Memorial Day

Weather Week: Heat, Rain, Possible Severe Weather But Probably No Tornadoes

It's tough not to think about weather after the devastating tornadoes that hit Oklahoma the last two days. The probably F-5 tornado that struck Moore just south of Oklahoma City could be one of the largest on record, an incredible two miles wide at its peak. Tornadoes are certainly nature's most ins ... More >>

Win Tickets to Scoremore's Jambalaya Festival Right Now

Normally Rocks Off's first post of every week is our selections for the best shows happening in Houston for that given Monday through Thursday. This week we'd like to try something a little different. Houston being what it is (a city we love, of course), the weekday live-music options can be somewh ... More >>

The Rocks Off 100: Mike Meegz, Scoremore's Houston Lieutenant

Welcome to the Rocks Off 100, our portrait gallery of the most compelling profiles and personalities in the far-flung Houston music community -- a lot more than just musicians, but of course they're in there too. See the entire Rocks Off 100 at this link. Who? Mike Migl, aka Mike Meegz, is Houston ... More >>

Hank Williams Jr.'s Top 10 Patriotic Lyrics

As 2012 reaches the halfway point, one of the most gratifying musical comebacks has been none other than Bocephus himself, Hank Williams Jr. It's not a very long list, either - the Beach Boys, Fiona Apple, and now the late-breaking Blur; we're still not sure Chris Brown and Beach House count as "com ... More >>

The 10 Greatest Summer Concerts I Never Saw

Well, kids, summer has arrived. If you have ever noticed, all the good concerts seem to come during the summer -- with May being more like a pre-show. My parents, when I was younger, took me to many concerts at some of these venues, mainly Contemporary Christian concerts. I myself had only been to ... More >>

The 4th Of July On A Wednesday: Maximum Dysfunction For The Work Week

Everybody loves the 4th of July, at least in America, but if there's one time we don't love it as much as others, it's when it falls on a Wednesday. Other holidays can be easily adjusted. Memorial Day, the sacred date we set aside to honor those who gave their last full measure of devotion? Fuck i ... More >>

Pleasure Pier

Galveston's newest attraction

Comcast Customer Service: A Horror Tale, Part 2

For about a year, things were actually fine with my Comcast service. But then I moved apartments, which means I had to transfer my cable to the new pad, which means I had to call Comcast customer service, which means there's a part two of what may become a multi-part epic. Before all of that, it se ... More >>

Kids, Don't Drink and Then Drive Your Riding Mower (w/ VIDEO)

As we head into the first weekend post-Memorial Day, summer is now in full swing, which means two things -- yard work and beer drinking. Unto themselves, both are harmless, invigorating, highly necessary activities. When combined, the results can be disastrous. Or hilarious. Or both. Kids, don't b ... More >>

Gothic Council On Gothic Hate Crime

There was another random attack on United Kingdom goths last week. Melody McDermott, 22, was knocked across a tram by a head butt delivered from Kenneth Kelsall, 47. Kelsall then proceeded to punch and kick the downed McDermott while his accomplice, Gareth Farrar, attacked McDermott's companion Step ... More >>

Happy Memorial Day: 10 Songs To Honor Our Veterans

Memorial Day, the last Monday of May is a federal holiday originated to commemorate our country's fallen soldiers. Yes, some view it as a work holiday and a good time to barbecue, but our veterans would have to disagree. To honor our vets, we put together a playlist this day in remembrance of those ... More >>

Houston 101: Will Hogg, Houston's Forgotten, Eccentric and Downright Badass Philanthropist

What better time than Memorial Day to remember Will Hogg, the man who founded Memorial Park? If that (and the Arboretum) was all Will Hogg gave Houston, that would rank as one of the grandest local legacies anyone has ever achieved. But Will Hogg did so much more. He founded and developed River Oa ... More >>

Upcoming Events: Southern Star in Northern Houston and Wino Wednesdays

If you don't quite know how to pair wines with Indian food, let Narin's Bombay Brasserie be your guide at its upcoming Summer Wine Dinner on June 7. Chef Gary Grewal will be serving an array of Indian dishes, all matched with international wines from Republic National sommelier Brett Walters. The f ... More >>

Galveston Pleasure Pier Opens Just in Time for Memorial Day

Be sure to check out our pictures of the Pleasure Pier and our Summer Guide story on its construction and history. You can barely tell that the Flagship was ever there. The past-its-prime hotel, which was destroyed in 2008 by Hurricane Ike, has been replaced by Landry's new Galveston Island Pleasur ... More >>

Summer of Love 45th Anniversary

Hofmann Sausage Co: Texas Is About to Get Real ... Hotdogs! If You Live in Dallas Can You Bring Me Some?

