Texas Ingenuity Is as Big as the State
Texas Ingenuity: Lone Star Inventions, Inventors, and Innovators By Alan C. Elliott 240 pp, $21.99 The History Press If the state of Texas could talk, one of the things it might say is “You’re welcome, world.” After all, think of all the things enjoyed and used every day that got…
Dish of the Week: Piri Piri Chicken
From classic comfort foods to regional standouts and desserts, we’ll be sharing a new recipe with you each week. Find other dishes of the week here. Piri piri—also spelled peli peli or pili pili and known as “bird’s eye chili”—is a type of chili pepper that descended from South American…
A New Year’s Eve Tune to Suit Every Mood
No matter your mood, New Year’s Eve can bring about an array of feelings.
MasterMinds 2016 One Year Later: HISD’s EMERGE Program
The first participants of the Houston Independent School District’s EMERGE program, a winner of a 2016 MasterMinds Award from Houston Press, recently graduated college and are settling into their first post-college jobs. There are four of them. Today, there are more than 300 Houston-area high-school students who are about to go…
Red Hot Chili Peppers: The Houston Texans of Rock
The legendary rock act is a great musical outfit, with one glaring exception.
A Look Back at Harris County’s Big Year in Criminal Justice — and Lawsuits
As ye olde saying goes, the wheels of justice move slowly—but at least in Harris County this year, somebody must have kicked the donkey. 2016 was full of criminal justice reform proposals — and also criminal justice lawsuits. It was full of scandals that controlled political campaigns, and full of…
After Staging a Robbery for Shelter in Jail, One Mentally Ill Man Never Made It Out
The man who entered Qurban Bana’s Chevron convenience store with a gun was unlike any robber Bana had seen before. He was tall, skinny and clean-shaven, and when he placed the gun on the counter as though it were a Gatorade he wanted to buy, he asked for only a…
Dwight Yoakam Was Never the Biggest, but He’s One of the Best
Dwight Yoakam was never the biggest country star on the planet, but he might very well have been the best.
Dish of the Week: Queso Fundido
From classic comfort foods to regional standouts and desserts, we’ll be sharing a new recipe with you each week. Find other dishes of the week here. This week, we’re sharing a crowd-pleaser perfect for a New Year’s Eve party: queso fundido. Also known as queso flameado (Spanish for “flamed cheese”),…
Catastrophic Explores America’s Meme, “How Could This Have Happened?”
This tumultuous election year has split America apart, magnifying the worst of both red and blue in a slurry of hurled insults, misinformation, Russian tampering and late night satire. Whether election day brought about feelings of euphoric triumph or wretched hangover, there’s no denying that things are moving at an incredibly…
MasterMinds 2016 One Year Later: Horse Head Theatre Company
Jacey Little had recently finished some grant paperwork for the Houston Arts Alliance when she spoke to the Houston Press. Her mind was still decompressing from business mode. Which is good when an organization is trying to grow from toddler to infant (and eventually to grown-up). Little, artistic director for…
This Week in Houston Food Events: Sip Pappy at Eight Row Flint
Here’s a look at this week’s hottest culinary happenings: Through Saturday Festival of Lights Celebration at La Table Celebrate with Hanukkah specials at La Table, 1800 Post Oak, including classics like housemade challah, matzo ball soup, braised short rib, latkes and chocolate choux. Kosher meals are available with 24 hour…
Last Minute Food and Drink Lifelines for Houston’s Christmas & Hanukkah 2016
Here it is, all rounded up and put together in one convenient package for all you busy busy procrastinators out there. We don’t want anyone sitting down to a holiday meal of Kool-aid and crackers (well unless you’re 2 years old and that’s what you really like to eat.) Here’s…
Charles Brown: Texas City’s Unsung Christmas-Music Angel
“People want Christmas songs. You get a Christmas song, if it becomes a hit, it’ll be a hit forever.”
