Memorial Day

How to Make a Drunk Watermelon and Be the Hit of Your Memorial Day Party

Note: This is a reprint from last year. This almost goes without saying, but very few things complement an afternoon of barbecuing or grilling like a slice of ice-cold watermelon and a pleasant buzz. That's where Drunk Watermelons come in. A slice of Drunk Watermelon is the best of both worlds: s ... More >>

How To: Cornish Hens Under a Brick

With Memorial Day just a few days away, it is time to plan what you're going to grill to celebrate this wonderful outdoor holiday. While everyone else is probably going to be grilling burgers, hot dogs and chicken, be a little different and grill Cornish hens under a brick. Like most people, you pr ... More >>

Under $20 Bordeaux for Memorial Day, Earthy the Way I Like It

"Fruit forward" and "fruit bomb" are descriptors commonly used to describe "big" red wines, the kind you want to break out for Memorial Day, when you're going to be grilling and smoking. And hey, I've got nothing against fruit: Wine is made from fruit and it should taste like fruit. If it doesn't t ... More >>

Open Letter to Revival Market: More Kolaches, Please!

Dear Revival Market, I love Kolache Saturday, and it's all your fault. For inventing it. And for making the kolaches very, very delicious. Please make them every Saturday. Love, Christina Do you guys think that will work? Because I'm completely obsessed with Kolache Saturday, after Revival Market ... More >>

What's Cooking on Pinterest: Snow Cone Cupcakes

The "Food & Drink" section of Pinterest always has recipes that make you think, "hmm, would this actually work? or actually taste good?" That's why I am here -- to answer these questions for you and bring you weird, wacky and fun recipes from Pinterest. This week, looking through the Pinterest feed ... More >>

Aromatic White Wines for the Foods of Summer

Salade niçoise is a favorite summer dish at our house (and I've already made it twice since Memorial Day). Its simple summer flavors, combined with chunky olive oil-cured tuna and gently hard-boiled eggs, make for a nearly perfect balance of lightness and substance. While Bandol rosé is always g ... More >>

Comment of the Day: In Honor of Memorial Day?

We have some great commenters here on Hair Balls, and it's time we paid some damn attention to them. So we'll be highlighting a Comment of the Day each morning, from the previous day's work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous scientific formula involving wit ... More >>

Muscadet: A Best Value Summer White Wine

On a conference call with New York and Chicago last week, my colleagues were surprised to learn that it's already hitting 90 degrees Fahrenheit here along the Gulf Coast. They're still wearing evening sweaters, they said. I'm already in flip-flops and bathing trunks (even though we don't have a pool ... More >>

The Heat Is On: Temps Will Feel Like Summer Has Arrived This Week

Welcome to summer, Houston! While the actual beginning to summer is next month, Memorial Day is the unofficial signal that the hot weather is coming and every place you like to go for coffee will be packed with kids out of school. For Houstonians, it also marks the time of year when we begin to migr ... More >>

5 Ridiculous/Offensive Memorial Day Commercials

Some businesses are jerks for pimping a junk heap on wheels on Memorial Day. Others are silly for trying to sell sexual innuendo-heavy mattresses ("firm," "spread out," "not squishy") on a day that's supposed to be all about giving it up to American servicemen and women. Then there are these super- ... More >>

5 Memorial Day Pornos to Honor Our Country

Every Memorial Day, networks run marathons of classic war movies that dramatize the tragedies and victories our brave veterans experienced in service to their country. You bet we'll be watching Saving Private Ryan, Platoon, The Longest Day and a host of others. But you know what else we'll be watchi ... More >>

Summer's Here: The 11 Best Flag-Bikini Photos from Our Collection

Memorial Day marks the unofficial beginning of summer, and that means it's time for women to break out the bikinis. Sometimes, this bikini-breakening-out can mean a display of pride in their native land, whether that involves American-flag bikinis, Confederate-flag bikinis, Texas-flag bikinis or b ... More >>

Get Grilling: A Memorial Day Barbecue Roundup

Like most red-blooded Americans, I'll be grilling out with my family today in celebration of Memorial Day. (You're not barbecuing? COMMIE. McCarthy is coming for you.) So while I'm out back helping my dad tend to his famous pork butt, here are a few links to help you enjoy the day in style -- with e ... More >>

For Memorial Day: 10 Great Surprise Soldier Reunions (VIDEO)

Memorial Day is, of course, the day we honor those soldiers, sailors, airmen (of both sexes) and Marines who have given that last full measure of devotion. Luckily, most who serve do not have to do that. They sacrifice time with friends and family and put themselves in danger, but they do make it h ... More >>