So if you are from Upstate New York (like me), and if you love hot dogs (like me), and you live in Texas (like me), then you probably really, really miss Hofmann hot dogs. Like me. Because when I tell you I miss Hofmann hot dogs, I mean that I miss them super-duper terribly, especially when holidays ... More >>

7 Cool & Cheap Things To Do This Weekend: Crawfish, Scott H. Biram, Blaggards, Etc.

It's crawfish season, as Rocks Off may have mentioned recently. All weekend - today through Sunday, in other words - the Houston Blues Society is sponsoring the stage at the Kemah Crawfish Festival, featuring dependable locals such as Mojofromopolis, the Paul Ramirez Band, Texas Johnny Brown, Don Ke ... More >>

Arkansas Fires Head Football Coach Bobby Petrino (w/ VIDEO)

Four and a half years after Bobby Petrino essentially "fired" the Atlanta Falcons as his employer by leaving a note for the players and sneaking off to the University of Arkansas in the middle of the night, Razorbacks athletics director Jeff Long notified a hastily assembled media throng last night ... More >>

In Search of Spring Break

Looking for booze, babes and beach parties on Galveston Island

Mountainfilm on Tour in Houston

Tilman Fertitta's Galveston Pleasure Pier Is Taking Shape

TILMAN FERTITTA WILL NOT BE DENIED. He promised Galveston a (no doubt overpriced) "Pleasure Pier" by Memorial Day, and it looks like he's well on the way. The new amusement park, built on the site of the old Flagship Hotel, is expected to draw three million visitors a year. Our Allison McPhail was ... More >>

Rape, Scandal, Greed and Cockfighting -- The 2011 Sports Year In Review

2011: Penn State's horrible year​You know how, in the series 24, the way a season unfolds? How just when you think there has been some sort of resolution to the bad guys being bottled up, right then and there a new (often worse) layer is introduced, and ultimately in like Hour 22 Jack Bauer wi ... More >>

Missing: Very Expensive (Tacky?) UH Cougar Jewelry

Crime StoppersCougar Pride​Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for information on a big Memorial Day heist in the ritzy Broadacres neighborhood. The victims are anxious to get their jewelry back, and who could blame them? We, too, would be desperately missing our UH loh precious-jewel-encrust ... More >>

Joel Gregoire: One-Man Metal Extravaganza

​If there is anything that Rocks Off loves about the modern music era it's that the ability of individual people to put out their own elaborate albums has never been easier. Meet Joel Gregoire, an instrumental metal maestro by trade and former member of Stride. He's releasing his new album Der ... More >>

Closing of Independence Heights Pool Will Leave Some Kids Desperate

Photo by Mandy OaklanderThe Independence Heights pool is closed for business. ​Off of 35th and Main lies the heart of Independence Heights, a historically black neighborhood that's getting screwed by the mayor's proposed budget. If all is passed according to plan, the community center and the ... More >>

Jason Isbell, Americana Heir Apparent, Won't Run From Country

Joshua Black Wilkins/All Eyes Media​It seemed a bit odd to be talking to Jason Isbell on Memorial Day. Lonesome, Onry and Mean had just watched a YouTube clip of Isbell doing "Dress Blues," his tribute to a high-school friend who died in Iraq. And with a daughter who did her tour of duty in A ... More >>

Astro Jordan Lyles' Big League Debut Is Tonight, So I'm Actually Making A Point To Watch

Jordan Lyles: Either clean-shaven, or doesn't need to shave yet.​As Tuesdays in the ho-hum, post-Memorial Day part of the calendar go, this one actually has a few juicy television nuggets tonight -- Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Heat and the Mavericks, the season premiere of America's G ... More >>

What's Up Doc? Bugs Bunny's Gweatest Hits

​Today is not only Memorial Day, it's also the birthday of the voice behind many of the most beloved cartoon characters of all time. In his more than 50 years in Hollywood, Mel Blanc (1908-1989) gave audiences countless "Merry Melodies" via Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Foghorn Leghorn, Yosemite Sam, ... More >>

Upcoming Events

Photo by rdpeytonThis gumbo is from Emeril's in New Orleans; the gumbo at Under the Volcano will likely be just as good.​If you've been missing Robb Walsh, here's your chance to catch up with our former food critic outside the busy environs of his new restaurant. On June 7 and again on July 12 ... More >>

I-45 in Harris County: Most Teen Car Crashes in Texas

Road trip...to higher insurance rates.​There's nothing like being a teen behind the wheel in summer. You've got your music blasting, you at least imagine the top's down, and the world is yours. Plus, if you're in Harris County, you have the added excitement of crashing at almost any moment. ... More >>

Lady Gaga Sings The Big Easy Blues

Photos by Annelia WililamsEugene Moody​Rocks Off woke up to Lady Gaga on Good Morning America this morning. It looked like she was having a little trouble with her zipline. The reason Rocks Off woke up to Lady Gaga on Good Morning America this morning, instead of Channel 13's Eyewitness News ... More >>

Food Fight: Potato Salad

Nielsen's Deli​Potato salad is not, strictly speaking, an American concept, but the mayonnaise-based version that most of us know and love is in fact American - or at least its origins are murky enough that we might as well claim it. And claim it we do -- in some towns it's illegal to hold a s ... More >>

Upcoming Events

​Sometimes wonderful things are born out of our comments section and we remember for a moment just how awesome humanity can be when it comes together for a good cause. The Lemonade Day Crawl is a perfect example of that awesomeness, suggested by commenter Chris Oakley in support of National L ... More >>

Weasley Brothers Coming to Houston: Ummm, Yay?

