“The Memory Project”
For “The Memory Project,” Roz Jacobs painted a series of portraits of her uncle Kalman, working from a photograph of him as a small boy. Kalman had escaped from the Jewish ghetto and was living on a farm in Poland when the Nazis came for his sister and other family…
A Fertle Farewell
The three-member company of Radio Music Theatre will take a last bow this April with A Fertle Farewell. After 26 years of onstage hijinks, after off-Broadway runs, radio and television series and national recognition for their old-time, radio-show-style comedy, Rich Mills, Vicki Farrell and Steve Farrell will say goodbye. There’s…
“Dance: Loli Kantor”
Specializing in documentary and fine art photography, Loli Kantor spent four years as resident photographer for the Bruce Wood Dance Company, then based in Fort Worth. She also photographed several other Texas dance companies, such as Contemporary Dance Fort Worth, Metropolitan Classical Ballet and Texas Ballet Theatre over the years…
Dead Man Walking
Mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato first did Dead Man Walking, the operatic version of the story about Sister Prejean, who comes to know and counsel a prisoner on death row, eight years ago with the New York City Opera. “It shattered me then. It is everything that theater should be. It is…
Hunter Pence vs Astros — The Case for Both Sides
“I wasn’t able to agree with the #Astros on my contract so we will be going to arbitration. I still love y’all and can’t wait for the season!” — Hunter Pence on Twitter last night On the same day that the Astros announced they were able to get a three-year…
San Antonio Kidnapping Turns Out to Be Inception-Like Non-Event
All San Antonio was aghast this morning at what looked like a dreadful crime: 28-year-old Adam Richardson told police that three to five armed intruders had broken into his apartment overnight and dragged his dad and sister off. He told police they were being held for ransom — specifically, they…
Comment of the Day
When Joanna O’Leary wrote that she didn’t like admitting her love for Little Pappasito’s, some commenters were angry, including csoakley, who wrote, “So for all of you foodies, you can all go to hell. I’m going to Pappasito’s!!” But after some back and forth, csoakley decided to join the fun:…
Surprise… Houston Is Sending Some People To SXSW
In the past couple of weeks, Rocks Off’s already-groaning email inbox has begun sagging even further with pings from random Australian bands looking for “coverage” for their SXSW appearances – we recommend a geography lesson, mates – and the usual onslaught of press releases on behalf of artists who have…
Another Graffiti-Removal Effort About to Be Launched by City
The city of Houston will be unveiling a big new graffiti-removal program tomorrow, throwing a spotlight on five new “graffiti trucks” that will cruise the city removing instantly the scourge of street art wherever it may be. The Greater East End Management District has received a five-year $235,000 contract to…
Health Dept. Roundup
Debris, dirty utensils, broken thermometers, contaminated sinks, broken plumbing, dusty vents. Someday a real rain will come and wash all the health code violators off the streets. Until then, check out these excerpts from the city’s inspection reports. Taqueria Alma Latina on 2203 N. Shepherd didn’t fare so well in…
Jonathan Kokel: KTRK Officially Regrets Making Joke About Pizza Delivery Kid Who Died
KTRK has issued an official editor’s note about its coverage of Jonathan Kokel, the 19-year-old pizza delivery man who lost control of his car and ended up in a lake. He was rescued but died days later from complications from the near-drowning. In a story dated January 13, 2011, KTRK…
Bo 7 Mon (Beef Seven Ways) at Saigon Pagolac
When my friend Judy Le discovered that I’d never been to Saigon Pagolac (9600 Bellaire, Suite 119, 713-988-6106) for its [apparently] famous bo 7 mon — beef seven ways — she set about rectifying that immediately. We took a trip over to Chinatown last weekend and spent a leisurely few…
Solving Puzzles for Peace of Mind
Creating and experiencing art has a profound affect on your physical and mental health. There are a handful of artists who have made this fact the subject of their work without seeming self-righteous or hopelessly naive. Think of Lou Reed’s song Rock and Roll with lyrics describing a five-year-old girl…
Internet Gives Thanks For “Based God” Lil B
2010 was a big year for Berkeley, California’s Lil B, aka “The Based God.” He taught the world how to “Cook,” supplied his disciples with new gospel almost daily, and graced the cover of The Fader. Now at 21 years old and only a month into the new year, he’s…
The Lowdown on the Lovett Inn Becoming a Hostel
Earlier we wrote about rumors circulating in Montrose about the Lovett Inn, the beloved bed and breakfast, becoming a youth hostel. The people behind the project here saw the item and came by the Houston Press offices to talk about it. They’re hoping to open in May or June and…
The Lasagna at Ponte Vecchio: Enough Chances
At the end of last year, Katharine Shilcutt requested feedback from EOW readers. She wanted to know what you’d like to see more of in 2011. Two commenters, Kyle and Ash, indicated that they’d like to see more coverage on downtown eateries, with a focus on tunnel fare. As a…
Win a Pair of Artopia Tickets
As we said yesterday, tickets to Saturday’s big Artopia party are going fast. All the VIP tickets are gone, and general admission tickets are dwindling quick. But you could win a pair of general admission tickets ($80 value) just for giving the correct answer to a trivia question about one…
My Chase Bank High School Checking Account Nightmare
UPDATE: It’s one thing when banks screw me, quite another when they screw my son. I wasn’t going to let this stand, so this morning I went back to Chase, dressed head to toe in black. I took a tape recorder, and I was ready for a Chase banker to…
“New” Sweet Potato Fries at Becks Prime
I realize that Becks Prime has been serving sweet potato fries now for a good couple of months. But the marketing department is still advertising them as new, and they were certainly new to me when I tried them for the first time this past weekend…
2011 MasterMinds Announced! (Video)
And the winners are… Today we announce the winners of our third annual MasterMinds Awards, in which we recognize the achievements of three local individuals/organizations doing important work in the Houston area. At a special ceremony at this Satuday’s Artopia extravaganza at Winter Street Studios, we’ll present each of the…
Rel The Chosen Flows With Soul On Beautiful Music
If Houston’s Rel The Chosen was trying to make an impression, the single CD he handed us in a plain white cover at DJ Premier’s show a few months ago at Numbers wasn’t doing the job. The music on the CD, however, made a spectacular impression and certainly made up…
This Year’s MasterMinds Are….(With Video)
Once again the Houston Press is trying to lend a hand and give a shout to deserving nonprofit groups and creative people in town with our MasterMind awards, which not only include high honor but, perhaps even more important, a $2,000 check. Last year the winners were Opera Vista; Reginald…
Paul McCartney’s Life Seldom Less Than Fab
Fab: An Intimate Life of Paul McCartney By Howard Sounes Da Capo Press, 634 pp., $29.95. While the Beatles and Beatle-related bookshelf is groaning beyond belief, the main thing to know about Fab is this: Howard Sounes has produced the finest, most detailed, and most up-to-date doorstop tome on the…
Another Time Soda Fountain: Cheaper Than a Time Machine
Let’s face it: The main appeal of Another Time Soda Fountain — the subject of this week’s cafe review — isn’t really the food. Sure, the burgers and chili dogs are good. But people are coming here in droves for two things: the desserts and the drinks. As the name…
Gothic Beauty Pageant Contestants: Pre-Register This Weekend
Houston’s gothic social calendar revolves around the annual Gothic Beauty Pageant held at Numbers by DJ Mina’s Underworld, in which a Mr. And Miss Spooky are crowned king and queen of all the black-eyeliner, stompy-boots, and death-obsessed music for the coming year (in addition to various other prizes). This year,…
Houston’s Love Affair with Labrador Retrievers Remains, Boxers Not So Much
Houston, you can’t get enough of your Labs. Once again the goofy, lovable dogs lead the way in the American Kennel Club’s list of most popular dogs in Houston. The venerable boxer, however, is fading a bit. In third place last year, he is now in fifth. But, as Winston…
Chef Chat, Part 1: Shiva Patel of The Queen Vic Pub and Kitchen
As the maxim goes, “when one door closes, a window opens,” and for one Houstonian affected by the recent economic crash, the window became a restaurant. Chef Shiva Patel, co-owner and executive Chef of the Queen Vic Pub and Kitchen, previously worked in the financial industry. In the years leading…
Sew Crafty Is Closing Shop
The Houston landscape is about to get a little less creative. The sad news arrived yesterday in the form of an email newsletter. Sew Crafty, the 2010 Best of Houston award winner for Best Hobby Shop announced that they would be closing their doors at the end of February. The…
This Is the World’s Greatest Swindler (Walmart Div.)
