Power Outage at Detention Center, No Visits Till Saturday
A power outage has knocked out all visitation at the Harris County Sheriff’s 701 N. San Jacinto Detention Center until Saturday, it was just announced. So what, they can’t get the power back on for three days?…
Malice in Alice: Four Dead in Ongoing Gang War
Isaac Vela probably never knew what hit him. At 3 a.m. Sunday, the young Latin King was waiting for a ride on a barely paved street in front of a ramshackle house in the scraggly South Texas town. Suddenly a Ford Escape containing five armed men belonging to the rival…
Comment of the Day: Adding Some Firepower
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 or afternoon from the previous day’s work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous…
Summer Olympics Weather Will Feel More Like Autumn for Many
Jolly ol’ England with its fish and chips and beefeaters and shrimp on the barbie…wait, OK, not that last one, is hosting the Summer Olympic Games this year as everyone who isn’t living in a cave probably knows (they might know as well). They’ve gone all out over the last…
100 Favorite Dishes 2012: No. 47, Banh Mi Bo Kho at Cafe TH
This year leading up to our annual Best of Houston® issue, we’re counting down our 100 favorite dishes in Houston. This list comprises our favorite dishes from the last year, dishes that are essential to Houston’s cultural landscape and/or dishes that any visitor (or resident) should try at least once…
The Weird World of Civil Forfeiture
In a Harris County District Clerk’s Office, there sits a case known as The State of Texas v. One 2004 Chevrolet Silverado. The case was disposed of in 2011, with the Chevy in question being found guilty. You may wonder how an inanimate object can be sued. It’s all a…
Longhorn Network Begs You to Help Them Find a Home
I was sitting at the gym Wednesday morning pedaling my ass off on the stationary bike while watching Sports Center and a funny commercial came on the screen. It was obviously not of the professionally produced variety — just a simple graphic screen with a voice-over imploring (okay, asking) viewers…
Giving Head: What Wine for Head Cheese?
Of all the salacious nuggets that still thrill Babbo sycophants, the one that I regrettably can’t erase from my memory is the tale of President Clinton and Mario Batali’s testa, boiled pig’s head. Evidently, in a celebration of the fratboy-sexist-misogynist mind-set that drives the great brain (read penis) behind Molto…
“The Big Show” at Lawndale Returns, Not as Big But With Plenty to Like
Check out Marco Torres’ take on the Big Show and his photos. The formula is a simple, if laborious, one — hold an open-call for new, never-before exhibited works from artists within a hundred-mile radius, select a curator to cull through the hundreds of submissions, and then put on a…
Follow This: 5 Brutally Honest Reviews For 5 Bands Who Did
Up until recently I’ve remained fairly indifferent to the number of followers I have on Twitter. After all, if my ego was dependent on the number of people following me I would just drop the $5 necessary to buy a few thousand and call it a night. Ever since I…
Security Guard Shot to Death, Bayou Body Count No. 109
Police say two men went into the Evergreen Gameroom, 1501 Evergreen, and one of them pulled the security guard outside, pushed him to the ground and shot him to death about 11:30 p.m. Saturday, July 21. The victim has not been publicly identified, pending verification from the Harris County Institute…
Sashimi, Korean-Style: Hwe at Dadami
What’s pictured in the video above has several things in common with what’s offered at Dadami, the subject of this week’s cafe review: green perilla (or shiso) leaves, red gojuchang sauce, dark brown soy sauce, a bowl of minced garlic and chiles and — of course — super-fresh sashimi, or…
Makeup Is as Easy as Paint-by-Numbers with Instructions from Three Top Beauty Vloggers
Makeup. We look at it. We test it. We buy it. We shove it into a drawer where it goes unused for months, or forever. We look at something we bought last week, or last month, and wonder how we ever thought that would be a color we could wear…
Sugarbaby’s Cupcake Boutique: Just Eat One at a Time
A cupcake tasting. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Who doesn’t love cupcakes? What I recently learned is that what may begin as a great idea can turn into a hellish vortex of cupcakes. Sugarbaby’s Cupcake Boutique, which turned five years old this past weekend, is a cupcake pioneer in Houston, and…
Representative Louie Gohmert’s Remarks On the Colorado Shooting: Is His “Apology” Enough?
If you’re not familiar with Representative Louie Gohmert, we kind of envy you. Scant hours after last weekend’s horrific mass murder in Aurora, Colorado, Gohmert called in to a Heritage Foundation morning radio show called “Istook Live” and, when asked his opinion on the shootings, gave an off-the-cuff, honest reply…
Meet the 2012 HPMA Showcase Nominees: Alkari
Rocks Off reached out to the artists playing this year’s Houston Press Music Awards showcase Sunday, August 5, and asked them to introduce themselves. Here’s what they sent back. Catch up with the other showcase nominees and see the rest of our HPMA coverage Rocks Off: When and where was…
Reality Bites: Small Town Security
There are a million reality shows on the naked television. We’re going to watch them all, one at a time. As an avowed DVR user (often by necessity), I often feel my belatedly watching many TV shows is somehow compensated for by the fact that I don’t see a lot…
Arrest Warrant Issued for Dr. Michael Brown
A family court judge issued an arrest warrant Tuesday for ex-hand surgeon Michael “Pass the Cocaine, Please” Brown, for failure to show up to a court hearing. Judge Sheri Dean, who’s been overseeing the bitter divorce proceedings between Michael and Rachel, issued the warrant. The warrant was issued by Master…
The Alaev Family and the (Basically Invisible) Rise of Bukharan Groove
Bukharan groove music (also called Bucharian or Bukharian) is one of those cultures that’s woefully undocumented, its contributors living in obscurity. The Alaev Family, a Central Asian Jewish group, have been trying to change that by globetrotting and playing spirited gigs all over the planet. The ensemble, which features three…
The Keema Frankie at Pondicheri
On a recent Friday night, I was craving Tex-Mex and Indian food. With only time and money for one takeout order, what’s a girl to do? The Answer: Go to Pondicheri. Although Pondicheri doesn’t explicitly advertise itself as “fusion” cuisine, some of its playful spins on “classic, homestyle and street…
Houston’s Bayou Roux Set to Close French Roots Festival
Texas artists have a special rapport with European audiences. Anything rootsy is huge over there. One such act is Bayou Roux, the contemporary-Cajun Houston ensemble that is set to close the Country Rondez-Vous Festival in Craponne, France this weekend (or Festival du musique Country Rondez-Vous). Close, as in headline –…
Unidentified Man, 22, Shot to Death, Girlfriend Wounded: Bayou Body Count No. 108
A 22-year-old man was in his apartment at 2201 Hayes with his girlfriend when several men came in and shot them, Houston police report. The identity of the man is pending notification of family members. The shooting occurred about 11:45 a.m. Saturday, July 21…
Demarcus Dwayne West, 30, Stabbed to Death: Bayou Body Count No. 107
Police say Demarcus Dwayne West and his girlfriend had a history of domestic violence and this past weekend, that ended with West’s death. West, of 10010 Cullen, died about 2 a.m. on Saturday, July 21, after being stabbed in his apartment at 10010 Cullen. He was taken to Ben Taub…
What’s Cooking on Pinterest? Natural Skin Tanner Smoothie
This week on Pinterest, I wanted to create a beverage instead of food. The Food & Drink section was filled with cocktails and alcoholic beverages, but all of them seemed ordinary and simple. I then started looking for a milkshake, but none of them struck me as exciting. Then I…
Kill ‘Em All and the Origins of Thrash
Twenty-nine years ago today, Metallica released their debut album on Megaforce Records, Kill ‘Em All. It wasn’t a smash success initially–Mötley Crüe were the reigning kings of metal on the West Coast in 1983, and Kill ‘Em All wouldn’t go gold for another six years. By that time, of course,…
Gold as Mood and Color at McClain Gallery
There is a great little photograph of Sammy Davis Jr. up at McClain Gallery now. It is pop perfection — the musician is decked out in a red vest and shoes, his arms out to his sides and his left foot kicked up in a freeze-frame dance pose. The fact…
Video Game Atlas: Rapture
Once a week Art Attack will offer you a handy little travel guide to the fictional worlds of video games. Name: Rapture, BioShock Series Population: Several thousand at peak Government: Laissez-faire Capitalism Located under the North Atlantic approximately 270 miles west of Reykjavik, the underwater colony is the dream of…
Houston-Bred Attorney Marc G. Rosenthal Wants His Federal Racketeering Trial Moved Here. Let the Circus Begin.
