Ben Roy is definitely not going to make it all better, and you’ll be happy he didn’t. Photo by Crystal Allen.

Headling Denver’s nationally-respected Comedy Works once in a lifetime is a feat most comedians are lucky to accomplish. Doing a whole weekend is many working stand-ups’ dream. “I started doing stand-up at the Comedy Works,” said Denver comedian Ben Roy. “Wende, Mike, Susan and the staff have all been awesome to me.”

It makes sense, then, that Roy is following up his first-ever header there last May with a trio of coveted Thursday-Saturday headlining slots this weekend — another deep notch on Roy’s gloriously splintered bedpost of recent achievements.

As any local comedy fan knows, Roy has a reputation as the most unhinged, energetic member of the Wrist Deep Productions collective, a DIY comedy group that holds weekly open-mic nights at the Squire and the monthly Los Comicos Super Hilariosos shows at the Orange Cat. He’s also building buzz outside Colorado by proving himself a reliable firebrand with a refreshing trait: under all his profanity, he’s a clever, idea-driven stand-up.

We chatted with Roy in advance of this weekend’s shows about his Roy Vs. Roy set with Chuck Roy (no relation, we swear), best and worst comedy practices and the ever-present lure of the bottle.

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Lights, camera, cocktail: Denver steps into the spotlight this weekend, and so can you.

With the Starz Denver Film Festival lighting up this weekend, Denver is going movie-mad. Maybe it won’t hit the heights of Broncomania, but the film freakout will be intense in the downtown area.

Pre-parties, premieres, more parties and then after-parties: Only the strong (and the mostly sober) will survive. Even if you’re not attending the screenings and surrounding celebrations, there are ways to have a little movie-inspired fun. Ever been in a bar and suddenly felt like it was a movie set? It can happen almost anywhere, but Denver’s got its fair share of cinematic spaces.

If the mood strikes — and no film fest RSVPs have been made — rally the crew and go on location at one of the city’s camera-ready clubs and bars.

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Anthony Bourdain: Reluctant bad boy of the celebrity chef world?

Certain words and phrases issue from Anthony Bourdain’s lips with the urgency and bracing musicality of a Ramones riff: “A thing of beauty.” “A religious experience.” “Intoxicating.” “Transcendent.”

Of course, he’s talking about food, not music, but it’s no surprise that the 53-year-old chef-turned-author is frequently compared to a rock star — egged along by his salacious, gritty 2000 memoir, “Kitchen Confidential” and his general reputation for acid-tongued commentary.

“I’m fortunate that whatever it is I am on TV or in my books is actually me,” Bourdain said over the phone from his New York apartment.

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Say it with me: La Patisserie Francaise = delicious.

A neighborhood French bakery has two raisons d’être: Pastry, and bread. Arvada’s La Patisserie Francaise scores on both counts, with a solid bank of bread backing up its sprawling selection of sweet treats.

Weekdays here start at 7 a.m., which is the best time to pick up your croissants, while they are still warm and fragrant with yeast.

If you’re on the way to the office, pick up a box of palmiers, flaky and sweet — your co-workers will be thrilled. If you’re on the way home, pick up an apple galette or another pastry for dessert later.

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Patrons pose in one of Interstate Kitchen and Bar’s kitschy decorative pieces. Photo from interstaterestaurant.com

Plenty of people will tell you: Part of the appeal of First Fridays is the free booze. It’s not the best part. And for some, it might be the worst. But there’s no denying that many art patrons’ eyes light up when they walk in a First Friday gallery and notice a kind fellow pouring free glasses of wine in the back.

Sometimes there’s beer, too, and it’s usually good beer. Budweiser simply won’t do at most galleries — they’re trying to sell original works of art, not throw a kegger.

The drinks always run out at some point, of course, and the galleries have to close for the evening. There are plenty of places to go afterward, especially in the Santa Fe Arts District. One can grab a snack at El Taco de Mexico or play beer pong at Schwervers — but what if the mood calls for both tasty food and laid-back drinks?

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