Today’s Racism Explanation From The Fire Department
For the second day in a row, Houston Fire Department Chief Phil Boriskie stood behind the podium at a news conference to address violent and racist messages that have been directed at the department’s African-American firefighters. Today’s incident involved someone making a “morally offensive” comment on an HFD radio frequency…
Hey! Joe The Plumber Was In Town! And Said Something Stupid!
Lost amidst the Michael-Jackson levels of coverage of the local Tea Parties here last weekend was the nugget that Joe the Plumber — yes, the Joe the Plumber — was at the Conroe Tea Party.Folk hero to millions, perceptive, trenchant critic of the overweening left-wing in America, JTP was TCB…
Dessert Gallery’s New Digs
You’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t. That’s the conundrum faced by owners of successful and long-running restaurants when deciding if they should “update” their establishment. If you change too much, you face a possible mutiny by loyal customers. If you don’t change at all, you’re…
Single-Album Sets We’d Like to See, Part 2: Blondie, Green Day, U2 and More
There are so many artists coming to Houston this summer and fall who should pick up on the “classic album” trend Rocks Off could hardly stop at just five. See our picks for Nos. 6-10 here. 5. Blondie (Arena Theater, August 23) Album: Eat to the Beat (Chrysalis, 1979) After…
Stop Blasting Your Damn A/C, Texas: We May Reach A Record For Electricity Use Today
ERCOT, the cooperative that manages the Texas power grid (And hey — Texas is the only state with its own power grid!! When the revolution comes and New York and LA are out of power, we’ll still have juice!!) is warning customers to limit their electricity use between from 3-7…
Aftermath: Betty Soo at McGonigel’s Mucky Duck
It took Spring native Betty Soo a little while to get it rolling Tuesday night, but once she did she wowed the Mucky Duck’s capacity crowd with her voice, lyrics and gentle personality. Working in fresh-off-the-road Jon Dee Graham bassist Joshua Zarbo for the first time, it took Soo’s foursome…
Violence And Kidnapping In Nigeria Makes Its Way To Houston Courtrooms
Kidnappings, pipeline bombings and vigilantism has become a way of life for both offshore oil workers stationed along the coast of Nigeria as well as the oppressed native insurgency groups who carry out the violence. (Check out this week’s feature about one Texan’s remarkable survival experience after being kidnapped by…
Farm Living Isn’t the Life for Damian Mandola
Damian Mandola and his wife, Trina — both notable Houston chefs and restauranteurs — have found themselves in a spot of bother up the Hill County, where they currently reside on a ranch outside of Austin. That spot of bother? Allegations that they had three of their neighbors’ Swiss mountain…
MP3 of the Day: Two for Dave Rask
When he was walking this Earth, playing music for friends and family, Dave Rask’s favorite haunt was Avant Garden. The tone of his guitar and his voice seemed to always suit the surroundings. The place is boho, tender and lived-in, just like the man’s songs were. Many forget that Rask…
What’s Today’s Method Of Spreading Racism Throughout The Houston Fire Department? The Radio!
Another day, another racist incident at HFD. And another press conference for officials to talk about how shocked and appalled they are, and how action will be taken, stuff will not be put up with, we are the world, etc.This morning, anyone listening to one of the department’s radio frequencies…
Texas Traveler: Admitting Defeat To The BBQ In Salt Lick
It started with 24 ounces of Icehouse.Texas Traveler was headed to Austin Friday morning with a couple of friends. We’d already stopped at the overflowing Buc-ee’s along the way, and managed to secure some fudge samples — peanut butter, rocky road and cookies and cream, all equally great — to…
Artist of the Week: Tax the Wolf
Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group “Artist of the Week,” bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies. Know a band or artist that isn’t awful? Email their particulars to introducingliston@gmail.com. Several weeks ago, we saw a middle-school-aged kid…
Stirred and Shaken: Mugsy’s Juice Box
The new Mugsy’s (2239 Richmond, 713-522-7118) is in the building formerly occupied by LZ Pub (RIP). If I had a dime for every night I spent posted up at the corner of the bar at LZ’s, I’d have a shitload of dimes. Circa 2002-2003, no weekend bender was complete without…
T. Boone Pickens Names A New Holiday
To celebrate the one year anniversary since launching the Pickens Plan, ol’ T. Boone himself has declared today, July, 8, “Energy Independence Day.” It nice to know that all it takes is befriending a few powerful congressmen and about $100 million to name your own national “independence” day honoring yourself…
Aftermath: Goodnight and Good Morning, Roman Candles, Timber!, Stove Blow and Scuba Steve at Super Happy Fun Land
Going to a show at Super Happy Fun Land is always an out-of-this-world experience. The multicolored walls tell a story, one of a man capable of eating his own leg, another of just random tagging, although it is fairly new. These walls tell a story: one of hopes, dreams, underappreciation…
Never Too Hot For A Hockey Update
Just because it’s the off-season in hockey doesn’t mean that things aren’t happening with the Houston Aeros. Since the end of the season, head coach Kevin Constantine and his coaching staff have been retained by the new management regime of the parent Minnesota Wild. But Aeros general manager Tom Lynn,…
Bayou Beat: Live Nation Goes All In, ZZ Top Tickets Up for Grabs, Meridian Rocks the Sabbath and More
Live Nation has outdone itself on its latest “No Service Fee” Wednesday. All day, $29.99 buys a lawn ticket – one lawn ticket, mind you – parking, all those pesky fees, a hot dog and a soda for any participating show at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. Once they figure…
A Café Bites Nibble
“I went to school in the Northeast, and that’s where I was introduced to Tasti D-Lite frozen desserts,” says Aaron Webster, the franchise owner of Houston’s first Tasti D-Lite (1707 Post Oak Blvd., 713-622-5483). “I found it to be a great product, so much healthier than other desserts. It’s made…
Texas Traveler: Admitting Defeat To The BBQ In Salt Lick
It started with 24 ounces of Icehouse. Texas Traveler was headed to Austin Friday morning with a couple of friends. We’d already stopped at the overflowing Buc-ee’s along the way, and managed to secure some fudge samples — peanut butter, rocky road and cookies and cream, all equally great –…
Aftermath: The McKenzies, the Howlies and Springfield Riots at the Mink
To Aftermath, the Mink’s Backroom has always seemed more like a house than a music venue – especially inside, with the dark floors, corner bars and abundant, comfortable seating, it’s like one of those cozy but spacious multi-resident dwellings where we all went to at least one party in college…
Someone Has To Catch Phantom’s Falling Chandelier
Spoiler alert : Just in case you haven’t gone to the theater in the last 20 years and have no idea of the plot, don’t read further if you don’t want to know what happens to the chandelier in Phantom of the Opera …or to the actors who walk underneath it…..
