Although celebrity couple Giuliana and Bill Rancic had kicked around the names Denver, Aspen and Colorado for their son who was recently born in Denver by a gestational surrogate, they settled on a much more conservative approach by naming their baby boy Edward Duke.

According to The New York Post, Edward weighed in at 7 pounds 4 ounces. “The couple were in the delivery room for the four-hour labor and birth,” the Post said.

Giuliana and Bill, who cut the baby’s umbilical cord, told E! News that they are “so in love with the little guy already.” Giuliana is a host of E! News, and Bill is a motivational speaker and entrepreneur. They star in the Style Network reality show “Giuliana & Bill,” which dealt with their (very public) fertility issues.

Good luck charm? The Rancics dined at Elway’s Vail on the Saturday before the birth of their child. Reportedly the dinner and the delivery went well.

Documentary film fest

The DocuWest Documentary Festival has selected 39 films out of 300 submissions for the 2012 lineup comprising 15 feature films, five medium-length pieces and 19 shorts from all over the world.

Selected documentaries — most of which are premiering in Colorado for the first time — include 2012 film-festival favorites and award-winning films that have screened at Sundance, SXSW, Hot Docs and Full Frame.

The 2012 DocuWest Documentary Film Festival will be Wednesday through Sunday in Golden and Boulder. The Golden venues are Foothills Art Center, 809 15th St., and the American Mountaineering Center, 710 10th St., with additional screenings taking place at The Dairy Center for the Arts, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder.

Tickets are now available, including discounted ticket pricing for five-packs, all-access passes, and for seniors and students. For the screening schedule and to purchase tickets, go online to www.docuwestfest.com.

Tavern time

Frank Schultz and his tireless team at the Tavern Hospitality Group, owner of all the Taverns in the metro area, are building a custom-designed Tavern on the lower concourse of Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

Tavern Mile High will have the same type of amenities as the neighboring Taverns: high-end architectural design, central bar accessible from three sides, HD TVs and more. The new place is expected to be open by the first or second regular season home game.

What differentiates the Broncos home-field Tavern from the other locations is that Tavern Mile High will only serve beverages, no food.

“We met with the Broncos earlier this year to discuss forming a partnership,” Schultz said. “After brainstorming, we decided it would be beneficial for both us and them to put a Tavern in the stadium. It’s a wonderful marketing opportunity for us to brand the Tavern. On their end, the Broncos are excited about it because they’re trying to bring more of a local Colorado feel to the stadium. We’re a locally owned and

operated company, so it was a great fit for both of us.”

In addition to the new Tavern hangout off Gate 4, Schultz is sponsoring the Broncos First Possession Payoff where a winner will receive $1,000 for every point that the Broncos score during their first offensive possession for all regular season home games.

“Last season when Tim Tebow was the quarterback, the Broncos only scored 18 points (the average annual total of all first offensive possessions during the 2011 season’s home games) so I figured it was no big deal,” Schultz said. “Then they signed Peyton Manning!” But Schultz won’t shirk his obligation to the contest.

“The First Possession Payoff not only gives someone a chance to win $1,000 per point, but offers a Broncos VIP fan experience to stand on the sidelines and watch the Broncos warm up for up to an hour and a half before the game, and then to actually see them play up close and personal is pretty cool.”

To enter, visit any location that is part of the Tavern Hospitality Group. For more details, go online to www.tavernhg.com.

Taita time, too

Taita, the new Peruvian restaurant at 1521 Marion St. on Capitol Hill, owned by a brother act, opened this week.

Details are sketchy, but according to the website (still a work in progress): “Taita Peruvian Cuisine & Bar will feature an outstanding new Peruvian menu with a touch of American influence in an upscale and cozy atmosphere. The menu is inspired from a wide selection of Peruvian delicacy and will appeal to a variety of clientele.

“The menu is Jose Aparicio’s pride. It is a culmination of over 20 years of cooking experience. Jose’s food is differentiated through the use of the freshest and specially selected ingredients.”

More info as it comes at www.taitadenver.com.

The seen

After the Broncos preseason home game Sunday, Hall-of-Fame QB John Elway was dining with Super Bowl teammates and fellow Hall-of-Famer Shannon Sharpe and (future Hall-of-Famer?) Rod Smith at Elway’s namesake restaurant in Cherry Creek. A Hall of Fame (or soon to be Hall of Fame) table.

The Ritz gets ritzier

The Ritz-Carlton Denver may be a bit more ritzy in light of earning a four-star rating for 2012 from Forbes Travel Guide.

The 202-room luxury hotel is only one of 209 properties in the world to earn four-star status. The hotel joins its spa component, The Ritz-Carlton Spa Denver, which has garnered the four-star rating three consecutive years since opening in May 2008.

“I extend my sincerest appreciation to our ladies and gentlemen for earning this significant achievement for The Ritz-Carlton Denver,” said general manager Steven Janicek. “Everyone should be extremely proud of their tireless service commitment to our guests and for creating meaningful and memorable experiences for years to come.”

Back in the saddle

SaddleUp! Foundation’s second annual Pack Your Bags / A Denver Suitcase Party on Aug. 17 was a knee-slapping success by selling out the event to 500-plus patrons and raising more than $100,000 at Mayo Aviation at the Centennial Airport.

Guests enjoyed music from country singers Richie Law, American Idol contestant, and breakout star Jessie James, fiancée of Denver Broncos wide receiver Eric Decker.

The event was so in demand that 120 would-be attendees were turned away and asked to make a donation in lieu of attendance. KWGN news personality Natalie Tysdal and her husband, Tyler Tysdal, purchased the Bernese mountain dog during the live auction.

Chuck Latham Associates donated the private jet, Westwind II, and Mayo Aviation provided the hangar. Raffle ticket and live auction winners grabbed their suitcases and boarded the jet bound for The Trinchero Family Estates in Napa, Calif.

Dogs take the plunge

On Saturday, Englewood and Freedom Service Dogs present the Fifth Annual Festival of the Bastardino — A Celebration of Mixed Heritage Dogs. Pirates Cove Aquatic Center and Belleview Park are going to the dogs (and their families). Close to 1,000 four-legged swimmers will take the plunge at the water park and live it up, splashing and smiling in the last of the summer sun.

The event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1225 West Belleview Ave. Preregister your dog for the Pirates Cove plunge at www.FreedomServiceDogs.org.

The cost is $15 per dog, with the option to choose either the morning or afternoon plunge. General admission to the family festival portion of the event in Belleview Park is free.

The festival will include food, shopping, pet adoptions and games, including a dog ice cream eating contest and the fastest dog games. Check out the demonstrations by both the Buckley Air Force Base K-9 Police Unit and the Rocky Mountain Dock Dogs.

“This is such a fantastic event for the city of Englewood and Pirates Cove to help present. As one of our goals is to encourage everyone to get out and play, it is fun to be able to open the pool one day each year so that even the pups can enjoy the amenities of the park … not to mention their people seem to get a lot out of the event as well,” said Denise White, public information administrator for Englewood parks and recreation.

The event is a benefit for Freedom Service Dogs, a charitable organization located in Englewood that rescues dogs from shelters and custom trains them for individual client needs.

Clients include children, veterans and active-duty soldiers, and other adults. Their disabilities include autism, traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis and post traumatic stress disorder. Information: www.FreedomServiceDogs.org.

Penny Parker’s “Mile High Life” column gives insights into the best events, restaurants, businesses, parties and people throughout the metro area. Parker also writes for Blacktie-Colorado.com. She can be reached at penny@blacktie-llc.com or at 303-619-5209.