A Houston-bred attorney from a prominent local family wants to come home for the biggest day of his life: his upcoming 13-count federal racketeering trial. If the feds grant his change of venue request from Brownsville to Houston, Marc G. Rosenthal will bring one of the juiciest legal scandals in…
Meet the 2012 HPMA Showcase Nominees: Doughbeezy
Rocks Off reached out to the artists playing this year’s Houston Press Music Awards showcase Sunday, August 5, and asked them to introduce themselves. Here’s what they sent back. Catch up with the other showcase nominees and see the rest of our HPMA coverage Rocks Off: When and where was…
New Whataburger Menu Features Salads, Grilled Cheese and 550-Cal-or-Less Selections
As far as fast food goes, I’m pretty happy with Whataburger. My go-to hangover burger was always McDonald’s, but since I moved to Texas, the 24-hour Whataburger has taken the top spot. So color me excited when Whataburger sent out a press release highlighting its new menu, with a new…
Church ov Melkarth: Balrogs of Ambient Metal
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. Regular readers might be familiar with the Church ov Melkarth and their leader Jvstin Whitney from Whitney’s regular appearances in the Gothic Council. He…
100 Creatives 2012 Mat Johnson, Novelist and Tweeter
Novelist Mat Johnson has only been in Houston for the last five years. Originally from Philadelphia, Johnson moved around quite a bit before earning his BA in English in Indiana. He spent some time just living and writing in London, then Alaska. Later he moved to New York, where he…
Six Ways Telecommuting Is Better Than Business Travel
I have had the fortunate pleasure to be someone who works from home for many years now. I gave up the idea of an office when I realized that most of the people who work for me don’t live in the same city as I do and setting up an…
At Home Treats for Your Dog: Peanut Butter, Banana and Yogurt Popsicles
Popsicles and cool treats are not just for people; dogs deserve a little treat to cool down, too. My dog, Abby, loves to run and play outside during the summer, just like any dog does, but sometimes cold water or a dip in the pool isn’t enough to cool her…
Meet the 2012 HPMA Showcase Nominees: The Journey Agents
Rocks Off reached out to the artists playing this year’s Houston Press Music Awards showcase Sunday, August 5, and asked them to introduce themselves. Here’s what they sent back. Rocks Off: When and where was your first gig in Houston, and how did it go? Journey Agents: Bohemeo’s in the…
“Don’t Be A Hack”: 10 Tips for Aspiring Comics with John Wessling
John Wessling has been a professional comic since 1995, spending time in Kansas City, Des Moines and Los Angeles. The married father of two also heads up the Houston Comedy Union, which holds weekly open mikes and events at the Baker St. Pub & Grill location in Rice Village on…
Pitt Fans Hijack #AskASU Hashtag To Express Their Hatred For Todd Graham
There aren’t many things that college football fans can universally agree on, but one immutable truth unequivocally unifies all of us — everybody, and I mean EVERYBODY, hates Arizona State for now head football coach Todd Graham. That’s because Graham’s act leaves scorched earth and jilted players in his wake…
This Week In Food Blogs: Tequila Tragedies and the Three Faces of Saba
Eat My Words: Talk about unfortunate timing…Texas Monthly’s Patricia Sharpe had a terrific interview with chef David Guerrero of Samba Grille in which the chef discussed his brain cancer, Houston attitudes toward Peruvian flavors and learning to taste again after a stroke…and then Samba Grille announced it was closing down…
The 10 Funniest & Weirdest Country Song Titles
Country music has come a long way as far as popularity goes over the years, from the likes of such bygone greats as Ernest Tubb and Eddy Arnold to current favorites Sugarland and Dierks Bentley. But it has always had some rather… interesting-sounding song titles to grace listeners’ ears. Shall…
Brandon Ray Morgan Charged With Murder in Woman’s Death
A 37-year-old man has been charged with murder in the May death of a 69-year-old Houston woman found inside a burning house. Police arrested Brandon Ray Morgan in the death of Jeannie Waynette Wiebke, 69, who was found by firefighters called to a housefire at 10511 Sagetree on May 3…
Sherman Hemsley Finally Makes It to His Deluxe Apartment in the Sky
Sherman Hemsley, best known as George Jefferson on the hit TV show The Jeffersons, has passed away at the age of 74 in El Paso. The actor — who got his start in theater –also appeared on Amen, All in the Family and Dinosaurs. He was a constant presence in…
GOP Senate Favorite, David Dewhurst: Worst. Campaigner. Ever.
Things have not gone as planned for Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. This was supposed to be easy. He had the experience, he had the supporters and he had the money. Lots and lots of it. Not to mention, he was running against some guy named Ted Cruz in the primaries…
100 Favorite Dishes 2012: No. 48, Malted Waffle at City Cafe
This year leading up to our annual Best of Houston® issue, we’re counting down our 100 favorite dishes in Houston. This list comprises our favorite dishes from the last year, dishes that are essential to Houston’s cultural landscape and/or dishes that any visitor (or resident) should try at least once…
Today’s National Tequila Day: Celebrate with a Cupcake
In addition to celebrating National Tequila Day with a couple of margaritas or other tequila-based drinks, whip up a batch of tequila sunrise cupcakes. They’re sweet, colorful and simply beautiful to look at. The spongy vanilla cake paired with the light-pink frosting just looks like a morning sunrise. The taste…
Rockets Make Very Tiny, Almost Inaudible Splash with Asik Signing
My friends over on the ClutchFans.net bulletin board are fond of the phrase “making a splash” when discussing the team’s moves in free agency and when they make trades. When a trade or signing is of a more minor variety, that phrase becomes a joke, often posted on the board…
Houston Musicians Gather To Support Noise Ordinance Revision
Disclaimer: Marco Torres was hired by Red Bull to take photos at Monday’s #LOUD event, so we asked him to report back. — ed. Last October, Houston’s City Council passed a new sound ordinance that dropped the Houston Police Department’s requirement of using decibal meters when responding to noise complaints…
Oui, Oui! More Crepes for Me, at Coco’s Crepes & Coffee
The Houston Press Voice Daily Deal celebration of Midtown Houston continues with this fabulous deal for half-off at Coco’s Crepes & Coffee ($6 for $12). Winner of the 2006 Houston Press Best of Houston® award for “Best Crepes,” Coco’s has a full menu of sweet and savory crepes, sure to…
Meet the 2012 HPMA Showcase Nominees: Matt Harlan
Rocks Off reached out to the artists playing this year’s Houston Press Music Awards showcase Sunday, August 5, and asked them to introduce themselves. Here’s what they sent back. Rocks Off: When and where was your first gig in Houston, and how did it go? Matt Harlan: I’m pretty sure…
DVDs & Blu-rays: Jiro Dreams of Sushi and Genetic Chile
Jiro Dreams of Sushi stars Jiro Ono; David Gelb directs. In Japanese, with English subtitles. We have two food films for this week’s DVDs/Blu-ray picks. First up is Jiro Dreams of Sushi, which chronicles the story of Jiro Ono, the world’s leading sushi master. Ono’s Sukiyabashi Jiro, a tiny, ten-seat,…
Criminals and Killers Love/Hate the Raiders, Cowboys and Sooners
During Monday’s sentencing hearing for Brian Kerstetter, the 33-year-old white male who was found guilty of targeting a random African-American man at a downtown Houston bus stop, the prison-bound Kerstetter couldn’t help himself from blasting a certain loved/loathed NFL franchise. “I’m not a hater,” Kerstetter said inside of a Houston…
Willie Nelson-Led Second Railroad Revival Tour to Stop In Old Town Spring
Last year the newborn Railroad Revival Tour made waves with Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes, Old Crow Medicine Show, and Mumford & Sons on a six-show jaunt from California to Louisiana with a stop way out west in Marfa. The tour even spawned a concert film, Big Easy Express,…
Bunnies and Bad Unicorns: Lisa Chow and Y.E. Torres Meet Somewhere in the Middle
Once upon a time a salacious, R-rated performance artist who calls herself a “bad unicorn” hijacked a PG-rated visual artist notorious for her sweet-as-pie creations. The result of this artistic commandeering is a visual and performance-based collaboration to end all collaborations. Meet Lisa Chow. She is a Houston-based illustrator with…
Where Are We Drinking? Clue: Hotel, Do Tell?
The cocktail you see above was concocted at one of the spots on our list of Top 10 Hotel Bars from last week. But do you recognize which one of the 10 it is? Think you know where we’re drinking this week? Leave your best guess below…
Upcoming: Ghostland Observatory, Tyga, Minus the Bear, Ben Nichols, Sarah Jaffe, Etc.
