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Best Movie Theater

Brown Auditorium

The newly renovated auditorium debuted with the premiere of a redone version of the 1984 Oscar-winning film Amadeus to show off, among other things, its new sound system. (The Oscar-winning sound man, Mark Berger, was even on hand to talk with the audience about the restoration.) The theater has family flicks, and movies like Star Wars and the works of Robert Frank to accompany the museum's exhibits. A whole festival was devoted to Iranian movies, which film connoisseurs consider to be among the most innovative in the world today, and the theater just launched the Latin American Film Festival this year, to great acclaim. The filmmakers themselves are often able to appear and personally answer audience questions. What's more, the admission remains a bargain at just $5 a ticket ($4 for students, seniors and members). That makes this the place to go to see quality films you won't find anywhere else.

Best Fusion CD by Local Musicians

…is it jazz? by Spoken Mercy

Fusion is most often associated with jazz, but this CD begs the question. A blend of flamenco, jazz and rock, Spoken Mercy has fused the three in this locally produced compact disc. The band's debut CD features Gary Norman on guitars and bass, with Tyler Essex doing the percussion and programming. Perhaps ironically, there are no vocals, but none are needed when the music speaks volumes. "Mission San Juan" is the first track, beginning with the sound of church bells tolling as they have in the California mission for centuries. The music is timeless, though. "Bitter Winter" is more traditionally jazz in sound, with "Inca's Revenge" presenting an interesting transition, tribal-like, with unsteady, low rumblings. Even after you listen to the entire CD, you're still left wondering, well, is it?

Best Fusion CD by Local Musicians

…is it jazz? by Spoken Mercy

Fusion is most often associated with jazz, but this CD begs the question. A blend of flamenco, jazz and rock, Spoken Mercy has fused the three in this locally produced compact disc. The band's debut CD features Gary Norman on guitars and bass, with Tyler Essex doing the percussion and programming. Perhaps ironically, there are no vocals, but none are needed when the music speaks volumes. "Mission San Juan" is the first track, beginning with the sound of church bells tolling as they have in the California mission for centuries. The music is timeless, though. "Bitter Winter" is more traditionally jazz in sound, with "Inca's Revenge" presenting an interesting transition, tribal-like, with unsteady, low rumblings. Even after you listen to the entire CD, you're still left wondering, well, is it?

Best Big Idea

Spirit of Houston

New York has the Statue of Liberty; Paris has the Eiffel Tower; St. Louis has the arch; even Huntsville has big old Sam Houston. And what does Houston have? Well, if architect Doug Michels, industrial designer Peter Bollinger and sculptor Cybele Rowe have their way, this car city will have a giant hood ornament. The 555-foot Spirit of Houston is imagined as the world's tallest woman, her hands raised to the heavens, her dress and hair trailing behind her in the wind. In fact, in artist's renderings, the dress is blown so tight as to reveal this Amazon woman's curvalicious bod. What will she be made of? Chrome, of course.

Best Big Idea

Spirit of Houston

New York has the Statue of Liberty; Paris has the Eiffel Tower; St. Louis has the arch; even Huntsville has big old Sam Houston. And what does Houston have? Well, if architect Doug Michels, industrial designer Peter Bollinger and sculptor Cybele Rowe have their way, this car city will have a giant hood ornament. The 555-foot Spirit of Houston is imagined as the world's tallest woman, her hands raised to the heavens, her dress and hair trailing behind her in the wind. In fact, in artist's renderings, the dress is blown so tight as to reveal this Amazon woman's curvalicious bod. What will she be made of? Chrome, of course.

