North Africa

What Will We Take Away from the Age of the Foodie?

It could be said that the Age of the Foodie has arrived. Food is the topic of interest across more conversations than simply what the current fad diet is or what restaurant you ate at for your anniversary. Food is everything these days. Hell, it's even being blamed for killing rock and roll. Food ... More >>

When It Comes to Ending Hunger, All Eyes are Upon Houston

Every other month, Moez El-Shohdi travels through the greater Middle East. Stretching from Morocco to Pakistan, El-Shohdi dots the landscape, visiting models he helped perfect through his work in Cairo. He examines the factory sprung in Riyadh. He tours the facilities in Damascus. He makes sure that ... More >>

Capsule Stage Reviews: Body Awareness, The Italian Girl in Algiers, La Bohème, The Oldest Profession, When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder?

Football! This Weekend's Best Bets, "Satan Hates Auburn" Edition

I was saddened on Thursday to hear of the passing of legendary college football historian and journalist Beano Cook, who passed away in his sleep at the age of 81. Back in the `80's and early `90's, before the television landscape was cluttered with literally dozens of studio shows all blending toge ... More >>

Mediterranean Film Festival

The Italian Girl in Algiers

Sunday: iFest In Downtown Houston -- Seun Kuti, Texas Tornados & More

Houston International Festival Downtown Houston April 29, 2012 See lots more on iFest's second weekend in our slideshows of the bands, the crowds and the arts & culture. I like iFest. I'm glad it's here. It's not the kind of thing I'd like to go to every weekend, but once a year is about perfect. ... More >>

Seun Kuti & Egypt 80

The Rolling Stones, King Zog: 5 Famous Exiles, in Honor of Napoleon

This week marks the 198th anniversary of Napoleon being exiled to Elba, a move celebrated by palindrome fans everywhere. (Able was I ere I saw Elba," you know. Exiles have been around forever, people forced to leave their country of choice for one reason or another. Sometimes it's worked out well, ... More >>

Lotzah Matzah: Top 5 Ways to Enjoy Unleavened Bread

Happy Pesach ya'll! Passover, the Jewish holiday remembering the biblical story of the ancient Israelites' escape from slavery and exodus from Egypt, is here. The story goes that once freed, the Israelites left in such a hurry that they could not wait for their dough to rise. To commemorate, matzah ... More >>

The Meaning of Matzoh

The Jewish holiday of Passover starts tonight. Passover celebrates the Jews escaping Egypt and God smiting the cruel pharaoh in the process. Passover is also called "The Festival of Unleavened Bread." According to the Torah, God sent ten plagues, punishing the pharaoh for not listening to Moses a ... More >>

OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies

Tut, Tut

There are some fascinating objects in this wannabe blockbuster, but mainly it's a grab for crowds and cash.

The Mummy

The Silence of the Hams

Jabber-free, The Artist joyfully resurrects Hollywood's past.

What's in a Name?: The Year End Dictionary Update

Just as the Merriam-Webster Dictionary constantly adds new words, so does Rocks Off enrich the English language through our explorations in the meaning behind band names. Below are the entries that made it into our lexicon in 2011. ​Art of Dying (n) 1. The reverse of suicide 2. Upbeat, hard r ... More >>

Brew Blog: Independence Jasperilla Old Ale

As I mentioned back in June, while writing about a Camp Beer event, Old Ale is kind of an oddball. From what I understand, nobody really knows what it is, and brewers are left to their own devices and historical notes and anecdotes to fashion their own versions of this antediluvian brew. From what I ... More >>

"Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs"

Tinariwen

Egypt Central: The Anthem of Hate Day

It's a well-known fact that most band names are essentially gobbledygook, but here at Rocks Off we're trying hard to find meaning in the oddest monikers. ​It's a good thing Egypt Central caught us in a violent rage because we're pretty sure that's how their music is supposed to be heard. Your ... More >>

Ingredient of the Week: Green Asparagus

Photo by John SuhAsparagus: good for health, bad for diuretic smell​What is it? A spring vegetable that dates back to 3000 BC with the Egyptians, it was ingested as a vegetable and a diuretic medicine. Because they turn woody as they mature, only the young shoots are eaten. They are a good ... More >>

Ingredient of the Week: Fava Beans

luvjnx​What are they? Immortalized by Dr. Hannibal Lector in the Oscar-winning film Silence of the Lambs, these fat, light green legumes are one of the oldest cultivated plants in civilization, and they're currently in season. Coming in a pod that's around six inches long, they require a lit ... More >>

State Rep. Leo Berman Sponsoring Secession Rally

Why does Leo Berman hate America?​State Rep. Leo Berman of Tyler has already gained notoriety for introducing a birther bill in the legislature, but he's not done yet. Now he's sponsoring a rally on the capitol steps that is calling for Texas to secede from the United States. The announcemen ... More >>

Westbury High Revolution: Cairo's Got Nothing on Them

To Dave & Buster's!!!!​The heady whiff of freedom in Cairo has worked its way to Westbury on the southwest side today, as about 100 students are going to be disciplined for protesting about a canceled field trip. The Westbury High field trip was supposed to be to Dave & Buster's, where studen ... More >>