Ben Nichols, Buxton: Sat., Sept. 8, 8 p.m., TBA. Walter’s, 1120 Naylor St., Houston. Big Business: Mon., Oct. 8, 8 p.m., $12. Warehouse Live, 813 St. Emanuel, Houston. Big Drunk & The Runaway Scrape, The Electric Dollhouse Groove Buggy: Sat., July 28, 8 p.m., Free. Khon’s Wine Darts Coffee Art,…
Comment of the Day: Go Fast, Go Slow, Go Astros!
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 or afternoon from the previous day’s work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous…
A CHL Instructor Weighs in on the Colorado Shooting and Dispels the Claims of Would-Be Heroes
Since Friday morning, we have been inundated with opinion and speculation about the movie theater massacre in Aurora, Colorado. Yesterday the suspect, James Holmes, was brought before a judge and the nation got its first look at the gunman, with his mop top of dyed orange hair and dazed –…
What’s Next for Video Game High School?
Yours truly spent nine glorious Thursdays completely immersed in the Video Game High School web series created by Matthew Arnold, Brandon Laatsch and Freddie Wong. In case you somehow missed my ever-present gushing over the show, it basically followed a loser named Brian D who through luck and skill managed…
What’s Better Than a Royale with Cheese? Royal Treatment
Word to the wise: It never hurts to call ahead if you’re planning a large group gathering at a restaurant, even if they don’t take reservations and even if it’s a rainy weekday night. A few weeks ago, I I learned this lesson the hard way, having organized an informal…
Neil Young’s Heart of Gold and (Musical) Balls of Steel
Neil Young FAQ: Everything Left to Know About the Iconic and Mercurial Rocker By Glen Boyd 400 pp., $19.99, www.backbeatbooks.com While the title certainly gives you an indication as to the personality and whims of Canada’s greatest musical export (sorry, Triumph fans), author Boyd wastes no time in laying it…
9 Rock Stars & Their Favorite Books
Musicians like to read as much as the next person and being a creative lot they tend to draw inspiration from their favorite books. Which pieces of literature have struck a chord in the hearts of our favorite rock stars? 9. Billie Joe Armstrong, Catcher in the Rye: This probably…
Jerry Seinfeld Returns to the Spotlight with Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee
A few weeks back, I dug back into my Seinfeld DVD collection. I received the entire series as a gift years back and had never dived into the discs, overdosing on the television classic in the ’90s and early ’00s in syndication. In the middle of my odyssey back into…
15 of the Best & Latest Someecards: Deadpan Deliveries
Check out our earlier look at Someecards. The other day I saw a greeting card that said something like “I am so grateful for your undying love. You are beautiful.” Disgusting. Luckily we have Someecards to bring us back to reality. We’ve looked at them before on Hair Balls, but…
Chef G. Garvin Road Trips to Houston, Pit Stops at Pizzitola’s: The Episode Airs Tonight
With his trademark Southern flair and down-to-earth flavor, G. Garvin spotlights Houston’s own Pizzitola’s, home of real barbecue and famous for fall-off-the-bone ribs, tonight. Airing tonight on The Cooking Channel, Road Trip With G. Garvin takes in “The Best of the Bayou,” with the Atlanta native stopping in to grab…
Pop Rocks: What Did We Think of the Man of Steel Trailer?
The Dark Knight Rises has already been in theaters a whole weekend, so what better time to look at the next big DC Comics property to hit theaters: Superman. Specifically, next year’s Man of Steel. Perhaps I should have said “only other big DC Comics property.” After Supes and Batman,…
Marcus Samuelsson Shares Stories About Life and Cooking at Central Market
Read “Five Questions for Chef Marcus Samuelsson” and “Lunch with Marcus Samuelsson Provides a Sneak Peek at Pass and Provisions.” In case you haven’t heard, Chef Marcus Samuelsson was in town last week for a whirlwind day of book-promoting events, including a book signing and cooking class held at our…
Know Your Local Media: The Houston Chronicle’s Dwight Silverman, from Rock Critic to Nerd King
A number of years ago, one of the then music writers at the Houston Chronicle recruited me to write a music blog for Chron.com. I had done some writing for the defunct Houstonist Web site and personal stuff, but nothing like that. I happily accepted and began writing a music…
Meet the 2012 HPMA Showcase Nominees: excuseMesir
Rocks Off reached out to the artists playing this year’s Houston Press Music Awards showcase Sunday, August 5, and asked them to introduce themselves. Here’s what they sent back. Catch up with the other showcase nominees and see the rest of our HPMA coverage Rocks Off: When and where was…
Olympic Logos: The Best and the Worst, Including Lisa Simpson’s Sex Act
Heh. Lisa Simpson is giving Bart Simpson a hummer in the London 2012 Olympic logo. Uh, we mean aren’t you stoked for the 17 days of glory that commences on July 27 in the United Kingdom, especially with a logo that cost £400,000 (approximately $621,000)? That’s right. All of that…
Project Runway Season 10 Premiere: Observations, Impressions, and Predictions
Last Thursday night was the Season 10 Premier of Project Runway. Producers kicked things off with a one-hour “Road to the Runway” special that aired before the premier, where we were treated to a brief look at the audition process as a means of getting to know the new crop…
The Creepy and Bizarre World of Kidz Bop Videos
It’s hard to talk about Kidz Bop. Sure, it’s easy to make fun of the series of albums’ watered-down version of modern pop, but it also feels like going after low-hanging fruit. That doesn’t mean that the music isn’t awful, because it is, but one could argue Kidz Bop provides…
The Landry’s Empire Showcases Its Holdings with a Swanky Shindig
I returned a week ago from San Diego Comic-Con, but when I walked into the Landry’s Showcase event at Inn at the Ballpark, I thought for a minute I’d been magically transported back. The first thing my eyes landed on were three big, colorful mascots. There were dozens of people…
Penn State Scandal: My Statement to the Paterno Family
“The sanctions announced by the NCAA today defame the legacy and contributions of a great coach and educator without any input from our family or those who knew him best.” — The Paterno Family, in a statement (how else?), 7/23/12 Since the moment that Jerry Sandusky was whisked out of…
Eat Local, Support Local: The GO TEXAN Restaurant Round-Up Is Here
Houston Restaurant Weeks is coming this August. But before you budget all your dining dollars to that worthy cause, remember that an equally worthy one is going on this week: The GO TEXAN Restaurant Round-Up. Each year, the GO TEXAN Restaurant Round-Up features restaurants across the state cooking special dishes…
Meet the 2012 HPMA Showcase Nominees: Electric Attitude
Rocks Off reached out to the artists playing this year’s Houston Press Music Awards showcase Sunday, August 5, and asked them to introduce themselves. Here’s what they sent back. Catch up with the other showcase nominees and see the rest of our HPMA coverage Rocks Off: When and where was…
Main Street Theater’s Dog Act Isn’t Best in Show
The set-up: In the regional premiere of Dog Act, by Liz Duffy Adams, some culture is kept alive in a post-apocalyptic world by a tiny traveling group of vaudevillians. The execution: Almost nothing happens in the first act, except for some less-than-gripping exposition about the decline of civilization, although we…
Ted Nugent’s Top 10 Tasteless Album Covers
Female-degrading. Gun-loving. Conservative. All of these terms describe rocker Ted Nugent, one of the more outspoken right-wing conservatives in rock music today. Unfortunately (or hilariously), he doesn’t know when to be quiet about his views on gun rights and any politician he disagrees with. Some of Uncle Ted’s views on…
How Far Is Too Far: Verizon Argues Its Network Is Protected Under the Fifth Amendment
There is a tenuous balance in the digital world between people who share things online, those with whom they share them and the person/entity in between that facilitates that sharing process. In the simplest terms, that entity is like a bank that holds your money between the time you receive…
The Best Rockabilly Beauties From Rock Baby Rock It
See even more pinup queens in our Rock Baby Rock It slideshow. As William Michael Smith put it in his review, hot the operative word at Saturday’s Rock Baby Rock It hot-rod show/musical extravaganza. Ladies were dolled up pin-up style all over the Island off Main, with tall hair, heavy…
Hate-Crime-Guilty White Supremacists — One Who “Only Hates the Dallas Cowboys” — Sentenced For Attacking a Black Male at a Bus Stop
The three dudes who united over their white-power tattoos and then beat down a random black male at a downtown Houston bus stop are bound for federal prison. On Monday at the downtown Houston federal courthouse, Charles Cannon, Michael McLaughlin and Brian Kerstetter were sentenced to 2-1/2 to 6-1/2 years…
Justin Warner: The New Face of Food Network
Food Network welcomes a new star to their family. America selected Justin Warner as the winner of season eight of Food Network Star. Unlike other seasons, when the judges from the network selected the winner, this season it was up to America. Four contestants were given the chance to create…
A Local Couple Wanted to Bury their Fetus. The Hospital Sent Them Them a Body Part Belonging to a Stranger. The Couple Sued, and Lost.