This livin’-large guy to the right is The World’s Greatest Swindler, as far as guys who hustle Walmart cashiers go, if Crime Stoppers is to be believed. The dude goes around to various stores, finds a young cashier, buys a magazine with a $100 bill and then somehow bamboozles or…
Things You Should Know Before You Start A Band
A few weeks back we asked our round table what advice they would give other bands in town. Their answers ranged from solidly DIY nuggets from April Brem Patrick to smart business ethos from Andrew Karnavas. Now Rocks Off even feels like we could be in a band. Our powerviolence/noise…
Fettuccine Alfredo: Too Easy to Get Wrong
I recently wrote about the worst meal I have ever had in any restaurant, anywhere. The more I thought about it, the more incensed I became at its horrors. While ordering, we intentionally chose simple, easily executed options, in the hopes of shielding ourselves from the slip-ups expected of a…
Wait. They Still Play the Pro Bowl? (25 Things to Ponder About It)
The Lingerie Football League Pro Bowl would be a Pro Bowl actually worth watchingOne of the most useless events in sports takes place this weekend. No, I’m not talking about a World Cup soccer game. I’m talking about the Pro Bowl. And before the game comes up, there are a…
The Future Of Hollywood: Remakes, Reboots, Sequels, & Biopics
Hollywood either hates us, or they really know what dipshits like, because by looking at the schedule of films coming for the next four years, most every huge studio tent-pole project is a sequel, a reboot, or a remake altogether. On the plus side, they have plenty of cool biopics…
Lovett Inn: Sold to Become a Youth Hostel? (Update: Looks Like It)
Rumors are flying around Montrose that the Lovett Inn, the renowned bed and breakfast in the very heart of the neighborhood (and a Best of Houston winner for Best In-Town Get-Away) is being sold to a non-profit group that will turn it into, of all things, a youth hostel. We’re…
What Are Your Favorite Sneakers Ever?
Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday that isn’t a national holiday (or thereabouts), Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. This Week’s Panel: ESG, John Dew, Chuckway, Hollywood Floss, Show, Killa Kyleon, Delo, Fat Tony Not Invited: Phil Knight…
How To Host a Japanese Dinner Party at Home in 5 Easy Steps
The cold, rainy weather coupled with PHEW (post holiday empty wallet syndrome) means there has never been a better time to entertain at home. If you’re sick of cooking up chicken and salad dinners for friends and family, follow these easy steps to create a delicious Japanese-themed dinner at home…
HISD Magnet School Discussion Brings Out the Parents, the Passion
The message was clear at Lamar High School last night: remove the magnet designation from high performing schools in the district and Houston ISD will not only be destroying dreams and futures, but it will lose a lot of money as its best and brightest go elsewhere. Trustee Harvin Moore,…
Top 5: Eggs Done Right
I love eggs. Below are places to get the best egg dishes this fine city of Houston has to offer. 5. Frank’s Grill This blue-collar eatery located off Mangum, inside 290, serves up huge portions to a customer base that generally has hearty appetites. When I’m flying solo, I love…
Comment of the Day: Aggies and Their Goats
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…
Charlie Louvin, Country Music Hall Of Famer, Dies At 83
Country Music Hall of Fame member Charlie Louvin, who with his brother Ira ranked with Ralph and Carter Stanley as one of the greatest duos in bluegrass history, passed away overnight. Louvin, 83, had been receiving experimental treatment for pancreatic cancer. Nashville-based entertainment reporter Jimmy Carter said on Twitter that…
30 Seconds With Escape The Fate’s Robert Ortiz
Rocks Off sat down with Robert Ortiz of Escape the Fate, to find out what we could learn about the drummer for the ball-slappin’est hardcore band we know in 30 seconds. Rocks Off: What is the worst song in the world? Robert Ortiz: I would say any song from [the]…
Vid Pick: Camp Oscar
With the Oscar nominations announced yesterday, we got to thinking about our favorite Oscar moments. Roberto Benigni climbing over Americans. Adrien Brody smacking on Halle Berry. Yes, we loved these moments here at Art Attack, but in a post-Gervais world, these feel done. Let’s face it, traditional award shows are…
Fifteen-Year-Old Bride Detained After Fracas in Corpus Walmart
An 18-year-old man, his 15-year-old wife and a 19-year-old friend of the couple were jailed in Corpus Christi after a fight with store security at a Walmart. According to the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, a rent-a-cop confronted the trio after seeing them allegedly swipe clothing. At that point, Michael Anthony Del…
Sampler Plate: This Week in Food Blogs
Each week, we put together a sampler plate of the most interesting links from both local and national food blogs. Know a blog we should be paying particular attention to? Leave the address in the comments section below. 29-95: Former EOW blogger J.C. Reid has a nice piece on the…
App of the Week: Five Ways to Improve the Facebook App
App: Facebook Platforms: All Smart Phones Web site: Facebook.com Cost: Free Facebook has become such a part of the way most people connect online, it’s hard to imagine that the app Mark Zuckerberg and company produce could fall so flat. Many people spend hours every day looking at and…
Comments of the Day
Lauren Marmaduke reported on the blue stuff in some “blueberry” food products not being actual blueberries, and some of our commenters expressed their displeasure with the industry. Said Gaspar Ramsey: Horsehockey. Food manufacturers use fake ingredients because they are trying to scam the public. Try marketing them as “flavor bit…
Christopher Clark Pollett: Kids’ Nonprofit Worker Charged with Child Porn (Updated)
A man who works for a nonprofit organization “dedicated to after-school programs and community development” has been indicted on child pornography charges, the U.S. Attorney’s office announced today. Christopher Clark Pollett, 62, was arrested earlier this month, the office said. An investigation resulted in a search of his home last…
Little Pappasito’s: That Restaurant You Hate to Love
I think everyone has at least one restaurant they don’t always admit to enjoying. Mine is Little Pappasito’s on Richmond and Kirby. Lately, my husband has become obsessed with Little Pappasito’s, and he automatically proposes a visit whenever we’re in the mood for Tex-Mex. It disturbs me how comfortable he…
Barrie Hall Jr., Famed Trumpeter, TSU And Duke Ellington Alum, Dies At 61
Today the jazz world is mourning the loss of one of its greats…and one of Houston’s. Barrie Lee Hall Jr., whom Duke Ellington plucked out of Texas Southern University to join his orchestra and later became its leader, passed away Monday at age 61. The cause was unknown, but a…
Antonio Cromartie Freaks Out on NFL Owners and Union
“To me, you need to stop bitching about it. And if you wanna say you’re gonna get into a room and meet and greet, and say you’re gonna do what you need to do, then do it. Don’t just talk about it.” — New York Jet cornerback Antonio Cromartie To…
Oscar Picks: What Will Win / What Should Win
This year’s Oscar nominees were announced this morning, with The King’s Speech taking 12 nominations, and True Grit grabbing 10. The Social Network and Inception followed with eight noms a piece, in a year that offered up plenty of Oscar-worthy films. Inception didn’t garner any acting nods from Leonardo DiCaprio…
HPD Cop Abraham Joseph, Accused Rapist: More Details, More Allegations
Abraham Joseph, the HPD cop indicted on two counts of sexual assault, did not have a good day today. First, prosecutors at a pretrial hearing this morning told the court Joseph, 27, has been implicated in five other similar alleged incidents, the Houston Chronicle reports. And he’s now facing a…
Barrie Hall Jr., TSU And Duke Ellington Alum, Dies At 61
UPDATED at 4:49 p.m. with more information. Barrie Lee Hall Jr., whom Duke Ellington plucked out of Texas Southern University to join his orchestra and later became its leader, passed away Monday at age 61. The cause was complications from diabetes, Hall’s wife Lula told Billie Duncan of the Billie…
Super Easy and Delicious 1015 Onion Soup
Right now, we happen to be in one of those very few months in Houston when one can truly enjoy a nice bowl of hot soup. This recipe is adapted from a favorite made by my friend Cindy Smith. It is perfect for a cold, rainy day when you’re craving…
Tiger Moms: Seven Songs To Help Tame Those Cubs
Amy Chua’s controversial book/parenting guide, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, has moms everywhere wondering how to tame their young ones. But you don’t need a copy of the book to learn how to breed strong, smart, successful cubs, because Rocks Off has found the musical translations of Chua’s teachings…
HISD’s (Last?) Big Performance Bonus: $42 Million