Best Local Cable Television Personalities

David Jones and Gary Polland

The unlikely triad of David Jones, Gloria Gonzalez Roemer and Gary Polland presents the only real weekly political talk show in town, Politics Unplugged. Jones is a veteran criminal defense attorney and Democratic activist who used to host his own cable show. Roemer, who produces Politics Unplugged, formerly chaired the Bush-Quayle campaign in Colorado in 1992 after unsuccessfully running for U.S. Congress against Democratic incumbent Pat Schroeder. Polland is the chair of the Harris County Republican Party. Together, the two conservatives often appear to verbally beat the pulp out of liberal Jones, who doesn't seem to mind, and likes being outnumbered. Says Jones, "That means when I score points it's even more significant because I've been outgunned." Call it the Custer at the Little Big Horn rationale. In July, City Councilmember Carroll Robinson literally crashed the telecast midway through the show. "He came walking in like he was going to sit down, so we invited him and gave him a microphone," laughs Jones. "From then on it was 'Carroll for mayor,' and that's all we talked about." Adds Roemer, "It's the kind of show where these elected officials feel very comfortable that they can come and speak their mind, and that's rare and unique." The threesome is gearing up for the coming elections, and hopes to have face-offs between the candidates in all the major races, even the top spot.

Best Local Cable Television Personalities

David Jones and Gary Polland

The unlikely triad of David Jones, Gloria Gonzalez Roemer and Gary Polland presents the only real weekly political talk show in town, Politics Unplugged. Jones is a veteran criminal defense attorney and Democratic activist who used to host his own cable show. Roemer, who produces Politics Unplugged, formerly chaired the Bush-Quayle campaign in Colorado in 1992 after unsuccessfully running for U.S. Congress against Democratic incumbent Pat Schroeder. Polland is the chair of the Harris County Republican Party. Together, the two conservatives often appear to verbally beat the pulp out of liberal Jones, who doesn't seem to mind, and likes being outnumbered. Says Jones, "That means when I score points it's even more significant because I've been outgunned." Call it the Custer at the Little Big Horn rationale. In July, City Councilmember Carroll Robinson literally crashed the telecast midway through the show. "He came walking in like he was going to sit down, so we invited him and gave him a microphone," laughs Jones. "From then on it was 'Carroll for mayor,' and that's all we talked about." Adds Roemer, "It's the kind of show where these elected officials feel very comfortable that they can come and speak their mind, and that's rare and unique." The threesome is gearing up for the coming elections, and hopes to have face-offs between the candidates in all the major races, even the top spot.

Best Radio Talk Show

The Dick Harmon Golf Hour, KILT/610 AM

Dick is probably the second-most famous of the four golfing Harmon brothers, taking a backseat only to Butch, who is of course the golfing guru to Tiger Woods. Teamed with station regulars Lance Zerlein and John Granato, Harmon is informative and, more important, entertaining -- even if you don't play golf. A more suitable name for the show might be the Harmon Comedy Hour, as the pro spends most of his time cutting his co-hosts to pieces with his acerbic wit. Butch and PGA players are often guests, and they too get little respect.

Best Radio Talk Show

The Dick Harmon Golf Hour, KILT/610 AM

Dick is probably the second-most famous of the four golfing Harmon brothers, taking a backseat only to Butch, who is of course the golfing guru to Tiger Woods. Teamed with station regulars Lance Zerlein and John Granato, Harmon is informative and, more important, entertaining -- even if you don't play golf. A more suitable name for the show might be the Harmon Comedy Hour, as the pro spends most of his time cutting his co-hosts to pieces with his acerbic wit. Butch and PGA players are often guests, and they too get little respect.

Best Bar Decor

La Carafe

In a city in which most bar owners' decorative aesthetic runs toward merely plastering the walls and ceilings with garish beer and liquor ads, the 141-year-old La Carafe (which over the decades has been an Indian trading post, a steam bakery and a Pony Express stop) stands out like a Vermeer among velvet Elvises. The walls there have not been festooned with art as much as they have simply accreted tangible history. The old portraits of luminaries like Jack Yates and Sam Houston, the ancient show prints and sheet music, the political propaganda from public dins long since quieted, the photographs dating from the dawn of the medium, and the musty mirror (taken from a church baptismal) -- all are among the pitiful few public reminders that Houston is rapidly approaching its bicentennial. The famous candles stuck in wine bottles that have been growing like stalagmites further the notion that a trip to La Carafe is like a voyage into a magic cavern of the Bayou City's past. What's more, the jukebox is one of the best in town, and the beer is always ice-cold. Have one, and hoist a toast to the sunny slopes of long ago.

Best Of Houston®

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