Ben Giannantonio Strange ruling in disturbing caseTwelve weeks into her pregnancy, Mary Ramos lost her baby. After undergoing a D&C procedure at Pasadena Bayshore Hospital to remove the remains, she and her husband Richard said they would like to have them sent to a mortuary so that they could have…
Saturday Night: Kashmere Stage Band at Fitzgerald’s
The Legendary Kashmere Stage Band Fitzgerald’s July 21, 2012 Craig Baldwin, the passionately loud and boisterous band director of the Kashmere Stage Band, broke his ankle recently and was forced to perform in a boot and with a cane Saturday night at Fitzgerald’s in the Heights. Music, however, is a…
100 Favorite Dishes 2012: No. 49, Golden Doomba Special at the Rice Box Truck
This year leading up to our annual Best of Houston® issue, we’re counting down our 100 favorite dishes in Houston. This list comprises our favorite dishes from the last year, dishes that are essential to Houston’s cultural landscape and/or dishes that any visitor (or resident) should try at least once…
A $10 Wine We Love: Picpoul de Pinet and Sonora Dogs
One of the most common questions I get when speaking at a wine dinner or guided wine tasting is what’s the best wine for $10 or less? And understandably, most are disappointed when I inform them that $15 is the new $10. In fact, these days, $25 is the price…
Reliant Bark: Flyball and Frisbee at the World Series of Dog Shows (w/ VIDEO)
Check out our slideshow of the World Series of Dog Shows and our post on cute puppy memes. If you think dog shows are all about stuffy trainers walking poofy poodles before a table of judges, you’re missing out on one of the most fun aspects of canine competition: the…
Saturday: Rock Baby Rock It Was Hot, Hot, Hot
Rock Baby Rock It 12 Feat. The Octanes, Los Skarnales, Jesse Dayton Continental Club July 21, 2012 See the pin-ups and hot rods of Rock Baby Rock It in our slideshow. Hot was the operative word at Saturday’s Rock Baby Rock It hot-rod show/musical extravaganza. With temperatures in the high…
Fever Festival 2012: A Diamond in the Rough
On May 13, officials found 49 dead bodies in trash bags in a large hole in Monterrey, Mexico, 75 miles from the U.S. border. “It did something to me,” Sarita Ackerman, owner of Sarita Ackerman Modern and Contemporary Art, said. “I wanted to do something about it. I wanted to…
Dynamo Get Revenge on Some Canadiens
It’s been awhile since the last time someone handed the Dynamo a loss. You have to go back to June 23 when they were humiliated 4-2 on the road to the expansion Montreal Impact. Since that game, the Dynamo’s defense has bunkered down — allowing just two goals in five…
Friday Night: “Last Summer on Earth” Tour at The Woodlands
“Last Summer on Earth” Tour Feat. Barenaked Ladies, Blues Traveler, Big Head Todd & the Monsters, Cracker Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion July 20, 2012 As Nathan Smith said a few hours ago, his partial ’90s nostalgia show at House of Blues Friday was more than a sight harder than the…
The Astros Appear to Actually Have a Plan
It was quite the busy weekend for Astros GM Jeff Luhnow. He unloaded pitchers J.A. Happ, Brandon Lyon and David Carpenter on the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday, and he sent closer/clubhouse cancer Brett Myers to the Chicago White Sox on Saturday. Frankly, I’m shocked that any team in the…
Where Are We Eating? Clue: It’s a Gas
White bread finger sandwiches aren’t the only sandwiches that taste good with a thick spread of pimiento cheese on them. Witness the pimiento cheese burger at this brand-new burger bar, which also features a half-pork, half-beef patty. I washed mine down with a Karbach Hopadilla IPA, which paired perfectly with…
Falling Skies: “The Master Wanted To Take A More…Aggressive Approach”
It figures; the week I go out of town is the week Tom and Anne finally get their post-apocalyptic freak on. Of course, this is basic cable, so apparently all the audience got was that morning afterglow, and then the awkward, “No really baby, I think you’re a *great* doctor,…
True Blood: K’naan and the New Testament
Alan Ball was known for his masterful use of music in Six 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. This column is fairly formulaic…
Hey, Look, It’s Summer! Houston’s Normal Summer Weather Has Finally Arrived
Stephen Colbert described Houston weather as a combination of the heat of Texas and the humidity of New Orleans. That’s actually not far off in the summer. We are a fairly tropical climate. For the past couple weeks, however, it’s felt more like a jungle during monsoon season. Now that…
Friday Night: Toadies, Helmet & Ume at House of Blues
Toadies, Helmet, Ume House of Blues July 20, 2012 The ’90s were in high demand in Houston on Friday night. Up in The Woodlands, the Barenaked Ladies, Blues Traveler, Cracker and more packed ’em in to relive some of the decade’s best one-hit wonders. Downtown, the Clinton-era jams were a…
What’s Cooking This Week? Seared Scallops, Israeli Couscous & 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 ingredients I’ve bought (and I hate wasting food). Enter…
AFA World Premieres Concert Showcases Composers, Choreographers and Dancers of Tomorrow
The set-up: Friday night, the American Festival for the Arts World Premieres Concert presented seven new choreographies at the Houston Ballet Center for Dance. The participating composers and choreographers hailed from all over the country, but they all shared one thing in common: none was over the age of 18…
App of the Week: Get Ready for the Season with the Houston Texans App
App: Houston Texans Platform: iPhone, Android, Blackberry Website: Houston Texans Download Site Cost: Free If there is one thing we love in Texas, it’s football. There are quite a number of sports apps out there to help you keep track of your favorite teams, football or otherwise, but when it…
Chris Barrier of The Refinery on Boston, Bar Fights and Frozen Jack and Diet Coke Slushies
Sitting in the shadow of the Pierce Elevated just west of downtown, The Refinery, at 702 Dallas, is one of the newest bars in town. With the bar still in the midst of construction, a carpenter was laying down the beginnings of a large patio out front while I polished…
Friday Night: Kaskade at Bayou Music Center
Kaskade, Alvin Risk, Fareoh Bayou Music Center July 20, 2012 See some of Kaskade’s Houston “Freaks of Nature” fans in our slideshow. Freak of nature is normally defined as something unusual or unexpected. All in all, it’s a natural phenomenon. Kaskade’s Freaks of Nature Tour gave the term a new…
Talent Reigns at Theatre Southwest’s 15th Annual Festival of Originals
The set-up: For the 15th year, Theatre Southwest presents its annual array of one-act plays, giving playwrights, directors and actors an opportunity to prove their mettle. The execution: Instant Harmony by Joe Starzyk tackles the subject of computer dating services. Starzyk knows how to set up a joke and make…
Comment of the Day: Skanks ‘r’ Us Edition
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 or afternoon from the previous day’s work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous…
Meet the 2012 HPMA Showcase Nominees: Grievous Angels
Rocks Off reached out to the artists playing this year’s Houston Press Music Awards showcase Sunday, August 5, and asked them to introduce themselves. Here’s what they sent back. Catch up with the other showcase nominees and see the rest of our HPMA coverage Rocks Off: When and where was…
Thump, Thump: If It’s July, It’s the Heart of Watermelon Season
Growing up, the best part of having a birthday in July was instead of a cake, I got to go to my grandfather’s watermelon patch and pick my own watermelon instead. He had a patch in Big Sandy, Texas, and it was our tradition that I could run up and…
10 things I Learned About the Future by Watching Back to the Future II
I always find it interesting to compare pop-culture’s predictions of the future to the way things actually are. Most of the time I pretty much feel like David Byrne of the Talking Heads in their classic “Once In A Lifetime:” “You may ask yourself, how do I work this?/ You…
New Baylor Stadium: Now Texas Can Actually Have a Good College Football Venue
On Friday, Baylor regents gave a thumbs-up to the construction of a new $250-million stadium that will post up on the Waco campus and alongside the Brazos River. If Waco City Council green lights the $35 million tax increment financing zone funds that would be needed, then the 45,000-seat venue…
Expand Your Culinary Knowledge and Skills at Hubbell & Hudson’s Viking Cooking School
