Part of the appeal of going to a festival is the incredible diversity of experiences offered throughout the event. I’ve been to an Austin City Limits festival where we saw Arcade Fire and John Prine in the same (very hot) weekend. I’ve been to food-based festivals where I sampled cuisine…
It’s hard to look at painter Benjamin Brantley Purvis’ work without recalling the 1994 Meat Puppets hit “Backwater”–“In the backwater swirling/there is something that’ll never change.” In his exhibit of the same name, Purvis employs Pollock-esque swirls of color and applications of turpenoid, which thins the oils and gives his…
Perhaps the exact reason Christopher Ciccone would not want you to give his art attention is arguably the only one that would cause you to give it a second look: he’s Madonna’s brother. Yes, that Madonna. The jilted sibling of one of pop culture’s greatest icons is a person too!…
Bad dates. I’ve been on a slew of ’em and dealt with everything from introverted-emotional types all the way to brazen sport-heads, and from five-star restaurants to Mama’s cooking. I’m not awkward; dating is awkward. The cast of I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change unabashedly gives voice to the…
There’s something special about handmade objects. Whether it’s a painting, drawing or sculpture, the fruit of someone’s labor is something to be appreciated, and sometimes it’s even better to be the creator yourself. Even if you’re not a pro at the fine arts, there’s still hope for you. Leave all…
Even if you haven’t been to the corner of Chicago’s Michigan Avenue and Monroe Street since 2004, chances are you’ve seen an image of one of two 50-foot tall glass towers, complete with a rotating roster of real faces literally spitting water on tourists and children. Responsible for bringing a…
Let’s be honest here, being a woman is awesome. And every year, the Kim Dawson Attitudes & Attire Luncheon and Fashion Show sums up the major reasons why: 1.) Women are smart and strong. 2.) Um, hello. Awesome clothes. 3.) Yeah, OK, the camaraderie and charity between women is pretty…
Toss on your best bell-bottoms, practice your hip shake and shine up your best side smirk; it’s the King’s birthday. The only artist ever dubbed the King of Rock ‘N’ Roll turns 75 this year, and what better way to celebrate than by spending a night with the one and…
In a world where basketball players pull guns on each other in the locker room and assault fans on a fairly regular basis, it’s nice to know that the Harlem Globetrotters continue to maintain their squeaky-clean, family-friendly image. Sure, their expositions may lack teeth, but ask Dirk Nowitzki…teeth come with…
One of my favorite memories of my old golden retriever was how happy he was whenever I poured a Lone Star into his water bowl. But the beers at the Second Annual Bark-n-Beer Benefiting Operation Kindness are probably too strong for a dog. Find out from 2 to 5 p.m…
The thought of running stairs voluntarily makes me want to curl into the fetal position and cry for my mommy. Four years of running bleachers during high school basketball practices left me as conditioned as Pavlov’s dog. Not everyone is permanently scarred by a sadistic coach, though. The big daddy…
There are many milestones in a male’s life pivotal to the transition from boy to man. Falling in love for the first time. Losing that burdensome virginity. First heartbreak. Marriage. The birth of his first child. Killing a man (not counting homeless). Uh, scratch that last one. But he is…
Fans of MonsterQuest might assume that the Yeti is the most beloved figure in Tibetan history, but that would only demonstrate their stunning ignorance when it comes to the subject of Tibetan history. In reality, Tibet’s most famous figure was a cat by the name of Milarepa, first name Jetsun…
Standing with my hands over my head in the airport while security frisked me, I couldn’t help thinking it was a bad time for my relatives to start joking about how they were oh-so-obviously terrorists. But I love traveling, so I closed my eyes and thought of the soon departing…
They say they’ll love you no matter what. They’re your parents, so you’d think or, at least, hope it’s a given. After all, the family that prays together stays together. But what happens when you’ve been hiding the ultimate secret from them? Nelson is about to find out. In the…
It’s time for a change, people. A change in documentation. Go with me on this. It’s time to pull those lips in, draw the arms down, turn the wrist and point the cameras away from ourselves. You with me?! We can do this. I know Facebook and Twitter make it…
Not to get all stereotypical on you, but the event you’re about to encounter could be considered very Sex and the City–fashion season has arrived. Ladies, whip out your Manolo Blahniks and your Jimmy Choos, and don’t forget to take a sip of that Cosmopolitan before you head out the…
If you ever played Mouse Trap as a child, then you know just how frustrating the supposedly fun board game could be. First, you open the box and find all the pieces. Then, you attempt to follow the step-by-step instructions to complete the Rube Goldberg nightmare and capture the mouse…
I’m not spoiling Shane Mauss’ act by describing his introduction gag, because it’s obvious what he’s doing. Also, because it’s not that funny. Anyway, he lists recent accomplishments, like his wedding anniversary, his fourth year sober, having lost 250 pounds, etc. They’re obvious lies, so don’t succumb to clapping peer…
You know that saying “you learn something new every day”? Well, ladies and gentlemen, you’re about to learn something right now! This very second! Right this moment! Forgive me if I sound like the ShamWow guy–someone forgot to turn off the TV last night and I think the infomercials brainwashed…
If you’ve ever seen an episode of Tough Crowd With Colin Quinn or a Comedy Central roast, then you’ve probably experienced the comedic stylings of one Greg Giraldo. Name not ringing a bell? He’s usually the guy on stage that has to stand there and take crap from other comedians…
Sometimes in our modern world, it pays to be an individual. If you have a unique way of thinking about things, you could potentially invent some new wonder product, become the next big thing in the art world or make really weird music videos. But at other times, it pays…
