Texans-Ravens: Pro Football Focus Scorecard Recap
When I sit down, I am admittedly not the most focused football watcher in the world. Oh, I watch every play. If “my team” is playing, I am emotionally invested. And if the identity of “my team” is determined by some sort of friendly wager, then I am invested on…
Weather Sucks This Week, So If You’re Traveling to or From Houston, Prepare to Wait
If you’re heading into (or perhaps out of) Houston on a flight during this Christmas week, you should probably bring some knitting needles with you to the airport or something, because chances are you could get stuck waiting a while. A Christmas week storm has flights across the nation all…
Robert Earl Keen’s “Merry Christmas” Miracle
Dubbing himself “the party captain of the holidays,” Robert Earl Keen figures he’s feeling pretty jolly this year. “You know, it comes and it goes,” reflects the Houston-born singer-songwriter, who will turn 59 next month. “Sometimes I feel kind of overwhelmed. I think that might be in all of our…
HPD Officers Playing Secret Santa, Handing Out Cash Instead of Tickets
So apparently the Houston Police Department is spreading a little green around the community this holiday season, and no, unfortunately, we do not mean weed. But what they’re handing out is almost as good, because, well, it’s cold, hard cash. HPD announced yesterday that groups of officers are pulling over…
10 Things You Should Be Buying at the Dollar Store
Dollar stores don’t get as much respect as they deserve. Yes, they are full to the brim with probably unlicensed toys and extremely cheap products with no craftsmanship. That said, I go to the dollar store near my house at least twice a week and it’s taught me something important:…
Grand Jury Clears Houston Cop Who Shot and Killed Unarmed Man
Janet Baker said she had nothing to say to Houston Police Officer Juventino Castro, after a Harris County grand jury decided not to indict him for killing her son Jordan. Instead she said she wanted to address the judicial system. “Justice to me is not justice to them, so I…
The 10 Best Christmas Specials You Can Still Watch Right Now Online
If it’s not the holiday music blaring above every cash register in the city that gets you into the Christmas spirit, then maybe it’s the cavalcade of television programming that puts your holiday mood at volume 10. When we heard that Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was a Google trending topic…
Ex-Galveston County Employee Says Judge Bugged Attorney-Client Meeting Rooms
A fired Galveston courts administrator has accused a county judge of bugging rooms where criminal defense attorneys meet with clients who have not bonded out of jail. Bonnie Quiroga claims in a lawsuit against Galveston County that she was fired from her 14-year job as Director of Justice Administration a…
[Video] Touring the Lights of Houston With the Rusty Riders
One of the benefits of the Houston Christmas season that often goes overlooked is the fact that going outside is still pretty pleasant without having to put on inordinate layers of clothing. True, we may all dream of a white Christmas, but Houston doesn’t exactly deal with cold weather or…
100 Creatives 2014: Nathaniel Donnett, Artist
It’s been a stellar year for visual artist Nathaniel Donnett. During 2014, he had his first ever solo show at a major museum with “Nothing to See Hear.” It was part of the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, “Right Here, Right Now: Houston” ongoing series of exhibits and events. In support…
So, About that Sex Offender Santa Claus…
A registered sex offender discovered playing Santa Claus in a Baytown McDonald’s was never ordered to stay away from children by officials in Ohio, where he was convicted. Acting on a tip December 15, Baytown police found out that the employee, Norman Charles Burbank, had been sentenced to 12 years…
Three Cheers for the Peanuts Christmas Music
When my kids were young, I didn’t force them to play T-ball or try dance class or even go to school regularly. One thing I insisted upon was them sitting with me at holiday time to watch the Peanuts specials I eagerly awaited each year as a boy. I know…
8 Odd Things I Noticed When I Bought a Motorcycle
Buying a motorcycle for the first time exposes a person to a huge new world of experiences – Some directly related to the act of riding a motorized, two-wheeled vehicle on roads shared by sometimes terrible drivers rolling through town in huge metal boxes, and others involving motorcycle culture in…
First Look at Bistro Menil
Located right on the Menil Collection campus in its own standalone building is the beautiful new restaurant, Bistro Menil. Independently run by chef-owner Greg Martin,the chic neighborhood eatery is all kinds of wonderful, from the intimate, candlelit patio, to the contemporary, well-designed interior. “I love it already!” my friend exclaimed…
Best Christmas Ever: Big Freedia Launches Twerking App
We have three words for you: Unlock all twerks. Those three words are from the New Orleans bounce queen Big Freedia and a little thing called the “Twerk App,” which — as you may have guessed — is an app created with booty-bouncing connoisseurs in mind. Christmas obviously came a…
A Gloomy Gallery of Goth Christmas Songs
Dude, religious Christmas is pretty macabre. All kinds of scandal, sex with a ghost, strangers bringing mystical gifts, and everyone predicting this young couple’s baby’s death like its glorious wonderful thing. Oh and a decree to slaughter all male babies the next day…what could be more goth? — Kassi Gooch…
Too Tough to Die: The Freakouts Forge Ahead
Even in the music industry’s bold new world, where major labels mean less and less to success, the odds for widespread renown remain against bands. They grow longer with changes that alter the face or sound of the act. Losing half the group, for instance, might be a difficult challenge…