Kemah Says It’s Firing Cops Due To Ike; Cops Think Otherwise
Maybe you heard, but Hurricane Ike smashed up Kemah pretty badly, and things aren’t looking too good for the city these days.Sure, the vaunted boardwalk is coming back, and the local Wal-Mart is scheduled to reopen today, but the city has reported about a $400,000 loss in revenue after Ike-related…
Top 5 Cold Drinks: Alcoholic Version
A while back we made a list of beverages that hit the spot in hot weather. But we didn’t include anything with alcohol the first time. An ice-cold beer usually does the trick, but sometimes a balmy evening calls for a beverage with a muddled ingredient or cocktail umbrella. 5…
Eyeballin’: The Black Crowes’ Warpaint Live
To celebrate the release of 2008’s Warpaint, the Black Crowes played the entire record straight through for a special series of shows. Already released as a 2-CD set, this DVD of one performance shows why the Crowes are such an effective live unit. Two things immediately jump out. Singer Chris…
Ron Artest Wastes No Time Getting Crazy In LA: He Releases A Michael Jackson Tribute Video
You’re taking a shower after a hard day at work, fuming over things that went wrong, when suddenly, you hear someone approaching.You turn around and see a large shadow, and realize it’s not a friend, family member or even co-worker. Ron Artest has broken in, is evidently staring at you,…
BARC Chief Is Fired, With Little In The Way Of Explanation
BARC Bureau Chief Ray Sim was fired today, spokeswoman Kathy Barton confirmed. She would not give specific reasons, saying only “I think it was just an issue of timing…[it was] not the right time for this guy.” Sim began his job in May, after the Department of Health and Human…
MP3 of the Day: The McKenzies
Good early-week show at the Mink tonight, with local power-pop wunderkinds the McKenzies, melodic indie-rockers Springfield Riots (sporting brand-new EP Say When) and visiting kindred spirits from Atlanta, the Howlies. The McKenzies were nice enough to let us post an MP3 from their self-titled EP that’s nominated for Best EP/7-inch…
Funeral, Cameras: Yep, Sheila Jackson Lee Is In The House
Shocking news: There was a funeral service where cameras were present, and Sheila Jackson Lee showed up.Lee had a big speech at today’s Michael Jackson’s…whatever it was. And she went on and on. For eight minutes. (If the video above doesn’t work, try here.)Lee quickly became a huge topic on…
A Few Final Thoughts, Tweets on Michael’s Memorial
Well, Michael Jackson’s funeral is over, and according to L.A. Weekly, the crowds in downtown L.A. are filing toward various overpasses to catch a glimpse of Jackson’s hearse as the funeral procession winds its way toward the cemetery. Rocks Off doesn’t want to use the word “anticlimactic,” but the funeral…
Japanese Chardonnay: The New Frontier?
While in Chinatown browsing the aisles at Hong Kong City Mall’s grocery store, Hong Kong Market, last weekend, I ran across something interesting among the hundreds of bottles of sake: Japanese Chardonnay and Merlot, made by Chateau Mercian. It’s highly possible that I’m the last person on earth to know…
Requiem for Michael: The Last Rock Star
Amid the past two weeks of Michael Jackson worship, the details of his drug use were slowly leaked out. The man had done enough painkillers and random legal narcotics that would make all-star druggies like Keith Richards and Lemmy Kilmister shudder and cower away. It’s funny that this small and…
Ike Claims Yet One More Victim On Galveston: The Fun Of Bowling
Oh Galveston, when will your Hurricane Ike suffering ever end?News has come down that the last bowling alley on the island, the imaginatively named Island Bowl, will not reopen. Roof damage during Ike and struggles with insurance money have proven to be too much to over come.No bowling. Are there…
Lonesome Onry and Mean: Maria Taylor’s LadyLuck
During his Fourth of July road trip to San Antonio, Lonesome Onry and Mean found himself listening to Maria Taylor’s excellent LadyLuck and wondering how he could have been so remiss in not reporting on such a fine record. Producer, singer, writer, arranger, Taylor is a huge multi-threat talent who…
Houston Sounds Off on Michael’s Memorial
L.A. Weekly’s Twitter updates have slowed down, but there’s plenty of Houstonians following along. Here’s a selection from the past 30 minutes or so: cashless: “Blanket, FTW!” joeyguerra: “”we need to look up, where he is undoubtedly perched on a crescent moon, and we need to smile.” – brooke shields”…
Hydrating The Homeless In Houston
On a recent afternoon of triple-digit heat, Big Country was passed out on his back in Tranquility Park. He awoke with a roar. “God! It’s so hot!” Country grabbed his suitcase and made for the air-conditioned library. He was stopped at the door. Suitcases, at least battered ones with sleeping…
Gigi’s Asian Bistro and Dumpling Bar’s Shu Mai
Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Gigi’s offers all-you-can-eat dim sum for $12. Of course, shu mai is one of the featured items. If you think you can master the “pleating” and “thumping” technique described below, you may have the skills necessary for making this classic Chinese…
More From Michael’s Memorial: Mariah Carey, Queen Latifah, Jennifer Hudson, John Mayer
More MJ memorial tweets from L.A. Weekly: “Just got tingles as they roll his casket in. Chorus singing We. Are Going to see the King” “Tears in staples for latifah reading Maya. Lots of sniffles.””Jennifer Hudson just blew mariah off the stage.””Maybe john Mayer will do Your Body Is a…
Houston Fire Department Battles Another Racism Allegation, Assuming You Think Graffiti Saying “Die Nigger” Is Racist
The Houston Police Department began a full-scale hate-crime investigation this morning after a pair of women firefighters discovered racist and sexist graffiti scribbled all over the locker doors in the women’s dressing quarters at Station 54 at Bush Intercontinental Airport. Houston Fire Department Executive Assistant Chief Rick Flanagan described the…
Michael Jackson Memorial Underway
The Michael Jackson memorial service is underway at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Although Smokey Robinson has already expressed his condolences to the crowd, so far it’s been a lot of talking heads; right now ABC News is discussing the market for MJ memorabilia. Here’s a few tweets from…
Sheila Jackson Lee Honors Michael Jackson, At Incredible Length
