Now that former Colorado first lady Frances Owens is out of the political spotlight, she's ready to let her hair down - not that anyone could ever accuse Frances of being a stuffy and prim governor's wife.

Frances and her pal, Marlene Rodriguez, joined my motley crew of gal pals recently on the patio at Elway's during the last Summer on the Patio concert. And, let me tell you, she can boogie with the best of them.

She says she misses living at the Governor's Mansion, but doesn't regret that she and hubby Bill are out of politics and all the pressure that comes with that public life.

At one point during the girl gab, she told stories about the beginning of her marriage.

"When we were first married in Texas, I made bag lunches for Bill and me," she said. "I always put his lunch on the right side of the kitchen counter. Before we got married, I slept on the right side of my bed. Guess who had to change?"

Recently, Frances had a dream she shared with her younger son, Brett, about the mansion.

"I told him that I dreamed about the mansion and that Jeannie Ritter had painted it blue," she said. "Brett said, 'Well, Mom, they are Democrats.' "

HEARTY PARTY: "I'll do anything for a cocktail party," Palm pilot Cathy Cooney told the invite-only crowd that gathered Wednesday night to toast the new-ish management team at the popular power eatery.

"It's exciting to be back in Denver and back to the Broncos," she said. Cooney, who left Denver's Palm as assistant general manager in 2005 to take the top job in Dallas, returned here in April to take over when former GM Dan Foster left.

Her top-shelf team of assistant managers Ashley Coors (Pete and Marilyn's daughter) and Adam Knickerbocker, along with sales manager Wendy Klein and executive chef Jean Stone, were already manning (and woman-ing) the foodie fort, but new assistant general manager Shana Broback completes the cast.

Seen at the sip- and-snack soiree: Linda and Robert Alvarado, Barry Hirschfeld, Bill Jenkins, Bob and Dale Silverberg, Steve Sander, Jerry and Lorna Gray, Roger Sherman, Nancy Sagar and Devany McNeill.

SAKIC SITS IN: We're not talking Joe, the lovable Avs captain, it's his wife, Debbie, Mrs. Personality, who will be filling in for Denise Plante as Murphy Huston's better half from 7 to 9 this morning on KOSI-FM (101.1).

Plante will be in Las Vegas attending the Justin Timberlake concert with her 21-year-old niece. I'm told on the QT that Plante is a big Timberlake fan. "Denise always says she just wants to take him home and bake him some cookies," said my tipster.

THE SEEN: Rapper Bow Wow late lunching with his entourage at Via Trattoria & Bar Wednesday. The chef created a special chicken alfredo dish for him.

EAVESDROPPING on a woman at The Palm: "You have to be on top of things these days 2 4/10."

Penny Parker's column appears Tuesday through Saturday. Call 303-954-5224 or e-mail parkerp@RockyMountainNews.com.