This time of year can be so draining for everybody, what with the before-Christmas frenzy, so why not find a secular reason to celebrate the season? Here’s a good one for all you beer-drinkers out there: Jax Fish House Denver is celebrating its twelfth anniversary, and hence is offering 12…
It’s a well-known fact of life: Kids will argue with their parents over just about anything. So why not channel that impulse into some constructive co-criticism over a couple of slices of pizza, some soda and two movies? That’s the idea behind the Denver Film Society’s Old School New School…
The so-called green movement posits the idea that humanity could and should limit its impact on the planet. Oh, sure, a lot of it is little more than marketing hype; tract-house developers, for example, who have focused on paving the countryside can claim to be earth-friendly simply because the houses…
Light and Time, in the front of Rule Gallery (227 Broadway, 303-777-9473, www.rulegallery.com) consists of small, wet-plate Collodion print photographs by Mark Sink and Kristen Hatgi that have been propped against the walls. The Collodion process is an early photographic method used by Civil War documentarian Matthew Brady. In a…
An O. Henry Christmas. Amid the cascade of Christmas Carol remounts, Hallmark Card family shows and limp holiday parodies, this musical arrangement of two O. Henry short stories — “The Last Leaf” and “The Gift of the Magi,” created by Peter Ekstrom — is a refreshing option. “The Gift of…
I saw Yasmina Reza’s Art soon after it came out, on a visit to London with my daughter, Anna. Afterward, standing on the platform of the underground, we were accosted by a woman who had glimpsed us at the theater — an abrasive New Yorker — who wanted to know…
Flying saucers just aren’t that scary anymore. Especially after Ed Wood and Mars Attacks, it’s hard to take a threat from a giant Frisbee all that seriously. So what’s an update of the iconic 1951 sci-fi flick The Day the Earth Stood Still to do? In an extremely bold move,…
I hear America singing, and I see…Richard Nixon. Not the man, but the muse: Has any president since Lincoln inspired more movies, TV mini-series and operas? As Nixon’s beetle brows, ski nose and mirthless grin were made for caricature, so his rampant pathology was a gift for novelists and psycho-historians…
For a guide to New Year’s events, check our New Year’s listings at www.westword.com/calendar. WHY I’LL BE GLAD TO KISS THIS YEAR GOODBYE The finalists in our annual essay contest — plus musings from Westword writer Michael Roberts on New Year’s resolutions. First Place I Hate 2008 By Christopher Castellano…
Adam Helms. This solo in the MCA’s Paper Works Gallery is the New York artist’s first museum show anywhere. In his works on paper and in a monumental sculpture that conjures up a shooting blind, Helms explores political themes, especially armed struggle. He takes images of different radical and extremist…
Coloradans looking to capture their Celtic connection this holiday season are welcomed to this afternoon’s Colorado Welsh Society Christmas Tea, featuring Welsh songs, hymns, seasonal readings, music and traditional dances followed by te bach (refreshments). And don’t worry if your Welsh is a bit rusty; many of the events will…
Some think a dove flies over the holiday season: It’s the time of year when we think about peace on Earth and goodwill toward men, and we really mean it. Julie Davis and her friends at the Swallow Hill Music Association picked up on that peace-and-love vibe several years ago…
With the start of ski season, it’s time for all of the different resorts to start rolling out the red carpet and tempting skiers and riders to their runs. And sure, there will be concerts at Vail Snow Daze, but the real attraction off I-70 is the fest’s third annual…
Eric Matelski, artist and self-proclaimed “art pimp,” is effusive when touting the Wax Burner Prayer Candle Art Show, a group-show concept first tried out in Chicago last fall and now making its second appearance here in Denver, featuring more than 120 works in all. But he was into prayer candles…
AIDS! AIDS! AIDS! Do we have your attention? Good. We wouldn’t want you to start slacking about this epidemic — which remains the world’s number-one health threat — just because it’s a few years old. This year marked the twentieth anniversary of World AIDS Day, when individuals and organizations from…
Silent films have an innate beauty, what with the actors’ expressive eyes and exaggerated features, the images arranged on the screen and their ability to tell a story without the spoken word. Tonight at 7:30 p.m., the Chautauqua Community House will run a double feature of silent fun as part…
Joaquin Liebert gave up on sex, drugs and rock and roll (well…he cut down, anyway) to pursue his love of theater. Now, after struggling for years and honing his chops in supporting parts, Liebert may have landed his meatiest role yet. The Denver actor plays Angel the talking dog in…
Fruitcake has a reputation for being the worst gift ever — at least here in the United States. And there’s a good reason for that: The fruitcake we’re used to seeing in these parts is of very poor quality. “I think it’s important to bring back really high-quality fruitcake,” says…
Looking to take the edge off your holiday-shopping experience? How about perusing unique, affordable gifts in a spa-like atmosphere while sampling food and wine? Sounds strenuous, I know, but don’t worry: If you start to cramp up, there will be massage therapists waiting to assist. Boutique for the Soul, taking…
Ukulele player Scot Livingston got his start with the instrument in a very pedestrian fashion. “I lost my license, and a guitar is hard to carry on the bus,” he recalls. Now, ten years later, his love for the instrument has blossomed into Night of 1,000 Ukes, a program showcasing…
It’s doubtful the typical skateboarder is thinking about how the sweet graphics on his board were designed as he grinds along a park bench or launches into the air off a ramp. Matt Bargell, mentorship director for the American Institute of Graphic Artists in Colorado, hopes to change that with…
“One of the things I’ve noticed about my closet is that I have some really pretty things that never get worn because I never get to go to anything formal,” notes Shakti, founder and CEO of the non-profit Yoga World Reach (which is committed to bringing yoga into communities and…
