Alabama

Health Department Roundup: Swagger, Kenny & Ziggy's, AKA Sushi and More

Swagger (3839 Southwest Fwy.) is a strange case. Some Yelp reviewers characterize the lounge as "hood," but it's located in Greenway, far from anything else fitting that description. (And it's good enough for Isaiah Carey). The bar's name suggests something fresh and fashionable, but Shakespeare act ... More >>

FFL Highlights (Fan Fighting League) -- Special Turkish Wheelchair Basketball Exhibition Bout

Much has been made over the last decade or two of the rise of popularity (and skill, quite frankly) in international basketball. Many trace it back to the 1992 USA Dream Team's ceremonious romp through the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. Ask any international star today between the age of 30 and ... More >>

Health Department Roundup: Greyhound Station-area McDonald's, Tiny Boxwoods and More

The McDonald's (2017 Main) across from the Midtown/downtown Greyhound station is a strange place. You half expect a crazed Dennis Hopper to pop out of the trash can, torso strewn with cameras, saying, "He likes you because you're still alive," talking about the manager on duty. Still, you can feel c ... More >>

Loitering Gone Awry: Police Need Help Identifying Purse-Snatcher, Mustang

There's a sign on the outside of a halfway house on Main Street just south of Alabama that I know because I've walked past it numerous times on my way to and from Continental Club and other restaurants and bars in that block. The sign says, "No Loitering or Hanging Around in Front of Office." I've c ... More >>

9 Cool & Cheap Weekenders: Alkari, Black Bananas, Chico Trujillo, Etc.

Pot luck show of the weekend: ElecTrick, The Space Villains and Los Area 51 tonight at Rudyard's. Free. It's the big Art Car Weekend, if you haven't heard, and you can get a peek at Saturday's parade at Discovery Green tonight at 6:30 with two solid hours of a murderer's row of local blues greats ... More >>

All Shook Up

The Alabama Shakes ride their momentum right into Houston.

Free for All: Art Without a Price Tag

It's the weekend and we've got lots to do, so let's get to it. On Friday, Art Attack will be at the "2012 HCP Print Auction Exhibition," along with hundreds of other photography fans. Individuals and organizations from around the world donate photos for the Center to auction. Some of the images were ... More >>

On Vibrate — Pop and Post-minimalism in American Music

Survival Skills

Jason Isbell sees a glimmer of hope in his true-to-life melancholy story-songs.

Is "Mexican" an Offensive Word?

And why can't Mexicans Get Over the Mexican-American War?

SPECIAL BEST-OF EDITION

What Part of Illegal Don't Mexicans Understand? And why do so many homes have wrought iron fences?

Tuscapalooza: As if You Needed an Excuse to Drink Beer

groovehouseAll-You-Can-Eat crawfish for a cause.​The string of tornados that tore across the Southern states on April 27, 2011 inflicted damage comparable to a category-five hurricane. It killed more 300 people and left thousands more homeless. The impact was especially severe in Tuscaloosa, a ... More >>

Top 5 Vegetarian-Friendly Restaurants

Ruggles Green.​After listening to The Smith's Meat is Murder album one too many times, I was a vegetarian for many years. And actually when I'm not setting out to sample a restaurant's most popular or signature dishes, I generally prefer to stick to the vegetarian menu options. When I'm goin ... More >>

Alabama's Yelawolf Charms Houston At In-Store Mixer

Photos courtesy of SF2​Yelawolf, Alabama's most mystifying rapper, stopped by Sunday night for a show at the House of Blues as part of the prep for his forthcoming Trunk Muzik: 0 to 60. While Rocks Off was not allowed to attend the show - our wife has this crazy notion in her head that a fath ... More >>

Happy Hour Scene: Under the Volcano

​The Place: Under the Volcano2349 Bissonnet St. 713-526-5282www.underthevolcanohouston.comThe Hours: Monday through Friday 2-7 p.m.The Deals: All drinks, except bottled beer and wine, are $1 cheaper than normal. The Scene: Under the Volcano has never seemed like a happy hour kind of place. The ... More >>

"Created and Found Maps - Exploration of Self and World"

From snail trails to markings on human bodies, this exhibit expands the notion of maps as art

Capsule Stage Reviews: Fear of Ducks, The Little Foxes, Romantic Comedy

Capsule Art Reviews: "Bert Long's RED Book", "Cosmos", "Group Show: Shoman, Benhelima, Forero, Zet, Wilson & Wolfson"

Obama Assassination: It's Not Just For Geometry Anymore!