I love learning about different cooking and baking styles. So, two years ago, when I discovered that my absolute favorite market and bistro, Hubbell & Hudson Market & Bistro, in The Woodlands, has a Viking Cooking School, I wanted to take every single class on offer. Whether you want to…
BMW Dealership Supporting the Arts, A Whopping $20 At A Time
A few weeks ago, Advantage BMW Midtown launched a fundraising campaign for Houston Young People for the Arts. For each person who swoops into the BMW location at Gray and Caroline streets and takes a no-strings-attached test drive, the swanky dealership will donate $20 to the nonprofit organization, up to…
Happy 51st, Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore: A Birthday Playlist
Today is the 51st birthday of Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore, and here’s to hoping he’s around for another 51 years because he remains an amazingly talented songwriter and performer. You simply can’t say anything bad about the man who gave us “Personal Jesus,” unless you want to gently whack him…
In Honor Of Tonight’s RAW 1000, The Definitive Timeline Of WWE’s Victory In The Monday Night Wars (w/ VIDEO)
I don’t know that any television product has changed the way we visually consume it more times than professional wrestling. For a majority of its history (which I am counting as the period from “dawn of time” until around 1978 or so), syndicated television was basically a weekly commercial for…
Houston Kickstarter Round-Up: July
Once a month we’ll be bringing you a look at some of the best local Kickstarter campaigns in order to let you know what’s getting ready to be unleashed through the help of small investors. Ministry of Supply: The Future of Dress Shirts I try to avoid projects that have…
Lunch with Marcus Samuelsson Provides a Sneak Peek at Pass and Provisions
“You’re going to have a great restaurant in your community,” Marcus Samuelsson said to a roomful of smiling guests last Thursday afternoon at the Milam House. The bonafide celebrity chef from New York City — he of the Michelin starred Aquavit and the President-approved Red Rooster in Harlem — was…
Meet the 2012 HPMA Showcase Nominees: Floorbound
Rocks Off reached out to the artists playing this year’s Houston Press Music Awards showcase Sunday, August 5, and asked them to introduce themselves. Here’s what they sent back. Catch up with the other showcase nominees and see the rest of our HPMA coverage Rocks Off: When and where was…
Rock 101 KLOL Comes Barreling Back as an Internet Station
A few weeks back a blog post by Houston media watcher Mike McGuff tipped us off to the sorta-rebirth of Rock 101 KLOL, in Internet-radio form. Immediately the site went viral and was bogged down with fans clamoring to hear and see what the fuss was about and relive a…
Spindletop, County Reach Last-Minute Agreement
Clarification: The 2012 agreed order between Montgomery County and Leah Purcell, in which Purcell surrendered 287 dogs that a judge found were “cruelly treated,” bars Purcell from operating an animal shelter, refuge, or rescue in Montgomery County. It does not prohibit her from boarding animals. For more explanation, see the…
Jerry Gray Napper, 35, Shot in His Car, Bayou Body Count No. 106
In what we hope will be the end to a week that felt pretty damn violent on all counts, Houston police are investigating the shooting of Jerry Gray Napper, 34, of Pasadena. Napper was shot multiple times inside his car at the Indigo Falls apartment complex at 9800 Ledge around…
Guillermo Lopez, 29, Gunned Down in Front of Wife and Three Children, Bayou Body Count No. 105
A woman and her three children were present when her husband and their father, Guillermo Lopez, 29, was shot in front of them at 7900 South Loop East around 8 p.m. on Thursday. According to police, an unknown male shot Lopez inside his apartment several times before fleeing. Fortunately, Lopez’s…
Would You Submit to Pat-Downs and Metal Detectors at the Movies?
This morning the nation woke to the news of the shooting and slaughter inside an Aurora, Colorado, movie theater last night during a midnight showing of The Dark Knight Rises. This whole sad incident reminded people that nowhere is safe these days from horrific violence and the crazed machinations of…
New Crop of Texas License Plate Designs Include State Troopers, UH and Sorority
The State of Texas has unveiled a new batch of license plate designs and is looking to Texans for guidance on if they should release them. Last year, we goofed on the state with a batch of license plates we didn’t think would ever make it onto the list of…
This Week in Deliciousness: Philanthropissed for the Good of Us All
Welcome back to the weekly roundup here at Eating…Our Words, where the rains have taken our backyard garden from “lush” to “primordial” in a big hurry. The house windows are covered over in thick creepers, strange sounds issue from the dense foliage and something out there in the darkness has…
Joel Osteen Artwork Removed from Atlanta Library
Art is subjective. As we’ve seen with Robert Mapplethorpe exhibits and crosses floating in urine, it can also be controversial. But normally, garden-variety portraits don’t rise to the level of pissing people off…unless they are of super preacher Joel Osteen, apparently. A Grayson, Georgia, library was forced to remove the…
100 Favorite Dishes 2012: No. 50, Beef Sweetbreads at Feast
This year leading up to our annual Best of Houston® issue, we’re counting down our 100 favorite dishes in Houston. This list comprises our favorite dishes from the last year, dishes that are essential to Houston’s cultural landscape and/or dishes that any visitor (or resident) should try at least once…
UPDATED: Harris County Needs Help Identifying This Woman
Update: According to the Harris County officials, the woman in the photo has been identified. Score one for the good guys! Original Entry: Local officials are seeking assistance finding the home of the woman pictured above. According to a press release, she was found by constables of Harris County Precinct…
Chef Chat, Part 3, John Sikhattana of Straits Shows Off Singaporean Food
John Sikhattana Executive Chef Straits Asian Bistro 800 West Sam Houston Parkway North 713-365-9922 www.straitsrestaurants.com This is the third and final part of a three-part chef chat series. Part 1 and Part 2 ran in this space over the last couple of days. Our chat with John Sikhattana this week…
Meet the 2012 HPMA Showcase Nominees: The Suffers
Rocks Off reached out to the artists playing this year’s Houston Press Music Awards showcase Sunday, August 5, and asked them to introduce themselves. Here’s what they sent back. Catch up with the other showcase nominees and see the rest of our HPMA coverage Rocks Off: When and where was…
Country Playhouse Gets Down and Dirty with Avenue Q
There’s a reason why Broadway has remained the province of the American musical for generations. All that razzle-dazzle can only be housed in the large-scale theaters of the Great White Way and city-specific venues that can support their touring productions. (Think our Hobby Center for the Performing Arts.) Logistically speaking,…
Yankee Doodle Dandy Pays Homage to the Ultimate Broadway Song and Dance Man
Read our interview with show co-creator James A. Rocco. The setup: A history lesson about an early 20th-century musical theater icon, George M. Cohan, is brought to life onstage with Theatre Under the Stars’ Yankee Doodle Dandy, with multiple songs from scores of his B’way hits, as well as extensive…
This Woman Made Me Drink Merlot
“The thing I like about the Houston wine scene,” says the Houston Wine Merchant’s Marcy Jimenez (above), “is the Gulf Coast attitude. We’re a little more relaxed than the folks to the north of here.” Marcy was born in the Bronx and raised on Long Island, New York. But she…
[PHOTOS] Cute Puppies in Meme Form from the World Series of Dog Shows
The World Series of Dog Shows is in town over at Reliant Park and, as usual, there are a bazillion dogs (yes, that many), millions of dollars in grooming equipment and a lot of really awful polyester suits. Why do the dog trainers wear those things? Anyway, we sent photographer…
It’s an Azumapalooza: The Azuma Group Celebrates 10th Birthday
Azuma Group celebrated its tenth birthday on Thursday with Azumapalooza, a showcase of its five Houston sushi and Japanese fusion restaurants: Azuma Sushi & Robata Bar (two locations; downtown and on Kirby), Azuma on the Lake, Kata Robata Sushi and Grill and Soma Sushi, where the festivities were held. In…
Owlerglass: The Week in Photos
It’s time again to check out the Houston Press Flickr Pool and see what kinds of art shots our talented photographers have added. We love street art, unique perspectives and beautiful photos of Houston’s creative community. If you think you’ve got a good eye, drop your pictures in the pool…
