Survey: Debit Card Use Exceeds Credit Cards Since Recession
The use of debit cards has markedly increased since the recession that began in 2008. Conversely, credit card use has lessened despite the fact that a healthy rebound from the recession has seen dramatic spending increases by the average consumer. This is all according to a survey of more than…
This Week’s Cafe Review: Meat and More Meat at La Casa Del Caballo
I am not what one might call a steak aficionado. I like a good, medium rare steak on occasion, but it’s not something I ever seek out. So when I ordered the Tapa de Lomo, a massive, four-pound hunk of ribeye intended to serve six, I really didn’t know what…
Some Guys Have All the Luck: How a Donut Run Netted a Local Man $1,000
Like many residents across the city Tuesday morning, Edward Gomulka wanted to get some donuts. He got them, and a whole lot more, thanks to a special promotion being put on by Dunkin’ Donuts. Not only did he walk out with breakfast, he walked out with $1,000, a Keurig® K-Cup®…
Trying to Explain to the 14-Year-Old Abortion Protester Why Commenters Online Called Her a Whore
Tuesday Cain, a 14-year-old Austinite, her father and a friend, also 14, attended the protest rallies in Austin during the contentious debate over a now-signed-into-law house bill banning abortion after 20 weeks. Cain and her friend took turns holding a sign that read, “JESUS ISN’T A DICK SO KEEP HIM…
New Chocolate Peanut Butter Pop-Tarts
Varieties of Pop-Tarts, like varieties of Oreos, proliferate so rapidly I can’t keep up. Well, honestly, I don’t really want to because I’ve always been more of a fan of Toaster Strudel, whose buttery, flaky exterior makes Pop-Tarts taste like stale matzoh in comparison. Once in a while, a decent…
The Wild Party: Depravity, Decadence and Exciting, Vibrant Theater
The set-up: The Wild Party was a 1928 book-length poem by Joseph Moncure March, widely banned for its decadent content, which led to its becoming a cult classic. By coincidence, two musicals based on it were produced in Manhattan in the 1999-2000 season, one on Broadway and one off-Broadway. Andrew…
Don’t Call Living Colour a “Cult” Band, Please
Living Colour vocalist Corey Glover knows it. He knows that, despite putting out five studio albums of criminally underrated rock, mention their name and the first (and maybe only) thing that comes to mind for many is, “Oh, that’s the band that does ‘Cult of Personality.” And even on their…
Cover Story: Getting Stuck
As Igancio Alaniz lay beneath his ancient white Buick, trying to get his car restarted one evening in January 2012, he heard a click as his car popped into gear. A split-second before more than 3,000 pounds of metal smashed over his chest, Alaniz realized he was about to be…
“Fotofest Discoveries” Uncovers a Moody Human Experience
For 11 weeks, photographs will grace a space usually reserved for suits. “Fotofest Discoveries” sprinkles 15 photographers throughout One Allen Center, Two Allen Center, Three Allen Center and 1600 Smith, four downtown office buildings. The artists are: Miguel Aragón, Nils Olav Bøe, Fernando Di Sisto, Kim Tae Dong, FLORA, Patrick…
Mole and Kimchi and Beer, Oh My! Scenes from a Long Point Road Culinary Tour
Long Point Road stretches east to west just north of I-10 between the 610 Loop and the Sam Houston Tollway. It’s dotted with used-car lots, fast-food joints and small, rundown apartment complexes. From the driver’s seat, the strip centers with signs in Spanish, Korean, Chinese and even Polish don’t look…
HPMA Showcase Spotlight: Born Again Virgins, “Rock-and-mo-ther-fu-cking-roll”
In the weeks leading up to the Houston Press Music Awards showcase on Sunday, August 4, Rocks Off will be profiling a handful of performers each day, mostly in their own words – part of the best top-to-bottum lineup the showcase has ever had, in our humble opinion. See the…
Some Texas Advice for the Royal Baby
There has been a frenzy of coverage of the royal baby. In America, we find it difficult to fully understand all the hubbub — apparently, many feel the same in Britain as well. But since the little tyke has emerged from the royal womb, I figured it was as good…
Get Up, Stand Up: Six Protest Songs That Haven’t Lost Their Teeth
America was founded on the protest, and we’ve been fighting like hell ever since. From civil rights, voting rights and equal rights, America knows a thing or two about protesting. And lately, with unrest in Egypt, the protests in Austin over Texas’ new abortion regulation, and people on both sides…
5 Weird Things You Didn’t Know About Video Game Voice Acting
Nothing shows off the modern cinematic qualities of video games like the advances in voice acting. We’ve gone from simple text speech and the occasional “Wise fwom you gwave” to performances that can rival a Pixar flick. Did anyone else start crying when Balthier was cavalierly fixing the Bahamut while…
In Honor of National Tequila Day, Here Are 5 of Houston’s Best Tequila Cocktails (Plus Where to Get Drink Specials)
It’s National Tequila Day! In honor of what is likely the greatest national food holiday to ever exist, we’ve rounded up five of the most amazing tequila concoctions around. From a drink garnished with a chicken wing to a “cocktail” that’s meant to be savored, check out our list of…
HPMA Showcase Spotlight: Fat Tony, “Regular Customer at Whataburger In Her Jacuzzi”
In the weeks leading up to the Houston Press Music Awards showcase on Sunday, August 4, Rocks Off will be profiling a handful of performers each day, mostly in their own words – part of the best top-to-bottum lineup the showcase has ever had, in our humble opinion. See the…
Chemical Safety Board May Tell OSHA, Obama Administration, Off, Officially
We’ve all seen the video. We couldn’t help watching it, how the flames were licking the sides of the building, the smoke was coming out in plumes. We watched it, knowing what was about to happen, but it still came as a surprise when the fireball erupted and the fertilizer…
#Royalbaby: Best Royal Baby Tweets
I guess people really care about this whole royal baby being born. The media can’t get enough of it, social media is bonkers, even my own husband whose motto in life is wishing that everyone will “go die in a fire,” said, “Well it’s exciting because of the lineage.” Nobody…
5 Steps to Constructing the Perfect Hot Fudge Sundae
A few months ago, I whined about the absence of an old-school ice cream parlor that sold ginormous sundaes. The felines at Fat Cat Creamery quickly fired back to tell me they planned to open their own shop this summer, and I can barely contain my excitement. However, it doesn’t…
Andrew WK’s Top Five Partying Lessons: “Positive and Ridiculous Times You!”
Andrew WK is so many things: musician, motivational speaker, spokesman, and entertainer, but more than anything, the guy is a walking encyclopedia on the power of positive partying. As multitalented as he is, what he’s really good at is looking at a situation and finding the party at the end…
HPMA Showcase Spotlight: La Sien, “Passionate Powerful Spanish Pop-Rock”
In the weeks leading up to the Houston Press Music Awards showcase on Sunday, August 4, Rocks Off will be profiling a handful of performers each day, mostly in their own words – part of the best top-to-bottum lineup the showcase has ever had, in our humble opinion. See the…
A Look Back at the Statistical Steroid Freak Show That Was MLB 2001
When it comes to baseball’s latest steroid fiasco, the Biogenesis scandal, we know of a few familiar names, the most prominent being Yankees third basemen Alex Rodriguez, who hasn’t played a meaningful inning of baseball in about a year, and Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun, who just got pinched two days…
Taco Bell Gets Rid of Kids Meals — Here’s Our Top 10 Kids Meals to Get Elsewhere
Apparently children are not fans of Taco Bell’s kids menu items, because the fast-food chain announced it will be saying sayonara to its smaller portions of cheese and chicken quesadillas and bean burritos come January 2014. Taco Bell is the first major fast food chain to remove kids meal options…
What Would Two Star Symphony Fiddle as Houston Burned?
