Sunday snippets: Pee Wee Herman, Angela Bassett, Josh Lucas, Charlize Theron, Matthew Modine were in the house. Not that the governor waited around to

Gov. Bill Ritter may have cut out early from the party that Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck hosted, with ProLogis and American Clean Skies, at the Denver Art Museum Sunday night, and while he may have missed Charlize Theron he had a date to keep with Sheryl Crow at Red Rocks.

The Academy Award winning actress had RSVP'd with a "yes," and was to have joined a crowd of 1,000 that also included media mogul Ted Turner, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee of Texas; Kathleen Brown, sister of former California Gov. Jerry Brown; and such local luminaries as U.S. Rep. Mark Udall, former legislator Tim Wirth; Stephanie Foote, president of the 2008 Roundtable Series; and John Morland, managing director/global communities for ProLogis.

When Theron had not arrived by 8:15 p.m., Ritter and his entourage left in order to make it to the outdoor amphitheater in time to introduce Crow.

Steve Farber was one of people responsible for getting the Democratic National Convention to Denver and estimates he'll attend close to 400 events during its run. Or not.

"I passed out about 4 o'clock today, I was so tired," he admitted. — Joanne Davidson

Glover remembers the shoulders we stand on

Moments before heading onto the stage to host the packed Celebrating Civil Rights event at the Buell Theatre Sunday evening, Danny Glover reflected a bit on the historic movement for justice and equality.

"We stand on the shoulders of those who came before us and there are some mighty tall shoulders that has stood through history, through time," he said. "We celebrate all that tonight."

Rev. Al Sharpton arrived and was instantly swarmed by delegates eager to get a photo snapped with him. He tried to escape by taking a staircase up to a VIP area. They simply followed him up the stairs. By the time Sharpton got to the top of the stairs, he had accommodated nearly everyone's request.

Judge Joe Mathis, who dispenses legal judgements on TV, said he was at the event and in Denver "to celebrate the victory that we anticipate for the Democratics this November and the historic nature of this victory."

— Greg Hernandez

Testing the bayou waters

The Convention Center was a test. Only a test. The real show went down at the Fillmore. Playing to a half-capacity crowd that surprised with its minimal size, the Cajun musical mission hit full stride with a spicy gumbo of music.

Led by rootsy blue guitarist Tab Benoit and his Voice of the Wetlands Allstars, the music flooded Denver's finest auditorium while delegates and hordes of hangers-on nibbled real Cajun delicacies. The food at the Fillmore proved the audacious inadequacy of the Convention Center's barely cafeteria-worthy fare, with creamy Crawfish Monica, chunky crab cakes and freshly fired bananas foster, served with melting ice cream. The auditorium and its inhabitants were awash in Dales Pale Ale, the iconic can-of-bliss from Lyons' Oskar Blues brewery. Urns of dark and thick chickory coffee kept the amperage high. The biggest stars, like Oprah come on Ms. Winfrey, whereyat? or Mrs. Obama didn't show. But the Democratic apparatchik was out in force, led by the bald-since-birth James Carville, who strangely had a guy holding a boom mike following his every step around the auditorium. Kansas Governor and former vice-presidential short-lister Kathleen Sebelius made a brief appearance with minimal splash. New Orleans advocate and voice of perennially chirpy neighbor Ned Flanders Harry Shearer spent the night mingling amiably.

Other than that, it was sweating delegates in wrinkled shirts mottled with Obama buttons dancing awkwardly and complaining about Denver's dearth of oxygen while pounding free cocktails.

Carville and Shearer shared the spotlight briefly while introducing The Meters, who replaced Papa Funk Art Neville with Allen Toussaint on the Steinway grand piano, delivering a touch of class to the funky Meters trio of George Porter Jr., Leo Nocentelli and Zigaboo Modeliste. Composer and New Orleans resident Randy Newman joined for his moving "Louisiana." Walter Wolfman Washington added his trademark wah-wah on guitar.