8 Cool & Cheap Weekenders: Another HPMA Deal, We Were Wolves, Ceremony, Etc.
For the next few days, general-admission tickets for the Houston Press Music Awards showcase — perhaps you may have heard us mention it recently — are available at the two-for-one price of $10 through the Living Social network. Just thought we’d mention that. DJs Ceeplus Bad Knives and Mr. Castillo…
UPDATED: While We Watched Batman, People in Denver Suburb Killed
Update: In an incredible coincidence, The San Antonio woman killed by a gunman near Denver last night, Jessica Ghawi, had been at the Toronto mall shooting in early June, where one person was killed and seven wounded, according to her blog. She said she had an “odd feeling” and left…
Tomorrow Is National Junk Food Day (Yes, There Is Just One)
As we know, today is National Fortune Cookie Day. Rivaling that in ridiculousness, tomorrow is National Junk Food Day. The concept of a National Junk Food Day in the United States is in a way laughable, considering the average American eats rather unhealthful, processed stuff on a regular basis. But…
Vibrant Wave’s Oil Paintings Drip Off the Walls at Public House
The works of Sophia Buddenhagen and Chandana Paravastu may be two sides of the same coin. At the pair’s Vibrant Wave exhibit, hoisted up high on the walls of Public House, a bar and gallery in one, it initially feels like you are looking at a collection created by a…
Dubstep DJ Doorly: “Everyone Goes Mental”
If he isn’t too busy running his own record label as well as heading his own underground radio station in the UK, Doorly can be found creating his classic beats and touring. Now he’s back in the U.S. on tour for the first time in half a year, and performs…
Down With the Kings: Rick Ross’ “3 Kings” vs. Slim Thug’s “3 Kingz”
One of my favorite stories as a kid was Arthur and The Knights of the Round Table. Or The Sword In the Stone, if you liked things animated. Had everything you really wanted in terms of inspiration — kid always picked on, thought to be of no use to the…
The Best Ever Houston Free Agent Signings
So the Houston Rockets have signed turnover machine/point guard/free agent Jeremy Lin to a contract, and apparently, the city of Houston is going nuts. I’m not quite ready to buy into the hype, and I’m not going to be doing any stupid puns on his name. That said, good luck…
Dustin-Prestige, The Niceguys Help Us All Grow Cooler
Here’s a way to say some new rap music is good without talking directly about it: There are a few different categories that emails from rappers/friends of rappers pretending to be publicists/publicists are separated into. As it is: Category 1: Yeah Fucking Right Reserved for aggressive spammers, Nigerian princes (hot…
Upcoming Events: Indo-European Wine Dinners and Mixology Masters
Calling all milkshake makers: Alamo Drafthouse just announced its first-ever milkshake creation contest. Along with all of the milkshake flavors the movie chain currently sells, it’s looking to expand that list by one: a fall flavor-inspired or movie-themed shake will be the next milkshake on the roster, and Alamo is…
Top 6 Creepiest Ventriloquist Dummies for National Ventriloquism Week
There are very few things left in this world that are genuinely surprising. Every once in a while you may read something or come across an odd fact that really causes you to say “Seriously?” to yourself. I came across such a fact the other day when I learned that…
Reviews for the Easily Distracted: The Dark Knight Rises
Title: The Dark Knight Rises Oh Boy Oh Boy Oh Boy: What, Have People Been Anticipating This Or Something? Rating Using Random Objects Relevant To The Film: Four Bat-Mites out of five. Brief Plot Synopsis: Bruce Wayne is lured out of gimpy retirement when a hulking, masked terrorist threatens to…
Comment of the Day: Mayor Parker’s Cowboy Boots
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 or afternoon from the previous day’s work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous…
Livefyre — We’re Talking to You!
As you might have noticed, we’re making the switch today to a new and improved commenting system, Livefyre. Some of you may have already used this system on sites like Talking Points Memo, MTV.com, The New York Times’ Web site and Bravo.com. Why are we making the switch? Well, because…
Pop Quiz: Study Up on the Tunes of Texas’ Teen Titans
We’ve really got to thank filmmaker Mark Landsman. Not only did his 2010 documentary Thunder Soul put the story of Houston’s legendary Kashmere Stage Band on to the silver screen, but it also helped revive the band itself. After reforming with a handful of Kashmere High School alumni and students…
Turn Your Favorite Layered Cake Into a Layered Cupcake
Two of my favorite desserts are cupcakes and mile-high layered cakes. I love how layered cakes have the perfect frosting-to-cake ratio, and I love cupcakes because they are just so darn cute. I wanted to find a way to morph my two favorite sweets, so I decided to create a…
Week in Photos: Creamy Wheels
Each week, we take a dip into the Houston Press Flickr pool and see what our talented photographers have been up to. We’re looking for pictures that represent the best of Houston, from food to art to events, to secret hidden spots of beauty. Just drop them in our Flickr…
Health Department Roundup: China Wok, Hubcap, El Real and Trucker Drama
This week’s reports show only three citations and no closures. And to make things less exciting, one of those citations was issued to a Sharpstown Valero. Eating gas station food is like wingsuit flying or trying heroin just once. If things go bad, you have no one to blame but…
Featherface: Best Houston Music Video Ever
The last time I looked into Featherface it was because I wanted to find out why the hell you would call a band Featherface. The answer was it came to them in a dream, but it also turned me onto a delightful local indie-rock band that I’ve kept a light…
6 Reasons Why 3D Has Failed
It looks like the 3D phenomenon that (re)started a few years back may finally be on the way out. A chief sign of this is Nintendo president Satoru Iwata’s admission that the recent 3D boom “is perhaps slightly on the wane again.” We should all understand by now that when…
Jeremy Jacobi Scott, a.k.a. “J Moe,” Indicted for Sex Trafficking of a Minor: Breaking Down the Bizarre Story
A lot of strange press releases come sailing through your inbox when you are working for a newspaper or news blog in the big city. Some are mildly amusing, some hilarious. Some are disturbing, some disgusting. Then, some are all of the above and more. The U.S. Attorney’s Office sent…
Your Ultimate Batman Batsoundtrack Batplaylist
No doubt some of you are sitting bleary and bloodshot from seeing an overnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises, and I am jealous of you. I didn’t think to buy tickets early so now I will have to wait until like, next week to see it. First World Problems,…
100 Creatives 2012: Orna Feinstein, Printmaker and Installation Artist
We are flying down the highway with Orna Feinstein, who is chattering excitedly about showing us her exhibition of prints on Plexiglas, “Magnified Realities,” now showing in the front lobby of Williams Tower until July 27. She just got done giving us a tour of her mind-blowing “Multi-librium” installation exhibit,…
Fortune Cookie Sayings You’d Never Want to Get
Today is National Fortune Cookie Day! Since that is ridiculous in and of itself, we’ve compiled a list of ridiculous fortune cookie sayings. We like to call them Misfortune Cookies… “Yes, that is his new girlfriend in his profile picture. And yes, she’s hotter than you.” “We’re sure you’ll get…
Rob Gronkowski Gal Pal Bibi Jones Bids Farewell to Porn
Earlier this week, the New England Patriots reportedly let their Pro Bowl tight end Rob Gronkowski know that it was time to dial back the body shots off of hookers, slow down on the shirtless club dancing and say “NO” to random minor league home run derbies. Work starts again…
Meet the 2012 HPMA Showcase Nominees: Glasnost
Rocks Off reached out to the artists playing this year’s Houston Press Music Awards showcase Sunday, August 5, and asked them to introduce themselves. Here’s what they sent back. Catch up with the other showcase nominees and see the rest of our HPMA coverage Rocks Off: When and where was…
Openings & Closings: A Good, Old-Fashioned Burger and a Good Old Fashioned
It’s been a quiet week around the city as the summer wears on and few restaurants are opening their doors. At least two braved the heat to do so this past week, though. After a lengthy construction and renovation process, The Refinery Burgers & Whiskey finally opened this past Monday…
Can Charlie Sheen Ever Be Charlie Sheen Again?
It’s hard to tell the exact moment it happened, sometime between his entrance and dramatic exit from the show Two and a Half Men, but this country has become obsessed with the crazy person that is now called Charlie Sheen. The reasons behind our infatuation with the man who once…
Look Who’s Talking On Our New Livefyre Comment System
As you might have noticed, we’re making the switch today to a new and improved commenting system, Livefyre. Some of you may have already used this system on sites like Talking Points Memo, MTV.com, The New York Times’ Web site and Bravo.com. Why are we making the switch? Well, because…
Reader’s Poll: What’s the Deal With Christian Music?