In mid-July, 64 C.E. a fire started in Rome that became known as the Great Fire of Rome, and when the Romans call something “great,” they’re usually not messing around. The blaze rampaged for six days, entirely destroying three whole districts and damaging another seven. Granted, big fires were common…
SDCC 2013: Cosplay Ain’t Easy; See What Happens When You Leave Your Special Effects Contacts in Too Long
Serious cosplayers at comic conventions look like they’re having a terrific time and for that matter, good cosplayers makes it look easy. The truth is that there’s a great deal of hard work and expense involved, even for costumes that aren’t terribly elaborate. Consider this Tweet that model and avid…
This Is Not How You Do Twitter: A Refresher on Twitiquette for Business
I read this tweet recently and I couldn’t decide if it was genius or the most idiotic thing I’d ever seen. Do the #Rockets make the playoffs? RT for Yes FAV for No— NBA Follow Train (@Nbafollowtrain) July 23, 2013 See what they did there? They force you to either…
This Week in Food Blogs: Summer Means Okra, Grilling and a Toast to the Royal Baby
Gastronaut: It’s all about the big O at Pondicheri this time of year…Okra, that is. Chef and owner Anita Jaisinghani has created a “Summer Okra Menu” that is available Sunday through Wednesday as long as the okra lasts. The okra specials are written on a blackboard so they can be…
100 Creatives 2013: Lindsay Halpin, Punk Rock Mad Hatter
What She Does: There is simply no point in trying to look cool without an improbable hat on, and I’ll fight any man to the death who disagrees. For the ladies out there, look no further than Lindsay Halpin of Violet Peacock. She’s got stylish and avant garde chapeaus a-go-go,…
Summer Break: The Best Houston Rap Videos of 2013 So Far
All summer I’ve had to deal with tons of pressed CDs and questions of “Have you heard this tape, that tape?” I totally get it. This stretch of the year, maybe more than any other in recent memory, has been the hottest for Houston’s underground rap class. To note, it’s…
The Case for Making Main Street for Pedestrians Only
Local blogger Kyle Nielsen put together an essay for the folks at Houston Tomorrow, partly to discuss the tragic death of a young cyclist, who was run over by a Metro train this week, but also to cover the issues with general mobility of vehicles and pedestrians in downtown. I…
Breaking Down Limp Bizkit’s Awesomely Bad New Video
Okay, okay, I know what you’re thinking. A new Limp Bizkit video? Is this 1999? No, my friends, this is 2013: the year of the nostalgia act. As irrelevant as Limp Bizkit may seem to those of us who grew up when they were a thing, there’s a whole generation…
Condom Flavors Ranked (Because We Want You to Be Safe and Satisfied) (sNSFW)
There are wine tastings and beer tastings and liquor tastings, of course. There are cheese tastings and barbecue tastings and even heirloom apple tastings. Chocolate tastings, kolache tastings, salsa tastings and weird new energy drink tastings. But this is the first time we’ve ever heard of a condom tasting. Yes,…
5 Most Overrated Composers of All Time
Check out Art Attack’s other pieces from the overrated series. 5 Most Overrated Paintings of All Time 5 Most Overrated Photos of All Time 5 Most Overrated Art Movements of All Time 5 Most Overrated Statues of All Time 5. John Williams (1932 – ) After the American wrote the…
Biogenesis Scandal: Aaron Rodgers Vouches for the Wrong Guy…Ryan Braun
“Who’s more foolish, the fool or the fool who follows him?” — Obi-Wan Kenobi, a long time ago (in a galaxy far, far away) I’m not sure there are any fresh angles left with respect to steroids and Major League Baseball, and in particular Ryan Braun. Braun cheated, cheated profusely,…
Get the VIP Treatment at Our HPMA Showcase
Rocks Off would like all of you to join us for our 25th-anniversary showcase on Sunday, August 4 — it feels like we may have mentioned that recently — so we’re sweetening the deal even further. Our HPMA VIP presale is ready to go right here at this link. Use…
UPDATED: Super-Vague Lawsuit Accuses Radio Host Outlaw Dave of Breach of Contract
Lawsuit accuses Outlaw Dave of being an, uh, outlaw.Popular Houston radio personality and bar owner “Outlaw” Dave Andrews has been sued by an investor in Andrews’s Outlaw Dave’s Worldwide Headquarters for allegedly using a $360,000 loan to “promote his personal broadcasting career” instead of paying bills and other operating costs…
Today’s DVDs & Blu-rays: Babette’s Feast and the Top 5 Food Movies
Criterion Collection, seemingly one of the last bastion of good tastes on the DVD/Blu-ray front, is releasing Babette’s Feast . The 1987 Danish drama, directed by Gabriel Axel, follows the story of a mysterious housekeeper who changes the lives of the people in a small village with one sumptuous meal…
Iowa Senator Fuddy-Duddy Questions NASA Employees Who Dressed Up as Vikings for Photoshoot
“Why so serious?” The Joker There is a reason younger generations have a difficult time relating to older people. Youth tends to act with emotion and do things just because. As people get older, their actions become generally more measured and they are more about routine than spontaneity. It’s why…
How To: Crepes — Step by Step Sweet & Savory with a Vine
The first time I was introduced to crepes was at IHOP. Sure, I was eight years old and I thought they were the best thing I had ever eaten, but my entire perspective on them changed when I ate these delicate, ultra-thin pancakes in Paris. Let me tell you, IHOP…
10 “Classic” Albums We Happen to Hate
Through a variety of methods and processes, certain albums throughout the course of pop and rock history have come to be regarded as “classics,” critically untouchable works that not only enriched the coffers of their creators but overall made the world a nicer, more beautiful place to be. Of course…
“Graphic Design-Now in Production” is a Collection of Nearly Every Piece of Graphic Art Imaginable
The American Institute of Graphic Arts, a 23,000-member organization of graphic designers, defines graphic design as “a creative process that combines art and technology to communicate ideas.” They break down this process into four categories: image-based design; type-based design; image and type, best known as typography; and symbols, logos and…
HPMA Showcase Spotlight: QandA, “Roots-Based American Rock”
In the weeks leading up to the Houston Press Music Awards showcase on Sunday, August 4, Rocks Off will be profiling a handful of performers each day, mostly in their own words – part of the best top-to-bottum lineup the showcase has ever had, in our humble opinion. See the…
Weather Week: Hot and Muggy with a Chance of a Cape Verde Storm on the Horizon
Muggy is a word that often describes Houston and not just in the summer. But when it does happen to be in the summer, it’s damn unpleasant. As we enter the final two weeks of July (can you believe it?), we should expect typical Houston summer weather, meaning it will…
The Cosby Show’s Five Greatest Musical Guests
I’m not sure if you’re aware, especially if you’re younger and only know him from Family Guy jokes, but Bill Cosby is one of the funniest comedians ever to tell a joke. His 1983 special Bill Cosby: Himself is one of the all-time great and influential stand-up comedy films, and…
Looking For Love? The Bachelor Wants You
Have you been looking for love in all the wrong places? Does the idea of going on national television to find the guy or girl of your dreams sound like your bag of fun? Do you liken yourself to a Ryan or Trista Sutter? Do you even know who those…
Smooth vs. Chunky: Not Peanut Butter, GUACAMOLE
I realized the other day the real reason why I don’t purchase packaged guacamole, ever. I virtually always just buy ripe avocados, tomatoes, limes and maybe some onions and mash them all together in my favorite red mixing bowl with a small chip from the time I accidentally dropped it…
HPMA Showcase Spotlight: Justin van Sant, “Country Music That Rocks Faces Off”
In the weeks leading up to the Houston Press Music Awards showcase on Sunday, August 4, Rocks Off will be profiling a handful of performers each day, mostly in their own words – part of the best top-to-bottum lineup the showcase has ever had, in our humble opinion. See the…
Chase May Get Nailed with $500 Million Settlement for Dodgy Energy Trading
Some records were made to be broken. Whether it’s the most home runs in a season, building the world’s tallest skyscraper or serving the world’s best cup of coffee — these are all records people are aiming to bust right through. However, it’s unlikely the Houston energy traders working for…
Upcoming: CocoRosie, Los Lonely Boys, Miranda Lambert, Dierks Bentley, etc.