Via The Hill’s blog, we’ve learned of our own Sheila Jackson Lee’s epic attempt to immortalize Michael Jackson (who is being celebrated as we speak; check out the twittering/liveblogging at the music blog of our sister paper LA Weekly).Amazingly, Lee’s bill declaring the House of Representatives “recognizes Michael Jackson as…
Cheap Lobsters Flooding the Market
Desperate lobster fisherman are selling cheap lobsters by the side of the road, undercutting an already weak market for the luxury seafood item, according to recent accounts. An Atlantic article, “The Mystery of Cheap Lobster Prices,” explains that the crash of the Icelandic banking system and subsequent closing of Canadian…
Single-Album Sets We’d Like to See, Part 1: Bob Dylan, George Strait, The Pogues and More
Initiated by indie-rockers like Sonic Youth, Slint and Built to Spill at mid-2000s festivals – UK/U.S. hopover All Tomorrow’s Parties and its various tie-ins being the most prominent – playing a beloved LP front to back in concert is now the hottest thing going on the classic-rock circuit. Within the…
Southwest Airlines Offering Some Really Cheap Seats
Southwest Airlines has created a huge amount of buzz among low-fare junkies this morning with the announcement of a two-day sale where all tickets cost either $30, $60 or $90 one-way.As the Dallas Morning News’ aviation blog puts it: Southwest calls it “one of the biggest fare sales in the…
Ron Artest Misses Michael Jackson Too, Y’all
Recently departed Rocket Ron Artest has never had any trouble making headlines on or off the basketball court, so it’s easy to forget that occasionally he also fancies himself a musician. Now the ever-misunderstood Artest has put his feelings about Michael Jackson in song with “Michael Michael.” Before admitting, “I…
Ask a Rapper: K-Rino
The hip-hop world is a less than sensible place – lots of times, you’re even required to clarify when bad means bad and when bad means good – so once a week we’re going to get with a rapper and ask them to explain things. Something you always wanted to…
“Hunter Pence, All Star” — It Has A Nice Ring To It
Let’s hear it for Hunter Pence. The best all-around player on the moribund Astros is finally getting some love as he was selected by the players and managers to be a member of the NL All Star roster. I’m surprised that Pence got a roster spot, though. His stats are…
$13 at Reggae Hut
Where: Reggae Hut, 4814 Almeda Rd., 713-520-7171What $13 gets you: Any main course or seafood dish, which will be more than enough. Favorites include the jerk chicken and garlic shrimp, along with a Jamaican take on oxtail. We tried that, mainly because we weren’t quite sure what it meant. Instead…
Beyonce Scheduled to Perform at Michael Jackson Memorial
ABC News is reporting that Beyonce, who sang tributes to Michael Jackson at her Toyota Center concert and at New Orleans’ Essence Music Festival over the weekend, will perform at Jackson’s funeral in Los Angeles this afternoon. Also expected to attend are Justin Timberlake, P Diddy, Smokey Robinson, Akon and…
Food Fight: We Need Your Help
Last week, the Houston Press engaged in a little war of words on Twitter and on HAIF about the best pizza in Houston. Apparently, there’s a disturbing number of people in Houston who honestly believe (whether because they’ve never eaten anywhere else — not even at a Chuck E. Cheese…
The Last Roundup: A Palin Resignation Playlist, Texas Heat Fizzles, Mathletes LP Release and More
There’s always that one thing that makes the week great, even though it’s barely begun. This week, it comes courtesy of Houston Music Examiner David Sadof’s three-part playlist for Sarah Palin’s resignation. The Texas Heat Music Festival’s goose was cooked, says 29-95. Thought things were slow over on Weworemasks, then these…
Bayou Body Count: Trouble Out On The Roads
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Oh, The Lakers Will Learn All About Ron Artest
On the way to his fourth championship, Kobe Bryant was guarded by Mickael Pietrus, Hedo Turkoglu, Courtney Lee, Dahntay Jones, Carmelo Anthony, Shane Battier, and all of the Jazz players whose names Jerry Sloan could remember. None of them had the combination of speed, size, and advanced weaponry needed to…
Where Are We Eating?
Plenty of restaurants around town have elaborate wine storage for their many bottles. Restaurants like Catalan and Reef showcase their wine along immense walls, while others, like Voice, keep the wine down below, in a cellar. Still others, like Todai and Rattan, have intricate Enomatic wine-dispensing systems. Can you guess…
Distant Early Warning: …Trail of Dead, Glen Tilbrook, Jolie Holland, Vomitfest, Rob Thomas and More
…And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead , The Secret Machines, The Watermarks: Sat., Sept. 12. Warehouse Live. Back in Black (AC/DC Tribute), Tragedy (Metal Bee Gees Tribute): Sat., Aug. 15. House of Blues. Billy Joe Shaver: Sat., Aug. 15. The Firehouse Saloon & Eatery. Bleu Edmondson:…
I Am Loving Me Some Cake Boss
For a TLC show, you could do a lot worse than Cake Boss, which follows around a chubby Italian guy named Buddy Valastro who earns a living making fancy cakes in his family’s Hoboken bakery.I’m talking super fancy cakes. Cakes shaped like fire trucks that light up. Cakes that have…
Michael Jackson, You Will Be Honored…And Twittered
The Most Important Event Ever….Will Be Twittered!!!!Our colleagues at West Coast Sound, the music blog of our sister paper L.A. Weekly, will be in attendance when The Nation Stops at noon tomorrow (Houston time) to give a final send-off to Michael Jackson at Los Angeles’ Staples Center. So far Stevie…
Michael Jackson Funeral Coverage Coming Tomorrow
Somehow the folks at West Coast Sound, Rocks Off’s sister music blog over at L.A. Weekly, have scored the hottest ticket in show business in years: a ticket to Michael Jackson’s funeral Tuesday at Los Angeles’ Staples Center. So far Stevie Wonder, Jackson’s old Motown boss Berry Gordy, Brooke Shields,…
Texas Tries, But Can’t Lead The Nation In Bank Robberies
As faithful Hair Balls readers know, Houston loves it some bank robbin’. The FBI office here eagerly hands out nicknames to robbers (Best one yet: the fiend called “Read My Lips” because he has some ailment that discolors his lips).We’ve had polite robbers, reckless robbers, guys dressed as construction workers,…
Smashburger Expands
