Venezuela

30 Seconds With Los Amigos Invisibles

Rocks Off: What is worst song in the world, and why? Julio Briceño (lead singer): It is hard to name just one because most of the time,what may seem to be the worst song for some people, is the best song for other people because it gets really famous. Lately, I could mention Gangnam Style. It does ... More >>

The 5 Best Things to Eat or Drink This Weekend: Yaki Snack Attack, Arepas at Revival, East Montrose Tour of Homes and Bugs with Brews

Still haven't made plans for the weekend? It's not too late. It's never too late. Carpe diem and whatever else Robin Williams yelled at his English class in that movie where they all stood on their desks as the whitest act of defiance you've ever seen on-screen. Yaki Snack Attack at Grand Prize Bar ... More >>

A Look Inside Batanga Tapas Drinks, Now Open Downtown

There's been a lot of talk about downtown Houston's "revival," sparked by a spate of restaurant and bar openings near Main Street. But the word "revival" seemed grossly inappropriate as I drove to Batanga Tapas Drinks this past Saturday for its media preview party, as the word itself suggests that ... More >>

Oops: UTMB Misplaces a Vial of Deadly Virus

The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston is proud to be the home of many highly infectious, very deadly viruses and other potential weapons of biological mass destruction. And that's just in the break-room fridge!!! (Ha! Kidding.) Part of the job of keeping such things around the premis ... More >>

The Complete SXSW Overflow Festival 2013 Guide: Week 2, Part 1

Ready for another week of the SXSW Overflow Festival 2013 at Super Happy Fun Land? Check out the first half of the second week's musical acts! MONDAY, MARCH 18 Embers in Ashes: Their single, "Then You Came," connects a metallic, thrashing chorus to a surprising series of mildly sung verses. 6 p.m. ... More >>

Houston's Citgo Sends Off Hugo Chavez With A Fond Farewell

Venezuela's Huge Chavez has been one of the more polarizing political figures on the world stage, beloved by many, hated by just as many if not more. Citgo is a huge energy company based in Houston, incorporated under U.S. laws....but owned by Venezuela. Which put the company in somewhat of a toug ... More >>

''Constructed Dialogues: Concrete, Geometric, and Kinetic Art from the Latin American Art Collection''

Houston International Festival

iFest 2012 Heavy On Latin Rock, Funk, South Americans

The Houston International Festival officially announced its 2012 lineup this morning. The music is heavy on Latin-flavored rock, reggae and funk, with Texas well-represented as always and an exceedingly rare Houston appearance by Seun Kuti, son of Afrobeat giant Fela, and his group Egypt 80. Among ... More >>

Three Things We Learned from Mexico's Win Over Venezuela at Reliant

Check out our slideshow of fans and dives during the Mexico vs. Venezuela game. To get a feel for Mexico's game against Venezuela last night at Reliant Stadium, one only needed to watch the last 25 minutes. Seriously... the previous 65 minutes only produced one Venezuelan goal. Mexico found the n ... More >>

Three More Penn State Stories to Cap Off the Worst Week Ever

An unbelievable week is not over yet.​I haven't gone back through history to see if this really was the worst week ever in sports, but I'm willing to take this week and, sight unseen, put it up against any other week in a contest for "worst sports week ever" and I'll bet I win. Death? Joe Fra ... More >>

Final Four: A Non-Expert Guide on Who to Root For

Everything you need to know, almost​Houston, you must get wrapped up in the Final Four, simply because it's here. If, like us, your love of basketball evaporated away awhile back, that means you need to get caught up on the teams playing so you can sound like an expert at your viewing party. ... More >>

Jonathan Barnes: Friend of Houston Socialite Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering

Ol' Blue Eyes weeps at what became of his Cadillac​Jonathan Barnes, the Bellaire oil trader whose ill-gotten gains include Frank Sinatra's 1957 Caddy, pleaded guilty today to fraud and money-laundering charges, the U.S. Attorney's office announced. Now very worried: The two other defendants w ... More >>

Los Amigos Invisibles

Jonathan Barnes & Pals: How to Spend Those Ill-Gotten Gains? Buy Frank Sinatra's 1957 Caddy

The first time Frank Sinatra's name has been associated with criminal activity​The U.S. Attorney's office today announced the indictment of three oil traders accused of running an $80 million scam against LyondellBasell, and the most entertaining part was what the trio spent their alleged ill- ... More >>

WHAT?!? Companies Pay BRIBES To Do Business In Russia And Angola?