Annual Watermelon Dance & Summer Social: With Flounders Without Eyes, Heart Byrne, Room For Three, Mark Burmea, Jimmy Lee Deen Band, Premium Blend, Charity Ann, Atomic Nightengales, Q And A, Hightailers, Potroast, Tribal Lillies Belly Dancers., Sat., July 27, 3 p.m., $20 to $30. Last Concert Cafe, 1403 Nance, Houston,…
Cake Decorating 101: Decorating with Stencils
If you are not the most artistic person, free-handing designs or words with a piping bag is probably not your cup of tea. I can definitely attest to my amateur skills at writing or drawing with a piping bag. Somehow, someway, without fail, I will mess up a letter or…
Faith Prince’s Total Faith: Live from the Royal Room at The Colony is Colorful and Sprightly
With Tony Award Winner Faith Prince stepping into the role of Miss Hannigan in Broadway’s latest revival of Annie, I couldn’t help but dig out her most recent album Total Faith: Live from the Royal Room at The Colony, her first solo album in 13 years. The cabaret performance that…
HPMA Showcase Spotlight: Electric Attitude, “Funky Dance-Rock With Crispy Horns”
In the weeks leading up to the Houston Press Music Awards showcase on Sunday, August 4, Rocks Off will be profiling a handful of performers each day, mostly in their own words – part of the best top-to-bottum lineup the showcase has ever had, in our humble opinion. See the…
Houston Bucket List – 100 Things to Do in Houston Before You Die: The Short Porch
The Houston Press is presenting a series of posts leading up to a feature story in the print edition of the 100 Things to Do in Houston Before You Die. Each blog post contains one of our top 10 bucket list items along with nine others in the top 100…
Kill Your Productivity: Five Awesome Videos From Comic-Con Worth Watching On The Clock
Here’s the thing about San Diego Comic-Con: if you don’t make it in to the presentations, it’s going to be a long time before you get to see the cool stuff that gets shown. Sure, some things make it out of Hall H and in to the real world -…
The Rocks Off 100: Richard Griesser, Vintage Camera Hound With Enviable Archive
Welcome to the Rocks Off 100, our portrait gallery of the most compelling profiles and personalities in the far-flung Houston music community — a lot more than just musicians, but of course they’re in there too. See the entire Rocks Off 100 at this link. Rocks Off “met” Richard Griesser…
Handicapping Houston Restaurant Weeks 2013: Your Guide to the Best Meals and Deals
It’s that time of year again, so loosen those belts and start practicing your overeating skills…Houston Restaurant Weeks is back! We’ve already counted more than 150 participating restaurants, and more are being added up until July 31. With so many places to choose from and so little time (OK, it’s…
Polk County Judge Allegedly Texted Advice to Prosecutor During Trial
We’ve heard of spectators and reporters being admonished for fiddling on their cell phones during court proceedings, but never a judge. But State Rep. Harold Dutton (D-Houston) wants everyone to know that a Polk County judge wasn’t using sound judgment (HEY-OH!) when she allegedly texted advice to prosecutors during a…
Investigating Food in Film: “The Crab Thing” in The Hours
It’s little surprise many famous movie scenes involve food; there’s a certain pleasure in watching characters eat the foods we enjoy in real life or grapple with familiar challenges of cooking, say, lobsters. But have you ever been watching a film and someone mentions a food you’ve never hear of?…
Happy Birthday Raymond Chandler: Five Songs For the Master of Mystery
Raymond Chandler was responsible for some of the greatest detective stories ever penned by an American writer. That image you have of a hard-boiled, hard-drinking gum shoe in a fedora surrounded my crime, mystery, beautiful women, and danger? That is all Chandler and his most famous creation Philip Marlowe. Chandler…
Stars Wars Improved by Shakespeare
There were many who thought Star Wars couldn’t be improved, except – of course – by deleting the infamous and irritating Jar Jar Binks, as one fan, Mike J. Nichols did in The Phantom Edit. Joe Morgenstern of The Wall Street Journal in 1999 described Jar Jar as a “Rastafarian…
College Football Is About to Get Wussified (w/ Clowney Helmet Hit VIDEO)
It would take some major changes to the rules, even more major than some of the changes we’ve already seen, for me to stop loving football, and if television ratings, revenue, jersey sales and social media are any indication, America feels the same way. That said, while most advancements within…
10 Things I Plan to Tell My Daughter About Sex That Aren’t That Purity Movement Crap
Against my better judgment I’ve been doing a lot of reading on the purity movement. If you’ve never been exposed to it, then I’ll explain. The idea is basically that you, as a father, are supposed to serve as the sole male influence in your daughter’s life until she gets…
Dust Off Your Coconut Bra, Houston Is Getting a Tiki Bar!