Smashburger, the self-proclaimed “fast casual” burger import from Denver, has done well enough since its debut in Houston last December that three more restaurants are opening here. Smashburgers are “one hundred percent Angus.” They’re “smashed on the grill to sear the meat and seal in the flavor.” From personal experience…
Monday MP3s: Two from LL Cooper’s Tucson
When it comes to salt-of-the-earth working-class roots-rock, groups (especially around Houston) don’t come much more solid than LL Cooper, the semi-eponymous band led by Houston/Austin roots vet Larry Cooper. “For my money, very few acts sound better accompanying a round of Lone Stars in a smoky bar,” the Press’ Nicholas…
How to Get In Touch With DJ Zin
It always warms the cockles of Rocks Off’s heart when something we write pays off for the artist, especially one as deserving as longtime Houston DJ, rapper and community activist Zin. This morning, Zin texted the Press’ Shea Serrano, who wrote this week’s music feature, “Balance,” and said he’s been…
Amegy Bank, Very Concerned About The Health Of Its Employees
A ghoulish lawsuit filed against Amegy Bank just got a little, uh, ghoulisher. In February, the Chron brought us the story of Irma Johnson, who sued Amegy after finding out the bank took out a life insurance policy on her ill husband, a bank employee, in 2001. After brain surgery to partially…
Bayou Body Count: Guy Walks Into A Bar…
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Community Bar Food
Just above the bar at newish Midtown watering hole called Community Bar is a chalkboard with various drink specials, as well as the words “Food served.” I was intrigued yet doubtful. Bar food in Houston is definitely a hit-or-miss affair (mainly misses in the form of Velveeta nachos or frozen…
Slide Show: Day of the Duos
Today marks the anniversary of the day in 1957 that John Lennon met Paul McCartney, when Paul happened to take in John’s pre-Beatles band, the Quarrymen, at a Liverpool church picnic. Exactly seven years later came the London premiere of A Hard Day’s Night, the manic movie whose soundtrack cemented…
Remembering Steve McNair, Once An Oiler
Steve McNair was going to be the next savior of the Houston Oilers. Bud Adams decided he didn’t want to stick around in Houston, however, and McNair ended up becoming the first savior of the Tennessee Titans. Nicknamed “Air Mcnair,” he was the Oilers’ number-one pick in the 1995 draft…
Houston’s Tea Party: Yes, There Was One
You probably didn’t realize it, because the Left-Wing Socialist/Fascist Mainstream Media chose to ignore it, but there was yet another “Tea Party” in Houston over the weekend, which means another wacky, fun-loving combination of a) very odd people, and b) wildly overstated crowd estimates.Organizers say up to 10,000 people showed…
Welcome To Glitchville. Population: Us
There have been some troubles with the blogging software throughout the massive Village Voice Media empire, so we haven’t been able to post.We’re confident the problem has been solved, and we’ll be able to get back to doing whatever the hell it is we do.Thanks for the patience, even if…
Aftermath: Vans Warped Tour at Sam Houston Race Park
For anyone out there thinking that kids don’t care about music anymore, or that all they want out of it is illegal downloads and faux guitars connected to gaming consoles, Rocks Off would like to kindly direct you to the 15th installment of the Vans Warped Tour. Nearing a decade…
Snackshot: Dinuguan
This week’s interesting Snackshot comes to us courtesy of Gary Wise and Filipiniana. From the photographer’s description: “Pork cooked in blood, served on traditional cheese bread roll. Delicious, and not what you’d think!”…
Slide Show: July 4 at 3700 Main
With the sun beating down to the tune of 100 degrees in the shade and police checkpoints every mile or so, Rocks Off decided the most prudent way to spend his Fourth of July was to stay put. Luckily, the Island was hopping with a burlesque show and backyard barbecue…
The Chronicle Has Issues With Delivery
Something went seriously astray with the printing of Saturday morning’s Houston Chronicle. A whole bunch of papers arrived on doorsteps (or in flower beds) throughout the area without the Star (features) or (gasp) Sports section.”We had issues with our presses and we had a lot of calls,” a Chronicle circulation…
Late Night Scene: Teahouse
Even 15 minutes before its midnight closing, Teahouse on Shepherd has nary an empty table. One would think a tired employee would grimace at anyone new walking in the door, but the guy on duty is surprisingly friendly. Someone uninitiated to the bubble tea scene could easily waste these last…
Turning the Screw: Thurogood Wordsmith, Jay-Z, Z-Ro, R. Kelly, Mase, R.I.P. Vibe, Ganksta N-I-P and More
Welcome back to Turning the Screw, Rocks Off’s weekly rap post. It probably won’t rhyme, at least most of the time. Email tips to introducingliston@gmail.com.com. Thanks, homies. Single of the Week: “Boomerang,” Thurogood Wordsmith Wire to Wire The guy that provided this week’s Single of the Week is dope. Check…
Houston’s Latest Sherlock Holmes, On Being Buff And Avoiding Cliche
This year’s ExxonMobil Summer Chills production at the Alley Theatre will be Sherlock Holmes and the Crucifer of Blood, allowing company actor Todd Waite to once again play the master detective in all his dressing-gowned splendor.The show runs Wednesday, July 15 through Sunday, August 16 on the Hubbard Stage. The…
Aftermath: Beyonce at Toyota Center
Imagine, if you will, being invited to the most lavish party, held just for you and about 15,000 of your closet friends. The host, a beauty from McGregor, whose only mission is to give her guests 100 percent of herself and satisfy their needs for a night of entertainment. In…
While You Weren’t Tweeting: Post-Holiday Hangover Edition
Sheesh. Check out the yawn on you! You’d think someone had cut your head in half. Sure, it doesn’t beg notice that it’s Monday morning. THE Monday morning following an incredibly steamy, incredibly dehydrating 4th of July weekend. You’ve already debated quitting your job so you don’t have to show…
$13 at Pagoda
Where: Pagoda Vietnamese Bistro & Bar, 4705 Inker St., 832-673-0400 What $13 gets you: A cup of pineapple seafood soup ($5) and a big bowl of vermicelli salad ($8) or a Vietnamese sandwich ($4) and a bowl of pho ($8). Pagoda is an authentic Vietnamese restaurant with a chic modern…
Texas Traveler: Sea Center Texas
About an hour south of Houston on 288, in a modern residential neighborhood in Lake Jackson, stands Sea Center Texas, an aquarium and educational center operated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. As aquariums go, it’s not the state’s fanciest, but it does include exhibits dedicated solely to environments…