Celebrate Memorial Day with A Festive Fruit Pizza

Memorial Day is just around the corner. With my brother, a U.S. Marine (oorah!), currently back home from his first deployment in Afghanistan, the holiday is near and dear to my heart. Wanting to make something special to celebrate and honor all those who have served and who continue to serve in ou ... More >>

Oyster Po' Boy with Remoulade: Only One Wine Will Do

At our house, we're already cranking up the A/C and bracing for the Texas summer. But with the arrival of the heat also comes my favorite time of our yearly gastronomic cycle, when fried and grilled foods are guiltlessly consumed in mass quantities. Summertime holidays -- from Memorial Day to the ... More >>

Inmates Diss Web Dating

Health Department Roundup

"WTF is a churro?"​Last week we couldn't bring you the roundup because the city slacked on updating its inspection records. The most logical explanation is the Memorial Day holiday threw off the schedules of those responsible for updating the site. But we're more inclined to believe that god i ... More >>

DEFCON Dining: Niko Niko's

Photos by Nicholas L. HallPita quesadillas: an unexpected hit.​I didn't grill on Memorial Day. I spent the day celebrating a family member's birthday, in an apartment too small for the extended gathering it held. There was only cake to eat. By the time the festivities were over, the entire fam ... More >>

Top 5 Sporting Events in Memorial Day History

Ernie Banks' immortal words used to mean something each Memorial Day.​A month from now (hell, even a second after it concludes), nobody is going to remember and/or care about the Houston Astros' Memorial Day clash with the Chicago Cubs in Wrigley Field. Overall, it's a pretty lame sports day ... More >>

Guess Those Hands: The Real Food Network Challenge

These look more like real chefs' hands, but that's a topic of discussion for another day.​It's Memorial Day. You've eaten too much today and gotten too much sun, so you've retreated back indoors to the cold comfort of your computer screen. We understand. Believe me, we understand. And to that ... More >>

Comment of the Day: White Pride

​We have some great commenters here on Hair Balls, and it's time we paid some damn attention to them. So we'll be highlighting a Comment of the Day each morning, from the previous day's work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous scientific formula involv ... More >>

Drunk Watermelon: The Memorial Day Classic

Photo by mynameissharshaAll of this watermelon could be vastly improved with the addition of vodka.​This almost goes without saying, but very few things complement an afternoon of barbecuing or grilling like a slice of ice-cold watermelon and a pleasant buzz. That's where Drunk Watermelons com ... More >>

Get Your Grill Face On: The Eating Our Words Memorial Day Contest

Photo by Randy RobertsonBonus points if you can get someone at your party to wear a hat just like this.​Many of you will no doubt be spending Memorial Day in a backyard somewhere -- maybe not even your own -- grilling and barbecuing the day away. And since you're already going to be doing bot ... More >>

Have A KKK Memorial Day

Come one, come (not really) all​If your white-power group is having trouble finding cool Memorial Day rallies where you can wave the stars 'n stripes 'n swastikas, then we suggest you check out reputable racist-friendly website Stormfront.org for cool holiday ideas. We especially recommend tha ... More >>

Rocks Off Open For Bidness On Memorial Day

someecards.com​James McMurtry, "Memorial Day": Rocks Off has no idea what we're going to be doing on Memorial Day; we just know we're not going to be here, as in the office. We suspect Leon's Lounge will be involved somehow, because it usually is. But you should be here, as in on this very ... More >>

May 14 -- 20: The Week in Photos

Each week, we take a dip into the Houston Press Flickr pool and see what our talented photographers have been up to. Lots of events are happening around town this May. From the Art Car festivities to Memorial Day celebrations, we want to see your hottest shots. Just drop them in our photo group righ ... More >>

Five Healthy Burger Alternatives

karitsu.​With Memorial Day Weekend just around the corner, it may be tempting to heat up the grill and cook up a giant burger. However, the holiday also marks the start of bathing suit season. Whether you are trying to lose a few or are looking for some interesting alternatives to another bori ... More >>

May 7 -- 13: The Week in Photos

Each week, we take a dip into the Houston Press Flickr pool and see what our talented photographers have been up to. Lots of events are happened around town this May. From the Art car festivities to Memorial Day celebrations, we want to see your hottest shots. Just drop them in our photo group right ... More >>

Recipe: Mojitos

​Rum and I recently made nice, after a long period of not speaking, following some bad experiences in younger days with the unfortunate combination of Malibu and pineapple juice in excess. Ah, youth. It didn't seem fair to write off a type of alcohol forever, so a quick trip to Spec's saw me ... More >>

Chris Stokes, U.S. Marine, Gets His Stolen Medals Back In Memorial Day Miracle (Of Sorts)

One bad Memorial Day followed by one good one​A year ago, U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Chris Stokes was tubing in New Braunfels. His vehicle, parked at the Landa Park Rec Center, was broken into while he and his wife were on the river.Among the items stolen -- Stokes' Marine honor medals. Bummer o ... More >>

Where Are We Eating?