The Houston school district will hand out more than $42 million in performance bonuses tomorrow, in what may be the last big-time gasp of the district’s ASPIRE program for a while. HISD says 1,82816,527 employees earned bonuses ranging from $100 to $15,530 as part of the $42.4 million payout awarded…
Wing It for Super Bowl
I go to Super Bowl parties every year. Not for the football, mind you. I didn’t even know who was going to be in this year’s Super Bowl until last night (my mother nearly stroked out upon realizing this about her only, sports-retarded child). I go for the food. My…
Mexican Pop Singer Fights Rape Allegations, Racism
The latest chapter in Mexican pop singer Kalimba’s life saddens us for a number of reasons, but the possibility of never hearing his music again is not one of them. If you haven’t heard, while recording his latest album in El Paso, Kalimba was held by the U.S. Border Patrol…
Houston’s Bustling Downtown Now Has Guides, Who Will Also Deal With Panhandlers & the Homeless
Downtown DistrictThe new downtown guides will also “discourage aggressive panhandling”Downtown Houston has apparently been suffering a specific problem, and it’s not that it looks like a ghost town after 5 p.m. No, apparently the downtown area is filled with confused, overwhelmed tourists who can’t figure out where they are or…
Spaghetti Western Hits the Spot
I’m not always up for the finest dining Houston has to offer, nor do I always want simply to cram my face with high-fat, high-sodium gut bombs. Most of the time, in fact, I just want a good, solid meal. Nothing fancy; just totally dependable, satisfying food in a comfortable…
Artopia Tickets Going Fast (Win a Pair)
Tickets for our annual Artopia event this Saturday night are becoming hot property. We’re officially sold out of VIP tickets, and today we only have 200 more general admission tickets available. Don’t be left standing in the cold outside Winter Street Studios this Saturday night. Go here and purchase tickets…or…
Aggie Frat Member Shot and Killed a Pet Goat, For Some Frat-Related Reason
Late last year, Texas A&M ordered a weeklong stoppage of all fraternity social activities in order to reinforce rules governing the groups. The university didn’t lay out any specifics for what sparked their action, but the Bryan-College Station Eagle filed an open records request and received e-mails and paperwork outlining…
Weekly Tip from Your Server: Put the Cell Phone Down
A cell phone-lit dinner is what you often see looking around restaurant dining rooms in the Western world these days. Sounds romantic, doesn’t it? Everywhere, there’s that blue glow highlighting the blemishes, under-eye bags, and chins of diners who send electronic messages through invisible radiowaves in the air. As a…
Sunrise With Willie Nelson, Mickey Newbury And Darrell Royal
Back when Willie Nelson had returned to Austin from Nashville and suddenly become the hillbilly crown prince of the Live Music Capital of the World – which was not yet known by that somewhat dubious nickname – one of his most visible supporters was then-University of Texas football coach Darrell…
Yumm.com is Digg for Online Recipes
Technology is increasingly infiltrating the kitchen. While we may not have robots making our meals like on The Jetsons (yet), all sorts of apps, websites and kitchen gadgets are providing new resources for expanding our cooking repertoire and making our time cooking meals more interesting. A problem that seems as…
You Can’t Stop the Tango
This past weekend, around 300 tango fanatics from around the country – coming from as far as Florida, Connecticut, and Seattle, including significant numbers from across Texas and Louisiana – converged in Houston to dance and dance and dance. They were attending the Houston Tango Marathon at the Rice University…
State of the Union Preview: Five Things You’re Guaranteed to See
President Obama addresses the Congress and the nation tonight in the annual State of the Union, which has become a rite as ossified and rigid as any. You’ve got the humble heroes sitting with the First Lady, the various standing o’s, the predictable post-speech instant analysis from both sides of…
What’s Good: Opening The Underground-Rap MP3 Mailbag
Spots in The Mailbag are hard to come by. Here are some recent arrivals that stood out. by the abstract Ricquo Jones is easily the most perfectly named song to end up in our ears this week. Listen to it. Minus the Jerry Maguire line, it’s pretty entertaining. It’s like…
Burgers and Deep-Fried Dogs at Blanco’s
My friend, music writer Mike Smith, (you may know him from the Leslie Tyler Fink brouhaha or his musings over at Rocks Off) made a pretty bold claim the other day: Blanco’s Bar & Grill (3406 West Alabama, 713-439-0072) has the best cheap burgers in town. I’d never had the…
Beaumont Chuck E. Cheese’s Brawl Adds to City’s Sterling Reputation
We noted earlier today that Beaumont is gaining an Internet rep for the quantity, if not the quality, of its catfight videos of teenaged girls duking it out. Not to be outdone, the adults are getting into the action. The latest from the Golden Triangle city is this family outing…
Upcoming: Chris Cornell, Katy Perry, Lil Wayne, Etc.
Air Waves, Football, Etc: Sun., Feb. 13. Fitzgerald’s. Avant: Sun., Feb. 13. House of Blues. Listenlisten, Bear Crossing, Binary Marketing Show: Sat., March 19. Super Happy Fun Land. Black Lips, Vivian Girls: Fri., April 29. Fitzgerald’s. Born Liars, The Energy: Wed., Feb. 9. Mango’s. By The End Of Tonight (REUNION),…
Timothy Rosales Jr.: Yet Another Escapee from a Houston Halfway House
DPSTimothy Rosales: Another escapee from a Houston halfway houseTimothy Rosales Jr. is the first rapist of 2011 to escape from the privately run Ben Reid halfway house, and the second to escape in a little over a month. The 39-year-old sex offender fled from the Beaumont Highway facility around 6:15…
New On DVD: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, Enter the Void, Nowhere Boy
(Capsule reviews by Melissa Anderson, Eric Hynes and Karina Longworth) The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest When we first see bi computer hacker Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) in The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest, the final adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s “Millennium” trilogy, she is being transported to a…
Brew Blog: Wild Blue Blueberry Lager from Blue Dawg Brewing
Since I focused on Reinheitsgebot, Germany’s beer purity law, in choosing my last two Brew Blog entries, I decided to kick it to the curb for this one. There’s something to be said for tradition, but there’s no reason to be stifled by it. With that in mind, I selected…
Adios “Age Of Aquarius”: A Zodiac Realignment Playlist
If Twitter is good for one thing, it’s the immediate and rapid dispersal of breaking news. If Twitter is good for two things, it’s that, plus the immediate and rapid dispersal of whatever trumped-up rumor, lie, or fakery that manages to draw the ire of the millions of poor saps…
On the Menu: Taco Cabana’s Burrito vs. Bowl
Recently, I received some kind words from a reader regarding my favorite fast food chicken dish, Taco Cabana’s #4 combo (stewed chicken burrito, with chips and queso). jacobG wrote: “Kevin, for the love of God, please find another subject to write about. You clearly know absolutely nothing about food. That…
Comment of the Day: Houston Drivers, You Suck
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…
Just Announced: Oscar Nominations
As usual, there were a few surprises this morning as the 2011 Academy Award nominations were announced. The Fighter was set to take four acting nominations after Amy Adams and Melissa Leo received nominations for Best Supporting Actress. As expected, Christian Bale received a nom, but Mark Wahlberg was snubbed…
Some Belated Ideas For A Real Oprah Bombshell
When Oprah Winfrey says she has a secret to divulge, one she describes as a “miracle” that “shook her to her core,” you have to pay attention. Sure, you make your guesses, but in the end you have to trust that what she’s about to divulge will be worth it…
Five Oprah Secrets That Would Have Been More Interesting
Last week we started hearing rumors of a bombshell revelation coming on Monday’s episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show, a discovery Winfrey made late last year which she described as a “miracle” that she said “shook me to my core.” Speculation ran rampant, from the predictable “lesbian relationship with Gayle…
Tubby Chubcakes’ Lyrics Will Melt Your Brain
Rocks Off was going to write a review of the new Tubby Chubcakes album, Tubby vs. The Musical Brain-Eating Disease, but honestly it’s kind of like trying to explain Scientology to a blind water snake. Remember Tubby’s video “Destroy Nickelback with Lasers!?” It’s a lot more of that. A lot…
Vanessa Gilmore: Judge Writes of Steamy Love Affair
Okay, U.S. District Judge Vanessa Gilmore hasn’t really written a book about a steamy love affair, if such affairs are two-sided. But she has written a book of funny anecdotes about her time on the Houston federal bench, and she’s included a tale of a lovesick prisoner who wanted to…
Where Are We Drinking?