So you are disgusted, angry, and outright righteously pissed that your beloved 103.7 is gone with the wind, replaced by 24 hours of Christian music. Gone are your usual playlists full of Wilco, Soundgarden, Sheryl Crow and Death Cab For Cutie, not to mention your favorite DJs and personalities. This…
Make Your Feelings on Anvil, El Real, and Beans and Chili Known with Our New Livefyre Commenting System
As you might have noticed, we’re making the switch today to a new and improved commenting system, Livefyre. Some of you may have already used this system on sites like Talking Points Memo, MTV.com, The New York Times’ Web site and Bravo.com. Why are we making the switch? Well, because…
Loitering Gone Awry: Police Need Help Identifying Purse-Snatcher, Mustang
There’s a sign on the outside of a halfway house on Main Street just south of Alabama that I know because I’ve walked past it numerous times on my way to and from Continental Club and other restaurants and bars in that block. The sign says, “No Loitering or Hanging…
Six Houston Myths Mayor Parker Dispelled on The Colbert Report
The Colbert Report Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to life in Houston. We’re fat. It’s hot. Our scenery is ugly. We all wear cowboy hats every day and have oil wells in our back yards…
100 Favorite Dishes 2012: No. 51, Branzino at Lucio’s BYOB
This year leading up to our annual Best of Houston® issue, we’re counting down our 100 favorite dishes in Houston. This list comprises our favorite dishes from the last year, dishes that are essential to Houston’s cultural landscape and/or dishes that any visitor (or resident) should try at least once…
Seven Public Places Wi-Fi Hotspots Should Be Installed Immediately
It was recently reported that New York City has installed wi-fi hotspots at ten pay phone kiosks around the boroughs. My first thought was, “Pay phones?” After the shock that those still exist wore off, I started thinking this is a pretty smart idea. In public, having a hotspot saves…
The Sociological Implications of the Twist-Off Bottle Cap
I can’t count how many times, when I first started drinking craft beer, I nearly ripped the skin from my palms. You know how it goes, absentmindedly twisting the top off of a non-twist-off bottle. More times than I’d care to admit, I even gave it a second go. These…
Meet Sunny: From BARC to Broadway
ZZ Top, Dennis Quaid, Heaven’s Gate cult co-founder Marshall Applewhite — Houston has exported its share of talented entertainers, and now we’d like to add one more to the list: a Houston Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care adoptee named Sunny who will perform on Broadway in Annie. The 2.5-year-old…
What Are We Stuffing? Apples
Apple pie just screams “classic American dessert.” Pair it with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and you’ve got yourself one of the best fruit dessert combinations. My favorite part about apple pies is the warm, sugary and slightly crunchy apple filling. You can’t go wrong with apples, butter,…
UPDATED: Who Still Jerks Off in a Porno Theater? Fred Willard Does, Apparently
UPDATE: Fred Willard has just been fired from a gig on PBS’s Market Warriors and he is denying every claim by law enforcement, saying that the incident is a misunderstanding. Last night in Hollywood, actor Fred Willard was arrested for lewd conduct inside an adult movie theater. The funny man…
Meet the 2012 HPMA Showcase Nominees: Maximus
Rocks Off reached out to the artists playing this year’s Houston Press Music Awards showcase Sunday, August 5, and asked them to introduce themselves. Here’s what they sent back. Catch up with the other showcase nominees and see the rest of our HPMA coverage Rocks Off: When and where was…
Chef Chat, Part 2: John Sikhattana of Straits, On Singaporean Cuisine
John Sikhattana Executive Chef Straits Asian Bistro 800 West Sam Houston Parkway North 713-365-9922 www.straitsrestaurants.com This is the second part of a three-part chef chat series. Read Part 1 here and Part 3 in this space on Friday. EOW: You spent a lot of time with the Roy’s organization. How…
Charles Marion Robertson, 71, Fatally Shot by 70-Year-Old Brother-in-Law, Bayou Body Count No. 104
It’s been an oddly murderous week or so in the Harris County area, but this may be the strangest of the bunch. According to police, Charles Marion Robertson was at home with his brother-in-law, who apparently lived in the same house, when the two got into an argument. Police say…
Life Could Be a Dream from Stages: A Fun Jukebox Musical — with a Plot!
The setup: Life Could be a Dream from Stages Repertory Theatre, another jukebox musical — the time is the ’60s and the music is doo-wop — brings nostalgia, charm and warm good feelings, as usual, but this time it has a plot as well. The execution: If you’ve seen “Wayne’s…
Infographic: Dark Side of the Moon Landing
Friday is the 43rd anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, best known as the city of Houston’s one shining historical moment as the first word spoken from the surface. Somewhere in London, the landing must have stirred something else in the four members of Pink Floyd — soon to…
A New Way to Leave Anonymous Comments About How You Hate Obama: Livefyre
As you might have noticed, we’re making the switch today to a new and improved commenting system, Livefyre. Some of you may have already used this system on sites like Talking Points Memo, MTV.com, The New York Times’ website and Bravo.com. Why are we making the switch? Well, because we…
Dallas: “He’s a Man. Worse, He’s a *Ewing* Man.”
What the? Bobby and Christopher own Southfork’s mineral rights? Marta has sworn vendetta against Elena? John Ross threatened by Venezuelans? Rebecca’s pregnant? Where the hell have I been? Oh, right…vacation. Thanks to the lovely and talented Abby Koenig for taking the reins (ranch pun) last week. We’re ticking away the…
How to Spot a Genuine Tex-Mex Restaurant
Assistant Music Editor Craig Hlavaty recently purchased a 1981 edition of The Genuine Texas Handbook, a guide to all things Texan. It’s an often-tongue-in-cheek look at the people, places, outfits, songs, foods and more that made someone Texan 31 years ago. Incidentally, the book and I are the same age,…
Life as Lions: What’s the Penalty for Regicide These Days?
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. It’s a pretty common complaint of mine that rock is dead, killed in a mighty suck avalanche at the turn of the century that…
Juan Castillo, 20, and Mario Rene Lopez, 33, Shot: Bayou Body Count No. 102, 103
According to the Houston Police Department, Juan Castillo, 20, and Mario Rene Lopez, 33, were fatally shot at 3719 Lelia Street about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday morning. Witnesses told police three unknown male suspects went into the house and tried to rob the victims. After shots were fired, the suspects ran…
Free for All: AFA World Premieres Concert, “Texas Emerging Artists,” and Daniel Silva
The stars of tomorrow will be on stage Friday at the AFA World Premieres Concert. Part of the 2012 American Festival for the Arts Summer Concert Series, the performance will feature up-and-coming dancers from Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy working in collaboration with some of the region’s best student musicians…
NRBQ’s Al Anderson Now a World Famous Headliner
Above: Al Anderson (l) and World Famous Headliners in the studio. There are people in Nashville, highly successful people, the average fan or casual music listener has little if any clue about. Chris Stapleton comes to mind. Mike Henderson is another. Everyone in Nashville knows and admires them, from Music…
Top Five Cold Desserts in Houston
I say “cold dessert,” you probably say “ice cream!” If, however, you’ve eaten your fill of sundaes, cones and milkshakes this summer, there are other (near) subzero confections available in H-town. My five favorites: 5. Lemon Ice Box Cake (Zelko Bistro). Though not as cold as its name would suggest,…
Helena Brown Stayed at Luxury Hotels on Publicly Funded Trip to Asia
Marking yet another strange turn involving City Council Member Helena Brown’s recent trip to Asia, Brown stayed at a series of luxury hotels in Beijing and Seoul, charging the city more than $2,000 in six days of lodging expenses, according to her expense report. A Brown spokesman wrote in e-mail…
10 Heavy Metal Double Albums That Make Us Want to Buy a Turntable
This week, one of our most highly anticipated albums of the summer was released: Baroness’ Yellow & Green. We were already looking forward to hearing whatever came next from the Georgia rockers after the success of their epic Blue Record in 2009, but we got especially excited when we found…
Alley Theatre’s HYPE Develops Student Playwrights, Puts on A Reading
When Joe Angel Babb joined the Alley Theatre’s education program in 2001, the theater was already recognizing high school playwrights for their efforts with a competition resulting in a staged reading of the winners. “Being new and wanting to make an impression, I said why don’t we invite the playwrights…
A Deeper Look at the Best Beers in America for 2012
Recently, the American Homebrewers Association polled readers of its Zymurgy magazine to ask about their favorite beers. Some 16,000 respondents cast votes used to compile the list. Here’s how it breaks down: By the numbers: 36 of the beers are commercially available in Houston 27 different breweries are represented 22…
Comment of the Day: Dez Bryant 9-1-1 Edition
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 or afternoon from the previous day’s work. Maybe two comments, even. This will all be determined by a highly rigorous…
Pop Rocks: Why Shutting Down Comments on Rotten Tomatoes Isn’t a Bad Thing
By the time you read this, I will be dead. No wait, what I meant was: By the time you read this, I’ll have seen The Dark Knight Rises. The screening is/was Wednesday night, and I can guarantee I will have had one of two reactions: Either I liked it…
My Surprise Lunch at Ciao Bello
Friday the 13th was probably one of the luckiest days I’ve had this summer. Although the master barista demonstration I originally came for at Ciao Bello had been delayed a couple of hours, I was surprised by an unforgettable media lunch. The owner’s son, Jeff Vallone, offered to let me…
Is O.N.E. Becoming a Houston Rap Folk Hero?