Hey Santa: Here Are a Few Houston Sports Gift Ideas, If It’s Not Too Late
Christmas Eve is tomorrow night, and we’re in a giving mood. So we’re passing on this list to Santa Claus so that he can add these to his bags of gifts to drop off these Houston sports figures. JEFF BAGWELL: You’re the best player in Houston Astros history. So you’re getting…
Houston’s 5 Best Weekend Food Bets: Christmas & Hanukkah Treats
From boozy movie screenings to holiday brunch, here’s a look at this weekend’s best culinary happenings: Die Hard at Saint Arnold Brewery Friday, 6 p.m. 2000 Lyons Alamo Drafthouse Rolling Roadshow is rolling in to the Saint Arnold parking lot, with a showing of Die Hard beginning at 6 p.m…
2017’s Other Most Anticipated Movies
Next week I have an article coming out about the most anticipated movies of 2017. In the spirit of search engine optimization and getting paid, I necessarily stuck to movies starring your Rocks, Diesels, and Downeys, Jr. But those movies are far from the whole story. The next 12 months…
Upcoming Houston Food Events: A Whoville Burger and Pappy Tasting
Mark your calendars, because you don’t want to miss these deliciously fun culinary happenings, from holiday burger and shake specials to a New Year’s Day brunch. Now through Sunday, January 1, Hopdoddy Burger Bar, 4444 Westheimer, is offering two new specials inspired by the magical city of Whoville. The Roast…
NFL Week 16: Bengals-Texans — Four Things to Watch For
What a difference a week and a change at quarterback can make. A week ago, heading into their Week 15 home game with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Houston Texans were tied for first atop the AFC South at 7-6, but the entire season (along with whatever sense of accomplishment the…
The Best Things to Do in Houston This Weekend: Pizza and Holiday Lights
Whether you’re celebrating the alt-holiday Friday with an aluminum pole for Festivus, lighting the first candle of the menorah on Saturday to begin Hanukkah, or opening presents under the tree this Sunday for Christmas, this is the time of year to celebrate peace, love and joy with family and friends…
Will NASA Go Back to the Moon?
More than 40 years ago, NASA defied the odds and landed the first man on the moon. Astronaut Neil Armstrong took one small step for man, and suddenly we were living in a world where it was possible for a guy from Ohio to stand on the moon. The Apollo…
Openings & Closings: Kitchen 713 Finds a New Home While Canard Throws in the Dish Towel [UPDATED]
Kitchen 713 finds a new home on Washington. The nationally recognized restaurant known for innovative southern and globally-inspired cuisine reopens in a larger space on December 26 at 4601 Washington, suite 130, where the former TQLA and more recently Commonwealth used to stand. The new digs are dramatically different from…
A Nonviolent 15-year-old Will Spend Christmas in an Overcrowded Facility
A part of Amelia Rondon almost did not want to attend her son’s detention hearing, held three days before Christmas. She had been told that her 15-year-old son Joshua, who had been charged with nonviolent misdemeanors, would probably be able to go home, especially because it was Christmastime. But Amelia…
It’s Time for Baseball Writers to Make Jeff Bagwell a Hall of Famer
Dear members of the Baseball Writers Association of America — or those of you members who vote for the Baseball Hall of Fame — I realize that many of you have already cast your ballots as to who will be inducted into the next class. But to those of you…
Follow Little Bunny Foo Foo into “The World of Hunt Slonem”
Now we know what happened to little bunny Foo Foo after he finished his mischievous tirade, hopping through the forest and bopping field mice on the head. That bunny, plus birds, butterflies and all sorts of flora and fauna have jumped into “The World of Hunt Slonem,” and they’re on view…
Texas Lawmakers Want to Make It Harder for the State to Take Stuff From People
Civil asset forfeiture sounds reasonable enough on the outside. Police seize property belonging to people they suspect of being involved in criminal activity. (It was set up in the 1980s to help law enforcement seize drug-related items and cash.) The thing is, here in Texas, where the law on asset…
Lining Up the Food for Next Month’s Artopia
Artopia, the Houston Press annual end-of-January event celebrating the arts in Houston is still about a month away but planners are already lining up food vendors for the in-demand event. One of those is BB’s Cafe and Maricela Bassier, who’s in charge of marketing and advertising for BB’s, let us…
Ten Things to Do in Houston for $10 or Less (Eight Free) December 22-28
The December weather has been consistently inconsistent, which is to be expected unfortunately. The upside of the fluctuations is that it at least allows for residents to come out of hibernation once a week and get some fresh air -before the polar vortex decides to rear its ugly face again…
An Unabridged Timeline of Houston’s Relationship With Brock Osweiler
All good things must come to an end. Even if they were never really that good in the first place. The Texans unceremoniously benched quarterback Brock Osweiler after his second interception last week against the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars. After 15 weeks of a healthy mix of denial and wishful thinking,…
The 10 Best Houston Rap Songs of 2016
2016 is almost over. Time to crown a winner for the Best Houston Rap track of the year.
