Bayou Cleanup Crew Finds Body of Motorcycle Rider Near Downtown
A boat crew cleaning up Buffalo Bayou found, among the usual debris, the body of a dead motorcyclist about 10 a.m. today. Police think the man, 31, whose name has not been released pending verification, might have been in the water for as long as ten hours, and had driven…
Manipulate And Control A Captive Katy Perry (As A New Sim Character That Is)
Today the makers of The Sims 3: Showtime announced that Katy Perry will be a playable character on this expansion pack off of The Sims 3, coming in March for whatever it is you play The Sims on. We haven’t played the game in years, becuase all we did was…
Handsome Ransom, [Something Clever About Kidnapping]
That’s a band called Handsome Ransom. They’re a folk group. And they’re good. So good, in fact, that their music, which was playing on our computer early evening last week, managed to halt our sons mid-step as they sped through the living room. “What’s that, daddy,” Boy B asked. We…
Houston Texans Grieving Process 2.0: At Least We’re Not THIS GUY in Louisiana! (w/ NSFW VIDEO)
With each day, the pain of Sunday’s loss to the Ravens continues to dissipate. However, it still hasn’t subsided to the point where we shouldn’t be taking pleasure in the acute pain of others. In fact, in the spirit of yesterday’s post, the pain hasn’t subsided to the point where…
How Rude!: The Most Annoying Little Sisters in Television History
Today is actress Jodie Sweetin’s birthday. The co-star of television’s Full House turns 30 today, making us all who grew up with her immediately old. Considering that Jonathan Taylor Thomas turned 30 himself a few months back, I should be looking into getting my affairs in order. As Pink Floyd…
David Sadof Returns to Radio
Rocks Off can name at least ten local rock stars off the top of our heads who owe their good taste and love of music almost exclusively to the radio work done by David Sadof. Now he is finally returning to the medium in order to bring some light to…
First Look at Triniti
“Oh my God,” oohed my friend over my cocktail last night at Triniti. “They have the right ice.” I laughed good-naturedly at her self-admitted “cocktail nerdery” and regarded the solid cubes with a bit more interest than I had before. They were the type designed to melt as slowly as…
The Price of Beef Is On the Rise for 2012
Ronnie Bartley is a rancher on the verge of bankruptcy after 16 years in the business. Texas is on the verge of another devastating drought this summer. And our nation is on the verge of a severely depleted beef supply. These are the stories told in this week’s cover feature,…
More Expensive Meat in 2012: The Rising Cost of Beef
A rancher on the verge of bankruptcy. A state on the verge of another devastating drought. A nation on the verge of a depleted beef supply. These are the stories told in this week’s cover feature, Meat Market, which examines the many reasons — from the hoof up — that…
Gelareh Bagherzadeh: $5,000 Reward for Information About Her Murder
The younger brother of a Texas Medical Center student who was slain outside her parents’ Galleria-area townhome Monday issued a tearful plea for anyone with information about the incident to come forward. “I can’t see my parents — and I don’t want to see any parents — in this situation,…
The 39th Pazz And Jop Poll Features Quite A Few Surprises
And by surprises, I mean that I didn’t like most of the albums in the top ten. Usually I fall lock-step in with the crowd, but this year not so much, with my love for arena-rock and Americana dominating my list. Pazz And Jop is the Village Voice’s annual critics’…
Chicken Fried Steak and a Cigarette at City Cafe
Glenn Livet and I both unwittingly covered two South Houston classics this week: He in a dive bar post about Bonnie’s and me in a review of City Cafe. Both establishments are notable for several reasons: they are long-lived, they are full of character (and characters) and they both still…
Lunch at Lemon Tree Peruvian Restaurant
It’s hard to compare something top-notch with something average. And since all of my experiences with Peruvian food, to date, have been nothing short of stellar, I think I expected more when I walked into the highly recommended Lemon Tree Restaurant. Lemon Tree is a bit off the beaten path,…
Matt Schaub Is Now on Twitter, Tweeting About Foot Massages
THANK GOD the Internet was invented, or the computer, or whatever it is that gave us Twitter. Texans quarterback Matt Schaub has started tweeting, and not a moment too soon. “First Tweet…lets see how this goes,” he wrote yesterday, and since then he has pounded out not just one but…
Last Night: Old 97’s at House of Blues
Oh, dutiful journalism, the places I will go in your name. Last night, one of those places just had to be House of Blues. It’s always a pleasure to watch Old 97’s and I would put up that good fight to keep my spirits high in what is arguably my…
DVDs & Blu-rays: The Ides of March
The Ides of March stars George Clooney and Ryan Gosling; George Clooney directs. The Setup: George Clooney just took home a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama for his performance in The Descendants, so expect to see lots of coverage of him as the Oscars approach. This review,…
Abel Martinez: Just Another Dude Who Steals Panties and Dogs, Cops Say
Cops say Abel Martinez was a busy guy, what with all the stealing of panties and, um, dogs. Martinez, 32, apparently made a habit of breaking into women’s apartments, leaving notes like “I’m watching you,” and taking their panties, according to KPRC. The station was on hand and got the…
Two Ways to Get Over the Texans’ Loss on Sunday
I hear the Texans lost on Sunday. I say “hear” because I couldn’t bear the stress of watching the playoff game, and instead spent the afternoon away from all televisions and Internet-enabled phones at a living history museum in Lafayette, where the locals were already smarting after the Saints’ loss…
10 Rock Stars the GOP Should Nominate for President
As the 2012 presidential race begins to heat up in earnest, Rocks Off can’t help but feel that the front-runners for the Republican nomination are lacking a certain je ne sais quoi. Call it star power. Call it sex appeal. Whatever it is, these guys ain’t got it. If the…
The Six Degrees of Joshua Bell
Never play Six Degrees with Joshua Bell. He’s got us all beat. Not only has he performed with just about every contemporary classical artist there is out there, he’s also recorded with pop musicians such as Sting and Regina Spektor. Even if we go back a couple of centuries, Bell’s…
Brew Blog: Avery The Beast Grand Cru
I’m turning my mother-in-law into a beer nerd. It started by accident. Whenever my wife decided we were going to take the kids to see Grandma, I would pick up a little something for myself. It’s not that I don’t like my mother-in-law; I actually lucked out in the in-law…
If the Wikipedia Boycott of SOPA Spread: Seven Examples of Horror
With Wikipedia boycotting the Stop Online Piracy Act today by shutting itself down for 24 hours, the powers that be at the crowdsourced information giant hope we all get freaked out enough by their absence that we tell Congress we think SOPA should not be passed. If you don’t know…
Reality Bites: Lizard Lick Towing
I know reality shows are chock full of staged encounters and — at the least — script outlines designed to push the “characters” in certain directions. It’s been the case ever since the first season of Survivor and continues to this day with the likes of Keeping Up with the…
Ten Cruises We’d Rather Take Than the KISS Kruise
Imagine a vacation where made-up members of your favorite glam rock band wander the decks of a cruise ship. Does that sound like heaven on earth? Well, glam boy, you’re in luck as the second annual (yes, they’ve done one before this) KISS Kruise sets sail this October featuring that…
Top 5 Herbs Better (Or Just As Good) Dried Than Fresh
First, some clarification. “Herb” is a rather broad term, referring generally to any plant part used for medicinal, culinary, or aromatic purposes. I’m interested in those roots, leaves, flowers, etc. primarily used in food preparation (and, sorry, but I’m not counting “tea” as a food). The rule of thumb for…
New Judd Apatow-Produced, Lena Dunham HBO Show Girls Slated for April
Tease – StruggleWhen you hear that there will be a new HBO show about a twentysomething woman trying to make it as a writer in New York City with her best girlfriends, do you a) roll your eyes, think “I’m a male” and get back to reading Matt Taibbi or…
Fast Times: McDonald’s Under 300 Menu
When I see a McDonald’s commercial I don’t exactly stop everything I’m doing and pay close attention, but I couldn’t help but take notice of their recent attempt to brand “Egg McMuffin” as a descriptor for “the best” of something. The ad features various people describing things as “the Egg…
Comment of the Day: Jacoby Jones & Kareem Jackson — The Terrorists Win Every Week
We have some great commenters here on Hair Balls, and it’s time we paid some damn attention to them. So we’ll be highlighting a Comment of the Day each morning, from the previous day’s work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous scientific formula…
Billie Ray Anspach: Mugshot Hall of Famer Jailed After Allegedly Threatening Six People with Knife
Coryell County JailBillie Ray Anspach: Perhaps a Geico commercial is in his future.A Copperas Caveman Cove man is behind bars after police there say he threatened four family members and two friends with a knife during a Sunday morning disturbance. Police responded to a call about a fight at a…
5 Video Game Princesses That Didn’t Really Need Saving
The hero rushing to the aid of the captured princess is a timeless tale. Pixelated protagonists have been stomping mushrooms and hurling balls of fire in order to rescue the damsel in distress since video games realized that not every entertainment outing had to be tennis-based. The funny thing is,…
Dwayne Porter: Tries Walking Out of Corpus H-E-B in Crustacean-Stuffed Pants
Nueces County JailDwayne Porter: Pinched walking out of H-E-B. You have to admire the more stylish of our low-end thieves. Late last year we brought you the story of a guy who went on a penniless high-end dining spree in and around downtown, culminating in a steak dinner he refused…
Rap Round Table: If You Could Only Listen To One Musician For All Of Time, Who Would It Be?
Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Each week Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. This Week’s Panel: Killa Kyleon, Zavey, kyle Hubbard, Brad Gilmore, Mac, Doughbeezy, A.D.D., Medicine Girl, more. Not Invited: The guy at our sons’ Saturday morning basketball…
100 Creatives 2012: Sandy Ewen
Sandy Ewen, who grew up in Canada, eventually relocated with her family to Katy, where she attended high school. Shortly after the move, she began attending improvised music workshops taught by David Dove, a winner of the Houston Press’s 2011 MasterMinds Award. Today, local musicians say that she’s become one…
Sampler Plate: This Week in Food Blogs
Robb Walsh: If you were wondering what the kerfuffle over Dublin Dr Pepper was all about last week, Robb Walsh has a simple and concise explanation for the uproar: “Why the corporate headquarters of Dr Pepper/Snapple found it necessary to close down the oldest Dr Pepper bottler in Texas and…
No Wiki, No Worries: Our Wikipedia Entries for the Osteens, Astros, Michael Brown & Tom DeLay
As you might have noticed to your consternation, Wikipedia is down today to protest SOPA and attempts to curb Internet privacy. Fear not. We have available for use some Houston-related wiki entries, produced by us with all the care that goes into some of the online encyclopedia’s offerings…
Houston Texans Grieving Process 1.0: At Least We’re Not in Louisiana!
Forty-eight hours have come and gone since Sunday, and the Texans’ loss to the Baltimore Ravens is still maddening and painful. How does one process the anguish coming out of a sporting event in which your team had every chance to win the game and put themselves one step away…
Ten Jim Carrey Movies Stuck In Development Hell
Today Jim Carrey turns 50 years old, and the rubber-faced fartsmith has been delighting millions since we first saw him on The Duck Factory. Or was it Once Bitten with Lauren Hutton? Or Fox’s In Living Color? The man had a lot of career stops and starts before he started…
Cover Story: Another Cop Molests a Teen Explorer, Central Texas DA Claims
A month ago, the Houston Press brought you an in-depth story chronicling how cops nationwide have molested dozens of teenage police cadets who had enrolled in the Explorer Program, which is chartered through Boys Scouts of America subsidiary Learning for Life. As if to drive home the veracity of our…
Six Things You Should Avoid if You Want to Be a Serious Musician
Anyone who has ever had a demanding job knows that with it comes the sacrifice of time. Lawyers on the partner track a big law firms know they have little time for anything outside of the office. To be successful at anything requires a commitment of time and energy that…
Jambalaya, Crawfish Pie and File’ Gumbo: The Bounty of Lafayette
Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and file’ gumbo / ‘Cause tonight I’m gonna see my ma cher amio / Pick guitar, fill fruit jar and be gay-o / Son of a gun, we’ll have big fun on the bayou — Hank Williams, “Jambalaya” In late December, Southern Living announced a…
Shannon O’Roark Griffin: Former NASA Trainer Travels to Missouri to Kill Husband’s Mistress
You’d think one NASA-related incident of a woman taking a road trip with evil intent to deal with a romantic rival would be enough. But you’d be wrong. Police say Shannon O’Roark Griffin, 52, has been charged with capital murder for killing the woman her husband admitted having an affair…
You Bettah Work: 10 Rock/Pop Musicians Who Could Take Up Modeling
Lucky for Lana Del Rey — whose awkward-at-best Saturday Night Live performance last weekend left indie critics second-guessing her skill — she has a backup career on which to fall, if needed. Last week, days before becoming a poor bundle of nerves on SNL, the up-and-(maybe)-coming songstress signed a modeling…
The Burger Guys Downtown and Uchi Houston Announce Opening Dates
“Proud to say, you asked and you shall receive,” said Jake Mazzu, owner of The Burger Guys, this morning on Twitter. “The Burger Guys downtown opening Feb. 1st.” A new downtown location of the popular burger joint was just one of two exciting announcements today sure to get Houston’s food…
Sammy Robles: Tased, Shot at, Continues to Beat Cop
One thing’s for sure: Sammy Robles really didn’t want to be arrested for stealing a car Friday. Houston police officer R.T. Johnson responded to a call about a stolen car at 5:45 p.m. Friday, HPD says. He saw Robles in the stolen car in the 3800 block of Sherwood Lane…
Distant Early Warning: Social Distortion, Gary Clark Jr., Melvins, Girls, Maná, De La Soul
2 Chainz, Paul Wall, Propain: Thu., March 1. Warehouse Live, 813 St. Emanuel, Houston. Anvil, Rotting Corpse, Metavenge, Fallacy: Thu., Feb. 9. Warehouse Live, 813 St. Emanuel, Houston. Asleep At The Wheel: Fri., Feb. 3. Dosey Doe Coffee Company, 25911 I-45 N., Spring. Big & Rich, Gretchen Wilson: Fri., Feb…
La Traviata’s Soprano Albina Shagimuratova & HGO’s Life-Changing Possibilities
Albina Shagimuratova was going to be a concert pianist. Growing up in what has become the independent republic of Uzbekistan, she was 12 years old when she heard a recording of Maria Callas singing the role of Violetta in La Traviata. “I was crying. I was really deeply moved by…
Tuesday January 17, 2012 Deals of the Day
Grab a wine glass and a paintbrush, and you’re ready to take advantage of this week’s Voice Deal of the Day from the Houston Press — an Artful Sips painting class at Cork Soakers. Read that again: Cork Soakers. This week’s deal will provide everything you need to sip and…
Beats By Dre, Monster Headphones To Split
Well time to pass the tissue to those of you who love walking through IAH or Hobby with $200 headphones around your head like a fashion statement. In news more likely to occur than Dr. Dre’s Detox album, Monster has announced that it will no longer be making Beats By…
Looks Can Be Deceiving at PG Contemporary
David Lozano’s paintings lie to you. In “Since I’ve Been Away,” his solo show at PG Contemporary’s new space, there’s image after image of psychedelic patterns of blues, magentas and greens. These ribboned, weaving or spastic splashes of color stretch out, like pours of paint, over fuzzed-out, blown-up photos of…
Wine of the Week: 2000 Valpolicella by Giuseppe Quintarelli
From the tiny village of Negrar in the picturesque Valpolicella (Veneto, Italy) to the upper reaches of the One-Percenter wine collectors in the U.S., the world of wine is in mourning: On Sunday, Giuseppe Quintarelli, 84, one of the greatest winemakers of our lifetime, died in his home in Italy…
John O’Shea: Energy Exec Acquitted on Mexican Bribery Charges
The executive of a Sugar Land-based company who’s been accused of paying bribes to Mexican officials was acquitted without the defense even putting on a case. John O’Shea, the former general manager of ABB Industries, was acquitted by U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes after he said the government had failed…
Finally: S*%# Foodies Say
A mere week ago, I was petulantly whining that of all the eminently quotable people who’ve had “Shit ____ People Say” videos made out of their inane, daily vocabulary, we foodies had yet to be targeted. We are always ripe for the picking, folks. “Can I get that with a…
Last Night: Ladysmith Black Mambazo
During Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we were reminded how a strong and motivated speaker, his words, and his delivery can help change a nation. Last night, we were reminded how the power of the human voice in music can be an equally efficacious ability if mastered correctly. People tend…
Jason Wu for Target Debuts on February 5
If you feel fully recovered from the frenzy of the 2011 Missoni for Target event, your next combat shopping mission awaits. Designer Jason Wu, who designed first lady Michelle Obama’s white Inaugural Ball dress, is launching his debut line for Target on February 5. The Wu launch is anticipated to…
Michael Ray Cooper, 28, Bayou Body Count No. 8
A man was shot to death in his Sunnyside home Sunday evening, police say. Michael Ray Cooper, 28, had a visitor to his home in the 3600 block of Bloomfield about noon Sunday. “At some point during the visit, the suspect shot and killed Cooper,” HPD says. “After the shooting,…
Mourning The Texans’ Loss At The #Thurogod’s Altar
The hip-hop world is a less than sensible place -lots of times, you’re even required to clarify when bad means bad and when bad means good- so once a week we’re going to get with a rapper and ask them to explain things. Have something you always wanted to ask…
