The Colorado Bartenders Guild will be hosting its annual toy drive at Steuben's, 523 East 17th Avenue, starting at 8:30 p.m. Bring an unwrapped new toy, and you'll be gifted with a free cocktail from one of Denver's most talented cocktologists; additional drinks are $10 per, but the proceeds go to the Salvation Army's Angel Tree, a very good cause.
Tuesday, December 8:
Zolo Southwestern Grill, 2525 Arapahoe in Boulder, hosts Tequila 101 as part of its 151 Days of Tequila. Learn about tequila history, elements, terminology and more, while eating food by chef Brett Smith. For more info, visit www.zologrill.com.
Wednesday, December 9:
The Guy Fieri Road Show, featuring an unscripted performance by Guy Fieri -- plus interactive cooking stations, demos, behind-the-scenes stories from the road and more -- stops at the Paramount Theatre, 1621 Glenarm Place, for one night only at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 to $250; find more information at www.guyfieri.com.
Dine out at one of four Northfield Stapleton restaurants (Islamorada Fish Co., La Sandia, Ling and Louie's and Texas de Brazil) to benefit Court Appointed Special Advocates of Adams & Broomfield Counties from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Call 303-654-3378 or visit www.casa17th.org.
Down south at 6 p.m., the La Sandia at 8419 Park Meadows Center Drive is hosting Frosted, a collaboration between chef Richard Sandoval and Patron Platinum; it's a four-course Mexican menu --lobster tamal veracrus, ensalada con mangos, pasilla braised short ribs and flan de chocolate de tequila --paired with the full Patron tequila line. Tickets are $150, but proceeds will benefit CU's Centers for Integrated Medicine. Call 303-586-5511.
Thursday, December 10:
Wynkoop Brewing Company 1t 1634 18th Street will present a holiday beer dinner, featuring seasonal brews from Wynkoop, AC Golden, Breckenridge Brewing, Dry Dock, Great Divide and Odell, paired with a one-night-only special menu from Bart Profitt -- including red-and-gold beet salad, roasted butternut squash soup, applewood-smoked ham and Yule log cake. Brewers from the guest breweries and Wynkoop's own Andy Brown will discuss their creations. Tickets are $35; for more info, call 303-297-9999.
Friday, December 11:
Avery Tap Room, 5757 Arapahoe Avenue in Boulder, is breaking out its latest version of the Mephistopheles Stout as well as four consecutive years of the stout (2006-2009) so that you can taste how well it cellars. The event is s $15 per person; call 303-440-4324 or visit www.averybrewing.com.
Saturday, December 12:
The Hard Rock Café, 500 16th Street, will host Breakfast with Santa, where you can get your picture taken with the big guy plus enjoy a breakfast buffet, arts and crafts, goodie bags and more. Admission is $7.95 for kids and $13.95 with adults; kids four and younger are free with a paid adult admission. Reservations are required; make yours at 303-623-0856.
A Grande Finale Patisserie, 641 Main Street in Louisville, is on a mission to resurrect real fruitcake, hence the second annual Rally to Bring Back Real Fruitcake. Most mass-produced fruitcakes in the U.S. are alcohol-free, but A Grande Finale's version contains equal amounts of dried fruits, nuts, cake and brandy -- delicious! Stop by the store at 2 p.m. for the march, samples and information on real fruitcake; call 303-926-4084 or visit www.agrandefinale.com.
Q's at 2115 13th Street in Boulder is hosting a Bubbles! Food and Wine Series evening; five courses of luxurious seasonal cuisine will be paired with sparkling beverages from the world's greatest producers. The dinner costs $75 and starts at 6:30 p.m.; call 303-442-4880 or visit [email protected].
Fresh City Life is hosting a series of World Kitchen Chef Cooking Demos at the Denver Central Library, 10 West 14th Avenue Parkway, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. This week: Chocolate Passport with chef Shellie Kark. Visit www.denverlibrary.org/fresh or call 720-865-1111.
Sunday, December 13:
Enjoy a Southern-style breakfast buffet with soul-stirring music by Tyree Morris and the Hearts of Worship at 11 a.m. at Comedy Works South, 5345 Landmark Place in Englewood, during another installation of the No Joke Gospel Brunch. Admission is $14 to $24; call 720-274-6800 or visit www.comedyworks.com.
