Israel

6th Annual Palestine Film Festival

Birds of Bethlehem

New Palestinian restaurant Al Aseel is turning out some wonderful roasted chicken.

Wine for Hanukkah, the Festival of Fried Foods and Olive Oil

Photos by Jeremy Parzen.Tomorrow night is the first night of Hanukkah. In the U.S., Ashkenazi Jews eat potato pancakes to celebrate the festival. Here and in other parts of the world, Sephardi Jews eat doughnuts.​You don't need me to tell you why we eat fried foods for Hanukkah, the Jewish fes ... More >>

Why do Americans Call Mexicans "Illegal"?

And what do Mexicans think of Koreans?

Brigitte Gabriel Bringing Her Islamophobe Spiel to Katy's First Baptist Church

Brigitte Gabriel, coming to town.​If you're wanting to hear a bigoted, pathetically overbroad stereotyping of a religion and a culture, what better place to go to than a church? First Baptist Church in Katy, to be exact. They're hosting a speech by Brigitte Gabriel, the rightwing ranter who's ... More >>

Family in Captivity

Brigitte Gabriel, coming to town.​If you're wanting to hear a bigoted, pathetically overbroad stereotyping of a religion and a culture, what better place to go to than a church? First Baptist Church in Katy, to be exact. They're hosting a speech by Brigitte Gabriel, the rightwing ranter who's ... More >>

Calling All Sluts

Time to fight back

“F Stop in Black & Color”

Time to fight back

Buxton, Wild Moccasins Join New West Records

Here at Rocks Off, we try our best to cover all the local music news, both large and small. Where else are you going to read that you can play Slim Thug on Words With Friends? It is reasons such as these that we trudge the war zones of RSS feeds, seeking out crucial tidbits of information. Buxton o ... More >>

Autumn Feasting at Animal Farm Center

​Halloween night, while most Houstonians were busy trick or treating, a few gathered at Animal Farm Center in Cat Spring for a decadent afternoon and evening. Jason Kerr (a chef and an EOW contributor) was on hand to serve up food brought in fresh from local vendors, including produce harveste ... More >>

Brunch at Animal Farm Permaculture Center

​Off the beaten path, down a dirt road and out in the middle of nowhere, in Cat Springs, Texas, lies Animal Farm. I recently was invited out there for brunch by my longtime friend Gita Vanwoerden to scope out the location for an upcoming farm-to-table dinner called Under Autumn Skies. You ma ... More >>

Lotus Effect Reacts To HPMA Win Rather... Dramatically

Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group "Artist of the Week," bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies. Know a band or artist that isn't awful? Email their particulars to sheaserrano@gmail.com. ​Here's part of a email ... More >>

Wrong on Mormons? Stop Deportation

Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group "Artist of the Week," bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies. Know a band or artist that isn't awful? Email their particulars to sheaserrano@gmail.com. ​Here's part of a email ... More >>

Eyes Wide Open

Staying on the right path (whichever one that is)

A Playoff Victory For The Ages, Or For The Want Of A Good Travel Agent A Championship Was Lost

​As fans travel to Houston for the NCAA regionals, they can only hope their favorite team shows as much spunk, as much desire, as much can-do spirit as Beaumont's Southeast Texas Mavericks.The Mavericks are part of the American Basketball Association (suggested slogan: "Not the ABA You're Thinking ... More >>

Wild on Washington

The three-mile stretch of avenue is Houston's place to be if you're young, white, single and ready to party. At least for now.

Cinema Arts Festival Houston's H BOX Ain't No X-Box

​Films are once again being seen at the Alabama Theatre, thanks to Cinema Arts Festival Houston's H BOX by Portuguese architect/artist Dider Fiuza Faustino. A series of looped videos and short films are shown in the portable screening room (constructed from connecting panes of glass and alumin ... More >>

Last Call for Art: Cabaret, Houston Center for Photography, Enchanting Taiwan

Photograph by David M. AllenIf you catch Theater Under the Star's Cabaret on its last weekend, and we suggest you do, here's a tip: Don't sing along with the performers. (Hair Balls was treated to a performance of "Willkommen" by a fellow audience member during our visit on opening night.) But even ... More >>

Mexican Moors?

More likely than you think

Super Pita Bakery & Deli

Slow food with a Jewish soul

Movies Houstonians Love: Kingdom of Heaven

Web exclusive!

Dogs of War in Waltz with Bashir

This is both documentary and animated feature — and a remarkable bubbling up of repressed violence

No, You Can't Have Fries With That Prayer

Want some spiritual comfort, but not badly enough to get out of your car? Houston - where else? - has got you covered.The Christian non-denominational Succeed in Life Center near Shepherd and Tidwell has been offering drive-thru prayer service to members and non-members alike a couple of Saturdays a ... More >>

Israeli-Palestinian Comedy Tour

Cross-cultural comedians prove what’s so funny about peace, love and understanding

Jimmy Carter Man From Plains

Demme follows Carter's controversial book tour, and ends up with the same old narrative

Drenched in Blog: Kisslature

Demme follows Carter's controversial book tour, and ends up with the same old narrative

No Reservations

No Reservations is sweet and savory fare. Without the foam

Mail Call

On the Fence

The Plane Truth

Houston minister Dr. K.A. Paul flies around the globe using Jesus to pull in worldwide donations -- unfortunately spending more money on jet fuel than orphans

Schlepp to the Cinema

Houston minister Dr. K.A. Paul flies around the globe using Jesus to pull in worldwide donations -- unfortunately spending more money on jet fuel than orphans

Art-Hungry?

ArtHouston is a gallery of galleries

Brutal Bronx

More than three decades after Indian, not much has changed

Capsule Reviews

Our critics weigh in on local theater

Divine Decadence

Rabbis won't recognize this wild and wicked Holy Land

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Rabbis won't recognize this wild and wicked Holy Land

Stirred and Shaken

Old Heidelberg's Special

Everything's Kosher

Two new eateries lay down the Jewish dietary laws

Kane Mutiny

The industry's initial reaction to Welles's masterwork should serve as a lesson to WorldFest filmmakers

Calling Jews to Jesus

Southern Baptists go on a not-so-kosher search to convert Jews to Christ

Lunch with LLaughing BBoy

Southern Baptists go on a not-so-kosher search to convert Jews to Christ

A Cultural Question

Jewish Worlds is back after two years. It should have waited a third.

"My Culture Is My Beauty"

Iranian director Bahram Beizai lays bare his country's cinema