My Side Chick Is Threatening to Tell My Girlfriend. Help!
What’s on your mind? What isn’t? Ask Willie D!
Walkthrough for the Assassin’s Creed Movie: Don’t Go.
The Assassin’s Creed video games are about skipping through tedious cut scenes set in the present so that you can vault into the past, through and over gorgeous recreations of the roofs and streets of medieval and Renaissance cities. Sometimes you chase floating feathers through Florence. Often, you’ll sneak behind…
Ben Affleck’s Crime Epic Live by Night Is a Pile of Parts
Somewhere inside the 128-minute Live by Night is a reasonably solid 168-minute movie struggling to get out. No, that’s not a typo: You can sense the contours of an absorbing story as writer/director/star Ben Affleck’s slapdash and fragmented assemblage limps along. Most of the pieces are there, but they remain…
Judge’s Order Proves Texas Central Isn’t a Real Railroad, Opponents Claim
Opponents of the Houston-to-Dallas high-speed rail project are taking a district judge’s recent ruling as evidence that, from a legal standpoint the company behind the controversial project basically doesn’t exist. Specifically, Texans Against High-Speed Rail, a group that has been working doggedly against the proposed 240-mile bullet train line, say…
A Much Ado About Nothing Set in 1942 England Comes to Houston
It’s 1942 England and we’re in an underground bunker with servicemen and woman who are – of all things — putting on a radio show of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. Prague Shakespeare Company is back in Houston at Main Street Theater, this time bringing with it an early comedy…
Best Bets for Week 16 NFL Games
With a 4-7-1 ATS record the last two weeks, my performance has been nothing short of deplorable this holiday season. My 71 percent ATS two month run during October and November sucked all of you in, and now I am emptying your pockets at the worst possible time, when you…
New Players in Houston’s Poke Scene
From Liberty Station and Kata Robata to Gyu-Kaku and the Velvet Taco, poke (pronounced poh–kay, sans the accent mark on the “e”) has been in Houston restaurants for a while now. It’s almost an obligatory hipster factor to add an “ahi poke something” to the menu. Over the next few…
State Lawmaker Files Bill to Ban “Sermon Subpoenas” in Texas
While it doesn’t seem like there would often be a reason to issue a subpoena over a sermon, on Tuesday state Rep. Joan Huffman, a Houston Republican, filed a bill for the upcoming 85th Biennial Legislative Session that will make it impossible for the government to force religious figures to…
If I Were Famous: Kyle Hubbard
Our favorite local musicians contemplate being outrageously famous. Today: Kyle Hubbard.
Houston in Top 10 U.S. Cities That Really Like Plastic Surgery
You’re shocked. Well, we’re guessing. We can’t really tell because of the lack of expression on your face from all the plastic surgery, but we figure you’re pretty shocked. Houston is listed in the top 10 cities that’s interested in surgical cosmetic procedures, according to a study by RealSelf, a…
Ogg Will Investigate Fired Prosecutors Without Asking for Their Side of Story
After receiving concerning phone calls from three crime victims, District Attorney-elect Kim Ogg made some weighty allegations at a press conference outside the criminal courthouse on Tuesday morning. Each crime victim’s case had belonged to prosecutors Ogg had recently fired, and the crime victims, Ogg said, had expressed uncertainty and…
10 Days of Pik N Pak Mayhem Return to Houston
This Friday, several bands from the ’80s and ’90s will remember the days when Ralph Ullrich’s little icehouse rocked the Inner Loop.
Beyoncé’s Lemonade Tastes as Sweet Eight Months Later
For all that sucked in 2016, the music didn’t. Beyoncé’s ‘Lemonade’ album was the year’s biggest event release.
Can Day For Night Overcome Its Growing Pains?
Long lines, infrastructure issues, and enigmatic artists made for an interesting — and at times exasperating — weekend.