A plate of fresh fish and an ice-cold Asahi: not a bad way to finish off the day. Does this sushi scene look familiar to you? Think you know where we’re drinking this week? Leave your best guess in the comments section below…
YouTubed Beaumont Catfights Freak Texas the F Out
The Southeast Texas portion of the Internet is a-crackle with a report out of Beaumont about fight videos produced by their local youth, some of them shot at area high schools with teenage bystanders egging on the participants. What seems to shock the writers of these stories the most is…
Comment of the Day
Today Joanna O’Leary discussed an issue close to her heart, the difference between a cinnamon roll and a sticky bun, which inspired commenter Ziggy Smogdust to up the bizarre factor on EOW: I can’t ever think about sticky buns without thinking of one my favorite “The Young Ones” episodes. (Motorhead…
Five Reasons The Main Street Block Party Worked
Were you there? You might want to look for yourself in this slideshow of crowd shots. Be sure to also check out the pics of the bands. Around 9 p.m. Saturday, Rocks Off was walking out of Tacos A Go-Go and ran into Main Street Block Party organizer Eric Dean…
HFD Hit Yet Again With Harassment Complaint, This Time by a Hispanic Firefighter
Just a week after the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sided with a Houston firefighter’s charges she was harassed, HFD was hit with another embarrassing allegation of firehouse misconduct. In a press conference today, a Hispanic activist group said a firefighter had found his equipment tied in a noose, a…
The OMG Cookies & Cream Cupcake at Rice Epicurean Market
Move over, Crave. I adore your cupcakes for their salty-sweet buttery icing and inventive flavors, but you have some competition in a chain grocery store. Rice Epicurean Market’s OMG (“Oh My God”) series of cupcakes ($2.99 each) are sizeable, moist, and topped with the densest, creamiest frosting I’ve tasted in…
Slideshow: Daniel Anguilu and Yamin Cespedes at Dionysis Salon
Friday night, Ghost Town Artworks hosted the opening reception for a series of works by painter Daniel Anguilu and sculptor Yamin Cespedes, which are on display at the midtown location of Dionysus Hair Salon (3201 Louisiana). Anguilu’s current painting style has evolved from the many years that he traveled the…
Houston, Greet Your Floating Condo Complex
What Houston has been missing: A floating condo city that cruises the nation’s rivers and coastal waterways. What Houston is no longer missing: That. River Cities is in Kemah, we learn from the Houston Chronicle, looking for adventurers ready to sail on board the Marquette, a fine ship and true…
MasterMinds One Year Later: Opera Vista
Joe Carl White, executive director of Opera Vista, a 2010 MasterMinds Award winner, says Houston’s arts community is a hotbed of innovation and ingenuity, making singling out just three art groups or individuals a year for special notice almost impossible. “There are a lot of great organizations in Houston right…
Scientists Create Jalapeños Specifically for Jalapeño Poppers
Sports bars, bowling alleys and the frozen food section at your local grocery store are ruling our lives more than you already know. How so? Because the increased demand for the cheddar- or cream cheese-stuffed jalapeños that these joints offer has led to scientists creating a brand new variety of…
Cinnamon Rolls Versus Sticky Buns
Once during a Sunday brunch, I confessed to my girlfriend that I was craving a big, fat cinnamon roll. “Oh, yum,” she replied, “I love sticky buns.” “No,” I countered. “Not a sticky bun. A cinnamon roll. You know, cream cheese icing. Possibly raisins.” “Well,” she shrugged. “They’re basically the…
Neil Diamond’s Top Six Pop-Culture Moments
Happy Birthday to the undisputed “Jewish Elvis,” Mr. Neil Diamond, who can make a grown man weep with a few bars of “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers,” swiveling his hips and swaying his hair while wielding a deadly acoustic guitar. Diamond turns 70 years young today, and he seems to…
Deylan Braxton, 27, Bayou Body Count No. 11
A late-night traffic accident near downtown has resulted in intoxication manslaughter charges against the driver, Houston police say. Deylan Braxton, 27, was in the backseat of a silver BMW traveling southbound on Dowling when the driver, Jason Deran McCoy, 28, ran a red light on Polk about 4:30 a.m. on…
Ally ASL Goes National Via ABC News, Yahoo!
Rocks Off is a modest sort of music blog. We generally need both of our arms for typing, so we don’t want to risk breaking one of them patting ourselves on the back. But once in a while, through hard work, dumb luck or (most often) some combination of the…
A Rare Glimpse Inside the Rienzi Kitchen
Sunday was a big day for decorative arts fans, John Staub die-hards, and nosy Nellies of all stripes. Rienzi, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston-owned house/museum in River Oaks, hosted a rare “Upside Down/Inside Out” day, in which certain furniture pieces and areas of the house that are usually off-limits…
Where’s the Blueberry? New Report Exposes the Truth
Little. Blue. Packs a powerful punch. No, we’re not talking Viagra, we’re referring to the blueberry. King on the list of “superfoods,” blueberries are chock full of cancer cell inhibitors and anti-inflammatory agents. In addition, recent research has found the tiny fruit effective in lowering brain damage from stroke, preventing…
Tyrone Williams: Immigrant-Smuggling Deaths Bring 34 Years Instead of Life Without Parole
Tyrone Williams, the driver whose cramped, overheated semi caused the deaths of 19 illegal aliens he was smuggling, has received a new sentence of almost 34 years in prison. His previous sentence of life without parole was thrown out when a federal appellate court ruled the judge and not the…
“Triple Focus” Kicks Off Dance Month at the JCC
The Jewish Community Center of Houston kicked off the first of three dance concerts for Dance Month at the Kaplan Theater last Saturday with a showcase of contemporary dance companies Hope Stone Dance Company, HIStory and NobleMotion Dance. NobleMotion Dance’s a small place, choreographed by Andy Noble, delivered both the…
Ernest Eugene Oveal Jr., 2, Bayou Body Count No. 10
A toddler has died from head injuries he received at his northeast side apartment, and police have arrested his father. Ernest Eugene Oveal, 25, was arrested and charged with injury to a child in connection with the January 20 death of his son, Ernest Eugene Oveal Jr., 2, police say…
National Pie Day and Oh My! Pocket Pies
Did you know that yesterday was National Pie Day? Apparently, a few of you did. I went out to Houston’s 2nd Annual National Pie Day Celebration, held in the historic Heights shopping district at 339 W. 19th Street. The event was co-hosted by Oh My! Pocket Pies and Gallery M…
Sundance’s Prodigal Children Return
The Sundance Film Festival, which began January 20 and ends January 30, self-identifies as a “discovery festival,” meaning that it embraces its own legend of being a place where, over the course of a single screening, an unknown can transform into an industry-redefining star–even as that fantasy seems increasingly out…
Saturday Night: One Mic Houston Anniversary At Groundhall
One Mic Houston’s Two-Year Anniversary Party Groundhall January 22, 2010 11:04 p.m.: You know what’s a good way to tell if you’re lost downtown? If, at any point while you’re driving, someone in your car says something like, “What street are we looking for? Pease? Um, I think you need…
Rick Perry’s “Emergencies”: An Agenda Set by Tea Party Talk Radio
Another day, another Rick Perry “emergency”: This time it’s forcing women seeking abortions to have sonograms. You are forgiven if you are a Texas resident — wondering how the hell the state is going to fund education, critical social services, highways and perhaps, just perhaps, do even a little something…
Caswell at the Bat: Chef Partners with the Astros and Aramark
I don’t know if Chef Bryan Caswell can produce tears on demand — in which case, he’s a damn fine actor — but the burly man standing in front of me Friday afternoon had suspicious signs of moisture in his eyes as he discussed helping the Astros revamp their food…
Saturday Night: NOFX At House Of Blues
NOFX House of Blues January 22, 2011 See lots of pics of NOFX and friends in our slideshow. NOFX has been the Fisher-Price My First Real Punk Band of the past 25 years, with Green Day sadly coming in a close second with Bad Religion and, yes, Blink-182 bringing up…
Unidentified Male, 20, Bayou Body Count No. 9
A 20-year-old man was found dead from gunshot wounds in a car at a southeast side apartment complex, Houston police say. HPD says it received a call about an unconscious man about 10:15 p.m. Saturday night and went to the complex in the 8600 block of Theta, where the victim…
Slideshow: H-Town Sneaker Summit
Sneakerheads from across Texas convened at the Toyota Center on Sunday for the H-Town Sneaker Summit. The bi-annual event has been held since December 2003. Sneaker enthusiasts buy, sell, trade, discuss and model shoes, clothing and accessories, which are traditionally dominated by one ubiquitous brand: Nike. Air Jordans definitely rule…
Wine of the Week: Kitchen Sink Red Table Wine
Bargains are never a bad thing. From the clearance rack at Dillard’s, to the random deals on Groupon, to the occasional Antiques Roadshow-like find at a neighborhood estate sale, uncovering something of great value on accident is like winning a mini-lottery. It’s these everyday victories that keep me on a…
Saturday Night: Slim Thug, Z-Ro & J-Dawg At Arena Theatre
Slim Thug, Z-Ro, J-Dawg Arena Theatre January 22, 2011 Houstonians from the Northside, Southside and everywhere in between gathered at the Arena Theatre on Saturday night to celebrate two kings. January 17 was Martin Luther King Day, and the 19th was Southwest-side rapper and “King of the Ghetto” Z-Ro’s birthday…
Top 5 Local Restaurant Logos
Good artwork can make or break a restaurant. If an owner slaps something off-putting on the marquee, it could scare away a customer forever. Here’s a list of my top five favorites, some of which truly define the place they represent, and others that are just plain weird. 5. Victory…
Why the Hell Can’t Houstonians Drive in the Rain? Five Possible Answers
Rain: Time for Houston drivers to panicWARNING WARNING WARNING: Water was falling from the skies this morning. Not a lot of it — mostly drizzle with some patches of heavier stuff — but it was enough, of course, to turn the morning commute into a long, dull slog. We say…
What a Crock: Posole
First, thanks to EOW’s Amber Ambrose for forwarding me this great crock pot recipe link. I am constantly on the prowl for new and, hopefully, good recipes. This was my first crack at posole, so I was keeping my fingers crossed. The rundown It took only one glimpse at this…
Friday Night: Jerry Lee Lewis At Nutty Jerry’s
Ed. Note: A reader wrote in Wednesday informing us that the reason Mickey Gilley required assistance moving at Friday’s show is because he fell down some stairs in a 2009 accident. After several months at TIRR, where U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is now, Gilley has resumed performing (though not playing…
Comment of the Day: Doing Our Part
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…
The Week In TV: Idol‘s Grip Slips, Regis & Keith Quit
The rains have come, the midseason’s begun, and fish meat is practically a vegetable. This was the week in TV Land: • It’s taken us 10 seasons, but maybe, just maybe, we as a society are getting ready to move on from American Idol. Wednesday’s season premiere drew 26.1 million…
Before “Free Bird,” There Was Clementi Vs. Mozart
It’s hard to argue against the guitar solos that make up the second half of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird” as being one of the most famous duels of musical virtuosity in audio history. It’s Gary Rossington vs. Allen Collins in a six-string fight to the death as notorious as The…
Aeros Hockey: Fourth Place, No First Place, No Fouth Place (Or Second Place, Maybe)
John RoyalWhat would a hockey game be without a fight, eh?For one brief shining moment this weekend, the Houston Aeros were tied for first place. They’re no longer in first place, not after another brutal travel weekend that found them playing a game in Houston, then Cleveland, then Toronto yesterday…
Cougar Basketball: Miners De-Claw the Cougars
John RoyalAdam Brown prepares to make his moveThe largest crowd of the season showed up at Hofheinz Pavilion Saturday night for Houston’s game against the UTEP Miners. And what they witnessed was perhaps the most physical game played by the Cougars in several seasons. But the largest crowd of the…
Top Five: The Lives of Others and More Great Surveillance-Themed Movies
On January 31, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston will hold a screening of The Lives of Others, a 2006 film about a member of the German secret police assigned to monitor a playwright and his actress girlfriend for reasons that come to horrify even the loyal agent. It won…
Where Are We Eating?
