The Rake: Your Take

Sydney Pollack Gave Me a Boner

Cristina Cordova — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 20:53:08 -0500

The Twitter post sat under my profile photo for almost two days.

"Bummed about Sydney Pollack."

It was pithy, but it was all I could muster at 2:30 in the morning. Sydney was dead. I had woken up in the middle of the night and rolled a drowsy finger over the laptop's touchpad to light up the screen. The news feeds, usually dormant on Sunday nights, served up the reports.

Jumping Off the Kawarau Bridge

Cristina Cordova — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 18:08:16 -0500

Postcards from the Edge

I Have Fun Everywhere I Go

Cristina Cordova — Mon, 26 May 2008 17:40:37 -0500

I have no tolerance for pot dealers who insist on sharing a bowl every time they conclude a transaction. I don't need to seal my drug deals with shiny happy-people vibes; that's what I bring the money for. But that's just me; when it comes to harnessing good vibes, I'll take the mayhem of Altamont over the "brotherhood" of Woodstock every time.

In Defense of Tou Saiko Lee

Cristina Cordova — Tue, 20 May 2008 12:50:06 -0500

Dance Is a Visceral, Powerful Voice

Cristina Cordova — Sun, 18 May 2008 11:38:13 -0500

Off-Leash Area responds to accusations of racism from the author of their latest production, Border Crossing.

What is your secret weapon?

Cristina Cordova — Sun, 18 May 2008 14:12:54 -0500

Publisher Kristin Henning: x-ray vision

Chief Operating Officer Matt Bartel: [No response yet, but here's a guess from the editor.]

Advertising Director A.J. Kiefer: short shorts

Chief Editor Cristina Córdova: Self-righteous indignation!
A&E Editor Kate Iverson: Carrot Juice (only sometimes with vodka)

Sauced Again

Cristina Cordova — Mon, 12 May 2008 22:21:52 -0500

Why does Papa's Pizza and Pasta keep getting overlooked?

Don't Take Bags from Anyone

Cristina Cordova — Wed, 07 May 2008 22:37:57 -0500

Disheartened by plastic

Standing Ovation

Cristina Cordova — Tue, 06 May 2008 19:38:44 -0500

The Films of Carlos Reygadas

Cristina Cordova — Tue, 06 May 2008 21:09:04 -0500

The screen is black. A mass of ambient sounds emerges to pull the viewer into an immediate state of hypnosis. Crickets and a plethora of other insects are making their voices heard. Cattle and roosters join in, birds chirping, all while the camera slowly spins around with the grace of a Hitchcock film. At first a bit disorientating, soon it's evident we're looking at the nighttime sky onscreen, clouds and stars all together to form a perfect symbiosis with the soundtrack. The camera settles, and some light appears on the horizon. As the sun rises, two

The Cost of Silence

Cristina Cordova — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:17:59 -0500

The author of Border Crossing apologizes for OffLeash Area's failure to give voice to the oppressed.

Surdyks USED to be pleasant

Cristina Cordova — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:16:11 -0500

Helen Back for Beer & Foosball

Cristina Cordova — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:03:46 -0500

Postcards from the Edge

The New Thirty

Cristina Cordova — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:10:27 -0500

Postcards from the Edge

Dude Weather Fan Mail

Cristina Cordova — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:14:44 -0500

Postcards from the Edge

It's Wages, Stupid!

Cristina Cordova — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:24:15 -0500

Thanks for All the Years

Cristina Cordova — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:28:22 -0500

In Defense of Street Art

Cristina Cordova — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 19:19:40 -0500

I was a street artist. If you prefer, I was a vandal. I started out, as most artists do, humbly. A can of russet Rustoleum with a couple of friends, scrawling vague leftist slogans on the abandoned railroad factory buildings in my hometown. Alleyway dumpsters and streetlit governmental properties were my first canvases. Then came small stencils: a tiny smokestack to spray on the outside of the asbestos-stuffed empty shells of our small town's industrial past. They were just little gestures, not even aesthetically pleasing, but to us it was the start of

What is your favorite bumper sticker?

Cristina Cordova — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:21:55 -0500

Publisher Kristin Henning: Hang Up and Drive.

Chief Operating Officer Matt Bartel:

Editor Cristina Córdova: Good thing I brought my library card, 'cause I'm checking you out.

Calendar Editor Jennifer Havrish: Baby Jesus cries every time you don't use your turn signal.

Advertising Director A.J. Kiefer: In case of rapture... I have dibs on your TV

Please, Oh, Please, No!

Cristina Cordova — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 14:20:14 -0500

Red Handed in Nicaragua

Cristina Cordova — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 15:09:53 -0500

Keep Them Rakes Comin'!

Cristina Cordova — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 12:40:46 -0500

What! No Oliver?

Cristina Cordova — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:24:16 -0500

Desire to See an Arab Perform

Cristina Cordova — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:50:14 -0500

Pawlenty as McCain's running mate?

Cristina Cordova — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:31:24 -0500

The Best Jazz Club in the Midwest

Cristina Cordova — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 11:05:20 -0500

Discontinuing Print

Cristina Cordova — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 13:22:21 -0500

St. Paddy, Please

Cristina Cordova — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 18:01:52 -0600

Self-Deprecating Fun

Cristina Cordova — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 10:45:13 -0600

Closed Down

Cristina Cordova — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 10:47:55 -0600