Craft breweries, upscale cocktail lounges and dive bars abound in Houston, but there’s one thing you might not have even realized we’re missing: A tiki bar. Husband-and-wife team Russell and Elizabeth Thoede are attempting to right this wrong with Lei Low, a tiki bar slated to open on North Main…
Six Artists Practically Unrecognizable On Their First Records
The things you did when you were young are often extremely embarrassing as you get older. The old joke used to be about people’s high school yearbook photos, and a cursory search on the Internet will show you the embarrassing evidence of these when it comes to famous celebrities. Nowadays,…
(UPDATED) Escaped Prisoner; City & County Law Enforcement Cordons Off Buffalo Bayou Now
Update: The 29-year-old escapee was captured about two hours after his escape from Harris County Sheriff’s deputies during the booking procedure. Johnathon Richmond was “caught hiding in underbrush on the south bank of Buffalo Bayou at Austin and Commerce Streets about 50 yards from the jail’s inmate processing center. After…
69 Badass Cosplay Characters from San Diego Comic-Con 2013
San Diego Comic-Con is a lot of things to a lot of people. You can bemoan the commercialization and curse the movie studios, but while you’re doing that, be sure to appreciate the magic of thousands upon thousands of super-fans dressing up as their favorite characters for no other reason…
Rodrigo y Gabriela at House of Blues, 7/21/2013
Rodrigo y Gabriela House of Blues July 21, 2013 I’ve never been huge on the metal genre, always appreciative of what those musicians do, but never adapting my ears to the music’s volume and intensity. Strap two acoustic guitars on some serious metal players, though, and the story changes. Rodrigo…
Texans Sign First Round Pick As Rookies Report to Camp: Five Players/Positions to Watch
The Texans got busy getting prepped for camp by signing first-round draft pick DeAndre Hopkins to a four-year deal (three years guaranteed) worth $7.62 million including a $3.92 million signing bonus Monday morning. Hopkins is expected to be the second wide receiver and the heir apparent to Andre Johnson. The…
VILD’s Submerged Lacking Science
Albert Einstein once wrote: “The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science.” The unknown, the mysterious, this is where art and science meet. To the art lover, science may be the mystery. It’s heavy and analytical and…
Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme Cereal
Although I am still mourning the demise of Oreo-O’s in the United States (one more reason to visit South Korea), I was somewhat cheered by the appearance of new Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme cereal in my local Randalls. It’s been years since I ate a Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme candy…
Please Welcome Girl In a Coma to Our HPMA Showcase
Rocks Off is proud to announce that we have signed on Girl In a Coma as our special guest for the Houston Press Music Awards showcase, which is now less than two weeks away. The San Antonio trio is no stranger to these parts, mostly because it seems like they’re…
Cowboys Sign Trick Shot Artist to Play Quarterback (w/ Trick Shot VIDEO)
There are literally thousands of parents of aspiring young quarterbacks who drop hundreds of thousands of dollars every year on training, private coaches and private school tuition just to try and keep their kid even with the pack in pursuit of a college scholarship and, hopefully, someday a shot at…
Festival of Originals: Not a Bad Way to Spend Two Hours of Your Life
The set-up: Theater mavens love Festival of Originals, Theatre Southwest’s three-weekend program of new, short plays. The works are fresh, as in recently written, and each usually runs under 20 minutes. The length can be a god-send, because if you can’t stand the one you’re watching, your irritation or boredom…
30footFALL at Fitzgerald’s, 7/20/2013
30footFALL, Bickley, the Smiffs, Skeleton Dick Fitzgerald’s July 19, 2013 What exactly does it take to keep a punk rock band in Houston, Texas, together for 20 years? Well, delivering the goods onstage year in and year out is certainly one crucial ingredient. That’s what has kept 30footFALL fans coming…
What to Do with GREEN Maraschino Cherries?
Short, lazy answer: Stick them in your cupboard and wait for St. Patrick’s Day. Not good enough, and besides, I’m too impatient. I know there’s a better way to use the 50-cent jar of green maraschino cherries I recently picked up at H-E-B, which like Randalls offers a hefty display…
HPMA Showcase Spotlight: Kristine Mills, “Blonde Bombshell Outta the Old School”
In the weeks leading up to the Houston Press Music Awards showcase on Sunday, August 4, Rocks Off will be profiling a handful of performers each day, mostly in their own words – part of the best top-to-bottum lineup the showcase has ever had, in our humble opinion. See the…
No One Rioted or Looted at the Houston Trayvon Martin Protest; Does That Surprise You?
On Sunday, a group organized by Houston activist Quanell X marched down West Gray and through River Oaks to protest the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the death of Trayvon Martin. Though the verdict happened in Florida, protests were organized across the country. At the corner of West Gray and…
One Direction at Toyota Center, 7/21/13
One Direction, 5 Seconds of Summer Toyota Center July 21, 2K13 One of the great and terrible truths of pop music is that every trend comes back again. Knowing that, the current interest in boy bands past and present should come as no surprise. If you can get four or…
Wedding Talk: What Houston Foods Would You Want at Your Dream Cocktail Hour?
I’ve been engaged for quite some time now…and I haven’t planned a damn thing for the wedding. No date. No venue. No flowers. No dress. I’m a bad bride, I know. It just doesn’t excite me all that much. Well, except for the food (err, and the man, that too);…
Newsflash: Apparently People Think the Perry Voodoo Dolls Are Really Magic
So last week I ran an article on Michelle Sinched and her project of selling voodoo dolls of Governor Rick Perry and donating proceeds to Planned Parenthood in protest of his new abortion initiatives. It was a quick bit of journalism that was more of a celebration of the quirkiness…
HPMA Showcase Spotlight: Featherface, “Buncha Guy Friends Forever Playing Together”
In the weeks leading up to the Houston Press Music Awards showcase on Sunday, August 4, Rocks Off will be profiling a handful of performers each day, mostly in their own words – part of the best top-to-bottum lineup the showcase has ever had, in our humble opinion. See the…
UPDATED: Cyclist Killed When Struck by Metro Train Monday Morning
Update: According to Chron.com, eyewitnesses say the woman who was killed by the Metro train was riding down the tracks. One witness reportedly yelled at her to get off the tracks before she was struck by the train. Original Post: Details are still just trickling out, but according to multiple…
Emily the Strange: From Quirky T-Shirt Character to Pop Culture Icon
Twenty years ago, Emily the Strange first appeared on t-shirts and other odds and ends. Now, the 13-year-old girl with the long black hair, black dress and penchant for cats is the star of novels, comic books, iPhone apps and so much more. Most recently, she’s been fronting a band,…
Pudgy Pork Dumplings and Crisp Soft-Shell Crab at Cafe Chino
Because of Cafe Chino, I’m going to have to stop saying that it’s hard to find good Chinese food inside the Loop. I probably passed this restaurant at least a hundred times en route to visiting its strip-mall neighbors, Party City and Rustika Cafe, and ignored it. With its pale…
Kid Rock at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, 7/19/2013
Kid Rock, Jamey Johnson Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion July 19, 2013 I really never did think that I’d ever find myself at a Kid Rock show. I still am not sure what I got myself into Friday night — aurally, visually or emotionally. What I do know is that somewhere…
HPMA Showcase Spotlight: Free Radicals, “Soundtrack For the Revolution”
In the weeks leading up to the Houston Press Music Awards showcase on Sunday, August 4, Rocks Off will be profiling a handful of performers each day, mostly in their own words – part of the best top-to-bottum lineup the showcase has ever had, in our humble opinion. See the…