Cold Weather Baby Names: Naming the Bundle of Joy You Started This Morning

It made sense in February 2011, kid​No doubt all of you people who don't work in the news industry are either off this morning or working from home. But we all know that no one gets any work done at home with all the distractions running around you. Television, NetFlix, Internet porn, food, wi ... More >>

I Think We're Alone Now, Except for the Mega Pythons

My cup runneth over.​I realize Egypt is in chaos and everyone north of the Mason-Dixon line is going to be flash frozen like a bag of Birds Eye broccoli florets and Charlie Sheen is apparently the reincarnation of Grigori Rasputin, but that is no excuse, no excuse, for the criminal lack of att ... More >>

Egyptian Protests: Houston Playing Its Role

Photo by Mike McGuff​With amazing events going on in Egypt -- some sort of "big announcement" is expected soon -- Houston isn't being left out. A group is outside the Egyptian Consulate near Westheimer and Chimney Rock, as photographed by the intrepid Mike McGuff. When the history of the 30- ... More >>

World Cup 2010: USA-Ghana -- Five Keys To Look For

A moment he'll never forget​The images of Wednesday morning are still fresh on many people's minds. The image of Landon Donovan putting the US ahead in the 91st minute against Algeria, putting the Americans back in the round of 16 for the first time since 2002.Their opponent on Saturday is Ghana, ... More >>

Game Time: 2010 World Cup -- USA Wins! Now Awaits Conference Expansion Invite To Become Part of South America

Photo by Monica Fuentes Catching Cup fever this morning​"Soccer is about to cement its place as the worst 'sports bar sport' EVER..." -- Me at the 89-minute mark of the USA-Algeria game today"THIS IS AWESOME!!!" -- Me hugging strangers at the 91-minute mark of the USA-Algeria game today A ... More >>

USA-Algeria: One Terrific Game, One Great Result

The Obama administration brings first-ever winning a group​God damn, that was a great game.Nerve-wrecking, but a hell of a game.With just a couple of minutes left in stoppage time before the final whistle was blown, American goalkeeper Tim Howard started a counterattack by throwing a Brett Favre-l ... More >>

World Cup 2010: A USA-Algeria Preview (Hint: The Good Guys Win)

Time to get your morning drink on again​How can you not think about the goal that was disallowed during last Friday's game? Had it not been for referee Koman Coulibaly giving the United States the shaft, they be sitting on top of the Group C table going into tomorrow's game against Algeria. Now, t ... More >>

World Cup 2010: What You Need To Know For This Morning's US-Slovenia Match

Donovan should have a big game​"Talk is cheap." That's what American goalkeeper Tim Howard said in response to a Slovenian midfielder guaranteeing victory for his country over the US on Friday's meeting. "A lot of boxers talk, too, and they're looking up at the lights. And the next thing they know ... More >>

World Cup 2010: Koman Coulibaly Is Soccer's Jim Joyce

Photo by Monica FuentesHouston fans cheer a GOOOOOOOOL​It was two halves, two teams on Friday morning as the United States tied Slovenia 2-2.Trailing 2-0 at the half, the Americans came to life in the second half to earn another point in the group stage, as they know face a must-win situation agai ... More >>

World Cup 2010: These Teams Will Make It Out Of The Group Stage. Guaranteed

Now THAT was a USA World Cup squad​The 2010 edition of the FIFA World Cup is finally here. Thirty-two teams made it to the big dance to see just who is the best in the world. Realistically though, only a handful of teams have a shot of winning the cup. It's all going to come down to matchups ... More >>

World Cup: Is It Worth It, Rooting For The Americans?

The left-back spot is the Americans' Achilles heel​So the FIFA World Cup is only days away, and you have no idea what to make of Team USA's chances. Sure, they teased us a little last summer with their second-place finish at the Confederations Cup, beating then 1 ranked Spain, then having Brazil o ... More >>

Orange's Orange Kapiriña

Stirred and Shaken: Orange's Orange Kaipiriña

Photo by Troy Fields​The World Cup is inspiring because it focuses global consciousness in a way usually reserved for natural disasters and war. It's also inspiring because it often takes place several time zones away and therefore makes it all right for those of us who aren't nurses, cops or ... More >>

Garbage Dreams

Recycled choices make for a meager existence for Cairo’s slum boys

Z

The murder of peace activist Gregoris Lambrakis retold

CINEMATHEQUE: Latin American “Third Cinema”

Curator Margarita de la Vega-Hurtado pairs two agit-prop classics

The Whole Wide World: Kodo's Heartbeat

Kodo Heartbeat: Best of Kodo 25th Anniversary (Sony Music Japan) www.kodo.or.jp The remote Japanese island of Sado is pretty much devoid of the distractions of modern life. Due to its distance from the mainland - for centuries it was a place where people were sent to when forced into exile - tec ... More >>

The United Nations of Food at Phoenicia Specialty Foods

Thaïs

Diva Renée Fleming hits the big screen in a live Met broadcast

"American Civil War Field Notes: Sketches from Cairo to Columbia"

Embedded Illustrators on display at O'Kane Gallery

Fava Favorites at Mint Café

Artichoke Inspirations from Mint Cafe

“Farouk Hosny: The Energy of Abstraction”

An Egyptian artist paints over politics

Mediterranean Tour with Chef Emily Swantner

Try the chef’s “tweaked” recipes

Will Dance for Cash

Bulbous Basbas

Saffron