The Weasleys: One's Fred, one's George​Comicpalooza has announced a new bunch of guests for its Memorial Day Weekend event, and the biggest news is that they include some Harry Potter stars!! Well, co-stars. Actually, let's just say they're characters. But they do show up in every film!! Th ... More >>

This Week in Deliciousness

Wait a minute, where the hell are the Fritos?​Welcome back to the weekly roundup here at Eating Our Words, where procrastination is (note to self: think of some clever definition and insert it here later). We started the week off with one of our favorite things: a recounting of time spent jud ... More >>

"Star Wars: The Clone Wars"

Space Center Houston puts George Lucas fans through their paces

Homeless High

On the Furr campus, kids are getting the chances they need.

Texans Cheerleaders On Tour: Inspiration From Led Zep And The Air Force

Nourishment in several languages​The Texans cheerleaders are headed to Japan on a USO tour, because our brave service members want to hear what Matt Schaub is really like. Or maybe they want to look at cheerleaders.Texans cheerleader Lindsay (as always, first names only to deter stalker creeps ... More >>

Galveston Beaches, Bars, Hotels Had Big Weekend (Also: From Iran, The Most Unintenionally Funny Galveston Doomsday Scenario)

A true lifeguard rocks the Sam Elliott `stache​It could be the bad economy and high gas prices, it could be the oil spill that's avoided Texas (so far), it could be that the relatively cold winter had people yearning for the beach -- whatever it was, Galveston had a banner Memorial Day Weekend.Pet ... More >>

La Roux Puts House Of Blues Under Its Electro-Pop Thumb

Photos by Jason Wolter​ The past year has been a year of renewal for pop music when it comes to new roles for women. In these previous 12 months, the archetype of what a female pop singer is supposed to look and sound like has been completely gutted and reconstituted, leaving room for the more inv ... More >>

Top 8 Post-2000 Soldier Songs

​Like many of you, Rocks Off has friends and family members who have served (or are serving) in our armed forces. Memorial Day is when we honor the sacrifice so many of them have made - and are still making - fighting America's wars. Songs about the hardships suffered by soldiers and their familie ... More >>

Texas Traveler: AmeriVespa 2010, San Antonio

Photos by Brittanie Shey​More than 30 scooter enthusiasts from Houston spent Memorial Day weekend in San Antonio representing the Bayou City at AmeriVespa, the largest scooter rally in the nation. Now in its 17th year, the event, which takes place in a new city each year, draws scooterists fro ... More >>

Game Time: Roy Oswalt -- Is It Possible He's Pitching Just a Little Too Well?

cutline​Sending all of you off with a brief nugget to ponder as you begin your drunken, Memorial Day haze. Here goes....As of this morning, these are the things we know:1.) The Astros suck; they're 16-31, and they rank last in the National League in every statistical (as in numbers) and subjective ... More >>

This Week in Deliciousness

Apologies if today's column seems a bit... cheesy. GET THEE TO A PUNNERY!​Welcome back to the weekly roundup here at Eating Our Words, where we're using our leftover pizza grease to lube up our Slip 'N' Slide. We started this busy week off with some tips on topping your ice cream with various ... More >>

Game Time: FREE BEER!...Now That I Have Your Attention, Behold My TEXANS HOME RUN DERBY Dream Team

The thrill of Celebrity Home Run Derby​Save the date!Free beer will be served at Nick's Place on Friday, May 28. Well, to be clear, since there are probably legalities involved in a bar literally giving away beer, someone will be paying for the beer -- and that someone is my co-host John Harris. ... More >>

Texas Traveler: Two Wheels Good, Four Wheels Bad

Photo by Brittanie Shey​Since the weather in Texas is finally what the rest of the world calls normal, nothing beats hitting the streets on two wheels. Texas Traveler can hardly explain the way everything looks and smells different when you get out of the cage (see entry number two). And we're ... More >>

BRIAN O'NEILL'S IRISH CAR BOMB

Soft and Crabby

Summer's the right time for many things -- but none better than soft-shell supping

Capital Idea

Is one more palace of red meat one too many? If it's the Capital Grille, the answer is no.