Don’t Expect This CSN Houston Matter to Be Settled Anytime Soon
Could Astros fans in New Mexico prevent people in Houston from watching the Rockets this season? Could Houstonians have been viewing this whole CSN Houston carriage problem from the wrong angle? Is it really only a matter of money? Could the difference in NBA and MLB regional TV maps be…
Top 5 Most Bizarre Cruises This Year
So, I’ve heard tell of these things called vacations where you, like, don’t work. It’s just a rumor I’m trying to track down before the editor comes in for my afternoon tazing, but it sounds really cool. The one that really intrigues me the most are cruises. That sounds awesome,…
True Blood: Music For Sookie’s Stupid Fairy Vagina
Alan Ball was known for his masterful use of music inSix Feet Under. He’s lost none of his touch when it comes to his current HBO series, True Blood — which happens to be set in the Louisiana swamps, not terribly far from Houston. Much thanks to True-Blood.net, who has…
Top 5 Frozen TV Dinners to Try
Frozen TV dinners, along with miniature cereal boxes, fell into the category of Very Special Treats when I was a small child. Because even at seven years old I was obsessed with organization and compartmentalization, I was fascinated by the segregated portions proffered by the TV dinner. Clearly, I was…
Sheriff’s Kick-Ass K-9s Nominated for National Awards
Boomer, with the help of handler Deputy David Thomas, is kicking ass and taking names.A couple of extremely hairy, four-legged employees of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office have been nominated for a prestigious national award: Canine crimefighters Boomer and Tommy are up for the American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards…
What’s Cooking This Week? Honey BBQ Chicken & More
I love cooking for my fiancé and me, but most of the time, cooking for two proves to be difficult. If I don’t make a plan, I end up running around in circles at the grocery store and wasting half the ingredient’s I’ve bought (and I hate wasting food). Enter…
The Royal Baby: Parenting Advice From 10 Top UK Musicians
As it stands today, the world waits with bated breath for the birth of the royal baby, the offspring of Prince William and Kate Middleton. To be honest with you, I don’t know much about the royal family. They exist completely in the periphery for me. However, I do know…
Tamarie Cooper’s Old As Hell Lights Up the Stage
The set-up: It wouldn’t be summer without a Tamarie Cooper musical – original, fresh and very definitely homegrown. Tamarie has a following, probably a large slice of Houston, and her multitudinous fans eagerly await her annual hot-weatherl offering. The execution: Some past shows have relied heavily on elaborate, colorful costumes,…
British Open (Or Open Championship, Whatever): 4 Winners, 4 Losers
I can’t remember the last time I wrote about golf in this space. Honestly, if it didn’t involve Tiger Woods, a Perkins waitress, and a nine iron through the driver’s side window of an SUV, there’s a decent chance I’ve never written about golf here. It’s not that I don’t…
Why Regular Show Is So Huge at Comic-Con This Year
photo by Liz OhanesianJ.G. Quintel, creator of Regular Show, left, meets Muscle Man come to life. J.G. Quintel has been going to San Diego Comic-Con for a decade now. He started out his journey here as a fan, a CalArts student who caught wind of the event from his brother…
GO TEXAN Restaurant Round-Up 2013: Eat Locally to Support Your Local Food Bank
In just a couple of weeks, Houston Restaurant Weeks will begin, but to get your stomachs prepared for the exceptional grub you will feast on for the entire month of August, you can celebrate the great Lone Star State during GO TEXAN Restaurant Round-Up July 22-28. GO TEXAN Restaurant Round-Up…
The Best Concerts In Houston This Week: Travi$ Scott, Davey Suicide, Black Sabbath, etc.
Casey Veggies, Travi$ Scott Warehouse Live, July 22 Casey Veggies has traded the life of one baller for that of another. A high-school star on the hardwood, the Inglewood, Calif., native decided rhyming was more to his liking and began making a name for himself on the L.A. mixtape circuit…
Thrilling Adventure Hour Heads to Comic-Con With Kickstarter-Funded Comic Book
Courtesy of Archaia Ben Blacker had just arrived at San Diego Comic-Con when we met. The writer was preparing for a whirlwind of events surrounding Thrilling Adventure Hour, the live show he created with Ben Acker eight years ago. There’s a signing, an official Comic-Con panel and four sold-out evening…
Top Five Things to Do in Houston This Weekend: “Graphic Design, A Chorus Line, The Wild Party and More
It’s a challenge for curatorial associate Nancy O’Connor to identify a favorite must-see inclusion in the “Graphic Design: Now in Production” exhibit opening at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston on Friday. The major international exhibition exploring some of the “most vibrant graphic design work produced since 2000” is categorized into…
Weekend Weather: Break Out the Sunscreen
That nice bit of rain we had earlier this week is gone and we are back to typical, muggy Houston summer weather. Expect plenty of that this weekend with highs in the mid-90s and only a small chance of rain, the best chance coming on Sunday. Even then, don’t hold…
Uber Car Service Comes to Houston, Delivering Ice Cream, But Can It Stay?
I knew something cool was going on when bubbles started floating past my office window. Then Abe at the front desk gave me a call. “Is there a limo selling ice cream out front?” he asked. “I don’t see one…should there be?” Indeed, there should be, and indeed there was…
Summer TV Club: The Dick Van Dyke Show, “That’s My Boy?”
Luckily I have returned from my much-needed vacation because last week’s discussion of Red Dwarf was way too balanced and cerebral. I thank John Gray for filling in; perhaps he’ll watch some TV again with us this summer. This week, Pete has chosen nothing other than a television classic comedy,…
A Chorus Line at Miller Outdoor Theatre is Free and Great
The set-up: A Chorus Line has a unique development history, as it stemmed from Broadway “gypsies” (dancers) recording their life stories, and these then being shaped into a musical, with Joseph Papp’s Public Theatre in lower Manhattan providing, for 15 months, rehearsal space, and costumes, and special reduced-rate Equity (union)…
This Steve Spurrier Picture Says, “Have a Great Weekend!”
Much like a quarterback going back and looking at game film, I like to end the week by going back and reading what I wrote, seeing what I did wrong and where I might be able to improve. It’s the blogger’s version of Gary Kubiak’s “I gotta go back and…
The Five Worst Trends In Pop Music Right Now
If you listen to popular music with even a halfway critical ear, which the men and women of Rocks Off at least try to do (though yes, we know some readers may disagree), this is a very tough time. Both the old-fashioned radio airwaves and newfangled streaming gadgetry are awash…
Ozzy Speaks: Reunion Proves Once Again That Black Sabbath Is Unkillable
It’s pretty much a given at this point that Ozzy Osbourne is going to die onstage. Nothing short of the Grim Reaper himself can keep the man away from that spotlight. Through 45 years of professional triumphs, personal trauma and drug-induced mania, the original heavy metal wailer has effortlessly cultivated…
10 Dogs From the Reliant Park World Series of Dog Shows Who Need Their Own Memes
Let’s be honest: if you’re on the Internet there’s a good chance you like photos of dogs doing silly things. There’s nothing in the world, aside from maybe penguins, that makes for better meme fodder than dogs. We love seeing man’s best friend be man’s best fool. The Reliant Park…
Chef Chat, Part 3: Jean-Philippe Gaston of Cove Takes Us on a Trip Around the World
This week, we’ve been talking to Jean-Philippe Gaston of Cove, one of those under-the-radar chefs who like to let their work speak for itself. Before we start our tasting, I notice his shelf full of cookbooks. Gaston pulls one down from the pile, the gold macramé-patterned binding slightly ripped. He…
Are Rice Fans Too Smart for Their Own Good?
