Hip-Hop Jeweler’s NBA All-Star Version of the Mattress Mack Refund Bet
Johnny Dang, impresario of the local jewelry outfit made famous through countless hip-hop records (and his association with rapper Paul Wall), is taking a page from the Mattress Mack playbook. Dang and Wall are betting that Dwight Howard and James Harden help pull off a win over the Eastern Conference…
Reality Bites: Hollywood Hillbillies
There are a million reality shows on the naked television. We’re going to watch them all, one at a time. Imitation is both the sincerest form of flattery and one of the easiest ways to make a quick buck. So with the runaway success of Duck Dynasty (and lesser notoriety…
Outkast Fans Got Beef With FPSF Omission
The day that a festival announces its lineup is one of excitement and anxiety. For days speculation runs rampant and then the day arrives; some look at the lineup and fist-pump in front of their computers while others feel their hearts drop with disappointment. I spent a part of Tuesday…
Numerous Flights Canceled as Harsh Weather Sets in on the Southeast
A fair number of flights out of both George Bush Intercontinental and Hobby Airports have been canceled today to destinations including Atlanta, Charlotte, Richmond, Charleston and Norfolk as a result of the winter storm that is moving through the southeastern U.S. The cancelations for Atlanta and Charlotte are particularly notable…
First Look at Sur Latin Peruvian Cuisine
You could say that discovering hole-in-the-wall places is a favorite pastime of mine. I love stumbling onto small, family-owned gems where the cook is the dad or the brother or the uncle or the mother, the server and hostess is wife or mother or sister, and the waitstaff is the…
Travel Company Hopes You’re Not Sick of Cruises, Banking on Local Ports
Just last month a Caribbean Princess cruise had to cut its trip short. It returned to Bayport Cruise Terminal in Pasadena a day early so folks from the Centers for Disease Control could investigate what caused 181 passengers and 11 crew members to get sick, a nasty little bug called…
Here’s the Free Press Summer Fest 2014 Lineup
Never mind Robin Thicke, those blurred lines at the top are… Jack White Vampire Weekend Zedd Ms. Lauryn Hill…
The Non-Traditional Native American Art of Christine Nofchissey McHorse
Native American clay artist Christine Nofchissey McHorse uses what many might consider traditional materials and techniques, but she achieves some very non-traditional results. “When people talk about traditional shapes and methods, I don’t believe in such a thing because there’s all kinds of ways to arrive at the same place,”…
This Week in Food Blogs: Valentine’s Day Treats & More Italian Wine, Please
The Pancake Princess: Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day with someone special or you’re just spending the evening by yourself, you can’t go wrong by making a giant red velvet cake. Erika has a recipe for a single slice of Red Velvet layer cake, and it’s vegan! Minus the Greek yogurt…
Reviews for the Easily Distracted: RoboCop
Title: RoboCop Would You Buy That For A Dollar? You know that show would be top 10 in the Nielsens if it aired on CBS today, right? Rating Using Random Objects Relevant To The Film: Three jars of baby food out of five. Brief Plot Synopsis: Mortally wounded cop helps…
Electric Car Chargers Becoming More Common at Retail Outlets
Five years ago, walking up to the door of a grocery store and seeing spots for charging an electric car was odd and the parking spaces were virtually always empty. Today, more and more retail outlets are putting in charging stations to accommodate the growing number of electric and hybrid…
100 Favorite Dishes 2013-2014: No. 32, Carnitas at Molina’s Cantina
This year, leading up to our annual Menu of Menus® issue, Kaitlin Steinberg counts down her 100 favorite dishes as she eats her way through Houston. She’ll compile a collection of the dishes she thinks are the most awesome, most creative and, of course, most delicious in town. It’s a…
Dance Month Concludes With Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company
The Setup: Dance Month at the Kaplan Theatre is an annual celebration that includes master classes from national touring troupes, Israeli folk dance workshops, a professional concert of Houston choreographers and a showcase of the city’s top pre-professional companies. Dance Month always concludes with the presentation of a national company…
Mr. Perfect 2014: J.J. Watt’s Ice Hockey Instagram
Back in the late ’80s, WWE (then known by its old acronym of the WWF, but for purposes of the here and now, we will call it “WWE”) was introducing a repackaged (and significantly more steroid-fueled) Curt Hennig to its viewing audience. When last the WWE faithful had seen Curt…
Get ‘Em in Peak Season: 5 Standout Brussels Sprout Dishes to Try in Houston
It seems that Brussels sprouts have had a comeback as of late. And rightfully so. Not only are the leafy, miniature cabbage-like greens delicious steamed, roasted, fried, or raw; they also have fantastic health benefits — including both cholesterol-lowering and cancer-preventing agents. Thankfully, plenty of Houston restaurants have taken to…
Bomdiggidy Smoke Shop’s Glassblowers and the Art of Getting Stoned
The temperature from the torches in this back-alley shop is brutal, even from a safe distance, and yet no one seems to notice but me. Every two feet or so, there’s an artist standing over a torch, and they’re all deep in the process of melting glass. This fire-meets-molten glass…
Rankings Are Out: How Texas’s Members of Congress Fared