Flipping Out: Aiden At The Vans Warped Tour
We are currently nursing one hell of a sun hangover, but we have a video from yesterday’s Vans Warped Tour to hold you over until Monday morning. Have a safe and happy Independence Day from all of us at Rocks Off. Warning: This contains sweat, cursing, dust, and a whole…
This Week In Deliciousness
Welcome back to Eating Our Words’ weekly round-up, where the beer flows like honey, and vice versa (our still is broken, and our bees are drunk). Speaking of honey, Robb Walsh had an interesting look at cucuzza blossom honey, which is the honey from a Sicilian squash used primarily by…
North American Scum: Songs for Independence Day
Here in America, we enjoy more personal freedoms than most countries. We can say what we want (provided we don’t swear on network TV or radio), do what we want (provided we’re not one of these people who wants to marry someone of the same sex), and go where we…
Five Spot: Lil Keke’s Don’t Mess With Texas
Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we’ll examine a recent bit of music news and, sometimes awkwardly, tie it to a bit of Houston rap. It’s five videos and occasional cussing. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Last week we wrote about ESG’s Ocean of Funk, which spiraled into an email…
Things to Do This Weekend If You’re (Almost) Broke: Happy Fourth, Houston
If you’re celebrating independence from a lot of money this Fourth of July weekend, believe us, Rocks Off feels your pain. If you can pry yourself away from the barbecue pit, here’s a few other things to do that won’t cost much. Friday Grrrl Parts and Dave Wrangler glam it…
Last Call for Art: Everyday Life & Natural Disasters
There are lots of fireworks planned for this 4th of July weekend, but all the colorful explosions won’t be in the sky. There are a couple of stage shows closing this weekend you may want to see that are also full of sparks. First is Thom Pain (based on nothing) by Nova Arts Project. A one-man…
Food Fight: Battle Meatloaf
When we asked our followers on Twitter which foods they’d like to see featured in the new weekly food fight, at least one response was [oddly] overwhelming: meatloaf. Personally, meatloaf is one of those items — much like chicken and dumplings or cornbread — that’s best cooked and enjoyed at home…
Houstonians Learn the “Thriller” Dance
Who would have ever imagined just a little over a week ago that Houstonians would be convening on the lush confines of Discovery Green to learn to do the “Thriller” dance? Or in the sweltering dog days of July for that matter? The dance seems way more like a Halloween…
Tonight: Rozz Zamorano Jazz Trio at the Big Top
Big Sir Junior Super Live Zam Records Recorded during live sessions at Houston’s Jet Lounge in early 2006, Big Sir Junior’s debut release shows the power of three accomplished musicians firmly in their element. Local bassist Rozz Zamorano (Fondue Monks, Yoko Mono, Rozz Zamorano Trio) recruited former Houstonian Chris Young…
From M*A*S*H To 42nd Street In The Park, With Loretta Swit
There will be crazy good tapping going on at Miller Outdoor Theatre July 9-14 when another summer of free performances kicks off with the musical 42nd Street courtesy of Theatre Under the Stars — at least that’s what Loretta Swit promises. Swit herself won’t be doing any of the dancing. But…
Aftermath: Wooden Birds at Walter’s on Washington
For a thirsty crowd looking to begin their Independence Day weekend in earnest, there was no better place to be last night than Walter’s off Washington. As of late, there has been a swelling resurgence in the earthy tones and folk-carnie vibe of bands like The Band. One could blame…
Social Distortion: The End-All, Be-All Cure For Your Social Media Sickness
You log into Facebook, and you’re hit with the sudden pang of 172 unread messages in your inbox, 146 unread updates, 59 event invitations, and a partridge in a pear tree. Your Google Reader is uncomfortably lodged at 1000+ unread, and it hasn’t been touched in ages, sorta like your…
Openings and Closings
Although only open for a few short months, Out of Africa (14019 Southwest Freeway, #204) has already closed. An excellent review from Robb Walsh in March, fantastic reviews on B4-U-Eat, an excellent burger and a killer patio weren’t enough to save the young restaurant. This leaves Houston with only one…
Despite What ESPN Says, Here Are 25 Things To (Sorta) Like About Minute Maid Park
ESPN doesn’t think much of the fan experience in Houston, especially for the Astros fans, which ESPN ranks at number 68. This ranking is based on things like ownership, coaching, players, bang for the buck, fan relations, stadium experience, affordability, and something called title tracks — that deals with the…
Friday Night Noise: Indian Jewelry and Prurient
Indian Jewelry, “Seasonal Economy” At its gnarliest, Houston’s Indian Jewelry reminds Friday Night Noise of that brief period a few years back where James Toth was transitioning away from being part of being the “Wooden Wand” part of the “Wooden Wand and the Vanishing Voice” equation, towards the “serious, for-real…
Metro Making Several Changes In Wake Of Light-Rail Derailment
“Human error” caused a Metro train to derail just after midnight on June 16, according to Metro officials, but engineers from Arup, a firm hired to assist in the investigation, say that Metro needs to implement a safer lubrication system on the rails. Pictures from the investigation, released by Metro…
From Humble: The Woman Who’s Played Phantom’s Diva More Than Anyone
The longest running Carlotta in Phantom of the Opera, a woman with more than 4,500 Phantom performances as the diva outdone by the young upstart Christine, is Kim Stengel who originally hails from Humble, Texas.Stengel will be returning home as part of the national tour of Phantom brought to the…
Slide Show: Uber-Patriotic Album Covers
America’s Independence Day is this weekend, where we salute the courage of our forefathers with controlled aerial explosions and small grease fires in our backyards. Nobody likes a silent holiday, so we found some album covers with plenty of American spirit, which illustrate in no uncertain terms why the words…
A Chat with Trey Lindberg of Benjy’s
If you want to chat up Benjy’s barkeep Trey Lindberg — and why wouldn’t you? He’s cute and makes a seriously decent mojito — then bring up football. Trey, a former high school player, Texans season ticket holder and aspiring coach, is obsessed. He’s on a flag league out in…