— Jason Blevins

But enough about officially sanctioned shindigs

After the Creative Coaltion finished up with its star-studded Celebration of African American Leaders reception at Mezcal on Colfax, the crew slipped over to a hush-hush soiree at Tambien in Cherry Creek North. Spotted: Dana Delaney, Spike Lee, Anne Hathaway, Gloria Reuben, Paul Reubens, aka Pee Wee Herman, Matthew Modine, Angela Bassett, Josh Lucas and Rachael Leigh Cook. — Bill Husted

Director Morgan Spurlock, DJ Spooky, and artists such as Shepard Fairey, David Choe and Maya Hayuk were among about 250 people who attended a Sunday afternoon media preview at the Manifest Hope Gallery.

"People felt that this was a refreshing voice and message from the campaign," said the event's producer, Yosi Sergant. "Their feeling is that what is happening in Denver right now is a corporate experience, and what's happening with our stuff is grassroots."

The temporary gallery, spread across two overhauled warehouse spaces on Larimar Street between 29th and 30th Avenues, is devoted to pro-Barack Obama art by about 125 local, national and international artists

A key proponent of the independent project was Fairey, a Los Angeles-based artist and graphic designer. Previously disinterested in mainstream politics, the 38-year-old found himself energized by Obama.

"I think it's a unique opportunity to put somebody in the White House that's not just politics as usual," he said. "This time, I'm actually very inspired by Obama."

The Manifest Hope Gallery will be open to the public 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today through Friday. Visit manifesthope.com for more information.

— John Wenzel

Consider it a sign of a changing nation.

A few days before DJ Spooky aka Paul D. Miller few days before arrived in Denver, to present his avant-garde piece Terre Nova: The Antarctica Suite about nature and nations, he spoke about the "flux" in identity — something the night before the official opening of the DNC testified to.

At 7 p.m. at the Harkins Theater in the Northfield shopping district, Fugee Pras Michel was showing "Skid Row", a film about his journey into the most densely populated area by homeless in the country: Los Angeles' Skid Row.

At the uptown arthouse, neighborhood Flix, "Gospel Hill" was screening.

The movie actor Giancarlo Esposito's debut feature was expected to be a major draw, for the Creative Coalition, which will continue tonight's events with a "Gospel Hill" brunch Monday morning.

At the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, digital media performer DJ Spooky presented the U. S. premiere of Terra Nova. Someone asked Erin Trapp what she thought of the hour-long video work that put a moody, nearly danceable beat to images of that great white expanse and she quoted Judy Woodruff that it wasn't. Broadway show.

Nope. A different great white way

— Lisa Kennedy

And a different take, from a different critic

Pulsating, electronic music merged with kaleidoscopic, digital imagery in "Terra Nova: The Antarctica Suite," DJ Spooky's 70-minute audiovisual examination at the polar continent and its environmental degradation.

An estimated 850 people attended the presentation Sunday evening at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. It was part of "Dialog:City," a nine-day series of events presented by the Denver Office of Cultural Affairs.

The audience included other "Dialog:City" artists such as Ann Hamilton, R. Luke Dubois and Krzysztof Wodiczko, as well as Denver artists such as as Bill Amundson, Bruce Price and Clark Richert.

Spooky spent a little less than four weeks in Antartica, collecting sounds and imagery he used in this piece, which is reminiscent in some ways of Godrey Reggio's 1982 film, "Koyaanisqatsi: Life out of Balance."

"Being in New York, you're in the middle of a hyper-dense media environment," Spooky said in an interview earlier in the day. "Going down to Antartica was kind of hitting the reset button. You'd be stunned at how elegantly dynamic the wind and water can make an object."

— Kyle Macmillan

ABC News' George Stephanopoulos owns only one house, "but I'm not going to play that game," he said.

After broadcasting "This Week" from the second floor of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science on Sunday, with clear, panoramic shots of City Park, downtown and the mountains, he said the discussion of John McCain's multiple home ownership "opens up everything else.

"You could have endless debate over who went personal first. But I think there's no question the McCain camp will use this as a justification to go after a lot of other things."

The ABC newsman believes this presidential campaign will be remembered as the first Internet campaign, "the first presidential campaign that was really starting to be shaped by the World Wide Web. If you look at the way that (Barack) Obama has raised money, it has transformed the campaign-finance system ... If you look at the way people are getting their information, if you look at the way the Web is being used as an organizing tool. Again, this is something the Obama campaign is really testing.