Toni Erdmann Toasts the Hilarity of Everyday Humilitation
Delving into microeconomics and macroaggressions, Toni Erdmann, the dynamite, superbly acted third feature by writer/director Maren Ade, is social studies at its finest. This quicksilver, emotionally astute comedy operates on many different registers and moods: Whoopee cushions and gag teeth are part of the fun, but so too is a…
Neorealist Jewel I, Daniel Blake Slices the Systems That Crush Us
Sure, we’ve all gotten desensitized to screen violence, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be shocked. Ken Loach’s quietly furious I, Daniel Blake will likely jolt you with its depiction of a different kind of killing: the paperwork, on-hold music and long-wait rigmarole a widowed English woodworker endures while trying…
Pedro Almodóvar’s Julieta Is a Vital and Heartbreaking Return to Form
Both a film noir and a candy-colored confection, Pedro Almodóvar’s Julieta is one of the most absorbing films he’s made in years. It’s also, perhaps, one of the saddest: Its bright hues and vivid textures offset a deep, unshakable melancholy. Based on a trio of Alice Munro short stories, Julieta…
Patriots Day Finds Mark Wahlberg Caught Between Fiction and Real Disaster
For better and for worse, Peter Berg has found his genre. After oscillating between sports (Friday Night Lights), superheroes (Hancock) and even board games (Battleship) without much distinction, the writer, director, producer and actor has made a loose trilogy in which Mark Wahlberg reenacts recent tales of American heroism. Lone…
DA-Elect Ogg Will Investigate Some Fired Prosecutors for Fishy Phone Calls [UPDATED]
In the past two days, District Attorney-elect Kim Ogg said she has been getting calls from crime victims concerned about the future of their cases —and she said at a press conference Tuesday that she has reason to believe some of the 37 prosecutors she intends to fire might have…
Federal Judge Denies County’s Motion to Dismiss Harris County Bail Lawsuit
In a sweeping 78-page opinion issued late last week, a federal judge has denied Harris County’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit that accuses it of operating an unconstitutional bail system. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal dismissed the sheriff and county judges from the lawsuit in their personal, but not official,…
Texans 21, Jaguars 20 — Five Plays That Should Make You Giddy About Jadeveon Clowney
The NFL Draft has been a mixed bag for the Houston Texans over the last decade or so, but generally speaking, one of the things they’ve done pretty well is select productive NFL players in the first round, ranging from workmanlike starters (Kareem Jackson, Whitney Mercilus) to Pro Bowlers (Duane…
Houston-Area Grocery Stores Open on Christmas Eve, Hanukkah & Christmas Day 2016
Whether you forgot an ingredient for your famous gingerbread cookies or sweet potato latkes, can’t fit in the pre-holiday shopping, or simply enjoy living on the edge, here’s a list of the grocery/convenience stores that will be open in this holiday: Open on both Christmas Eve/Hanukkah and Christmas Day CVS:…
Despite Two “Faithless Electors” in Texas, Trump Wins the Electoral College
President-elect Donald Trump officially secured the White House on Monday evening, and Texas electors were the ones who put his Electoral College count over the top. Despite the hopes of those who gathered outside state capitols across the country, protesting and urging electors to vote for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary…
Upcoming: Mariah Carey/Lionel Richie, Dick Dale, MyDolls, Sondre Lerche, Sleep, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, etc.
A constantly updated guide to upcoming concerts in the Greater Houston area.
Living Next Door to Day For Night Was Interesting, to Say the Least
It took a bit of planning, but Day For Night seemed as good of a neighbor as one could hope for.
Le Colonial Does Better in the Non-Traditional Mode
The crispy whole red snapper at Le Colonial was presented standing up, twisted artistically on a bed of spring salad leaves of arugula, lettuce and baby spinach. A syrupy glaze glistened atop the fish, with confetti-colored bits of red and yellow pepper and green onion accenting the effect. The ca…
Kashmere High Struggles to Survive, but Don’t Count It Out Yet
It’s the smallest comprehensive high school in its district in one of the most poverty-ridden areas of Houston. Its scores and attendance levels haven’t met state standards for seven years and the state has sent in one of its experts to take up residence. Yes, that’s right, that’s Kashmere High…
Steely Dan Fans Have Just Hit the Jackpot
An updated and expanded bio gives additional insight into “the Manson and Starkweather of rock.”
