New York

Five Great Violent Hip-Hop Songs (for Lupe Fiasco)

Lupe Fiasco used to be a talented, socially conscious rapper known for putting out really good hip-hop albums. Since he hasn't done one of those in a while, he's more well known these days for criticizing President Obama and espousing conspiracy theories about 9/11. Recently he was back in the news ... More >>

The Best Concerts In Houston This Week: Alicia Keys, Maroon 5, RiFF RaFF, etc.

Alicia Keys, Miguel Toyota Center, March 18 Alicia Keys just keeps rising. The Harlem-raised soul singer and pianist has reached the peak of her profession, exuding a retro vibe and flashing her classical training while becoming a fashion-forward style trendsetter. Along the way, Keys has gone mult ... More >>

Fried Chicken and Waffles at 30 Below

We started planning Christmas Eve dinner back in August. My husband had gone to Alaska for a business trip, and I met him at the tail end to spend a couple of weeks with our Alaska family in Fairbanks. Around several campfires Josh and his other wife (my best friend Helen -- they are best cooking ma ... More >>

Cover Story: Houston Babylon, a Collection of Houston's Creepiest Tales

After my editor assigned me to write up a collection of some of Houston's creepiest tales for this week's cover story Houston Babylon, I took to Facebook for some group-sourcing of ideas and leads. That thread ballooned into an 158-post beast. Far too many good stories came in for me to include them ... More >>

Special Best Of Best Of Edition

Why Do Chicanos Love the Aztecs?

And what are some Mexican regional stereotypes of Mexicans?

C.I.T.Y.'s Top 6 Geographically-Based Rap Songs

The hip-hop world is a less than sensible place -- lots of times, you're even required to clarify when bad means bad and when bad means good -- so once a week we're going to get with a rapper and ask them to explain things. Something you always wanted to ask a rapper? E-mail sheaserrano@gmail.com. ... More >>

Eating D.C.: Dining Dispatches from the Capital

As of this writing, I am still comfortably ensconced in the Hotel Palomar in our nation's capital. There is a Negroni at my side, compliments of the hotel, which was waiting for me in the room after I returned from walking off a Shake Shack burger at lunch. That's service. Both the Shake Shack and ... More >>

Burger Guys Bad-Ass Brunch Is Back

5 things to know before you go

Avenue Q

Drops In the Bucket List: 5 Venues To See a Show In Before You Die

I'm not much of a traveler. Outside of a few trips to Vegas, I've never been on a real grownup-type vacation. Every year it's a struggle to think of something to do with my vacation days, one that eventually leads to a few four-day weeks and a couple of midweek shows. Now that I'm getting older, I' ... More >>

If New York City Bans Big Gulps, Here Are 5 Texan Foods Worth Banning, Too

In the latest blow to common sense, New York City has moved to ban Big Gulps -- the extra-large soft drinks of the type you usually see in Styrofoam cups triple the size of a human's normal stomach capacity, or anything more than 16 ounces in capacity (which is close to the size of a McDonald's smal ... More >>

I Don't Like Sandra Lee, Except For When I Do, PLUS! Three Semi-Homemade Things I Made Up

Not to get all Sam Brown-on-Guy Fieri on you guys, but Sandra Lee bugs me a little. In the past, she did not bug me -- in fact, my first attempts in the kitchen were prompted at least in part by her recipes. (I didn't start cooking until I was 30. Seriously.) I found her "semi-homemade" concept of ... More >>

Frito Pies (or Not) Across America

I suffer under no delusions that Frito pies -- whether Texan in origin or not -- are as popular outside of Texas/Oklahoma/New Mexico as they are in this Frito tied-triangle. I understand that Frito pies are to our region as lutefisk suppers are to Minnesota or lobster rolls are to Maine. However, I ... More >>

Friday Brunch at Max's Wine Dive

When visitors come into town, the first thing that pops into my head is, "Where am I taking these people to eat?" (This is mostly because I'm trying to avoid ever going to the Space Center again, and I need to distract them with something really, really good.) With such an amazing food scene, it's h ... More >>

Fast Times: Chicken Soup and a BLT Sub with Avocado at Subway

Photos: Christina UticoneMaybe I'm anthropomorphizing my sandwich, but is it grimacing at me?​The alternate title for this blog post was "Fast Times: Wasting a Perfectly Good Hangover at Subway." Hangovers and killer death flu situations are my go-to fast food days; something about the loads o ... More >>

This Week in Deliciousness

That's the tidiest enchilada combo I've ever seen! When did the military start serving Tex-Mex?​Welcome back to the weekly roundup here at Eating Our Words, where our Tears For Fears-themed food truck Sowing the Seeds of Lunch isn't taking off nearly as well as we'd hoped. If we can't think up ... More >>

This

Billy Joel Safe At Home In Final Play At Shea

​Billy Joel Live at Shea Stadium: The Concert Sony Legacy, $13.98 While not a Queens-bred boy, what better choice for a musical performer to close out Shea before its demolition than Billy Joel? Filmed over two nights in July 2008, this 2-CD/1-DVD package offers a great overview of Joel's car ... More >>

The Five Weirdest Baby Names from the Most Popular Names of 2010

You're kid won't turn out like this.​The list of the top 100 baby names of 2010 is out and it is filled with many names you would expect. There are Biblical names like John and Luke and James. There are pop culture names like Bella and Zachary. There are even names that help you to rhyme your ... More >>

Hole in the Heart

Hedwig creator John Cameron Mitchell switches gears, channeling his own grief into his latest project.

