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PARKER: Vail Valley oohs over new resort

By Penny Parker, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published October 1, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.
Updated October 1, 2008 at 2:23 a.m.

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So this is what $500 million can buy - a 210-room resort nestled at the base of Beaver Creek Mountain.

The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa grand-opened in grand style last Friday when 1,200 celebrants kicked the tires on the new joint and kicked up their heels to the rockin' sounds of Hazel Miller and her band based in the ballroom. But that was just part of this most hearty party.

Bob Trotter, the hotel's general manager with a resume that includes GM stints at the Hotel Monaco and the J.W. Marriott in Cherry Creek, schmoozed guests like the customer service pro he is (maybe it's that Tennessee- bred hospitality). In the interest of full disclosure, Bob is the brother of Rocky projects editor Jim Trotter.

The high-style hotel - think earth tones, lots of wood and sleek design with a wall of lobby windows that look out at Beaver Creek Mountain - includes Avondale, a family-friendly mid-priced restaurant from Thomas Salamunovich, owner of Larkspur in Vail and one of the Vail Valley's top toques.

Salamunovich and his staff put out a sumptuous spread inside the restaurant (including a chocolate fondue bar), out by the pool (seafood bar and a vodka bar carved out of ice), inside the four-bedroom suite (champagne and caviar) and the spa (glass vases filled with various organic vegetables).

Note: Salamunovich recently opened Larkburger in Edwards - a build-your-own-burger concept similar to The Counter in Park Meadows - with plans to open others in Boulder, the Tech Center and downtown Denver.

The new Westin's claim to fame is its "green initiatives," which include recycling, energy efficiency, use of local materials and products and an LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. According to Trotter, all the requirements have been met, but certifications can't be granted until the hotel has been open for three months.

"We were thrilled that 1,200 of our closest friends could join us to celebrate the opening of Vail Valley's newest luxury resort," he said of Friday night's bash. "It was a great chance to show off all of our wonderful amenities and our green initiatives, including our quest for LEED certifications. It was one heck of a party!"

DALLAS DAUGHTER: Mr. Phillips, you've got a lovely daughter. Former Broncos head coach and now Dallas Cowboys gridiron boss Wade Phillips' daughter, Tracy, made the team of the Top 10 Hottest Daughters of Professional Sports, according to College On The Record's Web site, collegeotr.com.

The pose, with her lying on the floor dressed in black lingerie with her stilettoed feet in the air is curious, at best. "Tracy is basically a modern Betty Paige, and for that reason alone, she had made her way onto this list," according to writer Lacy Hart.

HOT SALSA SPOTS: In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 through Oct. 15), Latina magazine's editor-in-chief Mimi Valdes Ryan gave USA Today her top 10 picks for sassy salsa spots throughout the country. Denver's own La Rumba snagged a mention: ". . . La Rumba guarantees that you will be on that dance floor," Valdes Ryan says. "But take caution: It can be a little daunting watching some of the seasoned salseros strut their stuff, so come early for lessons."

ROCK ON: Chatfield High grad Josh Lopez, who started his first band when he was 10, will make an appearance with the band Nikka Costa during The Tonight Show With Jay Leno tonight on 9News. Then Lopez and his crew head over to Late Night With Conan O'Brien on Oct. 16.

ARRIVEDERCI: After an impressive 44 years in the restaurant biz, Ray Valente Sr. is retiring and closing Valente's, his namesake Wheat Ridge eatery, on Columbus Day, Oct. 13. Plans are to sell the restaurant and the real estate at 6995 W. 38th Ave. Stay tuned for deets on a Columbus Day buffet and send-off for the 83-year-old proprietor.

EAVESDROPPING on a man when he was told that the Oxygen Bar can help cure hangovers: "I need one of those in my nightstand."

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@RockyMoun tainNews.com.