Hidden Figures Couldn’t Be More Timely in Its Celebration of Ascendant Women
Accepting the Welt Literature Prize in Berlin on November 10 of this year, the novelist Zadie Smith said, “Time travel is a discretionary art: a pleasure trip for some and a horror story for others.” She was speaking, of course, of the conviction among so many white people that there’s…
The Dark Fable A Monster Calls Will Give Parents Nightmares
Parents be warned: J. A. Bayona and Patrick Ness’ kid-meets-beast coming-of-age fantasy is a reclamation of fairy stories from the reassuring fiction of happily ever after. In a lineup of holiday releases — or, soon, a streaming queue — this tale of a bullied Irish boy whose best friend is…
Passengers Jettisons Moral Complexity for Rom-Com Convention
In the early scenes of the sci-fi drama Passengers, Chris Pratt gets to be every dope who ever woke up in the middle of the night, thought it was morning and started to make the coffee. Too bad for him, morning is still 90 years away, and the coffee sucks…
Seven Films We Look Forward to Distracting Us in Early 2017
2017 looks like it won’t be an improvement over 2016, so here are some promising films — either reviewed or previewed — to distract you in the next three months. In keeping with the pessimism most of the country is feeling, we’re also considering “what could be bad” in the…
DA Anderson Personally Dismisses DWI Case Against Prominent Houston Attorney
In a rare move, District Attorney Devon Anderson intervened in a misdemeanor case to personally dismiss a DWI charge against prominent Houston defense attorney Tony Buzbee, the Houston Press discovered Monday morning. In a statement to the Press, Anderson said the reason she decided to dismiss the case was because…
Ask a Stoner: How Can I Have a Merryjuana Christmas?
Dear Stoner: What are some ways to tastefully incorporate weed into Christmas morning? Holly Dear Kim: Christmas is all about getting cozy, so keep that in mind as visions of sugar nugs dance in your head. And nothing is cozier than Christmas cookies and cocoa, both of which you can…
The Most Unusual Things We Saw at Day For Night 2016
Day For Night promised to be a different kind of festival, and this year it delivered as advertised.
Five Things Other Festivals Should Learn From Day For Night
If future festival organizers want a destination event, it’s going to require more creativity than 37 Budweiser tents can provide.
NFL Week 15: Texans 21, Jaguars 20 — 4 Winners, 4 Losers
For nearly three full seasons, since being drafted in the fourth round out of Pittsburgh, Tom Savage has watched seven other quarterbacks, most of them with less arm talent and less potential, walk through the doors at NRG Stadium, and get chance after chance to start at quarterback for the…
Texas Could Soon Make It Harder for Zika-Infected Women to Get Abortions
The Centers for Disease Control issued a warning recently recommending that pregnant women and their partners avoid traveling to South Texas due to concerns about getting infected with the Zika virus. In Texas, the disease has been transmitted locally at least five times so far. The warning comes as the…
The Best Acts We Saw at Day For Night 2016
Houston’s groundbreaking music and art festival took over the former Barbara Jordan Post Office downtown on Saturday and Sunday.
Dish of the Week: Parker House Rolls
From classic comfort foods to regional standouts and desserts, we’ll be sharing a new recipe with you each week. Find other dishes of the week here. This week, we’re sharing a recipe that can easily make its way onto any holiday table: Parker House rolls. Traditional Parker House rolls are…
This Week in Houston Food Events: A 5-Year “OG Dinner” & Holiday Fun
Here’s a look at this week’s hottest culinary happenings, from holiday movie screenings to Christmas brunch: Monday, December 19 Movie Night: A Christmas Story & Prancer at Axelrad Beer Garden From 7 to 11 p.m., cozy up with a blanket and some craft brews to enjoy movie night at Axelrad…
Some in Congress Want Disclosure of Secret Government Dog Research
A bipartisan group of U.S. representatives wants federal agencies to disclose information on experiments conducted on dogs, including research performed at the Army’s Fort Sam Houston base in San Antonio. The interest in pulling back the curtain on the taxpayer-funded research was spurred by the White Coat Waste Project, an…
The Electoral College Votes for President Today. Here’s How It Works
The Electoral College is meeting on Monday for members to formally cast their ballots for president and vice president. While some are hoping the 538 electors gathered in their respective state capitols will take a page from Texas elector Chris Suprun — who is refusing to vote for President-elect Donald…
“Rick Is Hustling M&Ms in Heaven”: A Funeral for the Soul of the Courthouse
On Friday, hundreds of people packed the pews at St. John’s United Methodist Church in Houston to tell Rick Johnson — the man who sold candy and umbrellas outside the criminal courthouse for more than a decade — that they loved him. It was Rick’s favorite thing to say to…
Shows of the Week: A New Holiday Tradition at Houston’s Newest Venue
The livest live music in the Bayou City for the third week of December 2016.