A strange thing happened during the late innings of the C-USA baseball championship game. The Rice fans cheered. Not the polite hand clap saved for a departing pitcher. Not applause for scoring a run. The fans cheered, and they cheered loudly. But not for the reasons you think. Goaded by…
Beer Flights & Small Bites from Saint Arnold & The Grove at Sundown at The Grove
Texas-brewed beers paired with delectable bites from chefs at The Grove is a wonderful way to spend a Wednesday evening after work. Every Wednesday night until September 17 from 5:30 to 8 p.m., you can enjoy a flight of four 6-ounce pours of beers from the featured Texas brewery of…
Developers Buy 600 Acres for Grand Texas Theme Park
For those of you still mourning the loss of AstroWorld and the dearth of theme parks in the area, there may be a light at the end of the tunnel: Developers say they’ve closed on a 600-acre plot of New Caney real estate that will blossom into the $118 million…
Do’s and Don’ts For Rock Baby Rock It’s Lucky No. 13
It’s time again to shine up the saddle shoes and hose down the hot rods for Rock Baby Rock It’s lucky No. 13, brought to you by Houston’s own hound dog Edgar “Big E” Salazar. Party like it’s 1955 where The Continental Club will boast enough pomade to grease down…
Hardly Beyond the Pale: Top 5 Healthful White Foods
Pigmentally-challenged foods get a bad rap. While it’s generally true that a plate filled with fresh produce, meats and grains of vibrant hues is likely to be more healthful, that doesn’t mean naturally plain white fare is always already bad for you. Here are five white foods that are just…
Reviews For The Easily Distracted: The Conjuring
Title: The Conjuring Do You Believe In UFOs, Astral Projection, Mental Telepathy, ESP, Clairvoyance, Spirit Photography, Telekinetic Movement, Full Trance Mediums, The Loch Ness Monster And The Theory Of Atlantis? Uh, if there’s a steady paycheck in it, I’ll believe anything you say. Rating Using Random Objects Relevant To The…
SEC Media Days: Why Has Les Miles Not Booted Jeremy Hill (w/ Fight Cheap Shot VIDEO)?
While Wednesday at SEC Media Days meant the conference’s and college football’s biggest star, Johnny Manziel, meeting with and getting grilled by (what up, Joe Tessitore?), it was yesterday’s session that contained top to bottom the most star-studded agenda of the week. Alabama, LSU, Georgia and Vanderbilt. Not a weak…
Pea Soup and Miracle Tonic: Crazy Tales From The Slow Poisoner
Rock operas are badass. They’re tragic yet hilarious, dramatic to the point of hysterics, and they’re full of some sweet ass props. What more could you ask for? And when it comes to all things rock opera, The Slow Poisoner — or Andrew Garfield, as his parents know him –…
Upcoming Events: Wine Class, Chef Showcases and a Tailgate Throwdown
Texas makes some mean wine, but Napa Valley is the big cheese when it comes to American wine. On Wednesday. July 24, learn all about the wines of Napa Valley at the Texas Wine School’s tasting class in partnership with the Napa Valley Vintners Association. The class, which will be…
Another Day, Another List Says We’re Awesome: MSN Names Houston Best City for College Grads
Houston is receiving so many accolades these days, every time I walk out my front door, I trip over another publication that says we are badass. In this case it’s the Internet, so I can’t really trip over it unless I left a laptop or an iPad outside, but why…
The 5 Best Things to Eat or Drink this Weekend: Beer and More Beer, Sushi Class and a Celebration of Ernest Hemingway Through Drink
Lone Pint Dinner @ Gratifi Kitchen + Bar Friday, 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. until close 302 Fairview Lone Pint Brewery from Magnolia, Texas has had control of Gratifi’s taps all week this week. On Friday evening, Chef Russel Kirkham will be serving a four-course dinner with Lone Pint pairings. The…
Lewis Black and NY Can Kiss Texas’s Ass: From the Mouth of a New Yorker
So, yeah, apparently comedian Lewis Black is now speaking for the entire state of New York and has declared Texas stateona non grata. Earlier this week, Black, who is a semi-regular ranter for The Daily Show created a video entitled “New York, Better Than Texas,” and the video has its…
FLCON FCKER: Because Obscenity Should Be Symmetrical
It’s a well-known fact that most band names are essentially gobbledygook, but here at Rocks Off we’re trying hard to find meaning in the oddest monikers. You know what I love the best about Houston lately? We have all these really excellent electronica bands that are just byte-fucking our heads…
Isn’t It Time for Google to Declare Google+ a Bust and Move On?
How often do you visit Google+? I’ll give you a second to think about it. So, if you are anything like me or essentially the rest of society, the answer is: not often. That’s because, despite Google’s determination to get you to use Plus, it’s just not that good and,…
100 Creatives 2013: Drake Simpson, Actor and Dad
The first time you meet Drake Simpson, he may be hanging out with his daughter Billie somewhere out in Houston, and while he looks slightly familiar, you are positive that you have never seen him act before. You are dead wrong. You have actually seen Simpson act numerous times; you’ve…
Onaga Opens Quietly — Let’s Hope It Stays That Way
I’ll admit it I bought into what you could call the “club sushi” environment of Zake Sushi Lounge. A few birthdays, one going away party and many a nights out started there — the food was pretty good in the beginning, although it was never really about that, it was…
Top 10 Bars, Clubs & Ice Houses On the West Side
As our sister blog Eating… Our Words does, from time to time Rocks Off will be giving your our picks for the top taverns in various Houston-area neighborhoods. Of course, the lines can be porous, but here anything with a TABC license that cannot reasonably be considered either a restaurant,…
More Keystone Pipeline Shenanigans: This Time with Canadians and Failed Disclosure
The Keystone XL Pipeline has a lot of proponents, and it shouldn’t come as a shock — though it somehow still seems surprising, because, you know, it’s Canada — that one of those proponents is the Canadian government. Yup, that place to the north where people say “Eh” a lot…
Comic-Con 2013: Strutting In Nerd Style
San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC for short) is a veritable pop culture fashion show and we’re not just talking about the cosplayers who work for weeks or months on their elaborate costumes. Most of us don’t have that kind of time to spend on a couture-based homage to their favorite TV…
Openings & Closings: Houston Gets First Fresh Market; Food Network Star Coming Soon
Exciting news all around this week! In my hunt for opening and closing news, I only found one place closing its doors, but several new joints have opened in its wake. Hey, the more food, the merrier. Champions Forest-area Ba Mien Bistro, which had been closed for two weeks to…
The Best Concerts In Houston This Weekend: Psychedelic Furs, 30FootFALL, Gritsy, etc.