You’re Not Going To Be Independent Of Traffic Near Hermann Park This Weekend
A lot of people will be converging on Hermann Park this weekend for various events, which means traffic could turn into one big hassle.The Parks & Rec department is urging as many people to take light-rail to the park as possible. (We’re sure Metro’s urging the same thing, too.)The 4th…
Frenchy’s Celebrates 40 Years
Some restaurants epitomize the soul of their cities. There’s Brown’s Diner and the Pancake Pantry in Nashville, cheese-steak joints like Pat’s and Geno’s Steaks in Philly, and many a corner pizzeria in Chicago and NYC. For Houston, Frenchy’s is just as iconic. The Creuzot family’s fried chicken / Creole chain…
Houston’s Rememberances of Warped Tours Past
For the past 15 years, the Vans Warped Tour has been barreling through city after city across the globe creating punk rockers out of boy scouts and riot grrls out of band geeks. The traveling punk, hardcore and emo road show has been coming to Houston since 1995. The first…
For the Fourth Of July: Worst Cinematic Attempts At Patriotism
This weekend, as we come together to celebrate Independence Day, let’s do our best to remember what this holiday is all about. It’s more than merely dodging DWI checkpoints on your way home from backyard barbecues and trying to decide between the Jon & Kate + 8 or Deadliest Catch…
Health Department Roundup: Bakery Edition
This week’s roundup feature retail bakeries cited by the health department for sugar-dusted food-service blunders during the past two weeks. On the wholesale front, Sammy’s Bakery (11331 Bissonnet) was caught with an overflowing garbage container in its food service area There are also no paper towels or hand blowers near…
Cutout Bin: J. Garland McKee’s Laughin’ With ‘Em
J. Garland McKee Laughin’ With ‘Em: Southern Negro Humor in Dialect (Americana Recording, 1969) Amos & Andy. Stepin Fetchit. Aunt Jemima. Jar Jar Binks. American history is littered with people and characters who have found success by exploiting African-American stereotypes. Meet the Rev. J. Garland McKee – humorist, minister, negro…
Lawsuit Claims Private Home For Disabled Housed “One Big Orgy”
Willow River Farms, a private group home for the mentally retarded and physically disabled in Brookshire, turned into a place where “residents would gather in groups and have sex with multiple partners at the same time,” and the atmosphere was described as “one big orgy” by a former employee, according…
Bishop of Brisket, Ruler of Ribs
Local eating club Houston Chowhounds held its second annual BBQ Smackdown this past Saturday afternoon at Pearl Bar, where brisket and ribs from six area restaurants competed to determine the best ‘cue in town. Last year’s competition saw entries from Swinging Door, Pierson’s, Goode Co., Burns BBQ, Luling City Market and…
Chron Leaves Out Key Detail From Story On Sailor’s Death
A Houston sailor was killed at Camp Pendleton in San Diego Tuesday.Here, verbatim, is the version of the AP report the Houston Chronicle is running on it: Houston sailor killed at Camp PendletonCAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — Navy officials say the death of a 29-year-old Camp Pendleton sailor is being investigated…
Wild Moccasins Play Live on Cincinnati’s WOXY
Like a mother sending her baby off to college, we here at Rocks Off are pretty proud of the Wild Moccasins for representing Houston’s up-and-coming indie scene so well on the band’s first extended tour this past month. So naturally, when we found out Cincinnati Internet radio station WOXY (“The…
Houston’s Drag Queen Needs Another Bump
The Bayou City Bitch has made the Top 25 in RuPaul’s Drag Race, the single most important election since Obama took the presidency.But now the second round of voting has begun, and there are only days left to cast your ballot for Anita Bump.We only wish Anita could muster up…
Rocks Off Goes Live from Sugar Hill Tonight
Rocks Off will be the special guest “audience of one” on tonight’s Live from Sugar Hill, the monthly hour-long live-music Webcast broadcast from the historic Southeast Houston studios. Tonight’s musical guests are bluesy singer-songwriter Andrew Karnavas and veteran Tex-Mex power-poppers the Freddy Steady 5. Our interviewers will be Rosa Guerrero…
Never Depend On A QB Named “The Sex Cannon”
I stumbled over to the Texans website the other day, and after looking through things for a bit, I guess that I should buy my Super Bowl tickets because, if you listen to Texans employee Marc Vandermeer, this is an outstanding team at every position on the field. I especially…
Torta Trend: We Call Dibs
A recent item in Details magazine declared the torta the next trendy sandwich, following on the heels of the banh mi and before that, the panini. The article continued with the best places to get one, and drew attention to a sandwich in Oregon made with ciabatta. Newsflash, Yankees: We’ve…
Straight From the Sole: Thoughts on Michael Jackson’s Death
You know Soledad. He’s the vocalist from controversial Houston rap-metal act Daylight Coma. He’s got a lot to say. Sometimes it’s insightful, sometimes less so, but it’s almost always said with conviction. This week, we asked him about the King of Pop’s death. You’re welcome to express your disdain with…
Mein So-Called Kampf: Downtown Houston Edition
Few might have noticed, but a scene that would not have been out of place in the tail end of Germany’s Weimar Republic unfolded on the streets of downtown last Saturday, with Neo-Nazis and anti-fascists doing verbal battle right in front of Christ Church Cathedral. A group of area Neo-Nazis…
The Long Battle Between Heat & A/C Continues
A few scattered showers this week didn’t really stop the unseasonable heat wave smothering Houston, and things won’t be better over the weekend. Accuweather’s “Feels Like” temps for the next three days include 109, 105 and 107).So the a/c units are blasting. Any danger they’re gonna go out and bring…
Do-It-Yourself Taco Burgers
Two of Houston’s best culinary traditions are taco trucks and burger joints. Houston food lovers like myself are often racked with indecision when choosing between the two for a quick lunch or dinner — tacos or burgers? Which taco truck? Which burger joint? On a recent lunch outing I came…
Do You Look Like Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler or One of ZZ Top?