#HTownTakeover Becomes #HTownTurnover as Cougars Get Stomped in Vegas
This UH football season ended with a whimper, not a bang. The Cougars were easily handled in a disappointing 34-10 loss to San Diego State, ending a disappointing 9-4 season which started with such promise and which ended up being a nightmare for most people not named Tom Herman or…
Houston’s Grinches of the Holiday Season
December brought us the awful news out of Fort Bend County that police say a foster mother locked her seven special needs children in a single room for hours at a time, among other abuses. Thankfully, the mother and her partner have been arrested, while the kids have been placed…
Judge Blocks Outdoor Shows at White Oak Music Hall (for Now)
A Houston judge on Friday ordered White Oak Music Hall to temporarily halt outdoor shows and construction of a permanent outdoor stage, in response to a lawsuit from neighbors concerned about noise. District Judge Michael Gomez approved a temporary restraining order barring the venue from holding outdoor concerts until a…
Incoming DA Kim Ogg Prepares to Fire Dozens of Prosecutors
Before even taking office, District Attorney-elect Kim Ogg has already turned the Harris County District Attorney’s Office upside down. In what is actually a courthouse rendition of How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Ogg told at least 37 prosecutors around noon Friday that they would be fired, according to a statement…
Bounty of Top Texas Acts on Tap for Super Bowl Fan Fest
Apparently it’s all free.
A Revamped Rice Owls Hoops Program Is Shaping Up to Be a Contender
The Rice Owls played a pure, beautiful form of basketball last Saturday. It was only for about a six-minute stretch, and it was early in the game. But for a short time, there were no fouls, no timeouts, no stoppages of play. It was just two teams (Rice and opponent…
A Reinvigorated Band of Horses Runs Wild at House of Blues
The seasoned Seattle/South Carolina indie-rockers packed a lot more punch than expected.
10 Wines for the Chrismukkah of a Lifetime
This year on December 24, humankind will witness an epochal event of a lifetime (if you’re a millennial): The first night of Chanukah will fall on Christmas Eve. That’s only happened one other time in my lifetime (I belong to Generation X), in 1978. And it only happened one other…
“Cite and Release”: New Houston Police Chief Wants Fewer Trips to Jail
Art Acevedo doesn’t want his officers tied up for hours hauling people to jail and processing them for minor offenses. Instead Houston’s new police chief talked Thursday about the need for a “cite and release” program, which, would enable police to write a ticket and the alleged offender to skip…
Go Rogue This Weekend With Alamo Drafthouse Mason Park in Katy
You know you’re going to see it. Multiple times. So why not catch all of the action on the big screen while scarfing down some grub inspired by planet Scarif? This full-on gustatory assault embraces this weekend’s release of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and it’s all going down at Alamo…
After Yahoo Is Hacked Yet Again, Is This the End of the Tech Giant?
Yahoo reported hack of customer data is the latest in a series of missteps and problems for the tech giant. Could the latest reports squash a deal with Verizon and end Yahoo as we know it?
Day For Night’s Creators Want a Festival For the Future
This is our city’s chance not to prove itself, but to prove that it no longer needs to prove itself.
The Music Editor’s 2016 Honor Roll
Not a best-of list at all, just the music I liked best this year.
Federal Judge Blocks Texas Aborted Fetus Burial, Cremation Rule
A federal judge has blocked the controversial rule requiring all aborted fetuses to be buried or cremated from going into effect, according to various reports. In a hearing Thursday, U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks granted a temporary restraining order to stop the rules from taking effect December 19. The plaintiffs…