What Was Really Going on During the Halliburton-Baker Hughes Merger
Thanks to some corporate filings made public on Monday, we’ve now got a glimpse of the drama behind last month’s merger of oil industry giants Halliburton and Baker Hughes. According to a joint filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday, the two Houston-based oil field services companies only sealed…
You’ll Be Able to See The Interview in Houston After All
Well this is a surprising turn of events. Earlier today Alamo Drafthouse founder Tim League announced that Sony is authorizing screenings of the previously pulled The Interview on Christmas day. Currently the Drafthouse’s website is being absolutely hammered as people try and pick up tickets to see the film, so…
Lawsuit Blames DA’s Office for Failing to Supervise Investigators Accused of Stealing High-Priced Comic Books
The Harris County investigators accused of stealing some high-priced comic books earlier this year are once again on the receiving end of some unwanted attention, thanks to a new lawsuit filed in the case. In a lawsuit filed December 18, Houston-based industrial crane company Tadano American Corp accuses the Harris…
Katch 22 Goes to the Locker Room for Good
A press release from Kory Clemens, son of baseball player and former Houston Astro Roger Clemens, says that Katch 22 (700 Durham) has closed. The statement reads: Negotiations with our landlord have not yielded the resolution we had hoped for and, quite frankly, needed to continue operations at this location…
Nosaprise Marks 10th Toy Drive With New Music of His Own
Dozens of Houston-area kids are about to have a very merry Christmas thanks to the efforts of Houston musician Nosaprise, whose annual “Trills the Season” toy drive returns for its tenth year this evening at Boondocks. A two-part event devoted to gathering and distributing toys children in need, the drive…
Man Says He Shouldn’t Be Charged in the United States for Having Sex With a Teenager in Honduras
Apparently a grown man having sex with a 13-year-old girl — obviously illegal under U.S. law — should not be considered a crime here, in the United States, if said sexual activity happened overseas. That’s according to one Texas man, anyway, who’s fighting federal charges of illicit sexual conduct based…
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S 8.4 Is Worthy Alternative if You Hate Apple
If you’ve been hesitating in getting into the tablet game, heed this advice: Just give in. A tablet computer may not change your life, but they’re incredibly useful devices that can really enhance your recreational time. It’s hard to believe now, given the fact that tablets are damn near everywhere…
This Week in Food Blogs: Make Charles Dickens’s Eggnog
Just in time for Christmas, Emily Wallace at Garden & Gun posts Mississippi author Eudora Welty’s recipe for eggnog. Welty, who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1973 for The Optimist’s Daughter, got the recipe from her mother, who in turn attributed the recipe to Charles Dickens. Was it really Dickens’…
How to Celebrate the Holidays When You’re Homeless
It may not be the actual Polar Express, but the construction paper train that adorns Lori Stevenson’s door at the Salvation Army Family Residence is good enough. It is, after all, award-winning. Decorated by her 15-year-old daughter, Lori’s door won this year’s decorating contest at the homeless shelter, a big…
Moderno Tacos + Tex Mex Needs to Flesh Out Its Dishes to Be Truly Top-Drawer
It might be a fair statement that the merits of a Tex-Mex restaurant can be roughly gauged by the merits of its margarita. For better and for worse, this is certainly true of Moderno Tacos + Tex Mex, a bright, endearingly casual new spot on the western banks of Beltway…
Five Weird Things We Hope Are Covered in HBO’s Robert Durst Documentary
Well it’s about time: HBO will premiere a six-part documentary on Manhattan real estate scion and Galveston-corpse-dismemberer Robert Durst in February, and we couldn’t be more excited. Durst most recently made headlines by pleading no contest to charges that he defiled a Kirby Drive drugstore’s candy display in July. For…
Podcast: Our Favorite Movies of 2014
Village Voice film critic Stephanie Zacharek and LA Weekly film critic Amy Nicholson run down their ten favorite/best/top/whatever movies of 2014, along with Voice film editor Alan Scherstuhl. Send barbs, jabs, claims or jokes to filmpod@villagevoice.com and follow us on the Twitter at @voicefilmclub. [Subscribe to the Voice Film Club…
Galleria Happy Hour Ideas for the Fatigued Shopper
Originally published in January, we’re bringing this post back from the vault with some updates, because, you know, everyone can use a good happy hour when they’re tired from shopping. We’ve all been there. We’ve shopped for hours on end, until we’re dry and parched, our feet can barely move…
Texas Is Willing to Close State Schools, Sending Profoundly Mentally Disabled Persons Into the Community
Walt Wingo is a 55-year-old severely retarded man who has lived in state institutions in Texas since he was four years old. He’s flown on airplanes, dined at country clubs, seen countless rodeos and circuses, walked on the beach, celebrated holidays with his mother and visited his father in Dallas…
5 Last-Minute Gifts for the Renaissance Man in Your Life
My first last-minute-shopping-ideas article was for the men shopping for women, but I couldn’t help the guys without lending a hand to my girls, too. For those shopping for a gentleman, a man into style, grooming and the finer things in life, he will love one, if not all, of…
Upcoming: Asleep at the Wheel, Bahamas, Brian McKnight, Jerry Jeff Walker, Mineral, etc.