This bowl of bun isn’t found at your typical Vietnamese restaurant. Does the soothing scene below look familiar to you? Think you know where we’re eating this week? Leave your best guess in the comments section…
Jack LaLanne: Ten Video Tips to Change Your Life from the Late Fitness Guru
Jack LaLanne at 95 Years Old He invented the jumping jack, the scourge of fat kids everywhere; he could sell you a juicer like no one’s business; and he was the father of the modern health and fitness revolution. Legendary fitness guru Jack LaLanne died Sunday evening at the age…
Who’s Too Old To Rock & Roll?
It’s entirely possible that the Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney will each go on tour this year. With ages ranging from 63 to 69 among the four remaining core Stones, the band is obviously the oldest continuing touring rock act, capable of breaking ticket records almost 50 years into the…
Remember: No Light Rail Service This Weekend
Things are back to normal with Metro light rail service — it’s out again all weekend. Construction on a new pedestrian bridge over Fannin in the Medical Center will once again force people onto the bus from 8 p.m. tonight to midnight Sunday. (You might want to keep the 8…
This Week in Deliciousness
Welcome back to the weekly roundup here at Eating Our Words, where we’ve never yet pegged a rude waiter with a saltshaker from across the room, but we’re getting mighty close. First we got ignored by an unapologetic staff at Royal Oak, then we got served what looked like a…
Chunks of Magnet Data MIA, HISD Parents Say
According to documents passed out at today’s Parent Visionaries Group meeting, Houston ISD’s central office has increased its costs by about $9 million between the 2009-10 and the 2010-11 school years. The leader of the HISD parents group suggested that since HISD appears to be in such dire financial straits,…
Comment of the Day
Nicholas Hall had an amazing-sounding cajeta latte at Antidote recently, and that got reader TQro remembering childhood: Nicholas, you did it again! Agreed on the cortado at Catalina, perfection. I typically stay away from flavored lattes and such as they are too sweet for me, but you’ve described it as…
Jonathan Barnes & Pals: How to Spend Those Ill-Gotten Gains? Buy Frank Sinatra’s 1957 Caddy
The U.S. Attorney’s office today announced the indictment of three oil traders accused of running an $80 million scam against LyondellBasell, and the most entertaining part was what the trio spent their alleged ill-gotten gains on. Jonathan Paul Barnes, 55, of Bellaire, Texas; Clyde Meltzer, 64, of Livingston, New Jersey;…
Bartender Chat: Alexis Casanova of Andalucia
Alexis Casanova of Andalucia Restaurant and Bar definitely has the pedigree to work in a tapas bar. Not only is she half Cuban, but she also knows how to whip up an amazing cocktail. I’ve followed her from bar to bar for several years and have never been disappointed with…
A Google Image Search for “Sexy Houston”: Does Sexiness Result?
Houston is known for a lot of things to the rest of the world: Pollution being among the foremost. But are we doing enough to burnish our image? What happens if you do a Google Image search for “sexy Houston”? Does sexiness result? Let’s examine. 7. An Astro thong If…
Weekly Web Game: Warning Foregone
“Shoot ’em ups” (or “shmups” if you want to sound in the know) take a certain kind of game player, with flagella-like fingers and the kind of reflexes you only wish caffeinated sodas would bestow. Needless to say, that’s not normally us, and we were somewhat skeptical trying out Warning…
More on The Hay Merchant
Oh happy day. On Wednesday we heard the news that our favorite beer nerd, Kevin Floyd, was expecting. No, he’s not having a baby. He’s opening The Hay Merchant, a new beer bar with Anvil Bar & Refuge co-owner Bobby Heugel, and yesterday we had the opportunity to talk with…
Pointing Lasers at Planes: A Big Texas Pastime
The FAA has issued its annual report on the growing problem of airplane pilots being targeted by laser pointers as they try to land, and be proud, Texas: You had more such incidents than any state but California. It happened 239 times in Texas in 2010, FAA spokesman Lynn Lunsford…
Instant Crunk: All The Local Music News You Can Handle
It’s that time again! We’ve slogged through Twitter streams and RSS feeds just to bring everyone up to speed on Houston’s prolific music scene. So let’s get down to the business of getting down, starting with our soundtrack for the week: a 49-minute mix from DJ Sun, performing at The…
Openings & Closings
We broke the news earlier this week about the Anvil boys — Bobby Heugel and Kevin Floyd — opening a new bar, Hay Merchant (1100 Westheimer), which will focus entirely on beer. Mostly craft beer. And that super fancy stuff in casks. Look for the place to open much later…
Art, Music and Belly Dancing for Mental Health
(Ms. Sandy and Ms. YET, with additional musicians, last November at the Binarium Sound Series) What happens when Houston art, music, and (fan)zine culture combine forces to celebrate the city’s cultural life and raise awareness for affordable mental health care? You get the not to be missed Art + Music…
LaTasha Stauts: Lady Gangsta from Southwest Side Faces Three Aggravated Assault Charges
LaTasha Danyelle Stauts is back behind bars, and at least three women are breathing a sigh of relief. Stauts, 23, is accused of punching two of them in the face with a pair of brass knuckles and menacing the third with a knife. Court documents imply that Stauts is a…
Sam Cooke, Still Bringing It On Home
Tomorrow, January 22, would have been R&B singer Sam Cooke’s 80th birthday. No doubt he would be celebrating with a massive, star-drenched party with plenty of music and fanfare, and Beyonce Knowles sitting on his lap if he was lucky and Jay-Z was cool with it. Cooke died on December…
Gabrielle Giffords Lands in Houston; New Picture Released
Courtesy Gabrielle Giffords’s officeGabrielle Giffords has landed in Houston, to much media coverage. Tilman Fertitta provided the jet. Earlier today her office released a picture of Giffords and her husband Mark Kelly taken yesterday. “The two are on an outdoor deck at University Medical Center in Tucson looking north at…
Toy Fans Turn Out for New Dunny Release
Much like the weather, business was brisk last night at Domy Books. The popular toymaker Kidrobot was releasing its Dunny “Azteca II” series and anticipation was high for the new $10 vinyl toys produced primarily by Mexican artists and designers. The dozen or so fans that arrived early and purchased…
2011 May Be The Year Of Twenty Eleven
Rocks Off rarely handles the rap portion of Houston’s musical wares. There’s not a lot of eyeliner in it, and we prefer silver to gold jewelry. However, since Space City Records won Best Local Label last year, we’ve maintained a pretty steady connection with the label’s head and all-around awesome…
The Seven Seas Platter at Aladdin Mediterranean Cuisine
I don’t usually think of ordering seafood at Middle Eastern or Mediterranean restaurants. Lamb and chicken are usually the house specialties, maybe chickpeas in the form of falafel. After eating red meat seven days in a row, however, I was in the mood for something whiter, lighter, and, well, fishier…
Dynamo’s Stadium: A Date for the Groundbreaking Has Been Set
Groundbreaking this monthBarring some last-minute glitches, the Houston Dynamo plan to have a groundbreaking ceremony for their $80 million stadium January 29, the club announced today. The Houston Business Journal reports that the only formality remaining before the team can go ahead is for the Houston City Council and Harris…
Idol Beat: Big Easy Come, Easy Go
Few American cities can rival New Orleans for musical influence. The birthplace of Dixieland jazz, second line and the Meters, the Big Easy has left an indelible mark on the soul our country. Even those of us who never stray far from the relatively friendly confines of the French Quarter…
Some Can Whistle: A Playlist To Don’t Worry, Be Happy
It’s often the little things that make our favorite songs our favorites – the curious, unforeseen additions of small touches like an understated bit of whistling. For those who like to categorize their playlists into themes, we present you with the Rocks Off approved Whistle Playlist. The Scorpions, “Wind of…
Chef Chat, Part 3: Ozzie Rogers of III Forks
EOW has spent the past two days chatting with Chef Ozzie Rogers of III Forks about his customer-centered approach with an emphasis on a well-made steak. Today we sample his excellent culinary gems. On the lighter side, the meal started with an award-winning III Forks salad which was a refreshing…
Altitude Design Summit: Salt Lake City Is De-Zion for Design
ArtAttack is in Salt Lake City this week, attending the Altitude Design Summit with what seems like a preponderance of the world’s design bloggers, plus some Houston design and social-media folk including Monica Danna and Amber Roussel. Danna, Roussel and erstwhile Houstonian Laura Mayes came out earlier in the week…
DPS & Fee Amnesty: Great Deal No One Knows About
The Department of Public Safety is offering an amnesty deal for people whose licenses have been suspended for failing to pay certain fees, but most people don’t know about it. Until April, drivers who’ve lost their license for falling behind on the Driver Responsibility surcharges that come in the wake…
Texas Lousy at Reporting Food Poisoning, Study Says
You’ll never know what gets you in TexasBetween tainted peanuts and fatal spinach, we feel like there have been a lot of Texas food scares lately. But it’s the stuff we don’t hear about that gave Texas a failing grade in a new study of how states report icky food…
Remember Show’s R.N.C.?