Live Nation has come through with a four-pack of lawn tickets to the classic-rock show of the summer, Aerosmith and Houston’s own ZZ Top July 18 at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, and Rocks Off sure as hell ain’t gonna give this away for some cheap-ass trivia question. Naw, this…
Being A Fan In Houston Basically Sucks, ESPN Reports
ESPN has put together another one of its Best Fan Experience lists, where they rank ballparks, arenas and stadiums for atmosphere, convenience, team success, and other highly arbitrary and pseudo-scientific categories.Houston doesn’t come out too well.The top three are the LA Angels, the Carolina Panthers Hurricanes and the Pittsburgh Steelers;…
Target Free First Sunday: Surf’s Up
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston becomes the site of a super beach party during today’s Target Free First Sunday: Surf’s Up. Besides activities that include drawing and sculpting sea creatures (real and imagined), the Houston Zoo will be bringing over some touchable beach animals, Nameless Sound will lead an…
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
It’s an all-star cast in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas with Johnny Depp, Benicio Del Toro, Cameron Diaz, Tobey Maguire and Christina Ricci. The comedy, based on the book of the same title by Hunter S. Thompson, follows gonzo journalist Raoul Duke (Depp), and his friend (Del Toro) on…
Ps and Qs: The ABCs of Manners
As Rebecca Udden, artistic director of Main Street Theater, says, “Rudeness can be hurtful.” So if you’ve got a kiddo at home who could use a gentle shove in the “say thank you” department, head out to Ps and Qs: The ABCs of Manners, a funny, fact-filled musical featuring charmingly…
Lindale Park 4th of July Parade
Start today with an old-fashioned family-friendly Independence Day at the Lindale Park 4th of July Parade. Located just east of the Heights, Lindale Park has hosted an annual parade and celebration for a decade now. 10 a.m. Irvington and Eleanor. For information, call 713-697-0088. Free. Sat., July 4, 2009…
Made in the USA
Although French cinemaster/provocateur Jean-Luc Godard always hinted that Made in the USA, his 1966 gangster movie, was an homage to Howard Hawks’s 1946 The Big Sleep (playing concurrently at MFAH), it’s really an outright homage to Godard himself. All Godard’s tics of the trade are in evidence: the weird narrative,…
The Big Sleep
If you can’t make sense out of Raymond Chandler’s whodunit novel The Big Sleep, join the club. Nobel Prize laureate/screenwriter William Faulkner, along with co-screenwriters Leigh Brackett and Jules Furthman, couldn’t make sense out of it either. They called author Chandler to have him explain the plot, and he yelled…
Germán Herrera: “Book of Mirrors”
Explore the thin line between the metaphysical and the physical in Germán Herrera’s “Book of Mirrors,” the newest exhibit at De Santos Gallery. Mexican-born photographer Herrera uses black-and-white, fragmented images, bathroom tile and a potted plant to create realistic-looking – but imagined – photographic composites. By merging digital technology with…
Gallery One Three Seven: “David McGee”
Curator Sharon Engelstein opens the new mini-show Gallery One Three Seven: “David McGee” today as part of the exhibit “No Zoning: Artists Engage Houston.” The gallery’s total area is just 1.37 square feet, making McGee forgo his usually large oil paintings and installations for miniature versions of his work. Today’s…
Luis Tomasello: “Recent Work”
Kinetic artist Luis Tomasello is currently enjoying a celebration of his art from the 1960s and ’70s by collectors and critics alike. Work from earlier in his career could easily overshadow his latest pieces, except for this: His new work is equally impressive, as the exhibit Luis Tomasello: “Recent Work”…
Cafe Reads: Denise Hazen
Denise Hazen isn’t afraid of the “C” word. She allowed CNN to tape her battle against breast cancer in the recent documentary Taming the Beast: Inside the War on Cancer, and her book, Treat Her Like a Princess, is a women’s go-to resource for supporting a girlfriend with a deadly…
Star Spangled Salute
Detest Mozart? Cringe at Copland? Keel over at the sound of Strauss? Even you can’t help but enjoy the exuberant sounds of a symphony orchestra on the Fourth of July. Today, the Houston Symphony puts on its annual spectacular at the Miller Outdoor Theatre in the form of “A Star…
Ridley Pearson
Author Ridley Pearson has left the usual gritty urban setting of most thriller novels behind. Instead, his newest release, Killer Summer (the third so far in the Killer series) is set in Sun Valley, a resort area for the rich and famous. In it, Sheriff Walt Fleming (based on Sun…
Phantom of the Opera
The Phantom of the Opera will be haunting theaters for many, many years to come. It’s been two decades since the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, based on the Gaston Leroux novel, astonished nay-saying critics by winning multiple awards and going on to become one of the longest-running shows in Broadway…
Independence: A Tour of America
Independence: A Tour of America, MECA’s Fourth of July celebration, has plenty to aid your pursuit of holiday happiness. Saint Arnold’s beer, hot dogs, music, dancing, a great view of the fireworks downtown – what else could you ask for on our country’s birthday? The event will feature a slate…
Doctors from Hell: The Horrific Account of Nazi Experiments on Humans
In 1946 Vivien Spitz was a young court reporter working for the U.S. War Department. Her assignment? The history-making Nuremberg War Crimes Trials. During today’s Doctors from Hell: The Horrific Account of Nazi Experiments on Humans lecture, Spitz will give a firsthand narrative of the dramatic trials of Third Reich…
“Body Language”
Talk about a loaded subject: Earlier this year, Women in the Visual and Literary Arts (WIVLA) asked local artists to submit prints and photographs that explore the theme of “Body Language” for an exhibit at the Museum of Printing History. Daunting, sure, until you recall that they’re working within an…
Washington-on-the-Brazos Fireworks
How better to celebrate the 4th of July than at the historic Washington-on-the-Brazos Fireworks display? (Yeah, yeah, Texas independence, American independence, not quite the same thing, but for the sake of partying, it’s close enough.) The festivities include a western swing concert followed by a huge fireworks display, which will…
Akira
In America there was anime, and then there was Akira. Katsuhiro Otomo revolutionized Japanese animation with the 1988 film adaptation of his most popular manga. The comic book/film follows a motorcycle gang leader on a quest to save his friend, who is wrapped up in a government ESP conspiracy. Otomo…
Steel Magnolias
If you’ve got tickets to the A.D. Players’ production You Can’t Take It with You, you’re out of luck. And you’re in luck, too. The show has been replaced with Steel Magnolias. 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sundays, with additional 7:30 p.m. performances select Wednesdays…
“Facing Mars: Would You Survive the Journey”
Humankind has often looked to the Red Planet, curious about what it might be like to walk its surface. But one serious moment spent thinking about how much it would actually suck to careen through the cold vastness of space for three years or so, stuck in a claustrophobic tin…
Talley’s Folly
In the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Talley’s Folly, Matt and Sally face lots of obstacles as a couple. For one thing, she lives in rural Missouri, while he calls St. Louis home. For another, her conservative Protestant family isn’t happy at the idea of her marrying a Jewish man 11 years…