1100 Springs: Sat., December 27, 8 p.m., Free. Redneck Country Club, 11110 W Airport, Stafford, 281-809-4867. 6-man Jam: With Jody Booth, Jason Allen, Tim Nichols, Mike Bowen, Cory Green, Presley Lewis., Fri., January 2, 7 p.m., $10. Cypress Saloon, 12710 Telge, Cypress, 281-304-7777. Aaron Watson: Fri., January 9, 6 p.m.,…
Testing Pillsbury’s $1M Winning Bakeoff Recipe
In early December, Pillsbury announced “Peanutty Pie Clusters” as the grand prize-winning recipe of its 47th Bakeoff contest. The $1M recipe, submitted by Beth Royals of Richmond, Virginia, is particularly distinctive for its incorporation of toasted pie crust squares. This innovation in combination with a short, ostensibly simple ingredient list…
The 12 Days of Houston Rockets (and NBA) Christmas
With Christmas upon us, deep into the NBA season, there are plenty of things to be thankful for from the bunch over on LaBranch. Despite a run of injuries and some key losses in the offseason to free agency and trades, the Rockets remain one of the best teams in…
6 Strange Things I Learned Working in a Bookstore
I love books. I always have and always will. I have, at last count, something in the neighborhood of 7,000 of them, and a whole room in my house set aside for them. So when I got a job at a large chain bookstore several years ago, I thought I…
Houston’s 10 Best Bars & Clubs Open Christmas Day
Note: list is in alphabetical order. CONTINENTAL CLUB Beatles tribute band Beetle gets the Continental’s Christmas night started at 7 p.m., followed at 10 by promising local Americana act Grand Old Grizzly, who in turn will share the stage with the bluegrass stylings of the Palisades. On their Web site,…
Willie D’s Gift: The Geto Boy’s Favorite Ask Willie D Letters
Willie D says he likes to write on Sundays, early in the morning at his computer, in a comfortable chair in his living room. It’s the perfect environment for him to get “in my zone.” “I think Sunday is just a lazy day,” he muses. “I’m even better now that…
Inside Rising East End DIY Venue The Summit
In the wake of last week’s announcement of another storied Houston venue closing, it’s a good time to focus on the growth of the city’s local music scene, in part aided by the recent addition of The Summit. Located in East Downtown at 3536 Navigation Blvd., the venue/DIY space opened…
Chef Leaves Museum Park Cafe Less Than Four Months After Opening
Executive chef Justin Basye has already departed Museum Park Cafe at 1801 Binz. (Museum Park Cafe’s pastry chef Chris Leung is confirmed to be remaining onboard. Leung and Christopher Balat of Balcor Hospitality opened ice cream shop, Cloud 10 Creamery together and the group is also behind coffee shop Bosta,…
Opera in the Heights Changes More than Artistic Directors
We spoke with David Douglas, chairman of the board of directors for Opera in the Heights, last week regarding the termination of artistic director Enrique Carreón-Robledo. One of the questions we asked Douglas was about the group’s finances. Was the decision to terminate Carreón-Robledo in any way based on finances,…
Watch Kyle Field Crumble
Like implosions? Well good. You’re in the right place. Texas A&M put on a rad show for our fellow construction-destruction lovers over the weekend when they demolished part of Kyle Field as part of a $450 million renovation project for the stadium…
Fan Fighting League! T-Shirt Civil War in Jacksonville!
It never ceases to amaze me the extent that some people will go to in order to secure something for free. In radio, we give things away on our shows on a nearly daily basis via contests and random call-ins. It doesn’t matter if it’s tickets to the most obscure…
UPDATED: Say Good-Bye to La Casa del Caballo: El Tiempo’s Moving In
It’s no longer a mystery as to what is going to happen with El Tiempo 1308 Cantina when it closes at the beginning of 2015, but unfortunately, the other side of that story is that La Casa Del Caballo is closing. Public relations firm The Epicurean Publicist relayed this statement…
This Week in Food Events: Tequila Barrel-Aged Saint Arnold Ale? Yes, Please.
