It’s funny how all discussion of the Mafia these days references The Sopranos — that distinctive accent; Carmela’s American-Italian cooking with its thick red sauces; the racism and homophobia; the women who were either protected and indulged family members or whores; the vivid energy of the culture; the sense of…
Two old men are seated at a table talking. They may be on a hotel terrace, in an old-age home, at a hospital. All we know is that the place is by the sea. The men seem sad and beaten down by life; they have odd physical tics and converse…
The success of Slumdog Millionaire has kicked off a minor craze for the extravagant and colorful musical-film industry of India. If you’ve been bitten by the bug, then you’ll enjoy tonight’s Hooray for Bollywood fundraiser for Congregation Nevei Kodesh, with authentic Indian cuisine, dance instruction from Bollywood West, music from…
The dandelion is one of the most maligned, misunderstood flowers of all time, says Tonja Reichley of MoonDance Botanicals. Why? “All the parts of dandelions have medicinal and herbal benefits; it’s one of our favorite herbs.” And it’s why Reichley decided to name her festival Dandelion: A Celebration of Local…
Frisco will be a carnivore’s dream this weekend as Colorado’s best ribs, pork shoulder, brisket and chicken are smoked and grilled on Main Street. The 16th annual Colorado BBQ Challenge is the real deal — a Kansas City Barbecue Society-sanctioned qualifier to the Super Bowl of all BBQ events —…
Max Montrose, a Regis University junior studying sociology, anthropology and art, was hanging out in his pajamas at the coffeehouse early one morning when he noticed a guy, “this middle-aged dude,” trying to get on the Internet without much luck. Choosing to show random kindness, Montrose gave him a hand,…
Fashion-forward Denver residents know that our fair city might not be a Milan, Paris or New York — but we can still hold our own in the cutthroat scene of what’s hot and what’s not. Part of our edge comes from a crop of talented local designers, but it’s also…
Although green roofs are all the rage in Europe, many people out west might not have ever heard of them. “A synonym would be a vegetative roof; in some areas, they call them eco roofs,” explains Mark Fusco, senior horticulturalist for the Denver Botanic Gardens. It’s pretty much exactly what…
“I just want to blend in,” claims banjoist Béla Fleck early in Throw Down Your Heart, a documentary about his musical journey to Africa (where the banjo originated). A moment later, after glancing at the native performers around him, he admits, “I’m not going to blend in.” Yet he often…
The bridge from Mad Max to Kill Bill crosses years, but not much distance: A starstruck Quentin Tarantino admits to being an unabashed fan of the ´70s explosion of exploitative Australian films and unapologetically copied them. A genre set off when repressed Aussie filmmakers were freed from the shackles of…
Dandies, don your best argyle sweater vest and your nicest knickers, polos and plaid for Space Gallery’s first Country Club Classic, a beer tasting with a golf theme. Bring your best twosome, foursome or whateversome for nine holes of fun. But instead of packing clubs, bring your palate, because the…
Denver’s Juneteenth Festival fell on hard times and went on hiatus a few years ago. “The event wasn’t financially feasible, and there wasn’t a great organization backing it,” says Dana Juniel, co-chair of marketing for the festival. “Last year was the rebirth, bringing it back and focusing on the real…
As the sun dives toward the mountains west of Denver, the critters emerge from their shady hiding places at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge and pose for pictures. Well, they don’t pose, exactly, but there are certainly plenty of deer, coyotes, bison, prairie dogs, hawks and owls around to…
Despite the title, women aren’t the only ones being targeted by the Colorado Rapids 2009 Festival of Women at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. While the afternoon of speakers, workshops, pampering and shopping hosted by Boutique for the Soul has plenty to offer the ladies, it’s also designed to be a…
Now that the renovated Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art is back up and open and rockin’ and rollin,’ the institution’s ARTcore education wing will instigate a summer-long “Then & Now” Series of monthly talks that compare and contrast art movements from different periods. “The series is designed to make people…
More than an alliance of convenience, RiNo Neighbors bridges the gap, real or imagined, between the Upper Larimer and River North arts communities, which are separated physically by the railroad tracks but have much in common spirit-wise. One of the alliance’s first collaborations, a two-part Get to Know RiNo Open…
One thing’s for sure: You can pretty much always count on Denver Chicano Renaissance man Gwylym Cano to come up with something completely different. His reputation as a filmmaker is built on the funny 1995 yarn El Corrido de Cherry Creek, but he’s also made a name locally as a…
There’s not enough whimsy in this ugly world, and that’s why we need a few artists like Spark Gallery member Lisa Michot. They’re not out to make a big statement or turn the planet up-side-down. Michot-style, they just want to have a little fun and make people smile. She made…
Just as Capistrano has its swallows, Boulder has folk dancing: It’s a sure sign that summer is here when Folk Dancing on the Plaza returns to the Boulder Municipal Plaza, between Canyon Boulevard and Arapahoe Avenue, adjacent to the fittingly exotic Dushanbe Teahouse on Tuesday nights. This year’s weekly community…
The board of directors of Denver’s Museo de las Américas (861 Santa Fe Drive, 303-571-4401, www.museo.org) has announced that Maruca Salazar (pictured), a well-known Colorado artist and arts educator, has been named as the institution’s new director. She’s only the third chief executive in the museum’s nearly twenty-year history. Salazar…
Barbara Takenaga and Mary Ehrin. These two solos feature contemporary work that’s informed by the influence of nature. Barbara Takenaga: Fade Away & Radiate, comprises a nice selection of abstracts by a New York artist who lived for many years in Colorado. Mary Ehrin: Rockspace is an installation by a…
Girls Only. The trouble with Girls Only, a two-woman evening of conversation, skits, singing, improvisation and audience participation, is that it’s so relentlessly nice. Creator-performers Barbara Gehring and Linda Klein have worked together for many years; at some point, they read their early diaries to each other and were transfixed…