Peanut Butter Multi-Grain Cheerios
It was bound to happen some day: the inevitable marriage between peanut butter and Cheerios. Since the late 1970s, the cereal has expanded its flavors to include Honey Nut, Apple Cinnamon, Multi-Grain, Frosted, and Dulce de Leche. Regular Cheerios don’t do anything for me, and I’ve found the aforementioned varieties…
In Geoff Hippenstiel’s New Show, Paint Reigns Supreme
It seems trite to say an artist’s work is exciting — how often have you heard that before? But that’s the exact reaction when viewing Geoff Hippenstiel’s new, large paintings at Devin Borden Gallery. In his first solo show here since his well-received MFA show at the University of Houston…
A ‘Dandee’ Affair: Art. Music. B-Boy. Fashion Show. Brings Back the ’80s
“Where’s the music? Hey, play some music!” shouted a girl from the nearly pitch black darkness of Villains Houston, the venue where pop artist Dandee Warhol hosted his latest fete last Friday, ” ’80s inspired art. music. b-boy. fashion show!” “Yeah, come on!” screamed another. At their direction, the DJ…
The Tedeschi Trucks Band Keeps in the Family
Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks are married both to each other and their musical careers. She with a busy solo schedule, and he with full-time gigs fronting the Derek Trucks Band, playing guitar with the Allman Brothers Band [Derek’s uncle is founding member Butch Trucks], and minor side-jobs with the…
Overlooked and Underrated: Finding Bonnie’s in South Houston
It spent nearly 25 years in the hands of a woman who started as a bar owner when she was only a few years short of senior discounts, and upon her death, it was passed on to her beautician because she didn’t have any blood family, though she seemed to…
Comment of the Day: The Coked-Up Belushi Movie Ronald Reagan Watched Wasn’t That Bad
We have some great commenters here on Hair Balls, and it’s time we paid some damn attention to them. So we’ll be highlighting a Comment of the Day each morning, from the previous day’s work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous scientific formula…
Gelareh Bagherzadeh, 30, Genetics Student & Activist Against the Iranian Government, Shot Near Galleria, Bayou Body Count No. 7
A 30-year-old molecular genetics technology student was shot and killed in the Galleria area early Monday. Gelareh Bagherzadeh was shot about 12:30 Monday morning in the 800 block of Augusta. police say. She was shot in her car and drove into a townhome garage. Media reports indicate she was talking…
Pop Rocks: Nostalgia Is Nontransferable
We had some friends over Saturday night, those with children brought theirs, because when you’re my age and you want to interact with your age cohort, it’s easier to just throw all the rugrats into a room filled with toys and books and let them Battle Royale it out rather…
Pop Rocks: Your Kids Probably Hate the Muppets
We had some friends over Saturday night, those with children brought theirs, because when you’re my age and you want to interact with your age cohort, it’s easier to just throw all the rugrats into a room filled with toys and books and let them Battle Royale it out rather…
Move Over, Stagger Lee, Jacoby Jones Has Something Dumber!
Last Friday, John Granato and I were breaking down the keys to the Texans’ playoff game in Baltimore on our radio show on 1560 The Game. For the Texans to win the game, I thought it would be crucial for them to get a big play in the return game…
Gary Gilmore: 5 Songs For A Famous Executionee
Even in the bizarre world of famous murderers, Gary Gilmore is an interesting case. He grew up in an abusive household, and committed two murders in Utah in 1976 at the age of 22. Despite complying with Gilmore’s demands in the course of his robberies, he killed Max Jensen and…
Happy 90th Birthday Betty White!
Happy 90th Birthday Betty White! Today, January 17, the real Lady B hits the 90th marker and America couldn’t love her more. Betty White really is an anomaly. In the nine decades she has been alive, media has transformed and with it she has evolved from radio to film to…
Where Are We Drinking?
The giant, fertilized duck egg in the foreground should be the giveaway for this week’s shot. The balut, resting on a pile of chile and salt, was served along with a slammer of beer in case the taste of the fertilized duck embryo inside proved too strong. I didn’t need…
New Horsefly Species Named for Beyonce: 5 Better Names It Should Have Gotten
The Washington Post reported that an Australian researcher had discovered a new species of horsefly and, because its backside was gold and therefore “bootylicious,” he was naming it after Houston’s own Beyoncé. The species will henceforth be known as Scaptia (Plinthina) beyonceae. Nice, but we’re not sure it’s a compliment…
Last Friday Night: Glen Campbell At Arena Theatre
After reading Chris Gray’s review of the last Glen Campbell show here in Houston back in September at the Stafford Centre, I was expecting the worst at Campbell’s Friday night show at the Arena Theatre. The country legend had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s a few months before the Stafford show,…
The Rest of the Best: Houston’s Top 10 Sushi
For the next 20 weeks, we’ll be rounding up the runners-up to our 2011 Best of Houston® winners. In many categories, picking each year’s winner is no easy task. We’ll be spotlighting 20 of those categories, in which the winner had hefty competition from other Houston bars and restaurants. Houston…
Date Night at Ibiza Food & Wine Bar
My ideal Friday night is simple – I don’t ask for much: All I want is a delicious meal with my man… accompanied by an even more delicious bottle of wine (or two)… in a softly lit room…somewhere not too far…with a bill that won’t break the bank. See, I’m…
How To: Make a Dutch Baby Pancake
Open letter to Dutch baby pancakes: My sweet, sweet Dutch babies, Where have you been all my life? Seriously, I’ve been lost without you. You’re delicious… and so easy to make…and you’re so full of love…and so full of powdered sugar. I love you, Dutch baby pancakes. I love you…
Saturday: Chris Gray Day at the Continental Club
Click here for a slideshow of the bands and here for a slideshow of the crowd. “I didn’t know Chris was a celebrity.” Chris Gray’s mother told a rapt audience from the stage on Saturday afternoon that she was “overwhelmed” by the outpouring of love for her son, our music…
Some Modest Suggestions for Bud Selig, MLB Commissioner for Life
Yep, we’re still stuck with this bozo.In case you missed the news last week, Bud Selig’s contract to be the commissioner of Major League Baseball has been extended another two years — this coming after Selig had announced several years ago that he was retiring at the end of his…
Romancing the Cork: Can’t Live With It, Can’t Live Without It
According to the Oxford Companion to Wine (edited by Master of Wine Jancis Robinson), “around 5 percent of all wines sealed under cork display a musty taint.” If one in every 20 bottles of wine is affected by the use of cork — the bark of the cork tree, in…
The Passion Is Muted in Company Onstage’s Hedda Gabler
The set-up: Hedda Gabler, the theatrical classic by Henrik Ibsen first produced in 1891, is a forerunner of modern drama. Its revival here demonstrates that manipulation, chicanery and deception are not contemporary inventions. The execution: The handsome set designed by the play’s director, L. Robert Westeen, effectively sets the stage…
Sunday Night: Starfucker at Fitzgerald’s
“We’re sorry about your football team,” said Starfucker* guitarist Ryan Biornstad to the packed crowd of college-age Houstonians at Fitz, just eight hours after the Houston Texans gracefully bowed out of its first ever playoff trip. Starfucker/STRFKR/Pyramid/Pyramidd may be from Portland but the foursome seem to know a little something…
The 7 Deadly Queues: Restaurants Where You’ll Always Have to Wait in Line
I greeted last week’s news of a second Banana Leaf with a bittersweet kind of joy. It’s sad to lose the only good Chinese halal restaurant in Chinatown, but if the trade-off is getting another Banana Leaf location…then I guess it’s almost an even trade. Because — hopefully — this…
John Earl Compton: Mugshot Hall of Famer at Heart of Two Suspicious House Fires
Hell of a way for a retired firefighter to spend his golden years…Police in the East Texas town of Alto say that 65-year-old John Earl Compton torched two neighboring houses last month. He’s only being charged with arson in one of the cases. Alto police chief Jeremy Jackson told KTRE…
What’s Cooking This Week?