Looking for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day information? Check out our coverage here: Where To Eat Christmas Eve & Day Houston Grocery Stores Open Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Monday, December 22 Drink This Tequila Barrel Aged Barley Wine Saint Arnold 20th Anniversary Ale is a mighty fine barley wine…
Down Leads a Southern-Metal Feast at Warehouse Live
Down, Orange Goblin, Marzi Montazeri Warehouse Live December 21, 2014 Regardless of age, sometimes fatigue can simply get you. It appeared to take hold of Phil Anselmo Sunday night, when his sludge-metal supergroup Down closed out the three-day End of the World Fest III at Warehouse Live. Band members from…
Texans 25, Ravens 13: 4 Winners, 4 Losers
They knew that the recipe for victory was to blitz the quarterback. Get him moving his feet a little bit, rattle him, and he would eventually make backbreaking mistakes. This was the way. Blitz him, blitz him and blitz him some more. So that’s exactly what they did. And it…
UPDATED Cop Shooting of Unarmed Houston Man Back at Grand Jury This Week
Update 12/23/2014 at 1:50 p.m.: The Houston Chronicle is reporting that a grand jury has cleared HPD officer Juventino Castro in the shooting death of Jordan Baker. We’ll update when we have more information from the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. Following the grand jury’s decision Tuesday, Harris County District…
Red Bull’s Sound Select Program Picks a Pair of Houston Winners
It’s been a long time coming for the Tontons and the Suffers, two of the most highly touted groups to come out of Houston in the past few years, but Friday night’s show at Warehouse Live may have been a jumping-off point. Opening for Lee Fields and the Expressions for…
Dish of the Week: Classic Eggnog
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 moving on to a Christmas staple: eggnog. Eggnog is a sweet, custard-based beverage that is traditionally made with milk/cream, sugar, and…
Try These 5 Outrageously Awesome Cocktails in Houston
From flaming drinks to bloodys with beer backs, here are 5 Outrageous Cocktails to Try in Houston: See also: Try These Five Monster Breakfast Dishes Try These Five Monster Sandwiches Try These 5 Absolutely Loaded Pizzas Try These 5 Absolutely Loaded Fries Try These 5 Chili-Smothered Dishes Try These 5…
John Stevens Reprises His One-Man Version of A Christmas Carol
The set-up: No matter how many theater companies produce A Christmas Carol each season – and there have been many versions this year (Houston Grand Opera’s downer; Classical’s faithful new adaptation; the Alley’s extravaganza) – there’s always room for another take on Charles Dickens’ evergreen tale of misanthropic Scrooge and…
10 Ways Houston Christmas and Traditional Christmas Are Different
The traditional vision of Christmas tends to be based on snowy winter wonderlands, forests of evergreens and happy children waiting for Santa. In Houston, we do have a lot of green trees and kids waiting on St. Nick. Snow? Well… Fact is, there are a lot of differences between a…
The Astros Are Ready for 2015 Already
It’s fast approaching time to kiss 2014 goodbye. And I for one am eagerly awaiting for a new start in 2015. But before the New Year arrives, let’s take one last look into the year for the Houston Astros, the somewhat lovable group of losers playing baseball at Minute Maid…
Houston Restaurant Gift Card Deals – Buy a Gift Card, Get a Bonus
It’s been going on for days now: Every other email you’re receiving is some special deal or last minute reminder that Christmas is, in fact, just days away. No time to go shopping? Want to avoid the crazy mall traffic and harried shoppers? If you are a habitual gift card…
5 Last-Minute Gifts for the Fashion-Obsessed Lady in Your Life
I know what you are feeling. The panic that creeps up your spine when you realize we are less than one week away from Christmas and you have not finished your shopping. Fear not, if your loved one is a fan of fashion, I have a few last minute suggestions…
Doctor Who: The 3 Most Wibbly-Wobbly Timey-Wimey Moments
The universe of Doctor Who is nowhere near the vastness of our own real universe, but it’s still pretty damned big. Counting all media, the adventures of The Doctor number in multiple thousands. And just as in real life, sometimes it gives birth to moments of strange happenstance and coincidence…
Keenum vs. Kubiak: Former Coach Suffers 7th Straight Loss at NRG, QB Gets First Win
All kinds of records were being set on Sunday, but none more important than new/former quarterback Case Keenum recording his first win at the expense of former Texans coach Gary Kubiak — now the offensive coordinator with Baltimore. But Keenum, while steady, was not the star of this 25-13, improbable…
10 Houston Restaurants That We Miss the Most at the End of 2014
Let’s have a moment of silence for some of the restaurants that Houston lost this year. Some were good. Some were great. Some were decidedly not great, but still hold a special place in our hearts for reasons other than the food. The good news is that several of the…
The 10 Best Texans-Ravens Rapper Tweets
The 2014 Houston Texans have a new coach, new players, new hope and the same dedicated fan base of Houston-based rappers. As in years past, they took to Twitter on game day to comment on the home team’s gridiron action. And, as in years past, Rocks Off spent Sunday afternoon…
Houston’s Five Best Experimental/Noise Records of 2014
5. P.L.X.T.X., P.L.X.T.X./Spathic split tape “Check!” yells like a sound of an alarm clock reminding us that being awake is simply not enough; awareness and action are integral parts of our human existence. And “Slumber Youth” chokes and shakes you out of indifference. Chants of “Fuck you! Fuck this! Fuck…
The Five Best Concerts in Houston This Week: Two Tons of Steel, Grand Old Grizzly, etc.
