Scary Good Costumes

October Letters to the Editor

"You guys are showing your bias (“A Republican in Boulder,” September)! How about “A Democrat fighting for respect in RED Colorado Springs!” I threw your magazine away."

Waiting For Your Number

Some lotteries you don’t want to win. I’m sitting here, sore butt on a wooden end table in a room packed with everyday people just like me and you, hoping my number, twenty-seven, seventy five, doesn’t get called. It’s barely 9 and my quadruple shot of espresso Americano hasn’t kicked in. Yet...

Ruff on the Neighbors

You shouldn’t mow your lawn with a loud, gas-powered chopper at 6 a.m. on the weekend. It’s common courtesy to hold out and allow neighbors some uninterrupted sleep. The same should go for dog owners bringing their loud pups to play at any of Boulder County’s dog parks.

Rising Cost of Books

Library books are getting pretty darn expensive these days. That is, if you are a resident of Superior who likes to use the Louisville Public Library...

Forever Following the Same Script

The problem with virtually every new shopping center is monotony—they rarely offer anything more than a duplicate of the same stores six miles down the road. FlatIron Crossing is trying to avoid walking the same path...

No More Trash

A resident on Lafayette’s Emma Street upset neighbors by piling a large quantity of items and debris his yard. He claimed it was personal belongings but the city disagreed, and he was found guilty of blight...

There’s Diamonds in These Hills

Think Africa has diamonds? Phff, those mining outfits have nothing on an area just outside of Fort Collins...

Check Out a Firestone Strip Mall

Hark, there is life on the other side of I-25. This is not just another big grocery anchored mall, the mom-and-pop shops offer top-notch eating, grooming and fitness options within easy reach of home...

Get a Brain, Get in the Game

Polls are jet fuel for the news media. They give the partisan pundit gasbags something “new” to talk about—who’s ahead and by how much, how the latest political ad is changing opinions—and analyze ad nauseam on nearly a daily basis.

One Really Long Ballot

Sure, the whole Obama vs. McCain battle gets all the glory, but voters in Colorado need to be prepped on so much more than the race for the White House.

October Picks

A Daily Dose of Diversions

Editor’s Picks

October's Best A&E

8 Questions with Actor/Comedian Bill Bellamy

You may recognize him from his work hosting Last Comic Standing on NBC (or his lesser-known and funnier show, Who’s Got Jokes on TVOne), but Bill Bellamy’s been a staple of the American comedy scene for a lot longer. In addition to being a comedian, Bellamy can hold his own on the big screen. His movie career includes roles in How to Be a Player, Love Jones and The Brothers opposite talents like Nia Long and D.L. Hughley.

Just Like Home

There are no pool tables, bar-top videogame-quiz machines or scofflaws sneaking cigarette puffs; this is not the typical tavern I frequent. Nope, Ciao is a colorful, classy joint serving the suburban Lafayette professional set.

Great Moments in Technology

As I type this, the new Hadron Collider somewhere under the Alps on the French/Swiss border has just had its first successful test. For those of you who have been living under a rock for the last several years, the Hadron Collider is the biggest particle accelerator on Earth.

One Really Long Ballot

Sure, the whole Obama vs. McCain battle gets all the glory, but voters in Colorado need to be prepped on so much more than the race for the White House.

Scary Good Costumes

There are three types of people: Those who spend months creating a Halloween costume, those who refuse to dress up, and those of us who wish we had the time to be clever, but instead just throw together something at the last minute...

Romeo and Juliet

Act As If—Play Your Role The No. 1 rule of pulling off a great Halloween costume is living the role. Regardless if we’re talking about couple or single costumes, transform your entire being for the evening. If you love Romeo and Juliet (costumes from Area Rent-Alls in Westminster), overdue the makeup, memorize some lines to recite at your party and feel free to break into Shakespearian...

Young Barack Obama

Do the Man of the Hour—Circa 1981 Don’t show up to your neighbor’s party just wearing a Barack mask and blue, presidential-looking suit. Because it will be so awkward when Bill from next door arrives in the same costume. Try Young Barack for a twist. All it takes is a good with a mask, ’fro wig, bomber leather jacket and college text book (see our inspiration at tinyurl.com/53ucv8). Or...

Ali G

Modern—Not the Obvious One Sacha Baron Cohen is a comedic genius. His recent accolades surround his Borat character. But to see his true talent, you have to check out some of the older YouTube clips of Ali G, the ghetto fabulous news reporter that managed to interview some of the smartest and most well known people on the planet. Borat costumes have been hot since last year’s release of the...

Dolly Parton

Pop Culture Icon—Old School Yeah, you could be Britney Spears, but that’s so 2007. There are plenty of other pop culture icons that can be the hit of the party. For example, when was the last time you saw someone dressed as country singer Dolly Parton during a Halloween shindig? Or try these old-time icon ideas: Madonna is making her first ever tour stop in Colorado next month; it may be...

Used Car Salesman

Clueless—Trust the Vintage Shop Stumped? Have no worry. Just walk into the nearest vintage shop with an open mind. It turns out the shop owners know their stock inside (sizes and styles) and out and are generally really creative. This is where acting helps out immensely. A used car salesman is nothing new. But take it to a level beyond the hideous plaid by turning up the cheese thicker than...

Locally Incorrect

It should have been a milkbath, but instead, one gutsy pet cow held her own and lived to boast about chasing off a big, bad, wild black bear. The interspecies cockfight went down in Hygiene when Jack McDonald saw his pet cow, Apple, going “face-to-face” and “nose-to-nose” with a bear.

Resturant Rumblings

Tasty tidbits from the dining world

Pizza Challenge

It’s been months since we published our Best of the West winners (April), so getting a phone call a few weeks ago questioning one of our picks seemed a little out of the blue. We love hearing from readers, and this East Coaster’s query was a lightly veiled challenge:

Tibetan Adventure

Somewhere north of India lies the high mountainous terrain of Tibet. The small plateau in the middle of China claims only two-and-a-half million people. And, as far as my research was able to tell me, they eat a great deal of beef and mutton—sometimes boiled, sometimes dry, sometimes raw.

Challenging Elements: Pumpkin

One ingredient; 24 hours