The National Journal’s newest rankings are out. What the NJ does is determine who the most conservative/liberal/moderate senators and representatives are (it’s a non-partisan D.C. magazine). Let’s see where Texas’s elected officials rank. We’ll start with the two esteemed senators: Cruz and Cornyn Cruz and Cornyn are pleasing their Republican…
Cleburne Cafeteria Lives Up to the Hype
You have to remember only one thing before you go to Cleburne Cafeteria: Bring cash, because they don’t accept credit cards. Once you get there, the rest is gravy. Quite literally, actually. It took me longer than it should have to visit Cleburne Cafeteria. Like a fool, I judged the…
100 Creatives 2014: Mark Nasso, Comic Artist
What He Does: Mark Nasso is yet another example of the fantastic wealth of comic drawing talent that we have here in Houston. He’s a regular at all the local comic conventions, selling his own unique take of pop art down whatever artist alley is going on that month. His…
Nolan Ryan May Not Fix the ‘Stros, But It’s Something
When Reid Ryan signed on as the CEO for the Astros last year, it seemed a foregone conclusion his father, Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan, who had held the same job as his son but for division rival Texas Rangers, would join the Houston ball club eventually. That day came…
The 10 Best Bad Music Videos of the ’80s
One of my favorite things about looking back on the past is how things that were perhaps state-of-the-art at the time are now so cheesy and dated removed from their original contexts. It should probably come as no surprise that I’m a massive fan of the slasher genre, especially the…
Camerata Brings Beer/Wine Hybrid Drink to Houston
There isn’t a name for it, David Keck, head wine guy at Camerata, tells me. At least not yet. Beer produced by spontaneous fermentation with wild yeast is a lambic. Wine with quite a bit of carbon dioxide caused by fermentation is sparkling. This wine/beer hybrid is a bit new…
Fourteen Flicks for February 14
If you find yourself too scared to take on the millions of teenage girls who will be at the movie theaters on Valentine’s Day to watch fresh-faced Gabrielle Wilde and British sweetheart Alex Pettyfer in Endless Love…and instead find yourself heading to the DVD section of Barnes & Noble, whether…
David Grissom Knows How It Feels to Fly
David Grissom is a guitar geek’s dream, an inventive player who combines power, finesse, theory and good taste into a disturbingly virile mix that straddles the line between beautiful abstraction and full-tilt boogie. Grissom is, for the most part, always turned up to 11. Now coming up on 30 years…
Six Truly Great Death Metal Covers
Death metal has a genre has a history of doing covers songs, but they’re mostly all novelty songs. It’s become a played-out gimmick to take any pop song, speed it up, play it on highly distorted guitars, and gutturally scream the lyrics. That’s been done. What’s less common is a…
Something’s Telling Us It Might Be…Stephen Bishop!
Here’s some free advice for couples looking to ensure a long and happy marriage before the Big Day: don’t let Stephen Bishop sing at your wedding. More specifically, don’t let him sing “Separate Lives.” Bishop wrote the number and did his own take, but it’s most recognizable from the version…
Disney Goes Goth: The Mouse House’s Five Spookiest Songs
Netflix recently added a ton of older Disney films to its streaming service, so me and the Kid With One F have been making our way through them. While I am enjoying it, I have discovered that many films I loved as a child myself are dark as hell. The…
Michael Sam and the Alleged Ease of Being Gay
When Michael Sam, a star linebacker at Missouri who will undoubtedly be drafted into the NFL in April, came out of the closet in an interview this week, it wasn’t all that surprising that it created a stir or that there were those who thought he had no place in…
Dumb Quiz: Test Your Knowledge About Sochi’s Olympic Opening Ceremonies
Does Bob Costas have pink eye? Yikes. #welcometoSochi pic.twitter.com/oPE7iTpkdb— Dan Ukrainetz (@Dan_Uk1) February 8, 2014 The lead-up to Sochi was filled with dire signs that Putin’s games were doomed. The toilets are weird! There’s no Chobani! They’re butchering thousands of dogs! My honey packet had a bee in it! And…
Michael Sam’s Draft Stock: The Stupidity of Quantifying Gay
At around 7:00 p.m. Sunday night, Missouri senior defensive end Michael Sam announced to the world on ESPN what he had announced to his teammates prior to the 2013 football season — he is gay. The sit down interview with Chris Connelly was one prong in a meticulously constructed media…
Sharking in the Seventies
Though I’ve written about the show a couple of times here, last night’s mid-season premiere of The Walking Dead actually served as a jumping-off point for a discussion about something far more interesting: sharks. Backing up a bit: Rick is in sorry shape (broken ribs, multiple contusions, a shirt that…
How to Eat Like George Washington on Presidents’ Day
Presidents’ Day is not traditionally a “foodie” holiday, but it should be. Although 18th-century American fare could be a bit hit or miss, our founding father/first president, George W. (the original!), seems to have had good taste in grub. Of Washington’s eating habits, his grandson Custis, wrote: “He ate heartily,…
One More Blast of Cold and Then…A Warming Trend
Believe it or not, the last couple of cloudy, cold and gray days of winter could be upon us. Certainly, we could experience some colder days over the next few weeks as we start to close out winter here in Houston, but the chances are growing slimmer and a look…
Reviews for the Lazy Gamer: Lightning Returns