Last week, I made a garlicky, spicy Spinach Burger with Baked Sweet Potato Fries and Whole Wheat Spaghetti and Meatballs. With meals like those, it’s hard to remember you’re actually eating food that’s good for you. Onward this week with some more healthy delights. Here’s what I’m making: Greek Style…
Avenue Q from Stage Door Delights
The set-up: Sassy, sweet, naive and highly-opinionated hand puppets populate Avenue Q, and bring with them music, songs, inspirational messages and dollops of charm, making it easy to see why this unorthodox show won Tonys in 2004 for Best Musical, Best Book and Best Score. The execution: There are three…
5 Most Needless Song Updates
We got into rock journalism from being a local musician, so we understand both sides of the industry pretty well. We’ve recorded songs that later-on we wish we’d done very differently, and the temptation to go back and re-try for perfection can be very overpowering. Take it from us, though,…
Food Trend Prediction: The Giant Cupcake
A few weeks ago, Katharine Shilcutt issued predictions for 2012 Houston food trends. Commenters wrote in with their own suggestions, including one from Stacy Zane: I was just in NY and saw that Doughnut Plant. But something else I saw was Baked by Melissa – quarter-sized cupcakes! I know the…
Jesse James Alred: Raunchy Texts to Local Politico Land Former HISD Teacher in Jail; Updated with Statement from State Rep Carol Alvarado
UPDATE: TUESDAY, JANUARY 17: State Representative Carol Alvarado has released a statement on this incident, which follows this article…. A former Milby High School teacher was arrested Saturday. Police say that Jesse James Alred, 50, repeatedly sent raunchy text messages to Texas State Representative Carol Alvarado. Alred has been charged…
Questions and Comments We Have for Fellow Gym Goers
It’s January, and the gyms are full of folks making good on their resolutions to get fit, get tight and get perfect for a spouse, a bathing suit or that nude modeling gig at the community college. Good for you, you are better than a percentage of people in Houston…
The 10 Worst Movies Ronald Reagan Watched at Camp David, and the Five Hippest
During a panel discussion on C-SPAN recently, someone mentioned that the Ronald Reagan Library has a list online of every movie he and Nancy watched at Camp David or the White House. So we checked it out. They watched a lot of movies, including Reagan’s old films. There are a…
5 Things the Right Doesn’t Understand About Atlas Shrugged
Despite the fact that we lean pretty left, one of our favorite books of all time is Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged. We must’ve read it at least seven times, and we still find new and brilliant things in every single page. This tends to baffle our various right-wing and libertarian…
Where Are We Eating?
This chocolate silk pie really does have the silkiest texture we’ve encountered in a slice of diner pie. Even the finely milled crust seems to melt right into the chocolate and homemade whipped cream, leaving us wondering how this little diner even cuts the slices and plates them without the…
Ravens 20, Texans 13: Historic Season Ends from Self-Inflicted Wounds
In the big picture, the Texans were playing with house money. With little playoff experience and on a third-string rookie quarterback, this shouldn’t rank high on the list of Houston football collapses. This wasn’t the Oilers in Denver and Buffalo, circa 1992 and 1993. But make no mistake: The Texans…
Golden Bozos: Your “Official” Live Blog For The 69th Golden Globes
I know, we’re all bummed out the Texans lost. But since you’ve been drinking anyway, you might as well crack open another one and sit through the one awards show even the People’s Choice Awards can look down its nose at. I’ll be updating this entry throughout the broadcast, so…
The Dream Is Over: Texans’ Stout Defense Can’t Overcome Team’s Mistakes
Inspiring defense by the Houston Texans, which included a clutch goal-line stand, couldn’t overcome the team’s mistakes as they fell 20-13 to the Ravens Sunday. T.J. Yates threw three interceptions on passes that should never have been thrown, and Jacoby Jones disastrously muffed a punt that led to a Ravens…
This Week in Deliciousness
Welcome back to the weekly roundup here at Eating Our Words, where your Pizza Boomerangs are no match for our Nacho Javelins. The roundup was slightly less weekly last week, because – and this is true – I spent the morning in the emergency room having tests done and several…
A Drunken Wade Boggs Channels Garth Brooks (w/ VIDEO)
We interrupt your Texans-versus-Ravens coverage for some drunken quasi-karaoke video! Let’s face it, there’s only so many different angles you can take with analysis of a football game over the course of seven days. I’m a little Texan-ed out at this point, and besides, I won’t have anything more intelligent…
KAB Tha Don Knows Children’s Movies
Tonight, KAB tha Don, monsterly dignitary, will host a mixer celebrating the release of his first proper mixtape, Bully On The Beat, at SF2 North (215 W. Greens Rd). Now, KAB is nothing short of a Houston Press fan favorite. He is big and mean and, should he choose to…
How to Appear Knowledgeable at a Texans Gamewatch Sunday (From the Bad Advice Dept.)
You don’t have to be a football fan to find yourself at a Houston Texans gamewatch party Sunday when they take on Baltimore. Which can be a problem, because you’ll be surrounded by fanatics and you don’t want to look foolish. Luckily, you can look like you know what you’re…
And the Winners for Killer Elite and The Scorpion King 3 DVD/Blu-rays are…
The winners for Killer Elite are Dave H. and Chris M. The winners for The Scorpion King 3 are Betty G. and Thomas M. Congratulations to all of you! If you missed out on these giveaways, don’t worry, there are lots more coming up. We’ve got screening passes to Pina,…
Balaclavas Sets Out On The Road Again For The Decadent West Coast
There are tiny bone chips in my right elbow because of a curb in Austin, my inability to maneuver a children’s bicycle down a steep hill, and inherent humanity. Back at SXSW ’09 on the way to see Balaclavas play their showcase, I smashed my bike into a curb swerving…
Terrell Edwards, 20, Bayou Body Count No. 6
A man was shot to death after an argument with four men in a northeast-side house Thursday night, police say. Terrell Edwards, 20, was in a house in the 9300 block of Laura Koppe about 10:30 p.m. with “four unknown suspects described only as Hispanic males, 20 to 25 years…
Lord Lordy, Look Who’s Forty: The Best Albums Of 1972
Last week I told you about the best debut albums of 1992, making a lot of us feel old in the process. Hell, I was only nine when those came out and I felt feeble making the list. This week we look at the best albums of 1972, now four…
UPDATED: Paula Deen Rumored to Have Type 2 Diabetes, Endorsement Deal with Big Pharma
Update: A company spokesman with Novartis called this afternoon to address the rumors that Paula Deen has signed an endorsement deal with the pharmaceutical firm, which the company says are false. Novartis issued this statement: “The rumors that Novartis has signed a multi-million dollar spokesperson deal with Paula Deen for…
Comment of the Day: The Nicolas Cage Theory of DWI
We have some great commenters here on Hair Balls, and it’s time we paid some damn attention to them. So we’ll be highlighting a Comment of the Day each morning, from the previous day’s work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous scientific formula…
Nine Bands From the ’90s Underground That Should Consider Reuniting
Everyone was all abuzz about the reunion announcements of Refused and At the Drive-In this week. I was less abuzz. I never much cared for Refused (nor International Noise Conspiracy) and I was one of those people that liked ATDI “before” (and I certainly had no need for Mars Volta)…
Upcoming Events: Speed Bartending and Valentine-Making
Pondicheri’s second monthly charity breakfast is planned for tomorrow from 7:30 a.m. to noon. Half of the proceeds from all sales will go to benefit Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, so dig in. The following Monday, January 16, Valentines for Soldiers will take over the Saint Arnold brewery from 6 to…
Main Street Theater’s The Coast of Utopia, Part One: Voyage: A Work of Magic and Majesty
The setup: Quick as you can, go to Main Street Theater’s Web site and order tickets to Voyage. Don’t miss this extraordinary event. (While you’re at it, reserve seats for the other two plays in this trilogy by Tom Stoppard. Shipwreck begins February 10; Salvage, February 24.) You’ll soar afterward…
Karena Garcia: Facebook/YouTube Ranter Steals Shrink’s Identity to Work in Pearland Clinic (Allegedly)
CORRECTION: Better Life clinic is not affiliated with MHMRA, contrary to an earlier version of this report. If what Pearland police and the people who run Pearland’s Better Life mental health clinic are saying is true, Karena Garcia is what my dad would call “a real piece of work.” According…
Last Night: Wu-Tang Clan at House of Blues
It’s probably not bad advice to say that if you’re planning to catch a Wu-Tang show, you better be ready to lose control. Method Man, for one, hates lazybones. His twin requirements for an ideal concert: weed and energy. “The energy that you give to us, we gonna give back…
Project Runway All-Stars: Cuckoo Couture
This week on Project Runway: It’s the couture challenge! Renowned gown designers Mark Badgley and James Mischka are guest judges for this challenge, asking designers to create a one-of-a-kind gown for an evening at the opera. Host Angela Lindvall, while lovely, remains completely forgettable. This week the designers are given…
Chef Chat, Part 3: Kevin Bryant of The Capitol at St. Germain – The Tasting