Two Tons of Steel Main Street Crossing, December 22 If you like your Christmas music served with a healthy side of swing, Two Tons of Steel might be just the ticket. Their jiving version of “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” ought to be enough to get you up and…
City Attorney David Feldman Announces Resignation
Sticking to the long-held practice of politicians releasing uncomfortable news on a Friday evening, Houston Mayor Annise Parker announced today that her top legal brain has tendered his resignation. City Attorney David Feldman, who joined the Parker administration in 2010, will resign effective January 16, 2015, according to a release…
Appeals Court Overturns “Stand Your Ground” Case Because Jury Instructions Were Too Confusing
By most accounts, Raul Rodriguez was looking for a fight the night of May 2, 2010. Pete Fornols, who lived next door to the retired firefighter, testified in court how Rodriguez called him numerous times that evening, seething about a loud party down the block in their rural northeast Harris…
10 Texas Bands That Don’t Get Enough Credit
BABOON Baboon has a rare gift for squeezing the dense guitars and brawny drums more often heard on post-hardcore records into bittersweet pop-rock tunes. Some of Weezer’s better albums mine the same territory, but for our money this Denton-based crew had better songs, especially on 2002 personal favorite Something Good…
College and Pro Football: This Weekend’s Best Bets
If you’re a Texans fan, and for some reason you decided to take a nap around kickoff last Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts (and I can’t imagine why you would, other than that the outcome of Texans games in Indy seems to be predetermined), and then woke up on Tuesday…
Holiday Day Camps for Kids in Houston
The Houston Arboretum & Nature Center becomes a giant, outdoor classroom for the Cool Critters Winter Camp. Kids seven to 12 years old have half-day and full-day camp options. Activities include nature hikes and tours, animal encounters, plant identification, classroom instruction, arts, crafts and games. Cool Critters Winter Camp runs…
The 5 Best Things to Eat or Drink This Weekend: Breakfast With Santa and a Campfire Christmas
Campfire Christmas @ George Ranch Historical Park Friday and Saturday, 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. 10215 FM 762 Take a historical journey back to Christmases past at this annual Campfire Christmas event. The evening starts with a proper Victorian holiday meal — including Yorkshire roast beef with all the trimmings,…
Top 5 Best Guesses for the Mortal Kombat X Guest Character
When the last Mortal Kombat came out, fans got some real treats in the form of guest characters. The first was the Elm Street Slasher himself, Freddy Krueger. The Dream Master fit in nicely with the world of Mortal Kombat and more than held his own. The second was God…
Why Does Quanell X Support Some Rape Victims But Shame Others?
Quanell X, community leader and head of the New Black Panthers, is probably a good ally to have on your side if you’re a crime victim. After all, the man quite obviously knows how to grab headlines. His innate showmanship — that keen ability to lure in the media –…
Upcoming Events: Sign Your Team Up for The One Pot Showdown Now
The 8th Annual Saint Arnold One Pot Showdown isn’t until Sunday, January 25, but the brewery is putting out a call for cooking teams. The event showcases homemade gumbos, stews, chili and anything else you can cook up in a single pot. Sign up online and be sure to do…
100 Creatives 2014: Sylvia Narvaez Blanco, an Artistic Hired Gun
What She Does: Sylvia Narvaez Blanco has been painting for the past four years. Drawing and doodling were always a part of her life, but it was painting that really drove her to where she is now, mostly doing commissioned orders for a variety of clients. Her first public work…
The Essential Houston Punk Starter Kit
Top 10 lists are notoriously blunt instruments to sift through musical history, so Rocks Off crowdsourced this piece to provide a sense of Houston’s indie and punk heritage from the ground up. The input below is not meant as a declarative end-all but as a conversation in action. Sure, exemplary…
Openings & Closings: MF Sushi (Or Something Like It) Will Ride Again
He may be Houston’s unluckiest chef when it comes to keeping a restaurant open, but it looks like sushi master Chris “Magic Fingers” Kinjo of MF Sushi, will ultimately find stable ground. Alison Cook at the Houston Chronicle reports that he has signed a lease on his own sleek, modern…
The 5 Best Things to Do in Houston This Weekend: Christmas…With Monkeys!