Game: Lightning Returns Platform: Xbox, PS3 Publisher/Developer: Square Enix Genre: RPG Describe This Game in Three Words: It’s the End Plot: For 500 years Lightning has slept, but now she’s been called on by the god Bhunivelze to return to Nova Chrysalia and free the souls of the world before…
Eat Your Heart Out: Top Eight Buffets in Houston for the Valentine-less
Sometimes Valentine’s Day is magical and filled with love, laughter and deep, romantic, meaningful moments with your special someone. And sometimes you’re alone, and all you want to do is drown your sorrows in as much food (and wine) as humanly possible. Often, this is accomplished by buying a whole…
Rockets Extend Winning Streak to Six Games
The Rockets roll continued on Monday night with a 107-89 in Minnesota over the Timberwolves. Dwight Howard continued his outstanding play of late with 18 points, 15 rebounds and 3 blocks. He was joined in double figures by the other four starters as the Rockets took down the Wolves with…
Retro Recipe: Frankfurter Casserole
There’s a reason why they drink more than they eat on the first few seasons of Mad Men: The 1950s and early 1960s weren’t exactly the high point of America’s culinary history. An emphasis on overcooked meat, candied cherries and canned soup as ingredients gave rise to some pretty funky…
Comedian Bobby Lee Talks about Stand-up, Hollywood and Life after MadTV
“As an older guy,” Bobby Lee, the former MadTV favorite starts, “my body is changing. It’s getting scarier. I look like a scallop. I look like a mythological creature. I look like Pikachu with diabetes.” Comedy lovers are in for a Valentine’s Day treat as Bobby Lee returns to the…
Gun-Toting Banana Man Detained, Actually Working for a Local Gun Store
Whenever I’m driving along the road and I see some poor sucker in a weird costume, particularly on a sweltering August day, I feel a little bad for him. No way that guy is getting good money despite having arguably the most ridiculous job you could get. I always try…
The Rocks Off 200: Chad Smalley, Blaggards’ Barse Player
Welcome to The Rocks Off 200, our portrait gallery of the most compelling profiles and personalities in the far-flung Houston music community — a lot more than just musicians, but of course they’re in there too. See previous entries in the Rocks Off 100 at this link. Who? What? If…
Where’s the Beef? California Company Recalls Nearly 9 Million Pounds of Meat
Rancho Feeding Corporation of Petaluma, California, was forced to recall 8.7 million pounds of beef this past weekend due to improper inspection. And of course, some of the meat in the recall made its way to Texas, because it’s not like we have a gazillion of our own cows here…
Pop Rocks: Sochi Olympics Opening Ceremony Ring Fail Dominates
Amid all the problems and complaints that have surrounded Sochi and the $50 billion that was spent for the city to host the Olympic Games, you would think that the most horrifying problem of all time was the fact that a mechanical ring didn’t open during the initial ceremonies. Sure,…
Astros Pitcher Jarred Cosart Picks a Bad Day to Tweet a Gay Slur About Justin Bieber
They say timing is everything. When you consider that the Astros are coming off of a third consecutive season with more than 100 losses, when you consider Jim Crane is the perceived scourge of the town in the Great Comcast Standoff of 2014, and when you consider that Missouri and…
Actors in Sexy Laundry Start With Comedy Then Veer Into Seriousness and Farce Before Bringing It on Home
The setup: The great staple of comedy is the mid-life marital crisis, and Canadian playwright Michele Riml has added to the genre with Sexy Laundry. a two-character play about a wife seeking to rejuvenate sexuality by booking a room in an upscale hotel tor her husband and herself — and…
Have Your Pizza for Breakfast at These Five Eateries
Some mornings, you just want pizza for breakfast. And we’re not talking about leftover Domino’s from your post-bar 3:00 a.m. bad decision. We’re talking fresh-out-of-the-oven, hot and bubbling breakfast pizza. And because Houston is such a wonderful, wonderful place, you can get your fix of bright-and-early egg-topped pizza all over…
Teacher Accused of Molesting 10-Year-Old Student
Police arrested Roman Zalasar, 54, a first- and second-grade teacher at Tijerina Elementary School, for allegedly molesting a ten-year-old boy who was a student in his class. The boy told police the abuse occurred between mid-October and late November of last year. According to reports, the boy said his teacher…
This Kay Jewelers Commercial Makes Me Want to Punch Society in the Face
With the Valentine’s holiday merely days away, it has officially become Kay Jewelers season. The diamond propaganda machine is working on overdrive to convince all of you men out there that the only thing that ever makes us gals happy is jewelry and lots of it. Every kiss, BTW, does…
10 Items to Buy at Hubbell & Hudson Market Before It Closes
A few months ago, Hubbell & Hudson Market was hopping with shoppers. The entrance was filled with fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables, displays of gorgeous bouquets and shelves of holiday-themed treats. As you walked through the store, you were greeted with samples of artisanal cheeses and meats, fresh-squeezed juices, slices…
Texas Guitar God Johnny Winter Is Forever True to the Blues
A December 1968 edition of Rolling Stone featured Texas musicians who were at the time making inroads into the magazine’s home city of San Francisco. Featuring a cover photo of cowboy-hatted Doug Sahm (balancing toddler son Shawn on his knee), it mentioned players and singers both known (Janis Joplin, Steve…
Upcoming: Alice in Chains, Baths, Gary Numan, Jimmy Buffett, OneRepublic, Tech N9ne, etc.