Houston’s history is dotted with albums that, fairly or not, have been swept aside. We’ll examine them here. Have an album that you think nobody knows about but should? Email sheaserrano@gmail.com. Show R.N.C. (Self-released, 2010) There are different branches of the New Houston Collective. Show, another burgeoning Houston MC, clocks…
A Cajeta Latte at Antidote
As I’m sure is the case with most of this city’s caffeine-addled coffee addicts, I am a creature of habit. I frequent the same coffee shop, and I order the same thing. It’s not without cause, as I’ve found what I believe to be the perfect coffee creation in the…
Texas Lousy at Reporting Food Poisoning, Study Says
You’ll never know what gets you in TexasIf you live in Texas and eat food, you will probably die, or at least become violently ill. That’s what we’re taking away from a study that gives the Lone Star state an “F” in reporting outbreaks of foodborne illness. The Center for Science in…
The Mechanic: Is This the Latest Metro Crash?
SUV Meets Bus The Mechanic at MOVIECLIPS.comAds for the subtle coming-of-age film The Mechanic, starring Jason Statham, Ben Foster and plenty of guns and bombs, have been all over the air recently. Last night we actually bothered to watch one when it came on. And we could have sworn we…
Idol Beat: “Home Of Pirates, Drunks And Whores…”
If you want to go to hell, you should take a trip To the Sodom and Gomorrah on the Mississipp. — The Simpsons I kid. I mean, I haven’t always been the biggest fan of the Big Easy, but that’s mostly because I used to routinely leave a third of…
Odd Pair: Pierogies & Moscato D’Asti
When you’re asked to bring wine to a Ukrainian-themed dinner party, sometimes it takes a little research to find something appropriate. And by research, I, of course, mean drinking. I had read that the doughy little potato bites known as pierogies were thought to pair well with a sweet, bubbly…
Sister Helen Prejean and Dead Man Walking in Opera Form
Describing herself as “a pretty regular nun” before she became involved in death penalty cases, Sister Helen Prejean spoke about her “journey” to an audience of opera enthusiasts last night in the packed foyer of the Wortham Center. It was an electric evening both for the views expressed and the…
Last Night: Underoath And Thursday At Warehouse Live
Underoath, Thursday, A Skylit Drive Warehouse Live January 20, 2011 Aftermath walked into Warehouse Live a little after 7:30 p.m. Thursday, thinking we would beat the crowd and be there in time to catch all four bands on the bill; we were wrong on both counts. Warehouse was already between…
Texas Monthly Names Three Houston Restaurants as Top Picks for 2011
Texas Monthly’s food editor Patricia Sharpe recognized three Houston restaurants in the latest edition of the magazine, in which she named Haven, Branch Water Tavern and Stella Sola as restaurants to watch out for in 2011. Austin gained recognition for Uchiko and El Arbol, while Dallas, San Antonio and Fort…
Comment of the Day: Liquor Laws and Church
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…
Top Five: Inanimate Objects That Deserve a Horror Movie
If you see only one movie in 2011, see the final Harry Potter flick. However, if you see two movies, you gotta see Rubber. The film is the story of a tire with psychic, explodey-head powers that goes on a murderous rampage. Nothing in that last sentence is made up!…
January 15-21: The Week in Photos
Each week, we take a dip into the Houston Press Flickr pool and see what our talented photographers have been up to. Be sure to post your pics to our photo group. You never know which images we might choose. As always, for more information on a subject or photographer,…
Ten Movies You Won’t Get Into at Sundance
The Sundance Film Festival kicks off this week in Park City, Utah. The venerable fest enters its 33rd year with many once again questioning the organizers’ commitment to independent film. Recent incarnations have debuted underground fare from art houses like Fox Searchlight and Sony Pictures Classics, which are “independent” film…
Black Queen Speaks: The Perfect Band Web Site
Not too long ago, we did a name dissection of Black Queen Speaks. As we prepared for the article, we did something we rarely do anymore, and that’s go to the band’s actual Web site rather than just sampling them on Facebook or (ugh) MySpace. For some reason, we decided…
Going To Sundance? You Won’t Get Into These Movies.
The Sundance Film Festival kicks off this week in Park City, UT. The venerable fest enters its 33rd year with many once again questioning the organizers’ commitment to independent film. Recent incarnations have debuted underground fare from art houses like Fox Searchlight and Sony Pictures Classics, which are “Independent” film…
Owls Basketball Searching for a Reason to Believe
John RoyalRice cheerleaders need a reason to cheerThe Rice Owls were heading high come the start of conference play. They’d already won eight games, matching their total from all of last season. They’d played a difficult non-conference schedule against such college powers as Arizona, Texas and LSU. Sophomore forward Arsalan…
Upcoming Events
2011 is supposed to be the year of the pie, if you pay any mind to food trend prognosticators. And in celebration of this favorite dessert, Oh My! Pocket Pies will be hosting a National Pie Day Party this Sunday, January 23 from noon until 3 p.m. Held on Heights’…
Photobombs Through the Ages
Photobombing might have reached its peak at the Golden Globes when Michael Douglas PB’d his way into a picture with his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angelina Jolie. The phenomenon has become popular on the internet, of course, and as with everything else, the youngsters think they invented it all. But…
Comment of the Day
Today Katharine Shilcutt posted “The United States of Soda,” which got a good discussion going and led to some comments about beer and geography. Reader Megan had a few thoughts: Hell yeah! Green River! Still can only find it in Illinois and one diner in Des Moines, IA. Way too…
Gabrielle Giffords: From Hobby to TMC by Helicopter
Gabrielle Giffords will get a veterans’ motorcycle escort for the flight to HoustonNo OJ-type newschopper hovering for Gabrielle Giffords’s planned move to a Texas Medical Center facility tomorrow. Her office has just announced details of the move, and it says the congresswoman will arrive at Hobby about 1:15 p.m. and…
Brett Favre — “What Should I Do?” (Best Parody Video EVER)
“[Andy Pettitte is] opting not to play right now but that might change, it might not. I told him, ‘Don’t Brett Favre us. You got to be all in and fully dedicated to play.’ Do I need him? I need him, but I don’t want him to play if his…
Five Foods Experiencing Identity Confusion
My general food philosophy: if I want a corn muffin, I eat a corn muffin. If I want oysters, I eat oysters. But I guess I’m in the minority because judging from supermarket shelves, many people want corn muffins…that taste like oysters. There’s a glut of products trying to be…
Houston By the Book: Domy
“I grew up fascinated with underground culture – music and zines and books and comics. By the time I was about 25, I really didn’t have an outlet; I didn’t have anybody I could share it with, except maybe a couple friends,” says Domy founder Russell Etchen, as he discusses…
