Vulva Tales

When artist Terrilynn Moore went to see The Vagina Monologues at a venue on the Auraria campus in 2003, she noticed that the lobby contained pictures of llamas. It seemed a little odd that the famous Monologues had no art to tie in to the performance, so Moore thought up…

Out of the Dark

As a ’70s-era teenager, I worked at my cousin’s stereo store — and whenever a staffer really wanted to close a sale, he or she would spin the Mobile Fidelity vinyl pressing of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. The sound of those clanging clocks on “Time” would make…

Starry Eyed

My husband once lived in L.A. and worked at the fabled and now-defunct Aron’s Records, where he regularly bumped elbows with everyone from Belinda Carlisle to Ray Davies. He never tires of telling those stories, matter-of-factly, to the slack-jawed Denverites who’ve only dreamt of such encounters. What a kick. Ceramic…

The Truth Hurts

Denver players, beware: Greg Behrendt is coming to the Comedy Works, and he’s ready to simultaneously burst your dating bubble and bust your gut. With a mane of frosted hair, a chain wallet and a penchant for man-gab like “bro” and “dude,” Behrendt may seem more Mark McGrath than Dr…

Atlas Shrugs

Although compendiums of hilarity from The Onion are published annually, it’s been more than eight years since the arrival of 1999’s Our Dumb Century, the last all-original book from “America’s Finest News Source.” According to Megan Ganz, the Onion assistant editor who co-authored Our Dumb World: The Onion’s Atlas of…

Isn’t It Grand?

The people of Grand Lake have been preparing for months. The ice is ready for the Teapot Curling event. The snow is primed for snow sculpture and kids’ snowman contests. The Kauffman House Museum is open for tours. Grand Avenue has been cleared in preparation for the parade and the…

Hip to Be Square

Eric Matelski is an alternative scene impresario who hosts arty-events that attract the night owls. Tonight at 11 p.m. Matelski is putting forward his latest effort with the help of his cohort, Hector Munoz (aka Hecktor Muoz). The two are hosting their on-going adventure in cutting edge entertainment at Dazzle…

Getting Schooled

Information is power, especially when navigating the intricacies of the law. Whether you’re stuck in a custody case, worried about a DUI or getting ready to sign a new lease, a little education can help. To that end, the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association and Colorado Free University present People’s Law…

Good Cop, Bad Cop

Blue Heaven, for the record, refers to the preference of LAPD retirees for the remote sticks of northern Idaho, which explains why so many ex-cops, both good and bad, are suddenly on duty in Kootenai Bay in C.J. Box’s so-named new thriller. A stand-alone from Box, the Wyoming-based author of…

Animal Attractions

Artist Tamar Hirschl, an Israeli by way of Zagreb, knows all too well what it means to be displaced: She arrived in the promised land after losing her father to a concentration camp and living through World War II as a refugee, only to find more unrest in a struggling…

And That’s Vinyl!

I’m way too old to be captivated by Kidrobot toys, and yet I inexplicably am. If I were richer, I’d have a houseful of Dunnys and Munnys and Zoomies and Labbits and IceBots. But I was raised on a steady diet of DAM troll dolls, Cootie, Gumby and an especially…

What’s Old Is New

From The Taming of the Shrew to thirtysomething, writers have been interpreting and reinterpreting the marital relationship for stage and screen in scrupulous detail for as long as the pen’s met paper. Man and woman, in the most simplistic terms, are what make the world go ’round, after all; “Can’t…

Look of the Day – Deanna

Every day Westword receptionist Steve Burge gives you the fashionable view from the front desk. Retail Sales Rep. and resident bombshell, Deanna, takes a minute to put her feet up. Can you blame her, though? Those stiletto boots must be hurting her pretty badly… cuz they’re killing me! If things…

Boulder’s Common Era Opens New Denver Store

I’ll admit it. I’m one of those finicky-to-a-fault shoppers who eschews the mall like a sink full of dirty dishes. I hate dressing like everyone else does. No knee-length black jackets for me. No wide belts. And, no matter how much you entice me with your practical-yet-cute appeal, sorry, ballet-flats,…

Farewell Casual Fridays! Helloooooo Mini-Skirt Mondays!

Every day Westword receptionist Steve Burge gives you the fashionable view from the front desk. Mandy shows off her confidence and a whole lot more in this little shortie of skirt. Who needs a stuffy business suit when the Lord above has blessed you with stems like these? I think…

Look of the Day – RayAnn

Every day Westword receptionist Steve Burge gives you the fashionable view from the front desk. Our spicy little spitfire rocks the dots, proving that a classic fashion trend never goes out of style. Worn here with a black business suit, RayAnn’s plunging neckline and flirty polka dotted blouse add a…

Eco-Fashion Goes Couture

Green looks like it will continue to be fashion’s new black in 2008. And as environmental concerns escalate, it sure feels good to be able to indulge in a cute new dress or a pair of shoes without any fear of hurting Mother Earth. There are a few easy ways…

Persepolis

Persepolis is a small landmark in feature animation. Not because of technical innovation — though it moves fluidly enough, and its drawings have a handcrafted charm forgotten in the era of the cross-promoted-to-saturation CGI-‘toon juggernauts — but because it translates a sensitive, introspective, true-to-life “adult” comic story into moving pictures…

Youth Without Youth

Youth Without Youth, Francis Ford Coppola’s self-financed return to the fray, is a curious project — well-crafted, personal and movie-movie old-fashioned even in its vanguard aspirations. Simply put, it’s a Faustian romance about the reversal of time and transmigration of souls that, shot mainly in Romania, adds a soupçon of…

Untraceable

Regarding the irrelevance of Untraceable: First of all, torture is so 2007, and just because this drab little thriller with a flashy love of pain imagines itself a “critique of violence” doesn’t make it any less superfluous. Second of all, untraceable? Ha! You wish. While it’s true that the villain…

Axes to Grind

There’s a point at which every fad overstays its welcome. Could it be that Guitar Hero is already just a sour note from being booed out of America’s living room? For evidence, look no further than the plethora of GH cash-in products hawked at this month’s Consumer Electronics Show in…

Super, Thanks for Asking

Confessions of a Superhero (Arts Alliance) As one of those quoted on the package (“A more beautiful documentary you’re unlikely to find”), I can only reiterate my earlier praise: Matt Ogens’ doc, about mortals dressed as superheroes trolling Hollywood Boulevard for tourists’ loose change, is stunning to look at —…