Against Me!: With Cheap Girls, Laura Stevenson., Sun., March 16, 7:30 p.m., $17 to $19. Fitzgerald’s, 2706 White Oak, Houston, 713-862-3838. Alice In Chains: Tue., April 29, 7 p.m., $40 to $49. Bayou Music Center, 520 Texas, Houston, 713-225-8551. Baths: With Young Fathers., Fri., April 18, 8 p.m., $13 to…
The 10 Best Aqua Teen Hunger Force Musical Guests
Aqua Teen Hunger Force, also known by its alternate titles Aqua Unit Patrol Squad 1, Aqua Something You Know Whatever, and Aqua TV Show Show, has been one of the most bizarre and ubiquitous shows in television history. As an 11-minute animated feature on Adult Swim, it’s been enormously successful,…
How to Play a Vinyl Record
So you want to play a vinyl, eh? Perhaps you’ve come across your grandma’s old record player, or maybe you’ve found a sweet stash of vinyls at your local Goodwill that would look perfect in your hipster pad, and you want to test them out to impress your moustachioed friends…
Houston Couple Participating in ACLU’s “My Big Gay Illegal Wedding”
Houston is one of the more gay friendly cities in America. Even our mayor is gay. But, like any other person who wants to have a same-sex wedding, Mayor Annise Parker had to travel to California because it is illegal in Texas. The Federal Government has even extended benefits to…
RodeoHouston Giving Away Prizes as Part of a Social Media Scavenger Hunt
RodeoHouston is offering prizes for winners of the social media scavenger hunt that runs from February 17 to 21 via their Twitter account @RODEOHOUSTON. The hunt will be held in a different public location in Houston each day. There will be one winner each day. The prizes include an array…
Recipe of the Week: Flourless Chocolate Cake
From classic comfort foods to regional standouts and desserts, we’ll be sharing a new recipe with you each week. See the complete list of recipes at the end of this post This week (just in time for Valentine’s Day), we’re bringing you the king of all chocolate desserts, the flourless…
Carla Buckley Reveals The Deepest Secret
Novelist Carla Buckley was at a turning point in her career when she started to work on her third novel. “I had signed a two book contract with Random House and this was a make or break time for me,” Buckley tells us. “Was I going to be a career…
Donkey Basketball: Animal Abuse, or Harmless Fun for Jackasses?
The Humane Society of the United States is calling foul on a Montgomery County official’s donkey basketball fundraiser February 11. For the non-rednecks out there, donkey basketball is just what it sounds like: people playing basketball while riding donkeys. Hilarious, right? Charlie Riley, the precinct two operations manager, is holding…
Five Easy Prep-Ahead Valentine’s Day Dinners & Desserts
If you haven’t made reservations for Valentine’s Day (which is this Friday, FYI), then have no fear, because you can easily prepare a romantic dinner for you and your Valentine at home. But, we know that not everyone has the time to cook a fancy, four-course dinner the second they…
Suchu Dance Creates Something out of Nothing in New Dance Space
The Setup: Contrary to the erroneous reports from other publications, Suchu Dance is not dead and gone. Jennifer Wood’s iconoclastic dance company is no longer in the space formerly known as the Barnevelder Movement Arts Complex, but it has taken up residence inside a Garden Oaks strip center at 3480…
Queens of the Stone Age at Bayou Music Center, 2/9/2014
Queens of the Stone Age, Chelsea Wolfe Bayou Music Center February 9, 2014 On Sunday night, it had been more than six years since Queens of the Stone Age last played Houston, and boy, was the capacity crowd at Bayou Music Center ever ready to welcome the band back to…
Bruce Springsteen Finally Coming Back to Houston
See that photo up there? That’s the last decent live photo Rocks Off ran of Bruce Springsteen, and it’s from SXSW 2012. Our photos from his Houston shows are so old we don’t even want to use them anymore. We were starting to think he didn’t like us. Never mind…
Terrell Owens’s Marriage Is Over…After Two Weeks
In his 15-year NFL career, future Hall of Fame wide receiver, bipolar diva and noted pain in the ass Terrell Owens set numerous records. For example, Owens is the only player in the history of the league to score a touchdown against all 32 teams. (He took it a step…
Christina Escamilla: The Angel of 64 Deaths
If you’re looking for a light read to while away a cold day with a warm book, then take my advice and stay as far away from Christina Escamilla’s 64 Deaths as you can. The debut anthology from the local Houston writer is a brutal exercise in facing the horror…
Top 5 Chocolates in a Russell Stover Valentine’s Day Mixed Box
Ah, the heart-shaped box o’ chocolates: a Valentine’s Day tradition that’s so cliché it’s cool again (at least that’s the rumor I’m starting). With so many different confections inside, it’s hard to know just what to focus on during your V-Day binge. Here are the five standout chocolates in that…
Ticket Sales for J.J. Watt’s Charity Softball Game Crash Skeeters’ Server
In three short seasons, J.J. Watt has captured the city of Houston like few athletes before him. Two Pro Bowls, a few dozen sacks, and millions of dollars generated for charities have fortified his position. The Texans’ 2-14 season certainly had a detrimental effect on the popularity (and employment) of…
Valentine’s Day Cocktail: The “Perfect Gentleman”
Ask anyone on the street to define “gentleman” and I guarantee you’ll receive a number of different responses. Most dictionaries, such as Merriam-Webster, offer multiple options: gentleman (n.) a. a man of noble or gentle birth b. a man belonging to the landed gentry c. (1): a man who combines…
Wanted: Visual Arts Writers for Quick Looks Around Houston
Interested in making a big splash about visual arts writing in Houston? The Houston Press is looking for additional freelancers to add to its visual arts coverage. Specifically we’re looking for people who can write short reviews of shows and galleries around town that will appear both in our print…
Wild Moccasins Pack Numbers for 88 92 Release Party
Wild Moccasins, Young Mammals, Young Girls & DJ Bagheera Numbers February 8, 2014 “This is a really, really good song…kinda.” Those were the words of singer/guitarist Pete Tijerina of Young Girls, the night’s opening band. That statement would not only ring true for the openers, but also for every band…
Astros Bankruptcy Appeal Won’t Get CSN Houston on TV Any Sooner
Bankruptcy judge Marvin Isgur commands respect. Not because he’s a judge, but because of his understanding of bankruptcy law. He’s respected by attorneys who appear before him. He’s respected by his fellow judges. This is important to know because the Houston Astros have appealed his ruling putting CSN Houston into…
Sting & Paul Simon at Toyota Center, 2/8/2014
Sting & Paul Simon Toyota Center February 8, 2014 If politics makes for strange bedfellows, consider two aging Rock and Roll Hall of Famers trying to figure out what to do next. On paper the idea of Sting and Paul Simon on tour together might seem strange, a random pairing…
The Truth About Aphrodisiac Foods, or, Do Oysters Really Make You Horny?