Psychedelic Furs House of Blues, July 19 Thanks to albums like sensual eponymous 1980 debut and 1981’s poppier Talk Talk Talk, Psychedelic Furs helped define alternative rock in MTV’s early days even before John Hughes named his 1986 film Pretty In Pink for one of their best-known songs. Front man…
Uber Attempting to Bring On-Demand Car Service (and Ice Cream) to Houston
When trying to find rates on car services to go to and from a hotel for a wedding recently, I learned something: Having a car service is not dramatically more expensive than a taxi. The problem is that getting a service is not nearly as easy as hailing a cab…
App of the Week: Feel the Need for Speed with Speedtest
App: Speedtest Platforms: iPhone, Android, Windows Mobile Web site: www.speedtest.net/mobile Cost: Free Doors can be a problem. Some nights, when I’m sitting on my front porch but I want to quickly check my e-mail, my Wi-Fi just spins. It’s the door. It’s getting in between my router and my phone…
Chicken Salad Tacos and Other Summer Specials at Los Tios
Chicken salad tacos. Perhaps you’re confused. I was, at first. Chicken taco salad? Chicken salad and tacos? Chicken tacos with salad? Nope, chicken salad (ya know, with chunks of chicken, mayo, seasoning, etc.) as filling for a taco. Sounds weird, but tastes great, I quickly found out, during my most…
Linus Pauling Quartet Releases a Most Mysterious EP
Find What You Love and Let it Kill You it the 17th release by the psychedelic whatchamacallit that is the Linus Pauling Quarter, and it’s a 3-song quick and wonderful ride that is surrounded in a mystery that singer Ramon Medina would not divulge. “Honestly, I’m not too concerned if…
I Don’t Get the Controversy Over Marc Anthony’s “God Bless America”
I have to admit that when I saw the words “Marc Anthony,” “God Bless America” and “controversy” in the same sentence, I wondered for a moment if Pit Bull showed up with J Lo and it threw Anthony into a tizzy. Anthony sang the song before the MLB All-Star game…
CSS at Fitzgerald’s, 7/17/2013
CSS Fitzgerald’s July 17, 2013 Wednesday night in Houston used to be one of the best nights to mingle in the social Houston scene, especially during the now-famed Whiskey Wednesday sets from Robert Ellis and the Boys back in the day. Well, it’s been some time since Ellis was cutting…
Laura Osnes’ If I Tell You (Songs of Maury Yeston) is Elegant and Alluring
Laura Osnes is currently playing Cinderella on Broadway, where she is earning rave reviews from critics and abundant love from audiences. She first caught the eye of the public when she appeared on NBC’s Grease: You’re the One That I Want!, a reality competition show designed to cast the leading…
They Made Me Drink Merlot Again (and I Liked It)
It was about this time last year that one of Houston’s most beloved (and now sorely missed) wine professionals, Marcy Jimenez, made me drink Merlot. When I shop at the Houston WIne Merchant, I generally buy a mixed case and I always ask my sales person to include a bottle…
Five Reasons Why Your Internet Passwords Should Not Be “Password1”
With so many social networking sites, online banks and a myriad number of other Web sites that require login authentication, creating secure but usable passwords is a near impossibility. Sure, there are services like for storing your passwords, but some worry those could be compromised. There are also tech firms…
Chef Chat, Part 2: Jean-Philippe Gaston of Cove, on Working with Robert Gadsby and the Idea Behind Cove
This is the second part of a three-part Chef Chat series. You can read Part 1 here and part 3 Friday. Yesterday, we chatted with Jean-Philippe Gaston of Cove Cold Bar about his earlier days at home with his family, his travels, and how he had to start from the…
Happy Birthday Christian Science! 5 Musicians of the Faith
On this day in 1821 was born the founder of the Christian Science movement, Mary Baker Eddy. She was a girl in poor health who began to see faults in the religious teachings of predestination and original sin. This led her to a worship more centered on God’s love, which…
Santa Fe Art Has Nothing On Houston
I just got back from a ten-day road trip that took my husband and me through Marfa all the way up to Denver and back. It was an enlightening experience and I encourage anyone to do it if you have the time. One of the places I was most looking…
Sugar Daddy Web Site Finds Houstonians 10th Most Trusting People in America
Whenever someone publishes a “study” about anything, I’m immediately suspicious, particularly when that “study” is actually a survey of members of a Web site. But when that “study” is about couples spying on one another AND it was put together by a Web site built to hook women up with…
How To: All-In-One-Pot Pasta
I’m always looking for a way to make cooking easier. There’s no need to make things complicated for yourself; cooking is supposed to be enjoyable. I recently came across a recipe from Martha Stewart that makes the pasta, sauce and whatever ingredients you want to add all in one pot…
Fact: David Dove and Jawwaad Taylor Play a CD-Release Show; Happenstance: It’s DJ Screw’s Birth Anniversary
A jazz and improvised musician by training, David Dove says that he hadn’t planned on incorporating electronics into his trombone playing. “I was never interested in using guitar pedals or effects on my horn,” Dove tells Art Attack by phone. The late DJ Screw steered him toward his electronic experimentation…
I Want to Spank My Boyfriend’s Kid. Help!
Welcome to Ask Willie D, Rocks Off’s advice column where the Geto Boys MC answers reader questions about matters, in his own words, “funny, serious or unpredictable.” Something on your mind? Ask Willie D! ASHAMED OF DAD’S TEETH Dear Willie D: I do quite a bit of entertaining at my…
Houston Bucket List – 100 Things to Do in Houston Before You Die: The Death Train
The Houston Press is presenting a series of posts leading up to a feature story in the print edition of the 100 Things to Do in Houston Before You Die. Each blog post contains one of our top 10 bucket list items along with nine others in the top 100…
Party Tonight with Sharknado-Themed Food
Thursday night’s forecast is cloudy with a chance of a tornado that is likely to lift sharks up out of the Pacific Ocean and deposit them in your living room. Which is to say, SyFy’s much-maligned (and instant cult classic) Sharknado will be shown on TV for the second time…
The British (Royal Baby) is Coming! 10-Plus Babies That Made Headlines
If the anticipation of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s baby were likened to an earthquake, it would have already taken down the entire state of California in some horror/sci-fi movie starring Will Smith. This baby is the biggest news to hit England since America successfully seceded. In this country we’ve…
Pop Rocks: Honey Boo Boo Watch ‘N Sniff Smells Like the Death of Humanity
I will fully admit to falling for a marketing ploy and a really juvenile and idiotic marketing ploy at that. For weeks now I have seen commercials for the season premiere of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo and its coy invitation to not just watch the revulsion that is the…
The Rocks Off 100: Downfall 2012, Sci-Fi Metal Storytellers
Who? Downfall 2012 is not your typical metal band. Not only do all three members — Danny Gil, Boo Rogers, Casey Bowen — sing lead, the band turns the tables on traditional metal performances, infusing props, actors and storylines into their performances. “We really try to expand,” says Gil. “We…
Facebook ‘Terrorist’ Released After Anonymous Donor Posts $500,000 Bail
Photo from the Comal County Sheriff’s OfficeThe mother of 19-year-old Justin Carter is still collecting signatures — 134,927 at last count — trying to enlist supporters to keep her son from being labeled a terrorist and sentenced to prison. She began working on this as a plea for her son’s…
Brunch at Gratifi: It’s All About the Tots, Baby