Yesterday, we chatted with The Capitol at St. Germain’s Executive Chef, Kevin Bryant, about how he made his way up the ranks the “hard knocks” way by working in the high-end Tony’s kitchen, getting corporate training at the Landry’s Aquarium concept, and then working for country music singer George Strait…
Margaret Marie Gage, 82, Beaten to Death in Home Invasion, Bayou Body Count No. 5
An 82-year-old woman was beaten to death as part of a robbery in a quiet southwest-side neighborhood last night, Houston police said. Margaret Marie Gage, 82, was at home in the 5700 block of Sanford in Westbury when her husband opened the back door about 8:45 p.m. to let out…
Snoop Arrested for Pot, Sign of End Times
Mason Lankford said, “There will come a day when we forget the Rapture ever even happened,” but Rocks Off is keeping an eye out for signs of our impending Armageddon. We were wrong last time, but we’re totally right this time! Brace yourselves, but rapper Snoop Dogg smokes marijuana. Snoop…
Yorick: The Week in Photos
It’s time again to check out the Houston Press Flickr Pool and see what kinds of art shots our talented photographers have added. We love street art, unique perspectives and beautiful photos of Houston’s creative community. If you think you’ve got a good eye, drop your pictures in the pool…
The Best and Worst Foods To Hand Out During the Marathon
This Sunday thousands of runners will be pounding the streets of Houston and at some point during their x-hour runs, they might want a little snack. Officials will be handing out water and Endurance Formula Gatorade (the official energy drink of the Chevron Houston Marathon), but some extra treats ingested…
Openings & Closings: Turning Over a New Banana Leaf
As reported earlier this week, Gravitas closed swiftly and unexpectedly over the weekend. The restaurant had changed hands several times in the last year, and both parties blamed the other for Gravitas’s inability to make timely payments to the bank. All of its equipment was reclaimed by said bank, forcing…
Person of Interest: Reese Is “Super,” Thanks for Asking
After several weeks’ hiatus, I fired up the DVR last night to something of a nasty surprise: the new Rob Schneider vehicle Rob, the forward-thinking sitcom about a white man making jokes about his Mexican in-laws, is the new lead-in for PoI. CBS apparently hopes proximity will allow some of…
App of the Week: Words with Friends
App: Words With Friends Platforms: iPhone, Android, Online through Facebook Web site: WordsWithFriends.com Cost: Free ad-supported or $1.99 without ads Yesterday, I was sitting in a local government office waiting to fill out some paperwork and I was bored. Thankfully, I had my phone. Since I got an iPhone a…
Last Night: Aaron Lewis at Verizon Wireless Theater
It’s unusual for the cavernous Verizon Wireless Theater to take on the feel of an intimate venue. When Aaron Lewis took the stage Thursday night for a solo acoustic set, though, the concert hall’s confines seemed to shrink down to the size of a welcoming roadhouse rather than a repurposed…
Thank You Tebow God: Five Better Tim Tebow Remakes Than The St. Elmo’s Fire Theme
We know next to nothing about football, past 1996 when the the Oilers left, but anyone with any sort of social media account knows who Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow is. The Christian extrovert has brought prayer back to the forefront of the national conversation, and now “Tebowing” – taking…
Mike Lunceford Elected Prez of HISD School Board, Love Boat-Style
It was a veritable love fest on Thursday night as Michael Lunceford was elected the new president of the Houston ISD school board, nominated by the two trustees who had reportedly been in the running for the position themselves. Greg Meyers nominated and Anna Eastman seconded. The board normally lines…
Brew Blog: Brewdog/3 Floyds Bitch Please
In my brief tenure here on Brew Blog, I’ve had to reconsider a number of opinions. Mostly, it’s the simple nature of a shifting palate, slowly changing to accommodate a broader and deeper range of beer in its many expressive forms. Flavors I once actively disliked, I’ve grown to love…
Reviews For The Easily Distracted: Beauty And The Beast 3D
Title: Beauty and the Beast 3D Hey, This Movie’s 20 Years Old, What Gives? It’s 3D, nimrod. That’s, like…a whole new movie. Rating Using Random Objects Relevant To The Film: Four-and-a-half Gaston chins out of five. Brief Plot Synopsis: A New York cosmetologist mistakenly thought to be a science teacher…
Musicians & Their Superstitions: Houston’s Own Reveal Pre-show Rituals
It’s Friday the 13 and superstition says today is unlucky…dun dun dun! A Gallup poll conducted a few years ago found that about 25% of us are superstitious about knocking on wood, 13% about a black cat crossing our path, 12% about walking under a ladder, 11% about breaking a…
Drink Along With Art Attack As We Liveblog The Golden Globes
The awards ceremony everybody acts like they care about (but nobody really does) is back. That’s right, the Golden Globes, those annual accolades bestowed upon Hollywood’s finest by the justified and ancient Hollywood Foreign Press Association, air this Sunday at 7 p.m. on NBC. And as an added treat, Art…
Bartender Chat: Curtis Cunningham of Onion Creek
This week we went over to the Heights to visit neighborhood coffee joint, eatery and bar Onion Creek, one of our favorite spots to perch on a picnic table in the sun and enjoy a good, dark brew, whether it’s coffee or beer. Since they’re open from 7 a.m. till…
Texans-Ravens: Five Keys to Pulling Off the Upset
The lack-of-respect narrative for the T.J. Yates-era Texans may finally be changing. Of the four playoff underdogs this weekend, the Texans (+7.5) are labeled by oddsmakers as the second-most likely to pull an upset. The only team higher, San Francisco (+3.5), is playing at home. The newfound respect is partly…
Week in Photos: Gazebo
Each week, we take a dip into the Houston Press Flickr pool and see what our talented photographers have been up to. We’re looking for pictures that represent the best of Houston, from food to art to events, to secret hidden spots of beauty. Just drop them in our Flickr…
10 Seedy Little Stories: Motel Tropicana — A Series of Adult No-Tells Opens January 19
Itching for some avant-garde theater? Obsidian Art Space has you covered. For those that like their performance art a little dirty, the visual and performing arts haven will soon be premiering Motel Tropicana — A Series of Adult No-Tells. Rather than being a one-play deal, Motel Tropicana is actually made…
Forget St. Elmo’s Fire: Five Better Tim Tebow Remakes (From Slayer, Adele & Eric Clapton)
The world has been blessed not only by the presence of Tim Tebow, but by the re-emergence of John Parr, who was so inspired by the need to make a quick buck that he produced a Tebow-ized version of his hit “Man in Motion (Theme From St. Elmo’s Fire).” To…
Chris Gray Day: The Final Details, Lineup and Information
Tomorrow beginning at 10 a.m., a loud, raucous, event will take place in support of our music editor, Chris Gray, and it couldn’t be more appropriate. Chris Gray Day opens with breakfast with the Allen Oldies Band and closes just south of 2 a.m. with Horseshoe on the Continental Club…
The Rest of the Best: Houston’s Top 10 Barbecue Joints
For the next 20 weeks, we’ll be rounding up the runners-up to our 2011 Best of Houston® winners. In many categories, picking each year’s winner is no easy task. We’ll be spotlighting 20 of those categories, in which the winner had hefty competition from other Houston bars and restaurants…
100 Creatives 2012: Camella Clements
What She Does: Camella Clements is a local puppeteer with the always excellent Bobbindoctrin troupe. Her latest work was a play called No Soy Marinero, her take on Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner. The puppets in the play were made entirely from flotsam and jetsam that she’d…
Friday the 13th: 13 Ways to Say “Eff You” to The Phobia
It’s Friday the 13th. What’s good about it: There’s not another Friday the 13th movie coming out. What’s bad: Awful things may happen to you, according to tradition, lore and urban legend. If you’re scared of today (and no, we’re not going to attempt to look knowledgeable by cutting-and-pasting in…
Texans, Saints, Tebow and Eli! This Weekend’s NFL Playoff Best Bets
The scarcity of games on these NFL playoff weekends is a huge reason why wagering in the postseason can be a death trap of second-guessing for me. Fewer games on the board means there’s way more time to focus (and, frankly, OVER-focus if there is such a thing) on the…
In Which John Holland Validates O.N.E.’s The Starting Five
It’s fun to think about O.N.E.’s music because (it seems like) O.N.E. finds it fun to think about his music. How else to explain references to socioeconomic constructs, agathist paradigms, obvious sporting metaphors that subtly aren’t really sporting metaphors at all, parables and heavy satire on his new project, The…
Ty-Lör Boring, Recently Jilted Top Chef Contestant, Isn’t So Boring Naked
If you’re still smarting over the departure of goofy Ty-Lör Boring from last night’s episode of Top Chef: Texas, I’ve got good news for you. Sort of. Frankly, it depends on how big of a perv you are. One of my friends, who shall remain unnamed, emailed me this afternoon…
Aeros Searching for Clues and Consistency As Mid-Season Arrives
John RoyalMatt Hackett has been one of the team’s bright spots.For a team coached by a man nicknamed “Torch,” the Houston Aeros (20-8-2-7, 49 points) have been a pretty lifeless entity the past month. And as the team moves into the second half of the season this weekend, lifelessness appears…
Question of the Week: Is the Pizza Boomerang a Real Thing?