It is said that Giacomo Girolamo Casanova, the notorious 18th-century lover, ate 50 oysters each morning for breakfast to increase his sexual stamina. Earlier, herbalist Nicholas Culpepper wrote that asparagus “stirs up lust in man and woman.” And back before we even had a word for aphrodisiac, the Aztecs named…
The Origin and Physics of the Double Jump
The other day we were having a family game session on the PS4, which means we were playing the light-hearted adventure game Knack. Though it’s not really any sort of revolutionary title, being little more than an update of Crash Bandicoot, it is a bright, joyful spot in the increasingly…
The Marcus Smart Outrage: Taking Up for the Player
“There is such a thing as manners. A way of treating people. These fish have manners! They have manners.” — Jerry Maguire It’s times like Saturday when Oklahoma State point guard Marcus Smart probably wishes he had just cashed in his chips and been a top five pick in last…
Lying to Your Kid About Adoptable Lobsters
In my family I am the errand runner, the burro, the hunter and gatherer. It is my job to acquire the bare necessities and bring them back to the cave for consumption. Often, I take my four-year-old daughter along with me on my missions because I kind of feel like…
Nipsey Hussle at Warehouse Live, 2/7/2014
Nipsey Hussle Warehouse Live February 7, 2014 The frigid outside temperatures Friday night made Warehouse Live’s Ballroom feel like the coziest place in the city. But you could see the cold-induced stiffness instantly melt away as Nipsey Hussle ticketholders crossed through the venue’s double doors for the last leg of…
100 Favorite Dishes 2013-2014: No. 33, Taleggio Pizza at Dolce Vita
This year, leading up to our annual Menu of Menus® issue, Kaitlin Steinberg counts down her 100 favorite dishes as she eats her way through Houston. She’ll compile a collection of the dishes she thinks are the most awesome, most creative and, of course, most delicious in town. It’s a…
Superchunk at Fitzgerald’s, 2/7/2014
Superchunk Fitzgerald’s February 7, 2014 As nations united in Sochi Friday to celebrate an age-old Olympic tradition, Houston Gen-Xers skipped the Opening Ceremonies and gathered at Fitzgerald’s instead, to celebrate another timeless wonder: ’90s rock powerhouse Superchunk. While the crowd at Fitz wasn’t particularly full as the indie-rock vets and…
James “Boogaloo” Bolden Band at Dan Electro’s, 2/7/2014
James Bolden Blues Band Dan Electro’s Guitar Bar February 7, 2014 James “Boogaloo” Bolden has been at B.B. King’s side for decades as band director. But with King, 87, slowing down a bit, Bolden is finding new avenues for his talent. For starters, he’s just released a new album, No…
The Toughest SOB at the Skating-Rink Party Is Right Here
Note: Houston’s Shea Serrano is an award-winning music writer and goofball, whose recent exploits include Bun B’s Rap Coloring and Activity Book and writes a this weekly column about his life and times. Among many other things, my twin six-year-olds sons think I am Manu Ginobili when the Spurs play…
The Best Concerts in Houston This Week: Panic! At the Disco, Snoop Dogg, Sebadoh, etc.
Free Radicals AvantGarden, February 10 Free Radicals is both Nick Cooper’s revolving-door ensemble that at any given moment could be playing free jazz or Latin funk, and also Cooper’s ongoing testimonial to how much he digs being a member of the Houston music community. He has so much experience at…
Executive Chef Grant Gordon Leaves Vallone Family
As CultureMap first reported yesterday, Grant Gordon has decided to step down as executive chef of both Tony’s and the recently opened Vallone’s steakhouse in Gateway Memorial City. This announcement comes just a week after Eater reported that Vallone’s beverage director, Evan Turner, is also leaving to pursue other options,…
Soul Stars Charles Bradley, Laura Mvula Lead Early iFest 2014 Names
The Houston International Festival has announced the first confirmed acts for this year’s festival, which returns to the freshly renovated Sam Houston Park downtown April 26-27 and May 3-4. This year’s spotlight country is Australia, but the first round has a heavy deep-soul tint. The one single act we’re happiest…
Wade Phillips: “The Texans Should Draft Johnny Football”
Photo by Marco TorresWade loves Johnny FootballWith the annual “Hey, it’s that time of year from February through NFL Draft, so take it with a grain of salt” caveat firmly attached, dare I say that the Johnny Manziel Express train to Houston in early May is picking up steam? We…
UPDATED: Five HISD Schools on the Chopping Block (Unless a Successful Argument Is Made Why This Shouldn’t Happen)
Three elementaries — Dodson, Nathaniel Q. Henderson and Port Houston — Fleming Middle Schools and Jones High School will be closing their doors to their students if the Houston ISD school board agrees with administration proposals spelled out in a press conference this morning. All the schools fell prey to…
Pro-Manziel Billboards by Local Attorney Eerily Familiar
Back in 2006, local furniture purveyor Jim “Mattress Mac” McInvale — before he was doling out $7 million in refunds over a Super Bowl “bet” — was a big fan of Vince Young. So much so, he took out a full-page ad in the Chronicle extolling the virtues of Young…
H&M Set to Open Third Houston Area Store in Katy W/ Bonus David Beckham Photo
H&M has announced it’s opening its third store in the Houston metro area and this time Katy Mills Mall will be the location for H&M’s approximately 23,000 square foot store set to open in Fall 2014…
¡Ay Chihuahua! The Right Cheese for a Quesadilla
One of the best cheeses for a quesadilla comes from Chihuahua, Mexico.