Terry Grier Warns HISD Trustees Not to Make Too Many Promises
Raising the tax rate? Cutting the homestead exemption? Both possibilities were discussed — and not outright dismissed — as Houston ISD trustees bleakly considered the ramifications for HISD in wake of the Houston budget filed Wednesday calling for a $10 billion cut over two years in the Foundation School Program…
Meet Doughbeezy, The Beast From The Southeast
Each Wednesday (or Thursday), Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group “Artist of the Week,” bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies. Know a band or artist that isn’t awful? Email their particulars to sheaserrano@gmail.com. It’s not complicated. If you see…
DVR Warning: Daily Show to Take On Legislature’s Right-Wing Christians Tonight
The Daily Show is getting ready to show America just how progressive, intelligent and open-minded the Texas Legislature is — check that, we are now informed they are going to show the Lege for what it is. The Austin American-Statesman’s capitol blog reports that TDS is expected to air tonight…
Grilled Mac & Cheese Sandwich at Ziggy’s
For a restaurant known for its healthy dining options, Ziggy’s Bar & Grill has an impressive edge when it comes to junk food of the highest order. To wit: The grilled mac & cheese sandwich seen above. The story of the grilled mac & cheese sandwich — a special, limited-time…
Abraham Joseph: HPD Cop Indicted on Multiple Sexual-Assault Charges
Photo via Channel 39Abraham Joseph: HPD cop accusedA Houston cop has been indicted for two alleged sexual assaults, the DA’s office has announced. DA Patricia Lykos says the two incidents occurred earlier this month, but did not offer more details. Joseph has been relieved of duty, she said. “This man…
Jose Otilio Diaz Jr.: Apartment Maintenance Man Allegedly Goes From Creepy Masturbator to Attempted Rapist
Although he had only been on the job for a few weeks, Jose Otilio Diaz Jr. had not made many friends at the Lufkin apartment complex where he served as an assistant to the chief. According to an arrest report quoted in the Lufkin Daily News, female residents at the…
MasterMinds One Year Later: Reginald Adams and MOCAH
Reginald Adams, founder of the Museum of Cultural Arts Houston (MOCAH), credits his MasterMinds Award win last year as boosting more than MOCAH’s bank account. “Every penny counts with the work we do,” he tells us, “so the money was certainly appreciated and well used. But the money itself didn’t…
Chef Chat, Part 2: Ozzie Rogers of III Forks
Yesterday, EOW sat down with Chef and Proprietor Ozzie Rogers of III Forks Houston to discuss all things beef. Today, we find out what he likes to snack on when he’s not behind the broiler. And then we talk more about beef. Eating Our Words: You haven’t been in Houston…
Thursday And Other Musical Days Of The Week
Today is Thursday, and Thursday is playing tonight at Warehouse Live. The few times Craig’s Hlist has said this to co-workers and friends in passing, at least the ones who don’t live with their heads shoved up a concert calendar’s ass, they have looked at us like we are insane…
Invasivorism Hits Texas: Eating the Snails That Eat Our Oysters
A man in Lyon, France, eats a snail raw out of its shell. Even raw, the natural presentation of the snails is beautiful. The tiny snails don’t look like much, their spiraling shells in varying shades of chocolate and taupe hiding a sluggish little creature inside. But these snails –…
E. Patrick Johnson’s Alternative Tea Party
Next Thursday, January 27, at Rice University’s Gibbs Recreation Center, E. Patrick Johnson performs “Pouring Tea: Black Gay Men of the South Tell Their Tales,” based upon his book of the same name. “Pouring Tea” is a dramatic reading of a selection from the dozens of oral histories that Johnson…
Gabrielle Giffords: The Media Mob Descends
Photo by Sulla55 The TV wagons are lining up already for the scheduled arrival of Representative Gabrielle Giffords to the Medical Center. This picture by Houston Press reader Sulla55, taken from a nearby building, gives some taste of what’s to come when Giffords arrives at The Institute for Rehabilitation and…
Charivari Is Old-School Dining – In a Good Way
Located in a strip center directly behind the Spec’s Warehouse on Smith in Midtown, Charivari serves a mix of European food that runs the gamut from Russia, to France, to every cuisine in between (including black bear), all served in a dining room fit for European royalty. With dark-red drapes…
Kimberly Lynette Booker: Two-Year-Old Skeletal Remains ID’d — Do You Know Her?
Photo courtesy HPDKimberly Lynette Booker: Lying dead in an abandoned houseIn July of 2008, police found the skeletal remains of a woman in an abandoned house on the East Freeway service road in the Fifth Ward. Investigators tried to identify her, even producing a composite sketch of what she must…
Yngwie and Ozzy: Nothing Beats Your First Concert
“How long will it be before I get my hearing back?” My girlfriend Cathy’s 12-year-old niece, Jade, asked me that question Monday night after the final strains of “Paranoid” had finished reflecting off the walls of the Toyota Center. “It will probably be a couple days,” I said. For Jade,…
The Best of David Lynch on the Web
Today is filmmaker David Lynch’s 65th birthday. Art Attack is a big fan, having seen The Elephant Man, Dune, Blue Velvet and Wild at Heart back in our teens, and we were smack in the middle of high school when Twin Peaks aired in 1990 and changed the game for…
Voter ID Is a Texas Emergency, Rick Perry Declares
Remember that vast tsunami of voter fraud that swept across Texas, coming close to throwing into chaos the very concept of democracy? Neither do we. Even Karl Rove, using every bit of the federal government he could get his hands on, couldn’t find the widespread fraud right-wingers insist takes place…
Trae And Z-Ro Leak ABN Reunion Track “R.I.P.”
Trae and Z-Ro, the strongest, most streamlined version of ABN, have reunited. This we know already. Tuesday, the first leak from their forthcoming album, “R.I.P.,” ended up in our inbox. A quick confirmation with Trae via Twitter to make sure that we weren’t about to post something that wasn’t meant…
The United States of Soft Drinks
In 1998, Nebraska set a precedent for all other U.S. states when it formally declared Kool-Aid to be the state soft drink. Sure, plenty of other states have state foods or state dishes, but a state soft drink? The popular children’s beverage was developed in Hastings, Nebraska back in 1927…
On the Menu: Three Cup Chicken at China Gourmet
The Taiwanese restaurant China Gourmet is legendary for its stinky tofu. Perhaps “legendary” is too strong a word, as many non-Chinese people have probably never heard of (let alone tasted) stinky tofu, and many Chinese people can’t stand it themselves. And being famous for stinky tofu is like being the…
The Seven Ages Of Goth
This is not meant as a complete history of goth, as that would be a huge book. Instead, we’re aiming to give a simple overview of the musicians, songs and albums that have most defined the genre. Many deserving artists have been left out, and some that we’re sure some…
Houston Traffic Sucks: Now With New, Improved Data!!