In honor of Memorial Day Weekend, we're celebrating our rights as Texans to barbecue. Do the sausage links below look familiar to you? Think you know where we're eating on our day off from work? ​Leave your best guess in the comments section below, then go and fire up the smoker for yourself! ... More >>

For Memorial Day: Five Best Graveside Scenes

Memoral Day is the time we honor those who gave their lives for their country, and families everywhere will be going to graves to leave something for the young boys who "never saw gray hair."Hollywood has always been fond of graveside scenes, of course, especially for war movies. The web is full of ... More >>

11 Songs Sean Hannity Won't Be Listening To Today

​Today Americans celebrate Memorial Day, honoring the military servicemen and women that have passed while serving our country. The holiday is definitely not as flashy or as popular as Independence Day in July, seeing that there are no Memorial Day fireworks or picnics. It's not stuck in November ... More >>

Party Down:The Funniest Show You're Not Watching

Who watches the Starz network? Who even knows if they have the Starz network on their cable lineup?Starz, though, is the place to go to see the funniest TV show you should be watching -- Party Down, the story of actors in a dysfunctional catering service.It's just pretty hilarious. And consider it o ... More >>

Give Me No Man's Land: 5 Songs For The Fallen

​Today is Memorial Day, and Rocks Off would like to honor our brave and beloved dead as we honor everything - through music. At no time in American history have there not been men and women in life-threatening danger trying to protect us, whether it was a declared war or not. This is a sacrifice w ... More >>

DWI: They're Coming For You This Weekend By Land And By Sea

Photo by meltedplastic​As you make your long-weekend plans, one thing to keep in mind: Harris County is having another one of those "No Refusal" campaigns designed to nab drunk drivers...and drunk boaters."If you plan to be driving a motor vehicle or at the helm of a boat, we ask that you act sens ... More >>

BBQ Porn: Miles of Meat

Photo by Robb Walsh​In honor of the bevy of barbecuing that will undoubtedly be taking place this Memorial Day Weekend, we've combed our photo archives as well as the Houston Press Flickr pool and put together a slideshow of the most mouth-watering meats we could find. If you don't feel like ... More >>

Five Worst Memorial Day Weekend Movies

Memorial Day weekend officially marks the beginning of summer, and the beginning of summer blockbuster-movie season.Recently studios have been pushing the blockbuster season earlier and earlier -- Iron Man 2 has been out for months, it seems -- but Memorial Day Weekend is still a date where they pla ... More >>

Memorial Day Party Planning, Part 3

​The weekend is upon us (praise be!), and Memorial Day deliciousness lies ahead. You've invited the people and bought your preliminary supplies, so your workload should be pretty straightforward. Here's a couple of food ideas, plus a quick checklist:

The Week In Photos

It's time for our weekly dip into the cool waters of the Houston Press Flickr pool, in preparation for the steaming hot Memorial Day Weekend ahead. Want to see your work featured here? Dive into the pool yourself and submit your photos! As usual, for more information about a subject or photographer ... More >>

This Week in Deliciousness

NO, GODDAMMIT. You put the lime in the *COCONUT*, and you drink it all up. How many times are we gonna have to go over this, huh?​Welcome back to the weekly roundup here at Eating Our Words, where the dingoes ate your baby and then complained that the babies used to be so much tastier than the ... More >>

What Rocks Off Is Cooking Up For Memorial Day

First of all, a bit of news: John Mayer is playing the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion with Owl City Sunday, September 5. Tickets go on sale 10 a.m. Saturday, June 5 at livenation.com. Yay. Now, Rocks Off knows many of you are anxious to start your Memorial Day weekend - and many of you already hav ... More >>

Memorial Day Party Planning, Part 2

​Last week we gave you some tips on planning your Memorial Day party. Today we talk supply acquisition. You invited the crowd over, now you've got to feed them. Of course, the party should be fun for everyone. Stressing out over the perfect party isn't worth it, but neither is finding yourself ... More >>

Memorial Day Party Planning, Part 1 of 3

​Say you want to have some people over for Memorial Day. You'd like to class things up a bit beyond ordering pizza and setting out donuts, but you don't want to slave away or spend a fortune prepping an elaborate spread, either. Fear not; with a little planning, a happy medium can be achieved.

Memorial Day Road Trip Food

​Memorial Day Weekend is the start of the grand summer road-trip season -- long, sweaty drives to see family, attend weddings, visit a new city, or just get away. Heat is no deterrent; in fact, part of our distinctly American pleasure is that feeling of freedom which comes on a long stretch of ... More >>

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