Harris County Regains Accreditation for Healthcare in Jail
The Harris County Jail, recently praised for its care of mentally ill inmates, has been re-accredited for medical treatment by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, according to a release from the county. Inspectors found the downtown jail to be in compliance with 31 national standards for inmate healthcare…
Avoid These 10 Foods If You Want to Get Lucky on Valentine’s Day
I’ve never been one to shy away from any meal when I am on a date, regardless of how unattractive the consumption may make me appear. I’ve slurped soup and spaghetti, virtually unhinged my jaw to chomp down on a burger, inhaled more garlic than a vampire hunter and cracked…
Fashion and Football Play Nice for a Good Cause
Just when you thought I was done drawing connections between fashion and football, a gem of a story hits the press. In January, Bloomingdales announced its partnership with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and the NFL Foundation as part of their “Super Bowl XLVIII comes to New…
Birthday Party Shooting Suspects Charged With Evidence Tampering
Two have been charged in the deadly house party shooting November 9 in Cypress at which two people were killed and 20 more were injured. Randy Stewart, 18, who has already been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the shootings, has been charged additionally with tampering with…
Stages Repertory Theatre Airs Its Sexy Laundry
Actors Josh Morrison and Susan Koozin have been married off and on for a long time, at least on stage. The first time was about 14 years ago when the pair played a couple in what was Morrison’s first main stage production at Stages Repertory Theatre. The most recent on-stage…
Craic Is Back: Saluting Rory Miggins With Irish Stew & Celtic Rock
Everyone’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, which is fine by Seamuis Strain. The more, the merrier, he says. But, he reasons, the annual Miggins Memorial Irish Music Festival & Stew Cook-Off — which returns for its seventh installment Saturday at Lucky’s Pub, from noon to 6 p.m. — is Houston’s…
100 Favorite Dishes 2013-2014: No. 35, Morning Thali at Pondicheri
This year, leading up to our annual Menu of Menus® issue, Kaitlin Steinberg counts down her 100 favorite dishes as she eats her way through Houston. She’ll compile a collection of the dishes she thinks are the most awesome, most creative and, of course, most delicious in town. It’s a…
Listen to Why Philip Seymour Hoffman Was One of the Best Actors of Any Generation
On this week’s Voice Film Club podcast, this paper’s film critics begin by honoring the career of Philip Seymour Hoffman, who tragically died on Sunday at the age of 46. Voice film editor Alan Scherstuhl, after calling Hoffman “one of the best actors the screen has ever known,” goes on…
The Rocks Off 200: Damien Randle, K-OTIX Man of Action
Welcome to The Rocks Off 200, our portrait gallery of the most compelling profiles and personalities in the far-flung Houston music community — a lot more than just musicians, but of course they’re in there too. See previous entries in the Rocks Off 100 at this link. Who? Damien Randle…
Houston, We Have a Wine-Storage Problem
This is the fifth in our series of “how-to wine” posts. Click here for previous entries. No one has been able to offer a scientific explanation for why the legendary cellars of Bordeaux’s châteaux are so perfect for aging wine. What we do know is that during the winter, temperatures…
It Snowed…in Houston…AGAIN?
People throughout the city were waking up to a very mild case of what doctors call “shock” this morning when they looked out their windows and saw what appeared to be snow on rooftops. But how could this be? Twice in the past two weeks we’ve gotten freezing precipitation that…
Rockets Tie Third Best Record Through 50 Games in Franchise History With Win Over Suns
The Rockets matched the franchise record for wins through 50 games at 33 by beating the Phoenix Suns 122-108 at Toyota Center on Wednesday night. The win allows them to keep pace in the ridiculously competitive Western Conference where, despite their accomplishments, they still remain in fifth place. All five…
Five Houston Eateries Serving Chocolate for Breakfast
Last week, in honor of February, Valentine’s Day and what is basically (for us at least) a month of unashamedly consuming chocolate, we brought you five chocolate-studded recipes that are completely acceptable for breakfast. This week, we’re sharing five of Houston’s best chocolate breakfasts for your morning pleasure (and this…
The Voices of the Spirit IV Concert Features Gospel A Cappella Group The Soul Influence
The Soul Influence, one of the groups performing at the Voices of the Spirit IV concert this weekend, is a five-man African American a cappella gospel quartet. Yes, we got that right, a five-man quartet. The group sings in four part harmony, hence the description. The concert also includes performances…
The NFL’s Quest for World Domination Continues As CBS Buys 8 Thursday Games in 2014
Going all the way back to a time before the world of television exploded into a universe with hundreds upon hundreds of channels, Thursday-night television watching has practically been its own living, breathing organism. Ever since NBC usurped the decade of the ’80s with The Cosby Show and Family Ties…
Top 10 Most Romantic Restaurants in Houston
It’s that time of year again, Houston! Love is in the air! No wait, that’s just the smell of the refineries surrounding our fair city. No matter. This year, Valentine’s Day falls on a Friday, which means couples will be out in force all weekend jockeying each other for prime…
Rest of the Best: The Top 10 Nude Scenes From Houston Actresses (NSFW) Really NSFW
Every once in a while I like to take a break from being a feminist crusader and compile a list based on complete chauvinist objectification. Maybe I’m seeking balance. Maybe I just like boobies. Maybe just the thought of a cashing a check for this sends me into maniacal glee…