10 Food-related Gifts Under $25 to Make Your Friends Salivate

www.worldwidefred.com The Wine Monkey is the life of every Holiday party​We all have at least one - that friend who is obsessed with everything food. Luckily, shopping for him doesn't have to break the bank. Here are ten options, all under $25. Gift that Keeps on Giving One of the best gifts ... More >>

Fox vs. Dish Network: Rockets Fans Need Alternative Plans

Dish Network: No Yao, but not for the usual reasons​The Rockets' season opens tonight, and if history is any guide, you'll want to catch the early-season games -- you know, the ones before Yao Ming goes down with an injury.That's easy enough tonight -- they're on TBS TNT -- but after that, things ... More >>

David Kaczynski: Unabomber's Brother Campaigns Against Death Penalty

Photo by Craig MalisowDavid Kaczynski hasn't heard from Ted lately​Once you become forever known as "The Unabomber's Brother," there are probably two ways you can go: you can do your best to hide (say, maybe move to a cozy, isolated cabin in Montana?) or you can use your position to further a caus ... More >>

Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax

First Play: V-Zilla's "Unsigned State of Mind" vs. Young Sensation's "Showcase Skillz"

Houston exists largely as its own market. As such, rappers here tend to not like to -on the record, anyway - rank themselves or their albums or songs against each other or each other's. So we'll do it for them. Email sheaserrano (at) gmail (dot) com. ​The Songs: This week, we've got music fro ... More >>

Game Time: Ken Griffey, Jr.: Baseball's Tracy McGrady?

Not as good as Tom Gordon. Who?​I'm not sure if the back-burnering of Ken Griffey, Jr.'s sudden retirement yesterday speaks more to the magnitude of the Jim Joyce/Armando Galarraga aborted perfect game fiasco or just how far the perception of Griffey as a sure-fire lock of a future Hall of Famer h ... More >>

Teenage Werewolves: A City's Shame

The above clip is not from The Onion; it may be from the files of Teens Pulling Pranks On Reporters.At any rate, you owe it to yourself to watch these marvelous four minutes from a San Antonio news station.And then read the comments that the clip brought forth from Gawker, after the jump.

Texans Schedule Out, And More Rides On Kubiak Than Ever Before

​The season remains nearly five months away, but with Tuesday night's much-celebrated release of the 2010 NFL schedule, the gameplanning for Peyton Manning among the Texans' brain trust can and should officially begin. Sure, this week's draft is the more pressing matter. Yes, there are still ... More >>

New On DVD: Did You Hear What Happened To The Morgans? If Not, You're Lucky

​A quick look at the DVDs being released today once again proves that there's no accounting for taste. The box office money makers are Disney's The Princess and the Frog, which raked in more than $102 million, and Ninja Assassin, which pocketed just over $38 million. Then there's Did You Hear Abou ... More >>

More ParkerMania Continues: An Obama Phone Call, Roller-Skating Drag Queens

Photo by Daniel Kramer​The media fallout from Annise Parker's mayoral victory continues to roll in.President Barack Obama called to congratulate her (he didn't mention the gay angle), but he called while she was giving an interview to Fox 26. And really, what's more important, Obama or Fox 26? So ... More >>

The Chicken or the Egg?

​Wabash Feed Store (5701 Washington Avenue) is a trip to the country in the middle of the city. There are fresh free-range eggs for three dollars a dozen behind the front counter. Of course, if you want really fresh eggs, the store also sells chickens. Hens start at $12, roosters are $13, but ... More >>

Five Spot: Killa Kyleon's Purple Punch 3

Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we'll examine a recent bit of music news and, albeit sometimes awkwardly, tie it to a bit of Houston rap. It's five videos and occasional cussing. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. ​One of the guys that we always (usually) enjoy listening to is the ... More >>

Merry Pranksters

The Yes Men's cheerful quest for social justice.

Aftermath: Common and The Roots Crew's Private Engagment at the Corinthian, With Special Guests (Cough, "Nite and Day")

Photos by Larami Culbertson​ 9:10 p.m.: We pull up to the front of The Corinthian and hand the car off to the valet. He says, "It's $20 plus tip." Oh, so it's $20, then? Got it. Thanks. 9:20 p.m.: Common just walked in. He's way more stout than we imagined him to be. His skin is also less clear th ... More >>

Buyer Beware of Confessions of a Shopaholic

Bush and this movie agree: Go shopping! (Wait, don't.)

Gift Giving at Soon-To-Be-Closed J. Will Jones Elementary

Thanks to some generous people in Houston and from as far away as New York State, J. Will Jones Elementary will celebrate its annual "Gift of Giving" celebration this Thursday, distributing "donated presents and hurricane relief supplies to students and their families," HISD announced today. St. Nic ... More >>

The Scene

The Alley Theatre opens the Neuhaus Stage season with Theresa Rebeck’s comedy

Think Tanked

Karachi Rock

Haven't heard of Junoon? They've sold 20 million albums, and they're at the Meridian this week.

Over the Limit?

PCBs may prompt a first-ever warning against bay speckled trout fishing

Banana Republicans

A Hispanic GOP confab leaves delegates yelling foul

Definitive Jux Tour

Saturday, October 12

Chicken-Fried Honor

George's civic slur

Young Lion

Though only 17, Brandon Lee blows a mighty horn

$tocks and Bonding

Boiler Room steams with the stark greed of go-for-brokers

No Local Server?

Zagat.com (temporarily) neglects Houston

Class Action

A true case offers testimony to the talents of Travolta and Duvall

Conference Kudos and Crud

Nut Case

Sanity goes on trial in Nuts at Actors Theatre