Shocking, we know​Be prepared to lose all faith in -- well, if not humanity, per se, at least capitalism and government officials in Nigeria.It appears -- are you sitting down? -- that bribery is sometimes used when American companies try to do business in Russia, Nigeria, Angola and Kazakhstan. Y ... More >>

Apollo Travels the Globe

Go across the pond and back again with the chamber music ensemble

Will Ferrell Proves Astros Minor-League System Really Is A Joke

Photo courtesy Round Rock ExpressRojo Johnson, on the run​MLB.com has a report on the newest reliever on the Astros' Triple-A affiliate, the Round Rock Express.He's Billy Ray "Rojo" Johnson, an American raised in Venezuela who recently got out of prison for the "illegal importation of countless sp ... More >>

Araya Artisan Chocolate

​Next door to the River Oaks Theatre sits the storefront for Araya Artisan Chocolate (2013 W. Gray St.), which is turning out some of the most decadent chocolates in the city. The room is miniscule, yet open and inviting. Lush orchids occupy angular white tables. The tiny sitting area offers s ... More >>

iFest Closes To An Afro-Cuban-Reggae Beat

Eggs/ breakfastontour.comBaba Maal​ If the first weekend of the Houston International Festival felt like a detour down Canal Street, the second evoked the festival's emphasis on "Spotlighting the Caribbean." Summer picked this weekend to descend two months early, as it tends to do, resulting in in ... More >>

World Music At iFest, From Galveston To Colombia, West Africa And Oklahoma(?!)

Over the next two weeks, Rocks Off will be previewing acts performing at this year's Houston International Festival Saturday and Sunday and April 24-25 broken down by genre (loosely, anyway) and with a guest pick from a true insider: iFest Director of Performing Arts Rick Mitchell. We begin with tha ... More >>

Melissa Savcic, Not Jessica Alba But Both Band And Kickboxing Singer-Songwriter

Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group "Artist of the Week," bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies. Know a band or artist that isn't awful? Email their particulars to sheaserrano@gmail.com.​The other day President Obama* ... More >>

Venezuelan Street Food - Catered

​We were recently fortunate enough to sample some homemade Venezuelan empanadas that were muy deliciosos. Made by Rosalba Verde, a native of Venezuela, the flaky pastry dough came in several versions -- stuffed full of chorizo and potato, ground beef, or chicken breast mixed with green olives, ... More >>

A Typical Venezuelan Dance Band

Caracas's Los Amigos Invisibles are anything but.

Inquiring Minds: Mexican Global Groovers and World Travelers Plastilina Mosh

​Plastilina Mosh has a new CD out, All U Need Is Mosh, on Nacional Records, and brings its international sound to Houston Thursday for a free concert with Venezuela's Los Amigos Invisibles. That's right, it's free - all it costs is a very worthwhile trip outside the Loop. Rocks Off hasn't picked u ... More >>

Latin American Left Film Festival

The revolution may not be televised, but it will be on the big screen

Tintos Spanish Restaurant & Wine Bar

Tintos Stakes a Claim to Inner Loop Tapas

Photos by J.C. ReidVieiras al Albariño: Seared sea scallopsThe debate about which Houston restaurant serves the most authentic Spanish tapas rages on. Among Houston food lovers, the general consensus is that Rioja is at the top of the list for authentic tapas and great paella. But to a large popula ... More >>

Noquis of the 29th

photo by Robb Walsh Manena's Pastry Shop on Westheimer at Wilcrest is the subject of this week's Cafe review. Manena's is famous for their empanadas, but it's also a place where folks from South America gather on the 29th of each month (except February) to eat gnocchi, or noquis, as they are known ... More >>

“Retratos y Banderas”

Artist Stanley Bermúdez has a solo show at TBH

Political Change (Here And In DC) May Help Murder Victim's Mom

Carrie Ruiz of Humble is praying that President Obama and his promised commitment to foreign diplomacy will help bring her daughter's killer to justice.Nine years ago, Ruiz's teenaged daughter, Felicia, was stabbed to death 26 times in an open field. Two of the three attackers are now behind bars, b ... More >>

$7 at Huddle House

Where: Huddle House, 8619 Richmond off Dunvale, 713-785-0003 What $7 gets you: A chicken fried steak with hash browns, two eggs, buttered toast and jelly. It'll also get you (with change in most cases) the Patty Melt, Philly Cheese Steak, Huddle Burger, most of the rest of their sandwiches, and th ... More >>

Al Green Goes All Rambo

Representative Al Green Fights His Own Vietnam War

Chuck Rosenthal, Nan Goldin and Soulja Boy

Immigration: Luck of the Draw

Some Cubans in Houston find work right away, others languish withoutEnglish skills

Chuck Rosenthal: So Tough on Crime That a Suspect Goes Free

The DA doesn't make deals. And that's why Jesus Salazar is living the free life in Venezuela while a teenage girl lies dead, stabbed 26 times.

35th Annual Jewish Book & Arts Fair

The Jewish Community Center presents two weeks of authors, filmmakers and artists

Robb's Review: On the Menu

Robb's Review: On the Menu

Plantain and Simple

Plantain and Simple

Houston Women's Festival

The Houston Women's Festival takes place Saturday, October 21, at Jones Plaza, 600 Louisiana. Visit www.hwfestival.org online for more info.

Fine Lines

Discover the work and words of a remarkable avant-garde artist

The Bull Market

Young bucks ride for a shot at the big time

Crazy World

Javier Téllez's work at Sicardi Gallery explores the insanity of "sanity"

Bursting Bubbles

Someone sabotages a Channel 13 report

Dish

Salsa en la Ciudad

Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant

The Pedrique family missed their hometown. So they recreated it.

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