There are tons of stories throughout the year on traffic-congestion studies, but one that we like to cite is from the Texas Transportation Institute, an Aggie organization that tends to do a thorough job. They’re out with their newest annual study and are saying that breakthroughs in data collection and…
Houston Cougars Blow Away the Golden Hurricane
John RoyalKirk Van Slyke tips off against Tulsa to start the gameJames Dickey preaches the importance of defense to his players. If the Houston Cougars can’t score, the thinking goes, they can still win the game by shutting down the offense of the other team. So when the Tulsa Golden…
Chamillionaire, Universal Records Part Ways
Chamillionaire has severed ties with Universal Records, his label of the past six years. The melodically gifted Houston rapper released his major-label debut, The Sound of Revenge, in 2005 through a partnership between his Chamillitary Entertainment imprint and Universal Music Group. Revenge spawned Chamillionaire’s Grammy-winning single, “Ridin’.” His second go-round,…
Food Fight: Pork Ribs
I recently organized a rib crawl that consisted of 11 people feasting on ribs from five restaurants in one afternoon. We covered Pierson & Company Bar-B-Q, Burns BBQ, Gatlin’s BBQ, Gabby’s Barbeque, and Pizzatola’s Bar-B-Cue–in that order. Ribs were ranked on a scale of 1-5, with five being the best…
Zodiac Change Day: Do Not Despair, Aquarius — You’re Not a Capricorn, No Matter What They Say
Today is the first big change under the new astrology rules, or whatever they are that’s riling up zodiac types. January 20 is now the beginning of Capricorn, whereas it used to be the home of Aquarius. We’re sure we’re messing up the terminology, but the point is that as…
Idol Beat: Here We Go Again…
Finally, after months of anticipation (or dread, depending on your pain tolerance), the new and *cough* “improved” American Idol made its debut. At long last we can start to put an end to the speculation about the show’s 10th season: will Jennifer Lopez out-diva Ryan Seacrest? Can the show survive…
Happy Hour Scene: Canyon Creek Cafe
The Place: Canyon Creek Café 6603 Westcott 713-864-5885 The Hours: 4 to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays The Deals: $2.75 domestic drafts, $3 domestic bottles, $4 wells, plus various all-day specials The Scene: I try not to engage in crutch-texting in awkward situations. I’m a grown-up, reasonably confident, and if…
Comment of the Day: I Am (Probably Not) the NRA
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…
Jazz Greats Play Intimate Midtown Church
“It’s not a polite church festival…no one is kneeling when these guys are playing,” says Paul English, co-founder of the Trinity Jazz Festival. And while patrons of the midtown church likely will not be genuflecting before the artists, maybe they should be. Thou shalt not worship idols. But what about…
Christian Guitarist Fights Liver Disease With Faith, Metal
It amuses the assistant editor of this blog to assign the stories about Christian musicians to the former Satanist. Still even our dark, bitter heart is moved by the words of Houston’s own Billy Vaughn. Vaughn, who was recently feature in Christian metal magazine Heaven’s Metal, is the lead guitarist…
The Dark Side of Animation
So you think animation is for kids? Maybe, but we think you’d better not show your offspring the one about the Velvet Tigress, the woman who chopped up her lover and brought him home to Los Angeles inside a trunk. With this, and the 10 other animation pieces in “Dark…
App of the Week: SeamlessWeb
App: SeamlessWeb Platforms: iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, plus a mobile friendly Web site Web site: SeamlessWeb.com Cost: Free As long as there have been restaurants and lazy people, there have been food delivery services. From the milk man to the pizza delivery guy, getting food brought to you when you aren’t…
There’s an App for That: SeamlessWeb Takes Aim at Food Delivery
For those with a love of food and obsession with their smart phones, these are amazing times. There are apps that give iPhone and Android users all sorts of options when it comes to food, from finding happy hours to ranking restaurants. One thing that has been missing from the…
Chase Langston Wiatt: Facebook Chronicles a Year of Alleged Petty (And Not-So-Petty) Crime
Chase Langston Wiatt has had quite a run, but with his latest felony arrest, the 19-year-old Crosby resident’s luck might just have run out. For the second time since June of 2009, Wiatt stands accused of assaulting someone with his car, and you would think this time around, the deferred…
Tom Green
For those of us just beginning to wrestle with the privacy settings on our Facebook pages, we have an unlikely trailblazer, and it’s Tom Green. He’s old enough to remember a world where answering machines and Atari consoles were considered high technology, but young enough that these days he spends…
Triple Focus
The Jewish Community Center’s Dance Month performance series welcomes companies from around the nation and the world, but today’s Triple Focus concert gives the stage to three prominent local companies: Hope Stone Dance, NobleMotion and HIStory. Each company focuses on diversity, both in dance style and influences. Hope Stone Dance…
Waste Land
Captured in Lucy Walker’s documentary Waste Land, artist Vik Muniz is a master at taking ordinary discarded objects and turning them into gorgeous and heartbreaking works of art. The film revolves around Muniz’s work with a clan of garbage-pickers who comb a landfill in Rio de Janeiro (one of the…
Casablanca
Warner Bros. story analyst Stephen Karnot earned his pay on December 8, 1941, when he recommended the still-to-be-produced play Everybody Comes to Rick’s to producer Hal Wallis, saying it was an “excellent melodrama. Colorful, timely background, tense mood…psychological conflict, tight plotting, sophisticated hokum. A box-office natural for Bogart or Cagney.”…
Felipe Esparza: Live and Uncut
Fans of “I’m not fat, I’m fluffy” comedian Gabriel Iglesias have heard him tell stories about his escapades with his wild-man friend Felipe. Now Houston audiences can hear those tales from Felipe Esparza himself when the comic takes the stage at the Houston Improv during his Live & Uncut tour…
Loplop Presents Loplop
Loplop Presents Loplop, a new play by Peter Wittenberg Jr., is currently making its world premiere at the Obsidian Art Space. In the play, Frida, stuck caring for her schizophrenic twin brother Lyle, feels her own life is passing her by. And her charming best friend Cassie agrees — she…
Soultron
“We’re like the Voltron of live soul music, fighting for the right to groove,” says Ozeal Debastos when asked about the relationship dynamics of his namesake project. In its current five-piece configuration, “Soultron” (as we’ve chosen to dub Ozeal’s group) consists of vocalist and front man, drummer Mike Duncan, bassist…
The Wheel World
The Wheel World Online readers comment on “Don’t Kill the Messengers,” by John Nova Lomax, January 6: Nostalgic: I miss my short days of being a bike messenger. You live on your bike, and it’s you versus the world. Well, mostly you versus pedestrians and pesky taxicabs. If I could…
Safe at Home
Man, Lindsay Lohan has had a rough time. In a little more than a decade, she’s gone from being that cute little girl in The Parent Trap remake to being associated with phrases like “drunk,” “drug abuser” and “now starring in Herbie: Fully Loaded.” Which of those three is worse…
Thursday
To celebrate the tenth anniversary of their 2001 breakthrough Full Collapse, Thursday will be playing that seminal release in full on every date of this winter tour with Underoath. The early ’00s were heady times for the New Jersey group and contemporaries like Poison The Well and Snapcase, who took…
Capsule Art Reviews: “A Matter of Wit,” “Plenitude,” “Timothy Greenfield-Sanders: Injured Soldiers and Marines”
“A Matter of Wit” “A Matter of Wit” is an apt title for FotoFest’s exhibition of three photographers who cleverly capture, construct and/or stage images that use humor in ways that are subtle and sometimes even poignant. The Europeans are the standouts in this show, curated by FotoFest’s Wendy Watriss…
NOFX
NOFX has been in business going on almost 30 years now, since lead singer/bassist Mike “Fat Mike” Burkett and guitarist Eric Melvin founded the band in 1983. As much as punk has changed over the ensuing years, the band has kept their same attitude, still singing about the scatological, while…
Capsule Stage Reviews: God of Carnage, Guilty Conscience, Sonia and Suzy, West Side Story
God of Carnage By the time chic and sleek Annette announces she feels sick, after eating Veronica’s much-vaunted apple and pear clafouti, and then hurls all over Michael and Veronica’s white-on-white home including Veronica’s prized art books, the jokes have been adroitly set and the laughs occur nonstop. In Yasmina…
The Cool Kids
For a primer on the power of golden-age hip-hop, meet Chicago’s Cool Kids, exhibit A. The signifiers are everywhere you listen. There’s the Detroit Pistons’ “Bad Boys” Starter cap, lovingly described in the opening bars of “Black Mags.” There’s a song simply titled “88,” which pays similar homage to Guess…
Against Me!
“The revolution was a lie” is our current favorite of the many realizations to escape through Against Me! front man Tom Gabel’s (very) clenched teeth on the Florida band’s new album, White Crosses. And he’s pissed about it, which befits a reformed punk anarchist who has mellowed enough to embrace…
30 Seconds to Mars
Here’s a fun fact: In December, Jared Leto will turn 40. For those of us who hear his name and still think first of pretty boy Jordan Catalano, this is a bit of a mindfuck. Even more so, however, when you consider that 15 years after the cancellation of My…
The Main Event
If it’s January, it must be time for a music festival. That’s not a misprint, just a brand-new event pulled together by local promoter Eric Dean with a little help from longtime Houston DJ duo Grrrl Parts and underground rap star Fat Tony. Dean and friends have convinced just about…
Half a Century Late
In 1956, the Houston Symphony’s Board of Directors refused to hire double-bassist Benjamin Patterson because he was black. In 2010, the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston presented the first major exhibition of the work of the musician, artist, performer and poet. A founding member of Fluxus, the avant-garde artists’ collective whose…
Italian Classic
For behind the scenes photos from George’s kitchen – and to see how that wonderful rigatoni campagnolo is made – check out our slideshow. The table next to us at George’s Pastaria was occupied by a high school couple on a date, eyeing each other shyly as they ate bowls…
Life After Black Swan
Ivan Reitman, master of the high-concept, big-budget Hollywood comedy (Ghostbusters, Dave), would seem an unlikely candidate to direct No Strings Attached, an extremely low-concept, low-key romantic comedy of contemporary sexual mores centered on the dating foibles of attractive nerds. Fully devoid of the fantasy contrivance that often sets a Reitman…
Hotel California
Dissolute action-movie star Johnny Marco (Stephen Dorff), first seen doing laps in his black Ferrari, has no destination in Somewhere, Sofia Coppola’s mood ring of celebrity lassitude. Coppola’s fourth feature, winner of the Golden Lion at Venice in 2010, is at times similarly aimless and empty. But those who groan…
Mexican Girls
Dear Mexican, I’m not Mexican (or from a Spanish-speaking country for that matter), but I get mad when the gabachos in my town say that all Mexican girls do is take drugs and get pregnant, drop out of school and end up on welfare. I know a lot of Mexican…
Playing Favorites
EDUCATION Playing Favorites HISD partners with the Chronicle on magnet report By Margaret Downing At 4 p.m. January 10, the Houston ISD board met to review an independent audit of its magnet schools done by Magnet Schools of America. There was a lot to be concerned about, what with the…
Prized Possessions
We’d been approaching homeless people all afternoon, badgering them with pesky questions, and it made a refreshing change when one of them decided to come talk to us. The fiftysomething lady locked eyes with photographer Daniel Kramer and me before we even parked Kramer’s Sebring convertible, and abandoned her heavily-laden…