I’ve been on a chicken kick recently; a chicken sandwich kick, to be more accurate. So when friends and I grabbed brunch at Gratifi (pronounced gratify), the quaint and colorful kitchen and bar formerly known as Ziggy’s Healthy Grill, I went with The Bobblehead ($9), their barbecue chicken sandwich, naturally…
“Hey, Girl, I’m Waiting On You…”: One Direction’s Five Best Pick-Up Lines
British video blogger Jack Harries and his pal, Caspar Lee, recently threw a little something together that racked up 1.5 million YouTube hits in a couple of weeks. They squirmed into their best skinny jeans, went off to the park and tried some “chat-up lines” on the ladies. Humor-wise, these…
Gifts From the Past: Isabel Brown Wilson’s Legacy to MFAH
There sits in the MFAH Caroline Weiss Law building an exhibition that is equal parts art history and memoriam: “Gifts from the Past: The Isabel Brown Wilson Collection.” “Gifts from the Past” is the last legacy from Isabel Brown Wilson, who as an art collector and art lover (and daughter…
Starting the Day Off Right: The Greatest Alley Oop in Swimming Pool History (w/ Zapruder VIDEO)
If you’re between the ages of eight and 15, you know that pool games are a big part of the summer. For purposes of this post, a “pool game” is defined as any borderline stupid human trick involving multiple human beings, a ball, and some sort of element that could…
Best Food Commercials Featuring Talented Dogs in Honor of the Reliant Park Dog Show
The Reliant Park “World Series of Dog Shows” started Wednesday, and in honor of all those pretty pooches descending upon Houston, I decided to highlight some other handsome and talented dogs. These ones happen to be hawking everything from beer to Starburst, as opposed to being judged for their grace…
Epic Star Wars Relay Arrives To Kick-Off San Diego Comic-Con
Course of the Force, the Star Wars-themed relay of a lightsaber down the California coast, wrapped up its second year last night. The relay started at Skywalker Ranch, the workplace of “Star Wars” producer George Lucas near Nicasio, California. “Jabba’s Pleasure Barge” and its entourage of tour buses and shuttles,…
RIP KCOH Disc Jockey Stevie Goodtime T
Longstanding KCOH radio personality Steven Reginald Talton, known on-air as Stevie Goodtime T, passed of cancer complications this past Sunday. While Talton had kept his long battle with prostate cancer quiet, details became known after his passing. Talton was most widely known for his nightly program “The Passion Zone,” which…
Men in Bland: R.I.P.D. is a Movie That Exists
In actual life, bureaucratic systems are the only workable state-citizen interface we’ve developed that can handle the sheer bulk of smelly, cranky humanity. In comedies, filmmakers often render the infinite and otherworldly in the mundane, human terms of bureaucracy, with all the waiting rooms, Muzak, and impossible regulatory complexities that…
Christmas in July
1-2-3-4! With due respect to the Hates, Really Red, Spunk, and all the bands that have come before and since, for a certain generation of fans, 30footFALL is where Houston punk begins and ends. Thanks to years of nonstop touring, a string of uptempo albums and high-profile compilation contributions, perhaps…
The New Black and Other Docs Ask, “Why Has Black Been Made the Face of Homophobia?”
There’s a gorgeous moment in Yoruba Richen’s documentary The New Black, currently playing the film festival circuit, in which two young black lesbian activists canvass an inner-city black neighborhood to drum up support for the gay marriage initiative that was on the ballot in Maryland’s 2012 statewide election. The women…
Girl Most Likely, a Jersey-vs.-Manhattan Comedy
Less funny than her worst SNL sketch, Girl Most Likely strands Kristen Wiig in a dreadful, disingenuous city-vs.-suburbs comedy that mercilessly mocks New Jersey before turning around and celebrating its provincial trashiness over the hoity-toity snootiness of Manhattan. Fired from her job and dumped by her boyfriend, once-promising playwright Imogene…
Red 2 Isn’t Great, but Helen Mirren? Fabulous.
The world is full of lackluster movies. But the world is not full of Helen Mirren in a Marlene Dietrich fedora, or Helen Mirren in full-tilt eveningwear disposing of a bothersome corpse in a marble bathroom, or Helen Mirren firing a massive rifle-type thingie while sprawled on a picnic blanket…
Innocent Bystander: An Innocent Man Wins in Court But Loses in the Long Run
Roderick O’Bryant isn’t surprised when he hears the knocks, thick and rapid, on his door. He knows the Houston Police Department wants him. After he returned from the morning’s errands, his neighbor, Larry, had warned the 29-year-old that the law wanted to question him concerning a shooting a few blocks…
New Roots: A Delicious Tug-of-War at Restaurant Cinq
Want a behind the scenes look at Cinq? Make sure to check out our slideshow. My wife’s appetizer of fresh chorizo-stuffed dates finally clicked in as I snagged a few of the thyme leaves from the corner of the plate and placed them atop a bite of the slightly meta-sausage…
Wicked Is Semi-Wonderful But Lacks Brains, Heart and Courage
With all the aerial modes of transportation on display in Stephen Schwartz’s (and book writer Winnie Holtzman’s) megahit musical Wicked — winged monkeys, broomstick, tornado, fairground balloon and bubble — you’d think this theatrical juggernaut from 2003, the fourth incarnation to visit Houston via Gexa on Broadway, would have learned…
Twilight Zone: The Crash NASA Didn’t Investigate
On August 9, 2012, on a sunny day in eastern Florida, NASA’s Morpheus lander hovered 15 feet over the ground. One second passed, then two. Then the craft tilted to its right, kept tilting, collapsed into the ground, and thudded for a moment before fuel met light and a fireball…
Half Fun, Half Rote, The Conjuring Offers the Same Old Spirits
Something like half the running time of the engaging new don’t-go-in-the-basement thriller The Conjuring is devoted to showing us characters proceeding slowly into the basement, or into the maws of basement-like places we know they shouldn’t go, often with just matches or a flashlight to guide them. Twice, deliciously, they’re…
Finally Visiting Cuchara
Local Spotlight It’s taken me a little while to visit Cuchara — although I had heard good things since it opened, it never sprang to mind to try. I looked online prior to my visit, and the menu had some interesting offerings. The mula de nopal, grilled cactus filet stuffed…
Employment and Immigrants
Dear Mexican, So, I walked into Carl’s Jr. the other day and gazed at the dozen of middle-aged women of Mexican decent hustling and bustling around a kitchen. A flawless performance, yet I couldn’t help but think of my days as a youth and the responsibility I learned from my…
Capsule Art Reviews: “Late Surrealism,” “The Ornamental Plumb Bob,” “Unwoven Light,” “Water’s Edge (Mizugiwa)”
“Late Surrealism” Mark Rothko. Jackson Pollock. They’re not the usual suspects you’d associate with Surrealism, but they’re some of the biggest names in The Menil Collection’s current show “Late Surrealism.” Though they’re known for their groundbreaking abstract work, as the Menil exhibition shows, pigeonholing artists can be tricky business. And…
Guns and Texans
Highlights from Hair Balls Texas Traveler Traveling can be stressful. You have to get there in time to get your bag checked and make it through security before you even have the chance to hustle through the terminal to your gate (and it seems like your gate is always guaranteed…
Capsule Stage Reviews: Fiddler on the Roof, From My Hometown, The Hollow, Scriptwriters/Houston 23rd Annual 10×10 Showcase 2013, Sweeney Todd (Generations Theatre), Sweeney Todd (Stage Door, Inc.)
Fiddler on the Roof Fiddler on the Roof opened on Broadway in 1964, running for 3,242 performances and winning nine Tony awards. Based on the stories of Sholem Aleichem, it portrays the life of a Jewish farmer with five daughters. Houston Family Arts Center wisely stages it in the 456-seat…