There’s a scene in 1997’s Good Will Hunting where Matt Damon is talking to Robin Williams about getting beaten as a child. He tells Williams that his foster dad used to lay out things on a table (wrench, belt, etc) and ask which one he wanted to be hit with…
Thunder Rolls: Six Shocking Lightning Stories
On Monday, three soccer players took shelter under a tree as storms rolled into Houston’s Escondido Sports Center. Unfortunately, that’s one of the worst places to be in the event of lightning, which tends to seek out the tallest object in the area. When lightning struck, fire and sparks engulfed…
Oh, How Sweet It Is: Tiff’s Treats
I first sampled the cookies in Austin. Then, I fell in love and out of my chair. On the table sat a beautiful white gift box with blue ribbon. Inside, reflected on shiny silver paper, lay a dozen scrumptious, full-bodied cookies in ten different flavors. I couldn’t keep my hands…
The Billy Corgan/Wilson From Home Improvement Meme
Tuesday Sirius-XM’s Alt Nation posted the picture (right) of Smashing Pumpkins mastermind Billy Corgan hanging in their studio on the channel’s Facebook page. Slum-dapper in a bucket hat, flannel and army surplus coat, it’s obviously a far cry from the tall, lithe guy in silver pants and a ZERO shirt…
Who Will the New American Idol Judges Be?
Another one bites the dust for American Idol…or two, that is. Late last week aging rocker Steven Tyler announced that he would be trading in his tickets to Hollywood to “bring Rock Back” (but can he bring 1978 back?). Tyler and his group Aerosmith are releasing a new album this…
Nick Saban’s Daughter Has Responded to Her Sorority Sister’s Civil Lawsuit
Conflict stokes people, especially when it involves a cat fight between two sorority girls at Alabama, and especially when one of those two sorority girls is the daughter of the head football coach, Nick Saban. The number of people that read my post last week on the civil lawsuit filed…
Visit Your Own Hometown: Houston’s Top 10 Hotel Bars
There are distinct advantages to drinking in hotel bars, even at hotels in the city where you live. There is always wi-fi available. The bartender doesn’t care if you nurse or linger over your drink; most people are just biding time between meetings or flights anyway. You’ll meet interesting people…
Fiat’s Espresso Maker in the Car & Five Other Really Bad Ideas
Have you ever been driving 70 miles an hour through the rolling hills of Highway 290 and thought to yourself, “You know what I desperately need right now at this second? An espresso!” But when you have this thought, it’s not a drive-through Starbucks that you have on the brain,…
Meet the 2012 HPMA Showcase Nominees: D.R.U.M.
Rocks Off reached out to the artists playing this year’s Houston Press Music Awards showcase Sunday, August 5, and asked them to introduce themselves. Here’s what they sent back. Complete HPMA showcase and awards coverage Rocks Off: When and where was your first gig in Houston, and how did it…
The 11 Sexiest Women Within the EDM Scene
All right, I have to say it: For the most part, when EDM is brought up men are on top. What people tend to forget is about the sexy women that are sampled and featured within the DJs’ work; not to mention there are some sexy women DJs out there…
Like That Chain Restaurant?
Local Spotlight In the last couple of weeks, we’ve explored fun and funky Texas wines to drink in lieu of old standbys like Cabernet and Chardonnay, and we’ve showcased local beers that can be enlisted to help wean your friends off adjunct lagers made by giant corporations. And just like…
Alleged Teen Rape Caught on Video
Highlights from Hair Balls CRIME When the 17-year-old girl woke, hungover and sore, around 2 or 3 p.m. on August 4, 2010, her boyfriend, Elric Shawn Millner, said he had something to show her. According to court documents, these were videos he had taken the night before, footage he shot…
Capsule Art Reviews: “Hilary Wilder: A Northern Tale”, “Interstitial Spaces: Julia Barello & Beverly Penn”, “Kyle Farley: Countenance”, “Perry House: Elegance/Violence”, “Rita Bernstein: Out of Place”, “Shifting Transforming: Ideas, Shapes & Mater
“Hilary Wilder: A Northern Tale” There is something compellingly otherworldly about Hilary Wilder’s work. Geysers, glaciers, high seas — the imagery suggests a chilly northern element we can only approach through intense air conditioning. It’s likely a desired effect, as Wilder plays with notions of what’s real in nature in…
Capsule Stage Reviews: Beehive, Black Coffee, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, The Lion King, Tamarie Cooper’s DOOMSDAY REVUE (the greatest musical ever), Travelsty
Beehive From bubble gum to Southern Comfort, the women of ’60s pop had a radical musical transformation. Whether their music exactly mirrored those changing times as easily as Beehive’s creator Larry Gallagher would like us to think is another matter, and, anyway, we really shouldn’t be thinking such deep thoughts…
Indigenous Artifacts and Tight Pants
Dear Mexican, I was wondering about the Spanish going into Mexico and taking the gold and artifacts away from the Indians. Could the Mexican government ask for the gold back? What do you think? Raider of the Lost Chonis Dear Mexican, Why doesn’t Mexico’s president demand that all nations and/or…
R U On the List Tour
You’d think that after driving recklessly while behind the wheel of a $1.7 million Bugatti on South Beach and then failing a field sobriety test last summer, Flo Rida would want to squash his reputation as one of hip-hop’s wild ones. Instead, the 32-year-old Carol City, Florida, native turned that…
Last Summer On Earth
With Barenaked Ladies, Blues Traveler, Cracker, Big Head Todd & The Monsters, 7 p.m. No word yet if, in the event that the world doesn’t in fact end by December, Friday’s “Last Summer on Earth” concertgoers will be eligible for refunds due to false advertising. Probably not. But why not…
The Toadies, Helmet, UME
This bill featuring a trio of glowering alt-rock bands arrives like a midsummer punch in the gut. Headliners the Toadies should have been the house band for Mike Judge’s King of the Hill, if perhaps Hank Hill kept a body in his deep freeze like Jack Black in Richard Linklater’s…
Joe Cocker, Huey Lewis & the News
Between this and last week’s Dukes of September gig, you have no reason to complain that Houston never gets any great shows, er, shows where you can take the parents. Still slugging away, Joe Cocker released latest album Hard Knocks this past January, with production from Matchbox Twenty collaborator Matt…
Female Demand
This past month, Houston duo Female Demand released Outside the Universe, their first full-length LP after two EPs. Universe was produced by Manny Nieto, who has done behind-the-scenes work for HEALTH, The Breeders and Will Crum, and first worked with Female Demand on their 2010 EP. Universe is infinitely groovier…
Kashmere Stage Band
It’s been well-told by now, especially in Mark Landsman’s 2010 documentary Thunder Soul (presented by Jamie Foxx), but the Kashmere Stage Band’s story never gets old. So here it is again: Alumni of Kashmere High School’s Stage Band, actual students who put out several LPs of high-energy jazz/funk fusion in…
If the Addicks and Barker Dams Fail
The psychic’s office at South Highway 6’s Briarhills Parkways strip mall would be one of the first ones to go. Later, jungle gyms and mailboxes painted in Texas state flag colors might join the bobbing televisions and tombstones from Memorial Oaks Cemetery in the crude river that’s been formed by…
Why So Serious?
Christopher Nolan’s ponderous, pontifical action movies are written less as screenplays than as operator’s manuals, guiding an audience through assembling their important themes while scrupulously making sure you don’t miss a thing. This is as true of Inception, with its reams of expositional walk-through, as of Nolan’s superhero saga, now…
Oscar Munoz Is Only Human
Memories fade. People disappear. It happens in life, and it happens in Oscar Muñoz’s art. “Oscar Muñoz” at Sicardi Gallery presents a strong selection of work from the Colombian artist, who manages a poetic blend of the political, the historical and the personal. Sicardi Gallery has shown some great work…
The Hot-Yoga Wars
In a large Chinese banquet hall in Boston, hung with open-mouthed dragons and bulbous red lanterns, the hot yogis have taken over. Seventy Bikram yoga teachers are sprawled between the tables. At the helm of it all, clad in a black silk suit, a rhinestone tie and a diamond-encrusted Rolex,…
Kaskade’s Moment
Last New Year’s Eve, electronic musician and DJ Kaskade had to be on two stages on the same day — at the Anaheim Convention Center for Insomniac Events’ White Wonderland and then hours later at the Marquee in Las Vegas, where he’s a resident DJ alongside giants such as Benny…
Tandoori Nite
See inside the belly of the hot Tandoori Nite food truck for yourself in our slideshow. It’s easy to pass by Tandoori Nite during the day. Squatting in the corner of a bland Phillips 66 gas station parking lot, the little white food truck is lost amidst the visual static…
Marshall Lytle Rocks This Joint
Starting Thursday, hoop skirts, hepcats and hot rods will take over the Continental Club compound for the 12th annual Rock Baby Rock It festival, a three-day celebration of rockabilly music and culture. This year’s soiree features two historic rockabilly giants, Michigan legend and Sun Records recording artist Johnny Powers and…