Caution: The video above is highly NSFW for reasons including but not limited to: a penis being cut off by a pizza boomerang in graphic detail. Watch at your own risk. Pizza Boomerang is the latest viral video making the rounds on YouTube and Twitter. (And, if your mom happens…
How To: Drink Like a Rock Star
Sure, most rock stars are probably happy with any bottle that happens to be within reach. Some rock stars, however, prefer to refine and perfect their booze intake, settling on a signature cocktail that suits their outsized personalities and consequence-free lifestyles. Rocks Off salutes these excessive musical titans with the…
Chris Gray Day: A Few Auction Item Photos
On Saturday, there will be some amazing bands at Chris Gray Day, which is completely appropriate when you consider who this is for. There is also the whole “let’s raise some money for Chris Gray” thing. Really, this should be enough for you to want to show up and spend…
Hey Big Spender: You Can Now Pay to Drive Solo in the HOV Lane
If you’ve got money to burn and are dying for yet one more way to let the world know, you have it: You can cruise at high speed past all the traffic-besieged hoi polloi solo and not risk a ticket. Metro has announced the implementation of High Occupancy Toll lanes,…
Heavy Fuel: How to Drink Like a Rock Star
If you want to be a real rock star, you can go ahead and forget about those Red Bull and vodkas you’re so fond of. Legit rockers are fueled by bigger, harder and flat-out weirder doses of alcohol than the mere mortals hitting on the bartender at your local watering…
Chef Chat, Part 2: Kevin Bryant of The Capitol at St. Germain
Today we’re chatting with Kevin Bryant, the Executive Chef at The Capitol at St. Germain, about how he got started in the industry and what it was like working as a private chef for country music singer George Strait. Today, we chat about his role as executive chef and get…
Chef Chat, Part 1: Kevin Bryant of The Capitol at St. Germain
Kevin Bryant epitomizes Southern charm. There’s just something about him that puts you at ease immediately, so for our chat, I felt like I catching up with an old friend. Maybe it’s the fact that he loves dogs. Although he has dogs of his own, for a couple of years…
Will You Be Watching the New James Franco Movie The Broken Tower?
James Franco has written, directed and starred in a new biopic, The Broken Tower, which was released on Video on Demand and digital download on Tuesday. The man behind the mustache is Hart Crane, a homosexual Jazz Age poet who committed suicide at sea after a turbulent life full of…
Coldplay Adds Second Date To Houston Stop
British pop-rockers Coldplay have added a second date to their Houston stop, now playing two consecutive nights, on June 25 and June 26, as the first date quickly sold out. The band, currently touring behind last October’s well-received Mylo Xyloto, has always been pretty popular in the Houston market it…
McMask Lets You Eat Your Mickey D’s On The DL
So the guys over at Jest made this little commercial for the Shame Mask, which lets you “Enjoy McDonald’s without your friends knowing you enjoy McDonald’s!” This product allows you to eat your greasy Big Mac in peace, away from the judging eyes of your pals who won’t eat anything…
Free for All: Art Without a Price Tag
We’ve got our weekend figured out and it’s filled with everything from Olympic runners to e-books to comics. On Friday, we’ll be at “and everything in between,” the latest exhibition of Curtis Gannon’s artwork. The show, at the Spacetaker ARC Gallery, is a collection of new works by Gannon, featuring…
Do You Know Who Killed Edlyn Villegas?
Police and Crime Stoppers are looking for the people behind the brutal murder of a 36-year-old woman whose nude and badly beaten body was found near a Pasadena bayou New Year’s Day. Edlyn Villegas had gotten into a verbal altercation at a nightclub late the night before, police say. Her…
20 Great Versions Of “Bohemian Rhapsody” That Aren’t By Queen
This week in 1976, Queen were at the top of the UK singles chart with the epic – taking that word back – operatic, glammy cut “Bohemian Rhapsody” from their November 1975 album, A Night At The Opera. The single is still one of the best-selling releases in the UK,…
Swag Bag: Pina Film Screening Passes
Win passes to a January 23 pre-release screening of Pina at Sundance Cinemas in Houston. Director Wim Wenders shot the film in 3D, which is a look at the life of legendary choreographer Pina Bausch, her innovative work and her work with the Tanztheater Wuppertal Ensemble. A couple of housekeeping…
Taste Test Marathon: The Power Bar Challenge
With the Chevron Houston Marathon looming, running and fueling and hydrating are trending topics online and off. My preferred workout fuel is actual food, although I’ve been known to supplement with a bar or a shake along the way when short on time. Generally I save energy bars for camping…
Reyna Rogers, 50, Gunned Down By Her Son, Bayou Body Count No. 4
A 26-year-old man has been arrested for killing his mother, Houston police say. Reyna Rogers, 50, was shot several times in her westside townhome in the 3000 block of Las Palmas about 9 p.m. last night, HPD says. Her son, James Allen Rogers, was arrested at the scene. Police say…
Tim Gunn Joins ABC’s Daytime Ensemble The Revolution January 16
Tim Gunn is coming to network television on January 16 with ABC’s new lifestyle/reinvention daytime talk show The Revolution. ABC describes the new show as an “uplifting, inspiring, and groundbreaking new daily show about health and lifestyle transformations co-hosted by a stellar team of experts who will help viewers with…
First Look at Nabi
What’s not to like about Nabi? I asked myself as I looked around the empty dining room on a Thursday night before the holidays. The answer is simple: There’s a lot to like about Nabi, the new restaurant that replaced sushi stalwart Tomo on the Lower Westheimer curve. But the…
Comment of the Day: A Rick Perry Supporter Baffled By Whole “Sarcasm” Concept
We have some great commenters here on Hair Balls, and it’s time we paid some damn attention to them. So we’ll be highlighting a Comment of the Day each morning, from the previous day’s work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous scientific formula…
Chris Gray Back in the Day
When Chris Gray rolled back into town after 10+ years in Austin to work at Houston Press, my colleague, frequent co-conspirator, and editor John Nova Lomax called and asked if I’d take Gray out and show him the local ropes. It was Gray’s first night in town, July 7, 2007…
Odd Pair: Eggplant alla Parmigiana and Central Coast Sauvignon Blanc
Calling the marriage of melanzane (eggplant) alla parmigiana and a Central Coast Sauvignon Blanc an “odd pair” may seem like a stretch to some. But when you consider the ingredients, flavors, and aromas in the dish, the pairing options are more challenging than is immediately apparent. Gently bitter, earthy eggplant;…
Top 7 Worst Musicians in Movies About Musicians: Don’t Quit Your Day Job (Or Do!).
