Minute Maid Park

Ringing Bell

That's Fowl

And Don't Get Us Started on Junction Jack

This Just In: Madonna Squeezes the Juice Box

Three Things To Remember During A DWI Crackdown

Houston Sports, Hurricane Ike Update

Best Polling Place

Minute Maid Park

Watershed Election?

A new group wants to push an anti-flooding agenda

Slideshow: Madonna at Minute Maid Park

With a career-spanning set from a punked-up "Borderline" to the outsize mega-disco of her latest album Hard Candy, the Material Girl brought several people at Minute Maid Park to tears last night in her first Houston show in 18 years. Click here for a slideshow, and stay tuned for a review. - Chri ... More >>

Aftermath Extra: The Best Concerts of the Year, Part 8

Cheech & Chong/Willie Nelson, Verizon Wireless Theater/House of Blues, October 31: "This morning Aftermath thought his notes had vanished entirely before realizing he had simply mistook the back cover of his notebook for the front. Halloween 2008 was high times indeed." Randy Weeks, Discover ... More >>

Top 10 Moments in the History of Minute Maid Park

Photo by Bukowsky18 The Houston Astros are asking for our suggestions for the top moments in the history of Enron Field Minute Maid Park as part of the stadium's tenth season. You know me. I love to give my opinions about the Astros. So here are my Top 10 Moments in the History of Enron Field M ... More >>

Literacy Advance of Houston to Honor Hannah Storm

Every now and then I like to step away from the snark and write about something good that's going on. Today is one of those days. On May 1, 2009, Literacy Advance of Houston will be honoring ESPN SportsCenter anchor Hannah Storm as its Champion of Literacy as part of the organization's Champion ... More >>

Literacy Advance of Houston to Honor Hannah Storm

Every now and then I like to step away from the snark and write about something good that's going on. Today is one of those days. On May 1, 2009, Literacy Advance of Houston will be honoring ESPN SportsCenter anchor Hannah Storm as its Champion of Literacy as part of the organization's Champion ... More >>

Top 10 Moments in the History of Minute Maid Park

Photo by Bukowsky18 The Houston Astros are asking for our suggestions for the top moments in the history of Enron Field Minute Maid Park as part of the stadium's tenth season. You know me. I love to give my opinions about the Astros. So here are my Top 10 Moments in the History of Enron Field M ... More >>

Nachos at the Juice Box

While some fuss has been made over the new food at Minute Maid Park this year -- Aramark is now offering items such as "healthy" salads, fish tacos, various vegetarian items and a rather unappealing-sounding "tumbled Texas chicken" -- it's the classics that people will continue to turn to at ba ... More >>

St. Patrick’s Day

Web exclusive!

MLK Grande Parade

Houston salutes the man with a dream

HEB Thanksgiving Day Parade

Hannah Montana star Mitchel Musso leads the entertainment for this year’s Turkey Day extravaganza

Chevron Houston Marathon

Runners from around the world will challenge the race’s course records

58th Annual H-E-B Holiday Parade

See floats, bands, balloons and more at this “Circus Celebration”

The Boys Are Back

See floats, bands, balloons and more at this “Circus Celebration”

Image of the Week

Barry Bonds

Gone in 60 Seconds

"60 Minutes of Minutes"

Best Area Team

"60 Minutes of Minutes"

Taking It to the Streets

The Bayou City becomes an urban adventure

Center of Gravity?

Tal's Hill at Minute Maid takes on an uprising

Texans Almost As Bad At Hitting Home Runs As Astros, Charity Event Reveals

Videos and photo by Craig HlavatyThe guys who get paid to do it aren't exactly tearing the cover off the ball -- the Astros currently rank 24th in the majors in home runs. So it's nice to see some fresh meat in the oddly-shaped confines of Minute Maid Park, even if it does only benefit charity and ... More >>

Seeing The Astros Without Getting Drunk? Umpossible! But Now, Possible

Photo by Michael (mx5tx)Hey Astros fans. Are you tired of the exorbitant prices you have to pay for booze at Astros games? Well, I've got good news. And I've got bad news.The good news is that the prices might be getting a lot damn cheaper real soon. The bad news is that the reason is that alc ... More >>

Despite What ESPN Says, Here Are 25 Things To (Sorta) Like About Minute Maid Park

Photo by astromark2007ESPN doesn't think much of the fan experience in Houston, especially for the Astros fans, which ESPN ranks at number 68. This ranking is based on things like ownership, coaching, players, bang for the buck, fan relations, stadium experience, affordability, and something called ... More >>

Hey Old Man, Show Me Some ID If You Want A Beer

Photo by longhorndave​So we got out to Minute Maid Park this weekend to watch the Mets kick the crap out of the Astros. We learned Hunter Pence is angling to wear the crown vacated by Jeff Bagwell for providing Least Useful Home Runs, with a shot to make it 10-3 in in the ninth.We also learn ... More >>

Here's One Vote Against A New Dynamo Stadium

​So the Houston Dynamo are upset that Harris County hasn't yet given them money for their planned pleasure palace. Well cry me a river.I'm not sure if the Dynamo have noticed, but there's a rather severe recession going on in the country right now. And though the Dynamo are only asking for ten ... More >>

