The art I ♥:

Theatre, Live Music, Dance, Cinema

Listening:

I like a little bit of everything and anything that can make me want to dance is on the top of my list – Grace Potter, Bruno Mars, John Mayer, Florence and the Machine, Maroon 5, and Mumford and Sons are among my favorites right now. But I will always have a soft spot for 90’s pop.

Watching:

New Girl, The New Normal, Parenthood, Friends, and anything that can make me laugh or think.

Reading 

I can’t even remember the last time I got to read a book solely for pleasure. That is goal number one post graduation.

Dining:

There are so many choices in Fort Collins that it’s hard to pick just a few favorites…Jax, Lulu’s, Café Vino, Los Tarascos, Gravity, and my new obsession is Black Bottle Brewery!

Browsing:

I’m an online shopping addict, so any site where I can get a new outfit is probably where you’ll find me most of the time. Otherwise I’ll be on Facebook, Google, or checking my e-mail.

Working:

Right now I’m working as a server at Buffalo Wild Wings but I’m planning on moving to Southern California after I graduate this May and pursue a job in digital marketing and/or consulting.

Giving:
I’m hugely involved in Cans Around the Oval and Relay for Life each year through the College of Business but I also dedicate time to Articulate City as part of the Support Committee.
Avoiding:
Negative people and negative things, mostly.

Fancying:
Getting the most out of Fort Collins before I move this summer. I always fancy good friends, family, and a glass of red wine, though.

The art I ♥:
Visual Arts, Theatre, Live Music, Dance, Literary Arts, Cinema, and Edible Art.

 Listening:

I love all different types of music. Ingrid Michaelson, Brandi Carlile, Joshua Radin, The Lumineers, and a bunch of other singer/songwriter types are great. I love fun. (a little too much?), Tay-Swift, and Kelly Clarkson. I also want to be bffs with Zac Brown.

Watching: Holy cripes. I watch way too much TV.

TV Staples: Parks and Rec, The Office, 30 Rock, Friends, Modern Family, Vampire Diaries, HIMYM, Veronica Mars, Glee, Arrested Development. I recently fell in love with on the tube: Breaking Bad, Homeland, The League, Dexter, and New Girl.

Movie Staples: Juno, 500 Days of Summer, Sixteen Candles, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Zoolander, Love Actually, and The Sandlot (among a million others).

Reading:

I honestly rarely read (eek…sorry…grad school will do that to you!) But since I have this obsession to become Tina Fey 2.0, Bossypants is probably the best thing I have read recently(or…ever…if you are reading this Tina Fey). Also Perks of Being a Wallflower, Harry Potter,and the Hunger Games were/are great.

Dining:

I love soup. I love dip. I love cheese. I love wine. So, any place with those “food groups” are good in my book . I have almost never turned down food.

Browsing:

Google. Facebook. Twitter. Pinterest. Buzzfeed. Mashable. Modcloth. Tvline.com. I spend way too much time online.

Working:

I currently work for CSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences as a Web Content Coordinator. Eventually I would LOVE to work for the entertainment industry as a writer/content producer.

Giving:

I used to volunteer for Special Olympics basketball in Denver, and loved it. The kids were ah-mah-zing, and so incredibly talented. I also volunteered for Camp Wapiyapi (check it out folks!), which is a week-long camp for kids who have cancer, and their siblings.

I also like to be the go-to-pop-culture-guru for my friends. I volunteer plenty of time to research pop culture so I know what I am talking about…

Avoiding:

Bad (or SLOW) drivers; also people who do not know how to merge in traffic; people who do not like Tina Fey; loogies; stubborn people; Oreos (or cookie-and-cream flavored things)

Fancying:

I fancy my boyfriend, Yager, who is pretty neat; blue frost Gatorade; dips; wine nights with the LAAAADIES!; nail polish (and ACCENT NAILS!); when people tell me I look like Kristen Bell; glitter; Temple Run and Tiny Wings on iPad; miniature anything (baby corn, puppies,gerkins, ya know!); my homies.