Vote or Die: The Last VJ’s Top Five Videos of the Week
Welcome back to The Last VJ, music fans. This week we get a look at a local boy’s new act thanks to a music video filmed down in Mexico City. On tip of that, Baby Alpaca, who made one of the top 25 music videos of 2013 brings their A-game…
The Triumph of Frozen, the First Disney Princess Movie About Girls Rather Than for Them
How retrograde are many of the core tenets of the Disney princess? Consider this: My daughter owns a book called Snow White’s Secret, in which Disney’s royal archetype reveals her devilish hidden life: When the Dwarfs are working at the mine, she sneaks into their cottage and joyfully cleans the…
Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel: A Marzipan Monstrosity
Greetings from the 64th annual Berlin Film Festival, where it’s a surprisingly balmy 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit). The weather here may not be business as usual, but the festival looks promising — the competition includes films by Alain Resnais, Lou Ye, Yoji Yamada, and Claudia Llosa (whose odd…
At Least There’s a Horse
It’s a little sad that Colin Farrell has outgrown roles that require him to wear raggedy sweaters and say things like “For fook’s sake!” It had to happen, though. Farrell has always made a terrific bad boy, but he clearly knows he couldn’t be a scamp forever, and he seems…
Shia LaBeouf in Nymphomaniac: Indolently Sexy, Like a Lazy Panther
The big news out of the Berlin Film Festival earlier today was that Shia LaBeouf, here to promote Lars Von Trier’s Nymphomaniac: Volume 1, behaved like an ass on the red carpet at the movie’s premiere last night. He showed up in a proper tuxedo, but also with a paper…
Diane Keaton
When she gave her loopy, off-kilter tribute to Woody Allen at the Golden Globes recently (and sang a snippet of the Girl Scouts anthem to boot), people had one of two reactions to Diane Keaton: They thought it was a head-smacking WTF moment, or they remembered just why they loved…
The Peking Acrobats
“It’s a tour de force combination of a wonderful Chinese culture all rolled into one wonderful evening” Cynthia Dike-Hughes, co-producer with IAI Presentations, says about the Peking Acrobats. “We have a lot of surprises for the audiences this year. I think that Houston will really be impressed with the show.”…
clean/through
Actor/playwright Miki Johnson wrote clean/through, the latest production at Catastrophic Theatre, in just three days. The play, which follows a self-destructive heroin addict, is inspired by but not based on musician Elliott Smith and his work. Johnson is careful to make the distinction. “The inspiration is evident, but it became…
The Cookers
Former Houstonian Billy Harper has the distinction of being the first black member of the famed 1 O’clock Lab Band at the University of North Texas (formerly known as North Texas State University). A member of the all-star jazz group The Cookers, tenor -saxophonist Harper says, “Somebody told me about…
Nothing
Suchu Dance artistic director and choreographer Jennifer Wood’s work is often difficult to describe. It’s contemporary dance, of course, but beyond that most labels fall short of adequately describing her creations. “We’re compiling a Suchu dictionary,” says Aileen Mapes, one of the performing artists dancing in Wood’s current production, Nothing…
David MacLean: The Answer to the Riddle is Me
It was on October 27, 2002, that author and former Houstonian David Stuart MacLean woke up on a train platform in India with no idea of who or where he was. He had no money, no passport and no memory. Officials at first thought MacLean was a drug user who…
“Fernando Casas: Duality”
Gallerist Gus Kopriva has long been an admirer of local artist Fernando Casas, who presents “Duality” at Redbud Gallery, one of three concurrent exhibits of Casas’s work in the city. A philosophy professor at Rice University as well as a well-known painter, Casas often explores binocular vision, the way in…
Ron White
For stand-up and former Deer Park resident Ron White, comedy is a trial of endurance. “Expect to laugh real hard,” he says. “Not just chuckle, but gut laugh for an hour. I can’t stand it any other way.” Houston audiences ready for the challenge can catch the Blue Collar Comedy…
More Broadway at the Box
More Broadway at the Box features the songs you remember and love — “Something’s Coming” and “Maria” from West Side Story, “Old Man River” from Showboat and a medley from Wicked, plus songs from Motown the Musical, Chicago and other contemporary and classic Broadway shows. A co-founder of The Music…
Al Jackson
Comedian Al Jackson brings his unique brand of comic paternalism to Houston’s Joke Joint Comedy Showcase. Jackson, a former middle school teacher, began his life in entertainment performing weekly at open-mike nights in Miami. Two years later, he made the leap to New York City to pursue humor full-time. Since…
“Made for Magazines: Iconic 20th Century Photographs”
Stephen Colbert and Paul Giamatti once explained Life magazine to a Twitter-fed audience this way: Giamatti said it was shiny and made of paper. Colbert said it was like an iPad that you could burn. Life magazine was famous for its provocative photographs, some of which are seen in the…
Sacred Places Tour
While many cities offer historic home tours to show off the architectural and antique wonders of their areas, the upcoming Sacred Places Tour organized by the Galveston Historical Foundation features eight local places of worship of widely varying congregations (and one cemetery…for a headstone-cleaning demonstration). “We hope everyone leaves with…
12th Annual Dance Houston Festival
The 12th Annual Dance Houston Festival is a good way to experience the city’s legions of happy feet. The concert is an open-door line-up of Houston contemporary and world dance companies performing flamenco, contemporary ballet and Mexican folklórico as well as dances from West Africa and the Middle East. This…
Prophecies: A Flamenco Re-imagining of Gibran’s The Propht