Tonight, the Alamo Drafthouse in Mason Park is bringing to the screen one of the most abysmal movies of all time, Spice World. For those of you smart enough to have forgotten about this calamity of a flick, it stars ’90s one-hit wonders: the Spice Girls. For those of you…
Longtime Constable Jack Abercia Arrested by Feds
Longtime Harris County Precinct One Constable Jack Abercia and two of his employees have been arrested and charged with bribery and unlawfully using a national criminal database for personal financial gain. Abercia, 78, was arrested this morning along with Chief Lieutenant Weldon Kenneth Wiener and Office Chief Michael Butler on…
Zombies & Texans: This Week In Houston Rap Videos
Ah, rappers and music videos. Some are vehicles for self-promotion, others are tools used to promote a message, a gaggle of asses or some good ol’ wholesome debauchery. In the case of the Houston rap class, music videos are always eye opening glimpses into the future, either telling what a…
Ingredient of the Week: Korean Red Pepper Paste
What is it? A staple of Korean food, red pepper paste (or gochujang) is a condiment made from fermented soy beans, red chili pepper powder, glutinous rice, and sometimes garlic and onion. It is dark red in color and combines the flavor profiles of salty, savory, and especially spicy and…
In Fashion: Eight Must-Reads In Style
Instead of doing boring things like “putting away Christmas decorations” and “taking the dog out” we’ve been catching up on our fashion reading list. A sad, lonely stack of glossies has been sitting on the coffee table waiting for us to dig through and dog ear the best of the…
Chelsee Goins: East Texas Teen DWI Queen
FacebookChelsee Goins: Ride at your peril.Meet Chelsee Goins. As inviting as the prospect may seem to some of you horndogs out there, you probably don’t want to be jumping in the front seat of any car she’s driving. The Longview 19-year-old racked up DWIs in both June and July of…
Pop Rocks: Ain’t She a Kick in the Head? In Praise of Gina Carano
Steve Soderbergh, the director of Sex, Lies, and Videotape, Traffic, and The Limey has always had an experimental streak. This has come out particularly in recent years, with a remake of Solaris, something called The Girlfriend Experience and the (to put it mildly) lackluster disaster epic Contagion. At least I…
Pop Rocks: Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Gina Carano
Steve Soderbergh, the director of Sex, Lies, and Videotape, Traffic and The Limey, has always had an experimental streak. This has come out particularly in recent years, with a remake of Solaris, something called The Girlfriend Experience and the (to put it mildly) lackluster disaster epic Contagion. At least I…
Houston Rockets 1993 vs. Houston Rockets 2012, the Hard Truth
It’s been a tough start for the hapless Rockets. With early injury problems, a trade that didn’t happen in the lockout-shortened offseason and a new, unproven coach, it’s no wonder the first few weeks of the season have been somewhere between “OH GOD NO!” and “Just shoot me.” This, of…
Gothic Council Praises Lyrics, Bowie’s Penis
Really there are two kinds of music fans. Those who are there for the music as a whole and those who are there to hear the words. Make no mistake, we’re not saying that one side is better than the other, but we are definitely in the latter category. Being…
Cozy, Warm, Comfort Movies For Rainy And Sneezy Days Spent At Home
With the recent torrential rains, holiday hangovers, and that pesky flu/cold/death bug floating around, a lot of you have probably been spending more time on the couch or in your beds recuperating, or at least lounging. Lucky bastards. We all have our little rituals we go about when we are…
The Much-Feared Restaurant Wars Hit Top Chef: Texas
Now that Work of Art is over, I’ve had to find another reality show to haphazardly catch before tuning into Bravo on Wednesday nights. That show is Restaurant Impossible, and it’s weirdly addictive. I’ve even found myself seeking it out on purpose, which is something I never do with Food…
Our Most Disgusting Marathon Pictures, with New Additions
Last year, to celebrate (?) the Houston Marathon, we found five of the most disgusting pictures of marathoners the Web had to offer. In a continuing spirit of benevolence, we dug up some more this year. Marathoners are known to run through anything, so these pictures feature plenty of bodily…
ROCO: Peter and the Wolf at The Houston Zoo
Kids will enjoy the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra’s production of Peter and the Wolf at the Houston Zoo; not only is it an all-time children’s favorite piece of music, there’ll be real wolves just around the corner from the stage. 2 and 3:30 p.m. 6200 Hermann Park Drive. For information,…
The Addams Family: The Broadway Musical
Forget about hitting the gym in order to get in shape for a role. All actor Blake Hammond, who plays Uncle Fester in the touring company of the musical The Addams Family: The Broadway Musical, had had to do was man up for a trip to the barbershop. “Fester is…
Country Gravy & Other Obsessions
They’re back — and we’re damned glad about it. Mavis Applebee and her best bud Myrtle McGillicurdle will once again be performing their musical relationship seminar, Country Gravy & Other Obsessions. The two-person cast of this silly songfest includes Houston singers Julia Kay Laskowski and Patricia Rabaza, who also created…
Soul Food Cook-Off
Think you know soul food? Bring your tastebuds to the annual Soul Food Cook-Off and find out. Under The Volcano presents the yearly fundraiser which benefits College Park Cemetery, one of only three original African-American cemeteries remaining in the city. Rev. K.M. Williams will provide the musical entertainment and admission…
Deadly Murder
Every thriller needs an evildoer, and David Foley’s play Deadly Murder has more than one. In the first place, wealthy jewelry designer Camille Dargus has picked up Billy, a waiter, and brought him back to her apartment. Is Billy a boneheaded blackmailer or a masterminded manipulator? Whatever the case, he’s…
New York Woodwind Quintet
The Houston Friends of Chamber Music present the New York Woodwind Quintet today in a program that includes Hass’s Wind Quintet Op. 10 and Nielsen’s Wind Quintet. It’s been almost 50 years since the Quintet last performed in Houston. 8 p.m. Rice University, 6100 Main. For information, call 713-348-5400 or…
Avenue Q
Grown-ups like puppets, too! And with the multi-Tony Award-winning musical Avenue Q, adults will get to see puppets doing grown-up things in a grown-up world. These furry friends look a lot like their sweeter cousins on Sesame Street, but in Robert Lopez, Jeff Marx and Jeff Whitty’s story, the cast…
Daisy Bates: First Lady of Little Rock
As witnessed in Sharon La Cruise’s PBS documentary, Daisy Bates: First Lady of Little Rock, Bates, formerly unsung outside of Arkansas, can proudly stand beside Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King as one of the American heroes of the early Civil Rights Movement. Among the few courageous and righteously indignant…
Chinatown Walking Tour & Dim Sum Lunch
Chinese food expert, cookbook author and chef Dorothy Huang takes you on a day of exploration and experimentation during her Chinatown Walking Tour & Dim Sum Lunch. First stop is a Chinese restaurant for dim sum. Then, Huang will take guests on a tour of Chinese shops and supermarkets, where…
Carol O’Connell: The Chalk Girl
A red-haired, eight-year-old girl with an elfin smile runs up to strangers looking for a hug. Rather than embracing her, they back off. She’s dirty. There’s spots of red on her T-shirt that look like, and, of course, turn out to be, blood. Best-selling mystery author Carol O’Connell is back…
”Perspectives 177: McArthur Binion”
McArthur Binion is a mid-career artist. For some, that’s a bit late for him to have his first solo show in a museum. But Contemporary Arts Museum Houston Senior Curator Valerie Cassel Oliver thinks the timing of “Perspectives 177: McArthur Binion” is perfect. “Not every museum is looking for the…
Uncle Vanya
Drinking, misplaced passions and lots of often hilarious wailing against the gods are at the heart of Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya, one of the great Russian playwright’s most renowned plays. And the production coming from Classical Theatre promises to be thrilling. The story follows poor Vanya and his tender, though…
An Apple from Some Teachers
Houston Press Editor Margaret Downing and the Houston Press have been named the 2011-12 recipients of the Silver Apple Media Award by the Texas Classroom Teachers Association. Downing and the Press won in the print category, circulation of 50,000 or more. Nominees for the statewide award given by the Texas…
Exterminators of the Year 3000
In the world of European made, low-budget, mash-ups of Mad Max, Death Race 2000, and BMX biker documentaries, the schlocky Exterminators of the Year 3000 is probably the godfather of the genre. The 1983 Italian/Spanish production tells the story of a scrappy group of post-apocalyptic cave-dwelling survivors and their quest…
It’s a Pleasure
In 1936, Norwegian ice-skating sensation Sonja Henie, winner of three Olympic Gold Medals, became a movie star as soon as she signed the contract from crafty Darryl Zanuck, head of 20th Century Fox. He had seen her ice show in Los Angeles and rushed backstage before other Hollywood moguls could…
Taylor Stevens: The Innocent
Taylor Stevens’s new thriller The Innocent is the story of 13-year-old Hannah. For the last eight years, she’s been one of The Chosen, a religious cult that has hidden her from her family, spiriting her from one country to another. Now adult survivors who left the cult have found Hannah…
Huck Gee: The Art of Huck Gee
He’s the man artist Paul Budnitz called the “greatest toy artist on the planet”: Huck Gee, the maker of handcrafted Dunny figures. He’s also a bit of a cheater, not in an “I always win at poker” way, but in an “I said I make my art in limited runs…
The Wizard of Oz
Singing star Judy Garland made a measly $500 a week while filming MGM’s classic fantasy musical The Wizard of Oz (1939). Character actors Ray Bolger and Jack Haley raked in a then-hefty $3,000 a week. The only principal actor (and we use the term loosely here) to earn less than…
40th Anniversary Chevron Houston Marathon
You’ll get two for the price of one at the 40th Anniversary Chevron Houston Marathon. Wait, actually, you’ll get three and a half for the price of one. The Men’s and Women’s Olympic Trials Marathons take place on Saturday, while Sunday brings the Chevron Houston Marathon and the Aramco Houston…
Hej-Rup! (Heave-Ho!)