At Articulate City we have been able to recruit some pretty fantastic committee members to join us. One such member is Courtney Allen.  She brings amazing design, writing, editing and social media skills to the table! In addition to volunteering on our marketing team, Courtney is a web content editor for the National Park Service. We feel extremely lucky to have our very own Leslie Knope (really can’t ever resist a Parks and Rec reference) helping us promote Articulate City.

The art I ♥:

□ Visual Arts  □ Theatre  □ Live Music  □ Dance  □ Literary Arts  □ Cinema

Listening:

I like most everything, but some of the concerts I’ve had the most fun at include: Gomez, Idina Menzel, Garth Brooks, Jimmy Buffett, Of Monsters and Men, fun., Elton John, Reba McEntire, Jason Aldean, Gary Allan, Fierce Bad Rabbit, Tim McGraw/Faith Hill, Rascal Flatts, Third Eye Blind, Adele, and Celine Dion. I also used to listen to Tom Petty’s Free Fallin’ on repeat in the 4^th grade, and it’s still a favorite of mine.                                                                                               

Watching: 

I’ve seen every single episode of the following: Friends, Sex and the City, Grey’s Anatomy, 30 Rock, The Big Bang Theory, and Criminal Minds. My favorite movie of all-time is While You Were Sleeping.

Reading:

I’m really enjoying The Wicked Years series by Gregory Maguire. The Broadway musical Wicked is based off the first book.                                                                                                                   

Dining:

Chipotle, Panera Bread, ingredient restaurant, Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop, Suh Sushi, Suehiro, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, The Cheesecake Factory, The Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant, Little Italy in New York City, my own kitchen, my sister’s kitchen, my mom’s kitchen, your kitchen, hot dog carts on the street, anywhere food is served.

Browsing:

Best time wasters: what should we call me and surisburnbook.tumblr.com.

Working:

I work for The National Park Service as a Web Content Editor.

Giving: 

SOAR (Speaking Out About Rape), The Alzheimer’s Association, The Arthritis Foundation, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, The Animal Foundation.

Avoiding:

Homophobia, misogyny, rape culture, animal abuse, condescension, closed mindedness, people who wear cologne/perfume at the gym.

Fancying:

My dog (Seeley), family, friends, driving with the windows down, chocolate, laughter, Kevin McKidd, Scottish accents, hiking 14ers, musicals, smiles, new experiences.

The art I ♥:
Live Music

Listening:

Right now I’m all about Lianne La Havas, Walk the Moon, Bedouin Soundclash and Imagine Dragons. I also can’t wait for Local Natives new album that comes out on Jan. 29^th. In the car though I listen to 107.9 The Bear …I LOVE the classics, Led Zeppelin, Tom Petty…

Watching:

I watch way too much TV. Regularly I watch New Girl, The Mindy Project, Parenthood and basically everything on Bravo. My favorite films of all time are Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Bull Durham, and Almost Famous.

Reading:

Currently, I’m reading How to Get Rich by Felix Dennis

Dining:

Rodizio Grill, Bent Fork and Ingredient are my favorite restaurants. Outside of the occasional salad, I’m a meat and potatoes girl.

Browsing:

Pinterest and The Huffington Post

Working:

I’m a Project Manager with Mantooth Marketing Company.

Giving:

Currently I spend most of my time volunteering with the Junior League of Fort Collins.

Avoiding:

So many things: pickles, carnations, the ending of most independent films, laundry…

Fancying:

Apartment shopping and DIY decorating

The art I ♥:
Visual Arts, Live Music and Cinema.

Listening:
Most Indie music. Top bands currently, just to name a few, Fun., Passion Pit, Blind Pilot, Trevor Hall, Death Cab for a Cutie and Mumford and Sons. I love discovering new bands. For more of an upbeat tempo, I quite enjoy dubstep/electronic/techno for dance parties, Fridays at work and cleaning-house days.

