Author: Alicia

This month I started a new job. Survived a painful anniversary…and a robbery (not on the same day thankfully). Saved my cat (slight dramatization – but he was sick). Bought a car. Added a couple new writing outlets to my portfolio (Thrillist is below and stay tuned next month). Yeah, tough month.

I also wrote about You’re The Worst for Buzzfeed Community and Angry Birds for LinkedIn. And started writing about (and taking photos of) state parks for the Colorado Outdoors blog.

Jonás Cuarón Talks About his Savagely Intense Film Desierto
The Credits – Sept. 28

Desierto, Mexico’s official submission as Best Foreign Language Film to the next Academy Awards, doesn’t seem a likely inspiration for Gravity, which won seven Oscars in 2014. But when young filmmaker Jonás Cuarón showed the first draft of the script to his father Alfonso nearly 10 years ago, the elder Cuarón said he wanted to make a movie like it — in space.

What Learning to Backpack Taught Me About Colorado
Thrillist – Sept. 21

Growing up in the Great Plains, my only exposure to camping involved an RV. When I moved to Colorado in 2014, I didn’t have a closet full of old gear like the natives, and my family doesn’t do hand-me-down tents. All I had was a copy of Cheryl Strayed’s Wild and determination not to let my new location on the Front Range go to waste.

What Are Denver’s Booziest Neighborhoods?
5280.com – Sept. 14

Alcohol delivery service Drizly launched in Denver in 2014, and since then it’s been gathering some fascinating data on our residents’ unique tastes in booze. It should come as no surprise that the 80202 zip code—which includes the central business district, LoDo, and Riverfront Park—is Denver’s “thirstiest” area, year-to-date, according to Drizly. But this downtown locale also tops out all zip codes serviced by the app, including ones in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, and Washington, D.C.

In today’s pop culture, men with scars are sexy. But women are still expected to look perfect.
The Washington Post Solo-ish – Sept. 1

If Romeo were around today, he would be heavily scarred on his back or chest. Juliet would wax poetic about these signs of his strength and bravery.

This month I also published a piece in a prominent women’s magazine under a pen name. Alas, for legal reasons, that is the only clue I can give you.

I also contributed a book to this list of 10 Books Worth Reading This Summer. I have since read the book and can’t quite recommend it for the reasons I was first interested.

We asked each other 36 questions to fall in love. Then we broke up.
The Washington Post Solo-ish – July 27

Our first weekend as a couple, my boyfriend and I asked each other those 36 questions to fall in love, which appeared in a New York Times Modern Love column last year. We’d been friends for years and were giving things a shot, romantically.

8 Refreshing Summer Cocktails to Try
5280 – July 27, 2016

From spicy margs to tiki-inspired sippers, these are the drinks of the season.

Your Mountain Drinking Passport
5280.com – May 30, 2016

We all know by now that the mountains aren’t just for skiing. Now, a new program called Elevated Libations aims to further broaden the horizons of slope junkies and tourists alike by showcasing the unique experiences offered at mountain-town bars.

Why Adult Coloring Works for Christians
Christianity Today’s Her.meneutics – May 23, 2016

Last year, sales of coloring books in the US shot up from 1 million to 12 million units. The sales spike quickly prompted a slew of articles asking whether our culture is collectively stressed out and/or reverting to childhood hobbies. I, too, mocked the trend right up until I started coloring this year as a therapy tool and discovered that it settles my mind and helps me focus.

5 Cocktails for Cinco de Mayo
5280.com – May 3, 2016

Even if you have no real reason to celebrate the Mexican army’s underdog victory over French wanna-be colonists on May 5, 1962, Cinco de Mayo is still a great excuse to experience Denver’s tequila scene. Here, five agave-focused libations to get your party started. Bonus: Balance out all the drinking with tacos—check out our list of Denver’s 52 Top Tacos for some inspiration.

Animation Supervisors Are the Zookeepers On Disney’s Zootopia
The Credits – March 1, 2016

Kira Lehtomaki likes the idea of her role as the protector of “Judy Hopps.” Lehtomaki, an animation supervisor on Disney’s upcoming Zootopia, animated and supervised multiple segments of the feature film but was mainly responsible to oversee the female bunny police officer voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin.

Explore Denver’s Coffee Scene with the Fika Passport
5280.com – March 28, 2016

For me, spring conjures thoughts of coffee-shop meetings and lingering at cafés. The folks behind the Denver Passport Program seem to have read my mind with this week’s release of the first-ever coffee passport in Denver. Inspired by fika (fee-kah), an enviable Swedish cultural tradition that emphasizes slowing down to enjoy a mid-afternoon coffee break with a friend or co-worker, the new Fika Passport contains two-for-one coffee specials at each of the 24 participating cafés. The program runs from April 1 through October 1.

Super Bowl Cocktail Suggestions from Denver Bartenders
5280.com – Feb. 5, 2016

Whether you’re hosting or joining a Super Bowl party this weekend, themed drinks are a fun way to showcase your Broncos pride. But with blue and orange as a theme, that can be a little limiting. That’s why we asked a couple of experts—bar managers Joe Schratz from Punch Bowl Social and Anthony Hinojos at Terminal Bar in Union Station—for drink ideas that will impress any super fan.

The New Student Activists
Christianity Today Magazine – March issue

If college is a friendly environment for forming an argument or taking a stand, then Christian college students have perhaps even more reason than their peers to take action based on passionately-held beliefs.

True story: Between seeing one movie last month and writing the review, my car slid off the road. That’s how you know I’m a pro, right?

Sisters review
World magazine, Jan. 9

In the 1980s and again in the ’90s, the teen party movie became a staple. The genre has faded since then, but Hollywood replaced it with the adult party movie, a slightly tongue-in-cheek formula modeled on those teen movies and likely created mainly by adults who grew up on movies like Sixteen Candles or Can’t Hardly Wait.

The Force Is With Her
Christianity Today, Jan. 8

Star Wars: The Force Awakens probably would have made $1.5 billion even without its female lead. But it’s only fair that a female character get her due when she plays such a central—and compelling, thanks to actress Daisy Ridley— role in one of the most enduring and culturally-defining movie series in generations.

Where to Find Bulletproof Coffee in Denver
5280.com, Jan. 27

This popular beverage, made with coffee, grass-fed butter, and a shot of medium-chain triglyceride oil, supposedly increases your energy and helps you burn fat. Here’s where to get your fix.