In the 1930s, Czechoslovakian films were a glorious lot — delirious, adroitly made and sumptuously filmed on location. One such dazzler is the 1934 comedy masterpiece Hej-Rup! (Heave-Ho!) from director Martin Fric (the Czechs’ grand old man of the movies, he started his career in 1919). What gives this movie…
Tiradito and Turf
Take a tour through Samba Grille’s elegant dining room and fiery kitchen. Steakhouses downtown are plentiful. Houston’s central business district is a natural host to these types of meat-heavy, suit-filled, high-testosterone establishments, perfect for entertaining clients or out-of-town guests. Come to Texas and get a steak, whether you visit a…
Wu-Tang Clan
The Wu-Tang Clan’s members — RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface, Inspectah, U-God, Masta, Ol’ Dirty Bastard and sometimes Cappadonna — are hip-hop divinity. That is not a postulation or a thesis statement. That, frogs and ma’ams, is fact. Their influence is unending. Their style is timeless. Their sound is…
A God-Fearing Boogie Man
Reverend K.M. Williams, who plays the Martin Luther King Jr. Day soul food cook-off at Under the Volcano Sunday, is an ordained minister. And a boogie man. “People have been saying the blues is the devil’s music so long, a lot of people believe it,” he explains. “That’s just something…
Ray Price
Ray Price began his musical career in 1949, years upon years before some of the titans of the mainstream country charts you hear today were even glints in their parents’ eyes. Hell, maybe even their grandparents’ eyes. At the age of 85, the man has outlasted almost everyone from his…
Reel Time
When you walk into the main room at McClain Gallery, be sure to find the little, square, red button on the wall to your right. It activates the installation. (Don’t forget this step. I spent 20 minutes looking at the stuff on the walls and ceiling and idly wondering when…
I Don’t Know How She Did It
In the first scene of The Iron Lady, which re-teams director Phyllida Lloyd with her Mamma Mia! star Meryl Streep, eightysomething Margaret Thatcher is presented as a little old lady unfit for the fast-moving world outside her hermetic London townhouse. The bulk of the movie takes place in an even…
Hear Them Roar
If any punk band from Houston was going to make it out into the big, bad world of mainstream success, it was the Latch Key Kids. Their hardcore style, pop accessibility and knack for snagging prime spots with big-name acts had them ready to launch back in the ’90s. Then…
On Her Way Out
The first ten minutes of Dee Rees’s funny, moving, nuanced and impeccably acted first feature, in which coming of age and coming out are inseparable, sharply reveal the conflicts that 17-year-old Alike (Adepero Oduye) faces. At a lesbian club — maybe for the first time — she gapes in awe…
White People Problems
Roman Polanski’s adaptation of Yasmina Reza’s hit play, Carnage, stars Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly, Christoph Waltz and Kate Winslet as two sets of Brooklyn parents whose social, economic and philosophic differences are leveled in less than 80 minutes by their common pettiness and immaturity. Posh pair Alan and Nancy…
Capsule Art Reviews: Houston Permitting Center, “New Formations: Czech Avant-Garde Art and Modern Glass from the Roy and Mary Cullen Collection,” “Reconstruction,” “Sherrie Levine: Selected Works”
Houston Permitting Center Some of the best artworks in Houston right now can’t be found at a gallery or museum, but a government building. When the city decided to turn an old rice warehouse at the end of Washington Avenue into its new Permitting Center, it also set aside money…
SOPA & GoDaddy Explained
SOCIAL DISTORTION SOPA & GoDaddy Explained For non-tech nerds By Jeff Balke When I tried to explain the debate over the Stop Online Piracy Act and the involvement of domain name registrar GoDaddy in a staff meeting, my words were met with collective blank stares, as if I were speaking…
Langhorne Slim
Having performed with the likes of Cake, the Avett Brothers, The Violent Femmes, Lucero, Drive-By Truckers and The Low Anthem, singer/songwriter Langhorne Slim kicks off 2012 with the continuation of his long touring schedule in support of 2009’s Be Set Free. Blending folk rock with alt-country, Slim’s music displays both…
Old 97’s
The Old 97’s, who’ve forged their own way in the alt-country genre, begin their ninth year as a band with a tour of the Bible Belt. Initially a bar favorite in Dallas, the group has come a long way since then, signing to New West Records and releasing an album…
Is Nothing Sacred?
A holy hot mess of the sacred and the inane, Joyful Noise, about a small-town Southern gospel choir, lifts from Usher’s “Yeah!” to give us this inspirational lyric: “Now God and I are the best of homies.” The film is Jesus for Gleeks — no surprise, since writer-director Todd Graff’s…
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
On the South African musical scene since the 1950s, today Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a worldwide traveling institution, an icon of South African culture. While some members were already performing together, officially the group was formed in 1964 by musical director Joseph Shabalala after he had a series of dreams…
Capsule Stage Reviews: Deadly Murder, Name in Lights…Diary of a “Mad Fat” Woman, Uncle Vanya
Deadly Murder This murder mystery combines suspense, humor, attempts at drawing-room comedy, bizarre twists, violence and sturdy actors in an unlikely medley offering something for everyone. The play opens as middle-aged but in-shape Camille Targus (Cheryl Tanner) emerges from the bedroom with muscular Billy (Adan Inteuz), younger than she by…
Cass McCombs
“Love thine enemy / But hate their lack of sincerity.” So begins Cass McCombs’s Humor Risk, the second album he released in 2011, following April’s Wit’s End. Risk is a woozy, crunchy, eight-cut whirlwind, with an opening cut that helped make it one of our favorite albums of last year,…
NBA Purgatory
Check out our slideshow of one of the first Rockets games following the NBA lockout, against Atlanta on New Years Eve 2011. “That’s like a 40-degree day. Ain’t nobody got nothing to say about a 40-degree day. Fifty? Bring a smile to your face. Sixty, shit, [people] is damn near…
Mexicans at the Olympics, and Self-Hate
Dear Mexican, How come Mexicans don’t perform in the Winter Olympics? What — no talent? Or are Mexicans afraid of snow? I’m thinking both. Also, Mexicans don’t do too well in the Summer Olympics, either — they even suck in soccer. There is plenty of snow in Mexico, so don’t…