Watching:
Parks and Recreation and The Big Bang Theory are my top TV shows. Favorite movie of all time is The Princess Bride. Close runners up are: Lord of the Rings trilogy, What Happens in Vegas, Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, Gladiator, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and many more.

Reading:
I love fiction books and letting my mind create the image. I have a tendency to read two books at a time. Some of my favorite authors recently are: Stephen R. Lawhead, Ted Dekker,Andrew Peterson, and Suzanne Collins.
Dining:
I love food.  Breakfast is one of my favorite meals: Rainbow, Snooze, and Choice City. Dinner is also a favorite: Gravity 1020, Restaurant 415, Big Al’s, Cozzolas’s pizza, El Monte,Suehiro/Suh Sushi… I could keep going. Guilty pleasure eating: Raising Canes….

Browsing:
StumbleUpon, Pinterest, Facebook, and Google News are my main time killers. They all lead me to other fantastic sites that kill more of my time. I love the internet!

Working:
Employed at LabelTec Inc. in the graphics department. Helping make Labels look their best. Self-employed freelance designer. Main feature: Neckties. I design art/images for ties. My medium is vinyl that I self apply. I also do custom ties for the inspired. For more information, check me out at Affixgraphicdesign.com. I’m also on Facebook at Affix Graphic Design.

Giving:
Currently volunteering my graphic design skills for Articulate City, and my brother-in-law’s band Chris Tripolino.

Avoiding:
I  try to avoid going to the grocery store hungry and at 5pm, Walmart, waiting till I’m on empty to fill up my gas tank, an empty roll of toilet paper in my bathroom,  awkward situations (the bad kind), and being addicted to coffee.

Fancying:
My new love is my puppy, Marvin. He’s a Shepard/Boxer mix and the cutest darn thing out there. He is such a joy to have around, and keeps me very busy. But thankfully he keeps himself busy at times by chasing his tail and napping a lot.  My new crush is on the Dyson Animal vacuum. Someday, I plan on finally being able to defeat the dog hairs. Currently my favorite people are my roommates, Anna and Kevin. They keep me sane, laughing, and happy. I love them lots!

Megan Waugh, former Articulate City intern and recently crowned Articulate City Princess (we should totally have a coronation ceremony) will be spearheading the organization this year. With some advice and assistance from the co-queens, and via the creation of a few key committees to help her lead the charge, Megan will provide direction for all the fun, festivities and friendship that have made Articulate City the premier arts-and-culture social club in Fort Collins since its inception in 2006. The citizens of Articulate City will continue to put the art in party, of course, with some of them even pitching in to help with planning events and getting the word out about what makes this all such a good time.

Please join us in welcoming Megan to her new role, get ready to renew your membership (it’s the best welcome we can think of) and look forward to ushering in lucky year #7 with us.

**Note: eek! the first event of the year is already upon us, so we’re kicking it old school to start things off. The co-queens will be hostessing a casual First Friday Gallery Walk get-together this Friday (Jan. 4) at Cranknstein, our favorite clubhouse. Come ask us questions about the upcoming year, pick up your 2013 membership and get (re)connected! It won’t be long before the Sutter Sisters eventually fully transitional their role in the arts community to something like this, so come bask in our still-somewhat-youthful glow on Friday.

The art I ♥: 

I can’t choose. I love them all!

Listening:
This summer, I’m into Thievery Corporation and Mazzy Star and the Black Crowes. I tend to fall for a song and listen to it over and over (which is often annoying to other people). What can I say? I’m quirky.

Watching:
Favorite films: “Once” for the overall beauty, “Best in Show” for the laughs, and “The English Patient” for the blow-me-away cinematography.

Reading:
I love books! Right now I’m reading  Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout (it’s stunning) and an Italy travel guide, and also Bringing Up Bebe as research for a book-length project I’m considering. As far as magazines, I subscribe to Outside, Afar, High Desert Journal, and Poets and Writers.

