Email Author Becky Bartkowski

2013 Stories by Becky Bartkowski

• Flapper Flings

  published May 9, 2013

  Giddy with Gatsby fever, are we? Yes, indeed. That's thanks to this week's release of Baz Luhrmann's film adaptation of the classic,... More >>

• Digging Deeper

  published May 2, 2013

  Aziz Ansari's latest stand-up sets have revolved around one big ol' universal topic: relationships. Themes of dating, marriage, and kids (and a... More >>

• In The Now

  published May 2, 2013

  Contemporary Forum is dedicated to bringing contemporary artwork to Phoenix Art Museum. That's why every year the organization awards grants to... More >>

• Concrete Details

  published April 18, 2013

  Though she recently left Phoenix for Portland, Blooming Rock Development founder Taz Loomans hasn’t written off this Valley entirely. ... More >>

• Day Dress Traders

  published April 18, 2013

  Just how far along are you in your spring-cleaning endeavors -- on a scale of filth to Martha? Mm-hm, thought so. Instead of jamming everything... More >>

• The Sopranos

  published April 11, 2013

  Though the Phoenix run of Arizona Opera's The Marriage of Figaro has wrapped, those who missed out on the opulent comedy (and don't wish... More >>

• Backstroke

  published April 11, 2013

  You might expect someone with the name Lisa Starry to have an artistic obsession with celestial bodies, but based on the modern dance... More >>

• Drink and Thrive

  published April 11, 2013

  If you're under the impression that botany's boring, perhaps author Amy Stewart's The Drunken Botanist ($19.95) will get you thinking... More >>

• Camera Ready

  published April 4, 2013

  Certainly, Phoenix isn't the biggest of movie towns, but Bird City has served as shooting grounds for such notable flicks as Psycho,... More >>

• Sweeter Things

  published April 4, 2013

  Dentists be damned; Chow Bella and Smeeks' Caramelpalooza is back. In its fourth year, the sweets-centric showdown features wrapped-up goodies... More >>

• In Bloom

  published March 28, 2013

  Looks like fall's big fashion trend will be 1990s rocker duds -- flannel, Doc Marten-esque boots, Courtney Love levels of manicured... More >>

• Quick Study

  published March 28, 2013

  If high school history class had included live performances of notable events and featured characters dressed in full regalia, maybe we... More >>

• Triple Threat

  published March 28, 2013

  From comedic timing to sentence construction and artwork, the rule of three/thirds makes works more satisfying to audiences, readers, and... More >>

• Bragging Writes

  published March 21, 2013

  When relatives of the already-famous tout their familial ties, normally it does not bode well. So weary of name-droppers are we that it takes... More >>

• Luna Landing

  published March 21, 2013

  Native American performance artist James Luna (Puyukitchum/Luiseño) obeys no boundaries when it comes to his installations, which often... More >>

• Buzz Cuts

  published March 21, 2013

  New, vintage, and handmade goods meet gardening at Roosevelt Growhouse and GROWop Boutique. Makes sense, then, that the shop/community... More >>

• Core Concepts

  published March 21, 2013

  Go right ahead and bemoan Sarah Jessica Parker, Lululemon, and celeb trainer Tracy Anderson all you want. It doesn't change the fact that... More >>

• Product Trumps Process in "Creature-Man-Nature" at Mesa Contemporary Arts

  published March 14, 2013

  The six-foot saguaros dangling from the ceiling in "Creature-Man-Nature" at Mesa Contemporary Arts look like they could descend on you at any... More >>

• Mall Content

  published March 14, 2013

  While it's easy to get your antiquing on in just about any Valley 'hood, it sort of sucks that there's no be-all, end-all shopping mecca for... More >>

• Buyer Be There

  published March 14, 2013

  We've been known to marathon reality shows like Storage Wars, Pawn Stars, and American Pickers because it's fascinating to... More >>

• Partner Up

  published March 7, 2013

  We say "gay cowboys," and automatically you think Brokeback Mountain. We can't fault you, as Ang Lee's film adaptation of Annie Proulx's... More >>

• Money Talks

  published February 28, 2013

  Happiness can stem from many things. For example, we revel in listening to Kai Ryssdal deliver nightly business news on American Public Media's... More >>

• Southern Living

  published February 21, 2013

  First came Dads are the Original Hipsters. Then Portlandia announced that the 1890s are experiencing a rebirth in the Northwest. Somewhere... More >>

• An Affair to Remember

  published February 21, 2013

  When we catch ourselves idolizing the swanky starlets of Hollywood's golden age, we have to remind ourselves that those pin-curled babes dealt... More >>

• Special Engagement

  published February 14, 2013

  Louis CK is a creative-control freak. The guy directs, writes, and stars in his FX show Louie, picks how, when, and where he tours, and sells... More >>