciting and new this year, “Speed Dating with Pinot!” Tix at .
One man’s trash.
Aaron LePedis at Cherry Creek’s Fascination Street Gallery will be on Ch. 12 @ 7 p.m. Saturday and Ch. 6 @ 3 p.m. on Jan. 30 telling you how to handle a garage sale.
The 90-minute show is titled “Garage Sale Millionaire,” and it debuts along with his book of the same title. “It’s all about finding the treasures, cleaning them up, pricing them and reselling them for a big profit,” he says. “But just because something is old and dusty doesn’t mean it’s worth anything.”
Tell me about it.
City spirit.
Cliff Young’s CY Steak is seizing the opportunity that is the stock show. Young is courting cowboys with some coin who want to see peelers with their porterhouse. . . . Sez who: “My one regret in life is that I am not somebody else.” — Woody Allen
Bill Husted’s column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Friday. You can reach him at 303-954-1486 or at bhusted@denverpost.com. Take a peek at Husted’s next column at /husted.