"That's sort of what the text message for the vice presidential pick was all about — it didn't quite work — that's also what the stadium event is all about. Their goal, and we'll see what happens, is to get everybody in there with their phone and send a text message to five more friends. It becomes the most powerful organizing tool ever." — Joanne Ostrow

Cars make the sound of the future

Many people took a silent spin in an electric vehicle Sunday at the New Energy Station. A row of electric vehicles were lined up on Champa Street near the Green Frontier Fest to kick off the Electric Vehicle Rolling Showcase, which will run all week to help educate the public and policy makers.

The Tesla Roadster, Toyota RAV4 EV and a plug-in electric Prius were available for rides and information.

Anthony Fox, president of Phoundation for Change, said his spin as a passenger in the Roadster was awesome. "There's just something to turn the key and not hear anything, to pull away and not hear anything," he said.

The aesthetics are great, not to mention the car has no exhaust pipe or emissions, he said.

"Silence is bliss," he said. "I'm ready to buy one."

The 2009 Tesla Roadster will have a suggested retail price of $109,000, said representative Alina Dini.

"Who Killed the Electric Car?" stars Collette Divine and Paul Scott were on hand to film snippets for the movie's sequel, "Revenge of the Electric Car," which will have a much more positive message, they said.

The public has given an overwhelming response to the electric vehicles, Divine said.

"The first thing they say is 'Wow, I didn't expect that,' or 'Wow, that really moves,'" she said.

Now that people have had a taste with hybrids and seen — and ridden in — electric cars, they should go to a car dealer and express their interest in getting a gas-free vehicle of their own, she said.

The next step is getting legislators to support electric cars, she said.

Nevada Delegate Elliott Small, president of The Luxury Electric Company, said he hopes to see in the next few days what Barack Obama has planned for alternative energy vehicles.

He is confident Obama and his campaign will address alternative energy vehicles as solutions for the economy, national security and the environment, he said.

"We know that they will," Small said. "They understand the issues."

— Ashley Gebb

Tribes pow-wow at Civic Center

To kick off the Democratic National Convention, the Denver Indian Center held a welcoming pow-wow.

The Denver's Tribal Unity Day Pow-wow was held at Civic Center Park this afternoon. The crowd of over a hundred included super delegate's Frank LaMere of Nebraska and Kalyn Free of Oklahoma.

Native artists sold pieces of their work, while food vendors sold Indian tacos with buffalo meat. Over 40 dancers representing many tribes from across the country took part in the event.

— Jordan Dresser

Not Rhoda; Golda

Valerie Harper's face has aged a little since her days as Rhoda Morganstern on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and the subsequent spinoff, "Rhoda." But then again, so have the faces of her audience — after all, that was the '70s. But despite being 68 years old, she still has quite a ways to go before anyone will compare her to her latest character, for which Harper had to sustain a fair amount of spackled-on greasepaint and a hairpiece that could scrub the paint off an Oldsmobile.

"Golda's Balcony" is a one-woman film in which the actress better known for her comedic roles has admirably tackled the beloved cigarette-smoking, workaholic prime minister of Israel. Harper's Golda Meir runs through her own history against backdrops of archival film footage and elaborate artwork, interspersed with Harper playing the people who affected her life the most: Meir's husband, Morris Meyerson, as well as Henry Kissinger and David Ben-Gurion, and about a dozen others.

But why Golda, and why now?

"I think there are so many things about this that are relevant," said Harper. "Certainly, showing a strong woman in power, for one. And the tragedies and complexities of war are such an important part of her story. She labored over every decision she made. I think that was the best part about doing this role — when you play great people, you learn so much."

The audience who attended the National Jewish Democratic Council-sponsored event on Sunday, which included a screening of the film at St. Cajetan's Center followed by a reception just outside the Spanish Colonial church, contained a few people with some familiarity with the subject matter — Charlie Wilson, for one, the former Democratic U.S. Representative from Texas, about whom a film also was recently made detailing his involvement in CIA support during the Soviet war in Afghanistan.