On Friday, standout musical theater stars Joe Kirkendall, Jennifer Gilbert, Joel Sandel, John Gremillion and Tamara Siler tackle The Great American Christmas Songbook in the Bayou City Concert Musicals holiday program Christmas on Broadway. Sharon Williams, president of Bayou City Concert Musicals, tells us that while the show is called…
Trying to Turn Around the Historical Disaster That Is Rice Basketball
It’s a dreary Saturday evening in early December. The 1-6 Rice Owls are hosting the St. Edwards Hilltoppers, a Division II college from Austin. The Hilltoppers are supposed to be a patsy, one of those obscure schools that fill out a schedule so the big school can get the easy…
Music’s 10 Biggest Losers of 2014
You know how the old saying goes. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose… Between the divorces, public meltdowns and court sentences, there was just something in that bad boy (and bad girl) water that made these ten artists lose big in 2014. Here’s to all the photographic evidence of that…
The Only Houston Rap Gift Guide You’ll Ever Need
If you know someone who lives and breathes H-town hip-hop you may want to surprise them this Hanukkah or Christmas by showing them your cultural awareness and gifting something related to the rich local rap scene. Use this handy guide that showcases books, custom automobiles and of course music created…
The 10 Best Concerts in Houston This Weekend: Molotov, Lee Fields, Andrew WK, etc.
Molotov Scout Bar, December 19 Taking their admiration for Public Enemy, Beastie Boys and Rage Against the Machine south of the border, Molotov makes party-friendly rock en espanol with a pointed message. The Mexico City quartet has won four Latin Grammys since debuting with 1997’s ¿Dónde Jugarán las Niñas?, which…
Updated: Opera in the Heights and Conductor Enrique Carreón-Robledo Part Ways
Update: We’ve spoken with both Enrique Carreón-Robledo and David Douglas, chair of the Opera in the Heights Board of Directors. Jump to the end of the story to see what they have to say. We’ve just confirmed that Opera in the Heights and Artistic Director/Conductor Enrique Carreón-Robledo have parted ways…
American Horror Story: Freak Show: Ladies and Gentlemen, Naomi Grossman
I had seriously contemplated asking my editor if maybe covering American Horror Story this season was worth continuing. Since the end of the Edward Mordrake story arc, the show has stumbled through its second act being neither particularly scary or especially riveting drama-wise. For the first half of “Orphans,” I…
Marion Cotillard Wins — Twice — in Our 2014 Film Critics’ Poll
What kind of circle is time again? A year after blowing the doors off our annual critics’ poll, golden boy Matthew McConaughey won just a single vote for his turn in the loudest movie of the year, Christopher Nolan’s tears-in-space effort Interstellar, which has tied with the unprescient Transcendence as…
The Colbert Report‘s Greatness Arrived With Its Very First Episode
Written by Ian S. Port. The funniest and most incisive show on television is ending this week — so let’s look back at how it began. On October 17, 2005, a power-suited Stephen Colbert furrowed his eyebrows and showed off highlights of his new set. Red letters above him shouted,…
Fashion Houston Makes a Wise Decision for Its Future With New Partnership
Fashion Houston is officially past its infancy and, like all toddlers, may be searching for its footing as it moves into the next stage of its growth. The team’s recent announcement of a new partnership with Houston fashion heavy hitter Vivian Wise, may be their first step toward improvement. Wise…
Federal Court Finds Baytown’s Funky Smell Isn’t Exxon’s Fault
Environmentalists took a swing at oil giant ExxonMobil’s Baytown complex way back in February. On Wednesday they found out it was a miss when a federal district court ruled that ExxonMobil’s numerous violations of the Clean Air Act couldn’t be conclusively linked to the health problems of people living around…
Cheap Trick Are Classic in the Best Possible Way
Cheap Trick House of Blues December 17, 2014 In rock and roll, as in most genres of popular music, there are benefits that come with youth. You have more energy, odds are good you haven’t hit your creative peak yet and, if you’re lucky, you haven’t been in the world…
The 10 Best TV Shows of 2014
TV continued to unmoor from its origins and transform into something else this year. No longer tethered to a specific appliance, a particular kind of storytelling, or even commercial concerns, “television” now feels like an increasingly obsolete word…
Houston Grocery Stores Open on Christmas Eve and Day
Whether you forgot an ingredient for your famous egg nog, can’t fit in the shopping, or just really, really like to wait until the last minute, here’s a list of the grocery/convenience stores that will be open this Christmas Eve and Day: Note: All information is based on telephone checks…
Watch Out; Those Ecstasy Pills You’re About to Swallow May Actually Be Meth in Disguise
You should probably think twice before ingesting those blue and yellow or purple (illicit) pills you scored on the Houston streets recently. While the dude slangin’ on the corner may have told you those colorful tabs were ecstasy, it may actually be meth in disguise. Deputies with the Harris County…
Police Extradite Man Accused of Stabbing Wife to Death, Stuffing Her Body in Fridge and Fleeing to Mexico
The man whose wife was found stabbed to death and rotting in a refrigerator earlier this month has been extradited from Mexico and charged with murder. Police say Patrick Lambert killed his estranged wife, 27-year-old Anastacia Oaikhena-Lambert, stuffed her body in the refrigerator of their Fondren Road apartment, and fled…
Kids From TUTS’ Humphreys School of Musical Theatre Get Ready for Atlanta Theater Festival
A select group of students at Theatre Under the Stars’ Humphreys School of Musical Theatre have been working for the past several weeks to perform a number from Lion King JR in the 2015 Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta in January. iTheatrics and Disney Musicals picked the kids to appear…
Chef Chat, Part 2: Joshua Martinez of The Chicken Ranch
When we finished part 1 of our Chef Chat with Joshua Martinez of The Chicken Ranch, he was describing the collaborative environment at Soma Sushi that allowed him and the other team members to improve the menu and bar offerings. How did he get from there to co-owning The Chicken…
Is Country Music Ready for Sturgill Simpson?