Official White House photoObama, we hardly knew ye, but your death will help us teach geometry​A teacher in Alabama has been placed on leave after he used a hypothetical assassination of President Obama to teach his geometry class about angles.On the one hand, the guy's just trying to get his kids ... More >>

Capsule Stage Reviews: A Flea in Her Ear, The Little Foxes, Man from Nebraska, Uncivil Unions

Jorge and Isaac Alvarez and Ocean's Takes Over the Bistro Vino Site in Montrose

Photos by Margaret Downing​Houston, the city that loves sushi in all its forms, will have a chance to see how devoted it can be to its Hispanic cousin, ceviche, the appetizer that moves to main course at the about-to-be-opened Ocean's Restaurant at 819 W. Alabama (the former Bistro Vino locati ... More >>

Healthy Alternatives: Mission Burrito's Burrito Bowl

​Last week we attempted to find a figure-friendly burger to fill up our bellies. This week we were craving a Houston favorite: Mexican food. Specifically, something yummy from Mission Burrito. We love going to the original location at 2245 W. Alabama so that we can sit on the patio under the e ... More >>

Food and Fun Festival: Houston Press's Menu of Menus

​The Houston Press's annual gastronomical extravaganza, Menu of Menus, is fast approaching. Last year was my first year to attend and let me tell you, it was amazingly fun. Walking from booth to booth and sampling so many styles and flavors of cuisine was not only a treat, but surprisingly sat ... More >>

VD Gifts: Chocolate Bar's Pizza of Love

​Among the many Valentine's Day specials at the Chocolate Bar on Alabama is this giant chocolate pizza topped with cinnamon hearts, nuts and sparkling white icing and adorned with chocolate cupids and twin chocolate hearts. The chocolate pizza comes in an actual pizza delivery box and sells fo ... More >>

"2010 Print Auction Exhibition"

It's a buyers' market - an art buyers' market, that is

The Very Center Of The Center

Photo by Blake Whitaker​ We always knew it -- even with the closing of the Bookstop, the corner of Alabama and Shepherd is the center of the world. Or the "Center of the World Center," as the city's public works department might put it.We can only be glad that the Amboy Dukes didn't hire the DPW t ... More >>

The End Finally Comes For Wilshire Village

Photos by John Seaborn GrayThe view from Dunlavy​We've been following the slow end of the Wilshire Village apartment complex on Alabama, a once-charming relic that should never have seen the wrecking ball. But the wrecking ball has come, as these photos show.Once the process of demolition began, ... More >>

Steel Magnolias

Web exclusive!

"Fragmento"

Carlos Runcie-Tanaka builds ‘em up to break ‘em down

Guy Discovers Months Later His Car Wasn't Stolen, Just Impounded

Photo by di the huntressOn December 1, Jesse Elliot walked out of his apartment and realized his tricked-out Honda Accord - the car he loved - had been stolen. Jesse missed his morning classes at Universal Technical Institute, where he took mechanic classes, to file a report with the Precinct 4 Cons ... More >>

Texas Tech, Say Hello to Number Two

FLEMING'S OLD-FASHIONED

The Almeda-Genoa Icehouse Crawl

Two Outta Three Ain't Bad

Fire on the Strings Bluegrass Festival, featuring The Claire Lynch Band

“Apertura Colombia”

Colombian photographers tell graphic stories at the Station Museum of Contemporary Art

"Vivid Vernacular" at the Menil Collection

This show may be small in scale, but it's worth some time

Capsule Stage Reviews: Christmas Tree-O, Over the River and Through the Woods and The Scene

The College Football Preview, Week Six: The Red River Showdown, the Tears of Touchdown Jesus, the Glory of the Rice Owls

To Kill a Mockingbird

The Alley presents a rather austere production of an old warhorse

School Ranking 101

Sew Artsy

These ain't your grandma's afghans

Here Comes "Trouble"

Roll up to Everyone's Art Car Parade

Capsule Reviews

Our critics weigh in on local theater

Rub-a-Dub-Dub

Austin-based Grimy Styles lives up to its name

No Fear

The Drive-By Truckers' Southern Rock Opera redeems Skynyrd and the South

Thelma Kills a Mockingbird

Crazy's strong cast can't overcome a combo script

Dumb or Dumber?

Space cadets of Man or Astro-man? go to great depths to maintain a gimmick

News of the Weird

Wrap It Up

Anniversary Feast