With him in the audience were more than 30 Democratic politicians, including Nevada Rep. Shelley Berkley, , Oregon Rep. Ron Wyden , Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and California Rep. Henry Waxman. Also in attendance was blind rabbi Dennis Shulman, who has become a beloved candidate in the Jewish community as he attempts to gain a seat in New Jersey's 5th.

Golda Meir and Denver have other connections — the Ukraine-born Meir grew up in Milwaukee and ran away to Denver when she was 17. She met her Meyerson in Denver, and the restored Golda Meir house on the Auraria campus is the only U.S. residence of hers still standing.

"Golda's Balcony" continues to tour the country, and Harper's husband, Tony Cacciotti, an actor himself who was in "The Longest Yard" with Burt Reynolds and who produced the film and was by her side at the screening, said he hopes to distribute it widely throughout the nation's schools.

— Kyle Wagner

Nosh news

In the same rooms painted lemon and lime that normally house Denverites downing leisurely brunches of lox'n'latkes and a bagel and a schmear were instead Sunday afternoon packed with power brokers hand-picked from the Rolodex of Susan Turnbull, since 2005 the vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee.

The space was the downtown Zaidy's Deli, and the occasion was the "Welcome Nosh" hosted by Turnbull, who had invited between 500 and 600 faithful. By 4 p.m., more than halfway through the event, about half had shown up to shake hands and trade business cards, and the mood was upbeat and convivial, fueled by Zaidy's snacks and desserts and what was billed as "best lemonade I've ever had," by René Redwood, who along with Karen Mulhauser is working to promote Hip Hop Caucus, a voter registration organization targeting young adults who do not attend college.

Nearly everyone in attendance had something they were eager to discuss, and what was notably missing was disagreement. "You have to hand it to Susie, she knows how to put together a diverse group," said Iris Burnett, author of the book "So You Think You Can be President: 200 Questions to Determine if You Are Right (or Left) Enough to be the Next Commander-in-Chief," a tome that Sen. John Kerry calls "required reading."

Turnbull, who spent quite a bit of time catching up with her good friend Sen. Amy Klobuchar — a Barack Obama supporter from Minneapolis who was nursing her sore throat and preparing for her speech on ethics Monday — said she thought the get-together was a microcosm of the country, albeit a Democratic one. "This is America. There's someone here from every background, every race, all ages, everyone wanting to get a different thing done, but introducing it gently," she said. "This could be a good example of maybe how we could run things."

Fun. For some.

During a Sunday afternoon anti-war demonstratation along the 16th Stret Mall sponsored by CODEPINK, a participant shouted to passersby: "Come join us. Peace is fun!"

Being a member of the Denver Police's mounted patrol is not all fun. Two members of a group of eight or so such officers on patrol were using pieces of cardboard Sunday afternoon to sweep horse manure off the plaza in front of the Webb Building. The question is: How is it decided who has potty patrol?

— Kyle Macmillan

Thin air makes "Forest" wilt

Minsuk Cho slumped on bench, munched a bagel sandwich and eyed his "Air Forest" installation at City Park.

The balloon-like architectural structure was having trouble holding its air and staying upright. Several "trees" were bending low on their trunks in the 200-foot forest.

Cho, a Seoul, South Korea-based architect, originally estimated two pumps would be needed to keep the structure afloat. Ten were having trouble doing the job and Cho was operating on four hours of sleep. "Architects struggle when we become overly amibitious," he says. "But we have to try new things." — Suzanne S. Brown

DJ Spooky tours own exhibit

During a private tour Sunday afternoon of the exhibition, "Dialog:Denver," at the Robischon Gallery, Paul Miller, aka DJ Spooky, showed his girlfriend, Jessica Lee, the artworks he has on view.

Miller, who is in Denver for the premiere of his 70-minute work, "Terra Nova: The Antarctica Suite," said that art has long been his chief interest.

"The DJ Spooky thing was always meant to be a sense of humor," he said. "I never really was planning on to be a DJ. It was kind of meant to be an arts project."

He believes that artists will be increasingly at ease crossing cultural boundaries, citing his friend, artist and graphic designer, Shepard Fairey, as another example.

"We're both of a generational shift, feeling comfortable as much in the normal art world as we are in the fine arts mixed with DJ culture," he said. — Kyle Macmillan

Meditate '08 likes their energy.