Olivia Chacon, artistic director of A’lante Flamenco, says she got the idea for the group’s current production, Prophecies: A Flamenco Re-imagining of Gibran’s The Prophet, after reading the famous book. “I’ve been obsessed with flamenco for a long time, and almost everything I read or see, I tend to think…
Mongoose vs Cobra: Phong Nguyen
Author Phong Nguyen reads from his latest book, Pages from The Textbook of Alternate History, at today’s Mongoose versus Cobra Reading Series. “It is a book of stories that concern characters from history who, in these alternate histories, fulfilled their first ambitions,” said Nguyen via email. Often, the course of…
He Likes Me But I Like His Friend. 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! MY FRIEND IS SUICIDAL Dear Willie D: Since my friend broke up with her boyfriend she…
Carla Buckley: The Deepest Secret
Novelist Carla Buckley searched for more than a year for the perfect disease to give one of the main characters in her newest title, The Deepest Secret. In the end she chose xeroderma pigmentosum, an extreme sensitivity to light. “I really wanted to talk about a mother and her teenage…
Bobby Deen: Bobby Deen’s Everyday Eats
If you’ve got 30 minutes, cookbook author Bobby Deen has a recipe for you. Deen, the son of food-empire queen Paula Deen, signs copies of his newest book, Bobby Deen’s Everyday Eats, today at Brazos Bookstore. Everyday Eats is a collection of 120 new recipes, all of which total 350…
10 More Aging Pop-Star Tours We’d Like to See
This Saturday night, Houston will be greeted by two very familiar faces: Sting and Paul Simon. The two are legends in their respective fields, and although their music doesn’t quite sound similar, the tour is welcome all the same. It’s sort of like Elton John and Billy Joel, only a…
Where to Eat on Valentine’s Day
On the Menu This year, Valentine’s Day is on a Friday. In other words, everyone will be vying for a reservation at one of the many Houston restaurants offering a special meal on the day of romance. Don’t be that guy or gal who forgets to make a reservation in…
Capsule Art Reviews: “The Age of Impressionism: Great French Paintings from the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute,” “Garden Object”
“The Age of Impressionism: Great French Paintings from the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute” These days, Impressionist exhibitions are the art museum version of the ballet The Nutcracker: frothy and beautiful, if a little overexposed, and sure to pack ’em in at almost any price. Even though we’ve already…
Railroaded
Highlights from Hair Balls Spaced City If you’ve driven through the Heights recently and thought, “Gee whiz, I wish this historic, beautiful neighborhood could become really douchey,” you’re in luck: The nonprofit Houston Heights Association, whose volunteers once created a jogging trail, planted trees and built playgrounds, just dismissed a…
Capsule Stage Reviews: Don Giovanni, Dr. Faustus, Freud’s Last Session, The Good Thief, The Meeting, Into the Woods
Don Giovanni Over the years I’ve seen many productions of W.A. Mozart and Lorenzo Da Ponte’s eternal masterpiece Don Giovanni, but never one with so much sass and sexy charm as Opera in the Heights’s. The young cast captures the work’s comedic drama and shakes it vigorously. Maestro Enrique Carreón-Robledo…
Middle-Class Angst and Mosh-Pit Love
Dear Mexican, Why is it that many first-generation Latino students are so quick to judge and alienate second-generation students just because their parents went to college and are able to afford a little more? This happened to me recently. People treat me differently and think I will look down on…
Perfect Timing: How Malcontent Wiseasses Tried to Prove a Point About Politics and Ended up Charged as Felons
Adrian Heath heard the jury on that October morning loud but not clear. The foreman exhaled the word “guilty,” and Heath felt its jarring weight in his head and his stomach as he stood in a Montgomery County courtroom. Heath was now a felon, convicted by the state of Texas…
The Alamo Drafthouse Takes Dinner and a Movie to a New Level
It was as if Joaquin Phoenix and I were on a date. We gazed into each other’s eyes. I took a sip of wine. He chuckled lovingly. I took a bite of my oversize burger, the thin, almost fast-food-style patty bringing back memories of high school dates at Whataburger. He…
The Mark Morris Dance Group Tells Stories About the (Sometimes Comic) Human Condition
In a moment of visual hijinks, a man and a woman in the middle of a budding courtship turn to each other with faces full of passion and, no, they do not promenade, but grind their pelvises in the air back and forth. It’s one of a series of laugh-out-loud…
Behind the Blue Door of the Reopened, Renovated Make-Out Bar Marfreless
‘Hey, does anyone else smell that? It really smells like wood varnish in here!” The well-heeled patrons are trickling into the crowded bar at a steady pace, and as they appear, one by one through the hostess area, they all exclaim the exact same thing: This bar smells strongly of…
It’s Not Monumental, But the Monuments Men Satisfies in Bits and Pieces
Art may not be more important than human lives. But on the list of things that mean something to human lives, across centuries, it ranks pretty high. That’s what’s so compelling about the story of the Monuments Men, a group of people from 13 nations who volunteered to protect cultural…
The Lego Movie Really Snaps Together
Consider the Lego, the toy of contradiction. With one — well, with hundreds of them — you can build anything: houses, airplanes, house-airplanes. You can even build something that will change the world, as Larry Page and Sergey Brin did in 1996 when they housed the server for their new…
A Houston Icon Passes
Busking on the Bayou Qui cantat laudem, non solum cantat, sed et amat eum quem cantat. (He who sings praise, not only sings, but also loves Him whom he is singing for.) — Saint Augustine In every town, no matter how large or small, there are certain characters who become…
