Email Author Becky Bartkowski

2011 Stories by Becky Bartkowski

• Dance Magic Dance

  published December 29, 2011

  Between a Fox News commentator’s assertion that The Muppets is brainwashing children to revile big business and a crew of Phoenix... More >>

• Wearable Art

  published December 29, 2011

  Anyone who’s attempted to clean out a closet has fallen prey to it: clothing calling up memories that save it from the dumpster or... More >>

• Wonder-Wall

  published December 22, 2011

  Snow globes symbolize a sort of sweetness and hope that comes with Christmastime. Never mind that Richard Gere uses one as a murder weapon in... More >>

• Chain Reaction

  published December 22, 2011

  If topics such as DNA nanoforms, synthetic proteins, and neutralizing rocket fuel byproducts are of great interest to you (or you’re just... More >>

• Bright Now

  published December 22, 2011

  With bumper-to-bumper traffic and road-ragers reigning supreme on Arizona pavement, the thought of taking a drive seems more like a surefire... More >>

• Double Vision

  published December 15, 2011

  Flashy shoes. Boobs. Identical twins. Things that come in pairs seem to be natural attention grabbers. While The Sklar Brothers don’t... More >>

• Smash-Dance

  published December 15, 2011

  Ballet often comes off more stuffy than captivating, with mental images of crankily prancing, poorly fed girls overshadowing the verve and... More >>

• Rug Runners

  published December 8, 2011

  Followers of The Dude and his abiding, "whatever man" ways no longer need to cross state lines to celebrate The Coen Brothers’ quotable... More >>

• Raw Hamburger

  published December 8, 2011

  Aggressively off timing, persistent throat clearing, alternating brutal and non sequitur punch lines drawling from a frowning mouth. With... More >>

• Black Friday

  published December 8, 2011

  Slip into your favorite little black dress for an evening that will celebrate the iconic, ever-chic fashion statement. The cocktail party includes... More >>

• Glad-Banding

  published December 8, 2011

  Everyone has their favorite holiday song, whether it’s the classic, jovial “Frosty the Snowman,” or the jazzy, bittersweet... More >>

• Have Your Cake

  published December 1, 2011

  Avid bakers and aspiring Betty Crockers prepping for holiday bake-athons will get a scientific breakdown of kitchen chemistry when Urban Cookies... More >>

• American Beauty

  published December 1, 2011

  Not many fashion shows have the potential to thwart cultural expectations, but during Native Style: Where Fashion is Heard there’s a good... More >>

• Intelligent Design

  published December 1, 2011

  Google an image of architect Fay Jones’ masterpiece Thorncrown Chapel. The non-denominational Arkansas house of worship is one of the... More >>

• Jam Session

  published December 1, 2011

  A recent study by finance website Bundle found that Scottsdale residents are some serious shopaholics, spending more money on average per month... More >>

• Return of the Joker

  published November 24, 2011

  When asked about her thoughts on the timely, tricky topic of the scarcity of women in comedy often and famously addressed by funny ladies... More >>

• Secret Circle

  published November 24, 2011

  Bad-ass ladies in killer jumpsuits are easy to come by. Toss some espionage into the mix, and the result is usually entertaining. Think ISIS... More >>

• Drive-Thru

  published November 24, 2011

  If your life simply isn't complete without Click and Clack’s rabble-rousing, cackle fest of automobile advice that is NPR’s Car... More >>

• Dark Wave

  published November 17, 2011

  This is no Swan Lake redux. When Stephen Petronio Dance Company performs Underland at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts prim,... More >>

• Holiday in the Sun

  published November 17, 2011

  Nary a sleigh glides through our dry desert streets. Same goes for appearances of snowflakes (rare and mythical), frosted window panes (huh?),... More >>

• Home Depot

  published November 10, 2011

  Despite Jay-Z and Nas’ consistent shout-outs to the projects, those who haven’t counted low-income, densely populated high-rises as... More >>

• Culture Vultures

  published November 10, 2011

  Televised artistic battles have reigned supreme on networks like Bravo since Project Runway's first stitch was sewn. Fierce competition,... More >>

• Seamless

  published November 10, 2011

  Picture this: the Palace of Versailles in the early ‘70s. The crème de la crème of French and American designers, including... More >>

• Purple Drank

  published November 3, 2011

  If we’ve learned anything from I Love Lucy, it’s that making wine isn’t a fancy pants excursion Although the Winemaker... More >>

• Match Point

  published November 3, 2011

  Horses, hats, and bottles of bubbly. Brits know what they’re doing when it comes to partying during polo matches. Get a crash course in... More >>