Organizers of Meditate '08 applaud their city-sanctioned location in Fishback-Landing Park, on the banks of the slow, muddy Platte River.

"We can see the convention, and we're shooting vibes over there," said Don Morreale, 61, a Denver writer and meditation teacher who stepped up to help facilitate this six-day, multi-denominational retreat happening in the shadow of the Democratic National Convention. "It's not so out of the realm of consciousness that we could have an impact on the energy over there."

Saturday could have been like any other summer day on this landscaped site a stone's throw from where Denver was founded in the mid-1800s. Cyclists zipped by on the Platte River Bike Path. The Platte River Trolley chimed its bell from nearby tracks. And families with strollers padded down the sidewalk on their way to Colorado Ocean Journey.

But something was different. Signs planted in the grass pronounced the park a "Quiet Zone," and just beyond Morreale, about two dozen people sat with their eyes closed, some in chairs, others on blankets in the grass, and all of them engaged in peaceful contemplation.

The intention of Meditate '08, which kicked off Saturday with a free morning yoga class and an evening ceremony that was expected to draw such dignitaries as actor Giancarlo Esposito ("Usual Suspects," "Do the Right Thing"), is to offer anyone associated with the Democratic National Convention — delegates, candidates, media, protesters, tourists and locals — a place for quiet reflection. Each day through Thursday includes talks, music, chanting and instructor-led meditation. Details on the event were included in the official Denver guide prepared by the city for all of the convention delegates.

"These events and the kind of energy they draw need some sort of anchor," Morreale said of the convention. "This is a way of imparting on people that it is possible to be at peace — no matter the circumstances."

View the entire Meditate '08 schedule at meditate08.org.

— Elana Ashanti Jefferson

Hopeful locals

The Manifest Hope Gallery (2990 Larimer St.) may be focused on the man of the week — with 100-plus paintings/screen printed posters/drawings of Barack Obama — but Denver kids are helping run the show. Fashion Denver maven Brandi Shigley was manning the guest list at the entrance to one of the galleries, and Swayback frontman Eric Halborg was there with a drink in one hand and a camera in the other. Volunteers — local artists and members of local bands alike — were busy with various duties, but mostly they were busy fielding questions about the big rock show on Wednesday. The Gallery will host a public party and a private party on Wednesday night with acts as varied as Clap Your Hands Say Yeah to Silversun Pickups (playing the public party), Ben Gibbard (of Death Cab for Cutie, playing the private party) to DJ Z-Trip. For information about tickets to the public show, see their website, manifesthope.com. — Ricardo Baca

Brunch with the governor

Swear on a stack of bibles, Gov. Bill Ritter, insisted, tongue firmly in cheek: "This is the way breakfast looks every day at my house: Champagne, linens, fine china ..."

Food-wise, it was nothing but the best for Colorado's delegates to the DNC, and assorted other party bigwigs, on Sunday morning when the gardens at the Governor's Mansion were opened for a celebratory brunch.

The menu was planned and executed by the mansion staff and included two varieties of quiche, crispy bacon, croissants, bagels, fresh fruit and assorted pastries. Moet Chandon Champagne was served plain or as the base for mimosas and bellinis; Smirnoff and Ketel One vodkas were mixed into bloody Marys and Coors beer was on ice for those preferring a wake-me-up brewski. Coffee, tea and iced pitchers of orange, grapefruit and tomato juices also were set out under the canopies that dotted the garden terraces.

Among the guests: Pat Waak, head of the Colorado Democratic Party; Elbra Wedgeworth, president of the convention's Denver Host Committee; U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar; U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette; Lt.Gov. Barbara O'Brien; state Treasurer Cary Kennedy; state Rep. Rosemary Marshall; super delegate Federico Pe~na; attorneys Hubert Farbes, Manuel Martinez and Harvey Steinberg; banker Hassan Salem; CH2M Hill boss Ralph Peterson; KBNO Radio's Zee Ferrufino; and such delegates as Jacqueline St. Joan, Paul Lopez, Monisha Merchant, Blanca O'Leary, Nathan Vanderschaaf, Jere Kennedy and Rebecca McClellan.

— Joanne Davidson