Zin Balance
Peace. And then blessings. No matter how innocuous the message that needs to be relayed, that’s how correspondence with Zin is typically bookended. Sometimes the Houston rapper — among many other things — will ad-lib a bit when he sees you (“Peace, fam”), and occasionally his altruism will arbitrarily splash…
China Girls (and Boys)
We all know Houston’s reputation as a city disinterested in, if not downright disdainful of, its past. Local scribes with a modicum of interest in Bayou City history, yours truly included, never tire of soapboxing about it. But it’s funny. In honor of the Houston Press Music Awards’ 20th anniversary…
Eric Benét, Boyz II Men
Let’s try to forget about Halle when Eric Benét comes to town. We know — it’s hard. It’s quite likely that many a fiery barbershop debate has occurred when someone just uttered his name. (“What’s wrong with that boy! He had the finest sista in the land, but he couldn’t…
Wooden Birds
It’s been four years since we’ve heard from Fort Worth native Andrew Kenny, former front man of American Analog Set. But Magnolia, the debut LP from his new band Wooden Birds, has proven to be worth the wait. Tambourines rustle like leaves or like Kenny’s hushed, raspy voice, which takes…
The Belleville Outfit
Austin six-piece The Belleville Outfit, whose latest CD Time to Stand has the capital city on its feet, combines country, blues and rockabilly to create a swinging sound that demands an equivalent amount of dancing. Fast-paced songs like “Sunday Morning” and “Nothing’s Too Good for My Baby” will set toes…
Texas Heat Music Festival
Houston’s sweltering summer weather sounds like a peculiar way to promote a festival (or anything, really), but the Texas Heat Music Festival could prove aptly named indeed. Shades of the old Party on the Plaza with a decided indie-rock, laptop-dance and underground hip-hop twist, the two-day affair promises to test…
Death by Diana
The photographs Amy Blakemore takes with a crappy plastic camera can make you cry. Dad (1999) is an image from “Amy Blakemore: Photographs 1988-2008,” a 20-year survey of the artist’s work at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. The entire time I was in the gallery, people kept stopping and…
A Static Lullaby
A Static Lullaby could be a case study in the question of when a band ceases to be itself. Over its eight-year career, the band’s lineup has shifted and morphed so frequently that its composition resembles the amorphous ebb and flow of a lava lamp. Like that globular icon, though,…
Capsule Art Reviews: “Carlos Cruz-Diez: Crosswalk,” “Literally Figurative,” “No Zoning: Artists Engage Houston,” “Perspectives 166: Torsten Slama”
“Carlos Cruz-Diez: Crosswalk” You only have to drive past the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston to see some of the hippest public art in Houston. The 86-year-old Carlos Cruz-Diez, a pioneer of optically kinetic art, has created an amazing street installation for the MFAH’s crosswalks along Bissonnet/Binz Street. Cruz-Diez’s vibrant…
Betty Soo
If you aren’t familiar with Spring native Betty Soo but love good folksy roots music à la Patty Griffin or Julie Miller, chances are you’ll know her soon enough. Soo’s new Gurf Morlix-produced Heat Sin Water Skin is a solid, satisfying effort in every way, from her clever and poignant…
State of Shock
The King of Pop is dead. Michael Jackson died last Thursday afternoon of a suspected heart attack at his mansion near Los Angeles. He was 50 years old, outliving Elvis by eight years. Chatter grew up in an MTV-free household. Never owned a spangled white glove or a “Beat It” leather…
Factory People
Wow. It’s 11:45 p.m. on a Saturday evening at Washington Corridor’s phonetically correct nightclub Ei8ht (5102 Washington), and it’s utterly packed. Actually, the word “nightclub” feels inadequate to describe this place, which is less than nine weeks old. Rich’s (2401 San Jacinto) is a nightclub. Despite its name, so is…
Capsule Stage Reviews: Reckless, The Story of Burford, Category 5, The Wiz
Reckless Although her louse of a husband has just confessed to hiring a hit man to kill her — on Christmas Eve, no less — unconquerably happy Rachel (Jennifer Wood) puts on the smiley face of Doris Day as she flees into the snowy night in her robe and slippers…
Tony Thai & Sushi Restaurant #2
Following on the success of his first restaurant in the new Chinatown, Tony has opened a second location of Tony Thai & Sushi Restaurant #2 (17513 Highway 249, 281-469-3188) way out on 249 near Willowbrook Mall, only this time he’s added sushi to the menu. Dish talked with his assistant…
Getting Schooled
Even though Leslie Davenport is not a party to the litigation, nothing can keep her away from the Dallas County district court next October. That’s when Southern Methodist University is scheduled to defend its reputation for what Davenport claims was the unconscionable treatment her mother and others suffered at the…
Heavenly Hummus at Blue Planet Cafe
At Blue Planet Cafe, (1330 Wirt, 713-681-9800), the hummus salad plate ($5.25) comes with plenty of healthy items like sticks of celery, cherry tomatoes, mini carrots and baked pita pieces, to dip into some of the best hummus you’ll find in the city. Owner Ingrid Syan adds a few secret…
Mann on the Run
“They’re all about where people come from. Nobody seems to wonder where somebody’s going.” So says the Depression-era bank-robber-cum-folk-hero John Dillinger upon surveying the clientele of a chic Chicago eatery in a key scene from Michael Mann’s Public Enemies. And, much like its subject, Mann’s exhilarating movie exists in a…
DEAN’S CREDIT CLOTHING’S GOLDEN ZINGER
As a concept, Sunday Fun Day has one fundamental flaw: Last I checked, Sunday precedes Monday on the calendar, so Sunday Funday almost always turns into Monday Notsofuckingfun Day. But I always fall for Sunday’s trickery. Oh sure, you have the day off. Have some drinks with your friends at…
Enthusiasm, Curbed
Character is destiny — at least for Woody Allen’s Whatever Works. Allen’s exercise in Woody Allen nostalgia opens with a snatch of Groucho Marx singing his trademark paradoxical assertion (“Hello, I must be going”) and is powered almost entirely by the presence of a single, larger-than-life, and less than likable,…
Creole Rabbit
The paneed rabbit appetizer at Sabine River Cafe looked like a plate of McNuggets, but the white meat was sweeter and lighter than chicken breast. It came with a little side dish of creamy creole mustard dipping sauce. I could have eaten three or four orders by myself. The fried…
Getting the Spin from BARC: Things are just rosy at the pound, according to the Chronicle
Political Animals, Spaced City Getting Spun by BARC Things are rosy, according to the Chron By Craig Malisow A recent column by the Houston Chronicle’s Lisa Falkenberg, headlined “Finally, a bit of good news out of BARC,” might have been more accurately titled “When Public Relations Attacks!” What the column…
A Judge Delivers His Verdict Too Late
A Judge’s Word Be more balanced: The article printed regarding the trial with defense counsel Ms. Vivian King in my court does not match my memory of the trial [“A Child’s Word,” by Randall Patterson, May 21, 2009]. To begin with, Ms. King’s client was acquitted, so the jury clearly…
Practicing patience, pendejos.
Dear Mexican, Looking back recently on my distant youth in northwest Ohio, I came to the realization that the sweetest, most beautiful girl this gabacho ever went out with (indeed, in my entire senior class) was the pure-blooded daughter of Mexican immigrants. Am I under the sway of 1) simple…