So the big new noise in the increasingly noisy — or static-y — genre known as Americana is this Kentucky guy Sturgill Simpson. With 2014 appearances on Letterman and Conan and a first-ever Grammy nomination for his sophomore album, Metamodern Sounds in Country Music, Simpson has been branded (not by…
The 5 Best Happy Hours in Pearland
If you love happy hour as much as we do, you’ll love this new series. We’re taking a look at the best happy hours in town, ‘hood by ‘hood. To narrow it down, we’re focusing on the spots with the best deals on not only drinks, but eats, too. From…
10 Best Houston Cosplayers
The rise of the Houston cosplay scene has been fantastic to watch. Every year at the increasing number of geek conventions, you find more and more people pulling out all the stops to bring characters to wonderful life. Today we look at the ten most amazing examples of cosplay brilliance…
Fan Fighting League! Packers vs Bills in a Frozen Fat Ass Match
Recently, there was a study performed on binge drinking in the United States, and it yielded some interesting (and perhaps slightly predictable) results. It turned out that the No. 1 binge drinking state in the country was North Dakota. It was followed closely by Wisconsin. Next was Illinois. Ah, hell,…
Dear #Texans: Please Let Kam Franklin Sing the National Anthem
In accord with the time-honored tradition, before every Houston Texans football contest at NRG Stadium, someone is trotted onto the field to perform the national anthem. In a nod to fans, something the hometown football team truly excels at, it is “auditioning” talent to perform the song before the team’s…
Nature 101: Edible Wild Plants
Let the experts show you which wild plants are – and aren’t – safe to eat. Sat., Dec. 20, 9 a.m., 2014…
Meet Santa’s Reindeer
Santa’s been sighted all over Houston, but his reindeer are making only one appearance in Houston at Meet Santa’s Reindeer. They’ll spend the afternoon at the Children’s Museum of Houston and be available for photos along with Santa and his sleigh (bring your own camera), but sorry, the museums says…
Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens
Former Texans coach Gary Kubiak, now the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens, returns to NRG Stadium for the first time when the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens meet on Sunday. Kubiak and his former team suffered through a miserable 2-14 season in 2013, but the Texans have turned it…
Bolshoi Ballet: The Nutcracker
See one of the most famous dance companies in the world perform one of the most loved ballets when the Bolshoi Ballet’s The Nutcracker is broadcast live to theaters across the nation. Based on the E.T.A. Hoffmann story and incorporating sweeping music by Tchaikovsky, this romantic rendition of The Nutcracker…
My Disabled Wife Won’t Put Out. Help!
Welcome to Ask Willie D, Rocks Off’s advice column where the Geto Boys MC answers reader questions about matters, in his own words, “funny, serious or unpredictable.” Something on your mind? Ask Willie D! I WANT TO GET RID OF AN ANNOYING FRIEND Dear Willie D: I made the colossal…
Mother and Child: Songs of Love and Joy
Enjoy your holiday surrounded by masterpieces at the Cantare Houston’s Mother and Child: Songs of Love and Joy. The three-night run by Cantare is once again set in the grand galleries of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Michael Rowell, a member of the group’s board of directors and a…
Beer Tasting Party
It’s not uncommon at all for beers to be aged in bourbon barrels. But tequila barrels? That’s much more rare. The folks at Siembre Azul tequila gave Hay Merchant owner and Pastry War partner Kevin Floyd a virgin oak tequila barrel. Floyd Kevin gave the barrel to Saint Arnold Brewing…
Sunday Brunch at Fielding’s Wood Grill
Enjoy one of Houston’s most popular brunches. Saturdays, Sundays, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Starts: Sept. 6. Continues through March 8, 2014…
The North Star: An Urban Nativity
A modern-day Mary and Joseph face doubt, violence and, ultimately, acceptance from believers in The North Star: An Urban Nativity, running for one night at the Ensemble Theatre. Written by Ekundayo Bandele and adapted here by Bandele and Eileen Morris, the artistic director of the Ensemble, North Star is set…
The Petrol Station Christmas Party
The Petrol Station will be hosting a Christmas Party on Tuesday, December 23. Head to the craft beer bar for general debauchery alongside wintery brews like Goose Island’s Bourbon County Brand Stout, barrel-aged Old Rasputin XVII, and Prairie Christmas Bomb! on tap. 985 Wakefield. Tue., Dec. 23, 7 p.m., 2014…
He Brought Down the Wrong Empire: Seth Rogen’s The Interview Won’t Show in Theaters