Dining:
Tasty Harmony and Los Comales 

Browsing:
I’m not really a web browser. I prefer the natural world—things that I can touch with my hands.  I get necessary stuff done online and then happily unplug.

Working:
I’m a writer, and I split my time between freelance work and literary projects. Traveling and experiencing new adventures and people are my favorite things in life.  I’m up for (almost) anything.  Someday, I would like to teach a writing workshop in an exotic place.

Giving:
I volunteer on a committee with the Arts Incubator of the Rockies. I love donating to funky Kickstarter projects and supporting local artists and giving to environmental organizations.

Avoiding:
Smartphones and small talk.

Fancying:
I’m doing a solo trip to Rome in October, based on a recurring dream, which seems like a crazy thing to do, but I’m going after it. My husband is amazing, because he’s happy to stay back with our kids, and he supports my need to roam, and he’s very cute.

Meet Articulate City’s Skippy Smith! Skippy  has not only been a loyal member to our organization, but an asset to the arts community in Fort Collins! His years of curiosity and dedication to learning photography have transformed him into one of Northern Colorado’s go-to photographers. His creative and spontaneous works have earned him a great deal of respect from his clients and especially with his fellow art-lovers! Read on to see how his appreciation for the arts makes him a perfect match for us!

The art I ♥: Visual Arts

Listening:
Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Genesis, Joe Jackson, New Order, Alan Parson’s Project

Watching:

Movies: Alien, Casablanca.  TV: Original Star Trek, The Avengers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Space 1999, All Creatures Great and Small.

Reading:
Magazines: Reason and a slew of fashion magazines so I can keep up on fashion photography trends. Books of the moment: You Are Not A Gadget, I Know Who You Are and I Saw What You Did, and Autumn: Purification

Dining: My kitchen.  Fish, fresh veggies and fruit, shrimp, and lately Oreos.  Chocolate filled Oreos.

Browsing: Mostly pod casting sites – EscapePod, PseudoPod, Miette’s Bedtime Story Podcast, LibriVox.  Jamendo for music.

Working: Working as photographer for myself, On The Fly Photography.  Working as a theatre & lighting tech at Lincoln Center, Midtown Art’s Center and Caldera Event Group.

Giving: FoCoMX photography slave, Turning Point’s Zombie Crawl, SpokesBUZZ video slave.

Avoiding:  Filling out “about you” questioners, presidential election commentary, Pintrest.

Fancying:
Cats, listening to pod casts or audio books while biking and trail running, plotting to launch a podcast about photography.

The art I ♥:  Literary Arts, Visual Arts, Cinema

Listening:  The Killers, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Adele. I still love that song from the 90s from Chumbawamba—“Tubthumping.” I think it might be my theme song. I really relate to the idea of getting knocked on my ass more times than I can count, but always getting back up again! And having another drink, of course.

Watching:  I can’t get enough of Modern Family! That show cracks me up.  I relate a little too closely to the mom, I think.

Reading:  I read constantly—it’ s so hard to pick a favorite! But I am looking forward to the Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides, and the new memoir by Joan Didion. I saw her read once, she had the biggest hands I’ve ever seen on a woman.

Dining:  I am in love with Lucile’s, as I’m sure everyone in Fort Collins is! I’m from the south originally (North Carolina) and can’t get enough collards—ever.

Browsing:  Huffingtonpost.com. More times in a day than is good for one’s mental health.

Working:  I’m currently working on a collection of short stories. I used to teach community college English, and am looking at getting back into it after a five year hiatus spent raising my daughter Lucy and writing more failed novels than I care to count.

Giving:  Currently I volunteer at Matter Bookstore (yay!) and Lucy’s elementary school. I get to read to the kiddos and direct their answers on a short quiz. Everyone gets an A, it’s total crap. But a lovely way to spend an afternoon.

Avoiding: Negative energy, the prices at Whole Foods, bad drivers, people talking too loud on their cell phones.

Fancying:  Right now, I am fancying some time at the beach! Any ocean will do, though the warmer the better. Public nudity optional.

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