Denver Restaurant Week is upon us, an opportunity for area diners to exercise their curiosity — but not exorcise their wallets — at more than 300 Mile High rooms.

Michael Pollan's media coronation over the past half-decade has been nothing short of stunning. The Berkeley, Calif.-based author and professor is responsible for The New York Times best-selling books "The Omnivore's Dilemma" and "In Defense of Food," tomes that have not only changed the way we talk about food but also netted their author a certain guru status among forward-thinking eaters.

Hot springs? Yes, you swim laps at Glenwood Hot Springs every fall, and barrel down the long slide at Mount Princeton Hot Springs in Nathrop at least once a year. You soak in nature at Strawberry Park Hot Springs in Steamboat Springs, and one time, long ago, you waded au naturel at Orvis Hot Springs in Ridgway.

When a location is as close to a city as Evergreen is to Denver, it's easy to overlook as a weekend destination. But to skip over this open-space smorgasbord in favor of farther-away mountain locales would be a mistake.

The James Beard Foundation Awards, considered the most prestigious honor in the food industry, announced their 2012 Restaurant and Chef Award Semifinalists this morning.