Editor’s Note: Sony has officially canceled the theatrical release of The Interview following terrorist threats against theaters, and the announcement that several major theater chains had opted not to exhibit the film. The following review was written before Sony pulled The Interview– and stands as a reminder that world-shaking art…
Christmas Eve at the Children’s Museum of Houston
Let the kids work off some of their pent-up energy while they go into the last stretch before Santa arrives with Christmas Eve at the Children’s Museum of Houston. There are plenty of holiday activities for everyone from toddlers to tweens. There’s Selfies with Santa (kids make an individualized elf…
Explore Texas Wineries On the Holiday Trail
This is the last weekend to participate in the Texas Bluebonnet Wine Trail holiday tour. Tickets include two specially-selected wine tastings with a paired appetizer sample at each winery on the trail. If you get your ticket stamped at six of the participating trail wineries, you’ll also receive a commemorative…
Mediterranean Inspired Christmas
Hands on class. Holiday menu inspired by Mediterranean tastes and traditions. Learn how to incorporate Moroccan spices into your repertoire; work with saffron; and layer phyllo dough to create a strudel as you create a holiday menu: scallops with saffron cream sauce; Moroccan spiced turkey cutlets; Aegean strudel; jeweled couscous;…
Hermann Park Holiday Train Ride
Take a spin around the park on the Hermann Park Holiday Train Ride. The entire train line has been decorated for the holidays, so there’s something to see around every corner and bend. If you take a late ride, from 5 to 6 p.m., you’ll see the park lit with…
Bayou City Concert Musicals: Christmas on Broadway
Standout musical theater stars Joe Kirkendall, Jennifer Gilbert, Joel Sandel, John Gremillion and Tamara Siler tackle The Great American Christmas Songbook in the Bayou City Concert Musicals holiday program Christmas on Broadway. Sharon Williams, president of Bayou City Concert Musicals, tells us that while the show is called Christmas on…
19th Annual Menorah Lighting at Houston City Hall
Observe Chanukah with one of the largest menorahs in the city at the 19th Annual Menorah Lighting at Houston City Hall. Members of the Jewish religion light a candle on the menorah every day for eight days, re-enacting the miracle of one day’s oil lasting eight during a crucial battle…
A Gift: VauLt Holiday Show
See a high-flying Christmas show at A Gift: The VauLt Holiday Show. Aerial artist Amy Ell, a respected member of the Houston arts scene since 1989 and founder of VauLt Houston, contributes the opening number, Miracle. Loosely based on the film Miracle on 34th Street, this Miracle also gives a…
Holiday Wine Couture
Shop for holiday wines and gifts. Fri., Dec. 19, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat., Dec. 20, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., 2014…
Ranking ZZ Top’s ’80s Videos
Those seeking a tasty holiday treat need look no further than Billy F. Gibbons’ new Fiesta ads; our favorite is the one where the ZZ Top singer/guitarist breaks down his recipe for homemade tamales while wearing an adorable “BFG” apron. It’s obvious the camera loves the right Reverend, and it’s…
Annie: Quvenzhané Wallis Might Make You Care About “Tomorrow” Today
The original Broadway Annie was a kiddie musical that wasn’t for kids. It was a period piece about the Great Depression — both a hooray for Warbucksian success and an elbow-jab making clear that rich folk need to share — with a detour into a Hooverville and a key cameo…
Into the Woods Sometimes Soars — But Also Dithers
Before worrying ourselves over its qualities as an adaptation or its findings as an experiment in just how much tumpety-tump parump-pa-bump the human mind can endure, let’s take a moment to marvel that Rob Marshall’s Into the Woods even exists — as a PG from Disney, no less! No matter…
Capsule Art Reviews: December 18, 2014
“Julon Pinkston: Nailed” Sometimes an artist is inspired to proceed in a certain direction, but to a viewer the direction may seem the opposite — uninspired. This is the case with Julon Pinkston’s solo show, “Nailed,” at Zoya Tommy Gallery. There are two different approaches here. As a person enters…
Capsule Stage Reviews: December 18, 2014
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol Like a redemptive Scrooge at the finale of Dickens’s immortal “little ghost story,” this reviewer is dancing a jig and giggling like a schoolboy, lighter than a feather, after seeing Classical Theatre’s superlative rendition of A Christmas Carol. This production, minimal in size though expansive…
SPECIAL NAVIDAD GIFT GUIDE EDITION!
Gentle cabrones: Behold my annual Mexican Christmas guide, where I recommend the best Mexi-themed libros for you to give to your loved ones this Navidad instead of yet another tamale to unwrap. Buy them at your local bookstore or order online, but do buy! Lowriting: Shots, Rides & Stories from…