The Opening Day Street Festival Is in Full Swing

Photo by Marco Torres​It's not just a nice day out -- it's a nice Opening Day. And the street festival in front of Minute Maid Park is already in full swing.A ton of Clear Channel radio stations are on hand, there are interactive games, Junction Jack is walking around, and later this afterno ... More >>

Arizona's Immigrant Law Sparks A Protest At Minute Maid

Photos by Liana LopezProtesting at an Astros game, but somehow not about beer prices​ About 60 demonstrators were outside Minute Maid Park last night protesting the Arizona Diamondbacks in response to the state's newly passed SB 1070 anti-immigrant law.As baseball fans made their way into the sta ... More >>

Astros' Ticket Deals: Here They Come

"You want fries -- and Astro box seats -- with that?"​You've got the worst team in the league, you're shopping your ace pitcher in blatant acknowledgment you're not going anywhere this year, and it's a tough economy.Is it any surprise the Astro 'Kuh-waaazy Deals" onslaught has begun?The team had a ... More >>

Minute Maid Park's Veggie Menu Gets PETA Love -- With A Side Order Of Carlos Lee Smack

Put an Astros cap on this dude​The Astros have been dismally unexciting this year -- except when they're playing the equally inept Washington Nationals, it seems -- but they've got PETA on their side.The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, a group whose Venn diagram intersection wit ... More >>

Stirred and Shaken: 1820 Bar's Bo-Tang

​Outside of the occasional pedicab and the 24-hour glow of bail bondsmen's office lights, the northeast side of downtown was dead and dark on Tuesday evening. This isn't a good sign for the Astros considering I was two blocks from Minute Maid Park during a home game. But at 1820 Bar (1820 Fran ... More >>

1820 Bar's Bo-Tang

​Outside of the occasional pedicab and the 24-hour glow of bail bondsmen's office lights, the northeast side of downtown was dead and dark on Tuesday evening. This isn't a good sign for the Astros considering I was two blocks from Minute Maid Park during a home game. But at 1820 Bar (1820 Fran ... More >>

Oh, Great: Minute Maid Park To Feel Even More Like Downtown Tokyo

Get that outdated video screen outta there!!!​A lot of people have their little peeves about Minute Maid Park, whether it's the fake hill in centerfield, the toy train up above, the crummy team wearing Astro uniforms.But we have to admit we've never heard anyone say "I don't think there's enough a ... More >>

The H-E-B Holiday Parade

Get that outdated video screen outta there!!!​A lot of people have their little peeves about Minute Maid Park, whether it's the fake hill in centerfield, the toy train up above, the crummy team wearing Astro uniforms.But we have to admit we've never heard anyone say "I don't think there's enough a ... More >>

New Astros Scoreboard: It's Installed, and Hideous

Houston AstrosWe can't wait to see the ads!!​ See that tiny little box to the left in the picture above? That was the TV screen at Minute Maid Park, the one that seemed so big and so annoying as it broadcast endless ads, lame before-game intros, hot-sauce races, Kiss-Cam and hilarious baseba ... More >>

Looking Back at This Weekend's Houston College Classic

John RoyalRice's Michael Ratterree slides across the plate to score a run yesterday against Baylor​The 11th Houston College Classic was played at Minute Maid Park this weekend, and though it's only March, it's probably safe to say that the best baseball to be played in Minute Maid Park this se ... More >>

Three Sliders, You're Out at Minute Maid Park

Photos by Katharine ShilcuttThe bowl also makes a cute and handy cat helmet when cleaned. Your cat may feel otherwise, however.​I don't personally understand the appeal of going to the ballpark and getting anything other than a hot dog or a plate of nachos piled high with "cheese" and pickled ... More >>

Astro Fan On-Field Escape: A Critical Appraisal

The most excitement at Minute Maid Park this year -- bigger even than Carlos Lee's 2,000th hit -- came this weekend with the wild on-field run and escape by an Astros fan. The man was eventually nabbed, but he gave the crowd their money's worth. A breakdown: 0:19: Heads for Tal's Hill. Is this be ... More >>

Houston Astros & Minute Maid Park Begin Process for Covert Name Change

Craig Hlavaty​Yesterday while filming segments for KIAH's "Newsfix" in the monument park at Minute Maid Park, my camera crew and I came across this sign, defaced for your pleasure. It looked as if the sign had been modified for some time, as there were no pieces of the departed "M" near the sc ... More >>

Comment of the Day: On Astros' Management Catering to Red Sox Fans

​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 >>

The Astros Allowing Outside Food Inside Next Season: Our Suggestions

This tiny helmet of Blue Bell ice cream was the only food worth buying at Minute Maid Park previously.​The minor explosions you may have heard yesterday were the heads of Astros' fans imploding over news that new owner Jim Crane could possibly change the name of the franchise next season -- as ... More >>

This Week in Deliciousness

Talk about deliciousness. She stole my truck, my mobile hot dog stand... and my heart.​Welcome back to the weekly roundup here at Eating Our Words, where bright, peppy morning-show humor goes to die. We started the week off right with a look at a classy new Italian joint with the unfortunate n ... More >>

Madonna Playing Toyota Center October 24

Photo by Daniel KramerMadonna at Minute Maid Park, November 2008​After her mostly praised Super Bowl XLVI halftime performance - aside from that whole M.I.A. middle-finger thing - Madonna will perform at Toyota Center on Wednesday, October 24, Live Nation announced this morning. Tickets go o ... More >>