PARKER: Eateries ready to turn red, white and news for DNC

By Penny Parker, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published July 24, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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The eatery known as Brooklyn's at the Pepsi Center will take on a new moniker during the Democratic National Convention - the CNN Grill.

The 24-hour news channel will take over the premises Aug. 21-30 and replace the exterior Brooklyn's signs with red-white-and-blue-lit CNN Grill signs.

"They're going to do some painting and different lighting, then they have to return it back to the way it was before," said owner Dave Keefe. "They'll be broadcasting live off of the roof and use half the first floor and the patio for entertaining."

But don't think you'll get to saunter in for a burger with Larry King or Wolf Blitzer. "You have to be invited and get a credential," Keefe said.

And the burgers and bar food will be replaced with menus created by famed New York restaurateur Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group. Meyer himself is slated to oversee food-service operations at the grill, across the parking lot from the arena.

"Some of my kitchen staff and myself are going to New York City to meet with (Meyer and his people)," Keefe said. "We're going to rework the menu. It won't be Brooklyn's food, but not (Meyer-owned) Gramercy Tavern either. We're going to uptick it a little bit."

Meanwhile, next door, Braun's Bar & Grill will play host to Fox News. Troy Johnston, Braun's managing partner, says his staff will serve food from 4 a.m. to midnight during the DNC. But rather than hearty partying, the more conservative news operation will stick to mostly business, Johnston said.

"They'll do a lot of their live broadcasts from Braun's with a studio in front of the building and one on the patio," Johnston said. "It's mostly a work environment with a small area for VIP guests."

STARZ STRUCK: Meanwhile, on the other side of Auraria Parkway, the Starz FilmCenter will morph into the Starz Green Room where invited guests will be treated to movies, seminars and some R&R.

"Starz is a big Denver company, and we thought this is a good opportunity to remind people who we are and what we do," said spokes-Starz Jonathan Taylor.

Taylor is hoping that Starz will be seeing stars when the Green Room opens Aug. 23. "We think we're going to get big stars and political types, but it takes a while," he said.

Events will include:

* Cinemocracy, The Denver Film Society's showcase of short films that answer the question, "How do you define democracy?"

* SeaChange Communications' SeaChange Ideas Forum with films, panels, book signings and musical acts. Confirmed speakers and panelists include DOWN Arianna Huffington, The Huffington Post; Bobby Shriver, DATA (Debt AIDS Trade Africa); John Podesta, Clinton White House chief of staff and founder of Center for American Progress and Jerry Fowler, president of Save Darfur.

* The Impact Film Fund's Impact Film Festival with documentary and dramatic films and panel discussions.

* Commercial political movies such as The Candidate, Dave, Being There and Medium Cool.

* A comfy lounge to take a break from the DNC madness.

THE SEEN: Hockey hunk Peter Forsberg and Janet Elway (not together) at the Sting concert at Red Rocks on Tuesday.

EAVESDROPPING on a woman to a man talking about tattoos and her body at the Corner Office: "There aren't any bumper stickers on this Ferrari."

Penny Parker's column appears Tuesday through Saturday. Listen to her on the Caplis and Silverman radio show between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-AM (630). Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail parkerp@RockyMountainNews.com.

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